Naheed Wants Review Petition on NRO Verdict

Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at 11:11 am under Pakistan News

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News: Naheed Khan, who was political secretary to Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, said Monday that the government should file a review petition after a detailed judgement of the Supreme Court on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) is announced.

Talking to media she also said she was of the view that the NRO should have been defended in the court.

‘Personally I think the government should have defended the NRO in the court by highlighting its spirit.’

Naheed said for smooth transition to democracy through free and fair elections, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had presented two points before Pervez Musharraf; either to remove the bar on a third term for the prime ministry or withdrawal of all cases which had not been decided despite a lapse of 12 years.

She said it was the PML-Q government, which chose the option of withdrawal of cases to pave the way for transition to democracy.

Naheed said that Benazir Bhutto had pledged to the nation to remove the 17th amendment and 58-2(B) and implement the Charter of Democracy in its true spirit.

Replying to a question, she said that under Article-248 of the constitution, the president enjoys immunity. However, she said the ministers and others facing revived cases should resign in the best interest of the party.

‘Once they get themselves acquitted from courts, the ministers can rejoin miniseries in a dignified manner,’ she said.

The senior PPP leader said the time had come for the party and the government to openly name the forces inclined to derail democracy instead of giving vague statements.

‘If PPP maintains unity within its ranks and file, no outsider force would be able of remove a democratic government’, she said.