PPP leader condemns
indifferent attitude of regime towards flood victims
Islamabad, 29 June
2007: The Central Coordinator Human Rights Cell, Pakistan Peoples
Party MNA Fauzia Wahab MNA has condemned the indifferent attitude of
Musharraf regime for neglecting the victims of floods and rain storm who
have been left on the mercy of harsh weather and demanded immediate relief
to the victims.
In a statement today, Fauzia Wahab said that it is a matter of grave concern
that the regime has once again totally failed to provide any relief to the
victims of natural disaster. She said that the torrential rain caused havoc
in Sindh and Balochistan and the situation further worsened with the
breaking of Mirani Dam where people are starving for the last five days. She
said that the people of Balochistan are being neglected by the military
regime, which is a bad omen for the federation.
Fauzia Wahab said that the tall claims of the military regime of development
work in Balochistan has proved false as a single gush of rain washed away
the entire infrastructure of the province. She demanded immediate inquiry
into the breaking of Mirani dam and several bridges in the province. She
also demanded preventive measure as the met office has predicted more rains
in the coming weeks.
Fauzia Wahab asked the regime to provide immediate relief to the victims of
this calamity. She also sympathised with the families who lost their loved
ones and prayed for the grant of eternal peace to the departed souls.
Rushdi Ijaz and PPP
June 29, 2007:
MBB statement was clear she said that UK did not show sensitivity for Islam
as it had shown to other religions by giving knighthood to Rushdi. She also
said that govt is involved in war against terrorist its religious minister
is justifying suicidal attacks he must be dismissed. Ijaz changed his stand
and criticized MBB as he brandished Kilashinikove and when law took its
course against him he said it was a toy. Ijaz inherited Kilashinikove from
his father who used the name of Islam for his power. MBB is daughter of ZAB
who protected the honor and dignity of prophet by introducing the amendment.
He held Islamic conference Shah Faisal said that ZAB is son of Islam. How a
man can be champion of Islam who has dollars in his blood. MBB keeps veil on
her head and Tasbih in her hand which shows her love for Islam. Ijaz is on
record that he saved Lal Mosque Mullahas when they were caught red handed.
PPP is committed to the vision of Quid and Iqbal and opposed to theocracy
and make Pakistan liberal progressive country in view of real Islam.
Senator Enver Baig
demands probe into NCHD affairs
Says financial bungling must not go un-punished
Islamabad June 28,
2007: The Pakistan Peoples Party has demanded thorough probe and
audit into the accounts of National Commission for Human Development (NCHD)
and the institution of a reference against those involved in the financial
mis-management and corruption in the Commission.
The first audit of the NCHD made public Wednesday exposed misuse of the
Pakistan Human Development Fund (PHDF) to the tune of nearly 1.3 billion
rupees and missing of 338 million rupees from the bank accounts of the NCHD
and PHDF.
“The revelations made in the special audit report on the accounts of the
Commission and the Development Fund of unauthorised utilisation of nearly
1.3 billion rupees is a serious indictment of the Commission that calls for
probe and action” said Senator Enver Baig of PPP in a statement today.
Senator Enver Baig said that the NCHD has thus far refused to submit itself
to audit on different pretexts but its mandarins have finally been caught
with what looks like their hands in the till. He demanded to know as to
where the over 22 million rupees received by the Commission from Telethon
was parked, as it was not shown in the accounts statements.
Senator Enver Baig said that the corruption involving big fish in the regime
was condoned sometime behind the pretext of ‘honest mistake made in good
faith’ and sometime behind the pretext that the agency involved was a
private sector enterprise and beyond the purview of government audit.
He said that sometime back when the affairs of the NCHD came up for
discussion on the floor of the Senate it transpired that it had a lot to
explain but the regime protected it from scrutiny using different pretexts.
Senator Enver Baig demanded that the matter of embezzlement in the NCHD must
be referred to NAB and an investigation held into it and the embezzlers
brought to book.
The PPP leader said that if the regime failed to file a reference against
the NCHD bosses he would place the matter before the Party for filing a
reference against it.
“The Party will not let the huge embezzlement in the Commission and the Fund
to go un-punished”
General Babar slates
Qazi's bid to take over Women College for madrassah
1. Islamabad June 27, 2007: Former Interior
Minister and a central PPP leader Major General (retired) Naseerullah Babar
has condemned Jamaat i Islami Chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad's bid to take over
buildings of the Government Degree College for Women in Pirpiai village in
district Nowshera for converting it into a madrassah and demanded a thorough
probe into the matter.
2. In a statement today the former Interior Minister said that the bid by
Jammat-i-Islami to take over buildings of the Government Degree College for
Women in Pirpiai in the guise of setting 'Qazi Public School' was not
acceptable and would be resisted at all forums.
3. He said that the Women College was set up some years ago on a piece of
land provided by the people of the village and not on government lands and
the ruling MMA had no business to take it over for setting up a so called
Public School in the name of Jamaat Chief but actually to build a madrassah
to pursue their own agenda.
4. He said that neither state funds nor private land already given to a
Women College could be used for setting up of a private academic institution
in the name of an individual.
5. "This is a cheap bid by the Jamaat chief in an election year which will
be challenged at all forums and never allowed to materialise", the former
Interior Minister said.
6. General Babar said that he would also challenge Jammat's bid in the
Peshawar High Court.
7. He demanded a probe into the matter and called upon the civil society to
restrain the Jamaat chief from pursuing a militaristic agenda in the guise
of setting up Qazi Public School.
Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto's Petition in Supreme Court of Pakistan on Electoral Rolls -
Elections 2007
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PAKISTAN
Constitutional Petition No.____________/2007
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto .................. PETITIONER
VERSUS
1. Chairman Election Commission Of
Pakistan. Election House, Constitution Avenue, Islamabad. G 5/2
2. The Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, Election Commission of
Pakistan, through the Secretary, Election Commission of Pakistan, Election
House, Constitution Avenue, Islamabad. G 5/2.
3. The Director General, National Registration Database Authority. Office of
Nadra, Islamabad.
4. The Government of Pakistan through The Secretary Parliamentary Affairs
Division, Islamabad.
a. The Secretary Law, Justice, and Human Rights Division, Islamabad.
........RESPONDENTS
PETITION UNDER ARTICLE 184(3) OF THE CONSTITUTION OF ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF
PAKISTAN, 1973.
Respectfully Sheweth,
1. That the petitioner is the Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP). She was twice elected Prime Minister of Pakistan. Even in the rigged
elections of October 2002, her party secured the highest number of votes in
the country. The PPP is bracing for the general elections which are
scheduled to be held during the latter part of this year, and is sanguine of
a landslide victory due to its soaring popularity amongst the masses. The
party in power formed and backed by the Army Chief General Pervez Musharaf
to forestall their route have embarked upon pre poll rigging. Apart from the
President in uniform openly campaigning for the ruling party, is massively
expending money on various projects shutting out the grant of opposition
members of Parliament for their developmental priorities. Through the LFO
(Legal Frame Work Order) accredited by the 17th amendment, General Pervez
Musharaf and his created NSC (National Security Council), usurped all powers
unto himself and militarized the Presidency rendering the Prime Minister,
the cabinet, and the Parliament, a mere rubber stamp. The judiciary was also
sought to be subjugated by coercing the CJP to resign, and on his failure to
oblige he was initially suspended, the made non-functional and henceforth
sent on forced leave with reference being sent for his removal to the
Supreme Judicial Council. The media (electronic and press) was assaulted,
and the 4rth pillar of the state was thus tried to be brow beaten into
submission. All such efforts were meant to get re-elected and bail out the
ruling coalition, which was facing wrath of the people, due to complete
failure of governance in all phases of life.
2. That the preparatory steps towards the general elections started with the
preparation of voters list through the Election Commission of Pakistan. The
electoral rolls were contemplated for which funds were provided by USAID,
the contract of which was awarded to parties having liaison with the Chief
Minister Punjab and President of the Ruling Party (PML-Q). The reservations
to which effect were notified to the Election Commission of Pakistan at the
very inception but to no avail. It was also pointed out in writing to the
Election Commission of Pakistan that only additions and exclusions be made
in the existing electoral rolls of 2002 and a completely substituted list of
voters was not required which could be done only at the time of census which
are held after every 10 years and are due in the year 2008. However, the
Election Commission of Pakistan went through the process by appointing
enumerators all over the country for enlistment of voters. In the province
of Sindh, the teachers were on strike and there were torrential rains. The
job was assigned to the MQM in the urban areas and to the Chief Minister
Sindh in the rural areas. They massively marginalized the strong hold of PPP
in all the constituencies and sliced away 47 lac votes in 23 districts of
Sindh. Even the constituency of the Chairperson in Larkana was brought down
from 601200 (Six hundred one thousand two hundred) votes existing in the
electoral list of 2002 to 348000 (Three hundred forty eight thousand) in
2007. Thus causing a shortfall of 251000 (Two hundred and fifty one
thousand) votes. The total percentage of non registration of votes in the
province of Sindh is 39 percent. Likewise, in the province of Punjab, the
enumerators after collecting the forms were required to submit the same to
the Nazims who by and large are under the control of the Chief Minister and
the President of Pakistan and where too 1.5 crore votes were axed mainly
from the strong hold constituencies of the opposition.
a. In Baluchistan, however, the votes have been increased, and where
generally the women folk are not even allowed to vote, a whopping 140
percent increase has been reflected in the preliminary list. The figures of
which have been given by Pildat, an organization of high repute.
3. That the overall position which emerges draft computerized voters list
displayed by the ECP is that the total number of voters registered are five
crore twenty one lac two thousand four hundred and twenty eight. Whereas, in
the electoral list of 2002 prepared by the election commission itself and on
the basis of which general elections were held in 2002 the number of voters
was 71.86 million. In the span of 5 years, the eligible voters should have
been increased to 82 million. Surprisingly, instead a shortfall of 27
million has been shown which is equivalent to 33 percent of the total number
of voters reflected in the electoral list of 2002. Thus one third of the
eligible voters of Pakistan have been dis franchised.
4. That decrease of women voters through identical comparison with the list
of 2002 and the year 2007 is as follows: FATA 96 percent, Sindh 41 percent,
Punjab 37 percent, Islamabad 19 percent. Such massive decrease cannot be
countenanced on any hypothesis.
5. That when the preliminary electronic lists were thus displayed by the ECP
on June 12, 2007, all these discrepancies have prominently surfaced. In the
process of preparation of the electronic voters lists, the PPP had been
constantly approaching the CEC respondent no. 2 and also submitting written
complaints seeking remedial action for registration of all eligible voters.
Even the National Democratic Institute (NDI) as well as the Center of Civic
Education Pakistan (CCE) had not only held multi party round table
conferences and sent its unanimous recommendations for enabling the complete
registration of voters towards ensuring transparency in the forthcoming
elections. Copies of the letters reflecting such recommendations are
attached as Annexure B periodical letters sent to the CEC and the
representations made by the PPP are attached as annexure C
6. That on June 16, 2007, the delegation of the Election Monitoring Cell PPP
headed by Senator Sardar Muhammad Latin Khan Khosa called upon the CEC and
apart from delivering the letter of the Chairperson PPP pleaded for
remedying the defects in the preliminary electoral lists to ensure that no
eligible voter is kept out and facilitated his entitlement to vote as
mandated by Articled 51 (2) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan. The copy of the letter of the Chairperson so delivered to the CEC
is attached as Annexure D.
7. That the CEC in response to the letter afforrefered replied to the
Chairperson. Copy of which is attached as annexure E. The Chairperson of
PPP, however wrote back requiring the commission to “fulfill the promise of
holding fair elections so that Pakistan can stand tall in the comity of
nations as having made the transition to democracy by accepting the true
will of the people of our great nation” Copy of the letter is attached as
annexure F.
8. That however, the discussions with the Chief Elections Commissioner as
well as his written response dated, June 20th, 2007 annexed hereto reveal
that there is no possibility of worthwhile rectification of the electoral
lists by the CEC. Hence this petition before the apex court as the matter is
of fundamental public importance and needs the most urgent rectification so
that 25 million citizens of Pakistan entitled to vote are not disfranchised,
inter alia on the following:
GROUNDS
(a) That Article 51 of the constitution postulated that there shall be 342
seats of the member of the National Assembly including seats reserved for
women and Non-Muslims. Sub Article (2) of the said Article reads that a
person shall be entitled to vote if he is a citizen of Pakistan and is not
less than 18 years of age and his name appears on the electoral roll. The
entire scheme of the constitution thus empowers the citizens of Pakistan
(above the age of 18 years) to elect members to the National Assembly and
the leader of which house would have the right of governance. It is thus the
people of Pakistan who through their representative would regulate the
affairs of the country for the stipulated period. The entitlement to vote is
not dependant on the possession of National Identity card. Thus no
conditionality contrary to the mandate of the constitution can be attached
to the enlistment of a voter in the electoral lists prepared by the ECP.
(b) (b). That even in the Electoral Rolls Act, 1974 section 6 (2) enjoins
upon the registration officer to enroll as a voter a citizen of Pakistan who
is not less than 18 years of age. Such enrollment is not dependant upon the
prior production of the NIC. Preliminary publication of the electoral rolls
in section 8 of the Act IBID does not postulate any condition of non-entry
of his name in such list. The stipulation for claims to inclusion,
exclusion, and correction in the preliminary list under section 10 mentions
21 days for so doing. However, such a stipulation would not stand in the way
of the ECP to ensure his constitutional obligation of entitling every
eligible voter to vote and his legal right to be enrolled and enlisted in
the voters list which is not dependant or clogged by the existence or
production of NIC. Likewise, for correction of electoral rolls under section
15, NIC is not required. Final publication under section 16 after making
additions, deletions, modifications or corrections thus is not dependant on
any conditionality of NIC. It is only thereafter, that section 18 caters for
production of NIC issued under the National Registration Act, 1973, when
enrollment and correction at a time other than the annual revision is
sought, which is not the case and hence not applicable.
(c) That even in the Peoples Representation Act, 1976 it was provided that
the voter shall not be issued the ballot paper unless he produced NIC, the
division bench of Lahore High Court in the reported case PLD 1989 Lahore 1
struck down the same holding that it was contrary to the constitutional
right of the citizen of Pakistan. Even this honorable court declared the law
accordingly holding that the constitutional right cannot be whittled down by
any subordinate legislation reliance 1985 SCMR 365
(d) That NADRA’s NIC is essentially required for the issuance of passport,
Arms and Driving license etc. and the Registration Act, 1973 does not carry
any stipulation to make it pre requisite for registration of vote or right
of franchise of a citizen of Pakistan. The issuance of NIC is statutory
functionary of the Director General in the Act IBID and if NADRA has been
able to issue only 57433474 NIC’s, then it is no fault of the over the 3
crore citizens who have not yet been issued the NIC’s. For such fault of the
statutory functionaries a citizen of Pakistan cannot be deprived of his
fundamental rights. The entire edifice of Parliamentary democracy and
grundnorm of the 1973 constitution depends upon facilitating the eligible
people of Pakistan to cast their votes and exercise their right to
franchise. It is pertinent to note that the Late Prime Minister Shamed
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto directed the free issuance of NIC which practice
continued during his tenure. The procedure and the fee hence forth being
extracted for obtaining NIC is harsh, cumbersome, and tantamount to denial
of the NIC to the citizens of Pakistan.
(e) That the preliminary electronic voters list is not being supplied to the
petitioner and other political parties despite repeated requests not only at
their end but also by the NDI and CCE. The display centers are an apology of
the process as the same are neither available in most of the rural union
councils nor is the staff present and the requisite forms are equally
unavailable. The ECP has declined to furnish copy of the preliminary
electronic voters list without which the political parties as well as the
eligible voters are completely at a loss to decipher whether there names are
reflected on the lists or not. Even the ECP has failed to conduct the
effective public awareness campaign. The public has little information about
the display centers where the hard copies of the voter lists are supposedly
being displayed. The exact location ad telephone numbers are not provided to
the general public without which the use of such centers is meaningless. The
ECP has time and again asked to engage in dialogue with the parties, provide
information and updates on the electoral process but the stake holders are
completely denied such a round table conference which was essentially
required for rendering the transparency to the electoral process.
(f) That the petitioner and other stake holders have constantly represented
and requested that the preliminary electronic list may be displayed on the
Web Site of the ECP from which it could be downloaded/viewed by the parties
for undergoing the process of correction, rectification, etc. However, even
such a request was turned down.
(g) That the petitioner and other political parties besides the NDI and the
CCE had also besieged the ECP to provide to all political parties the
computerized list in electronic format, which has unfortunately also been
turned down. It has been an informed that the final computerized list would
be available for sale the price of which is estimated 5 million rupees.
Obviously, such an exorbitant and excessive amount would be beyond the reach
of many political and social organizations, and this would tantamount to the
denial of the final computerized lists.
(h) That the political parties and the public at large are clamoring for
their right of enrollment of the eligible voters in the computerized lists
being finalized by the ECP. Although the time is running out and over 3
crore voted need to be registered, the respondents remain unmoved. Needless
to mention that Article 4 of the constitution confers inalienable right upon
every citizen to enjoy the protection of law and to be treated in accordance
with law, wherever he maybe. Similarly, under Article 25 of the constitution
all citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of
law. Consequently depriving one third of the eligible voters from being
enlisted as voters and depriving them of their right of franchise is
negation of the inalienable and fundamental rights conferred and guaranteed
upon the people of Pakistan.
(i) That such process of eliminating huge number of voters from the 3
provinces and increasing the number of voted in Baluchistan are clearly acts
of malafide amounting to perpetuating the illegitimate existing regime which
came into power through usurpation of peoples rights. In case such
manipulated lists are made the basis of lections in the country the process
would be bereft of constitutional, legal, and moral premises and would not
be acceptable to the people of Pakistan. Such a fraud perpetrated would
endanger the very federation and be detrimental to the interest of Pakistan.
