Beena Sarwar: Long View of the Long March

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani has said that he cannot, in all conscience, oppose the long march. "We have also participated in street agitations and long marches," he said. "How can we stop anyone else from exercising their democratic right to do so?" This stand appears to pit him against President Zardari, holding an office strengthened by past military dictators. The President’s powers include being able to dismiss the prime minister and dissolve government - as several presidents before him have done. This is unlikely to happen now. For Zardari to take such a step would mean dismissing his own government. Having recently obtained a majority in the Senate, the PPP can conceivably push through the constitutional amendments it proposed in May 2008 for which a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and the Senate is required. These amendments include the removal of the 17th amendment that allows the President to dismiss government. Moves towards reconciliation between the PPP and the PML-N continue behind the scenes, even as the long march kicks off with lawyers and political activists from various cities heading towards Islamabad to converge by Mar. 16 for a dharna (or sit-in) ‘until the Chief Justice is restored’. Observers fear a breakout of violence even though the long march leaders have promised to keep matters peaceful.