Left Flank

It's politics as usual in Pakistan, where opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination has become a negotiating point:

Miss Bhutto died in a suicide attack in Rawalpindi on December 27th while campaigning for the election, which was supposed to be held on January 8th. But the former ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q) party, which is loyal to the recently demobbed Mr Musharraf, and the electoral commission, which is allegedly also loyal to the president, have argued for a delay. They cite worries over the destruction of at least 13 polling stations in Miss Bhutto's southern Sindh province, as well as festering insecurity. They may also fear that a surge of sympathy for Miss Bhutto may galvanise opposition to Mr Musharraf.

For its part the PPP, now nominally led by Miss Bhutto's 19-year-old son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, with her widower, Asif Zardari, as co-chairman and, in effect, his son's regent, has insisted that the election be held on time. In a joint statement, Mr Zardari and his son said: «The January 8th elections must proceed as scheduled. This will not only be a tribute to the memory of Benazir Bhutto, but even more important, a reaffirmation of the cause of democracy for which she died.»

The PPP fears that a postponement would allow time for Pakistani sympathies to dwindle. It would also give Mr Musharraf's army agents pause to make fresh arrangements to rig the election in his favour. They have, after all, rigged the recent elections presided over by Mr Musharraf. On Monday PPP officials said that Miss Bhutto had been due to hand a long dossier on Mr Musharraf's latest election-rigging schemes to a visiting American delegation.

Other opposition parties, notably Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (N), the third biggest, want a prompt election for much the same reasons. Mr Sharif, the main opponent of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province, is hoping to profit from a wave of anti-Musharraf feeling there. His prospects were poor before Miss Bhutto's murder, but could perk up considerably. That would represent a fresh logistical challenge for Mr Musharraf's agents, who may consider it imperative to prevent the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) winning sufficient votes to be able to form a government together. On Monday Mr Sharif demanded that Mr Musharraf—who deposed him in a coup in 1999—should step down, a unity government be formed, then elections held.

Reuters makes clear just how the PPP has taken advantage of its slain leader's canonization:

Bhutto's killing has fuelled doubts about stability and the transition to democratic rule in nuclear-armed Pakistan, a crucial U.S. ally in its anti-terrorism efforts.

The Election Commission said on Tuesday "in principle" the vote would be delayed but Bhutto's party has objected and analysts said a postponement could lead to more violence.

Bhutto's party would expect to reap a considerable sympathy vote following her assassination in a gun and bomb attack as she left a rally in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

God forbid, militants or the military don't assassinate any more leaders, or else the the value of blood will trump the middle class vote.