PRAYER:
It is therefore respectfully prayed that the respondents be directed to
update the computerized/ electronic voters lists to encompass the names of
all persons entitled to vote in terms of Article 51 (2) of The Constitution
of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
It is further prayed that non registration of votes of the entitled voters
conditioned to the availability of the NIC issued by NADRA may be declared
as without lawful authority and of no legal consequence.
It is further prayed that the respondent no. 1and 2 be directed to furnish
copy of the computerized/electronic voters list to the petitioner and other
political parties free of cost and also have the same displayed on the Web
Site of the ECP so as to facilitate the downloading of the same by the
stakeholders.
It is further prayed that till the decision of this petition the final
computerized/electronic may be held in abeyance.
Any other writ, relief or direction expedient in the interest of justice may
also be issued in vindication of the grievances afforerefered.
PETITIONER
THROUGH
1. SARDAR MUHAMMAD LATIF KHAN KHOSA
SENIOR ADVOCATE SUPREME COURT OF PAKISTAN
2. FAROOQ H. NAEK
ADVOCATE SUPREME COURT OF PAKISTAN
3. SARDAR KHURRAM KHAN KHOSA
ADVOCATE SUPREME COURT OF PAKISTAN
25 June 2007
Mohtarma Bhutto calls
for elimination of torture
State sponsored kidnapping and illegal detention also mental torture
Islamabad June 26,
2007: "The International Day for the prevention of torture should
serve as a reminder that Pakistan is among the countries where the state
agencies routinely torture citizens with impunity and that the practice must
come to an end", said former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a
statement today.
She said that kidnapping and holding in illegal custody of citizens by the
agencies was also a form of mental torture and deplorable adding, "it has
necessitated that the agencies be urgently brought under the ambit of law.
She said that the regime in Pakistan not only tolerated but also appeared to
even promote it by turning a blind eye to the mysterious kidnapping of
people by agencies that then falsely deny the charges before the courts of
law.
The agencies deny kidnappings and torture only because the regime has taken
the position before the courts that the operations of the state's
intelligence agencies were beyond the control and oversight of the Defence
and Interior Ministries, she said.
Mohtarma Bhutto said that the police force also needed to be reformed to
abjure the use of torture as an instrument of extraction of confession. The
objective of elimination of torture will not be achieved unless the police
is modernised and properly educated to respect the law and the Constitution.
Mohtarma Bhutto also called for the release of Akhtar Mengal, Makhdoom Javed
Hashmi, Zain Bugti and other detainees who have still not been release.
The former Prime Minister also called for the signing of the Convention
Against Torture (CAT) as a critical step in eliminating torture and holding
accountable those who resort to it.
Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto raises several concerns with the Election Commission
Reiterates demand for Voter lists in electronic format
Islamabad, 25 June
2007: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples
Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has reiterated the demand for voters lists in
electronic format asking the Chief Election Commission of Pakistan to fulfil
the promise and the constitutional obligation of holding fair elections so
that "Pakistan can stand tall in the comity of Nations as having made the
transition to democracy by accepting true will of the people".
She said this in a letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner that
was delivered to him in the office by Amir Fida Pirach MPA.
The letter was in response to the June 20 letter of the Election Commission
to Mohtarma Bhutto giving reply to the June 16 letter of Chairperson PPP on
the issue of voters lists in which she had asked that the lists be put on
the web page of Election Commission and also provide a nationwide electoral
list to the PPP in electronic format.
She said that the answers given by the EC in its letter of June 20 failed to
remedy the defects pointed out in her letter of June 16, 2007 adding "The
PPP has a different view and would like the ECP's decisions reviewed".
She said that the PPP finds it impossible to verify voters lists in hard
copies in 45,000 centres across the Country. Moreover reports indicate that
the lists are either not available or the most display centres are not open
in up to 40 percent of the centres.
Secondly, with the generous money given by USAID for computerization of the
electoral rolls, the political parties would like copies of those electoral
rolls both at the preliminary and final stages, she said adding that the law
does not forbid the ECP from doing so. The ECP broke with past practice when
it took money from donors to prepare electronic rolls. Therefore it can also
break with past practice to provide electronic copies of the electoral rolls
to the stakeholders who are the political parties and civil society, she
said.
She also said that the law does not bar the ECP from placing provisional or
final voters lists on its Webpage. Judicial discretion can be used to
further transparency where the law is silent on an issue, she said.
She said that the fact that the ECP intends to put voters lists on the
Website is welcome. Since the ECP is receiving funds from international
donors, we would like the fee for providing the lists waived, she said. At
that stage, however, we will not be left with time to run verification tests
and remedy the flaws, she said.
"Voters need to know where to go to cast their votes. Therefore we would
like to have on the ECP Web page well in advance the name of the voter
against their area and the name of the area against the polling station
where the voter is to cast vote. We would like any changes made to the
location of polling stations and the change of the area assigned to a
polling station posted on the Web page"
She said that the law does not prevent the ECP from providing draft
electoral rolls to the political parties. "If the PPP is mistaken, kindly
inform us of the law which the ECP is relying as well as the wording of that
law if possible within a week".
She expressed concern that an estimated 27 million plus voters names have
not been entered in the electoral rolls on the grounds that they do not have
a NADRA Identity card. However, they do have other government issued
identity cards, she said.
"Article 51 (2) of the Constitution of Pakistan gives the right to vote to
every adult Pakistani. Section 6 of the Electoral Rolls Act 1974 also
enjoins upon the Registration Officer the very obligation to enroll as a
voter, a citizen of Pakistan who is not less than 18 years. Such enrolment
is not dependant upon the prior production of NADRA ID card. Electoral rolls
in Section 8 of the Act ibid does not postulate any condition of non entry
in such list.
"A division bench of the Lahore High Court struck down an amendment in the
Representation of Peoples Act 1976, when in Section 33 it was provided that
the voter shall not be issued the ballot paper unless he produces National
Identity Card, (PLD 1989 Lah.1) as it was found contrary to the
constitutional right of citizen of Pakistan. Even the Apex Court (SC) held
that the constitutional right cannot be whittled down by any subordinate
legislation (1985 SCMR 365).
"The Representation Act 1973 does not carry any stipulation to make it
pre-requisite for registration of vote or right of franchise of a citizen of
Pakistan. The entire edifice of Parliamentary democracy and the 1973
Constitution depends upon facilitating the eligible people of Pakistan to
cast their votes. I recall that the late Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto had directed the free issuance of National Identity Cards which
practice continued during his tenure. It would be proper that free National
Identity Cards are made available to all eligible citizens of Pakistan.
"Missing Voters: The 2002 voters list enrolled 71.86 million voters. This
should have increased to 82 million. Instead a shortfall of 27 million
slashes 33% voters in the draft computerized voters lists. This is an
alarming state of affairs.
"The PPP asks that judicial discretion be exercised by the ECP on the side
of the framers of the constitution and the internationally recognized right
of universal right to vote. An election with one-third of the voters
debarred from voting would not be fair. Kindly take steps to rectify this",
the letter said.
PPP extends last date
for applications for Party Tickets
Decision taken in light of demand of aspiring candidates
Islamabad June 25,
2007: Secretary General of the PPP Jehangir Bader has said that
last date for applications for Party tickets for the National and Provincial
Assemblies that expired on June 25 (today) has been extended until July 1.
In a statement today he said that in view of the overwhelming response and
the demand of aspiring candidates the Party chairperson had agreed to extend
the date for filing application for Party tickets.
He said that the application must be typed, contain a brief bio-data, an
attested copy of a Bachelor’s degree, Photostat copy of Party membership and
a non refundable fee by Bank Draft/Pay Order made out in name of Pakistan
People Party of Thirty Thousands Rupees for National Assembly applicants and
Twenty Five Thousands Rupees for Provincial Assembly applicants.
Successful applicants will need to fulfil other conditions including an
affidavit and a fee for award of symbol, as already notified.
He said that final Parliamentary Board will meet in London presided by the
Chairperson in July. All members of Central Executive Committee and Federal
Council in good standing will be members of the Board. All provincial
presidents, secretaries, leaders of opposition, deputy leader of opposition,
provincial presidents of women’s wing will be attending the Parliamentary
Board. Divisional presidents, district president and district secretary are
also invited for their division/district.
Booking Lal Masjid
Clerics under terrorism welcomed only if true
Islamabad June 25,
2007: Former Interior Minister and a central PPP leader Major
General (retired) Naseerullah Babar has said that booking the Lal Masji
clerics under terrorism laws would be welcomed only if the regime pursued it
vigorously and punished the terrorists wearing Islamic mask.
According to press reports two top cleric brothers of Lal Masjid namely
Maulana Abdul Aziz and Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi and nearly 70 students of
the Madressah Hafsa were booked by the Islamabad police on charges of
terrorism for kidnapping of nine persons including six Chinese women and
keeping them in illegal confinement.
