黑料社

ISLAMABAD 鈥� Pakistan鈥檚 parliamentary elections left no clear winner.

Allies of imprisoned ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan won the most seats in the lower house of parliament in the elections last Thursday. It was a shock outcome given the obstacles: His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party could hold no campaign rallies, had no polling agents on election day and faced internet restrictions. They won 93 out of 265 National Assembly seats. It鈥檚 not enough to form a government, however.

The other two mainstream parties, led by Khan鈥檚 rivals, also failed to secure enough seats to form a government on their own. They are the PML-N of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the PPP, led by political dynasty scion Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari. They won 75 and 54 seats respectively.

READ: Pakistan ex-PMs and bitter rivals Sharif and Khan both claim poll win

It鈥檚 Pakistan鈥檚 parliament that chooses the next prime minister, so having a majority is crucial.

Who鈥檚 in the running?

Not Imran Khan. He鈥檚 in prison and barred from holding public office. The PTI said it doesn鈥檛 want or need an alliance, claiming it has enough seats. It doesn鈥檛. The party has public support 鈥� as shown by the number of seats that candidates scooped up 鈥� but it doesn鈥檛 have the backing of political peers.

Analyst Azim Chaudhry said the other parties have 鈥済rievances and grudges鈥� against Khan from his time in office and that they鈥檙e not ready to shake hands with him because he鈥檚 made it clear he doesn鈥檛 want to talk to them.

The PML-N and PPP started coalition talks once it became clear that Khan loyalists had taken a lead. They claim to have pacts with smaller parties and newly minted parliamentarians, including defectors from Khan鈥檚 side, to bump up their seat quota to the magic majority number of 169.

READ: Pakistan goes to the polls after bloody election eve

But knowing who could become prime minister from this ragtag crowd is trickier.

Party insiders say Sharif isn鈥檛 suited to a coalition because of his temperament. His younger brother, Shehbaz, led a coalition after Khan was ousted from power and is regarded as more accommodating.

And then there鈥檚 Bhutto-Zardari, a former foreign minister. It鈥檚 not clear if he鈥檒l want the top job in a government that came to power through such a tainted election.

But he and his party are key to any coalition because they have the third largest share of seats. Not for nothing is his father, Asif Ali Zardari, regarded as a kingmaker. He won鈥檛 do something that jeopardizes his son鈥檚 political future, like joining hands with Khan, according to Chaudhry.

There鈥檚 a chance of an outside candidate becoming prime minister to keep all sides happy, but it鈥檚 hard to see the two families relinquishing their claim to power.

What鈥檚 the mood?

People are unhappy about the way the election unfolded and how votes were counted. Legal challenges are underway to contest some results. There are protests and allegations about vote-rigging, with Khan鈥檚 supporters in particular angry about what they perceive as electoral theft. Police have used tear gas to disperse crowds and arrested dozens of people in sporadic demonstrations that have broken out across Pakistan. The international community and rights groups have expressed concern about voting irregularities.

What happens next?

Pakistan鈥檚 president has to convene the inaugural session of the new National Assembly within 21 days of the election, or Feb. 29. Lawmakers are sworn in during that session. They submit nomination papers for a number of key roles, including the speaker and leader of the house. After these positions are filled, a new prime minister is elected through a parliamentary vote, a task that requires a simple majority.