ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) —Pakistan's 64,000 polling booths started tallying votes in parliamentary elections marred by shootings and allegations of rigging by parties faithful to President Pervez Musharraf.

Pakistanis fearful of militant attacks voted Monday for a new parliament in a key step toward democracy after eight years of military rule under President Musharraf, whose political survival hangs in the balance.

Musharraf promised to work with the new government regardless of who won the vote, after a year of turmoil that has seen an explosion in Taliban militancy and growing public disaffection with Pakistan's support of the U.S.-led war on terror.

"I will say from my side, whichever political party will win, whoever will become prime minister and chief ministers, congratulation to them on my behalf. And I will give them full cooperation as president whatever is my role," the president told state television.

Public antipathy over Musharraf's support of the U.S.-led war on terror could count against his political allies, as could his recent declaration of emergency rule and purging of the judiciary to safeguard his controversial re-election as president in October.

An overwhelming victory by the opposition, headed by Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, or PPP, could leave Musharraf politically vulnerable to impeachment.

Counting begins

"It is the fate of the Pakistan People's Party that it will win, and we will change the system after winning," said Bhutto's husband, Asif Ali Zardari, after casting his vote in his hometown of Nawab Shah.

Two public opinion surveys by U.S. groups have suggested that if the election is fair, Bhutto's party will finish first, followed by the opposition party of ex-Premier Nawaz Sharif. The pro-Musharraf party — the Pakistani Muslim League-Q — is trailing in third.

But the PML-Q still predicts it will fare strongly in rural areas of the largest province, Punjab, where the election is likely to be lost or won and where allegiance to feudal landlords, rather than a party's profile, can determine how people vote.

Opposition politicians have accused the government of planning to rig the balloting, and have threatened street protests.

Musharraf, who recently ceded his command of Pakistan's powerful army, has warned he would not tolerate such protests, which could set the stage for a dangerous confrontation in this nuclear-armed nation.

Before casting his vote in the city of Rawalpindi, he urged candidates to accept results of the vote.

"If they win they should not show arrogance and if they lose they should show grace, accepting the result," Musharraf said in comments broadcast Monday on state television.

"This is about Pakistan and the government's relationship with its people, and it is about Pakistan's ability to show the world that it has a credible election, therefore a credible government," said Sen. John Kerry as he observed voting in the eastern city of Lahore.

More than 470,000 police and soldiers were deployed nationwide to provide security after a wave of suicide bombings, including the Dec. 27 assassination of Bhutto that forced a six-week delay in the vote. The day was declared a public holiday to encourage citizens to turn out to vote.

But while fears of attack warded off some voters, sympathy for Bhutto and disaffection over rising food prices compelled others to exercise their democratic rights.