Bad signs for Musharraf in early Pakistan vote count

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Early results from Pakistan's parliamentary elections on Monday showed the political friends of U.S. ally President Pervez Musharraf were struggling.

Overall trends were unlikely to become clear until Tuesday morning, but small groups of opposition supporters, perhaps prematurely, celebrated in the streets of Lahore and Rawalpindi.

"This is the voice of the nation," Musharraf said on state-run Pakistan Television. "Everyone should accept the results, that includes myself."

Musharraf pledged to work with the victors to build democracy in a country that has alternated between civilian and army rule throughout its 60-year history.

A hostile parliament could try to remove Musharraf, who came to power as a general in a 1999 coup and emerged as a crucial Muslim ally in a war on terrorism that most Pakistanis think is America's not theirs.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080218/ts_nm/pakistan_election_dc

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Some Pakistan women warded off voting By KATHY GANNON, Associated Press Writer
3 minutes ago



KHAZANA, Pakistan - Posters of the Muslim world's first female prime minister, the late Benazir Bhutto, fluttered in the wind. But the ballot boxes inside the women's polling station of this impoverished village were empty Monday.

The elders of the village in the Islamic nation's conservative northwest took their own vote the day before Pakistan staged its crucial elections. They decided women would not have a say in selecting the constituency's national and provincial lawmakers.

No one defied the order, said Farida Begum, an election official at the largest segregated polling station in Khazana.

"Everything is available for women to vote. We are here but no one is coming so we are just sitting and gossiping," said Begum, her stout frame hidden behind a white chador or shawl.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080218/ap_on_re_as/pakistan_women_without_the_vote;_ylt=AtKVUC1UjKWfo.grcdLlROIBxg8F

[LynnTheDem]

1. And "another bad sign for george w. bUsh"

The Decider who supports Top Ten Dictators such as Mushie.

[fascisthunter]

3. Aint That the Truth

On a more pleasant note: The Globe seems to be moving in the opposite direction from Bush and his friends.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Karma Blowback

[daleo]

4. These are like the U.S. exit polls in 2004

I wouldn't bet on them lasting until tomorrow morning.

[cliss]

7. Agreed.

Just watch - amazingly the tide will turn overnight.

Somehow, miraculously, Pervez Musharraf will emerge the winner. It won't be a huge margin (it never is) but just enough to squeak by and claim victory.

Then watch the bloodshed.

[tom_paine]

8. Yup. Never forget Musharraf is a Bushie.

He didn't have his ISI/al-Qaeda pals whack Bhutto for nothing.

[maddezmom]

5. Pakistani leaders lose parliament seats

Pakistani leaders lose parliament seats 12 minutes ago



ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan's ruling conceded that opposition parties were doing well in Monday's parliamentary elections after unofficial returns showed two of its top leaders had lost their seats.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, chairman of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q party, and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the outgoing railways minister, lost in the party's stronghold in Punjab province, Dawn News and Aaj TV reported.

Both men are close political allies of President Pervez Musharraf.

"People have given their verdict. We respect it. We congratulate the PML-N and PPP. They have done well," said PML-Q spokesman Tariq Azeem, referring to the opposition parties of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and another ex-premier, Nawaz Sharif.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080218/ap_on_re_as/pakistan_election;_ylt=AuwrbF2ZZ8EZUoSP4JwEP7cBxg8F

[maddezmom]

6. Revolution if Mushrarraf doesn’t quit: ex-ISI chief

Posted online: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 2258 hrs Print Email
TORONTO: : Former chief of Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has said “an Iran-like revolution” is possible in the country if President Pervez Musharraf does not step down immediately. “If Musharraf does not step down. We may have to think (about forcibly removing him) because, after all, the country is more important,” former ISI Chief Hamid Gul has said in an interview to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.


more:http://www.indianexpress.com/story/274426.html

[Lone_Star_Dem]

9. My hopes are he will step down before things go too far there.

At the same time I realize he's enjoyed his absolute power for more than long enough to believe he doesn't have to.

[maddezmom]

11. my fear is he'll retire here in the US

[Lone_Star_Dem]

12. I wouldn't be surpised if he did.

Bush is probably trying to sell him the pig farm in Crawford even as we speak.

[maddezmom]

14. I was going to say that in my post

and I edited it....:hi:

[maddezmom]

10. Pakistan Opposition Heads for Victory in Anti-Musharraf Vote

Pakistan Opposition Heads for Victory in Anti-Musharraf Vote

By Khalid Qayum and James Rupert

Feb. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Pakistan's opposition parties were poised to sweep nationwide parliamentary elections as President Pervez Musharraf's supporters prepared to concede defeat.

``It seems, according to predictions, that the opposition has won,'' Tariq Azeem, a spokesman for the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-i-Azam said in a telephone interview from the capital, Islamabad.

Early results from the 64,000 polling booths showed gains for the late Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party and former prime minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League, according to three major private TV networks. A two-thirds majority would give the opposition the mandate to press Musharraf to reverse constitutional changes that have kept him in power for nine years.

``Going by the trend the opposition parties will win, if they don't sweep they will at least get the majority,'' Talat Masood, former general and a political and defense analyst, said in a telephone interview from Islamabad. ``Definitely, the results are being delayed and maybe the authorities will try to take advantage of the night but I doubt very much they will be able to manipulate.''

more:http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=agR9zljJ_XpI

[cal04]

13. Pakistanis Deal Severe Defeat to Musharraf in Election

Pakistanis dealt a crushing defeat to President Pervez Musharraf in parliamentary elections Monday, in what government and opposition politicians said was a firm rejection of his policies since 2001 and those of his close ally, the United States.

Almost all the leading figures in the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, the party that has governed for the last five years under Mr. Musharraf, lost their seats, including the leader of the party, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussein, the former speaker of parliament, Chaudhry Amir Hussein, and six ministers.

Though official results would not be announced until Tuesday, early returns indicated that the vote would usher in a prime minister from one of the opposition parties, and opened the prospect of a parliament that would move to undo many of Mr. Musharraf’s policies and that may even try to remove him.

The early edge went to the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, which seemed to benefit from a strong wave of sympathy in reaction to the assassination of its leader, Benazir Bhutto, eight weeks ago, and may be in a position to form the next government.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/world/asia/19pstan.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin