"Now is the time for miracles in Pakistan.... The international community, especially the United States, must support us in this endeavour instead of continuing with the erroneous belief that alliance with a strongman is its best bet to bring stability to Pakistan," Zardari said in a commentary in Chicago Tribune.

The widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto said the Pakistani electorate had repudiated the status quo in the Monday elections.

"They rose, almost as one, and said "enough" to dictatorship which has exacerbated terrorism in Pakistan," he said reffering to the severe drubbing suffered by pro-Musharraf PML(Q).

"It is the intent of the Pakistan People's Party to form a broad-based, democratic, liberal government – an umbrella of reconciliation and consensus," said Zardari, who is the co-chairman of Pakistan People's Party that won 87 of the 268 seats for which elections were held to emerge as the biggest party.