ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistani rivals stepped up their campaign for next week’s presidential election on Wednesday as political uncertainty deepened by a split in the ruling coalition drove stocks lower.

KARACHI (Reuters) – Pakistani stocks fell over 4 percent in early trade on Wednesday to their lowest level in more than two years as investors sold blue chips such as OGDC amid persistent political uncertainty in the country.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The United States asked Iraq for permission to maintain a troop presence there to 2015, but U.S. and Iraqi negotiators agreed to limit their authorization to 2011, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said.