26 February 1985: Voters ignore calls by opposition groups to boycott the country’s first parliamentary election since the army seized power
President Zia ul-Haq has outflanked the opposition. Voters in Pakistan’s first parliamentary election since the army seized power eight years ago turned out in generous numbers yesterday, ignoring a call by the 11-party Movement for the Restoration of Democracy to boycott the non-party contest.
Early estimates by independent correspondents last night suggested that the poll would be well up to the 40 to 50 per cent the president hoped for. The tally in Lahore was at least 30 per cent, more than double the votes cast in General Zia’s disputed December referendum.
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