|
PPP makes gains in Senate polls
[Dawn]  Pakistain's ruling party made gains in the country's upper house of parliament in legislative elections on Friday, a boost for beleaguered President Asif Ali President Ten PercentZardari ... sticky-fingered husband of the late Benazir Bhutto ... in his long-running conflict with the country's top court and it's military. By late evening, Zardari's Pakistain People's Party (PPP) appeared to be on course to get control of the Senate, giving him valuable political firepower for several years to come. The results were expected, given the PPP's lower house majority and strong presence in provincial legislatures, which elect the senators. Just surviving to Senate elections was an achievement for the government, which has faced relentless political attacks since it took office in 2008. Like others before it, it has largely failed to make any progress in fixing the daunting challenges facing Pakistain, and has been mired in alleged corruption and mismanagement. Some rivals had hoped that Zardari would be forced into calling early general elections, be ousted by the Supreme Court or even subject to a coup before the Senate vote could be held. About half of the 104 senators are being replaced because their terms have come to an end. The votes were still being counted, but the PPP and its allies won 32 out of 49 seats; five seats were yet to be announced. Posted by: Fred 2012-03-03 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=340140 |