Qaim Ali Shah elected Sindh chief minister unopposed

KARACHI: The Sindh assembly on Monday elected Syed Qaim Ali Shah of the Pakistan People’s Party as chief minister of the province.

New Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro had put the motions by 19 members before the house for a voice vote and announced its adoption unanimously as there were 90 ‘ayes’ and no ‘nay’. Members belonging to the MQM, PML-Q and PM-F were not in the house.

After the announcement, the house echoed with slogans of Jiye Bhutto raised from the galleries and the thumping of desks by MPAs.

Felicitating the chief minister, the members spoke about the problems being faced by the people, including unemployment, rising prices, law and order, water, transport, education, corruption and nepotism inherited from eight years of ‘misrule’.

The MQM and the PML-Q boycotted the proceedings when members of the house were paying tribute to outgoing speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah.

Mohammad Adil Siddiqui of the MQM rose to draw the attention of the speaker to a message he had received about manhandling of former chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim by a crowd on the assembly premises while he was leaving after taking the oath as a member.

When Dr Arbab Rahim, who is chief of the provincial PML-Q, entered the house at the start of the session, a person sitting in the speaker’s gallery raised slogans against him and tossed a shoe towards him. People in the gallery responded to the slogans but the situation was calmed by Mr Khuhro who expressed regrets over the incident.

The speaker posted his sergeants at arms around Dr Rahim to protect him.

When Mr Siddiqui spoke about the incident of manhandling, slogans of shame shame were raised in the visitors’ gallery. He asked the speaker to take notice of the incident and left the house with his colleagues.

Qaim Ali Shah rushed after them to persuade them not to boycott the session.

PML-F members were persuaded by senior PPP leaders to stay in the house.

Mr Khuhro expressed regrets over the incident and called for tolerance. He said such humiliating incidents would not enhance the prestige and sanctity of the assembly.

Mr Khuhro, Pir Mazharul Haq and Dr Zulfiqar Mirza also tried to bring MQM MPAs back to the house.

The speaker announced a break of 10 minutes. However, when the house reassembled, members of the MQM, PML-Q and PML-F stayed away.

Before administering the oath to the speaker-elect, Muzaffar Shah emphasised the need for inculcating the spirit of tolerance for democracy to succeed. “We are at the crossroads of history and nothing will be better than an approach of reconciliation for democracy.”

He administered the oath to Mr Khuhro, who then swore in Deputy Speaker Shahla Raza.

Several members greeted the speaker and deputy speaker on their unopposed election and assured them of their cooperation. They urged them to protect the minority in the house.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/08/top2.htm

AQ Khan says he ‘confessed’ to save Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Detained nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan said on Sunday that he took the blame for passing atomic secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya four years ago to “save his country”.

“I saved the country for the first time when I made Pakistan a nuclear nation and saved it again when I confessed and took the whole blame on myself,” Khan told AFP. “Even Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain said I saved Pakistan by accepting the whole blame myself.”

Members of the new government have indicated that they may consider freeing Khan, but Khan said he had had no contact with them. “No government official has so far contacted me about my release nor I would contact any of them to do so,” Khan said. “You had better ask this question of the government.”

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...8-4-2008_pg1_6

‘Minus-one formula applicable to Musharraf’

LAHORE/OKARA/SAHIWAL: Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Aitzaz Ahsan has said the `minus-one formula’ was applicable to President Musharraf alone.

Addressing different bars on his way to Okara and Sahiwal from Lahore during his over 15 hours journey on Monday, he said “we accept the minus-one formula but this time minus-one is Musharaf and not Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry”.

After leaving Lahore in the morning, the SCBA president’s motorcade moved on the GT Road and attracted lawyers and general public throughout the 150km journey up to Sahiwal which ended at 11 pm.

During his sojourn meant to “thwart conspiracies of the Presidency to block the judges’ return”, Aitzaz addressed the Pattoki, Okara and Sahiwal bars.

In Sahiwal he was received by lawyers’ community and a large number of citizens. Activists of all political parties, including PPP, PML-N, Tehrik-i-insaaf, Jamat-i-Islami and traders’ organisations received him at Jogi Chowk.

He said after the 1958 imposition of first martial law, Pakistan which was envisaged as a welfare state by its founder was converted into a `national security state.’

In a national security state, he said, institutions like police, army and intelligence agencies flourished while the public suffered. “Our movement is meant to make Pakistan a welfare state.”

Talking to newsmen before leaving Lahore, Aitzaz claimed Gen Pervez Musharraf (retired) was also connected to the execution of PPP founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. He was responding to a question whether the deposed judges should apologise for Zulfiqar Ali Bhuto's execution.

Aitzaz said Musharraf had been serving with Rawalpindi’s Deputy Division Martial Law Administrator (DMLA) Maj-Gen Rafi Alam.

Later, Musharraf was promoted to the rank of Lt-Col and assigned to oversee the martial law in Rawalapindi, Mr Ahsan said.

He added all the deposed judges would join the long march the lawyers would hold in case the government failed in restoring the pre-emergency judiciary in the agreed time span. He said not even the slightest deviation, under any package or formula, from the restoration of the deposed judges would be accepted. "We would not hesitate in issuing the call for a long march on Islamabad in case all the judges, including the deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, were not restored," he said.

He said the PPP and the PML-N had not only promised the restoration of the judiciary but also the whole nation through the Murree Declaration.

He said if the government wanted to strengthen the judiciary through a constitutional package, it could go ahead but the restoration of the judges was a separate issue.

Mr Ahsan said the planned series of addresses of the deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to the bar associations had been put on hold on the request of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and Federal Law Minister Farooq H. Naik. Addressing the Okara bar, Aitzaz said the government had offered to reinstate 44 judges with one exception of Iftikhar Chaudhry. “But we categorically rejected this formula.”

He said the nation had rejected Musharraf and his allies on Feb 18 mainly due to the lawyers’ struggle.

Earlier, he was warmly received by the civil society and Anjumn Mazareen at Renala Khurd. Then a large number of lawyers, citizens and political activists welcomed him at Okara bypass. It took his motorcade three hours to reach the Okara bar because of the presence of a large number of people enroute.

