The public's turn against the radicals was accompanied by an equally stunning move toward Pakistan's moderate, secular political parties. In Terror Free Tomorrow's August survey, only 39 percent backed the principal moderate political parties. In our January pre-election survey, 62 percent said they intended to vote for the moderate political parties in the Feb. 18 elections.
The election results now show that about the same percentage, in fact, voted for the moderate political parties.
The fact is, Pakistan includes a mostly young, sophisticated and upwardly mobile population that aspires to the ideals of democracy and rule of law. If given the opportunity to choose its leaders, there can no longer be any question but it would overwhelmingly elect moderate parties, giving Pakistan a government that finally enjoys the popular legitimacy necessary to mount an effective military campaign against al-Qaida and the Taliban - a legitimacy that Mr. Musharraf so clearly lacks.
Pakistan can still be an ally to the United States in its struggle against al-Qaida and the Taliban, but only if democracy is allowed to flourish.
As Pakistan's moderate parties now consolidate power, they, too, should heed public opinion and remember that there are two mandates from this election. In addition to the widespread support that has swept the moderates to power, the Pakistani public has just as powerfully rejected extremism in all its forms.
Ms. Bhutto gave her life for the belief that a freer, more democratic Pakistan would in and of itself be a better partner to the U.S. in the war on terror - that the people could be the strongest bulwark against the radicals. Pakistan, with a new American policy that supports democracy, development and economic opportunity, can help ensure that her dream did not pass away along with her.
Reza Aslan is Middle East analyst for CBS News and author of "No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam." Kenneth Ballen is president of Terror Free Tomorrow: The Center for Public Opinion. This article originally appeared in The Christian Science Monitor.
