Islamabad, Pakistan (BBN)- Pakistan People's Party (PPP) candidate Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has been elected as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
During the election for the prime minister in the National Assembly Mr. Ashraf, a unanimously agreed candidate of the PPP and its coalition partners, received 211 votes while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidate Sardar Mehtab Abbasi received 89 votes.
"Raja Pervez Ashraf is declared to be elected as prime minister of the Islamic republic of Pakistan," speaker Fehmida Mirza announced.
Mr. Ashraf will take oath as the 25th prime minister of Pakistan later tonight (Friday) and was congratulated by President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari who said that Ashraf’s victory is an indication of the nation’s confidence in democracy, local media reported.
Mr. Ashraf is the fourth prime minister from the PPP succeeding Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani who was disqualified by the Supreme Court.
The third candidate, Jamiat-ul-Ulema Islam (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, withdrew his candidacy and decided to remain impartial in the election process by not casting his vote.
BBN/SSR/AD-22June12-9:35 pm (BST)
