Asked what international precedent there was when a country’s top political candidates all turned out to be women, Shabaz said, “Bangladesh is an example with Begum Khaleda and Hasina Wajed and we respect that because the parties have thrown up ladies as their leaders. Now in Pakistan, it’s again a different situation from Bangladesh. There is, of course, Benazir heading her party and in our case it’s the party’s demand that Begum Kulsum Nawaz should return and take up the role in the absence of Nawaz Sharif. That’s totally democratic.”

“As far as Musharraf is concerned, he’s anti-democracy, he’s a dictator. A person who subverts the constitution and brazenly defies the word of the court, how can you compare his decision to launch his wife with anything to do with democracy?”

Although Benazir and Kulsum are nominal allies and could be expected to join forces against Sehba, simmering tensions between the Sharif and Bhutto clans could break out into the open once parliamentary elections are announced.

The reason is Benazir’s recent decision to hold secret talks with Musharraf, thereby repudiating the Charter for Democracy that she co-signed with Nawaz. The Charter expressly political parties from holding any contact with military dictators.

On Benazir’s recent meeting with Musharraf in Abu Dhabi, Shabaz said: “It’s a very unfortunate story. We were all hoping against hope that this would not happen, but unfortunately the meeting has taken place.”

“If a deal has taken place it is a sad day for Pakistan, unbecoming of Benazir who has always been anti establishment, unbecoming of her party. It is very sad because its against democracy, against the rule of law, against the constitution, against the supremacy of parliament.”

... contd.