1. Judiciary and police reforms:
This can be broken down into the following:
a. Getting rid of all new judges appointed after Nov 3 and ensuring that new judges are appointed through a proper process which prevents any political party from inducting its own chamchas. This is a very crucial but yet unfinished part of the lawyers’ movement’s agenda.
b. Developing a proper method of accountability for the judges because the existing SJC structure is flawed.
c. Reforming the lower judiciary.
d. Police reforms

2. Devolution:
This is very important because devolution has the potential to open up opportunities for ordinary citizens to enter electoral politics. Union councils are small, and you can contest elections even if you are not filthy rich. Once you have been a union councilor, you can gradually go on to contest elections for bigger constituencies and move up in politics.
Things to do: convince the media to have more constructive discussions on devolution, and promote the idea to the people at large, so that it becomes increasingly difficult for any government to roll it back.

3. Intra-party democracy:
This requires engaging with the media and political party workers at the grass roots to highlight this issue.

4. Demanding live debates on local radio:
Due to the wider reach of radio, and considering the fact that TV channels can generally only talk about national issues, there is a real need for local city/district radio stations to come up and hold live debates on local issues. During elections, the election commission should even arrange for regular structured debates at the local level for all constituencies.
We need to highlight this issue and press the govt to remove unnecessary restrictions and give live debates proper air time on govt-owned local radio stations.

5. Corruption:
Highlighting the need for a constitutionally independent NAB, which can investigate and prosecute corruption cases against anyone including those in power without political interference.

6. Provincial autonomy:
A first step should be to make an attempt to understand what people outside Isb, Lhr and Khi think and want. Eventually, we also need to figure out whether we need more provinces (example: there is a demand for a separate province in Southern Punjab)

7. Constitution revue:
Understanding our constitution, and then determining whether it really serves our needs even if it’s restored to the original 1973 form. Then figuring out the kind of amendments that are needed for the genuine empowerment of the people. Some of the earlier points related to judiciary reforms, devolution, NAB and provincial autonomy would automatically be a part of such an effort, but here the goal would be to have a comprehensive review of the constitution rather than a single issue focus.

8. A political party Watchdog:
Looking at things like
a. The extent of intra-party democracy. This should include how party tickets are awarded.
b. Whether the parties have proper think-tanks for policy formulation.
c. Whether the parties have competent people and intra-party mechanisms for bringing such people forward.
d. whether there are any intra-party mechanisms for accountability, how many members of the parties have criminal or corruption cases etc.
e. How many of the MNAs and MPAs elected on party tickets are lotas with a history of switching loyalties.

9. Media watch:
This can include things like
a. keeping an eye on the political connections of newspaper and TV channel owners, and making knowledge of such connections well known to the public;
b. keeping track of whether journalists are consistent in applying the same principle. Example: if someone said that Iftikhar Ch should be restored when he was first removed by Musharraf, then did they continue to propagate the same position when the PPP came into power or did they suddenly do a ‘lota’ on this?

c. rating various talk-shows on the diversity of guests they invite, so that our national discourse does not remain monopolized by a very small group of people.

d. Pointing out instances of yellow journalism.

10. Other watchdogs:
Watchdogs on the judiciary, parliament, executive, police, NAB, or for that matter, any regulatory authority, like PEMRA or SECP.

However I believe that there are few certain things that should be on the priority, one of them is independent inquiry of Benazir Bhutto’s murder case, Those who ruined the future of our nation and dictators like Musharraf should be taken to the courts and be given the exemplary punishments so that no one in future even dares to follow their footsteps. 2nd thing I believe to be added in the list is to assure quality and affordable education to everyone. Another thing is to take steps to strenghten the most developing IT sector of Pakistan.

It’s been 2 years since the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudry was deposed by then President of  Pakistan Pervez Musharraf. Since then people have been struggling for the restoration of independent judiciary. They have witnessed many ups and downs in the past 2 years. The previous and the current government have tried their best to stop and hunt down the struggles and movements, section 144 imposed, people were arrested, shells and tear gas was fired on protesters, sealed cities to stop the protest, even tried to play the Sindh card. 

And with the efforts of people in past couple of days, a strong resistence from people has been witnessed. Thousands of people came out on the streets to record the protest and demanding the restoration of Chief Justice. Today the world has witnessed a sense of change in Pakistan. People have overthrown the dictatorship and have fought for their rights.

At the end, I’d like to congratulate everyone who contributed in this noble cause, special thank to all the active bloggers, SAC members, members of People’s Resistance Karachi, Lawyers, NGOs, Civil Society, Political Alleys and the Media. And as you all know that we, the bloggers have been collectively contributing in Live Coverage of the latest events regarding Long March, so great! great work everyone.  

AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ENTIRE PAKISTANI NATION! WE HAVE PROVED TO BE ALIVE! PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!

Now those so called Bhutto jiyalas should listen to their Shaheed Quaid Mohtarma and should stand up to participate in the Long March as Benazir herself vowed to participate in the Dharna(sit-in) as well.

There’s been a buzz about an unofficial and unconfirmed news that Zardari is ready to Restore Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudry through an executive order.  Even if this comes out as an official statement from Presidency, it could be just another attempt to postpone the Long March and the Lawyers Movement.

I don’t suppose anyone is going to trust this statement unless Zardari restores the CJ before the Long March begins. Because everyone had witnessed that Zardari hasn’t been fulfilling the promises he made in past, not even the oaths he took over the Holy Qur’an!

One thing seems certain that if Lawyers go ahead with the Long March, it will definitely be decisive this time.