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The Rediff Interview/Benazir Bhutto
 

April 2006

Islamabad, 28 April 2006: Pakistan Peoples Party has urged the Chief Election Commissioner to stop the conspiracy to rig the elections through induction of army officers in the police force.

PPP Senator Sardar Muhammad Latif Khan Khosa, Coordinator Election Monitoring Cell PPP in a letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner apprised him of the plan of the regime enlisting 150 Captains / Majors into the Police Department under the garb of Highway Patrolling Officers.

He further said, "under the covert operation undertaken as part of the conspiracy to rig the elections, the military officers will be inducted into the Highway Police as a first soft measure for public consumption. Subsequently they will be designated as Sub Divisional Police Officers and sent to the districts with guidelines to manipulate the election results."

He also wrote, "I draw your attention to the use of the Police force in kidnapping candidates or their proposers and seconders during the local bodies elections of 2005 as well as the filing of false criminal complaints to cripple the campaign of the pro democracy candidates to the benefit of those from the ruling party."

Senator Latif Khosa urged the Chief Election Commissioner to stop these inductions of army officer into police force.

Mohtarma Expresses Solidarity with Workers on May Day

Calls for repeal of anti-labour laws

Islamabad, April 30 2006: Former Prime minister and the Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has expressed solidarity with the working class and said that the Party would not abandon the labour, the peasants, the fisher folk, the government servants and the wage earners in their struggle for emancipation and freeing themselves from the shackles of exploitation.

In her message on May Day she said that nothing could deter the PPP from standing shoulder to shoulder with the workers of the country and fight for their rights.

The former Prime Minister said that the Pakistan Peoples Party was committed to the welfare of the working class and will continue to work for the welfare of the workers and labourers. The PPP has always derived its strength from the working classes of Pakistan and it had always fought for their rights and will continue to do so in the future as well, she said.

Mohtarma Bhutto said that the military regime had introduced anti-labour legislation such as the IRO 2002, which was also given protection in the infamous 17th Constitutional amendment.

She said this anti labour legislation needed to be reviewed by the Parliament so as to restore the rights of workers. She asked all the political forces to join hands with the PPP in undertaking a parliamentary review of the labour related legislation enacted by the military regime usurping the basic rights of the workers.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto said that foreign investment in the country had dried up and the local investors were reluctant to invest because of poor law and order situation and growing uncertainty. "It is deplorable in such conditions the regime had thrown out of jobs thousands of poor people in the name of rightsizing and downsizing on the one hand and inducted serving and retired military officers into civilian jobs at hefty perks and salaries, on the other".

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto also recalled the valiant and heroic struggle of the Chicago workers who had laid their lives for the collective right of the working class. She paid rich tribute to the Chicago martyrs for their struggle against oppressive socio-economic system a century ago.

London April 24, 2006: Two former Prime Ministers Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif met here today at the Park Lane residence of PML(N) leader. The teams included Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Wajid Shamsul Hasan and Dr Rehman Malik from PPP, and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Iqbal Zaffar Jhagra and Syed Ghaus Ali Shah from PML (N).

The two exiled former Prime Ministers expressed deep concern on the deteriorating political and worsening economic situation in the country and called for free and fair elections through an interim government of national consensus under an independent and autonomous election commission open to all political parties and political leaders.

Both the leaders agreed to vigorously pursue the course of democracy and reaffirmed their resolve to restore the 1973 Constitution. They also rejected the National Accountability Bureau's attempts to pervert the course of justice through politically motivated cases to re-engineer the political system in the country. They demanded withdrawal of all politically motivated cases.

They called for the release of political prisoners including former speaker of the National Assembly Syed Yousaf Reza Gilani, acting PML(N) President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Zaeem Qadri, Junaid Bulland, Bismillah Kakar, Pir Mukarram, Afaq Ahmed Khan, Amir Khan and other political detainees. They expressed concern over the social deprivation of the people and condemn increasing terrorism in the society.

They also decided to hold the next round of talks on the 14th May, 2006, in order to chalk out future strategy for the forthcoming elections and announce the charter of Democracy / Code of conduct for placing before the ARD summit meeting scheduled for 2nd July, 2006.

PPP clarifies reports about elections under caretakers

Islamabad, April 26, 2006: -Central Information Secretary of Pakistan Peoples Party Sherry Rehman, has clarified reports in some newspapers about the press conference on Monday by herself, Senator Dr. Babar Awan and Naveed Qamar (MNA) after meeting the Chief Election Commissioner in Islamabad on that day.

In a statement today she said that it is not correct that the Party has welcomed the announcement of holding elections under a caretaker set-up. While elections under caretaker set up is better than elections under the present partisan political set up, it is not the same as elections under an interim government of national consensus as demanded by the opposition, she said.

She said that the PPP had asked for free and fair elections under an interim government of national consensus and in which all political parties and leaders were allowed to take part in a level playing field.

PPP also urged the Chief Election Commissioner to play his constitutional role to ensure the safe return of the popular leaders Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan for participation in the forth-coming election. "Elections cannot be termed free and fair without their participation".

Further she said that no questions were asked during the press conference about boycotting the polls.

She said that the PPP delegation apprised the CEC of its concerns about the forthcoming elections in the light of its experience of the 2002 general elections and also the recent Local bodies polls.

The PPP said that the misuse of state resources by General Musharraf had already begun on March 23 that amounted to pre-poll rigging and demanded an end to it. The PPP team also presented him a memorandum of pre-poll, polling-day and post-poll rigging experiences to take cognisance of, she said

Islamabad, Monday, April 24, 2006: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Sunday that his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party and its allies were looking to establish a new political contract based on democracy, restrictions on future military intervention in politics and respect for political mandates.

In a press statement, the PML-N chief said fair, free and transparent elections under a neutral set up and independent election commission were a top feature of the ‘Charter of Democracy’ that he and Benazir Bhutto, the Pakistan People’s Party chief, will discuss today when they meet in London. They are likely to sign the charter and also discuss the future strategy of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD), whose major members are the PPP and PML-N.

He said the long periods of military rule in Pakistan had destroyed the foundations of institutional governance and people had lost faith in judicial institutions. “The time has come that all those democratic forces which sincerely believe in restoring the supremacy of the 1973 Constitution should join hands to uproot the dictatorship,” Sharif said.

Sharif said his party would not compromise on its beliefs that the 1973 Constitution should be restored to how it stood in October 1999, and the military should never again intervene in politics. “We are members of the ARD and believe that consensus among the two mainstream parties of Pakistan on these fundamental issues will mark the beginning of a new era in the democratic history of the country,” he added.

Meanwhile in London, speaking at a meeting of the parliamentary board of the PPP’s Azad Kashmir chapter, Bhutto said that the next general elections would be a major challenge to her party because it would have to “confront state agencies”, Online reported. However, she was confident the PPP still had enough supporters to do well in the general polls.

The two former prime ministers will meet at Sharif’s Marble Arch residence in London at lunchtime, sources told Daily Times. PPP Parliamentarians President Amin Faheem and PML-N Secretary General Iqbal Zaffar Jhagra will attend the first round of the meeting, but Bhutto and Sharif will meet one-on-one after lunch, the sources said.

Daily Times Monitor adds: The PML-N and PPP have consensus over replacing the “current sham democracy in Pakistan with real democracy”, former Punjab chief minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif told Aaj television.

Shahbaz said both parties were ready to “sacrifice everything” to restore democracy in Pakistan. “Nawaz and Benazir will meet soon to proceed with the ARD agenda,” he said. It is too early to say whether the PML-N and PPP will contest the next election with joint candidates, he added.

PPP workers court hearing today

Islamabad April 24, 2006: The case against PPP activists accused of attacking the Parliament House eight years ago will be heard in the court of civil judge and Judicial magistrate Islamabad on Tuesday April 25.

About fifty activists of the Party including Ms Naheed Khan MNA, Nayyer Bokhari MNA, Farhatullah Babar, Shahzadi Kausar Gillan, Qazi Sultan Mahmood, Syed Ibrar Rizvi, Javed Mir, Syed Ansar Gillani, 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 on April 22, 1998 and threatening the Speaker National Assembly.

The case was registered 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.

Meanwhile the PPP has asked all those named in the FIR to appear before the court on Tuesday.

