Why is Dr Qadri being singled out?

ISLAMABAD: The gearing up of FIA to probe financial matters of Dr Tahirul Qadri is a case of political victimisation as this initiative was not taken by the government as a routine matter but following the recent launch of anti-government campaign by Qadri.
There may have been some dubious dealing on part of the PAT Chief but the initiation of investigations against Dr Qadri by the FIA at this stage speaks volumes about how the state institutions are still used as tools for political gains of the rulers.

The tax matters and financial dealings of many political figures including cabinet members, MPs, opposition leaders and others are doubtful but hardly in any case during the last one year of the present government’s tenure, the FIA has moved against any bigwig of Pakistani politics.

The FIA is one of the leading state agency that besides doing other jobs has also been mandated the role of checking corruption.However, after the creation of National Accountability Bureau, the FIA hardly did any major anti-corruption work. Instead, because of massive corruption, incompetency and politicisation of the FIA; the need for the creation of NAB was felt.

In its official website, the FIA defines its “Vision” as “A law enforcement agency which not only enjoys respect of the society, for its integrity, professional competence, and impartiality but also serves as a role model for provincial police forces.” However, in reality it continues to be used as a tool for political gains of the rulers.It is said that after the recent emergence of Dr Tahirul Qadri as an anti-government voice, the FIA all of a sudden woke up to initiate a probe into the financial matters of the PAT Moulana. Not only the details of money transferred by the PAT chief during recent years were collected but his tax matters and bank accounts were also probed.

Of late the FIA has approached the Election Commission of Pakistan to get Qadri’s nomination paper along with the details of his assets as were submitted by him while contesting the 2002 elections for the National Assembly. It is believed that the information gathered by the FIA is quite convincing to proceed against Qadri, however, there is no explanation as to why only Qadri and not others, and why at this point of time.

The recent killings at Model Town Lahore was also the consequence of the government’s drive to remove illegal encroachments of Minhjul Quran. The authorities were confronted by the Qadri followers, which led to a bloody clash between the two and culminated in the killing of more than 10 persons.

In that case too, the authorities decided to remove the years old encroachments of Minhajul Quran only at this time when Qadri emerged in a confrontational mood against the government.

It is suspected that Qadri is playing someone else’s game to derail the system but the dealings of Lahore municipal and police authorities as well as that of the FIA show the extent of the politicisation of the institutions.

Because of the politicisation, systems here have become non-responsive to general violators and corrupt etc. Any action taken is as per the wishes and whims of the rulers.All these proceedings against Qadri could be justified only if other influential tax evaders, money launderers, encroachers etc are also proceeded against.

Circles close to the federal government, requesting anonymity, told The News that it was wrong to assume that Dr Qadri was being singled out. They said that institutions like FIA could only proceed upon availability of some solid evidence and facts which, in the instant case, surfaced during recent active demonstration by him.

They said that the government institutions are working independently to their full capacity. The PML-N government and its Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had brought many members of the parliament into the tax net, the added.

Besides, they said, that the FBR was in action against private parties in cases of tax evasion and other financial issues and the same had also been reported by media. Two former prime ministers had also been proceeded against by the NAB.

Therefore the impression of sparing the influential figures and singling Dr Qadri out was incorrect, the circles maintained. The said that the government has hardly completed a year in office and its achievements on the issues mentioned above are unparalleled, they concluded.

Jang Group being silenced apparently on military orders, says Amnesty

 

ISLAMABAD: Amnesty International, the world human rights watchdog, has said that up to 80 percent of the Jang Media Group’s distribution in print and on the airwaves has been disrupted by media industry bodies, apparently under the orders of the Pakistani military.
The Pakistani authorities should immediately investigate the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the military’s premier spy agency, over its alleged involvement in journalist attacks, said the Amnesty International on the third anniversary of the abduction and killing of journalist Saleem Shahzad.

