Key Takeaways From Pakistan's Contentious Election.

SHARIF, Navaz, 1949-; KHAN, Imran, 1952-; ELECTIONS; BOND prices; BONDS (Finance); ELECTION boards; POLITICAL parties

Pakistan's general election has resulted in an unexpected lead by independent candidates backed by Imran Khan, followed by Nawaz Sharif's PML-N and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's party. As of now, the independent candidates hold 86 seats, PML-N has 59 seats, and Bhutto has 44 seats out of a total of 265 seats. Sharif has claimed victory and invited all parties to join the government, with expectations that two of the three main parties will form a coalition. The unexpected wins of independent candidates have negatively impacted the markets, with the nation's dollar bonds and benchmark stock index experiencing declines. The election results have been delayed due to the ongoing vote count and the temporary shutdown of mobile phone services for public order during voting. [Extracted from the article]

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