February
16, 2008 Pakistan Poll
Campaign Ends
with Suicide Attack, 42 Killed By Muhammad Najeeb
Islamabad
At least 42 people were killed and over 100 injured in a suicide
attack in northwest Pakistan's tribal area Saturday evening, marking
a bloody end to the campaign ahead of Monday's crucial parliamentary
polls - described by President Pervez Musharraf as the "mother of
all elections".
"The death toll is now 42," interior ministry spokesman Javed Cheema
told IANS after the attack in the tribal town of Parachinar,
bordering Afghanistan.
The blast took place outside the election office of an independent
candidate backed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
"We have received 34 dead bodies while three injured died in
hospital," a doctor from a Parachinar hospital told IANS. There were
reports that some bodies were taken away from the spot by relatives
of the victims.
Some reports said it was a suicide blast, but the interior ministry
declined to confirm it, saying ministry officials were analysing the
situation and did not rule out involvement of Taliban elements in
the blast.
The Taliban spokesman in Pakistan earlier this week sent a statement
to media organizations that the organisation will not attack any
election facility or gathering.
Talking to media, a security official said a suicide bomber attacked
a PPP meeting outside the party office in Parachinar.
In a separate incident in the nearby Bajaur tribal area, militants
blew up a polling station with a timebomb, the police said.
The campaign ahead of the delayed elections has been marked by
violence, including the assassination of former prime minister
Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi Dec 27.
President Musharraf has warned miscreants not to create law and
order situation in the country.
To counter threats of violence and terrorism on the polling day, the
government has deployed about 81,000 troops of the army throughout
the country, with focus on areas that have been identified as
sensitive.
"Every possible step has been taken to ensure peaceful elections,"
caretaker Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz Khan told mediapersons
Saturday after briefing European Union observers on the country's
10th general elections to the national and four provincial
parliaments.
Giving a break-up, he said the government has deployed 130,000
police personnel in Punjab, 100,000 in Sindh, 50,000 in North-West
Frontier Province (NWFP) and 25,000 in Balochistan to ensure the
security around the poling stations.
He said security arrangements have also been made to provide safe
and secure environment to local and foreign observers to facilitate
them in pursuance of their professional duties.
More than 1,000 observers and journalists are in Pakistan to monitor
the elections.
The government would take stern action against the people getting
involved in any unlawful activity during polls. The Election
Commission can also take action against such miscreants, he added.
He said the government has so far not received any threat regarding
any suicide or bomb attacks, adding that the government was ready to
counter any terrorist activity.
The election campaign in the country remained colourless mainly
because of the security situation and threats of violence. More than
400 people have been killed in several suicide attacks and bomb
blasts in the run-up to the elections.
The three major political parties, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of
Bhutto, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of former prime
minister Nawaz Sharif and its breakaway faction PML-Quaid (PML-Q)
which was ruling till recently, have run massive campaigns in the
media with huge advertisements in newspapers and television
channels.
Despite the Bhutto's murder, the PPP was predicted to sweep its
traditional stronghold of Sindh, the second-largest of Pakistan's
four provinces, it said.
More than 80 million people are eligible to cast their votes in the
polls, the 10th general elections since formation of the country in
1947. The polls are being held under tight security with the army
out to help the law enforcing agencies to ensure peaceful polling.
The fear of violence, especially in the aftermath of Bhutto's
assassination, kept people away from public rallies and campaigning
remained lacklustre with few gatherings compared to previous
elections.
Election analysts are expecting less than 30 percent turnout due to
the security concerns and the outdated election lists.
Of the 64,176 polling stations, 620 have been declared sensitive by
the provincial governments.
The Election Commission Saturday gave final touches to the
arrangements. "Election material has been transported to all polling
stations and everything is fine," said Secretary, Election
Commission, Kanwar M. Dilshad.
The National Assembly (NA) or the lower house has 342 seats, of
which 272 members are elected directly and 60 seats are reserved for
women and 10 for non-Muslims that are divided among the winning
parties on proportional representation. However, women and
non-Muslims are eligible to contest in the general elections as
well.
Monday's election will be held for 268 NA seats as polling on four
seats has been postponed. In three NA and eight provincial assembly
constituencies polling was put off due to the death of contesting
candidates, including in Bhutto's constituency Larkana. Election in
the South Waziristan Agency in the tribal areas has been cancelled
because of the security situation.
More than 2,300 candidates are vying for the 268 NA seats while more
than 4,200 are contesting for the 730 seats in the four provincial
assemblies.
For the first time in the country's history, 180 women are
contesting for the parliament while nine non-Muslims are also
standing in the direct elections.
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