PATTOKI: Addressing the Pattoki bar, Aitzaz asked lawyers to remain united in the hour of trial and struggle for a sublime cause and the supremacy of constitution in the country.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/08/nat13.htm

Economy in precarious situation, says Ishaq Dar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economy is in a precarious situation because of former prime minister Shaukat Aziz’s policies, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar told the Senate Standing Committee on Finance on Monday.

He said Aziz should be called back to Pakistan to explain the reasons that led to the situation. Senator Ahmed Ali chaired the meeting, held at the Parliament House.

Dar said the government owed billions of rupees in subsidies and most parliamentarians were not aware of how disturbing the economic indicators were. Revenue generation was stagnant, he said, and the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was among the lowest in the region. He said he would present a report on the state of the economy in parliament.

Manufacturing and agriculture: He said the new government would focus on manufacturing and agriculture to improve the GDP. The previous government had neglected agriculture, he said, and that was one of the major reasons why economic indicators were negative.

Senator Ahmed Ali said a draft of the budget should be presented to the parliament for debate at least three months before its approval. Dar said input from parliamentarians would be sought in a pre-budget session.

Tax anomalies: Representatives of chambers of commerce and industry gave a number of suggestions for the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBR). FBR Chairman Abdullah Yousaf said the bureau was open to proposals and would soon begin discussions with stakeholders.

The committee chairman formed a three-member sub-committee consisting of Nisar A Memon, Safdar Abbasi and Haroon Khan to talk to stakeholders and compile a set of recommendations on how to remove double taxation and other tax anomalies. Officials of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) told the committee that a draft bankruptcy law would be forwarded to the Law Ministry soon.

Committee members Safdar Abbasi and Khalid Soomro demanded a white paper be published on the reasons behind the worsening economy.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-4-2008_pg7_46

‘Israel would destroy Iran if attacked’

JERUSALEM: An Israeli government minister warned on Monday that Israel would respond to any Iranian attack by destroying that country, public radio reported. “An Iranian attack against Israel would trigger a tough reaction that would lead to the destruction of the Iranian nation,” National Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said in remarks of rare virulence. “Iranians are aware of our strength but continue to provoke us by arming their Syrian allies and Hezbollah,” he said during a meeting at his ministry. Ben-Eliezer, a member of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s security cabinet, stressed however that the Iranians were unlikely to attack as “they understand the meaning of such an act.” Last month, Defence Minister Ehud Barak told visiting US Vice President Dick Cheney that “no option” would be ruled out in Israel’s bid to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Israel, along with its ally the United States and other Western powers, accuses Iran of pursuing the development of a nuclear bomb under the guise of its civilian nuclear programme - a charge Tehran denies. Ben-Eliezer also stressed that an ongoing five-day home front defence exercise was not meant to threaten Israel’s neighbours, but stressed that “the scenarios considered in the exercise could be reality tomorrow.”

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-4-2008_pg4_14

Russia’s biggest party asks Putin to lead it

MOSCOW: Russia’s biggest party will invite Vladimir Putin to become its leader, the party’s chief said on Monday, a role that would further bolster Putin’s influence after he steps down from the presidency next month.

Putin has said he will become prime minister after his successor, Dmitry Medvedev, is sworn in on May 7 but leadership of the pro-Kremlin United Russia party would effectively give him control of parliament, where the party has a large majority.

“If Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin headed United Russia, it would be the very best option,” Boris Gryzlov, the head of United Russia and the speaker of the lower house of parliament, told a news conference. He said both Putin and Medvedev were expected to attend United Russia’s congress, which opens in Moscow on April 14.

“Such a proposal will probably be made at the congress. I could myself make the proposal and that would be the correct way,” said Gryzlov.

The Kremlin has not given any indication of whether Putin would accept the invitation to head the party. A Kremlin spokesman declined to comment when asked on Monday if Putin would become United Russia leader.

Some analysts say Putin, and not Medvedev, will hold the real power after the change-over.

ULITMATE DESTINATION: Christopher Granville, managing director of Trusted Sources, a London-based investment research service, said the Putin premiership was an interim arrangement and that in the longer term he would exercise influence as party chief.

“It has always been the most obvious thing for him to do in order for him to remain the supreme arbiter of policy and of the country’s development and modernisation,” said Granville. “This is the ultimate destination.”

“The plan for the premiership is to help the Medvedev administration get off to a good start ... and once the fledgling can fly with its own wings properly that is the moment when Putin will probably step back and continue as leader of the party,” Granville said.

Control over the majority in the State Duma, or lower house of parliament, would further entrench Putin’s position. The president has the power to sack the prime minister but he has to seek parliament’s approval to appoint a new premier.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/08/int6.htm

Assembly seeks probe into BB, Bugti killings: Call for ending military operation in Balochistan

By Amanullah Kasi


QUETTA, April 7: After taking oath on Monday, members of the Balochistan assembly unanimously demanded that the federal government should approach the United Nations to investigate the killings of Benazir Bhutto, Nawab Akbar Bugti and Nawabzada Balaach Marri.

Sadiq Umrani of the Pakistan People’s Party moved two joint resolutions seeking UN investigation, condemning the killing of Akbar Bugti and Balaach Marri and demanding formation of a judicial commission to probe into the incidents.

Speaker Jamal Shah Kakar administered the oath to 62 MPAs. For the first time in the history of the assembly, the oath was administered in Balochi and Pushto languages to members belonging to the Balochistan National Party-A and the Awami National Party, respectively.

Another resolution tabled by Sardar Aslam Bizenjo said hundreds of innocent people, including Akbar Bugti and Balaach Marri, were eliminated during a military operation, the body of the Jamhoori Watan Party chief was not handed over to heirs, thousands of families were displaced, thousands of political workers, including former chief minister Sardar Akhtar Mengal, were implicated in false cases and detained and some of them were tortured in custody by intelligence agencies.

It demanded that the military operation should be stopped and all political activists, including Akhtar Mengal, should be released, displaced people should be rehabilitated and Akbar Bugti’s body should be handed over to his heirs for burial in accordance with Baloch customs and religious values.

A resolution moved by Sardar Sanaullah Zehri of the National Party Parliamentarian and Zamarak Khan Piralizai of the ANP demanded restoration of the Levies system. They said the Levies system had been established in accordance with tribal traditions to maintain law and order but the previous government had merged it with police.

