: Musharraf Wins Pakistan Referendum Amid Controversy

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With polling results trailing only Kim Jong Il and Saddam Hussein, Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf appeared to garner 98 percent of the vote in a nationwide referendum on his rule, granting five more years of his pragmatic, though unconstitutional, leadership. Musharraf took a calculated risk in offering the referendum, after prior commitments to schedule general elections within 3 years of the bloodless coup that brought him to power (to the relief, however, of citizens fed up with the corruption of Nawaz Sharif). Opposition parties such as the PML and PPP (still bitter rivals themselves) denounced the vote as undemocratic and boycotted the polls. But because of Pakistan’s support for the U.S. in anti-terror actions (and Musharraf’s genuine loathing of extremism), support in the west has grown considerably in the past six months, giving Musharraf extra incentive. Many Pakistanis, while seeing the need for economic and political stability, are reluctant to legitimize a military coup for the third time. Some, in fact, saw blatant ballot stuffing and vote fraud. But many others feel it’s best for the country. “I am supporting Musharraf in the hope those corrupt people will not be allowed to return,” one voter said.

Zahed Amanullah is associate editor of altmuslim.com.  He is based in London, England.