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The Rediff Interview/Benazir Bhutto
 

March 2006

1. INTRODUCTION
The military regime of General Pervaiz Musharraf cannot be expected to hold fair election given its track record during the Presidential Referendum,

General Election of 2002 and Local Elections of 2005. Here are some steps which can ensure fair elections in 2007.

2. ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES
Agencies have a major role in manipulating the election. The political wing of the ISI should be disbanded. MI, ISI, IB should be barred from meddling in elections and putting together political parties, making it a criminal offence by a civil court for any military official or intelligence official found so involved. All election monitoring centers should be disbanded. If they are not disbanded, the Election Commission should be empowered to visit all monitoring centres set up by military and intelligence agencies. These centres should be open to civil scrutiny through observers as well as have representatives of political parties.

3. Candidates Qualification Criteria
In the 2002 election candidates were required to be college graduates and certain madrassah certificates, (high school degrees) were declared to be equivalent of University degrees. This is a highly controversial and selective screening mechanism for the democratic process in a country where literacy rates are low. It amounts to disenfranchising a large number of people from this right to contest general elections.
The second most controversial rule devised for the 2002 election was barring candidates having held Prime Minister's office twice, ignoring the fact that no candidate since 1988 has been allowed to complete any full term as PM.
The only qualification for a candidate should be that he/she be a Pakistani and 25 years of age. [The Representation of People Act, 1976, must be amended accordingly]

4. Election Observers:
Given the contentious nature of elections in Pakistan, a non-partisan monitoring body is needed to be put together from civil society to appoint observers in every polling station or as many as possible. Election Commission should permit the observers from sitting in polling booths.

5. TRANSPARENT BALLOT BOXES
Transparent Election Boxes are necessary to ensure they have not been pre-filled (although the danger of switching them during breaks for food or wash-room in the polling stations must also be examined).

6. PROTECTION OF BALLOTS
Ballots are handed by the Election Commission to the Returning Officers (RO). The RO in turn gives them to the Presiding Officers under Police protection. Some ballots are siphoned in this process. Number of ballots to each presiding officer must be numbered,

the polling list must mention the numbers of the serial. At the end of polling Presiding Officer must account to polling agents number of un-used and used serial numbers and give certificate to the same effect.

Prior to the vote, ballots are kept overnight with the ballot boxes at the residence of the Presiding Officers who take them to the polling station the following day. This presents another opportunity to siphon blank ballots. Usually the intelligence agencies or administration take the ballots to distribute to favoured candidates.

(a) Secondly during the night under orders of the intelligence agencies or of the administration or political government, boxes are pre-filled by Presiding officer's who then switch them during the day with the boxes that were actually filled.

7. CONSTITUTION OF ELECTION COMMISSION
a. There are eight key people in the Election Commission who conduct elections. These include the five members of the Election Commission namely Chief Election Commissioner and four Provincial Election Commissioners, the Secretary,

Additional Secretary and Joint Secretaries. They should be independent, neutral people preferably from Human Rights Commission of Pakistan or any other well respected NGO.

b. As the Election Commission enforces its writ through the provincial administration, the Chief Secretary and Inspector General Police in each province must be appointed by and answerable to the Election Commission in the three months of the election schedule and conclusion of polls.

8. INTERIM GOVERNMENT TO CONDUCT ROLLS
Neutral or National Government to conduct Elections on the pattern of Bangladesh is necessary to prevent political influence through use of Public media and public funds.

9. HIGH COURT CHIEF JUSTICES
Neutral Chief Justices of High Courts and neutral Registrars of High Courts are to be appointed for the election period. Election matters go first to the Election Commission and then to the High Courts where the Chief Justices and Registrars play a crucial roles. There is little use of an Independent Election Commission decision if it is to be stayed or over-turned at the High Court level where some members of the judiciary have been perceived to be partisan.

10. NEUTRAL ELECTION TRIBUNALS
The judges chosen to serve on Election Tribunals must have a reputation for

impartiality and must not have sat on high profile political cases.

11. NEUTRAL ADMINISTRATION
A neutral provincial administration is necessary to prevent politically motivated officers from influencing elections. In particular, the provincial secretaries including Home Secretary, should not be former military or intelligence officials.

12. INTELLIGENCE BUREAU
Head of IB should be a neutral and respected Police officer and not a retired Military officer. The senior officials of IB, as well as provincial officials, must not be retired military officials. The political wing of ISI and other military intelligence should be stopped from holding meetings with political leaders and otherwise interfering in the electoral process.

13. ELECTORAL LIST
The 2002 list should be used with new voters registered. The electoral list was not used in the Local Elections of 2005. Instead the NADRA list consisting of those to whom National Identity Cards have been issued was used which is extremely faulty as it does not contain the name of those large number of voters to whom identity card has not been issued.

14. POLLING STATION/PRECINCT ELECTORAL LIST
Accurate electoral rolls are critical to a free and fair election. For several general elections, the EC has not been able to revise and update electoral rolls, which disenfranchises whole swathes of voters for the exercise. It has also been a convenient method of eliminating opposition votes by simply removing voter's names. Two sets of lists are prepared. Candidates are given one voters list i.e., Precinct and Polling station-wise list, in order to dupe them into believing that all names are included on the voter list. Second lists are given to Presiding Officers which are entirely different and have 25% to 30% names missing and people are sent away on polling day, as they run here and there, looking for their names on corresponding lists. Ultimately they are unable to exercise their right to vote, as the candidates’ list has them registered at a particular polling station, but their names are missing from the Presiding officer’s list at the same polling station.

These missing votes are then added on to the establishment’s favourite candidate through ghost polling stations, hacking into the Election Commissions computer and other means.

The last date for revision of electoral rolls should be fixed at one month before the elections. Section 20 of the Electoral Rolls Act, 1974, be amended to provide that the ECP shall notify the publication and availability of the final/ revised Electoral Roll of the said constituency not later than the date of notification of the contesting candidates. There should be a penalty for not doing so.

The computerization of electoral rolls should be conducted at the District level by the DROs and be made freely available.

The Election Commission should also make public the mode, procedure and law under which the Electoral Rolls are compiled. Electoral lists should be placed on an easily accessible website. Also, the electoral list of 2002 should be used with the addition of new voters since the NADRA registered list that were used in the Local Bodies elections were faulty and inaccurate.

Voter registration forms must be freely available on the Election Commission list to faciliate voter registration.

Updated voters list must be maintained on the Election List computer so that voters can check electronically to see whether they are registered and at what number.

15. ROLE OF JUDICIARY
The District and Session Judges/Additional District and Session Judges/Civil Judges should be put under the control of the Election Commission of Pakistan for election purposes and they should be empowered to entertain complaints and take immediate action against any one found violating the electoral process. Any official or person found involved may be proceeded against and the Election Commission should be authorized to take appropriate action after hearing the concerned parties.

16. GRADE OF PRESIDING OFFICER
Federal Government employees belonging to Grade 17 and above should be appointed as Presiding Officers in the polling stations. They are under federal law. The under Grade 17 officials serve the provincial governments and, remaining under their influence, can be easily coerced at the provincial level. It is important to ensure that all presiding officers are Grade 17 or above.

17. DELIMITATION OF CONSTITUENCIES
Constituencies should be compact and of a uniform voter-strength. Anomalies detected in the past elections, particularly those related to gerrymandering, must be duly rectified.
The practice of carving up districts in order to break established constituencies of political rivals must be stopped forthwith, and a Boundary Commission on the UK model be established to restore constituencies to non-ethnic and non-parochial criteria and on comparative population sizes.


18. PRE-POLL RIGGING
In the 2002 general election, state resources were deployed on an unprecedented scale to ensure the success of the military proxies. Governor House cars, offices and other effects of the government were openly applied to the campaign effort of one party. Government announced concessions and other development plans very close to the general election and by-election campaign, distorting completely the level playing-field expected from a free, fair election.

A strict ban on the use of state resources for election campaigning must be imposed; the CEC must take suo moto notice of abuses by Government Ministers or Parliamentarians who are violators who should be punished immediately. Elections where such obvious rigging has taken place be declared null and void and a re-poll ordered in all such constituencies.


