Pakistan's Election a civil war that will surely happen

Pakistan's tryst with the future began with news of a bloody murder of a political candidate in the heart of Lahore.

As Nawaz Sharif made a helpless attempt to console a family paralysed by grief, his party spin masters were worried.

Would the violence kill the spirit of the election and keep voters locked indoors? Miles away blasts ripped through Balochistan and Quetta, and many believed their worst fears had come true, the violence would pull down the voter turn out dramatically.

To begin with, Lahore's streets certainly seemed almost empty, but as the day picked up, so did life at the polling booths but mostly bit by bit.

Whatever the final tally, it was definitely more a trickle than the flood predicted by pollsters. Some said they were proud citizens and despite the alarmists, the vote had been smooth and painless.

''The whole process has been smooth and I think this is very important for our democracy,'' said a woman voter.

Others complained that their names had mysteriously vanished from the voters' lists. A low voter turn out could mean that the real political battle begins only now.

Benazir's assassination may have defined this election campaign, but in Punjab with its 148 seats, more than half of the seats in Parliament, is where the real battle for Pakistan's future will be fought.

And the questions have begun, will Asif Zardari join hands with Musharraf and if Sharif is able to capture the heart of Punjab, will he be able to stop him?

Perhaps, sensing that the election may not throw up a definitive outcome, Nawaz Sharif's party has now declared that anything less than a clear majority for the opposition would spell a rigged election.

NDTV: What happens if there is a hung assembly and your party does not get a two thirds majority. Are you concerned that Asif Zardari could make a pact with the PML-Q or Pervez Musharraf because they have not made their position clear?

Shahbaz Sharif: Let me be very clear, if it's a hung assembly, we will say that the election has been rigged.

NDTV: Anything less than two thirds is rigged?

Shahbaz Sharif: Yes, we will protest.

Now the world's eyes are on Asif Zardari. Will Benazir's husband honour her memory by standing on political principle or will he find a pragmatic middle ground that keeps Pervez Musharraf happy as well?

The elections may be over, but Pakistan's future is as tense as its past.