ISLAMABAD, March 22: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) on Saturday said the Constitution as it was Oct 10, 1999 stood restored after coming of new Parliament in place, and those who were insisting that it was restored as amended, were guilty of a “criminal act cognizable under the law.”
The PML-N’s Central Working Committee and parliamentary party, which met under the chairmanship of Raja Zafarul Haq, here on Saturday demanded election of the President under the constitutional mechanism as provided in the Constitution.
The PML-N endorsed the demand of the lawyers that the judges should not accept the extension in their retirement age, and asked the judges who had attained the age of superannuation to uphold the Constitution.
The PML-N, in one of the resolutions, condemned the US-led attack on Iraq and termed it a flagrant violation of the UN Charter of international laws and human rights.
It said that underlying objective of the US attack was to capture oil resources, redraw Middle East map and strengthen Israel. It regretted the US had not only disregarded the UN charter, but had also ignored the opinion of overwhelming majority of the UN members including China, Russia, France and Germany, as well as the warnings of international bodies like NAM and OIC.
“We urge the UN to immediately take appropriate measures not only to save the world from a catastrophe resulting from the US attack on Iraq, but also restore its image by implementing its long-standing resolutions on Kashmir and Palestine,” the resolution said.
The PML-N asked the government to ask US to immediately vacate the Pakistani bases it acquired as logistic support for military operations in Afghanistan.
Giving its view on LFO, the CWC meeting reiterated its stance by terming the amendments sought under the Order as immoral, illegal and a flagrant violation of the Constitution of 1973.
When the Parliament is in place, the Constitution as it existed before Gen Musharraf’s take over on Oct 12, 1999, stood restored and the copies of LFO amended Constitution were nothing but tampered version of the Constitution, it said.
The joint PML-N said Gen Musharraf disreputed the institution of the Armed forces, and made Pakistan a laughing stock of world opinion. “The President of Pakistan should be elected according to the procedure laid down in the Constitution,” it maintained.
The meeting paid tributes to the joint opposition for objecting the LFO and demanding restoration of the Constitution as it stood before Oct 12, 1999.
The meeting paid tributes to lawyers’ community, including Supreme Court Bar Association, Pakistan Bar Council, Provincial Bar Councils and other Bar associations, for their struggle for restoration of the Constitution. It assured the lawyers of the party’s full support and cooperation in upholding the judiciary’s independence and rejecting the LFO.
With reference to the oil prices and petroleum products, the CWC condemned the unbearable increase in oil prices and rejected the government claim it was unavoidable. It said that the local oil prices have gone up by 25 per cent during the last three months alone despite the fact that Pakistan has been receiving 100,000 barrel free-of-cost diesel daily from Saudi Arabia but the prices have increased here three times during the last three months.
The PML-N criticized the ISI for its alleged kidnapping and torture of Rana Sanaullah Advocate, deputy opposition leader Punjab Assembly, “The rulers, after having failed to purchase the conscience of the PML-N leader had ordered their minions to kidnap and disfigure him.”
“The committee holds the ISI responsible for this dastardly attack on Rana Sanaullah decides to pursue this matter at an appropriate forum so that the political wing of ISI did not dare repeat such actions.”