Pervez Musharraf on Saturday won a landslide victory in the Pakistan presidential election that the opposition boycotted.
However, the embattled military ruler will have to wait for some more time to know whether he can assume office for a second five-year term.
The fate of Musharraf, 64, hinged on a Supreme Court verdict on the legitimacy of his candidature. The election by federal and provincial lawmakers was a one-sided affair with the opposition parties abstaining or boycotting to protest Musharraf's running while still as army chief.
In the results announced unofficially, Musharraf, who still remains the army chief, in all won 671 votes while his main rival, retired judge Wajihuddin Ahmad, received eight, and six ballots were invalid, election officials said. A total of 685 polls were polled out of the electoral college of 1,170 in the National Assembly, Senate and four provincial assemblies.
Despite the victory which was described as "final" by Musharraf's supporters, the General is not out of the woods since he will not be declared re-elected immediately. The apex court had ruled that the result should not be officially notified till it decides on petitions challenging Musharraf's "unconstitutional candidacy."
The apex court will hear these petitions on October 17 meaning Musharraf will have to at least 11 days before he knows whether he can take up office.
Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Muhammad Farooq announced that Musharraf had won 252 of the 257 votes cast in the federal Parliament, with three ballots judged invalid and two votes going to Ahmad.
Musharraf won unanimously in Baluchistan province with 33 votes, and polled 31 of the 34 ballots cast in North West Frontier Province. In Punjab, Musharraf won 253 of the 257 votes cast, and in Sindh, secured 102 of the 104 votes.
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