Pakistan - News Archive

Pak Parl 2013

Posted: 05/11/2013
Pakistan held parliamentary elections on May 11th where voters elected 342 members to the National Assembly. Veteran politician Nawaz SHARIF’s PML-N (Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz) party made a political comeback by winning 124 seats, and capturing Other parties running in this election included the incumbent Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) headed by Bilawal Zardari Bhutto, son of former President Asif Ali Zardari and the late Benezir Bhutto, and ex-Cricketer Imran KHAN’s newly formed Movement Justice/Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Both parties lagged behind the PML-N with the PPP and PML winning 31 and 27 seats, respectively. SHARIF’s victory is significant considering his removal from power in 1999 by General Pervez Musharraf’s coup, which forced him into exile for 7 years. In March this year Pakistan marked its first ever completion of a civilian term of government without military intervention.  In a country of 86, 189,802 registered voters, voter turnout was exceptionally high with figures of 100 percent being reported in at least 49 polling stations according to observer group FAFEN (Free and Fair Election Network).  However, the group also notes that pre-election violence in parts of the country like Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) claimed over 400 lives and injured approximately 1000 people.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan Releases Computerized Electoral Rolls

Posted: 07/31/2012
The Election Commission of Pakistan released computerized electoral rolls on July 31. Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G EBRAHIM stated that this list totaled 84.365 million voters; 47.773 million of them are male and 36.591 million are female. The Election Commission went door-to-door across the country in order to check and verify voter data. The new list will be displayed at district offices of the Election Commission and voters can verify their names and make any corrections if needed. The next general elections in Pakistan are scheduled for May next year.

Source: ElectionGuide

Constitution disputed in Pakistan

Posted: 05/24/2010
Pakistan's Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to important constitutional measures which parliament passed in April.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistan's Constitutional Reform

Posted: 04/21/2010
Pakistan's constitutional reforms will strengthen democracy but fail to improve the civil-military balance or check the military's influence on defense and foreign policy.

Read full story. Source: CFR.org - Democracy and Human Rights

Pakistan limits president powers

Posted: 04/15/2010
Pakistan's upper house votes unanimously in favour of measures which limit key presidential powers.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistan Moves Toward Parliamentary System

Posted: 04/15/2010
Pakistan's Senate on Thursday unanimously agreed to constitutional amendments limiting Presidential power, among other reforms. The bill now will go to President Asif Ali ZARDARI, who has said he will sign it into law. The main provision eliminates the President's ability to dissolve Parliament, a provision that advocates argue has facilitated several periods of military rule since the country became independent. The bill also would transfer some executive powers to the Prime Minster, remove Presidential power to unilaterally appoint armed service chiefs, and, in a concession to some Pashtun nationalist groups, rename the North West Frontier Provinces as Khyber Paktoonkhwa.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan to curb president powers

Posted: 04/08/2010
The parliament of Pakistan votes unanimously to approve measures which limit key presidential powers.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistan Sharif election ban lifted

Posted: 05/26/2009
Pakistan's Supreme Court rules that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother are eligible to stand for public office.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Trapped in Swat

Posted: 05/12/2009
Resident describes city caught in Pakistan fighting

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Taliban link up with other Pakistani militants

Posted: 05/05/2009
MIANWALI, Pakistan (AP) -- The attackers were local men, drawn from the hot, dusty villages of Punjab province. The mastermind, weapons and guidance for the assault came from the cooler, mountainous northwest - Pakistan's lawless border region with Afghanistan....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Swat deal 'practically dead': Taliban

Posted: 05/01/2009
The peace deal in Swat valley is "practically dead" and the Taliban are waiting for a word from Maulana Sufi Muhammad for taking a decision, a militant commander said.

Read full story. Source: Times of India

Taliban: Peace pact with Pakistan is 'worthless'

Posted: 04/27/2009
ISLAMABAD (AP) -- Taliban militants said Monday their peace deal with the Pakistani government was "worthless" after authorities deployed helicopters and artillery against hide-outs of Islamist guerrillas seeking to extend their grip along the Afghan border....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Osama welcome in Swat Valley, says Taleban

Posted: 04/21/2009
MINGORA (PAKISTAN): - An agreement by Pakistan to allow the Swat Valley to implement Islamic laws has prompted militants there to welcome the visit of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Read full story. Source: Straits Times Interactive - ASIA

Vote deposes Kashmiri leader

Posted: 01/06/2009
Parliament in Pakistan-administered Kashmir votes out the government after accusing it of mismanagement and corruption.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Zardari takes office as president of Pakistan

Posted: 09/09/2008
The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai - the only significant international figure at the ceremony - was invited by Zardari to attend his swearing in as a peacemaking gesture of conciliation.

