Pakistan Views

The legal fraternity on Saturday announced to go for countrywide sits-in (Dharna) after losing hope for reinstatement of judges, starting from August 28 with a two-hour sit-in across the country.

Addressing a press conference, Aitzaz Ahsan said that the legal community had displayed flexibility and had extended the deadline for the reinstatement of judges many times but now it had resolved to restart its country-wide protests.

The decision was taken by the Lawyers’ National Co-ordination Council in its emergency meeting in case of any withdrawal from, delay in, or stay/restraint order passed by any court against restoration of judges in accordance with the Mureree Declaration.

Aitzaz said that the sit-ins (Dharnas) would be countrywide and each would be only for two hours. Further dharnas, if necessary, may be for a longer duration and would be non-violent. These sit-ins across the country would be held on Thursday 28 August from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm, he added.

He said civil society, political leaders, workers and cadres, professional bodies, trade unions; student unions and women organisations would be welcomed. They are invited to join but will remain entirely under the discipline of the leadership of the lawyers.

He requested local traders to have their shutters down for those two hours. Afterwards, on September 4, representatives of bar associations form across the country would congregate at the Constitution Avenue for a peaceful rally.

He said that the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has detached itself from lawyers’ movement for reinstatement of judges; the National Co-ordination Council has unanimously rejected its decisions to demoralise the movement and the community.

He said that bar associations would convene their meetings for the general bodies and will pass resolutions to condemn the announcements by PBC. Black flags would once again be hoisted.

Responding to a question that Asif Zardari had backed out from his promises three times regarding reinstatement of judges had demoralised “and we still want implementation in accordance to the Murree Declaration”. “There should not be any ‘minus one formula’, any constitutional package to curtail the powers of the Supreme Court or trimming in the tenure of the Chief Justice”, he asserted.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has termed PML-N Leader Mian Nawaz Sharif’s Monday deadline for restoration of the judges as incomprehensible’ adding that the rigid stance on an issue is inappropriate.

Talking to the media after a meeting of the party’s provincial working committee here, he said he was surprised over the statement of Mian Nawaz Sharif and said that the coalition leaders in an amicable environment had agreed to table a joint resolution in the parliament and constituted a committee in this respect.

He said the matter to support PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s bid for presidency will be discussed in the central working committee meeting of JUI on August 28.

Replying a query about the future of the ruling alliance, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the 17th amendment of the constitution could not be repealed neither the imbalance between the powers of the president and the prime minister would be addressed in case of breakdown of the coalition.

The ruling coalition may fall a part on the issues of judges’ restoration and president’s election.

The differences between Muslim League-N and People Party have now widened.

PML-N Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif is consulting with senior party leaders on future of ruling alliance and relation with People Party. Meeting of senior leaders of PML-N is underway in Raiwand.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Raja Zafar-l-Haq, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Ch. Nisar Ali Khan, Khawaja Asif, Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa and 15 other senior leaders are attending the meeting.

It may me recalled that Nawaz Sharif complained the PPP for not implementing Murree Declaration and presidential election.

On the other hand, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari said agreement were not Quran or Hadith, which could not be changed.

The legal fraternity on Saturday announced to go for countrywide sits-in (Dharna) after losing hope for reinstatement of judges, starting from August 28 with a two-hour sit-in across the country.

Addressing a press conference, Aitzaz Ahsan said that the legal community had displayed flexibility and had extended the deadline for the reinstatement of judges many times but now it had resolved to restart its country-wide protests.

The decision was taken by the Lawyers’ National Co-ordination Council in its emergency meeting in case of any withdrawal from, delay in, or stay/restraint order passed by any court against restoration of judges in accordance with the Mureree Declaration.

Aitzaz said that the sit-ins (Dharnas) would be countrywide and each would be only for two hours. Further dharnas, if necessary, may be for a longer duration and would be non-violent. These sit-ins across the country would be held on Thursday 28 August from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm, he added.

He said civil society, political leaders, workers and cadres, professional bodies, trade unions; student unions and women organisations would be welcomed. They are invited to join but will remain entirely under the discipline of the leadership of the lawyers.

He requested local traders to have their shutters down for those two hours. Afterwards, on September 4, representatives of bar associations form across the country would congregate at the Constitution Avenue for a peaceful rally.

He said that the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has detached itself from lawyers’ movement for reinstatement of judges; the National Co-ordination Council has unanimously rejected its decisions to demoralise the movement and the community.

He said that bar associations would convene their meetings for the general bodies and will pass resolutions to condemn the announcements by PBC. Black flags would once again be hoisted.

Responding to a question that Asif Zardari had backed out from his promises three times regarding reinstatement of judges had demoralised “and we still want implementation in accordance to the Murree Declaration”. “There should not be any ‘minus one formula’, any constitutional package to curtail the powers of the Supreme Court or trimming in the tenure of the Chief Justice”, he asserted.

Leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N Mian Nawaz Sharif has given Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) a deadline till Monday for restoration of the judges and asked PPP to tell him by tonight whether it intends to restore judges the day after tomorrow.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting with PPP delegation here, Nawaz Sharif said that he told the delegation that judges should be restored by Monday.

Nawaz informed that agreements between PPP and PML-N were hammered out on August 5 and 7 about judges’ restoration. PPP promised in one of the agreements to restore the judges within 24 hours of the resignation of former president Musharraf but it failed to fulfill the same, he added.

Regarding PML-N’s support to Zardari as candidate for president’s post, he said he will put the matter before his party.

Lawyers from all across the country have flocked in Islamabad for holding an emergency meeting to decide and thereby announce their future line of action, following the yet another new deadline given by the ruling alliance for the reinstatement of judges.

