The newly-appointed Federal Minister of Law, Farroq H. Naek made it clear that the deposed judges would be reinstated within a period of 30 days as had been decided in the Muree Declaration of March1. The Ministry of Law also submitted its report to the Prime Minister Gilani on the amendment of the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) and restoration of judiciary2.

Prime Minister Gilani meanwhile expressed concerns over the possible threat posed from dictatorship to the newly-elected democratic government3. Gilani was speaking in the backdrop of a violent incident in Karachi as a result of a conflict involving two groups of lawyers in which at least nine people were killed and several injured4. The co-chairman of the PPP, Asif Zardari addressing a joint press conference in Lahore asserted that the Parliament would determine the future course of the relationship between the elected government and President Musharraf5.

Amidst reports indicating the resurgence of the Taliban in Swat, the NWFP government decided to revive the Jirga system in order to amicably resolve the problem of militancy in the region6.

In other developments, the NATO Summit in Bucharest called for direct talks between Pakistan and the coalition forces in Afghanistan7. President Bush in a television interview also expressed fears over the possibility of attacks on the US by terrorists located in Pakistan8.

• 1. Mansoor Mirani, “Judges’ reinstatement in 30 days: Naek,” Dawn, April 5, 2008 at http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/05/top2.htm
• 2. Nasir Iqbal, “Proposals for committees on FCR, judges submitted to PM,” Dawn, April 2, 2008, at http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/02/top1.htm
• 3. Zulfiqar Ghuman, “Dictatorship is threatening democracy: PM,” Daily Times, April 11, 2008, at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\04\11\story_11-4-2008_pg1_1
• 4. Faraz Khan, “Lawyers clash, riots kill 9 in Karachi,” Daily Times, April 10, 2008, at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\04\10\story_10-4-2008_pg1_140
• 5. “Parliament to determine ties with president: Zardari,” Daily Times, March 31, 2008, at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\03\31\story_31-3-2008_pg1_2
• 6. Zulfiqar Ali, “NWFP sets up committee for dialogue with Swat militants,” Dawn, April 9, 2008, at http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/09/top4.htm
• 7. “Nato seeks direct talks with Pakistan,” Dawn, April 3, 2008, at http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/03/top7.htm
• 8. “Bush fears attack by ‘terrorists hiding in Pakistan’,” Daily Times, April 13, 2008, at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\04\13\story_13-4-2008_pg1_1