The almost farcical escape from Pakistani custody of Rashid Rauf points to the likelihood of a deal between Islamabad and militants who had threatened to boycott and disrupt Pakistan's general elections next month. But Rauf, a British subject of Pakistani origin once linked to a plot to blow up commercial aircraft and wanted in Britain in connection with a murder probe, is only part of the picture. It's not in al-Qaeda's interests to have militants making deals, and it might yet have the last word. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Dec 18, '07)