Shoe thrower fears for his safety

Sardar Shamim Khan who threw his shoes at President Asif Zardari during a rally in Birmingham is in hiding after receiving death threats.

The 57-yr-old dad-of-four has taken shelter among the Kashmiri community in Alum Rock after receiving threats from supporters of Asif Zardar, reported Sunday Mercury on its website.

A source close to Shamim Khan told the Sunday Mercury: “He feels that he can’t go home at the moment, so he is keeping a very low profile.

“His family has been threatened over in Pakistan, the irony is that most of them are actually Zardari supporters.

“He has also had threatening phone calls as well, most likely from overseas. At the moment he is scared for his safety.”

Shamim Khan had hurled his shoes at the President after becoming enraged by his handling of the country’s flood disaster.

He told media he was proud that he had thrown his shoes at the President who happens to be the co-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party. Shamim chalimed he was a PPP supporter.

“I could feel the anger brewing up inside me,” Shamim told media after throwing shoes. “I thought, we’ve a crisis back at home and all he can do is take a trip around Europe while his own people are suffering.

“His speech was insulting to my people who are dying because of Zardari’s government.

Pervez Musharraf on Connnectivizing With His Worldwide Fans on Facebook

Here is transcript for former President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, as 'Connector of the Day' below. The show was launched on February 15, 2010.

           (BEGIN TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEOTAPE)

            MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR (voice-over):  In his own words,
he was a general before a politician.  But that didn't stop Pervez
Musharraf from serving Pakistan as head of the government for nearly nine
years, seven of them as president.  Considered an ally to the U.S. in the
war on terror, Musharraf had a controversial reign.  Opponents within the
country accused him of censorship and of being a dictator.  In 2008, he
eventually stepped down amid calls to impeach him.  The post was eventually
filled by current President Asif Zardari. 

            In his latest incarnation, Musharraf is an Internet sensation. 
Currently, the former president has tens of thousands of fans on his
Facebook page where he regularly answers questions and writes status
updates.  From wartime leader to Facebook friend, Pervez Musharraf is our
"Connector of the Day."
 
            (END VIDEOTAPE)

            FOSTER:  And Mr. Musharraf has over 127,000 fans on one social-
networking site, so we knew he'd be a hit online.  Hundreds of you sent in
your questions for him on our Web page, CNN.com/connect.  My colleague
Becky caught up with the former Pakistani president here in London and
began by asking him about the response he's getting on Facebook

            (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

            PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, FORMER PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN:  First of all, let me
say that analyzing the outcome of the Facebook, I knew I had a lot of
support, but this support was all dispersed all over the world.  I always
thought that dispersed support is weak support; collective support is
strong support.  So it is the medium of the Facebook which provided the
connectivity to collectivize all the support.  I mean, that is how I take
it.  So therefore, I am very grateful to the Facebook for collectivizing
all the support that the -- that I have now.

            BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT:  On Facebook itself,
you have said that you're a strong believer in freedom of the print and
electronic media, and yet, at least the end of your tenure, your time in
power was defined by sort of the clamp down -- of the clamp down on the
media.  So when did you have the change in heart, as it were?

            MUSHARRAF:  No, I've never -- there's no change of heart at all.  I
always believe in the freedom of the media.  I believe that while they
should be free, they should be independent, they should be accountable
also.  Too, they must show responsibility.

            ANDERSON:  All right, well, we've got lots of questions from viewers. 

            Waqas represents what dozens of people have asked on our website, the
"CONNECT WORLD" website, is that many of your supporters want your -- to
return to Pakistani politics.  Do you have any plans to return?

            MUSHARRAF:  If Pakistan is not doing well, every Pakistani, every
patriotic Pakistani feels it in his heart.  And I also do, that at this
moment, Pakistan is not doing too well.  So if I can contribute anything to
the -- to the country and if the people of Pakistan want me to contribute,
I certainly would like to look into that.

            ANDERSON:  Would you create your own political party?  That's a
question from Safi, one of our viewers.

            MUSHARRAF:  I don't know as of yet.  One has to address all of these
issues.  But one thing is sure, I believe very strongly in a military
maxim, never reinforce failure.  I wouldn't like to reinforce failure. 

            ANDERSON:  Do you think Pakistan is failing at the moment? 

            MUSHARRAF:  Politically, yes.  We haven't succeeded.  The politics in
Pakistan, democracy in Pakistan has not really ever been very successful. 
And I mean successful, we expect democratically-elected governments to
perform for the country, that the country should be moving forward
progressing and the welfare and the well-being of the people being
addressed.  If that is not being done, I think we need to look into the --
look into ourselves.  What is it lacking in the democratic political
dispensation in Pakistan?

            ANDERSON:  How have you thought about using Facebook to better the
lives of ordinary Pakistanis, as it were?

