Following the general election in Pakistan on Feb. 18, it does seem that this troubled country of 162 million people has been making some progress. The intriguing question now is what is the future of President Pervez Musharraf?

Compared to Russia's recent rigged and false elections, those in this suspended member of the Commonwealth (since 1999) were credible, strengthened democracy and pointed in the direction of change. There had been speculation that their results would lead to further unrest and protest, but this has not yet happened.

The political standing of President Musharraf has plunged. He has made many errors and enemies since he led a successful military coup against the corrupt civilian government in 1999, and his opponents will tell you he is finished. I have yet to be convinced and he has one or two cards up his sleeve. It is not going to be easy to remove a recently elected president, who for the moment has real power, whose political foes have little in common, and abroad both the United States and the United Kingdom need his support in the battle against Al-Qaeda.

President Musharraf appeared to think his party, the former ruling party called the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), was going to do well in the election. It crashed. It won only 42 seats in the 342-strong National Assembly and 19 of the party's former ministers were kicked out.

In one of the most contentious elections since the birth of the state in 1947, the Pakistan People's Party took 88 seats making it the largest party. It will be remembered Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister was its leader and she returned to Pakistan on Oct. 18. A highly significant and influential personality in the politics of her country, she was assassinated by persons unknown, on Dec. 27. Asif Ali Zardari, her widower, is under her surprise will a co-chairman of the party with her 19-year-old son Bilawal Zardari, who has returned to Oxford University to complete his studies.

Asif Ali Zardari, who is not an MP, is a highly controversial figure, and the Bhutto family has its power base in Sind province. When his wife was prime minister, Asif Ali Zardari had the reputation for creaming off 10 percent of government contracts. While the Pakistan People's Party clearly gained a sympathy vote it was not a massive one. I suspect the party will find it hard to maintain a high level of support as the memory of Benazir Bhutto begins to fade.

The party that came second was the Pakistan Muslim League (N) that is strong in Punjab. It won 66 seats. It is led by Nawaz Sharif, another twice elected prime minister like Benazir Bhutto. He was removed by Gen. Musharraf in 1999. He flew from London to Pakistan on Sept. 10, was presented with new charges of corruption, and flown on to Saudi Arabia.

On March 9, the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) reached a power-sharing deal and talks continue on the formation of an anti-President Musharraf government. Asif Ali Zardari told the crowd:

"We feel that the country is on the verge of making history. This was also the desire of Benazir Bhutto and we also intend to stick to the road to democracy; we are aware of the problems that the country is facing."

In November, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhury, and some 60 other judges serving in the higher courts, were removed by President Musharraf, who considered they were unlikely to endorse his controversial re-election as president for another five years. The two major parties who are working together have promised to restore them all within 30 days of the new Parliament's opening. The chief justice remains for the moment under house arrest. The restoration of the chief justice and the other 60 judges is opposed by President Musharraf and there would be a major confrontation between the new government and the president. President Musharraf has accepted the result of the general election. He has asked recently for his opponents to put politics aside - hardly a possibility in such extraordinary circumstances - and concentrate on forming a "stable government and peace in society". He has claimed he will become a "father figure". The National Assembly needs a two-third majority to strip him of his powers. The Senate is still in the hands of the former ruling party.

The roller coaster of Pakistani politics continues. Meanwhile, beyond Islamabad the country's myriad problems require urgent and concentrated attention - particularly those of extremism and terrorism.