 |
 |
|
|
* Nawaz Sharif message on Quaid-e-Azam birth anniversary Jeddah, December 24: For the fourth time in Pakistan’s history a small group of generals has been trying to deviate from the path that the father of the nation had chalked out to make Pakistan a truly sovereign Islamic democratic country that could serve as a model for the world. Muhammed Nawaz Sharif, Quaid of Pakistan Muslim League (N), said this in a message on the birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah. He urged the nation to renew their struggle for putting Pakistan back on the track of unfettered Islamic parliamentary democracy as envisaged by father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah. He said that the military regime, like its three predecessors, had damaged the country’s vital interests to the extent that even the independence and sovereignty of the nation was in great peril. Unfortunately the so-called civilian government, brought in through rigged elections and horse-trading, is a mere handmaiden of General Pervez Musharraf. It has not only committed the serious crime of subverting the Constitution, but has also paved way for India’s regional hegemony with deviation from Pakistan’s traditional position on the Kashmir issue, he added. Nawaz Sharif said that the government had jeopardized Pakistan’s nuclear capability to the extent that the foreign powers assured of General Musharraf’s loyalty could any time demand permanent suspension of our nuclear program. Paying glowing tributes to the heroic leadership of Quaid-e-Azam for the creation of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif said that father of the nation achieved his objective through democratic struggle, and Pakistan’s existence also depended on following the democratic traditions. The PML (N) leader said it was time that the entire nation should rise to defend the country’s fundamental interests regarding nuclear capability and Kashmir, protect basic rights of the citizens, and to restore supremacy of the Constitution and the Parliament. He assured the people that Pakistan Muslim League would strongly resist any compromise on Kashmir and nuclear program, and that it would continue its efforts to realize the objectives enshrined in the 1973 Constitution. He called upon all patriotic political forces of the country to remain united for restoration the 1973 Constitution and supremacy of the Parliament, and to make it clear to the rulers that the people of Pakistan would never tolerate any compromise on Kashmir and the nuclear program. |
 |
|
Jeddah, December 29: Ninety-seven years ago the Muslim leaders of the subcontinent laid foundation of Muslim league with a view to forestall the dangers that the Muslims of the area faced at that time. But the state that came into being 40 years later due to the struggle led by Quaid-e-Azam today faces the same dangers, and Pakaistan Muslim League (N) pledges to continue struggle against the military regime responsible for the plight. PML (N) Quaid Muhammed Nawaz Sharif said this in his message to the nation on the founding day of Muslim League.
He said it was from the Muslim League platform that Allama Iqbal gave the idea of a separate Muslim homeland, and Quaid-e-Azam united the Muslims to struggle for achieving that ideal. He wanted to create an independent sovereign Islamic state that could serve as a model for the world. Nawaz Sharif said that unfortunately, from the very beginning, not only externally Pakistan had to face an enemy that continued to use all sorts of means to end our sovereignty, but internally also the follies of adventurer generals continued to imperil the stability, security and independence of the country. He said that the adventurers not only dismembered Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan, but also let the valuable Siachen area fall into the hands of the enemy, and the current military regime has set aside Quaid-e-Azam’s warning that Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan. Furthermore, the nuclear capability achieved by the Muslim League government in 1998 to strengthen national defense has been subverted to the extent that the heroic scientists, who worked to that end, are being treated like criminals. The PML (N) leader said that today Pakistan appears to be of a secondary status compared to India due to the cowardly policies of Pervez Musharraf. Under these circumstances PML (N) vows to strongly resist all external and internal conspiracies designed to subvert Pakistan’s independence, damage it nuclear capability and negate the r8ight of self-determination of the Kashmiri people. He appealed to the patriotic political elements of the country to forego political differences and support the PML (N) campaign against the present rulers. |
|
|
|
