Power Struggle in Pakistan

KARACHI, Pakistan -- Benazir Bhutto's assassination has deepened political uncertainty in Pakistan, with diverse political groups likely to intensify their jostling for power and influence.

Ms. Bhutto's secular-oriented, generally pro-Western Pakistan Peoples' Party remains the most powerful political force in the country. The party had been expected to perform well in parliamentary elections scheduled for Jan. 8, raising the possibility that it might acquire the clout to strike some type of political accommodation, if not an alliance, with President Pervez Musharraf.

But there are now serious doubts about the PPP remaining unified under a new leader. Amin Fahim, an influential party elder from the southern province of Sindh, is expected to take over the leadership of the party at least for the time being. As PPP vice chairman, he led the party in Pakistan during Ms. Bhutto's eight-year exile in London and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. There is also a possibility of Ms. Bhutto's husband, Asif Ali Zardari, assuming the leadership. But he has battled allegations of corruption in the past and may not be acceptable to the party rank and file.

Meanwhile, Mr. Musharraf's own supporters, various Islamic parties and underground militant groups, and Pakistan's powerful military establishment all are jockeying to influence events. Here is a rundown on the main political players:

• The Pakistan Muslim League (Q) is a right-of-center party that supports Mr. Musharraf and was seen as a front-runner in the parliamentary election. But Ms. Bhutto's death may change how the Pakistani public views the party.

This faction broke off from the Pakistan Muslim League after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was deposed by Mr. Musharraf in 1999. The faction adopted the initial Q for Quaid-e-Azam, or Great Leader, a name given to Pakistan's founder.

• The Pakistan Muslim League (N) party is another right of center grouping, but this one is led by Mr. Sharif. His supporters adopted the initial N, for Nawaz, after the two factions split. It has a national reach, with its strongest support base in Punjab, Pakistan's largest province. Mr. Sharif, who returned from exile last month, is a bitter opponent of Mr. Musharraf. He also is a political conservative, with close ties to Middle Eastern Muslim nations.

• Other Islamic opposition parties sustained a serious political setback after a six-party alliance known as the Muttehida Majlis Amal disintegrated. But two of its components -- Jamiat ulema Islam and Jamaat-I-Islami -- continue to have strong support bases in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province and Western Baluchistan province bordering Afghanistan. These conservative Muslim anti-American groups seek to turn Pakistan into an Islamic state.

• Clandestine pro-Taliban and pro-al Qaeda Islamist militant groups are still active despite being outlawed by Mr. Musharraf's government. These include Jaish-e-Mohammed, Harkatul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba. These groups have strong links with the Taliban insurgents fighting the U.S. led coalition forces in Afghanistan. JeM also has close links with the armed insurgents fighting the Pakistani military forces in the lawless tribal regions along the country's border with Afghanistan.

• The Pakistani military, which has ruled the country through Mr. Musharraf since 1999, is also a powerful political player and the country's most coherent and effective national institution. The army has been broadly loyal to Mr. Musharraf, but it has been historically mistrustful of civilian rule. Some of its former and present officers also have long-standing personal links to Islamic militant groups.