Credit goes to PTI....

I thought in 2013 that we are in new Pakistan already, except a few things such as politics of agitation and refusing to respect others' mandate. I think we have lost that new Pakistan because of the factors mentioned above. Sad, but it seems true. We are now back in 1990s or some say in 1970s.

Credit for the new Pakistan of 2013 went to PTI, credit of where do we stand today (that a very old Pakistan) again goes to PTI for their contradictory actions, statements, stances, and behavior. In 2013 PTI was a hope but turned out to be a regret in 2018. What the PTI politics has done is a great damage in terms of wasting an opportunity to bring the change it once stood for. The PTI politics only allowed PML-N to play victim card and re-emerge as a popular political party. If somebody says today that PTI has actually strengthened the PML-N in the last 4, 5 years, I'd agree with the person.

If one does not agree with the written above then what are the reasons for arm twisting of PML-N candidates? Why are people worried so much about return of NS? Why are people concerned about the protests and unrest of July 13, the announced day of return of NS?

And NS et al. are in a strange position when returning back home. If the protest/rallies turn into unwanted violent events and the political unrest translates into violence this might give the hidden hand a chance to postpone the elections.... 

If hidden hands have actually played the cards, they've put NS and team to test here. To protest or not to protest is the question for them, since they wouldn't want the postponement of elections. 

In my personal opinion NS et al. should protest on streets to an extent that it does not result in chaos, and still helps them winning the highest number of seats in National Assembly (simple majority seems difficult).

NEPRA blames network failure for outages

The increase in loadshedding even during Sehr and Iftar has not gone unnoticed as the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has taken up the matter against the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), blaming it for not addressing systemic bottlenecks despite large investments authorised by the regulator.
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To ensure that nobody faced electricity outages, the previous government announced two shifts of uninterrupted power supply. The first, a three-hour period during Sehr time, and the second, a four-hour shift starting at Iftar and ending after Taraveeh. The policy, according to the government, would be extended to even those areas that had more than 80pc in losses. All industrial consumers were asked to adjust their labour shifts accordingly.

The plan worked well for the first few days and the power division declared that it had even restored full supply to one category of industrial consumers as there was sufficient power generation.

However, some major cities began to witness extended periods of loadshedding, besides unscheduled power cuts that continued regardless. The authorities said that constraints in the system had appeared as power generation from the south of the country had been moved to the north as hydropower generation had dropped due to water shortage.
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The power regulator on Friday said it was worried over the increase in loadshedding in the country and found that the overloaded grid stations of the NTDC werethe underlying cause of the breakdowns.
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The regulator had previously taken notice of the failures of the NTDC and had directed the system operator on Nov 20, 2017 to resolve the issue of overloaded grid stations.

However, the issues with the NTDC`s network remain unsettled. Problems may be further aggravated over the next few months given the increased demand over July and August if immediate measures are not taken, the regulator said. It directed the NTDC to prepare and implement a plan for eliminating overloading and network problems.
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Complete news at: https://epaper.dawn.com/DetailImage.php?StoryImage=09_06_2018_016_003

PM orders cut in power sector losses

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According to the ministry, the country`s power generation capacity increased substantially but the power system was not improved proportionately that required a massive investment for upgrade. It also reported that the transmission and distribution system was still fragile and susceptible to minor variations in frequency and unusual events.
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As such, the more electricity is produced, transmitted and consumed, the bigger becomes the size of circular debt. At 15,000MW power generation, the circular debt was building at the rate of about Rs120 billion, while it is now set to grow to Rs360bn as generation gets closer to 21,000MW.
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It was reported that compared to 18,753MW in 2013, the current available generation capacity currently stood at 28,704MW. However, due to weather conditions and the resultant reduced water supply, hydel generation in May this year remained at 3,090MW, compared to 6,333Mw in 2015.
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Complete news at: https://epaper.dawn.com/DetailImage.php?StoryImage=06_06_2018_016_005

Should the PTI continue to grieve over ‘stolen’ seats? DAWN Blog

“One cannot lose if he does not accept defeat ... and in PTI’s dictionary, defeat does not exist.”

Imran Khan said to his supporters in Lahore on October 4th, while other PTI leaders standing behind him softly chuckled.

In the context of a democratic election, does this statement hold true?

Despite the rhetoric, on Sunday, by a close margin of 4,031 PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq held his seat against PTI’s Aleem Khan in NA-122.

In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, a satirical allegory on Russian totalitarianism, lead character Napoleon plays to the base needs of his followers who chant, “Napoleon is always right.” They are told to envision a utopia, where there would be no corruption and equality amongst the classes. But goals promised are never truly defined nor real solutions offered.

It becomes a dangerous thing when citizens fail to ask tough questions, developing a cult of personality following to their leader. Ultimately, left unchecked, Napoleon becomes a tyrant worse than the original leaders of Animal Farm.

Khan also promotes a utopia: a corruption free Naya Pakistan. During his rallies, he rouses his young followers with catchy slogans and lofty promises (and here and there makes some unconstitutional demands).

