Islamabad - Millions of Pakistanis were voting Monday in crucial parliamentary elections amid fears of violence and rigging by the backers of embattled President Pervez Musharraf. While Musharraf isn't running, the polls are seen as a referendum on his rule, and 80 million registered voters could decide the future of the retired Army general who is a key ally in the US-led fight on terrorism.
The polls for both national and provincial parliaments are meant to bring a return of civilian government after more than eight years of military rule under Musharraf, but they have been marred by the December 27 assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.
Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party was the runaway leader in pre-election polls with 50-per-cent support, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) - led by another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif - with 22 per cent. The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, which Musharraf continued to claim would win the vote, was a dismal third with 14 per cent.
After voting began nationwide at 8 am (0300 GMT), a bomb exploded near a polling station in Inayat Kili in Pakistan's tribal areas, where Islamic militants have been launching a suicide bombing campaign. There were no casualties, DawnNews TV reported.
In other parts of the tribal areas, tribal elders were preventing women from voting.
Pakistan has a history of election fraud and violence, and local television news channels were reporting low voter turnout in the early minutes of election day.
Election-related violence began even before the polls opened with one candidate from the PML-N shot dead late Sunday. Militants also blew up a polling station in the Shakardara district of the strife-torn Swat Valley early Monday.
