Fingers crossed, Zardari, Sharif join hands

In a set back to President Pervez Musharraf who was hoping to wean away the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) from former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's PML-N, the two victorious Opposition parties tonight announced that they would form a coalition government of "national consensus" in Pakistan.They have left open a decision on who should be the next Prime Minister.

"We have agreed on a common agenda. We will work together to form a government together at the Centre and in the provinces," Sharif told a joint news conference in Islamabad with Asif Ali Zardari, husband of assassinated PPP leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The announcement of the two parties formally joining hands they together account for 153 seats in a House of 272 - was made after two hours of negotiations between Zardari and Sharif during which they ironed out differences on some key issues.

"We will ensure that you complete a full five year term," said Sharif looking at Zardari who in turn said there were a "lot of grounds to cover" but "Inshallah (God willing) we will be meeting off and on. In principle we have agreed to stay together."

"We are trying to form a national consensus government," said Zardari.

The coming together of Zardari and Sharif may spell trouble for

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PAK ELECTIONS - His fate in balance, Musharraf says will welcome any winner

A FTER months of unabated violence, including the assassination of for mer Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and fears of rigging, an edgy Pakistan today witnessed by and large peaceful polling - there were no terror attacks and there was heavy security across the country - which may well decide the fate of President Pervez Musharraf.

Counting of votes began shortly after polling ended at 5 pm. Though initial trends have started coming in, the outcome is expected to be clear by Tuesday morning. Some analysts are already saying there may not be a clear winner.

With fears of violence looming large - more than 90 people died in terror attacks in the week leading to the polls - voter turnout took a knocking as the country went to polls after almost eight years of military rule.

An unnamed senior official of the Election Commission was quoted by news agencies as saying that the voter turnout was 35 per cent of the estimated 81 million voters.

But Free and Fair Election Network, a coalition of 40 civil society groups, said that 42 per cent was the average turnout across Pakistan.

President Musharraf, who cast his vote along with wife Sehba and mother Zarin at a polling station in Rawalpindi, promised to work with the

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