In a statement today the former Interior Minister however apprehended that
the press reports about booking the clerics under terrorism charges may have
been planted only to serve as a false assurance on the eve of Interior
Minister’s forthcoming visit to China. He asked the civil society to closely
monitor and pressure the regime to pursue the case against the clerics.
“The Party is deeply concerned and condemns the brazen act of militancy and
lawlessness against the citizens of Pakistan’s great friend China and the
regime’s inexplicable inaction to bring the perpetrators to justice”.
He said that it appeared that the regime had abandoned its responsibility
and yielded before the fanatics and extremists not only in the tribal and
settled areas of the country but even the federal capital Islamabad.
He said that the emergence of Al Badar and Al Shams groups on the political
horizon played havoc in 1971 leading to the break-up of the country. Groups
like Lashkar-e-Islami (LI), Lashkar e Tayyaba and Jaish Mohammad and the Lal
Masjid brigade were now playing havoc with the country and harming our
relations with foreign powers, he said.
General Babar warned that if the fire ignited by religious militancy was not
extinguished it would enflame the whole country.
“If elections are rigged again to keep the PPP and its allies out, the
forces that enabled the taliban to regroup in the tribal areas and allowed
extremist groups to spread as far as Islamabad will be strengthened to the
detriment of Quaid e Azam's vision of Pakistan as a federal, democratic and
moderate state and threaten the way of life of our people and the destiny of
our nation”.
He said that unless thirty million voters who had been struck off the
electoral lists by the Election Commission were allowed to vote, the
elections would be fraudulent and would appear to be deliberately engineered
to cater to likes of the clerics of Lal Masjid.
Mohtarma Bhutto asks
workers to expose flaws in voters' lists
Islamabad, June
23,2007: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan
Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has asked Party workers, office
bearers and ticket holders to minutely examine the provisional voters lists,
point out the serious flaws in it and insist on a revision of the lists to
include the names of missing voters and delete the ghost voters in it.
The Election Commission claims to have put on display provisional voters
lists and invited claims and objections by July 3. However reports indicate
that lists are not available on 40% of the sites.
In a statement today the former Prime Minister said that accurate voters
list was the first step for ensuring fair elections. However, the
provisional lists prepared by the EC are seriously flawed as 27 million
voters have been deleted compared to the list issued in 2007.
Mohtarma Bhutto directed the Party cadres to hold regular meetings to enroll
voters and to eliminate ghost voters' from the lists.
PPP asked the ECP to put the provisional electoral lists on the web page of
the Electoral Commission Lists and provide a nationwide electoral list to
the Pakistan Peoples Party in electronic format.
However, neither the ECP has called a roundtable of the stakeholders nor
lists in electronic format have been provided to the parties even though
international donors have funded it generously for the purpose.
Mohtarma called upon PPP office bearers to take up inspection of voters list
as well as addition, deletion of voters name with enthusiasm and dedication.
Mohtarma Bhutto also directed the Party's Election Cell to keep a close eye
on the process and prepare daily reports on the issue.
Army officers accused
of irregularities: Defence Housing Authority scheme
By Amir Wasim
ISLAMABAD, June
22: Opposition members of the National Assembly on Friday alleged
that senior army officers were involved in serious “irregularities and
financial corruption” in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) scheme in
Lahore and a provincial minister was acting as a front man for them.
Speaking at a news conference at the Parliament House cafeteria, Liaqat
Baloch and Farid Ahmed Piracha of the Muttahida Majlis-i- Amal (MMA),
Khawaja Mohammad Asif of the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) and Syed
Khurshid Shah of the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) alleged that the
DHA administration was causing billions of rupees loss to the national
exchequer in connivance with senior army officers and government-backed
private developers.
The opposition leaders said that Park View Cooperative Housing Society (PVCHS)
was merged into the DHA on December 30, 2006 in violation of the Societies
Cooperative Act as no permission was sought from any member of the society
before this merger. They claimed that several people had already lost their
lives in the clashes between the PVCHS and local land owners. They said a
large number of cases were still pending in courts.
The opposition leaders said that the total area of PVCHS in the documents
had been shown as 7,200 kanals whereas more than 2,800 kanal was not owned
by the PVCHS. They alleged that the society had already sold plots on these
2,800 kanals and now the DHA had started receiving Rs800,000 per kanal as
development charges from the people. They claimed that the total amount
being collected as development charges would amount to Rs12 billion, and it
would go into the pockets of a Punjab Minister, the DHA officials and some
senior army officers who had brokered the deal.
They further said that the DHA had prepared a plan to construct 10-marla
houses with the price of Rs7.4 million on this disputed land and its booking
would be starting on Saturday morning. They alleged that 100 kanals of the
land which had earlier been reserved for the construction of an interchange
near Lahore Airport had been given to the DHA in violation of rules.
The opposition leaders termed the DHA as the “biggest land mafia” of real
estate saying it had not paid any tax to the provincial government or the
cantonment boards.
Khwaja Asif said that those so-called politicians who were accumulating
wealth through illegal acts were preparing to “ buy” next elections.
Farid Piracha said that billions of rupees had been stuck up in DHA, Gwadar
and Bahria projects. He said that people knew name of each and every general
who were involved in these scams.
Syed Khurshid Shah said that the country had been run by several mafias such
as stock market, sugar and cement for the last eight years. These mafias, he
said, were present all over the country and operating under the regimes
patronage.
PPP to challenge
voters’ list in SC
By Amir Wasim
ISLAMABAD, June 22: The People’s Party
Parliamentarians has decided to challenge the voters’ list prepared by the
Election Commission in the Supreme Court.
The party will also set up a protest camp outside the EC to denounce
large-scale discrepancies in the list.
This was announced by head of the PPP’s Central Election Monitoring Cell
Senator Latif Khosa while briefing reporters after a meeting here on Friday.
Mr Khosa said the protest camp would be set up next week and the PPP leaders
and workers would observe a token hunger strike against the EC for preparing
the faulty voters’ list.
He said they would file the petition in the SC before July 3 objections and
applications for corrections in the voters’ list. He said the SC would be
asked to stop the EC from publishing the final list of the voters.
Mr Khosa said they had lost confidence in Chief Election Commissioner Qazi
Mohammad Farooq as he had failed to respond to their genuine demands.
Benazir Bhutto’s
birthday celebrated with the rain
Staff Report
KARACHI:
The first of the monsoon rains showered PPP workers, supporters and leader
who had gathered Thursday at Kakri Ground to celebrate Benazir Bhutto’s 54th
birthday.
“Thank God! The temperature will go down,” said a sloganeering worker with a
sigh of relief. Hundreds of supporters gathered in Lyari Town’s Kakri Ground
during the PPP chairperson’s birthday to show their strength, even though
the scorching heat kept many stay away.
Raza Rabbani, leader of the opposition in the Senate, former defense
minister Aftab Shaban Mirani, former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, leader of
the opposition in the Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, MNAs Nabil Gabol
and Dr Fehmida Mirza, former federal minister Prof. ND Khan, and MPAs Murad
Shah, Shazi Mari, Shama Mithani, former district nazim Larkana Khursheed
Junejo, Zafar Leghari, and others, cut the cake.
The workers chanted the slogan: ‘Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Now, Benazir
will rule Pakistan’. Rabbani, Shah, Khuhro and Nabil Gabol spoke to the
workers and vowed to continue their struggle against the regime. “This is
the President General Pervez Musharraf’s last year. Start preparing for
elections,” stated Raza Rabbani. He criticized the present’s government
budget calling it ‘anti-people’ and ‘pro-the rich’.
“Welcome the rainfall. It is a gesture showing that Benazir Bhutto will
return to Pakistan soon and lead you in person,” said Qaim Ali Shah. He said
that democracy will prevail and that democratic people will crush
dictatorship.
Gabol said that the people of Lyari have again proved that Lyari is the
stronghold of Bhutto’s followers. “We’ll not let Lyari go to anti-Bhutto
groups. The people of Lyari are committed supporters of the PPP and no other
party would be able to replace the PPP here,” he vowed. Rainfall made the
PPP leaders shorten their speeches and conclude the celebration within an
hour and a half. Otherwise, PPP leaders would have addressed the workers
till late night.
Benazir’s book
lauched in Lahore
LAHORE: The book launching ceremony of
“Wither Pakistan, Dictatorship or Democracy” was held on Thursday. The book
is a compilation of speeches by Benazir Bhutto on her ideology, edited and
compiled by Iqbal Narejo.
Intellectuals, members of nongovernmental organisations, Bar Council members
and People’s Party leaders participated to discuss the ideology of PPP. Shah
Mahmood Qureshi, President of PPP Punjab said at the occasion that it was
the time to give a proper line of action to people so that their efforts to
instate rights could be actualised. He added that the book defined ways to
be adopted in order to become a proud nation. He said intellectuals always
played an important role in creating awareness. Dr Iqbal Narejo said at the
occasion that Benazir was a politician cum intellectual who had a vision
that was communicated at an international level, which scared politicians,
which was why she was exiled. Qasim Zia, Opposition leader said PPP made no
deal with the government, as opposed to the popular rumour.