In between each promise made, a neutered version of the unruly Gullu Butt, a tame DJ Butt, plays a carefully synchronised song. The crowds are encouraged to chant and dance, before having much opportunity to reflect on what was said.

Playing upon religious and historical references of purana Pakistan’s founders Quaid-e-Azam and spiritual head Allama Iqbal, Khan urges for a more “Islamic” and idealistic state; a state that prides itself in the stern implementation of justice.

But, is there justice in this dystopia for women killed in honour killings, for minorities deprived of religious freedoms, or millions of childrenenslaved in forced labour? No.

The party’s leadership does not rally in the streets to end these injustices. Justice is also not reserved for those killed by the Taliban. Khan has advocated forgiveness and talks as the solution, even after the horrifying APS school attack.

The stern justice he wishes to unleash is preoccupied with seizing the power of the rulers. Like the revolutionaries in Animal Farm what the advocates of a Naya Pakistan may not have realised is that in Celebrity Khan’s idyllic new world, “naya” soon means old and “justice” ultimately means to usurp the country’s democracy.

Khan’s politics of agitation, allegations of rigging, and long marches are nothing new for Pakistan.

Had he and Tahirul Qadri been successful in overthrowing the government (and system) it would’ve proven a dangerous transition back to the real status quo in Pakistan, in which a weak democracy is usurped by a military dictatorship. This has been the case for nearly half of the nation’s short history.

In one of his recent press conferences, Imran Khan openly invited the armyto conduct operations to “cleanse the nation” referring not to terror groups up in arms against the country, but to politicians.

And if one had any doubts after he pleaded with a third umpire to raise his finger and meddle into political affairs, over 20,000 costly posters covered the streets of Lahore, propagating candidate Aleem Khan alongside General Raheel Sharif. It is a stark reminder to the haunting posters, not yet forgotten, of Nawaz Sharif alongside General Zia.

The verdict by Justice Kazim Malik for NA-122, ruled for re-elections based on irregularities but cleared Sadiq Ayaz, or the PML-N, of any wrongdoing. This was widely celebrated as a victory for the PTI by its supporters.

The judicial commission’s report also laid to rest any allegations of systematic rigging. But this has not stopped the PTI’s continued cries of a stolen mandate by the ruling party PML-N.

Can the PTI continue to say their mandate has been stolen, when they have lost many by-elections to various parties oftentimes failing to retrieve even the same vote bank they had in the “rigged” 2013 elections?

A celebration would make sense had the PTI won the re-election for NA-122 but they now face another loss to Sadiq Ayaz.

In 2002, in the same constituency, Imran Khan had lost to Ayaz Sadiq by a substantial margin of 18,893 votes.

Similarly in 1997, when both he and Imran Khan were running under the banner of the PTI, both losing to PML-N candidates, Sadiq still received more votes than the widely popular Khan.

In the 2013 General Elections, Sadiq won against Khan by a margin of 8,945 votes. An audit of the votes later confirmed Sadiq’s win. The audit report found 3,642 invalid votes and 180,000 verified votes, which included 23,639 votes missing signatures of presiding officers and/or stamps but were otherwise ordained as verified and legitimate votes by the commission.

These were referred to repeatedly as “bogus” votes by the PTI, although this is not what the report claimed. (Had they been declared bogus, it would constitute approximately 17 per cent of the total votes, leaving 83 per cent as valid.)

The soft spoken Sadiq not only seems to have a sustained mandate throughout the years in his constituency, but has also earned the confidence of his fellow parliamentarians who voted him speaker of the house with a majority of 258 out of 313 votes. Still, the PTI put up a considerable fight and the gap is getting tighter.

Aleem Khan fared better than Imran Khan against Sadiq and, had he won it, would have been a big blow to the ruling PML-N party.

Like a cruel joke for a country used to seeing it’s elected officials sacked by military rulers, Sadiq was the third National Assembly speaker to be de-seated.

Still, Imran Khan continued to ask for a more “entertaining match”, as he wished to be competing against Nawaz Sharif, not Sadiq.

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But one must ask, considering Pakistan’s fragile democracy, its current war against terrorism, and a population suffering from poverty, is there room for a never ending cycle of “entertaining” (yet very expensive) election matches, which may be toying with the mandate of the people?

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Could all that money and time be better spent on education and alleviating poverty?

For a party claiming the country’s fight against rotten apples as its very own, controversial Aleem Khan was an unlikely choice for an important reelection which serves as a decisive battle for the PTI. Having a notorious reputation of being part of the land mafia, it is clear he was not picked on merit as much as on the fact that he is one of the biggest donors to PTI.

In an alarming social media message defending his decision, Imran Khan silenced dissent, calling those not in favour of the appointment of Aleem Khan as Trojan horses and the “worst of enemies” of the PTI.

As the popular saying goes, be cautious when you are promised too much too soon. Would Aleem Khan being elected into Parliament, the same onePTI once referred to as fake, really bring back Ibn Khaldun’s glory daysand would Imran Khan’s Prime Ministership bring about the emergence of a Pakistani Caliphate? Probably not.

Imran Khan often says he has everything, but the one thing he has never had is power. That is the one of the greatest lusts of man which he is now seeking. At the rally on October 4th he even alluded to the “patience” with which he has been waiting for it. Such lust can corrupt the very best of us.

