By Asha’ar Rehman
BORN-again Muslims are not good enough for Islamists. The sorry drama enacted on the Punjab University campus in Lahore on Nov 14 should solve the mystery for those emerging from the sidelines to claim the command of a team of motivated students in whose selection and training they have played no part.
Imran Khan came to the campus in the face of ‘stay-away’ warnings from Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba. He was pushed and shoved and insulted and thrown to the keepers not long after. Did the Jamaat-i-Islami leadership know what was about to happen or was it a personal initiative of their student wing to assail the idol? While the first possibility is highly unlikely in the case of ‘the most organised political force in the country’, in either case it is as dangerous an occurrence for the Jamaat as it is for Imran Khan and his Justice Party. For the Jamaat is nothing without its ‘likeminded’ allies.
Before the brutal toss on the campus that landed Imran Khan in jail on Nov 14, he had done plenty in the last 15 years to be labelled as an enigma. For the pro-democracy purists, his biggest folly was his decision to join General Pervez Musharraf. Those, who boast of knowing the only way to the seat of power in Islamabad, say his real mistake was that he left the general too soon. For the apolitical the mere fact that he acted against their counsel to form a political party some ten years ago was an unpardonable act.
Those who believed that the honest and the straight-talking should come forward to rescue Pakistan from the clutches of the corrupt, the incompetent and the insincere were happy to see him take the political plunge. Many among them were soon disillusioned by Imran’s sheer ability to lose those who gave his party a progressive look and indeed the appearance of a party rather than a one-man reform squad.
Hamid Khan, who is in the vanguard of the fight for an independent judiciary today, was not so long ago an active member of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf as was Dr Pervez Hasan, an internationally known lawyer of standing. There were many other ‘new faces’ by his side, such as journalist and analyst Nasim Zahra for a brief period making rounds of newspaper offices in Lahore as an Imran lieutenant before, like Hamid Khan and Dr Pervez Hasan, she also turned away from a struggle from the Tehreek’s platform.
The progressive dialogue Imran Khan had engaged himself in came to a halt as he made post haste to the Right. To the surprise of his early supporters who strained to see in him an alternative to the tried and sullied political leadership of the country, even as he sported this new image of his, the cricketing icon would still be known as a liberal face in Pakistani politics, not only anti-America, but liberal, with a special attraction for youth and the domestic and international media. That was an anomaly as big as an ‘alien who neither studied at the Punjab University nor taught there’ leading the student activists who owe their allegiance to the Jamaat-i-Islami.
Sadly, it was written in Imran’s fate. A couple of days before he was scheduled to make his appearance at the Punjab University, hoping to court arrest amidst thousands of cheering students, the Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba had warned him against the adventure. They had actually done the cricketing hero a great a favour by allowing him the benefit of a forewarning.
Only three months ago the organised Islamists cadres had watched in silence as their ally and benefactor, Nawaz Sharif, suffered the ultimate ignominy a politician could ever face: returning home to a cold reception. Now it was the turn of another natural ally to experience the exemplary Jamaat discipline. Even after all the reverses that the all-rounder has undergone in the last decade and a half it hurts to see a rare hero being humiliated like Imran was on the Punjab University campus on Wednesday.
Despite his political leanings, Imran of late was on course to restoring to himself the old aura, that of a guerrilla commander who relied heavily on springing surprises to make an impact. His ambushes during his playing days are part of Pakistani folklore. He excelled in catching his opponents napping by sending out a soldier – the Abdul Qadirs and the Salim Yousufs -- up the order for rapid-fire action, saving his key men – the Miandads et al -- for a later onslaught. He would opt to bowl when every expert in the game would be advising him to bat. The gamble often paid and it was a crucial element of his captaincy.
He does not have the same kind of men at his command now and maybe not the same luck with the coin but he did show the spark of the past in managing to keep the policemen at bay for almost two weeks. The way he was trapped in the end is perhaps a sign for him that he is far better off returning to his old uncompromising ways. Who knows he might end up rallying groups of students to his cause. The secret, as always, lies in selecting and nurturing them on their own.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
Friday, November 16, 2007
Membership of 17 IJT activists suspended
LAHORE, Nov 15: The Islami Jamiat Tulaba, Pakistan, investigation committee on Thursday suspended membership of its 17 workers on charges of manhandling PTI chief Imran Khan and media people on the Punjab University New Campus on Wednesday.
After reviewing the manhandling episode, the IJT committee released its initial report and decided to take punitive action against all other persons who manhandled Khan. The committee will present its detailed investigation report to the IJT central shoora.
The 17 IJT members, whose membership has been suspended, are; Institute of Education and Research’s Ziaur Rehman, Zeeshan Khurram, Farooq Ahmad and Rizwan Aslam; Hailey College’s Faisal Javed, Muhammad Aziz, Mustafa, Shakeel, Kashif Shah, Nadeem Ahmad and Khurram Khan; Law College’s Junaid Ali and Khizar Hayat; Geology’s Shamsul Zaman; Physics’ Kaleem; Institute of Chemistry’s Asghar Ali and Centre for High Energy Physics’ Imran.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that IJT’s central shoora held its meeting and reportedly asked IJT Nazim-i-Aala Nasrullah Goraya and PU IJT Nazim Muhammad Ayub to resign while accepting their fault in mishandling Khan’s visit to the New Campus. —Staff Reporter
Dawn 16/Nov/07
After reviewing the manhandling episode, the IJT committee released its initial report and decided to take punitive action against all other persons who manhandled Khan. The committee will present its detailed investigation report to the IJT central shoora.
The 17 IJT members, whose membership has been suspended, are; Institute of Education and Research’s Ziaur Rehman, Zeeshan Khurram, Farooq Ahmad and Rizwan Aslam; Hailey College’s Faisal Javed, Muhammad Aziz, Mustafa, Shakeel, Kashif Shah, Nadeem Ahmad and Khurram Khan; Law College’s Junaid Ali and Khizar Hayat; Geology’s Shamsul Zaman; Physics’ Kaleem; Institute of Chemistry’s Asghar Ali and Centre for High Energy Physics’ Imran.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that IJT’s central shoora held its meeting and reportedly asked IJT Nazim-i-Aala Nasrullah Goraya and PU IJT Nazim Muhammad Ayub to resign while accepting their fault in mishandling Khan’s visit to the New Campus. —Staff Reporter
Dawn 16/Nov/07
PTI thrashed again _ this time by police
By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE, Nov 15: Some 35 Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) workers were arrested on Thursday while staging a peaceful protest demonstration in Barkat Market, Garden Town.
Those arrested included 20 female workers, including three sisters and four cousins of PTI Chief Imran Khan. Later, police released 20 party women.
A heavy contingent of police was present at Barkat Market before the arrival of protesters. When party workers arrived there in cars at around 3:45pm, policemen pounced on them soon they raised the first slogan and displayed the first placard under the leadership of PTI Lahore President Shabbir Sial. Though Mr Sial and PTI Coordinator Ahmad Nasir courted arrest, police baton-charged and thrashed other protesters, who tried to resist arrest.
Police thrashed a boy, tore apart his shirt and vest and bundled him into a police van.
Talat Naqvi, PTI office-bearer who tried to come to the young lad’s rescue, later on condemned police highhandedness. She told reporters the PTI workers had come out to save national heroes Imran Khan and Abdul Qadeer Khan. “We want justice,” she demanded.
Ms Naqvi was herself later arrested along with 19 other women after the authorities dispatched a contingent of policewomen to the spot. In the interim, policemen encircled the female protesters so that they could not escape.
Some women workers were dragged, and plainclothesmen did eventually throw off the mask of decency to push them inside the bus. The arrested women included Aleema Khan, Rani, Uzma, Saloni Bukhari and Salma Ejaz Chaudhry.
Later, 20 party women, who were detained by the police were released, a capital city police official said.
He said seven PTI activists, who were also arrested at the demonstration, would be booked and cases would be registered against them in Garden Town police station.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
LAHORE, Nov 15: Some 35 Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) workers were arrested on Thursday while staging a peaceful protest demonstration in Barkat Market, Garden Town.
Those arrested included 20 female workers, including three sisters and four cousins of PTI Chief Imran Khan. Later, police released 20 party women.
A heavy contingent of police was present at Barkat Market before the arrival of protesters. When party workers arrived there in cars at around 3:45pm, policemen pounced on them soon they raised the first slogan and displayed the first placard under the leadership of PTI Lahore President Shabbir Sial. Though Mr Sial and PTI Coordinator Ahmad Nasir courted arrest, police baton-charged and thrashed other protesters, who tried to resist arrest.
Police thrashed a boy, tore apart his shirt and vest and bundled him into a police van.
Talat Naqvi, PTI office-bearer who tried to come to the young lad’s rescue, later on condemned police highhandedness. She told reporters the PTI workers had come out to save national heroes Imran Khan and Abdul Qadeer Khan. “We want justice,” she demanded.
Ms Naqvi was herself later arrested along with 19 other women after the authorities dispatched a contingent of policewomen to the spot. In the interim, policemen encircled the female protesters so that they could not escape.
Some women workers were dragged, and plainclothesmen did eventually throw off the mask of decency to push them inside the bus. The arrested women included Aleema Khan, Rani, Uzma, Saloni Bukhari and Salma Ejaz Chaudhry.
Later, 20 party women, who were detained by the police were released, a capital city police official said.
He said seven PTI activists, who were also arrested at the demonstration, would be booked and cases would be registered against them in Garden Town police station.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
Hameed Gul Former ISI chief released
Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: Former ISI Chief Gen (retired) Hameed Gul, his son and two other detained people were released after government withdrew detention orders here on Thursday.
Earlier, there was a report that Saudi government has intervened to secure the release of former ISI chief. The report was not denied by the Pakistani government.
On Wednesday, Gen Hameed Gul and his son were shifted to their Chaklala residence, which had been declared as sub-jail. However, the personnel of law enforcement agencies were removed from his house on Thursday after the withdrawal of the detention order.
A senior officer of Islamabad administration confirmed to Dawn that the city management had withdrawn the detention orders of Gen (retired) Gul, his son Abdullah Gul, a political activist and a lawyer of Islamabad Bar Association.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: Former ISI Chief Gen (retired) Hameed Gul, his son and two other detained people were released after government withdrew detention orders here on Thursday.
Earlier, there was a report that Saudi government has intervened to secure the release of former ISI chief. The report was not denied by the Pakistani government.
On Wednesday, Gen Hameed Gul and his son were shifted to their Chaklala residence, which had been declared as sub-jail. However, the personnel of law enforcement agencies were removed from his house on Thursday after the withdrawal of the detention order.
A senior officer of Islamabad administration confirmed to Dawn that the city management had withdrawn the detention orders of Gen (retired) Gul, his son Abdullah Gul, a political activist and a lawyer of Islamabad Bar Association.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
Imran shifted to Dera jail
LAHORE, Nov 15: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan was driven to the Dera Ghazi Khan jail from Kot Lakhpat jail on Thursday.
“He is being shifted to D G Khan possibly for a month,” a police official told Dawn.
Imran Khan was arrested by the police from the Punjab University New Campus on Wednesday after he failed to lead a students’ rally and a case was registered against him by the Muslim Town police under different sections of PPC, 16 MPO and 7-ATA. —Staff Reporter
Dawn 16/Nov/07
“He is being shifted to D G Khan possibly for a month,” a police official told Dawn.
Imran Khan was arrested by the police from the Punjab University New Campus on Wednesday after he failed to lead a students’ rally and a case was registered against him by the Muslim Town police under different sections of PPC, 16 MPO and 7-ATA. —Staff Reporter
Dawn 16/Nov/07
Students rise for Imran, against IJT Unprecedented campus march
By Mansoor Malik
LAHORE, Nov 15: A large number of Punjab University students on Thursday held a protest demonstration against Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) for its manhandling of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf Chief Imran Khan.
The event was unprecedented in the history of campuses in Punjab, which have been under the Jamiat’s rule for decades.
Some 3,000 students, including girls, chanted slogans against IJT for over two-and-a-half hours. They started off from the University Law College and marched to all academic departments on the New Campus of the Punjab University as well as through hostel areas. They also held a massive demonstration in front of the vice-chancellor’s office.
The protesters included a number of students who resigned from the IJT following its action against Imran Khan on Wednesday on the university campus. The students were carrying placards bearing slogans: “We, PU Law College students, resign en mass from IJT membership” and “Go Jamiat Go”. They also tore down Jamiat’s posters pasted on walls in the university.
The students chanted “Imran terey jaanisar - Beshumaar beshumaar”, “Prime Minister of Pakistan - Imran Khan, Imran Khan”.
Some students told Dawn that IJT leaders had threatened them with dire consequences for taking part in the anti-Jamiat demonstration.
The protest march began at 11:30am, and on the way, groups of students belonging to various departments joined in. University teachers were also heard condemning Wednesday’s incident and supported the protesters on the campus.
“This is unprecedented. Thousands of students have united against IJT and compelled them (the IJT activists) to run away from the university,” a teacher said.
Some of the marchers tried to damage Jamiat’s office at the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology (ICET), an IJT stronghold. They were, however, prevented from doing so by their fellow protesters who pleaded for a peaceful demonstration.
In fiery speeches made during the protest, the students lambasted those involved in Imran Khan’s manhandling. Law College’s Rai Kashif said he had resigned from IJT membership along with many other law college students and all of them were now protesting as Imran Khan’s jiyalas. He said on Wednesday a large number of students had turned up to join Imran Khan in his protest, but the Jamiat activists disrupted the meeting and facilitated Imran’s arrest after a clash with his supporters. He said the Jamiat had thus cheated and degraded the students.
Speaking to the protesters in front of the VC’s office, Rao Samiullah said the students had stood up and would not allow the Jamiat activists to continue their ‘gundaism’ on the campus.
Talking to Dawn, two girl students said they had become sick of IJT activists, “who were harassing students on the campus”. Rizwan, another student, said whosoever was working for the restoration of constitution would be welcomed in the university. “We support lifting of emergency and Imran Khan is a leader of progressive and modern Pakistan,” he said.
The protesting leaders announced another demonstration on the law college ground at 9am on Friday (today).
Meanwhile, PTI’s Lahore President Ahsan Shabbir visited the university and told students that Imran Khan was alright and he was thankful to the students, who were protesting in his favour on the university campus. He also invited the students to join the PTI protest in Barkat Market later in the afternoon.
Talking to Dawn, PU Registrar Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan said Thursday’s protest was a proof that the university was alive and that all shades of opinion were represented here. He said the university administration understood the students’ anger, calling the protest civil society’s response to Imran Khan’s manhandling
Dawn 16/Nov/07
LAHORE, Nov 15: A large number of Punjab University students on Thursday held a protest demonstration against Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) for its manhandling of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf Chief Imran Khan.
The event was unprecedented in the history of campuses in Punjab, which have been under the Jamiat’s rule for decades.
Some 3,000 students, including girls, chanted slogans against IJT for over two-and-a-half hours. They started off from the University Law College and marched to all academic departments on the New Campus of the Punjab University as well as through hostel areas. They also held a massive demonstration in front of the vice-chancellor’s office.
The protesters included a number of students who resigned from the IJT following its action against Imran Khan on Wednesday on the university campus. The students were carrying placards bearing slogans: “We, PU Law College students, resign en mass from IJT membership” and “Go Jamiat Go”. They also tore down Jamiat’s posters pasted on walls in the university.
The students chanted “Imran terey jaanisar - Beshumaar beshumaar”, “Prime Minister of Pakistan - Imran Khan, Imran Khan”.
Some students told Dawn that IJT leaders had threatened them with dire consequences for taking part in the anti-Jamiat demonstration.
The protest march began at 11:30am, and on the way, groups of students belonging to various departments joined in. University teachers were also heard condemning Wednesday’s incident and supported the protesters on the campus.
“This is unprecedented. Thousands of students have united against IJT and compelled them (the IJT activists) to run away from the university,” a teacher said.
Some of the marchers tried to damage Jamiat’s office at the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology (ICET), an IJT stronghold. They were, however, prevented from doing so by their fellow protesters who pleaded for a peaceful demonstration.
In fiery speeches made during the protest, the students lambasted those involved in Imran Khan’s manhandling. Law College’s Rai Kashif said he had resigned from IJT membership along with many other law college students and all of them were now protesting as Imran Khan’s jiyalas. He said on Wednesday a large number of students had turned up to join Imran Khan in his protest, but the Jamiat activists disrupted the meeting and facilitated Imran’s arrest after a clash with his supporters. He said the Jamiat had thus cheated and degraded the students.
Speaking to the protesters in front of the VC’s office, Rao Samiullah said the students had stood up and would not allow the Jamiat activists to continue their ‘gundaism’ on the campus.
Talking to Dawn, two girl students said they had become sick of IJT activists, “who were harassing students on the campus”. Rizwan, another student, said whosoever was working for the restoration of constitution would be welcomed in the university. “We support lifting of emergency and Imran Khan is a leader of progressive and modern Pakistan,” he said.
The protesting leaders announced another demonstration on the law college ground at 9am on Friday (today).
Meanwhile, PTI’s Lahore President Ahsan Shabbir visited the university and told students that Imran Khan was alright and he was thankful to the students, who were protesting in his favour on the university campus. He also invited the students to join the PTI protest in Barkat Market later in the afternoon.
Talking to Dawn, PU Registrar Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan said Thursday’s protest was a proof that the university was alive and that all shades of opinion were represented here. He said the university administration understood the students’ anger, calling the protest civil society’s response to Imran Khan’s manhandling
Dawn 16/Nov/07
What happened to PML manifesto
By Ashraf Mumtaz
ALTHOUGH the Pakistan Muslim League government did a lot in various sectors during its five-year term, which was the longest enjoyed by any set-up during the past three decades, many of the important commitments made in the 2002 election manifesto remained unfulfilled. While the ‘achievements’ of the government received adequate coverage when they were made, the unfulfilled promises have not been pointed out so far.
