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India-Pakistan

Parliament has failed, declares Rehman Malik

2012-11-17

[Dawn] During the Senate's session on Friday, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik Pak politician, Interior Minister under the Gilani government. Malik is a former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) intelligence officer who rose to head the FIA during Benazir Bhutto's second tenure. Malik was tossed from his FIA job in 1998 after documenting the breath-taking corruption of the Sharif family. By unhappy coincidence Nawaz Sharif became PM at just that moment and Malik moved to London one step ahead of the button men. He had to give up the interior ministry job because he held dual Brit citizenship. defending his earlier decision to ban cycle of violences from the roads in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It may be the largest city in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... (for today) said that the parliament had failed, DawnNews reported. Senator Raza Rabbani objecting to the federal minister's claim said the parliament had not failed and that the parliament could not give a stamp of approval on weak legislature. Malik stood by his action saying he respected the decision of the Sindh High Court but added that the move to ban cycle of violences off the roads was right as cycle of violences provided an easy mode of transportation to forces of Evil and were used in most terrorist activities. Senator Malik said the decision to ban cycle of violences was taken in view of information received that a cycle of violence would be used as a bomb on the first day of Muharram in Bloody Karachi. He also said that cycle of violences were used in 438 kabooms across the country during the current year whereas 96 cycle of violences were destroyed in kabooms in Bloody Karachi alone. Malik further said he would appeal in the Supreme Court against the Sindh High Court's decision against the ban imposed on cycle of violences in Bloody Karachi on the first day of Muharram. Senator Babar Awan also criticised the decision to order cycle of violences off the roads and termed the move as illegal. The Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...Assembly of Islamic Clergy, or JUI, is a Pak Deobandi (Hanafi) political party. There are two main branches, one led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and one led by Maulana Samiul Haq. Fazl is active in Pak politix and Sami spends more time running his madrassah. Both branches sponsor branches of the Taliban, though with plausible deniability... -Fazl (JUI-F) staged a walk-out from the senate session over the situation in Bloody Karachi and the party's Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri ...Central Secretary General of JUI-F, member of the Pak senate, formerly provincial minister of Balochistan. He has a master's degree in Islam and runs a madrassah... said the government had lost its writ in Bloody Karachi and that it was not serious about improving the situation in the city.

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India-Pakistan

JI turned down PPP's offer, says Munawar

2012-03-07

[Dawn] The Pakistain People's party (PPP) tried to woo the Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... (JI) with offering it an electoral alliance for the next general election, JI Amir Syed Munawar Hasan claimed in an interview with Dawn on Monday. The JI rejected the offer as it was mindful of the fact that considering the decades-long hostility between the two parties, PPP voters would hardly support JI candidates, he said. The PPP on its trail to find more political friends sent Senator Babar Awan to hold talks with the JI. Mr Hasan said that Dr Awan conveyed the message of friendship to him on behalf of PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali President Ten Percent Zardari ... sticky-fingered husband of the late Benazir Bhutto ... . "When the PPP vote bank does not turn to us, the alliance is useless," the JI amir said. Mr Hasan said his party also turned down a Dr Awan's request to restrain from issuing anti-government statements in order to avoid any confrontation. "We told the PPP leader that it would be hard for us to do so as every one has a right to comment and criticise government's policies publicly. "We also told the PPP leader that the JI will not criticise the PPP just on the basis of on speculations." Dr Awan could not be contacted for comment despite several calls made to him. Though the Jamaat sees no electoral cooperation possibilities with the PPP, it is however in talks with other mainstream parties such as the Pakistain Mohammedan League-N (PML-N) and the Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... (PTI).

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India-Pakistan

Zardari holds talks with Chaudhrys

2012-01-17

[Dawn] Although it was a chilly, drizzly Sunday, there was no let-up in hectic political activities in the capital, with apprehensions about developments on Monday in relation to the order the Supreme Court may issue in the NRO implementation case, the memo issue judicial investigation and the debate and vote on a resolution tabled in the National Assembly on Friday by the ruling coalition. A significant event was a meeting between PML-Q leaders and President Asif Ali President Ten Percent Zardari. ... sticky-fingered husband of the late Benazir Bhutto ... In a terse press statement, the media wing of the presidency said PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi had met the president and discussed the current political situation. It said that matters concerning coalition partners also came under discussion at the dinner hosted by the president. According to sources, the meeting was of critical importance in the context of the NRO case and the attorney general's appearance in the Supreme Court on Monday to present the government's stand on the six options given by an apex court bench on Jan 10. The sources said it was not clear what would be PPP leaders' stance in the Supreme Court, but the PML-Q leaders were reported to have again suggested to the president to follow a middle course, instead of going for a head-on collision with the judiciary. Chaudhry Shujaat had warned last week that in the event of a confrontation there would be only losers and no winner. Since Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has been actively trying to defuse the crisis over the past week and talking to all sections concerned, including the military, his meeting with the president indicated that the government was taking his suggestions seriously. However, corruption finds a dozen alibis for its evil deeds... another unannounced meeting between the president and former law minister and the government's chief legal adviser Senator Babar Awan was equally important. The sources said it was difficult to say whether the president would heed the advice of the Chaudhrys or that of Senator Babar Awan who is facing contempt of court charges for allegedly making derogatory remarks about the Supreme Court. When asked about the mood at the prime minister's secretariat, a bigwig said it appeared that the government wanted `reconciliation' and might go for a compromise. "Since it is a legal issue, one cannot be fully sure what the attorney general would say in the court on behalf of the federal government on the NRO, but it appears the government will try to address the concerns of the Supreme Court," he said.

