Zardari sworn in as 14th president of Pakistan

All eyes on Senate elections now

With a new president and prime minister now heading the federation, all attention has turned towards the upcoming Senate elections, with forty-eight members set to be elected in the first week of April.

As per details provided by the Senate Secretariat, among the members retiring this week, 12 are from Sindh, 11 are from Punjab, 10 members are from Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), each; 4 members are from the former federally administered tribal areas (FATA), and 2 are from the federal capital, Islamabad.

It is pertinent to mention that the 4 members of erstwhile FATA will be the last members who were elected on the quota for FATA and now after the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, FATA will not have separate seats in the Senate. Therefore, the Senate will now consist of 96 members, in which each province is represented equally with 23 seats, while 4 seats are for Islamabad.

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Profile - Asif Ali Zardari: Pakistan's new president

Lawmakers on Saturday elected Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of the centre-left Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) as the country's 14th president.

Zardari, 68, the widower of two-time Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, defeated Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a veteran politician from southwestern Balochistan province, and a candidate of the opposition Sunni Ittehad Council, a religiopolitical group that now includes lawmakers from jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

A candidate for the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Zardari is the only politician who has been elected to the country's highest yet symbolic office for a second term.

He previously served as president from 2008 to 2013 during his party government. He is also the first ever democratically elected president to complete his tenure in the South Asian Muslim-majority country's 75-year history.

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President of Iran felicitates Zardari

President of Iran Syed Ebrahim Raeesi in a message congratulated Asif Ali Zardari on his election as the president of Pakistan.

President Raeesi expressed hope that during his presidency, the relations between the two countries, having historical, cultural and religious history, will be more developed and deepened than before.

“As always, and especially in the new era, the Islamic Republic of Iran declares its readiness to expand relations with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” he said.

PTI leaders Latif Khosa, Salman Akram Raja arrested in Lahore

Punjab Police on Sunday apprehended Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Latif Khosa and Salman Akram Raja amid the party's demonstrations in Lahore, Express News reported.

Confirming the arrest of his father, Balakh Sher Khosa, son of Latif Khosa, expressed concern over the incident.

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Zardari sworn in as 14th president of Pakistan

PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari took oath on Sunday as the 14th president of Pakistan - making history by being elected as the head of state for the second time.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath to Zardari at a ceremony at the Presidency. The event was attended by governors and chief ministers of all provinces except K-P CM Ali Amin Gandapur.

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How Zardari outsmarted judicial system

Despite all efforts by the superior judiciary and powerful circles, newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari has always managed to avoid conviction in graft cases throughout his political career.

"I literally wear out judicial proceedings," said Zardari in an interview on a private TV channel a couple of years ago.

Former additional attorney general Tariq Mahmood Khokhar said Zardari epitomizes his wife Benazir Bhutto’s legacy of vengeance for democracy.

“Zardari is a man of many parts: He is a constitutional reformer who empowered parliament and the federating units, led the PPP out of political wilderness, and steered it into mainstream politics.

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Achakzai applauds integrity in election process

Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the presidential candidate backed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), expressed his gratitude to all the lawmakers who voted for him in Saturday’s presidential election, noting that for the first time in Pakistan’s history, votes were not bought or sold.

“The election took place in a wonderful environment. I am thankful to the PTI for supporting my candidacy,” Achakzai said while speaking to journalists outside the Parliament House after the elections.

Candidates supported by the PTI initially contested the February 8 general elections as independents after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) deprived the former ruling party of its election symbol.

Subsequently, they joined the relatively lesser-known SIC, whose parliamentary party exclusively consists of PTI members. The SIC then endorsed Achakzai, the chief of the PkMAP party, for the position of president.

"In this election, something unique happened. For the first time, votes were neither bought nor sold. Previously, members were considered commodities, but now there's a change, which is a positive development," he added.

