Dual office case coming to an end?

President’s counsel has been lapsing time for quite long. After going through many discourses, appeal
before the Honorable Lahore High Court seems to be concluding. After many reverberating clashes,
president’s counsel seems to be pacifying. The olive branch grown from the recent proceedings indicate
the compromise undertaken by LHC as well.

Today, Advocate Wasim Sajjad has submitted in writing that President will be relinquishing his party
post and that the political activity shall be muted from Presidency in coming days. LHC shown its
settlement to strengthen law by agreeing on taking no further action in the Contempt of Court Case
(COCC) against the President.

The lapse of providing written document in front of the Honorable court has indicated President’s
parochial attitude towards the hearing. This has added to the stain of President’s sagging legacy of the
past five years.

In the previous hearing, the counsel of president was ordered to present before the court a writing
accepting the order of Honorable Court to relinquish one of the two offices that currently President
Zardari holds. Late in 2012 Government tried to ignore this petition and has been buying time since. But
today’s activity suggests a completely compromising situation between Government and LHC.

The court also disposed off the argument that President Zardari does not chair PPP; rather he is acting as
a co-chair while Makhdoom Amin Fahim is the party chair. The disposition has lead to this decision of
the demand by LHC to withdraw from office of the political party.

Elections loom near and the political fervency is at its height. In this political activity President’s posture
remains intact without bowing to mounting pressure on PPP as the most corrupt party in Government. It
goes without saying that President Zardari has faced these allegations with staunch and unwavering
tenacity.

The less harsh decision by five-member full bench will improve the dignity of Judiciary, thereby
strengthening it more. For the past few years Chief Justice has been the center of all the judicial activity
and it has given him immense popularity in public and in the whole world. This free and fair functioning
of judiciary will prove to be an important pillar on which the next civilian government will take oath.

The strengthening of judiciary under CJ Iftikhar Ahmad has changed the course of working of judiciary in
Pakistan and dual office case against the President is an extension of this effort. It seems to be the light
at the end of tunnel to which the people of Pakistan now cling their hopes about future.