Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif vows to fulfil all poll promises

Islamabad, May 12: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Nawaz Sharif Saturday pledged to fulfil all the promises that he made during the election campaign and thanked the masses for expressing confidence in his party and leadership.

The PML-N emerged the largest political party in general polls with 117 NA seats while Pakistan Peoples Parrty (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) remained at the second and third positions respectively, reported Online news agency citing unofficial results.

Sharif won in the general elections from the National Assembly constituency NA-68, reported Radio Pakistan citing unofficial results even as vote counting for the general elections was underway till late night.

His party declared its chief had been elected to parliament from NA-68 Sargodha 5, in Punjab province.

Addressing a gathering in Lahore, the former prime minister said every possible effort would be made to steer the country out of the crisis and make it a peaceful and prosperous country, Online news agency reported.

"It is our desire to get absolute majority in the National Assembly so that we should not have to beg votes for formation of coalition government as coalition governments could not deliver properly," Sharif said.

After resuming the office of the prime minister, Sharif said, he would convene a meeting of all political parties to get solid proposals to resolve the issues of poverty, price hike, load-shedding, unemployment and other problems being faced by the country.

The PML-N chief said his party would work with full zeal and vigour to build a new Pakistan which is stronger and prosperous.

Sharif said each promise made about bringing the youth to the mainstream would be fulfilled.

Announcing to forgive all those who abused him and his family during the election campaign, Sharif said his party would go to any extent to make Pakistan a real progressive Islamic welfare state.

On Saturday, bombings and street clashes left at least 32 people dead and over 200 injured as millions of Pakistanis defied Taliban threats and voted to elect a new parliament and four provincial assemblies.

Voting was held for 269 of the 342 seats of the National Assembly and 728 seats in the assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Election Commission of Pakistan later said these general elections recorded the highest turn out rate in the history of the country with 62 to 70 per cent polling.

IANS