Nawaz, Zardari hold last-ditch talks • 04.30.08
Talks between leaders of two main coalitions on the issue of restoration of deposed judges have started in Dubai on Wednesday.Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif arrived in Dubai on Tuesday for talks with Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, with a mutual deadline on resolving the dispute set to expire on Wednesday.The two sides agreed last month to push through a parliamentary resolution to restore dozens of judges forced out by President Pervez Musharraf in November last year when he declared a state of emergency.But their dispute resurfaced when the PPP insisted the reinstatement of the judges, including former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, be done via a constitutional package that would include plans for judicial reforms.PML-N insists on adhering to the system agreed upon in March and the 30-day time limit for the judges to get back their jobs. Nawaz Sharif told reporters before leaving for Dubai that he wanted the “coalition to stay together” but warned of “disastrous consequences for democracy and Pakistan” if the judges were not restored.Party sources said the two sides had agreed on the text of the resolution, but the PPP was still pressing for constitutional changes.”In addition to the agreement on the resolution, we have to work out modalities for implementing that resolution in line with the constitutional requirements,” PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar told AFP.The Pakistani legal community and a number of political parties that boycotted the general elections on February 18 are threatening to launch a protest movement if the judges are not restored.Sharif’s trip to Dubai came after the apparent failure of talks between his younger brother Shahbaz, who is the PML-N’s president, and Zardari in Dubai on Monday and Tuesday.”The nation has counted each moment until now and today the day has arrived. If this day passes without a decision it will be a very big tragedy,” senior party leader Javed Hashmi, who led the PML-N while the Sharifs were in exile, told lawyers in the central city of Multan.
Parliamentary Leader of Pakistan People’s Party in Sindh Assembly and senior minister Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq has said that dialogue and reconciliation with MQM was the wish of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto adding that removing mutual misgivings is essential for progress of the country. Addressing a joint press conference with MQM leader Farooq Sattar, Pir Mazhar said, “our people are impoverished and jobless and we have to generate jobs for them”. He said People’s Party and MQM would jointly work for the welfare of the people of the province. Pir Mazhar said that power sharing with MQM would help to resolve the problems of the people. Farooq Sattar talking in the news conference said the MQM has decided to join the Sindh government after negotiations with the People’s Party, “ we want amicable relations with PPP to resolve the problems of the masses.”“The MQM ministers would take oath in a day or two,” he added.
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf RazaGilani Wednesday said the people of Kashmir have offered sacrifices for their right of self-determination and assured that these sacrifices would not go in vain.Yousuf Raza Gilani was addressing the joint sitting of AJK Legislative Assembly and AJK Council after his arrival here.He said his government would hold meaningful talks with India for resolution of the Kashmir issue. Gilani said Pakistan has always pursued the path of peace and wants opportunities for the Kashmiris on both sides to meet each other. He called for promotion of tourism and trade across the line of control. He said solution of Kashmir issue was essential for the regional development. Gilani said that the AJK legislators will be included in Pakistan delegations. In the next federal budges Rs. Five million grant will be allocated for every member of the AJK Assembly, he further said. He promised to prepare strategy for setting up a women university in Azad Kashmir. He said the earthquake rehabilitation work will be stepped up in the region.
The deadline announced for restoration of the judges is expiring today.On the other hand, quaid of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) Mian Nawaz Sharif has reached Dubai to conclude the negotiations, going on with co-chairman Pakistan People’s Party Asif Ali Zardari. Talking with journalists at the Dubai airport, Nawaz Sharif said that the issue of the judges’ restoration should be resolved as soon as possible and this is not his personal issue but a national matter.The Pakistan Muslim League (N) chief said that he is meeting the co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party today at lunch where the matter of the restoration of the judges would be discussed.Replying to a question, Nawaz Sharif said he knew that there is very little time left for the restoration of the judges under the Murree declaration and it is hoped that this issue would soon be resolved.Earlier, the ongoing talks between Pakistan People’s Party and PML (N) proved inconclusive. According to the sources, the PML (N) leaders have made it clear to co-chairman PPP Asif Ali Zardari that they could announce to quit the government after tomorrow evening – the deadline for restoration of judiciary. However, a final decision in this regard will be made by PML (N) chief, Mian Nawaz Sharif in his policy statement.
In view of the changing political situation, Pakistan Muslim League (N) quaid Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif has summoned an important meeting of the working body of the party on May 1 in Lahore. Party sources told that the future strategy would be determined in the meeting.According to the sources, the party leaders do not expect any breakthrough in the talks between Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari and the future strategy would discussed in the May 1 meeting in case the PML (N) coalition with the PPP collapses.Sources say that the PML (N) circles are reviewing the increasing intimacy between the PPP and President Pervez Musharraf and they say that this reaction was expected from the PPP.On the other hand, another source says that the major problem for the PML (N) would be to save their government in Punjab if the coalition with the PPP collapses.