Prof Dr Imran Ali said that there was a link between the ideology of the
Benazir and the need of time. He added that her ideology was compatible with
the Western world, which was necessary for survival in the global village.
Retired General Safdar Ali Khan said that military and literature did not
have a strong connection, except for the book. He added that no system could
survive in Pakistan but the parliamentary.
Dr Mehdi Hassan, renowned intellectual, said that the party leader’s
ideology symbolized the ideology of its party workers. He said that Zulfiqar
Bhutto promised that Benazir would continue his mission, which was to fight
for to ensure the rights of people. Denying comments of general Safdar, he
said if the country survived with no system then it could survive with
socialism. He said the military ruled for about 32 years and that martial
laws weakened institutions. He said he did not recognise the current
government as a government. He said Benazir had told half the truth in her
book about terrorism and did not tell that imperialists made these terrorist
groups and were fighting against their own creation. Generals were becoming
billionaires, whereas the common man was striving to make ends meet, he
added.
Ehsan Bhoon, president of Lahore High Court (LHC) said the movement by
lawyers had become a mass movement in which people from every walk of life
contributed to ensure people’s rights and eradicate dictatorship from this
country.
Talking Points -
Voters Lists
ECP PAYS SPECIAL ATTENTION TO LARKANA:
ECP paid special attention to the constituency of Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto, Chairperson PPP and Senator Asif Ali Zardari. M ore than 250,000
voters have not been included in the fresh voter lists in Larkana district
alone. Consider: during the local bodies' elections, the number of
registered voters in Larkana was 601,200 but the new voter lists contained
349,000 names, depicting a difference of 251,000 voters.
A majority of the voters' whose names were missing was from the PPP's
constituencies, it is thus clear that the reduction in the number of voters
indicated that the government was indulging into pre-poll rigging to inflict
defeat on the PPP in the ensuing general elections.
WHERE ARE 20 MILLION MISSING VOTES? Why there is a huge decline in
the number of voters in the current, draft computerized voter list? It is
important to note that there were 71.86 million voters on the electoral
rolls used in the 2002 general elections and that this number should have
increased to around 82 million now (taking into account a 2.7 percent per
year voters population growth rate) The gap between currently registered
voters and the number to which the voting population should have risen is an
alarming 27 million or 33 percent.
WHY THERE IS LACK OF TRUST ON NEW VOTERS LIST? Majority of the
centers displaying computerized voter-lists were deserted, with each display
centre attracting 15 to 25 visitors during the past seven days in the
Peshawar, (Source:DailyTimes, June 19, 2007). The display centers have so
far received 7 to 10 complaints from voters and only 12 to 17 registration
forms have been submitted since the centers were opened. Why there is such a
huge trust deficit between ECP and people of Pakistan.
ALARMINGLY HUGE NUMBERS OF MISSING WOMEN VOTES: The number of women
voters has registered a huge decrease of 96 percent in FATA, 41 percent in
Sindh, 37 percent in Punjab and 19 percent in the Islamabad Capital
Territory (ICT) (Source: PILDAT Analysis)
ECP's FLIP-FLOP ABOUT ID-CARDS: The ECP has been saying that everyone
possessing Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) has now completed
the registration process. But, not everyone, particularly those in rural
areas, has been able to obtain this card, for a variety of reasons (mainly
related to cost and accessibility). Last year, the ECP permitted the use of
both old National Identity Cards and the new computerized ones for
registration purposes. Why can't the ECP allow the use of any of the
multiple identifications cards currently available, such as driving licenses
and passports, as this would enable many more voters to register?
BRIBES FOR REGISTRATION FORMS? Why can't the ECP make the voter
registration process both easy and affordable for all Pakistanis? In fact,
the PPP believes that the ECP should waive all fees associated with the
registration process and make registration forms downloadable as well. This
would reduce corruption, as some reports are coming in that indicate that
government employees are asking for bribes to provide these forms.
WHERE IS ELECTRONIC COPY? Why has the ECP refused to release a
preliminary, electronic copy of the voter list to Pakistani political
parties for verification purposes? If the forms are not released
immediately, then political parties and other civil society organizations
can't begin the important process of analyzing and verifying the information
currently on the lists.
FAILURE TO CONDUCT PUBLIC EFFECTIVE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN : Why has very
little information been provided to the public about the display centers
where hard copies of the voter lists are, supposedly, being displayed? Exact
locations and telephone numbers must be provided if the general public is to
make use of these centers.
WHAT'S THE HURRY? Why has the ECP established a very short time frame
(just 3 weeks) during which political parties can contest the information
currently found on the voter lists? It will simply be impossible for
analysts to traverse a rural country like Pakistan to review the lists in
such a short period.
WHY SHY AWAY FACING POLITICAL PARTIES? Why does the ECP refuse to engage
in any kind of dialogue with the parties to provide information and updates
on the electoral process?
PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR SALE? Why is the ECP demanding a large fee for
providing the hard-copies of the final voters lists to political parties and
civil society organizations? After the election is called, all political
parties are entitled to copies of the voters list. If current rules are not
changed, it is estimated that a political party will need to pay Rs. 5
million to purchase a complete a set of final voters list in hard copies
(paper printed copies).
WHY ECP IS SCARED OF VERIFICATION OF VOTERS LIST? Why are
representatives of political parties not being allowed to monitor the
ongoing activities in the data centre where the computerization and
preparation of the lists is taking place? If they are allowed to do so, it
would greatly increase the public's confidence in this process?
PPP will protect
lives and liberty of the journalists says Mohtarma Bhutto
Islamabad, 21 June
2007: Every journalist will be protected to the best ability of
the state by a Pakistan Peoples Party government, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
Chairperson PPP said in a statement today.
Condemning the murder and arrest of two journalists on June 17, 2007,
Mohtarma Bhutto said that the rise in violence against members of the media
was of deep concern to the PPP.
She said the present regime had dismally failed to protect the members of
the press or the electronic media. The former Prime Minister asked the
journalists and the media personalities to support the PPP and its allies so
that collectively stability, law and order and lives of every citizen could
be protected.
According to the reports received, Mr. Abdul Lateef Gola, a correspondent of
Daily Jang in Jafferabad city, Balochistan province was arrested on June 17,
2007 by the police officers at around 1: 00 AM from his house. His
whereabouts are unknown and the police are denying his arrest.
In another case, Mr. Noor Ahmed Solangi, a correspondent of the daily,
Khabroon, in Kingree, Sindh province was shot dead by six men riding on
motorcycles. He was struck by nine bullets from an A. K-47 and died
instantly. It was reported in the local press that deceased had received
threats from the tribal leaders of a tribe who are members of the Muslim
League Q, a political party in the regime of General Musharraf.
Mohtarma Bhutto vows
not to waver in her struggle for democracy and peoples' rights
Islamabad June 20,
2007: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan
Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has said that she has not wavered even
for a moment in her commitment to democracy and rights of the people and
shall not ever waver.
"How can I waver when I have the support of my brothers and sisters, the
workers and jiyalas who have stood shoulder to shoulder with me in facing
tyranny", she said in a message to the Party workers on the occasion of her
54th birthday falling on Thursday June 21.
She also called for the immediate release of all political leaders and
workers who have been incarcerated for their political beliefs.
She also paid tributes to the workers saying "Inshallah we will write
history with our sweat, blood and tears to ensure that our people can have a
glorious future at peace with themselves and with their neighbours"
Following is the text of her message
Mohtarma Bhutto's Message
On her 54 birthday
June 21, 2007
I wish to thank the Party workers and well-wishers who are observing my
birthday.
As I look back on the past I realise how far the Party workers and I have
travelled together through tortuous course from the dark days of the
military coup in 1977.
When the arrest and imprisonment of Quaid e Awam catapulted me into politics
I never realised that this would be a lifelong commitment. We all hoped
Quaid e Awam would be freed and able to lead our country once again.
Tragically for the nation, he was killed.
As I look back I also recall the pledge made during my last meeting with
Quaid e Awam to continue his mission for a democratic Federation, banish
dictatorship and emancipate the people from poverty and bondage.
I have not wavered even for a moment in the commitment that I made on that
fateful day. Nor shall I ever waver. How can I waver when I have the support
of my brothers and sisters, the workers and jiyalas who have stood shoulder
to shoulder with me in facing tyranny.
Together we faced bullets, tear gas, baton charges, imprisonment and
repression; together we have stood strong and together we will triumph.
Together we have triumphed over one dictatorship. Together Inshallah we will
triumph over the present dictatorship.
On this day as our workers observe my birthday I take pride in reiterating
my faith in the people and in the jiyalas of the PPP who have kept the
banner of truth, justice and the people flying high. The workers of the PPP
are the true strength and treasure of the Party. Your political awareness
and your commitment is the driving force.
