A historical verdict of Supreme Court of Pakistan

[Pak_Army]

A historical verdict of SC

The Supreme Court of Pakistan in a historical judgment has declared the steps taken on November 3, 2007 by former president Pervez Musharraf as unconstitutional, besides terming as illegal and unconstitutional the sacking of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and the other higher judiciary as well as the appointment of Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar as chief justice.
The judgment came after the 14-judge larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry completed the hearing of constitutional petitions regarding PCO judges, appointments of judges of higher judiciary and November 3, 2007 steps. Other details of verdict say that the oath taken by President Asif Ali Zardari will not be affected by the SC verdict. Where as all the appointments made in the higher judiciary of Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar has been termed illegal. It termed as unconstitutional all the appointments of judges during November 3, 2007 to March 24, 2008. It said the strength of Supreme Court judges will remain 17. It declared unconstitutional all the steps taken by Pervez Musharraf during November 3, 2007 to December 15, 2007 including the increasing of number of superior judges through finance bill. The verdict said all the appointments of judges on and after November 3, 2007 under PCO were unconstitutional; the case of PCO judges will be referred to the Supreme Judicial Council accordingly.
The announcement of Friday verdict has sent a wave of jubilation outside the Supreme Court and at the entire bar associations. Sweets were being distributed as people and lawyers chanted slogans in support of the judiciary. The leaders of lawyer movement heaved a sigh of relief on the verdict by and large. On the other hand, the President of Pakistan has expressed that the negation and rejection of dictatorship and its actions of November 3, 2007 by the Supreme Court is a triumph of the principles for which the party fought and it’s Chairperson Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and countless workers laid down their lives.
The short decision of the apex court in a very important case has been acclaimed by those sections of the society, who has fought; long battle of the supremacy of law and the constitution. By this historic verdict the Supreme Court has set the record of history on the right path and as well as given a great amount of credibility to the judicial system in the country. In Pakistan’s political history fingers have been pointed out many time on the role of judiciary, especially in the context of constitutional decision making when it comes to review the position of steps taken by the dictatorships. There are many loop holes and concessions given to dictators in the past history, but the recent verdict has set the right and lawful path in the constitutional history of Pakistan. The honorable court has judiciously averted the sense of anarchy might be created after this verdict, the decision has over all given the sagacity of security enabling common men to realize that law can take its due course when it is in right hands to look after.
Smoldering Balochistan
The recent attacks on the security forces convoy, patrolling and taking care law in order in the capital city has once again raised concerns of common men as well as the people in the helm of affairs in the provincial capital.
After the deployment of the Frontier Corps on 23 June in the provincial capital Quetta on the request of provincial government, initially city dwellers witnessed some 4 peaceful weeks. But unfortunately last one week has given birth, to many untoward incidents of target killings and grenade attacks on security apparatus and the common people. There is an increase in target killings, where 2 teachers and few other citizens fall prey to the firing incidents. Keeping in view the sensitivity of the issue in Balochistan, prime minister has approved the recommendations of Balochistan committee, but it is required that the PAC or other initiatives on Balochistan shall be taken as soon as possible. The delay from government side would give rise to the sense of deprivation and insecurity in the province, timely steps can avert the losses of more valuables lives and energy consumed to tackle the problem on informal basis. The bushes are smoldering once again in Balochistan and it needs to extinguish rightly.