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One of Pakistan's main sources of contention has been the restoration of judges who were fired by former president Pervez Musharraf at the end of last year to avoid legal challenges to his rule.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who heads the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), one of the Pakistan government's main coalition partners, threatened yesterday to quit the coalition unless the issue is resolved swiftly. This wouldn't be the first time the judges' issue has surfaced because of perceived differences between the PML-N and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) led by Asif Ali Zardari, who has preferred to stall on it.
But beyond this, Pakistan is faced with other major problems which require immediate attention; there's growing militancy, weakening economy, rising prices in basic commodities, and daily power cuts, to name a few.
That there is a risk the coalition will collapse over the judges' issue is a major cause of worry for a nation that has entered a new phase with Musharraf's resignation last Monday. Unity is vital to keep the country stable, and both parties should put the people first and move fast to address their problems, including the restoration of the judiciary.
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