Pakistan

 

This meeting, after thorough discussion of all aspects of the situation arising from the imposition of State of Emergency by the Chief of the Army Staff, resolves as follows:

  • We strongly condemn the imposition of State of Emergency, promulgation of Provisional Constitution Order (PCO), suspension of fundamental rights and the dismantling of the entire structure of the judiciary, by the Chief of Army Staff.  We regard these steps as illegal and unconstitutional, amounting to virtual abrogation of the Constitution and imposition of Martial Law. an act of high treason according to Article 6 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
  • We also strongly condemn the countrywide arrests and brutal treatment meted out by the lice to lawyers, journalists and other protesting citizens by the POLICE and other law-enforcing agencies.
  • We express our gratitude to and solidarity with the honourable judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts who refused to take oath under the PCO and the honourable members of the larger bench of the Supreme Court who declared the proclamation of Emergency and imposition of PCO as ultra vires, illegal and unconstitutional.  We also appeal to the people boycott the judges who took the illegal oath.
  • We salute the lawyers’ community and the electronic and print media for their glorious contribution and sacrifices in resisting the illegal and unconstitutional measures taken by the Chief of Army Staff.
  • We deeply appreciate the expression of sympathy and solidarity by various international organizations and governments with the people of Pakistan by condemning the illegal and unconstitutional steps taken by the Chief of Army Staff.
  • While whole-heartedly supporting the ongoing countrywide resistance movement, we earnestly appeal to all the democratic political parties of the country and all sections of the people of Pakistan to set aside their differences and join this movement for:
  1. Immediate lifting of the Emergency and repeal of PCO;
  2. Full reversal of all steps taken by the Chief of Army Staff and the government of Pakistan after the proclamation of Emergency and restoration of the status of the Supreme Court, High Courts and the honourable judges of these courts to their positions as on 3rd November 2007 prior to the promulgation of the illegal and unconstitutional State of Emergency and PCO;
  3. Immediate removal of the Chief of Army Staff, who issued this illegal and unconstitutional proclamation of Emergency and PCO;
  4. Immediate unconditional release of all the arrested lawyers, political leaders, workers, journalists, trade unionists and other citizens;
  5. Immediate announcement of the schedule for holding free, fair and impartial general elections under a neutral caretaker government and an independent Election Commission, constituted with the approval of all political parties and opinion groups in the country.

This resolution, from the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (email: info@piler.org.pk), was posted to Debate, an SA discussion list, by Peter Waterman.



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