Archives for August 2008

Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari and Iftikhar Chaudary – Head-On Collision?

Nawaz-Sharif-Asif-Zardari-and-Iftikhar-ChaudaryAre they going to have a head-on collision. It seems so. Let us see what are their problems and how possibly they are going to tackle. Nawaz Sharif During the previous elections Nawaz Sharif had made very inflamed speeches against Pervez Musharraf. One of the issues he raised against Pervez Musharraf was removal of Iftikhar Chaudary then the chief justice of Pakistan supreme court.

Nawaz Sharif and other politicians including PPP they did not have and still don’t have any action plan for the development of the country so they look for such things on which they can create a sort of agitation and gather the people and get votes. All these politicians use the same strategy. Basically they highlight an issue and present themselves as a solution. Nawaz Sharif promised in a big way that if PML-N came to power they will re-instate Iftikhar Chaudary along with other judges. After showing his first success of removing the president then came the second thing to re-instate the judges which seems now a stumbling block. Nawaz Sharif wants to bring back Iftikhar Chaudary to achieve his own motives namely to get himself entitled to participate in the elections, and get decisions against Pervez Musharraf in future cases which may be brought in the supreme court later. This is to pacify his revenge. Asif Zardari Asif Zardari as such was not very interested in removing the president but when he saw the wind direction he joined the mob. Now comes the re-reinstatement of judges. Like any other Pakistani politician he looked for his personal benefit first.

Though he was not very enthusiastic but he did not mind to join others to become champion of democracy. Zardari particularly did not want Iftikhar Chaudary to come back. He believes Iftikhar Chaudary is responsible for his extended stay in jail. Since Zardari has a enmity with Chaudary so he believes Iftikhar Chaudary may give a decision to void the NRO against which it became possible for Zardari, Shahbaz Sharif and others to participate in the politics. Zardari is not worried about Sharif or others but he is worried about himself. That is why you had heard before re-reinstatement of judges minus one or minus two etc. Now it seems Zardari has stuck. Nawaz Sharif wants to bring Iftikhar Chaudary back for his own purposes and Zardari don’t want him because of his own concerns.

Iftikhar Chaudary – The Man in the Dispute After getting out of the supreme court Iftikhar Chaudary participated very actively in anti-Musharraf rallies, political processions practically everything where he could blast against Musharraf. So he became a symbol of anti-Musharraf movement. When political parties saw this opportunity then Nawaz Sharif being the best opportunist grabbed the opportunity and joined them. Sharif got best of the both worlds, person who is anti-Musharraf and he can gather big mobs. Iftikhar Chaudary looked more like a politician then a displaced supreme court judge. Other supreme court judges like Khalil Ramday, Bhagwan Das and may be others associated themselves with different political views. So now politicians support the judges according to their mind affiliations and their political views. What is Next? Any solution to this pollution? Zardari needs Nawaz Sharif to keep his PPP in the government. On the other hand Nawaz Sharif has an upper hand at present. Zardari may lose the government, Sharif will not lose anything. In fact it will give boost to the popularity of Sharif. Zardari may seek support of other parties to stay in power against some other deals.

This is the first issue they have faced and the cracks started appearing. There would definitely be more. Still both coalition partners are not agreed what procedure will be adapted to re-instate the judges, if they are going to re-instate. A couple of possibilities. They may cut a deal with Iftikhar Chaudary that he will not give a verdict against Asif Zardari and not participate in the cancellation of NRO if it comes in the court. Iftikhar Chaudary may go back to his previous position but after a specified period he will be retired or he would resign.

Obviously these types of deals will not be made public so it is your imagination what you can think about other possibilities. Are we heading towards fresh elections? May be too early to say but definitely we are heading with a faster speed towards head-on collisions. This is the first one. More to come.

America or Any Other Country Should Not Interfer in Pakistan’s Affairs – Nawaz Sharif

America-or-Any-Other-Country-Should-Not-Interfer-in-Pakistan’s-Affairs

Democracy Don’t Take Instructions From Anybody It Tells Them What To Do Asif Ali Zardari, Co-Chairman of PPP.

This is what Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) and Asif Ali Zardari (PPP) said.

Well, I have a couple of questions for both of them.

When Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were lobbying in the US and the UK to get back into Pakistani politics what you call that activity. That was not inviting foreign countries to interfere in Pakistan’s affairs.

When America was involved in drafting NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) that was not interference in Pakistani matters.

When Nawaz Sharif approached Saudi King Shaikh Abdullah to get out of the jail that was not interference in Pakistani legal system.

We did not know earlier but now we learned that Britain was also involved in NRO activities. Was this not the result of success of lobbying done by Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in the UK.

When Zardari and Nawaz Sharif made trips to Saudi Arabia to seek their help to displace Pervez Musharraf. What you would call this?

When you approached US administration through Saudi Arabia to seek the trust of US government. What you would call this?

Did money change hands in all these lobbying activities. Or the lobbyist in the US and UK were doing all this work just for God sake (fe sabililah).

Recently, Mr. Muqran, Chief of Saudi Intelligence Agency visited Pakistan and met with you, did he come to make a program with you to pray together in Mecca?

Don’t tell us you have not been inviting and involving foreign governments and persons for your malicious motives and personal benefits.

What a joke. Anything said and done by Zardari and Sharif is according to democracy everything else is dictatorship.

Pakistan – A Nation Divided


Pakistan-A-Nation-Divided.

This is the first time in the history of Pakistan that the Army, the President and the Prime Minister had their three separate functions to celebrate the Independence Day.

That tells you all and everything.

I am not a seer. I cannot predict the future but this day August 14, 2008 may be the beginning of the end of democracy in this country.

