Pakistan Information & News

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 PPP Members National Assembly have advised the Co-Chairman of party Senator Asif Ali Zardari to become the next President of Pakistan.

Some also asked senator to concentrate on party matters instead of involving Presidential candidature issue on the resignation of Prevez Musharraf Asif Zardari arranged a welcome party in honour of partys Members National Assembly here addressing the party Asif Zardari said that central executive committee would decide presidential issue and the consensus of the coalition partners would be sought on the issue and resignation of Musharraf is the success of democracy and the other standing issues would be resolved soon following the due political process with the support of coalition partners he added. On the occasion, Party’s MNAs assured Zardari of their fully extended support if he resolves to be a candidate for Presidency. President of Supreme Court Bar Association Chaudhry Atizaz Ahsan also met with Zardari.

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 The negotiations between PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif have successfully ended here in Islamabad on early Thursday and according to the sources the government has decided to withdraw the notification.

Which was issued for the reinstatement of the eight Sindh High Court SHC deposed judges who were to take oath in governor house today and the joint declaration would be issued later on providing the details of decisions made during the negotiations of the coalition government.

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 The government took a controversial path on Wednesday to partly deal with the burning issue of deposed judges using the new budget to increase the Supreme Courts strength to 29 judges from 16 but the move on the eve of the scheduled arrival of a lawyers protest march in Islamabad seemed to fit into similarly disputed plans of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party PPP to reinstate the deposed judges without disturbing those who filled the vacancies after mass sackings in the superior courts under an extra constitutional emergency declared by President Pervez Musharraf last November. The number of posts of judges of the Supreme Court is being increased from 16 to 29 minister in charge of finance Naveed Qamar told the National Assembly in his budget speech and this will mean the Supreme Court strength fixed by a Judges Act of 1997 will be increased through a finance bill which being a money bill needs to be passed by only the 342 seat National Assembly to become law and unlike ordinary bills does not need approval of the hundred seat Senate as well. A section of the Finance Bill tabled in the house after the announcement of the budget says in the Supreme Court no of Judges Act 1997 {XXXIII} of 1997 in section two for the words be sixteen the words not more than twenty nine shall be substituted and shall be deemed always to have been so substituted on the 3rd of November 2007 but the new move, which came shortly after the opposition tried to raise tempers over the lawyers march to be calmed by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is likely to be argued for and against both in parliament and outside. The PPP and its partners in the present coalition government have been opposing similar moves by the previous government to made amendments in non financial laws through the Finance Bill and while no justification for the move was immediately available from the PPP a Jamaat I Islami senator Prof Mohammad Ibrahim called the move a daka robbery of the rights of the upper house where pro Musharraf opposition parties have the majority and just before the budget speech Raza Hayat Harraj of the formerly ruling Pakistan Muslim League complained of what he called a contempt of the house by a reported remark of the Supreme Court Bar Association president Aitzaz Ahsan that parliament was a hurdle in the way of reinstatement of the deposed judges. The prime minister said the present one was no rubber stamp parliament and that they should not take us lightly but he avoided commenting on reported Punjab and NWFP refusal to provide police force to Islamabad administration to deal with the lawyers march.

