More on the presidential campaign in Pakistan

Just as I suspected, all this violence in Pakistan is, well, serving some people's political ends. As the Financial Times reports:

General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's US-backed military ruler, faced calls to resign yesterday after attacks by Islamist militants claimed at least 54 more lives, bringing the death toll since Saturday to 184.

Pakistan has been torn by extremist violence since Gen Musharraf ordered commandos to storm a mosque in Islamabad on July 10, a move that led to the death of at least 75 Islamists and promises of revenge from al-Qaeda and militant groups.

Farhatullah Babar, spokesman for the Pakistan People's party, said: "The military government has failed to contain militancy and should resign to pave the way for a democratically-elected government that has the consent of the people behind it."

As a leading Pakistani pundit opined:

"We are getting increasingly sucked in to the fallout from the Afghan war," said Ayaz Amir, a leading Pakistani political commentator. "The solution lies in restoring full civilian rule. Only then will we be able to unite Pakistanis for fighting for this cause."

In other words, this is presidential campaigning, Pakistani style.