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Archive for May, 2013

Imran Khan’s toughest test -Christina Lamb, the Sunday Times, U.K.

Posted by razahamad in " RIAZ THE SHAITAN OF PAKISTAN, BUNGLER NAWAZ SHARIF, IMRAN KHAN, IMRAN KHAN-PAKISTAN'S HERO & DREAMER, LIAR POLITICIANS, LOAN Thieves, Morosi Siyasat & Political Crooks, Nawaz "Badami Lassi Kim Barker Thurke" Sharif, Nawaz Dangerous, NAWAZ SHARIF, Nawaz Sharif & Kashmiri Biradari, Nawaz Sharif Dangerous Man, Nawaz Sharif Massive Corruption, NAWAZ SHARIF US & SAUDI AGENT, Nawaz Sharif US Agent, Nawaz Sharif Womanizer, Nawaz US Agent on May 10th, 2013

Imran Khan’s toughest test

The former cricketer is a hero to many in Pakistan but must play the innings of his life to become PM

Christina Lamb Published: 5 May 2013

Imran KhanImran Khan is standing as ‘a man of the people’ (Justin Sutcliffe)

It is a quarter to midnight in Lahore’s Moon Market and Pakistan’s most famous cricketing hero is in an armoured jeep trapped in a sea of young men, desperate to get near him, faces pressed against the glass, shouting “Captain, I love you!”, and waving green and red party flags or cricket bat symbols.

Pakistan may be the most cricket-obsessed nation on earth, but no one is there because of Imran Khan’s cricketing skills. Most look too young to remember him captaining Pakistan to its only World Cup cricket victory in 1992. Instead they hope he will lead them to a very different victory: becoming prime minister after Saturday’s elections.

 

“This is a revolution!” he declares, as we stare out at the crush of people. “Look at them! They are fed up with the status quo. This is an across-the-board desire for change and a fear the country won’t survive unless we do. It’s middle classes, young people, people who have never voted before, exactly like what happened in the Arab world. We are going to sweep this election.”

Amid the exhilaration, there is also fear. The elections are historic — it will be the first time in Pakistan one elected government will hand power to another rather than be ousted by a military dictator — but also the most violent in the country’s history.

Taliban bombs and shootings have killed 76 people in the past two weeks, forcing many candidates to campaign behind bullet-proof glass far from the crowds; some remotely by Skype; or not at all in the case of Bilawal Bhutto, whose mother Benazir was assassinated five years ago.

Imran, standing as “a man of the people”, will have none of this. Earlier in the day in a dusty field in the far-flung rural district of Narowal, in the northeast of Punjab, where people had left muddy villages and piled on tractors to hear him speak, I watched him exhort supporters to break police barricades and run forward to the rickety stage.

The x-ray machine the crowds had walked through was of no comfort — it was not plugged in. Police hurriedly wheeled in a mobile phone-jammer that nobody could work.

Now we are stuck in a car in a narrow street in a bazaar where three years ago 50 people were killed in a suicide attack. There were no security checks getting into his rally even though Imran says security forces are on “red alert”.

Any one of the men surrounding the car could be a suicide bomber. The black T-shirted Punjab commandos with “No Fear” printed reassuringly on their backs and AK-47s at the ready are nowhere to be seen. Our only protection is police with wooden sticks.

“There’s no security,” says Imran, shaking his head with horror as he watches the police whack his supporters. “We’re all high-risk targets right now.”

Finally we move, surrounded by flashing police lights and supporters on motorbikes. Imran’s chief of staff — who used to be his bank manager in London — hands round cheeseburgers and Cokes. “Campaigning — no food, no sleep and hardest of all, no time to pee,” Imran says.

Moon Market, where he was forklifted onto a stage of shipping containers covered with carpets amid pounding music and cries of “Imran”, was his eighth jalsa — or rally — of the day. Though at 60, still rakishly handsome, he looks exhausted. Since the campaign was launched three weeks ago, he has campaigned 15 hours every day, crisscrossing the vast country in a rented helicopter, as he belts out speeches demanding an end to “status quo politics”.

