One Day consultation on the Current Political Crisis and Way Out

Lahore 29^th May,2007: Action Aid in collaboration with Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and SUNGI Development Foundation organized a one day consultation on the current political crisis in the country.

The morning session was chaired by a renowned journalist Mr. Ayaz Amir, who discussed the major aspects of the current political crisis at the national level namely the judicial crisis and the reference against the Chief Justice of Pakistan, the present political scenario with respect to the hotly debated "deal" between the Musharaf establishment and PPP, the rise in fundamentalism and the freedom of media and its violation by the state machinery in particular since the beginning of the Judicial Crisis. The speakers for this session included Mr. I. A Rehman, Director HRCP, Mr. Asad Rehman, the Post, Lahore, Mr. Rasul Bakhsh Palejo, Awami Tehrik, Justice (Retd) Nasira Iqbal, Dr. Abdul Haye Balouch, President National Party and Dr. Attiya Inayatullah, PML (N).

The afternoon session was chaired by Mr. Khadim Hussain and included Mr. Farooq Tariq, Labor Party, Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa, Defence Analyst, Mr. Haji Mohammad Adeel, ANP, Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, Information Secretary PM (N) and Mr. Jahangir Baddar, PPPP as its speakers. This session discussed the way forward with a focus on the assessment of Pakistans future in relation to democracy, rule of law and secularism.

The event was attended by a reasonable number of political and human rights activists, media representatives and civil society organizations. While analyzing the current political crisis, the participants demanded all actors of civil society to devise and develop consensus on a grand agenda for restoration and strengthening of democracy in Pakistan.

The proposed grand agenda includes the following:

That General Musharaf be removed both as the COAS and President forthwith as his holding an office of profit in the service of the state and the Presidency is illegal and a gross violation of the Constitution of Pakistan.

That the army must relinquish its illegal and unconstitutional role in politics and governance, return to the barracks and remain within its constitutional parameters of defending the borders from external threats.

That the Superior Judiciary eliminates forever the so called law of necessity from the annals of judicial decisions.

That General Musharaf be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution for high treason for overthrowing an elected government in October 1999.

That Shaukat Aziz be tried for corruption in the Karachi Stock Exchange Scam and the Steel Millis privatization case.  He should also be tried for recommending the reference against the Chief Justice of Pakistan

The MQM leadership be tried for terrorism of May 12, 2007. Those cases withdrawn by the present government against the MQM should be reopened with immediate effect.

That no political party or organization which is pro people should ally with Musharaf under the guise of secular rule, reconciliation or any other pretext.

All pro people, pro democracy political parties must unite and mobilize a mass movement on the following agenda:

•     Removal of Musharaf as President and COASA and
•    Establish an interim/ national government immediately for a period of 3 months to hold fair, free and transparent elections on an ethical code of conduct.
•    A permanent and independent Election Commission be appointed to hold fair, free and transparent elections immediately.
•      That the USA and EU recognize Pakistan as an independent and sovereign state and stop supporting a non-democratic government to accomplish its own nationalist agenda.
• That the PMLN and PPP leadership must immediately be allowed to return back to Pakistan to lead the masses movement for the ouster of the incumbent government and take the country forward for a democratic dispensation.
•        That the size and mandate of the army be redefined and the political parties should avoid looking to the army as a means to come to power. 

The consultation also made the following demands:

The President must be impeached and be trued on the charges of high treason under the constitutional article 6; No military has a right to interfere or to rule in the country now or any time in future; Their role in the politics of a Pakistan needs to be eliminated forever;

•       The Charter of Democracy must be respected by all of the political parties particularly on the grand agenda point of  No military interference in the politics and no alli8ance with the military against a ruling party winning mandate from the people of Pakistan;
•       The Chief Justice must be reinstated immediately;
•       The decisions of the Supreme Court and High Court be respected;
•       Operation in Balochistan, FATA and North Waziristan be stopped forthwith;
•       Political Prisoners must be released immediately;
•       All persons disappeared forcedly either on the political allegations or on the allegations of terrorism must be turned up and in case there is some serious charge against some one; he or she must be presented to the court.      
•       Complete provincial autonomy be declared and Pakistan be declared as multi-cultural; multi-lingual, multi-national party;
•       Privatization must be stopped in the country;
•       MQM must be declared as a fascist party; the incidences if Karachi be investigated and legal measures be taken.