|
|
|
| April 11, 2007 | Wednesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 22, 1428 |
Lawyers call for fair elections
LAHORE, April 10: Seeking return of exiled former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan, a lawyers’ convention on Tuesday demanded free and fair elections by an independent election commission.
The convention held by People’s Lawyers Forum (PLF) at the Lahore High Court passed resolutions, including the one in favour of the return of both the leaders and free elections by the commission under a national government of consensus.
Slogans against Gen Pervez Musharraf and in favour of nonfunctional chief justice of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif have been part of the convention the whole day.
Dozens of lawyers from the PLF and other groups attended the convention while various PPP leaders, including Yousuf Raza Gillani, Ghulam Mustafa Khar, Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali, Syada Abida Husain, Sardar Latif Khosa and Shah Mahmood Qureshi addressed the participants. Representatives of various bars also addressed the convention.
The PPP leaders resolved to continue their support to the ongoing lawyers’ campaign against the `suspension’ of CJP, and termed it just a beginning of a big movement against the Musharraf government. Some of them also rejected any deal between the PPP and Gen Pervez Musharraf.
“We always believed in public power. We always believed in the power to vote. We can’t even think of any deal with a dictator,” said Yousuf Raza Gillani.
“Musharraf has bewildered. He can’t see in camera while addressing people on TV. He has lost control over his regime. So is the case with Shaukat Aziz. The PM has convened a photo session with his cabinet, which is a sign of his being no more at the helm of affairs,” said Syada Abida Husain.
Mr Gillani demanded the government reopen Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case, saying that several witnesses had retracted later on.
Saluting Justice Chaudhry for what he termed the most courageous step in the present scenario, Ghulam Mustafa Khar said he would like to see fair and free polls. “Let me take this challenge that we wouldn’t allow anybody to rig the elections. If we participate in it, I assure you that nobody would dare to rig it.”
Mr Khar also criticised Shujaat Husain and Pervaiz Elahi who had surfaced in a political vacuum created after President Musharraf took over.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi appreciated lawyers for the ongoing campaign against the government. He said an independent judiciary could only ensure a fair society, adding that the PPP would do everything possible for the restoration of democracy.
Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali challenged President Musharraf, asking him to do anything and everything, but he (Musharraf) would not be able to maintain his writ of government within the next two months.
Other resolutions passed in the convention included seeking President Musharraf to shed off his uniform and restore the nonfunctional chief justice, besides a demand to account for the missing people and punishment responsible for their confinement.
The resolutions also demanded withdrawal of criminal cases and references against lawyers and political leaders and disbandment of the National Accountability Bureau. —Staff Reporter
|
|
|
|
