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India-Pakistan

Qazi says accord silent on president's impeachment

2008-03-10

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed said on Sunday that the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have not mentioned the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf in the Muree Declaration, Dawn News reported. The channel quoted Ahmed as saying that no clear policy on the restoration of the judiciary had also been given [in the accord], as the onus of responsibility had been shifted to the new parliament. He said the public expected the PML-N to restore the sacked judges, impeach Musharraf, resign from assemblies, and become part of the All Parties Democratic Movement.

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India-Pakistan

Qazi calls polls 'fraud with nation'

2008-02-11

All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed on Sunday urged Pakistanis to boycott the February 18 elections “as the vote is nothing but a fraud with the nation”. The APDM – an alliance of opposition parties – is boycotting the elections. “No transparent election could be held until the reinstatement of the sacked judges and an independent election commission [is] put in place,” AFP quoted Ahmed as telling a public rally in Karachi. The crowd shouted slogans against Musharraf. “Remove Musharraf, bring true democracy,” was one of many banners held by the participants of the rally. A senior police official, Athar Rashid Butt, said about 2,000 people turned up to attend the APDM rally. Ahmed said the constitution had been severely distorted by Musharraf and the army. Separately, speaking at a ‘Meet the press’ programme at Karachi Press Club, Ahmed rejected the idea of demanding a UN probe into the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, APP reported. “A team comprising former judges – Wajihuddin Ahmed, Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui and Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry – should be tasked with probing Benazir’s death,” he said, adding that investigations by “reliable Pakistanis will be much more helpful in knowing facts than a probe by foreigners”.

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India-Pakistan

Popular uprising only way to save Pakistan: Achakzai

2007-12-15

Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the new convener of the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) and chief of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), said on Friday that a “popular uprising” was the only way left to “save Pakistan”. “We should prepare ourselves to wage a civil disobedience movement if we want to save Pakistan,” said Achakzai at a Peshawar Press Club programme. Achakzai, who recently replaced the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Raja Zafarul Haq as convener of the APDM, urged people to take to the streets for the restoration of the constitution and the judiciary, supremacy of the parliament, the rule of law and their fundamental rights. The nationalist leader from Balochistan said the PkMAP would not accept the government that would come to power after the January 8 general elections because it would be “unconstitutional, illegal and unlawful”. He said Pakistan was passing through a “fragile and dangerous” period in its history. “The federation is in danger. There is no constitution, no law, no judiciary and generals are making decisions in the National Security Council (NSC),” he said. Achakzai said about 70 percent of judges had refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) and many of them had been sacked. Legitimate elections cannot take place under these circumstances, he said. The Baloch leader said there was no justification for a military operation in Balochistan. “What is their sin? The Baloch want their share in governance,” he said. The Baloch do not want to break up the country but have made it clear they do not want to live like slaves, he added. Achakzai said the army and intelligence agencies should not have any role in politics. A Turkish-style government cannot function in Pakistan. “The army’s role in politics is not acceptable to us,” he said. He said support to an unconstitutional government was “treason to the constitution”. He said political parties that did not boycott the elections would in fact legitimise the ‘unconstitutional’ government. He said the country would not plummet into chaos if President Pervez Musharraf stepped down. There were no Al Qaeda leaders and terrorists in the country before President Musharraf came to power, he added.He said people were fed up with politicians and their way of conducting politics, which would be reflected in low voter turnout. “We want to see Pakistan as a democratic country. It belongs to 160 million people,” said Achakzai. He said an important APDM meeting would be convened on December 18.

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India-Pakistan

JUI-S announces polls boycott

2007-12-15

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) on Friday announced to boycott the January 8 elections. “We have decided to boycott the Jan 8 elections because we believe that in the absence of an independent judiciary and election commission one can’t even imagine free and fair elections,” said JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq at a press conference here at Parliament House. Sami said he had taken the decision after consulting his party. He accused that Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League (N), Pakistan Muslim League, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Awami National Party (ANP) and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) were following the secular agenda of President Pervez Musharraf. He said the breakup of MMA and Nawaz Sharif’s U-turn on elections boycott showed that international powers were pursuing a hidden agenda in Pakistan. He said the breakup of MMA and Nawaz Sharif’s U-turn on elections boycott showed that international powers were pursuing a hidden agenda in Pakistan. Referring to a statement of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that the US would prefer organizing moderates to extremists, Sami said it clearly showed that elections were being held on US directions. Answering a question, Sami said he was ready to join any opposition alliance including the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM), which was struggling for restoration of the Constitution and democracy in the country.

