The capitulation of the ex-general

For Austrian daily Die Presse, the political career of Pakistan's former President Pervez Musharraf has not yet ended: "Can things ... only get better? Yes, because with the departure of Musharraf, who was chief of staff for many years, the first step has been taken towards getting Pakistan out of a permanent crisis. Musharraf, allegedly a close ally of the US in the fight against terror, had long since become a liability for everyone: in recent times he showed little respect for the country's democratic institutions, the independence of its judiciary and its civil society, and he ultimately failed in the battle against militant Islamists. All Musharraf can do now is try to save face. For the ex-general and now also ex-president knows only too well that in Pakistani politics a comeback can never be ruled out. Nawaz Sharif was prime minister before he was exiled to Saudi Arabia - today he is once again among those pulling the strings in Islamabad. So can Musharraf also hope to return to power - perhaps a couple of years from now?" 

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