Abdul Khaliq Basharyar of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Ideological) moved a resolution condemning publication of blasphemous caricatures in the Netherlands and demanded expulsion of its ambassador from the country and boycott of Dutch products.

Earlier, pandemonium broke out in the house when the speaker allowed members to take oath in their mother tongue instead of Urdu and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal walked out in protest.

MMA’s parliamentary leader Maulana Wasay said a wrong precedent had been set by administering oath in Balochi and Pushto languages. This, he said, would create hatred between the major ethnic groups in the province. He said the move would affect the policy of national reconciliation.

However, the MMA members ended their protest and Nawab Aslam Raisani and Aslam Bizenjo persuaded them to return to the house.

Asad Baloch of the BNP-A and Zamarak Piralizai of the ANP had demanded to be administered the oath in Balochi and Pushto languages and said that PPP’s members of the Sindh assembly had taken oath in Sindhi.

The speaker refused to allow the sole member of the Hazara community, Jan Ali Chengazi, to take oath in Persian because he had taken the oath in Urdu along with other members. Mr Chengazi staged a walkout but returned at the request of Aslam Raisani.

Police brought Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q to the house amid tight security because of his relations with Aslam Raisani who went to the chief minister’s chamber for a few minutes during which Sardar Rind took the oath and left.

He house offered Fateha for Benazir Bhutto, Akbar Bugti, Balaach Marri, Sarwar Khan Kakar and Prof Mohammad Ali Kakar.

The PPP members in the house raised slogans in favour of their leaders. Activists of the party gathered outside the assembly’s gate but they were not allowed into the building.

The session was adjourned till Tuesday.

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Devil-may-care

Dr. Afgan manhandled

LAHROE: Former federal minister, Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi has been rescued safely by President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Aitezaz Ahsan.

A large number of lawyers laid a siege around an office of Dr. Afgan’s lawyer when he came to visit him.

The police present at the scene failed to create a safe passage for Dr. Afgan and he remained confined in the office for about three hours.

Later, President SCBA Aitezaz Ahsan arrived here to control the situation and disperse the lawyers.

Although he asked the enraged lawyers and others to leave the place, they continued to wait for Dr. Afgan to come out.

Later, Dr. Afgan came out of the building and escorted by Aitezaz Ahsan. Struggling through the crowd they made their way to an Edhi ambulance with the help of police.

As soon as Dr. Afgan got inside the ambulance, Aitezaz Ahsan mounted the rooftop of the vehicle which was then driven slowly away from the crowd.


http://www.geo.tv/home/16530.htm

__________________
"A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done."

Leading Pakistan lawyer resigns

A top Pakistani lawyer has resigned as the head of a lawyers' association after attorneys attacked a former cabinet minister.

Aitzaz Ahsan resigned after lawyers joined a crowd to beat to assault former parliamentary affairs minister Sher Afgan Niazi.

Mr Niazi was shaken but unhurt.

Mr Ahsan played a key role in turning the ousted chief justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, into a symbol of resistance against President Musharraf.

Mr Ahsan resigned as President of the Supreme Court Bar Association after lawyers joined a crowd of people which surrounded Mr Niazi, jostling him, and trying to beat him with their hands and shoes.

Mr Ahsan said he wanted to disassociate himself from the assault.

He rose to prominence last year when he acted as chief counsel for judge Iftikhar Chaudhry, the chief justice President Musharraf suspended in March and finally ousted in November under emergency rule.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7337939.stm

Sher Afgan Niazi thrashed by lawyers

LAHORE: Several lawyers thrashed former federal minister for parliamentary affairs Dr Sher Afgan Niazi on Tuesday, as he tried to escape from a plaza in which lawyers had trapped him for more than five hours.

Hundreds of lawyers wielding clubs, tomatoes, shoes and rotten eggs refused to listen to the pleas of Aitzaz Ahsan, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president, and Anwar Kamal, Lahore High Court Bar Association president, to cease violence.

The lawyers’ unprovoked attack on Niazi, a heart patient, continued even after an ambulance was called to rescue him from the mob.

Token: At one stage, Aitzaz threatened resignation if the violence didn’t cease. However, Munir Malik told Dawn TV that this was a token gesture and would not be acceptable to his colleagues. Talking to the channel, Niazi claimed that the lawyers had tried to kill him.

Separately, SCBA media adviser Muhammad Azhar said that no lawyer had thrashed Niazi. He said that the people who had attacked Niazi were trying to sabotage the lawyers’ movement for restoration of the sacked judges.

However, Latif Sarra advocate told Daily Times that lawyers had sufficient reason to attack Niazi. He said that Niazi had opposed the lawyers’ movement during his tenure, had tried to defend President Pervez Musharraf by wrongly interpreting the Constitution, and had made contemptuous remarks against the sacked judges.

Mozang Police has registered a case against 30 lawyers, and around 400 unidentified accomplices.

Protest: Separately, the people of Mianwali, Niazi’s hometown, came out on the streets to protest at his manhandling, reported Geo News. The channel reported that a group of people set fire to several lawyers’ buildings, including the district bar building.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...9-4-2008_pg1_1

Pakistan, France sign defence collaboration plan

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan and France on Tuesday signed defence collaboration plan for the years 2008-09 at Joint Staff Headquarters and agreed to accelerate military cooperation.

“Both countries have agreed to accelerate military cooperation and have offered military courses and training assistance for tri-services officers,” ISPR said in statement. They also agreed to participate in forthcoming major training exercises of joint forces, which will be held during the next two years. The plan also envisaged exchange of technical expertise to boost cooperation in technological matters and its transfer for capacity building of Pakistan Armed Forces.

A special signing ceremony was held and Director General Foreign Military Cooperation Joint Staff Headquarters, Major General Noor Hussain and Deputy Chief of Staff of French Forces for International Relations Air Marshal Pierre Bourlot signed the defence collaboration plan. The talks continued for two days that concluded on Tuesday with the resolve to boost military ties between two countries, said the statement.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-4-2008_pg7_65

Pakistan-born journalist wins Pulitzer Prize

NEW YORK: Adrees Latif, a Pakistan-born photojournalist, has won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for “Breaking News Photography”, according to media reports.

Latif of Reuters, who is based in Bangkok, won the prize on Monday for his dramatic photo of a Japanese videographer being attacked in Myanmar.

