Pakistan postpones vote until February 18

Pakistan on Wednesday postponed general elections until February 18 following the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, which sparked days of unrest that left dozens of people dead.

Bhutto's party and others have opposed the delay but with many election offices wrecked in the unrest that convulsed the nation after her killing, election officials said holding the vote next week was not possible. "In the light of the circumstances, the new date for general elections is 18 February 2008 instead of January 8," chief election commissioner Qazi Mohammad Farooq told a news conference.

"I assure all political parties that the elections will be fair, free and transparent. I appeal to them to accept this decision in the supreme national interest and participate fully," he said.

The delay was announced hours before President Pervez Musharraf was to address the nation on state television, in a speech that officials said would appeal for unity and calm after Bhutto's killing at a campaign rally last week.

The election is seen as Pakistan's crucial next step in the transition to civilian-led democratic rule under Musharraf, a close ally in the US-led "war on terror" who stepped down from his other post as army chief just weeks ago.

Senior officials had confirmed since Monday that the vote would be delayed, but the public announcement was held up by consultations with the main parties amid an uproar over the delay and the government response to Bhutto's death.

AFP