The Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PMLN) has given the Pakistan People’s Party 48 hours to stop what it describes as a a ‘smear campaign’ against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
With this ultimatum, the tensions between the government and opposition party have come to a head. In recent weeks, the PPP and PMLN have disagreed on the issue of whether Pervez Musharraf should be tried for his actions on November 3, 2007. ‘Revelations’ by intelligence officials about a two-decade-old episode in which the ISI reportedly funded an opposition campaign against Benazir Bhutto have also fueled the fire.
Are Pakistan’s two major political parties – the PPP and PMLN – on a collision course? Can the government take steps to avert a showdown with the opposition that would plunge this nation into further political instability? Or is an all-out confrontation between these two major parties one of the best ways to purge Pakistan’s political past of its demons so that democracy can enjoy a new start in this country?
The views expressed in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Nothing. The proof lies in today’s Dawn (“Royal protocol for Musharraf in Saudi Arabia “). We know the Saudi’s gave Mush royal protocol and we know what Nawaz will be told on his trip to S.A….
And regarding that “other” matter, PML-N has already backed away (see “PML-N bosses find ultimatum counter productive”) and have stated they will not pursue it.
We need new blood and new faces in Pakistani Politics. People, be loyal to yourself and to your country not to the leaders or else you will suffer eternally and will be destined to doom.
It is time that the common man should come out in streets and take all leaders to task.
They both tell truth about the each other … they both lie/hide their own reality …
I think grave of Jinnah be dug up and should be put on trial for leaving Pakistan in the incompitent hands.I am sure he be dieing of guilt in his grave.shame on you all politicians.I wish they should stop crying about what happened in the past and start working on the future becouse they can mend pakistan’s future but can’t change a thing about the past.
For the survival and future prosperity of Pakistan, I will beg to all political parties to divide the country into at least 15 provinces. This will at least neutralize the blame that Punjab which is the largest province of Pakistan (by population) is dominating the whole country. No province in Pakistan should be large enough to bully the state.
Lets rise above the board,forgive the past, start with a new slate with hard tooth pic sledge hammer and build Pakistan.
One person of the family stands in line for flour, another stands in line to get sugar. When they come home, no electricity. Very productive – these politicians have taken money from agencies. I think these people should be banned from running – We should give Atizaz, Javed Hashami & Imran Khan chance to be the leader of the country.(New Generation, New Media and Independent Judiciary)
Both parties are competent to avoid any collission and work together towards political stability which is so badly needed at present.
Pakistan does not need to be held at ransom by dictators or politicians – no matter where they come from. The countries is faced with challenges that need attention first.
n league should show some maturity, they are making the non issues,issues.they know it well that trial of mushraf is not possible as military establishment would not allow this to happen.but still they are making a noise about it and criticizing ppp for not taking action in this regard.
and in the issue of operation mid night jackal and iji instead of defending themselves they are just blaming president house and giving ultimatum to the ppp to mend their ways,but i think n league should mend its ways and should not try to derail the system.
i hope the visit of mr, nawaz sharif to saudia would make the things easy….
This stinks. Here it comes— The Generals are already sharpening their swords.
Pakistan came into existance in the name of Islam, hence it is apprporiate in the current situation to remind ourselves of two verses from the Holy Book (M M Pickthall’s translation):
1. …Is there not among you any upright man? (11.78).
2. And when We would destroy a township We send commandment to its folk who live at ease, and afterward they commit abomination therein, and so the Word (of doom) hath effect for it, and we annihilate it with complete annihilation.(17.16).
May Allah (SWT) have mercy on us in this holy month and show us the straight path again! Aamin!
S K
Are Pakistan’s two major political parties – the PPP and PMLN – on a collision course?
Comment: Yes,they are heavenly destined for such a chemical reaction.
Can the government take steps to avert a showdown with the opposition that would plunge this nation into further political instability?
Comments: Expediency demands such moves.But whatever,a controlled and not all out campaign is PPP compulsion. This is a survival game.
Or is an all-out confrontation between these two major parties one of the best ways to purge Pakistan’s political past of its demons so that democracy can enjoy a new start in this country?
