The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Islamabad

President Pervez Musharraf has emerged from six tumultuous weeks of emergency rule with another five-year presidential term but facing fresh threats to his grip on power. Pakistan elects a new parliament next month, and after ceding control of the army and letting two key political rivals return from exile, the U.S.-backed leader will be vulnerable if the next batch of lawmakers opposes him. Musharraf's suspension of the constitution Nov. 3 enabled him to purge the Supreme Court of judges who could have terminated his autocratic rule. But his extraconstitutional actions could leave him open to political attack and even impeachment if the ruling party fares badly at the polls, giving clout to an emboldened opposition that has been sidelined for years because of his total dominance, backed by the powerful military and a rubber-stamp parliament.