Q&A-Risks facing Pakistan's President Zardari
(For more on Pakistan and Afghanistan, click [ID:nAFPAK])
By Zeeshan Haider
Nov 12 (Reuters) - As the Pakistani army battles Islamist militants, political tension is rising with President Asif Ali Zardari's opponents and hostile sections of the media stepping up criticism of him.
Zardari became president in September 2008 after his party won parliamentary elections in February that year on a wave of sympathy generated by the assassination of his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, weeks earlier.
The United States wants to see Pakistan focus on the offensive against the Islamists but analysts say there is a risk of political turmoil over the president's future.
Political uncertainty and militant violence have unnerved investors in Pakistani stocks.[ID:nCOL515980]
Here are some questions and answers on Zardari's prospects.
WHY IS POLITICAL TENSION RISING?
Zardari has never enjoyed the popularity of his charismatic wife and has been dogged by accusations of corruption during Bhutto's rule in the 1990s. He also faced murder charges. He was never convicted and denied wrongdoing but spent 11 years in jail on charges he said were politically motivated. Zardari returned to Pakistan late 2007 under an amnesty order introduced by former president Pervez Musharraf aimed at striking a power-sharing deal with Bhutto. But the opponents of both Musharraf and Bhutto condemned the amnesty as illegitimate. The Supreme Court ruled in July that the amnesty had to be approved by parliament and set a 4-month deadline. Last week, the government averted a potential split in its coalition when it abandoned a plan to present the order in parliament after opposition leader Nawaz Sharif along with a coalition partner threatened to block it.[ID:nSP516264]
CAN CORRUPTION CHARGES BE REVIVED?
The withdrawal of the bill does not open Zardari to immediate prosecution but the amnesty order will lapse after the passing of the Supreme Court's deadline at the end of the month. Zardari's aides say that will not affect him as he enjoys presidential immunity. But some legal experts say Zardari's eligibility for the presidency could be challenged if graft charges are reopened.
DOES THE OPPOSITION POSE A THREAT?
Zardari's main rival is former prime minister Sharif, who heads the second biggest party. The two agreed to a coalition after the 2008 election but fell out over a judicial dispute. Zardari backed down over the dispute in March as Sharif led a protest rally to Islamabad.
Sharif's party wants Zardari be stripped of powers that Musharraf transferred to the presidency, including the power to dismiss the government and appoint chiefs of the armed forces. Zardari's aides say he is committed to giving up the powers and transfering them to the prime minister but critics accuse him of stalling on a pledge that would reduce him to a figurehead.
Though Zardari's party and its allies enjoy a majority in parliament, analysts say the country could be plunged into crisis if Sharif launched protests to press his demands.
HOW ARE ZARDARI'S RELATIONS WITH THE ARMY?
Zardari's government and the army are united in tackling the militants but differences emerged last month when the army expressed "serious concern" about a U.S. aid bill that critics say contains conditions that amount to a humiliating violation of Pakistan's sovereignity. Zardari initially rejected suggestions that the bill's conditions undermined sovereignty.[ID:nN11365590]
Though the army has since made no public comment on the U.S. bill, which President Barack Obama later signed into law, commentators say the army still has reservations and the controversy has deepened the army's mistrust of Zardari.
The army has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 62 years of history. Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani has vowed to stay out of politics and while no one is expecting any imminent military intervention, analysts say that cannot be ruled out in the event of a crisis. (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: here) (Editing by Robert Birsel; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
By Zeeshan Haider
Nov 12 (Reuters) - As the Pakistani army battles Islamist militants, political tension is rising with President Asif Ali Zardari's opponents and hostile sections of the media stepping up criticism of him.
Zardari became president in September 2008 after his party won parliamentary elections in February that year on a wave of sympathy generated by the assassination of his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, weeks earlier.
The United States wants to see Pakistan focus on the offensive against the Islamists but analysts say there is a risk of political turmoil over the president's future.
Political uncertainty and militant violence have unnerved investors in Pakistani stocks.[ID:nCOL515980]
Here are some questions and answers on Zardari's prospects.
WHY IS POLITICAL TENSION RISING?
Zardari has never enjoyed the popularity of his charismatic wife and has been dogged by accusations of corruption during Bhutto's rule in the 1990s. He also faced murder charges. He was never convicted and denied wrongdoing but spent 11 years in jail on charges he said were politically motivated. Zardari returned to Pakistan late 2007 under an amnesty order introduced by former president Pervez Musharraf aimed at striking a power-sharing deal with Bhutto. But the opponents of both Musharraf and Bhutto condemned the amnesty as illegitimate. The Supreme Court ruled in July that the amnesty had to be approved by parliament and set a 4-month deadline. Last week, the government averted a potential split in its coalition when it abandoned a plan to present the order in parliament after opposition leader Nawaz Sharif along with a coalition partner threatened to block it.[ID:nSP516264]
CAN CORRUPTION CHARGES BE REVIVED?
The withdrawal of the bill does not open Zardari to immediate prosecution but the amnesty order will lapse after the passing of the Supreme Court's deadline at the end of the month. Zardari's aides say that will not affect him as he enjoys presidential immunity. But some legal experts say Zardari's eligibility for the presidency could be challenged if graft charges are reopened.
DOES THE OPPOSITION POSE A THREAT?
Zardari's main rival is former prime minister Sharif, who heads the second biggest party. The two agreed to a coalition after the 2008 election but fell out over a judicial dispute. Zardari backed down over the dispute in March as Sharif led a protest rally to Islamabad.
Sharif's party wants Zardari be stripped of powers that Musharraf transferred to the presidency, including the power to dismiss the government and appoint chiefs of the armed forces. Zardari's aides say he is committed to giving up the powers and transfering them to the prime minister but critics accuse him of stalling on a pledge that would reduce him to a figurehead.
Though Zardari's party and its allies enjoy a majority in parliament, analysts say the country could be plunged into crisis if Sharif launched protests to press his demands.
HOW ARE ZARDARI'S RELATIONS WITH THE ARMY?
Zardari's government and the army are united in tackling the militants but differences emerged last month when the army expressed "serious concern" about a U.S. aid bill that critics say contains conditions that amount to a humiliating violation of Pakistan's sovereignity. Zardari initially rejected suggestions that the bill's conditions undermined sovereignty.[ID:nN11365590]
Though the army has since made no public comment on the U.S. bill, which President Barack Obama later signed into law, commentators say the army still has reservations and the controversy has deepened the army's mistrust of Zardari.
The army has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 62 years of history. Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani has vowed to stay out of politics and while no one is expecting any imminent military intervention, analysts say that cannot be ruled out in the event of a crisis. (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: here) (Editing by Robert Birsel; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
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