How Pakistan Elects a President.

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
1

For those of you that know, here is a good piece by BBC.

How Pakistan elects a president

The president of Pakistan is elected in a secret ballot by the two chambers of the national parliament (the National Assembly and Senate) and the four provincial assemblies.

In total, 1,170 people are eligible to vote. But not all votes are of equal weight.

Each of the four provincial assemblies has a total of 65 votes even though only one of them, Balochistan, actually has 65 deputies. This is so that each provincial assembly has an equal say in the election.

North West Frontier Province (NWFP) has nearly double that number of deputies, 124. So, under a formula to weight their votes, roughly two votes cast in NWFP for the same candidate will be counted as one actual vote.

DIVISION OF VOTES IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

PARLIAMENT Members Votes National Assembly 342 342 Senate 100 100 PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLIES Balochistan 65 65 Sindh 168 65 Punjab 371 65 NWFP 124 65 TOTAL 1,170 702

There are five candidates in the running for the presidency: General Pervez Musharraf, Faryal Talpur, Mohammedmian Soomro, Makhdoom Mohammad Amin Faheem and Wajihuddin Ahmed.

The graphic below indicates how much support Gen Musharraf has in the parliament and assemblies.

More than 170 opposition members have resigned from the different assemblies in an attempt to discredit the election.

The National Assembly includes 60 seats reserved for women and 10 seats reserved for Non-Muslims. The Senate includes 17 seats reserved for women and 17 Seats reserved for technocrats and Muslim clergy. The Members of the National Assembly are elected for a term of five years whereas the Members of the Senate are elected for a term of six years with staggered elections every 3 years.

2

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

Aalsi, excellent thread. Thanks for posting. :k:

This is a historic day for democracy in Pakistan, especially as to regards to the following three points:-

  • The Presidential Elections are going ahead, as per the announced schedule, without any delays.

  • A military uniformed President is being allowed to seek re-election.

  • The uniformed President is being allowed to be re-elected for another 5 years by these exsisting assemblies, which had earlier validated his present 5-year term.

3

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

A buncha of Lotaz vote for him and he gets elected. Its very simple really.

4

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

http://dawn.com/weekly/ayaz/ayaz.htm

Was Pakistan created to make it safe for military rule? An absurd proposition but then no more absurd than the games we see being played around us. The Supreme Court’s decision on the question of Pervez Musharraf’s eligibility to stand as a presidential candidate while in uniform is eagerly awaited. And what is the gist of this case? Can an army chief stand for president? People around the world must be laughing at us, wondering what kind of people we are. It is sixty years since we gained independence, seven years into a new century, and some of the country’s best legal minds have spent days wrangling over the absurdity of an army chief, one past his retirement date, standing for president?

And it’s not as if it is a ‘genuine’ election we are talking about. This is a set-up affair, a fake and phony presidential election, assemblies whose term is about to end ‘electing’ Musharraf for five more years. Eight years in power already but the lust for power remains as strong as ever

Banned Baby Names
5

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

Yes indeed.

God Bless Pakistan. God Bless President Musharaf. God Bless the Free Judiciary. :jhanda:

6

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

Total votes:

Senate = 100 voters (each vote counts as 1)

NA = 342 voters (each vote counts as 1)

Balochistan = 65 voters (each vote counts as 1)

Sindh = 168 voters ( 2.58 votes count as 1)
(Total 65 votes)

NWFP = 124 voters ( 1.9 votes count as 1)
(Total 65 votes)

Punjab = 371 voters (5.7 votes count as 1)
(Total 65 votes)

**Total effective votes = 702 votes

Winner is the one that would get highest number of votes amongst contestants, though to win election outright, candidate needs over 351 effective votes** (over 50 percent, though requirement is only to get more votes than closest opponent).

Balochistan
33 votes cast out of 65

Musharraf 33 (all vote cast)

** [Effective 33 votes to President]**

NWFP
34 votes cast out of 124

Musharraf 31
Vegi = 1
Invalid = 2

** [Effective 16.25 votes to President]**
**
Punjab**
Vote cast 257 out of 371

Musharraf 253
Vegi 3
Invalid 1 (voter voted Musharraf, but instead of ticking the box he wrote 'good' there ... so vote got invalidated)

** [Effective 44.33 votes to President]**

**Sindh
**Vote cast 104 out of 168

Musharraf 102
Vegi 2

** [Effective 39.47 votes cast (to President)]**

NA and Senate:

Total vote cast by Senate and NA = 257
**
Valid votes 254
Musharraf 252
Vegi 2
Invalid 3**

Total effective votes to Musharraf 345.58 + 39.47 (sindh votes) = 385.05 votes*. President needed over 351 votes to get elected by over 50 percent votes ... though he only needed 3 votes to get elected as his closest opponent 'Vegi' got less than 3 effective votes *:)

Amin Fahim realised that wind is blowing against him, so he boycotted the election ... It is landslide victory for President Musharraf :)

’بوڑھی چیونٹیاں ریٹائر ہو جاتی ہیں‘
7

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

:lifey:

President General Pervez Musharraf = 55%
Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmed = 0.5%
Invalid votes = 0.7%

Musharraf wins fair and square! :aejaz:

Long live Democracy. :k:

Long live Pakistan! :jhanda:

8

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

he got 90% votes hows that possible :S

Travel Pursuit - A Quiz Game
9

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

I think a big point has been missed. **The president is elected by a newly elected assemblies not the old one. obviously the dictator was afraid of following the rules.