The graphic photo shows the man, sprawled on the pavement, continuing to shoot with his camera after what turned out to be a fatal injury sustained in shooting that followed a street demonstration as troops attacked protesters.

Latif has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Houston. After working for Reuters in the US, he moved to Bangkok in 2003 where he covers news across Asia.

The Pulitzers are journalism’s highest awards and given annually in various categories by the Columbia University.

They are named after the newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, who died in 1911.

This year, The Washington Post won a record six Pulitzers, including for its coverage last year of the Virginia Tech massacre, in which a mentally-ill student killed 32 people and committed suicide.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/09/top13.htm

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Marwatone.

Aslam Raeesani elected Balochistan CM unopposed

QUETTA: Pakistan People’s Party’s Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raeesani Wednesday unopposed elected as chief minister of Balochistan.

He will take oath of his office today. Governor of Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi will administer oath to the new chief minister.

After his election as the Leader of the House Nawab Aslam Raeesani in his address said, “we must work wisely for maintenance of peace in the province”. He emphasized the law and order as the foremost priority of his government adding that the railway tracks have been burnt in the province and traveling has become unsafe in the region.

QUETTA: Pakistan People’s Party’s Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raeesani Wednesday elected unopposed, as chief minister of Balochistan.

He will take oath of his office today. Governor of Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi will administer oath to the new chief minister.

After his election as the Leader of the House Nawab Aslam Raeesani in his address said, “we must work wisely for maintenance of peace in the province”. He emphasized the law and order as the foremost priority of his government adding that the railway tracks have been burnt in the province and traveling has become unsafe in the region.

The new chief minister of Balochistan also condemned manhandling of Dr. Sher Afgan in Lahore.

Nine nomination papers for Nawab Aslam Raeesani were filed in Balochistan Assembly yesterday. The nominations were submitted by the National Party parliamentarian Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, PPP’s Sadiq Umrani, Muslim League-Q like-minded group’s Asim Kurd, Hamal Kalmati, Jaffar Mandokhel and Saleem Khosa, JUI-F Maulana Abdul Wasay, Awami National Party’s Zamrak Khan and Syed Ahsan Shah of Balochistan National Party (Awami).

No other candidate challenged Raeesani and he was declared elected unopposed for the top slot.

http://thenews.jang.com.pk/updates.asp?id=43010



Supreme Court not to confront parliament

ISLAMABAD: As the Murree Declaration deadline for the restoration of the deposed judges draws closer, it is very reliably learnt that the present Supreme Court is not in a confrontational mood to challenge parliament.

A credible official source told this correspondent that contrary to the general perception that the present Supreme Court may be preparing for a "confrontation" if the deposed judges are restored, things are quite different.

The source insisted that in the recent past there were a few occasions when the present Supreme Court could have reacted to certain issues in which it was dragged "unnecessarily" but it kept silent to avoid controversies and confrontations.

Of late when a full court meeting of the Supreme Court was convened, the source complained, the whole media propagated that the full court meeting was to call the military in aid to the Supreme Court under some article of the constitution.

In reality there was no such thing, the source said, adding that the meeting was scheduled more than three weeks before it had actually held and the agenda items were purely internal administrative matters of the Supreme Court.

Though the source believed that the media in Pakistan is required to become more responsible, he was shocked to learn that some responsible people sitting in the Supreme Court building were feeding the media with what the source termed as "speculation".

On the issue of the failed attempt on Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday's Islamabad official residence, the source said that the present Supreme Court deliberately kept silent to avoid dragging the issue although it had certain facts not known to the media and the people.

The source said that those sitting in the Supreme Court building are well aware of sensitivities involved in the matter regarding the restoration of the deposed judges, the public pressure, the Murree Declaration and legalities involved.

Meanwhile the source also revealed that those who matter are also aware of the "conspirators" and the "conspiracies" being hatched by certain quarters to encourage confrontation between different institutions of the state.

The source said that those who matter are also aware of the "dirty role" of some players, who are apparently posing as well wishers but are well known for their dubious characters and devious designs.

The Murree Declaration as signed between Asif Ali Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif promised the reinstatement of the judiciary as it was on Nov 2, 2007 through a national assembly resolution within 30 days of the formation of the government.

Though the government was formed on March 24 when Yousaf Raza Gillani took oath of the office of the Prime Minister, the countdown for the judges' restoration started on March 31 when the cabinet was inducted.

The restoration of the deposed judges as per the decision of the PPP-PML-N leaders would not render the existing judges of the superior judiciary jobless. Rather the two leaders promised to accommodate all the existing judges.

The lawyers' fraternity, which had initially refused to show any leniency towards the PCO judges or those who were appointed after Nov 3, is now also talking of accommodation for the present judges of the superior judiciary.

If things proceed as planned in the Murree Declaration, the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry would be back as Chief Justice of Pakistan while the present Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar would revert to his original seniority as it was on Nov 2. The remaining judges of the present superior judiciary and those who were deposed would also regain their own seniority as it was on Nov 2.


http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story...l.asp?Id=14008



Seven killed in Karachi clashes

A private television channel reported at least seven people were killed in violence in Karachi on Wednesday afternoon. Four of them burned to death, police said. “We found four completely charred bodies in a lawyers' chamber in a multi-storey building. Three are men and one is a woman. We don't know whether they were lawyers or visitors,” a police officer told AFP. A prominent lawyer talking to a television channel said at least six people were burned to death when armed men set a building on fire that housed lawyers’ offices. Several buildings and dozens of cars and buses were also torched during the violence. The clashes started after violence broke out between supporters and opponents of President Pervez Musharraf in Karachi on Wednesday, officials said. A Reuters reporter saw the bodies of two men who, hospital officials said had been killed in shooting. The violence broke out after lawyers clashed in court with Musharraf’s supporters. A police official said one person was found shot dead in a wagon in Burnes Road area while another person who was injured in firing died in Civil Hospital. A private television channel reported more than 20 buses, coaches, trucks and cars were torched in various parts of the city during the disturbances.


http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/09/welcome.htm



Parts of Karachi slide into chaos: •Five charred bodies taken out of building set ablaze by mob •50 vehicles torched

KARACHI, April 9: Five people burnt beyond recognition were among seven persons who lost their lives here on Wednesday after a spat between two groups of lawyers at the City Courts turned deadly.