            MUSHARRAF:  Well, I think the only way I mean I could contribute is
because of the number of people who have become my fans, and if this number
keeps increasing and because they come from all over the world, I could
contribute towards their better understanding of issues confronting
Pakistan.

            ANDERSON:  Derrick Chapman asks, can the Afghan strategy of appealing
to moderate Taliban succeed, for example?

            MUSHARRAF:  I have always believed that we have to follow a triple
strategy of military, political and socioeconomic.  On the political side,
right from 2003 -- 2002 and 2003, I've been saying that we need to win away
the population, especially of the pashtuns from the al Qaeda and Taliban. 
We must not all treat all pashtuns to be Taliban, although all Taliban were
pashtuns. 

            So I've been saying -- I've been talking off the majority of pashtuns
to be weaned away and these (ph) to be struck with these senior elements in
the pashtun who may be have -- don't have any ideological connections with
the Taliban.  Now, what they really mean by moderate Taliban, I really
don't know.  So we need to look into the pashtun, which is 50 percent of
Afghanistan, to draw the pashtuns form the -- from militancy.

            ANDERSON:  Couple more of the questions coming into the CONNECT THE
WORLD site.

            "What would you give up for an India-Pakistan peace process?"

            MUSHARRAF:  I think it's the most critical thing.  India-Pakistan
peace is required from international point of view because internationally
we are considered a nuclear flashpoint.  It is considered -- it is very
important from regional point of view because SAR (ph), the regional
organization, is important because of the Indo-Pakistan conflict.  And it
is important from bilateral point of view.  There is so much to gain
bilaterally by both India and Pakistan through peace, and so much that we
are losing because of this confrontationist approach.

            ANDERSON:  Last one of our viewer questions.  Sulav says, what were
you better at being, a diplomat or an army chief?

            MUSHARRAF:  Well, I would like to believe an army chief.  I'm a
fighter and I love my uniform and I love leading my men.  I love them.

            ANDERSON:  Do you miss the diplomacy at all?

            MUSHARRAF:  Diplomacy doesn't come very naturally to me.  I'm too
straight -- I'm a very straight talker and diplomats, I think -- maybe they
ought to be talking straight.  I'm not cut for diplomacy, I think.

            (END VIDEOTAPE)

            FOSTER:  A frank Pervez Musharraf speaking to Becky there.

ENDS


The video of Musharraf interview can be found here: 
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/02/15/ctw.connector.pervez.musharraf.cnn

Pak academics conspicuously absent at Intl forum - Are we on regress path?

(NOTE: Blog posted by me - Faiz Alnajdi who is the Middle East Bureau Chief of PKonweb.com and DesPardes.com. I am pesently in USA and have attended an engineering conference in Las Vegas and read my latest research paper (17th) on low cost roof design).


The ISEC-5 Conference was held at Las Vegas between Sep 22 and Sept 27 . It was as usual well-attended.

I also attended this Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction (aka: ISEC-5). It was hosted by University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

I also presented my research paper entitled, "Precast Ferrocement Barrel Shell Planks as Low Cost Roofs" in the afternoon session of 24th Sept 24th.

The Conference was attended by professional engineers, researchers and academics from over 33 countries in which over 170 research papers on latest Structural Design & Engineering matters were accepted, read and presented to the attendees.

Being a Pakistani professional civil and structural engineer living and working in Riyadh-Saudi Arabia, I am very proud to have represented both Saudi Arabia as well as Pakistan at this august international forum.

However, it was very sad to notice that Pakistani professional engineers both from
the industry and the academics either from Pakistan or living elsewhere were conspicuously absent at this forum.

On the other hand I could see an active participation from a large number of Indian professional engineers, researchers and academics both from within the United States and outside - that is from India itself.

Even several Bangladeshi delegates were seen at this forum. Some from the Arab countries, that is from Egypt and Syria also participated.

The question that immediately came to my mind and I am still very perturbed at this phenomenon was, "why Pakistani professional engineers, researchers and the academics remain so conspicuously absent in such international forums?"

I think this is too serious a matter to be ignored at any level of our society. Such absentism leaves a very bad impression on both Pakistan and Pakistani professionals, engineers, researchers and academics.

It is also very important to mention here that this is not the first occasion where I had observed such a conspicuous absence of the Pakistani engineers, researchers and the academics.

I regret to mention here that on similar international forums in the past also I have observed the same scenario.

To substantiate it, I must mention here that I was not able find a single Pakistani, either coming from within the United States or from Pakistan, at the 5th International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering (aka: 5icchge) which was hosted by the University of Missouri at Rolla in New York during April 13 thru 16 2004.

On that occasion too I had proudly presented my research findings both as a Pakistani and as a Saudi engineer and had presented two papers.

In my opinion, these are not lone incidents. I hate to say here that I see a pattern - a pattern of regression. We see Pakistan as a state and Pakistanis as a nation regressing instead of progressing.

