Opposition parties in Sindh Assembly on Tuesday participated in the presidential election while the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) boycotted the polls in protest. As many as 69 opposition legislators cast their vote out of the existing 163 members of Sindh Assembly, as five seats of the legislature are still vacant. The PPP's 91 legislators remained stayed away from the polling as per party decision.
According to the poll result, PML-N candidate, Mamnoon Hussain bagged 64 and PTI's contender, former Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed, received unexpectedly five. "Total 69 votes were cast of which 64 were bagged by Mamnoon Hussain while Wajihuddin Ahmed received five votes. No vote was declared invalid," announced Presiding Officer in Sindh Assembly, Chief Justice Sindh High Court Mushir Alam.
According to the electoral voting formula, PML-N's candidate Mamnoon Hussain received 25 votes from Sindh Electoral College and PTI's Ahmed received only two. The largest opposition party, MQM's 46, PML-F's 10, PML-N's 9 and PTI's 4 lawmakers cast their vote to elect the next President. Total votes of the opposition parties were 72 of which 69 were cast because three opposition members including MQM lady lawmakers, Irum Farooqui and Aisha Aftab and PML-N Ghulam Rasool alias Aaqib Jatoi were absent.
MQM's legislator, Abdul Haseeb Khan was the first one to cast his vote. Former Chief Minister Sindh, Ghulam Arbab Rahim also cast his vote which was eighth in serial. Before closure of the time for voting, Chief Justice Mushir Alam made last announcement asking the legislators to cast their votes if did not do so far.
He thanked the lawmakers who participated in the polls. "I thank the respectable members whom responsibly and judiciously used their right of vote," he said and also appreciated the support by election commission and high court staff to complete the process. PML-N's parliamentary leader Irfanullah Khan Marwat was the polling agent for his party's presidential candidate, Mamnoon Hussain and PTI's Samar Ali Khan was for Wajihuddin Ahmed.
The ruling party in Sindh - PPP boycotted the presidential polls against the decision of Supreme Court of Pakistan, which brought forward the presidential poll to July 30 instead of ECP's announced schedule of August 6. The ANP, PML-Q and Sheikh Rashid also supported the boycott. Speaker Sindh Assembly, Aga Siraj Khan Durrani, Deputy Speaker, Shehla Raza and Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah did not appear in the house.
In a post-poll press briefing, Irfanullah Khan Marwat said the PML-N and its allies lost one crucial vote in presidential election which went in PTI favour. He called it a "big" incident to lose a vote in the race for top post of the country. Earlier, PTI's Syed Hafeezuddin told newsmen that his party was confident to penetrate into Sindh's politics through getting more votes. He seemed happy to have an extra vote for his party's presidential candidate from Sindh Electoral College.