Asif Zardari elected President of Pakistan

Pakistan's Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday was elected President of Pakistan for a term of five years after he defeated his opponents from PML-N and PML-Q. According to the unofficial results, out of the total 702 votes of the electoral college, Zardari secured 479 votes. He got 281 from Parliament, 22 from Punjab, 64 from Sindh, 59 from Balochistan and 56 from NWFP.
The electoral college for President comprises the Senate (upper house), National Assembly of Pakistan (the lower house) and four provincial assemblies.
Justice retired Saeeduzaman Siddique of the PML-N got 153 and Mushahid Hussain of the PML-Q got 43 votes.
The presidential elections were held after resignation of President Pervez Musharraf on August 18.
In the Senate and National Assembly, Zardari, who heads the ruling Pakistan People's Party as its co-chairman after the assasination of his wife Benazir Bhutto on December 27, 2007, secured 281 votes, Justice Saeeduzaman Siddique 11 and 34 votes went to Mushahid Hussain Sayed. A total of 436 votes were polled, of which ten were declared invalid. The National Assembly has 342 and Senate 100 members.
He also got majority of votes in NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan. Zardari secured 123 in Punjab Assembly, 162 in Sindh Assembly, 107 in NWFP, and 59 in Balochistan Assembly. None of his rivals could score a vote in teh Sindh assembly.
His rival Saeeduzaman Siddique got 201 votes in Punjab Assembly, none from Sindh, 10 from NWFP and 2 from Balochistan Assembly.
Mushahid got 36 from Punjab Assembly, none from Sindh, three from NWFP and two from Balochistan Assembly. Zardari will take oath of his office on September 7.