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Mass Rigging Charged Ahead of Pakistan Vote

Posted Feb 15, 08 5:31 AM CST in World 

(Newser) – Pakistan's postponed parliamentary elections will finally take place on Monday, but allegations are flying that Pervez Musharraf's party has already rigged the vote. Pakistan's intelligence agencies have "pre-stuffed" ballot boxes, confiscated voter ID cards, and appointed party apparatchiks in key rural constituencies, a retired senior intelligence officer told the Telegraph. Musharraf 's party is a clear underdog in the election.

An American-conducted survey suggested that about 50% of citizens would support the Pakistan People's Party, led by Benazir Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari—with 22% backing Nawaz Sharif's Muslim League and only 14% favoring Musharraf's party. Despite the president's denial of vote fraud, the US State Department has said it expects rigging in Monday's poll and is worried about the prospect of post-election violence.

Sources Daily Telegraph (UK), AFP

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Asif Ali Zardari, husband of Pakistan's slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, speaks to supporters at a campaign rally in Faisalabad, Pakistan, Thursday Feb. 14, 2008. Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf...   (Associated Press)
An election commission staff member demonstrates how to seal the ballet boxes at an election office, ahead of next week's parliamentary elections, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, Feb. 15, 2008. (AP Photo/Vincent...   (Associated Press)
A Pakistani man walks next to an election campaign billboard of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, ahead of next week's parliamentary elections, Friday, Feb. 15, 2008, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. (AP...   (Associated Press)
A Pakistani man stands in front of an election campaign billboard featuring a picture of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, as the country prepares for next week's parliamentary election, Friday,...   (Associated Press)
Security officers monitor the crowds as Pakistan's Nawaz Sharif addresses a rally for his Pakistan Muslim League-N Party under a tent in Abbottabad, Pakistan Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008. Pakistani's will...   (Associated Press)
Former prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif addresses a rally for his Pakistan Muslim League-N Party in Abbottabad, Pakistan Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008. Pakistani's will go to the polls in parliamentary...   (Associated Press)
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Pakistan • Pervez Musharraf • Benazir Bhutto • Nawaz Sharif • Pakistan People's Party • Asif Ali Zardari • Pakistan elections • Muslim League


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