Pakistani opposition goes for coalition

The party of Pakistan's assassinated former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, began putting together a coalition yesterday to topple President Pervez Musharraf after winning most seats in an election.

The PPP wants Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister whom President Musharraf overthrew in 1999, to join the coalition along with an ethnic Pashtun party that kicked Islamist parties out of power in the North West Frontier Province where militants operate.

According to unofficial results for 261 seats, the PPP, Mr Sharif's party and the Awami National Party (ANP) held a shade under the two-thirds they need to change the Constitution or bring President Musharraf down. Independents could yet join their banner.

US President George W. Bush described Monday's vote, which was less violent and fairer than most people anticipated, as "a victory for the people of Pakistan". A State Department spokesman urged the next government to work with Mr Musharraf.

Mr Musharraf is a key Muslim ally for the US in its fight against al Qaeda and also oversaw better ties with rival India. Neighbours and allies fear nuclear-armed Pakistan is becoming more unstable.

A wave of sympathy helped Mrs Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) win the most seats in the National Assembly. The allies of former army chief Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup, suffered big losses.

The PPP needs coalition partners and the President's camp is banking on persuading it to invite the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League (PML) to salvage his leadership.

Asked by the Wall Street Journal if he had contemplated resigning, Mr Musharraf replied: "No, not yet. We have to move forward in a way that we bring about a stable democratic government to Pakistan."

Mrs Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari, who took over as PPP leader after she was killed in December, ruled out admitting the PML but he said a southern regional rival friendly with Mr Musharraf was welcome to join.

"I want to make a government along with MQM," Mr Zardari told a news conference yesterday, referring to Muttahida Qaumi Movement, a junior partner in the PML government.

Mr Zardari said the President's fate would lie with Parliament.

"Parliament will decide which president it can work with and which president it cannot," he said.

Mr Sharif, whose party ran second in Monday's poll, has made driving Mr Musharraf from power his mission since returning from exile in November, a month after Mrs Bhutto.