Judges to be restored on May 12: Nawaz Sharif

All deposed judges would be restored on May 12 under an agreement reached with Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and a resolution would be presented in the National Assembly, plus a notification, on the same day.Nawaz Sharif, after chairing the central working committee and parliamentary party meeting of the PML-N told reporters here on Friday that the date and modus operandi for the judges’ restoration were finalised during meetings with Zardari in Dubai.Accompanied by Zafarul Haq, Shahbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, Javed Hashmi, Iqbal Zafar Jhaggra, Nisar Ali Khan, Mohammad Asif, he said that all deposed judges would be reinstated on May 12. But, he added, the sitting judges would continue holding their offices.He said that his party had its reservations about the present judges, and Zardari wss told about it. “But Zardari insists that the present judges should be allowed to hold their offices,” Nawaz said. He said that his party’s goal was to get the sacked judges restored, and added that “Zardari has conceded to this demand of ours and this renders completely insignificant the sitting judges issue.”He said that a five-member committee made up of Aitzaz Ahsan, Hafeez Pirzada, Fakharuddin Ibrahim, Kh Haris and Raza Rabbani had been constituted to finalise the draft of the resolution. Law Minister Niaz A Naek will be the convenor of this committee. “If the committee develops some differences, the matter will again be referred to the leadership of both PPP and PML-N, which will decide the issue,” he said. “In case of any deadlock in this committee, the matter will again be referred to the leadership.”He said that his team would continue working on a constitutional package in connection with judges’ restoration to come up with a final resolution of the issue after consulting all the stakeholders. He said some compromise had to be made to accomplish greater objectives.
Nawaz said the judges would be restored in accordance with the Murree Declaration. “Both Asfandyar Wali and Fazlur Rehman are allies of the present coalition and we will consult them on the issue of judges’ reinstatement. We want to keep the present alliance intact that is in the larger interest of the country as well as nation, and we would keep this alliance intact at all cost.” He said there was a deadlock in the Dubai-based talks but the same was resolved through negotiations.He said that President Pervez Musharraf was unconstitutional and illegal president; hence, there was no question of accepting him, whatever he did. He said that the Charter of Democracy (CoD) was the agreement signed between the PPP and the PML-N, and added, “We are bound to implement it.” At the end of his press conference, a delegation of the Supreme Court Bar Association presented a bouquet to Nawaz Sharif for taking stance for judges’ reinstatement.”Addressing a meeting of the Central Working Committee and Parliamentary Party, he told his party men about the talks held with Zardari in Dubai. He told them that the agreement with Zardari was reached on judges’ reinstatement. He also told them that he tried to convince Zardari that they should stay united to keep the military away from politics.”I also made it clear that if judges are not restored the PML-N would no longer by part of the cabinet,” Nawaz was quoted as having said while addressing his party men. He also told the PML-N leaders that he proposed to PPP co-chairman to strike down 17th Amendment of the Constitution and to impeach Musharraf.Earlier, US Ambassador in Pakistan, Anne Patterson, met Nawaz at the latter’s Raiwind home where they discussed matters of mutual interest. PML-N sources said the issues concerning the judges’ restoration also came under discussion.