Asif Ali Zardari becomes the President of Pakistan today after winning the presidential election. He secured 479 votes out of 702. His opponents, Retired Chief Justice Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui received 153 elctoral votes and Senator Mushahid Hussein received 43. Asif’s victory in three provinces is overwhelming, especially in Sindh where his opposing candidates couldn’t get a single vote. Only in Punjab Assembly Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqi is able to get more votes than Asif.
The vote by the two houses of parliament and four provincial assemblies forms the 1,170-member, but 702-vote, electoral college. According to a Dawn update:
‘Asif Ali Zardari secured 281 votes out of the 426 valid votes polled in the parliament,’ chief election commissioner Qazi Mohammad Farooq said. He has secured 458 out of 702 electoral college votes, according to partial Election Commission results.
Asif Zardari is the 13th President of Pakistan. The ones who have been President before him include: Iskandar Mirza, Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry, Zia-ul-Haq, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Waseem Sajjad, Farooq Laghari, Waseem Sajjad, Rafiq Tarar and Pervaiz Musharraf. Waseem Sajjad has twice been the President of Pakistan.
Syed Saleem Shahzad is Asia Times Online’s
“With his fingers firmly on the levers of power, and with strong American backing, Zardari will lead Pakistan into a new and potentially extremely bloody chapter of which the US special forces’ raids into the country are just the beginning. “
@ meengla,
I agree these corrupt Pakistani leaders should setup a fund for children in Pakistan. Let Zardari be the first to donate $1 Billion into this fund. Let Zardari be the first to set this example for all the scoundrels that have looted Pakistan. He is after all the president!
Do not hold your breath though, Zardari will be last to help anyone, other than himself.
@ aydee,
They got duped by gang of looters.
Yeah right, “democracy is the best revenge”! What a joke!
DEMOCRACY IS THE BEST REVENGE!!
but what did we “awaam” do?
Wow! Mr. 10% is finally Mr.100% -
From a Dictator to a Dakoo
Simply Amazing…
A sad and dark day in our History
Today is the darkest and saddest day in the history of Pakistan. Today September 6, 2008, the Pakistan defense day when our nation was attacked by India and thousands sacrificed their lives defending the country. Alas On this sacred day Zardari becomes the president of Pakistan. Zardari who does not need any introduction is one of the most corrupt and crook politician of our time, the man who is also accused of murdering Murtaza Bhotto. Is this day is as sad and dark as, when military dictators like Ayub Khan, Zia ul Haq, Pervez Mushraf illegally and unconstitutionally stole the power from the democratically elected governments and impose marshal law i.e. law of jungle on the people of Pakistan. Yes it is and also it is as sad as when so call democratically elected corrupt and incompetent politicians like Nawaz Sharif and Banazeer Bhotto came in to power. We all remember the sad day when Prime Minister Nawas Sharif sends his goons to attack the Supreme Court and destroy the respect and supremacy of the Judiciary. We also remember when Prime Minister Banazeer Bhotto appointed her husband Zardari who got the title of Mr. Ten percent, as minister of investment. Now this flawed character Asif Zardari being all in all of a nation of 170 millions people is as sad, dark and painful day in Pakistan’s history as East Pakistan become Bagladash because of lack of real democracy and ill policies of the military dictators. There is a God after all and I hope and pray that this is the beginning of the end of the miseries of the People of Pakistan.
For the Interest of Pakistan
President Asif Ali Zardari should disclose all of his assets?
Please wait and see before we do negative criticism on President and this is coming from 100% supporter of Musharraf. As Musharraf said Pakistan First so for Pakistan give him a chance to prove himself.
Does it make much difference who is the ‘civilian’ President of Pakistan? The major power will be still in hands of Pakistan Army.
If the new President, PM and elected representatives tackle Pakistani problems (terrorism, economy etc, etc) then the power of the army will be declined/reduced. If they fail, the army will run the show again.