Comments: No sir, this makes little sense, low illiteracy rate gives it a ”elite gossip status’ and no real change can be anticipated. So far, since its inception Pakistan’s political solutions are deals or directions,,,,understandably THROUGH THE GOOD OFFICES OF US and its Saudi friends. The pattern wouldn’t change. Rather it is good that someone is there to steer it at AWAY FROM CHAOS. Politicians are inapt to run this difficult diversified country. Army can if it trains all and have full control and is not dependent on corrupt politicians. It should bring forward non industrialists and non feudal and non elite class and than should go in the background with a valid option to come for kicking out black sheep.
I think neither politician deserves to rule on our nation.
Our politicians are so much wound up in the struggle of their meagre existence that, they completely forget the main reason of democracy.
Their desire to enter in politics is to enhance their personal wealth, powers and ego. They entirely forget main objective of democracy which is to serve the people and the country. From day one they been fighting like dogs and cats, not to serve the nation but to themselves and this is the unfortunate reality.
I hope one day we will have a benevolent leader who can steer this nation out of its misery.
The call for a trial for Pervaiz Musharaf, this is a political game and has nothing to do with justice. The actual reason they are pursuing this shenanigan is to restore themselves into the political platform, by proving Mr. Parvaiz Musharaf wrong, they are hoping to redeem their names and wash their sins. Dragging PPP into this shared they are hoping to kill two birds with one arrow.
They are focusing upon restoring themselves, forgetting the fact that, nation is still at war with the terrorist. Beside terrorists plague we have other several major problems such as poverty, IDPs issues, security of our people and nation, energy crises, inflation, unemployment, lack of justice for individuals, civil laws etc. All these issues require full attention of all branches of our government. But these two individuals are focused just on their miserable existence.
My advice to nation; forget about these two individuals, let the present government focus on real issues which effects masses lives. Demand from your government for opportunities for nation not few self serving individuals.
May God show us the light. Ameen
People please move on! Get off the revenge
band wagon . . . it’s a Road to Nowhere.
Country needs to heal and be united towards progress and not waste it’s time and resources for settling scores. We all have our faults and no one is witout it. Please let’s get on the Road to Progress. This is the most sincere and honorable path to help heal the Nation.
Brig (R) Imtiaz Billa and Gen (R) Asad Durrani after Pakistan Army has been side lined by General Pervez Kiyani from taking part in Pakistan politics are trying establish credibility among the politicians, so that politicians should appraise them what a wonderful job they have done.
I would like to tell to these retired Army Officers that politicians and people of Pakistan do watch and read the news from print and electronic media but they are not distracted at all from the ‘breaking news’ released by them.
Before I comment on PPP-PML(N) relationship, I would like to first take the case of MQM in respect to Jinnahpur.
MQM was never involved in making a state within the state, otherwise by this time, the geographical boundaries of Pakistan would have been different today.
Few people do not want to see MQM which is the third largest political party of Pakistan to see MQM in power.
Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah has made the country for the people of Pakistan and not for few Army General who time and again enter from the back door in the Presidency. These Army General were power hunger and have derailed democracy in the country.
I would like to ask one question to the readers of these columns that why the Indian Army General has not taken over the control of Indian government.
The answer is simple. Indian politicians have never allowed Indian Army Generals to interfere in Indian government’s political role and hence Indian Army Generals are kept out of politics.
It is the fault of Pakistani politicians that instead of settling their differences through democratic process, they invite Pakistan Army Generals to take over the control of the government to oust the sitting government. So once a Pakistani Army General takes over, he do not want to leave the Presidency.
This the first time in the history of Pakistan that two main stream political parties viz. PPP and PML(N) have joined hands to oust Pervez Musharraf from the Presidency and he has seen that there is no more room for Pakistan Army Generals to run democratic system of Pakistan.
I salute the Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani from distancing Pakistan Army from the politics, as he is a real professional and know what the limitations of Pakistan Army are. I am sure that under his guidance, Pakistan Army will play its important role to secure the borders of Pakistan from any foreign invasion.
Coming back on the role of PPP and PML(N) in Pakistan’s politics, I do not think that Mr. Asif Ali Zardari and Mian Nawaz Shariff will ever part from each other.
