World | Pakistan
Pakistan opposition parties call on Musharraf to quit
Bhutto party leads in seat count as ruling coalition suffers crushing blow.
- By Shahid HussainCorrespondent
- Published: 22:43 February 19, 2008
- Supporters of Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party share sweets to celebrate their victory in the parliamentary election in Peshawar.
- Image Credit: Reuters
Islamabad: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's opponents called on him to resign on Tuesday after his backers conceded that voters dealt them a crushing defeat in general elections.
Celebratory gunfire erupted in several cities as unofficial preliminary results on state television showed a big win for the parties of former premier Nawaz Sharif and slain political icon Benazir Bhutto.
Unofficial results available till Tuesday evening after Monday's polls, showed the PPP had secured 86 seats in parliament with PML-N winning 66.
The tally of the two major players was expected to go up as results of 13 out of 268 national assembly seats were still awaited.
It will further increase after 70 reserved seats for women and minorities are filled through election by the new national assembly.
PML-Q was cut down to 38 seats, but another Musharraf ally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), retained its clout, bagging 19 seats in the parliament.
"Musharraf has said he would quit when the people tell him. People have now given their verdict," said two-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
But Musharraf's spokesman said the former general was willing to work with whoever forms a government.
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