Pakistani Leaders Lose Parliament Seats
Published: 2/18/08, 3:25 PM EDT
By ROBERT H. REID
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan's ruling conceded that opposition parties were doing well in Monday's parliamentary elections after unofficial returns showed two of its top leaders had lost their seats.
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, chairman of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q party, and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the outgoing railways minister, lost in the party's stronghold in Punjab province, Dawn News and Aaj TV reported.
Both men are close political allies of President Pervez Musharraf.
"People have given their verdict. We respect it. We congratulate the PML-N and PPP. They have done well," said PML-Q spokesman Tariq Azeem, referring to the opposition parties of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and another ex-premier, Nawaz Sharif.
"As far as we are concerned, we will be willing to sit on opposition benches if final results prove that we have lost. This is the trend."
Copyright 2008 Associated Press.
Published: 2/18/08, 3:25 PM EDT
By ROBERT H. REID
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan's ruling conceded that opposition parties were doing well in Monday's parliamentary elections after unofficial returns showed two of its top leaders had lost their seats.
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, chairman of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q party, and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the outgoing railways minister, lost in the party's stronghold in Punjab province, Dawn News and Aaj TV reported.
Both men are close political allies of President Pervez Musharraf.
"People have given their verdict. We respect it. We congratulate the PML-N and PPP. They have done well," said PML-Q spokesman Tariq Azeem, referring to the opposition parties of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and another ex-premier, Nawaz Sharif.
"As far as we are concerned, we will be willing to sit on opposition benches if final results prove that we have lost. This is the trend."
Copyright 2008 Associated Press.