Bhutto, Sharif to fight Musharraf

London: Former Pakistani prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto met in London on Monday to plan out a strategy for the 2007 elections. Both leaders are also said to be working towards a common agenda for the elections.

Both Sharif, leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and Bhutto, leader of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are determined to return to Pakistan and lead their parties. The two leaders, who were rivals in the past, are now attempting to forge an alliance to resist continuation of Musharraf's rule.

"Their meeting is significant in the context of next year's general elections and Musharraf's efforts to keep them separate," said PPP spokesperson Farhatullah Babar.

But Musharraf has repeatedly stated that he would not permit either of the exiled leaders to return. Bhutto and Sharif, have also decided to order their respective parties to boycott the elections if not allowed to return to Pakistan.

Islamabad, April 23 (IANS): As political pundits keep their fingers crossed regarding the political future of Pakistan, former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif meet in London on Monday for a 'joint struggle' against the Pervez Musharraf regime.


Bhutto arrived in London on Saturday en-route to the US. During her brief stay in Britain she will also attend party meetings besides meeting Sharif.

The two former prime ministers, who have both been forced to live abroad, continue to have a strong popular base in the country. Both have previously been arch rivals taking turns in power twice and being sent home on both the occasions prematurely by the then presidents.


While Bhutto has been living in self-imposed exile in Dubai since 1998, Sharif went into exile in 2000, along with his entire family, as part of an understanding with Musharraf after he was exonerated of all charges.

After the military coup of October 1999, the parties led by Bhutto and Sharif were part of a larger alliance of opposition to Musharraf.

Bhutto's spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that both the former prime ministers are eager to return home before the next elections, due in 2007.

'The PPP (Pakistan Peoples Party headed by Bhutto) wants end to illegitimate rule of Musharraf. This meeting will be one step towards a joint struggle against dictatorship,' Babar told IANS.

He said another option would be to go for seats adjustment during the polls. 'The PPP will get major share if adjustment is opted for because we have better strength in the parliament,' he said.

The PPP spokesman also condemned the surveillance network apparently set up by the military regime in London to spy on Bhutto's activities in Britain.

The spokesman said: 'The regime is worried over the prospects of the opposition parties joining hands against the military dictatorship.'

PPP Parliamentary President Makhdoom Amin Fahim is presently in London working out details of the meeting.

Islamabad April 22, 2006: Former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto arrived in London early today on a transit visit to attend to some Party matters in the UK.

The former Prime Minister will attend the preliminary parliamentary board meeting of the PPP AJK on Sunday April 23. After making a transit visit to London during which she will attend to Party matters she will leave for the United States to meet with her husband Senator Zardari who is undergoing treatment in New York following a series of ailments due to the harsh treatment meted out to him in eight years of prison in solitary confinement.

Mohtarma will then return to London where she has several political engagements lined up.

During her visit in London, Mohtarma will also meet with PML N leader and former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif.

PPP Parliamentary President Makhdoom Amin Fahim is presently in London working on the proposed visit.

The two former Prime Ministers, who have both been forced to live abroad due to the victimisation by the military dictatorship, continue to have a strong popular base in the country. Observers believe no election can be fair which does not include their participation. Both leaders will be discussing the political situation in the country with a view to strengthening the movement for the restoration of democracy.

Meanwhile a spokesman of the Party has condemned the surveillance network set up by the military regime in London to spy on her activities in UK.

On arrival early today a surveillance team apparently set up by Musharraf regime was at Heathrow airport that took her pictures of arrival and later also followed her. The spokesman said that the regime was worried over the prospects of the opposition parties joining hands against the military dictatorship.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns assault on Khurshid Junejo

Calls for probe and arrest of culprits

Islamabad April 22, 2006: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has condemned the assault and attempted kidnap of former district Nazim Larkana district Mr. Khurshed Ahmed Junejo.

Former district Nazim Khushed Ahmed Junejo was travelling from Larkana to his village Dhamrahh on the Larkana-Ratodero section of the Indus high way driving his own car. Suddenly some armed men stopped his car at gunpoint. The assailants snatched cash, mobile phone, rupees and a ring before letting Khurshid Juneho go.

Khurshed Junejo immediately complained to the DPO (District Police Officer) about the event but no action has been taken nor any arrests made. The PPP Larkana also held protest demonstrations against the incident demanding probe and arrest of criminals.

In a statement today the former Prime Minister said that she was shocked to learn about the assault on Khurshid Junejo. The regime is wasting time and money on chasing and hounding political opponents but has turned a blind eye to the criminals and dacoits that roam free, she said.

She said that there was no writ of the state in Balochistan, in the tribal areas of North and South Waziristan and in the interior of Sindh where the dacoits ruled and it was due to the policies of the regime that were aimed at only perpetuating itself in power.

Mohtarma Bhutto demanded a probe into the attempted kidnap of Khurshid Junejo, arrest of the culprits and punishing them in accordance with the law.

She also sympathised with Khursheed Junejo and admired him for his courage in facing the dacoits and goondas who attacked him.

Mohtarma Bhutto -Nawaz Sharif meeting fixed for Monday

Islamabad April 22, 2006: Former Prime Ministers Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif will meet in London on Monday April 24, 2006.

Mohtarma Bhutto arrived in London early this morning en route to the United States. During her brief stay in UK she will also attend Party meetings besides meeting Mian Nawaz Sharif.

The two Prime Ministers are likely to discuss a host of political issues during their meeting.

PPP says govt scared of London meeting

ISLAMABAD, April 21: Central Information Secretary of the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) Sherry Rehman on Friday said the government was in total panic after reports of the meeting between the two former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in London and it had intensified its disinformation campaign against the opposition parties.

Talking to a group of reporters at the residence of a PPP activist Syed Kashif Rizvi, the newly-appointed information secretary of the party said that the government was perturbed over the proximity between the PPP and the PML-N.

Ms Rehman said there had been complete chaos in the government ranks which was evident from the Saturday’s meeting of Gen Musharraf with the members of the Patriots group.

Similarly, she said the government was unable to reshuffle the federal cabinet due to internal rifts and crisis. She claimed Gen Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz during their meeting on Friday failed to finalize changes in the federal cabinet as all the coalition partners were demanding their shares.

In her first chat with the reporters after assuming the office of the party’s information secretary, Ms Rehman expressed the hope that Ms Bhutto and Mr Sharif would sign the “charter of democracy” in May, this year. She said that her party had suggested some new points in the already agreed “charter of democracy.”

When asked why the opposition had failed to launch a movement against the regime, Ms Rehman said that the opposition parties had been struggling for the restoration of democracy. She said in the past, whenever the party leaders announced any public meeting or a rally, the government enforced Section 144.

“Remember the time, when we were going to receive Asif Zardari at Lahore Airport and the government arrested all our leaders and workers and put them in jails,” she said.

Criticizing the economic policies of the government, Ms Rehman said the government had failed to control price-hike.

Islamabad, 18 April 2006: Naheed Khan MNA and Political Secretary to the Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has warned the military regime of peoples' wrath because of fast increasing poverty and price hike and demanded to relinquish power at once pave the way for fair, free and impartial elections.

In a statement Naheed Khan said that on one hand the regime claims economic boom and record foreign exchange and on the other people of Pakistan are forced to commit suicide. According to governments own admission in a report of Federal Bureau of Statistics prices of essential items have increased and prices of lentils to onions and potatoes are on the rise. Price of sugar has more than doubled in the last six months from 19 rupees a kilogram to 45 rupees per kilogram. Naheed Khan condemned National Accountability Bureau for dropping the investigations into sugar scam under pressure from the sugar mills on the behest of General Musharraf. Naheed Khan said that petrol price is 56 rupees per litre out of which government makes 26 rupees per litre as surcharge. On one hand on the other, people of Pakistan are crushed under utility bills.

Naheed Khan said that Pakistan Peoples Party was criticised for Independent Power Projects but the military regime has revived PPP power policy. The difference is that the PPP government had agreed far less rates with the IPPs whereas this military regime has increased the rates to benefit private power producers.

Naheed Khan said that the country is in economic mess and Pakistan is engulfed in cement crisis, sugar crises, foreign trade crisis, trade deficit crisis and crisis of legitimacy because of its anti-people agenda. The growth rate which the government had predicted 8 percent has come down to 6 percent. The military regime is selling profitable assets like Pakistan Steel Mills at throw away prices to pay for trade deficit which has increased to record level because of loot and plunder and economic mismanagement by this military regime.

