"Pakistan's Fraught Election: Nawaz Sharif Declares Victory Amid Allegations of Vote-Rigging and Rival Parties Claiming Advantage"

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has declared victory in the country's 2024 General Election, despite allegations of vote-rigging and interference by the military. The election, marred by militant attacks and charges of electoral misconduct, saw Sharif's party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), reportedly leading in the vote count, while independent candidates backed by imprisoned ex-PM Imran Khan were also in contention. The country's largest party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was banned from running in the election, and the process has been criticized as neither free nor fair by many Pakistanis and human rights groups.