Cent Per Cent

The growing acrimony between Zardari and Gilani prompted Saudi king Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud to send a special emissary with a message to Pakistani political leaders who were assembled for a lunch at the Saudi ambassador's residence. "His Majesty has advised the Pakistani political leadership to show solidarity and resolve their internal differences through dialogue to bring the country out of the prevailing crisis," the emissary said.

Crisis of leadership it sure is. Arif Nizami, editor, The Nation, says Gilani's recent moves indicate he is cosying up to the army. "It's certain there's a clear divide in the civilian establishment," he wrote recently. He added that apart from PML(N), there are enough takers in other parties, including the PPP, to have an assertive PM and a powerful Parliament. Adds political analyst

Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi, "The competition between these parties will soon intensify because both sides are losing patience. This will have destabilising implications and undermine the government's efforts to cope effectively with religious and cultural extremism and militancy. The two political parties are on the warpath. If this trend is not averted...the future of democracy will remain uncertain."

Partly, Pakistan's problem stems from the fact that last year's election failed to resolve the constitutional crisis (restoration of sacked judges and reducing the president's dictatorial powers), nor did it give direction to the political parties. Says political analyst Kunwar Idris, "In fact, both (Sharif and Zardari) have become ever more confused with the sudden death of Benazir Bhutto and the forced exit of Pervez Musharraf from the political scene."

At the roots of Pakistan's current instability is Zardari's refusal to become a titular head. He refuses to rescind the one-man rule Musharraf had inaugurated—and which made a mockery of the Constitution that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had helped frame. As Rehana Hakim wrote, "None of this bodes well for a government that is poised on the brink of war if the alleged Pakistani perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage are not brought to justice."