Vote Delays In Pakistan Anger Alliance

Islamabad, Pakistan — Elections to fill vacant seats in Pakistan's National Assembly and state legislatures were delayed by two months because of security concerns and the presentation of the federal budget in June.

Voting to fill eight National Assembly and 30 provincial assemblies' seats will take place on August 18 instead of June 18, according to a statement posted yesterday on the Web site of the Election Commission of Pakistan. The country's ruling coalition said it was not consulted about the delay.

"It is a conspiracy" by President Musharraf, Siddique-ul-Farooq, a spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League faction headed by former minister Nawaz Sharif, said. Muslim League is the second-biggest party in the ruling coalition which is led by the Pakistan Peoples Party of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Last month, the agency had postponed the elections by two weeks, to June 18 to give political parties more time to campaign. The PPP and Mr. Sharif's faction defeated the Pakistan Muslim League, Quaid-i-Azam, which is loyal to Mr. Musharraf, in the February 18 parliamentary balloting.