Yousuf Raza Gillani of the Pakistan People’s Party won today’s election and is Pakistan’s new Prime Minister. The 56-year-old will be in charge of Pakistan’s coalition government during a crucial time in Pakistani politics as the country faces difficulties with President Pervez Musharraf.
Raza Gillani won 264 votes compared to his rival Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, of The Pakistan Muslim League, who won 42. Gillani promised to restore judges, bring stability and control inflation. He will also bring in some socialist policies and has called for a UN investigation into the death of Benazir Bhutto.
Raza Gillani has close ties to the family of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was killed earlier this year. He joined the Pakistan People’s Party in 1988, having been part of General Zia ul Haq's party, the PML-Z, prior to that. Raza Gillani studied journalism to Master’s Degree level in a Punjab university, as well as gaining a Master’s in the UK. He was a Federal Minister from 1985-86 and held other ministerial positions in General Zia ul Haq's party. Between 1993 and 1997 he was a Speaker of the National Assembly in Pakistan. He spent a number of years in prison as the result of an alleged misconduct as a Speaker and was released in 2006.
After being declared prime minister by the speaker, Gillani made a speech expressing his gratitude for the support he had been given. He later said that he would re-instate the Chief Justice, Iftikhar Chaudry, and judges, which Musharraf removed. Gillani also promised to make the National Assembly the most powerful institution and promised to protect other institutions, with a strong emphasis on protecting the judicial system. He united the National Assembly, saying they would move forward together, opposition and supporters alike, amid scenes of joyous crying of "long live the Bhuttos".
Elahi made a speech which was greeted with some animosity. He emphasised the importance of bringing back stability and expanding free education to metric level, and increasing the number of higher education institutes. Later in his speech he talked about building Pakistan into a strong nation and pursuing its ballistic missile, and other military projects, with renewed vigour to cope with the threats the nation faces.
Gillani will swear his oath tomorrow.