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India-Pakistan

APDM expels PML-N, JUI-F

2007-12-11

The All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) component parties having consensus on boycott of the January 8 elections formed a new faction of the APDM sans the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Awami National Party (ANP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), and Muttahida Jamiat Ahle Hadith (MJAH). After a meeting of the APDM parties favouring polls boycott, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said on Monday that the above mentioned parties were not part of the APDM. Achakzai replaces Zafar: The 12 APDM component parties favouring boycott also dismissed alliance’s convenor Raja Zafarul Haq, and appointed Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai as the new convenor. Imran said a national conference was being convened in Islamabad on December 18 to chalk out a strategy for a mass movement against the polls. Withdrawal of nomination papers: Qazi Hussain Ahmed said the candidates of the new APDM would withdraw their nomination papers on December 15. About the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), Qazi said it was no more an election alliance, adding that he being the MMA president would not allow anyone to use the alliance’s election symbol, book, without his consent. The leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), PTI, PkMAP, National Party, Khaksar Tehreek, Sindh Tarakipasand Party (STP), Balochistan National Party (BNP), Awami Tehreek, Tehreek-e-Ittehad, National Workers Party (NWP), Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP) and Tehreek-e-Istaqlal attended the meeting.

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India-Pakistan

Boycotters will be evicted from MMA

2007-12-06

But then who will turn out the lights? RAWALPINDI: Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) Secretary General and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Wednesday that he hoped the alliance would not dissolve, adding, “Those who boycott the general elections will not remain a part of the MMA.” Addressing party workers at the inauguration of the election campaign for JUI-F candidates in Punjab, he said he would try his best to keep the MMA united, as the dissolution of the alliance would tarnish its agenda and standing. He said the MMA had not taken any decision on polls boycott, adding that the JUI-F would contest elections from the MMA platform if other parties boycotted. “The polls’ boycott is every party’s own decision but such parties will no longer be a part of MMA,” Daily Times Monitor quoted him as saying. Figuring out that Perv is okay with a MMA boycott, is he? No need for boycott: The JUI-F chief said there was no need to boycott elections as the opposition was demanding the restoration of the judiciary, and the government had already announced the election schedule and a date to lift the state of emergency. He said the MMA would not accept the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM)’s decision to boycott elections, as the alliance had its own agenda and faith. He criticised Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad for creating problems in MMA affairs and called for efforts to remove inter-party conflicts. That Qazi, always a trouble-maker! Separately, talking to French Ambassador to Pakistan Regis de Belenet, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that if boycott was the only option left for the polls, then all the parties must unanimously agree to it. "I ain't gonna be the only one left out!"

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India-Pakistan

Fazl free to leave MMA for contesting polls: Qazi

2007-12-04

Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) President Qazi Hussain Ahmed said on Monday that five parties of the six-party religious alliance were in favour of boycotting the elections and MMA Secretary General Maulana Fazlur Rehman was free to quit the alliance if he wanted to contest the polls. Qazi was talking to reporters after attending an APDM meeting here. “Fazl is free to leave the MMA if he decides to contest the elections. The MMA is still sticking to the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM)’s decision to boycott the elections,” he added. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif was also present on the occasion. Fazl surprised: Fazl said he was surprised at Qazi’s statement. He said that Qazi had no right to give such statement in individual capacity. Talking to Geo News, he said that it was too premature to comment on Qazi’s statement. However, he said the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) had more public support than Qazi’s Jamaat-e-Islami. Fazl said that he was unable to understand why Qazi gave this statement, adding that both of them had decided to carry on talks on the boycott issue and hold joint discussions with Nawaz Sharif. He said the future of MMA would depend on Qazi’s attitude since he was the alliance’s president. He said the JUI-F was not part of the APDM.

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India-Pakistan

PPP, JUI-F to contest polls

2007-11-30

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairwoman Benazir Bhutto said on Thursday that the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) had decided to boycott the polls without consulting her, adding that the PPP would run in the polls in protest, Dawn News reported. Also, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said his party would participate in the polls despite the APDM’s decision, APP reported. Benazir told a British channel that boycotting the polls was certainly an option, but the restoration of judiciary was a separate issue, Dawn News reported. She welcomed President Pervez Musharraf’s promise to lift the emergency rule on December 16, saying, “certainly these are good confidence-building measures, but more needs to be done,” including mechanisms for ensuring that the elections are free and fair, AFP quoted her as saying. Fazl said that it was not the APDM’s jurisdiction to decide about the polls boycott.

