Terrorists may use stolen Army vehicles to strike, warns Pak intelligence

Lahore, May 14 (ANI): Pakistan’s intelligence agencies have warned the concerned security authorities that militants could use stolen vehicles belonging to army officials to carry out terror strikes.

According to an intelligence input, a Toyota Corolla owned by Lieutenant Colonel Qazi Habibur Rehman was stolen from Islamabad on April 30, while a motorbike belonging to Major Muhammad Abdul Hassan was also stolen from Rawalpindi earlier this month, and that these vehicles may be used by militants to target important locations.

The intelligence report has been sent to all regional police officers (RPOs), city police officers (CPOs), district police officers (DPOs) and the Lahore capital city police officer (CCPO), The Daily Times reports.

Following the report, the Punjab Home Department has directed all concerned agencies to beef up security in and around all important establishments and government buildings in the province.

Security officials have also been asked to maintain a tight vigil and scan all vehicles entering or leaving the province from each entry and exit point. (ANI)

Pakistan braces for judicial war

Islamabad , April 27 — Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and his government are now getting ready for one last battle – possibly the toughest one yet – in which they will take on the judiciary which has questioned parts of the 18th Amendment Act. The bill was passed into law last week amidst much fanfare and with the endorsement of all the major political parties of the country. The Supreme Court has formed a larger bench to hear petitions against the 18 Amendment Act, particularly objections raised against Clause 175-A which deals with the appointment of judges to the superior courts. Petitioners, which include the son of former military strongman General Zia ul Haq, have asked that the supreme court strike down the 18th amendment “as it is against the constitution.” The line being taken by the petitioners is that the 18th Amendment Act changes some very basic concepts of the constitution which it is not empowered to do. Ijazul Haq argues that “it is not the mandate of the present parliament to alter the constitution as this is the job of a constituent assembly.” Another petitioner – Akram Shaikh pleaded that the procedure proposed in the 18th Amendment for appointment of judges to the superior judiciary “is the fourth attack on the judiciary and must be checked.” He prayed to the court to “define the the paremeters according to which the parliament can make laws.” Amongst the legal community, there is heated debate over whether the Supreme Court can strike down an act of parliament. On one side is the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Qazi Anwar, who says that no changes can be made against the spirit of the constitution. On the other side is Aitezaz Ahsan, former lawyer for Chief Justice Chaudhry Iftikhar who says that the Supreme Court lacks the jurisdiction to strike down constitutional amendments. Ruling party politicians insist that the government will fight a legal battle with the judiciary and if all else fails, “will take the case to the people.” A possible political referendum is being hinted. In all this, there are fears that the government will enter into another protracted political crisis – which it can ill afford at this point.

So far, the statements being issued by PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif indicate that while the party is not in favour of a confrontation, if required it will stand for the supremacy of parliament. This has given the Zardari government comfort for the long term.

100,000 Pakistani labourers expected to work in Malaysia by end 2010

Kuala Lumpur, Aug.27 (ANI): With an estimated three-fold increase in workers, Pakistan is set to join Indonesia, Bangladesh and Myanmar as the largest primary source of foreign labour for Malaysia.

Pakistan High Commissioner to Malaysia, Liutenant General (retired) Tahir Mahmud Qazi said the expected surge in number of labourers would help Malaysia cope up with the increasing demand due to the boom in the construction industry.

“By December next year, I expect the number of Pakistani workers in the country to increase to 100,000. This will be the culmination of joint efforts to bring them here to assist in the development of Malaysia,” Qazi said.

He said the massive influx was made possible due to the memorandum of understanding inked between the two countries in 2005.

Qazi said Pakistanis over the years, have proved that they are hard working and sincere.

“We want more of them to come here to work. They have a proven track record of being hardworking and dependable,” The Newstraits Times quoted Qazi, as saying.

He said senior Pakistani officials would be visiting Malaysia next month to search for investment opportunities in the country and introduce investment opportunities to the Malaysian business community.

“There are huge opportunities awaiting Malaysian businessmen in Pakistan. We need a variety of goods and services, including hypermarkets, communication, information technology facilities and low-cost housing,” Qazi added. (ANI)

Muslims in Bhopal offer special prayers for early rains

Bhopal, June 27 (ANI): Muslims in Bhopal offered Namaaz-e-Istasqa (Namaaz to ask for rain) as most of northern India reeled under drought-like situation due to delayed monsoon.

