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Friday, 18 May, 2007

  • Newsnight
  • 18 May 07, 05:37 PM

Pakistan President Pervez MusharrafThe Edgware dissident
Newsnight understands that one man, living in Edgware, may be masterminding a political campaign which could keep Pakistan's President Musharraf in power. Altaf Hussain is the leader of the Muttahida Quami Movement - MQM. He directs his flock via phone - when he talks thousands gather round in Pakistan to listen to him on loudspeaker.

But his critics - amongst them cricket legend turned opposition politician Imran Khan - say he shouldn't even be here. He accuses the British Government of giving sanctuary to a man whose party he alleges was linked to recent violence in Pakistan. Tonight we'll look at the Edgware operation, and speak to Imran Khan in Islamabad.

GB tour
Yesterday a softer, humbler sounding Prime Minister elect said he wanted to win back trust for the Labour Party and listen to the country. So we take to the road for the GB tour to see what he really means and indeed what the country's saying.

We kick off in Basildon, a bell weather constituency which was Tory under Thatcher and Labour under Blair. What do they make of Gordon?

Good day for burying awkward news?
MPs have just passed a controversial bill to exempt themselves and peers from freedom of information laws. What does this mean in practice? It means all of us - voters, media, the public at large, will have a much harder time finding out the truth from them. Just how does this fit into Gordon Brown's new attempt to build trust?

Wembley
We've almost forgotten how many years late it is but tomorrow the stadium will officially open. We have an interview with Michael Cunnah, the former CEO of Wembley who oversaw the building project. And we ask what the organizers of the Olympic Games should be learning from Wembley's mistakes.

Comments  Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 07:40 PM on 18 May 2007,
  • June Borsberry wrote:

GB Tour

It's bellwether, Emily....not bell weather.

A bellwether is any entity in a given arena that serves to create or influence trends or to presage future happenings. The term is derived from the Middle English bellewether and refers to the practice of placing a bell around the neck of a castrated ram (a wether) in order that this animal might lead its flock of sheep.

'Thought you'd like that.
June Borsberry,
Toronto

F O I (Freedom of Impudence.)

It is hard to see what politicians use of our money has to do with confidentiality of constituents mail. Be that as it may: I suggest that we marginalised voters should exact a severe quid-pro-quo (or two) in exchange for knuckling under.
Might the media enquire just what aspects of political chicanery we could demand they give up? e.g. from today they should:

(1) Answer the question AS ASKED.
(2) Admit when acting as a party mouthpiece with no personal conviction.
(3) Use the minimum of words to maximise the use of time available.
(4) Stop using apology like disinfectant.
(5) Acknowledge that party politics consumes money to no purpose.
(6) Acknowledge that Commons behaviour sets a bad example to the young.
(7) Acknowledge that targeted marginal seats give the lie to 鈥渄emocracy鈥.

There鈥檚 a start. What price F O I now you political pariahs?

  • 3.
  • At 08:05 PM on 18 May 2007,
  • brossen99 wrote:

It is pretty obvious that any MP who stayed away or voted for the exemption from the FOI is to be viewed as potentially corrupt. Perhaps the media should publicise a list of all those MP's ( and their party and constituency ) who voted for the exemption using Hansard as a reference. Publication of a list of MP's who voted for the exemption will at least give the electorate the chance to get rid of them at the earliest opportunity. The exemption from open scrutiny will be just what the corporate lobbyists wanted, plenty of scope for back hander's in the form of favours.

  • 4.
  • At 09:09 PM on 18 May 2007,
  • An awkward news resurrectionist wrote:

They think knowledge is power rather than for the purpose of getting worthwhile work done...

The truth is what each character cares about..there are many truths... and we know our own...

We can also forecast the truths of others from agenda and those present and absent at meetings..and create our own leadership for our kind and fighting epistemologies against theirs..

The truth we know has been built funded worked and stocked all around...

The public knows.. we are our own government we have our own common sense ...their information would only say who their mates are what they would have done and what they would want people to believe and we can see that all ready and work out our own truth...

