Who will be the next president of Pakistan?

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Musharraf lost his most important political battle within two months after taking off his Army uniform. February 18t was a historical day. People of Pakistan tried to defeat terror and tyranny by the vote power. There were many incidents of bombings and sniper firing just one day before the polling. Targets were the anti-Musharraf parties.

One candidate of PML-N was gunned down in Lahore on February 17. President Pervez Musharraf assured a British newspaper one day before the polling that his PML-Q will win the election. Rigging was writing on the wall. It was also a fear that a big number of voters will not come out from their homes on the polling day.

Election Day was started by two bombings in Quetta. But the democracy lovers risked their lives. They were determined to defeat the bombs and bullets by ballot. They came out from their homes. Voters’ turnout was not big but it was close to the past turnouts. More than a dozen people sacrificed their lives for democracy on Election Day.

In the evening on February 18 it was clear that Pakistan People’s Party, PML of Nawaz Sharif and ANP swept in three provinces and PML-Q performed well in Baluchistan.

Musharraf is no more in a position to change the victory of the opposition into defeat. Army will not help him for rigging. People are ready to resist. Pro-Musharraf PML-Q has vanished in at least two provinces. Sindh and North West Frontier Province rejected PML-Q outright.

PPP and PML-N created cracks for PML-Q in Punjab which was a political fort of pro-Musharraf forces. PPP and PML-N have already decided to cooperate with each other against Musharraf.

Now the most trusted friend of the USA in Pakistan have no other choice than to leave his office. February 18 is the beginning for the end of Musharraf Raj in Pakistan. The credit of this victory goes to the great sacrifice of Benazir Bhutto on December 27.

PPP got votes out of a big sympathy wave. Nawaz Sharif did well because of a very offensive and organised election campaign. He emerged as the champion of independent judiciary and free media. Musharraf was rejected by masses mainly due to his bad strategy in war against terror. He killed more Pakistanis in this war than the Indians killed in the wars of 1965 and 1971.He is heading towards a very bad and painful end.

Now the question is that who will be the next President of Pakistan. PPP and PML-Q can agree on a new prime minister but it would be great challenge to agree on a new President. Some diplomats in Islamabad were stunned few days ago when Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif announced that Dr AQ Khan will be their presidential candidate.

It will not be acceptable to the USA and the whole west. PML-N sources said that party has not formally nominated Dr AQ Khan as their candidate for presidency.

Wife of Nawaz Sharif, Begum Kalsoom expressed her personal views few days ago about the detained scientist. PPP and PML-N have to face many challenges in coming days. Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif will meet each other soon and they will try to resolve all issues, including the names of new prime minister and president.

It is expected that if PML-N will support the prime minister of PPP then PPP will support the President of PML-N. There are no doubts that both the parties will restore the real parliamentary democracy in Pakistan. President will have no power to dissolve the national assembly.

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