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Commonwealth poll observers unwelcome: FO
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has taken a firm stand after being suspended from the Commonwealth, and announced that it would not allow any Commonwealth observer to come to the country to monitor the elections on January 8.
Earlier, like other foreign observers, the Commonwealth had also sent a request for sending a team of observers to Pakistan. “Well, the Commonwealth has announced to review its decision on Pakistan’s suspension after the January 8 elections. That will be the time when we will actively consider our relationship with the Commonwealth,” the Foreign Office spokesman told the weekly press briefing.
However, there appears to be confusion over the exact number of foreign observers. While the spokesman said that the Foreign Office had cleared about 200, (parliamentarians, officials and representatives of various organisations), a day earlier the Election Commission had quoted a figure of 2,000.
According to the Foreign Office these foreign observers have been given permission to observe these elections and the government hopes that they would follow the code of conduct laid down by the Election Commission.
To a query about their movement around the country, the spokesman said they would be free to move around and, “in most cases I see no limitation and they can reach out to the polling stations, election officials and meet with other stakeholders. We hope they will observe the code of conduct in letter and spirit.”
However, the Election Commission on Tuesday had said that these international observers will not be allowed to interact freely with voters (for security reasons) or to conduct exit polls. The US International Republican Institute will be sending around 60 observers from several countries including the US, Iraq, Cambodia, Liberia, Azerbaijan, Morocco and South Africa. Most of the applicants have had their documents finalised. The European Union will be sending 12 observers for monitoring the elections and another group of 55 representatives who will arrive for long-term observation.
“Most of the NGOs (from Switzerland and Germany) have been cleared and several dozens of media persons will also be coming,” the spokesman said adding that he did not have any figures for observers from Saarc countries.
Independent sources told The News that Indian journalists are still waiting for their documents to be finalised. The spokesman did not deny outright the alleged involvement of Pakistan in bringing to an end the Sikh insurgency inside India, when Benazir Bhutto was prime minister.
On Saturday, Benazir had claimed that it was her government that had brought down the Sikh insurgency and also said that she had ensured that there was no Kargil operation either. Shrugging aside Benazir’s claims, the spokesman replied, “We do not comment on statements made by political leaders”.
Pakistan is against an arms race in the region which is besieged with poverty and where major resources should be diverted. When asked about the recent Indian missile tests, the spokesman said that a number of these missile tests related to India’s Missile Defence Shield.”We are not in favour of a new weapons system in the region. South Asia cannot afford such an arms race in such a poor region. Pakistan will not spare any effort for its own defence,” he said.
A judicial committee comprising of judges from both India and Pakistan will be meeting soon in New Delhi. No dates have been set for this meeting. To a question about prisoners in Indian and Pakistani jails, the spokesman said that Pakistan treated this issue as a humanitarian one.
“There are 450 Pakistanis in Indian jails. About eight to nine out of these are fishermen. There are 500 Indians in Pakistani jails and nearly 450 of these are fishermen. Lists will be exchanged at the meeting of the judicial committee,” he added.
As the western media has once again generated controversy over the US aid for the tribal areas, the spokesman to a query said that for the fight against terrorism such economic aid was “pivotal”. He aid that assistance from the international community will accelerate the fight against terrorism. Pakistan is also using its own resources.
“Terrorism cannot be stopped without development. Holding back assistance means that we will slow down our efforts and will certainly damage efforts against terrorism,” he added.
The spokesman said that everyone present at the media briefing was aware that Pakistan was not a “tortured’ state. He was asked to respond to Pope Benedict’s remarks that Pakistan like Sudan was in a “tortured region”. The Vatican has become the latest in the long line of world capitals that have of recent been critical of Pakistan.”I would not like to comment on the Pope’s speech. These are his views and the situation is not that bad and everyone sitting here knows that,” he said.
APP adds: Regarding the visit of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to Pakistan, the spokesman said it is the hallmark of bilateral relations between the two countries.
He said besides meeting with President Musharraf and Prime Minister Soomro, the Afghan President will also meet with members of the Pakistani business community to further promote trade relations between the two countries.
Answering a question about latest developments on the Pak-Afghan Jirga Commission, the spokesman said the two countries are in touch with each other and 25 members from each side are being finalised.
Rigging won’t be tolerated: Benazir
Says dictators were responsible for dismemberment of country, defeat in Siachen, Kargil; addresses public meeting in Peshawar
PESHAWAR: Pakistan People's Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto on Wednesday said her party will not accept any rigging in the forthcoming polls.
Addressing a public meeting at the Arbab Niaz Stadium here, Benazir said the PPP and PML-N both had been demanding that the government should hold free, fair, and transparent elections and ensure a peaceful transfer of power to the winning party. She hoped that the rulers would hold free, fair and transparent elections on Jan 8. She said during its previous tenures, the PPP had tried to equip the country with the latest modern technology so that the country could emerge as a modern state in the region.
She said the PPP had set up hospitals and educational institutions in the NWFP and tribal agencies during its first tenure in order to empower the people. She said dictators had never allowed the civilian democratic governments to complete their terms peacefully. Instead, they staged coups against them, she said.
"The anti-people forces are our enemies, because we believe in the might of the people, while the dictators and their allies are afraid of people's might," said Benazir. She said the PPP was in favour of press freedom as it was essential to keep the people informed about the ups and downs in the country.