The manifesto had been given by the party’s then president Mian Mohammad Azhar, who had to quit the office immediately after the polls as he was defeated on both the National Assembly seats from Lahore that he contested.
The five-year tenure (2002-2007) was shared by three prime ministers — Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Shaukat Aziz — but they could not pay much attention to the manifesto. It appears as if none of them got a chance to have a look at the promises made by their party and which they were under obligation to keep.
The manifesto’s first chapter was on ‘Political Reforms’ and its first item committed the party to improving the performance of the government by taking various measures. The first measure was that legislation by presidential ordinances shall be done away with as this militates against the letter and spirit of the parliamentary system.
A good idea, no doubt, but it could not be implemented.
According to Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Kamil Ali Agha, 48 laws were made by the bicameral legislature over the past five years while more than 80 presidential ordinances were issued during the period.
Both the figures are sufficient to explain the ‘performance’ of the parliament and that of the president. These figures also ‘expose’ the authority of the legislators who proudly say that they remained in office for a full five years.
In its new manifesto, the PML will say that the president should have no authority to issue an ordinance when the Senate is in session.
Another commitment was to set up a special TV channel to cover the proceedings of the parliament live.
No step was taken at all for the purpose on a number of occasions the electorate would have liked to watch the performance of their representatives live, but like many of their other desires, this one also remained unfulfilled.
Another commitment made by the PML was: “All major policy decisions of the government shall be made on the floor of the parliament/respective provincial assemblies”.
Needless to point out that President Musharraf has been taking all major decisions, and the ruling party has only been rubber-stamping them.
The role of parliament was not what it should have been. In fact, no major decision was taken by parliament.
The promulgation of the National Reconciliation Ordinance has also exposed the say of the ruling party leadership and the helplessness of the parliament.
Many ministers have admitted that some 80 per cent of the cabinet members were opposed to the NRO, but they could not do anything to stop it. The NRO was issued only because it was a commitment made by President Musharraf.
Interestingly, at a news conference Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said that the NRO was a political trick played by the government to outwit the PPP leadership.
The very same day the president’s spokesman said the presidency didn’t subscribe to what the two leaders had said.
Both Mr Aziz and Chaudhry Shujaat had to eat their words and let the dialogue process between the PPP leadership and the presidency go ahead.
That the overall performance of the PML-led government was not satisfactory also because its five-year term ended in the emergency rule, which divided the superior judiciary and imposed curbs on the media.
This also established the ‘ineffectiveness’ of the National Security Council set up by Gen Musharraf despite serious opposition from almost all parties. The NSC met quite a few times, but Leader of Opposition Maulana Fazlur Rehman, one of its members, always stayed away.
In the chapter for “Political Reforms” the party had also committed itself to enacting ‘conflict of interest legislation’ on business activities in cases where any interest pertaining to a member was involved.
No such law could be framed, and now the party’s new manifesto committee is inserting the clause in the new set of promises.
Once such legislation is enacted an industrialist will not qualify to become the minister for industries, a practising lawyer the minister for law and a banker the minister for finance.
The manifesto also committed the party to prescribing limits on the number of ministers and advisers that can be appointed at the centre and in provinces.
This provision was rubbished by the PML leadership. In fact, all records were broken as the prime minister and the chief ministers herded all their favourites in their cabinets. A ministry or a department run by one minister in the past was divided into several parts to accommodate as many people as possible.
In Punjab, for example, one minister in the past used to take care of food, agriculture and livestock. Now, four departments: agriculture, food, livestock and agriculture marketing have been created.
No legislation has been carried out at the federal or provincial levels to set a limit on the number of ministers.
The ‘Political Reforms’ chapter also committed the party to setting up an ethics committee for both the houses to monitor the conduct of legislators.
According to Minister of State Kamil Ali Agha, no such committee has been formed to date.
The PML manifesto dedicated a separate chapter to ‘Citizens’ Rights’.
It says: “Harassment of citizens by government agencies shall be considered an offence.”
Everybody knows that the commitment was not honoured. Secret agencies picked up an unspecified number of people from various places, citing no reasons.
The Supreme Court took up the cases of such people and a number of them were set free.
But the president did not tolerate the initiative taken by the Supreme Court. At a news conference he complained that the Supreme Court had exceeded its limits by taking up the cases of such ‘terrorists’. He alleged that the people freed by the court were involved in terrorist activities in various parts of the country.
The deposed judges’ argument that they set some people free because the government could not prove charges against them was ignored.
Yet another commitment made in the same chapter is: “The culture of police stations shall be changed to stop illegal harassment of citizens”.
Anyone coming in contact with police for any reason knows to what extent the government has been able to achieve this target.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
ALTHOUGH the Pakistan Muslim League government did a lot in various sectors during its five-year term, which was the longest enjoyed by any set-up during the past three decades, many of the important commitments made in the 2002 election manifesto remained unfulfilled. While the ‘achievements’ of the government received adequate coverage when they were made, the unfulfilled promises have not been pointed out so far.
The manifesto had been given by the party’s then president Mian Mohammad Azhar, who had to quit the office immediately after the polls as he was defeated on both the National Assembly seats from Lahore that he contested.
The five-year tenure (2002-2007) was shared by three prime ministers — Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Shaukat Aziz — but they could not pay much attention to the manifesto. It appears as if none of them got a chance to have a look at the promises made by their party and which they were under obligation to keep.
The manifesto’s first chapter was on ‘Political Reforms’ and its first item committed the party to improving the performance of the government by taking various measures. The first measure was that legislation by presidential ordinances shall be done away with as this militates against the letter and spirit of the parliamentary system.
A good idea, no doubt, but it could not be implemented.
According to Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Kamil Ali Agha, 48 laws were made by the bicameral legislature over the past five years while more than 80 presidential ordinances were issued during the period.
Both the figures are sufficient to explain the ‘performance’ of the parliament and that of the president. These figures also ‘expose’ the authority of the legislators who proudly say that they remained in office for a full five years.
In its new manifesto, the PML will say that the president should have no authority to issue an ordinance when the Senate is in session.
Another commitment was to set up a special TV channel to cover the proceedings of the parliament live.
No step was taken at all for the purpose on a number of occasions the electorate would have liked to watch the performance of their representatives live, but like many of their other desires, this one also remained unfulfilled.
Another commitment made by the PML was: “All major policy decisions of the government shall be made on the floor of the parliament/respective provincial assemblies”.
Needless to point out that President Musharraf has been taking all major decisions, and the ruling party has only been rubber-stamping them.
The role of parliament was not what it should have been. In fact, no major decision was taken by parliament.
The promulgation of the National Reconciliation Ordinance has also exposed the say of the ruling party leadership and the helplessness of the parliament.
Many ministers have admitted that some 80 per cent of the cabinet members were opposed to the NRO, but they could not do anything to stop it. The NRO was issued only because it was a commitment made by President Musharraf.
Interestingly, at a news conference Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said that the NRO was a political trick played by the government to outwit the PPP leadership.
The very same day the president’s spokesman said the presidency didn’t subscribe to what the two leaders had said.
Both Mr Aziz and Chaudhry Shujaat had to eat their words and let the dialogue process between the PPP leadership and the presidency go ahead.
That the overall performance of the PML-led government was not satisfactory also because its five-year term ended in the emergency rule, which divided the superior judiciary and imposed curbs on the media.
This also established the ‘ineffectiveness’ of the National Security Council set up by Gen Musharraf despite serious opposition from almost all parties. The NSC met quite a few times, but Leader of Opposition Maulana Fazlur Rehman, one of its members, always stayed away.
In the chapter for “Political Reforms” the party had also committed itself to enacting ‘conflict of interest legislation’ on business activities in cases where any interest pertaining to a member was involved.
No such law could be framed, and now the party’s new manifesto committee is inserting the clause in the new set of promises.
Once such legislation is enacted an industrialist will not qualify to become the minister for industries, a practising lawyer the minister for law and a banker the minister for finance.
The manifesto also committed the party to prescribing limits on the number of ministers and advisers that can be appointed at the centre and in provinces.
This provision was rubbished by the PML leadership. In fact, all records were broken as the prime minister and the chief ministers herded all their favourites in their cabinets. A ministry or a department run by one minister in the past was divided into several parts to accommodate as many people as possible.
In Punjab, for example, one minister in the past used to take care of food, agriculture and livestock. Now, four departments: agriculture, food, livestock and agriculture marketing have been created.
No legislation has been carried out at the federal or provincial levels to set a limit on the number of ministers.
The ‘Political Reforms’ chapter also committed the party to setting up an ethics committee for both the houses to monitor the conduct of legislators.
According to Minister of State Kamil Ali Agha, no such committee has been formed to date.
The PML manifesto dedicated a separate chapter to ‘Citizens’ Rights’.
It says: “Harassment of citizens by government agencies shall be considered an offence.”
Everybody knows that the commitment was not honoured. Secret agencies picked up an unspecified number of people from various places, citing no reasons.
The Supreme Court took up the cases of such people and a number of them were set free.
But the president did not tolerate the initiative taken by the Supreme Court. At a news conference he complained that the Supreme Court had exceeded its limits by taking up the cases of such ‘terrorists’. He alleged that the people freed by the court were involved in terrorist activities in various parts of the country.
The deposed judges’ argument that they set some people free because the government could not prove charges against them was ignored.
Yet another commitment made in the same chapter is: “The culture of police stations shall be changed to stop illegal harassment of citizens”.
Anyone coming in contact with police for any reason knows to what extent the government has been able to achieve this target.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
Washington march demands end to emergency
By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov 15: In a display of solidarity with the Pakistani lawyers, more than 700 American lawyers marched outside the US Supreme Court and Congress, condemning the Bush administration for supporting a military regime in Pakistan.
“We the lawyers of America call upon General Musharraf to end the emergency rule and restore the Constitution,” said William Neukom, president of the American Bar Association, which sponsored the rally in Washington.
“We want him to reinstate the judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and to release those lawyers and other leaders who have been wrongly jailed for their lawful protest of his lawless actions.”
“Gen Musharraf’s actions are an open assault on courts and an open assault on the rule of law,” said former US Attorney John McKay, now a professor at the Seattle University School of Law.
“Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere,” said Mr McKay, quoting Martin Luther King Jr.
Akram Shaikh, former president of the Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association, warned the rally that Gen Musharraf would like the situation to deteriorate “so that he can hand over power to another general.” The international community, he said, should not let that happen. “I would request President Bush to kindly withdraw his recognition,” he said.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
WASHINGTON, Nov 15: In a display of solidarity with the Pakistani lawyers, more than 700 American lawyers marched outside the US Supreme Court and Congress, condemning the Bush administration for supporting a military regime in Pakistan.
“We the lawyers of America call upon General Musharraf to end the emergency rule and restore the Constitution,” said William Neukom, president of the American Bar Association, which sponsored the rally in Washington.
“We want him to reinstate the judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and to release those lawyers and other leaders who have been wrongly jailed for their lawful protest of his lawless actions.”
“Gen Musharraf’s actions are an open assault on courts and an open assault on the rule of law,” said former US Attorney John McKay, now a professor at the Seattle University School of Law.
“Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere,” said Mr McKay, quoting Martin Luther King Jr.
Akram Shaikh, former president of the Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association, warned the rally that Gen Musharraf would like the situation to deteriorate “so that he can hand over power to another general.” The international community, he said, should not let that happen. “I would request President Bush to kindly withdraw his recognition,” he said.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
Jemima starts ‘Free Pakistan Movement’
By Our Special Correspondent
LONDON, Nov 15: Jemima Khan, former wife of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan, on Thursday launched what is styled as ‘Free Pakistan Movement’ (FPM) with the active support of journalists, students, lawyers, doctors, other professionals, civil society workers, businesspersons and prominent political persons of Pakistani origin living in the UK.
The FPM has chalked out an elaborate programme of daily events in London as well as in other parts of the UK to mobilise public opinion in Britain in general and among 100,000 or so people of Pakistani origin living here in particular against what the FPM termed as Gen Pervez Musharraf’s second martial law.
The FPM has finalised plans to hold a big protest rally in front of the Pakistan High Commission.
A group of students, lawyers and journalists which was working under the name of Campaign against Martial Law in Pakistan (CAMLP) has joined the FPM.
The UK branch of Therik-i-Insaaf will be a component of the FPM.
Meanwhile, a report in the Independent on Thursday said that Imran Khan was arrested on Wednesday, less than 48 hours after sending a desperate text message to his solicitor in London saying that he feared for his life.
The report said Imran was charged under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act, which includes penalties that can carry the death sentence or life imprisonment.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
LONDON, Nov 15: Jemima Khan, former wife of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan, on Thursday launched what is styled as ‘Free Pakistan Movement’ (FPM) with the active support of journalists, students, lawyers, doctors, other professionals, civil society workers, businesspersons and prominent political persons of Pakistani origin living in the UK.
The FPM has chalked out an elaborate programme of daily events in London as well as in other parts of the UK to mobilise public opinion in Britain in general and among 100,000 or so people of Pakistani origin living here in particular against what the FPM termed as Gen Pervez Musharraf’s second martial law.
The FPM has finalised plans to hold a big protest rally in front of the Pakistan High Commission.
A group of students, lawyers and journalists which was working under the name of Campaign against Martial Law in Pakistan (CAMLP) has joined the FPM.
The UK branch of Therik-i-Insaaf will be a component of the FPM.
Meanwhile, a report in the Independent on Thursday said that Imran Khan was arrested on Wednesday, less than 48 hours after sending a desperate text message to his solicitor in London saying that he feared for his life.
The report said Imran was charged under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act, which includes penalties that can carry the death sentence or life imprisonment.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
APDM asks JI to stay away from protest
By Our Correspondent
SWABI, Nov 15: The Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf which are in the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) on Thursday asked Jamaat-i-Islami to stay away from their protest to be held here on Friday.
Condemning the Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba, the student wing of Jamaat-i-Islami, for helping police arrest Imran Khan, PTI provincial vice-president Asad Qaisar told Dawn that opposition parties would not hold a protest demonstration with the Jamaat-i-Islami whose student wing had tried to sabotage the anti-government movement.
He said the PTI leader’s arrest was a conspiracy which had harmed the APDM.
He said that all APDM parties, minus Jamaat-i-Islami, would continue their struggle for the restoration of the Constitution, lifting of emergency, independence of judiciary and unity of opposition against the government.
He said the ANP and PML-N were aware of the fact that a conspiracy had been hatched to create differences among APDM parties.
He said the leaders of the two parties had been informed about demonstration and the PTI’s decision.
“They supported our point of view and agreed to keep Jamaat-i-Islami out of the protest.”
Meanwhile, The Swabi Union of Journalist and Abaseen Union of Journalists held a protest camp here against curbs on the media. The protesters condemned the arrest of journalists.
Leaders of various political parties visited the camp and expressed solidarity with journalists.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
SWABI, Nov 15: The Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf which are in the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) on Thursday asked Jamaat-i-Islami to stay away from their protest to be held here on Friday.
Condemning the Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba, the student wing of Jamaat-i-Islami, for helping police arrest Imran Khan, PTI provincial vice-president Asad Qaisar told Dawn that opposition parties would not hold a protest demonstration with the Jamaat-i-Islami whose student wing had tried to sabotage the anti-government movement.
He said the PTI leader’s arrest was a conspiracy which had harmed the APDM.
He said that all APDM parties, minus Jamaat-i-Islami, would continue their struggle for the restoration of the Constitution, lifting of emergency, independence of judiciary and unity of opposition against the government.
He said the ANP and PML-N were aware of the fact that a conspiracy had been hatched to create differences among APDM parties.
He said the leaders of the two parties had been informed about demonstration and the PTI’s decision.
“They supported our point of view and agreed to keep Jamaat-i-Islami out of the protest.”
Meanwhile, The Swabi Union of Journalist and Abaseen Union of Journalists held a protest camp here against curbs on the media. The protesters condemned the arrest of journalists.
Leaders of various political parties visited the camp and expressed solidarity with journalists.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
Soomro heads interim govt: Inamul Haq, Ishrat Hussain, Salman Taseer, Nisar Memon, Pir of Taunsa Sharif among ministers
By Amir Wasim
ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro will take oath as the caretaker prime minister on Friday morning after dissolution of the National Assembly on completion of its five-year term, sources told Dawn.
The sources said Gen Musharraf disclosed his choice for the premiership at a farewell dinner he hosted at the presidency for the outgoing members of the National Assembly belonging to the ruling coalition.
The appointment of Mr Soomro as the caretaker prime minister, primarily meant to oversee the next general election, surprised political observers here as the government had all along been saying that a “non-political” and “non-partisan” person would be given the job to ensure free and transparent elections.
The appointment of a neutral personality was one of the major demands of the opposition parties. The leaders of all major opposition parties on Thursday said they had not been consulted by the government over the names for the caretaker set-up.
Mr Soomro is a confidant of Gen Musharraf and won the Senate election on a PML-Q ticket from Sindh.
The sources said Mr Soomro would not quit his Senate office after taking oath on Friday and would resume his duties as Senate chairman after the general election.
The sources said that besides Mr Soomro, a 17-member cabinet was also expected to be administered oath by President Pervez Musharraf at a ceremony to be held at the Presidency at 10.30am.
The caretaker cabinet contains a few people who had previously served in the cabinet of Gen Musharraf when he was the chief executive before the Oct 2002 election.
The sources said Inamul Haq, a former foreign secretary, would take oath as the caretaker foreign minister while former State Bank governor Dr Ishrat Hussain would be the finance minister.
A former defence secretary, Saleem Abbas Jilani, is likely to take oath as defence minister while ex-Wapda chairman Tariq Hameed would hold the water and power portfolio.
A surprise inclusion in the caretaker cabinet is that of Salman Taseer, a businessman and former PPP stalwart. He has been asked to take charge of the commerce ministry.
Senator Nisar Memon is tipped as the information minister and Afzal Haider, a former member of the Council of Islamic Ideology, is likely to be appointed law minister. Barrister Saif Muhammad, who came to the limelight during the hearing of the case against the suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, would be his deputy.
