ISLAMABAD, Mar 03 (APP):The candidate of PPPP Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani won seat in Senate from Federal Capital by securing 169 votes.
Two candidates including former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani from PPPP and Minister for Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh from PTI contested elections against the General seat in Senate from Federal Capital.
Abdul Hafeez Sheikh secured 164 votes while his opponent Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani got 169 votes.
A total of seven votes were rejected on general seat. Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani secured majority votes and declared victorious on General seat from Federal Capital.
Earlier, the polling was held from 9 am to 5 pm and contesting candidates, their agents remained present in the polling station along with the election staff. Special Secretary of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Zafar Iqbal Hussain served as a Returning Officer and announced the result.
On the completion of counting, the Returning Officer prepared and certified a Return of Election in Form-56 and candidates and his/her agent were allowed to take a copy or extract from such return.
Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani remained prime minister of Pakistan from 2008–12. Gilani was born into a prominent family of landowners from the Punjab province, many of whom were involved in politics, including his father, who was a provincial minister during the 1950s.
After studying at the University of Punjab (M.A., 1976), Gilani joined the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) in 1978. In 1985 he was elected to the federal parliament.
He received an appointment in the cabinet of Prime Minister Mohammad Khan Junejo, but a conflict with Junejo led to Gilani’s being replaced in 1986 and in his eventual marginalization within the PML.
Gilani later joined the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and also served as speaker of the National Assembly (1993–97) during Benazir Bhutto’s second term as prime minister.
Bhutto was removed as prime minister in 1996, and in elections the following year Gilani lost his seat in parliament while the PPP suffered a decisive defeat nationally. He remained a senior member of the PPP. Gilani was arrested in 2001 on charges of having granted illegal government appointments while he was speaker, and he served more than four years in prison.
