Pakistan Election Commission rejects rigging allegations, says results being collected

The ECP said the election results were being collected and the first official result will be announced in an hour.

ECP secretary Babar Yaqoob said Result Transmission Service failed after results of 25,000 out of 85,000 polling stations were uploaded.

He rejected any wrongdoing in the election and said "the issue of fraud can be discussed after ECP announces the results."

The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has claimed victory despite serious questions being raised over the authenticity of the election process.

Sensing victory, PTI supporters erupted in jubilation as trends showed the party was leading on 111 seats.

According to latest trends available, PTI was followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of jailed leader Nawaz Sharif. PML-N was leading on 68 National Assembly seats.

Hundreds of PTI supporters came out on streets in several cities, dancing and celebrating.

"We have got our Naya Pakistan," said Shahid Ali, one of the supporters, as he danced euphorically near the busy Faizabad interchange, which links Islamabad with the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

The Press Trust of India correspondent was caught for several hours in traffic when returning from the election coverage as highly-charged PTI workers raised victory slogans.

Reports said similar celebrations were being organised in other cities as well.

The victory and joy in the PTI camp appeared premature as the incumbent PML-N and Bilawal Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party rejected the results. "Our polling agents were not given results and we will not accept it," said Khurshid Shah of PPP.

PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif alleged that the election process was "blatantly" rigged. He warned of protests.

Analysts predicted tumultuous weeks ahead for Pakistan as a strong opposition to the election results was building up.

PML-N was leading on 67 seats and PPP on 39. "They will make a lethal combination if they joined hands against Imran Khan," analyst Sohail Warriach said.

A party can form the government if it manages to clinch 172 seats out of the total 342.

A single party will need at least 137 of the 272 directly-elected seats to be able to form the government on its own.