Source: International Herald Tribune
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: With a self-imposed deadline looming, Pakistani leaders had yet to clinch a deal Sunday on reinstating judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf, an issue that has threatened to break up the ruling coalition.
U.S.-backed Musharraf removed dozens of judges and declared emergency rule in November to halt legal challenges to his presidency.
Anti-Musharraf parties won February parliamentary elections, putting together a coalition government that has promised to reinstate the judges — a move that could increase pressure on Musharraf to resign if the courts revisit his eligibility for office.
But ruling coalition officials have failed to agree on the mechanics of the reinstatement, raising the prospect of an end to their partnership after just six weeks.
After missing an April 30 deadline to resolve the issue, coalition leaders said they were aiming to introduce a parliamentary resolution on the matter by Monday. Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif, the leaders of the two main coalition parties, met Friday in London. Negotiators from the parties also met Saturday and Sunday, but no agreement had come by Sunday evening.
Zardari and Sharif also met separately Sunday with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, who was visiting London at the time. Elizabeth Colton, spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, confirmed the meetings.
She did not reveal what the meetings entailed. But in response to reports that they were on the topic of the judges, Colton said: “The restoration of judges is Pakistan’s issue to solve. It is not for the United States to prescribe solutions.”
Sharif, a former prime minister ousted by Musharraf in a 1999 coup, has demanded outright restoration of the deposed judges. But Zardari has linked their reinstatement to broader judicial reforms.
Complex legal and political issues, including the status of the judges Musharraf installed after the purge, have proved stumbling blocks to a deal.
Farhatullah Babar, of Zardari’s party, said meetings late Saturday and early Sunday in London made some progress.
“We believe that differences have been narrowed and hope to achieve a consensus soon,” he said Sunday morning, insisting, “There is no impasse.”
But Sadiqul Farooq, a spokesman for Sharif’s party, said Sunday the negotiations have made “no tangible achievement on the question of restoring the judges.”
“We cannot reject the impression that the coalition has reached a make or break point,” Farooq said.
He said if the deadline is not met, party leaders will meet Monday to consider their future in the coalition, including whether to quit the Cabinet or even shift to the opposition.
Later Sunday, Babar confirmed that party negotiators had met again. Sharif was scheduled to arrive back in Pakistan early Monday, Farooq said.
Sharif’s party has argued that the government could issue a simple order to bring back the judges after the parliamentary resolution.
A senior party colleague of Zardari reacted sharply Saturday to Sharif’s suggestion that police could escort the justices back to their jobs.
“If police restore the judges … then there will be a political and constitutional crisis,” Information Minister Sherry Rehman said. “We need to be responsible and avoid unnecessary confrontation at a time when Pakistan is beset with so much conflicts and economic and social pressures.”
Rehman was referring to concern that Musharraf and his allies could seek to block the return of Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry as chief justice.
Musharraf has accused Chaudhry of corruption and conspiring against his plan to guide Pakistan back to democracy after eight years of his military rule.
Zardari insists judges sworn into the Supreme Court after the purge be retained so they do not oppose the new government in a legal tussle that would cast the country into political turmoil.
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Associated Press writer Nahal Toosi and Zarar Khan contributed to this report.
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Tags: Coalition Government, Emergency, Judges, Musharraf, nawaz sharif, Supreme Court, Zardari
2 responses so far ↓
1 Ilyas khan baloch // May 12, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Dear Sir/Madam,
They failed to deliver solution of the burning issues? Do we realise that the
Change of Socio-political system is inevitable for the prosperity of the people
and Pakistan.
Pakistan is passing through a crucial time and is in imminent need for system, instead of change of faces, let the people of Pakistan be the real stack holder and empower them to decide the fate of their generation.
Since the creation of Pakistan the Pakistani people are left at distant from the corridor of power so that the ruling elite can do what they wanted to do in favour of their interest, leaving the Pakistani people at the mercy of circumstances. As this policy is denial of right of Pakistani people to rule their country according to their aspiration and desire to built this country, which can provide equal opportunity to all without any discrimination for the establishment of welfare society. Only the society base on tolerance, equality and justice can be the real guarantee for the prosperous and strong Pakistan there for your intent is invited to the crucial movement which could be the point of distraction or disaster.
No one has dare to trust the Pakistani people and involved them in to the day to day decision making process with intention to develop a sense of participation in to the decision making process affecting the future of their country and their generation at large and share the real benefit of democracy, but, due to the conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits, deprivation and opinions of the masses being an important element within so-called democratic society, they manipulate this elements of society to constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.
Sometimes the effect on the public is created by a professional propagandist, sometimes by an amateur deputed for the situation. The important thing is that it is universal and continuous; and in its sum total is regimenting the public mind every bit by bit, as possible to keep the masses away from the corridor of power. The systematic study of mass psychology, revealed to the ruling click the potentialities of (indiscernible groups within the society) manipulation of the society by actuate man, It is essential moments for all patriotic and intellectual to sincerely think and understand the mechanism and motives of the ruling elite, the way they practice, propagate has provided a clue that it is possible, at least up to a certain extent and within certain limits that, we can introduce the alternate socio-political system to replace the present undemocratic system.
Because ,It will be difficult to expect any thing positive at this stage because, return of political leadership of PPP and PML(N) to Pakistan was subject to condition, political coalition cannot take creative action or dare to change policy in the national interest till general Musharaf is as president, current government need to take patriotic political decision in the interest of Pakistan without fear of American anger or their commitment and support during mediation process with USA, but the national interest has again been ignored for the sake of power and external interest.
The time is rapidly changing; the voice of the people especially wise and snooty idea could not be stopped any more. The honest struggle of the people, regarding the Change of socio-political system will affect the heart and mind of the people, and once Pakistani made up their mind for the change of system,we will succeed in creating public opinion.
We have already lost the major part of Pakistan in 1971 simply to save the centralized sole power to exploit this country by the ruling elite they let the country break in part then allowing the masses to rule this country democratically. In the present circumstances we are again dragging our sovereignty at stack for the external interest in the name of national interest, instead of our interest i.e. the interest of Pakistani people at large.
The question of the time is,do we really deserve further destruction of our country ? or do we need the stable Pakistan, of our dream ?. Now the ball is in the courts of all patriotic people, intellectual ,women,youth ,laborer, farmers, media and those believed in the might, peace and prosperity of Pakistan.
The only way out of these crucial circumstances is to empower the common Pakistani at grass route level i.e. the change of system. This change is inevitable for the prosperous Pakistan .As a citizen of this country I have suggested an alternate socio-political system to empower the masses at grass route level for rapid industrial and agriculture development with transparency and accountability in the system. Along with basic guarantees for the creation of welfare state, where in public representative and institution shall be answerable and accountable to the masses. As a person I cannot turn the table but together we can.
Kindly acknowledge with your comments.
Kindly see web site….www.idp.org.pk
Ilyas khan Baloch
Organizer Islamic Democratic Party
2 MMS // May 13, 2008 at 7:08 pm
the change in the socio-economic system is not like replacing an old engine in a car. The engines come ready to use when it is installed but changing the socio-economic system that has evolved in centuries and is inherently exploitive is not so easy. please see wspforum.com for ideas to change the system
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