This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7165448.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Pakistan delays election decision | Pakistan delays election decision |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Pakistan's election body has delayed a decision on whether to put back elections planned for 8 January in the wake of Benazir Bhutto's assassination. | Pakistan's election body has delayed a decision on whether to put back elections planned for 8 January in the wake of Benazir Bhutto's assassination. |
| A formal statement is now expected on Tuesday, although officials have told reporters that the vote would be delayed by several weeks. | A formal statement is now expected on Tuesday, although officials have told reporters that the vote would be delayed by several weeks. |
| Ms Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party does not want the poll to be postponed. | Ms Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party does not want the poll to be postponed. |
| Pakistan's stocks fell by 4.7% as they resumed trading after three days of mourning following Ms Bhutto's death. | Pakistan's stocks fell by 4.7% as they resumed trading after three days of mourning following Ms Bhutto's death. |
| Sympathy vote | Sympathy vote |
| The ruling PML-Q party has said the January 8 vote should be delayed for several weeks, on the grounds that the vote would "lose credibility" if held under current conditions. | The ruling PML-Q party has said the January 8 vote should be delayed for several weeks, on the grounds that the vote would "lose credibility" if held under current conditions. |
| But the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) - now led by Ms Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari and his son, Bilawal - says it wants the elections to go ahead as planned. | But the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) - now led by Ms Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari and his son, Bilawal - says it wants the elections to go ahead as planned. |
| The BBC's Chris Morris in Islamabad says the PPP wants elections as soon as possible, in order to take advantage of what could be a big sympathy vote. | The BBC's Chris Morris in Islamabad says the PPP wants elections as soon as possible, in order to take advantage of what could be a big sympathy vote. |
| The other main opposition party, led by Nawaz Sharif, has indicated it is also in favour of holding the elections on January 8, after dropping plans for a boycott. | The other main opposition party, led by Nawaz Sharif, has indicated it is also in favour of holding the elections on January 8, after dropping plans for a boycott. |
| The electoral commission has asked each of Pakistan's four provincial governments to compile reports on their readiness for an election. | The electoral commission has asked each of Pakistan's four provincial governments to compile reports on their readiness for an election. |
| At least ten local election offices have been burnt down in the rioting which followed Benazir Bhutto's death. | At least ten local election offices have been burnt down in the rioting which followed Benazir Bhutto's death. |
| PPP TOP LEADERS Asif Ali Zardari Benazir's widower and former political ally, has faced corruption and other chargesBilawal Bhutto (pictured) Benazir's son, a 19-year-old Oxford University student, considered too young by some PPP membersMakhdoom Amin Fahim Senior PPP figure and top aide to Benazir Profile: Bilawal BhuttoSuccessors' challenge href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7165619.stm">Readers react to succession | |
| Ballot boxes and voting screens have been destroyed and the printing of ballot papers - and their delivery around the country - has also been disrupted. | Ballot boxes and voting screens have been destroyed and the printing of ballot papers - and their delivery around the country - has also been disrupted. |
| Too young | Too young |
| If the election does go ahead, it is not clear who the PPP would propose as prime minister. | If the election does go ahead, it is not clear who the PPP would propose as prime minister. |
| At 19, Bilawal is legally too young to stand for parliament. | At 19, Bilawal is legally too young to stand for parliament. |
| And his father has been repeatedly accused of corruption - though he denies the charges and has never been convicted in court. | And his father has been repeatedly accused of corruption - though he denies the charges and has never been convicted in court. |
| Mr Zardari said PPP vice-chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim would probably be its candidate for prime minister. | Mr Zardari said PPP vice-chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim would probably be its candidate for prime minister. |
| Bilawal was chosen to take over the PPP leadership from his late mother at a meeting in the party stronghold of Naudero, near Larkana in the south of the country. | Bilawal was chosen to take over the PPP leadership from his late mother at a meeting in the party stronghold of Naudero, near Larkana in the south of the country. |
| Bilawal, who will be a titular head while he finishes his studies at Oxford University, said: "My mother always said democracy is the best revenge." | Bilawal, who will be a titular head while he finishes his studies at Oxford University, said: "My mother always said democracy is the best revenge." |
| Mr Fahim said Mr Zardari had been named party chairman, but had turned down in favour of his son - a decision Mr Fahim said the party leadership had endorsed. | Mr Fahim said Mr Zardari had been named party chairman, but had turned down in favour of his son - a decision Mr Fahim said the party leadership had endorsed. |
| Mr Zardari also announced that the couple's children would now change their names and be called Bhutto Zardari. | Mr Zardari also announced that the couple's children would now change their names and be called Bhutto Zardari. |
| Mr Zardari added that he had refused to allow an autopsy on Ms Bhutto's body. | Mr Zardari added that he had refused to allow an autopsy on Ms Bhutto's body. |
| "I've lived here long enough to know how and where an autopsy would have been conducted," he said. | "I've lived here long enough to know how and where an autopsy would have been conducted," he said. |
| Instead, he said the party was asking the United Nations and the British government to conduct an investigation similar to the one carried out after the killing of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. | Instead, he said the party was asking the United Nations and the British government to conduct an investigation similar to the one carried out after the killing of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. |
| Pakistani media picked out two suspected attackers, one of whom apparently raised a gun (bottom) | Pakistani media picked out two suspected attackers, one of whom apparently raised a gun (bottom) |
| And he appealed for an end to the unrest in Pakistan, which has killed at least 38 people since Ms Bhutto's killing. | And he appealed for an end to the unrest in Pakistan, which has killed at least 38 people since Ms Bhutto's killing. |
| New pictures | New pictures |
| British Prime Minister Gordon Brown also called for calm in the country and stressed the importance of holding free elections, in an article for Pakistan's Daily Jang newspaper. | British Prime Minister Gordon Brown also called for calm in the country and stressed the importance of holding free elections, in an article for Pakistan's Daily Jang newspaper. |
| "A strong representative democracy in Pakistan will defeat terrorism and extremism, show the path to a more stable, prosperous future, and stand as a lasting memorial to the life's work of Benazir Bhutto," he wrote. | "A strong representative democracy in Pakistan will defeat terrorism and extremism, show the path to a more stable, prosperous future, and stand as a lasting memorial to the life's work of Benazir Bhutto," he wrote. |
| Earlier, Pakistani television released new pictures it said showed Ms Bhutto's attackers - a gunman and a suicide bomber. They also apparently showed Ms Bhutto was inside her car, and no longer standing through the sun roof, when the explosion happened. | Earlier, Pakistani television released new pictures it said showed Ms Bhutto's attackers - a gunman and a suicide bomber. They also apparently showed Ms Bhutto was inside her car, and no longer standing through the sun roof, when the explosion happened. |
| The images added to the dispute over Ms Bhutto's death. | The images added to the dispute over Ms Bhutto's death. |
| Interior ministry spokesman Brig Javed Iqbal Cheema said on Friday that she was killed when the force of the bomb blast knocked her head against a sun roof fitting, and was not hit by bullets. | Interior ministry spokesman Brig Javed Iqbal Cheema said on Friday that she was killed when the force of the bomb blast knocked her head against a sun roof fitting, and was not hit by bullets. |
| The PPP has insisted she was killed by two bullets, one of which pierced her skull and another which hit her in the neck. | The PPP has insisted she was killed by two bullets, one of which pierced her skull and another which hit her in the neck. |