Will there be an election in Pakistan on February 18? They ask this question in Lahore’s bazaars awash still with fraying posters of Benazir Bhutto and they ask it in Lahore’s drawing rooms where all conversation these days is about politics. There is distrust in the question and a sad sort of resignation. Democracy, always fragile in Pakistan, has since the assassination of Benazir become something hardly anyone dares have faith in. Pervez Musharraf will find some excuse to postpone the election indefinitely is the general feeling and there is talk of a national unity government. If such a government is formed, with representatives from all Pakistan’s political parties, it would mean a delay but it’s a delay that many consider valid because of the hope that it would supervise a fairer election than can happen under Musharraf.

When Musharraf announced the postponement from January 9 he added the word ‘transparent’ to free and fair in an attempt to reassure people of his good intentions but it did not work. Most people believe that the only reason for the postponement was to give the ‘King’s party’ a chance to recover. The Pakistan Muslim League (Q) is today the most discredited political party in Pakistan but before the assassination of Benazir had seemed in a position to cobble a government together. A government that would be at Musharraf’s beck and call. This idea was based on the belief that although the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) would be the single largest it would not have a majority.

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