Govt can’t interfere in Altaf issue: Pervaiz

 

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid has said that the government cannot intervene in the issue of the MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s arrest as the UK has its own laws relevant to the matter.
Addressing the concluding session of the first parliamentary conference on Millennium Development Goals and later talking to media persons, Pervaiz Rashid said the moment when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif heard about the arrest of the MQM chief, he directed the Pakistani counsellor in the UK to extend moral and legal assistance in this regard.

The minister hoped that the MQM leadership would play a key role to bring the situation in Karachi back to normality. He added that Altaf Hussain was ill and everyone was concerned about his illness.

Denouncing the statement by Aitzaz Ahsan, the minister said the government extended full support to the issue of a passport and identity card to Altaf Hussain. He asked why the PPP government did not give Altaf Hussain a passport and an identity card during its five-year tenure, and added that it was not good to criticise the present government baselessly.

He said that people should not make such statements that might provoke violence in Karachi. He noted that Aitzaz Ahsan should understand that if the situation in Karachi worsened, it would create problems for their government in the province.

He said that first Dr Tahirul Qadri confined himself to a warm container and left the people to suffer from pneumonia and now Dr Qadri had the intention to call the people for a second time. But now the people would not be victimised by his cruelty.

PPI adds: Pervaiz Rashid said the government is against terrorists and stands firmly with the institutions of national security.He paid rich tributes to the army officers and Jawans who sacrificed their lives in two terrorist attacks. He said the sacrifices of the personnel of national security institutions would always be remembered.

The minister said it was a unanimous decision of the nation to oppose terrorism and stand by the national security institutions.To a question, he said the strategy made by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to address the menace of terrorism was being implemented by national security institutions.

He said this strategy was successful and its outcome would help make Pakistan a peaceful and secure country.He said the government would do in the case of Altaf Hussain what it does for any Pakistani facing any difficulty in any part of the globe.

Pervaiz Rashid said it was everyone’s responsibility to help secure Karachi. He said no one sitting in Islamabad should try to create problems in Karachi especially when its consequences could be negative for the opposition as well.He said all those who have some influence in Karachi should play their role to defuse the situation in the city.

He said Imran Khan listened to the address of President Mamnoon Hussain to the joint session of the parliament with interest. “This shows he believes in the parliamentary system,” he added.

How can those who can’t manage a province run the country, asks PM

 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that this was the time to take practical steps to resolve the problems of the people and not to stage sit-ins, adding how could those who could not manage the affairs of one province, run the country.He said those who couldn’t get votes in the 2013 elections should wait for the 2018 general elections instead of hatching conspiracies.
Addressing the second computer balloting for the grant of loans under the Prime Minister’s Youth Business Loans at the Convention Centre here, the prime minister said that in the first phase 38,000 applications for loans were received under the PM Youth Business Loan Scheme including 31,000 men and 7,000 women. “Of them, 6,000 were selected for grant of loans through computer ballot in the first draw and 6,000 more are being selected through the second draw,” he added.He expressed the confidence that youth borrowing loans for businesses would prove to be a harbinger of a social and economic revolution in the country.

He said the government had launched a number of development projects and was completing them in record time. He said that $35 billion would be invested in the power, road and railway sectors during the next ten years.

He said 21,000MW of electricity would be added to the national grid in eight to 10 years.“I see great potential in the youth of Pakistan who can bring about an economic revolution and development in the country through their energy and dynamism”, he added. He said that the middle and lower-middle classes had contributed to the development of nations like Germany and Japan, and therefore, he had great expectations from the youth of these classes in Pakistan.

He further said that the Business Loan Scheme would enable thousands of Pakistani youths to gain financial independence and also prove to be a source of major economic activity. “The scheme is totally transparent and based on merit, and I’m emphasising the role of women in the development of Pakistan,” he added. He said that his government was providing equal opportunities to women in all sectors and therefore all the schemes of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program contained a 50 percent quota for females.

He directed the governor State Bank to engage other Pakistani private banks to participate in these schemes. “Previously, banks only entertained the affluent class as the poor were not even allowed to enter the banks. But our government provided opportunities to the marginalised population for gaining economic independence,” he maintained.

“The money accumulated in the treasury belongs to the people of Pakistan and they have every right to utilise it for their benefit. It is our obligation to provide services and initiate welfare projects”, he noted.

The premier also appreciated the efforts put in by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for presenting a development-oriented and pro-poor budget for 2014-15. As he elaborated the salient features of the budget, he said that they expected to control inflation, and attract significant investment and launch development projects. He said that by the grace of the Almighty and the hard work of the team, the government had been able to achieve 16.4 percent revenues against a target of 21 percent which is almost a 90 percent success.

He informed that the livestock insurance scheme had been included in the budget for 2014-15 that would provide security to small-scale and poor farmers in protection of investment.The premier emphasised that the government’s top priority was to get rid of the power loadshedding and for this purpose, 21,000MW of power projects for the next eight to 10 years had been planned.

