Pakistan's National Assembly has chosen Mir Zafarullah Jamali as the country's new civilian prime minister, the first since a military coup three years ago.

Thanks to Musharraf who gave a road map and fulfilled his promise... the transfer of power is going on

Zafarullah Jamali

Mr Jamali belongs to the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) party which is close to military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf.

The other two main groups, Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party and an alliance of hardline Islamic parties, have accused the military administration of assisting the PML-Q in getting its majority.

On Wednesday, President Musharraf promised to transfer power to a civilian leader within a matter of days.

Mr Jamali is expected to be sworn in soon, but no date has been set.

The BBC's Zaffar Abbas in Islamabad says the general is keen to take credit for what he sees as the restoration of democracy, but he will retain the power to dissolve parliament.

Close call

Mr Jamali only just won an absolute majority of the house, receiving 172 out of 329 votes cast.

It is a showcase of the old military regime with a democratic coating

Syed Zafar Ali Shah, PML-N

But he had a clear lead over candidates put up by the Islamic parties and the PPP.

Maulana Fazlur Rahman, a pro-Taleban Islamic cleric, got 86 votes while the Bhutto party nominee, Shah Mahmood Quereshi, got 70.

Ten members of the PPP broke ranks in the vote to support Mr Jamali.

"Thanks to Musharraf who gave a road map and fulfilled his promise... the transfer of power is going on," Mr Jamali told MPs immediately following the vote.

But his opponents were less than impressed.

"Jamali will be worse than a rubber stamp prime minister," said Syed Zafar Ali Shah from the anti-Musharraf faction of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML -N).

The Islamic alliance, meanwhile, warned the army to listen - or the gap separating it from civiians would widen.

"We won't accept any interference and compromise on our sovereignty," Mr Rehman said.

Bargaining

Musharraf: No plans to go

The election of Mr Jamali paves the way for a new coalition government after nearly six weeks of hard bargaining.

The PML-Q says it now has enough support to form a coalition.

But it may not have a smooth ride in government, our correspondent says.

Opponents of President Musharraf, angry at what they see as his military-controlled democracy, are likely to continue to challenge him as the constitutional head of state.