The Nawaz Sharif-led PML(N) was well ahead of other parties, according to an initial count of votes after millions voted in the general election in Pakistan on Saturday. However, AFP reported that Mr Sharif had declared victory for his party.
The election, in which 86 million people were to vote, will bring about the first transition between civilian governments in a country ruled by military dictators for more than half of its turbulent history.
Far behind was Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and trying to catch up was the former ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Unofficial results showed Mr Sharif and Mr Imran Khan both had won National Assembly seats. Mr Sharif’s younger brother, Mr Shahbaz Sharif, was also successful. Earlier, partial results showed the PML-N leading in over 60 National Assembly seats, the PTI ahead in about 25 and the PPP leading in about 22. Voters are electing 272 members of the National Assembly. To win a simple majority, a party needs 137 seats. However, a further 70 seats, most reserved for women and members of non-Muslim minorities, are allocated to parties on the basis of their performance in the contested constituencies. To have a majority of the total of 342, a party would need 172.
Despite pre-election violence, and attacks on Saturday which killed at least 36 people, millions turned out to vote.
“The PML-N will win the elections. It may not gain the majority it wants,” an analyst said. “The PPP will also not be completely washed out. We have more information about results from Punjab which shows the PML-N ahead. As the results pour in from Sind, the PPP will be in a better position,” he added.
Voting in Karachi was marred by allegations of rigging while the Taliban targeted a candidate for the ANP, an ally of the outgoing government.