In her eagerness to become PM again, Bhutto has sold out on her principles. I guess people will do anything to grab that coveted PM seat again. Her previous two terms were noted for corruption, not that her rivals did any better. What essentially this means is "more of the same" i.e. further misery and hardships now in the garb of democracy.

A. Khan, London,

Mr Judson, You know precious little about Pakistani politics. The west has always bolstered unpopular dictators starting with Ayuub Khan who proclaimed that democracy was not suitable for a hot country! Then the evil Zia was embraced by Regan when Osama was our ally, and now the dictator Musharraf and the opportunist Bhutto , probably the most corrupt PM but darling of the West.. The Pakistani people will not now tolerate western backed sham democracies any more. Time for the West to sow what it reaped!

Dr Izhar Khan, Aberdeen,

Pakistan should adopt the American Political Set Up. A President Elected by The People, Is Head Of The Executive, Commander In Chief Of All Armed Forces And only Parliament or perhaps the Supreme Court could impeach if theirs corruption.

The current set up leads to power struggles between the President and The Prime Minister and then only a matter of time before the head of the army overthrows whoever is in charge. That would change I believe, if Pakistan adopted the American politcal system.

In the meantime, Musharaf is the best man for the job but if he is blocked from standing as President or certain people make his position a mockery, If I was him I'd quit as President but REMIAN as Head Of The Army and nominate Shaukat Aziz for President! That would leave the mischief makers speechless and be a classic playing the mischief makers at their won game! Pakistan must change so theirs only one true leader elected by the people, its the best way for proper democracy/stability

R KHAN, Herts,

Bhutto is well known for her corruption and rape of Pakistan's wealth. Bush and Co have done a wonderful job of spinning her as a Western ally, their premise being that she'll fix Pakistan's problems.

With corruption charges dropped, she walks with her millions.

Jim B, Philadelphia, USA

It is sad that directly or indirectly,some Pakistani politicians are willing to talk to a dictator about democracy.Both claiming to be real democrats.This politician wants to get out of corruption cases against her.She has no other agenda.If she can get some power in addition,so much the better.But this dictator is not going give up power.He will play along,as he did before but will only leave when shoved to do so.This is not how Musharraf works,He is too fond of his so-called genius,as shown in his Kargil and Chief Justice,episodes.He is never wrong,as far he is concerned.It would be a sad day for Pakistan,if he can stay on further.He was always illigitimate,regardless of legal veneer,it was all done under durees by the other parties.He will not leave,he will be willing to sacrfice the country to stay in power.Sad but that is the Generals in Pakistan work.They think they are geniuses,even when they lost all wars,but have ceratinly conquered Pakistan.

zaman, hamden, USA

I completely agree with the visions of Mr. M from Tokyo. Whatever you have said is exactly what we all think. I dont understand why Sharif is back after all this time? to worst the situaiton in Pakistan? and Benazir, she has not even done a single good thing for our country. All she and Sharif has done is filling up their pockets out of the Governments offices, making their own properties all around the world, spreading more and more corruption, and to make situation worst Benazir brought her husband who spend most of the time in jail for his excellent achievements !!!!Why do no one understand the meaning of country? is it so difficult to understand what a citizen need? where the world has reached and we are still fighting over power !!!All what we need as a citizen is a appropriate reforms, economy welfare and over all well being of every person living in the country .. Pakistan is such a wonderful country..i wish all political parties could understand the meaning of our country!!!

S, UAE,

Another example of Washington playing muscial chairs with foreign governments booting leaders it doesn't like. Didn't work in Viet Nam and Iraq which contributed to losing both of those wars. Ditching the shah and Cuba's Batista proved catatrosphic. A much more dangerous situation could develop in Pakistan should the newly installed government fall to Islamic radicals who'll gain control of the country's nuclear weapons.

Mark Klein, M.D., OAKLAND, California

To Tony Judson,
You talk about 45% vote for PPP and 15% for Musharraf..with no back up. You also assume that PPP" is the over whelming voice of the pakistanis" ,many of those supporters are upset over the deal between 'musharraf and Bhutto".
A recent survey by IRI( The institute, a Washington-based non-governmental organisation) found the following
The survey found that 62 percent of people were opposed to Musharraf being elected to a second term by the current assemblies
Forty-seven percent of those surveyed supported a pre-election power sharing deal between former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, currently living in self-imposed exile, and Musharraf, while 37 percent said they opposed such a move.
After the SC decision regarding the right of Mr Sharif to return the figure of those opposed to any deal would have only grown.
To lump those opposed to Mush and Benazir deal as 'bigots or extreme" is wrong and ignorant.
Pl read the events since March 9.

