Adil Najam
A number of our commenters have been suggesting that the honeymoon between PPP and PML(N) - or, more specifically, between Asif Ali Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif- will not last. That the “judges issue” will bring the demise of this coalition.
While one has been hearing such talk from the inception of the coalition, I myself am not sure. And by that I mean, I really do not know. In many ways it is a new Asif Zardari and a new Nawaz Sharif. Whatever views we have of them are, by definition, rooted in experiences that not only happened quite long ago but also in very very different circumstances. This is a very different time, a very different situation, a very different game. This is not to say that I think the coalition will, in fact, survive either the judicial crisis or other crises to come. It is merely to say - bluntly and honestly - that I really do not know.
And because I do not, maybe it is best to ask our readers what they think.
Hence, this APT Poll (its also been quite some time since the last one). Let us know what you think.
@ Its time that Rehman Malik should go home !
he is proved to be the first hurdle of the coalition,
he must be thrown out !!! and now !!!
I agree with bulk of people voting here and the coalition will sick together till Musharraf is kicked out and will then dissolve.
This is a GOOD thing because a Multi-party system is a GOOD thing.
Keep it up
you have great graphics all over your site and on this Poll. Do you have a special plugin for making these.
Congrats on excellent design of blog.
Baychari kai dino’n say dam to’r rahee hai
Dar hai kay khabr-e bad meray moon’h say na nikal ja’ey
At a time when prices are soaring. Wheat and rice have become a prized commodity. Electricity is scarce. Our newly elected members have directed all their energies in the restoration of the judges. The common man does not care. They did not elect you for this.. they want you elected members to solve their daily problems. How will the country develop if we spend all our energies in these trivial matters.
Prof Najam, like you I also hope it survives because that will be good for Pakistan
But I hope the cost of survival is not compromise on the judges issues
I fear that ZArdari and his American masters want him to do that
The Americans have their man as President (musharraf) and now they have their neo-con agent Husain Haqanni as Ambassador to DC and Zardari singing their tune. So the only ones not playing ball with the US is the judges which is why PPP is trying to stop them as a favor to Washington
Whether it will survive or not, I don’t know. I do know that it would be very bad for Pakistan at least in the short term if it does not.
It’s funny how people who were against even having the elections in the first place have been almost wishing for the coalition to break up just so they could say “I told you so.”
Regardless of what you think about the parties, neither Zardari nor Sharif is stupid. They know it’s in their best interest to ride out this first difficult year before they try to do some political outsmarting.
The Sharifs have made one good tactical move after another since November and have basically resurrected their standing from zero. But if the Punjabi PM actually delivers, then I think the PPP can grow even bigger.