Remember Mian Nawaz Sharif? The former Chief Minister of Punjab and two-time Prime Minister of Pakistan, famous for nuclear tests in Chaghi, seizure of Foreign Currency Accounts, attack on the Supreme Court of Pakistan, disposal of President Farooq Leghari, out-of-turn promotion of General Musharraf and then a dramatic attempt to oust Musharraf which backfired and resulted in end of Sharif government, imprisonment of Sharif brothers and ultimately a deal with Pervez Musharraf that allowed him, with family, a safe passage to Saudi Arabia.
Its an open secret how Nawaz Sharif spent his time at Surror Palace in Jeddah and then in England. On his return to Pakistan, and sensing public sentiment, PML-N gave election-slogan of restoration of judiciary and Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. He won substantial seats in the election meaning people of Pakistan gave him and his party the mandate to restore the judiciary. However, he failed to do so while Asif Ali Zardari took him for a ride. Now, almost a year has passed since the nation went to vote and PML-N has yet to deliver. PML-N and its leaders are all words and no action, especially in Punjab where Shahbaz Sharif claims he will do anything (except leaving the government) for restoration of judiciary.
Now, Nawaz Sharif is again getting vocal for the deposed judges, supporting lawyers and announcing full participation of PML-N in upcoming Long March. Maybe its an attempt to counter the cases against him, or he wants to be in mainstream if Lawyer Movement gets successful and PPP government exits. In any case, Nawaz Sharif is no different from Aitzaz Ahsan - the pied paper, who led the previous Long March and drowned it in Islamabad.10:57am UK, Monday March 16, 2009
Pakistan's main opposition leader Nawaz Sharif has agreed to call off a mass protest march after the government said it would reinstate the deposed chief justice.
Iftikar Chaudhry will take up his old job as chief justice
"We are now calling off this long march," Mr Sharif reportedly told the AFP news agency from his car in the central Pakistan city of Gujranwala.
He added the government U-turn had "saved Pakistan", quelling fears the unrest would further destabilise the region.
Thousands of opposition activists had taken part in the "long march" to express their anger that judges deposed by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf had not been reinstated.
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As Islamabad returns to normal, Sky's Asia correspondent Alex Crawford reports on the eleventh hour resolution to the crisis
Earlier, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani agreed to reinstate the former chief justice, Iftikar Chaudhry - signalling an end to the tensions.
Mr Gilani says Mr Chaudhry will be sworn in on March 21, after the current chief justice retires.
He also ordered all lawyers and political activists arrested over the past week to be freed immediately and appealed for political reconciliation.
Nawaz Sharif
President Asif Ali Zardari had previously stonewalled calls from the opposition, led by Mr Sharif and a lawyers' movement, to restore the judge.
The protest march, which turned violent in Lahore over the weekend, was due to move towards the Pakistan capital Islamabad today.
Authorities in Lahore had issued an arrest warrant for Mr Sharif on Sunday in an attempt to stop the protest, but it was ignored.
Instead, the opposition leader joined hundreds of anti-government protesters on the streets, as clashes with police intensified.
Former President Pervez Musharraf fired Mr Chaudhry in 2007 after he took up cases challenging the leader's rule.
The move sparked a wave of protests that helped force Mr Musharraf from power in 2008.
His successor, Mr Zardari, pledged to reinstate Mr Chaudhry within 30 days of his party forming a government.
But he later reneged on the promise, apparently fearing the judge might examine a controversial immunity ruling enjoyed by Mr Zardari over alleged corruption cases.
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