Election in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD The unprecedented results of the general elections in Pakistan have sent a number of heavyweights back to their homes empty handed, which indicates that voters of Pakistan are desperate to bring a major political shift in the country to get rid of decades-old problems.

The bigwigs like Mian Muhammad Azhar, Elahi Bux Soomro, Asfand Yar Wali, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Gilani, Abbas Sarfraz, Raja Zafarul Haq and Syed Fakhar Imam are licking their wounds after humiliating defeats from relatively week opponents. Interestingly, most of the ousted leaders were potential candidates for the future premiership.

The defeat of Mian Muhammad Azhar, president of Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam) is one of the major upsets of the general elections.

According to the resolutions of PML-QA the party president was to become the parliamentary leader. The senior party leaders including Ch. Shujaat Hussain had repeatedly said that Azhar would be the future prime minister. But all that has now vanished in thin air.

The position of Mian Azhar has always been shaky in the party. He was party president only by name, as the big Chaudary from Gujrat was the center of power in PML-QA. “He does not know how to speak. He has a weak personality. How can we accept him as the prime minister,” a party leader had commented about Azhar on the eve of general elections.

Another loser and former speaker National Assembly, Elahi Bux Soomro, was being considered as the most favorable prime minister for General Musharraf. Earlier, the ‘neutral’ Muslim Leaguer was on the forefront in the unification campaign of different PML factions, but on the eve of general elections he made up his mind to join PML-QA to ensure his seat.

Since the military intervention of 1999, Soomro preferred to remain silent on several important but controversial issues. Despite enjoying the status of member Central Working Committee (CWC) of PML-N, he did never attend a single meeting of the CWC.

The defeat of Raja Zafarul Haq, chairman PML-N, is obvious evidence that vote bank of Nawaz Sharif declined sharply from the point, as it used to be in 1997. The PML-N chairman, who is still proud to have been the opening batsman of late General Ziaul Haq, was contesting against his son Ijazul Haq. The defeat of Zafarul Haq is yet another jolt for the capsizing PML-N.

A known loyalty changer and currently the central vice president of PML-QA, Syed Iftikhar Hussai Gillani, is also out of the game. His name was also being considered as future prime minister, but he could never have come into the limelight. A few months ago Gilani had left PPP to join the king’s party.

The failure of Asfand Yar Wali to make his entry into the National Assembly is not something which can be easily overlooked. The grand son of Khan Abdul Ghafar Khan (Baacha Khan) and the president of Awami National Party (ANP) was a rather strong candidate from his constituency.

Former federal minister in Musharraf cabinet, Abbas Sarfraz is yet another victim of the changing political trend, in which Mutahida Majils-e-Amal has come up as one of the strongest group in the Parliament.

Abbas is the nephew of former chief minister NWFP, Mir Afzal Khan, and had been elected as senator in the last senate.

Former speaker National Assembly and maker of the constitution and manifesto of PML-QA, Syed Fakhar Imam, has also lost election. In spite of a senior member of the king’s party he enjoyed a better reputation in the political circles.

Begum Abida Hussain the wife of Fakhar Imam, who is also the information secretary of PML-QA, has also failed to win her seat. Earlier, the graduation condition had restricted her taking part in the elections, but she appeared in the exams to remain in the national politics. But burning mid night oil is not enough to enter into the National Assembly.

The most humiliating defeat was slapped to Syed Zafar Ali Shah, central vice president of PML-N. He was in the forefront for expelling Sh. Rashid from the party, but at that time he did not know that he would be defeated by the same person.

Zafar has managed to secure only a few thousands votes from each of the two constituencies he was contesting from. The stalwart of Nawaz Sharif could not maintain his previous position in the federal capital, from where he had been elected as MNA.

Naseerullah Khan Babar, a diehard of PPP from NWFP, has also fallen victim of the political change. The strong position of MMA in NWFP as an aftermath of 9/11 was the main reason of his defeat.

The defeat of a few other big shots like Aftab Sheikh of MQM, Anwar Saifullah of PML-QA, Jehangir Badar of PPPP, Ch. Ahmed Mukhtar of PPPP and Shahid Khakan Abbasi of PML-N is no less than a major upset. –Ends