Sharif's brother set to lead Pakistan's Punjab

[mujahideen]

Sharif's brother set to lead Pakistan's Punjab

By Mubasher Bukhari

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, overthrown by President Pervez Musharraf in a coup, nominated his brother Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday to return to his old job as head of Punjab province.

The nomination is the latest product of an alliance between the Sharifs and Asif Ali Zardari, widower of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her successor as head of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

The alliance has left Musharraf looking increasingly isolated. There is mounting speculation in the nuclear-armed Muslim nation that U.S. ally Musharraf could be forced out of power within weeks or months.

"With the permission of Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, Shahbaz Sharif, God willing, will be the chief minister of Punjab," Nawaz Sharif said at a news conference with the PPP leader in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, the most influential of Pakistan's four provinces.

Musharraf overthrew prime minister Sharif when he took power as a general in a 1999 coup. The brothers were arrested and later banished, but returned in November after Musharraf ceded to pressure from Saudi King Abdullah to let them return before national and provincial assembly polls.

Together with the PPP, they defeated Musharraf's political allies in the February 18 vote.

The PPP is leading a national coalition government, backed by the Sharifs' Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), or PML-N, and two smaller regional parties.

The PML-N emerged the biggest party in the Punjab assembly, and with the PPP's support will lead the government in the country's richest and most populous province.

It is the first time that Pakistan's two main political parties have formed a government together. The country has been run by generals for more than half the time since it was carved out of the partition of India in 1947.

"We'll change the system. Democracy is at work. I don't think this has happened before," Zardari told the news conference.

Musharraf stepped down as army chief in November to hold on to the presidency, and without military backing, he is at the mercy of his old enemies, analysts say.

While the Sharifs want him gone sooner rather than later, Zardari aims to see how relations between the president, parliament and the judiciary evolve, as he wants the transition of power to be as smooth as possible, according to a source close to the PPP leader.

The Sharifs were barred from standing in the election and Shahbaz will have to win a by-election for a seat in the Punjab assembly to qualify as chief minister, the post he held before the coup. A stop-gap appointment will be made in the meantime.

(Additional reporting by Kamran Haider; Writing by Simon Cameron-Moore; editing by Keith Weir)
Sharif's brother set to lead Pakistan's Punjab | International | Reuters

 

[araz]

Is it a surprise. Ido remember a resident of Punjab during the times of Sharif and he used to say that that period was good for Punjab and especially for lahore. I hope he can do the same for Punjab again. On a nother note, the higher ups in the setup were much happier with him than with the elder Sharif. there was even talk of a compromise where the younger Sharif would assume charge and the older one would vanish from the limelight but he did not agree to that.
Araz

 

[Malang]

time for Mushy to shift to KSA and (for him and his Begum to embrace Wahabism)

 

[araz]

He is more than likely to shift to USA and embrace rampant liberalism than do that.
WaSalam
Araz

 

[mujahideen]

Is it a surprise. Ido remember a resident of Punjab during the times of Sharif and he used to say that that period was good for Punjab and especially for lahore. I hope he can do the same for Punjab again. On a nother note, the higher ups in the setup were much happier with him than with the elder Sharif. there was even talk of a compromise where the younger Sharif would assume charge and the older one would vanish from the limelight but he did not agree to that.

I have heard that the Sharif rule in Punjab was good for the province. You know I may be pro-Musharraf but I do give people credit where they deserve it. I only wish the development during their time was not just restricted to Punjab but also the other three provinces.

 

[Cheetah786]

I have heard that the Sharif rule in Punjab was good for the province. You know I may be pro-Musharraf but I do give people credit where they deserve it. I only wish the development during their time was not just restricted to Punjab but also the other three provinces.

PAKISTAN WAS ALMOST BANKRUPT WHEN THESE CLOWNS WERE THROWN OUT.

But i see good old days are back let the robbery begin.

 

[Cheetah786]

time for Mushy to shift to KSA and (for him and his Begum to embrace Wahabism)

KSA HAVE THERE WAHABI PUPPY CONTROLLING PUNJAB Mushy TO Good for them they only take scums.

 

[MastanKhan]

Hi,

Shahbaz was very tough on the criminals---Pervaiz Ilahi has been a weak su-ck. Shahbaz will be good for punjab---he is a good friend of my little cousin/brother. I only wish that Shahbaz could have been the man to stand up on his own. He has the abilities and tact that Nawaz is missing.