Sacked Pak judges' restoration unlikely by April 30

Islamabad, Apr.20 : Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have said that a parliamentary resolution alone would not suffice to have the sacked judges restored within the 30-day deadline set by the Bhurban Declaration.

They told the Daily Times that a parliamentary resolution simply shows the intent of the parliamentarians and any follow-up action would need an executive decision.

However, even if the resolution demanded that the government restore the judges, a final decision would have to be made by the federal cabinet, and this may take time.

They said the issue of the judges' restoration would be a test case for the future of the present coalition.

The PPP and PML-N leaders did not agree with Aitzaz Ahsan's contention that there was no need of even a parliamentary resolution, as it only required an executive order.

"The Murree Declaration says that a resolution would be moved in parliament and we stick to it," they said.

The PPP leaders conceded that keeping the coalition intact without the restoration of the judges would be difficult.

President Pervez Musharraf imposed a state of emergency on November 3, 2007 and sacked those judges who did not take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order that followed.

The PPP and the PML-N signed an accord - the Murree Declaration - in Bhurban on March 9 that said the two parties would restore the sacked judges through a parliamentary resolution within 30 days after they formed a coalition government.

"The restoration of deposed judges, as it was on November 2, 2007, will be brought about through a parliamentary resolution to be passed in the National Assembly within 30 days of the formation of the federal government," the agreement said.

ANI