It is a matter of time and any misunderstanding will be removed on the same day when these two leaders will meet next.
Time will speak itself and Brig (R) Imtiaz Billa or Gen (R) Asad Durrani or Maj. Amir will sooner or later will become past of the relic like Gen (R) Ayub Khan, Gen (R) Yahya Khan, Gen (R) Zial ul Haq and Gen (R) Pervez Musharraf.
There is no more room for the Pakistan’s Army Generals in Pakistan’s politics.
I wish all of them best of luck in their professional duties.
Away from Pakistan for five decades but still carrying a sympathetic heart, I watch events unfold in Pakistan like a soap opera.Politicians of all persuasions appear on television claiming honesty and virtue,prepared to sacrifice all for the country. Who are they kidding? We all know deep down most of them are corrupt and will not hesitate to further their personal cause before the country’s. You only have to look at the gap between haves and the have nots. People taking their own lives in desperation because they can’t feed their children, while the elite live in palaces, eat well and travel to foreign countries with disproportionate entourage on publc funds. Pakistan is cursed with evil politicians. Masses have no choice. Only a Messiah will liberate the oppressed.
I believe none is 100% innocent or 100% guilty in the present campaign initiated by Big. Imtiaz.
Personally I feel he is right to say that MQM was not planning a seperate state but MQM is not 100% clean either. ALL Politicians should be named along with the amounts they recieved from ISI so that we could find out the reality.
I must say here that I believe the END RESULT of this campaign would be to STOP ISI having a political cell and I hope this is the reason behind all this sudden change in the atmosphere. Secondly ISI would not have allowed these guys to blame it if THEY did’t want it, as all of the people with the information are ex-army officers.
OR
someone is preparing the Nation for a major clean up in the country’s political playground???
You need not to be a political wizard or a rocket scientist to know that IJI was created by agencies to counter the PPP. So, Muslim league N should not contest this allegation, rather ask for pardon from the nation and do the right thing in future.
I agree with Salim Akbani’s comment. The military should re-gain its good name by disassociating itself from Musharraf. And court-martial, followed by demotion to the lowest rank and dishonorable discharge is needed in order to avoid having some other ambitious general mis-using his position to take over the country. Will the military have the moral courage to do this? That is the question.
It is very clear that the so called Pandora Box has been opened just to divert the real issues facing the country.
1. To save Mussharaf from the trials he must face for the illegal and unconstitutional steps he took during his dictatorial rule through the judicial process.
2. The corruption at Karachi steel mill.
3. The ill advised and unnecessary Rental power plants.
4. The sugar and Atta crisis,hoarding is illegal and un islamic,and so on.
Come on, its about time some one take the steps to stop bleeding of Pakistan NOW & TODAY. History is full of past scandals and blunders committed by all the dictators in the world, the present living one should be taken to task for befitting lesson.
bunch of con artists!!!!! good for nothing.
Though it is more important to prioritize urgent issues over the past issues, however, it is important ot bring to justice all leaders of at least the near past, about whom people have grievence, starting from Zardari, Nawaz Shareef, Musharaf and the judge. We all agree there are serious unasnwerd questions about all these leaders, not simply Musharraf. Muharraf is the target because under the current cirumstances, he is the weakest link. Also, it is important to recognize, everyone one of them is innocent, until proven guilty. I think if Nawaz Shareef has success in bringing Musharraf to court, it will open up a pandora box. There will open up cases against Zardari, Nawaz Shareef and the judge himself. Also, who ever is able to produce evidence will win. Musharraf does have at least evidence from air traffic control related to the hijacking incident. He will use it only when push shove comes to push. The irony is the judge endorsed him, all along, until the last year of Musharraf’s presidency. I think it the better alternative is to move on with the era of democracy and not open the old graves. Because almost none in our leaders has been angels. Amost all have misused their offices in the past, and there has not been any accoutnablity for them. Why single out only the weakest link? Why not all of them, or none of them.
I won’t be long before we get a new military dictator.
The responsibility for enforcing article six of the constitution squarely lies with the federal government.