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Islamabad: Legal experts, retired judges and political leaders in Pakistan strongly denounced the deportation of former premier Nawaz Sharif as a blatant violation of the country's constitution and a grave insult to its highest court.
Even prominent figures in former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party joined the chorus of condemnation despite her ongoing dialogue with President Musharraf for a power-sharing deal with reported US and British backing.
"It is a blatant, gross violation of the verdict of the Supreme Court which had clearly allowed Nawaz Sharif to return and remain in the country," said former chief justice Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui.
Undo the wrong
He said the Supreme Court could and should take up the matter to punish those who ordered the deportation and those who implemented it. "It can also undo the wrong and order that Sharif be brought back to the country."
Another former chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah described the government action as an "intolerable humiliation" of the country's highest judicial forum. "The Supreme Court must take notice of this and hold those in the driving seat to account."
The two former heads of the Supreme Court said the Sharif's undertaking to Saudi Arabia to remain in exile for ten years had no legal relevance, no value in the eyes of the law and the constitution.
Wajihuddin Ahmad, former chief justice of the Sindh high court, who now heads a private watchdog body on electoral process, said what had been done was a "clear contempt of court". Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, a prominent lawyer belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party, said it was a "slap on the face of the Supreme Court and a terrorist and criminal act".
Ahsan, who was the lead lawyer of sitting Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry in a legal battle after Musharraf tried to oust him in March, bitterly criticised the Saudi role in the affair.
"Will Musharraf now keep his countrymen in foreign jails?" he asked.
Former president Mohammad Rafik Tarar said yesterday that the action against Nawaz Sharif was a clear case of kidnapping.
Retired Major General Naseerullah Babar, who served as interior minister in Benazir's government, hit out at Musharraf calling him a "coward who committed a highly disgraceful act who has degraded the army and further soiled its image in the eyes of the people".
Pakistani politicians across the political spectrum condemned the forced deportation Musharraf of creating chaos and May 12-like situation in the country.
Speaking to Gulf News yesterday opposition leader at the National Assembly and secretary general of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Maulana Fazlur Rahman, who was placed under house arrest condemned the forced deportation of the former premier. "This is a violation of Constitution, contempt of court and clearly undemocratic action which we all condemn," the MMA leader gave his comments while talking on telephone.
Unlawful
Ahsan Iqbal, the information secretary of the PML-N said the government has displayed its weakness in unlawfully deporting the former prime minister.
"The days of General Musharraf's regime are numbered and he along with his cronies should see the writing on the wall," he told the Geo news from his detention cell in Aabpara police station.
Pakistanis living in the UAE yesterday expressed their displeasure on the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's arrival and deportation, saying it was a drama in which both parties tried to gain political mileage.
Ahmad Khan, a salesman in Al Ain, said it was a drama that had cost the nation millions of rupees. "It was clearly understood that Musharraf would not allow Sharif in Pakistan at all," he said. "The developments would now open up a legal fight, and deflect attention from actual problems faced by the nation."
Mohammad Mushtaq, a businessman in Al Ain, said Sharif had succeeded in gaining some support after the events yesterday. He has actually revitalised his faction of Pakistan Muslim League (PML) as many defecting leaders have rejoined the party. "But, what happened at Islamabad airport is a clear violation of the orders of the supreme court. What happens next, let's wait and see," he said.
Aslam Farooqi, a private company employee in Abu Dhabi, said it is a more of a personality clash or personal feud between Sharif and General Musharraf for him. "In my view, Nawaz Sharif, Benazir Bhutto, and all other mainstream political leaders are opportunists."
Abdul Haleem, a private company employee in Sharjah, said the government actually had practically refuted the Supreme Court's decision. "Its intentions were evident from the statements of different ministers."
Ali Akbar Shah, a businessman in Dubai said it was a drama and both the parties have tried their best to exploit it for their own benefit.
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