After the result was announced, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and the former prime minister shook hands and hugged each other. The news of Hafeez's defeat was told to him by Zain Qureshi — who was the minister's polling agent — following which the two men embraced each other.
Reacting to news of Gilani's victory, PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari tweeted "Democracy is the best revenge".
Democracy is the best revenge. Jeya Bhutto!
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) March 3, 2021
Official results announcing Gillani's victory will be announced later
Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani stands beside Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in parliament
Geo ancherperson Shahzeb Khanzada termed it a huge upset for Prime Minister Imran Khan since he had personally campaigned for Shaikh and had managed to win over most of the government's allies.
Senior ministers of the government such as Fawad Chaudhry and Sheikh Rashid had earlier claimed that Sheikh would defeat the former prime minister easily.
'Zardari has won and Imran Khan has lost'
"It was Zardari who urged the PDM to delay the long march and contest the Senate elections," he said, adding that a no-confidence movement against the prime minister could be successful.
The veteran journalist, however, said that the government will not accept Gilani's victory easily and will do its utmost to disqualify the former prime minister.
"I reiterate, the government and Prime Minister Imran Khan will not accept this election result," he said.
Senate polling concludes
Polling for the Senate election commenced at 9am and continued till 5pm after which the votes were counted.
The PDM fielded former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani as its joint nominee for the Islamabad seat against the PTI's Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.
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