Sending shock waves through the nation is the government’s decision to allow Azam Tariq, the leader of the outlawed extremist religious party, Sipah-e-Sahaba, to stand for a National Assembly seat from Jhang.
For several weeks before the nominations were filed, Tariq Aziz, President Musharraf’s powerful principal secretary, had camped out in Lahore, wheeling and dealing with politicians.
“This referendum could bring about a 1970s-like situation,” says Tehmina Daultana, vice-president, PML(N),and vice-president, Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD).