Blatant interference

PRESIDENT Bush's reiteration of support for President Musharraf would be widely resented as a blatant interference in Pakistan's internal affairs. While it might help the latter prolong his tenure a little longer in the face of strong public opposition, it would create a perception that he is more of a US nominee than a President enjoying the support of Parliament. What is more, this would impair the image of the leaders of the ruling coalition who have reiterated again and again that the departure of President Musharraf was only a matter of days. Mr Zardari is already on record as having said that the ruling coalition was in a position to manage the two-thirds majority needed to impeach the President. In case the PPP Co-Chairman makes a retreat after Washington's stand, his earlier statements would be considered empty heroics and his credibility damaged. The perception of the government bending to US pressure would have an adverse impact in the tribal areas, where doubts would be created about its capacity to bear Washington's growing pressure to renounce the ongoing peace process, which has produced salutary results. The statement also belies repeated assurances by American leaders that Washington has no favourites in Pakistan. It would also indicate that the contradiction by the US embassy of what it called a fabricated story that Mr Negroponte is coming with a message to Pakistan concerning Musharraf was only pertinent in details but was incorrect in essence. A message was in fact under preparation and has now been delivered by the US President himself.