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The Rediff Interview/Benazir Bhutto
 

January  2007

Politics is in a state of flux in Pakistan. This after all is the year of the generel elections that may precede or follow the renewal of Pervez Musharraf’s presidential term till 2012. There is no dearth of advice available to Musharraf. But all of them beg the question: will he get re-elected by the new electoral college or take the ‘easy’ but risky course of retaining office with the help of assemblies whose term ends in November?

Quite intrinsic to the presidential polls is Musharraf’s barely concealed desire to continue wearing the uniform. He had first promised to demit office as Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) by December 31, 2004, a deadline he prolonged to November 15, 2007, by making a section of the Opposition — the mullah party combine of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) — put its stamp on what is called the 17th Amendment.

Okayed by Parliament on December 31, 2003, the Constitution (17th Amendment) Act, 2003, was a New Year’s gift for Musharraf. It allowed him to keep the uniform till the end of his presidential term while according constitutional sanctity to the Legal Framework Order (LFO) through which he had appropriated powers to sack the Prime Minister, dissolve the National Assembly and appoint the chiefs of armed forces.

The political icing on the cake for Musharraf was the fissure the amendment created between a supportive MMA and a bitterly opposed Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) comprising Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML).

Three years down the line and a little over nine months to the November deadline, the President continues to don the khaki. The 17th Amendment that once divided the Opposition is now a constitutional validation of the ARD-MMA’s demand that Musharraf keep the promise of demitting office as the army chief.

Technically, a simple majority in the bicameral Parliament and the provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, the North West Frontier Province and Balochistan, whose terms also expire in November, can give Musharraf another five years as President. Contemplated at the Federal Cabinet’s January 17 meeting, the move is likely to be resisted tooth and nail by the Opposition. For its part, the MMA, given the numbers it has in the NWFP, could even render the electoral college for presidential polls incomplete by forcing dissolution of the House.

Musharraf could, if driven to the wall, take recourse to extra-constitutional measures. The consequent near-total political isolation would compound his dependence on the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid) — pejoratively called the ‘King’s Party’ for its record of kowtowing to army rulers — and would probably derail his domestic agenda of ‘enlightened moderation’ and the three-year-old peace talks with India.

The general, in fact, seems caught in a chakravyuh of his own making. The 17th Amendment gives him sweeping powers as President while putting a time bar on holding office as COAS. Worse, Article 43 of the Constitution that will come into force after November states: “The President shall not hold any office of profit in the service of Pakistan or occupy any other position carrying the right to remuneration for the rendering of services.”

So, in the absence of a mutually beneficial deal with the Opposition or a section of it, Musharraf lacks risk-free options to retain a uniformed presidency reminiscent of Ayub Khan’s ‘representative dictatorship’ that doesn’t quite promote parliamentary sovereignty. By himself, he can perpetrate the existing arrangement either through a Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) — of the kind promulgated in 2001 to enable him become President — or rig the elections to secure a captive National Assembly that will amend Article 43 to let him wear two hats.

But that would be a slippery course for the President who, until Balochistan happened, had sold himself to the West and the United States as a benign military ruler committed to promoting ‘modern values’, fighting extremism and promoting peace in the subcontinent. In 2005, Benazir’s husband Asif Zardari stated that Musharraf’s record of curtailing individual and political freedoms was no better than Zia-ul Haq’s. Yet, his assiduously cultivated image of a ‘liberal’ denied the Opposition the sympathetic international audience it had during previous spells of military rule.

How then can Musharraf beat the Catch-22 situation? Political reliance on the mullah-driven, pro-Taliban MMA would be self-defeating. That leaves Nawaz Sharif, whom Musharraf distrusts, and Benazir Bhutto, the ‘lesser evil’ with whom a rapprochement may be possible at a political price. But what is the price? The 17th Amendment offers an opening for a quid pro quo with Bhutto. It is believed that a presidential assurance of the repeal of a law the Amendment validates against a person holding the PM’s post thrice could provide the basis of an accord with Bhutto, who, like Sharif, has been premier twice.

Unlike Sharif, who cannot return to Pakistan without Musharraf’s approval, Bhutto is in a self-imposed exile in Dubai since 1998. There is no impediment to her return to Pakistan — except the corruption charges on which she could be jailed. Analysts do not discount a convergence of interests rooted in Musharraf’s anxiety to retain the uniform and Bhutto’s desire to reclaim the PM’s office.

Practically, it would mean the PPP swapping places with the MMA to replicate 2003. For his part, Musharraf has kept the back-channels open with Bhutto, his close friend and secretary of the National Security Council Tariq Aziz reportedly playing the go-between along with a former British envoy to Pakistan. This sub-plot to the confusing political drama is perceived to have the blessings of international players keen on seeing Musharraf broaden his mass support, something on which the ruling PML(Q) has failed him miserably.

Musharraf will eventually follow the advice of his corps commanders and a few trusted constitutional experts. For Bhutto, however, the choice will be many times more difficult, entail as it would a tacit or overt agreement to let Musharraf continue to be General.

A PPP climbdown on what has come to be recognised as the core issue will split not just the ARD but also the MMA. The resultant polarisation could see the rabidly anti-Musharraf Jamat-e-Islami severe its uneasy ties with the Jamiatul-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and join Nawaz Sharif.

Sceptics like Imran Khan do not see the PPP leader rising to the bait. But they are reluctant to forecast the next turn in a polity that witnessed Bhutto playing ball with the civil-military establishment in the 1993 polls. The compromise, after all, helped her become PM the second time.

Email Vinod Sharma: vinodsharma@hindustantimes.com

In its chequered, crises-ridden history, Pakistan has once again reached the milestone of another impending crisis looming large on the horizon. Just ten years after its faulty tryst with democracy, the country succumbed to military rule when General Ayub Khan emerged as a `strong man' with full moral and military support of the United States. The US being the torchbearer of democratic values all over the world could not support naked military dictatorships without certain strings being attached. President Eisenhower, the first US president to visit Pakistan one year after Ayub's takeover, might have advised him to introduce some sort of representative government not only to legitimise his own coup but also to provide the US government a plausible excuse for its unequivocal support to a military dictator. In 1962, Ayub Khan was compelled to consider the revival of political parties which were banned by him soon after his coup. With the revival of these parties, it became unavoidable that President Ayub himself would join one of the parties or make a party of his own. It was decided to adopt the latter course – that is to create a party from the top. The party which was selected was the Muslim League as it could lend its hallowed name to the new regime.

The Muslim League (Convention) was therefore recognised as the official government party deriving its name from a convention that had been convened to form a new party. The army, the feudal classes, the business community and of course the all-powerful bureaucracy joined hands with Ayub Khan. In December 1963, Ayub Khan was elected President of his faction of the League and with this, his dream to run the government without political parties faded into history.

In 1968, after a serious illness which left him completely shattered, Ayub Khan made the final mistake of violating his own constitution by handing over power to Army Chief, General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan and not the Speaker of the National Assembly who incidentally was a Bengali. Once again, Martial Law was proclaimed in the country on March 25, 1969, and a few days later, General Yahya Khan installed himself as the President of Pakistan.

The ill-fated government of Yahya Khan was responsible for the breakup of Pakistan and emergence of Mr. Bhutto's democratic government which gave the country its Constitution (1973), which despite being bashed and battered many times still exits. Mr Bhutto was a moderate and enlightened ruler but the general elections held in 1977 were rigged, undoubtedly with his advice and consent. This gave the religious parties a plausible excuse to form an alliance under the name of the PNA, which launched a powerful agitation that shook the foundations of the Bhutto government and gave army chief General Ziaul Haq a chance to overthrow the democratic government of Mr Bhutto and later hang him for a murder that he did not commit.

General Zia's rule was a dark night of repression under the guise of the so-called Nizam-e-Mustafa. He nurtured retrogressive Mullaism and at America's behest created the Taliban, who are still looming on the horizon of Afghanistan.

