Mumtaz Bhutto’s Interview with Express News Kamran Shahid
Jan 23, 2010 News & Events, Pakistan, pakistan politics
A MUST WATCH: Exclusive interview with Sindh nationalist leader Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, whom Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto once called “my talented cousin”. Mumtaz Bhutto was Chief Minister and Governor Sindh during Bhutto regime. He later parted ways with PPP and Benazir Bhutto and formed his own nationalist anti-establishment party SNF. He remains a strong opponent of Zardari and says the present government should step down..
Tags: Benazir, Bhutto, Express News, Kamran Shahid, Mumtaz Bhutto, PPP, Sindh, Sindh Nationalist, zardari
NRO list out, 34 politicians among 8,000 beneficiaries
Nov 22, 2009 News & Events, Pakistan, pakistan politics
ISLAMABAD: A majority of the NRO beneficiaries have been bureaucrats and government officials as a list, released by the government on Saturday, contained names of only 34 politicians out of a total of 8,000.
According to the list, almost 97 per cent of the beneficiaries are from Sindh. The ordinance will lapse on Nov 28 in the light of the Supreme Court’s July 31 verdict in the PCO judges case.
The list shows that a total of 8,041 people — 7,793 from Sindh — have benefited from the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), promulgated by former president Pervez Musharraf on Oct 5, 2007.
These people have got withdrawn 3,478 cases (3,320 in Sindh) registered against them on charges of corruption, financial bungling, misuse of authority and criminal charges.
Gen (retd) Musharraf promulgated the NRO after striking a deal with PPP leader Benazir Bhutto in order to grant amnesty to all those against whom politically-motivated cases were registered between Jan 1, 1986, and Oct 12, 1999.
Mohammad Afzal Sindhu, the Minister of State for Law and Justice, released the list at a news conference soon after a meeting with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
In reply to a question, the minister said the government would not defend or protect any NRO beneficiary.
Earlier this month, the PPP had to withdraw its earlier initiative of presenting the NRO before parliament following a vociferous protest by the opposition and the decision of all its major coalition partners not to support the bill in the legislature.
The NRO is among the 37 ordinances about which the Supreme Court, in its July 31 verdict, had decreed that their fate should be decided by parliament within 120 days.
There are no surprises in the list as most of the prominent names had already appeared in the national press over the past few days.
Interestingly, the list provided by the minister contained the breakdown of only those withdrawn cases that pertained to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. The document is silent about the number of cases registered against other beneficiaries.
The minister said there were only 34 politicians among the NRO beneficiaries, belying the insinuation that it was the politicians who had benefited the most from the amnesty.
Mr Sindhu said President Asif Zardari enjoyed indemnity under Article 248 of the Constitution and no new or old cases could be opened against him as long as he was in the Presidency.
‘In my opinion relief once granted cannot be reversed under the law. However, the government will implement the Supreme Court’s decision on the matter in letter and in spirit.’
He recalled that two petitions challenging the NRO were already pending before the apex court.
According to Mr Sindhu, several cases in Sindh were disposed of on the recommendations of a review board that had been set up under clause 2 of the NRO.
He said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had himself admitted that most of the cases against President Zardari and PPP leaders were politically-motivated.
The two parties had agreed in the Charter of Democracy, signed by Ms Bhutto and Mr Sharif in 2006, to withdraw all politically-motivated cases. He said the name of the prime minister’s wife was not there in the list.
The list showed that MQM chief Altaf Hussain had got withdrawn the highest number of cases against him – 72, including 31 on murder and 11 on attempt to murder charges.
Dr Farooq Sattar, the MQM’s parliamentary leader, occupied the second slot. A total of 23 cases were withdrawn against him, including five on charges of murder and four on attempt to murder.
The third biggest beneficiary appeared to be provincial minister Shoaib Bukhari, of the MQM, against whom 21 cases were withdrawn, including 16 on murder and attempt to murder charges.
The Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping, Babar Ghouri, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad, Imran Farooq, Saleem Shahzad, Waseem Akhtar and former MNA Kunwar Khalid Yunus are other prominent MQM leaders who benefited from the NRO.
Among the beneficiaries belonging to People’s Party were Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Nawab Yousuf Talpur, Mir Baz Khetran, Sindh provincial minister Agha Siraj Durrani and Senator Jehangir Badar.
Salman Farooqi, secretary-general to the president, Pakistan’s Ambassador in Washington Hussain Haqqani and Wajid Shamsul Hasan, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, were prominent in the section that had names of individuals other than politicians.
Although PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had been claiming that no member of his party had benefited from the NRO, the list showed that at least four PML-N members had got relief.
They are MNA Chaudhry Shaukat Ali, Rana Nazir Ahmed, former MNAs Chaudhry Abdul Hameed and Haji Kabir, and former MPA Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali.
Despite the official release of the list, a number of “beneficiaries” denied that they had taken any relief under the NRO.
The parliamentary leader of the MQM in the National Assembly and Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis announced that his party was ready to face all cases in courts.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Wajid Shamsul Hassan told a private TV channel that he was not an NRO beneficiary and that he would take up the matter with the prime minister.
Hussain Haqqani, the ambassador to Washington, also protested innocence. Senator Jehangir Badar, the PPP secretary-general, also contested the inclusion of his name.
The following is a list of other prominent NRO beneficiaries:
Nusrat Bhutto (PPP); Haji Nawaz Khokhar (former deputy speaker of National Assembly); Malik Mushtaq Awan (PPP); Mian Mohammad Rasheed; Tariq Anees; Anwar Saifullah Khan (MNA); Sardar Mansoor Leghari (ex-MNA); Aftab Sherpao (MNA); Habibullah Kundi (former NWFP minister); and Ahmed Sadiq (ex-principal secretary to PM).
