Benazir, Sharif draw roadmap for Pak democracy

For the second time in three weeks, exiled former Pakistani premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif met here today to hammer

For the second time in three weeks, exiled former Pakistani premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif met here today to hammer out a charter of democracy which aims to bring the country’s military under civilian command and set up a neutral caretaker government which would hold free and fair elections.

Under the charter, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Bhutto and Sharif, leader of the Muslim League (N) vowed to revive the 1973 constitution, respect each other’s political mandate and prevent the military from overthrowing future civilian governments.

The charter is set to take effect from July 2.The two leaders had met first on April 14 at the residence of Sharif and today they held the meeting at the residence of Rehman Mallick, a prominent PPP leader.

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The PML-N and PPP have vowed to revive the 1973 constitution and retain some non-controversial clauses of the legal framework order inserted in the constitution by President Pervez Musharraf.Calling for the military to be brought under civilian command and a “stronger and independent” judiciary, the charter said the practice of political appointments in higher and lower judiciary would be curbed. It also demanded setting up of a neutral caretaker government under which free and fair elections could be held.

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