November 2005

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The Rediff Interview/Benazir Bhutto
 

 

 

November 2005

PPP leadership meets in London

Mohtarma Bhutto vows to return, adopts several resolutions



Islamabad Nov 28, 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the PPP Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has ruled out any compromise with the regime on the issue of her return to the country and taking part in the next elections. Let there be no doubt or mistake that I will return to the country before the next elections and take part in them as well come hail or storm, she said while addressing the joint meeting of the Central Executive Committee and Federal Council of the Party in London on Sunday.

The meeting which started at ten in the morning continued till midnight and was attended by over fifty senior leaders of the Party. Besides discussing Mohtarma Bhutto's return to the country the meeting discussed threadbare the political situation in the country, the disturbing change in the civil military equation, the plight of the quake affected people, increasing poverty, the manipulation in oil prices, the witch hunting of political opponents and the abnormal increase in non development expenditure. It also adopted a number of resolutions.

Following are the resolutions adopted in the meeting.

Earthquake
The meeting expressed profound grief and shock over the October 8 devastating earthquake that killed over eighty thousand people in parts of Frontier and Azad Kashmir and rendered over three million people homeless. It expressed sympathy with the affected people, called for the mobilization of all national resources, appealed to the international community to generously help in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the quake affected people.

The meeting expressed concern that the regime failed in responding in time to the calamity and there was unpardonable delay in it. It noted that mobilization of national resources was of paramount importance in the reconstruction effort.

The meeting demanded a review of military spending, purchase of six Saab planes at one billion dollars, suspension of the building of a new General headquarters in Islamabad, purchase of new luxurious cars, writing off loans and other wasteful expenditures. It noted that the deferment of F-16 purchase is any eyewash as Congressional approval for these planes was still far away and no immediate savings are effected by deferring their purchase.

It is illogical to keep raising the non development expenditure at a time when the regime was going with a begging bowl asking for international assistance. While international assistance was welcome, a proud and self respecting Nation ought to stand on its own feet.

The meeting noted that the regime kept boasting about the huge foreign exchange reserves but was reluctant to use them for rehabilitation and reconstruction work.

Unless the rulers set the internal house in order, it is unlikely that the international community will come forward to the rescue and rehabilitation of tens of thousands in need of urgent assistance.

While the PPP believes in a strong defence for Pakistan, it opposes wasteful and luxurious expenditure for the comfort of a few while the majority live in misery and hunger. It also demanded disclosure of the names of middlemen involved in the saab deal.

The meeting called for bringing the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the wake of earthquake under the scrutiny of Parliament. It rejected the militarization of the relief and reconstruction work and called for greater role for the civilian institutions in planning and executing the rehabilitation and reconstruction work.

The meeting noted that the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA) had been set up under and executive order without inputs from the Parliament and the civil society. It called for creating ERRA through an Act of the parliament rather than an executive order.

The meeting noted that the regime was taking steps to set up a Parliamentary Committee to give an impression that relief and reconstruction work is being carried out under the Parliament. It demanded that the Parliamentary Committee be fully empowered to review, and oversee all aspects of policies with respect to rehabilitation and reconstruction of the earthquake affected areas. The Committee should have the powers to review and recommend amendments to decisions already taken with regard to the creation of structures for rehabilitation and reconstruction and also prepare a credible accountability mechanism for the state agencies relating to rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Return of MBB, Political Victimization
It demanded that cases fabricated against the Chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto may be withdrawn and all legal venues for honourable return and participation in the system be opened.

Reiterated its confidence in the leadership of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto declaring that the people of Pakistan were the best judge of who served them sincerely and honestly.

Declared that it would make every effort to strengthen its organisation and prepare for the return of Mohtarma for which every citizen was anxiously awaiting. A date for the return of Mohtarma would be announced. Rejecting the regime’s demand Mohtarma Bhutto announced that she would not only return to Pakistan but also take part in the forthcoming elections. She ruled out any compromise with the regime on this issue and declared to face all the case fabricated against her by the regime within Pakistan and abroad declaring also that she would not be blackmailed by the regime.

It demanded an end to political victimization, return of all exiles and an end to use of accountability as a tool of political manipulation and for re-engineering Pakistan’s political landscape. Both Mohtarma Bhutto and Mina Nawaz Sharif be allowed to return to the country in safety and with honour to play their role in the reconstruction and political and social stability.

It deplored and condemned the reprehensible role of NAB in victimizing the political opponents of the Government by instituting false cases and hounding and chasing political opponents of the regime in the name of accountability just because the victims refused to change their political loyalties. Those against whom NAB had filed corruption cases are rewarded with berths in the cabinet after they changed loyalties. Their continuing as members of the cabinet while NAB cases are still pending against them is a stinging indictment of the Bureau itself.

Honor Killing
The meeting lamented that the tragic honour killings continued in the country. It condemned the remarks of general Musharraf in the US that women in Pakistan get themselves raped for visa and dollars. It also condemned the regime’s inability to address the lacunae in the law on honor killings namely that of compromise and allowing the murderer to be forgiven by the heirs or "walis" of the victim. These flaws be done away with by making the state as the "wali".

Six years of military and quasi-military rule

General Musharraf usurped state power unconstitutionally and illegally, used the state machinery to hold a fraudulent referendum, massively rigged the General Elections 2002 and local bodies’ polls of 2005, changed the electoral laws retrospectively to prevent Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif from participation in the elections. Some of the worst examples are suspension of the Defection Clause of the Constitution and not summoning the National Assembly session till the members were forced to change loyalties, re-writing of the Constitution through executive fiat and making Legal Framework Order (LFO) part of the Constitution for effecting a deal with MMA.

Poverty
It expressed deep concern and anguish that the people of Pakistan were committing suicides because of poverty and unemployment but the rulers were unmoved and continued with their profligate expenses.

It noted that a major reason for the rising inflation was the increasing rise in prices of petroleum even as the international oil prices were going down. It noted with deep concern that the regime failed to take note of the massive corruption and manipulation as pointed out in the Parliament in the fixing of oil prices by the cartel of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the name of Oil Companies Advisory Company (OCAC). It demanded a thorough probe into the scam, hauling up and accountability of the corrupt elements involved in it and handing over the task of price fixation to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) as laid down in the law.

That the country is facing grave economic crisis is acknowledged in reports of the State Bank and international bodies. Investments have shrunk, exports have declined, the nation’s precious resources are being wasted on unproductive white elephant projects, poverty has increased, industrial production has declined and the farmers are facing grave economic crises due to wrong policies and mismanagement of the government.

Condemning the price rise and unemployment it recalled that under PPP government, poverty levels had reduced. Now according to UNDP, poverty levels had risen shockingly high. Democracy and development go hand in hand. Removal of the PPP democratic government and dictatorship in the country had only increased the economic woes of the people.

Law and Order, minorities, sectarianism
It expressed deep concern over the failure of the regime in maintaining law and order and the rising incidents of acts of terror, sectarianism and lawlessness particularly in the South Wazirastan Agency and Baluchistan. It condemned the rise in incidents of violence against minorities, women and other vulnerable sections of society and noted with concern that places of worship were being targeted by terrorists and religious fanatics alike. It strongly condemned the recent incident of attack on churches and houses of Christians in Sanglahill by extremist elements and noted that such incidents only exposed the double faced policy of the regime and the hollowness of its claims of enlightened moderation.

As attention is focused on terrorism issues of poverty alleviation, unemployment and price hike continue to be ignored.

Water Crisis and management
It expressed concern over the negligence of water for drinking as well as for agriculture and called for build the water resources of the country by building small dams and lining the canals. It said that the military dictatorship was fomenting water crisis to make the provinces fight with each other to further their own dictatorship. The people should reject such conspiracies.

Release of political prisoners

It demanded the immediate release of Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi both of whom are worst examples of the regime’s vendetta and political victimization.

It also called for the immediate release of all political prisoners including Bismillah Kakar and others.

Lawyers’ Role
The meeting commended the lawyer community for their courageous role in the restoration of democracy by rejecting the 17th Amendment that changed the federal, Parliamentary character of the 1973 Constitution into a Presidential one, the National Security Council and the retention of uniform by Musharraf as acts that have subverted democracy and democratic institutions and subordinated the civil society to the military command. It commended the role of the legal fraternity in espousing the cause of constitutionalism and rule of law in the country and hopes that it will continue it in the future.

Labour
The meeting condemned the anti labor policies of the regime, the massive retrenchments of low paid employees, the growing appointments of serving and retired military officers on civil post and the militarization of civil services. It demanded the repeal of IRO 2002 and Sections 27 B and 2A of the Banking Companies Order and Removal of Services Act.

It expressed concern over reports and asked the regime to clarify whether moves were afoot to deprive the workers of pension, medical facilities and social security benefits that were started by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

It expressed that fishermen in Sindh were being deprived of their livelihood illegally by federal state agencies. It noted that fisheries was a provincial subject that federal agencies had no business in interfering in the matter and called for restoration of the rights of fisher folks.

It called for respecting the rights of workers, peasants, haris and fisher folks and end to their victimization and full restoration of their rights.

Parliament’s Role
The meeting deplored the continuing marginalization of Parliament and militarization of the state’s institutions and called for immediate and complete restoration of Parliament’s sovereignty. It noted with concern the refusal of representatives of some institutions to submit themselves to parliamentary scrutiny.

It called for parliamentary scrutiny and approval of all expenditures out of public exchequer, including the military expenditure and demanded that all treaties, agreements, financial or otherwise, negotiated with foreign parties be made public and placed before the Parliament for scrutiny.

 

Founding principles of Party ingrained in peoples’ subconscious


Islamabad November 29, 2005: The Pakistan Peoples Party is celebrating the 38th founding day of the Party this November in a grim socio-economic and political environment in which the founding principles are as important a framework for the emancipation of the people as these were when the Party was founded, the Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party and former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto said in a message today.

"The founding principles of the Party ‘Democracy is our politics’ and ‘All power to the people’ are ingrained in the consciousness of the people which will never be erased

"Born during the struggle against a military dictatorship the Pakistan Peoples Party is proud of its record of continuous struggle against civil and military dictatorship which continues till today.

"The Party was established to enable the common people help shape their own destiny. Our Mission is the great mission of emancipation, of honour and respect, of a society free of bonapartism, free of poverty and of holding high the banner of human dignity for which the great Quaid e Awam gave his life.

"For the Pakistani people, and for those oppressed everywhere, the PPP is a beacon of hope. The PPP dreams of a proud and progressive Pakistan marching on towards a glorious future.

"It was the PPP which led the resistance against dictatorships and gave the country a unanimous Constitution, nuclear capability and a democratic culture.

"The Party’s momentous achievements were made possible by the enormous sacrifices made by the workers of the Party for which they deserved the gratitude of all patriotic people. No amount of state terrorism, jailing, torture and even execution could stop our workers from struggling for the pursuit of their democratic and progressive beliefs.

"It is a historical fact that when the democratic and progressive elements of civil society were tortured, jailed and hanged for their democratic struggle there were also those in the country who colluded with the Dictators and abetted in their crime of stifling the democratic voice. This makes the sacrifices of our workers even more glorious. The Party salutes all these valiant workers for their dedication, commitment and sacrifices made for the cause.

"I ask the workers to go out to spread the message of hope and deliverance, which is the message of the PPP. I urge you to tell the silent, demoralized and suffering majority of people that a bright morning awaits at the end of a long and dark night. Tell them to come forward and support the PPP for the dream to come true.

"The PPP workers should gear themselves to face the challenges that lie ahead. With the PPP and its valiant workers around I assure the people of Pakistan that we will continue to strive for their rights and for the banishment of dictatorship and bonaprtism from the country".

Mohtarma Bhutto awarded World Tolerance Award 2005



Islamabad, 29 November 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was today awarded "World Tolerance Award" for the year 2005 in Leipzig, Germany by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev for ‘her vision, personal strength, commitment to her ideals and passion for creating a better and peaceful world in the 21st Century’

The World Award Committee is chaired by noble prize laureate President Mikhail S. Gorbachev and composed of distinguished International World Award Jury.

The citation said, "You became the first woman to lead a Muslim country in modern times when you were elected Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1988. Throughout the times of political struggle and year spent in exile you pledged to transform Pakistani society by focusing attention on the programs for health, social welfare and education for the underprivileged. Your continued efforts to improve the condition of women in your country, even under the most difficult circumstances are in inspiration to millions of women around the world. You have emphasized the need to put an end to the divisions in Pakistani society, including reducing discrimination. You have launched a nationwide program of health and education reform."

Among the personalities honoured at last year’s awards were Oprah Winfrey, Dlonne Warmick, Blanca Jagger, Christiene Amanpour, Whitney Houston. Vivienne Westwood, Valentina Tereshkowe (the first woman in space), Naomi Campbell, Iris Berben, UN Goodwell Ambassador Waris Dirie and the women of the Special Olympics.

