PML-N moves privilege motion against Zardari

Islamabad, Sep 16 (ANI): The Pakistan Muslim League-N has moved a privilege motion in the National Assembly (NA) against the statement of President Asif Ali Zardari on giving the safe passage to the former president Pervez Musharraf.

The motion signed by 91 MNAs has been brought by Hanif Abbasi, Dr. Tariq Fazal and Anjum Aqeel, the NA Members of the PML-N.

It may be recalled that opposition leader in NA, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had announced to move a motion against Zardari the previous day, and demanded Zardari to present all the aspects of the deal – regarding Pervez Musharraf – in front of the nation and Parliament.

Earlier in the day, contradicting media reports over indemnity being granted to Musharraf, Zardari’s spokesman has said that there have been no negotiations with the so-called international guarantors to give indemnity to the former president.

In a statement, Farhatullah Babar said the President Zardari in an informal talk on Monday with reporters had remarked that national political leaders and parties had held negotiations among themselves to chase Musharraf out of office and restore Presidency to the democratic forces.

In the talk with journalists there was no mention of negotiations with the so-called national or international guarantors to give immunity to Musharraf subsequent to his exit, he said.

Zardari’s remarks of negotiations among national political parties to strategise the sacking of Musharraf have unfortunately been distorted and misrepresented as talks with so called guarantors for indemnity to Musharraf, Dawn quoted Babar, as saying.

He said no one denied the holding of negotiations among national political parties to drive Musharraf out of office.

Babar said it was the result of these negotiations that the national parliament and all provincial assemblies adopted resolutions calling upon Musharraf to quit.

It was also the result of these negotiations that the parties joined hands in preparing a comprehensive and historic charge sheet to impeach Musharraf in case he refused to quit, he said.

There was nothing new in Zardari’s remarks about negotiations among political parties to force Musharraf out of office, except for the distortion and spin now given to it, Babar added.

Babar said the noise and din raised over the alleged remarks wrongly attributed to the President is part of the campaign to discredit Zardari for anything and everything that goes wrong. (ANI)

No talks for Musharraf’s indemnity with international guarantors: Babar

Islamabad, Sep 16 (ANI): Contradicting media reports over indemnity being granted to Pervez Musharraf, President Asif Ali Zardari’s spokesman has said that there have been no negotiations with the so-called international guarantors to give indemnity to the former president.

In a statement, Farhatullah Babar said the President Zardari in an informal talk on Monday with reporters had remarked that national political leaders and parties had held negotiations among themselves to chase Musharraf out of office and restore Presidency to the democratic forces.

In the talk with journalists there was no mention of negotiations with the so-called national or international guarantors to give immunity to Musharraf subsequent to his exit, he said.

Zardari’s remarks of negotiations among national political parties to strategise the sacking of Musharraf have unfortunately been distorted and misrepresented as talks with so called guarantors for indemnity to Musharraf, Dawn quoted Babar, as saying.

He said no one denied the holding of negotiations among national political parties to drive Musharraf out of office.

Babar said it was the result of these negotiations that the national parliament and all provincial assemblies adopted resolutions calling upon Musharraf to quit.

It was also the result of these negotiations that the parties joined hands in preparing a comprehensive and historic charge sheet to impeach Musharraf in case he refused to quit, he said.

There was nothing new in Zardari’s remarks about negotiations among political parties to force Musharraf out of office, except for the distortion and spin now given to it, Babar added.

Babar said the noise and din raised over the alleged remarks wrongly attributed to the President is part of the campaign to discredit Zardari for anything and everything that goes wrong. (ANI)

PML-N demands Zardari to make secret deal with Musharraf public

Islamabad, Sep.16 (ANI): The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has demanded President Asif Ali Zardari to make public the documents regarding the secret deal with his predecessor General Pervez Musharraf, allowing him a safe exit from the country.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said the PML-N would move motions in the Senate and the NA against Zardari for making a covert deal with Musharraf.

“It’s a mind-boggling statement… we demand that Zardari make the details of this deal public. Zardari should disclose the ‘international stakeholders’ involved in brokering the deal seeking indemnity for General Pervez Musharraf. The nation should be told who agreed to give the former military dictator safe passage,” Khan said.

Interacting with media persons at Parliament House here, Khan said Zardari’s disclosure that he too was a part of the agreement is a “serious breach of the country’s sovereignty, independence and self-respect”.

“While all this ‘political wheeling and dealing’ was going on, Zardari had not yet become president, which showed that he became the president with the support of international actors under the same deal,” The Daily Times quoted Khan, as saying.

