Pakistan goes to polls on May 11

Dubai: The next general elections in Pakistan will be held on May 11, making it the first democratic transition in the history of the country.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday signed the summary for the date of election advised to him by Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf putting an end to speculations about delays in holding elections, according to Farhatullah Babar, a spokesperson of the president.

This election will mark for the first time that an elected civilian government hands over to another in a country that has seen three military coups and four military rulers since partition from India and the end of British rule in 1947.

Elections will be held for the 342 members house of the National Assembly and for the four provincial assemblies.

Once the national and provincial governments are formed, federal and provincial lawmakers will elect a new president after Zardari’s term ends in August.

Meanwhile, deadlock continued over the nomination of the caretaker Prime Minister for the interim period until the polls as the parliamentary committee failed to reach the consensus yesterday.

The PPP has nominated Dr Ishrat Husain and Justice (retd) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, while the PML-N has finalised the names of Justice (retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid and Rasool Bux Palijo for the post of caretaker prime minister.

Former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, who is scheduled to return to Pakistan on March 24 from self-exile, told Gulf News that he has also written a letter to the Pakistan government demanding security in his capacity as former head of the state and a bullet proof car on his arrival in Karachi.

- With inputs from agencies