BRIEF: Pressure on Musharraf to Convene Parliament

Photograph - Nawaz Sharif at press conference - Bloomberg

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan- As a representative of the new opposition coalition government (see Impunity Watch article here), former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif publicly urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene a session of the newly elected Parliament. 

The Parliament cannot hold a session until the government's Election Commission officially announces the results of the February 18 election. 

The coalition government maintains that they have won at least two-thirds of the seats, meaning that once they convene they could repeal constitutional amendments imposed by Musharraf or even impeach him.

After a coalition meeting, Sharif addressed a news conference stating: "I would like to say on behalf of all of my colleagues that we inform Mr. Musharraf that we are not prepared to wait for a single day more for the assembly to be convened... It should be amply clear to him that the nation has given a verdict against dictatorship."

For more information, please see:

New York Times - Parties Press Pakistan Leader to Convene Assembly - 28 February 2008