Voting closed in Pakistan on Friday, at the end of a crucial general election, which is expected to clinch the fate of President Pervez Musharraf [Images].

The polling was largely peaceful in most parts of the country, barring minor incidents of clashes among the supporters of contesting parties, Election Commission officials said.

Over 81 million voters were eligible to take part in the polling in Pakistan's four provinces of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and North West Frontier Province and seven restive tribal agencies bordering Afghanistan, to choose 272 members of the National Assembly or the lower house of Parliament and 728 members of provincial assemblies,  for a five-year term.

Another 60 seats in the National Assembly are reserved for women and 10 for minorities, which will be distributed among parties based on the seats won by them in the popular vote.

The government had deployed 81,000 troops and nearly 400,000 policemen, who were on high alert for the polling, which began at 8 am (8.30 am Indian Standard Time) and ended at 5 pm (5.30 pm IST).

The violent campaign, which was marked by the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto [Images] and a series of suicide bombings, resulted in a low turnout. The first results are expected late tonight.

Polling has been postponed in northwestern Parachinar region in Kurram tribal agency, where 49 people were killed in a suicide attack on the last day of campaigning on Saturday.