Naheed Khan warned the military regime of its policy of leaving Pakistani public the mercy of market forces. Naheed Khan said that the only solution of problems faced by the Pakistani people is to hold free, fair and impartial elections and handing over power to the elected government.

PPP demands action against Hasan Waseem Afzal for damaging and misusing Badshahi Mosque

Islamabad, 18 April 2006: Pakistan Peoples Party demanded to re-open investigations against the former Home Secretary Punjab and currently Deputy Chairman National Accountability Bureau, Hasan Waseem Afzal and his wife cooperatives Secretary Farkhanda Afzal for damaging a religious premises and violating the Punjab Special Premises Preservation Ordinance 1985, for holding their daughter's wedding ceremony in
Badshahi Mosque.

In this regard Northern Circle Federal Archaeological Director Saleem-ul-Haq wrote a letter dated 16 November, 2005 to the then Punjab Chief Secretary about the provision of an inquiry report conducted by the Punjab Archaeological Director General on holding a nikah ceremony at Badhshahi Mosque.

In July, 2005, the then Home Secretary Punjab, Hasan Waseem Afzal and his bureaucrat wife Farkhanda Afzal damaged the splendid Badshahi Mosque, built by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1674, which is a protected Mughal Monument under the Antiquities Act of 1975.

Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Rukhsana Zuberi has apprised the Secretary General Commonwealth, Donal McKinnon, of the misuse of authority by the current Deputy Chairman NAB, Hasan Waseem Afzal who has been given the task to malign the PPP Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, by the military regime. Senator Rukhsana Zuberi in a letter addressed to Secretary General Commonwealth, Donal McKinnon wrote, "the Badshahi Mosque was taken over by Mr Afzal and his wife, and fellow bureaucrat, Cooperatives Secretary Farkhanda Afzal, for their daughter's marriage ceremony. The facade of the entrance was illuminated and holes were made in the courtyard to put down a red carpet and to set up lights. The passage from the entrance hall to the main prayer chamber was ornamented with lights of different colours on portable stands and a red carpet was also laid from the entrance to the prayer chamber. To illuminate the red carpet, lights were fixed to the red sandstone floor by hammering in handy iron stakes."

She further wrote, "leaving the magnificent historical mosque rattled for his own purposes, the bureaucrat couple made sure that their VIP guests were made truly comfortable in the July heat by providing for a 100 pairs of special silk "shoes" made particularly for the guests since they couldn't be expected to go totally barefoot inside the mosque. Sofa
sets and chairs and pillows were placed in the main prayer chamber and with the help of intensive damage afflicting hammering, air-coolers were installed to keep the guests feeling comfortable. In response to an inquiry that was later brushed under the carpet, the Archaeology Department in its report objected that iron stakes that were driven into
the red sandstone. The report also mentions the department's concern about the installation of lights, wires and switches to the walls and floor of the mosque because of its historical importance. An inquiry was conducted on Punjab Chief Secretary's directive, but the action to be taken was hushed up despite the Federal Government had asked the
Punjab government to provide the inquiry report prepared by the Punjab Archaeology Director General."

Senator Rukhsana Zuberi apprised the Secretary General Commonwealth that the offence committed by Hasan Waseem Afzal is liable to imprisonment and fine but Hasan Waseem Afzal and his bureaucrat wife Farkhanda Afzal remain beyond the grip of law of the land.

Senator Rukhsana Zuberi has requested the Secretary General Commonwealth to circulate her letter to members of Commonwealth.

Islamabad, 18 April 2006: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan People Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Senator Asif Ali Zardari have condoled the death of Mushtaq Qureshi.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a condolence message to Mushtaq Qureshi’s son Yasir Qureshi wrote, "the loss of a parent is a great tragedy. Our sympathies are with you at this difficult time. Mushtaq Qureshi will be long remembered by the leadership and workers for his services for the cause of Pakistan Peoples Party. Please accept our heartfelt condolences and convey the same to other members of the bereaved family."

She also prayed for the eternal peace to the deceased’s soul and courage to the bereaved family and friends to bear this irreparable loss with equanimity

PPP demands action against Hasan Waseem Afzal for damaging and misusing Badshahi Mosque

Islamabad, 18 April 2006: Pakistan Peoples Party demanded to re-open investigations against the former Home Secretary Punjab and currently Deputy Chairman National Accountability Bureau, Hasan Waseem Afzal and his wife cooperatives Secretary Farkhanda Afzal for damaging a religious premises and violating the Punjab Special Premises Preservation Ordinance 1985, for holding their daughter’s wedding ceremony in Badshahi Mosque.

In this regard Northern Circle Federal Archaeological Director Saleem-ul-Haq wrote a letter dated 16 November, 2005 to the then Punjab Chief Secretary about the provision of an inquiry report conducted by the Punjab Archaeological Director General on holding a nikah ceremony at Badhshahi Mosque.

In July, 2005, the then Home Secretary Punjab, Hasan Waseem Afzal and his bureaucrat wife Farkhanda Afzal damaged the splendid Badshahi Mosque, built by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1674, which is a protected Mughal Monument under the Antiquities Act of 1975.

Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Rukhsana Zuberi has apprised the Secretary General Commonwealth, Donal McKinnon, of the misuse of authority by the current Deputy Chairman NAB, Hasan Waseem Afzal who has been given the task to malign the PPP Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, by the military regime. Senator Rukhsana Zuberi in a letter addressed to Secretary General Commonwealth, Donal McKinnon wrote, "the Badshahi Mosque was taken over by Mr Afzal and his wife, and fellow bureaucrat, Cooperatives Secretary Farkhanda Afzal, for their daughter's marriage ceremony. The facade of the entrance was illuminated and holes were made in the courtyard to put down a red carpet and to set up lights. The passage from the entrance hall to the main prayer chamber was ornamented with lights of different colours on portable stands and a red carpet was also laid from the entrance to the prayer chamber. To illuminate the red carpet, lights were fixed to the red sandstone floor by hammering in handy iron stakes."

She further wrote, "leaving the magnificent historical mosque rattled for his own purposes, the bureaucrat couple made sure that their VIP guests were made truly comfortable in the July heat by providing for a 100 pairs of special silk "shoes" made particularly for the guests since they couldn't be expected to go totally barefoot inside the mosque. Sofa sets and chairs and pillows were placed in the main prayer chamber and with the help of intensive damage afflicting hammering, air-coolers were installed to keep the guests feeling comfortable. In response to an inquiry that was later brushed under the carpet, the Archaeology Department in its report objected that iron stakes that were driven into the red sandstone. The report also mentions the department’s concern about the installation of lights, wires and switches to the walls and floor of the mosque because of its historical importance. An inquiry was conducted on Punjab Chief Secretary’s directive, but the action to be taken was hushed up despite the Federal Government had asked the Punjab government to provide the inquiry report prepared by the Punjab Archaeology Director General."

Senator Rukhsana Zuberi apprised the Secretary General Commonwealth that the offence committed by Hasan Waseem Afzal is liable to imprisonment and fine but Hasan Waseem Afzal and his bureaucrat wife Farkhanda Afzal remain beyond the grip of law of the land.

Senator Rukhsana Zuberi has requested the Secretary General Commonwealth to circulate her letter to members of Commonwealth.

Judicial probe into torture killing of driver by FWO demanded

Islamabad April 19, 2006: Pakistan Peoples Party has demanded a judicial probe into the reports of the killing of a bus driver allegedly by the personnel of Frontier Works Organization (FWO), a military organization that has taken over the collection of toll tax on most of the country’s highways and motorways.

According to press reports a bus driver Qaiser Mahmood was beaten to death with belts after exchange of hot words with the personnel of FWO during entry into the M-3 via Kamalpur interchange in Faisalabad on Sunday.

The press reports said that due to excessive bleeding the driver became unconscious and died on the spot. Drivers and staff of other buses who gathered on the scene were not allowed to physically check the injured driver.

In a statement today spokesman of the Pakistan Peoples Party demanded a judicial probe into the incident by a judge of the High Court and to make the findings public.

"A thorough judicial probe is critical for doing justice to the victim and also for the image of the security forces" he said adding, "The follow up press reports of the incident are even more disturbing".

