Pakistan poll: President Zardari's party ‘makes gains’
03 Mar BBC
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari’s beleaguered ruling political
party has made gains in the Senate elections, unofficial results
indicate.
They show that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won 19 seats,
becoming the largest party.
The main opposition PMLN party led by Nawaz Sharif secured 14 seats.
Analysts say it is a big boost for Mr Zardari and his government, who
have recently been under pressure from the judiciary and the powerful
military.
They are in conflict over a leaked memo suggesting that President
Zardari wanted to ask the US government for support to prevent a
possible coup, during the turmoil which followed the killing of Osama
Bin Laden.
The Supreme Court has also tried to force Prime Minister Yousuf Raza
Gilani to have corruption proceedings reopened against Mr Zardari.
Several leaders of the PPP earlier accused the opposition of
conspiring to stop Friday’s elections. Seats for minorities Elections
are being held for 45 senators in the 104-member chamber.
They are being replaced as their terms end. Pakistan’s official APP
news agency says nine more candidates stood unopposed in the poll.
The unofficial results suggest that the PPP would now have 41 seats
in the Senate, and together with its allies would control the chamber
for another three years.
BBC correspondents say if Mr Zardari’s party does as well as
expected, it will have the power to block legislation introduced by
whoever wins parliamentary elections due by early next year.
The voting took place in four provincial assemblies Punjab, Sindh,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan with each choosing 12 senators.
However, results of seven of Balochistan seat have been withheld by the
electoral commission because of objections raised by the PMLN.
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