The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) bagged three Senate seats from Fata, while the ruling Pakistan Muslim League won the Federal Capital (General) seat while an independent candidate from Fata made his way to the Upper House on Friday.
State Minister Tariq Azeem defeated the joint opposition candidate, BA Malik, by 180 votes against 122 votes. Astonishingly, as many as 17 votes, polled by the 'graduate assembly' members were declared invalid by the Election Commission.
Pakistan Muslim League President Shujaat Hussain told a news conference here at the Parliament House that general elections would be held in 2007--under President General Pervez Musharraf--supervised by an interim set-up. He added that caretaker prime minister and caretaker chief ministers would not participate in the election.
He said that the Parliament would elect President Musharraf for another five-year term, and added that polls like 2002 would be held "free, fair and transparent".
He rejected the opposition's threat of en bloc resignation from the assemblies, saying that they had been harping on this beat for the last four years, but would never translate it into action. He added that if they did so, bye-election would be held on the vacant seats.
Mohammadmian Soomro (Sindh) and Jan Jamali (Balochistan) would be the ruling coalition candidates for the slots of Senate chairman and deputy chairman, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz announced at his chamber in the Parliament House.
He said it was decided during his meeting with PML President Shujaat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain.
He hailed the ruling coalition and opposition for peacefully completing the process. "Today is a historic day, as the process of election of Senate seats has been completed. It will surely take forward the vision of President Musharraf about democracy," he added.
The Prime Minister parried questions about 'rigging' and 'changes in Cabinet', saying that he would like questions only about Senate election.
MMA's Saleh Shah, Hafiz Rasheed and Abdul Rashid were elected senators from Fata. There were 39 candidates for four Fata seats. Haroon Rashid could not cast his vote. He belongs to Jamaat-i-Islami.
Fata's 12 MNAs cast their votes to elect senators from the tribal belt as well as participated in the electoral process for election of a senator from the Federal Capital. Interestingly, Abdul Razaq was declared winner through draws after a tie among five candidates, bagging one vote each.
Ailing Dr Sher Afgan Niazi and Imran Khan were among 23 members who did not cast their vote. During the polling, 319 MNAs took part in voting. Total 341 members could use their right to vote, as Professor Khalid Wahab died recently. The House comprises 342 members.
The election brought MMA tally to 19 and could win the slot of leader of the opposition in the House, defeating the Democratic Alliance, also having 19 seats, in case the independent senator-elect Abdul Razaq votes for it.
PML (N) Saad Rafique was the last MNA to cast vote. Qazi Hussain Ahmed was also released for participation in the process. However, jailed Javed Hashmi was not produced to cast vote, though the Election Commission had asked the government for production of all three MNAs.
The members of PML 'forward bloc' also cast their votes, following the intervention from President House and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. However, Riaz Pirzada, convenor of the blockmade it clear that differences on the leadership of Shujaat and Pervaiz Elahi still persisted.
Two polling booths were erected close to the podium of the speaker, as permission had been taken from the House to convert the assembly hall into an election chamber. The polling continued interrupted, barring the break for prayers and lunch.
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