Coalition enjoys more than required majority to impeach President : Sherry Rehman
ISLAMABAD
:
Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman Tuesday said the ruling coalition enjoys two-third majority in the
parliament and would get more than the required number of votes to impeach the President.
“It is for the first time in the country’s history that people from the king’s party want to vote against the President,”
she said while talking to journalists after attending a meeting of the committee finalizing a draft charge-sheet against
President Pervez Musharraf.
Sherry Rehman, while referring to the resolutions passed by the Punjab and NWFP Assemblies against the President, said it
is a positive development that his past supporters were voting against him.
She said the Sherpao group also gave vote against Musharraf in NWFP Assembly where as many as 107 votes were cast in favour
of the resolution and only four against it.
“Vote in favour of impeachment is in fact a vote for strengthening democracy,” Ms. Rehman added.
She said people who have sacrificed for the cause of democracy would vote in favour of democracy, adding that impeachment
of the President is a decision of the people of the country.
Answering a question, the Minister said charge sheet against the President was very powerful. However, he would be given
full chance to respond.
She said impeachment of President Musharraf is a political and parliamentary movement and nobody can undermine parliament,
political and democratic forces.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had started the exercise of gathering material against President Musharraf five years ago and
added now there was sufficient material against him.
Replying to another question, Sherry Rehman said the coalition’s move to impeach the President is running very successfully
and the entire exercise is for transition to real democracy.
Another Member of the Committee and Leader of the House in Senate, Raza Rabbani told the journalists that an impeccable
charge sheet is being prepared that is why it is taking time.
He said the draft charge sheet will be finalized in next two to three days, adding that it is for the first time in the
history of Pakistan that an impeachment move has been initiated against the President and so “we have to be careful on this
move.”
To a question, he said the issue of restoration of deposed judges has not been put under the carpet.
Talking to media, Senator Ishaq Dar said the committee was preparing such a document which would be comprehensive and non-
controversial and would not be challenged.
He said the parliament under the article 47 of the constitution is sovereign to complete impeachment of President for which
number of votes is the most important factor.
Ishaq Dar said total 295 votes of both the Houses of the parliament are required to impeach President and the coalition
set-up has enough cushion available for the purpose. The impeachment process would reach its logical conclusion, he said
in reply to a question.
Senator Dar particularly mentioned the resolution passed by the Punjab Assembly with overwhelming majority, asking
President Musharraf to seek vote of confidence from his electoral college or resign.
He said out of 346 sitting members of Punjab Assembly, 321 voted in favour of the resolution while only 25 opposition
members voted against it.
Similarly, NWFP Assembly also passed the resolution 104 votes in favour of the resolution and only four against it.
“This is a clear mind-set of the masses being reflected through resolutions in the provincial assemblies,” he said, hoping
the Sindh and Balochistan Assemblies would also vote against the President.
Sherry Rehman said PML-Q, independent MNAs and Senators are contacting to join hands with the coalition set-up for its move
to impeach the President.
Answering a question, she said a powerful charge-sheet against President Musharraf has been prepared which can neither be
denied nor can be defended. “This is a political and constitutional movement and no one can damage privilege of the
parliament,” the Minister added.
“It would be a powerful charge-sheet and the President would have constitutional right to defend himself,” she added.
