US says it looks forward to 'timely, complete' election results from Pakistan

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US on Friday said that it looks forward to "timely, complete" election results that reflect the will of the Pakistani people.

In a statement, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the US commends Pakistani poll workers, civil society, journalists and election observers for their work but added that the US joins "credible international and local election observers in their assessment that these elections included undue restrictions on freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly."

"We condemn electoral violence, restrictions on the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including attacks on media workers, and restrictions on access to the Internet and telecommunication services, and are concerned about allegations of interference in the electoral process," he said, adding that claims of interference or fraud should be fully investigated.

"The United States is prepared to work with the next Pakistani government, regardless of political party, to advance our shared interests," Miller added.

Pakistan’s interim government on Friday said a “lack of communication” due to the suspension of mobile phone services caused a delay in announcing the results of Thursday’s general elections.

According to provisional results, out of a total of 266 direct seats of the National Assembly, independent candidates backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan have won 92 seats, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with 66, and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) with 49.

Sharif called for a "unity government" on Friday, as election results released by the electoral authority suggest a hung federal parliament.

At least 12 people, including 10 security personnel, were killed on Thursday in “terrorist attacks” in southwestern and northwestern Pakistan as people flocked to polling stations to elect a new parliament and four provincial assemblies, the army said.

In a separate incident on Friday, two people were killed and 11 others injured when supporters of a political party clashed with police during a protest against alleged tampering with election results in a constituency in northwestern Pakistan.