Pakistani army vows to protect voters in landmark election

Pakistan's military said on Thursday it will send tens ofthousands of troops to polling stations and counting centres to prevent theTaliban from disrupting Saturday's election after the insurgent group's attacksin the campaign killed over 100 people.

The election, already Pakistan's most violent, marks thefirst time that a civilian government will complete a full term and hand overto another administration.

The Taliban says it regards the elections as un-Islamic andits attacks have prevented candidates from the three main parties from holdinglarge rallies. Instead they have relied on door-to-door campaigning or smallmeetings in private homes or on street corners.

Army spokesman Major General Asim Bajwa said 300,000security officials, including 32,000 troops, have been deployed in Punjab, themost populous province.

"Definitely they (intelligence agencies) have reportsand obviously they have made a plan to counter that," he said, referringto security threats from the Taliban.

Another 96,000 security forces would be deployed in thenorthwest of Pakistan, where the Taliban operate from strongholds.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is calling onPakistan to reconsider its support for the U.S. war on Islamist militancy andwants to introduce free-market economics, is seen as the frontrunner in theelection race.

His Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) has capitalised onwidespread frustrations with the outgoing government led by the PakistanPeople's Party (PPP).

The military has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its66-year history, either through coups or from behind the scenes.