Pakistan election: Nawaz Sharif set for victory

Former Pakistani PM
Nawaz Sharif has
claimed victory in
general elections.
Projections based on
partial results suggest
a big lead for Mr Sharif's
Muslim League (PML-N)
party.
Saturday's election saw
a large turnout and
should pave the way
for the country's first
transition from one
elected government to
another.
The governing Pakistan
People's Party has lost
many seats. It was one
of several secular
parties unable to
campaign freely due to
Taliban attacks.
Most of the remaining
PPP seats look likely to
be in its heartland of
Sindh province.
The poll was generally
seen as having passed
off successfully, but
violence on Saturday
claimed at least 24 lives.
An election commission
spokesman said
turnout had been
around 60%. In 2008 it
was 44%.
'Thank Allah'
Official results are
coming in slowly, but
projections put Mr
Sharif's party ahead in
more than 100 of the
272 directly elected
parliamentary seats.
It appears that Mr
Sharif's party may avoid
the need to form a
coalition with other
parties in the National
Assembly.
In a speech at his party
headquarters in the
north-eastern city of
Lahore, Mr Sharif
appealed "for all parties
to come to the table
and sit with me and
solve the country's
problems".
"We should thank Allah
that he has given PML-N
[Muslim League]
another chance to serve
you and Pakistan," he
said.
Mr Sharif's victory is
largely confined to his
native Punjab province,
which has nearly 60%
of the country's
population. However,
projections show he
should have a large
enough bloc in
parliament to govern
with the help of
independents.