PANA Demands Restoration
of Supreme Court
New York: The Pakistan American National
Alliance (PANA), a US-wide coalition of Pakistani-American
organizations, has launched a campaign to urge the people
and the governments of North America to support the valiant
struggle of the people of Pakistan for democracy.
“Without lifting Martial Law and without restoring the
judiciary as it existed on Nov 3, 2007, the whole exercise
in forthcoming election will be a farce”, Sajjad Burki,
a member of the PANA, told GEO’s Sami Ibrahim at a rally
in New York.
The PANA statement in part reads:
“If the US wants to win the hearts and minds of the
160 million people of Pakistan, then it must join them in
demanding that Gen Musharraf must comply with Article 63(K)
of the Constitution of Pakistan, which stipulates that a former
government official will NOT be eligible to be a candidate
“unless a period of two years has elapsed since he ceased
to be in such service.” Since, Gen Musharraf is still
holding the office of the Chief of the Army Staff he is clearly
not qualified to be a candidate for the presidency of Pakistan.
“Free and fair elections cannot be held unless the following
conditions obtain:
1. Martial Law is lifted and the Constitution is restored.
2. The independence of the judiciary of Pakistan is restored
by restoring the Supreme Court of Pakistan under the stewardship
of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary,
3. The new Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority
(PEMRA) Ordinance and its companion Code of Conduct is rescinded,
private TV channels are once again able to air their program
without censorship or intimidation.
All measures aimed at pre-poll rigging are terminated giving
all parties and all leaders equal access to the electoral
process.
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