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Interview/Benazir Bhutto
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April 2005




Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto putting Iman Zamin on Asif
Zardari's Arm.


Asif Zardar With his son Bilawal sitting on his side


Police Arresting PPP Activists.


PPP Workers heading to Lahore to Greet their leader


Police Arresting PPP Activists.


Police Arresting PPP Activists.


Police Brutality on PPP Female Workers



Asif Zardari rejects
tailored democracy in Pakistan
By Attaul Mohsin Syed -
Pakistan Times
Staff Correspondent
ISLAMABAD:
A free and fair parliamentary election is the panacea of all political evils
now rampant in the country, says Asif Ali Zardari, the central leader of the
Pakistan Peoples Party [PPP].
The spouse of the PPP Chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto was addressing a crowded
press conference here on Wednesday on his maiden visit to the federal
capital after his release from some 8 years of imprisonment and sojourn to
Europe and Middle East.
The top party leadership including the Senior Vice President and ARD
Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Jahangir Badr, Raja Pervez Ashraf and others
flanked him. Zardari stressed that the elections under an independent
Election Commission has to be held within this year.
If our demand is not accepted, the struggle shall go on, he declared. Asif
Ali Zardari who looked confident and a bit matured rejected ‘tailored
democracy’ saying no dilution in the process shall be acceptable to us.
He set aside rumours about any sort of rapprochement between the government
and PPP.
Political Differences
On the contrary, he repeated the party policy of across the board dialogue
for resolving political differences. He said had grabbing power been our
objective, we had many opportunities in the past, which were not availed of.
He said that if at all some
talks had taken place with those in power, it does not mean that we want to
enter into the government through back door.
To a question about the on going talks between PPP and those who matter, he
said we had never worked with the ‘establishment’. Had that happened, we
would have been in power.
He categorically said that neither PPP had any contacts with the government
nor we had accepted it as a political reality.
When asked whether the party was planning to launch its protest campaign
against the government soon from Gujrat, he said instead, we had decided to
launch our move from the shrine of Hazrat Baba Bulhe Shah in Kasur.

Subject: CPJ-RSF BLAST PAKISTANI POLICE CRIMES AGAINST
THE PRESS
PRESS NETWORK (FPN).
NEW YORK,
NY, USA, 19 April 2005 (InformationTimes.com) - The Committee to
Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based independent, nonprofit
organization founded in 1981 to defend press freedom worldwide, condemns a
series of illegal police attacks and acts of obstruction aimed at
journalists covering the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP)
activities on Friday and Saturday, April 15-16, 2005. CPJ today called on
Pakistan authorities to punish all those police officers and government
officials responsible for the unlawful human rights abuses.
About 50 journalists traveling with
Asif Ali Zardari -- PPP Opposition leader and husband of former Pakistan
Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto -- on his flight from Dubai, UAE, to Lahore,
Pakistan, Saturday morning, April 16, 2005, were surrounded by Punjab/Lahore
Police as they exited the airplane and forced to surrender their camera
equipment, audio recorders and mobile phones, according to local
journalists. Those journalists who resisted were slapped, beaten, tortured
and abused by the police. Mazhar Tufail of Geo TV was beaten and held in
police custody for two hours, the news website South Asia Tribune reported.
The journalists staged a sit-in at
the Lahore Airport for several hours to protest the abuses and the
confiscation of their gear. When police finally returned the journalists'
equipment, all of their recordings had been erased and memory cards had been
removed, according to local press accounts. An airport security chief told a
reporter from The Guardian of London that police were acting on official
orders. Police warned other journalists that they were given instructions
from "the top" to take the equipment, the South Asia Tribune reported.
In the run-up to Asif Zardari's
arrival, thousands of police took to the streets of Lahore to block rallies
by PPP members and supporters. Communication towers were also shut down,
disrupting cell phone service, CNN reported.
On Friday, April 15, 2005, police
in Karachi attacked PPP activists trying to board a train to Lahore,
wounding several activists and journalists who were covering the day's
events. The Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) reported that three journalists
were taken to the hospital for treatment: Malik Munawar of the daily "Asas"
Karachi, Tasadduk Ghouri of "Janbaz" Karachi and Yaseen Jabalpuri of APNA
TV. A spokesman for the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) said that
police also detained several journalists and grabbed cameras from
photographers at the train station.
Journalists' groups condemned the
rash of attacks and reporters covering Pakistan's Parliament, the National
Assembly, boycotted the session yesterday in protest.
"These blatant obstructions of the
free flow of information inside Pakistan make a mockery of official claims
of press freedom," CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said. "Journalists must
be allowed to cover the news safely and freely without fear of abuse and
confiscation of their equipment."
Despite talk of reconciliation
between Pakistan's self-appointed 'President' General Pervez Musharraf and
leaders of opposition political parties, his unconstitutional and illegal
Military Government remains adamant about stamping out political protests in
Lahore.
A similarly aggressive police
response occurred in May 2004, when exiled politician Shahbaz Sharif, former
Punjab Chief Minister and a top leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-NS),
tried to fly home to Lahore after three years of exile in Saudi Arabia.
Reporters traveling with him were illegally detained by police in the
airport and also had their equipment forcibly confiscated.

RSF: POLICE
USE VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS IN KARACHI AND LAHORE, PAKISTAN
PARIS, France, 20 April 2005 (InformationTimes.com)
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF) today firmly condemned police violence on
15 and 16 April 2005 in Karachi and Lahore, Pakistan, against journalists
covering a visit to Pakistan by PPP Opposition leader Asif Ali Zardari of
the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), or activities related to the visit.
"There was no justification for this use of violence
against journalists doing their work or for the destruction of their
equipment," the press freedom organization said in a letter to Pakistani
federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao. "This was a serious
press freedom violation," the RSF organization added, calling on the
authorities to prosecute all the police officers involved and to compensate
the journalists for the loss of their equipment.
Reporters
and photographers who went to Karachi railway station on 15 April 2005 to
cover the departure of some 200 political activists for Lahore for Asif
Zardari's arrival the next day found themselves being attacked with clubs by
police and their cameras taken. Three journalists -- Malik
Munawar of the daily "Asas" Karachi, Tasadduk Ghouri of
the "Janbaz" Karachi daily newspaper and Yaseen Jabalpuri of APNA TV -- were
badly injured and taken to hospital.
Members of the
Punjab province police commanded by two officers identified as Ahmed Mobeen
and Aftab Cheema dealt in a similar fashion with some 50 Pakistani and
international journalists who accompanied Asif Zardari on his flight from
Dubai, UAE.
The violence began as soon as Asif Zardari left the
airplane, when around 200 policemen charged the journalists. Police officer
Ahmed Mobeen himself struck the first blow against Mazhar Tufail, a
journalist with the Pakistani television station GEO TV, before handing
Tufail over to his men. The journalists were detained at the Lahore Airport
for more than three hours.
Journalists boycotted the National Assembly's sessions
yesterday and today in protest and called on parliamentarians to pass a
resolution condemning the Punjab province government of Chief Minister
Pervaiz Elahi for this use of violence by its police force against
journalists.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) defends imprisoned
journalists and press freedom throughout the world, as well as the right to
inform the public and to be informed, in accordance with Article 19 of the
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Reporters Without
Borders has nine national sections (in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany,
Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom), representatives
in Abidjan, Bangkok, Istanbul, Montreal, Moscow, New York, Tokyo and
Washington DC, and more than a hundred correspondents worldwide.

PPP
CONDEMNS POLICE BRUTALITY AGAINST PAKISTANI MEDI
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 16 April
2005 (InformationTimes.com) - The Information Secretary of the
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Taj Haider, has strongly condemned the
illegal, brutal action of the Punjab Police at the Lahore Airport against
respected members of the media who were traveling with former PPP Senator
Asif Ali Zardari in the flight carrying him from Dubai, UAE, to cover his
arrival in Lahore, Pakistan.
In a press statement, Taj Haider
said today that physical assaults, snatching away of cameras and mobile
phones, destroying exposed films, doing body searches and emptying of
pockets of journalists, including senior editors, were unlawful, shameful
acts which not only violated the Pakistan Constitution and the laws but also
revolted against norms of decency and gentlemanly conduct. Our image as a
Pakistani Nation, which already is very low due to long military
dictatorship, has taken a further plunge downwards as a result of these
brutal, illegal acts.
Taj Haider warned that the excuse
of the offenders that all this was being done on "instructions from above"
was not good enough. The days of those "above" are fast coming to an end.
Their crimes against the Pakistani Nation shall not go unpunished. But every
person belonging to any law-enforcing agency should regard himself as a
custodian of law and must not carry out any illegal orders of those who are
temporarily and unconstitutionally "above the law". They should not forget
that they are serving the Pakistani Nation as public servants and not as
servants of some individuals who had illegally usurped official authority in
violation of the Constitution of Pakistan.
PPP salutes the media for carrying
out their duties with courage, devotion and high levels of integrity against
the heaviest odds. While the hollow claims of the Musharraf-Aziz-Elahi-Rahim
regimes about a "democratic" setup and free press stood fully exposed, the
media has provided a brilliant example today for Pakistanis in every walk of
life to establish the highest standards of performance of duties towards
their nation and their profession. It is the general consciousness created
by brave examples like the one set up by the national media today, which is
our guarantee to march onwards as one Pakistani nation towards a free,
democratic and progressive Pakistan.

High Inflation Inddication Of Weak
Economy. BB
ISLAMABAD, April 27(Online):
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Benazir Bhutto
said that the sky high inflation in Pakistan could no longer be hidden
despite Islamabad being a key ally of the international community for its
support during the War Against Terrorism.
Benazir Bhutto in
a statement issued here on Wednesday said that the economic performance
since the overthrow of the PPP government had been dismal. Despite massive
international support, the economy failed to provide jobs to the people or
curb expenditure.
She said that the
youth and middle classes were suffering under crippling price hike which was
making living a misery as people were unable to make ends meet.
She noted that
finally the world community was alerted to the reality of the financial
suffering of the people despite the loans being rescheduled.
In this
connection, Benazir Bhutto welcomed the report of the International Monetary
Fund for giving a warning about inflation in Pakistan.
Former Prime
Minister said that it was painful to observe that one third of Pakistan's
population lives in poverty whereas another one third lives on less than two
dollars a day.
International
Monetary Fund has noted that inflation is now the highest it has been since
1997 shortly after the overthrow of the PPP government which had curbed
price hike through deficit management. In addition to the IMF, the Asian
Development Fund has also cautioned Islamabad about the inflation rate.
In fact PPP was
the first Political Party to point out the inaccurate figures being given by
the interim government established by the military regime after it seized
power in October 1999.
Meanwhile,
despite having the loans rescheduled and generous grants made by the
international community, she was sorry to learn that the regime was still
going about with a begging bowl asking for more money.
Benazir said that
had the PPP been in power, it would have worked for debt relief as well as
used the money freed from debt reschedulement to make Pakistan a
self-reliant country. She deplored the fact that a golden opportunity to
make the country truly self reliant and the people prosperous due to the
external international environment had been squandered.
Although tall
promises were made in each Budget, none of the promises were kept. However,
few looked beyond the promises to the actual delivery. The result, Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto said, is that price hike is making Pak goods non competitive
in the international market adversely affecting jobs and opportunities.
The PPP has
disputed the claims of the present regime that the growth rate will touch
seven percent this year. It noted that none of the claims made by the regime
had ever been met when the year end figures had been collected.
Bhutto said that
the country need more than public relations packaging of the hunger and
misery. The packaging was made pretty to hide the ugly reality of growing
poverty, growing hunger and hopelessness amongst the vast majority of the
people of whom sixty percent lived on or below the poverty line. One third
of this sixty percent was the result of the financial policies of the last
five years.
Benazir Bhutto
pointed out that last Friday interest rates were raised after the Asian
Development Bank in its Pakistan Economic Update (July 2004 - March 2005)
cautioned, "the rising inflation can undermine the stability of exchange
rate, distort incentives structure and eventually stall growth".
It may be
recalled that the PPP government had the best economic and social indicators
of any government since 1977

PPPP WON'T JOIN
MMA FORMING GOVT: ZARDAZI
ISLAMABAD, April 27: Making it absolute
clear that Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians will not join Muttahida
Majlis-e-Amal in forming central government in the future, former senator
Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday said if PPPP had a desire to sit on treasury
bench then the party could have done so to save his soul while he was
languishing in jail.
Addressing a crowded press briefing in metropolis at his residence, he said
PPPP will continue struggle against tyranny and there is no chance of
setting clandestine deal with establishment.
"We are struggling to show military the way back to barracks and not for
getting share in the government" he noted.
He said PPPP's fight is against injustices, we have only talked about
negotiations, it doesn't mean we will sit at treasury bench with incumbent
government. If we had desire of doing so we could have done this when the
new laws were introduced two years ago but we have proved it upon the world
that we will not join hands with a tyrant.
He ruled out contacting government from any platform saying it is
government, which is contacting PPP.
He also dispelled the notion of setting deal with government individually
saying if I had a desire of setting deal then I could have done it from PPPP
platform I had no intention of becoming PPP chairman. PPP is a strong party
with a set discipline continuing for the last 30 years.
Responding to a query he said if Benazir Bhutto had been in Pakistan she
could have been languishing in jails. We know our establishment very well
and that is Benazir is in Dubai to control the party from there.
Mr Zardari flanked by Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Jahangir Badar, Raja Pervaiz
Ashraf, Farzana Raja, Sherry Rehman, Babar Awan and Fauzia Wahab thanked
media for supporting him during his detention of eight hard years. He
expressed hope that media will continue supporting him in fight against
tyranny.
He slammed the attitude adopted by government on April 16 when large numbers
of PPPP activists were arrested and journalists were maltreated when they
were at Lahore Airport to welcome him.
"Many government officials made negative propaganda against me, they even
claimed that if I will come back to Pakistan they will resign from their
offices. I am waiting for them to follow their claims," he added.
"But I showed it to entire world that we want enlightened democracy. The
incumbent rulers do not want enlightened democracy, they want rule of an
individual. We demand restoration of 1973 constitution and supremacy of
parliament because it is our right," he maintained.
Police and government functionaries, he said are enticing PPPP to take law
and order into their hands and have given free hand to its friends to carry
out terrorist activities in the country, which is wrong policy adopted by
government.
He also leveled allegation of pre poll rigging on incumbent government
before local body elections. He said hundreds of PPPP activists have been
detained on their arrival in Islamabad while the entry points from Attock to
Kashmir and Sindh to Punjab were sealed.
It was an attempt to create unrest in the country but we are committed to
take the nation to the heights of economic prosperity no matter what
sacrifice we have to give, he maintained.
The incumbent government is in power for the last five years but the entire
nation is crippling under the rising inflation, unemployment and
deteriorating law and order situation, democratic parties are not allowed to
hold public rallies.
Looking at the picture, which is bleak we will make only one demand that can
resolve Pakistan's woes and that is to hold fair, free and transparent
elections in the country at the earliest, Mr Zardari

Raja Parvaiz Ashraf’s rejoinder to Ch. Shujaat
Islamabad,
26 April 2005: Secretary General Pakistan Peoples Party
Parliamentarians, Raja Parvaiz Ashraf MNA said that leader of the PML Q
should stop his contradictory statements because people of the country could
see through them.
In a statement, he said that the
PPP was a democratic Party and was struggling to restore democracy in the
country. Its leaders and workers were in prison, exile and otherwise being
subjected to inhuman treatments for seeking to revive the dream of Quaid e
Azam and Quaid e Awam for a democratic, federal, tolerant and awami
Pakistan.
The PPP leader said that Mr.
Shujaat could remember that it was a member of his own Party, the Minister
of Information who had announced a policy of reconciliation with the
Opposition forces. The PPP had simply responded in a positive manner as it
did to proposals that were made without compromising on its core values.
Mr. Shujaat's latest claim that the
PPP wanted to share power was a figment of his own imagination. PPP had not
asked to share power. In fact Mr. Shujaat may remember that he has
publically stated, most recently on ARY television last week, that he wanted
to share power with the PPP and wanted to make a national government. Mr.
Shujaat went so far as to say that he personally went to the house of PPP
President Parliamentary wing Makhdoom Amin Fahim and offered to form a
national government in 2002. Thus it is clear that the PML Q was keen to
co-opt the PPP on one hand and beat up its workers on the other hand for
insisting on the democratisation of Pakistan.
Raja Parvaiz Ashraf said that the
political system that was produced by the October 2002 elections has
miserably failed. Discontent in the provinces is brewing bringing renewed
threats to the integrity of the Federation. Poverty has reached sixty
percent. Human rights of political activists, minorities and women are
systematically violated. Corruption and nepotism is stinking from the high
heavens and not one case has been proceeded against all those who have been
abusing power. PPP has filed several petitions whereas petition of
Parliamentarian Imran Khan was also filed against Mr. Shujaat claiming he
was ineligible to contest being a bank defaulter with written off loans.
He said that while Madrassa leaders
like Maulana Sami ul Haq and others were allowed to contest elections, the
genuine leaders of the people were stopped unjustly and illegally through
special laws.
He further said that the PPP was
not interested in taking power from the back door. Only PML Q had taken
power from the back door and was usurping the rights of the people.
The PPP leader said that the PPP
was well aware that Mr Shujaat and other opportunists with him wanted to
deny the constitutional rights to freedom of movement to the PPP. He said
that if such rights were denied to the PPP, Mr. Shujaat would weaken himself
even further by exposing the false claims of democracy and so called
enlightened moderation.
Raja Parvaiz Ashraf said that PPP
was forcing the regime to make fundamental choices about Pakistan's future
direction. Running with the hare and hunting with the hound by claiming to
be a democracy while beating up political workers was unacceptable. Either
the regime wanted enlightened moderation in which the rights of PPP workers
would have to be accepted or the regime wanted to be classified as a tyranny
with fascists beating up peaceful citizens in the streets of Lahore and
Rawalpindi. Mr. Shujaat and his Party could not have it both ways.
He said that PPP was least
concerned about Mr. Shujaat's threats that the ‘free hand’ given to the PPP
would no more be available to it. He said PPP did not want charity of the
rulers and had not asked for it. The rulers themselves, realising they were
getting a bad name, had decided to defuse internal tensions. Mr. Shujaat
would simply add to those tensions by any fascist action.
Raja Parvaiz Ashraf said it was a
reality that a large number of PML Q members were ready to jump ship and
join either the PML N or the PPP knowing that Mr. Shujaat had risen to power
on the backs of a tacit understanding with MMA which was now falling apart.
The PPP leader said that by
celebrating Holi, the PML chief was pretending to show himself as a tolerant
person. However, the wide spread coverage given to the thugs in the
administration to brutally violate human rights had shown the PML Q as
intolerant, immoderate and undemocratic as well brutish and uncivilised. Mr.
Shujaat could hold ten more Holis but he could not wipe the shame from his
hands of the inhuman violation of the daughters and sons of Pakistan that
took place on the streets of Lahore on April 16. Those images would forever
remain engraved in the minds of the people of the country.

High alert as Zardari arrives in Islamabad
today
Pakistan Times Staff Report
RAWALPINDI: High alert was declared at
Islamabad International Airport ahead of Asif Ali Zardari’s arrival on
Tuesday evening from Lahore, sources said.
A source in Pakistan International Airlines disclosed that a seat for Asif
Ali Zardari, spouse of Pakistan's ex-Prime Minister Ms Benazir Bhutto was
reserved in PIA flight PK-388 that would arrive at Islamabad International
Airport on Tuesday night at 21.10 PST [16:10 GMT].
The sources in the CAA told that high alert was declared at Islamabad
International Airport and all the passes issued to the people for the day
were cancelled and staff was put on alert to meet any unrest on the arrival
of former senator Asif Ali Zardari from Lahore.
Meanwhile, police was busy in conducting raids to arrest local leaders of
PPP to avoid any untoward incident on the eve of Zardari’s arrival in the
town.
Raids
The local police had so far managed to arrest former MPA and PPP leading
leader Agha Riazul Islam and PYO city President Shahid under 16 MPO while
raids were in progress for the arrest of rest of the people who were around
80 in number.
The Home Department Punjab issued the arrest order of Agha Riazul Islam on
April 14 and his arrest was materialized on April 25 while he was coming out
from his residence at Saidpur Road.
PPP leaders Nasir Mir, Sardar Nasir, Mohammad Afzal, Moqeem Ahmad Khan ,
Banarus Chaudhry, Saleem Mughal, Sheikh Adnan, Ch. Asad Pervaiz, Khawar Butt
and many others were hiding.
The sources disclosed that all the leaves of staff were cancelled and
airport was placed on high alert to avoid any untoward incident on the
arrival of former senator Asif Ali Zardari.
Passes Cancelled
The sources disclosed that all the temporary passes issued to people for the
day were also cancelled and on the arrival of Asif Ali Zardari no one would
be allowed to enter the airport premises to avoid any unpleasant incident.
The sources in PIA told that the seat of former senator was booked on the
PIA flight PK-388 due to arrive here from Lahore on Tuesday (today) at
9.10pm while his return ticket for Lahore from Rawalpindi was booked on the
flight PK-385 on April-28 at 8.30am. However, it was not confirmed whether
former senator Asif Ali Zardari would avail this schedule or not.
The officials in district administration and police were tight lipped about
their action plan on the arrival of former senator Asif Ali Zardari here.
Agha Riazul Islam along with six other party colleagues was arrested on
Monday and sent to jail under 3-MPO (Maintenance of Public Order), informed
police sources.
These arrests have been made after receiving a directive of Home Department,
asking District Police to round up maximum number of PPP activists under
3-MPO, sources further disclosed.
Agha Riaz-ul-Islam and another party activist Shahid Khan were arrested from
Rabia Manzil at Liaqat Road while others were taken into custody from other
places.
More raids were in progress at different places in the city including PPP
offices and houses of party activists and the number of arrest was likely to
increase.
Previously when Zardari came here he was not allowed to came out of the
airport and was taken into protective custody and sent back to Karachi while
the people who came to receive their leader were not only stopped to enter
the airport but most of them were roughed up by police and law enforcement
agencies at the airport.
Resentment among PPP-P ranks high
Meanwhile, another story says that the PPP-P is being presently run by an
‘oligarchy’ consisting of only half a dozen people instead of collective
wisdom of its Central Executive Committee (CEC), which is being ignored
while taking vital decisions; this is what majority of party’s CEC members
believe.
These senior party leaders also think that following Asif Zardari’s entry
into the party and its politics, there has been much confusion about party
policy vis- a-vis Musharraf regime, given his pro-establishment rhetoric.
Party sources say, there is a lot of resentment within the party the way
things are being tackled without being consulted with its CEC, which was
even ignored when BB decided to assign leadership role to her spouse Asif
Zardari and sent him to Pakistan.
Party sources are of the view that many CEC members felt alienated when a
six-member committee consisting of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Ahmad Mukhtar,
Jehangir Badr, Khalid Ahmad Khan Kharral, Khalid Javed Ghurki and Raja
Pervaiz Ashraf was constituted to deal with matters relating to arrival of
Asif Ali Zardari.
Though most of the committee members are also members of party’s CEC, no
formal meeting of this body was convened to take all its 34 members into
confidence about the whole issue, they said.
A CEC member seeking anonymity told The Nation that before the appearance of
Mr Zardari on the political horizon, it had been a consistent stance of the
PPP-P that it was in contact with the government for revival of democracy,
constitution of an independent Election Commission and holding of next
general elections before 2007.
'But the way Mr. Zardari portrayed the things, it seemed as if there was
some major policy shift with regard to party’s stance towards the
establishment, which was a hard nut to crack for many staunch PPP-P leaders
and workers',thr story adds.
Yet, some senior PPP-P leaders met at Islamabad a few days back and decided
to talk to party Chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto about the whole state of
affairs.
Leader of the Opposition in Senate Raza Rabbani was assigned the
responsibility to go to Dubai and get things cleared from Ms Benazir. Mr
Rabbani had a meeting with Ms Benazir Bhutto at Dubai last Sunday and
returned to Islamabad satisfied, as she assured him that there was
absolutely no change in party policy towards the establishment and that Asif
would be asked "to be careful" about it in future.
Raza Rabbani Reax
When contacted, Raza Rabbani said he did meet Ms Benazir Bhutto in Dubai,
but it was a scheduled meeting and no issue concerning the pro-establishment
posture of Mr Zardari was raised. He also denied there was any controversy
within the party regarding its policy towards the establishment.
"It had been PPP-P’s consistent stance that it was in contact with the
present rulers for restoration of 1973 Constitution, formation of an
independent Election Commission and holding of next general elections much
before 2007", he said by adding, "this was the party position which would
remain unchanged".