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X factor: Twitter ban hits businesses, news in Pakistan

Pakistan entered on Saturday its fourth week of nationwide disruption to social media platform X, with activists waging a court battle to get it restored.

The platform, formerly known as Twitter, was downed after jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party called for protests against a government official's admission of vote manipulation in last month's election.

From business owners fretting over lost clients to journalists seeking new sources, Pakistanis want the government to restore regular access to the social media platform.

Authorities have blocked X - either partially or fully - since February 17 after protests swept the country over allegations of vote rigging in the general election, according to the Netblocks global internet monitor. When users try to access X, they often see this message: “Something went wrong, but don’t fret – let’s give it another shot”.

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PTI leaders condemn ‘illegal’ presidential election

Leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) launched a scathing attack on the ruling alliance on Saturday, raising serious questions about the recently concluded presidential election. The PTI leaders expressed their dissatisfaction following the defeat of their candidate, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, at the hands of the ruling coalition's nominee, Asif Ali Zardari.

Addressing the media outside the Parliament House, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan took a direct jab at Zardari, referring to him as the 'king of corrupt elements' and asserting that he is being imposed on the country.

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Achakzai acknowledges fairness in presidential election

Following his defeat to Asif Ali Zardari in the presidential election, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the presidential candidate representing the opposition and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief, expressed satisfaction on Saturday. He highlighted that for the first time, the election transpired without votes being bought or sold, and members from various political parties extended their support to him in both the National Assembly and Senate.

Speaking to the media outside the parliament after the presidential election, Achakzai, who ran as the candidate of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and independent members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), emphasised the positive and conducive environment in which the election took place.

Addressing the prevalent perception that everything in Pakistan can be bought and sold, Achakzai took a principled stance, expressing gratitude to be on the side that opposes such practices. He asserted, "Some people think that everything can be bought and sold in Pakistan, but there are some people who oppose this, and thank God I am on that side."

SIC nominates Omar Ayub for opposition leader in NA

In a surprising turn of events, the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), a party predominantly composed of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers, submitted the name of Omar Ayub Khan for the position of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly. The nomination was formally presented to the office of the National Assembly Speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, on Saturday.

Malik Amir Dogar presented documents of Ayub’s nomination to the NA speaker. Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Ali Muhammad Khan, Riaz Fatiana, and Dr Nisar Jat, among other opposition members were also present on the occasion.

The realisation that the formal process of appointing a leader of the opposition had not been completed struck the PTI-SIC coalition during the National Assembly session on Friday.

The revelation occurred when former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser urged the current NA Speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, to give the floor to the leader of the opposition, as was the tradition during Qaiser's tenure.

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PM, Sindh CM and governor congratulate Zardari

In a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conveyed heartfelt congratulations to Asif Ali Zardari on securing the position of President for the second term. The prime minister acknowledged that the elected members of the National Assembly, Senate, and the four provinces had demonstrated their confidence in Zardari through their votes.

Shehbaz expressed confidence that President-elect Zardari would serve as a symbol of the federation's strength, emphasising the anticipation that Zardari would discharge his constitutional duties with diligence and commitment. He noted that Zardari's election marked a continuation of democratic values, emphasising the commitment of coalition parties to collaborate for the development and prosperity of Pakistan.

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori joined in the congratulations, hailing Asif Ali Zardari's re-election as evidence of the successful progress of the democratic process in the country. Tessori expressed strong hope that under Zardari's leadership, democracy in Pakistan would flourish.

Similarly, a statement from the spokesperson of Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah conveyed the warm regards of Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah. The chief minister congratulated Asif Ali Zardari on his re-election as president for the second term, emphasizing Zardari's consistent prioritisation of the country's stability.

Chief Minister Shah commended Zardari's visionary leadership, describing him as an excellent advisor who would unite all state units to guide the country towards prosperity. He asserted that President Zardari's clear commitment to democratic principles represented a triumph for democracy itself.

