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July 2005

Ijaz
Naeem Farrukh appointed as
Secretary General Pakistan Today
New
York July 29th 2005:
According to official press release issued
by President PPP USA
Dr. M. Hassan, Chaudhry Ijaz Naeem Farrukh is
appointed as
Secretary General of Pakistan Today Inc.
His responsibilities will
be to disseminate all the relevant information to the donors and the PPP USA
in an appropriate fashion, guarding the interest of the party. He will also
be responsible to keep the records up to date, draw the strategy to raise
funds in the U.S.
so that Pakistan Today can renew the contract with the lobbyist in upcoming
months.

Another Face of Terror
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
New York Times July
31, 2005: Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, is supposed to
be our valued ally in the war on terrorism. But terror takes many forms, not
all of them hijacked airplanes or bombed subways.
For the vast majority of humans, terror comes in more mundane ways - like
the violent hands that woke Dr. Shazia Khalid as she lay sleeping in her
bed, and the abuse she's suffered at the hands of Mr. Musharraf's government
ever since.
I mentioned Dr. Shazia briefly in June when I wrote about General
Musharraf's quasi-kidnapping and house arrest of Mukhtaran Bibi - the
Pakistani rape victim who used compensation money to open schools and start
a women's aid group. But at that time Dr. Shazia was still too terrified to
speak out.
Now, for the first time, Dr. Shazia has agreed to tell her full story, even
though this will put herself and her loved ones at risk. Her tale is
simultaneously an indictment of General Musharraf's duplicity, a window into
the debasement that is the lot of women in much of the world - and a modern
love story.
Dr. Shazia, now 32, took a job by herself two years ago as a doctor at a
Pakistan Petroleum plant in the wild Pakistani region of Baluchistan, after
Pakistan Petroleum also promised a job for her husband there (that job never
materialized). Dr. Shazia's family worried about her safety, but her
residence was in a guarded compound and she felt strongly that the women in
that region needed access to a female physician.
Then on Jan. 2, Dr. Shazia woke up in the middle of the night, and at first
she thought she was having a nightmare. "But this person was really pulling
hard on my hair, and then he started pressing on my throat so I couldn't
breathe. ... He tied the telephone cord around my throat. I resisted and
struggled, and he beat me on the head with the telephone receiver. When I
tried to scream, he said, 'Shut up - there's a man standing outside named
Amjad, and he's got kerosene. If you scream, I'll take it and burn you
alive.' ... Then he took my prayer scarf and he blindfolded me with it, and
he took the telephone cord and tied my wrists, and he laid me down on the
bed. I tried hard to fight but he raped me."
The man spent the night in her room, beating her, casually watching
television, raping her again and boasting about his powerful connections. A
35-page confidential report by a tribunal describes Dr. Shazia tumbling into
the nurse's quarters that morning: "semiconscious ... with a swelling on her
forehead and bleeding from nose and ear." Officials of Pakistan Petroleum
rushed over and took decisive action.
"They told me to be quiet and not to tell anybody because it would ruin my
reputation," Dr. Shazia remembers. One official warned that if she reported
the crime, she could be arrested.
That was a genuine risk. Under Pakistan's hudood laws, a woman who reports
that she has been raped is liable to be arrested for adultery or fornication
- since she admits to sex outside of marriage - unless she can provide four
male eyewitnesses to the rape.
Dr. Shazia wasn't sure she dared to report the crime, but she begged for
permission to contact her family. So, she says, officials drugged her into a
stupor and then confined her in a psychiatric hospital in Karachi.
"They wanted to declare me crazy," Dr. Shazia said bitterly. "That's why
they shifted me to a hospital for crazy people."
Dr. Shazia's husband, Khalid Aman, was working as an engineer in Libya, but
he finally was notified and rushed back 11 days later. Dr. Shazia, by then
freed, couldn't face him, but he comforted her, told her that she had done
nothing wrong, and insisted that they report the rape to the police so that
the criminal could be caught.
That was, perhaps, naïve, particularly because there were rumors that the
police had identified the rapist as a senior army officer and were covering
up for him.
"When I treat rape victims, I tell the girls not to go to the police," Dr.
Shershah Syed, a prominent gynecologist in Karachi, told me. "Because if she
goes to the police, the police will rape her."
That's the way the world works for anyone unfortunate enough to be born
female in much of the world. In my next column, on Tuesday, I'll tell how
our ally, General Musharraf, then inflicted a new round of terrorism on Dr.
Shazia.

The Ambivalent Ally
We need Pakistan in the war on terror. But does it fuel Islamist passions?
BY ALYSSA AYRES
Thursday, July 28, 2005 12:01 a.m. EDT:
Soon after London's July 7 subway and bus bombings, investigators discovered
that three of the suicide terrorists were children of Pakistani immigrants
and had traveled recently to Pakistan. Two may have attended a militant
training camp there.
The problem isn't only Britain's. In the U.S. last month, a father and his
son--both U.S. citizens of Pakistani descent--were arrested in California,
technically on charges of having lied to the FBI. The indictment declares
that the son, contrary to his claims, received jihad training at an al Qaeda
camp in Pakistan in 2003 and 2004. The camp's training methods apparently
involved target practice with photographs of President Bush, and the U.S.
featured prominently in a menu of countries from which the trainees could
select a jihad of their choice.
In the U.S., no less than in Britain, the pressing question is whether such
Islamist extremists belong to a larger network of citizen sleeper-cells. But
behind that question lies another: What is Pakistan's part in this dystopian
tale? That a major non-NATO ally seemed to harbor an al Qaeda training camp
as recently as 2004 should be cause for alarm.
Formally speaking, of course, Pakistan is a frontline partner in the terror
war. President Bush has even characterized Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez
Musharraf, as the last bulwark against a radical Islamist takeover, praising
the general for his commitment to "banning the groups that practice terror."
Thus the U.S., otherwise pledged to promoting democracy around the world,
finds itself in an awkward embrace with a military ruler.
Against this backdrop, Husain Haqqani's "Pakistan: Between Mosque and
Military" should give Washington policymakers sleepless nights--and everyone
else too. Mr. Haqqani knows whereof he speaks: He enjoyed an illustrious
career in Pakistan as a journalist, diplomat and adviser to three prime
ministers before coming to the U.S. in 2002. The analysis in his book
benefits from his deep knowledge of Pakistan's political history and, no
less important, from his insider access to top political and military
figures.
Mr. Haqqani hopes to defy the conventional wisdom that sees Pakistan as
perpetually balancing two forces, with a strong military holding in check
the radical excesses of the country's mosques. Mr. Haqqani does not believe
that the generals and the mullahs are adversaries at all. Rather, they exist
in a kind of symbiosis--an alliance by which each helps the other "in their
exercise of political power." What is more, the alliance has been in place
since the country's founding.
After each of Pakistan's many coups, Mr. Haqqani shows, the Pakistani
military has "adopted Islamic ideology" to fashion itself as the guardian of
the nation and its core beliefs. In doing so it has repeatedly co-opted
Islamist organizations--notably the Jamaat-e-Islami--for cover and support.
The military has also followed a policy of divide and rule, patronizing
existing Islamist groups while seeding new ones that might rival them.
Mr. Haqqani marshals a wealth of evidence to document such claims. He
describes in detail the mosque-military alliance during Pakistan's first two
military regimes--that of Field Marshall Ayub Khan (1958-69) and Gen. Yahya
Khan (1969-71), both generally regarded as secular, whiskey-swilling good
old boys. He thus shows that Pakistan's creeping Islamization predates the
rule of Gen. Zia ul-Haq (1977-88), the man widely held responsible for
giving Islam a major role in all aspects of Pakistani life. Gen. Zia, it
turns out, only tightened an alliance that already existed.
Mr. Haqqani argues that, over the past two decades, Pakistan's army has
fueled the passions of some of the country's most extreme radicals.
Bankrolling these groups has served the strategic purpose of rendering the
military desirable by contrast. International observers--not least the U.S.
State Department--thus conclude that the military is necessary for
Pakistan's stability. The shadowy Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI)
has played an especially critical role in this game.
As a 1990 ISI report on the future of U.S.-Pakistan relations concluded: "It
was important to maintain the impression of widespread anti-U.S. sentiment
in Pakistani society, which could be assured by periodic demonstrations by
Islamists. This would create sympathy for Pakistani military and
intelligence officials among their US counterparts." Flash forward to 2005:
Gen Musharraf's regime bans the protest rallies of journalists, feminists
and members of the Pakistan People's Party, headed by former prime minister
Benazir Bhutto. Meanwhile, Islamists manage to hold anti-American "million
man marches" throughout the country. How little times have changed.
Mr. Haqqani's book is not an easy read for the nonspecialist. His detailed
narrative at times assumes a familiarity with Pakistan's political history
that many people will not possess. This quibble aside, though, his analysis
will reward anyone who seeks to understand one of the most perplexing
foreign-policy challenges facing the U.S. today.
After all, America does need Pakistan's cooperation in the war against al
Qaeda. What Mr. Haqqani shows is that a Manichean dichotomy--army good,
Islamists bad--obscures the partnership between the two. A better way of
combating Islamic radicalism, Mr. Haqqani argues, is to strengthen the very
democratic forces that the military abhors.
Ms. Ayres, who is writing a book about nationalism in Pakistan, is deputy
director of the Center for the Advanced Study of India at the University of
Pennsylvania.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto issues instructions to Party office bearers
regarding Local Bodies Election
Islamabad, 30 July 2005: Former Prime
Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party has issued instructions to
the district, tehsil and city presidents and other office bearers to file
official complaints regarding the acts of rigging and victimisation of party
workers and Awam Doct candidates to the returning officers, session judges
and additional session judges.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto also asked these party officials to send immediately
a copy of the complaint to the Central Secretariat Islamabad, Media Office
Islamabad, Bilawal House Karachi and the provincial presidents. In case of
any kidnapping of Awam Dost candidate or PPP worker the party officials have
been instructed to file an FIR immediately and if the police and
administration refuses to register FIR then they should file a complaint
with the Returning Officer, Session Judge or Additional Session Judge.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has also instructed the Peoples Lawyers’ Forum to
extend every possible legal help to party workers and Awam Dost candidates

