Hussain briefly served as Governor of Sindh in 1999. His term as governor was cut short by the military coup d'état staged in 1999. After the PML(N) secured majority in general elections held in 2013, Hussain was nominated and elected as President of Pakistan on 30 July 2013. He won the election in a landslide victory winning 432 votes to his rival Wajihuddin Ahmed's 77 votes.