(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - "The president received a summary from the government asking him to announce a suitable date for the election, so the president announced today that general elections to the national assembly will be held on May 11," spokesman Farhatullah Babar told AFP.
Parliament made history last week by becoming the first under a civilian leader to complete a full five-year term, but Taliban attacks and record levels of sectarian have raised fears about security for the polls.
The election will mark the first time that an elected civilian government hands over to another in the nuclear-armed country of 180 million, which has seen three military coups and four military rulers.
The electoral race will be dominated by the ruling Pakistan People's Party and the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
Elections will also be held for assemblies in Pakistan's four provinces, but Babar told AFP there was no decision yet on whether those polls will also be held on May 11.
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