And it seems that Pakistan's opposition leaders understand that reality quite well, based upon their decision to participate in next month's elections.

The two main opposition parties led by Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif said they would participate in Jan. 8 parliamentary elections, despite deep misgivings about whether the vote could be free and fair.

The move came as an opposition call to boycott the elections foundered Sunday.

Mr. Sharif, the former prime minister who returned from exile two weeks ago but has been barred from running himself, would marshal his party to participate in elections, said Ahsan Iqbal, a party spokesman.

Mr. Sharif had called for a boycott of the election to protest the continued rule of PakistanÂ’s president, Pervez Musharraf, who imposed a state of emergency on Nov. 3, suspending the Constitution and dismissing the Supreme Court. But when Ms. Bhutto, also a former prime minister, made it clear that her party would run, Mr. Sharif could not afford to stay out of the race, Mr. Iqbal said.

The parties that will participate say that they are doing so “under protest,” and that they will mount a campaign against unfair election conditions and the government’s efforts to return a Parliament and government favorable to Mr. Musharraf.

The participation of the main opposition parties would grant some credibility to Mr. Musharraf. Opposition groups that support a boycott argue that fair elections would be impossible with the country still under emergency rule, a muzzled news media and a pro-Musharraf caretaker government, election commission and newly appointed Supreme Court in place.

Ms. Bhutto said her Pakistan Peoples Party would participate in the elections in order to force them to be open and to prevent the pro-Musharraf coalition from winning a majority.

“We believe it is important to take part under protest because by boycotting we play into the hands of Musharraf,” she said in a telephone interview on Sunday from her home in the United Arab Emirates, where she spent the weekend.

Mr. Musharraf has said he will lift emergency rule on Sunday and has pledged to hold “fair and free elections according to the Constitution.”

The current situation in Pakistan is not the best for free elections, but it may be the best opportunity to highlight any unfairness. Furthermore, failure to participate concedes victory to Musharraf and his supporters. The better option is to create a strong opposition bloc -- fi not an opposition majority -- in parliament to try to control the damage.

And let there be no illusion -- none of the leaders -- Bhutto, Sharif, and Musharraf -- are saints. But neither are these leaders with corrupt histories without popular support, so it seems that they are what Pakistan has to work with. May these flawed individuals fashion a vibrant democracy.

Posted by: Greg at 11:21 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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