Pakistan may abstain in key vote
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Many in Pakistan are against a war with Iraq.
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SPECIAL REPORT
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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Pakistani government, a key ally in the U.S. war against terror, has been advised by other Pakistani officials to abstain from voting for a new U.S.-British backed resolution that would give Iraq until Monday to disarm, sources said Tuesday.
Members of the prime minister's political party and the Cabinet made the recommendation.
Pakistan is a member of the 15-member Security Council, which is expected to vote on the resolution this week.
Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali briefly discussed Pakistan's stance on Iraq in a lengthy national address Tuesday.
He did not speak of the U.N. vote, but said it is "far too difficult" for Pakistan to back an attack against Iraq and it is in the country's "best interest" not to partake in such an endeavor.
There have been street protests throughout the Muslim nation against a war and the Islamic religious right made big gains in elections last year.
The political leadership of the leading political party said Pakistan would take the middle road and abstain, CNN Correspondent Tom Mintier reported.
France and Russia already have said they intend to veto the resolution if it wins the nine council votes needed to pass. Permanent members of the council, such as France and Russia, can kill resolutions regardless of the number of other nations voting in favor.
-- Correspondents Ash-har Quraishi and Tom Mintier contributed to this report
