Zardari Plays with Fire: Sharif Brothers Disqualified
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif ineligible for electoral participation.
As a result, Shahbaz Sharif is no longer chief minister of Punjab. The court decision is effectively a coup by the Peoples Party-led center against the government of the largest province, Punjab.
Sharif legal and political associates state they do not recognize the authority of the Supreme Court, which is led by a judge appointed by former President Pervez Musharraf after he sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and declared emergency rule.
Fire has ceased in Swat, but the war in Punjab, and perhaps even Islamabad, begins.
Politically, the Sharifs and their faction of the Muslim League (PML-N) — Pakistan’s second largest party — are isolated. Their major allies are those outside of parliament: the lawyers, Jamaat-e Islami, and Tehreek-e Insaaf.
And Pakistan effectively has a national unity government — sans the PML-N. The PPP-led coalition consists of the Awami National Party (ANP), Fazlur Rehman’s faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e Islam (JUI-F), and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). Despite Shahbaz’s last ditch attempts toward rapproachment with the MQM, neither it nor any of the other coalition members will abandon the PPP. The ANP is focused on its government in the North-West Frontier Province. The MQM is uninterested in joining the opposition. And Fazlur Rehman and family are content with their Pajeros and farm houses. The fractured and discredited Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) could also join the central government. Shujaat Hussain, the head of the PML-Q, expressed his support for the court’s decision.
The PML-N is a few seats short of a majority in the Punjab Assembly. The PPP is positioned to form a government with the PML-Q there.
Zardari is politically secure. The Pakistani president has Musharraf-era constitutional powers (the hyperpresidency), a docile (though occassionally rebellious) prime minister, a healthy coalition in the center, a share in all provincial governments, a pliant Supreme Court, an army stuck in the barracks, and support of major Western governments. An influx of foreign aid could bolster his hold on power. Also, the PPP will likely be the largest party in the Senate after elections in March. Zardari — if he makes the right deals — could get a constitutional amendment passed that would fall short of restoring the presidency to its original nominal status. In short, Zardari could have his cake and eat it too.
However, there is a huge disparity between the Zardari’s political security and popular opinion toward him. Simply put, Zardari is hated inside Pakistan, particularly in Punjab. This has always been the case, except for the burst of sympathy after his wife’s murder. Public goodwill toward Zardari dissipated by the following summer when he violated a series of popular agreements with Nawaz. Subsequently, Zardari made a power grab and took the presidency.
Public opinion polls commissioned by the International Republican Institute indicate that Zardari — after a month as president — was as unpopular as Musharraf at his nadir. But it took Musharraf eight years to reach that point. Those polls also indicate Nawaz is Pakistan’s most popular politician.
So the big question are: How long can the contradictions between Zardari’s political strength and massive unpopularity last? And can Pakistan achieve political stability with its second largest party shut out of the corridors of power? We’ll get the first test in early March, when the PML-N and the lawyers go on their Long March.
Sharif brothers declared ineligible for Elections…
The Supreme Court after prolonged hearing of Sharif brothers’ electoral eligibility case, finally declared today that the two brothers Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif are ineligible for contesting elections which were held in February 2008.
This deci…..
I would support court’s decision on the ineligibility of Sharif brothers. Supreme Court of Pakistan is a prestigious institution and any nefarious and bellicose statements against it would not serve any purpose. Independence of judiciary slogan does not look good from the mouth of Nazwaz Sharif. This buffon himself laid the foundation stone of the catastrophe when men sent by him attached Supreme Court of Pakistan. Does this kind of man deserve such tall claims. I won’t support Zardari, but in relation to Nawaz Sharif I will do. As Zardari at least has brains, but Nawaz Sharif’s brain is in his stomach.
@ Najam Akvi
You are one stupid fuck, who must be admitted to ICU and given a large dose of vaccine against stupidy!
GO burn yourself!
UNFORTUNATELY SINCE INDEPENDENCE BECAUSE OF LACK OF DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS IN THE COUNTRY, DECISIONS ARE NOT MADE ON MERIT EVEN BY THE COURTS. WE HAVE MADE NO SYSTEMS, RATHER SYSTEMS ARE DAMAGED BROADLY. IT IS NOT THE QUESTION THAT COURT HAS DISQUALIFIED SHARIF BROTHERS LEAVING ASIDE THE MERIT RATHER DICTATED BY PPP. UNFORTUNATE, NO ONE SO FAR HAS CREATED THE SPIRIT OF PARTIOSIM AMONG THE PUBLIC. NO ONE LOVES PAKISTAN. EVERY ONE HAS GOT ITS SELF INTEREST AND SHAKES HAND WITH POLITICAL RIVALS FOR ITS OWN BENEFITS. POOR GOVERNANCE, LACK OF PROFESSIONAL AND DEDICATION LEADERSHIP HAS LED THE COUNTRY INTO DARKNESS AND NOW THE ENTIRE WORLD CLAIM THAT PAKISTAN IS A COMPLETE FAILURE STATE. BAD, VERY BAD AND UNFORTUNATE.PLZ THINK ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION, LOOK FORWARD, SINK OUR ALL DIFFERENCES, LOOK AT THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, AND IF WE WILL NOT DO THIS, COMING GENERATIONS INCLUDING OUR CHILDERN WILL NOT FORGIVE US.
