Pakistan Views

President Pervez Musharraf’s allies on Tuesday faced a crushing defeat in parliamentary elections that placed the key US ally’s political survival in doubt, according to early unofficial results.
Opposition supporters took to the streets chanting the names of former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto early Tuesday as their parties swept the board with almost half of all results in.
The polls were the final step on the nation’s path to civilian democracy after eight years of turbulent military rule by the increasingly unpopular Musharraf.
“The voters have delivered their verdict, and as democrats we accept their verdict,” said Tariq Azeem, a spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), which backed Musharraf throughout the last parliament.
Early results showed a “big gain” for Sharif and Bhutto’s parties, Azeem told AFP, adding: “If the results are confirmed we will play the part of the opposition as effectively as we can.” High-profile victims who lost their seats included party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and almost all of Musharraf’s former cabinet, including close presidential ally Sheikh Rashid.
“The results are shocking,” a party official said on condition of anonymity.
State television said that with 125 out of 272 constituencies counted, Sharif’s faction of the Pakistan Muslim League had 50 seats, the PPP had 39 and the PML-Q had 18, with smaller parties and independents taking the rest.
An opposition win would leave Musharraf’s political fate uncertain, as a parliament packed with enemies of the former general could weaken him — or even leave him open to impeachment.
Musharraf said earlier that he would accept the outcome.
“The result will be the voice of the nation and whosoever wins we should accept it — that includes myself,” he told state television.
Turnout was estimated at more than 40 percent of Pakistan’s 81 million eligible voters, election commission secretary Kanwar Dilshad said, indicating similar turnout to the last elections in 1997 and 2002.
An influential US senator who observed polling said Pakistan’s elections would be viewed as completely flawed if the PML-Q were declared victorious.
“If Musharraf’s party beats all odds and ends up being the winner here, I think it will be viewed as a totally discredited undertaking,” Senator Joseph Biden told the American television network CNN.
Neither Sharif nor Bhutto’s widower Asif Ali Zardari made any initial comments on the results. Spokesmen for both parties said they expected to win the vote and would hold talks with other opposition groups.
Analysts said Musharraf would likely try to woo Bhutto’s party and split it from Sharif’s, but said that he faced a struggle for political survival.
“For him the most crucial issue would be his political survival rather than fighting the war against terrorism,” said political analyst Hasan Askari, in a warning to Musharraf’s Western allies.
In sporadic political violence Sunday and Monday at least 19 people were killed, including two members of Sharif’s party.

Political allies of embattled President Pervez Musharraf are poised on edge of a crushing electoral defeat in crucial parliamentary elections, an exit poll and initial count showed after relatively peaceful balloting on Monday.
PML-Q ROUTED, PRO-MUSHARRAF CANDIDATES COME TUMBLING DOWN, ANP THUNDERS IN NWFP WHERE MMA SUFFERS HUMILIATION MQM IS GOING TO RETAIN STRANGLEHOLD OVER KARACHI: Bitter opponents of the isolated leader are seemingly heading towards a two-thirds majority in the vote for the National Assembly-which implies they can humiliate him with an impeachment.
But none of the main anti-Musharraf outfits-Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-could secure a clear victory to form the government single handedly.
Opposition parties are, however, in a position now to undo steps Musharraf had taken after suspending the constitution and purging top judiciary last November.
Heads of both PPP and PML-N-Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif-have reportedly agreed in recent meetings not to give constitutional clearance to such actions of the President.
Musharraf is being aggressively blamed at home for killing own people in the US-led war on terror, and harshly criticised by rights groups abroad for the suppression of independent voices against his rule.
Parliamentary vote, for the first time in six years, was primarily being seen as referendum against the ex military chief who seized power in a bloodless coup eight years ago.
The defeat of some top leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), a political party that associated with him to rule for past five years, including its president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, indicates that he must start thinking to leave now.
In an interview to a German Magazine soon after he declared emergency on November 3 last year, Musharraf himself said he would prefer resigning if opposition parties come to power after elections, exactly what has happened now.
Experts said the humiliation for these high ranking PML-Q politicians was primarily due to their association with the beleaguered leader.
There were conflicting accounts on what was the turn out of voters with official estimates putting it as high as 35 to 40 percent, but independent observers placing it under 25%. Close to half of registered voters in rural areas turned up to cast ballots. In urban localities, however, the proportion was less than 15% in some cases.
More than 80 million Pakistanis aged 18 or above were registered for Monday’s vote, that was also considered as the revival of democracy in the country after eight years of authoritarian rule by Musharraf. The polling day was dreaded but peaceful by and large after weeks of a bloody campaign that witnessed several attacks on election rallies including suicide bombings.
There were mounting fears a day earlier that al Qaeda-linked terrorists allegedly based in Pakistani lawlessness tribal regions bordering Afghanistan in west could strike to disrupt what they considered an un-Islamic exercise. But the day passed without any major hit. Less than a dozen people across the country were, however, killed in poll related violence, majority of them in Punjab province.
PML-N of former premier Nawaz Sharif and PPP of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto are appearing as the largest parties as per popular estimates of late. Both would have to seek power sharing between each other or with some other small regional groups to form governments in the center and in provinces. The power equation in two conservative provinces is also joined by religious and nationalists players.
In NWFP, Awami National Party (ANP) is ahead of all but PPP in Pushtoon majority southern district and PML-N in the extreme north was also in the race. A now-divided Islamic alliance called Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) that won majority in the conservative provinces on the back of anti-US sentiments after Afghan invasion by America a year earlier has almost been eliminated from power tussle.
HEAVYWEIGHTS FALL: Most horrible for Musharraf’s associates was the defeat of heavyweights of formerly ruling PML-Q including its president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain from both constituencies he was contesting in.
His cousin and former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Ellahi was also reportedly not winning from all the constituencies he was fighting from. Minister sin former regime-Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Humayun Akhtar and Ijazul Haq-were also among those who had lost their parliamentary seats. Sheikh is a politician who has never lost since 1988 from his stronghold Rawalpindi city near Islamabad.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a top leader MMA, had lost his home constituency in Dera Ismail Khan district of NWFP. Over all in the province, Islamists who swept 2002 elections had been defeated completely by ANP and PPP. In non-Pushtoon northern belt (Hazara), however, PML-N emerged as largest party.
In Punjab, Nawaz Sharif and PPP won in northern and southern districts respectably. PPP also did well in its fiefdom of rural Sindh and shared gains with Muttahida Quomi Movement (MQM) in the urban centers including Karachi in the province. No party seems to have secured a clear victory in Balochistan.