While our neighbors and all others are continuously marching ahead and progressing in all fields, we unfortunately seem to be regressing fast on this front at least if not all fronts.

Pakistani professional engineers, researchers and academics also seem to find themselves trapped under the same regressing influence and cycle.

I must say this trend of regression must be confronted otherwise very soon Pakistan and the Pakistanis would find themselves forgotten by the international community and we would continue to remain in the news related to "terrorism activities alone".

With a vibrant media now and unhindred access to the web, we Pakistanis should collectively do something about this malaise. In a high technology global village now being backwards in related areas is a sure sign of disaster. Merely wearing tie and suit and Italian shoes and acting as leaders of the people means we are a disconnected whole and in a state of denial. Let's all do something about this disconnect by vowing to raise awareness of this latest scenario at the very least.

Posted by: Syed Faiz Ahmad aka: Faiz Al-Najdi
MEngg, MASCE
(Mmber: International Executive Committee - ISEC-6 in Zurich in 2011)
Chief Structural Engineer
Saudi Oger Ltd
Riyadh-Saudi Arabia
Now reporting from: New York; 29 Sept-09

Undies R Us!

AUG 27: A recent merchant report indicated that the sales of Men’s underwear have risen in the recession. It is the single category which hit double digits and exceeded industry expectations in sales..

Go ‘you guys!’ for boosting the economy and doing your part.

Also, per Alan Greenspan (former chairman of US Federal Reserve), since men don’t shop as much as woman, so if men are buying undies then economy must be recovering. It doesn't take a GENIUS to figure that out..

By: Aysha Ibtasam, Fashion Editor > PKonweb.com and DesPardes.com

Are we (Pakistanis) really free?

By Sajid Ansari

The people of Pakistan celebrated the ‘Independence Day’ for the last 62 years, the teens, specially boys roamed on the streets waving Pakistani flags on their bikes in groups, the rickshaws, cars, buses, trucks and the trains were decorated with flag-bundies. The TV channels telecast special Programmes and the radio stations broadcast programmes of patriotic songs, speeches and of discussions, repeating the historical events in making Pakistan and etc. All this sounds good as the love for the country is renewed among all the Pakistanis. But truly speaking I feel pity for all these innocent people who celebrate the “Independence day” because, we are not independent and free as yet; we did get freedom from the British but have gone into the hell afterward as now we are being ruled even worst by our own people.

The English proverb “out of frying pan into the fire” fits in on Pakistanis, at least, because until 13th August, 1947, yet there was Rule of Law in the whole of British India. There was no shortage of wheat flour, sugar, oil, ghee, rice or anything as the British rulers used to deal very strictly, without caste and creed, with the hoarders as they did not believe in “Banda Apna hay”. The police men and the feudals did not rape 3 & 5 years old girls then, not to speak of teen-aged and married women of villages and towns. There were no muggings and killings of young men on the roads. There were hardly any decoities in the houses. There were no brutal and ruthless murders of women and girls in the name of kari which in fact is done to get rid of the girls' share in the properties.

There were no forcible occupation of lands of the poor, by feudals, Vaderas, Chaudhries, Sardars and Nawabs, as now the poor have no access to the justice and the feudals prevail upon the police as well as the judiciary.

The British rulers never authorized any one, neither for themselves nor they allowed any of their subjugated classes, to obtain loans from the banks and may not return it, like the feudals, businessmen and the officers from the armed forces have done in this country. Thus Pakistan was made for the feudals, vaderas, Chaudhries, Sardars, Nawabs and Khawaneen, the Presidents, P.Ms, Ministers, Ministers of state, MNAs, MPAs and Senators. Then comes the bureaucracy, although their title is public servants but in fact the public is their servant as they act, behave, imitate like Goras.

The army officers and the bureaucracy have now much more facilities than what the British bureaucracy and the army used to have, until 13th August, 1947. And then the Police force which has gone more than 1000 times corrupt than what they might have been during British Rule.

The whole lot, mentioned above, is above law and whenever they are checked for violation of rules they are furious and start fuming, telling the person who checks them that they are MNAs, MPA, Senators, Speakers, Deputy Speakers and bla, bla, bla, so they should not be checked for anything.

Once a wife of an MPA of Punjab Assembly was driving fast, crossing all the Red signals on The Mall, Lahore. A daring policeman stopped her at the Regal crossing. The woman got down from her Pajero and slapped on the face of the policeman saying in Punjabi “ Toon jaanda naee main MPA dee wafe aun.” This is the ruling class of this unfortunate country. So have we been freed or got independence? Certainly not!

The English proverb is just right for the people of this unfortunate country “Out of frying pan into the Fire”. The 98% population of this unfortunate country has been made ‘hostage’ and the “Bonded labor force” of the 2% class, in the name of “Democracy”. How can we call this system a democracy where there is no Rule of Law? it is totally “exploitation” of the haves which has been given the name the as “Democracy”. Sorry, I hold Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah responsible for the mess this country is facing ever since the feudals took over this country, on two accounts, explained as below, as he was not a prophet who could/would not have committed mistakes and his actions cannot be criticized.