Thousands of Muslims gathered at city’s Eidgah (an open-air mosque) and offered special prayers seeking early rains.

“Our sins have risen…everyone is indulged in wrong and satanic activities, somebody is involved in gambling, another indulges in prostitution…none is giving ‘Zakat’ (a small percentage of savings as alms or charity that Muslims give)…everyone is running after the materialistic world…in this special prayer we have asked the Almighty to forgive us for our sins and bless us with rain,” said Qazi Ameerullah, a Muslim cleric.

The delay in the arrival of monsoon is becoming a cause of concern for the masses especially farmers, as nearly two-thirds of agriculture depends on the rains and two-thirds of the population is dependent on agriculture.

The monsoon is crucial for summer-sown crops such as rice, soybean, sugarcane and cotton. With only 40 percent of farmland irrigated, most of countries small farmers rely on the monsoon to water their crops.

The Meteorological Department has said that the total rainfall from the crucial June-September monsoon would be 93 percent of the long-term average, coming in below normal for the first time in four years. (ANI)

Hizbul Mujahideen commander killed near Jammu

Jammu, May 26 (ANI): A Hizbul Mujahideen group commander was killed in an intense encounter in Dachan, about 340 km from Jammu.

The encounter took place after the security forces got a tip-off about the presence of militants at Kripaknoo area in Dachan.

Security forces launched a search operation in the wee hours, and were able to kill the commander and trap two other militants, including a divisional commander of the organisation.

“During the operation, the militants fired at the search team. In the retaliatory fire which was continuing till noon, a group commander of the outfit Karri Qazi was killed and two of its member, including a divisional commander, were trapped,” an official source said. (ANI)

India doesn’t kill in Kashmir as Pak is doing in Swat : Qazi

Islamabad, May 21 (ANI): Pakistan’s religious leaders have strongly criticized the Swat offensive, saying innocent civilians are being killed in the operation, and added that even India has never adopted such measures in Kashmir.

“It is not correct to target the whole population for the pursuance of few terrorists and even the Indian forces never adopted such measures in occupied Kashmir,” the former Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmad said.

Ahmad blamed the security forces for the killing of innocent people in the operation.
“The Swat operation is the action replay of Lal Masjid operation and the only difference is that large numbers of innocent people are being killed in Swat.

The target of operation is not Taliban or Sufi Mohammad but the poor and innocent people,” The News quoted Ahmad, as saying.

He also claimed that the government is fully aware about the US led drone attacks in the tribal regions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

“The United States wants to occupy our nuclear assets by marginalizing the Taliban issue and drone attacks are being carried out with the government’s consent,” Ahmad added. (ANI)

CJP Chaudhry to set-up commission to probe loot sale

Islamabad, May 15 (ANI): Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry is considering to set up a commission to investigate a “loot sale” of public property worth millions at throwaway prices.

“In my 20-year career, I have seen a loot sale of land belonging to the ETPB, railways and the CDA and we are considering constituting a commission to probe why public property worth millions is being sold at throwaway prices just like that,” The Dawn quoted CJP Chaudhry, as saying.

CJP Chaudhry is heading a bench, which had taken suo motu notice of the sale of land at a low price by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) in Karachi.

The bench had been constituted on a note sent by Justice Jilani stating that public property worth billions was likely to be sold at a very low price. The current price of property in the area was estimated at 50 million rupees per acre.

The court also ordered ETPB Chairman Syed Asif Hashmi not to sell even an inch of the land that constituted national heritage.

Zafar Hussain Faridi, who claims to be the owner of 314 acres of land, alleged that 240 acres of his land had been taken over by the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) and now encroached upon.

Sources told Dawn that the dispute dates back to 1964 when the ETPB had taken over the Pinjaroport Trust land in 1964.

The KDA acquired a portion of the land to develop deh Okay Wari, Gulshan-i-Iqbal and Surjani Town. Since the KDA allegedly failed to pay the cost of the land to the ETPB, its pieces were allotted to different people by the trust.

In the early 1980s, Faridi secured power of attorney of 49 acres from 12 people who are now dead. He later approached a tribunal with a claim on 314 acres.

The Sindh High Court, it ordered the department concerned to grant the challan of survey No.55 and 56 to Faridi at the rate of 300,000 rupees per acre of encroached land and 500,000 rupees for unoccupied land.