China on Thursday said it respected Pakistan’s decision to postpone a general election until next month amid chaos following the martyrdom of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

“This is an internal matter of Pakistan. China respects Pakistan’s position,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said when asked to respond about the new election date.

“China hopes Pakistan will enjoy a smooth general election and that Pakistan can continue to maintain stability and development.”

Pakistan on Wednesday announced the postponement of planned January 8 elections until February 18 in the wake of Benazir’s martyred, which has plunged the nation into turmoil.

The country’s main political parties confirmed they would take part in the election but said on Thursday the government must ensure candidates were protected from the dangers posed by anyone determined to disrupt the polls.

China is one of Pakistan’s closest allies. It maintained strong relations with Bhutto when she was in power, and has continued its close ties with Musharraf’s government.

The Bush administration on Sunday urged Pakistan to move ahead with free elections but declined to push Islamabad to hold the scheduled Jan. 8 ballot after opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was martyred on Thursday.

We believe it is important for Pakistan to confront extremists and continue on the path to democracy by holding free and fair elections White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said in a statement.

The timing of those elections will be up to the people Stanzel said in Texas where US President George W. Bush was spending a weeklong holiday at his ranch.

Benazir’s martyrdom has thrown the election in doubt and a senior official in Pakistan, a key ally in Bush’s war on terrorism, said it could be delayed for up to eight weeks.

The United States and other Western allies have urged Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf to hold elections, hoping that will bring stability to the nuclear-armed country that is emerging from eight years of military rule while facing mounting violence from al Qaeda.

The US State Department went somewhat further than the White House, saying if the election was delayed Pakistan should also announce a new date for the polls.

If there is a delay in the elections, we want to make sure a new date is named. We don’t want to see an indefinite delay said a State Department spokesman, declining to be further identified.

But the State Department spokesman said that the naming of martyred Benazir’s 19-year-old son Bilawal and her husband Zardari as the leaders of her party, the Pakistan People’s Party, would help Pakistan move ahead with the polls.

Benazir’s martyred while campaigning on Thursday in a suicide attack that has stoked violence in the country

The election scheduled for January 8 will certainly be delayed for at least four weeks if not more a cabinet official told AFP on Monday.

Certainly it will be pushed back for at least four weeks if not more the official said.

Another senior government official told AFP: It is out of the question that the elections will be held on January 8 because of the widespread unrest that has directly affected election staff and vote preparations.

Pakistan’s Election Commission will decide on Tuesday whether to postpone a Jan. 8 general election meant to complete a transition to civilian rule, a commission official said on Monday.

The election has been thrown into question by the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto on Thursday and widespread violence, especially in the south of the country, by her enraged supporters.

“We have called for reports from the provincial governments and provincial election commissioners on the situation. The reports will reach here by evening today and we will decide tomorrow,” commission secretary Kanwar Dilshad told reporters.

Ten Election Commission offices had been burnt in Sindh in the south, Bhutto’s home province, in the rioting that followed her murder, he said.

The printing of ballots in Karachi had been halted for the past four days because of the trouble, he said. Security in two northwestern regions also raised doubts about voting there, the commission said earlier.

Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party, now led by her teenage son and husband, said on Sunday it was ready to take part in the elections.

Another main opposition party, led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said it would probably drop its boycott plan and take part as well.

