# Handicap the Pakistani parliamentary election (1/8/08)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicap-the-pakistani-parliamentary-election-1-8-08/430958>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [December 22, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicap-the-pakistani-parliamentary-election-1-8-08/430958 "2007-12-22T20:04:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicap-the-pakistani-parliamentary-election-1-8-08/430958/1 "2007-12-22T20:04:11Z")

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Pervez Musharraf has lifted the state of emergency (discussed in [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=442858&highlight=pakistan) thread) and declared the [parliamentary election](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistani_general_election%2C_2008) will go ahead as scheduled on January 8, 2008. However, press censorship remains in place, the judges who opposed Musharraf remain under house arrest, and there is widespread doubt as to whether a free and fair election can be conducted under these circumstances. Who will win? Who will boycott? How will the results be perceived?

According to [this](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/22/AR2007122200387.html?hpid=topnews) report, only 4% of the people intend to vote for Islamist parties. Which leaves a lot of space for other forces, pro- and anti-Musharraf.

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicap-the-pakistani-parliamentary-election-1-8-08/430958/2 "2007-12-27T21:22:41Z")

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Update: [Benazir Bhutto has been assassinated.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/27/AR2007122700122.html?hpid=topnews) At least 20 of her supporters were killed in the blast. Pakistanis are rioting in the streets.

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**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicap-the-pakistani-parliamentary-election-1-8-08/430958/3 "2007-12-27T21:35:50Z")

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I think about 25% of the candidates will survive.

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**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicap-the-pakistani-parliamentary-election-1-8-08/430958/4 "2007-12-27T21:42:46Z")

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[QUOTE=elucidator]  
I think about 25% of the candidates will survive.  
[/QUOTE]  
I’ll bet the under.

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicap-the-pakistani-parliamentary-election-1-8-08/430958/5 "2007-12-28T01:14:12Z")

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If there is an election at all, now.

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**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicap-the-pakistani-parliamentary-election-1-8-08/430958/6 "2007-12-28T01:56:59Z")

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[**Bhutto said Musharraf failed to protect her: e-mail**](http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bhutto_said_Musharraf_failed_to_protect_her_e-mail/articleshow/2656940.cms)

Money quote:

> [@](#):
>
> **…If harmed in Pakistan, “I would hold Musharraf responsible,” Bhutto wrote in the October email, revealed on air by CNN journalist Wolf Blitzer, who received it from Bhutto’s friend and US spokesman Mark Siegel…**

Make of that what you will.

* * *

US Presidential candidates reactions coming up on Larry King.