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Meet the new prime minister: Raja Pervez Ashraf
Raja Pervez Ashraf declared new prime minister with 211 votes, Mehtab Abbasi gets 89 votes.
Raja Pervez Ashraf declared new prime minister with 211 votes. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD: PPP stalwart Raja Pervez Ashraf has been declared the new prime minister of Pakistan after the members of the National Assembly convened to vote for the new premier on Friday. Ashraf won the elections by 211 votes.
Ashraf’s competing candidate Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, from Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) lost with 89 votes. Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam’s (JUI-F) Fazlur Rehman was the third candidate, but he withdrew his nomination as soon as the National Assembly session began.
According to sources, Ashraf is expected to take oath as the prime minister later tonight, and the new cabinet will consist of the same members as the previous one.
Read an analysis of Ashraf’s election as prime minister here, and a timeline of Pakistan’s prime ministers here. To read a brief profile of Ashraf, click here.
End of live updates
7:34pm
Members of National Assembly as well as President Asif Ali Zardari congratulate Ashraf on becoming the new prime minister. Ashraf expected to take oath later tonight.
MNAs shower rose petals on Ashraf during the session.
7:30pm
Counting of votes concludes. Raja Pervez Ashraf declared new prime minister with 211 votes.
Mehtab Abbasi got 89 votes.
7:24pm
All votes have now been cast. Faisal Saleh Hayat of the PML-Q was the last MNA to cast a vote. Hayat, who had earlier said that he will not be a minister if Raja Pervez Ashraf becomes the prime minister, voted for Ashraf, Express News reported.
Counting of votes has begun.
7:10pm
PML-Q parliamentary leader Faisal Saleh Hayat refuses to cast his vote, while Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has requested him to do so, reported Geo News.
Express News, however, reports that all PML-Q members are casting their votes.
7:08pm
Geo News reports that the opposition has begun chanting slogans of “What was the price?” in the National Assembly. The slogans are apparently targeting Maulana Fazlur Rehman over his withdrawal.
Raja Pervez Ashraf is going up to the seated MNAs in order to greet them. He has also met the MNAs of the ruling party and the opposition.
6:53pm
According to sources, members of the previous cabinet will continue to serve as ministers in the new cabinet.
Sources claim that Pervaiz Elahi will be made a senior minister, and he will be the only PML-Q member to take oath as a minister.
6:45pm
Voting has begun in the National Assembly.
Those members voting in favour of Raja Pervez Ashraf have been asked to proceed to Lobby A (right side of the speaker) and those in favour of Mehtab Abbasi to Lobby B (on the left side).
Express News correspondent reports that the Speaker has ordered that all doors of the hall be shut.
6:38pm
Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that his party will not vote in the prime minister elections due to the current political scenario. “We are withdrawing our nomination.”
6:37pm
After the speaker briefed the assembly on the procedure of the elections and how all MNAs will cast their votes, Maulana Fazlur Rehman was given another chance to speak.
6:35pm
Maulana Fazlur Rehman appealed to the Speaker to adjourn the session, but PPP leader Naveed Qamar said that according to tradition, a normal session can be adjourned, but this was not a “normal session”. As soon as Qamar said that today’s session was not a normal one, all other MNAs laughed and sneered at him.
Speaker decided to continue with the session. “It is a very important session. We will go ahead with it.”
6:31pm
PML-Likeminded leader Humayan Akhtar announced that six Likeminded members will not attend the NA session.
6:28pm
The National Assembly session, chaired by Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, has begun.
PML-N has support from five PML-Q likeminded members, announced Chaudhry Nisar, and added that the party will try its best to win the elections.
Earlier, PPP MNA Syed Nasir Ali Shah had said that he will boycott the National Assembly session.
6:23pm
Sources tell Geo News that PML-Likeminded will boycott the prime minister elections.
Express News correspondent Khalid Mehmood reports that PML-N has still not decided whether it wants to attend the NA session or not. Some PML-N members want to boycott the session or stage a protest, while others are willing to attend it, Mehmood further reported.
6:15pm
Geo News reports that the family of Raja Pervez Ashraf has also arrived at the National Assembly.
PML-N’s parliamentary party session comes to an end.