By Wednesday night well over 50 vehicles had been set alight by people on motorbikes.

The five people who were burnt beyond recognition were trapped for four hours inside Tahir Plaza, a building near the City Courts housing lawyers’ offices. “We had to break the lock to enter the room and during search we found the charred bodies.”

Fives bodies were recovered from the sixth floor, where Aftab Abbasi, an advocate, had an office.

The trouble started when a group of lawyers, backed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, held a demonstration at the courts to protest the manhandling of Dr Sher Afghan Niazi.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement alleged that its lawyers were attacked by members of the Karachi Bar Association.

The Karachi Bar rebutted the claim, saying they had been attacked by their rivals who barged into the KBA office.

As soon as the clash broke out, hundreds of people converged on the city courts.

At some places police fired into the air to scare away the “miscreants”, but no one moved.

KBA president Mehmoodul Hasan told Dawn that at the time of arson a number of his clients were present in Mr Abbasi’s office along with the latter.

A rescue worker requesting not to be named said “it seems that the arsonists intentionally locked the grill at the sixth floor of the building while fleeing after torching the offices so that people trapped inside would burn alive”.

Police surgeon Dr Bashir Shaikh told Dawn that all the five bodies had 100 per cent burns and were unidentifiable.

“Four victims seem to be men while the fifth appears to be a boy or a woman,” Dr Shaikh said.

A number of people visited the Civil Hospital mortuary to identify the charred bodies, but failed to do so as they were charred beyond recognition.

The CHK’s mortuary was filled with the smell of charred bodies as if brunt out logs had been placed in the morgue.

Among other fatalities of the day was a driver working for a private hospital who suffered a bullet wound when he was fired upon by unknown persons at Burns Road.

Similarly, a minibus driver was brought dead at Civil Hospital, officials said.

Several hours after the incident at city courts, some youths were seen carrying petrol in plastic bottles while riding motorcycles on Burns Road.

Buses, minibuses and cars were also set on fire at Nagan Chowrangi, Liaquatabad, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Malir and Landhi.

The stretch of road between Jauhar Mor and Jauhar Chowrangi, in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, saw intense firing by armed youths. They torched three minibuses, three cars and several rickshaws.

In Malir Court, unknown people barged into the court premises and set fire to a room used by the Bar.

They also torched three motorcycles parked in the premises and resorted to heavy firing.

An office bearer of the Karachi Bar said that fortunately lawyers were not present at the time of the arson as they had dashed to the City courts. “Otherwise the attackers would have attacked lawyers.”

NAEEM QURESHI: An apartment belonging to the General Secretary of Karachi Bar Association in Gulistan-i-Jauhar was set on fire by some unknown persons on Wednesday evening.

Javed Meher, a senior police official, told Dawn four, or probably five, youths came to the apartment of Mr Qureshi in Qasim Complex, Block 18.

They locked the students of a private university who were living there and sprinkled the drawing room with the fuel they had brought with them.


http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/10/top1.htm

__________________
"A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done."

Thousands of police and paramilitary troops patrolled Pakistan's largest city Thursday after a clash between rival lawyers left at least 10 people dead.

City police chief Niaz Siddiqi said some 20,000 security forces were deployed to patrol the streets, check vehicles and guard courthouses, schools and markets in Karachi, which was peaceful early in the day.

Police arrested three armed men in connection with the unrest late Wednesday, he said.

Rashid Rizvi, a senior attorney, said lawyers planned to boycott court proceedings in Sindh province to protest the violence. Karachi is the capital of Sindh.

The unrest was the most serious to buffet Pakistan's new government as it prepared to assail the powers of President Pervez Musharraf.

The violence began when lawyers affiliated with the Mutahida Qaumi Movement or MQM, an ethnic-based political party that was part of the previous government, held a demonstration Wednesday afternoon outside Karachi's main courts complex. They were protesting an assault on a former Cabinet minister the previous day.

Police and witnesses said other lawyers leaving a bar association meeting got involved in a scuffle with the protesters. About eight people were injured.

Minutes later, men in civilian clothes arrived and began shooting, looting and torching cars, witnesses said.

An office block near the courts was set ablaze and six charred bodies, including at least one attorney, were found on the sixth floor.

Police and hospital officials said that a paramedic and a passerby were killed by gunfire, and that the injured included a 7-year-old child with a bullet wound to the head.

A bus driver who was shot and a lawyer injured in the clashes died later in hospital.

Rizvi, secretary general of the Sindh High Court Bar Association, denied the unrest was triggered by a clash between lawyers' groups.

"A group of goons attacked the lawyers. Everybody knows who these people are," he said, without naming anyone. "Nobody can suppress our struggle for the restoration of the judges and the judiciary."

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani condemned the violence and urged citizens of Karachi, a chaotic and often lawless port city of 15 million people, to remain calm.

Gilani appealed to "all political forces to ensure peace and harmony in the metropolitan city in order to support political stability," according to a statement from his office.

But the incident could set back his coalition's effort to woo political rivals and cement Pakistan's return to democracy after years of military rule.

Karachi has a history of violent political turf wars as well as a rich cast of armed criminal and Islamist groups. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto survived a suicide attack there in October only to be assassinated two months later in the central city of Rawalpindi.

Bhutto's party blamed the MQM for the Karachi attack. But it now leads the federal government and has recently sought reconciliation and even a power-sharing agreement.

On Wednesday, leaders of the two parties blamed unidentified elements of trying to sabotage their new understanding — code in Pakistan's conspiracy-ridden politics for intelligence agencies aligned with the military.

But there was bitter sniping between the MQM and the party of Nawaz Sharif, the No. 2 player in the coalition.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2...pakistan_N.htm

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LAHORE: Eight people were killed and other 20 injured after a massive blast took place in a scrap market in Misri Shah area of the city.

Majority of the injured included schoolgirls. The blast occurred in a godown located in scrap market. Police officials said blast occurred due to gas cylinder. Blast caused the roof and walls of godown to fall while body parts scattered around the blast site.

Officials of law enforcing agencies and police rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. Rescue workers have started taking the injured to hospitals. Death toll could rise due to critical condition of some of the injured.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=43122

ISLAMABAD: Holding the Shaukat Aziz government responsible for "figure fudging" and creating mess on the economic front, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that all findings would be tabled before parliament for action against those who violated their own Fiscal Responsibility Law.