Pope John Paul-II, eminent Opera Singer Luciano Paverotti, Renowned Broadcaster Larry King, Former Polish President Lech Walesa, Entrepreneur Richard Branson, Singer Yousuf Islam (Cat Stevence) and famous Film Producer Roman Polanski are a few personalities who have received World Award and Women’s World Award for achieving excellence in their respective fields.

PPP demands NAB probe into Oil Companies Advisory Committee

Oil marketing companies be stripped of powers to regulate oil prices

Islamabad Nov 24, 2005: Pakistan Peoples Party has asked for a NAB inquiry into the oil price scam demanding also that the task of fixing oil price be withdrawn from the cartel of oil marketing companies under the name of Oil Companies Advisory Committee (OCAC) and handed over to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) the statutory body created for this purpose.

In a statement today Party spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar said that serious bungling in the oil prices had come to surface in replies given to Senate questions that can no longer be covered up.

In reply to a question about progressive increase in transportation margin allowed to each oil company last year the Petroleum Minister said in the Senate today that the margin, which was only two rupees per litre in July 2004, had been increased to nearly ten rupees a litre by December that year.

"Increasing the transportation margin to the companies from two rupees a litre to ten rupees a litre in a short span of six months is a scandal of monumental proportions that needs to be investigated and probed".

An increase of eight rupees per litre in transportation margin to the oil marketing companies amounted to an unprecedented five hundred percent jump. It amounts to scandalously robbing the poor people of the country of tens of billions, he said.

He said that if say ten million litres of oil were transported daily within the country the transportation margin given to oil companies in July was 20 million rupees but for the same quantity of oil transportation in December the daily transportation margin went up to one hundred million. It translates into a windfall gain of nearly 30 billion rupees to the oil companies in a year. If this is not a scandal what else is it, he asked?

He said it is ridiculous to claim that oil prices are fixed in accordance with a formula approved by the government. "What is the rationale for the formula that allows an increase of five hundred percent in transportation margin to the oil companies in just six months"?

Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the Petroleum Minister had still not answered as to how much of windfall gain went to each oil company. If the matter was probed many a skeletons in the cupboard will be exposed, he said.

Oil prices worldwide had come down but in Pakistan these were going up. The OCAC was a cartel of oil marketing companies that made hay while the poor groaned.

It is intriguing that a statutory body called the ‘Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’ (OGRA) existed for fixing oil prices but the government still allowed the cartel of oil marketing companies to determine oil prices. Worst still, the so-called accountability mechanism refuses to move despite overwhelming evidence, he said.

Mohtarma Bhutto expresses solidarity with fishing community


Islamabad November 20, 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has felicitated the fishermen of Pakistan on the World Fisheries Day being celebrated Monday November 21.

She said that it was a pity that the fisher folks in Sindh and Baluchistan have been compelled to hold protest meetings today against the government's apathy towards their problems. The Party reiterates its support to the demands of fishing community and calls upon the regime to address their genuine grievances, she said in a message on the occasion.

While expressing solidarity with the fishing community she said the Party rejects plans for auctioning fisheries rights in Sindh province as unjust and amounting to depriving the local fisherman of their traditional source of living and trade.

The demand of the Sindh fishermen not to abolish the existing license system is lawful, in accordance with past practices and consistent with the Sindh Fisheries Act 1980, she said.

"The uprooting of fisherman in Sindh, the forcible ejection of tenants of Okara and other military farms in the Punjab and the sacking of labour and civilian employees showed how dictatorship hurts the rights of a people".

Mohtarma Bhutto also asked the authorities to consider the long standing demand for the construction of a Jetty for the small fishermen at Karachi Fish Harbour.

Despite being thousands in numbers the small fishermen are deprived of a key facility of Jetty at Karachi Fish Harbour as the existing one caters only to the commercial trawlers. The small fishermen also have a right to have a jetty that caters to their requirements, she said.

The PPP Chairperson deplored the anti people policies being followed since the dismissal of the PPP government. Systematically the vested interests were exploiting the underprivileged and usurping their economic rights whether they were the coastal fishermen or the tenants on Okara military farmlands or the low paid labour, she said.

Mohtarma Bhutto’s tributes to Shanawaz Bhutto on 20th anniversary



Islamabad, 20 November 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has issued the following statement on the twentieth death anniversary of Shaheed Shah Nawaz Bhutto falling on Monday November 21, 2005.

"On this day of November 21, 2005, the twentieth birthday anniversary of the Shahadat of Shah Nawaz Bhutto, the youngest son of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, I would like to thank all those who have sent messages sent to me on the occasion of the birthday of my youngest brother Shah Nawaz Shaheed.

"This is the twentieth birthday of his since he was killed. Had he lived, Shah Nawaz would have been 47 years old. His daughter has grown up without a Father. His Mother had her heart torn with the loss of her precious child. My brother, sister and I were forever wounded with the murder of our brother.

"However, Shah Nawaz was determined to fight for freedom, for the dignity of each human, for the pride of our Nation and for the rights of our people. He gave his life in the epic struggle for the emancipation of our people from political and social exploitation. He never wavered in the defense of his principles ever ready to risk his life, a sacrifice he gave so that the rest of us could live in peace, hope and dignity. May God Bless Shah's soul".

PPP files reference against CM Baluchistan


Islamabad, 18 November 2005: Pakistan Peoples Party has filed a reference with the National Accountability Bureau against the Chief Minister Baluchistan, Jam Mohammad Yousaf for causing huge financial loss to the national exchequer by corruption and corrupt practices.

The complaint was filed by Ch Muhammad Aslam on behalf of the PPP the other day which says, "A news report claims that Respondent was deeply involved in Rs. 82, Million loan written off from the Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan in 2004 as Chief Minister Baluchistan. According to details available Mr. Jam Mohammad Yousaf now Chief Minister Baluchistan got a loan of Rs. 82 Million in 1980 from the Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan for Bela Ghee Mills owned by the Chief Minister Baluchistan Mr. Jam Mohammad Yousaf. The Managing Director of Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan presented documents in a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue held in the Parliament House Islamabad and was presided over by Mr. Anwar Ali Cheema MNA. The meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue was called upon for the discussion on the story state of affairs in the Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan. In the meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, the Managing Director of the Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan (IDBP) presented a list of powerful people who got massive loans written. On the top of the list of powerful people who got massive loans written off was Baluchistan Chief Minister Baluchistan Jam Mohammad Yousaf. The Managing Director of the Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan (IDBP) told the National Assembly Standing Committee on the Finance Committee on Finance and Revenue that on the one side the Bank was running into Rs. 25.30 Billion loss and on the other side the loans drawn from the bank of powerful people were written off. The Managing Director IDBP also disclosed to the National Assembly Standing Committee and Revenue that recently the IDBP got Rs. 8 billion for the Government in the name of paying the salaries for the Bank staff."

The complaint called upon the Chairman of the NAB to initiate investigation in connection with matters set out herein above and further proceed to file a reference against the respondent for violating the provisions of Section 9 of the Ordinance punishable under Section 10 of the Ordinance in Competent court of law and proceed against those concerned for violating Section 9 of the Ordinance.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns Sangla Hill frenzy
Calls for inquiry, arrest of culprits and compensation to victims


Islamabad November 18, 2005:
Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has condemned the burning down of three churches and a missionary run school on Saturday by some extremists in Sangala Hill in the Nanka district of Punjab and demanded investigations into the incident and arrest of the culprits and punishment to them under the law.

On Saturday three churches, a missionary run school, two hostels and several houses belonging to the Christian community were torched by an enraged mob after they were reported incited o violence by some extremist elements.

In a statement today the former Prime Minister said that the incident showed that the regime's claims of moderation and tolerance notwithstanding the dictatorship had openly permitted the misguided bigots and extremists to preach violence against the minorities and disadvantaged groups from the pulpits.

Press reports say that the attacks were provoked after gambling partners of a Christian youth accused him of torching the Holy Quran that provoked angry calls from the mosques by religious zealots to teach the Christians a lesson. The Lahore archbishop Lawrence Saldanaha has alleged that assailants were brought by buses from outside for the assault on some 300 families living in the area.

Mohtarma Bhutto said that the minority community leaders had voiced their apprehensions about an impending assault on them much in advance and the regime had time to take pre-emptive measure if it was serious in protecting the minorities. The failure of the regime in protecting the lives and property of citizens despite clear apprehensions expressed is condemnable and calls for action against those who failed in the performance of their duty, she said.

She said that the extensive damage to property could have been prevented if the administration had performed its duty and if the Musharraf regime was sensitive to rights of the minorities. Mohtarma said that Chief Minister Punjab and his administration did not seem to care about the rights of the people. She said that the massive human rights abuses that took place on the orders of the Chief Minister in the Punjab upon the arrival of Mr. Zardari to Pakistan in April 2005, the barbaric treatment meted out to Asma Jehangir UN Rapporteur during a public protest against Marathons, the crude manipulation of the law in the local elections to arrest political rivals and otherwise force them to abdicate their parties and their conscience as well as a host of other issues demonstrated a systematic pattern of oppression and repression of the most immoderate, intolerant and extremist kind by the Chief Minister and his administration. The attack on the minority community was another example in a sordid tale of extremism that existed in the province, which refused to respect the laws of the land or of pluralistic societies.

The former Prime Minister said that it was not the first or isolated incident of its kind against minorities and their places of worship despite the injunctions of the Founder of Pakistan towards respecting freedom of worship. Similar incidents had taken place in the past as well without any action on the part of the regime. It is a deplorable feature of Musharraf's so called moderation that extremists first accuse someone of blasphemy and then openly preach from the pulpit lynching of the accused and then walking away free from the crime, she said.

In July 2002 in a shocking incident a blasphemy accused was stoned to death in Jaranwala. Blasphemy accused having also been murdered in custody by fellow prisoners and police guards. There have also been cases of gunning down of those acquitted by courts of law of charges of blasphemy.

The human rights bodies and civil society must ponder as to why the attackers in all such cases have not been brought to book during Musharraf dictatorship, she said.

She said that no body condoned blasphemy but no one should be permitted to take law into their hands for settling personal scores in the name of blasphemy.

Mohtarma Bhutto said that an entire community had been terrorised in Nankana's Sangala Hill area and it was imperative that the rulers restored the shattered confidence of the minority community.

She demanded that those who have suffered losses must be compensated and reassured to feel secure in their homes and places of worship.

Mohtarma Bhutto also condoled with those who have suffered so grievously in the violence.

Senate body requisitioned to probe hiring of foreign consultants


Islamabad Nov 17, 2005: The opposition in the Senate has requisitioned a meeting of the Senate Committee on Social Welfare and Special Education to probe the hiring of foreign consultants hired by the Ministry for its various projects.

The notice signed by three opposition members of the Committee namely Farhatullah Babar and Enver Baig of PPP and Professor Ghafoor Ahmad of MMA was submitted in the Senate secretariat on Wednesday Nov 16. The notice said, "The press reports of hiring of consultant allegedly for 64 % of the total project cost has raised serious questions about the need for foreign consultants, procedures of their selection and their qualification besides grave issue of transparency and accountability involved in it".

It is an issue of public importance for which a meeting of the Senate Committee be called to discuss the same, the notice said.

Under the Rules of Procedure of the Senate a requisitioned meeting has to be called within two weeks by the chairperson of the Committee and if he or she fails to do so the Secretary of the Committee shall automatically call the meeting within three weeks. Senator Nighat Agha is the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Special Education and social Welfare.

The press reports said that the minister for special education had appointed a consultant despite objections by senior officers of her own ministry about the procedure and lack of transparency in hiring consultants. In the reported case a foreign consultant was hired by the minister at a fee of 30,000 pounds which was almost two third the total grant given for the project by the foreign donors.

The opposition senators have asked the Ministry to bring up the record of all the foreign and local consultants hired by it for different projects.

Mohtarma Bhutto thanks world leaders for support


Islamabad November 17, 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has thanked all heads of States/Governments of donors countries for their assistance in the relief and rehabilitation of quake affected areas in Pakistan.

'By your sharing our sorrows and contributing to our relief and rehabilitation efforts, we have been highly encouraged in our time of tribulation', she said in a letter addressed to the heads of state and government.

Following is the text of her letter.

"On behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party and the people of Pakistan, I take this opportunity to thank you for coming to the assistance of the Pakistani Nation in its hour of need following the devastating earthquake of October 8, 2005. Your Country's generous support to the victims of the tragedy reaffirmed the principle moral that a friend in need is a friend indeed.

"The moral and material support extended by your country is an extension of your sympathy in response to the suffering of the earthquake affected people of Pakistan. This sympathy and support means so much to us as we try to rebuild the shattered lives and cities that now pose enormous challenges to a nation afflicted with great poverty and backwardness. By your sharing our sorrows and contributing to our relief and rehabilitation efforts, we have been highly encouraged in our time of tribulation. The people of Pakistan will remember this support for a long time to come.