“It’s my cricket training which is helping,” he says. Yet the last thing he expected was it to be used in such a cause. “I couldn’t even make a speech to my team when I became captain, I was so shy,” he laughs.

It is an incredible turnaround. Though Imran has been revered both at home and abroad for his cricketing skills, his political ambitions have long been treated with derision: since he founded his party 17 years ago, it has held only one seat in parliament. The popular Friday Times newspaper runs a cartoon lampooning him as “Im the Dim”.

Today his crusade against corruption and dynastic politics has clearly struck a chord, making him by far the most popular politician in Pakistan and his Movement for Justice is turning Pakistan’s politics upside down.

But he is up against the formidable political machine of Nawaz Sharif, who was twice prime minister in the 1990s.

And many wonder if the mercurial former cricketer is really the best person to lead this nuclear-armed country, which has become the world’s biggest breeding ground for terrorist attacks, particularly with next year’s deadline looming for the withdrawal of Nato troops from neighbouring Afghanistan.

I first met Imran in the late 1980s when I was living in Pakistan. The Oxford graduate turned cricket star was the country’s most eligible bachelor who every society hostess in Lahore tried to get to their parties, as well as being a fixture on the London nightclub scene.

It was hard to take seriously the idea of him running a political movement, particularly in Pakistan’s entrenched system where many seats are won by feudal lords, whatever party they run for. His own background was hardly ideal, having fathered an illegitimate daughter with the late Sita White, daughter of billionaire Lord White.

To compound things, in 1995 he married another socialite and daughter of a billionaire, Jemima Goldsmith, who, at just 21, was half his age. Though she strove to fit in and they had two sons, the cultural and age differences were vast.

But it was the party he created a year after their wedding that he admitted in his recent memoir really destroyed their marriage. His political pronouncements prompted endless vitriol against Jemima in the Pakistani media, which referred to her as a Jewish heiress.

Things started to change after the attacks in America on September 11, 2001, when he was a lone voice criticising Pakistan’s co-operation with the US — even if the West may question how committed that co-operation was.

A Pashtun, he has become an outspoken critic of drone attacks, arguing that civilian casualties are stoking such resentment that they are driving people to join the Taliban. “The road to peace is to get tribals on your side,” he argues. “Keep bombing them and you push them toward the terrorists.”

Such comments have led him to be seen as anti-West and known as Taliban Khan, labels he angrily rejects. “If you don’t bow to every western politician you should not be termed anti-West,” he says. “I want us to be a sovereign nation not slaves.” He turns the argument that Pakistan is not doing enough to end havens for terrorists back on the West.

“I would ask western countries like the UK to stop allowing money plundered by Third World dictators and politicians to be put in safe havens. It kills more people than terrorists or drugs,” he says. “In Pakistan, 200,000 children die from waterborne diseases which are preventable because these guys have siphoned all the money so there is none for health and education.”

It is widespread disillusion over such misgovernance that has made him so popular. Pakistan’s merry-go-round between military rule and the same corrupt politicians who have looted the country has left it bankrupt. In five years under President Asif Ali Zardari, the country has suffered power cuts of 16 hours a day in Lahore, widespread unemployment, and 25m children not in school. Polio is still endemic.

So great is the frustration that during the Arab spring, Twitter was full of tweets from Pakistanis asking: “When are we going to rise up?”

At Imran’s rally in Narowal, villagers say they are fed up with being neglected. “We have electricity just two hours a day and no gas to cook with as the rich use it for their cars,” said Abdul Reham, a student. “Imran is our last hope.”

It is young people such as Reham that Imran is banking on to sweep him to power. Some 70% of the population is under 35 and 38m of its 85m voters will vote for the first time in these elections.