19. PUNISHMENTS FOR ELECTORAL MALPRACTICES
Although provisions in the law exist for punishment of corruption and malpractice by election officials, these remain unimplemented, with the result that impunity has become the norm for all such offenders.
The provisions for severe punishments for Returning Officers [Section 91 of the Peoples Representation Act 1976] who display partiality must be enforced. The provision should be extended to the District Returning Officer and a method prescribed for giving speedy effect to the same. The existing Section 91 be enhanced to include Presiding Officers, Asst Presiding Officers, District Returning Officers, Returning Officers, Asst Returning Officers. Disposal of appeals should not take more than three months, after which punitive action against the complainant if found guilty, will automatically take place.

20. MULTIPLE IDENTIFICATION
The requirement of the NIC as the single source of identification has led to abuse of the process. Identity cards forged by impostors leave little option for the real voter to challenge the forgery. NICs can also be seized by powerful mafias and rivals, particularly when the income and power inequalities are accented in feudal and other constituencies.

Multiple Identification is necessary to prove identification of the voters. A photo identity should be allowed for identification of the voter as opposed to only the National Identity Card.

Most voters in rural areas do not have National Identity Cards. Voters should be allowed to identity themselves through passport, driving license, arms license etc which are all issued by the Government and not only by the National Identity Card. Bogus cards are now provided to favoured candidates because voters either do not have an National Identity Card or their National Identity Card has been bought (buying an National Identity Card is like buying a vote) leading to corruption.

21. PLACING OF POLLING STATION
Polling stations are often moved or even simply removed by the authorities in order to deprive entire zones of the right of franchise, particularly in areas where the opposition vote bank is established and strong. Ghost polling stations are forbidden under law, and yet they appear at the last moment, with no one knowing whether they are real or virtual. It also happens that military forces or Rangers are present inside polling station in blatant disregard for the neutrality factor.The Placing of Polling Stations should be in the most populous area in a Government building as provided by law. Law already provides for it but it is systematically violated. Election Commission should be made responsible for violations and officials who violate it must be penalized through provision in law and mechanism for its implementation.

It should be possible to post applications for fresh voter registrations and deletion of wrong names on the EC website. The entire operation should be made transparent. The name of the polling station on which a voter has to vote should be given against his name on the website. No changes in polling stations can be made at least 45 days prior to elections. Any changes should be properly notified so that general public is fully aware of the change. Votes should be counted on polling stations and the counts should be put on notice boards outside the polling stations. Progressive results based on the counts received from polling stations should be announced on the media like the procedure employed in the 1970 elections.

22. COUNT
First count is at the polling station. The second count and result announcement should be at the District Returning Officer’s office. Presently the establishment has a centralized count. In the gap between RO and Center the results are manipulated.

Vote count is presently done by the Presiding officer/polling station from where it is sent to District Returning Officer (DRO). The DRO compiles the polling station certified results in the presence of military intelligence and civil administration officers. They influence the compilation. The candidates are not allowed in during this process where the results are manipulated. The results are then taken to control and command centers manned by the military at Corp headquarters in the name of law and order to computerize data. This allows for further changing the results in multiple ways including hacking into Central Election Commission computer and changing results, double stamping and spoiling votes or simply declaring a loser as winner.

The winner then has to go to Tribunals Courts for relief. These rarely allow for recounts. To stop this, the system should revert to that from time of Independence of Pakistan in 1947 to 1988 General Elections (After that every election was rigged to a lesser or greater degree). Under this system, the first count is in the polling stations and the lists are immediately compiled before the DRO in the presence of candidates or their agents.

DRO must announce result on compiled list or recount of ballots in presence of candidates or their agents and international observers but no-one from the civil, military officialdom should be present nor anyone other than as above.

23. CERTIFIED VOTE COUNT AND PENALTY
Presiding Officer must be bound to provide certified vote count to each polling agent and if any polling agent has a certificate which is not duly filled out, concerned Presiding Officer should be suspended from government service for at least one year as punishment for failing to do his duty.

Second and final count immediately thereafter with candidates or their representative present and no one else whether DC, SP, ISI, MI etc to prevent pressure on District Returning Officer. Result should be certified and announced immediately by Returning

Officer who can then transmit a copy of the certified result to the Election Commission.

24. GHOST POLLING STATIONS
These are polling stations which are announced at the last minute before the election. It is illegal to announce new polling stations or change polling stations but this happens with impunity. It is said that the hackers create “Khajji Ka Dera” (Date Farm) Polling Stations, as most parts of Pakistan have date trees. These are created in the Election Commission computers in most constituencies to add votes for favoured candidates.

The official changing or announcing a new polling station in the final days before the election (when it is illegal) must be immediately punished through suspension from Government service for one year. Those refusing to rectify the matter when appealed to under the law must be similarly punished.

The tragedy inPakistan is that many good laws exist. The problem is that those who are to implement the law, whether in the Judiciary, Police or Administration, rarely do so with few exceptions.

25. It may be noted that Election laws do not permit change of polling stations after announcement and review period of election schedule. However since 1990 elections, this has been another favourite method to deny victory to candidates disfavoured by the establishment.

26. PARALLEL VOTE COUNT
A Parallel vote count by international observers, NDI and or NGOs is necessary to ensure that the mandate of the masses is not subverted. During the Aquino candidacy in the Philippines, NAMFREL was established to act as a parallel vote count.

27. STAMPING OF BALLOTS BY POLICE
Special tribunals should be constituted in each constituency to hear complaints against Police, military or intelligence officials involved in taking over polling stations and stamping ballots to punish them immediately through suspension as well as blacklisting the ACR of the official if found guilty.

28. TRANSPORT FOR PRESIDING OFFICER AND POLLING AGENTS
T ransport should be provided to take the Presiding Officers as well as the polling agents of the winner and runner up from the polling station together to the office of Returning Officer where the results will be

given to the R.O. This will stop Presiding officers going to intelligence/administration safe houses to change the electoral results.

29. KIDNAPPING
During the local elections of 2005, widespread kidnapping and interfering with the free movements of candidates, their proposers and their seconders took place. This was to prevent them from filing their nomination papers with a view to get officially sponsored candidates elected “unopposed”. Twenty eight percent of Interior Sindh candidates were declared elected “unopposed” in the local elections held in 2005. Election Commission was unable to provide appropriate relief.

30. WRONGFUL CONFINEMENT
Polling agents, transporters, vote getters are arrested on frivolous charges. Some district level relief method is necessary to be established to examine cases of such a nature with a view to provide relief. The present method is to go to the judicial courts. However, obtaining a lawyer, preparing a brief, waiting for a date of hearing, for proceeding to conclude and judgment to arrive, even when relief is provided, causes much damage by interfering in the right to a free and open campaign. When multiple persons are arrested the

campaign is badly affected. The General Elections in 2002 and Local Elections of 2005 demonstrated that courts are influenced by Chief Justices who, if partisan, can delay matters endlessly thereby denying relief. This is why neutral Chief Justices are needed.

To prevent Police carrying out illegal political orders a neutral interim government is necessary.

31. RECOUNTS:
According to reports, there were serious allegation of corruption involved in ordering or not ordering recounts in disputed elections. Rumours circulated that the officials of the Election Commission as well as the Returning Officer’s etc were taking Rs. Two hundred and fifty thousand to order a recount in the local election for councilors. One presumes that the price in a general election would (by that calculation) be Rs. Ten million for a recount.

There should be a clear criteria for recounts without allowing for the discretion of the Secretary Election Commission or anyone else.

This is one more reason that the count should be conducted at the district level by the Returning Officer therefore reducing chances of disputing it.

32. APPELLATE FORUMS AND TRIBUNALS
Although the constitution provides for election tribunals to decide petitions pertaining to election complaints with in six months, the record clearly demonstrates that these tribunals delay decisions indefinitely. Their efficacy becomes negligible and their intent questionable. Election cases originating from the opposition remain undecided for several years, which make judicial inaction a clear component of electoral reform. Imposing a penalty on those not deciding election cases within 6 months as mandated by law is one way to ensure implementation.

33. CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS
Election Campaign: All parties should be given an equal campaign time and not be subject to arbitrary prohibitions on campaigning in specific areas which may be open to certain other parties. All contesting parties should be allotted equal time with the government in the state-controlled news bulletins as well as a restriction placed on official or commercially sponsored campaign commercials and advertising on television.

Election Staff: The number of trained election staff is often an impediment to the process of conducting and micro-managing an electoral exercise.

While the list of polling staff should continue to be drawn as per existing practice, [in accordance with the provision of sub-section 1-5 of Section 9 of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1976] the number of trained polling staff needs to be increased in order to deal with a larger number of polling stations and voters.

Instruction Manual for the DROs, ROs, AROs:
The manual for Returning Officers at every level is outdated. The manual should be revised to include all decisions taken for the particular election by incorporating all new decisions and amendments in the law.

Delay in Announcement of Results:
With each successive election after the 1970 poll, the Election Commission has been delaying the announcement of results. In the 2002 exercise, the commission announced the first results from the remotest areas of the country well after the close of polling, going suspiciously into the next day with 'revised' results coming out of the central headquarters.
First, the Presiding officer and polling agent of winning/losing candidate should be transported to R.O. office together, in order to ensure that the Presiding officer does not go to a safe house to change results. To avoid ghost votes appearing from nowhere in a centralized process, the results should be immediately announced by the District Returning Officer or Returning Officer as was the practice in every election before 1988. These progressive results should continue being announced on television to avoid a centrally rigged or contested count. The process of centralization should be reversed.

Election results must be posted in real time on the EC website as well as announced on public media as they are received by Returning Officers.

KARACHI: Police have suspected that Gulzar Begum was not killed in a car-snatching attempt but she was targeted. The police formed this opinion in light of the initial investigation, which showed that the killers had created an illusion that they wanted to snatch her car. TPO Clifton ASP Imran Minhas told Daily Times that they were investigating two leads. According to the police, Gulzar’s family had also shown their suspicion that it was not a car-snatching case. After killing Gulzar Begum, the killers snatched a car (ADQ 290) from another woman from the crime scene, which was found from Baloch Colony area on Friday without anything missing from the vehicle. Gulzar Bagum will be buried on Saturday (today) after Zuhar prayers at Sultan Masjid. Her husband and son are expected to arrive on Saturday morning from the US. Gulzar Begum was a popular trade union leader and an active supporter of the Pakistan Peoples Party. She worked with many leaders of the PPP, including Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and Mir Murtaza Bhutto. staff report

LAHORE March 25, 2006: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Central Working Committee (CWC) will meet in London today (Saturday) to plan a way to press Pakistan’s current rulers to let former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif return to Pakistan before the next general elections, PML-N sources told Daily Times on Friday.

The reconstituted CWC was meeting after six years under the chairmanship of Nawaz Sharif, sources said, adding that the meeting would also approve the charter of democracy recently finalised between Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto. The charter aimed at cooperation between the PML-N and PPP against “undemocratic forces” and at working amicably for sustainable democratic governments, sources said. The meeting would also plan for the next general elections and discuss the current political situation in Pakistan, party affairs and other national issues, sources added. The meeting would also discuss PML-N parliamentarians resigning from the Senate and the National and provincial assemblies, sources said, adding that after the meeting the resignations of PML-N parliamentarians would be sent to Shahbaz Sharif who would be authorised to hold on to the resignations till a suitable time.

PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, Secretary General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, PML-N President Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Rana Tanveer, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Inamullah Khan Niazi, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, Rana Sanaullah Khan, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Begum Tehmina Daultana, Muhammad Pervaiz Malik and other central and provincial leaders will attend the meeting.

The agenda of the proposed meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Benazir would be discussed, sources said, adding that PML-N leaders would also be briefed about the meeting between Shahbaz and Benazir in Dubai a month ago. They said the meeting’s controversial points would be discussed. The meeting would review the current membership campaign of the party and also plan starting a mass contact campaign to strengthen the party in all provinces before the next general elections, sources added.

Islamabad Wednesday, March 22, 2006: Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party and Nawaz Sharief's Pakistan Muslim League are making moves to forge an alliance.

Bhutto and Shabaz Sharief, Nawaz Sharief's brother, recently met in Dubai over tea, which led to speculation that an alliance was on the cards.

Seeking democracy

Both the parties are part of an umbrella alliance under the banner of Alliance for Restoration of Democracy.

Although the parties are willing to work together, they are yet to come out with a common strategy to take on the Musharraf government.

Farhat Babar, spokesperson of the Pakistan People's Party, told NDTV that no decision has been taken yet on the question of forging an alliance with Pakistan Muslim League.

Bhutto is holding a meeting with her party leaders in Dubai on Wednesday while the PML will hold its central executive committee later this week.

Islamabad, 17 March 2006: Naheed Khan MNA and the Political Secretary to Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has condemned the biased conduct of Speaker National Assembly against the opposition, who has disallowed two questions put before the Minister of Interior and Minister in charge of Cabinet Division.

Naheed Khan had asked the Interior Minister a question about law order that read, "Will the Minister of Interior be pleased to state the number and names of Chinese citizens including the Engineers and Technicians killed in various incidents since January 2000".

The other question was for the Minister in charge for Cabinet Division which read, "will the Minister in charge of Cabinet Division be pleased to state whether the officers of NAB of grade 18 and above including the Chairman and Deputy Chairman have declared their assets and liabilities for the financial year 2004-2005. If so, kindly submit the details mentioned above".

Naheed Khan in her statement said that it is unfortunate that the individual who has been the guardian of legislative House is insensitive to the matters of great concerns for the people of Pakistan. Every citizen of the country is troubled with the fast deteriorating law and order situation in Pakistan under military regime but the rulers are totally ignorant of the safety and protection of lives and property of its own citizens as well as citizens of friendly countries who have come to share their experience and expertise with Pakistan, she said.

Naheed Khan said that the democratic forces in Pakistan have been exposing the corruption in the government especially in the NAB, which was established in the garb of eliminating corruption. If the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of NAB refuse to disclose their assets then it exposes the falsity of NAB and the rampant corruption in the military regime. This also proves that NAB is the tool of the regime to harass and hound political opposition to prolong military dictatorship and thus the miseries of people of Pakistan as well, she concluded.

Islamabad, 21 March 2006: Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, Parliamentary Leader of the Democratic Alliance, Senate of Pakistan, has issued the following press statement:

The Government continues to violate various provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan. The recent violation which continues still today is, the fact that three PML(Q) Senators who retired on the 11th March, 2006 and were re-elected continue to perform the functions and duties of a Federal Minister without being administered a fresh oath of the office as prescribed under Clause (2) of Article 92 of the Constitution.

The Constitution provides under Clause (1) of Article 92 of the Constitution that a Federal Minister or a Minister of State shall be, "from amongst the Members of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament)". It is a matter of fact that the said three Senators seized to be Members of the Senate on the 11th of March, 2006 and were administered a fresh oath as a Senator on the 12th March, 2006 after having been re-elected.

In line with this provision of the Constitution the Cabinet Division has de-notified two Federal Ministers and one Minister of State who retired on the 11th March, 2006 and were not re-elected to the Senate. Further Senator Wasim Sajjad who also retired on the 11th of March, 2006 and was re-elected, similarly was notified afresh as the Leader of the House after taking oath as a Senator on the 12th of March, 2006.

The exception provided under Clause (7) of Article 91 of the Constitution, for a non Member to continue as a Minister for a period not exceeding six months is specific only to a Member of the National Assembly. The proviso to this Clause specifically excludes a Minister who is a Member of the Senate. Therefore, the intention of the Constitution is clear.

The crux of the argument is that a Senator can be nominated and remain a Member of the Cabinet only as long as he is a Member of the Senate. The moment he/she seizes, for any reason whatsoever to be a Member of the Senate his position as a Minister in the Cabinet also comes to an end. Therefore, a fresh oath under the Third Schedule as prescribed for Members of the Cabinet becomes incumbent. In view of this constitutional position all functions, duties, acts done or performed by the said Ministers after the 11th March, 2006 are void and of no legal effect.

