Pakistan

The News International dated Monday, November 09, 2009, writes in its editorial:

Even if the beneficiaries of NRO become liable to legal proceedings and their status (prior to NRO) as accused, proclaimed offenders and being liable to arrest is restored, the question is as to what is going to be outcome of these legal proceedings. The cases against these individuals are to be pursued by the government and the affected individuals are also part of the government in one form or the other. Will the PPP led coalition government pursue these cases vigorously against its own jiyalas? The delliberate action on part of the prosecution will be to dilute and take the steam out of these cases.

Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor has been restored as Minister Prisons by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. A couple of weeks ago, the former had been asked to stop functioning as a minister after the media reports of his misconduct and certain other realities beyond that at Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore. Although with a reprimand, the minister has been asked to perform his duties honestly. The question is if a similar ill conduct was displayed by a common man how would he have been treated. I wonder if such a person would have been pardoned. In fact, the minister deserved a bigger punishment as better and exemplary conduct is expected of persons of his class. It is doubtful if the minister ever considered resigning as a minister if not as a legislator. Following the trait of nepotism an exception has been made. Where is the so often trumpeted justice? Words needs to be followed by deeds.

Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Jamaat-ul-Dawa had been under preventive detention days after the Mumbai attacks end November last year. The government had detained Hafiz Saeed vide United Nations Security Council Resolution No 1267. The resolution dealt with an arms embargo, freezing the guilty party’s assets, and banning them from travelling abroad, not detention. Apparently the release has come due to a technical point of absence of the mention of detention in the UN SC resolution. India, on the other hand, accuses Hafiz Saeed of being involved in Mumbai attacks.

With Swat operation causing over three million IDPs, threat of suicide attacks by Taliban and the like all over the country, electricity load shedding for more than half of the twenty four hours and all other pre democracy ills of corruption and poor governance moving upwards, new judicial policy announced by the restored judiciary is nothing less than a ray of hope in wilderness. It is a common wish of all citizens to remain away from police, courts and hospitals. As announced, if all fresh and pending cases in the Supreme Court and high courts are decided within one year and those from Baluchistan within six months, it would indeed be a very great blessing. The judicial policy aims at independence of judiciary and expeditious disposal of cases. However, the taste of the pudding lies in its eating. It will indeed a great leap forward as a nation if the policy announced is implemented in letter and spirit.

Supreme Court of Pakistan made a landmark judgement overruling one of its earlier verdicts regarding the disqualification of the two brothers to contest parlimentary elections. The decision of the bench of five judges was unanimous. The bench also included two judges of the previous bench which had given the judgement of disqualification. This has paved way for Mr. Nawaz Sharif to return to parliment by contesting bye elections and Mr. Shahbaz Sharif to continue as Chief Minister of Punjab.

The judgement could not have come about without the restoration of judiciary after the threatening long march of March 16, 2009. This is the first personal benefit Mr. Nawaz Sharif and his party have got of their supporting the movement of restoration of judiciary. This judgement is going to have far reaching effects on the political course of our country. By giving this judgement, Supreme Court has set a course for itself which is pretty clear. Whereas, PPP has welcomed the judgement, it will now be keeping its fingers crossed over the issue of NRO. The government will have to be extra careful and arbitrary decision will become difficult. Mr. Nawaz Sharif's return to parliment will provide him inner strength and confidence to lead his party, the parliment will become more active and it will become further difficult for PPP led coalition to ignore PML(N). And, from now on, Nawaz Sharif will be in a position to pose real personal threat to the politics of Zardari.