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The End for Musharraf?

from the March 25, 2008 eNews issue
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A deal reached by Pakistan's major political parties could be bad news for President Pervez Musharraf. The PPP and the PMLN have signed an agreement to share power. The two groups won the highest and second highest number of seats in last month's elections. The PPP is the political party of former opposition leader Benazir Butto – who was assassinated in December. The PMLN was the ruling party in 1999, when Musharraf seized power. The PMLN says the 1999 coup was illegal and claims Musharraf's rule is "illegitimate."

Experts say the new coalition government could mean the end of President Musharraf's rule in Pakistan. The new coalition government has already reached an agreement to reinstate the judges that were forced out of office by President Musharraf. The judges were expelled during a dispute over the constitutionality of Musharraf's presidency.

The problem of Pakistan has no doubt been the cause of many sleepless nights in Washington. In recent months political unrest in the Islamic nation seems to have spiraled out of control. Pakistan has been described as "the most dangerous country on earth," and its strategic importance cannot be exaggerated. The problem of Pakistan goes well beyond political instability - the outcome of Pakistan's internal conflict could have global repercussions.

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the sixth most populous nation in the world and the second largest Muslim nation. It is sandwiched between the Middle East and Asia, and bordered by Iran, Afghanistan, China, and India. Pakistan is of particular importance because it is the only Islamic nation with a declared nuclear weapons program.

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, Musharraf sided with the United States against the Taliban government in Afghanistan. However prior to the 9/11 attacks Pakistan was a close ally of the Taliban. It was only under tremendous pressure that Musharraf agreed to join forces with the United States. Pakistan is considered to be a "frontline ally" in the war against terrorism. However it is also home to many Islamic extremists, some with links to terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda.

Now President Musharraf's rule is in jeopardy and political tensions are on the rise. Much like Iraq, Pakistan is a divided nation. There are many opposing sects and ethnicities that constantly threaten to pull the country apart. The worst case scenario is our worst nightmare: nuclear weapons in the hands of Islamic radicals. It is therefore essential that we do not overlook the problem of Pakistan. To learn more, click on the links below.