The Election Commission of Pakistan on March 2 officially notified the results of the February 18 polls1. According to the ‘Party-Wise Total Vote Bank’ compiled by the Election Commission of Pakistan, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured about 15 million votes in the National Assembly seats; the Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) stood second with around eight million votes; the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) came third with around 6.8 million votes2.

Meanwhile, the PPP, the PML-N and the Awami National Party (ANP) together claimed to have the support of 171 newly elected Members of National Assembly (MNAs) to form a coalition government3. It has also emerged that the PPP leadership is still undecided about its prime ministerial candidate. More names for the post have been proposed by representatives from various provinces4.

• 1. “Official election results notified: Way cleared for calling assembly session,” Dawn, March 2, 2008, at http://www.dawn.com/2008/03/02/top1.htm
• 2. “PPP, PML-Q get most votes,” Daily Times, February 26, 2008, at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\02\26\story_26-2-2008_pg1_3
• 3. “PPP, PML-N, ANP muster up 171 MNAs-elect: For now or forever?,” Daily Times, February 28, 2008, at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\02\28\story_28-2-2008_pg1_1
• 4. “Race on as Fahim’s star sinks,” Dawn, March 1, 2008, at http://www.dawn.com/2008/03/01/top3.htm