Peshawar High Court gathering: ‘I risked dismissal by ending judges’ arrest’

PM reiterates struggle for judicial reforms.

PESHAWAR: Celebrating the successes of the Pakistan People Party, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday credited his government with a slew of accomplishments, particularly judicial reforms and development in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

While addressing a gathering at the Peshawar High Court, Gilani said that he along with the late PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto participated in the lawyers’ movement and struggled for the restoration of deposed judges.

He said that he risked his party being ousted by former president Pervez Musharraf by issuing his first executive order to end the house arrests of deposed judges and later restored the judges through an executive order.

The premier said that besides the restoration of the 1973 Constitution, the government can be credited with the passage of the 18th Amendment; resolution of the issues of National Finance Commission Award; bringing reforms in the colonial-era Frontier Crimes Regulation and extension of the Political Parties Act to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). He reminded the audience that his government awarded provincial autonomy to the K-P government after a struggle of over 64 years.

Gilani also announced a cash grant of Rs50 million for the Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA).

Gilani directed the K-P chief minister to resolve all issues faced by the lawyers’ community, before concluding his speech by thanking the K-P lawyer community for supporting the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th,  2011.