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Five U.S. Congress Resolutions Demand Independent Judiciary in Pakistan
By SYED ADEEB
(InformPress.com) – The reinstatement of all illegally deposed justices of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP), including SCP Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, and restoration of all unlawfully dismissed judges, including Chief Justices, of provincial high courts of the country are such vital issues that five members of the United States Congress introduced their 5 resolutions in the House and the Senate during November 2007 to April 2008, which support and demand an independent judiciary in Pakistan.
The following is a list and key provisions of five resolutions moved recently in the 110th U.S. Congress, which urge the Government of Pakistan to restore, aid and maintain a free (azad) judiciary (judicial branch of government) in accordance with Articles 1-40 (Fundamental Rights) and under Articles 175-226 (Independent Judiciary), especially Article 175 and Article 190, of the Constitution of Pakistan:
(1) U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) Resolution No. H. Res. 1044 states: “The United States House of Representatives (1) commends members of the legal profession in Pakistan as well as opposition politicians, human rights activists and independent journalists for their courageous opposition to the removal of [Supreme Court] Chief Justice [Iftikhar Muhammad] Chaudhry, their principled leadership in defending the Constitution of Pakistan, and promoting the rule of law; (2) welcomes public statements from Pakistan’s new civilian leaders that they intend to restore all judges dismissed after November 3, 2007, to office; and (3) calls on the Government of Pakistan, consistent with Section 699F(b)(3)(D) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110-161), to restore to their positions Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and all Supreme Court and high court justices and other members of the legal profession in Pakistan who were removed from office since the imposition of emergency rule, and to respect the independence of the Pakistani judiciary.”
Resolution No. H. Res. 1044 Title: Condemning the dismissal of the Supreme Court in Pakistan and calling for their reinstatement by the Government of Pakistan. Introduced in the U.S. House on 12 March 2008. Co-Sponsors: 7 Democratic and Republican members of the U.S. Congress: Bruce L. Braley (D-IA), Howard Coble (R-NC), William D. Delahunt (D-MA), Charles A. Gonzalez (D-TX), Maurice D. Hinchey (D-NY), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ). Current Status: Referred to the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
(2) U.S. Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ-2) Resolution No. H. Res. 840 states: “It is the sense of the House of Representatives (1) the Government of Pakistan should immediately restore the rule of law by reinstating the Constitution and members of the Supreme Court of Pakistan; (4) the Government of Pakistan should review all legislation to ensure respect for the international human rights Pakistan committed to uphold as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council.”
Resolution No. H. Res. 840 Title: Calling for the protection of human rights and restoration of rule of law in Pakistan. Introduced in the U.S. House on 4 December 2007. Co-Sponsors: 11 Democratic and Republican members of the U.S. Congress: Michael C. Burgess (R-TX), Tom Feeney (R-FL), Steve King (R-IA), Marilyn N. Musgrave (R-CO), Mike Pence (R-IN), Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA), Nick J. Rahall, II (D-WV), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Dave Weldon (R-FL), Frank R. Wolf (R-VA). Current Status: Referred to the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
(3) U.S. Congressman Gary L. Ackerman (D-NY) Resolution No. H. Res. 823 states: “The House of Representatives (3) calls on General [Tyrant Pervez] Musharraf to rescind ‘Provisional Constitutional Order No. 1 of 2007′, and restore the Constitution of Pakistan; (4) calls on General Musharraf to restore to their positions all Supreme Court and high court justices and other members of the legal profession in Pakistan who have been removed from office and to respect the independence of the Pakistani judiciary; (6) calls on General Musharraf to release the hundreds of opposition politicians, lawyers, journalists and human rights activists recently arrested; (9) urges President George W. Bush to suspend all military assistance, including the sale and transfer of military equipment to the Government of Pakistan, until the conditions described in paragraphs (3) through [8] have been met.”
Resolution No. H. Res. 823 Title: Condemning the imposition of emergency rule in Pakistan. Introduced in the U.S. House on 14 November 2007. Co-Sponsor 1: U.S. Rep. William D. Delahunt (D-MA). Current Status: Referred to the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
(4) U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) Resolution No. H. Res. 810 states: “The House of Representatives (5) calls for the immediate restoration of Pakistan’s independent judiciary, including reinstating [Supreme Court] Chief Justice Iftikhar [Muhammad] Chaudhry, ending the practice of arbitrary arrest and detention, and allowing suspects customary access to lawyers; (10) calls for the appointment of a diplomatic team, comprised of high-ranking representatives of the Department of State and the Department of Defense, along with the appointment of a Presidential Special Envoy for Pakistan, to engage in detailed negotiations with [Dictator Pervez] Musharraf and other Pakistani leaders on the restoration of constitutional order, democracy and civil rights.”
Resolution No. H. Res. 810 Title: Calling for an end to the state of emergency in Pakistan. Introduced in the U.S. House on 8 November 2007. Co-Sponsors: 26 Democratic and Republican members of the U.S. Congress: Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Dan Burton (R-IN), George Butterfield (D-NC), Steven Chabot (R-OH), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), William Delahunt (D-MA), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Bob Filner (D-CA), Al Green (D-TX), Alcee Hastings (D-FL), Michael Honda (D-CA), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), William Pascrell (D-NJ), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), David Scott (D-GA), Fortney Stark (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), Diane Watson (D-CA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), David Wu (D-OR). Current Status: Referred to the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
(5) U.S. Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA) Resolution No. S. Res. 372 states: “It is the sense of the Senate (1) to condemn the decision by [Tyrant] Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan to declare a state of emergency in Pakistan, suspend the Constitution of Pakistan, dismiss the Supreme Court Justices refusing to take a loyalty oath, and initiate a nation-wide crackdown on political opposition, the media and the courts in Pakistan; (2) to call on [Dictator] Musharraf to revoke the state of emergency, respect the rule of law and immediately release political detainees, restore the Constitution of Pakistan, restore freedom of the press and judicial independence in Pakistan, and reinstate all dismissed members of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”
Resolution No. S. Res. 372 Title: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on the declaration of a state of emergency in Pakistan. Introduced in the U.S. Senate on 8 November 2007. Co-Sponsors 6: U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE), U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL). Current Status: Referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
[Mr. Syed Adeeb is an investigative journalist, Chief Editor of the Information Press, TV-Video Documentary Film Producer, Poet, IT Consultant and human rights advocate based in Virginia, U.S.A. www.SyedAdeeb.net - Tuesday, 22 April 2008.]
Copyright: Information Press – News Views Media – www.InformPress.com – 2008 – U.S.A.