"I look forward to the continuing cooperation between our two countries in the global village where we are supposed to share the joys and sorrows of one another".

Pakistan: Donors Need Accountability on Human Rights


New York, November 16, 2005 — A recent attack by Pakistani police on a camp of earthquake survivors highlights why international donors must insist on human rights protection in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Human Rights Watch said today. International donors are gathering in Islamabad on Friday to discuss aid for victims of the October 8 earthquake.

Pakistani police used canes and rifle butts to break up a march on November 11 by approximately 200 earthquake survivors protesting eviction from their makeshift camp in the Kashmiri city of Muzaffarabad. Though the police denied attempting to forcibly evict the earthquake survivors, witnesses told Human Rights Watch that police arrived early last Friday at the Jalalabad Garden camp and told the quake victims to leave by sunset. Several protestors, including children, were injured as a result of police efforts to break up the demonstration. The authorities subsequently backtracked and only a few refugees have moved from the camp, which is still functional.

“The challenges of responding to the earthquake do not give the Pakistani police license to attack quake victims,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Homeless people understandably are worried if they are asked to move without assurances that they will have the scarce necessities of life at a new location.”

In the Pakistani-administered part of Kashmir, an internationally disputed territory, the military essentially runs the region as its own fiefdom. The Pakistani government does not tolerate dissent in Kashmir, and the authorities ban or harass opposition political parties.

In recent weeks, the Pakistani military authorities have also discouraged negative media coverage of Pakistan’s response to the earthquake. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf expressed his displeasure at excessive criticism at a press conference in October.

On Monday, Pakistan’s government-run electronic media regulatory authority, PEMRA, stopped three local partners of the BBC from broadcasting two daily 30-minute “earthquake specials” produced by the BBC’s Urdu service. PEMRA officials, accompanied by dozens of armed policemen, seized equipment from one of the local partner’s Karachi offices and ordered two satellite television partners to stop running news content from the BBC. Pakistan’s information minister declined to comment on the incident when approached by the BBC.

“Now is the time for more information about the relief effort, not less,” said Adams. “Donors should make it clear to the Pakistani government that attempts to muzzle reporting on relief efforts are unacceptable.”

Human Rights Watch called on the international community to ensure that there is greater civilian oversight of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. So far, there has been little sign of any civilian oversight of aid inflows. Aid should be handled through a process that involves the Pakistan-administered Kashmir government, political parties in Pakistan-administered Kashmir as well as local, national and international non-governmental organizations, and civil society groups, particularly those working in the field.

In addition, Human Rights Watch called for independent auditing of relief funds and materials to ensure transparency and accountability. Contracts for reconstruction should be handled through proper procurement procedures that allow bidding by private agencies, and not just military entities.

Aid should be distributed without regard to political affiliation. In particular, there should be no discrimination against Kashmiri nationalists who do not support Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan or refugees who have entered Pakistan-administered Kashmir from Indian-administered Kashmir since 1991. These groups have faced systematic discrimination and violations of their human rights at the hands of the Pakistan Army, its security agencies, and the Pakistan-administered Kashmir government acting at the behest of Islamabad.

“Given its record of abuse and corruption, the Pakistani military should not be given carte blanche in the relief efforts,” said Adams. “To keep the process honest, civil society must be given a significant role both in delivery and oversight.”

Human Rights Watch urged donors to be as generous as possible in order to avert a humanitarian catastrophe as winter approaches in the mountainous regions of Northern Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

For more information, please contact:

In London, Ali Dayan Hasan: +44 07887 817110 (mobile)

In Washington DC, Veena Siddharth: +1 202 612 4341 (office)

In Brussels, Vanessa Saenen: +32-486-506512 (mobile)

Postponement of Briefing by ERRA and Federal Relief Commission denounced

It is a manifestation of the mindset not to submit to Parliamentary scrutiny

Islamabad November 16, 2005: Pakistan Peoples Party has condemned the sudden postponement of briefing by Earthquake Reconstruction Authority.

(ERRA) and Federal Relief Commission (FRC) to the joint meeting of the defense committees of Senate and National Assembly scheduled for Thursday.

A joint briefing by ERRA Chairman Lt General Zubair and FRC head Major General Farooq scheduled for today (Thursday) in the Parliament House was postponed late Wednesday evening for what has been officially described as the preoccupation of the heads of two organizations with the donors conference on Saturday November 19.

It is a lame excuse that the heads of the two organizations were busy with the donors’ conference, Senator Farhatullah Babar spokesman of the PPP said in a statement today. "The briefing by the two organizations to the joint Parliamentary committee was notified knowing full well that the donors’ conference had been scheduled for Saturday".

"It is a manifestation of the mindset that disdains Parliament, does not believe in transparency, hates transparency and refuses to submit to accountability".

He said that this was not the first time that the Parliamentary scrutiny has been avoided. Recently the Chairman Fauji Foundation a former Lt General, Chairman NAB a serving Lt General and Director General Rangers a serving major General have all used different pretexts to avoid appearing before parliamentary committees to answer specific questions relating to them.

The cancellation shows that a deliberate effort is afoot to keep the reconstruction work shrouded in secrecy and kept out of the ambit of Parliament and accountability, he said.

General Pervez Musharraf has been robbed of whatever little chance there was for him to enter the Donors Conference with fake claims of transparency, accountability and national consensus in the reconstruction effort, he said.

The reconstruction work is estimated to cast over five billion dollars or 300 billion rupees which is almost one third of the national budget. The refusal to even brief the Parliamentary Committee is a clear message that one third of the national budget is planned to be spent by a few individuals without parliamentary scrutiny.

The chance to dispel the perception that the edifice of reconstruction rests solely upon the wisdom of one or few individuals and not on national consensus has been lost, he said.

It will be a catastrophe if the donors turned their backs because the ‘comprehensive plan’ was perceived to be lacking in consensus or was not resting on solid institutional foundations or that its sponsors were not prepared to even brief the Parliament about it.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto reiterates her resolve for political liberty and democracy

Islamabad, 16 November 2005: Former Prime Minister and the Chairperson Pakistan People Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was amongst several world leaders that spoke at the Abu Dhabi Global Business Enterprise Leadership Conference yesterday. Others who spoke on the occasion included former U S President Bill Clinton, former Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidate Senator John Edwards, Minister of Education, UAE and Richard Branson founder of Virgin records and Virgin airline.

Mohtarma Bhutto spoke of her life and how she made the transition into politics. Her speech was widely welcomed by participants. According to the Khaleej Times, she got a standing ovation.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in her address said, "My election broke the myth that a woman could not be elected Prime Minister in a Muslim country. It stirred a debate in the entire Muslim world. The lead scholar in Saudi Arabia gave a Fatwa, a religious edict, against my election. But other religious scholars supported me. I especially remember the religious scholars in Egypt, Syria and Yemen. The religious scholar in Yemen said that Islam permitted a woman to govern a Muslim country. He said the Holy book of the Muslims referred to the rule of Queen Sheba in laudatory terms noting that her reign brought prosperity to her people. But the fanatics in Pakistan were deeply upset at my election. They dreamt of spreading the ideological frontiers of Islam through Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia to the borders of Europe. Elements of the military that had fought the Afghan Jihad as a religious war against godless communism also opposed me. They refused to salute me and engaged in covert conspiracies to overthrow me."

Regarding here opposition by the fundamentalists, she said, "My opponents turned to a then not so well known Osma Bin Laden for help. They called him back from Saudi Arabia where he had returned following the decision of the Soviets to withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989. They asked him for ten million dollars to bring down the Government I led. In return they promised to legislate a religious bill turning Pakistan into a theocratic state. Until today the fanatics who believe in a war between the Muslims and the Non-Muslims fear my popularity and the strength of my Party. They see us as a symbol of a modern Muslim state, pluralistic, democratic, tolerant, respecting freedom and human rights. They fear the empowerment of the people which challenges authoritarian forms of government."

About her continued victimisation, she said, "I faced many challenges since 1996. My husband was arrested the night my government was overthrown. He was held hostage to my political struggle for 8 long years. I am continuously told that the web of legal cases woven around my family and myself can be broken if I announce my abdication from political life. I do not do so. I know that my duty to my people comes first, for the sake of my children and all the children of Pakistan. My duty to Pakistan's democratic struggle is one baptized in blood. During this struggle, I lost both my brothers who were killed in the prime of their lives."

She said, "it is critical that women enter the 21st Century ready to accept the challenges of a modern world. Despite the constraints of a political system that was all too often rigged against democrats, and a social system that was biased against women, when I became prime Minister of Pakistan I used my office to try to reverse centuries of discrimination. My tenure was a textbook affirmative action program against gender discrimination. We increased literacy by one-third, even more dramatically among girls. We brought down the population growth rate by establishing women's health clinics in thousands of communities across our Nation. We outlawed domestic violence and established special women's police forces to protect and defend the women of Pakistan. We appointed women judges to our nation's benches for the first time in our history. We instituted a new program of hiring women police officers to investigate crimes of domestic violence against the women of Pakistan. We encouraged women's and girl's participation in sports, both nationally and internationally by lifting the ban imposed on their participation. We held a Muslim Women's Olympics. We held the first meeting of a Muslim Women's Parliamentary Conference. The record I accomplished is one in which I have great pride. Despite the reversals in my homeland -- the progress that we made raised the bar of expectations and cannot long be ignored."

"When political forces, political parties and political leaders can finally come to realize and fully appreciate that they have a fundamental obligation to society, the world can gallop into the unlimited social, educational, global and scientific promise of the 21st century", she said.

Following is the press text of her speech:

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is an honour for me to appear before this unique, truly extraordinary gathering of leaders from all around the world, converging on the United Arab Emirates as an emerging centre of economic, political and intellectual innovation.

Blessed by resource and unlimited opportunity, it is significant that it is here in the UAE, where I have chosen to live and raise my children.

Here I pay tribute to the late President Shaikh Zayed.

He was a father to his people, to the larger Arab world and he was also like a father to me.

I shall always remember him in my heart for allowing me a home away from home, here in the UAE and for his contributions to Pakistan's development.

And I will never forget the warmness of your welcome, the openness of your hospitality and the humanity of your people.

To all of you, Salaam Aleichem, May Peace Be With You.

I am asked to share my life story with you and to speak on leadership.

I am a daughter of the desert sands of Sindh in Pakistan. It is an ancient land, a land of saints, Sufis and mystics.

I grew up in the shadow of Moen Jo Daro, the 5000 year old civilization which once traded with Baghdad and Bukhara and through them with Europe and the Far East.

My father would tell me fascinating historical tales of conquest and victory.

I learnt of how the Greek Conqueror Alexander the Great was bitten by a mosquito in Sindh developing a fever that killed him in Babylon.

I learnt of how the mighty can be brought down by the weakest. I learnt that in the greatest adventures one must never forget the smallest details.

Islam first came to South Asia through Sindh. An Arab conqueror by the name of Mohammad Bin Qasim landed on the shores by sea bringing the message of equality that would spread far and wide in the year 712 A.D.

There was a great emphasis on roots and on the values of courage, integrity loyalty, knowledge, honour, duty, responsibility and pride passed on from generation to generation.

Sindh was largely a tribal society when I was child. Identity lay in the family, in the tribe, in the soil and in religion. One's duty was to uphold the good name of the whole, of which we as individuals were a part of.

I heard that I was an heir to the greatness of Islam which proclaimed equality between the rich and the poor, between the male and female, between the strong and the weak.

I read and re-read how the powerful conqueror of Sindh Mohammad Bin Qasim was sentenced to death in the cause of justice. He had failed to protect the dignity of a woman and was punished losing his life.

It showed me the importance of the rights of women and it underlined the importance of justice in Islam for building a truly civilized society. That example, seared into the memory of a young child, become a part of my life and my struggle.

There was much poverty in those days in my country. There were few roads, drinking water was scarce, people were so poor that they were often shirtless and shoeless. Little children ran naked in the dusty, dirty village lanes with open sewerage gutters. Cow dung was used for cooking and as fertilizer.

A midst this squalor and deprivation, there were a few large families with enormous land holdings and industrial wealth.

My father told me it was wrong that so many should be so poor when so few were so rich. He told me that the Islamic law of inheritance ensured the distribution of wealth rather than its concentration. He imbibed in me the spirit of social reform and the principle of social equality-goals that he fought for and which became mine.

I came from a political family. My grandfather formed the first political party in Sindh and brought out its first newspaper. He led the movement to separate Muslim Sindh from Hindu Bombay in the thirties which culminated in the demand for Pakistan in the forties -- A separate homeland for Muslims of South Asia.

I grew up as a pampered child of privileged family with political and social dominance.

From the young age of 5, I was under public scrutiny, the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Because of that public scrutiny, I was taught to always be on guard, on watch, not to make a slip, to keep my head high, to hide my emotions, to perform my duty, to smile and walk on because "when you smile, the world smiles with you" and "when you cry, you cry alone".

