Tag: Asif Zardari

  • Aseefa Bhutto may be joining National Assembly soon

    Aseefa Bhutto may be joining National Assembly soon

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has filed her nomination papers on Sunday to contest by-elections on the National Assembly (NA) seat vacated by her father. Aseefa Bhutto will take part in the polls from NA-207 as the PPP’s co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, left his seat after being elected president of Pakistan.

    The returning officer also confirmed that Assefa Bhutto submitted her nomination papers, stating that by-polls in Shaheed Benazirabad-1 will be held on April 21.

    On her X (previously Twitter) account, the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto shared pictures of herself filing nomination papers.

    She was accompanied by her aunt, Azra Fazal Pechuho. Party workers showered rose petals on her when she stepped out of the RO’s office.

    Asif Ali Zardari was elected on March 10 as the 14th president of Pakistan.

    The population of the constituency stands at 959,756 with 496,037 registered voters — of which 268,522 are male and 227,515 female voters.

    Earlier, in the February 8 general elections, Zardari secured victory in NA-207 Shaheed Benazirabad-I constituency as he defeated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed (PTI) Sardar Sher Muhammad Rind by a huge margin.

  • Asif Zardari declares Shehbaz, Gandapur meeting a ‘good beginning’

    Asif Zardari declares Shehbaz, Gandapur meeting a ‘good beginning’

    Newly-elected President Asif Ali Zardari has said on Thursday that the meeting between the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, and the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Ali Amin Gandapur, is a “good beginning.” 

    Shehbaz Sharif’s government came into power this month after making an alliance with multiple parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

    However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is in power in KP, and it also allegedly accused PML-N of stealing PTI’s mandate in general elections. 

    President Zardari has welcomed the interaction between the prime minister and the chief minister.

    “It is high time we start thinking of working towards healing the divisions Pakistan has been going through,” he added.

    “This outreach is a good beginning,” he stated.

  • Only one woman could make it to Sindh Cabinet

    Only one woman could make it to Sindh Cabinet

    In a simple ceremony held at the Governor House on Monday, nine members of the newly formed 13-member provincial cabinet of Sindh took the oath of office.

    Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori presided over the ceremony, which saw the participation of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and senior bureaucrats. Notably, only one woman was included in the provincial cabinet this time.

    Among those sworn in were familiar faces from Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah’s previous tenure, including Sharjeel Inam Memon, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Saeed Ghani, Jam Khan Shoro, Ziaul Hussain Lanjar, Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Mahar, and Ali Hassan Zardari. Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah was unable to attend the ceremony as he was reported to be in Islamabad.

    Additionally, Chief Minister Shah appointed three advisers—Allah Dino Khan Bhayo, Ehsan ur Rehman Mazari, and Syed Najmi Alam—to assist in governance.

    Sharjeel Memon was given the transport, mass transit department, excise, taxation and narcotics control department.

    Dr Azra Pechuho, younger sister of President Asif Zardari, was again given the portfolio of the health department and population welfare department like in the previous tenure of the PPP-led provincial government.

    Nasir Shah was given the energy department, which was previously held by Imtiaz Shaikh, and the planning & development department.

    Sardar Shah also retained his previous portfolio of school education and literacy department and college education department. He was given an additional portfolio of mines and minerals development.

    Saeed Ghani, who held different portfolios in previous tenures including information, was once again allotted the department of local government, in addition to the public health engineering and rural development department.

    Jam Khan Shoro, who was the irrigation minister in the previous tenure, this time retained the department. Furthermore, he was allotted food ministry as well.

    Zia Lanjar, a career lawyer and former provincial law minister, was given portfolios of home, law, parliamentary affairs, and criminal prosecution departments.

    Muhammad Bux Mahar was allotted agriculture, supply & prices department, sports & youth affairs department, and inquiries and anti-corruption establishment.

    Earlier in 2018, he was appointed as adviser to the CM on industries and commerce and later he was given the additional ministerial portfolio of sports and youth affairs.

    Ali Hassan Zardari, who was inducted into the provincial cabinet for the first time, was given the prisons department, while Zulfiqar Shah was given the culture, tourism, antiquities & archives department.

    Adviser Allah Dino Bhayo was given the forest and wildlife department, Ehsan Mazari inter-provincial coordination department and cooperative department.

