Pakistani PM plays down crisis; opposition pounces

Pakistan's prime minister sought to defuse tension Sunday over a Supreme Court decision to strike down a presidential order appointing two top judges, saying the dispute would not threaten political stability. But the country's leading opposition figure, Nawaz Sharif, sought to play up the issue to pressure President Asif Ali Zardari, saying his decision to appoint two judges opposed by the court showed he was "the biggest threat to democracy." Zardari has clashed with Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry in the past, and the court's decision to reject the appointments late Saturday, only hours after they were announced, sparked fears that the conflict could destabilize Pakistan at a time when it is battling a raging Taliban-led insurgency. "Today, if there is really a danger to democracy, it is through these kinds of acts by Zardari," Sharif told reporters. "The government is attacking the judiciary to protect its corruption." Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira responded by saying Sharif had spoken in anger and would "certainly correct his position." The president's push for judges opposed by the court came about two months after it struck down an amnesty protecting Zardari and several other senior politicians from graft charges. But Prime Minister Yousaf Reza Gilani denied the appointments had anything to do with the court's previous ruling and seemed to take a moderate stance on working through the latest disagreement. "I want to give a message to the nation that the country's institutions are strong, and we will work within our domains," Gilani told reporters. "Let the court interpret." The government is scheduled to present its case before the court on Feb. 18.