Diesel Powered

The political parties have looked at martial law's glass eye and recoiled with fear. Maulana Fazal's JUI, the inveterate coquette, is fluttering it's eyes in invitation. The Daughter of the East is looking towards the west before planning her next move. The bizarre circularity of PPP / US politics is such that the Americans are looking  at the reaction on the street, to decide whether or not to dump Musharraf and Benazir looks upto them to pressurize him. In the process she has done incalculable harm to herself and her party. The Americans have not made many friends either. 

Not that the others have done much better. Such is the level of mistrust among politicians, that all are afraid of being left out of the elections, whilst the others join in. The elections under martial law will solve nothing. The first setback to Musharraf will start a stampede. It may start as soon as he takes off his uniform.
Remember the CJ movement was started by lawyers, and supported by the media's coverage. The political parties were the beneficiaries, not the initiators of this movement. What Musharraf has done to the Supreme Court can not and will not stand. Lawyers have given blood and tasted victory, they will not give up. As soon as it is physically possible they will start again; and they will win again.
The politicians have a chance to take a stand, and come out looking tall and heroic in a few weeks time, or to collaborate and appear petty and grabbing, as they now do.