Imran wins big in Pakistan by-polls

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan won six of eight national assembly seats he stood for in a weekend by-election, unofficial results showed Monday, a vote he has called a referendum on his popularity.

The by-election is the latest twist in months of political wrangling that began before Khan’s April ouster via a no-confidence vote, and comes as the nation grapples with the aftermath of devastating monsoon floods that left a third of the country under water.

The polls were called “in constituencies where the government thought PTI was weakest”, Khan, a former Pakistan cricket captain, said at a press conference at his home on the outskirts of Islamabad, referring to his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

“Despite such attempts, our voters defeated combined candidates of the ruling coalition.”

It was, however, an effective net loss for PTI, which had previously held all eight seats.