ETPB’s counsel Iftikhar Javed Qazi said Faridi failed to pay the total amount. He only paid 5.1 million rupees out of the total amount of 115 million rupees. (ANI)

Sufi Mohammad tenders olive branch to Pak government, offers to hold peace talks

Peshawar, Apr.30 (ANI): The Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Sufi Mohammad has offered to hold talks with the government to establish peace in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Addressing a jirga in Maidan region of Lower Dir, Mohammad asked the government to suspend the military offensive being carried out in the region by the Pakistan Army immediately.

Mohammad, who was apparently missing for the past few days, said the government should have consulted him before initiating the military operation.

He said the TNSM was ready to restart the peace talks with the government, and wanted a ceasefire in Maidan, as military operations would only boost Talibanisation of Swat and Buner.

Mohammad termed the ulemas’ as the ‘biggest obstacle’ in enforcement of Sharia in the region.

“Government’s candidates for Qazi’s are not qualified on the other hand TNSM candidates are not acceptable for the government,” The News quoted Mohammad, as saying.(ANI)

Over 10,000 foreign militants holed up in tribal areas: Malik

Islamabad, Apr 21 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister’s Interior Affairs Advisor Rehman Malik on Tuesday said that over 10,000 foreign militants were taking refuge in the tribal areas.

“Afghan currency and arms are being used in terrorist activities in Pakistan,” the News quoted Malik as saying.

Addressing the launching ceremony of Standard Operating Procedures for Police for dealing with women and investigating crimes of violence against women formulated by National Public Safety Commission and National Police Bureau, in collaboration with German Technical Cooperation, Malik asked Tehrik Nifaz-e Shariat-e Mohammedi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Mohammed to read the Constitution before challenging it, as all state affairs were being run in accordance with the national document.

“What he said, is Islamic and conforms to the teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah,” he added.

Malik also warned the TNSM if it violates peace agreement signed with the provincial government.

“Strict action would be taken if TNSM violates peace agreement signed with the provincial government or fails to implement it. The Nizam-e Adl Regulation (NAR-2009) was invoked in 1994, under which a session judge was named as Qazi,” he added.

Malik ruled out any intention to lift ban from TNSM and said there is no chance as well. (ANI)

SWAT cleric terms democracy un-Islamic

Hardline cleric Sufi Muhammad, who played a key role in enforcing Islamic law in Pakistan’s restive northwestern SWAT valley, said on Sunday that there is no room for democracy in Islam and it contravenes the Quran.

Addressing a gathering of thousands of people at Mingora, the main city in Swat district, the chief of the banned Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariah Muhammadi (TNSM) described democracy as an un-Islamic system.

The existing political system in the country contravenes Islam and the Quran, he claimed.

Asserting that there is no room for democracy in an Islamic system, he accused Pakistan’s rulers of appeasing the West by thrusting the system of ‘kafirs’ or infidels on the people of the country.

Muhammad said many years of struggle for implementing Shariah or Islamic law in Malakand division, which includes SWAT, were now bearing results. He claimed all un-Islamic laws will soon be abolished in Malakand.

The radical cleric, who set up Qazi or Islamic courts in SWAT even before President Asif Ali Zardari ratified a controversial law to enforce Shariah in the region, said no appeal could be made against a decision by a Qazi court in civil courts.

Such decision could be appealed only in Darul Qaza, or superior courts in the Shariah system, he added.

High Courts and the Supreme Court contravene Shariah and appeals in such institutions would be ‘haram’ or unlawful, Muhammad said.

The final decisions of the Darul Qaza too cannot be challenged in High Courts or the Supreme Court, he said.

Muhammad, who has been negotiating with the Taliban on behalf of the government, said Pakistan’s judicial system should be in accordance with Shariah. Instead of being divided into different parties, Muslims need unity, he said.

Taliban fighters led by Maulana Fazlullah, the son-in-law of Sufi Muhammad, currently control most parts of SWAT, located just 160 km from Islamabad.

Gilani asks US to stop worrying about Swat situation

Islamabad, Apr. 20 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that normalcy is returning in Swat, and that no one including the US should be worried about the situation.

“Pakistan knows well how to safeguard its national interests and the US special envoy Richard Holbrooke should not be worried about situation in Swat,” the Daily Times quoted Gilani, as saying.

In an interview to Geo TV, Gilani said that he was not concerned at all with Pak-Taliban chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad’s statements that the Supreme Court and High Courts were “un-Islamic”.

