Asif Ali Zardari’s election to the coveted post of President of Pakistan was a foregone conclusion. He brings along with him a series of responsibilities in the domestic as well on the international front. As the civil society in Pakistan has acquired a bargaining power higher than what it had in history, one can conclude the tumultuous time for Pakistan is not yet over.

Pervez Musharraf was far-sighted to sense this, as he stepped down as President within 10 days after the political parties started preparations for his impeachment. Zardari, accussed by Nawaz Sharif led PML(N) on going back to his written agreement on reinstating the Supreme Court judges, is not the unanimous choice of all citizens of Pakistan. That his party enjoys majority in two houses of Pakistan parliament, the National Assembly and the Senate, as well as in a few other Provincial Assemblies in Pakistan is the sole reason for his victory.

Whether he would go to an extent of dismissing the Judges already appointed by the parliament and reinstate the ousted Chief Justice, Mr. Choudhary, is something we all should wait and see. It’s also doubtful whether the accusations that he has so far amassed huge amount of wealth (almost $62 million) will ever be taken again for public debate, even by Courts or by parliament. But one thing is crucial: the issue of joining the war against terror with the US is going to decide his foreign policy (US launched a drone attack in North and South Waziristan yesterday for the fourth time in the last few months). On the domestic front, his ability to gel with the political parties and the civil society decides the future of his Presidentship.