Pakistan says to hold election by January

Kamran Haider and Augustine Anthony
Reuters
Monday November 5, 2007

The Pakistani government said on Monday it would hold a national election by mid-January, as it came under pressure from the United States for imposing emergency rule and detaining lawyers and opposition politicians.

President Pervez Musharraf, facing international criticism after suspending the constitution and purging the Supreme Court, told diplomats on Monday he was determined to quit as army chief and become a civilian president.

U.S. President George W. Bush, who values Musharraf as an ally in his battle against al Qaeda and the Taliban, called for a quick return to civilian rule and the release of hundreds of detainees rounded up since Saturday.

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It had been unclear whether parliamentary elections scheduled for January would go ahead, but Attorney General Malik Abdul Qayyum told Reuters:

"It has been decided there would be no delay in the election and by November 15, these assemblies (national and provincial) will be dissolved and elections will be held within the next 60 days."

Full article here.

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