“Failure to investigate such incidents thoroughly, impartially and transparently and to hold perpetrators accountable fosters a culture of impunity for attacks against independent media in Pakistan,” said David Griffiths, Asia-Pacific Deputy Director at Amnesty International.

In an open letter, Amnesty International and nine other human rights organisations called on the Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to fulfil his promise to end the impunity enjoyed by individuals and groups who attack journalists.

The nine other organisations are: Article 19 (UK), Human Rights Watch, Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House, International News Safety Institute, Internews, Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety, Pen International and Reporters Without Borders.

“Saleem Shahzad’s killing was one of the worst manifestations of the threats journalists face across Pakistan every day. The authorities’ inability to investigate officers of the ISI properly and bring to justice those responsible for Shahzad’s death is unacceptable – he was abducted in broad daylight in the heart of Islamabad, the national capital,” said David Griffiths.

“Pakistan must immediately restart the criminal investigation into Shahzad’s death, as has been promised by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on multiple occasions. Events of the past few weeks have again highlighted how precarious the situation for Pakistani media is. Continued impunity will only fuel the violence.”

Last month journalist Hamid Mir narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Karachi. He has accused the ISI of being responsible for the attack.

“According to Amnesty International’s research, the ISI is the state organ most regularly accused by journalists of carrying out harassment, intimidation or abuse against them or their colleagues. This does not necessarily mean that the ISI is always to blame. But if ISI officials are innocent of the accusations they have nothing to fear from thorough investigations and due process,” said David Griffiths.

“We cannot determine who exactly is responsible for these high-profile attacks against journalists until there is proper investigation. All suspects must be presumed innocent until proven guilty and afforded a fair trial in line with international standards.”

To demonstrate their expressed commitment to the rule of law and respect for human rights, Amnesty International calls on the ISI and all other state institutions to cooperate fully with the criminal investigations into the Shahzad, Mir and other attacks.

Saleem Shahzad, an Asia Times Online correspondent, was abducted on 29 May 2011 in Islamabad, and his body was found dumped two days later bearing marks of torture. Shahzad had written articles on a range of sensitive national security issues, including alleged al-Qaeda infiltration of the Pakistani military and the state’s relationship with the Taliban.

Less than a year before his death, Shahzad had told colleagues of an alleged death threat from the ISI. The Pakistani government in 2011 set up a high-level investigation into his death but key evidence mysteriously disappeared and no one has yet been brought to justice.

At least 34 journalists have been killed in relation to their work in Pakistan since the restoration of democracy in 2008, but in only one case during this period have the perpetrators been brought to justice.

In a report released last month, Amnesty International documented how media workers in Pakistan live under the constant threat of harassment, violence and killings from a range of state and non-state actors.

Since the release of the report, a standoff between the country’s largest private broadcaster Geo TV (part of the Jang Media Group) and the authorities has intensified after the network accused the ISI of being behind the assassination attempt on journalist Hamid Mir.

Several Jang Media Group journalists have told Amnesty International that they have received daily threats and harassment by unknown individuals by phone and in person. Many dare not enter their offices or identify themselves as belonging to Geo TV or other Jang Media Group outlets for fear of being attacked.

“There is absolutely no justification for the vicious, organised campaign of harassment against Jang Media Group staff across Pakistan,” said David Griffiths.“It is particularly disappointing that rival media channels and some political parties have joined the chorus to attack Jang Media Group, rather than demand a full and impartial investigation of the circumstances surrounding the attack on Hamid Mir.”

Some government officials have also tried to pull Geo TV off the air over allegedly “anti-state” and “blasphemous” content, and up to 80 percent of Jang Media Group’s distribution in print and on the airwaves has been disrupted by media industry bodies, apparently under the orders of the Pakistani military.

