The Washington Times in its lead editorial has said that a power-sharing deal between President Pervez Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto would not guarantee a stable Pakistan, but is the most promising option to strengthen non-Islamist, non-extremist factions in the country.
Washington, Aug 25 : The Washington Times in its lead editorial has said that a power-sharing deal between President Pervez Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto would not guarantee a stable Pakistan, but is the most promising option to strengthen non-Islamist, non-extremist factions in the country.
"To hold onto power, Musharraf would have to choose between an alliance with a moderate like Bhutto or with extremist factions. For the US, the preference couldn't be any clearer," the editorial observes.
The editorial further notes that Pakistan's Supreme Court has given Nawaz Sharif permission to return eight years after he was deposed, and says Sharif's return adds yet another layer of pressure on Musharraf, perhaps encouraging him to secure a deal with Bhutto.
The prospect of a power-sharing agreement between Bhutto and Musharraf has piqued the interest of many in the West, and "for good reason", the editorial said.
The dual office issue, the Washington Times pointed out, would not be settled until Musharraf actually completes the transition to civilian life.
Musharraf's pledge to divest himself of his uniform should also help facilitate a promising power-sharing agreement with Bhutto, the paper claimed.
Musharraf's promise to resign as Army Chief by the end of the year might not fully satisfy Bhutto, but according to her, "if the elections are fair, and we have a level playing field, and Musharraf seeks re-election from the next assembly, then certainly Parliament can consider that the elections have been fair, the paper concludes.
ANI