UK Lawyers Condemn Disqualification of Nawaz Sharif

Association of Pakistani Lawyers a team of Pakistani origin lawyers, Solicitors, Barristers, Judges in UK jointly condemn disqualification of former Premier Mian Nawaz Sharif from contesting bye election from NA 123. APL have jointly rejected the 23 June 2008 decision of a larger bench of Lahore High Court comprising of Mr. Justice Abdul Shakoor Peracha, Syed Shabbar Raza Rizvi & Mr. Justice M Bilal, and declared it a negation of people's will and an extension of the achievements of PCO judges club which include legalizing the mini coup of 3^rd November 207 in Iqbal Tikka Khan case, scrapping BA degree condition without Parliamentary approval, removing restriction on the announcement of Presidential election results, cleaning the officials who mal treated the Chief Justice in March 2007, keeping negligent quietness at the unlawful house arrest of their fellow judges for months and they never issued habeas corpus toeing the line of a dictator, allowing quick process on NRO despite public's anger and at last barring the former Premier to go to polls to seek public confidence. APL feels that this sort of decision never came from PCO judges when President was seeking re election in uniform.

As a result, APL held an emergency session where it was expressed that this dual status and conflicting decisions of the courts support the national demand whereby people wish to see independent courts headed by justice Choudhary. The courts whose judgments are ridiculed and lack confidence of nation are bringing the very institution into disrepute whose clean judges remained under house arrest for months at the hands of general Musharraf as a result of 3^rd November emergency.

APL further believe that Election commission allowed Sharifs to contest election in 2002 and they further allowed him to contest in 2008, and High Court's interference is unjustified where Deputy A-G opposed the petitions and Mian Nawaz Sharif's party formed Govt in the Punjab and he is the second largest party in the Parliament. Judges ignored the remarks of General Jamshed Gulzar Kiyani about "˜plane high jacking case' and it failed to take into account the latest US survey which has shown former premier the most popular leader of the country representing Federation carrying 86% votes in the survey. Thus this rejection seems unthoughtful and provocative which has hidden agenda to destabilize the system and curb the drive for rule of law, justice and military free democracy in Pakistan.

APL demanded that 2 November judges must be restored at once as these decisions will create anarchy in the country and will act as a stumbling block towards progress, democracy and rule of law. APL noted the statements of PML(N leaders ) and the contents of the conversation ran on different TV channels where conspiracy of three elders  was exposed to secure disqualification and passed a resolution rejecting the disqualification of Sharifs and APL sought interference of the parliament to fight for the rights of the public representatives and desired them to do the needful.

APL also invited the jurists to form a committee and give their opinion in public about this decision to create awareness as these lower court decisions may create a rift and damage the Federation and democratic struggle.

APL joins common man's voice which goes with the lawyers, media and judges community of Pakistan and we hope that it reaches to those rulers who make decision(s) to listen to it and act accordingly for rule of law, justice and supremacy of Constitution to save the federation and country from imminent dangers.

Amjad Malik, MA, LLM

Solicitor-Advocate of the Supreme Court of England

Life Member SCBA (Pakistan)
Vice Chair Association of Pakistani Lawyers (UK)