Coalition buys time on judges, but harder questions persist

Pakistan's ruling coalition has navigated a significant hurdle with the resolution of a dispute over judicial appointments, averting a potential legal challenge. The impasse, which had delayed the notification of high court judges for several weeks, stemmed from disagreements between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the two main partners in the government.

Sources within both parties revealed that the PPP had raised objections to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan's (JCP) nominations, citing the rejection of most of their proposed candidates and concerns about some nominees having criminal records. The PPP leadership is reportedly still deliberating on the next steps, while the PML-N may prefer to postpone discussions on other contentious issues, such as the creation of new provinces, to maintain coalition stability.

A crucial meeting held in Parliament House, attended by President Asif Ali Zardari's legal team and the Law Minister, focused solely on finalizing the delayed judicial appointments. The resolution was seen as a pragmatic approach to avoid an unfavorable court ruling, especially after the Islamabad High Court had taken up the matter and issued notices.

Despite this agreement, the coalition faces ongoing challenges. The appointment of judges is just one of several recent points of contention, alongside the conduct of elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the sensitive debate surrounding the formation of new provinces. The parties must address these underlying issues to ensure the long-term stability of their alliance.

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While the PPP is looking to their leadership for guidance on how to proceed under the circumstances, the PML-N may prefer to defer discussion on sensitive issues, especially the question of new provinces, for as long as possible, lest it derail the coalition’s ‘marital bliss’, so to speak.