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Pakistan's fragile democracy has been severely damaged by the government's poor response to the worst floods in the country's modern history and the row over President Zardari's UK visit, while the military appears to have gained in stature with its relief work, analysts believe.
The government's shambolic aid efforts have contrasted with the military's ability to deliver assistance, with the army rescuing more than 100,000 stranded people.
Victims, many of whom have had their homes swept away, have complained bitterly about the lack of government help; its defenders say the scale of the challenge would have tested any administration.
The flood waters arrived in Sindh province at the weekend having travelled around 600 miles south and east along the course of the River Indus. The UN today raised its forecast of the number of people affected to 6 million and said the scale of the crisis was similar to the 2005 earthquake that hit northern Pakistan.
In Sindh, the water is threatening two dams, at Guddu and Sukkar, which, if they fail, would add greatly to the catastrophe. A protective dike at Torhi, near Sukkur, burst on Saturday.
President Asif Zardari's trip to France and Britain as the floods raged last week created an image of an indifferent, arrogant leadership, say critics. Already unpopular, Zardari faced protests on Saturday at a rally for his Pakistan Peoples party in Birmingham, with one demonstrator trying to throw a shoe at him.
"Even when governments can't cope, they can at least show empathy. That was missing," said Ayaz Amir, a newspaper columnist and member of parliament for the opposition Pakistan Muslim League (N). "Who was the first person on the scene? The army chief. This has really cost [Zardari] heavily. This image will linger.
"The image of President Zardari visiting his chateau in France, while there was devastating flooding in Pakistan: this will have long-term effects."
The government insists that the overseas tour was important and that the prime minister, not the president, is responsible for running the government, including its response to natural disasters. However, images of what some have dubbed Zardari's "joy ride" have played continuously on Pakistani TV, adding to public anger.
While in France, Zardari went by helicopter to drop in on the 16th century chateau he owns in Normandy. He has been accused in the past of accruing millions through corruption, earning him the nickname "Mr Ten Percent". His arrival in Britain in a pair of jeans caused further consternation over what was supposed to be an official visit, as did his stay in a five-star hotel in London. Holding a party-political event while in the UK appeared to be the final insult.
"In choosing to go ahead with the tour … President Zardari appears to have badly miscalculated the impact this untimely visit will have on his image as Pakistan's head of state," the Pakistani newspaper Dawn said in an editorial at the weekend.
General Ashfaq Kayani, by contrast, visited victims days before the prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, who was campaigning for byelections instead. Kayani repeatedly visited the affected areas.
When, in the middle of last week, Gilani did make it to flood-hit Mianwali, in Punjab province, he unwittingly inspected what was later reported to be a fake aid centre set up by officials for his visit.
Pakistan has spent more than half its 63-year existence under military rule, with the last such period ending in 2008. The Pakistani military, working through its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, is accused of secretly backing jihadist groups, including Afghan insurgents and anti-India outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, even while fighting other extremists such as the Pakistani Taliban. The military denies the charge, pointing out that more Pakistani soldiers have died fighting terrorists than Nato losses across the border in Afghanistan.
The civilian government appears to have wrestled little control over national security policy from the military.
The boost to the military's reputation will make it even more difficult for Zardari's government to crack down on rogue elements in the army accused of supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan.
"[The floods] have exposed the weakness and poor management by the civilian government," said Hasan Askari Rizvi, a political analyst based in Lahore. "The military got an opportunity to demonstrate its organisational ability and technical skills. The military knows they have public support, so they can pursue their own agenda."
Visiting Sukkar today, Gilani admitted that the government could not cope. "It is beyond our capacity," Gilani said. "We didn't expect such a high flood, a super-flood. It is beyond imagination." The west has lavished aid on the civilian governmment over the last couple of years, hoping that it will help stabilise civilian rule.
Farahnaz Ispahani, a member of parliament and spokesperson for Zardari, said the president's visits to France and the UK were previously scheduled and "he felt it important diplomatically to continue those visits".
According to forecasts, heavy rain will continue to fall in Sindh for at least the next three days.
Wolfgang Herbinger of the UN World Food Programme said: "We are particularly concerned about the needs of 600,000 people who remain completely cut off in the north of KPK, especially as no helicopter deliveries have been possible for three days because of bad weather,"
The damage to infrastructure will run into billions of dollars and huge swaths of crops have been destroyed. At least 1,600 people have died in the floods.
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