Emergency goes, constitution returns

* AG says amended constitution completely restored
* Musharraf claims he saved nation
* Promises free, transparent elections
* Says Swat to receive relief package soon

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf lifted the state of emergency on Saturday, revoked the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) and restored the 1973 Constitution with certain amendments that will be ratified by the next parliament through a legal framework order (LFO).

The removal of the PCO restored all the fundamental rights that had been suspended since the imposition of emergency 42 days ago.

The president issued three presidential orders — the Revocation of Proclamation of Emergency Order 2007, the Repeal of Provisional Constitution Order and the Revival of Constitution Order — which stated that the constitution, as amended through the Constitution (Amendment) Order, 2007, and the Constitution (Second Amendment) Order, 2007, will stand revived..

Nothing suspended: “The (1973) Constitution stands amended and nothing remains in suspension,” Attorney General (AG) Malik Qayyum told Daily Times when asked if any of the articles of the constitution were still suspended, even after the revocation of the PCO. During the 42-day suspension of the constitution, the president made several amendments that were all inculcated in the amended constitution. Qayyum claimed that none of these amendments needed parliament’s ratification. President Musharraf made amendments to the constitution on November 21 to provide legal cover to holding the constitution in abeyance, imposing emergency rule and issuing the PCO.

Saved the nation: Later, addressing the nation on radio and television, President Pervez Musharraf said that his emergency rule had saved Pakistan, as he vowed to hold free, fair and transparent elections on time and urged the political parties and the nation to avoid the politics of agitation.

Free and transparent: “It is my commitment to the entire nation and the world that the election on January 8 will be on time and will be absolutely free and transparent, he said. He regretted that some political parties have announced boycott of the election. “These political parties have no reason to boycott the election,” he said. He said some political leaders had started to talk of rigging even before the start of the election campaign. “This is all baseless and they must desist from it,” he added. He said the government would invite any number of foreign observers to come and watch the fairness of the polls.

He appealed to all the political parties to maintain peace during the election, and urged the nation not to participate in any street agitation. He also appealed to the nation to fully participate in the election.

The president said that those who lose the January 8 polls must avoid levelling baseless allegations. Referring to his decision to impose emergency and the PCO, he said he was very saddened that the smooth transition to civilian democracy, underway in three stages from 1999, was obstructed through a conspiracy. He said the conspiracy was meant to destabilise the country.

Relief package: He said it was the first time in the country’s history that emergency was being lifted after only 42 days. He said there has been considerable improvement in the past 42 days, adding that terrorism that had spread into NWFP had now been stopped. He also announced that a relief package would soon be announced for the people of Swat. He said now there was complete harmony among the three pillars of the state — the judiciary, the parliament and the executive.

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Regards

Aarwaa

Pakistan is ruled by three As - Army, America and Allah.