Pakistan's PPP Candidate Wins Islamabad's Senate Seat, Defeats PTI's Minister - Reports

The former Pakistani Prime Minister and the member of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Yousuf Raza Gilani has won the seat from Islamabad in the Senate, defeating Hafeez Shaikh, the country's Finance Minister from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Dawn newspaper reported on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2021) The former Pakistani Prime Minister and the member of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Yousuf Raza Gilani has won the seat from Islamabad in the Senate, defeating Hafeez Shaikh, the country's Finance Minister from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Dawn newspaper reported on Wednesday.

According to the news outlet, Gilani garnered 169 votes, while his rival received 164 votes. The second senate seat from Islamabad was won by PTI's Fozia Arshad, the newspaper added.

A parliament source told Sputnik that the PPP candidate was supported by nine senators from the PTI ruling party headed by the country's Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The former Pakistani prime minister and the former leader of Pakistan Muslim League (N) party, Nawaz Sharif has congratulated Gilani on his victory.

"My sincerest felicitations to Mr. Yousuf Raza Gilani on his glorious victory in the Senate elections," Nawaz Sharif said on Twitter

Leader of the PPP Bilawal Bhutto congratulated Pakistanis on the victory of Gilani, stressing that it was the victory for the country's democratic force.

"I want to congratulate the people of Pakistan ... It is the victory of all Pakistani democratic forces, the victory of all social groups," Bhutto said at a press conference.

The ruling PTI said that the senate election was fraudulent and accused the opposition of rigging.

"Winning 1 seat through unfair means is no victory; only strengthens our resolve to curb all sorts of corruption. This will be the day that Pakistanis witnessed blatant horse trading for the last time. In Sha Allah, open ballot in next Senate elections," the party said on Twitter.

Following the 2018 general election, won by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Peoples Party, the leaders of which traditionally ruled the country, formed the Pakistan Democratic Movement that united the Pakistan's opposition parties. The movement aims to oust the incumbent Pakistani prime minister, claiming that the 2018 election was rigged by the influential Pakistani army to change the balance of power in the political arena.