'PML-N satisfied with PPP's clarification'
By Amir Wasim
ISLAMABAD, April 25:
Senior leaders of the People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) and the Pakistan
Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday announced that there was no threat to
the existence of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) as the
parties had successfully removed misunderstandings between them.
Talking to Dawn after a meeting of senior leaders of the two parties, ARD
secretary-general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said the PPP leaders had assured the
PML-N leadership that they would not take any solo flight and talks with the
government would be held only from the ARD platform.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Raza Rabbani and Enver Baig attended the meeting from
the PPP side while Raja Zafarul Haq, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Iqbal Zafar
Jhagra, Tehmina Daultana, Ishaq Dar and Syed Zafar Ali Shah represented the
PML-N.
Mr Jhagra, who is also the secretary-general of the PML-N, said that his
party was now satisfied with the clarifications given by the PPP regarding
the ongoing reconciliation process. He said the PPP leaders had informed
them that at present no formal negotiations were being held with the
government or the establishment.
The ARD secretary-general said talks between the PPP and the PML-N were held
in a very cordial atmosphere and leaders of both the parties vowed to
implement the ARD charter as agreed in a recent meeting between PPP
chairperson Benazir Bhutto and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif in Jeddah.
He said the leaders of the two parties agreed that extreme caution would be
exercised from both sides before issuing any statement on policy matters. A
source told Dawn that the PML-N leaders expressed serious concern over the
statements of Asif Zardari in which he had said that the army was a reality
and the PPP was ready to hold talks with it.
The source said the PPP leaders told the PML-N leadership that Asif Zardari
was husband of Ms Bhutto and had no office in the party and, therefore, his
views could not be considered policy statements.
Talking to reporters at the farm house residence of Makhdoom Amin Fahim soon
after the meeting, the ARD leaders said they would continue the struggle for
the restoration of the 1973 constitution and parliament's sovereignty and
the alliance would continue to stay in existence till the achievement of
these objectives.
PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq said that no component party of the ARD
would hold talks or make any agreement with Gen Pervez Musharraf on its own.
He added that some misunderstanding had developed between the two parties
due to the statements of some PPP leaders but it had now been removed.
Mr Fahim said no party would leave the alliance, formed by the late
Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, till the achievement of its objectives. He said a
meeting of the heads of component parties had been convened in Islamabad on
Thursday to discuss the future strategy.
It may be mentioned that at a press conference on Thursday, acting PML-N
parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan announced that his party would
stay away from all activities of the 17-party ARD owing to the attitude of
the PPP.
Mr Nisar had asked the PPP to clarify its position whether it wanted to hold
talks with the establishment or to launch a movement against the military
government. He had also accused the PPP leadership of not taking his party
into confidence about plans for the reception for ex-senator Asif Zardari in
Lahore on April 16 and expressed concern over Mr Zardari's statements that
the PPP was holding talks with the rulers.
Soon after Mr Nisar's news conference, Mr Fahim went to the PML-N chairman's
residence on the directive of party chairperson Benazir Bhutto and requested
him for a meeting of senior leadership of the two parties on Monday.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns obstacles in way of justice to Party workers
Denounces continued arrest of workers throughout Punjab
Demands release of workers and end to political victimisation
Islamabad April 25, 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson PPP Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has
condemned the obstructions being placed in the path of PPP supporters
maliciously arrested by the authorities in the Punjab.
"The authorities were not only deliberately denying the political workers
judicial release after unconstitutionally arresting them but were also
arresting even more workers", she said in a statement today.
She said that earlier the members of the political opposition were bailed
out but rearrested on terrorism charges. After the lawyers tried to get
their powers of attorney, several hundred were shifted to prevent powers of
attorney being signed.
The former Prime Minister said that more than five hundred PPP supporters
were in prisons many of them wearing clothes they had on when they went to
Lahore airport on April 16 to welcome Senator Asif Ali Zardari. Preventive
arrests still continued in the towns and cities of Punjab, she said.
She said that the PPP supporters would not be deterred by the harsh measures
taken by the administration in the Punjab. "In fact the Punjab authorities
were exposing their own fascist tendencies by the inhuman measures they had
taken".
She saluted the spirit of the PPP supporters and told them to be strong.
"Tyranny never lasted and those who were violating the constitution would
soon repent the days that they did so".
She also demanded the release of arrested workers and an end to the hounding
of political opposition.

PPP apprises Commonwealth of the plight of PPP arrested workers
Islamabad, April 25, 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has apprised the Commonwealth of the continued
imprisonment and denial of judicial process of the PPP workers who were
unconstitutionally arrested by the Pakistani regime on the eve of Asif Ali
Zardari’s arrival at Lahore airport on 16 April 2005 and appealed the
Secretary General Commonwealth to help in securing release of PPP workers.
Fauzia Wahab MNA, Central Coordinator Human Rights Cell, PPP in a letter
addressed to Mr. Don McKinnon, the Secretary General Commonwealth, detailing
the victimisation of PPP workers wrote, "Hundreds of pro-democracy
supporters arrested when they went to Lahore on April 16, 2005 to receive
Opposition leader Asif Ali Zardari are being held incommunicado by the
Punjab administration. They are still wearing the clothes they had on April
15, 2005 when they left for Lahore. They have no contact with their
families. Several hundred workers were bailed out by the Peoples Lawyers
Forum. The regime rearrested them on terrorism charges. As soon as the PLF
lawyers went to get their power of attorney to file a case, they were sent
to different jails across Punjab to prevent legal access. As soon as they
were re-located, they were once again spread to different jails to prevent
them from signing powers of attorney that are the first step for legal
redress. Thousands of our workers were arrested from the railway station, or
picked up from the highways or caught from the bus-stands. These peaceful
citizens of Pakistan, whose crime is that they wanted to show their love for
Opposition leader Mr. Zardari by receiving him at Lahore airport have been
booked under section 7 of the Anti-Terrorist Act."
Regarding charges of terrorism against democratic and political forces, she
wrote, "Section 7 of the ATA signifies that the arrested are now all
terrorists involved in "sabotage, arson, kidnapping and sectarian killing".
Punishment under this section is DEATH. These are non-bail able offences.
Our arrested workers will now be tried in special courts. Of the eight
hundred of our missing workers till filing this report, only 456 of them
could be located, while the rest are untraceable. Those located have been
put in the various jails of the province, including 206 in Faislabad, 86 in
Sahiwal, 47 in Multan, 28 in Gujranwala, 32 in Sargodha, 27 in Jehlum, and
30 in Mianwali. PPP Parliamentarian Ms. Naheed Khan filed an omnibus
petition before the Lahore High Court asking the Court's intervention to
demand that the people arrested in connection with the Lahore reception for
Mr. Zardari be produced. The Lahore High Court has refused to intervene on
technical grounds."
Detailing difficulties faced by the families of the arrested workers Fauzia
Wahab, wrote, "The families of those missing are deeply perturbed. They are
running from pillar to post to find out their whereabouts, but the local
administration has refused help them. The Lawyers Forum of the PPP is trying
its level best in helping them. Many of them were working in various private
companies and were the only bread winner of their families. This cowardly
act of the Punjab Regime is a denial of democratic values. Freedom of
movement, freedom of association, freedom of speech and political
association are guaranteed rights under the constitution of Pakistan to
every citizen of the country. Booking our workers under the heinous
Anti-Terrorism Act is in itself a gross abuse and disregard of Human rights.
It is also making a mockery of the serious charge of terrorism by applying
it to peaceful citizens going to receive a political leader from the
airport."

Mohtarma Bhutto congratulates family of released Pak Embassy official
Islamabad April 25, 2005:
On behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party, former Prime Minister Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto has welcomed the release of kidnapped official of the
Pakistan embassy in Iraq.
In a message today Mohtarma congratulated Malik Mohammad Jawed and his
family on his release and said that she was happy that the ordeal of the
family as well as the country was over happily.
Malik Mohammad Javed, an assistant at the Baghdad Pakistani embassy, was
missing since April 9. In a videotapes message he had appealed for release.

Swedish Political Party demands General Musharraf to release PPP Workers
Condemns use of force against PPP
Islamabad, 25 April 2005:
The Swedish Social Democratic Party has strongly condemned the use of force
against PPP workers on the arrival of Asif Ali Zardari at Lahore airport on
16 April 2005 and demanded General Musharraf for their immediate release.
The Secretary General, the Swedish Social Democratic Party, Marita Ulrskog,
Chairperson the Swedish Social Democratic Women’s Association, Nalin Pekgul
and International Secretary, the Swedish Social Democratic Party, Ann Linde
in a letter addressed to General Musharraf condemning the arrest of PPP
workers wrote, "It has come to our knowledge that thousands of workers,
supporters and parliamentarians of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) last
week was arrested during peaceful manifestations in various regions of
Pakistan. Violence, arbitrary arrests and the use of force do not belong in
a democratic state. We strongly condemn the government’s and authorities’
actions in this matter and demand the immediate release of those still held
in custody."
The letter was sent today to the Pakistani Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden to
forward it to General Musharraf.

Federation is at stake PPP is there to save it: Zardari
LAHORE, April 25:
Pakistan Peoples Party leader Senator Asif Ali Zardari has said that from
NWFP to Balochistan and to Sindh, the federation is at stake and the
provinces have been alienated.
Danger to Pakistan is real and we have to strive hard to push these dangers
away by restoring the democracy and the people’s power in the country, which
could eliminate, poverty, hunger, unemployment and injustice from the
country, he told a jam-packed Lahore High Court Bar Association’s (LHCBA)
Shuhda-e-Karachi Hall where he received an standing ovation and the lawyers
kept clapping for over five minutes to give Mr Zardari a rousing welcome.
Asif Zardari led a big procession of the party workers and leaders from
Lahore Bilawal House to LHCBA to address its members.
He said the establishment is not just the military bureaucracy and the
soldiers. It consists of people in the judiciary, it consists of the people
in the media, it consists of large industrialists, it consists of all the
interest groups all around the world, not just in Pakistan. “There is a
larger interest group which has given up in our great nation. There are
already think tanks which are predictiong that the future the geographical
picture of Pakistan will be different. I will, with your help and with the
people of Pakistan stand against them. I challenge them and I said to them
we will not break we will survive, we will survive under the leadership of
Mohtrama Benazir Bhutto as people like myself who will suffer even more if
we need to. Thousands of people today are languishing in prison tell me what
makes them go voluntarily after all we democratic forces are voluntarily
peoples.”
The PPP leader said that three great personalities who play key role in the
foundation and history of Pakistan belonged to lawyers community. He pointed
it Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Allam Mohammad Iqbal and Shaheed
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto are the glittering stars of Pakistan gifted by the
lawyers community to the nation of Pakistanis.
He euologised the legal fraternity for being in the forefront in the
struggle for the restoration of democracy and for the rights of the people
and added “You the defenders of democracy and defenders of law.”
Addressing the lawyers, he said, “you will always find a place in my heart
and in the heart of the PPP, because you welcomed us in bad times. You
fought with us, you stood by us, you gave me hope when there was none, you
gave the hope of democracy, whern there was none. You stand today with us
for freedom of democracy and democratic rights.
Acknowledging the sacrifices of lawyers during the fight for restoration of
democracy, Asif Zardari promised them, “We stand by you in this august
fight.”
He specially mentioned the names of leading lawyers who stood by him during
his trials from Raja Anwar, Jehangir, Farooq Naik, Sarder Lateef Khosa, Dr
Babar Awan to Aitzaz Ahsan.
He said that the establishment chose military solution to the East Pakistan
issue and you saw that we lost it. But in the bargain Punjab was blamed for
it. I came here to make sure that Punjab is not blamed again for any of
their actions today because you in the Punjab are as democratic, as wealthy,
and as poor as anybody else in Sindh, Balochistan or NWFP. Today the divide
between the rich and poor is increasing and despite the tall claims of the
government we still see the people killing themselves, burning themselves,
throwing themselves off the bridges, throwing themselves off the Minar-e-Pakistan.
“Never before in the history of Pakistan or the faith of Islam has that even
happened.”
Targeting the regime, he said, “you can’t shoulder the burden of Pakistan.
The danger is too grave. Your mind is not set. Your mind does not have the
capacity to find the solution because as before and as in the past military
might and military solutions are no solutions to the problems faced by our
own people.”
He said we won’t accept short of a complete democracy and complete power to
the people.
Earlier, in her welcome address, Justice (Retd) Fakhrunissa Khokhar,
President LHCBA said that there neither democracy and supremacy of law in
the country. The judiciary is not independent. She said had there been an
independent judiciary and supremacy of law in the country the dictatorships
could not have propped up and imposed.
She said that the jails and police lock-ups in Punjab have been over crowded
with the innocent PPP workers and right of the free movement of the people
was obstructed and restricted. She said those coming to Lahore to receive
Asif Ali Zardari were not only arrested but fixed in terrorism charges.
The LHCBA President said that Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who gave
Constitution to this country and create a respectable position of Pakistan
among Muslim countries and the world was murdered. While Mohtrama Benazir
Bhutto who is the beloved leader of the people of Pakistan was forced to
live in exile and her spouse Asif Ali Zardari spent eight years in jail
without any conviction.
In the end she said we hope that judiciary will be made independent and an
era of true democracy given to the country.
The PPP leaders who were present on the occasion included Jahangir Badr,
Chaudhry Aitazaz Hasan, Raja Parvaiz Ashraf, Qasim Zia, Sheikh Rafiq, Naveed
Chaudhry, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Ms. Mizbah Yaseen, Mrs
Talat Yaqoob, Ms Ruksana Bangash, Khalid Khar, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, and
others.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns gang rape in Sialkot
Demands culprits be arrested and brought to justice
Islamabad April 23, 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto has expressed deep anguish over the rape incident in Sialkot
and the bid at self immolation of the father of the girl.
A teen-age girl was gang raped in Sialkot last week allegedly by three men
who later made good their escape. The father of the victim has alleged that
when he took the matter to the police, two officials of the Sialkot Civil
Lines Police instead of helping also assaulted her. The police were now
allegedly forcing him to reach a compromise with the accused police
officials.
The father Asghar Bhatti protesting against the police pressure on him to
withdraw the gang rape case tried to torch himself outside Lahore Press
Club, but was rescued.
In a statement today the former Prime Minister held the rulers responsible
for the humiliation of women through gang rape and other acts of violence
against them. She said that gang rapes were on the rise ever since the gang
rape of Dr Shazia in Sui was hushed up mysteriously.
"While these incidents continue to bring bad name to the country in the
world the rulers are mindlessly pursuing political opponents for vendetta".
She asked the regime to immediately arrest the culprits and award them
exemplary punishment under the law.
The former Prime Minster also directed the women parliamentarians of the
Party to visit the victim and to provide her moral and legal support.
The Party Chairperson also directed various committees of the Party to raise
the issue before international human rights bodies and foreign diplomats in
Islamabad.

PPP apprises UN Commission for HR of continued incarceration of PPP Workers
Islamabad, April 23, 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has apprised the United Nation Commission for Human
Rights of the continued imprisonment of 800 PPP workers by the Pakistan
regime despite its claim that al the PPP activists have been released.
In a letter addressed to Mr. Bertrand Ramcharan the acting high
commissioner, the Central Coordinator of Human Rights Desk, PPP, Ms. Fauzia
Wahab MNA wrote, "In the Lower Mall police station alone there are about 180
activists who are being caused great discomfort by being squeezed in a
claustrophobic environment. Others have been kept in a horse stable with a
view to degrade them further. The overcrowding of the cells has led to the
toilets breaking down and the regime is refusing to fix the toilets. There
is a nauseating smell and no toilet facilities. This is being done to
torture the detainees which is inhuman and against UN rules and regulations.
Moreover, in some police stations, sewerage water has been deliberately
released in the lock ups to wet the detainees with dirty water. Such
primitive methods of punishment are unlawful and contribute to intolerance,
immoderation and extremism."
Regarding the victimisation of women activists, she wrote, "Our lady
activists from other provinces, who were arrested on the 15th of April and
sent on judicial remand to Kot Lakhpat Jail, have been asked to furnish a
surety bond of Rs. 50,000/- each. On the April 18, 2005 the PPP arranged for
the amount, but the Magistrate became untraceable when the amount was to be
submitted. Thus our women are still behind the bars. Most of them are
working women who had come only for the weekend to attend the reception
rally of Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, but as they are unable to return to their
jobs, it is likely that their services will be terminated."
She further wrote, "In a country where trade unionism is banned and where
the private sector has immense hiring and firing power, such activities are
disapproved. A political worker in our society is most vulnerable in such
situation. He lives in an environment of constant job insecurity. Besides
the mental and physical torture that he or she had to go through, they are
now threatened with the possibility of losing their jobs. The stopping of
our workers, indeed, from exercising their democratic political right has
exposed the government's claim of being tolerant and liberal towards the
opposition. They over-reacted."
Exposing the duality of the regime Ms. Wahab wrote, "Their tolerant face
remains confined to the religious parties only, who are allowed to take out
rallies, processions and hold public meetings in all the four corners of the
country, but the same policy of tolerance becomes inapplicable when it comes
to the Peoples Party. They know that the PPP is a genuine political party,
which has its roots in the masses and they fear its political power. To
quote the Human Rights Watch group: ". democracies do not use force to
prevent peaceful gatherings. There is nothing enlightened or moderate about
arresting thousands of people who merely want to participate in the
country's political process"."
"The Human Rights Cell of the Pakistan Peoples Party condemns the oppressive
government of the PML (Q) and demands the immediate release of our workers
in Kot Lakhpat Jail and the various police stations of Lahore", Fauzia Wahab
concluded.

Mohtarma Bhutto welcomes election of new Pontiff
Says it is time of celebration for Christian community
Islamabad April 23, 2005:
Former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has welcomed the election of a
new Pontiff by the Vatican following the passing away of Pope John Paul 11
as a day of significance and celebration for people of the Christian faith.
Felicitating the new Pontiff on behalf of the PPP the former Prime Minster
said that the new pontiff has chosen the name Benedict, which in Latin means
"blessed" and expressed the hope that his era would be a blessed one not
only for the Christians but also for the world community.
She recalled the earlier Pope Benedict XV whose papacy coincided with the
First World War used diplomatic skills to end conflict and to bring peace.
She hoped that the new Pope's era would also be a harbinger of peace and of
inter-faith understanding and harmony.
The former Prime Minister said that when John Paul II was elected, the
international community's concern revolved on East-West relations. Pope
Benedict takes over the Papacy at a time when relations with the Muslim
world are dominating the world stage, she said and expressed the hope that
relations between Christianity and Islam would continue to grow under him.
Noting the commonality both religions place on helping the poor and needy,
Mohtarma Bhutto prayed that the tensions between the countries of the South
and North over issues such as Globalisation and debt relief would also
decrease.
She congratulated the Christians of Pakistan, and Christians all over the
world, on the election of Pope Benedict.


By Wajid
Shamsul Hasan
LONDON,
April 24: Contrary to the wishes and high hopes of Pakistan's Defence
Minister, Sindh Chief Minister and many others in the Government who had
committed to resign if Asif Ali Zardari returned home, the former Senator
did manage to be back despite the state of siege clamped on the provincial
capital.
At the time of
writing this piece from amongst thousands of PPP supporters arrested during
the government's panic operation, quite a large number are still in police
custody while barricades that had been erected around Lahore's Bilawal House
remain put in the debris of President General Pervez Musharraf's
'enlightened moderation' and self-trumpeted democratic credentials.
The red-alert at
the Pakistani airports, swarming of the provincial capital with more than
25,000-strong police force, suspension of train services, clampdown on
private transporters, massive arrests and curfew-like conditions in and
around Lahore Airport, hours before the landing had won the day for Benazir
Bhutto, her spouse and the PPP much before the actual event.
While people in
Pakistan were directly affected by the government's brutal operation,
fig-leaf of General Pervez Musharraf's credibility or call what you may, was
torn into pieces by CNN, BBC and the international electronic and print
media world over by keeping their cameras focused on the ugly scenes showing
journalists accompanying Zardari being bodily dragged by the police into
their vans. It remained first lead for several hours despite Musharraf doing
his high-profile Delhi yatra and best of efforts by his media managers to
get him first on the box. Asif's return proved to be much more important
than Musharraf's visit to Delhi.
Although the
entire operation was carried out on a war footing by the government, the day
belonged to Asif Zardari for his courage and the PPP workers and supporters
for their democratic commitment. The "jiyalas" were back in their old
fighting form with determination to do and die for the party and its leader
Benazir Bhutto. One of them actually tried to torch himself to death in
protest.
The extent of
party's strength and popularity can be judged from the crude show of relief
expressed by the Punjab Chief Minister who lost no time in hosting a feasty
feast for the Punjab police personnel for laying a successful siege of the
provincial capital. A senior police officer on surety of anonymity told me
on phone: "Message from Lahore must be profoundly reassuring for the PPP
Chairperson who is reported to be deliberating over the possible dates to
return home."
Yet another
officer whose job was on the line during the operation, commenting on the
lavish "bara khana" for the police said: "Wait for the Independence
Day Award list. You shouldn' t be surprised to see many get medals for
'winning' the battle for Lahore. It was a 'victory' like that of Kargil".
I can understand
the cynicism under lying this remark. After all most of the medals that
comically decorate the Khakis are not given for performing bravely in war
against the country but for the battles against the Pakistani people fought
in Waziristan, Baluchistan or Sindh.
The
Financial Times correspondent in Islamabad, Farhan Bokhari, believes
much of the satisfaction for "Mr Zardari must come from the sheer
incompetence which went into the government's handling of his arrival in
Lahore last week. From battling journalists on that inbound flight, to
confining politicians to the safety of official detention facilities,
General Musharraf's government has only proven that political and civil
liberties in today's Pakistan must have limitations.
The idea of
enlightened moderation notwithstanding, the government has suffered one of
the worst setbacks to its relations with the Pakistani Press in the wake of
Mr Zardari's return journey. In spite of much lip service to the contrary,
the Pakistani government has no way of demonstrating that it remains
tolerant to dissent."
The enormous
state of siege and the operation to stop the masses from welcoming back
Zardari has profusely demonstrated the fact that the PPP, under the
undisputed leadership of Benazir Bhutto, remains the strongest threat to the
forces of status quo, the Praetorian establishment and its created political
hangers-on as manifested in the form of PML-Q and the sunshine Patriots.
The countrywide
mobilization by the PPP in such a short time shows how deep its roots are in
the masses. It is also an _expression of confidence and explicit faith of
the downtrodden people in its leadership to free them of the exploitative
hold of those who do not believe in power to the people. Men and women in
the street believe that it is only the PPP that can help them fulfil their
democratic and socio-economic aspirations and empower them to be masters of
their own destiny. It is the popular belief that Benazir and PPP being the
true heirs to Shaheed Bhutto's legacy and commitment of 'roti, kapra and
makkan', can bring to an end their socio-economic miseries and
strangulation.
The siege of
Lahore and unleashing of state tyranny on the unarmed people exercising
their democratic right to assemble has established beyond any iota of doubt
that it is nothing but naked totalitarianism under the veneer of a so-called
parliamentary system - a Praetorian contraption not based on the will of the
people or their mandate but on the use of brute force by usurper forces.
The magnitude of
oppression in the "Operation Lahore", besides subjecting the people with
untold sufferings, also exposed the General in the eyes of his western
democratic friends who wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt regarding
his claim that he was seeking support from liberal forces and that that he
wanted to build an enlightened society.
The intolerant,
immoderate and extremist reaction to a peaceful political rally clearly has
demonstrated well that the regime was incapable of defending the values of
enlightenment. Not only that, it has also brought into international focus
the regime's politics of duplicity and selectivity.
The ban of the
PPP rally and brutal treatment to the people much before they had assembled
coupled with General Musharraf's defence of the MMA's so-called 'million
marches' (publicized by the official media as such) 'as peaceful,
disciplined and well-organised' has established a conspiratorial liaison
between him and the MMA obviously to blackmail the world community to accept
the military dictatorship or face a Jihadi take over of Pakistan's nuclear
assets.
In this context
it is worth reminding the international community that it were his Jihadi
favorites from the MMA fold under the provincial government of his blue eyed
boys, the Choudhries of Gujrat, that a marathon race of boys and girls was
allowed to be attacked and beaten up by the Jihadi goons while the Punjab
police remained a silent witness to the ugly operation victims of which are
still nursing their wounds.
It is now an
established pattern that the regime runs with the American hare and hunts
with the Jihadi hounds. An operation on war footing denying the democratic
right to hold a rally to the PPP has demonstrated that the regime was indeed
conspiring to allow the MMA the advantage of political freedom and deny the
same to the moderate and liberal opposition parties. Analysts apprehend this
duplicity could backfire on the nation just as support to extremist elements
among the Afghan Mujahideen had backfired resulting in the emergence of the
Taliban and the Al-Qaeda.
The countrywide
crackdown on PPP also exposed the regime's cat-and-mouse game in pursuing
its so-called policy of reconciliation. It had claimed that an even playing
field would be allowed to all the political parties. Its resort to imposing
a state of siege on Lahore has proved as utterly false its claim at
reconciliation. By denying to PPP the political space given to the MMA and
PML-Q as well as others to hold public meetings, rallies, processions and
bus in their supporters from different parts of the country without
hindrance from the authorities, has exposed its bias against the country's
largest and most popularly liberal party.
The regime has
thus knocked the bottom off the popular perception created by it to show to
the world that it was seeking and working at reconciliation with genuinely
enlightened democratic forces.
The so-called
political and democratic contraption that General Musharraf has established
following the grossly flawed and overly rigged elections in 2002 replacing
the federal parliamentary system as envisaged in the 1973 Constitution, is
neither democratic nor federal. It did not have anything to do with the
people or their vital interests. It had only one aim: to consolidate power
in one single individual who is also the army chief and to hoodwink the
world by masquerading it as democratic.
As a result of
its gross failure and its speedy unraveling, life in Pakistan has become
short, brutish and nasty with mounting problems for the people leaving them
with minimal opportunity for survival.
It is time to
call a spade a spade. Successive military dictators have led the military as
an institution into disrepute and ever since the murder of Shaheed Zulfikar
Ali Bhutto the country has been plunged into a fratricidal conflict struggle
between the Bonapartist generals and the people of Pakistan, the former
enforcing might as right with the barrel of the gun opposed by the masses
seeking the supremacy of the vote.
We have had 57
years of chequered history. There is not much time left. We have to resolve
various contradictions before all is over for us. The challenges faced by
the masses are socio-economic and politically multifaceted and they can only
be overcome through democratically institutionalized existence. General
Pervez Musharraf, as the so-called democratic leader of the "most
militarized state" in the world has acquired the stamp of legitimacy not
from his own people but from his foreign masters.
There is a
consensus that Bonapartists have pushed Pakistan into a quagmire of problems
that pose much more serious a challenge than that of 1971. There is a big
question mark on its future and its very survival as a federal state is in
doubt especially when its generals and those politicians in cahoots with
them seem to be determined in pushing Quaid's Pakistan it into the dustbin
of history.
The unwavering
support of voters between 38 to 42 per cent that the PPP has sustained since
its inception shows the confidence masses have in its leadership and why
not. Political history of the sub-continent hardly has a match in personal
sacrifice where a family lost its head of the family (ZAB), Begum Bhutto
perennially afflicted with a wound that has now taken the toll, with her two
sons (Shahnawaz and Murtaza Bhutto) murdered by the Establishment and where
its Chairperson (Benazir Bhutto) and her spouse (Asif Zardari) have waddled
through oceans of torture, prosecution and persecution without compromising
on their principles and commitment to serve the poor, come what may.
Time is running
out fast on the military establishment to realize that sooner than later it
has to make room for a genuine government of the people, by the people and
for the people. It cannot continue its hold on the destiny of the nation by
proxy or through a civilian charade. It must reconcile itself to productive
co-existence with Pakistan People's Party so that both could play a role
complimentary to each other for the good of the people and the country.
Asif Zardari's
recent statement that PPP is ready to carry along the military establishment
on its democratic goal should not be construed as one made from a position
of weakness or on the basis of a deal. Most certainly not. It reflects a
ground reality. Pakistan is threatened with annihilation. To save it would
require a national effort. And only a party as large and popular as PPP has
the courage and strength to restore our military the image of a national
institution rather than a handmaid of ambitious generals. Its leadership has
the guts and vision to make it integral part of national life again rather
than its present perception that it is above the state.
Today General
Musharraf, many years too late and after much damage, has adopted most of
PPP's positions on foreign policy, relations with India and Kashmir issue.
He is following on the dotted lines drawn by Benazir Bhutto including the
confidence building measures, softening of the borders, bus service etc.,
while few years back he had considered her a security risks.
Time has come to
destroy seeds of animosity sowed by some ambitious generals between PPP and
the military. It needs to be remembered that soon after the generals had
surrendered East Pakistan to the Indian army in 1971 President Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto was advised by the opposition leaders from the smaller provinces to
cut army to a size so that it does not have the teeth to bite the civilian
authority.
Bhutto had a
different vision. In view of the inevitable threats to Pakistan's survival
and the role he had sought for Pakistan as a global player, he chose to
emphasis on the need for strengthening of the nation's defence capability
supplemented by self-sufficiency and economic development.
His answer to
such a situation was to develop 'a local industrial potential for equipping
its armed forces with more sophisticated weapons' including the nuclear
capability 'even if the nation had to eat to grass'. He had believed that
'the effect of a nation's diplomatic activities is often related to the
weight of its fighting capacity'.
His daughter,
despite what General Zia had done to her father and defying foreign powers
that had threatened to make him a horrible example, preferred the same path
to strengthen Pakistan's defence by giving it missile technology making it
capable of carrying its defensive warheads to hit the targets from where it
expected to be attacked.
The writer
is a former Pakistan High Commissioner to UK.