British News Agency quoting Justice ® Tariq Mahmud said that the concerned leaders of the lawyers community were asked to rush to Islamabad for this crucial emergency meeting.

Supreme Court Bar president, Aitzaz Ahsan, all the Provincial Bar Councils, chairman executive committee for Provincial Bar Councils, presidents of High Court Bars and the presidents of District Bar Associations from Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

Mian Nawaz Sharif, Quaid of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) agreed on Friday to a debate in the parliament next week, pushing forward a deadline for the restoration of judges deposed last year by former president Pervez Musharraf. A decision to this effect came in a meeting between three coalition partners PML-N, ANP and JUI along with MNAs from Fata.

The reconciliatory efforts of Asfandyar Wali Khan, President Awami National Party and Maulana Fazl ur Rehman, Chief of Jamiat Ulema e Islam borne fruit and the coalition has reached a consensus to reinstate the judges by initiating a debate on the restoration of the deposed judges on Monday and passing the necessary resolution by Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference on Friday along with Asfandyar Wali and Maulana Fazl ur Rehman, Nawaz said that he has made it clear to ANP and JUI leaders that judges should be restored by Wednesday, after a two-day discussion. Maulana Fazl ur Rehman added that the process might take one or two more days.

“We are not against the resolution to be tabled in the parliament but it should lead to the reinstatement of all the judges as of pre-November 3, 2007 position. It was agreed by the coalition partners in a written document of August 7, that after 24 hours of the impeachment of Pervez Musharraf, judges will be restored,” Nawaz observed.

He said that PML-N will not like to quit the coalition. “We never wanted to break the coalition but we are committed to the cause of restoration of judiciary,” he added.

“No minus-one formula will be accepted,” Nawaz firmly said, adding that there is only one Chief Justice who is Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and any move not to reinstate him will not be accepted. “I have no personal acquaintance with Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry but we have stood for the cause of independent judiciary, we know that in the past the judiciary has provided shelter and indemnity to dictators.”

He said we are passing through a very critical phase of our political history; time factor, he said, must not hamper the process of democracy. “The nation has given us a mandate on February 18 to undo Pervez Musharraf’s unconstitutional steps,” he said.

He applauded the role of Asfandyar Wali and Maulana Fazal ur Rehman in resolving the issue and trying to keep the coalition intact. Speaking on the occasion, ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan said they offered both the parties to table a resolution in the parliament aimed at undoing the unconstitutional steps of November 3 by the then president Musharraf.

He said that he and the JUI had sought 72-hour time during the meeting of the coalition heads at Zardari House last Tuesday to help bring about an agreement. As a result of the efforts, it has been agreed to table a resolution in the National Assembly to undo all unconstitutional step taken on November 3 last year by Pervez Musharraf, he said.

Both Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari have agreed to set up a committee to draft a resolution for the restoration of the deposed judges, he said. Maulana Fazl ur Rehman said the two major coalition parties will finalise the resolution’s draft and will table it in the National Assembly by Monday. To a question, he said we would stand by democracy if called upon to do so.

Lawyers of Lahore High Court and Lahore Bar on Thursday observed complete weekly boycott of court proceedings and staged protest rallies.

Lawyers’ leaders said there is no hurdle in reinstatement of deposed judges after the resignation of Pervez Musharraf as president of Pakistan. They said that minus-one formula would be unacceptable to the legal fraternity. Separate meeting were held to show solidarity with the deposed judges in bar rooms.

LHC President Anwar Kamal and other leaders expressed serious doubts on the intention of People Party’s leadership over judges’ issue. PPP leadership wants to take credit of the situation, they noted.

Speakers further said political leadership of the country should hasten the restoration of deposed judges so that the focus could be shifted to people’s welfare.

Later, lawyers staged protest rallies and changed anti-government slogans. Ruling coalition should immediately reinstate deposed judges, protesting lawyers demanded.

PML(N) chief Nawaz Sharif has threatened to pull his political party out of governing coalition if all the judges dismissed by former President Pervez Musharraf are not reinstated after a Friday deadline.

In an interview with Wall Street Journal, Sharif said he is prepared to withdraw his Pakistan Muslim League (N) from the governing coalition, led by the Pakistan People’s Party, if about 60 judges — sacked during a six-week state of emergency declared in November – are not given their jobs back immediately.

“But we will not try to bring the government down,” said Nawaz, adding he wanted to continue the coalition but, according to him, the agenda that formed the coalition should be accomplished.

He revealed that PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has present minus-one formula, maintaining that PML(N) will not accept it.

He was of the view that the steps taken by the former president Pervez Musharraf will be indemnified if the judges were not reinstated by the coalition. He revealed that many of the parliamentarians belonging to PML(Q), former ruling party backed by Pervez Musharraf, want to join his party.

Talks among ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, JUI chief Maulana Fazlul Rahman and the leaders of PML-Nawaz at Punjab House have come to an end here early on Thursday.

Talking to media after meeting Asfandyar said that they discussed the issues involved in reinstatement of deposed judges however he denied any possibility of considering plus-one or minus-one formula.

He said that they had shed blood for this issue then how can they back out of their stance and hoped to resolve this issue soon.

Fazlul Rahman said that he wanted to resolve the issue on mutual consensus basis and for settling the judiciary issue we have forwarded our recommendations to both the frontline ruling parties.

We would wait for the response which is likely on Friday, he added.

PML-N Secretary Information Ahsan Iqbal said after the meeting that we have received Fazlul Raham and Asfandyar Wali propositions and we would not tolerate any middle way out on judiciary issue.

Nation should wait for the consequences, which would come up by Friday and advised Iftikhar Chaudhry not to resign before Friday.