Read full story. Source: Asia - Pacific - International Herald Tribune

Pakistani Presidential Vote Slated for September 6; Governing Coalition Collapses

Posted: 08/28/2008
Pakistan's election commission announced last week that it will hold new presidential elections on September 6 to replace recently-resigned president Pervez MUSHARRAF. However, just as the presidential campaign was to kick off, former Prime Minister Nawaz SHARIF withdrew the support of his Pakistan Muslim League party (PML-N) from the governing coalition. The PML-N made the decision in response to the failure of coalition leader and now presidential candidate, Asif Ali ZARDARI, to reinstate the Supreme Court judges that had been dismissed by former president MUSHARRAF last year. ZARDARI's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the PML-N had formed the governing coalition largely on the basis of their common goal to oust MUSHARRAF, but during the 1990s, the parties were fierce rivals. The PML-N has nominated former Supreme Court justice Saeed-uz-Zaman SIDDIQUI as its presidential candidate to run against ZADARI on September 6. In Pakistan, presidents are elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both houses of the national legislature and all state assemblies.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan's ruling coalition collapses amid dissent

Posted: 08/25/2008
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistan's ruling coalition collapsed Monday, torn apart by internal bickering just a week after Pervez Musharraf's ouster and underscoring fears that the government would be distracted from its fight against Islamic extremists....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Zardari nominated to be president

Posted: 08/22/2008
Pakistan's biggest party, the PPP, nominates its leader, Asif Zardari, to succeed Pervez Musharraf as the country's president.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf Resigns

Posted: 08/20/2008
Long-time Pakistani president and former military strongman Pervez MUSHARRAF resigned from office on Monday. MUSHARRAF ended his nine-year rule in order to avoid the humiliation of impeachment at the hands of opposition parties that won power in this February's parliamentary elections. Opposition parties in parliament were preparing to impeach the now former-president, who may still face various criminal charges. Opposition leader Nawaz SHARIF, whose elected government MUSHARRAF deposed in 1999, called for MUSHARRAF to be charged with treason. SHARIF alleges MUSHARRAF  violated the country's constitution when he declared emergency rule last year to purge the Supreme Court, which was set to rule on the constitutionality of his running for another five-year presidential term. Upon MUSHARRAF's resignation, Senate chairman Mohammedmian SOOMRO became Acting President, as stipulated by the country's constitution, which also requires a new president to be elected within thirty days. However, electing a new president may be a challenge to complete in that timeframe. Pakistani presidents are elected by an electoral college comprised of the membership of the country's Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies. Leaders of the ruling coalition's various political parties met on Tuesday to discuss MUSHARRAF's potential successors. However, no agreement was reached as the parties were unable to settle a dispute over whether and how to reinstate the supreme court justices MUSHARRAF sacked last November.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan's Musharraf steps down

Posted: 08/18/2008
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is resigning after nine years in power, amid impeachment charges based on claims he violated the constitution.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistani president swears in PM Gilani

Posted: 03/25/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf swore in Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday as two senior U.S. officials arrived for talks including Pakistan's role in the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

New Pakistan Parliament Convenes

Posted: 03/17/2008
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistan on Monday inaugurated a new parliament dominated by opponents of President Pervez Musharraf who have vowed to crimp his powers and review his U.S.-backed policies against Islamic militants....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Bhutto's party to decide on next Pakistani PM

Posted: 03/10/2008
BHURBAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif agreed on Sunday to join the late Benazir Bhutto's party in a coalition, raising the prospect of a government hostile to U.S. ally President Pervez Musharraf.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Musharraf says will back new Pakistan coalition

Posted: 03/07/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said on Friday he would support an incoming coalition government that could potentially seek his resignation, so long as peace was maintained.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Militants Assert Themselves in Pakistan

Posted: 03/05/2008
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- After a lull during Pakistan's elections, militants have reasserted themselves with a string of suicide blasts that have killed more than 90 people, including an army general and tribal leaders fed up with the violence....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Bhutto's party woos Pakistan Islamists

Posted: 02/29/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani opposition parties that inflicted a big defeat on President Pervez Musharraf's allies in last week's election are trying to woo Islamists to build a coalition that could threaten the rule of the U.S. ally.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Musharraf's rivals vow to banish army from politics

Posted: 02/27/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani opposition parties which inflicted a crushing defeat on President Pervez Musharraf's allies in last week's election vowed on Wednesday to banish the military from politics.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan's coalition builders leave Musharraf isolated

Posted: 02/22/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's opposition election winners were trying to forge a coalition on Friday, raising the prospect of a government intent on forcing U.S. ally President Pervez Musharraf from power.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Opposition Parties Win Majority in Pakistan Elections

Posted: 02/22/2008
Pakistan’s main opposition parties announced yesterday that they will form a coalition government after winning a majority in Monday’s parliamentary elections. Of the 268 parliamentary seats, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led by Benazir Bhutto’s widower Asif Zardari won 87 seats while former Prime Minister Nawaz SHARIF’s Pakistan Muslim League (N) garnered 67 seats. Current President Pervez MUSHARRAF’s party, Pakistan Muslim League (Q), won only 40 seats compared to 126 seats in the last election. Results for six seats have yet to be announced and the remaining 68 went to smaller and independent parties. In forming a coalition government, the opposition parties will have to decide on a candidate for prime minister and terms for power sharing.