PPP workers from Sindh dispersed in jails in Punjab
Party protests, urges international bodies to intervene
Islamabad April 23, 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has condemned the manipulation of judicial
process to victimize the Party workers who had tried to welcome Asif Zardari
on return to Lahore on April 16.
The arrested Party workers have been dispersed to different towns across the
province to make the process of judicial relief more difficult for them.
This is mockery of the judicial process and is designed with malafide intent
to deny justice and torture the political workers", said a spokesman of the
Party in a statement today.
Thousands of Party workers in Lahore were detained and cases under section
16 MPO and 188 PPC registered against them for arranging peaceful reception
of Senator Asif Ali Zardari.
As soon as the workers were arrested the legal aid committees of the PLF
started providing the legal aid to the workers throughout Punjab. Bail
applications were filed but as the civil judges and magistrates began giving
bails the rulers brought in new terrorism charges under section 7 of the
Anti terrorism Act 1997 against the workers thus effectively blocking their
bail.
When the lawyers started filing bail applications before the special courts
trying terrorism cases the government retaliated by dispersing the political
prisoners particularly those from Sindh to jails in different towns of
Punjab.
The Party denounces in the strongest terms the shifting of Party workers
belonging to Sindh to jails in Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Gujranwala, Sialkot and
Sheikhupura in the Punjab.
This is fascism and thuggery in the extreme and will breed hatred against
Punjab in other provinces, the spokesman said.
The Party asks the regime not to take political vendetta that far and cause
irreversible damage to the federation, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that the Party would also approach international bodies
against this travesty of justice. "The Party also urges human rights bodies,
members of the legal fraternity and civil society to raise their voice
against this patent injustice and barbarity".

Elections in Pakistan this
year, says Zardari
Pakistan Times
Punjab Bureau Report

LAHORE: PPP-P leader Asif Ali Zardari Saturday
reiterated that party would make 2005 as election year and Benazir Bhutto
will be the Prime Minister for third time.
“Those who had launched negative propaganda on my visit to Dubai are
disturbed and frustrated with my arrival,” Zardari told a meeting of the
office-bearers and workers of Peoples Labour Bureau (PLB), Punjab and its
affiliated organisations at Bilawal House.
He said the elections would be held this year as the rulers have failed to
deliver. Only a democratic leadership could pull the country out of crisis,
he added.
Zardari said he has learnt a lot in jails and analysed Pakistan’s internal
and external situation. He said; "the rulers are asserting the success of
their economic policies but the poverty, unemployment and inflation have
registered unprecedented increase".
The poor economic conditions have compelled
the poor, downtrodden and the unemployed to commit suicide and God knows who
is benefiting from so-called increase in foreign exchange reserves in the
country, he said.
Zardari said that his party would not tolerate any injustices with the
labour community and would continue to raise its voice for their rights. He
said the labourers have always played an admirable role for democracy and
development of the country but the rulers have imposed some merciless laws
upon them.
He pledged that PPP would abolish all such laws which go against the
interests of this community, which remains to be the backbone of every
country. He asked the labourers to come forward to play their role in the
struggle for saving the country and restoration of democracy.
Zardari has made it clear that party has no room for those who left the
party leadership and workers in lurch at hard times and abandoned them for
the greed of ministries.
Addressing party workers and office-bearers from Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar,
Rahimyar Khan, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin and Gujrat at Bilawal
House, Zardari said “We don’t want to bring the people to the streets and
create law and order situation but we would pursue our struggle through
constitutional and democratic means under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto”.
He said all the workers and leaders of the PPP will strive hard to make the
party more strong and to accomplish the mission of Shaheed Bhutto.
Zardari said he would go to every district in Punjab and would contact the
people and workers directly as the PPP belonged to the poor, the
downtrodden, peasants and labourers.
Every worker who is silence for some reasons will be mobilised and taken
along in the struggle for the restoration of true democracy, he added.
Zardari said that it was the PPP which sowed the seed of democracy in
Pakistan and it would again be the PPP which will make democracy stronger in
the country.
Earlier, the party office-bearers paid tributes to Asif Zardari "for braving
eleven years in jails and facing boldly all the injustices inflicted by the
undemocratic regimes".
Zardari received rousing welcome when he arrived to address them. PPP Punjab
President Qasim Zia, Shah Mehmood Qureshi MNA, Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan,
Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Ch Zaka Ashraf, Mian Mumtaz Matiana, Imtiaz Safdar
Warraich, Riaz Ahmed Dahar also spoke on the occasion.
workers from Karachi and other parts of the province and he assured that
that the people of Sindh would continue to struggle for the restoration of
democracy and national integrity despite getting harsh treatment at the
Punjab government.
“We consider Punjab government as
unrepresentative and autocratic whose policies are not supported by the
Punjabis,” they added.

Terrorism
cases against PPP workers:
Zardari to
move SC
Daily Times:
Staff Report
LAHORE: Asif Ali Zardari, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)
leader and husband of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, has said that
he, with the help of human rights organisations, will move the Supreme Court
challenging the registration of cases under Section 7-A of the
Anti-terrorism Act against PPP activists.
He was talking to a People’s Lawyers Forum delegation which called on him at
Bilawal House on Saturday. Zardari said that he would personally appear
before the Supreme Court as petitioner.
He praised lawyers for their struggle to restore democracy and revive the
1973 Constitution.
Addressing leaders and party workers from Bahawalpur and Gujranwala
districts, Zardari said that “turncoats” (PPP Patriots) would not be
accepted back into the party again.
“We do not want to bring the people on the streets and create a law and
order situation, but we will pursue our struggle through constitutional and
democratic means under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto.” He said that all
PPP workers and leaders should strive to make the party stronger and take
the mission of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to every Pakistani.
He said that he would go to every district in Punjab and contact the people
directly. Every worker would be mobilised in the struggle for the
restoration of democracy, Zardari added.
PPP leaders Qasim Zia, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan,
Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf, Mian Mumtaz Matiana, Imtiaz
Safdar Warraich and Riaz Ahmed Dahar spoke on the occasion.
Addressing a People’s Labour Bureau meeting at Bilawal House, Zardari said
that the PPP would make 2005 an election year and Benazir Bhutto would
become prime minister for a third time.
“Those who launched negative propaganda on my visit to Dubai are frustrated
by my arrival.”
He urged labourers to fight for the restoration of democracy. Zardari
predicted the current regime would soon fall as it had failed to deliver.
“Only democratic leadership can pull the country out of crisis,” said
Zardari. Zardari said that the government’s claims of booming the economy
were belied by increasing poverty, unemployment and inflation.
The meeting passed a resolution demanding the immediate release of detained
party workers, withdrawal of false cases against Benazir Bhutto and other
party leaders and abolition of anti-labour laws.
— to address LHCBA tomorrow
LAHORE: Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan People’s Party leader and husband of
former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, will address the Lahore High Court Bar
Association (LHCBA) at the Karachi Shuhda Hall at 10:30am tomorrow (Monday).
LHCBA president Justice (r) Fakharunnisa Khokhar invited Zardari to address
the bar. staff report

Mohtarma Bhutto felicitates Kazi Asad Abid
Islamabad April 21, 005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto has felicitated Kazi Asad Abid of Daily Ibrat on his election
as Secretary General of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society.
In a letter addressed to Kazi Asad Abid the former Prime Minster said, "I am
writing to congratulate you on behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party and
myself on your election as the Secretary General of the All Pakistan
Newspapers Society. This is an important body and represents the entire
print media in the country. It is a singular honour to have been elected for
the eighth time".
The former Prime Minister also felicitated all other office bearers of the
APNS and said that she wished them success in their responsibilities.

PPP condemns barricading of Lahore Bilawal House
Demands lifting of siege and restoration of political freedoms
Islamabad April 21, 2005:
The Pakistan Peoples Party has condemned the barricading of Zardari
House in Lahore again by the local administration and stopping the movement
in and out of the House of Senator Asif Ali Zardari and visitors and Party
workers wishing to see him and asked the government to immediate lift the
barricade.
The police cordoned off Zardari House in Lahore Thursday morning and all the
roads leading to it sealed. Mr. Asif Zardari who wanted to go out for
prayers at the mazar of Hazrat Data Gunj Bakhsh was not allowed to leave the
house.
In a statement today a spokesman of the Party said that the political
orphans and the administration was taking away the liberty of the PPP and
its leadership and restricting its political space.
He said that the political space for the Party was shrunk by the breaking of
the PPP districts in Sindh, followed by the dismissal of PPP mayors. While
the MMA and other parties were allowed to hold rallies and public meetings
the PPP was not allowed even to welcome their leader Asif Zardari returning
home after 8 years of jail without conviction.
The spokesman said that the brutal, inhuman and barbaric treatment meted out
to the party workers, journalists and ladies who were subjected to
indescribable physical and meal torture on the eve of Mr Zardari’s return
was unheard of.
Women were beaten and pulled by their hair by male security guards of the
provincial chief minister, journalists were kicked around and workers and
members of parliament were thrown into ghettos. Party workers who were
bailed by courts were re-attested on terrorism charges.
All this was happening even as the media quoted General Musharraf saying
that the PPP was a moderate Party and needed to be given political space,
the spokesman said. The spokesperson said that the positive statements of
General Musharaf at the policy level were yet to be translated into
protection of constitutional guarantees for PPP workers and their supporters
in practical terms on the political field.
The PPP said that while positive statements were being made, the PPP workers
were being subjected to worst kind of savage treatment seen in the sub
continent which was damaging the image of Pakistan across the world.
He demanded that the blockade of the Zardari House be immediately lifted and
the freedoms of Asif Zardari and Party workers restored.

PPP denounces terrorism charges against workers
Demands withdrawal of cases, release of workers
Islamabad, 21 April 2005:
PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf MNA has condemned the re-arrest of PPP workers
who were bailed out by the courts in the Punjab for trying to welcome
Senator Zardari on his return to Lahore on April 16 and warned the rulers of
the grave consequences of victimizing political opponents.
Thousand of Party workers who were arrested in Lahore on April 16 for
welcoming Asif Zardari and were being bailed out by courts were re-arrested
after the workers were charged with terrorism under 7 ATA. The cases of
these workers will now be tried in special courts trying cases of terrorism.
A team of PLF lawyers including Mian M.Jehangir, Farooq Naik, Hanif Tahir,
Mian Shaukat Ali, Iftekhar Shahid, Rashid Lodhi, Amir Hussain Hashmi, Khalid
Hashmi, Shakeel Pasha and Moazam Iqbal Butt approached different courts on
Wednesday asking for release orders of the workers who had been given bails.
However, the Magistrates on duty denied release orders saying that they were
waiting orders from Session judges and Home department. It soon turned out
that the government had instituted new cases under anti terror law against
the workers who could not get bail from ordinary courts.
In a statement today Raja Pervez Ashraf said that it was most barbaric and
inhuman to charge political workers with terrorism. "The claims of tolerance
and moderation are exposed by the fact that while terrorists roam free in
the country the political workers are charged with terrorism".
Raja Pervez Ashraf demanded the immediate withdrawal of terrorism charges
against the workers and their release forthwith. He also called upon the
human rights bodies and legal fraternity to agitate the matter.

Zardari Not to Replace Amin Fahim as President of Parliamentarians —Says PPP
Islamabad, 21 April 2005:
A PPP spokesperson has denied that Mr. Asif Ali Zardari was about to replace
Makhdoom Amin Fahim as President of the Pakistan People’s Party
Parliamentarians.
The spokesman was commenting on MMA chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad’s press
interview in which the latter said that Senator Asif was about to replace
Makhdoom Amin Fahim as the Party President.
However, Mr. Zardari was a senior leader of the PPP who had given enormous
sacrifices for the Party and remained loyal to it despite torture and
imprisonment. He had won the love and affection of the workers that was
evident from the scenes in and around Lahore Bilawal House.
The spokesperson said that the PPP had been responding to dialogue
initiatives with the regime since October 1999. None of these initiatives
however have come to fruition because of the Party’s insistence on the
democratisation and respect to fundamental human rights.
The spokesperson said that the MMA has also been in dialogue with the regime
from time to time since 1999. However, unlike Qazi Hussain Ahmad Sahib and
the MMA, the PPP had neither supported the seventeenth amendment nor gave
General Musharaf the dual offices of army chief and President.
The spokesman said that if it had accepted military dictatorship, its
workers would not have been mercilessly beaten and imprisoned as they had on
April 16th when they went to receive their brother and leader Asif Zardari
on his first visit to Lahore after eight years of imprisonment. The PPP’s
rally was gigantic which is why the entire country's road, railway and bus
services were paralysed when the administration took action against it.
The paralysis of government was a reflection of the fear of the forces
hostile to PPP which was voicing the sentiments of the people and fighting
for their right to Roti, Kapra Aur Makaan, he said.

PPP welcomes ICG report
Says squeezing of democratic parties would spawn terrorism and sectarianism
Islamabad April 21, 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has welcomed the International Crisis Group’s
latest report and called upon the regime not to push the democratic forces
with their back to the wall.
"The State of Sectarianism in Pakistan" report by the ICG says that the
military’s policies of marginalisation of secular democratic forces was
generating religious intolerance and promoting sectarianism.
The International Crisis Group is an independent, non-profit, multinational
organization dedicated to prevent and resolve deadly conflict around the
world.
The report said that ‘sectarian terrorists in Pakistan are thriving’ and
adds ‘because of the military government's unwillingness to contain them
inhibits international efforts against global terrorism’.
The report cautions the western countries that the military rulers were
consciously peddling the notion that the choice in Pakistan was between the
military and the mullahs.
"The choice in Pakistan is between genuine democracy and the military-mullah
alliance that is producing and sustaining religious extremism", it said.
In a statement today spokesman of the PPP said that the Party has always
been saying that the Musharraf regime was deliberately squeezing the
democratic opposition out of mainstream national politics.
This was done so as to tell the west that the choice in nuclear Pakistan was
between military dictatorship and religious dictatorship and if the military
rule was not supported Pakistan’s atomic bombs might fall into the hands of
mullahs, he said.
The spokesman said that was why some western countries supported Musharraf
dictatorship because they thought that weapons of mass destruction in the
hands of the military were safer than in the hands of religious extremist
parties.
"It is reassuring that the myth so carefully nurtured by the military
dictatorship has been exploded", the spokesman said and added, "the Party
urges the international community to take the next step and ensure
restoration of genuine democracy in the country through fair and free
elections this year".
The spokesman recalled that first the mainstream democratic parties were
marginalized by forcing their leaders into exile and banning them from
elections through laws that were given back dated effect. Then the elections
were gerrymandered such that the international community was forced to
denounce them as ‘flawed’.
It was followed by the Army chief declaring himself as the President through
a fraudulent referendum and the re-writing of the Constitution in the GHQ.
The religious parties in the Parliament then endorsed the re-written
Constitution and President in uniform thereby further marginalisng the
democratic parties, he said.
"After saddling himself with power with the help of religious parties the
General then began pedaling the myth that if he was removed the country will
fall into the hands of the religious extremists", the spokesman said and
added, "unfortunately some countries bought this patently spurious and self
serving argument".
The spokesman warned that continue to squeeze the democratic opposition
would only spawn extremism and religious intolerance.

Chairman ARD says misunderstandings will be removed
Islamabad April 21, 2005:
Makhdoom Amin Fahim Chairman ARD has issued the following statement today.
"My attention has been drawn to the press conference by PML(N) leader
Chaudhry Nisar Ahmad today in which he expressed certain reservations about
the PPP as component party in the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy.
"I have not seen the full report of Chaudhry Nisar’s press conference. It
seems to me that some of his observations are based on misunderstanding that
need to be placed in correct perspective.
"It is not abnormal or strange for misunderstandings to crop up between
political parties in any alliance. However there is no misunderstanding that
cannot be clarified or resolved through dialogue and negotiations.
"As regards Mr. Asif Zardari’s mention of dialogue with the rulers to which
Chaudhry Nisar has alluded in his press conference, there is indeed nothing
new or strange in the statement of Mr. Asif Zardari.
"The ARD believes and has reiterated its belief so many times that it is not
shy of dialogue with the rulers to resolve the political issues facing the
country. In talking about dialogue with the rulers Mr. Asif Zardari has only
articulated ARD’s stated position.
"Dialogue has been held from time to time by all political parties with the
regime and it is different from striking deal with the rulers.
"It is my firm belief that any misunderstandings on this and other issues
will be removed after the leaders of the two parties in the ARD have met and
discussed".

Bhutto says use of force
exposed Govt's anti democracy policies
ISLAMABAD,
April 20: Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Benazir Bhutto has
saluted the PPP workers who travelled from the Khunjrab Pass and Karachi
upcountry to welcome PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari joining tens of thousands
of other PPP workers and supporters of democracy along the way.
"The Party and I are proud of my brothers and sisters who had overcome all
obstacles to reach Lahore", she said in a statement today.
She said that the cowardly reaction of the authorities clearly demonstrated
the fear they had of the PPP flood that swept everything away in its path to
reach Lahore where the authorities arrested tens of thousands of PPP
workers.
The former Prime Minister said that the mass mobilization of the PPP
demonstrated that it expressed the aspirations, hopes and dreams of the
millions of people across the land who wanted to end misery, suffering,
hunger, unemployment and inflation by bringing regime.
The parliamentary system produced by the October 2002 elections had failed
dismally in addressing the peoples problems or paving the path for the
transfer of power from dictatorship to democracy.
She said that the authorities had kidnapped workers of the PPP and were
holding them incommunicado. Moreover, the workers had been brutally beaten
suffering fractures, broken ribs, head wounds and injuries resulting in loss
of blood. However, the workers never flinched in the face of such
brutalities knowing that tyranny must be faced with courage.
The PPP was committed to defend the values of truth, honesty, honour and
human dignity that a democratic order alone could uphold, she said.
The former Prime Minister also demanded the release of all PPP workers. She
called upon the Parliamentarians to raise the issue in the Parliament and
not to rest until each and every PPP workers was released.
Benazir Bhutto thanked the members of the Lahore Bar Association, the
Pakistan Human Rights Commission and the PLF lawyers for setting up
committees to secure the release of PPP workers.
She thanked the media for highlighting the state brutalities despite being
targeted themselves.
She noted that Senator Zardari returned to Pakistan despite eight years in
Jail, including torture and threats, to demonstrate solidarity with the
people of Pakistan in their search for freedom and emancipation from
dictatorship, poverty, backwardness and hunger.
Bhutto condemned the cowardly authorities who could not face the PPP
politically and resorted to brutal measures of repression and suppression.
The authorities had damaged the image of Pakistan internationally with
scenes of honest women and men from middle classes being pushed into police
vans, being beaten and hauled up to police stations and jails. She said that
such people who damaged Pakistan's standing domestically and internationally
had no right to remain in power.
The former Prime Minister said that despite threats and intimidation, Asif
Ali Zardari had successfully reached Lahore and his presence would help
organize the Party and mobilize its workers.
She said that the return of Asif Ali Zardari has less to do with the return
of a leading political figure and more to do with the democratic rights of
the people. The regime was falsely claiming that democracy was restored. The
return of Mr. Zardari was to put on test whether the democratic values of
freedom of movement, freedom of association, freedom of political
association were available in Pakistan. It was clear that they were not and
only the tyranny of force existed under the veneer of a parliamentary
system. This parliamentary system was not based on the will of the people or
their mandate but on the use of brute force by hidden forces, she said.
Secondly she said that the regime claimed that it was seeking support from
liberal forces and that it wanted to build an enlightened society. However,
the intolerant, immoderate and extremist reaction to a peaceful political
rally clearly demonstrated that the regime was incapable of defending the
values of enlightenment.
Third, she pointed out that the regime claimed that it was not conspiring
with the MMA to blackmail the world community to accept military
dictatorship or face the religious take over. However, the return of Mr.
Zardari demonstrated that the regime was indeed conspiring to allow the MMA
political freedom and deny the same to the moderate Opposition. This was a
dangerous policy that could backfire on the nation just as support to
extremist elements in the Afghan Mujahaideen had backfired resulting in the
emergence of the Taliban and the Al Qaeda.
Fourth, Bhutto said that the regime claimed that it was working for
reconciliation. Under this policy the regime claimed that an even political
field would be allowed to all the political parties. However, this was also
a false claim at reconciliation. The PPP had legitimate grievance that its
was being denied the political space being given to the MMA and the ruling
PML Q as well as to others who were free to hold meetings, rallies,
processions and bus in their supporters from different parts of the country
without hindrance from the authorities.
The former Prime Minister said that the cowardly authorities refused to give
permission to the plane that was chartered to bring Mr. Zardari back to
Pakistan even after it had put up tents in jails to house the tens of
thousands of persons arrested. Mr. Zardari had to fly by a scheduled plane
and there was thus a change in his arrival timing. The regime refused to
give the arrival time of Mr. Zardari to cause confusion amongst those who
were to receive him.
Bhutto said that the PPP would continue with its peaceful political struggle
with its Parliamentarians, workers and supporters. She asked how many
rallies could the authorities break, how many people could they imprison,
how many processions could they stop without demonstrating their inability
to implement law, provide political freedoms or to give stability. The
reaction of the authorities showed they were out of control and could not
govern or give Pakistan stability, she said.
She said that the peoples struggle needed determination, courage and
dedication. The regime expected the PPP and its allies to be the first to
blink in the face of brutalities. However, she called upon the PPP workers
not to blink and be ready to give the sacrifice of facing brutalities. It
was with such determination, she said, that fair elections could be forced.
600 PPPP activists released from Lahore jail
More than 600 Pakistan People Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) activists and
supporters from all the four provinces including Kashmir were released from
Lahore District Jail on Tuesday.
It must be mentioned here that the arrested activists and supporters from
all the four provinces including Kashmir came to Lahore to welcome spouse of
former PM of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari.
The release activists included Central Deputy Chief Organizer AJK Shaukat
Javed Mir, Chairman PSF Raja Faisal Azad, Leader PPP Raja Sajjad advocate,
Sardar Abdul Rahman, Shaheen along with other leaders from Kashmir, Sindh,
Balochistan, NWFP and other areas.
It is pertinent to mention that activists in large numbers were arrested
under penal Code 16MPO and section 188 on April 15.

