Pakistan's president considers whether latest plan to head off opposition claims of corruption will grant him breathing space.
I woke up this Saturday morning to the sound of what felt like 1,000 preachers all simultaneously announcing the Eid prayer in Islamabad.
The early morning wake up call felt fortuitous. The country faces yet another political crisis. Eid for many Muslims is a chance to reflect, to take stock. I wondered what Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's president, was doing at this moment - whether he was reflecting on his office, on his legacy and Pakistan's murky political climate.
Zardari is under immense pressure. That pressure comes from the NRO, or National Reconciliation Ordinance. The decree, which was introduced in 2007, allowed then-president Pervez Musharraf to allow opposition politicians outside the country to return to Pakistan, free from prosecution on criminal cases lodged against them.
Fast forward to today and the deal seems to have backfired.
Zardari has not been able to get agreement in parliament for an extension to the amnesty by the November 28 deadline. So, now it is in the hands of the supreme court.
Zardari's options are shrinking. According to most analysts here, his best option is to hang on the presidency as that would grant him continued immunity from prosecution on any charges against him.
But in order to do that he has to give up some powers. In a wily move, that's exactly what he has done. One of the biggest powers he relinquished is his command of the country's nuclear arsenal. His decision to hand it over to the Yousef Raza Gilani, the prime minister, has surprised many here in Pakistan. A spokesman for the government spun the move as one that would strengthen democracy in the country.
By giving up some presidential powers Zardari is hoping that the supreme court won't decide to take a look at the legality of his office and that he can continue as president, free from prosecution. That would give him up to four years to quash any criminal cases that may come his way in the future.
It's a smart move from an old-school Pakistani politician who learnt his survival skills in some most of politically turbulent waters in the world. As the husband of the slain Benazir Bhutto, he helped build the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) into a major political force. To do that, you have to be a smooth political operator with a shrewd mind and an eye for what could happen next.
Zardari has always been a survivor. But with so many in Pakistan predicting his demise this is probably now the biggest battle in his political life. That is saying something for a man who has been imprisoned and exiled and who still faces accusations of corruption.
In Islamabad, families are getting together for the traditional Eid meal. They will swap stories and think of what could happen over the next year. At the president's house, the occupant will be also considering what the future will hold - not just for him but for the entire nation, if his plan backfires.