On Sunday, Mohammad had said that the Supreme Court and the High courts were un-Islamic.

He had also threatened the Pakistan Government with dire consequences if the Qazi courts were not set up all over Malakand region and Kohistan within one month.

“The government must establish Dar-ul-Quza at Malakand Division by April 23, otherwise I will not be responsible for the consequences,” Sufi warned. (ANI)

Sharia laws formally imposed in Swat

Islamabad, April 15 (IANS) Sharia laws have been formally imposed in Swat and six other districts of Pakistan’s restive northwest but a question mark hangs over whether the Taliban would live up to their promise of laying down their arms in return for the measure.

North West Frontier Province Governor Awais Ahmad Ghani and Chief Minister Haider Hoti Wednesday signed Nizam-e-Adl Regulation that the National Assembly, the lower house of Pakistan’s parliament had approved Monday and which President Asif Ali Zardari had ratified the same night.

Sharia laws may have been imposed but the Taliban have already served notice that they would not play ball.

‘My brother, we have only conventional weapons – and Islamic sharia gives people the right to keep them. Islamic jihad will continue until Judgement Day,’ Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan Tuesday told Geo TV’s Capital Talk show.

Curiously enough, the APP report on the signing ceremony said the Sharia laws would be enforced in the Malakand division, which includes Swat, and the Kohistan district.

Hitherto, it had been thought that the Sharia laws were only being imposed in the Malakand division. That they will also be enforced in the Kohistan district, which is not part of Malakand, has led to speculation that there there could be more to the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation than meets the eye.

The full details of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation have not been made public.

Speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony, the chief minister said the government had fulfilled what the people of the area wanted and it is now up to them to take their cases to Qazi courts.

At the same time, he admitted it would take time to establish Qazi courts across the division.

He also clarified that the Sharia laws were not meant to serve as a parallel judicial system but were aimed at providing quick justice within the parameters of Islamic laws.

‘Our priority is ensuring peace in our area and security of the people,’ the chief minister maintained.

Qazi judgments would be final and unchallengeable: Sufi Muhammad

Mingora (Pakistan), Apr.16 (ANI): The Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Sufi Muhammad has said that the judgments given by the Qazis appointed in the Swat Valley under the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation cannot be challenged in any other superior courts in the country.

Talking to reporters in Imam Darra area of Malakand region, Muhammad said the Taliban would be urged to lay down arms and live peacefully in the valley.

He said that the ‘peace camps’ would be re-established in Swat.

Muhammad also met the Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain and both the leaders vowed to work together to establish peace and implement Islamic law in the region following the federal governement’s approval of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulations.

“The government would work with Sufi Muhammad to ensure the success of their peace deal. The Nizam-e-Adl Regulation was a long-standing demand of people of Malakand that has now been fulfilled,” The Daily Times quoted Hussain, as saying. (ANI)

‘Sharia doesn’t permit us to lay down arms,’: Muslim Khan

Islamabad, Apr. 15 (ANI): Pakistani’s Taliban will not lay down heir arms in a northwestern valley as part of a deal that ncluded the introduction of sharia law but will take their struggle’ to new areas, a militant spokesman said today.

‘Sharia doesn’t permit us to lay down arms,’ Muslim Khan said by elephone. ‘If a government, either in Pakistan or Afghanistan, ontinues anti-Muslim policies, it’s out of the question that aliban lay down their arms.’

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, under pressure from onservatives, signed a regulation on Monday imposing sharia law n the Swat valley to end Taliban violence.

The strategy of appeasement has alarmed US officials, while ritics say the government has demonstrated a lack of capacity nd will to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda.

According to Dawn, details of the deal have not been made public ut government officials backing the pact have said part of it as that militants would give up their arms.

But a Pakistani Taliban spokesman in the scenic valley, a one-ime tourist destination 125 km northwest of Islamabad, said they ould be keeping their guns.

He said “When we achieve our goal at one place, there are other reas where we need to struggle for it.”

He further said ‘the decisions of Qazi courts will not be allowed o be challenged in any other court of the country, including the upreme Court.’

Khan said militants would go to Afghanistan to fight US-led orces if Afghan Taliban called for help.

‘Our struggle is for a cause and that’s to enforce Allah’s rule n Allah’s land. We will send mujahideen to Afghanistan if they emand them,’ he said.

