Nawaz Slapped!

The High Court of Lahore has declared Nawaz Sharif unfit to contest the elections. The decision has officially rendered him useless. Given the list of charges against Nawaz Sharif and his attempt of hijacking the plane carrying the COAS of the time, this result was inevitable. To any common man, a thug, like Sharif, doesn’t deserve to represent anything or any part of this country. He has championed the art of looting and plundering, and even attempted to hijack a plane and kick the COAS onboard. The man born from the nursery of GHQ, under extreme care of Lt. Gen (r) Hameed Gul, should have been forced to stay in Pakistan to serve his life sentence.

Bravo Judiciary! You’ve made us all proud.  

Masterful Zardari Leaves Nawaz Stunned

Addressing the issue of the total number of SC judges in the Finance Bill is not an accident. Nor is it the result of the pressure created by the lawyers. It is an extremely clever gambit by Zardari from his bag of infinite surprises. If we come out from the domain of Musharraf vs. Anti-Musharraf forces and look at the the parties at independent political entities, the PPP is slowly but surely gaining control over the government. The control, which it rightly deserves, has been overshadowed by the theatrical performance of his coalition partner, Nawaz Sharif.

Going a few days back (just one day before the budget), the news was broken in the night that the government has decided to increase the number of judges in the finance bill. Then the following happened:

• Aitezaz claimed it as a success, that his movement has been able to pressurize the government, and increasing the number of judges will reinstate Iftikhar Chaudhry.
• Khwaja Asif of PML-N, stated on GEO twice (once alone, and then alongwith Sherry Rehman in a talk show) that this action of government has the backing of PML-N and that his party was consulted and they gave their consent.
• Ishaq Dar came out of the NA praising the budget (he said “hamara budget” implying he had a role to play as well, and why not!)

So far so good. But yesterday the Sharif brothers came out saying that they were NOT consulted (contradicting Khwaja Asif). He said he’s unaware of any consultations. He also says that he will not allow this finance bill to be passed in the house (Ishaq Dar’s work going to waste?). He has been clear in his stance earlier as well that he will not accept the post-emergency judges, so this isn’t a surprise (Khawaja Asif did surprise me though).

Now why is this such a great move to include this issue in finance bill? Because the finance bill needs to approved by the National Assembly and NOT the Senate (this is the only such bill, that I am aware of). With this move Zardari has negated the need for Sharif to support him to increase the number of judges. Now, Nawaz Sharif will be put to test whether to support the finance bill or not. And if he doesn’t, many others are waiting to do so. In effect, Zardari has done what he wanted silently without even asking Sharif for his support!

The Jury Is Out on the First 100 Days of this Government

On 28th May, many in Pakistan celebrated or condemned the first ten years of Pakistan becoming an overt nuclear power. But the date had another teeny-weeny element of significance: it almost completed 100 days of Pakistani politicking since the elections of 18th Feb.

In scientific disciplines, from physics to statistics, we have concepts like cross-section; in biology and medicine we have a similar tool: tissue slides. The idea is that we do not churn a whole body of data or put every thing under the microscope but use instead a small part of it to reach conclusions that are then extrapolated to the whole. One hundred days is more than one fourth of a year. Could it then constitute a cross-section, a tissue slide on the aspirations and abilities of the Pakistani politicians?

And more importantly, and in more mundane terms, could this be a window onto their understanding of the exercise of political authority?

If it is then the results do not augur well for them and unfortunately for all of us. Looking back at these hundred days: the winners of a long drawn electoral process, have concentrated every atom of their energy, and of the media, and of the people in an endless and increasingly fruitless debate for and against the restoration of the judiciary. In the last few days PPP has now come up with a 62-point constitutional package that can easily consume the rest of the year in similar debate unfortunately without any solution for the current issues in sight.

(more…)