ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News: SC Issues Detailed Verdict in NRO Petitions, Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued its detailed verdict in the petitions against the legality of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO),

A 17-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry had unanimously declared the NRO void ab initio on Dec 16, 2009 following days of hearings in several identical petitions filed against the law.

The bench had reserved the detailed verdict in the case to be made public later on.

On Tuesday, the court issued the 300-page detailed verdict, written by CJP Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry who also headed the bench, in the case, the channel added.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News: The government has issued list of 8041 persons who benefited from NRO including 34 politicians. The list includes President Asif Zardari, Begum Nusrat Bhutto, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, MQM Chief Altaf Hussain, Farooq Sattar, Federal Minister Babar Ghauri, Jahangir Badar, Ambassador Hussain Haqqani and Wajid Shams-ul-Hassan. The top beneficiary of NRO is Altaf Hussain whose 72 cases including 31 murder cases were dismissed.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Minister of State for Law Afzal Sindhu revealed that total number of NRO beneficiaries were 8041 including 7793 persons from Sindh only. Sindhu told that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and his wife’s names were not in the list as the court had dismissed PM’s cases upon finding him not guilty; whereas, his wife had made an agreement in the court. The minister of state told that President Asif Zardari, Nusrat Bhutto, Rehman Malik, Jahangir Badar, Ahmad Mukhtar, Altaf Hussain, Farooq Sattar, Babar Ghauri, Governor Sindh Ishrat ul Ibad, Shoaib Bukhari, Kanwar Khalid Younus, Salim Shahzad, Imran Farooq, three ambassadors Waseem Akhtar, Wajid Shams ul Hassan and Hussain Haqqani, A.R. Siddiqui, former chief secretary Punjab Javed Qureshi, Anwar Saifullah, Siraj Durrani, Mushtaq Awan, Gul Sher, Haji Nawaz Khokhar, Rana Nazir Khan, Waliur Rehman, Yousuf Talpur, Slaman Farooqi, Usman Farooqi, Peer Mukaram, Tariq Anis, Haji Kabir, Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali, Chaudhry Shaukat Ali, Mian Rasheed, Mian Tariq Mehmood, Sardar Maqsood Laghari, Brig. (Retd) Imtiaz, Brig. (Retd) Aslam Hayat, Safdar Baqri, Saeed Mehdi, Noman Saigol and Mir Baz Khetran are included in the list.

Sindhu said that the top beneficiary of NRO was Altaf Hussain with 72 cases including 31 cases of murder and 11 cases of attempt of murder. He told that term of NRO was ending on November 28 and all the cases would be reopened automatically. However, President Zardari’s cases could not be reopened until he was in Presidency. Sindhu said if the court gives verdict against a person the government would not support him. The minister of state maintained that cases filed against PPP leaders in Nawaz Sharif’s tenure were result of political vendetta. He said verdict of only one corruption case was announced in 10 years and 3 judges had to resign after that.

National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was issued by the former president of Pakistan General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf on October 5, 2007. It granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of corruption, embezzlement, money-laundering, murder and terrorism between 1st January 1986 and October 12th 1999, the time between two Martial Laws.

The NRO states: “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in sub-section(1), the Federal Government or a Provincial Government may, before the judgment is pronounced by a trial court, withdraw from the prosecution of any person including an absconding accused who is found to be falsely involved for political reasons or through political victimization in any case initiated between 1st day of January, 1986 to 12th day of October, 1999 and upon such withdrawal clause (a) and clause (b) of sub-section (1) shall apply.”

The current Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, suspended this ordinance on October 12, 2007. But he was soon dismissed after Musharraf abrogated the constitution on November 3, 2007. The new Chief Justice, Abdul Hameed Dogar revived the NRO on February 27, 2008.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: PM Gilani Rejects His Wife Benefited From NRO, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said he will resign if it will be proved that his wife got relief under NRO.

Premier Gilani said efforts are underway to boost capabilities of law enforcement agencies. There was nothing like “Do More” mentioned in Obama’s letter which was delivered by James Jones. He said terrorists are now targeting public. Situation in Waziristan will soon become normal. Gilani said we are fighting war against terror on our own despite lack of resources and relying less on foreign aid.

Lahore, Pakistan:- A new political war has been instigated with the approval of NRO from National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice.

PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal declared NRO as ‘National Robbers Ordinance’ and said it would be opposed to the maximum. Talking to media in Lahore he said all the prisoners incarcerated for embezzlement should be released if NRO was to be made a law. On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan vowed to bring the NRO in courts and on roads. “My party would take this issue to the court and to the roads countrywide, we are just waiting for the parliaments’ decision.” He said nobody was being able to comprehend politics of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar says that approval of NRO by parliament would be a stigma on the face of democracy. He demanded that the government provide list of NRO beneficiaries to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice. Nisar said he was anxious over forgiving kidnapping and robbery cases under NRO. Talking to media outside the Parliament House, PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar said his party would oppose the bill. On a question he replied that Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman called Zardari’s illegitimate actions as legitimate after being served by him.

