Pakistani lawmakers elect new president

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The head of Pakistan’s election commission says lawmakers have elected ruling party candidate Mamnoon Hussain as the country’s new president.

Fakhruddin Ibrahim says Hussain, who was nominated by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N party, received 432 votes Tuesday. His victory was widely expected.

Hussain is a textile businessman from Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province. He briefly served as governor of Sindh in 1999, but has not otherwise played a prominent role in national politics.

Pakistan’s largely ceremonial president is elected by lawmakers in the Senate, National Assembly and the assemblies of the four provinces.