The economic situation is so alarming that the government had to revise downward all macro-economic projections including GDP growth target from 7.2 per cent to six per cent, fiscal deficit target surged from 4.5 per cent of GDP to over six per cent, FBR target from Rs1025 billion to Rs990 billion, inflation going up from six per cent to 10 per cent, current account deficit up from 5.5 per cent to 10 per cent of GDP, possibility of raising basis points on Pakistan's issued bonds from 200 points to 600 basis points over LIBOR (London Inter-Bank Offering Rates) by June 30, 2008.

"The mismanagement of economy has resulted in overspending of Rs558 billion and if the government does not take corrective measures then fiscal deficit will touch 9.5 per cent of GDP by June 2008."

Ishaq Dar presented these startling and disturbing figures about Pakistan's economy at a press conference along with Information Minister Sherry Rehman here at the PM Secretariat on Wednesday.

He said that these figures would be presented before parliament, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and the Public Accounts Committee for scrutiny of the facts where Shaukat Aziz and his entire team would be asked to explain this sad state of economy.

He said the caretaker government was also responsible for this mess, as they too took no step to control the situation. Instead, they hiked POL prices and power tariff. He also said that over 73.6 per cent population lived below poverty line, according to two dollar a day definition.

Flanked by Special Finance Secretary Dr Ashfaque Hassan Khan, Secretary Finance Dr Waqar Masood and Chairman FBR Abdullah Yousaf, Ishaq Dar said the government would take tough measures to put the economy back on the right track by rationalising the POL prices, focusing on agriculture and manufacturing sectors and tackling energy crisis through conservation for achieving the desired results.

To improve the economic situation, he said, the government would generate $2.5 billion from foreign inflows, reducing expenditure and by mobilising revenue generation from various avenues to revive the derailed economy.

The public debt, he said, touched new height during the last eight years. It rose to Rs 2946 billion from 1947 to 1999, but climbed to Rs5695 billion by June 2008, showing an increase of Rs2749 billion in the last eight years. "Those who claim to have broken the begging bowl have actually enlarged it," Ishaq Dar observed.

He said external debt has climbed to $42.5 billion from $37.5 billion in 1999 despite receiving significant inflows. He also said the credit rating of the country could also be downgraded.He said the growth in money supply (M2) is fuelling inflationary pressure as it is projected to grow by 19% till June 2008, resulting into CPI inflation exceeding 10% and food inflation 14%.

The money in circulation was Rs643 billion in 1999, which grew to Rs4065 billion by June 2007. It is projected that the money circulation will reach Rs4837 billion by June 2008. Answering a question about the strategy to reduce the fiscal deficit to 6per cent of GDP, he said that the decision on imposition of new taxes could be taken in the budget on the basis of progressive taxation. However, he said the POL prices could be rationalized and the cabinet would take a decision in this regard.

To another question about the officials who were part of the team of the previous regime and are still sitting with him, he said that the standing committees of the National Assembly, the Senate and the Public Accounts Committee have the right to summon any one to question about these figures.

He also outlined the coalition government's strategy to revive the economy, saying that the government would focus on hitherto neglected agriculture and manufacturing sectors in the months ahead.


http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=14028



ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Sadiq has said the issue of Dr. Qadeer Khan was over and there was no objection by any country on softening up his detention.

In his weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesman said discussion on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute will be the main part of the composite dialogue between Pakistan and India and it will be an important issue in the review meetings of the 4th round of talks being held here next month.

Muhammad Sadiq said Pakistan has always taken measures as per standards set by IAEA and Afghanistan has not complained Pakistan as regards dumping of nuclear waste inside Afghanistan. He said the news was baseless.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=43123


ISLAMABAD, April 10 (AFP): Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Thursday blamed a conspiracy for political violence that left eight people dead in Karachi, saying that “dictatorship” threatened the new democratic government. Gilani said the government would not let the sacrifice by former premier Benazir Bhutto, for the cause of democracy, “to be compromised at the behest of dictatorship, conspiracy and violence.” ”We must take notice of these unjustified, mischievous and definitely conspiratorial acts,” Gilani told parliament. “These acts I am convinced are being fuelled by those who do not want democracy to flourish.” The opposition, comprising pro-Musharraf parties, boycotted Thursday's parliamentary proceedings in protest at the Karachi clashes and the manhandling of Sher Afgan Niazi and Arbab Ghulam Rahim. “The prime minister should have taken strong action after these incidents which seem to be a pre-planned conspiracy,” opposition leader Chaudhry Pervez Elahi said. “The prime minister still has our confidence and he should try to resolve the situation, but our cooperation should not be misconstrued as our weakness.”

http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/10/welcome.htm



ISLAMABAD, April 10 (Reuters): President Musharraf Thursday called on lawyers opposing his rule to stop spreading anarchy as the death toll from Wednesday’s political violence in Karachi rose to 10. “I appeal to the lawyers not to spread anarchy. Law and order should be maintained,” Musharraf told reporters before departing for a five-day visit to China. “I strongly condemn all these incidents. We should adopt civilised behaviour,” Musharraf said.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/10/welcome.htm



ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday told a parliamentary body that the present state of power shortage would continue to haunt the country at least for three more years, mainly due to lack of planning in the last decade.

"There is no solution to overcome the problem in the coming three years due to an increase in power requirement and after that load-shedding would be manageable up to some extent," the Water and Power Ministry mandarins responded to tough questions of senators.

This clear response on the part of the government came in the Standing Committee of Senate on Water and Power that met after two years. "Definitely, we are taking steps to mitigate load-shedding within the shortest possible time but it would take three years," Secretary Water and Power Ismail Qureshi told the committee on questions raised by sitting members.

The PML-Functional Senator, Justice (Retd) Abdul Razzaq Tahim, told the secretary that the people or the elected representatives did not have any interest in figures, maps or charts but the real issue was as to when load-shedding would be over.

Likewise, Pari Gul Agha and other senators also gave a tough time to the water and power team that presented statistics about power availability, requirement and the present government's immediate measures to generate more electricity.

"The officials are responsible for all this mess because they had been in government irrespective of the elected representatives," Pari Gul Agha said. Senator Thahim told this correspondent that the water and power officials had no reply on the methods they were adopting for immediate relief to the people. "Yes, they told us that the power crisis would not be over by 2010," he added.

