CNews ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has been elected as the 12th President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan with thumping majority.He received 479 electoral votes out of total 702 votes of the Electoral College. His contenders Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui received 153 votes while Mushahid Hussain Syed got 43 electoral votes.
It is worth mentioning here that 352 votes were needed for the election of the President.
The voting for the election of the president held in the Parliament House for National Assembly and Senate; and in the four provincial assemblies today (Saturday) from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
There were three candidates contesting the presidential election including ruling coalition backed Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N nominated former Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan Justice (retd) Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui and former ruling party PML-Q’s secretary general Mushahid Hussain Syed.
In Parliament (National Assembly + Senate), 436 members cast their votes out of total 440, while 10 votes were declared in valid. Asif Ali Zardari received 281, Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui 111 and Mushahid Hussain Syed got 34 votes.
In Punjab Assembly, all 370 votes were cast, out of which Zardari received 123 votes, justice Siddiqui got 201 while Mushahid received 36 votes. Ten votes were rejected in the house.
In Sindh Assembly, a total of 163 votes were cast out of total 166. Asif Ali Zardari received 162 votes, while one vote was declared invalid. Other two contesting candidates received no vote from the assembly.
In NWFP Assembly, all the 124 members cast their votes. Zardari received 107 votes, Justice Siddiqui 10 and Mushahid got 3 votes, while 4 votes were rejected.
In Balochistan Assembly, 63 out of 65 votes were cast, in which Zardari received 59, while Siddiqui and Mushahid got 2 votes each.
As per electoral votes, Zardari received 281 votes from Parliament, 62 from Sindh, 59 from Balochistan, 56 from NWFP and 21 from Punjab.
Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Mohammed Farooq will announce the official results of the presidential polls today in evening, afterward the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar will administered the oath of newly-elected President of the State.
