Pakistani lawmakers vote for new president
Pakistani lawmakers have begun voting for the country's new president in an election that has been marred by controversy over procedures despite widespread agreement that the ruling party's candidate will likely win.
Pakistani lawmakers have begun voting for the country's new president in an election that has been marred by controversy over procedures despite widespread agreement that the ruling party's candidate will likely win.
Pakistan's largely ceremonial president is chosen by lawmakers in the Senate, National Assembly and the assemblies of the four provinces.
Local TV channels showed lawmakers entering the various assemblies on Tuesday and said they'd begun casting votes.
The expected victor is Mamnoon Hussain, a textile businessman from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N party who briefly served as governor of southern Sindh province.
Controversy broke last week after the Supreme Court moved the voting date forward because some lawmakers wanted to travel to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage.
The former ruling party, the Pakistan People's Party, responded by boycotting the election.