Let’s see what happens. Which one of the political parties will stick with the principled stance?
Pakistan’s ruling coalition squabbles after Musharraf (Roundup)
**Pakistan’s ruling coalition squabbles after Musharraf **
Islamabad - Differences cropped up among the coalition partners on Tuesday over the reinstatement of judges a day after the resignation of former president Pervez Musharraf who had sacked them last November.
The contentious issue hit snags in a of ruling coalition leaders, including Asif Ali Zardari of the leading Pakistan Peoples’Party (PPP) and Nawaz Sharif from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), held in Islamabad.
Sharif insisted on restoring all 60 judges, including chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, immediately, while Zaradri argued the measure should be taken through a constitutional package passed by the parliament.
Two other junior partners, Asfandyar Wali Khan from Awami National Party and Maulana Fazalur Rehman from Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam were requested for mediation to bring the sides on terms.
‘We have been given 72 hours time during which we will try to sort out the differences between the two major parties,’ Rehman told the reporters after the meeting.
Musharraf removed the justice under an emergency order on November 3, 2007, just as the Supreme Court was set to rule against his election for a second presidential term.
The desperate move led to the political demise of the retired army general, who stepped down Monday to avoid impeachment in parliament by the governing coalition.
The resignation was immediately accepted, and Senate Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro took charge as caretaker president. Thousands of people took to the streets Monday night, celebrating with dance and fireworks.
But within 24 hours of Musharraf’s exit the two traditional rival parties, left-wing PPP and right-wing PML-N, were at odds, risking the possible disintegration of their alliance and pushing the country into further political turmoil.
Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has given a 24-hour deadline to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which leads the ruling coalition, to announce the reinstatements, DawnNews quoted unnamed PML-N sources as saying.
PML-N warned that it may move over to the opposition benches if all judges were not reinstated, the sources added.
According to the analysts the main reason for Zardari’s hesitation in taking back independent-minded judges, particularly Chaudhry, are fears that they might not rule against a legislation under which Musharraf granted him amnesty from corruption chares.
Coalition leaders are also negotiating over who will succeed Musharraf as president. Zardari has indicated that the next head of the state would be from his party.
Consolidation of power by PPP might not be acceptable for Sharif, who can take the risk of seeing early elections as some recent polls have shown his popularity is constantly swelling against Zardari.
Another critical issue discussed but not decided by the coalition was whether to grant legal immunity to Musharraf or prosecute him in a court of ](http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/southasia/news/article_1425345.php/Pakistans_ruling_coalition_squabbles_after_Musharraf__Roundup_#). PML-N is expected to press for prosecution.
‘When an elected prime minister is ousted, he is subjected to execution, prison or exile. But when a dictator leaves, he is presented the guard of honour,’ said Hashmi. ‘We want his trial.’
The US-based Human Rights Watch also asked the government to hold Musharraf accountable for his ‘crimes.’
‘Musharraf’s brazen disrespect for human rights and the rule of law for nearly a decade has finally caught up with him,’ Ali Dayan Hasan, South Asia researcher for the organization said in a statement.
‘By undoing Musharraf’s unlawful acts and holding him to account for his crimes, the Pakistani government will advance human rights and national security in the country,’ he added.
According to a latest poll by Gallup Pakistan, the local of Gallup International, a large majority of Pakistanis want the former president’s prosecution.
The results of the survey conducted on Monday immediately after Musharraf’s resignation showed that 65 per cent support holding a proper trial, while only 26 per cent were in favor of the ‘forgive and forget’ option.
The survey was taken among some 560 men and women statistically chosen from major urban areas around Pakistan.