Gillani becomes PM with crushing majority
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani has been elected new prime minister of the country by securing over two thirds majority votes. There was one to one competition between Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, joint candidate of PPP and its allied parties and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, nominee of PML-Q.
National Assembly (NA) session began at 4.30 pm and the NA speaker Dr Fahmida Mirza informed the members about the procedure for ascertainment. Prime Minister election was held through division. Bells were rung for 5 minutes under the directives of the speaker before the voting process started so that all the members could reach the house. All the entry doors to house were closed. Kashmala Tariq, Khawaja Shahazad and Saima Akhtar Bharwana could not enter into house being late. The members continued registering their votes for one hour in support of their favorite candidates.
Announcing the result, NA speaker told Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani has secured 264 votes while his rival PML-Q candidate Chaudhry Pervez Elahi secured 42 votes. Besides PPP, PML-N, ANP, JUI-F, MQM, Independents, minorities and PML-F also cast their votes in his support. PPP workers sitting in gallery welcomed the announcement by chanting the slogans and the members of the assembly by thumping the desks.
The press gallery once again remained under occupation of the guests on the occasion of PM polls. Most of the journalists made coverage of the proceedings while standing outside the gallery. No new member of assembly took his oath on the occasion of polling. No one among the Services chiefs, foreign envoys and judges came up to witness the NA proceedings. PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif also did not come up to watch the proceedings.
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari came up there to witness the proceedings for the first time after becoming chairman of PPP. The members of assembly welcomed him by thumping the desks. Fateha was offered for PML-Q deceased member Reehana Aleem Mashahdi. She was elected member of assembly for four times.
Prime Minister-Elect Yousaf Raza Gillani Monday urged all the political forces to come forward and make concerted efforts for strengthening constitutional institutions and progress and prosperity of the country. “No single person can be able to cope with the challenges confronting the country. The current situation needs all out efforts by all the political forces to put country on the true path of democracy,” he said in his speech after his election as Leader of the House with an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly.
Gillani said, “It is a historic moment and we have reached here after rendering enormous sacrifices. We will make every effort to live up to the expectations of people who gave us a mandate in the February 18 elections.” He urged the members to pass three resolutions respectively in favour of probe into the assassination of PPP Chairperson Late Benazir Bhutto by the United Nations, apology on the judicial murder of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and repose confidence in the Murree Declaration and Charter of Democracy.