Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif says he will join the late Benazir Bhutto's party in a coalition, raising the prospect of a government hostile to President Pervez Musharraf. Ms Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party won the most seats in a February 18 general election but not enough to rule alone. The alliance was formed (3/09) after weeks of negotiations, with the sticking point the future of president Pervez Musharraf. Mr Sharif has consistently called for President Musharraf to step down, and it's not clear if the coalition will support the demand in parliament. But the party will move to reinstate judges sacked by President Musharraf last November when it appeared they were preparing to declare his presidency illegal. President Musharraf, who faces the prospect of a hostile parliament, has urged the incoming government to leave politics aside and focus on good governance, economic management and peace and stability. He denied accusations that he was delaying calling the new parliament, and said on Friday the new assemblies would be convened within 10 days. Power-Sharing Deal Is Set in Pakistan 3/10 SB120506893797522359
Pervez Musharraf says he has no plans to resign, despite a sweeping election victory by opposition parties over his allies. Asked by the Wall Street Journal whether he would consider resigning, General Musharraf said he would continue in moves to bring a stable democratic government to Pakistan. As his ruling party has been trounced by the opposition parties of former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and the assassinated Benazir Bhutto, General Musharraf is facing mounting calls to quit, while opposition parties move towards a coalition government to isolate the president and force him from power. Unofficial results from Monday's poll (2/18) give the former Mrs Bhutto's PPP the most seats, followed by Mr Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. Mr Sharif has invited other opposition factions to join forces in a coalition to oust the president, and says the two biggest parties must work together. Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of Mrs Bhutto and the interim chairman of her party, says he is not interested in forming a government with anyone associated with the Musharraf regime. 巴基斯坦國會選舉，總統穆沙拉夫領導的穆斯林聯盟領袖派遭受慘敗，穆沙拉夫多名政治盟友包括執政黨主席、外長及鐵路部長都敗選，已故前總理貝娜齊爾為首的人民黨成為最大政黨，他們與另一名前總理謝里夫領導的穆斯林聯盟謝里夫派，贏得國會超過半數議席，可籌組聯合政府動搖穆沙拉夫執政地位。
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Qazi Mohammed Farooq, head of the Pakistani election commission, announced Wednesday (1/02) the government has postponed elections until 2/18, more than six weeks later than originally scheduled. The delay, which was expected, follows the 12/27 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto at election campaign rally in Rawalpindi.
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Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto 貝娜齊爾布托 has been killed (12/27) in a gun and bomb attack as she left a political rally in the city of Rawalapindi. A suicide bomber exploded after shooting the former Prime Minister, killing 20 people and wounding 56. Mrs Bhutto's body has been taken from Rawalpindi General Hospital, an air force plane is flying her body to the city of Sukkur in the south, for burial at her home town of Larkana. * Benazir Bhutto was born in 1953 and educated at Harvard and Oxford, she followed her father into politics after he was executed in 1979. She was twice prime minister of Pakistan (1988-90 and 1993-96). On both occasions she was dismissed from office by the president for alleged corruption. At the height of her popularity she was one of the most high-profile women leaders in the world, but after her second fall from power, her name came to be synonymous with corruption and bad governance. Mrs Bhutto went into exile and returned to Pakistan two months ago after President Musharraf granted an amnesty from corruption charges. * Senior members of the Pakistan Peoples Party have opted not to join a boycott of the poll on January 8. But there is still the chance that the Election Commission of Pakistan will delay the vote because of damage done to regional offices. Voter lists have also been destroyed in some areas. Ms Bhutto has chosen her only son, 19-year-old Bilahwal Bhutto Zardari, as her successor to lead the party. But he's not expected to take up his role for a few years. His father, Asif Ali Zardari, and other advisors will run the party until then. Mr Zardari has also called for a United Nations investigation into his wife's killing last week.
Read more:
The Economist Obituary: Benazir Bhutto
Complete Coverage, and a personal remembrance of Benezir Bhutto.
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