Hence, PTI supporters must be open to criticism of their leadership, engage in critical thinking, and demand better decision making.

Shouldn’t they demand Khan apologise to his own followers first and foremost that much of his allegations about systematic rigging simply didn’t prove to be true?

The Judicial Commission categorically declared Pakistan’s 2013 General Elections, “...in accordance with the law,” as well as “a true and fair reflection of the mandate given by the electorate.”

Pakistan’s May 2013 elections were also monitored by over 40,000 independent observers. Such is the protocol in fragile democracies to settle cries of rigging and to offer much needed legitimacy to elections. Along with the country’s most esteemed judges comprising the Judicial Commision, that Imran Khan himself praised, these independent organisations saw no evidence of systematic rigging.

There was consensus that the irregularities found were largely due to human error and not on a large enough scale to deem the election not transparent. Unfortunately irregularities to some degree even exist in the elections of the most stable and oldest of democracies, including that of the United States.

Yet, remarkably, mesmerising Khan has managed to continue the rhetoric that massive rigging took place. Is it that hard to fathom that the then bedridden Imran Khan did not win the elections of 2013? Even if he were certain of his loss, would he not accept defeat anyway?

If the PTI is to be a formidable force for much needed change in the country, it’s up to its promising wide-eyed followers to take lead of their party, hold its own leadership accountable, and not buy into rhetoric when it ceases to make sense.

In the meantime, we can at least thank the PTI for pressurising the ruling PML-N party into action.

Pulished at: http://www.dawn.com/news/1212602/should-the-pti-continue-to-grieve-over-stolen-seats

Imran Khan as CEC Pakistan

THERE is one man who is fit to take the office of the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, and that person is Mr. Imran Khan. He works day and night to ensure impartial elections in Pakistan. He wants recounting after recounting after recounting in almost every constituency, in which his party loses an election. He wants re-elections in almost every constituency in which his party loses — just to ensure that Pakistan gets rid of rigging.

I hope, the government of Pakistan will offer him the post of the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan. In that way, Mr. Khan can save millions of rupees that he pays to D.J. Butt. He can also save his time consumed in protesting against rigged elections.

The government would then also be able to save public property from wild youths who want to damage it — like the office of PTV.

More interesting, Mr. Khan would be able to supervise all the returning officers, and he would be able to recount votes at any time in constituencies in which his party would lose the elections. And then Mr Khan would be finally satisfied.

If this is not done, then the people should be ready that for the next three years Islamabad will see nothing but parties and dances protesting against rigging in elections, and D. J. Butt would be making millions of rupees in profit.

Bashaam Bachani

Tando Allahyar

Published in Dawn, October 15th , 2015

http://www.dawn.com/news/1213108/imran-as-cec

This is New Pakistan, already!!

Pakistan has changed, many still need to realize the fact. In last 6, 7 years people of Pakistan have become more aware of their rights and country politics than before. Huge turnout in 2013 elections is another indication of change. PTI has stood first or second in many constituencies, highlighting a significant change in Pakistan. We are now living in New Pakistan where voter can throw the people out if they do not perform. PTI holds most of the credit for this change. These elections are success for PTI. Common PTI supporter just need to realize this. IK never defined the change as 'Govt of PTI'. I think IK is satisfied with his and his party's performance. First time voters should now show maturity; one cannot win majority right away (that too without any record of running a govt.); it takes time.

As PTI has emerged as a bigger party than veterans like MQM, JI, PML-Q et al, PTI should show more maturity, stop wasting their energies and should move on. They are now in a position to spread the effect of change. PTI is in parliament now with significant no. of seats. They should have made strategies to make alliances with other opposition parties right after the trend of the results was out. They have not made any single such move after elections, which shows lack of preparations and maturity on PTI's part. Inexperience and lack of maturity is one of the reasons PTI could not get majority in center. They should not waste their energies in lesser important issues like 'Saad Rafiq ko maza chakhana hai', 'Saad Rafiq enter kyun hua khawateen ki side per?' If certain ppl have issues, they should move to courts and not occupy streets.

PTI and PML-N should now think for Pakistan and start respecting each others' mandate. NS has already shown maturity by saying 'aap nay mujhe gaali di, main nay aap ko muaaf kia. aayein table per baithein aur muzaakraat karein'. NS has also said that it is PTI's right to form Govt in KP. In center, PTI can now cash in and discuss a formula with PML-N. PTI can demand ministry of foreign affairs and a couple of relevant ministries that can improve image of Pakistan. If PML-N does not agree, sit in opposition and try to capture the seat of Opposition Leader, Head of Public Accounts Committee, Head Kashmir Committee. In KP PTI can offer PML-N to join them in Govt. I wish PML-N allows PTI to run the province as they like.

Mature moves from PTI are still awaited. Party leadership should stand up, accept the results as PPPP, ANP, MQM etc. have done. PTI leadership should take immediate steps so that they can play effective role in Pakistani politics. They should thank their supporters and ask them to be patient for a while. Elections campaigns can be run with emotions, a country/province cannot be run this way. Patience, maturity and calmness are required skills to run state affairs. Supporters should allow the leadership to focus on bigger issues. Handle the rigging issues through courts or EC.

