No martial law until three elections after NRO: Shehla Raza

E-Paper | March 18, 2026

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Shehla Raza claimed on Wednesday that martial law could not be imposed in the country until three general elections were held in the country, DawnNews reported.

Speaking to a private TV channel, the PPP stalwart said that the agreement was reached under a clause in the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), adding that the United States, Britain, UAE as well as then ISI chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani had guaranteed this.

Raza said former president Asif Ali Zardari had also travelled to the US to remind world powers of their past promises.

The PPP has disassociated itself from Raza’s statement which the party has declared ‘misleading’ and 'contrary to facts'.

According to a PPP spokesperson, Raza’s stance on the matter did not correspond with the party’s approach.

Raza's statement comes in the backdrop of former president Asif Ali Zardari’s iftar-dinner with US Vice President Joe Biden.

Although the meeting was a social event hosted by Pakistan’s former ambassador-at-large, Ray Mahmud, it has generated a lot of interest and also political heat with both PPP and PML-N circles in the United States claiming that Zardari is in America to solicit US support for the current political system in Pakistan.

The NRO was promulgated by former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf on October 5, 2007, to provide immediate relief to assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto by giving indemnity in all cases registered against her by the Nawaz Sharif government between 1986 and 1989.

On December 17, 2009, the Supreme Court declared the controversial NRO as never to have existed and against the Constitution by reviving all cases and reversing acquittals of its beneficiaries.

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Dr Khan

Jul 23, 2014 11:31am

NRO was just to escape justice in cases of corruption of billions of dollars by corrupt politicians . Zardari after denying for 2 decades that he was owner of surreay palace at last admitted that he was the owner .What else proof is required .Now NRO has some invisible clauses about three civil governments and then martial law.What a joke with the nation.

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Khuram Nisar

Jul 23, 2014 12:17pm

How sad? Army have given permission to politicians to run the country for three terms and then return it in to their hands back. Please at least agree to whatever you want and stay consistent. These inconsistencies and instabilities are the only reasons our country have gone backwards.

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Shafiq Khan

Jul 23, 2014 12:22pm

NRO is Pakistan Internal matter and has nothing to do with other any International country or countries. Supreme Court of Pakistan has declared that NRO never existed, so it is no longer applicable, therefore any term associated with it is also null and void. If NRO was in existence than no case would have been filed against Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Politicians or anyone cannot have excess to benefit their own point of view. No country can dictate what we should do in our country. This is our internal matter.

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abdulrauf akhtar

Jul 23, 2014 12:34pm

By ousting General Musharraf that understanding has gone with the wind's

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asgher

Jul 23, 2014 12:34pm

Zardari is an open enemy of this nation. Nothing he did in his last 5 years benefited a common man. He did nothing for Sindh, He did nothing for Pakistan. China and MiddleEastern Countries kept their distance with us during his time. Specially Karachi was thrown to dogs. Army was kept hostage by few TTP thugs as Zardari would have never allowed a single air strike on militants. All this man did in his rule was to buy and sell politicians to keep his machine running. It saddens me to see him free and enjoying his life like a king after screwing Pakistan all his life...

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Siddique

Jul 23, 2014 12:56pm

I don't believe the nonsense she is talking about. Zardari came to America, hoping that his puppets here will arrange some kind of photo-op with a senior U.S. official, which he and his cronies will then play as Zardari's attempt to save democracy in Pakistan. He was lucky, Joe Biden came to the iftar, but it does mean anything. Zardair got his photo-op, which his employees back home are now trumpeting. Note I said employees, not PPP leaders. That's how the PPP works; it functions as Bhutto-Zardari family property, and almost all PPP leaders act as the family servants.

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syed wasim haider

Jul 23, 2014 01:05pm

In the first instance how a MPA can discuss the Federal issues. Due to lot of talk shows a new political culture is emerging where there is no protocol about giving sensitive statements. Anchors try to provoke these participants and they get excited and speak out something above their capacity. She has harmed PPP innocently.

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A True Fact

Jul 23, 2014 01:10pm

What's sad is that they need UAE USA and Britain to broker such deals and issues related to internal matters of the country for them. The Army, Politicians everyone are the same. No one is sincere with the country. they are all serving themselves!

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Shah

Jul 23, 2014 01:11pm

NRO is the biggest crime against the people of Pakistan. Billions of dollars have been stolen by almost 8000 politicians, many of them in power, then forgiven. Now these people have taken up additional billions of dollars in loan in the name of the country...and have zero to show for it. The corrupt are having their time of their lives.

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Mohammad Iqbal

Jul 23, 2014 01:31pm

That means PPP is waiting for its turn in 2018 which completes 3 tenures of De-mocracy (Made in USA ) This was long ago understood when PML(N) accepted Khurshid Shah as leader of opposition and PPP agreed not to disturb Nawaz Sharif. So Pakistanis are to face another about 7 years of fixed matches in NA. Bad Luck Pakistanis

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zak

Jul 23, 2014 01:37pm

Pakistan's future being decided in Washington, Why? Time Imran Khan comes with his agenda to clean up the system once and for all.

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event horizon

Jul 23, 2014 01:44pm

@Khuram Nisar I disagree. The reason our country has and is traveling backwards is the confusion of the nation with the religion. As long as we keep mixing religion and politics, this is the natural result. As far as corruption is concerned, it is a national problem. The solution to the problem lies in democracy and refined democracy. The refinement in democracy only comes with time.

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Malik Achakzai

Jul 23, 2014 02:11pm

The dirty politics by political and military lords! God save people in particular Pashtuns from miseries.

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Muhammed Ali

Jul 23, 2014 02:16pm

What a joke!! So if the country is going to the dogs the army will not step in and save the country.....not in a million years.