Islamabad, 21 March 2006: Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, Parliamentary Leader of the Democratic Alliance, Senate of Pakistan, has issued the following press statement:

The Government continues to violate various provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan. The recent violation which continues still today is, the fact that three PML(Q) Senators who retired on the 11th March, 2006 and were re-elected continue to perform the functions and duties of a Federal Minister without being administered a fresh oath of the office as prescribed under Clause (2) of Article 92 of the Constitution.

The Constitution provides under Clause (1) of Article 92 of the Constitution that a Federal Minister or a Minister of State shall be, "from amongst the Members of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament)". It is a matter of fact that the said three Senators seized to be Members of the Senate on the 11th of March, 2006 and were administered a fresh oath as a Senator on the 12th March, 2006 after having been re-elected.

In line with this provision of the Constitution the Cabinet Division has de-notified two Federal Ministers and one Minister of State who retired on the 11th March, 2006 and were not re-elected to the Senate. Further Senator Wasim Sajjad who also retired on the 11th of March, 2006 and was re-elected, similarly was notified afresh as the Leader of the House after taking oath as a Senator on the 12th of March, 2006.

The exception provided under Clause (7) of Article 91 of the Constitution, for a non Member to continue as a Minister for a period not exceeding six months is specific only to a Member of the National Assembly. The proviso to this Clause specifically excludes a Minister who is a Member of the Senate. Therefore, the intention of the Constitution is clear.

The crux of the argument is that a Senator can be nominated and remain a Member of the Cabinet only as long as he is a Member of the Senate. The moment he/she seizes, for any reason whatsoever to be a Member of the Senate his position as a Minister in the Cabinet also comes to an end. Therefore, a fresh oath under the Third Schedule as prescribed for Members of the Cabinet becomes incumbent. In view of this constitutional position all functions, duties, acts done or performed by the said Ministers after the 11th March, 2006 are void and of no legal effect.

Islamabad, 21 March 2006: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Senator Asif Ali Zardari have condoled the death of renowned actor Muhammad Ali who passed away on Sunday.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a condolence message to his widow Ms. Zeba Muhammad Ali wrote, "Senator Asif Ali Zardari and I are writing to condole the sad demise of your husband the renowned artist Mohammad Ali. The loss of a spouse is a great tragedy and our sympathies are with you at this difficult time of grief and sorrow."

She also wrote, "Mr Mohammad Ali made all Pakistanis proud with his talent and contribution to Pakistan's culture through the film industry. He left behind a legacy of an illustrious career in Pakistan's film industry. His passing away will be mourned by his many thousands of fans as well as his family and friends. His loss is not the loss of a family alone, It is the loss of a Nation and we mourn with you."

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto prayed to Almighty Allah for eternal peace for the deceased's soul and courage to the family and friends to bear this irreparable loss with equanimity

Islamabad, March 23, 2006: Pakistan Peoples Party has denounced the latest bid by intelligence agencies to further break the mainstream political parties with a view to pre election rigging. The PPP called upon the newly appointed Chief Election Commissioner to demand that the intelligence agencies produce all meetings and minutes in the last three months with members of political parties. It called upon human rights bodies and the international community to take note of the military dictatorship's attempts to deny the People of Pakistan a democratic future through such attempts on the even of the 2007 general elections.

Having failed to pressure former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto into absenting herself from the forthcoming election campaign through the motivated requests to Interpol and filing of a complaint through Mutual Assistance in Spain, the intelligence agencies have started work to further factionalise the PPP to benefit those who are puppets of the military dictatorship said a spokesman of the Party in a statement today.

"State sponsored defections from the Party is the brutal face of military dictatorship in the country and is condemned in the strongest terms".

Opposition to the major political parties comes in the form of fictionalisation and judicial abuse at the hands of the state apparatus and not through other political parties the spokesperson said, adding, "The state apparatus is making and breaking political parties from the time when MPAs were taken away to Changa Manga in 1988".

The spokesperson said that leader of Jamaat e Islami and a former ISI official had confessed that money was taken from Osama Bin Laden to stop the PPP in 1988 and a conference of Jihadi parties was called for the same purpose. The spokesperson said that the same elements are now afraid of the return of the PPP to power and the establishment of the writ of government which will lead to the sovereignty of the people and their implementation of their economic and political rights.

The spokesman said that such elements are backing the present military dictatorship under whose nose the pro Taliban forces control parts of the tribal areas posing fresh threats to Pakistan's sovereignty.

It may be noted that General Musharraf, army chief, admitted during visit of President Bush that there had been "slippages" in Pakistan's support against terrorism. He said that such slippages was an admission of the rise of Taliban power in parts of the Tribal areas as well as attempts to destabilise the neighbouring Karzai Government.

During PPP government, writ of government had been established in the tribal areas where narcotics barons had previously roamed with impunity as well as in Karachi where the army had been called out to suppress an insurgency.

The spokesperson said making and breaking political parties and rigging elections worsened when public money was used for such purposes. He pointed out that money was stolen from banks and used to bribe official candidates in the 1990 elections. A case had been filed in the Supreme Court in this connection.

The spokesman said such manipulations of political parties by intelligence agencies eroded the moral foundations of the state and gave birth to corruption, nepotism, loot and plunder.

"Without democracy, the rule of law and freedom to the people to choose their representative in a fair and free manner the future generations would be doomed."

"The state apparatus lured people through corrupt practices and abuse of power including coercion or inducement. However, the PPP was confident that such manipulations would be rejected by the people of Pakistan who knew that their progress and prosperity lay in a representative government that could offer peace, justice, employment and human dignity in a society free from the threats of sectarian violence or bigotry."

The spokesperson said that the PPP united people on a much higher moral pedestal consisting of a vision of a democratic Pakistan, free of the forces of extremism where poverty was eliminated by judicious use of the available resources instead of wasting them on white elephant projects like building a second GHQ next to the first".

He said that the present military dictatorship will fall and be condemned forever as were the dictatorships of Ayub, Yayha and Zia because victory belonged to the masses.

"These tactics of those forces that foisted the Taliban, harboured Al Qaeda, launched the ill fated Kargil war, presided over the export of nuclear technology, brought economic bankruptcy and given birth to sectarianism, extremism and suicide bombers would ultimately fail because freedom was the birthright of every Pakistan".

The PPP calls upon the youth, farmers, labourers, traders, students, women and minorities to wake up and meet the challenges of dictatorship with determination, courage and steadfastness, he said

Islamabad March 21, 2006: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has said that World Water Day being observed today on March 22 was a good occasion to raise awareness about water issues throughout the world in general and in Pakistan in particular.

In a message today on the eve of World Day the former Prime Minister said that due to global climatic and other changes the world was experiencing water shortage that had become a serious problem for more than 1 billion people or 20 percent of the world's population.

She said that as a basic necessity of life on earth water was crucial for sustainable development, including the preservation of our natural environment and the alleviation of poverty and hunger.

"Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and, therefore, a basic human right"

Unfortunately over one billion people in the world today were without access to safe drinking water and half of the world's population lacks adequate water purification systems. In addition, 2.4 billion people, or 40% of the world's population, do not have access to adequate sanitation. In developing nations, 80% of diseases stem from consumption of and exposure to unsafe water, killing more than 25,000 people each day, she said.

The former Prime Minister said that unfortunately the water issue in Pakistan had not been tackled properly. Only recently the regime drummed up the controversial Kalabagh Dam issue once again not to resolve the water problem but only to divert public attention form its failure on all fronts.

She said that for the last nearly three decades one military dictator or another had tried to divide the country and the people by raising Kalabagh Dam issue with a view to weaken opposition to its dictatorship.

The former Prime Minster said that PPP opposed construction of the Kalabagh Dam on the grounds that first, it was against the Federal principle and therefore illegal, second it would not resolve the water issue and third it would add to the debt burden of the country crushing the common people under its weight.

She said that on this World Water Day she wished to reiterate that the water problem in Pakistan can be resolved by building small dams and lining the canals throughout the country as contained in the water report prepared during the PPP government.

