Pak ex-PM Nawaz Sharif claims election victory, calls for coalition

Pakistan's former premier Nawaz Sharif on Friday made an impassioned plea to other political parties to join hands with his PML-N party to form a coalition government after a surprisingly strong performance in the general elections by independent candidates backed by his arch-rival Imran Khan.

As results trickled in following Thursday's election, it became clear the PML-N wouldn't have the numbers to form a government on its own. Addressing a large gathering of supporters in Lahore's Model Town area, an emotional Sharif said he had tasked his younger brother, former premier Shehbaz Sharif, to reach out to the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (Jul-F) and other parties regarding the formation of a government of unity.

"The PML-N is the largest single party in the country today after the elections," he said to loud cheers from his supporters. "It would have been good if we had got a full mandate and emerged as the majority party and formed government, but even then, we would have invited other parties to join us and walk with us.