Bhurban Accord
Encyclopedia
Bhurban Accord is a political agreement signed by two of Pakistan
's biggest political powers, the Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)
(PML-N) and was signed by co-chairman of the PPP Asif Ali Zardari
and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif
it was signed on 8 March 2008 in PC Bhurban in the province of Punjab
.
, after the elections were conducted in a peaceful manner, within the country of Pakistan, and the overall results showed that the PPP had won 93 seats with the PML-N winning 70 seats, and in total winning a number of 163 seats, and has the majority of the seats. After widespread speculation of the two parties forming a coalition government, it was finally announced on 30 February 2008, 18 days after the elections, that both parties were discussing a coalition government. Before the assassination of Ms Bhutto, she and Nawaz Sharif were discussing a coalition if they won the elections that were held supposed to be in on 8 January but no official agreement was reached. For the first time speaking after the accord was signed, Pervez Musharraf said that his government should keep personal vandettas aside, and keep politics aside, and had no problem working with a government that the people had elected.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's biggest political powers, the Pakistan Peoples Party
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
(PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)
Pakistan Muslim League (N)
The Pakistan Muslim League is a conservative political party in Pakistan, affiliated with Western conservatism...
(PML-N) and was signed by co-chairman of the PPP Asif Ali Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari is the 11th and current President of Pakistan and the Co-Chairman of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party . He is also the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who served two nonconsecutive terms as Prime Minister....
and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif
Nawaz Sharif
Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif is a Pakistani conservative politician and steel magnate who served as 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from November 1990 to July 1993, and from February 1997 to October 12, 1999...
it was signed on 8 March 2008 in PC Bhurban in the province of Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
.
Accord details
The official details of the Bhurban Accord had one main aim:- The deposed judges, sacked under President of PakistanPresident of PakistanThe President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
Pervez MusharrafPervez MusharrafPervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
when he imposed emergency rule within the country on 3 November 2007, are to be reinstated within 30 days of the new coalition government. The original date for the judges to be restored was 30 April 2008 but after no decision on which basis both the PPP and the PML-N could bring back the judges collapsed, Nawaz Sharif announced a new date the 12 May 2008. as the deadlock expired, Nawaz Sharif met with Asif Ali ZardariAsif Ali ZardariAsif Ali Zardari is the 11th and current President of Pakistan and the Co-Chairman of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party . He is also the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who served two nonconsecutive terms as Prime Minister....
in London on 11 May 2008 in the final set of discussions on how to resolve the deadlock, with no effective decision made, upon his return to IslamabadIslamabadIslamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
, Mr Sharif announced that his federal ministers would leave the federal government tomorrow {13 May 2008} and effectively left the coalition government. Asif Zaradari has yet to comment on the situation.
Text of the accord
1 - Allied parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) resolve to form a coalition government for giving a practical shape to the mandate, which was given to the democratic forces by the people of Pakistan on 18 February 2008.
2 - This has been decided in today's summit between the PPP and the PML (N) that the deposed judges would be restored, on the position as they were on 2 November 2007, within 30 days of the formation of the federal government through a parliamentary resolution.
3 - The parties agreed that all allied parties would fully support the candidate for the position of the prime minister, nominated by the PPP. The PML (N) suggested that the candidate for prime minister should be such person who can take ahead the common agenda of the allied parties.
4 - The parties agreed that the speaker and the deputy speaker of the national assembly would be from the PPP while the speaker and the deputy speaker of the Punjab assembly would be from the PML (N).
5 - Both the parties agreed that the PML (N) would be a part of the federal government while the PPP would be a part of the Punjab government.
6 - This is the solid opinion of the leaderships of both the parties that the allied parties are ready for forming the governments and the sessions of the national and provincial assemblies be summoned immediately.
2008 election results, and coalition possibility
The idea of coalition government came when the PPP and the PML-N won the biggest seats in the 300-seat Parliament of Pakistan, the elections were set to be held on 8 January 2008 but were postponed until 18 February 2008 due to the assassination of former Pakistani PM Benazir BhuttoBenazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
, after the elections were conducted in a peaceful manner, within the country of Pakistan, and the overall results showed that the PPP had won 93 seats with the PML-N winning 70 seats, and in total winning a number of 163 seats, and has the majority of the seats. After widespread speculation of the two parties forming a coalition government, it was finally announced on 30 February 2008, 18 days after the elections, that both parties were discussing a coalition government. Before the assassination of Ms Bhutto, she and Nawaz Sharif were discussing a coalition if they won the elections that were held supposed to be in on 8 January but no official agreement was reached. For the first time speaking after the accord was signed, Pervez Musharraf said that his government should keep personal vandettas aside, and keep politics aside, and had no problem working with a government that the people had elected.