Follow up press reports on Tuesday said that the police declared the killing of the driver as accidental before handing over the body to the relatives without post mortem.

Further government officials forced the deceased’s relatives to take the body without formal legal formalities. The Nishatabad police reported in their daily diary that the driver died accidentally after a scuffle with ‘someone’ at the Kamalpur interchange.

The doubts created by the reports are most serious that demand a thorough judicial probe, he said. The Party also urges human rights bodies and members of the legal fraternity to agitate the matter and ensure that nothing is kept secret and that justice is done, he said.

The spokesman said that if such incidents of high handedness involving security personnel are not investigated impartially and the culprits not punished it would do incalculable harm.

He recalled that on Nov 26 last an 82 year old man was hit by a car near Golra Mor in Rawalpindi by an official vehicle driven by a soldier in uniform who after seeing that the victim had died fled from the scene.

The incident was reported in the press a month later and was immediately taken up by the Human Rights Committee of the Senate that met on January 17. It transpired that neither the driver nor his department had bothered to secure bail before arrest even though the incident had taken place on Nov 26 and the FIR had been lodged immediately, he said.

The driver applied for bail before arrest after nearly five weeks of the incident on January 4, 2006 and compromised with the victims’ heirs only after the Senate body started the probe.

The spokesman said that incidents like the Kamalpur brought a bad name to the security agencies and must not be condoned under any circumstances. The PPP will continue to demand probe in the Kamalpur incident and punishment to the offenders. Meanwhile the PPP Faisalabad has been directed to visit the family of the victim for condolences.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns murder of Allama Fazil Hussain Alvi

Islamabad, 19 April 2006: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Senator Asif Ali Zardari have condemned the murder of Allama Fazil Hussain Alvi.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a condolence letter addressed to Allama Fazil HussainAlvi’s son Qamar Abbas wrote, "Senator Asif Ali Zardari and I were shocked to hear the tragic news of the unfortunate murder of your father Allama Fazil Hussain Alvi. The loss of a parent is a great tragedy. Our sympathies are with you at this difficult time. The Pakistan Peoples Party condemns the murder and hopes that the culprits will be brought to book."

She also prayed for eternal peace to deceased’s soul and courage and fortitude to the family and friends to bear this irreparable loss with equanimity.

Islamabad April 14, 2006: Raja Pervez Ashraf MNA and deputy parliamentary leader of the Party in the National Assembly has expressed concern over the inability of the political administration of Khyber in Frontier province to apprehend the culprits involved in attacking the house of Party activist Inayatullah Afridi in Fort Slope in the Khyber Agency last month.

Khyber Agency has been the battle ground between two clerics for the past over two months, each cleric accusing the other of heresy. Businessmen and shopkeepers in Bara in Khyber Agency have now hired private security guards to protect themselves from attacks by the followers of the two religious leaders.

Last month the gun-totting supporters of one of the clerics Mufti Muneer Shakir also made hostages innocent tribesmen and damaged their houses while attacking house of rival Badshah khan in Soor dhand near Fort Salop area of Bare tehsil of Khyber Agency. They also attacked the house of Inayat Ullah Afridi,an activist of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian damaging computers, arms and other things.

Later they picked up father of Inayatullah Afridi his maternal uncle Noor Mast Khan and cousin Fazal Mast Khan.

PPP activist Iayatullah Afridi complained that even though his family had nothing to do with either cleric his house was also attacked. He said that although the attackers fled but not without behind some valuable clue as to their identity. Inayat Afridi lodged a formal complaint with the political administration also identifying the attackers but despite the passage of more than two weeks the political administration had not apprehended the culprits.

In a statement today Raja Pervez Ashraf expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation throughout the country and the inability of the local administration in Khyber Agency to arrest the culprits despite having been identified.

He said that the regime was chasing political opponents and had turned a blind eye to the protection of life, honour and property of the citizens.

Raja Pervez Ashraf demanded the immediate arrest of attackers and punishment to them in accordance with the law.

Naheed Khan condemns Steel Mills Privatisation

Islamabad, 13 April 2006: Naheed Khan MNA and Political Secretary to the Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto slated the sale of Pakistan Steel Mills at throwaway price of Rs. 21.6 billion and has supported the demand of Steel Mills employees who have appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo moto notice of this act of massive corruption in the name of privatisation.

Naheed Khan in a statement said that the military government is busy in loot and plunder of the national wealth and selling profitable assets at throw away prices. She said that it is surprising that the regime has sold 4,500 acres of land, steel manufacturing plant, 165 mega watt power plant, 110 kilometres metalled road, 70 km long railway track, a water treatment plant and an inventory priced at 27 billion rupees including raw material. She said that selling such a huge and profitable asset for only rupees 21.6 billion is a criminal act on the part of the anti-labour and anti-people military regime of general Musharraf. She said that this huge Steel Complex was founded by the Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto for the people of Pakistan and not for the benefit to some business concern. She said that during Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s government extension of this plant was carried out. Selling this plant, which gives a profit of 10 billion rupees annually for only 21 billion rupees is a monstrous crime against the people of Pakistan and the nation, Naheed Khan said.

Naheed Khan said that there is massive evidence of wrongdoing in the sale of Steel Mills as Privatisation Commission did not set any reference price of Pakistan Steel Mills. In addition to this, no report on the valuation of assets was filed by any financial consultant that could have enabled to set a reference price. Naheed Khan said that the wrongdoing is also reflected by the fact that no evaluation of the bid was conducted by the Privatisation Commission on privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills, which is headed by the Prime Minister. It is also ironic that the Privatisation Commission within six hours approved the bid, which is unprecedented in the history of privatisation in Pakistan.

Naheed Khan said that General Musharraf is at the heart of this corruption because on 30th March, he inaugurated a plant of Twarki Group at Port Qasim and asked the group to participate in the privatisation of Steel Mills and subsequently on the 31st March the Mill was sold to Twarki Group for pittance.

Naheed Khan demanded a judicial enquiry into the privatisation of Steel Mills and reiterated PPP resolve to protect the rights of labour including 12,500 workforce of Pakistan Steel Mills.

Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s Martyrdom Anniversary Observed all over the World

Islamabad, 12 April, 2006: The 27th martyrdom anniversary of the first directly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was observed in several countries of the world including Holland, United Kingdom and the United States.

The martyrdom anniversary in Holland was observed at Aroza Hotel, Amsterdam where message of Party Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was read out. A large number of party workers, sympathisers and supporters attended the gathering addressed by Raja Riaz, President PPP Holland, Saifullah Saifi, Media Officer PPP Holland, Karamat Ali, Nasir Nizami, Syed Muzhari Bukhari, Khawaja Aftab, Zafar Iqbal, Khizer Hayat, Malik Muhammad Afzal and Munir Jamil who paid rich tributes to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who sacrificed his life for the nation. They pledged to forge unity under the leadership of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for achieving the objectives of the first directly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who stood for the rights of downtrodden masses of Pakistan.

A function was organised by the President PPP California, Khuda Bux Bhutto at the office of Tariq Khan. Dr. Malik Kayoom was the chief guest at the anniversary function. Prayers were offered for eternal peace to the departed soul of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The event was attended by Sultan Bhutto, M Safeer, M Sageer, M Ateq, Zahid Zaif, Rais Kha, Malik Imtiaz Awan and dozens of party workers and supporters. Addressing the gathering Khuda Bux Bhutto and Malik Kayoom paid glowing tributes to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who gave Pakistan a unanimous constitution, nuclear capability and progress. He provided leadership to the have-nots and enabled them to earn their respectable living. The meeting passed several resolutions demanding immediate end to the media trial of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, holding of free and fair elections under independent election commission, withdrawal of all concocted and false cases against PPP leadership and release of all political prisoners.

The 27th martyrdom of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was observed all over United Kingdom including Oldham, Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and London. Ch. Ghulam Abbas was the Chief guest at functions in Bradford, Oldham, Manchester and Birmingham. A large number of party workers and supporters attended these functions. Ch. Ghulam Abbas and Ayub Tariq paid rich tributes to Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Addressing the events, speakers said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave voice to the ordinary people to demand their basic and fundamental rights. They reiterated their resole to fight against tyranny under the leadership of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto until the last victory for the people.

