PML-N to back campaign for restoration of sacked judges

Pakistan's PML-N party has decided to back a campaign to be launched by the lawyers' movement next month to pressurise the PPP-led government to reinstate the judges sacked by former president Pervez Musharraf during the state of emergency in 2007.

After a meeting between PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and top leaders of the lawyers' movement on Friday, the party decided in principle to back a "long march" by lawyers that will culminate in a sit-in in front of Parliament in Islamabad.

Lawyers have said the sit-in will continue till the reinstatement of all deposed judges of the superior judiciary.

"We have decided to participate in the sit-in and are also ready to go a step further for the cause of the judiciary that stood against a dictator," Sharif told a press conference without elaborating what his future moves would be.

Sharif said his party had some reservations about the arrangements for the planned sit-in and its indefinite timeframe. He said his party had highlighted the reservations so that the sit-in could be made more "result-oriented".

Sharif asked people to take part in the long march and the subsequent "dharna".

Asked if he would participate in the event, he said the future of the nation depended on success of lawyers' movement.

Top lawyers shared their plans for the long march and the sit-in with Sharif. The PML-N chief said lawyers' plans would be discussed by PML-N General Council. Lawyers were, however, urged to formulate a timeframe for the sit-in.