Bids adieu to coalition

Answering to another question as to how would his party react if PPP-led government restored all the deposed judges before or shortly after the presidential election, Nawaz Sharif described it a hypothetical question. He reminded that when his party was in talks with PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari ahead of the coalition decision to impeach Musharraf, eight deposed judges of Sindh High Court were being restored and his party objected and got that tricky process immediately stopped.

ONLINE adds: Mian Nawaz Sharif said that his party had forged alliance with PPP for supremacy of constitution, protection of democratic norms and complete restoration of judges.

“We are not power hungry rather we are supportive of those who deserve for it. Breaking the promise is repeatedly prohibited in the Holy Quran and Hadith and this factor has led to break up of alliance. We were not even taken on board on the issue of presidential candidate”, he said.

Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Justice (R) Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, Ghaus Ali Shah, Raja Zafarul Haq and others were also present on the occasion.

Nawaz Sharif said the PML-N and PPP embarked on joint journey of harmony for supremacy of constitution and democracy with 13th constitutional amendment in 1997.

“Meetings with Benazir Bhutto continued during the period of exile. As a result, the Charter of Democracy came into being. Both the parties continued to go side by side prior to and after elections. Our ministers took oath before former president Pervez Musharraf on the insistence of Asif Zardari”, he said, adding that it was resolved during this period that judges would be restored within 30 days through a resolution and executive order but PPP insisted for restoration of judges through constitutional package. Afterwards, Asif Zardari in his interview with TV channel termed his statement as political statement saying agreements are not Quran or Hadith, the PML-N chief said.

Nawaz Sharif further said it was again agreed upon during a meeting in Dubai that judges would be reinstated.