Aaj TV reports that Asif Zardari’s senior advisers have recommended that he drop out of the presidential race.

According to the station, Zardari and advisers are mulling over two options, besides staying on:

• withdrawing his papers and having Feryal Talpur, his sister and covering candidate, run in his stead;
• or withdrawing both of their papers and support the PML-N candidate, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui.

Deciding in favor of the latter would seem to involve bringing the PML-N back into the federal coalition. Zardari would also be wise to restore the deposed judges in full — no fudging around.

As I wrote on the day of Musharraf’s resignation, Zardari would be pummeled from all sides if he sought the presidency. The so-called brilliant move was actually a catalyst for his detractors–and there are many–to unite. Clearly the man whispering in Zardari’s ears gave him bad advice or even set him up. Zardari’s political career rests on cooperation with Nawaz. Those who propose otherwise are fooling themselves or Zardari.

Update: 8/30 – Zardari’s not dropping out.  His covering candidate and sister, Feryal Talpur, withdrew her papers today.  His odds of winning the presidency are now much better, due to what I call a “Ramadan reprieve.”  But winning the elections is one thing and staying in office is another.  Zardari’s man in Punjab, Salmaan Taseer, has been flexing his muscles lately.  His cable television provider service, WorldCall, has pulled Aaj Television off the air during the broadcast of a program, Bolta Pakistan, which also earned the anger of Pervez Musharraf.  Taseer, media magnate and governor of Punjab, was accused by Ahsan Iqbal  of the PML-N of trying to depose the latter’s government in Punjab.  Zardari’s choosing to play hardball is dangerous; without public support, he’ll have to resort to less conventional or legitimate options, and he will find himself in the same position as Pervez Musharraf–and without the backing of Pakistan’s Army.