RAWALPINDI: As the whole world is watching America counting Tuesday's votes to decide who will occupy the White House for the next four years, Pakistani Twitter users humorously point out the similarities between the bitterly contested election and polls at home.
With millions of votes still to count and incumbent Republican President Donald Trump already having made a pre-emptive declaration of victory against his Democratic rival, former vice president Joe Biden, some Twitter users say they are getting a "serious Pak feel" with "someone screaming he won an election and accusing others of cheating."
Others struck a similar tone, pointing to false or illegal vote rhetoric that always mars elections in Pakistan. They recalled the phrase "ghair sakari (unofficial) ghair hatami (inconclusive) nataij (results)" used by TV channels in Pakistan to remind viewers that the results are still not officially notified.
A parody account of comedian Umar Shareef said that “Trump calls Imran Khan to borrow a container for a sit-in,” referring to the giant steel boxes that appeared on Islamabad's roads in during the 2014 election to block protesters and became a common sight during Pakistani polls.
Twitterati didn't spare other Pakistani politicians either, combining Pakistan's anti-government and the anthem of the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) with rallies and Donald Trump's dance.
It was also a matter of time before cricket-related comments started popping up.
“CNN now getting into wishful thinking permutations a lot like Pakistani cricket fans figuring out how they can qualify for the semis of an ICC tournament,” Twitter user @Adnar80 wrote, referring to the uncertainty surrounding the US vote.
Sports commentator Ahmer Naqvi compared the American election to watching a Pakistani cricket match, with millions of ballots to be counted still expected to arrive via mail. He said they are “slow to arrive and unable to change the final outcome aka a Misbah 50.”
Eventually, "horrible news" made everyone realize the gravity of the situation, as Twitter user @404Mav announced that “it seems like either Donald Trump or Joe Biden will be the next president.”
