Nawaz Sharif cuts short London trip

Islamabad: Chief of the main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif returned home Wednesday cutting short his visit to London because of the tense political situation in the country.

The developments in the wake of last week's Supreme Court verdict have necessitated Sharif's presence in view of the drift towards a confrontation between the judiciary and the presidency, sources in the PML-N said.

The top court on December 16 struck down a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) by which former military ruler Pervez Musharraf had given amnesty for politicians and others accused in corruption cases.

The NRO-revoked cases against around 8000 people were revived and the court directed the government to also seek renewal of money laundering cases in Switzerland.

Asif Ali Zardari, now president, and his spouse and former premier Benazir Bhutto, assassinated on December 27 in 2007, were accused in the Swiss cases, which were closed on Pakistan's demand after promulgation of NRO in October 2007.

The ruling party has rebuffed demands by opponents of Zardari to step down. It has reacted strongly to what it calls a deliberate campaign by a section of the print and electronic media to malign the president. Rallies have been held by the PPP in Lahore, Islamabad and in Karachi to condemn targeting of the president and to demonstrate a resolve to defend Zardari against all intrigues.

The PML-N, the second largest party after the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), recently stated it would not become part of the move to de-stabilise the

present government or dismantle the democratic system. But, it has been openly critical of the policies of the president, particularly the perceived procrastination by Zardari over carrying out pledged constitutional reforms to return key powers to prime minister.

Party sources said Sharif was expected to chair a high-level PML-N meeting to take stock of the political situation and the simmering frictions with PPP in the post-NRO verdict scenario. They said a meeting between the PML-N supreme leader and President Zardari was also likely.

PML-N leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, reiterated Wednesday that the party would not demand the resignation of President Zardari if the "NRO verdict was implemented in letter and spirit."

"Our party will strive for implementation of the verdict in full," Khan said, addressing a news conference at the Punjab House in Islamabad.

Khawaja Asif and Saad Rafiq, two PML- N leaders, have publicly called for Zardari to resign after the NRO judgment. But the top party leadership has refrained from doing so.

Meanwhile, accountability courts have reactivated cases following the Supreme Court verdict and initiated legal steps. The Lahore High Court has suspended three-year sentence awarded to Rehman Malik, now interior minister, by an accountability court in 2004 in absentia. It allowed bail against

surety bonds to the minister, who has filed two writs.

The National Accountability Bureau has moved applications at accountability courts for withdrawal of cases against Zardari on the ground that president enjoys immunity under the constitution.