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.
An animation
This short animation film made in 2004 has been awaiting public screening for a long time.
Now that the Supreme Court of Pakistan has nullified the “agreement” between Nawaz Sharif and the present military government, thus giving Nawaz Sharif the chance to go back to Pakistan, I believe this film would really turn stale if it does not reach you right away. So, here it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQtJc8b6pik
First it was Imran Khan now Asma Jahangir.. Is it time for MQM to mend it’s ways? If anyone made Musharraf’s position weak, it was MQM’s mayhem in Karachi on May 12th!
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KARACHI: MQM slams Asma Jahangir
DAWN Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 16: Terming Asma Jahangir a `chauvinist lady’, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has advised her to form a political party instead of making `cheap’ statements against the MQM under the cover of human rights.
In a statement issued here on Wednesday, the MQM MNAs criticized Ms Jahangir, the chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, for her ‘biased political views’ against the party and advised her to form a ‘chauvinist party’.
They alleged she had secret relations with the Pakistan People’s Party and that the MQM was collecting evidence against her to inform the public and the media about her alleged wrongdoings.
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HRCP calls for disarming MQM
Lahore, 13 May 2007 : [Top] [Print]
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is deeply aggrieved at the loss of life and bloodshed caused by the violence perpetuated in Karachi on Saturday.
In a statement here on Sunday, it said all reports indicated that it was the result of a calculated adventure hatched by the Presidency and the MQM with co-operation of the Sindh government. “The aim is to silence, depress, and decimate the civil society of Pakistan. It was a militant act to deny people their freedom of expression and association. The blocking of roads, arming MQM militants who took positions at strategic roadblocks, and ignoring the directions of the Sindh High Court were all carried out by the government.”
The HRCP said at each occasion of the Chief Justice’s visit to bar association, the government had issued warnings of security risks. “At the same time, government rallies are being regularly held at the cost of taxpayers and the local residents. The vulgar show of celebrations held at Islamabad soon after the massacre in Karachi appeared to be designed to ridicule the loss of innocent lives. Only a callous, irresponsible and an unrepresentative government could have celebrated in Islamabad while Karachi burnt.
The events in Karachi indicate that the government, in collusion with the MQM wants to return Karachi to a state of ethnic hostilities and use the politics of prejudice to achieve its ends. These heinous acts have exposed the extent to which the MQM is willing to go in its support for an unpopular military leader. It is now imperative that the MQM be disarmed so that the citizens of Karachi can live in peace and security.
HRCP calls upon other political forces and civil society to defuse ethnic polarization in order to prevent further such incidents. At the same time, HRCP encourages the bar associations to continue with their peaceful struggle for the supremacy of the rule of law. The lawyers’ movement has given a ray of hope to the disempowered people of Pakistan as was obvious by the solidarity shown to them. It is an opportunity to unite rather than divide.
“For Whom the Bell Tolls”
Ishaq Khakwani’s desertion has set the bells tolling::
http://free-pakistan.blogspot.com/2007/08/for-whom -bell-tolls.html
nawaz sharif is a good andhonest man and i think that all the cases on nawaz by government are trueless and dirty.these cases are of the govt but they search a man who for these cases which is not in the country.musharef have to go now and the deal is now dead so be happy all the PML Ns workers that our tiger is now comming soon….nawaz sharif we all are with you
Musharraf would never leave voluntarily. He has to be kicked out else we might have Mugabe amongst us. SC is the only saving grace for the nation.
PatExpat:
I think the government is sending out all these threats through the media, but it is in no position to get a two-thirds majority to make the amendments to strip the courts of their powers or to reduce the tenure of judges. In any case, any such moves are probably going to be challanged in the courts and bring the lawyers out in protest again.
Mush has only two options. Either he can agree to give up both offices himself and get a safe exit, or he can try to fight the civil society openly and get kicked out. A high treason case will most probably await him in the latter case, so if he has any sense (which seems doubtful) he would be thinking about quitting.
The latest on the grapevine is Mush & Co. is thinking of removing the power of taking suo moto action from Judges of Supreme Court.
Now the diminishing genre, known as the Musharraf supporters, have started calling the SC’s decisions “biased”. They didn’t find these decisions any biased when they were for Mush and not against him.
When the SC gives a verdict its not the CJP’s individual decision but the decision of more than one judges of the Supreme Court.
Also Mush supporters must realize that his government is illegal and unconstitutional and cannot stand any ground in any independent court. So if the SC has now discovered the constitution it goes to the SC’s credit and not against them. That is how Pakistan should be governed and not some arrogant General who has no regard for the law, the constitution or the people.