Shake Up in Pakistan!

Pakistan has a new president. Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, easily won the presidential election on Sept. 6.

In recent months, the country has faced big changes in its leadershp as violence and unrest has grown. Zardari’s wife was killed in December during a political rally.

The former president, Pervez Musharraf, resigned on Aug. 18 after serving as president since 1999. Mohammedmian Soomro has been serving as the president of the country since then.

Normally, the president is elected every five years. The elections are held by secret ballot through an Electoral College. Members of federal and provincial parliaments elected Zardari, who was sworn in as the new president Sept. 9.

Pakistan split from India in 1947 and became an Islamic republic in 1956 after adopting a constitution. While he was president, Musharraf suspended the constitution twice.

Pakistan has a 650-mile coastline along the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman. The country shares a border with Afghanistan, Iran, India and China. The recent departure of former president Musharraf is the most recent event in a long history of political unrest and military problems.

The country also faces problems with water pollution from sewage runoff and has limited natural fresh water resources, meaning it can be difficult for people to get clean drinking water. Pakistan is slightly less than twice the size of the state of California. There are about 162 million people living in the country.

Ninety-seven percent of Pakistan’s citizens are Muslim, and there are more than 10 languages commonly spoken in the country. The most common language is Punjabi.

Pakistan is full of rich cultural practices, foods, monuments and shrines.