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Pakistan puts back election date Pakistan sets new election date
(about 1 hour later)
Elections originally scheduled for 8 January in Pakistan will now take place on 18 February, polling officials say.Elections originally scheduled for 8 January in Pakistan will now take place on 18 February, polling officials say.
The chief election commissioner said it would not be possible to hold the vote as scheduled following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.The chief election commissioner said it would not be possible to hold the vote as scheduled following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
At least 47 people have been killed in violence around Pakistan since Ms Bhutto's death last Thursday. At least 47 people have been killed since Ms Bhutto's death last Thursday.
The main opposition parties wanted the poll to go ahead as planned, and accuse officials of seeking to rig the vote. The main opposition parties say they will take part, despite having demanded the election not be delayed. They have accused officials of seeking to rig it.
The election is seen as a crucial move towards democratic rule under President Pervez Musharraf, an important ally in the US-led "war on terror" who stood down as army chief in November.
He is expected to deliver a televised address within the next few hours.
'Not conducive''Not conducive'
Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Muhammad Farooq said violent protests had directly affected the organisation of the poll.Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Muhammad Farooq said violent protests had directly affected the organisation of the poll.
PPP TOP LEADERS Asif Ali Zardari Benazir's widower and former political ally, has faced corruption and other chargesBilawal Bhutto (pictured) Benazir's son, a 19-year-old Oxford University student, considered too young by some PPP membersMakhdoom Amin Fahim Senior PPP figure and top aide to Benazir Successors' challengeReaders react to succession class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/4032997.stm">Profile: Asif Ali Zardari I would like to reassure all the political parties that these elections in every respect will be clean and transparent Election Commissioner Qazi Muhammad Farooq href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7165892.stm"> Murder inquiry questions class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7165255.stm">Successors' challengeReaders react to succession
He told a news conference in Islamabad that the election commission had decided the situation was "not conducive" to holding the vote on time. He told a news conference in Islamabad that, after consulting its staff around the country, the election commission had decided the situation was "not conducive" to holding the vote on time.
Therefore, he said, he had decided it would take place after the holy month of Muharram, which begins next week.Therefore, he said, he had decided it would take place after the holy month of Muharram, which begins next week.
A number of polling offices had been burnt down, particularly in Ms Bhutto's home province of Sindh, with the loss of many election materials, Mr Farooq said.A number of polling offices had been burnt down, particularly in Ms Bhutto's home province of Sindh, with the loss of many election materials, Mr Farooq said.
The riots had also delayed printing of ballot papers by four days and new lists of voters were required, he added.The riots had also delayed printing of ballot papers by four days and new lists of voters were required, he added.
Opposition parties say any delay is a desperate measure designed to avoid defeat by President Pervez Musharraf's ruling party. "I would like to reassure all the political parties that these elections in every respect will be clean and transparent and I request that their leaders should support the new election date in the interests of national interests and take part in the elections," he told reporters.
"There are no grounds whatsoever for delaying the elections," Raza Rabbani, deputy secretary general of Ms Bhutto's PPP party said earlier. Opposition parties said the delay was a desperate measure designed to avoid defeat for President Musharraf's ruling party.
"It is being done only at the behest of the PML-Q as they are seeing their defeat." Ms Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) called the reasons for postponing the vote "baseless excuses".
The ruling PML-Q party had said the 8 January vote should be delayed for several weeks, on the grounds that the vote would "lose credibility" if held under current conditions. "Whatever reasons they give are such lame-duck excuses, because the electoral papers and lists were burnt in the districts but they have those lists in the central office," party spokeswoman Farzana Raja told Reuters news agency.
A spokesman for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also condemned the postponement but confirmed his party would take part in the election.
The BBC's Chris Morris in Islamabad says the PPP wanted elections as soon as possible, in order to take advantage of what could be a big sympathy vote.The BBC's Chris Morris in Islamabad says the PPP wanted elections as soon as possible, in order to take advantage of what could be a big sympathy vote.
Dossier on 'rigging' The ruling PML-Q party had said the 8 January vote should be delayed for several weeks, on the grounds that the vote would "lose credibility" if held under current conditions.
On Tuesday, one of Ms Bhutto's aides said that the day the PPP leader was killed, she had been planning to give two visiting US lawmakers a 160-page dossier setting out how she thought the vote would be rigged. Clashes
The aide said it documented how Pakistan's ISI intelligence service and the election commission planned to use intimidation and fake ballots to ensure a ruling party victory. The authorities have accused pro-Taleban militant leader Baitullah Mehsud of being behind Benazir Bhutto's killing.
President Pervez Musharraf's spokesman dismissed the claims as "ridiculous".
"Take it from me, it's going to be perhaps the best election that Pakistan has ever had," said Rashid Qureshi.
The authorities have accused pro-Taleban militant leader Baitullah Mehsud of being behind her killing.
On Wednesday, the military said troops had killed about 25 militants in the tribal region of South Waziristan where Baitullah Mehsud is based.On Wednesday, the military said troops had killed about 25 militants in the tribal region of South Waziristan where Baitullah Mehsud is based.
Fighting began on Tuesday after four troops were taken hostage by the militants, the authorities say.Fighting began on Tuesday after four troops were taken hostage by the militants, the authorities say.
There is no independent confirmation of the military's account.There is no independent confirmation of the military's account.