Pakistan’s Supreme Court removes poll bar on Sharif brothers

[Skeptic]

Pakistan’s Supreme Court removes poll bar on Sharif brothers

Islamabad, May 26 (IANS) The Supreme Court Tuesday allowed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif to contest elections, paving the way for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to return to the federal government.

A five-judge bench headed by Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jilani passed the order on the May 11 review petitions filed by Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, contesting their poll disqualification respectively in a plane hijacking case and corruption case respectively.

“It is an independent verdict of an independent judiciary,” Nawaz Sharif said at a crowded press conference in Lahore soon after the court delivered its verdict.

“I don’t have the details (of the verdict), but it proves that the judiciary in Pakistan is free,” Sharif added.

“I always had good expectations from the judiciary,” he maintained.

The Supreme Court had Feb 25 barred the Sharif brothers from contesting elections and holding office, a decision that led to Shahbaz Sharif immediately stepping down as the chief minister of Punjab province.

The elder Sharif had then jumped on to the bandwagon of a lawyers’ “long march” to demand the reinstatement of the Supreme Court and high court judges then president Pervez Musharraf had sacked after imposing an emergency in November 2007.

After initially talking tough, the government relented March 16 when the protesters reached Islamabad. The judges were reinstated and the government also agreed to back the Sharif’s review petition in the Supreme Court.

The court then stayed the bar on Shahbaz Shaif, enabling him reclaim his job.

The plane hijacking case relates to Nawaz Sharif’s attempts to block an aircraft carrying Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the army chief he had sacked, from landing at Karachi in October 1999.

The army subsequently took over the airport and cleared the blockades to enable the aircraft, which was on a flight from Colombo to land with barely a few minutes of fuel left.

Musharraf overthrew Nawaz Sharif and, a year later, sent him into exile in Saudi Arabia. Nawaz Sharif return home in September 2007.

Asked at his press conference whether the PML-N would rejoin the government, he said: “A separate decision will be taken on whether to join the government.”

The PML-N had finished behind the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the February 2008 general elections and had joined the federal coalition.

However, largely due to the intransigence of President Asif Ali Zardari, who is the PPP co-chair, differences soon emerged on implementing the governance charter that had been chalked out before the elections and the PML-N walked out.

Most of these issues have now been sorted, paving the way for the PML-N’s return, should it want to.

 

[limo4logic]

Its was very much expected and not an unusual decision at all. Further it is not a decision of an independent judiciary and is a result of a calendestine deal between government and PML-N that occured during long march time. It is an extension of the same stay order by SC that allowed Mr. Shabaz Sharif to continue with his job as CM Punjab.On that decision while commenting Fakhrud Din G Ibrahim had said that it is not a decision of independent judiciary.

 

[araz]

Pakistan’s Supreme Court removes poll bar on Sharif brothers

Islamabad, May 26 (IANS) The Supreme Court Tuesday allowed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif to contest elections, paving the way for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to return to the federal government.

A five-judge bench headed by Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jilani passed the order on the May 11 review petitions filed by Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, contesting their poll disqualification respectively in a plane hijacking case and corruption case respectively.

“It is an independent verdict of an independent judiciary,” Nawaz Sharif said at a crowded press conference in Lahore soon after the court delivered its verdict.

“I don’t have the details (of the verdict), but it proves that the judiciary in Pakistan is free,” Sharif added.

“I always had good expectations from the judiciary,” he maintained.

The Supreme Court had Feb 25 barred the Sharif brothers from contesting elections and holding office, a decision that led to Shahbaz Sharif immediately stepping down as the chief minister of Punjab province.

The elder Sharif had then jumped on to the bandwagon of a lawyers’ “long march” to demand the reinstatement of the Supreme Court and high court judges then president Pervez Musharraf had sacked after imposing an emergency in November 2007.

After initially talking tough, the government relented March 16 when the protesters reached Islamabad. The judges were reinstated and the government also agreed to back the Sharif’s review petition in the Supreme Court.

The court then stayed the bar on Shahbaz Shaif, enabling him reclaim his job.

The plane hijacking case relates to Nawaz Sharif’s attempts to block an aircraft carrying Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the army chief he had sacked, from landing at Karachi in October 1999.

The army subsequently took over the airport and cleared the blockades to enable the aircraft, which was on a flight from Colombo to land with barely a few minutes of fuel left.

Musharraf overthrew Nawaz Sharif and, a year later, sent him into exile in Saudi Arabia. Nawaz Sharif return home in September 2007.

Asked at his press conference whether the PML-N would rejoin the government, he said: “A separate decision will be taken on whether to join the government.”

