Pakistan Views

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), President, Shahbaz Sharif took oath as member Punjab Assembly here on Friday. The Speaker Punjab Assembly, Rana Muhammad Iqbal, administered oath to the newly elected MPA. Meanwhile, Shahbaz Sharif speaking to journalists outside the assembly premises said that their relations with President would be entirely within the ambit of the constitution. He appreciated the CM Punjab Dost Muhammad Khosa for his services. He vowed to participate in each programme aimed at restoration of judiciary and said that they were determined to make the country citadel of Islam. Shahbaz said they did not accept PCO judges at all as was clarified in the Charter of Democracy. Speaking on the occasion, the CM Punjab said that though there was no consensus on the Kalabagh Dam among the provinces, yet its one-sided shelving was improper.

Replying to a question on his future role, he said it was up to the party to decide about it. The PML-N Punjab, President, Sardar Zulifqar Khosa on the occasion denied that there was any political linkage with PML-Q. Earlier, on a resolution moved by a minister, prayers were offered in the house for MPA Rana Tariq Mahmood who died in a road accident recently.

Another resolution by a minister calling for restoration of Punjab Assembly membership with Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was also passed by the House. Four bills were also presented before the House by Law Minister, Rana Sanaullah. All the ordinances were referred to Special Committees.

President Pervez Musharraf is meeting a group of select journalists today (Saturday) in Islamabad, where he is expected to make a significant announcement.

It should be mentioned that President Musharraf is holding a meeting with the senior journalists after a long time.

According to the sources, the president will apprise the journalists of various affairs including the prevalent political, economic situation in the country.

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said on Tuesday the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) would oppose any move to impeach the President. “President Musharraf has been elected democratically for five years and he should complete his stipulated term as well as the incumbent assemblies and this would strengthen the democratic system,” he said while talking to the media after the parliamentary party meeting of the PML-Q here. “Though the PML-Q had opposed the introduction of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) but this was possible due to the reconciliatory efforts initiated by the President.We should recognize that the hustle and bustle in the Parliament today is due to the NRO. Those who were benefited by the NRO should learn that President Musharraf is also a part of the NRO,” he said. To a query, Elahi denied the formation of any forward bloc in the party. He alleged that the PML-Q workers and MNAs were facing problems in Punjab and Sindh.

“In each district, around 150 FIRs are being lodged against the PML workers”, he alleged.

He claimed that even an FIR of the alleged theft of a Charpoy has been registered against the brother of MNA Sardar Bahadur Khan Seehar, who is also a Tehsil Nazim which was condemned by Parliamentary Party meeting.

Punjab Governor Salman Taseer said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) should work with President Pervez Musharraf.Talking to ARY One World program ‘Bakhabar Sawaira’, he said it is practically impossible for the president to use Article 58-2B, as Pakistani people are not poised for such an act, if so happens, it would prove to be quite tumultuous. Responding to quick questions, he said, ‘Imran Khan should not continue with the politics; I will congratulate Shahbaz Sharif if he assumes office as Punjab chief minister; Qazi Hussain should end his political career; Nawaz Sharif should become the prime minister for the third time and if Aitezaz Ahsan had assumed office as Punjab governor, I would not have sent him the bouquet.”

Reacting to the ban on Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, Punjab governor said a little of restriction should be imposed on him, as he is wasting himself.

‘Kalabagh Dam is very vital project for Pakistan, as the 75 percent of water of the country is wasted and the last dam was built in 1976,’ Salman Taseer maintained adding there is no other better project; however, if its construction causes resentment among the people of Pakistan, then it is better to omit the project.

Commenting on the deficient electricity in the country, Punjab governor said Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has worked really very hard in this regard and the problem of load shedding may be resolved in one year.

Commenting on the constitutional package, Salman said he hopes that the issue would be resolved amicably in two to three weeks.

He said he is the first governor who took oath as governor sporting PPP badge. Salman said, “PPP invited me for the governorship.”

Today’s Pakistan cannot afford going against USA, he said.

