Nawaz Sharif... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
appears on course to secure a majority in Pakistain's parliament and form the next government after claiming victory in Saturday's election.
Unofficial results suggest his Pakistain Mohammedan League has won easily, though he has reportedly opened talks with independents to guarantee a majority.
He has already been congratulated by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
EU observers report that incidents of violence did not deter voters.
Sharif is set to become prime minister for the third time.
Former cricketer Imran Khan
... aka
Taliban Khan, who ain't the sharpest bulb on the national tree...
, whose Movement for Justice Party (PTI) is in a close fight for second place, has promised to provide genuine opposition.
Analysts say Sharif, 63, is in a far stronger position than the outgoing Pakistain People's Party (PPP) which led a weak coalition, often on the verge of collapse.
The PPP of late prime minister Benazir Bhutto
... 11th Prime Minister of Pakistain in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, founder of the Pakistain People's Party, who was murdered at the instigation of General Ayub Khan. She was murdered in her turn by person or persons unknown while campaigning in late 2007. Suspects include, to note just a few, Baitullah Mehsud, General Pervez Musharraf, the ISI, al-Qaeda in Pakistain, and her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, who shows remarkably little curiosity about who done her in...
was badly beaten in the election. It was one of several secular parties unable to campaign freely due to Taliban attacks.
Pak media say Sharif's PML-N has so far captured at least 125 seats with the PTI and the PPP on around 30 each.
Analysts said the PML-N was likely to win around 130 seats and should be able to make up the required majority of 137 with support from independents and small parties.
Once it achieves a majority, Sharif's party would be allocated most of 70 other parliamentary seats reserved for women and non-Mohammedan minorities.
An election commission front man said turnout had been around 60%. In 2008 it was 44%.
The EU's election observer mission in Pakistain has issued its report, saying 64 people died on polling day itself. It said violence had distorted the electoral process in those areas affected.
But the mission added that at 90% of the 600 polling stations monitored, the conduct of the election was satisfactory or good.
On the whole, it said, there was a strong commitment by candidates and parties to the democratic process.
"The turnout in defiance of the threats against the process was an extraordinary vote of confidence in democracy itself," European Parliament member Richard Howitt told a news conference in Islamabad.
Shares rally
The election appears to have paved the way for the first transition from one elected government to another in a country prone to military takeovers.
The Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
stock exchange hit a record high on the expectation of a Sharif-led government. He is seen as favouring the free market and deregulation.
Ishaq Dar, a senator, has been chosen to serve as finance minister in the new administration. He held the same post in Mr Sharif's second government in 1998 and 1999 and again in 2008.
Sharif -- who was toppled in a military coup in 1999 and spent years in exile -- held talks on Sunday on forming a government.
Imran Khan, still bedridden after a fall at a campaign rally, said the election would boost Pakistain's young democracy.
"We are now moving towards democracy. I congratulate the nation on the numbers in which they turned out to vote," he said.
But Khan added that his party was collecting evidence of alleged vote-rigging.