Bhutto corruption charges dropped

[eppur_se_muova]

Source: CNN

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf signed a "reconciliation ordinance" Friday that drops outstanding corruption charges against former premier Benazir Bhutto and a number of other politicians -- a move that can pave the way for a power-sharing deal with Bhutto.

Musharraf's office announced he had signed the new law.

But Bhutto's party said it was still waiting for formal notification about the law, but welcomed the power-sharing negotiations, the Associated Press reported.

Earlier, pakistan's Supreme Court ruled Friday that the country's presidential elections can go ahead Saturday, but stipulated the results cannot be ratified until legal challenges are cleared.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/05/pakistan.elections/index.html

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. Very important and mysterious story!

Bhutto has roughly twice Musharraf's popular support and would presumably win an open election there. But she has been on notice that she will be arrested if she returns to Pakistan.

Is the deal that you block a fair election, then announce the day before the election that you are open to working with the person who would have won the election...? It's pretty high-wire politics.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will not rule on whether Musharraf is even Eligible to be on the Ballot until 11 days after the election is held.

"In return, the president could gain support from her Pakistan Peoples Party and a veneer of respectability amid a boycott of opposition parties in the parliament"

It will be interesting to see how "power sharing" works out.