For those colluding in our commons they have elected to say whatever their double talk will enable for motives and with options we can systematically test...we can explore every option and frame them with every case...we are hunting them down as offenders in every way until all the public are motivated to get rid of them and the word has won to liberate us all...

The commons is an anarchy of misleading obedience...a contretemps of euthanasic corruptors...sexist perverts.. privicidal maniacs..and crime fearing servants of the greed is good economies... all of them competing in drugs wars...and every other kind of survivalist disrespect until they are the mockable ...our public despise them...

Every man woman and child can express their own way..the collusion of political parties must be broken like the old pot of a well nourished house plant that needs open garden for it's roots to grow......

We will all have our own futures again in our Great Britain free from the eccentric empires of their minds!!!

Inspired by Winston Churchill... not the only leader alive in the heads of the nation...he said trust the people...we say trust what you care about...our world has already won...let's stop their villains having it off us...!!!

TLC...

  • 5.
  • At 10:26 PM on 18 May 2007,
  • Bill Bradbury wrote:

I am just surprised that we voters would think that our MP's would vote for Freedom of Information.
What an excuse!! The fear that someone may wish to read a letter I had sent to my MP. They have obviously forgotten other acts that prevent this, which is the data Protection Act.

Brown's promise of listening to the people has already been his first casualty. Rotten to the core some MP's that is those that allowed this travesty. Some MP's were "honourable" in the debate. Yes I am all for publishing the names of those absent and those responsible.

  • 6.
  • At 02:59 AM on 19 May 2007,
  • i khan wrote:

I am at a loss to understand that how could a British citizen, who has sworn an oath of loyalty to the Queen and the United Kingdom, run a political organisation of another country, and direct it from here?
Is it legal under our current security and terrorism laws?

'Just how does this fit into Gordon Brown's new attempt to build trust?'

Well, I suppose it does seem a good way of trying to erase analysis of various parties' roles in the last ten years, and 'starting afresh', in theory untainted by the fact that he and most who still surround him were in the room when it all happened... Pensions, Education, Health, Environment, Iraq...

I'm still trying to get to grips with how this government thinks they bear no responsibility for their collective actions previously - under a leader they elected, - simply because a new leader has oozed into the top slot due to lack of... well, everything really.

I for one am living what they have created and know who bears responsibility. Trouble is, when it comes to voting them out there is precious little alternative, though I'm damned if this time I'll allow my protest be deemed a 'spoiled vote'. It was a democratic statement of my view on the competence of who would claim to be fit to lead us, and should have been accorded status as such.

I just hope the 'Anyone but these clowns' clown who does get in has the humility to realise that by scraping in with a pathetic percentage of a pathetic percentage of those who vote does not count it, nor allow it to be trumpeted as 'a mandate from the people'. What are the odds?

  • 8.
  • At 01:01 PM on 19 May 2007,
  • marko Nguet Yai, a South Sudanese in Kampala, Uganda. wrote:

The question of how information will be found out from PMs since the controversial bill exempting them from the freedom of inforamtion law is passed, and how it would fit into GB's attempt to build trust, should not be worrying.

Being the source of information is not on the list of priorities which brings back trust to the government.

And more so, winning back the trust always happens in the circumstance of previous mistakes believed to be unethical.

So I don't think being the source of information is one of the rrors GB believes to have been committed by Tony Blair.

So, GB will go ahead and rectify the rrors he believes to have been committed by his precedessor, Tony Blair.

However, for me I think Tony Blair was correct in every way regarding his foriegn policy though he acted singled mindedly.

  • 9.
  • At 05:26 PM on 19 May 2007,
  • Derek Phibes wrote:

As constituent's correspondance already has protection, the intention appears to be to hide what MPs are doing. So, with this in mind, which of the following is more likely?

A - Govt and MPs are making decisions and taking action with the aim of benefiting this country, regardless of popular or Party approval or their own long-term private interests?

OR

B - Ministers and MPs who are behind this bill are concerned mainly with their own venal interests and their Party's vested interests, at the expense of this country and its citizens?

If you always will only vote for one party then you're decision has already been determined by Party politics (which is always for the benefit of a Party, not the country). Anyone with a free-thinking mind can make their own choice.

