Pak. Chief Justice reminds Govt. of deadline

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JUNE 3. For the second time in a few weeks, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr. Irshad Hasan Khan, has reminded the military Government headed by Gen. Pervez Musharraf that it had no right to continue in office beyond October 2002.

The reminder could upset the plans, if any, of the Government to prolong its rule. There has been speculation in a section of the press on the possibility of the military regime approaching the Supreme Court, seeking an extension of time-frame for the restoration of democracy.

At a meet-the-press programme organised by the Commonwealth Ethnic Bar Association in London on Saturday, the Chief Justice reminded the Government that the legitimacy granted to the military to rule after the October 1999 coup was conditional.

``It was inter-linked and inter-twined with the holding of elections. It will lose its legitimacy if elections are not held in time,'' Chief Justice Khan told journalists.

(While validating the military take-over in its judgment in March 2000, under the `doctrine of necessity,' the Supreme Court had given a three-year time-frame for the Musharraf Government to implement its reform agenda and restore democracy).

The Chief Justice said he was ``prompted to speak'' and considered it ``necessary'' to clarify the position on the subject. He believed in a strong Bar, an independent Judiciary and a free media.

There was no reason to be apprehensive about the intentions of the military Government. ``The Chief Executive has unequivocally said that he would hold elections by that time (October 2002).''

Countering the impression that the judiciary in Pakistan was not independent, he said ``there is not one instance in world history where the judiciary has acted so independently as in Pakistan when the military Government was in place. There is no doubt about the rule of law in Pakistan because we believe in the supremacy and majesty of law and we have asserted it.''

The last time the Supreme Court reminded the Musharraf Government of the October 2002 deadline was when it came out with its annual report over two months ago.

Earlier, while disposing petitions seeking review of its judgment on validation of the coup, the apex court had sought a firm assurance from the Government on the timetable for restoration of democracy.

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Section  : International
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