“Attempts to take Geo TV off the air are clearly politically motivated, and constitute a serious attack on freedom of expression in Pakistan,” said David Griffiths.“The last thing Pakistan needs now is a mudslinging campaign against Geo TV, the ISI or anyone else. Pakistan’s long-suffering journalists deserve protection from attacks and justice when they fall victim to abuse. It is the responsibility of Prime Minister Sharif’s government to deliver both. They should start by immediately resuming the investigation into Shahzad’s death.”

Following is the text of the letter:

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF

Joint statement of shared concerns about attacks on journalists in Pakistan

29 May 2014

Dear Prime Minister

Three years ago today, journalist Saleem Shahzad was abducted a short distance away from his Islamabad home and later found dead, his body bearing marks consistent with torture. We, the representatives of the undersigned group of civil society organisations working in human rights and media, call on you to fulfil your promise to end the impunity enjoyed by individuals and groups who threaten, attack, abduct, torture and kill journalists in Pakistan. In order to address these attacks on journalists, we urge you to follow through on the commitments you made in March, and as a first phase country for the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, and to take further concrete steps along the lines set out below.

Based on our collective experiences monitoring human rights globally, Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, judging by the severity and extent of threats and attacks on media professionals due to their reporting. Dozens of journalists have been killed in Pakistan in direct response to their work over the last decade. At least eight journalists have been killed since your government came to power in June 2013.

Journalists and other media workers from across Pakistan face harassment, abduction, torture and attempts on their lives by state intelligence officers, members of political parties and armed groups like the Taliban. Journalists reporting on national security and human rights, and those reporting from the conflict-affected northwest, violence-ravaged Balochistan and the city of Karachi are most at risk as they rarely enjoy protection from the state or support from their employers.

We are deeply concerned at the failure of successive Pakistan governments to carry out prompt, impartial, independent and thorough investigations into abuses against journalists, or to bring those responsible to justice. Attempts on the lives of Hamid Mir and Raza Rumi and the abduction and killing of Saleem Shahzad exemplify the enduring challenge to justice when journalists come under attack: as far as our organisations are aware, no one has been brought to justice for any of these attacks. Only in two cases of journalist killings have the perpetrators ever been convicted in Pakistan.

The failure to bring those responsible for attacks on journalists to justice sends a signal that the media can be silenced through violence and that the perpetrators can literally get away with murder and other abuses. It also has a chilling effect on freedom of expression in Pakistan, with journalists increasingly resorting to self-censorship to avoid the risk of harm.

It is the Pakistan government’s duty under international law to protect the rights to life, liberty and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of all individuals within its territory and under its jurisdiction, including journalists. As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Pakistan must also ensure the media is free to carry out its critical function of facilitating and promoting freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Article 19 of the ICCPR. Journalists play a vital role in exposing human rights abuse. Ensuring that journalists are able to undertake their work free from harassment and abuse is therefore an essential cornerstone in the protection and promotion of human rights in Pakistan.

We call on your Government to urgently take the following steps, in line with Pakistan’s international legal obligations, so that journalists may carry out their work free from harassment and abuse:

* Re-start the criminal investigations into the abduction and killing of Saleem Shahzad, as promised by the current Pakistan government, and ensure that all potential suspects, including members of any military and intelligence authorities, are subjected to a full, independent and impartial investigation.

* Ensure prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations into human rights abuses against journalists, including abductions, enforced disappearances, torture and other ill-treatment, extrajudicial executions and other unlawful killings.

* Ensure that all persons suspected of crimes involving human rights abuses against journalists, regardless of their status, rank or affiliation with state or non-state groups, are brought to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty.

* Implement the Prime Minister’s announced plan to establish a public prosecutor at the federal and provincial levels tasked with investigating attacks against journalists, and ensure that it is independent, adequately staffed and resourced, and has authority to investigate the military and intelligence services in addition to civilians. Also implement the Prime Minister’s commitment to expedite the prosecution of the killers of journalists by changing trial venues and expanding witness protection programs.

* Ensure, in line with the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, that media companies adhere to requirements on due diligence, health and safety, among other standards in national law and policy; and introduce systemic legal and policy reforms where such requirements either do not exist in national law or are inadequate.

