VOA常速英语2008年-Pakistan's President Promises Free, Fair Electi

By Meredith Buel
Islamabad
14 February 2008

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is pledging that next week's parliamentary elections will be free, fair, transparent¹ and peaceful. During a speech in Islamabad, Mr. Musharraf denied allegations the vote will be rigged and blasted international polling organizations who say his popularity is plummeting². From Islamabad, VOA correspondent Meredith Buel has details.

In a speech broadcast nationally on state television, President Musharraf called next Monday's parliamentary vote "the mother of all elections".

Mr. Musharraf said the success of the vote will be critical to Pakistan's future and the nation's international reputation.

"Free, fair and transparent and they are seen to be free, fair and transparent and peaceful. Now as far as peaceful is concerned they will be peaceful," he said. "Let this serve as a warning to all those who think that they can disturb the peace of the country. They will not be allowed. Do not test the resolve of the government."

There are deep concerns about security for the elections, following the assassination³ of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto last December and a wave of suicide bombings at campaign gatherings⁴.

Leading opposition⁵ politicians in Pakistan, like former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, have charged that the elections will be rigged in favor of political parties that support the president, who fears losing power in parliament.

Mr. Musharraf's presidency⁶ is not being contested in the election, but if parties that back him lose control of the legislature, he could be impeached⁷.

Mr. Musharraf is rejecting charges the election results will be manipulated.

"Media or international organizations understand this role," said the Pakistani president. "Do not create an environment where automatically [there is] aspersion⁸ [slander] that this has been rigged and these elections are a fraud."

Recent public opinion polls are showing a significant drop in President Musharraf's popularity and an increase in support for opposition parties.

In his speech, the Pakistani president was sharply critical of the international organizations that have been conducting the surveys.

"Declaring winning parties, candidates, is malicious⁹," said Mr. Musharraf. "It is malicious. It disturbs our peace. It can not be done. It must not be done because you are giving unnecessary hopes, expectations, raising expectations of parties and people. I would like to say to all these foreign organizations, especially those who are conducting all these surveys, do not disturb the peace of this country. Do not disturb the peace of this region. You are playing with the peace of the world."

The retired¹⁰ army general, who seized power in a 1999 coup¹¹ and has become a key U.S. ally in the war on terror, says dictatorship is not suitable for Pakistan and democracy is the right way forward for the nation.

Tens of thousands of army troops have deployed¹² across the country to help provide security for the voting.

The government says more than 1,000 international election observers and journalists will be in Pakistan for the elections.

1 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

2 plummeting   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Prices are rising, falling, going up, going down, shooting up, plummeting, etc. 物价在上涨、下跌、上升、下落、猛然上涨、骤然下跌等。 来自辞典例句
• The enemy plane went plummeting into the sea. 敌机直直掉进海里。 来自辞典例句

3 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

4 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

7 impeached   

v.控告（某人）犯罪( impeach的过去式和过去分词 )；弹劾；对（某事物）怀疑；提出异议

参考例句：

• Elected officials can be impeached. 经过选举产生的官员可以被弹劾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The judge was impeached for taking a bribe. 这个法官被检举接受贿赂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 aspersion   

n.诽谤，中伤

参考例句：

• Carrie felt this to contain,in some way,an aspersion upon her ability.嘉莉觉得这话多少含有贬低她的才能的意思。
• Should you hear my name blackened and maligned,will you credit the aspersion?要是你听见我的名誉受到诽谤，你会相信那谗言吗？

9 malicious   

adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的

参考例句：

• You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
• Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

10 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

11 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

12 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。