After his death in a plane crash, Pakistan was ruled by incompetent and corrupt governments of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif which made the country bankrupt and gave General Musharraf an opportunity to seize power. He has been ruling the country for the last seven years with an iron first. But he has elaborately installed all the trappings of a democracy without a soul as had been done by General Ayub Khan. The only difference is that General Musharraf did not abrogate the constitution but drastically amended it to suit his requirements. Also, like General Ziaul Haq, he tried to legitimise his rule by winning a rigged referendum. He is also harvesting a crop of radical mullahs like Ziaul Haq.

Pakistan is perceived throughout the world as the bedrock of terrorism and despite President Musharraf's protests and assurances that he is doing his best to curb terrorists, the American government and media seem to be convinced that Pakistan's intelligence agencies are secretly supporting the Taliban.

Amidst this scenario, President Musharraf, in the time-honoured tradition of military rulers, is trying his best to extend his rule for another term which the Constitution does not allow. He has the moral and material support of America to fight terrorism in the region. The opposition parties including the MMA are determined to block President Musharraf's effort to get elected for a third term by the existing assemblies wherein the ruling Muslim League has a majority. They are demanding that if General Musharraf wants to contest the elections next year, he should doff his uniform and fight fairly and squarely as a politician and not as a general in uniform. But their pleas will not be accepted because the president, following the footsteps of his predecessors, is determined to prolong his rule by hook or by crook. He has hired top lawyers who in the past invented the "law of necessity" and other such gimmicks to keep military rulers in their chairs by distorting constitutional clauses in their favour. General Ziaul Haq had no qualms of conscience when he declared that the constitution was just a "piece of paper" which he could "tear any time" he wanted. It is this nation's misfortunate that generals and politicians alike have treated the constitution as a piece of paper which can be mercilessly mutilated by jugglery of words.

As regards the hue and cry of opposition parties, President Musharraf knows that opposition leaders, except those who have been bargaining with him for a piece of the pie, are in complete disarray and cannot unite for the cause of restoration of real democracy in which they themselves do not really believe.

The only way the opposition parties can stop President Musharraf from getting elected by the present assemblies is through the combined power of resignation from assemblies which will break the electoral college. But this is not likely to happen and President Musharraf will be elected by the present assemblies and his magician lawyers will prove the election as constitutional. However, one can only hope that President Musharraf before being elected by the present assemblies will take off his uniform, hold fair and transparent elections, rule the country as a civilian president and lay the foundation of true democracy in Pakistan which he claims to be his goal. He is a leader who can turn the country around by breaking the cycle of military rule, establish genuine democracy and go down in history as a reformer and a democrat.

The writer is a former director of PTV. Email: burhanhasan@hotmail.com

NEW YORK Thursday December 31st, 2007: PPP President Punjab, Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that incumbent assemblies have no right to re-elect President Gen Pervez Musharraf for consecutive second term and opposition will fully oppose this decision.
He expressed these views while addressing a press conference at New York on Wednesday.

He said that opposition is united on this point that present assemblies will not become successful to re-elect the President Musharraf. While criticizing the government for inflation, unemployment and increasing rate of crimes in the country especially Punjab and said that government has literally failed to control all the civic problems and Police is busy to protect the culprits.

Replying to a question about upcoming general elections, he said that the whole world is looking at these elections and Benazir Bhutto has decided to arrive in Pakistan before the elections.

He further said that Nawaz Sharif is the leader of a big political party and he should be allowed to participate in the elections as well.

ISLAMABAD Tuesday, 30 January, 2007: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairpesron Benazir Bhutto has asked Pakistan Muslim League-N Patron-in-Chief Nawaz Sharif to put his proposed All Parties Conference (APC) on hold till an "appropriate time", political sources said here yesterday.
Although two rounds of talks between the two exiled leaders had failed, sources said that in a recent contact with Sharif, Bhutto has also asked the PML-N leader not to announce the APC until an appropriate time came.
"The PPP had never accepted the proposal to host the APC, rather it has told the PML-N to not to announce the event under unilateral hosting, while it is better to wait for an appropriate time," a source said.
A senior PPP office-bearer, who is involved in the deliberation since December 2006, said that indirect deliberations went for two weeks, but a PML-N faction rejected the proposal to postpone the APC till April this year.
"Bhutto has not agreed to give her consent to participate in the APC proposed to be held in London early March as she thinks that signatories of Charter of Democracy - PPP and PML-N - should hit a final blow to the fluid ouster of military regime," the PPP source said.
"But a strong faction of the PML-N does not want the Bhutto-Sharif alliance to be highlighted as country's supreme democratic force," he added.
The PPP official said that time was not ripe to expose the names of the dissent voices in the PML-N as the PPP was trying to strengthen the alliance between the two major political game planners.
Brushing aside the rumours of a possible Bhutto-Sharif split in the event of indecision on the APC, sources in the PML-N said that Sharif would not let the democratic force let down."
"Both the parties recognise the importance of gathering at one platform to put pressure on the General Musharraf-led PML," the PML-N sources added.
Sources in both the parties said that the PPP and the PML-N were busy working on a way out of the crisis, as the breakdown of the alliance would give a free hand to the military to supervise the political moves in the country. – Internews

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamentarians (PPP-P) Sindh President Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Aga Siraj Durrani and Abdul Salam Thahim have refuted a statement recently made by of Awami Tehreek Chief Rasool Bux Palijo, saying that PPP founder and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto handed over six rivers of Pakistan to India.

In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the PPPP leaders said that, in fact, General Ayub Khan had handed over the six rivers to India and not ZAB. They said that Palijo had started a campaign to malign Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto but he would not succeed. They said that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s struggle for the development and prosperity of the country was exemplary. “He even sacrificed his life for the welfare of the masses.” ppi

DEPOSED PRIME minister Nawaz Sharif has had a tough time in exile though he cannot complain too much after leaving the almost forgotten, even if palatial, existence in Saudi Arabia for his current abode in London. Sharif’s attempts at forging a united opposition front for an all parties conference (APC) he has called has run into snags with the two most wanted participants – former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed – at loggerheads over sitting across the same table.

Sharif is taking pains to assemble the flock in a bid to fight General Pervez Musharraf’s plan for re-election as president, which theoretically, will cause a tremor or two in the corridors of power, but practically speaking, will be little more than a storm in a tea cup. There is a reason for this. Ms Bhutto is unlikely to break bread with Qazi not only because of ideological differences but also since such a step is seen by liberal elements across the world as politically incorrect. It is no secret that Washington wants to get rid of the clergy, and by extension, General Musharraf.

To Musharraf’s credit, he realises it was a mistake to have co-opted the rightwing Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) in the first place, ostensibly to stop Ms Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party from coming into power. But then, Musharraf was pushed into it also because of Ms Bhutto’s own intransigence to let her man, Amin Fahim, be anointed as PM. Ironically, she may now be willing to have such an arrangement but it would seem the military regime has tired of the battle of attrition so much that Musharraf let the ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League, announce him as their candidate for president early this month.

Ms Bhutto however, is not yet calling time on the issue of co-option, which explains why she has caused Sharif so much grief by openly contesting his decision to call the APC from the platform of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party. Many pundits believe Ms Bhutto’s call for organising an APC from the wider platform of the secular Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) – that combines hers and Sharif’s parties – was an attempt to upset Sharif’s plan of grabbing the limelight as the binding force of the opposition with an eye on the forthcoming elections.

However, to everyone’s surprise, Sharif called Ms Bhutto’s bluff and has relented to host the APC from ARD’s platform. But there’s a catch. Now, the Jamaat chief is not willing to attend the APC from ARD’s platform – for understandable reasons. Ms Bhutto has still not confirmed her participation but it would be difficult – and politically, damaging – for her not to accept Sharif’s invite anymore. She may lose a vital chunk of her support base in Punjab if she “betrays” Sharif now.

Nothing is more enthralling than to have a chat with Sarfraz Nawaz, the burly former Pakistan pace bowler and inventor of reverse swing. A colourful and jovial character, he minces no word in saying it like it is. I met him during the inauguration of a major cricket club in Islamabad by the prime minister recently. Some very interesting conversation followed but not all of what Big Saf – as he is known – said is printable!

