Musharraf wins vote of confidence

The two houses of Parliament and the four provincial assemblies on Thursday gave a vote of confidence to General Pervez Musharraf confirming him as elected president of Pakistan.
He secured 658 yes votes in the six legislatures from a total of 1,170. While only one vote was cast against him, 175 abstained and 336 did not take part in the exercise. In the NWFP and Balochistan assemblies the majority of votes did not go to him.
An Election Commission notification said, "Pervez Musharraf, the president in office, having received a majority of votes of the members present and voting of both the houses of Parliament and the provincial assemblies as per paragraph 18 of the Second Schedule to the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is hereby declared elected in terms of clause (8) of Article 41 in the Constitution."
Clause 8 was added to the Constitution by the enactment of 17th amendment early this week when the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) finally relented and provided the two-third majority to the government.
The same amendment also provides for a vote of confidence to the president on the pattern of his election under Article 41. But this provision was valid only for trust vote for Pervez Musharraf.
The proceedings in the National Assembly and the Senate, chaired by judicial officers on behalf of the Election Commission were, by and large, peaceful except for some sloganeering against the president. Another mentionable aberration was scuffle between MMA leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmad and Federal Minister Sherpao when the former did not let a Federally Administered Tribal Area (Fata) MNA, Maulana Abdul Haleem Kohistani, vote for the president.
MMA boycotted the proceedings in the Senate but was present in the National Assembly, where it abstained and did not vote for or against the president. The Democratic Alliance, which stands for ARD, boycotted the proceedings in both the houses of parliament.
As to when the president's five-year term begins is not clear given the ambiguity that engulfs the wording of the new clauses added to Article 41 under the latest amendment. While it asserts that this is one-time concession and is a vote of confidence for "further affirmation of the president in office" the process employed to achieve this objective is the same laid down for his election under the Constitution.
PUNJAB ASSEMBLY: As many as 254 Punjab legislators including three of MMA and one of PPPP on Thursday gave vote of confidence to President Pervez Musharraf in the Punjab Assembly in an open ballot.
Out of the House of 371 members, a total of 254 Punjab parliamentarians gave vote of trust to Musharraf to affirm his incumbency. While seven Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MPA's abstained from voting, 110 parliamentarians belonging to Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) remained absent from the vote of confidence ballot.
Four Punjab Assembly members, three belonging to MMA ie, Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Gillani, Ghulam Farid Hazarvi, Ijaz Bokhari and one Moeen-ud-Din Riaz Qureshi of PPPP ranks, crossing their party lines, voted for president.
Punjab Assembly session that commenced on 11.45 am was presided over by Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Justice Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry.
Provincial Chief Election Commissioner and Secretary Punjab Assembly conducted the Vote of Confidence proceedings in the assembly during voting session.
As many as 110 Opposition members in the Punjab Assembly wearing black bandages shouting anti-vote of confidence, anti-LFO slogans in the House, staged a walkout of the House at 12 noon.
These members also staged protest in the Assembly premises, during the voting session. The Opposition women legislators were wearing black Shalwar Kameez.
Chaudhry Pervaiz Ellahi Chief Minister of Punjab speaking to journalists in Committee Room of the Assembly after announcement of the results of the vote of confidence stated that this vote would go a long way in bringing stability and strengthening of economy in the country.
While thanking MMA and its allied parties for its recent role in Senate as well as National Assembly, he stated that relationship with MMA would bring further stability of the country in future.
Applauding President Pervez Musharraf for keeping his promises, he stated that he was the only leader who has held the elections in the country on time as undertaken by him. 'Keeping his own interest aloof, the President showed elasticity in the greater interest of the nation', he averred.
Rejecting parties boycotting the vote of confidence, he stated that after their understanding with MMA, relations with true opposition were established.
Leader of the Opposition Qasim Zia, addressing a press conference in the Assembly Cafeteria, termed the event as a 'Black Day' in the history of the country.
He said that president, despite getting vote of confidence would remain a stranger to the democratic institutions. Quoting history of various steps tarnishing democratic history of the country, he stated that it was unfortunate that the dictator did not bother even to come into parliament to request for vote.
He added that despite the day's vote, democracy would remain imprisoned in the Army House. 'How can a civil servant become a president', Qasim posed a question.
He described the vote of confidence by Musharraf as bulldozing of constitutional mode of election of the President.
He said that nation would make those accountable, who voted for a dictator in his bid for vote of trust.
"Musharraf should also be ready to make himself answerable to the nation for his unconstitutional act," he added.
Criticizing MMA, he said that they have also disappointed the nation. "By their act, the nation is forced to believe that Majlis-i-Amal is a Mullah Military Alliance," he added. He said that the Opposition would only accept an elected person as a president.
SINDH ASSEMBLY: The Sindh Assembly at its special session on Thursday expressed confidence in President General Pervez Musharraf with simple majority - 99 votes in a house of 168 members.
Against 99 votes in favour there was no vote against the resolution. Twenty-seven members of the opposition absented themselves and 42 others abstained from voting.
The proceeding of the special session, which began at 11 am, was presided over by Chief Justice Sindh High Court Saiyed Saeed Ashhad.
No sooner the recitation from the Holy Quran was completed, the opposition asked for prayers for the earthquake victims of Iran. Despite refusal from the presiding officer to permit Fateha for the Iranian earthquake victims the members of the opposition offered prayers.
While the opposition was offering Fateha, the secretary of the Sindh Assembly read out the order of the day and purpose of the special session.
Members of the opposition objected to the proceedings and tried to persuade the Chief Justice, presiding officer of the special session, to permit them a discussion on the resolution pertaining to vote of confidence.