She said the party was also in favour of student unions to work freely in the educational institutions. It had been the PPP's main demand that the working class should be allowed to form trade unions and associations as their basic right, she added.
"We want to build an exploitation-free society based on social justice and rule of law. We are opposed to poverty, backwardness and political and sectarian feuds, because we consider all these vices a blow to human development and dignity," said the former prime minister.
Lashing out at military dictators, she said they were responsible for the dismemberment of the country, defeat in Siachen and Kargil. Today, she said, two million educated youth were unemployed, owing to the wrong policies of successive dictatorial regimes.
"During our tenure, flour was Rs 8 per kilogram, today it is Rs 30 per kilogram. Petrol was five rupees a litre in 1988, today it is over Rs 50 per litre," she added. Benazir reiterated her stand against militants and said they were the by-product of the Afghan war, and were playing havoc with the lives of people in Fata and other districts.
She took an oath from all the PPP candidates and asked them to promise that they would not indulge in horse-trading and become a part of the 'Lotacracy' after winning from the party platform.
The participation in the meeting was much lower than those of her earlier meetings and the organisers had to remove half the chairs they had laid out for the people in the stadium. The entire stadium had been decorated with the party's flags, and large banners and posters of the candidates and the chairperson.
Strict security arrangements had been made in and around the stadium. The security officials searched each and every participant more than six times before they entered the stadium. Before the arrival of Benazir Bhutto, the organisers repeatedly requested officials at the gate to allow the party's activists to enter the stadium. All the party's candidates for the national and provincial assemblies welcomed Benazir.
The speakers including the provincial president Rahim Dad Khan, Barrister Masood Kausar and minority members. They claimed that their party would form the government at the centre as well as in the provinces.
Rahim Dad Khan said the NWFP people had been exploited in the name of Islam and provincial rights and that was why the people in this scientific era lacked basic necessities. His party, he said, after coming into power would provide jobs and dignity to the people.
Agencies add: Benazir vowed in Wah to fight for workers' rights. Tapping into worries about poverty and unemployment, Benazir told a crowd of about 600 people in the town of Wah, 30 km northwest of Islamabad, she would help the poor.
"We believe that Pakistan can only be a strong state when labourers and poor people become strong and empowered," she said. "We assure you we will not leave labourers alone and we'll not ignore them," she said, promising to reinstate sacked workers and beef up labour laws.
Small groups of people beside the road waved PPP flags and threw rose petals at her convoy as she passed. Benazir also addressed a rally in Attock where she said people had given their verdict in favour of the PPP and PML-N as presence of the PML-Q during the election campaign was insignificant.
She said the government became afraid of this situation and imposed ban on live TV coverage of public meetings of opposition parties. Benazir said the PPP always pulled the country out of the crises and once again the country was facing serious threats due to extremism, price-hike and injustice. She said the PPP wanted to make Pakistan a modern, progressive and prosperous state where people enjoy a good standard of life.
Imran calls on political parties to join APDM after polls
LAHORE: PTI Chairman Imran Khan has urged all parties contesting elections to join the APDM for the restoration of judiciary after 8 January polls.
Addressing a press conference after the party’s central executive committee meeting on Wednesday, Imran said the APDM had no grudge against political parties contesting election. He said he invited political forces to join their movement after the elections irrespective of the fact they win or lose it. He said the alliance would welcome everyone who would come forward to strengthen the APMD’s country-wide movement for the restoration of judges, upholding the rule of law and constitution and revival of true democracy by getting rid of dictatorship.
Imran said his party would consolidate its election boycott strategy on January 5. He said that his party would observe black day against fraudulent polls being held by a dictator. Calling the forthcoming election a fraud, Imran said elections did not have any legitimacy. Imran feared that the coming election would have catastrophic results and these would be damaging for Pakistan.
Imran was critical of the judges who took oath under the PCO. He said PCO judges were loyal to Pervez Musharraf rather than Pakistan. Imran said coming polls would be a complete drama and these would be more rigged compared to the elections in 2002. Giving reference to reports prepared by the European Union and other international watchdogs, Imran said they had clearly mentioned in their reports on Pakistan polls that the elections held in 2002 were completely rigged. He said these international observers had exposed the tactics of the then Pakistan government’s tactics of rigging elections to the entire world. He said the government was adopting the same pre-poll rigging techniques with impunity without any fear and hesitation ahead of elections.
He accused US of preparing a “chessboard of fraud elections”. He also alleged that the PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto was acting as tool in materialisation of the fraud. He showed desperation on stance of those parties, which were vying for the elections.
The CEO meeting, which continued for two days passed six resolutions. The meeting resolved that the party would continue to wage war for the restoration of judiciary and endorse all decisions taken by the APDM. The resolution appealed to masses to join the party in boycotting the coming elections.
The resolution condemned spread of terrorism due to the wrong policies of the former government of “Q” league. The resolution demanded immediate lifting of new the PEMRA curbs with immediate effect. The resolution also criticised government’s policies, which resulted in the shooting up of prices of daily use items.
He also announced to constituted Inasaf Youth and Insaf Student Federation to mobilise young people to stand up against a dictatorial system. He appointed Chaudhry Ijaz, Asif Ali Khan and Tallat Naqvi as the youth bodies’ convenors.
PML-F disowns MQM-PML-Q seat adjustment on NA-226
MIRPURKHAS: The PML-F on Wednesday disowned the seat adjustment on NA-226 jointly announced by the MQM and the PML-Q at a press conference on Tuesday in Karachi, said a statement issued by the PML-F Media Cell.
