NA-151 by-elections: Gilani’s son emerges as victor after close battle
The first family of Multan scraped through to a hard-fought win in the by-elections for NA-151 after a neck-and-neck contest with an independent candidate on Thursday.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s Abdul Qadir Gilani won by a margin of 4,096 votes, defeating Shaukat Hayat Bosan and winning the seat vacated by his father Yousaf Raza Gilani after his disqualification as the prime minister and member of the National Assembly.
Abdul Qadir secured 64,628 votes, while Bosan, who was supported officially by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Jamaat-e-Islami and unofficially by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), managed to bag 60,532 votes.
The competition remained close throughout the day, without a clear lead. However, the results of the last 25 polling stations confirmed Abdul Qadir as the winner.
Shaukat Bosan told The Express Tribune that, while the elections were transparent, rules and regulations were not observed at many places. “I will file a complaint after consulting with my legal colleagues,” he said.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Abdul Qadir said that his victory was the decision of the larger bench of the people of Pakistan. He said that the people of Pakistan were the real judges and they have given the verdict.
Bosan added that it was not a matter of victory and defeat, adding that the election has clarified one thing: the PPP will face the toughest opposition in the next general elections on grounds of transparency.
The voter turn-out stood at 45%, as the total number of registered voters was 307,871.
Congratulatory message
Meanwhile, in his felicitation message to Abdul Qadir, President Asif Ali Zardari said that the PPP’s electoral victory in the land of the saints will reverberate as a stark reminder to everyone that it is the people and people alone who pronounce the final verdict and are not afraid of overturning other judgments.
The president termed the victory as vindication for Yousuf Raza Gilani’s sacrifices for upholding the Constitution.
He further said that it was a great victory for his party as it won the election against heavy odds in which all political opponents had joined hands together to defeat PPP, but failed.
President Zardari said that he was confident that as a member of the National Assembly, Abdul Qadir would follow in the footsteps of his father. (ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY HAFEEZ TUNIO IN KARACHI)
Published in The Express Tribune, July 20th, 2012.
COMMENTS (48)
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@ SM:
Spot on brother: The Supreme Court played a dirty game and media is to biased to highlight it.
@Danish Akhundzada: Sir, In 2008, 152,000 votes were polled. This time 125,000 votes were cast. Voter turn-out would have been better. But Election Commission headed by a biased brother judge of Dual PCO Iftikhar framed rules which were not practical. It seems both candidates violated rules. The purpose of framing such rules was that, if need be, violations by Bosan could be ignored and those by Abdul Qadir Gilani could be noticed. Thus, judiciary will have the handle to manipulate people's verdict. The problem is that present judiciary is very biased and does everything except justice. May I take this opportunity to mention that new Chief Election Commissioner, Honourable Justice (Retd) Fakhruddin G Ibrahim is a principled upright man. I pray for his health and hope elections held under supervision of this great Pakistani will be free and fair.
@SM:
And how many votes were actually cast.
PPP won against an independent by 4000 votes, in the home constituency of the recent PM. Hmmm
1) People's Court is truly supreme. It has given its verdict. The order of so-called Supreme Court has been overturned. 2) I watched many TV talk shows yesterday. They portrayed as if PPP got lesser number of votes compared to 2008 elections. This is not true. In 2008 elections, PPP secured 46% votes polled in this constituency. This time, despite all the judgements, vociferous propaganda by media and analyses by so-called Analysts, the party bagged 52% votes polled. 3) We must keep in mind that the contest was one-to-one and Election Commission was headed by a brother judge of Dual PCO Iftikhar. 4) It seems that the Establishment tried to test the strength of PPP by practically forging alliance of all political parties in support of Bosan. Congratulations to Gilanis, PPP and last, but not least, the nation on this positive verdict by the people of Pakistan.
