This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18517312#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Pakistan People's Party meets to appoint a new PM | Pakistan People's Party meets to appoint a new PM |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is meeting to discuss a replacement to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, a day after he was disqualified from holding office by the Supreme Court. | |
| President Asif Ali Zardari has cancelled his scheduled visit to Russia as a result of the ruling. | President Asif Ali Zardari has cancelled his scheduled visit to Russia as a result of the ruling. |
| The president may convene parliament on Thursday to elect the new PM if a consensus is reached on Wednesday. | The president may convene parliament on Thursday to elect the new PM if a consensus is reached on Wednesday. |
| Mr Gilani's constituency has been declared "vacant" by the authorities. | Mr Gilani's constituency has been declared "vacant" by the authorities. |
| The court disqualified him from holding office two months after convicting him of contempt of court. | The court disqualified him from holding office two months after convicting him of contempt of court. |
| In April, it convicted him of failing to pursue corruption charges against President Asif Ali Zardari. But it gave the PM a token sentence and spared him a jail term. | In April, it convicted him of failing to pursue corruption charges against President Asif Ali Zardari. But it gave the PM a token sentence and spared him a jail term. |
| The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that many in Pakistan see the court ruling as taking the clash of the institutions in the country a step further. | The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that many in Pakistan see the court ruling as taking the clash of the institutions in the country a step further. |
| 'Soft coup' | 'Soft coup' |
| Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khursheed Shah said that the lower house of parliament will elect a new prime minister on Friday. | |
| He said that the papers of candidates would be filed by Thursday. | |
| Correspondents say that while the PPP is the largest party in parliament, it does not have a majority so its coalition partners will insist on concessions for their support for a new premier. | |
| The drama surrounding the PM's disqualification has been extensively covered in the Pakistani press. | |
| In an editorial, the Dawn newspaper has described the ruling as "extraordinary and unfortunate". | In an editorial, the Dawn newspaper has described the ruling as "extraordinary and unfortunate". |
| The paper said that the court "has both disrupted an existing democratic set-up and set a worrying precedent for the future". | The paper said that the court "has both disrupted an existing democratic set-up and set a worrying precedent for the future". |
| Meanwhile former Pakistan Bar Council President Asma Jehangir told BBC Urdu that the government had to abide by the Supreme Court if it wanted to prevent a "soft coup". | Meanwhile former Pakistan Bar Council President Asma Jehangir told BBC Urdu that the government had to abide by the Supreme Court if it wanted to prevent a "soft coup". |
| She said that there was already a "smell in the air" to suggest that "soldiers are lurking behind a civilian face" - a reference to Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. | She said that there was already a "smell in the air" to suggest that "soldiers are lurking behind a civilian face" - a reference to Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. |
| "When the court becomes a dictator, the situation could get worse than under a [military] dictatorship," she said. | "When the court becomes a dictator, the situation could get worse than under a [military] dictatorship," she said. |
| Other newspapers have been equally critical of the ruling. | Other newspapers have been equally critical of the ruling. |
| The Daily Express Tribune in its editorial said that the Supreme Court "had played the roles of judiciary, legislature and executive" and that some may see the ruling as a "judicial coup". | The Daily Express Tribune in its editorial said that the Supreme Court "had played the roles of judiciary, legislature and executive" and that some may see the ruling as a "judicial coup". |
| The removal of the PM is the culmination of a bitter feud between Pakistan's civilian government and the judiciary. | The removal of the PM is the culmination of a bitter feud between Pakistan's civilian government and the judiciary. |
| In April, Mr Gilani was given only a token sentence and spared a jail term. | In April, Mr Gilani was given only a token sentence and spared a jail term. |
| The court backdated the disqualification to 26 April, raising questions over decisions Mr Gilani has made in office since then - including the budget. | The court backdated the disqualification to 26 April, raising questions over decisions Mr Gilani has made in office since then - including the budget. |