Mohtarma Bhutto shocked over self-immolation bid
Urges Party workers not to take extreme steps
Islamabad April
20, 2005: Former Prime
Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto has expressed deep anguish over the self immolation bid by a Party
worker Shah Nawaz Khtiyan General Secretary SPSF Ratodero in Larkana
district to protest against the arrest of thousands of PPP workers in
Punjab.
Mr. Shah Nawaz
Khtiyan, Gen. Secy. SPSF Ratodero, set himself on fire on Monday raising
slogans against the arrest of thousands of PPP workers in Punjab. He was
immediately rushed to the Civil Hospital Larkana with severe burns on the
entire right side of his body.
Last year also on two different occasions two Party workers tried to set
themselves on fire protesting the political victimization of the Party
leadership.
In January last year Party worker Dhani Bux Memon had also immolated himself
protesting the victimization of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Senator Asif Ali
Zardari. Within days of self-immolation in front of the Lakhi Dar police
station in Shikarpur Dhani Bux died of serious burn wounds.
Later Sarwar Bhund in Mehar in Dadu district tried to commit self-immolation
demanding that Mohtarma Bhutto be allowed to return and false cases against
Senator Asif Ali Zardari withdrawn. He suffered serious burn injuries.
In a statement today the Party Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto said that
she was anguished that yet another Party worker Shah Nawaz Khtiyan had taken
the extreme step of attempting to kill himself.
She said that the Party did not ask its workers for this kind of extreme
sacrifice nor it asked for such a sacrifice now.
However, this supreme sacrifice offered by a Party worker dramatically
highlighted his support for PPP and his courage in raising voice against the
brutal and inhuman treatment meted out to the Party leadership and workers
in Lahore the other day.
"It is a stunning and humiliating set back to the unjust and undemocratic
rule", she said and added, "It is symbolic of the repression in society
where unfortunately young men are taking extreme measures because normal
avenues of political redress like the parliament and the judiciary have been
shut by the rulers".
She also asked the Party leadership to visit Shah Nawaz Khtiyan and do
everything possible to save his life.
The former Prime Minister said that the Party workers’ readiness to offer
supreme sacrifice dramatically highlighted the support for the PPP and the
hatred against the policies of a tyrannical regime. It also showed the
courage of the workers in resisting the usurpation of the constitutional,
fundamental, democratic and economic rights of the Pakistani People.
The Chairperson asked the workers that instead of committing self-immolation
they should gather their energies to strengthen the Party and spread its
message to every nook and corner of the country.
She said she was proud of loyalty and commitment to of the workers but at
the same time would not want them to offer the supreme sacrifice of killing
themselves.

EU
snub for hardline Pakistan MP
Mr ul-Haq (L) is part of the hardline Islamist alliance in Pakistan
The European Parliament has refused to meet a delegation of Pakistani MPs
that included an Islamic scholar it said had close links to the Taleban. It
said it could not meet an individual who did not meet its "ideals of
democracy, equality and human rights".
Senator Maulana Sami ul-Haq also heads a seminary in Pakistan that has been
called the "University of Jihad".
Pakistan's ambassador in Brussels said the parliament's move was
"unfortunate" and an "opportunity missed".
The Pakistani delegation of eight senators - four from the government and
four from the opposition, including Mr ul-Haq, are heading home.
British Labour MEP, Neena Gill, leader of the EU parliament's South Asia
inter-parliamentary committee, said: "The European Parliament espouses the
ideals of democracy, equality and human rights.
"While we have members who represent all shades of the political spectrum,
we are all working within the framework of a fully functioning democracy.
"We cannot condone therefore individuals who place themselves outside these
parameters, for they represent everything we stand against."
Ms Gill said she would recommend improving the vetting system so that the
parliament was more aware of the composition of delegation members.
The Pakistani delegation was due to meet the parliament's South Asia
committee, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a range of
other MEPs.
Pakistan's ambassador in Brussels, Saeed Khalid, expressed disappointment at
the cancellation.
"Even if you grant that you have a big difference of opinion you should talk
about it. And this was an opportunity missed," he told BBC News.
Mr ul-Haq is part of the hardline Islamist alliance that forms a strong bloc
in Pakistan's lower house.

CHAUDHRIES REFUSE TO RELEASE
BAILED PPP WORKERS
After releasing few workers from Sindh, the Punjab government has refused to
release the others even after admission of their bails by courts. Their
release orders were being typed when a notification was sent to magistrates
and jail authorities to add a new provision of 7ATA relating to terrorism
along with 16MPO and 188 PPC, by this cases will now be tried by the
Terrorist courts. This is a heinous act of the Punjab government.
Detention orders are issued to re-arrest the bailed out workers in gross
abuse and disregard of human rights.
Today, Lawyers of PLF Mian M.Jehangir, Farooq Naik, Hanif Tahir, Mian
Shaukat Ali, Iftekhar Shahid, Rashid Lodhi, Amir Hussain Hashmi, Khalid
Hashmi, Shakeel Pasha and Moazam Iqbal Butt demanded release orders from
judges of different courts but the Magistrates denied by saying that they
were waiting orders from Session judges and Home department.

What is PPP and Zardari
Getting in Return for Non-Defiance and Conciliation
ISLAMABAD, April 21:
The prodigal son is back - much chastened, sobered, seasoned and sedate
than the man we knew a decade ago. There is no trace of haughtiness in his
demeanor or bitterness in his utterances against his tormentors.
He seems more accommodating and conciliatory than any other contemporary
leader in the country, at least towards the establishment which has hounded
and demonized him, his spouse and repressed his party for so long.
On landing at the Lahore Airport, Asif Zardari was shown utmost respect and
he calmly let them drive him to his new residence in Lahore. On reaching
there, Mr. Zardari thanked God for being at home safe and secure. He
discounted reports of his arrest saying he was only under “protective
custody” (remember Zia’s words for Bhutto after the coup). Chief Minister
Chaudhry Parvez Elahi sardonically claimed that the government has provided
security to Mr. Zardari at his request and there was no restriction on his
movement.
That was not to be the fate of nearly five dozen journalists who had
accompanied Zardari in the coveted return flight. They were thrashed,
humiliated and deprived of tools of trade by security goons who pounced on
them as soon as Mr. Zardari left the scene. Nor were the dozens of PPP
lawmakers and tens of thousands of party activists and common workers so
lucky.
In a brutal countrywide crackdown they were insulted, abused, shoved and
beaten before being locked up in jails. Hundreds of them are still
languishing in prisons and facing charges under draconian anti-terrorist
laws. We hear only muted voices of protest from the leadership in their
support.
Asif’s return promised to be a seminal event in national politics, not
matching that of his spouse’s 1986 odyssey because that was something out of
the other world which cannot be repeated. But the very prospect of his
comeback had thrilled and energized workers and aroused immense interest
among common citizens in the country and abroad.
There was an atmosphere of suspense, excitement and expectation. The
national politics was supposed to experience a new convulsion. For too long
the country’s biggest party had been kept in torpor, inflicted on it by
confusion, self-doubt, indecision and lack of direction. There were now new
stirrings in the wind as the behemoth looked like awakening.
Asif changed his flight schedule and decided to make it a quiet affair.
Party workers who had escaped arrests but were staging sit-in on roads when
blocked to travel, were asked to return home. The only reason cited was that
the chartered flight had been refused landing permission and an Aero Asia
flight marshaled a week earlier for contingency, would now reach Lahore
early morning, foreclosing a public welcome.
It became evident that the whole thing had been scripted and Asif had chosen
to play ball. What were his compulsions and did he have any option? It can
be said he saved the day from lot of potential bloodletting that could have
resulted from a show down. The workers were spared from a horrible ordeal.
The government escaped further embarrassment within and abroad. The script
writers were more worried to let the big event in New Delhi, the
Musharraf-Manmohan bear hug, pass on unscathed. They did not want to see it
overshadowed by scenes on the Lahore streets and ultimately managed to
enforce a drop scene and draw the curtain.
Many, however, doubt if the government could have stood before a determined
swathe of people. The MMA had proved it more than once. The detractors have
got an opportunity to claim it was a put up show, a subterfuge. That is a
very devastating perception for any party or leader, as people, howsoever
docile, cannot continence deceit.
There comes a defining moment in the life of nations, parties and
individuals, that determines their fate or place in history. It makes or
unmakes them, depending on how they react to seize it. On his journey to
Jerusalem in 1977, Anwar Sadat who harbored the illusion of being great,
haughtily pronounced to the world that he loathes to live “among the
pygmies”. In the 1978 Camp David Accord with Israel’s Menachem Begin he got
Sinai back for Egypt. But it locked Sadat’s country into a cold peace and
near-bankrupt political isolation. Are we witnessing a replay in Pakistan in
the name of conciliation?
Gen. Zia hanged ZA Bhutto but could not kill him. In his defiance, Bhutto
became immortal and lives today in the hearts of his people and touches a
softer chord even among detractors. When he stood up to Ghulam Ishaq Khan,
refusing to accept the diktat, Nawaz Sharif became a leader though he lost
his crown. Zardari valiantly endured most trying years in prison and won
back respect and admiration from even bitter critics. His defiance has been
his biggest credit and one wished him to persist with that.
But, today he seems to be hanging in the wind, knowing little which way he
would be tossed around by string pullers. For that is what he has opted for.
There is no mention of whatever defines his party and distinguishes it from
rivals. All we hear is accepting the fait accompli and bow to the
pre-eminence of the military and its involvement in every sphere of national
life. The big issues like restoration of supremacy of parliament and the
constitution, poverty, unemployment, widening gap between rich and poor,
price hike etc. find scant attention.
It is not difficult to have empathy with Benazir or Zardari for their
dilemma. No family in our history has suffered and sacrificed even half as
much as the Bhuttos. There is yet no reprieve. Ms. Bhutto has been living in
exile for eight years and her children have grown without the affectionate
hugs of their father. A raft of cases at home and in Switzerland hang like
Damocles’ sword. Asif has spent the longest incarceration in our political
history. He is only on bail and faces cases on charges ranging from graft to
murder.
The couple has been vilified, maligned and slandered which has no
precedence. Hitherto they had endured it with remarkable courage, fortitude
and perseverance. How long should they continue to do so? Should they
capitulate and relent or resist and suffer more?
There are no easy answers to these questions. Whatever path they choose,
there is a price to pay. At the moment they seem to have opted for
conciliation and compromise. The nagging question is what do they get in
return? The conciliation mantra we hear from Asif appears more of a tactical
ploy when it is uttered by Musharraf. Ms. Bhutto bailed him out after 2002
elections and saw her party being split. She again came to his rescue at a
crucial moment last December when he refused to shed his uniform and the PPP
declined to be part of an anti-Musharraf campaign. So far all that he has
paid them back is Zardari’s temporary freedom and “safe” return. Ms. Bhutto
pins her hopes of a return on the extent the regime tolerates Asif’s
activities.
There is no doubt that Shaikh Rashid mirrors what the general thinks and
plans, though one would like to forgive his coarse and boorish diction. See
what scorn he pours on Zardari and his ability to become a leader, much less
a Nelson Mandela. Who would give credence to the perception that whatever
happened on April 16 did not have the blessings of the center?
Will the PPP see the fulfillment of vain hopes for level playing field in
coming elections, which Musharraf insists would be held in 2007 dashing
PPP’s expectations? Will he abandon his present allies? If Washington has
written the script, what has it offered to Ms. Bhutto so far?
How is that all senior officials in Washington shun her when she visits
there? If growing power of the MMA really bothers the West, as Asif would
have us believe, how come they have permitted Musharraf to make it grow into
a monster at the cost of liberal parties? Is he really serious in taking on
the MMA and enforce his so-called enlightened moderation on which point the
PPP is willing to make a common cause with him?
Having thrown in the towel before the establishment, will the PPP confine
itself to fighting battles in provinces giving up its role as a national
party? What issues would it agitate? Is the PPP juggernaut really on the
move – but backwards? These and many other questions need more detailed
analysis.

Pakistan's leaders on edge as Bhutto's husband returns
Declan Walsh in Lahore
Monday April 18, 2005
After flying through the night, Asif Zardari sat tensely in row 19 as his
plane nosed towards Lahore. Mr Zardari, the husband of the exiled opposition
leader Benazir Bhutto, was expecting trouble.
"I've heard so
many stories they will arrest me or divert the flight," he said nervously.
"I hope it works out all right."
It did not. Moments later dozens of police officers came into view as the
Boeing taxied along the runway. When it stopped, a police commander came
aboard and ushered Mr Zardari into a car and away.
Outside the airport the police baton-charged his supporters, who had slipped
through a tight security cordon. Thousands more had been detained in the
days before. As journalists left the plane they were surrounded by officers
who seized their equipment. When it was returned, it was without any
recordings.
"We can't explain to you why. These are our orders," said the airport
security chief.
The chaos on Saturday highlighted the weakness of democracy in Pakistan, but
also hinted at its possible rejuvenation. The return from Dubai of Mr
Zardari was seen as a dry run for that of his wife, Ms Bhutto, the scion of
Pakistan's most potent political dynasty and the leading electoral threat to
President Pervez Musharraf's military-led government.
Since fleeing Pakistan amid a slew of corruption charges in 1999, Ms Bhutto
has shuttled between homes in London and Dubai. But her Pakistan People's
party remains the most popular, and western diplomats believe she could
easily win a free vote.
"Reconciliation" talks with the Musharraf government have been under way
since last year. Ms Bhutto wants new elections and the government to drop
the sleaze charges. Mr Musharraf wants an electoral pact to help win the
presidential poll planned for 2007.
Mr Zardari went to Dubai after being released in December from eight years
in jail.
"There is a rapprochement with Mr Musharraf," Ms Bhutto told the Guardian,
before her husband began his return trip. President Musharraf also appears
to be softening his attitude; after years of threatening to prosecute Ms
Bhutto on corruption charges, he told Reuters last week that he was ready to
meet her "when the time comes".
But Mr Zardari's reception suggests Gen Musharraf's military-dominated
government remains nervous.
As a cabinet minister in the 1990s, Mr Zardari was known as Mr Ten Per Cent.
He is still on bail from 15 cases of alleged bribe-taking, murder and drug
dealing, and has spent half of his 19-year marriage to Ms Bhutto behind
bars.
But the crackdown in Lahore may risk turning Mr Zardari from a Mobutu into a
Mandela.
After being briefly detained in Lahore yesterday, he held a press conference
at which he offered to negotiate with the government "not for personal gain,
but for democracy and human rights".
Ms Bhutto vows to return home within 18 months, even if it means arrest.
"Obviously I have to return for the next general election, irrespective if I
have immunity from prosecution or not," she said.
Ms Bhutto, who has ruled her party with a steely grip, said she would not
relinquish her leadership to anyone - not even her husband.
"That is not an issue," she said

Arrests of PPP workers and police brutality condemned world over
Islamabad, 19 April 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party United Kingdom has given 24 hours ultimatum that if
all the arrested leaders and workers are not released then it will hold
protest demonstrations and observe hunger strikes in front of Commonwealth
Office, 10 Downing Street and the Pakistani High Commission in London.
This was announced in a press conference today at the International
Secretariat in London.
Incharge Information Cell PPP International Secretariat Mr. Mohsin Bari
and other leaders said that now it is evident that there are two forces in
Pakistan. One is the PPP, which is striving to lead Pakistan to democracy
and the other which is dragging Pakistan to humiliation. They said that the
coward officials of Pakistani regime did not spare even ladies and elderly
people and unleashed state terror on them.
The Media Office PPP Holland also very strongly condemned police
brutality and arrest of PPP workers in Lahore on the eve of return of Asif
Ali Zardari. Such actions have exposed the duality of Musharraf regime which
on one hand claims to be liberal and moderate and on the other committing
atrocities against the workers of PPP which is the most liberal and moderate
force in Pakistan. Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto enjoys the support of masses and
she will soon return to Pakistan to lead the country to get rid of
dictatorship, said Saifullah Saify the Information Secretary PPP Holland.
PPP Canada held a meeting of PPP workers and supporters condemning the
military regime for arresting of thousands of PPP workers and use of force
all over Pakistan on the eve of Asif Ali Zardari return to the country.
Saleem Janjua, Adviser PP Overseas Committee congratulated PPP workers for
displaying courage, bravery and commitment.
PPP, USA in its emergency meeting called by Chaudhry Ijaz N Farrukh
strongly condemned police brutality and arrest of thousands of PPP workers
on the eve of Asif Ali Zardari return, and demanded immediate release of all
PPP workers. PPP USA will bring this issue to the US congressmen and
Senators.

Mohtarma Bhutto says use of force exposed regime’s anti democracy
policies
Says the Party would continue with its peaceful political struggle
Calls upon PPP workers not to blink and be ready to give the sacrifice

Islamabad April 19, 2005:
Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has saluted the
PPP workers who travelled from the Khunjrab Pass and Karachi upcountry to
welcome PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari joining tens of thousands of other PPP
workers and supporters of democracy along the way.
The Party and I are proud of my brothers and sisters who had overcome all
obstacles to reach Lahore, she said in a statement today.
She said that the cowardly reaction of the authorities clearly demonstrated
the fear they had of the PPP flood that swept everything away in its path to
reach Lahore where the authorities arrested tens of thousands of PPP
workers.
The former Prime Minister said that the mass mobilization of the PPP
demonstrated that it expressed the aspirations, hopes and dreams of the
millions of people across the land who wanted to end misery, suffering,
hunger, unemployment and inflation by bringing regime.
The parliamentary system produced by the October 2002 elections had failed
dismally in addressing the peoples problems or paving the path for the
transfer of power from dictatorship to democracy.
She said that the authorities had kidnapped workers of the PPP and were
holding them incommunicado. Moreover, the workers had been brutally beaten
suffering fractures, broken ribs, head wounds and injuries resulting in loss
of blood. However, the workers never flinched in the face of such
brutalities knowing that tyranny must be faced with courage.
The PPP was committed to defend the values of truth, honesty, honour and
human dignity that a democratic order alone could uphold, she said.
The former Prime Minister also demanded the release of all PPP workers. She
called upon the Parliamentarians to raise the issue in the Parliament and
not to rest until each and every PPP workers was released.
Mohtarma Bhutto thanked the members of the Lahore Bar Association, the
Pakistan Human Rights Commission and the PLF lawyers for setting up
committees to secure the release of PPP workers.
She thanked the media for highlighting the state brutalities despite being
targeted themselves.
She noted that Senator Zardari returned to Pakistan despite eight years in
Jail, including torture and threats, to demonstrate solidarity with the
people of Pakistan in their search for freedom and emancipation from
dictatorship, poverty, backwardness and hunger.
Mohtarma Bhutto condemned the cowardly authorities who could not face the
PPP politically and resorted to brutal measures of repression and
suppression. The authorities had damaged the image of Pakistan
internationally with scenes of honest women and men from middle classes
being pushed into police vans, being beaten and hauled up to police stations
and jails. She said that such people who damaged Pakistan's standing
domestically and internationally had no right to remain in power.
The former Prime Minister said that despite threats and intimidation, Asif
Ali Zardari had successfully reached Lahore and his presence would help
organize the Party and mobilize its workers.
She said that the return of Asif Ali Zardari has less to do with the return
of a leading political figure and more to do with the democratic rights of
the people. The regime was falsely claiming that democracy was restored. The
return of Mr. Zardari was to put on test whether the democratic values of
freedom of movement, freedom of association, freedom of political
association were available in Pakistan. It was clear that they were not and
only the tyranny of force existed under the veneer of a parliamentary
system. This parliamentary system was not based on the will of the people or
their mandate but on the use of brute force by hidden forces, she said.
Secondly she said that the regime claimed that it was seeking support from
liberal forces and that it wanted to build an enlightened society. However,
the intolerant, immoderate and extremist reaction to a peaceful political
rally clearly demonstrated that the regime was incapable of defending the
values of enlightenment.
Third, she pointed out that the regime claimed that it was not conspiring
with the MMA to blackmail the world community to accept military
dictatorship or face the religious take over. However, the return of Mr.
Zardari demonstrated that the regime was indeed conspiring to allow the MMA
political freedom and deny the same to the moderate Opposition. This was a
dangerous policy that could backfire on the nation just as support to
extremist elements in the Afghan Mujahaideen had backfired resulting in the
emergence of the Taliban and the Al Qaeda.
Fourth, Mohtarma Bhutto said that the regime claimed that it was working for
reconciliation. Under this policy the regime claimed that an even political
field would be allowed to all the political parties. However, this was also
a false claim at reconciliation. The PPP had legitimate grievance that its
was being denied the political space being given to the MMA and the ruling
PML Q as well as to others who were free to hold meetings, rallies,
processions and bus in their supporters from different parts of the country
without hindrance from the authorities.
The former Prime Minister said that the cowardly authorities refused to give
permission to the plane that was chartered to bring Mr. Zardari back to
Pakistan even after it had put up tents in jails to house the tens of
thousands of persons arrested. Mr. Zardari had to fly by a scheduled plane
and there was thus a change in his arrival timing. The regime refused to
give the arrival time of Mr. Zardari to cause confusion amongst those who
were to receive him.
Mohtarma Bhutto said that the PPP would continue with its peaceful political
struggle with its Parliamentarians, workers and supporters. She asked how
many rallies could the authorities break, how many people could they
imprison, how many processions could they stop without demonstrating their
inability to implement law, provide political freedoms or to give stability.
The reaction of the authorities showed they were out of control and could
not govern or give Pakistan stability, she said.
She said that the peoples struggle needed determination, courage and
dedication. The regime expected the PPP and its allies to be the first to
blink in the face of brutalities. However, she called upon the PPP workers
not to blink and be ready to give the sacrifice of facing brutalities. It
was with such determination, she said, that fair elections could be forced.

Mohtarma Bhutto cautiously welcomes joint declaration
Islamabad April 18, 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto has expressed cautious optimism over the joint statement
issued today in New Delhi at the end of General Musharraf's visit to India.
In a statement today she said that the Pakistan Peoples Party had
spearheaded the movement to bring 'enhanced economic and commercial
cooperation" between India and Pakistan believing that economics was the way
forward in a poverty stricken region.
She said that it appeared that the PPP view that while the two countries
differed on solutions to the Dispute on Kashmir they should move forward in
other areas and cooperate among themselves for the betterment of the over
one billion people of the region was now being accepted by the present
regime.
"However, we still have to see whether the noble sentiments are
implemented", she said.
"We will watch carefully that there is no disconnect between what is said
and what is actually being done on the ground".
Mohtarma said that when the PPP began negotiations with India on peace with
honour and greater economic and travel cooperation, it was dubbed a security
risk. However, those who supported Lashkar e Tayyaba were now accepting and
adopting PPP policies. Therefore it was time to heed other PPP policies
including the need to build a pluralistic society as PPP policies were
always eventually accepted as having been in the larger national interest.

