PTI Supporters Clash with Police as Party-backed Independent Jumps Ship to Join Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N

Police in Pakistan fired tear gas shells to disperse supporters of former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who protested outside election commission’s offices across the nation alleging rigging took place in the recently concluded general elections. Clashes were reported in Rawalpindi city, south of the capital, and Lahore, in the east, while dozens of other protests were held across the country without incident, according to a report by news agency AFP.

PTI workers blocked the Peshawar motorway toll plaza, held protests outside the returning officer’s office in Lahore, took out a rally in Sialkot against electoral fraud and held protests in Sindh and Rawalpindi as well.

Pakistan law enforcement officials warned earlier that they will come down hard on illegal gatherings but despite the warnings PTI workers took to the streets demanding recount and release of their leader Imran Khan from the Adiala jail.

PTI continues to claim that the independents it backed took the most seats in the polls but its mandate was stolen. Independents cannot form a government as per rules laid down by the Pakistani constitution.

Amid this political uncertainty, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed independent candidate Waseem Qadir who won the February 8 elections from the National Assembly’s NA-121 constituency in Lahore said he is joining the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

PML-N released a video where he was seen with senior PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz and other party workers who welcomed him to the party. “I am Waseem Qadir. I was PTI’s Lahore secretary-general. I have returned to my home. For the development of my constituency and my people, I have joined Muslim League-Noon again,” Waseem Qadir was quoted as saying by GeoNews.

Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N is the second with 79 seats as per the election results tally and lacks the clear majority it needs to form the government but it is the single-largest party in the parliament as Imran Khan-backed independents ran as individuals.

The prime minister contender has to ensure that they have the simple majority of 169 seats in the Pakistan National Assembly when the house is called in the coming days.