Asif Ali Zardari elected Pakistan’s President

Pakistan Peoples Social gathering co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari was elected as Pakistan’s 14th President on Saturday, changing into the pinnacle of state for a second time. Zardari, 68, was the joint candidate of the Pakistan Peoples Social gathering (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) whereas his rival Mahmood Khan Achakzai, 75, was the candidate of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

The brand new president was elected by the electoral faculty of the newly elected members of the Nationwide Meeting and the 4 provincial assemblies, as per the provisions of the Structure.

A businessman-turned-politician, Zardari is the husband of slain Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

He acquired 255 votes whereas his opponent obtained 119, Pakistani media reported.

Zardari would change the incumbent Dr Arif Alvi, whose five-year time period ended final 12 months. Nonetheless, he has continued for the reason that new electoral faculty was not but fashioned.

Zardari, who served because the president from 2008 to 2013, may even be the primary civilian to be elected for the second time as president. Achakzai is the pinnacle of his Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Social gathering (PkMAP) and was contesting from the platform of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which got here to prominence after unbiased candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) joined it.