ISLAMABAD – Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani has won the Senate seat, defeating PTI’s Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.
Following the announcement of the Senate election polls which concluded today (Wednesday) at 5 pm, Gilani and Sheikh shook hands and hugged each other.
According to a report by Geo.tv, Hafeez’s polling agent Zain Qureshi broke the news to him, after which the two men shook hands and embraced each other.
Sources say that official results announcing Gillani’s victory will be announced later.
Analysing the latest development, Geo anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada said that Gilani’s win would be a “huge upset for Prime Minister Imran Khan” as he had personally campaigned for Shaikh.
Khanzada added that Gillani’s victory could make the prime minister “even more upset with Shehryar Afridi, who wasted his vote when he signed the ballot papers,” the report said.
Senior ministers of the government such as Fawad Chaudhry and Sheikh Rashid had earlier claimed that Sheikh would defeat the former prime minister easily.
Analyst Irshad Bhatti agreed with Khanzada, saying that it was a “huge upset” for the government, adding that his earlier prediction that the former prime minister would lose had been proved wrong.
Senate polling concludes
Polling for the Senate election commenced at 9am and continued till 5pm after which the votes were counted.
The PDM fielded former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani as its joint nominee for the Islamabad seat against the PTI’s Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.
PPP, PML-N jubilate Gilani’s victory
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari took to Twitter and wrote “Democracy is the best revenge. Jeya Bhutto!” to celebrate the win of his party’s candidate.
Source GEO News