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India-Pakistan

APDM boycott decision not surprising: Sethi

2007-11-30

The All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM)’s decision to boycott the general elections is not surprising, as all component parties of the alliance had already been saying that they could boycott the elections, Daily Times Editor Najam Sethi told Dawn News on Thursday. He said the APDM might have to reconsider it’s decision if the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) decided to contest the election. “It is interesting that they (the APDM) have not withdrawn their nomination papers, which means that they may still decide to participate in the election,” he said. He said the PPP and the JUI-F were unlikely to boycott the polls as the former had chances of forming a government in Sindh and the center, whereas the latter in the NWFP and Balochistan. The parties like the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and Jamaat-e-Islami wanted to boycott the vote, as they were not likely to win too many seats, he added. He said not a boycott by the APDM, but a boycott by all political parties – especially by the PPP – was essential to derail the election process, adding that the PPP would go for a boycott only if it smelled massive rigging in the election, in which case it might join hands with the APDM in its decision to boycott the polls, he said. He said there were little chances for the PPP to boycott the polls as most of its demands including President Pervez Musharraf’s doffing of uniform, revocation of the Provisional Constitution Order and lifting of the emergency had already been met. He said there were only two demands by the PPP, which had yet not been satisfied – suspension of the local bodies and the re-constitution of the Election Commission. And if the president suspends the local bodies by December 16, there will be nothing left for the PPP to boycott the polls for. So, the PPP would probably participate in the election, he said. He said the PPP and the JUI-F were unlikely to boycott the polls as the former had chances of forming a government in Sindh and the center, whereas the latter in the NWFP and Balochistan. The parties like the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and Jamaat-e-Islami wanted to boycott the vote, as they were not likely to win too many seats, he added. Sethi said that former premier Nawaz Sharif was in two boats now. He had returned to the country to take part in the elections but knew that he would not be able to get majority seats or to work with Musharraf, and so a boycott was a good option for him if only Benazir and Maulana Fazl could be persuaded to come along.

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India-Pakistan

End of military rule will be step forward: Uncle Fester

2007-11-28

Former premier Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday that President General Pervez Musharraf’s removal from the army would make “a lot of difference,” but insisted the president do much more to end Pakistan’s political crisis, AP reported. Nawaz said Musharraf must also lift the emergency and reinstate the ousted judges to ensure the elections are fair - a condition that the general is highly unlikely to meet. Separately, addressing a press conference at Lahore Press Club after visiting deposed Justices Khawaja Sharif, Khalilur Rehman Ramday and Supreme Court Bar President Aitzaz Ahsan, he alleged that some elements had plans to rig the polls to get a two-thirds majority to validate all of Musharraf’s unconstitutional acts in the next parliament, according to a Daily Times report. Nawaz said only boycotting the elections could foil this rigging plan, adding that an All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) meeting on November 29 would decide about a boycott.

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India-Pakistan

Sharif threatens election boycott if demands not met

2007-11-26

LAHORE, Pakistan, (AP)—Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday said his party would abide by the decision of the All Parties Democratic Movement to boycott the next general election if the opposition demand that Supreme Court judges sacked by President Gen. Pervez Musharraf earlier this month be reinstated was not met. "We do not want to boycott the elections but we have been pushed to the wall, the nation has been pushed to the wall," he said. Having gotten back into Pakiwakiland, he's now going to make himself irrelevant. Shrewd, very shrewd ... Sharif told a press conference that elections under the present conditions would not resolve the political crisis facing Pakistan. Sharif said that if the judges were not reinstated and the Constitution was not restored, the opposition parties would be forced to boycott the elections set for Jan. 8. Sharif returned to Pakistan on Sunday after seven years of forced exile. He addressed a press conference in Lahore. He said that if the opposition boycotted the elections, it would be a boycott for the restoration of the Constitution and not that of the elections. Asked if he was ready to work with Musharraf, he said he would never agree to serve as prime minister under Musharraf. Sharif said he was in touch with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, adding she had disagreed that the opposition should boycott if the judiciary was not restored. Sharif said it was for the first time in the history of Pakistan-U.S. relations that the United States was projecting to be supporting the aspirations of the people of Pakistan. However, he appealed to Washington to demand the restoration of the judiciary. "The U.S. must clearly say that judges must be restored. The lifting of the emergency alone would not solve the problem," he said.

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India-Pakistan

Nawaz returns, vows to contest elections

2007-11-26

Former premier Muhammad Nawaz Sharif returned to the country on Sunday after eight years of exile and vowed to contest the general elections. Talking to reporters after arriving in Lahore from Medina at 6.25pm, he said all decisions regarding participation in polls would be made on the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM)’s platform. He said the APDM would participate in the elections if Gen Musharraf withdrew the emergency declaration he issued on November 3 and released opposition members who had been jailed. “Everything that was done must be reversed and drawn back completely,” he said. “You must have a level playing field for fair elections.” He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would never welcome ‘turncoats’, adding that he wanted to unite the PML and the PML-N. No deal: He said he had made no deal with President General Pervez Musharraf. “I haven’t met any Pakistani government functionary over the last eight years, although there were a lot of overtures from the Pakistani side to meet me and to talk to me,” he said. He said he has not changed his position on Musharraf, “He is not a legitimate president of the country. I do not accept that, not at all.” He said he had refused recent attempts by Gen Musharraf to meet him in Saudi Arabia because the two men “are poles apart”. The PML-N chief said there was “no question” to him ever agreeing to a power-sharing deal with Gen Musharraf as president and himself as prime minister. A spokesman for Gen Musharraf told CNN on Sunday that there was no agreement or understanding with Nawaz.

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