We welcome your concern about the situation for journalists in Pakistan and look forward to the Pakistan government taking real steps to improve the working environment for journalists in Pakistan.

Yours faithfully

1. Amnesty International – Salil Shetty, Secretary General

2. Article 19 (UK) – Thomas Hughes, Executive Director

3. Committee to Protect Journalists – Joel Simon, Executive Director

4. Freedom House - Karin Karlekar, Project Director, Freedom of the Press

5. Human Rights Watch – Brad Adams, Executive Director, Asia Division

6. International News Safety Institute – Hannah Storm, Executive Director

7. Internews – Jeanne Bourgault, President

8. Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety – Owais Aslam Ali, Head of Secretariat

9. Pen International – Ann Harrison, Programme Director

10. Reporters Without Borders - Christopher Deloire, Secretary-General

Terrorists being marginalised: COAS

 

RAWALPINDI: The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Raheel Sharif, said on Tuesday that the terrorists who had clearly lost their cause were being marginalised and the whole nation had rejected their misplaced ideology.
According to the ISPR, General Raheel said this during his visit to field formations deployed in Waziristan.The army chief commended the troops’ professional commitment and paid rich tributes to them for their sacrifices in bringing peace and normalcy to the troubled regions.

The COAS reviewed the progress of mega and micro projects of socio-economic significance being undertaken by the army and appreciated them for quality of work and timely completion.

He particularly mentioned the construction of the Central Trade Corridor, a 714-kilometre road network, linking Pakistan’s Indus Highway and Waziristan agencies with the Afghan Ring Road, which is already beginning to bring great economic dividends to the local residents of the region.

The COAS visited other community development schemes in health, education, water and power projects, as part of successful programmes for rehabilitation of the people.Later, the COAS visited the recently-established Cadet College Spinkai Raghzai and lauded the college administration for the standard of education and administration being maintained. Talking to cadets, he said that these education projects completed by the army would go a long way in grooming a new generation of young Pakistanis from such remote areas and integrate them into the national mainstream.

The army chief appreciated the determination and steadfastness of the troops and locals. He reiterated the Pakistan Army’s continued and wholehearted support for the tribal brethren under all circumstances.

Efforts being made to separate NWA from Pakistan, says Imran

ISLAMABAD: Referring to the military action against terrorists, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan told journalists Tuesday that it appeared that efforts were being made to separate North Waziristan from Pakistan. He said the internally-displaced persons were fleeing more to Afghanistan than to other parts of Pakistan.

“Why we want to push North Waziristan out of Pakistan? Foreign actors are also involved in this dangerous game.”Appealing to Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, he said: “For God sake think about Pakistan”. He claimed that women and children were dying in the ongoing operation and the East Pakistan-like thinking was developing among people.

The PTI chief asked where was the leadership of Pakistan and said the prime minister was busy undertaking foreign visits. He said the prime minister had undertaken record 14 foreign tours whereas foreign investment was the lowest ever during this period.

He again said Pakistan must come out of others’ war and insisted that war was no solution to Pakistan’s problems. He advocated resumption of talks with the Taliban. Imran pointed out that there had been significant decrease in terror acts after the start of peace process with the Taliban. He noted there had been a change in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following talks with the Taliban.

Criticizing the government policies, he said the sense of deprivation among smaller provinces was increasing.Imran claimed to have received scores of messages that locals in Waziristan thought as if the agency was being separated. He recalled how he had witnessed a sense of deprivation among the people of East Pakistan when he was on tour as part of under-19 cricket team, where it was felt they were being treated as a colony of Pakistan. Imran said the same feeling was seething in Balochistan.

The PTI chief said it seemed as if only the Punjab was Pakistan for mega projects, as projects like metro bus were being launched there instead of funds allocation for hydel power projects.Imran claimed that circular rail project was for Karachi being Pakistan’s biggest city, but it was abandoned and now metro train project was to be started in Lahore, costing double amount.