He stated that unfortunately, previous governments did not pay attention to the energy crisis and the machinery for the Nandipur power project was abandoned, rusting at the Karachi port while people were suffering long hours of loadshedding. “Our government, in a short period of only eight months reactivated and completed this project which shows our commitment to solve the energy crisis,” he remarked.

He further said that the multi-purpose mega project of Diamer–Bhasha Dam with a cost of $12 billion and with a capacity of 4,500MW was being undertaken which would not only generate electricity but also help in managing our water resources that were being wasted.

He also referred to the $35 billion Pak-China Economic Corridor that would change the fate of the country. He further said that work on the Karachi-Lahore Motorway would be initiated soon as Rs55 billion had been allocated for land acquisition to be completed in three months.

The prime minister said that they should not indulge in the politics of leg-pulling and unnecessary criticism. The people of Pakistan have shown their confidence in us in the last elections and it was they who would again decide in the 2018 elections based on our performance.

Later, he performed the 2nd computerised balloting of the Youth Business Loan Scheme in which 5,169 loans were awarded to the applicants whose applications were approved by the National Bank. It may be noted here that a 50 percent quota was reserved for women with a quota for martyrs and special persons.

He also distributed cheques to some of the successful candidates of the first balloting. He also directed the president of the National Bank to forward all the cheques by June 15, 2014.Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar said the present government was focusing on the welfare of the downtrodden sections of society and the launch of six youth-related schemes were part of that strategy of the PML-N government.

Democracy can’t be ‘chopped up like vegetables’: Saad

 

LAHORE: Senior journalists and political leaders here on Sunday condemned the attack on Jang Multan Resident Editor Zafar Aaheer by masked men and the burning of Jang vehicles across the country.
Speaking at a seminar, organised at the Lahore Press Club on Sunday, they expressed solidarity with Geo/Jang Group and Hamid Mir and called upon the PML-N government to re-establish its writ in the country.

Federal Minister for Railways Khwaja Saad Rafique said he supports Hamid Mir and has always maintained a close association with the senior anchorperson. He called his father Waris Mir a patriotic citizen. Saad said Hamid Mir had advised him when he was going out of line in dealing with the trial of General Pervez Musharraf and said Mir embodies the values of Islam, democracy and patriotism.

However, Saad said the media in Pakistan is engaged in a dirty war with itself that threatens the freedom of the press. He said those committing acts of vandalism, including the burning of Jang vehicles, would not benefit and have to ultimately lose the war on free speech.

Saad said the media in Pakistan was highly sensationalist and some anchors and journalists were deeply unethical and were misleading the public. The minister said the culture of breaking news and ratings had destroyed the authenticity and quality of the electronic media. He said the media in Pakistan was behaving like the Supreme Court and delivering judgements on politicians on baseless allegations. He said most media house owners were tax-evaders and had opened TV channels as their public relations wings. He criticised the display of the DG ISI’s picture on Geo News after the Hamid Mir attack and also criticised certain TV channels for showing the blasphemous video again and again to their viewers.

The minister said the government was playing the role of a necessary fire brigade between the Jang Group and the military establishment. He said this is important in order to lessen tensions and stop things from getting worse. Saad said democracy is not a gift and has been earned by Pakistan’s civilian leadership after great heartache and trial. This should not be undermined. He termed the talks in London highly regrettable.

He reminded Imran Khan that the PTI won the elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa under the same ‘fraudulent system’. He urged setting up of a media accountability mechanism in media houses and invited Tahirul Qadri to come forward instead of avoiding the government and holding ‘dharnas’.

In his telephonic address to the seminar, Hamid Mir condemned the attack on Aaheer and said the culprits wanted to curb press freedom. He said Aaheer’s attackers were the same who had attacked him on April 19, who had thrown petrol bombs on Jang vehicles and burnt Jang newspaper bundles. He said his patience and commitment to journalism had enhanced due to the support received from civil society and the journalists’ community. He reiterated the need for unity in Pakistan’s journalist community in such testing times. He said the recent events in the country reminded him of General Ziaul Haq’s dark era when journalists were flogged and sent to jails. He said there should not be any ambiguity about those who were responsible for the attack on Zafar Aaheer, who were behind the illegal suspension of Geo TV networks’ suspension through cable operators, who hurled threats at the Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari and attacked journalists in the past.

Hamid said these elements wanted to create division in the media industry and they had succeeded in pitting media outlets and journalists against each other. He said different cable operators told journalists that they were ‘helpless’ as they were facing severe pressure from unnamed circles. He thanked parliamentarians who supported him during his tough times. However, he added, condemnation was not enough and his attackers should be exposed and brought to book. Hamid said the police should also look into Aaheer attack case and arrest the assailants at the earliest.

