The new head of Pakistan's army has ordered the military to end its involvement in the country's politics.
2. Pakistan's 'feudals' could aid Musharraf
Gen Ashfaq Kiani's decree, issued on the eve of today's parliamentary election, reversed President Pervez Musharraf's policy of including the military in politics and removes a key pillar of support from him.
A senior military source told The Daily Telegraph that "the move includes plans to overhaul the role of the military intelligence agencies in national politics", paving the way for a withdrawal of political support for the president.
The source claimed that one of Mr Musharraf's close allies, who is the head of one of the military intelligence agencies, would be removed from his post after the election.
Gen Kiani has recalled hundreds of army personnel from posts in civilian institutions - civilian officials have long complained about military officers taking up senior posts in the civil service, universities and ministries.
Although a parliamentary democracy, elected governments in Pakistan have been corrupt, unstable and prone to military intervention.
The country's first elections were conducted under the rule of Field Marshal Ayub Khan, who said that Pakistan was not climatically suited to true democracy.
And as the nation goes to the polls today, army officers fear political violence or suicide bomb attacks may draw the military back on to the streets.
Authorities have imposed a curfew in the northwestern town of Parachinar after Saturday's suicide attack left up to 47 people dead.
Mr Musharraf, who stepped down as army chief two months ago, is not directly involved in today's election. But the vote is crucial to him as a negative result would leave him vulnerable to impeachment by a hostile ...
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