SEPARATION OF POWERS
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ashfaq Kayani chaired a meeting of the Corps Commanders this afternoon in Rawalpindi. Kayani asserted the army’s commitment to its primary professional tasks and pledged to keep the institution out of politics.

The army chief indirectly addressed a dubious report claiming that he asked Musharraf to resign within days. An Inter-Services Public Relations press release paraphrases Kayani’s assertion of neutrality–”any kind of schism, at any level, under the circumstances would not be in the larger interest of the nation”–and notes his emphasis on the “importance of the constitutional relationship between Army and the National Command Structure.” The latter is headed by the president.

Kayani’s denial was couched in the language of constitutionalism and the national interest–not personal loyalty. Musharraf’s name was not even used. He remains an irredeemable political black sheep.

ISPR also posted an Urdu version of the press release on its site, which it rarely does. The story of Musharraf’s forced resignation emerged from a South Korean ‘citizen’s journalist’ website and was eaten up by the Urdu press.

POWERLESS IN KARACHI
This morning, the federal Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) cut off supply of energy to the Karachi Energy Supply Corporation (KESC), which provides electricity for the 20 million plus Karachi metropolitan area. The much-derided KESC, of which a private Saudi-Kuwaiti consortium holds a majority stake, owes the government half a billion dollars in back payments. Power is slowly being restored.

POWER SHARING IN PUNJAB AND ISLAMABAD?
The Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the People’s Party (PPP) and have agreed to a framework for a coalition government in Punjab. The PPP entertained the idea of a coalition government with the Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) in the province, but this was largely a measure to induce the PML-N to join the federal cabinet. Until late last night in Pakistan, the PML-N had only agreed to join the government short of accepting cabinet ministries. This would have provided the PML-N a clean exit from the governing coalition should it deteriorate or if the PPP compromises on removing Musharraf or restoring the judges. But late last night, the deadlock between the two parties reportedly broke with PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari giving PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif his guarantee for full support on the judges restoration. This is Pakistan so, of course, nothing is final till it’s final.

The PPP postponed naming its nominee for prime minister today, though it could do so within a few days. The National Assembly will convene by next Wednesday (March 12).

EXPLOSIVE POWERS
In other news, Lahore police arrested two suspected suicide bombers with three explosive jackets.