Another premier gone?

WHEN RAJA Pervez Ashraf was elected as Pakistan’s prime minister following Yousaf Raza Gilani’s ouster, his tainted reputation preceded him in the media and political circles. Notoriously referred to as ‘Raja Rental’ for allegedly accepting kickbacks for rental power projects (RPPs) as the water and power minister, Ashraf’s ascent to the position of chief executive was widely criticised. There were apprehensions that he, too, will refuse to follow the Supreme Court’s order to write the Swiss letter regarding President Zardari’s graft cases and also pave way for his own political demise. However, it’s not the Swiss letter than has taken Ashraf down; it’s his alleged involvement in the corruption pertaining to the RPP contracts. The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered for the arrest of 16 people, including the premier, involved in the RPP cases. The SC’s ruling comes as yet another blow to the PPP-led government, which has teetered on the verge of collapse several times during its tenure. While it has faced several challenges related to governance, perhaps the greatest hurdles it has found in its path have been at the behest of Pakistan’s activist judiciary. The PPP lost its premier, Yousaf Raza Gillani, to the Swiss letter case and its US ambassador Hussain Haqqani to the Memogate case. And now it appears that its second chief executive is also on his way out. Sceptics, however, are questioning the timing of this ruling, which came while Tahirul Qadri’s long march was in full swing in Islamabad. In fact, when Qadri announced this development during his speech, his supporters, who had earlier clashed with the police on Tuesday, celebrated by chanting “long live the Supreme Court”. Many suspect that the SC, which has been accused of being in cahoots with the military, strategically timed the ruling to coincide with the march. The armed forces have been rumoured to support Qadri, who had been vociferously pressing for the dismissal of the incumbent federal and provincial governments. Hours after his deadline for the government’s ouster expired, the judicial verdict corroborated allegations that the “invisible hand” of the military is possibly propping up the Sufi cleric’s campaign. So, how will the government now manage this new crisis? Chances are that the resilient PPP will prepare to elect another premier, just two months in advance of the parliamentary elections. But irrespective of the government’s next move, it is very important that the latter is given a chance to complete its tenure for the sake of democracy.