Zardari calls for fresh
polls in Pakistan, PPP activists set free
By Omair
Goraya - Pakistan Times Staff Correspondent

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party
Parliamentarians [PPPP] leader Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday reiterated party’s
demand of holding free and fair elections in the country in 2005 and wanted
across the board dialogue with establishment in the larger interests of
people of Pakistan.
“Yes, we want dialogue with power brokers, with army, with intellectuals,
with lawyers and each and every valuable segment of society in order to save
the country from prevailing dangers and for the protection of masses’
rights, he vowed.
Speaking at a news conference at Bilawal House in Lahore, Zardari viewed
that only PPPP and Benazir Bhutto could save the country from all problems
as they had solution to each and every problem of the country. He said
two-party system, if prevails, would ultimately benefit Pakistan but not
individuals.
He said present government’s claim of good governance had been exposed and
it is merely a political gimmick as immature elements wishing to gain
personal aims and having no political vision with short agenda were sitting
in the parliament.
He claimed PPP, which ruled Pakistan thrice, had much political experience
and vision than any party and could run the national affairs with accuracy
as it was the party of poor and poverty-stricken people.
Of Workers Arrest
Condemning the torture and arrests of party workers in Lahore on Zardari’s
arrival, he pledged to raise voice against the Punjab government at the
platforms of courts and assemblies. “The rulers, who can not tolerate even a
single rally of a political party, how they can hold free and fair elections
in the country”, he asked.
Castigating the government’s double standard,
he said on the one hand the MMA was allowed to hold rallies while on the
other the largest political party of Pakistan was denied right of holding
rally for welcoming its leader. “Pakistan could face danger by the MMA but
my presence is in the interests of federation, poor people and country”, he
opined.
Zardari warned that party activists had shown only highlight on his arrival
otherwise it could have gone for showing street power. “I am launching
political activities from Lahore and will activate party from Punjab to
Balochistan from here as I could not have activated it from Karachi”, he
said.
Replying to a query, he said party wanted to be engaged in dialogue with
establishment for future political set-up but rejected that in the past it
felt need of establishment as an unavoidable thing.
Asked if it would accept role of President Gen Musharraf after process of
national reconciliation went through successfully with PPPP, he said let it
be decided by the new parliament and assemblies if new elections could be
held in 2005 and fresh government replaces previous set-up.
He admitted that PPPP had been engaging in dialogue with the establishment
for eight years. He told a questioner that PPPP had ambitions to draw out
rallies and he would not be needed to announce as workers are always ready
for this whenever and wherever he would intend to go.
Meets Kashmiris Delegation
Asif Ali Zardari vowed that no one would be allowed to make compromise on
Kashmir issue saying that Kashmiri people rendered several sacrifices for
their genuine right of self-determination.
Talking to a delegation coming from Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) Asif Zardari
said that Kashmir problem has reached to a decisive stage adding that
Kashmiri struggle would give fruits soon. Zardari assured full support to
the Kashmiri delegation that included PPP Secretary Information Matloob
Inqilabi, deputy opposition leader Javed Akhtar, chairman People Students
Federation Ziaul Qamar and others.
He assured the delegation that Kashmir problem would be resolved according
to the wishes of Kashmiri people adding that Kashmiri leaders should be
included in the ongoing dialogues between Pakistan and India.
Zardari lauded the sacrifices rendered by the AJK party workers for
receiving him at Lahore airport. He criticized government atrocities against
party workers. “For restoration of democracy and for my release Kashmiri
people rendered great sacrifices and I salute them,” Zardari remarked.
He said that Pakistan People Party fully supports the Kashmiri struggle for
their independence. He said that there was no alternative but Kashmir
problem should be settled down according to the wishes of Kashmiri people.
Asif Ali Zardari said that Kashmir is a political issue and it can be
resolved only through negotiations.
Optimism
“From day first Benazir Bhutto pleaded to make the Line of Control soft so
that both sides of Kashmiri people should meet each other,” he informed.
After passing ten years he said that rulers of both the countries now
following the Benazir’s policy. However, he hoped that permanent solution of
the Kashmir dispute would come out from the ongoing peace process between
Pakistan and India.
PPPP President Makdoom Amin Fahim, Central Secretary General Jehangir Badr,
Qasim Zia, Qaim Ali Shah, Ghulam Mustafa Khar, Khalid Ahmed Kharal, Shah
Mehmood Qureshi, Nafees Siddiqi, Taj Haider, Naveed Munir Ahmed Khan and
others were also present on the occasion.
PPP Workers Released
Meanwhile, scores of PPP leaders and activists, who were taken into custody
across Punjab in the last couple of days on arrival of Asif Ali Zardari,
were freed on Sunday. On arrival of Asif Ali Zardari, the spouse of
Pakistan's ex-Prime Minister Ms Benazir Bhutto on Saturday the law enforcing
agencies made massive arrests of PPP leaders and workers from different
parts of Lahore.
Prominent among them were Makhdoom Amin Fahim, General Secretary Jehangir
Badr, Naheed Khan. Those PPP leaders who were arrested on Saturday
including, Dr Fehmida Mirza, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Sardar Latif Khosa, Raja
Pervez Ashraf, Mehmood Qureshi, Dr Safdar Abbasi, opposition leader in
Punjab Assembly Qasim Zia, Deputy opposition leader in Sindh Assembly
Makhdoom Jamilu Zaman.
Earlier, Raza Rabbani Sunday did not rule out walking out of talks with the
government for, what he phrased as; "its anti-PPP policies". “Our CEC
(Central Executive Committee) will take a decision in this regard. But we
certainly condemn the way the regime has treated our workers”, Opposition
leader in Senate told a joint news conference with Babar Awan and Fauzia
Wahab.
The PPP leader said that hundreds of the workers were still missing while
Asif Ali Zardari was being “illegally” confined at his house. “We will
challenge his confinement in High Court. We will also seek court’s help to
recover our workers”, he said.

PPP clarifies report about Lahore incident
Islamabad April 18, 2005:
A certain news agency has circulated a report based on PPP spokesman’s
interview to BBC purported to be saying that General Pervez Muharraf and the
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz were not directly involved in the Punjab
government’s plan to disrupt the welcoming ceremonies for Mr Asif Zardari at
arrival in Lahore on Saturday.
This is not correct.
The spokesman had said in the interview that some people claim that General
Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz were not directly involved in what happened in
Lahore. However, it is difficult to believe that the provincial Punjab
government could have done what it did without the blessings of Islamabad,
the spokesman had said in the said interview.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns arrest of MNA Samina Gurkhi and Party activists
Party Officials Says Regime has banned both Rallies and Jalsa for April 16th
PPP vows to go to airport to exercise freedom of movement Guaranteed by
Constitution
Says workers will make it airport whether rains or storms
Islamabad April 15, 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto has condemned the arrest of Ms Samina Gurkhi PPP MNA, Ms
Shahnaz Javed ex MNA and thousands of party activists including women from
throughout the country on the eve of Senator Zardari's return to Pakistan on
Saturday.
In a midnight swoop the police in Lahore picked up Samina Gurkhi MNA from
her residence, barricaded roads leading to the Bilawal House in Lahore and
picked up the Party workers including women from places as far off as
Karachi, interior Sindh, Lahore and other parts of the country.
The Bilawal House in Lahore was surrounded by heavy contingents of police
soon after the district Nazim of Nawab Shah Ms Faryal Talpur arrived at the
house to make the food arrangements for the stay of Mr. Zardari and his
guests.
The Punjab government in a panic reaction has imposed ban on assembly of
people on the occasion as the Party workers from all over the country
announced to accord a heroic welcome to the Party leader Asif Ali Zardari.
Section 144 is not for use against peaceful, political gatherings guaranteed
to the citizens by the Constitution of Pakistan.
In a statement today the former Prime Minister said the women activists have
been arrested for political affiliation just as the cabinet claimed to
approved a so called package of legal reforms to allow special treatment to
women accused of offences other than murder and narcotics.
She said that the arrest of political activists particularly women activists
were contrary to the principles of enlightened moderation and liberalism, In
fact such intolerant and immoderate behaviour encouraged extremism instead
of pluralism.
She demanded the immediate release of all political activists and allow them
their democratic and constitutional right to assemble and accord welcome to
their leader.
Mohtarma Bhutto called upon the human rights bodies and international
organisations to raise their voice against state repression perpetrated on
peaceful citizens.
Meanwhile Party workers from throughout the country have vowed to reach
Lahore airport on April 16 to welcome Senator Zardari. In letters to the
Party's Chairperson the associations of minorities and disabled people of
the country have also announced to take part in the welcoming ceremonies.
The Chairman, All Pakistan Minorities Alliance has announced that the
religious minorities particularly Christians in Punjab will give a rousing
welcome to Mr. Asif Ali Zardari and has formed special committees in
different districts for this purpose.
The Disabled Welfare Association has also announced to take part in the
welcoming of Asif Ali Zardari. The disabled people will accord a historic
welcome to Senator Zardari the like of which would never have been witnessed
before in the country, said Jawaid Rais, the President of the Disabled
Association in a letter addressed to Mohtarma Bhutto.
Mohtarma Bhutto said that the workers will not be deterred and make it to
the Lahore airport no matter whether it rains or there is storm.
News reports from Sindh indicate that ten buses caravan was blocked at
Khairpur where police put barricades on the National Highway and stopped the
caravan from moving ahead. 30 workers of PSF and PYO from Karachi were
dragged to Lakhpat police station in Lahore. Police arrested 40 women and 10
men workers who had reached Lahore railway station from
Karachi through Tezgam. Former Minister Agha Siraj Durrani was
arrested at the gate of Bilawal House Lahore. One thousand buses coming from
Sindh were forcibly driven to Kacha Areas by police. Three dozen party
workers arrested from Shahdura, Lahore. Hotels being raided in Lahore to
arrest the PPP workers who came from other provinces. Trawlers have been
parked on main roads to stop vehicular movement in Lahore. Ambulances have
also been stopped in the city.
The Party procession from Azad Kashmir has been blocked. Tear gassing is
taking place at Obaro where supporters were going by bus to Lahore. Border
with Punjab has been sealed.
Arrests across Punjab are taking place. Hundreds of officials of the Party
have been arrested in Multan, Vehari and the entire Southern Belt. However,
some managed to reach Lahore.
In Sargodha Father of MNA Nadia, Malik Aziz ul Haq was arrested as were the
District General Secretary Saqlain Sherazi, District President P Y O Arshad
Dhonda and other workers.
The PPP has called upon the workers not to be deterred by such actions. They
said that as soon as one set of leaders is arrested, the next senior should
take over. Workers with transport of their own should try to enter Lahore
under any pretext and make for the airport through whatever means they can.
Meanwhile a senior Party official said that it was wrong that the regime had
offered the Party to hold a Jalsa instead of a rally on April 16th. He said
that the regime was banning both the rally and the jalsa for April 16th and
had conveyed the same to the PPP. The Party Spokesman said the regime was
misleading the public by wrongly claiming it was ready to permit a jalsa
instead of a rally.

PPP apprises CW of regime’s highhandedness against opposition
Islamabad, April 15, 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has apprised the Commonwealth of the crackdown on
opposition to prevent it from welcoming Asif Ali Zardari who is due in
Lahore tomorrow, 16 April, 2005 and urged him to take serious notice of the
situation and raise the issue with the Pakistani government.
Central Coordinator Human rights Desk, PPP Ms. Fauzia Wahab in a letter
addressed to Mr. Donald McKinnon, Secretary General Commonwealth detailing
the attack on opposition wrote, "At 11pm in the night of 12th April, the
Punjab Police has received a formal circular from the Chief Minister that
all PPP activists and office-bearers should be apprehended under a
preventive detention known as the Maintenance of Public Order with immediate
effect. Twenty of our activists have so far been arrested. Raids are being
conducted everywhere. The Nazim (Mayor) of Mandi Bahauddin, the PPP district
president, the Member National Assembly Zulfiqar Gondal, and two provincial
members of that area have already gone into hiding as they had received an
information that the orders for their arrests have been issued. Others
arrested and subsequently released included President of Lahore Chamber of
Commerce Mian Misbah-ur-Rahman and former Parliamentarian Mrs Shahnaz Javed."
Reminding Secretary General Commonwealth about an earlier request, she
wrote, "We had apprised you that a similar circular has been issued to the
transporters by the local police that they will not be renting out any car
till the 17th of the month. The transporters have been threatened that in
case of violation of the circular, their route permits and licenses will be
cancelled. They are not even allowed to rent out cars for wedding purposes,
causing thus problems for the citizens. Furthermore, the administration has
ordered the railways to cancel group bookings for train wagons made for
April 16th. Television and news media were forced to cancel advertisements
previously accepted from the PPP to welcome Mr. Zardari or face financial
retaliation from the regime. The regime has a huge advertisement budget from
public sector enterprises. Moreover, billboards, posters etc have been taken
down as have banners, buntings and Party flags."
Regarding intimidating attitude of the government Fauzia Wahab, wrote, "The
Minister of Information in the Federal Government and the Chief Minister of
Punjab have made aggressive statements threatening use of force against the
PPP. The Minister of Information said that the regime would get, "extremely
tough" against the Opposition. Please imagine a situation where the regime
is getting tough simply because the Opposition wants to receive Mr. Zardari
at the airport. If they get tough for a reception one can imagine how they
will try to smash any attempt at a free election. The Chief Minister Punjab
has made an equally aggressive statement. He said, "we shall knock the
daylights out of them". This is a sinister statement against the background
of reports that Chief Minister and his family are planning to send their
private security guards to infiltrate the crowd and cause provocation
leading to dispersal of the crowd through tear gas. The PPP has already
written to General Musharaf's regime apprising them of the situation and
asking them to caution the Punjab Administration against such use of force.
The crack down of the state machinery on our workers will not break the
resolve of our party. To hold a peaceful rally is the fundamental right of
all citizens and political parties in the country. Their fight against
suppression and genuine democracy will continue."
Fauzia Wahab reiterated the party’s resolve to hold peaceful rally which is
the fundamental right of all citizens and political parties in the country
and to keep fighting against suppression and for democracy.

PPP urges CJ to take suo moto notice against Chief Minister Punjab
Islamabad, 15 April 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has drawn attention of the Supreme Court to take
suo moto notice to order the release of PPP workers and to stop Punjab Chief
Minister from abusing his power to disrupt the welcome reception to former
federal minister Asif Ali Zardari.
Incharge PPP Secretariat and former Additional Secretary government of
Pakistan Mr. Kamran Zafar in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice Supreme
Court Wrote "the former Senator and the spouse of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
Mr. Asif Ali Zardari is arriving in Lahore on the 16th of April from Dubai.
Our Party has made a unanimous decision to accord the longest ever political
prisoner of the country a rousing welcome. Hundreds of thousands of our
workers volunteered to come and receive the PPP leader peacefully at the
Lahore airport. However, the present Punjab administration, frightened of
the show of popular support, has abused its powers to disrupt the
constitutional rights of our people to assemble peacefully with a view to
deny us our basic political democratic rights."
Regarding illegally imposing section 144 in Punjab he wrote "The illegal
imposition of section 144, the arrests of our workers to intimidate them
from gathering, the forcible removal of banners, the tearing off the posters
and billboards etc by the police through abuse of office are indicative of
the fact that the Mr. Ellahi wants to block the welcome reception of Mr.
Asif Ali Zardari. By this act they are, indeed, undermining constitutionally
protected rights as well as abusing their power, a criminal offence under
the NAB ordinance besides committing grave violation of human rights.
Despite the fact that the senior party leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party
Parliamentarian had given them assurance that the rally and the procession
on the 16th April shall be peaceful, the provincial government has resorted
to high-handedness."
Kamran Zafar highlighting the discriminatory attitude towards PPP and dual
standard by the regime he wrote "All these harsh and discriminatory measures
adopted by the regime are a clear violation of the principles of fair play,
equity and justice and it will go a long way in casting a portentous shadow
over the rule of law in the country. It would not be out of place to mention
here the double standards of the regime. As you may recall, the religious
political parties such as MMA were allowed to take out one million man
processions at more than one place in different parts of the country."

Taj Haider Condemns police brutality against media personnel
Islamabad, 16 April 2005:
The Information Secretary of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Mr. Taj Haider has
strongly condemned the brutal action of the Punjab Police at the Lahore
airport against respected members of the media who were traveling with
Senator Asif Ali Zardari in the flight carrying him from Dubai to cover his
arrival in Lahore.
In a Press Statement today he said that physical assaults, snatching away of
cameras and mobile phones, destroying exposed films, taking body searches
and emptying of pockets of journalists which included senior editors were
shameful acts which not only violated the Constitution and the Law but also
revolted against norms of decency and gentlemanly conduct. Our image as a
nation, which already was very low due to long dictatorship, had taken a
further plunge downwards as a result of these brutal acts.
Mr. Taj Haider warned that the excuse of the offenders that all this was
being done on "instructions from above" was not good enough. The days of
those "above" were fast coming to an end. Their crimes against the country
shall not go unpunished. But every person belonging to any "law-enforcing
agency" should regard himself as a custodian of law and must not carry out
any illegal orders of those temporarily and unconstitutionally "above". They
should not forget that they were serving the State as public servants and
not servants of some individuals, who had usurped authority in violation of
the Constitution.
PPP salutes the media corps for carrying out their duties with courage,
devotion and high levels of integrity against the heaviest of odds. While
the hollow claims of the regime about a democratic setup and free press
stood fully exposed, the media had provided a brilliant example today for
Pakistanis in every walk of life to establish the highest standards of
performance of duties towards their Nation and their profession. It is the
general consciousness created by brave examples like the one setup by the
national media today, which is our guarantee to march onwards as one nation
towards a free, democratic and progressive Pakistan.

Police brutality and arrest of PPP workers condemned world over
Islamabad, 16 April, 2005:
Over fifty one thousand workers of Pakistan Peoples Party have been arrested
on the eve of Senator Asif Ali Zardari’s return to the country. According to
a report compiled by Media Cell Bilawal House Karachi approximately 26
thousand workers have been arrested in Punjab and 25 thousand in Sindh.
These workers were arrested at Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi, Sargodha,
Gujranwala, Gujrat, Bahawalpur, Okara, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Kehror Pacca,
Samundri, Faisalabad, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sialkot, Narowal, Kasur, Toba Tek
Sindh, Hafizabad, Sadiqabad in Punjab and Karachi, Hyderabad, Badin, Thatta,
Mirpur Khas, Mitthi, Larkana, Jacobabad, Nawabshah, Nowshero Feroze, Ghotki,
Sukkur, Khairpur, Shikapur and Dadu in Sindh.
The crackdown on PPP workers was so brutal all over the country that it was
also lamented by the vice president of the ruling party, Syed Kabir Ali
Wasti who has demanded immediate release of arrested PPP workers. In a
statement, he said that arrest of PPP workers and crude attempts to stop
people from attending the rally on Asif Ali Zadari’s arrival would undermine
any effort of reconciliation. He said that these who are indulging in dirty
tricks to prevent the rally would vitiate political atmosphere and push the
country to a politics of confrontation.
The condemnations of use of force to stop people from receiving Asif Ali
Zardari have been pouring in from home and abroad. Pakistan Peoples Party
United Kingdom has very strongly condemned the police brutality and arrest
of workers and immediate release of all workers from police stations and
prisons. Secretary Information PPP, UK, Waheed Rasab in a statement said,
"the authorities have been frightened by the reception of Asif Ali Zardari
because Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has support of masses". He said that PPP UK
is taking up the issue with the British government, members of parliament,
members of Parliament of European Union and International Human Rights
Organizations.
Police carried out crackdown all over Punjab and arrested President District
Bar Association, Malik Nazar Hussain, Qari Zulfikar Ali, Farooq Shafi Mughal
and several others in Daska on Friday. The district administration erected
police pickets to stop movement of party leaders and workers in the entire
district.
Matloob Ahmed Warraich, the President Alliance for the Restoration of
Democracy (European Affairs) has vehemently condemned the police crackdown
and demanded immediate release of all PPP workers and supporters.
Despite all hurdles, a large number of PPP workers left for Lahore from
Multan to receive Asif Ali Zardari. Police arrested former Nazim Malik
Salahuddin Dogar, Khalid Hanif Lodhi, Malik Asad, former minister Mukhtar
Awan, Salimur Rehman Mayo, Mirza Nasir Beg under 16 MPO. Over one thousand
party workers were arrested in Dera Ghazi Khan, Sheikhpura, Bahawalpur and
Multan each.
Acting President PPP Sanghar Sarfaraz Rajar was arrested last night while
leading a procession to Lahore airport to receive Asif Ali Zardari. The
Chairman All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, Shahbaz Bhatti was detained
3.30am on 16 April near Lahore airport and is still under arrest. Several
Minority Alliance Workers had succeeded in reaching Lahore airport.
An aged PPP worker from Khairpur Sindh Abdul Rauf who had come to Lahore to
receive Asif Ali Zardari at the airport heard the sad news of his son’s
death in Lahore. Others arrested near Lahore airport at 9.00am today include
Bealum Hasnain MNA, Noorul Nisa, Bilqees Irfan, Nargis Khan, Akram Hayat,
Tabassam Sukhera, Neelam Awan, Zubeda Malik, Safeera Islam and Talat.

PPP apprises CW of Crackdown on PPP Workers
Islamabad, April 16, 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has apprised the Commonwealth of the crackdown on PPP
workers on the arrival of Asif Ali Zardari in Pakistan and appealed the
Commonwealth to take notice.
Ms. Fauzia Wahab MNA and Coordinator Human Rights Desk, PPP in a letter
addressed to the Secretary General Commonwealth, Donald McKinnon wrote,
"This is to inform you that after the announcement of the Punjab government
to ban the rally and reception of Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, they have not even
spared our lady delegates. Arriving from various parts of the country, our
lady activists have also been put behind the lock up. The President Karachi
division PPP Ms. Farzana Baloch, along with 150 women had just stepped out
of the train on the Lahore railway station, when the police arrested them;
they are in the Naulakha and Sadar Thana (Police Station) of Lahore."
Giving details of use of brute force against women, Fuzia Wahab wrote,
"According to details a delegation of women who had arrived a day earlier
from Karachi went to receive them. The police was following them when they
left the party secretariat. On the station the police arrested everybody,
not only the ones who had come to receive them but also those who had just
arrived. Among the arrested ones are Saadia Siddiqui, Sultana Samoon, Zainab
Soomar, Anis Fatima, Naureen Akhter, Saeeda Burq, Nazeera and others.
Another group of ladies headed by Shagufta Jumani, Member National Assembly
who were stationing at Samina Ghurki's residence are literally living under
a police siege. Their house has been cordoned off by the police for the last
18 hours."
Regarding manhandling the parliamentarians, she wrote, "Nayyer Hussain
Bukhari, our MNA from the capital city Islamabad was baton charged as he
tried to take out a procession of his workers to Lahore. He was manhandled
by the police, his brother and his sixteen year old son was dragged out from
the car. The two hundred people who were going with him were
indiscriminately beaten and arrested and the remaining were forced to
disperse. Thirty cars of the procession on which his people were travelling
have been confiscated by the police."

PPP urges CJ to take suo moto notice against Chief Minister Punjab
Islamabad, 14 April 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has drawn attention of the Supreme Court to take suo
moto notice to order the release of PPP workers and to stop Punjab Chief
Minister from abusing his power to disrupt the welcome reception to former
federal minister Asif Ali Zardari.
Incharge PPP Secretariat and former Additional Secretary government of
Pakistan Mr. Kamran Zafar in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice Supreme
Court Wrote "the former Senator and the spouse of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
Mr. Asif Ali Zardari is arriving in Lahore on the 16th of April from Dubai.
Our Party has made a unanimous decision to accord the longest ever political
prisoner of the country a rousing welcome. Hundreds of thousands of our
workers volunteered to come and receive the PPP leader peacefully at the
Lahore airport. However, the present Punjab administration, frightened of
the show of popular support, has abused its powers to disrupt the
constitutional rights of our people to assemble peacefully with a view to
deny us our basic political democratic rights."
Regarding illegally imposing section 144 in Punjab he wrote "The illegal
imposition of section 144, the arrests of our workers to intimidate them
from gathering, the forcible removal of banners, the tearing off the posters
and billboards etc by the police through abuse of office are indicative of
the fact that the Mr. Ellahi wants to block the welcome reception of Mr.
Asif Ali Zardari. By this act they are, indeed, undermining constitutionally
protected rights as well as abusing their power, a criminal offence under
the NAB ordinance besides committing grave violation of human rights.
Despite the fact that the senior party leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party
Parliamentarian had given them assurance that the rally and the procession
on the 16th April shall be peaceful, the provincial government has resorted
to high-handedness."
Kamran Zafar highlighting the discriminatory attitude towards PPP and dual
standard by the regime he wrote "All these harsh and discriminatory measures
adopted by the regime are a clear violation of the principles of fair play,
equity and justice and it will go a long way in casting a portentous shadow
over the rule of law in the country. It would not be out of place to mention
here the double standards of the regime. As you may recall, the religious
political parties such as MMA were allowed to take out one million man
processions at more than one place in different parts of the country."

PPP asks rulers not to go too far in vendetta politics
Syed Khursheed Shah terms admission of fabricated cases as magnanimous
Islamabad April 14, 2005:
PPP leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah has said that the PPP leaderships stood
vindicated as former political opponents were increasingly admitting before
people that cases against the leadership were false and fabricated.
He said this in a statement today after a Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader
admitted in the National Assembly on Tuesday that his party had fabricated
some of the cases against Asif Ali Zardari.
"In the past, the confrontation between the parties developed so seriously
that the leadership cooked up fake cases against each other," Khawaja Asif,
a senior PML-N leader had said.
Khawaja Asif said Saifur Rehman, the former chairman of the Ehtesab Bureau,
played a key role in preparing fake cases against Zardari.
"History did not forgive us, and it will not forgive you either," he said,
addressing the treasury members. He said the government’s efforts to block
"welcome rallies" for Zardari were unjustified.
Khawaja Asif had said this after Dr Sher Afgan Niazi, the parliamentary
affairs minister, said that Zardari had suffered because of the cases
prepared against him by the last PML-N government and asked if the PML-N
leadership would apologise to Zardari.
Syed Khursheed Shah said that it was magnanimous of Khawaja Asif and others
to admit that the PPP leadership was wronged.
He said that earlier Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as interior minister had also
admitted that the drug case against Asif Zardari was fabricated at the
instance of Saifur Rehman.
PML (N) Chief and former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif had also said in a
newspaper interview that the agencies created an atmosphere of confrontation
between the two major parties in the past through false and fictitious
reports of corruption.
The PPP leader asked the rulers not to go far too far in the pursuit of
vendetta against the PPP leaderships.