Hamid said the Karachi police were afraid of arresting his attackers, despite knowing their identity and whereabouts. He said other journalists have also been approached by the intelligence agencies, and Arshad Ansari had been threatened via a letter to stop holding events in favour of Hamid Mir and press freedom. He said over 30,000 journalists have been approached by the intelligence agencies in this regard.

Hamid said such elements were mistaken if they believe that by doing so they could silence and suppress the media. He said the Pakistani media was not like the army generals who had surrendered in Bangladesh in the 1971 war.

Hamid said the civilian government is weak and the military has imposed a de facto martial law in the country. He said the judiciary’s orders are not being respected and it is the responsibility of the civilian government to establish its writ and expose his attackers. He said he had given all evidence to the judicial commission set up to investigate the April 19 attack on him.

Hamid Mir said a Taliban hit list comprising names of journalists being circulated by the interior ministry among few chosen channels should be provided to all media outlets. He said his name was on top of the list, followed by journalists from different media groups.

He also condemned the newly formed alliance of Tahirul Qadri and the Chaudhrys which will weaken democracy in the country. Hamid saluted the LPC and journalists in Pakistan for their courage despite opposition from all quarters. He said the country’s establishment is in the business of branding people as traitors, especially sincere and professional journalists. He said the struggle of the Jang Group is a nationwide struggle for democracy, press freedom and the right to life of all citizens.

Hamid Mir also condemned the murder of HRCP Multan coordinator and lawyer Rashid Rehman last month. He concluded his speech by chanting “Pakistan Zindabad’ and saying an attack on one journalist will be taken as an attack on all in the community.

Kasur Press Club President Khadim Ali Khokhar, Okara Press Club President Munir Chaudhry and Sheikhupura Press Club President Shahbaz also condemned attempts to shut down Geo and the Jang Group, and expressed solidarity with senior anchorperson Hamid Mir.

Jamaat-e-Islami representative Farooq Chohan said his party was committed to press freedom and would not participate in meetings taking place in London between Tahirul Qadri, Pervaiz Elahi and Ch Shujaat Hussain. He said the JI believes in complete press freedom and Liaquat Baloch had met Hamid Mir in hospital after the attack in Karachi. He said JI chief Sirajul Haq firmly believes that imposition of a ban on Geo TV would be illegal and immoral.

He said former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry had earned the wrath of the intelligence agencies for taking up the missing persons’ case and today the media is facing similar pressures due to the same reason. He said the JI would not take part in the London talks because the party respects the democratic process and the mandate of the PML-N government. He said the alliance currently being formed in London was part of a conspiracy to gain a safe passage for the American CIA in the region.

Chohan said the Jang Group had tendered an apology over the eight-hour transmission about the agencies role which followed the attack on Hamid Mir and the blasphemy charge. Even then he added, efforts were under way to shut down the media group. He urged PM Nawaz Sharif to re-establish his writ over the country in order to escape General Pervez Musharraf’s fate today in judicial custody.

South Asian Free Media Association (Safma) General Secretary Imtiaz Alam said he had fought for democracy for 25 years and the destination was still nowhere in sight. He said the media in Pakistan needs to develop a code of conduct, refrain from hate speech, and encourage responsible and sensitive reporting.

Alam said we are happy that the army is fighting against terrorists. But it is a matter of concern that the banned organisations were staging demonstrations in favour of the army, he said adding that we are moving towards an unlawful state. He said the chief justice of Pakistan should take suo motu notice of the attack on Geo.

He said Pakistan’s own media has defeated itself in the fight for press freedom. Alam said Pakistan’s civilian government needs to re-establish its writ over the country as we cannot accept the bullet power of non-state actors. He said the attack on Hamid Mir is also of concern to Pakistan’s masses as it shows the state’s failure to protect a citizen’s right to life and a media consumer’s right to information.

Imtiaz Alam said we cannot compromise on fundamental rights and Pakistan can no longer be a ‘graveyard of democracy’. He also condemned the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on grounds of independence and fairness.

Alam said any attack on any anchorperson from any TV channel would have drawn a similar response as has happened in the case of Hamid Mir. He said owners of media outlets are engaged in a self-destructive rivalry in the country today. He also condemned the conspiracy theories being aired on Hamid Mir’s wounds and said Geo’s closure would lead to the economic death of 50,000 workers.

Alam said legal ways should be sought in criticising Geo TV and Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid should not just attend rallies but also deliver on his promises. He said the Pakistan Army, intelligence agencies, and Jang Group can resolve their problems through dialogue. Alam said in the 21st century a ban on any media channel is unacceptable. He said the attempts to close Jang Group is a test of civil-military relations by the army and that All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) should wake up from its slumber and take an action.

Punjab Union of Journalists President Waseem Farooq said the PUJ has gone on hunger strike, borne flogging and imprisonments to defend press freedom. He said the PUJ is carrying the torch of senior journalists Khawar Naeem Hashmi, Nisar Usmani, and Iqbal Jafri. He said media house owners should implement labour laws and give their employees decent wages if they need them to participate in protests for press freedom. He said working journalists in the Jang Group need support from society to ensure that their jobs are not endangered.

Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) Vice President Shaheen Qureshi told the seminar that Geo TV is practically shut down due to the role of the cable operators and subsequent drop in viewers. He said this is undemocratic as it deprives viewers of the right to information. Qureshi said advertisers are pulling back and Jang’s circulation in most areas has come to a halt. He said only areas occupied by foreign diplomats in Islamabad get The News, which is a clever move to mislead the international media into thinking all is well with regards to press freedom.

Qureshi said PML-N MNA Tehmina Daultana in a Safma meeting had assured him that she would communicate these issues to PM Nawaz Sharif. The CPNE vice-president said information of Hamid Mir’s arrival in Karachi and work schedule could only have been accessed by intelligence agencies. He told the media on Sunday that Mir’s reporting on Balochistan’s missing persons long march and coverage of Musharraf’s trial had angered certain elements. He said the attack on Mir was intended as a lesson for Pakistan’s media.

Qureshi urged the government to not be helpless as it had won the mandate of 180 million Pakistanis in 2013 elections. He said the country’s judiciary is being disrespected as evidenced in the banners hung in Islamabad’s red zone with names of Supreme Court judges. He said Jang Group is not in need of certificates of patriotism from PTI leader Imran Khan. He said the group is not an enemy of the government and that democracy and press freedom are natural allies.

Geo News Lahore Bureau Chief Khawar Naeem Hashmi lamented the division in the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and said both disputing parties need to come together and resolve their dispute. Hashmi said he does not want any division in the media unions to be inherited by successive generations and both wings of the PFUJ should accept each other. He said they should heed Hamid Mir’s advice to the journalist community and stop infighting. Hashmi said that this is not a fight of media house owners but of all working journalists.

PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry, in response to Shaheen Qureshi’s comments on Imran Khan, said press freedom is not safeguarding the right to insult politicians only. He said PTI’s demand for inquiry into election rigging should not be set aside and that the party was committed to press freedom. He said Hamid Mir is a hardworking and loved journalist.

Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari said it was a tragedy that Hamid Mir’s perpetrators are yet to be arrested and condemned the attack on the Jang Resident Editor in Multan. Ansari said whereas divisions in the PFUJ are unfortunate they should be resolved in meetings mediated by veterans in the field. Ansari said that Geo had practically been shut down and it could result in joblessness among journalists.

Former Supreme Court Bar Association President Abid Hassan Minto also expressed solidarity with Hamid Mir and called out the ‘deep state’ for its covert attempts to silence the media. The lawyer also said protests being held in support of the army are futile as the public knows who is behind organising these protests. Minto said the army according to Pakistan’s 1973 Constitution is bound to serve the country and not intervene in political affairs.

News Desk adds: Later, talking to Geo News, Saad Rafique said the Geo TV sought a pardon several times for playing a Qawwali once. Those who re-telecast the same clip 70 times were feeling no shame.

He said the freedom of expression was threatened by the same billionaires who opened TV channels and newspapers to protect their black money. He said batons and the useless use of the TV remote were not in the interest of the country. Those who were burning the newspapers would get nothing but shame.

He said Pakistan did not get democracy in charity and democracy was not a vegetable (gaajar, mooli) which could be chopped off. He said: “We couldn’t say before the time of Musharraf, but now we can say that it is the right of the PML-N to say that it was involved in the process to restore democracy in the country.” He said the necks of politicians were thin, so they could be beaten by anyone.

Saad said the retired chief justice of Pakistan could be ridiculed by the retired general Pervez Musharraf could not be laughed at and nothing could be said about him. He said the government was working like a fire brigade and it showed a positive attitude in the current circumstances. He said that by not joining the London alliance, Imran Khan took a wise decision after a long time. He said the Chaudhry brothers and the Maulana could not do anything.

Protests can’t stop govt from working for progress: Shahbaz

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif has said that sit-in or protest could not stop the incumbent government from working for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

Talking to a delegation of journalists, columnists, and intellectuals from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan here Sunday, Shahbaz said the government is moving in a right direction and will continue the mission to serve the masses at all costs.

He said if the Nadipur power project could be completed in 7 months, the government could overcome energy crisis in four years.

Shahbaz said the federal government has allocated Rs55 billion for Karachi-Lahore Motorway and Rs30 billion for Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu Dams, adding work on these projects would begin soon.

Why Musharraf’s name can’t be removed from ECL

 

ISLAMABAD: The law ministry had a detailed study of General (retd) Musharraf’s request to get his name removed from the ECL, and reached the conclusion that such a request could not be favourably entertained by the government because of multiple reasons.
Not only that a Supreme Court direction is a major hurdle in letting Musharraf go out of Pakistan, such a concession offered to Musharraf would be in violation of the fundamental rights, besides being against the public interest.