On this occasion, I call for the immediate release of all political leaders
and workers who have been incarcerated for their political beliefs. I think
of all our leaders who have endured many a cold winter of exile. I call for
their return to their homeland in safety and in
dignity.
On this occasion my thoughts go to the downtrodden and desperate people of
Pakistan who are hoping for light at the end of a long and dark tunnel; to
those who dream of a better future for their children. I hope and pray their
dreams of a better tomorrow come true.
To them I say that I and the PPP will stand by you through thick and thin.
We will complete the mission of Quaid e Azam and Quaid e Awam whose life was
dedicated to giving each of our citizens' respect, dignity and honour.
Inshallah we will write history with our sweat, blood and tears to ensure
that our people can have a glorious future at peace with themselves and with
their neighbours.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
PPP Calls for
Dismissal of Minister who Justified Suicide Bombings
Islamabad: June
20, 2007: Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has called upon
the Musharaf regime to dismiss a Cabinet minister who justified suicide
attacks on a British citizen.
Mohtarma said that the Minister, Ejaz ul Haq, son of a previous military
dictator who had patronized extremist groups, had done a great disservice
both to the image of Islam and the standing of Pakistan by calling for
murder of foreign citizens.
Mohtarma said that while the sentiments of a majority of the Muslims was
outraged that the author of the Satanic Verses received a knighthood, Islam
did not permit murder and nor did the law allow suicide killings for those
with divergent views no matter how abhorrent those views may be.
Mohtarma said that the PPP was disturbed that the sensitivity shown to other
social groups was not being extended to Muslims. However, PPP would make its
views known politically and peacefully.
Mohtarma said that Islam clearly preaches tolerance through the teaching,
“You shall have your religion and I shall have mine”.
Mohtarma noted that this was the second time round that the Musharaf aide
had justified suicide killings. Moreover as Minister of Religious affairs he
had appointed the cleric of the Red Mosque under whose influence are the
militant madrassas known as Jamia Hafsa and Jamia Fareedia.
The cleric has publicly disclosed that the Madrassas house suicide bombers
who can be sent out to create havoc.
Given the statements of the Minister justifying suicide attacks as well as
his connection with the Red Mosque, Mohtarma said that the Musharaf regime
should sack the minister or will be seen as covertly fueling extremism while
preaching moderation.
Mohtarma called upon the authorities to investigate the links of the
Minister with suicide bombers. She noted that the press had made corruption
allegations against the minister. Mohtarma said that it was essential to
investigate those corruption allegations to ascertain whether corrupt acts
had been committed and whether proceeds of those corrupt acts had been
funneled towards terrorism through patronage of the Red Mosque and the
affiliated political Madrassas which had confessed to housing suicide
bombers.
Mohtarma said it was strange that the Red Mosque cleric admitted housing
suicide bombers, the Minister justified suicide bombings and the Musharaf
regime neither investigated the Minister nor took steps to identify and stop
the suicide bombers.
According to media reports, Mohammed Ijaz Ul Haq, Pakistan's religious
affairs minister, said Monday of Rushdie's knighting that: "The West is
accusing Muslims of extremism and terrorism. If someone exploded a bomb on
his body he would be right to do so unless the British government apologizes
and withdraws the 'sir' title."
When he found that the press had printed his remarks, Ul Haq tried on
Tuesday to water down his comments by claiming that he meant only that the
award could be used as a justification for suicide attacks.
Musharraf disliked for his
authoritarianism
Professor Haqqani rebuts claims in WSJ article about Musharraf
Islamabad June 18, 2007: Professor Hussain Haqqani has said that General
Musharraf is disliked for being an authoritarian ruler who took power in a
military coup and has since refused to fulfil his promises of a transition
to democracy. “The current protests against him were triggered by his
arbitrary firing of Pakistan’s Chief Justice”.
He said this in a rejoinder article to the Wall Street Journals rebutting
the contention of a correspondent Arthur Herman on June 14 that Musharraf
was good for Pakistan but was hated only by Mohtarma Bhutto and the elite
because Musharraf belonged to the immigrant community whose family migrated
from India in the wake of partition in 1947.
“If Musharraf had been good for Pakistan, as Mr. Herman claims, the people
in all provinces would not have been marching in the streets against him”,
Prof Haqqani said.
“General Musharraf is not hated for being from the immigrant Muhajir
community, to which I also belong”, he said adding, “The very fact that
Musharraf rose within the army’s officers corps to become its chief, before
becoming President through a coup, belies the assertion that other ethnic
groups cannot stand the sight of a Muhajir wielding power. Pakistan has had
a Muhajir President and at least two Muhajir prime ministers in its short
history of six decades”.
Haqqani also rejected Herman’s contention that if the US withdrew support
from Musharraf it could lead to a take over by the Taliban like elements. He
said, “The Taliban have made greater inroads in Pakistan under Musharraf and
military rule. A democratic government, backed by the US and fully supported
in counter-terrorism operations by the Pakistan military, would most likely
reverse the rise of the Taliban”.
Rejecting the allegations of corruption against her Haqqani said, Ms Bhutto
was removed from power through soft coups and charges of incompetence and
mismanagement are routinely leveled by coup-makers against elected
governments they topple. “The allegations of corruption against her, though
repeated often, have not been proven in any court of law. In any case, her
alleged flaws do not justify continued military rule and the consequent rise
of Islamist extremism in Pakistan”.
Professor Haqqani is Director of Centre for
International Relations, Boston University
Following is the text of Prof Haqqani’s article.
Arthur Herman’s letter attacking Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto
(Why Bhutto and the Elites Hate Musharraf, June 14) reflects the willingness
to take a position without detailed knowledge of Pakistani history and
politics. Expertise in Anglo-American history or even on Gandhi and
Churchill does not make Mr. Herman an expert on Pakistan
Benazir Bhutto’s support base in Pakistan is the rural and urban poor, not
the country’s elites, even if Ms Bhutto comes from an elite family herself.
Her Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has won two general elections under her
leadership. Even in the 2002 election organized by General Musharraf, the
PPP secured the largest number of votes notwithstanding Ms Bhutto’s absence
from the country and Musharraf’s allegations of corruption against her.
Ms Bhutto was removed from power through soft coups and charges of
incompetence and mismanagement are routinely leveled by coup-makers against
elected governments they topple. The allegations of corruption against her,
though repeated often, have not been proven in any court of law. In any
case, her alleged flaws do not justify continued military rule and the
consequent rise of Islamist extremism in Pakistan.
General Musharraf is not hated for being from the immigrant Muhajir
community, to which I also belong. The Muhajirs played a critical role in
Pakistan’s creation and remain a powerful community, and we are not an
endangered minority or “third-class citizens” as Mr. Herman portrays us. The
very fact that Musharraf rose within the army’s officers corps to become its
chief, before becoming President through a coup, belies Mr. Herman’s
assertion that other ethnic groups cannot stand the sight of a Muhajir
wielding power. Pakistan has had a Muhajir President and at least two
Muhajir prime ministers in its short history of six decades.
The reason why Musharraf faces popular opposition has little to do with his
foreign policy or ethnic origin. He is disliked for being an authoritarian
ruler who took power in a military coup and has since refused to fulfil his
promises of a transition to democracy. The current protests against him were
triggered by his arbitrary firing of Pakistan’s Chief Justice. If Musharraf
had been good for Pakistan, as Mr. Herman claims, the people in all
provinces would not have been marching in the streets against him.
Pakistan’s economy has indeed grown under Musharraf but it also grew under
his civilian predecessors, albeit at a slower rate. The success of the
capitalist spirit in Pakistan reflects the nation’s entrepreneurship and
hard work and should not be invoked as an argument against democratic rule.
Ms Bhutto’s call for an orderly transition to democracy is unlikely to pave
the way for a Taliban-like takeover of Pakistan. The Taliban have made
greater inroads in Pakistan under Musharraf and military rule. A democratic
government, backed by the US and fully supported in counter-terrorism
operations by the Pakistan military, would most likely reverse the rise of
the Taliban.
Mr. Herman is also wrong in his account of the fall of Iran’s Shah. The Shah
of Iran did not fall from power simply because the United States withdrew
its support. He fell because he was a despot who failed to allow fundamental
freedoms and antagonized his own people. The reason Ayatollah Khomeini
succeeded him rather than a democratic politician was that the Shah had
eliminated all viable pro-western democratic politicians. The US had put all
its eggs in the Shah’s basket, like Mr. Herman would have the US do in
Musharraf’s case.
Wherever the US has supported a viable democratic opposition against a
despot (e.g. at the end of the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines and in
the transition after Augusto Pinochet in Chile) U.S. interests have remained
protected even after the pro-US dictator lost power. The successors to both
Mr. Marcos and Gen. Pinochet may have been flawed in the eyes of scholars
such as Mr. Herman but they managed effective transitions from
authoritarianism to democracy. Ms Bhutto, too, is expected by many in
Pakistan and abroad to do the same.
PPP Demands a Consolidated
Provisional Voters List
Declares provisional voters list dubious and inaccurate.
