ISLAMABAD, 9 June 2008 — Shahbaz Sharif, president of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), yesterday became chief minister of Pakistan’s most populous province Punjab. He was administered the oath of office by Gov. Salman Taseer at the governor’s house in Lahore in the evening.
Shahbaz, brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was earlier elected chief minister by the Punjab Assembly, securing 265 votes. Those who voted for him in the 371-member house included members of the Pakistan People’s Party, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal and Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid). Shahbaz became chief minister of Punjab again after over eight years when he was removed and interned in a 1999 coup by Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Shahbaz demanded Musharraf’s resignation in a speech to the assembly. “In the larger interest of the country and for its survival, I request that Musharraf resign and go home,” Shahbaz told an audience that chanted “Go, Musharraf, Go!”
Parties of both Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari won February elections on anti-Musharraf platforms. But Sharif’s party has been more vociferous, demanding Musharraf’s impeachment, while Zardari’s party has generally adopted a softer tone.
Earlier in the day, Ahsan Iqbal, a spokesman for Sharif’s party, called Musharraf “a virus in the democratic computer” and said Zardari’s party should not hesitate to “join us for Musharraf’s impeachment.”
Fellow party member Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said the party already had prepared a 10-point document to use against Musharraf “when the impeachment is taken up.” Farhatullah Babar, a spokesman for Zardari’s party, said it would “consider” pushing for impeachment in the light of Musharraf’s defiance. However, he added, “Right now I can’t say whether the party is going to go ahead with impeachment and if so when.”
It was unclear whether the coalition could muster the two-thirds vote needed for Parliament to impeach Musharraf.
On Saturday, Musharraf deflected calls for his resignation and denied he planned to go into exile. Although Musharraf insisted he would not leave under pressure, he indicated he would prefer to retire if the government succeeds in reducing his position to a ceremonial one.
