Region needs a strong Pakistan

The resignation of Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf leaves the governing coalition of two parties very exposed, as they share nothing except a desire to get rid of Musharraf.

Now that he has gone, they should offer a period of calm technocratic governance, focusing on rescuing the economy and fighting militancy, before holding a new general election after a year or so, and seeking a new post-Musharraf mandate.

The region needs a strong and confident Pakistan, and its neighbours should be ready to support this process.

However, the governing coalition is an accident of the February 2008 election when the Pakistan People's Party, led by the Bhutto family, was forced into alliance with the Pakistan Muslim League of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The February 2008 election was seriously flawed. In addition, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in the middle of the campaign.

A new election should be run under the properly formed electoral commission, answerable to the restored Supreme Court, and with a clear electoral law giving all parties plenty of time to campaign.

Pakistan needs to return to strong civil institutions, and all parties must respect the authority of the law and constitution.

The country should move on from its troubled past, and not indulge in revenge for past hurts. And if that includes being ready to forgive Musharraf for the laws he broke, that may be necessary.

Such a pardon would break the present routine of flinging any politician who loses power into jail to await a political trial run by the incoming government. Pakistan faces major challenges.

The economy desperately needs calm technocratic care, but the government has also got to tackle the scourge of militancy which has spread across the country.

This will include establishing firm control of the tribal areas, which the United States and its Nato allies in Afghanistan will insist on; as well as reigning in the militants in Kashmir.