Abbas Sarfaraz Khan, who had served as Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs in the previous Musharraf cabinet, is again being given the job. Similarly, another member of the previous Musharraf cabinet, S.K. Tressler, is expected to be a member of the caretaker set-up.
The sources said Ijaz Rahim, a former secretary in the Sindh government, Nisar Mohammad Khan, a veteran PML-Q leader from the NWFP, and Pir of Taunsa Sharif Khwaja Attaullah have also been included in the caretaker cabinet.
Raja Tridev Roy, who has served Pakistan as ambassador in a number of countries and already enjoys the status of a federal minister for life, is also likely to take oath as minister. Mr Roy is a fiction writer and leads the Buddhist community in the country.
Besides these, there are some unfamiliar names in the caretaker set-up, eg Hameeda Dharejo, Dr Abdullah and Dr Abdul Qadir.
Mr Soomro served as Sindh governor from May 25, 2000, to Dec 26, 2002, before contesting the Senate elections. He comes from a prominent political family of Sindh which has been active in public life since 1923.
His father, the late Ahmed Mian Soomro, was deputy speaker of the West Pakistan Assembly and a member of the Senate, helping establish the Senate committee system.
Born on Aug 19, 1950, Mr Soomro earned a B.Sc degree from Forman Christian College, Lahore. He obtained an M.Sc in physics from the Punjab University, followed by an M.Sc in operations management from the Northrop University, US.
An internationally-recognised banker, Mr Soomro has served in executive positions at home and abroad in such organizations as the Bank of America, Faysal Islamic Bank and the Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan.
DISSOLUTION ORDER: The ministry of parliamentary affairs on Thursday issued a notification regarding the dissolution of the National Assembly on the completion of its five-year term.It was the first National Assembly in the country’s 37-year parliamentary history to have completed its term.
Before the outgoing assembly, only the first National Assembly which came into existence after the 1970 elections, had completed four parliamentary years.
“In pursuance of Article 52 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, read with clause (1) of Article 2 of the Provisional Constitution Order No 1 of 2007 dated Nov 3, 2007, the National Assembly stands dissolved on the expiration of its term of five years on the 15th day of November, 2007,” the notification said.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro will take oath as the caretaker prime minister on Friday morning after dissolution of the National Assembly on completion of its five-year term, sources told Dawn.
The sources said Gen Musharraf disclosed his choice for the premiership at a farewell dinner he hosted at the presidency for the outgoing members of the National Assembly belonging to the ruling coalition.
The appointment of Mr Soomro as the caretaker prime minister, primarily meant to oversee the next general election, surprised political observers here as the government had all along been saying that a “non-political” and “non-partisan” person would be given the job to ensure free and transparent elections.
The appointment of a neutral personality was one of the major demands of the opposition parties. The leaders of all major opposition parties on Thursday said they had not been consulted by the government over the names for the caretaker set-up.
Mr Soomro is a confidant of Gen Musharraf and won the Senate election on a PML-Q ticket from Sindh.
The sources said Mr Soomro would not quit his Senate office after taking oath on Friday and would resume his duties as Senate chairman after the general election.
The sources said that besides Mr Soomro, a 17-member cabinet was also expected to be administered oath by President Pervez Musharraf at a ceremony to be held at the Presidency at 10.30am.
The caretaker cabinet contains a few people who had previously served in the cabinet of Gen Musharraf when he was the chief executive before the Oct 2002 election.
The sources said Inamul Haq, a former foreign secretary, would take oath as the caretaker foreign minister while former State Bank governor Dr Ishrat Hussain would be the finance minister.
A former defence secretary, Saleem Abbas Jilani, is likely to take oath as defence minister while ex-Wapda chairman Tariq Hameed would hold the water and power portfolio.
A surprise inclusion in the caretaker cabinet is that of Salman Taseer, a businessman and former PPP stalwart. He has been asked to take charge of the commerce ministry.
Senator Nisar Memon is tipped as the information minister and Afzal Haider, a former member of the Council of Islamic Ideology, is likely to be appointed law minister. Barrister Saif Muhammad, who came to the limelight during the hearing of the case against the suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, would be his deputy.
Abbas Sarfaraz Khan, who had served as Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs in the previous Musharraf cabinet, is again being given the job. Similarly, another member of the previous Musharraf cabinet, S.K. Tressler, is expected to be a member of the caretaker set-up.
The sources said Ijaz Rahim, a former secretary in the Sindh government, Nisar Mohammad Khan, a veteran PML-Q leader from the NWFP, and Pir of Taunsa Sharif Khwaja Attaullah have also been included in the caretaker cabinet.
Raja Tridev Roy, who has served Pakistan as ambassador in a number of countries and already enjoys the status of a federal minister for life, is also likely to take oath as minister. Mr Roy is a fiction writer and leads the Buddhist community in the country.
Besides these, there are some unfamiliar names in the caretaker set-up, eg Hameeda Dharejo, Dr Abdullah and Dr Abdul Qadir.
Mr Soomro served as Sindh governor from May 25, 2000, to Dec 26, 2002, before contesting the Senate elections. He comes from a prominent political family of Sindh which has been active in public life since 1923.
His father, the late Ahmed Mian Soomro, was deputy speaker of the West Pakistan Assembly and a member of the Senate, helping establish the Senate committee system.
Born on Aug 19, 1950, Mr Soomro earned a B.Sc degree from Forman Christian College, Lahore. He obtained an M.Sc in physics from the Punjab University, followed by an M.Sc in operations management from the Northrop University, US.
An internationally-recognised banker, Mr Soomro has served in executive positions at home and abroad in such organizations as the Bank of America, Faysal Islamic Bank and the Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan.
DISSOLUTION ORDER: The ministry of parliamentary affairs on Thursday issued a notification regarding the dissolution of the National Assembly on the completion of its five-year term.It was the first National Assembly in the country’s 37-year parliamentary history to have completed its term.
Before the outgoing assembly, only the first National Assembly which came into existence after the 1970 elections, had completed four parliamentary years.
“In pursuance of Article 52 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, read with clause (1) of Article 2 of the Provisional Constitution Order No 1 of 2007 dated Nov 3, 2007, the National Assembly stands dissolved on the expiration of its term of five years on the 15th day of November, 2007,” the notification said.
Dawn 16/Nov/07
Chaudhry Shujaat forms Parliamentary Board
By Our Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: President Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Wednesday formed the parliamentary board to decide about party tickets for the general elections.
Chaudhry Shujaat heads the board which includes Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Secretary General PML Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed,
Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvaiz Elahi, Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf, PML NWFP President Amir Muqam, President PML Women’s Wing Mrs Sumaira Malik, Sardar Farooq Ahmad Leghari, Hamid Nasir Chattha and Roshan Khurshid Bharucha.
Senator Mushahid Hussain will be secretary of the board.
The board will have the right to co-opt any person as member for consultation, a press release issued by the party said.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: President Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Wednesday formed the parliamentary board to decide about party tickets for the general elections.
Chaudhry Shujaat heads the board which includes Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Secretary General PML Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed,
Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvaiz Elahi, Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf, PML NWFP President Amir Muqam, President PML Women’s Wing Mrs Sumaira Malik, Sardar Farooq Ahmad Leghari, Hamid Nasir Chattha and Roshan Khurshid Bharucha.
Senator Mushahid Hussain will be secretary of the board.
The board will have the right to co-opt any person as member for consultation, a press release issued by the party said.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
Harvard to award Medal of Freedom to Justice Iftikhar
By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov 14: The Harvard Law School, one of the world’s most prestigious legal institutions, has decided to award Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry its highest honour.
The award -- the Harvard Law School Medal of Freedom -- is given to selected personalities for their contributions to freedom, justice, and equality. Former South African President Nelson Mandela is one of the previous recipients of this award.
“As lawyers who value freedom and the rule of law, we at Harvard Law School want Chief Justice Chaudhry and all of the courageous lawyers in Pakistan to know that we stand with them in solidarity,” said Dean Elena Kagan.
“We are proud to be their colleagues in the cause of justice, and we will do all we can to press for the prompt restoration of constitutionalism and legality in Pakistan,” she said.
The school plans to hold a grand ceremony to award the medal and hopes that Justice Chaudhry will be allowed to attend.
The statement announcing the award identifies Mr Chaudhry as Pakistan’s chief justice and not as a deposed or former judge. The school identified several Harvard graduates who are participating in the movement against the emergency rule. To raise awareness about the events in Pakistan, the Harvard South Asia Initiative is hosting campus-wide events on Friday. “Although Mr Chaudhry has been placed under house arrest and is not free to leave Pakistan, Dean Kagan has reached out to the chief justice regarding the award and hopes that he’ll be able to come to the Law School to receive it when the state of emergency is lifted,” the statement said.
The award bears the image of Charles Hamilton Houston who helped abolish separate school system for black and white students in America.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
WASHINGTON, Nov 14: The Harvard Law School, one of the world’s most prestigious legal institutions, has decided to award Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry its highest honour.
The award -- the Harvard Law School Medal of Freedom -- is given to selected personalities for their contributions to freedom, justice, and equality. Former South African President Nelson Mandela is one of the previous recipients of this award.
“As lawyers who value freedom and the rule of law, we at Harvard Law School want Chief Justice Chaudhry and all of the courageous lawyers in Pakistan to know that we stand with them in solidarity,” said Dean Elena Kagan.
“We are proud to be their colleagues in the cause of justice, and we will do all we can to press for the prompt restoration of constitutionalism and legality in Pakistan,” she said.
The school plans to hold a grand ceremony to award the medal and hopes that Justice Chaudhry will be allowed to attend.
The statement announcing the award identifies Mr Chaudhry as Pakistan’s chief justice and not as a deposed or former judge. The school identified several Harvard graduates who are participating in the movement against the emergency rule. To raise awareness about the events in Pakistan, the Harvard South Asia Initiative is hosting campus-wide events on Friday. “Although Mr Chaudhry has been placed under house arrest and is not free to leave Pakistan, Dean Kagan has reached out to the chief justice regarding the award and hopes that he’ll be able to come to the Law School to receive it when the state of emergency is lifted,” the statement said.
The award bears the image of Charles Hamilton Houston who helped abolish separate school system for black and white students in America.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
Poll schedule soon after dissolution of assemblies: EC
By Our Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: The Election Commission decided on Wednesday to issue the schedule for general elections soon after the dissolution of national and provincial assemblies.
The decision was taken at a meeting presided by over Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Mohammad Farooq. Justice Nasim Sikandar of the Lahore High Court, Justice Ahmed Khan Lashari of the Balochistan High Court and EC Secretary Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad attended the meeting.
The EC secretary said in a statement that the meeting had discussed the election schedule and the code of conduct.
“The notification regarding schedule for the conduct of general elections will be issued soon after the dissolution of National Assembly and the provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.”
The NWFP assembly has already been dissolved.
Mr Dilshad said the appointments of district returning officers, returning officers and assistant returning officers had been approved with the consent of the chief justices of the respective high courts. The appointment of returning officers for the seats reserved for women and non-Muslims has been approved.
He said the meeting decided to invite representatives of prominent political parties to attend a meeting at the Election Commission on Nov 19 to discuss and finalise the code of conduct.
Under Article 224 (1) of the Constitution, polls should be held within 60 days after the assembly dissolution.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: The Election Commission decided on Wednesday to issue the schedule for general elections soon after the dissolution of national and provincial assemblies.
The decision was taken at a meeting presided by over Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Mohammad Farooq. Justice Nasim Sikandar of the Lahore High Court, Justice Ahmed Khan Lashari of the Balochistan High Court and EC Secretary Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad attended the meeting.
The EC secretary said in a statement that the meeting had discussed the election schedule and the code of conduct.
“The notification regarding schedule for the conduct of general elections will be issued soon after the dissolution of National Assembly and the provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.”
The NWFP assembly has already been dissolved.
Mr Dilshad said the appointments of district returning officers, returning officers and assistant returning officers had been approved with the consent of the chief justices of the respective high courts. The appointment of returning officers for the seats reserved for women and non-Muslims has been approved.
He said the meeting decided to invite representatives of prominent political parties to attend a meeting at the Election Commission on Nov 19 to discuss and finalise the code of conduct.
Under Article 224 (1) of the Constitution, polls should be held within 60 days after the assembly dissolution.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
Swiss govt halts arms delivery
BERN, Nov 14: Switzerland has indefinitely postponed the delivery of anti-aircraft systems to Pakistan because of the current situation in the South Asian country, the economics ministry said on Wednesday.
The decision concerns 21 vehicle-mounted air defence batteries known as Skyguard — a deal approved in December and worth $121 million.
Six of the weapons have already been delivered, the ministry said in a statement.—AP
Dawn 15/Nov/07
The decision concerns 21 vehicle-mounted air defence batteries known as Skyguard — a deal approved in December and worth $121 million.
Six of the weapons have already been delivered, the ministry said in a statement.—AP
Dawn 15/Nov/07
EU reluctant to cut aid
STRASBOURG, Nov 14: The European Union urged caution about cutting off aid to Pakistan on Wednesday while stepping up calls for President Pervez Musharraf to lift emergency rule.
“Any measures to suspend cooperation... would strike a population which is already struck with many difficulties,” said Portuguese European Affairs Minister Manuel Lobo Antunes, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency.
“Such a stop in cooperation has to be looked at closely indeed,” he added, addressing the European Parliament.—AFP
Dawn 15/Nov/07
“Any measures to suspend cooperation... would strike a population which is already struck with many difficulties,” said Portuguese European Affairs Minister Manuel Lobo Antunes, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency.
“Such a stop in cooperation has to be looked at closely indeed,” he added, addressing the European Parliament.—AFP
Dawn 15/Nov/07
Deposed CJ seeks help over ‘govt plan’
By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, who has been under house arrest since Nov 3, approached the Supreme Court registrar on Wednesday to express his apprehension that he might be forcibly shifted to Quetta by the Islamabad administration.
A lawyer close to the family of Justice Iftikhar told Dawn that an ‘order’ had been forwarded to the registrar requiring him to direct Islamabad’s inspector-general of police to take the ‘necessary action’.
“This order is being served through us because there are no other means since the Hon’ble Chief Justice is under house arrest and all his telephone connections have been severed,” he said, adding that the order had also been served on the authorities concerned.
“I am not interested in going to Quetta or elsewhere and it will be an act of abduction and forcible detention for which the secretary for interior, Islamabad’s commissioner, deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner on duty shall be responsible along with law-enforcement agencies,” the deposed Chief Justice said in the letter to the SC registrar.
“Presently, I am holding the post of Chief Justice of Pakistan under Constitution and I am occupying the official accommodation,” he said.
He said he and his family members were not allowed to go out of the house and his children were not allowed even to go to school and university.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, who has been under house arrest since Nov 3, approached the Supreme Court registrar on Wednesday to express his apprehension that he might be forcibly shifted to Quetta by the Islamabad administration.
A lawyer close to the family of Justice Iftikhar told Dawn that an ‘order’ had been forwarded to the registrar requiring him to direct Islamabad’s inspector-general of police to take the ‘necessary action’.
“This order is being served through us because there are no other means since the Hon’ble Chief Justice is under house arrest and all his telephone connections have been severed,” he said, adding that the order had also been served on the authorities concerned.
“I am not interested in going to Quetta or elsewhere and it will be an act of abduction and forcible detention for which the secretary for interior, Islamabad’s commissioner, deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner on duty shall be responsible along with law-enforcement agencies,” the deposed Chief Justice said in the letter to the SC registrar.
“Presently, I am holding the post of Chief Justice of Pakistan under Constitution and I am occupying the official accommodation,” he said.
He said he and his family members were not allowed to go out of the house and his children were not allowed even to go to school and university.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
1999-like situation necessitated emergency, SC told
By Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: Chief of Army Staff Gen Pervez Musharraf, in his reply to petitions filed in the Supreme Court against his proclamation of emergency, submitted on Wednesday that the situation which forced him to impose emergency was ‘analogous’ to the October 1999 situation.
In a 10-page reply to the petitions filed by Tikka Iqbal Mohammad Khan and Watan Party chairman Barrister Zafarullah Khan, Gen Musharraf sought validation of the emergency and the Provisional Constitution Order and pleaded to empower the army chief to amend the Constitution as had been done by the court in the 2000 Zafar Ali Shah case.
A 10-member bench comprising Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi, Justice Faqir Mohammad Khokhar, Justice M. Javed Buttar, Justice Ijazul Hassan, Justice Mohammad Qaim Jan Khan, Justice Mosa K. Leghari, Justice Ch Ijaz Yousaf, Justice Mohammad Akhtar Shabbir and Justice Zia Pervez will on Thursday start hearing the petitions challenging the emergency rule and the PCO and curbs imposed on judges of superior courts, the electronic media and the freedom of citizens.
Drafted by Advocate Raja Mohammad Ibrahim Satti on behalf of respondent-1, Gen Pervez Musharraf in his capacity as the army chief, the reply prayed the court to dismiss the petitions since they were not maintainable under Article 184(3) of the Constitution.
It said fundamental rights under Articles 9 (security of person), 10 (safeguards as to arrest and detention), 15 (freedom of movement), 16 (freedom of movement), 17 (freedom of association), 19 (freedom of speech) and 25 (equality of citizens) had been suspended under the PCO 2007. Therefore, it said, these were not enforceable and their enforceability could not be urged under Article 184(3) of the Constitution.
Similarly, it said Article 4 (rights of individuals to be dealt with in accordance with the law) of the Constitution, as asserted by the petitioners, did not fall within fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution.
About measures taken under the emergency, the reply said these had been taken in pursuance of the proclamation of emergency and the PCO which could not be questioned and were covered in the Zafar Ali Shah case.
Moreover, it said, the 12-member bench which had validated the emergency and the PCO of 1999 in the Zafar Ali Shah case included Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and Justice Rana Bhagwandas, who had been removed under the PCO.