The remark from najam akvi was expected!! Pakistan is full of illitrates !!! This person must have billions of ruppees in his piggy bank and wud be spending zillions on beer because only such people can support the supreme court. He must be a follower of Salman Taseer, must be a COWARD, and i hope some moulvi issue a fatwa to shoot on sight such a person, because the verdict was the last thing our dear homeland wanted, and Zardari Company and his followers now should be treated with extreme cruelty because phycho people can only treated with desparate and “physcho” measures.!!!! they know no decent language.!! In pe janwaroon ki laanat, logoon ki Laanat, Rab ka Azaab awaits them!!!
Pakistan Zindabad!!!
Movement for Restoration of True Islam, Judiciary, True democracy, Nawaz Sharif, Lawyers…… Zindabad!!
I respect the courts and understand their right and duty to make decisions on matters of law. But, in law, do people’s votes count for nothing? Unlike Nawaz Sharif, his brother Shahbaz came to his position by the power of votes. I feel those votes should have been taken into account, because they were cast, and Shahbaz should have been allowed to continue as CM.
This would have been wiser.
Although Pakistan is facing a new challenge in political grounds and a resistance is being observed in different cities by the common people, but the resistance and protest should be non violent. We should not burn the properties of the common people or any national resources, as this would be an attempt to destroy our own home land. So we should behave like true Pakistanis.
Pakistan is on the verge of destruction,facing too many problems at this time,with poor and corrupt leadership.Real democracy is invisible.Although Sharifs indulged in corruption in the past. Yet at this critical time this decision can lead to political instability.
We have Mr Ten Percent as country’s President. There has never been any independent Judiciary. I am not sure why Nawaz Shariff (Punjab) is crying injustice now. In 1970 Mujib-ur-Rahman was crying the same injustice before Bangladesh claimed its independence. Baluchistan and NWFP are already fighting for their independence. I am not sure what country everyone is talking about. There has never been any unity among the provinces. After 60 years there is practically no progress in Poverty, Nutrition, Healthcare, Education, if anything it hos gotten worst. Pakistan is a failed state!
What sharif brothers or PPP have given us? When the country was in crises they run away to Foreign countries for luxirious life. when they country was improving they came to distroy it,i do not why the people till support them.
PAKISTAN COMES FIRST ***********LONG********** LIVE ******PERVEZ************MUSHARRAF******************
i think first off this article by dr hassan askari rizvi answers the basic questions this article raises..
http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com/2009/03/nawaz-sharifs-politics-of-agitation.html
as for the IRI survey of Zardari’s popularity… if any of the readers tends to follow die-hard, republican, rightist organziations’ analysis of Pakistan, you should definitely pick up RAND Corporation’s analysis on the Mumbai attacks.. which outrightly beleives – repeat, believes, not implies or assumes, simply believes that Pakistan’s elected govt of Asif Ali Zardari is completely involved in planning and executing the Mumbai attack.
Lastly, these are all diplomatic talkathons to fill up papers. everyone knows that each time Pakistan starts on its path to achieving true democracy the process is sabotaged by external factors. External factors that are heavily involved and invested in Pakistan. It is truly upto our “seasoned” politicians to know when they are being led astray with a hoop thru their nose.
So now we have a corrupt, widowed (and happy about it) playboy, a Mr Ten Percent, who’s effectively consolidated all power for himself, being yelled at by a brainless, ball-less Mian Sahib to restore a certain chief justice who himself was appointed under a Provisional Constitutional Order after Mian Sahib’s goons ransacked the Supreme Court building.
And people actually support either of these two shaitaans?
Throw all these politicians down the WC toilet, yet leave the army in the barracks where they belong. It’s about time for a good old-fashioned Communist revolution in this, Napakistan.
@ Najam Akvi
I totally support your point of view and the senseless posts against it just shows that we have Pakistanis who view there political leaders as GODs and depict themselves as dogs of these political leaders. They idolize them so much that they are not ready to hear ANYTHING against them and such a place/country is simply not good for democracy. A place where emotions rule over reason and logic.
How illogical that sharif is fighting for judiciary but shamelessly using street power against court decision if its against him. Any judge who decides in his favor becomes independent judge and whoever decides against him is sent home or is ridiculed by his media men bought out by Sharif.
How illogical that he calls himself “national” leader whereas he did not get ANY seats in sindh and has very minute representation in NWFP and Baluchistan.
How illogical that Sharif is always giving poisonous speeches against army and trying to create rift between civilians and army whereas he was himself hand-picked by notorious dictator Zia ul Haq. The same dictator who gets a huge credit for putting Pakistan in mess that we see today.
How illogical he is never tired of telling about his loyalty to Pakistan but billions of his illegal dollars are stashed or invested in Dubai , UK or Jeddah when country is in dire economic conditions and needs some capital but still shamelessly he talks about his ‘unending’ loyalty to country.
Thats not the case only with him , our politicians are only loyal to power and there lust is only for that power, they dont give a damn to country. Whether its PML N or PPP they have become “family parties” and no more political parties.
My cast is Zardarai .President Zardari has drown the name our cast. We are really sorry for his acts. But please dont Say Zardari(cast) bad. I have noticed people are sending sms messages with name zardari. If you have any problems say asif zardari. Please dont say zardari only.Its a hamble request.