Screenshot taken from Bol news channel shows Imran Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) party, speak to media in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan on July 26, 2018. Former Pakistani cricket star Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) has won victory in the general elections and is now in a strong position to form the government, according to the results announced by the Election Commission on Saturday. (Xinhua/Bol News)

ISLAMABAD, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Former Pakistani cricket star Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) has won victory in the country's general elections and is now in a strong position to form the central government, according to the complete preliminary results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan on Saturday.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), or Pakistan Movement for Justice, has taken the decisive lead by winning 115 seats against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and former President Asif Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party which won 64 and 43 seats, respectively.

Pakistan held general elections on Wednesday to elect the members of the National Assembly, the lower house of the country's parliament, and members of four provincial assemblies.

Pakistan's lower house has a total of 342 members, of which 272 are directly elected by the people, whereas 60 seats are reserved for women and 10 for religious minorities. The reserved will be allocated to the political parties according to their proportional representation in the house.

Out of 272 seats, elections were held in 270 constituencies as two seats remained uncontested due to multiple reasons.

Besides these three major parties, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan won 13 seats, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan six seats, Pakistan Muslim League and Balochistan Awami Party four seats each, Balochistan National Party and Grand Democratic Alliance two seats each, Awami Muslim League Pakistan, Awami National Party, Jamhoori Wattan Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaniat one seat each.

Other than the parties, 13 independent candidates also won their seats.

Imran Khan, chairman of the PTI, had already announced to form the central government.

To form the government, Khan needs to garner a simple majority in the lower house.

Naeem ul Haq, a spokesperson of Imran Khan, told media on Friday that they had successfully got the required numbers to get the simple majority in the house.

According to Haq, the PTI is likely to get the support of small political parties, including Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan, Pakistan Muslim League, Balochistan Awami Party, Balochistan National Party, Grad Democratic Alliance, Awami Muslim League and independents.

According to the PTI's official social media account, independent candidates who are 13 in number have already started merging into PTI, which may increase its total seats to 128.

Following the announcement of the final results by the ECP, the independent candidates have three days' time to join any party, otherwise, they will be declared independents in the house. Usually, independent candidates join the party which is in a position to form the government.

Under the Constitution of Pakistan, the president will summon the meeting of the National Assembly within 21 days after the elections to elect the new prime minister.