Pakistan is in a political crisis and it cannot please the USA. The civilian face of the Pak government, Nawaz Sharif has been disqualified by the Pak Supreme Court on Friday, from holding the office of the prime minister. This was after a corruption probe indicted him and his family of amassing wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income.
In a landmark judgment, the court left Sharif no option but to resign. This was Nawaz Sharif’s third stint as Prime minister and like last time, it has ended in ignominy. The case was heard by a 5-member constitutional bench and the judge’s decision was unanimous.
Nawaz Sharif will now have the dubious distinction of being ousted on corruption charges. The bench headed by Justice Saeed Khosa declared that Nawaz was no longer “eligible" to hold the office of Prime Minister of Pakistan. Sharif’s troubles have just begun as the court directed the NAB (National Accountability Bureau) to file a charge sheet in six weeks and conclude the trial in six months, CNN International reported.
Effect of resignation of Nawaz Sharif
The resignation of Nawaz will weaken the civilian administration and make the army and the ISI more powerful. This may not be to the liking of the USA. One can recollect that the earlier PPP government feared a military coup and requested the then chief of the general staff, General Mike Mullen to ensure that this did not happen.
The Pak army has been supporting the Haqqani faction of the Taliban in Afghanistan and also supporting the Lashkar e Toiba and other terror organizations. The U.S. was hoping that Nawaz who was the civilian face of the Pakistan government could be made to see reason. All this has evaporated as Nawaz, if convicted, would be debarred from holding office for life and could also land up in jail.
Nawaz and conspiracy theories
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan has been directed to take necessary steps to disqualify Sharif. The PM who is 67, has denied any wrongdoing and warned his ousting would create chaos in Pakistan. He has also privately told his aides that elements in the judiciary and the military could have ganged up to oust him.
Nawaz has a strained relationship with the army which had ousted him in a military coup, the last time he was prime minister. The army has denied any involvement in the judicial process.
Future
The Pak army will be happy to see his back but India and America, who had hoped to negotiate with Nawaz will be the biggest losers with his going. It could mean that the Pak army could have a greater say in the government, as no comparable leader is on the horizon.
