Musharraf Out?

It seems that the Pakistan People's Party, PPP, has won the most seats in Pakistan's parlimentary elections. The PPP is seeking to form a coalition without Pakistan Muslim League, a party that is loyal to Musharraf. If the PPP can form a coalition government they just might be able to oust Musharraf.

The US hails the recent election as a step towards democracy in Pakistan and also expressed that any new government would continue to be an ally against terror.

Some ally against terror Pakistan has been. The Taliban and al Qaida have safe havens in north wester Pakistan which they use to launch attacks against NATO in Afghanistan. And all of the recent attempted terrorist attacks in Europe have originated in Pakistan.

Even if the new government continues Musharraf's 'cooperation' in the WOT it won't change much. It is the ISI that holds the power to change the situation in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pervez Musharraf's opponents said on Tuesday they would try to form a coalition, after winning an election that cast doubt over how long the U.S.-allied Pakistani president can stay in power.

Washington said it welcomed the poll as a step towards full democracy and hoped a new government could work with Musharraf, considered a bulwark against al Qaeda in its "war on terror".

A wave of sympathy helped the Pakistan People's Party of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto emerge as the largest party in the 342-seat National Assembly, although it failed to win a majority.

A hostile parliament could seek to oust Musharraf, who came to power in a coup in 1999 and is accused of violating the constitution when he imposed six weeks of emergency rule in November to secure five more years as president.

Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto's widower, said the PPP had the right to form a coalition government, adding there would be no place in it for the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League (PML).

"As the largest political force of the country, we demand that we be allowed to make the government," he told a news conference in Islamabad.

"For now, the decision of the party is that we are not interested in any of those people who are part and parcel of the last government," Zardari said, appearing to leave open the option of changing his mind later.

Zardari, who took over the leadership of the PPP after Bhutto's death, said he would try to persuade Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister Musharraf overthrew, to join a coalition