Rule of Law project LUMS-US Report Urges U.S. Lawmakers To Demand Restoration of Judiciary

REPORT URGES U.S. LAWMAKERS TO DEMAND RESTORATION OF THE JUDICIARY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - WEDNESDAY, 23 JANUARY, 2008
CONTACT: Devin Theriot-Orr, LUMS Rule of Law Project, (0334)428-9694,
rlp@riseup.net

Washington, D.C. - The Rule of Law Project at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) is issuing a report today entitled "Defending Dictatorship: U.S. Foreign Policy and Pakistan's Struggle for Democracy." The report is co-authored by members of a delegation from the United States National Lawyers Guild and is the result of a ten-day fact-finding visit to Pakistan to assess the status of the judiciary and the prospect for fair elections in light of recent attacks on judicial independence. The report criticizes U.S. foreign policy in Pakistan, concluding that U.S. support for resident Musharaff and its failure to demand restoration of the deposed judges will have long-term negative impacts on the judiciary and the rule of law in Pakistan and damage regional safety and security.

The report also concludes that the upcoming elections are unlikely to meet international standards due to widespread systemic and structural problems, including pre-poll abuses and the failure to enforce existing election regulations. Additionally, the report addresses press freedom in Pakistan, noting that severe restrictions faced by all media, in particular the Urdu-language press, constitute a "serious threat" to Pakistan's democratic development.

"The independence of the judiciary is a cornerstone of a functioning democracy. The United States' support for a dictator and its failure to demand the reinstatement of the deposed judges is critically damaging demcratic development and threatening regional safety and security," stated Rule of Law Project Director Devin Theriot-Orr.

David Gespass, the Vice President of the National Lawyers Guild and the leader of the delegation, stated that "We intend to share the report with the American people and place it before our elected representatives to help effect a drastic change in U.S. policy towards Pakistan that emphasizes human rights and democracy as the only real means of reducing the threat of terrorism."

Professors Roger Normand and Justice (ret'd) Jawwad Khawaja of LUMS established the Rule of Law Project to serve as an academic clearinghouse for documentation and research regarding constitutionalism and the rule of law in Pakistan. The Project is developing a comprehensive report on the impacts of the PCO and seeking information from all lawyers and members of civil society who were arrested, detained, or mistreated following the PCO.

Who Loves Pakistan?

Friends,

How current regime operates in Pakistan is understood by many in many different ways. But to me the picture is dangerous, I love my country and have done so since I was a kid. This happens to be my identity.

Afghanistan's war was dragged first into Pakistan's tribal area by our rulers, now they have dragged this war into mainland Pakistan (Swat, Lal Masjid, etc.). We did not have many friends in Balochistan (because of how they were dealt with, of course) already. Now we do not have many friends left in NWFP. Sindh has its share of problems already, with water sharing and other disputes.

And currently we are going nowhere, we are not trying to improve the situation. With US already taken over Pakistan's nukes (ref: Pak nukes already under US control), planning to deploy its army to "protect" Punjab/Islamabad (ref: Pakistan's Collapse, Our Problem By FREDERICK W. KAGAN and MICHAEL O'HANLON), whats the message?

It seems to me they are waving bye bye off to the rest of what is left of our home Pakistan. Is this home going to be broken. I hope and pray that I am totally mistaken. But read the following article, see the map linked with it (attached below), the news is not good... Google on "Greater Middle East Project" and you will find a lot more stuff to read and to ponder upon e.g. Plans for Redrawing the Middle East: The Project for a "New Middle East".

Blood borders

How a better Middle East would look

By Ralph Peters

International borders are never completely just. But the degree of injustice they inflict upon those whom frontiers force together or separate makes an enormous difference — often the difference between freedom and oppression, tolerance and atrocity, the rule of law and terrorism, or even peace and war.

The most arbitrary and distorted borders in the world are in Africa and the Middle East. Drawn by self-interested Europeans (who have had sufficient trouble defining their own frontiers), Africa's borders continue to provoke the deaths of millions of local inhabitants. But the unjust borders in the Middle East — to borrow from Churchill — generate more trouble than can be consumed locally.
more at ... http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2006/06/1833899 and the map that goes along with it... http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/xml/2006/06/images/afj.peters_map_after.JPG

Long Live Pakistan
Numan Sheikh