Pakistan Supreme Court turfs out Prime Minister Gilani

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has been carrying on a multi-year battle with the ruling Pakistani People's Party,. The feud started when the Supreme Court ruled that party members did not have legal immunity from crimes committed in the past. The People's Party has continually challenged that ruling.

The Prime Minister Yousef Gilani has simply refused to implement the court ruling! In particular Gilani has refused to cooperate in a corruption case against Pakistani president Asif Zardari. Even after being presented with several ultimatums Gilani simply ignored the requests. Gilani insists that as head of state Zardari is above the law!

Even after the Supreme Court made the ruling aides to Gilani claimed it was meaningless. However the Electoral Commission agreed with the Supreme Court and so Gilani will definitely go. Whoever replaces him will face the same demand that the government cooperate with the corruption investigation into the president. For more see this article.

Pakistan: Supreme Court threatens to oust President Zardari

   The Pakistani judiciary had a long struggle to restore the chief justice. Now conflict between the government and the Supreme Court has again broken out in public. Back in 2009 the court ruled that the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was unconstitutional.
   This bill would have granted politicians an amnesty to all politicians for crimes committed in office. It should have been called the Get Out of Jail Free bill. The court ruling was certainly one that would force accountability on politicians and serve the interests of justice.
    Most of the present cabinet members faced charges for corruption and other offences. The government chose simply to ignore the Supreme Court ruling. As a result several years later the Supreme Court has spoken out again and threatened to disqualify both the Prime Minister and the President of Pakistan because they have simply refused to follow through on the Supreme Court's decision. This move will no doubt further add to the political instability in Pakistan. For more see this article.
   

Pakistan: Army wants president Zardari ousted

  Since independence in 1947 Pakistan has had three coups by the armed forces. The present head of the military General Parvez Kayani is very much opposed to a coup a position certainly not shared by some of his predecessors.
  Many think that President Zardari was behind the so-called coup memo. This memo was a letter to the U.S. military commander Admiral Mullen that sought his support in ousting key members of  the military leadership. In the memo as well the military were accused of planning a coup after the U.S. killed Osama bin Laden without informing Pakistan until it was already in process.
    An anonymous military source claimed that the opposition and most Pakistanis were fed up with Zardari not just the army. The U.S. had dismissed the allegations about a military coup in the memo they received as simply not credible. The Pakistan Supreme Court is considering a petition that requests an inquiry into the memo affair.
 The ruling party worries not just about the military but about the courts whom they fear may be out to get Zardari. Prime Minister Yusuf Gilani said: "Let me make clear to you today that there are intrigues, conspiracies afoot to pack up the elected government," As usual there is political strife brewing in Pakistan. For more see this article and also here.

Bush meets with Prime Minister Gilani of Pakistan.

This is from Washington Post.
Quick summary:
Blah blah...democracy hurrah...blah blah militants boo...blah blah...sovereignty hurrah...blah blah..extremists boo....blah blah....self-determination hurrah......terrorists boo....blah blah...co-operation hurrah.......blah blah...thank you all.

Bush Meets With Prime Minister Gilani of PakistanBush, Gilani Hold a Media Availability
CQ TranscriptsMonday, July 28, 2008; 12:28 PM
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Mr. Prime Minister, welcome. It's been a -- it's been a very constructive morning.
PRIME MINISTER SYED YOUSUF RAZA GILANI OF PAKISTAN: Thank you.
BUSH: We've had a good meeting in the Oval Office. And then I'm going to have lunch with the prime minister here in the main White House. And that's fitting. After all, Pakistan is a strong ally and a vibrant democracy, and the United States supports the democracy and supports the sovereignty of Pakistan.
We talked about areas of concern. Of course, we're going to spend a lot of time on the economy, about how the United States and Pakistan can continue to cooperate for economic benefits for all the people, of Pakistan and for our own country, for that matter.
And of course we talked about the common threat we face, extremists who -- who are very dangerous people. We talked about the need for us to, you know, make sure that, you know, Afghan border is secure as best as possible. Pakistan's made a very strong commitment to that.
I told the prime minister that the United States is committed to helping the Afghan democracy succeed, which is in Pakistan's interest. After all, the prime minister wants there to be a peaceful country on his border.
(inaudible), I repeat, respects the sovereignty of this democracy. And we also appreciate the prime minister's strong words against the extremists and terrorists who not only would do us harm, but have harmed people inside Pakistan.
So we welcome you, here, Mr. Prime Minister. And I'm looking forward to having a good lunch with you after -- after your statement.
GILANI: Thank you so much.
(inaudible)
BUSH: Please, yes, absolutely.
GILANI: First of all, I want to thank Mr. President Bush for inviting me to United States. And this is my second meeting with the president. Previously, I met Mr. President in Sharm el-Sheikh, and today again I'm meeting Mr. President.
And I appreciate what he has said about supporting democracy, supporting sovereignty, looking after the interests -- and in a lot of other areas, there is a cooperation between us. We are -- Pakistan and the United States have very cordial relations, and bilateral relations, and this is not of today. This is for over 60 years, since the creation of Pakistan.
We were inspired with their slogan of liberty and self- determination, and now we want to further improve our relations.
We are committed to fight against those extremists and terrorists who are destroying and making the world not safe. And that is -- this is our own war. This is a war which is against Pakistan, and we'll fight for our own cause.
And that is because I have lost my own leader, Benazir Bhutto, because of the militants. And, therefore, I assure the United States and the people of the United States that the majority of the people of Pakistan and the people of those areas in NWFP and FATA -- they are the patriots, the loyalists. They want peace in the world. And they want to cooperate.
And there are few militants -- there are hand-picked people, militants who are disturbing this peace. And I assure Mr. President we'll work together for democracy and for the prosperity and peace of the world.
Thank you very much.
BUSH: Thank you, sir. Thanks.
Thank you all.