ABU DHABI // Thousands of voters turned out in Abu Dhabi on Thursday night to pick 15 board members for the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“I praise Allah and the Rulers of this country who have given us the opportunity to serve the country and take it to new heights,” said winner Dalal Al Qubaisi, chief executive of Interactive Business Solutions Abu Dhabi.
“I am delighted today to win this prestigious election.”
Ms Al Qubaisi, who scored the highest number of votes at 4,202, took her place among 12 other Emiratis and two expatriates on the business consultative body.
The elections for the ADCCI board had to be held again on Thursday at booths in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Gharbia after an insufficient number of voters turned out on June 12.
The two expatriate winners were Indian M A Yousuf Ali, chairman of Emke Group, who won a spot for the third consecutive year, and first-time winner from Pakistan, Khan Zaman Suroor Khan.
“It feels great to win this election for the first time in the history that any Pakistani won this election,” Mr Suroor Khan said. “I promise to deliver my best to further expand the trade and commerce between both countries, as well as the world.”
He thanked supporters from the community as well as Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
“This is because of you all that I won this election and I would promote trade among all these countries as well as the world,” Mr Suroor Khan said.
“This is not my win – this victory is for all Pakistanis who live here and our country. All thanks to the leadership of this country who gave us a peaceful living here.”
A total of 14,557 votes were cast across the emirate’s three polling stations.
The quorum for voting is 25 per cent of the members of the General Assembly, which was not fulfilled on June 12, so the second election would have been deemed valid regardless of the number of votes cast.
The supervising committee of the elections is led by consultant Sultan Al Niyadi, a judge, assigned by the judicial department, who last night announced the results at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition and Conference Centre.
anwar@thenational.ae
