Sources said the meeting, held just two days before the government faces a crucial hearing over the NRO implementation case, was the result of an ‘overt and covert’ effort by interlocutors between the two equally belligerent sides.
A one-line official statement that the two “discussed the security situation” was made available to the media following the meeting. However, most political pundits, including some critics of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), said the interaction will help ease out the situation since both the president and the army chief must have heard each other’s point of view.
“This meeting is a constructive sign and I think sanity and wisdom is prevailing on all sides now,” PPP Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira told The Express Tribune. He added that those who are expecting a head-on collision will be disappointed.
Another PPP leader claimed that the worst was over for his party and things were now moving in a positive direction.
However, all eyes now remain on the Supreme Court, whose seven-member larger bench will be taking up the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case – one of the two immediate threats the current regime is facing on the judicial front.
Besides the NRO case, the Memogate scandal has also put the incumbent regime in a fix.
PM ‘surprise’ on Monday?
PPP insiders claim that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is set to spring a ‘major surprise’ on Monday, when the court resumes the hearing.
“Gilani has asked PPP ministers to be ready at 9 am on Monday,” said a PPP insider. While declining to provide further details, he said that the government was keeping its cards close to its chest due to the precarious situation.
However, there are conflicting reports about the government’s strategy for Monday. “They will bow down before the court and the PM can appear in person to explain his position. But it is certain that Gilani would prefer to voluntarily quit instead of facing disqualification that can have far reaching consequences for his political career,” a PPP leader said.
Another PPP leader claimed, on the conditiion that he not be named, that some major developments could take place in regards to compliance with court orders. “My information is that the letter has already been written to the Swiss authorities and a reply has been received as well,” said the PPP MNA, who belongs to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. However, his claim could not be verified.
PPP divided over Swiss letter
Tame voices within the PPP that had been advocating their leadership to avoid confrontation and write a letter to the Swiss courts, now share the support of the leadership of some allied parties, who are also insisting on the government to opt for that choice.
However, hawkish elements within the PPP still believe that the step would be tantamount to abdicating the immunity the president enjoys under the constitution.
‘Swiss will not pursue cases’
A legislator belonging to a party allied with the PPP government said that during an interaction with a chief legal adviser of the Swiss authorities, he was informed that the Swiss courts would not open cases against a head of state if he enjoys immunity under the laws of his country.
“Even if he leaves his office, the Swiss courts will not open the cases before they are opened in the home country,” the legislator quoted the Swiss official as telling him.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS (37)
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It is better for all to play within their boundaries. Power politics both from SC and our Salvation Army must stop. Think about the country and its people. Media houses must be extra careful and should stop spreading panic in the public. All know that ongoing cases are of political nature with no ramifications. No one has any "Alladins Lamp" to remove all ills which are haunting us from last 60 years or so. Democracy was allowed in our country with lot of strings attached. We must not forget that Judiciary was the main institution which gave our BOYS full power, even to amend the constitution. Serial Drama has not yet stopped. No one is supreme than the Parliament. All must understand this.
The pressure on all parties to work together has paid off. The paid public servants and elected govt should learn to live together for the greater good of the country. The role of the army should be banned from politics and they should only do the job assigned by the elected govt. All the hopla of elected set up is gone is proved wrong yet again.
This one-on-one meeting's purpose and agenda have been disguised because COAS' statement about PM Gillani's statement,id est,"PM Gillani should withdraw his statement against the DG ISI and COAS" shows that something is not going well and the truths and realities have been camouflaged.
Instead of receiving flak day in and day out, the army chief should submit the resignations en bloc of all commissioned officers down to majors. Let a new army be recruited, supervised and trained by the United States. If a jiyala can be appointed chairman OGDC or whatever, wh ycan't he be appointed a corps commander or COAS?
@CommonSense: The current events can be looked differently also. Actually, PPP can become very powerful and sweep the next elections if Zardari is seen by the voters as the only person having the courage, tact and shrewdness to take on the powerful army and making it to submit it to the will of the Parliament.
I do not support the massive corruption and poor governance but Zardari has distinct qualities.
The long and short of it is that the President and the PM tested the waters by issuing statements against the Army to try to invoke them. Now that they've realised the public has read their play, they are backing off, until they make their next move to become martyrs at the expense of the country's stability.
@truepak: At present we condemn all three.
@Furqan: Fortunately it is simple. I am living in the world's most democratic government for 45 years. The Army or the Military establishment of Pakistan should be accountable & answerable to a) The Executive b) The Parliament c) The Judiciary. The same responsibility goes for these other 3 pillars of democracy. each of these 4 pillars on which Pakistan stands must share equal and massive load. Weakness in any one pillar and the building comes down. In the end 180 million Pakistanis must help to make these 4 pillars strong and lasting.
@Pervaiz Lodhie: How simple you made it look! Just how the Army's power is "checked or balanced" without being questioned by a defense commitee formed by the national parliament of the representatives of the citizens of that country?
In current scenario the parliament must ask the Army and the ISI their activities and goals, also reason in their certain defense based failures. If government has it's hand in these failure the citizens have the right to see and hear the hearing proceeding, let the truth comes out for the benefit of the Nation. So Army is liable to answer to public representatives, the people they are dutifully protecting. See the word "Duty" is for the people.
we are with Pak army,Supreme court and imran khan
@Khawlah: why u need boots as every know that democracy is better then dictatorship.
Actually the army is smart, moving for a coup would only make PPP look like victims and give them more sympathy, the worst thing for PPP is to actually complete their term and get a lashing from the public at the polls.
Pakistan's Army or Military has been the most professional and organized institution of Pakistan. Instead of efforts to discredit it or corrupt it like the other 3 institutions it is time to learn from it and make them all professional, honest and just for every Pakistan.
Adnan A. Khwaja, a matriculate, was appointed chairman Oil and Gad Development Company reportedly on the verbal orders of the prime minister. No words to say when you read and see corruption record of current govt. Simply its madness.
As I understand, only the Executive or the Presidency is under the Parliament. The Judiciary and the Military or law enforcement agencies are NOT under the Parliament. You cannot allow any of these important institutions to become Dictatorships. Checks & Balance on each other are very important.
The Executive, the Parliament, the Military and the Judiciary must show highest respect and accountability to each other as all are the most important institutions of Pakistan. The supremacy of the constitution requires this also. Parliament only makes the laws. It is not THE law. The President blesses these laws, he or she does not make or enforce the law. The Judiciary verifies the Law and has it enforced. Time to stop playing games with each other and help make Pakistan a proud nation in the world. All these institutions have made major mistakes now and in the past. Admit them and make progress.
The Chief of the Army Staff General Kiyani and other commanders and principal officers are playing an important role in the current politics in Pakistan and the role of Pakistan’s Army is highly commendable.
Pakistan Army is the saviour of Pakistan and the nation is proud of Pakistan Army.
I am also seeking support of Pakistan Army in the Memo-Scandal case and hope that it will not given any undue respect to Mansoor Ejaz who is the real culprit behind creating the whole chaos in Pakistan.
If the nation is suppose to pick between Pakistan and Mansoor Ejaz, the nation will pick Pakistan which is our motherland and will leave no stone unturned to save the motherland.
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD
BUCK UP MR. PRESIDENT.WE ARE WITH YOU.
seems they are jus making us fool they are all one wt a bad bad politics
Kufar toota khuda khuda kar ke...
Zardari may be a lot of things, but he is no coward. You got to admire the guy's temerity to take on the mighty army chief.
A false press release? You can expect anything from this gov nowadays
Zardari might be corrupt but you need one hard headed brave man to make the Strong Army fall below the Parliament, if he can make that happen it would be like remaking of Pakistan.
A positive development. I hope and pray that common sense will prevail. Pakistan Zinda Baad!!
If Kiyani is loyal to constitution and his bosses (which he is), he deserves respect.
"It was a brazen provocation, and yet the army responded with a stern press release, whereas in the past it would have sent troops in to take control." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
a brazen provocation, according to who?
@Khawlah: And witness the doom of this country ........ whatever is left ! No sir, things are not as simple as is being perceived. It has to take time and has to be done gradually. The change of Secretary Defense is a beginning to that end.
@Khawlah None of these Parliamentarians are true representatives of the Pakistani people. More than 30 million votes were declared illegal by the SC. Any civilized society would have called for another election. Are you so naive to see petty politicians destroying our last worthy institution? They have sold most of our country and are after the Army now. High time people wake up and smell whats cooking.
All this drama was enacted for two purpose 1. To deflect attention on obl raid 2. Get extension for pasha
I wonder why suddenly the issue for national importance won't be in few days.
Establishment won again. It is going to be bad year do civics.
Dear Sirs please leave the EGO a side and work for a better PAKISTAN.
Hope the boots now surrender to the elected parliament of the people and their elected president.