ISLAMABAD, Oct 7 (AP): Gen. Pervez Musharraf won an overwhemingly majority in a presidential election boycotted by nearly the entire opposition Saturday, and attention shifted to Supreme Court deliberations on whether he can claim victory.
Opposition parties that snubbed the vote claimed it was undemocratic and unconstitutional for the US-backed general, who seized power in a 1999 coup, to run while still army chief.
The Supreme Court is weighing that argument before permitting the release of official results, though analysts question whether it would dare deny him victory and potentially throw the country into chaos.
In total, Musharraf won 671 votes, while the retired judge who was his main rival received just eight. Six ballots were invalid, election officials said. In all, 1,170 federal and provincial lawmakers were eligible to vote.
Musharraf dismissed criticism that the boycott had undermined the legitimacy of the election.
"Democracy means majority, whether there is opposition or no opposition," Musharraf, dressed casually in a gray jacket, told reporters on the lawn of his official residence. "A majority - a vast majority - have voted for me and therefore that result is the result."
Speculation persists that if Musharraf is blocked, he might declare martial law, and the army chief appeared annoyed when asked if he would step down as president if the Supreme Court ruled against him.
Musharraf's key international backer, the United States, gave an upbeat response on the conduct of the election, although the State Department stressed that the results were unofficial until the court verdict.
Pakistan Supreme Court weighs election
FE Team | Published: October 07, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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