His appeal is not just to youth. Many women support him. Three of his sisters are out knocking doors as are many Lahori socialites. One group sat with their husbands smoking fat Cohibas outside a coffee bar in Lahore. “We need to help the downtrodden,” said one. “Our servants are getting angry.”

Some American Pakistanis have come over to vote for the first time, too — among them Tahir Effendi, a doctor from New York. “I’m seeing the same energy here as with Obama in 2008,” he said. “It’s ‘Yes we Khan’ instead of ‘Yes we can’.”

Imran is popular, too, with Pakistan’s powerful army, who say they are fed up with cleaning up the mess of the old politicians. They genuinely seem to be keeping out of the elections, leaving some Pakistanis confused. “This is the first time we don’t know who’s supposed to win,” said Shahid Masood, a TV news anchor.

There are numerous other groups, including some extremists and a new party of AQ Khan, the godfather of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb, even though he is supposedly under house arrest for running a nuclear black-market to everywhere from Iran to North Korea. His symbol is a missile.

Yet even Imran’s most committed supporters doubt the enthusiasm he generates will be enough to make his the largest party — let alone give him a majority.

The hurdle is Pakistan’s constituency system in which candidates rather than parties matter — something he has vowed to end since it leads to corruption, even though he has brought in some of “the electables” into his own party.

He has also persuaded new people to stand including Abrar ul-Haq, one of Pakistan’s most famous rock stars, who has ditched his usual jeans and T-shirt for a traditional starched white cotton shalwar and black waistcoat and is standing in Narowal.

Out on the stump with Sharif, it is easy to see what Imran is up against. Flying between rallies in southern Punjab in a private jet that has previously flown Beyoncé and George Clooney and is stocked with yoghurt drinks and Perrier, Sharif is statesmanlike and quietly confident.

He admits Imran is his main rival in the cities though says in rural areas the contest is still with his old-time foes, the Pakistan People’s party of Benazir Bhutto and now headed by her widower Asif Zardari and son Bilawal. “Imran knows nothing except cricket,” he shrugs. “And he is abusive, too — he says he’ll beat me with a bat. That’s not nice.”

In stark contrast to the seat-of-the-pants feel of Imran’s campaign, everything around Sharif is highly organised. Security is tight — mobile phones are jammed. Before every stop he is given a folder with speaking points. But he has done this for years. “I love campaigning,” he says.

The former industrialist entered politics in the 1980s as a protégé of Pakistan’s military dictator General Zia ul-Haq but has been toughened by a period of jail and exile under General Pervez Musharraf.

He allows himself a smile when I ask how he feels about Musharraf being placed under house arrest after returning to Pakistan from London last month. “It’s exactly what he did to me,” he says.

On the campaign trail, he is helped by the record of his younger brother Shahbaz, long-time chief minister of Punjab. He can point at achievements such as improved schools, motorways, a new bus system and distribution of laptops to poor students even if they crashed whether users tried to remove the Sharif photograph on the start-up page.

“The youth is with us, not Imran,” he says. He proudly shows a picture of his daughter Maryam out campaigning.

Sharif’s last rally of the day is in the city of Multan. A huge charged-up crowd is waiting in a floodlit stadium where moths and bats circle the lights. He is greeted by a roar. Supporters kept 200 yards back behind a line of commandos wave green and white flags and stuffed tigers — his party’s symbol.

Sharif tells them he will end power cuts and slash government expenditure by 30%. They cheer every word. Afterwards, he is elated. “These people, lower and lower middle class, are the backbone of our party and we must work for them.”

Imran’s chance of success depends on voter turnout, which is historically very low, about 40%. “If he could take that above 50% and mobilise lots of new voters then we will surely see him getting lots of seats,” says Raza Rumi, a political analyst. Many might be deterred by violence though the army is to deploy 70,000 troops around polling stations.

 

Estimates give Imran at most 40 of the 272 seats, which would leave him as kingmaker, the two main parties needing his support for a coalition.

