RAWALPINDI: The President has decided to revoke the emergency on Feb 17. He would also provide legal coverage to some of the actions taken during the emergency through ordinances tomorrow [Feb 16], the Central Law Minister S.M. Zafar said yesterday. The DAC convener, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, has hailed the issue. The lifting of emergency was one of the pre-conditions of the DAC for entering into dialogue with the government.

The Government of West Pakistan in a Press Note issued in Lahore yesterday said that in view of the Central decision to lift the emergency, “it has ordered the immediate release of all persons detained under the Defence of Pakistan Rules”. The leaders who were detained under the DPR included Mr Z.A. Bhutto, Khan Wali Khan, Mr Rasul Bakhsh Talpur and Mr Ajmal Khattak. The detention orders against Sheikh Ayaz were withdrawn on Thursday and all of them were reported to have been released yesterday.

The emergency declared on Sept 6, 1965, following the Indian aggression is being lifted after remaining in force for three years, five months and ten days. Following the lifting of emergency, fundamental rights as contained in the Constit­ution would stand restored, proceedings in the courts for their enforcement could become permissible and action taken .

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2019