Emergency to go on Dec 15, 5 prez orders to be issued: Attorney Gen

Islamabad, Dec 13 (UNI) Emergency in Pakistan, imposed on November 3 will be lifted on December 15, Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum said today.

The five presidential orders-- Revocation of Proclamation of Emergency Order 2007, Repeal of PCO Order 2007, Revival of Constitution Order 2007, Establishment of Islamabad High Court Order 2007 and Grant of Pensionary Benefits to Judges Order 2007-- would be issued the same day, he said.

The Attorney General told reporters that all fundamental rights would stand restored after the revocation of the Emergency Proclamation and repeal of the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO).

The chief justices of the Supreme Court, Federal Shariat Court and all the four provincial High courts would take oath under the 1973 Constitution after the promulgation of the orders.

All judges of the superior courts would similarly take fresh oath under the Constitution, Mr Qayyum said, adding the unseated judges would be given full pensionary benefits.

He said there was no proposal under consideration to suspend local government administrators for the general elections as being demanded by some political parties.

To a question about rejection of nomination papers of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Attorney General said he was not qualified because of his conviction in 2000.

As for the rejection of nomination papers of Shabaz Sharif, Mr Qayyum said the former Punjab chief minister had not filed an appeal before an election tribunal against the rejection of his papers by the returning officer.

UNI