Pak top court backs emergency
Saturday, 24 November 2007
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 23 (Agencies): Pakistan's Supreme Court backed President Pervez Musharraf's declaration of emergency rule, ignoring international pressure to restore the constitution before national elections.
Exiled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is set to return to Pakistan within days after a deal to lift his exile in Saudi Arabia while the leaders of The Pakistan People's Party including its Chairperson Benazir Bhutto were in an important party meeting over issues concerning the upcoming general elections. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth suspended Pakistan Thursday.
It is not clear yet whether Sharif and Bhutto will take part in the election.
A seven-member panel of judges ruled today that extra- constitutional steps were needed to address deteriorating security and interference by some members of the judiciary, which had ``paralysed government,'' state-run Pakistan Television reported.
All the judges, including Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, were appointed by Musharraf after he imposed emergency rule.
The planned return home of Nawaz Sharif, toppled as prime minister in Musharraf's 1999 coup, may increase opposition pressure on the army chief.
Musharraf (64), in a meeting with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah in Riyadh earlier this week, said he had little choice over declaring a state of emergency because law and order in the country was collapsing.
Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Musharraf's re-election last month was valid, clearing the way for him to meet his pledge to take the presidential oath for a second five- year term as a civilian.
Opposition leaders have vowed to keep protesting emergency rule and say they may boycott the election unless Musharraf quits as president and restores the constitution.
Members of the All-Parties Democratic Movement, which includes the alliance of religious parties and Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), protested in Islamabad and Karachi today.
Sharif, Pakistan's exiled former premier, plans to return home next week to lead his party in parliamentary elections, a party spokesman said today. Sharif was arrested and deported back to Saudi Arabia after he tried to return in September.
Sharif (57) who was premier from 1990 to 1993 and from 1997 to 1999, was convicted of corruption and treason and sentenced to 14 years in prison after the coup. Musharraf pardoned him in 2000 under an accord in which Sharif agreed to live in exile in Saudi
Arabia for 10 years. Sharif said he agreed to five years.
It was not immediately clear whether Sharif would get back before November 26, the last date for filing election nominations and so be able to run for parliament.
He was due to meet King Abdullah in Riyadh for a "farewell meeting" before flying to London, Sharif's political base for the latter part of his exile, a Saudi government source said.
Politically isolated, Musharraf paid a surprise visit to Riyadh on Tuesday, sparking speculation that he was reaching out to his old foe Sharif, who was deported after he tried to return from exile in September, ahead of a January 8 general election.
Another report adds, the PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto arrived in the capital Islamabad Friday to convene an important party meeting over issues concerning the upcoming general elections, local TV channels reported.
Bhutto is presiding over a central committee meeting to chalk out a strategy for the general elections on Friday, the DAWN NEWS TV channel reported.
Meanwhile, a Commonwealth leaders summit opened Friday in the Ugandan capital Friday after the organisation suspended Pakistan over President Pervez Musharraf's emergency rule.
Hours after Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf cleared the final legal hurdle to being re-elected to a third five-year term, the 53-nation Commonwealth Thursday suspended Pakistan from its group.
Commonwealth foreign ministers decided on the eve of the summit to suspend Pakistan for the second time in eight years. The first, which lasted five years, was in 1999 following Musharraf's coup takeover.
Pakistan called its latest suspension from the 53-nation body "unreasonable and unjustified" but British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other leaders threw their weight behind the measure.
The summit was opened by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II who did not mention the Pakistan crisis in her speech. "Our Commonwealth theme over the whole of this year is respecting difference and promoting understanding," she said.
Exiled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is set to return to Pakistan within days after a deal to lift his exile in Saudi Arabia while the leaders of The Pakistan People's Party including its Chairperson Benazir Bhutto were in an important party meeting over issues concerning the upcoming general elections. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth suspended Pakistan Thursday.
It is not clear yet whether Sharif and Bhutto will take part in the election.
A seven-member panel of judges ruled today that extra- constitutional steps were needed to address deteriorating security and interference by some members of the judiciary, which had ``paralysed government,'' state-run Pakistan Television reported.
All the judges, including Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, were appointed by Musharraf after he imposed emergency rule.
The planned return home of Nawaz Sharif, toppled as prime minister in Musharraf's 1999 coup, may increase opposition pressure on the army chief.
Musharraf (64), in a meeting with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah in Riyadh earlier this week, said he had little choice over declaring a state of emergency because law and order in the country was collapsing.
Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Musharraf's re-election last month was valid, clearing the way for him to meet his pledge to take the presidential oath for a second five- year term as a civilian.
Opposition leaders have vowed to keep protesting emergency rule and say they may boycott the election unless Musharraf quits as president and restores the constitution.
Members of the All-Parties Democratic Movement, which includes the alliance of religious parties and Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), protested in Islamabad and Karachi today.
Sharif, Pakistan's exiled former premier, plans to return home next week to lead his party in parliamentary elections, a party spokesman said today. Sharif was arrested and deported back to Saudi Arabia after he tried to return in September.
Sharif (57) who was premier from 1990 to 1993 and from 1997 to 1999, was convicted of corruption and treason and sentenced to 14 years in prison after the coup. Musharraf pardoned him in 2000 under an accord in which Sharif agreed to live in exile in Saudi
Arabia for 10 years. Sharif said he agreed to five years.
It was not immediately clear whether Sharif would get back before November 26, the last date for filing election nominations and so be able to run for parliament.
He was due to meet King Abdullah in Riyadh for a "farewell meeting" before flying to London, Sharif's political base for the latter part of his exile, a Saudi government source said.
Politically isolated, Musharraf paid a surprise visit to Riyadh on Tuesday, sparking speculation that he was reaching out to his old foe Sharif, who was deported after he tried to return from exile in September, ahead of a January 8 general election.
Another report adds, the PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto arrived in the capital Islamabad Friday to convene an important party meeting over issues concerning the upcoming general elections, local TV channels reported.
Bhutto is presiding over a central committee meeting to chalk out a strategy for the general elections on Friday, the DAWN NEWS TV channel reported.
Meanwhile, a Commonwealth leaders summit opened Friday in the Ugandan capital Friday after the organisation suspended Pakistan over President Pervez Musharraf's emergency rule.
Hours after Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf cleared the final legal hurdle to being re-elected to a third five-year term, the 53-nation Commonwealth Thursday suspended Pakistan from its group.
Commonwealth foreign ministers decided on the eve of the summit to suspend Pakistan for the second time in eight years. The first, which lasted five years, was in 1999 following Musharraf's coup takeover.
Pakistan called its latest suspension from the 53-nation body "unreasonable and unjustified" but British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other leaders threw their weight behind the measure.
The summit was opened by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II who did not mention the Pakistan crisis in her speech. "Our Commonwealth theme over the whole of this year is respecting difference and promoting understanding," she said.