by Masroor Gilani
ISLAMABAD, March 7: The people of Pakistan have defeated the allies of US-backed Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in February 18 general elections. The parties of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and another former premier Nawaz Sharif have now formed a coalition government.
Musharraf, a former military general, who grabbed power in October 1999 after overthrowing Sharif's government is under immense pressure to quit presidency. Sharif's party has a clear stance on Musharraf that he is no more needed as the popular vote against his ally Pakistan Muslim League Quaid has indicated, while Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party wants this matter to be decided by the new parliament.
The US ambassador is regularly holding meetings with Sharif and Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari, reportedly asking them to have a working relationship with Musharraf.
Musharraf faces a difficult future as pressure mounts for the restoration of judges whom he fired under the November 3 proclamation of emergency to eliminate legal hurdles in his way to get himself elected as president for a second five-year term.
The next few weeks are critical to the future of Pakistan as the new parliament meets and a new government is installed.
Musharraf's old institution, the Pakistan Army on March 6, 2008 said that though it had not distanced itself from the former boss since his retirement in November, it would remain neutral in the current political limbo as there are no clear indications about the future prime minister yet.
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, the chief of army staff, addressing his corps commanders in Rawalpindi, a garrison city near Rawalpindi and the home of army's General Headquarters or GHQ said according to a military statement late Thursday that "Army will stay out of the political process and expressed his hope that Army is not dragged into any unnecessary controversy."
But despite all this, Musharraf seems to be unmoved by the current political developments, which is even more annoying for the democratic forces and the civil society, who are rejoicing the election victory against the forces of darkness.
About the author: The writer is an Islamabad-based journalist.
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ISLAMABAD, March 7: The people of Pakistan have defeated the allies of US-backed Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in February 18 general elections. The parties of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and another former premier Nawaz Sharif have now formed a coalition government.
Musharraf, a former military general, who grabbed power in October 1999 after overthrowing Sharif's government is under immense pressure to quit presidency. Sharif's party has a clear stance on Musharraf that he is no more needed as the popular vote against his ally Pakistan Muslim League Quaid has indicated, while Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party wants this matter to be decided by the new parliament.
The US ambassador is regularly holding meetings with Sharif and Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari, reportedly asking them to have a working relationship with Musharraf.
Musharraf faces a difficult future as pressure mounts for the restoration of judges whom he fired under the November 3 proclamation of emergency to eliminate legal hurdles in his way to get himself elected as president for a second five-year term.
The next few weeks are critical to the future of Pakistan as the new parliament meets and a new government is installed.
Musharraf's old institution, the Pakistan Army on March 6, 2008 said that though it had not distanced itself from the former boss since his retirement in November, it would remain neutral in the current political limbo as there are no clear indications about the future prime minister yet.
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, the chief of army staff, addressing his corps commanders in Rawalpindi, a garrison city near Rawalpindi and the home of army's General Headquarters or GHQ said according to a military statement late Thursday that "Army will stay out of the political process and expressed his hope that Army is not dragged into any unnecessary controversy."
But despite all this, Musharraf seems to be unmoved by the current political developments, which is even more annoying for the democratic forces and the civil society, who are rejoicing the election victory against the forces of darkness.
About the author: The writer is an Islamabad-based journalist.
�
Comments
the present powers and the past ones, all have been cheating in this country and people writing these articles, why don't they form a nice and steady government?
what are we waiting for, why sharif & why bhutto ?
Why not Masroor?
Just do it :)
Minister on phone line speaking....
Why
Few journalists were robbed in Karachi :)
Well once a journalist is robbed Minister has to speak on TV and has to explain the situation.
When public in trouble it is really hard for the channels to call the ministers or other authorities.
could you please write an article on that?