Impeachment now a formality: Nawaz

LAHORE - Pakistan Muslim League (N) Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif has said that impeachment of President Musharraf had already been undertaken on February 18 and only a formality remains to be fulfilled now.

Addressing a press conference at his Model Town residence on Monday, he said: "Nation wishes to see me in the Parliament but Musharraf don't. He is back in the race to contest by-election from NA-123 after all the objections rose against him are now withdrawn."

PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, senior leaders Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal and others were also present on the occasion. Shahbaz said that PML-Q-backed candidate Akhlaq Ahmed Guddu had taken back his objections against Mian Nawaz Sharif from NA-123. Now there was neither any objection nor any ambiguity in this regard, he added

Announcing to take back his nomination papers from NA-52, Nawaz said that he would contest by-elections to represent the people of Pakistan. He said that audio tape issued by the party justified the fact that both Musharraf and Pervaiz Elahi were conspiring against him and his brother Shahbaz Sharif to keep them away from the Parliament

"After the release of audio tape, everyone had listened about the on-going intrigues. Could there be a better proof than an audio tape to expose Musharraf and Pervaiz Elahi mal-practices," he asked.

Nawaz also alleged that Musharraf, Chief Justice of Pakistan Abdul Hameed Dogar, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Syed Zahid Hussain were part of the conspiracy plan.

Nawaz said: "I am trying to persuade PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to avoid lingering the issue of judges restoration as any further delay would be harmful for whole the nation. We need to come up to the expectations of people who have given us a clear-cut mandate against Musharraf impeachment."

He said that everyone including democratic forces, civil society and lawyers wanted PCO judges to go. PML-N also would not compromise on judges' issue, he added. The PML-N and the nation believe that only Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is the chief justice of Pakistan, he clarified.

To a question, he said that discussions on constitutional package were never happened in Bhurban. Though later on, during Dubai and London talks, the same package was discussed. "But we made it clear to PPP that first of all there should be restoration of judges under the Murree Declaration and than the constitutional package can be put under consideration," he added.

Nawaz said: "We don't comment on the package until we receive it." About the indemnity of President Musharraf, he said that courts were not authorised to indemnify Musharraf. Only Parliament has the authority to do so, he added.