DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD FOR MUSHARRAF
By Muhammad Najeeb, Islamabad, 10 September 2007 (IANS)

Difficult times lie ahead for President Pervez Musharraf, who is seeking another presidential term but is facing a strong challenge from a majority of the opposition parties led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N). Nawaz Sharif was again sent into forced exile to Saudi Arabia on Monday only four hours after he landed in Pakistan from seven years in exile in the Saudi kingdom and in London.

A debate has already begun among the intelligentsia, lawyers and the media about the manner of Sharif's deportation and whether it violates Supreme Court orders that the former prime minister be allowed to return. The entire opposition, except for former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has condemned the government move and has backed a protest called by PML-N on Tuesday.

"We stand by this call and would participate in the strike," said Mutahidda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed, who was arrested on Sunday evening after he announced he would go to the airport to welcome Sharif. "Sharif's return and deportation is a major blow to the president. It would weaken his position in the coming elections," the editor of an Urdu daily said.

He claimed that many parliamentarians of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) were ready to join the Nawaz faction of the League. Almost 80 percent of the PML-Q parliamentarians are former members of PML-N and many of them have already started distancing themselves from what is often referred to as the "King's Party".

Some of them have also been saying that they would not vote for Musharraf in the coming presidential election due between Sept 15-Oct 15. The schedule of election is expected sometime next week.

Musharraf in an attempt to legitimise another term in office, is also talking to Bhutto on a power-sharing deal. However, the president's popularity has slumped since he dismissed Chief Justice Ifthikar Mohammad Chaudhury in March. Chaudhury fought back and the Supreme Court reinstated him after a four-month legal battle. The people are also highly critical of the government for allowing interference in the country's affairs by foreign powers.

"It is strange that the government has involved Saudi Arabia and other countries in stopping Nawaz Sharif," said disgruntled PPP leader Ghulam Mustafa Khar, who travelled with Sharif from London. According to Khar, Sharif's differences with Bhutto started after she chose to talk to Musharraf.

The media has also been highly critical of the foreign interventions, with GEO TV airing the people's views. This is for the first time that people in Pakistan have started speaking against the Saudi rulers, who are otherwise well respected in the country.

"Saudi monarchs, Lebanese leader Saad Hariri or any other Arab dictator should not interfere in the democratic process in Pakistan," said unnamed man on GEO TV. Another said the foreign countries must respect the Pakistani Supreme Court and the wishes of Pakistanis who want a democratic government in the country.