AKI : Pakistan: Musharraf-Bhutto reconciliation 'could lead to fresh violence'

Pakistan: Musharraf-Bhutto reconciliation 'could lead to fresh violence'

by Syed Saleem Shahzad | AKI | October 5, 2007

Karachi -- Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf signed a law on Friday dropping corruption charges against ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

This paves the way towards a power-sharing deal between the two and Bhutto is expected to return to Pakistan from self imposed exile on 18 October and stand in the forthcoming parliamentary elections scheduled to be held before 15 January.

Reports have said that the power sharing deal was even endorsed by the United States and mediated with the help of a British diplomat, with both the US an Britain keen to see political stability return to Pakistan ending the political upheaval that has engulfed the country.

“This is a sad occasion that the national political leadership would strike a deal for its own political benefit and not for the nation and all political solutions would be imposed on us from abroad,” commented the acting president of opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Navaz (PML-N), Javed Hashmi.

However, insiders maintain that a first litmus test of this new political alliance in the country will come just after Musharraf is re-elected after Saturday's poll.

The pro-Taliban militants in the tribal area of South Waziristan killed three Pakistani soldiers and their leader, Baitullah Mehsud said on Thursday that in the coming days that the group will kill more Pakistani security forces.

The militants have kidnapped security forces and carried out attacks on troops in the tribal areas.

The influential militant leader claims to have a following of 35,000 fighters, including a squad of trained suicide bombers.

However sources told Adnkronos International (AKI) that the military has warned Mehsud to refrain from such killings after Saturday's presidential poll, or else a fierce military operation will be launched against the militant group.

Another militant commander, Mullah Fazlullah in the Swat Valley in the North West Frontier Province is also being pushed to enter into a peace agreement by Saturday.

Sources say that the militants are in no mood to reconcile with the Pakistani government and the tense situation may lead to turmoil even in the bigger Pakistani cities such as like Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi.

The violence could also affect Bhutto, who is seen by the militants as Musharraf's future partner in the US-led war on terror.

A report in the Pakistani newspaper Daily Times on Friday said that Mehsud has also threatened to "welcome" Bhutto with bombings on her arrival in Karachi on 18 October.

The report quoted Mehsud as saying that the group doesn't "accept President General Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto because they only protect the interests of the US and see things through its glasses".

Perhaps Bhutto will realise that facing corruption cases the court may be easier than dealing with militancy.