Lt Gen (Retd) Jamshaid Gulzar Kiyani has stressed the need for making an example of President Pervez Musharraf to block the emergence of future dictators in the country.
Talking to Private TV channel, he said General Musharraf had committed basic mistakes such as the Kargil debacle, surrender to the US threat of pushing Pakistan into the Stone Age and the Lal Masjid destruction.
He said no power could stay in the face of the power of the people. He said he had seen the period of Ayub Khan, who could not face the wrath of the people. When asked whether the Army was with Musharraf, he said the armymen would never say anything about it and such things were never discussed in the Army.
He ruled out the imposition of martial law, saying that the president could not use Article 58-2(b). Gen Gulzar said Musharraf’s departure from power was close at hand. He said the president should not have given in to the US threat in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy. He said the Pakistan Army was the best professional Army in the world. He said Musharraf had options at that time and he should have held a referendum to ascertain the will of the people.
Gen Gulzar said the referendum Musharraf held for himself was a fake exercise as Gen Zia did the same during his rule. He said Musharraf was clearly told about this mistake and afterwards he accepted his mistake.
He said today everybody believed that Gen Musharraf was fighting the American war on the soil of Pakistan and “we are paying for that today.” departure from power was close at hand. He said the president should not have given in to US threat in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy.
He said the threat to push Pakistan into the stone age was delivered by the then secretary of state Colin Powel and not by the American president. He said the president arrested and handed over Pakistanis to the US. Where have these unknown people gone? he asked.
He asked what was the crime of Mullah Zaeef and as a diplomat did he deserve such insulting behaviour? He said the ISI was used to commit wrong acts. He said he was in the ISI and advised against such acts but his advice fell on deaf ears. As a result today Musharraf was the most unpopular president. If he had accepted the advice, he would have been the most successful president of Pakistan today.
He said suicide attacks that were beyond imagination before 9/11 are difficult to control now, he said. He said he was not a supporter of suicide attacks but these reflect an easy reaction that cannot be stopped by anyone.
He said there were suicide attacks one after the other in the wake of the Lal Masjid and the Jamia Hafsa operation. He said if there were foreign elements in Lal Masjid, where did they go? He said innocent students were targeted with phosphorus grenades, that he added come in the fold of chemical weapons.
He said he had never seen such an act of tyranny. He said when a bullet crosses the body it is not a wrong use of power but that is a tyrannical act. It tantamounts to killing an ant with a hammer.
He said ex-servicemen should have come forward a long time ago but they have not been an organized body that could be activated on one call. About the economic situation, General Gulzar Kiyani termed the present period the worst when it was difficult for the poor to get even one meal.
When asked about his appointment and expulsion as Chairman Federal Public Service Commission, Gen Kiyani said the real differences started after the 9/11 episode. “After retiring from the Army on Oct 14, 2004, when I reminded General Saheb his commitment to doff his uniform during a meeting, he said that the nation needed him.”
He said it was a reaction to his policies that suicide attacks started in the country. He said force was used in South and North Waziristan and 80 students were killed in a Bajaur Madrassa in an American operation. What was the crime of these students, he asked.
He said he remained Chairman of the Public Service Commission for three years. At that time the prime minister was Jamali whose first demand was to give power of appointments in CBR and FIA to ministers. He said if this power was given to ministers they would have gotten their own way.
He said one of the two officers approved by former prime minister Shaukat Aziz faced a NAB corruption case while the other had no chance of promotion. “I requested them that this would cause great demoralisation among the bureaucracy. I humbly submitted to them that this was a wrong step but in a short period the chairman’s tenure was reduced from five to three years under the PCO to remove me.”
