VOA标准英语2008年-Pakistan Ruling Coalition Pledges to Pursue Mus

Top leaders of Pakistan's ruling coalition¹ government say they have agreed on a plan to pursue impeachment³ proceedings⁴ against President Pervez Musharraf. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Islamabad, where Pakistan People's Party leader Asif Zardari explained their plan to unseat the president and to restore the judges who were ousted⁵ by Mr. Musharraf last year.

Pakistan's coalition government has been deadlocked⁶ for months over whether it will impeach² president Musharraf and restore the top judges he fired last November. The leaders have long said they agreed in principle on the issues, but were divided over the process.
　
Pakistani Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif (l) and Asif Ali Zardari, leader of the ruling Pakistan People's Party addressing a press conference in Islamabad, 07 Aug 2008

But in a news conference Thursday led by Pakistan People's Party leader Asif Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif, the two announced a strategy to unseat the unpopular leader.

"The coalition leadership believes it has become imperative⁷ to move for impeachment under article 47 against General Musharraf," said Zardari.

Article 47 states that a president can be removed from office for violating the constitution. Mr. Musharraf's political opponents argue he violated this provision when he suspended the constitution last November and declared emergency rule.

Zardari also said Pakistan's four provincial⁸ assemblies would pass resolutions demanding Mr. Musharraf seek a vote of confidence in parliament - which he had pledged to do last year.
　
Pervez Musharraf (file photo)

President Musharraf still retains the power to dismiss parliament and thus neutralize⁹ his political opponents. Such a move would require the backing of Pakistan's powerful military but it is unclear if the military would support the former army chief. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said such a move would not be possible in Pakistan's current political environment.

He said this is not the Pakistan of the 1980s or 1990s, when elected governments were dismissed. He said Pakistan has changed and the country cannot afford another declaration of martial¹⁰ law.

The two political leaders also addressed the issue of restoring judges deposed¹¹ by President Musharraf. The Pakistan People's Party has been criticized by Nawaz Sharif for not honoring the so-called Murree Declaration that outlined steps for restoring the judiciary. PPP leader Zardari said the judges will be restored once the president is impeached¹².

"The coalition leadership further resolved to restore all judges removed through extra constitutional means by General Musharraf on November 3, 2007, strictly¹³ in accordance with the Murree declaration, immediately after the impeachment of the president," he said.

Mr. Musharraf's political allies have been skeptical¹⁴ that the ruling coalition has the required two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament to unseat the leader through impeachment. But in Thursday's news conference with reporters, Zardari said he hoped 90 percent of lawmakers would vote against the president.

 

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 impeach   

v.弹劾；检举

参考例句：

• We must impeach the judge for taking bribes.我们一定要检举法官收受贿赂。
• The committee decided to impeach the President.委员会决定弹劾总统。

3 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

4 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

5 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

6 deadlocked   

陷入僵局的；僵持不下的

参考例句：

• The plan deadlocked over the funds. 这个计划由于经费问题而搁浅了。
• The meeting deadlocked over the wage issue. 会议因工资问题而停顿下来。

7 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

8 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

9 neutralize   

v.使失效、抵消，使中和

参考例句：

• Nothing could neutralize its good effects.没有什么能抵消它所产生的好影响。
• Acids neutralize alkalis and vice versa.酸能使碱中和碱，亦能使酸中和。

10 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

11 deposed   

v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The president was deposed in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被废黜。
• The head of state was deposed by the army. 国家元首被军队罢免了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 impeached   

v.控告（某人）犯罪( impeach的过去式和过去分词 )；弹劾；对（某事物）怀疑；提出异议

参考例句：

• Elected officials can be impeached. 经过选举产生的官员可以被弹劾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The judge was impeached for taking a bribe. 这个法官被检举接受贿赂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

14 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。