According to sources, the major hurdle in the removal of Musharraf’s name from the ECL is the April 8th, 2013 direction of the Supreme Court in the Moulvi Iqbal Haider vs. Federation of Pakistan case, which reads as: “The Counsel representing the petitioners particularly Mr A K Dogar and Mr Hamid Khan have submitted that the respondent General Retd Pervaiz Musharraf be taken into custody to ensure that he remains available within the country for the purpose of trial under Article 6 of the Constitution read with the provisions of High Treason (Punishment) Act, 1973. We are, however, of the opinion that in the first instance, notice of these petitions be served on the said respondent for tomorrow. The Inspector General of Police, Islamabad, and, if necessary, the Inspectors General of Police in the provinces, shall ensure service on the aforesaid respondent. The Secretary, Interior shall also make sure that if the name of the aforesaid respondent General Retd. Pervaiz Musharraf is not already on the Exit Control List, this shall be done forthwith and a compliance report of this order shall be submitted in Court during the course of the day. The Federation and all its functionaries shall also ensure that the respondent does not move out of the jurisdiction of Pakistan until this order is varied/modified.”

Although, on July 3rd, 2013, the SC disposed of the above-mentioned petition, the law ministry believes that the federal government cannot remove Musharraf’s name from the ECL unless the order dated April 8th, 2013 is recalled, varied or modified by the apex court.

In the December 2013 ECL case of Musharraf, the Sindh High Court was told by the then Attorney General Munir A Malik that the Supreme Court had directed that in case Musharraf’s name was not on the ECL, it should be placed on the ECL. Following the arguments of both the sides, the SHC rejected Musharraf’s plea to get his name removed from the ECL while explicitly mentioning the reference made by the attorney general.

According to the law ministry’s advice, recently submitted to the government in the wake of order dated April 8th, 2013 passed by the SC Musharraf’s name cannot be removed for the following reasons:

a) The SC has specifically ordered, “The Federation and all its functionaries shall also ensure that the respondent does not move out of the jurisdiction of Pakistan until this order is varied/modified.”

b) Despite the disposal of relevant petitions, the order dated April 8th, 2013 still holds the field and has binding effect as also argued by the attorney general and accepted by the SHC.

c) Gen (retd) Musharraf is facing multiple charges in various courts of different federating units. In any case, whether he is on bail or otherwise, it remains a legal obligation of the federal government to ensure his appearance and production before the concerned courts in order to fulfil the mandate of Article 9, 10 and 10A of the Constitution. His absence from Pakistan may gravely prejudice the rights of private complainants who have reposed their confidence in the judicial system of Pakistan.

d) Gen (retd) Musharraf is also being tried for the offence of High Treason under Article 6 of the Constitution before the Special Court where in the course of 36 hearings his attendance could be produced only twice for one reason or the other. Prima facie, it appears that the accused may be avoiding trial. In the interest of justice and to fulfil a constitutional obligation to take the trial to its logical conclusion and to ensure substantial compliance of Article 9, 10 and 10A of the Constitution, it is imperative that he remains present in the country. His absence from Pakistan will cause grave and serious prejudice to the ends of justice by impeding the trials.

e) Sending him abroad will amount to creating an exception which will impinge upon the fundamental right of equal treatment guaranteed by Article 25 to all other persons facing trials and would be against public interest.

f) Allowing him to leave the country by an executive order may raise serious legal questions about the role and intentions of the executive branch leading to multiple litigations costing the public exchequer.

g) Furthermore, it has been reported in the press that the government has very graciously offered him air ambulance, etc., to bring his mother to her homeland and to provide best medical facilities.

Musharraf can’t be allowed to go abroad, govt tells SHC

 

KARACHI: The federal government on Monday opposed the former president Pervez Musharraf’s petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) for removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL).
Filing comments with the court on Musharraf’s petition against placement of his name on the ECL, a Ministry of Interior official, Amir Sohail, submitted that the petitioner was facing serious charges, including high treason and if a conviction was secured, he may get capital punishment.

He said the petitioner had been nominated in four different cases, which were sub judice. He said the nature of crimes leveled against the petitioner was very serious due to which he could not be allowed to leave the country.

He submitted that the name of the petitioner had been placed on the ECL on the direction of the Supreme Court in a high treason matter and the high court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain and adjudicate the petition. He said the petition was liable to be dismissed at all costs.

Sohail submitted that the petitioner was accused of committing serious crimes, including the charge of high treason. In case, he said, the petitioner’s likely conviction in one or more cases on these serious charges entails capital punishment, the existence of incentive to abscond must obviously be greater.

He submitted that the petition was not maintainable in its present form, as the petitioner himself was available in the country but he chose to file a petition through an attorney, who could not depose the facts of the case.