There are certain old things in our New Pakistan. One of them is not respecting the mandate given to others, a tradition of 1990s. Todays this type of agitational politics damages party's image. Parties might lose their voters if they keep doing street/propaganda politics only. 

New Provinces in Pakistan?

These days almost all political parties of Pakistan are talking about the need to divide existing provinces for one reason or the other. Every party has its own interests in this cause; some would like to avoid division on linguistic or ethnic basis and others would like to exploit the two bases, some would like to increase the representation of current Punjab, in Senate, from 25 to 40, some would like to appoint one of their leaders as a CM of a new province, some would do it to protect rights of the people of ignored/underprivileged Punjab. Whatever the reason be, most of the parties agree to have more provinces.

This is encouraging that we realize the need for new provinces. The desire to have more provinces should be inspired by administrative reasons and not by any other reason. All other reasons will give birth to a new problem of having boundaries for each province.

Pakistan already has around 25 administrative divisions. An administrative division is the next tier of government after a province. Why not make each Division a Province? Since all divisions are administrative, the new provinces will be made purely on administrative basis. I feel that the proposal of promoting each division to a province can serve as a litmus test for the parties who are serious in their demand for new province. Their seriousness in demands for new province will be in doubt if the parties who still want to have Saraikistan, BJP, or South Punjab but do not like to have a Division as a Province. This should also make those happy who want to divide Punjab and those who want to divide Sindh.

There can be reasons to disagree with the suggestion; for example legislative issues, new buildings for assemblies, high courts etc. But there will be legislative issues whenever we want to have a new province. Since each division has basic infrastructure already in place, I feel that there is very little need to build brand new buildings. Existing buildings can be used for the time being and new ones can be built overtime.

Promoting a Division to a Province can resolve many administrative as well as political issues. There will be no conflicts in demarcation of provincial boundaries. This system will allow people to have their representative at a relatively smaller area. This will end the debate of giving rights to south Punjab or rural Sindh. This approach to have new provinces has no linguistic or ethnic reasons. Hopefully, this will end the dirty politics of fooling people and exploiting their sentiments on the basis of their association with a locality. This tier of government is a middle tier between the local government and current provincial government. These new provinces will reduce the gap between the two tiers of the government. Also, this approach to create more provinces is more proactive than reactive.

Authoritarianism or Democracy?

ZULFIKAR Ali Bhutto waged a long and hard struggle against Ayub Khan’s dictatorship. In retrospect one might say that, left to his own devices, he too would have opted for one-man rule — that is, his own. As head of the government he suffered democratic institutions and processes to the extent that he did for want of an option. He wanted his writ to prevail not only at the centre but in all of the provinces, and to that end he got rid of the NAP-JUI governments in Balochistan and NWFP, imprisoned their leaders, and manipulated the remaining local politicians so as to form PPP governments in these provinces. He had little tolerance for opponents or dissidents. I can think of none among them who did not end up in prison. But intolerance of the opposition was not something that Mr Bhutto had invented. It had been the order of the day before him and it did not cease with his departure from the nation’s political scene. Going beyond Ziaul Haq’s military dictatorship, we see that Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif instituted bogus criminal cases against each other and imprisoned each other and associates during their respective tenures as prime minister. Following their return from periods of exile abroad in 2007, they admitted their past “mistake”, and promised never to persecute their opponents again. We cannot say what Benazir would have done with this promise, for she died in December 2007. After the elections on Feb 18, 2008 her party formed the government at the centre and in Sindh and entered ruling coalitions in Balochistan and the NWFP. PML-N put together a coalition, including some PPP notables, to form the government in Punjab with Mr Shahbaz Sharif at its head. True to its tradition, the PPP could not accept the fact that another party had come to dominate the government in Punjab. Party stalwarts , spurred on by Governor Salmaan Taseer, worked to dislodge it. Then the wheel of fortune turned in their favour: the Supreme Court found the Sharif brothers to be ineligible to hold public office. Consequently, Shahbaz Sharif ceased to be a member of the Punjab Assembly and chief minister. The normal procedure in this situation would have been for the governor to summon the provincial assembly to elect a new chief minister. Instead, governor’s rule was imposed on the province. Leaders of several political parties and many other observers have condemned Mr Taseer’s action as improper. Mr Nawaz Sharif has called it an unconstitutional and unlawful act and asked civil servants and policemen not to obey the resulting government’s orders. He has also called upon the people to come out on the streets to protest and agitate against the Zardari regime. The people in fair numbers are coming out and a mass movement appears to be taking shape. The governor on his part showed no signs of relenting. Within minutes of taking charge he replaced the chief secretary and the inspector general of police with officers of his choice, He locked the entrances to the provincial assembly to prevent members from meeting, and they along with the speaker, have been holding sessions outside on the building’s steps and adjoining grounds. Mr Zardari’s government seems to be assuming that the people marching on the streets will get tired in a few days and go home. This may or may not happen. Mass movements have come and gone but some of them have persisted until their ends were achieved: for instance the anti-Ayub movement (1967-69); Sheikh Mujibur Rehman’s autonomy movement in East Pakistan (1969-71); anti-Bhutto movement (1977); Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (went on for several years to oust Ziaul Haq but fizzled out before his death); and the anti-Musharraf movement (2007-08). Mr Taseer’s partisans told us that governor’s rule was a temporary expedient, and that the assembly would soon be called to elect a new chief minister. The intervening period would give the PPP managers time to do a bit of horse-trading and put together a majority in the assembly and form the next government. That may happen but it will not necessarily bring public tranquillity to Punjab. It will probably be said that the PPP has taken power through crooked manipulation, that it is an expression of Mr Zardari’s unbounded and unprincipled pursuit of power, and that it does not mean well for Pakistan. Professions of peace on the part of those who sponsor mass movements may be sincere. Our experience shows that when people in large numbers come out on the streets they will not remain content with chanting endearing slogans. Orators will use their way with words, highs and lows of voice and body language to arouse them and call them to action. They will then set private cars and buses on fire, break windows and plunder stores, clash with the police, kill and get killed. Supporters of the present government brand Nawaz Sharif’s protest movement as the politics of confrontation that is liable to strain the country’s fragile democracy beyond endurance. This is specious reasoning. People protesting on the streets are a part of the democratic tradition. They are a needed warning to rulers that they cannot get away with arbitrariness and usurpation of the citizen’s fundamental rights. There are times when it is beyond the government’s capability to meet the protesters’ demand. That is not the case in Pakistan at this time. Reinstatement of Iftikhar Chaudhry, the deposed chief justice of Pakistan, along with the related issue of judicial independence, is the principal objective of the lawyers’ movement and their intended long march. The same objective informs the PML-N’s plan for a protest movement. Mr Nawaz Sharif says he will call off his movement if Justice Chaudhry is reinstated. It is thus open to Mr Zardari’s government to reinstate the gentleman, send the protesters home and return our city streets to peace and tranquillity. It is possible that Mr Zardari’s personal pride and stubbornness are keeping his government from making this simple move to resolve the current crisis. If that is indeed the case, it is an awful shame that this government has chosen to keep the country in turmoil merely to appease a single individual’s ego, even if he be the president of Pakistan. The writer, professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, is a visiting professor at the Lahore School of Economics.

