Pakistan awaits election outcome

Five hours after the nine-hour voting closed at 5pm at more than 60,000 polling stations the results of a largely peaceful, if apathetic election were still awaited.

At least four people were killed and dozens injured in poll-related violence yesterday as Pakistan held national elections to restore democracy after three-year military rule, officials said.

Politicians said the turnout remained low, well below 35.42 per cent recorded in the last 1997 elections, despite significantly enhanced electorate size.

President Pervez Musharraf, who will remain president and army chief in the post-election setup, said he would transfer executive powers to new elected Prime Minister by the first day of November.

Yahya Munawwar, spokesman for pro-government Pakistan Muslim League-QA, said on a domestic TV channel the turnout was estimated at around 20 per cent. "We had expected 35 to 40 per cent turnout," he said.

Siddiqul Farroq, spokesman for opposition Pakistan Mulsim League-N of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif described the low voter response as a "vote of no confidence against Musharraf regime."

National Crisis Management Commission chief Brigadier Javed Cheema said in Islamabad that the law and order situation remained peaceful and under control during the polling held under tight security.

Cheema said four people died in clashes – two at Naushero Feroz and one at Kipro in Sindh province and one at Multan in most populous Punjab province.

Punjab Inspector General Police Malik Asif Hayat said that 22 clashes in which rivals resorted to firing occurred in the province. He said police arrested more than 55 people and seized 48 weapons in Punjab, adding that the overall situation remained "satisfactory."

Musharraf told reporters after casting his vote in Rawalpindi near here that he would accept the electoral verdict.

"Whichever party gets majority in the assembly would form the government," he said. The president said he was confident that the elected government would continue political, economic and administrative reforms carried out by him.

"If the new Prime Minister wants to improve them, he will have full authority to do so as no reforms are final," Musharraf said.

Opposition parties have vowed they would undo amendments made to the 1973 Constitution by the regime if they get required strength in parliament.

In addition to presidential authority to dismiss assembly the changes give the armed forces a formal role in government through a national security council.

Around 300 observers from European Union, Commonwealth and other international bodies monitored the polls. EU observers mission chief John Cushnahan said his team would announce its initial conclusions in a report within the next two days.

Security was tight countrywide for fear of attacks from banned extremist groups opposed to Musharraf's alignment with the war on terrorism in Afghanistan.

Pakistani authorities reported the pre-poll arrest of several alleged agents of Indian intelligence, saying they had been infiltrated to sabotage the elections.