Pakistan General Elections 2013: Imran, Sharif win from their constituencies

Zee Media Bureau Islamabad: As the counting has begun in Pakistan`s landmark General Elections, former Pakistan Prime Minister and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and his rival Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Saturday night won from their respective constituencies. Sharif won the Sargodha constituency seat from his stronghold Punjab province and his party was reported to be leading in 110 of the 203 seats for which trends were available. Cricketer-turned-politician Khan won Peshawar-I constituency even as his party led in 32 seats. The landmark polls would see first smooth transition of power in the country`s 66-year history. As per initial reports, Tehrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan and former prime prime minister Nawaz Sharif were leading. Imran Khan was leading in Peshawar, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Mianwali as initial results started pouring in after counting of votes began this evening. Whereas PML-N president Nawaz Sharif is leading in Sargodha, while his brother Shahbaz Sharif was ahead of his rivals, Geo TV reported. Initial trends available for 229 off the 272 seas at stake showed PML-N leading in 110, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in 32, PPP in 31 while independents lead in 20 and JUI-F in 10. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa strongman Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who heads his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, was trailing in his constituency in the province. Pakistan People`s Party (PPP) candidate Faisal Karim Kundi was leading in Dera Ismael Khan. Immediately after the voting ended, Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan had expressed satisfaction over the turnout in the elections in Pakistan. In a message on a social network‚ Imran, also the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said people voted "fearlessly" in Punjab, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. He said that despite threats from militants, the voter turnout in Sindh and Balochistan provinces were also satisfactory.

Sharif, chairman of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said the peaceful election was a "good omen". He said the final outcome will "certainly be in the good interest" of the country. Sharif‚ however, regretted the boycott of the elections by the Jamaat-e-Islami in Karachi. Voting was held Saturday for 269 of the 342 seats of the National Assembly and 728 seats in four provincial assemblies. With PTI inputs