“An impression is being given to the people of smaller provinces that Punjab was the only Pakistan,” he asserted.He repeated his demand for thumb verification of voters in four constituencies and claimed worst ever rigging was carried out during the last year’s general election. Imran noted that a party which could not hold public meetings in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore had bagged so many votes after the polls.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak said the prime minister should follow the Constitution in running Pakistan as a federation. He also complained that the Centre was ignoring his province. He said if the federation supported his province, they could produce power at the rate of Rs2-3 per unit. He reminded Nawaz Sharif that he was the prime minister of Pakistan and not of Punjab only.

Imran reiterated that they had proposed to the Centre to hand power generation and distribution over to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying they could not only cut down line losses, but also reduce power tariff. But, he continued, the federal government had declined to hand the electricity system over to them.

Khattak noted that his province that produced gas, hydel power and oil was being deprived of its rightful share of funds by the federal government. He said the federal government was yet to pay Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the agreed payment of Rs6 billion net hydel profit.

In addition, the decision on uncapping of net hydel profits, which was finalized by the technical committee of the federal government in March 2013 and duly notified, had yet to be implemented. “These arrears stand in excess of Rs138 billion owed to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government,” he said.

He said levy of excise duty on crude oil came under Article 161 of the Constitution. “This is the provincial revenue but the federal government has to notify it which they are refusing to do. As a result, the annual loss of revenue for his province is in excess of Rs15 billion,” Khattak said.

Khattak said provision of Windfall Levy under Clause 4.1 of the Petroleum Policy 2015 of which 50 per cent was to go to the province had not been levied. This had caused a loss of more than Rs25 billion per annum to the province.

Non-payment of royalty on LPG as decreed by the PHC was resulting in losses of hundreds of millions of rupees annually, he maintained.Meanwhile, the Geo News team was Tuesday afternoon barred from covering the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s news briefing at his Bani Gala residence here.

“Sorry, we have orders not to let you in,” asserted a security official when asked by a Geo journalist as to why they were not being allowed in to cover the event.The Geo team waited outside Imran’s residence along with the DSNG van but no one came out to let them enter the premises.

During the news briefing, when one of the media persons drew Imran’s attention towards the issue, he said the PTI was on boycott of Geo/Jang Group which will continue unless Jang Group owner apologised to him for their alleged campaign against him.

Meanwhile, a Jang Group spokesman said no campaign was launched against Imran Khan. If he had any proofs in this regard, he should send these to the Jang Group. He said the Jang Group people were in touch with the PTI team and they were never informed of any such alleged campaign.

The spokesman said as for as the coverage of recent days is concerned it was in self defence and consisted of replies to the allegations leveled by the PTI chief. He said these allegations have been proved wrong one by one. Imran Khan would not accept this but all will be clear in courts.The spokesman said Imran Khan can approach Pemra, Council of Complaints and courts in this regard.

Antibiotics at risk of being useless: WHO

NEW YORK: The world is entering an antibiotic crisis in which routine injuries such as a skinned knee could potentially be fatal, according to the World Health Organization (WHO.)

Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of the WHO, has warned that bacteria carried by humans are starting to become so resistant to common antibiotics that every antibiotic ever developed, including drugs used to treat tuberculosis and malaria, is at risk of becoming useless.

As a result, Chan claimed, day-to-day treatments may become impossible, which could bring about “the end of modern medicine as we know it.”

The primary cause of the antimicrobial resistance has been largely attributed to the misuse of antibiotics, which are inappropriately prescribed and used too frequently and for too long. In order to overcome this potential crisis, the WHO has pleaded for medical innovation and has appealed to governments across the world to support research of antimicrobial resistance.

