Pakistan’s days of turmoil seem to be never ending. The existing and growing conflict between the military dictator and the mainstream political parties have entered a new phase, which may end with the ouster of the present Pakistani President!

 

This mood was witnessed recently from Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister of Pakistan and also the chief of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The ex-PM demanded the trial of the present Pakistani President both on charges of treason and in no way should be allowed to leave the country safely. He was addressing to the party men in an auditorium in Lahore commemorating the 10th anniversary of Youm-e-Takbeer. It is the day when Pakistan, in the year 1999, exploded its own nuclear device. To his consideration the same mood, which was perceived at that very juncture, was again needed. Apart from this he also stated that the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Asif Zardari had assured him of the removal of President Musharraf at the earliest.

It should be stated, that the meeting witnessed Nawaz Sharif in a confrontational mood, an attitude that was rarely witnessed in the past. He declared that the greatest crime of Musharraf, barring all others, was to lead the country to an economic disaster. On this he said, “We are moving towards a crisis. The poor are fed up and are willing to stand up and fight.”

What is most striking is the anger that was shown against the inscrutable influence of the US. This was to him a pernicious interference in the sovereignty of a state and for this declared “decisions should be made in Islamabad”. However, he was also highly displeased against Zardari who was not successful to implement the assurances of ousting Musharraf and the refurbishment of sacked judges.

It is to be noted that there was also the presence of hawkish personnel or orthodox Muslim in good numbers in the meeting. They gathered in protest against the treatment or the arrest of Abdul Qadeer Khan. He is consideredas the Father of the country’s nuclear development and bomb.

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