The Muree declaration jointly issued by both PPP headed by Asif Ali Sardari and PML(N) headed by Nawas Sheriff will have its own implications and far reaching ramifications both in Pakistan and in the International arena as well.
In the international arena is concerned,including Pakistan’s neighbours like India, China,Afganisthan etc,the declaration signals the restoration of democracy in Pakistan, after an interrugnum of around 9 years of military rule headed by General Pervez Musharaf.It should be noted that the Muree declaration does not spell out anything about Pakistan’s foreign policy, whether ststus quo would be mainitained or it would deviate from the present policy.But it seems that the present leaders of Pakistan who are going to be at the helm of affairs may continue their honeymoon with the US as ever,as evidenced by their studied silence in the Muree declaration.Similarly,it is hoped that Pakistan would be more liberal and inch more closer with India, than its previous regime.India also remembers the initiatives taken by Nawaz Sheriff when he was the Prime Minister, when NDA headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister of India.And India hopes that liberal approach would be renewed.
As far as the internal affairs of Pakistan is concerned that the Muree declaration echoes tha mandate given by the people towards the restoration of democracy in unequivocal terms.Though,President Pervez Musharaf is having active parleys so as to deeply study the declaration and its legal impact,he should not forget that peoples mandate is for the restoration of democracy,as evidenced by the rejection of his party in the general election.Though he may be averse to the restoration of the judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to the Pre-November 3 rd position, he has no other go but to give in and cannot stall them on hyper-technical grounds.The view put forth by his supporters that the restoration of Judges cannot be done by the National Assembly and it would require an amendment in the constitution with three fourth majority in the parliament etc, are his frantic attempts to retain his ground and he should take reality into account that people of Pakistan has given a clear mandate in favour of change and restoration of democracy.It may be relevant to recall that what Mrs.Indira Gandhi did during emergency in India, were undone by the subsequent Janata Government, to which the people had given a clear cut mandate.
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