I was shy and led an insulated life. Except for my cousins and a few close friends, I did not mix much with other children. We feared that fame brings fair weather friends and kept to ourselves. We learnt that the price of fame can be loneliness - to avoid gossip we kept our distance, always protected, shadowed, chaperoned.

Obedience to parents, to teachers, to God were the hallmarks of my young life.

Moral duty was drilled into us; "To whom God gives much, much is expected."

In 1966, in our ancestral home in Larkana, when I turned 13, my Mother made me wear a Burqa, the all enveloping black cloth covering the body from head to toe. As the veil billowed over my body and covered my eyes, I felt hot, constrained and the world looked grey through the mists of the veil.

For centuries women in my family had worn the veil. For centuries women had either married cousins or, if they were unavailable, remained unmarried. This ensured that the property women inherited under Islam did not leave the family.

But now my life was to change. My father was an emancipated man, a reformer who broke the bastions of tradition and changed the direction of his family, his country and our region.

He took one look at me in the Burqa as I arrived home and said, " I don't want my daughter wearing the veil." He told me that Muslims believe that the best veil is the veil in the eyes of a person.

It was a man, a very special man, my father, who set me on the road to modernity.

When I turned sixteen, my father decided to send me abroad for education.

My female relatives opposed my father's decision. They begged him to change his mind. The destiny of a young woman in those days was to make a good marriage, a good home and raise good children.

Before I left for Harvard, my father took me to our lands in Larkana.

Here the peasants sweated under the sun taking care of the fields of wheat and cotton.

My father said, "see how hard these men work. You must seek knowledge abroad and then return to serve your own people. Do not be so dazzled by the bright lights as to forget your roots and the land that gave you birth."

Then he took me to our family graveyard where for generations our ancestors lay. "Whenever you go in the world" he said "this is where you will ultimately return. You are part of this dust and this dust is part of you."

As a farewell present, my father gave me the Holy Book of the Muslims inlaid with precious mother of Pearl. He hugged me and kissed me. He often joked that I was too argumentative. His parting words of advice to me were "Don't argue with Immigration Officers or taxi drivers."

And so at 16 I left with my mother and my Afghan Pashmina coat for Cambridge Massachusetts-to a new world.

For the first time I met people who did not know who I was, or where my country was.

"Pakistan: where's that?" they'd ask.

While I was a student at Harvard, A separatist movement in present day Bangladesh had torn my country apart. I refused to believe Pakistani troops could commit genocide in then East Pakistan. I got into furious arguments with those I found criticizing my country.

Patriotism burned deep in my heart.

At 17 I addressed the Asia Society and wrote a letter to Life Magazine defending the Egyptian President Nasser's decision to built the Aswan Dam.

As a child of my age, I was influenced by the social ferment around me. It was a time of student power.

It was a time of war. American forces were engaged in Vietnam. As an Asian at Harvard, I felt strongly about the war in Vietnam.

I joined other students to protest it.

It was a time of white minority rule in parts of Africa. The fight against apartheid shaped my commitment to stand up for the principle of equality between men irrespective of race or colour.

The women's movement had began and with it the debate about women's role in society.

As a Muslim women I felt strongly about gender rights. The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) had married a working woman, a business woman. He had stopped violence against women prohibiting the burial of the girl child. Islam proclaimed that paradise lay beneath the feet of the mother and that on the day of judgment we'd be called by our mother's names.

The movement for women's rights empowered and emboldened me.

It was a time when Martin Luther King defended the rights of the African American and Robert Kennedy spoke for the underprivileged of America. It was an era of civil rights and morality where values, rather than force, shaped the destiny of society and of humanity.

These important steps helped shape my outlook on life, helped me focus on fighting injustice, promoting freedom, safeguarding the rights of the discriminated and dispossessed.

I was in America during the impeachment proceedings that brought down it's President Nixon.

I saw the awesome power of the people to change policies, to change leaders and to change history.

I marveled at the power of a people to bring down a government. I lived in a dictatorship. Those criticizing the President ended up in prison or faced assassination attempts.

From Harvard I went to Oxford University in London.

Brought up with the belief that all people are equal, irrespective of race, religion, colour, caste or creed, I was shocked to see racism rear its ugly head.

The British Politician Enoch Powell was threatening to throw all Asians into the sea.

I loved Oxford with its cobbled streets and college spires. I walked the streets my father had once walked. I learnt to punt on the river and attend strawberry and cream picnics.

While I was at Oxford the Conservative Party chose a women, Margaret Thatcher, as leader of the opposition. The idea of the first female British Prime Minister became an intense topic of discussion amongst students.

There were many who believed that the Conservative Party could never win an election because it was led by a woman.

My father, who had become Prime Minister by now, thought otherwise.

He invited Mrs. Thatcher to Pakistan as his guest during the summer, to ensure that I would be there. I attended his dinner for Mrs. Thatcher. Later Mrs. Thatcher invited me to the British House of Parliament, the House of Commons the seat of the mother of all democracies. I was introduced to the world of politics.

My interest in international affairs was growing but I still did not want to enter politics.

My father would regale me with stories about Joan of Arc, Mrs. Bandarnaike the world's first woman Prime Minister and Mrs. Gandhi of India. Moreover, Mrs. Golda Meir had been Prime Minister of Israel during the Arab-Israeli war of 1967. All the civilizations of the world had women Prime Ministers except for the Islamic civilization. Yet it was Islam which had given the clarion call for gender equality. My father believed that I was the one who would right the historic balance.

Despite my reluctance, he clearly saw a political role for me. He groomed me for politics and motivated me with role models.

I joined the Oxford Union Students Debating Society because my father wanted me too. Many British Prime Ministers had started their political careers as Presidents of the Oxford Union. Even though he did not say it, I felt my father wanted me to run for office there too. So I did.

At Oxford I was the first female foreigner to be elected as President of the Oxford Union.

It is said that the Oxford Union is the training ground for British politics. The entry and exit doors have "Push" and "Pull" written on them. We joked that politics was all about pushing and pulling up the greasy ladder of success.

It was there that I first learnt to debate.

I returned to Pakistan in the summer of 1977 planning to join the foreign service.

Within a week of my return to Pakistan, my life changed dramatically.

A military coup took place. Army tanks had surrounded the Prime Minister's house. Our life and family was never to be the same again.

My father was taken away. I ran to the door as he walked out of the house. I watched the car leave the drive way taking my father to an unknown destination, with the sun glowing off the car's metal plate with the Prime Minister Seal.

As Prime Minister of Pakistan, I declined to return to live in the Prime Minister's House. It held too many painful memories for me.

My father was later released and greeted by hundreds of thousands of people. They swarmed around him pouring out their love and affection.

Shortly there after I was woken in the night with armed men barging into my room waving guns and jumping over the place. They were all over the house. My father was arrested again and taken away.

He was released, re-arrested, and finally hanged amidst international outrage at the age of fifty.

A few hours before my Father's murder, my Mother and I went to see him in the squalid death cell where the military tyrants had kept him. We went to bid him farewell. His courage in the face of death remains with me.

It was then, in that final meeting that I decided come what may, I would continue his mission and his work for a democratic Pakistan with equal rights for all its citizens.

During the long dark night of military dictatorship, lasting eleven years, my mother and I were repeatedly arrested, kept apart, in solitarily confinement amidst harsh conditions. Every attempt was made to break our will but we remained strong bolstered by the love of the people who supported us.

Our supporters were whiplashed, tortured, shot and hanged. But they never wavered. Some went to the gallows with my father's name on their lips, others were buried with their coffins covered in the tricoloured party flag.

My mother was baton charged and denied proper treatment. Today she suffers from a form of Alzheimer's her doctors say was brought on by improper treatment of that head wound.

I spent nearly six years behind bars, often in solitary confinement. During the summers it was unbearably hot and during the winters it was brutally cold. The conditions in the cell were primitive. Mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, dust storms and dryness were constant companions as was loneliness and a lack of communication with the outside world.

I spent long hours in prayer. My belief in God sustained me when each moment seemed an hour, each hour a day. Through out this period, I was confident that we would triumph, confident that truth would prevail, confident that those who are patient and persevere are rewarded with victory. I never lost hope. I never gave up.

I was told that the death cells were being emptied for me as part of the psychological warfare to break my spirit. But I held to the belief that life and death are in God's hands.

By the time I was freed into exile through international pressure, I was anorexic. My hearing and eyesight were affected forever. My face muscles hurt when I talked. They had atrophied through the years of silence. Freed from the grey walls of my prison cell, I found it hard to adjust to sunlight, to the noise of peoples voices, to ordinary conversation.

My family background and long years of imprisonment made me the rallying point for the democratic movement. I returned to Pakistan in 1986 welcomed by millions of Pakistanis who demanded an end to dictatorship.

And when I got married and expected my first child in 1988, the military dictator called for elections. He thought a pregnant woman could not campaign. I could, and I did, and, with the support of the brave people of Pakistan, I was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan.

It was not an easy campaign. The religious parties that had supported the Afghan Jihad in Afghanistan opposed me. They claimed that the marriage of any man who voted for me would be null and void in the eyes of God. They claimed that the only place for a woman was behind the veil and the four walls of the house-Not in government.

They said it was a religious duty to kill me because I was challenging the right of men to rule the country and defying the tradition enforced on women. But I did not give up. And won.

Circumstances propelled me onto the road of leadership.

I find that leadership is born of a passion and it is a commitment. My commitment to democracy helped me walk the high mountain of success as well as the low valleys of imprisonment and exile.

Leadership demands a price from an individual and it also demands a price from the family.

I do not understand the work-life balance.

For me, success is 99% perspiration and one % inspiration.

My election broke the myth that a woman could not be elected Prime Minister in a Muslim country.

It stirred a debate in the entire Muslim world. The lead scholar in Saudi Arabia gave a Fatwa, a religious edict, against my election. But other religious scholars supported me. I especially remember the religious scholars in Egypt, Syria and Yemen. The religious scholar in Yemen said that Islam permitted a woman to govern a Muslim country. He said the Holy book of the Muslims referred to the rule of Queen Sheba in laudatory terms noting that her reign brought prosperity to her people.

But the fanatics in Pakistan were deeply upset at my election. They dreamt of spreading the ideological frontiers of Islam through Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia to the borders of Europe.

Elements of the military that had fought the Afghan Jihad as a religious war against godless communism also opposed me. They refused to salute me and engaged in covert conspiracies to overthrow me.

My opponents turned to a then not so well known Osma Bin Laden for help. They called him back from Saudi Arabia where he had returned following the decision of the Soviets to withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989. They asked him for ten million dollars to bring down the Government I led. In return they promised to legislate a religious bill turning Pakistan into a theocratic state.

Until today the fanatics who believe in a war between the Muslims and the Non-Muslims fear my popularity and the strength of my Party. They see us as a symbol of a modern Muslim state, pluralistic, democratic, tolerant, respecting freedom and human rights. They fear the empowerment of the people which challenges authoritarian forms of government.

Undeterred by the opposition, my party began the restructuring of the state.

We broke the bureaucratic public sector stranglehold becoming the first in the region to privatise, deregulate and decentralize our economy.

We opened up our markets transforming our economy from permits and permission to initiative and entrepreneurship.

As Prime Minister of Pakistan, I successfully built good relations with India through negotiations with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

I bargained with Afghan leaders to influence the formation of a moderate government in Kabul.

My government opened up trade and common links with Central Asia.

But the elements of the military establishment that had fought communism in Afghanistan and now wanted to take on the west did not give up. They twice destabilized the governments I led.

During both my stints in opposition, Pakistan was on the brink of being declared a terrorist state, during both times, the World Trade Towers were attacked and so were targets in India, including its Parliament.

It was during the eclipse of my government in 1996 that the Taliban seized all of Afghanistan. It was after my overthrow that Al Qaeda was established In Afghanistan and set up camps to train, recruit and arm young men from across the Muslim world.

Three years after my overthrow, the Trade Centres were attacked.

The course of history changed with the change of leadership in Pakistan.

In 2001, following President Bush's ultimatum to stand up and be counted as friend or foe, Islamabad said that it had adopted the policy of peace with India and Afghanistan which I had initiated.

However, the vendetta against Bhutto's daughter, the leader, the military Generals hanged, still continues. I am forced into exile where I now live.

But I have not given up and remain the symbol for a democratic future for my country.

I faced many challenges since 1996. My husband was arrested the night my government was overthrown. He was held hostage to my political struggle for 8 long years. I am continuously told that the web of legal cases woven around my family and myself can be broken if I announce my abdication from political life. I do not do so.

I know that my duty to my people comes first, for the sake of my children and all the children of Pakistan. My duty to Pakistan's democratic struggle is one baptized in blood. During this struggle, I lost both my brothers who were killed in the prime of their lives.

I have three children. They were very small when our troubles started. My youngest was three. I was their sole caretaker when my husband was in prison for 8 years. I believe women can combine career and motherhood.

It is critical that women enter the 21st Century ready to accept the challenges of a modern world.

My time in exile has coincided with the era of terrorism and the threat of the clash of cultures, of a potential breakdown of communication between the Islamic and non Islamic world.

I try to act as a bridge between different cultures, countries and continents.

I travel extensively internationally and explain the peaceful and tolerant message of Islam to international audiences to correct the misperceptions propagated by the extremists who exploit it to promote their politics of hate.

I visited India to promote a South Asia where there is peace and prosperity through open borders and trade. My political opponents have now accepted the wisdom of the policies for which I was once termed a "security risk."

When I was at Oxford, I won the Presidency of the Oxford Union debating that "The Pen is more powerful than the Sword."

I believe in the battle of ideas, and that no force can win a victory against an idea, a policy or a vision that is based on truth and justice.

I still believe the Pen is more Powerful than the Sword although the world has changed since I was a student at Oxford.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Despite the constraints of a political system that was all too often rigged against democrats, and a social system that was biased against women, when I became prime Minister of Pakistan I used my office to try to reverse centuries of discrimination.

My tenure was a textbook affirmative action program against gender discrimination. We increased literacy by one-third, even more dramatically among girls.

We brought down the population growth rate by establishing women's health clinics in thousands of communities across our Nation.

We outlawed domestic violence and established special women's police forces to protect and defend the women of Pakistan.

We appointed women judges to our nation's benches for the first time in our history.

We instituted a new program of hiring women police officers to investigate crimes of domestic violence against the women of Pakistan.

We encouraged women's and girl's participation in sports, both nationally and internationally by lifting the ban imposed on their participation.

We held a Muslim Women's Olympics.

We held the first meeting of a Muslim Women's Parliamentary Conference.

The record I accomplished is one in which I have great pride. Despite the reversals in my homeland -- the progress that we made raised the bar of expectations and cannot long be ignored.

In my commitment to political liberty and to democracy, I have never wavered.

Ladies and gentlemen,

When political forces, political parties and political leaders can finally come to realize and fully appreciate that they have a fundamental obligation to society, the world can gallop into the unlimited social, educational, global and scientific promise of the 21st century.

It is our job, yours and mine, to find answers.

It is our job, yours and mine, to find consensus.

It is our job to marginalize the extremes.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Robert F. Kennedy once said that "the future does not belong to those who are content with today.. Rather it will belong to those who can blend vision, reason and courage in a personal commitment to the ideals and great enterprises of society."

Vision, Reason and Courage.

Those are the true qualities of leadership and I leave you with those thoughts.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.


Mohtarma Bhutto condoles with Amjad Ikhlaq over his father’s death

Islamabad, 14 November 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan People Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Senator Asif Ali zardari have condoled with the Administrative Officer, Zardari House Islamabad, Amjad Ikhlaq over his father’s death who passed away recently.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a condolence message addressed to Amjad Ikhlaq, wrote, "Senator Asif Ali Zardari and I are writing to condole the sad demise of your father. The loss of a parent is a great tragedy. Our sympathies are with you at this difficult time. Please accept our heartfelt condolences and convey the same to other members of the bereaved family."

She also prayed to Almighty Allah for the eternal peace for the departed soul and courage to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss with equanimity.

The following PPP leaders also condoled with Amjad Ikhlaq on telephone:

Senator Farooq Naek; Ms Naheed Khan MNA, Dr. Azra Afzal MNA, Ms Rukhsana Bangash MNA, Azra Bano MPA, Saima Bukhari MPA and Sabiha Syed MPA, Mr. Jameel Soomro MPA, Ex AJ&K Minister Iqbal Butt FC Member, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's Secretary Brig. (Retd) Amanullah, MBB's Staff Officer Mahmood Ahmed, Incharge Central Secretariat (Commissioner (Retd)) Kamran Zafar, Mehrunnisa Affridi (Ex. MNA) President NWFP Women Wing, Chief Coordinator Ibne Muhammad Rizvi, Bilawal House Incharge Muhammad Urs, Mr Asif Zardari's PS Dr Qayum Soomro, Central Secretariat Staff Ansar Gillani and Javaid Mir.

Mohtarma Bhutto condoles with Aftab Shahban Mirani


Islamabad, 14 November 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan People Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Senator Asif Ali zardari have condoled with Aftab Shahban Mirani over his sister’s death.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a condolence message addressed to Aftab Shahban Mirani, wrote, "Senator Asif Ali Zardari and I are writing to condole the sad demise of your sister who passed away on November 10, 2005 in Karachi. Please accept our heartfelt condolences and convey the same to other members of the bereaved family."

She also prayed to Almighty Allah for the eternal peace for the departed soul and courage to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss with equanimity.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto pays rich tributes to Amrita Pritam


Islamabad, 14 November 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has paid glowing tributes to the renowned poetess, novelist and Women Rights Activist, Amrita Pritam in a message to the Literary Reference organised by the Chairman World Punjabi Congress, Fakhr Zaman in Lahore today.

Following is the text of the message:

"I wish to compliment The World Punjabi Congress and its Chairman Fakhr Zaman for organising a literary reference to pay homage to eminent poetess and novelist of the sub continent Amrita Pritam who died on October 31.

"Amrita Pritam is one of those rare writers who attain the status of a legend in their own life time. Throughout her life she fought a courageous battle against extremism and obscurantism advocating peace and harmony.

"As member of the Parliament, she forcefully articulated the cause of women empowerment and raised her powerful voice against gender discrimination. She never compromised on intellectual integrity and lived with poise and dignity a life that was full of creativity.

"Her poignant commentary on the massacre at the time of partition must stir the souls of the coldest readers in any age and in any clime. Moved by the traumatic events of her age she learnt the need to seek refuge in Sufism in the most troubling times. Her cry "Today I ask Waris Shah to rise in his grave and speak" shook the conscience of millions in the region.

"The recipient of highest National Awards in India and several International Awards, Amrita Pritanm will continue to inspire generations with her message of love and peace.

"It would be a befitting tribute to the memory of Amrita Pritam if her works in the Punjabi and Hindi languages are also translated into the regional languages of Pakistan and widely distributed. I hope the World Punjabi Congress and its Chairman Fakhr Zaman will give it a serious thought."

Senator Khawaja Demands an immediate audit of NCHD/PHDF


Islamabad November 12, 2005: PPP Senator and member of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs Senator Akbar Khawaja has issued the following statement today.

"The ruling by Senate Chairman on Friday to refer the matter of audit of government doles to a private NGO called the Pakistan Human Development Fund (PHDF) to a House Committee is welcome.

"It is recalled that the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs in its meeting in June 2005 had also taken note of the matter and recommended audit of all funds given to National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) and parked at the Pakistan Human Development Fund (PHDF) by the Auditor General of Pakistan. These recommendations were also placed before the House and endorsed by it.

"At the June meeting several members of the Senate Committee on Finance expressed grave concern over the delay in the audit of NCHD/PHDF by The AG as required under Article 169 of the Constitution. The Committee had also unanimously decided that any release of government funds to NCHD/PHDF must be subject to the satisfactory audit report by the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP).

"Although issues of misuse and illegal parking of NCHD funds at PHDF has been raised earlier also in the Senate but state officials are tight lipped as General Musharaf is a Patron of PHDF and Mr. Shaukat Aziz sits on PHDF Board of Directors.

"Media has widely commented on the unconstitutional transfer of NCHD funds to PHDF and termed it as one of the biggest financial scams of the Military Regime.

"The government on Friday admitted the transfer of over 2 billion rupees from public exchequer to a private NGO called the PHDF. When the truth is out it may well be found out that another $18 million foreign funds collected for NCHD were also unconstitutionally transferred to PHDF.

"It is a scandal of monumental proportions that while Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and genuine political leaders are being hounded and chased in the name of accountability the regime is trying to cover up corruption in its own ranks.

"The Pakistan Peoples Party stands for transparency and accountability and therefore as a member of the Party it is my duty to urge civil society to raise its voice, expose the scandal, stop the pilfering of peoples’ hard earned money and put to an end the politically motivated witch hunt of opposition leadership in the name of accountability".

Inquiry before Swiss Magistrate on November 19


Islamabad November 11, 2005: Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto will appear before the Swiss Inquiry Magistrate on November 24 and November 25 to assist the inquiry triggered by politically motivated allegations of abuse of office made by the regime in Islamabad said spokesman of the Party in a statement today.

It may be recalled that none of the allegations have been proven in Pakistan as they are false. Therefore it is surprising that the Geneva authorities have allowed the investigations to go ahead without proof of abuse of office by Mohtarma. It may also be noted that the SGS company had charges of corruption dropped against them and are no longer being investigated in Pakistan or in Geneva.

Mohtarma Bhutto last appeared before the investigative Magistrate on September 19.

Assisted by a Swiss defence lawyer Mohtarma Bhutto had informed the Investigation Magistrate at the last appearance that the Swiss companies allegedly involved in money laundering were not hers. She had also said that the pre-shipment inspection contract was awarded to SGS in a transparent and open manner and there was no underhand dealing involved in the award of contract.

The military rulers in Pakistan have been pushing this investigation only to put pressure on Mohtarma Bhutto to quit politics. They have spent enormous sums of money on the matter and have not stopped despite the earthquake in Pakistan.

Mohtarma Bhutto has however refused to be blackmailed in the last nine years and refuses to be blackmailed even now, he said.

The former Prime Minister was fighting military dictatorship in the country, which had broken and bent every rule in the book and resorted to back dated laws to eliminate her, the spokesman said.

The military dictatorship was against the women as was manifested by the callous remarks of General Musharraf in Washington saying that the women in Pakistan got themselves raped to make money or get foreign visas.

Mohtarma Bhutto said she would contest the charges rather than give in to the Musharraf demand to quit politics and not contest the next elections as she opposes military dictatorship, he said.

PPP compiles comprehensive report on rigging in Local Bodies elections


Islamabad, 09 November 2005: Pakistan Peoples Party has undertaken compilation of a comprehensive report on rigging in the local bodies’ polls and the first instalment of the report focussing on Khairpur Mirs in Sindh has been completed.

The report compiled by former district Nazima Nafisa Shah gives a detailed account of how the elections were stolen by the provincial chief minister and the minister for Communication and Works Saddardin Shah.

The report gives specific examples of how the opposition candidates were threatened and violence, intimidation and human rights violations were committed by the ruling coalition candidates.

The report says that in Khairpur Mir’s all powers over administration were handed over to the son of Pir of Pagaro, Saddardin Shah, the Minister of Communications and Works. It is on record, that he called the last District Police Officer Imran Yaqoob to dinner earlier in the year and asked him to assist him in the elections.

The District Police Officer went on record himself in the press stating that he has been asked by the ruling party minister to win the elections for him but he clearly declined, saying that his job was to maintain law and order and no further. Subsequently, the District Police Officer was transferred and replaced by a ranker Fayyaz Qureishi with a single point agenda to win the election for the Pir. Nearly all police stations were given to the henchmen of the Pir’s son or his protégés’ henchmen, all in the context of the forth-coming elections. All postings and transfers of all district officials despite the presence of a district government were carried out by the agents of the Minister who was awarded the responsibility of elections and given the licence to do all as he pleased.

Regarding pre-poll rigging the report says, "The Minister, Communication and Works Saddardin Shah, masterminded the operation of rigging and used the services of the District Police Officer and the District Coordination Officer. The District Coordination Officer allowed his office to be used as election cell, where Minister Saddardin Shah used to organize meetings. Such references were sent to the Chief Election Commissioner for enquiry but excepting for in ineffective letter of enquiry no further action was taken. The pre-poll methods of rigging were to discourage the Awam Dost candidates from contesting or even fielding candidates for the contest. A large number of candidates who filled forms with the party were intimidated and threatened. At the time of the scrutiny, proposers and seconders, Nazims and Naibnazims, were harassed, kidnapped in large numbers. Those who had relatives in the police or revenue or any other government office were threatened personally by the Minister who said that they would have to be removed from service if they failed to cooperate with the government party. This resulted in several of Awam Dost candidates running out of contest".

"A large number of ballot boxes and ballot papers were leaked out to the official candidates, as the anecdotal evidence suggests. Anywhere between 500 to one thousand ballots were provided to them before the polling day, as the reports from the presiding staff shows. Large-scale victimization, led to the entire Naro Taluka to go uncontested, as many Nazims, Naibnazims, members unofficially withdrew from the race to save their honour, life, property", the report says.

Regarding polling day rigging the report states, "Violence, Firing and raiding and intimidation took place through which several polling stations were attacked by groups of dacoits and criminals accompanied by the Khairpur Dost candidates, carrying firearms who overpowered the polling stations and began to stamp the ballots and stuff the ballot boxes. Khadim Aradin, in charge of Hur Force in Nara, along with several other Hurs in half a dozen cars, went to polling stations Babur Wada in Naseer Fakir Jalani, in Bozdar Wada High School, in Luqman Soomra Mohallah, in Seri in Union Council Mandan, and overpowered the polling staff and began to stamp votes in favour of the Khairpur Dost Panel. In the ensuing violence as a result of the criminal onslaught in the district two people were killed, both were voters. One voter was killed point-blank by candidate’s supporters in Union Council Sagyoon, and the other voter suffered a heart attack in a fight in a polling station in Sabbar Rind. In Union Council Shah Latif, Polling Station Mill Colony, at about 12 p.m, the Khairpur Dost candidate along with several hooligans, attacked the polling station and tried to take over the ballot".