Islamabad, 16, 2006: Spokesman of the Pakistan Peoples Party has condemned the threat by Shaikh Rashid that Senator Asif Zardari would be arrested in five to six days in the United States as yet another instance of the military dictatorship abusing the laws of the land for a politically motivated vendetta against the Peoples party leadership.

Federal Information Minister has said that Senator Asif Ali Zardari was to be arrested in five or six days in the United States.

In a statement today a spokesperson of the Party said that the true representatives of the people are willing to suffer and sacrifice for the country and the rights of the masses and, as in the past, will not be deterred by threats, intimidation or other tactics.

The statement of Shaikh Rashid, who has illegally occupied prime land in Tarnol and joined the military regime to save his skin is strongly condemned, the PPP spokesperson said.

The Party spokesman said that it appears that the regime has sent an extradition request to the United States asking for the extradition of Senator Asif Ali Zardari. While it is unclear which of the many trumped up charges the regime has used to base its claim, since like thieves it operates in secrecy, it is suspected that the request has been made on the basis of the BMW case.

It may be recalled that the BMW case is one of disputed duty on a second hand car that is neither in Senator Asif Ali Zardari's name nor was recovered from him. In disputed duty cases, the item in question is confiscated and a single person is not arrested. However, the regime wrongly kept Senator Asif Ali Zardari in prison for four of the eight years on the charge of disputed duty in what was clearly excessive punishment for an unproven charge, he said.

Senator Asif Ali Zardari is presently undergoing treatment in the United States. The military dictatorship is so scared of the PPP that it is seeking to undermine Senator Asif Ali Zardari’s medical treatment through abuse of the judicial process.

The spokesman said that the PPP is determined to pursue the path of righteousness, which is the path of the people, and to free them from the yoke of military dictatorship irrespective of the inhuman efforts of a cowardly regime. He said that the regime was acting through the discredited NAB whose officers have broken every law in the land to pervert the course of justice and who will one day have to account to the people and the law for their crimes.

It may be noted that as the general elections of 2007 approaches, those who wish to continue with dictatorship are growing more desperate with each passing day. The PPP spokesman said that the regime does not care how much it damages the interest of Pakistan in pursuit of its political vendetta. However, the regime has failed to dent the iron will of either Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto or Senator Zardari and therefore it is growing more frustrated with the passage of each day.

Explaining the sequence in which the regime has moved against the PPP leadership the spokesman recalled that in January the regime approached Interpol to issue arrest warrants for the former first couple.

In February it invoked the international mutual assistance treaty to fabricate charges of illegality against Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to involve the Spanish authorities in their mudslinging by recording witness statements from several persons, he said.

It is noteworthy that earlier the regime is suspected of having fed the Spanish authorities false information that the accounts concerned were linked to terrorism. Once that charge failed, it used the charge of corruption to trigger investigations. This was similar to the UK where the regime invoked witness statements using a fabricated narcotics investigation and later alleged corruption which as isle of man ruled was unproven.

In March the regime is suspected of having approached the US authorities for extradition of Senator Asif Ali Zardari on the BMW car disputed duty case for which excessive punishment has already been meted out to Senator Asif Ali Zardari without the charge having been proved.

PPP condemns harassment of journalist

Islamabad, 14 March 2006: Pakistan Peoples Party condemned the harassment of a journalist and demanded a thorough probe into the matter and punishment to the culprits in accordance with the law.

Some unidentified culprits broke into The STAR reporter Rasheed Channa's house on Sunday evening between 6.30pm and 7.45pm when he along with his family were away and took away his computer CPU, a wrist watch, Rs 4,000 cash and two personal files.

In a statement today the Spokesman of the party said that the said journalist has been the victim of such incidents thrice during the last one year shows that he has been the victim of a calculated attempt to harass and to intimidate him for his journalistic work.

The Spokesman said that the regime on the one hand has been claiming that it has given freedom to the press but on the other hand was using strong-arm tactics in a clandestine manner to harass and victimise them. He said that the PPP has always upheld independence of the press and would do its utmost to uphold this independence.

While condemning the incident the Spokesman also called upon the journalist and Human Rights bodies to raise their voice against it and force the government to hold an impartial enquiry into it.

PPP concerned over disappearance of JSQM activist

Islamabad March 13, 2006: The Pakistan Peoples Party human rights desk is deeply concerned to learn that the where about of Dr Safdar Sarki, a political activist of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) a nationalist group who was kidnapped on 24 February reportedly by members of the intelligence.

In a statement today Senator Rukhsana Zuberi said that although PPP does not share the political views of JSQM, it believes that every individual is entitled to protection under the law.

The case of Dr. Sarki was brought to the attention of the PPP by Pak Origin Americans as Dr. Sarki is based in America.

The Pakistan Peoples Party noted that a constitutional petition has been filed before the Sindh High Court but despite the passage of several days Dr Sarki has not been produced before the High Court, she said.

Recently two international human rights organizations, including the US State Department country report, mentioned that the Pakistani judiciary is susceptible to governmental pressure.

Reportedly several men in civilian clothes, one of whom is suspected of being a senior police officer kidnapped Dr Sarki from Karachi in the middle of the night. He was pushed into a van and he had been blindfolded.

The Pakistan Peoples Party called for the immediate release of Dr. Sarki, Senator Rukhsana Zuberi said.

No Party meeting called by Mohtarma Bhutto in Dubai

Islamabad March 13, 2006: A section of the press has incorrectly reported that former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has called a meeting in Dubai on March 20th.

It is clarified that no party meeting has been called by Mohtarma Bhutto in Dubai.

Members of the Pakistani community are holding a function to commemorate Pakistan Day on March 23. Some of the parliamentarians are coming to attend that function which seems to have led to the miscommunication.

PPP condemns victimization of political workers by Arbab regime in Sindh

Islamabad March 12, 2006: Raja Pervez Ashraf MNA and Deputy Parliamentary leader in the National Assembly has condemned the strong arm tactics of the provincial Sindh government against political opponents and victimization of PPP supporters in Sindh in general and in the Tharparkar district in particular.

In a statement today Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the Arbab regime had rossed all limits and seeing vengeance against political workers and urged the human rights bodies and civil society to raised their voice against it.

Giving latest examples of victimization of PPP workers and supporters by the Arbab Rahim regime he said that the former Awam Dost Taluka Nazim, Mr. Abdul Ghani Khoso and two relatives of Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, President PPP Tharparkar namely Engineer Prem Kumar and Engineer Jawaharlal, were arrested early last week on fake corruption charges.

A fake F.I.R has also been registered against them and eight others by the anti-corruption department, he said.

Raja Pervez Ashraf said that Abdul Ghani Khoso who is a former Awam dost Taluka nazim had out rightly supported Shaukat Aziz in his by-election in Tharparkar but parted ways with Arbab when he was declined Taluka Nazimship. He said that the PPP supported Ghani Khoso when the latter fielded his nephew against the candidate of Arbab in the election of Taluka Nazim.

Ghani Khoso has been supported by the PPP since then which irked the provincial chief minister who has started hounding him, the PPP leader said.

About the other victim Hamtho Bheel the PPP leader said that he was arrested by the Mithi police on the basis of a fake FIR of theft registered some ten months ago.

Hamtho Bheel has remained steadfast political worker and refused to change loyalties even after having sent to jail, he said.

Raja Pervez Ashraf said that after this ignominious defeat of the rulers in a High Court where the long arms of NAB did no t reach the regime had become more vindictive and stepped up pressures.

"Such pressure tactics however have failed in the past and they will fail in the future too".

Raja Pervez Ashraf asked the human rights bodies, the lawyers and citizens concerned with rule of law to raise their voice against the

latest spree of victimization of political opponents. The PPP leader

said that the Party Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had also directed the provincial leadership to provide legal assistance to the victims. She has also asked the Party leaders to raise the issue at all forums inside and outside the Parliament, he said.

PPP condemns dismissal of employees

Islamabad, 11 March 2006: Naheed Khan Member National Assembly, the Political Secretary to Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has condemned the termination of 2300 employees from Habib Bank Limited and demanded of the government immediate reinstatement of the dismissed employees.

