Zardari wins majority in Pakistan's presidential election

www.chinaview.cn 2008-09-06 17:52:44

    ISLAMABAD, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) --

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday won majority in the presidential election, according to an unofficial result.

    According to Pakistan's constitution, the candidate who has simple majority of the 702 votes will be the next president of the country.

    Zardari, widower of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto , secured 281 votes from the national parliament and has secured about 460 votes altogether from the total number of 702 votes though the rest of votes in eastern Punjab province is not announced yet.

    The PPP members and Zardari's two daughters, holding a photo of Benazir Bhutto, chanted slogans to celebrate Zardari's victory in the parliament house.

    Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui, who was fielded by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), bagged 111 votes and Senator Mushahid Hussain, a candidate from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q),got 34 in the 342-seat parliament.

    Earlier on Saturday, Zardari also achieved sweeping victory in three provinces of Sindh, Balochistan and North West Frontier Province.

    The counting of votes in eastern Punjab province, a camp for the PML-N, still continues, but the total votes of 65 will not affect the result.

    According to the rules on the presidential election, each member in Senate and National Assembly could be counted as one vote, while the total votes in the four provinces will be counted as 65 with the smallest Balochistan assembly as a benchmark.

Sharif accepts defeat in Pakistani presidential election, urging Zardari to be neutral

www.chinaview.cn 2008-09-06 21:07:18  

    ISLAMABAD, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) --

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday accepted his party's defeat in the presidential election, but urged the new president to be neutral.

    Sharif, also chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), made the remarks shortly after Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari won the presidential election.

    Zardari, widower of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, secured 479 votes from the total number of 702 votes of the electoral college consisting of two houses of the parliament and four provincial assemblies.

    But Sharif has been suspicious of impartiality if Zardari, who also heads the PPP, becomes president of the country.

    Sharif appealed Zardari to reinstate all deposed judges including chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

    The PML-N quit the coalition and sat on opposition bench due to its row with the PPP over the judicial issue.

    Former chief justice Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui, who was fielded as the presidential candidate by the PML-N, bagged 153 votes while Senator Mushahid Hussain, a candidate from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), got 43 votes.

Editor: Yao