Under Article 3 of the Oath of Office (Judges) Order 2007, all judges of the Supreme Court, the Federal Shariat Court and the high courts ceased to hold office and they were no more judges till they took a fresh oath, it said.
Besides, it claimed, all measures and instruments, including emergency, PCO and oath of judges, were legal and lawful and had been issued with lawful authority.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: Chief of Army Staff Gen Pervez Musharraf, in his reply to petitions filed in the Supreme Court against his proclamation of emergency, submitted on Wednesday that the situation which forced him to impose emergency was ‘analogous’ to the October 1999 situation.
In a 10-page reply to the petitions filed by Tikka Iqbal Mohammad Khan and Watan Party chairman Barrister Zafarullah Khan, Gen Musharraf sought validation of the emergency and the Provisional Constitution Order and pleaded to empower the army chief to amend the Constitution as had been done by the court in the 2000 Zafar Ali Shah case.
A 10-member bench comprising Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi, Justice Faqir Mohammad Khokhar, Justice M. Javed Buttar, Justice Ijazul Hassan, Justice Mohammad Qaim Jan Khan, Justice Mosa K. Leghari, Justice Ch Ijaz Yousaf, Justice Mohammad Akhtar Shabbir and Justice Zia Pervez will on Thursday start hearing the petitions challenging the emergency rule and the PCO and curbs imposed on judges of superior courts, the electronic media and the freedom of citizens.
Drafted by Advocate Raja Mohammad Ibrahim Satti on behalf of respondent-1, Gen Pervez Musharraf in his capacity as the army chief, the reply prayed the court to dismiss the petitions since they were not maintainable under Article 184(3) of the Constitution.
It said fundamental rights under Articles 9 (security of person), 10 (safeguards as to arrest and detention), 15 (freedom of movement), 16 (freedom of movement), 17 (freedom of association), 19 (freedom of speech) and 25 (equality of citizens) had been suspended under the PCO 2007. Therefore, it said, these were not enforceable and their enforceability could not be urged under Article 184(3) of the Constitution.
Similarly, it said Article 4 (rights of individuals to be dealt with in accordance with the law) of the Constitution, as asserted by the petitioners, did not fall within fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution.
About measures taken under the emergency, the reply said these had been taken in pursuance of the proclamation of emergency and the PCO which could not be questioned and were covered in the Zafar Ali Shah case.
Moreover, it said, the 12-member bench which had validated the emergency and the PCO of 1999 in the Zafar Ali Shah case included Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and Justice Rana Bhagwandas, who had been removed under the PCO.
Under Article 3 of the Oath of Office (Judges) Order 2007, all judges of the Supreme Court, the Federal Shariat Court and the high courts ceased to hold office and they were no more judges till they took a fresh oath, it said.
Besides, it claimed, all measures and instruments, including emergency, PCO and oath of judges, were legal and lawful and had been issued with lawful authority.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
Bush urges Musharraf to lift emergency
By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov 14: US President George W. Bush has added his voice to the demand that General Pervez Musharraf should lift the state of emergency and then hold elections.
So far his aides have been making this demand but Mr Bush had not addressed the issue directly.
The US president also hoped that the Pakistani leader would remain a strong ally in the war against terrorism. “He understands the stakes of the war, and I do believe he understands the importance of democracy,” Mr Bush said on the Fox Business Network.
Mr Bush described the unrest in Pakistan as “an ever-changing situation”, and noted that he had urged Gen Musharraf by telephone one week ago to lift the state of emergency, hold elections, and quit as army chief. “He’s agreed to hold elections in January, and he’s agreed to take his uniform off. And our judgment is that the sooner he can suspend his emergency decree, the faster Pakistan gets back on the road to democracy,” Mr Bush said. “When I talked to him, I said: ‘You got to get Pakistan back on the road to democracy as quickly as possible.’ And that means elections, and that means … you can’t be the head of the military and the president at the same time,’’ Mr Bush said.
At the State Department, deputy spokesman Tom Casey confirmed that Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte will discuss the current situation with Pakistani leaders when he arrives in Islamabad during the next 24 hours.
“Obviously, he will … be making the same kinds of points to the Pakistani officials he meets with that you’ve heard from the president, from the secretary (Condoleezza Rice) and others; that being that we want to see an end to the state of emergency.”
Mr Negroponte will also tell Pakistani officials that the US wants to see elections move forward as quickly as possible.
“We want to see those elections take place in an atmosphere that allows for free, fair and open competition. We want the elections to be representative of the will of the Pakistani people,” Mr Casey said.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
WASHINGTON, Nov 14: US President George W. Bush has added his voice to the demand that General Pervez Musharraf should lift the state of emergency and then hold elections.
So far his aides have been making this demand but Mr Bush had not addressed the issue directly.
The US president also hoped that the Pakistani leader would remain a strong ally in the war against terrorism. “He understands the stakes of the war, and I do believe he understands the importance of democracy,” Mr Bush said on the Fox Business Network.
Mr Bush described the unrest in Pakistan as “an ever-changing situation”, and noted that he had urged Gen Musharraf by telephone one week ago to lift the state of emergency, hold elections, and quit as army chief. “He’s agreed to hold elections in January, and he’s agreed to take his uniform off. And our judgment is that the sooner he can suspend his emergency decree, the faster Pakistan gets back on the road to democracy,” Mr Bush said. “When I talked to him, I said: ‘You got to get Pakistan back on the road to democracy as quickly as possible.’ And that means elections, and that means … you can’t be the head of the military and the president at the same time,’’ Mr Bush said.
At the State Department, deputy spokesman Tom Casey confirmed that Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte will discuss the current situation with Pakistani leaders when he arrives in Islamabad during the next 24 hours.
“Obviously, he will … be making the same kinds of points to the Pakistani officials he meets with that you’ve heard from the president, from the secretary (Condoleezza Rice) and others; that being that we want to see an end to the state of emergency.”
Mr Negroponte will also tell Pakistani officials that the US wants to see elections move forward as quickly as possible.
“We want to see those elections take place in an atmosphere that allows for free, fair and open competition. We want the elections to be representative of the will of the Pakistani people,” Mr Casey said.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
PPP leaders arrested
By Our Staff Correspondent
FAISALABAD, Nov 14: Punjab PPP President Shah Mehmood Qureshi and three other party leaders, Dr Asad Moazam, Hassan Murtaza and Raja Riaz Ahmed, were arrested in Rajewala on Wednesday.
The news of their arrest sparked protests by PPP workers. Seven policemen and a number of protesters were injured when PPP workers pelted baton-charging policemen with rocks.
Before his arrest, Mr Qureshi addressed a press conference at the party’s divisional office in Rajewala.
He declared that his party would continue the struggle against the government till the emergency was lifted, Provisional Constitution Order revoked and the sacked judges reinstated.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
FAISALABAD, Nov 14: Punjab PPP President Shah Mehmood Qureshi and three other party leaders, Dr Asad Moazam, Hassan Murtaza and Raja Riaz Ahmed, were arrested in Rajewala on Wednesday.
The news of their arrest sparked protests by PPP workers. Seven policemen and a number of protesters were injured when PPP workers pelted baton-charging policemen with rocks.
Before his arrest, Mr Qureshi addressed a press conference at the party’s divisional office in Rajewala.
He declared that his party would continue the struggle against the government till the emergency was lifted, Provisional Constitution Order revoked and the sacked judges reinstated.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
Musharraf says he considered quitting
By Our Special Correspondent
LONDON, Nov 14: In what appears to be a quick response to Benazir Bhutto’s call on Tuesday asking President Gen Pervez Musharraf to step down, the beleaguered general said on Wednesday that he had considered resigning over the current political crisis, but had discounted it.
In an interview with the Sky News published in The Times on Wednesday, Gen Musharraf said he had decided that he was the only person who could lead Pakistan towards democracy.
“When there is no turmoil in Pakistan, I will step down. I am not a dictator, I want democracy,” said Gen Musharraf, making the timetable for transition to democracy still vaguer.
Gen Musharraf also said that he felt let down by the West and the media and warned: “We may lose the battle on terror because of misreporting by some parts of the media in Pakistan and around the world.”
President Musharraf defended his decision to impose a state of emergency and reiterated that general elections promised by Jan 9 would be held under emergency rule, adds AFP, quoting excerpts released by the Sky News on its website.
Gen Musharraf admitted the political situation was not going well and called for unity. “Leave the past behind. The country must work together for the best of Pakistan.”
President Musharraf in an interview with the AP news agency said he expected to step down as army chief by the end of November and begin a new presidential term as a civilian, warning that the country risked chaos if he gave into opposition demands to resign.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the military ruler accused Benazir Bhutto, currently under house arrest, of fuelling political turmoil and rejected Western pressure to quickly lift emergency rule.
“All those who are blunt enough to tell me to my face what the reality is, all of them think, yes, it will lead the country to chaos if I do not handle the political environment now with me remaining as the president,” he said at his army office.
The US-backed general had originally planned to quit as chief of the army by Thursday, when his presidential mandate and the term of the current parliament expire, but said he was forced to delay the restoration of civilian rule until a court ruling on his recent re-election.
He said the exact timing would depend on the Supreme Court – which he purged of independent-minded judges when he suspended the Constitution on Nov 3 – but expected it to happen within this month.
The US and other Western allies have been pushing for him to take off his uniform and end the emergency, warning that it could seriously undermine the legitimacy of the elections that are meant to end eight years of direct military rule since he took power in a coup.
Gen Musharraf dismissed a threat from Commonwealth to suspend Pakistan unless the emergency is lifted by Nov. 22.
“I take decisions in Pakistan’s interest and I don’t take ultimatums from anyone,” he said.
He lashed out at Ms Bhutto for stirring up political tensions. He said she was overplaying her popularity and thought it unlikely she could become prime minister for a third time by winning the elections, but left open the door for working with her if she did.
“If she does become the prime minister, we will see. I do function with everyone. I’m quite good at functioning with people. It depends on her if she wants to be on a confrontational course or a conciliatory one,” he said.
He admitted he was concerned about the threat of a boycott of elections by opposition parties, but said he thought it unlikely and urged the opposition against it.“Emergency is not meant to rig elections. Emergency is in fact meant to make sure that elections are held in a peaceful manner,” the president said.
He remained confident that he would retain the backing of the military even when he gives up his uniform. Commenting on rumours that spread last week that he had been put under arrest by another general, Musharraf said the army would never turn against him.
“People don’t know our army. They follow me not because of the rank but because of the respect that they hold for me. I have no doubt on the loyalty of this army. Never will that happen against me.”
He said unity in the military would prevent Pakistan from ever becoming a failed state.
“The military is very strong and extremely disciplined. As long as the armed forces of Pakistan remain united, which they will and are, no harm can come to Pakistan. The harm can come from the political dilemma. We have to resolve the political dilemma,” Gen Musharraf said.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
LONDON, Nov 14: In what appears to be a quick response to Benazir Bhutto’s call on Tuesday asking President Gen Pervez Musharraf to step down, the beleaguered general said on Wednesday that he had considered resigning over the current political crisis, but had discounted it.
In an interview with the Sky News published in The Times on Wednesday, Gen Musharraf said he had decided that he was the only person who could lead Pakistan towards democracy.
“When there is no turmoil in Pakistan, I will step down. I am not a dictator, I want democracy,” said Gen Musharraf, making the timetable for transition to democracy still vaguer.
Gen Musharraf also said that he felt let down by the West and the media and warned: “We may lose the battle on terror because of misreporting by some parts of the media in Pakistan and around the world.”
President Musharraf defended his decision to impose a state of emergency and reiterated that general elections promised by Jan 9 would be held under emergency rule, adds AFP, quoting excerpts released by the Sky News on its website.
Gen Musharraf admitted the political situation was not going well and called for unity. “Leave the past behind. The country must work together for the best of Pakistan.”
President Musharraf in an interview with the AP news agency said he expected to step down as army chief by the end of November and begin a new presidential term as a civilian, warning that the country risked chaos if he gave into opposition demands to resign.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the military ruler accused Benazir Bhutto, currently under house arrest, of fuelling political turmoil and rejected Western pressure to quickly lift emergency rule.
“All those who are blunt enough to tell me to my face what the reality is, all of them think, yes, it will lead the country to chaos if I do not handle the political environment now with me remaining as the president,” he said at his army office.
The US-backed general had originally planned to quit as chief of the army by Thursday, when his presidential mandate and the term of the current parliament expire, but said he was forced to delay the restoration of civilian rule until a court ruling on his recent re-election.
He said the exact timing would depend on the Supreme Court – which he purged of independent-minded judges when he suspended the Constitution on Nov 3 – but expected it to happen within this month.
The US and other Western allies have been pushing for him to take off his uniform and end the emergency, warning that it could seriously undermine the legitimacy of the elections that are meant to end eight years of direct military rule since he took power in a coup.
Gen Musharraf dismissed a threat from Commonwealth to suspend Pakistan unless the emergency is lifted by Nov. 22.
“I take decisions in Pakistan’s interest and I don’t take ultimatums from anyone,” he said.
He lashed out at Ms Bhutto for stirring up political tensions. He said she was overplaying her popularity and thought it unlikely she could become prime minister for a third time by winning the elections, but left open the door for working with her if she did.
“If she does become the prime minister, we will see. I do function with everyone. I’m quite good at functioning with people. It depends on her if she wants to be on a confrontational course or a conciliatory one,” he said.
He admitted he was concerned about the threat of a boycott of elections by opposition parties, but said he thought it unlikely and urged the opposition against it.“Emergency is not meant to rig elections. Emergency is in fact meant to make sure that elections are held in a peaceful manner,” the president said.
He remained confident that he would retain the backing of the military even when he gives up his uniform. Commenting on rumours that spread last week that he had been put under arrest by another general, Musharraf said the army would never turn against him.
“People don’t know our army. They follow me not because of the rank but because of the respect that they hold for me. I have no doubt on the loyalty of this army. Never will that happen against me.”
He said unity in the military would prevent Pakistan from ever becoming a failed state.
“The military is very strong and extremely disciplined. As long as the armed forces of Pakistan remain united, which they will and are, no harm can come to Pakistan. The harm can come from the political dilemma. We have to resolve the political dilemma,” Gen Musharraf said.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
JI students’ wing hands over Imran to police
By Intikhab Hanif
LAHORE, Nov 14: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan was arrested from outside the Punjab University’s new campus on Wednesday after he had been manhandled and detained in the campus allegedly by activists of the Islami Jamiat Talaba.
Imran Khan had gone to the university at the invitation of a joint action committee of students. The visit had been approved by Qazi Hussain Ahmed, chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, to which the IJT is affiliated.
The police booked Imran under section 124, 353, 149, 186, 148 of the Pakistan Penal Code, Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Imran was first taken to the Iqbal Town police station and later moved to the Sabzazar police station, and again to the Civil Lines police station.
On his arrival at the campus, the PTI chief was confronted reportedly by a group of IJT activists who kicked him around and punched him. They took him to a room in the Centre for High Energy Physics and detained him there for about 45 minutes.
A cameraman of a private television channel who managed to get inside the building and a teacher said the students had maltreated Imran also in the room.
They quoted the PTI leader as saying that he had come to the university at the invitation of students to join them in a protest. The assailants bundled Imran into a wagon with white curtains and later handed him over to police waiting outside.
JI information secretary Amirul Azim, who was present when all this was happening, condemned the action of IJT activists and said that they had discredited the party in front of the international media and harmed the joint cause. Punjab University IJT nazim Mohammad Ayub alleged that Imran Khan had been manhandled by the university administration and that his party was not involved in either detaining him or handing him over to police.
At the same time, he and other IJT activists denied that they had invited the PTI chief to the university. “We do not want any politician to hijack the movement of students against the imposition of emergency and they should keep away from the campus,” they told reporters.
University registrar Dr Mohammad Naeem Khan said the university administration had not helped police in arresting Imran Khan. “We had given him a free passage.”
PTI secretary-general Shahid Zulfikar and other leaders blamed IJT activists for the incident.
Addressing a news conference at the Lahore Press Club, they held the entire JI leadership responsible for what had happened to their leader.
“The JI leaders should have informed us if they had any doubts about the students’ intentions. But they did not do so although we contacted them after the IJT had issued press releases opposing Mr Khan’s visit.”
Punjab PTI leaders Saloni Bukhari, Naseem Zahra and Talat Naqvi, who had accompanied Imran Khan to the campus, claimed that he had been detained by plainclothesmen and after he was driven out in “a joint operation by agencies and IJT activists”.
The PTI chief who was reported to have been hiding in the campus since early morning, had appeared suddenly in front of the CHEP building at around 12.30pm and a group of students, mainly from the university’s Law and Hailey colleges, warmly welcomed him and raised slogans in his favour.
Two students lifted him on their shoulders, but soon another group of students came there and pushed the two students to the ground. They took hold of Imran and dragged him into the building.
A few fire-crackers were exploded to scare away students who had started gathering outside the building where he had been detained.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
LAHORE, Nov 14: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan was arrested from outside the Punjab University’s new campus on Wednesday after he had been manhandled and detained in the campus allegedly by activists of the Islami Jamiat Talaba.
Imran Khan had gone to the university at the invitation of a joint action committee of students. The visit had been approved by Qazi Hussain Ahmed, chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, to which the IJT is affiliated.
The police booked Imran under section 124, 353, 149, 186, 148 of the Pakistan Penal Code, Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Imran was first taken to the Iqbal Town police station and later moved to the Sabzazar police station, and again to the Civil Lines police station.
On his arrival at the campus, the PTI chief was confronted reportedly by a group of IJT activists who kicked him around and punched him. They took him to a room in the Centre for High Energy Physics and detained him there for about 45 minutes.
A cameraman of a private television channel who managed to get inside the building and a teacher said the students had maltreated Imran also in the room.
They quoted the PTI leader as saying that he had come to the university at the invitation of students to join them in a protest. The assailants bundled Imran into a wagon with white curtains and later handed him over to police waiting outside.
