Pakistan’s fragile coalition government faces a deadline today on reinstating judges sacked by former president Pervez Musharraf that could determine whether its major parties split.
Political infighting has weakened the ability to focus on militant violence — almost 100 people have been killed in bombings in the past week — and leave the government in disarray ahead of the Sept. 6 presidential election.
The party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif imposed a deadline of today for hearing from its coalition partner, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), on whether the judges would get their jobs back.
PHOTO: AFP
Critics say PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, fears their return could mean the end of an amnesty on corruption charges that brought the couple back to Pakistan last year.
Although the PPP has signaled it would agree to the reinstatement, they have been dragging their feet on the issue, which has threatened to fracture an already fragile coalition that took power only six months ago.
Zardari confirmed on Saturday that he would run for president in the Sept. 6 poll triggered by Musharraf’s resignation.
A resolution on the reinstatement of the 60 judges, who include the independent-minded former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, would require the PPP’s support.
Musharraf’s resignation and the race to replace him come amid a prolonged battle with Islamic militants who have carried out a series of suicide bombings and clashed with troops on the Afghan border.
A double Taliban suicide bombing at Pakistan’s biggest weapons factory on Thursday, the deadliest ever attack on a Pakistani military site, has put fresh pressure on the coalition to end its bickering and focus on militant violence.
Sharif also wants the powers of the presidency reduced to prevent the next incumbent from dissolving parliament — a power created by Musharraf — and said he would back Zardari for president if that happened.
PPP Deputy Secretary-General Raza Rabbani said on Saturday that the judges would be restored to office, but declined to disclose a time frame.
Sharif previously threatened to quit the coalition if they were not reinstated by Friday.
The former prime minister — who was ousted by Musharraf in a 1999 coup — had said that representatives of the two parties would draft a resolution on restoring the judges over the weekend and then introduce it in parliament today.
Sharif’s party spokesman Siddiqul Farooq said the issue of whether Zardari would stand for the presidency was the PPP’s “own decision,” not that of the coalition partners, but reiterated its leader’s demands on Saturday.
“We do not want a civilian president with the same powers that Musharraf had, mainly the power to dissolve parliament,” Farooq said.
“Our top priority is restoration of the judges and we want it done on Monday,” Farooq said, adding that the party would meet in Islamabad today to discuss the latest developments.
The deadlock has heightened the political instability in Pakistan some six days after Musharraf, a key US ally, quit office and as Western nations look for continuity after his departure.
The parties in the current ruling coalition defeated Musharraf’s allies in polls held in February.
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