Pakistan Views

The 55th birth anniversary of Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto will be celebrated on Saturday (June 21) with great reverence as gloom still prevails after her assassination on December 27 last.

She came to Pakistan on May 12, 2007 after spending more than eight years in exile to continue her struggle for downtrodden and neglected sections of the society. Her mission was the restoration of democracy in Pakistan as the people of all the four provinces respected her as a national leader.

In this connection, the main event in twin cities will be held on Saturday at 6 pm at Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi, where she was assassinated. A large number of portraits of Benazir Bhutto with flowers and candlelight’s around will adorn the venue of the event and Quran Khwani will be held at maximum number of places. The party leaders and workers will donate blood on the day at special camps to be set up for the purpose. Blood donation camp will be set up on Saturday at the Liaquat Bagh where the party workers will donate blood.

Later in the evening, a commemorative event, marked by Quran Khwani, will be held to pay homage to Benazir Bhutto. Federal ministers, including Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf and Minister for Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Qaira, MNAs and party leaders from the twin cities, will attend the event. In a statement, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has named Islamabad international airport as Benazir Bhutto International airport.

The Prime Minister has named General Hospital, Rawalpindi, as Benazir Hospital and Murree Road as Benazir Bhutto Road in consultation with the government of Punjab. On the occasion, Gilani has given Rs 50 million grant for the up-gradation of the hospital where her body was taken for autopsy. The Prime Minister also made an announcement to build a monument at the site where Benazir was assassinated after addressing a mammoth public rally at the historic Liaquat Bagh.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Friday failed to narrow down the differences between the two major coalition partners on the modalities to restore the deposed judges Musharraf fired last year by imposing emergency rule, and to impeach the embattled President.

However, PML-N announced that it would fully support the government to get the budget for the 2008-09 passed from the National Assembly, that also propose enhancement of Supreme Court strength from existing 17 to 29 judges. On Friday, the 2nd round of talks between the two leaders was held at Nawaz Sharif’s Raiwind residence but that also ended without any breakthrough with a resolve to hold another round of talks in the first week of July to sort out differences.

There were two sessions of the talks. In the first round, Asif Zardari was assisted by Jehangir Badar, Raja Riaz, Rukhsana Bangash, and Fauzia Wahab while Nawaz Sharif was accompanied by Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Khawaja Mohammad Asif, Ishaq Dar and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. In the 2nd round, both Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari held one-on-one meeting but failed to solve the differences on the two issues.

According to sources, both reached on an understanding to remove Pervez Musharraf but there were differences as who would be the new president. The PPP wanted its man to be next President but the PML-N has also shown its inclination for the slot, the sources claimed.

They said that some PPP leaders are working to clear the way for Asif Ali Zardari to take over the prestigious slot while the PML-N has not so far shown any positive signal in this regard.

The sources further said that during one-on-one meeting Zardari tried to convince Nawaz Sharif for rejoining the cabinet by his party’s ministers, but he (Sharif) made it clear to Zardari that PML-N ministers had quit the cabinet for the cause of judges’ reinstatement and as soon as the judges are reinstated in accordance with Murree Declaration, the PML-N would immediately re-join the cabinet.

The sources further said that Nawaz opposed giving safe passage to Pervez Musharraf and insisted that people of Pakistan wanted him to be accounted for his wrongdoing. After the meeting, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif told reporters that during the meeting efforts were made to bridge the existing differences between the PPP and the PML-N on the mode of judges’ reinstatement and impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf.

He said both the parties wanted to get rid of Pervez Musharraf and also restore the judges, hence, sincere efforts are being made to achieve the objectives. Asif further said that consultations between the PPP and the PML-N are underway to sort out differences and another round of talks will be held in the first week of July on return of Asif Ali Zardari, who is proceeding abroad.

To a question, he said there are no differences between the two coalition partners on sending Musharraf back home, but both have differences on modalities of removing him. Besides, consultation with other coalition partners ie JUI and ANP on this issue is also needed.

Answering another question, Asif said the process to pass the budget has started and hopefully the budget will be passed by the National Assembly by June 26. “The PML-N would fully support the passage of Federal Budget as well as Finance Bill through which strength of apex court judges has been proposed to be enhanced’, he said.

When asked who would be the coalition partners’ candidate for the slot of President of Pakistan after Pervez Musharraf’s quittal, he said decision in this regard would be taken after the office is vacated.

When asked whether there is any possibility of rejoining the federal Cabinet by the PML-N Ministers, he said we had left the ministries on the basis of a principle and there is no possibility of rejoining the same without judges’ reinstatement.

Asif Zardari arrived Raiwind residence of Nawaz Sharif at about 1.00 pm and left the venue at 5.00 pm to take a plane for Karachi. The journalists of different TV channels and newspapers have to face difficulties due to rude attitude of security officials deployed there. The journalists, who reached the venue at about 12 noon had to wait for the briefing for about five hours while sitting on the main road. Some police officials also misbehaved with senior journalists.

