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Pakistan plunges in political uncertainty as SC disqualifies Prime Minister
Convicted in the contempt of court case Yousuf Raza Gilani stands disqualified, rush to appoint new premier starts
Kunal Majumder
New Delhi
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Yousuf Raza Gilani |
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Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has been declared unqualified by the country’s Supreme Court on Tuesday thereby landing the country in a new spell of political instability. The judgment comes after the decision of the National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza to not disqualify Gilani was challenged in the apex court by opposition parties. Mirza had ruled that Gilani need not resign after the Supreme Court held him guilty for contempt of court on 26 April in the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) case.
A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Iftikar Chaudhry ruled that the office of the Prime Minister has been vacant with effect from 26 April. This decision has sent the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in a huddle with a number of names floating around as replacement for Gilani. The most prominent among them, according to PPP sources, is of Makhdoom Shahabuddin who holds the portfolio of Industry and Manpower. However, a prominent journalist says the feeling among PPP workers is the acceptability of Shahabuddin by rest of the allies. “Real problem is that it wouldn’t be easy for the PPP to get a new Prime Minister elected,” she says. The solution she points out could be the ‘Bangladesh’ model under which a government of technocrat would rule for three years guided by the Supreme Court and the Army.
The opposition has welcomed the move with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif tweeting: “RULE OF LAW PREVAILS…PAKISTAN WINS!!” Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) posted this on his Twitter handle: “We welcome the SC's decision on Gilani's disqualification in clear terms. PTI will stand by SC & its decisions.”
Questions are also being raised about the efficacy of the decisions taken by Gilani since 26 April—the date from which he has been disqualified as the PM—stand. Perhaps there is going to be another court case to clarify the matter.
Kunal Majumder is a Principal Correspondent with Tehelka.
kunal@tehelka.com
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