ISLAMABAD, May 3: The opposition parties on Saturday pledged not to make compromise on their stand on the Legal Framework Order, and agreed to step up pressure to stop military interference in politics.
The pledge was made at a meeting organized by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) at the Supreme Court building here to impress the legislators to play their role in undoing the LFO.
The meeting expressed the desire to bury the past, forge a complete unity and launch a joint struggle to strengthen institutions in the country.
The opposition parties assured the lawyers that they would discuss the entire LFO with the government instead of discussing just its contentious parts.
The meeting decided to adopt resolutions against extension in the retirement age of judges of superior judiciary as well as against the alleged human right violation committed by the government. The lawyers also urged the opposition parties not to change their stand in future, otherwise it would damage their cause.
The political leaders attended the meeting included senators Raza Rabbani, Sardar Latif Khosa, MNAs Liaquat Baloch, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Imran Khan, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Ahsan Iqbal, Zafar Ali Shah and Siddiqul Farooq.
The lawyers side was represented by Hamid Khan, President of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Mian Abbas Ahmad, vice-chairman of PBC, Mohammad Kazim Khan, Abdul Haleem Pirzada, Qazi Mohammad Anwar, Arif Chaudhry, vice-chairman of Punjab Bar Council, Mohammad Yaseen Azad, vice-chairman of Sindh Bar Council, Safeerullah Khan, President of High Court Bar Association, Peshawar, Shah Khawar, secretary of High Court Bar Association Rawalpindi and Mohammad Ikram Chaudhry.
Hamid Khan said the lawyers body would hold a meeting to get approval for issuing a white paper on the LFO and to constitute a lawyers committee to assist politicians on the question of the LFO.
Haleem Pirzada was of the view that the present political situation demanded complete harmony among politicians for the sake of future generations.
"This is the last chance to get rid of "khakis", who have militarized every institution of the country even the Federal Public Service Commission," Mr Pirzada deplored. He also warned that attempts would be made to divide the opposition.
Liaquat Baloch spelled out seven contentious points of the LFO, including LFO's constitutional position, the president's uniform, the National Security Council, discretionary powers of the president, extension in the age of judges of superior courts and the Sixth Schedule, and said that the opposition parties would never accept president's supremacy over parliament at any cost.
Raza Rabbani said the opposition had initiated talks with the government on the LFO issue with an open mind, but was also unanimous in its resolve not to compromise on fundamental principles of the Constitution.
He said the LFO was not part of the Constitution and any constitutional bill would include the complete LFO for validation.
Javed Hashmi suggested formation of a joint committee of legislators and lawyers to provide inputs on the LFO, besides publishing a white paper on the issue.
Mehmood Khan Achakzai deplored that almost all political parties were blackmailed in the past, and said the opposition should not be afraid of dissolution of parliament for its cause. He urged the opposition not to show any leniency on the LFO issue.
Imran Khan said the West was far ahead in all aspects because of its developed institutions and rule of law. He said struggle against the LFO was being down played by the government for which a mass awareness campaign should also be launched.