The UN Security Council will take a decision on Pakistan’s request to hold an independent inquiry into the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, an official of the world body said.

The letter sent to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon by Pakistan is still being studied for its legal and other implications by the Secretariat, a UN spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said she could not give timeframe for sending it to the Security Council.

“But ultimately, it would be for the 15-member Council to decide,” she said.

Pakistan had requested the UN to probe the assassination of Bhutto, observing that a probe by a global body is necessary as international elements were involved in Bhutto’s December 27 assassination.

The ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had pledged before the February general election that if it came to power, it would ask the UN to investigate the assassination of its late chairperson Bhutto.

Negotiations between the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on the issues of judges and a motion to impeach President Pervez Musharraf have stalled though both parties have signalled to keep the alliance between the two intact.

A meeting between PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif took place on Wednesday in the latter’s Raiwind farm house where both agreed that it would be dangerous if both parties broke up their alliance. They agreed that the dialogue should continue and again meet on June 20 after they consult with their respective party ranks, sources claimed.

On Wednesday’s meeting discussed the restoration of deposed judges and the impeachment through a constitutional amendment package, the upcoming by-elections, expansion of the Punjab Cabinet and some other matters. Shahbaz Sharif, Raja Zafar ul Haq, Khawaja Asif, Sardar Zulifqar Ali Khosa, Javed Hashmi, Ahsan Iqbal, Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasir and Khawaja Saad Rafique helped Sharif.

PPP leaders Rehman Malik, Raja Riaz, Jehangir Badr, Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas, Fouzia Wahab, Azizur Rehman Channa and Rukhsana Bangash did with Zardari. Sources claimed both were firm in restoring the deposed judges in accordance with the Murree Declaration and the swift impeachment. Zardari told Nawaz to join the federal cabinet so that performance of different ministries could be further improved for the benefit of the public at large.

Zardari tried to convince his coalition partners that the they should avoid tabling an impeachment motion against Musharraf without securing a two-thirds majority in the Senate and the National Assembly. Asif also agreed that the judges’ reinstatement be linked with the constitutional amendment package. It was also proposed to form a joint committee to settle the impeachment issue with both also making five-seat adjustments in the upcoming by-polls.

After the meeting, PML-N Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal told reporters that both wanted the judges reinstated, Musharraf impeached and their alliance cemented but they had differences on modalities to achieve these objectives. Ahsan said both considered Musharraf as an unconstitutional president and claimed that the presidency was still conspiring but the coalition partners would foil them. He also said that Musharraf was trying to protect his rule.

Co-Chairman PPPP Asif Ali Zardari vowed to restore the deposed judges of the superior courts in a constitutional and legal manner.

While addressing the participants of a general meeting of Peoples Lawyers Forum (PLF) here on Tuesday at the Governor House, Senator Asif Zardari said that PPPP has successfully completed the initial process of the judges’ restoration by releasing them from detention, the presentation of constitutional package and paying the salaries of all deposed judges.

Zardari told that his party is committed to make judiciary independent and to resolve the judges’ issue as soon as possible and for this particular purpose it increased the sanctioned posts of the judges of Supreme Court of Pakistan from 17 to 29 in the Finance Bill while the budget was also allocated for this task, he added.

PPPP Co-Chairman further said that they will not use any unconstitutional and illegal method to resolve the judiciary’s issue adding that such efforts were no more in favour of democracy as well as judiciary.

Zardari said that PPPP had no fear of the judiciary while it had no need to sack or minus any judge from the superior judiciary however he added that the sitting judges also will continue working after the reinstatement of deposed ones as this was agreed in Murree Accord.

He appealed to the coalition partners of the government to bring their proposals on the constitutional package soon for presenting it before the parliament for debate.

“We will follow and implement every decision of the parliament for the restoration of judges “, he concluded.

The lawyers led by Muhammad Hanif Tahir PLF Punjab President, Mian Muhammad Jahangir PLF Convenor in Lahore High Court expressed confidence on the policies and leadership of Zardari and assured him their full support for the completion of Benazir’s mission.

Governor Punjab Salman Taseer, Senior Punjab Minister Raja Riaz Ahmad, party General Secretary Jahangir Badar, provincial General Secretary PPPP Chaudhary Ghulam Abbas and other leaders of the party were also present at the meeting.

An important meeting between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is being held at the former’s residence here on Wednesday.

Sources in the PML-N told that during the meeting matters concerning constitutional amendment package, expansion in the Punjab Cabinet, rejoining of federal cabinet by the PML-N ministers, impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf and affairs of the coalition governments would be discussed.

Matter pertaining to restoration of deposed judges would also be discussed, the sources added.

Analysts say Shahbaz Sharif after becoming Punjab chief minister, relations between the PPP and PML-N have further strengthened and the alliance between the PPP and PML-N would continue.

Co-chairman Pakistan People Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari has said that PPP would soon have its own President and the President House would echo with slogans of “Zinda Hai BB Zinda Hai”.

