Gilani’s disqualification

E-Paper | June 13, 2026

IT seems to be the destiny of the PPP to be elected by the people’s vote and be thrown out by means other than a popular mandate.

Ziaul Haq and his (ir)religious supporters dismissed the PPP government and hanged Bhutto. But the 11 years of Zia’s criminality did not stop the PPP from returning to power by votes. PPP governments were dismissed twice more, but even Benazir’s murder didn’t stop the PPP from coming to power again in 2008 by the people’s vote.

Now again a PPP prime minister has been ousted from power by means not political. One can rest assured the party will triumph again, forcing the Sharifs and the Imrans to once again try the non - political means to oust it. What a pity!

The Sharifs are Sharifs. A corrupt lot, they have no higher aim than that of capturing power, and have tried from the day the PPP government came to power to oust it by any means fair and foul, mostly foul. Imran’s fall is unfortunate. He has allied himself with some of Pakistan’s most corrupt politicians, has made no contribution to democracy and merely turned himself into a nuisance.

He could again be of service to the country if he regenerates Pakistan cricket. Our national team needs an Imran, while Pakistan needs a Bhutto, which Imran is not.

RIZWAN YASSIN Karachi

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Newspaper

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Private invigilators

Tragic disparity

SamarMalik

Jun 21, 2012 01:18pm

The matter is not only that he is convicted or not, the matter is that PPP cashed Benazir's assassination in form of votes. Pakistan needs a Bhutto, not Bhutto's corrupt son-in-law. Why we people get stucked to a political party just by its famous name, why do not we see who are the people running that party?This is a bit unfair, the first and foremost thing has to be Pakistan's well being in which PPP has totally failed.

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tahirmeo2

Jun 21, 2012 01:31pm

All leading parties do nothing except perturbing us. Let try Imran Khan once, he can be a good mentor to the nation.

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Bakhtawer Bilal

Jun 21, 2012 02:25pm

As long as Imran gets public verdict in the form of vote, it is fine. Any one with a majority seats in the assembly should be able to form a government. Unfortunately, the current lot of opposition does not have the public verdict. They just cannot wait to get one. The need the power be presented to them in a plate.

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Sam

Jun 21, 2012 09:13pm

All Pakistanis should migrate to UK,Canada or MiddleEast.We must immediately leave this country for good.

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Ikram Khan

Jun 21, 2012 09:19pm

Well, if you really want to gauge the performance of this PPP government, just have a look the economic indicators such as GDP, Inflation; borrowings and unemployment. I guess, there is no in this country who is not suffering from this economic turmoil caused this incompetent government. They have institutionalized the corruption and it is all rife and rampent. This is very ironic. Whose interest was ex-PM saving? Think about it. Who plundered the resources of this great country? Who sent his wealth abroad? I think every Pakistan should come up these answers, and please do not cast your vote on ethical bases, that's we were divided and being divided. I think next election is foreseeable solution to get this country out of this crises.

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Muhammad Alvi

Jun 21, 2012 01:12pm

Rizwan Yaseen lives in a fantasy and has no touch of reality or national interest. I agree that Sharifs are corrupt, but Bhtutos are no better. Imran Khan is the last hope of Pakistan. There is no proof of corruption against him. All these years, he had only one vote in the National Assembly, but he remained stuck with his principles. Now he is gaining popularity. You cannot compare any other politician with Imran. All Pakistani's in foreign countries consider Imran better than PPP , PML(N) and any other political party and its members in Pakistan. My Pakistani fellows, be wise and give Imran a chance. You will not be disappointed. Imran seems to know the problems and their solutions. Most of all, he is not corrupt.

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Chris

Jun 21, 2012 10:55am

A foolish display of words!

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Abdullah

Jun 21, 2012 03:36pm

Well what is wrong if the prime minister is dismissed by the judiciary? according to the constitution a convict cannot be the member of parliament.

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Agha Ata

Jun 21, 2012 12:36pm

Watch the movie "Scent of the woman." with Al pachino; and watch very carefully the last 15 minutes. And you will know what we need in Pakistan. It is so POWERful! believe me.

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fazal

Jun 21, 2012 12:04pm

So it is okay for a convicetd person to be the PM when the constitution does not even allow him to be a member of parliament?

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@SecularPakista1

Jun 21, 2012 01:50pm

Gilani would still be the PM if he would have followed court ordered directives. Instead he kept covering for Zardari. What most people don't understand is that the executive, judiciary and the legislature have immunity from prosecution over policy decisions. They do not have immunity from criminal acts. Zardari's problems lie with his alleged criminal conduct of obtaining wealth by harming the country via alleged bribes. The court orders should have been followed and we will not be where we are today.

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KHAN

Jun 21, 2012 12:50pm

Let's live in the present. Pakistan does not need a Zardari right now. We really need an Imran as any sane person could see.

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Tanvir

Jun 21, 2012 02:11pm

Don't Forget that PPP won its last election with public sympathy votes after the murder of Benazir Bhutto. The People of Pakistan did not know at that (election) time which criminals will become the Prime Minister, the Interior Minister and the President.

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Syed Ahmed

Jun 21, 2012 07:18pm

Quaid-e-Azam stated in one of his speech delivered on May 06, 1945, that, “corruption is a curse in India and amongst Muslims, especially the so called educated and intelligentsia. Unfortunately, it is this class that is selfish and morally and intellectually corrupt. No doubt this disease is common, but amongst this particular class of Muslims, it is rampant. However, it is a phase that we have to face and make every effort to eradicate and purify our society” Corruption is embedded in the PPP, a party of feudal lords. In 1972, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as the President of new Pakistan and Martial Law Administrator nationalized several key industries and educational institutions and entrusted them to corrupt bureaucrats and jialas that further eroded the fabric of Pakistan.

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Nabeel

Jun 21, 2012 06:40am

Well In this case PM came on people's VOTE to protect peoples rights. All he end up was protecting President. There is always check and balance and democracy and constitution supports it. Its ridicules to show pity on him. By the way I think protest is an other democratic way to get rid of an elected PM.

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J.S.Hussain

Jun 21, 2012 07:08am

What Imran did to revive Pakistani cricket he can do the same to Pakistani politics and improve it. Fatima Bhutto can improve Pakistani politics, not Zardari.

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Saadia

Jun 21, 2012 06:09pm

No wonder about PPP coming to power again and again. It will keep coming to power as long as the majority of us Pakistanis are illiterate and submissive to feudal lords and peers.

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Sabiha

Jun 21, 2012 07:49am

Very practical and reasonable analysis. Judiciary has provided fresh blood to PPP near election. Again everybody will cry that they got sympathy votes. But then PPP's struggle for democracy can't be rooted out from the minds of masses. Justice should not only be done but it should also seem to have been done. It was labeled "judicial murder" earlier and now is called "judicial coup" by world community at large.

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Shahid Shaikh

Jun 21, 2012 05:04pm

We all talk about the PPP and Bhutto what he has given to Pakistan. He is the one who has ripped the papers in UN during 1965 war with India, he is the one who has nationalized most of the heavy industries in Pakistan, He is the one who has lost the election in 1971 against the Mujib-ur-Rehaman in East Pakistan and he is the one who said this is your Pakistan and this is my Pakistan he played the major role of dividing Pakistan into two parts. Our people memory is very short, his slogan was "Roti, Kapra, Makan" Bread, Clothing, Housing" What happen to all these things, did he says he will provide or did he says he will or his party will take these things from the ordinary people. Shahid Shaikh, Ontario, Canada

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