(1) The Congress had the clause of maximum land holding in its manifesto which was not being liked by Rajas, Maha Rajas, Nawabs, Vaderas, Chaudhries, Sardars and Khans, in short, the feudal class of then British India. It is also said that the real motive behind creation of Muslim League and demand for a separate country for the Muslims, by the Muslim feudal class, was the clause of Land Reforms in the Congress. My question is that the Quaid-e-Azam must have gone through the manifesto of the Muslim League before/after taking over as its chairman then why did he omit the clause of maximum land holding. Didn’t he know that the feudal class will take over the country, after his death, and they will make the country a hell? He also knew the capabilities of the feudal class which had surrounded him about whom he had once said “I have all “Khoatay Sikkay” in my pockets”. For whom did he say these words and yet he did not make fool-proof arrangements so that these “Khoatay Sikkay’ may not ruin the country, therefore, those “Khoatay Sikkay’ took over. So this is the Pakistan which we have today. On the other, what happened in India? the Congress took over all the lands and properties in excess from all Rajas, Maha Rajas, Nawabs and etc so India is being ruled by the people and not by the feudal, hence progressing steadily.

(2) The Quaid-e-Azam should have formed a Constitution Committee right on 23rd March, 1940 when all the Muslim leaders had gathered in Lahore, agreeing on the Pakistan Resolution. The best Muslim brains of the subcontinent were assembled there who could have been chosen to be assigned the job of preparing a “shadow constitution” of a shadow country, Pakistan. So the constitution would have been prepared well in time, years before 14th August, 1947 and the Quaid-e-Azam would have promulgated it on the day of the inauguration of the first session of the Assembly. But the Quaid did not think about it at all. The question arises to most of the minds is did he avoid it deliberately or non-deliberately? If deliberately then why did he do that? And if he did it non-deliberately then the question comes up of his limited vision.

The poor lot, of this country, is compelled either to sell their children or kill them along with themselves for not being able to feed them even once a day. There are villages where practically every male adult claimed to have sold a kidney to earn extra money to repay his debts. Is this the Pakistan that Quaid-e-Azam has given to the people for which they should celebrate Independence Day? However, the real freedom has yet to be achieved when the white collar dacoits and the usurpers, both corrupt civilian politicians as well the army dictators and their collaborators, will be put to the task. The corrupt politicians who emptied the banks, by taking huge loans and did not return a penny, those who grabbed the state lands, those who have been getting hefty commissions on international contracts, amassing wealth, accumulated illegally, in the shape of palatial properties and the bubbling cash accounts in foreign bank, whereas the army dictators put the country into the laps of foreign countries, in order to get recognition of their illegitimate takeovers, all these culprits be hanged at the crossings of big cities, of this country. The oppressed people of Pakistan are looking for a real ‘angel’ who will not only get rid of this country from the rule of the corrupt lot but will also squeeze them to bring the looted money, back to the country. Their removal from the job of corrupt Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers and the bureaucrats is not a punishment as they should be put behind the bars and be hanged upside down, until they repay the looted tax payers money of this country and then be punished accordingly.

Last week, an ex-chief of Beijing Airport was hanged after being proved of his embezzlement of over 1 million dollars, though he deposited the total amount but still he was punished by hanging until dead.

We need a revolution for accountability and against the corrupt and the usurpers be hanged openly at the crossings of each city of this country. The whole system has to be changed to (promulgation of) Islamic Sharia in the country, the only way-out to give justice to the people and punish the culprits, right away, then we will be justified to celebrate the real Independence Day and the freedom, for the people of Pakistan. (Email: sajidansari45@yahoo.com)

Note: Any one can send his or her contribution (which can be an article, short story or poem, cartoon, etc.) for review and publication here in the PKonweb's Blog. Email it to: blog@pkonweb.com

FIR filed against Musharraf by Islamabad police

Acting swiftly on a court order, Islamabad police today booked former president Pervez Musharraf for ordering the house arrest of the Supreme Court judges he had sacked after declaring an emergency on November 3, 2007.

The "unprecedented first in Pakistan's history" could "actually see" Musharraf land in prison "or at the minimum turn his stay abroad into a permanent exile", The News said on Tuesday.

"An ironic fate of twist for a man who once boasted that he would never allow (former prime ministers) Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto to end their exile on their own and return to Pakistan. The table stands turned on its head," the newspaper added.

The Islamabad police registered a criminal case (FIR No 131 dated 10-08-09) under section 344/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code following the orders of the Additional Sessions Judge, Islamabad, Mohammad Akmal Khan on Monday.

The FIR states that Musharraf and others had detained the Supreme Court judges and their families at their houses and their children were neither allowed to attend school nor permitted to appear in examinations.