He submitted that the petitioner had made several misstatements in the petition, concealed important facts and approached the court with unclean hands and, therefore, he was not entitled to any discretionary relief.

It was submitted that the federal government had offered to fly the petitioner’s ailing mother from the UAE back to Pakistan; however, the petitioner was not sincere in his request, and there was a great likelihood that in the garb of his request, the petitioner intends to flee Pakistan and frustrate the judicial process and the purpose of the law.

The hearing of the case has already been fixed for May 7 before the SHC. Musharraf, through his attorney Brigadier (retd) Akhtar Zamin, submitted in the petition that the federal government banned his traveling abroad on April 5, 2013 without giving any justified reason for placement of his name on the ECL.

The counsel pointed out that although the Supreme Court passed an interim order on April 8, 2013 for placement of the petitioner’s name on the ECL, the court, while disposing of the petitions against his client with regard to the high treason trial, said no condition of keeping the petitioner’s name on the ECL had been specified.

Talks can’t go ahead in tug-of-war like situation: Nisar

 

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Friday that the government-Taliban talks could not move ahead in an environment of tug-of-war.
Talking to media persons at the Nadra headquarters after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on setting up of citizen facilitation centres in the province, Chaudhry Nisar said the government was sincere in the dialogue process and there was no delay on its part. “But in such an atmosphere of tension, stress and strain when everybody is busy in political point-scoring, results of negotiations between the government and the Taliban could not be obtained,” the minister said. He said the dialogue process with the Taliban could not move ahead in an atmosphere of contradictory statements.

The minister said he would present a report to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on his return from London that in view of the present situation, the dialogue process could not be taken forward.

“It will be difficult to continue the process of negotiations in the situation of polarisation generated unfortunately by the people who are taking part in the reconciliation process,” the minister maintained, adding that they should express their point of view in the meeting, not in TV talk shows or public meetings.

Chaudhry Nisar said the dialogue process was the only way to handle these matters and there had been positive progress, which led to reduction in violence. He said due to the whole process, contacts had been established with the Taliban and the government came to know about their thinking, views and demands.

He said the date for the next meeting was to be fixed by the other side. He said there was no hitch from the government or the military. The minister said he wanted that the next meeting of the Taliban-government committees should be decisive and both sides should put their complete agendas on the table.

“Possibly on Monday, I will submit a report to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to inform himstakeholders, were forcefully criticising the dialogue process. “At the start, there were people who were opposed to the dialogue process and we listened to them and tolerated them as it is part of democracy,” he said, adding that now even those who were supporters of dialogue were showing contradiction in their stance.

The minister said the dialogue process was a sensitive and complex issue but every day contradictory statements were being made about it. “Those who were supposed to assist in the dialogue process were making one statement in indoor meeting and saying something else at the public meetings,” Nisar said.

The minister emphatically stated that there has never been any deadlock in the peace process.Responding to a question, the minister said non-combatant Taliban prisoners were released in consultation with military authorities, adding that there was no conflict between the government and military leadership. “There is no hurdle from the government or the army in the dialogue process. The government is serious in this matter and there is no delay from its side,” he maintained.

He said it had been said by certain quarters on the issue of release of prisoners that the army was not supporting it. He explained that the prisoners who were released earlier were in the control of army, which decided who were non-combatants and should be released.

To a question about civil-military relations, he said the situation was normal at present as it was in the past.Earlier, speaking on the occasion of signing ceremony of MoU, the minister said Nadra earned a profit of Rs1.3 billion in three months and it had been put in the right direction through many changes in the last eight months.

He said more than 350 ghost employees were identified, adding that now transparent online tests would be held for posting of Nadra employees abroad.He said in the past such postings were made in violation of rules and on the basis of nepotism.The minister said the new Nadra chairman would be appointed by a committee according to the relevant ordinance

Talks process with Taliban can’t be prolonged

 

ISLAMABAD:A high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif expressed the view that the dialogue process with the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) could not be prolonged indefinitely as the government wanted result-oriented talks with the Taliban.
The prime minister also said, “the role of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in national security and defence is highly commendable.”The meeting held at the PM House was attended by Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, DG ISI Lt General Zaheerul Islam, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on National Security Tariq Fatmi. The civil and military leadership took stock of the overall national security situation in the country.

The prime minister expressed his displeasure over the recent terrorist attacks and decided to take affective action against those involved in such incidents.The meeting also reviewed the overall internal and external security situation and the ongoing dialogue process with the proscribed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan to bring peace. The participants of the meeting reiterated their determination to deal with the menace of terrorism.

The prime minister said that all the institutions would continue to work in synergy for the protection of the life and property of the masses. He appreciated the role of the security institutions, particularly the ISI, in ensuring security and peace in the country.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan apprised the meeting of the talks with the Taliban and said the Taliban committee had been asked to set a clear direction for result-oriented dialogue as the dialogue process could not be prolonged indefinitly. He said it was time to make the ongoing dialogue process productive.

