Musharraf’s November 3 actions were extraconstitutional: PML-Q

ISLAMABAD — A panel of four leading constitutional experts set up by the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has termed as extra-constitutional President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s actions of November 3, 2007, including purge in judiciary and recommended to the party to support the move for restoration of deposed judges.
The committee, however, opined that a constitutional amendment is needed for judges’ reinstatement. It asked the PML-Q to support such an amendment which provides for such a restoration, should not disturb the present judges who must be retained.
The committee comprised Senators Wasim Sajjad, S.M. Zafar, Mohammed Anwar Bhinder and Dr Khalid Ranjha.
PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat has said his party will move its own resolution if the ruling coalition failed to do so. The committee said it would meet again after the PPP submitted its constitutional package in parliament.
Former Senate chairman Wasim Sajjad said tabling a resolution was “not a bad idea”, but the resolution should also contain guidelines for the judges’ reinstatement.
He said that in the opinion of the committee, the present judges needed to be retained through an amendment in the Judges Act of 1997.