6:13pm
Ashraf meets National Assembly members who congratulate him on his nomination.
Qamar Zaman Kaira and Makhdoom Shahahuddin have withdrawn their nomination papers.
6:03pm
Express News reports that Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that he will not be supporting any other party because no one supported him.
6:00pm
PPP sources have said that the new prime minister and the cabinet will take oath tonight.
Five members of the PML-Q Like-Minded group are also attending PML-N’s parliamentary party session.
5:57pm
Express News correspondent Muhammad Bilal reported that Ashraf, on arrival in the National Assembly, avoided media questions regarding the ongoing energy crisis and regarding writing a letter to Swiss authorities in NRO verdict implementation case.
A parliamentary session of the PML-N is currently underway under the chairmanship of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who is also the Leader of the Opposition.
5:51pm
All three candidates, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Mehtab Abbasi and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, have arrived in the National Assembly.
5:40pm
Sources say that JUI-F might not cast votes during the prime minister elections in the National Assembly.
5:34pm
A parliamentary party session of PPP and coalition parties is underway.
During the session, the coalition parties decided to vote for PPP’s candidate Ashraf.
Read more:
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Go Rental Raja!!
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The Selection of Most black sheep has begunRecommend
‘Democracy is the best Revenge’ – If you didn’t believe this, Raja Rental has come back to prove this.
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what a farce party PPP is..! still they will keep on playing the liberal , democratic card . Sham!
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Why didn’t ANP put up a candidate? It’s not like he would win, but neither can Molvi , but that doesn’t stop him.Recommend
May we please also know, how many and what ministries are going to coalition partners in Rental’s first cabinet ?Recommend
What a shame – the Minister who cannot resolve the Electricity crisis has been nominated for the top slot – jeay democracy…
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@AB:
This is all what they have been working out in the PRESIDENCY since last few days.
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We want…we want….the maulana …the maulana. Seriously, he is closer to the true Islamic beliefs of our people. And as a democracy he represents people ‘s views closer than any other fake secular handy-dandy politician.Recommend
SC has sent reference to NAB against Raja. Can NAB stop his election?
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If anyone could outdo Gilani in corruption and bad management, PPP has found that man. We may look back at Gilani’s coruption and blunders as a ‘golden period’ given what is to come. Lets hope he does not try to focus too much on energy or we will lose the remaining four hours of electricity also.
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@MAM:
Electricity load shedding was started in great general Zia ul Haq era, since then nobody done any thing serious about it.
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vote for most corrupt PM, the looters are here . geo dakoocracy
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Are these three free from allegations? Recommend
Can’t believe we will have RAJA ASHRAF as our PM. A sad day for Pakistan!
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The live circus is ON!
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Maulana Fazlur Rehman realises the “current political situation” at the last minute! Recommend
I love the J cards. Lol. The ET editors say a lot of cool things without words. World class!
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even MQM backing Raja – buaha. You scratch my back, I scratch Yours!
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@Hammad: ANP, MQM and PMLQ are Coalition Partners and are actually in the government so that is why they cannot bring their own candidates as Raja Pervaiz is their Candidate as well. I mean MQM, ANP and PMLQ are partners in crime with PPP for bringing forth Raja Pervaiz for this Post.
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@ People,
Its easy to record your protest and anger on forum and sitting in front of tv. Nation need to wake up and protest infront of the parliament.
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@Naeem:
And here comes the main actor out. He is Raja!
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My prime minister is Raja Pervaiz Ashraf ?? Seriously ?
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My god, we do have a tendency to go from bad to worse and in dramatically quick fashion.
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Congradulatio to prme minister of pakistan
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I miss Gilani already :(
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Raja Rental’s stars are going very bright.
After he left his previous ministry, he may be doing underground political home work to become the next Prime Minister of Pakistan.
It’s amazing that Raja Rental who could not provide uninterrupted electricity to people of Pakistan has now become the Prime Minister. Amazing.
May God help us in these difficult times. Ameen.
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People’s leaders are responsible elected a tainted prime minister. People should not vote for these people the next elections.
