2007 Pakistani presidential election

An indirect presidential election was held in Pakistan on 6 October 2007.[1] This was before dissolution of parliament for the following general election to be held in 2008.[2] The Pakistani legislature elected incumbent Pervez Musharraf by an overwhelming majority. The near-unanimous nature of Musharraf's victory was made possible by the absence of two key political opposition leaders, Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto. Nawaz Sharif had attempted to return to Pakistan before the election but was deported back into exile by the ruling government because of a gross violation of the agreement he had signed with the current regime to stay out of Pakistan and its politics for a period of ten years. Benazir Bhutto had also announced her intention to return to Pakistan for the elections but ultimately decided not to do so. It was widely assumed that her decision was the result of an arrangement she made with Musharraf.

2007 Pakistani presidential election
6 October 2007
679 votes in the Electoral College
440 votes needed to win
 
Nominee Pervez Musharraf Wajihuddin Ahmed
Party PML(Q) Nonpartisan
Electoral vote 671 8
President before election

Pervez Musharraf
PML(Q)

 Elected President

Pervez Musharraf
PML(Q)

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Candidates

Wajihuddin Ahmed has filed his candidacy to stand for a group of lawyers opposed to Musharraf,[3] while the Pakistan Peoples Party fielded its vice president Ameen Faheem as a candidate, though he stated he would withdraw his candidacy if Musharraf were approved as a candidate. The Supreme Court decided on 28 September 2007 that Musharraf could stand in the election.[4] On 29 September 2007, the Election Commission scrutinised the nomination papers of all 43 candidates.[5] Musharraf and both of his major opponents (Ahmed and Fahim) were approved, along with three others;[6] the official list of candidates was announced to be publicised on 1 October 2007.[7]

On 1 October 2007, a final list of five candidates was announced:[8]

Results

Musharraf overwhelmingly won the election on 6 October, though the opposition had boycotted the election and other candidates withdrew from the election. 80 opposition party members had resigned from parliament, protesting that Musharraf was running for re-election while remaining head of the army. The Pakistan Peoples Party, led by Benazir Bhutto, only abstained from the vote—a move that prevented the vote from being invalid. In the National parliaments, Musharraf received 252 votes, against Wajihuddin Ahmed's two votes and the results from the provincial parliaments were similar.[9]

Complete results were announced only 80 minutes after the five-hours-long voting process had been finished, with 685 of the 1,170 eligible lawmakers participating. The results were:[10]

  • Pervez Musharraf: 671 votes
  • Wajihuddin Ahmed: 8 votes
  • Invalid: 6 votes

The Supreme Court rejected all challenges to the legality of the election, with the last ruling made on 2007-11-22.[11]

International reaction

International reaction to the election has been mixed, with commentators praising the fact that Pakistan is moving in the direction of democracy but critics pointing out that, among other factors, the boycotting of the election puts its results into doubt. The George W. Bush administration has long supported Musharraf's administration for maintaining stability but expressed a concern that all parties need to take part in order for an election to be truly democratic.

References
  1. "Pakistan election date announced". BBC. 20 September 2007.
  2. Zehra, Nasim (27 January 2007). "Musharraf's re-election". Khaleej Times.
  3. "Musharraf 'has right' to run for presidency". People's Daily Online. 26 September 2007.
  4. "Musharraf in court poll victory". BBC. 28 September 2007.
  5. "Nomination papers of 43 candidates filed for presidential elections: Pak election commission". People's Daily Online. 28 September 2007.
  6. "Musharraf vote nomination backed". BBC. 29 September 2007.
  7. "6 including Musharraf eligible to contest Pak Presidential Election". People's Daily Online. 29 September 2007.
  8. Qayum, Khalid and Khaleeq Ahmed (1 October 2007). "Musharraf, Four Others Eligible for Pakistan Presidential Race". Bloomberg News.
  9. Gall, Carlotta (6 October 2007). "Musharraf Wins Vote, but Court Will Have Final Say". The New York Times.
  10. Pennington, Matthew (6 October 2007). "Musharraf Sweeps Boycotted Pakistan Poll". The Washington Post.
  11. "Court upholds Musharraf election". BBC News. 22 November 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2010.

Literature
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