In Photos: Imran Khan Supporters Celebrate His Pakistan Poll Lead

Khan appealed to young voters with promises of a new Pakistan. UN data states 65% Pakistan’s population is under 30.

Supporters of Pakistani politician Imran Khan, chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, celebrate projected unofficial results announced by television channels indicating their candidates’ success in the parliamentary elections in Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, July 25, 2018.

(Photo: AP)

Vote counting in Pakistan elections, marred by allegations of fraud and militant violence, has been tediously slow, yet from the outset cricket star Imran Khan and his party have maintained a commanding lead.

Election officials said it will be 26 July evening before an official count confirms Pakistan's next government. But before even half the votes were counted, Khan's supporters were seen rejoicing.

Leading rival Shahbaz Sharif, who heads the Pakistan Muslim League — the party of jailed ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif — rejected the vote, generating fears that disgruntled losers could delay the formation of the next government.

A supporter of Pakistani politician Imran Khan, chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, releases fireworks to celebrate projected unofficial results in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, 26 July 2018.(Photo: AP)

Throughout the night, Khan supporters celebrated outside party offices countrywide. Most of the revellers were young men, who danced to the sound of beating drums draped in Tehreek-e-Insaf party black and green-coloured flags.

Supporters of Imran Khan, chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, celebrate projected unofficial results announced his success in the parliamentary elections in Islamabad, on Thursday, 26 July 2018.(Photo: AP)

Khan, who is a cricket legend of almost mythical proportions, has appealed to the youth with promises of a new Pakistan. According to the United Nations, 65 percent of Pakistan's 200 million people are under 30 years old.

Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, celebrate Imran Khan’s lead in Islamabad, Pakistan on Wednesday, 25 July 2018.(Photo: AP)

Cameras followed Khan into the polling station where he voted on 25 July. But video images of his smiling image marking his ballot landed him in trouble with the Pakistan Election Commission. Its spokesman Nadeem Qasim told The Associated Press that Khan violated constitutional provisions on "the secrecy of the ballot paper and his vote could be disqualified because he cast his ballot in front of TV cameras."

Imran Khan’s supporters rejoice the lead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party in Islamabad, on Wednesday, 25 July 2018. (Photo: AP)

Moeed Yusuf, associate vice president of the Asia Center at the Washington-based US Institute of Peace, said the top challenge for the next government will be the economic crisis.

Tehreek-e-Insaf party workers embrace to celebrate projected unofficial results that were announced by television channels indicating Imran Khan’s’ success in Islamabad, Pakistan on Wednesday, 25 July 2018.(Photo: AP)

"The new government is going to be in an unenviable position, and especially Imran Khan, as he is not the preferred prime minister for Pakistan's two traditional chief patrons, China and the US," he said.

PTI supporters with the party flag celebrate the lead of party chief Imran Khan in in the parliamentary elections in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, 26 July 2018.(Photo: Reuters)

PTI party workers rejoice after Imran Khan leads in the general elections.(Photo: Reuters)

Khan has been an outspoken critic of the US-led war in neighbouring Afghanistan as well as China's massive investment in Pakistan, which has racked up millions of dollars in debt to Beijing.

A PTI supporter celebrates Imran Khan’s leads in the general elections.(Photo: AP)

Khan is also likely to be met with trepidation in neighboring Afghanistan, where he has been vocal in his opposition to the US-led invasion that followed the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States.

(The story has been edited for length.)