World | Pakistan
Sharif cuts short deadline for judges
Former premier Nawaz Sharif has demanded the deposed judges' reinstatement tomorrow, giving a new twist to the lingering row over the issue with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari.
- By Shahid Hussain, Correspondent
- Published: 23:47 August 23, 2008
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Islamabad: Former premier Nawaz Sharif has demanded the deposed judges' reinstatement on Monday, giving a new twist to the lingering row over the issue with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari.
Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif gave the revised deadline on Saturday after a PPP delegation met him at his Raiwind estate near Lahore to seek support to the expected candidature of Zardari for the presidency.
Only a day before, Sharif along with the leaders of Awami National party and Jamiat Ulema Islam, both also part of the ruling coalition, had announced an understanding with PPP to restore the judges on Wednesday after adoption of a resolution by the National Assembly.
"We have asked the PPP to inform us on whether or not the judges will be restored on Monday," the former prime minister told a news conference at Raiwind, which was shown live by domestic television channels.
Early polls
He linked the decision to advance the deadline to unexpected early announcement of presidential polls on September 6 by the Election Commission for which the candidatures are to be filed on Tuesday.
Sharif did not indicate how his party would react to a negative PPP response, but said a meeting of the PML-N lawmakers and central executive members would be held in Islamabad to discuss the matter.
"The National Assembly can pass a resolution Monday morning and judges can be reinstated in the evening the same day through an executive order," he said.
Earlier the PPP delegation including leader of the house in the Senate Raza Rabbani and information minister Sherry Rehman held talks with Sharif.
Rabbani told reporters after the meeting that a joint committee of the two parties would meet tomorrow morning ahead of the National Assembly session to be held the same day.
No comment
"We are moving in that direction," Rabbani said, when asked whether a resolution for restoration of the judges would be moved. He however avoided comment on the new PML-N deadline.
However, Rabbani expressed the confidence that coalition partners would support Zardari for the presidency.
Sharif voiced his party's dismay over non-implementation of agreements Zardari had signed with him for the reinstatement of the dozens of judges sacked by former president Pervez Musharraf last year.
He said the last agreement on August 7 had clearly laid down that the judges would be reinstated through a National Assembly resolution and executive order within 24 hours after Musharraf's exit.
Sharif said the understanding regarding the next president was that PPP would have a right to nominate its candidate after removing the 17th amendment to the constitution that had legitimised excessive presidential powers for the benefit of Musharraf.
Asif Ali Zardari won the unanimous backing of lawmakers from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Friday but has yet to announce if he will stand in the September 6 poll.
National stature
For the interim period the PML-N wanted a person in the presidency who should have national stature, non-partisan image and be rather detached from politics, Sharif said, adding that coalition partners should make the choice with consensus.
He said his party had a right to presidency as the prime minister and speaker of the National Assembly were from PPP, but it had decided not to vie for the office in the larger national interest.
Describing the agreement between PPP and PML-N as a "sacred document," Sharif dwelt at length on his party's unwavering commitment to restore the judiciary as it was before Musharraf's November 3, 2007 emergency proclamation.
The Pakistan Peoples Party announced yesterday its co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari would be its candidate in the presidential election scheduled for September 6 following the exit of General Pervez Musharraf.
Raza Rabbani, PPP deputy secretary general and leader of the house in the Senate, made the announcement, saying Zardari had accepted the unanimous desire of the party and its lawmakers that he should become next president.
"It is my privilege to make the decision public and inshallah he will be elected next president of Pakistan," he said.
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