ISLAMABAD - Despite having a lot of troubles appeasing the ever-demanding coalition partners, the PPP is determined for another showdown with the apex judiciary.The newly-elected Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ahsraf minced no words while saying he would follow in the footsteps of his predecessor and not write letter to Swiss authorities for reopening of the graft cases against President Zardari.On other hand, the Supreme Court too seems little inclined to give way to the ruling PPP. The apex court during the hearing of the NRO implementation case on Wednesday asked the new prime minister through the attorney general to come up with his response on writing a letter to Swiss authorities by July 12, reminding the PM that his predecessor was shown the door on violating the court orders.The legal and constitutional experts say it would be extremely difficult for the Supreme Court to retreat from its principled stand and their conceding the ground would be taken as revival of the ‘doctrine of necessity’ buried by judiciary following its restoration as a result of an unprecedented public movement.But if the judiciary would once again adopt judicial restraint, they could opt for constitute a commission, one of the six options given by the seven-member bench, that would write letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against President Zardari, a former veteran parliamentarian opined. But most legal experts are of the view that at this stage it would be extremely difficult for the apex judiciary to show such a leniency to the government, which is fragile and fragmented though.PPP sources informed The Nation that the party was determined not to write letter come what may and this time they would not let it go smoothly and there is strong likelihood that they would come up with some showdown with the superior judiciary. The political analysts said that PPP did not want to bow out smoothly and would create such a situation where some ‘third force’ has to intervene, ostensibly making PPP a victim so it could cash on the public sympathies in the next general elections.It was in this backdrop that PPP was considering various options to charge on the superior judiciary but due to wavering support of the coalition partners, which are all averse to some direct clash with the superior judiciary, they could not put their plan into practice – be it the restructuring of the Supreme Judicial Council, bringing reference against the chief justice or establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court to weaken the Supreme Court.The PPP was preparing ground to build up pressure on the apex court as most of their senior leaders think it would not be easy for the Supreme Court to send another PM packing and if would do so, PPP would come out and defy the court orders, a source in the party said. The source added that in this situation the apex court would be left with no choice but to invoke article 190 to call in the army to help implement its decision; and in either case, if Armed Forces would come out or they would stay back in barracks – like they did during Nawaz Shairf’s rule – the purpose of the PPP would be served.But legal expert did not buy this idea and say that this time the situation is altogether different as now a vibrant civil society, active lawyers’ fraternity and even some of the major political parties in opposition are all standing behind the judiciary and would not let anyone humiliate or mock its orders.On other hand, the coalition partners are also uncomfortable with the way PPP is running the governmental affairs and using one coalition partner against the other and not fulfilling the promises made with them.For instance the differences between Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Awami National Party over the Karachi unrest are deepening with every passing day; and in case the home ministry would be doled out to MQM as per their demand, it could alienate the ANP and even the PML-F to the point of their walking out from the coalition.Similarly, the way President Zardari has showered his benevolence on PML-Q, by going to the extent of creating the slot of Deputy PM for them, had also not gone well with the other two coalition partners and they could ditch their senior coalition partner at any critical stage.Background interviews with the leadership of the coalition partners reveal they would not support the PPP in case of an open conflict with the judiciary.A source in ANP, which has been extending unflinching support to the PPP in the past, said the party would not stand with the PPP in case of a government-judiciary confrontation. ANP would support the next candidate of the PPP for the slot of premiership in case the incumbent would also meet the fate of his predecessor but it would not support clash between the institutions and their leadership had also pleaded this point in all the coalition partners meetings.

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