You have to stand guard over the development and maintenance of democracy, social justice and the equality of mankind in your own native soil. [Mohammed Ali Jinnah]

Monday, March 31, 2008

2006 Letter to Musharraf

From: Dr. Khalid Luqman Chaudhry [mailto:drkluqman@gmail.com]
Sent: 27 September 2006 21:27
To: drluqman@pml1.org
Subject: We will remove Musharraf with the power of the people: Nawaz Sharif

My dear friends, AOA
General Musharaf's book "In the line of fire," and his various interviews and press conferences, have brought to mind the following questions. Questions General Musharaf must answer, I 'm sure you'll agree.
1. If Richard Armitage, the then US Assistant Secretary of State, threatened to Bomb Pakistan and send it back to stone age, why did you hide the threat from the nation and what prompted you to share it now…besides the release of your book?
2. General Musharaf has been telling the Pakistani nation that his cooperation with the USA in the fight against terrorism is not because of any threat but was his decision for the national interes of Pakistan. What is the real reason?
3. He said in the book that millions of dollars were paid to the government of Pakistan for providing the names of terrorists, apprehending them, and handing over to US government. Later he told Wolf Blitzer that funds were provided to individuals who were informers. Can you answer,
a) Where is the money? How was it given to the individuals? Was it given in Pakistan or deposited in foreign accounts.
b) How much was your share. Was it deposited in your bank account in Pakistan , in USA or your brother's/ Son's/nephew's account in Boston/ New Jersey?
c) How many more Pakistani people are going to be sold by you in the name of the fighting terrorism?
4. Writing a book while being the Chief of Army Staff and President is unprecedented. What prompted you to do so knowing that it is against the nation's interest and the confidentiality/secrecy act? Why would you tell the world, even if it was true, that Pakistan did not have an operational delivery system at the time of nuclear detonation? Don't you think that proves you to be self serving and irresponsible? Isn't this an act of treason?
5. In your book, you mentioned Dr. Qadeer as self-centered, selfish and the problem in nuclear proliferation. Can you tell the nation that how come Dr. Qadeer Khan stole all the secrets and plans and even the heavy Centrifuges alone by himself while being strictly guarded by SPD.
6. You lied about the facts about Kargil. You mentioned that Kargil brought Kashmir issue at limelight. You are wrong. Pakistan's position on Kashmir is weakened now than ever. Please look the facts.
a). Indian Government's posture about Kashmir is the same as it was prior to October 12, 1999. Actually it had softened when India 's prime minister A B Vajpayee cameto Minaar e Pakistan , Lahore . Then it got stiffen again after you invaded Kargil.
b). You flip flopped on UN resolutions on Kashmir , time and again thus weakened the core issue.
c). United States and Europeans have done nothing to facilitate the process. Actually India has been emboldened by United States nuclear deal with India. What you got from USA was a promise of cooperation for Pakistan only. Personally you got your friendship with president Bush strengthened.
d). You have divided the Kashmiri freedom movement leaders. Hurriat Conference became two factions. Thanks to you. You have accepted India's assertion of Kashmiri freedom fighters as the terrorists.
e). You let India complete the fence at line of control hence accepting it as a border.
f). You let India start and pursue the construction of Bagliar dam project for three years and then brought it to the attention of World Bank. It was too late then.
And that is not all; there are a lot more questions that need answers. You can begin by answering these for the Pakistani people.
Anxiously awaiting answers,
Dr. Khalid Luqman
:: London Instituete Of South Asia ::
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ایک سرد حلف برداری

Excerpts from an article on BBC Urdu
گو ہال میں نگراں وزیرِ اعظم، ان کی کابینہ، صدارتی عملہ، غیر ملکی سفرا سب ہی طرح کے لوگ تھے۔ لیکن اسٹیبلشمنٹ کے ناپسندیدہ چند لوگوں کی موجودگی کے سبب تقریباتی ماحول کچھ ایسا ہو گیا تھا جیسے کسی ٹرین کے ڈبے یا بس میں ایک ساتھ سفر کرنے پر مجبور مسافر ایک دوسرے کو اخلاقاً برداشت کر لیتے ہیں۔

نئے وزیرِ اغطم کی اہلیہ اور صدر مشرف کی اہلیہ صہبا کو ٹی وی کا کیمرہ اگرچہ بار بار دکھاتا رہا لیکن کیمرے کو حسرت ہی رہی کہ وہ ان دونوں خواتین کو گفتگو کرتے ہوئے پکڑ سکے۔

ماحول کی سرد مہری میں اگر کوئی کسر رہ گئی تھی تو وہ حلف کے الفاظ ختم ہوتے ہی تقریب کے ادب و آداب سے عاری کچھ لوگوں کی جانب سے بلند ہونے والے ’جئے بھٹو‘ اور ’چاروں صوبوں کی زنجیر بے نظیر‘ کے نعرے نے پوری کر دی۔

صدر پرویز مشرف نے اس موقع پر اگلی نشست پر بحریہ اور فضائیہ کے سربراہوں کے ساتھ بیٹھے ہوئے جنرل اشفاق پرویز کیانی کی جانب دیکھا۔ لیکن جنرل کیانی سوائے چیف آف آرمی سٹاف کی چھڑی ہلکے سے ہلانے کے علاوہ کچھ نہ کر پائے۔

بالشویکوں کے ہاتھوں روس کے آخری مطلق العنان زار نکولس دوم کی موت اگرچہ سرخ انقلاب کے ایک برس بعد ہوئی، لیکن مورخین کہتے ہیں کہ زار کا انتقال اصل میں اسی دن ہوگیا تھا جب انقلاب کا طبل بجتے ہی زار نے دیکھا کہ بدتمیز مزدور اور کسان شاہی محل میں زبردستی گھسنے کے بعد قالین پر کیچڑ بھرے جوتوں کے ساتھ چل رہے ہیں۔

 
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US officials’ Islamabad visit criticized!

Washington’s decision to send a delegation to a government which had not yet taken control has been criticised strongly in both Pakistan and the United States.