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bad goes worst come…
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the worst decision pakistanis made was to elect ppp !Recommend
raja pervaiz ashraf and zardari! a winning combination. Shakespearean tragedy.
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What a shame,
People stand up for your rights and break up the shackles of biradriism and other regional ties and vote for Imran Khan
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PMLN gets 89 votes, so 3 of its own members did not vote for them???
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Mr. Raja, enjoy the summer internship at PM House.
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Still! we are taking breaths under the load shedding
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What a joke hahaha
3 corrupt and hypocrite people standing for the PM position. Fazal ur Rehman was disappointed because he was in no position to become the PM. At the end he decided to use some political tactic and gave up for the ‘betterment of Pakistan’.
Raja Parvaiz who was never successful in solving water and energy issues when he was a minister will now solve this issue by printing notes.
The partners of PPP, including MQM, PML Q and ANP may have got huge sums of money. Rental people they are. It is proved that they go with the wind and without keeping in mind the interests of Pakistan. Well done lotas.
Pakistani people, with their short term memory will be happy in some days because the power crisis will be over temporarily and they will forget the 4 pathetic years. They will again vote for the same people. As you sow so shall you reap.
God bless Pakistan!Recommend
Sab se gentle, Raja rental :)
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Enjoy!! People who supported democracy. My vote is always for Musharraf. At least economic and other conditions was much better during his time
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Do not accept peoples mandate. people are ignorant, stupid, intellectually inferior, easily could be pushed around and not worth to vote.
On the other hand, those trained by colonial masters and their stooges do deserve to do anything with the country and .to humiliate and rule the Pakistani subjects.
what a shame? what a bigotry?
Please accept the verdict of the people till the day when you convince and persuade the citizens of this wretched country to vote for you.
please have a mercy on this country, on poor people of this country.
Peoples Party till to date has been unable to give good governance to the country but at least they are not creating the active environment to kill the country, to pitch the people of the country against each other and to spoil them spiritually. please be merciful.
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worse choice for ppp
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Is this any kind of a joke? Oh I forgot I am in Pakistan and that’s its reality. Shame on all of us as we have elected them to govern us. ALLAH will never change one’s condition until one changes himself/herself.
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Things are going from bad to worse. Now Gilani looks acceptable compared to Raja Rental. Earlier Gilani was acceptable compared to Musharraf.
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the gloomiest day in the history of Pakistan. As somebody pointed from the people and for the people. I have started suspecting my credibility too!
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Oh my God, what have we done…….Recommend
I think “Raja Rental” is the most corrupt minister in Pakistan history.. and PPP is the party full of corrupt members… they have no choice other than Raja Rental…
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From a die heart ppp voter:
Last nail on BB’s PPP, but should not for Pakistan. Load sheding Khappay Khappy. Now easy way for Imran.
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RPA as PM… joke of the century….
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Shah Mehmood Qureshi must be ring the day he left PPP. If he was in PPP today, he would have been the obvious choice.
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Why didn’t PPP choose Kaira for PM? He’s a much better candidate.
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In my opinion, electing any of the curent politicans again is a mistake. We can give Imran and PTI a chance but the rest are unacceptable.
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Supreme Court (SC) disqualified the currupt PM installed by the (currupt?) Ptresident Zardari..
Score is 1-0 between SC/Zardari. (SC/Z).
Now the Z has installed another currupt MP. The score is 1-1.
What will be the next move of SC?
An interesting chess game!!
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@Kaiserrizvi
Pakistan was awarded with mass #loadshedding when Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was the minister for Water & power now he is elected PM hope for the worst this time guys …
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BA Paas and a pathetic Miserable Minister all time is now the Prime minister of Pak hah Recommend
DONT WORRY AFTER RAJA … RANI WILL COME.. ZARDARI has thought it through
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PPP only want a scapegoat as SC gonna ask him the same “WRITE LETTER MR RAJA RENTAL” ………
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The more corrupt you are, the more you are rewarded. Shame for PPP, MQM, ANP and PML(Q).
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Ashamed of having such corrupt PMs one after another!!
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PPP is full of corrupt people. They have no neat and clean candidate. All are dirty with corruption. Allah save Pakistan from these corrupt people. Aameen
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The entire nation is worried on the selection of one more corrupt PM like Gilani. Our country is very unlucky.
