Pakistan goes to polls today

[tekisui]

ISLAMABAD: A tense quiet descended over Pakistan a day before the country was to vote in a crucial election on Monday, with fears of suicide blasts, poll-related violence and rigging topping voters’ concerns and threatening to affect the turn-out.

Saturday’s suicide attack in the north-west tribal area of Parachinar, in which the death toll rose to 47 overnight, underlined the widespread security apprehensions that have dominated these elections from before the start of the process, but particularly after the killing of Pakistan People’s Party leader Benazir Bhutto on December 27.

The fears remain despite a blanket deployment of more than 80,000 troops from the Pakistan Army and paramilitary forces across the country and assurances from President Pervez Musharraf and the Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd.) Qazi Muhammed Farooq that no one will be allowed to disrupt the election process.

In Karachi, the country’s commercial nerve-centre, Rangers and police have been deployed at all polling stations, and troops are on standby to prevent violence of the sort that paralysed the city after Benazir’s killing.

Monday’s battle is for 272 National Assembly seats. Elections in three parliamentary constituencies have been postponed – in Larkana on account of Benazir Bhutto’s death, in a constituency in Lahore again due to the death of a candidate, and in South Waziristan due to the tense situation prevailing in the area.

Elections are also being held simultaneously for 570 seats in the four provincial assemblies.

Punjab is the largest province with 148 parliamentary constituencies. Sindh has 61, North West Frontier Province 35 and Balochistan 16. The Federally Administered Tribal Areas send 12 parliamentarians.

In addition, there are 70 reserved seats, distributed to parties on the basis of their performance. Out of these 60 are reserved for women and 10 for minorities.

In all, 2,234 candidates are contesting the election for the parliamentary seats, while 5,017 candidates are in the fray for the provincial elections. Two opinion polls by U.S.-based organisations have placed the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) far ahead of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), which came to power after the 2002 elections but analysts are saying the election is too fraught with uncertainties to make an accurate prediction.

One uncertainty is the spread and extent of the pro-Benazir sympathy wave for the PPP.

more at link: http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/18/stories/2008021851520100.htm

This looks to be the beginning of the end for mushy. The PPP and other opposing parties want him out, by whatever means necessary.

[tekisui]

1. Kick, this will be a big story tomorrow.

[gateley]

2. Biden, Hagel and Kerry are there to "monitor" the election, with a recommendation

that we cut off funding if it is suspect.

Don't know how effective that will be, but it will be interesting to hear what they have to say about it.

[tekisui]

4. IMO, it is suspect already. With bombings at 4 polling places this past week.

Bhutto's report that was to be delivered the day she was assassinated outlined how the election would be stolen, through rigging and murder as intimidation.

[gateley]

5. And the article refers to another candidate's death....

It makes me feel uneasy - don't quite know how else to put it.

[gateley]

3. PS - Thanks for posting this. This IS important. Recommend. nt