New York Times – Pakistan Court Orders Arrest of Presidential Ally

By DECLAN WALSH

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – The high-stakes battle between Pakistan’s judiciary and government took a fresh twist on Thursday when a court issued an arrest warrant for a close ally of President Asif Ali Zardari, effectively blocking his nomination as the country’s next prime minister.

Mr. Zardari wanted Makhdoom Shahabuddin, a former health minister from Punjab Province, to replace Yousaf Raza Gilani, who was dismissed as prime minister by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

But hours after Mr. Shahabuddin’s nomination, a magistrates court, prompted by the military-run Anti-Narcotics Force, ordered his arrest to face charges relating to the illegal production of a controlled drug two years ago.

The court also issued an arrest warrant for Ali Musa Gilani, a son of the outgoing prime minister, in relation to the same case.

The ruling party Pakistan Peoples Party quickly nominated a new candidate, former information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, who now looks likely to become the prime minister after a vote in parliament on Friday.

The dramatic court manoeuver highlights the growing difficulty of separating law from politics in the country’s rapidly evolving machinations of power.

Mr. Zardari’s supporters, and some analysts, say judiciary is using its widening powers to erode the authority of the government and ultimately push it from power. “Absolutely no subtlety anymore in going after the govt. Amazing,” wrote Nadeem F. Paracha, a newspaper columnist, on Twitter.

Charley Horse or Leg cramps

You will be lying in bed or even asleep when you get this terrible knot usually in the calf but sometimes in the thigh or the arch of your foot. What causes a charley horse? It can be the result of sore muscles, a mineral deficiency or hormonal imbalance or even a process known as calcification, in which blood gets trapped in a muscle and hardens. There is a difference between charley horse and leg cramps. Leg cramps, especially in the elderly, often result when not enough blood gets to the muscles. A charley horse is likely to be caused by too much blood getting to the muscles ( there may be other causes as well). Cramp (involuntarily muscles movement) and charley horses attack in different ways. “Leg cramps usually occur while your are walking and will come more gradually, building as you use the muscle more but charley horse, on the other hand, comes more suddenly and isn’t necessarily related to physical activity or using the muscle. These tips may help – Take vitamin E and magnesium or Multi-vitamins and multi-minerals or eat fresh and washed raw vegetables and fruits.