Pakistan gets new speaker

Hussain (L) with Pakistan Muslim League president Mian Mohammad Azher

Story Tools

RELATED Controversy mars vote  VIDEO Pakistan's national assembly opened to squabbling over the choice of a new speaker -- but finally, a pro-government member was sworn in. CNN's Ash-har Quraishi reports. PLAY VIDEO EXTRA INFORMATION • Key facts: Pakistan election  • Timeline: Pakistan 1947-2002  In-depth: Pakistan decides

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- After intense lobbying and uncertainty, Pakistan's political future is now becoming clearer with a candidate from the pro-government Pakistan Muslim League securing the post of speaker in the newly reconvened national assembly.

The League's candidate, Chaudhry Amir Hussain -- a supporter of military President Pervez Musharraf -- received 167 out of 327 votes polled, far higher than his main rival from a coalition of Islamic parties.

Hussain's win has significance ahead of prime ministerial elections set for later this week.

None of the three main political parties were able to glean a clear majority in October's elections to decide the country's first civilian government since a 1999 military coup.

Talks on creating a stable coalition have dragged on for over a month.

The Muslim League has been trying to attract smaller parties since a deal with the Islamic alliance fell through.

Hussain's election as speaker may indicate the League is getting some of that small party support, though a government excluding the Islamic alliance, or Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, would only manage a slim majority at best.

Parliament opened on Saturday -- the first time since a blodless coup in October 1999 installed Musharraf as leader.

Lawmakers from Bhutto's party and the Islamic alliance have vowed to oppose the president's controversial constitutional changes making him the ultimate political authority. (Pakistan's shaky return to democracy)

Also on Saturday Musharraf himself was sworn in for a five-year term of office.

His new term comes with enhanced powers and amendments to the country's constitution giving him the right to suspend parliament and dismiss elected governments.

Musharraf argues that such powers are necessary in order to ensure Pakistan's return to democracy is as stable as possible.

The October parliamentary elections were trumpeted by officials as heralding the return of democracy to Pakistan.

However, they were condemned as unfair by Musharraf critics because key figures, including Bhutto and Musharraf's predecessor Nawaz Sharif, were barred from contesting.

The Muslim League won 118 seats in the assembly.

Iran poll to go to run-off • U.N.: Truck bomb killed Hariri • EU 'crisis' after summit failure • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues

EU 'crisis' after summit failure • Iran poll to go to run-off • 40 million credit cards exposed • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues