Nawaz says no compromise on restoration of judges

Islamabad, Aug 29 : PML-N leader and former Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif has said that there could be no compromise over the reinstatement of all judges, including deposed chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. He said that the reinstatement of all judges was agreed upon between the PPP and PML-N and that it was a "solemn pledge" to each other.

In an interview with an Indian English fortnightly news tabloid, he said that even slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto had also agreed to restoration of Iftikhar Chaudhry as the country's chief justice.

He said that PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had let him down by not sticking to the Murree Declaration.

"There is no room for flexibility on the issue of the judiciary. There was no room for flexibility on the impeachment of the president. There is no room for flexibility on something that we have signed together, something on which we have given a solemn pledge to each other. When you have an agenda to strengthen democracy and make the parliament sovereign, how can you be flexible?" he said.

"If you recall, even Benazir Bhutto stated that she wanted Chaudhry reinstated as the chief justice of Pakistan," Nawaz said.

Zardari, who apologised publicly for not keeping his promise, had made it clear that though some sacked judges could be reinstated, a decision on Chaudhry would be made later. "The PPP government seems to be still following the agenda of the dictator, Pervez Musharraf. It is tragic that the PPP-led by Asif Ali Zardari seems to be an extension of the same system," Nawaz said.

ANI