Pakistan Views

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.

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. Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari were expected to meet this evening as final effort to break the deadlock, sources said. PML-N leadership has formulated an alternate strategy, in case talks for restoration of judges collapse, sources said. A formal decision to pullout of the federal cabinet will be made in the meeting of PML-N central working committee on May 12. Mian Nawaz Sharif will leave for Pakistan on 5:00 pm according to the local time by a PIA flight that will land at Lahore airport on early morning Sunday.His stay in London could further extend for a day or two in case of meeting with PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

Pakistan Muslim League-N chief and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has asserted that only political will can restore the truncated judiciary.Talking to media at the reception hosted in his honour by Lord Nazir Ahmad at the Attlee Room of the House of Lords on Wednesday evening, he said judges of the higher judiciary were ousted through extra-constitutional measures on November 3.Sharif said caution was thrown to the winds when the judges were removed but the political parties are now endeavouring to reinstate the judiciary as it stood on November 2 through a passage of resolution in the Parliament. “When martial law can be imposed in the country without any legal justification, the judges, too, can be brought back through political will,” he said.Responding to a question, the PML-N chief said he has extended his stay in London to hold a meeting on the judiciary issue with the PPP co-chairperson Asif Zardari who is reaching the British capital on Thursday.Earlier, addressing the gathering which also included a number of MPs and Lords, Sharif recalled his personal tribulations when he had to endure seven years in exile and was not allowed to return home.He also narrated the events that led to the imposition of the emergency on November 3 and described the measures taken against judiciary as totally unacceptable and violation of the constitution.Sharif said his party gave a pledge before the February 18 parliamentary elections that the judiciary would be restored and it was incumbent upon them to fulfil their election promise.He spoke of the spirit of tolerance prevailing in Pakistan as the result of the February elections and said once traditional rivals have now formed a coalition government to take the country forward and consolidate democracy.”Our problems had been aggravated by decades of military rule and resultant break down of system and values. This also led to the undermining of constitutional supremacy and weakening of institutions in our country. To recover from this chronic ailments including extremism and violence the country must return to genuine people-based democracy.”He mentioned the good relations developed during his prime minister ship with India which led to the signing of the Lahore declaration during the first ever state visit of an Indian prime minister to Pakistan in early 1999. Nawaz said the Kargil misadventure threw spanner in the good relations with India. He thought his government was toppled because it was trying to build a good relationship with India.He said his party was determined to build a responsible and prosperous Pakistan, enjoying good relations with its neighbouring countries and resolute to live in peace with the rest of the world.Nawaz expressed his gratitude to Britain for supporting the cause of democracy in his country and said Pakistan will endeavour to seek greater co-operation with its European partners, enhance trade and economic ties.Baroness Saiyida Warsi, MP Khalid Mahmud also spoke on the occasion and welcomed the return of democracy in Pakistan which they described as a very important friend of Britain.Former Conservative Foreign Secretary and now a member of the House of Lord Malcolm Rifkind spoke of Pakistan’s troubled route to democracy.” It had democratic governments and it had military regimes but the people of Pakistan had always made it clear which they prefer. “It is enormously heartening that after a long period when democracy was not present, we have began to see a real move back to the democratic system in Pakistan.”He paid tributes to Sharif for his personal contribution to that transformation, noting that the country has a long way to go in meeting democratic challenges. He mentioned the importance of rule of law and said it was as essential as the right to vote.Lord Nazir remarked that Pakistan has two national leaders in Nawaz Sharif and the late Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who visited the House of Lords last year in July. He said both leaders enjoy enormous support in their country and criticised the toppling of the democratically elected government in 1999.He thanked Nawaz Sharif on the behalf of the British Kashmiris and Pakistanis for fighting for democracy, rule of law, restoration of judiciary. Lord Ahmad assured his complete support until Pakistan returns to the rule of law, justice for ordinary people, democracy and economy development of the country as well.

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.

Pakistan Muslim League-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif Thursday said the talks for the freedom of judiciary were continued, and hoped that the talks would reach to a positive conclusion. In an exclusive chat with Geo News in Dubai, Nawaz Sharif questioned the reason of People’s Party’s shrinking back from its earlier stand on the issue. Nov. 3, was the darkest day of the national history. It was the biggest tragedy, he said. “We have faced that cruel act and will restore the judges with dignity to their offices.” “I pray for our unity but the enemy doesn’t want to see us united,” he further said. “We are trying our utmost to remain united and get the independent judiciary restored,” he further said. Mian Nawaz Sharif said that the accord for restoration of judges had a deadline of 30 days, which could not be fulfilled but we will try to the extreme to fulfill our commitment. In case of failure of the talks the parliamentary party would take final decision, he further said. He said the man that has pushed the country to such a situation must be made accountable. The problems of the country could not be resolved without an independent judiciary, he added.

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.

Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif will leave for Dubai today in a bid to end the stalemate in talks on restoration of judges with Peoples Party. He would meet Co Chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party Asif Ali Zardari tomorrow. There is only one day left in a deadline for the restoration of the judges. Sources said that this would be the final dialogue between Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif.

The Head of Pakistan Muslim League-N Nawaz Sharif has said those who violated the constitution, law and assemblies would be brought to justice. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad Nawaz Sharif said there was no ambiguity over reinstatement of judges according to the Murree declaration and PML-N would like judges to be restored before April 30 through an executive order. PML-N head said restoring of deposed judges was not a criminal act for which President Musharraf would use 58-2-B. Nawaz said he wanted no role of army in politics and would never become part of dictatorship. Regarding Pemra ordinance, Nawaz Sharif said there should not be any restrictions on the press and media and Pemra ordinance was no more in place. A delegation of Islamabad Union of Journalists called on Nawaz Sharif in which PML-N leader eulogized struggle of journalists for the cause of democracy and free media in Pakistan.

The Head of Pakistan Muslim League-N Mian Nawaz Sharif has said those who violated the constitution, law and assemblies would be brought to justice.Addressing a press conference in Islamabad Nawaz Sharif said there was no ambiguity over reinstatement of judges according to the Murree declaration and PML-N would like judges to be restored before April 30 through an executive order. PML-N head said restoring of deposed judges was not a criminal act for which President Musharraf would use 58-2-B. Sharif said he wanted no role of army in politics and would never become part of dictatorship.Regarding Pemra ordinance, Nawaz Sharif said there should not be any restrictions on the press and media and Pemra ordinance was no more in place. A delegation of Islamabad Union of Journalists called on Mian Nawaz Sharif in which PML-N leader eulogized struggle of journalists for the cause of democracy and free media in Pakistan.

Muslim League- N Quaid, has said that he would contest election; the ruling alliance wanted framing law in parliament for the ouster of President Pervez Musharraf and in agreement on the re-instatement of all the judges within 30 days, while the law experts were preparing pertinent draft resolution for presentation in the parliament. Talking to an Indian TV, he said that the former Army Chief Pervez Musharraf should abdicate honouring the decision of the people. Nawaz Sharif insisted that he neither made any deal with Pervez Musharraf nor his stance has softened. Pervez Musharraf stood isolated and now he would have to go, as there was no role for any autocrat in the democratic set up, he said. Responding to a question, he said that he would definitely be participating in the election. ML-N Quaid said that he has no personal enmity with Pervez Musharraf. PPP and ML-N were in agreement on the reinstatement of judges within 30 days and there was difference between the two parties on this matter, while law experts were busy in preparing the pertinent draft law for its presentation in the parliament. Rubbishing Indian Interior ministry report, he said that there was no terrorists’ training camp in Pakistan.