PPP issues fact Sheets regarding Violation of Election laws and
victimisation of opposition candidates
Islamabad, 30 July 2005: Pakistan Peoples Party has very strongly
condemned General Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Chairman Senate,
Governors and Chief Minister of Punjab and Sindh, federal and state
ministers and other government official for running campaign of King’s party
and its allies and demanded of the Election Commission to take notice of
these violations of election laws and victimisation of Awam Dost candidates
and their supporters.
The media coordinator of the Central Monitoring Committee PPP for the local
elections, Nazir Dhoki issuing fact sheet regarding cases of rigging in the
elections and the victimisation of Awam Dost candidates said that General
Musharraf is running the campaign of King’s party supported candidates in
Sindh and Punjab. He summoned DPOs of the four provinces to Islamabad and
gave them the task to ensure the victory of government supported candidates.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz attended MQM’s political gathering in Hyderabad
and announced a package of one billion rupees after which the MQM ministers
hoisted MQM flags on the government buildings and vehicles.
He said that the governor and the chief minister Punjab are distributing
Nazimship of different districts. Chief Minister Sindh Arbab Ghulam Rahim,
federal ministers Liaqat Jatoi and Ghous Bux Mehar are using the
administration and police for getting their candidates elected. The chairman
Senate Mohammad Mian Soomro visited Jacobabad to campaign for his mother
Saeeda Begum and after his visit police raided hundreds of houses of PPP
supporters and Awam Dost candidates.
The fact sheet says that hundreds of PPP workers and supporters have been
kidnapped in Thar, Diplo and Mithi in the Chief Minister’s constituency.
False cases have been registered against Khan Mohammad Lund, former member
national assembly Dr. Khattoo Mal Jiwan. The police and administration
stopped Awam Dost candidates from filing their nomination papers. On the
behest of Liaqat Jatoi, property of PPP supporters were destroyed in Dadu
and the candidates of Nazim and Naib Nazim were arrested. Chief Minister
Sindh pressurised the medical superintendent of Chandka Medical College to
support government candidates. Police raided houses of Awam Dost candidates
and their supporters in Larkana, Qamber and Shahdadkot. When the former
tehsil Nazim Mohammad Chandio refused to change his loyalty, he was put
behind bars. Police is carrying out raid to arrest Awam Dost candidates
Nazir Hussain Gopang, Sikandar Ali Gopang, Liaqat Ali Gopang, Iqbal Ahmed
Brohi and Ghulam Haider.
In Jacobabad, police raided the house of Mai Gul Khatoon to arrest her
because she is contesting against the mother of Chairman Senate Mohammad
Mian Soomro. DPO Jacobabad threatened her son Manzoor Brohi of serious
consequences if Mai Gul Khatoon keeps insisting to contest election against
Saeeda Soomro. The houses of Awam Dost candidate Ayub Ghunjo and his
supporters were raided in Jacobabad.
Nazir Dhoki said that the PPP workers are also being harassed in Thatha,
Badin, Mirpurkhas, and Gothki. The Awam Dost candidate for Naib Nazim in New
Saeedabad, Abdul Rauf Kaka has been arrested and Amin Bhaio, the candidate
of Naib Nazim in Shikarpur has been kidnapped on the behest of the federal
Minister Ghous Bux Mehar. Supporter of Amin Bhaio Maulana Abdullah Noori has
also been kidnapped and the police has refused to register FIR.
The fact sheet says that all these complaints have been sent to the Election
Commission but so far the Commission has taken no action. Nazir Dhoki said
that these cases of victimisation have exposed the hollow claims of holding
free and fair elections. He urged the Human Rights Organisation and the Bar
Councils to take notice of these cases and raise their voice against the
victimisation of Awam Dost candidates and supporters and violation of
election laws by the government officials

Pakistan's Problem
LOS ANGELES TIMES EDITORIAL
July 26th 2005
Decades ago, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, onetime U.S. ambassador to
India, asked sarcastically if New Delhi exported anything but poverty.
Today, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf needs to ensure that Pakistan is
known for exports other than terrorism.
Three of the four men involved in the London subway and bus bombings this
month traveled to Pakistan last year; police are investigating if they
received training or planned the attacks there. In Egypt, police are looking
for five Pakistanis they say are connected to last week's Sharm el Sheik
bombings. In India, army officials said Monday that they had killed five
armed infiltrators crossing from Pakistan into Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Closer to home, the FBI last month arrested five men in Lodi, Calif., who
have links to Pakistan; while all of them deny involvement in terrorism, two
have agreed to be deported, and the others await a deportation hearing and a
trial on charges of lying to federal agents.
Yes, there's a pattern here. To be clear, it is not that Pakistanis are more
inclined toward terrorism than are citizens of any other country. It is that
Musharraf is unable, or unwilling, to confront the terrorists in his midst.
Musharraf has even had the gall to say that while, yes, Pakistan has a
problem with Islamic extremism, so does Britain and the government there
needs to address it.
Pakistan is no stranger to radical Islam. The government used U.S. funds and
support to train anti-Soviet warriors after Moscow's 1979 invasion of
neighboring Afghanistan. After the communists were defeated, the Pakistanis
sponsored the Taliban fundamentalists who seized control and gave shelter to
Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda. But after 9/11, Musharraf threw in his lot
with Washington and pledged to root out terrorism; President Bush praises
Pakistan as a close ally in the battle.
Pakistan has arrested hundreds of suspected terrorists, including top Al
Qaeda operatives. For his efforts, Musharraf has twice been the target of
assassins. But terrorist training camps can still be found in Pakistan, and
the army cracks down on infiltration into India only under foreign pressure.
Pakistani Cabinet minister Faisal Saleh Hayat told The Times editorial board
Monday that most of the much-criticized Islamic schools known as madrasas -
where boys are educated, fed and clothed - are moderate, like most
Pakistanis. He contended that "no country in the world has done so much in
combating terrorism" as Pakistan.
But Musharraf could direct his underlings to crack down harder. When outside
pressure reaches a boil, he reacts. When the pressure eases, so does he.
That's not good enough.
The U.S. mistakenly turned away from Islamabad when the Cold War ended. But
after 9/11, Washington's interest rekindled, and the U.S. agreed to provide
the impoverished nation with $3 billion, much of it to be spent on secular
schools that teach reading and math, not just the Koran. Musharraf should
use the money to educate a generation adhering to the moderate form of Islam
that most of the country has long practiced.