Beginning with Shabbir Ahmed’s action, which was rectified by Sarfraz after the bowler was banned for a year for over-reaching the flexibility limit set by the ICC, the former star castigated the Pakistan Cricket Board for not taking up his offer to fight Shabbir’s case in The Hague (no less!) by pointing out similar bent in the action of four other current pace bowlers including Australian spearhead Brett Lee.

He dwelt at length on the overtly religious brigade in the Pakistan team, where half the team members are reportedly into tableegh (preaching). He claimed that a converted cricketer was into some other “tricks” as well and recalled he was told during a Test against Sri Lanka last year where Pakistan was predicted to lose on a wearing last day pitch against a menacing Muttiah Muralitharan that the Lankan match-winner would come unstuck, enabling Pakistan to save the day. Laughable as the suggestion seemed, he said that’s exactly what happened!

He then recalled – much to my amusement – how the same cricketer piled on the runs against the West Indies in a recent rubber with Caribbean fielders dropping dollies offered by him. Sarfraz said this prompted him to rib the cricketer and ask him he was willing to join forces to make it good in the political arena – much to the consternation of the cricketer. But wait till you hear this. Sarfraz revealed he would be contesting a parliamentary seat in the forthcoming elections as a nominee of the ruling party. He said he had been promised a hefty election fund “because I don’t have any money”.

When I asked him who his opponent was and how did he visualise the promised sum ensuring victory for him, Sarfraz alluded it was not a problem at all. He said he knew all the tricks needed to win an election – no-one has ever accused him of not having a bagful – and in fact, candidly counted on the “angels” to deliver. For the discerning, “angels” in the Pakistani parlance refers to stuffing of ballots by “invisible” gentry.

Admittedly, one has never been an avid fan of his brand of politics – slightly raunchy for anyone with good taste – but it would tantamount to being economical with the truth not to concede his political instincts and winsome ways. The current prime minister was annoyed with his overboard style and ability to impose himself even above the PM where soundbytes were concerned. The PM managed to have him removed as information minister last year. The other day I asked him about rumours of a comeback in jest, to which he responded with characteristic ease that he did not wish to get back to “dirt” – an oblique reference to the ministry he left behind – and said he was pleased with how he had washed the “dirt” that Railways was before he made his entry.

It should be interesting to see how he keeps track of whose dirty linen, come election time. Where polls are concerned, Rashid always manages to come clean!

MULTAN: A number of stalwarts from various parties are waiting for the turn of tide, especially from Multan’s traditional families, pundits predict.

They say if the PPP and the PML-N successfully adjust seats with each other it will guarantee both parties not only a clean sweep in the City but also will play a key role in defeating the ruling party.

Ruling PML sources say a number of turncoats from the PPP and ML-N are in contact with their MNAs, MPAs and kingmakers, while they too want to see them in their fold. A senior PML-N leader and former MPA Mazhar Abbas Ran has joined the PML, while PML-N MPAs Nafees Ansari and Haji Ehsanuddin Qureshi have refused to desert their party.

The induction of Punjab PPP president Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi is considered to be a worker-friendly move. Workers want that Benazir Bhutto should not be blackmailed by any stalwart of the turncoat breed as it was the time for those committed workers who did not leave the party during hard rimes.

High-rankers in the PPP have disclosed that the party chairperson Benazir Bhutto has asked the leaders to allot party tickets only those candidates who offered sacrifices. However, the situation is quite disappointing to PPP senior vice-chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani who is interested in getting at least four tickets for his favourites. PPP insiders revealed that Gillani had already threatened to quit the PPP in the last general elections on the party’s refusal for not allotting tickets to his nominated three candidates.

“His nephew Syed Asad Murtaza Gillani, his brother Syed Ahmed Mujtaba Gillani and a close member of their family Dr Javed Siddiqui applied for the party ticket in 2000. However, party chairperson Benazir Bhutto issued a ticket to his younger brother Syed Ahmed Mujtaba Gillani only following party’s intelligence reports on personality assessment, which informed that the three had no major contribution to the party,” said sources, adding the PPP stalwart Raza Rabbani had Gillani in jail, promising him to give three tickets to his nominated candidates and after that he remained loyal to the party.

Ahmed Mujtaba Gillani lost the seat, while one of his recommended candidates Syed Ahmed Mujtaba Gillani has quitted the PPP and joined the PPP-Patriot by getting the office of parliamentary secretary. Gillani’s third nominee Dr Javed Siddiqi, however, has captured a seat and has developed very close relations with the bigwigs of the PML.

A senior PPP leader with a key role in allotting party tickets observed that it would be very difficult for Benazir Bhutto to welcome all nominations by Gillani or accept any sort of blackmailing. He said some respectable elders from Gillani family had shown interest to join the PPP but they were not ready to give this credit to Syed Yousaf Raza. “In fact, Yousaf Raza always protects interests of his brother and son and ignores the rest of group. He has betrayed his real uncle Makhdoom Syed Hamid Raza Gillani in the past.”

The Gillani elders dominated in the last local government polls as the third group after Awam Dost and PML groups led by former MNA Syed Tanveerul Hassan Gillani, Syed Yazdani Gillani and Federal Parliamentary Secretary Syed Asad Murtaza Gillani. The Gillani elders also avoided to invite or include Yousaf Raza Gillani in the group.

Major changes are also expected in the PML as all its sitting MPAs are eyeing the slots of MNAs and it would be very difficult to the party leaders to make a choice. It is pertinent to mention here that all PML legislators are either from the PPP or the PML-N.

However, the PML-N would be in very tough position following being deprived of electoral bigwigs who have joined the PML and the party would have to face challenges in selecting suitable candidates to capture the seats. Staunch PML-N MPA Mazhar Abbas Ran has already joined the PML which would create problems for Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi in his traditional constituency.

Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi and former MPA Malik Salahuddin Dogar have played a key role in the victory of Awam Dost Group without the participation of Gillani and this was the only group in Multan who nominated its candidates in each union council.

ISLAMABAD 1/22/2007: The People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) has put the opposition Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy in an awkward position as it refused to attend a multi-party conference being convened by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to develop a strategy for the forthcoming general elections.

Putting on a brave face over the PPP decision to convince former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to organise the meet under the aegis of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD), PML-N Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal said the proposed London meeting would be held next month.

Iqbal, who was otherwise at pains to stress that the ARD remained unimpaired, could not help recalling that Sharif had spoken to all opposition leaders over telephone before dispatching invites to them.

“And there are no prizes for guessing that the first person he spoke to was Benazir Bhutto because the PPP is a major component party of the ARD,” he said with ill-concealed disappointment.

Analysts said the PPP decision, which was announced by President Makhdoom Amin Fahim at a press conference following a joint meeting of the party’s central executive committee and federal council, would bring the ARD under severe strain.

Fahim, who is chairman of the ARD, told reporters that the PPP would hold more talks with PML-N leaders to convince them widen the scope of the multi-party conference.

Sources privy to the proceedings of the PPP meeting said there was a wide divergence of opinion among senior party leaders over PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto’s participation in the proposed conference.

They said some leaders believed that Bhutto’s whole-hearted participation in the meet would finally lay to rest all the speculation about the party’s secret talks with the establishment.

Others, the sources said, were vexed by the expected presence of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal in the conference.

The naysayers pointed out that since Sharif could not return home any time soon, the PML-N should not be allowed to hijack the 15-party opposition alliance, the sources said.

The PPP decision would be communicated to Sharif through a letter in a day or two.

Political observers feel certain that the PPP wants to make preparations for the forthcoming elections untrammelled by the resolutions of the proposed conference, which may decide to boycott the polls.

KHAIRPUR: PPPP Sindh chief Syed Qaim Ali Shah has demanded that the district governments should be suspended for three months after the announcement of the schedule of the coming general elections.

Talking to The News at the Jilani House here on Monday, he said the government had removed pro-PPPP Nazims during the local bodies elections and in the presence of the district governments there was no any guarantee of fair and transparent elections in the country.

Qaim said the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians had never signed agreements to hand over Sindh’s islands to foreign companies. In fact, he said, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had the Port Qasim built when the Karachi port was saturated.