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PPP Party co chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday approved a draft of the 18th Constitution Amendment Bill and, according to the law ministry the modified document will now be sent to other coalition partners in order to arrive at a consensus before its presentation in parliament. The law ministrys announcement that the constitutional package had been approved by the party chief came as a surprise because Mr Zardari is not a part of the government. A source said that changes included a new clause in Article 243 of the Constitution which proposes to authorise the prime minister to declare war in case of an external aggression. Only the prime minister will have the final authority to grant permission to resort to such an extreme step sources said. Although Article 243 lays down that the federal government will control and command the armed forces clause 1-A states without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision the supreme command of the armed forces will vest in the president. Clause 2 of Article 243 says the president will have the power to raise and maintain the military naval and air forces and the reserves of such forces and to grant commission in such forces. Sub clause 3 of the provision says that the president, in consultation with the prime minister will appoint the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff, besides determining their salary and allowances. The law minister is scheduled to meet PML N chief Nawaz Sharif in Raiwind on Sunday to deliver a copy of the draft. An announcement by the law ministry said a sealed copy of the package had been delivered to Bushra Gohar the vice president of the Awami National Party ANP because the partys president Asfandyar Wali Khan was in Karachi. Farooq Naek also talked on phone with Maulana Fazalur Rehman, who is currently in Saudi Arabia. On his request, the law minister handed over the package to his representative Mufti Abrar. A representative of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has also received a copy of the draft. The party would now send the copy to its chief Altaf Hussain in London and local governament. Earlier presiding over a meeting of the National Reconstruction Bureau NRB the law minister said the government had decided to scrap the local government system introduced in 2001 as all provinces had expressed reservations over the arrangement. The Constitution would be amended for this purpose. Farooq Naek said there was a proposal to revive the previous local bodies system and the proposed constitutional package also contained some clauses in it. In this regard amendments had also been suggested in the package as the local government system was protected under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution according to which it could not be changed without the president’s permission. Either that or the government would have had to wait till 2009 when provincial governments could amend the existing system. The PPP was already working on a plan to suggest changes in the Local Government Ordinance and the Police Order because both the PPP and the PML N believed that the local government system had ruined the provincial governments administrative control. On May 24 after attending the meeting of the central executive committee of the PPP Mr Naek had unveiled the salient feature of the package mainly aimed at cutting presidential powers and ensuring parliament’s sovereignty. The package includes suggestions to revoke the president’s power to dismiss the government and transfer his authority to appoint provincial governors and heads of the armed forces services and delegate it to the prime minister. The amendments also included a bar on the president running for office for more than two terms. The PPP has also proposed to amend Article 1 of the Constitution under which the name of the NWFP North West Frontier Province will be changed to Pakhtoonkhwa. Through another amendment in Article 6 of the Constitution, it has been suggested that superior court judges, who validated military takeovers in future and take oaths under provisional constitution orders PCOs would be liable to be tried under high treason. Through another proposed amendment, minorities are being given representation in the Senate. The bill suggests that there should be five minority members ‘one from each province and one from the federal capital’ in the Senate that will take the total number of the members of the Upper House to 105. At present there are 100 Senators. The bill also suggests amending Article 63 which deals with disqualification of a person from becoming a member of parliament. Under the existing provision in Article 63 g a person who defames or brings into ridicule the judiciary or the armed forces cannot become a member of parliament. Now there will be no such provision in the constitution, if the proposed bill is passed. The bill also suggests that in future caretaker governments at centre and provinces will be appointed in consultation with prime minister senate chairman and speakers of the National and provincial assemblies. The PPP is also inclined to do away with the law under which an elected person can simultaneously hold two government offices. The proposed bill also envisages abolition of the concurrent list to grant more autonomy to the provinces. The party has also suggested that the Council of Common Interests CCI and the National Finance Commission NFC be made more effective to remove grievances of the provinces on major issues.