Source: ElectionGuide

Proposed Pakistan coalition could oust Musharraf

Posted: 02/21/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The leaders of the two top parties in Pakistan's recent election meet on Thursday to discuss forming a coalition government that could force President Pervez Musharraf out of power.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan's new balance of power

Posted: 02/21/2008
The BBC's Mark Urban reports on the diverging priorities of Pakistan's winning political parties.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistani leaders set for talks

Posted: 02/21/2008
The leaders of two parties that won most seats in Pakistan's elections are to hold coalition talks.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistan's winners propose anti-Musharraf coalition

Posted: 02/20/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The party of Pakistan's assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto began stitching together a coalition on Wednesday that could topple President Pervez Musharraf, after winning most seats in a general election.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan President Won't Step Down

Posted: 02/20/2008
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistan's president will not step down as head of state and intends to serve out his five-year term, his spokesman said, despite a sweeping victory by his opponents in an election that President Bush on Wednesday judged to be fair....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Musharraf rules out resignation

Posted: 02/20/2008
Pakistan's President Musharraf says he has no plans to resign as opponents seek an alliance against him.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Musharraf urged to go as rivals win Pakistan poll

Posted: 02/19/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's opponents won a big election victory on Tuesday as voters rejected his former ruling party, raising doubts whether the U.S. ally who has ruled since 1999 can keep power.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan Holds Election Key to Democracy

Posted: 02/18/2008
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistanis fearful of militant attacks voted Monday for a new parliament in a key step toward democracy after eight years of military rule under President Pervez Musharraf, whose political survival hangs in the balance....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Pakistan ponders meaning of democracy

Posted: 02/17/2008
As Pakistan prepares for the election to restore civilian rule, the ghost of Benazir Bhutto looms large.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistani Elections Spark Little Fanfare

Posted: 02/15/2008
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- The stakes are high but enthusiasm appears low as Pakistanis face one of the most crucial elections in their history....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Don't agitate after Pakistan poll, warns Musharraf

Posted: 02/14/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf issued a warning to opposition parties to accept the result of Monday's election and not resort to agitation if it goes against them, while guaranteeing it will be free and fair.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan Leader Pledges Fair Elections

Posted: 02/14/2008
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- President Pervez Musharraf pledged Thursday that next week's elections would be free, fair and held on time, after political opponents accused him of planning to rig the vote so he could maintain his grip on power....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Pakistan's Upcoming Parliamentary Elections

Posted: 02/14/2008
As Pakistan prepares for Monday’s parliamentary election, security has been an issue in the hotly contested race between President Pervez MUSHARRAF’s Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and opposition parties Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz). The government announced that the army has begun mobilizing troops at or near the 64,175 polling stations across the country. Additionally, 20,000 local observers and 1000 international observers and journalists including an American congressional delegation are expected to monitor the elections. Security concerns surrounding the elections were heightened on Wednesday by a bomb explosion that killed two people on an election campaign convoy. The elections were originally scheduled for January 8, but postponed after Benazir BHUTTO leader of the Pakistan People’s Party was assassination on December 27.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan election campaign convoy bombed, 2 dead

Posted: 02/13/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A roadside bomb blast hit an election campaign convoy killing two people and wounding three on Wednesday in Pakistan's northwestern Swat valley, police said, as security fears deepen ahead of a February 18 general election.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistani students gloomy about election

Posted: 02/12/2008
LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Students at Pakistan's Punjab University, the country's biggest and a traditional nursery for politicians, are disillusioned with politics and many say they will not be voting in next week's election.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Islamist parties face drubbing in Pakistan vote

Posted: 02/10/2008
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani voters are expected to succeed where President Pervez Musharraf has failed, pushing back the Islamist tide and throwing out of power political clerics governing Pakistan's violent northwest.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Suicide attack heightens fears for Pakistan polls

Posted: 02/10/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani police said on Sunday they suspected Islamist militants based in the tribal areas on the Afghan border were behind a suicide attack that killed up to 20 people at an election rally in the northwest a day earlier.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

British police say blast killed Pakistan's Bhutto

Posted: 02/08/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - British police investigating the murder of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto concluded she was killed by a head injury caused by the impact of a bomb blast, not by a bullet, drawing skepticism from her close aides.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan makes

Posted: 02/07/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani authorities announced two "important arrests" in the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto on Thursday, as her husband issued a rallying call to supporters ahead of an election his wife should have fought.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan's Sharif says danger hinders vote campaign

Posted: 01/23/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's perilous security situation is hindering campaigning for February 18 elections with politicians putting their lives at risk when they go out to seek votes, opposition leader Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan Asks Candidates to Shun Rallies

Posted: 01/15/2008
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistan's government urged candidates Tuesday to avoid large rallies ahead of upcoming elections, citing a "looming threat" following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto at a campaign event last month....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Troops to shoot rioters in Pakistan polls: Musharraf

Posted: 01/15/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has said troops will be ordered to shoot anyone trying to disrupt general elections due on February 18.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan Postpones Parliamentary Elections