People of Pakistan to Decide Fate of Mohtarma and of Musharraf Dictatorship

Islamabad, 12 April 2006: A spokesperson of Pakistan Peoples Party has rebutted the Musharraf dictatorship which claimed that the political future of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was linked to a Swiss investigation.

The PPP spokesperson said that the future of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was safe in the hands of the people of Pakistan whom she had served and for whose democratic rights she and her family were rendering unprecedented sacrifices. The spokesperson said that the people of Pakistan would decide the fate of the military dictatorship as it had earlier decided the fates of the Ayub, Yahya and Zia dictatorships. It was because the military dictatorship was frightened of the verdict of the people that it was hounding the popular leadership of the country and rigging elections while exploiting the war against terrorism to sustain its unrepresentative, unaccountable and anti people regime.

The spokesperson said that it was ridiculous for the regime to claim that by abusing the international Legal Mutual Assistance Treaty to institute a series of litigations against Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as part of its psychological war games against her, it could undermine her standing before the people of Pakistan. The people of Pakistan could see through the military regime's conspiracy to eliminate popular political leadership of the country through politically motivated charges. The people know fully well that the corrupt people are sitting in the military dictator's cabinet including those who were facing NAB investigations until they switched sides and were given key cabinet posts. Moreover, the Minister of Information himself was facing corruption allegations for having usurped state land by claiming that he would train Kashmiri freedom fighters there. The Minister of Information has now admitted that he no longer trains Kashmiri freedom fighters but has still not returned the state land causing a huge loss to the national exchequer.

As far as former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her family are concerned, their assets are lawful and it is evident that the military regime has not stopped talking about corruption. Instead it now talks about owning property or selling property which is the lawful right of every citizen. In fact the regime owes an apology to the people of Pakistan for lying to them and embezzling state funds to spend for partisan political reasons over a decade causing a huge loss to the exchequer.

It may be recalled that the Minister of Information claimed that former Prime Minister would not have a role in the country's politics if a Swiss Investigating Magistrate found that she was involved in a "land sale case". Earlier the regime had claimed that the Swiss Magistrate was investigating into corruption allegations.

Former Prime Minister is the first in South Asia to have appeared before foreign courts to counter false charges made by Islamabad which has filed cases against her in a series of politically motivated litigations to silence her over her support for the democratic rights of the people of Pakistan.

The Spokesperson rebutted the allegation by the Minister of Information that all the cases had been filed by Mr. Nawaz Sharif the former Prime Minister. The spokesperson said that the BMW case of disputed duty was filed by the Musharraf dictatorship against Senator Zardari whereas the Interpol notice and the Requests for Mutual Assistance to Spain and other jurisdictions were all filed in 2006 by the Musharraf dictatorship against Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. The spokesperson said that the National Accountability Bureau was composed of former military officers and their puppets who opposed Mohtarma popularly elected government. The PPP believes that its government was destabilised by elements of the establishment which wanted to pave the way for Al Qaeda to form a base in Afghanistan in 1996 and they oppose the return of the PPP because they believe that it would stop Taliban from destabilising Karzai government in Afghanistan.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns Karachi blast

Islamabad April 12, 2006: Former Prime Minister and chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has condemned the bomb blast in a religious gathering Karachi on Tuesday which killed 60 people and injured many more as ‘an act of barbarism that no words are strong enough to condemn’.

A bomb blast at a religious gathering at Nishtar Park in Karachi on Tuesday killed at least 56 people including top leaders of a religious party and injured more than 100.

In a statement today the former Prime Minister said that no religion condoned such barbarism and therefore those who perpetrated this heinous act are criminals of the worst kind deserving no mercy or leniency.

"The barbaric incident is the outcome of regime’s policies of directing all its energies to eliminating political opposition while turning a blind eye to the pathetic state of law and order in the country".

The former Prime Minister demanded a judicial probe into the incident, immediate arrest of the perpetrators and the masterminds behind it and severe punishment to them in accordance with the law. Questions like whether the perpetrators of the crime were manipulated by those who had some hidden political agenda must also be answered.

She also demanded compensation to the killed and injured victims of the blast. The former Prime Minister prayed for those who lost their lives and sympathized with those who lost their near and dear ones. She also prayed for the early recovery to those injured.

April 4, 2006: Life in Pakistan ever since the judicial murder of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (April 4, 1979) has been 27 years of gory developments, conspiracies, disruptions, dislocations, rise of ethnicity, divisiveness, sectarianism and an unending struggle between the Bonapartist generals, the military establishment and the people who have so far refused to allow dissipation of their democratic dream of a homeland promising them freedom from exploitation of all sorts and equality in life irrespective of one's caste, creed or colour. This tug-of-war that has been going on since almost 58 years has brought the masses to the point of no return. Challenge before them is clear-they have to bury the perception for all times that Pakistan was created for the army and that it can only be kept together by the military. And that, no more barrel of the gun will be the source of power. If Pakistan has to stay, it will be its people who shall be the sole sovereign rulers.

How much longer this struggle shall continue is written large on the walls. The battle lines have been drawn. On the one hand are the forces led by the military establishment and Bonapartist generals doing every bit in their power as parasites to scavenge the body, while on the other are the patriotic political elements who still see hope for a national survival through restoration of democracy as envisaged by the Quaid. No doubt odds are heavy, the multifaceted socio-economic and political challenges are much too many. Not only they have to get rid of the Bonapartist generals but also to show boot to their foreign godfathers.

By opting the role of human condoms, Pakistan's otherwise anorchous generals have sold Pakistan's vital national interests. General Pervez Musharraf chosen as the blue-eyed 'democratic' leader by the West of one of the "most militarised states" in the world keeps getting pats of legitimacy on his back not from his own people but from President Bush for being his Knight Templar in war against what they call Islamic terrorism and executioner of President Bush's grand design for "enhancing uncertainties abroad". No doubt all of Pakistan past military dictators-starting from Ayub Khan-had been in the pay of their Western masters for services rendered to them in the Cold War in return for support to their own illegitimacy in total denial of the democratic rights of their own people, General Musharraf, however, has outdone all of them. He has rendered Pakistan into a stable for the American horses. And that is the reason that the most despised man in the West on the eve of 9-11 continues to be Bush's "best friend" although the game of his running with the American hare and hunting with the jihadi/Taliban hounds is wearing off the gloss of his credibility in Washington's eyes. That perhaps is the reason that the recent visit of his mentor to Islamabad caused spate of rumours, raised question mark on his future and signalled the beginning of a countdown on him.

Significant indicators have started firming up and the writing on the wall spells worsening scenario all over. While the powdered-kegged pile of self-created problems that he haunches upon is getting heated under him like lava waiting to explode any moment. Notwithstanding the limits of self-censorship on the Pakistani media, the amount of growing criticism against him in the West is enough to give him sleepless nights. His game of deceit and chicanery stands completely exposed. Not only the Western press is full of reports these days about his increasing game of deception to blackmail Bush and party in providing him continuous sustenance, numerous analytical reports by prestigious think tanks that have been surfacing since quite some time especially those on the eve of President Bush's visit to Pakistan, have made it clear to Washington that time has come to call off Musharraf's bluff about the growing Islamist peril. Their sane advise to Washington is to withdraw support from the last of the military dictators-a source of great embarrassment for democratic movements--- and to put in action measures that could ensure earliest return to democracy through free, fair and transparent elections with level playing field for the main
stream political parties and their leaders including former Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif since only a strong democratic government in Islamabad can guarantee democratic stability and peace in Afghanistan and in the region.

There is a consensus that the Bonapartist generals have pushed Pakistan into a quagmire of problems that pose much more serious a challenge than that of 1971. Although fall of Dhaka was a colossal tragedy in Islamic history, the country had in the leadership of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto a saviour who had the enormous capacity to pick up the pieces, re- ssure
its people, re-galvanise them into a nation, give them hope and carve a new state of Pakistan out of the debris of the old.

Shaheed Bhutto's crowning glory-first and foremost task that he took upon himself-- was to rally round the political leadership of the four remaining provinces of the dismembered and vanquished Pakistan at the hands of the Indian army. When he mentioned about a New Pakistan in his initial speeches after the fall of Dhaka many criticised him for it since according to them there was an element of self-glorification in it. A devout and serious student of history that he was, his words had enormous depth in them and force of historic conviction to carry him forward in his mission to establish a New Pakistan, bound by a sacrosanct constitution that resolved the most sensitive issue of provincial autonomy-that is---fair and just sharing of power between the provinces and the Centre-an issue whose failure to resolve had played a major role in the break up of Quaid's Pakistan and earlier also had led to the partition of India.

