Zardari polls 58 electoral votes from Sindh Assembly

Sindh election commissioner, other staff facilitated polling

KARACHI:

Asif Ali Zardari, the joint candidate of the ruling coalition, bagged 58 electoral votes from the Sindh Assembly on Saturday, while his challenger Mehmood Khan Achakzai, the candidate of Sunni Ittehad Council, managed to secure only three electoral votes.

The Sindh Assembly served as the polling station for the presidential election, with Sindh High Court Chief Justice Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi presiding over the process. The polling commenced at 10 am, with all members present in the assembly casting their votes by 3 pm. MPAs were required to present their assembly-issued identity cards for voting. The names of the MPAs were listed in the electoral roll in alphabetical order, and screened areas were designated to maintain the secrecy of each member's vote. The election commissioner Sindh and other staff facilitated the polling process. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Syed Nasir Hussain Shah served as polling agents for Zardari.

In total, 161 MPAs cast their votes. Out of these, Zardari received 151 votes, while Achakzai got nine votes, with one vote rejected.

The breakdown of the votes included 116 members from PPP, 36 from MQM-P, and nine independents supported by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Jamaat-e-Islami MPA Muhammad Farooq did not participate in the voting, and the GDA had already announced boycott of the presidential elections.

According to the presidential election formula, one vote was counted for every 2.5 seats in the assembly. A total of 162 MPAs have been sworn in, comprising 116 from PPP, 36 from MQM-P, one from Jamaat-e-Islami, and nine independents backed by the PTI.

Meanwhile, PPP MPA Nisar Ahmed Khuhro congratulated Asif Zardari on his election as 14th president of Pakistan. Talking to media at the Sindh Assembly building, Khuhro said President Zardari was the pioneer of 18th constitutional amendment and during his tenure as president, provincial autonomy clauses of the Constitution will be implemented in letter and spirit.

The National Finance Commission Award has been delayed since long but after election of President Zardari, a new NFC will soon be announced, Khuhro hoped. He said empowered provinces are the basis of a strong federation and after the abolition of the concurrent list of the Constitution, the federal ministries which are to be transferred to the provinces should be handed over to them.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2024.