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Musharraf ‘shedding crocodile tears’, says ex- Pak SCBA chief

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Sep.19 (ANI): Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association’s former President Aitzaz Ahsan has said that former President General Pervez Musharraf is ‘shedding crocodile tears’ while admitting that removing Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry from office in 2007 was a mistake.

Referring to Musharraf’s speech at Trinity University in Saint Antonio, Texas, where the former general admitted that he had committed a mistake while sacking the then Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) from office, Ahsan said Musharraf had committed not only one but two mistakes by removing the higher judiciary and imposing an emergency in the country on November 3, 2007.

Talking to a private television channel, Ahsan said the government and the ‘independent’ judiciary should play their role in trying Musharraf under high treason charges.

He said it was not the right time for lawyers to take their struggle to roads, as they did previously while demanding restoration of the judiciary, The News reports.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has denied that Musharraf had taken the cabinet into his confidence before promulgating the Provisional Constitutional Ordinance (PCO) and imposing the emergency rule in 2007.

Interacting with media persons during an Iftaar party hosted by PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, several party leaders rejected the notion regarding Musharraf consulting the cabinet before taking the illegal and extra-judicial actions. (ANI)

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Contempt of court petition filed against Musharraf for ‘illegally’ confining judges

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Sep.11 (ANI): Cases against former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf continue to be filed abated, as now a petition has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking contempt-of-court proceedings against the former general for ‘illegally’ preventing 60 judges from performing judicial duties after the November 2007 emergency.

The petition filed by advocate Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam Ghuman under Article 204 of the Constitution, named Musharraf as the respondent.

Ghuman, in his petition, has asked the apex court to direct Musharraf to appear before it, “so that he may be dealt with and punished according to the law … in the larger interest of justice.”

The petition states that the Chief Justice and 59 other judges of the higher judiciary, who refused to take oath under the November 2007 Provisional Constitution Order (PCO), were ‘illegally barred from judicial work’.

“These judges were illegally detained, and heavy contingents of police deployed outside and inside their residences, while their families were also kept under illegal confinement,” The Daily Times quoted the petition, as stating. (ANI)

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50 railway stations to be of world standard

July 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 3 (ANI): Presenting the Railway Budget 2009-10, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that about 50 stations are to be developed into world class stations with international level facilities.

Banerjee said that these stations would be developed through innovative financing and in Public Private Partnership mode.

Some of these stations are: CST Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Howrah, Sealdah, Bhubaneswar, New Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Amritsar, Kanpur, Guwahati, Jaipur, Chennai Central, Tiruvananthapuram Central, Secunderabad, Tirupati, Bangalore City, Baiyapanahali (Bangalore), Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Habibganj, Gaya Jn., Agra Cantt., Mathura Jn., Chandigarh, Kolkata, New Jalpaiguri, Majerhat, Mangalore, Porbandar, Anand Vihar, Brijwasan, Ajmer and Puri.

Banerjee also announced the construction of Multi-Functional Complexes (MFCs) in station premises for providing rail users facilities like shopping, food stalls and restaurants.

The MFCs will also have book stalls, PCO/STD/ISD/Fax booths, medicine, budget hotels and underground parking.

She said that during this year, 50 such railway stations would be developed in places of pilgrimage, industry and tourist interest. “The responsibility for development of Multi-functional Complexes would be entrusted to IRCON and Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA),” she added.

The 49 identified stations to be developed as MFCs are: Alipurduar, Allahabad, Anandpur Sahib, Banspani, Bikaner, Bilaspur, Cuttack, Darjeeling, Dehradun, Digha, Durg, Ernakulum, Gandhidham, Ganga Sagar, Ghatsila, Gwalior, Hajur Sahib, Hubli, Hyderabad, Indore, Jabalpur, Jammu Tawi, Jasidih, Jhansi, Jodhpur, Kanyakumari, Kathgodam, Katra, Khajuraho, Madurai, Manmad, Mysore, Nanded, Nasik, Palakkad, Parasnath, Raebareily, Raipur, Rajgir, Rameshwaram, Ranchi, Shirdi, Silchar, Tarapith, Tiruchirapalli, Udaipur, Ujjain, Vadodara and Visakhapatnam. (ANI)

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Increasing CO2 in oceans will make it harder for deep-sea animals to “breathe”

April 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, April 18 (ANI): A new study has suggested that increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) and decreasing oxygen in the oceans will make it harder for deep-sea animals to “breathe”.

