Amanda Hodge, South Asia correspondent February 27
PAKISTAN plunged into a fresh political crisis amid nationwide demonstrations yesterday at a Supreme Court decision barring popular opposition leader Nawaz Sharif and his brother from holding elected office.
President and political rival Asif Ali Zardari suspended the provincial parliament and imposed executive rule in the Sharif brothers' home state of Punjab -- Pakistan's most populous state and its traditional power centre -- in an attempt to contain anticipated large-scale protests by the country's legal fraternity.
But the move failed to suppress widespread anger at the court decision, which was criticised in many quarters as politically motivated.
e an already vulnerable civilian Government struggling to maintain control of the country in the face of a rising militant insurgency within its borders and a near-bankrupt economy.
Pakistan's share market fell 5 per cent at the close of trade and showed no sign of recovery.
The unrest will trigger concern in Washington, which needs stable government in Pakistan to help combat al-Qa'ida and Taliban militants using its territory as a base from which to launch attacks on coalition troops in Afghanistan.
Many analysts and foreign diplomats are warning that the country faces a calamitous slide into the sort of political infighting and instability that led to a military takeover by former general Pervez Musharraf in 1999.
"The Sharifs have been thrown out of politics, and they are going to react," prominent political commentator Shafqat Mahmood said.
"In the next three to six months, the political order will become very shaky."
The long-awaited Supreme Court decision was the result of an appeal against a ruling barring two-time prime minister Mr Sharif from contesting elections over his conviction on charges of hijacking Mr Musharraf's aircraft to try and forestall the coup.
It was also considering allegations of irregularities in his brother's election to provincial parliament.
Punjab is controlled by Mr Sharif's PML (N) party, and until yesterday Shahbaz Sharif was Punjab's chief minister.
Analysts said the Government's actions against the Sharifs were aimed at weakening their hold on Punjab -- a theory bolstered by recent talks aimed at an alliance between Mr Zadari's ruling Pakistan People's Party and another Punjab-based opposition party, PML (Q).
Mr Sharif reacted angrily to the decision, calling for Pakistanis to "rise against this unconstitutional decision and this nefarious act of Zardari". He said he opposed violence but added: "If the people want to show their anger, who can stop them?"
While the Government urged PML (N) to "control its supporters for the sake of democracy", thousands of protestors yesterday answered the Sharifs' call, staging fiery demonstrations.
Mr Sharif also called for people to join a massive lawyers' march planned for early next month to demand the reinstatement of more than 70 judges sacked by Mr Musharraf in 2007 for alleged misconduct.
The move sparked widespread protests that led to Mr Musharraf imposing a state of emergency in late 2007 and, eventually, to his downfall in August last year.
While the Sharifs command popular support in Punjab, the degree of instability in coming weeks will depend on how much support they can muster in Pakistan's three other states.
PAKISTAN plunged into a fresh political crisis amid nationwide demonstrations yesterday at a Supreme Court decision barring popular opposition leader Nawaz Sharif and his brother from holding elected office.
President and political rival Asif Ali Zardari suspended the provincial parliament and imposed executive rule in the Sharif brothers' home state of Punjab -- Pakistan's most populous state and its traditional power centre -- in an attempt to contain anticipated large-scale protests by the country's legal fraternity.
But the move failed to suppress widespread anger at the court decision, which was criticised in many quarters as politically motivated.
e an already vulnerable civilian Government struggling to maintain control of the country in the face of a rising militant insurgency within its borders and a near-bankrupt economy.
Pakistan's share market fell 5 per cent at the close of trade and showed no sign of recovery.
The unrest will trigger concern in Washington, which needs stable government in Pakistan to help combat al-Qa'ida and Taliban militants using its territory as a base from which to launch attacks on coalition troops in Afghanistan.
Many analysts and foreign diplomats are warning that the country faces a calamitous slide into the sort of political infighting and instability that led to a military takeover by former general Pervez Musharraf in 1999.
"The Sharifs have been thrown out of politics, and they are going to react," prominent political commentator Shafqat Mahmood said.
"In the next three to six months, the political order will become very shaky."
The long-awaited Supreme Court decision was the result of an appeal against a ruling barring two-time prime minister Mr Sharif from contesting elections over his conviction on charges of hijacking Mr Musharraf's aircraft to try and forestall the coup.
It was also considering allegations of irregularities in his brother's election to provincial parliament.
Punjab is controlled by Mr Sharif's PML (N) party, and until yesterday Shahbaz Sharif was Punjab's chief minister.
Analysts said the Government's actions against the Sharifs were aimed at weakening their hold on Punjab -- a theory bolstered by recent talks aimed at an alliance between Mr Zadari's ruling Pakistan People's Party and another Punjab-based opposition party, PML (Q).
Mr Sharif reacted angrily to the decision, calling for Pakistanis to "rise against this unconstitutional decision and this nefarious act of Zardari". He said he opposed violence but added: "If the people want to show their anger, who can stop them?"
While the Government urged PML (N) to "control its supporters for the sake of democracy", thousands of protestors yesterday answered the Sharifs' call, staging fiery demonstrations.
Mr Sharif also called for people to join a massive lawyers' march planned for early next month to demand the reinstatement of more than 70 judges sacked by Mr Musharraf in 2007 for alleged misconduct.
The move sparked widespread protests that led to Mr Musharraf imposing a state of emergency in late 2007 and, eventually, to his downfall in August last year.
While the Sharifs command popular support in Punjab, the degree of instability in coming weeks will depend on how much support they can muster in Pakistan's three other states.
Source: The Australian
Posts
