For the govt, today is a stormy day

Today looks to be a stormy day for the government as the Supreme Court takes up the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case, the three-member judicial commission resumes its probe into the memo controversy and the opposition is set to resist the unanimous passage of the resolution the ruling coalition had tabled in the National Assembly amidst the government’s tense relations with the army and judiciary.
Though Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had made an effort to normalise the situation with the army at the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) in the presence of the top military leadership by saying that all institutions needed to work within their respective domains with respect to each other, the criticism of his statement to a Chinese newspaper about two top generals from various quarters continues to keep the tension on a high scale. Beset with pressures from all sides, a generally cool-headed prime minister finally on Sunday clearly spoke his mind that he was only answerable to parliament and not to any individual, suggesting that he would not be coerced to submit to any state institution or its functionaries. What his detractors expect is that he, as also reported in a section of foreign media, may opt to step down “in the interest of the democratic system”. But the insiders say that he will not give in.
Contrary to the position that he has taken, he, however, indicated that he was willing to mend fences with the army. His latest statement, which he made in Vehari on Sunday, wherein he once again contradicted his interview that had angered General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, was that no rules of business had been violated by the army chief and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director general (DG) in submission of their replies with the Supreme Court in the memo case. He is also expected to make a surprise appearance in the Supreme Court to explain his position on the implementation of the NRO and also complain to the judges for calling him dishonest. The observers opine that in case the prime minister appears in the Supreme Court, it will be a strategic move to ease the tension between him and the judiciary.
However, it will be an eventful day. Though some analysts continue to paint a bleak scenario for the coalition government, the army is not expected to move in and oust the democratic government as the situation is likely to be handled politically with the saner elements playing their role to avoid any confrontation between the civil and military leaderships.