Pak opposition wants better security ahead of Feb 18 vote

Pakistan’s opposition parties demanded better security as the nation prepared for a lengthy February 18 election campaign.

Pakistan’s opposition parties demanded better security on Thursday as the nation prepared for a lengthy February 18 election campaign, a week after the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

The country’s main political parties confirmed they would resume the race to restore democracy here but said the government must ensure candidates are protected from the dangers posed by anyone determined to disrupt the polls.

“We would like the government to provide foolproof security to Sharif, including a bulletproof vehicle,” said Ahsan Iqbal, a spokesman for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the party of two-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

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“We will continue our election campaign but we are revising the party chief’s programme of public engagements in view of the current security situation.” President Pervez Musharraf announced the postponement of planned January 8 elections until February 18 in his first major speech to the nation since Bhutto’s murder a week ago plunged the nation into turmoil.

He also announced on Wednesday that a team of investigators from Scotland Yard, expected by the weekend, had been invited to clear up confusion over how the two-time former prime minister died, amid widespread disbelief at the official version of her death.

The PML-N spokesman said the party was not deterred by the vote delay and was determined to wage a lengthy nationwide campaign despite security concerns.

“Although the elections are now more than a month away the delay will not cause any harm to the campaign of our party, which is determined to restore genuine democracy in Pakistan,” Iqbal said.