Special report: Benazir Bhutto assassinated     

    ISLAMABAD, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has urged people to come out on Feb. 18 to vote in the country's legislative election without fear as the PPP workers will be deputed outside the polling stations across the country till the announcement of the results, the Nation newspaper reported Friday.

    The widowed husband of late opposition leader Benizar Bhutto said he had asked thousands of party supporters to besiege polling stations next week to ensure results are announced fairly.

    Addressing a party rally in Faisalabad, Punjab Province, on Thursday, Zardari said "(Benizar Bhutto) is spiritually, emotionally with us," and he called on people to vote for her name.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has pledged on Thursday that next week's election will be free and fair and on time, but warned that any protest against the result would not be tolerated.

    "Despite all the insinuation and apprehensions, the elections will be free, fair, transparent and peaceful," Musharraf said at a special government conference shown live on state television.

    The president stressed that no disruption or violence will be allowed during the election, which has been delayed for six weeks due to the killing of Bhutto.

    Pakistani authorities have stepped up security measures for the election. Of the total of 35,868 polling stations, 30 percent are categoried as "sensitive" and 14 percent as "most sensitive" which will need heavy security guard during the voting, according to the interior ministry.