ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan has officially notified Asif Ali Zardari as winning candidate in presidential election by securing 481 votes of electoral college.
According to official results announced by EC here on Saturday PLM (N) candidate Saeeduz Zaman Siddique secured 153 votes and Mushahid Hussain Syed of PML(Q) secured 44 votes.
Chief Election Commissioner Justice (Retd) Qazi Muhammad Farooq announcing official results said that keeping in view importance of Presidential election, Chief Justices of four provincial High Courts were assigned duty of Presiding Officers.
He said that Chief Justices of respective province not only presided over the provincial assemblies meeting but also handled other issues in best manner.
He himself presided over the joint sitting of the parliament (National Assembly and Senate) in Islamabad.
President is elected by electoral college which comprises of members of National Assembly, Senate and the four provincial assemblies.
He said the post of President was vacated after the resignation of General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf on August 18.
According to Constition of Pakistan election to elect next President should be held within 30 days, hence “ In capacity of Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan I announced scheduled of Presidential election of August 22”.
The nomination papers were received by Presiding Officers of four provincial assemblies and Election Commission Secretariat Islambad by August 26, nomination papers were scrutinized on August 28. The last date of withdrawal of nomination paper was August 30. Finally, the election of Presidential election was held on September 6 in which Asif Ali Zardari returned as successful candidate.
Asif Ali Zardari is Pakistan's 11th President since 1956, when the country became a republic, excluding acting presidents.
Mr. Zardari routed his opponents from PML-N and PML-Q in the presidential election with a pledge to strengthen democracy, bring political harmony and wipe out terrorism from the country, as its next President.
T0 recap, the unofficial result had said that out of 702 Asif Ali Zardari secured 479 votes, of which he got 281 from Parliament, 22 from Punjab, 64 from Sindh, 59 from Balochistan and 56 from NWFP. Justice retired Saeeduzaman Siddique got 153 and Mushahid Hussain got 43 votes.
Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party and widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto contested the election after resignation of President Pervez Musharraf on August 18.
As the Parliament building reverberated with vociferous slogans of “Jeye Bhutto” and “Zinda hae BiBi Zinda hae”, raised by the parliamentarians and joined by those in the galleries, the Chief Election Commissioner announced the unofficial results, placing Zardari far ahead of his rivals.
In the Parliament Zardari secured 281 votes, 111 by Justice (Retd) Saeeduzaman Siddique and 34 by Mushahid Hussain Sayed, out of 436 total votes, of which ten were declared invalid.
He also blitzkrieged through the polls in the provincial assemblies of NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan.
Asif Ali Zardari secured 123 in Punjab Assembly, 162 in Sindh Assembly, 107 in NWFP, and 59 in Balochistan Assembly. His rival Justice (Retd) Saeeduzaman Siddique got 201 votes in Punjab Assembly, none from Sindh, 10 from NWFP and 2 from Balochistan Assembly. Mushahid Hussain got 36 from Punjab Assembly, none from Sindh, 3 from NWFP and 2 from Balochistan Assembly.
The voting was held through a secret ballot in the Parliament and the four provincial assemblies simultaneously.
Zardari termed his victory as “a success of the people and the democracy” as his young daughters Bakhtawar and Asifa, witnessed the momentous event in the Parliament House from the galleries.
Fizza Gilani, the daughter of Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani gave them company.
The women parliamentarians overwhelmed with emotions rushed to the two sisters, hugged them with tears rolling down their eyes. Party workers waved the tri-colour party flags and photographs of late Benazir Bhutto.
Asif Ali Zardari is likely to take oath of his office as President of Pakistan on September 7, 2008.
Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar will administer him oath of office at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Wins 100 percent votes from Sindh Assembly
Mr. Asif Ali Zardari bagged 100 percent votes from his native Province’s Sindh Assembly. Asif Zardari bagged 162 votes out of 163 cast in the house of 166 with one vote declared invalid. The result was announced by Presiding Officer, Chief Justice Sindh High Court, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali immediately after the counting was over.
As soon as the Presiding Officer announced the result, the house burst into slogans of “Jiay Bhutto” and all the members hugged and congratulated each other.
