Election Pakistan

Pakistan. A nation that begs the question, "WTF?" So far, it seems the election there had a low turnout. Musharraf appears to have lost a key ally, but the votes are still being counted. According to the Associated Press, "Balloting proceeded without major attacks, although the opposition party of assassinated ex-prime minister Benzir Bhutto claimed that 15 of its members had been killed and hundreds injured in scattered violence 'deliberately engineered to deter voters.'" That's good, I guess, by Pakistani standards. (WTF?) Well, sure it is. Here in the U.S., balloting proceeded on February 5th without major attacks, too, and we consider that to be good, right? ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: As polling closed in Pakistan’s most-watched general elections on Monday and the counting of votes got under way, cadres of the Pakistan People’s Party and Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (N) began taking out jubilant processions in anticipation of victory while gloom descended over the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), the former ruling party and ally of President Pervez Musharraf. MORE at The Hindu... ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — President Pervez Musharraf appealed for national unity Monday as early unofficial returns showed the opposition doing well in parliamentary elections aimed at bolstering democracy and calming political strife. But after fear and apathy kept millions of voters at home, there were worries no clear winner would emerge, resuling in a government too fragmented to rally the nation against Islamic extremists. MORE...