Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said yesterday his party was the clear winner in Pakistan’s general election and that he hoped for a majority to avoid a coalition.

“Results are still coming in, but this much is confirmed we’re the single largest party so far. Please pray that by morning we’re in a position that we don’t need the crutch of coalition partners,” he said.

Pakistanis streamed to the polls yesterday, despite a string of attacks that killed 24 people, for a historic vote pitting a former cricket star against a two-time prime minister and an unpopular incumbent.

The violence, which included blasts outside a political office in Karachi that left 10 dead, capped a bloody election season.

With the Pakistani Taleban threatening to target political parties, an estimated 600,000 security personnel fanned out across the country to protect polling sites and voters. Many Pakistanis seemed determined to cast their ballots despite the violence.

“Yes, there are fears. But what should we do?” said Ali Khan, who was waiting to vote in the northwestern city of Peshawar, where one of the blasts took place yesterday.

“Either we sit in our house and let the terrorism go on, or we come out of our homes, cast our vote, and bring in a government that can solve this problem of terrorism.”