(1 Jan 2008) SHOTLIST
Islamabad
1. Official cars arriving at Election Commission
2. Car at entrance of Election Commission
3. Mid of sign on building wall
4. Wide of media outside
5. Election Commission spokesman Kanwar Dilshad walking up surrounded by press
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Kanwar Dilshad, Election Commission spokesman:
"Election commission of Pakistan has decided that, in the first instance, the political parties may be consulted, may be consulted. So after the consultation with the political parties, the date of the poll will be decided."
7. Various of press scrum around Dilshad
++AUDIO AS INCOMING++
Islamabad
8. People reading newspapers at a stall
9. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Marun Khan, vox pop:
"I think an all-parties conference should be held and a joint decision should be taken as to the solution of matter which should be in the national interest."
10. SOUNDBITE: (Urdu) Imran Khan, vox pop:
"I think the election commission should decide to postpone the election so that all parties get the time to comprehensively prepare for this election."
11. Wide of newspaper stall
Karachi
12. Various of Karachi Cantt railway station which has been idle for five days
13. Mid of newspaper, headlines featuring the political situation in Pakistan
14. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Kamal Khan, vox pop:
"People are facing a lot of difficulties, shops open and after a few hours close again. Where we will go, and people are happy, even under these conditions."
15. Closed shops on street
Lahore
16. Various of lawyers gathered on street for protest
17. SOUNDBITE: (English) Naveed Inayat Malik, lawyer:
"The elections should not be postponed because in this moment of grief the people of Pakistan People's Party, they have decided they want democracy."
18. Various of lawyers chanting
STORYLINE:
It appears "impossible" for Pakistan to hold a vote on January 8 because of unrest following the killing of Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, the country's election commission said on Tuesday.
The commission said it would announce a new date on Wednesday after meeting the political parties.
"In the first instance, the political parties may be consulted, may be consulted. So after the consultation with the political parties, the date of the poll will be decided," spokesman Kanwar Dilshad told reporters outside the election commission in Islamabad.
The announcement could spark protests by parties demanding quick polls to capitalise on sympathy for the slain opposition leader.
Government and election officials had said earlier they expected a delay of up to six weeks in the polls, which are seen as key to restoring democracy to the nation.
Bhutto's party and other opposition groups want the elections on time because they expect large electoral gains amid sympathy for Bhutto and anger at President Pervez Musharraf following her assassination.
Britain and the United States are also eager for the vote to take place as scheduled, but indicated they would accept a slight delay if technical reasons dictated one.
"I think an all-parties conference should be held and a joint decision should be taken as to the solution of matter which should be in the national interest," one man in Islamabad told AP Television.
Another man added that the elections should be postponed "so that all parties get the time to comprehensively prepare for this election".
Bhutto's killing last week thrust the country into crisis and triggered deadly nationwide riots, which were especially severe in her home province of Sindh.
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