One point most people are missing is the number of votes for the young Gilani, 64628. And how many votes the big Daddy had in 2008? Yes, 77664. There was going to be only one winner in Multan but the decrease in number of votes should be a concern for the Jiyalas as the larger bench seems to have shrunk. Any responsible, democratic party would never overlook this drop in popularity. And bravo for PTI that they were able to secure more than 60,000 votes with only a tacit support. I am very happy with the result as there are more than 60,000 people in Multan, an established stronghold of the Gilanis for decades, who have rejected this inept and corrupt leadership. Things are definitely looking good for the general elections. Aaah, can we give them some other name? "General" elections has a deeply foreboding tone to it.
This is defeat of PPP. Yousuf Raza Gilani won with a lead of 35000 votes in year 2008. But his son won just with a lead of 4000 votes in 2012. PPP will lose in general elections.
Money can buy every thing
Chief Justice should take Suo Moto action against all those who voted for Abdul Qadir Gilani as this represents contempt of court
Mr. Shoukat Bosan had dispalyed the pictures of CJP Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad ch on his election posters and bill boards. Its a contempt of court and violation of EC's electoral rules. But neither CEC nor CJP took any notice of this serious misconduct. Now result is that now debate has been going in people Gilani family defeated but whom?
PTI+PMLN+JI+DPC+SC, Take That! :)
Like father like SON... In Multan if PPP would have nominated a Truck, people would have been voted to that truck also...
@Mirza:
Do you really live in this country.........do you really know the meaning of democracy..do you party PPP, scincerely works for the furtherence of democracy? is PPP really a democratci party and not a family affair........? and please dont justify............by qouting conservative right wing parties or PML N. Did people really vote for gilani because he was so righteous and a mazloom?
we all know........the fight was between two feudals..............one group just won and other lost..........both of them have defeated eachother earlier and will fight again in next election. Mr. mirza just come down from your rehtorics.........ok
A tragic day for Pakistan. Let there be no illusions, the current system is not democracy but rather a system which lets family dynasties use Pakistan as family furniture and where feudal and corrupt politicians use every means possible to coerce and rig elections.
A small win for Gilani but a giant leap for democracy !!
With the level of funds generated by the family in the last four year, the result was expected.
Elections in such constituencies should be held on regular basis, perhaps every six months to provide financial benefit to the poor.
Obviously he had to win as the support of Mr. Z was already there for him. This nation very much deserves these kind of people.
oh....sorry..........Bosan was an independent candidate...........not a PTI candidate and was supported by N league............huh. sure
so much for the clean sweapers of PTI
The last paragraph sums it up.
No big surprises.
In general Election PTI and PML will break each other votes, and PPP will win easily!
Every one should respect the mandate. The people of Multan has spoken in favor of Mr. Gilani, and we all must respect his mandate. This is democratic will of people to elect any one. CEC is sitting Judge of Spreme court and PMLN is in govt in Punjab and all parties including JI and PTI supported Mr.Bosan but today people has spoken in favor of PPP once again, those who want to destablise PPP govt and want to push PPP for early election, they got very STRONG signal that despite all their propaganda, and ill-will policies against PPP. It is still the in the heart of people,because this party belongs to people.
Multan is in Pakistan, whole Pakistan do not exist in multan. Please stop saying that PPP will come again in power. General elections have different dimensions. PTI all the way InshAllah.
The election result is once again a clear verdict by the people of the heartland of Pakistan. PPP has never contested any election as an alliance yet they have always defeated the joint candidates of alliances of many parties. This is also a reality check for the rightwing parties to give up their big egos and form a joint alliance against the PPP once again. Contrary to the urban elite it is the second time the larger bench of common people have announced their verdict. The PCO judges can use all technicalities and extensions in service but one day they would have to leave. Let us see how quickly PTI and PML-N start forming alliances with JI after the second victory of PPP in Multan. No wonder the losers hate democracy.
At least it was not one sided as the last one,people are slowing but surely waking up and that too in the so-called fiefdoms where these feudals used to hold sway.
and this is why this country shall never excel :) period!
Should I take Suo Motu !?
unofficially by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
I wonder where did you come up with that?
CONGRATS JUNIOR GILANI.