He expressed regret over the suicide attack outside the Danish embassy in Islamabad adding there was no conception of suicide bombings before 9/11. The policies of President Pervez Musharraf in the post-9/11 scenario led to suicide attacks in Pakistan.
Pulling the curtain off past events, Lt Gen (Retd) Jamshed Gulzar Kiyani denied a hand in the removal of Nawaz’s government on October 12, 1999. “I was major general then and I was promoted on November 1, 1999. After that I took the responsibility of corps commander Rawalpindi and successfully held the post for two years.”
Commenting on the 9/11 events of 2001, he said undoubtedly a hell was unleashed on New York but he never reconciled with the practical course President Pervez Musharraf adopted after the incident.
To a question, he said no aspersion could be cast on the loyalty of the Army and so on the corps commander. A corps commander also remains loyal to the army chief. However, different views came up at the corps commanders meetings in the wake of 9/11. Big differences emerged then. When General (Retd) Musharraf asked as to what were their views to the threats of pushing Pakistan into the stone age, a difference of opinion emerged in the views of the corps commanders. It was three to four days after 9/11.
Some commanders openly told Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf that they had reservations. These pertained to an outright and open support to the US. They believed that the US should not be extended support blindly. The corps commander is a professional soldier and ignoring his advice leads to losses.
Regarding the 1971 war, he said he was on the eastern border but never became a prisoner of war. He said there is no doubt that excesses were committed against the people of Bengal. He held then General Yahya Khan responsible for the same. General Niazi totally failed in East Pakistan and his role was very embarrassing which is a matter of regret.
General (Retd) Jamshed Gulzar Kiyani said according to his information Nawaz Sharif did not know anything about the Kargil episode. He was never thoroughly briefed on the same. He supported holding of a probe into the Kargil fiasco, adding factors behind the scene, about which people do not know, would also come into the limelight.
Asked what was his plan, General Kiyani said he had briefed Nawaz Sharif and told him that it was a very sensitive issue and he could not unveil all the details to him. He was only apprised of the ongoing situation. Nawaz time and again asked about the truth from senior officials including Sartaj Aziz who was the foreign minister. He also tried to persuade the chief of army staff. General Majid spoke in detail on the issue. General Mahmood was the corps commander then.
Kiyani said our Jawans (soldiers) bravely fought the Kargil War. I think they revived the memories of the 1965 war. Our officers fought more fiercely than in the 1965 War and repulsed enemy attacks time and again. Despite the fact that supplies were disrupted due to extreme cold, the Jawans continued the war. He repeated that arguments will come up when there will be a probe.
He termed Nawaz’s travel to the US a bid to save the prestige of the Pakistan Army. He said in the meeting of May 17 Nawaz gave a green signal to the operation. He assured conditional support to General Musharraf that the government would back the operation when he successfully moved forward. If unfortunately the same failed, he would not be in a position to support him (Musharraf). When the army was caught in an awkward situation, he again travelled to the US to save the symbol of the country, the Pakistan Army.
To a question about the use of nuclear weapons in the war, General Kiyani said the war could have not been kept limited to the Kargil sector or a particular front particularly when the two countries possessed nuclear weapons.
Referring to the book authored by General Musharraf, Jamshed Gulzar Kiyani said whatever has been written there is against logic. If you catch your enemy by the jugular vein he would react with full force. If you cut enemy supply lines, the only option for him will be to ensure supplies by air.
That situation the Indian Army was unlikely to confront and it had to come up to the occasion. It is against wisdom that you dictate to the enemy to keep the war limited to a certain front.
After that Nawaz went to the United States. But an attempt was made to create the impression in the print media that Nawaz Sharif was at fault to surrender there. He said this impression was created by General Pervez Musharraf which was totally wrong.

PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif says President Pervez Musharraf should be tried in treason cases for his November 3 action, Kargil issue and jamia Hafsa carnage.
Talking to media at Lahore Airport before leaving for London, Sharif said interview of Lt Gen Gulzar Kiani aired on Geo News yesterday supported his stand that he was not informed about Kargil Operation.
He says Musharraf made false accusations against him in his book. The PML-N chief says time has proved that Kargil was a misadventure but he left no stone unturned to protect national prestige.
He says he has already demanded constitution of a commission to probe into the issue.
About Constitutional package, he responded he has received the package and his party would review it in a meeting, started today in Islamabad. He said the party’s opinion about the package would be communicated to Asif Zardari. He dispelled the impression that the PML-N and MQM are in contact.

The proposed constitutional package inked by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) reportedly includes amendments to limit the president’s powers, empower parliament and fix the tenure of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to maximum of five years.

The constitutional package binds the president to seek the advice of the prime minister on all vital issues.

Under the proposed constitutional package supra constitutional acts and their rectifying would both be equally treated as treason.

According to Law Minister Farooq H Naek, under the constitutional package, no judge would be able to take oath under Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) in future.

The package envisaged the amendment in the Article 6 of the constitution and making the appointment of election commission transparent.

The draft package seeks the removal of the president’s authority to dissolve the parliament under Article 58(2b). The proposed package also aims to re-structure the National Security Council by making the prime minister instead of the president its head.

The premier will also be given powers to appoint governors, services chiefs, the attorney general and the auditor general. There is also a proposal to abolish the Islamabad High Court.

Ministers of Law and Justice, Education, Interior, Ports and Shipping, Defence, Communication, Finance and Foreign Affairs would be appointed by the Centre. The remaining portfolios would be handed over to the provinces, the sources added.

The proposed package will strengthen parliament. The ministers and bureaucracy would be made accountable to parliament’s standing committees.

The package may retain the judges who took oath under the November 3 PCO. However, it suggests that Article 6 may be invoked in future against any judge who takes oath under the PCO or any dictator abrogating the Constitution.

The package also proposes amendments in the local bodies system. The proposed amendments are aimed at restoring the old local government system, sources said.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has allowed PML-N leaders Mian Nawaz Sharif and his brother Mian Shahbaz Sharif to contest By-elections.The EC announced the decision after a split verdict of Lahore High Court’s Election Tribunal judges over petitions filed against Sharif Brothers. The case was referred to the Chief Election Commissioner by the tribunal who today issued a detailed verdict in this regard. The verdict said since the tribunal could not settle the petition filed against Sharif Brothers in specified period of time, therefore, the decision of returning officer should be considered final. The EC has also rejected appeal against the candidature of Sharif Brothers.

Parliament is the supreme institution that will sort out all matters, including the issue concerning the President’. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani averred this in a press briefing after his arrival at the Old Lahore Airport here on Saturday. Referring to a strategy to be evolved on issues concerning the country, he said the PPP government would not go on a solo flight but take all its coalition partners along while settling them. Dispelling the impression about differences between the PPP and the PML-N over the issue of the President, Gilani said that all issues would be settled by taking all the stakeholders into confidence. The parliament is the supreme forum and whenever the coalition will have two-thirds majority, it will sort out the issue of the President, he said. Talking about political sagacity of former premier Benazir Bhutto, Gilani said it was because of her that President Pervez Musharraf doffed his army uniform.Talking about sacrifices of the party, he said the PPP had always rendered them abundantly for the cause of democracy, supremacy of judiciary and parliament and the 1973 Constitution. The Prime Minister said sacrifices rendered by the party had no parallel in entire sub-continent.About the Kalabagh dam project, Yusuf Raza Gilani said that PPP’s stance had always been that it should be constructed with consensus of all the four provinces. He asked as to why no government constructed Kalabagh dam during the last 60 years. “We do not tell lies to masses on the controversial dam,” he said, responding to a question. The Prime Minister said the government was focusing its prime attention on construction of small dams to cater to the energy and water needs of the country.To a question about Balochistan, Gilani said: “There is a sense of deprivation in Balochistan and we will settle all issues of the province through dialogue.”He said PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari would soon call an All Parties Conference (APC) in Balochistan, adding the government had stopped army operation in Balochistan and the situation is gradually improving there. Earlier, Punjab Governor Salman Taseer welcomed the Prime Minister on his arrival at the airport. Senior Punjab Minister Raja Riaz Ahmed belonging to PPP, Punjab Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, Excise and Taxation Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, MNAs Samina Ghurki and Tasleem Qureshi, PPP Lahore President Aziz-ur-Rehman Chan. and others were present on the occasion.

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has said the entire nation wants to remove Pervez Musharraf which can not be implemented without mutual cooperation between People’s Party and Muslim League-N. Talking to newsmen at his Model Town residence after the PML-N Parliamentary Board meeting, he said conspiracies were being hatched against him and Shahbaz Sharif to keep them away from parliament.He said he would continue struggle till restoration of judges. The nation, he said, was watching the judges who had to decide whether they could contest the elections or not. Nawaz said there was no constitutional reason for the application against their candidature after the approval of their nomination papers. Nawaz said he would decide his future plans after the verdict of the Election Tribunal on Saturday (today).