He said the Buddo and Bundal islands belong to Sindh and the Centre has no right to sell them without its permission. The PPPP leader stated that Chief Minister Sindh Arbab Ghulam Rahim was issuing baseless statements about the islands’ issue to cover up his mistakes. He said a PPPP delegation had met the chief election commissioner (CEC) and informed him about reservations of the party over the holding of the general elections under the present government.

The delegation called upon the CEC to ensure the holding of fair and transparent elections under an independent caretaker government, he added. The electoral lists and other issues were also discussed during the meeting. Qaim said there is complete harmony between the PPPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz over the holding of the by-election to the NA-250 seat, adding that the PML-N candidate had withdrawn in favour of PPPP candidate Nafees Siddiqui.

He said this bond between the PPPP and the PML-N proved that there was no differences between them. He said that in Sindh the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) is playing its vital role and there is no rift in the alliance.

Qaim said Benazir Bhutto had never announced a date or a month about her return to Pakistan. He said she will be back before the election schedule. He said the PPPP will sweep the polls across the country. He added it will depend on the results of the general elections whether the party will consider the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the PML-Functional as its coalition partners. However, he added everything was possible in politics.

The PPPP leader said the Baloachistan issue will affect the formation of new governments, hoping that the issue will be resolved through dialogue. He urged that the operation in the province should be ended.

The PPPP leader said economists have suggested that poverty and inflation have increased and are destabilising the economy of the country. He said hundreds of youths were committing suicides due to joblessness.

Morning Edition, January 29, 2007: Pakistan's Gen. Pervez Musharraf is entering a crucial period of his military rule. His aides say he intends to seek re-election when his term in office expires in November. But an intense dispute has already begun over the way he's planning to go about it.

More than seven years have elapsed since Musharraf seized power in a coup. As president and Army chief of staff, he says he practices "enlightened moderation."

His opponents disagree. They say the army and intelligence agencies are now by far the most powerful forces in Pakistan.

"Military is controlling this country 100 percent," says Tariq Mahmood, a civil-rights lawyer and Musharraf critic. "Everywhere you go, whether it is education or health, whether it's the national highway authority, everywhere where there's stakes involved, where money is lying, the military officers whether they are serving or retired, they are holding the job."

Despite several attempts on his life, Musharraf wants another five-year term. That's not in doubt.

What is at issue is the way he appears to be planning to go about it.

In Pakistan, the president is appointed by an electoral college made up of the provincial and national legislatures.

Musharraf's aides make little secret of his plans to seek re-election from these bodies, even though their five-year terms also expire at the end of the year.

Doing it that way, Musharraf knows that he will get the simple majority he needs.

"This has never happened before and it is probably what we feel is unconstitutional and undemocratic," says Iqbal Zafar Jhagra. He is a member of the PML-N, the party of Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister ousted by Musharraf's coup.

Jhagra believes Musharraf should hold free and fair elections for new legislatures before seeking re-election himself.

The MMA, a powerful alliance of Ilamic parties, is also outraged by a plan that one representative, Professor Khurshed Ahmad, calls "preposterous."

"An assembly elected for five years cannot elect a president for ten years," he says. "Although [Musharraf] says he's a very brave person, he's not prepared to meet the people in a normal democratic process."

Humayan Gohar, a staunch Musharraf supporter, says he edited the president's recent autobiography. He's widely believed to have served as ghostwriter.

He says Musharraf's re-election plan conforms with the constitution.

"If you are talking about spirit and morality, then what are you talking about?" he asks. "It's there in writing."

The argument does not impress Musharraf's opponents. They point out that Muhsarraf has changed the constitution in the past to ensure that he would keep his job.

The job is not an easy one. A fresh reminder came a few days ago when a suicide bomber killed himself and a guard with a blast at Islamabad's Marriott Hotel. The following day, more than a dozen people were killed in another suicide attack, this time in the frontier city of Peshwar.

Musharraf's Pakistan is full of sectarian bloodletting, with separatist unrest in the country's largest province, Baluchistan.

Above all, there's the rising power of the Taliban in Pakistan's tribal areas on the border with Afghanistan, plus an assortment of additional Islamist militants who despise Musharraf and his alliance with the U.S. in the so-called war on terror.

That alliance, says Humayan Gohar, is why the United States wants Musharraf to secure another term.

"As long as the war on terror is going on, they would like a person who has control of the situation," Gohar says. "In a critical situation like this, you need a person — you don't need looters, blunderers. So, yeah, the Americans may like it."

America's support for Musharraf is a sore point with Pakistan's opposition parties.

Iqbal Zafar Jhagra believes the U.S. wants Musharraf to continue his military rule simply because he's a key ally.

"They have a dual policy," he says. "They want democracy for their own people, but they don't really feel that they should have democracy here in Pakistan. They are more worried about their own personal interests in the region."

For now, Musharraf looks unassailable. The democratic parties who oppose him are divided. But they are limbering up for a fight.

They plan a conference in London to try to create a united front. If the elections are rigged again, they vow to resort to mass street protests.

Supporters of Pakistan's best-known opposition politician, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, have begun making their feelings known.

Bhutto says she plans to return to Pakistan this year. She risks being jailed on charges of corruption — allegations her supporters say are politically motivated.

Though there seems little immediate prospect of unseating Musharraf, Farhattulah Babar — a senior member of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party — believes the time will come, and soon.

"Who would have though that the Berlin Wall would be dismantled?" Babar asks. "Who would have thought that in South Africa the apartheid would be demolished? Who would have thought the Russians would be defeated in Afghanistan?"

But the Russians were in Afghanistan for a decade. Musharraf has a few years yet to run.

LAHORE 29 January 2007: Defence Minister and Chairman Pakistan People's Party (Patriots) Rao Sikander Iqbal is trying to persuade self-exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto to cooperate with President Pervez Musharraf as both are liberal and progressive leaders having identical views on many issues.

In an interview here, he expressed the hope that his efforts would bear fruit before the next elections, due to be held during the current year. The minister said certain elements were opposing his initiative as it ran counter to their interests. He said it would be an ideal time when the general and the former prime minister would be cooperating with each other. Rao Sikandar is a classmate of President Musharraf and one of the senior leaders of the PPP. He headed the provincial wing of the PPP of Benazir Bhutto for several years. He broke ranks with the PPP after the 2002 general elections when President Musharraf told him that since no party had got clear majority, he was left with no option but dissolve the assemblies and go for fresh elections.

Rao said to prevent the general from doing what he was planning, he had approached Ms Bhutto with the request that she cooperate with the general or the assemblies would be no more. Ms Bhutto, he recalled, enumerated the excesses committed by the general. However, Rao told her that it was Mr Sharif who had instituted various cases against her and her spouse Asif Zardari.

Replying to a question, he predicted that the Kashmir issue would be resolved by February or March next year, if not by the end of this year as being pronounced by certain quarters. Rao said whatsoever All-Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders were doing was with the involvement of the Pakistani government. "We should not be hopeless about the situation as the present run of activities will bear positive results, and Kashmir will be liberated by February or March 2008, if not by December this year," he added. He maintained that the credit must be given to Pervez Musharraf for his efforts in maintaining peace in the region.

"One-man's efforts could not do the required as India is not responding positively. If the situation has to be changed, then India must come up with some positives," he said.

In reply to question about the recent arm deals between India and Russia, and Indo-US last year, Rao Sikander said it was not a new thing as it was continuing for decades.

'Russia is supporting India as the latter is six times bigger than Pakistan, which is so to our misfortune. But I assure you with the kind of sagacity Musharraf possesses, India could be defeated in a short time," he said, while accepting the fact that Pakistan did not match India in matter of the traditional weaponry and nuclear arsenal.

"But Pakistan is a determined nation, and we have some pluses about which I don't want to talk about.

However, nothing wrong could be done to us, and we must not be bothered by the US tilt towards India," the defence minister reiterated.

ISLAMABAD Sunday, January 21, 2007: Pakistan government's effort to get President Pervez Musharraf re-elected by the existing legislatures appear to have brought unity of sorts among the country's divided opposition parties as Pakistan People's Party (PPP) voiced its opposition to the plan.

