Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a Presidential candidate backed by PTI-SIC, accepts his defeat against the coalition government-backed candidate- Asif Ali Zardari.
He gracefully accepted his defeat and called it a fair poll. Achakzai claimed that there was no horse trading in today’s Presidential elections. “The most unusual thing about this election was that the first time it has happened votes were neither bought nor sold,” Achakzai said while speaking to journalists in Islamabad after the polls.
Read more: PTI-backed candidate seeks delay in presidential elections
He expressed his gratitude to PTI for backing him for a coveted post. The PkMAP leader said that many lawmakers from the government also voted for him. “Even lawmakers, who were not backed by PTI, also voted for me,” he said. He added that many government lawmakers expressed their willingness to vote for him.
The lawmaker, however, warned of charged sentiments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. We have to bear and take care of each other. Why are we taking parliamentary problems being taken to court?” he added.
“We are small, but our problems are big. Our small mistakes will destroy everything, I request for the sake of the country that we have to sit together to resolve it,” he concluded.
Asif Ali Zardari marked history by becoming the President of Pakistan second time. He won with an overwhelming majority of 411 votes.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai had called for the delay of Pakistan’s upcoming presidential election, originally scheduled for this Saturday.
In a formal communication addressed to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) today, Achakzai underscored a critical concern regarding the numerous vacant reserve seats in both national and provincial assemblies. He contended that proceeding with the election in the absence of filling these seats would constitute a breach of law and constitutional principles.
Achakzai unequivocally stated in his letter to the ECP that “the election ought to be deferred until the electoral college is duly constituted.”
Additionally, Achakzai disclosed that the SIC has initiated legal action by submitting an application to the Peshawar High Court to address the issue of vacant reserve seats. He expressed optimism for a just resolution from the court on this matter.