Sindh Governor, Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan and Sindh Home Minister, Dr Zulfiqar Mirza finalised the process of reconciliation between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) at a meeting held Tuesday at Governor House here. The meeting decided that both the parties will co-operate with each other, said a statement received from the Governor House. Giving details it said, MQM will be given 13 ministries, one advisor and one special assistant in the provincial cabinet. The MQM-affiliated ministers will take oath of their offices soon while the nazims of the MQM will continue to work.
The deposed judges would be restored on pre-November 3 positions through an act of parliament, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said on Tuesday.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif arrived here late Tuesday night. Mian Nawaz Sharif left for Dubai to have final round of talks with Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on the issue of restoration of judges.Earlier, our Lahore reporter adds: Nawaz left amid reports of differences between the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on reinstatement of judges.Talks between the two parties remained inconclusive, as the coalition partners continued to differ whether to move a resolution in the National Assembly for reinstating the judges or make it part of a constitutional package, the sources in the PML-N told Business Recorder. Talking to reporters before his departure to Dubai, Nawaz said some circles were hatching conspiracies against the coalition government.Nawaz said that he wanted resolution of the country’s internal matters within Pakistan and was going to Dubai with this intention and would talk with Asif Ali Zardari in this regard. He said two rounds of talks were held between the PPP and PML-N in Dubai. ‘Shahbaz Sharif is already in Dubai and he is proceeding there to talk with Asif Zardari’, he added. He said he feels that his presence in Dubai is necessary and he is proceeding there with good intention.Nawaz further said that under Murree Declaration, it is provided that reinstatement of judges will be made within 30 days which is expiring on April 30 and the restoration will be made through a resolution. He said he is proceeding to Dubai to ensure implementation of the resolution.To a question, Nawaz said they wanted to keep the coalition government intact but some forces do not want to keep the democracy flourish. “We do not want to bow down against oppression. We want to live with dignity and if the present opportunity is lost we will not get it again.”It may be mentioned that Asif Zardari in an interview indicated that deposed judges of superior courts would be restored through Constitutional package, and the process may take two weeks for completion. He said that a comprehensive package along with a resolution and executive order would be put before the parliament for threadbare discussion and approval. He said, the timeframe for the restoration of judges was announced with good intention but it was not a divine degree.
Leader of the House Raza Rabbani on Tuesday informed the Senate that Karachi police have provided security to heirs of Tufail Shah who committed suicide against the alleged harassing of his mother and sister by two persons of a bank.Ahmed Ali raised the issue in the House on Monday about two persons who went to the house of Tufail Shah for recovery of loan. Both of them were from the Muslim Commercial Bank in Karachi. They allegedly misbehaved with the mother and sister of Tufail Shah.Tufail, could not bear misbehaviour of representatives of the bank with his mother and sister. He felt severely disturbed by the shameful act of the two officials. Tufail in a fit of shock and anger poured petrol over himself and set it alight.Rabbani said the inspector general of Sindh was contacted by chairman Soomro and later at night he also talked to the Sindh Chief Minister to inquire into the incident.He said, the report was faxed to him today according to which the IG Sindh deputed SSP New Karachi for conducting inquiry. He thereafter went to the victim’s house and provided the family with two police guards.He said the SSP has asked the family, which is still in a state of shock, to lodge an FIR against the culprits as soon as possible. One of the accused, Rabbani said, is being interrogated by the police.He said the matter should not be made a political issue because it could create problems for the family of Tufail.
The opposition in the Senate led by Kamil Ali Agha on Tuesday staged a token walk out from the proceedings of the house when Raza Rabbani said the opposition could not speak on a calling attention notice as the minister and the movers had already spoken.The notice was regarding de-valuation of Pakistani rupee against US dollar.The remarks by leader of the house led to an altercation between Kamil Ali and Wasim Sajjad and the opposition walked out in protest.After they returned to the house, Wasim Sajjad said the patience of new government is running out and does not have the heart to listen to what he has to say. He said when they were in power, the opposition was allowed maximum time to express their views.He said in their time, the health of economy was reflected through rupee which remained stable at 60 to 61 against dollar.Finance minister while replying to the Calling Attention Notice did not mention a single step which the present government intends to take to stabilize rupee, Wasim added.Rabbani apologized to Wasim Sajjad over some of his remarks which might have hurt his feelings.
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