Replying to Chaudhry Nisar’s statement, Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman said “Chaudhry Nisar doesn’t have manners to talk.” Talking to media in Chishtian, he said if Nawaz Sharif was not a beneficiary of NRO, he would have to sit in exile for another 10 years. Whereas, Minister of State for Ports and Shipping, Nabeel Gabol termed National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) a dead horse and said attempts were being made to infuse life into its body. He said a group of conspirators in PML-N wanted to use Nawaz Sharif’s shoulder for holding mid-term elections. “November is highly vital, as rafts of decisions are expected in the run of this month,” he predicted.

NA Standing Committee Endorses 5 Clauses of NRO, National Assembly’s Standing Committee for Law and Justice has approved the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) with majority vote. The government had disapproved two clauses as the opposition leaders staged walk-out from the session.
Chairperson of the Standing Committee Begum Naseem Akhtar told that the committee passed NRO with majority vote and it would be forwarded to the parliament for approval. She told that clause one, two, three and six had been passed without amendment whereas clause seven with amendment. The chairperson told that under the amendment in clause seven, corruption cases could not be repealed without approval of the court. PML-N and PML-Q objected over government’s failure to present list of NRO beneficiaries in the session and staged walk-out from the meeting. Under the first clause of NRO, the ordinance is implemented from October 5, 2007. The second clause states that the provincial governments would constitute review boards that could repeal cases filed from 1986 to 1999. According to the third clause, Representation of the People Act, 1976 would be amended to make compulsory provision of election results to the polling officer or the candidate himself. Under the sixth clause, an order or judgment passed by the Court in absentia against an accused is void ab initio and shall not be acted upon. The seventh clause states that all cases filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) before October 12, 1999 would be exterminated.
On the other hand, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhary Nisar says that approval of NRO by parliament would be a stigma on the face of democracy. He demanded that the government provide list of NRO beneficiaries to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice. Nisar said he was anxious over forgiving kidnapping and robbery cases under NRO. Talking to media outside the Parliament House, PML-N leader Chaudhary Nisar said his party would oppose the bill. On a question he replied that Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman called Zardari’s illegitimate actions as legitimate after being served by him.
The National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), termed as most notorious act of Constitution, was issued by the former president of Pakistan General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on October 5, 2007. It granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of corruption, embezzlement, money-laundering, murder and terrorism between 1st January 1986 and October 12th 1999, the time between two Martial Laws. The NRO states:
“Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in sub-section(1), the Federal Government or a Provincial Government may, before the judgment is pronounced by a trial court, withdraw from the prosecution of any person including an absconding accused who is found to be falsely involved forpolitical reasons or through political victimization in any case initiated between 1st day of January, 1986 to 12th day of October, 1999 and upon such withdrawal clause (a) and clause (b) of sub-section (1) shall apply.”
The current Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, suspended this ordinance on October 12, 2007. But he was soon dismissed after Musharraf abrogated the constitution on November 3, 2007. The new Chief Justice, Abdul Hameed Dogar revived the NRO on February 27, 2008.

RAWALPINDI: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the trial of former president Musharraf can not be compared with NRO as both are separate issues.

He was talking to media persons after visiting Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s residence to offer condolence over his brother’s demise.

When asked whether National Reconciliation Ordinance was a hurdle in the way of former president Pervez Musharraf’s trial, the Prime Minister termed them two different issues.

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Monday said the government wanted to maintain friendly relations with all its neighbors including India on the basis of equality.

Gilani said his government desires forward movement on the Composite Dialogue process with India for the resolution of all outstanding issues.

To a question, the Prime Minister said the government was in touch with the PML(N) on all important issues including relations with India.

He referred to his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in Sharm el Sheikh, and said he had met PML (N) Chief Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif to take him onboard.

The Prime Minister said the government had fixed the ex-mill price of sugar at Rs 45 per kilogram, adding that the availability of commodity would be ensured in all provinces.

He said the provincial governments following the federal government’s step were also trying to control the price of sugar.

Gilani mentioned the unavailability of sugar in Balochistan and said the federal government had directed the Trading Corporation of Pakistan to ensure ample supply of sugar to the province.

He said the government was utilizing all the resources to normalize the price of sugar.

He said the hoarders should also realize the problems of people especially during the holy month of Ramazan.

When asked whether National Reconciliation Ordinance was a hurdle in the way of former president Pervez Musharraf’s trial, the Prime Minister termed them two different issues.

Gilani did not agree to the impression regarding differences between PPP and PML(N) and said both parties had their own manifestos and programmes.

He said both parties were moving with political maturity to strengthen the national institutions as per the wishes of masses.

Earlier, the Prime Minister along with Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik, Water and Power Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Babar Awan, especially went to Chakri to offer condolences to Chaudhry Nisar.

Gilani expressed deep sorrow and grief over the death of Lt.  Gen. ® Iftikhar and prayed that may Allah Almighty rest the departed soul in peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear the loss with fortitude.

ISLAMABAD: A two-judge bench of Supreme Court suggested to Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry to constitute a larger bench for reviewing the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

Bench comprising Justice Shakirullah Jan and Justice Raja Fayyaz of the apex court heard the case about the acquittal of a former FIA officer over NRO.

The court said a large bench should be constituted to interpret the entire NRO especially its Section-7 and review the cases up for hearing under this ordinance.

The court was told Section-7 of NRO relates to the acquittal from cases filed prior to 1999.

The court recommended the constitution of a large bench of the apex court and adjourned hearing of FIA officer.