In a statement, Naheed Khan said that it is unfortunate that the military regime is displaying insensitive attitude towards the poor and downtrodden masses of the country and has laid off low paid employees from Habib Bank. She said that on one hand, it is shameful that poor unemployed are committing suicide and on the other the rulers are buying expensive aeroplane for their personal use.

Naheed Khan said that the PPP is with the dismissed employees of Habib Bank and assure them reinstatement when the party comes into power. She said that the party would raise this issue in the National Assembly and the Senate. She said that the party would hold all the anti people elements accountable for committing crime against people.

PPP files complaint against Dr. Nasim Ashraf

Islamabad, 11 March 2006: Pakistan Peoples Party has called upon the Chairman National Accountability Bureau to initiate investigation against Dr. Nasim Ashraf under Section 5 and 18(b) Sub-section-1 of the NAB Ordinance 1999 for causing huge financial loss to the national exchequer by corruption and corrupt practices.

This complaint has been filed by Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam, Advocate High Court on behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party on 10 March, 2006.

The complaint says, "The respondent was deeply involved in Rs. two billion of taxpayer’s money of Pakistani Nation in the name of Nation Commission on Human Development (NCHD) as reported in the press. An amount of Rs. two billion of taxpayers’ money was handed over to the respondent by the president of Pakistan, which has not accounted for and has been kept out of reach of Auditor General of Pakistan."

It further says, "On 15th September 2005 General Pervez Musharraf attended the Pakistan Human Development Fund Qawali in New York (at $ 275 per seat) and stamping the seal of his approval confirming to be an active partner in what would eventually emerge as the biggest financial scam in the future. Mrs. Zeenat Ashraf publicly accused that Dr. Nasim Ashraf brought out the film in DVD format with addition in which he praised General Pervez Musharraf who had nothing to do with the film but Dr. Nasim Ashraf got closer and closer to General Pervez Musharraf who was the approval authority of Rs two billion. The scam is brewing in the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) a body created cleverly under law and smartly weaved into a privately owned Pakistan Human Development Fund (PHDF) registered under the 1984 Companies ordinance in addition, the amount was transferred in the account of Pakistan Human Development Fund (PHDF). The respondent never allowed the Auditor General Pakistan to touch his accounts books despite growing resentment in the ministry of Finance and ministries of Education and Health. The resentment grew so much in last June 2005 that the Senate of Pakistan unanimously recommended to the lower house to get the accounts of the Commission audited by the Auditor General of Pakistan but the respondent foiled the entire Upper House by using General Musharraf Powers who ordered the Young Junior Minister, Omer Ayub Khan, to ignore this recommendation of the senate."

"There is voice of the people that as long as General Musharraf is in power the respondent and his associates who are benefited from this scandal will not be touched. However this is not true, NAB may initiate action against the respondent", the complaint concludes.

Shahbaz Sharif meets Mohtarma Bhutto

Islamabad March 10, 2006: PML (N) President and former Chief Minister of Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif today met former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto at her residence in Dubai Friday afternoon.

The two exchanged views on the current political situation. Mr. Shabaz Sharif was accompanied by former Finance Minister Mr. Muhammad Ishaq Dar. Provincial PPP parliamentary leaders in Sindh and Punjab Assemblies Mr. Nisar Khuro and Qasim Zia were also present in the meeting.

Mr. Shahbaz Sharif was on a visit to Dubai and Mohtarma Bhutto had invited him to tea today.

PPP Welcomes US country report on Pak Human Rights practices

Islamabad, 10 March 2006: On behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Chairperson and former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has welcomed the comprehensive and far reaching US State Department Human Right Report on Pakistan issued on March 9, 2006.

The PPP Chairperson said that the report provides a birds eye view of the many violations of fundamental human rights that have taken place in Pakistan during the last year. The report touches on a wide range of issues including the presidential referendum, the general and local elections, political prisoners, NAB, women’s rights, children’s rights and the Lahore reception for Asif Zardari which was broken up by the administration. It mentions former Prime Ministers Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif as well as notes that they were not allowed to lead their parties.

On the last general elections of 2002, the report said that Domestic and international observers found them "deeply flawed". It called the regime's human rights record "poor".

It mentioned that the regime "used preventive detention, mass arrests, and excessive force to quell or prevent protests, political rallies, or civil unrest".

It reported that " In accountability cases, there is a presumption of guilt". More importantly, the report mentioned that "Despite government claims that NAB cases pursued independently of an individual's political affiliation, opposition politicians were more likely to be prosecuted. The NAB prosecuted no serving members of the military or judiciary".

The judiciary came under limelight with the comment that "the judiciary remained subject to executive branch influence at all levels. The politicised nature of judicial promotions enhanced the government's control over the court system ".

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto recalled that the PPP government had separated the judiciary from the executive in law during its 1988 tenure and effected it in the field in its 1993 tenure. She noted that the PPP government of 1971 had introduced human rights in the constitution of Pakistan. Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto said that PPP was committed to promoting justice as the right to justice is the right of every individual.

The report mentioned the Opposition claim that the regime continued to detain Javed Hashmi and Yousaf Raza Gilliani on politically motivated charges.

The report stated that "journalists were intimidated and others practiced self-censorship".

Referring to Asif Zardari's Lahore reception the report recalled that "Police sometimes used preventive detention and excessive force against demonstrators. In April the government utilized mass preventive detention to prevent a planned PPP procession in Lahore to mark the return of Asif Ali Zardari, husband of Benazir Bhutto, from a trip to Dubai. Between April 14 and 16, police detained approximately 10 thousand PPP office-holders, leaders, and activists who attempted to make their way to Lahore for the planned procession."

On arrival "police officials escorted Zardari from the commercial aircraft on which he was travelling to his residence, effectively preventing the PPP from carrying out its reception and procession".

The report said that, " The law prohibits forced exile; however, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif remained in exile abroad, in accordance with his 2000 agreement with the government " and that Mohtarma "faced a number of corruption and contempt of court charges should she return to the country".

The report called the August local elections " deeply flawed " and on the presidential referendum said, "independent observers found evidence of widespread fraud and coerced voting". It noted, "tampering with results in certain districts" during general elections and that "After a number of floor crossings, which the opposition claim were induced, the PML formed a governing coalition".

The report noted that the regime refused to allow Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif from leading their parties "by refusing to register any parties whose leaders had a court conviction. The amended Political Parties Act bars any person from becoming prime minister for a third time, effectively eliminating Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif".

Amongst the several cases cited in the US report was the death on January 25, 2005 of Abu Bakar Panwhar who died in police custody in Mirpurkhas.

The report mentioned that, "Honour killings continued to be a problem, with women as the principal victims".

While the report said that there "were no reports of politically motivated disappearances", it mentioned that "The PPP claimed that in Sindh members of the ruling PML kidnapped candidates of the PPP-supported Awam Dost panel to prevent them from filing nomination papers for local elections. "In a thinly veiled criticism of the Election Commission, the report said that the EC found no evidence to back the PPP charges but that International observers found the charges " likely were credible".

The report said that, "security forces tortured and abused persons" and that while "The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention; however, the authorities did not always comply with the law".

The report mentioned that that the " public perception of corruption was widespread " during 2005 and that "The NAB disproportionately targeted opposition politicians for prosecution and did not prosecute members of the military".

On women’s rights, the report noted that, "Musharraf criticized domestic women's rights organizations during the year. He discouraged their efforts to publicize rape and sexual abuse cases with the international community, claiming that such efforts damaged the country's international image".

It recalled that on May 14, Lahore "police hit Asma Jahangir, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and head of the HRCP, with a baton and tore off her shirt".

The report mentioned the fact that " Many rape victims were pressured to drop charges".

With regard to children, the report said that the regime, "does not demonstrate a strong commitment to children's rights and welfare through its laws and programs".

PPP observes World Women’s Day in Islamabad

Islamabad, 8 March 2006: On the instructions of Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, World Women’s Day was observed by the party organisation in Islamabad on Wednesday.

