Latest on the election

Latest on the election

(11 Oct 2002) Islamabad 1. Exterior election results centre in Information Ministry 2. Interior of people looking at results 3. Various of results being collated Noshara, North West Frontier Province 4. Qasi Hussain, leader of the Amir Jamiat Islamic Party, one of the 6 in alliance of religious parties, sitting on top of van campaigning 5. Hussain walking in crowd 6. Man leading prayers 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Qasi Hussain, leader of the Amir Jamiat Islamic Party. "Actually this responsibility of the Taliban came suddenly, but as far as the religious parties of Pakistan are concerned they have a very, very long tradition of working with other parties, aligning with other parties and also a very long tradition of democratic, working in the fold of democracy." Islamabad 8. Supporters mobbing politician 9. More of crowd 10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tan Sri Musa Hitam, Chairman of Commonwealth Observer group, "Of particular concern have been the allegations of the widespread use of government influence and resources to favour certain parties and candidates and conversely to disadvantage others. This has raised doubts as to whether it can be said that the playing field was truly level." 11. Establisher Lt Gen Talat Masood, Analyst, 12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lt Gen Talat Masood, Analyst. "I would say that these religious parties influence will have to be taken (into account), but they will not be able to dictate policy. But still the mainstream parties will be in the majority in most of Pakistan and for that reason their policies will dominate. And they understand the importance of being friendly to the west and particularly to the United States. And I think even the religious parties, when they come to power, they will be far more sensible and they will not make the same mistakes as the religious party in Afghanistan (the Taliban) blundered. So I'm fairly optimistic that whereas there will be tensions, there will be contradictions, that on the whole the process will take Pakistan forward." 13. Exterior Faisal mosque 14. Various of United Action Forum offering thanksgiving prayers 15. Worshippers celebrarting strong showing made by religious parties. STORYLINE: Pakistan's religious right recorded its best-ever electoral success in national elections held Thursday, according to official results released Friday. After three years of military rule, Pakistanis failed to elect any one party to form a majority in the federal Parliament, according to official results Friday. With more than two-thirds of the seats in the 342-strong National Assembly or lower House of Parliament accounted for, the pro-military government party was in the lead, but would need to cobble together coalition partners to form a government. The Islamists' success ensures they'll be kingmakers when a new government takes executive power from President Pervez Musharraf on November 1. The six-party Mutehida Majlis-e-Amal or United Action Forum, has won 34 National Assembly seats - the best record for the religious right in Pakistan's 55-year history. The anti-American group will also likely govern two sensitive provinces neighboring Afghanistan where the U.S. is still hunting for remnants of al-Qaida and the Taliban. The election success may also force Musharraf to soften his support for the U.S. antiterror campaign, damage relations with India and hamper civil liberties in the world's only nuclear-armed Muslim state. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...