ISLAMABAD, March 9. /TASS/. Pakistan People's Party (PPP) co-leader Asif Ali Zardari has been elected president, the Dawn newspaper has said with reference to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Zardari received 411 electoral college votes in the presidential election. His rival Mahmood Khan Achakzai got 181 votes.

The presidential election was held on March 9. In accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan, the presidential election is held one month after the parliamentary elections or one month before the incumbent president’s powers expire.

On February 8, Pakistan elected the National Assembly (lower house of parliament). The Pakistan Muslim League (N) won 75 seats and the PPP, 54. Both parties agreed to form a coalition. The opposition is represented by the Sunni Ittehad United Council, which was joined in mid-February by a large number of independent candidates supported by the Pakistan Movement for Justice.

On March 3, PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif was elected as Pakistan’s new prime minister.