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's PPP, while threatening to quit the national and provincial assemblies along with other opposition parties if Musharraf went ahead with his plans, showed willingness to attend the All Party Conference, (APC) convened by exiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif provided it is convened under the banner of Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD).

PPP's central information secretary, Sherry Rehman, in a statement said her party rejected the puppet cabinet's decision to get Musharraf re-elected by the same assemblies later this year before they get dissolved.

"The ARD, in which PPP is a dominant partner, would never countenance this illegal and unconstitutional re-election as anything but a dictator's flagrant violation of democratic norms, laws and traditions," she said.

The PPP has decided to consider attending the meet if it is reconvened under the ARD banner in which PPP and PML-N are members, PPP spokesperson Faratullah Babar said on Sunday.

The party's views would be conveyed formally to PML-N leaders on Monday after which it was up to Sharif to decide, he said.

Islamabad, 24 January 2007: The elections for office bearers of Pakistan Peoples Party, Punjab would take place on 30 March 2007. In this regard, the chief Election Commissioner of the PPP, former Senator Sajjad Bukhari has released the voters' list on Website www.dailymusawaat.com. These lists are for all the 34 districts in Punjab.

Pakistan Peoples Party had conducted its membership drive last year. In the first phase, elections will be held in the Punjab, where the process has begun and polling is scheduled for 30th March.

There are a total of 10,000 elected councillors of the PPP in the Punjab. These elected councillors would elect office bearers including President, Senior Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents, General Secretaries, Joint Secretaries and Public Relation Secretaries in Provincial Assembly constituencies and in more than 3,000 Union Councils. These office bearers would be elected for a period of three years.

Any objections on the voters' lists could be accepted till 10th February and the final list would be released on the 20th February. Nomination papers will be received from February 22 to 28 and objections would be accepted from March 1st to 5th while nomination papers could be withdrawn from March 9th to 12th. The final list of the contestants will be released on March17 and elections would be held on March 30. The contenders will be given 13 days to run their campaigns.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns baton charge and arrest of women activists
Demands release of the arrested workers
Action against those responsible for highhandedness

Islamabad January 24, 2007: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has condemned the baton charging and arrest of women workers of the Party in Karachi and demanded immediate release of the arrested activists and action against those responsible for the incident.

Police baton charged PPP women workers in regal Chowk in Karachi on Monday who were protesting against the Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim resorting to verbal abuse in his campaign against the democratic forces. About two dozen women activists were arrested and sent to jail.

Those arrested included Ms. Farzana Baloch, Rukia Baloch, Nazeeran Jan Mohammad, Zareen Khan, Razia Palijo, Naheed Tahir, Najma Saeed Chawla, Nasreen Akhtar, Farzana Lateef besides others.

In a statement today the former Prime Minister said that it was undemocratic and an attack on the constitution to beat up women activists exercising their legal right to protest verbal abuse by the present dictatorial regime. The lady activists were beaten and sent to lock ups only for holding a peaceful protest.

She said that the by resorting to a reign of terror the regime proved it was made up of frightened cowards and bullies who could not face the people of the country with dignity as was done in democratic societies around the world. She said that those who abused the constitution were committing a crime as well as tarnishing the image of the country. She said that the PPP was a party of the strong and the brave which was fighting for the rights of the masses and would not be deterred by the strong arm tactics by cowards and bullies.

She asked the Party workers to be strong in the face of the frightened regime which was growing more fearful every day, "The handpicked nominees of the dictators had resorted to political victimisation because of their fears that the candidates of King's Party would be routed in the forthcoming elections".

She said that victimisation and political vendetta was an extension of a regime which had had allowed the Taliban to regroup and al Qaeda to become active leading to attacks which resulted in civilian casualties. Poverty, unemployment and corruption under the present set up were once again giving birth to sectarianism, extremism and suicide bombers. She said that the unrepresentative anti people regime relied on force
because it had lost the battle for ideas.

Mohtarma Bhutto also paid tributes to the women activists for their courage and steadfastness against state repression. "Your courage is a source of inspiration to the Party workers and all those who are waging struggle for democracy and human rights", she said.

The former Prime Minister also the judiciary and the human rights bodies to take suo moto note of the incident and enforce the constitutional right to peaceful protest by taking action against those police officials who had abused the law and acted as an extension of the ruling party.

Mohtarma said that the country needed a clean administration which would uphold the law rather than allow itself to be exploited for political purposes out of fear of transfer or suspension.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns burglary in the apartments of MPs Calls for judicial probe

Islamabad January 23, 2007: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has condemned the burglary in the apartments of Senator Rukhsana Zuberi and MNA Manzoor Wassan in the Parliament Lodges in Islamabad last week and demanded a thorough probe into the incident.

The PPP MPs have alleged that some secret agencies personnel had intruded into their apartments last week and stole computer discs and other important documents bearing on the corruption of the high and mighty of the regime.

In a statement today the former Prime Minister said that it was a reflection on the increasing crime and collapse of law and order that the official residences of Members of Parliament were being burgled in the federal capital and the law enforcing agencies were unable to do anything.

She said that the fact that only documents and computer discs were stolen from the apartments shows that the perpetrators of the crime were interested more in taking away the record of regime's corruption preserved on the computer discs by PPP legislators and not in any other valuables.

Mohtarma Bhutto said that such tactics would not intimidate the PPP legislators from continuing to expose the regime's corruption.

The former Prime Minister also demanded a judicial probe into the incident and arrest of the culprits.

PPP debunks Arbab’s claims about Karachi Islands

Islamabad January 21, 2007: “The handpicked Chief Minister and apologist for the military regime Arbab Rahim is wrong in claiming that the Karachi islands were given to the federal govt by Sindh government to do with it what it liked”.

In a statement today a spokesperson of the Party said that the PPP upholds the constitutional position according to which all lands belong to the provinces. The federal govt and its agencies may ask for such lands for a specific purpose but if not used for that specific purpose the land reverts to the province concerned, he said.

He said that while the Karachi islands may have been requested by the federal govt for a particular purpose, the federal government no longer needs it for that purpose and the lands therefore revert to the provincial government of Sindh.

The spokesperson said that any agreement about the islands must be signed by the government of Sindh and the revenues generated must also go the provincial government.

While signing the agreement the Sindh government must also take necessary steps to protect the rights of the fisher folk, the mangroves and other related issues, he said.

“The signing of the agreement by the federal government is illegal as the land does not belong to the federal government”

He said that while PPP is in favour of foreign investment and developing Sindh’s economy to benefit the joblessness and the poor, the usurpation of the rights of a province by the federation is illegal, meant to deprive the province of its just shares that could result in further weakening of the federation..

National interest demands that the rights of the province of Sindh, as indeed of other provinces, be safeguarded through just treatment in accordance with law and constitution, the spokesperson said.

Presidential Elections not due till December 2008 after election of new assemblies
 

Mohtarma Bhutto calls for extension of Political Parties Act to tribal areas

Says it is also imperative to involve all political parties in reaching people in the tribal area

Refusal to extend Political Parties Act in tribal areas has led to militancy

Islamabad January 19, 2007: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has demanded the extension of the Political Parties Act to the Tribal areas of the country with a view to bringing the tribal areas into the mainstream of national life.

“Because of the non application of the Political Parties Act the political parties could not function in the tribal areas (FATA) to mobilise the tribesmen against politics of militancy and for addressing various political and social issue facing them”, she said in a statement today.

She said that the fact that political parties fielded candidates in the January 10 bye-election in the Bajaur Agency under the Party banner has already made the ban on political parties to function in the tribal areas as redundant. However, since the Political Parties Act was not extended to the tribal areas, all political parties did not have a level playing field in the area. More importantly political parties were denied the right to field candidates under their party symbol and people of the area could not identify which candidate represented which party due to lack of party symbol.

“It is hypocritical to pretend that political activities cannot be permitted in the tribal areas because of one reason or the other”. After the extension of adult franchise areas it makes no sense to withhold the operation of Political Parties Act in the tribal areas, she said.