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really a bad choice!!!
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PPP is full of corrupt people. They are ruining the country. Bad choice of PPP. All the PMs of PPP in the past were corrupt including the present Pervez Ashraf.
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Congratulations to our new Prime Minister.The entire nation is behind you sir.Keep well sir.
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This is a dark day in the history of Pakistan. Country is facing massive corruption since last 4 years. One more corrupt PM. He has a criminal background.
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So Raja is raja?
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The democracy is best revenge. Nomination of Raja rental is the defiance of AZ to judiciary. May Allah SWT save this country. Recommend
Bad luck of Pakistan. One more corrupt PM from PPP. Shame for PPP, MQM, ANP and others voting for this corrupt person.
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LOL N leage 89 Votes with 91 Members VS 211 Votes for candidate like Raja Rental…. Nawaz should quit politics he is clueless. If he cant function in this parliament why be a part for 4 years???
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Congratulations Raja Sahib! Although not your fan but am very happy that democracy is taking roots in the country! No more generals please!
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the real hero steps in the arena
hail Raja!!!
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I think he is just a stop gap PM… soon some1 else will take his place or elections will come
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From Quaid-e-Azam to Raja Pervez Ashraf. What an evolution! I am both ashamed and speechless at this metamorphosis of my country.
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God know when the fortune of Pakistan will change.
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This time rental power plant will not be floating at karachi harbour,instead they will airlifted by
PIA in hundreds and installed in big cities and town of the country.Rejoice there will be no load shedding say from ……………………..(u decide the date).
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Raja rental is not suitable for the post of PM! Bad luck of Pakistan!
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I would like to narrate a story.
A small bird was flying in freezing weather. He soon fell and was near death when a cow passed by and defecated over him. The heat in the cow’s dung brought him back to life and he became comfortable again. Consequently, he started to stir in the filth trying to extricate himself and take to flight again. However, a cat was watching nearby. When the cat saw something stirring in the cow dung, he came near, took the bird out of the filth and promptly ate him.
What is the moral of this story? One who throws filth on you is not necessarily your enemy. One who takes you out of the filth is not necessarily your friend.
Are there any lessons in this story for our politicians—I leave it to the readers’—and politicians’—imagination!
.?
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curruption, commision, kick backs, bribery, so called shaheeds, swiss banks, and democracy KHAPEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY,
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Meet the new boss same as the old boss…lol. Pathetic.
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Just when we start thinking..’This is it! It cannot get any worse than this’…We are again bowled over by yet another act of stupidity from idiots sitting in the parliament…How could any sane person vote for such an incompetent being!!!!…This is truly ‘Only in Pakistan’ moment..
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Mr Faisal Saleh Hayat…Where are you? You christened him as Raja Rental. I’ll bring the pop corns if you bring the juice!
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Imran khan should have somersaulted like his lotas and join PPP. At least, temporarily, he could have been a PM. This was his best chance for sitting on kursi!
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This Nation really deserve that kind of Leaders. The people who criticises PPP , PMLN , MQM or any ther political parties must think innerly. we always choose these Corrupt for our own timely GOALS. The 99.99 percent of MNA or MP’s are corrupt while they are the companions of corrupt people. If somebody dont do any corruption but he cooperate the people who do so is also CORRUPT, and whosoever vote them is also……….. (sorry its bitter but its truth). congrat the Nation that they got what they deserve.
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He passed the test of corruption in his ministry ,king maker was amused and promoted him to the top slot. well done Rental Raja !.
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The Office of Presidency, and Prime Ministership in Pakstan have lost respect at home and abroad as long as they are occupied by corrupts, and inepts. This nation got the leaders, it deserves.
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Really we deserved this. Thanks to my fellow Pakistanis who voted for them in the first place. Keep doing that. PPP comes first, country comes second.
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Congratulation winning one of the “Immunity” seat, at least for the time being SC will stay away from you honorable self.
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another crupt prime minester will lead pakistan ladies and gentle men plese welcom the new prime minester of pakistan MR LOADSHEDING ASHRAF
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leave itRecommend