Nawaz Sharif's PML-N leading in Pakistan polls

The initial results of the Pakistan general elections showed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party leading till late Saturday night.

Voting was held Saturday for 269 of the 342 seats of the National Assembly and 728 seats in four provincial assemblies of Pakistan.

The PML-N was in lead with 115 National Assembly seats than its arch rivals the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Xinhua reported.

Sharif's party was ahead mostly in Punjab, the country's most populated province and also the stronghold of the PML-N.

Sharif himself was leading with huge margin from his rivals on two seats, one in Lahore, his home constituency and the other in Sargodha, a main city in Punjab province.

Unofficial results said Sharif won election to the parliament from Sargodha seat, reported Radio Pakistan while stating that the official results were awaited.

The trend, till late Saturday night, showed that PML-N was likely to get simple majority to form the government. But it would need support of other parties for a comfortable majority and a stable government.

Meanwhile, PTI, led by the cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan, was emerging as the second largest party with 37 seats. Khan, who contested on four National Assembly seats, was leading on all seats.

According to unofficial results, Khan won from the Peshawar city, defeating Awami National Party (ANP) stalwart Ghulam Ahmed Bilour for the National Assembly seat, Geo News reported. He won from the city's National Assembly constituency NA-1.

The former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari-led Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was placed third in the race, with lead in 33 National Assembly seats, mostly in southern Sindh province. The PPP candidates were also showing good results in southern Punjab.