Shocked by Zardari’s disclosure, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has said the President should have taken his party into confidence as a coalition partner before making such statements.

Responding to a question, Sharif said if Zardari had consulted him before revealing the deal, he would have then “tried to guide him in the right direction and would have reminded him of the treatment meted out to the country, democracy and even to his party and its leadership”.

Sharif questioned Zardari’s involvement in the deal, asking under what capacity he became a party in the agreement as he had not assumed the charge of President then.

“Popular leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in the tenure of Pervez Musharraf, then how Asif Zardari became party in giving safe passage to Musharraf,” Sharif asked. (ANI)

PPP has not given any ‘guarantee’ regarding Musharraf indemnity: Kaira

Islamabad, Sep.4 (ANI): Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has rebutted reports regarding Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) giving assurance not to prosecute former President General Pervez Musharraf on high treason charges.

Kaira said the PPP has not given any ‘guarantee’ to any country regarding clemency to Musharraf.

“Though friendly countries generally give advice on various matters but it is not binding on the government,” Kaira said.

In an interview with The Nation, he categorically rejected media reports that Musharraf’s step down was pre-planned and a part of a ‘secret’ arrangement.

“PPP had expelled Musharraf from Aiwan-e-Sadr with the support of masses,” he stressed.

When asked about Interior Advisor, Rehman Malik’s visit to Saudi Arabia, just before Musharraf’s meeting with king Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Kaira said it was a routine affair and it had nothing to do with the Musharraf issue.

Kaira also denied presence of US Blackwater on Pakistani soil, saying Islamabad would never allow any private security agency to operate inside country’s territory.

“Some personnel of private security agencies of the US after taking clearance by the government are protecting the NATO trucks which transport supplies from Port Qasim to Afghanistan and nothing else,” he said.

“As the US is leading war against terror therefore its facilities and staff are more prone to terror attacks than other countries therefore they need more security to protect themselves,” he added. (ANI)

Nawaz says fully support the long march of lawyers on March 9

Islamabad, Jan. 27 (ANI): Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said today that Pakistan Muslim League (N) PML (N) will fully support the long march of lawyers on March 9 and that the deposed judges should be restored without any further delay.

Addressing a press conference at the Punjab house, He said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and PML (N) endorsed Charter of Democracy (CoD) so that the people of Pakistan could be empowered.

The constitution was always violated by the dictators to serve their own agenda and that the creation of Pakistan was not meant to give indemnity to dictators and Martial laws, The News quoted, Nawaz as saying.

Nawaz said that the 17th Amendment should be abolished; “Even the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) has tabled a bill in the parliament for its abolition”, he added. He further said that his party had given the 18th Amendment draft to Mian Raza Rabbani in this regard.

Responding to a question, Nawaz said he and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto discussed the CoD in Jeddah and that there was complete unanimity of views on the restoration of judiciary, ensuring the supremacy of constitution and strengthening democracy in the country. PML (N) leader said an independent judiciary could steer Pakistan out of present crises, he said that the government should restore all deposed judges.(ANI)

Present ‘democratic’ government in Pakistan no different from dictatorship : Nawaz Sharif

Islamabad, Jan.16 (ANI): Toughening his stance against the PPP regime in the country, Former Pakistan Prime Minister and Muslim League-N (PML-N) Chief Nawaz Sharif has said that there is no difference between the present ‘democratic’ government in Pakistan and dictatorship.

“In a democracy Parliament is sovereign and the sword of Article 58(2)b does not dangle over it, judiciary is independent and the government does not bow before international pressures in matters involving national interest,” The Dawn quoted Sharif, as saying.

He charged President Asif Ali Zaradari for delaying the matter of repealing the 17th Amendment, and restoring the constitution to the pre – Musharraf rule.

“There is no obstacle in the way of restoring the Constitution to the pre-Oct 1999 position and only a nod from President Asif Ali Zardari is required,” he said.

Sharif added that there is no need of any consensus on the issue as almost all the political parties of the country wanted the 17th Amendment to be repealed.

Commenting on disqualification of his name from contesting an election in the country, Sharif said that the decision regarding his disqualification rested with the people of Pakistan, and the PCO judges had no right to judge his qualification.

He asked the government to make the process of judges’ appointment in the country more transparent.

“I hope that the government would refrain from making unilateral appointment of judges,” Sharif said.

Sharif also criticised former President General. Parvez Musharraf for propagating several unconstitutional steps.

He also opposed the decision of the government of giving indemnity to Musharraf.

“He (Musharraf) must be tried for abrogating the Constitution and taking other unconstitutional steps, including the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti,” Sharif added. (ANI)