Pakistan Views

An election tribunal on Thursday accepted the nomination papers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif.PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has filed nomination papers to contest by-election from NA-123, Lahore, while party president Shahbaz Sharif filed papers for PP-154.The nomination papers of PML-N covering candidate Hamza Shahbaz were also accepted by the tribunal.Talking to media lawyer of Nawaz Sharif, Naseer Bhutta said that the additional session Judge Chaudhry Badaruddin rejects all allegations against Nawaz Sharif. Bhutta said the decision is a big blow to establishment. We will contest any appeal against the tribunal he added.

The Head of Pakistan Muslim League-N, Mian Nawaz Sharif has said conspiracy activities are being undertaken to weaken democracy in the country but he will do utmost to foil any such attempts against PPP government. In an exclusive interview in Geo News program Capital Talk, Sharif said PML-N joined government at the promise that judges would be reinstated in 30 days. He said the Murree declaration also favored restoration of judges through a resolution. Nawaz Sharif said political reconciliation should be based on some principle and PML-N would support political parties and lawyers in their struggle to reinstate judiciary. He said Punjab government would not become a barrier in the struggle to restore judiciary and he would also invite Asif Zardari to sit in the “Judicial Bus”.

The scrutiny of nomination papers for bye-elections on 38 seats of the national and provincial assemblies was underway on Wednesday.The Returning Officer has reserved his verdict over objections against nomination of Mian Nawaz Sharif in NA 123 in Lahore. PML-Q candidate in NA-123 Akhlaq Guddu and independent candidate Noor Illahi had challenged the nomination papers of Mian Nawaz Sharif. They filed objection on the nomination papers of Nawaz Sharif alleging that he was convicted in hijacking and has been a bank defaulter, therefore, he should be declared as disqualified. The Returning Officer has reserved verdict on the matter.

Nine federal ministers of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Tuesday submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani. The prime minister refused to accept the resignations and said that the decision on the matter will be made after return of Asif Ali Zardari to home.“The government needs your advice and guidance,” Gilani told PML-N ministers. Earlier, nine PML-N ministers Khwaja Saad Rafique, Ishaq Dar, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Tehmina Daulatana, Khwaja Asif, Chaudhry Nisar, Ahsan Iqbal and Sardar Mehtab Khan reached Prime Minister House and submitted their written resignations to the prime minister.

PML-N central leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Tuesday the party would adhere to its stand for reinstatement of the deposed judges and would not comprise on this. Nisar Ali Khan said the prime minister had refused to accept the resignations and he also had a telephone conversation with PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif.He said whether the resignations were accepted or not the party would not be part of the cabinet. “We will not participate in government decision-making process,” he added.He underscored that PML-N had made a commitment to the nation for reinstatement of the judges and it would stand by it even if it had to “sacrifice” its government in Punjab.He said the people had given their mandate to the party in the February general elections on the basis of its stand for the restoration of the judges. Return of the judiciary to the position before November 3, 2007 was indispensable for justice and rule of law in the country, he stressed.

Nine federal ministers of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Tuesday tendered their resignations to the prime minister. PML-N ministers Khwaja Saad Rafique, Ishaq Dar, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Tehmina Daulatana, Khwaja Asif, Chaudhry Nisar, Ahsan Iqbal and Sardar Mehtab Khan reached Prime Minister House here and tendered their written resignations to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani. Muslim League-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif Monday announced that his party has decided to quit the federal cabinet after failure of talks for restoration of the deposed judges.

Muslim League-N Quaid, Nawaz Sharif has filed the nomination papers for by-election on the national assembly seat NA-52, where ML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali had won in the general elections. Mian Nawaz Sharif had obtained nomination papers from the constituencies NA-52 and 55 for participating in the by-polls, however, he submitted nomination papers for NA-52 only. His son-in-law Captain Safdar has already filed his nomination papers for this seat. ML-N workers in large numbers had gathered on the occasion of Nawaz Sharif’s arrival in the compound of city court and voiced slogans in favour of Nawaz Sharif.

Following the failure of London talks on the re-instatement of judges; Pakistan Muslim League (PML)-N has decided to resign from federal cabinet in central executive committee meeting underway here. Earlier, federal ministers reached to attend the meeting without official car and other privileges. The meeting has discussed that coalition with Peoples Party was made for the restoration of deposed judges but Peoples Party has failed to fulfill its commitment therefore PML-N has decided to quit the coalition.

An important meeting of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the major coalition partner of the government, would be held on Monday to evolve a future political line of action after failing the coalition government to meet the last deadline to reinstate the deposed judges.The meeting would be held with PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif in the chair and attended by all members of party Central Executive Committee and parliamentarians. Nawaz Sharif and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif would brief the meeting about the discussions held with PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher in London.
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif arrive in Islamabad on Monday from London after attending a series of meetings in a last ditch to motivate PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to materialise the Bhurban Declaration. The meeting would be an important one in the sense that after a lapse of even the second deadline of May 12 (today) set by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to bring the parliamentary resolution in the National Assembly in a bid to reinstate the deposed judges to the November 2 position as per the Bhurban Declaration.
PML-N leadership is much disappointed after collapse of the talks between the two major coalition partners to materialise the commitment and is seriously considering quitting from the federal cabinet. However, both the parties are also making hectic efforts to intact the coalition to avoid any further political and democratic setback.
Talking to Business Recorder, PML-N Central Secretary Information Ahsan Iqbal said that party chief Nawaz Sharif would brief the meeting about his parleys held with the PPP leader.
He opined that his party is not satisfied with the progress. However, the decision would be taken after thoroughly reviewing the situation. To a question whether the PML-N would quit the coalition government, he said that Nawaz Sharif would take the decision at the meeting in the light of his last meetings with Asif Zardari whether to go ahead with PPP or part ways.

The chief of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Nawaz Sharif and party president Shahbaz Sharif have arrived in Islamabad from London. They came after PML-N’s talks with Pakistan Peoples Party over the issue of reinstatement of deposed judges collapsed in London. Central leaders of PML-N Ishaq Dar, Tehmina Daultana and a large number of party workers are present at Islamabad international airport on the occasion. Workers chanted slogans against the Presidency and supported their party leadership. Security has been beefed up in and around the airport building.