Senator Gulzar tax evasion case being pursued, says FBR

 

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue says it will expedite investigations into the alleged tax evasion and concealment of assets by a political dynasty of senators and acknowledged that the case has not yet been concluded.
Reacting on a report published in The News on Tuesday about Senator Gulzar and his family that hid their businesses abroad from tax authorities, a senior FBR official told The News that operation wing had directed the regional offices to expedite the investigation bringing the case to a logical conclusion at the earliest.

However, it remains to be seen when the official claims in this respect are translated into reality as FBR has traditionally been soft on the big fish involved in tax evasion.The official said majority of the family members neither filed tax returns nor submitted wealth statements in the years under examination and they have been served with show cause notices.

A legal battle in UK over the possession of super-expensive mansion worth Rs14 billion has brought under scrutiny the alleged tax evasion and concealment of assets in Pakistan and abroad by a family of senators.

Senator Gulzar Ahmed, his sons (privatization minister in PPP government) Senator Waqar Ahmed and now-former Senator Ammar Ahmed Khan are at the center stage of this controversy.

This case has become a test case for the government that has voted for the National Assembly resolution moved by PTI MNA Asad Umar demanding investigation into the tax evasion of all the parliamentarians.

While the family has persistently been declaring losses in businesses to avoid taxes in Pakistan, its statement deposited to the London’s high court in litigation against Deutsche Bank offers contrasting confession.

The court documents spills the beans about properties and businesses in and outside Pakistan neither claimed in tax returns submitted to Federal Board of Revenue nor in asset details submitted to Election Commission of Pakistan.

This is a typical story of a rich family using political clout to thrive in business without returning any penny in taxes to the public exchequer.While the declaration of previously concealed assets and only in the UK’s court could not win legal battle to the family there; however, it earned the family unpleasant attention in Pakistan that has now been spotted on the radar screen of the FBR’s wing hunting down tax evaders.

Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (Inland Revenue) of FBR after diligently examining the UK court’s record unearthed massive tax fraud and details forwarded for thorough scrutiny to the regional tax office in Lahore.

Senator Gulzar, his wife Razia Sultan, his daughter Sehr Ashar, Senator Waqar and Ammar Ahmed were recommended for thorough probe.The investigation was ordered in November last year without any progress so far that raises apprehensions about the likely ‘shut and close case’ in the name of ‘political reconciliation.’

Workers being picked up by plainclothes personnel: MQM

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader, Haider Abbas Rizvi has alleged that party workers were being picked up by plainclothes personnel, Geo News reported.

Addressing a press conference along with MQM Coordination Committee members here Tuesday, Haider Abbas Rizvi said their party workers were being subjected to severe torture.

He said MQM activists were being picked up by personnel in vehicles without number plates.


Haider Abbas questioned why LEAs have failed to take action against plainclothes men driving vehicles with tinted glasses.

Rizvi announced to hold a protest in Karachi against killing of party workers on Thursday, while countrywide protests would be held on Friday.

Nawaz snubs ministers for being harsh on Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has conveyed to his two outspoken ministers — Khawaja Asif and Khawaja Saad Rafique in particular — and other cabinet members in general not to cross the limits of decency in their criticism of General (retd) Musharraf.

Disapproving the recent statements of both the Khawajas, who recently used harsh language while referring to the Musharraf case, the prime minister conveyed to his ministers to maintain decency and said they must not say anything that in any manner is interpreted as targeting the institution of the Pakistan Army.

According to a cabinet source, the prime minister’s eyebrows were raised by the tone and tenor adopted by Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Khawaja Asif in their recent onslaught against General (retd) Musharraf.

The source said that the prime minister believed that Musharraf’s high treason case was in a court of law and there was no reason for government ministers’ to become judgmental and aggressive. “Let the courts do their work,” the ministerial source quoted the prime minister as saying.

The sources said that the prime minister was warned that statements like those of the defence minister and the railways minister might also create bad feelings within the military establishment. Such statements, the ministerial source said, could also be used to create a misunderstanding between the civilian and military leadership.

