ISLAMABAD: The parties of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan appeared to be well ahead of their rivals in Pakistan's election, according to a partial count of votes cast on Saturday.

The election, in which 86 million people were eligible to vote, will bring the first transition between civilian governments in a country ruled by the military for more than half of its turbulent history.

Despite pre-election violence, and attacks on Saturday which killed at least 17 people, millions turned out to vote.

The partial count showed that while Sharif was in the lead, his party could lose 15 of its seats in the critical province of Punjab to Khan, whose emergence on the political stage has up-ended a system dominated by two parties.

Television channels showed Khan's party was ahead in more than 50 of the 272 seats in the election.

Khan, Pakistan's best-known sportsman, is seen by many as a refreshing change from the dynastic politicians who long relied on a patronage system to win votes.

Khan’s PTI appeals mostly to young, urban voters because of his calls for an end to corruption, a new political landscape and a halt to US drone strikes on Pakistani soil.

About one-third of the country's population is under the age of 30.

Sharif's party, the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), looked set to win the most seats in parliament but Khan could deprive it of a majority and dash Sharif's hopes of a return to power 14 years after he was ousted in a military coup, jailed and later exiled.

The strong performance of Sharif and Khan will likely deal a blow to the outgoing Pakistan People's Party (PPP), placing it third.

Disenchantment

Power in Pakistan has for decades alternated between the PML-N and the PPP, whose most prominent figure is President Asif Ali Zardari, widower of assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto.

Opinion polls have suggested that disenchantment with the mainstream parties could mean that no one group emerges with a parliamentary majority, making the next government unstable and too weak to push through much-needed reform.

Voters were electing 272 members of the National Assembly.

To win a simple majority, a party would have to take 137 seats.

However, a further 70 seats, most reserved for women and members of non-Muslim minorities, are allocated to parties on the basis of their performance in the contested constituencies.

To have a majority of the total of 342, a party would need 172.

Results:

Imran leading against Bilour in NA-1:

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan was leading against Ghulam Bilour of the Awami National Party in four polling stations of Peshawar’s NA-1 .

Darul Uloom polling station: Imran Khan 497 votes; Ghulam Bilour 107 votes

Government Technical High School: Imran Khan 966; Ghulam Bilour 166

Governmentt School No 1: Imran Khan 327; Ghulam Bilour 56

Governmentt School No 3: Imran Khan 567; Ghulam Bilour 167

Imran leading against Hanif Abbasi in NA-56:

It’s an early celebration for Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf. From NA-56 (Rawalpindi-VII), PTI chief Imran Khan is taking a clear lead against Hanif Abbasi of PML-N.

So far, results show that Khan is beating his opponent with a wide margin. From the polling station of Shamsabad, Khan bagged 861 votes against 375 votes for Abbasi.

PTI supporters are leading big rallies in downtown Rawalpindi, whereas, PML-N supporters are nowhere to be seen.