7 Pakistanis Killed, Elections Likely to be Postponed for Few Weeks

Parties agree to put off elections for ‘a few weeks’

By Ashraf Mumtaz

December 30, 2007 Sunday Dhul Hijjah 21, 1428

DAWN, LAHORE:

While a number of parties have decided not to take part in the elections, others which have completed preparations have no objection to delaying the process for a ‘few weeks’ to enable the Pakistan People’s Party to mourn Benazir Bhutto’s death.

“We are in favour of postponing the polls in consultation with other parties for a few weeks,” said a leader of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl).

“However, the postponement should not be for more than a few weeks. At the most the elections should be held in March,” he said.

He said the JUI-F was prepared for the polls, but it was willing to accept the delay because of the trauma the PPP was passing through.

The JUI-F also called upon President Musharraf to quit.

The Awami National Party said the government should respect any decision about the elections taken by the PPP. “They are the affected party. Their decision should be given importance,” party sources said.

A senior ANP leader said the elections could not be held in the prevailing situation when suicide attacks were taking place in various parts of the country. He made it clear that the electoral process should not be delayed beyond March in any case.

He said postponing the polls for a year, as being advised by some parties, would not yield positive results.

The PML-N has also set its eyes on a decision to be taken by the PPP. Nawaz Sharif has said that the elections in the prevailing situation would be a meaningless exercise.

PML-Q leader Farooq Ahmed Leghari has said the polls should be delayed for at least one year and a national government should run the country till the completion of the electoral process.

The PPP, the PML-N and the MMA, he said, should also be given representation in the proposed set-up and if some party did not like to join, its seat should be kept vacant.

“President Musharraf should reach out to all parties,” Mr Leghari said, adding that serious efforts should be made to bring all the parties on board.

He was of the opinion that all energies should be devoted to combating extremism and militancy for one year to create an atmosphere conducive to the elections.

The Jamaat-i-Islami, the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf and a number of nationalist parties in the PONM have already decided to boycott the polls.

Pakistan's elections likely to be postponed

www.chinaview.cn 2007-12-30 20:49:26 Print

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The scheduled Pakistan's Jan. 8 parliamentary elections will likely be postponed to three or four months following the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, a spokesman for the ruling party said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the party of Pakistan opposition leader Nawaz Sharif said Sunday it will reconsider its early decision to boycott the next month's elections if Benazir Bhutto's party decides to take part in.

Bhutto was killed in a suicide attack on Thursday. After addressing an election rally in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Bhutto was leaving the venue of the public meeting when she met a group of supporters. She stood up and waved to her supporters from the sunroof of her car and then the suicide bomber launched the attack.

5 killed in riot in Pakistan

www.chinaview.cn 2007-12-30 18:08:34 Print

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) --

Up to five people were shot dead by unidentified motorcyclists in eastern Pakistan's Punjab province on Sunday, the News Network International news agency reported.

Two unidentified motorcyclists opened fire on people in the city of Norwal in Punjab province early Sunday morning, killing 5 people and injuring 4 others, the agency said.

The attackers fled after the firing. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The police were on high alert at all entry and exit points of the city to apprehend the culprits, said the report.

Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of People's Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto was killed in a suicide attack on Thursday after addressing an election rally in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

The Interior Ministry said Saturday that 38 people were killed and 53 injured and hundreds of banks, shops, patrol stations, railway stations and offices burnt or damaged over the past two days following the killing of Bhutto.

Editor: Pliny Han

2 suicide bombers killed in Pakistan

www.chinaview.cn 2007-12-30 17:53:40 Print

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) --

Two suicide bombers were killed before they launched attacks in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province early Sunday, the News Network International (NNI) news agency reported.

The explosive devices they were carrying on a motorcycle exploded prematurely in Bahawalnagar District, district police officer Zafar Abbas Bukhari was quoted by NNI as saying.

Police said that the bombers were trying to target the house of former federal minister for Religious Affairs Ejaz-ul-Haq. Haq was not at his residence at the time of the blast.

Editor: Pliny Han

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