Live updates on Punjab by-polls

PTI's Zain Qureshi, the son of former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has won Multan's PP-217 constituency with 46,963 votes as per unofficial results, giving his party a major edge in the Punjab by-elections.

According to the unofficial results, Zain's opponent — PML-N's Muhammad Salman Naeem — stood second with 40,104.

As the counting of votes for Punjab's by-elections for 20 constituencies continues, unofficial and preliminary results show that the PTI is currently in the lead.

PTI leader and former human rights minister Shireen Mazari on Sunday said that her party had received reports that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was "preparing to declare victory in the Punjab by-elections prematurely with the help of handlers," adding that her party will "not tolerate any attempts of post-election rigging".

"Results are showing PTI leading in 15 seats despite harassment & massive pre-poll rigging by Imported govt, their handlers all abetted by ECP & Punjab admin. PTI will not allow or accept any tampering of results through post poll rigging," she tweeted.

She added since many voters came out today to vote for the PTI, the party will definitely win today.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan Sunday said that the party is winning in at least 15 seats as results continue to pour in after by-elections in 20 Punjab Assembly seats.

"As results coming in PTI is winning in atleast 15 seats. But it is very important for all our people on duty in all polling stations not to leave their posts till official results have been obtained from the Returning Officers," he tweeted.

Counting of votes in the closely-contested by-election on 20 constituencies of Punjab is underway and unofficial, preliminary results are trickling in.

Today's polls remained largely peaceful aside from a few reports of clashes between supporters of opposing parties. No casualties were reported.

Voter turnout was not as large as the parties hoped but was considerable, said by Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah to be 40%.

Check the breakdown of the latest unofficial, preliminary results here

PTI Chairman Imran Khan urged the courts to "open now to take action" and alleged that the PML-N-led Punjab government had “brazenly violated the Supreme Court's” verdict by resorting to rigging.

He wrote on Twitter: “Today Punjab government has brazenly violated SC orders [and] election rules by openly using all government and state machinery to rig Punjab elections through illegal ballot stamping [and] harassing voters while arresting PTI leaders.

He further accused the Election Commission of Pakistan of turning a blind eye, “courts must open now [and] act.”

After eight hours of political drama and isolated incidents of clashes, voting for the by-elections in Punjab’s 20 controversial constituencies came to an end.

Counting began after an intense, neck-and-neck contest was held between the candidates of PTI and PML-N. And now that the poll time has ended, both parties are eyeing the results as it would lead to the election of Chief Minister Punjab.

These seats fell vacant as a result of the revolt within the PTI. The PML-N, the ruling party in Punjab, needs to win at least 10 out of 20 seats to stay in power, whereas the PTI needs to win at least 13 seats to regain its lost crown in Punjab.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took to his Twitter handle to criticise the performance of PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan, saying his speeches were proof of how “unfit” he was to hold a public office.

“Every speech Imran Niazi delivers shows how unfit he is to hold public office. Under his direct supervision, the PTI has run a sordid campaign to defame national institutions [and] thus undermine Pakistan,” he wrote.

PM Shehbaz said Khan is rewriting Machiavellian principles of politics in his lust for power.

After the audio made rounds on social media and the ex-interior minister came under fire for it, he accepted that the audio was, indeed, original and it was his voice, but he said that he was merely "joking" and was "not serious".

"There was no exchange of money," Rasheed said, according to Geo News.