The PML-N had finished behind the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the February 2008 general elections and had joined the federal coalition.

However, largely due to the intransigence of President Asif Ali Zardari, who is the PPP co-chair, differences soon emerged on implementing the governance charter that had been chalked out before the elections and the PML-N walked out.

Most of these issues have now been sorted, paving the way for the PML-N’s return, should it want to.

I am no fan of the Sharifs but i have to say that a wrong has been corrected. Whern we can allow a corrupt to the core man, known the world over as Mr 10% and his Mrs, with proven concvictions against them back viaNRO then there is no justification to stop the Sharifs.
I do hope(against hope!!) that they will do better this time.
Araz

 

[MZUBAIR]

Good news, atleast they are batter then others

 

[HAIDER]

Good move from US, now these brother will play vital role in cleaning extremism in Pakistan. Before they were playing all their neutral cards, now they will part of on going operations against militants. After six month Musharraf is jumping in political arena. Fun part for public began..

 

[nwmalik]

i hope they accept decisions which go against them also.
i pakistan it is right decision as lond as it is in your favour

 

[batmannow]

this is pakistan, JUSTICE party did the favour , what Nawaz & Shabaz wanted! here we go?
some people , will see this decision as a ,right decision , i also think its the right one but , from now on & in the comming future! it will be ezy for any body to change any decision taken by our hounrable CJ sahib , if he can protest & can put up any sort of march , long or short , train or bus.
so from now on , if you have the power to bring about 500 peoples ,just be rest assured SC , can change its verdict .
now where are those , peoples who wanted to restore the , CJ & his mens for the sake of independent judiciary?
is this judiciary is independent?
why dont CJ , removed the NRO for the sake of clean politics in pakistan?
I guss , CJ is waiting for NAWAZ to become , PM so he can become the president of pakistan.
its very sad that our judiciary is become a party , in this game of power.

 

[Bane Blade]

i hope they accept decisions which go against them also.
i pakistan it is right decision as lond as it is in your favour

I actually hope for that too I am also happy that justice has been served it was neccesary.

 

[SSGPA1]

This is all a noora kushti!

CJP is obliged by NS ... PPPP and NS played this game so that both can rule turn by turn ...

There will be no change in political set up.

 

[araz]

This is all a noora kushti!

CJP is obliged by NS ... PPPP and NS played this game so that both can rule turn by turn ...

There will be no change in political set up.

SSGPA1
There should be no change in the political setup either. If you look at the history of pakistan the problem has always been that Army has interfered in the affairs of the state so many times, yet there is no tangible progress on the political front. We all know that the army cannot rule pakistan indefinately, but by interferring it has removed the natural transtion of Pakistan from an unstable political setup to a stable setup. Sure this present lot is corrupt to the core and will run the country into the ground. But tell me when and how will the public learn that till such time that you rise above Biradari, Sardari and regional mentality and vote on merit, the plight of pakistan and its people will not improve.
I have often heard, the politicians will sell this country , ruin it and divide it into bits. If the masses want it so, do you see the Army keeping us together. Talk to the senior armed forces members and they will tell you how our very own army has made countless blunders at crucial juncture in the history of this country, made foolish decisions based on greed and petty rivalry and caused havoc in this land.
The country needs to wash itself of its drivel and *****. if we have chosen democracy as a system so be it. let the system work for 2-3 decades, let it iron out its own problems. the country will eventually be better off. Transition from army to civilain rule will only cause more chaos and destruction which will eventually take this country down.
I hope you understand my sentiments.
WaSalam
Araz

 

[qsaark]

I am no fan of the Sharifs but i have to say that a wrong has been corrected. Whern we can allow a corrupt to the core man, known the world over as Mr 10% and his Mrs, with proven concvictions against them back viaNRO then there is no justification to stop the Sharifs.
I do hope(against hope!!) that they will do better this time.
Araz

SSGPA1
There should be no change in the political setup either. If you look at the history of pakistan the problem has always been that Army has interfered in the affairs of the state so many times, yet there is no tangible progress on the political front. We all know that the army cannot rule pakistan indefinately, but by interferring it has removed the natural transtion of Pakistan from an unstable political setup to a stable setup. Sure this present lot is corrupt to the core and will run the country into the ground. But tell me when and how will the public learn that till such time that you rise above Biradari, Sardari and regional mentality and vote on merit, the plight of pakistan and its people will not improve.
I have often heard, the politicians will sell this country , ruin it and divide it into bits. If the masses want it so, do you see the Army keeping us together. Talk to the senior armed forces members and they will tell you how our very own army has made countless blunders at crucial juncture in the history of this country, made foolish decisions based on greed and petty rivalry and caused havoc in this land.
The country needs to wash itself of its drivel and *****. if we have chosen democracy as a system so be it. let the system work for 2-3 decades, let it iron out its own problems. the country will eventually be better off. Transition from army to civilain rule will only cause more chaos and destruction which will eventually take this country down.
I hope you understand my sentiments.
WaSalam
Araz

That is how a useful debate is carried out.........through arguments……... Even if Araz was saying something I did not agree with, I would have admired his posts for his scholarly approach to make a point.