The study, by marine chemists at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), US, suggests that low-oxygen “dead zones” in the ocean could expand significantly over the next century.

These predictions are based on the fact that, as more and more carbon dioxide dissolves from the atmosphere into the ocean, marine animals will need more oxygen to survive.

Concentrations of carbon dioxide are increasing rapidly in the Earth’s atmosphere, primarily because of human activities.

About one third of the CO2 that humans produce by burning fossil fuels is being absorbed by the world’s oceans, gradually causing seawater to become more acidic.

However, such “ocean acidification” is not the only way that CO2 can harm marine animals.

In a “Perspective” published in the journal Science, Peter Brewer and Edward Peltzer combine published data on rising levels of carbon dioxide and declining levels of oxygen in the ocean in a set of new and thermodynamically rigorous calculations.

They show that increases in carbon dioxide can make marine animals more susceptible to low concentrations of oxygen, and thus exacerbate the effects of low-oxygen “dead zones” in the ocean.

Brewer and Peltzer’s calculations also show that the partial pressure of dissolved carbon dioxide gas (pCO2) in low-oxygen zones will rise much higher than previously thought.

This could have significant consequences for marine life in these zones.

High concentrations of CO2 make it harder for marine animals to respire (to extract oxygen from seawater). This, in turn, makes it harder for these animals to find food, avoid predators, and reproduce.

Low concentrations of oxygen can have similar effects.

Currently, deep-sea life is threatened by a combination of increasing CO2 and decreasing oxygen concentrations.

The amount of dissolved CO2 is increasing because the oceans are taking up more and more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

At the same time, ocean surface waters are warming and becoming more stable, which allows less oxygen to be carried from the surface down into the depths.

According to Brewer, “Animals facing declining oxygen levels and rising CO2 levels will suffer in much the same way that humans in a damaged submarine would suffer, once the concentrations of these gasses reach critical levels.”

“Our work helps define those critical levels for marine animals, and will enable the emerging risk to be quantified and mapped,” he said. (ANI)

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Sindh High Court issues notices to Musharraf, Qayyum

April 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Karachi, Apr. 15 (ANI): Sindh High Court has issued notices to former Pakistan President General (r) Pervez Musharraf and former Attorney General Malik Qayyum for alleged “abrogation and subversion of the Constitution.”

Acting upon the petition filed by Moulvi Iqbal Haider, the SHC ordered Musharraf and Qayyum to respond by May 19, The Nation reports.

Chairman of Awami Himayat Tehreek Pakistan Haider filed the petition aimed at seeking trial of former president and his allies Sharifuddin Pirzada and Malik Qayyum over the charges of ” high treason”, as they abated in abrogation and subversion of the Constitution of 1973, either by proclaiming or assisting in proclaiming ” Provisional Constitution Order (PCO 2 of 2007)”.

Sharif Pirzada, former Attorney General of Pakistan as respondent, appeared before the division bench comprising Justice Musheer Alam and Justice Safdar Ali Bhutto.

He requested the court to grant him further time to submit his comments over the petition. In this way, the court adjourned the hearing.

Meanwhile, neither the other respondents nor their counsel appeared as per court orders.

The other respondents in the petition are federal law secretary, federal interior minister and Home Secretary Sindh.

Haider submitted that all acts committed by Musharraf on November 02, 2008, were illegal and thereafter all amendments made by him were also illegal.

Musharraf and all those who supported him, should be liable to be proceeded under the high treason and should be brought to the justice. (ANI)

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Pak Supreme court asked to book Musharraf on ECL

April 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Apr. 14 (ANI): The Supreme Court of Pakistan has been asked to place former President General (r) Pervez Musharraf’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL) by booking him in a treason case for abrogating the Constitution and damaging the judiciary.

In his petition under the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court on fundamental rights, Advocate Fazal Ellahi Siddiqui has also requested to overturn the Court’s judgment validating the November 3, 2007 emergency rule.

He also accuses former chief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and 43 other judges of aiding and abetting the subversion of the Constitution by taking oath under the PCO courts.

