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Islamabad: Political parties in Pakistan are jockeying for position ahead of a September 6 presidential election.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif pulled his party out of the ruling coalition on August 25 over disputes with his main partner over the judiciary and who should be the next president.
The coalition is headed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) which has nominated its leader Asif Ali Zardari to replace Pervez Musharraf as president.
Following are some implications of the latest developments.
Battle over presidency
The voting in the presidential election will be by members of the four provincial assemblies and the two-chamber National Assembly.
Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) party is fielding a former chief justice, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, while the party that backed Musharraf put forward top party official Mushahid Hussain Sayed. Zardari looks likely to win.
Sharif wants to make the presidency a ceremonial post after it became a seat of executive strength under Musharraf by stripping the office of powers, in particular to dismiss parliament.
Battle over judges
The PPP has so far been reluctant to quickly restore all the judges deposed by Musharraf, partly because of concern the former chief justice might take up challenges to an amnesty granted to Zardari and other party leaders from graft charges last year, analysts say.
Twelve of the scores of deposed judges were restored to the bench last week. Zardari will be immune from any prosecution if he becomes president.
General poll scenarios
The departure of Sharif's party from the coalition has not forced a general election, and analysts say it is unlikely to do so anytime soon. But the PML-N's departure makes it more difficult for the PPP to marshal the two-thirds majority needed to amend the constitution.
However, Sharif looks set to gain in popularity by standing firm on the judges. That and public sympathy on the presidential power issue could help strengthen Sharif and his PML-N when an election is ultimately held.
Other implications
The various squabbles divert government attention from economic and security problems, critics say, to the dismay of investors and allies. Pakistani stocks and the rupee strengthened initially after Musharraf's resignation on hopes of an end to political uncertainty but have since fallen sharply.
An intensifying insurgency in Afghanistan is pressuring Pakistan to act quickly to stop Taliban attacks from sanctuaries on its side of the border and control other militants. However, some fear a tough stance spurs tit-for-tat suicide attacks and may drive more people into the militant camp.
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