ICC Note: Christian leaders in Pakistan are welcoming the election of Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Following Pakistan’s national elections, it was announced that PTI and Imran Khan had won the majority of votes which will allow them to form the next government. Many Christian leaders are hoping Khan and PTI will take up the issues of religious minorities and help create more just and equal Pakistan.

08/07/2018 Pakistan (ICN) – Leaders of religious minorities in Pakistan have welcomed the election of Imran Khan, leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

In his first speech after winning the election, Mr. Khan said he wants to follow the legacy of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, who wanted all citizens of Pakistan – including those belonging to religious minorities – to enjoy the same rights of freedom, equality, and justice.

Fr. Qaisar Feroz, Executive Secretary of the Catholic Communications Commission in the Catholic Episcopal Conference in Pakistan, said, “If Imran Khan manages to do it, there will be a big change in the history of Pakistan and it will be a success for his government.”

The Secretary of the Commission noted that political leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf are genuinely well-educated and highly qualified politicians. “If Imran Khan names the right people for government ministries, it will surely be a big step forward.”

The general elections in Pakistan took place on July 25, 2018. According to the results announced by the Pakistan Electoral Commission, Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), won a total of 116 seats in the parliament and can form the government. The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) is in second place with 64 seats and the Pakistan People Party (PPP) won 43 seats and ended up in third place.

Together with the national government, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will be able to form a government in the provinces of Khyber PukhtunKhwa (a province that it already governed) and in Punjab, a province that welcomes the majority of Pakistani Christians, led by PML-N for three decades.

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