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India-Pakistan

Lawyers, journalists clash at SC

2011-11-18

[Dawn] Lawyers and mediapersons entered into a brawl on the premises of the Supreme Court on Wednesday. "Rule of law!" "People's right to know!" "A curse on yer mustache!" "Yer mother wears combat boots!" Senator Babar Awan and law secretary Masood Chisty were present when the incident took place however they left the spot quietly. "Perhaps we should depart, Chisty Sahib?" "Perhaps we should, Awan Sahib." "And make haste, Chisty Sahib!" "But quietly, Awan Sahib!" "Quiet but hasty feet, don't fail us now!" This was not the first incident when lawyers and journalists engaged in such an activity as a TV channel news hound was beaten up by lawyers in Lahore in November 2009. "Newshound!" "Get 'im!" Sources in the police said two newspaper news hounds were taken to the bar room of the SC by president People`s Lawyers Forum (PLF) Raja Abdul Rehman. As they ordered for tea, a lawyer, Saifullah Khattak, approached the journalists and asked them to leave the room saying entry of mediapersons was not allowed in the hall. "We don't want your kind here!" During arguments that ensued, "I don't gotta if I don't wanna an' you can't make me so there!" "Oh, yeah?" the lawyer allegedly abused the journalists. "Take that! [WHACK!]" On this, one of the news hounds slapped the lawyer after which other black coats present in the hall manhandled the journalists. "Hey, Rube!" Later, the administration of the bar room banned the entry of media into the hall, canteen and another room being used by journalists to take meal. "We don't want their kind here!" Sources said Mr Khattak had also misbehaved with PML-N`s Khawaja Asif and another news hound for their presence in the bar room earlier in the morning. "Don't nobody be messin' wid Khattak Sahib!" Talking to Dawn, the PLF president said intolerance in society was the main reason behind such incidents.

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India-Pakistan

Benazir murder:another FFC likely

2010-05-11

[The News (Pak) Top Stories] The government is considering setting up of another high-powered Fact Finding Committee, this time with the objective to give a clean chit to Interior Minister Senator Rehman Malik and Law Minister Senator Babar Awan, both of whom are incidentally closest to the president. According to some sources, this new FFC is being constituted to ensure a clean chit not only to these two ministers but all those who were riding the same Mercedes Benz car, which was stated to be the back-up car and which sped away from the scene of the tragedy moments before the killing of Benazir Bhutto on December 27, 2007. The News has learnt on authority that the composition of the second high-powered FFC is under serious consideration. According to sources, a former judge is likely to be nominated to head this second FFC and some top bureaucrats and a senior officer from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would be its members. This new FFC is likely to be given two weeks' time to submit the report. It will have the same one-point mandate -- to inquire into the escape of the back-up car and intention of its riders, who fled from the scene of the suicide attack, leaving Ms Bhutto's vehicle at the mercy of the terrorists. As was the procedure followed by the first FFC, headed by the Cabinet Secretary Abdur Rauf Chaudhry, the second FFC would also record the statements of individuals who were in the car at the time. They include Rehman Malik, Babar Awan, presidential spokesperson Mr Farhatullah Babar, Lt. Gen. (retd) Tauqir Zia and driver Khizar in addition to some eyewitnesses. Repeated efforts were made to contact Farhatullah Babar for his comments and views as to what necessitated the formation of this second FFC. However, he remained unavailable for some inexplicable reasons.

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India-Pakistan

'Exhumation of Benazir's body will lead to civil war in Sindh'

2008-01-06

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Babar Awan said on Saturday that the regime wanted a civil war in Sindh by talking about exhuming former premier Benazir Bhutto’s body. File under "Department of Can't Win for Losing." He told reporters at a press conference here that the PPP would only accept those investigations into former premier Benazir Bhutto’s murder, which would be carried out under a first information report (FIR) to be registered according to Benazir’s email that she had written to her foreign friends before her death. According to the senator, Benazir’s email to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer via her longtime friend, Mark Siegel, which stated that if anything happened to her, she would hold President Pervez Musharraf responsible, should be treated as her dying declaration. “An FIR is registered by the aggrieved party and not by the government. The government investigates after an FIR is registered by the aggrieved party,” he said.

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