Pakistan elections: Final results to be declared within 24 hours, says Election Commission of Pakistan

Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday said that the final results of Pakistan's 11th general elections will be declared within the next 24 hours. The polls were conducted freely and fairly, the Commission added.

"Final results will come out within 24 hours. There is no delay in the results. Also, 90 per cent of results has been announced by returning officers in the field. We have received 82 per cent out of it," Election Commission of Pakistan said.

"Free and fair elections have been conducted. Turnout has been impressive, we will share the numbers tomorrow," ECP added.

Benazir Bhutto's daughter Bakhtawar took to social media and slammed the Commission over pending results. Taking to Twitter, she said, "More than 24 hours passed since polling ended, our Prime Minister Select has done his speech, but still no results of Chairman @BBhuttoZardari from #Lyari or #Larkana #WhatsGoingOn #Elections2018".

Even though the final results are yet to be announced, Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly with its candidates winning 76 seats and leading in 43 others according to the latest unofficial results and trends in the parliamentary polls.

Jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won 43 seats and was leading in 20 constituencies while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by former president Asif Ali Zardari won 18 seats and its candidates were leading in 19 seats.

A single party will need at least 137 of the directly elected seats to be able to form the government on its own. 

Pakistan went to polls on Wednesday and the counting of votes began soon after the voting ended in the evening.

Pakistan's National Assembly comprises a total of 342 members, of which 272 are directly elected whereas the rest - 60 seats reserved for women and 10 for religious minorities - are selected later through proportional representation among parties with more than five per cent of the vote.

A party can only form the government if it manages to clinch 172 seats in total.

(With inputs from agencies)