NAWAZ SHARIF, the Pakistani opposition leader, has accused the government of running an “elected dictatorship” that is plotting to kill him.
As a crackdown was launched against political activists, Mr Sharif, a former prime minister, told the Guardianin an interview that President Asif Zardari was ruling under a cloak of democracy but that his policies would only benefit extremist elements.
Pakistan is struggling with an onslaught by homegrown Islamist militants that has left hundreds dead, and the government is fighting to shore up a collapsing economy. But these battles appear to have been sidelined by a confrontation between the two big political parties, Mr Sharif’s Muslim League-N and Mr Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party.
Mr Sharif was speaking as the government arrested hundreds of political activists, lawyers and human rights campaigners before a planned mass opposition rally this week.
Public gatherings of more than four people were banned in Punjab and Sindh, two of Pakistan’s four provinces. Police raided the house of Imran Khan, the leader of the Tehreek-e-Insaaf party and former Pakistan cricket captain.
“I have recently received certain information from own sources, credible sources, about certain forces who are active against me,” Mr Sharif said yesterday as he was being driven in an armour-plated Mercedes to a political rally.
“Threats to my life come from high-ranking government officials, certain topmost people in the government, my sources say.” It is understood his party has yet to decide how to respond.
“The risks are there. I can’t abandon my mission because of the risks. It’s a very noble cause. A mission to put the country back on the road to democracy,” he said.
Last month Mr Zardari dismissed the Muslim League-N government in Punjab province.
Elections a year ago, after eight years of military rule under Pervez Musharraf, brought to power an elected government. But Mr Zardari has failed to reinstate Iftikhar Chaudhry, the chief justice who was removed in 2007 by Mr Musharraf.
“Sometimes we [Pakistanis] are caught up in military dictatorships. Now we are caught up in a democratic dictatorship,” said Mr Sharif. “In the garb of democracy we are, frankly, under dictatorial rule.”
Mr Sharif’s party was briefly in coalition with Mr Zardari last year before Mr Sharif stormed out over the issue of the judiciary.
But it was Mr Zardari’s move against the Punjab administration that pushed Mr Sharif from critic to enemy. The province is now run by Mr Zardari under emergency rule.
“Our mandate [in Punjab] has been trampled. He [Zardari] doesn’t show respect to other parties’ mandate. It is the worst form of dictatorship,” said Mr Sharif. “He doesn’t allow the judiciary to become independent because of his own vested interest. This is what dictatorship is all about.”
Western governments, led by the UK and US, have tried to broker a truce between Mr Zardari and Mr Sharif. There are fears that if serious civil unrest follows, the army could step in.
There were further diplomatic moves yesterday with Robert Brinkley, the British high commissioner, meeting Yousaf Raza Gilani, the prime minister, while Anne Patterson, the US ambassador, met Rehman Malik, Mr Gilani’s home affairs adviser.
“Only a democratic Pakistan can get rid of extremism. Therefore we’ve got to put more and more emphasis on strengthening democracy, because that’s the only answer,” said Mr Sharif.
Farhatullah Babar, Mr Zardari’s spokesman, dismissed Mr Sharif’s allegations of a plot to kill him as “political mileage”. – (Guardian service)