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The Pakistan Muslim League N on Tuesday agreed to most points of the PPP-proposed constitutional package but demanded reinstatement of the deposed judges through a parliamentary resolution in accordance with the Murree Declaration before tabling of the 18th Constitution Amendment Bill in the National Assembly sources in the two parties said. The PML-N sources said party chief Nawaz Sharif called for an early impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf during his meeting with PPP co chairman Asif Zardari at the Punjab House in Islamabad. Mr Zardari briefed Mr Sharif on salient features of the 62 point constitutional package which he said was designed to pave the way for reinstatement of the deposed judges and ensuring the supremacy of parliament. It was the first meeting between the heads of the two main parties of the ruling coalition after the PML N pulled out of the federal cabinet on May 13 over the judges issue. Earlier Mr Sharif had stated he would meet Mr Zardari only after the PPP came up with some concrete proposals on the judges issue. Mr Sharif visited Islamabad two to three times in the last two weeks but did not meet Mr Zardari. On Tuesday he specially came to the federal capital to meet Mr Zardari  a move which showed the two sides were serious about keeping the coalition intact. Farzana Raja a PPP MNA MNA elect Aftab Shaban Mirani and former MNA Nayyar Bokhari accompanied Mr Zardari. Mr Sharif was assisted in the talks by PML N president Shahbaz Sharif Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Ishaq Dar and Ahsan Iqbal. Law Minister Farooq Naek and some other major PPP leaders and ministers who have been holding talks with the PML-N on the judges issue for the past three months were conspicuous by their absence from the meeting. The leaders of the two parties avoided talking to reporters who had gathered outside the Punjab House situated near the official residence of deposed chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. Political observers believe that the decision by Mr Zardari and Mr Sharif not to speak to the media shows that they are still trying to remove differences. Sources told Dawn Mr Sharif had assured Mr Zardari that PML N would support the PPP on all those points in the amendment bill that were in line with the Charter of Democracy. The PML N also supported the move to clip the powers of President Pervez Musharraf by scrapping the Article 58 2 b and transferring the authority to appoint governors and services chiefs from the president to the prime minister. Ahsan Iqbal, a PML N leader told reporters his party wanted restoration of the judges in accordance with the Murree Declaration. He refused to comment on the proposed constitutional package saying that PML N would respond only after getting a draft of the bill. In reply to a question about the impeachment of President Musharraf he said it was the desire of his party that the government should immediately take this step. According to a handout issued by the newly established Zardari House press office the meeting between the PPP and PML N leaders concluded that the proposed constitutional package would be presented in parliament after developing a consensus among coalition partners. The handout said that Mr Zardari had presented his point of view and explained the salient features of the constitutional package to the PML N leadership. He asked Mr Sharif to support the PPP so that the supremacy of parliament and civilian institutions could be restored. Both sides agreed that all issues including the issue of judges restoration would be settled through talks. Law Minister Farooq Naek is likely to present the package to PML N legal experts in a day or two.

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The co-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Asif Ali Zardari has said that draft of 62 points constitutional package has been finalized which will be sent to the Prime Minister and PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif and the coalition parties. Addressing SAFMA conference here he said the lawyers must be legal experts but they need not teach politics to the PPP. We also want the restoration of the judiciary but not through any short cut method. He said PPP is forefront flag-bearer of democracy and it is PPP which brought democracy in the country by laying down sacrifices. We would even appreciate those who want prove they are greater supporter of democracy he added. PPP has never backed out of its promises and we also want restoration of the deposed judges but there is a modus operandi to achieve this goal. Asif Zardari said. In this regard he informed that a 62 point constitutional package has been put in black and white but added it is not a final document because ideas from others will also be incorporated in it. He said the constitutional package could be presented before the federal budget and proposed  amendments would ensure supremacy of 1973 constitution. He said roots of democracy were not firm and would take some time for its consolidation. PPP co-chairman said that democracy was key to solving all the issues and PPP had never disappointed the nation. He said PPP would always support media and if any minister fails to deliver then media should report it.

