Re: Zardari ticks off Aitzaz Ahsan.
Would the Muree declaration die out, as Zardari condemns the judges that took oath on the PCO and validated great President Musharaf’s rule?
Bhutto’s husband joins president in condemning judges
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=211274&version=1&template_id=41&parent_id=23
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Zardari has shocked Pakistanis by issuing a long ‘charge-sheet’ against 60 popular judges controversially sacked by President General (retired) Pervez Musharraf and for whose restoration he has signed a pact with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, alleging they never came to his rescue and were responsible for his eight years in jail.
** In the clearest indication that the PPP may not stand by the Murree Declaration pact between Sharif and Zardari to restore the judges, party sources confirmed here yesterday that the widower of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto told his central executive committee in Naudero on Friday night that he was not interested in the restoration of “personalities” but wanted a judicial reforms package.**
Analysts here say things are getting complicated for Zardari, both within the PPP and outside, as he was moving closer to allies of Musharraf and drifting away from his principal coalition government partner Sharif.
As Zardari issued his charge-sheet against the judges, Amin Fahim demanded the disbandment of the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians, which he heads. Others in the PPP blasted the party leadership’s decision to join hands with the controversial ethnic Karachi-based party Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
On the other hand, Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) is determined not to compromise on the issue of restoration of the deposed judges through a resolution in the National Assembly.
The party said here yesterday it seeks strict adherence to the Murree Declaration and would not accept any formula or constitutional amendment that restores all the deposed judges minus Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.
“After gaining so much because of the political initiative that Zardari has taken in the recent weeks, he is on the verge of losing all,” a senior PPP leader conceded, revealing the situation in Sindh is “extremely tense” after Zardari’s visit to the MQM headquarters last week to patch up with the party ’s vociferous rivals.
In a post-dinner gathering of the PPP’s central executive committee, the source said, many PPP leaders minced no words in criticising Zardari’s decision to woo the MQM. Party legislator Shagufta Jumani and Sethi Ishaq were among those who expressed strong resentment and wondered how the PPP could join hands with the MQM, which was responsible for the killing of their colleagues.
“The Sindhi people have not given a mandate to Zardari to thrust upon them his personal agenda of humiliation in the name of reconciliation,” a PPP leader said bitterly, adding, “We strongly oppose and condemn the PPP-MQM coalition in Sindh.” The leader asked: “Who caused the May 12th incident (in which 40 people were killed with MQM caught on live TV killing several persons)? Who was behind the October 18 blast (in which Bhutto escaped an assassination attempt but 150 party activists died)? Who killed (popular party leaders) Murad Baloch and Munawar Suhrawardy? But you still went to the (MQM headquarters) to express solidarity with the MQM against the wishes of the nation. Now it’s time for us to rethink our support for you, Zardari,” said the source, who sounded quite disturbed.
“There is a wave of anger,” another PPP leader conceded. **The likes of legislators Pervez Ashraf, Mehmood Qureshi and Jahangir Badar, however, showered Zardari with praises and called him a great leader. Badar even claimed the party had become more popular under Zardari than under Bhutto.
** Popular party leader Aitzaz Ahsan, who is leading the campaign for the restoration of the deposed judges, told the meeting that it would be in the interest of the party to get the judges restored. Zardari, however, came down hard on the issue of the judges’ restoration.
** According to one source, Zardari snubbed the widely-respected lawyer leader and said he knew the worth of the judges whose restoration was being sought by the lawyers’ community.**
** Zardari said these were the same judges who had earlier taken oath of allegiance to Musharraf and validated his military rule.** Referring to his jail life, a source quoted him as saying that he was let down by these judges, who had even refused to release him on parole to attend the funeral of his nephew.
Another party leader said he was disappointed to hear what he termed the charge-sheet issued by Zardari against the deposed judges. According to him, almost 60% of the co-chairman’s speech was against Aitzaz Ahsan and the judges.