Integrity Score 552
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Independent candidates linked to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan were outperforming expectations Friday in Pakistan's election, local TV tallies showed, as a slow trickle of official results sparked fears of a fix.
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was barred from contesting Thursday's election as a bloc, but unofficial tallies by local TV channels showed independent candidates -- including dozens anointed by his party -- leading in most constituencies.
By 6 am (0100 GMT) -- more than 13 hours after polling stations closed -- the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced just eight National Assembly results, with three seats going to PTI-linked candidates.
The ECP earlier blamed "internet problems" for the delay.
TV stations were basing their projections on counting done at the local constituency level.
Earlier, before the first results were announced, PTI chief organiser Omar Ayub Khan said he was confident the party had done enough.
"Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed independent candidates have the ability to form the next federal government with a two-thirds majority," he said in a video statement released to media.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had been expected to win the most seats following Thursday's vote, with analysts saying its 74-year-old founder Nawaz Sharif had the blessing of the military-led establishment.
But local TV channels said the party had performed poorly -- with Sharif trailing his opponent in one of the constituencies he contested and his brother Shehbaz -- appointed prime minister after Khan was ousted in April 2022 -- behind in another.