  • 10.
  • At 10:21 PM on 20 May 2007,
  • Jawad Khalid wrote:


I was in Karachi on the day of the carnage on May 12 when 36 people were shot dead and 115 others were wounded. Curious for what actually happened being a security professional I talked to three police officials that were on duty at the area of killings. The police though were present but were helpless as they were not carrying weapons under orders of the Provincial Home Ministry that is run by the MQM. In two sectors police were told to handover charge of their posts to some armed men in civil clothes, called Sector Commanders, the commanders of MQM鈥檚 militant wing that is feared in Karachi.

ON May 12, in these two sectors where maximum killing took place, the police officers were told by the Sector Commanders not to interfere in law and order. Sector Commanders blocked the main roads leading to the airport that was also the route to be taken by the opposition rallies that planned to go to airport to receive the Chief Justice. This compelled the people coming from different directions to get down off their vehicles and walk on main road and proceed to airport. The sector commanders who had manned all the flyover bridges on the main road opened fire at the approaching participants of rallies. 36 people were killed and 115 received bullet wounds on that day, of which, 9 more have been killed so far.

The Sector Commanders started shooting at around 12 on May 12 and by 3 pm 20 people had died, all the victims being the people who had joined the rallies to receive the Chief Justice. Altaf Hussain made a speech to an MQM rally from his office in Edgware at 3 pm to blame the Chief Justice for this carnage.

According to organization of the MQM, the Sector Commanders get direct orders from the party chief Altaf Hussain. Hussain鈥檚 deputy, Imran Farooq, who also lives in UK, helps the Sector Commanders execute the orders.

Do the people of Britian really know that the planning of this carnage in Pakistan was carried out in their country,,,in Edgware? Do they know that orders to kill 45 innocents were issued from Britain? Will the man responsible for this massacre be ever brought to justice?

  • 11.
  • At 08:17 AM on 21 May 2007,
  • keith fleming wrote:

Brossen99 and anyone else interested in whether their MP voted 'in the interests of preserving the confidentiality of constituents' mail' and, entirely coincidentally, also preserving them forom having to divulge expenses claims (ahem) I heartily recommend the excellent 'public whip' website. It will tell you (for any division, not only this) exactly which MP votes which way.

Then you just have to decide what you will do about it (safe in the knowledge that, having had your very best interests at heart, your private correspondence with your MP will not be divulged through an FOI request...)

  • 12.
  • At 02:44 PM on 22 May 2007,
  • Maurice - Northumberland wrote:

Stalin & Co Plus oh so many more throughout the former Soviet Union were also exempt from public scrutiny. they also had the Stasi like organisations such as currently being set up here.

Vote for none who did not vote against such a bill.

Otherwise accept:-

The choice is that of the voter, the next vote may be the last that matters.

If one is British and or dual national then under s.4 of Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 which amends earlier laws of Nationality Act 1981(s.40) empowers secretary of State for Home Affairs to deprive a citizen of his citizenship if the Secretary of State is satisfied that the person has done anything seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the United Kingdom, on accounts of his activities which create danger to public good and or in the interest of national security. A fire brand Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza has been the first victim of this law when then Home Secretary David Blunkett told the media on 5 April 2003 that he has written a letter withdrawing his (Abu Hamza鈥檚) citizenship and said, 鈥渉e wanted to deal with people who our intelligence and security people believe are a risk to us,鈥 and he warned that, 鈥渋f you encourage, support, advise, help people to take up training, if you facilitate them, then, of course, that takes your right over the boundary,鈥 and finally he said that he thinks, 鈥 it is reasonable that we should regard citizenship as a privilege conveyed to people who have not been born here, with which certain responsibilities should go鈥.

  • 14.
  • At 12:36 AM on 24 May 2007,
  • Paul Gibbons wrote:

How much time and money is Gordon Brown going to waste rescuing AFRICA ?
My heart bleeds for the long suffering people of Africa along with everybody else but while the country is run by immoral gangsters and tyrants who endorse MURDER or RAPE you my as well use the billions of pounds worth of aid money to build a spectacular bomb fire. You could argue that Iraq needed new leadership, but more than Africa??
Leaders who would be ashamed of their soldiers raping or killing people and not publicly covering them up. Publicly putting their own people on trial is the only way forward for Africa. Will I see this in my lifetime. No chance !

