Power-Sharing Deal in Pakistan All but Lost

The showdown over the political future of Gen. Pervez Musharraf took another turn today as the party of Benazir Bhutto threatened to boycott presidential elections and quit parliament. The Guardian writes that Bhutto, who was set to strike a power-sharing deal with Musharraf, is angry that the president has not yet given up his role as head of the army and will run a candidate against him.

The deal between the general and the two-time former PM hinged on Musharraf quitting the army before, not after, presidential elections. A case to determine whether the general is eligible to run for president as a military officer has reached the Supreme Court, the institution most antagonistic to Musharraf in Pakistan. If the case goes against the general, many in Pakistan fear the imposition of a state of emergency.