The politicians are telling us their personal revenge agenda as the problem of democracy.  This is not going to bring stability and prosperity to the people.

If these politicians did not pay attention to the real problems of the country very soon the people will continue to suffer and this country will continue to plunge in misery and anarchy. Political and financial stability will become only a dream.

This time Army will not come to rescue the people.  They had enough share.

But since that is the only entity which is functional in this country so they do feel their responsibility when the people are helpless in the hands of politicians.

But this time when they will come they will not come to leave.

MQM’s Stance on Impeachment of Pervez Musharraf

MQM has decided to side with President Pervez Musharraf (at least for now).

To tell you the truth that surprised me.

I was thinking Mr. Zardari will offer some deal like withdrawl of all cases against MQM workers including Altaf Hussain as a bait to MQM to get their support. Either PPP did not offer anything or MQM stood on its own to do what they thought is right.

What ever is the reason, I think MQM’s decision is right and good for them in the long run. MQM had (and still has to some extent) a little tarnish image. But MQM has their vote bank. They should depend on that and not on temporary benefits.

In the short term MQM may have to lose their governorship and a couple of ministerial jobs in the Sindh province but long run they will get the benefit that they are not siding with waderaaz, religious fundamentalists and right-wing neo-capitalists turned corrupt politicians.

But the most important thing is if MQM thinks that Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari want to impeach the president for their personal gains as part of their personal agenda then they should tell this to their vote bank. That is the right reason to stand for.

MQM has always said that they are common people representing common people. So they should always keep that in mind what their supporters would like them to do.

MQM is one of those political parties who has roots in the people.

Dr. Afia Siddique?


Aafia-Siddiqui

There is a lot of news about Dr. Afia Siddiqee now a days in the news papers. She is a US citizen. Her sister Dr. Arifa Siddique conducted a press conference in Pakistan and asking for the release of Afia Siddique.

Dr. Afia Siddique was captured by the US forces in Afghanistan probably few years earlier.

But nobody is telling us;

Who is this Dr. Afia?
What she was doing in Afghanistan?
When she went to Afghanistan?
Why she went to Afghanistan?
Why nobody raised any voice earlier?
She has any involvement with Taliban?
Is she a relative of any politician in the present regime?

At the highest level government of Pakistan trying to get her out of the jail in the US. Why? Today Pakistani Foreign Minister said government is trying to bring her back to Pakistan. If she is a US citizen why government of Pakistan wants her in Pakistan.

These are the obvious questions arising out of all this Dr. Afia drama.

Anybody knows anything about her. Please fill us up.

Re-Appoinment of Sind High Court Judges


Re-Appointment-of-Sindh-High-Court-Judges

Newspapers and TV channels reported in the last couple of days about the reinstatement of eight Sindh High Court judges as a "surprise move by President Pervez Musharraf".

This initiative was not taken by the president.

The PPP took the initiative and Prime Minister after consultations with Law Ministry sent the summary to President to approve. President approved and sent the approval back to Prime Minister for implementation. These judges were going to take a new oath. The government issued the appropriate notification which was later withheld because Nawaz Sharif got angry that he was not consulted.

On Tuesday, the discussions which were going on between Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari at Zardari House were interrupted because Nawaz Sharif got angry and walked out, according to news. Later these discussion were moved to Punjab House and then to Prime Minister House when PPP agreed to defer the implementation of this decision till all the judges are reinstated.

The point to note is that according to the Constitution president does not have any authority to reject the recommendations of the prime minister. So President just followed the constitution. So this was not any maneuver of Pervez Musharraf. This was just another mismanagement of PPP government.

Governing Coalition Parties Charged President Musharraf


Governing-Coalition-Parties-Charged-President-Musharraf

Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) and Asif Zardari (PPP) along with their coalition partners in the government formally charged President Prevez Musharraf on three counts using Article 47 of the constitution of Pakistan. They want to remove the president by impeachment. The three charges they have mentioned in the press conference are as follows:

President has not obtained his confirmation from the newly elected National Assembly.
President has not addressed the National Assembly.
President is responsible of the mismanagement during the last eight years and because of that  there is increase in prices in daily commodities and others economic problems.

PML-N and PPP now are preparing the formal resolution to present in the National Assembly to start the proceedings of the impeachment of the president.

Coalition Parties do know that they don’t have 2/3 majority required in the National Assembly and Senate. So they have started working on to pool the votes. In simple words to buy the members as it is common in the Pakistani politics. Nawaz Sharif has done that been there is expert in horse-trading.

Abdul Hafiz Pirzadah, a former law minister and an authority on Pakistan’s Constitution, said in a private TV channel interview that Article 47 of the Constitution of Pakistan states how to remove and or impeach any president on duty.

He stated that there are two reasons mentioned in the Article 47 to remove the president, namely:

(1) If he is physically unable to perform his duties, and
(2) If he is mentally unfit to discharge his duties.

He further explained, there are two reasons mentioned in the Article 47 to impeach the president, they are;

(1) If he has violated the constitution.
(2) If he has done some gross misconduct.

Obviously the three charges coalition parties have raised against the president none of them fall in any one of the four reasons described in the Article 47 of the Constitution of Pakistan, he added.

Mr. Pirzadah explained that  since the ruling parties have issued the charge sheet President can go to Supreme Court to ask the interpretation of the charges whether they fall in any one of the two reasons as mentioned in the Article 47 to impeach the president.

Since Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari changed their priorities and made impeachment of the president as priority one and reinstatement of judges priority two so if that situation arises then the present sitting Supreme Court will decide the case.

Things are changing fast let us see what happen tomorrow.