People in Pakistan have been waiting for a decision on Wednesday from the election commission over the postponement or otherwise of the parliamentary elections scheduled for Jan. 8.
"Delay or not to delay, that is the question facing the election commission as it is expected to announce a decision shortly," the local Dawn News channel said in its headline news
Pakistan's election commission continued their meeting earlier Wednesday in Islamabad to discuss the final date for elections, after the death of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto which has triggered rioting across the country.
The commission will address the media on their final decision at 5 p.m. (1200 GMT) Wednesday.
Some local media cited their sources as saying that the polls had been postponed till at least Feb. 11 while others said the end of February. There is no official confirmation so far.
Secretary Election Kanwar Dilshad on Tuesday denied a New York Times report on the postponement of the polls, the official Associated Press of Pakistan said.
However, he said local authorities had not described security in some places as ideal for holding elections and the election commission would approach political parties for their opinion,
"We have decided to know their view point also," Dilshad was quoted as saying.
He also denied the possibility of postponing polls in selective districts.
In a separate development, Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf had announced he was to address the nation on television on Wednesday evening and said the decision on the timing of the elections would be left to the election commission.
Pakistan People's Party, which installed 19-year-old Bilawal, the only son of its late chairperson Bhutto, said it was opposed to any postponement of the pollings.
The party's spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Wednesday that elections had been held in other countries or regions that were no less dangerous.
The security situation in Pakistan had improved slightly after the PPP made their choice of party leaders.
Analysts said a postponement of the polling might lead to deterioration in the security situation or even riots as supporters of the Pakistan People's Party might be angered by such a decision.
Source:Xinhua
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