In this regard, the main event was held at the Central Secretariat PPP, Islamabad under the auspices of PPP Women’s Wing Islamabad, attended by Rana Rizvi, Asmat Jabin, Mansha Bokhari, Sidra Shakeel, Soofia Jabin, Hanifa Anwar, Akhtar Bibi, Gulzari Begum, Sumera Ishfaq, Nusrat Siraj and others.

Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was the Chief Guest at this event and her photograph was placed at the head table to depict her presence.

Member National Assembly Ms. Beelum Hasnain read out the message of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on World Women’s Day in the beginning of the function and afterwards speakers reiterated the PPP resolve to work for the emancipation of women of Pakistan. "The increase in rape incidents in the last few years is outrageous. Rape is barbaric, unislamic, inhuman and intolerable. The PPP is pledged to protect the women of Pakistan and to send a powerful message to criminals that crimes against women would not be tolerated by a democratic government. We live in an age of terrorism where human life seems to have lost value. But we do not accept such a world where humans are disposable statistics. For us each human life is precious. The PPP believes that one of the best methods to confront terrorism is to raise the status of women. This is because where opportunities for women flourish, extremism withers" the message of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto read.

President PPP Women’s Wing Islamabad, Ms. Nargis Faiz Malik in her address strongly criticized the military government for ignoring the demand of the people of Pakistan for honourable return of peoples’ leader Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto back to the country. She said that a military regime, insensitive to peoples’ problems, is endangering federation by pitching the army against the people of Pakistan. "How a regime which has failed to control bird flue and protect chickens can protect the people of Pakistan", she asked.

The event was concluded with a presentation ceremony in which in recognition of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s long and hard struggle for democracy and women rights, a shield was presented to her by Nargis Faiz Malik. All the participants saluted the photographer of party leader Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Nargis Faiz Malik said that during the two PPP governments under Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto several measures were taken including ratifying CEDAW, reserving 5 to 10 % quota in the public and private sectors for women, setting up of family courts, lifting the ban on Pakistani women taking part in International Sporting events and establishing of a separate Women Sports Board, setting up The First Women Bank for women to extend credit facilities and loans exclusively to women, establishment of Women Police Stations and a Human Rights Division to focus on the violation of Human Rights primarily of women and to redress their grievances and now in the opposition the Party has moved a resolution calling for the review and repeal of Hudood Ordinances 1979, which are discriminatory against women.

Earlier in the day, a function was organised by member National Assembly and President PPP Women’s Wing Rawalpindi, Ms. Fauzia Habib at her residence. This function was presided by member National Assembly Aitezaz Ahsan. In his address he paid rich tributes to Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for her sacrifices in the struggle of establishing a plural society in Pakistan and taking measures for emancipation of women in Pakistan.

PPP denounces horse trading by the regime

Islamabad March 07, 2006: Pakistan Peoples Party has condemned the horse-trading in Punjab and NWFP resorted to by the military regime just before the Senate elections.

Chaudhry Mohammad Ashraf Kamboh PPP MPA from Gujranwala has switched sides and joined the King’s Party under inducements from the King’s Party.

Media reports said that the Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Ilahi has promised him a significant status in the King’s party.

In a statement today the Secretary General of the PPPP and deputy leader of the Parliamentary Party in the National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf MNA said that the Party had taken serious note of the switching of loyalty by its MPA and would file a reference against him with the Speaker Provincial Assembly for unseating him from Punjab Assembly.

He said that it was most unfortunate that Chaudhry Mohammad Ashraf Kamboh MPA could not withstand the temptation and sold his conscience for a petty consideration. Chaudhry Mohammad Ashraf Kamboh had changed sides and has to be disqualified, Raja Pervez said.

Raja Pervez Ashraf also denounced the rulers for breaking the mainstream parties with a view to perpetuate a one man and one Party dictatorship in the country. He said that the regime was obsessed with foisting one Party dictatorship and that was why it resorted to fixing elections, forced MNAs and MPAs to change loyalties, promulgated ordinances with back dated effect manipulation and chased and hounded political opponents.

The PPP he said would foil all attempts at foisting one Party rule in the country and continue to expose the dictatorship. Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the rulers had feet of clay and that was the reason it sought to lean on straws and turncoats of all kind.

Mohtarma Bhutto Says Musharraf Policies Failed to Stop Taliban from Regrouping

Islamabad, 8 March 2006: Former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto criticised the military regime for endangering good relations with Afghanistan following harsh comments made by General Musharraf on American television.

The latest crisis between Islamabad and Kabul erupted when President Karzai handed a list of wanted Taliban that he suspected were hiding in Islamabad. Instead of dealing with the Afghan concerns, General Musharraf chose to deride his Afghan counterpart by claiming on CNN, "he is unaware of what is happening in his own country".

Former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto said the PPP was deeply concerned over the deteriorating relations with Kabul, the handling of the Tribal areas as well as the security situation in Balochistan. She said these worrying developments made it imperative for General Musharraf to review his own performance instead of adding fuel to the fire by calling information of other countries "nonsense" without first investigating the matter.

Former Prime Minister said that innocent women and children were being killed in the tribal areas every time the Musharraf regime wanted to "prove" its credentials that it was a "reliable" ally in the war on terror. Mohtarma said that the recent news that one hundred people were killed in the tribal areas had shocked the Nation. She said that such measures were bound to alienate the local population whose support was essential in stopping the Taliban from exerting control on Pakistani territory and to launch attacks into neighbouring Afghanistan.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto recalled that President Bush came to Pakistan to see whether General Musharraf was still as committed to fighting terrorism as he claimed post 9/11. Musharraf on the other hand he had been sliding backwards when he confessed to "slippages" and promised to avoid them in future. However, instead of dealing with the slippages, which is stopping Taliban elements from using Pakistan territory to undermine a neighbouring country, General Musharraf tried to show strength through what press reports indicate was a massacre of a hundred people in the tribal areas. Observers were sceptical as to whether any insurgents had been killed as reports indicated that women and children were killed and the houses of poor people trying to eke out a miserable existence amidst poverty, conflict and a harsh terrain were demolished.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto said that the PPP was committed to establishing the writ of government in the tribal areas as it had established the writ of government in Karachi after the discovery of plans to make Jinnahpur by breaking up Pakistan.

The PPP Chairperson said the perception that Taliban were attacking Afghanistan from Pakistan could spell more trouble for Pakistan unless Islamabad puts its house in order.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto said that a PPP government would work closely with the Afghan government on issues relating to terrorism.

Former Prime Minister said that a PPP government would work to politically resolve the problems posed in the Tribal areas and in Balochistan through co-opting the people and drawing them into a political system. Unfortunately the military regime was exacerbating the situation by opening a second front in Baluchistan where army had been called in to suppress the Baloch people.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto said that it was painful to see the army pitched against its own people. She said the PPP felt grieved when the people or the jawans were killed.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto said that the PPP believes that under Gen Musharraf 's regime there is a "conspiracy going on against Pakistan" (to use Musharraf's words). Instead of building a viable political system, investing in education, health and a police force that can protect the people from criminals, the Musharraf regime has protected and promoted the breakers of law, inducting some of them into the Cabinet while releasing scores from prisons in shady political deals made only to keep out those parties with whom Musharraf has a personal grudge.

The PPP Chairperson called upon General Musharraf to rise above his personal sentiments to act in the national interest to secure the integrity, unity and well being of Pakistan.

Earlier this month, there were clashes between Pakistani security forces and tribal militants after tribal militants took control of key government buildings including telephone exchanges. The astonishing aspect is that before 9/11 Islamabad was in control of the area. However, after being forced out of Afghanistan, it appears that Musharraf was unable to stop the Taliban from regrouping not only to launch attacks into Afghanistan but also to emerge as an irregular army able to inflict casualties on the Pakistan army.

In fact, since the army operation began, the militants seem to have gained in strength rather than being weakened. Two hundred Pakistani soldiers are reported to have lost their lives in the tribal areas and others lost their lives in Baluchistan. The figure for civilian casualties is much higher. The lowest figure of casualties is for the foreign fighters.

