ISLAMABAD. Oct 9: Barely halfway through his five-year term in office. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs opponents are already calling for nis removal, reports AP.

Call it politics Pakistani style, but since military rule ended and democracy returned to Pakistan in 1988. not one elected government has been able to finish its term in office.

Opposition politicians seem to operate with only one agenda: to return to power. Governments have an equally single-minded agenda: to hold on to power.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto twice served as prime minister and twice was prematurely dismissed by a president on charges of massive fraud, runaway corruption and

the popular vote in the last election. Including Benazir.

Even Benazir's supporters privately say that most Pakistanis would not give her a third term as prime minister.

Her partners in the alliance also seem politically weak.

They range from right-wing religious parties, who nave issued death threats against liberal senators, and a former cricket star, whose party did not win a single seat in the last election.

That still leaves the army, which has ruled Pakistan for 25 of Its 52-year history.

For several weeks the front pages of most newspapers were rife with stories of a yawning rift between Sharif and the military hierarchy and speculation that an army-backed in-

economic incompetence.

Sharif, too. was prime minister once before. He was abruptly dismissed as well, by the president, and on much the same charges.

Soon after his election this time. Sharif set about to secure his future.

He began by removing the president's constitutional authority to dismiss elected governments. thus removing one threat.

But there still remains the opposition and the army.

In recent weeks the opposition has been clamoring for his resignation, and has formed a grand alliance of 19 parties with a single goal — to oust Sharif.

Sharif has used a heavy hand to stop their protests, even though the opposition alliance is made up of parties and leaders who received very little of

terim government was being cobbled together.

The cause seemed to be Sharifs July 4 visit to Washington and a promise he made to US President Bill Clinton to withdraw Islamic insurgents from Indian-held Kashmir.

It Is widely believed that the Incursion of militants into Indian-held Kashmir this summer was orchestrated by the Pakistan military, with speculation on Sharifs in-’ volvement ranging from barely aware to totally committed.

A statement from Washington that the US administration opposed any "extra-constitutional" change of government in Pakistan seemed to remove an immediate threat to Sharifs government.

But in Pakistan, uncertainty, lingers.