Ok Alasi now start bringing in irrelevant arguments like idhar hum udhar tum.
**

10

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

He did not get 90% of the overall Electoral College votes - he won 55%.

11

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

Mashallah.

God Bless President Musharaf. God Bless Pakistan. God Bless the **Free Judiciary that has allowed him to stand in Uniform from these assemblies.

:jhanda:

**

12

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

What an election result … wow :D:

Balochistan: 33 out of 65 or 51 percent vote for President.

Sindh: 102 out of 168 or 61 percent vote for President.

NWFP: 31 out of 124 or 26 percent vote for President.

Punjab: 253 out of 371 or 68 percent vote for President.

NA and Senate: 252 out of 442 or 57 percent vote for President.

Overall effective vote: 385.05 out of 702 or 54.85 percent of total possible votes for President in the election. Result is remarkable, as it is more than 50 percent of total possible votes.

All votes were confidential and counting happened at place of voting in front of camera. So, it shows that all members that cast their vote, voted without any pressure, or because of them being ‘NAB Zidah’ or voting to save themselves. Result is different from results where even though President wins the election, total vote he receives were less than 50 percent of possible votes (Less than 351 effective votes). Actually, President would have won the election even if he received 4 effective votes, as his opponent ‘Vegi-uddin’ got less than 4 effective votes.

I sincerely feel that in coming general election, President and his allies would get more than 2/3 majority of seats in National Assembly. Most likely, Presidential party might even win election and would form government in all four provinces (that includes NWFP).

13

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

**So total votes cast : 685
Musharraf: 671
wajihuddin: 6
Invalid: 8

Musharraf gets: 97.95% of the vote

Mubarik of Egypt would be proud of this. Only a few dictators in the world can match this. Hats off to both of them. What a proud league he is in.
**

14

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

Ehsan I understand your frustrations with Prez. Musharraf. However the comparison to Mubarik is totally misplaced. Back in 2005 Mubarak went for "General elections".

Our elections of Oct 6 on the other hand were not "general elections".

Mubarak didn't allow Ayman Nour to context elections.

In our elections many candidates got on the list. At least I haven't heard that someone got kicked out of election commission's office.

We ought to be critical of our government. But the criticism should be done based on knowledge and not simply "I hate you so I don't want to see your face".

Musharraf has many issues going against him, however we don't have a luxury to pick another candidate and support him.

It is like going to market and coming home with no food just because you didn't see something you liked.

You may fast for few days, but your kids will kick you out of the house if you quit bringing home the bacon [turkey bacon that is].

I hope you understand the fine difference between "want" and "need".

GS Matrimonial - Ballay Ballay ni tore punjaban di ...
15

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

^ i can understand why you are upset with comparisons to Mubarik. Truth sometimes hurt. There is a huge difference between rigged and free elections and I am sure you can understand the difference.

16

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

what a clean sweep, and he totaly deserved it,
he has totaly changed pakstan in the last 5 years now im expecting pakistan to develop real fast in the next 5 years under him,

17

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

People that are criticizing the democratic process need to understand the following:

  • 1170 elected members of the 6 assemblies had the right to vote in the Presidential elections.
  • These members came from many political parties, both pro-government and anti-government.
  • Almost 700 members exercised their right to vote.
  • Another 300 abstained, and 170 members resigned.
  • Nobody forced the 300 members to abstain or 170 members to resign. Infact, the govt tried to make sure they did not resign or abstain, like stopping the dissolution of NWFP assembly, because it wanted all political parties to take part in the democratic election process.
    What sort of so called dictatorship actually encourages the opposition parties to take part in a democratic election process.

Pakistanis, have an attitude which is of arrogance which they need to stop if they want the nation to progress.

God Bless President Musharaf. God Bless Pakistan. God Bless the Free Judiciary. God Bless the Democratic Process that is taking part in Pakistan.

:jhanda:

18

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

well said,
people should just see the facts and stop ranting

19

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

That's right. People should base their arguments on facts rather than hate. It is this kind of attitude that will drag Pakistan down.

20

Re: How Pakistan Elects a President.

All elected in a rigged election. how come PML Q suddenly became the most popular party in the country.

God Bless Paksitan and keep it safe from those who are trying to harm it by breaking every rule in the book. :jhanda: