PADF Supports PML-N Resignations

Washington, DC: The Pakistan American Democratic Forum, a national organization of Pakistani Americans established in 1982 to help restore democracy in Pakistan, has applauded the PML—N for reaming steadfast in its principled stand for the restoration of deposed judges by having its nine ministers resign from the coalition cabinet.
“Painful as it is, this decisive action by the PML(N) has removed ambiguity, uncertainty and double-dealing that had come to characterize the PPP-lead coalition government. It has restored the initiative to the civil society groups to coalesce themselves into a national movement for the establishment of an independent judiciary,” PADF President Dr. Toor said.  
“PPP’s refusal to abide by the Murree Declaration has enabled Gen Musharraf to use his PCO Supreme Court to gag the media. The Doggar ‘Supreme Court’ is now muzzling the same media that had played a decisive role in getting Chief Justice Chaudhry reinstated. That could never been possible without Mr. Zardari’s collaboration.
“Mr. Zardari, however, will not be able to maintain the status quo without seeking far greater support from major foreign powers, which would further erode Pakistan ’s sovereignty. 
“We are profoundly dismayed by Awami National Party (ANP) completes silence at this crucial juncture,” he said.
The PADF statement, in part, reads:
"As always we remain non-partisan in support for the democracy in Pakistan, however, as always we support those who support reinstatement of the deposed Judges as necessitated by the Constitution and as promised by both PPP and PML(N) in the Murree Declaration.
“Although the ball is now in clearly PPP’s court and, now, more than ever before, Mr. Zardari will to have prove the veracity of his repeated pledges to uphold the rule of law and ensure independence of freedom, the initiative has returned to the legal fraternity, the All Parties Democratic Movement and other institutions of the civil society.
“PPP’s refusal to abide by the Murree Declaration has enabled Gen Musharraf to use his PCO Supreme Court to gag the media. The Doggar “Supreme Court” is now muzzling the same media that had played a decisive role in getting Chief Justice Chaudhry reinstated. That could never been possible without Mr. Zardari’s collaboration.
“Mr. Zardari, however, will not be able to maintain the status quo without seeking far greater support from major foreign powers, which would further erode of Pakistan ’s sovereignty.  
 “This however is only the beginning of post-2008-election struggle for an independent judiciary. A vast majority of Pakistani Americans remain firmly committed to support those who support rule of law in Pakistan.

 

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