The votes have been counted, the ‘long live Bhutto’ slogans have been chanted in the National Assembly, and images of the PPP workers celebrating have aired all over the world - Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party has been voted in as President of Pakistan.

So what lies ahead for Mr. Zardari? On his plate are many a burning issue - a raging war in the tribal regions, an economy in doldrums, a power crisis, a judicial crisis - the list goes on and on.

Asif Zardari has promised that the future President will be subervient to the Parliament - and has promised to shift the balance of power back to the Parliament, by doing away with powers that made previous Presidents like Pervez Musharraf all-powerful - the 17th Amendment, and Article 58(2)B, which allows the President to dissolve the assemblies.

But what do the people really want? Everyone I spoke to on the streets of Karachi this morning really do not care about who occupies the seat of the President. They want relief from rising inflation, the power crisis and a secure nation, where they can raise their children. This is what the PPP had promised them when they were voted in in February this year, and this is what the people believe PPP has failed to deliver.

So whether Asif Zardari is corrupt or not, whether he deserves his position in power or not are questions that are now irrelevant. What Mr. Zardari must realize is that this country is facing issues of immense importance - which threaten the very existence of Pakistan - and if he and his party does not work to solve these issues, they may soon find themselves back to where they stood on October 12, 1999.