Posted: 01/04/2008
Parliamentary elections in Pakistan will be delayed in Pakistan from January 8 until February 18 in the aftermath of Benazir BHUTTO’s recent assassination. BHUTTO’s Pakistan People’s Party, now co-chaired by her husband Asif Ali ZARDARI and her son Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI, has urged for the elections to proceed as planned but has agreed to take part in the postponed elections. Former Prime Minister Nawaz SHARIF’s Pakistan Muslim League-N party who previously boycotted the election will also participate. The head of the election commission, Qazi Mohammed FAROOQ, stated the delay was due to damages sustained in the recent riots following the assassination. Specifically, election officials cited rioters burning election offices, destroying voter lists and ballot boxes. The printing and distribution of ballots have also been disrupted.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistani crisis eases after vote postponed

Posted: 01/03/2008
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's political crisis appeared to stabilize on Thursday with parties looking ahead to an election in which the party of assassinated opposition leader Benazir Bhutto is set to make gains.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Opposition decries election delay in Pakistan

Posted: 01/02/2008
The parties said they feared the delay could lead to more violence in a country still shaken by Benazir Bhutto's assassination.

Read full story. Source: Asia - Pacific - International Herald Tribune

Pakistan sets new election date

Posted: 01/02/2008
Elections originally scheduled for 8 January in Pakistan will now take place on 18 February, polling officials say.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistan sets new election date

Posted: 01/02/2008
Elections originally scheduled for 8 January in Pakistan will now take place on 18 February, polling officials say.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistan government delays elections

Posted: 01/02/2008
Pakistan's parliamentary elections have been postponed until Februrary 18 because of the unrest following the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Read full story. Source: CNN.com - WORLD

Pakistan Election Delayed Until Feb. 18

Posted: 01/02/2008
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistani elections will be delayed until Feb. 18 because of violence following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, authorities said Wednesday, ignoring threatened street protests by opposition parties....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Musharraf government delays Pakistani election

Posted: 01/02/2008
Parliamentary elections scheduled for Jan. 8 have been postponed by the government until February, the secretary of the Election Commission said.

Read full story. Source: Asia - Pacific - International Herald Tribune

Pakistan Vote Delayed to February

Posted: 01/01/2008
The timing of the election and how the news of the delay is received could be critical to Pakistan's stability.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Bhutto supporters pin hopes on son and heir

Posted: 12/31/2007
KARACHI (Reuters) - There is an eerie quiet at Benazir Bhutto's Karachi home-cum-campaign headquarters where grief is giving way to hope that her legacy will live on through her son and heir.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan Officials Predict Poll Delay

Posted: 12/31/2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Elections in Pakistan appeared set to be delayed by several weeks despite demands by the party of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and other politicians that they take place as scheduled on Jan. 8, officials said Monday....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Pakistan delays election decision

Posted: 12/31/2007
Pakistan's election body delays ruling on whether to go ahead with January elections, after Benazir Bhutto's death.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Opposition Parties Vow to Proceed With Jan. 8 Election

Posted: 12/31/2007
Pakistan's largest political party picked Benazir Bhutto's 19-year-old son to succeed her as chairman and vowed to forge ahead with elections next week.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Analysis: Bhutto's Death Shakes Pakistan

Posted: 12/28/2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto's assassination deals a stunning blow to liberal political forces in Pakistan and gathering unrest by her supporters risks tipping the volatile country into chaos....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

News Analysis: Musharrafa's Political Future Appears Troubled

Posted: 12/27/2007
Pakistan�s president, Pervez Musharraf, could now face a prolonged political conflict with his opposition.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Bhutto Assassinated in Attack on Rally

Posted: 12/27/2007
An attack on a political rally killed the Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto near the capital, Islamabad, Thursday. Witnesses said Ms. Bhutto was fired upon at close range and further injured by the explosion.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Benazir Bhutto killed in attack

Posted: 12/27/2007
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is killed in a presumed suicide attack at an election rally.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistan's Bhutto assassinated in gun, bomb attack

Posted: 12/27/2007
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on Thursday in a gun and bomb attack as she left an election rally in the city of Rawalpindi.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan's Bhutto Killed in Attack

Posted: 12/27/2007
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in a suicide attack that also killed at least 20 others at a campaign rally, aides said....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Benazir Bhutto 'dies in blast'

Posted: 12/27/2007
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has died, according to media reports. Bhutto's husband was quoted by Pakistan's GEO TV as saying she suffered a bullet wound to her neck after a suicide bombing that killed at least 14 supporters at a rally today in Rawalpindi.

