Bhutto-Musharraf (power sharing) deal collapses

Source: Bureau Report Zeenews

Sunday, September 09, 2007

`Bhutto-Musharraf deal collapses`

Islamabad, Sept 08: The much-touted power-sharing deal between Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and former Premier Benazir Bhutto has collapsed over her demand that Prime Ministers must be allowed a third term, a minister considered close to the General has said.

"It is finished. The President said `no`. If you insist, there are very thin chances of salvaging it - just 1 or 2 per cent," Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad was quoted by `Dawn` on Saturday as saying. "May be some last-minute attempt is made ... to salvage the deal. But personally I am not at all hopeful, the reason being Bhutto`s insistence that Prime Ministers must be allowed a third term," he said.

The crucial component of the deal being negotiated between Musharraf and Bhutto was the removal of bar on elected leaders holding the post of Prime Minister for a third term. The rule was brought in by Musharraf during the 2002 polls to prevent Bhutto and another ex-premier Nawaz Sharif from becoming premiers again as they held the post twice in past.

Ahmad said things "changed abruptly" at the closing stage of the deal which was being discussed for about a year.

Read more: http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=393724&sid=WOR

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Bhutto was no prize but she's a damn site better than Musharif who won't stand his ground for anyone but will sell his soul to save his own skin.

We need to watch this part of the world; nukes--and testing--in both India and Pakistan and none of the neighbors out there get along.

It's a powderkeg and the US hasn't got interests in any of it, unlike the Mideast with both oil and US ties to Israel.

Was anyone really expecting this "marriage" between Benazir Bhutto (a woman) who was democratically elected, and pervez Musharraf (a man) a dictator who hijacked Pakistan in a coup a few years ago?

I mean, was there even one person who expected this deal to work? Not a chance.