Opposition Parties in Pakistan Condemn Musharraf's Action

Opposition parties in Pakistan condemned the action of President Pervez Musharraf to bar two former prime ministers from returning to power. On Sunday, President Musharraf issued a decree effectively prohibiting Benazir Bhutto and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, two former prime ministers, from holding office again. General Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, later declared himself the President of Pakistan and accused both former prime ministers of corruption. The Pakistan People's Party, led by Benazir Bhutto, deemed President Musharraf's action unconstitutional. The Pakistan Muslim League, led by Nawaz Sharif, stated that the purpose of the decree was solely to eliminate the two former prime ministers from politics and power. The decree by Musharraf states that anyone who has previously served two terms as prime minister or in high local government positions cannot nominate themselves for office. Both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif served two terms as prime ministers between 1988 and 1999. Bhutto went into exile voluntarily in 1998, while Nawaz Sharif is currently in exile in Saudi Arabia.