The presidential election on Tuesday divided the ruling alliance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao-led Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) voted for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Mamnoon Hussain instead of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf's (PTI) Wajihudin.
The QWP legislators justified their decision by arguing that they were on treasury benches at provincial level but would follow the decisions of the central body, which has decided to support the PML-N nominee for the better future of the province and its people.
We had earlier informed the PTI's colleagues to follow the central body's decision in such matter but the PTI lawmakers complained against its coalition partners recalling their leaders' and ministers' requests were not honoured by its partners in late night meeting. The other coalition partners, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Awami Jamhori Ittehad (AJI) voted for the PTI's candidate.
Eight members of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly boycotted and did not cast their votes according to the decisions of their central leaderships. The central leadership of both the parties had announced boycott of election to protest against the postponing of election date without even contacting them and their candidates.
Out of the 124 members' house, another four members, who had vacated their provincial assembly constituencies or martyred were not present including two former chief ministers Akram Khan Durrani and Ameer Haider Khan Hoti besides another two including Farid Khan from Hangu and Imran Mohmand from PK-27 have been died. By-elections on these constituencies will be held on these four constituencies.
The JUI-F's Romana Jalil and Al-Haj Malik Ibrar of QWP were not present as the latter was stated to be in Saudi Arabia for his Umra while Romana Jalil was busy in getting her visa for Umra. Out of the total 110 polled votes, the PTI nominee Wajihuddin obtained the PTI's 54, JI's six and AJI's five votes while the PML-N's candidate Mamnoon Hussain achieved nine votes of the QWP, 15 of the JUI-F besides his own party's 18 votes. The PTI's Wajihudin obtained 69 while the PML-N's Mamnoon Hussain achieved 41 votes.