Complain
Filed by MNA
July 29, 2005
The Chief Election Commissioner,
Election Commission of Pakistan,
Islamabad.
Dear Sir,
On 28-7-2005 three police mobiles came to the houses of the following
candidates and were taken away by Kamber police. First to PS Kamber and then
to some unknown place
1- Nazir Hussain Gopang Candidate for General Councilor Union Council 2,
Kamber City.
2- Sikander Ali Gopang For General Councilor, Union Council 2, Kamber City.
On 28-7-2005 Kamber police raided the houses of the following candidates in
Kamber Town. They were not present in their houses.
1- Liaqat Ali Gopang for Nazim Union Council 1
2- Abdul Hameed Brohi Nazim Union Council 1
3- Ghulam Hyder Gopang Councilor Union Council 1
4- Noor Hussain Gopang Councilor Union Council 1
About 12 days back, Mohammad Chandio sitting Nazim UC Mirpur, Tehsil Warrah
was taken away by police. He was chained and defained at different police
stations of Larkana, Kamber and Shahdadkot Police Stations. While he was
detained at PS CIA Larkana, he was forced by SHO Khan Tunio to change
loyalties. He refused to accept it. After about 7 days he was released.
Again during the dates of filing of nominations, police raided his house.
Some how he managed to file papers.
You are requested to kindly take notice of this.
Sincerely,
Khalid Iqbal Memon, MNA
0741-446666, 0300-3400494

Two Militants Place Suspect at a Camp in Pakistan
By ARIF JAMAL and SOMINI SENGUPTA
Two experienced militants told an independent Pakistani journalist here
last week that they had met one of the July 7 London bombing suspects.
LAHORE, Pakistan, July 25 - Two
experienced militants, both veterans of the war in Afghanistan, told an
independent Pakistani journalist here last week that they had met one of the
July 7 London bombing suspects, Shehzad Tanweer, on a trip to a known
militant training camp north of the capital, Islamabad.
One of the militants interviewed said Mr. Tanweer struck him as "a good
Muslim" who was eager to assassinate the Pakistani president, Gen. Pervez
Musharraf. "I wish I could do that," he recalled Mr. Tanweer as saying.
The militants, both members of Jaish-e-Muhammad, an organization officially
banned by the government and implicated in two assassination attempts
against General Musharraf, spoke on condition that their names not be used
because they do not want to be apprehended by the government. They said they
met Mr. Tanweer, 22, a Briton of Pakistani descent, last winter, but they
would not be more specific on dates for fear of revealing their own
identities.
Their statements could not be independently confirmed, and a senior
government official who is following the investigation said he had "no
knowledge" of such a visit. The militants were not interviewed by a
correspondent for The New York Times, but spoke extensively on two occasions
to a journalist working on contract for this newspaper.
The two men said they had all traveled together from Rawalpindi, a garrison
town adjacent to the capital, to the Shah Ismail Shaheed Madrasa in Mansehra,
a heavily forested mountainous district where guerrilla training camps
continue to operate, said diplomats and militants interviewed by The New
York Times.
Mr. Tanweer, the two militants said, was at the madrasa, which doubles as a
training camp, on a short "study tour," which is akin to an orientation
session for potential guerrilla recruits. He was accompanied by two other
men: a Pakistani and another Briton of Pakistani descent, they said. None of
them were there to receive arms training, they said. Mr. Tanweer and his
companions left after four or five days; the two men would not say where the
three went.
Its remoteness and landscape have made Mansehra, situated on the ancient
Silk Route, an ideal address for jihad training. For at least 15 years, it
has housed a number of rotating makeshift camps for fighters eventually
dispatched to Kashmir and Afghanistan.
Mr. Tanweer, along with another bombing suspect, Mohammad Sidique Khan, also
a Briton born to Pakistani parents, visited Pakistan between November 2004
and February of this year, according to Pakistani immigration records. They
arrived in Karachi, a sprawling Arabian Sea coast city, but it is unclear
where they went from there and whom they saw.
Mr. Tanweer's maternal uncle, Tahir Pervez, said Mr. Tanweer had visited the
family home in a dusty village, Kota Chotiya, near the central Pakistani
city of Faisalabad. Mr. Pervez had recounted his nephew's admiration for
Osama bin Laden, a Pakistani newspaper reported.
But in an interview with The New York Times last week, he denied that report
and characterized Mr. Tanweer as a deeply religious young man who spent over
a month in the village, doing little other than praying and playing cricket.
A third bombing suspect, Hasib Mir Hussain, had also been reported to have
visited Pakistan last July, according to Pakistani immigration records. It
later turned out that the immigration records actually referred to another
young man by the same name, not the bombing suspect.
Pakistani officials have maintained that no arrests have been made in
connection with the July 7 attacks, but that hundreds have been picked up in
an intensified campaign against banned militant organizations.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns continued harassment of opposition candidates in
local polls Asks Party leaders to provide legal assistance to victims
Islamabad July 27, 2005: Former Prime
Minster and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto has expressed grave concern over the continued harassment and
intimidation of awam dost candidates in the local bodies polls and urged the
Chief election Commissioner and the judiciary to take note of these
incidents which were increasing with the passing of every day.
She said this in a statement to day after receiving further complaints of
harassment and intimidation of awam dost candidates contesting local polls
in the home district of Sindh chief minister.
One complainant Mir Mohammad Khan Lund of Kaloi, Tehsil Diplo in Tharparker
district said that police in civil clothes attacked him and the Awam Dost
candidates as they were returning from Kaloi resulting in injury to several
members of the party including women. He said that the awam dost candidates
attacked are candidates for Nazim and Naib Nazim positions against Arbab
Abdul Khaliq, elder brother of Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim from his
home UC Kaloi.
The complainant said that the Diplo police refused to register his complaint
and instead filed FIR against all the male members of his family, who had
proposed and seconded these Awam Dost candidates. The FIR No. 21/2005 has
been registered against 20 people, including the complainant and all the
male members of his family, the complainant said.
The former Prime Minister said that such disgraceful incidents had exposed
the claims of the regime to hold free and fair elections. She said that the
playing filed had been dislevelled for the opposition candidates to pave
ground for rigging the next general elections.
The former Prime Minister also urged the human rights groups and the
international community to take note of these incidents and stop the rulers
from rigging the polls. She also paid tributes to the courage and
steadfastness of the awam dost candidates for standing up to the tyrannical
rulers.
She also directed the Party leaders to assist the complainant in filing FIR
against the attackers and also to provide him legal assistance in the false
and fabricated cases registered against him.

Mohtarma Bhutto condoles with Mohammad Hussain Azad
Islamabad, 27 July 2005: Former Prime
Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and
her spouse Senator Asif Ali Zardari have condoled with Mohammad Hussain Azad
on his mother’s death.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a condolence message addressed to Mohammad
Hussain Azad wrote, "Senator Asif Ali Zardari and I are writing to condole
the sad demise of your mother. The loss of a parent is a great tragedy. Our
sympathies are with you at this difficult time".
She also prayed to Almighty Allah for eternal peace to the departed soul and
courage to the family members to bear this irreparable loss with equanimity.

