Special report: Pakistani Situation    

    ISLAMABAD, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Several hundreds of foreign observers, including two high-profile delegations from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, will arrive in Pakistan next week to monitor the parliamentary elections to be held on Feb. 18,the official Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Sunday.

    Former presidential candidate Senator John Kerry will head a three-member U.S. Senate delegation scheduled to be due in Pakistan on the eve of general elections, the APP said.

    Another six-member high-level delegation of the U.S. House of Representatives will also arrive in Islamabad one day before the elections. The Co-Chairperson of Pakistan Caucus in the Congress, Sheila Jackson Lee will head the delegation.

    Several hundreds of foreign observers including journalists will also come here to monitor the process of the elections. The Pakistani government has already processed 500 requests of foreign observers and foreign missions while a corresponding number of foreign journalists will also come to cover the elections, according to the APP.

    The Pakistani government has finalized the arrangements for observers and journalists.

    The observers will be allowed to visit constituencies on the polling day after making arrangements with the relevant departments to address security concerns. The journalists can visit Islamabad and four provincial capitals where arrangements could be made to travel to other towns.