Minorities and disabled also vow to welcome Zardari
Assurances of support pouring in as people vow to throng Lahore airport
Islamabad April 14, 2005:
Enthusiasm to welcome Senator Zardari back home on April 16 is mounting
as the minorities and disabled people of the country have also vowed to
accord heroic reception to Asif Zardari.
In a letter addressed to Mohtarma Bhutto the Chairman, All Pakistan
Minorities Alliance (APMA) Shabaz Bhatti today that the Religious minorities
particularly Christians in Punjab are preparing to give a warm welcome to
Mr. Asif Ali Zardari. APMA have formed special committees in different
districts to mobilize and motivate minorities to participate in the
welcoming rally, he said.
Delegations of APMA from Sindh, Bulochistan and NWFP will also participate
in the rally to show their solidarity with PPP and its Chairperson, Shabaz
Bhatti said in his letter.
APMA has strongly condemned the decision of Punjab government to enforce
Section 144, which is a political victimization and exposed the government
claim for grand reconciliation, he said.
The letter of Chairman, All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) sai, "As the
people prepare to give a heart throbbing welcome to Mr. Asif Ali Zardari on
April 16, a great zeal is also seen among the masses who now consider Mr.
Asif Ali Zardari a symbol of courage and inspiration to million people in
Pakistan no less than Nelson Mendala. These undemocratic, unethical and
doctorial acts of government can not block the PPP to win the heart and
minds of Pakistani people".
The Disabled Welfare Association has also addressed letter to the Party
Chairperson assuring her of their full support in according mammoth welcome
to Senator Asif Zardari.
"It will be a historical welcome which nobody have ever seen it before and
no one can forget it because lots of disable peoples are praying day and
night for you and we want both of you not only Asif sahib as well as you in
between us very soon", said the letter by the President of the Association
Jawaid Rais.
We have prepared group of disabled people to follow your orders to welcome
Asif Sahab at Lahore airport. We disable peoples have published stickers and
posters which has been posted from Karachi till Lahore and in other cities
as well on self help basis, the letter said.
This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that lots of disabled people
are supporting any politician and InshaAllah everyone will remember it, the
letter further said.
Meanwhile Mohtarma Bhutto continues to receive message of support from Party
workers and outfits throughout the country. One such letter said, "We will
give our leader a welcome which the world will never forget. Countless
people in buses, wagons and cars will arrive at the Lahore Airport for this
purpose".
"All arrangements have been completed but we will arrive in Lahore secretly
because police is chasing us", the letter said.
Meanwhile Mohtarma Bhutto has thanked all the supporters and well-wishers of
the Party and the people for making preparations to accord a heroic welcome
to Senator Zardari.

Obstacles in path of Asif Zardari’s return
PPP Apprises International Community of Regime’s Excesses
Islamabad, 13 April 2005:
The Pakistan Peoples Party has apprised the International Human Rights
Organizations, foreign diplomats in Pakistan, European Union and the
Commonwealth of the violations of basic Human Rights in Pakistan including
freedom of association, association, freedom and movement and the continued
prosecution of Pakistan Peoples Party, its leadership and workers.
In a letter to international bodies sent by the Central Coordinator Human
Rights Desk and MNA Fauzia Wahab the Party also urged them to raise these
issues with the military regime and demand of him to hold Punjab Chief
Minister accountable to ensure that no obstacles are placed in the path of
the opposition to freely and peacefully receive Asif Ali Zardari at Lahore
airport on April 16, 2005.
The Chief Minister Punjab brooks no dissent and has had parliamentarians
manhandled, the letter said and added, "The administration (of Punjab Chief
Minister) was responsible for the release of the rapists in the
internationally known gang rape of Mai Mukhtaran. Moreover, there are
reports that his son and relatives were in Afghanistan in support of Mullah
Omar and Osama Bin Laden before they were overthrown in 2001".
Mr. Ellahi is misusing the administration to stop people receiving
Opposition leader former Senator Asif Ali Zardari at Lahore airport on April
16 of this month. He has abused his powers to have billboards, posters and
other advertisement removed by the Police in the dead of night, the letter
by Fuazia Wahab said.
On April 11, 2005 Mr. Ellahi imposed a ban on more than five people
gathering together in a public place. This ban is used in the event of
terrorist threats or disturbance to law and order. It is not for use against
political rivals to prevent a demonstration of their popularity.
The imposition of Section 144, under which not more than five people can
gather, has been wrongly imposed as the Constitution guarantees "every
citizen the right to assemble peacefully."
Highlighting the dual standard by the Musharraf regime, the letter said,
"The hurdles being placed in the path of the PPP to receive its leader
peacefully is in sharp contrast to the facilitation of the rallies by the
religious parties. The religious parties known as the MMA have been
regularly holding one million man marches in different provinces. They have
been allowed to transport and bus their workers in from far and wide".
"These double standards show that the present system is promoting the
religious parties to the detriment of the moderate forces. Moreover, the
leaders of PML (Q) are issuing threatening and intimidating statements on a
daily basis. On April 10, 2005, twenty PPP supporters were arrested.
Transporters throughout the country have been handed down circulars by the
local authorities not to give any of their cars, buses or coaches on rent
from the 12th onwards at the risk of facing retributive action by the
provincial administration. Advance amount paid to them for booking is being
forcibly returned at the behest of the administration through use of the
police and district officials." "Our party leadership was hounded and
harassed in the name of accountability for many years. Former Senator Asif
Zardari was kept behind the bars on twenty one baseless and fictitious
cases, the party Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had to shuttle in one
court or the other until she was forced to go into exile, while a very
strong well-orchestrated media trial on the state television and through
various newspaper continued day and night".
Further she said that all those who were legally and in accordance with
prescribed rules and regulations given jobs during the PPP tenure were
terminated from their services. Those civil servants who worked on
responsible positions in the various ministries in the two tenures of the
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto were made "horrible examples" for their colleagues.
The PPP letter said the Party supporters were denied their right to earn a
respectable living on political grounds. Those in the rural areas were
denied fundamental things such as water and farm loans because of their
political affiliation, while those in the urban areas qualified for jobs
were denied the same due to their political sentiments, Fauzia Wahab said.
The PPP letter also urged the international community to play its part in
voicing concern over this policy aimed at creating hurdles in the political
activities of the PPP which are guaranteed by the Constitution.

PPP warns Punjab administration to desist from adopting illegal measures on
the eve by Asif Ali Zardari reception in Lahore
Islamabad, 13 April 2005:
A meeting of Pakistan Peoples Party was held in Lahore issued a warning
to the Punjab administration including the Police not to obey or carry out
the illegal orders of the Punjab government. Any action taken to harass or
intimidate or illegally arrest the workers of the PPP will be met with full
force.
The meeting passed a resolution which reads, "We, the Parliamentarians,
members of the Central Executive Committee and the Federal Council and the
Office bearers of the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Members of the
Provincial Assemblies of Sindh, Punjab, NWFP, Baluchistan, members of the
Azad Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly, and members of the Northern Areas
Council condemn the illegal orders of the Chief Minister Punjab not to allow
the Pakistan Peoples Party to exercise its political, legal and democratic
right to hold a Rally in the city of Lahore. This is the second time that
the Government of Punjab through its strong arm tactics is trying to stop
the workers of the Pakistan Peoples Party to exercise their democratic and
constitutional right of free assembly as envisaged in Article 16 of the
constitution."
The Meeting also noticed the atrocious treatment and harassment of the
workers of the Pakistan Peoples Party by the Punjab police in an effort to
prevent them from welcoming Senator Asif Ali Zardari to Pakistan.
The participants of the meeting assured, the workers and the supporters of
the Pakistan Peoples Party that we will stand besides them at all times and
if the Administration tries to deter anyone through coercion and arrest, the
Parliamentarians, Members of the Provincial Assemblies, Members of CEC and
FC and the Office Bearers who will lead their respective processions from
their Districts will be the first to Court arrest.

Naheed Khan warns Punjab administration of dire consequences
Islamabad, 13 April 2005:
Naheed Khan, member national assembly and the political secretary to the
chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has warned the
Punjab administration not to carry out illegal orders of the Chief Minister
Punjab on the eve of arrival of Asif Ali Zardari at Lahore airport and not
to erect any hurdles in the preparation of his reception.
In a statement today Naheed Khan said that PPP workers on the instructions
of their leader, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto would reach Lahore airport in any
case and if the administration tries to stop them then the Chief minister
Punjab would be held responsible for any untoward consequences because PPP
workers cannot be stopped by the use of force. She said that the chief
minister Punjab has been reported to have said that he would not let the
plane land at Lahore airport but he should keep in mind that if he does so
then a case of high jacking would be registered against him.
Naheed Khan warned the chief minister Punjab of serious consequences of any
effort on his part to erect barriers in front of PPP workers who want to
peacefully receive their fellow PPP worker who has proved to be a very brave
and resolute individual fighting the cause of democracy. The hollow claims
of the regime regarding moderation and enlightenment have been exposed and
General Musharraf and its regime is patronising the extremist elements in
the country just to frighten the West and thus prolonging his illegal rule,
she said.
The regime, which is unnerved by the arrival of Asif Ali Zardari, would soon
disintegrate with the return of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Naheed Khan
concluded.


State of Siege in Punjab as Zardari's Journey for Democracy Starts
By Wajid Shamsul Hasan
DUBAI, April 15: The Government
of Pakistan is in the grip of total panic. The country in general and its
biggest province, Punjab, has been put under a state of complete siege.
Its law and
order machinery, police and intelligence apparatus, is busy doing the
24-hour round and vigil, pulling down posters and removing walk-chalkings
that have sprung up in the entire country with slogans welcoming Asif
Zardari's return home on his Journey for Democracy tomorrow, April 16.
I have before me
Dubai's two leading English newspapers that monopolize the English
readership of the Emirates. Reports on Pakistan by Khaleej Times
(April 12) "Punjab slaps ban on public rallies" and Gulf News
(April 13) "Posters welcoming Zardari torn down across Lahore city"
have summed up the mounting unease among the rulers who are running berserk
on the eve of Zardari's arrival.
(Reuters
Report from Lahore April 13: Police in Pakistan arrested hundreds of
activists on Wednesday planning to welcome home the husband of opposition
leader in exile Benazir Bhutto. The arrests created the prospect of a
showdown between police and Bhutto's supporters on Saturday, the day
military leader President Pervez Musharraf leaves for peace talks in India.
"We have detained people but we do not know how many," said Aftab Cheema, a
senior police officer in the eastern city of Lahore. "The operation will
continue and we will arrest anyone we think can disrupt the peace.")
According to
Khaleej Times "Diplomatic observers were awaiting Zardari's return with
keen interest hoping he would neutralize the initiative seized by the MMA to
attract crowds at its rallies. Many Western diplomats had planned personally
to witness the event in Lahore. Punjab Chief Minister Choudhry Parvez Elahi
and his cousin and PML Chief Choudhry Shujaat Hussain have felt threatened
by President Pervez Musharraf's efforts to reconcile with PPP. Parvez Elahi
also stopped Zardari from flying into Rawalpindi/Islamabad after his release
on bail last year and rearrested and returned him to Karachi from the
airport."
Gulf News
has reported that district officials in Punjab have ordered tearing down of
Zardari welcoming posters and Benazir Bhutto's pictures. Its story from
Lahore quoting a police source said: "A meeting of all the Superintendents
of police was held yesterday. Direct orders were given to remove the
posters. We expect more to be pasted, and these will also be removed." Not
only that Gulf News witnessed three rickshaws being pulled up by
traffic police along Ferozepur Road, and as schoolchildren whom rickshaw
drivers were ferrying home waited along the roadside, the drivers were
ordered to tear down advertisements pasted behind the vehicles."
While the police
justified its high-handedness stating that the posters were pasted on
payment, one rickshaw driver, Shaukat, interviewed by Gulf News
denied this allegation and angrily retorted: "We have the posters pasted to
our rickshaws because the PPP is the party of the poor like us. I will
continue to back Benazir Bhutto and I will go to the airport to receive
Zardari regardless of what these police brutes do."
Other stories in
the international media highlight the massive crackdown, harassment,
intimidation and arrests of PPP supporters throughout the country especially
in Sindh and Punjab from where people have already started trickling into
Lahore to accord an unprecedented welcome to Asif Zardari on April 16. Some
of the PPP supporters interviewed by journalists at a railway station in
Sindh said: "Our leader (Benazir Bhutto) has asked us to use any means of
transport to be in Lahore on that day, come what may. We know Government
won't let our vehicles reach Lahore so we are going by train ahead of
Zardari Sahib's arrival. Entire Lahore will be a safe haven for us to enable
us to be present on that great day."
One of my
journalist friends captured the Lahore of today as follows: "I'm reminded of
April 1986 when the entire Punjab had flocked to Lahore to welcome Benazir
Bhutto, their leader's daughter who had dared to defy General Ziaul Haq for
the sake of the people and democracy, notwithstanding the dreaded
consequences she was conveyed she would have to face. Now people in Punjab
and elsewhere too feel that they have got to reassure their leader (Benazir
Bhutto) that they are with her, with heart and soul, by giving her husband a
rousing welcome. The masses are treating his landing into Punjab from Dubai
as the precursor to her return home. It will have a tremendous impact on the
coming local bodies polls and would pave the way for an early general
elections too. Asif Zardari will have a tremendous challenge for himself.
Masses expect him to revive in them the lost hope." Many in the heartland of
Pakistan consider Asif's launch as the beginning of the battle to save
Quaid's Pakistan.
Asif Zardari's
return home means different things to different people. For the masses who
are fed up with lawlessness, sectarianism, terrorism, divisiveness, lack of
good governance, back breaking prices, galloping inflation, ever-increasing
unemployment and erosion of national sovereignty, his return home is being
considered as a ground breaking event that would help in ushering in true
democracy, installation of a legitimately elected popular government that
would address Pakistan's multifaceted socio-economic problems threatening
the very existence of the county.
Those outsiders
who consider Pakistan as the epicenter of international terrorism and who
think that present policies are not much helpful in crusading against it
since they feel that the Jihadis have been allowed a smartly created but
respectable cover in the form of the MMA to continue their activities. They
mention the unlimited freedom the Government has given to MMA to freely and
unhindered romp around the country in rallies called by it and the
Government media as 'million man marches'.
Islamabad's
carte blanche to MMA has created genuine doubts among its western
supporters. Many among them feel that its policy of running with the
American hare and hunting with the MMA hounds is a manifestation of its
duplicity. They also describe it as strange face of democracy when the
government allows freedom to MMA to hold public rallies while denying the
right to do the same to the liberal and democratic parties like PPP and ARD.
They are
expressly shocked by Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi's threat to PPP
that: "We shall knock the daylights out of them." Jingoistic statements such
as these backed by action of a countrywide sweep against PPP supporters now
in top gear, exposes Musharraf regime's so called efforts for providing
space to the democratic opposition represented by PPP and ARD.
A Western
diplomat in Islamabad told me on the phone: "I'm really disappointed by the
Government's behavior. So are my other colleagues. We had thought that
Islamabad would welcome Zardari and PPP as a formidable and popular factors
that would help neutralize the initiative seized by MMA as demonstrated in
their rallies in the streets. One hopes it has more to do with the politics
of the Choudhries and their vested interests in Punjab rather than the
Establishment represented by President Musharraf."
Off goes Asif
Ali Zardari to Pakistan on April 16 to be welcomed by the people of Pakistan
who have pinned lots of hopes on his return. On the eve of his arrival the
Government has acted terribly badly. How it will react when he lands will
have to be seen since the entire brigade of Pakistani and international
media is accompanying him on his Journey for Democracy.
The writer
is a former Pakistan High Commissioner to UK

No ban will prevent us to
welcome Zardari, says Naheed Khan

FAISALABAD: Peoples Party leader Naheed Khan
has said that no ban will prevent the party workers to welcome Asif Ali
Zardari.
Naheed Khan who is also political secretary of Benazir Bhutto was talking
with Geo at the residence of the PPP central executive committee member
Imran Murtaza Khan in Faisalabad.
PPP will not close doors for talks with the government, which is a part of
political process but the government should seriously consider its behaviour,
she said.
“We will reach the airport despite any obstacles placed by the chief
minister in our path”, she said.
Naheed Khan alleged that the police was conducting raids at houses of the
PPP women activists.

Government
offers compromise to Zardari on arrival in Lahore
By Mubasher Bukhari

LAHORE: The government has told Mr Asif
Zardari that after landing at Lahore Airport, he would be able to go to
Minar-e-Pakistan by helicopter and address a public gathering there if he
abandoned plans to lead a rally from the airport, said PPP sources.
Ms Bhutto and Mr Zardari are considering this option. The PPP has not yet
confirmed whether Mr Zardari will return by a commercial or chartered
flight. The Pakistan People’s Party is considering another move to counter
the government’s plans to stifle the reception for Zardari on April 16, the
most stunning of which could be the return of Ms Bhutto on the same flight.
“Ms Bhutto has discussed the idea of her return with Mr Zardari on April 16
and she may do so to stun the rulers and the masses,” said a PPP official in
Dubai. “Ms Bhutto believes that this is a suitable time for her return
because the political atmosphere in Pakistan is hot.” On the other hand, the
provincial government has conveyed a message to Mr Zardari asking him to
land somewhere outside Punjab, but he has refused. “Now the government has
chalked out a contingency plan under which it may change the destination of
Mr Zardari’s flight on April 16,” said a Punjab government official.

Musharraf
willing to talk to Bhutto-one day
By David Brunnstrom and Sheree Sardar
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani military ruler President Pervez
Musharraf said on Thursday he wouldbe willing to meet opposition
leader-in-exile Benazir Bhutto to advance rapprochement with liberal forces,
but not yet.
Musharraf told Reuters Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party was not helping
reconciliation by planning rallies thisSaturday to welcome back her husband,
Asif Ali Zardari, from a visit to her in exile in Dubai.
"Moderate forces need to unite to suppress the extremist forces," Musharraf
said in an interview when asked aboutreconciliation with liberal parties
such as Bhutto's. "This is what I think is extremely important from a
nationalperspective."
"Within this, any kind of talks or negotiations or rapprochement, one would
be willing to do," he said.
Asked whether he was willing to meet Bhutto personally, Musharraf, who has
not hidden his distaste for the formerprime minister in the past, replied:
"That time has not come as yet; when the time comes, yes, one doesn't
mindmeeting anyone.
"But at the moment it's not right at all, especially with whatever is
happening now," he said referring to the PPP'srally plans in the eastern
city of Lahore, which the party says authorities have tried to block by
arresting thousands ofsupporters.
"The attempt to disturb law and order in Lahore on the 16th is not conducive
to good, harmonious relations," saidMusharraf, who is due to leave for India
that day in an attempt to move forward a slow-moving peace process.
Authorities have effectively barred the PPP from holding a rally in Lahore
to welcome Zardari by extending atemporary ban on gatherings of more than
three people.
Musharraf defended the ban.
RISK OF CHAOS AND CONFUSION
"Processions are not allowed," he said. "In Pakistan, if you allow
processions they will break down the windowpanes and the traffic lights, and
you end up with chaos and confusion."
Asked why authorities nevertheless let the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, a
six-party alliance of religious parties thathave traditionally supported the
military, to hold anti-government rallies across Pakistan in recent months,
Musharrafsaid those gatherings were more orderly.
Bhutto, prime minister for two terms in the 1980s and 1990s, has lived in
self-imposed exile for fear of arrest oncorruption charges since 1999 and
Musharraf has in the past said she would not be allowed to return to
politics.
However, apparently seeking to bolster his power base and respond to Western
critics pushing him to lift curbs ondemocracy, he has softened his position
in recent months.
Officials say behind-the-scene talks have taken place between Bhutto and the
general's aides to discuss arapprochement with politicians sidelined since
he seized power in a 1999 coup, but little concrete progress has beenseen.
Zardari was released from prison on bail in November after eight years in
jail on charges ranging from corruptionto murder and his release raised
speculation Musharraf might try to improve relations with Bhutto's party.
The latest detentions of PPP activists have come as the cabinet approved
legal reforms on Wednesday, whichBhutto's lawyer said could allow her return
from exile.
The draft reforms, aimed at making justice more transparent, include
proposals to give women the automatic rightto bail, except in cases of
murder, terrorism, narcotics or robbery.
Bhutto's lawyer Babur Awan said the reforms, which still need Cabinet
approval, should enable her to return fromexile since the legal cases
against her were bailable.

Bid to stop PPP reception cowardly CM Punjab’s move fated to fail
Urges people to accord heroic welcome to Zardari
Islamabad, 12 April 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has condemned the decision by the Chief Minister of
Punjab to stop the PPP reception programme for Mr Asif Zardari as ‘cowardly
and fated to fail’.
The passing of illegal orders by the Chief Minister to the provincial
administration to tear down billboards, posters and white wash wall chalking
made to welcome Mard e Hur Asif Ali Zardari to Lahore on April 16th was an
act of cowardice, said Raja Pervez Ashraf MNA and deputy leader of the Party
in the National Assembly in a statement today.
Such cowardly tactics would not deter its workers from surmounting all
obstacles to reach the Lahore airport to welcome Senator Zardari, a hero of
the oppressed, repressed and exploited people of Pakistan, he said.
Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the move to stifle freedoms of movement,
association and speech would harm stability and democracy in the country.
He also condemned the statement of the Chief Minister that political
opponents living abroad due to the present dictatorship in the country will
not be allowed political activities in the country.
He said that it was strange that the Chief Minister described Mr. Zardari as
a leader from abroad given that the Chief Minister had spent more time
abroad (and at government expense) than Mr. Zardari who had gone abroad to
visit his family as a private citizen.
Frightened by the reality that for millions in country Asif Zardari was the
Nelson Mandela of Pakistan the Chief Minister was unnerved and therefore
speaking illogically, he said and advised the provincial chief minister ‘to
accept the reality and avoid being frightened’.
He said that the Chief Minister should keep in mind that Ayotullah Khomeni,
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, President Karzai and President Tallabani are few of
the leaders in recent history that returned from exile to triumph.
He said that exiling popular leaders and banning their political activities
was a prescription for damage to national interests. However, it appeared
that the Chief Minister, one of the country's biggest bank defaulters with
written off loans, was prepared to sacrifice national interest to secure his
illegal hold on power. "This is most condemnable".
By banning moderate parties and hindering their attempts at peaceful means
of political activity the CM Punjab was in fact aiding the religious
extremist parties. The PML Q had recently mixed religion and nationality in
the passports, restricted marathons, freed the rapists of Mai Mukhtarian and
joined hands with MMA in signing the seventeenth amendment.
The PPP leader also called for an investigation into claims that the son and
relatives of the Chief Minister had gone to aid Mullah Omar and Osama Bin
Laden in Afghanistan in the interval between the bombing of the world trade
towers and the United Nations overthrow of the Taliban regime.
Raja Pervez asked the Chief Minister to carefully weigh his words about the
opposition otherwise he will be given a befitting reply.
He said the PPP had a clear agenda that was to save the people from poverty,
backwardness and hunger whereas the present regime was only interested in
saving its illegal hold on power.
The PPP leader called upon the people of Pakistan, and the people of Lahore
in particular, to give a rousing welcome to Mard e Hur Asif Zardari.

Mohtarma Bhutto concerned over deaths due to contaminated water
Demands provision of clean water and compensation to victims
Islamabad April 12, 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto has expressed shock and grief over the death of eight people
due to contaminated water in Qambar Ali Khan in Larkana district.
She said that the regime instead of spending huge sums on witch hunting of
political opponents, purchasing big cars for the cabinet ministers and on
white elephant projects should provide clean drinking water to the poor
people.
She recalled that some months ago a number of people were killed by water
borne diseases in Hyderabad because of contaminated drinking water but the
Sindh administration which came into being through rigged elections took no
corrective steps.
Mohtarma found it "heart rendering that the poor people were committing
economic suicides and dying of hunger and contaminated water" and called for
fresh elections that were transparent so that a peoples government could
resolve the peoples problems.
Mohtarma noted that the regime claims to have accumulated billions in
foreign exchange reserves which is a big joke because it has no money to
provide clean drinking water to the people'.
She also asked the regime to pay compensation to those who died a s result
of contaminated water and provide free medical treatment to those admitted
to hospitals because of water borne diseases.

PPP apprises Commonwealth of human rights violations by the military regime
Islamabad, April 11, 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has apprised Secretary General Commonwealth, Mr.
Donald C McKinnon of the continued prosecution of PPP legislators by the
military regime in Pakistan and requested him to take up the issue of human
rights violations and denial of political space to the opposition with the
Pakistani regime.
The Central Coordinator, Human Rights Cell, Pakistan Peoples Party, Fauzia
Wahab MNA in a letter addressed to Mr. Donald C McKinnon wrote, "We have
apprised you earlier about the various cases of human rights violation of
our legislators. They are either booked in fictitious cases, or they are
harassed by unwanted social elements with the state patronage. The latest in
line to be harassed is parliamentarian Ghulam Qadir Chandio. The vocal PPP
legislator in the Sindh provincial assembly was arrested on April 4, 2005.
Mr. Chandio is presently the President of PPP in the district of Nawabshah,
home town of the spouse of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. He is also
a former Senator of Pakistan."
She further wrote, "Mr. Chandio's arrest has come in the wake of
preparations for according the longest ever political prisoner of the
country Mr. Asif Ali Zardari a rousing reception on his return to Pakistan
on April 16. The arrest of Mr. Chandio demonstrates that there is a lack of
political freedom, freedom of association, freedom of movement and freedom
to express one's views in Pakistan. As and when people do express their
views, they do so as a favour from the regime rather than as a right
guaranteed by law and a political system. Whenever the regime desires, it
comes down on political opponents who are degraded, humiliated and end up
losing their liberty, being denied the right to livelihood during their
incarceration which affects their profession and spend huge amounts on legal
redress. The cost in liberty, profession, family, human dignity and finance
is so high that few people find that they can enter politics according to
their beliefs. Tyranny suffocates society and it is suffocating Pakistan."
Regarding government’s policy of harassing PPP legislators, she wrote, "Mr.
Chandio was arrested by the ruling party to undermine efforts at
reconciliation. The PPP workers are angry that under the garb of
reconciliation policy they continue to be at the receiving end. Earlier,
Parliamentarian Ms. Farheen Mughal was threatened with dismissal of her
husband from his government job for supporting the PPP. PPP constituencies
in Jacobabad, Larkana, Dadu and Mirpurkhas were gerrymandered through
redistribution of administrative units while the same is feared with the
announcement of division of Hyderabad district into four administrative
units. Others who were persecuted included since the announcement of the
policy of reconciliation included Mr. Bajwa, former Parliamentarian from
Faislabad, Dr. Moazzam present Parliamentarian from the Punjab Assembly and
Ms. Humera Alwani, Parliamentarian from the Sindh Assembly."