Abrar, Ontario, Canada

I believe the general Musharraf made his biggest blunder in trying to sack the chief justice. And Benazir was so desperate to get into power, that she blundered into a deal with her worst enemy.
From what one hears from the papers in Pakistan, It has not gone well with either the ruling Muslim league, or Benazir's PPP . The Pakistani general had lost his following and now Benazir is also about to lose her credibility with the people of Pakistan. She had become an autocrat as her father once was.
It does not mean that Nawaz Sherif is any better, but to his credit, at least he can say that he had made no deals with the dictator.
May be, all the effort of the General and the BB will come to nothing, both have been discredited.

Akram Malik, Gympie, Australia/Queensland

Both Musharaff and Benazir Bhutto are going to lose the election. Nawaz Shariff will be the beneficiary. Public see this as a ploy to stay in power.

Hindupur Rajagopalan, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

I don't know what country Tony Judson is talking about. Unified Muslim League(Nawaz faction and Q-League) would win outright. They would sweep urban and middle Punjab. And this from someone who believes Nawaz Sharif is worthless. Politically the country is back to pre October 1999. Very depressing.

Shams Khan, Vancouver, Canada

I would like to join issue with Mr Judson because I believe he is not reading the Pakistani newspapers in general and is not listening what is coming out of Pakistan in particular.
I agree with him, that PPP had a massive support within the country and President Musharraf had also collected enough MPs to give him a base in Pakistan politics. This was of course before the fateful tragedy of March 9. All the lawyers of whatever political persuasion, including most of the lawyers belonging to PPP were and still are against the military dictatorship of General Musharraf. On the other side, General Musharraf's League is also not at all happy with the deal. It is no secret that there have been massive desertions from general's party. One minister has resigned another parliament secretary, was forced to quit. And if the papers are to be believed, a considerable numbers of MPs have sought refuge in other camps.
Therefore, there was nothing inappropriate or incorrect in the report

Akram Malik, Gympie, Australia/Queensland

Only Musharaf + Shaukat Aziz can create the environment needed to save the country from extremists. Extremists have their roots in the lost years of stagnant economic growth that were engineered by Bhutto and Sharif.

Extremism was created by poverty and economic decline and it is prevented by wealth, a middle class and a growing economy. It is that simple.

Who destroyed the economy? BHUTTO!!! She and her husband ransacked the country. (details on wikipedia) She is reposible for the generation of disilluisioned kids that became terrorists. Bhutto and Sharif.

The cure? Economic reform... a growing middle class. Who hired a Wall St banker to reform the economy? MUSHARAF!

The times, the FT... you guys are always plugging Bhutto... come on guys.. enough is enough. Scratch a little deeper and you'll see..., Bhutto was the cause... the madrassas appeared on her watch. Not on Musharafs.

M, tokyo,

PPP will pay a heavy price for making deal with a dictator at a time when all the legal avenues have been blocked for his re- Election....BB was
correct when she said in July that any one who deal with the dictator will also suffer in popularity.
Does she understand the real cost of supporting a dictator??????.

saleh Shah, Toronto, Canada

Now who says that Pakistan polices are NOT made in USA. May be in national (USA) intrest. She and her husband are once again given the oportunity to build a bigger and better mansion this time in France on the cost of poor Pakistanis

Ather Raza, San Antonio, USA

Your Islamabad correspondent finishes an otherwise balanced report, by saying, 'Some observers believe the Musharraf-Bhutto agreement would further aggravate the current political crisis by excluding other political parties'.

How interesting. Given that Bhutto's party, the country's largest, commands by far the widest support among the electorate and an estimated 45% of the seats in parliament, at a minimum; and that Musharraf, for all his faults - which are many, has at least some surpport, say 15% or so, this gives a Bhutto-Musharraf government around 60% support in parliament.

So why is such a level of support a problem? Your correspondents' observers seem out of touch. Bhutto's PPP is the overwhelming voice of ordinary Pakistanis. Anyone who follows politics in that country knows this . The other parties represent extreme elements, which are unwelcome, since they hark back to authoritarianism, bigotry, racism and inequality - and an unpopular, rabid version of Islam.

Tony Judson, London, United Kingdom