All major media outlets are reporting that Pakistan’s two main opposition parties, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), have announced to form the new government together. News reports also suggest this understanding has been reached at both center as well as provincial level.
The photo below shows Asif Ali Zardari shaking hands with Nawaz Sharif at a press conference after their meeting in Islamabad on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008.
According to the Daily News:
Nawaz Sharif maintained that there is no difference in the two parties on the restoration of the deposed judges. “We accept the mandate of PPP with an open heart and wish that PPP complete its five year term,” he said, adding, “struggle for restoration of judiciary will continue and CoD will also be followed.” PPP Co-Chairman, Asif Zardari said PPP and PML-N have decided to work together for democracy. However, he said, some of the matter are yet to be decided by the parties. Ali Zardari said that both the leaders have decided to stay united in the parliament. Nawaz Sharif said, ‘We fought against the dictatorship and will keep doing so.”
According to a Daily Dawn update of 23:38 hours PST
Former Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday his party would form a coalition government with the party of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto after they won crucial elections. “We have agreed on a common agenda. We will work together to form the government in the centre and in the provinces,” Sharif told a joint news conference with Bhutto’s widower Asif Ali Zardari. “We will ensure that you complete a full five years’ term,” said Sharif, addressing Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)
What About the Judges?
According to Associated Press feed of 11:35 hours USA CST:
Sharif said the two parties had agreed in principle on restoration of judges purged by Musharraf when he declared emergency rule late last year — an issue that many see as a possible source of discord between the parties. “In principle there’s no disagreement on restoration of the judiciary. We will work on the modalities in parliament,” said Sharif, who has previously demanded the immediate reinstatement of the detained ex-Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry.
What Do You Think?
Our question to readers is; What do you think? Is this a good move, a bad move, a hasty move or were there any alternatives that got over looked. We would like to hear from you.
References:
1. The Daily Dawn Pakistan update here
2. CNN story here
3. Associated Press story here
4. The Daily News Pakistan update here
5. The Daily Jang Pakistan update here
6. BBC story here
Photo Credits: Associated Press
If the people of Pakistan want what is best for Pakistan , they should keep Musharraf as a balancing power against the pack of wolves who just got elected.
The challange is going to be for the civil society and citizens’ of Pakistan to stay vigilant and not get too carried away in their hatered for Musharrf and make decisiona that come back to haunt them. The vote, after all, was not for PPP or PML-N but against Musharraf. Now that his power is curtailed, their’s needs to be also.
armed farces will never allow this shenagiusn to happen. Genrl Kiyani will subjugat forces of villan Nawaz and restore grand allianc of Genrl Mushrf.
Mr. Ten percent years in the jail and Nawaz Sharif’s years in exile may have changed their outlook to life. Experiences and age change people. I am optimistic and hope that this time both of these corrupt leaders will stick to welfare of the nation rather than their pocketbook.
Let us give the civilans a chance. We had such a bad experience with the army dictators.
From the outside looking in (and as an American that is very much the position I am in) this appears to be a positive sign, though I now see from comments why it perhaps is not. But what can any of us do besides continue to hope and pray for the best and continuously press our governments to make decisions that are best for our countries and the world? Even if public sentiment is not reflected in government actions (as is often the case in the US) we must continue to make these demands or the world suffers.
I greatly enjoy this blog and have already learned a great deal and hope to learn more. Peace and prosperity to Pakistan.
It could turn out to be a very good thing if they can achieve the following:
1. Restore the rightful status of the parliament by getting rid of all the adulterations to the 1973 constitution (especially 58-2 b).
2. Restore pre-Nov 3 judiciary
3. Implement and stick to the Charter of Democracy signed between these two parties. This would include respecting all the pillars of the state.
Let’s hope this time the civilians make us proud.
@Bhindighost
I will put it in simple terms. One mans terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. It depends on a person’s viewpoints. You might have others and should be duly respected.
Kamran, what you are proposing is not a dream but a nightmare.I agree with Aqil Sajjad above.
With regards to the concerns about the past record of PPP and PML-N, it’s true that they inspire limited confidence. However, I think it might be more fruitful to look at this a bit differently.
Politics is usually not about angels being elected into power. Politicians get elected because they are able to get votes. The ground realities of our political system are not about to change drastically enough to suddenly throw up substantially better leadership.
Likewise, authoritarian rule is also not about angels being in power, or for that matter a benign modernizer as many Pakistanis naively hope for. Authoritarianism is inherently about might is right. If you have the ‘danda,’ you are able to grab power. Pakistan’s military rulers have demonstrated that they are not any better than the politicians and the complete absence of checks and balances during military rule makes things even worse.
So what’s the way forward? It seems that it is the democratic process, because it at least gives the people some room for holding the govts accountable. Under military rule, even that limited room is missing.
So instead of focussing on the past record of the politicians (which is without doubt far from impressive), we should be spending more time thinking about how a system of effective checks and balances can be established within the democratic system. That includes the media, an independent judiciary as well as other institutions like NAB.
Some people have been making silly remarks against the movement for the restoration of the judges and presenting the independence of the judiciary as some meaningless and abstract political slogan aimed at unsettling Mush. They are badly mistaken. An independent judiciary is very important for keeping the excesses of the govts under check and providing justice to a common citizen. A large number of people who have been opposing the cause of the judiciary either live abroad and enjoy the benifits of a properly functioning police and judiciary or belong to that elite which has enough connections and money that they can continue to live their privelleged lives without needing an independent judiciary.