I've never been comfortable with our nation's relationship with Pakistan's dictator, General Pervez Musharraf. I've never felt we have had his full support in the Crusade Against Jihadi Terrorism. Perhaps this ruling will lead to a return to democracy in that nation -- and a more faithful ally in our fight against al-Qaeda.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruled today that the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was thrust into exile in 2000 after a military coup, could return to the country, in what could be a direct political challenge to Pakistan’s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

Mr. Sharif, a critic of the current government, leads one of the strongest political movements against General Musharraf, and he wants to run against him for president in elections later this year. The ruling could lend momentum to the return to the country of Benazir Bhutto, Mr. Sharif’s predecessor as prime minister, who has also been living in exile and is another potential challenger to the president.

As a rival to both General Musharraf and Ms. Bhutto, Mr. Sharif’s return could challenge Washington’s strategy of backing the president as the linchpin of its fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the region, and some American officials’ preference to see the general and Ms. Bhutto in a power-sharing agreement in the country.

General Musharraf seized control from Mr. Sharif in a bloodless coup in 1999. Mr. Sharif was imprisoned on corruption and other charges and then entered an understanding with the government to go abroad for 10 years in return for having the charges against him dropped. He has been living in exile in Saudi Arabia. Today at a news conference in London, he said he intended to return to Pakistan as soon as possible.

“It is the beginning of the end of Musharraf,” he said, according to Reuters.

Bravo to the Pakistan Supreme Court, for its courageous refusal to be bullied by a dictator.