Imran insists he will do no such thing. “We’d rather sit in opposition,” he says. “We’re competing against these status quo politicians who brought us into this situation. There’s no way we’d work with them.”

First, though, Pakistan has to get through elections safely. The only time Imran loses his enthusiasm and looks down is when I ask what his two teenage sons back in London think about all this.

He told them the next time they saw him he would be prime minister. But in the meantime, he admits, the elder boy asked him to stop. “They are very anxious,” he says. “They are old enough to read the papers and see all the bombs.”

Pledge to halt US drones

Pakistan seems set for a collision course with America, with both leading candidates in Saturday’s elections vowing to demand the end of drone attacks in their territory.

“Drones are mostly killing innocent people,” Nawaz Sharif told The Sunday Times. “They are making the situation worse rather than better. If I am elected I will tell the Americans that clearly this is counterproductive, threatening our sovereignty and must stop.”

Asked how he would achieve this, given that drones do not fly from Pakistan territory, Sharif replied: “They want our co-operation on things, well we won’t do what they want.”

His views echo those of Imran Khan. Long an outspoken critic of drones, he has argued that they kill thousands of civilians and stoke resentment that creates more supporters for the Taliban.

If elected, Imran says he would also withdraw all Pakistan’s troops from the tribal areas that border Afghanistan, an act that would horrify Washington. The US has been trying to persuade Pakistan’s military to act against havens for militants in North Waziristan.

“We never had a problem with the tribal areas until General Musharraf sent troops in in 2004,” Imran said. “They are like a bull in a china shop and have taken us into a never-ending war.”

 
© Times Newspapers Ltd 2012
Registered office 3 Thomas More Square, London E98 1XY.
Registered in England No 894646

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SEX PREDATOR (Thurkee) NAWAZ SHARIF TRIES TO SEDUCE BRITISH JOURNALIST KIM BARKER

Posted by mirfanud in CIA AGENT NAWAZ SHARIF, CONF-- -- USED, Hypocrites in Islam, Nawaz "Badami Lassi Kim Barker Thurke" Sharif, Nawaz Sharif & Kashmiri Biradari, Nawaz Sharif Dangerous Man, Nawaz Sharif Massive Corruption, NAWAZ SHARIF US & SAUDI AGENT, Nawaz Sharif US Agent, Nawaz Sharif Womanizer, Nawaz US Agent, Sexual Predator Nawaz Sharif on May 10th, 2013

HORNY NAWAZ SHARIF TRIES TO SEDUCE BRITISH JOURNALIST KIM BARKER

Nawaz “Horny” Sharif has a rule, to be a PML(N) Jiyali, a female has to smile when Nawaz makes a pass at them. Unfortunately for Nawaz, British journalist Kim Barker got her signal mixed and almost smacked Nawaz across his face. Her she tells the story, about the “future” leader of Pakistan. Shame on you, Nawaz sharif, have you not heard of sexual harassment being against the law in Pakistan.

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From The Washington Post

 

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2011-04-14/lifestyle/35261829_1_lara-logan-lynsey-addario-new-york-times-journalists

 

Foreign female journalists face challenges most often in parts of the world where protections for women are weak even in peacetime — in societies where men and women lead highly segregated lives and often don’t have sex before marriage. In these countries, men often say they view Western women as the sexual equivalent of junk food: fast and cheap.

Even highly placed sources can behave inappropriately. Kim Barker, who was the South Asia bureau chief with the Chicago Tribune from 2004 to 2008, was offered an iPhone by former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif. But that phone would not really have been free: His pickup line was, “I’m fat and old. But I would still like to be your friend,” she writes in her book, “The Taliban Shuffle.”

