Asif Ali Zardari elected new president of Pakistan
Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), has been elected as Pakistan's 14th president at the age of 68. Widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Zardari secured victory over Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a veteran politician from Balochistan, and a candidate of the opposition Sunni Ittehad Council.
- Asia
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 03:54 | 09 March 2024
- Modified Date: 03:54 | 09 March 2024
Pakistani lawmakers on Saturday elected Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of center-left Pakistan People's Party (PPP), as the country's 14th president.
Zardari, 68, the widower of the two-time Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the candidate of the ruling coalition, defeated Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a veteran politician from the southwestern Balochistan province, and a candidate of the opposition Sunni Ittehad Council, a religiopolitical group and new home to lawmakers belonging to jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Some small political parties, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) and Jamaat-e-Islami, boycotted the election and no MP from these parties cast their votes.
The voting started at 10 a.m. local time (0500GMT) at the National Assembly building in Islamabad and all four provincial capitals and continued until 4 p.m. (1100GMT).
Zardari is the only politician elected to the country's highest, yet symbolic, constitutional office for a second term.
He previously served as the president in 2008-2013 during the government of his own party.