HRW accuses government of intimidating Supreme Court for favourable decision
ISLAMABAD (October 25 2007): A top international rights group has accused government of Pakistan of trying to frighten the Supreme Court for a favorable decision in the petitions challenging legitimacy of General Pervez Musharraf to contest October 6 presidential election in uniform.
“The government is attempting to frighten the judiciary into submission and is holding Pakistan, its constitution and its people hostage to Musharraf’s desire to cling to power,” blamed Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a statement on Wednesday.
“Musharraf should publicly state that he will accept the decision of the Supreme Court and withdraw the threat of martial law,” urged Brad Adams, the Asia director of the New York-based group.
The HRW is a renowned and prestigious rights organisation and its observations are taken with a high level of seriousness all over the world. It advised that Pakistani government to end attempts to ‘intimidate’ the country’s Supreme Court.
The statement came at a time when the Supreme Court is just days away from announcing a verdict on whether Pakistan’s constitution allows the military chief to contest the presidential polls. Musharraf clinched victory in October 6 parliamentary ballot marred by opposition protest, resignations and boycott.
But an official announcement of the disputed poll’s results is still on the hold till a Supreme Court decision hearing several petitions, questioning Musharraf’s candidature for the top slot.
Under the constitution, a candidate for president cannot run for office until two years after retirement from a military position. Musharraf is presently the head of Pakistan’s army.
The HRW observed the government ministers had repeatedly said that should the Supreme Court rule Musharraf’s election illegal, the military could suspend the constitution, impose martial law and fire the judges.
On October 16, a day before the Supreme Court resumed hearing into the case, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi stated: “the imposition of martial law can’t be ruled out if the Supreme Court decides that President Musharraf’s re-election is invalid.”
On September 28, the Supreme Court dismissed legal challenges to Musharraf holding the office of army chief and president on technical grounds, but it did not rule on the merits of Musharraf holding both offices simultaneously.
On October 5, in response to further legal challenges, the court allowed the election process to move forward but said that the results of the election would be prevented from taking legal effect until it finished considering the challenges. On September 26, Musharraf’s legal team told the Supreme Court that he was constitutionally entitled to hold both offices only until November 15.
But shortly after the Supreme Court’s move to examine fresh challenges to his election, Musharraf appeared to renege on that position when he told supporters in Islamabad that he would remain army chief and president “until” the Supreme Court reached a final decision on his presidential bid.
“Musharraf seems to be giving the Pakistani people an impossible choice: ‘democracy’ if he succeeds in his bid to stay in power or martial law if the judiciary tries to prevent him from remaining in office,” said Adams.
“After eight years of military rule, Pakistan needs legitimate parliamentary and presidential elections to get back on the path to genuine democratic rule,” it noted.
Human Rights Watch called on Musharraf’s international supporters, particularly the US and UK governments, to urge an immediate return to constitutional civilian rule. “The Bush administration’s continued support for a coup-maker holding onto office by his fingernails is pushing Pakistan into a growing crisis,” said Adams.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:10/25/2007
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