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Pakistan elections may be
marked by low turnout: PPP

Though the election commission is yet to reveal figures, the Pakistan Peoples Party on Thursday expressed fears that the turnout in the general elections aimed at restoring civilian rule may be lower than the 36 per cent recorded in the 1997 elections.

Elections were held for the 342-seat parliament and four provincial assemblies - Punjab, Sindh, North West Frontier Province and Baluchistan.

Counting of ballots was underway and results were expected on Friday.

Barring Islamabad and Rawalpindi, there was little enthusiasm among voters in other parts of the country, PPP spokesman Fratullah Babar said.

The party said five of its cadres were killed and several injured in Sindh and Punjab provinces while attempting to prevent rigging by the government-backed Grand National Alliance. In a separate incident, unofficial reports from Punjab said one person was killed in Multan.

According to exit polls conducted by Herald magazine, the PPP was likely to win 76 seats while the government-backed Pakistan Muslim League (Q) may follow with 67 seats.

The PML-N headed by former premier Nawaz Sharif was expected to win around 37 seats and the Muthahida Qaumi Movement 21. The alliance of six religious parties called Muthahida Majilis Amal was expected to win around 17 seats.

This is the first time that two prominent leaders - Sharif and Bhutto - are not contesting the elections. Sharif, who is in exile in Saudi Arabia, withdrew his nomination, while Bhutto has been barred from contesting.

The winning parties would nominate 60 women candidates and 10 from minority communities taking the effective strength of the national assembly to 342.

Musharraf, who overthrew Sharif in a bloodless coup in October 1999, said he would transfer all executive powers to the party which forms the government and that a new civil administration would be in place by the first week of November.

He, however, said he would continue to retain the power to dismiss parliament if he found the government to be indulging in corruption.

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Three killed in Pak elections

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