The official results from Pakistan’s general elections on February 8 are still being tallied, but there is now enough data to see the shape of the national and provincial assemblies emerging from this highly anticipated vote.
The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) party has achieved a disruptive level of success amid a normal voter turnout (47 per cent), despite the imprisonment of its leader, former prime minister Imran Khan, de-recognition of the party by the Election Commission and blackouts of media coverage. The PTI has secured a plurality of seats in the National Assembly, a strong majority in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provincial assembly and a strong second place in Punjab. In short, the elections that were supposed to bury the PTI as a major political force are instead reinvigorating and re-energising it. Assessing the impact on Pakistan's stability is another question entirely – one that depends on just how the country’s military and judiciary chose to respond to this extraordinary challenge from below.
Imran Khan's party was always unlikely to be suppressed by the conventional measures used in establishment efforts to dismantle it
At this stage in the process, the president and the governors of the provinces would normally invite the party with the strongest results to form a government, although in the absence of a majority it is not unheard of for the runner-up to be given a chance to form a coalition. Forming a government without the PTI will be significantly easier at the federal level than in Punjab, Pakistan’s wealthiest and most populous province. The PTI, despite coming in second in Punjab, won enough seats to deny a majority to any other party hoping to build a provincial coalition government. Enabling the creation of a non-PTI majority would likely require significant procedural manipulation (for example, excluding the PTI from allocation of reserved women’s seats).
The most serious immediate crisis will be in KP, sandwiched between Afghanistan to its west and Punjab to the east. Here, the PTI has won an outright majority of seats and cannot be plausibly denied the right to form the provincial government. The PTI’s level of popular support in KP can be gauged from the fact that it was the first party ever to win consecutive elections in 2018; it has now beaten its own record with a third electoral victory.
Maintaining the existing caretaker government or instituting federally directed “governor’s rule” under these circumstances will deal powerful blows to the legitimacy of the political system. This brings very real security risks, given the rebirth of the Pakistani Taliban’s insurgency in KP and the growing shadow of ISIS, both of which the military has struggled to defeat.
The crises in Punjab and in the centre of the country will be slower burning, but hardly any less serious in terms of the threat they represent to Pakistanis’ quality of life. First, the process of cobbling together governments will be slow and messy, and the resulting coalitions would likely be unstable. This is the kind of prolonged uncertainty that markets abhor, creating an additional drag on a highly troubled economy. Second, although the International Monetary Fund’s financial support reversed Pakistan’s spiral towards a catastrophic sovereign debt default in 2023, the assistance remains contingent on major policy reform, which demands significant political will to take on elite interests. The intensity of deal-making the army must engage in to help set up and prop up the national and provincial governments is likely to sap much of the political capital needed.
Above all of this looms the question of whether the army, the senior judiciary and the other major political parties (the institutions that allied to eject the PTI from power) have the necessary prudence to de-escalate this extremely volatile situation. It is clear that the results caught them by surprise; but the degree of surprise should itself be a matter of concern and self-reflection. The signs of a PTI comeback were certainly there for anyone who cared to look at what was going on in villages and towns across Punjab and KP.
For one thing, voting choices in much of Punjab and KP can no longer be dictated by big landlords, religious leaders or clan elders. Earning a wage has increasingly become a matter of individual opportunity rather than favours from those on high. One major side effect of this is that political consciousness is no longer seen as something reserved for those in big cities, or higher up on the social ladder. For many ordinary citizens, taking the initiative to organise political debates or support candidates has increasingly become an act of self-emancipation that declares agency in their own lives.
Meanwhile, smartphones with broadband Internet have made it hard for people to see the challenges they experience in purely local terms. YouTube is particularly important as an archive, a town hall and a user-generated soap box that undercuts the Pakistani authorities’ power to censor the TV channels and newspapers or to frame issues as they see fit. WhatsApp in turn allows all of this content to be circulated among friend and family groups for yet more discussion, gathering a shared sense of meaning and identity.
It is therefore unsurprising that Imran Khan’s promise of a new national social contract has resonated so widely and so deeply. Or that the PTI’s base of support has widened far beyond its initial core of military families, businessmen and ambitious lower middle class youth from big cities to include shopkeepers and labourers, as well as middle-aged mums and grandparents in villages and small towns. Or even that they often take cues from social media to organise independently, instead of relying on the party hierarchy.
Given all of this, the PTI was always unlikely to be suppressed by the conventional measures used in establishment efforts to dismantle it. Such actions would have been more effective against a typical leader-centric hierarchical organisation rather than the grassroots movement that had sprung up alongside the formal party.
Any effort by authorities to annul individual constituency results or coerce PTI-aligned candidates to change parties would likely yield highly destabilising results. There is, of course, an even darker precedent to be avoided. In 1979, Pakistan’s then military dictatorship, working with the judiciary, hanged a polarising Prime Minister, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who could not otherwise be silenced nor defeated through elections.
Today, the continued good health of the imprisoned Imran Khan may be essential to maintaining calm and defusing the crisis. The PTI leadership has emphasised peaceful protest after the backlash over May 2023 riots by its supporters against military headquarters in Rawalpindi and Lahore, and so far its members have followed that lead.
As long as the authorities are still in shock, attempting to come to terms with the new political realities, what lies ahead cannot yet be predicted. It is up to the international community to incentivise the establishment to accept the results both in the interest of the system’s health and to avoid repeating the lessons of the past.
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THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Asia Cup 2018 Qualifier
Sunday's results:
- UAE beat Malaysia by eight wickets
- Nepal beat Singapore by four wickets
- Oman v Hong Kong, no result
Tuesday fixtures:
- Malaysia v Singapore
- UAE v Oman
- Nepal v Hong Kong
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Crawley Town 3 (Tsaroulla 50', Nadesan 53', Tunnicliffe 70')
Leeds United 0
The five pillars of Islam
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
How%20to%20avoid%20getting%20scammed
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Napoleon
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ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
RESULTS
6.30pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) US$100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Final Song, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m
Winner Almanaara, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Grand Argentier, Brett Doyle, Doug Watson.
8.15pm Meydan Challenge Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Major Partnership, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
Winner Universal Order, Richard Mullen, David Simcock.
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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The five pillars of Islam
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The five pillars of Islam
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m, Winner SS Lamea, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer).
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m, Winner AF Makerah, Sean Kirrane, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m, Winner Maaly Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,600m, Winner AF Momtaz, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m, Winner Morjanah Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,200m, Winner Mudarrab, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The years Ramadan fell in May
Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs
Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km
Price: Dh235,000
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