Earlier, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Muslim Khan has aid that their men would surrender arms only after they see haria enforced in Malakand division of the Sawt Valley, after NSM chief Sufi Muhammad has asked them to lay down arms after akistan President Asif Zardari approved the Nizam-e-Adl egulation.
“The Taliban should lay down weapons after the signing of the haria regulation by the president,” Sufi said while talking to eporters.
“We will do that when the Sharia is enforced and we see changes n the ground,” the Daily Times quoted TTP spokesman Muslim Khan, s saying.
“When we are satisfied with the practical steps, we will lay down eapons,” he said. He asked the Taliban to avoid displaying eapons in public in major towns of the division.
But Sufi said the Taliban should now “play their role in evelopment of the people and the area. Their demand for the mposition of sharia has been met and carrying weapons has no ogic now.”

However, the new qazi courts would not hear cases against the aliban, the TNSM chief said. “We intend to bury the past,” Sufi aid. (ANI)

Pak Taliban to disarm only after enforcement of Sharia in Swat

Peshawar, Apr 15 (ANI): Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Muslim Khan has said that their men would surrender arms only after they see Sharia enforced in Malakand division of the Sawt Valley, after TNSM chief Sufi Muhammad has asked them to lay down arms after President Asif Zardari approved the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation.

“The Taliban should lay down weapons after the signing of the Sharia regulation by the president,” Sufi said while talking to reporters.

“We will do that when the Sharia is enforced and we see changes on the ground,” the Daily Times quoted TTP spokesman Muslim Khan, as saying.

“When we are satisfied with the practical steps, we will lay down weapons,” he said. He asked the Taliban to avoid displaying weapons in public in major towns of the division.

But Sufi said the Taliban should now “play their role in development of the people and the area. Their demand for the imposition of sharia has been met and carrying weapons has no logic now.”

Meanwhile, Qazi courts began functioning in Swat with full legal powers. The courts had started functioning on March 12 in six tehsils of Swat, but had limited authority.

However, the new qazi courts would not hear cases against the Taliban, the TNSM chief said. “We intend to bury the past,” Sufi said. (ANI)

Qazi courts start functioning in NWFP’s Malakand region

Islamabad, Apr.14 (ANI): Qazi courts have started functioning with full authority following the National Assembly’s nod to implement the sharia law in the Malakand division, The News reports.

The sharia courts were already functioning in Barrikot, Kabal, Matta, Khawazakhel, Bahrain and Babuzai tehsils of Swat from March with limited authority, but after the approval of Nizam-e-Adl regulation they now have full authority to decide over different matters.

The National Assembly had gave its green signal to a resolution asking President Asif Ali Zardari to sign the sharia regulation to be implemented in the Malakand division of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) according to the peace accord inked between the NWFP government and the Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM).

Following the National Assembly’s nod, Zardari also signed the sharia law deal to be implemented in NWFP’s Swat region. (ANI)

Shariah court becomes operational in Swat

Peshawar, Mar 18 (ANI): A Shariah court has started operating in Matta Tehsil of Swat Valley today.

A total of 24 cases were filed at the court out of which two were disposed today itself.

The very first case was filed by a driver in the court of Qazi Ali Khan in which the driver stated that he wanted patch up with the bereaved family of a man killed in an accident by his car.

The parents of the deceased, who were present in the court, pardoned the driver.

Earlier, Lawyers’ associations had expressed serious concern over TNSM chief Sufi Mohammad’s warning to the Swat lower judiciary against attending courts in the Valley.

The Swat District Bar Association (SDBA) and NWFP lawyer bodies said on Tuesday that the move would create a judicial crisis in the Malakand Division, the Daily Times reports.

SDBA President Aftab Alam said the Qazi (Sharia) courts were deciding cases only on simple applications and there were no proper proceedings of cases in these courts.

He urged the government either to immediately settle the issue with Sufi to allow the judicial system to function in Swat.

Swat-based high court lawyers said that Sufi was paralyzing judicial system in the region after Taliban caused havoc on the educational and police system.

Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) President Abdul Lateef Afridi said Sufi’s warning to judicial officers had created an alarming situation in the Malakand Division.

Renowned constitutional expert Qazi Mohammad Anwar said that the law does not permit a person to stop the judicial system.