As many as four workers of Muslim League (PML-N) were killed on Thursday evening, when a few armed men opened fire on them on Karal Chowk of Rawalpindi.

According to reports, gunmen opened fire on supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, when they were taking out a rally to receive their leader.

Sharif blamed supporters of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) for the violence at Karal Chowk of Rawalpindi. Police confirmed several people had been hurt in shooting.

“Some Q League workers fired at our people,” Sharif said while talking to an international news agency, referring to the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League (Q).

“We have reports that several people were wounded,” he said.

The caravan of Nawaz Sharif, which was on the way to Rawalpind, has been stopped several kilometers away from the firing scene

Chief Election Commissioner Justice (rtd) Qazi Farooq Wednesday said that ECP received a large number of complaints against nazims over violation of electoral code of conduct.

Talking to media in Lahore, he said Deputy Returning Officers have been tasked to investigate into complaints against such nazims; if a complaint is proved right against any nazim, the strict action would be taken against him.

Qazi Farooq said over 500 out of total 700 complaints are against nazims for violating code of conduct, adding no action taken against district nazims so far, as their complaints are being investigated

Speaking on this occasion, CEC said the lists of sensitive spots and polling stations across country are being compiled, where army would be called to ensure the maintenance of law and order situation.

‘ECP has neared completion of the arrangements for holding the elections,’ he maintained adding all election, ballot material has been sent to respective areas except ballot papers that will be dispatched by 5th prior to polling date.

Voters are quite conscious people and they would defy pressure from any quarter, he added.

Seat adjustment on all seats of national and provincial assembly in the province of Sindh including Karachi has been made between the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), the Muttehadda Qaumi Movement, the Pakistan Muslim League Functional and the National People’s Party.

This was announced in Karachi on Tuesday by former chief minister Sindh and president PML (Q) Sindh Arbab Ghulam Rahim, deputy convener MQM Farooq Sattar and senator Babar Khan Ghouri.

As per the adjustment, the MQM candidates will be supported by the PML (Q), the PML (F) and the NPP on 22 of the 61 national assembly seats while the MQM will support PML (Q), PML (F) and the NPP on 34 seats.

The remaining five NA seats have been declared open where the candidates of all parties will contest with each other. These seats include NA-204 Larkana, NA-207 Qambar Shahdadkot, NA-218 Mattiari, NA-231-Jamshoro and NA-239 Karachi.

In 130 constituencies of the Sindh Assembly, the PML (Q), the PML (F) and the NPP will support the MQM on 44 seats whereas the MQM will support the PML (Q), the PML (F) and the NPP on 71 seats.

In the remaining 15 constituencies of the Sindh Assembly, contest will be held among the candidates of all the four parties and the candidates of the Pakistan People’s Party, the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the Muttehadda Majlis-e-Amal.

Dr Farooq Sattar said that the MQM candidates from Karachi will contest for all the NA and PA seats.

He said that the PML (Q), the PML (F) and the NPP will withdraw their candidates in favour of the MQM from the two NA and four PA seats in Hyderabad, one each in Mirpurkhas, PS-24 in Nawabshah and PS-1 in Sukkur while the MQM will withdraw its candidates in favour of the candidates of the PML (Q) and the PML (F) from all those constituencies where the vote bank of these parties is bigger than the MQM vote bank.

Arbab Rahim said that the candidates of the PML (Q) and the MQM will also contest on one NA and five PA seats in Karachi.

He said that this seat adjustment has been made for defeating the Pakistan People’s Party.

Fair and free elections in Pakistan are “impossible” following the dismantling of an independent judiciary and a crackdown on critics, a rights group said on Wednesday.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said scores of lawyers, judges and other government critics remained detained in Pakistan despite the lifting of the state of emergency on December 15.

The “dismantling of an independent judiciary and the crackdown on the vocal lawyers’ movement mean free and fair elections, scheduled for January 8, will be impossible,” the international rights group said in its latest report on Pakistan.

The 84-page report, titled “Destroying Legality: Pakistan’s Crackdown on Lawyers and Judges,” presents eyewitness accounts of police violence, arbitrary arrests, and mistreatment of detained lawyers under emergency rule.

“The lawyers’ movement had done more in eight months to challenge the pillars of military rule than the political opposition had done in eight years,” said Ali Dayan Hasan, South Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“Musharraf’s crackdown on legal institutions is a huge setback for human rights and the rule of law in Pakistan.”

Under the revised constitution, the government has new powers to disbar lawyers involved in peaceful anti-government activities, it said.

The military can now try civilians for a wide range of offences previously under the judiciary, including charges as vague as causing “public mischief”, the group said.

Restrictions on the media remain in force and the government has repeatedly warned it will not tolerate the “politics of agitation”, it added.

“A genuine election campaign is impossible when the media remains muzzled, leaders of civil society remain under arrest, and the legitimate judiciary of the country has been deposed and replaced by hand-picked supporters of the government,” said Hasan.