Pakistan polls: Imran Khan, Sharif brothers leading

Cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif were leading tonight as the counting of votes progressed in Pakistan's landmark general elections which would see first smooth transition of power in the country's 66-year history.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Khan was leading in Peshawar, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Mianwali as initial results started pouring in after counting of votes began this evening.

PML-N president Nawaz Sharif is leading in Sargodha, while his brother Shahbaz Sharif was ahead of his rivals, Geo TV reported.

According to trends, PTI and PML-N were running neck-to- neck in most populous Punjab province, which has more than half of the 272 parliamentary seats.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa strongman Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who heads his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, was trailing in his constituency in the province.

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) candidate Faisal Karim Kundi was leading in Dera Ismael Khan.