Regarding the involvement of law enforcing agencies in the acts of rigging the report says, "The law enforcement agencies were collusive in the whole process, and sometimes clearly a party to it. This included Rangers who had been posted to create a semblance of neutrality. According to newspaper reports, the District Returning Officer had directed the law enforcement agencies to ensure the heavy deployment of Rangers and police in all sensitive polling stations. However there was little or no deployment even after declaring the polling stations sensitive. In fact a clearly one sided picture emerged, as only the polling stations identified by the government had Rangers posted".

The report says, "Female polling stations were largely targeted, many agents were beaten, locked, harassed by the male intruders who then stuffed votes. Female agents were locked up in Polling station Sagyoon, and in Polling Station Kandhar in Piryaloi, in Bozdar Wada High School. In Bozdar Wada, they were robbed of gold, bangles, and their chadors were taken away. In polling station Babur Wada, they were made victims to violence and beaten up, by the women members of government candidates and thrown out of the polling station. Most of the bogus voting took place in ladies booths".

The report further says, "Hundreds of people were deprived of vote. In polling stations in Pacca Chang and Hussain Pato, in UC Kandiari, polling was stopped at 4p.m and at least 200 people were deprived of vote. The Presiding Officer has given a written statement that he was directed by the police not to allow vote of those persons whose ID cards were not mentioned in the electoral roll, although the election commission’s electoral list allows all those in the list to vote. Similar practice was carried out in Polling Station Maroof rajper in Union Council Pacca Chang Faiz Ganj.

In Police Training College Polling Station in Union Council Nizamani, B Section police lathi-charged voters and dispersed them, took away the agents and manipulated the vote. Hundreds of others were deprived of vote by armed gangsters who blocked roads to the polling stations. This happened in Daud Goth Polling Station in Union Council Mehr Ali where people were injured in the attack, In Mengho Fakir Shar, in Union Council Sabar Rind and in Meher veesar, and as a result there was violence in these areas. In tens of polling stations, agents were either told to leave before, during or even after the count by the presiding officers. In some cases agents were provided results on blank sheets and then the presiding officers sat all night to manipulate the result. As a result, agents have not signed on the preliminary reports of the results. If there is any single evidence of malafide on part of the judiciary and government, it is this. That very few agents would have with them the record of election results signed and attested by the Presiding Officer. This absence of polling station record is a clear evidence of vast electoral fraud".

Regarding the post-poll rigging the report says, "The post poll rigging involved changing results, threatening or bribing presiding officers, sometimes even the returning officers to help the government backed candidates in securing the results that they desired. The results were not finalized or consolidated even until the fifth day of the elections, and figures kept juggling and changing in favour of the government candidates. The Awam Dost candidate of Union council Tando Mir Ali Faiz Mohammad Sial was declared winner on national television, and received a letter of congratulations but on one threatening phone call to a presiding officer, his result was changed and he was made to lose by 3 votes. The High court ordered recounting, but this too was flawed as all the votes that had only stamps but no signatures of presiding officers were included in the count, and further it was noted by the agents and lawyers that 75 ballots were missing from the earlier count. Now the ADP Nazim was made to lose by 51 votes".

Regarding the Third Phase Poll the report says, "The Awam Dost put up candidates in all eight Talukas, even in Nara, where we were left with only 7 councillors out of a total of 65. The Minister Communication and Works used full police and official protocol, through which he managed to keep his herd in control. He went about the whole district threatening officers, councillors and his own party men with dire consequences if they went out of shape and did not give him the officially desired results. He spent at least 15 days campaigning non-stop despite the fact that he was not supposed to do so according to the election code of conduct. Following violations took place with impunity".

Regarding Human Rights Violation the report says, "In the month preceding the 25th August Local government elections and after, unprecedented human rights violations took place. The target of the victimization campaign were candidates of largely the opposition Awam Dost group backed by Pakistan Peoples Party, their proposers, seconders, supporters, relatives and on the voting day, the victimization was enhanced to voters and agents of the Awam Dost Group. All those who dared to stand from the opposition platform were given threats, chased by the police, their relatives suspended or given warnings by the police. At least 8 sets of Nazim and Naibnazim were elected unopposed as a result of the victimization campaign".

The report says, "Vote is the basic constitutional right of every citizen of Pakistan and is the pivot on which the democratic principle rests. The above practices show how the sanctity of the secret ballot and freedom of every citizen to participate in elections has been violated. The electoral manipulation committed by the government of Sindh in the form of Minister Communication and Works, and his Khairpur Dost Panel eventually was not simply a fraud, it was a constitutional crime, in depriving hundreds of thousands of people to vote and appoint the persons of their choice into power".

Regarding the inefficiency and inability of the Election Commission to hold free and fair elections the repost says, "The Election Commission was perhaps the weakest institution in the context of the election. The Acting Election Commissioner did not have a fixed position, and had no authority. Most of the complaints went unheeded.

"Eventually, these elections were a metaphoric struggle, between the people and the dictatorial institutions. On the 18th and 25th, when people came out to vote, despite the knowledge that there will be manipulations, fraud, violence, it was their expression of resistance against the dictatorial forces. The two persons that died in Khairpur and hundreds who were injured or hurt is a manifestation, that this vote was not simply a statement of choice but a symbol of struggle against state banditry. On the one hand, government backed candidates election day strategy was to capture the ballot box, but on the other, the voters response was to fight back and protect the same very ballot box from violation".

"Finally, it may be used a document to use by historians when they are writing on the state of democracy in Pakistan. This little slice of history would demonstrate the dark and shady forces that have taken the country hostage. And would be an entirely new precedent of electoral fraud to be recorded" the report concludes.

PPP notes regime’s decision to review F-16 deal

Demands review of Saab-2000 deal and shifting of GHQ to Islamabad


Islamabad November 7, 2005: The Pakistan Peoples Party has noted that after public calls to cancel the Saab 200 deal and defer construction of another GHQ in Islamabad to raise for reconstruction of quake affected areas General Musharraf has stated that the F-16 deal is being reviewed.

After touring a U.S. Army field hospital in Muzaffarabad, on Friday the General said he was postponing the purchase of F-16s from the United States to focus on relief efforts.

In a statement today Vice Chairman PPP and leader of the Parliamentary Party in the National Assembly Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that on November 2 the Pakistan Peoples Party demanded that the purchase of six Saab planes at one billion dollars from Sweden and the building of a new lavish new General Headquarters in Islamabad be deferred and to use the money for the earthquake victims.

Earlier the General Musharraf had sternly rejected calls for cut in military spending saying that quake reconstruction and military budget were two separate things.

The PPP however has rejected this argument and maintained that spiralling defence costs would impact upon the quantity of international aid that Pakistan was seeking for rehabilitation and reconstruction work.

Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that the Party hopes that the purchase of Saab-2000 aircraft from Sweden would also be postponed in view of the quake emergency.

He said that the Party was not for thoughtless and indiscriminate cut in spending that could make the country’s defence vulnerable. It wanted cut in wasteful and unnecessary expenditure and deferring huge military purchases for the time being.

"Purchase of Saab 2000 and building new GHQ in Islamabad are unnecessary and wasteful expenditures in the present context".

He said that Musharraf had started mending fences with Israel and India, the two countries cited in the past by the security establishment as the cause of the country’s spiralling military spending. As such the new military purchases could at least be deferred for the time being.

What is the most pressing need at this time, building a new GHQ in Islamabad when a functional one is already existing in Rawalpindi or catering to the needs a devastated people, he asked and added, "the security of the country will not be compromised if the GHQ was not shifted to Islamabad".

It is illogical to keep spiralling military expenditure on unnecessary projects at a time when the regime was going with a begging bowl asking for international assistance, he said. "The international donors would also be not forthcoming generously if the regime demonstrated that it was not ready to cut on its fat".

He said that unless the Military rulers set the internal house in order, it is unlikely that the international community will come forward to the rescue and rehabilitation of tens of thousands in need of urgent assistance.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s Eid Day Message


Islamabad November 3, 2005: "I wish to extend on my behalf, on behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party and on behalf of the people of Pakistan greetings to Muslims throughout the world particularly to our Pakistani brothers and sisters on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr", she said in a statement.

Mohtarma Bhutto said that there was also an element of sadness in Eid celebrations this year as thousands of people had perished in earthquake in Frontier and Azad Kashmir.

"Pakistanis have demonstrated that they are a very caring and loving people who, I am sure, would stand by their brothers and sisters in this hour of distress caused by the disastrous earthquake".

Let us on this occasion also bow our heads in gratitude to Allah for blessing us with the bounties of the holy month of Ramzan, she said.

"May Allah in His infinite mercy grant our supplications and guide us to imbibe the spirit of Ramzan throughout the year and to employ that spirit in rebuilding the lives of devastated people".

A festive occasion has relevance only when blessings are genuinely shared with many, she said.

"On this day therefore let us redouble our efforts to alleviate the sufferings not only of the victims of the most terrible natural disaster in the history of Pakistan but also of those who are destitute and needy".

Raza Rabbani castigates Malik Qayyum



Islamabad November 2, 2005: Mian Raza Rabbani leader of the opposition in the Senate and Deputy Secretary General of the Pakistan Peoples Party has issued the following statement today.

"The statement by Malik Abdul Qayyum that his election as President of the Supreme Court Bar Association was a vindication of his decision to sentence Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in the SGS case is a shameless bid to rise from the depths of degradation to which he had sunk during the trial of the former Prime Minister.

"The statement of Malik Qayyum is condemned in the strongest terms.

"By beginning his term of office with such atrocious assertion Malik Qayyum has not only misused the mandate of the bar but also offended the intelligence and sensibilities of ordinary citizens.

"People still remember how as sitting judge was caught on tape writing judgement on dictation from his masters. They also remember that the Supreme Court not only set aside the conviction awarded by him but also passed strictures against him thus, ‘The bias of the trial judge floats on the surface of the record’.

"That a humiliated former Judge should take pride in a judgement for which he was indicted by the highest court and that led to his humiliating exit from the bench speaks of the times we live in.

"It is all too well known how the military regime’s Attorney General and law ministry openly supported and resorted to manipulation to enable this protégé of dictatorship win the elections.

Zardari’s Children Collect Relief Goods For Quake Victims


Islamabad, 2 November 2005: The children of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, participated in the drive to collect relief goods for the victims of the earthquake in Azad Kashmir, Frontier and Northern areas.

With the help of their young class fellows and school, they collected truckloads of relief goods. The children participated compassionately and warmly in the drive managing to collect trucks and boxes of relief goods. These were sent to the Pakistan Consulate in Dubai as part of the expatriate relief effort.

Picture shows one of the trucks and Ms Bakhtwar and Aseefa Zardari with relief goods.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto thanked the school and the young children for their heartfelt contribution to their brothers and sisters in Pakistan at this time of need.

PPP questions new military purchases during national calamity

Demands cut in spiralling military spending for rehabilitation



Islamabad November 2, 2005: The Pakistan Peoples Party has questioned the regime's attempted purchase of one billion dollars worth of Saab aircraft from Sweden at a time when millions of people in Pakistan are displaced.

In a statement today a spokesman of the PPP said that when Musharaf has made up with Israel and India, it was unclear for what purpose the planes were being purchased. Kashmiri capital Muzzafarabad as well as Balakot and other cities were to be rebuilt and their people rehabilitated. The purchase of Saab planes at one billion dollars should be deferred to use the money for recovery from the devastating earthquake which has killed one hundred thousand people and rendered millions homeless, hungry, cold, threatened with disease and jobless.

The PPP said that Musharaf claimed "enlightened moderation" (although his policies towards women, minorities and political opposition were intolerant and immoderate). Yet he was unwilling to revise downwards military expenditure in the light of the devastating earthquake which had destroyed large parts of the country. The PPP called upon the Musharaf regime to disclose the names of the consulting firms and their beneficiaries behind the SAAB purchase deal.

The PPP opposed the purchase of the Saab aircraft until the rehabilitation of the people and the rebuilding of the cities, towns and villages of the earthquake affected areas were completed.

The PPP also called upon the military to suspend building of a lavish new General Headquarters in Islamabad, given that the one in Rawalpindi was adequately serving the needs of the military, for two years and to use the money for the earthquake victims.

The PPP called upon Musharaf to sell the hundreds of luxurious cars costing crores of rupees used by the military and to spend the money on rehabilitation and reconstruction.

