Amid the delay in the publication of Pakistan’s election results, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has given a call for a nationwide protest on Sunday to protect the sanctity of the vote as independent candidates are in the lead with 100 seats, ARY News reported.

According to the report, the decision comes after the party’s core committee meeting was held and it was announced to hold ‘peaceful protests’ across the country tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. to protect the sanctity of the vote.

The meeting also deliberated on election results and the future course of action. The core committee also discussed matters related to affiliation with specific political parties.

Important decisions were made during the meeting, which the party said would be implemented after consultation with PTI founder Imran Khan.

“The people have given their verdict in a peaceful and constitutional manner,” the PTI said, adding that now its time to protect the mandate.

According to ARY News, results for 257 out of the total 265 National Assembly constituencies where elections were held had been announced, which showed the independent candidates in the lead with 100 seats overall. The PML-N and PPP had won 73 and 54 seats, respectively.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement had bagged 17 seats, while the PML-Q had three. The JUI-F and Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) had secured three and two seats, respectively. MWM and BNP had clinched one seat each. (ANI)

Moreover, PTI-backed independent candidates have started moving high courts, alleging rigged poll counts.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-affiliated Independent candidates, too, moved to the Lahore High Court (LHC), challenging the results of the PP-164 and NA-118, where father-son duo Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz secured victory.

On the other hand, Dr Yasmeen Rashid also challenged former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s victory in Lahore’s NA-130 constituency in Lahore High Court (LHC).

Another Independent candidate, Shehzad Farooq, challenged Maryam Nawaz’s win from Lahore’s NA:119 while another PML-N candidate Ata Tarar’s win from NA:127 was also been challenged in court by PTI-supported Independent candidate Zaheer Abbas Khokhar.

Rehana Dar, mother of Usman Dar, petitioned the high court for recounting of votes in Sialkot’s NA-71, challenging the win for PML-N veteran Khawaja Asif in the Sialkot constituency.