Very heartened how the elections went yesterday and even more so by the fact that the opposition parties have triumphed.

Whilst the reports rightly trumpet the success of Bhuttos's PPP and Sharif's PML(N) in the National Assembly elections, the untold story so is that the MMA (Islamic party) which ruled the North West Frontier with creeping Taleban legislation, has been trounced!

They have lost control of the Provincial Assembly to the Awami National Party (pashtun nationalist and secular) and PPP came in second.

The victory of democracy over fundamentalism at the ballot box is a great victory and shows the true secular spirit of the majority of Pakistanis. It shows why the radicals though will resort to assasination and intimidation to get their way.

At the National Assembly level, we have to hope that both the PPP of the late Bhutto and PML(N) of Nawaz Sharif can find an accomodation. PPP has yet to suggest a PM candidate - hopefully its not the Mr 10% Zaradari, Bhutto's widower, as that would be a step back.

There is still a long way to go for Pakistan, but this really is quite a milestone, albeit with much blood shed tragically along the way.

The terrible news of Benazir Bhutto's assassination also marks a failure of US and western polcy towards Pakistan. The UK government should place the emphasis on backing the building of democratic institutions, not individuals whose commitment is questionable.

Today on BBC News 24 Rehman Chrishti, the Conservative candidate for Gillingham and Rainham, called for the people of Pakistan to take to the streets and begin a revolution.

President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan is said to plan to stand down as head of the army by 15th November. This is said to be reported by an official from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML).

Peter Tatchell says Pakistan is now colluding with the Taliban to crush the Baluch people’s struggle for freedom