Judge Khan's Monday order came 11 days after the Supreme Court July 31 held that Musharraf had acted extra-judicially, illegally and unconstitutionally in declaring an emergency and sacking the apex court judges.

A 14-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry, however, stopped short of censuring Musharraf as had been demanded in a petition the court was hearing against the declaration of the emergency.

The Supreme Court had summoned Musharraf, who is currently in London on a lecture tour, to appear before it July 29 in person or through his lawyer but he failed do so. "Determining responsibility for the steps taken on November 3, 2007 is necessary," Chaudhry observed on July 22 before issuing summons.

Chaudhry, who was one of the 80-odd Supreme Court and high court judges sacked, had been reinstated in March after a bruising lawyers' agitation. Musharraf had sacked the higher judiciary after it refused to take fresh oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) he promulgated along with the emergency.

The emergency had been declared just as the Supreme Court was to deliver its verdict on the constitutionality of Musharraf's re-election in October 2007. It had been contended that the same parliament and provincial assemblies that had elected Musharraf in 2002 had re-elected him in 2007 and this was unconstitutional.

Musharraf is in the hot seat but will he be prosecuted?

An Islamabad session court judge has directed police officials to file an FIR (First Information Report - meaning registering a criminal case against someone) against former President Gen (R) Pervez Musharraf for detaining seven of the superior court judges and their families in their houses after proclaiming emergency on Nov 3, 2007.

The seven judges including the Chief Justice had passed a verdict against the emergency and instructed all judges not to take fresh oath from the General.

According to DAWN, the case had not been registered till late in the evening, but a senior police officer told the paper that it would ‘definitely be done within a few hours’.

Sources told the newspaper that an emergency meeting was called in the interior ministry, which was attended by senior officers of the interior and law ministries and officers of police and their legal branch. Details of the meeting remain unknown but it is yet another bushfire the ousted General now faces in a span of less than a month.

On July 31 the Supreme Court ruled against his emergency of Nov 3, 2007 making all steps taken by him thereafter illegal and unconstitutional. In the absence of his indemnity by the previous parliament or from the existing parliament, defending his emergency acts is a steep hill to climb for the ex-general.

In the presence of a strong independent media now (ironically it was him to created it), a strong and popular public support for his nemesis Nawaz Sharif and a somewhat a neutral army chief of staff, it is likely that Musharraf may be forced to have his day in court. What transpires is any body's guess.

Some observers strongly feel that the military won't let its ex-chief go through the humiliation. A similar attempt of army humiliation by then PM Nawaz Sharif in 1999 had triggered a mutiny by a catorie of Generals led by Gen Mehmood, Gen Usmani et al culminating in a coup that overthrew the civilian strongman and brought Gen Musharraf into power on October 12, 1999.

Chief of Army Staff Musharraf had been ordered retired while he was on his way back from Sri Lanka and replaced by Sharif's handpicked Gen Zia uddin - then ISI chief and reportedly a relative. The Generals did not like it and rebelled against Musharraf''s replacement. The Triple One Brigade did the rest.

Sources told Dawn that a case would be registered against the former president under section 344 of the Pakistan Penal Code which says:

‘Whoever wrongfully confines any person for ten days or more, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term, which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.’

If security czar Rehman Malik is to believed, an extradition treaty is in the works between UK and the Pakistan government which, if implemented soon, may force the British government to force Gen (R) Musharraf go back to Pakistan and face the criminal charges.

If the agreement is "delayed for some reasons" or there is deliberate foot-dragging, legally then it won't be easy to make the retired General come back and face the charges but the British government may find it politically incorrect to let Musharraf continue to stay put in UK. He may then be nudged to cross the Atlantic or take up the Saudi offer for a well-cushioned self-exile in the kingdom.

The court order against the ex-President was passed by additional District and Sessions judge Mohammad Akmal Khan in response to petitions filed by advocate Aslam Ghuman about five months ago.

The judge in his short order observed that the respondent (Mr Musharraf) was liable to be tried under various legal and criminal provisions.

The court has already adjourned the case for twelve times in a span of five months and further adjournment over the issue was denied, he added.

The plaintiff requested the court to direct Islamabad police to register the case against the ex-President after the office of Senior Superintendent of Police did not record his complaint. Then the judge ordered the additional station house officer (SHO) of the secretariat police station (who was present in court) to register a case against the former president.

The plaintiff's petition says that Gen (R) Musharraf illegally imposed Provisional Constitution Order on Nov 3, 2007, and detained Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and 60 other judges of superior judiciary along with their families after they had refused to take oath under the PCO.

The petition seeks the trial of Musharraf and others who played a role in implementing the PCO.

A large number of former and present parliamentarians, bureaucrats and police officials were also likely to be named in the case, sources told Dawn.

