The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Rawalpindi

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf called for reconciliation on Monday after he voted in a general election that could return a parliament set on driving him from office.

The legislative elections were originally scheduled for January 8 but the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto after a rally in Rawalpindi on December 27 forced a delay.

Polls opened at 8 a.m. (10 p.m. Sunday EST) and will close at 5 p.m. (7 a.m. EST). Results are expected to start emerging by midnight and trends should be clear on Tuesday morning.

The death of Bhutto, the most progressive, Western-friendly politician in a Muslim nation rife with anti-American sentiment, raised concern about stability in the nuclear-armed state.

Well over 450 people have died in militant-related violence this year.

Fear of violence kept many Pakistanis away from the polls. Witnesses across the country reported a trickle of voters despite 80,000 troops backing up police to watch over the vote.

The Election Commission said turnout was about 15 percent three hours after polls opened. Monday is a holiday with banks and schools closed.

Former army chief Musharraf voted at a polling station set up in a school in the city of Rawalpindi.

"We must come out of this confrontationalist approach and get into a conciliatory mode. I myself will remain committed to a politics of reconciliation with everyone," Musharraf later told reporters.

"As a president in the centre, I would like to work amicably in a reconciliatory mode with whosoever becomes prime minister."