ISLAMABAD: Nearly four weeks after the general elections held on February 8, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has at last published Form 45s and other related forms containing the electoral results on its website.

These documents include Form 45s, Form 46s, Form 48s, and Form 49s, which encompass detailed information regarding the outcomes of the general elections. Form 45, known as the ‘Result of the Count,’ provides a breakdown of the valid votes for each candidate participating in the election, along with the number of excluded ballot papers.

Various political parties, including independent candidates supported by the PTI, had expressed concerns over alleged irregularities in multiple constituencies, suggesting possible rigging due to the absence of Form 45s.

Furthermore, Form 46, which accounts for the ballot papers, and the Provisional Consolidated Statement of Results form (Form 47) have also been uploaded to the ECP website. Additionally, Form 48, representing the Consolidated Statement of Results of the Count, and Form 49, the Final Consolidated Result form, are accessible on the website.

In the 2024 elections, independent candidates backed by the PTI have strengthened their position over mainstream political parties, particularly in the National and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies, throughout the result declaration process. According to the current announcements, PTI-backed independent candidates have secured victory in 92 seats, placing PML-N in second position with 79 seats, followed by the PPP with 54 seats. Moreover, MQM-P emerged victorious in 17 constituencies, while JUI-F and PML-Q won in four and three constituencies respectively. IPP and BNP each secured two seats.

Initially, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto had aspirations for the prime ministerial position but later withdrew from the race, advocating for his father, PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, to be appointed as the country’s president.

Although Nawaz Sharif was initially the PML-N candidate for the prime ministerial role, the party later revised its decision and nominated its president, Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz’s younger brother, to lead a new coalition.