Many had doubts on the fairness of these elections after several acts of the previous government referred to pre-poll rigging, but majority of them have blatantly been proven wrong.

Former ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q) is loosing grip even on its strongholds of power as Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the late Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) continue their sweep drive in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh respectively.

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Early results and speculations are literally pointing towards a total victory for PML(N) in Lahore, both on National and Provincial Assemby seats.

More astonishing has been the defeat of stars of PML(Q) in their own home constituencies. PML(Q) Chairman, Ch. Shujaat Hussain lost in his native Gujrat while Rao Sikander Iqbal (former Defence Minister), Khurshid Mahmood Qasoori (former Foreign Minister), Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (former Information and later Railways Minister) and Farooq Leghari (former President of Pakistan and a prominent Q-league leader) all fell victim to the shattering voter power of the PML(N) and PPPP in their respective home towns of Okara, Kasur, Rawalpindi and Dera Ghazi Khan. On the other hand, former Chief Minister of Punjab and the key PML(Q) nominee for Prime Ministership, Ch. Pervaiz Ilahi was successful in winning both National and Provincial Assembly seats for himself.

Looking at the present state of PML(Q)’s falling frontiers, we can surely understand all was not lie in the government’s claims of holding free and fair elections; another omen for strongly needed change and progress of democracy in Pakistan.