Frontline Pakistan : The Struggle With Militant Islam - Arz-e-Pak

The Siege Within
confidence vote against Musharraf’s military government. More than
60 per cent of the votes went to the parties opposed to the military
regime. For all its pre-poll manipulation, the military failed to contain
the liberal forces. The Pakistan People’s Party received 25.8 per cent of
the total votes cast, with the pro-military Pakistan Muslim League (Q)
trailing behind with 25.7 per cent. The Pakistan Muslim League (N)
bagged 9.4 per cent, less than the MMA’s share of 11.6 per cent. The
situation would have been worse for the General, had the elections
been conducted in a free and fair manner.
European Union observers called the elections ‘flawed’. In a
scathing criticism of the election process, their report said that the
secrecy of the vote was compromised and the count showed serious
shortcomings. They reported that the Election Commission of Pakistan
had failed to curb the abuse of state resources, particularly, in favour
of pro-military political parties. 10
The polls had created a horizontal polarization, with all four
provinces going in different directions. While the North West Frontier
Province went to the MMA, Punjab sided with the pro-military PML
(Q). In Sindh, the PPP maintained its stronghold in the rural areas,
while the Muttehida Qaumi Movement (MQM), an ethnic-based party
representing Urdu-speaking migrants, swept the urban areas. The
MMA broadened its support base in Balochistan.
Musharraf faced a very tricky situation with his loyalists failing to
get a majority in the National Assembly, which was required to form
the federal government. He tried to strike a deal with the MMA, but
the negotiations apparently collapsed after the MMA demanded the
post of Prime Minister and stuck to its crucial demand that Musharraf
give a firm date to step down as Chief of Army Staff. The Islamists
also called for the reversal of Pakistan’s support for the USA and the
withdrawal of American troops from the country. 11 These conditions
were obviously unacceptable to Musharraf. It was difficult for the MMA
leaders as well to give up their crucial demands because of pressure
from the hardliners in their ranks. The MMA was believed to have
had the backing of some of the generals, who had been sidelined
because of their opposition to Musharraf’s pro-American policy. The
right-wing generals, who had close links with the Islamists, looked for
an opportune moment to embarrass the President.
Despite its divergence on important policy issues, like support for
the US war on terror in Afghanistan and the crackdown on jihadist
organizations, the Islamists had not completely severed their ties with
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