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Islamic hardliners win in NWFP;
PPPP, PML(Q) in close race

In a major setback to Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf, a hardline Islamic six-party alliance has won a majority in the North West Frontier provincial assembly while trends indicate a hung parliament with the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) set to emerge as the single largest party.

Contrary to all pre-poll projections, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), consisting of pro-Taliban and anti-American religious parties was all set to form the government in the NWFP, which borders Afghanistan.

The alliance is projected to win 50 of the 99 seats for which elections were held on Thursday.

This was the first major electoral gain for Islamic religious parties in the history of Pakistan. The good showing has serious strategic implications for the US-led operations against Taliban and Al Qaeda fugitives hiding in tribal-dominated areas bordering Afghanistan.

The MMA has also won 13 seats in the national assembly and poll trends indicate that it could win another 37, making it an important player in national politics too.

According to the results declared for the national assembly, the PPPP has won eight seats, PML-N three and MMA 13.

Besides, the PPPP is leading in 27, PML(Q) in 28, MMA in 37 and the PML-N led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in five seats.

Initial trends showed that the PPPP, backed by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was locked in a close race with the Pakistan Muslim League (Qaid-e-Azam), believed to be backed by the military regime.

The PML-N is doing poorly, but could provide crucial backing in tilting the balance against Musharraf in the 342-member national assembly.

The military regime suffered a major setback when PML(Q) leader Mia Muhammad Azhar, who was projected as the next prime minister, lost from Lahore.

At the same time, other hopefuls PPPP leader Amin Fahim and cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan have won from their constituencies.

PPPP and PML-Q were involved in a neck-to-neck race in the Punjab provincial assembly polls and Bhutto's party has reportedly put up a good show in Sindh province.

Complete results are expected to be out later in the day.

EARLIER REPORT
Pakistan polls may be marked by low turnout: PPP

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