Read full story. Source: CNN.com - WORLD

Pakistan's Opposition Leader Assassinated

Posted: 12/27/2007
Benazir BHUTTO, Pakistani opposition leader and former Prime Minister, was assassinated today at a campaign rally in Rawalpindi for the January 8 parliamentary elections. At least twenty others were also killed. Her party, Pakistan People’s Party is the largest political group in Pakistan, and was expected to do well in next month’s election. BHUTTO was frequently seen as a leading contender to be Pakistan’s next prime minister. President Pervez MUSHARRAF has called for three days of mourning for the deceased political leader. BHUTTO’s assassination has raised questions about whether the January parliamentary elections will be held as scheduled or whether they will be postponed. Former Prime Minister Nawaz SHARIF, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N announced his party will boycott the elections as a result of the assassination. At a campaign rally earlier today for SHARIF, four of his supporters were shot dead. SHARIF was barred earlier this month from running in the election but his party has significant political weight in Pakistan. President MUSHARRAF has yet to make a decision on whether to delay the elections.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan's Bhutto vows to fight for workers

Posted: 12/26/2007
WAH, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto vowed to fight for workers' rights on Wednesday as she took her campaign for January general elections to an industrial belt near the capital.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Election Ban on Sharifs Is Upheld

Posted: 12/19/2007
Pakistan�s election commission upheld an earlier ruling barring former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother from running in elections scheduled for January.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Pakistan rejects Sharif's election bid appeal

Posted: 12/18/2007
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's Election Commission has upheld an election ban on former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his lawyer said on Tuesday, barring a main rival of President Pervez Musharraf from the January polls.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan's Bhutto takes vote campaign to heartland

Posted: 12/17/2007
HYDERABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto took her election campaign into her heartland on Monday, telling thousands of cheering supporters that President Pervez Musharraf's allies would be defeated.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Most Want Musharraf to Quit, Poll Shows

Posted: 12/13/2007
A public opinion poll in Pakistan has found that 67 percent of Pakistanis want President Pervez Musharraf to resign immediately.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Bhutto happy two main Pakistan parties are in vote

Posted: 12/11/2007
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The participation of Pakistan's two main opposition parties in a January election will either force the government to make it fair or try to rig it so much it will be obvious, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto said.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan Election Campaign Heats Up

Posted: 12/10/2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistan's election campaign began in earnest Monday, a day after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif dropped threats to boycott the balloting to protest President Pervez Musharraf's imposition of a state of emergency....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Opposition to Take Part in Pakistan Elections

Posted: 12/09/2007
The move by the two main opposition parties led by Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif came as a call to boycott the elections foundered Sunday.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Pakistan Opposition Deadlocked

Posted: 12/07/2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistan's opposition parties remained deadlocked Friday after three days of talks to draft conditions they want the government to meet for their participation in next month's elections....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Pakistani opposition disagree on election demands

Posted: 12/07/2007
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani opposition parties have failed to reach agreement on demands to set the government to ensure their participation in next month's election, making a united opposition boycott increasingly unlikely.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Sharif Blocked From Pakistan Election

Posted: 12/03/2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif risks disqualification from Pakistan's crucial parliamentary elections after an official rejected his nomination papers Monday....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Musharraf Sets Date for End of Emergency Rule

Posted: 11/30/2007
Pervez Musharraf made the announcement after being sworn into a second term as president of Pakistan today.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Musharraf starts second term facing sea of woe

Posted: 11/29/2007
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf began his second term as president on Thursday, facing widespread resentment at home, pressure from Western allies to tackle Islamist militancy and a difficult shift to life as a civilian.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Musharraf Retires As Pakistan Army Chief

Posted: 11/28/2007
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) -- Blinking back tears, Pervez Musharraf stepped down as Pakistan's military commander Wednesday, fulfilling a key opposition demand a day before he was to be sworn in as civilian president....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Musharraf Quits Pakistani Army Post

Posted: 11/28/2007
Pervez Musharraf remains president and will be sworn in to a new five-year term on Thursday, but as a civilian leader his power will be diminished.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

MUSHARRAF Quits Army Post

Posted: 11/28/2007
Pakistani President Pervez MUSHARRAF resigned as army chief one day before he is set to be sworn in as president. MUSHARRAF faced opposition to his dual post as president and head of the military at home and abroad. Opposition groups filed six petitions with the Supreme Court challenging MUSHARRAF’s presidential reelection while still head of the military, while the U.S. and Europe urged him to give up his military ties and move toward civilian rule. MUSHARRAF declared a state of emergency on November 3, days before the Supreme Court was expected to rule his reelection invalid. The emergency declaration dissolved the Constitution, fired the Supreme Court, and forced a media blackout. The reshaped Supreme Court then rejected five challenges to the legality of MUSHARRAF’s October reelection and one petition is expected to be heard this week. Pakistan’s top officials say MUSHARRAF will be sworn in as planned for a new five-year term on Thursday.