Banning of Asif Zardari’s welcome reception condemned
PPP informs European Union of rulers’ game plan
Government will be responsible for untoward incident
Islamabad April 11, 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party UK has urged the EU to impress upon the rulers in
Islamabad not to create hurdles in the way of Party workers welcoming Mr.
Asif Ali Zardri on his return to Pakistan on 16 April, 2005.
The PPP UK Information Secretary Mr Wahid Rasab made an urgent call to the
European Member of Parliament Ms Neena Gill in Brussels today urging the EU
to ensure that democratic opposition parties in Pakistan were not threatened
with persecution for welcoming Asif Zardari back home.
The call was made in the wake of government decision to clamp section 144 in
Lahore banning Party workers from welcome Asif Zardari.
After remaining incarcerated for over eight years without a single
conviction Asif Zardari was released on bail due to national and
international pressure. He is scheduled to return to Pakistan next week to
push forward the democratic struggle in the country, the PPP leader told the
EU adding, "the Party workers are eager to accord him a momentous reception
to usher in a democratic and constitutional struggle for the restoration of
constitution and democracy".
He said that earlier the regime’s spokespersons had repeatedly threatened
that Senator Sardari’s return to Pakistan on April 16 could undermine the
possibility of broad based reconciliation with the political parties.
There was a disconnect in what the rulers in Islamabad said and what they
did, he said. "On the one hand the regime claimed of working for a broad
based political reconciliation and on other hand it officially banned Party
workers from gathering at the air port to receive the Party leader and
threatened the workers with dire consequences if violated the ban".
He informed the EU MP that the religious parties grouped under the MMA, the
ethnic party in Musharraf’s coalition called MQM and the ruling PML
(Q) were all holding rallies, public meetings and marches but Mohtarma
Bhutto, Assif Zardarri and the PPP leadership was being threatened.
Meanwhile the PPP has denounced the decision to clamp section 144 to prevent
workers from according reception to Senator Zardari and said that the knee
jerk response of the regime showed that it had feet of clay.
Denouncing the ban decision spokesman of the Party said in a statement today
that it appeared that the government had decided to create a law and order
situation to scuttle the democratic process.
The permission to the religious parties to not only hold a rally but also
attack participants of a marathon in Gujranwala last week was craftily
designed to impress upon the international community that the choice in
Pakistan was between military dictatorship and religious extremism, he said.
"This was done so as to create an alibi for banning the PPP from holding
welcoming reception and stop the democratic train".
The Party will agitate the issue at all national and international forums
the spokesman said and added "letters are being addressed to human rights
bodies and international community organizations".
The spokesman warned that the rulers would be responsible for any untoward
incident if force were applied to stop the workers from receiving Senator
Asif Zardari.

Public rallies, processions banned in entire Punjab
By Assad Abbas - Pakistan
Times Staff Reporter
LAHORE: The Punjab government has imposed ban on rallies and
processions in the entire province restricting PPPP from taking out rally to
welcome its leader, Asif Ali Zardari on April-16, official sources said.
The police sources disclosed the government had imposed section 144 in the
province to stop the PPPP activists and workers from holding a rally on the
arrival of Asif Ali Zardari.
The sources say the Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi held a high level
meeting here in Provincial Secretariat and ordered strict implementation of
section 144 all over the province.
The meeting also reviewed
the security situation on the arrival of Asif Ali Zardari.
Meanwhile, the police officials have also informed the PPPP leaders in
Punjab that they will not be allowed to take out rally.
Plans of Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari is arriving in the City from Dubai on April-16 and the PPPP
is mobilising all its resources to accord him a historic welcome, similar to
the one given to Benazir Bhutto in 1980s, and PPPP leaders are determined to
take out the rally.
“We will welcome our leader come what may”, PPPP leader Qasim Zia said when
contacted, adding senior police officers have conveyed him the ‘message’ of
the Punjab government.
MMA has also announced its rally on the same day.
However, an official handout said that the Chief Minister Sunday announced
concrete measures to eliminate crimes as well as elements providing
sanctuary to the criminals.
He was presiding over a high level meeting of provincial administration in
the Punjab Hall, Civil Secretariat. Chief Secretary, Kamran Rasool, IGP,
Saadat Ullah Khan, Home Secretary, Hassan Waseem Afzal and other senior
police officers also attended the meeting.
Chief Minister said patrolling posts should be increased in the province and
special operations to eliminate the activities of the criminals in the kacha
areas should be launched. He further directed change in procedure for
returning the recovered property to their legal owners.
Police Patrolling Posts
Addressing the meeting Chief Minister said police patrolling posts would
help in controlling the crimes on the highways but also help in remove
encroachments on the roads.
Chaudhry Pervez Elahi said river belts and kacha areas would not be allowed
to become safe haven for the dacoits. Rangers and helicopters will be used
in operation against anti-social elements.
He announced setting up of police posts in the surrounding areas of
Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan and for this purpose
government will provide funds on priority basis.
He said that at every post 20-25 police officials alongwith latest weapons
will be deputed and motorboats will also be provided for their efficient
working.
Chief Minister said during his visits of different districts, complaints
were made regarding the notorious gangsters and cattle-lifters. He directed
that strict action should be taken against the cattle-lifters and people
involved in this business should also be taken to task.
CM expressed his dissatisfaction over the procedure of handing over the
recovered stolen items to their owners. He said if necessary the government
would also make legislation to this effect.
CM stressed upon the district police officers to strive for improving the
image of the police in the people

No
rallies for Asif's welcome, PPP told
Lahore, April 10: The Punjab government
is reported to have told the provincial leadership of the PPP that rallies
to welcome Asif Zardari on April 16 will not be allowed.
President of the PPP Punjab, Qasim Zia, said on Sunday that he had received
a phone call from a police official telling him that the government would
not allow any rally to receive Mr Zardari.
However, Mr Zia said, his party was busy organizing a 'peaceful reception'
for Mr Zardari. "Let me make it clear that anybody who would try to create
hurdles would be responsible for any consequences."
The PPP leader said the party had planned a reception for Mr Zardari, who
would be taken to the shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA) in a convoy.
"It is a political process. It is our right and nobody can stop us from
doing it."
However, a Punjab government official claimed that no decision to ban
rallies had so far been announced officially. "I myself was in a meeting
today presided over by Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi. There was no such
decision," he claimed. But a senior Punjab police official confirmed the
decision, saying the PPP leadership had been informed about it. Meanwhile,
party sources said here on Sunday that the party had formulated a new plan
about Asif Ali Zardari's reception on April 16, adds PPI.
In case Punjab did not allow workers to enter the city on that day or
disagreed with the party to adopt route already declared, then alternative
steps would be taken, sources added.

Memorandum presented to Canadian Foreign Minister
Islamabad, 8 April 2005 :
A delegation led by Secretary General National Federation of Pakistani
Canadians and Adviser Pakistan Peoples Party Overseas Committee, Saleem
Janjua presented a memorandum on 7 April 2005 to Mr. Pierre PeHigrew,
Minister of Foreign Affairs Canada apprising him of the illegal and
unjustified prosecution of PPP and its leadership in the name of
accountability by the Pakistani regime. Memorandum urged the foreign
minister of Canada to play his role and demand of General Musharraf to
withdraw all politically motivated cases against popular, liberal and
democratic leader former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, her spouse Asif Ali
Zardari and the vice Chairman PPP, Yousaf Raza Gilani and to allow the
return of exiled political leadership of the country including Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto.
The memorandum, which was presented on behalf of concerned Pakistani origin
Canadians and members of PPP Canada, says, "For many years Pakistan Peoples
Party had expressed strong reservation about the process of accountability
in Pakistan. Our stand that the process of accountability is a façade, used
to prosecute, hound and harass political opponents has remained constant.
The performance of the accountability through successive years has proved
that accountability has never been bi-partisan, fair and is just for
Pakistan Peoples Party and of its leadership. It has been very specific,
selective and discriminatory. Accountability, though and integral part of
good governance, was never aimed at weeding out corruption or establishing
transparency in the country."
Highlighting the dual standard and selective accountability the memorandum
says, "The recent request to the Supreme Court by the National
Accountability Bureau to withdraw corruption reference against a sitting
minister speaks volumes of their selective policy. The Federal Minister
Faisal Saleh Hayat took a loan of Rs. 691 million from a commercial bank for
his textile mills some twelve years ago and Rs. 587 millions is still
unpaid. The banking Tribunal has declared him as a wilful defaulter. He was
arrested in 1999 and kept behind bars and later on the same case was set
aside and the same gentleman was not only allowed to contest election,
although defaulters were not qualified to contest elections but he was made
federal minister by the regime of General Musharraf and was hounding
leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party on flimsy and fictitious cases in the
name of so-called accountability. Similarly, the self-proclaimed morally
upright military generals who day and night maligned the liberal, democratic
popular leaderships of Pakistan and called them corrupt, inducted several
others as members of the cabinet and one was made governor who had some
serious cases against themselves in various courts in the country. Their
cases are conveniently forgotten and were given charges of lucrative
ministries as long they are ready to follow the General’ agenda."
The memorandum further reads, "Prosecution continues for those who have
refused to toe the regime’s line. They are made to pay heavily. They are
either imprisoned or forced to live in exile. The four politically motivated
cases were constituted in 1997 against twice elected Prime Minister,
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto are still pending in under pressure courts and are
used as leverage against her. More than 13 false cases are registered
against her spouse Asif Ali Zardari who is on bail after eight years of
imprisonment while Senior Vice Chairman of the PPP, Yousuf Raza Gilani has
been put behind bars for seven years on charges of giving jobs to the people
while he was speaker of the National Assembly."
The delegation lead by Saleem Janjua included Liaquat Malik,Qaiser Farooqui
and Aftab Malik.

Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto supports
concept of Enlightened Moderation
Pakistan
Times Foreign Desk
LONDON (UK): Pakistan's
ex-Prime Minister and PPP Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has said she
supports the concept of enlightened moderation presented by General Pervez
Musharraf.
In an interview with ARY TV channel aired on Monday, she said the return of
her husband, Asif Ali Zardari to Pakistan on April-16 is a test case for the
present government.
She said political reconciliation does not mean compromise on principles
rather it is extremely necessary for the stability of Pakistan.
She reminded that when Zardari was in jail, PML (Q) President Ch Shujaat
Hussain had backed his release, adding “now I understand that Ch Shujaat
will demonstrate political prudence and foresight on return of Zardari.”
“Zardari is going to Punjab because it is part of Pakistan and the largest
province of the country,” she said, adding the PPP is a democratic party and
backs the revival of genuine democracy in the country.
Calls for Fresh Polls
Reiterating her demand for the holding of fresh general elections in 2005,
Ms Benazir Bhutto said that the present political system has lost its
significance and effectiveness.
Responding to a question, she said she neither recently held meeting nor
telephonic conversations with President Musharraf.
Five individuals are taking decisions on national matters, the PPP chief
said by adding “the real power rests with these five and not with Prime
Minister Shaukat Aziz or Ch Shujaat Hussain.” “The decisions taken by these
five individuals are told to them,” she viewed.
Ms Benazir Bhutto was of
the view, what she phrased as; "PM Shaukat Aziz and Ch Shujaat had no
authority to take any decision freely and even cannot transfer or appoint
any bureaucrat on their own."
Replying to a question that as to why the US is forcing President Musharraf
and the PPP to cooperate with each other on national and other matters, she
said: “I have no knowledge about this and have never been forced to do so
yet I read this only in newspapers. Go and ask from them instead of me,” Ms
Bhutto remarked

Sindh PPP to
welcome Zardari in Lahore
Karachi, April 14, 2005: The Pakistan
Peoples Party, Sindh chapter, vowed on Monday that 200,000 supporters from
Sindh would reach Lahore airport to join in the reception for Asif Zardari
on April 16 defying all restrictions and hurdles.
The Sindh Council of the PPP met here to discuss the arrangements for
reception and ARD Secretary-General Zafar Iqbal Jhagra said the ARD parties
would also participate in the reception.
“Basically, it will be a PPP show, but we’ll also participate,” he told the
Daily Times here at a reception on Monday.
Qaim Ali Shah, provincial president of the PPP, presided over the
hurriedly-called meeting of the Sindh Council at the Peoples Secretariat
where members of the council attended the meeting.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Qaim Ali Shah said the district
bodies’ reports vis-à-vis reception arrangements were discussed. “We
received encouraging response from the districts. Hundreds of thousands of
people want to be in Lahore to welcome Asif Zardari,” he said.
Manzoor Wassan, sitting next to him, told journalists that 200,000
supporters from Sindh would reach Lahore Airport. Qaim Ali Shah said the
party had decided that Asif Zardari would return and we would reach Lahore
to receive him. He said the party would resist the government’s ban on the
reception. Raza Rabbani, deputy secretary-general of the PPP, made clear at
another press conference at the Sindh Assembly that Asif Zardari was not an
alternative leadership and Benazir Bhutto was chairperson of the party. He
said he didn’t read the statement of Asif Zardari that he would become prime
minister.
He said this would not be the first time that hurdles would be created in
the way of the PPP and “our reaction to that will also be not new.” Wassan
said his party had formulated its own strategy to counter the government’s
restrictions against the party. He didn’t elaborate the party’s strategy.
MNA Pir Aftab Jilani, Abdul Sattar Bachani, Rashid Rabbani, Dr Fehmida Mirza,
Dr Karim Khuwaja, Ghous Ali Shah, Rehmatullah Sarki and other members of the
Sindh Council attended the meeting

PPP’s rejoinder to Shaikh Rashid
Islamabad April 9,2005:
PPP Vice Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim has denounced the statement of
Information Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad that Senator Zardari’s return to
Pakistan on April 16 could undermine the possibility of broad based
reconciliation with the political parties.
The Federal Information Minister said in an interview that the broad based
reconciliation with political parties would flounder on the rocks if Senator
Zardari returned to Pakistan and held public meetings.
In a statement today Makhdoom Amin Fahim that it was surprising that on the
one hand the regime claimed of working for a broad based reconciliation with
democratic political parties to over come the political problems facing the
country and on other hand it threatened these very parties.
He said that holding of political meetings and reaching out to the masses
with their political message was a basic democratic and constitutional right
of the parties. The religious parties grouped under the MMA, the MQM and the
ruling PML (Q) all are holding rallies, public meetings and million marches
to mobilize people with their message. How can the democratic parties be
denied this right, he asked.
He said that earlier cases against political leaders who dropped the demand
for democracy or joined the regime’s bandwagon were withdrawn while parties
like the PPP are still being hounded in the name of accountability. Now
these parties are asked not even to speak in public in support of democracy,
constitutionalism and rule of law.
Last week the Information Minister had said that that there was no pressure
on the regime for reconciliation with PPP.
Now to prove his point the PPP is being stopped from carrying out its normal
political activities, Makhdoom Amin Fahim said.
He said that by not yielding to democratic norms and insisting on punishing
the PPP through measure such as the breaking up of PPP districts and the
persecuting PPP leadership through the politically motivated NAB the rulers
had made their intentions known to the people.
He said that the regime claims to be under no pressure for an understanding
with the political parties. But when it comes to policies in areas such as
support for Taliban and Laskhkar e Tayaba and opening dialogue with India,
it is well known that it buckles under pressure.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that the announcements and statements by government
functionaries had exposed the talk of so called reconciliation with
democratic political parties was merely a public relations exercise.
He said that return of Senator Asif Zardari and local elections will expose
the regime’s real intentions.

Government violating Constitution
Senator Raza Rabbani
Islamabad, 9 April 2005:
Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate of
Pakistan has issued the following press
statement:
It is unfortunate that the Government perpetually violates the Constitution
of 1973. The factual position today is that the Senate of Pakistan is
without a Chairman. The incumbent Chairman Mr. Mohammend Mian Soomro is out
of the country on an official tour, therefore, in terms of clause (3) of
Article 53 read with Article 61 of the Constitution the Chairman, "is absent
or in unable to perform his functions due to any cause." The said Article
also provides that the Deputy Chairman shall assume the Office of the
Chairman in such circumstances.
The former Deputy Chairman Mr. Khalil-ur-Rehman took oath as the Governor of
the Province of NWFP vide Cabinet Division Notification No. 2-2/205-MIN-II,
dated 15th March 2005, therefore, as a consequence his seat in the Senate
has become vacant in terms of clause (2) of Article 103 of the Constitution
with effect from the date when he took oath. As a consequence he ceased to
hold the Office of the Deputy Chairman Senate in terms of para (b) of clause
(7) of Article 53 of the Constitution.
Therefore, a Constitutional vacuum has been created with the effect from
28th March, 2005, when the Chairman Senate left on a foreign tour and
continues till date, and shall so continue till he can perform his functions
i.e. when he returns to the country. This is for the first time in
Pakistan’s parliamentary history that a House has become headless; it is
unfortunate that the Senate, which represents the Federation, is today
headless.

Mohtarma Bhutto condoles death of Raja Anwar
Islamabad April 9, 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has condoled the death of eminent jurist Raja
Muhammad Anwar.
In a condolence message the former Prime Minister said that Raja Anwar was
not only an outstanding legal mind but also a compassionate and fine human
being whose death will be mourned by many for a long time to come. She said
that she was impressed with his legal acumen which he demonstrated in
abundance while defending her from court to court in trumped up and
politically cases against her.
She said that Raja Anwar and his family had made great sacrifices for the
cause of democracy and rule of law and the void created by his death will
not be easy to fill. A soft spoken and mild tempered man as he was Raja
Anwar endeared every one who came in contact with him she said.
His soft exterior concealed a strong inner self, which refused to compromise
with dictatorship, the former Prime Minister said. Mohtarma Bhutto also
prayed to Allah to rest his soul in eternal peace and to grant courage to
members of the bereaved family to bear the loss with equanimity.

Senate
chief disallows PPP resolution: Armed forces commercial activities
By
Arshad Sharif
ISLAMABAD, March 9:
Senate Chairman Mohammad mian Soomro has disallowed a resolution, moved by a
Pakistan People's Party senator, urging that the military should not be
involved in commercial and industrial activities on the ground that the
resolution was too general in nature.
The resolution, moved by PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar on
February 16 for being taking up on the next Private Member's Day, said:
"This House is of the view that the armed forces should not be involved in
commercial and industrial activities."
A Senate letter, R.D No 16-20/2005-Q dated March 7,
addressed to the mover said the subject matter of the resolution was too
general and that the chairman has been pleased to hold the resolution to be
inadmissible under rule 121 (3) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of
Business in the Senate, 1988.
The resolution was killed on Monday when the auditor
general's report was presented before the National Assembly, identifying
corruption to the tune of millions of rupees in the commercial ventures of
the defence services.
When contacted, Senator Farhatullah Babar confirmed that
the Senate Secretariat had disallowed his resolution. He, however, contested
the ground on which the resolution was disallowed, quoting Rule 121(1) on
the subject, which read: "A resolution may be in the form of a declaration
of opinion or a recommendation; or convey a message; or commend, urge or
request an action; or call attention to a matter or situation for
consideration by the government."
Quoting Rule 121(3), Senator Babar said: "It shall be
clearly and precisely expressed and shall raise substantially one definite
issue." He said increasing engagements of the armed forces in commercial and
industrial activities was "substantially one definite issue under Rule
121(3) and the resolution was precisely in the form of a declaration of
opinion and to convey a message as provided for in Rule 121(1).
Senator Babar said it was a "definite issue" which had also
been commented upon nationally and internationally. "British High
Commissioner Mark Lyall Grant created a diplomatic stir last week when he
publicly remarked that during the past 28 years, the military's corporate
business interests had increased manifold and that this was hampering
poverty reduction efforts and the efficacy of the judiciary and bureaucracy
in the country," he said. When Mr Grant's comments were published in Dawn on
March 2, the Foreign Office summoned the British envoy to serve a demarche
on him, he added.
Senator Babar said Dawn also commented editorially on March
4 as to what extent the commercial activity was compatible with the armed
forces professionalism.

ANP leader joins PPP
PESHAWAR, April 5: A former MPA and
leader of the Awami National Party of Mardan district has joined the
Pakistan People's Party (PPP).
Announcing his joining of the party, Said Rehman Mohmand on Saturday said:
"I have remained an active worker of the PPP in the past and assure full
support to the party in future too."
Highlighting the PPP importance, he said it was a national party as its
motive remained solidarity of the country. The PPP had a successful foreign
policy, and the world had recognised it, he remarked.
About his affiliation with the party, he said: "I joined the party in 1974,
and contested the election for district council Mardan in 1979, on PPP's
ticket and was elected as chairman."
He said that in 1988 general election, he had been elected MPA from the PPP
platform. He reposed full confidence in the leadership of Benazir Bhutto.
Speaking on the occasion, provincial PPP president Rahimdad Khan said:
"People consider that only the PPP can help steer the country out of the
current crises and put it on the path of development", he claimed.

Mohtarma Bhutto condoles death of Pope John Paul
Islamabad April 4, 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto has condoled the death of Pope John Paul 11 who died Saturday
in the Vatican City.
In a condolence message on behalf of the Party and on her own behalf the
former Prime Minister said that the head of the Roman Catholic church will
be long remembered as a man of peace and vision who strove hard to establish
inter faith harmony and for peace in the world.
He was adored by many and was in a way the most recognised person in the
world, she said.
A large number of people saw him as an ardent supporter of orthodoxy within
his own church but for even greater number of people he stands out as a
champion of the downtrodden throughout the more than quarter of a century
that he strode on the world stage, she said.
The former Prime Minister said that the late Pope battled with several
afflictions of old age with a courage and tenacity that characterised his
fight for peace and the amelioration of the downtrodden. His sapped stamina
and ailing health were not strong enough deterrents to prevent him from
ushering the Church into the New Millennium and himself become the third
longest surviving Pope in the history.
At a time when people spreading doom and gloom predicted a clash of
civilisation John Paul stood for inter faith harmony and dialogue, she said.
Mohtarma Bhutto said that from the time John Paul said in Africa soon after
becoming Pope, 'I speak in the name of those who have no voice', the period
of his papacy was a period of speaking for the oppressed and downtrodden.
She said that in these troubled times there was a need to strengthen the
hand of friendship that he had extended to the people of other faiths.
He was he first pontiff to visit Pakistan in 1981 and the first pontiff to
enter a mosque in Damascus in 2001, the former Prime Minister recalled.
She also prayed for the soul of Pope John Paul 11 to rest in eternal peace.

Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s anniversary commemorated in Islamabad/Rawalpindi
Islamabad, 4 April 2005:
The 26th anniversary of Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was
commemorated in twin cities today in which rich tributes were paid to the
first directly elected Prime Minister and architect of unanimous
constitution of 1973 and the father of Pakistani Nuclear Programme.
In this regard Quran Khwani was arranged by Nargis Faiz Malik, President
Women Wing PPP, Islamabad at the Central Secretariat attended by members
national assembly Zamurad Khan, Fauzia Wahab, Member Punjab Assembly Ishfaq
Mirza and a large number of local PPP leadership including Dr. Asrar Shah,
Babar Minhas, Agha Riazul Islam, Rashid Mir, Qazi Sultan Mehmood, Khalid
Nawaz Boby, Ms. Azmat Jabeen, Ibrar Rizvi, Asghar Gujar, Palwasha Behram,
Ms. Shamim Ijaz, Mansha Bokhari, Ms. Saima Khar, Shakeel Abbasi, Jahangir
Akhtar, Ibne Rizvi, Javed Mir, Ansar Gilani, Banaras Chaudhry, Saleem Mughal
and Shaukat Swati.
Addressing the gathering Nargis Faiz Malik, Fauzia Habib and other speakers
paying glowing tributes to Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said
that the peoples’ leader lives in the hearts of the people and he is being
recognised as single most effective influence in Pakistan politics even by
his opponents today. The gathering expressed its resolve to continue its
struggle for restoration of 1973 Constitution in its letter and spirit. They
also resolved that with the help of peoples’ power, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
will be made prime minister the third time. Lunger was distributed after
Quran Khawani.
Quran Khwani was also arranged by the PPP Rawalpindi at the "Phansi Ghat" in
Rawalpindi. PPP member national assembly Zamurad Khan in his address at
Phansi Ghat said that the ideology of Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto is needed in the current political situation not only for Pakistan
but for every third world country of the world. He said that the chaos now
we are witnessing in the third world could only be removed by following the
ideals and principles of the great leader. He said that the history of the
party is full of sacrifices and the workers who have sacrificed for
democratic struggle and for creating a just society envisaged by
Quaid-e-Awam are the real asset of the party. Quran Khawani at Phansi Ghat
was attended by Malik Hakmeen, Col. Habib, Amer Piracha, Rashid Abbasi,
Nasir Mir, Sabiha Syed MPA, Baji Nusrat Rasheed, Raja Altaf Hussain, Ms.
Azra Bano MPA, Sardar Shaukat Hayat, Chaudhry Waris, Sajid Tanoli, Asad
Abbasi and others.

