Ghanti Bajao: Pakistan's progressive path towards democracy in 2018 general elections

Pakistan's flamboyant cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was leading in 105 seats while its main rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was way behind with 71 seats with trends indicating a possible hung parliament.
The election was marred by a deadly suicide attack and allegations of manipulation by the powerful military, with several parties raising objections over the entire process.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of former president Asif Ali Zardari was leading in 39 seats, a sign indicating that he could be a 'kingmaker' in case of a hung parliament, according to media reports.
According to the latest trends available for 268 of the National Assembly's 272 seats, independents were leading in 23 seats. Polling was postponed in two constituencies following the deaths of candidates in terror attacks.
Meanwhile, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb raised objections over the counting process and alleged that her party's agents were being forced out from the polling stations in several constituencies.
"The counting process is being carried out behind closed doors and changes are being made to Form-45," she alleged while talking to reporters.
PPP's Maula Bux Chandio also claimed that his party's agents were not allowed inside polling stations in Badin while Pak Sarzameen Party leader Raza Haroon made the same claim about the treatment meted out to their agents at different polling stations across Karachi.
Opposition Leader in Senate Senator Sherry Rehman also raised objections over the counting process.
Responding to the allegations, the provincial election commissioner in Punjab said political leaders should refrain from levelling such baseless allegations without having any substantial proof.
The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) -- an alliance of traditional religious parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan and Tehreek-e-Jafaria -- and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were leading in nine and five seats respectively.