Not Exactly The Red Carpet For Sharif
Pakistan's exiled former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, returned in triumph today. Triumph turned to a ticket to Saudi Arabia in less than eight hours, however, as Pervez Musharraf had Sharif deported shortly after his arrival:
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan from a seven-year exile, hoping to campaign against the country's U.S.-allied military ruler, but was immediately charged with corruption and deported to Saudi Arabia hours later.On his arrival from London, black-uniformed commandos surrounded Sharif inside his plane; he was taken into custody and charged, then then spirited to another plane and sent to Jiddah, where he was whisked away in a convoy from the airport, witnesses said.
In Islamabad, the government defended its decision to deport Sharif in defiance of a Supreme Court order saying he had the right to return to Pakistan, claiming it was in the "supreme interest" of the country.
Sharif's deportation came as a mild surprise, given the green light he received from the court to return to Pakistan. Musharraf lost a battle to remove the Chief Justice over a dispute involving Sharif's status. Given that Musharraf has hesitated to invoke emergency powers, Sharif assumed that Musharraf would put up little resistance to his return.
Instead, Sharif and Pakistan got an clear example of how Musharraf sees his role as military dictator. If he couldn't sideline Chaudry by removing him from the court, Musharraf decided that he would just ignore the court altogether. In the short run, it keeps Sharif from complicating his political standing, and it also underscores his grip on the pragmatic power he can call to his own purposes. It demonstrates that the judiciary only has whatever authority Musharraf grants it.
This will not make him any more popular in Pakistan, and indeed could present him with a longer term problem for staying in power after a democratic transition. Musharraf has proven himself no democrat, and Pakistanis will be much less likely to vote him back into office after this incident. It strengthens the hand of people like Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, who will be seen as protectors of the lawful order. Indeed, Bhutto's spokesman insisted that Sharif's deportation will not deflect her from her own return to Pakistan, setting up another potential confrontation.
As for Sharif, he will remain as a guest of the Saudis for a while. They welcomed him with another heavy guard and speedily drove him away from the royal airport just after he landed. The Saudis noted that Sharif should not have returned home -- and apparently they want to ensure he doesn't try it again for a while.
Posted by Ed Morrissey on September 10, 2007 8:02 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)
Comments (4)
Posted by Carol Herman | September 10, 2007 2:55 PM
GOOD!
One reason there IS a Pakistan has to do with the schmuck, Gandhi. Who, during WW2, instead of helping the allies; decided to spin his spinning wheel, and play "pacifist." The country's muslems ATE HIS LUNCH!
Sometimes, you just can't do much but gaze in awe at some characters, and their stupidities. And, their ability to bamboozle the world.
Meanwhile, Musharraf knows what he's got. And, he knows how to keep it, too.
Given that we're learning how the muslems really don't do well with democracy. And, India shot itself in the foot with Gandhi; whom Winston Churchill called "a world class faker." You can only hope the good guys win.
Democracy? Well, the Code Pinkers and George Soros aren't gonna deliver that to ya, either.
Meanwhile, Musharraf destroyed the Big Red Mosque, because they dared to put an idiot with a stinger missile up on their roof. (Musharraf's home, which is his castle, stand a block away from the now ruined mosque.)
I spit on everything the legacy media tries to shill off on us.
Posted by KW64 | September 10, 2007 3:56 PM
As I have said before, if Sharif returns to power he will kill Musharaff. Musharraff had to act in his own defense as well as to keep back domestic civil unrest which Shariff would effectively attempt to lead to force the issue.
Nevertheless, the sooner a deal is reached with Bhutto by Musharraff, the better. He needs a democratic election for cover, she needs exoneration for past corruption and ability to have a 3rd term. Both need someone else to share blame when things go wrong.
Bhutto's attempt to emasculate the presidency and make it a mere figurehead is unwise. Image if Pelosi was Speaker, Majority Leader and President. Who do you share any blame with. What force will restrain your rashest impulses. And where will be the balance of power that vouchsafes honest effective government?
Posted by Impacted Wisdom Truth | September 10, 2007 7:57 PM
Deported in less than eight hour? I bet Sharif don't like it. Boom sh Boom Boom, rock the Casbah, rock the Casbah...
Posted by Pat West | September 10, 2007 11:57 PM
Well, of course, Musharraf is not like the cretinous Carter, who forced the return of scumbags who revolted against the Iranian government which was a U.S. ally. If Musharaff was as stupid as the village idiot Carter, he would have been killed long before now. Good for General Musharraf!