Zardari facing criticism as Nawaz walks a tightrope
Politics Saturday, April 26th, 2008One of the two signatories of the Murree Declaration ñ Asif Ali Zardari
ñ has started facing public criticism for making fun of the 30 days
deadline given for the restoration of the judges while the D-day for
the other, Nawaz Sharif, is fast approaching.
While the government prorogued the National Assembly session on Friday,
April 25, 2008 five days before the expiry of the announced deadline
ñ all eyes are now set on PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif.
His
reaction to the coalition’s failure to fulfill its commitment on the
judges’ issue would be crucial for his political future and would
decide whether he would swim or sink. Sources said Mian Nawaz Sharif
had already started consulting his party leaders to chalk out the
future strategy.
April 30 is the day when he has to decide
whether the PML-N ministers are quitting the cabinet slots or the party
would become pragmatic like the Zardari-led Pakistan People’s Party.
There are conflicting reports pouring out of the PML-N circles, adding
confusion to the already complex situation.
Some suggest that
Nawaz Sharif would announce on April 30 the date for the resignation of
the PML-N ministers in the federal cabinet while there are others who
say that going beyond the April 30 deadline would not really mean
anything.
The sources said the PML-N leadership might set May 10 the date for quitting of its min-
isters.
Such an announcement, it is said, would give an additional 10 days to
Asif Ali Zardari to rethink his strategy on the judges’ issue. The
PML-N is considering quitting the cabinet but continuing with the
coalition.
A PML-N influential MNA told this correspondent it
would be suicidal for the Nawaz League to trust Zardari if the judges
were not restored as per the commitment made in the Murree Declaration.
The PML-N leader said any condition attached to the judges’
restoration as suggested by the PPP would be simply unacceptable. So
far the two parties are poles apart on getting back the deposed judges
despite the fact that the two had agreed on March 9 at Murree that the
judges would be restored to the Nov 2 situation through a simple
resolution to be moved in the National Assembly within 30 days of the
formation of the federal government.
Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani took oath of his office on March 25 while his cabinet was
inducted on March 31. The countdown of 30 days started from April 1 but
the PPP created confusion while Zardari made fun of the 30 days
deadline he had himself agreed to. He repeatedly said that he did not
believe in the countdown without explaining why he agreed to the 30
daysí deadline.
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on Apr 26 2008. Filed under