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gerry d'cunha

Jul 23, 2014 02:30pm

the cat is out of the bag after 6 years on nro - it is quiet clear now that pakistan is being govern by usa;uk and uae - shame on us pakistanis

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fida sayani

Jul 23, 2014 02:36pm

Slave mentality runs deep in Pakistani elite. I still remember the year 1977, the last days of Bhutto Raj. An Architecture seminar was held at the US consulate at Karachi and two of the leading Architect of that time requested the consular that they will appreciate if USA makes Pakistan one of their state, because the Pakistanis are not capable of running the affairs of their country. If PPP has any morals, they should throw this women from the party.

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fida sayani

Jul 23, 2014 02:39pm

@Muhammed Ali Whether the country goes to dogs or not, Pakistan army is always eager to take over the country and enjoy the perks of the ruling class. Jinnah was always worried about them that is the reason he appointed a British General as the first commander of Pakistan Armed Forces.

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Jul 23, 2014 03:13pm

well its very true and evident that army is more interested in politcs than anything else.Also the level of corruption within army is higher than in anyother institution but nobody have the courage to report it.Army is not the savior of our coutry but only of its interest.

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Ajamal

Jul 23, 2014 03:16pm

There is no corruption in Pakistan, so there was no need for NRO. Nawaz Sharif is our prime minister.

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Jani

Jul 23, 2014 04:08pm

With the departure of NRO such guarantees should logically be deemed revoked or annulled.

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Nazir Ahmed

Jul 23, 2014 04:13pm

So for 15 long years they are allowed given free hand to loot the poor masses of Pakistan. Shame to all of them. A French type revolution is need of time.

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ashfaq1

Jul 23, 2014 04:16pm

@zak unfortunately the issue is army meddling and not being subservient to parliament. Don't think IK has a solution to remedy this. I suspect even if he won the army will throw him out within a year because his agenda is not consistent with army's

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Muhammed Ali

Jul 23, 2014 05:47pm

@fida sayani I would say that is a blessing, after all politicians have made grave grave mistakes in the past, and it has been down to the army to save Pakistan, as for the perks the elite in the army already get many perks..

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M. Siddique

Jul 23, 2014 05:54pm

Very dumb. Why will someone make a deal that after 3 elections martial law can be imposed. Is that grace period for civilian leaders to plunder wealth before men in uniform take their turn?

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Tausif

Jul 23, 2014 06:46pm

15 years each for political parties and military. Loot as much as you can, this country of the pure!

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M aslam

Jul 23, 2014 06:59pm

@Nazir Ahmed You need French type revolution, better go to France and do your revolution there.

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Jul 23, 2014 07:38pm

This is really upsetting News, Although credibility of Shehla Raza is a big Question Mark for me but if it is true in any way then it is big disgrace to the Nation that World Powers, Political Parties & Army can decide fate of the country whichever way they like....and wouldn't surprise me if they even sell our country one day...

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Khalid

Jul 23, 2014 08:07pm

@Mohammad Iqbal .Good point. Don't know what Mr Zardari and Mr Sharif are upto to now. Seems they want to make sure that they (PPP and PML-N) are the only two parties who should remain in power and keep plundering the country. They do not want Pakistan to prosper.

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Harmony

Jul 23, 2014 08:29pm

Do you really believe what she says? I am surprised many do here.

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Mustafa

Jul 23, 2014 09:37pm

First off, America was not a guarantor of the deal but a party to the deal. The deals are between the Army and America, political parties are just pawns of the two protagonists. Secondly, America did not keep it's part of the deal and removed Musharraf and even tried to get him capital punishment through article 6. The deal is off, the gloves are off and the fight the fight is about to begin.

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Lubna

Jul 23, 2014 11:36pm

PPP high command asked Shehla Raza to make the statement. Read between the lines.

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Meesaq Zaidi

Jul 24, 2014 12:39am

All these so- called politicians have sold Pakistan for 15 years. Meaning thereby that things - including loadshedding will remain the same as they are now. No solutions for 15 years !

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Naveed Javed

Jul 24, 2014 01:13am

What amuses me more than this new trolls have for PPP and its leaders!!

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Pakistani

Jul 24, 2014 04:26am

The honorable Judge & judges who declared the controversial NRO as never to have existed, themselves took oath under an illegitimate government.

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Badsha Khan

Jul 24, 2014 05:01am

"Speaking to a private TV channel, the PPP stalwart said that the agreement was reached under a clause in the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), adding that the United States, Britain, UAE as well as then ISI chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani had guaranteed this". "The NRO was promulgated by former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf on October 5, 2007, to provide immediate relief to assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto by giving indemnity in all cases registered against her by the Nawaz Sharif government between 1986 and 1989". "On December 17, 2009, the Supreme Court declared the controversial NRO as never to have existed and against the Constitution by reviving all cases and reversing acquittals of its beneficiaries". In an Independent Pakistan Britain,USA and U.A.E. standing as guarantors to an agreement reached between Political Parties of Pakistan, Pakistan Military and the Intelligence Agency of Pakistan!!!!!!! Behind the curtain political activities of the past is being brought to fore phase wise!

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Moby

Jul 24, 2014 06:28am

To paraphrase from Mark Twain, the world powers do not owe us anything, they were here first.

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Masoud

Jul 24, 2014 06:49am

Martial Law comes only when the politically elected government fail to deliver. If the politicians don't want martial law to come then it should do work honestly & without bias. Your believe is some clause of NRO & while disregard others is baffling.

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Azam

Jul 24, 2014 09:05am

People of Pakistan should understand all this Drama. They are the only ones to be blamed. If they want their Country to be manipulated like that by Western Powers and have their leaders sell their Counrty then they are the only ones to be blamed.

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Amir Bangash

Jul 24, 2014 05:33pm

This can only happen in Pakistan.

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