Musharraf’s days (hours) are numbered.
There are already calls for his resignation from the opposition.
Senators Kerry, Biden and Hagel hung out with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday. Sharif tried to impose Islamic Law on the nation and has reportedly met with Osama Bin Laden several times.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif (2nd L) walks along with U.S. Senators John Kerry (2nd R), Joseph Biden (L), Chuck Hegel and his party president Shahbaz Sharif (R) after holding a meeting at his residence in Raiwand, near Lahore February 18, 2008. Kerry is in Pakistan to observe the general elections. Counting began on Monday after an election in Pakistan which was far less violent than feared, although it could result in a parliament set on driving U.S. ally President Pervez Musharraf from power. (REUTERS/Zulfikar Balti)
Senator Joe Biden announced before the votes were counted that if Musharraf’s party won then the vote would be flawed.
…Nice neutral observations there by Senator Joe.
The Gazette reported that the opposition is already calling for Musharraf to quit:
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – There was a growing clamour for President Pervez Musharraf to resign Tuesday, after parties which support his military government, which has close ties to the United States, were routed by opposition parties in parliamentary elections Monday.
“Musharraf is completely finished,” said Mirza Beg, a retired army chief of staff. “He has no options left. If he tries to do anything he will be booted out.”
Humayun Gauhar, who ghost wrote Musharraf’s autobiography, In the Line of Fire, said “the respectable option is for Musharraf to leave quietly. If he stays there will be a lot of trouble.”
The Telegraph has more on Musharraf’s likely resignation:
Mr Musharraf’s political survival now depends on his ability to forge a power-sharing deal with Miss Bhutto’s widower, Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of her Pakistan’s People’s Party (PPP).
Mr Sharif (another opposition leader), whose supporters may have captured the pivotal province of Punjab once full results are known, called on Mr Musharraf to listen to the “verdict” of the people in yesterday’s election and step down.
He pledged to work with other opposition groups including the PPP to “rid Pakistan of dictatorship forever”.
Mr Sharif, who was ousted by Mr Musharraf in a coup in 1999, said he had spoken with Mr Zardari and would meet him later this week,
It is interesting that Sharif says he wants true democracy today but when he was prime minister he removed all governmental checks on his power.
Here is a map showing results from yesterday’s voting, via Dawn News:
The PPP (Bhutto) is in red. The PML (N) is in blue (Sharif). Musharraf’s party the PML (Q) is in green.
