India-born Mamnoon Hussain elected as Pakistan's 12th Prez

India-born Mamnoon Hussain, a close aide of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was elected as the 12th President of  Pakistan and will replace the incumbent Asif Ali Zardari in September.

Also Read: India, Pakistan edge toward talks but old distrust remains

Hussain emerged as a clear winner in the one-sided contest with with ex-judge Wajihuddin Ahmad of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party, state media reported.

The Pakistan People's Party withdrew its candidate Raza Rabbani and boycotted the election held on Tuesday in protest to the date of polls being changed.  The polling started at 10 AM amidst tight security.

Born in the historic city of Agra, Hussain, who belongs to the Urdu-speaking ethnic group that migrated from India during partition in 1947, was the candidate of ruling PML-N government. Over 1,000 members of the National Parliament and four provincial assemblies cast their ballots for largely ceremonial head of the state.

The office of  the President is ceremonial in Pakistan but he is still the constitutional chief of the Armed Forces but cannot order deployments. He also appoints chiefs of the Armed Forces at the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
 
Pakistan so far had 11 Presidents, out of which five were military generals. Four of them illegally got powers  through coups, whereas first President Major Sikandar Mirza was elected in 1956 after the first Constitution was adopted.