JI information secretary Amirul Azim, who was present when all this was happening, condemned the action of IJT activists and said that they had discredited the party in front of the international media and harmed the joint cause. Punjab University IJT nazim Mohammad Ayub alleged that Imran Khan had been manhandled by the university administration and that his party was not involved in either detaining him or handing him over to police.
At the same time, he and other IJT activists denied that they had invited the PTI chief to the university. “We do not want any politician to hijack the movement of students against the imposition of emergency and they should keep away from the campus,” they told reporters.
University registrar Dr Mohammad Naeem Khan said the university administration had not helped police in arresting Imran Khan. “We had given him a free passage.”
PTI secretary-general Shahid Zulfikar and other leaders blamed IJT activists for the incident.
Addressing a news conference at the Lahore Press Club, they held the entire JI leadership responsible for what had happened to their leader.
“The JI leaders should have informed us if they had any doubts about the students’ intentions. But they did not do so although we contacted them after the IJT had issued press releases opposing Mr Khan’s visit.”
Punjab PTI leaders Saloni Bukhari, Naseem Zahra and Talat Naqvi, who had accompanied Imran Khan to the campus, claimed that he had been detained by plainclothesmen and after he was driven out in “a joint operation by agencies and IJT activists”.
The PTI chief who was reported to have been hiding in the campus since early morning, had appeared suddenly in front of the CHEP building at around 12.30pm and a group of students, mainly from the university’s Law and Hailey colleges, warmly welcomed him and raised slogans in his favour.
Two students lifted him on their shoulders, but soon another group of students came there and pushed the two students to the ground. They took hold of Imran and dragged him into the building.
A few fire-crackers were exploded to scare away students who had started gathering outside the building where he had been detained.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
Benazir in move to unify opposition
By Nasir Jamal
LAHORE, Nov 14: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto has stepped up her efforts to forge a united front of all opposition parties for a struggle to oust President Gen Pervez Musharraf who, she said on Wednesday, was the main obstacle to the restoration of democracy in the country.
“It’s time for (President Gen) Musharraf to go. There is a consensus among all opposition political parties at the moment that the general must step down to pave way for the return of democracy,” she told Dawn by telephone from the residence of PPP Senator Latif Khosa where she was detained recently for seven days.
In a major shift from her earlier stance, Ms Bhutto demanded, hours after detention orders were served on her, that President Musharraf must step down.
She also said that she would not work with him even if he quit his army post.
She established contacts with opposition politicians, including Nawaz Sharif, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Asfandyar Wali and Hasil Bizenjo to persuade them to agree on a minimum common agenda of restoration of democracy and the Constitution and to launch a united struggle from one platform. About her contacts with other parties, she said: “I’ve spoken to Nawaz Sharif today on the subject and will contact him again tomorrow. I want to hear the views of all opposition leaders to define the minimum common agenda for political parties to rally round.”
She said she wanted to invite all opposition leaders to an interactive session over a cup of tea.
“I know most leaders are arrested and would not be able to come, but I want to have an interactive session so that we can learn from each other’s experiences and agree on a minimum common agenda of restoration of democracy and the rule of law.”
Ms Bhutto claimed that all political leaders she had spoken to were interested in getting together (for the purpose of discussing the common agenda for a united struggle). But she did not say if everyone was interested in uniting on one platform for launching a pro-democracy movement.
Asked about US Secretary of States Condoliza Rice’s statement that Ms Bhutto and Gen Musharraf could still work together and reports that Deputy Secretary of States John Negroponte might be visiting Pakistan for removing differences between her and the president, she said she had not read the full text of the statement and hence was not in a position to comment.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
LAHORE, Nov 14: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto has stepped up her efforts to forge a united front of all opposition parties for a struggle to oust President Gen Pervez Musharraf who, she said on Wednesday, was the main obstacle to the restoration of democracy in the country.
“It’s time for (President Gen) Musharraf to go. There is a consensus among all opposition political parties at the moment that the general must step down to pave way for the return of democracy,” she told Dawn by telephone from the residence of PPP Senator Latif Khosa where she was detained recently for seven days.
In a major shift from her earlier stance, Ms Bhutto demanded, hours after detention orders were served on her, that President Musharraf must step down.
She also said that she would not work with him even if he quit his army post.
She established contacts with opposition politicians, including Nawaz Sharif, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Asfandyar Wali and Hasil Bizenjo to persuade them to agree on a minimum common agenda of restoration of democracy and the Constitution and to launch a united struggle from one platform. About her contacts with other parties, she said: “I’ve spoken to Nawaz Sharif today on the subject and will contact him again tomorrow. I want to hear the views of all opposition leaders to define the minimum common agenda for political parties to rally round.”
She said she wanted to invite all opposition leaders to an interactive session over a cup of tea.
“I know most leaders are arrested and would not be able to come, but I want to have an interactive session so that we can learn from each other’s experiences and agree on a minimum common agenda of restoration of democracy and the rule of law.”
Ms Bhutto claimed that all political leaders she had spoken to were interested in getting together (for the purpose of discussing the common agenda for a united struggle). But she did not say if everyone was interested in uniting on one platform for launching a pro-democracy movement.
Asked about US Secretary of States Condoliza Rice’s statement that Ms Bhutto and Gen Musharraf could still work together and reports that Deputy Secretary of States John Negroponte might be visiting Pakistan for removing differences between her and the president, she said she had not read the full text of the statement and hence was not in a position to comment.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
PBC to continue boycott of courts
By Our Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Tuesday decided to continue the boycott of the superior courts till the restoration of the pre-emergency judiciary.
“The boycott will continue unless the real and constitutional judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts return to resume their constitutional duties and functions,” a resolution passed at a meeting of the council said. According to a press release, the meeting was presided over by PBC Vice-Chairman Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig.
The meeting decided that the strike and boycott of the subordinate courts would continue for at least an hour a day. The one-hour strike is the minimum call of the Pakistan Bar Council.
However, the provincial bar councils and bar associations are free to observe strike for more than one hour if they decide to do so. Members of the district bar associations were asked to look after the lawyers detained in jails in their areas.
The meeting praised the community for standing united against the dictatorial rule and martial law in the guise of emergency rule. Members of the bar throughout Pakistan were called upon to continue their movement with greater vigour and determination for restoration of the Constitution, reinstatement of independent judges and ouster of military regime and its effects like PCO, emergency and PCO judges.
The meeting expressed the fear that the Musharraf regime and the intelligence agencies wanted to get approval of the emergency and the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) from the PCO judges.
Dawn 14/Nov/07
ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Tuesday decided to continue the boycott of the superior courts till the restoration of the pre-emergency judiciary.
“The boycott will continue unless the real and constitutional judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts return to resume their constitutional duties and functions,” a resolution passed at a meeting of the council said. According to a press release, the meeting was presided over by PBC Vice-Chairman Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig.
The meeting decided that the strike and boycott of the subordinate courts would continue for at least an hour a day. The one-hour strike is the minimum call of the Pakistan Bar Council.
However, the provincial bar councils and bar associations are free to observe strike for more than one hour if they decide to do so. Members of the district bar associations were asked to look after the lawyers detained in jails in their areas.
The meeting praised the community for standing united against the dictatorial rule and martial law in the guise of emergency rule. Members of the bar throughout Pakistan were called upon to continue their movement with greater vigour and determination for restoration of the Constitution, reinstatement of independent judges and ouster of military regime and its effects like PCO, emergency and PCO judges.
The meeting expressed the fear that the Musharraf regime and the intelligence agencies wanted to get approval of the emergency and the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) from the PCO judges.
Dawn 14/Nov/07
Japan threatens to cut aid
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TOKYO, Nov 13: Major donor Japan warned on Tuesday it may cut aid to Pakistan after the military regime declared emergency rule and placed a key opposition leader under house arrest.
“I have concerns about the current situation in Pakistan. We’ve been considering increasing official development aid to Pakistan as the country was thought be in the democratisation process and was making efforts in the ‘war on terror,’ Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura told journalists.
“But we may have to examine carefully whether to increase the amount of aid at this point while closely watching the democratisation process in the country,” he said.
Asked if Japan may cut its current aid to Pakistan, the foreign minister said: “We’ll consider every option.” Military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf, facing a potential setback from the Supreme Court, declared a state of emergency on November 3 which he said was necessary to fight militants.
His government on Monday placed former prime minister and opposition leader Benazir Bhutto under house arrest for the second time since she returned from self-exile last month.
Japan said last month it was considering boosting aid to both Pakistan and Afghanistan to assist the “war on terror” after Tokyo’s military contribution, a naval mission providing fuel, was suspended due to domestic opposition.
Japan has been officially pacifist since the World War II and relied on aid as its main foreign policy tool. But consecutive conservative-led governments have tried to increase Japan’s military presence.
Japan used to give hundreds of millions of dollars a year to Pakistan in low-interest loans and grants.
Japan, the only nation to suffer first atomic attack by the United States, suspended all assistance to both Pakistan and India in 1998 due to their nuclear tests.—AFP
Dawn 14/Nov/07
TOKYO, Nov 13: Major donor Japan warned on Tuesday it may cut aid to Pakistan after the military regime declared emergency rule and placed a key opposition leader under house arrest.
“I have concerns about the current situation in Pakistan. We’ve been considering increasing official development aid to Pakistan as the country was thought be in the democratisation process and was making efforts in the ‘war on terror,’ Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura told journalists.
“But we may have to examine carefully whether to increase the amount of aid at this point while closely watching the democratisation process in the country,” he said.
Asked if Japan may cut its current aid to Pakistan, the foreign minister said: “We’ll consider every option.” Military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf, facing a potential setback from the Supreme Court, declared a state of emergency on November 3 which he said was necessary to fight militants.
His government on Monday placed former prime minister and opposition leader Benazir Bhutto under house arrest for the second time since she returned from self-exile last month.
Japan said last month it was considering boosting aid to both Pakistan and Afghanistan to assist the “war on terror” after Tokyo’s military contribution, a naval mission providing fuel, was suspended due to domestic opposition.
Japan has been officially pacifist since the World War II and relied on aid as its main foreign policy tool. But consecutive conservative-led governments have tried to increase Japan’s military presence.
Japan used to give hundreds of millions of dollars a year to Pakistan in low-interest loans and grants.
Japan, the only nation to suffer first atomic attack by the United States, suspended all assistance to both Pakistan and India in 1998 due to their nuclear tests.—AFP
Dawn 14/Nov/07
UK urges Musharraf to lift emergency
By Our Special Correspondent
LONDON, Nov 13: Britain has again urged President General Pervez Musharraf to indicate when the state of emergency in his country would be lifted.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband welcomed the president’s commitment to elections by January 9, but said “less welcome” was the “lack of clarity on when the state of emergency will end”.
He warned: “Current conditions stand in the way of free and fair elections.”
However, like the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) which met here on Monday to consider Pakistan’s case, Mr Miliband also glaringly missed out saying anything about the restoration of the ‘dismissed’ chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
And the two also did not question Gen Musharraf’s attempts to have the new judges who took oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) to approve his candidature in uniform for the presidential elections which were held under the suspended constitution which, however, did not allow a serving general to contest elections though it had allowed General Musharraf to keep the two offices (president and the army chief) until November 15, 2007.
The CMAG has in effect extended the November 15 deadline for Gen Musharraf to give up the army post by almost a week allowing him time to get a favourable verdict from the court.
Meanwhile, the Times in an editorial on Tuesday said that Benazir Bhutto’s power to mobilise the masses was beyond dispute, “even if the crowd that greeted her in Karachi, on her return from eight years abroad, may have owed more to the party’s feudal machinery than to spontaneous adoration of its leader.”
The newspaper said for that reason she was probably an indispensable part of any solution to the present crisis.
“So, too, is Nawaz Sharif, leader of the rival Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), the deeply conservative mainstream party. And so is President Musharraf (or “another khaki”, as Pakistanis refer to generals who may succeed him). Even though these three people cannot stand to be in the same room together (apart from the spasms in which they decide that they might do deals), they are necessary players if Pakistan is to edge its way from military rule to democracy.
“Government officials said on Monday that under the state of emergency Ms Bhutto’s march could not take place, and they placed her under house arrest for a second time to prevent her attendance. Their justification is bankrupt...”
Dawn 14/Nov/07
LONDON, Nov 13: Britain has again urged President General Pervez Musharraf to indicate when the state of emergency in his country would be lifted.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband welcomed the president’s commitment to elections by January 9, but said “less welcome” was the “lack of clarity on when the state of emergency will end”.
He warned: “Current conditions stand in the way of free and fair elections.”
However, like the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) which met here on Monday to consider Pakistan’s case, Mr Miliband also glaringly missed out saying anything about the restoration of the ‘dismissed’ chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
And the two also did not question Gen Musharraf’s attempts to have the new judges who took oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) to approve his candidature in uniform for the presidential elections which were held under the suspended constitution which, however, did not allow a serving general to contest elections though it had allowed General Musharraf to keep the two offices (president and the army chief) until November 15, 2007.
The CMAG has in effect extended the November 15 deadline for Gen Musharraf to give up the army post by almost a week allowing him time to get a favourable verdict from the court.
Meanwhile, the Times in an editorial on Tuesday said that Benazir Bhutto’s power to mobilise the masses was beyond dispute, “even if the crowd that greeted her in Karachi, on her return from eight years abroad, may have owed more to the party’s feudal machinery than to spontaneous adoration of its leader.”
The newspaper said for that reason she was probably an indispensable part of any solution to the present crisis.
“So, too, is Nawaz Sharif, leader of the rival Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), the deeply conservative mainstream party. And so is President Musharraf (or “another khaki”, as Pakistanis refer to generals who may succeed him). Even though these three people cannot stand to be in the same room together (apart from the spasms in which they decide that they might do deals), they are necessary players if Pakistan is to edge its way from military rule to democracy.
“Government officials said on Monday that under the state of emergency Ms Bhutto’s march could not take place, and they placed her under house arrest for a second time to prevent her attendance. Their justification is bankrupt...”
Dawn 14/Nov/07
Senior advocate hospitalised after ‘police torture’
By Zulfiqar Memon
NAWABSHAH, Nov 13: A senior advocate and member of the Nawabshah District Bar Association, who had been allegedly tortured by police in the lock-up, was on Tuesday shifted to the local hospital in serious condition.
Hassan Tariq, active in protests against the imposition of the state of emergency, was arrested on Nov 8. He told Dawn in the chest ward of the Nawabshah Medical College Hospital that he had fallen unconscious after police tortured him at the time of arrest.
“When I regained consciousness, I found myself in the lockup where I had severe breathing problem.”
He said he kept requesting them to take him to a hospital, adding that he was once taken to a doctor and was provided some pills which proved ineffective.
A senior doctor said the lawyer had been admitted as a general patient and without any police letter, but police were deployed outside the room. He said the patient was suffering from haematoma and had injuries on his ribs.
He said the lawyer was also complaining of serious breathing problem and might lose a lung. The doctor said the patient was under observation and would be operated upon on Wednesday morning.
Dr Zakira, wife of Advocate Tariq and a physician in the NMC Hospital, said that his condition was unstable and he had received serious lung and chest injury. She said that his blood tissues were also damaged and he might lose functioning of his lung permanently.
Earlier, head munshi of the A-section police station, Mohammad Mithal Solangi, told Dawn that the lawyer had been taken to the hospital because of some complaint and was back in the police station.
District Police Officer Dr Ghulam Sarwar Jamali denied that Mr Tariq had been detained, saying that no person with such name was arrested by police.
Nawabshah District Bar Association president Ali Mohammad Dahiri condemned the police torture and said that Advocate Tariq was innocent. He demanded that police officers involved in this heinous crime should be suspended.
Dawn 14/Nov/07
NAWABSHAH, Nov 13: A senior advocate and member of the Nawabshah District Bar Association, who had been allegedly tortured by police in the lock-up, was on Tuesday shifted to the local hospital in serious condition.
Hassan Tariq, active in protests against the imposition of the state of emergency, was arrested on Nov 8. He told Dawn in the chest ward of the Nawabshah Medical College Hospital that he had fallen unconscious after police tortured him at the time of arrest.
“When I regained consciousness, I found myself in the lockup where I had severe breathing problem.”
He said he kept requesting them to take him to a hospital, adding that he was once taken to a doctor and was provided some pills which proved ineffective.
A senior doctor said the lawyer had been admitted as a general patient and without any police letter, but police were deployed outside the room. He said the patient was suffering from haematoma and had injuries on his ribs.
He said the lawyer was also complaining of serious breathing problem and might lose a lung. The doctor said the patient was under observation and would be operated upon on Wednesday morning.
Dr Zakira, wife of Advocate Tariq and a physician in the NMC Hospital, said that his condition was unstable and he had received serious lung and chest injury. She said that his blood tissues were also damaged and he might lose functioning of his lung permanently.
Earlier, head munshi of the A-section police station, Mohammad Mithal Solangi, told Dawn that the lawyer had been taken to the hospital because of some complaint and was back in the police station.
District Police Officer Dr Ghulam Sarwar Jamali denied that Mr Tariq had been detained, saying that no person with such name was arrested by police.
Nawabshah District Bar Association president Ali Mohammad Dahiri condemned the police torture and said that Advocate Tariq was innocent. He demanded that police officers involved in this heinous crime should be suspended.
Dawn 14/Nov/07
Pakistan rejects C’wealth deadline
By Amir Wasim
ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: Pakistan on Tuesday expressed deep disappointment and regret over a statement issued by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and rejected its demands of restoring the Constitution and lifting emergency.
“The statement reflects ignorance of the ground realties and the enormity of the challenges faced by Pakistan and undermines the efforts vital for maintaining political stability and preserving the ongoing political process in the country,” says a statement issued by Foreign Office here on Tuesday.
The Commonwealth on Monday gave Islamabad a 10-day deadline to restore the Constitution and lift emergency or face suspension from the 53-nation grouping.
The FO statement said that the emergency was imposed in extraordinary circumstances to avert an institutional breakdown and internal crisis that could have paralysed the government, causing incalculable harm to the country.