“It was very ill-advised,” said Dennis Kux, a former US ambassador and a South Asian expert. “I think the timing could have been better.”

“We should let Pakistanis work out their own problems and be happy that there is a democratically elected government there.”

Mr Kux said the Pakistanis were as concerned about the situation in the tribal areas as the Americans were and saw the extremists as a threat to their stability.

“We need a little patience and need to give the new government more time to cool off,” he added. “I don’t think this was the right time to arrive in Islamabad.”

Full story
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Blame game


NEW YORK, March 30: Al Qaeda is training western-looking operatives in tribal areas of Pakistan, making it easier for them to get past security at US airports, according to CIA Director Michael Hayden.

Talking on NBC’s news programme ‘Meet the Press’, Mr Hayden said the most likely point of origin from where terrorists would launch another attack against the US was the sanctuary in tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan.

Mr Hayden said that they (Al Qaeda) were training “operatives who look western” and “would be able to come into this country without attracting the attention others might … If there is another terrorist attack, it will originate there.’’



pathetic
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Taliban have been misunderstood...


For full story see Dawn
“Taliban are patriotic people and do not want to fight with their own government. We have waged jihad against America. But the country will suffer as long as Pakistan remains an ally of the US in the ongoing war on terror in the region,” Maulvi Faqir said.



so if pakistan does not fight america's war, taliban will not fight pakistan... if still things do not get better, then we must understand tht there is foreign hand behind this...

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How did the FE Reserves increase...

Source: Wikipedia
After nuclear tests were carried out in 1998, during the Sharif government, the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization imposed economic sanctions on Pakistan.[30] When Musharraf came to power in the coup d'etat the following year Pakistan was expelled from the Commonwealth.[31] This initially compounded the economic problems, and many experts claimed Pakistan was a failed state, as it was close to bankruptcy and investor confidence was at an all-time low. After Musharraf promised support in the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, international sanctions were lifted.[32]

Musharraf then appointed Shaukat Aziz, a former Citibank executive, as finance minister.[33] World powers weighed in for debt rescheduling[34][35][36][37] to reward Pakistan due to the "war on terrorism", which helped in saving hundreds millions of dollars, in addition to securing new loans. As a result, foreign exchange reserves increased exceeding $16 billion in 2006, but at the same time foreign debt hit an all time high topping $40 billion.[38] The government claims that the economy has grown in several sectors and that per capita income of Pakistan has more than doubled in the last seven years.[39]

n the prev. govt. kept praisin itself for increased FE reserves... another thing not mentioned on wikipedia is the privatisation of public departments... tht sellin also contributed towards the increase in reserves.

Also see below whts the current state of foreign debt

Mr Zardari referred the question about economy and new government’s plan to deal with severe economic crisis to Ishaq Dar of the PML-N, who said that the party planned to share “the opening balance with people” and a detailed brief was being prepared.

He said that foreign loans had risen from $30 billion to $42 billion in a year and domestic loans had also touched a historic high.“The economic crisis is at its worst, but the coalition has evolved a strategy to deal with it.”
... taken from Dawn

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Saturday, March 29, 2008

Army recalls 72 of its officers from civilian departments -DAWN -


ISLAMABAD, March 28: The General Headquarters will recall 72 army officers, including six major-generals and eight brigadiers, serving in various civilian departments by mid-August in two phases, according to Inter-Services Public Relations director-general Major-General Athar Abbas.


He said that at present there were 150 officers working in various departments, but some departments had sought to retain 32 officers and also wished to re-employ them after retirement.

....
Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani had ordered withdrawal of more than 300 army personnel posted in various civil departments on secondment.

Immediately, 152 of military personnel returned to the Pakistan Army. They included six major-generals working in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Full story at Dawn website

Atlast things started to change.... lets hope these steps take us to right direction....
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Respecting the mandate

Source: Nawaiwaqt

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"Shake the Three" operation



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Friday, March 28, 2008

Punjab University: IJT nazim expelled

LAHORE, March 26: The Punjab University on Wednesday expelled an IJT nazim and rusticated another activist for one year on the charges of beating up university students in the presence of the vice-chancellor two weeks ago....

Finally some good news. Let's hope this is the first in a series and we soon see the end of Jamiat Regime in PU. Thanks, once again, to the students who have started this by setting an example of non-violent principled resistance. For details of the event, go here...

Difference between 1-man rule n democracy

US has intensified Fata strikes: WP

Ecerpts only. Source: Dawn

By Anwar Iqbal


WASHINGTON, March 27: The United States has escalated air strikes against Al Qaeda fighters operating in Pakistan’s tribal areas fearing that the new government in Islamabad may object to future strikes, The Washington Post reported on Thursday.
....
Officials interviewed by the Post for the article said Washington wanted to inflict as much damage as it can to Al Qaeda’s network now because President Pervez Musharraf may not be able to offer much help in the months ahead.
....
The Post noted that neither the US nor the Pakistani authorities officially confirmed US missile attacks on Pakistani territory, which would be an infringement of Pakistani sovereignty.
....
Thomas H. Johnson, a research professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, told the newspaper that policy makers in Washington were aware that “Musharraf’s days are numbered, and so they recognised they may only have a few months to do this. Musharraf has . . . very few friends in the world -- he probably has more inside the Beltway (Washington) than in his own country.”

The report claimed that after months of prodding, the Bush administration and the Musharraf government this year reached a tacit understanding that gave Washington a freer hand to carry out precision strikes against Al Qaeda and its allies in the border region. The issue, however, is so sensitive that neither side is willing to discuss openly, the report added.

According to the Post, the goal of the new US strategy is partly to try to get information on senior Al Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden, by forcing them to move in ways that US intelligence analysts can detect.

“It’s not a blitz to close this chapter,” a senior official who spoke on the condition of anonymity told the newspaper. “If we find the leadership, then we’ll go after it. But nothing can be done to put Al Qaeda away in the next nine or 10 months. In the long haul, it’s an issue that extends beyond this administration.”

The report said that the Bush administration’s effort to uproot Al Qaeda also has benefited from shifting loyalties among residents of the border region. Some tribal and religious leaders who embraced foreign Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters as they fled from Afghanistan in 2001 now see them as troublemakers and are providing timely intelligence about their movements and hideouts.