EMAIL

anwars@lahoreschool.edu.pk Source: http://epaper.dawn.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=08_03_2009_006_017&typ=0

A Series of Black Days

History of my country is filled with many black days, but the very recent ones have left me stunned, speechless and hopeless to some extent. The most recent black days are February 25, 2009 and March 03, 2009.

On Feb 25, a provincial assembly was holding its meeting and the governor of the province intervened by suspending the assembly on the orders of the head of the state. The point to be noted here is that the head of the state is co-chairman of a party which claims itself a custodian of democracy in Pakistan, projects itself as the largest party in Pakistan, preaches nothing but democracy, claims to have sacrificed for democracy more than once, and blah blah... The head of the state ignores the ongoing meeting of the provincial assembly, in which a new leader of the house was about to be selected, and orders the imposition of the Governor Rule in Punjab. The reason mentioned for this act was that the provincial government cannot be run constitutionally at this point in time. Which is not less than a joke, since the elected assembly was holding its meeting and the custodian of the house i.e. the Speaker had called for the next meeting as well. A few reasons for the imposition of the governor rule are obvious and a few are still hidden.One obvious reason is the wish of the PPP to rule the most populated province Punjab despite being a minority in the elected house as compared to the PML-N, i.e. approx. 29% seats as compared to the 46% of PML-N. By ruling Punjab, PPP can get (mis)use the resources of this province very effectively. The other reason is to sabotage the image of the PML-N and the Sharif Brothers by portraying them as the ppl responsible for the politics of agitation and the unrest in Punjab. Third and possibly the most important reason is to change the machinery of the Punjab Government so that the participants of the Long March can be dealt with. I am sure the PPP government will not hesitate to use the force against the peaceful and unarmed patriotic citizens of Pakistan. The hidden objectives of the governor rule cannot be identified so early, but the time will soon uncover the objectives. One thing I have noticed is the appointment of so many judges right after the imposition of the Governor rule. A recording by a DawnNews reporter clearly tells that these appointments are political.

A political process had started a little time ago, and a group of stubborn persons derailed the process. Institutions were getting stronger (the resolutions in the assemblies and the positive debates in the assemblies etc.) and the (elected) President exercised his (so called) right when there was no need to exercise it. It would have been better if the Governor had invited the PML-N the largest party in the Punjab Assembly to show the majority on the floor. The governor could also have invited the PPP+PML-Q to do the same if he thought that the PML-N has lost the majority now. But he didn't do that because, it was not the case :)