Islamabad, September 3: PML (N) Central Information Secretary Muhammed Siddique-ul-Farooque says that that the revelations made by former Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat in a newspaper interview about human smuggling racket is a very serious charge sheet against members of the Musharraf government and leadership of the ruling party. He has demanded formation of a Parliamentary Commission to probe the affair, and it should present its report to the nation within three months. In a statement issued here on Friday, he recalled that PML (N) and other patriotic political parties had been constantly enlightening the people about corruption of the unconstitutional military government. He said, “We have been issuing fact sheets from time to time to inform the public of the massive and unprecedented plunder of national assets by present rulers, and now an insider has confirmed it.” The PML (N) leader said that the former Interior Minister had clearly accused the political family of Gujarat and the Punjab Government led by Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi of human smuggling through corrupt FIA officials, and thus earning millions out of the illegal transactions. He said that Faisal Saleh Hayat chose to come out with the allegations only when his removal from interior ministry in the new cabinet was being decided; he also alleged that when he proceeded to take action against concerned FIA officers they were given highly lucrative jobs in Punjab province. Siddique-ul-Farooque said that the former interior minister’s statement indicated that the human smuggling had been going on for quite some time, but he kept silent all this period, which made his own role suspicious; had he honestly performed his duties, he ought to have resigned. “It appears that if he was retained as Interior Minister in the new cabinet, he would have remained silent,” Siddique-ul-Farooque added. He said that a parliamentary commission must be set up immediately to expose all the characters involved this racket; any delay or fidgeting it matter would compel the people to believe that the entire Musharraf administration, including the new prime Minister, has been involve3d in illegal deeds, and nothing better could be expected of it in future as well. |
|
|
|
WISCONSIN, October 26: The liberal-conservative alliance in Pakistan Parliament has upped its demand. In a joint talk to the press on December 22, its leaders from the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) and the Muttahida Majlis-e-Aml (MMA) have ruled out any political role for Gen. Musharraf past December 31.
The alliance has made it plain that Gen. Musharraf is neither acceptable in Khaki nor in mufti. He has now only one way to go: Down. Is Gen. Musharraf listening? You bet. He has already taken a U-turn. He says he has not yet made up his mind whether or not he wants to continue as Army Chief beyond December 31. His “Comical Ali” wants the alliance to take him at his word. To make this farce look believable, the Quaid-i-Azam Muslim League has formed a three-member Committee to initiate dialogue with the alliance to know its “demands.” Demands? There are no demands. Opposition is only making a single, rather singular, demand on the “master,” not his servants. It wants him to go home when he can. Is that so complicated to need a dialogue? Truth to be told, the liberal-conservative alliance will never again trust Gen. Musharraf. If he can back off his nation-wide televised pledge to step down by December 31, who will trust his word given in private? If he can stomp on the Constitution that disallows him to hold an office of profit, what other law will hold him to account? If he can violate the Supreme Court’s mandate to return to barracks after holding elections in three years, which other court can have him respect its will? This is why the alliance wants to ditch him for good. As of today, Gen. Musharraf is willing, however mistakenly, to make the last stand in defense of his personal dictatorship. He has slammed shut all avenues of democratic change. He stands above the Constitution and contemptuously defies his obligations to it. He has his henchmen override it while passing the “President to Hold Another Office” bill on October 14. He does not concede the Supreme Court its right to judicial review of his constitutional breaches, such as the Legal Framework Order (LFO) and the 17th Amendment. Nor is he willing to accept the Court’s verdict. Parliament, if independent, could have been a restraint on his recklessness. With the rigged elections of October 2002, he already has given this possibility an ‘indecent’ burial. What is most toxic of all is his zero electability. He is so deathly conscious of this failing that he has fired two prime ministers who, despite their public servitude to him, over tower him for their respective electoral constituencies. Instead, he bet on a man who has sub-zero chance of getting elected to any public office. He rubbed his nose in the sands of Tharparkar and the gravel of Attock to make of him a thoroughly beaten man. He has since been condemned to squirm under the dead hand of his “terrific boss.” In spite of all these odds, the