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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Pakistan's Zardari to take oath | Pakistan's Zardari to take oath |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, is set to be sworn in as Pakistan's president. | Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, is set to be sworn in as Pakistan's president. |
| The inauguration follows Mr Zardari's sweeping victory in presidential election by legislators on Saturday. | The inauguration follows Mr Zardari's sweeping victory in presidential election by legislators on Saturday. |
| The polls were called after Pervez Musharraf resigned rather than risk being impeached. | The polls were called after Pervez Musharraf resigned rather than risk being impeached. |
| Mr Zardari faces severe economic problems and a rampant Islamist insurgency that is threatening Pakistan's stability. | Mr Zardari faces severe economic problems and a rampant Islamist insurgency that is threatening Pakistan's stability. |
| During Saturday's voting, a bomb killed at least 30 people near Peshawar city. | During Saturday's voting, a bomb killed at least 30 people near Peshawar city. |
| Big challenges | Big challenges |
| Tuesday's inauguration will serve as an opportunity for Mr Zardari to be internationally recognised, with expected guests such as Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says. | |
| It is a very significant day in the history of Pakistan Farzana Raja, aide to Mr Zardari What Pakistanis think'Master plan' to save PakistanQ&A: Presidential pollSend us your comments | It is a very significant day in the history of Pakistan Farzana Raja, aide to Mr Zardari What Pakistanis think'Master plan' to save PakistanQ&A: Presidential pollSend us your comments |
| Mr Zardari will also have a chance to set out his priorities in the first presidential news conference after taking oath, our correspondent says. | Mr Zardari will also have a chance to set out his priorities in the first presidential news conference after taking oath, our correspondent says. |
| So far, he has promised to promote national reconciliation, trying to offset fears that he will play destructive partisan politics. | So far, he has promised to promote national reconciliation, trying to offset fears that he will play destructive partisan politics. |
| His greatest challenge, though, will be how to develop an effective policy to deal with the Islamist insurgency; and how to deal with an increasingly aggressive American ally, which has stepped up direct strikes against militant targets in Pakistan's border region, our correspondent says. | His greatest challenge, though, will be how to develop an effective policy to deal with the Islamist insurgency; and how to deal with an increasingly aggressive American ally, which has stepped up direct strikes against militant targets in Pakistan's border region, our correspondent says. |
| Controversy | Controversy |
| Pakistan's president is elected by secret ballots in the national and four provincial assemblies. | Pakistan's president is elected by secret ballots in the national and four provincial assemblies. |
| Mr Zardari won 481 votes out of 702, far more than the 352 votes that would have guaranteed him victory, leaving his two rivals trailing far behind. | Mr Zardari won 481 votes out of 702, far more than the 352 votes that would have guaranteed him victory, leaving his two rivals trailing far behind. |
| Mr Zardari was thrust into the centre of political power by the killing of Ms Bhutto last December after which he became head of the PPP. | Mr Zardari was thrust into the centre of political power by the killing of Ms Bhutto last December after which he became head of the PPP. |
| He is one of Pakistan's most controversial politicians. | He is one of Pakistan's most controversial politicians. |
| For years he has been hounded by allegations of massive corruption - although he has never been convicted. | For years he has been hounded by allegations of massive corruption - although he has never been convicted. |
| Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took his PML-N party out of the governing coalition last week, accusing Mr Zardari of breaking key promises. | Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took his PML-N party out of the governing coalition last week, accusing Mr Zardari of breaking key promises. |
| Many in Pakistan fear the country is facing a return to an old-style politics of confrontation. | Many in Pakistan fear the country is facing a return to an old-style politics of confrontation. |
| Are you in Pakistan? Are you optimistic or pessimistic for the future with Mr Zardari as President? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you in Pakistan? Are you optimistic or pessimistic for the future with Mr Zardari as President? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |