Pakistan Views

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, has convened an emergency party meeting here on Wednesday.

Sources said the PPP leaders who would attend the meeting include Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman, Khursheed Shah and the PPP Karachi Division president.

According APP, PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar has said on Tuesday that Asif Ali Zardari would meet Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif during his visit to London.

Talking to a private TV channel, the PPP spokesman said the date of the visit was not yet determined. He said Zardari would have multiple engagements during the visit.

However PML-N has said no meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari in London, has been scheduled so far.

The sources said PML-N had not so far received any formal or informal request from PPP for a meeting in London between the two leaders.

Nawaz Sharif left for London on Thursday to see his spouse Kulsoom Nawaz who is recuperating after recent surgery.

Co-chairman, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday the people behind a suicide bomb attack on police that killed 20 people the previous day were trying to create chaos and his government would do everything to stop them.

All but two of those killed in Sunday’s attack were policemen, who had been guarding seminary students and Ulemas marking the anniversary of an army commando raid on Islamabad’s Lal Masjid.

The attack will raise questions about the new government’s policy of trying to end militant violence through negotiations and increase concern about prospects for the country, making a transition to civilian rule.

“PPP realises the grave threat that such terrorist activities pose to the country and the PPP government will do everything possible to check the activities of such elements and those responsible will be brought to justice,” he said.

The government’s top Interior Ministry official, Rehman Malik, said on Sunday eight people had been killed but city police chief, Asghar Raza Gardezi, said on Monday 19 people had died, 13 of them policemen.

Authorities were examining the head of the suspected bomber, though Gardezi said it was too early to draw any conclusions and no suspects had been detained.

STOCKS DOWN

The blast happened several hundred metres (yards) from city-centre Lal Masjid, shortly after a tightly guarded meeting of seminary students and Ulema there had ended.

The attack had added to worry among stock investors whose confidence had already been sapped by political squabbling, insecurity and economic problems, including inflation running at more than 20 percent.

Stocks have been sliding and the rupee set a new low against the dollar last week.

“Already there’s no interest in the market. If anything, it may have added to the negative sentiment,” said Shuja Rizvi, director of broking operations at Capital One Equities Ltd.

The Karachi Stock Exchange 100-share index was 0.6 percent lower in early trade.

Co-Chairman of Pakistan People Party, Asif Ali Zardar said Saturday President Musharraf and Muslim League-N Chief Nawaz Sharif were responsible for Kargil war. According to Indian news agency, Zardari said denied being soft on President Musharraf’s ouster but said he should be given graceful exit. President Musharraf would have to go but no deadline could be given in this regard, he added. Answering a question on Kargil war, he said both President Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif were responsible for the Kargil fiasco. Commenting on Pak-India relations, he said both countries supported visa-free-regime. The PPP Co-Chairman said Indo-Pak relations should not be held hostage to the Kashmir issue.

“Kashmir is important not only for Pakistan but for India also. But, I do feel that Pak-India relations can be strengthened on other fronts and they should not be held hostage to the Kashmir issue,” Zardari said.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is observing black day on Saturday (today) denouncing the military coup staged by General Zia-ul-Haq on July 5, 1977, against the elected government of founding Chairman of the party Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

Around 31 years ago, General Zia-ul-Haq, a handpicked army chief of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, had overthrown the democratically elected government on the pretext of massive rigging in general elections.

PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has directed the party office-bearers and workers to organise party activities across the country in connection with the black day.

Chaudhry Manzoor Hussain, the in-charge of PPP Central Secretariat, told APP, the party would organise ceremonies to condemn intervention by a dictator against an elected government. “We are determined to promote the real democracy according to the vision of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto,” he said.

He said Pakistan is still facing the repercussions of General Zia’s acts. He alleged that General Zia had introduced Kalashnikovs and drug culture in the country besides fanning sectarianism, just to crush the PPP, which was truly representing the masses.

The co-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party, Senator Asif Ali Zardari has said that terrorism was not produced by Pakistan instead it was burst open because of the failure of International Politics.

He also said that the west invested in Pakistan to promote its military interests and it did nothing for Pakistani people with the result that the international community had to pay a terrible price for using Pakistan for its short-term political objectives.

“We were exploited under colonialism, manipulated as a tool of Cold War intrigue, made into surrogates for a war against the Soviets in Afghanistan, and when that war was won, Pakistan and the country we liberated were abandoned to the forces of extremism and fanaticism”, he said in his key note address at the Socialist International Congress in Athens Greece Tuesday.

The PPP Co-Chairman asked the United Nations, United States and United Kingdom whether they contributed any amount to the victims of terrorism in our land.

He urged the world to convene a South and Central Asia Regional Conference to coordinate a multi-faceted international program to counter extremism.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) said on Saturday it was seriously considering the option of appointing Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) from a list of names forwarded by the leader of the opposition to ensure free and impartial Election Commission (EC).

This was stated by the PPP leaders during a meeting with the European Union delegation here at Zardari House wherein the PPP presented its vision about reforms in electoral process. It was only possible through an independent Election Commission.

The PPP delegation included Senator Latif Khosa, Farzana Raja and Fozia Habib MNAs as well as Amir Fida Paracha while EU delegation included Ms Helen Campbell, head of Unit (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives), Heino Marius, Deputy Head of Unit (Relations with Pakistan), Paul Turner (Relations with Afghanistan) and Tomas Niklasson, Head of section (political, economic and trade matters).

