Pakistan elections 2018 live: 10% votes counted, early unofficial trends give Imran Khan's PTI the lead

Pakistan's ARY News says Imran Khan's PTI is leading in 103 seats, Nawaz Sharif's PML-N in 52, and Bilawal Bhutto's PPP in 30 seats. 

Geo TV says PTI is leading in 84 seats, PML-N in 58, and PPP in 26. About 10 to 15% of total votes have been counted so far. 

Former Pakistan PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is trailing in the NA-57 election: 

Pakistan's ARY News says Imran Khan's PTI is leading in 90 seats, Nawaz Sharif's PML-N in 52, and Bilawal Bhutto's PPP in 30 seats. 

Imran Khan's PTI leads in 64 seats, Nawaz Sharif's PML-N in 46 seats, while Bilawal Bhutto's PPP leads in 28 seats. 

Independents meanwhile are leading in 20 seats. 

Also read: Counting begins, no party likely to win clear majority

Pakistan's National Assembly comprises a total of 342 members, of which 272 are directly elected whereas the rest - 60 seats reserved for women and 10 for religious minorities - are selected later through proportional representation among parties with more than five per cent of the vote.

PPP's Bilawal Bhutto leading in NA-246

PTI chief Imran Khan leading in NA-95 Mianwali

Early election leads have begun to come in: 

The Chinese ambassador to Pakistan congratulates the country on a "successful election". Says "Whatever the results are, whoever wins elections, Pakistan won."

PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif had earlier tweeted a picture of his and Nawaz Sharif's mother after she voted: 

While the Election Commission of Pakistan had earlier said voting time would not be extended beyond 6 pm, it had said those in queues outside polling stations would be allowed to cast their vote even after 6 pm

A record number of women contested the Pakistan polls. A 171 women are running for National Assembly seats, up from 135 in 2013. 

Pakistani law says 10% of voters in any constitutency have to be women for the vote to be counted as valid. 

Kashmir's Mirwaiz Umar Farooq says "Elections in Pakistan being keenly followed in Kashmir... People in Kashmir wish and pray for a strong and stable Govt. there" 

A boyish-looking Imran Khan met the Queen of England as a cricket player. The question is asked whether he will now meet her as a head of state.  

Also read: Imran Khan's economic understanding shows his net practice hasn't been good, Reham Khan tells WION

Eleven transgenders contested in the Pakistan elections today: 

Counting of votes is underway in Pakistan. The results of the election are expected to be known by 2.30 am India time Thursday. 

No party is expected to win a clear majority. 

Pakistani media reports women voted for the first time today in Dir, Kohistan, North Waziristan, and South Waziristan

Voting in the Pakistan elections has come to an end. Voting had been scheduled till 6 pm local time. 

The Election Commission of Pakistan meanwhile has summoned Imran Khan for breaching its code of conduct. The contents of one of Khan's votes — he is contesting from a number of constituencies — was caught on camera. The commission said that was a breach of its code of conduct.  

The PPP has also asked for an extension of voting time. The PML-N had done so earlier. 

A number of politicians are saying voting is being slowed down. 

Pakistan's ex-ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani said earlier that "From holding elections in extreme summer heat to slowing down polling and military intimidation at polling stations, everything seems designed to discourage voters from trying to overcome the outcome desired by Pakistan establishment." 

That "desired outcome" is supposed to be Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party winning the Pakistan elections. That Imran Khan is the Pakistani Army favourite is the biggest open secret of this election. Interestingly, that "post" used to be occupied by former PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. 

Pakistan Army chief Qamar Bajwa had earlier exhorted the people of Pakistan to "please come out and vote undeterred": 

The Election Commission of Pakistan had earlier rejected the PML-N's request that voting time be extended. It added that only people who had managed to get into polling stations by 6 pm would be allowed to vote. 

Pakistani media reports say women in Kohistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are turning up to vote for the first time ever 

Pakistani politicians echo the sentiment: 

Former Pakistan ambassador to the UN says "From holding elections in extreme summer heat to slowing down polling and military intimidation at polling stations, everything seems designed to discourage voters from trying to overcome the outcome desired by Pakistan establishment." 

Ex-Army chief General Raheel Sharif also cast his vote today

Voting will come to a stop at 6 pm local time

PML-N writes to Pak election commission asking for voting time to be extended by an hour. PML-N says there are long queues outside polling booths and polling staff are working slowly

Watch: Pak Army chief Qamar Bajwa casts his vote

“We are target of inimical forces working against Pak.  We’ve come a long way in our comprehensive national effort to fail them. We are united & steadfast to defeat them, and ‘TODAY’ through our ‘VOTES’. Please come out & vote undeterred”, says Pakistan Army chief Qamar Bajwa

Pakistan caretaker PM, ex-chief justice Nasir -Ul-Mulk, casts his vote

Election Commission of Pakistan says media discussions pertaining to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif violated code of conduct.