The three MPAs who did not cast their votes were former chief minister Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim (PML-Q) who was in Dubai, Mir Nadir Ali Magsi (PPP) who has gone to Balochistan and Dr. Mohammed Ali Shah (MQM) who too has gone abroad.
All the 8 MPAs of PML-F, led by Jam Madad Ali, came to house during the final half- an- hour and cast their vote.
The three members of National Peoples Party of Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi also cast their votes earlier.
In the house of 166, not a single vote was cast in favour of any of the other two presidential candidates Sayed Mushahid Hussain and Justice (Rtd) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqi.
Election in NWFP Legislature
As was expected Asif Ali Zardari, in a one sided electoral battle, has secured record 107 votes out of a total of 124 votes polled in the NWFP Assembly for the election to the President of Pakistan, leaving the rival candidates much behind in the electoral race. Justice (Retd) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui of PML (N) grabbed 10 votes while Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed of PML (Q) obtained only three votes while four votes were declared invalid as it were wrongly marked.
According to the formula set for counting of the Presidential votes, Asif Zardari gained 59 of the total 65 electoral votes in the NWFP legislature, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui five and Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed only one.
As many as three PML(Q) legislators also voted in favor of Asif Ali Zardari as out of their total strength of six in the NWFP assembly, Mushahid got three votes while the remaining three went to Zardari. However the votes of PML(N) remained intact as the retired Justice secured the total votes of his party.
Presiding Officer Tariq Pervez, Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court declared the unofficial results after counting of the votes. The votes were counted in the presence of polling agents of the contesting candidates. The PPP lawmakers shouted slogans of ‘Jiay Bhutto’ in jubilation after unofficial announcement of the results by the Presiding Officer.
The polling though started 30 minute late than the schedule timing because of the non-availability of the polling agents of Justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui and Mushahid Hussain Sayed but it was completed almost one and half hour before the expiry time i.e.3 pm as the last 124th vote was polled by 1.30 p.m.
However, the Presiding Officer readout rules 16 for the conduct of the elections, which provides for conduct of the polls in the absence of the polling agents of certain candidates.
Abdus Sattar Khan MPA of PML(N) was the first to cast his vote followed by Anwar Saifullah Khan of PPP and Provincial Minister Liaqat Shabab.PPP NWFP Chief and Senior Minister Rahimdad Khan has also polled his vote. While Prison Minister Mian Nisar Gul Kakakhel was the last to cast his vote.
The members of the ruling coalition ANP and PPP entered the main hall venue of the polling enbloc under the leadership of Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti after holding a joint brief meeting.
After completion of the voting, Presiding Officer Justice Tariq Pervez sought consent of the polling agents of the contesting candidates whether to wait till 3 pm or start counting. Since no objection was raised by any Polling Agent over the start of early counting fo the votes, the President officer along with four polling agents opened the ballot box and started counting votes. Polling for election to the President of Pakistan was stopped for a short interval as PPP (S) MPA, Nargis Tamim’s ballot paper was confiscated by the Presiding officer.
Nargis Tamim hailing from D. I. Khan was observed while showing her vote to her fellow colleague Noor Sahar over which the presiding officer objected.
However, the ballot was given back to the voter after the polling agent withdraws his objection and the polling restarted.
The polling officers called names of the voters in alphabetical order and issued ballot papers after verification of the identity of the voter for casting the vote.
Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, senior ministers Bashir Ahmed Bilour and Rahimd Dad Khan, and majority of Provincial Ministers have polled their votes in early phase of the voting.
The provincial government had adopted strict measures for security of provincial assembly where voting for Presidential elections was being held.
All roads around provincial assembly were totally closed for vehicular traffic and pedestrians, causing sever traffic jam and movement of vehicles on snail pace. Vehicles plying on Khyber Road and Peshawar High Court road were diverted to other directions and at some places barricades were made to block roads.
Apart from deploying law enforcers, Armed Personnel Carriers (APC) were also deployed at different locations in the surroundings of provincial assembly.
The assembly building was cordoned off and even newsmen trying to reach for election coverage also faced problems.