Meanwhile, some top leaders in the PML-N are also pressing on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to focus on the accountability of those who have looted and plundered national wealth worth billions and billions of rupees during the last several years, particularly during the last tenure of the PPP.

Within the PML-N, there is a great disappointment vis-a-vis the accountability system being run under the Nawaz Sharif government. It is said while General (retd) Musharraf’s case is pursued there is no attention being paid by the government or NAB to bring to justice those who had done massive corruption but remained untouched.

Such policies of the government, it is said, provide impetus to those who propagate that Musharraf is being ‘victimised’ by the prime minister.

Like several independent observers, there are now many voices within the PML-N who raise the question as to why Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif forgot his election promise of getting back the public money looted and plundered during the last PPP government.

It is said that the NAB performance during the PML-N regime is not much different from what NAB has been doing during the PPP’s regime. According to one key PML-N leader, the top leadership of the PPP is being greatly favoured by NAB in corruption cases. It is also said that some key businessmen, who were made to cough up billions following the orders of the apex court, have been cleared by NAB in the major power-related scandals.

Blind being followed in the name of talks: Bilawal

 

GARHI KHUDA BAKHSH: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday said sighted persons were asking the blind to lead them in the name of talks, adding that his party would not bow down to savages and tolerate their dictatorship.
Addressing a public gathering at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh on the occasion of the 35th death anniversary of the party founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Bilawal said the Taliban were deceiving everyone in the name of talks. He said the negotiations were being held with those who had termed Quaid-e-Azam ‘Kafir-e-Azam’.

“Those who leveled allegations against the PPP are politicking over children’s bodies,” he added. Bilawal alleged that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif only issued statements and made false promises when he visited Tharparkar. He claimed the premier’s team had stopped providing aid to the drought-hit Thar people.

He said the nation had reached a point of history where uncertainty was the rule and fear ruled every heart. “Terrorists want to take away our identities and existence,” he said, adding that people were asking for a way out from the blind alley. “What did we do that the history is not willing to forgive us?” he asked the audience.

Bilawal said Pakistan was facing multiple crises because the nation had buried a man 35 years ago who was like a beacon of light to the nation.“Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a philosophy and an ideology; he was the man upon whom the poor relied,” he said, adding that his grandfather had transformed the country into a nuclear power.

Bilawal said he was worried while watching the Punjab being held hostage by terrorists. He said it wouldn’t have been the case if ZA Bhutto had been alive. “Pakistan needs a Bhutto once again today,” he remarked.

Lamenting the privatisation policy, Bilawal said the nation’s house was being auctioned without taking it into confidence. “If the government cannot run the country, does this mean we should sell it?” he asked.

Bilawal also criticised the PML-N government for abandoning the Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline Project. He questioned what price Pakistan had to pay for the money paid by a friendly country.He said the Pakistan Army was not the personal property of anyone. “Is the money given by a friendly country the price of heads of our Jawans? Our war is still underway and you are jumping into other countries’ wars,” he remarked.

He said unlike the silence of the Punjab government on the Joseph Colony incident, the PPP government in Sindh would not remain silent on demolition of temples.“Damaging and burning minorities’ worship places is not Islam,” he said, adding that he and his party workers would stand by the minorities if anybody tried to attack them. He urged the chief ministers of Balochistan, Sindh and KP to demand their respective provinces’ share of assets from the Centre.

Online adds: Speaking on the occasion, former president and Co-Chairman PPP Asif Ali Zardari on Friday recalled that the agreements signed by his government with China, the US and other countries and said the present rulers were now enjoying its benefits but the country was still facing the energy crisis .

Zardari paid tributes to ZA Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto for their sacrifices for the country and for never compromising with the military dictators.He also eulogised Bilawal for leading the caravan of Bhutto legacy. He raised the hands of a PPP candidate for PS-35 and asked the people of Larkana to vote for him and support him.

