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| Pakistan election: Sharif poised to take over as PM | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Nawaz Sharif appears on course to secure a majority in Pakistan's parliament and form the next government after claiming victory in Saturday's election. | Nawaz Sharif appears on course to secure a majority in Pakistan's parliament and form the next government after claiming victory in Saturday's election. |
| Unofficial results suggest his Pakistan Muslim League has won easily, though he has reportedly opened talks with independents to guarantee a majority. | Unofficial results suggest his Pakistan Muslim League has won easily, though he has reportedly opened talks with independents to guarantee a majority. |
| He has already been congratulated by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. | He has already been congratulated by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. |
| US President Barack Obama also pledged to work with the new administration. | US President Barack Obama also pledged to work with the new administration. |
| Mr Sharif is set to become prime minister for the third time. | Mr Sharif is set to become prime minister for the third time. |
| Former cricketer Imran Khan, whose Movement for Justice Party (PTI) is in a close fight for second place, has promised to provide genuine opposition. | Former cricketer Imran Khan, whose Movement for Justice Party (PTI) is in a close fight for second place, has promised to provide genuine opposition. |
| Analysts say Mr Sharif, 63, is in a far stronger position than the outgoing Pakistan People's Party (PPP) which led a weak coalition often on the verge of collapse. | Analysts say Mr Sharif, 63, is in a far stronger position than the outgoing Pakistan People's Party (PPP) which led a weak coalition often on the verge of collapse. |
| The PPP of late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto appears to have been badly beaten in the election. It was one of several secular parties unable to campaign freely due to Taliban attacks. | The PPP of late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto appears to have been badly beaten in the election. It was one of several secular parties unable to campaign freely due to Taliban attacks. |
| Pakistani media say Mr Sharif's PML-N has so far captured at least 125 seats with the PTI and the PPP on around 30 each. | |
| Analysts said the PML-N was likely to get around 130 seats and should be able to make up the required majority of 137 with support from independents and small parties. | Analysts said the PML-N was likely to get around 130 seats and should be able to make up the required majority of 137 with support from independents and small parties. |
| Once it achieves a majority, Mr Sharif's party would be allocated a majority of 70 other parliamentary seats reserved for women and non-Muslim minorities. | Once it achieves a majority, Mr Sharif's party would be allocated a majority of 70 other parliamentary seats reserved for women and non-Muslim minorities. |
| An election commission spokesman said turnout had been around 60%. In 2008 it was 44%. | An election commission spokesman said turnout had been around 60%. In 2008 it was 44%. |
| Shares rally | |
| The election appears to have paved the way for the first transition from one elected government to another in a country prone to military takeovers. | The election appears to have paved the way for the first transition from one elected government to another in a country prone to military takeovers. |
| The Karachi stock exchange hit a record high on the expectation of a Sharif-led government. He is seen as favouring the free market and deregulation. | |
| PML-N party spokesman Siddiqul Farooq told the AFP news agency that Ishaq Dar had been chosen to serve as finance minister in the new administration. | |
| Mr Dar held the post in Mr Sharif's second government in 1998 and 1999 and again in 2008. | |
| Mr Sharif - who was toppled in a military coup in 1999 and spent years in exile - spent Sunday in talks on forming a government. | Mr Sharif - who was toppled in a military coup in 1999 and spent years in exile - spent Sunday in talks on forming a government. |
| Imran Khan, still bedridden after a fall at a campaign rally, said the election would boost Pakistan's young democracy. | Imran Khan, still bedridden after a fall at a campaign rally, said the election would boost Pakistan's young democracy. |
| "We are now moving towards democracy. I congratulate the nation on the numbers in which they turned out to vote," he said. | "We are now moving towards democracy. I congratulate the nation on the numbers in which they turned out to vote," he said. |
| But Mr Khan said his party was collecting evidence of alleged vote-rigging. | But Mr Khan said his party was collecting evidence of alleged vote-rigging. |
| 'New course' | 'New course' |
| President Obama congratulated Pakistan on successfully completing the election and said he looked forward to working with the government that emerged. | President Obama congratulated Pakistan on successfully completing the election and said he looked forward to working with the government that emerged. |
| He welcomed the "historic, peaceful and transparent transfer of civilian power" but stopped short of naming Mr Sharif. | He welcomed the "historic, peaceful and transparent transfer of civilian power" but stopped short of naming Mr Sharif. |
| During his election campaign, Mr Sharif said he would end Pakistan's involvement in the US-led war on terror. | During his election campaign, Mr Sharif said he would end Pakistan's involvement in the US-led war on terror. |
| However, he declined to say whether he would call a halt to military operations against the Taliban and al-Qaeda. | However, he declined to say whether he would call a halt to military operations against the Taliban and al-Qaeda. |
| Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he hoped for a "new course" in relations between India and Pakistan. | Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he hoped for a "new course" in relations between India and Pakistan. |
| "PM extends his congratulations to Mr Nawaz Sharif and his party for their emphatic victory in Pakistan's elections," he said on his Twitter account. | "PM extends his congratulations to Mr Nawaz Sharif and his party for their emphatic victory in Pakistan's elections," he said on his Twitter account. |
| He invited Mr Sharif to go to India "at a mutually convenient time". | He invited Mr Sharif to go to India "at a mutually convenient time". |
| Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he hoped for co-operation to root out what he called terrorist sanctuaries. | Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he hoped for co-operation to root out what he called terrorist sanctuaries. |
| Both Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged in a long battle with Taliban Islamist militants. | Both Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged in a long battle with Taliban Islamist militants. |
| The triangular relationship between Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US will be tested more than ever as Nato withdraws combat forces from Afghanistan by the end of next year, says the BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Islamabad. | The triangular relationship between Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US will be tested more than ever as Nato withdraws combat forces from Afghanistan by the end of next year, says the BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Islamabad. |
| At home, Nawaz Sharif's government will be equally tested in tackling Pakistan's severe shortages of power which damage the economy and hold back job creation, says our correspondent. | At home, Nawaz Sharif's government will be equally tested in tackling Pakistan's severe shortages of power which damage the economy and hold back job creation, says our correspondent. |
| In the run-up to the vote, more than 100 people died in election-related violence. | In the run-up to the vote, more than 100 people died in election-related violence. |
| In what is seen as another sign of the acute challenges facing the new government, a bomb has gone off in the south-western city of Quetta, killing at least five people. | In what is seen as another sign of the acute challenges facing the new government, a bomb has gone off in the south-western city of Quetta, killing at least five people. |
| A suicide bomber drove a car packed with explosives into the wall of the official residence of the police chief of Balochistan province, Mushtaq Shukhera. | A suicide bomber drove a car packed with explosives into the wall of the official residence of the police chief of Balochistan province, Mushtaq Shukhera. |
| Most of those killed are reported to be police, but one child also died. | Most of those killed are reported to be police, but one child also died. |
| Mr Shukhera was not among the 60 injured in the explosion, which left a large crater and was heard across Quetta. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. | Mr Shukhera was not among the 60 injured in the explosion, which left a large crater and was heard across Quetta. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. |
| Balochistan suffers from separatist violence and sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shia Muslims. | Balochistan suffers from separatist violence and sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shia Muslims. |