Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman has described the resolutions passed against President Pervez Musharraf by the Punjab and NWFP assemblies with thumping majority as an overwhelming endorsement of the coalition government's decision for impeachment.
"The verdict of the people is already out," said the Information Minister in a statement. She said, "The government's move to go ahead with impeachment of General Musharraf has received overwhelming support from public representatives. This is a tidal wave in favour of democracy."
The Federal Minister said that the government had already adopted a purely constitutional path for the impeachment. "There will be no dirty politics, no horse trading and no trampling of the Constitution. We want to set a precedent for our future generations that democracy is the best form of accountability for dictatorship."
"We welcome support from the PPP Sherpao group among others, and we note with satisfaction that supporting members of PML-Q have also realised the importance of standing on the right side of history," said the Minister. "We expect that this tide of support will continue and rise when the motion is presented in the joint session of the Parliament".
Elaborating the significance of the no-confidence resolutions in the Punjab and NWFP assemblies, Ms Rehman said that this was a very important development. "Such overwhelming endorsement is strong evidence of democracy finally taking root in Pakistan," she said. "The resolutions passed by these two assemblies have boosted our confidence, and the government is determined to proceed with its impeachment move."
Sherry Rehman, while referring to the resolutions passed by the Punjab and NWFP Assemblies against the President, said it is a positive development that his past supporters were voting against him. She said the Sherpao group also gave vote against Musharraf in NWFP Assembly where as many as 107 votes were cast in favour of the resolution and only four against it.
"Vote in favour of impeachment is in fact a vote for strengthening democracy," Ms Rehman added. She said people who have sacrificed for the cause of democracy would vote in favour of democracy, adding that impeachment of the President is a decision of the people of the country.
Answering a question, the Minister said charge sheet against the President was very powerful. However, he would be given full chance to respond. She said impeachment of President Musharraf is a political and parliamentary movement and nobody can undermine parliament, political and democratic forces.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had started the exercise of gathering material against President Musharraf five years ago and added now there was sufficient material against him. Replying to another question, Sherry Rehman said the coalition's move to impeach the President is running very successfully and the entire exercise is for transition to real democracy.
Another Member of the Committee and Leader of the House in Senate, Raza Rabbani told the journalists that an impeccable charge sheet is being prepared that is why it is taking time. He said the draft charge sheet would be finalised in next two to three days, adding that it is for the first time in the history of Pakistan that an impeachment move has been initiated against the President and so "we have to be careful on this move."
To a question, he said the issue of restoration of deposed judges has not been put under the carpet. Talking to media, Senator Ishaq Dar said the committee was preparing such a document, which would be comprehensive and non-controversial and would not be challenged.
He said the parliament under the article 47 of the constitution is sovereign to complete impeachment of President for which number of votes is the most important factor. Ishaq Dar said total 295 votes of both the Houses of the parliament are required to impeach President and the coalition set-up has enough cushion available for the purpose. The impeachment process would reach its logical conclusion, he said in reply to a question.
Senator Dar particularly mentioned the resolution passed by the Punjab Assembly with overwhelming majority, asking President Musharraf to seek vote of confidence from his electoral college or resign. He said out of 346 sitting members of Punjab Assembly, 321 voted in favour of the resolution while only 25 opposition members voted against it.
Similarly, NWFP Assembly also passed the resolution 104 votes in favour of the resolution and only four against it. "This is a clear mind-set of the masses being reflected through resolutions in the provincial assemblies," he said, hoping the Sindh and Balochistan Assemblies would also vote against the President.
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