Pakistan returns to democracy as prime minister sworn in

Zafarullah Khan Jamali was sworn in as Pakistan’s prime minister today, officially ending the nation’s three-year military dictatorship on a promise to return the country to democracy.

Jamali, who has pledged Pakistan’s continued commitment to the US-led war on terrorism, took the oath in a ceremony at the presidential palace in Islamabad before a large group of parliamentary leaders, diplomats, and armed forces officials. His Cabinet was sworn in shortly afterwards.

The ascension of the 58-year-old senior politician to chief executive means day-to-day running of Pakistan’s affairs will once again be in the hands of an elected civilian government. Still, the military’s pre-eminence is all but assured.

Jamali was sworn in by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, who has been running the nation by decree since he seized power in 1999. Musharraf has promised to step back from the process of running the country, but he will stay on as president for the next five years after winning a controversial referendum earlier this year.

Musharraf pushed through a series of constitutional decrees establishing a military-dominated National Security Council to vet all important national policy decisions, and giving himself the power to dissolve parliament and sack the prime minister when he saw fit.

That scenario seems less likely with the soft-spoken Jamali at the helm. Jamali, from the pro-Musharraf faction of the Pakistan Muslim League party, has promised to continue the military ruler’s policies, especially his strong support for US efforts to hunt al Qaida terrorists and remnants of the ousted Taliban regime of neighbouring Afghanistan. Many are believed to be hiding in the mountainous border region between the two countries.

Jamali is also likely to ease concerns in the West about the rise to prominence of Pakistan’s ultra-conservative religious parties, who came in a surprising third in October 10 elections and had been pushing to become part of a coalition government. Instead, they will sit in opposition.

Jamali won the prime ministership on Thursday with 172 votes – just more than half – in the 342-member National Assembly. But he clearly beat the 86 votes of his nearest rival, Fazl-ur Rahman, an Islamist leader who openly supported the Taliban and has said he wants to curb Pakistan’s alliance with America.

A third candidate, from former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s party, received 70 votes.

Jamali’s first test will come within two months. Under Pakistani law, Jamali must win a vote of confidence in the National Assembly within 60 days.

Jamali, the father of seven children and a former hockey player, is a moderate and one of Pakistan’s most seasoned politicians who rose to power in southern Baluchistan.

After his election on Thursday, Jamali promised support for the fight against terror.

“Pakistan has become a frontline state, and will remain one,” he said. “Pakistan is going ahead as a respectable country.”