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PPP on Thursday launched a tirade against President Pervez Musharraf with party co chairman Asif Ali Zardari declaring him a stumbling block in the way of smooth-sailing towards democracy and a party spokesman announcing that they will clip the presidential powers come what may. Reacting to reports in media that President Musharraf might react strongly if the coalition government tried his powers or made an attempt to impeach him through a proposed constitutional package, PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Asif Zardari was keen on winning and retaining the trust and confidence of the people of Pakistan and not of any individual. Mr Zardari in an interview with Press Trust of India news agency admitted that he was under tremendous pressure to oust President Musharraf from his office. The public Mr Zardari said was telling the PPP that we dont want bread we dont want electricity but we want him Mr Musharraf out. Earlier Mr Zardari had been criticising the president in vague terms and it was for the first time since the Feb 18 general elections that he openly hit out at Gen retd Musharraf. Political experts believe that Mr Zardari has taken this new stance after realising that the graph of his partys popularity is sliding down due to a general perception that the PPP has reached an underhand deal with the president on certain issues particularly on the issue of reinstatement of the deposed judges. They believe that this apparent shift in Mr Zardaris stance will help him clarify his position and improve his image in the eyes of the general public. Mr Zardari told the PTI that President Musharraf was a relic of the past standing between the people of Pakistan and democracy and there was tremendous pressure on the new government to ensure his ouster. He said that although Musharraf still held considerable powers, the PPP-led coalition had to abide by the wishes of the people who wanted the military ruler to leave his post. He Musharraf has taken off his uniform thanks to the dialogue by my wife Benazir Bhutto and the world pressure Mr Zardari said adding and but that doesnt make him Musharraf into a democrat or a civilian president. That does not mean that his presidency is legal. I have a tremendous amount of pressure from the people of Pakistan. Mr Zardari said that the PPP was working to come up with a live-able formula for ushering in full-fledged democracy because after all that has happened you cannot have an unelected and non-democratic president and the PPP co-chairman also admitted that the people did not like his policy of national reconciliation. For two months I have been trying to do a whitewash or whatever you may call it to dialogue with the people of Pakistan and my party. That okay lets have national reconciliation but people are not willing to accept my position on that he said.

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The Co chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Asif Ali Zardari has arrived in Islamabad from Dubai. He went to London last week to hold talks with Pakistan Muslim League-N Head Mian Nawaz Sharif over the issue of reinstatement of Judiciary. Zardaris sister Izra Pechuho and Interior Advisor to the Prime Minister Rehman Malik also accompanied him from Dubai. Talking to reporters on the occasion Asif Zardari said that PPPs Central Executive Committee and Federal Council would hold a joint session today to discuss development after the resignations of PML N ministers from the federal cabinet. Responding to a question he said PPP would always stand by media.

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Pakistan’s ruling coalition on Monday appeared to be on the verge of a split after the PPP failed to reach an agreement with its key ally PML-N on the contentious issue of reinstating dozens of judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf during last year’s Emergency. Three days of talks in London between Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and their close aides ended in deadlock on Sunday due to differences on the modalities for reinstating the judges. The PML-N, which earlier set May 12 as the deadline for reinstating the judges, has threatened to quit the cabinet on Monday over the issue. This was the second deadline set for restoring the judges after both the parties failed to deliver on a pledge to reinstate them by April 30 and Sharif and his brother  PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif, flew into Islamabad on Monday morning to be greeted by hundreds of their cheering supporters. They did not speak to the waiting media but said they would make an “important announcement” at a press conference later on Monday and PML-N spokesman Siddique-ul-Farooq blamed the PPP for the impasse. “The talks have not moved forward because of a deadlock caused by the PPP. Our credibility is at stake and we do not want to be called cheaters by the people because we had committed ourselves to reinstating the judges he said. The deadlock could not be broken even by the intervention of US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, who made a stopover in London on his way back home from Bangladesh to hold separate meetings with Sharif and Zardari.

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chairperson Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari said that the restoration of the judges is an issue and there should be a formula to resolve it. He said that the committee should be approached regarding the restoration of the judges on May 12. Asif Zardari said in an interview that unless we are firm on our objectives no conspiracy can be succeeded. He further said that dirt is seen by those whose eyes hold it. I respect Mian Shahbaz Sharif as much as I respect Mian Nawaz Sharif. How can I accept that the president is above the parliament. He said that the persons running the lawyers movement are the PPP people. We want to get such solution which may not affect any judge.

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