ISLAMABAD: Asif Ali Zardari, the joint candidate of the ruling alliance, has been elected the 14th president of Pakistan after securing a thumping victory in the presidential elections.
Pakistan People’s Party candidate Asif Ali Zardari, backed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), MQM-Pakistan, Balochistan Awami Party, PML-Q, National Party, and ANP, secured 411 electoral votes.
It should be noted that the total number of members in the Senate, National Assembly, and all four provincial assemblies, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan assemblies, is 1185, with 100 members in the Senate, 336 in the National Assembly, and 749 in all four provincial assemblies.
Meanwhile, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidate from the Sunni Ittehad Council, secured 181 electoral votes from all assemblies, including the National Assembly, Punjab Assembly, Sindh Assembly, Balochistan Assembly, and both houses of Parliament.
Asif Ali Zardari, who served as president of Pakistan from 2008-13, secured 255 votes in the Parliament against Achakzai who secured only 109 votes.
Asif Ali Zardari Clean Sweeps Balochistan Assembly
Asif Ali Zardari has secured all 47 electoral votes in the Balochistan Assembly.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council Presidential candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai, hailing from Balochistan, could not secure a single vote in the provincial assembly, as announced by a presiding officer. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), with 11 members in the 65-member house, did not participate in the elections.
In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, a total of 109 votes out of 118 were cast. Mahmood Khan Achakzai secured 91 votes, while Asif Ali Zardari secured 17 votes. The JUI-F, with 9 members, did not take part in the elections one vote was rejected.
Asif Ali Zardari secured 151 (98 electoral votes) against Achakzai who secured 9 (electoral 3 votes) in the Sindh Assembly. One vote was rejected in the House.
Meanwhile, vote counting is underway in the Punjab Assembly, National Assembly, and upper house of the parliament, Senate.
Punjab Assembly
In the Punjab Assembly, Asif Ali Zardari secured 246 votes in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-dominated assembly, while Achakzai secured 100 votes. Six votes were rejected.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Shares Presidential Election Result on X
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), took to X to announce that his father Asif Zardari elected as President of Pakistan for second time, securing 411 votes.
In his post on X, the former foreign minister detailed that Zardari obtained 255 votes from the National Assembly and Senate combined, 151 from the Sindh Assembly, 246 from Punjab, 17 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 47 from the Balochistan Assembly.
JUI-F, JI Boycott Election
Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and Jamaat-e-Islami have boycotted participation in the presidential election being conducted across all assemblies and the Senate.
The JUI-F has advised its MNAs, senators, and MPAs to stay away from participating in the elections.
According to a statement issued by the party, JUI members from the Senate, National Assembly, Balochistan Assembly, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly will be absent to avoid involvement in the presidential election polling process today.
The JUI had previously boycotted elections for the prime ministership, speakership, and deputy speakership.
Earlier, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leader Pir Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi announced that his party would boycott the presidential election.
Who is Asif Ali Zardari?
Asif Ali Zardari was born in 1955 into a land-owning family from Sindh province of Pakistan. The former President expressed only limited political ambitions as a young man and also losing a 1983 local government election in his area. However, it was his 1987 arranged marriage with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto that earned him a position in the political limelight.
Bhutto was an Oxford and Harvard graduate driven by the desire to hold protest for the restoration of democracy in the country. Their marriage celebrations were labeled the “people’s wedding” — doubling as a political gathering in the megacity of Karachi, where a crowd of more than 100,000 passionately chanted Pakistan People Parties slogans.
Asif Ali Zardari Achievements
Under the 18th Amendment, President Asif Ali Zardari relinquished presidential powers under 58-2 (b) to strengthen parliamentary democracy and enhance provincial autonomy.
He championed political reconciliation, supported policies promoting freedom of media, and spearheaded reforms in telecommunications and the energy sector. Additionally, he facilitated foreign direct investment and strengthened state-owned enterprises.
During his tenure, President Zardari played a crucial role in achieving consensus among political parties for the seventh National Finance Commission (NFC) award, granting provinces greater financial autonomy. Furthermore, his government introduced the Aghaz-i-Huqooq-i-Balochistan package, aimed at addressing issues in the province.
In the fight against polio, President Zardari launched Pakistan’s National Emergency Action Plan in 2011, demonstrating his commitment to eradicating the disease. He also initiated the historic Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), a widely recognized social safety net that earned international acclaim.
In 2013, President Zardari collaborated with former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to establish an economic corridor between Pakistan and China, laying the foundation for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This initiative, in conjunction with the Belt and Road Initiative, bolstered connectivity, fostered progress and development, and created numerous employment opportunities for Pakistanis.
Moreover, President Zardari played a pivotal role in recalibrating Pakistan’s foreign policy, garnering support from the international community on various regional and global issues.