  • 15.
  • At 12:36 AM on 24 May 2007,
  • Paul Gibbons wrote:

How much time and money is Gordon Brown going to waste rescuing AFRICA ?
My heart bleeds for the long suffering people of Africa along with everybody else but while the country is run by immoral gangsters and tyrants who endorse MURDER or RAPE you my as well use the billions of pounds worth of aid money to build a spectacular bomb fire. You could argue that Iraq needed new leadership, but more than Africa??
Leaders who would be ashamed of their soldiers raping or killing people and not publicly covering them up. Publicly putting their own people on trial is the only way forward for Africa. Will I see this in my lifetime. No chance !

  • 16.
  • At 11:04 AM on 28 May 2007,
  • H Malik wrote:

The present ruling goverment in Pakistan, in its eight years of power, has failed to address the simplest of the country's problems: LAW & ORDER. Unfortunate as it may be, Pakistan is in its worse state ever, in its 60 odd years of existence.

The law and order situation in its biggest city of 15 million, Karachi, is the worse in the country. This is not due to the vast population or unemployment, but due to organized crime at the hands of the MQM. Over the decade in which the MQM lay underground, people at home have forgotten the brutal murders committed by them and the no-mercy attitude of the organization and its spearhead, Altaf Hussain.

Altaf Hussain is a holder of a British passport. I dont see him being classified as a terrorist, despite having multiple murder cases registered against him in his own country. His organized crime rings have taken over peoples lives and soulss. Armed robbery, gun-point looting, killings (as displayed on 12-May-2007) and forced/forged votes are just a few things his hooligans are capable of.

I urge all Britons to reassess if this man actually deserves to live on Brit soil? He certainly doesnt deserve to live in Pakistan. I feel he knows better than anyone else that the return to his 'homeland' is more than just 'unsafe' for him.

  • 17.
  • At 09:10 PM on 08 Jun 2007,
  • M.Kamran Khan Ghouri wrote:

MQM is the only political platform for 98% middle class & lower middle
class peoples in Pakistan. The reason behind all this propaganda is due
to this because they belong to this class & according to all these
luxurious peoples like Imran Khan who now say that He has made
Shaukatkhanam Hospital but he has collected huge donation from Karachi with MQM for
hospital & according to his own interview on a channel that he receives
donation of Rs.70million/yr for Shaukatkhanam but not even a single
person who has been hospitazied in Shaukatkhanam for free even for a
single day then what you expect from Imran, all this propaganda, false cases
are just the movement to dismiss Musharraf & come in power. These 2%
higher class including Imran Khan on one side says west should not
interfere in our matter & know he is beggaring west for justice this means
Imran Khan has no confident on Pakistan芒鈧劉s judiciary. The real truth is
that Altaf Hussain is not a politician he is the Great Leader, &
Pakistani nation needs a Leader to solve their issues, not a politician like
Nawaz Sharif, & Benazir. MQM workers are the best example of his
manifesto & instructions. After 12th may violence all the political parties
made grand alliance against MQM & instead of making people cooldown they
are spreading fire & oiling the fire but MQM understand the conspiracy,
"make people distribute in sect", then Governor of Sindh
Dr.Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan, on his own goes door to door to make people calmdown and made
great efforts to restore peace. Every problem has a solution if
discussed on a table neither on streets/courts; this is the teaching of
beloved Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). In this respect if we saw
previous governments of Pakistan till 1999, what they do if there was any
type of tension in the country they have only choice, operation against
people those peoples who themselves are the nation of Pakistan. If Altaf
Hussain was really a fascist or terrorist then there was no possibility
of peace in the city after 12th may. But what happens this is the
success story of his Leadership and instructions to MQM followers. After
12th may all opposition parties combine with Pakhtuns & when MQM solve all
the matters with their leadership on the table then they start
opposition of Pakhtuns this is the level of sincerity with the peoples of
Pakistan. These 2% class is that class that can't remain away from power
long time because their financial resources are the resources of
Government Treasure from which they looted, & fill their personal banks accounts
in World Bank. Imran Khan is actually playing in the hands of these
liars, & he is playing with fire, without a leader you may think where the
nation can go. Dont think negative & comeout from the grip of negative
thinkers & thinking.