The statement said despite the MQM-PML-Q announcement, the PML-F candidate for NA-226 Mirpurkhas-1 would contest the polls and there was no question of the withdrawal of his candidature whether the coalition partners at this constituency would support him or not.
The PML-F would contest the elections from NA-226 at all costs because there was no seat adjustment at this seat, the statement said and added that the PML-F had promised to the coalition partners for the withdrawal of its candidate only from PS-54, which it did.
When contacted, PML-F Media Cell incharge Ubaidullah Narejo confirmed that there was no possibility that the PML-F candidate would withdraw from the seat in favour of anyone. When asked if it would create a controversy among the coalition partners, including the MQM and the PML-Q, Narejo categorically told that it was all done with the approval of PML-F leader Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi.
He said the press conference in Karachi by PML-Q Sindh President Arbab Ghulam Rahim and MQM leaders Dr Farooq Sattar and Babar Ghori was not attended by any of the PML-F leaders despite being the coalition partner.
The reaction from the PML-F which came a day after the MQM-PML-Q announcement created a panic like situation among political circles, especially the coalition partners endeavouring for a friendly election adjustment to bring forward a joint candidate to secure the seat against the PPP. Meanwhile, Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi was expected to hold a public gathering on Dec 30 here in support of the
PML-F candidate.
Memon shrugs off poll rigging allegations
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Nisar A Memon on Wednesday shrugged off the allegations of poll rigging levelled by various political parties.
Chairing a meeting held here to review the preparations made by the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) for the coverage of the elections, he said the allegations and fears by political parties had no ground and were uncalled for.
“The caretaker government is totally impartial vis-‡-vis the poll process. No delimitation has been introduced into the constituencies to facilitate or damage any group or political party,” he added.
Memon said the Election Commission (EC) had compiled new electoral lists and hundreds and thousands of new voters had been included under a consultative process with political parties and according to the guidelines of the judiciary and international institutions.
The new voters’ lists had been provided to all the political parties while those had also been posted at the EC website besides being demonstrated at public places, he added. The minister said the EC had notified and issued the polling booth lists of each constituency while those were also available at the EC website, thus, eliminating the possibility of any ghost polling station anywhere in the country.
He said the caretaker government would make elaborate arrangements on the polling day as enshrined in the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) besides providing full security to the polling staff, ballot boxes and polling process to ensure free, fair and impartial polls.
On the occasion, he was briefed regarding the preparations being made by the Radio Pakistan for the elections. He was told that the PBC would establish an election city at the PBC headquarters in the federal capital and its representatives would collect the election results from all the returning officers from across the country to keep the audience updated round-the-clock.
The minister was also briefed that the PBC was broadcasting special election-specific programmes and equitable coverage to all political parties was being ensured in news bulletins and current affair programmes of the Radio Pakistan. Secretary Information and Broadcasting Syed Anwar Mahmood and PBC Director General Javed Akhtar were also present on the occasion.
PPP rally ‘to change election mood’
RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) public meeting at Liaquat Bagh would bring a change in the election mood.
Addressing a press conference at Liaquat Bagh here on Wednesday, PPP leader Agha Riazul Islam said that a large number of people from different parts of the country would arrive in Rawalpindi to show their devotion to party chairperson Benazir Bhutto.
He claimed that the PPP under the guidance of Benazir Bhutto would clinch 80 per cent of votes in the forthcoming general elections. He said that PPP workers would try to resist rigging in polls.
Agha Riazul Islam said that town nazims were currently
engaged in pre-poll rigging. “Rawal Town Nazim Rashid Shafique is going to election campaigns and asking people to cast their votes in favour of PML-Q,” he claimed. “Some of the former ministers from Rawalpindi are using government machinery for their electioneering,” alleged Riazul Islam.
Responding to a question, he dispelled the impression that the PPP had submitted an application to the district administration for holding a public meeting. “It is our city and Liaquat Bagh belongs to the public. We can hold public meetings anytime,” he said. “As far as the last day’s meeting with the district administration is concerned, we only discussed security concerns with them,” he added.
Security measures finalised for elections
ISLAMABAD:The Islamabad Police, declaring 20 polling stations ‘highly sensitive,’ have planned stringent security measures for the general elections scheduled for January 8.
Talking to ‘The News’ on Wednesday, SSP Syed Kaleem Imam said that 15 polling stations declared sensitive were in the constituency NA-49 (East Sector), while five were in NA-48 (East Sector). “The number of sensitive polling stations could increase during days close to election date,” he added.
“We are confronted with ten challenges during election days. We would meet all challenges without requisitioning any extra forces,” he stated. The SSP said that he would use all available resources to keep law and order in and around the city.
Syed Kaleem Imam said that political parties planning to boycott the general elections could create law and order problems in the capital. “We, however, are negotiating with the leadership of political parties for their cooperation in maintaining peace in election days,” he added.
The SSP said that the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) has been divided into two zones — east and west sectors — under the supervision of two SPs, while two SPs would support them.
The two zones would further be divided into 14 sectors at police station level under the command of sub-divisional police officers (SDPOs) and 28 sub-sectors supervised by inspectors. As many as 3,585 personnel, equipped with weapons, would guard 382 polling stations — 185 in NA-48 and 197 in NA-49. Police would also patrol in sensitive areas.
“According to the last census, the total population of the ICT is 1,022,478. There are 483,714 voters - 240,013 in NA-48 and 243,701 in NA-49. We have to ensure security to all voters,” Syed Kaleem Imam said.
Police would stand by in police stations and they would be ready to face all circumstances, the SSP said and added that rangers could be call in aid to police in case of worsening of law and order situation.
Meanwhile, intelligence agencies have submitted reports to concerned government quarters, expressing apprehensions that terrorist attacks could take place in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and foolproof security measures should be adopted for security of people.
The reports suggested that armed guards should be provided to all candidates without any discrimination, sources told ‘The News.’
Code of conduct for PPP rally finalised
ISLAMABAD: The district government, Rawalpindi, on Tuesday finalised the code of conduct for a public meeting to be addressed by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto at Liaquat Bagh on Thursday.
The code of conduct was finalised during a meeting held here between the representatives of the district government and the local PPP leadership.
An official of the district government said that the security plan and other arrangements were discussed in the meeting.
He said it had been decided that PPP security personnel would provide security cover around the stage while the law enforcement agencies would keep vigil on the occasion.
He said the meeting decided that the central gate of Liaquat Bagh would not be used and instead the party activists would use the other gate to enter the venue.
“No one would be allowed to bring any weapon as there is a strict restriction on use and show of arms,” he said. He said PPP leaders had assured them that they would instruct the party activists not to dismantle or damage any billboard or hoarding installed on the busy roads for commercial purposes.
Boycotters’ voice fades into war of words
ISLAMABAD: The voice of those boycotting the polls has largely drowned in the intense war of words among the contesting parties as the D-Day is approaching fast.
Doubts exist about the efficacy of the calls to the electorate to refrain from casting their ballots on Jan 8. The boycotters are working hard to make the voter turnout extremely low so that the electoral exercise proves to be non-election. They are eying to cash in on the frustration and disenchantment of voters with the government policies and politicians as a whole.
However, the way all the major political players are engaged in powerful campaigning points to a reasonable turnout, if not a very high one. Most boycotters do not possess as much public appeal as the key contesting parties do. The lowest turnout may be in Balochistan because of the boycott by all the nationalist forces.
Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Imran Khan and Mehmood Achakzai are using their arsenal to lambaste those who have chosen to be a part of the elections and are trying to convince the voters that the election would be a futile exercise, heralding no change in the status quo.
But their campaign is not taking off as the one being feverishly carried out by those participating in the elections.
Indications are that the boycotters will try to create hurdles even on the polling day as a prominent Jamaat-e-Islami leader recently told this correspondent that they were not going to just sit at home and watch the process being conducted smoothly. They have a strong impression like many of those taking part in the polls that the new assemblies would not last long and fresh elections would have to be held very soon.
Those who have joined the electoral exercise are coming out with innovative usage, turn of phrase and lexicon to hit their rivals. The main leaders of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PML-Q are resorting to novel expressions to ridicule their opponents, at times, by referring to their election symbols.
There is no dearth of derisory ideas as brainy minds seem working overtime for the chief players to contrive expressions to make digs on their rivals in a bid to shave off othersí support.
The election campaign in Pakistan is no different from similar exercises of the past. It has always been full of invectives and derision, at times, downright hitting below the belt.
The severest of them so far is the Chaudhrys of Gujratís naming of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as a circus lion (his election symbol) whose strings are being pulled by Benazir Bhutto. Somewhat matching this kind of diatribe is Nawazís remark that the "lion" will gobble up "jackals".
The Chaudhrys continue to dub Nawaz and Benazir as looters and plunderers of national wealth. Nawaz has now stated that he, when voted to power, would recover one billion rupees plus loans that the Chaudhrys got written off.
The season of promising moon to the hapless electorate is in full swing. Benazir is out of power for the past 11 years after her two brief stints as the prime minister. Nawaz is in the political wilderness for the last eight years, also following his two terms as the premier. Their performance, how superior and lofty it was, is not in question though their actions are, in the current election campaign.
PPP lambasts EC guidelines for observers
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Wednesday took strong exception to the new guidelines issued by the Election Commission (EC) for foreign observers who intend to visit Pakistan to monitor the elections.
The party claimed that these restrictions clearly exhibited that the government wanted to hide the rigging plan for the January 8 polls from international observers.
Talking to The News on Wednesday, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and Deputy Secretary General PPP, Mian Raza Rabbani, said that three new ingredients of the rigging plan being undertaken by the regime in the January 8 elections had come to light which clearly showed that the regime wanted to discourage international observers from coming to Pakistan. To complicate the procedure and delaying issue of visas are a ploy to keep the foreign observers away from Pakistan to monitor the elections.
He said the 150-page guidelines issued by the EC barred the observers from seeking comments on the spot or from asking questions from the voters present at the polling station.
He said the election staff would have arbitrary power to stop the observers from taking part in activities that in their discretion were detrimental to the smooth flow of polling process.
Under the new guidelines, the observers will not be allowed to make surprise visits to polling stations and they will have to get permission from the respective returning officers and they will also have to inform the respective local governments about the polling stations that they intend to visit.
"These restrictions exhibit that the activities of international observers will be under strict scrutiny by the authorities concerned and monitoring by international observers under such circumstances and limitations and rules, will only be an exercise in futility as no surprise visits to polling stations would be possible," Rabbani said.
He said it had been reported in the press that the Punjab Government of Chief Minister Pervez Elahi had hired 28 retired police officers on contract in violation of the federal government rules and most of these officers had been allowed to work on their previous posts which were strategically important for the elections.
