PAKISTAN'S VERDICT
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Mush cornered; PML-N, PPP together get majority
Published on Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 12:02, Updated on Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 14:32 in World section
Tags: Pakistan Elections, Pervez Musharraf , New Delhi
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New Delhi: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was on the backfoot on Tuesday as the main Opposition parties — Nawaz Sharif's PML(N) and Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party — have together got past the halfway mark in the National Assembly as results of the general elections have started pouring in.
It's a close contest now between PPP and PML-N, but together the two parties have garnered 143 seats out of the 272 seats that went to polls on Monday. According to latest results available, the PPP was leading with 76 seats while Sharif's Muslim League was close behind with 67 seats.
The PML-Q or the 'King's Party' that backs Pervez Musharraf was a distant third with 34 seats. Big names in the party — including its chief Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain — have lost their seats. Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid has lost from two constituencies in Rawalpindi.
But Nawaz Sharif could still upset calculations by upstaging the PPP, which was expected to emerge the biggest party on the strength of the sympathy vote.
Other candidates, too, have got 27 seats so far. This includes the Karachi-based MQM or Muttahida Quami Movement, which has got 16. MQM is aligned to Gen Musharraf, but has indicated its readiness to extend support to either the PPP or the PML-N.
Anti-Musharraf Verdict
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's opponents headed for election victory on Tuesday after voters rejected his former ruling party, raising questions about the future of the US ally who has ruled since 1999.
No party is expected to win a majority in the 342-seat National Assembly but the opposition parties of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, were set to be the biggest.
Whichever is bigger will be best placed to lead a coalition.
As President, former army chief Musharraf did not contest Monday's elections, aimed at completing a transition to civilian rule, but the outcome could seal his fate.
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for wht mush shud be congragulated ? for not rigging the polls........
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Mush must be congratulated for exposing the opposition's bogey that was being raised about rigging in election.
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