Megalomaniac

Today (June 22, 2012), a new prime minister will be elected in Pakistan. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) fielded Makhdoom Shahabuddin as its frontrunner for the new premier’s post but a non-bailable arrest warrant was issued yesterday by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) in the ephedrine quota case. Issuing non-bailable arrest warrants the day Mr Shahabuddin filed his nomination papers for the PM’s post cannot just be a coincidence. To be on the safe side, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Qamar Zaman Kaira of the PPP have also filed their papers. To say that there is never a dull moment in Pakistan would not be wrong. This week was yet another example of tragic comedy. It would have been funny had it not been tragic the way the courts and other unelected forces are gunning for the democratic system. Just four days ago, we had Mr Yousaf Raza Gilani as our prime minister but on June 19, the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared that he was disqualified with effect from April 26 (when he was convict...

The supreme court (SC) of Pakistan on Tuesday disqualified the country’s prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani from office wef April 26. There is no imminent threat to the government as the ruling coalition led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) enjoys a majority in parliament. Pakistan, however, could be heading for a constitutional crisis if the government decides not to accept the verdict. Gilani had maintained that Zardari, as Pakistan’s president, enjoyed immunity from prosecution and so, had refused to reopen several corruption cases against him as directed by the SC. He had been found guilty of contempt on April 26 this year. Speaker of the National Assembly Fehmida Mirza had earlier ruled that the prime minister could not be disqualified only because he had been convicted for contempt of the SC. “The court’s verdict is a challenge to parliament. The judgment will be placed before parliament and the government will then decide what to do,” said Fawad Chaudhry, speci...