Musharraf departure heightens uncertainty
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Pakistan’s president Pervez Musharraf stepped down on Monday after nine years in power, dodging his opponents’ attempts to impeach him but deepening confusion over who will control the nuclear-armed state.
Announcing on national television that he had decided to resign “in the interest of Pakistan”, Mr Musharraf said that, if he had decided to stay on, a political struggle could have dragged in the military.
In an emotional broadcast just hours before parliament was due to consider formal impeachment proceedings, he said: “Even if a move to impeach me is defeated, the government’s relations with the president’s office will be ridden with friction.”
Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state, praised Mr Musharraf’s support for the “war against terrorism” and pointedly called on the new Pakistani government to “redouble its focus on Pakistan’s future”, primarily on the fight against extremism.
Her comments reflected concern among the US, its western allies and Pakistan’s neighbours over how effectively the ruling coalition will be able to govern, given tensions between the main partners, the Pakistan People’s party of the assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and the PML-N, led by Nawaz Sharif, also a former premier.
As well as the issue of deciding who will succeed Mr Musharraf, the government faces the challenge of Islamist extremism, managing relations with the army and a weakening economy.
Mr Musharraf had been hailed by the Bush administration for his co-operation in efforts to fight terrorism but within Pakistan he was increasingly lambasted as a US ally who lacked domestic political legitimacy.
In the past year, he also came under growing pressure from Washington over increasing evidence of Taliban militants using the Pakistani side of the Afghan border to prepare attacks on US, Nato and Afghan troops in Afghanistan.
Pakistan is acquiring greater importance for both Washington and western Europe in the light of intelligence reports that al-Qaeda has been planning fresh attacks on the west from “safe havens” near the Afghan border.
However, confusion over who ultimately wields power in Islamabad highlights difficulties for the US and Pakistan’s other partners in co-operating with a state that has nuclear weapons.
Analysts said the ruling coalition would be keen to cut some of the controversial powers of the president, notably the authority to dissolve parliament.
Asif Ali Zardari, the key PPP leader, and Mr Sharif are set to wield strong influence over the choice of a new head of state. An election is expected to be held within the next two months.
Some politicians have called for Mr Musharraf to be put on trial for his leadership of the 1999 coup that brought him to power.
Comments