Also, Imran Khan's NA-53 vote may now be cancelled as he was captured on video while casting it, Pakistan's Express News reported.

Transgender people working as observers complain of harassment, say they were denied entry to polling stations in the Afghan Colony and Faqirabad localities of Peshawar  

7 arrested for poll-rigging in Karachi

In Karachi, seven people including a woman have been arrested from different polling stations for allegedly rigging the polling process.

According to reports, there's a high voter turnout in the interior parts of Balochistan. (Reuters Photo)

PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari casts his vote in Larkana. 

Pakistan Mulsim League-Nawaz posted some pictures from different booths in Lahore and other parts of Pakistan. 

India trying to weaken Pakistan Army: Imran Khan

PTI chief Imran Khan attacks India, says, "India trying to weaken Pakistan Army." He also added that Nawaz Sharif helped India weaken the Pakistan army. The Election Commission of Pakistan has taken note of Khan's statement, saying it violates the Code of Conduct.

28 killed, 30 injured in Quetta blast

At least 28 people, including three policeman and two children, were killed in a suspected suicide attack outside a polling station near Eastern Bypass in Quetta.

Transgenders not allowed to vote in men's polling stations

While 125 people from the transgender community are working as observers during polls today, there are reports of some voters from transgender community in Lahore not being allowed to vote in male polling stations.

Blast in Balochistan's Quetta

Several injured in a blast near eastern bypass in Balochistan's Quetta, Pakistan media reports.

One killed and 3 injured in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

One person has died and three others have been injured after PTI and ANP workers opened fire in Swabi, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Karachi

People are facing confusion at polling booths as some of them are unaware of their 'silsila numbers' and block code.

Voters are not allowed to carry phones or handbags inside polling stations amid high security.

A large number of female voters in Peshawar are heading to polling stations to cast their votes.

Technical snags delay voting

Unavailability of voting ink delays voting at Jacobabad polling station in Sindh province.

Reports in Pakistani media say there is a power outage at several polling stations in Peshawar. 

Women are coming out in large numbers in Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore and other parts of Pakistan to cast their votes. (Reuters Photo)

Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari casts her vote in Nawabshah

Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari is the daughter of the former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto and former President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari. 

Pakistan poll statistics at a glance

105.95 million registered voters (59 million male voters and 47 million female voters)

More than 30 political parties and 12,570 candidates are in the running to sway close to 106 million registered voters.

Number of seats: Total 849 for national and provincial assemblies.

There are 85,058 polling stations and 2,44,687 polling booths across all the provinces of Pakistan. Among these 17,007 polling stations have been designated as "highly-sensitive". 

A total of 8,19,119 polling staff have been deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of elections. 

800,000 security personnel (including 371, 388 army soldiers)

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif stands in a queue outside a polling station in Model Town to cast his vote for Pakistan Elections 2018.  

Pakistani voters are flocking to polling stations across the country to cast their vote in Pakistan’s 11th general election.

The battle is set to come down to three parties: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

Voting begins across the nation in over 85,000 polling booths

The ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob said, "We expect to see a record turnout of voters due to the increased level of awareness about important of votes."

Polling is set to begin at 8 AM and conclude, without any break, at 6 PM across the country's 85,307 polling stations, of which 17,007 have been declared "highly sensitive".

Of the 272 seats of National Assembly, elections will be held on 270 seats. Election on two National Assembly constituencies have been postponed.

Read: Not an election but selection by the Army — Security expert Qamar Agha on Pakistan polls

This year, Pakistan's general elections will be historical because this will be the second successive smooth transition of power from a democratically elected government to another democratic government through elections.

Up to 800,000 police and military forces have been stationed at more than 85,000 polling stations across the country ahead of the poll, a rare democratic transition of power in the nuclear-armed country of some 207 million people.

Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, in an audio message from Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, has urged the masses to vote for his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party in general elections. (Reuters Photo)

Read — Imran Khan's PTI and Nawaz Sharif's PML-N running 'neck and neck' in Pak polls: Gallup

The poll of polls indicates that the dramatic rise of PTI at both national and provincial level is mostly on account of winning over voters of PML-N as well as other parties, it said.

Read: Pakistan set to go to the polls — Key facts

Here's taking a quick look at the key contenders in Pakistan's mega electoral battle and some crucial facts ahead of tomorrow's historic polls. 

As many as 12,570 candidates will be contesting for a total 849 seats of national and provincial assemblies in the general election scheduled for July 25, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

As per data released by ECP, 3,675 candidates are standing for 272 general seats of the National Assembly, while 8,895 candidates are in the contest for 577 general seats of the four provincial assemblies.

The ECP data shows 1,696 candidates will contest from Punjab, 872 from Sindh, 760 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 303 from Balochistan for the 272 general seats of the National Assembly.