Pakistan poll results live: Sharif's party wins 11, Imran-backed independents 7, Bhutto's PPP 5

The first election results started trickling in over 9 hours after polling ended. In early results, Nawaz Sharif’s PML(N) has won 11 seats, Imran Khan-backed independent candidates have won 7 seats and Bilawal Bhutto’s PPP has won five seats. The counting of votes for the Pakistan elections 2024 started after 5 pm, minutes after the polling ended, but it’s more than 12 hours and the final results have not yet been declared. By early Friday morning, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced results for eight of the 265 contested seats in parliament on its website. Why there’s delay in Pakistan poll results 2024? According to the special secretary at the ECP, the reason behind the delay in the Pakistan polls 2024 results was an “internet issue”. He, however, refrained from elaborating. The government in the economic crisis had suspended mobile and internet services ahead of the keenly-watched election on Thursday, 8 February, as a security measure. They were being partially resumed after the voting ended. The South Asian country is struggling to recover from its deplorable economic condition while it grapples with rising terrorism activities in a deeply polarised political environment. Who is winning in Pakistan? From the Pakistan election 2024 results announced so far, four were won by the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N), the party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, and one by the Pakistan Peoples Party of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of assassinated premier Benazir Bhutto. Independents won the other three. The main contests are expected to be between candidates backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, whose Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won the last national election, and the PML-N of Sharif, who analysts say is being backed by the powerful military. When will final result of Pakistan elections 2024 be out? As the counting continues into Friday morning, a clear picture of who will form the government in the cash-strapped Pakistan will only emerge later in the day. To form a government in Pakistan, a party needs 133 seats in parliament. However, many analysts believe the vote may not produce a clear winner. ‘Maintain calm’ With the counting of votes continuing in Pakistan, UN chief Antonio Guterres Friday urged political leaders and society segments to maintain a calm atmosphere as the results of the elections are being tabulated. “As Pakistan awaits the results of the elections, I encourage all political leaders and society segments to maintain a calm atmosphere,” Guterres said in a statement to the Associated Press of Pakistan. “I continue to follow the situation in Pakistan closely, including the general elections that took place today,” he said. “I am also concerned about reports of incidents of violence and casualties, and the suspension of mobile communications services,” the UN Chief said. With inputs from agencies