Pak poll: Mush's fate hangs in balance
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Sunday vowed to go ahead with Monday's key general elections, keenly watched by the world, despite a fresh wave of violence while the Opposition warned the dictator, whose fate hung in balance, of massive str...
By PTI |
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Sunday vowed to go ahead with Monday's key general elections, keenly watched by the world, despite a fresh wave of violence while the Opposition warned the dictator, whose fate hung in balance, of massive street protests if the vote is rigged.
"Any effort to derail the democratic process or the holding of elections will be foiled," Musharraf told said as a violence-marred campaign which was overshadowed by the assassination of Pakistan People's Party leader Benazir Bhutto, ended on a bloody note with two suicide attacks on Saturday night that left 50 dead and 100 injured.
Analysts pointed out that Pakistan's problems might not end soon as the polls are widely expected to throw up a hung Parliament. Anti-Musharraf parties, who have threatened to impeach the dictator once they are in power, are jointly expected to sweep the election.
A large number of international observers will monitor the polls touted as "mother of all elections" by Musharraf, who grabbed power in a 1999 bloodless military coup.
"Election will be held on 18th. People should stop speculations.... despite all rumours and insinuations these elections will be free, fair and transparent and peaceful," Musharraf told a team of international observers.
But opposition parties said the polls, which were earlier fixed for Jan 8 but were put off following Bhutto's killing, could not be free and fair with Musharraf at the helm.
"People are absolutely on the warpath. If the elections are rigged the situation will go out of my hands. We'll have no choice but to take to the streets," Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto's widower who was made co-Chairman of PPP after her assassination on December 27 last year, said.
"Any effort to derail the democratic process or the holding of elections will be foiled," Musharraf told said as a violence-marred campaign which was overshadowed by the assassination of Pakistan People's Party leader Benazir Bhutto, ended on a bloody note with two suicide attacks on Saturday night that left 50 dead and 100 injured.
Analysts pointed out that Pakistan's problems might not end soon as the polls are widely expected to throw up a hung Parliament. Anti-Musharraf parties, who have threatened to impeach the dictator once they are in power, are jointly expected to sweep the election.
A large number of international observers will monitor the polls touted as "mother of all elections" by Musharraf, who grabbed power in a 1999 bloodless military coup.
"Election will be held on 18th. People should stop speculations.... despite all rumours and insinuations these elections will be free, fair and transparent and peaceful," Musharraf told a team of international observers.
But opposition parties said the polls, which were earlier fixed for Jan 8 but were put off following Bhutto's killing, could not be free and fair with Musharraf at the helm.
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"People are absolutely on the warpath. If the elections are rigged the situation will go out of my hands. We'll have no choice but to take to the streets," Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto's widower who was made co-Chairman of PPP after her assassination on December 27 last year, said.
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