PPP parliamentarians and leaders including Syed Khursheed Shah, Raza Rabbani, Aitzaz Ahsan, Syed Qaim Ali Shah and others also addressed the event.The 35th death anniversary of ZA Bhutto was observed with reverence and respect. Thousands of party workers and leaders paid tributes to their legendary leader.

Zulifkar Ali Bhutto’s death anniversary being observed

ISLAMABAD: The 35th Death anniversary of former prime minister and founding chairman of Pakistan People s Party (PPP) Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is being observed today (Friday).

Arrangements have been finalized for the huge gathering to be held at Garhi Khuda Baksh in Larkana. People from different parts of the country have started reaching Garhi Khuda Baksh.

Tight security arrangements have been made on the occasion. Special functions will be held to pay tribute to late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Sindh government has announced public holiday throughout the province on the occasion of 35th death anniversary of the former prime minister.

 

Esha Deol upset about not being in No Entry sequel?

Esha Deol

 

The much awaited sequel of super hit film 'No Entry' (released in 2005) is finally taking shape and the film's director Anees Bazmee has decided to start rolling some time mid this year.

Rumour has it that in the movie, titled No Entry Mein Entry, Esha Gupta will be playing the role of Salman Khan's wife, replacing Esha Deol. And the Deol gal, who played the docile wife to the superstar, appeared to be a bit upset that she won't be part of the film's sequel.

"They are taking all new girls ya," said Esha when asked if she will miss doing the film. But then, the director is keen on repeating Bipasha Basu, who played the sultry siren in the laugh riot. To which Esha replies, "Good for her." On his part, Anees Bazmee maintained, "Some would be new faces," he said.

Incidentally, Esha's not the only out who won't be seen in the sequel. Her co-stars from the first film, Lara Dutta and Celina Jaitly too are reportedly not in the reckoning for the sequel. Interestingly, all three of them are married. Wonder why the makers of the film feel that married actresses may not be suitable to play wives again, in No Entry Mein Entry.

No information of Iranian Border Guards being brought to Pak: Aziz

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security, Sartaj Aziz says there is no information of abducted Iranian Border Guards being brought to Pakistan.

In an interview on Geo News programme ‘Jirga,’ Aziz said Iran was leveling allegations against Pakistan but was not providing any evidence pertaining to the guards being brought to Pakistan.

Aziz added that if the need arose Pakistan was willing to conduct a joint operation with Iran. “If there is information it should be shared with us.”

Iran claims five border guards were abducted by militants and brought to Pakistan and one from the group has been executed.

On Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani discussed the issue in a telephone call with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

In the weekly Foreign Office briefing on Thursday, Spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said authorities had combed Pakistani territory in search of the missing Iranian guards, however, there were no clues that they were in Pakistan.

The spokesperson said the Iranian guards went missing at least 5-10 kilometers inside Sistan and an organization, Jaish-ul-Adl, claimed the responsibility for the missing guards.

Aslam added Pakistan will extend all possible cooperation to Iran for the recovery of these guards.

International conspiracy being hatched to destabilize country: Hashmi

ISLAMABAD: President Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Makhdoom Javed Hashmi Tuesday said that international conspiracy was being hatched out to destabilize the country.

Talking to mediapersons out side the Parliament House, Javed Hashmi said that the government should root out the causes of terrorism and maintain law and order in the country.

He said that PTI demanded the government to take stern action against those involved in the heinous terrorist act of district courts Islamabad.

Javed Hashmi said that the incident was failure of the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICT) which disturbed the whole country again.

Government efforts for peace being undermined: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says efforts are being made to undermine the government’s efforts for peace. The Prime Minister’s comments came as he chaired a high level meeting focusing on matters of national security and the Taliban’s announcement of a month-long ceasefire as well as today’s attack in Islamabad.

The meeting was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen Zaheeurl Islam, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

Earlier the Prime Minister and COAS General Raheel Sharif held a one-on-one meeting.