Charges yet to be finalized against President, says Sherry

ISLAMABAD : The ruling coalition on Sunday after hours-long meeting prepared the points of charge sheet against the President, but remained very cautious to unveil the contents to the media. Information Minister Sherry Rehman Sunday while talking to the media at her residence vowed that these will soon be made public and will be provided to the media.
To a question about time frame of completing the charge sheet, she maintained “it would be completed within two to three days”. She was talking to journalists after attending the meeting of ruling coalition’s committee which was formulating draft of impeachment motion against the President.
The Minister said, committee would meet again on Monday. “First time committee sat in to discuss briefly about the points of charge sheet, but it cannot be unveiled before time”, she said adding that the contents of charge sheet are very long and every body is looking towards Parliament to impeach the President. Ms Rehman said, after passing the impeachment resolution from all four Provincial Assemblies, it would finally be tabled on the floor of National Assembly. She said, from Monday provincial assemblies would also start their proceedings with regard to impeachment motion.
She expressed confidence about success of the motion as ‘enough material’ has been gathered to start impeachment proceedings.
The Minister said, the motion will be of such base that it would not only succeed, but also give message to the international community about strengthen of democracy and supremacy of the constitution in Pakistan.
The democratic forces are lining up against the dictatorship, and people wanted to be counted on right side of the history, he added.
She maintained that members of PML-Q were constantly in contact with the ruling coalition as they too want to strengthen the democratic process in the country. PML-Q was stating unanimously that it would not support using of the article 58(2)b, which means that he (the President) should resign before the starting of impeachment proceedings.
To a question about the required number for impeachment, she said the government was in comfort as the figure has reached 350, adding PML-Q and Independent parliamentarians are also assuring their support in favour of the motion.
She said that they had support of more than 350 members, more than enough from the required majority to impeach the President. She added that they had complete planning which would be disclosed to media soon.
To a question, she said that PPP stalwart Makhdoom Amin Fahim has no intention against the ruling coalition or to vote in favor of President.
“He is senior politician, and I do not think so that he would vote against impeachment”, she asserted. She said that coalition parties had no differences upon any point of charge sheet.
To a question about giving safe passage to the President, she said it was not the mandate of the committee which is formulating the draft. Heads of the ruling coalition could take decision on it, she added. “This is a battle between the democracy and dictatorship. It is not about an individual. It is about that how the powers of the parliament and elected Prime Minister have been taken over unconstitutionally by a dictator.This happened in Pakistan before, but this would not be allowed again,” she vowed.