Pak Vote Count Ends, Imran backed independents Lead

As counting of votes concludes in Pakistan, independents, mostly backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf (PTI) party, are leading in 101 of the 264 seats, the Election Commission's website showed.

Amid protests by PTI and other parties over the alleged rigging during the general elections, the Election Commission has ordered re-polling in some of the polling stations. The re-polling is scheduled for February 15. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the results of 264 out of 265 contested seats.

Election in our nabouring country threw up a hung verdict. The country now faces days of political horse-trading as parties try to cobble together leaders to prove majority..

Updates—

-Imran Khan, who is in jail and barred from contesting elections, managed to grab the headlines as independent candidates who support his party Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf (PTI) won 101 seats in the Pakistan general polls. But the party still fell 32 seats short of the majority mark needed to form the government.

-On the other hand, Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (N), which was backed by the Army and the favourite to win the polls, could manage just 73 seats in the 266-seat assembly. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) won 54.

-In a bid to keep Imran Khan's party away from the country's top office, Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto are holding talks to join hands. But even with the combined strength, they will fall short of the majority by 6 seats.

-Several independents, backed by PTI, have alleged fraud in the election results and moved the high court. According to local media reports, several more candidates could approach the court over the next few days alleging that the votes were rigged. PTI has launched nationwide protests today over the unprecendented delay in the announcements of results.