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Wednesday, September 10, 2008
A word of caution
The Nation
MIAN Nawaz Sharif has called on President-elect Asif Zardari before proceeding to London, without there being any breakthrough in the talks. The PML-N has also formally submitted to the National Assembly Secretariat Ch Nisar Ali Khan's application for being nominated Leader of the Opposition. The party has also reiterated the demand that the PPP withdraw from the Punjab cabinet.
Unless Mr Zardari restores in a surprise move all the remaining judges and agrees to the appointment of Justice Iftikhar as the Chief Justice, there is little chance of the fulfilment of his desire to have a genuinely broad-based coalition running the country. Whether the PPP sits on the opposition benches in the Punjab Assembly or not, the PML-N should try to develop a working relationship with it. At the same time the PPP should not deprive the PML-N of its mandate to rule the province. Any attempt in that direction would revive the post-1988 rivalries and constitute the first step towards the unravelling of the democratic system. Commitment to the principle of provincial autonomy would require that the Centre does not take recourse to the ploys available to it to destabilise the Punjab administration. Let the two-party system, that was being formed before the 1999 coup, be revived and allowed to function without recourse to conspiracies and vendettas. It is time the two mainstream parties run the country in accordance with the Charter of Democracy.
The most vital issue on the government's agenda after Mr Zardari is sworn in is to restore the Constitution to its original shape. While talking to a US TV channel, President-elect Zardari emphasised that Parliament was to be supreme and that he would hand over many responsibilities to it. How the Constitution is to be amended and what precise powers need to be handed over to the Prime Minister is clearly and unambiguously defined in the Charter of Democracy signed by both Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif. In the words of the accord, "The 1973 constitution as on 12th October 1999 before the military coup shall be restored with the provisions of joint electorates, minorities and women's reserved seats on closed party list in the Parliament, the lowering of the voting age and the increase in seats in Parliament, and the Legal Framework Order 2000 and the 17th Constitutional Amendment shall be replaced accordingly." Further, "The appointment of the Governors, the three services chiefs and the CJCSC shall be made by the Chief Executive who is the Prime Minister as per the 1973 constitution." The best tribute to Benazir Bhutto would be to carry out earnestly all the provisions contained in the Charter regarding constitutional changes.
Sycophants at home and vested interests abroad would like Mr Zardari to be a powerful head of state like former President Musharraf. Falling victim to the lure of power had set into motion events that finally led to the downfall of Mian Nawaz Sharif. To avoid a similar fate, President-elect Zardari should fulfil the undertakings given in the CoD in letter and spirit.
The Nation
MIAN Nawaz Sharif has called on President-elect Asif Zardari before proceeding to London, without there being any breakthrough in the talks. The PML-N has also formally submitted to the National Assembly Secretariat Ch Nisar Ali Khan's application for being nominated Leader of the Opposition. The party has also reiterated the demand that the PPP withdraw from the Punjab cabinet.
Unless Mr Zardari restores in a surprise move all the remaining judges and agrees to the appointment of Justice Iftikhar as the Chief Justice, there is little chance of the fulfilment of his desire to have a genuinely broad-based coalition running the country. Whether the PPP sits on the opposition benches in the Punjab Assembly or not, the PML-N should try to develop a working relationship with it. At the same time the PPP should not deprive the PML-N of its mandate to rule the province. Any attempt in that direction would revive the post-1988 rivalries and constitute the first step towards the unravelling of the democratic system. Commitment to the principle of provincial autonomy would require that the Centre does not take recourse to the ploys available to it to destabilise the Punjab administration. Let the two-party system, that was being formed before the 1999 coup, be revived and allowed to function without recourse to conspiracies and vendettas. It is time the two mainstream parties run the country in accordance with the Charter of Democracy.
The most vital issue on the government's agenda after Mr Zardari is sworn in is to restore the Constitution to its original shape. While talking to a US TV channel, President-elect Zardari emphasised that Parliament was to be supreme and that he would hand over many responsibilities to it. How the Constitution is to be amended and what precise powers need to be handed over to the Prime Minister is clearly and unambiguously defined in the Charter of Democracy signed by both Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif. In the words of the accord, "The 1973 constitution as on 12th October 1999 before the military coup shall be restored with the provisions of joint electorates, minorities and women's reserved seats on closed party list in the Parliament, the lowering of the voting age and the increase in seats in Parliament, and the Legal Framework Order 2000 and the 17th Constitutional Amendment shall be replaced accordingly." Further, "The appointment of the Governors, the three services chiefs and the CJCSC shall be made by the Chief Executive who is the Prime Minister as per the 1973 constitution." The best tribute to Benazir Bhutto would be to carry out earnestly all the provisions contained in the Charter regarding constitutional changes.
Sycophants at home and vested interests abroad would like Mr Zardari to be a powerful head of state like former President Musharraf. Falling victim to the lure of power had set into motion events that finally led to the downfall of Mian Nawaz Sharif. To avoid a similar fate, President-elect Zardari should fulfil the undertakings given in the CoD in letter and spirit.
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