Jeremy Page and Zahid Hussain
Take a trip to New York and see the city from the air

Britain and America are being accused of meddling in Pakistan's politics by pressing its election winners not to remove President Musharraf after his allies' crushing electoral defeat.
Senior figures in the two biggest parties in the new Parliament made the allegations to The Times after British and US envoys met several party leaders following parliamentary elections last Monday.
Robert Brinkley, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, held talks on Thursday with Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutto's widower and successor as head of the Pakistan People's Party, which won the most seats.
On Friday Mr Brinkley met Nawaz Sharif, the former Prime Minister, whose Pakistan Muslim League (N) won the second-highest number of seats and is now trying to form a coalition government with the PPP.
Anne Patterson, the US Ambassador, met Mr Zardari on Wednesday and Friday, and held further talks on Friday with the head of the Awami National Party, another potential coalition partner. She met Mr Musharraf on Tuesday and Friday and is due to meet Mr Sharif today or tomorrow, according to the US Embassy.
Brian Hunt, the American consul in Lahore, also met Mr Sharif's brother, Shahbaz, on Wednesday as well as Aitzaz Ahsan, a prominent figure in the PPP, who led the lawyers' movement against Mr Musharraf last year.
British and US officials publicly insist that the meetings were routine or introductory, and deny urging any party not to remove Mr Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in 1999.
But senior figures in the PPP and PML (N) said that British and US officials had urged them not to try to impeach Mr Musharraf or reinstate the deposed Chief Justice, who would be sure to invalidate the President's re-election last year. “There is huge pressure from America to work with Musharraf, but we'll do whatever we feel is right,” a senior PPP figure said.
A senior aide to Mr Sharif said: “The British and the Americans are working together on this. They don't understand that it's time for Musharraf to go.” Neither was willing to speak on the record. But Mr Ahsan accused the British and American Governments of continuing to back Mr Musharraf against the will of the Pakistani people. “Why should the Americans and Brits continue to put pennies in his cap? I don't understand,” he said. “So far, this policy is in tatters. They've got to rethink.”
A US embassy spokeswoman said: “It is up to those elected to form a government. We look forward to working with that government, whoever its leaders will be.” But diplomats say that the British and US Governments, while realising that Mr Musharraf is weakened, are concerned about how a successor might affect co-operation in the War on Terror.
The New York Times reported on Friday that Mr Musharraf agreed last month to let the Americans intensify secret strikes against suspected terrorists by pilotless aircraft launched in Pakistan. US officials are also hoping to deploy about 30 American counter-insurgency trainers to teach a Pakistani force how to fight al-Qaeda and Taleban militants. Western diplomats are concerned about Mr Sharif, who has had close links to Islamist groups, as well as Saudi Arabia, and has said he would like to cease military operations against the militants.
“We will not bow to US pressure, just as when we went ahead with conducting six nuclear tests without caring for their pressure,” Mr Sharif said.

A car in which the most senior Pakistani military officer to be killed by militants died yesterday was examined by army and police officials.
Lieutenant-General Mushtaq Ahmed Baig, the Army’s top medical officer, was killed by a suicide bomber in the city of Rawalpindi. Two of his staff and five passers-by also died when the attacker, who was on foot and thought to have been about 16, detonated his bomb when the car stopped at traffic lights. A dozen people were wounded.
In a second attack yesterday, militants opened fire and threw a grenade into an office of the British aid agency Plan International in the northwestern town of Mansehra, killing four Pakistanis and wounding nine. The agency, which is based in Woking, Surrey, immediately halted its work in Pakistan, but has not withdrawn staff. It was not known who was behind the attack or why it was carried out.
Follow our three athletes' progress in their preparations for the London Triathlon, and pick up training tips and more
Enjoy screenings of all the classic films you love, plus take advantage of two-for-one tickets
We explore leisure activities that are safe and suitable for all of the family
Times Online's new TV show helps you make the right decisions for your pet
Read our exclusive 100 Years of Fleming and Bond interactive timeline, packed with original Times articles and reviews
The latest travel news plus the best hotels and gadgets for business travellers
Shortcuts to help you find sections and articles


