Islamabad:
Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari met with their coalition partners this evening before facing a trust vote in Parliament. Mr Gilani is expected to make a policy statement before the vote and has also decided to personally appear on Thursday in the Supreme Court after receiving a contempt notice this morning.
As the two men at the helm of Pakistan's civilian government emerged from their meeting, sources said Mr Gilani had offered to resign if a majority in Parliament wished him to; the government has officially denied this. Through recent days of combat with the military and the judiciary, Mr Gilani has repeatedly stressed on the supremacy of Parliament. The Zardari government is in a majority in Parliament and is expected to win the vote. Strategically, it would then have its Prime Minister respond in court on Thursday with a moral advantage. And if it has to go down, go down fighting.
Rahman Malik, Pakistan's Interior Minister told NDTV that there was no question of Mr Gilani resigning. "He (Yousuf Raza Gilani) will remain the PM, inshallah... We respect the judiciary and will explain our view in court," Mr Malik said.
So, the vote in Parliament later today has been pitched by the ruling coalition as a choice between democracy vs dictatorship. It asks Parliament to endorse the supremacy of Parliament over every other institution, including the executive and, importantly, the judiciary. Sources say that the President and Prime Minister may keep out of that vote as the government seeks to underscore that it is looking to protect not the PPP, but the institution of democracy.
The threat to the government's survival lies in two matters that are before the Supreme Court - one accuses the government of using a secret memo to ask the US for help against a military takeover; the other holds Mr Gilani responsible for failing to re-open cases of corruption against the President. The government's legal battles intersect with unprecedented hostility with the army.
This morning, the Supreme Court asked Mr Gilani to make an appearance in court while issuing a contempt of court notice for failing to implement the court's orders. Mr Gilani was last week described by the Supreme Court as a dishonest man. In 2009, the Supreme Court nullified the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) which granted amnesty to Mr Zardari and other politicians and bureaucrats who had been accused of corruption. The court said the cases of graft should be investigated, and it's upset that no action has been taken so far to comply with that order. The contempt notice today was issued after the Attorney General said he had no directions from the government to explain its stand to the Supreme Court.
These developments are over-shadowing the hostility between the army and the Prime Minister which escalated sharply last week; concerns of a military takeover have been replaced with talk of a "judicial or constitutional coup" along with reports that eventually, Mr Gilani's resignation may pave the way for a truce between the different stakeholders.
Opposition leaders like Imran Khan have said they are firmly against the Zardari government, but also firmly against allowing a military coup. Mr Khan, whose rallies have been drawing huge audiences, said today that his Tehreek-e-Insaaf party supports the Supreme Court; he accused Mr Gliani of trying to protect a corrupt President Zardari.
The government's other big battle in court is over a secret memo that surfaced late last year and asked for US help against a military takeover. The memo was delivered in the weeks after the US located and killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, angering and embarrassing the Pakistani army. That memo was written allegedly by then ambassador Husain Haqqani, and was delivered by Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz. Mr Haqqani denies that he authored the memo, or that it was developed and delivered on the instructions of the President. (Read: 10 things you should know about the Pak crisis)
An incensed army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and ISI chief Lieutenant-General Ahmed Shuja Pasha have asked for a Supreme Court investigation, which has begun. Mr Ijaz who was to testify today has delayed his trip back to Pakistan, claiming threats. Mr Haqqani has taken refuge in the Prime Minister's residence.
Last week, in a series of retaliatory moves, the government and the army tried to prove their strength. First, Mr Gilani criticized the army and ISI chiefs for explaining their stand on the memo directly to the Supreme Court, rather than through the government. The army did not take the critique lightly. In a statement, it warned of serious consequences to the Prime Minister's comments. So hours later, Mr Gilani fired the Defence Secretary, who was seen to be close to General Kayani.
As the two men at the helm of Pakistan's civilian government emerged from their meeting, sources said Mr Gilani had offered to resign if a majority in Parliament wished him to; the government has officially denied this. Through recent days of combat with the military and the judiciary, Mr Gilani has repeatedly stressed on the supremacy of Parliament. The Zardari government is in a majority in Parliament and is expected to win the vote. Strategically, it would then have its Prime Minister respond in court on Thursday with a moral advantage. And if it has to go down, go down fighting.
Rahman Malik, Pakistan's Interior Minister told NDTV that there was no question of Mr Gilani resigning. "He (Yousuf Raza Gilani) will remain the PM, inshallah... We respect the judiciary and will explain our view in court," Mr Malik said.
So, the vote in Parliament later today has been pitched by the ruling coalition as a choice between democracy vs dictatorship. It asks Parliament to endorse the supremacy of Parliament over every other institution, including the executive and, importantly, the judiciary. Sources say that the President and Prime Minister may keep out of that vote as the government seeks to underscore that it is looking to protect not the PPP, but the institution of democracy.
The threat to the government's survival lies in two matters that are before the Supreme Court - one accuses the government of using a secret memo to ask the US for help against a military takeover; the other holds Mr Gilani responsible for failing to re-open cases of corruption against the President. The government's legal battles intersect with unprecedented hostility with the army.
This morning, the Supreme Court asked Mr Gilani to make an appearance in court while issuing a contempt of court notice for failing to implement the court's orders. Mr Gilani was last week described by the Supreme Court as a dishonest man. In 2009, the Supreme Court nullified the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) which granted amnesty to Mr Zardari and other politicians and bureaucrats who had been accused of corruption. The court said the cases of graft should be investigated, and it's upset that no action has been taken so far to comply with that order. The contempt notice today was issued after the Attorney General said he had no directions from the government to explain its stand to the Supreme Court.
These developments are over-shadowing the hostility between the army and the Prime Minister which escalated sharply last week; concerns of a military takeover have been replaced with talk of a "judicial or constitutional coup" along with reports that eventually, Mr Gilani's resignation may pave the way for a truce between the different stakeholders.
Opposition leaders like Imran Khan have said they are firmly against the Zardari government, but also firmly against allowing a military coup. Mr Khan, whose rallies have been drawing huge audiences, said today that his Tehreek-e-Insaaf party supports the Supreme Court; he accused Mr Gliani of trying to protect a corrupt President Zardari.
The government's other big battle in court is over a secret memo that surfaced late last year and asked for US help against a military takeover. The memo was delivered in the weeks after the US located and killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, angering and embarrassing the Pakistani army. That memo was written allegedly by then ambassador Husain Haqqani, and was delivered by Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz. Mr Haqqani denies that he authored the memo, or that it was developed and delivered on the instructions of the President. (Read: 10 things you should know about the Pak crisis)
An incensed army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and ISI chief Lieutenant-General Ahmed Shuja Pasha have asked for a Supreme Court investigation, which has begun. Mr Ijaz who was to testify today has delayed his trip back to Pakistan, claiming threats. Mr Haqqani has taken refuge in the Prime Minister's residence.
Last week, in a series of retaliatory moves, the government and the army tried to prove their strength. First, Mr Gilani criticized the army and ISI chiefs for explaining their stand on the memo directly to the Supreme Court, rather than through the government. The army did not take the critique lightly. In a statement, it warned of serious consequences to the Prime Minister's comments. So hours later, Mr Gilani fired the Defence Secretary, who was seen to be close to General Kayani.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
