In pictures: Pakistani voters defy militants to vote in droves
- Published
Jubilant supporters of Nawaz Sharif gathered at his PML-N party headquarters in Lahore to hear his claim to victory amid media projections of a big win.
Mr Sharif's supporters carried on their celebrations well into Sunday.
Meanwhile at the PML-N's headquarters, the clear up after the victory party got under way.
People in Lahore on Sunday morning read newspapers which were overwhelmingly upbeat about the vote, with most editorial writers and pundits agreeing that large numbers of voters had given a fitting reply to threats warning them not to vote by the Pakistani Taliban.
Apart from a few incidents of violence, voting went smoothly for the most part in what was the first time in Pakistan's 66-year history that the electorate was able to replace one civilian government with another.
The worst of the violence was in Karachi, where the Pakistan Taliban said they planted a bomb which killed 11 people, but there were also incidents in Quetta, in Chaman on the border with Afghanistan and in Peshawar.
This voter said he was proud to cast his ballot for "a better Pakistan".
Women voters reportedly turned out in large numbers. One woman said it was the most important election she had witnessed.
Security was tight and tens of thousands of police and troops were deployed outside polling stations to counter Taliban attacks. In the run-up to the vote, more than 100 people died, with the Taliban targeting Pakistan's three most prominent liberal parties.