Imran has asked some questions from MQM leader Altaf Hussain on a private TV Channel here in Pakistan:
1. What is the financial resources of Altaf Hussain?

2. Why did Altaf did not come to Pakistan?

3. MQM politics is on gun point?

Ans1: The financial resources of Altaf Hussain was given by his millions of followers in verious sorts like donations, zakat, funds etc.

Ans2: Pakistan's politics was mostly under attack of establishment like ISI. The former Director of ISI Gen r. Hameed Gul has also tried to kill Altaf Hussain when he was in a hospital after a operation of kidney transplant in 1982, when MQM was not founded, but it was in the shape of a student organization.

Ans3: When MQM whenever bycot elections even local body election or national election the turnover of voters was seen a huge decline peoples at that time were elected by only 100, 1200 votes like in the city Karachi whos population is about 2million. A good example is election 1992-93 when MQM announced bycot of elections then there were no voter on the roads while that time is the time when every street of Karachi was under security of Rangers, and Army and suddenly MQM announces to take part in election millions of people comeout from their houses and voted MQM. There is no question remains. If MQM is doing politics on Gun point then why in Karachi all the political parties has central offices there even MQM is in power since 4 years, while after 12th may violence 51 offices of MQM including karachi and other parts of country like, NWFP, Punjab, Lahore, Balochistan, were burnt by the opposition parties like MMA, JI, PPP extremist and religious party of Pakistan, that was directly pointed out that they were the first who takes guns and bullets in the politics in shelter of Gen. Zia ul Haq. PPP, Benzair Bhutto own brother founded a terrorist organization called Al-Zulfiqar on the name of her Father Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, was killed in an encounter because he was found involved in illegal activities like robbery, ransom, rape, kidnapping, Hijaking Air Craft of PIA, leaded Talibans when these organizations were founder their was no name of MQM and ALtaf Hussain in the history of Pakistani Politics.

If Altaf Hussain was tried in british courts then from a Pakistan, anyone can ask questions from Imran Khan in british court too:

1. He recieves 70million PKR/year for shaukat khanam hospital where does he use this money?

2. On 12th may PPP, ANP, MMA, PML(N), JI, Sunni Tehrek, were also found involved in starting the violence under the shelter of their central leadership then why should not Imran try their leadership in British court while they are also there like Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif and two times these person have enjoyed power and both times their government was dissmised on the charges of corruption, extra judicial killings, under custody killings, illegal usage of powers.

Imran Khan should be prisoned in british jail.

Reality of 12th may in a video<

  • 18.
  • At 02:29 AM on 10 Jun 2007,
  • Abu Abir wrote:

It was a irony that political leadership vacuum amongst the muhajir communities in the 1980s was hijacked by the gangsters of MQM and APMSO. Even some founding fathers of MQM were sacrificed on the orders of "Altaf Bhai". On 12th May, once again, the true face of MQM was exposed. No one is against the ideas that MQM stands for. It鈥檚 the ruthless way how it executes its gangsterism on the innocent people of Karachi.

How unfortunate that these sincere muhajirs are unable to understand that they need an alternative leadership. Isn't there anyone amongst Muhajirs who could stand up and reclaim the leadership torch from the gangsters of MQM.
Altaf has to be tried in court, in Britain or else it will be mockery of justice in the UK. It will be mockery of war on terror, while on one hand British government has given a refuge to an all time terrorist.

MQM is worst than IRA. At least IRA didn't kill its own people. Here MQM gangsters have been filmed live, killing innocent people, all on the orders of "Altaf Hussain".