It is third such petition that demands annulment of emergency rule following the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Siddiqui’s petition holds Musharraf, Zardari, the army chief, former chief justice Dogar and Justice (retd) Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi as respondents.

“The Americans, like in Musharraf’s time, have also been given a free hand by President Zardari and fundamental rights of the people are being violated daily in tribal areas. A large number of people have suffered tremendous losses because of US drone attacks,” the Dawn quotes Siddiqui’s petition, as saying.

The petition said it had become a common phenomenon that the army intervened after every eight to 10 years, amended the Constitution to suit its needs and eventually to get its acts of omissions and commissions validated by the courts and parliament.

“The military commanders consider that the public will weep and wail for a few days, but after that they have to reconcile to the fait accompli,” the petition said. (ANI)

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Pak SC rejects Musharraf trial petition

April 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Lahore, Apr.7 (ANI): The Pakistan Supreme Court has returned the trial petition moved against former President General (retired) Pervez Musharraf with several objections.

Supreme Court Registrar Dr Faqir Hussain returned the petition with four major objections.

Dr. Hussain stated that the petitioner Zahid Malik has no locus standi to move the petition, the advocate-on-record did not specify whether the petition was the first of its kind, the petitioner did not avail a lower court first and that the petitioner has sought more than one relief in a single petition, The Daily Times reported.

Malik’s counsel, Dr Farooq Hassan argued that Musharraf had admitted to taking unconstitutional steps by removing Supreme Court Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry in November 2007.

The petition filed by Malik accused General Musharraf of disseminating subversion of the Constitution by appointing the PCO’s after dismissing superior judges including the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The petition also asked for trial of the former President through Courts Martial under Pakistan Army Act for savagely violating the provisions relating to officers of the Army.

It also states that all the persons who assisted General Musharraf to carry out his illegal activities should also be punished according to the law of the country.

The apex court has been requested to bar General Musharraf from moving out of Pakistan.

Malik, in his petition had also tabled the order passed by a seven-member bench of the Supreme Court to suspend operation of the PCO on November 3, 2007, stating that those who acted against this order were liable for the contempt of the court.

The petition further stated that the matter is of high public importance as it involves violation of fundamental rights with respect to access to freedom and independent judiciary enshrined under Articles 9,10, 14, and 26. (ANI)

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300 suicide attackers present in Pakistan: Rashid

April 6, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Karachi, Apr 6 (ANI): Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has said that as many as 300 suicide attackers are present in Pakistan and if they are not controlled, large-scale disaster may hit the country.

Talking to the media at the Jinnah International Airport, he said Pakistan was in the grip of suicide attacks and the whole nation would have to rise against them.

Condemning the suicide attack at an Imambargah in Chakwal, Rashid said the country was going through a critical phase, the Daily Times reported.

Decisions were being taken on the roads rather than by parliament and some decisions were being made at gunpoint, he remarked.

The Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) judges were there before the suspension of the Punjab Government and they are there after its restoration as well, Rashid added.

He demanded Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States (US) should be called back for not arguing the case of the country in an effective way.

The US could not succeed in Afghanistan without the help of Pakistani forces and agencies, Rashid underlined.

He stressed the political parties should bring back the money their leadership had stashed in offshore accounts.

Replying to a question, Rashid said the reinstatement of the judges had been decided on March 13. (ANI)

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Pak Supreme Court throws out sedition petition filed against Musharraf

April 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Apr.1 (ANI): The Pakistan Supreme Court has thrown away a sedition petition filed against former President General Pervez Musharraf.

The petition filed by one Zahid Hussain Malik was returned back by the court saying that it was neither the proper forum for the case nor the petitioner was an affected party in it, The News reported.

Advocate on record’s affidavit was also not attached with the petition which particularly irked the court.

The petition filed Malik accused General Musharraf of disseminating subversion of the Constitution by appointing the PCO’s after dismissing superior judges including the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The petition asked for trial of the former President through Courts Martial under Pakistan Army Act for savagely violating the provisions relating to officers of the Army, The Nations reports.

It also stated that all the persons who assisted General Musharraf to carry out his illegal activities should also be punished according to the law of the country. (ANI)

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Petition filed in Pak SC for trial of Musharraf on charges of sedition

March 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Lahore, Mar.25 (ANI): Following the reinstatement of deposed judiciary in the country, former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf is headed for some trouble as a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court (SC) seeking his trial on the charges of sedition.