Islamabad, June 16, 2007: The Pakistan Peoples Party has questioned the
accuracy and credibility of the provisional voters list issued in piecemeal
form by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The provisional voters list issued by the ECP early this week misses at
least 20million voters. In the list for the city of Lahore alone, the number
of voters has gone down by 1.1million. Another 200,000 voters have failed to
find their names in the list in district Nawabshah. An EC official himself
admitted that 5mn voters in Sindh failed to make it to the voters list as
they did not possess the CNIC.
Commenting on the ECP's exercise of opening up display centres to put out
disaggregated provisional lists only for each district, the Central
Information Secretary Pakistan Peoples Party criticised the non-transparent
and non-consultative nature of the whole process. "The entire voters
registration process is replete with irregularities and there are double
entries as well as huge numbers of missing voters at every level. The ECP
has been highly ambiguous all through the process and most shockingly, has
kept the biggest stakeholders, the mainstream political parties, outside the
ambit of the exercise. There is little point in making pilot projects out of
two Display Centres to show to international monitors when the consolidated
provisional list even at this stage remains mysteriously unavailable."
Rehman pointed out that the ECP also refused to allow access to the
monitoring bodies and the members of the opposition to database centres
conducting the data entry of the new voters despite repeated requests. "In
the latest development, the ECP has declined to provide the opposition
members the electronic copy of the total provisional list, on the vague
pretext that the constitution doesn't oblige the ECP to do so. With just 21
days given by the ECP to review the draft, it is next to impossible for the
political parties or civil society organisations to travel to remote areas
of Pakistan and conduct research into the discrepancies of the draft in each
district."
Rehman also questioned the ECP's refusal to hand out a consolidated list at
the provisional stage. "Firstly the ECP has a duty to provide the list free
of cost to anybody as the voters registration exercise was funded by the
taxpayers and the donor bodies, and not from General Musharraf's personal
account. Secondly, we, in the opposition, want the electronic copy of the
preliminary version in one place for the whole of Pakistan, and not the
'final' version since as peoples' representatives and stakeholders in the
system, it is our right to check the accuracy of the provisional list. If
the ECP has indeed done its job with honesty, why is it turning down our
requests for the electronic copy of the consolidated lists?"
Rehman said that that the PPP has been repeatedly asking for a consolidated
provisional list so it can check for double entries from the 2002 list, as
well as for thousands of missing voters, but not only did the ECP ignore the
PPP's 36 point paper on electoral reform needed, they also disregarded any
suggestions or concerns raised by the PPP at different platforms regarding
the flaws in the registration process. "As a result, you get a faulty
voters' list that misses swathes of population. The ECP officials themselves
had admitted that there are over 78 million voters and the number was set to
rise to 80mn by the election year. Why then, does the new list carry only
around 50mn voters."
Rehman said that the ECP's earlier announcement and the subsequent
withdrawal of the compulsion of the CNIC for the voters' registration has
created a lot of confusion. "Despite the withdrawal of the condition, a
significant portion of the population has been left out of the enlistment
process for reasons best known to the ECP. According to an IRC survey 40 to
50 percent of the voters, including a large majority of women, did not
possess the CNIC and were not enrolled in the list. If indeed the ECP had
lifted the CNIC condition why was such a whopping majority left out of the
registration process," Rehman asked.
"We have repeatedly demanded that rather than the CNIC or NIC, any other
government document such as passport, rural credit pass or driver's license
should be accepted for registration and voting." Rehman said that voters'
registration is the first step to elections and the regime's non-commitment
to the cause of holding free and fair elections is evident from
irregularities evident in the voters' registration process.
Rehman also observed that another reason for the decrease in the registered
voters is that the registration staff failed to carry out the job assigned
to it. "There have been complaints from all across the country that the
personnel deputed did not go door-to-door to register voters. Instead, for
many areas, they relied on the information provided by the individual in the
area that they were staying with. Similarly, despite repeated requests by
the opposition members, the ECP never provided mobile vans for the rural
areas to enable them to participate in the registration process."
Rehman said that the highly dubious manner in which the entire registration
procedure was carried out coupled with the ECP's refusal to allay the
oppositions concerns renders the entire exercise futile. "Many of the
display centres were closed on the first day. Many did not allow
stakeholders to check the lists, and all centres have yielded huge
discrepancies so far. We cannot have confidence in this process unless our
concerns are duly noted and acted upon at this stage. Three months later it
will be too late."
Witness asks
Washington for public statements in defence of Pakistani democracy
Islamabad June 16, 2007: A witness before a Congressional hearing into human
rights called on June 14 for public statements from the US administration
and Congress supporting judicial independence.
Raising the issue of events in Pakistan during his testimony on June 14,
2007, Mr Tom Malinowski Advocacy Director Human Rights Watch said, “We
desperately need, in the coming days, clear, public statements from both the
administration and the Congress urging full respect for the rule of law and
judicial independence in Pakistan, the release of political detainees, media
freedom, and a swift return to civilian, democratic rule".
Mr. Malinowski said, "This shouldn’t be about whether the United States
supports or opposes a particular leader - but it needs to be, clearly and
unequivocally, about U.S. support for the institutions of democracy and
law".
Giving background, Mr. Malinowski told the congressional committee on human
rights, "There has always been a tension in American foreign policy between
the belief that promoting human rights is vital to advancing long term
American interests around the world, and the tendency to forget that belief
when short-term interests get in the way. "
Disclosing policy since 9/11, Mr. Malinowski said, "President Bush has been
arguing that promoting democratic freedoms, especially in the Muslim world,
is key to fighting terrorism”. He said, " If U.S. government’s rhetoric
about democracy is seen as a weapon it uses only against its enemies, people
around the world become cynical about everything the United States does in
the name of freedom. "
Mr. Malinowski cited Islamabad as the, "harmful, example of a human rights
double standard in American foreign policy today " He asked that Washington
not, "reinforce all of General Musharraf`s bad tendencies - not just his
authoritarian crackdown, but his growing estrangement from moderate, secular
forces in the country, his growing political reliance on Islamists, and his
consequent refusal to crack down on the Taliban elements who are killing
American and NATO troops in Afghanistan”.
He said the policy was, "killing America’s image with the next generation
of, hopefully, democratic Pakistani leaders. "
Following is the full text of the testimony
COMMITTEE TESTIMONY
June 14, 2007
Human Rights & U.S. Policy Toward Saudi Arabia, Iran and Uzbekistan
CQ ABSTRACT
SCHEDULED WITNESSES
TESTIMONY
Committee Holding Hearing:
House Foreign Affairs Committee — Subcommittee on International
Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight
CQ Abstract:
International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight Subcommittee
(Chairman Delahunt, D-Mass.) of House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a
hearing titled "Is There a Human Rights Double Standard? U.S. Policy Toward
Saudi Arabia, Iran and Uzbekistan."
Scheduled Witnesses:
Amr Hamzawy - senior associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace;
Martha Brill Olcott - senior association, Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace; Thomas Malinowski - advocacy director, Human Rights
Watch; Thomas W. Lippman - adjunct scholar, Middle East Institute
Testimony:
Statement of Tom Malinowski Advocacy Director Human Rights Watch
Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, thank you for holding this hearing
and for inviting me to testify.
You`ve asked a question today that unfortunately has a very simple answer.
Is there a human rights double standard? Yes, there is.
There has always been a tension in American foreign policy between the
belief that promoting human rights is vital to advancing long term American
interests around the world, and the tendency to forget that belief when
short-term interests get in the way.
The Bush administration has been no exception to this rule. Ever since 9/11,
President Bush has been arguing that promoting democratic freedoms,
especially in the Muslim world, is key to fighting terrorism. The president
appears to be sincere in this belief. I also think he is right. The only
sure way to defeat radical, violent groups like al Qaeda is to promote the
emergence of moderate political forces that will drown out the radicals`
message and give citizens peaceful avenues for expressing themselves. But
such forces can only thrive in politically open societies - unlike the
terrorists, they need freedom of speech and assembly, free elections and the
rule of law to survive.
Given this conviction on the part of President Bush, you`d think that the
more central a country was to the fight against terrorism, the more
vigorously the administration would promote democracy there. But more often
than not, the opposite has been true. This has been the case, to some
extent, with Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia. It`s also been true with a number
of countries not on your list, such as Russia, Ethiopia, and above all today
with <Pakistan>. The more the administration has needed another country in
the short term to capture or kill individual terrorist suspects, the less
eager it’s been to press that country to reform in ways that will dry up
support for terrorism itself.
Now, let me be clear: I don’t expect pure and perfect consistency from our
government on this or any other matter. In fact, I think that there is only
way to be perfectly consistent in life, and that is to be consistently
unprincipled. Doing the wrong thing all the time is easy. Doing the right
thing all the time is a lot harder.
And, I`d rather have a foreign policy that’s inconsistently right than one
that’s consistently wrong.