PPP to apprise foreign diplomats regarding Election Rigging by the
government
Islamabad, 28 July 2005: Central
Monitoring Committee of the Pakistan Peoples Party, for the Local Bodies
Elections has very strongly condemned the government officials including
General Pervez Musharraf for using state resources in the elections. The
committee also denounced continued victimisation of opposition by the
government party, its supporters and officials.
The meeting of the Monitoring committee was held today at the Central
Secretariat Islamabad, chaired by Coordinator of the Committee, Senator
Sardar Latif Khosa and attended by Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari MNA, Kamran
Zafar, Masood Sharif, Nazir Dhoki and Palvasha Behram.
Media Coordinator of the Committee Nazir Dhoki in a statement said that
cases of rigging in the elections in Sindh and Punjab provinces are
increasing by the day. The administration of Chief Minister Sindh is
continuously harassing and victimising the Awam Dost candidates and state
resources are being spent on the election campaigns of pro-government
candidates. He said that the Coordinator Foreign Liaison Committee PPP,
Senator Enver Beg would brief the foreign diplomats regarding rigging in the
elections and government victimisation of the opposing candidates on 8
August in Islamabad and these diplomats would be provided all the material
and applications, which have been submitted to Election Commission.
Nazir Dhoki said that the police on the orders of Chief Minister is forcing
the Awam Dost candidates and their supporters to change their loyalties. He
said that party would raise the issue of rigging in the election by the
military government at every forum.

PPP Files Application against Information Minister
demands Chairman NAB to try Sheikh Rashid in competent court
Islamabad, 28 July 2005: Pakistan
Peoples Party has filed an application with the National Accountability
Bureau (NAB) against the Minister for Information and Media Development,
Sheikh Rashid Ahmad for being guilty of corruption and corrupt practices.
Shah Khawar Advocate on behalf of Pakistan Peoples Party filed the
application under section 5 and 18 (B) sub-section-II of the NAB ordinance
1999, which is punishable offence under section 10 of the NAB ordinance.
The application has referred to a news item published in Daily Times dated
14 June 2005, which asserts that the respondent has been training Kashmiri
fighters and in a clarification thereof, the respondent did admit that he
has been looking after the Kashmiri refugees at his place. It was later
revealed that in 1989 during the government of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP),
the ISI without clearance from the government had given the respondent, the
then a Member of Opposition, hundreds of acres of prime land in the
Islamabad / Rawalpindi areas. The spokesperson of PPP also clarified that
when the then PPP government took up this matter with the ISI, it was
informed that the land was given for support to the Kashmiri groups.
According to the policy adopted by the present government, training of
Kashmiris has now been stopped. The question arises as under what
circumstances, huge piece of land was given to the respondent by ISI and
after the change in the policy regarding Kashmiris, under which authority
the respondent still retains the said land worth billions of rupees and why
the same has not been taken back.
By giving land worth billion of rupees to the respondent, a great financial
loss to the government exchequer has been caused and the respondent has been
benefited. The then ISI authorities and the respondent are jointly and
severely responsible for causing great financial loss to the Nation.
The application prays that respondent has shown wilful indulgence in corrupt
practices under Section 9 of the NAB Ordinance 1999. Such person is subject
to punishment under Section 10 of the NAB Ordinance. So the Chairman of the
National Accountability Bureau is called upon to initiate investigation in
connection with matters set out herein above and further proceed to file a
Reference against respondent for violating the provisions of Section 9 of
the NAB Ordinance 1999 punishable under Section 10 of the NAB Ordinance 1999
in competent court of law.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto condoles with the families of terrorists’ victims
Islamabad, 25 July 2005: Former Prime
Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on
behalf of Pakistan Peoples Party condemning the acts of terrorism in London
has condoled the families of the victims of London blasts and conveyed
sympathy for the injured.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a letter addressed to the British Prime Minister
Tony Blair wrote "The vast majority of the world's Muslims abhors terrorism
and rejects the claim of certain terrorist groups to speak in the name of
the Muslim Community. Moderate and democratic Muslims all over the world
will continue to support the struggle against obscurantism, authoritarianism
and terrorism, all of which feed each other".
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto wrote, "The PPP pays tribute to the people of the
United Kingdom who, under your leadership, faced the terrorist assault with
courage and calmness".

PPP women’s wing rejects Talibanisation of Pakistan
Islamabad, 25 July 2005: "Depriving
women of their basic right of expression is un-Islamic, un-democratic,
un-constitutional, immoral and illegal and the military regime has the
responsibility to take measure to assure women participation in the
elections". This was said by the president Pakistan Peoples Party Women Wing
Islamabad, Nargis Faiz Malik while addressing a large gathering of women at
Aabpara Chowk Islamabad on Monday.
Hundreds of women from every walk of life demonstrated against the decision
by some religious and political elements in Dir and Batagram in NWFP of
disenfranchising women from their right of participation in the forthcoming
local bodies elections. Protestors displayed placards condemning the
decision and raised slogans in favour of women rights. The demonstration was
led by Nargis Faiz Malik and attended by Asmat Jabeen, Mansha Bokhari, Mrs.
Anwer, Gulzari Begum, Qasida Murtaza, Shamim Aijaz, Farza Begum, Akhtar Bibi,
Khairunisa, Rashida Bibi, Mah Jabeen Naqvi, Shumaila Akhtar and others.
Addressing the demonstrators, Nargis Faiz Malik said that Pakistani women
would not allow anyone to Talibanise Pakistan and usurp women’s rights. She
said that the PPP under the leadership of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto would
continue to fight for women’s rights. She said that a women leader who
during her tenures as Prime Minister had taken several measures to
emancipate women and enable them to contribute in the country’s development
leads the PPP. Nargis Faiz Malik criticised the double standards of the
religious parties who have made their daughters and daughter in-laws
senators, MNAs and MPAs but want to keep women of their constituencies
backward and in dark ages in the name of traditions.
She announced that the PPP Women’s Wing Islamabad will hold demonstration in
front of the Parliament House if the military government fails to establish
writ of the government in the areas where women are deprived of the
electoral rights.

Mohtarma Bhutto denounces
Hisba bill as reminder of taliban
Persecution of moderates by Musharraf had pushed country into dark ages
Islamabad July 16, 2005: Former Prime
Minister and Chairperson f the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto expressed concern over the Hisba Bill of the Frontier Government and
said that the bill was violative of the fundamental human rights of
citizens.
In a statement today she said that the bill was a bid to copy the policies
of the Taliban in our country, which did not bode well for the strength, and
stability of the nation.
The former Prime Minister deplored the intrusion in the private lives of
citizens whereby official were now empowered to snoop around private
individuals to push people back into the dark ages.
She said that all this was being done by exploiting the name of Islam while
Islam categorically prohibited its followers from spying on each other. The
bill aims at setting up a Moral Brigade to deny freedom of choice through a
chain of priest judges at the provincial, district and tehsil levels to
enforce what the politically appointed Mohtasib regards as 'virtue' and whip
out what he considers as 'evil' in the name of religion.
The enforcement of virtue and vice brigade would remind many of the darkest
days of the Taliban in Afghanistan, she said and added, ‘the establishment
of the Hisba brigade was one more step towards unenlightenment, immoderation
and tyranny which had flourished since the PPP government was overthrown in
1996".
The draconian Hisba force, which can interfere with the media, Provincial
Assembly and private lives of individuals but not the armed forces, has no
provision of appeal.
Ironically, Mohtarma said, that while the bill claims to protect women,
minorities and disadvantaged groups, its sponsors reject legislation aimed
at eliminating honour killings, bar women from participation in polls and
hound women NGOs in the province. They refuse to protect the minorities by
amending the blasphemy law and exploit the poor by increasing poverty to
force the youth to join madrassahs to become cannon fodder in their fights
for political power.
She said that General Musharraf's regime had taken Pakistan backwards by
persecuting moderate parties and allowing full freedoms to religious
parties. She said this was being done to frighten the world that the choice
in nuclear Pakistan is only between military dictatorship and religious
fascism.