Now it's son's turn to loot and fool the nation
PTI supporters should not feel this defeat. Their leader does not care about winning or losing. His mission is to prevent PML(N) from winning majority in next election and his strategy is proving right.
A tragic day for Pakistan. Let there be no illusions, the current system is not democracy but rather a system which lets family dynasties use Pakistan as family furniture and where feudal and corrupt politicians use every means possible to coerce and rig elections.
Please take this news away, I feel sick
Winning by Four thousand votes only in home constitunecy supported by the whole Govt.machinery siounds like defeat for PPP. The only chance of PPP in next elections is weak showing of PTI or their soft compromise with PPP agaisnt PMLN.I still hope PTI does better by taking bold stand against ALL traditional, corrupt politics including but not limited to PMLN. They are still the best hope for the country but IK playing PPP and MQM cards is beyond me.
Seriously? People actually voted for him??
Just one addition ET: he was also unofficially supported by the Supreme Court as Iftikhar Chaudhry remained prominent on his posters and refused to take oath from the new CEC to ensure Justice Shakir Ullah Jan remains as head of election commission. If that was not enough the Election Commission banned independent observers, did not provide transport to far flung rural areas having heavy PPP support and above all many visibly pro-PPP rural areas found that their names were not on voter lists despite possessing NADRA CNICs.
Please make a law that if someone is disqualified then all thei clan is also disqualified.
Multan needs more Saints !
People's Revenge for Shameful act of PCO CJ of SC . . . !!!!!
PPP Wins PTI & PMLn Combo failed . . . . LOL
Men in wigs tried their best, twisted the rules to favor one candidate, and failed to spot the pictures of a sitting chief justice in the election banners as a violation of the code of conduct, still they failed miserably in their efforts. Democracy has become victorious once again, and the and the dark forces of tyranny stand defeated.
And the tsunami didn't really one...
Will of the people! Someone was suggesting the former prime minister to refer to the public. This is a collective slap on his face by the constituents. He must be ashamed of himself now and accept the power of the people as supreme, and bury his third rate plagiarized poetry in a very deep grave.
By-election is NA-151 was a trailer of upcoming National election this fall. Before the election, Multan was filled with PPP and PTI flags. And like any other election there was only one winner in this election and that was PPP. After the election PTI is trying to disown its defeated candidate but it is too late. Fact remains that PTI lost in Multan to PPP.
I hope this is “Politics Lesson 101” for Imran Khan as his so called Tsunami didn’t get converted to votes. And a slap on face of PTI stalwarts from Multan; Pir Shah Mehmood Quershi and Javed Hasmi. If these so called heavy weighter can’t deliver in their own backyard then where else can they deliver?
This also is a lesson for opposition as well. They all tried to backup PTI candidate but still couldn’t beat PPP, despite of PPP track record of last four years. If opposition wants to beat PPP in upcoming election then it has to unite and support only one candidate against PPP.
I hope Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif has learned from this trailer, if not then instead of wasting their time in politics they should go and do something else.
In such a conservative society who will win? except Qadir Gilani. It is unfortunate that people do not learn from their past mistakes. I was surprised to see that the Mureeds of his ancestors Grave were dancing in the street, as if he will being revolution in the country or they will get ROTI, KAPRA AND MAKAN. In such a corrupt system corrupt people, tax evaders, fake degree holders, land grabbers, drug traffickers are foisted upon a poor illiterate nation. In Pakistan it has been the established practice to elect not the best, not the noblest but the worst crooks, hypocrite, scoundrels to hold power. I see that incident like 15th July of France will be repeated in Pakistan.,
Let all these people suffer from loadshedding,unemployment,corruption, what else i can say. Sad day for the young people who wants to change Pakistan through democratic system. It can also be a reminder for the rest of political forces. They have to sit together and start a awareness programe in their own communities about this feudalism and to educate them about this cancer which has taken such a place in our communities that we not even think how to who to vote. This should be very serious to all the stake holders in pakistan to sort it out and get over it for the future of pakistan.
Good !