Islamabad, March 30: In a move towards national
reconciliation, Pakistan government on Monday ended Governor`s Rule in Punjab, paving the way for the opposition PML-N to return to power in the politically crucial province.
After President Asif Ali Zardari signed a document on
ending Governor`s Rule in Punjab, the cabinet division issued
a formal notification to revoke federal rule in the province.
The move came after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani
held a meeting with Zardari yesterday to discuss the lifting
of Governor`s Rule, which was imposed on February 25 after the
Supreme Court barred PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and his brother,
former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, from electoral
politics.
The notification issued by the cabinet division said
Governor`s Rule was being lifted as the President was
"satisfied that the grounds on which he (imposed the measure)
on the 25th February 2009 have ceased to exist".
Following the ending of Governor`s Rule, Governor Salman
Taseer said he had summoned a session of the Punjab assembly
at 4 pm on April 1 to elect a new Chief Minister. Zardari has already promised that PPP will support any PML-N candidate for
chief ministership.
Zardari`s decision to impose Governor`s Rule had sparked
a major confrontation between the PPP and PML-N, which joined
lawyers in a countrywide protest to press the government to
reinstate judges sacked during the 2007 emergency.
The government gave into pressure from the PML-N and
reinstated the deposed judges on March 16. The government also
filed petitions in the apex court asking it to review its
judgement barring the Sharif brothers from contesting polls
and holding elected office.
During an address to a joint sitting of parliament on
Saturday, Zardari had announced that he will recommend
withdrawal of Governor`s Rule in the province and the ruling
PPP would support the PML-N candidate for the post of Chief
Minister, paving way for it to return to power.
The withdrawal of Governor`s Rule came on a day when
provincial capital Lahore witnessed a bloody eight-hour siege
with terrorists storming a police training school.
Bureau Report
