Pakistan celebrates a final end to military rule (Musharraf supporters concede defeat)

[brooklynite]

Source: Times of London

President Musharraf’s supporters conceded defeat last night in a landmark parliamentary election that could seal his political fate and resurrect democracy in Pakistan after eight years of military rule.

But while the two main opposition parties appeared to have swept the vote, neither was expected to win an outright majority, setting the stage for a coalition government in this chronically unstable country.

Despite 470,000 police and troops on the streets, turnout was only 30 to 40 per cent because of a wave of suicide attacks by Islamic militants since July, including one that killed Benazir Bhutto, the former Prime Minister, on December 27. Voting was relatively peaceful given the security threat — although Ms Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) claimed 15 members were killed in an attempt to deter voters.

Final results are not expected until tomorrow, but preliminary figures suggest that the PPP will win the most seats followed by the Pakistan Muslim League (N) led by Nawaz Sharif, another former Prime Minister.

Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3387244.ece

[trthnd4jstc]

1. I wish Truth, Justice, Democracy, and Prosperity to Pakistan!

I hope the Tyrant Musharraf will perform no further shenanigans. Yay! to the Brave People who voted in Pakistan.

[dbt]

2. Please, Goddess, may this hold True and may somebody stick it

up Sandra Day O'Connor's ass sideways just for the paper cuts?

PLEASE?!?!?

:grr:

[Trajan]

3. Final ?

HAH !!! ....

There is no such thing as final in a world of extremists ....

Pervez is well known for taking extra-judicial, extra-constitutional measures to maintain his steely grip on power ....

His party is well known for completely disregarding matters of humanity : Things like the dead bodies of innocents on the streets would not affect them .....

Even if Pervie were tossed out, expect one just like him to follow ....

Same as it ever was .....

[awoke_in_2003]

4. He may have lost

but who still controls the military?

[dipsydoodle]

11. I don't think

he'd get away with that stunt a second time around. They'll prolly ship him out of the country anyway - they such things there.

[awoke_in_2003]

16. Who is going to stop him?

If he controls the military, he can squash his population. As far as an external threat, he does have nukes- probably why we never truly went after Bin Laden.

[flashl]

5. Musharraf's rivals win Pakistan election

Source: Washington Post

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's opponents won a big election victory on Tuesday after voters rejected his former ruling party, raising questions about the future of the U.S. ally who has ruled since 1999.

Counting was continuing with results still awaited in less than 20 seats, but no party was expected to win a majority in the 342-seat National Assembly.

The opposition parties of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appeared to have won enough to command a majority, according to unofficial results. But there is no certainty that they will work together.

The pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League was trailing a distant third, and the party's spokesman conceded defeat but kept open the possibility of joining a coalition.

Washington Post

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/19/AR2008021900422.html

[tekisui]

6. Up next-mushy Impeachment.

[acmavm]

7. I bet we have a new legal alien resident soon. One with a pretty

fat bank account and a lot of security.

[leveymg]

8. Thiis is a much bgger story than Castro's retirement or the latest phony Obama hit piece

Pakistan seems to be on the verge of a civil war, and people are jabbering about an internet "plagiarism" meme based on a hit piece previously used against Biden.

Stupid. stupid. stupid.

[flashl]

9. Explosions at a voting location should have been another indicator of problems. nt

[dipsydoodle]

10. This would not augur well for Mr Musharraf

Quaint english turn of phrase which broadly means Busharraf is fucked.

Buried in here somewhere : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7252046.stm

[sattahipdeep]

12. Who are the real architects ?

But a low voter turnout due to fear of violence and, in some cases intimidation, has prevented the results from being even worse as far as Mr Musharraf is concerned.


BLITZER: But there is a fear that if you lose President Musharraf, who might come in
his place, it could be so much worse. The jihadists and Islamist fundamentalists with
a nuclear bomb, because Pakistan is a nuclear power.

BLACK: That's, in essence, the problem. On the one hand, we can threaten
withholding aid. On the other, if we push too hard, it is possible that
his regime could be challenged. And the alternative for the United States, western
interests, global war on terrorism would certainly be worse by virtually any replacement.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0703/01/sitroom.02.html

[dipsydoodle]

15. Notwithstanding the fact

that's from a year ago - the USA made its bed in Pakistan : now it can lie in it.

[otherlander]

13. K&R

because this is more important than the Cuba thread. An old man giving up power has symbolic importance, but this effects more actual people's lives.

[Roland99]

14. Who's going to guard the nukes now?

[The Croquist]

17. Thats my fear too

Pakistan has nuclear weapons. I don't trust the Pakistanis. We didn't have much choice after 911 but to support Musharraf if we wanted to get to Afghanistan.

[IDemo]

18. AP: Pakistan’s president refuses to step down

Musharraf says he will serve out his term despite his party's election defeat

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - President Pervez Musharraf will not step down as head of state and intends to serve out his five-year-term, his spokesman says, despite a sweeping election victory by his opponents — some of whom want to drive him from power.

Final results from this week’s parliamentary poll were expected Wednesday, but with the count nearly complete, two opposition parties had won enough seats to form a new government, though they will likely fall short of the two-thirds needed to impeach the president.

Musharraf’s spokesman Rashid Qureshi said Tuesday the president intends to work with the new government and will serve out his term, which expires in 2012.

“The people on Monday didn’t vote to elect a new president,” he said. “In fact, they participated in the elections to elect the new parliament.”

But the vote was widely seen as repudiation of Musharraf, whose approval ratings have plummeted following his decisions last year to suspend the constitution purge the judiciary and round up political opponents.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23250194/