Another ‘blasphemy’ case

AUG 5: An angry mob attacked the house of a 60-year-old woman in Sanghar district in Sindh in another alleged incident of desecration of the holy Quran, a private TV channel reported late on Wednesday.
 
Following the attack, the police shifted the woman, Akhtari Malkani, to the police station from a katchi abadi area in the district.

The District Bar Association officials assured the mob that a case would be registered against the woman if she was found guilty.

Despite assurance from the lawyers and police, the people demanded that the woman should be handed over to them and pelted stones at the police station building and burned tyres on road.

Meanwhile, 447 witnesses have so far registered their names and will today (Thursday) make statements before the inquiry tribunal responsible for probing the riots in which nine  Christians were burnt alive in Gojra.

Also, over 50 have been held for Sheikhupura blasphemy killings of three men on Tuesday. Sheikhupura District Police Officer Muhammad Tahir told a private TV channel that police had arrested Qasim Mughal, the factory's manager, along with five others for attacking the factory and killing its owner for allegedly desecrating the holy Quran.

He said the culprit had started rumours regarding the factory owner allegedly committing blasphemy and had incited a riot. Earlier, the channel reported that police, on the directions of the regional police officer raided seven villages and arrested more than 50 people suspected of involvement in the killing. However, Khatyala Virkan Union Council Nazim Muqaddas Bukhari told the channel the police had arrested innocent people and would be responsible if the situation worsened.

PM to visit: Also on Wednesday, it was learnt that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani would soon visit Gojra to extend his sympathies to the affected people of the Christian community. "During his visit, the PM would also announce compensations for the affected families," sources revealed, adding that the decision had been made in a federal cabinet meeting.

Supreme Court declares Nov 3 steps unconstitutional

The Supreme Court of Pakistan Friday declared the steps taken on November 3, 2007 by former president Gen (R) Pervez Musharraf unconstitutional thereby opening doors for potential case of treason against him.

Charges of treason can only be brought against him by the parliament. The Chief Justice yesterday clarified this issue stating such matters are upto the parliament to take up and not the judiciary.

Musharraf, who came to power in a coup in 1999, quit as president almost a year ago to avoid impeachment and has been living in London for the past two months.

Some argue that holding Musharraf accountable would deter military strongmen from trying to seize power in the future and give a chance for democratic institutions to grow in a country that has spent about half its existence under army rule.

The flip side is that pursuing Musharraf could shake the political establishment and reopen old wounds at a time when Pakistan faces huge tasks in battling Taliban insurgents and reviving its economy.

The judgment came after the 14-judge larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry completed the hearing of constitutional petitions regarding PCO judges, appointments of judges of higher judiciary and November 3, 2007 steps.

The Supreme Court in its short verdict declared the steps of November 3, 2007 taken by former president Pervez Musharraf as unconstitutional. Article 279 of the Constitution was violated on November 3, 2007, it said.

It termed as illegal and unconstitutional the sacking of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and the other higher judiciary as well as the appointment of Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar as chief justice.

The oath taken by President Asif Ali Zardari will not be affected by the SC verdict, it said.

All the appointments made in the higher judiciary of Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar have been termed illegal.

It termed as unconstitutional all the appointments of judges during November 3, 2007 to March 24, 2008.

It said the number of Supreme Court judges will continue to remain 16.

It declared unconstitutional all the steps taken by Pervez Musharraf during November 3, 2007 to December 15, 2007 including the increasing of number of superior judges through finance bill.Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry announced the verdict.

The verdict said all the appointments of judges on and after November 3, 2007 under PCO were unconstitutional.

The case of PCO judges will be referred to the Supreme Judicial Council, it said.

The announcement of today’s verdict sent a wave of jubilation outside the Supreme Court and at all the bar associations countrywide.

Sweets were distributed as people and lawyers chanted slogans hailing the decision and in support of the judiciary.

The 14-judge larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry reserved the judgment after completing the hearing of the case and announced it after a delay of over four and a half hours.

Musharraf 'forming political party'?

JUL 29 - Speculations are rife that former President Gen (R) Pervez Musharraf is thinking of launching a new political party amidst reports that his friends have advised him against media appearances at this time as he and the Chaudhrys were at loggerheads.

In fact today, Ch Shujaat for the first time, gave a no-holds-barred interview to Late Edition of ARY in which he said he opposed Lal Masjid Ops, CJ Iftikhar's removal, imposition of emergency on Nov 3 2007 and several other matters.

In not so much in an open way, but Shujaat today did come out speaking candidly (in bits and chuckles) against his former boss's several major decisions but felt short of calling him a dictator. In fact he praised him for media freedom and holding the first elections in 2000 and seemd not to be in favor of his accountability.

Watch Shujaat interview: I opposed Lal Masjid OP, Chief Justice removal- Shujaat

Musharraf's new political party, if it does take off, we are told, will attempt to attract the youth who presently consist of 55 percent of the population and will target Karachi and Punjab as its constituencies and both the Saraiki belt and Lahore may be its major focus.