  • 19.
  • At 01:28 PM on 10 Jun 2007,
  • M.Kamran Khan Ghouri wrote:

Dear my father, my two brothers, and cousin were not sacrificed their lives on the orders of Altaf Hussain, they were killed under the custody of Police in the Government of PPP, Benazir Bhutto. Now who do you blame for that person who have rised his voice for the rights and security of of our life. Remember that after Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah what the Pakistani nation has suffered is also the reason of lack of leadership and after Al-Hussain you and your hero forcing the Pakistan to dip in a gorila war. Imran Khan has collected prove against MQM from Naserullah Baber who him self has said on record that left the judiciart that black corts can't do anything kill these peoples on the road with bullets, then what we expect from him is our future that we have left behind when my father, two brothers and two cousin were killed. Answer me that who is the responsible of the killing of all my family persons.

  • 20.
  • At 06:13 PM on 12 Jun 2007,
  • A. Lateef wrote:

Imran Khan has once again proved his legendry courage by undertaking the challenge of brining one of the worst terrorists, Altaf Hussain, to justice. I wish Imran all the best in putting an end to the criminal activities of Altaf Hussain once for all. I believe Altaf has committed enough heinous crimes under the protected umbrella of U.K. citizenship. It鈥檚 over Mr. Hussain.

  • 21.
  • At 01:23 PM on 27 Aug 2007,
  • wrote:

鈥楢T LAST鈥

By: Amjad Malik

Its show time and 2007 is a year of felicitation as the order of the day is that no one will be missing, no one will be deprived of justice and basic human rights and none will be supra constitution and nation is congratulating each other every other day as we have reborn in Pakistan after 60 years.

Sharifs were given relief to enter and remain and continue political activity as guaranteed in the 1973 Constitution as a basic right of every Pakistani citizen. With this decision this also gives rise to a good omen about the current judiciary which is taking a new turn and bringing Pakistan from a crossroad towards the path of real democracy where judiciary plays its role as a monitor and institutions work as per constitution. This was the link which was missing during all martial laws in Pakistan.

Its irony that for basic clarifications of human rights of people and leaders of Pakistan, citizens have to knock the door of the top judiciary for relief whereas the constitution was and is clear about some of the rights like freedom of speech, movement and taking part in political activity but that is the state of play today that we need declarations for our basic rights to avoid ultra constitutional situations.

Judiciary has reclaimed its position after sheer criticism and hard struggle, media uprightly fought for its freedom and army already is an established wing in Pakistan, necessary to address the threat from our nuclear armed arch rival. Now is the turn of political clan to show maturity and work for Pakistan. From 20 July 2007 onwards, we have entered into a new Pakistan and sooner our political class realises that the better it is for them as they are to lead the nation towards a tolerant, vibrant and progressive democratic society which will not be easy if they are not united on some of the basic national policies for example complete freedom and submission to independent judiciary and promoting the concept of free media and no compromise on nation interests and urgent need of some of the social reforms packages which a common man is waiting for 60 years. The very media and judiciary will be a hurdle to cross for any potential leader who aspires to run Pakistan in coming years. Wheeling dealing is not in demand any more as it鈥檚 what people desire matters.

Our military rulers must show little more courage and let the ball rolling and the nation must see the day light in the form of govt of the people for the people and by the people. Pakistan was made for the Muslims of subcontinent in order to protect their belief and to avoid slavery of Hindu majority. In 60 years we are neither truly democratic nor free. Our masters just changed faces and colour and Quaid鈥檚 words were never implemented. Pakistan is going through one of the worst crises of internal stability, future concerns and unrest at our rear borders which is ever escalating and growing. Pakistanis on two fronts are mourning their dead one at the tribal鈥檚 and the second at armed forces personnel and we are hearing threatening voices to do more in the 鈥榳ar against terrorism鈥 otherwise US will strike itself in the tribal areas. Nation question as to how long we will continue fighting a proxy war against our own for other鈥檚 interests. We must call it a day and start learning to say 鈥楴O鈥 like veteran Nawaz Sharif did to Bill Clinton. We need a man of vision who can save Pakistan from internal as well as external threats. How long we will remain slaves and did we obtain nuclear arms to remain slaves and to keep compromising on national interests, we need to show some courage on the issue of national self respect and strategic interests of the state before it鈥檚 too late. In this struggle, gaining public support and continuing political process is the key to tackle western forces.

