ISLAMABAD, July 10 Kyodo (EDS: UP...

ISLAMABAD, July 10 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATES, ADDS BACKGROUND)

President Pervez Musharraf has directed the Election Commission to restrain elections for Pakistan's national assembly, four provincial assemblies and the Senate in succession Oct. 10, official Pakistan Television said Wednesday.

Elections are to be held for 357 seats in the assembly, 390 seats in the Punjab Assembly, 171 seats in the Sindh Assembly, 130 seats in the North West Frontier Province Assembly and for 67 seats in the Baluchistan Assembly.

The constitution envisaged 87 seats for the Senate, the upper house of parliament, still under amendments proposed by Gen Musharraf, the number of seats in the Senate is to be increased.

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