RAWALPINDI, Feb 18 (APP): Hundreds of jubilant workers of PPPP and PML (N), rushed out on the streets, dancing and chanting slogans as soon as initial results poured out from the polling stations.
Sensing victory of their candidates on national and provincial assembly seats the young and old of the city came out on roads, with blaring music in the cars, silencer-less motorbikes roaring and firecrackers bursting in the skies above.
Sheikh Rashid faced strong challengers in PML-N central figure Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and PPP activist and Malik Aamer Fida Piracha in NA-55, and PPP lawyer Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan and PML-N’s Mohammad Hanif Abbasi, a former MNA of MMA in NA-56.
The workers of Pakistan Peoples Party who did not win either the two major seats in the city however joined the jubilation, carrying party flags, some wropped around their heads as a bandanna.
The workers blocked both sides of the Murree road, parked their cars with party songs and danced to the rhythm.
The “son of Rawalpindi” – Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in a surprise upset seemed to be routed as his counterparts Hanif Abbasi and Javed Hashmi, clinched the most important seats of NA-55 and NA-56, according to initial unofficial results Sheikh Rashid Ahmed had won two seats in the previous elections as an independent candidate from NA-55. Sheikh bagged 40,649 votes against PPPP’s Aga Riazul Islam, who got 28,885 votes and Sardar Tariq of PML-N got 14,405 votes in the 2002 elections. Sheikh Rashid Ahmed had vacated his seat from NA-56 after winning two seats of Pindi city in 2002.
Rashid was first elected to the Pakistani National Assembly in 1985, and has been re-elected six times.
During his political career, Sheikh Rashid served as Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower; Information; Industries; Sports Culture; Tourism and Investment; Information and Broadcasting; and Federal Minister for Railways.