It merits a mention here that decision for strict security was made at a high level meeting held on Friday in Peshawar to review law and order situation during Presidential elections.
The participants of the meeting decided to fully protect assembly building for pre-empting any untoward happening to ensure smooth holding of Presidential elections.
Balochistan Assembly
Mr. Asif Ali Zardari emerged victorious in the Balochistan Assembly by securing 59 out of the 63 votes polled for the presidential election.
The other candidates for the post, Justice Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui PML-N and Sayed Mushahid Hussain (PML(Q) got 2 votes each.
The result was announced by the Presiding Officer, Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court Justice Amanullah Yasinzai after counting of votes.
Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind and Tariq Hussain Masoori abstained.
PML-N candidate outshines in Punjab
The PML-N candidate Justice (Retd) Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui outshone in the presidential election in the Punjab with 201 votes, followed by PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari securing 123 votes while Mushahid Hussain Syed of Q-League could muster support of only 36 members.
Out of the total 371 members of the Punjab Assembly, 370 exercised their right of franchise during the presidential election held in the Punjab Assembly chambers here Saturday. While, 10 votes were declared as invalid by the presiding officer.
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Zahid Hussain presided over the polling process to elect the new President of Pakistan.
The polling started by calling the members’ names in alphabetic order. Aamir Sultan Cheema Chaudhry from Q-League cast the first vote, while Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor Mayo and Maj ® Abdur Rehman Rana were the first voters from the N-League and PPP respectively. Amina Jahangir was the first female member to cast a vote.
The election was conducted in a smooth, orderly and peaceful manner, as all voters came up on their turn to vote for their candidate.
Punjab Assembly Secretary Maqsood Ahmed Malik, Provincial Election Commissioner, Punjab, Javed Khurshid and Provincial Joint Election Commissioner performed duties as Polling Officers during the presidential election.
Polling agents for the presidential candidates included Punjab Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira for PPP candidate Asif Ali Zardari, PA Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan for PML-N’s Justice ® Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, and Mian Muhammad Shafi for PML-Q’s Mushahid Hussain Syed.
According to official results announced by EC here on Saturday PLM (N) candidate Saeeduz Zaman Siddique secured 153 votes and Mushahid Hussain Syed of PML(Q) secured 44 votes.
Chief Election Commissioner Justice (Retd) Qazi Muhammad Farooq announcing official results said that keeping in view importance of Presidential election, Chief Justices of four provincial High Courts were assigned duty of Presiding Officers.
He said that Chief Justices of respective province not only presided over the provincial assemblies meeting but also handled other issues in best manner.
He himself presided over the joint sitting of the parliament (National Assembly and Senate) in Islamabad.
President is elected by electoral college which comprises of members of National Assembly, Senate and the four provincial assemblies.
He said the post of President was vacated after the resignation of General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf on August 18.
According to Constition of Pakistan election to elect next President should be held within 30 days, hence “ In capacity of Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan I announced scheduled of Presidential election of August 22”.
The nomination papers were received by Presiding Officers of four provincial assemblies and Election Commission Secretariat Islambad by August 26, nomination papers were scrutinized on August 28. The last date of withdrawal of nomination paper was August 30. Finally, the election of Presidential election was held on September 6 in which Asif Ali Zardari returned as successful candidate.
Asif Ali Zardari is Pakistan's 11th President since 1956, when the country became a republic, excluding acting presidents.
Mr. Zardari routed his opponents from PML-N and PML-Q in the presidential election with a pledge to strengthen democracy, bring political harmony and wipe out terrorism from the country, as its next President.
T0 recap, the unofficial result had said that out of 702 Asif Ali Zardari secured 479 votes, of which he got 281 from Parliament, 22 from Punjab, 64 from Sindh, 59 from Balochistan and 56 from NWFP. Justice retired Saeeduzaman Siddique got 153 and Mushahid Hussain got 43 votes.
Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party and widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto contested the election after resignation of President Pervez Musharraf on August 18.
