Early results in Pakistan's general elections have shown a surprisingly strong performance by anti-American Muslim fundamentalist parties. The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), or United Action Front, has won at least 20 of the 60 or so seats officially declared so far. The parliamentary and provincial elections are the first in Pakistan since President Pervez Musharraf seized power in a coup three years ago. Opinion polls have indicated a close race between former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), probably resulting in a hung parliament. There was tight security as voters went to the polls on Thursday and seven people were killed in clashes in eastern Punjab province and southern Sindh. General Musharraf promised the elections would be free and fair, but opponents have accused him of political repression and vote rigging.

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