LAHORE/KARACHI: Condemning what he termed “indecent language” by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for President Asif Zardari during the opposition’s rally in Lahore on Friday, former president Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan called for an amendment to the constitution in order to protect public offices from defamation,Express 24/7 reported on Saturday.
Advising Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members against any action that would bring down all signatories of the Charter of Democracy (CoD), Ahsan urged PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to immediately take notice of the issue. Ahsan was speaking to the media at the Supreme Court’s Lahore registry where he had gone to cast his vote on Saturday for the Bar’s annual elections 2011-12. “Rallies can’t bring change, only democratic procedure can,” he said.
Referring to Shahbaz’s fiery speech against President Zardari, Ahsan indirectly held the PML-N “more responsible” for the present situation and said that except for a few individuals, the PPP was, by and large, following a policy of reconciliation.
Asma criticises Shahbaz’s remarks
Everyone has the right to criticise, but emotions should not be played up, SCBA outgoing president Asma Jahangir said on Saturday.
Talking to the media, Asma also lamented the language used by Shahbaz against President Zardari. Conflicts are the beauty of democracy, but the use of indecent language is wrong, she maintained.
Nawaz received funds from Bin Laden
The Sharif brothers may have received funding from unidentified sources to finance their anti-government rallies, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said while addressing a news conference at the Sindh Secretariat on Saturday.
“The Sharif brothers have earned their doctorate in corruption and their master’s in lies. They aren’t Khadim-e-Aala, they are Dakait-e-Aala,” Memon said.
Nawaz reportedly received funds in the past from former al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to topple former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s government, Memon said, adding that maybe they had received the same kind of support again to hatch conspiracies against the PPP-led regime.
Hitting hard against the Sharif brothers, Memon alleged they were involved in corruption worth billions or rupees. “It appears the brothers suffer from a Zardari-phobia and are afraid of the upcoming Senate elections,” he said. “They should have used the money they spent on the rally to fight dengue instead,” Memon added.
President Zardari is not a ‘layman’
The language used by the Punjab chief minister was “non-political and undemocratic”, PPP General Secretary Senator Jahangir Badar said.
Addressing the media, Badar said the reason for calling the press conference was not Friday’s rally but the language used in it. “The language was against the current government and sought Zardari’s resignation. President Zardari is not a ‘layman’,” Badar said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 30th, 2011.
COMMENTS (14)
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I was always under the opinion that a bad democracy is better than dictatorship. I am not a supporter of any political party. Now I have changed my opinion. Democracy is not working in Pakistan. This Government is not providing any thing basic requirements to the people of Pakistan.
When Zardari used the word 'Molvi' for Navaz Sharif, did he violated any charter.
Oh now Mr Ahsan speaks.. where was he hiding all these days when the corruption of this ill faced government is at its height? The pillars of Pakistan are collapsing!!
Well as per wikileaks both parties were not interested in restoration of judiciary and PML N only did long march for restoration of punjab government. Shabaz sharif called Chief Justice Iftikhar as problem juror.
Mr. Ahsan, I would like to inform you that reinstatement of judiciary has totally failed to deliver because lower judiciary is more corrupt than before and Lawyers are also out of control. Bias judgments and overstepping in executive domain is on rise. Unnecessary impediments are being created due to pick and choose cases. The filthy language used by Sharifs and associates is only due to your blind support not realizing their past history towards your mother party. COD has been violated only by Sharifs by using a language which is not acceptable. Where are those rivers of milk and honey???? It is better for you to apologize and like a gentleman accept your failure in supporting those who have nothing to do with democracy. You were only used and this is the reason for your loneliness in the party. People still admire your intellect but use it where it benefits your party and democracy in the country. You know the sacrifices of your party towards democracy.
Mr Ahsan what ever happened to free judiciary? We are worst off than before despite so called free judiciary around us.
The basis of a civilized society and democracy is the acceptance of election results. The acceptance and respect by the losing party and its assurance that elections are over and it would cooperate with the govt and bow down to the will of the people. In fact the losing party/candidate comes out and delivers concession speech to the victor with congratulations and promise to abide constitution. All election politics end till the next elections and both parties try to make the federation strong. In Pakistan, no sooner do the elections end the losing parties start the denial of election results. Their energies are spent of “delegitimizing” the elected govt at the cost of the federation. Zardari is nothing but the symbol of head of federation. To demean this post is weakening the foundation of federation and create East Pakistan like situation. Zardari and Sharif come and go, but the loss of federation is irreparable. PML-N has been ruling 62% of Pakistan and has waited for almost four years and all of a sudden they cannot hold their horses for one more year. They want to avoid the senate elections in March, but at what cost, Civil war? With the MQM’s recent announcement Sind and Baluchistan would become like East Pakistan. What does PML-N want just for quick power?
did lawyer movement ever supported CoD? out of 36 clauses in CoD 13 were judiciary specific, lawyer movement neither supported those judges who did not take oath under PCO 1 nor supported CoD. they took stand against dogar courts but failed to give credit to 6 judges who did not support gen Musharaf right from the beginning. why laywer movement forget the real heros, can aitizaz ehsan like senior politician enrich us about that shift.
Ahsan also said that the charter was aimed to end corruption and ensure independence of judiciary and to the keep army in barracks. The former president of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) said that while all of it is achieved, the two parties have once again come to loggerheads
End of corruption, Mr Ahsan, are you talking serious?
Every body knows that PPP Govt is the most corrupt Govt in the history of Pakistan. Lets see the institutions like PIA, P.Railways, Steel Mill etc etc. billion of rupees have been digested in 3 and a half years. In the name of rec-concialation every one is looting this poor country. perhapes we have gone in the era of early eighteen century.
Remember: Democracy is the best revenge...... poor peoples of Pakistan are paying for democracy..
Deplorable, slave driver language in the city of Faiz. No good for the image. Civility and Shareef, I thought both words had the same meaning. Was I wrong? You bet!
Deplorable, slave driver language in the city of Faiz. No good for the image.
Defamation is too vague in a way similar to the blasphemy law. It can be legally debatable even if it's constructive criticism. But, that's not too hard to work around and have the right effect. The agreement to not topple each others government is sufficient alone if clarified. There's a distinct enough difference between criticism and hostility that a jury can decide between the two.
Dear Aitzaz sb, don
t forget that PMLN leader Nawaz Sharif was with you in long march. In fact, he gave you courage otherwise you kept yourself in your home. Your PPP was in the favor of restoration of judiciary. Only Zardari is responsible of current situation. It is the duty of Federal government to provide electricity, reduce inflation, reduce corruption, create jobs, save peoples life not the responsibility of provincial government. If federal govt is providing all these things then why Raja from Sindh burnt himself in front of Parliament House?? Dear, please stop doing politics. Please be same as you were in "Wukla Tehreek" Thanks.