The 1973 Constitution is the crowning glory of Bhutto because it served more than the religion Islam-a binding force to gather around once again the four residual federal units into re-establishing a new state voluntarily when the old state of Pakistan that had come into being through a British imposed partition plan had ceased to exist with the creation of new state of Bangladesh overwhelmingly Muslim in population. Remember in case of Quaid's Pakistan he had no options in 1946-47. The British ultimatum to him was to "take it or leave it". And he had to accept a "truncated Pakistan" perforce of the British imperial diktat.

A fractured, mauled out of shape Pakistan that was what General Yahya and his coterie of drunkard generals had handed over to ZAB in late December 1971. Not only General Manekshaw (later made Field Marshal for his Bangladesh operation) had promised the Indians yet another "good news and a bigger gift" (after all, under his heels were writhing generals like 'Tiger' Niazi plus 90,000 Pakistani troops, his military was in occupation of over 5000 square miles of West Pakistani territory and an international war crimes trial was threatening a defeated Pakistan army for committing massive genocide). A broken Pakistan lay asunder with its so-called invincible military establishment in shambles, no face to show to their people who had preferred to self- starvation to feed them fat, while the Bonapartist general (supported by the West Pakistani civil and judicial bureaucracy) had bypassed
Pakistan's political leadership including its founding fathers, overwhelmed its civil society at gun point and held it hostage to their whims and ambitions of converting it into a garrison state. Had General Ayub, and his coterie comprising of senior generals, civil and judicial bureaucrats including the then Chief Justice of Pakistan-Justice Muhammad Munir-not subverted the 1956 Constitution, allowed the principle of parity accepted generously by the Bengali leadership sacrificing Eastern Wing's numerical majority to work-Pakistan by now would have remained united and would have perfected a federal system of co-existence on the basis of just and fair arrangement of autonomy, power and resource sharing.

Being a student of history with keen insight into the forces that interplay and generate dynamics of their own ZAB who had seen the growth of an absolute West Pakistani oligarchy as a member of Ayub government, left no opportunity go by to plead for sanity and caution since he also had eyes that could read the writing on the walls in East Pakistan that warned him of imminent secession if genuine provincial autonomy and democratic rights of the people were not restored. Being an insider who was witness to the obduracy of absolute power he raised his voice time and again that step-motherly treatment of the people of East Pakistan, denial of democracy and oppression through an over-centralised system would leave the Bengalis with no other option but to secede. And when Sheikh Mujibur Rehman came up with his six points-drafted and given finer shape by Ayub's Goebbels (late Choudhri Muhammad Ali, Maulvi Farid Ahmed and Fazlul Qadir Chouhdry among many others, had openly accused Altaf Gauhar as the author), the conspiracy to break Pakistan as hinted by Justice Muhammad Munir in his book "Jinnah to Zia" as a move under Ayub to peacefully detach the majority province from the rest of Pakistan started taking firm shape towards what was described as logical end.

ZAB's pleadings for sanity fell like seeds on the stony ground. His repeated warnings that Mujib's six points should not be taken lightly were ignored. At that juncture he had realised that the Ministry of Information's propagation of Six Points had a hidden method. I remember as a working journalist then we were discouraged by Altaf Gauhar's eyes and ears not to be critical of the Six Points. And that the government wanted it to gain circulation came out in the open when ZAB-still a minister in Ayub's cabinet-threw a challenge to Sheikh Mujib for a public debate on his Six Points at the Paltan Maidan in Dhaka. He even announced a date for it. This Bhutto challenge to Mujib tantamount to ZAB throwing a spanner in Ayub-Gauhar sinister scheme of things. Ayub did not allow Bhutto to go to East Pakistan and stopped him from debating Six Points. He knew well that Bhutto's higher intellect, his razor-like sharp logic and legal acumen would make mince meat of the Six Points and thereby subvert his dream of getting rid of "a liability" that was hanging around Pakistan's neck as an albatross.

Pakistani military establishment's mindset is self-deceptive. It has the mentality of a prostitute who would sleep with a dozen of her customers but whenever she is in the company of a new client she would not only pose but also insist on her being a virgin. Both in the battlefield and in the art of state management Pakistani Bonapartist generals have proved to be no more than tin pot soldiers. They failed in the first Kashmir war and tried to blame it all on Pakistan's first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan. Not only that, while they had no contribution in the struggle for the creation of Pakistan, once it had become a reality some of the more ambitious ones among them, set the precedence for coups as early as 1951.

Remember Operation Gibraltar of 1965. It was a brainchild of Pakistan's first ceremonial Field Marshal and his so-called highly professional colleagues. When their operation miserably failed to get the necessary support from the local population resulting in deaths of hundreds of our valiant commandoes and led India into crossing militarily the international border to the point of almost capturing Lahore, no military heads rolled over this outright bankruptcy in professionalism. Rather, Ayub and his Goebbels who had drowned Pakistan's virtual defeat in their propaganda blitzkrieg, picked on Pakistan's Foreign Office with
ZAB as Foreign Minister of having advised the Field Marshal that "go ahead and send whatever number of commandoes you want to into Indian-held Kashmir" and Delhi would keep quiet about it and would not dare choose opening of a front on the international border. What a joke!! I am sure Ayub and Altaf would have put the blame of their sell-out at Tashkent on ZAB had he not distanced himself away from the Soviet-sponsored surrender and made his opposition to it publicly known followed by his resignation from Ayub's government.

Tashkent Declaration proved to be a catalyst. Wheel of fortune took an adverse turn for Ayub Khan. Both Bhutto's formation of PPP and his manifesto of roti, kapra and makkan and Mujib's Six points caught the imagination of the masses in West and East Pakistan respectively as the panacea to their socio-economic and political ills. Public agitation
against Ayub mounted and restoration of democracy through elections became inevitable. Instead of choosing an honourable course to facilitate return of democracy, Ayub preferred to violate his own constitution and instead of handing over power to the Speaker of the
National Assembly for holding elections, transferred power to his Commander-in-Chief General Yahya Khan who imposed yet another martial law in the country.

Yahya and his coterie resorted to a web of deceptions. People were made to believe that martial law would not last long and that power would be transferred to the elected representatives whoever the electorate chose. Elections were announced and one-unit was dissolved. While the public posture of the regime was encouraging, behind the scene moves were being made by his generals to support the Islamists and rightwing parties and
dilute PPP's support in West Pakistan while undermining Mujib's in East. However, 1970 cyclone in East Pakistan altered their whole scheme of things. As recorded by late Brigadier Siddiq Salik in his "Witness to Surrender" and Brigadier A.R. Siddiqi in his book "East Pakistan: The End Game", Yahya and his generals resorted to various overt and covert moves that were aimed at retaining Yahya in the office of the President.

Yahya and his coterie had believed that by felicitating secretly Dr Henry Kissinger's visit to Beijing to negotiate the historic American surrender in North Vietnam, they would get a free hand to commit genocide in East Pakistan. To an extent they were right. The book
"Kissinger on Trial" says it all in so many words that the American State Department under Kissinger slept over and ignored the classified telegrams from its diplomats in Dhaka and Islamabad reporting to Washington about the genocide and of rapes by the Pakistani army.
Indiscriminate massacre of the civilian population had so heavily burdened the conscious of some of them that they preferred to seek transfers so that they do not act as silent witness to one of the most horrendous human mayhem in modern history. It is also a historic fact
that Pakistani troops had looked hopefully forward to be rescued by the American aircraft carrier "Enterprise".

As a consequence of Praetorian machinations to deny people their right to have their own government and to keep the Bonapartist generals and military in power, Pakistan was dismembered. While it was part of an age-old scheme hatched by the overbearing West Pakistani oligarchy to shed the East Pakistani liability, they had in ZAB on the western front a challenger to their status quo. Despite his warnings, pleadings and protestations they deliberately pursued the path to dismemberment and through a sinisterly conceived conspiracy, put the blame for their military and political defeat on ZAB on a trumped up slogan udhr tum idhar hum.