"We are not utilising hundred per cent of 5,500 MW power that the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) have the capacity to produce despite the fact that these producers get almost full charges under agreements," they further said.

At the same time, an official announcement said the committee was informed that as a result of measures to be taken by the government, the shortage of electricity would decrease and year 2009 would be a load manageable year.

"The load-shedding in the country is likely to come to an end by year 2010," Standing Committee Chairman Hafiz Abdul Malik Qadri observed. Besides, federal secretary Ismail Qureshi, MD Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) was also present in the briefing.

The committee chairman said that the government approved power sector strategic plan for restructuring and reform in 1992 and PEPCO was established in 1998 as an independent entity with mandate to re-structure Pakistan's power sector, corporatise and commercialise the restructured entity and to bring about reforms.

Before showing any significant progress, PEPCO was reduced to a division in Wapda in 2001. It was told that the government reactivated the mandate of PEPCO in October 2007 to bridge the increasing demand-supply gap so as to reduce load-shedding.

The committee was informed that the Ministry of Water and Power had finalised a plan to produce additional 2,200 MW electricity within a year in line with the directive of the prime minister.

It was further told that a sustained and aggressive action plan based on a combination supply side as well as demand side actions and continuing conservation energy plans was likely to eliminate the gap by 2011.

Large coal based plants with total capacity of 3,000 to 4,000 MW by 2013-14, followed by large hydel power plants (5,000-6,000 MW) by 2015-16 are essential for ensuring low cost generation of electricity in view of the current very high cost fuel oil and rental based power plants.

The committee members expressed the view that each and every sector, including the agriculture sector, was badly hit because of the topsy-turvy planning carried out by the Ministry of Water and Power to overcome the power crisis.

The committee directed the ministry to nab industrialists involved in power theft cases and provide the list containing the names of the culprits to the committee at the earliest.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=105927


A major reshuffle has taken place in the Sindh police department in which four Deputy Inspector Generals (DIG) have been transferred. Moreover, sources added that more high-level transfers are expected across the board in the Sindh bureaucracy in coming days.

The sources maintain that a comprehensive list has been prepared, after the approval of the Sindh government, regarding the transfers and postings of DIGs of Karachi police. According to initial reports, as a part of this mass reshuffling, DIG, Traffic, Wajid Ali Khan Durrani has been transferred and posted as DIG, West Zone, replacing DIG Faluk Khursheed. DIG, Administration, Khurram Gulzar, was transferred and posted as DIG, Traffic.

DIG, Training and Inspection, Iqbal Mehmood has been transferred and posted as DIG, South Zone, while SSP Farooq Awan of the AVCC has been posted as DIG, Investigations. DIG Bashir Memon has been posted as DIG, East Zone, replacing DIG Salman Syed.

Furthermore, Deputy Director, Intelligence Bureau, Ghulam Nabi Memon, was transferred and posted as DPO, Khairpur, while SP, Saddar Town, Tahir Naveed, was transferred and SP Ameer Sheikh was posted in his place.

SSP, North Nazimabad, was transferred and posted as Personnel Security Officer (PSO) to Chief Minister, Sindh, Qaim Ali Shah.

Meanwhile, the source added that there are strong chances of the transfer of the CCPO, Karachi, and PPO, Sindh. The names of Babar Khattak, Additional IGP, Special Branch, Sindh, and Raho Khan Brohi, are being considered for the two posts.

Sources further stated that six Station House Officers (SHO) of Karachi were also transferred and posted, which included SHOs of Docks, Korangi, Preedy, Brigade, Eidgah police stations.

All the Station House Officers (SHO), Superintendents of Police (SP) and Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP) posted by the previous government are likely to be uprooted via transfers, and it is expected that officers of the Sindh police that were allegedly victimised by the previous setup will be brought in their places, the source added.

The PPO, Sindh, meanwhile, has maintained that he was not consulted regarding the moves by the administration.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=105852



THE manhandling of Dr Sher Afgan Niazi was perpetrated by the remains of dictatorship who want to damage the democratic process, said PML-N President Mian Shahbaz Sharif.

Talking to media at the Punjab Assembly building on Wednesday, Mian Shahbaz Sharif termed the oath taking of elected members and the victory of political parties as a historic movement in eight years.

He said now it is the time to work for the progress of the country and serve the nation without wasting time.

He said it is the need of hour that everyone among us should feel individual responsibility and work honestly. Earlier, the PML-N president reached the assembly amid boisterous slogans chanted by the party’s MPAs. The former chief minister was accompanied by PML-N Punjab President Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Punjab General Secretary Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, Secretary Information Khawaja Ahmed Hassan and other leaders.

The PML-N president watched the assembly proceedings from the visitors’ gallery and remained there for some one hour.

‘Every effort for betterment of downtrodden’: PML-N Leader and candidate of NA-119 Hamza Shahbaz said that all-out efforts would be made for the betterment of common man, and no stone would be left unturned to achieve the objective of ameliorating the lot of downtrodden. Addressing public meetings on Wednesday, he said the announcement by PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif to reduce expediture of CM House by 70 per cent was a people-friendly step. He said PML-N leaders had no lust for power, and their politics aimed at serving masses and strengthening democracy in the country. He said coalition government would resolve people’s problems to end their sense of deprivation and ensure justice to people at their doorsteps.

He said now there would be a rule of law, and not of any individual. He asked the people to forge unity in their ranks to foil conspiracies against democracy. He said turing of Chief Minister House, built at a cost of Rs 1.50 billion, into Women University would prove a milestone for revolution in education sector. He said taking of oath by members of national and provincial assemblies under 1973 constitution was a triumph of the nation. He said long-term steps would be taken to provide relief to people from price hike and ending culture of exploitation.

He said PML-N believed in sharing power with masses, adding there would be no compromise on protection of basic rights of the people, ensuring their self-respect and dignity and independence of national institutions. He said PML-N would continue to raise voice for reinstatement of deposed judges and independence of judiciary in the parliament as well as out of it. He said situation had changed and now Pervez Musharraf was not in a position to influence internal and external policies of the country.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=105880

__________________
"A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done."

Altaf steps down as party chief
LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain Friday announced to get retirement from the party leadership.

According to media reports, Farooq Sattar read a letter from Altaf Hussain to the General Workers meeting.

According to reports, the party chief said the party leaders failed to contain the violence on April 9 in Karachi city.

Altaf Hussain said in the letter that everybody has right to protest, however, violent riots are wrong to the core.

The letter said the party affairs would be settled by MQM Rabta Committee.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=43219

__________________
"A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done."

Aitzaz may withdraw resignation today

LAHORE: Aitzaz Ahsan, the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), will likely withdraw his resignation on Friday (today) in Islamabad, sources told Daily Times on Thursday. Aitzaz announced he would resign on Wednesday, in protest over the manhandling of former federal minister Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi. The sources said bar associations across the country were asking him not to resign, as the lawyers movement for the restoration of the sacked judges was in a defining phase. SCBA media adviser Muhammad Azhar Siddique said that around 50 bars had requested Aitzaz not to resign, saying they would also quit if he did not withdraw his resignation. He said Aitzaz’s announcement was intended to calm emotionally charged lawyers, not to manhandle Afgan. SCBA (Punjab) Vice President Ghulam Nabi Bhatti said the executive committee of the SCBA would not accept Aitzaz’s resignation. rana tanveer


http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...1-4-2008_pg1_8

New govt plans to thank, say ’bye to Iftikhar

* Iftikhar Chaudhry may be reinstated, then forced to retire

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is drafting a constitutional package likely to sideline sacked chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Chaudhry.

The PPP is expected to submit the proposal for parliamentary scrutiny as soon as next week. It is honour bound to reinstate the judges sacked on November 3 within 30 days of the formation of the government, under a pact between PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif.

Pakistan’s new political order will thank Chaudhry for precipitating the political shift that led to the defeat of pro-Musharraf parties in February’s elections, reinstate him and then try to wave him goodbye, analysts and others said. “Restoration will redeem his honour,” said a senior PPP official in government. “But this is about reforming the judiciary, not making heroes out of people.”

“If there is any compromise on this issue then there are serious threats to the coalition,” Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, a senior minister from the PML-N, told Reuters, adding that for now “all is well”.

Independent analysts say Zardari has Nawaz’s approval to remove Chaudhry without the issue breaking the coalition, but that Nawaz won’t say so publicly as he has to manage dissent in the PML-N. “They are together on the fundamental issue, that this time the civilians will prevail,” the PPP official said. The restored judges could revive challenges to Musharraf’s re-election in October while still army chief, or go after the president for his November 3 actions.

The PPP wants to avoid an early confrontation with Musharraf.

The PPP faces several problems including stabilising its government, averting possible economic crisis, and fighting Al Qaeda-inspired militants.

”Who benefits from upheaval?” asked the PPP official. “There’s a difference between a compromise and a sell-out.”

It has been argued that forcing Chaudhry into early retirement could go some way to defusing a potentially explosive situation.

“The other option is not to remove him, but to reduce his personal power,” the PPP official said.

That would entail removing the chief justice’s right to allocate judges to cases, and choose which judges sit on benches.

Aitzaz Ahsan, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, warned of more agitation if Chaudhry is removed.

“There will be no closure of the issue. There will be continued uncertainty and instability,” he said. reuters



http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...1-4-2008_pg1_9

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Pakistan is ruled by three As - Army, America and Allah.

Altaf still MQM chief

Friday, April 11, 2008

LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief, Altaf Hussain announced to take back his decision to step down from the MQM leadership after the party workers and leaders insisted him to withdraw his earlier decision.

Earlier, addressing a party workers’ meeting here at MQM Headquarters the party chief announced to quit as MQM Chief because he said the party leaders failed to contain violence in Karachi on April 9.

Altaf Hussain earlier announced to step down from the party leadership.

Farooq Sattar read a letter from Altaf Hussain to the General Workers body meeting.

According to reports, the party chief said the party leaders failed to contain the violence on April 9 in Karachi city.

Altaf Hussain said in the letter that everybody has right to protest, however, violent riots are wrong to the core.

The letter said the party affairs would be settled by MQM Rabta Committee.

MQM chief said Legal Aid Committee members were staging peaceful demonstration.

Commenting on April 9 incidents, Altaf Hussain said he is grieved at the violent incidents on April 9.

‘After the violent riots erupted in Karachi, I asked Rabta Committee members and representatives to quit their work and restore peace in the city,’ he maintained.

MQM leaders should have played their role in containing the violence in Karachi on April 9 that resulted in the deaths of people and damage to property, he added.

‘This city belongs to all and everybody is responsible for keeping the law and order here,’ he observed.

He said the biggest party of the city is being held responsible for the violent incidents on April 9.

Altaf Hussain said as soon as the injured arrived in hospitals, the conspiracies were started.

Later, Dr. Farooq Sattar warned that all the members and representatives of MQM Rabita Committee, MNAs, MPAs, District and Town Nazims will also resign from their posts unless Altaf Hussain withdraws his decision of stepping down as party chief.

He said the leaders and workers of MQM will also go for a hunger strike until the MQM Chief decides to take back his decision.


http://www.geo.tv/4-11-2008/16662.htm







Friday, April 11, 2008[/B]

ISLAMABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Quaid Altaf Hussain and Federal Interior Advisor, Rahman Malik held talks on telephone exchanging views on recent Karachi terror incidents and overall country’s political situation.

In a statement issued from the London MQM International Secretariat, Altaf Hussain and Rahman Malik have strongly condemned the Wednesday Karachi terror incidents and expressed their heartfelt condolence to the bereaved besides praying for the early recovery of the wounded.

Altaf Hussain and Rahman Malik agreed on making joint efforts for defeating all those elements trying to keep the People’s Party and MQM apart and vowed that both the parties together would work for maintaining peace. Altaf Hussain expressed his strong displeasure on MQM incumbents failing to take immediate measures for controlling the city situation on April 9. Altaf Hussain told the federal interior advisor that MQM was also probing into the April 9 incidents, the government should also get it investigated and actions should be taken under law against those found involved in the conspiracy.

Rahman Malik thanked Altaf Hussain for taking immediate notice of the grave situation and activating the MQM incumbents and elected representatives, who helped the administration in bringing the situation under control.

http://www.geo.tv/4-11-2008/16652.htm

__________________
Regards

Aarwaa

Pakistan is ruled by three As - Army, America and Allah.