On March 03, 2009 our guests and the ambassadors of goodwill, the Sri Lankan cricket players were attacked. It was a moment of shock for me to hear that, and I was praying for the safety of all the Sri Lankan players. They are such a helping lot, so friendly and co-operative people that they visited us when the world was not ready to visit us due to the possible risk to their lives. Sri Lankan Cricket had always responded positively to our invitations. And an attack on these ambassadors left me in a mixed feeling of shame, regret, anger, shock and uncertainty. Sri Lankans had not even imagined that they'd be attacked. Neither did I ever imagined that any cricket player can be attacked in this way in Pakistan. Why did the Sri Lankans imagine that? Because there are no such attacks in past, which prompted them to believe that sportsmen are not the targets of the terrorists operating in Pakistan or Sri Lanka. Why did I believe that such an attack will not be carried out in Pakistan? Because I live here, I know the love for the sport in the hearts of Pakistanis. I know that the cricket is played and loved even in the northern and western parts of Pakistan. I know the trend of attacks in Pakistan, where South Asians are not usually attacked. I know the respect and love the Pakistanis have for the Sri Lankan cricketrs. Both crickets have very friendly relations. Whenever there is a defeat against Sri Lanka, I do not see any angry faces as I see them when India beats Pakistan. When Pakistanis love cricket, respect the Sri Lankans as a whole, then who can it be to attack the ties between the two countries? Who can benefit from this? Who wants to pollute the image of Pakistan? Lets see.

Can it be Pakistan itself???
No. Only fools will believe that. Pakistan is not irresponsible and stupid that it contaminate its own image and worsens its position in the world.

Can it be Taliban???
May be. But why would Taliban attack Sri Lanka? Sri Lanka was neutral in Afghan Wars. Sri Lanka is neutral in current 'War on Terror' against the Pukhtoons (Afghani and Pakistani) and Muslims. But lets not close this option because the Taliban might use this to destabilize Pakistan.

India???
Yes. Look at the potential benefits India can have from these attacks. India can single out Pakistan. India can further spoil Pakistan's image in the whole world. India can use this event to convince the world that Pakistan is a failed state. India can recommend the world to attack Pakistan and capture its nuclear assets, the biggest threat to the Indian at the moment. India can itself justify its attack on Pakistan for the same reason. India can further delay the dialogue with Pakistan on the outstanding issues like Kashmir and the dams on Pakistan's rivers. India can specifically point out to the Sri Lankans that even you should not visit Pakistan, because we are working on a plan to prove Pakistan the most dangerous place on the earth, and your visits are affecting our plan.

America??
May be. To destabilize Pakistan and pressurize it to work according to the American plan in Swat etc.

Can it be Tamil Tigers???
Yes, but do they have resources to do such an act in Pakistan? I believe, No. But we cann't be sure about that. Lets not close this option yet. If we believe that these were Tamil Tigers, then it becomes even more clear that India is involved. It is not a hidden thing who created n supported the Tamil Tigers (LTTE). Attacking through the LTTE is equivalent to killing two birds with one stone for India.

Whoever did that, the event was so evil and horrific that I am not out of the shock after three days of the event. I am still unable to believe that someone attacked the Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan, to be more specific in Lahore where you can see cricket even on roads and streets .

One interesting observation from my side is: After the Mumbai incidents last November, there was a sense of fear in the Indian people. On the other hand peace was returning to Pakistan for the last few days. India does not want peace and stability in any of its neighbours (Look at its influence on all its neighbours except China). So India had to strike and it did.

PML-N hits out at decision to scrap Kalabagh project

Several legislators belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-N have expressed concern over Pakistan People’s Party’s decision to abandon the Kalabagh dam project without taking their party into confidence, although it was part of the ruling coalition.

At a parliamentary party meeting held here on Monday, the legislators are also reported to have objected to the PPP decision of appointing Salman Taseer as the Punjab governor.

They'll do similar things in future... guys wake up n leave the coalition... NOW!
...
PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif said the party was sitting with the treasury to protect the PPP from horse-trading and it would support or oppose on merit all government’s decisions, including the federal budget, in parliament.

He directed the MNAs to support the lawyers’ long march on June 10 to press their demand for reinstatement of the deposed judges.

He briefed the party MNAs on salient features of the proposed constitution amendment package prepared by the PPP.

He reiterated that the PML-N wanted the judges to be reinstated in accordance with the Murree Declaration.

APP adds: PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq told a TV channel that the party would endorse all those clauses in the package which reflected the mandate given by the people in the elections.

He said the PML-N was against indemnifying the actions taken on Nov 3, 2007, because the people of the country had given a clear mandate to undo those steps.

Indemnity to the steps would mean maintaining the status quo, while the people wanted a change in the system, he said.

He said it was the responsibility of the leadership of the coalition parties to respect the mandate of the people in letter and in spirit.

Replying to a question, he said the PML-N, despite having reservations about the PCO judges, had agreed to accommodate them in the interest of the coalition. He said the five judges of the Supreme Court who were part of the pre-Nov 3 judiciary and who had taken oath under the Provisional Constitution Order should return to their previous position while the newly-inducted judges should work as ad hoc judges.

He said regularisation of the ad hoc judges could be considered by the judicial commission envisaged in the Charter of Democracy.

The spokesman said there would be no problem in getting the constitutional package approved in parliament if it was in line with the mandate given by the people. A consensus package could be approved by both the houses within a week, he said.

