TEHRAN -- Pakistan’s parliament is set to decide today who will fill the presidency, vacant since Parvez Musharraf resigned last month.

Musharraf, who took power in a bloodless coup in 1999, stepped down after the ruling coalition increased efforts to impeach him on charges of misconduct and violation of the Constitution.
Musharraf had earlier dismissed a number of Supreme Court judges when it appeared they will challenge his reelection as president. The sackings sparked violent demonstrations throughout Pakistan.
After Musharraf resigned, calls for the reinstatement of the judges increased, however, the shaky ruling coalition has since failed to restore the judiciary
Two-time former premier Nawaz Sharif's party who heads the second biggest party in Pakistan withdrew his support from the ruling coalition over the issue of the judges.
Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, is the frontrunner in the race to take power in Pakistan which is ravaged by insurgency.
Zardari, who spent 11 years in jail on corruption and other charges but was never convicted, is seen close to the United States and has repeatedly stressed the commitment of Pakistan to the campaign against militancy.
As co-chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Zardari already heads a fragile coalition government which, although still in office has lost the support of Sharif.
The Tehran Times has conducted an exclusive interview with Morteza Pouya, a former chairman of Pakistan’s Institute of Strategic Studies and current vice chairman of Pakistan’s Awami Tehreek party.
The following is an excerpt of the interview:
Q: Do you agree that after Musharaf’s resignation violence in Pakistan has surged? How do you think the next president will curb rampant inflation and growing insurgency?
A: Pakistan has been the scene of insurgency for the last thirty years. It was encouraged by outsiders. Even during Musharraf’s time, there was no guarantee that there would be no extremism. He did not maintain peace. This violence has been there during a large part of Musharraf’s term and he was totally unable to contain it.
One of the reasons for Musharraf’s unpopularity and the withdrawal of support by the U.S. was that he was unable to control extremism in Pakistan. With Musharraf gone, the militants would be willing to talk to the new government and reduce pressure, provided the new government distance itself from the American agenda. We believe we might have more violence in the next few weeks or months but within six months I believe there could be a turnaround.
Q: Why the ruling coalition broke apart after Musharraf’s resignation?
A: The ruling coalition was an artificially assembled coalition against Musharraf. It achieved its objective to make Musharraf resign as peacefully as possible. The coalition was not a natural coalition so it is not surprising that they have separated. We in Pakistan had predicted that.
Q: What do you think will be the result of election?
A: Sharif has introduced a candidate but he has not much of a chance and Zardari is the frontrunner. I think Zardari will be the next president.
Q: How would people respond to Zardari’s administration given that he has a background of corruption?
A: If he has a background of corruption, so have all the others. He was the power behind Benazir Bhutto. He is no chicken.
Q: Why the Pakistan People’s Party did not prevent the breakup the coalition by restoring the judges Musharaf sacked during his term?
A: It was just Sharif’s excuse to pull out of the coalition. Musharaf dismissed the judges to survive for another term. The people’s party has not refused to reinstate the judges. They just have different view points about how to restore them.
The judiciary has been highly politicized which is not good for the judiciary. The People’s Party wants to restore the judiciary through the parliament not just by an order. In any case this politicization of the judiciary has done a lot of damage. How independent these judges will be after they are restored is a very big question.
Q: What is the role of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) in Pakistan’s politics and how it is cooperating with the CIA?
A: No country can run without a powerful intelligence. There has to be an ISI. It has strong ties with the CIA. The ISI manipulates every issue in Pakistan. It has remained an overriding factor over the political forces in Pakistan over the course of history. They have a say in every thing. Every election in Pakistan is a manipulated election. ISI has controlled every thing over the last three decades.
Q: What is your view about the violence in Kashmir?
A: Kashmir is our right. The people of Kashmir have signed with their blood that they don’t want to be with India. The question is whether they want to join Pakistan or be independent. There can be no independent Kashmir. Independent Kashmir is just a myth to create division among the Kashmiris while they are living under the rule of India. Kashmiris voted sixty years ago to be with Pakistan. But India denied them this right.
Q: But many people in Kashmir seem to support independence.
A: It is a false myth that is being propagated. Independent Kashmir is like a poisoned apple, looks very nice from outside but will destroy India and Pakistan both.
Morteza Pouya has served as the chairman of the Institute of Strategic Studies. Currently he is the vice chairman at Pakistan’s Awami Tehreek party. He was also a former editor of Islamabad-based English daily The Moslem