Quotable: Our way, or the mango crate way

Carlotta Gall reports on the rumblings within Pakistan's military about Pervez Musharraf: The longest-ruling general, Mohammed Zia ul-Haq, who seized power in 1977, died in 1988 in a plane crash, the cause of which remains a mystery. The strongest possibility is that the plane was sabotaged, possibly by a bomb – or even, according to ...

Carlotta Gall reports on the rumblings within Pakistan's military about Pervez Musharraf:

Carlotta Gall reports on the rumblings within Pakistan's military about Pervez Musharraf:

The longest-ruling general, Mohammed Zia ul-Haq, who seized power in 1977, died in 1988 in a plane crash, the cause of which remains a mystery. The strongest possibility is that the plane was sabotaged, possibly by a bomb – or even, according to one theory, by a knockout gas – hidden inside crates of mangoes, a gift that was put on board the presidential plane at the last minute.

This being mango season, the old story has gained a lot of currency lately. "He either goes the mango crate way or he goes gracefully," as one serving military officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

So what happens if Musharraf blows up in a cloud of smoke and mango guts, or takes the hint and steps down? To find out who might become the next president of Pakistan, check out this recent FP List: After Musharraf.

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