Civil society lauds SC decision declaring PCO illegal
* Dr Mehdi Hasan says SC ruling was expected, most of judges on 14-member bench were affected by emergency, PCO
Staff Report
LAHORE: Civil society activists praised the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision of declaring the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) illegal, and believed that the SC should extend its decision to the illegal constitutional steps of 1977 and November 12, 1999.
They said the judiciary should once and for all close the door on military intervention and declare all those steps justified under the “doctrine of necessity” unconstitutional.
Victims: Dr Mehdi Hasan said the SC decision was not surprising and was according to expectations. He said, “The short decision given by the SC was expected. Most of the judges of the 14-member larger bench were affected by the November 3 steps and the PCO”.
Hasan said it was a welcome decision but it could have been a much bigger one had the court extended this to the October 12, 1999 steps. He said that under the decision, all steps taken during the emergency were illegal and unconstitutional. “All in all it’s a good decision,” he maintained.
Women’s Action Forum Convener Nighat Saeed Khan said the SC ruling was a welcome decision and the court should extend it to the 1977 and 1999 steps as well.
Human Rights Commission Chairwoman Asma Jahangir said she would comment on the decision only after learning the details of the SC ruling.
Aurat Foundation member Umme Laila said the SC should not limit its decision to the emergency imposed by former president Pervez Musharraf, and rather should review all steps taken under the “doctrine of necessity” and declare them unconstitutional.
Source
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-8-2009_pg7_27