She said that the people of tribal areas have also been demanding an opportunity to express themselves politically recalling that respecting the tribesmen’s demand the federal cabinet during PPP government in 1977 had taken a decision to provide 20 seats to tribesmen in the Frontier Assembly. The Election Commission was directed to make arrangements for setting up of the polling stations and appointment of enumerators. A record of this decision would be available in the Cabinet Division and the Governor House Peshawar where the cabinet meeting had been held, she said.

She said that later however, the implementation of the decision was deferred for one year in view of the peace dialogue with the then Afghan President Sardar Muhammad Daud that had been undertaken by the then PPP government and was aimed at covering a wide range of issues.

The former Prime Minister said that in view of the war on terror and focus of this war being in the tribal areas also it was imperative that the tribesmen were involved in the political process by allowing the political parties to operate in these areas as well.

“More than through mere military operation conducted in secrecy the war on terror also need to be fought politically with a measure of transparency ” she said, adding “this can be done by allowing full freedom to political parties to mobilise public opinion against terrorism”.

The former Prime Minister also urged the Supreme Court to take suo moto notice of the situation arising out of the non extension of the Political Parties Act to the federally administered tribal areas.

PPP asks Election Commission Not to be Politically Pressured

Islamabad, 18 January 2007: The Pakistan Peoples Party has rejected the proposed re-election of military dictator General Musharraf as President from the present assemblies as unconstitutional.

A spokesperson of the Party said this in a statement today commenting on the recommendation by the handpicked Cabinet of the military dictatorship to re-elect the same person President of Pakistan from the present assemblies.

The spokesperson said that any attempt to violate the law by forcing through the re-election of General Musharraf, a man in uniform and ineligible to contest elections as president, would be opposed by the PPP and other alliance parties in the ARD.

The spokesperson recalled that General Musharraf held a vote of confidence on December 31, 2003 after the election of the present assemblies in October 2002. Through this vote of confidence General Musharraf assumed to have elected himself as President from the present assemblies.

As the term of president is for five years, the re-election of the president of Pakistan will occur on December 31, 2008 whereas the term of the new assemblies will begin latest by February 2008 if assemblies are dissolved by their last date in November 2007.

One assembly can elect one president once, the spokesperson said, although one assembly can elect another person president if the office of president falls vacant through resignation or through death.

Any attempt to elect the same person president from the same assembly would be to deny the people of Pakistan the right to hold that person accountable in the court of the people as envisaged by the constitution. It would be violative of democratic norms as well as illegal and unconstitutional.

A second issue is that General Musharraf happens to hold the position of both army chief and president. The constitution of Pakistan does not envisage a person who holds an office of profit to be eligible to contest the presidency until two terms are over.

The PPP rejects and condemns the decision and will oppose it at all available forums. By seeking to re-elect himself from the present cabinet General Musharraf would spark a protest movement and cause internal instability at a time when the country needs security given the situation on its borders in Balauchistan, the Frontier and its traditional issues with India.

The spokesperson said that General Musharraf, given his claims to create "democracy" and promote "enlightened moderation" would be best advised to reject the advice of a group in the ruling coalition of the PML Q which is seeking to strengthen its weaknesses by exploiting the offices of army chief and president.

The spokesperson noted that it was the job of the Election Commission and not the Cabinet to determine when the office of President fell vacant or when its term expired and to call a presidential election. He hoped that the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commission would resist any attempt to be pressured by the present military regime into calling illegal presidential elections when the term of the president had not expired, the people had a right to hold accountable the president through the new electoral college that would come into being following the dissolution of the parliament latest in November 2007 and that the issue of eligibility of a man in uniform contesting was threatening to render the army, a national institution, controversial.

The spokesperson said that the people of Pakistan hoped that the Election Commission, which is part of the system of checks and balances, would exercise its independence and refuse to be pressured by the present military dispensation. It said that history would forever recognise those heroic individuals who answered the call of their conscience and played a part in upholding the supreme national and democratic interest of the country and the people.

PPP files complaint with NAB against Federal Minister for Religious Affairs

Islamabad, 18 January 2007: Pakistan Peoples Party has lodged a complaint with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Ijazul Haq under Section 5 and 18(b) Sub-Section-II of the NAB ordinance 1999 reportedly for indulging in corruption and corrupt practices causing huge financial loss to the national exchequer.

The petition filed by Advocate Aleem Abbasi on behalf of Pakistan Peoples Party reads, "The Respondent being Minister for Religious affairs had announced the Hajj Policy for Year 2007 wherein the number of persons who were to perform Hajj from Pakistan would be 150,000 out of which 75,000 would be performing Hajj through Ministry of Religious
Affairs and 75,000 would perform Hajj through Hajj Operators. For the Hajj 2006, 100,000 people performed Hajj through Hajj Tour Operators and 50,000 through Ministry of Religious Affairs. The number of persons performing Hajj through Hajj Tour Operators was increased by 25,000 without considering that the people feel that less expenses are incurred by performing Hajj through Ministry of Religious Affairs as compared to Hajj Tour Operators. The Respondent without considering the convenience and benefit for the pubic had decreased the number of persons through Ministry of Religious Affairs, thus favoured Hajj Tour Operators for their benefit."

It further reads, "Member National Assembly, Mr. Amjad Ali Warraich had accused the respondent on the floor of the House alleging that the Respondent had allotted quotas to the Hajj Tour Operators in a non transparent manner."

Petition reads, "Respondent had acted in a manner which extended benefit to those Hajj Tour Operators who were either working for Respondent or those associated with the Respondent and thus caused a huge financial loss to the National Exchequer and the Public". The petition asks the NAB, to initiate investigation in the aforementioned matters and a Reference be filed in the court of competence jurisdiction for trial.

'Musharraf regime a threat to press freedom' – PPP

Islamabad, January 15: The Pakistan Peoples Party has reacted strongly to the report compiled by media development NGOs that single out Pakistan as the most dangerous zone for journalists in the region.

According to a South Asia Free Media Association report, Pakistan tops the list for abductions and killings of journalists during the past year. The tribal areas have been turned into no-go areas for journalists and the situation in Balochistan and interior Sindh remains quite dangerous for journalists.

Central Information Secretary PPP, Sherry Rehman registered her party's strong protest over the threat that journalists of the country face in the line of duty from the "secret elements" backed by the government. Describing the SAFMA report as a tight slap on the face of the government that doesn't get tired of claiming the credit for giving press freedom to the country, Rehman pointed out that brutal treatment meted out to "unfriendly journalists" is a violation of basic human rights and a damning indictment of the military regime's bare-faced lies about media protections and fundamental rights. "Pakistan lost four journalists last year, and their murder still remains a mystery. The regime's policy of eliminating dissenting voices or staying quite when atrocities are committed against journalists speaks volumes of both its shocking record of abuse of power as well as its contempt for freedom of speech or media independence."

Pointing to another report by an NGO that stated that 19 journalists were killed in Pakistan during the last seven years, Rehman said that the figures speak for themselves. "The report says that the last seven years saw 68 journalists abducted, arrested or detained; 81 tortured or injured; 114 threatened or intimidated, while there have been 36 attacks on media property."

Rehman said that the regime has also played no role in providing protection to journalist endangered in the line of duty. "Surely private elements have also been involved in such gruesome acts, but one sees government playing no role in solving the murder of journalists. Furthermore, there have been very clear indications of state involvement in the murder of journalists, especially those who lost their lives while performing their duty in the traditionally no-go areas. Even the foreign press is not free from the clutches of the intelligence agencies, " Rehman said pointing to the harassment of Ms Carlotta Gall of the New York Times who was roughed up by intelligence agents in Quetta recently despite the fact that she had a valid visa to visit the province.

Rehman observed that in tribal areas the controversial Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) is frequently invoked against media but when media persons are killed, it is never invoked against suspect assassins. "The same regulation is rigorously pursued when a government employee is killed in tribal areas. Tribes of that certain area are given a collective punishment in such cases. However, it's just journalists whose life is cheap enough to be allowed to be wasted."

"On the one hand, the government and secret agencies pose a direct threat to the lives of those journalists who report against it, on the other hand, the Musharraf regime, through the black law called PEMRA seeks to curtail the freedom of the press by way of manipulative and anti-democractic laws," Rehman said, adding that over the years PEMRA has proved that it's an institution formed to curb, rather than to allow, the healthy growth of media in the country.