I distinctly remember his speech of March 14, 1971 of Nishtar Park in Karachi. Each and every word that he spoke that day as doubly confirmed by my friend Parvez Ali (He has written exhaustively and with finality on the controversy) was filled with appeals to Sheikh Mujib to see reason, putting it again and again to him that a compromise was possible but let us agree to a constitution acceptable to all the people of Pakistan without insisting on Six Points, "let us try to keep the country intact". Reciting the "Kalima" and swearing by Allah, ZAB spoke on conspiracies being hatched against the people. He dwelt at length on the Six Points telling Sheikh Sahib that if you have majority "there" we have majority "here" (udhar tum, idhar hum) and I have to explain to the masses all facts about the Six Points before agreeing to them, if at all. He again appealed to Sheikh Sahib not to "act upon incorrect advice". He said a constitution could be framed.to the mutual satisfaction for the sake of Pakistan. "But if you're to go on talking about a 'Bangladesh', we too in view of our majority can talk about Sindhudesh or Punjabidesh." But in that case, said ZAB, people will ask where has the Pakistan of the Quaid-i-Azam gone?

Except Daily Azad of Lahore no other newspaper in West or East Pakistan (including the government owned National Press Trust papers that had been pouring venom against him) carried the headline "udhar tum, idhar hum". Subsequently the very next day (March 16, 1971) Daily Azad carried ZAB's categorical rebuttal under the headline "Na main na tum, hum dono aur ek Pakistan" (Neither me, nor you, but us and one Pakistan). It is nothing but typical of military mindset that to this day Praetorian henchmen in and outside the media especially in the rightist press and the rightist parties who had been collaborators in the massive genocide in East Pakistan with the army, leave no stone unturned to keep on
orchestrating udhar tum, idhar hum distortion without ever referring to Bhutto Sahib's rebuttal, to blame it all about dismemberment on ZAB in their crude attempt to launder themselves of the rivers of blood that they shed so that they could remain in power.

History has the tendency to repeat itself especially when it has to cater to the mindset of those people who are condemned to make the same mistakes. Like Yahya, General Musharraf too, has opened too many fronts. Like Yahya he is drunk with the support of his foreign mentors who only know expediency as the name of their game. The free hand given to Musharraf in the name of their war against terrorism, to carry on genocide against his own people in Balochistan and northern areas, to deny the people of Pakistan their right to rule through a democratic civil society, their share in resources and provincial autonomy-it is nothing but an agenda for total disaster in the region.

April 4, 2006: Bhutto's twenty-seventh death anniversary falls at a time when the United States has signed a nuclear deal with India that former President Jimmy Carter has described as 'dangerous' on the one hand and the United Nations Security Council has given Iran only 30 days to halt uranium enrichment on the other. As the region is poised for strategic nuclear imbalance and Iran is accused of building atomic weapons, thoughts naturally go to the foot prints of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on the country's nuclear programme.

Bhutto was the real architect of Pakistan's nuclear programme. In this respect his role may be likened to that of Nehru in India. Idealist Nehru was driven by a dream; to wipe off centuries of past humiliation and had grasped the significance of atomic energy for this purpose. Soon after independence he set up the Indian Atomic Energy Commission, placed it under his charge and presided over its first meeting that was convened within a week of independence.

Bhutto also had a dream and understood the role of atomic energy but could translate his dream into reality only after 1970 when he had acquired real political power.
But even before that and as Minister of Minerals and Natural Resources, Bhutto laid the foundation stone of PINSTECH in Islamabad in 1963. The plaque was removed during his political winter after 1967. Much later it was recovered from junk in the basement of the building and reinstalled in 1985, as it was impossible to erase his memory.

As a minister Bhutto also tried to persuade President General Ayub Khan to acquire advanced nuclear technologies. In December 1965 Ayub was on an official visit to the UK. Bhutto planned a meeting of some nuclear experts with him and persuaded Ayub Khan to meet late Munir Ahmed Khan former Chairman of the PAEC who at the time was working in the IAEA.

Late Munir Khan had recalled that when he was told that these technologies could eventually place in the hands of Pakistan a nuclear option, the General simply smiled and said that if needed, Pakistan could get it from China.

Munir Khan had also recalled that Bhutto was pacing up and down in the lobby waiting as he was meeting Ayub. When Munir came out Bhutto asked him what had happened. "The President did not agree" Munir told him. "Do not worry -- our turn will come", Bhutto had said, according to Munir Khan.

Bhutto has been associated with the nuclear programme from 1958 as minister to 1979 when he was sent to the gallows.

"When I took charge of Pakistan's Atomic Energy Commission, it was no more than a sign board of an office. It was only in name. Assiduously and with granite determination, I put my entire vitality behind the task of acquiring nuclear capability for my country", recalls Bhutto in his book If I am Assassinated.

Bhutto commissioned Edward Stone for designing PINSTECH the foundation stone of which was also laid by him. He negotiated the agreement for the 5-WM research reactor at PINSTECH. Bhutto himself has recalled that in the face of stiff opposition from Finance Minister Shoaib and the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission he negotiated with success the 137 MM KANUPP plant from Canada and performed its opening ceremony on November 28, 1972. In 1976 he approved the setting up of the Chashma nuclear power plant and also negotiated and concluded the nuclear reprocessing plant agreement with France.

Bhutto approved the construction of a research laboratory for uranium enrichment near Chaklala airport. And when the PAEC selected the Kahuta site for the uranium enrichment plant in early 1976, Bhutto promptly approved it and ordered immediate construction of civil works.

In August 1976, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger met Bhutto at Governor House Lahore to dissuade him from the reprocessing plant deal with France. Kissinger said that it was offensive to US intelligence when Bhutto insisted that Pakistan needed the reprocessing plant for its energy needs; but Bhutto demanded that the US should also not insist that Pakistan give up the reprocessing plant.

After Bhutto's ouster, no one heard of the reprocessing plant until General Zia disclosed in a press conference in Rawalpindi on August 23,1978 that he had received a "very polite" letter from the French President suggesting modification in the reprocessing plant contract. As a matter of fact, France had refused to follow with the military government the agreement it had concluded with a constitutional, civilian government.

Bhutto pursued the nuclear programme even from jail. An indelibly larger than life footprint of his is the letter addressed by him from the death cell to the French President. The letter was released by the French President's office after Bhutto's execution. While in jail he also sent several messages to late Munir Khan enquiring about how various projects were progressing.

Late Munir Khan confided to the present writer who was then working in the PAEC some of these messages. In one such message Bhutto suggested that the reprocessing plant be completed through indigenous efforts even if the French refused. He expressed his determination to step up the project once he came out of jail. I hope Thera Khan, Munir Khan's caring and assiduous wife, has preserved the private letters.

After India's nuclear explosion, Germany reneged on its contract for a heavy water plant and Canada stopped supply of fuel heavy water and spare parts for KANUPP. Bhutto asked the commission to continue with its programme through indigenous efforts and instructed the finance ministry to make available all monies asked for. He abolished the inter-ministerial committee dealing with atomic energy and took direct charge of the programme.

In his book The Myth of Independence, he said in 1969 "If Pakistan restricts or suspends her nuclear programme, it would not only enable India to blackmail Pakistan with her nuclear advantage, but would impose a crippling limitation on the development of Pakistan's science and technology… our problem in its essence, is how to obtain such a weapon in time before the crisis begins." No one individual in Pakistan has left such huge footprints on the country's nuclear programme as Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. But as one watches the foot prints with awe there is a nagging question: does the shame of the nuclear black-market that our unrepresentative rulers have presided over, lie at the root of denying Pakistan strategic nuclear parity in the region, and thereby turning sour Bhutto's dream?

I do not know; I really do not want to know.

The writer is a former senator

Islamabad April 6, 2006: Rejecting NAB allegations seeking to link Mohtarma Bhutto with corruption through the oil for food program in Iraq, a spokesman of the PPP has said that NAB during the last decade has been desperate to link Mohtarma Bhutto with corruption but it failed miserably.

"Owning companies or doing business in foreign countries is legitimate as long the money involved is not derived from corrupt practices. Companies associated with Mohtarma Bhutto have nothing to do either with the government or abuse of office, he said.

"To say that Mohtarma Benazir owns a company in Dubai or a company in Spain as if it was illegal to set up companies is an attempt by the NAB to confuse people and obfuscate the issue.