alliance still plans to stick to the democratic means to press its demand for Gen. Musharraf to step down. Its leaders have already announced to mount a million-person march on Islamabad to evict “Resident Musharraf.” They will do everything in their power to build democratic pressure to have him honor his constitutional obligations. The popular disgust against him is the alliance’s “cold cash,” with which it intends to buy Gen. Musharraf’s exit. This disgust runs so wide that there is not an inch of Pakistan that is safe for him. He sits cowering in “Cave II,” which he grandly designates as “President’s Camp Office.” His only redeemers are state institutions of violence, crowned by military. He will have no inhibition in using them to put down democratic challenge to his dictatorship. But there is only one tiny problem: Geography. Unlike the past, the battle lines are, now, being drawn in the heart of Punjab. Does it mean that the Punjabi-dominated Army will think twice before taking aim at Punjabi protestors, who are willing to put their lives on the line to end dictatorship? Absolutely. Armies are universally averse to shoot those with whom they have ethnic affinity. More recently, a top Pakhtun commander and many of his officers – of ranks of Lieutenant Colonel and below -- refused to shoot their co-ethnics in Waziristan. Pakhtuns, although still a minority, are numerically second only to the Punjabis in the Army. Their strength flows more from their horizontal numbers than vertical ones. Gen. Musharraf, a Mohajir, has co-ethnics in the higher reaches of Army, but not in the ranks. This inadequacy makes him extremely vulnerable to desertion by his troops if he puts them to violent use to keep his job. A Punjabi officer shouting orders at Punjabi enlisted men to shoot a fellow Punjabi will get the most unasked question asked. For whom? For Gen. Musharraf? For a non-Punjabi? For a dictator? These are inflammable questions that will burn down any chance of his coming out of such a battle in one piece. The alliance, however, is ready to stand up to any forced-upon state violence. This time around, its leaders will front-line the defense of democracy. They are all veterans of past mass movements against one dictator after another. They know well the limits of power, especially “illegitimate power” that stands divided against itself. Their “Deep Throats” in the rank and file of the military provide them blow-by-blow update on the darkest fears of Gen. Musharraf. He, himself, knows of such liaisons. He tried hard to plug them. He had Mr Javed Hashmi, President of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), kidnapped, incarcerated, and sentenced for what he initially dismissed as “fictive communication” between him and the members of the Officer Corps. Later, he admitted to a gathering of journalists at an Iftar bash in Islamabad this past year that the letters written on the General Headquarters’ stationery to Mr Hashmi were a “handiwork” of some “disgruntled Major!!” This is what he wished it were. The reality, however, is contrary to his wishes. The divisions he has sown in the military run far wider than a “disgruntled Major.” That is why he is terrified of his comrades-in-arm. So much so that, according to a New York Times account, he carries gun for self protection. More recently, friendly foreign governments offered him security services to protect him “from within,” as they are protecting Afghan President against Marshal Fahim. What this shows is increasing threats from inside, despite his public persona of “a man in command.” His biggest headache is his Corps Commanders. Although he proclaims to everyone within earshot that all of his commanders are safely tucked under his belt, yet he trusts none of them with power. The reason he does not want to step down as army chief is the “firepower” of this office over that of the president’s. The alliance is emboldened by all this Byzantine structure of government. It is therefore ready to dare Gen. Musharraf to order troops in defense of his dictatorship. If he does, it will lead to the first-ever violent change of command within the military. To preempt such an eventuality, many strategic analysts believe, the alliance may contemplate a call on all military and paramilitary forces to take Gen. Musharraf in “protective custody” for his offenses against the Constitution and turn him over to lawful authorities (which will be a national government made up of a grand alliance that is in the making). Although this is one of the many options that the alliance can exercise to pave the way for democracy, its sex appeal, however, supercedes all other competing choices. It is just as much practical and realistic as well. Under the administrative law, strategic analysts argue, every armed forces officer, down from a second lieutenant, is empowered to place any officer, even of a general rank, under arrest if the latter has committed an infraction of service discipline. Gen. Musharraf, who