WikiLeaks: Shahbaz was in negotiation to remove CJ

PML-N leader was negotiating a "face-saving restoration" to eventually remove Iftikhar Chaudhry.


Express May 20, 2011

Chief Minister Punjab and prominent figurehead of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shahbaz Sharif was willing to negotiate the future of the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry even while his party publicly rallied support for the restoration of the chief justice, a newly released wikileaks cable states.

In a meeting with Principal Officer at the Lahore consulate Bryan D Hunt, Shahbaz had stated:
“that the Sharifs’ key demands in these negotiations were: (1) restoration of the electoral eligibility of both Sharif brothers; (2) restoration of Shahbaz Sharif’s government in the Punjab; (3) some sort of face-saving restoration of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry; and (4) agreement on transfers of powers between the President and the Prime Minister in accordance with the Charter of Democracy.”

The cable says that Shahbaz had said that the PML-N was open to negotiation, provided that Chaudhry was symobolically restored as chief justice of Pakistan, but at the same time Shahbaz claimed to understand that Chaudhry was a problematic jurist whose powers would need to be carefully curtailed.

The cable states that Shahbaz had said that PML-N was prepared to end the issue and “remove Chaudhry once and for all”. This he had said would be done adopting legislation proposed in the Charter of Democracy that would ban all judges who had taken an oath under a Provincial Constitutional Order (PCO) from serving.

Sharif had stated that in his assessment both then current Chief Justice Dogar and Punjab  Governor Salmaan Taseer would not be able to play a role in the new system. Shahbaz had also called Dogar a “completely discredited jurist”.

The goals Sharif has highlighted in the negotiation process were the restoration of the eligibility of both Sharif brothers to contest in national elections and the restoration of his government in the Punjab province.

Shahbaz had underscored that the Sharifs were prepared to adopt any safeguards that President Zardari desired prior to Chaudhry’s restoration, including “curtailment of his powers to create judicial benches, removal of his suo moto jurisdiction, and/or establishment of a constitutional court as a check on the Supreme Court.”

The full text of the cable is available on Dawn.com, The Hindu and NDTV. WikiLeaks had previously released cables to other media organisations including Guardian and the New York Times.

Cable Referenced: WikiLeaks #196903

The full text of the cables can be read on Dawn.com, The Hindu and NDTV. WikiLeaks has previously released cables to other media organisations including Guardian and the New York Times.

COMMENTS (23)

Sardar Riaz ul haq | 12 years ago | Reply I am from Gujranwala and ex vice president of PML N distt Gujranwala. briefly I took an active part for the restoration of Democracy , for CJ movement and for Sharief Bradran that they could come back but they gave party tick those people who became hurdles against all these movements and remain the right hand of Musharraf and Ch Brothers of Gujrat . They have Forgotten all Their sincer worker , Even till Now they are taking back all their old companions who joined Ch Brothers and Musharraf. so they have no justice even in their Party and their fight just only to get Power on any rate . Now I am joining join Imran khan party.
Tariq | 12 years ago | Reply there are so many problems which our great nation is facing at this time and the only hope is Imran Khan .we should support him
VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