Crises surround Pakistan government's 1st 100 days

By Simon Cameron-Moore

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - For a world hoping democracy will provide the stability nuclear-armed Pakistan needs to save it from Islamist militants and chaos, the first 100 days of the new civilian government haven't been very reassuring.

The transition, after eight years of military-led rule under President Pervez Musharraf, an important U.S. ally in its war on terrorism, is happening at the worst of times.

Asif Ali Zardari is struggling to fill the void left by the assassination in December of his wife, the charismatic two-time prime minister Benazir Bhutto, whose party won the election in February and took the reins of government on March 29.

There are fears within their Pakistan People's Party (PPP) that Zardari has chosen a losing path in a three-way power struggle with Musharraf and old rival Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister Musharraf overthrew.

Although Musharraf has so far resisted calls for his resignation, he could quit in coming months, just as the Bush presidency that has helped prop him up draws to a close.

Once that happens, most analysts reckon the last vestiges of a post-election alliance between Zardari and Sharif will disappear and Pakistan will enter a fresh phase of instability.

"It is distracting the government from focusing on some grave challenges, the economic challenges, but mostly this challenge from pro-Taliban militants," said Lisa Curtis, a South Asia analyst at the Heritage Foundation in Washington.