Pakistan is headed for a hungparliament with no single party able to claim a clear majority after86 per cent of national seats were counted, state radio announced.
The pro-government Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) is inthe lead with 73 seats, but with only 38 seats left to announce,there was no chance of it clinching the 137 needed for an outrightmajority.
The opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is in second placewith 49 seats, followed by the other main opposition party, thePakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of ex-premier Mr Nawaz Sharif on 13seats.
In a shock result, an alliance of radical anti-US Islamic partieshas picked up 44 seats, giving them 16 per cent of the nationalassembly and the likely balance of power between secular oppositionparties and pro-government parties.
The National Alliance of six pro-government parties has won 10seats, the ethnic Muhajir-based Muttahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) hasscored nine seats, with smaller parties clinching 12 seats.Independent candidates have claimed 24 seats.
The PPP and PML-N had flagged forming a coalition with otheranti-government parties in the event of a hung parliament.Both parties rejected the results today as rigged, and PPPleader Ms Benazir Bhutto called for a new election.
Cricket legend Imran Khan scored his first election victory,winning his home seat of Mianwali.
Maulana Azam Tariq, the jailed leader of the outlawed Islamicextremist organisation Sipah-e-Sahaba, was among the 25 victoriousindependents. Sipah-e-Sahaba was one of five extremist groups banned byPresident Pervez Musharraf in January.
Another 70 seats reserved for women and non-Muslim minoritieswill be decided next week on a proportional representation system.
AFP