Click to play videoIslamabad: The political crisis that has been brewing in Pakistan is finally over with President Asif Ali Zardari government giving in to the people's demands and reinstating sacked Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday morning announced that Chief Chaudhry will be reinstated on March 21.
"I announce the reinstatement of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry after present Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar retires on March 21, along with other judges," Gilani said in his address to the nation.
He claimed that the Zardari government was fulfilling the dreams of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto who was assassinated on December 27, 2007.
Gilani also announced that all other sacked judges would also be reinstated. Governor's Rule imposed in the Punjab province, too, has been scrapped.
The government also ordered release of all protesters held in connection with the Long March and lifted prohibitory order under Section 144.
It also announced that the court order banning Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif from contesting elections and holding office will be reviewed.
"It's a great victory for the people of Pakistan. Since it was the people's voice government had no other option," said Shahbaz Sharif while reacting to the government's order.
"I think Mr Zardari would have also read the writing on the wall..hence the announcement by PM Gilani. We appreciate this gesture. This is the triumphant day for the nation as well as for CJ Iftikaar Chaudhury," he added.
After Gilani's announcement, Nawaz Sharif addressed a public rally in Islamabad and called off the Long March. He welcomed the government's decision and said that the Long March is now a victory march.
Speaking exclusively to CNN-IBN , the man of the moment Nawaz Sharif said, "These are great moments for Pakistan's democracy. For the first time the army has supported a civil cause. I congratulate them for that. We will work for the people of Pakistan always and we have no hidden agenda in this movement."
The showdown in Pakistan had reached a point of no return as Nawaz Sharif led his Long March into Islamabad on Sunday.
Some bureaucrats and police officers also joined the march making the task of the government more difficult.
The decision to restore the judges and revoke Governor's Rule came after Zardari, Gilani and Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani met at about 0130 hrs IST on Monday morning to find a way out of the deadlock that threatened to plunge the country into deeper crisis and violent street protests.
Chaudhry was sacked in 2007 by then president Pervez Musharraf during the Emergency.
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