The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Islamabad

The real question in Pakistan's presidential election is not who the winner will be but whether the new leader will be any more successful than his predecessor in tackling extremism and economic malaise.

Asif Ali Zardari, head of the ruling Pakistan People's Party and widower of two-time Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, will face off against two lightly regarded opponents when legislators meet Saturday to choose a president.

The winner will replace former military strongman Pervez Musharraf, who resigned under pressure last month.

"It will be an easy victory for Asif Ali Zardari as we have the support of more than 400 lawmakers out of about 700," People's Party spokesman Farhatullah Babar told The Associated Press.

The party was part of a coalition that swept to power in February parliamentary elections on a mostly anti-Musharraf platform, so no major changes in policy are expected, even though a key partner has defected to spearhead the opposition.

Zardari, generally considered pro-Western, also isn't expected to change Pakistan's commitment to be an ally in the U.S. war on terrorism, despite a bold cross-border U.S.-led raid that left at least 15 people dead in the country's largely lawless tribal belt along the Afghan frontier.

The raid Wednesday sparked widespread condemnation of what was seen as an attack on the country's sovereignty.

In news likely to stoke more anger, intelligence officials said a missile strike was suspected in a blast Thursday that killed at least four people in North Waziristan, part of the tribal belt where Osama bin Laden and his deputy are thought to be hiding. Similar strikes in the past have been blamed on the U.S.

Zardari criticized Wednesday's raid, the first known foreign ground assault inside Pakistan against a suspected Taliban haven. But he also expressed sympathy for the U.S. and other countries that have been hit by terrorist attacks, saying Pakistan also is suffering from extremist violence.

His reaction underscores the fine line that Pakistan's leaders must walk amid dependence on U.S. financial aid: Crack down on beds of Islamic extremism even as many Pakistanis blame the strategic alliance for fueling violence by Islamic militants in their country. The People's Party has tried to convince Pakistanis they cannot duck the fight.