He said the press reports also stated that the contract has been signed on behalf of Governor Punjab and these officers have been appointed on two to three years contract and are presently serving on such important positions amongst other as Additional IG Special Branch, DIG Special Branch.
He said it had been reported in a section of the press that around 45,000 prisoners languishing in 32 jails of the Punjab had applied for postal ballot facility. "This is for the first time that such a large number of prisoners particularly from the province of Punjab have applied for and have been granted the facility of casting their vote through postal ballot and it is obvious that these votes will be cast under duress and in favour of the king's party," he added.
Rabbani said it was also learnt on authority that the postal ballot would be used also for those officers of the polling staff who were away on duty for similar purposes. "It is now evident that under these circumstances free, fair and transparent elections cannot take place," he added.
Shujaat confident of winning majority
ISLAMABAD: President Pakistan Muslim League-Q Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, while emphatically ruling out any chance of poll rigging, claimed on Wednesday that his party would emerge as the single largest party in the January 8 elections.
He said in his assessment the PML-N would win just 4 to 6 seats, as Nawaz Sharif had become a stooge of Ms Bhuttoís PPP.
"I categorically reject the rigging accusations," said an upbeat Shujaat Hussain flanked by PML Secretary-General Mushahid Hussain, Tariq Azim and Imtiaz Ranjha.
In a frank and informal chat over hi-tea arranged at his residence for senior journalists, Ch Shujaat said the PML would bag around 90 to 110 out of the 148 National Assembly seats in the Punjab province alone.
Mushahid Hussain supported his view, though many doubted the party's ability to win as many seats.
The discussion was frank, candid and free in which the journalists bombarded the Chaudhry with all sorts of questions, which he answered with the help of Mushahid Hussain, with brief intervention from Tariq Azim.
"We would not only accept the results of the polls but would also extend our cooperation to whosoever forms the next government," said the elder Chaudhry from Gujrat.
It was Shujaatís first interaction with journalists since the election campaign started some time back, though he does not believe in holding big rallies as he likes to give more time to party candidates. "The under-currents of electioneering this time have undergone a sea change," he said.
While endorsing Mushahid Hussainís new term of three Cs (Candidate, Clan and Constituency), Shujaat said Benazir Bhutto would never be the prime minister because of the legal restrictions on becoming the prime minister for the third-time.
"Had Ms Bhutto been so confident of winning the polls, she would not have put her name on the top of the list of candidates for womenís reserved seats," said Shujaat, adding "Even she withdrew her papers from a Larkana constituency, her home town."
He also said all the major families in the interior Sindh were with the PML-Q and there were shocks in store for Benazir as her party would lose many of its traditional seats in interior Sindh.
Shujaat said the time of attracting voters by holding big rallies in mega cities by the top leadership had ended and now each candidate in each party mattered.
He disagreed with many questions on rigging. ìEverything will be monitored not only by foreign observers but also by the polling agents of each candidate.î
Shujaat said the party candidates had been allowed to make adjustments locally and it would be done in many areas.
He said Ch Aitzaz Ahsan had invited the military to restore the judiciary, while Ms Bhutto had demanded holding of elections under the Army. "What is all this? On the one hand, they oppose the military and, on the other hand, they ask the military to intervene."
Mushahid Hussain said for Ms Bhutto it was a race for "kursi i.e. the power seat" as no leader had disagreed with the policies of the government for 8 years. He said everybody agreed as to what should be the policy post 9/11. "Bhutto hates Sharifs and Sharifs have no love for Bhutto...their cooperation is big bluff," he added.
"The poll surveys conducted and reported in the press are biased, as perhaps these poll surveys are similar to electricity poles," he said.
He laughed off Bhuttoís and Sharifsí claims of winning more than 60 per cent of seats.
"Bhutto is joking with the nation and her bluff would be called off on January 8," said Shujaat.
"We will improve or amend the NRO if we win the polls," said Shujaat, who admitted to be on board on the NRO, which largely washed away the alleged corruption of Bhutto and her stashing away money in foreign banks.
To a question, he said the local governments were almost non-functional and it was his demand to clip the wings of the local bodies. He deplored changing of loyalties by Leaguers like Hina, Hamid, Tareen, Zubaida Jalal and many others in various provinces.
He disagreed with Pemra over putting restrictions on announcement of results. "The private channels should be allowed to announce the results ... we do not subscribe to Pemra thinking."
Mushahid said it was the failure of the media managers of the government that they picked up an unending fight with the media, though it was the PML government which had allowed unprecedented media freedom and opened new channels in the private sector.
Shujaat brushed aside the notion of a US-backed prime minister, as the prime minister would be from the party that bagged the majority seats in the National Assembly.
He, however, partially agreed that mishandling of the judiciary, the press, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and Lal Masjid had put the PML-Q under pressure.
He said ìfalse projections were being made by some TV channels and newspapers against us because we are strong supporters of President Pervez Musharrafî.
He also complained that some TV channels were giving less time to PML-Q as compared to PML-N and PPP.
"I think Nawaz Sharif has given an undertaking not to destabilize Pakistan and he would not disturb the election process," said Mushahid Hussain with regard to the alleged understanding the Sharifs had given to the Saudi King Abdullah before returning home.
On internal party rift and people changing loyalty, Mushahid said it happened in every party as Ms Bhuttoís friend and loyalist Naheed Khan was annoyed over accommodating Hussain Haqqani's wife on reserved seats.
