NEW YORK, May 1: Noting that “Gen Pervez Musharraf almost certainly own a rigged referendum in Pakistan,” the New York Times said “that the balloting has actually diminished Gen Musharraf’s stature and he must now take aggressive steps to restore democracy with a vigorously contested parliamentary election, due in October.”

In an editorial “Dubious Referendum”, the Times said that “the next big test for Gen Musharraf, politically speaking, is October’s parliamentary elections.”

“He carried out the referendum to enhance his credibility on the world stage. Instead, he set in motion a test of his credibility when the elections get under way”, the paper said.

The Times observed that “the two parties in the best position to win them are the Pakistan Muslim League of former Prime Minister Sharif, who accepted exile when he was threatened with prosecution after his ouster, and the Pakistan People’s Party of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. At the very least, Gen Musharraf needs to allow Ms Bhutto’s and Mr Sharif’s organizations to participate fully in the election and accept the results.”

Underscoring that “there can be no room for easing up on terrorism or the promised return to democracy,” the paper said “the general made a grave mistake in scheduling the referendum in the first place. He compounded the error by banning organized rallies by political parties. The two main political parties are actually supportive of the crackdown on militants and terrorism. Now they have been alienated by Gen Musharraf’s tactics.”

Commenting on the referendum, Chicago Tribune said: “Like a hero of classical tragedy, Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf seems increasingly trapped. No matter how well-intentioned, his choices lead relentlessly to an unhappy ending.”

Saying that, “the rule of law needs to be written back into the Pakistani script”, the paper said “without the international community’s insistence, and organized pressure from Pakistanis, the October campaign will not feature advocacy of the rule of law as a way out of the eternal mess of Pakistani politics.”

“As long as the Pakistani state is not built on the rule of law, and politics does not rise above personality feuds, it will never be stable. Individuals and corporations will not invest their talents or money in such a petty, unreliable setting.”