A petition filed by one Zahid Hussain Malik accuses General Musharraf of disseminating subversion of the Constitution by appointing the PCO’s after dismissing superior judges including the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The petition asks for trial of the former President through Courts Martial under Pakistan Army Act for savagely violating the provisions relating to officers of the Army, The Nations reports.

It also states that all the persons who assisted General Musharraf to carry out his illegal activities should also be punished according to the law of the country.

The apex court has been requested to bar General Musharraf from moving out of Pakistan.

Malik, in his petition has also tabled the order passed by a seven-member bench of the Supreme Court to suspend operation of the PCO on November 3, 2007, stating that those who acted against this order were liable for the contempt of the court.

The petition further states that the matter is of high public importance as it involves violation of fundamental rights with respect to access to freedom and independent judiciary enshrined under Articles 9,10, 14, and 26.

Earlier, the Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Association (PESA) demanded that Musharraf be stripped-off from all the special privilege he is being receiving from the Pak Army.

The association, in a special meeting, also decided to constitute a special committee to make a proposal for the trial of former president Musharraf for violating the Constitution and committing various other crimes, and a general body meeting in this regard would be held on March 28 under the chairmanship of Admiral (retired) Fasih Bukhari.

It also had demanded General Musharraf be thrown out from the Army House. (ANI)

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Chaudhry not to attend Pakistan Day ceremony

March 23, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Mar.23 (ANI): The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, has said that he will not attend the award-distribution ceremony at the presidential palace here today.

According to the Registrar of the Supreme Court, Dr. Faqeer Hussain, Justice Chaudhry will not be able to attend the ceremony due to preparation of cases at home before resuming his office tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-i-Islami chief Fazl-ur-Rehman has said Chaudhry would continue to remain a PCO judge if he does not take fresh oath. (ANI)

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Security tightened at Tiruchirapalli airport following bomb threat

March 21, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Tiruchirapalli, Mar 21 (ANI): Security at Tiruchirapalli airport was tightened on Saturday after a message was received at Kolkata airport threatening bombs explosions at airports in Southern India.

A city police team was deployed along with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) within the airport complex.

A Bomb Disposal and Detection Squad was also called in to conduct checks.

According to the police, an anonymous caller telephoned the duty manager at Kolkata Airport and said bombs would go off in all airports in Southern India.

The call was traced to a local PCO.

Police have ordered the deployment of a seven-layer security at all airports in Southern India, including Tiruchirapalli.

Passengers and visitors are being subjected to three rounds of checks. (ANI)

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Jamaat-e-Islami to file petition against Musharraf

March 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Karachi, Mar. 20 (ANI): Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami party has decided to file a petition against former Pakistan President General (r) Pervez Musharraf over the Lal-Masjid operation, and ongoing army operation in tribal areas of the country.

JeI leader Asadullah Bhutto told The Nation that the Central Shoora of party would decide the future course of action about to file the petition against Musharraf, and the party has not finalized its strategy so far.

Bhutto said has expressed satisfaction and happiness on the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and other judges, who had been deposed by Musharraf.

“The PCO judiciary has not been able to provide justice to the people, and it was the major reason why JeI did not make party’s policy to file the petition against Pervez Musharraf,” The Nation quoted him, as saying.

All sacked judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts, including Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, will resume their earlier positions from March 22. (ANI)

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Restoration of sacked judiciary unconstitutional, say most Pak experts?

March 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Lahore, Mar. 17 (ANI): Constitutional experts in Pakistani are divided over the legitimacy of the sacked judges’ restoration of sacked judges through an executive order passed by the Prime Minister.

Some experts have claimed that the step contradicts an earlier Supreme Court verdict on judges who refused to take the oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), while others called the SC ruling ‘illegal’, the Daily Times reports.

According to Article 199 and 200 of the Pakistan Constitution, the judgment is binding on all institutions of the state and no one can negate its legality.

Pakistan’s former federal law minister SM Masood said that all steps taken in the judicial crisis, including Pervez Musharraf’s tenure to Asif Ali Zardari’s tenure, violated the Constitution.

He opined that the judges could not be reinstated through an executive order because of the complications created by the SC ruling.