Ch Shujaat said it was the same Haqqani who on behalf of Shahbaz Sharif was involved in preparing fake and objectionable pictures of Ms Bhutto. "I forcibly stopped Haqqani and told him not to do this to a lady," claimed
Shujaat.
All major parties pitted against each other in three constituencies
KARACHI:An interesting election campaign has been launched in the constituencies NA-253, NA-258 and PS-126 comprising areas of Gadap and Gulshan-e-Iqbal towns by candidates of different mainstream national and nationalist parties.
The major activities can be witnessed on the seat of PS-126 where reportedly a total of 26 candidates belonging to different parties and communities are contesting the elections. All the major parties, including PPP, PML-Q, MMA, MQM, ANP and Sindhi nationalists are in the field.
It is the first time that three nationalist parties, including major Awami National Party (ANP), Sindh United Party (SUP), Sindh National Party (SNP) and Siraiki Party have nominated their candidates from this constituency.
Long ago it was the votes bank of Pakistan Peoples Party but later Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal von the seats pushing PPP to be third number and MQM second. But now local activists said PPP had convinced its dissident Abdul Hakim Baloch of Rajooni Ittehad (Community Alliance) candidate and awarded him the party ticket on PS-126. He (Hakim Baloch) had created threats for the PPP as he also filed nominations from NA-258 against his relative PPP’s strong candidate Sher Mohammed Baloch.
Now after joining PPP by Hakim Baloch the situation has become favourable to PPP. Because, Baloch has started contacts with the representatives of Sindhi and Seraiki nationalists, SUP Chairman Jalal Mahmood Shah, SNP leader Amir Bhambhro and Serakis. SNP Chairman Bhambhro himself filed the nomination from the same constituency.
Hakim Baloch is sure that if Sindhi nationalists do not withdraw their votes can be divided, which definitely will affect the votes of PPP candidate, who is naturally a local and deserving parliamentarian.
According to close friends and supporters of Hakim Baloch he has successfully negotiated with Jalal Mahmood Shah, Amir Bhambhto, and local independent candidates, especially Kkaskheli Ittehad. But practically they could announce yet to withdraw in favour of the PPP candidate.
Some local analysts believe that Sindhi nationalists are natural foe of the PPP since late GM Syed was defeated by PPP candidate in his own constituency in Sun, Dadu district and he lost his hope on the electoral process. Later, GM Syed introduced a theory that the election is not the proper way to work for the well being of Sindhi people.
However, PPP position at NA-253 where PPP’s Syed Faisal Reza Abidi is contesting and NA-258 of winning candidate Sher Mohammed Baloch is good.
Local activists said MMA’s Assadullah Bhutto, hailing from Sukkur district won from this seat because he got votes of the local people. Now the PPP is hopeful to win the seat but it has to do more work in these areas, contacting influential communities.
They said Pukhton votes will go to ANP; Punjabi votes will be divided into PML-Q and MMA. Similarly Urdu-speaking votes will go to MQM and MMA.
ANP, JUI make more seat adjustments
KARACHI: Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) have decided to support unanimous candidates of both the parties as they reached seat adjustment on six seats, that is two national assembly seats and four provincial assembly seats, this was announced in a statement on Wednesday.
This was decided in a meeting held at the office of the ANP Sindh President, Shahi Syed, in which Qari Mohammed Usman, Amin Khattak, Mohammed Aslam Ghauri and Maulana Hamadullah were also present.
Qari Mohammed Usman (JUI) for NA 239, Zarbali Syed (ANP) for NA 241, Maulana Umar Sadiq (JUI) for PS 90, Hafiz Mohammed Naeem (JUI) for PS 91, Ameer Nawab Khan (ANP) for PS 93 and Maulana Rashid Ali (JUI) for PS 94 are the unanimously selected candidates for both the parties.
Both the allied parties have appealed to their activists to support these candidates in the election.
MQM intends to induct own chief minister
KARACHI: If Muttahida achieves maximum number of seats and forms coalition government after general elections-2008 then the party can have its chief minister in Sindh, as in the past the person who had only one vote happened to be the chief minister of the province.
These views were expressed by the MQM candidates contesting from PS-90 (Ashfaq Mangi), NA-240 (Khawaja Sohail Mansoor), NA-239 (K S Mujahid Baloch), PS-89 (Sheikh Mohammed Feroz) and PS-91 (Mohammed Hanif Sehikh) and Abdul Haseeb while informally talking to journalists at a local hotel on Wednesday.
They said that after gaining victory in the coming polls Muttahida would serve the 98 percent people of the country with a new determination.
These candidates also talked about the problems of Pak Colony, Baldia Town, Keamri, Saeedabad, Machhar Colony, Jackson, SITE, etc.
Replying to a question, K S Mujahid Baloch said that after forming coalition government the MQM would try to lift ban on jobs which remained imposed for more than 20 years, adding that this has rendered thousands of youth jobless.
“We would also try to give these youth age relaxation so that these graduates could get government jobs,” they said, adding: “Though the government cannot accommodate all the youths, we will try to place them on private jobs.”
To another query, they said MQM chief Altaf Hussain has already announced a policy to curb street crime as well as suggesting a strong legislation for the purpose.
“We are contesting to serve the 98 percent people of the country and will leave no stone unturned to resolve their problems,” they said.
