ISLAMABAD: Mian Nawaz Sharif last week assumed office as Pakistan’s prime minister after a supreme court verdict set aside his dismissal by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan on April 18, The short court order was read out by chief justice Nasim Hassan Shah which said that the Constitution conferred no power on the President to dis miss the prime minister and dis solve the national assembly. However, the court saved all orders and actions taken by the caretaker government.
The Pakistan national assembly later met on speaker Gohar Ayub’s initiative and passed a vote of confidence in the prime minister. The vote further weakened president Khan who had dismissed the prime minister on charges of mismanagement and corruption.
The prime minster vowed 10 continue a transparent policy of privatization and ensure success of self-employment scheme. He also said that vigorous steps would be taken to build up infrastructure to pave the way for industrial revolution.
Meanwhile, reports from Delhi said that the Indian prime minister first expected “further developments” on the heels of the supreme court verdict but later sent a telegram congratulating Mian Sharif on his assumption of office again, Evidently, India was jolted by the orderly reinstatement of Mian Nawaz Sharif, Officers believed that Pakistan’s intelligence outfit, LS.I, might step up its activities against India. To meet the supposed threat, India quickly set up a“ core group” of intelligence men, Officials thought that militancy in Kashmir, Punjab, Assam, Nagaland and the northeast would get a new lease of life in the weeks to come.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 4, 1993
