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 Fakhruddin 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.
@patexpat In no way I meant to cast any reflections on your education. And I do not think people need high education for awareness of politics. Infact I beleive “jis tan lage , woh bas jane”and thats what I meant when I said you wouldnt understand, and that is why I dont need to convey it to the majority of population. They know better. Its a different thing to wish for prosperity of ones country and a different thing to struggle for smallest things in life. First one applies to almost all of us here, second one does not to most of us.
Anyways, I seriously beg your pardon for any personal offense on my part.
@Babar
Not to make this a personal issue but I used to consider myself reasonably educated if not highly. If I , again with a reasonably open mind, can’t get what you are trying to say, how do you expect to explain it to the majority of the population. Or you don’t think it matters what they think since they are illiterate or semi-literate.
I am not advocating you voting for JI, god forbid. But at least it has a democratic culture within it which you find lacking in other progressive parties.
@ patexpat I was talking about the so called democratic party of USA . Incidently democracy itself is not an issue in US. And I know JI inside and out . I would personaly rather go and join mazdoor kisan party, but as it is they have remotest hope of power. But dont bother, you wouldnt get what I am advocating here. BTW NS is quite benevolant in his personal alms giving to poor school building etc. So I think he is the right choice for us.
The following is a good group for following Pakistani politics and developments:
http://groups.google.com/group/proud-pakistanis
MY COMMENTS WERE PURELY IN CONTEXT OF THE ARTICLE – ABOUT THE SUPREME COURTS JUDGEMENT
IN THE SAHRIF BROTHER’S (USING THAT TERM VERY LOOSELY) CASE
I did not in any case imply that all other politicians are white as snow and angels.
We also have the OTHER option of the Sussex lady, which is in most ways even worse.
That supports my question of “Are we ready for and deserve democracy”. When the masses have no inkling of the issues, the parties have no accountability and democracy in their own ranks, when how one votes is IMPOSED by the ujagirdar, chowdry or Malik. Why dont they serve the people even when they are not in power. There are umpteen ways they can do that, build schools, provide clean drinking water, open hospitals and treat the sick. It is already being done by some Pakistanis on a personal and private basis. Why claim that they will fix all problems and make Pakistan a land opf milk and honey but ONL when they come to pwer. Yes, they will do that, for themselves!
Why is it that they have to be the lords and masters and treat the country as their private estate and the leadership as a hereditary right. WHY can there be not someonme else from their party to be a canduiidate for the top slot (I will tell you why, because they want power and the means to amass wealth and control).
The masses deserve better!