Due to their long periods in government especially in Punjab, It seems that they have built a system of strategic networks which they can utilise whether they are in the government or not.
No doubt they have support of a section of voters but they also have something additional to push them over the edge when needed.
There methods are brilliant and perhaps PPP understands them better. As for PTI, it's a very tough call to break it simply because they possibly don't know how this works.
PMLN will do what ever possible to ensure next election are held with the same set of variables. All they need to do is win in Punjab to form the next government, which a real possibility.
I still believe that despite this result, PTI is more popular party in NA122, however, as things stand, it is clear that public support alone will not do for PTI. PTI really needs to go back to the drawing board.