Experts interviewed by Post, however, warned that the new US strategy could backfire if missiles take innocent lives.

“The [tribal] Pashtuns have a saying: ‘Kill one person, make 10 enemies,” said Mr Johnson. “You might take out a bad guy in one of these strikes, but you might also be creating more foot soldiers. This is a war in which the more people you kill, the faster you lose.”


look mush tunay kia haal ker diya mulk ka... may Allah guide u....

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Thursday, March 27, 2008

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Chavez Sees US Role in Tibet Violence

Venezuelan resident Hugo Chavez accused the United States of promoting violence in Tibet, saying Washington aims to weaken China and sabotage the Olympics in Beijing.
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Monday, March 24, 2008

Detained Judges Released. Well Done PM

گرفتار ججوں کی رہائی: نئے وزیرِاعظم کا پہلا ’حکم‘

یوسف رضا گیلانی نے اپنے پہلے مختصر خطاب میں گرفتار ججوں کی فوری رہائی کا ’حکم‘ دیا ہے لیکن کہا ہے کہ جج اپنے مسائل احتجاج کی بجائے پارلیمان کے اندر حل کرائیں۔ انہوں نے یہ بھی کہا ہے کہ ان کی حکومت بینظیر بھٹو کے قتل کی تحقیقات اقوامِ متحدہ سے کروانے اور ذوالفقار علی بھٹو کے عدالتی قتل پر معافی کے لیے پارلیمان میں قرارداد پیش کرے گی۔

More on BBC Urdu

Excerpts from BBC

New Pakistani PM Yusuf Raza Gillani has said he will order the release of all judges detained under emergency rule, minutes after being elected by MPs.

President Pervez Musharraf in November sacked dozens of judges as the Supreme Court was set to rule on whether his re-election was legal.

Former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was among those still held.

...

Mr Gillani made two key pledges in his speech following his election.

The first was to demand "the immediate release of all the arrested judges", sparking cheers from most of the gathered MPs.

Police have already removed barbed wire from outside Mr Chaudhry's home in Islamabad, where he has been under house arrest.

Mr Chaudhry later appeared on his balcony to wave to hundreds of supporters. It was his first public appearance for four months.

He thanked his "fellow judges and the entire nation".

Iftikhar Chaudhry
Iftikhar Chaudhry made his first public appearance for four months

"I have no words to express my gratitude to the way you have struggled... to reach this day," he said.

It is not clear exactly how many judges are held or when they might be freed.

However, correspondents say the PM should have the power to free those such as Mr Chaudhry who were held under executive rather than court orders.

Mr Gillani's second pledge was to seek a resolution calling for a UN investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

...

The PPP, which was led by Benazir Bhutto until her assassination in December, emerged as the biggest party in the February elections.

It is now headed by her widower, Asif Ali Zardari.

On Monday he was quoted in The News newspaper as saying that Mr Gillani would serve a full five-year term as prime minister.


Saturday, March 15, 2008

US Tones Down Praise for Musharraf

By FOSTER KLUG

WASHINGTON (AP) — Just months ago, the United States publicly championed Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf as an "indispensable" ally.

Now, officials barely mention the man the Bush administration once promoted as essential to holding together a nuclear-armed country deemed crucial to the U.S.-led fight against extremists in South Asia.

The new tone comes as the United States works to gain the favor of Pakistani opposition forces that won big in last month's parliamentary elections and as Musharraf's grip on power weakens. The newly empowered politicians are promising to reinstate fired judges who had questioned the legality of Musharraf's continuing in office.

The United States says it still intends to work with the former army chief, whom Pakistani lawmakers elected to a five-year presidential term in October. But the Bush administration appears to be shifting from making support for Musharraf the core of its Pakistan policy, which many U.S. lawmakers and Pakistani opposition leaders have long wanted.

Robert Hathaway, director of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Asia program, said Bush officials will not abandon Musharraf, "but clearly they have to, in rather dramatic fashion, alter what had been their previous practice of putting all of the American eggs in a Musharraf basket."

Pakistan's "new realities," Hathaway said, "dictate that they deal with Islamabad on a much broader basis if they wish to have any sort of influence in Pakistan."

In Feb. 18 parliamentary elections, the parties of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, finished first and second. The Pakistan Muslim League-Q, a party loyal to Musharraf, lost heavily.

The turnaround for Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup, followed months of angry criticism at his crackdown late last year on the opposition, judiciary and media. In November, he declared a state of emergency and purged the Supreme Court before it could rule on the disputed legality of his presidential re-election.

Richard Boucher, assistant secretary of state for South Asia, said this week that the United States was reaching out to the opposition. "We have talked to all the parties, telling them all, `We will work with whoever emerges as the leadership,'" he said.

The U.S. does not seem as eager to promote Musharraf as it once was.

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte told lawmakers late last month that "Pakistan has been indispensable" to the fight against extremists, a marked change from his comments in November that Musharraf himself was the indispensable key to the effort.

This week, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack avoided taking a position on the possible restoration of the judges.

Asked if the United States was reaching out to politicians to express opposition to bringing back the judges, McCormack said, "No."

"We're not in the business of interpreting their laws or their constitution for them," he told reporters. "We don't have a vote in this, nor should we."

The United States does, however, have a stake in Pakistan's success as a moderate Islamic state. Washington has pumped about $10 billion in aid into Pakistan since Musharraf sided with the United States in the drive to topple the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan and hunt down terrorists after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Farhana Ali, an analyst at the Rand Corp. think tank, said there is a "hesitancy within the administration to completely let go of Musharraf."

She added that the Bush administration acknowledges "that we need Pakistan's support. Therefore, it's wise for us to accept whoever is going to take the throne."

Non-violent Resistance and non-"Islami Jamiat Talba"

For ages, the educational institutions of Pakistan have been plagued by fascist groups of terrorists posing as students. Islami Jamiat Talba (IJT) is one of the most "organized" of such cults and has been holding the largest university of Pakistan - University of Punjab (PU) - hostage for more than a couple of decades. They always resolve to violent tactics when faced by competition since they lack any moral ground whatsoever. These criminals, guised as students, sell the name of Islam to gain some sympathies in order to continue their heinous activities which range from extorting the local businesses and the university administration, allotting hostels to their favorites, irregularities in the examinations, and last but not the least, creating a continuous atmosphere of fear amongst the university population through use of violence. The students on the campus of PU have been living in a constant state of Martial Law where they can not even talk on social or political issues without getting beaten up.

IJT has repeatedly targeted (despite their promises of cooperation on all public forums) peaceful activists of Student Action Committee (SAC) which is a non-violent, non-partisan, students association striving for rule of law, freedom of judiciary and a rejuvenation of non-violent and non-partisan student activism on Pakistani campuses in Lahore and Islamabad. In the most recent string of events, they beat up three SAC activists who were merely distributing pro-judiciary flyers after the Friday prayer. Read the full story at FASTRising. They were brutally attacked, kicked and punched by more than a dozen IJT gangsters in front of the Mosque. How Islamic is that? and how student-like is that? The SAC activists, on the other hand, made a deliberate show of non-violence and did not make any effort to respond with the violence being thrown at them. Though they were badly injured in the process, but they came out victorious nonetheless; because they have shown, by practical example, what they stand for and how different they are from the thugs that oppose them.

The purpose of this post is to salute our heroes: Sajjad, Amir Jalal, and Haroon Riaz; who stood up to the challenge and showed what human will can accomplish despite terrible odds. They have, once again, put life into non-violent activism. They have provided us with, yet another, proof that the so-called IJT is neither Islamic, nor a student organization. The question that remains is, how long? How long will these gangs be allowed to disturb the calm of educational institutions? How long will these children of Zia's Martial Law be supported to maintain their own kind of Martial Law on students' soil? And, most important of all, how long will the students in general keep quiet about the cancer of our public universities/colleges?

RiseOfPakistan team thanks and salutes Sajjad, Amir and Haroon; who have made us all proud!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

konsi dehshat gardi? konsa azam?


Bombs? Is that a problem really?

Jalale badshahi ho ya ke jamhoori tamashaa
Judaa ho deen seyaasat se to rah jaati hai changezi
(Iqbal)

Nothing is going to change in essence with the change of faces, until
they "try" to bring a "real" change. Instead we are only going to buy
some more time for our ever-failing state. This perhaps is not the
time to evaluate who are the bombers, who are the terrorists, maybe
it's time to think about ourselves, who we are, what have we done so
far, and where we are headed.

(Quran)2:85. After this it is ye, the same people, who slay among
yourselves, and banish a party of you from their homes; assist (Their
enemies) against them, in guilt and rancour; and if they come to you
as captives, ye ransom them, though it was not lawful for you to
banish them. Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in,
and do ye reject the rest? but what is the reward for those among you
who behave like this but disgrace in this life?- and on the Day of
Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For
Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.

2:86.These are the people who buy the life of this world at the price
of the Hereafter: their penalty shall not be lightened nor shall they
be helped.

Disgrace we sure are facing in this world today, but that's nothing as
to what is going to be in store for us in the eternal life.

Allah hafiz

p.s. good luck to zardari and  us!!

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Blood needed for Injured in Lahore bomb blasts.

Blood of all groups is needed for injured in Lahore. People who can donate blood please reach in ganga Ram, Mayo and Services Hospital as soon possible as you can.

Two Severe Bomb Blasts in Lahore.

This morning (11th March, 2008 around 9:30 AM), as I came out of bathroom after having a shower to head towards university. My mother told me, she heard some sound of a kind that some very big thing dropped on floor and immediately after that she received a call from Dr. Sheraz (My elder brother) who told that he saw a bomb blast 100 meters away from him when he was driving to his hospital as he is a doctor. Then she realized what the sound she heard was. But, It is real horrible as it was around 2-3 KM away from our home.

I immediately called him (my brother) and he told that he was almost 100 meters away from the point where this bomb exploded. He also told that windscreens and the windows of the cars in front and behind his car were broken. But, his car was safe (Thank GOD). He told that he was totally shocked and his neck muscles were stretched. He moved from there after around 5 minutes and then went to hospital.

I immediately switched on the TV and started scanning through the news channel to see exactly what happened. Here was another mind shocking news that a very severe bomb explosion in FIA building at Temple road. It was real massive explosion that buildings at beden road which is at almost 1+ KM Arial distance from Temple road are cracked. The whole 8 storey building of FIA was destroyed. The ways to the upper stories were blocked and police was not able to reach all the people.

Then I received a message that four different bomb explosions are reported from all over the city (Deffence, Cantt, Faisal Town and Mall road). Then I headed towards university. When I reached here, people told me that they have heard those blasts very clearly here at LUMS. Then I realized that there are only two blasts but they are too severe that they were heard all over the city and everyone thought that bomb exploded near him or her.

Till now, it is reported that around 30 people are dead and more than 200 are injured. But, no exact count is there of how many vehicles are damaged.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Mush Improved Pakistan's Image - There is no threat to Pakistan's Sovereignty :) See urself

"US yearns for Pak capitulation"

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has given them bases and logistic support as well as intelligence sharing but what the US is now demanding from Islamabad has shocked the Defence and Foreign Ministries and the initial reaction has been a rejection of what are highly intrusive demands for the US military and auxiliary personnel in Pakistan.

This scribe has learnt of the latest set of 11 demands the US has put to the Government of Pakistan through the Ministry of Defence. As one goes down the list of the demands, they become increasingly untenable.

The first demand is for granting of a status that is accorded to the technical and administrative staff of the US embassy. The second demand is that these personnel be allowed to enter and exit Pakistan on mere National Identification (for example a driving licence) that is without any visas.

Next, the US is demanding that Pakistan accept the legality of all US licences, which would include arms licences. This is followed by the demand that all these personnel be allowed to carry arms and wear uniforms as they wish, across the whole of Pakistan.

Then comes a demand that directly undermines our sovereignty – that the US criminal jurisdiction be applicable in Pakistan to US nationals. In other words, these personnel would not be subject to Pakistani law. Full Story by Shireen Mazari

We, the ppl of Pakistan who rejected mush in recent elections, demand the same from america... if they accept all these for pakistani citizens, then we have no objection... but mush is not qualified to even have a look at these demands in order to accept or reject them, since he does not have mandate now... ppl have voted against him... so US shld had put these demands infront of newly elected govt... so tht there could b a chance of a NO or reciprocity... US wants all such things done before the elected govt. takes charge
btw i found a link at pkpolitics to a case where reciprocity was demanded from US :) see this...
NAPLES (Reuters) - Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa said Washington must let him open a military base in Miami if the United States wants to keep using an air base on Ecuador's Pacific coast.

"If there's no problem having foreign soldiers on a country's soil, surely they'll let us have an Ecuadorean base in the United States."

Well done Rafael...

See our i.e. Pakistani response US wish list confirmed

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Saturday while commenting on The News story "US yearns for Pak capitulation" said: "Foreign governments make proposals from time to time to secure facilities and privileges for their personnel in the event of temporary assignment or transit.

"Only those proposals are considered that are in line with our domestic laws and international instruments such as the Vienna Conventions on Privileges and Immunities. Nothing is accepted that is not consistent with our national interest and impinges upon our sovereignty."

Ok i m convinced my FO... i m convinced tht we r a sovereign state... plz dont repeat this again n again... but i must say... ecuador was asked to do far less than all this and they clearly showed they want all this on equality basis... all diplomatic negotiations take place on equality basis... in our case :) there will not be any negotiations since we r a 'sovereign' state and it is a threat to our 'sovereignty' to negotiate on US orders... n as u said we'll not do anything which is not consistent with our national interest and impinges upon our sovereignty.

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Sunday, March 9, 2008

Blow to Musharraf

Pakistani parties to share power

Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari were winners in February's elections
The leaders of the two parties that won Pakistan's elections have signed an agreement on a coalition government.

February's parliamentary elections delivered a crushing defeat to parties loyal to President Pervez Musharraf.

Mr Musharraf has urged the incoming government to leave politics aside and concentrate on good governance.

(hehe mush asks political parties to leave politics lolz... he is mad another proof... he can do politics in army uniform n the parties with mandate should not :D)


Mr Sharif has consistently called for the president to step down in the wake of the elections, which were regarded as a key step in Pakistan's transition from military to civilian rule.

The BBC's Barbara Plett, in Islamabad, says the deal will be seen as a further blow to Mr Musharraf who will face a parliament dominated by his adversaries.

Two issues had dominated the talks: The PML(N) party's insistence that judges sacked by Mr Musharraf in November be reinstated, and the PPP's desire for Mr Sharif's party to formally sign up to the cabinet.

Mr Zardari and Mr Sharif told a news conference that both matters had been settled.
All the sacked judges will be reinstated via a parliamentary resolution passed within 30 days of forming a new government.

That appears to mean that the chief justice will get back his job, in defiance of Mr Musharraf's strong objections, our correspondent says.

In return Nawaz Sharif has agreed that his party will join the cabinet - even though he does not recognise the president's right to rule.

Full Story

PML-N is respecting the mandate it got from people...

Black week starts: Police and Protesters Clash in Islamabad

Lawyers and Civil Society showed power on the eve of black week being observed from March 9 (The day when lawyers movement took birth). There were reports of tear gas shelling by police on protesters who wanted to march towards judges colony in Islamabad. See BBC Urdu. Things were normal in other major cities.

Is making its army "more effective and more competent" NOT Pakistan's internal matter?

why is amreeka assisting pakistan in improving the strength of the army?

US in wait-and-see mode on Fata
By Anwar Iqbal

WASHINGTON, March 8: The United States is “anxiously watching” to see how the new political government in Pakistan will deal with the situation in tribal areas, says a top Pentagon official.

Admiral William Fallon, commander of the US Central Command, also said that despite political changes in Islamabad, Washington would like to maintain its close ties with the Pakistani defence establishment.

At a recent hearing at the US House Armed Services Committee, Admiral Fallon said the United States was ready to extend all assistance to the Pakistani Military to make it “more effective and more competent”.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Judiciary row Pakistan’s internal matter: US (as if all other matters are not)

Judiciary row Pakistan’s internal matter: US: Amnesty announces awards for lawyers, judges

Source: Dawn

By Anwar Iqbal


WASHINGTON, March 5: The White House has said that it will not get involved in the judiciary-executive dispute in Pakistan because it views this as an internal matter of that country.

“That will be a topic that the Pakistanis need to address, not the United States,” said White House Press Secretary Dana Perino when asked if President Bush will use his influence to get the former chief justice released and the judiciary restored to its pre-Nov 3 status.

Ms Perino told a news briefing in Washington that Pakistan already has a parliament elected on Feb 18 and the newly elected leaders “are working on the changes that need to take place” to settle such disputes.

However, at a short distance from the White House, leaders of Pakistan’s lawyers’ movement received a rare honour from Amnesty International for their struggle to restore the rule of law in their country.

Amnesty International gave two awards – one for judges and another for lawyers – at a ceremony also attended by a delegation of lawyers from Pakistan.

“Amnesty International, USA, salutes the judges and lawyers of Pakistan who stood up during the recent state of emergency in defence of an independent judiciary,” said a citation etched on the plaques.

Hamid Khan, former President of the Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association, told the gathering that the US should use its influence to get the sacked judges reinstated.

The judges, he said, were sacked because they attempted to restore the independence of judiciary and not because they were releasing terror suspects, as some in the United States believe.

Mr Khan said if the US wanted to stay neutral, it should also stop supporting the Musharraf government.

He noted that while the Bush administration never shies away from expressing its support to the Musharraf government, it refuses to back the cause of the judiciary whenever this issue is raised.
Mr Khan claimed that the Musharraf government was using its influence to break up the PPP-PML-N alliance and bring a government that would agree to work with President Musharraf for the next five years.

“But the Feb 18 elections have shown that the people do not want him,” Mr Khan said. “He should step down in the greater interest of the country.”

The US administration, he said, should not try to prolong President Musharraf’s stay in power and “instead of supporting an individual, it should support the people of Pakistan”.

Sahibzada Anwar Hamid, former vice president of the Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association, advised the US administration not to allow the fear of terrorism to prevent it from seeing the changes sweeping through Pakistan.

“If you look closely, you will see that people not only voted against the ruling party; they also voted for an independent judiciary,” he said. He argued that at least in Punjab, political parties benefited from the pro-judiciary sentiments stoked by the lawyers’ movement and if the new government fails to restore the judiciary, they too will become unpopular.

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PPP, PML-N ‘poles apart’ on judges issue -As expected from PPP :(

Source: Dawn

By Ashraf Mumtaz

LAHORE, March 5: The PPP and the PML-N remain “poles apart” on the issue of reinstatement of the deposed judges of superior courts and ties with President Pervez Musharraf, notwithstanding their resolve to form a coalition, with the Awami National Party as their third partner.

“We are poles apart. The PML-N just wants that all existing judges should be sent home and those deposed on Nov 3 should be reinstated,” said a PPP leader who attended talks between the two sides.

Sources close to Mian Nawaz Sharif and privy to the discussions held by the two sides on Tuesday night said that the PPP team had asked the PML-N to soften its stand on the question of judges and not to make it priority item on its agenda.

“Nothing is common (between the two sides) and nothing is likely to be common,” said the source, indicating that the two sides would continue their deliberations in an attempt to find some common ground for cooperation.

PPP leader Asif Zardari and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif are expected to meet in Islamabad on Friday to discuss matters concerning formation of the government.

The PML-N sources said their party could not afford to change its stance on the deposed judges and President Musharraf.

A PPP leader said that President Musharraf was under no obligation to seek a confidence vote from the new parliament. “There is no such provision in the Constitution. However, if he wants to show his following in the new house there is no harm in taking such an initiative,” the leader said, adding that the PPP was not calling on the president to prove that he enjoyed majority’s support.

“Let the new system take off. We want all matters in accordance with the Constitution. If the president stays non-partisan and doesn’t convert the Presidency into a hub of political conspiracies, we will have no problem working with him.”

Some reports say that the PML-N wants Musharraf to either step down or take confidence vote from the new assemblies.

The PML-Q has not lost hope that it would be able to form a government with the PPP because of the latter’s differences with the PML-N.

PML-Q sources say that knowing well that they were hated by the PPP the Chaudhrys have given Hamid Nasir Chattha a mandate to try to persuade the PPP leaders to agree to forming a coalition with them.

Mr Chattha had been close to Benazir Bhutto when the PPP and the then PML-Junejo were coalition partners during 1993-96.

One source said that Chaudhry Shujaat Husain may step down as party chief to pave the way for Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, the PML-Q’s new parliamentary party leader in the National assembly. Once he quits, some other office-bearers may also follow suit.

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Prime Minister approves facilities/privileges for the former Chairperson of the Senate :)

That used to be a cry in Parliaments when there were still politicians who could feel some shame! What does one shout out now that we have blatantly shameless caretakers in power? Does the interim PM (the former Chairperson of the Senate) believe that the epithet meant he could use the office to 'take care' of himself for life (and beyond)?

Issued by the Prime Minister’s Secretariat (public) wing and addressed to the Senate Secretariat secretary: “Reference Senate Secretariat’s u.o. No.F.9(13)/2007-Estt., dated 26 December 2007 on the subject.

1. The prime minister has been pleased to approve the facilities/privileges for the former Chairperson of the Senate (elected), as per following:

(i) Exemption from taking out licenses for possessing up to three prohibited bore and six non-prohibited bore weapons.

(ii) Access to state/govt guest houses, rest houses and circuit houses in the country free of charge for self, spouse and dependent children (accompanied & unaccompanied).

(iii) Pick-up and drop facilities at all Airports in the country for self, spouse and dependent children (accompanied & unaccompanied) with protocol coverage by the provincial govts/Northern Areas/AJK in their respective areas and by the Cabinet Division/Senate Secretariat at Islamabad/Rawalpindi. Protocol coverage/Staff Car to be provided also during travel by road outside Headquarters, if required.

(iv) Detailment of a staff car by the respective governments for self, spouse and dependent children during their visit outside Headquarters throughout Pakistan (accompanied & unaccompanied) and by Cabinet Division/Senate Secretariat if chairman and his family visit the federal capital, if they reside outside Islamabad.

(v) Services of Private Secretary, security guard, driver and a cook [!] for life time.

(vi) Free medical aid for life time in Pakistan and abroad subject to approval by the Medical Board for self, spouse and dependent children.

(vii) Diplomatic passport to self, spouse and dependent children.

(viii) Special security arrangements for chairman and his family either on his request or by the federal government on its own accord taking into account the circumstances past and present.

(ix) Free installation of telephone at residence and payment of charges for its use up to Rs 5,000 per month or such higher amount as the federal government may determine from time to time.

(x) Issuance of ASF passes for self, spouse and dependent children with endorsement of Apron at all Airports in the country and two Apron passes for staff.

2. The above privileges/facilities mutates mutandis shall apply to the widow/dependent children of the former chairperson.”

Monday, March 3, 2008

"I m not yet unpopular" :) mush thinks

mush is a man of his words. had he realised tht he is not liked by majority of the nation, he would have gone home the next day... so for him the loss in election doesnt mean tht ppl dont want him
Mush on January 12, 2008 in an
interview

"On the day I think the people, the majority, don't want me any more and the day I have no contribution to make to this country, I won't take a second -- and I will leave," he said.

February 2008 :)

President Pervez Musharraf will not step down as head of state despite the sweeping election victory by his opponents, his spokesman says. “The people on Monday didn’t vote to elect a new president,” he said. “In fact, they participated in the elections to elect the new parliament.” More

President Pervez Musharraf will not step down as head of state and intends to serve out his five-year-term, his spokesman says, despite a sweeping election victory by his opponents — some of whom want to drive him from power. msnbc

Musharraf refuses to step down


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Saturday, March 1, 2008

Aitzaz Gives Call for LAWYERS' Black Flag Week

PRESS RELEASE: Thursday, 28th March, 2008.

Aitzaz Gives Call for LAWYERS' Black Flag Week:

In a statement issued here from his residence, where he is detained, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, President Supreme Court Bar Association, said that a Long March scheduled for March 09 has been postponed to give Parliament time to restore the deposed judges. It has not been cancelled. The lawyers, he said, appreciated the concern of the Parliamentarians and the leadership of the political parties to permit Parliament to meet and take steps for the restoration of the judges in the first instance.

Aitzaz, however, said that two of the most unfortunate days in our history fell in the year 2007. On March 9, none other than the Chief Justice of Pakistan was arrested. On December 27 a much greater and far more enormous tragedy struck. The most important leader of the country Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was martyred. The nation continues to mourn her. Lawyers have decided to commemorate both days with sorrow.


Aitzaz said that presently March 9th to 16th would be commemorated as the BLACK FLAG WEEK in and outside Pakistan . Those opposing Musharraf and seeking the restoration of the deposed judges will fly "Black Flags" through out the week as per the following recommended programme

On Sunday 9th March Provincial Bar Councils to hold conventions of Representative Lawyers presided over by a deposed judge at the Provincial Headquarters and hoist black flags

On the Monday 10th and Thursday 13th all Bar Associations will hoist Black Flags at 10.00 a.m. and after speeches by the President and other members will take out rallies. There will also be a Complete Strike on these two days. Arrangements are being made to relay the address of the SCBA President and the CJP on these two days at one and the same time to all the Bar Associations of Pakistan

Rallying lawyers will only carry black flags and black banners. Photographs of the CJP, CJs of Sindh and NWFP and lawyers who were detained may also be carried.

On other days of the week, the flag hoisting ceremony will take place every day and the General Body will meet. Speakers will address the House

Special resolutions will be passed, every day, to appreciate the courage of the three school-going children of the Chief Justice of Pakistan who have been in complete detention since November 3 and have not complained

Lawyers will distribute black flags, arm bands, and head bands during the rallies and at other times among the public. Although it will remain a lawyers' protest, students, civil society and party cadres may join with party as well as black flags

All students, particularly of law, may volunteer to help the Bar Associations.

From March 3 onwards, Press briefings will be given daily by all office bearers of all Bar Associations stating the progress of the preparations for the lawyers' BLACK FLAG WEEK in their district and area.

In this regard Bar Office-bearers will contact students, businessmen, traders, professional and women organizations, chambers, trade unions for logistical assistance and support.

Aitzaz said that the Lawyers' Long March has been postponed but not cancelled. A date for it would be announced, if necessary, after the Parliament has convened. The Black Flag Week will be a soft preparatory step to the Long March and will re-energize lawyers and the Lawyers' Movement.


Aitzaz Ahsan

President, Supreme Court Bar Association

Undo Emergency First

By: I A Rehman

VARIOUS sections of society are laying down priorities for the government-in-making but the top item on the nation’s agenda is withdrawal of the extra-constitutional measures announced under the cloak of ‘emergency’. This is the first task the new parliament must accomplish as otherwise it will not be possible to resume the journey towards democratic governance.

The issue has become urgent for several reasons. The ‘emergency’ (November 3 – December 15, 2007), by its author’s own word, was an extra-constitutional phase. Actions taken during the period were without any constitutional, legal or moral sanction. They cannot be allowed to block the parliament’s or government’s legitimate functioning. Speedy remedial action is necessary because illegal measures acquire legitimacy if left unchallenged for an appreciable time.

Even if Justice Munir’s exposition of Kelsen’s obscure theory, that everything an autocrat can get away with justifies itself, has not been heard for some time, nobody should forget that the Pakistan Judiciary has a tradition of legitimising unlawful actions if the people have acquiesced in them for years and if during this period their elected representatives have failed to overturn them.

Further, the havoc caused to the country’s constitutional order and the norms of responsible governance by actions taken during the ‘emergency’ is so enormous that their continuance in force will undermine some of the most fundamental rights of the people.

During the six weeks of ‘emergency’ the presidency unleashed on the people a Provisional Constitution Order, two constitution amendment orders (that altered 12 articles of the Constitution and added one), four President’s Orders and seven ordinances.

Since the prime objective of the ‘emergency’ was demolition of the superior courts the necessary provisions were made in the Provisional Constitution Order and Oath of Office (Judges) Order, both of November 3, 2007. The purge was extended protection vide a new indemnity provision (Article 270AAA of the constitution) in the Constitution Amendment Order of November 20, 2007 and the matter was again put beyond doubt in the Constitution (Second Amendment) Order of December 14 and yet again in the Order of December 15 that revoked the ‘emergency’. But much other harm to the polity was also done during the emergency.

Four of the amendments to the Constitution made by the Constitution (First Amendment) Order related to the creation of the Islamabad High Court. A more detailed order on the subject was issued on December 14, 2007. The court has started functioning since and the new parliament and government have been confronted with a fait accompli, a transaction concluded in a period of extra-constitutional deviation. Regardless of the merits of the case, the idea of a high court in Islamabad had been criticised by many jurists. The establishment obviously exploited the cover of ‘emergency’ to push a controversial piece of legislation and preempted a debate in parliament. No explanation has been offered as to why it was necessary to interfere with the hierarchy of courts by stealth.

The second constitution amendment order (December 14, 2007) introduced changes in six articles of the constitution, two of which are related to the presidency. The first amendment (Article 41) deletes the reference to Pervez Musharraf’s re-election on the completion of his first term and the purpose is obscure.

The second amendment, to Article 44, is quite strange. What the article said was: “Subject to the constitution, the President shall hold office for a term of five years from the day he enters upon his office.” Now the expression ‘subject to the constitution’ has been replaced with ‘Notwithstanding anything contained in the constitution’. Does this mean that a president will stay in office despite his incurring disqualification under any constitutional provision? If this interpretation is at all possible no constitutional order can allow this provision to hold the field even for a day.

Assembly session The revocation of ‘emergency’ order also makes it clear, perhaps unnecessarily, that after the general election the president alone will decide when the newly-elected assemblies shall meet. If promotion of democracy were desired the provision could have mentioned a definite time-frame.

A serious consequence of actions taken under the cover of ‘emergency’ is the transformation of short-period ordinances into regular and permanent additions to the statute book.

The extra-constitutional regimes have developed a tradition of exempting ordinances issued while the constitution is in abeyance from the constitutional provision that limits the life of a presidential ordinance to four months unless it is approved by parliament or reissued. The ordinances issued by General Musharraf between October 1999 and November 2002, when the constitution was revived, are not subject to the lapse rule. These include the Industrial Relations Ordinance, Freedom of Information Ordinance, the Books, Newspapers, News Agencies Registration Ordinance, the Pemra Ordinance, the Press Council Ordinance, the Defamation Ordinance, etc. These laws have never received parliament’s approval.

Now the Provisional Constitution Order of November 3, issued by the Chief of Army Staff, contains a provision specifically designed to extend the life of ordinances indefinitely. Sec 5 of this order says:

5 – (1) An Ordinance promulgated by the President or by the Governor of a Province shall not be subject to any limitations as to duration prescribed in the constitution.

(2) The provisions of clause (1) shall also apply to an Ordinance issued by the President or by a Governor which was in force immediately before the commencement of the Proclamation of Emergency of the 3rd day of November, 2007.

Media curbs What this section means in simple language is:

(a) All the seven ordinances issued by the President between November 3 and December 15, 2007 have been made regular enactments. These include the two ordinances that amended the basic media laws – the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration (Amendment) Ordinance, and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Third Amendment) Ordinance. The most oppressive feature of these amendments is the creation a bar to the use of any material “which defames or brings into ridicule the Head of State, or members of the armed forces, or executive, legislative or judicial organs of the state.” A more draconian curb on the freedom of expression cannot be imagined. No politics is possible if opposition parties, or any citizens, cannot expose the executive as ridiculous or foolish. Had this provision been thought of earlier nobody would have been allowed to criticise Gen Yahya or Niazi for their blunders in 1971 or the commanders who failed in 1965 or 1971. The Pemra Ordinance also revived many harsh provisions of the amendment ordinance of June 2007 which had lapsed in October. Following nation-wide protest the government had promised to withdraw this measure. Now these oppressive provisions have become permanent law without any debate.

Also in this category are the ordinances that amended the Army Act of 1951 to provide for court martial of civilians and the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Ordinance that provided for high courts’ intervention in lawyers’ professional matters. Neither measure can bring credit to the statute book. The need for their cancellation cannot be exaggerated.

(b) The dozens of temporary ordinances that have been kept alive year after year by reissuing them every four months have also been regularised. These ordinances include measures of far-reaching implications. For instance, amendments to the Police Order 2000 have been reissued every four months since 2003. The Police Order 2000 was never debated in parliament. That was bad enough, but what is infinitely worse is that the opportunity of a parliamentary scrutiny of the important law during a debate on amendments has been lost.

Ratification of ordinance The National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), whose survival has just been confirmed by the apex court, is included in the list of these ordinances. The ordinance should have lapsed on February 4, but for the miracle of ‘emergency’. Nobody needs to waste time on this ordinance. If it is important the measure can be issued as a fresh ordinance any time.

The result is that scores of legal instruments have been sanctified without being endorsed by the legitimate law-making body – the parliament. This amounts to interfering with the incoming parliament’s right to scrutinise all ad hoc legislation. True, the parliament’s right to review any enactment is not affected but the procedure is much more difficult than the method that obliged the government to submit ordinances for ratification.

The need to clear the backlog of ordinances awaiting regularisation has been stressed more than once. The practice of reissuing ordinances, sometimes on the eve of National Assembly sessions, is not only a most objectionable way of law-making, it also undermines the justice system. It was once suggested that all the ordinances awaiting ratification might be introduced in parliament in a single package and the formality of approval expeditiously completed. That option is still available but nobody will see the adoption of laws under emergency as a fair solution. It offends against all canons of justice, democracy and even commonsense.

‘save president’ campaign by PML-Q and allies

[It looks like Q people havn't understood what Pakistani people want, infact they are unwilling to accept the 'Ground Realities']

Source: Dawn

The PML-Q and its allies have started a campaign to muster support for President Pervez Musharraf both inside and outside parliament in the face of other parties’ demand for his resignation.

Some PML-Q leaders met the president at the Army House twice on Wednesday. One of the meetings which took place at midnight involved MNAs elect Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain from Gujrat, Sumaira Malik from Vehari, Sheikh Waqas from Jhang and Riaz Fitiana from Toba Tek Singh.

The meetings were followed on Thursday by a flurry of activity at the residence of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain who had invited a number of politicians to a luncheon meeting.

Party sources said that some newly elected MNAs and senators and senior leaders of other allied parties, except the PPP-S, discussed at length ways of helping the president out of the situation that he is now facing. Prominent among those who attended the meeting were MQM senators Col (retd) Tahir Hussain Mashhadi and Mohammad Ali Brohi, Justice (retd) Abdur Razzaq Thaheem of PML-F, former Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, Sumaira Malik, Hamid Nasir Chattha and Mohammad Ali Durrani.

Later, talking to journalists, Chaudhry Shujaat said that the PML-Q and its allies would remain united in parliament to play the role of a positive opposition.

About his meetings with President Musharraf, he said that the president was the constitutional head of the state and everyone would have to accept his position. The president, he said, was ready to receive leaders of any party who wished to meet him.

He claimed that the statement of PML-Q’s Secretary-General Mushahid Hussain Sayed about a possible support for a move to repeal 58(2) b article was his personal opinion and not the party’s policy.

He said the article was made part of the Constitution as a check and balance lever to ensure that no government went above the law of the land.

He said he had called MQM chief Altaf Hussain, PML-F leader Pir Pagara, NPP’s Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi and PPP-S leader Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao to discuss the matter and they had assured him that the erstwhile coalition partners would remain united in opposition.