FEATURES & ARTICLES
FEATURE
FEATURES & ARTICLES
Forum for Justice and democracy in Pakistan” Demands Restoration of Deposed Judges and Provincial Autonomy
Rockville, MD 20852 March 22, 2008
RESOLUTIONS
On this day of March 22, 2008 various Americans of Pakistani origin gathered at the “Forum for Justice and Democracy in Pakistan” in Rockville, Maryland. All participants exchanged their thoughts and assessments of recent political developments in Pakistan in an informal and interactive environment. Several guests and speakers gave their eye witness account of electoral events and shared their post-election analysis.
In spite of various ideological and political backgrounds and party affiliations participants of this meeting converged for the cause bigger than their preferred roads to respective journeys. At the conclusion of this session participants expressed their resolve as follows:
1. It is our hope and desire that the will of 160 million people of Pakistan will translate into establishing justice, democracy, and liberty in Pakistan. We also hope that the new era of ballot power will establish its domain over the run-away power of the barrel and bullets.
2. We the undersigned unanimously feel that the real work for political parties and civil society in Pakistan has just begun. We wish that the hope that is rekindled by the blood of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and sacrifices of hundreds and thousands of shaheeds is not diminished to darkness.
3. It is incumbent upon all freedom loving forces within Pakistan to make sure that a good name of democracy is upheld in letter and spirit. Leaders and the elected governments at the center and provinces must positively impact the lives of people of Pakistan by creating good governance, practicing highest levels of public service, introducing economic policies that will bring opportunities for the greatest number of citizens instead of creating windfall profits for selective class or two.
4. The new government must continue its journey to ensure that the supremacy of law and judiciary is restored and maintained by respecting all legal and judicial institutions and through an immediate restoration of the real Supreme Court under Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and all other High Court and Supreme Court deposed judges.
5. We strongly feel that the newly elected parliament in Pakistan must assure that Musharraf era has come to its natural demise and a dignity of Pakistani State is restored in the presidency of an honorable and respectable individual who will hold supremacy of constitution and the law above personal or surrogate interests.
6. The cause of justice and democracy will remain disserved unless the real assassins of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Akbar Khan Bugti, and other politically motivated assassinations are not brought to justice. The new government must request UN probe into assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to expose actual culprits to settle this issue once for all.
On this day of March 22, 2008 various Americans of Pakistani origin gathered at the “Forum for Justice and Democracy in Pakistan” in Rockville, Maryland. All participants exchanged their thoughts and assessments of recent political developments in Pakistan in an informal and interactive environment. Several guests and speakers gave their eye witness account of electoral events and shared their post-election analysis.
In spite of various ideological and political backgrounds and party affiliations participants of this meeting converged for the cause bigger than their preferred roads to respective journeys. At the conclusion of this session participants expressed their resolve as follows:
1. It is our hope and desire that the will of 160 million people of Pakistan will translate into establishing justice, democracy, and liberty in Pakistan. We also hope that the new era of ballot power will establish its domain over the run-away power of the barrel and bullets.
2. We the undersigned unanimously feel that the real work for political parties and civil society in Pakistan has just begun. We wish that the hope that is rekindled by the blood of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and sacrifices of hundreds and thousands of shaheeds is not diminished to darkness.
3. It is incumbent upon all freedom loving forces within Pakistan to make sure that a good name of democracy is upheld in letter and spirit. Leaders and the elected governments at the center and provinces must positively impact the lives of people of Pakistan by creating good governance, practicing highest levels of public service, introducing economic policies that will bring opportunities for the greatest number of citizens instead of creating windfall profits for selective class or two.
4. The new government must continue its journey to ensure that the supremacy of law and judiciary is restored and maintained by respecting all legal and judicial institutions and through an immediate restoration of the real Supreme Court under Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and all other High Court and Supreme Court deposed judges.
5. We strongly feel that the newly elected parliament in Pakistan must assure that Musharraf era has come to its natural demise and a dignity of Pakistani State is restored in the presidency of an honorable and respectable individual who will hold supremacy of constitution and the law above personal or surrogate interests.
6. The cause of justice and democracy will remain disserved unless the real assassins of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Akbar Khan Bugti, and other politically motivated assassinations are not brought to justice. The new government must request UN probe into assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to expose actual culprits to settle this issue once for all.
7. We believe dispensing of real justice shall not be traded for political convenience. The arrogant abuse of state and killings of innocent participants of the “May 12th rally in Karachi” and the loss of innocent lives by bomb blasts in Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s rally on October 2007 must be investigated. The culprits must be brought to public trials and shall be punished.
8.In the spirit of nation building newly elected political parties must empower and enrich cultural and religious diversity in the country. It shall restrain itself from introducing any divisive policies or projects, which pull us apart instead of bringing us together. Islamabad must value this diversity as a powerful rainbow rather than a threat to the union.
9.The newly elected governments shall sincerely and diligently work toward the goal of attaining complete individual and collective dignity and prosperity of 160 million Pakistanis. All human rights supporters, newly elected governments and civil society in Pakistan must work in concert to fight evil forces that promote hate, violence, and carnage in the name of national origin, ideologies, and in the name of the religion of their personal preference.
10.We ask that the first order of business of newly sworn in elected governments shall be to remove all restrictions from the media including electronic media, blogs, and banned political websites. It must immediately release all political prisoners including a US Citizen and human rights activist Dr. Safdar Sarki.
11. We ask that the new government address the demand of provincial autonomy on a priority basis.
12. We ask that the new government to immediately start dialogue with Baluch leaders and find a solution that ensures that native Baluch has a major say in decisions that affect Balochistan
9.The newly elected governments shall sincerely and diligently work toward the goal of attaining complete individual and collective dignity and prosperity of 160 million Pakistanis. All human rights supporters, newly elected governments and civil society in Pakistan must work in concert to fight evil forces that promote hate, violence, and carnage in the name of national origin, ideologies, and in the name of the religion of their personal preference.
10.We ask that the first order of business of newly sworn in elected governments shall be to remove all restrictions from the media including electronic media, blogs, and banned political websites. It must immediately release all political prisoners including a US Citizen and human rights activist Dr. Safdar Sarki.
11. We ask that the new government address the demand of provincial autonomy on a priority basis.
12. We ask that the new government to immediately start dialogue with Baluch leaders and find a solution that ensures that native Baluch has a major say in decisions that affect Balochistan
SIGNATORIES
Iqbal Tareen, Aijaz Abro, Dr. Javaid Manzoor, Dr. Ghazala Kazi, MD, MPH, Afaq Ahmad, MD, MPH, Zahid Shaikh, Ali Nawaz Memon, Sarfraz Memon, Khalid Hashmani, Jabbar Siddiqui
Iqbal Tareen, Aijaz Abro, Dr. Javaid Manzoor, Dr. Ghazala Kazi, MD, MPH, Afaq Ahmad, MD, MPH, Zahid Shaikh, Ali Nawaz Memon, Sarfraz Memon, Khalid Hashmani, Jabbar Siddiqui
