ISLAMABAD: The election for 13th president of Pakistan held today (Tuesday). Polling began at 10 am and continued till 4 pm. While Chief Election Commissioner will submit the results to the federal government on Wednesday.
The opposition parties have nominated JUI chief Maulana Fazl ur Rehman as their consensus candidate for the election of the president. While the PPP has fielded Senator Aitzaz Ahsan as its candidate.
However, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was confident that its candidate Dr Arif Alvi would win the presidential election comfortably.
Arif Alvi has received 320 electoral votes, Fazlur Rehman 159 and Aitzaz Ahsan 120 votes. Results from the Punjab Assembly are awaited.
Speaking to reporters, the newly-elected president said he was thankful to Almighty Allah that the PTI nominee was elected as the president. Alvi also thanked party chairman and Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan for reposting his confidence in him.
“I have nothing in this, my affiliates made me contest the election,” the newly-elected president said, expressing gratitude for all those who voted for him.
Also, Alvi vowed to work as the president in an improved way, adding, “I am not just a president of Tehreek-e-Insaf, rather of all political parties and the nation.”
Probably Alvi will take an oath of office on September 9.
VOTE COUNT
Dr Arif Alvi: 212 votes (NA and Senate) 45 (Balochistan Assembly), 41 (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly), 22 (Sindh Assembly).
Aitzaz Ahsan: 81 votes (NA and Senate) 39 (Sindh Assembly).
Fazlur Rehman: 131 (NA and Senate) 15 (Balochistan Assembly), 13 (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly).
Parliament
A total of 430 votes were cast in the National Assembly and Senate. Arif Alvi received 212 votes, Maulana Fazlur Rehman 131 votes and 81 votes for Aitzaz Ahsan.
Also, Commission dismissed six vote casted in parliament.
Punjab Assembly
In Punjab 351 out of 354 parliamentarians casted their vote.
Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Justice Yawar Ali presided over the polling process while election commissioner Punjab, Zafar Iqbal Hussain, performed duties as returning officer.
PTI’s Abdul Aleem Khan was the first to cast his vote in the Punjab Assembly.
Sindh Assembly
158 members of the Sindh Assembly cast their vote in the presidential election with five lawmakers abstaining. According to reports Aitzaz Ahsan received 100 votes, Arif Alvi 56 votes and Fazlur Rehman received one vote.
However, Commission dismissed one vote.
According to the electoral system, Aitzaz received 39 votes and Alvi 22 votes.
Also, Sindh High Court Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh performed the duty of presiding officer.
KP Assembly
In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, 111 out of 112 lawmakers cast their vote in the election.
While Arif Alvi received 78 votes, Fazlur Rehman 26 votes and Aitzaz Ahsan received 2 votes. However, Commission dismissed two votes of lawmakers.
According to the electoral formula, Arif Alvi votes tally to 41 votes and 13 votes for Fazlur Rehman
Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth supervised the polling process in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
Balochistan Assembly
Arif Alvi received 45 votes and Fazlur Rehman received 15 votes in the provincial assembly. However, one lawmaker did not cast his vote in the election.
Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar acted as presiding officer.