Adil Najam
In yet another historic decision, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has decided that former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, exiled by Gen. Musharaf, can return to Pakistan. According to The News:
The Supreme Court of Pakistan in a landmark verdict on constitutional petitions of Mian Nawaz Sharif and his brother Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Thursday announced that Sharif Brothers are Pakistanis and can return home and participate in the national politics. The seven-member larger bench of the apex court, led by Chief Justice Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, in a brief judgment said that under Article-15 of the constitution, the petitioners are citizens of Pakistan and therefore their petition is hearable. According to the Supreme Court’s decision, under Article 3 of the constitution no citizen of the country can be kept outside the country and cannot be stopped from his or her return to home.
The document presented by the government on previous day has no constitutional position. Senior lawyer Fakhrudd
in G. Ibrahim appeared before the court in the case on behalf of Sharif Brothers. Attorney-General Malik Qayyum, Ahmed Raza Kasuri and Ibrahim Satti were the counsels of the federation. Reacting on the decision, Hamza Shahbaz, son of Nawaz Sharif, talking with Geo News said that the Supreme Court’s decision is the victory of Nawaz Sharif’s eight-year stand. During these eight years, Sharif Brothers have spent very hard time. He said that this decision is not the victory of any individual but of Pakistan.
The Pakistan Muslim League (N) has welcomed the verdict announced by the larger bench of the Supreme Court. Leader of party Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that a delegation of his party would soon go to London to determine the procedure of the Sharif Brothers’ returning home. Immediate after the decision, people seemed very enthusiast outside the Supreme Court and thousands of PML (N) workers chanted slogans.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has, once again, rendered a decision that has not just created a buzz but effectively changed the entire political landscape of Pakistan. The big news here is the potential return of Nawaz Sharif but the continuing big news is that the institutional reincarnation of the Supreme Court of Pakistan which has become which has effectively become what it was meant to be. The final arbiter of constitutional sheninigans by political forces.
This means that unless extraordinary measures are taken by the government, we could be set for a real political showdown in the next elections. What this does to PML(Q) - or for that matter to PML (N) as well as other parties - is to be seen. But heads will already be spinning about which karwatt this oont will eventually settle.
It is also interesting that while all the deal-talk went on between Benazir Bhutto and Pervaiz Musharraf, Nawaz Sharif’s political capital might actually have been expanding. Even if he had stuck to principal just because he could not do otherwise, there are many who have actually found his stand to be ‘principled’ and it is likely that between that and this decision, his political capital has in fact increased… at least in the short term. What remains to be seen is whether he and his party will be able to politically capitalize on this; and how.
I need a special permit too!
See: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009 84\story_4-8-2009_pg7_12
He should have bought it for Zoo where children can see it and not for his own amusement. Power hungry sharief brothers have yet shown again that all they care about is their own interests.
Nawaz Sharif came back and resumed his dirty politics of the 1990’s.
prime minister pakistan Mian Nawaz Sharif zindabad
nawaz sharif is pakistani prime minister
hum sub pakistani hain
hum sub pakistani hain
hum sub pakistani hain
Nawaz Sharif is very coorupt person.
“For a politician whose sycophantic colleagues boast that she is closer to the pulse of the people than any of her rivals, BB’s decision to do a deal with Pakistan’s uniformed president indicates the exact opposite. She is sadly out of touch. General Musharraf is now deeply unpopular here. It is not often that one can actually observe power draining away from a political leader. And the lifeline being thrown to him in the shape of an over-blown Benazir might sink together with him.
An indication that she was not completely unaware of this came a few days ago when she declared that her decision was “approved” by the “international community” always a code-word for Washington) and the Pakistan army (well, yes). In short, Pakistani public opinion was irrelevant.
The mood among sections of the street - I am currently in Lahore - is summed up in a cruel taunt: “People’s Party de ballay, ballay / ade kanjar, ade dallay” (Marvel at the People Party / half-whore and half-pimp). The fact is that people are disgusted with politics and see politicians as crooks out to make money and feed the greed of the networks they patronise and which double up as useful vote banks.
Pakistan being Pakistan, many observers are convinced that even if the deal is consummated it will be of short duration”.
(Tariq Ali/The Guardian/30-08-07)
nawaz is not coming back he is way to comfy in his london loft, his political career was born out of ZIA’s Regressive regime, any one who supports this person must be out of his/her mind!!!haa
My way or the highway says BB to those opposing dela-making in PPP:
http://free-pakistan.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-way-o r-highway-says-benazir-bhutto.html
Coming back to the topic, Nawaz Sharif is coming back on the 10th of september as you all probably know by now.
Ali Raza,
Cool down! Leaving presidency is not the the end of world.
Let Musharraf enjoy his millions that he made be writing his book.