Overseas contacts and local business information

A treasure trove of baubles, booty and stylish quests


£129,500
Bentley Edinburgh
£79,850
Mercedes-Benz of Northampton
£26,995
Unit 1, Woodfield Business Unit, Kidderminster Road, Ombersley, Worcester.
Great car insurance deals online
90k + Bonus + Options
Confidential
London
£23,716 +
Highways Agency
National
£
£43,405 - £48,228 pa
Notting Hill Housing
London
£30,000 base, £100,000 OTE
Riches Consulting
London/South
Live in One of London's Most Vibrant Areas
From £249,950
Beautiful Gardens w/ stunning Thames Views
Studios £33K, 1 Beds £60K, 2 beds £79K
Mortgages, bank acc & money transfers to help you buy abroad
Explore mystical Jordan
From £1030 for 7nts 4*
to USA's Most Cosmopolitan City; San Francisco!
£POA
Book Now for Winter 08/09 and Get 10% off!
Great travel insurance deals online
Contact our advertising team for advertising and sponsorship in Times Online, The Times and The Sunday Times. Search globrix.com to buy or rent UK property. Visit our classified services and find jobs, used cars, property or holidays. Use our dating service, read our births, marriages and deaths announcements, or place your advertisement.
Copyright 2008 Times Newspapers Ltd.
This service is provided on Times Newspapers' standard Terms and Conditions. Please read our Privacy Policy.To inquire about a licence to reproduce material from Times Online, The Times or The Sunday Times, click here.This website is published by a member of the News International Group. News International Limited, 1 Virginia St, London E98 1XY, is the holding company for the News International group and is registered in England No 81701. VAT number GB 243 8054 69.
Pakistan is for sale, previously the going rate was 10% but due to global inflation the going rate shall now be approximately 25%. Mr Asif Ali Zardari is changing his name officially to Mr. Asif Ali 25% Zaradari Bhutto. Mr, 25% and his new friend Mr. Nawaz Sharif will be offcially accepting bids for various parts of Pakistan once the new assembly is in session. They are also trying to negotiate a deal with Mr. I will kill you if you oppose me Hussain benovelent leader of MQM. Pml(Q) meanwhile has decided to sit back and invest the money they stole while in politics for the last 4 years (seeking investment bankers and money laundering experts). The military is thinking how to divest from Pakistan and move to the UAE and try their hand at property development, Banking and Insurance in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Mr Shaukat Aziz is still in shock over pulling off theft of the century.
Oppressed Pakistani, Karachi,
We will have democracy no matter how weak or corrupt civilian leaders may be. We will never want to have a corrupt military dictator at the helm of affairs. These dictators have only brought harm to Pakistan. USA and UK are showing their usual double standards by choosing side to the advantage of a brutal dictator who has beaten women, lawyers and media people. There are hundreds of people abducted and sold by the army. Sold to their master in USA to rotten in Guantanamo Bay. Musharraf has worked together with the worst of turn coats and terrorists to hang on to power. His main allies PML-Q and especially MQM are heavily involved in terrorist activities. These people have a substantial number of people killed.
Saqib Tasneem, Copenhagen,
The Mullah parties received a thrashing in these elections. Religious parties has never had many votes in Pakistan. In fact it has been negiable. The elections in 2002 were heavily rigged and Musharraf ensured a substantial number of votes to the Mullah parties. Mullahs and the army has always worked together. We have seen it time and again that when army rule was in trouble then the Mullahs would save them. What I want to emphasize is that there is no chance for Islamists to take over Pakistan. They just don't have the backing to even think of that. This is a threat which has been created by the west for their own "audience" (read: own population) to justify a hostile actions against Pakistan in a case where they feel they loose credibility and influence in Pakistan.
Saqib Tasneem, Copenhagen,
Usual double games of the West. In all conflicts of whatever nature -political, cultural, social/economic, social etc- anywhere in the world the West interferes using its stolen wealth (incidentally taken from the ancestors of the same peoples affairs they are interfering in) and side with both/all parties. They do not want one clear winner and one clear loser.Divide and conquer is the game. All done to further Western interests. Of course these days its glossed up under fancy names like "human rights" and "right to protect".Plenty of examples of this, like Iran/Iraq back in the 80s, West funded both sides. Even today they encourage the violence in Iraq -not to long ago MI6 agents were caught by the Iraqi police dressed up as Arabs who went around randomly shooting people this lead to the infamous prison storming event by the British Army- while the oil is slowly pumped away.
West 100% supports Tamil terrorist genocide against Sinhala Buddhists because Tamils are not a threat to West
Sunil, Kandy,
Usual double games of the West. In all conflicts of whatever nature -political, cultural, social/economic, social etc- anywhere in the world the West interferes using its stolen wealth (incidentally taken from the ancestors of the same peoples affairs they are interfering in) and side with both/all parties. They do not want one clear winner and one clear loser.Divide and conquer is the game. All done to further Western interests. Of course these days its glossed up under fancy names like "human rights" and "right to protect".Plenty of examples of this, like Iran/Iraq back in the 80s, West funded both sides.Even today they encourage the violence in Iraq -not to long ago MI6 agents were caught by the Iraqi police dressed up as Arabs who went around randomly shooting people this lead to the infamous prison storming event by the British Army- while the oil is slowly pumped away.