It is sad indeed that how quick we are in declaring something wrong just because we don’t like it. How many of you guys were present in the court during the hearing of the case? Are you aware what arguments and counter arguments made in favor and against the previous ruling? Do you know on what basis this decision was made? Even the most corrupt Judge has to follow some rules before inking his decision. You guys are talking as if the decision was not made by the Supreme Court but by a group of criminals.

 

[Patriot]

SSGPA1
There should be no change in the political setup either. If you look at the history of pakistan the problem has always been that Army has interfered in the affairs of the state so many times, yet there is no tangible progress on the political front. We all know that the army cannot rule pakistan indefinately, but by interferring it has removed the natural transtion of Pakistan from an unstable political setup to a stable setup. Sure this present lot is corrupt to the core and will run the country into the ground. But tell me when and how will the public learn that till such time that you rise above Biradari, Sardari and regional mentality and vote on merit, the plight of pakistan and its people will not improve.
I have often heard, the politicians will sell this country , ruin it and divide it into bits. If the masses want it so, do you see the Army keeping us together. Talk to the senior armed forces members and they will tell you how our very own army has made countless blunders at crucial juncture in the history of this country, made foolish decisions based on greed and petty rivalry and caused havoc in this land.
The country needs to wash itself of its drivel and *****. if we have chosen democracy as a system so be it. let the system work for 2-3 decades, let it iron out its own problems. the country will eventually be better off. Transition from army to civilain rule will only cause more chaos and destruction which will eventually take this country down.
I hope you understand my sentiments.
WaSalam
Araz

Excellent Posts.Army should stay in Barracks where they belong.Not only Dictatorship ruins the country it also ruins Army professional setup.

 

[Zob]

this is pakistan, JUSTICE party did the favour , what Nawaz & Shabaz wanted! here we go?
some people , will see this decision as a ,right decision , i also think its the right one but , from now on & in the comming future! it will be ezy for any body to change any decision taken by our hounrable CJ sahib , if he can protest & can put up any sort of march , long or short , train or bus.
so from now on , if you have the power to bring about 500 peoples ,just be rest assured SC , can change its verdict .
now where are those , peoples who wanted to restore the , CJ & his mens for the sake of independent judiciary?
is this judiciary is independent?
why dont CJ , removed the NRO for the sake of clean politics in pakistan?
I guss , CJ is waiting for NAWAZ to become , PM so he can become the president of pakistan.
its very sad that our judiciary is become a party , in this game of power.

why dont CJ , removed the NRO for the sake of clean politics in pakistan?


look bro CJ is doing the right thing first fixing things at the GRASS ROOT LEVEL...he is giving quick fast efficent justice to people.....he is going to diffrent jails and handing out verdicts...

he is trying to finish corruption and corruption cases in the law system

he is trying to make tax collection law simpler,he is trying to finish all court cases within 6 months!!

one the COMMON man is satisfied you watch and see he will turn towards getting the BIG BOYS but for the time being he is a common man's saviour!!!!

 

[Musalman]

Good decision in a situation where adverse decision would have changed Punjabs direction from Swat to NS/SS affair. Which would have been bad for the country as a whole.

 

[batmannow]

why dont CJ , removed the NRO for the sake of clean politics in pakistan?


look bro CJ is doing the right thing first fixing things at the GRASS ROOT LEVEL...he is giving quick fast efficent justice to people.....he is going to diffrent jails and handing out verdicts...

he is trying to finish corruption and corruption cases in the law system

he is trying to make tax collection law simpler,he is trying to finish all court cases within 6 months!!

one the COMMON man is satisfied you watch and see he will turn towards getting the BIG BOYS but for the time being he is a common man's saviour!!!!

zob, dear
i am sory , but once he let big boys , of the hook!
sooner or later , these big boys will be, saying tata to "JUSTICE CHOWDRY" its the ultimate future for our dear , "JUSTICE CHOWDRY", i guss he will not be around , on the next elections.
plz ,dont think any of our big boys like him, instead they are playing , wth him.