By Mike Collett-White
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf
was urged Sunday to keep his pledge of handing power to a civilian
government after next week's election, amid general disbelief that he
really plans to retire to the barracks.
The Oct. 10 parliamentary vote officially marks the return to civilian
rule in Pakistan, ending three years of military leadership under
Musharraf who deposed the last prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, in a
bloodless coup.
"It is in the international community's interest to encourage the
military to withdraw to the barracks and restore democracy," said a
article in The Statesman, accredited to the International Crisis Group
(ICG) think-tank.
It described the president's election strategy as forming "military
rule in civilian guise."
The article warned the United States against believing that only the
military could govern Pakistan, hold back Islamic extremism and fight
terrorism.
Musharraf repeated at the weekend his intention to withdraw.
"After the elections, the prime minister will be fully in charge and
empowered to govern the country," Musharraf told a cabinet meeting
Saturday in remarks carried by the state APP news agency.
"I am confident that ... a new political culture of tolerance,
accommodation and responsibility will emerge replacing the culture of
complete political polarization and conflict as we witnessed in the past
decade," he added.
However, Musharraf's behavior in the runup to the election has left
analysts, commentators and ordinary Pakistanis expecting a weak parliament
forced to compromise with the general.
He has made constitutional changes barring two key opponents from
contesting the poll and giving him the power to dissolve parliament,
extended his rule in a referendum dismissed by opponents as a sham and
secured a formal role for the military in politics through a National
Security Council which he will head.
One of the largest political parties contesting the election, the
Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-QA), is widely perceived as a
tool used by the military to dilute the power of parties which strongly
oppose Musharraf.
"As long as armed forces remain bogged down in politics and play a
partisan role in the political debate a normal democratic process cannot
develop roots in our beloved homeland," wrote former Pakistan diplomat
Bashir Malik in a commentary appearing in The News broadsheet.
CYNICISM
Musharraf's interpretation of democracy came under fresh attack in the
English-language press.
"He wants the army to have a critical say in governmental decision
making," said the Daily Times in an editorial.
"And he wants to have it at gunpoint. All this is alien to democracy.
That is why his proposition is wrong."
Musharraf has been a key ally of Washington in its campaign against the
Afghan Taliban regime and the al Qaeda network.
As well as struggling to contain violent Islamic groups in Pakistan,
Musharraf has had to handle a tense military stand-off with nuclear
neighbor India over the disputed Kashmir region.
Despite the criticism of his democratic record, Musharraf enjoys broad
support in Pakistan, partly for his handling of the economy and partly
because of the tarnished reputation of main political parties accused by
Musharraf of rampant corruption.
No single party is expected to win a majority in the National Assembly
lower house of parliament, and political analysts expect weeks of
back-room deal making before a coalition is formed. Compromise could be
key to parliament's survival.
"On the eve of elections and in their aftermath, the parties in search
of power and the common people in their struggle for survival should seek
compromise and not confrontation," said former provincial home secretary
Kunwar Idris in the Dawn daily.