These candidates said that the people would now reject those who did not serve them, “but this time masses would use their franchise for those who had resolved their problems which were pending for the last 60 years”.
These candidates said that Muttahida had done a great job for the people of Karachi which was evident from all the development works carried out by the present city government.
Replying to another question, they said: “Muttahida is against the feudal lord system as MQM always talks for the middleclass people and this message has now been sent all over Sindh; people now think that it is the only party that takes their problems seriously”.
They further said that masses have now realized that previously PPP and PML (N) had asked the people for votes on “fake and hollow” slogans and they failed to solve the problems of the people, “but now Muttahida will get votes on the basis of its performance”.
Referring to price hike, these candidates said: “This matter can only be tackled after you provide jobs to the people and if it is not possible then provide them easy loans so that they can run their own businesses”.
On a query Ashfaq Mangi said: “Yes these feudal lords would never like to see a middleclass person sitting in parliament; and this has only been done by Altaf Bhai”.
Referring to Orangi Town, Muhammed Feroze said that the problems of lease would be resolved once the party comes to power.
K S Muhjahid Baloch said when he was local body minister in 1985 he gave age relaxation in jobs.
APDM prepares for Nishtar Park public meeting on 30th
KARACHI: The All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) has geared up its preparations to hold a public meeting and observe other arrangements in the city to motivate the citizens to publicly boycott the general elections to be held on January 8, 2008.
The APDM’s public meeting to be held at Nishtar Park on December 30 at 3pm is likely to be addressed by Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Qazi Hussain Ahmad; Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf leader, Imran Khan; Mahmood Khan Achakzai, and other leaders of the APDM.
The activists of component political parties of APDM have launched a door-to-door campaign to massively invite inhabitants of the city to participate in the meeting. Special enclosures have been set-up to accommodate women participants of the public meeting.
The public contact campaign is focusing on misdeeds and ill-conceived policies of President Pervez Musharraf-led government, which could not provide a level playing field and conducive environment for all the pro-democracy forces to participate in the general elections without any fear or apprehension.
Meanwhile, the Jamaat-e-Islami as part of the APDM has started distributing undertaking forms on massive scale among dwellers of Karachi eliciting their commitment to boycott the January 8, 2008 general polls.
PPP links new restrictions with rigging
KARACHI: Restrictions on international observers coming to Pakistan to monitor general election-2008, rehiring of 28 police officers in Punjab and postal ballet facility for 45,000 prisoners from 32 Punjab jails are the new ingredients of the rigging plan of the government for upcoming polls.
PPP leader and Leader of Opposition in Senate Raza Rabbani stated this on Tuesday, adding that the steps being taken by the regime make it evident that fair and free elections could not be held in these circumstances.
Raza Rabbani stated that the delay in issuing visas to international observers indicates that the 150-page guidelines, issued by the Election Commission for foreign observers, constitute a violation of the Constitution. He said that these observers would be barred from seeking on-the-spot comments or asking questions from the voters at polling stations, adding, the observers would not be allowed to conduct surprise visits at polling stations without the permission of returning officers concerned.
Quoting reports, Raza Rabbani said that the rehiring of 28 police officers by the Punjab government would be a clear violation of the rules. He said that 45,000 inmates of 32 Punjab prisons had applied for postal ballet facility in the coming election. “Obviously these prisoners would be casting their votes under duress and in favour of king’s party,” he added.
PML-Q asks MQM for seat adjustment
KARACHI: PML-Q President, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, has asked the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for seat adjustment of their candidate Tariq Hasan contesting from PS 90 (Baldia) where MQM has also fielded Ashfaq Mangi, former adviser to Sindh Chief Minister.
MQM Rabita Committee deputy convener, Dr Farooq Sattar, disclosed this to The News and said MQM had not taken any decision in this regard as yet as it seemed very difficult that MQM might withdraw its candidate.
Dr Sattar further said that adjustment with PML-Q had already been announced at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, where he said everything had been clarified.
SKAA officials suspended: Caretaker Sindh Minister for Local Government, Katchi Abadis and Spatial Development, Syed Saleem Ahmed Zaidi, has issued orders for suspending Director General Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority (SKAA), Ali Ahmed Lund, and Director Karachi Field Office SKAA, Dr Asghar Shaikh, on charges of corruption, inefficiency and issuance of fake leases.
He has also ordered an impartial inquiry into the matters of the SKAA so as to ascertain the facts regarding working of the authority.
Pervaiz Elahi, Mushahid to visit Sindh from Jan 1
KARACHI:Former Sindh chief minister, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, on Wednesday said Secretary General, Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q), Senator Mushahid Hussain, and former Punjab Chief Minister, Pervaiz Elahi, will be visiting Sindh from January 1, 2008 and address a public gathering in Mitthi.
Addressing a press conference at PML-Q election cell here, the central leaders of PML-Q will not hold political meetings with influential political leaders in Sindh but would also play their role in boosting the morale of party workers and candidates, contesting the 2008 polls.
He claimed that in 2002 general elections, PML-Q secured some 11-12 provincial and 8 national assembly seats from Sindh but in these polls, its seats would swell to four times.
He said PML-Q and its former coalition partners were still united even after expiry of their government’s term and yesterday’s seat adjustments with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and other parties proved opponents’ propaganda wrong that they will never unite again.
Bitterly criticising Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto, he charged that she only comes to Pakistan at times of general elections and if his party manages enough seats to form the government, she stays in Pakistan, otherwise she leaves.