Tags: 000 beneficiaries, 8, Benazir Bhutto, Mohammad Afzal Sindhu, Musharraf, NRO, PPP, Yousuf Raza Gilani.
NRO in The National Assembly
Oct 30, 2009 News & Events, Pakistan, pakistan politics
The National Assembly’s standing committee on law is taking up the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance today. The opposition is prepared for battle, and will probably give a tough time to the government in the committee today as well as in parliament in the days ahead. According to sources, Prime Minister Gilani has approached the PML-Q to support the NRO. Our correspondent Shahzad Raza reports on how the debate is being shaped by Pakistan Peoples Party and the the PML-Nawaz..
Tags: ational Assembly, NRO, Pakistan, Parliment, PML Nawaz, PPP, zardari
Kerry Lugar Bill explained by Zaid Hamid
Oct 7, 2009 Pakistan, Zaid Hamid, pakistan politics
Zaid Hamid exposes the shocking conditions of the Kerry Lugar Bill in the latest episode of Brasstacks.
Tags: Brasstacks, cia, Kerry, Kerry Lugar Bill, Lugar, obama, Pakistan, PPP, US, US senate, Zaid Hamid, zardari
Mr. Zardari introduced his son Bilawal
Aug 27, 2009 News & Events, Pakistan, pakistan politics
The video isn’t all that funny, I just think it’s interesting how the rest of the world is laughing at us.
Tags: Benazir, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Bilawal Zardari, PPP, President Zardari
Documentry on (NRO) National Reconciliation Order
Aug 26, 2009 News & Events, Pakistan, pakistan politics
Documentary: National Reconciliation Order (NRO) Part 1 of 4
Documentary: National Reconciliation Order (NRO) Part 2 of 4
Documentary: National Reconciliation Order (NRO) Part 3 of 4
Documentary: National Reconciliation Order (NRO) Part 4 of 4
Tags: Musharaf, National Reconciliation Order, NRO, Pakistan, PPP
‘Pakistanis unhappy with govt’
Aug 14, 2009 News & Events, Pakistan, pakistan politics
Zardari’s popularity is at all-time low at 32 per cent while Nawaz Sharif has reached a new high at 79 per cent approval ratings.—Photo by AP
NEW YORK: Pakistanis see their country in crisis and they give their national government lower ratings than at any time in this decade. And almost no one is satisfied with national conditions, according to a new survey released on Wednesday.
President Asif Zardari’s popularity is at all-time low at 32 per cent while Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif has reached a new high at 79 per cent approval ratings.
The role of Pakistani media is viewed favourably as almost 77 per cent of those interviewed for the survey believe that the media is having good influence on the country.
The nation-state is of great significance to Pakistanis, and despite important ethnic and regional differences, national identity is strong throughout the country.
Overall, 89 per cent say they think of themselves first as Pakistani, rather than as a member of their ethnic group, the survey said.
Conducted by the Pew Research Centre’s Global Attitudes Project, it also finds that a long-standing concern about extremism has grown even greater over the past year, and indifference and mixed opinions about both Al Qaeda and the Taliban have given way to a strong condemnation of both groups.
While views about national conditions are overwhelmingly negative, most Pakistanis are upbeat about their personal lives — 74 per cent say they are very or somewhat satisfied with their overall lives, and most are satisfied with their family lives and incomes.
Nonetheless, compared with other nations, levels of personal satisfaction in Pakistan are relatively low.
Tags: Nawaz Sharif, PML(N), PPP, zardari
Prime Minister Gilani Seeks Power Shift
Mar 19, 2009 Articles, pakistan politics
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s prime minister said he would tip the balance of power in the turbulent nation back toward parliament and away from embattled President Asif Ali Zardari, a move that could bring the opposition into the governing coalition.
In an interview, Yousuf Raza Gilani vowed to return authority to parliament that was lost in 2007 when Mr. Zardari’s predecessor, Pervez Musharraf, gave sweeping powers to the presidency, including the power to dismiss parliament.
Mr. Zardari, the widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, assumed power last summer with a pledge to rescind those powers but hasn’t yet done so.
“We are committed to change the system,” a confident Mr. Gilani said. “My main endeavor is to end the politics of confrontation.”
He added that he planned to cooperate with opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, another former prime minister. “I am sure we can work with Nawaz Sharif in strengthening the democratic process,” Mr. Gilani said. “We have to return to parliamentary democracy on the lines of Westminster.”
Mr. Gilani’s new assertiveness stems in part from the backing he has received from opposition parties that would like to see more powers returned to parliament.
“For a new Pakistan we need to implement the charter of democracy signed by two former prime ministers,” he said, referring to an agreement signed by Ms. Bhutto and Mr. Sharif in 2006. “And I think this is the way forward.” The accord pledged to strike down the constitutional changes made by Mr. Musharraf’s military-led government.
Mr. Sharif has offered the opposition’s full support to the prime minister in the move to clip the president’s power, which he describes as the biggest obstacle in the way of a smooth functioning of Pakistan’s democracy.
Mr. Sharif responded to Mr. Gilani’s offer to talk about the charter of democracy by saying in a statement that he is preparing to send recommendations on its implementation.
Tags: Gilani, Pakistan, pakistan politics, PML(N), PPP, Prime Minister Gilani, zardari