PML-N leaders Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Khwaja Mohammad Asif and Ahsan Iqbal and legal experts Khwaja Haris and Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim are members of the party’s committee led by Raja Zafarul Haq that will study the draft of the package.

PML-N hits out at decision to scrap Kalabagh project -DAWN - Top Stories; June 03, 2008

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Asif supports move to oust Musharraf, claims Nawaz (but zardari to phir mukar jaye ga)

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said here on Wednesday that there was no justification for providing a safe exit to Pervez Musharraf and claimed that PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari had agreed with him to remove the former army chief from the presidency.

He said that Musharraf must be held accountable for abrogating the Constitution.

He announced that he would join the lawyers’ march if the pre-emergency judiciary was not restored.

Speaking at a function held here to mark the 10th anniversary of first nuclear tests, Mr Sharif said that during a meeting with him in Islamabad on Tuesday, Mr Zardari had agreed to work with him to oust Pervez Musharraf.

Urging the masses to be prepared for a decision greater than the one they had given on Feb 18, the PML-N leader said that had his party got a clear mandate he would have overthrown Musharraf the following day.

The former prime minister, who was ousted in a military coup on Oct 12, 1999, said he had forgiven Musharraf for the mistreatment and torture he had suffered at his (Musharraf’s) hands.

But, he said, he would not absolve Musharraf from the charges of devastating the country by selling it to foreign powers, carrying out what he called the Lal Masjid massacre, incarcerating nuclear scientist Dr A.Q. Khan and superior court judges and handing over innocent Pakistanis to American agencies in return for dollars.

“I have told Mr Zardari that I will ride the lawyers’ bus for Islamabad if the deposed judges are not reinstated,” Mr Sharif added.

He said his party had quit ministries for the sake of its principled stand on the judges’ issue and it was ready to go even further.

Urging the masses to be ready for a movement for deciding the fate of the country, he said that people had to prove that “they are a living nation”.

The fate of the country should be decided in Islamabad, and not in Washington or anywhere else, he added.

He said India had recognised Pakistan as an independent and sovereign nation when Islamabad detonated the nuclear devices. But, he regretted that an army dictator had pushed the country towards destabilisation, carried out massacre from Karachi to Khyber and given the nation the gift of suicide attacks and lawlessness.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Sirdar Zulfikar Khosa, Khwaja Saad Rafiq and other PML-N leaders spoke on the occasion.

Asif supports move to oust Musharraf, claims Nawaz: ‘No justification for providing safe exit’ -DAWN - Top Stories; May 29, 2008

we look forward to see u in the lawyers' bus Mr. Sharif... this act will pull crowds i m sure...

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MQM zindabad :)

متحدہ قومی موومنٹ کے رہنما ڈاکٹر فاروق ستار نے بدھ کی شب ایک پریس کانفرنس کی جس میں متحدہ کے وکلاء پر تشدد کا ذمے دار انہوں نے مسلم لیگ نون اور بار کے ذمہ داران کو قرار دیا۔

ان کا کہنا تھا کہ ’شرپسندوں نے فطری رد عمل کی آڑ میں اپنے مقاصد حاصل کرنے کی کوشش کی جس کے نتیجے میں ایک اور سنگین واقعہ رونما ہوا اور طاہر پلازہ میں پانچ پاکستانی شہریوں کو زندہ جلایا گیا۔ یہ بدترین جنونیت ہے اس کے علاوہ اس کو اور کوئی نام نہیں دیا جاسکتا ہے۔‘

Source: BBC Urdu

hahahaha... lolz... yaar kamal hi bayan aatay hain mqm k... PML-N khi mein kuch kerwa sakti hai... rofl... farooq sattar saab koi realistic byan dein, unki itni oqaat kahan k altaf bhai k ilaaqay mein par maarein... btw if mqm is so peace lovin n sacrificing party, then y did it start protest on afgan issue on first hand? it shld have protested in media only, y did it come to streets??? jab 12 may ko CJ khi gaya to mqm ki taraf se sab qatl-o-ghaarat ka zimmedar usay kaha gaya... the justification was "usay aana hi nahi chahiye tha, woh aaya hi kyun, woh aaya to shehr k halaat kharab ho gaye"

to bhai ab mqm ki isi logic k tehat mqm is responsible for all ppl killed in khi on wednesday april 09 2008... mqm ko road ya bar council mein protest kerna hi nahi chahiye tha, usnay kia hi kyun, jab tv per bayan day diya to protest ki kia zaroorat thi, kia mqm ko shehr ka aman pasand nahi? kia mqm khi k logon ko sakoon se nahi dekhna chahti?

phir 2ndly arbab rahim k saath jo huaa mqm k mutabiq govt. ko us per qom se maafi mangni chahiye... ab kyun k mqm ki hi logic k tehat saabit hota hai k 9 april ko mernay walon ki zimmedaar mqm hai to kia usko qom se maafi nahi mangni chahiye is baat per... ?

mqm k byan bohut interestin hotay hain waisay aaj kal...

Can PML-N rise to daunting economic challenges?

