Lahore (TIP): Imran Khan has demanded fresh general elections in Pakistan after his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party routed the ruling Pakistan Muslim League party in the crucial Punjab assembly by-polls, dealing a major blow to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif whose son HamzaShehbaz is all set to lose his post as chief minister. The election for the chief minister will be held on July 22 on the Supreme Court‘s order and PTI-PMLQ joint candidate ChaudharyParvezElahi is likely to be the new chief minister of the politically crucial province Punjab.

According to unofficial results so far, the PTI has won 15 seats while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of Sharif has just four. An independent candidate also won. PTI chairman Khan in a tweet on Sunday thanked party workers and voters of Punjab for defeating, what he called, not just PML-N candidates, but the entire state machinery, especially harassment by police and a “totally biased” Election Commission of Pakistan. “The only way forward from here is to hold fair and free elections under a credible ECP. Any other path will only lead to greater political uncertainty and further economic chaos,” Khan, who was ousted as prime minister in April after he lost a confidence vote in Parliament, said.

PTI party’s senior leader Asad Umar said Khan would announce the party strategy after a meeting of the core committee on Monday. He said now the PML-N is left with only one option and that is “immediately calling for fresh general elections.” The Punjab Assembly currently stands at 369 members: the PTI has 178 lawmakers and its ally PML-Q 10. The PML-N has 167 members while its coalition partners PPP seven, six independents and one Rah-i-Haq Party. The ruling PML-N of the Sharifs has accepted its defeat and even congratulated PTI Chairman Khan for a ‘landslide victory’ in the by-polls.  (PTI)