Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Zardari's statements and the Murree Declaration: Contradictions..?

Countdown has not begun: Zardari (Courtesy The Daily Times)

LAHORE: The countdown for the restoration of judges sacked on November 3, 2007, has not begun, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari told Aaj Television on Monday. Zardari said the countdown for the restoration of the sacked judges would begin after the formation of all four provincial governments. The PPP co-chairman said he was developing a consensus among coalition partners on the draft resolution for the restoration of the sacked judges, adding that the PPP was committed to restoring the sacked judges under the Murree Declaration. Zardari said he did not want a judiciary that would succumb to the pressure of the government.


Text of the Murree Declaration:

http://www.hindu.com/nic/pakistan-murree.htm

1-Allied parties, the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) resolve to form a coalition government for giving a practical shape to the mandate, which was given to the democratic forces by the people of Pakistan on February 18, 2008.

2-This has been decided in today's summit between the PPP and the PML (N) that the deposed judges would be restored, on the position as they were on November 2, 2007, within 30 days of the formation of the federal government through a parliamentary resolution.

3-The parties agreed that all allied parties would fully support the candidate for the position of the prime minister, nominated by the PPP. The PML (N) suggested that the candidate for prime minister should be such person who can take ahead the common agenda of the allied parties.

4-The parties agreed that the speaker and the deputy speaker of the national assembly would be from the PPP while the speaker and the deputy speaker of the Punjab assembly would be from the PML (N).

5-Both the parties agreed that the PML (N) would be a part of the federal government while the PPP would be a part of the Punjab government.

6-This is the solid opinion of the leaderships of both the parties that the allied parties are ready for forming the governments and the sessions of the national and provincial assemblies be summoned immediately.