Iffat Farrukh Grieved
Karachi
July 13, 2005: Mr. Shuja Kamal elder brother of Peoples Party
activist Mrs. Iffat Farrukh wife of Mr. Ijaz Farrukh Sr. Vice President PPP,
USA passed away.
Shuja Kamal had a heart attack at the age of 59; he passed away peacefully
at his residence in Karachi.
PPP workers, sympathizers and family friends all over the world are deeply
grieved over the tragedy. Many people visited the residence of Mrs. Iffat
Farrukh in New York to pay respect and offer condolence on untimely demise
of her brother.

Extremism still
thrives in Pakistan
By Husain Haqqani International Herald Tribune
WASHINGTON JULY 20, 2005:
Just as the 9/11 terrorist attacks highlighted
Saudi Arabia's responsibility in encouraging Islamist extremism, the July 7
bombings in London must lead to scrutiny of Pakistan's role in fomenting
global jihad. Three of the four London bombers were Britons of Pakistani
origin and had visited Pakistan recently. The Pakistan connection to the
bombings is as significant as the nationality of the 9/11 attackers,
fourteen of whom were Saudi nationals.
Pakistan's pro-Western ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, has responded to the
London attacks by ordering a crackdown on extremist groups. Pakistan's suave
diplomats, Western-educated technocrats and articulate generals will be busy
over the next few days highlighting their government's cooperation in the
war against terrorism since Musharraf abandoned support for Afghanistan's
Taliban regime in 2001.
There is no doubt that Musharraf has selectively cooperated with Western
governments since 9/11, and Pakistan has made some high-profile Al Qaeda
arrests. But Pakistan has yet to acknowledge, let alone deal with, the
ideology of hatred and militancy that has been cultivated as state policy
for over four decades.
Some of Pakistan's religious schools, the madrassas, are no longer just
bastions of medieval theology. They have evolved into training centers for
radical anti-Western militancy. Pakistan's school curriculum cultivates the
sentiment of Muslim victimhood and inculcates in young minds the hatred of
non-Muslims in general and Jews and Hindus in particular.
When it emerged as an independent state in 1947, Pakistan was considered a
moderate Muslim nation that could serve as a model for other emerging
independent Muslim states. Pakistan's founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was a
Shia Muslim. Its first law minister was a Hindu. Its foreign minister
belonged to the Ahmadiyya sect, which opposes jihad. Although Pakistan's
birth was accompanied by religious riots and communal violence, the
country's founders clearly intended to create a nonsectarian state that
would protect religious freedoms and provide the Muslims of South Asia an
opportunity to live in a country where they constituted a majority.
Over the years, however, Pakistan became a major center of Islamist
extremism. The Ahmadis were declared non-Muslims through an amendment to
Pakistan's constitution during the 1970s. Shia-Sunni sectarian violence has
plagued the country since the 1980s. Religious minorities, like Hindus and
Christians, complain of discrimination and have periodically been subjected
to violent attacks by extremists. The disproportionate influence wielded by
fundamentalist groups in Pakistan is the result of state sponsorship of such
groups.
Pakistan's rulers have played upon religious sentiment as an instrument of
strengthening Pakistan's identity since soon after the country's inception.
Fears of Indian domination were addressed by embracing an Islamist ideology.
Islamist militants were cultivated, armed and trained during the 1980s and
1990s in the Pakistani military's efforts to seek strategic depth in
Afghanistan and to put pressure on India for negotiations over the future of
the Himalayan territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
In an effort to justify the ascendancy of the military in the country's
affairs, a national ethos of militarism was created. An environment
dominated by Islamist and militarist ideologies is an ideal breeding ground
for radicals and exportable radicalism: In their search for identity,
British-born Pakistanis, like the July 7 bombers, have been drawn into the
whirlpool of their parents' homeland.
The United States and other Western nations have put their faith in the
promises of Musharraf's military to move Pakistan away from its Islamist
radical past and toward "enlightened moderation." But the London attacks
point out the deep-rooted problems there.
The major Kashmiri jihadist groups retain their infrastructure because the
Pakistani military has not decided to give up the option of battling India
at a future date. The Taliban have also continued to find safe haven in
parts of Pakistan. Afghan and American officials complain periodically of
their still training and organizing in Pakistan's border areas. But American
officials also continue to express the belief that Pakistan has turned the
corner and that Musharraf must be trusted as an American ally.
Western policy makers would rather see Pakistan's glass as half full rather
than half empty. This approach distracts Pakistan's rulers, and their
Western supporters, from recognizing the depth of Pakistan's problem with
Islamist extremism.
(Husain Haqqani is author of "Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military." He was
Pakistan's ambassador to Sri Lanka from 1992 to 1993 and teaches
International Relations at Boston University.)

Editor South
Asia Tribune placed on Exit Control List
ECL Removed from NAB Web Site

Musharraf
Asks US to Silence His US-based Critics
I
ISLAMABAD, July 22:
The Editor of the South Asia Tribune, Shaheen Sehbai, the
Washington-based journalist and critic of Pakistani General Pervez
Musharraf, has been placed by the Government of Pakistan on the infamous
Exit Control List (ECL), which bans its citizens to leave the country.
The move comes
as Pakistan’s intelligence agencies have made an informal request to the US
authorities to “contain” some of the US-based Pakistani writers and
journalists who criticize the Musharraf Government “because they are harming
Pakistani efforts to fight the US war on terror."
The ECL was
up-dated on the web site of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on July
14, 2005 and interestingly mentioned the names of several sitting ministers
of the Musharraf cabinet, including the Interior Minister, Aftab Ahmed Khan
Sherpao himself, who is basically incharge of maintaining and updating the
ECL.
When newspapers
broke the story of latest ECL nominees, Aftab Sherpao was so angry he
ordered the NAB to remove the entire list from its web site and that was
quickly done. By the evening of July 20, the ECL was no longer available to
the public, as in the past.

In the
developments on the other track, some of those critics Musharraf wants
contained in the US include Washington-based scholar-diplomat Husain Haqqani
(left), a former police officer and author of a recent book Boston-based
Hassan Abbas (right), and a Wisconsin University Professor Dr. Tarique Niazi,
who writes scathing articles in the South Asia Tribune.