What’s more, I don’t believe that the United States should treat every human
rights violator in the world in exactly the same way. The strategies the
U.S. government chooses to promote human rights should vary from country to
country. They must take into account what will be most effective in each
particular case, and respond to the needs and desires of those who are
struggling for human rights and democracy on the ground.
That said, while American strategies may differ from country to country,
America’s voice should not. There is no reason why the United States can’t
speak honestly, clearly, and publicly about human rights to every government
in the world, whether it is friend or foe. After all, engagement is not the
same thing as endorsement - you can have a relationship with a country like
<Pakistan> or Saudi Arabia without feeling you have to defend its
government’s policies whenever they’re criticized. Yet far too often, this
is something the U.S. government forgets. Too often, American diplomats
assume that to defend America’s choice of friends in the world, they have to
defend everything those friends do - or at least be silent. Again - this
should be seen as utterly unnecessary. It is also profoundly harmful to
America’s overall human rights message in the world.
The United States is most effective in promoting liberty and human rights
when people around the world believe it is rising above narrow self interest
to defend universal ideals. If, instead, the U.S. government’s rhetoric
about democracy is seen as a weapon it uses only against its enemies, people
around the world become cynical about everything the United States does in
the name of freedom. Under such circumstances, dictators in countries like
Iran or Cuba can deflect U.S. criticism by arguing that it’s selective.
Dissidents in places like Egypt and Saudi Arabia doubt that the United
States is really on their side; they suspect it is using its freedom agenda
to mask other ends, and they're less willing to be associated with U.S.
democracy programs.
Mr. Chairman, let me close by adding one additional country to the mix here,
and that is <Pakistan>. I believe that <Pakistan> represents the most
egregious, and harmful, example of a human rights double standard in
American foreign policy today. <Pakistan> appears to have little place in
President Bush's ``freedom agenda.`` On the contrary, President Bush has
repeatedly come to the defense of his friend President Musharraf against
anyone who criticizes his continued dictatorial rule over <Pakistan>.
In recent weeks, a growing movement of Pakistanis, led by the country's
lawyers, have been peacefully demanding a return to democratic government in
the country. Last week, President Bush responded by praising Pakistani
``democracy`` and referring to the growing protests against General
Musharraf as ``posturing. `.`
These statements appear to align the United States behind one man against
virtually every decent segment of Pakistani society - against the very
people in that country who are most likely to be America's friends and to
support a moderate, modern course for <Pakistan>. This kind of approach will
reinforce all of General Musharraf`s bad tendencies - not just his
authoritarian crackdown, but his growing estrangement from moderate, secular
forces in the country, his growing political reliance on Islamists, and his
consequent refusal to crack down on the Taliban elements who are killing
American and NATO troops in Afghanistan. It is a classic case of muting
human rights concerns to protect a security relationship. But it is in fact
as contrary to U.S. security interests as it is to America's commitment to
democracy. And it is killing America’s image with the next generation of,
hopefully, democratic Pakistani leaders.
I raise this, Mr. Chairman, because it is truly an urgent example of the
problem you are focusing on today, and one that requires immediate
attention. We desperately need, in the coming days, clear, public statements
from both the administration and the Congress urging full respect for the
rule of law and judicial independence in <Pakistan>, the release of
political detainees, media freedom, and a swift return to civilian,
democratic rule. This shouldn’t be about whether the United States supports
or opposes a particular leader - but it needs to be, clearly and
unequivocally, about U.S. support for the institutions of democracy and law.
Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to testify. I look forward to
answering any questions the committee may have.
Laura I. Preissman
PPP lambastes regime for
growing power shortage
Corruption and bad governance responsible for energy crisis
Islamabad, June 16, 2007: Pakistan Peoples Party has expressed deep concern
over the growing power crisis in the country on the one hand and the apathy
of the regime to urgently address the issue on the other.
“Massive load shedding in hot summer caused by corruption, neglect and bad
governance in the power sector had made the lives of people miserable while
the regime keeps spending on un productive and white elephant projects like
building a new GHQ in Islamabad”, said a spokesperson of the Party in a
statement today.
General Musharraf has been making promises of ending load shedding for the
past several years but has failed to undertake any new major power project
thus far he said, adding “the pathetic state of power in the country mocks
at the tall claims of the regime”.
He said that the PPP government during the three-year period between 1993-96
added seven thousand megawatts to the national grid from the Independent
Power Producers (IPPs) and another 1000 MW from Ghazi Barotha hydel station
but the vested interests maligned the projects with unsubstantiated
accusations of corruption.
Musharraf regime’s power policy stands on the two legs of corruption and bad
governance. “The corruption is evident from the way KESC was privatised in a
non-transparent manner and the utility was sold to a group who reportedly
had not even seen a power plant and bad governance was evident from the
sheer neglect of the power sector during the last 8 years”.
The Party asks the regime to address the issue of power shortage on an
urgent basis instead of wasting public funds on non-productive
American Interests in
Pakistan Are Larger than One Man
by Lisa Curtis - WebMemo #1497 - June 15, 2007
Pakistan's judicial crisis, sparked by the Musharraf government's March 9
dismissal of the country's Chief Justice, has grown into a broader movement
to restore democratic, civilian rule to the country. The U.S. response to
the crisis so far has been cautious, due to concerns that political
instability in the country could jeopardize counterterrorism cooperation,
especially against Taliban and al-Qaeda forces that are re-trenching in
Pakistan's Tribal Areas. But Musharraf's popularity has slipped considerably
in recent weeks and U.S. public support for him is growing increasingly
irrelevant in the current political environment.
U.S. reluctance to speak out against curbs on civilian freedoms also risks
deepening anti-American sentiment, which Islamic extremists could exploit to
further their anti-American agendas. Blindly supporting Musharraf--who is
seeking reelection from a five-year-old parliament, while maintaining his
role as Army Chief--is not worth the cost. Instead, Washington should
encourage and support a transition to democracy.
Focus on Democratic Principles
The United States is in a position to play a positive role in encouraging a
transition to civilian-led democracy in Pakistan, without backing any
particular leader or party. A U.S. State Department spokesman's remark last
Tuesday that Pakistan should not roll back advances in press freedom was a
step in the right direction and had an immediate positive impact: Pakistan
suspended the media restrictions it had decreed the day before and dismissed
hundreds of cases against journalists who had defied a government ban on
rallies in Islamabad.
The ideal scenario is a smooth transition to democracy, with Musharraf
playing a strong role. But if Musharraf continues to respond to the current
political crisis with an increasingly autocratic hand--taking away press
freedoms and arresting opposition politicians and peaceful protesters--he
will further undermine his credibility and lessen his chances of playing a
role in any transition to civilian rule.
The Bush Administration has only dealt with a military-ruled Pakistan and
therefore has trouble envisioning an alternative. Throughout the 1990s,
there were three power centers in Pakistan: the army, the president, and the
prime minister. Today, all power is centered in one individual--President
Musharraf--an inherently unstable situation for a country with a vibrant
civil society and developed political parties. The Pakistani people have
agitated for democracy in the past, which led the military to share power
with the civilian leaders.
U.S. policymakers worry that a civilian-led government would not be
committed to the fight against terrorism, particularly in the tribal areas
bordering Afghanistan. But this fear is largely unfounded. In any new
political order, the military would retain a major role in decision-making
on security matters. The military, in turn, seeks to maintain its strong
relationship with the U.S., due at least in part to large-scale military and
economic assistance programs from the U.S., and so would continue its
counterterrorism operations. A civilian-led government with broad support
from Pakistani society could even strengthen Pakistan's support for
countering terrorism, especially if part of the civilian leader's mandate
was to halt the Talibanization of Pakistani society that has begun in the
Northwest Frontier Province.
Promote Transition to Democracy
The U.S. can help bring about a peaceful transition to civilian-led
democratic rule in Pakistan by continuing to speak in favor of civilian and
democratic freedoms. If Washington stays in step with the evolving political
situation in Pakistan and focuses on enhancing democratic institutions in
the country, its credibility with the Pakistani people will grow as it works
to encourage a peaceful transition to a civilian-led government
representative of the Pakistani people. The alternative--blindly supporting
one ruler--would likely bring greater political instability and anti-U.S.
sentiment, a dangerous mix that could threaten U.S. interests in the region
for years to come.
Lisa A. Curtis is Senior Research Fellow for South Asia in the Asian Studies
Center at The Heritage Foundation.
PPP concerned about
negative impact of budget on poor
Islamabad June 14, 2007: The Pakistan Peoples Party is concerned about the
negative effect of the Budget on the working and middle classes of Pakistan
said former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a statement today.
Noting that inflation is the main problem facing the country and recalling
that inflation is running at ten percent if not more for the last three
years consecutively she said that this was the failure of the regime's
economic policies.
Calling inflation, "the most unjust hidden tax" on wage earners and workers
as well as middle classes and traders, Mohtarma Bhutto said that never in
the past history of Pakistan was such high inflation associated with growth.
"The international aid money has not trickled down to the masses" Mohtarma
Bhutto said adding, "but instead spent on the ruling classes who are
enjoying th
