Musharraf wins the election

But a large section of the country is boycotting the votes:

PAKISTAN'S military ruler Pervez Musharraf took most of the votes in a presidential election yesterday but he has to wait for the Supreme Court to confirm the legality of his bid before being declared the winner.

His landslide in an election largely boycotted by the opposition was widely expected but the west is keen for Musharraf to be accepted because of his support for the 'war on terror' and his pledges to rid the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan of al-Qaeda fighters.

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"This result shows the people want continuity of policy," Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said in parliament. Doubts over whether the result will stand have fuelled uncertainty in the nuclear-armed Muslim country that is entering a transition period from military to civilian rule, due to culminate in a national election by mid-January.

If his re-election is confirmed, US ally Musharraf - who came to power just over eight years ago in a military coup - has promised to quit the army and be sworn in as a civilian leader.

Coinciding with the vote, lawyers behind a campaign against Musharraf led anti-government protests in the four provincial capitals - Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta.

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The outcome vital to the west, which needs Pakistan's support for its efforts to stabilise Afghanistan and tackle the threat from al-Qaeda.

Musharraf's task was helped by protest resignations of more than 160 assembly members from an opposition alliance led by Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister Musharraf ousted in 1999 and later exiled.

On the eve of the election, Musharraf averted resignations by the biggest opposition party, Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

PPP lawmakers abstained instead, walking out before voting began, even though the party had fielded a candidate.

Musharraf and Bhutto have been discussing a power-sharing deal to help him broaden his support and clear the way for her return to politics.

On Friday, he annulled corruption charges against her and other civilian leaders, paving the way for her return on October 18 after more than eight years to lead her party.

The world watches to see if this man can pull this off.