PADF Urges Judges Restoration

Washington, DC: The Pakistan American Democratic Forum, an organization dedicated to the cause of democracy, has demanded immediate restoration of the deposed Supreme Court judges and commended Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s affirmation in this respect.
The representatives of the forum concurred with the view that a National Assembly resolution would be enough for reinstatement of the deposed judges.
‘We appreciate Prime Minister Gilani’s affirmation of his and his party’s commitment to the Murree Declaration. A declaration by PPP and PML-N to seek immediate reinstatement of the 66 deposed judges status quo anti November 2, 2007,” Agha Saeed, a professor of political science and philosophy at Californian University said in a statement at a Press Conference.
Dr Agha said noted legal scholars, constitutional experts and eight former judges of the Supreme Court have endorsed the legal approach adopted in the Murree Declaration.
The Forum applauded the new leadership’s decision on immediate release of the deposed judges and credited vital elements of the Pakistani society - the PPP-PML(N)-ANP coalition, the legal fraternity, the media, and various elements of the civil society including the ‘All Parties Democratic Movement’ (APDM) - with the “new beginning.”
The Forum appealed to the coalition government to seek immediate repeal of the “unconstitutional amendments made during emergency period.”
Dr Ghazala Qazi from the Association of Pakistan Physicians for Justice and Democracy praised the civil society, particularly the lawyers’ community, for raising awareness on the issue and opined there is no going back on it now.
Another member Muhammad Salim Akhtar also briefed the media representatives on the issue.

 

 

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