Zardari wins top slot of the country with thumping majority

ISLAMABAD: Ruling coalition candidate and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has been elected as 12th president of the country with a thumping majority securing 480 votes.

According to the results, Zardari got 480 votes out of the 702 votes from the national and provincial legislatures while his rival from PML-Nawaz, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, received 153 votes and Mushahid Hussain Syed, the candidate of the Quaid faction of PML could get only 43 votes. 18 votes were rejected

Polling started at 1025 hours in national assembly hall at parliament while chief election commissioner justice (Retd) Qazi Farooq performed the duties of presiding officer. Members of National Assembly (NA) and senate cast their votes in alphabetic order.

Federal minister Qamar ul Zaman acted as polling agent of Asif Ali Zardari, senator Anwar Bhindar of Mushahid Hussain and Naseer Bhutta of Justice (Retd) Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui.

Acting president Muhammadmian Soomro, prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, speaker Dr Fahmida Mirza, deputy speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, acting chairman senate Jan Muhammad Jamali, opposition leader in National Assembly Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and others exercised their right to vote. Mushahid Hussain was only presidential candidate who remained present in the house during the election and he also cast his vote. Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui witnessed the electoral process by sitting in visiting gallery. Asif Zardari did not turn up on the occasion.

The members started thumping desks whenever any key leader came up their to cast vote.

Chief Election Commissioner and Returning Officer Justice (Retd) Qazi Muhammad Farooq briefed the parliamentarians about voting procedure. The legislators were called by their names in alphabetic order. Polling lasted by 1525 hours. Senators cast their votes first of all and they were followed by members of national assembly. 124 votes were polled in NWFP assembly. The voting process was stopped when one MPA, Nargis Sameen showed her vote. The voting process was again started after Amir Haider Hoti and others controlled the situation.

Pro-Zardari lawmakers, some in tears, shouted "Long live Bhutto!" as the results came in. The couple’s two jubilant but tearful daughters, one carrying a portrait of their late mother, smiled and hugged friends in the gallery.

As per break up, Asif Zardari polled 281votes out of 436 votes in senate and national assembly while his rivals Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui of PML-N obtained 111 and senator Mushahid Hussain of PML-Q secured 34 votes.

In Punjab, Justice Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui of PML-N obtained 35 votes, Asif Zardari 21 votes and PML-Q Candidate Mushahid Hussain got 6 votes. 1 vote rejected.

Asif Ali Zardari secured 62 in Sindh Assembly, 56 in NWFP, and 59 in Balochistan Assembly.

His rival candidate Justice (Retd) Saeeduzaman Siddique did not get any vote in Sindh, but got 5 votes from NWFP and 2 from Balochistan Assembly.

Mushahid Hussain got none from Sindh, 1 from NWFP and 2 from Balochistan Assembly.

Soon after his victory, Newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday termed his victory as the “success of people and democracy.”