PPP Rebuts Shaikh Rashid
Islamabad April 4, 2005:
A spokesman of the PPP has issued the following statement today.
"The assertion by the Information Minister that the PPP wants the
international community to support the restoration of democracy in Pakistan
through military force is absolutely wrong and malicious and is condemned.
The Information Minister has said that the PPP leadership wanted the
international community to restore democracy by "bombing of Pakistan".
"The Minister ought to know that neither Saddam Hussein in Iraq nor the
Taliban in Afghanistan were doled huge financial, political and military
assistance by Washington as Islamabad had been receiving.
"The international community therefore had leverage in Pakistan.
"The people of Pakistan must know that their democratic rights are respected
as much as the democratic rights of non allied countries. That is why the
PPP urges the international community to use its leverage with Islamabad for
the restoration of democracy in the country".

Mohtarma Bhutto’s speech at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh clarified
Islamabad April 6, 2005:
A section of the press has reported Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s speech at the
twenty sixth death anniversary of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at Garhi Khuda
Bakhsh in Larkana in a way which needs to be clarified.
Clarifying a spokesman of the Party said that the former Prime Minister in
her address criticized the political system produced by the rigged elections
of 2002 for failing to alleviate poverty or to introduce much needed
judicial, educational or gender reforms.
She said that since the political system produced by the Parliamentary
elections of 2002 had failed to deliver, the PPP was calling for fresh
elections this year open to all political parties and personalities so that
the unity an integrity of the country could be safeguarded and the people
led on to the path of progress and prosperity.
Mohtarma Bhutto further said that while there is contact with the regime
there is no deal as yet. The PPP is keeping the door s of dialogue open to
facilitate the transition to democracy.
The Chairperson PPP also said that that the PPP expected its legal and
constitutional rights to be respected and said that freedom of movement,
freedom of association and freedom of speech would be tested on April 16
when Senator Asif Zardari returned to Lahore.
She hoped that the regime would show the same attitude towards the PPP
rights to freedom as it had entertained for itself and permitted for the MQM,
the MMA and to the political parties.
She also said that the forthcoming local elections would be a trial run for
the regime to demonstrate that it was interested in ensuring that the next
general elections would be fair, free and impartial and that political
orphans, a term used for the ruling PML (Q) would not be allowed to rig the
process, the spokesman said.
A section of the press confusing the political system produced by the
October 2002 elections with the military regime incorrectly reported that
the PPP leader had shut that the door on the process of dialogue with the
military regime.

NAB moved against Lt Gen Touqir Zia former Chairman Cricket Board
Islamabad April 7, 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has asked the National Accountability Bureau to move
a reference against Lt. Gen. (Retd) Touqir Zia, Ex-Chairman Pakistan Cricket
Board for taking home an expensive official car at less then half of its
original price in violation of government policy.
Citing recent press reports the PPP complaint said that the ex Chairman had
himself framed policy for the transfer of official vehicles to Board
officials including himself in July 2003 to justify the transfer of the
latest model official vehicles.
"The policy notification issued by the former Chairman was in violation of
the Government procedure for disposing of the vehicles that are sold through
an open auction", the PPP complaint said.
Three other senior officials of PCB dealing with Treasury, Logistics and
finance also benefited from this policy, it said.
Besides Lt General Touqir Zia others named in the complaint are two General
Managers of the Board, G.M (Finance) and G. M (Logistics).
The complaint says that the respondent ‘fall within the ambit of NAB
Ordinance 1999 for the purpose of investigation trial and punishment’ under
Section 10 of NAB Ordinance for ‘causing a financial loss to the national
exchequer by corruption and corrupt practice’.
In June 2000 the PCB purchased a Honda City car for Rs. 750,000. Three years
later in 2003 Touqir Zia paid only Rs.339,940/- and transferred the car
bearing registration number LXR 1983 in his name before leaving the office
of Chairman PCB.
"Instead of disposing of vehicle through an open auction as per Government
policy in public sector institutions the vehicle price was shown to be
depreciated by Rs.410,160/- and was transferred to Touqir Zia retired Lt.
Gen", it said.
"The respondents have shown willful indulgence in corrupt practices under
Section 9 of the Ordinance and are subject to punishment under Section 10 of
the Ordinance".
"As such the Chairman of the NAB is called upon to initiate investigation
and further proceed to file a reference against respondents in the competent
court of law and proceed against them".

PPP commemorates 26th Anniversary of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Islamabad, 5 April 2005:
The 26th anniversary of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was commemorated all
over the world and several functions were organised by Pakistan Peoples
Party Holland, Kuwait, United States and United Kingdom.
Glowing tributes were paid to the first directly elected Prime Minister
Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at a gathering in Aroza hotel Amsterdam, Holland
presided over by member legislative assembly Azad Kashmir, Raja Mujahid. A
message from Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was read out at the occasion. Speakers
Raja Mujahid, Raja Riaz, Saifullah Saify, Karamat Ali, Nasir Nizami, Muzahir
Bukhari, Khawaja Aftab, Raja Ilyas, Zafar Iqbal, Khizr Hayat, Malik Mohammad
Afzal and Munir Jamil praised the contribution of Shaheed Chairman Zulfikar
Ali Bhutto in Pakistan, assuming the role of leader of Islamic world. Making
of constitution of in 1973, labour and land reforms. They said that Zulfikar
Ali Bhutto will always be remembered for creating political awareness
amongst the poor and downtrodden of Pakistan. They pledges to form unity in
the ranks of the people under the leadership of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to
advance the objectives of the first democratically elected Prime Minister of
Pakistan. They also demanded that the present regime must allow the
leadership of two major parties of Pakistan to play their role for the
betterment of the country.
A commemorative meeting was held at PPP International Secretariat in London
where first Mulsim QC Barrister Shibghatullah Qadir was the chief guest. Mr
Nazir Geaylani (HRC General Secretary, Jammu Kashmir) and PPP UK General
Secretary Tariq Ayub, PPP UK Finance Committee co-ordinator Mian Afzal
Khalid, PPP Manchester Senior Vice President Kh. Kaleem, party ticket holder
Ch.Qader, members of Federal Council Ch. Mehboob, Farooq Ahmed, Sahibzada
Ikram ul Haque, Mr Riaz Chaudry and Mohsin Bari and other party leaders and
large number of party workers were present.
A meeting in this regard was held at the residence of Ali Nawaz Memon,
Seniro Vice President PPP, USA in Maryland attended by Senator Abdullah Riar,
Dr. Javed Manzoor, Basir Chand, Dr. Sarfraz Memon and a large number of
party workers and suppoerters. Prayers were offered for the soul of Shaheed
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The gathering expressed confidence that the Party will
get sweeping success in the next general elections.
Pakistan Peoples Party Kuwait held a commemorative meeting in which prayers
were offered for the soul of Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and
rich tributes were paid to the peoples’ leader. Speakers at the occasion
said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's name will remain embedded in
everyone's heart and mind forever. Our great leader had faced many
challenges over the years, sacrificing his life for Islam, for Pakistan and
for the People of Pakistan. His dream was to unite the Third World but
enemies were not happy to see Shaheed Bhutto take such bold independent
steps - for his country and for his people.

PPP demands local polls on joint electorate basis
Islamabad April 7, 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has demanded that the forthcoming local polls be held
on the basis of joint electorate and not separate electorate as announced by
the regime.
In the separate electorate system the minorities are not allowed general
participation in polls. Instead separate seats are reserved for them and
separate nomination forms are issued for the purpose discriminating the
minorities from the general population comprising of the Muslims.
The system of separate electorate was foisted on the nation by the military
dictatorship of General Zia-ul-Haq despite stiff opposition from members of
the minority communities. During the past quarter of a century the system
played havoc with the social cohesion of the nation by throwing out the
minorities of the mainstream national politics.
In a statement today Spokesman of the Party said that separate electorate
was a negation of the foundational principles of the country, ran counter to
the vision of the founding fathers and discriminated against the people on
the basis of religious beliefs. It also alienated the minorities by driving
them out of the mainstream national life and bred a sense of frustration and
alienation among them, he said.
"It is hypocrisy at its worst to claim 'enlightened moderation' on the one
hand and yield to the extremists' demand for forcing the minorities into the
status of second rate citizens on the other".
The spokesman said that the Party's provincial leadership had been directed
to take up the matter with the Election Commission and demand that local
polls at the councillor level be held on the basis of joint electorate.

PPP workers court hearing today
Islamabad April 7, 2005:
The case against PPP activists accused of attacking the Parliament House in
April 1998 will be heard in the court of senior civil judge Islamabad on
Friday April 8.
About fifty activists of the Party including Ms Naheed Khan MNA, Nayyer
Bokhari MNA, Shahzadi Kausar Gillani MLA Azad Kashmir, Senator Farhatullah
Babar, Qazi Sultan Mahmood, Syed Ibrar Rizvi, Babar Minhas, Syed Ibn-i-Rivi,
Shahnawaz, Shabbir Babar, Jehangir Akhtar, Majeed Niazi and Sohail Rumi
besides others have been charged with storming the Parliament building in
1998 and threatening the Speaker National Assembly.
The case was registered on April 22, 1998 when PPP activists staged a
protest rally outside the Parliament House against the anti-terrorism
legislation, which gave sweeping powers to the executive. The demonstrators
were forcibly dispersed when the police resorted to baton charge resulting
in injury to many Party workers and activists.
The protestors were demanding review of the law. Later the Supreme Court
struck down various provisions of the proposed legislation including the one
relating to the setting up of military courts to try terror cases.
A large number of protestors were arrested on the spot and sent to jail.
All were initially booked under the anti-terror law against which they were
protesting. Later however the government withdrew the terrorism charges and
booked the protestors under eight different sections of the Criminal
Procedure Code.
Defence Counsel Raja Shakeel Abbasi will appear on behalf of the accused
named in the FIR.
Meanwhile the PPP has asked all those named in the FIR to appear before the
court on Friday.

Case against PPP workers adjourned
Islamabad April 8, 2005:
The case against PPP activists accused of attacking the Parliament House in
April 1998 was adjourned today to July 8 by the senior civil judge
Islamabad.
Raja Shakeel Abbasi and Raja Aleem Abbasi appeared on behalf of the accused
PPP workers named in the FIR.
The case was registered seven years ago when PPP activists staged a protest
rally outside the Parliament House against the anti-terrorism legislation.
Party activists including Ms Naheed Khan MNA, Nayyer Bokhari MNA, Shahzadi
Kausar Gillani MLA Azad Kashmir, Senator Farhatullah Babar, Qazi Sultan
Mahmood, Syed Ibrar Rizvi, Babar Minhas, Syed Ibn-i-Rivi, Shahnawaz, Shabbir
Babar, Jehangir Akhtar, Majeed Niazi and Sohail Rumi besides others have
been charged with storming the Parliament building in 1998 and threatening
the Speaker National Assembly.
Thirty four hearings have been held in the case so far while the accused
have not yet been indicted.

NAB has no credibility Naheed Khan
Islamabad, 07 April 2005:
Naheed Khan, the political Secretary to the Chairperson Pakistan Peoples
Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and member national assembly said "NAB
statement that it will not withdraw cases against Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
and Asif Ali Zardari does not surprise any one in the country because the
people are aware of the regime’s vendetta against progressive and democratic
leadership".
In a statement issued from the Media Office Islamabad Naheed Khan said that
on one hand General Musharraf calls him a liberal and enlightened and talks
about reconciliation and on the other using NAB as his political tool, he is
targeting the most popular, enlightened and liberal leadership and party.
She said that NAB has lost its credibility long time ago and is being used
as a political arm of the military regime to prolong its unconstitutional
and illegal rule and hound the political opposition. "It is not appropriate
for General Musharraf to talk about accountability because he and NAB had to
strike a deal with the absconders and turncoats who were wanted by NAB to
form governments in the Centre, Sindh and Balochistan. The current
government is composed of wanted persons by the law", Naheed Khan said.
She warned the regime not to forget that one day they would be held
accountable before not only by the law but by the people as well. NAB would
be held accountable for all its illegal and unconstitutional actions and the
waste of billions of rupees of taxpayers’ money on foreign junkets. Naheed
Khan said that NAB is licking its wound of defeat in Ursus tractor case in
Switzerland and is issuing such baseless statements.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns gang rape in Rattodero
Demands culprits be arrested and brought to justice
Islamabad April 7, 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto has condemned the incidence of gang rape in the jurisdiction
of Rattodero police station in Sindh and demanded immediate arrest of the
culprits and punishment to them in accordance with the law.
A twelve year old girl hailing from a very poor family was gang raped in
Rattodero last week by three persons as the assailants made good their
escape. Reportedly the culprits now want the matter to be settled through
tribal jirga so that they can get away with only paying compensation to the
aggrieved family. The victim however want justice be done.
The victim's family has confirmed that they are being pressured by the
criminals to hush up the matter in return for some monetary compensation.
In a statement today the former Prime Minister held the rulers responsible
for the humiliation of women through gang rape and other acts of violence
against them. She said that gang rapes were on the rise ever since the gang
rape of Dr Shazia in Sui was hushed up mysteriously.
"While these incidents continue to bring bad name to the country in the
world the rulers are mindlessly pursuing political opponents for vendetta".
PPP leaders Naheed Khan MNA, Mrs. Ruqia Soomro MNA, Mrs. Rubina Qaimkhani
MNA, Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto Div. President, Naseeba Channa Dist. President
and Mrs. Perveen Qaimkhani visited the victim in the police station the
other day to console her on behalf of the Prty Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto .
The former Prime Minster also deputed Mrs. Ruqia Soomro MNA, Mrs. Perveen
Qaimkhani, Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto Div. President and Naseeba Channa Dist.
President will accompany the victim to court to provide her moral and legal
support.
The Party Chairperson also directed various committees of the Party to raise
the issue before international human rights bodies and foreign diplomats in
Islamabad.

Manpower export to Malaysia
Senator Baig denounces move to ban private recruiters
Asks government to reverse decision
Islamabad March 31, 2005:
Senator Enver Baig of the Pakistan Peoples Party has condemned the
government decision to entrust the manpower export to Malaysia only to the
Overseas Employment Corporation and ban the recruiting agencies from it.
The state minister for overseas Pakistani Senator TAriq Azeem said on
Wednesday that the export of manpower to Malaysia would only be made through
the OEC.
In a statement today Senator Enver Baig said that on the one hand the rulers
were privatizing national assets and on the other the manpower export was
being nationalized..
Senator Enver Baig recalled that a little over a year ago when the
government signed a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia for the export
of manpower it failed to satisfy the Malaysian authorities’ objections to
the quality of manpower selected and exported by the OEC. Press reports said
that a team of Pakistani officials who recently wanted to go to Malaysia for
discussing the issue was not even welcomed, he said.
The PPP Senator said that a large number of skilled and unskilled manpower
recruited by the OEC had been turned back from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and
other countries for not meeting the criterion laid down for the jobs. He
said that the decision to give the manpower export to the public sector and
ban the private recruiting agencies seem to be motivated by a desire of some
to ‘make hay while the sun shone’.
Senator Enver Baig called upon the government to immediately rescind the
decision and allow the private recruiting agencies do the job through an
open, transparent and competitive me

Senator Raza Rabbani Condemns use of force against political workers
Islamabad, 1 April 2005:
Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, leader of the Opposition, Senate of Pakistan has
issued the following press statement:
The brutal beating by the police and subsequent arrest of Senator Raza
Muhammad Raza at Peshawar is strongly condemned. The Senator was exercising
his right under the Constitution of peaceful political descent when he was
subjected to State terrorism. The police beat up the Senator with batons on
the head and around his shoulders during the strike call of the PONAM. He
was then shifted from one lock up to another. This attitude of the
Government towards members of Parliament has once again exposed the sham
democracy that prevails in the country.
The Government is trying to stifle the voice of the Opposition in the
Parliament and now wants to take away its right of peaceful protest, this
oppression by the Government will not deter the Opposition from the path of
struggle against the anti peoples policies of the Government. Today due the
big business friendly economic policy of this Government the middle and
working class of Pakistan are being crushed while a few business houses reap
profits. The Opposition will continue to expose the manner in which the
Government is allowing the oil companies to make a killing profit at the
cost of the common man facing a new budget every fifteen days.
The Police officials involved in the incident of Senator Raza should be
suspended immediately. The Opposition will also move a privilege motion in
the Senate and protest the same.

PPP denies meeting of Mohtarma Bhutto with Musharraf
Islamabad April 1, 2005:
Spokesman of the Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Farhatullah Babar has issued
the following statement today.
"A section of the media has claimed that Mohtarma Bhutto said in India today
that she had a ‘fruitful’ meeting recently with General Musharraf in Jeddah
and that Senator Asif Zardari on return to Pakistan would also meet General
Pervez Musharraf.
"Both the assertions attributed to her are not correct and appear to be
based on an incorrect understanding of what she said.
"The reference to ‘fruitful’ meeting is about her meeting with former Prime
Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and not General Musharraf. She has not met
Musharraf ever since the General dismissed an elected government and
re-wrote the Constitution and even since well before that.
"Mohtarma also did not say that Asif Zardari will meet General Musharraf.
All that she said was Asif Zardari would return to Pakistan to boost the
democratic struggle in the country.
"Meanwhile on arrival in Jaipur (India) today on a two day private visit the
former Prime Minister accompanied by Senator Asif Ali Zardari went straight
to the shrine of Hazratr Nizamuddin Aulia in Ajmer Sharif for prayers.
"Later they returned to Jaipur where the Chief Minister Rajhastan has hosted
dinner in their honour.
"At the shrine in jaipur she also prayed for the restoration of democracy in
Pakistan.
"She also addressed a press conference today.
"She said that during her last visit to the shrine which took place at the
time when the troops of the two countries were standing in eye ball to eye
ball confrontation she had prayed for de-escalation of tension and also for
the release of Senator Asif Ali Zardai. She said that both her prayers were
answered and hoped that her prayer now for restoration of Constitution,
democracy and early elections would also be answered.
"She welcomed the peace process in the region manifested in the bus and
cricket diplomacy and called for early opening of the Khokrapar rail link
and extension of links between the East and West Punjab.
"She said that Asif Zardari would return to Pakistan on April 16 to boost
the struggle for restoration of democracy, holding of elections this year
and pave way for her return. . "Mohtarma Bhutto and Asif Zardari would
return to Dubai on Sunday".

PPP deplores political victimization
Mohtarma Bhutto demands reinstatement of official suspended for wife’s
politics
Islamabad April 2, 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto has condemned the continued victimization of political
opponents and called upon the rulers to stop the politics of vendetta which
had threatened the social fabric.
She said this in a statement today taking note of the sacking of a Sindh
government official to avenge his MPA wife’s role in the no trust vote
against the Speaker Sindh Assembly the other day.
Imtiaz Ahmad Rajpar DDO (Revenue) Mirpur Khas spouse of PPP MPA Farheen
Moghul, was suspended form his post without any cause soon after the no
trust vote in the provincial Assembly. Rajpar’s wife Farheen Moghul had
played an active role in the no trust move.
Mohtarma Bhutto deplored the sense of insecurity of the political orphans in
the regime who she said were resorting to vendetta instead of facing
political challenges.
She said that the no trust vote against the speaker was a normal democratic
right which is exercised by the opposition to express their distrust over
some policy issues which should be faced politically. "If political
differences are settled through recourse to personal vendetta it will only
strengthen vengeance politics", she said.
The former Prime Minister also demanded the immediate reinstatement of the
suspended official and an end to political victimization.

Benazir Bhutto
hopes for a democratic Pakistan
Appreciating improvement in
Indo-Pak ties, former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto on Friday said
it would be more meaningful if democracy was restored in her country and
elected leaders represented the nation in talks. She appreciated the
Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service slated to be launched on April 7 on her
arrival here from Dubai,apart from recognising the role of the cricket
matches between the two countries were helping the process of normalisation
of relations between the two countries.
Bhutto, who has been in exile, expressed hopes that democracy would be
restored in Pakistan. She left for Ajmer to offer prayers at the Dargah of
Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

Strong democracy needed for closer ties: Bhutto
Lokpal
Sethi / Ajmer
Former Prime Minister of
Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, on Friday said that people to people contact
between India and Pakistan would help in normalising relation and would
accelerate the peace process between the two countries. Ms Bhutto arrived
here in the morning from Dubai, to visit the Dargah of Khawja Moidnnudin
Chisti at Ajmer. She was accompanied by her husband Asif Ali Zardari and
their children. She said that a strong democracy, and not the controlled
democracy, in Pakistan could bring both the countries closer.
No doubt peace process
between the two countries is gaining momentum, but this could be legitimate
only when there is democracy in Pakistan, Ms Bhutto added She said that the
current cricket series between two countries was a clear indication of the
change in the atmosphere in this part of the world.
Ms Bhutto said that people
to people to interaction should be followed by trade ties as there are
immense possibilities for expansion of trade between South Asian countries,
which also included India and Pakistan. The decentralisation and
globalization of trade is the key to faster development of countries in the
region. She welcomed the launch of the Srinagar-Muzzafarabad bus and said
that this was initiated when she was the PM of Pakistan and Rajiv Gandhi was
leading the Indian Government.

Bhutto
hopes for restoration of democracy in Pakistan
SANDIPAN SHARMA
JAIPUR, APRIL 1:
Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who arrived here
on Friday, expressed the hope that democracy would soon be restored in her
country.
Speaking to the press during her brief sojourn here, the
Pakistan Peoples’ Party leader said she had had a ‘‘fruitful’’ meeting with
President Pervez Musharraf recently in Jeddah and discussed matter. ‘‘I am
hopeful that the process would be expedited,’’ she said.
Bhutto said the India-Pakistan talks likely to take place
during Musharraf’s upcoming visit would be more meaningful if Islamabad was
represented by elected leaders.
She said the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service would
promote India-Pakistan relations and added that road links in Punjab, Sindh
and Rajasthan should also be restored. Benazir, who later offered prayers at
the Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti’s Dargah in Ajmer, said her husband Asif Ali
Zardari would meet Musharraf in Islamabad on April 16 to discuss the
restoration of democracy.
‘‘I hope I shall be able to return to my country after
the return of democracy,’’ she said. ‘‘We are trying our best to find ways
to speed up the democratic process in Pakistan.’’

Naheed Khan
criticises Amir’s decision to buy Mercedes
Islamabad April 1, 2005: The approval to purchase a luxury Mercedes for the
use of the speaker of the National Assembly in a country where people are
committing suicide because of hunger and poverty, is most appalling,
insensitive and condemnable, said MNA Naheed Khan on Thursday.
The political secretary to Benazir Bhutto, chairperson of the Pakistan
People’s Party, said this decision showed that the unrepresentative
government was totally ignorant of people’s miseries and was crushing them
under its anti-people policies.
“Pakistani youth with qualifications and the ability to serve this nation
have been forced to commit suicides because the taxpayers’ money is being
spent on providing luxury to the coterie of rulers who are totally
insensitive to the difficulties faced by the people,” she said.

Uneven field helping MMA, says Benazir
By Ashraf Shad
DUBAI April 1: Benazir Bhutto, former
prime minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party, has alleged
that MMA, the alliance of religious parties, has been given a free hand as
it is seen as "the safe opposition" while moderate parties are not allowed
to function freely. She said this is like playing with fire as "uneven
playing field is helping MMA to gain strength."
Talking to a local newspaper before leaving Dubai for New Delhi on Thursday
night, she categorically denied any deal with President Musharraf and warned
the government that a lot can happen between now and 2007 if elections are
not held this year. She said the system is falling apart and the unity and
the integrity of the country is in danger.
On a question about US Secretary of States Condoleezza Rice's offer of F-16
jets to Pakistan she said the US has rewarded Pakistan for agreeing to
certain demands. "This is a quid pro quo for Islamabad agreeing to send
centrifuges to the IAEA for testing in the light of developments in Iran,"
The Gulf News quoted her as saying.
She denied all rumours about agreeing with the government to stay out of the
country and that her husband Asif Ali Zardari will lead the Party. She said
Asif Zardari is scheduled to return to Lahore on April 16 and government
"will be seen as the clandestine supporter of the MMA" if it tried to ban
the welcome rallies of the Peoples Party.
"The MMA can hold million-marches, hire buses and transport people, lead
rallies and hold public meetings. They are received by Pakistan's diplomatic
corps when they travel overseas," she said.
"They (MMA) are being viewed as a safe opposition, where people can vent
their frustrations without the wrath of the state is falling on them. This
is playing with fire," she was quoted as saying.
AFP ADDS FROM JAIPUR: The former prime minister who was on her way to
offer prayers at shrine of a revered Sufi saint, ruled out any agitation
against Musharraf's rule. "In the present international scenario we are not
thinking in these terms," she said. On talks with India, Ms Bhutto said the
dialogue would be more meaningful if Islamabad was represented by "elected"
leaders.

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Words of Shaheed
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There was a great Prime Minister, the first Prime Minister, the father
of the present Prime Minister of India, who said, "We were too old, we
were too tired to oppose Pakistan, and Pakistan had to come into being.
But we hope that one day we will get together gain." I too hope so, not
that Pakistan will emerge as subservient to India but in the sense that
we will get together again as equal friends, in a common fraternity,
living in a common subcontinent and sharing the common effort of seeing
that poverty, ignorance and misery are wiped out. If there are any two
countries in world that are the poorest in the world, they are Pakistan
and India. Our resources might be tremendous, but the fact is that we
two are the poorest in the world. Yet in the last 24 years, we have gone
to war three times. Three times there has been conflict in the
subcontinent. I remember that Prime Minister of the Soviet Union once
telling me that even rich nations try to avoide war; poorer nations
should make a greater attempt to avoid war.
Speech at the Security Council, New York
December 12, 1971 |
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