West 100% supports Tamil terrorist genocide against Sinhala Buddhists because Tamils are not a threat to West
Sunil, Kandy,
Why is it that we give only a few months to elected governments and decades to military dictatorships? Let the civilian elected government take over, no matter how fractured the democracy. In due course of time it will correct itself. Military adventurism has no place in any country of the world, including Pakistan. The West must stop supporting Musharraf for its own strategic imperatives. It is time they look at moral imperatives as well. Musharraf has become a huge liability for Pakistan and must go asap. The worst type of civilian rule is better than the best type of military government.
If the UK and USA are so enamored by Musharraf they can have him anytime!
Murad Khan, Karachi, Pakistan
It is in no ones interest to see Pakistan fall into the hands of the Islamists. That would lead to war on a huge scale. Osama Bin Laden is at large in Pakistan and as long as Musharaf is against him there is some hope.
Roy Race, Bratislava,
In my view President Muharraf must stay, I do not trust these two leaders they both were in power and brought Pakistan to fail state by corruption and incompetancy.
People of Pakistan will find out soon how bad are these two, Zardari and Nawaz if they were left unchecked. This is one of the reason they want to remove President so they can start building their overseas accounts again. I hope and pray that our media should expose this.
Viqar Haseeb, Oakville, Canada
I think USA as the world super power has the duty to protect Mr Musharaf. If they back out when people have turned against him then no dictator will every take the tough decisions.
Unfortunatly democraceies are very difficult to work with because elected leader are always concerned at the short term well being of their people.
Suresh Kumar, London, UK
Musharraf is finished, I'm surprised the Americans and British have not figured it out yet. Their understanding of Pakistan seems to be only skin deep. To suggest that the Chief Justice should not be restored to office along with the whole of the Supreme Court, just shows how shallow and pathetic US foreign policy has become under Bush.
The law must remain supreme, the Supreme Court must be re-instated.
akram, London,
Democracy and people who are players in this game is a failed show in Pakistan. politicians are corrupt and champions of plundering national wealth. as a matter of fact nobody has ever voiced over money laundering and plundering by general musharraf. he has done much good for his country men. people are high over triumph of the political parties, not aware or either ignoring the fact that these political parties are the ill and dilemma of Pakistan. people have voted for personalities not for policies. its where the problem lies.
Shiraz, Karlskrona, Sweden
Pakistan needs Musharraf he is a benevolent Dictator and has done good for his country. Nawaj Sharif & Zardari are proven corrupt politicians and have vested interest only. Elctions results should be made null & void and under Musharaf there is freedom.
Owais, Peshawar, Pakistan
I would says that worst civilian government is better than military dictatorship.
But when the civilian governments have been allowed to run the affairs. It is the militay who, on one pretext or the other, have grabbed the power. More than half of the life of the country, Pakistan has been under the rule of tin pot dictators who have misused the following words,
solidarity, and
integrity.
How will the solidarity come when military usurps the right of people and impose self-decorated generals and brigadiers in every institution of the country.
The western government will sooner or later realise that Musharraf is a liability. He is a divisive factor and prolonging his stay will threaten the very solidarity and integrity of the country.
The sooner he leaves the better it will be for the country and its institutions which have been paralysed by this commando.
B.A. Solangi, Ilford, UK
No party has a clear majority. Also, main players such as Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz Sharif and Gen Musharraf do not see eye to eye!
Pakistan and some Islamic extremists have one easy solution: if you can not solve a problem, blame the US, Britain or someone else!
Regards,
Krishna R. Kumar, Udupi, India
i dont understand those people who support dictatorship by quouting some pathetic incidents from past
Awais, islamabad,
How people forget that it was Nawaz Sharif who whilst in power stormed the supreme court and Zardari, when last Bhutto was in power was accused of nepotism and lining his own pockets. Musharraf must stay in power in oeder to act as a counter balance for these two so called patriots.
Hamad Lone, London, England
I have to say that Pakistanist Parties that won the ellection has the right to change and to reform it own govement, and if some western countries want to disturb this democratic ellection.. this mean that they want pakistan to become degredation country with high chaotics situation........
GO PAKISTAN, DON'T LET THOSE Distubing Countries to make Chaos in your LAND....
Muhammad Andi Abdillah Triono, Medan, Indonesia