If President Mushraf after his failure to address US concerns and unsuccessful Afghan policy wishes to be remembered for his media growth and economic progress then he may consider one ideal choice by addressing the nation that he is neither Presidential candidate nor he wishes to retain his uniform, allow free and fair elections to take place under a legally constituted set up which are not only free but appears to be free and independent monitors and courts confirm its fairness and allow the political exit of military from politics peacefully without fail and any derailment. This way he will allow the historian to judge him what he gained and lost during 8 years of his reign.

Pakistan after 60 years is still fighting for the very question of its birth and nation demands justice with Pakistan as we have allowed too far for this onslaught on a nation and state which has been bearing with our inefficiencies and cheap slogans. Pakistan a land of pure and a dream come true desires some hard work from its sons of soil and we must pledge to make Pakistan a state it truly deserves to be recognized in the world, a modern, tolerant and democratic with Islamic values where voice of public matters, and justice is seen to be done at a door step of a common man and state takes responsibility of poor and sick and health and education is given to all and state looks after the needy and those who deserve true attention and above all where we do not have to run backwards but forward. We can make Pakistan a better country if we remove the difference from our sayings and doings and serve the state as it truly deserves. As it stands we have disappointed our country and let鈥檚 make it better for next time.

Amjad Malik is a Chair of Association of Pakistani Lawyers (UK).

24 August 2007


鈥榃hat if the General does the unthinkable鈥
By: Amjad Malik

Sharifs were given a relief to enter and remain and continue political activity as guaranteed in the 1973 Constitution as a basic right of every Pakistani citizen on 23 August 2007. 7 member bench of Supreme Court in Constitutional petition no 48 & 49 of 2007 of Sharifs said in their short order , 鈥1) For reasons to be recorded separately, both the captioned petitions, being maintainable, are accepted. 2) It is declared that Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, and Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, under Article 15 of the constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973 have an inalienable right to enter and remain in country, as citizens of Pakistan. Their return/entry into country shall not be resisted, hampered or obstructed by the Federal or Provincial Government agencies, in any manner.鈥

Sharifs have indicated their plans to return on 10 September 2007 and along with it General Musharraf has shown intentions of subverting those plans despite the order of the court. For readers I would mention that article 190 of the Constitution binds all authorities judicial as well as executive to ensure implementation of the orders of highest court as it says, 鈥淎ll executive and judicial authorities through out Pakistan shall act in aid of the Supreme Court鈥.

Now looking at the tendencies General Musharraf has developed in the state by bulldozing the constitution to secure one man鈥檚 job at top slot and sacking elected Premiers twice, Chief Justice of Pakistan twice, President once as well as overhauling the Constitution to that extent that its neither Parliamentary nor Presidential. He has the credit of deporting Shehbaz Sharif in May 2004 despite clear observations too.

Supreme Court, media as well as Civil Society fully charged along with 90,000 lawyers force will not allow the outgoing president to have first aid in the shape and form of any constitutional package to secure one man鈥檚 future role before and or without ballot. This new power in the state of Pakistan will not allow the business of wheeling and dealing as the true dealers must rightly be 鈥160 million people鈥 and they must be given a right to choose their representatives through a ballot which is free, fair and transparent and it is not going to happen if General Mushrraf does not declare that he has withdrawn from his vested interest in continuing his armed forces employment as well as civil aspirations.

General Musharraf came to power to bring about true democracy and rule of law. His 7 points agenda is all but a shameful slogan seeing results of his 8 years reign when we see land mafia and absconder and wanted criminals in the list sitting besides him as national heroes and good governance idea is sacrificed on the alter of scandalous government which has land mafia, sugar and cement crisis, oil price hike, steel mill reference, stock exchange crash, Nabbed鈥 ministers and incidents of Bajaur and damadola shining like a medal on their collar. A common man fears for the worst if not stopped here and if permitted these rulers will not hesitate to sell any thing they grab as they are on 鈥榟it and run鈥 policy because their political days are numbered and only true Parliamentary democracy is the future of Pakistan.