has committed the severest breaches of service discipline with his lethal violations of the Constitution, to the preservation of which every officer swears, stands out as a prime candidate for “protective custody.” The alliance’s real power, however, rests with the people of Pakistan. It is so confident in its popular support base that it will get it to shut down the federal government, if Gen. Musharraf fails to meet its constitutional obligations. If history is any guide, the alliance’s confidence is not out of place either. In defiance of another dictator – Gen. Zia-ul-Haq – a few thousand activists of then “Tehrik-e-Nafaz-e-Fiqh-Jaafriya” (TNFJ) had locked down the federal secretariat in Islamabad for three consecutive days. The alliance, leading a million-person march on Islamabad, does not have to force down the business of government, however. The salaried classes, themselves, are so outraged that they will bring down the government, as soon as the alliance gives a call to strike work. The alliance has a realistic chance to deliver the country from the jaws of dictatorship, and bring home the dawn of democracy. The day of deliverance, most Pakistanis believe, was never so close to break out! – South Asia Tribune, October 26, 2004 |
|
|
|
The News,Feb 03,2005.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League President and former interim prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is still using Rs 70 million official bulletproof Mercedes Benz, it is learnt. Prime Minister Secretariat officials, however, when contacted by The News, said the luxurious 2003 model S600L Mercedes Benz has been given to the top boss of the ruling PML on the orders of the competent authority - the prime minister. He was given the car even much before he became prime minister in July last. Although these officials agree that the law or the rules governing official vehicles do not allow anyone outside the government service to use such vehicles, they insist that the prime minister, in his discretion and in the public interest, had provided one of the protected Mercedes Benz to Chaudhry Shujaat. Sources said four fabulous Mercedes Benz were purchased in late 2003 for almost Rs 300 million for top South Asian leaders invited to attend January 2004 South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit. Later, these high-price cars were included in the federal pool but soon after the summit was over, two vehicles each were given to the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s Secretariat. However, the then prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali provided one of the two Mercedes to Chaudhry Shujaat for his personal use. The PM Secretariat continues to foot the bill for the maintenance and other expenditures incurring on the car, including the provision of specially trained chauffer, qualified to drive such a hi-tech vehicle. Since January 2004, according to the PM office record, the vehicle is in the use of the PML chief. After the departure of Jamali and Shujaat’s coming into power as interim prime minister, the PML president never returned the car to the federal pool. Later when Shaukat Aziz became the prime minister, the matter was taken up before him but he too allowed the PML leader to retain the official dream car. Under the law, Mercedes could only be officially provided to the president, the prime minister, governors and chief ministers whereas in a special case the Senate chairman and the National Assembly speaker have also been allowed to use this car though not the protected one. Even, under the law, the federal ministers and ministers of state are to be provided 1600 locally manufactured cars. There is no provision in the law or rules under which a political leader not holding public office could be given even an ordinary official car what to talk of Mercedes Benz. Two other standard Mercedes Benz were posted in Karachi and Quetta for the use of prime minister. However, after Jamali’s departure none of these vehicles were returned to the federal government by the respective governments. According to a PM Secretariat source Governor Balochistan Awais Ghani is using the Quetta Mercedes while Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim is using the Karachi Mercedes. The federal government owns these vehicles. The provinces are supposed to buy Mercedes from their own budgets for their governors and chief ministers. While the present lot of Mercedes is being generously offered to none entitled persons, the federal government has placed an order for the purchase of a fresh fleet of 30 bulletproof Mercedes and 20 Land Cruisers for VIPs and VVIPs. Interestingly the new addition of these luxurious vehicles costing the national exchequer billions of rupees would again be placed at the disposal of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat that would decide, in its discretion, as to who should use these highly expensive staff cars. |
|
|
| Go Back To Previous Page |