PPP holds ‘election rally’ in Pindi

RAWALPINDI, Jan 14: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Sunday ruled out any deal with the government and announced that former prime minister Benazir Bhutto would return to the country during the current year.

Speaking at a rally at the Liaquat Bagh, PPP leaders said the party workers would not tolerate any hurdles in Ms Bhutto’s return.

About 50,000 people attended the party’s first election rally after reaching the place in processions from different areas of the city. All Pakistan Minorities Association president Shahbaz Bhatti also attended the rally with his supporters.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab PPP president MNA Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Ms Bhutto had decided to return to Pakistan this year ahead of the elections.

He said Ms Bhutto did not need the permission of President Pervez Musharraf for returning to the country. He warned the government of serious consequences if it created any obstacle in the former prime minister’s return.

“We will resist any hurdle in the way of Ms Bhutto and we expect that nobody will block her arrival,” Mr Qureshi said.

He alleged that the government intended to rig the elections but said the PPP would mobilise the public in this regard by holding countrywide rallies.

He said the prevailing price hike, unemployment and deteriorating law and order situation had multiplied the miseries of common people but the regime was oblivious to their problems.

Mr Qureshi claimed that the PPP would emerge as the winning party if fair and transparent elections were held.

PPP general-secretary Raja Pervez Ashraf requested Ms Bhutto to land at Islamabad airport, claiming that the people of the Potohar region would extend an exemplary reception to her.

He said that the presence of a large number of people at the rally proved that the masses wanted Ms Bhutto to be the prime minister for the third time.

A large number of the student and youth workers were raising slogans urging the party’s chairperson to return to the country at the earliest.

MNA Naheed Khan said the anti-state policies of the military regime had spread hatred among the provinces. She expressed the fear that the federation would collapse if free and fair elections were not held in the country.

MNAs Nayar Bukhari and Zamurd Khan, MPAs Farzana Raja and Ishtiaq Mirza and Senator Dr Babar Awan also spoke.

Online adds: AJK PPP president Chaudhry Abdul Majeed alleged that the government wanted to divide Jammu and Kashmir.

PPP activists, police clash at blockades

ATTOCK, Jan 14: People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPP) activists clashed with law-enforcement agency personnel on Sunday at a number of blockades put in place to prevent them from taking part in a party meeting at Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi.

Heavy contingents of police barricaded main roads connecting different towns with Rawalpindi since Sunday morning. Attock bridge on G.T. Road, Shergarh bridge on Kohat-Pindi road and Jharikus on Hazara road were partially closed for traffic.

Teams were also deployed at Teen Meela Chowk, Kamra Chowk, and Hattian and Haro bridges. Barriers and barbed wire placed across the roads caused great inconvenience to people, even those undertaking routine journeys with no plans of attending the PPP rally.

Two processions led by PPP leader Malik Hakmeen Khan and Syed Azmat Ali Bokhari were intercepted by the police at Teen Meela checkpoint on Attock-Kamra road.

Case against PPP workers adjourned till March 5

Islamabad January 15, 2007: The civil judge and judicial magistrate Islamabad Musa Muzammil today adjourned the case against PPP workers till March 5.

The case was last heard on December 5, 2006 during which the bail bonds of a dozen activists that had been cancelled were restored after the defence attorneys submitted their applications and pleaded their case.

Those present in the court today included former Advisor Chaudhry Aslam, former city president Ibrar Rizvi, Sultan Qazi, Rashid Mir, Malik Abdul Majid, Raja Mansoor, Shabbir Anjum, Raja Shiraz Ahmad, Shabbir Babar, Haji Muhammad Rashid, Ibni Rizvi, Jehangir Akhtar, Amjad, Qamar Zaman, Haji Ijaz Ahmad Javed, Tariq Amin, Khawaja Wasim and former Senator Farhatullah Babar besides others.

Dozens of Party activists were charged for holding protest demonstration in front the Parliament building on April 22, 1998 against the anti-terrorism legislation, which gave sweeping powers to the executive.

PPP deplores anti democratic measures

Asks human rights bodies to raise voice against imposition of one party dictatorship

Islamabad January 13, 2007: Pakistan Peoples Party has deplored the continued persecution of the Pakistan Peoples Party and targeting of its supporters and sympathisers.

In a statement today Deputy Parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf said that while the regime mischievously planted stories of a so-called deal with the PPP, behind the scenes the regime was busy persecuting the Party.

Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the regime had made plans to remove Sardar Abdul Qyum Jatoi District Nazim Muzaffargarh for the only reason that Qayum is a former MNA of the PPP and loyal to the Party and its leadership. The federal and provincial governments have been trying for the last over one year to dislodge him but failed. But now the Punjab Chief Minister and provincial Local Government Minister Raja Basharat had finalised plans to remove Sardar Qayum from his position, he said.

Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the Party had credible information that the Punjab government had decided to suspend the nazimship of Mr Jatoi during the next two days and break his group by applying policy of carrot and stick. He said that on Friday the Punjab Chief Minister met the local government minister in a rest house in Multan to finalise a strategy.

Earlier he said, an election tribunal in Lahore had disqualified a PPP MPA Mamooka. The disqualification was a shock considering that not a single member of the ruling party has thus been disqualified during the four years since the election and an election petition against Ch. Shujaat had still not been taken up.

The picking and choosing of petitions and suspension of PPP supporters from the Nazimship of districts was aimed at narrowing the size of the democratic forces in the Parliament and in local government, he said.

“This violates democratic norms and amounts to imposing a one party dictatorship leaving the streets as the only option of change”.

The PPP leader said that Pakistan's national interests call for a peaceful and democratic change. However, the signs are that the regime is not interested in peaceful change and is bent upon destroying the integrity of the federation, he said.

Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the PPP deplored the breaking of the opposition unity by the regime to promote its undemocratic agenda. He also urged the human rights bodies to raise voice against imposition of one party dictatorship in the country.

PPP to hold Central Executive Committee meeting on Jan 20

Islamabad, January 13: The Pakistan Peoples Party will be holding its Central Executive Committee meeting on the 20th January, 2007 at its Central Secretariat in Islamabad. All CEC members and Federal Council members have been asked to attend.

The meeting will deliberate over upcoming political developments, as well as other outstanding issues on the national agenda. Makhdoom Amin Fahim will chair the meeting.

An Orwellian state?
By Farhatullah Babar
January 13, 2007

On January 9 the Supreme Court directed the interior ministry to speed up efforts to trace and recover the missing persons allegedly kidnapped and detained by the intelligence agencies. Despite the court's directive no representative of the three agencies accused by the relatives of kidnappings namely the ISI, MI and IB turned up at the hearing.

In July last the defence ministry flatly told the Sindh High Court that it was not responsible for locating and recovering missing persons. That it exercised only administrative control over the ISI and MI but had no jurisdiction over their operations. In other words the agencies were free to do what they liked. Even the name of the director of an intelligence agency in Karachi mentioned in abduction complaints was not given saying that it amounted to issuing his 'death warrants'.

In November last when the deputy attorney general informed the Supreme Court that a comprehensive report on the missing persons had been prepared but was not produced before it because the interior secretary was not available to sign it. The apex court then sternly warned the government to come out with full and accurate information about missing persons by December 1. However, full and accurate information was not provided even at the last hearing less than a week ago.

On October 20, 2003, the writer asked in the Senate that the law that authorised the ISI to conduct raids and detain people should be placed on the table. Within days, On November 3, I was formally and sternly told to shut up because how dare I had asked 'for information on a matter prejudicial to the security of the country'. A state where there is no respect for rule of law and where laws are made for the privileged few is called an Orwellian state, thanks to novelist George Orwell and his famous novel 'Animal Farm' (and also 1984). Whether a story meant only for the children or as a serious satirical work, it makes sense to revisit Orwell's novel.

Animal farm opens with a conference of animals in which an old bear named Major summons all animals for a last meeting and warns them against common enemy. 'Man is the enemy of all animals and fellow animals must get united and drive their enemy out of the farm'. One day the owner forgot to supervise the farm and a hungry cow broke the door of the store-shed. Seeing this other animals also rushed to the store and a melee sets in.