“It will be like the law of the jungle to establish own courts and stop judicial system. Sufi and his supporters have their writ in Swat and under the law of the jungle, those having power impose their decisions on others,” he said. (ANI)

Chief Justice Dogar may be appointed Pakistan’s new CEC

Islamabad, Mar 17 (ANI): Pakistan’s new Chief Election Commissioner could be appointed after a notification about the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry is issued.

Sources indicated the possibility of present CJ Abdul Hameed Dogar being made the CEC after his retirement on March 21.

The office of the Chief Election Commissioner has fallen vacant with retirement of Qazi Mohammad Farooq.

However, a senior PML-N leader said that recent developments might force the government to avoid appointing a “highly controversial” person as CEC.

“The CEC has to be an impartial person with an impeccable reputation. A controversial CEC must not be replaced by another controversial person,” the Dawn quoted him, as saying.

Legal experts, however, say that Justice Dogar qualifies for the post. Under Article 213 of the Constitution, the president has the discretion to appoint the CEC.

The only qualification required for the post is to be a sitting or former judge of the apex court, or a high court judge qualified to be appointed as a Supreme Court judge.

Justice Dogar, if appointed, will be the second Chief Justice of Pakistan to become the CEC after retirement, the first being Justice Irshad Hassan Khan. (ANI)

Trusting Zardari was the biggest mistake of my life: Sharif

Islamabad, Mar.12 (ANI): After the assassination of Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari stood on a same platform and vowed to work together to establish democracy in Pakistan, but now it seems that Sharif is cursing himself for joining hands with Zardari.

According to The Dawn, during a telephonic interview Nawaz Sharif said: “My biggest political mistake was my decision to trust Asif Ali Zardari.”

Minutes before addressing a huge gathering at Abbottabad, Sharif , while referring to the massive clamp down on PML-Q leaders and other activists who had announced their support to the lawyers’ long march, said “If they (government) think they can deter us by such harsh measures, they are certainly mistaken. Our struggle is for the rule of law, and it will continue until victory.”

Sharif’s rhetoric is not new to Pakistan politics, as several leaders in the past have tried to use such language to create trouble for a sitting government.But the current volatile situation in Pakistan may have far reaching consequences as too many things are happening, creating utter chaos in Islamabad.

Sharif told a charged gathering that the time had come for the people to change their destiny. He asked the people to take part in the long march of lawyers, if they wanted to change their fate.e charged Zardari with again introducing the politics of horse-trading in the country.

He lauded the efforts of Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Sardar Mehtab Khan and Pir Sabir Shah for the restoration of deposed judges and supremacy of constitution.

“Today is a defining moment in Pakistan”s history. We can change the destiny of this country. Pakistan stands at a crossroads today and it is your duty to save it. We want to change this outdated system because it poses a danger to our existence and they want to charge me for sedition,” he told a rally of thousands of supporters, who cheered and waved party banners.

On Wednesday, police launched a crackdown against lawyers and PML-N leaders in several Punjab districts including Lahore. Police was ordered to put Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Imran Khan under house arrest.

Several raids were carried out on homes and offices of Jamat-e-Islami workers, PML-N’s members of the Punjab assembly, but all succeeded to flee and have gone in to hiding, sources said.

Sharif reportedly said the unity of Jamaat-e-Islami members and PML-N leaders would overpower all the barriers, and would successfully make their way to Islamabad for the long march and sit-in. (ANI)

Nawaz says crackdown can’t hinder lawyers’ long march

Lahore, Mar. 11 (ANI): Defying the Punjab police crackdown to prevent the lawyers’ long march, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif has left for Abbottabad where he is expected to address a huge public rally.

The PML-N sources claimed that Sharif strongly condemned the crackdown launched by the government against leaders of the opposition.

“These house-arrests will not be able to foil lawyers’ long march and sit-in which is being struggled in wake of restoration of judiciary and supremacy of law in Pakistan,” The News quoted Sharif, as saying.

On Wednesday, police launched a crackdown against lawyers and PML-N leaders in several Punjab districts including Lahore. Police was ordered to put Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Imran Khan under house arrest.

Several raids were carried out on homes and offices of Jamat-e-Islami workers, PML-N’s members of the Punjab assembly, but all succeeded to flee and have gone in to hiding, sources said.

Sharif reportedly said the unity of Jamaat-e-Islami members and PML-N leaders would overpower all the barriers, and would successfully make their way to Islamabad for the long march and sit-in.

Nawaz Sharif is expected to announce his party’s future course of action during his address in Abbottabad.(ANI)