Asif Ali Zardari, securing 411 votes, elected new president of Pakistan

Pakistan Peoples Party’s co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has won a second term as Pakistan’s president, supported by the ruling coalition in a vote by parliament and regional assemblies.

Zardari secured 411 votes, while his opponent, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, who is backed by the party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, received 181 votes, the Election Commission of Pakistan announced on Saturday after tallying the votes by national MPs, provincial MPs and senators.

Some small political parties, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) and Jamaat-e-Islami, boycotted the election and no MP from these parties cast their votes.

The voting started at 10 a.m. local time (0500GMT) at the National Assembly building in Islamabad and all four provincial capitals and continued until 4 p.m. (1100GMT).

Zardari is the only politician elected to the country's highest, yet symbolic, constitutional office for a second term.

He previously served as the president in 2008-2013 during the government of his own party.