ISLAMABAD: Asif Ali Zardari, the candidate representing the ruling alliance, has clinched victory in the presidential elections, securing a significant win.
Backed by a coalition including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), MQM-Pakistan, Balochistan Awami Party, PML-Q, National Party, and ANP, Asif Ali Zardari of the Pakistan People’s Party garnered 441 electoral votes.
His opponent, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, supported by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Sunni Ittehad Council, managed to secure 181 votes across all assemblies and parliamentary houses.
Zardari’s strong performance included a clean sweep in the Balochistan Assembly, where he secured all 47 votes, while Achakzai failed to secure any. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zardari obtained 98 votes against Achakzai’s 3.
The Sindh Assembly saw Zardari securing 151 votes, while Achakzai managed only 9. In Punjab, Zardari garnered 246 votes compared to Achakzai’s 100.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman of the PPP, celebrated his father’s victory on social media, announcing Zardari’s election with 411 votes. The breakdown revealed Zardari’s broad support across various assemblies.
Meanwhile, parties like Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and Jamaat-e-Islami opted to boycott the election process, advising their members to abstain from participating. The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) also boycotted from the election.
This election marks Asif Ali Zardari’s return to the presidency, having previously served from 2008 to 2013.
