Below the belt

Politics in Pakistan do not carry the same contours as they do in the West. Here the squabbling politicians would hardly miss any chance for nit picking, let alone mud slinging. Seen in that context, the reports about the presidential candidate would certainly do him no good. It has generated a useless and time consuming debate about Mr Zardari's character, totally uncalled for in the first place.

To all available evidence the PPP leader enjoys the best of mental health. The way he maintained his composure after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and saved the PPP from falling apart speaks for itself. The death of Ms Bhutto had put the future of the party into jeopardy, with many saying that bereft of a leader unity in its ranks was a foregone dream, but thanks to his leadership he maneuvered it to a position of strength. An emotionally unstable man could hardly be expected to manage things the way he did.