Tension rises in Pakistan

The fragile rule of government in Pakistan is looking increasingly unstable after Nawaz Sharif, the opposition leader, was allowed to defy a house arrest order and join a protest march that has raised fears of a return to military leadership.

Hundreds of riot police surrounded Mr Sharif's house in the eastern city of Lahore this morning after negotiations with the government collapsed, despite the intervention of Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State. Police moved in after the former Prime Minister gave a rousing speech to his supporters last night.

But despite the restrictions, officers later stood aside to allow Mr Sharif to join the "long march" to Islamabad, the capital, to demand the re-instatement of several judges.

Police had originally moved in after Mr Sharif urged supporters to take to the streets to "fight this obsolete system" of government
"The winds of change are blowing, and nobody can stop them," he said. "Whoever tries to stop them will be destroyed."

Mr Sharif was placed under house arrest for three days, with similar restrictions imposed on other oppostion leaders including Imran Khan, the former cricketer turned politician. Mr Khan's aides said he had evaded police and was in hiding, preparing to make his way to the capital.

Pakistani authorities have now sealed off both Islamabad and Lahore, blocking all major roads with cargo containers, and detained hundreds of lawyers and opposition activists trying to join the march.

The army says it has also brought re-enforcements to Islamabad from northwestern Pakistan, fuelling concerns that it is being distracted from the fight against al Qaeda and Taleban militants near the Afghan border.

“It may affect our fight against terrorists, but we don’t have any choice," Rehman Malik, the Interior Minister, told reporters in Islamabad.

“The government cannot allow mass demonstrations in the capital because of the threat of violence,” he said. "I urge all Pakistanis not to join the long march as we have credible information that enemies of Pakistan could take advantage of the situation."

The breakdown of negotiations came after Mrs Clinton telephoned Mr Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, the President, yesterday in the United States’ boldest effort yet to mediate in the crisis.

Richard Holbrooke, the US special envoy to India and Pakistan, had also spoken to both men last week, as had David Miliband, the British Foreign Secretary, and the U.S. and British ambassadors.

US and British officials fear the unrest is undermining counter-terrorism operations and could precipitate another military coup in a country that has been ruled by the army for more than half of its 61-year history.

Mr Zardari had agreed to lift direct rule of Punjab province – Mr Sharif’s political heartland – and to appeal a recent ban on Mr Sharif and his brother, Shahbaz, holding elected office.

But the President refused to re-instate Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, the former Chief Justice,who was sacked along with several other judges by Pervez Musharraf, the former President, in 2007.

Mr Zardari fears that Mr Chaudhry could challenge the legitimacy of his presidency, as well as an agreement signed by Mr Musharraf that quashed corruption charges against him.

Mr Sharif, who leads the Pakistan Muslim League (N) party, responded last night by vowing to go ahead with the “long march” despite the government’s attempts to block it.

“This is a flood of people. This flood will break all hurdles. This flood will, God willing, reach its destination,” he told his supporters.

There was no immediate comment from Mr Zardari, who took over the Pakistan People’s Party after the assassination of his wife, Benazir Bhutto, in December 2007, and became President after Mr Musharraf resigned in August.

Farhatullah Babar, his spokesman, said: “We will continue efforts to defuse the present political tension through dialogue, reconciliation, respect for the Constitution and democratic principles.“ Analysts, however, said it was unlikely that the two sides could reach a negotiated compromise.

They also said Mr Zardari appeared to be losing the support of his own Pakistan People’s Party, because his attempts to stop the long march are so reminiscent of Mr Musharraf’s efforts to block similar protests in 2007.

Sherry Rehman became the latest of Bhutto’s former inner circle to abandon Mr Zardari yesterday when she resigned as Information Minister over restrictions placed on a private news channel.

A former journalist, Ms Rehman is believed to have told Mr Zardari that she could not defend his government’s policies. Last week, Raza Rabbani, a senior federal minister also quit his job. Both ministers had been publically humiliated by Mr Zardari.

Source:the times