The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on the evening of September 6 or last Saturday announced the official result of the presidential election and declared Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari as the new president.
Zardari, widower of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, secured 481 votes from the total number of 702 votes of the electoral college consisting of two houses of the parliament and four provincial assemblies. He thus defeated Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui, who was fielded by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and bagged 153 votes, and Senator Mushahid Hussain, a candidate from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), who got 44 votes.
According to the constitution, the candidate who has simple majority of the 702 votes will be the next president of the country.
When the outcome of the presidential election was announced, Zardari said that the presidency's return to democratic governance will marks a huge step in Pakistan's democratic transition. And his win in the presidential election is "a victory for democracy," Pakistan People's Party said.
Nawaz Sharif, former Pakistani Prime Minister and also chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), conceded his party's defeat and accepted the result of the presidential election, but urged the new president to be neutral.
Stern, grave economic conditions and stark security situation in Pakistan have exerted an immense pressure on the new president. As Co-chairman of PPP and the Pakistani head of state, who actually wields political power, has to take up heavy and arduous responsibilities that lie ahead for the improvement of the country's economy and security environment as well as the livelihoods of people so as to win more popular support.
At present, the inflation rate in Pakistan swells to the level of over 25 percent, the foreign reserve held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) dips drastically, its stock market plummets, and the Pakistani rupee has devaluated by more than 10 percent in a short span of several months, and fuel and food prices have been surging in the country.
Moreover, current security situation in Pakistan brooks no optimism. Armed militants, extremists and terrorists have been exceedingly active with the occurrence of widespread bombings, attempted assassinations, kidnappings and terrorists attacks in big cities. Nearly 1,200 people have been killed in bombings, murders and suicide attacks across the country in the past year, with numerous assaults not being targeted against aliens.
As a matter of fact, stability is a precondition for economic development. So, it poses a very severe test for Zardari if he is able to put down or quell the internal disorder or political turmoil in Pakistan and focus his effort on economic growth and the improvement of the nation's security situation.
As a "frontline state" in the war against terrorism, Pakistan has played an indispensable role in the global war on terror since it is an ally of the United States in the war. Pakistan has taken charge of providing supplies to the U.S.-led allied forces stationed in Afghanistan for a long period of time. It has also sent more than 80,000 troops to the tribal areas along the Pakistani-Afghan borders to cooperate with moves of the allied forces in combating terrorism.
People in Pakistan, nevertheless, have been among the first to suffer or be victimized by terrorism and, to Pakistan, the involvement in the war against terrorism is of benefits for others as well as for itself. It is particularly so for the PPP whose late chairman Benazir Bhutto, also former Pakistan prime minister, was assassinated by terrorists. Former President Pervez Musharraf, a firm and staunch U.S. ally in combating terrorism, had all along obtained a powerful assistance and backing from the U.S.
For the United States, the engagement in the war on terror is a crucial, important yardstick or the criterion of testing an ally. Then, whether PPP, which has long been cited for its pro-United States stance, is able to go on winning the American support and trust, hinges, to a very great extent, on Pakistan's military cooperation in battling against terrorism when Zardari is at the actual helm of state power.
Meanwhile, stability is the task of top priority for Pakistan. After being elected, Sardari is confronted with a range of tough, thorny issues such as those relating to the war on terror, Pakistan's relations with the U.S., the development of national economy and improvement of people's livelihoods. Therefore, Sardari will have to shoulder very heavy, arduous responsibilities during his presidency in years ahead.
By People's Daily Online, and its author is PD resident reporter in Pakistan Meng Xianglin
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