If you're watching the Pakistani pre-election....

One from the government, (AP) "Musharraf would share power with Bhutto"

One from the opposition, (AFP) "Former Pakistani premier Bhutto says power-sharing talks stalled"

And, a "state of play" from the NYTimes.

Opposition parties, meanwhile, intensified their campaign against General Musharraf’s re-election, filing new legal challenges against his eligibility in the Supreme Court. At the same time, more than 80 legislators resigned from the National Assembly, and almost as many others resigned from provincial assemblies.....

Ms. Bhutto’s party did not take part in the mass resignation from Parliament to protest General Musharraf’s bid for re-election.....

General Musharraf needs the participation of her Pakistan Peoples Party in the election so it is not seen as being completely robbed of legitimacy.

Musharraf's allies want the emphasis on the fact that they're offering "amnesty" to Bhutto so she can return. "Bhutto, though, dismissed the amnesty offer. "It's absolutely wrong, the news the corruption charges have been dropped," she said, adding: "It's a disinformation campaign run by...the head of the intelligence bureau."

With the way the election has been structured, there's little question Musharraf will win. The main question is how much (or how little) legitimacy the election will be seen to have had.

Also: Another story (WaPo) with experts screaming that the political turmoil in Pakistan is degrading the Pakistani efforts against the Taleban/Al Qaeda.