As the Parliament building reverberated with vociferous slogans of “Jeye Bhutto” and “Zinda hae BiBi Zinda hae”, raised by the parliamentarians and joined by those in the galleries, the Chief Election Commissioner announced the unofficial results, placing Zardari far ahead of his rivals.
In the Parliament Zardari secured 281 votes, 111 by Justice (Retd) Saeeduzaman Siddique and 34 by Mushahid Hussain Sayed, out of 436 total votes, of which ten were declared invalid.
He also blitzkrieged through the polls in the provincial assemblies of NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan.
Asif Ali Zardari secured 123 in Punjab Assembly, 162 in Sindh Assembly, 107 in NWFP, and 59 in Balochistan Assembly. His rival Justice (Retd) Saeeduzaman Siddique got 201 votes in Punjab Assembly, none from Sindh, 10 from NWFP and 2 from Balochistan Assembly. Mushahid Hussain got 36 from Punjab Assembly, none from Sindh, 3 from NWFP and 2 from Balochistan Assembly.
The voting was held through a secret ballot in the Parliament and the four provincial assemblies simultaneously.
Zardari termed his victory as “a success of the people and the democracy” as his young daughters Bakhtawar and Asifa, witnessed the momentous event in the Parliament House from the galleries.
Fizza Gilani, the daughter of Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani gave them company.
The women parliamentarians overwhelmed with emotions rushed to the two sisters, hugged them with tears rolling down their eyes. Party workers waved the tri-colour party flags and photographs of late Benazir Bhutto.
Asif Ali Zardari is likely to take oath of his office as President of Pakistan on September 7, 2008.
Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar will administer him oath of office at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Wins 100 percent votes from Sindh Assembly
Mr. Asif Ali Zardari bagged 100 percent votes from his native Province’s Sindh Assembly. Asif Zardari bagged 162 votes out of 163 cast in the house of 166 with one vote declared invalid. The result was announced by Presiding Officer, Chief Justice Sindh High Court, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali immediately after the counting was over.
As soon as the Presiding Officer announced the result, the house burst into slogans of “Jiay Bhutto” and all the members hugged and congratulated each other.
The three MPAs who did not cast their votes were former chief minister Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim (PML-Q) who was in Dubai, Mir Nadir Ali Magsi (PPP) who has gone to Balochistan and Dr. Mohammed Ali Shah (MQM) who too has gone abroad.
All the 8 MPAs of PML-F, led by Jam Madad Ali, came to house during the final half- an- hour and cast their vote.
The three members of National Peoples Party of Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi also cast their votes earlier.
In the house of 166, not a single vote was cast in favour of any of the other two presidential candidates Sayed Mushahid Hussain and Justice (Rtd) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqi.
Election in NWFP Legislature
As was expected Asif Ali Zardari, in a one sided electoral battle, has secured record 107 votes out of a total of 124 votes polled in the NWFP Assembly for the election to the President of Pakistan, leaving the rival candidates much behind in the electoral race. Justice (Retd) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui of PML (N) grabbed 10 votes while Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed of PML (Q) obtained only three votes while four votes were declared invalid as it were wrongly marked.
According to the formula set for counting of the Presidential votes, Asif Zardari gained 59 of the total 65 electoral votes in the NWFP legislature, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui five and Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed only one.
As many as three PML(Q) legislators also voted in favor of Asif Ali Zardari as out of their total strength of six in the NWFP assembly, Mushahid got three votes while the remaining three went to Zardari. However the votes of PML(N) remained intact as the retired Justice secured the total votes of his party.
Presiding Officer Tariq Pervez, Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court declared the unofficial results after counting of the votes. The votes were counted in the presence of polling agents of the contesting candidates. The PPP lawmakers shouted slogans of ‘Jiay Bhutto’ in jubilation after unofficial announcement of the results by the Presiding Officer.
The polling though started 30 minute late than the schedule timing because of the non-availability of the polling agents of Justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui and Mushahid Hussain Sayed but it was completed almost one and half hour before the expiry time i.e.3 pm as the last 124th vote was polled by 1.30 p.m.
However, the Presiding Officer readout rules 16 for the conduct of the elections, which provides for conduct of the polls in the absence of the polling agents of certain candidates.