A California-based businessman and intellectual Khawaja
Ashraf (left), some American scholars including well-known Asia expert Steve
Cohen (right) and probably Marvin Weinbaum of the Middle East Institute are
also on the hit list.
The name
of Shaheen Sehbai (left) was put on the ECL sometime in the recent past but
it appeared in the ECL on the web site of the National Accountability Bureau
(NAB) when it was up-dated on July 14, 2005. Click to view ECL, saved before
it was removed by NAB
It provides the name and Pakistan and US addresses of the SAT Editor as well
as his passport number and places him in the company of some important
politicians including even some current ministers of the Musharraf cabinet.
Among those on the ECL available on the web site of NAB are Interior
Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao, Kashmir Affairs Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat,
PPPP Leader Makhdoom Amin Faheem, Government PML-Q leader Nasrullah Dareshak
and many others in and out of the Government.
Of course the most prominent on the ECL are Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif,
Asif Ali Zardari, Shahbaz Sharif, MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar, Rape Victim
Mukhtaran Mai and even Public Accounts Committee Chairman Malik Allahyar of
PML-Q and former NWFP Chief Minister Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi who
recently traveled to a number of European countries as a member of the
Senate Foreign Affairs Committee.
Interestingly some of those who have left this world are still not allowed
to leave Pakistan, according to the NAB list. These unfortunate ones include
Mian Mohammed Sharif, father of Nawaz Sharif, former minister Abdus Sattar
Lalika and top terrorist Riaz Basra. A sick Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Asif
Zardari’s father Hakim Ali Zardari also remain on the list.
Political observers, however, say the ECL has been turned into a joke by the
military Government as it is being used totally and exclusively for
persecution and harassment of political opponents of the regime while those
who support the army are allowed to travel even though their names stay on
the ECL.
The entire Sharif family was on ECL but was forced out of the country, these
observers point out. Asif Zardari was permitted to leave without his name
being struck off, at least from the NAB list on the web site. Mukhtaran Mai
was permitted to leave the country under US and Western pressure but her
name is still there.
Newspaper Dawn contacted Aftab Khan Sherpao, the Interior Minister under
whose jurisdiction the ECL is compiled and updated, to seek an explanation
as to how he himself and a fellow Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat were on the
list. The interior minister responded: “Our names are not on the ECL.” Asked
if he would direct the authorities to make corrections in the list, the
minister replied in affirmative.
But Dawn quoted a NAB official saying that the Interior Minister’s name was
put on the web site as cases were pending against him in courts. The
official, requesting anonymity, said the interior minister’s name would be
taken off only on the directives of a court of law.
Asked why the Kashmir affairs minister’s name was on ECL, the official said
perhaps the concerned officials had not updated the list as court cases
against the minister had been withdrawn.
About Mukhtaran Mai still featuring on the NAB web site, the official said
the list was maintained by the interior ministry and the government might
have put her name on ECL. The official said NAB got the names of only those
people on ECL who had any corruption cases pending against them.
Asked if the NAB had the legal power to place a person’s name on ECL or
publish it on its web site, NAB spokesperson Nasir Jamal said there must be
some provision but he would have to check the exact position with the legal
department on Wednesday.
As this ECL joke continues, a more sinister move by the Musharraf Government
is getting more attention in Washington. According to sources the ISI and
Military Intelligence (MI) have given several names to the US intelligence
agencies and other authorities to “contain” some of the critics of the
Musharraf Government who are based on US as they are “harming Pakistani
efforts to fight the war on terror by attacking General Musharraf.”
The name of South Asia Tribune Editor Shaheen Sehbai also figures
prominently on this list of US-based trouble-makers.
Sources in Islamabad said by asking the US authorities to “contain” these
writers and intellectuals, the Pakistan Army wishes that some of these
Pakistanis should be handed over to Islamabad while the US citizens be asked
by the Washington Establishment to tone down their attacks on General
Musharraf in the name of serving US National Security interests.
The US reaction to this request is not yet known but experts say it would be
wishful thinking on the part of the Pakistani Generals to believe that any
US Government would link “political dissent” and “criticism of General
Musharraf” to the war on terror and forcibly silence or expatriate these
critics.

Mohtarma
Bhutto criticises Congressman for offensive remarks about Makkah Sahrif Asks
congressman to tender apology
Islamabad July 21, 2005: Former Prime
Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
termed "offensive, provocative and irresponsible" the suggestive remarks by
a U.S. congressman that the United States could "take out" Islamic holy
sites if Muslim attackers targeted America in a nuclear strike.
In a statement today she said that the Congressman’s remarks could fuel
extremism. "When a crime was committed, the criminal was punished and not
the whole community".
She said it would be wise for the Congressman to tender an apology for his
comments with a view to cool the inflamed passions.
The former Prime Minister said that religious tolerance was the need of the
hour. When religious sites were targeted, as Pakistanis have unfortunately
experienced in their own homeland, hatred and intolerance grew, she said.
She said that the Congressman’s statement that the Washington could
retaliate to an extremist attack by bombing Makkah Sharif, the House of God
for Muslims, would anger and provoke Muslims and was most unfortunate.
She said that the PPP deplored it and warned that such statements could play
into the hands of terrorists who could claim that Islam, and Makkah Sharif,
was in danger to make fresh recruitments.
The former Prime Minister noted that the U.S. State Department called the
congressman's statement "insulting and offensive" and said Americans
"respect the dignity and sanctity of other religions."
One of the five pillars of Islam calls upon Muslims to pay a holy pilgrimage
to Makkah Sharif once in their lives.

NAB is a
Jihadi Organisation -Naheed Khan
Islamabad, 21 July 2005: Naheed Khan,
member national assembly and the political secretary to the chairperson
Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has asked the chief justice
of Pakistan to take suo moto notice of NAB's interference with the judicial
process and demanded of the regime to restrain its political arm, the NAB,
from meddling with the judiciary.
Naheed Khan in a statement today said that NAB's intrusive actions in the
matters of judicial nature prove that this organisation is functioning with
ulterior motives. The way NAB demonstrated interests in the Mir Murtaza
murder case reminds Gestapo of Nazi Germany. She said that NAB is a hideout
of the Jihadi elements where the extremists conspire against the democratic
forces of the country.
Naheed Khan warned the regime and the NAB that the days of terror and
victimisation are numbered and now the international situation demands
transparency in governance. In changing environment the Jihadi cannot hide
their true identity whether in the government or in its political arm. She
urged the Human Right Bodies, the legal fraternity and the civil society to
take notice of NAB's illegal actions and raise their voice against this
Jihadi organisation.

Musharraf’s address betrays
two faces of Pakistan's military ruler
Islamabad July 21, 2005: The address of
General Musharraf tonight demonstrated once again the two faces of
Pakistan’s military ruler.
In a statement today spokesman of the Pakistan Peoples Party Senator
Farhatullah Babar said that General Musharraf’s rhetoric of enlightened
moderation was a façade to conceal how he was chasing the democratic
political opposition with their back to the wall and thereby actually
spawning forces of extremism.
The General spoke of provincial harmony but in the same breath struck at the
root of provincial harmony by insisting that he will build the controversial
Kalabagh dam, he said.
The PPP spokesman said that the General appeared to sound tough against the
extremists but this is not the first time that he has sought to present this
side of his face.
On January 12, 2002 after the tragic events of 9/11 he sounded as tough
against extremists when he warned them against becoming an Army of God. As
later events showed the tough talk of January 12, 2002 was rhetoric and
sound and fury signifying nothing.
The tough talk tonight against the extremists is déjà vu and fails to arouse
any credibility, he said. General Musharraf has yet to demonstrate that the
tough talk against extremists is a shift in strategic thinking and not a
mere tactical manoeuvre, the PPP said.
General Musharraf appeared to stake claim of a better Muslim than others by
flaunting credentials that the doors of the House of God were opened for
him.
This will not impress those who know from history that many tyrants and
dictators before him also had the doors of House of God opened for them, the
spokesman said.
General Musharraf failed to admit that the interference by a previous
military dictator in Afghanistan in early 80’s was a mistake. His defence of
the role Pakistan played in 80s in Afghanistan betrayed that no lessons had
been learnt form treating Afghanistan as providing strategic depth as the
country’s fifth province.