THE PML-N has accepted a daunting challenge by taking up federal ministries of finance, commerce, food and agriculture, and petroleum, which require men with nerves of steel under the current economic situation in the country.

The economy, which was manageable a year ago, is in a shambles. Steering the economy out of the present mess is a Herculean task. On the macro-economic front, foreign exchange reserves are depleting. The rupee is under pressure. Local industries are fighting to stay afloat. Bank interest rates are high. Exports are declining and imports have gone out of control.

At the micro level, inflation, particularly of food, is very high; agriculture production is stagnant and the uninterrupted availability of wheat is under question. Water is short and hurting inter-provincial harmony. Power shortage will persist for a while. The gas supply will remain short, particularly during winter. Housing shortage is acute. The gap between the poor and the rich is widening.

It was under the circumstances that the PML-N, under a package deal, had to accept most economic related ministries. On the surface, the task looks impossible, particularly in the present situation when the general public is impatient. The masses have been exploited by the past rulers who had asked them to bear the pains of their so-called reforms on promises of good days ahead.

Economists, however, point out that there is a way out of the present situation. They say the government will have to regain its grip on public institutions and then ensure that they are operated transparently and fairly.

The PML-N leadership has accepted a huge challenge. The Punjab government, they added, will have to procure enough wheat this year to ensure the food security of not only the province but the whole country.

They said the federal ministry of food and agriculture and the Punjab had provided food security to the country in the past through joint efforts. An increase of the wheat support price to Rs 630 per maund has provided the impetus needed to officially procure a large quantity of wheat. The Punjab government will have to ensure that wheat does not land in the hands of hoarders this year.

Experts warned that though the new government would assume power when wheat was at the harvesting stage and it had not any responsibility for the crop size, however, the Punjab government and the PML-N would have to share the blame if any wheat crisis occurred this year.

They said Ishaq Dar had the experience of running both finance and commerce ministries in the past.

They said he had handled the ministries prudently in more testing times when the developed world slapped sanctions on Pakistan in the wake of nuclear tests in 1998.

They hoped he would take austerity measures to cut non-development expenditures. The prime minister, they added, has also announced austerity measures which might not greatly impact the deficit but their symbolic effect would be immense.

They said the tax to GDP ratio, which was 13.5 per cent when Ishaq Dar had left the government on October 12, 1999, was reduced to 9.9 per cent of GDP. They said Dar would like the tax to GDP rate to revert to its 1999 level and beyond. This measure alone will add Rs 350 billion to the revenue. The new finance minister is well aware of the nitty-gritty of imports and will take measures to eliminate under-invoicing which is damaging the local industry.

The economists said if the PML-N delivered on the economic front, benefits of the success would be equally shared by its coalition partner - the PPP. However, if it failed to improve the economy and the lot of the common man, only the PML-N will be held responsible for it. The survival of the PML-N, they added, lies in ensuring that it delivers on the economic front.
Courtesy: The News, 30/3/2008

Can PML-N rise to daunting economic challenges? | Overseas Pakistani Friends

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A draft for PML-N n PPP

Below is the text of the draft prepared for Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari by Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim for the restoration of the judiciary through the parliament.

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF PAKISTAN

WHEREAS, We the elected representatives of the people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan acknowledge and honor the long and arduous struggle for the return to democracy and rule of law by the legal fraternity, civil society and the ordinary citizens of our beloved country.

AND WHEREAS, We pay tribute to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and thousands of brave political activists across the country who made the ultimate sacrifice and laid down their lives or suffered imprisonment for the cause of restoration of parliamentary democracy and the rule of law in Pakistan. We shall not let their sacrifices go in vain.

AND WHEREAS, this Assembly is mindful that the foundation of democracy cannot survive without a return to the rule of law. We are mindful, that the rule of law cannot survive the rule of the gun unless we have an independent judiciary. And, we are cognizant that we shall never have an independent judiciary if the Judges of the Superior Court's of this country are imprisoned at the whims of a lone individual.

AND WHEREAS, we as Members of the National Assembly have taken oath to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan" and we shall not waiver from this oath.

AND WHEREAS, Article 209(7) of the Constitution provides in no uncertain terms that "A Judge of the Supreme Court of or of a High Court shall not be removed from office except as provided in this article." Therefore, as opined unanimously by leading former Chief Justices and Judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the actions of 3rd November 2007, seeking to remove and restrain the Chief Justices and Judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Provincial High Courts is void ab initio and has no sanctity in law.

WE, THEREFORE, bound by our Constitutional Oath and the mandate given by the people of Pakistan on February 18, 2008 do hereby RESOLVE and call upon the Federal Government to remove all illegal restrictions placed on the Chief Justices and Judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the provincial High Courts on and after 3
rd November 2007 with immediate effect.

History shall not forgive those, who even now, may seek to obstruct the irreversible path to constitutional rule in our great country.

THEREFORE, WE FURTHER RESOLVE, and call upon the Federal Government to perform its obligation under Article 190 of the Constitution and act in aid of the Chief Justices and the Judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Provincial High Courts who were illegally restrained on and after 3rd November 2007 so that they may resume their Judicial functions in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

Islamabad

The Emergency Times

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