The meeting further emphasised that all-encompassing talks would be conducted with the Taliban Shura and it was high time that the dialogue process achieved tangible results. The interior minister said that the Taliban committee had also been asked to discuss the whole agenda of the Taliban Shura.

There was consensus among all the participants that the dialogue process with the Taliban should have a concise agenda and dialogue should take place under well defined parameters. Serious apprehensions were expressed over the recent terrorism incidents and the commitment to take effective action against the perpetrators behind such incidents was reiterated.

The DG ISI briefed the prime minister on the measures taken after the recent terrorist attacks and about the overall security situation of the country. The DG ISI assured the meeting that those involved in the recent terrorism incidents would be brought to justice and their identity revealed to the people of Pakistan.

Speaker’s ruling can’t be challenged in court: Ayaz Sadiq

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that the ruling of the Speaker could not be challenged anywhere except in the National Assembly.

He said that the Centre and the provinces could benefit from the experience of one another.He said, “There is complete democracy in Pakistan today and all the institutions are working in accordance with the Constitution.”

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq expressed these views while addressing inaugural session of the 17th Speakers Conference in Islamabad on Sunday. While addressing the participants, he said that the rulings of the Speaker are very important and they are fortunate that they could not be challenged anywhere, including in court. He said that a cell would be established for the preparation of a draft of legislation. He said that standing committees were the eyes and ears of parliament and with their influence parliament would become more powerful.

He said that the Pakistan parliament would be the first in the world where the solar power system would be installed in the current year. He said that the time had passed when there was intense tension between the government and opposition in such houses. Now the time had come to benefit from each other’s experience.

The speaker said that everyone hired would be employed in the National Assembly through the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC). He said that efforts were being made to form a parliamentarians’ association consisting of present and former parliamentarians.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that both the government and the opposition were equal to him and the MPs should become representatives for change instead of status.He announced the formation of the legislation council for effective legislation.

Balochistan Assembly Speaker Jan Muhammad Jamali said that parliament should be given the authority to appoint heads of all the constitutional institutions, including the chief justice and army chief.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal said that it was a must to strengthen institutions for a brighter future of Pakistan.Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani offered to hold the speakers conference in Sindh.

AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Sardar Gulam Sadiq said that the parliamentary system was the only means for the accountability of the governments.Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Speaker Wazir Baig thanked the government of Pakistan for establishing an assembly and said that the time had come that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan should be brought into the national fold.

The speakers, deputy speakers of AJK, GB, provincial and national assemblies and secretaries of the Parliamentary Secretariat participated in the conference. The Speakers Conference will continue till April 15.

Freedom of citizens can’t be usurped in name of security: CJ

 

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, on Friday said citizens’ freedom could not be allowed to be seized in the name of national security.
The chief justice was addressing a full court reference held here at the Supreme Court on the eve of retirement of Justice Khilji Arif Hussain.The chief justice said: “While fighting terrorism and protecting democracy, we need to strike a proper balance between the conflicting values and principles i.e. the value of security of the state and individual rights.” He said such rights could not justify undermining the national security.

He said the court, in its endeavour to strike a balance between the conflicting values, often attracted criticism from both sides.“Those standing for human rights may contend that the court gives too much protection to security and ignores human rights; those who speak of security concerns may allege that the court is tilted towards human rights rather than security. These comments should not deter us from upholding the rule of law and the canons of democracy,” the CJ maintained.

He said as the country faced a multitude of battles against terrorism, against sectarian violence and ethnic cleansing of minorities and on weakened rights for women and children, it is their duty as a pillar of the state to hold fast to belief in the seminal values of the rule of law, of human dignity, of tolerance and of compassion.

Justice Jillani further said the Constitution makers wanted to implement social, economic and political justice for which vision had been embedded in the Constitution through fundamental rights and the principles of policy.

“To ensure that these goals are pursued by each organ of the state; that no organ acts beyond the role assigned to it under the Constitution and the law, as also to protect people from arbitrary rule, the judiciary has been entrusted with the sacred task to arbiter between the state and the individual, between the individuals inter se, and to issue appropriate directions, where the rights or the laws are being violated.”

He further said the constitutional pledge of independence of judiciary and the constitutional command that all state institutions shall comply with the orders passed by the Supreme Court are all means towards the ultimate goal of dispensing said social, economic and political justice—(Article 189).

Paying rich tribute to Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, he said as could be seen from his legal opinions, judgments and general demeanour as a judge throughout the course of his career, Justice Arif Khilji had devoted his prudent insight, legal acumen and insightful mind to the development of the rule of law in the country.

His judgments have reiterated the importance of several constitutional principles of the utmost value to the judiciary such as that of the tri-chotomy of powers and the independence of the judiciary,” the CJ said.

Justice Khilji Arif Hussain said today the Supreme Court was an inevitable institution for the common man, independent in action and free in thoughts, showing strength, excellence and courage under most demanding circumstances.

