"Pakistani parliament moving to limit unpopular president’s power; Changes have broad support" by Karin Brulliard, Washington Post | March 23, 2010
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s parliament is expected to pass constitutional changes in coming weeks that would vastly curtail the powers of President Asif Ali Zardari, effectively sidelining the unpopular leader of the nation’s weak civilian government.
Zardari inherited far-reaching powers, including the ability to dissolve parliament’s lower house and appoint the army chief, that were put in place under the former ruler, General Pervez Musharraf. The likely changes would shift those powers to the prime minister, though many analysts say true authority in Pakistan would remain with the influential security establishment.
We call it the Military-Industrial Complex here in AmeriKa!
Strengthening Pakistan’s civilian government is a priority of the Obama administration....
Translation: Zardari is our guy -- for now.
The changes would make Zardari’s position far more ceremonial, and they could embolden Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani or power-seekers within the military. But analysts said that in practical terms, the shift would be mostly symbolic....
And yet all this print in my paper over.... nothing.
In a separate development yesterday, Pakistani officials said two highly experienced Taliban militants were arrested while planning to attack top hotels and kidnap diplomats in Pakistan, the Associated Press reported. The two men, both deserters from a government paramilitary force, were arrested recently in a hotel in Rawalpindi.
PFFFFFT!
Yeah, right, they "deserted."
--more--"
Good timing for Zardari, huh?
Related: Why Do Pakistani Militants Never Get Tried for Their Crimes?
The Stunning Investigative Story on the Birth of Balochistan Liberation Army–Mar 1, 2005
Who is supporting insurgency in Baluchistan?
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered the government yesterday to reopen a slew of corruption cases within 24 hours, including at least two against the president, escalating tension between the government and the judiciary.
The two branches have been at odds since President Asif Ali Zardari was elected in 2008, and some analysts believe the court’s push to revive cases that had been covered by an amnesty protecting scores of politicians has been politically motivated.
Tension between the two sides has been a concern for Washington, which wants the government to stay focused on battling Taliban and Al Qaeda militants who attack US and NATO forces across the border in Afghanistan.
“Take all the petitions and all the cases from A to Z and revive them by tomorrow,’’ Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry ordered the government during a court hearing yesterday. “The law has to take its course.’’
His comments were made more than three months after the court ruled the amnesty issued by Zardari’s predecessor, General Pervez Musharraf, was unconstitutional. It covered thousands of cases dating to the 1990s.
Some of the cases have been reopened, but the court’s actions yesterday seem to indicate it believes the government is dragging its feet on others.
One case requires the government to ask Swiss authorities to reopen a money laundering suit against Zardari. But the government has argued that Zardari has immunity as president.--more--"