Abdus Sattar Khan MPA of PML(N) was the first to cast his vote followed by Anwar Saifullah Khan of PPP and Provincial Minister Liaqat Shabab.PPP NWFP Chief and Senior Minister Rahimdad Khan has also polled his vote. While Prison Minister Mian Nisar Gul Kakakhel was the last to cast his vote.
The members of the ruling coalition ANP and PPP entered the main hall venue of the polling enbloc under the leadership of Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti after holding a joint brief meeting.
After completion of the voting, Presiding Officer Justice Tariq Pervez sought consent of the polling agents of the contesting candidates whether to wait till 3 pm or start counting. Since no objection was raised by any Polling Agent over the start of early counting fo the votes, the President officer along with four polling agents opened the ballot box and started counting votes. Polling for election to the President of Pakistan was stopped for a short interval as PPP (S) MPA, Nargis Tamim’s ballot paper was confiscated by the Presiding officer.
Nargis Tamim hailing from D. I. Khan was observed while showing her vote to her fellow colleague Noor Sahar over which the presiding officer objected.
However, the ballot was given back to the voter after the polling agent withdraws his objection and the polling restarted.
The polling officers called names of the voters in alphabetical order and issued ballot papers after verification of the identity of the voter for casting the vote.
Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, senior ministers Bashir Ahmed Bilour and Rahimd Dad Khan, and majority of Provincial Ministers have polled their votes in early phase of the voting.
The provincial government had adopted strict measures for security of provincial assembly where voting for Presidential elections was being held.
All roads around provincial assembly were totally closed for vehicular traffic and pedestrians, causing sever traffic jam and movement of vehicles on snail pace. Vehicles plying on Khyber Road and Peshawar High Court road were diverted to other directions and at some places barricades were made to block roads.
Apart from deploying law enforcers, Armed Personnel Carriers (APC) were also deployed at different locations in the surroundings of provincial assembly.
The assembly building was cordoned off and even newsmen trying to reach for election coverage also faced problems.
It merits a mention here that decision for strict security was made at a high level meeting held on Friday in Peshawar to review law and order situation during Presidential elections.
The participants of the meeting decided to fully protect assembly building for pre-empting any untoward happening to ensure smooth holding of Presidential elections.
Balochistan Assembly
Mr. Asif Ali Zardari emerged victorious in the Balochistan Assembly by securing 59 out of the 63 votes polled for the presidential election.
The other candidates for the post, Justice Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui PML-N and Sayed Mushahid Hussain (PML(Q) got 2 votes each.
The result was announced by the Presiding Officer, Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court Justice Amanullah Yasinzai after counting of votes.
Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind and Tariq Hussain Masoori abstained.
PML-N candidate outshines in Punjab
The PML-N candidate Justice (Retd) Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui outshone in the presidential election in the Punjab with 201 votes, followed by PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari securing 123 votes while Mushahid Hussain Syed of Q-League could muster support of only 36 members.
Out of the total 371 members of the Punjab Assembly, 370 exercised their right of franchise during the presidential election held in the Punjab Assembly chambers here Saturday. While, 10 votes were declared as invalid by the presiding officer.
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Zahid Hussain presided over the polling process to elect the new President of Pakistan.
The polling started by calling the members’ names in alphabetic order. Aamir Sultan Cheema Chaudhry from Q-League cast the first vote, while Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor Mayo and Maj ® Abdur Rehman Rana were the first voters from the N-League and PPP respectively. Amina Jahangir was the first female member to cast a vote.
The election was conducted in a smooth, orderly and peaceful manner, as all voters came up on their turn to vote for their candidate.
Punjab Assembly Secretary Maqsood Ahmed Malik, Provincial Election Commissioner, Punjab, Javed Khurshid and Provincial Joint Election Commissioner performed duties as Polling Officers during the presidential election.
Polling agents for the presidential candidates included Punjab Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira for PPP candidate Asif Ali Zardari, PA Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan for PML-N’s Justice ® Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, and Mian Muhammad Shafi for PML-Q’s Mushahid Hussain Syed.
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