The presiding officer said that the session was summoned for a special purpose and that he would not permit discussion or any other business to take place.
Finding no way out, the leader of the opposition, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, led the walkout amidst anti-treasury slogans.
The opposition also raised slogans against two of its members Bano Saghir, president PPP District East, and Sohrab Sirki, president PPP District Jacobabad, on their defections.
The resolution for vote of confidence in the president of Pakistan was moved by fourteen members in terms of clause (8) of Article 41 of the Constitution of Pakistan read with rule 3(1) of the vote of confidence for the President Rule 2003.
The signatories included Haji Mohammed Usman Malkani, Dr Irfan Gul Magsi, Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh, Irfanullah Khan Marwat, Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmed, Manzoor Ali Panhwar, Syed Sadaruddin Shah, Dr Ramesh Kumar, Dr Ahmed Khuhro, Syed Sardar Ahmed, Syed Shoaib Ahmed Bukhari, Arif Mustafa Jatoi, Farhad Jatoi and Jam Madad Ali.
The proceedings of the session lasted for about an hour. After the declaration of the result of voting the presiding officer prorogued the session sine die.
NWFP ASSEMBLY: A total of 30 of the 124-member house of the NWFP Assembly voted for President General Pervez Musharraf here in confidence vote on Thursday. None of the members cast a negative vote as members belonging to the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) staged a walkout.
As the house resumed proceeding with the Chief Justice Peshawar High Court, Justice Shakirullah Jan, sitting in the seat of the Speaker, the PPP firebrand Abdul Akbar Khan took the floor and objected that how a stranger is presiding the house in the presence of the elected Speaker.
He termed the presence of the Chief Justice of provincial high court totally against the rules and procedures of the assembly.
He said: "It has happened for the first time in the democratic history of the NWFP Assembly that a stranger is using the powers, which are the right of only the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and panel of chairmen" and termed it totally unconstitutional.
Replying to the outburst of Abdul Akbar Khan, the presiding officer said that no question should be allowed to be asked, as new rules promulgated for this purpose did not allow it. Hearing the remarks of the presiding officer, Bashir Ahmad Bilour of the ANP and Anwar Kamal Khan Marwat of the PML (N) also rose from their seats and called for the presentation of the new rules in the house.
Continuing his stand Abdul Akbar Khan demanded a reply as to why the mikes of the members have been switched off, asking "how have you entered the house and why you are presiding the assembly?" saying that no one other than the Speaker has the right to preside the assembly session.
On this the presiding officer, Chief Justice Justice Shakirullah Jan, announced a list of the assistant presiding officers comprising the officers of the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Assembly Secretariat.
Abdul Akbar Khan reacted that the Chief Election Commissioner has no right to appoint presiding officer for the assembly.
Without responding to the criticism of the senior parliamentarian the presiding officer announced that Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani of the PML (Q) and Murid Kazim of PPP-Sherpao have moved resolutions under Article 41 of the Constitution to express confidence in the presidentship of General Pervez Musharraf.
He announced that vote would be through division.
The parliamentary leaders of the PPP, ANP and PML (N) said that no resolution has been moved in the house. However, they were told that two resolutions have been submitted with the assembly yesterday (Wednesday) and called for the beginning of the process of the division.
The announcement of the presiding officer infuriated members of the PPPP, ANP and PML (N), who chanted slogans in Pushto " Na Mano Na Mano" (we will not accept it) and "Go Musharraf go" and staged a walkout.
The interesting feature of the walkout was that an ANP dissident was trying to stop his former colleague Shaukat Habib from joining other opposition colleagues. However, all members of the MMA were silent spectators to the whole episode.
Those who cast votes in favour of President Musharraf included 12 MPAs of PPP-Sherpao, 10 PML (Q), Independents, including the opposition leader Shehzada Gustasip Khan, Akhtar Nawaz Khan of the JUP and Malik Qaseemuddin, a minority MPA. Two ANP dissidents Attiq-ur-Rehman and Qulb-e-Hassan also voted for Musharraf while the third dissident Sarfaraz Khan remained absent.
The presiding officer later announced the result saying that 30 members have voted in favour of the resolution, 67 abstained while 27 remained absent from the house.
The presiding officer later read out the message of the provincial governor for prorogation of the session.
BALOCHISTAN ASSEMBLY: Balochistan assembly has expressed the vote of confidence in General Pervez Musharraf as President of Pakistan, at a specially summoned session here on Thursday by the Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmad Ghani.
Speaker Jamal Shah presided over the session, which has a total strength of 65 MPAs, of these 28 voted in favour, 36 abstained and 1 remained absent.
Those casting votes in favour of President General Pervez Musharraf comprised PML (Q)-21 and Grand National Alliance (GNA)-7.
Among 36 MPAs, who abstained from voting included PMAP(4), JWP(4), BNM(4), PPP(2), BNBP(1), BWP(2). 19 MMA MPAs also refrained from voting though they were very much present in the House.
One MPA Baloch Khan Marri did not attend the session.
Earlier, the special session went on smoothly and satisfactorily. Proceedings started with recitation from Holy Quran followed by a resolution jointly moved by six MPAs, Asim Kurd Qudus Bizenjo, Shabbir Ahmad Badani, Abdul Ghaffar lehri, Asghar Rind and Ambrose John Francis, expressing vote of confidence in President General Pervez Musharraf and seeking support for the same from the House.
Speaker Jamal Shah read out the resolution, setting in motion vote of confidence proceedings.
The House was then prorogued by the provincial Governor Owais Ghani.