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With Musharraf Out, Pakistan Coalition Collapses

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The New York Times

Published: August 26, 2008

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan's fledgling civilian government collapsed Monday, as the leaders of the main two coalition parties turned their sights on each other, only a week after banding together to force the resignation of Pervez Musharraf.

The coalition's failure, after only five months of leading Pakistan, worsened the leadership crisis in this nuclear-armed nation at a time when it faces a serious threat from the growing strength of the Taliban in the northwestern parts of its territory.

Now the deepening rivalry between the two party leaders - Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister himself - will play out in the coming elections for president.

Zardari, leader of the larger Pakistan Peoples Party, decided last week to run for the office - one of several reasons why Sharif, who leads the Pakistan Muslim League-N, gave for leaving the coalition and naming his own candidate. He cited broken promises as another reason.

The departure of Sharif, whose party sat uneasily with the Pakistan Peoples Party, is unlikely to result in immediate nationwide elections. The PPP holds the most seats in the parliament, but not a majority.

Meantime, voting for president is scheduled for Sept. 6.

With Sharif and Zardari's common foe gone, the main problem between them remains a disagreement over the future of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry. Chaudhry was fired by Musharraf in March 2007, reinstated by the court in July and placed under house arrest in November.

He was freed in March, but has yet to be restored to the bench.

Sharif has insisted that Chaudhry, along with some 60 other judges, be restored to the bench.

To drive home a point about broken promises, Sharif released an accord signed by him and Zardari on Aug. 7.

The document shows that they agreed that all the judges would be restored by an executive order one day after Musharraf's impeachment or resignation. But Zardari stalled.

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