Zardari's opponent, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, was backed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). Zardari won the election with 255 votes, while Achakzai received 119 votes.
Zardari, aged 68, is a former businessman who entered politics. He was previously the President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013 and is the husband of the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
The election took place through an electoral college consisting of members from the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies. Zardari's term as president will begin after the previous president, Dr. Arif Alvi, finishes his five-year term. Zardari will be the first civilian to serve as president for a second term.
On the other hand, Mahmood Khan Achakzai is the leader of the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and was supported by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which gained prominence after independent candidates supported by former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) joined forces with them.