PML-Q Sindh President claimed that PPP had lost popularity in Sindh as its public gatherings had no attraction for people of Sindh and added that PML-Q will end PPP’s Sindh card in these polls for once and for all.
“Benazir calls herself a Sindhi but everybody knows that she can’t even speak Urdu as well as Sindhi languages fluently”, he observed.
He claimed that PPP candidate from Khairpur district Manzoor Wassan sought PML-Q help against PML-F candidate but the party refused as PML-F is an ally of the PML-Q.
Arbab Ghulam Rahim claimed that owing to development works carried out by his provincial government in Tharparkar district, people had stopped moving away from their homes and now they were being provided jobs and other means of livelihood.
Other PML-Q leaders including Malik Ayyaz and PML-Q Sindh Women Wing leader Bano Sagheer Siddiqui were also present on the occasion.
SHC allows PPP’s Zulfiqar Mirza to contest polls
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) set aside the Election Tribunal’s order on Wednesday and allowed Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza to contest the January 8 general elections.
Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza, who was disqualified by the SHC’s Election Tribunal from contesting election for National Assembly seat NA-225 and provincial assembly constituency PS-57 Badin, asked the court to allow him to contest the general elections.
It was contended that the Election Tribunal had dismissed the appeals against the acceptance of his wife Dr. Fahmida Mirza’s papers from the same constituencies while ruling out default allegation against her, but the appeals against him on the same ground were allowed and he was disqualified from contesting the polls.
He contended that he was not an absconder from the court of law and was on bail in the murder case pertaining to former Steel Mills Chairman Sajjad Hussain.
Three-member SHC bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Afzal Soomro, Justice Mrs. Qaiser Iqbal and Justice Syed Mehmood Alam Rizvi, after hearing the case, set aside the ET order and directed the Election Commission to allow Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza to contest the polls.
The same bench had also dismissed the petitions filed by Shujaat Ali Shah against the acceptance of nomination papers of PPP leader Dr. Fahmida Mirz from the abovementioned constituencies.
Meanwhile, the court reserved judgments on five appeals filed by Mrs. Fahmida Mirza and Mirza Sohail Akbar against former provincial minister Syed Ali Bux Shah and his wife Bibi Yasmeen from NA-225 and PS-57 Badin. The petitioners alleged that the respondents were not graduates and they produced fake degrees before the returning officers. The court was prayed to disqualify them from contesting the polls.
PPP to clean sweep polls: Amin Fahim
HASILPUR: Despite expressing reservations over fair elections, Pakistan Peopleís Party Vice-Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim has claimed that his party would make a clean sweep in the Jan 8 polls.
Talking to Online at his residence, he expressed the confidence that his party would make a clean sweep in the upcoming elections if they were held in a transparent manner, which seems to be difficult in the present circumstances. But he said his party was participating in the election as a protest.
Criticising the Chaudhry brothers for looting the national exchequer, he said the people with the power of vote would inflict a humiliating defeat on the PML-Q on Jan 8 and the Chaudhry brothers would get no place to hide.
Fahim said the PML-Q candidates were running their election campaign with the full support of the administration.
Slamming the chief election commissioner for his biased role in dealing with reservations of political parties, he said no attention was paid to their complaints.
He claimed that the massive participation in public gatherings of Benazir Bhutto reflected the victory of the PPP in the upcoming polls.
Commenting on the participation of PML-Q candidates in polls as independent candidates, the PPP vice-chairman said it showed they lacked confidence in their party leadership and proved that the PML-Q had no roots in the people.
PPP worker wounded in Rawalpindi
ISLAMABAD: Unknown gunmen shot and injured a worker of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Ghani-ur-Rehman, when he was pasting banners of a PPP candidate from Islamabad NA-48, Dr Israr Shah, in Sector G-9/2 on Tuesday night, police said. Ghani-ur-Rehman told the Margalla Police that he was pasting posters of his candidate in Sector G-9/2 when some gunmen riding a blue jeep started firing at him and fled.
PPP activists stage demo after attack on rally
SUKKUR: Hundreds of PPP activists staged a demonstration and sit-in at the Thull police station on Wednesday, following firing upon a rally of PPP candidate for PS-15 Mir Hassan Khoso. Sources said the supporters of the PML-Q candidate for the same constituency, Dr Suhrab Sarki, allegedly opened fire upon Khoso and his supporters when their rally reached near the camp of Dr Sarki. The fire was returned by the guards of Khoso and his party workers. In the meantime, a large contingent of police rushed to the scene and tried to arrest the PPP workers but failed to do so. Later, Khoso told newsmen that Dr Sarki had become confused and resorted to negative tactics and even tried to kill him, as he had foreseen his defeat. But Dr Sarki dismissed the allegation. He said Khoso, along with hundreds of his supporters, had come to attack his camp and they opened fire, which was returned by his men.
PML-N AJK after polls
ISLAMABAD: Chairman PML-N, Raja Zafar-ul-Haq has said that PML-N would be established in AJK soon after the January 8 elections in the country. He expressed these views on Wednesday after a meeting with President of PeopleÕs Muslim League (PML AJK) Barrister Sultan Mehmood and his party workers. The PML-N chairman lauded and thanked Barrister Sultan Mehmood to formally join PML-N adding his participation will have a positive impact on the region. He said the interests of Pakistan and AJK were same and new government would try to resolve the Kashmir conflict according to wishes of the people.
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