Time up for Musharraf?

NEW DELHI: Don't believe anyone who tells you Pervez Musharraf is down and out. The elections in Pakistan have thrown up results that will make the next few days very interesting viewing. Most important, the lack of overwhelming majority in the Pakistan national assembly for any party will give Musharraf the kind of manoeuvring room he needs to maintain his relevance. Nevertheless, the single loudest message from the Pakistan elections on Monday was a comprehensive “no" to Musharraf and his cronies, a hearty welcome to the old political parties, and a rejection of the pro-Taliban MMA in the restive NWFP. The elections were as fair as they could be, and even international observers had little to quibble about. The general opinion was that rigging could have fixed a tight election, but the vast difference between the winners and losers made that impossible. Pakistan analyst B Raman says, “The results show there is still a lot of wiggle room for Musharraf and the US in this situation." But former diplomat G Parthasarathy sees “a weakening of Musharraf in Pakistan's national life, which could lead to his exit in course of time". Expectedly, Benazir Bhutto's PPP walked away with the honours, but not with the kind of majority that they, Musharraf or the Americans, would have liked. Although PPP's chief Asif Zardari has teamed up with Nawaz Sharif, there is almost no post-poll scenario that envisages an arrangement sans Musharraf. This goes back to the fact that without Musharraf, PPP would not even be in the country today despite American protection. And there would be no way that the Americans would allow Musharraf, a man they have invested heavily in, to be left high and dry. Significantly, for a man who said two months ago that he would resign if his pet political party, PML(Q), did not win, Musharraf sounded positively conciliatory on Monday when he was quoted as saying, “I will say from my side, whichever political party will win, ...I will give them full cooperation as president. I will remain committed to politics of reconciliation with everyone." Even Asif Zardari has been heard saying that he would not be averse to working with Musharraf. One of Musharraf's chief supporters, MQM, has already declared that it would be willing to work with PPP. Of course Zardari cannot become PM since neither he, nor Nawaz or Shahbaz Sharif, were allowed to contest elections. The expected name for PM will possibly be Maqdoom Amin Fahim, who has held PPP together in the absence of the Bhutto couple.