Legal expert Hamid Khan, however, said the judgment had no legal value at all, and if PCO courts were unacceptable, a judgment delivered by them should also not be accepted.

He also said the ‘judges’ who issued the judgment “should prove their legitimacy and then issue the judgment”.

Another constitutional expert, Fawad Hussain Chaudhry stressed that the judges could not be restored without taking fresh oath. With the notification of restoration of judges, there would be several legal anomalies in the procedural course of the restoration, he added.

However, advocate Azhar Hameed said the reinstatement was totally in line with the Constitution. (ANI)

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Sharif firing gun at Zardari over Gilani’s shoulder

March 13, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Rawalpindi, Mar 13 (ANI): PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has asked Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani to play his role and convince President Asif Ali Zardari to defuse the prevailing tension by restoring the pre-November 3 judiciary.

Sharif said that if the Prime Minister wished, he could restore the pre-November 3 judiciary, Geo News reported.

“The nation and the opposition would support the Prime Minister whatever steps he takes for restoration of the judges,” he said, adding that now its time that Gilani should play his role.

Sharif said the premier should take a clear-cut decision before the long march in the best interests of the nation, The News reported.

He said Gilani is a sincere man and there is no doubt about his intentions. “Although He does not have all the powers, he has the power to restore the deposed judges and sack the PCO judges,” Sharif added.

He said that if Zardari was not ready to take this decision due to his personal agenda, the Prime Minister should do it now, and he should not worry about his premiership as “we are with him.”

The PML-N chief said the PPP could not have formed the government in the Centre without the PML-N support. Sharif was of the view that if the prime minister acted now, many PPP members would also stand by him, saying that President Zardari should be reminded of his promises to the nation.

He said if the president refused to accept Gilani’s advice, then he should bring the matter to the Parliament, adding that Gilani should not delay it, as it was a historical moment for him.

About Gilani’s stance on Governor’s rule in Punjab, he said, “We respect the sentiments of the prime minister and before governor’s rule the premier had assured Shahbaz during a meeting that they would not destabilise PML-N government in Punjab.

The two-time former prime minister alleged that people of bad character were being appointed as judges, and he gave an example of the recent appointment of the Islamabad High Court chief justice. (ANI)

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Undemocratic decisions will not be accepted by nation: Sharif

February 26, 2009 By admin 1 Comment

Islamabad/Lahore/ Sheikhupura, Feb. 26 (ANI): Former Pakistan’s Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League (N) Chief Nawaz Sharif said today, the people would not accept the Supreme Court ruling. He said no undemocratic action would be tolerated and the mandate of the people should be respected.

Addressing a massive public rally here, Nawaz said Pakistan is passing through hard times because of verdicts of the PCO judiciary.

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari had deceived the nation and did not honour his commitments, The News quoted, Nawaz as saying.

He said that Shahbaz Sharif was still the Chief Minister of Pakistan Punjab province under the constitution. Nawaz said that long spells of dictatorship had been snubbing democratic process in the country. He urged people to raise their voice and play an active role in safeguarding Pakistan.

PML(N) chief said Zardari did not honour Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s will and there was a dichotomy between his words and his actions. “If Benazir Bhutto were alive today, we would not have to witness present state of affairs”, he added.

Praising Pakistan Prime Minister’s efforts for political reconciliation between PML (N) and PPP, Sharif asked Gilani to distance himself from the Supreme Court verdict by joining people.

He revealed that Pakistan Sindh Education Minister, Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq told Mian Shahbaz Sharif in a meeting that Sindh should also have a Chief Minister like Shahbaz Sharif.

Earlier, thousands of angry protesters marched across Punjab denouncing disqualification of Sharif brothers by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday.

The rallies were taken out in several cities of Punjab.

Hundreds of angry PML-N supporters gathered in Sargodha, waving party’s flags and chanting anti-government slogans and smashed the windowpanes of several cars. Markets and schools remained closed in the city.

The lawyers staged a complete strike in Sheikhupuar, but the courts were open. The chanting protestors blocked the road and burnt tires.

A mob also torched four vehicles on the highway linking Islamabad to the Punjab.

Thousands of protesters torched two large hoardings showing the Punjab governor and beat pictures of Zardari with sticks and shoes before setting them ablaze. Hundreds more rallied elsewhere in Lahore.