Mr Musharraf is presently in media and lego-politico limelight due to the Tikka Iqbal Case in the Supreme Court and has decided not to return soon.

Observers think he may decide to make London as his base until such time that he may decide to return.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid dissident leader Hamid Nasir Chattha and the party’s Punjab President Pervaiz Elahi have reached London, where the former is likely to meet Musharraf.

PML-Q sources said Chattha would meet Musharraf to discuss political affairs of the country.

Sources said intra-party differences in the PML-Q and conflicts with the Chaudhrys were likely to be discussed in the meeting.

Meanwhile, Elahi is in London to see his newly-born grandson reported Daily Times today.

‘Pakistan in covert talks with Baitullah’

JUL 28 - The military has delayed a full-scale ground operation in South Waziristan Agency against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud as the two sides have covertly reached an understanding, the Telegraph UK claimed on Tuesday.

A report in the daily said details are still not known, but the military had deliberately delayed launching the attacks against Baitullah after “having corralled his stronghold in South Waziristan”.

Around six brigades of troops have blocked the four main arteries into Baitullah’s territory, which thousands have fled for fear of missile strikes by US drones.

There has also been no drone attacks for few weeks now.

And today, US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said at least seventy percent of the Taliban do not share the philosophy of Taliban and Al Qaeda, Dunya News reported.

Holbrooke said less violent Taliban, those who had renounced extremism, should be included in the political mainstream.

Citing a senior official, the UK paper reported that Islamabad authorities want Baitullah Mehsud to announce that he would not attack the government in the future. The official said it would not be a “total surrender”, but a guarantee on Baitullah’s part that he would not indulge in anti-state activities in the future.

The effort was underway because the military is engaged on several fronts and does not want a full-blown operation in Waziristan.

The claims have not been verified independently, the Telegraph reported, but said the delay was sure to anger the United States. Our observation is that may not be the case as Holbrooke is already talking about 70 percent Taliban being 'moderate'. News reports also say the West is involved in secret talks with them.

The military has meanwhile denied such reports and said it wanted to surround the Taliban and then use air power and artillery to “soften them up”.

The army has struck several peace deals with Baitullah in the past, but all have collapsed.


Related report:
Pakistan in ’secret negotiations’ with Baitullah Mehsud
Taliban Resume Attacks in Swat Valley

One Million Children May Miss Out On School in NWFP

JUL 23 - The United Nations' Children's Fund (UNICEF) says as many as one million children in the northwest region of Pakistan could miss out on school if buildings needed to house classrooms are not restored in time for the start of the new school year which begins on September 1st.

According to UNICEF, 60 percent of the two million people who fled their homes in the Swat Valley are children under the age of 18.

UNICEF's director of Emergency Programs in Pakistan, Louis-Georges Arsenault says more than 4,000 schools have been converted into shelters and about 200,000 homeless people are living there.

"And, also in Swat, as you probably have heard many times, some 200 schools were destroyed by the Taliban and 75 percent were girls schools ... If we are not able to have the precondition for these shelters to be in shape for the school year and also have the minimum for when the people are returning to the communities, one million children will be at risk of losing and not starting the school year in time," Arsenault said.

Arsenault says about 300,000 people are on the move back to Swat, Buner and Dir. He says the government is helping them to go back to their communities.

But Arsenault says UNICEF believes a great many people will remain behind.

He says preparations must be made to return children to school. Education materials must be purchased.

He says UNICEF will not be able to accomplish everything that needs to be done unless it receives more money. He says the agency is running a $20 million shortfall and this is seriously compromising its humanitarian operation.

Musharraf summoned by Supreme Court over PCO judges’ case

JULY 22 - The Supreme Court on Wednesday has summoned former President Pervez Musharraf to explain his decision to impose emergency and firing of the judges in 2007.

The court notice allows Musharraf to send a lawyer in his place.

Attorney General Sardar Latif Khosa confirmed the court order. He said the federal government would not defend the actions taken by Musharraf on Nov. 3, 2007, when faced with growing challenges to his rule, he declared a state of emergency, suspended the constitution and dismissed the judges.

Musharraf is currently staying in London with his family and is in touch with attorneys Mian Sharifuddin Pirzada and Malik Qayyum in this matter.

The next hearing in the case is on July 29 and it is expected that Musharraf's attorney(s) will represent him in the hearing.

Wasi Zafar, a law minister during Musharraf's rule, said after the announcement, that the retired general could appear before the Supreme Court either through his lawyer or in person."If he does not do it, the court can initiate proceedings against him in his absence," he said.

The former army chief seized power in a 1999 military coup. In early 2007, Musharraf dismissed the Supreme Court's chief justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry. That triggered mass protests led by lawyers that damaged Musharraf's popularity.

