Bhutto Candidate Wins in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan —  Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s candidate for president won on Saturday, giving Pakistan its best chance at political stability since martial law ended six years ago.

Farooq Leghari, a 53-year-old landlord, defeated acting President Wasim Sajjad, who was backed by Bhutto’s political rival and predecessor, Nawaz Sharif. The votes were cast by the two houses of Parliament--the National Assembly and the Senate--and the four provincial legislatures.

The president, who has the constitutional authority to dismiss the popularly elected National Assembly, is more powerful than the prime minister. But Bhutto wants to reduce the power of the presidency, and Leghari has promised to support a constitutional amendment to limit the president’s powers.