Polls Close in Pakistan's Parliamentary Elections
巴基斯坦周一选举外界担心被操纵
Polls have closed in Pakistan, where voters turned out to elect a new parliament and mark the country's transition from military rule to a democracy. Threats of violence appeared to keep voter turnout low. The vote comes amid concerns of violence and allegations that the results may be rigged.
巴基斯坦选民星期一进行投票，这是这个南亚国家60年来重要的选举之一。就在即将举行选举之际，人们担心发生暴力事件以及投票结果被人操纵。
Officials in Pakistan say more than 80 million voters are eligible to participate in the election to select members of the lower house of Parliament and the nation's four provincial assemblies.
巴基斯坦官员说，8千多万选民将有资格投票选举议会众议员和4个省议会的议员。
The elections are considered critically important to restoring democracy following eight years of military rule under President Pervez Musharraf.
在穆沙拉夫总统实行8年军事统治后，人们认为这些选举对于恢复民主制度是至关重要的。
The voting is occurring against a backdrop of concern about security following the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in a gun and suicide bombing attack last December.
反对派领袖布托在去年12月发生的枪击和自杀炸弹袭击中遭到暗杀，因此在选举即将举行之际，人们对安全问题感到担忧。
More than 80,000 soldiers and nearly 400,000 police and paramilitary forces are providing security for the polls.
在各投票站，8万多名军人和将近40万名警察和准军事人员担任警戒。
The Pakistan Muslim League-Q, which backs President Musharraf, is facing a major challenge from Ms. Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party and a faction of the Pakistan Muslim League headed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
支持穆沙拉夫总统的巴基斯坦穆斯林联盟(领袖派)所面对的挑战来自布托的巴基斯坦人民党以及前总理谢里夫的巴基斯坦穆斯林联盟派。
Several deaths were reported during sporadic clashes across the country.
据报导，巴基斯坦各地爆发的零星冲突导致数人死亡。
Late Sunday in Lahore unidentified gunmen shot and killed a candidate from Mr. Sharif's party who was running in the provincial elections.
在拉合尔，一名身份不明的枪手星期天夜间开枪打死了谢里夫党内一名参加省议会选举的候选人。
Several American lawmakers are here to observe the elections, including Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, the co-chair of the Pakistan caucus in the House of Representatives.
几名美国国会议员在伊斯兰堡观察选举，其中包括众议院巴基斯坦小组联合主席西拉.李。
"We are here today to encourage the Pakistani people to accept the call of courage and to vote," she said. "But we also recognize that it is necessary to provide safe and transparent methods of voting and an atmosphere for voting."
他说：“我们今天在这里鼓励巴基斯坦人民鼓起勇气参加投票。但是，我们也注意到，必须提供安全和透明的选举方式和投票环境。”
Mr. Musharraf's presidency is not being contested in this election, but if opposition parties win a two-thirds majority in parliament, they would have enough votes to impeach him.
