Pakistan is expected to announce today the postponement of elections originally scheduled for next week, raising fears of a repeat of the violence that followed the assassination of Benazir Bhutto last Thursday.
An official from the country's election commission said yesterday that "in principle" the polls would be delayed. Khanwar Bilshad said that holding parliamentary elections as scheduled on January 8th "looks impossible" due to infrastructural damage caused by rioting and looting in the wake of Bhutto's murder. The final decision would be made after consulting political parties, he added.
The electoral commission has requested each of Pakistan's four provincial governments to prepare reports on whether they can facilitate elections following the widespread unrest that swept the country after Bhutto's killing at a campaign rally in Rawalpindi.
At least 10 local election offices were burnt down in rioting that lasted for days. Officials have reported that ballot boxes and voting screens have been destroyed in several areas, while the printing and delivery of ballot papers have also been disrupted due to the unrest.
The ruling PML-Q party has said that the elections should be delayed for several weeks, claiming the vote would "lose credibility" if it was held in current circumstances. But opposition parties say any delay would be interpreted as a desperate attempt by the PML-Q to avoid a crushing defeat.
Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, who has been appointed co-chairman of her Pakistan People's Party (PPP) along with their son Bilawal, called for the elections to go ahead as scheduled.
Many observers believe the PPP wants elections to be held as soon as possible in order to take advantage of the groundswell of public sympathy following Bhutto's assassination.
"There can be elections in Afghanistan when there is an al-Qaeda movement. Why can't there be elections in Pakistan and on time?" Mr Zardari said.
"There are no grounds whatsoever for delaying the elections," said Raza Rabbani, deputy secretary general of the PPP. "It is being done only at the behest of the PML-Q as they are seeing their defeat."
PPP senator Babar Awan warned of further violent protests if the vote was postponed. At least 47 people have been killed since Bhutto's death.
"If elections are delayed, the constitution is violated, then this would amount [ to an] opening of a floodgate of violence throughout the country," Mr Awan said.
The other main opposition leader, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, also urged that elections take place without delay. He vowed that his party would agitate against any postponement.
The White House has said the elections should go ahead as planned if they could be held in a "safe and secure" way.
Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto (19) has returned to the family home in Dubai after succeeding his mother as head of the PPP. He will serve as leader in a symbolic capacity until he finishes his studies at Oxford university. Under Pakistani law he cannot stand for election until he turns 25.