Pakistani politics often justify the most cynical expectations. But Monday’s parliamentary elections have proved a happy exception to this rule. President Pervez Musharraf and his supporters were unwilling – or possibly just unable – to rig the results. The president’s party has gone down to a resounding defeat.

President Musharraf will probably hope to continue in office, nonetheless. He should abandon any such thought. The president was re-elected late last October by a parliament that did not reflect public opinion. He sacked the Supreme Court judges who seemed poised to challenge the constitutionality of his re-election. These actions have led opposition parties to threaten to impeach Mr Musharraf. The president should spare himself – and Pakistan – the trouble. Instead, he should step down and allow the new parliament to elect a new president.