    Najmi Alam, who is also the parliamentary leader of the PPP in the City Council, was appointed adviser on human settlement, spatial development, social housing development, and livestock & fisheries department.

  • Tayyip Erdogan congratulates Asif Zardari on becoming president

    Tayyip Erdogan congratulates Asif Zardari on becoming president

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called newly-elected president Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday to congratulate him on becoming the head of state.

    The President’s Secretariat said in a statement that both leaders talked about important issues and agreed to work together for the betterment of the countries.

    President Zardari also thanked Erdogan for his phone call and best wishes.

    “President Asif Ali Zardari wished a happy Ramadan to the Turkish nation and desired to see the role of Turkish women in the Islamic world,” read the statement.

    He also expressed a desire to invite the Turkish President to Pakistan for a visit soon.

    Asif Zardari became president for the second time with a big majority on Saturday. He got 411 votes from parliament and the four assemblies.

    Besides the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the newly elected president had the backing of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-Pakistan), and other smaller parties.

  • Who does Shehbaz Sharif want to be in cabinet?

    Who does Shehbaz Sharif want to be in cabinet?

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has recommended 19 names to President Asif Ali Zardari to be inducted into the federal cabinet, according to a summary forwarded to the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Monday.

    As per Geo news, the federal cabinet is expected to take oath today at 3 pm at the President House.

    The list of recommendations for federal ministries includes several prominent names from the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), such as Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Asif, Ishaq Dar, and others. Additionally, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui from MQM-P and Abdul Aleem Khan from Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party are also among those recommended.

    Furthermore, Senators Ishaq Dar and Musadik Malik have been recommended for appointment as federal ministers under clause 9 of Article 91 of the Constitution, as their Senate term is set to end on March 12.

    The clause permits the prime minister to appoint individuals outside of parliament to the federal cabinet for a period of six months.

    Three additional names recommended for induction as federal ministers under clause 9 of Article 91 are Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ahad Khan Cheema, and Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi.

    Shaza Fatima is the sole woman recommended for inclusion in the federal cabinet. She is slated to take oath as a state minister under clause 1 of Article 92 of the Constitution, according to the summary.

    Sources indicate that while the Prime Minister initially plans to keep the cabinet small, more ministers will likely be inducted in the second phase.

    The swearing-in of the federal cabinet follows Prime Minister Shehbaz’s oath-taking as the 24th premier of the country a week ago, and President Zardari’s inauguration as the head of state a day earlier, attended by all dignitaries.

  • Asif Zardari elected as the 14th President of Pakistan

    Asif Zardari elected as the 14th President of Pakistan

    Lawmakers across Pakistan, the Senate, National Assembly, and the four provincial assemblies, cast their votes to elect the 14th president of the country and Asif Ali Zardari won by securing 411 votes.

    His opponent, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, secured 181 votes.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) orchestrated the process, which unfolded between 10 am and 4 pm, with meticulous arrangements in place.

    The presidential race sees former President Asif Ali Zardari, representing a coalition of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and other allied parties, vying for a potential second term. He faces stiff competition from Mahmood Khan Achakzai, President of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and the joint candidate of the opposition.

    Polling stations were set up within the respective houses of parliament, where the election took place through a secret ballot. The Parliament House in Islamabad accommodated senators and MNAs, while the four provincial assemblies served as polling stations for provincial lawmakers.

    During the voting process, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman acted as Zardari’s polling agent, while Senator Shafiq Tareen represented Achakzai. Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamir Farooq presided over the proceedings at the Parliament House, with notable figures like Zardari’s children, Bilawal, Bakhtawar, and Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, in attendance.

    However, not all political parties participated in the election. JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Jamaat-e-Islami decided against voting, citing concerns over the credibility of the process.

    The newly elected president of Pakistan is slated to be sworn in on Sunday at 4 pm at the President’s House. Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa will administer the oath, with invitations already issued to guests for the ceremony.

    In the provincial assemblies, strict security measures were enforced to ensure a smooth and transparent electoral process. Election Commission members oversaw proceedings, guaranteeing fairness and peace throughout the voting.

    Despite tension and security concerns, the Election Commission upheld its decision to proceed with the scheduled polling, dismissing requests for postponement from opposition candidate Mahmood Achakzai. This commitment underscores the commission’s dedication to upholding democratic principles and adhering to electoral timelines.

