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 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.

Deadlock between PPP and PML-N still persists on the restoration of the deposed judges. PML-N President Mian Shahbaz Sharif said that differences over the judges’ issue have not been resolved and the deadlock continues. He said both the parties have failed to resolve their differences over the restoration of deposed judges.He said the main stumbling block is the status of judges who took oath under PCO and both sides are committed to their stance. Shahbaz Sharif said that it was the decision of PPP not to include Rehman Malik in the talks. He said the ball is in PPP court with regard to the restoration of judges. To a question, he said it is premature to comment whether the two leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif could meet in future.Meanwhile, PML-N leader and Federal Minister for Petroleum Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that the deadline of May 12 will not be extended and no talk will take place between Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari. He said Mian Nawaz Sharif and other PML-N leaders will return to Pakistan on Sunday. MONITORING DESK ADDS: Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik, Hussain Haqani and Khawaja Asif held a meeting with PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in London on the issue of judges’ restoration, Aaj TV reported. Malik, Haqqani and Asif came to meet Zardari with their recommendations finalised after their meeting which lasted for more than two and half hours. On the occasion, Rehman Malik said the talks are progressing in the right direction.A meeting is also expected between Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif provided the negotiations among Rehman Malik, Hussain Haqani and Khawaja Asif produced positive results. US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Richard Boucher is expected to arrive in London on Sunday (today), a private TV channel reported on Saturday. According to the TV channel, Boucher will hold meeting with PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

A meeting between President Pakistan Muslim League-N Mian Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has been set on Saturday evening, sources here said. The meeting will be the final effort to save the ruling coalition. Meanwhile, PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif, who was scheduled to leave London this evening to home, has extended his stay for a day after this development, sources added. Pakistan Muslim League-N has devised an alternate strategy in case of failure of talks with Pakistan People’s Party for restoration of deposed judges.A formal decision to pullout of the federal cabinet will be made in the meeting of PML-N central working committee on May 12.

President Muslim League (N) Shahbaz Sharif Monday filed his nomination papers to contest elections from two provincial constituencies in Lahore PP-151 and PP-154. Talking to newsmen after filing his nomination papers Shahbaz Sharif said rejection of his nomination in general elections was an excess against him and hoped it would not be repeated again. He said the deposed judges would be restored according to the agreed programme. He further said that the subordinate judiciary was in a crumbling state and the government will take steps to upgrade it.The polls were postponed at Punjab Assembly constituency PP-151 due to death of PML-Q candidate Tariq Banday and at PP-154 due to murder of PML-N candidate Chaudhry Asif Ashraf. According to sources, Shahbaz Sharif would also contest election from Sialkot constituency PP-124, which was vacated by Rana Abdul Sattar MNA.

Talks between PPP and PML-N to discuss reinstatement of deposed judges were concluded in Dubai residence of PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Monday. According to private TV the decision is still awaited. The talks focused the ages of judges and tenure of the chief justice besides passing of resolution with two-thirds majority in the Parliament for reinstatement of judges.From PPP side Advisor to Prime Minister for Interior, Rehman Malik and Federal Minister for Law, Farooq H. Naek are accompanying Asif Ali Zardari while PML-N is being represented by Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Minister for Petroleum, Khawaja Asif, Chaudhry Nisar, Ahmed Ali Khan, Khawaja Haris and other leaders of the party.It may be mentioned here that Naek had expressed confidence that the ruling coalition will remain intact and ruled out any possibility of clash with Presidential House.He dispelled the impression that Zardari was against judges’ restoration.

President Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday said that the issue of the restoration of the judges is being tried to be resolved in the light of Murree Declaration and the announcement for the restoration of the judges would be made before the deadline of 30 days.Talking with journalists before his departure here at the Allama Iqbal airport, Shahbaz Sharif said that co-chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Asif Ali Zardari’s stay in Dubai has become longer.Shahbaz Sharif said that he has got an appointment for meeting with Asif Ali Zardari and he is going to Dubai for holding a meeting with him.He asked the people to remain hopeful that the issue of the restoration of the judges would soon be resolved.Along with Shahbaz Sharif, Khawaja Asif and legal expert Khawaja Haris are also going to Dubai.

Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) have reached an understanding on the formation of government in Punjab. A formula was evolved between PPPP team comprising Ahmed Mukhtar, Pervaiz Ashraf and Riaz Ahmed and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif in a meeting here on Saturday.
According to the understanding reached, the slots of Speaker and Deputy Speaker would be retained by PML-N, and PML-N would hold 20 plus ministers’ portfolios and PPPP 12 in the provincial cabinet. The leading political parties showed unison on strengthening of democratic process in the country during the meeting of their representatives.

The path for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shahbaz Sharif to contest the by-election and become chief minister is now almost clear after an anti-terrorist court on Saturday cleared him of the Sabzazar case. The court, headed by Shabbir Hussain Chattha, cleared Sharif after it heard statements by case appellants Saeed-ud-Din, Mohammad Aslam and Nazeer Ahmad.
On Saturday, Sharif also appeared before the court amid a tight security. The appellants recorded their statements, saying Sharif had convinced them that he had nothing to do with the case and that his defence was enough to stop them from objecting to his acquittal.
The notorious shooting incident took place on April 4, 1998, leaving five people dead near the Sabzazar police station and then the police brought up cases against a dozen. Then in a hearing on January 29, appellant Saeed-ud-Din had offered acquittal to Sharif if he defended himself under oath in the court that he was never involved.
After the verdict, Shahbaz said he believed in the rule of law and then talked about the collaboration between the Pakistan Peoples Party and the PML-N to form the coalition governments in the centre and Punjab. “We will prove a two-thirds majority in the Punjab Assembly soon. People have given their verdict to restore the judiciary, which will be our top priority,” he added.

An anti-terrorism court has acquitted Shahbaz Sharif in the Sabzazar encounter case after the complainant withdrew murder charges against him.
The complainant Saeedudin told anti-terrorism judge Justice Shabir Hussain Chattha that the former Punjab chief minister was not involved in the murder of his son at the hands of police officers. The court then cleared Shahbaz’s name from the case, however legal proceedings against 12 other accused will continue. Sharif said he knew all along that he would be cleared of all charges as he had nothing to do with the killings and hoped the real culprits would be arrested soon.