Mohtarma Bhutto
Supports Registration of Maddrassas
Says the approach that London bombings were London's problems unacceptable
Stresses modern education along with religious teachings in madrassa
Islamabad July 22, 2005: Former Prime
Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples party Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto said that following the London bombings by bombers who had visited
Pakistan prior to the events of 7/7 it was essential for Islamabad to take
action to demonstrate its commitment to fighting terrorism.
In this context, she said in a statement today that the PPP welcomed the
military regime's announcement that it would register all madrassas and
schools by December this year and establish a special cell to carry out the
task.
She noted that many Maddrassas were carrying out solely religious functions.
However, some had been set up to fight the occupation of Afghanistan in the
eighties. She said that these political maddrassas were brainwashing young
men into becoming robots in a deadly move of terror.
In an address to the nation General Pervez Musharraf vowed to reform the
madrassah education so as to fight against extremism and terrorism. He also
asked the people for support in this task.
The former Prime Minister said that such a move if implemented in letter and
spirit it would be welcomed by all those who are concerned about Pakistan's
image abroad as well as the stability and well being of the country itself.
She said that the PPP had noted General Musharraf's pledge not to allow
banned organizations from operating under a new name.
She said that in the wake on London bombings and the revelations that some
suicide bombers had visited Pakistani madrassas before carrying out the
attacks it was important that the madrassa education was closely watched and
also reformed.
The former Prime Minister cautioned that the line taken by some elements of
the regime that the London Bombings were London's problems was unacceptable.
Too many terrorists had ended up with some link to Pakistan, which meant
that Islamabad must be seen to be taking the issue with seriousness to allay
international concerns.
She said that Islam was a religion of peace and harmony and it was important
that our madrassas were reformed so that the education imparted in these
schools truly reflected the humane and peaceful traditions of Islam and
Islamic teachings.
Mohtarma Bhutto said that modern education and skills along with religious
teachings was important for striking a balance so essential for peace and
stability.
"Balance is at the centre of a society's survival", she said and added that
societies lost their moorings when the delicate balance was upset. Modern
education is important so that instead of producing robots that mechanically
followed the command the nation produced thinking individuals with critical
faculties to observe, analyse and debate issues, she said.
She said that sermons from the pulpits of mosques that spread venom and hate
had taken its toll on the people of Pakistan. She said that too many
Pakistanis had fallen victim to terrorism, as had those outside Pakistan.
She noted that the attack on Bari Imam earlier this year was one
illustration of how terrorism was a domestic as well as international
problem.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
felicitates World Punjabi Congress
on holding international Conference on Waris Shah
Islamabad, 23 July 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto has wished the delegates from all over the world who have
come to Lahore to attend three day International Conference on the great
poet Waris Shah a warm welcome and hoped that this conference will be
constructive
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a message to the Chairman World Punjabi Congress,
Fakhar Zaman wrote, "I recall sending a message to the 1st World Punjabi
Conference organised in Lahore in 1986. In that message I called for giving
all languages of the soil a rightful place. In the case of Punjabi, this is
all the more so since it has been neglected in Pakistan".
Regarding PPP policy towards culture and heritage she wrote, "Quaid e Awam
Zulfkar Ali Bhutto Shaheed was the first Leader to encourage the
establishment of a number of Cultural institutions. His government took
positive steps for the development of languages rooted in with the land. The
PPP Governments that I led followed Quaid-i-Awam's policies. We took great
interest in the flourishing of institutions relating to Art, Culture and
Literature. With the support of many intellectuals, the PPP Government I led
promulgated the first Cultural Policy of Pakistan. Mr Fakhar Zaman was the
architect of that policy and ensured its success as Chairman of National
Commission on History and Culture and Pakistan Academy of Letters".
Emphasising the need of tolerance and brotherhood in Pakistani society and
Sufi contribution to a peaceful civilization she wrote, "Sufi poets of
Pakistan historically symbolise a culture of brotherhood, enlightenment and
progress. They repudiated extremism, religious bigotry, obscurantism and
mullahism. The poetry of Waris Shah, the social and cultural doyen of Punjab
people, is extremely relevant today. We need to relate the teachings of our
Awami poets to the present conditions where our society is marred by
reactionaries and fanatics. Sufi poets Waris Shah, Baba Farid, Shah Hussain,
Bullhe Shah, Sultan Bahu, Khwaja Farid, Mian Mohammad Baksh from Punjab or
Sachal Sarmast and Shah Latif Bhatai from Sindh, Khushhal Khan Khatak and
Rehman Baba from NWFP or Jam Durak and Mast Tawakkali from Balauchistan are
beacon lights helping brighten the path for us to determine our directions.
Their teachings aim at rendering a human dimension to society".
Felicitating the World Punjabi Congress on organising the Conference she
wrote, "I Congratulate Mr. Fakhar Zaman, Chairman of World Punjabi Congress,
for holding this Conference. He is a writer and Intellectual of high calibre,
an asset to the country as well as to the Pakistan Peoples Party. I am proud
if his determination to continue his admirable efforts to propagate the
message of the mystic poets. He is much respected too for his Initiatives in
the context of Indo-Pak friendship".

PPP asks CEC
to take measures for free and fair elections
Islamabad, 23 July 2005: Secretary
General Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians Raja Pervez Ashraf MNA and
the media coordinator Local Bodies Election Central Monitoring Committee
PPP, Nazir Dhoki in a joint statement have very strongly condemned the
statement of Chief Minister Sindh, Arbab Rahim that his administration has
made the entire Sindh a "No Go" area and warned him of restrain himself from
such type of statement because people of Sindh and the entire country are no
longer ready to live in an environment of fear of the dictators.
Raja Pervez Ashraf and Nazir Dhoki said that this statement of the Chief
Minister displays the military regimes intentions of not holding free, fair
and transparent elections. The regime is trying to usurp the peoples’ right
to vote freely. They said that the government has two masks. One is the
so-called enlightened mask for the West and other is the real face of the
dictatorship, which is continuously victimising the liberal and progressive
forces of the country.
PPP leaders said that all over Sindh province, the police and administration
is harassing Awam Dost candidates and initiating false and concocted cases
including murder cases against them to keep them out of the electoral
process. Raja Pervez Ashraf and Nazir Dhoki said that Arbab Ghulam Rahim
should not forget that such tall claims were also made by General Zia who is
rotting in the dustbin of history but the PPP is still the largest political
force in the country under the leadership of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. They
said that such claims by Arbab Rahim would not deter the party workers from
carrying out a vigorous campaign to oust the dictatorship from the country.
They demanded of the Chief Election Commissioner to take notice of Arbab
Rahim’s statement and play its role in holding free, fair, impartial and
transparent elections.

PPP asks CEC to take measures
for free and fair elections
Islamabad, 23 July 2005:
Secretary General Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians Raja Pervez Ashraf
MNA and the media coordinator Local Bodies Election Central Monitoring
Committee PPP, Nazir Dhoki in a joint statement have very strongly condemned
the statement of Chief Minister Sindh, Arbab Rahim that his administration
has made the entire Sindh a "No Go" area and warned him of restrain himself
from such type of statement because people of Sindh and the entire country
are no longer ready to live in an environment of fear of the dictators.
Raja Pervez Ashraf and Nazir Dhoki said that this statement of the Chief
Minister displays the military regimes intentions of not holding free, fair
and transparent elections. The regime is trying to usurp the peoples’ right
to vote freely. They said that the government has two masks. One is the
so-called enlightened mask for the West and other is the real face of the
dictatorship, which is continuously victimising the liberal and progressive
forces of the country.
PPP leaders said that all over Sindh province, the police and administration
is harassing Awam Dost candidates and initiating false and concocted cases
including murder cases against them to keep them out of the electoral
process. Raja Pervez Ashraf and Nazir Dhoki said that Arbab Ghulam Rahim
should not forget that such tall claims were also made by General Zia who is
rotting in the dustbin of history but the PPP is still the largest political
force in the country under the leadership of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. They
said that such claims by Arbab Rahim would not deter the party workers from
carrying out a vigorous campaign to oust the dictatorship from the country.
They demanded of the Chief Election Commissioner to take notice of Arbab
Rahim’s statement and play its role in holding free, fair, impartial and
transparent elections.

Mohtarma Bhutto denounces
Hisba bill as reminder of taliban
Persecution of moderates by Musharraf had pushed country into dark ages
Islamabad July 16, 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson f the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto expressed concern over the Hisba Bill of the Frontier
Government and said that the bill was violative of the fundamental human
rights of citizens.
In a statement today she said that the bill was a bid to copy the policies
of the Taliban in our country, which did not bode well for the strength, and
stability of the nation.
The former Prime Minister deplored the intrusion in the private lives of
citizens whereby official were now empowered to snoop around private
individuals to push people back into the dark ages.
She said that all this was being done by exploiting the name of Islam while
Islam categorically prohibited its followers from spying on each other. The
bill aims at setting up a Moral Brigade to deny freedom of choice through a
chain of priest judges at the provincial, district and tehsil levels to
enforce what the politically appointed Mohtasib regards as 'virtue' and whip
out what he considers as 'evil' in the name of religion.
The enforcement of virtue and vice brigade would remind many of the darkest
days of the Taliban in Afghanistan, she said and added, ‘the establishment
of the Hisba brigade was one more step towards unenlightenment, immoderation
and tyranny which had flourished since the PPP government was overthrown in
1996".
The draconian Hisba force, which can interfere with the media, Provincial
Assembly and private lives of individuals but not the armed forces, has no
provision of appeal.
Ironically, Mohtarma said, that while the bill claims to protect women,
minorities and disadvantaged groups, its sponsors reject legislation aimed
at eliminating honour killings, bar women from participation in polls and
hound women NGOs in the province. They refuse to protect the minorities by
amending the blasphemy law and exploit the poor by increasing poverty to
force the youth to join madrassahs to become cannon fodder in their fights
for political power.
She said that General Musharraf's regime had taken Pakistan backwards by
persecuting moderate parties and allowing full freedoms to religious
parties. She said this was being done to frighten the world that the choice
in nuclear Pakistan is only between military dictatorship and religious
fascism.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto meets with Secretary General Commonwealth
Islamabad, July 20: Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Chairperson PPP met with the
Secretary General of the Commonwealth Mr Don Mckinnon here yesterday. The
two held wide ranging discussions on various issues of importance and also
political situation in Pakistan and the prospects of forthcoming local
bodies elections.

