The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Islamabad

Pakistan returned to civilian rule shortly after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto a year ago, but the nascent democracy is now caught in a web of crises that is threatening its future, analysts say.

The government led by President Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto's widower, came to power with significant public support, but many say he has not lived up to the promises made by their slain leader before her death in a suicide attack.

"He seems to have lost some of the popular goodwill because the government appears to be ineffective in addressing the problems that have hit the common people most," political analyst Hasan Askari told AFP.

Pakistan's troubles have worsened in the past 12 months with more than 50 suicide attacks killing civilians, severe economic woes for the government, and high food prices and regular power shortages hitting ordinary families hard.

At the same time, militancy in the lawless tribal areas and simmering tensions with India have been accompanied by political infighting between the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and its former coalition partner.

A recent poll carried out by a US-based research group, the International Republican Institute (IRI), revealed that nearly nine out of 10 Pakistanis feel their country is headed in the wrong direction.

Zardari himself earned only a 19 percent approval rating, the survey showed.