“The international community must also understand that such a situation would have constricted the ability of the government to counter militancy and terrorism that posed a grave threat not just to Pakistan but to the whole world,” the statement said, adding that the government was committed to a full democratic rule.
The statement further said that the assemblies were shortly to complete their tenure, caretaker governments were about to be formed and the president had announced elections to be held before January 9, 2008.
“Pakistan will follow its own roadmap to transition to democracy as outlined by the president. Decisions on issues of vital importance will be taken in accordance with our national interests and requirements and not in observance of any artificially set timelines from outside.
Dawn 14/Nov/07
ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: Pakistan on Tuesday expressed deep disappointment and regret over a statement issued by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and rejected its demands of restoring the Constitution and lifting emergency.
“The statement reflects ignorance of the ground realties and the enormity of the challenges faced by Pakistan and undermines the efforts vital for maintaining political stability and preserving the ongoing political process in the country,” says a statement issued by Foreign Office here on Tuesday.
The Commonwealth on Monday gave Islamabad a 10-day deadline to restore the Constitution and lift emergency or face suspension from the 53-nation grouping.
The FO statement said that the emergency was imposed in extraordinary circumstances to avert an institutional breakdown and internal crisis that could have paralysed the government, causing incalculable harm to the country.
“The international community must also understand that such a situation would have constricted the ability of the government to counter militancy and terrorism that posed a grave threat not just to Pakistan but to the whole world,” the statement said, adding that the government was committed to a full democratic rule.
The statement further said that the assemblies were shortly to complete their tenure, caretaker governments were about to be formed and the president had announced elections to be held before January 9, 2008.
“Pakistan will follow its own roadmap to transition to democracy as outlined by the president. Decisions on issues of vital importance will be taken in accordance with our national interests and requirements and not in observance of any artificially set timelines from outside.
Dawn 14/Nov/07
Deciding poll issues is EC’s job, says SC : Detailed judgment issued
By Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: The Supreme Court on Tuesday expanded upon its short order dismissing petitions challenging President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s eligibility for the presidential election and ruled that such disputes lay originally with the Election Commission and not the court.
On Sept 28, the Supreme Court through the short order had dismissed on technical grounds petitions against the holding of two offices by Gen Pervez Musharraf. In a majority (six-three) verdict, a bench headed by Justice Rana Bhagwandas had said that the petitions moved by Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan and some other people were not maintainable.
Authored by Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi, the detailed judgment held that questions raised in the petitions, notwithstanding public importance, did not relate to enforcement of any of fundamental rights guaranteed in Part II Chapter I of the Constitution (Article 8 to 28).
“Eligibility of a person to contest the election for the office of president in terms of Article 41(2) read with other provisions of the Constitution, does not relate to the enforcement of any of the fundamental rights of the petitioners or any other person. Therefore, the direct petition before this court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution is not maintainable.”
The judgment said questions relating to the application of Article 63 (disqualification) read with Article 62 (qualification) of the Constitution for determining eligibility of a candidate for the presidential election squarely fell within the jurisdiction and domain of the Election Commission, a constitutional forum of exclusive jurisdiction.
Besides, it said, parliament had enacted Act VII of 2004 (President to Hold Another Office 2004) which, having been found not in conflict with any provision of the Constitution, had been validated by the Supreme Court in the 2005 Pakistan Lawyers Forum case, and pending a review petition against the judgment in the above case, a separate petition on the same subject with a delay of more than two years might not be “entertainable”.
The petitioners had sought a declaration that while holding the office of Chief of Army Staff, Gen Musharraf was not eligible to contest the election under Article 63 (1) (d) (k) and (o) (disqualifications).
The counsel for the petitioners had failed to satisfy the court how the disqualification of Gen Musharraf, if any, had infringed fundamental rights of the petitioners or any other person guaranteed under the Constitution and how it was related to the enforcement of such rights under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, the judgment said.
It said the right to contest the election might be a constitutional right and regulated by the limitation imposed by statues, but laws relating to such rights or the right to vote might not as such fell within the purview of fundamental rights to bring the matter relating to such rights within the ambit of Article 184 (3) of the Constitution.
It said the right to file a petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution arose only in case of infringement of fundamental rights or a serious threat to infringe such rights, adding that mere apprehension of breach of fundamental rights was not enough to invoke the extraordinary jurisdiction of the apex court.
The court, the judgment said, was always reluctant to answer a hypothetical question even if such a question in its substantial context might be of public importance relating to enforcement of fundamental rights.
Similarly, the court might not grant relief in exercise of its original jurisdiction in a case filed with inordinate delay, notwithstanding the fact that the delay did not affect the jurisdiction of the court.
In the present case, it said, the matter to the extent of the presidential election was certainly of public importance but “we have not been able to digest that the questions raised therein really relates to the enforcement of the fundamental rights to invoke the jurisdiction of this Court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution”.
Dawn 14/Nov/07
ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: The Supreme Court on Tuesday expanded upon its short order dismissing petitions challenging President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s eligibility for the presidential election and ruled that such disputes lay originally with the Election Commission and not the court.
On Sept 28, the Supreme Court through the short order had dismissed on technical grounds petitions against the holding of two offices by Gen Pervez Musharraf. In a majority (six-three) verdict, a bench headed by Justice Rana Bhagwandas had said that the petitions moved by Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan and some other people were not maintainable.
Authored by Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi, the detailed judgment held that questions raised in the petitions, notwithstanding public importance, did not relate to enforcement of any of fundamental rights guaranteed in Part II Chapter I of the Constitution (Article 8 to 28).
“Eligibility of a person to contest the election for the office of president in terms of Article 41(2) read with other provisions of the Constitution, does not relate to the enforcement of any of the fundamental rights of the petitioners or any other person. Therefore, the direct petition before this court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution is not maintainable.”
The judgment said questions relating to the application of Article 63 (disqualification) read with Article 62 (qualification) of the Constitution for determining eligibility of a candidate for the presidential election squarely fell within the jurisdiction and domain of the Election Commission, a constitutional forum of exclusive jurisdiction.
Besides, it said, parliament had enacted Act VII of 2004 (President to Hold Another Office 2004) which, having been found not in conflict with any provision of the Constitution, had been validated by the Supreme Court in the 2005 Pakistan Lawyers Forum case, and pending a review petition against the judgment in the above case, a separate petition on the same subject with a delay of more than two years might not be “entertainable”.
The petitioners had sought a declaration that while holding the office of Chief of Army Staff, Gen Musharraf was not eligible to contest the election under Article 63 (1) (d) (k) and (o) (disqualifications).
The counsel for the petitioners had failed to satisfy the court how the disqualification of Gen Musharraf, if any, had infringed fundamental rights of the petitioners or any other person guaranteed under the Constitution and how it was related to the enforcement of such rights under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, the judgment said.
It said the right to contest the election might be a constitutional right and regulated by the limitation imposed by statues, but laws relating to such rights or the right to vote might not as such fell within the purview of fundamental rights to bring the matter relating to such rights within the ambit of Article 184 (3) of the Constitution.
It said the right to file a petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution arose only in case of infringement of fundamental rights or a serious threat to infringe such rights, adding that mere apprehension of breach of fundamental rights was not enough to invoke the extraordinary jurisdiction of the apex court.
The court, the judgment said, was always reluctant to answer a hypothetical question even if such a question in its substantial context might be of public importance relating to enforcement of fundamental rights.
Similarly, the court might not grant relief in exercise of its original jurisdiction in a case filed with inordinate delay, notwithstanding the fact that the delay did not affect the jurisdiction of the court.
In the present case, it said, the matter to the extent of the presidential election was certainly of public importance but “we have not been able to digest that the questions raised therein really relates to the enforcement of the fundamental rights to invoke the jurisdiction of this Court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution”.
Dawn 14/Nov/07
Country comes before democracy: Musharraf
\Dawn Report
LAHORE, Nov 13: Facing an increasing pressure from world leaders to lift emergency, President Gen Pervez Musharraf has asked the West to choose between Pakistan and democracy.
“Is democracy more important than Pakistan?” he put the question to an American TV channel in an interview on Tuesday.
“When the nation is about to be declared a failed state, tell me whether the (restoration) of so-called democracy is important or efforts to save the country,” he asked and then himself replied: “Of course it is important to save the country.”
Dawn 14/Nov/07
LAHORE, Nov 13: Facing an increasing pressure from world leaders to lift emergency, President Gen Pervez Musharraf has asked the West to choose between Pakistan and democracy.
“Is democracy more important than Pakistan?” he put the question to an American TV channel in an interview on Tuesday.
“When the nation is about to be declared a failed state, tell me whether the (restoration) of so-called democracy is important or efforts to save the country,” he asked and then himself replied: “Of course it is important to save the country.”
Dawn 14/Nov/07
Musharraf must quit now, says Benazir
By Nasir Jamal and Ahmed Fraz Khan
LAHORE, Nov 13: In what is seen as a major shift from her earlier stance, Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto has called upon Gen Pervez Musharraf to step down as president, saying there is little possibility now of her working with him even if he hangs up his uniform.
She made the demand on Tuesday morning as the Punjab government mounted a massive police action and arrested nearly 100 party workers and senior leaders from various parts of the city to thwart her party’s planned ‘long march for democracy’. The PPP claims that more than 400 workers have been arrested.
Talking to reporters by telephone, Ms Bhutto said Gen Musharraf had lost the confidence of people and he was incapable of resolving the crisis.
“I’ve tried to work with him and negotiated with him to ensure a smooth and peaceful transfer of power to people through fair, free and transparent elections. But he has made a mess of everything,” she said.
She has been saying that the imposition of emergency rule, extension of the scope of the Army Act of 1952 to civilians and stifling of the judiciary and media have deepened the mess the country has been facing in the recent weeks.
Ms Bhutto, who was detained on Monday night for seven days in Lahore by the provincial government under section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) to prevent her from leading the party’s march, also said on Tuesday she was trying to forge a united front of all opposition parties on a one-point agenda of launching a joint struggle for democracy and rule of law.
“I have contacted Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali and some Baloch leaders, including Hasil Bizenjo, for a united front of the opposition. I’m already in contact with Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Nawaz Sharif and will also contact Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan,” she said in reply to a question.
In a news release issued on Tuesday evening, Qazi Hussain appreciated the change in Ms Bhutto’s stance and her pledge not to accept Gen Musharraf even as civilian president.
According to a television report, both Nawaz Sharif and Asfandyar Wali also welcomed the PPP leader’s demand and stressed the need for a joint struggle. However, neither Qazi Hussain nor Mr Sharif committed if their parties would launch a struggle for democracy from a joint platform with the PPP.
Police have cordoned off the residence of PPP leader Senator Latif Khosa where Benazir is staying. The main gate of the house, which has been declared a sub-jail, has been blocked by two police trucks and barbed wire has been laid around the house. All exit points on the Ghazi Road, where the house is situated, have been barricaded and are manned by policemen, causing inconvenience to residents of the area. Tractor trolleys, brimming with sand, have also been parked on exit points. Policemen in large numbers have been deployed on roofs of nearby houses.
A resident told Dawn that several people living close to Ms Bhutto’s residence could not go for work or school. “I’m an impartial individual and a resident of this locality. But I cannot leave my place without being watched and searched by these policemen.” He said he did not fear being arrested because he had done nothing wrong but “it is not the way governments function – causing inconvenience to the common man”.
Those living in adjoining streets have to take a detour and undergo a tedious procedure of questioning and search of their vehicle by police before being allowed into the vicinity.
The government insists that Ms Bhutto’s detention was necessitated by threats of a suicide attack on her and other PPP leaders and has advised her to refrain from participating in public meetings.
The PPP had asked its workers to gather at the residence of Senator Khosa for launching the protest march. But the workers could not make it due to deployment of about 900 policemen in the vicinity. In all, some 4,000 security personnel have been deployed across the city.
Some political observers blamed PPP’s “vague policies” for what they called its failure to bring the people out on the streets. They said the party had done little to mobilise the people for the march.
Still, scores of people in small groups reached a place about a furlong from Senator Khosa’s house and raised anti-Musharraf and anti-government slogans before being arrested by police. PPP leader Farzana Raja was also arrested. Some Military Intelligence personnel were present.
Yousuf Raza Gillani, Qasim Zia, Naveed Chaudhry and other party leaders were arrested at a police picket at Roohi Drain after they tried to lead a march to Kasur. Punjab PPP president Shah Mahmood Quraishi managed to lead another caravan first to Kasur and then to Okara.
PPP secretary-general Jehangir Badar told Dawn by phone from his leader’s residence that the party would resume its long march from Okara on Wednesday.
On her arrival in the city on Sunday, Ms Bhutto had warned the government against use of force to stop the long march. Despite rumours in the city that Ms Bhutto might be expelled and forcibly flown to Karachi, it could not be confirmed till late in the night if she would be deported from Lahore.
Dr Amna Buttar, who was called in for medical check-up of Ms Bhutto, told reporters outside that she looked tired and had mild flu.
Dawn 13/Nov/07
LAHORE, Nov 13: In what is seen as a major shift from her earlier stance, Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto has called upon Gen Pervez Musharraf to step down as president, saying there is little possibility now of her working with him even if he hangs up his uniform.
She made the demand on Tuesday morning as the Punjab government mounted a massive police action and arrested nearly 100 party workers and senior leaders from various parts of the city to thwart her party’s planned ‘long march for democracy’. The PPP claims that more than 400 workers have been arrested.
Talking to reporters by telephone, Ms Bhutto said Gen Musharraf had lost the confidence of people and he was incapable of resolving the crisis.
“I’ve tried to work with him and negotiated with him to ensure a smooth and peaceful transfer of power to people through fair, free and transparent elections. But he has made a mess of everything,” she said.
She has been saying that the imposition of emergency rule, extension of the scope of the Army Act of 1952 to civilians and stifling of the judiciary and media have deepened the mess the country has been facing in the recent weeks.
Ms Bhutto, who was detained on Monday night for seven days in Lahore by the provincial government under section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) to prevent her from leading the party’s march, also said on Tuesday she was trying to forge a united front of all opposition parties on a one-point agenda of launching a joint struggle for democracy and rule of law.
“I have contacted Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali and some Baloch leaders, including Hasil Bizenjo, for a united front of the opposition. I’m already in contact with Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Nawaz Sharif and will also contact Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan,” she said in reply to a question.
In a news release issued on Tuesday evening, Qazi Hussain appreciated the change in Ms Bhutto’s stance and her pledge not to accept Gen Musharraf even as civilian president.
According to a television report, both Nawaz Sharif and Asfandyar Wali also welcomed the PPP leader’s demand and stressed the need for a joint struggle. However, neither Qazi Hussain nor Mr Sharif committed if their parties would launch a struggle for democracy from a joint platform with the PPP.
Police have cordoned off the residence of PPP leader Senator Latif Khosa where Benazir is staying. The main gate of the house, which has been declared a sub-jail, has been blocked by two police trucks and barbed wire has been laid around the house. All exit points on the Ghazi Road, where the house is situated, have been barricaded and are manned by policemen, causing inconvenience to residents of the area. Tractor trolleys, brimming with sand, have also been parked on exit points. Policemen in large numbers have been deployed on roofs of nearby houses.
A resident told Dawn that several people living close to Ms Bhutto’s residence could not go for work or school. “I’m an impartial individual and a resident of this locality. But I cannot leave my place without being watched and searched by these policemen.” He said he did not fear being arrested because he had done nothing wrong but “it is not the way governments function – causing inconvenience to the common man”.
Those living in adjoining streets have to take a detour and undergo a tedious procedure of questioning and search of their vehicle by police before being allowed into the vicinity.
The government insists that Ms Bhutto’s detention was necessitated by threats of a suicide attack on her and other PPP leaders and has advised her to refrain from participating in public meetings.
The PPP had asked its workers to gather at the residence of Senator Khosa for launching the protest march. But the workers could not make it due to deployment of about 900 policemen in the vicinity. In all, some 4,000 security personnel have been deployed across the city.
Some political observers blamed PPP’s “vague policies” for what they called its failure to bring the people out on the streets. They said the party had done little to mobilise the people for the march.
Still, scores of people in small groups reached a place about a furlong from Senator Khosa’s house and raised anti-Musharraf and anti-government slogans before being arrested by police. PPP leader Farzana Raja was also arrested. Some Military Intelligence personnel were present.
Yousuf Raza Gillani, Qasim Zia, Naveed Chaudhry and other party leaders were arrested at a police picket at Roohi Drain after they tried to lead a march to Kasur. Punjab PPP president Shah Mahmood Quraishi managed to lead another caravan first to Kasur and then to Okara.
PPP secretary-general Jehangir Badar told Dawn by phone from his leader’s residence that the party would resume its long march from Okara on Wednesday.
On her arrival in the city on Sunday, Ms Bhutto had warned the government against use of force to stop the long march. Despite rumours in the city that Ms Bhutto might be expelled and forcibly flown to Karachi, it could not be confirmed till late in the night if she would be deported from Lahore.
Dr Amna Buttar, who was called in for medical check-up of Ms Bhutto, told reporters outside that she looked tired and had mild flu.
Dawn 13/Nov/07
‘US has not given up on Musharraf’
By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov 12: The United States has said that it has not “given up” on President Gen Pervez Musharraf, despite his growing unpopularity at home. “No. Absolutely not,” White House Press Secretary Gordon Johndroe said when asked if the Bush administration had given up on Gen Musharraf.
“I think his remarks yesterday were notable for calling for elections early next year, as well as removing the uniform. So we expect him to uphold those commitments that he’s made,” he said.
Mr Johndroe, also the White House deputy spokesman, said the Bush administration officials were also in touch with the PPP on the emerging situation in Pakistan.
“US officials on the ground in Islamabad have been in touch with members of a variety of the political parties, including Bhutto’s. So we are urging all sides to engage in a dialogue, to work through this peacefully and to get to free and fair elections, which is obviously in the best interests of the people of Pakistan,” he said.
