With war-cry against Musharraf, Shahbaz back as Pak Punjab CM

PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday made a triumphant return to the post of Chief Minister of the crucial Punjab province with a blistering attack on President Pervez Musharraf, asking the embattled leader to step down immediately “for the good” of the country.

“General Musharraf’s dictatorship is taking its last breath,” said Shahbaz, the 57-year-old younger brother of former premier Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted as Chief Minister during a military coup led by Musharraf in 1999. Claiming that Musharraf’s “days are numbered”, Shahbaz said: “For the good of the nation, I would like to ask Musharraf… to show mercy to the country and immediately resign and go home so that this government gets a chance to work.” As the PML-N and PPP legislators chanted “Go, Musharraf go”, he said his return to the post is due to the people’s struggle against dictatorship over the past eight years.

Shahbaz was elected Chief Minister by bagging 265 votes in the House with 297 elected members. The opposition PML-Q, an ally of Musharraf, boycotted the session. Though he had filed nominations for bypolls scheduled for June 26, Shahbaz was elected unopposed after all other candidates in Bhakkar constituency withdrew from the race last week.