ISLAMABAD – According to *AFP*, Gallup Pakistan estimated voter turnout atbetween 50 to 55 per cent in an electorate of nearly 106 million — similarto the previous contest in 2013.

Meanwhile, PTI is clearly steering ahead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 62seats against ANP, which currently has 10 seats, as per reporting fromnearly one third polling stations in the province.

Counting is still going on at the polling stations of differentconstituencies.

44% counting has been done on NA-79 (Gujranwala-I), with PML-N’s candidateNisar Ahmed Cheema in the lead with 618 votes, according to *PTVNews’* unofficialpreliminary results. PTI’s Muhammad Ahmed Chattha is the runner-up with 587votes.

According to data released by ECP, a total of 3,459 candidates — 1,623 fromPunjab, 824 from Sindh, 725 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 287 fromBalochistan — were cleared to run for the 272 general seats of the nationalassembly. However, elections in two constituencies — NA-60, NA-108 — werelater postponed by the commission.

A single party will need to bag at least 137 of the directly elected seatsto be able to form the government on its own.

In the event that a party is unable to secure a “simple majority”, there isa hung parliament. This is when no single party can make government,leaving room for the formation of a coalition government of winningcandidates from various political parties.