Source: ElectionGuide

Musharraf Bids Farewell to Troops

Posted: 11/27/2007
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) -- President Gen. Pervez Musharraf bade farewell to the military Tuesday, a day before he steps down as army chief and restores Pakistan to civilian rule in an effort to ease the country's political crisis....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Sharif to register for Pakistani vote

Posted: 11/26/2007
LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Back in Pakistan from exile, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was due to file nomination papers on Monday for polls in January, but he may not take part unless President Pervez Musharraf ends emergency rule.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Civilian presidency beckons for Pakistan's Musharraf

Posted: 11/21/2007
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf returned from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday expecting to be sworn in as a civilian leader in days, having already freed thousands of detainees held under emergency rule.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan Supreme Court Rules in Favor of MUSHARRAF

Posted: 11/21/2007
The reshaped Supreme Court rejected five challenges to the legality of MUSHARRAF’s October reelection and one petition still pending. The new 10-member Supreme Court replaced the former Supreme Court that was disbanded after MUSHARRAF’s emergency declaration. The emergency declaration was announced on November 3 just before the Supreme Court was expected to rule MUSHARRAF’s October presidential reelection illegal because he was still head of the military. The decree dissolved the Constitution, fired the Supreme Court, and forced a media blackout. Thousands of political opponents remain under house arrest, including former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry who was removed from the Supreme Court on November 3. MUSHARRAF has promised he will give up his post as army chief and hold parliamentary elections before February 15 after all petitions have been cleared and his reelection is officially validated.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan court bulldozes through rulings for Musharraf

Posted: 11/19/2007
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's Supreme Court, packed with government-friendly judges since the imposition of emergency rule, dismissed on Monday the main challenges to President Pervez Musharraf's re-election last month.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Court Clears Musharraf Re-Election

Posted: 11/19/2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- A Supreme Court hand-picked by President Gen. Pervez Musharraf swiftly dismissed legal challenges to his continued rule on Monday, opening the way for him to serve another five-year term - this time solely as a civilian president....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Musharraf Plans Election as Opposition Vows Unity

Posted: 11/15/2007
Even as emergency rule continued, the Pakistani president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, pushed ahead on Thursday with preparations for elections.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Caretaker government for Pakistan

Posted: 11/15/2007
Pakistan President Musharraf meets aides to finalise a caretaker government ahead of elections due in January.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

In Interview, Musharraf Defends Rule by Decree

Posted: 11/14/2007
"The emergency is to ensure elections go in an undisturbed manner," Gen. Pervez Musharraf said in an interview with The New York Times.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Pakistani opposition aims to unite against Musharraf

Posted: 11/14/2007
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani opposition parties tried to forge a united front on Wednesday to end the rule of Pervez Musharraf as the military president insisted a state of emergency he imposed this month was necessary for fair elections.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Musharraf vows polls in February

Posted: 11/08/2007
Pakistan will hold elections before 15 February, President Pervez Musharraf says after pressure from the US.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Musharraf Pledges to Hold Elections Before Feb. 15

Posted: 11/08/2007
Gen. Pervez Musharraf also said today that he would give up his military uniform before taking the oath of office for a new term as president of Pakistan.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

MUSHARRAF says Elections Will Occur by February, Despite State of Emergency

Posted: 11/08/2007
General Pervez MUSHARRAF announced today that he would give up his post in the military and that Pakistan will hold parliamentary elections before February 15. Since last Saturday’s emergency declaration, MUSHARRAF has come under pressure to hold the parliamentary elections as planned on January 15, 2008. President BUSH and Britain’s foreign secretary have urged MUSHARRAF to hold the elections as scheduled. MUSHARRAF declared the state of emergency before the Supreme Court was expected to rule his October presidential reelection was illegal because he was still head of the military at the time. The emergency declaration dissolved the Constitution, fired the Supreme Court, and forced a media blackout. The declaration has been highly criticized worldwide as a ploy for MUSHARRAF to retain power as head of the military and head of the government. Pakistani lawyers have protested the emergency rule, but opposition parties have largely been absent from the street protests.

Source: ElectionGuide

Musharraf Rival Prepares for Return

Posted: 10/17/2007
Hearings began today into the eligibility of Pakistan's president to serve another term, as Benazir Bhutto, the opposition leader, prepared to return on Thursday.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Pakistan court takes up Bhutto amnesty deal challenges

Posted: 10/12/2007
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's Supreme Court took up challenges to an ordinance that erased graft charges against former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and underpins hopes for a power-sharing pact between her and President Pervez Musharraf.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

President MUSHARRAF Awaits Ruling on Election, Prime Minister Announces January General Elections

Posted: 10/10/2007
Members of the Pakistani Parliament and provincial assemblies overwhelmingly voted for the re-election of President Pervez MUSHARRAF. Many opposition parties boycotted the election in hopes that their absence would undermine the vote’s credibility. Opposition parties also filed petitions with the Supreme Court contesting MUSHARRAF’s eligibility to run for president and the Supreme Court has said it will rule on the matter by October 17. MUSHARRAF cannot take office unless the Supreme Court rules in his favor. Despite the continued debate over the validity of Saturday’s results, Pakistan’s Prime Minster Shaukat AZIZ announced Wednesday that general elections will be held in January 2008. Some worry, however, that if the court decides against MUSHARRAF that he may declare martial law, thus placing the January poll in jeopardy.