Mr Johndroe also stressed the need for dialogue among modern political forces in Pakistan to end the current crisis. “I would also say there are a lot more people involved on the ground than just one person, and the point is that all of these people need to work together,” he said.
The deputy spokesman, at a briefing at Crawford, Texas, said the US financial aid to Islamabad may not be cut as it was aimed at benefiting the people of Pakistan.
Dawn 13/Nov/07
WASHINGTON, Nov 12: The United States has said that it has not “given up” on President Gen Pervez Musharraf, despite his growing unpopularity at home. “No. Absolutely not,” White House Press Secretary Gordon Johndroe said when asked if the Bush administration had given up on Gen Musharraf.
“I think his remarks yesterday were notable for calling for elections early next year, as well as removing the uniform. So we expect him to uphold those commitments that he’s made,” he said.
Mr Johndroe, also the White House deputy spokesman, said the Bush administration officials were also in touch with the PPP on the emerging situation in Pakistan.
“US officials on the ground in Islamabad have been in touch with members of a variety of the political parties, including Bhutto’s. So we are urging all sides to engage in a dialogue, to work through this peacefully and to get to free and fair elections, which is obviously in the best interests of the people of Pakistan,” he said.
Mr Johndroe also stressed the need for dialogue among modern political forces in Pakistan to end the current crisis. “I would also say there are a lot more people involved on the ground than just one person, and the point is that all of these people need to work together,” he said.
The deputy spokesman, at a briefing at Crawford, Texas, said the US financial aid to Islamabad may not be cut as it was aimed at benefiting the people of Pakistan.
Dawn 13/Nov/07
‘TV channels abiding by code to go on air’
By Ihtasham ul Haque
ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Monday told the Ministry of Information to allow only those private television channels to broadcast their programmes which agreed to abide by the new Code of Conduct laid down by the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).
The president was presiding over a high-level meeting held to review the situation arising out of blocking of private TV transmissions on November 3.
The president said that although he welcomed criticism and was a firm believer in the freedom of the media,, he had to take action to check rising vulgarity in TV programmes and ‘defamation by design’ of government functionaries.
He said that had everyone behaved responsibly, the government would have had no problem with the independence of media.
Minister for Information Muhammad Ali Durrani briefed the meeting on his talks with office-bearers of the Pakistan Broadcasting Association and the demands put up by them.
Minister of State Tariq Azeem, Information Secretary Syed Anwer Mehmood, President’s spokesman Maj-Gen (retd) Rashid Qureshi and other officials attended the meeting.
Mr Azeem told Dawn that the issue was now between Pemra and TV channels which needed to follow rules and regulations and a certain code of conduct.
“TV channels can resume their transmissions if they pledge not to indulge in deliberate defamation,” the minister said, adding that criticism of the armed forces and judiciary would not be tolerated.
The minister said that TV channels would have to avoid showing gory scenes and discourage obscenity to get their transmissions resumed.
Responding to a question, he said that TV channels had earlier held out an assurance that they would voluntarily enforce a certain code of conduct. “But so far they have not come up with their own code of conduct,” the minister said.
He said that rumours spread by certain TV channels about the house arrest of the president caused the stock market to crash on Nov 5 and rumours like these could not be allowed to be aired by TV channels.
“How can you broadcast such sensitive news without getting it confirmed from the government,” Mr Azeem asked.
About entertainment channels, the minister said that they also needed to be regulated to ensure that there were no vulgar scenes in TV dramas and ads and that dresses of artistes in dramas were also not improper.
When reminded of the suspension of transmissions of CNN, BBC and Al-Jazeera channels, he said the government was reviewing its policy about them.
“At times you watch highly objectionable scenes on foreign news channels such as gay marriages etc which is unacceptable in our society,” the minister said.
Similarly, he said, foreign TV channels sometimes made derogatory remarks about Islam and the people of Pakistan and government functionaries. He said Pemra was looking into these issues and would soon come up with a policy about these channels.
The government, he said, had not issued any advice to TV channels about news converge of India.
He cited an example of a recent visit by Ports and Shipping Minister Babar Khan Ghauri to India where he had gone to sign an agreement with his Indian counterpart on certain issue.
“But there was no news story on any Indian TV channel for about five hours and when Mr Ghauri asked his Indian counterpart on telephone about it, he was told that the story was yet to be cleared by the government,” the minister said
“You do not find any such thing in Pakistan but still we are blamed for every thing,” the minister complained.
Dawn 13/Nov/07
ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Monday told the Ministry of Information to allow only those private television channels to broadcast their programmes which agreed to abide by the new Code of Conduct laid down by the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).
The president was presiding over a high-level meeting held to review the situation arising out of blocking of private TV transmissions on November 3.
The president said that although he welcomed criticism and was a firm believer in the freedom of the media,, he had to take action to check rising vulgarity in TV programmes and ‘defamation by design’ of government functionaries.
He said that had everyone behaved responsibly, the government would have had no problem with the independence of media.
Minister for Information Muhammad Ali Durrani briefed the meeting on his talks with office-bearers of the Pakistan Broadcasting Association and the demands put up by them.
Minister of State Tariq Azeem, Information Secretary Syed Anwer Mehmood, President’s spokesman Maj-Gen (retd) Rashid Qureshi and other officials attended the meeting.
Mr Azeem told Dawn that the issue was now between Pemra and TV channels which needed to follow rules and regulations and a certain code of conduct.
“TV channels can resume their transmissions if they pledge not to indulge in deliberate defamation,” the minister said, adding that criticism of the armed forces and judiciary would not be tolerated.
The minister said that TV channels would have to avoid showing gory scenes and discourage obscenity to get their transmissions resumed.
Responding to a question, he said that TV channels had earlier held out an assurance that they would voluntarily enforce a certain code of conduct. “But so far they have not come up with their own code of conduct,” the minister said.
He said that rumours spread by certain TV channels about the house arrest of the president caused the stock market to crash on Nov 5 and rumours like these could not be allowed to be aired by TV channels.
“How can you broadcast such sensitive news without getting it confirmed from the government,” Mr Azeem asked.
About entertainment channels, the minister said that they also needed to be regulated to ensure that there were no vulgar scenes in TV dramas and ads and that dresses of artistes in dramas were also not improper.
When reminded of the suspension of transmissions of CNN, BBC and Al-Jazeera channels, he said the government was reviewing its policy about them.
“At times you watch highly objectionable scenes on foreign news channels such as gay marriages etc which is unacceptable in our society,” the minister said.
Similarly, he said, foreign TV channels sometimes made derogatory remarks about Islam and the people of Pakistan and government functionaries. He said Pemra was looking into these issues and would soon come up with a policy about these channels.
The government, he said, had not issued any advice to TV channels about news converge of India.
He cited an example of a recent visit by Ports and Shipping Minister Babar Khan Ghauri to India where he had gone to sign an agreement with his Indian counterpart on certain issue.
“But there was no news story on any Indian TV channel for about five hours and when Mr Ghauri asked his Indian counterpart on telephone about it, he was told that the story was yet to be cleared by the government,” the minister said
“You do not find any such thing in Pakistan but still we are blamed for every thing,” the minister complained.
Dawn 13/Nov/07
Commonwealth sets 10-day deadline
LONDON, Nov 12: The Commonwealth on Monday gave Pakistan a 10-day deadline to restore its constitution and lift other emergency measures or face suspension from the 53-nation grouping.The ultimatum came after emergency talks among the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) in London to decide how to respond to President Pervez Musharraf’s declaration of a state of emergency on November 3.
Secretary-General Don McKinnon said that, if Musharraf fails to meet its demands by a ministers’ meeting on the eve of a November 23-25 Commonwealth summit in Uganda, Pakistan will be suspended as a member.
“CMAG agreed that at its next meeting on the 22 November, if after review of progress Pakistan has failed to implement these necessary measures, it will suspend Pakistan from the councils of the Commonwealth,” he told reporters.
“We have given Pakistan a little breathing space between now and then to comply” with the demands, he added, when asked why they did not suspend Pakistan straightaway.
He was speaking after an extraordinary meeting of CMAG, which deals with serious breaches of the Commonwealth’s guiding principles.
Mr McKinnon said that Pakistan had “seriously violated the Commonwealth’s fundamental values” and said this should be addressed in the following ways:
— “Immediate repeal of the emergency provisions and full restoration of the Constitution and of the independence of the judiciary” and restoration of the rule of law;
— “President Musharraf to step down as chief of army staff as promised”;
— “Immediate release of political party leaders and activists, human rights activists, lawyers and journalists”;
— “Immediate removal of... restrictions on the press”;
— “Move rapidly towards the creation of conditions for the creation of free and fair elections”.
Mr Musharraf, seen as a key ally of the West in the fight against terrorism since September 11, 2001, declared a state of emergency on November 3, sparking widespread international concern and protests from Pakistan’s legal community.—AFP
Dawn 13/Nov/07
Secretary-General Don McKinnon said that, if Musharraf fails to meet its demands by a ministers’ meeting on the eve of a November 23-25 Commonwealth summit in Uganda, Pakistan will be suspended as a member.
“CMAG agreed that at its next meeting on the 22 November, if after review of progress Pakistan has failed to implement these necessary measures, it will suspend Pakistan from the councils of the Commonwealth,” he told reporters.
“We have given Pakistan a little breathing space between now and then to comply” with the demands, he added, when asked why they did not suspend Pakistan straightaway.
He was speaking after an extraordinary meeting of CMAG, which deals with serious breaches of the Commonwealth’s guiding principles.
Mr McKinnon said that Pakistan had “seriously violated the Commonwealth’s fundamental values” and said this should be addressed in the following ways:
— “Immediate repeal of the emergency provisions and full restoration of the Constitution and of the independence of the judiciary” and restoration of the rule of law;
— “President Musharraf to step down as chief of army staff as promised”;
— “Immediate release of political party leaders and activists, human rights activists, lawyers and journalists”;
— “Immediate removal of... restrictions on the press”;
— “Move rapidly towards the creation of conditions for the creation of free and fair elections”.
Mr Musharraf, seen as a key ally of the West in the fight against terrorism since September 11, 2001, declared a state of emergency on November 3, sparking widespread international concern and protests from Pakistan’s legal community.—AFP
Dawn 13/Nov/07
No party contacted yet for caretaker set-up: opposition
By Ashraf Mumtaz
LAHORE, Nov 12: With the formation of an interim set-up only three days away, President Perrvez Musharraf has not yet contacted any major opposition party for appointing a caretaker prime minister.
Opposition parties have been calling for the formation of a government of “national consensus” to ensure transparent elections. The presidency had indicated a number of times that it would take major opposition parties into confidence over the matter.
The PPP’s secretary-general, Raja Pervez Ashraf, and MMA secretary-general Maulana Fazlur Rehman told Dawn on Monday that the PPP and the MMA had not been contacted and this meant, according to the JUI-F leader, the general was planning to nominate his own man as the interim prime minister.
The PML-N will not entertain any contact by Gen Musharraf on any issue, a source told Dawn.
Maulana Fazl refused to convene a meeting of the All Parties Democratic Movement on Nov 18 on PML-N leadership’s request.
“Out of question,” the MMA secretary-general is reported to have said when he was told about Mr Sharif’s message.
The PPP’s secretary-general warned that free and fair polls would not be possible if Gen Musharraf appointed his favourite as interim prime minister without first consulting with the opposition parties. He said decision-makers would have to face “grave consequences” if they tried to hijack the polls.
Maulana Fazl said: “Perhaps he (President Musharraf) is trying to use his powers under the emergency rule.”
The president’s spokesman, Maj-Gen (retd) Rashid Qureshi, could not be reached despite repeated attempts.
The MMA secretary-general plans to convene a meeting of the MMA on Nov 15 to take a decision about elections.
He is also calling a separate meeting of the JUI-F in Islamabad on Nov 18 to review the situation.
It was learnt that PML-N Secretary-General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra called Maulana Fazl on Monday to request him, on behalf of Nawaz Sharif, to hold a meeting of the APDM on Nov 17 to take a collective decision.
The JUI-F sources said that a few days ago, Mr Sharif had personally called Maulana Fazl, requesting him to postpone the all-party conference called by the MMA until he received a reply to a letter he had written to PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto.
The PML-N leader had told the Maulana about his reservations about Ms Bhutto’s stance.
The Maulana, according to sources, said that if the PML-N had reservations about Ms Bhutto’s stance, the MMA also had its apprehensions about the APDM because of its conduct at the time of the dissolution of the NWFP Assembly and resignations from the National Assembly.
Dawn 13/Nov/07
LAHORE, Nov 12: With the formation of an interim set-up only three days away, President Perrvez Musharraf has not yet contacted any major opposition party for appointing a caretaker prime minister.
Opposition parties have been calling for the formation of a government of “national consensus” to ensure transparent elections. The presidency had indicated a number of times that it would take major opposition parties into confidence over the matter.
The PPP’s secretary-general, Raja Pervez Ashraf, and MMA secretary-general Maulana Fazlur Rehman told Dawn on Monday that the PPP and the MMA had not been contacted and this meant, according to the JUI-F leader, the general was planning to nominate his own man as the interim prime minister.
The PML-N will not entertain any contact by Gen Musharraf on any issue, a source told Dawn.
Maulana Fazl refused to convene a meeting of the All Parties Democratic Movement on Nov 18 on PML-N leadership’s request.
“Out of question,” the MMA secretary-general is reported to have said when he was told about Mr Sharif’s message.
The PPP’s secretary-general warned that free and fair polls would not be possible if Gen Musharraf appointed his favourite as interim prime minister without first consulting with the opposition parties. He said decision-makers would have to face “grave consequences” if they tried to hijack the polls.
Maulana Fazl said: “Perhaps he (President Musharraf) is trying to use his powers under the emergency rule.”
The president’s spokesman, Maj-Gen (retd) Rashid Qureshi, could not be reached despite repeated attempts.
The MMA secretary-general plans to convene a meeting of the MMA on Nov 15 to take a decision about elections.
He is also calling a separate meeting of the JUI-F in Islamabad on Nov 18 to review the situation.
It was learnt that PML-N Secretary-General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra called Maulana Fazl on Monday to request him, on behalf of Nawaz Sharif, to hold a meeting of the APDM on Nov 17 to take a collective decision.
The JUI-F sources said that a few days ago, Mr Sharif had personally called Maulana Fazl, requesting him to postpone the all-party conference called by the MMA until he received a reply to a letter he had written to PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto.
The PML-N leader had told the Maulana about his reservations about Ms Bhutto’s stance.
The Maulana, according to sources, said that if the PML-N had reservations about Ms Bhutto’s stance, the MMA also had its apprehensions about the APDM because of its conduct at the time of the dissolution of the NWFP Assembly and resignations from the National Assembly.
Dawn 13/Nov/07
SC issues notices on pleas against emergency
By Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: The Supreme Court on Monday took up two identical petitions challenging the promulgation of the state of emergency and the Provisional Constitution Order and actions taken under them, and issued notices to the chief of army staff, the president and other respondents.
A bench of eight judges initiated the proceedings in an almost deserted courtroom on points raised by petitioners Tikka Iqbal Mohammad Khan and Watan Party chairman Barrister Zafarullah Khan regarding the validity of the emergency rule and the PCO and curbs imposed on judges of superior courts, the electronic media and the freedom of citizens.
Advocate Irfan Qadir represented Tikka Khan and Barrister Zafarullah himself appeared to plead his case before the bench which will resume hearing on Nov 15.
Although the petition of Barrister Zafarullah was not listed because it had been moved on Monday, the bench retired for a few minutes to allow the office to fix the matter before the court immediately.
The bench allowed the petitioner to implead Gen Musharraf as army chief by scribbling by hand his name on copies of the petition since the petitioner had originally cited only President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz as respondents.
Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum accepted notices on behalf of the respondents and said statements would be filed in the court preferably on Tuesday.
However, he said the questions raised in the petitions had been answered in the 2000 Zafar Ali Shah case by the Supreme Court by ruling that fundamental rights could not be suspended even during emergency.
Irfan Qadir said that Gen Musharraf as the army chief had no legal or constitutional authority to impose a state of emergency because an article in the Constitution dealing with the issue could only be invoked by the president.
Likewise, he said, the army chief had no mandate to suspend fundamental rights enunciated in articles 9 (security of person), 10 (safeguards as to arrest and detention), 15 (freedom of movement), 16 (freedom of movement), 17 (freedom of association), 19 (freedom of speech) and 25 (equality of citizens).
The proclamation of emergency, he said, was not in consonance with the Zafar Ali Shah case in which the court had validated the 1999 military coup by Gen Musharraf.
The court did not allow the petitioner to add another prayer to his petition to direct President Musharraf to relinquish his uniform.Barrister Zafarullah mentioned the announcement relating to elections by President Musharraf and said the polls could not be held in a fair manner in the absence of fundamental rights because political parties had to participate in it.
He also contended that the emergency had not been proclaimed under the Constitution because it had been imposed by the army chief.
Immediate release of lawyers and office-bearers of different bar associations, especially of Supreme Court Bar Association president Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, was one of the prayers in his petition.
Headed by Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, the bench comprises Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi, Justice Faqir Mohammad Khokhar, Justice M. Javed Buttar, Justice Ijazul Hassan, Justice Mohammad Qaim Jan Khan, Justice Mohammad Moosa K. Leghari and Justice Chaudhry Ejaz Yousaf.
Dawn 12/Nov/07
ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: The Supreme Court on Monday took up two identical petitions challenging the promulgation of the state of emergency and the Provisional Constitution Order and actions taken under them, and issued notices to the chief of army staff, the president and other respondents.
A bench of eight judges initiated the proceedings in an almost deserted courtroom on points raised by petitioners Tikka Iqbal Mohammad Khan and Watan Party chairman Barrister Zafarullah Khan regarding the validity of the emergency rule and the PCO and curbs imposed on judges of superior courts, the electronic media and the freedom of citizens.
Advocate Irfan Qadir represented Tikka Khan and Barrister Zafarullah himself appeared to plead his case before the bench which will resume hearing on Nov 15.
