A window of opportunity for Zardari

In Pakistan's chequered political history concentrating power in one's hand has been the rule. Mr Zardari will have to prove to be the exception by divesting power to his handpicked prime minister. This would entail a working relationship with the mainstream opposition that happens to be PML-N at present. If the present rot is not stemmed the confrontation between the PPP and the PML-N will metamorphose into a full-scale confrontation between the Punjab and the Centre a la the nineties

It takes two to tango and unfortunately there are elements in both the parties who are stoking the fires of confrontation for their own nefarious ends. Fortunately both Mian Nawaz and Mr Zardari have pledged to avoid this outcome.

Mr Zardari cannot be solely blamed for the impasse as Mian Nawaz and his advisers are not entirely blameless. However being the president he will have to extend the olive branch to the Sharifs who after being bitten by the about face on the issue of restoration of judiciary feel cheated and used. It is futile to try to bring both the parties back into the coalition as they have such a long history of confrontation spanned over almost two decades that even as short-lived coalition partners they were never on the same page.

A working relationship based on the principle of live and let live needs to be evolved. This could translate into a stable PPP government at the centre and a PML-N dominated government in Punjab. Apart from this the rest of the unfinished agenda under the Charter of Democracy could be mutually implemented. This could include more provincial autonomy, civilian control over the armed forces and an independent judiciary with or without Justice Chaudhry.