Source: ElectionGuide

Musharraf faces election setback

Posted: 10/05/2007
Pakistan's Supreme Court throws President Musharraf's re-election bid into doubt - one day ahead of the poll.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistanis to Vote With Musharraf's Status in Doubt

Posted: 10/05/2007
Saturday's vote will be held, but a court will rule after the election on legal challenges against Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Bhutto upbeat over power-sharing

Posted: 10/04/2007
Ex-PM Benazir Bhutto says she is "optimistic" of a power-sharing deal with Pakistan's President Musharraf.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistan Talks Are Stalled, Bhutto Says

Posted: 10/04/2007
Benazir Bhutto left open the possibility that her party would resign from Parliament before presidential elections on Saturday.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Power Sharing Talks Between President MUSHARRAF and former Prime Minister Benazir BHUTTO Continue

Posted: 10/04/2007
Former Prime Minister Benazir BHUTTO expressed optimism over a power-sharing deal with President MUSHARRAF. Over the past few months, BHUTTO and MUSHARRAF have been discussing an agreement that would allow BHUTTO to return from exile and enter Pakistani politics as prime minister or in another capacity. On Thursday, BHUTTO said she had received verbal agreement to grant her amnesty on corruption charges that spurred her into self-exile before MUSHARRAF took power in 1999. Despite earlier claims that BHUTTO’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was considering joining the other opposition parties’ resignations from parliament after talks had reportedly stalled, BHUTTO now says the PPP has no such plans. PPP’s joining of the mass resignation threatened to undermine the credibility of Saturday’s vote.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan's power deal 'stalled'

Posted: 10/03/2007
Pakistan's ex-PM Benazir Bhutto says talks to share power with President Musharraf are "totally stalled".

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistan MPs in election boycott

Posted: 10/02/2007
More than 80 MPs resign from Pakistan's national parliament in protest at Saturday's presidential election.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Musharraf in court poll victory

Posted: 09/28/2007
Pakistan's Supreme Court rules that President Pervez Musharraf can stand in next week's leadership election.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Court orders Pakistan releases

Posted: 09/27/2007
Pakistan's top judge orders opposition supporters freed as President Musharraf registers to stand for office again.

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MUSHARRAF Registers for October 6 Presidential Election Despite Controversy

Posted: 09/27/2007
Pakistan’s Election Commission has scheduled its presidential elections for October 6. Controversy continues to surround whether President General Pervez MUSHARRAF may run for re-election as either army chief or as a retired general. MUSHARRAF has said he will resign as army chief is he is re-elected, however, the Supreme Court still must decide if MUSHARRAF is able to run for re-election. The President of Pakistan will be elected by parliament and provincial assemblies, however, on September 29, some opposition parties plan to begin boycotting parliament. Makhdoom Amin FAHIM of former Prime Minister Benazir BHUTTO’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and former Supreme Court judge Wajihuddin Ahmad have both planned to contest the election if MUSHARRAF is barred from running for re-election.

Source: ElectionGuide

Bhutto's Party Enters Presidential Fray

Posted: 09/26/2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's party has declared that it would contest Pakistan's Oct. 6 presidential election - but only if President Gen. Pervez Musharraf is barred from running....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Musharraf details election terms

Posted: 09/25/2007
Gen Musharraf will stay on as head of Pakistan's army if he is not re-elected president, his lawyer says.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Opposition Crackdown Grows in Pakistan

Posted: 09/24/2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Police intensified a crackdown Monday that opposition parties say has left hundreds of activists in custody while the Supreme Court dismissed three challenges to the re-election bid of Pakistan's military leader....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Musharraf facing election rival

Posted: 09/24/2007
An ex-Supreme Court judge is to challenge President Musharraf in Pakistan's presidential vote, lawyers say.

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Islamists Stage Rally Against Musharraf

Posted: 09/21/2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Hundreds of Islamists chanting slogans against Pakistan's military leader rallied outside the Supreme Court on Friday as judges heard petitions challenging President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's right to run for re-election....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Pakistan Presidential Vote Set for Oct.

Posted: 09/20/2007
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- President Gen. Pervez Musharraf will seek a new five-year term in a presidential election set for Oct. 6, officials said Thursday, even as opponents urged the courts to stop him from running and vowed to quit Parliament in protest....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

General Musharraf plans to become civilian president

Posted: 09/17/2007
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf plans to quit as army chief to become a civilian leader, removing a main objection to his proposed re-election in October, a senior ruling party official said on Monday.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistani Leader to Exit Army Job, His Rival Reports

Posted: 08/30/2007
Gen. Pervez Musharraf would resign as army chief and serve another term as president and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto would return to Pakistan.

