News reports are once again emerging about the palns of Mr. Pervez Musharraf who wants to stage a comeback in Pakistan and make a run for the elections. There are die hard supporters of the President who reminise for the days of the General when the economy was good, there was realtive stability, and the Americans were kept at bay. Can Pervez Musharraf make a comeback?

Today the country is run by the likes of Mr. Zardari, Rehman Malik and Mr. Hussain Haqqani, all players with questionable pasts and disputable loyalties.

The CIA connection…Benazir death, Musharraf elimination, Zardari coronation. Installing an Anti-Pakistan government in Kabul

Musharraf has re-emerged on the scene. Asia Times Online has learned that he is pondering the formation of a new political party and that he recently funneled large amounts of money into the coffers of former aides to promote his cause. These include former minister of information, Sheikh Rasheed, whom some reports say has been paid US$1 million – the same amount that went to a public relations team to boost Musharraf’s image. Asia Times. Shehzad Saleem

The gulf between the PPPP and the PMLN is growing. The PMLN has stayed out of the fray and not joined the PPPP. The increased belligerence of Mr. Nawaz Sharif can only be matched by the exponential increase in the public appearances of former president Pervez Musharraf. The present government is incompetent and has no credibility. The popularity ratings of Mr. Zardari are half that of Mr. Musharraf.

President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan

Pervez Musharraf has a great personality and can speak really well. His eloquence can only be matched by his self-confidence. There are no absolutes, but the general consensus is that he is incorruptible and his staff, judging by Pakistanis standards was not corrupt, or not as corrupt as Mr. Zardari or Mr. Sharif. Questions about Pervez Musharraf’s decision on joining America’s war in Afghanistan have pretty much been rebutted by the PPPPs servile acquiescence to the same diktats. Many Pakistanis seriously doubt if the PMLN government will be able to extricate Pakistan from the American bear hug that is hurtling Afghanistan and Pakistan towards a revolution. History will judge Pervez Musharraf kindly. The decade of his rule saw Pakistan progress in many areas. Defense, telecommunication and banking flourished. Agriculture survived and inflation and shortages were kept to a minimum. The astronomical success of the electrification program and the relative affluence accorded to many Pakistan led the way to shortages of food and electricity. The Chasma 2 did not come up to speed fast enough and Kalabagha nd Bhasha remained mired in controversy. The energy crisis was not planned for and in many ways agriculture should have been given more attention.

Insiders say that Musharraf has vast wealth, much of it accumulated through donations from individuals (these, some say, include Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi) and corporations to aid previous election campaigns. There are reports that Musharraf received US$30 million from the United Arab Emirates via one of its top bankers, and $3 million from a Pakistani cellular phone company.

Musharraf believes that with his contacts – especially to the Saudi royal family – and being internationally known, he could play a decisive role in the South Asian “war on terror” theater in which the Americans are looking for new ways to approach the Taliban for reconciliation, along with the elimination of al-Qaeda. Asia Times. Shehzad Saleem

Any hint of a comeback by Mr. Mushrraf is met with strenous arguments against the dictator–most of it coming form the PMLN and the acolyts of Mr. Sharif who was removed in a coup/counter-coup(depending on which side youa re on) by Mr. Musharraf.

Mr. Pervez Musharraf is a very savvy politician, possibly the smartest one around. The current government in power is totally incompetent. It has been able to pass only four laws in The National Assembly in the past year and is looked as a client government under the supervision of the White House in Washington. Mr. Pervez Musharraf judges the low popularity of Mr. Zardari as a possible window of opportunity to  make a comeback. It is very obvious that he has ambitions beyond being a coup dictator. He has a constituency in Pakistan. Can he gather them to help him?

Legally, he cannot run for any office ’till 2010 or thereabouts–two years after resigning as COAS. Technically he is still a violator of the constitution. The penalty for violating the constitution and abrogating his oath is death. He has not been indemnified for his removal of the Chief Justice and ensuing actions.

Mr. Musharraf’s statement that Mr. Zardari took his advice on Salman Taseer is a carefully crafted message and it is a poignant reminder to Pakistanis that he is still relevant in Pakistan. He could work with Mr. Zardari and consecrate a new NRO which would indemnify him of his 2nd “Martial Law (which he euphemistically named as “Emergency Plus’).  If his misdeeds are forgiven, he could get elected to the parliament and lead the PML or his new party Pasdaran e Pakistan to victory.

The people of Pakistan are fed up with the wrangling of the Zardaris and the Sharifs. Mr. Zardari cannot rule or will not rule. We are not sure why, but the incompetence and corruption is in their blood. Can Pakistan tolerate a decade of the Sharif-Zardari fued? Moin Ansari. Rupee News exclusive. The author can be contacting by leaving a message in the comments section of Rupee News