The PPP leaders said their government has also started issuance of computerised identity cards to all citizens of Pakistan free of cost that would help in preparing voter lists with larger accuracy.

The PPP leader, Senator Khosa, said that they would have a fresh census in the country this year and accurate statistics of population would help their government make people-friendly policies. The PPP leaders said their government would take all possible measures to ensure maximum participation of women in electoral process because without their participation, true democracy was not possible.

The EU delegation discussed with PPP leaders mutual working areas for strengthening democracy, reconciliation, identification of potential areas for supporting the electoral process and the current situation in Fata and Afghanistan.

The EU delegates exchanged their experience with the PPP leaders pertaining to monitoring of February 18 polls in Pakistan. They pointed out the problems they faced during monitoring and gave their suggestions to mend them with stressing the need for strengthening institutions.

They also suggested that Member of Parliaments should have a secretariat with secretarial and technical support to improve their performance. The delegation also proposed training programs for capacity building of the members. Both sides agreed to have more mutual interactions in order to take collective measures for democratic institutions empowerment in Pakistan.

PPP co-chairmen Asif Ali Zardan had a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan here on Friday. They discussed ways and means to strengthen co-operation between the two countries in different fields.

Later, talking to newsmen Zardari said he came to the brotherly country to attend the Socialist Conference. He said Pakistan and Turkey have old religious, cultural and political relations. Zardari said he brought a message of love from the people of Pakistan for Turkish brethren.

He said a new democratic government is in place in Pakistan and is being stabilised. He said trade and agriculture ties between the two countries also came under discussion. He pointed out that soon a delegation from Pakistan will visit Turkey which will hold talks on enhancing co-operating in trade and agriculture sector between the two countries.

The PPP co-chairmen also held talks with Turkey’s Opposition leader and the two leaders discussed ways and means to push forward the democracy. Zardari will also have a meeting with the Turkish President Abdullah Gul later before departing for Istanbul.

The police submitted report relating to Asif Ali Zardari assault case in the local court here stating that all the five nominated accused in the case could not be arrested, while the court had earlier issued non-bail-able warrants of arrests of all the five accused.

Former IG Sindh, Rana Maqbool, former Senator Saifur Rahman, Mujibur Rahman, Najaf Mirza and Faruque Amin are accused of torturing and attempting to put Asif Ali Zardari to death.

All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Monday stressed need for holding joint consultations aimed at a just solution of the Kashmir dispute.

It was decided in a meeting held here at Zardari house between the APHC leader Mir Waiz Umar Farooq and Co-chairman of PPP Asif Ali Zardari.

Besides Mir Waiz Umar Farooq the APHC delegation comprised of Professor Abdul Ghani Bhat, Bilal Ghani Lone, Syed Faiz Naqshbandi, Professors Araf and Yousuf Naseem.

Zardari assisted by Jhangir Bader, Secretary General of the Party, Minister for Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira, Chaudhry Abdul Majeed President Pakistan Peoples Party Azad Kahsmir, Chaudhry Yasin Secretary General of PPP Azad Kashmir, Qamar Zaman, Opposition leader in the Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Fauzia Habib and Monsoor Shaikh, Member Foreign Liaison Committee of the Party.

Recalling that relations between the APHC and the PPP were established by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the joint declarations stated that this relationship would not only be maintained but also further strengthened in the years to come.

It was said that both PPP and APHC will take steps to promote people to people contacts between the Kashmiri people living on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC).

The APHC delegation condoled with Zardari the martyrdom of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and termed it a great loss not only for Pakistan but also for the people of Kashmir and the entire Muslim World.

They also offered Fateha for the soul of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Zardari on the occasion offered Fateha for the Kashmiri martyrs.

The joint declaration reaffirmed that APHC is the representative body of the Kashmiris and reiterated their support to the people of Kashmir in their struggle.

The PPP Co-Chairman, Asif Ali Zardari has said that some hidden forces and conspiring elements are engaged in machinations for the downfall of present coalition government.

Addressing a press conference at Bhutto House Naudero on Saturday, Zardari said that coalition partners are working out a strategy to oust the President.

“If we don’t succeed, Landhi Jail would be the destination for two coalition parties”, he said and added that he and Nawaz Sharif held talks in Lahore for two days in an endeavour to sort out the issues through reconciliation.

“Dialogue is continuing and our coalition is intact”, the PPP Co-chairperson said.

He said that Benazir Bhutto had left her will to keep Pakistan intact and, therefore, on the day of her soyem, he had raised the slogan “we want Pakistan’.

“We will fully observe the will of Benazir Bhutto which is a beacon of light for us”.

Zardari said that still we are fighting against undemocratic elements and the day is not far off when like Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani,” our worker will be the President of Pakistan raising slogan of Jiay Bhutto”.

He pointed out that differences do occur in a house between two brothers and families and we both coalition partners too have differences but these would be resolved soon and bring a consensus President after the slot goes vacant.

“We will make Pakistan prosperous and make Larkana and Naudero model district and town”.

To a question Zardari said that UN has been approached with the request for an inquiry into the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto and our UN Ambassador is quite active in this regard while he himself is lobbying in a the matter and has contacted with Turkey and other friendly countries, who have assured of their cooperation.

The Ambassador-designate for UAE Khurshid Ahmed Junejo, Anwar Bhutto, Provincial Ministers, leaders of PML-N and others also donated blood.