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Cracks in Pakistan coalition widen

ISLAMABAD: Cracks in Pakistan’s ruling coalition have widened over the appointment of a new Governor in the Punjab province. He is viewed as a political adversary by Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (N), which leads the provincial ruling coalition.

The PML(N) withdrew from the federal Cabinet earlier this week over the government’s failure to reinstate judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf in November 2007, when he imposed emergency rule.

Salman Taseer, sworn in on Friday as the Punjab Governor, is a media moghul and a businessman, and also a long-time member of the Pakistan People’s Party.

He is known to be close to the retired General Musharraf, and supporter of many of his policies.

The PML(N) charged that the PPP-led federal government did not consult it, as is the convention, before making the appointment.

Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, among the nine PML(N) Ministers who resigned from the federal Cabinet earlier this week, described Mr. Taseer as a “controversial” figure unsuitable for the office.

Mr. Khan alleged that the appointment was a “conspiracy” by Gen.(retd.) Musharraf against the Punjab government to set the stage for horse-trading and eventually toppling it. He asked the PPP to clarify why the PML(N), which remains part of the ruling coalition, had not been consulted.

For its part, the PPP, which had earlier declared that it would do nothing to destabilise the Punjab government in which it is the junior partner, said its leader Asif Ali Zardari had spoken to the Chief Minister and that Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shahbaz had also been consulted.

Much political significance is being seen in the acceptance of Mr. Sharif’s nomination papers for the June 26 National Assembly by-elections. Mr. Shahbaz’s papers for the provincial by-elections were also accepted after returning officers rejected challenges to both.

Both were disqualified from contesting in the February 18 elections. Mr. Sharif was barred on the grounds of his conviction in cases against him by the Musharraf regime in 2000, and his brother, for being charged in a murder case

While charges against Mr. Shahbaz have been dropped, legal questions have arisen over the Election Commission’s acceptance of Mr. Sharif’s nominations this time, as the conviction remains.

It is expected that if President Musharraf or the PPP still wants to block him from entering Parliament, his nomination may be now be challenged in the courts.

The PML(N) leader has said he would not appear in the court to plead his case if that happens because he does not recognise the post-November 3 judges appointed by President Musharraf to the court.

Interestingly, Mr. Zardari, who said in a recent interview that he would stand for elections to the National Assembly from every province, is not contesting the by-elections. His sister Feryal Talpur is contesting the Larkana constituency of Benazir Bhutto, where the election was not held in February due to her death.

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