Ensure transparent election process, respect will of people: White House on Pakistan polls
White House has called for ensuring a transparent election process in Pakistan and said there is a need to respect the will of the Pakistani people. US President Joe Biden is aware of the elections in Pakistan, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference on Tuesday.
«Obviously, the president is very much aware. Millions of Pakistanis turned out to vote last week, including record numbers of women, members of religious and ethnic minority groups, and young voters,» Jean-Pierre said.
«So certainly, we congratulate the Pakistani people for participating in last week's elections, including poll workers, civil society members, and journalists and election observers who have protected Pakistan's democratic and electoral institutions,» she added.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced that Independent candidates, a majority of them supported by the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), secured 101 seats in the National Assembly. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) bagged 75 seats, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) got 54, and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) secured 17.
To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly.
In response to a question, Jean-Pierre said, «We are proud to stand with like-minded democracies. As we consistently convey clearly both publicly and privately to the Pakistani government and across
