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"We have taken this decision after we failed to find any ray of hope and none of the commitments made to us were fulfilled," Sharif said. |
ISLAMABAD — Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif quit on Monday, August 25, the ruling coalition over differences on the reinstatement of sacked judges and, challenging his former ally's presidential bid.
"We have taken this decision after we failed to find any ray of hope and none of the commitments made to us were fulfilled," Sharif told a press conference.
"This situation forced us to withdraw our support and sit on opposition benches."
Sharif and Asif Zardari, the co-chairman of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have for months been at loggerheads over restoring judges sacked by former president Pervez Musharraf.
Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PML(N) party repeatedly threatened to leave the coalition if the judges were not restored to office.
Their differences, which have been put on the backburner for sometimes, popped up again after they managed to achieve their top priority: forcing Musharraf to resign as president under the threat of impeachment.
In May, Sharif froze the participation of his nine ministers in the 24-member federal cabinet over the re-installment of the sacked judges.
He only returned to the government after Zardari had assured him that the judges, who refused to take oath under an emergency order issued by Musharraf in November, would be restored within 24 hours of removing Musharraf.
But Zardari has once again backtracked on his promise.
"The PPP violated the latest agreement…that the judges will be restored 24 hours after the resignation of Musharraf," said Sharif.
He has discussed with Asma Jehangir, head of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, their future strategy on mounting pressures on Zardari to reinstate the judges.
Sources said Jehangir, a close friend of slain Bhutto, lends full support to Sharif for any pro-judiciary movement on behalf of the civil society.
Presidential Challenge
Sharif is also accusing the PPP of violating an earlier agreement on nominating a non-partisan candidate if article 58-2B, which allows the president to dissolve parliament, was not repealed.
"The PPP even nominated Zardari for president and announced the election schedule without consulting our party," he said.
As per the agreement, a neutral president should have been elected till the annulment of the controversial article.
"We therefore feel that these repeated defaults and violations have forced us to withdraw our support from the ruling coalition and sit on the opposition benches," Sharif said.
"We have requested [retired Supreme Curt chief justice] Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui to accept our offer to become presidential candidate.
"He is a good Pakistani who is a non-partisan person."
The PML-N is considering to resort to the Supreme Court to challenge Zardari's candidacy.
"We are seriously considering challenging his candidature because he has violated the written agreement with PML-N," a senior PML-N leader told IslamOnline.net.
"He has left no other option for us by violating all the agreements, whether about judges or about presidency. Now we are free to take our own course of action.
"One thing is for sure, that we will not sit idle. We are going to consult with lawyers, civil society members, and leaders of All Pakistan Democratic Movement to chalk out the future strategy."
Sharif has already met with Barrister Farooq Hassan, a veteran constitutional expert, to discuss legal action.
"Yes, he met me today to discuss the possibility of challenging the candidature of Zardari for the presidential post," Hassan told IOL.
"And I have told him that in my opinion, Zardari’s candidature could be very challenged because of his impeachment in Swiss case and backtracking on written agreements."
A Swiss court has found Zardari and his slain spouse guilty of money laundering.
Zardari has appealed the verdict and Swiss authorities have confirmed that the case still stands.
The PML-N leader said Sharif has repeatedly called for a delay of the presidential vote to avoid sending the country into a political turmoil.
"Though, we will not become part of any conspiracy aimed at destabilizing the system, however we will join the lawyers movement and go to the masses, who are the best judge to decide whether the PPP government should continue or step down," he said.
"Even if Zardari is elected as president, he will not be as tough as Musharraf was. If we have managed to tackle Musharraf, then Zardari will not be a big deal to tackle."
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