  • Asif Zardari can win presidential polls easily

    Asif Zardari can win presidential polls easily

    The ruling coalition has calculated that its presidential candidate, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari will get more than 400 votes as the upcoming presidential election is scheduled for Saturday, March 9. 

    Zardari is contesting against Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) head Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who is the presidential candidate for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). 

    Senate and National Assembly members will use secret ballots to vote at the Parliament House for the presidential elections, whipe polling will also take place in the four provincial assemblies.

    As many as 325 members of the National Assembly, 91 senators, 354 members of the Punjab Assembly, 157 members of the Sindh Assembly, 117 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and 65 members of the Balochistan Assembly will cast their vote.

    The ruling coalition parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), National Party (NP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), have declared their support for Zardari while PTI-backed SIC and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen have assured their support to Achakzai.

  • Shehbaz, Zardari want a new President before Senate elections

    Shehbaz, Zardari want a new President before Senate elections

    After the power sharing deal, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are thinking about holding the Presidential election before the Senate election, as per The News.

    According to Article 41(5), “…an election to fill a vacancy in the office of president shall be held not later than thirty days from the occurrence of the vacancy; provided that, if the election cannot be held within the period aforesaid because the National Assembly is dissolved, it shall be held within thirty days of the general elections to the Assembly.”

    The newly elected assemblies will take their oaths by February 29, and a new government will be in place by March 2.

    According to sources with The News, PML-N and their allied parties want the presidential election to be conducted on March 8, before the Senate polls.

    On the other hand, PPP leader Senator Farooq H Naek said that according to law, presidential elections can be held 30 days after general polls.

    “This means that the presidential election is to be held before March 9,”  he said

  • After less than stellar performance, what is PML-N camp thinking?

    After less than stellar performance, what is PML-N camp thinking?

    The general elections of February 8 pulled many surprises, the least of which was Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) managing to win the largest number of seats despite not having a symbol or even a party.

    But another surprise was the poor performance of supposed front runners, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Although the party managed to get 79 seats, it still fell way short of expectations.

    So what is the party thinking now? More importantly, what is party head Nawaz Sharif, welcomed back in October 2023 with much fanfare, going to do?

    According to veteran journalist Nusrat Javed, Nawaz is not going to do much. Talking on Public TV, Nusrat Javed said that Nawaz has shut himself off from nearly everyone and can only be enticed to come out for meeting major players, including Asif Ali Zardari. Nusrat Javed said that Nawaz is no longer interested in becoming a Prime Minister once again. “Mujhay kyon bullaya” is the mantra, said Nusrat Javed.

    However, a party insider told DAWN that Nawaz is still very much in the running for become the Prime Minister for a fourth term. “As of now, Nawaz Sharif has not been ruled out as a candidate for the PM’s slot. Since the PML-N has to lead the federal coalition, many within the Maryam Nawaz camp feel why shouldn’t [the elder Sharif] take the driving seat,” the insider told DAWN.

    The party’s senior leader and one of Nawaz’s close aided, Khwaja Asif, has said that the former Premier is not disappointed with the results of the election in which PML-N did not manage to get a simple majority, leaving it at the mercy of a buoyant PPP for forming the government.

    Talking on Geo News, Asif said, “We are aware of the shortcomings but will fulfil our promise of giving relief to the masses after coming into government.”

    He also expressed caution about the power-sharing formula that is being talked about, with PML-N ruling for three years and then PPP taking over for the remaining two.
    “It would be unwise to hand over the government to another party after bringing stability,” he remarked.

    So there you have it. What the PML-N ultimately decides to do is still unclear. Perhaps we will know more as the days unfold.

  • Asif Zardari promises PPP will take Pakistan out of crisis

    Asif Zardari promises PPP will take Pakistan out of crisis

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Zardari has said that his party knows how to take Pakistan out of the crisis it is currently facing.

    While addressing an election rally in Kahuta, the former President said that the PPP will build a medical college in the city.

    The PPP co-chairman also said, “We will solve the problems of people and also provide gas facilities in the area.”

    He told the people of Kahuta that he will keep coming to them.

    Earlier, the former president said in an interview that the Bilawal Bhutto-led party could even clean sweep Karachi and win from all constituencies of the metropolis if not for certain hindrances.