The other option for the PPP, of shaking hands with the Q-League, is a big negative. Politics is the art of the possible, but this is tagged ‘impossible’. In any case, were the PPP to do that, it would face a formidable opposition led by the PMLN. Not only that, it would also fall foul of the people who have voted against Musharraf.

The only way for the system to work, even if creakily, is for Musharraf to leave the scene. That would take care of all the thorny issues the PMLN and the rejectionists are holding aloft and which have the potential of keeping Pakistan unstable despite the vote.

Musharraf can either bow out after further rounds of instability or do the decent thing now and accept that he has overstayed his welcome and it is time for the new dispensation to get down to the task of entrenching constitutionalism and democracy, stabilising the economy and helping the army fight a growing internal threat.

KSE 100 reacted bullish on February 19 to the holding of elections and the Q-League’s defeat by gaining almost 443 points. The rupee also registered a gain against the dollar. Musharraf should take heed of how the market reacts to any hope of stability.

The writer is Op-Ed Editor, ‘Daily Times’, Lahore The views expressed are his own sapper@dailytimes.com.pk