??????? ????| PAKISTAN LEDGER | ???????? ????? | September 10th, 2008 | Akhbar Navees | ???? ??????? | 
| RUPEE NEWS | Akhbar Navees | September 10th, 2008 | ???? ??????? | ????? ????? | Mr. Zardari has eliminated his biggest nemsis, Benazir Bhutto (who had prohibited him from running in the elections, stopped him from living in Dubai and halted him from entering Pakistan), used the PMLN machinery and Mr. Nawaz Sharif to remove Mr. Pervez Musharraf, and then discarded the Sharifs in the Central government. Now it is time for the other shoe to fall. The Sharifs will be thrown out of the Government of Punjab, and Mr. Zardari will rule Pakistan with US help like a dictator. All dictators do not wear uniforms, Philipine’s Marcos, Haiti’s Papa Doc Duvalier, Panama’s Noreiga, and many Middle Eastern dictators never wore the uniform.
Mr. Zardari has the 17th amendment and 58-2b on his side. He is all powerful right now.
Shahbaz’s future Tuesday, September 02, 2008
The political point scoring, that many believe is likely to take on ugly dimensions with the collapse of the central government, seems set to unfold first of all on the battlefield of Punjab. In the provincial assembly with 371 members, the PML-N holds 171 seats. The possibility of the Shahbaz Sharif-led government falling should the PPP pull out of it is very real. The presidential vote on September 6 is being seen as a test of PML-N standing. Signs of weakness may lead to a vote of no-confidence being moved at an opportune time. The PPP is said also to be preparing a full arsenal of varied weaponry, with the law ministry preparing a reference that will challenge Shahbaz’s candidature under Article 223 of the constitution, which disallows dual membership. Shahbaz had won seats to the provincial assembly from both Bhakkar and Rawalpindi. The time at which he vacated his Rawalpindi seat had also previously created some slight controversy, with one view being that as he had taken oath as chief minister after victory at Bhakkar another win required a new oath.
Such legal disputes over technicalities are now likely to assume centre-stage. The aftermath of the coalition break-up could become very ugly indeed. Both the PPP and the PML-N have been courting the PML-Q. At present, it is thought the PPP has the upper hand, with its governor in the province reported also to be playing a part. The fact that the PML-N distrusts and dislikes him has already been made obvious. It seems that power games similar to those witnessed in the past will now be seen once again. The days of brotherhood and solidarity appear already to be over. Bitter rivalry between the PPP and the PML-N — which is confident that its popularity in Punjab is growing steadily in the post-poll scenario — is likely to dominate the next phase of politics in the country.
