General Musharraf is arranging a referendum to decide if he should stay in power. Despite his popularity, Musharraf does not trust the elected politicians in parliament. Musharraf has been cracking down on corruption and most politicians fear this more than anything else. At the moment, Musharraf is popular with the voters. Not so much because he is cracking down on various radical groups or getting a lot more foreign aid, but because he is cracking down on corruption. Government corruption is one thing India and Pakistan share. What makes these two neighbors different is the inability of Pakistan to rule itself using elected officials. While the Indian army has stayed out of politics, the Pakistani armed forces have ruled the nation more often then elected officials. Generally, the military men are less corrupt than the civilian politicians. But this is increasingly a distinction without a difference.

Musharraf apparently feels that he cannot stay in power if he cracks down on the Kashmir rebels.