Imran Khan’s PTI-backed candidates leading in Pakistan polls

The Election Commission of Pakistan has begun announcing results more than nine hours after voting came to an end.

Independent candidates backed by Imran Khan’s the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have won 71 out of the 159 National Assembly seats whose results have been announced, as per Geo News.

 Meanwhile, in a close contest, Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have won 47 seats and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have won 34 seats so far. Others have won seven seats.

Almost nine hours after a violence-hit polling day concluded, the Election Commission of Pakistan began announcing results.

Sharif and three of his family members – his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz as well as Nawaz’s daughter Maryam Nawaz – have already scored victories in Lahore.

The voting, completed on February 8, took place for a total of 265 seats in the Pakistan National Assembly, with the next Prime Minister requiring a simple majority (i.e. 169 votes) in the NA to be sworn in.