Remembering the advice given by their old comrade 'Man is their enemy' the beasts instinctively launch an attack driving the owner and his men out of the farm. In the absence of any organised planning in staging the revolt an enthusiastic boar named Napoleon assumes the task of running the farm.

The new empire starts with a pledge that 'all animals are equal'. A number of executive orders are issued and written on the walls. Committees are formed and key positions are given to favoured pigs. One of the seven executive orders read, 'Napoleon is always right'. One favoured pig is assigned the task to extol each and every action of Napoleon.

A few months later the farm owner and his men tried to recapture the farm but are repulsed. Napoleon is decorated with 'Animal Hero, First Class' by his fellow animals. Having completely routed the man, Napoleon declares that all his opponents were actually traitors. A firm discipline is imposed as Napoleon alone is projected as the saviour and his detractors as risk to the security of the farm.

The pigs could read a little and therefore claimed ruling status and occupied key positions in the new kingdom. Some animals then moved into the house of the farm owner where Napoleon occupied the drawing room and insulating himself from other animals, start issuing orders.

Then came the winter and food shortages forced starvation. The hens revolted by dropping eggs from rooftops but were soon forced into submission by Napoleon's trained dogs. The experts now spun the theory that the opponents of Napoleon were actually spies of the neighbouring farm, are banished from the farm and ordered never to return.

The novel then winds through several funny episodes of folly and cunning of the animal leaders. The farm is attacked once again by men in the neighbourhood but the attack is repulsed. Special songs were composed to praise Napoleon who was called 'Father of all animals'.

The pigs that considered themselves as the ruling class had already taken to luxuries. Soon Napoleon and the privileged pigs discovered that they could not observe their own orders and policies and had to flout them. But they also had to find a way for it.

Whenever a policy order was flouted by the privileged the experts got into action to secretly rewrite the order at night and make it appear as if it was the original order. For instance an order that originally forbade animals to sleep was secretly changed to read, "No animal shall sleep in bed with sheets". Another order forbidding drinking was re-worded to read: "No animal shall drink alcohol to excess". When lesser beasts protested the privileges of higher species the relevant order forbidding killing of fellow animals was rewritten as: "No animal shall kill another animal without cause".

Other animals however did not like the selective changes in the orders to suit a certain privileged class. So one night an older animal walked up to the wall where the manifesto 'All animals are equal' was written and added the words "but some are more equal than others". No sooner the admission that "some are more equal than others' appeared to become official policy there was uproar among the animals. An open fight ensued and the empire collapsed. The animals' revolution had come full circle.

For some Animal farm provokes laughter. But for many others it is a painful depiction of the fate of a people whose dreams are shattered by lawlessness and anarchy. Thanks to judicial activism under the present chief justice, there is hope that there will not be some more equal than others before the law. There is hope that Pakistan will not slip into an Orwellian state.

The writer is a former member of the Senate belonging to the PPP. Email: drkhshan@isb.comsats.net.pk

Mohtarma Bhutto gravely concerned over increasing number of missing persons

Calls for Release of Sardar Akhtar Mengal

Urges Parliamentary Committee to investigate Disappearances

Islamabad January 12, 2007: Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party and former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has expressed grave concern over the increasing incidents of kidnappings and mysterious disappearances of citizens by state agencies and called for full disclosure of the those disappeared, recovery of victims and respect to the due process of law.

“It is a national embarrassment that increasing number of citizens of the state not only vanish without a trace but their disappearances is greeted with deafening silence by the state agencies”, said the former Prime Minister in a statement today.

The Supreme Court during proceeding in a suo moto case of missing persons on Wednesday criticised as insufficient efforts by authorities to trace people allegedly held by intelligence agencies. The bench directed the government to speed up the process of recovery and that all the remaining untraced persons should be located.

According to human rights bodies hundreds of people have been picked up by the law enforcing agencies during the past five years without due process.

Mohtarma Bhutto said that innocence or guilt can be established only in court of law and disappearances are a negation of human rights, law as well as the signs of a civilised society.

“The Human Rights Committees of the Senate and the National Assembly should jointly take up the issue and set up an independent commission to investigate the growing number of disappeared citizens in Pakistan”.

The former Prime Minister also deplored the position taken by the Ministry of Defence in July last before the Sindh High Court that it exercised only administrative control over the ISI and MI but had no operational control over them. She said that such statements gave a wrong impression that Islamabad was a failed society. She said it was important to remove such impressions to strengthen the integrity and unity of the country.

She said that the Pakistan Peoples Party is proud that no disappearances took place under its government. Mohtarma reaffirmed the commitment of the PPP to respect human rights and called upon the people of the country to elect the Pakistan Peoples Party in the forthcoming General Elections and vigorously reject the present administration, which has played havoc with the lives of the people on all fronts, social, political and economic. She said that not even the earthquake victims were spared and continued to live under open and cold skies whereas the middle classes and working classes found it hard to survive the price rise and joblessness.

Mohtarma Bhutto drew attention to Article 4 of the Constitution, which provides to every citizen with protection and equality under the law. She noted that disappearances are an internationally recognised criminal offence. Article 9 of the Constitution provides that no person shall be deprived of life or liberty save in accordance with law, she said adding, “it is a dark chapter in the history of the country that the military regime is in place to violate these Fundamental Rights”. She assured the people of Pakistan that the PPP would respect the Constitution and asked them to defend their constitutional rights by voting for the PPP which is the party of the masses.

She called upon the regime to review its policy of disappearances that were damaging the name and honour of the country. She assured the families of the disappeared that the PPP was with the oppressed and would always stand with the downtrodden against tyranny.

Mohtarma Bhutto also condemned the treatment meted out to Sardar Akhtar Mengal. She said the PPP was shocked to learn that this well respected and representative political leader was being kept in a cage as disclosed by the Pakistan Human Rights Organisation. She said that such acts of humiliation could not break the spirit of the victim but spoke of the petty and bullying nature of the victimizer. She said that the treatment meted out to Sardar Akhtar Mengal was against the traditions of the people of Balochistan and would alienate Pakistan's largest province from the Federation.

The former Prime Minister recalled how PPP had saved the Federation from disintegration in 1971 and in 1988 by giving respect to all the leaders of the Federating units and respect to all the people in the different provinces that made up the Federation. She called for the immediate release of Sardar Akhtar Mengal and action against those who had ordered his mistreatment. She said that this was not the mistreatment of an individual but symbolised for the people of Balochistan the mistreatment of their entire province.

She said that she was concerned that the present dispensation was harming the integrity and solidarity of the country and laying the seeds of disintegration. She called upon the people of the country, especially the people from the most populous province of Punjab, to vote for the PPP and save the Federation from the multiple political, economic and social dangers that it was facing.

No let up in regime’s chase of Mohtarma and PPP

Islamabad January 12, 2007: President Punjab PPP Shah Mahmood Qureshi has issued the following statement today.

“A section of the press has misquoted me as claiming that the regime ‘is getting friendly’ towards the PPP.

“The fact of the matter is that there has been no let up in the regime’s persecution of the Party leadership through the National Accountability Bureau at state expense.

“Far from getting friendly towards the PPP the regime continues to chase its leadership because it is frightened of the return of Mohtarma Bhutto to the country.

“The regime is scared of the prospects of the mobilisation of the people under her leadership to restore democracy and provide the hard working people of Pakistan jobs, price control, drinking water and a decent and respectful life.

“For this reason the regime’s persecution and hounding of Mohtarma Bhutto continues unabated.

“What I had said in my interview was that a section of the establishment also realised that by marginalizing the mainstream democratic parties particularly the PPP the regime had created a vacuum and given rise to the extremist parties in the country.

“The regime is viciously chasing Mohtarma Bhutto by going to every foreign jurisdiction against her at state expense and has not let up a campaign that continues unabated. However, Mohtarma is facing the tribulations because she is determined to work for the welfare of the common citizen who is groaning under the burden of price hike, joblessness, lack of drinking water, lack of agricultural water, power shut downs and neglect of education and health.

PPP clarifies reports: Participation or boycott of elections under Musharraf