Gilani's ouster didn't shake Pakistan's democracy: Daily

Islamabad, June 20 (IANS) It may be "somewhat tragic" that Yousuf Raza Gilani was ousted as Pakistan's prime minister "so close to completing his five-year term", but the country's democratic system was "not shaken" and parliament remained intact, a leading daily said Wednesday.

It was unfortunate that Gilani "decided to pick up a needless confrontation" with the supreme judiciary and had to leave office as a convict in a contempt of court case, The News International wrote in an editorial.

Even though the apex court's judgment was "inevitable", "the honourable judges, it appears, took pains to delay it so that the perception that they were gunning for the PPP government could not become strong", the newspaper said.

It said the judges "risked being called indecisive, vague and, by some, scared of giving clear and categorical verdicts".

But what they did was the right thing, "as no one wanted to turn the government into a bunch of political martyrs".

Gilani's ouster "has not shaken the democratic system", The News International said.

"Parliament is intact and a new leader of the house may soon be in place, although for a brief period of a few months as the general elections are due by February," the editorial said.

Gilani's party -- the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) -- also "reacted with maturity and restraint" over the court verdict.

"The call by its leadership that its workers should remain calm and not react on the streets is a welcome development," the daily said.

The PPP's first response now that the prime minister and his cabinet were no longer in office "speaks a lot about the constitutional supremacy of the judiciary" and was a "silver lining in the otherwise sorry episode".

However, the fall of Gilani has larger implications for Pakistan's political, economic, strategic and security policies.

The country is literally on fire with widespread public demonstrations and violence because of several factors, the main triggers being the power crisis and inflation.

"Relations with the US are at a critical stage and need a united and coherent national leadership to handle the key issues of NATO supplies and the developing Pak-Afghan scenario," it said.