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Sunday, November 23, 2008

emergency - Pakistan

Pakistan’s political pains

Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf's resignation and the election of Asif Ali Zardari, widower of assassinated ex-PM Benazir Bhutto, as the nation's president, concludes a tumultuous year in Pakistani politics.

Pakistan People’s Party leader and widower of the late Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari, won Pakistan's presidential election on Sept. 06.

Zardari was challenged by retired chief justice Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui, backed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and Mushahid Hussain, a Musharraf aide.

Zardari will succeed former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who resigned in a televised address on 18th August, after nine years in power.

Facing impeachment by the democratic coalition government, Musharraf said that he was leaving the country in the hands of Allah.

And also in the hands of a fractious coalition government, led by Nawaz Sharif (of the PML-N) and Asif Ali Zardari (of the Pakistan’s People Party), husband of the assassinated ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The country has faced rising Islamist insurgencies over the last year and its political-military alliance with the United States has estranged a large part of the population.

Zardari elected Pakistani president amid violence Pakistan's parliament on Saturday elected Asif Ali Zardari, widower of assassinated ex-PM Benazir Bhutto, as Pakistan's president. Hours earlier, a blast in the city of Peshawar left at least 16 dead and around 80 injured, local police said.

Pakistan's Musharraf steps down Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation in a televised address to the nation in the face of an impending impeachment motion by the ruling coalition government.

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