"Every person can lawfully own assets abroad as long as these have not been acquired through illegitimate means. Mohtarma Bhutto is a person of means who has inherited from her father property and assets and has never denied ownership of legal assets abroad.
However she has denied the Geneva SGS accounts as well as the surrey house.

"It is for the regime to prove that she has acquired anything from alleged corrupt practices. The regime has failed in its bid as has been proved in the verdict of the Isle of Man.

NAB has nothing to do with foreign companies set up by non-resident Pakistanis that are unconnected with government abuse of office?

"The latest smear campaign aimed at character assassination should be seen in the backdrop of a series of judicial victories for former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her spouse. NAB lost a number of concocted cases including the SGS case, the Steel Mills case, the KESC case, the PIA case, the Isle of Man case and has not been able to produce any evidence in the Geneva investigations.

"The scandalisation of legitimate businesses is but a pretext to punish through judicial abuse a symbol of the democratic aspirations of the people of Pakistan".

Islamabad April 9, 2006: The Pakistan Peoples Party accused the Musharaf regime of covering up its role in buying oil from three companies during the Musharaf dictatorship that had made payment of surcharge in the United Nations Oil for Food program.

According to documentary evidence available, under the Musharaf military dictatorship, three companies brought oil for it from Iraq under the oil for food program worth nearly five hundred million dollars paying cumulatively over 4 million dollars in surcharge to the Saddam regime.

As this oil was sold to Pakistan, these alleged offences are in the legal jurisdiction of Pakistan and come under the purview of Pakistani law. The three contracting companies involved are first M/s A&A Services second M/s B.C International (Pvt) Limited, and third M/s Oil and Gas Services Group. The NAB has not moved against them.

Recently the military regime's political re-engineering tool, the National Accountability Bureau claimed that a non Pakistani company involving non residents and associated with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had paid commission during the Oil for Food Program. Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto stated that she was unaware of such payments being made and rejected the charges that she had been involved in such payments. The PPP claimed that having failed to find governmental corruption in the Mohtarma's PPP led government, the NAB was overextending its legal reach to investigate a private citizen in exile.

In a statement today Vice President of the Party Makhdoom Amin Fahim has questioned why the Musharaf regime has tried to cover up the alleged offences of surcharge payment by companies doing business with Pakistan and demanded to know their association with the regime, which is stopping NAB from taking action against them.

He said that the PPP has called for a parliamentary probe into the said companies to identify their association with the regime as well as challenged NAB to move against them if they indeed believe that surcharge was a bribe were paid in the oil for food program.

Allocations for the oil for food program were made by the United Nations. Companies registered with the United Nations and allocated oil by the United Nations had to pay a surcharge to the Iraqi company called SOMO. The three companies selling oil to Pakistan paid this surcharge too. The United States has taken exception to the payment of surcharge by American companies. However, no other country has so far moved against the payment of surcharge.

He said that the NAB had failed to fulfil its function of investigating corruption as it was involved in political persecution. Human rights groups have independently confirmed the political persecution by NAB and executive influence over the judiciary.

He said that the regime had failed to investigate the sugar price scam and other corruption allegations filed by the PPP before the NAB.

According to documents available with the PPP, the following amounts of oil were lifted by and surcharge paid:

i) The A&A Services lifted 100, 000 barrels of oil for 14 million dollars for which it paid 240,000 dollars in surcharge.

ii) The B.C International lifted over 8 million barrels of oil for 174 million dollars after paying a surcharge of over 1.4 million dollars.
iii) The Oil and Gas Services Group lifted over 14 million barrels of oil valuing over 300 million dollars after paying 2.6 million dollars in commissions.

The surcharge amounts were deposited in the Jordan National Bank, between March 2001 and October 2002. One deposit was also made in Fransabank.

The PPP said that the regime through NAB is wasting national funds chasing a Gulf based company established after the fall of the PPP government for the alleged payment of surcharge where there is no misuse of official authority involved. However, it is refusing to investigate the other companies that paid the same surcharge.

The PPP believes that as the PPP ran a clean and honest government, the regime's near decade long witch-hunt and political persecution where false charges of terrorism, narcotics, murder etc were used to fish for assets has failed to deliver wrong doing. A desperate NAB is now seeking to victimise former Prime Minister Mohtarma Bhutto through false accusations relating to her period in exile to keep its propaganda
machine moving. However, people of Pakistan respect Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for having the courage to face the state sponsored victimisation which has see the regime file criminal complaints under the Legal Mutual Assistance Treaty in several foreign jurisdictions including UK, Switzerland, Spain and the Gulf. The weight of such a litigation would have broken the will of many a person but Mohtarma has chosen to walk the path of the people suffering on their behalf to restore democracy, the rule of law and the economic rights of the people of Pakistan.

Mohtarma Bhutto Greets Nation on Eid-i-Milad
Prays for guidance and wisdom to imbibe the great teachings of love and humility

Islamabad, April 10, 2006: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has greeted the people on the auspicious eve of Eid-i-Milad-un-Nabi and prayed for guidance to follow the teachings of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him).

"Today is the birthday of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), undoubtedly, the greatest of the prophets and the greatest of mankind.

"Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was sent by Allah to the entire mankind indeed for the entire universe. That is why he was given the title of Rahmatulil-Aalamin, the benefactor of the entire universe. Since he was for all ages and all climes, homage is paid to him everywhere and at all times. It is therefore against the spirit of his teachings if any one
individual or single school of thought sought to monopolise the Prophet's (peace be upon him) teachings or sought to force any exclusive interpretation of it.

"The Prophet (peace be upon him) brought a message of peace, love, compassion and humility. He preached tolerance and understanding. He also taught us to fight against tyranny, injustice and oppression. The need for imbibing all these virtues is as great today as it was at any time before. Let us therefore bow our heads in reverence to allow the clear light of his teachings illumine our path and transform our lives.

"On this auspicious day I send my greetings to every one particularly to the Muslims throughout the world and in Pakistan. I also pray that Allah give us the wisdom and guide us on the path to dedicate ourselves to the teachings of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and rekindle our souls with the light lit by him".

People of Pakistan to Decide Fate of Mohtarma and of Musharraf Dictatorship

Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's Martyrdom Anniversary Observed all over the World

Islamabad, 12 April, 2006: The 27th martyrdom anniversary of the first directly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was observed in several countries of the world including Holland, United Kingdom and the United States.

The martyrdom anniversary in Holland was observed at Aroza Hotel, Amsterdam where message of Party Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was read out. A large number of party workers, sympathisers and supporters attended the gathering addressed by Raja Riaz, President PPP Holland, Saifullah Saifi, Media Officer PPP Holland, Karamat Ali, Nasir Nizami, Syed Muzhari Bukhari, Khawaja Aftab, Zafar Iqbal, Khizer Hayat, Malik Muhammad Afzal and Munir Jamil who paid rich tributes to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who sacrificed his life for the nation. They pledged to forge unity under the leadership of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for achieving the objectives of the first directly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who stood for the rights of downtrodden masses of Pakistan.

A function was organised by the President PPP California, Khuda Bux Bhutto at the office of Tariq Khan. Dr. Malik Kayoom was the chief guest at the anniversary function. Prayers were offered for eternal peace to the departed soul of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The event was attended by Sultan Bhutto, M Safeer, M Sageer, M Ateq, Zahid Zaif, Rais Kha, Malik Imtiaz Awan and dozens of party workers and supporters. Addressing the gathering Khuda Bux Bhutto and Malik Kayoom paid glowing tributes to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who gave Pakistan a unanimous constitution, nuclear capability and progress. He provided leadership to the have-nots and enabled them to earn their respectable living. The meeting passed several resolutions demanding immediate end to the media trial of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, holding of free and fair elections under independent election commission, withdrawal of all concocted and false cases against PPP leadership and release of all political prisoners.

The 27th martyrdom of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was observed all over United Kingdom including Oldham, Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and London. Ch. Ghulam Abbas was the Chief guest at functions in Bradford, Oldham, Manchester and Birmingham. A large number of party workers and supporters attended these functions. Ch. Ghulam Abbas and Ayub Tariq paid rich tributes to Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Addressing the events, speakers said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave voice to the ordinary people to demand their basic and fundamental rights. They reiterated their resole to fight against