ISLAMABAD: The prime minister congratulated Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the president of Kazakhstan, on his re-election, his office said, as he secured a second term in Sunday’s snap election with 81.31 percent of the vote.
“I extend my heartiest congratulations to [Tokayev]Â on his victory in Kazakhstan’s presidential elections,” Shehbaz Sharif tweeted.
He noted Pakistan and Kazakhstan enjoy “excellent brotherly relations” and said he looked forward to working with Tokayev to further deepen them.
I extend my heartiest congratulations to H.E. President Qasym-Jamort Toqayev @TokayevKZ on his victory in Kazakhstan’s presidential elections. Both Pakistan & Kazakhstan have excellent brotherly relations & I look forward to working with the President to further deepen them.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) November 22, 2022
Tokayev, who has openly defied major ally Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, had been widely expected to extend his rule over the oil-rich, former Soviet republic by seven more years, with a strong mandate to continue his increasingly independent foreign policy.
“We can say that the people have expressed convincing confidence in me as president and all of you,” Tokayev, 69, told his staff earlier, referring to exit polls that favoured him.
Voter turnout in Kazakhstan’s snap election was 69.44 percent, with five other candidates scoring in the low single digits, data showed. Voters’ second most popular choice was “against everyone”, with 5.8 percent of ballots.
Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said the vote underlined the need for further legal reforms to ensure genuine pluralism.
— With Reuters
