Some analysis on the Zardari decision to table the NAR in the National Assembly:
Zardari throws Taliban deal to Nawaz camp
Monday, April 13, 2009
By Rauf Klasra
ISLAMABAD: Resisting pressure from the establishment, President Asif Zardari in a dramatic move, has decided to let all the political parties share the burden of signing the controversial deal with the Taliban by throwing the ball in the court of parliament.
Zardari does not want to be held responsible for any negative fallout if this deal backfires in future, as then parliament will be responsible. But his plans have been upstaged by the ANP, which says parliament must first be empowered and only then it can take such responsibility.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was also said to have been caught off guard when he received the copy of Nizam-e-Adl from the presidency to table it before parliament as he, too, like rest of the politicians was expecting the president to sign the agreement.
The move has put the PML-N in particular and other parties like the PML-Q in general in a fix, as their leaders have not indicated how they will react when this proposed law lands in parliament.
A top-level source claimed President Zardari was under tremendous pressure to sign the deal without wasting time as he was being threatened that if he delayed, it might derail the peace process in Swat. Even, one source said, Sufi Muhammad used to mount pressure on Zardari to sign the deal after he suddenly announced to put an end to his stay in Swat, blaming the government for not signing the deal. The military establishment was particularly keen to see the president putting his signature on the proposed agreement.
However, there were only two elements, which were openly opposing this deal, the MQM and the US, as they saw trouble coming in case the Taliban were given a free hand to run Swat in line with their own version of Islam.
Sources said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Babar Awan advised the president not to take the responsibility of this deal, as it would not be a wise move. Dr Awan was of the view this deal should be sent to parliament for discussion, debate and subsequent approval or rejection.
Awan was said to be of the view if parliament, representing the people of Pakistan, was ready to ink the deal with Taliban, the PPP government would not be singled out in case the deal went wrong at any stage.
Awan wanted Nawaz Sharif should also sign this deal so in the days to come they should not take a U-turn to blast the PPP. The aides of the president argued: “Let’s see how the US now convince their new friend Nawaz Sharif not to sign the deal in parliament.”
The president’s camp thinks if the PML-N backed the deal in parliament, it would lose sympathy and support in Washington and London. Likewise, all those elements within Pakistan who were against this deal would also come to know the policies of the PML-N as to how it would deal with the issue of the Taliban in case it returns to power after any mid-term general election in the country.
Zardari throws Taliban deal to Nawaz camp
...i totally agree S2.