Read full story. Source: NYT > International

Musharraf rejects emergency, wants elections

Posted: 08/09/2007
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - President Pervez Musharraf rejected calls to declare emergency powers and wants elections to take place in Pakistan, a spokesman said on Thursday after widespread reports the beleaguered leader would opt for authoritarian rule.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Musharraf: Rivals will not return

Posted: 05/18/2007
President Musharraf says former PMs Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto will not return for Pakistan's elections.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Pakistan parliament to re-elect Musharraf, PM says

Posted: 04/23/2007
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - President Pervez Musharraf will be elected for a second term in office by the sitting parliament before it is dissolved ahead of general elections due later this year or early 2008, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Ex-Pakistani PMs urge free polls

Posted: 10/19/2006
Former leaders Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto call for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Exiled Pakistan opposition pledge election return

Posted: 04/24/2006
LONDON (Reuters) - The exiled leaders of Pakistan's main opposition parties pledged on Monday to return for 2007 general elections to try to oust the country's military ruler through the ballot box.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Pakistan's Musharraf to Remain President and Army Chief

Posted: 11/01/2004
On November 1, the Senate approved a bill allowing President Pervez MUSHARRAF to remain both president and army chief until 2007. Proponents of the bill argued that MUSHARRAF is required to keep both posts to ensure security within Pakistan, while opponents argued that the bill is a breach of constitutional rights.  While the bill has been approved by the government, it is up to the president to decide whether the bill will be finalized. If approved, the law will come into effect on December 31.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistani Finance Minister Wins a Seat in By-Elections

Posted: 08/23/2004
On August 20, Finance Minister Shaukat AZIZ won a seat in by-elections in two constituencies.  AZIZ won 76,156 votes in the Attock district and 153,485 votes in Tharparkar, a district in the southern Sindh province. AZIZ had been nominated by President Pervez MUSHARRAF for the post of Prime Minister after the resignation of previous PM Zafarullah Khan JAMALI in June.  However, under the Pakistani constitution, the Prime Minister must a sitting member of the 342-member National Assembly.  AZIZ is expected to be officially sworn in to the Assembly once he chooses the constituency from which he will accept the seat.  Parliament will then cast ballots on August 27 to finalize his nomination as the new PM. 

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan's PM Resigns

Posted: 06/28/2004
On June 27, Prime Minister Zafarullah JAMALI resigned from his post. According to official announcements, Prime Minister JAMALI resigned from office due to differences between him and President Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF. JAMALI nominated Chaudry Shujat HUSSAIN as interim Prime Minister. It is expected that Finance Minister Shaukat AZIZ will eventually take over the Prime Minister's office but he will first have to win a seat in the National Assembly.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan's National Assembly Elects New Prime Minister

Posted: 11/25/2002
On November 21st, members of the National Assembly cast their ballots to elect a new prime minister. Based on the results, Mir Zararullah Jamali of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) won the position by securing 172 of the 342 votes. Jamali was sworn into office on November 23rd, along with his appointed Cabinet members. As the new civilian prime minister, Jamali will be given authority to carry out policies for Pakistan but under the new constitution, President Musharraf still has the power to dissolve Parliament and remove the prime minister while in office.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan's National Assembly Elect a Speaker

Posted: 11/19/2002
Members of Pakistan’s National Assembly cast their votes on November 19th to elect a speaker. Based on the results, Chaundhry Amir Hussain of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) received 167 out of the 327 votes, securing him as the new speaker of the Assembly. The votes were needed because the top three winning parties failed to agree on a joint candidate for the position after the October 10th parliamentary election. With the new speaker selected, the National Assembly is scheduled to elect a deputy speaker, followed by an election of a prime minister sometime next week. In this election, candidates must win at least 171 out of the 342 votes in order to become the prime minister.

Source: ElectionGuide

Constitutional Amendments in Pakistan Allow Greater Voting Freedoms

Posted: 09/09/2002
In elections to be held on October 10, Pakistan’s non-Muslim citizens will be able for the first time to vote for the same candidates as their Muslim counterparts. Under one of the constitutional amendments signed by President Musharaff, Pakistani citizens who are non-Muslim are no longer limited to voting for seats set aside for candidates of ethnic or religious minorities. The amendment will also allow candidates to seek votes from both Muslim and non-Muslim citizens.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistani Opposition Condemns Presidential Decree

Posted: 07/08/2002
Opposition parties have condemned a decree signed by President General Pervez Musharaf that prevents leaders who have held the office of prime minister twice before from being able to run for a third term.  Under the provisions of the decree, former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto would not be able to become Prime Minister after the October 1, 2002 legislative elections.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistani President Likely to Call for Referendum

Posted: 03/25/2002
Government sources and major newspapers in Pakistan are reporting that President Musharraf will call for a referendum in the third week of May 2002. The referendum is likely to ask voters to extend Musharraf’s reign as President for five more years. Musharaf came to power as the result of a coup on October 12, 1999.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan's President Bans Former PMs from Participating in Legislative Elections

Posted: 03/18/2002
President Perez Musharraf stated that former prime ministers, Benazir Bhutto and Nawa Sharif, will not be allowed to participate in the October legislative elections.

Source: ElectionGuide

Pakistan Announces More Seats Added to the National Assembly

Posted: 01/18/2002
The National Reconstruction Bureau announced that 48% more seats will be added to the National Assembly. The government also announced that laws barring religious minorities from fully taking part in elections will be rescinded.

Source: ElectionGuide

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