If general Mushrraf tried to stop Nawaz Sharif and did not allow the nation to make a choice at free polls, then he must be ready for their wrath too as post 20 July its a new Pakistan and its a new political climate and people if risen will become unstoppable and 400,000 army men will feel helpless to impose martial law even if the General desires as the charged civilians who have still to digest the humiliation with the Chief Justice and incident of 12th May in Karachi are waiting for punishment to those responsible for the onslaught.

Pakistan does not need a martial law any more, it only requires a free and fair elections under a lawful authority and smooth running of the institutions as desired by the Constitution. People will not allow these hybrids any more and Mushrraf sahib must be weary of that. People are not willing to give in their rights so easily anymore. Nation is watching you.

Amjad Malik is a Chair of Association of Pakistani Lawyers (UK).

  • 23.
  • At 08:45 AM on 15 Oct 2007,
  • wrote:

Musharraf Refused Entry of Democracy in Pakistan: By: Amjad Malik MA, LLM
On 10th of September exiled Premier of Pakistan returned after 7 years of exile on a symbolic PIA flight number PK 786 from Heathrow to Islamabad. However he was shocked along with his fellow travellers that the so called mightiest and the most powerful man in Pakistan refused not only his but the entry of democracy in Pakistan, and his forced deportation vanished all the hopes of reviving the democracy and possible exit of the military from current political system peacefully.
I was one of the unfortunate lawyers who inherited a circumstantial brief to assist Mian Nawaz Sharif on that plane as well as at the airport lounge in order to practically convert his aspirations to submit himself to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and to physically convey his feelings of peace, good will and national reconciliation to his Pakistani people. To me this historic flight carried its passengers by luck like a lottery ticket as no one knew which plane Mr. Sharif will catch. All our efforts were unfruitful when all proceedings which were more or less peaceful were halted by a quick army style operation which resulted in push and pulls and the deportation of Nawaz Sharif to an other exile, the term of which is unknown this time.
I would not mention the court order of Supreme Court which was violated here as General Musharraf's regime knows no concept of rule of law as his reign is full of contradictions of his sayings and operations otherwise. Alas his machinery did not learn any lesson from the reference of March the 9th then filed against Chief Justice, operation in Wana and Lal Masjid and 12 th May massacre. In fact they restaged the same scene in the capital and made it like Beirut though only missing link was dead bodies.
We were dealt with by Sameer, Imam and Tahir Ayub, all lower ranking officers who had to go again and again to seek instructions from higher officials. They were less worried about Sharif's entry but more of losing their jobs and as the time passed at the airport lounge, composed Sharif won his moral battle against regime by just sitting in economy class with common passengers, travelling in ordinary bus and sitting for over 3 hours in ordinary lounge on an orange sofa and authorities did not even bother to come and talk to him and he was treated like a common thief forgetting that the man made Pakistan the 7 th state that possesses nuclear arsenal and is one of the most popular leader in Pakistan along with Bhuttoos. Instead he was rushed out towards rear exit by a storm of intelligence officials on the false pretence that he is arrested administratively and will be produced before accountability court the very next day.
My faith in rule of law and justice in Pakistan though did not shatter but all the happenings have startled me with the realisation that matrix of military might have almost disabled the state structure and institutions are mortgaged to their strength. 160 million people could not ensure enforcement of larger bench's decision to allow Sharifs to enter and remain and continue politics as they acted like a crowd rather than a nation and preferred to watch Tele at home whilst the regime was shattering all the norms of national and international laws and shraif was returned without even entry endorsement on his passport.
The historic flight pk786 landed, Nawaz Sharif came and was returned leaving many unanswered questions but one thing which is undoubted is that unarmed Sharif rattled the confidence of dying regime minute by minute as long as he was waiting entry clearance at the lounge. Who knows next time he comes like a Khomeini of Iran.
Amjad Malik is a Solicitor-Advocate of the Supreme Court of England & Wales and was representing Mr. Nawaz Sharif throughout his four and a half hour stay at Islamabad airport on 10 th of September 2007.

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