NAB
calls for file in murder case against Senator Asif Zardari
PPP condemns NAB action as based on ulterior motives
Urges Supreme Court to take suo moto notice
Islamabad July 20, 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has expressed shock and condemned interference by the
NAB in the judicial process in the Mir Murtaza Bhutto murder case against
Senator Asif Ali Zardari now being the Sessions Judge East Karachi and
termed it as yet another proof that the NAB was being used for the political
re-engineering of the country.
The acquittal application of Mr Zardari in the Mir Murtaza Bhutto murder
case was heard by the Sessions Judge East Karachi Mr. Sherwani on July 19
who reserved his judgment till August 20.
As soon as the Sessions Judge reserved his verdict the NAB prosecutor Zaheer
Khan called for the file of the case from the special prosecutor Ilyas Khan
in the Mir Murtaz murder case. The Sindh law secretary also called for the
details of the case from the district public prosecutor.
In a statement today PPP vice chair Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that NAB has
nothing g to do with the murder case pending before a court of competent
jurisdiction. NAB was a self styled investigation and prosecution agency
only in cases of corruption and had nothing to do with murder cases, he
said.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that NAB’s going out of the way and showing
interest in the case demonstrated its ulterior motives.
The NAB and the regime owe an explanation as to why such extraordinary
interest is being taken by the NAB in a case with which it has nothing to do
in terms of its mandate and stated functions, he said.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that the PPP has always maintained that NAB was
serving as political arm of the rulers to re-write the political landscape
of the country so as to give a permanent role to the military in the
country’s politics.
He urged the Supreme Court to take suo moto notice of NAB’s interference in
the murder case against Senator Zardari. He also asked the legal fraternity
and the human rights bodies to take notice and raise their voice.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that the Party will raise the matter with the UN
Rapporteur on Judges and also with the diplomats and international bodies.

PPP demands
CEC to take notice of violations of election rules
Islamabad, 20 July 2005:
Pakistan Peoples Party has asked the Chief Election Commissioner to take
notice of victimisation of party workers in Jamshoror, Larkana and Nawabshah
and has demanded of the Election Commissioner to take action against the
Chief Minister Sindh Arbab Ghulam Rahim who has reportedly said that it is
the right of the government party to use state resources during local body
elections.
These demands were made in a meeting of PPP Committee formed for monitoring
local bodies elections. The meeting was held today at Central Secretariat
Islamabad chaired by Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari MNA and attended by Senator
Enver Beg, Media Coordinator of the Central Monitoring Committee Nazir Dhoki,
B A Malik, Ilyas Mohsin and Mansoor Sheikh.
The committee expressed its concerns over prime minister Shaukat Aziz’z
recent visit of Hyderabad in which in a public meeting organised by MQM, he
announced several development project as part of election campaign. The
meeting also took notice of transfers of officials and demanded of the
election commissioner to take measures to stop these violations of elections
rules.

Raja Pervez Ashraf awarded Honorary Citizenship of Houston Texas
Islamabad, 13 July 2005: Secretary
General Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians and Deputy Parliamentary
Leader in the National Assembly, Raja Pervez Ashraf MNA arrived back in
Islamabad today after an extensive tour of the United States, United Kingdom
and Dubai.
During his stay in the United States, he attended a seminar organised by
APNA, an organisation of Pakistani doctors practising in the Unites States.
Raja Pervez Ashraf also held meetings with party chapters in different
American cities.
During his visit, Raja Pervez Ashraf was awarded honorary citizenship of
Houston Texas by the Mayor of the city, Mr. Bill White and was also
appointed a goodwill Ambassador of the city for his services to the people
and for his achievements in his political career. Mr. Bill White presented a
scroll to Raja Pervez Ashraf in this regard.
Raja Pervez Ashraf MNA, during his stay in the United States also held
meetings with US Senators, congressmen and Think Tanks.
During his stay in the United Kingdom, Raja Pervez Ashraf visited several
cities and met with the office bearers of party organisation.
On his way back, Raja Pervez Ashraf made a brief stopover at Dubai, where he
called on to Senator Asif Ali Zardari to enquire about his health.

PPP forms Local
Bodies Elections Monitoring Committee
Islamabad, 13 July 2005: On the
instructions of Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
a monitoring committee for monitoring the local bodies elections has been
constituted. Senator Latif Khosa would be the Coordinator and Senator Enver
Beg, Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari MNA, B.A. Malik, Kamran Zafar, Ilays Mohsin,
Masood Sharif, Sheikh Mansoor, Palwasha Behram and Nazir Dhoki would serve
as its members.
The monitoring committee would apprise the foreign embassies, diplomats and
Human Rights Organisation regarding irregularities in the elections,
violations of human rights, rigging and cases of victimisation of political
opponents by the government.
The committee held its first meeting today at the Central Secretariat of the
Party in Islamabad, chaired by Senator Latif Khosa and attended by members
as well as party Secretary General Jahangir Bader who conveyed Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto’s instructions to the committee. The meeting condemned
victimisation of party workers and supporters in Sindh province. The
Secretary General, PPP instructed the party district office bearers to send
all cases of irregularities in the elections and cases of victimisation of
party workers and supporters to the Central Secretariat, Islamabad.

PPP will oppose disenfranchising women in LB Polls
Islamabad July 14, 2005: Pakistan
Peoples Party believes in gender equality and empowerment of women and will
resist any attempt to disenfranchise women during the forthcoming local or
general elections.
A section of the press today reported that efforts were afoot at the local
level by candidates of different political parties in the Frontier province
to agree on keeping the women out of elections.
In a statement today the President of Frontier PPP Rahimdad Khan
categorically denied that the Party was taking part in such deliberations.
He said the Party’s political principles were well known and it was
unthinkable that its leaders or workers would enter into any arrangement at
local level that was inconsistent with its policy, principles and manifesto.
He said that the Party will mobilise women voters from Chitral to Dera
Ismail Khan come rain or sunshine in the polls.
If any candidate who claims affiliation with Party manifesto in any manner
takes part in the undemocratic and unconstitutional practise of debarring
women from exercising their right of franchise will be so doing in violation
of the Party’s discipline and will be dealt with accordingly, he said.
Rahimdad Khan urged the women throughout the province to come forward and
not abandon their legal and constitutional right in the face of opposition
from obscurantist.

Mohtarma Bhutto grieved over train accident
Calls for adequate compensation, judicial inquiry
Islamabad July 13, 2005: Former Prime
Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto has expressed profound grief and shock over the train accident near
Gotki in Sindh in which about 130 people were killed and some two hundred
people injured mostly seriously.
Three trains collided in the wee hours of Wednesday at railway station
Sarhad near Gotki in Sindh resulting in the death of 130 people and serious
injuries to countless more passengers in what was one of the worst train
accidents in the country.
In a statement today she said that she was profoundly grieved over the
tragedy and called for immediate and adequate compensation to the kin of
those killed in the accident and free treatment of those injured in the
accident.
She said that it appeared that the accident was the result of carelessness
and improper supervision of the |