Justice Khilji said it had been through the most difficult and turbulent periods in the history of Pakistan and ultimately acquired the reputation of protector of the Constitution, democracy, rule of law and guardian of fundamental rights of the people of Pakistan.

“Let me assure you that the aims and objectives of every judgment of this court are to enforce the Constitution and to protect the fundamental rights of the people of Pakistan,” he added.He said whenever he got depressed while looking at the institutions his colleagues gave him the courage saying that leaves of autumn sprinkle fragrance, giving a message of green leaves.

Justice Khilji expressed thanks and gratitude to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and his colleague judges for their inspirational support while he was at the bench.

He said he was also thankful for their generosity, which enabled him to cherish many useful experiences.Kamran Murtaza, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President, also addressed the full court reference.

Musharraf can’t go abroad: govt

 

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday stated that former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf could not go abroad as the Ministry of Interior had turned down his application to remove his name from the Exit Control List (ECL).
“The federal government is unable to accede to your request in public interest,” Aamir Sohail, a Section Officer of the ECL Wing, Ministry of Interior, informed Pervez Musharraf in a letter on Wednesday.

The Interior Ministry informed the former president that the request had been considered on the basis of the pronouncements record of the cited subject and pending criminal cases in various courts.

Pervez Musharraf, in his application, had submitted that he wanted to get treatment abroad and to meet his ailing mother who was admitted to a hospital in Sharjah a few days ago and had been in the intensive care unit (ICU) since then.

The letter addressed the former president saying that his name was put on the ECL on the orders of the Sindh High Court (SHC), which is competent to look into this matter judiciously and judicially.

According to sources, the decision not to remove Pervez Musharraf’s name from the ECL was taken by the prime minister during the informal consultative meeting of senior PML-N leaders on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid held a meeting with PM Nawaz Sharif and informed him about the legal status of Pervez Musharraf’s plea for removing his name from the ECL with particular reference to the charge-sheet against him by the Special Court in the high treason case and other criminal cases pending against him in various courts.

The Interior Ministry informed the former president through the letter making a reference to the SHC’s order putting his name on the ECL and showed its inability to allow him to travel abroad.

“We are going to challenge the decision of the Ministry of Interior in the high court soon,” Faisal Hussain Chaudhry, one of the lawyers of former President Pervez Musharraf, told The News.

It may be pertinent to mention that former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was represented by a new lawyer, Dr Farogh Nassem, on March 31 on the eve of his indictment, replacing the earlier legal team.

Chaudhry Faisal, who was a was asked by Musharraf to continue as his counsel.“That’s why we are going to challenge the decision of Ministry of Interior in the high court as required under Article 199 of the Constitution”, Faisal said.

Since the indictment of former president in the high treason case, the government was deliberating upon the issue of Musharraf’s request for going abroad.On Tuesday prime minister while chairing an informal consultative meeting of the PML-N senior leaders said that his government would fulfil all the legal and constitutional requirements on the issue of Pervez Musharraf. Quoting sources, it was reported that most of the party members were against removing the name of Musharraf from the ECL.

Likewise Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique told reporters outside the Parliament House on Wednesday if Musharraf was allowed to go abroad, what they would answer to the nation.

Pak-Iran gas pipeline project can’t be completed, NA told

 

ISLAMABAD: Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has told the National Assembly that the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project cannot be completed due to international sanctions on Iran.
He said this while replying to a question from MNA Shazia Marri during the Question-Hour here on Friday. No further implementation of the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project is in progress as international sanctions stand slapped on Iran, said the minister.

He said even if the project was accomplished, Pakistan could not acquire gas till the sanctions were scaled back. The previous government had also not implemented this project, he said. He told the House that work on the LNG terminal had started. The terminal will become functional by November 25 this year. No talks have been held with Qatar on the pricing formula so far, he added.

To another question, he said the price of petroleum products will be worked out for importing the LNG. Replying to a question from Naeema Kishwar Khan, Parliamentary Secretary Raja Javed Ikhlas told the House that selling of arms to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was not under consideration. No license for establishment of any ordnance factory in the KPK had been issued to anyone except Wah Factory.

Parliamentary Secretary Shahzadi Omarzadi told the House that she expected the import of LNG would start by the end of this year. Talks are continuing with Qatar for importing LNG, she added.

Parliamentary Secretary Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal told the House that the Supreme Court had given five months for conducting the Local Bodies (LB) polls and these elections will be held within this stipulated period.

State Minister Sheikh Aftab Ahmad said the SC had ordered during the previous general elections that the right to vote be given to overseas Pakistanis. He added that a bill in this regard was under debate in the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice and further progress will be made in line with the committee’s report. The Election Commission of Pakistan and Pakistani embassies functioning in other countries have also been informed in this regard, he said. The government wants that the overseas Pakistanis are given the right to vote in 2018, he added.