In a major upset in the Senate election, Yousaf Raza Gilani, the joint candidate of opposition parties, has been elected senator from Islamabad, by defeating Abdul Hafeez Shaikh of the ruling party, according to unofficial results.
Yousaf Raza Gilani, a former prime minister who belongs to the PPP, enjoyed the support of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance cobbled together by a dozen opposition parties against the embattled government of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The Gilani-Shaikh duel carried a huge symbolic value as the PDM had said in the run-up to the Senate elections that Gilani’s victory would mean a vote of no-confidence against the prime minister, Imran Khan.
According to an unofficial tally, out of the total 341 votes, 340 were polled. Yousaf Gilani bagged 169 votes, while his rival Hafeez Shaikh received 164 votes. Seven votes were rejected.“Just as initial response”, Shehbaz Gill, the prime minister’s aide on political affairs, said unverified results shows a slim margin of five votes for Gilani, while seven votes were rejected. “We will challenge this result,” he added.
PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called it victory for democracy. “Democracy is the best revenge,” he wrote on his official Twitter handle after the results were announced.Soon after Gilani’s historic win in today’s election, PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz took to Twitter to express her joy.
“Thanks to Almighty Allah who gave victory to the PDM. Fake mandate is snatched back by people's representatives – Despite pressure from their own people, lawmakers refused to vote for flour thief, sugar thieve, power thief, vote thief Imran Khan. You [PM Imran] now have no justification to occupy the Prime Minister's House. Leave the office you vote thief,” she wrote on her official handle.
PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan accused the opposition of resorting to horse-trading in today’s elections.
“Congratulations Fauzia Arshad of PTI for winning the women seat from Islamabad 174 vs 161 [votes]. This also tells there was a clear horse trading on the men's seat,” he tweeted.
Celebrations broke out in Multan city as soon as PPP stalwart Yousuf Raza Gillani, who was the Opposition's joint candidate for the Senate race, was announced as the victor for the Islamabad general seat, defeating government candidate Hafeez Shaikh.
Jubilant PPP workers gathered at Yousaf Raza Gilani's residence, and other places like Double Phatak (Old Shujabad Road)where Salim-ur-rehman Mayo,Jammu wala , Residence of Dr.Javed Siddiqui , clapped and cheered, to celebrate the momentous occasion.Scores of workers are seen dancing on the beat of drum ,distributing sweetmeat,
The party members were heard chanting "Ek Zardari sub pay bhari (Zardari alone is enough in the face of any competition)" and "Nara-e-Bhutto, Jeay Bhutto" in commemoration of party founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
After the result was announced, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and the former prime minister shook hands and hugged each other.
Gilani secured 169 votes while Shaikh received 164 votes. Out of the total number of 341 votes, 6 were rejected and 1 was not polled.
Gilani's certificate of election for the Senate seat has also been issued by the ECP.