Although the petition of Barrister Zafarullah was not listed because it had been moved on Monday, the bench retired for a few minutes to allow the office to fix the matter before the court immediately.
The bench allowed the petitioner to implead Gen Musharraf as army chief by scribbling by hand his name on copies of the petition since the petitioner had originally cited only President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz as respondents.
Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum accepted notices on behalf of the respondents and said statements would be filed in the court preferably on Tuesday.
However, he said the questions raised in the petitions had been answered in the 2000 Zafar Ali Shah case by the Supreme Court by ruling that fundamental rights could not be suspended even during emergency.
Irfan Qadir said that Gen Musharraf as the army chief had no legal or constitutional authority to impose a state of emergency because an article in the Constitution dealing with the issue could only be invoked by the president.
Likewise, he said, the army chief had no mandate to suspend fundamental rights enunciated in articles 9 (security of person), 10 (safeguards as to arrest and detention), 15 (freedom of movement), 16 (freedom of movement), 17 (freedom of association), 19 (freedom of speech) and 25 (equality of citizens).
The proclamation of emergency, he said, was not in consonance with the Zafar Ali Shah case in which the court had validated the 1999 military coup by Gen Musharraf.
The court did not allow the petitioner to add another prayer to his petition to direct President Musharraf to relinquish his uniform.Barrister Zafarullah mentioned the announcement relating to elections by President Musharraf and said the polls could not be held in a fair manner in the absence of fundamental rights because political parties had to participate in it.
He also contended that the emergency had not been proclaimed under the Constitution because it had been imposed by the army chief.
Immediate release of lawyers and office-bearers of different bar associations, especially of Supreme Court Bar Association president Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, was one of the prayers in his petition.
Headed by Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, the bench comprises Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi, Justice Faqir Mohammad Khokhar, Justice M. Javed Buttar, Justice Ijazul Hassan, Justice Mohammad Qaim Jan Khan, Justice Mohammad Moosa K. Leghari and Justice Chaudhry Ejaz Yousaf.
Dawn 12/Nov/07
Benazir under seven-day house arrest: Govt determined to stop long march
By Nasir Jamal and Faisal Ali
LAHORE, Nov 12: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto was put under house arrest in the early hours of Tuesday to prevent her from leading a long march on Islamabad.
Police said an order under section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order had been issued by the Punjab government to detain Ms Bhutto for a week in the house of PPP Senator Latif Khosa where she has been staying since her arrival here on Sunday.
A Lahore police official said police deployment was being increased around Mr Khosa’s house and the PPP chairperson would stay there till further orders.
Meanwhile, Punjab police as well as Lahore police launched a ‘massive crackdown’ on PPP office-bearers and activists late in the night and rounded up hundreds of them.
Punjab PPP information secretary Farzana Raja told Dawn that telephone calls and text messages received by her confirmed reports that the Punjab police had launched the crackdown.
In Lahore, police raided different places and detained hundreds of PPP workers.
A police official confirmed that the crackdown was in progress.
A senior PPP leader quoted Ms Bhutto as saying that she was determined to lead the march despite the ban on her movement.
Ms Raja said that the PPP and its leader remained undeterred by reports that the government had planned to use ‘brute force’ to stop the march.
“We are determined to launch our march for democracy in the country,” she said.
A senior Punjab government official said police would be deployed throughout Lahore to prevent PPP workers from joining the march in violation of Section 144.The Punjab PPP information secretary said PPP workers and activists would defy all obstructions.
Another PPP leader foresaw “pitched battles (with police) everywhere in the city if the people were stopped from participating in the march”.
Police have virtually laid a siege to the residence of senator Khosa in the Defence Housing Authority from where Ms Bhutto planned to lead the march.
“Police have completely cordoned off the area around Mr Khosa’s residence, laid barbed wires and blocked roads. Armed men have been deployed on the roof of buildings nearby,” a resident said. However, he said, it was business as usual in rest of the posh locality.
Police claimed that tight security arrangements around the PPP senator’s residence had been taken on the instructions of the provincial home department in view of reports about the “possibility of a major suicide attack in Lahore and adjoining areas within the next few days”.
An official handout said a suicide attacker had entered Lahore to target Ms Bhutto and other PPP leaders. Officers had been directed to inform Ms Bhutto and her security in-charge about the reports and provide proper security cover, it said, adding that the PPP leader had been advised not to address public meetings to avoid any untoward incident.
A private TV channel reported late in the night that the provincial government had sought permission from Islamabad to extern Ms Bhutto from Punjab in view of the threat of suicide attack on her and other PPP leaders. But the report could not be confirmed as the officials concerned were not available. Most of them had either switched off their phones or did not take calls.
PPP leader Naheed Khan, however, was quoted by the TV channel as saying that they had not received any such orders.
A government official, who did not want to be named, said the police were already establishing pickets in PPP strongholds like Shadbagh, the Walled City, Mughalpura, Islampura, Harbanspura and Ghaziabad.
Meanwhile, the PPP has changed the route of the march and decided to include some more cities as some of its leaders wanted Ms Bhutto to use it as the party’s election campaign in Punjab.
Earlier in the day, the PPP chairperson went to the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal to pay homage to the Poet of the East.
Ms Bhutto also visited the residence of late PPP leader Sheikh Rafiq Ahmed and party worker Zaheer Abbas, who was killed in the Oct 18 Karachi blast, and offered fateha for the departed souls.
Dawn 13/Nov/07
LAHORE, Nov 12: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto was put under house arrest in the early hours of Tuesday to prevent her from leading a long march on Islamabad.
Police said an order under section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order had been issued by the Punjab government to detain Ms Bhutto for a week in the house of PPP Senator Latif Khosa where she has been staying since her arrival here on Sunday.
A Lahore police official said police deployment was being increased around Mr Khosa’s house and the PPP chairperson would stay there till further orders.
Meanwhile, Punjab police as well as Lahore police launched a ‘massive crackdown’ on PPP office-bearers and activists late in the night and rounded up hundreds of them.
Punjab PPP information secretary Farzana Raja told Dawn that telephone calls and text messages received by her confirmed reports that the Punjab police had launched the crackdown.
In Lahore, police raided different places and detained hundreds of PPP workers.
A police official confirmed that the crackdown was in progress.
A senior PPP leader quoted Ms Bhutto as saying that she was determined to lead the march despite the ban on her movement.
Ms Raja said that the PPP and its leader remained undeterred by reports that the government had planned to use ‘brute force’ to stop the march.
“We are determined to launch our march for democracy in the country,” she said.
A senior Punjab government official said police would be deployed throughout Lahore to prevent PPP workers from joining the march in violation of Section 144.The Punjab PPP information secretary said PPP workers and activists would defy all obstructions.
Another PPP leader foresaw “pitched battles (with police) everywhere in the city if the people were stopped from participating in the march”.
Police have virtually laid a siege to the residence of senator Khosa in the Defence Housing Authority from where Ms Bhutto planned to lead the march.
“Police have completely cordoned off the area around Mr Khosa’s residence, laid barbed wires and blocked roads. Armed men have been deployed on the roof of buildings nearby,” a resident said. However, he said, it was business as usual in rest of the posh locality.
Police claimed that tight security arrangements around the PPP senator’s residence had been taken on the instructions of the provincial home department in view of reports about the “possibility of a major suicide attack in Lahore and adjoining areas within the next few days”.
An official handout said a suicide attacker had entered Lahore to target Ms Bhutto and other PPP leaders. Officers had been directed to inform Ms Bhutto and her security in-charge about the reports and provide proper security cover, it said, adding that the PPP leader had been advised not to address public meetings to avoid any untoward incident.
A private TV channel reported late in the night that the provincial government had sought permission from Islamabad to extern Ms Bhutto from Punjab in view of the threat of suicide attack on her and other PPP leaders. But the report could not be confirmed as the officials concerned were not available. Most of them had either switched off their phones or did not take calls.
PPP leader Naheed Khan, however, was quoted by the TV channel as saying that they had not received any such orders.
A government official, who did not want to be named, said the police were already establishing pickets in PPP strongholds like Shadbagh, the Walled City, Mughalpura, Islampura, Harbanspura and Ghaziabad.
Meanwhile, the PPP has changed the route of the march and decided to include some more cities as some of its leaders wanted Ms Bhutto to use it as the party’s election campaign in Punjab.
Earlier in the day, the PPP chairperson went to the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal to pay homage to the Poet of the East.
Ms Bhutto also visited the residence of late PPP leader Sheikh Rafiq Ahmed and party worker Zaheer Abbas, who was killed in the Oct 18 Karachi blast, and offered fateha for the departed souls.
Dawn 13/Nov/07
Deposed CJ rejects allegations
Dawn Report
LAHORE, Nov 11: Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry has rejected allegations levelled against him and higher judiciary by President Gen Musharraf during his press conference on Sunday.
“If there was any proof of corruption against me, why so many other judges of the superior judiciary have been removed through an unconstitutional act?” he asked.
In a statement given to a TV channel, Justice Chaudhry said that in fact an independent judiciary was not acceptable to Gen Musharraf because he wanted not only to get himself elected as president but also to manipulate the next election to form a government of his choice.
“Election manipulation is not possible under an independent judiciary,” his statement said.
He said the government had been edgy over cases relating to president’s dual office, contempt of court in the deportation case of Nawaz Sharif, missing people and Islamabad farm-houses and proceedings against the land mafia.
Dawn 12/Nov/07
LAHORE, Nov 11: Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry has rejected allegations levelled against him and higher judiciary by President Gen Musharraf during his press conference on Sunday.
“If there was any proof of corruption against me, why so many other judges of the superior judiciary have been removed through an unconstitutional act?” he asked.
In a statement given to a TV channel, Justice Chaudhry said that in fact an independent judiciary was not acceptable to Gen Musharraf because he wanted not only to get himself elected as president but also to manipulate the next election to form a government of his choice.
“Election manipulation is not possible under an independent judiciary,” his statement said.
He said the government had been edgy over cases relating to president’s dual office, contempt of court in the deportation case of Nawaz Sharif, missing people and Islamabad farm-houses and proceedings against the land mafia.
Dawn 12/Nov/07
Benazir wants emergency lifted, gag laws repealed
By Nasir Jamal
LAHORE, Nov 11: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto has called for withdrawal of emergency, repeal of draconian laws curbing civil liberties and gagging the media and demanded fair, free and transparent elections.
She warned that if the government did not immediately act, the PPP might join other opposition parties to wage a struggle to put the country back on the path of democracy.
“We have received a letter from Nawaz Sharif and our party is studying it carefully,” Ms Bhutto told a late-night news conference on Sunday at the residence of Senator Latif Khosa.
Mr Sharif’s letter is reported to have listed conditions for a joint struggle – in particular he wants Ms Bhutto and her party to sever contacts with President Gen Pervez Musharraf. He sent the letter after the PPP leader met Ishaq Dar in Dubai to propose a joint struggle.
Though Ms Bhutto categorically told the conference that her party had suspended negotiations with Gen Musharraf, she did not say how she had responded to the Mr Sharif’s letter. She also did not say if she planned to work with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA.
Ms Bhutto said that everyone would have to play his role for ending the military rule.
She said the military also had a critical role to play. “But that role has to be of back-up support to political forces. The military cannot be a substitute of political forces. In the past, it has tried to and the country had to pay a big price,” she said.
The PPP leader listed a charter of demands, including the revival of judiciary, reconstitution of the Election Commission, relinquishing the army post by President Musharraf before Nov 15, release of all political prisoners, limiting the application of the Army Act of 1952 to the trial of militants if the changes could not be withdrawn altogether, and removal of curbs on the media and freedom of expression.
She ruled out any possibility of joining the caretaker government unless all her demands were accepted and ‘issues on the table’ settled.
Ms Bhutto appreciated the announcement made by the president to hold elections before Jan 9, but said it was not enough. “On the one hand, the election schedule has been given, which is a positive step. But at the same time, politicians and lawyers and others are demanding withdrawal of emergency (while) Leader of Opposition in the Senate Raza Rabbani, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Supreme Court Bar Association president Aitzaz Ahsan and others have been arrested, political rallies tear-gassed, draconian laws enacted, and judiciary and media stifled,” she said.
She said changes made in the Army Act did not distinguish between a militant and an ordinary citizen who would be left at the mercy of the summary courts if arrested under this particular law. “It applies to everyone, which will make it difficult for political parties to conduct election campaigns. The changes in the judiciary and arrest of judges means that we cannot go to courts for relief as we did on the issue of defective and flawed electoral rolls. With the emergency rule and the Army Act there, it is impossible to expect fair, free and transparent elections,” she said when asked if her party would participate in elections held under the state of emergency.
“This is a very conflicting situation. He (President Gen Musharraf) has sent very conflicting messages – taking political and non-political steps together. We shall give people a line of action after consultations within the party,” she said.
Ms Bhutto said that while the US administration supported the demands of pro-democracy forces, it considered Gen Musharraf its ally.
Asked if she accepted Gen Musharraf as president, she said the Supreme Court had cleared him for the presidential election but barred notification of the election result. She said Gen Musharraf could remain president till the election of his successor by the next assembly or a Supreme Court decision on his eligibility.
The PPP leader refuted the assertion that she had negotiated with President Gen Musharraf for a power-sharing deal. “Neither I nor Gen Musharraf ever said so. We negotiated … for a smooth transition to democracy and prevent the mess the country finds itself in today. But he did not implement our demands for reconstitution of the election commission or installation of a neutral caretaker government. Instead, he imposed emergency and derailed the country from the path of democracy, arrested judges and took steps that have led the nation into a mess,” she said.
She said the PPP had never shut its doors for negotiations but these had to be based on some principles. She said every step of the PPP would be for democracy and rights of the people.
She said the PPP would hold a long march on Tuesday and warned the Punjab government against using force to prevent it.
On her arrival, she was welcomed at the airport by hundreds of party activists and supporters who had reached despite stringent security measures taken by the authorities to prevent them from going to the airport.
She was driven from the airport at the head of a caravan to the shrine of Data Ganj Buksh and later to Senator Khosa’s residence.
Dawn 12/Nov/07
LAHORE, Nov 11: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto has called for withdrawal of emergency, repeal of draconian laws curbing civil liberties and gagging the media and demanded fair, free and transparent elections.
She warned that if the government did not immediately act, the PPP might join other opposition parties to wage a struggle to put the country back on the path of democracy.
“We have received a letter from Nawaz Sharif and our party is studying it carefully,” Ms Bhutto told a late-night news conference on Sunday at the residence of Senator Latif Khosa.
Mr Sharif’s letter is reported to have listed conditions for a joint struggle – in particular he wants Ms Bhutto and her party to sever contacts with President Gen Pervez Musharraf. He sent the letter after the PPP leader met Ishaq Dar in Dubai to propose a joint struggle.
Though Ms Bhutto categorically told the conference that her party had suspended negotiations with Gen Musharraf, she did not say how she had responded to the Mr Sharif’s letter. She also did not say if she planned to work with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA.
Ms Bhutto said that everyone would have to play his role for ending the military rule.
She said the military also had a critical role to play. “But that role has to be of back-up support to political forces. The military cannot be a substitute of political forces. In the past, it has tried to and the country had to pay a big price,” she said.
The PPP leader listed a charter of demands, including the revival of judiciary, reconstitution of the Election Commission, relinquishing the army post by President Musharraf before Nov 15, release of all political prisoners, limiting the application of the Army Act of 1952 to the trial of militants if the changes could not be withdrawn altogether, and removal of curbs on the media and freedom of expression.
She ruled out any possibility of joining the caretaker government unless all her demands were accepted and ‘issues on the table’ settled.
Ms Bhutto appreciated the announcement made by the president to hold elections before Jan 9, but said it was not enough. “On the one hand, the election schedule has been given, which is a positive step. But at the same time, politicians and lawyers and others are demanding withdrawal of emergency (while) Leader of Opposition in the Senate Raza Rabbani, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Supreme Court Bar Association president Aitzaz Ahsan and others have been arrested, political rallies tear-gassed, draconian laws enacted, and judiciary and media stifled,” she said.
She said changes made in the Army Act did not distinguish between a militant and an ordinary citizen who would be left at the mercy of the summary courts if arrested under this particular law. “It applies to everyone, which will make it difficult for political parties to conduct election campaigns. The changes in the judiciary and arrest of judges means that we cannot go to courts for relief as we did on the issue of defective and flawed electoral rolls. With the emergency rule and the Army Act there, it is impossible to expect fair, free and transparent elections,” she said when asked if her party would participate in elections held under the state of emergency.
“This is a very conflicting situation. He (President Gen Musharraf) has sent very conflicting messages – taking political and non-political steps together. We shall give people a line of action after consultations within the party,” she said.
Ms Bhutto said that while the US administration supported the demands of pro-democracy forces, it considered Gen Musharraf its ally.
Asked if she accepted Gen Musharraf as president, she said the Supreme Court had cleared him for the presidential election but barred notification of the election result. She said Gen Musharraf could remain president till the election of his successor by the next assembly or a Supreme Court decision on his eligibility.
The PPP leader refuted the assertion that she had negotiated with President Gen Musharraf for a power-sharing deal. “Neither I nor Gen Musharraf ever said so. We negotiated … for a smooth transition to democracy and prevent the mess the country finds itself in today. But he did not implement our demands for reconstitution of the election commission or installation of a neutral caretaker government. Instead, he imposed emergency and derailed the country from the path of democracy, arrested judges and took steps that have led the nation into a mess,” she said.
She said the PPP had never shut its doors for negotiations but these had to be based on some principles. She said every step of the PPP would be for democracy and rights of the people.
She said the PPP would hold a long march on Tuesday and warned the Punjab government against using force to prevent it.
On her arrival, she was welcomed at the airport by hundreds of party activists and supporters who had reached despite stringent security measures taken by the authorities to prevent them from going to the airport.
She was driven from the airport at the head of a caravan to the shrine of Data Ganj Buksh and later to Senator Khosa’s residence.
Dawn 12/Nov/07
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