Democracy in Pakistan Didn't Die with Benazir Bhutto

Democracy in Pakistan does not die because of the assassination of a leader who spent the last 8 years in another country. The "death of democracy" tone set by early media reports, countries expressing sympathy, and bloggers is romantic and plays to Bhutto's persona and hold on the Western imagination (Muslim and female and a leader? Wow! Democratic? Aw shucks!) but it's equally likely that Thursday's assassination of Benazir Bhutto gives Pakistanis another opportunity to push their country towards democracy.

The year's events prove that Pakistan is in transition--Pervez Musharraf sacking the chief justice of the supreme court (whose impending ruling could've stopped his third 5-year term), dismissing the judiciary, suspending the constitution, lawyers protesting and being jailed, a suicide bomb attack in a mosque on one of Islam's holiest days, October's attack on Bhutto during her US-backed return, Bhutto's recent assassination. Musharraf is weak and ripe for the picking. Question is: who's pickin'? Islamists? Civil society (w/Islamic fundamentalists included)? Another military leader?

Pakistanis can see their way through the nascent democratic process (unstable by definition) that Bhutto, despite her well-publicized shortcomings, was intent on re-instituting. Like most folks though, I've got more questions than answers.

1. What will the impact of Bhutto martyrdom be?
It's not clear that martyrdom won't galvanize the country to sacrifice for democracy. Bhutto, as a two-term female PM, was calculating and I would be surprised if she had not planned to inspire the nation from the grave. If Musharraf permits January elections, every Pakistani--not just those fighting to touch the van carrying Bhutto's coffin above--will fill out a ballot.