Fear and apathy bring low turnout in Pakistan elections

Vote counting began tonight in Pakistan’s parliamentary elections which passed off relatively peacefully despite fears of sabotage by Islamic militants.

With his future hanging in the balance, President Pervez Musharraf resolved to work with the new civilian government, widely tipped to be led by the party of his murdered rival Benazir Bhutto.

An overwhelming victory by the opposition, including Ms Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party could leave Mr Musharraf politically vulnerable and even lead to his impeachment.

Mr Musharraf’s political allies were widely forecast to lose their grip over the country’s parliament amid public opposition at his recent declaration of emergency rule and purging of the judiciary to safeguard his controversial re-election as president in October.

“It is the fate of the Pakistan People’s Party that it will win, and we will change the system after winning,” said Ms Bhutto’s husband, Asif Ali Zardari, after casting his vote in his hometown of Nawab Shah.

Election officials said partial returns would be available later today, but final official returns were not expected for two more days. Nationwide voter turnout figures were unavailable but reports from across the country suggested that most of the 81 million registered voters stayed at home either from apathy of fear of attack at polling stations.

Sarwar Bari, who leads Pakistan’s Free and Fair Elections Network, which had 20,000 observers, said initial reports from the field indicated voter turnout was around 35 per cent which would be the same as 1997, the lowest in Pakistan’s history.

Opposition officials warned the government against trying to manipulate the results.

“People came out today and they voted for us. But we are hearing that their votes will be stolen after darkness, and we will not tolerate it,” Shahbaz Sharif, president of his brother Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N party.

“Those who want to rob our votes should listen that we will not allow them to do it,” he said.

Mr Musharraf promised to work with the new government regardless of who won the vote, after a year of turmoil that has seen an explosion in Taliban militancy and growing public disaffection with Pakistan’s support of the war on terror.

“I will say from my side, whichever political party will win, whoever will become prime minister and chief ministers, congratulations to them on my behalf. And I will give them full cooperation as president whatever is my role,” Mr Musharraf told state television.

More than 470,000 police and soldiers were deployed nationwide to provide security after a wave of suicide bombings, including the one that killed Ms Bhutto’s in December.

But no major attacks were reported , although there was scattered violence between rival political factions.

Opposition politicians have accused the government of planning to rig the balloting, and have threatened street protests.

Mr Musharraf, who recently ceded his command of Pakistan’s powerful army, has warned he would not tolerate such protests.

Despite the stakes, public enthusiasm appeared to wane after Ms Bhutto’s assassination, which deprived the race of its most charismatic figure.

Pakistan has lurched in its 60-year history between weak civilian governments and military rule, including the period since Musharraf’s takeover in a 1999 coup.

The last general elections in 2002, which installed a pro-Musharraf parliament, were widely regarded as flawed and politicians have provided little check on the president’s dominance. But with his power now diminished, the incoming parliament could have more leverage.