Addressing the party provincial legislatures and workers at Governor House Punjab here on Monday, Zardari said that PPP accepted the challenge of freeing democracy from anti democratic forces’ clutches and the days are not far when a PPP man would be in the President House.

Punjab Governor Salman Taseer and Senior Provincial Minister Raja Riaz, former opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Qasim Zia other were also present on the occasion. Zardari further said we have to free democracy from the clutches of anti-democratic forces, as it is their duty to provide a free and prosper environment to our future generation.

“We will make Pakistan a true democratic country. However, how and when to launch a movement in this connection, only the PPP would decide,” he added. He termed Lawyers’ long march as “mela”; not long march.

Pakistan Peoples Party has the experience to hold such long march and also knows how to start a movement. He also said no one should think that the PPP has weakened, the party is waiting for the right moment to strike.

“When the PPP will hold a long march, every one will witness a history in the making. We have the will and strength to hold long marches. The party workers should wait patiently till the party central executive committee announces the date for the long march,” he added.

“However, we are the follower of the Quaid-e-Azam, who made Pakistan through dialogues. Thus, we would restore true democracy in the country through dialogues. The PPP is the only party in Pakistan that fought for democracy and removed dictators, and never made any deal with them,” he told the part workers.

Zardari further said PPP would soon have a new President of Pakistan of Salman Taseer’s caliber and the President House would be open to common man and would echo with slogans of “Zinda Hai BB Zinda Hai”.

He announced that the PPP would celebrate the birthday anniversary of Benazir Bhutto on June 21 by giving blood donations. He also said he would mark this day by donating blood from Ghari Khuda Buxh and the PPP’s workers would also do the same in their areas.

He held the anti-democratic forces responsible for the murder of Benazir Bhutto, adding they would take revenge by establishing true democracy in the country. “We know how to give our lives and take lives for the defence of the country, but we are only committed to change the system and we want to follow the footprints of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto,” he added Governor Punjab Salman Taseer spoke on the occasion.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif met here on Tuesday. Both discuss national and international issues including the Punjab provincial budget for the year 2008-09.

Unveiling the foremost issues Pakistan gets facing, Gilani said that all the measures would base upon the constitution, as the constitution in a democratic country must be supreme.

Revealing the billed money for the law-enforcing sector in budget, Shahbaz said that Rs. 130 bn have been allocated for enhancing the Police system in province.

Rs. 17 billion subsidies have been allocated for burying the poverty from the province, he said.

The meeting decided to leave no stone unturned for strengthening the democracy in the country.

Co-chairman, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Asif Ali Zardari has said he along with all party leaders, office-bearers and members would donate blood on June 21, the birthday of Shaheed chairperson Benazir Bhutto to pay homage to the great leader whose valiant struggle and sacrifice won the nation democracy.

Zardari was addressing Sindh cabinet members at a dinner hosted by him in their honour at Bilawal House here on Sunday evening, said a statement issued on Sunday. Dilating on political issues Asif Zardari said we welcomed the long marchers to Islamabad because we are democratic otherwise it is history that no government allowed a rally of even 1,000 in the Federal Capital but we allowed 30,000 people to march into Islamabad to exercise their democratic rights.

He said it would again be PPP alone to send General Musharraf home but it would be done at PPP’s own choice of time. We want to give a walk away to Musharraf, he said.

The PPP co-chairman said his party will change the system adding that it was sagacious politics of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, which made President Pervez Musharraf shed his uniform and hold elections. Senator Asif Zardari said we are answerable to Garhi Khuda Bux, to party workers and to the people, nobody else.

Zardari said party ticket was awarded to his sister Faryal Talpur on NA-207 because Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had made her a trustee for her (Benazir’s) children.

He asked the Sindh Ministers to serve the people as party has got the power after long sacrifices and keep in mind that when PPP is in power people feel empowered. Senator Zardari said that there is weak performance on the part of government in Sindh and directed for a formula to make some Ministers responsible for each division and hold them accountable before elected representatives.

He said enemies have not ended enmity as yet but we don’t have to show our bravery now because we have already shown it while were in jails. Senator Zardari said his dialogue is with the whole world and all those having stakes because he wants to change the system to avenge the assassination of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

Later, the Zardari replied to questions from Sindh Cabinet Ministers. Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Sindh Senior Minister and PPP Parliamentary Party leader in Sindh Assembly, Pir Mazhar-ul- Haq, Makhdoom Jameel- uz- Zaman, Rafiq Engineer, Manzoor Wassan, Murad Ali Shah, Ms Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto, Ms Nargis N.D. Khan, Ms. Shazia Marri, Dr Khatumal Jeewan, Ismail Dahri and others also attended the dinner. Bilawal House spokesman Ijaz Durrani and Surendar Valasai were also present on the occasion.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari felicitated the leadership of lawyers on the successful and organized holding of Long March.

Asif Zardari said in a statement issued here, PPP has always supported the independent judiciary, adding all the pledges given by former PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto will be fulfilled without fail.

He congratulated the lawyers on very organized Long March.