Meanwhile, US special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke who is in Islamabad today said told reporters that President Pervez Musharraf is now history and that the US will not come to defend him, AP reported today..

Talking to media in the capital, Holbrooke termed Pervez Musharraf’s case as Pakistan’s internal issue and added that the US respects Pakistan’s judiciary and free press.

Former Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum said on Wednesday that he was ready to defend former president Gen (retd.) Pervez Musharraf at the Supreme Court if he was asked to do so. He was talking to reporters at the Supreme Court premises soon after the issuance of notice to Musharraf.

Qayyum termed the decision of the apex court highly appreciable and according to the law and the Constitution.He said that the Supreme Court had taken a good step to give a chance to Pervez Musharraf to explain his position about the imposition of emergency in the country.

To a question, Qayyum said that there was no need for Musharraf to appear in person, adding that only his counsel should appear in the case. If he was asked he would definitely appear in the case and defend the former president, Qayyum said.

Karachi- River at the doorstep

JUL 20 - A bridge near Maripur police station at Hawks Bay Roadd and one linking the Karachi Airport to Gulistan-e-Jauhar have been washed out due to the rains, Geo TV reported today. Meanwhile rain related death toll has risen to 55. The rainstorm has broken the 30-year record with some areas receiving more than 8 inches of rain.

People irked by prolonged power breakdown hit the streets and started protest against the power outage. During the power protests clashes erupted between the angry mobs and police and a man was killed in Hyderi and several others were injured in police firing and shelling at the protesters.

PHOTO: People wade through rainwater flooding the streets outside their houses on Sunday. Torrential monsoon rain over the weekend killed at least 55 people and left most of the port city without electricity. The rain flooded low-lying parts of the city, damaging hundreds of houses, downing power lines and inundating power grid stations.

Talk to Taliban with or without Karzai- Musharraf

JUL 20 - Former president Gen (R) Pervez Musharraf says dialogue has to be established with the Taliban and political progress, rather than military might, would achieve a solution in Afghanistan.

Musharraf however cautioned that the senior elements of the Taliban leadership may not be receptive to a dialogue with the incumbent President Karzai who is contesting for a second term of office in August polls and appears to have the support of the Obama administration and other Western nations.

"I personally think that you need to establish a political dialogue and political dialogue with senior elements within the Taliban. Unfortunately, the Taliban or the senior elements in the Taliban, I don't think are open at the moment to any discussions or any negotiations with (Afghan President Hamid) Karzai.

"We need to have people, whether through a jirga or whether it is the president himself, to have access into the Taliban."

Musharraf was giving an interview to British news channel Sky Television in London where he is presently based at. According to reports, he has no immediate plans to return to Pakistan soon where the Supreme Court is to take up cases on his Nov 3 2007 mis-actions.

"I think the (military) strategy is right but we need to put in a little more input, more forces required, and maybe we need to concentrate also on the long-term strategy. We are following a short-term military strategy only," the former general said.

Commenting on the Taliban , he said "The Taliban have done wicked things. But then we have to come to a solution. "Military is never the ultimate solution. The military can buy you time, it can create an environment, but ultimately it is the political instrument which has to be used.

Musharraf said the Taliban's influence in Pakistan's Afghan border areas had strengthened since he resigned the presidency in August last year.

"There is a degree of instability that has come up because of this resurgence of Talibanization activity in the settled districts of the frontier, especially Swat, but I am very sure as long as the armed forces of Pakistan stay and they are strong, Pakistan will remain stable," he said. (Based on AFP news report)

More photos on Karachi rain

More rain photos of Karachi..

Individual Nabbed from Cyber Cafe for SMS to Rehman Malik

JULY 19, 3:25 PM NY Time

One of our team members based in Pakistan reported today that a highly influential leader of a student political organization, was picked up by plainclothes policemen from a Cyber Cafe in Okara for having sent text messages (SMS) to Rehman Malik slandering him and the government for Cyber Crime Law against MMS, Emails, etc.

The individual kept shouting at the Cyber Cafe that he was being picked up for directly text messaging to Malik.

The incident took place Sunday late evening around 9pm Pakistan Standard Time.

Our team member was witness to the arrest of this individual who while being pushed into the police van kept slandering Rehman Malik and accused President Zardari of being complicit in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

According to our reporter, witnesses at the scene were of the opinion that the political individual may have been the President of the Okara PSF but independent verification of this information has not been possible yet.

The arrested individual was taken to the Police Station and it is expected that he will emain in police custody.

More information to follow as we monitor the developments..

Snapshots- Karachi rain

More snapshots of rain-affected Karachi on Sunday. Intermitten rainfall continues..

Rain continues. 80 pct Karachi out of electricity

Rain continues in Karachi on Sunday. 80 percent of the city is out of electricity reported TV channels.

Karachi 'rained out'!

Snapshot of rain affected area..