The PPP disputed the logic in the remarks by General Musharraf to keep spiralling military expenditure in tact at a time when his regime was going with a begging bowl asking for international assistance. The PPP spokesman said that while international assistance was welcome, a proud and self respecting Nation ought to stand on its own feet if it could afford to. The regime kept boasting about the huge foreign exchange reserves and wondered why they were not being used for rehabilitation, reconstruction and welfare of the masses.

It may be noted that General Musharaf declared that military spending will not be cut for rebuilding the lives of people devastated in earthquake in the Frontier in Azad Kashmir.

Addressing a press conference on Monday General Musharraf claimed to launch all out relief operations but sternly ruled out cutting military spending for it.

The Party criticised the Musharaf military policies in light of reduction in tensions with Israel and India and the pathetic plight of Kashmiris as well as Pakistani in the bitter winter cold following the earthquakes.

It is the height of insensitivity towards the plight of the masses that a handful of top Generals should choose to purchase and maintain a fleet of luxurious cars, as well as palatial houses that are bigger than the Prime Minister's House, and grant themselves residential and commercial plots while people were dying under the rubble, said the party spokesman in a statement today.

"Unless the Military rulers set the internal house in order, it is unlikely that the international community will come forward to the rescue and rehabilitation of tens of thousands in need of urgent assistance".

Part of the huge defense outlay that has been rising every year without check must be diverted to human security and defense of the helpless people against starvation, disease, homelessness and vagaries of weather, he said. To cover the high defence expenditure, the military pensions were hidden under civil expenditure.

While the PPP believes in a strong defence for Pakistan, it opposes wasteful and luxurious expenditure for the comfort of a few while the majority live in misery and hunger.

In light of the dire plight of the earthquake victims and the need to rebuild the glorious city of Muzzafarabad as well as Balakot and other towns and villages, the PPP opposes spending one billion dollars on purchase of SAAB aircraft at this time. It also demands to know the consultancy firms and the names of all their beneficiaries.

A Swedish newspaper disclosed that while people were dying in Kashmir, Northern areas and Frontier, Musharaf was busy supervising the reported purchase of six Saab 2000 radar fitted surveillance aircrafts at a cost of over one billion dollars during national emergency.

A source said that Musharaf might try to hoodwink people by claiming that the aircraft were needed in search and rescue operations. However, he said that military aircraft could not be used in search and rescue operations otherwise the F 16s could also have been so used. In any event, the search and rescue operations have been completed as nearly one month after the earthquake, none of those buried can be alive.

PPP questions new military purchases during national calamity

Demands cut in spiralling military spending for rehabilitation



Islamabad November 2, 2005: The Pakistan Peoples Party has questioned the regime's attempted purchase of one billion dollars worth of Saab aircraft from Sweden at a time when millions of people in Pakistan are displaced.

In a statement today a spokesman of the PPP said that when Musharaf has made up with Israel and India, it was unclear for what purpose the planes were being purchased. Kashmiri capital Muzzafarabad as well as Balakot and other cities were to be rebuilt and their people rehabilitated. The purchase of Saab planes at one billion dollars should be deferred to use the money for recovery from the devastating earthquake which has killed one hundred thousand people and rendered millions homeless, hungry, cold, threatened with disease and jobless.

The PPP said that Musharaf claimed "enlightened moderation" (although his policies towards women, minorities and political opposition were intolerant and immoderate). Yet he was unwilling to revise downwards military expenditure in the light of the devastating earthquake which had destroyed large parts of the country. The PPP called upon the Musharaf regime to disclose the names of the consulting firms and their beneficiaries behind the SAAB purchase deal.

The PPP opposed the purchase of the Saab aircraft until the rehabilitation of the people and the rebuilding of the cities, towns and villages of the earthquake affected areas were completed.

The PPP also called upon the military to suspend building of a lavish new General Headquarters in Islamabad, given that the one in Rawalpindi was adequately serving the needs of the military, for two years and to use the money for the earthquake victims.

The PPP called upon Musharaf to sell the hundreds of luxurious cars costing crores of rupees used by the military and to spend the money on rehabilitation and reconstruction.

The PPP disputed the logic in the remarks by General Musharraf to keep spiralling military expenditure in tact at a time when his regime was going with a begging bowl asking for international assistance. The PPP spokesman said that while international assistance was welcome, a proud and self respecting Nation ought to stand on its own feet if it could afford to. The regime kept boasting about the huge foreign exchange reserves and wondered why they were not being used for rehabilitation, reconstruction and welfare of the masses.

It may be noted that General Musharaf declared that military spending will not be cut for rebuilding the lives of people devastated in earthquake in the Frontier in Azad Kashmir.

Addressing a press conference on Monday General Musharraf claimed to launch all out relief operations but sternly ruled out cutting military spending for it.

The Party criticised the Musharaf military policies in light of reduction in tensions with Israel and India and the pathetic plight of Kashmiris as well as Pakistani in the bitter winter cold following the earthquakes.

It is the height of insensitivity towards the plight of the masses that a handful of top Generals should choose to purchase and maintain a fleet of luxurious cars, as well as palatial houses that are bigger than the Prime Minister's House, and grant themselves residential and commercial plots while people were dying under the rubble, said the party spokesman in a statement today.

"Unless the Military rulers set the internal house in order, it is unlikely that the international community will come forward to the rescue and rehabilitation of tens of thousands in need of urgent assistance".

Part of the huge defense outlay that has been rising every year without check must be diverted to human security and defense of the helpless people against starvation, disease, homelessness and vagaries of weather, he said. To cover the high defence expenditure, the military pensions were hidden under civil expenditure.

While the PPP believes in a strong defence for Pakistan, it opposes wasteful and luxurious expenditure for the comfort of a few while the majority live in misery and hunger.

In light of the dire plight of the earthquake victims and the need to rebuild the glorious city of Muzzafarabad as well as Balakot and other towns and villages, the PPP opposes spending one billion dollars on purchase of SAAB aircraft at this time. It also demands to know the consultancy firms and the names of all their beneficiaries.

A Swedish newspaper disclosed that while people were dying in Kashmir, Northern areas and Frontier, Musharaf was busy supervising the reported purchase of six Saab 2000 radar fitted surveillance aircrafts at a cost of over one billion dollars during national emergency.

A source said that Musharaf might try to hoodwink people by claiming that the aircraft were needed in search and rescue operations. However, he said that military aircraft could not be used in search and rescue operations otherwise the F 16s could also have been so used. In any event, the search and rescue operations have been completed as nearly one month after the earthquake, none of those buried can be alive.

The Earthquake in Pakistan

Naheed Khan MNA


Pakistan is desperately trying to cope with the aftermath of the killer earthquake, which hit northern Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. The destruction caused by the earthquake is so massive that the United Nations called it worse disaster than the Tsunami. Several questions are being raised regarding the relief efforts initiated by the Pakistani government and it seems that the rulers have no answers to those questions. The entire government finds itself in disarray and its efforts are patchy in many respect.

When the calamity hit Pakistan, the rulers took it very lightly. The nonchalant manner, in which the General and his ministers appeared on television and photo sessions in front of ill-fated Margala Towers, surprised the Pakistani nation. It was the Corp Commander Peshawar who talking to the journalists after taking an aerial view of the disaster said that at the most there have been only one thousand casualties by the earthquake and all the reports in the media is sensationalising the calamity.

Slowly and gradually it started to dawn upon the military regime that the destruction and disaster is much bigger than their illusion. It took three days for the government to appeal to the world for help. The education minister of the military regime stunned the entire nation when he on the floor of national assembly said that relief work is not the military’s responsibility. Probably this is the reason that army took nearly a week to mobilise its troops for relief efforts. This insensitiveness displayed by the department, most equipped to deal with such difficult situations, may be because of the mindset of the military establishment towards the civilians and their problems.

Even after more than three weeks carcasses lie under the rubble scattered all through earthquake-affected area. Every eye was wet hearing the news on television channels that dead bodies of 55 students were recovered from the rubbles of Azad Kashmir University after 19 days of earthquake. This shows the lack of efficiency of relief efforts being carried out by the military.

Without doubt the public response in this grave situation has been exemplary. Every section of the Pakistani society contributed towards relief efforts. The unity displayed by the nation is an eye opener for those who in past had been very critical of the public and every now and again termed this country as a failed state. The non-governmental organisations, print and electronic media, students, teachers, doctors and every political worker have set an example for those who termed the areas as inaccessible. The political workers from Karachi to Khyber came out to help their brothers and sisters in distress. The leaders of political parties mobilised their workers. In this respect, I must salute peoples’ leader and the leader of my party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who was first to instruct her party leaders and workers to leave no stone unturned in the relief efforts. She immediately asked her party office bearers to hold an emergency meeting to coordinate the relief efforts and to set up relief camps in every district. She also established a PPP relief account to collect funds for the relief drive.

The military regime asked the international community for six billion dollars help for the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. So far this appeal has been able to receive some 100 million dollars out of less than half a billion dollars pledged by the international community. One wonders that why the response is so lukewarm?

Pakistan has been under military dictatorship for the last six years now. In its very nature a military government is oppressive and distant from the public. The link between the government and the public are the politicians who have roots in the masses. Elections after elections, the PPP and its leadership Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto have won the support of the people. People have reposed confidence on her leadership despite the efforts by the establishment to malign here name. The regime on the pretext of false cases initiated for political interests has kept her out of the county. The head of the military government has several times announced that he would not let Mohtarma Benazir to return back to the country.

There is a question of trust and credibility. The civilised world believes in democracy and dictatorship continued ruling Pakistan with iron hand because of the event of 9/11 but that gasoline for the dictator has been exhausted now. This earthquake further exposed the hollowness of General Musharraf’s claims of being strong and effective. An earthquake of 7.8 on the richter scale jolted not only big mountains but also the General and his machinery. The regime miserably failed not only to coordinate relief efforts but also in collecting enough funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction. Despite this failure the military regime refuses to learn any lesson and continued to think itself as the righteous and most effective to carry out rehabilitation work.

General Musharraf established earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority without any consultation appointing a serving General as its chief. The notification issued recently outlined the scope of work, source of funding and the management of the Authority, which indemnifies the officials of this Authority against any suit, prosecution or legal proceedings. This notification is an utter negation of the principles of transparency and accountability. General Musharraf and his colleagues seem totally unaware that transparency and accountability are the key words for the international donor agencies and governments while disbursing any funds to the Third World country. All these unilateral decisions by the military regime have undermined the public and their representatives.

If this regime wanted to begin real rehabilitation and reconstruction then it would have accepted the opposition demand to form a bi-partisan parliamentary committee to monitor rehabilitation work and its expenditure.

The people in distress, the people in pain, the people in need can only be consoled and comforted by someone they know and can relate to, someone who is accountable to them, someone with proven track record of providing leadership in difficult times, someone they trust and someone they love and admire. Only the democratic leader who represents the real people on the ground can convince and motivate the world community to support and finance the relief efforts, which we badly need at the moment. Only Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto can provide that leadership and vision which is needed in the midst of this colossal calamity. Sooner the regime realises this reality the better. Keeping the peoples’ leader, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto out of the country means the prolongation of miseries of the people. People of Pakistan deserve better.

PPP distributes cash among affectees of Earthquake


Islamabad, 1, November 2005: On the instructions of former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the party is continuing relief work for the affectees of earthquake which hit northern Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

In this regard, a delegation headed by PPP member national assembly Nafisa Raja distributed cash among the affectees residing in relief camps in Islamabad area. The delegation was comprised of Taimur Alam, the founder member PPP Waheed Bhai, Mrs. Shamim Wasi, Yousuf Pirzada, Qazi Bashir, and Muhammad Yasin

The delegation distributed cash at the relief camps established at Bhara Kahu, Technical Institute for special children hospital and at the ground in front of Media office of the Chairperson PPP Islamabad. A total of nearly one million rupees were distributed. Talking to the affectees, the members of delegation said that they wanted to make sure that the money goes to the real affectees and that is why they came all the way from Karachi to help their brothers and sisters in distress.

Government should take measure regarding earthquake victims - Mian Raza Rabbani


Islamabad, 1, November 2005: Mian Raza Rabbani Leader of Opposition, Senate of Pakistan and Deputy Secretary General Peoples Party along with Barrister Sultan Mehmood, Leader of the Opposition, AJK Assembly visited Muzaffarabad. They extensively toured the city and met with the effected people. They also visited houses of PPP workers to offer fatiha.

Later while talking to party workers and some newsmen at the office of Barrister Sultan Mehmood, Leader of the Opposition AJK Assembly, Mian Raza Rabbani praised the role of civil society and particularly the working class who despite rising prices and other financial constraints have contributed their salaries for the quake effected people. He said that as a Pakistani I am proud of my nation which has responded as one in this hour of national trial. He further said that this entire calamity has proven that Pakistan’s civil society can play an effective role when allowed to do so.

