The February 18 elections for Pakistan’s new parliament came six weeks after the vote was delayed in January. Former prime minister and former leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto who had returned from her self-imposed eight year exile was killed on December 27. Voting was postponed and pushed back six-weeks amid the violence.
The CIA and Pakistani authorities both concluded that Bhutto’s assassination was orchestrated by Pakistan’s Taliban leader, Baitullah Mehsud. Mehsud has strong ties to the major Islamic terrorist network known as Al-Qaeda. Mehsud is still at large.
“We pray to God that there is peace,” said the Election Commission’s deputy chief, Kanwar Mohammed Dilshad. He added: “We pray for record turnout.”
The leadership of the PPP is in the hands of Bhutto’s husband, Asif Ali Zardari.
“My vote is for the PPP,” said retired police officer, Munir Ahmed Tariq. He adds: “If there is rigging this time, there will be a severe reaction. This is a sentiment of this nation.”
Currently, President Pervez Musharraf has to deal with the anger from the Pakistani people over such issues of declaring an emergency rule along with being blamed for Bhutto’s death. If the opposition wins a strong victory, Musharraf could possibly be in danger.
Musharraf was reelected into office in October, the same month that Bhutto had returned from her self-imposed exile.
It is suggested that the PPP will finish first with the other opposition party led by ex-premier Nawaz Sharif following after. Sharif was overthrown from power by a bloodless coup by Musharraf when he was still an army general. Musharraf resigned his post as general before being reelected.