In its editorial on Monday, The News too highlighted the adoption of the Bhutto name by her children and noted Zardari’s changed profile: “His image of the past notwithstanding, the role and perception about Zardari has undergone a sea change in recent years, especially with his long years of incarceration, his brave fight against military authoritarianism and lately his pragmatism to deal with the establishment. It is no secret that Benazir Bhutto was primarily under the Zardari influence to start a secret dialogue with the Musharraf regime. It was also his initiative to build bridges between key members of the military establishment and Bhutto, ultimately leading to a summit which then paved the way for her return and election of President Musharraf for another term of five years. The script, so to say, was written with full knowledge and active participation of Zardari who had agreed to remain on the sidelines, in New York and Dubai, but he was always in the picture, on a day to day, hour to hour basis, though out of the public eye.”

Sharif’s balancing act

Elections have been postponed to February 18, and The Daily Times (January 4) took stock of the PMLN’s strategy: “Nawaz Sharif... accepts the new election date and commits his party to participation, but he also holds out the threat of joining the forces asking for a ‘national government’, which now means the ouster of President Musharraf from the scene and the holding of elections under a government with an inappropriate adjective, ‘national reconciliation’. He is more clear in his mind than Zardari about his relationship with the president: he wants him out. His statement that his party will join the PPP in a coalition government is a realistic approach towards the objective of getting the bar on his becoming prime minister again lifted and, at the minimum, getting a good purchase on Punjab in case the PPP gets the next prime ministerial slot.”

... contd.