Mian Raza Rabbani expressed deep concern over the report of UNESCO that because aid had not reached certain parts of the quake hit areas they can be a second wave of deaths in which approximately 10,000 children could be further effected. According to the report 120,000 children remain unreached in the mountain areas. This coupled with the fact that a majority of the buildings destroyed in the earthquake were schools with few survivors is a grave situation, further amongst those children who have survived many are handicapped while others will carry the trauma of the earthquake for their entire life, this indeed is a situation where an entire generation has been lost in AJK.

It is disturbing to read the report in the Sunday Times where in its is stated that those children who have survived are being targeted by various gangs and being used for prostitution or beggary. It is the duty of the Government to act immediately to crack down on such groups to protect these unfortunate children.

It is also unfortunate that in yesterdays briefing Federal Relief Commissioner had stated that, "some seriously injured people had been sent abroad for treatment, but he was not in a position to tell their exact numbers. The Federal Health Minister stated, that there is no need to send any person for treatment abroad as all facilities are available in the country. It appears that the Government itself has not been able to put its act together, it is demanded that the factual position in this regard be placed before the nation.

It is for such corrective purpose and not criticism that I have been demanding a joint session of Parliament to give direction to the relief efforts which for the moment are in state of confusion.

PPP Canada contributes nine lac dollars towards relief efforts


Islamabad, 1, November 2005: On the instructions of former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the PPP Canada held a fundraiser Iftar dinner and collected nine hundred thousands dollars to be contributed towards relief activities for the earthquake affectees in northern Pakistan and Kashmir.

President PPP Canada Saleem Janjua, Information Secretary Alamdar Kazmi, former President PPP Canada Khalid Usman, PRO Aftab A Malik and communit members Faheem Khan, Dr. Tariq Mehmood, Javed Khan and Raja Wahid arranged this fundraiser.

The Canadian government is matching grants (doubling the amount

collected) with a condition that the money collected should be channeled through three NGOs, namely the United Way, The Red Cross and an Islamic-based NGO IDRF. The NGO/DRF has the least administrative cost. So the PPP decided to channel, the amount collected in the fundraiser, to the relief efforts through IDRF.

The PPP Canada has vowed to continue collecting amounts for the affectees of the earthquake until the rehabilitation work is completed.

PPP rejects Earthquake Reconstruction Authority

‘Self serving and lacking in accountability and transparency’

Demands multi party parliamentary committee of oversight

 

Islamabad November 1, 2005: Pakistan Peoples Party has rejected the setting up of the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority

(ERRA) in its present form as lacking in transparency and accountability of its officials.

An official notification was issued Monday outlining the scope of work, sources of funding and the management of the Authority.

In a statement today spokesman of the Party Senator Farhatullah Babar called for civilian control of the reconstruction and rehabilitation through a multiparty parliamentary committee with a credible mechanism for transparency and accountability.

He said that the concept of transparency and accountability are alien to the military mindset, adding ‘entrusting the task to those who disdain accountability and transparency is fraught with grave dangers not the least to the public image of the military itself’.

He said that instead of ensuring accountability the notification issued on Monday had indemnified ERRA official against any suit, prosecution or legal proceedings.

The vesting of powers in the Authority to engage employees and experts on contract basis from the defense services was aimed at making it an employment bureau for serving and retired military officers, he said..


It smacks of an employment bureau for military personnel who will not be held accountable for anything that they did, he said and added, "It strikes at the very root of accountability and is transparently self serving".

Senator Farhatullah Babar said that as the funds of the Authority ‘shall also consist of such sums as the federal government may from time to time allocate’ it was important that reconstruction using public funds was debated and decided by the Parliament.

Adopting any other procedure would amount to criminal bypassing of the Parliament and institutionalising corruption, he said.

He said that the military thrived on secrecy and refused to submit to a credible system of accountability as was evident from the fate of questions and resolutions moved in the Parliament during the last three years.

He said that a question was asked in the Senate of September 19, 2003 whether the military officers submitted their annual declaration of assets which was not replied on the ground that the ‘information asked for is of secret nature’.


He said that Pakistan had the dubious distinction of being 15th from the bottom of the list of 159 corrupt countries. It is also well known how millions of dollars aid extended to a previous military dictatorship for Afghan Jehad ended up in private bank accounts.

It will be a social disaster beyond the capacity of Richter scale to measure if rehabilitation effort was undermined because of absence of transparency and accountability, he said.

PPP demands Parliament be taken into confidence


Islamabad November 1, 2005: Mian Raza Rabbani, Leader of the Opposition, Senate of Pakistan and Deputy Secretary General, PPP has issued the following press statement;

"The international contribution to the UN Flash Fund has fallen below the expectations of the UN, but nonetheless various monies from abroad and through internal sources is being generated in the name of rescue, relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation of the quake effected peoples. It is imperative, given the magnitude of the task of reconstruction and rehabilitation, that the monies be used purposefully and in a transparent manner.

"The Government must open a single consolidated fund with the State Bank of Pakistan and provide the following information to the nation:

1. The total amount of funds credited to the account till date. 2. The total amount of commitments made till date. 3. The total amount of the fund contributed by a particular country, donor agency, agency or individual showing its component to be adjusted against relief goods; and 4. the funds to be spent by any international organization for the purpose of reconstruction.

"This information should be laid before Parliament. The account should be administered under the supervision of a bi partisan Committee of Parliament in order to ensure transparency.

"This has to be a "national reconstruction effort," therefore, civil society and the elected representatives have to be associated. It is not appropriate that the Organisations associated with such activities be dominated / headed by army personnel, the elected representatives of the engineers, doctors and architects be associated as also the elected representatives of the people".

PPP urges Lawyers’ Community to reject Malik Qayyum


Islamabad, November 1, 2005: Secretary General Pakistan Peoples Party, Jahangir Bader has instructed lawyers associated with the party and urged the lawyers community in general to out rightly reject the nomination of Justice (r) Malik Qayyum who is contesting for the post of the President Supreme Court Bar Association.

In a statement Jahangir Bader said that the people of Pakistan have not forgotten the main character of the audiotape scandal, which had compelled the judiciary to boot out Justice Qayyum. By being biased against Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the most popular leadership of the country, he has proved to be the public enemy number one. He said that Justice Qayyum is a known murderer of justice in this country and does not have the qualification and the morals to represent the highest forum of the legal fraternity.

Jahangir Bader said that justice Qayyum has the cheek to present himself as a candidate after defaming and disgracing the post of a judge when he was caught red handed violating all the decency and decorum of the valued position. How an individual who violated and defied the peoples’ trust can represent the honourable community of lawyers, Jahangir Bader asked. He appealed to the legal fraternity to disown a person who is a wolf in a lamb’s fur and instructed all lawyers associated with the Peoples Lawyers Forum to make sure that a criminal does not represent the legal community at the highest lawyers’ forum.

Mohtarma Bhutto condoles with Rahman Malik


Islamabad November 1, 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Senator Asif Ali Zardari have condoled the death of the mother of Rehman Malik former Director General of FIA.

Rehman Malik’s mother died at PIMS Islamabad early Friday morning and was buried in Sialkot the same evening.

In a condolence message Mohtarma Bhutto said that she and Asif Zardari were grieved to learn about the death of Rehman Malik’s mother. The death of a parent particularly that of the mother is a grievous loss, she said and added, ‘our thoughts and prayers are with members of the bereaved family in this hour of personal grief and tragedy’.

She also prayed to Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the members of the bereaved family to bear the loss with fortitude.

PPP invites applications from prospective candidates


Islamabad November 1, 2005: On the instructions of Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto the Secretary General, PPP Jahangir Bader has invited applications from prospective candidates for the National and Provincial Assemblies in the bye-elections in NA 64 Sargodha-I, NA 132 Sheikhupura-II, NA 180 Muzaffargarh-V, NA 189 Bahawalnagar-II, and NA-210 Jacobabad-III. and PS-106 Karachi-XVIII, PS 117 Karachi-XXIX, and PS 120 Karachi-XXXII, and in NWFP PF 75 Lakki Marwat-II.

The intending applicants should send their applications to Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal House, Karachi. The application should be accompanied with a Bank Drat in the name of the Pakistan Peoples Party for an amount of Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 15, 000 for the National and Provincial Assemblies respectively. The last date for submission of applications is 10th November 2005.

Ghurki Trust Hospital treats earthquake victims


Islamabad, November 1, 2005: Pakistan Peoples Party on the instructions of party Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto is continuing its relief efforts for the affectees of earthquake which hit northern Pakistan and Kashmir on 8th October.

In this regard Ghurki Trust Hospital of Samina Khalid Ghurki MNA and Khalid Javed Ghurki, Wagha Town Nazim, Lahore has dedicated 200 out of 400 beds for the earthquake affectees. The Ghurkis have brought 55 injured to their hospital from affected area who are being treated there. The Ghurki Trust Hospital has taken full responsibility for treating the injured free of cost.

Samina Ghurki and Khalid Ghurki have also sent several trucks load of relief goods to the affected areas including blankets, utensils, tents, medicines and warm clothings.

Mohtarma Bhutto Felicitates Hindus on Deewali


Islamabad November 1, 2005: Former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has greeted the Hindu community of Pakistan on the occasion of Deewali being celebrated by Hindus today on Monday October 31.

"I wish to extend on my behalf, on behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party and on behalf of the people of Pakistan heartiest greetings to Hindu community, specially the scheduled castes communities on the occasion of Deewali" she said in a statement.

Mohtarma Bhutto said that there was also an element of sadness in Deewali celebrations this year as thousands of people had perished in earthquake in Frontier and Azad Kahsmir. The Hindus of Pakistan she said were patriotic citizens who while celebrating Deewali would also remember the grief stricken and disaster hit families.

She said that on this occasion she also wished to reiterate that the Pakistan Peoples Party believed in the principles enunciated by our father founder Quaid-e-Azam that all citizens irrespective of their religious faith and social status were equal citizens of the state and enjoyed equal rights as enshrined in our Constitution.

She said that the Pakistan Peoples Party believes that the Hindus, indeed all minorities, of Pakistan are equal citizens of the state and must be given equal rights including the right to vote for all candidates along with Muslim voters.

"I am happy to say that as a result of the struggle of the PPP the provision in the original 1973 Constitution of joint electorate has been restored and the religious apartheid foisted by a military dictator ended". She said that the PPP will not let the system of separate electorate foisted again on the nation.

The former Prime Minister said that the PPP has been in the forefront in protecting the rights of minorities in the country in accordance with the teachings of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and that she was proud of it. "The Party's struggle for the emancipation of downtrodden and the exploited covers the people belonging to all the communities regardless of their cast, creed and faith".

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns Delhi blasts



Islamabad November 1, 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has condemned terrorist acts in New Delhi on Saturday that resulted in the death of scores of innocent people.

In a statement today the former Prime Minister that the explosions that shook markets in News Delhi on Saturday on the eve of Deewali closely followed by Eid was an act of terror which must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all.

She said that on her behalf and on behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party she expressed her shock and condemned this blatant act of terrorism. She also expressed sympathies with the bereaved families.

She said that terrorism was a scourge that had nothing to do with religion and must be condemned by all civilised people.

Mohtarma Bhutto condemns Delhi blasts



Islamabad November 1, 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has condemned terrorist acts in New Delhi on Saturday that resulted in the death of scores of innocent people.

In a statement today the former Prime Minister that the explosions that shook markets in News Delhi on Saturday on the eve of Deewali closely followed by Eid was an act of terror which must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all.

She said that on her behalf and on behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party she expressed her shock and condemned this blatant act of terrorism. She also expressed sympathies with the bereaved families.

She said that terrorism was a scourge that had nothing to do with religion and must be condemned by all civilized people.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto condoles the death of Zarina Baloch


Islamabad, 1 November 2005: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Senator Asif Ali Zardari have condoled the death of renowned singer Zarina Baloch.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a condolence message addressed to Rasool Bux Palijo wrote, "The loss of a spouse is a great tragedy. Our sympathies are with you at this difficult time. The passing away of Ms Baloch is a great loss for your family as well as for our country, especially the people of Sindh. She will long be remembered for her contributions."

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


Words of Shaheed

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto

There was a great Prime Minister, the first Prime Minister, the father of the present Prime Minister of India, who said, "We were too old, we were too tired to oppose Pakistan, and Pakistan had to come into being. But we hope that one day we will get together gain." I too hope so, not that Pakistan will emerge as subservient to India but in the sense that we will get together again as equal friends, in a common fraternity, living in a common subcontinent and sharing the common effort of seeing that poverty, ignorance and misery are wiped out. If there are any two countries in world that are the poorest in the world, they are Pakistan and India. Our resources might be tremendous, but the fact is that we two are the poorest in the world. Yet in the last 24 years, we have gone to war three times. Three times there has been conflict in the subcontinent. I remember that Prime Minister of the Soviet Union once telling me that even rich nations try to avoide war; poorer nations should make a greater attempt to avoid war.

Speech at the Security Council, New York

December 12, 1971

 



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