A coalition of parties opposed to President Musharraf swept to power in Pakistan in February.
Since then, the two main parties have been preoccupied with sorting out how to restore judges sacked the president, rather than the bread and butter issues Pakistan's leaders seek accord on how to reinstate ousted judges ...
UK police findings on Bhutto due ... that preoccupy many people.
| Maira Zahur Islamabad "Pakistani society is under pressure" Ahmad Hammad Lahore "Pakistanis feel despondent" Shaheen Zeb Peshawar "It has been an anticlimax" |  | Najeeb Ullah Swat valley "Prices go up - they never come down" Zaafer Hafeez Multan "Nothing changes. Is this our fate? " Zamzam Aman Larkana "I don't blame the government" |
MAIRA ZAHUR, 32, NGO WORKER, ISLAMABAD,
" I voted for Nawaz Sharif because he said he would restore the judges. If they are not restored soon, then there will be big question mark for the government.
If things are not resolved, I can predict a lot of people will protest. I can feel that. I have been talking to my friends. Even those who are not into politics think that we could see anger on the streets.
The agitation is not just about politics but also about oil prices, rice prices and wheat prices going up. There is no electricity for long periods of time.
At lunchtime people talk about their homes, utility bills, the price of kitchen items, massive price hikes.
This hasn't affected my family so much, but there are people out there who have had to make some very tough decisions. It has affected eating habits and routines. The majority of Pakistani society is under pressure.
People want the judiciary issue to be decided as soon as possible so the government can turn their focus back to society. There is panic among the people. "
AHMAD HAMMAD, TV PRESENTER, LAHORE
" Everybody was expecting these issues to be resolved quickly. Unfortunately both sides have failed to do that.
Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari discussed the issue of what will happen to the dismissed Chief Justice Chaudhry for too long.
Pakistanis expect a positive response from these leaders.
Everybody, including lawyers are frustrated. Lawyers are saying they will take to the streets again to agitate. We are living in a new Pakistan now. Everyone feels we must be aware of our basic human rights.
Everybody needs Chaudhry to be reinstated without delay.
Electricity shortages are making life much more difficult. According to surveys about 35% of people live below the poverty line. Life is becoming unliveable.
Pakistanis are feeling despondent and confused. People sometimes ask why we are living in Pakistan. We should flee.
We have been waiting for dictatorship to end for many years. Can we wait much longer? "
NAJEEB ULLAH, STUDENT, SWAT VALLEY
" People have many expectations from the government. They are sad that the judges have not been restored yet.
But the real problems are poverty and electricity shortages. These are the problems that affect people's lives.
As far as Swat is concerned, people here want the army to leave. They are fed up of the army. This is the first task for the government.
Secondly, we want prices to go down.
Prices go up - they never come down. People are poor here. They can't subsist on these prices. Public transport fares are double, rents are double, people have to change how they eat. They do not buy the standard things any more - only very cheap products.
There is no electricity. Sometimes there is no power for 10-hour stretches.
Two of my brothers are based abroad and they send money to us.
All of these meetings and negotiations, it is much ado about nothing. The judges dismissed by Musharraf should be restored so the government can sort out the problems of Pakistan. "
ZAAFER HAFEEZ, SALES MANAGER, MULTAN
" We are supposed to give time to the new government. But there has been no movement on the important issues: food prices, electricity shortages and the failure to resolve the judges issue.
Nothing changes. Is this our fate?
I still have a little hope. I know that we are supposed to give a little time to the new government.
But so far the government has not taken a single step for the people. The basic necessities of ordinary human beings - food, shelter, clothing, education, security , health - these are not being met.
Wheat is not available these days. If you travel in the city, you will see that there are long lines just of people who have been waiting for a whole day just to buy some wheat.
All night there is no electricity. I cannot sleep, my performance, efficiency and mental state are all affected. It affects how my family speak to each other.
It is very difficult psychologically. It's a holiday today and I was wondering if we could enjoy a long sleep. But from 9am there has been no electricity in my home.
So what has the government done for me? Nothing.
SHAHEEN ZEB, TEACHER, PESHAWAR
" The government is a coalition made up three parties. If it was just the PPP [Pakistan People's Party] in charge, then it would be better. The other parties don't do so much for the people.
The price of food goes up day by day. We can't do any work because of electricity shortages. The power goes off every couple of hours for one hour. Factories and businesses are affected by this.
The government is not taking any action at all. They are taking a lot of time and I can't imagine an end to it. It just goes on and on and meanwhile I see things getting more expensive every day.
We were happy at the election because we thought it would be the PPP controlling things. Now there seem to be divisions after the happiness of the election. There is disappointment
It has been a big anticlimax. "
ZAMZAM AMAN, DOCTOR, LARKANA
" This reconciled government is a good new form of government in which every party can be included.
It is an excellent way of bringing peace to Pakistan.
Every party will try to bring peace. Recently we were afraid that everything would be under threat because of the discussions about the judges.
But now there seems to be hope.
Before the elections people were expecting a lot from this democracy because they thought that democracy would lower prices of wheat, fuel and oil.
Contrary to their expectations prices have gone up. People do blame the government for this. I don't really blame the government for this. We have inherited these prices.
It will take time. But people are really hurt. "
(BBC)
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