Political Crisis In Pakistan -- A News Roundup January 15, 2013

Pakistan's Court Order To Arrest The Prime Minister Unsettles Nation -- Christian Science Monitor

The Supreme Court ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Ashraf, sparking rumors of a conspiracy against the country's democracy. But analysts are calling for calm.

The news that the Supreme Court had called for the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf ran through Pakistan like an electric current Tuesday afternoon.

The order for Prime Minister Ashraf's arrest – alongside 15 other people – comes after a long-standing court case where he has been accused of receiving kickbacks in a rental power project and buying foreign property with illegal money during his tenure as minister for water and power. The news also comes just months before the country is set to hold elections, and a day after Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, a Canadian-Pakistani cleric, led tens of thousands of organized protestors to the capital to demand “electoral reform” and an end to corruption, violence, and power outages.

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More News On The Unrest In Pakistan

Pakistan turmoil deepens as court orders PM's arrest -- Reuters
Pakistani Supreme Court orders arrest of prime minister in corruption case -- CNN
Pakistani high court again orders the arrest of a prime minister -- Washington Post
Pakistan Supreme Court orders arrest of PM Raja Pervez Ashraf -- BBC
Pakistan supreme court orders arrest of prime minister on corruption charges -- The Guardian

Pakistani cleric's peaceful rally sparks police clashes -- CBC/AP
Pakistani Cleric Demands Government Quit as Thousands Rally -- Bloomberg Businessweek
A Fiery Preacher’s Arrival Shakes Pakistani Politics -- New York Times
Cleric fires up Pakistanis, demands gov't resign -- AP
Protest Leader Calls for 'Peaceful Revolution' in Pakistan -- Voice of America
Clashes erupt at Pakistani anti-corruption march -- BBC
In pictures: Pakistan protest -- BBC

Pakistan inches toward political uncertainty -- Sajjad Haider, DAWN
Democracy faces crucial 24 hours in Pakistan -- Rob Crilly, The Telegraph