Little love lost as reconciliation fiat strives for parliament nod
Sharif's party makes its opposition to Musharraf decree very clear
Islamabad: The fate of a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) which helped former military ruler Pervez Musharraf rescue many a corruption-tainted political career, hangs in the balance, much to the chagrin of the beneficiaries.
In accordance with a July 31 verdict of the Supreme Court, the NRO along with other ordinances came up for parliamentary consideration earlier this month.
The overwhelming opinion across the legal fraternity is strongly against the NRO, which was promulgated by Musharraf on October 5, 2007 as part of a deal with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated about seven weeks later.
An estimated 2,500 politicians, bureaucrats and others benefitted from the NRO amnesty — including Bhutto's spouse Asif Ali Zardari, now President and co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
The main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as well as other parties have vowed to resist the bill in both the National Assembly and Senate in the weeks ahead.
The ruling party's allies — Awami National Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Jamiat Ulema Islam — have not proclaimed open support either.
"Instead of disowning the NRO, the ruling party and its members seem intent upon rubbing the legislature's face in dirt by approving an abominable law," wrote Babar Sattar, an Islamabad-based lawyer, in a newspaper article.
His remarks echoed views of numerous critics who want NRO beneficiaries not to seek refuge behind a discriminatory decree.
Even if it is passed by parliament, the NRO would still be open to judicial review on the principle of constitutionality and fundamental rights — as was made clear in the July verdict of the top court. Against this background, Zardari has invited Sharif to a dinner meeting today and the latter has accepted the invitation.
PML-N parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said in an interview published on Saturday that Sharif would press for undoing the concentration of power in the office of the president and allowing a greater say for parliament.
"President Zardari will be thoroughly disappointed if he sought Nawaz Sharif's support for the smooth passage of the NRO by the parliament," Khan said.