The protesters clashed with police, shouted slogans against the government and torched several cars and a police van.

Hundreds rallied in Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, where hundreds chanted “Murderer of democracy”.

A complete shutter down strike was observed in Mandi Bahauddin where enraged activists staged a hunger-strike camp.

Hundreds of women took out a protest rally in Shorkot and blocked the main overhead bridge. Complete strike was seen in Okara and Dibalpur.(ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: angry protesters, Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutto, Chief Minister, education minister, mazhar, Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League, PCO, pml-n, political reconciliation, public rally, punjab province, shahbaz sharif, sindh education, supreme court of pakistan, supreme court ruling, supreme court verdict, ul haq, windowpanes

Sharif was offered bribe to accept PCO judiciary: PML (N)

February 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Feb.25 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League (N) has said that Federal Government had tried to bribe Nawaz Sharif , and asked him to recognise the PCO judiciary.

Talking to mediapersons after a Supreme Court verdict which disqualified former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif from contesting elections, PML (N) leader Pervez Rashid said the government had offered Sharif that if he recognised PCO judiciary, he would be declared eligible for contesting polls and his brother would not be dethroned from Punjab chief minister’s chair.

“But the PML (N) downed the offer,” The News quoted Rashid, as saying.

A three member Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Musa K. Laghari, disposed-off the Sharif’s electoral eligibility case on Wednesday. This in effect means that Shahbaz Sharif is Punjab Chief Minister.

Furious over the two line verdict, their lawyer, Akram Sheikh, said the decision was not surprising as the judges were only abiding by orders given to them by the Government.

“Sharif brothers were declared ineligible on the orders of President Zardari,” Sheikh said.

He said now the people of Pakistan will decide whether the verdict is on merit or not.

Latest reports from Lahore said that PML-N activists have taken to streets in protest against the apex court’s decision.

Almost all political parties have voiced their dismay over the verdict.

Commenting on the verdict, Pakistan Muslim League (N) Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal compared Zardari to former President General Pervez Musharraf, and charged him with following the policies of the previous military regime.

“PML (N) would not tolerate a one-man state and Shahbaz Sharif is still the Chief Minister of Punjab constitutionally,” Iqbal said.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain termed it as ‘sad’ decision, and said that it should not be celebrated by any party.

Former Supreme Court Bar Association President Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan termed the decision as a ‘biased’ verdict. (ANI)

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PML-N warns disqualification of Nawaz, Shahbaz will lead to chaos in Pak

January 21, 2009 By Rajesh Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Jan 21 (ANI): The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has warned against disqualification of its top leadership, saying that neither the people of the country nor the party will accept any controversial judgment handed in by the PCO judges.

“Any controversial decision at this point of time would mean another judicial crisis and chaos in the country, the responsibility of which would lie on the Government,” PML-N Central Secretary Information Ahsan Iqbal told reporters here.

Ahsan Iqbal said those who were not regarded by the people to be legitimate judges had no right to decide on the qualification of popular leaders.

Dawn quoted him as saying that the Judges who had validated General (retired) Pervez Musharraf’s unconstitutional rule couldn’t hear the case against people who had a record of opposing and rejecting the same.

Ahsan Iqbal said the PPP had made promises for repeal of the controversial 17th amendment, and should fulfill its promise by working together with the PML-N.

He said the bill to repeal the 17th amendment prepared by the PML-N was in line with the Charter of Democracy signed both by the PPP and the PML-N.

Answering a question, Iqbal dispelled the impression that the PML-N wanted a repeal of the 17th amendment, as it was hurdle in the way of Nawaz Sharif becoming Prime Minister for the third term, and pointed out that Sharif was not a Member of the National Assembly. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: ahsan, Amendment, ANI, answering, assembly, bill, case, Central Secretary, chaos, charter, country, crisis, dawn, decision, democracy, disqualification, general, Government, hurdle, impression, information, iqbal, Islamabad, jan, judgment, leadership, league, line, member, minister, Musharraf, Muslim, national, nawaz, Pak, Pakistan, party, PCO, pervez, pml-n, point, ppp, prime, promise, qualification, question, record, repeal, responsibility, right, rule, Shahbaz, sharif, term, time, way