Pak crisis deepens
Pakistan has entered another phase of crisis as its highest court has finally disqualified the incumbent prime minister Yousuf Raja Gilani from holding his office.
Leading the coalition government of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and its alliance partners, Gilani from the inception has been dogged by a conflict with the higher judiciary. This centred around the court asking the premier to have Swiss court reopen an old graft case against the president Asif Ali Zardari. The premier did not comply with the court's directive arguing that the head of state enjoyed constitutional immunity from prosecution. Consequently, the Pak court brought contempt charge against him culminating in his dismissal from office on Tuesday.
Tussle between the executive and the judiciary is nothing new in Pakistan, but what is remarkable is pressing the contempt charges and disqualifying the PM from holding his post as well as losing his parliament membership.
Amidst the gathering cloud a silvering is visible in that President Zardari has been engaged in intensive parleys with coalition partners as well as holding talks within PPP to nominate a consensus candidate for premiership.
Reports suggested that Makhdoom Shahabuddin could succeed Gilani as prime minister subject to endorsement by parliament. There is thus a reason to hope that the embattled government will be able to maintain political continuity and complete its tenure.
Seemingly Gilani has bowed to the court order avoiding precipitating a deeper crisis by involving the parliament and the ruling party into it.
He has shown respect to the court and upheld democratic norms.
As a member of the South Asian regional bloc SAARC, it is in the greater interest of the region that Pakistan overcame its present crisis keeping its democracy and stability intact.
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