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Posts tagged with: PTI
Apr 6, 2009    |       42 comments

Swat Flogging and PTI’s Stand

Guest blog by Dr. Arif Alvi Secretary General Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

REVOLUTION2There has been a lot of sadness and condemnation of the Swat flogging incident. The day on which Mr Imran Khan’s statement was issued by me there were many press reports in Frontier newspapers in which some elements of the Taliban had condemned the incident and others said that the incident happened during the time of total lawlessness and before the peace deal. A sign that most of them were on the back foot and embarrassed, though some are not.

We feel such reactions from within the Taliban kind of people need to be recognized because change for the better and saner would happen from within them and not because of outside pressure. Had force been effective huge US and NATO presence and billions of dollars of resources would have brought about a major change in Afghanistan and Iraq.

We must condemn the flogging incident in un-equivocal terms before we even talk of why such incidents happen and how to prevent them. Some people want a simplistic assessment and easy answers.
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Apr 3, 2009    |       6 comments

Political Insights into PTI & MQM

REVOLUTION2Faisal K of Deadpanthoughts has initiated a very interesting political series where he poses hard hitting questions to various political parties and then publishes a post. His previous effort on MQM generated some heated discussions while the latest Q&A on PTI with Firdous Shamim Naqvi, a PTI CEC member who shares some candid responses on the ideology and workings of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is also a must read. Do visit Deadpanthoughts to read both posts – on PTI & on MQM

Mar 15, 2009    |       8 comments

The Deal has been finalized, the show will go on, hero’s need to be made

I share with you an email circulated widely by journalist Afzal Khan today –

Its a worrisome analysis almost in line with my earlier post today morning – The Sharif’s are being seen to have been allowed free movement while lawyers and political leaders are being arrested country wide. This lawyers revolution is for now the beating pulse of a nation, little do they factor in the frustrations and the voices of the people

The email from Afzal Khan carried the title The deal is clinched, but the show will go on (Afzal Khan)
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Sep 29, 2008    |       2 comments

American Lawyers conference on rule of law in Pakistan & my brief visit to Europe

Guest Blog by Amjad Malik

I was invited by British Law Society of England to visit Brussels as part of their delegation to attend a rule of law conference on ‘Pakistan and beyond’ organised by American Bar Association (ABA) on 25th September at Hilton (Brussels). Reaching Brussels airport in the morning, I caught a cab and reached Hilton at the time of the conference and met Cricketing legend Imran Khan in the lift with his party entourage which was a pleasant beginning. When we all reached the designated room for conference at 25th Floor, the room was more or less occupied. A lot of people were keen have a glimpse of Imran Khan and a few specially came to listen to Supreme Court Bar President Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan who could not join us at the conference due to lack of in time delivery of his teams visas, though I feel he missed a great opportunity to talk on the subject where various old guns of American law industry were present.
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Aug 25, 2008    |       57 comments

More on Dr Shahid Masood

Guest Blog by RedKazim

Few people know that the journalistic career of Dr Shahid Masood began at the Karachi-based, pro-MQM Quami Akhbar. In those days Dr Shahid Masood used to practice at Jinnah Hospital. He would regularly visit the office of Qaumi Akhbar situated in a street adjacent to I I Chundrigar Road and urge the editors to place his single column nuggets, which he filed as a health reporter from Jinnah Hospital, prominently in the newspaper.

When Dr Shahid Masood was about to move to London (as a medical practitioner) he pestered the editor, Ilyas Shakir, for a letter stating that he was the ‘London bureau chief’ of Qaumi Akhbar. Ilyas Shakir avoided him for quite long apprehending that the doctor wanted to get a visa on the basis of his association with a newspaper. He bothered the news editor, Mr Khusnood, tirelessly who finally issued him an official letter.
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Feb 19, 2008    |      1 comment

Pakistan Elections: Free, Fair and Transparent

Guest Blog by temporal who blogs at Baithak

The Pakistan elections are over and the people have spoken. But have they been heard?

It is after midnight Pakistan time and the results are trickling in. It appears from early results that PML (Q) the king’s party has received a massive defeat. And both opposition parties, the PML (N) and PPPP are surging ahead.

In the next day or two we will find out the total combined seats for PML (N) and PPPP. As of this moment they have 45 and 38 seats respectively for a total of 83.

Here is where the IF game comes into play.

Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari are unlikely allies. Both the parties have been vindictive against each other and had initiated cases of corruption and abuse of power against the other when in power that are still pending before the courts.
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Feb 17, 2008    |       27 comments

Jemima Inteview President Musharraf

Jemima and MusharrafPublished in The Independent, it is definitely worth reading.

‘Since you were so kind as to greet us in London at Downing Street last month, the President would like to return the favour,” announces Major-General Rashid Qureshi, President Pervez Musharraf’s PR man over the phone. Only in Pakistan could the government’s head of spin be a retired major-general. He is referring to my last encounter with the President on 28 January when, along with a 2,000-strong, placard-waving, slogan-jeering mob, I protested on the main road outside 10 Downing Street while Musharraf discussed democracy with Gordon Brown over lunch inside. On the way in he waved at us. Clearly he’s a man who is not afraid of confrontation. Much to the justifiable fury of every journalist in Islamabad, he has now granted me an exclusive half-hour interview despite or perhaps because of the fact that I have recently described him as one of the most repressive dictators Pakistan has ever known.

On the way to the Camp Office in Rawalpindi, I cross the bridge and pass the petrol station, which mark the spots of two recent attempts on the life of the now deeply unpopular President. I have a horrible fear that, bamboozled under the spotlight of his renowned charm, I may start to simper. My ex-husband, one of the President’s most vocal critics, has already told me he thinks this is all a terrible idea. “It will be misinterpreted in Pakistan. Besides, you’ll be too soft on him,” he said.

The Camp Office turns out to be an old colonial building which used to be the HQ of the northern command under the British. With its delicately carved, wooden, double-height ceilings, sweeping central staircase, marble floors and ornate carpets, it’s not hard to see why the President chose this as his private office in Rawalpindi. His residence is just up the driveway.
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Feb 11, 2008    |       8 comments

They took Oath under the PCO before – Why Should we Support them Now

Article written by members of the People’s Resistance

Originally written on Dec 26 2007, The PCO Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry, has since retired

A Bit of History

Pakistans history is chequered with instances of military taking over the state. When Ayub took over, he introduced a constitution (1962) that gave sweeping powers to the President and the military. On his downfall, General Yahya, the new military ruler issued Pakistans first Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) suspending the citizens human rights, civil liberties and right to approach a court of law.

After the promulgation of the 1973 Constitution – considered pristine and drafted by popular, unanimous choice – the military twice displaced civil power and took extra-constitutional judicial action through a PCO that required judges to take fresh oath: in 1981 (under General Zia) and 2000 (under General Musharraf).

After Musharraf seized power (Oct 1999) the courts were first purged of independent judges when several, including Justice Wajihuddin, refused to take oath under the 2000-PCO. An Army Colonel held Justice Saiduzzaman Siddiqui, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, hostage for several hours while the oath-taking ceremony took place elsewhere. The fear was that he would have refused to take oath and might have influenced other judges into doing the same.
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Jan 30, 2008    |       41 comments

Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry responds to the allegations

AN OPEN LETTER TO: (PDF Available for Download)

The President of the European Parliament, Brussels.
The President of France, Paris.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, London.
Ms. Condaleeza Rice, Secretary of State, United States of America
Professor Klaus Schwab, World Economic Forum, Geneva.

All through their respective Ambassodors, High Commissioners and representatives.

Excellency,

I am the Chief Justice of Pakistan presently detained in my residence since November 3, 2007 pursuant to some verbal, and unspecified, order passed by General Musharraf.

I have found it necessary to write to you, and others, because during his recent visits to Brussels, Paris, Davos and London General Musharraf has slandered me, and my colleagues, with impunity in press conferences and other addresses and meetings. In addition he has widely distributed, among those whom he has met, a slanderous document (hereinafter the Document) entitled: “PROFILE OF THE FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE OF PAKISTAN. I might have let this go unresponded but the Document, unfortunately, is such an outrage that, with respect, it is surprising that a person claiming to be head of state should fall to such depths as to circulate such calumny against the Chief Justice of his own country.
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Jan 26, 2008    |       8 comments

Imran Khan Brings Anti-Musharraf Effort to US – NPR

Imran Khan in the USA short audio report on The Morning Edition of NPR talks about Imran Khan’s visit to the United States. He continues to argue for the independence of Judiciary and the need to pressure the American lobby to stop patronizing one man as the sole savior for all problems in Pakistan. Hear the discussion here

[audio:https://teeth.com.pk/blog/wp-content/audio/nprimrankhan.mp3]

Morning Edition, January 25, 2008 · A former cricket star who leads one of Pakistan’s minority parties spent time in Washington this week meeting with lawmakers and speaking out against U.S. support of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Imran Khan, an international celebrity since his days as a sports star, leads a much smaller party than that of Benazir Bhutto, the leader who was killed last month. But in Pakistan, he’s nearly as well known as Bhutto. And he says that next month’s elections there won’t be real, if they happen at all.
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Jan 25, 2008    |       4 comments

Pakistan’s Political Future: An Alternative Perspective – Imran Khan at the Asia Society

Imran KhanAn event is being held by the Asia Society where Imran Khan will shed light on the present political siltation in Pakistan, as usual a live webcast will be available for those who may want to participate and once the session is completed I will post the MP3 file here on the blog for others to listen. Other previous Asia Society discussion are available here, here, here & here The invitation issued by Asia Society for this town hall meeting is as follows

Please join us for a unique opportunity to interact with Mr. Imran Khan, a former cricket legend from Pakistan and now a vociferous political opponent of President Musharraf. Mr. Khan is Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party (Movement for Justice). He will share his insights about the rapidly evolving political scene in Pakistan and offer practical solutions to break the ongoing political impasse to facilitate the transition to democratic governance. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party is boycotting the upcoming legislative election scheduled for February 18 and Mr. Khan has called for the resignation of President Musharraf. The discussion will be moderated by Kiran Khalid, Freelance Broadcast Journalist and documentary filmmaker of “We Are Not Free” about media censorship in Pakistan.
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Jan 24, 2008    |       2 comments

US Senators meet Imran Khan to discuss the future of Democracy in Pakistan

Yesterday a very high profile meeting was held in Washignton DC with Imran Khan who met a high powered Senate group under the leadership of Senator Harry Reid the Senate Majority Leader, other leaders included Senator Dick Durbin who is Assistant Senate Majority Leader, Chairman Senate Foreign Relation Committee Senator Joe Biden, Chairman South Asia Committee Senator John Kerry, Senator Patty Murray Member Senate Appropriations Committee and Secretary of Senate Democratic Party Caucus, Senator Casey who is Member Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senator Tom Harkin Member Senate Appropriations Committee. The meeting lasted one and a half hour. A press release issued by the offices of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is quoted below.

Washington, DC Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid met today with Imran Khan, a leading Pakistani opposition leader, to discuss the upcoming Pakistani elections and the future of democracy in Pakistan.

Khan, a member of the Pakistani parliament, leads the Justice Movement party and expressed deep concern about the Pakistani judiciary. Khan made it clear that Pakistan cannot have true democracy, or free and fair elections, without reinstating the head of the Supreme Court and the rest of the judges President Musharraf dismissed. He also believes that the February 18th parliamentary elections may be rigged, which would further undermine Pakistani democracy.
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Jan 23, 2008    |       7 comments

Massive protest in London against Musharraf

Join Asma Jehangir, Imran Khan, Jemima Khan, PTI, PML-N, PPP and others at Demo outside Downing Street, London

A massive protest is being planned against Musharraf in UK. All concerned, students, lawyers, civil societies, political party workers, etc. are invited to come to this protest. If you are in or around London on the 28th, please try to come. The plan is to bring people from all backgrounds holding the flags of their political parties or the flag of Pakistan in case you don’t support any political party to represent the much united resistance movement against Musharraf.

Date: Monday January 28th 2008
Time: 11.30 AM
Location: 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA
Tube: Westminister Station

Jan 9, 2008    |       9 comments

Issue of Nuclear Deterrance for Pakistan

Guest Comment by Dr Arif Alvi

Pakistan at risk grenadeThe issue of Nuclear Deterrence in unsafe hands is increasing in proportion and is becoming dangerous enough for me to believe that it will get worse until actual force is used to neutralize our nuclear assets.

I feel uncomfortable in stating that I pointed these matters out since the beginning of the deal discussion. I spoke on Sajjad Mirs TV1 program many a time and other channels, before and during Lal Masjid standoff, when there were just indications of a deal, that the deal would not be welcome by the people. The deal implied US prescription to counter terrorism, and I said it would lead to more violence on innocent, more terrorism, bomb blasts and chaos leading to further enunciation of the argument that nuclear deterrence is in unsafe hands resulting in US led action to take it out and balkanization. Balkanization is no more a dirty word, frequently used by Mohtarma Benazir and now by Asif and Bilawal and others too. The war on terrorism is feeding on itself. More terror. more action.. and more terror with collapse of countries and societies.

Now friends, Al Baradaei and others are continuously harping on this issue making me believe that they would do that for about six months (like in Iraq), while situation will get worse in Pakistan, and then they will strike. All US think tanks are already stating that action will have to be taken.
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