The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, had no immediate comment on the release of Mohammed. But American officials have been closely following the new government's statements on how it intends to deal with insurgents who have found haven in Pakistan's tribal regions.
The new government, led by the party of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, has said it will conduct a review of anti-terrorism policies, probably taking a less military-centered approach than Musharraf did.
Meanwhile, there were fresh indications that Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, might try to position himself to become prime minister. Zardari, who heads Bhutto's party, has indicated he wants to seek a seat in parliamentary by-elections in June, which would make him eligible for the top post.
On Monday, the Supreme Court struck down a law that could have posed an obstacle for him, ruling that candidates do not have to hold a bachelor's degree. Zardari has said he has such a degree, but Pakistani media have reported that it is unclear whether he does.
The court's action points up a difficult question faced by Zardari and his party: whether to try to reinstate judges who were fired by Musharraf last year during a state of emergency. The restoration of the judges could open the way for legal challenges to an amnesty that Musharraf granted to Zardari and others, which in effect tossed out pending corruption charges against them. The judges appointed by Musharraf are considered unlikely to revive such cases.
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laura.king@latimes.com
Special correspondent Ali reported from Peshawar and Times staff writer King from Istanbul, Turkey.
