PAKISTAN IS in political turmoil after the country’s supreme court disqualified the prime minister from office.
If Yousuf Raza Gilani is forced to step down, the government – which had hoped to become the first in Pakistan’s history to complete a full five-year term – could collapse, forcing an early election.
The court’s decision follows the conviction of the prime minister for contempt in April after he refused to accept a court order to reopen a long-dormant corruption investigation against the president, Asif Ali Zardari, widower of Benazir Bhutto.
Although Mr Gilani served a symbolic 30-second court detention in April, it was unclear whether he would lose his position as government head. To the fury of the opposition, the speaker, a member of Mr Gilani’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), ruled it was unnecessary for him to stand down.
Yesterday, however, chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said Mr Gilani was effectively disqualified as a member of parliament on April 26th. “He has also ceased to be the prime minister of Pakistan, with effect from the same date, and the office of the prime minister shall be deemed to be vacant accordingly,” he said.
Mr Justice Chaudhry ordered President Zardari to take steps to appoint a new prime minister. That may be difficult because the PPP is just one member of a fractious ruling coalition. Finding a candidate acceptable to all the parties may prove impossible.
Senior party leaders, including President Zardari, Mr Gilani and Ms Bhutto’s young political heir apparent, Bilawal – son of President Zardari and Ms Bhutto – later gathered at the presidency in Islamabad to discuss the crisis. – (Guardian service)