According to a source in a BBC report "The insurgency in the tribal belt is gradually moving towards the settled areas," and "the local police (are) powerless and virtually ineffective."

PPP rejoinder to General Musharraf

Islamabad, 7 March 2006: The spokesman of Pakistan Peoples Party has said that it is the prerogative of the people of Pakistan not of an army Chief to choose their Prime Minister.

He was responding to General Mushrraf’s assertion published in national newspapers on Tuesday that he was planning to handover Prime Ministership in 2007 to the PPP but Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto does not want to allow any body else from the party to become Prime Minister.

The spokesman said that General Musharraf should stop shedding crocodile tears for the PPP insinuating that he is favourably inclined towards PPP when he continues to imprison PPP and ARD leaders, exile them, fabricate charges, indulges in slander campaigns and is hell-bent to factionalise the PPP and the PML (N) as the latest defection during the Senate elections in Punjab and NWFP demonstrated.

He said that the people of Pakistan remember that when the PPP won 2002 elections, the military regime postponed the session of the Parliament and with the help of Director General Rangers, General Mehdi broke ten members of the PPP and Azam Tariq was freed from jail by the military regime to get Mr. Jamali elected as prime minister with only one vote majority. The ruling party members were summoned to ISI headquarters and were directed to vote Mr. Jamali on the instruction of General Musharraf.

The spokesman said that the people of Pakistan are now well aware of military regime’s political manipulations and they will choose their own Prime Minister and PPP wants the people to exercise their basic right to choose whoever they want as their prime minister according to their hopes and aspirations and no military Chief can take away their right. Spokesman said that Pakistan is on a downward sliding slope since General Musharraf has usurped the power and the only way to arrest this slide is to hold free, fair and transparent elections under an impartial government and a free and independent Election Commission.

The danger of an explosion
The US risks repeating the disasters of the past by supporting Pakistan's military dictatorship

Benazir Bhutto

The Guardian Monday March 6, 2006: Listening to President Bush's inaugural address in January 2005, people around the world who aspire to democracy, social change and human rights heard a remarkable statement of foreign policy from the world's sole superpower: "We will persistently clarify the choice before every ruler and every nation - the moral choice between oppression, which is always wrong, and freedom, which is eternally right. America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies."

Yet, since then, the Bush doctrine, making democracy and human rights the centrepiece of US foreign policy, has been selectively applied. It is waved at countries like Burma and Syria, but hardly applied to political and religious repression among US allies. And in Pakistan, democracy has been deferred by the US in the face of the military dictatorship of General Pervez Musharraf. The question is: will America pay the same price in Pakistan as it is now paying in other hotspots?

Historically, the US often chose to ally with authoritarian regimes out of a perceived "strategic interest". The result, though, was often myopia. America supported the shah of Iran without pressing for fundamental reforms. That gave the US cheap oil in the short term; and, in the long term, Ayatollah Khomeini, whose followers are still at loggerheads with Washington.

Similarly, in my country, the "myops" of the 80s embraced the brutal dictatorship of General Zia ul-Haq, indifferent to or ignorant of the consequences. They also failed to nurture moderation and democratic values within the Afghan coalition fighting the Soviets. This tragic miscalculation led directly to the Taliban in the 90s and, eventually, to al-Qaida on September 11 2001.

Now Washington could be making the same mistake in Pakistan. The "war" has changed, but the modus operandi remains the same. An authoritarian ruler plays the trump card of short-term cooperation in exchange for western acquiescence to his brutal junta. The consequences may be just as tragic. US support for Musharraf risks fomenting mass distrust and anger. The price is unconscionably high for the dictator's sham public support for the war on terror - especially since he allows al-Qaida and the Taliban to roam unencumbered in critical areas of the Pakistani frontier.

During my tenure as prime minister, my government partly succeeded in reforming the political madrasas by introducing a modern curriculum. The Musharraf regime, by neglecting the social and educational sector, has created conditions that make the madrasas expand and prosper. These are the breeding grounds for young people's rejection of political moderation and the direct consequence of the sustained repression of the popular democratic will.

While Pakistan's recent riots seem to revolve around the controversial Danish cartoons, Washington should not ignore an important subtext. Musharraf bans all political demonstrations except for anti-American and anti-western ones. So Pakistan's people and parties used the cartoon incident to vent a broader anger.
A nation that marginalised extremists in democratic elections from 1987 to Musharraf's military coup in 1999 is being radicalised by dictatorship. The religious parties never received more than 13% of the vote in national elections, but now their support may be growing dramatically.

What will happen to the people's deferred dream of democracy? It could explode into violence and a clerical takeover because political moderates were not allowed to function.

Benazir Bhutto is leader of the Pakistan People's party and a former prime minister of Pakistan. Email: bashirriaz@aol.com

Mohtarma Bhutto welcomes Bush’s remarks on fair elections in Pakistan

Islamabad, March 05, 2006: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the of Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has welcomed President Bush’s remarks supporting democracy in Pakistan.

Speaking during a presidential visit to Pakistan, Mr Bush, referring to general elections planned for 2007 in Pakistan said they needed to be "open and honest".

The former Prime Minister said that by stressing that "democracy is Pakistan's future", President Bush had reached out to the aspirations of the one hundred and fifty million people of Pakistan. Moreover, he had assured them that Washington's commitment to democracy was not selective but also applied to America's allies.

Given recent statements by the ruling Party that elections could be postponed to 2008, Mohtarma said the PPP welcomed the fact that President Bush mentioned 2007 as the year of elections which in the PPP's opinion is what the constitution mandates.

It may be noted that President George Bush also said that a large part of his discussions with Gen Musharraf had been on democratic reform.

Former Prime Minister said that the Pakistan Peoples Party agreed with President Bush "that in the long run the way to defeat terrorism is to replace an ideology of hatred with an ideology of hope".

Mohtarma said that the disempowerment of the people of Pakistan as well as the rigging of a series of elections, including referendum, general elections, presidential elections and local elections, had culminated in frustration and anger. This had resulted in nation wide strikes where the people of the country protested the cartoon issue out of religious piety but also took the opportunity to vent their anger at the military dictatorship. Mohtarma said that real political and parliamentary representation, as opposed to rigged results and a cosmetic system was needed to respond to the economic and social problems of the people of Pakistan,

Noting that cricket is Pakistan's national sport and much loved by its people, Mohtarma appreciated that President Bush took time to familiarise himself with the sport of the ordinary people that make up the great nation of Pakistan.

Mohtarma said that since India was a democracy, with the rule of law and tolerance between different political parties, it was emerging as a power in the global community. Mohtarma lamented that repeated military interventions had undermined the standing of the country where it was aided for strategic reasons of fighting communism or terrorism rather than for its intrinsic strengths. Mohtarma noted that if the PPP government had not been overthrown in 1990, it would have been Pakistan and not India which would have captured the world market in technology outsourcing. However, Mohtarma said that we should not look to the past but to the future. The very fact that India was given nuclear energy offers not made to Pakistan, despite the Musharraf dictatorship being a close ally of Washington, was a clear lesson that the strength of a nation lay in its people, its laws and in a responsive political system. She said that genuine elections open to all parties and personalities was the first step in moving Pakistan onto the road of prosperity and growth.

BUSH SAYS PAKISTAN'S FUTURE LIES IN DEMOCRACY

Bush praises Pakistan terror role.

US President George W Bush has praised Pakistan's role in the war on terror, but said more needed to be done to defeat al-Qaeda.

Speaking during a 24-hour visit, Mr Bush reaffirmed a "broad and lasting strategic partnership" with Pakistan.

He also said he believed the future of Pakistan lay in democracy.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf meanwhile said he looked forward to a new era of co-operation between his country and the US.

'No backing down'

Mr Bush praised Gen Musharraf for his "bold decision" to fight terror following the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States.

Mr Bush said the Pakistani president "understands the stakes, he understands the responsibility, the need to make sure the strategy is able to defeat the enemy".

Mr Bush said more work remained to be done to defeat al-Qaeda.

The best way to achieve this, he said, was to "share good intelligence, to locate them [al-Qaeda], and then be prepared to bring them to justice".

He said neither the US nor Pakistan w