PAKISTAN:Even though Pervez Musharraf's re-election as president looks increasingly like a foregone conclusion this Saturday, the army chief is running out of time to reach a deal with Benazir Bhutto, the self-exiled opposition leader and former prime minister, that might provide his unpopular regime with a broader political support base.
"There is no progress on a [ powersharing] agreement," said Farhatullah Babar, the Pakistan People's Party's spokesman yesterday. Ms Bhutto told CNN at the weekend that time was "running out" for an understanding over the transition to democracy and that Gen Musharraf had failed to create the conditions for free and fair elections.
A Pakistani minister said Ms Bhutto's demand for the president's resignation as military chief ahead of the election and withdrawal of corruption cases against her dating back to her stint as prime minister between 1993 and 1996 remained the main obstacles to a deal.
Rival parties accuse Ms Bhutto of selling out the democracy movement in negotiating a deal that might give her the premiership for the third time in return for supporting Gen Musharraf's re-election. One critic described her as "auditioning for the post of deputy martial law administrator".
Ms Bhutto, who plans to return to Pakistan on October 18th, has summoned leaders of her party to London tomorrow to discuss tactics ahead of Saturday's electoral college vote. Party leaders yesterday said she had not ruled out joining other opposition groups in boycotting the election.
"The PPP's decision will be important in exerting more pressure on the government at a time when there's already so much pressure on Musharraf," said Irfan Siddiqui, a political analyst.
"Even if Gen Musharraf gets himself re-elected, the opposition's boycott will raise questions on the process." Such a move would be mostly symbolic, as Gen Musharraf's supporters form a narrow majority in the electoral college but might help Ms Bhutto to restore credibility.
Meanwhile concern mounted over worsening internal security as a suicide attack left 15 dead, including four policemen, in Bannu, a town in the North West Frontier Province. The attack was believed to be the work of al-Qaeda, according to Pakistani security officials.