THE nomination of Asif Ali Zardari for the office of president seems to have stunned everyone, including the people of Pakistan. During the long struggle for the removal of Pervez Musharraf by the politicians, civil society groups and the lawyers’ movement, this was one possibility that was never considered.
But the prospect of Benazir Bhutto’s widower taking over from Musharraf has always been there. Only they did not expect Musharraf would eventually go. And even if some of them did, no one thought Zardari would step forward to replace him.
Of course, as the leader of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Zardari has every right to run for the top job. But given his controversial past and the long history of corruption cases and allegations regarding misuse of power, this presidential poll is going to be anything but a smooth affair. The PPP may be able to just about manage the numbers game with the help of MQM — it was MQM chief Altaf Hussain who first proposed Zardari’s name — and other minor players.
However, the party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has understandably refused to support Zardari’s candidature unless the judiciary is restored and the 17th Amendment of the constitution that denies him a third term as PM is revoked.
Zardari’s Machiavellian plotting has caught Sharif by surprise. Even if Sharif’s party supports Zardari in a quid pro quo for the restoration of judges, the PPP-PML partnership is unlikely to survive long.
With the PPP getting both the plum jobs of president and prime minister — Parliament Speaker Fahmida Mirza also comes from PPP — the equation between the two leading parties will dramatically change. Sharif’s party is likely to sit in opposition rather than be part of a Zardari show. Sharif has given a final deadline for the restoration of judges that ends today.
In any given scenario, this means more uncertainty and instability in Pakistan. Which is a great tragedy for this South Asian nation of 170-million people. Pakistanis aren’t even done celebrating the peaceful exit of Musharraf and they are now faced with another crisis at a time when they can’t afford any more uncertainty.
On the other hand, there has been little progress on the question of judges’ restoration, a week after Musharraf’s exit. This was promised by the government and was expected to take place within hours of the general’s departure. It’s not clear why the PPP is dragging its feet on the issue. Is it the fear of all those cases against Zardari being revived? Or is the party just buying time until the election of Zardari as president and then take the credit for judges’ reinstatement?
Whatever the explanation, these are obviously critical times for Pakistan. And in these extraordinary times, people expect their politicians to think and act like leaders who care for their country and keep its interests above their own.