Zardari secures 411, Achakzai 181 in president’s polls: ECP

Zardari set to become president for historic second time

PPP co-chairperson and the coalition government's candidate for head of state, Asif Ali Zardari, swept the presidential elections and is set to become the president of Pakistan for a historic second time.

Zardari bagged 255 votes in the Senate and National Assembly while the SIC candidate and PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai only secured 91 votes.

Except for the K-P Assembly where the PPP leader did not get the majority vote, Zardari won most of the votes in all other provincial assemblies by a comfortable margin. In K-P, Zardari got 17 votes versus Achakzai's 91. In Punjab, the former president secured 246 votes and the PkMAP leader got 100 votes.

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Zardari sweeps Sindh votes

Presidential candidate Asif Ali Zardari swept the votes in the Sindh Assembly, bagging 151 while PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai managed nine votes, according to unofficial results. 

Zardari wins big from Balochistan Assembly

The coalition government’s nominee Asif Ali Zardari bagged all the votes cast in the Balochistan Assembly. All of the 47 lawmakers who voted from Balochistan cast their vote in favour of the PPP co-chairperson and none for SIC candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai.

Voting begins in National and provincial assemblies

The counting process has now started in the National and all provincial assemblies after voting in the presidential election concluded at 4pm

Balochistan CM Bugti casts vote for Zardari

Chief Minister Balochistan case his vote for PPP's presidential candidate Asif Ali Zardari.

PTI's Faisal Javed casts vote, raises slogans in favour of Imran

PTI's Senator Faisal Javed cast his vote and raised slogans in favour of party founder Imran Khan.

ECP rejects Achakzai’s call to delay presidential polls

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected on Saturday a call by Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) presidential candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai seeking to postpone the elections for president being held today. 

The commission, in a written reply on rejecting the PkMAP chief's plea, stated that Achakzai did not object during the phase of submitting and scrutiny of nomination papers and the electoral college is now fully functional to conduct the polls. 

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Achakzai casts his vote

Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and the Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) candidate for president Mahmood Khan Achakzai has cast his vote. 

The current ruling coalition, comprising the PML-N, the PPP, and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), has backed former president Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of the PPP. Given the strength of coalition parties, the election result is a foregone conclusion.

PPP's Raja Pervaiz Ashraf lauds Zardari

PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has the ability to take all politicians onboard for the good of the nation. Expressing his joy. he maintained that it is a "good omen for democracy" that Zardari will again assume the office of president.

WATCH: First vote cast in K-P Assembly

Polling for president begins at Sindh Assembly

Polling to elect the new president has commenced at the Sindh Assembly. 

MQM-P's Abdul Wasim cast the first vote and Sindh High Court Chief (SHC) Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi is performing duties as the presiding officer. 

PM Shehbaz, Zardari cast their votes

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP C-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari have cast their votes. Other political bigwigs including PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Ishaq Dar have also participated in the polling process and cast their votes.

WATCH: PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari arrives at NA

PM Shehbaz attends PPP-hosted breakfast

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended a breakfast hosted by the PPP and met presidential candidate Asif Ali Zardari. The premier also met PPP Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari. 

The former foreign minister thanked the prime minister for supporting Zardari in the polls.

Polling to elect president begins

The polling process to elect the 14th president of Pakistan has commenced. Co-Chairperson of PPP Asif Ali Zardari is facing off against the chief of the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and the Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai.

Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq is the presiding office for the presidential elections. 

Polling commenced at 10am and will continue till 4pm. 

Understanding the presidential election process

As the nation gears up to elect its next president, senators, MNAs, and MPs from all four provinces are set to cast their votes in an electoral process where elected representatives become the voters.

Different from the general elections, where the public directly votes for the president or prime minister, the country’s parliamentary system relies on elected representatives.

The electoral college for the presidential election comprises members of parliament and provincial assemblies.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), responsible for overseeing the voting process, has designated the National Assembly Hall as the polling station.

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