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| Pakistan poll date decision due | Pakistan poll date decision due |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Pakistan's election commission is meeting to decide when elections originally scheduled for 8 January will take place. | Pakistan's election commission is meeting to decide when elections originally scheduled for 8 January will take place. |
| On Tuesday it said holding the polls as planned looked "impossible", in the wake of clashes following the killing of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. | On Tuesday it said holding the polls as planned looked "impossible", in the wake of clashes following the killing of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. |
| A commission official said the decision on the parliamentary poll would be made after consulting the political parties. | A commission official said the decision on the parliamentary poll would be made after consulting the political parties. |
| The main opposition parties want the poll to go ahead as planned. | The main opposition parties want the poll to go ahead as planned. |
| The commission's spokesman, Kanwar Dilshad, said violent protests had directly affected the organisation of the poll. | The commission's spokesman, Kanwar Dilshad, said violent protests had directly affected the organisation of the poll. |
| 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 Successors' challengeReaders react to successionProfile: Asif Ali Zardari Thirteen polling offices were burnt in Ms Bhutto's home province of Sindh as protests and violent clashes broke out after her assassination last Thursday, he said. | 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 Successors' challengeReaders react to successionProfile: Asif Ali Zardari Thirteen polling offices were burnt in Ms Bhutto's home province of Sindh as protests and violent clashes broke out after her assassination last Thursday, he said. |
| But opposition parties have condemned any delay as a desperate measure to avoid defeat by President Pervez Musharraf's ruling party. | But opposition parties have condemned any delay as a desperate measure to avoid defeat by President Pervez Musharraf's ruling party. |
| "There are no grounds whatsoever for delaying the elections," said Raza Rabbani, deputy secretary general of Ms Bhutto's party, the PPP. | "There are no grounds whatsoever for delaying the elections," said Raza Rabbani, deputy secretary general of Ms Bhutto's party, the PPP. |
| "It is being done only at the behest of the PML-Q as they are seeing their defeat," he said. | "It is being done only at the behest of the PML-Q as they are seeing their defeat," he said. |
| The other main opposition leader, former PM Nawaz Sharif, vowed his party would "agitate" against a delay. | The other main opposition leader, former PM Nawaz Sharif, vowed his party would "agitate" against a delay. |
| The ruling PML-Q party has said the 8 January 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 8 January vote should be delayed for several weeks, on the grounds that the vote would "lose credibility" if held under current conditions. |
| 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. |
| Dossier on 'rigging' | Dossier on 'rigging' |
| On Tuesday, one of Ms Bhutto's aides said that the day the PPP leader was killed, she had been planning to give two visiting US lawmakers a 160-page dossier setting out how she thought the vote would be rigged. | On Tuesday, one of Ms Bhutto's aides said that the day the PPP leader was killed, she had been planning to give two visiting US lawmakers a 160-page dossier setting out how she thought the vote would be rigged. |
| The aide said it documented how Pakistan's ISI intelligence service and the election commission planned to use intimidation and fake ballots to ensure a ruling party victory. | The aide said it documented how Pakistan's ISI intelligence service and the election commission planned to use intimidation and fake ballots to ensure a ruling party victory. |
| President Pervez Musharraf's spokesman dismissed the claims as "ridiculous". | President Pervez Musharraf's spokesman dismissed the claims as "ridiculous". |
| "Take it from me, it's going to be perhaps the best election that Pakistan has ever had," said Rashid Qureshi. | "Take it from me, it's going to be perhaps the best election that Pakistan has ever had," said Rashid Qureshi. |
| 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. |
| The commission says in many districts ballot boxes and voting screens have been destroyed and the printing of ballot papers - and their delivery around the country - has also been disrupted. | The commission says in many districts ballot boxes and voting screens have been destroyed and the printing of ballot papers - and their delivery around the country - has also been disrupted. |
| Clashes | Clashes |
| At least 47 people have been killed in violence since Ms Bhutto's death. | At least 47 people have been killed in violence since Ms Bhutto's death. |
| The authorities have accused pro-Taleban militant leader Baitullah Mehsud of being behind her killing. | The authorities have accused pro-Taleban militant leader Baitullah Mehsud of being behind her killing. |
| On Wednesday, the military said troops had killed about 25 militants in the tribal region of South Waziristan where Baitullah Mehsud is based. | On Wednesday, the military said troops had killed about 25 militants in the tribal region of South Waziristan where Baitullah Mehsud is based. |
| Fighting began on Tuesday after four troops were taken hostage by the militants, the authorities say. | Fighting began on Tuesday after four troops were taken hostage by the militants, the authorities say. |
| There is no independent confirmation of the military's account. |