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KARGIL OPERATION IN THE LIGHT OF THE HEADLINES OF THE NEWSPAPER… PART-I

  
7 June
India disconnected from Northern Kashmir
“If India cannot restore its supply route to Siachen than she will have to face great loss of lives, Siachen war has been now shifted to Kargil” Retired Indian General
‘India might attack Pakistan in desperation’ The Economist
‘India Plans to attack and capture few areas of Azad Kashmir under command of General Mahinder’
‘India should face facts in Kargil, stop attacks over Mujahideen and turn towards negotiations’ US Ambassador
9 June
‘9 Indian soldiers killed in skirmish over Sialkot Sector, Mujahideen destroy ammo depot in Kargil’
‘Pakistani Foreign Minister might visit India on 12 June,India formerly notifies Pakistan, talks will be over Kargil not Kashmir’
10 June
‘Israeli Commandoes arrive over LoC to help Indians’
‘Will not withdraw even from an inch’ Pakistan rejects pressure; before visiting India Pakistani Foreign Minister visits China
11 June
‘Govt and opposition unites against India; express confidence over armed forces’
12 June
‘We have tackled all Indian plans of aggression over allfronts’ Nawaz Sharif
13 June
‘IndoPak talks fruitless due to stubbornness of India with Pakistani Foreign Minister’
14 June
‘After failure of negotiations Wajpai orders war; heavy number of personnel arrive at LoC from both sides’
 
 
 
17 June
‘Whole nation stands with armed forces’ Nawaz Sharif
‘Will not let nation down’ Parvaiz Musharaf
18 June
‘important Indian posts captured by Mujahideen; 65 Indian soldiers killed, 400 laid down weapons in front of Pakistani forces. Indian diplomatic, political and military pressure rejected; will not withdraw from important defense positions in Kargil’
20 June
‘any place might be converted into Kargil; India should resolve Kashmir dispute’ Nawaz Sharif
21 June
‘G-8 countries reject Indian demands against Pakistan; both countries should come to table for peace talks; unanimous decision’
22 June
‘India rejects appeal of G-8 countries’
‘whole region is at the verge of volcano; peace talks withIndia would be over Kashmir not Kargil’
23 June
‘If India attacks Pakistan she will get destructive response; Pakistan’s wish for negotiations should not be taken as weakness’ Nawaz Sharif
‘India signals crossing of LoC; Indian army might cross LoC under cover of attacking Mujahideen’ Indian Foreign Minister
24 June
‘India warns of a full war; have ordered army to prepare to cross LoC’ Indian Army Chief
25 June
‘Mujahideen should withdraw from Indian Held Kashmir; LoC should be relocated’ USA
‘US stance supports Indian stubbornness, we are acting upon Shimla pact while India is not only continuously violating the pact but wants to capture Siachen and other areas as well’ Pakistan
26 June
‘Kargil is not separate from Kashmir; Mujahideen will not withdraw from Kargil’ Nawaz Sharif’s reply to US General Anthony
27 June
‘Will not accept any pressure on Kargil dispute, clarified to US General that we will not withdraw forces from LoC unanimously’ General Parvaiz Musharaf
‘Diplomatic links between Clinton-Nawa Sharif for negotiations’
‘Nawaz Sharif leaves for visit to China’
28 June
‘China ensures complete support to Pakistan overKashmir dispute’
1 July
‘Cannot capture Kargil and Daras peaks’ Indian Army
‘Indian army is facing intense loss of lives, intense bombardment and latest weapons are of no use’ even missiles are not hitting the targets. Pakistanis are fighting with zeal and courage, they cannot be crushed’ Colonel Vikram Singh and Squadron Leader Panday talks to media
‘Nukes are not for being kept in cupboards; Pakistan will not end its support to Kashmiris; if India dared to attack Pakistan, we will not refrain from using nuclear weapons’ Raja Zafar-ul-Hassan
 
 
Indian aerial and artillery bombardment converted Kargil peaks into stones but was unable to breakup courage of Pakistanis
 
2 July
India should refrain from devastating peace of the region. Kashmir dispute is the burning dispute of the history, India should not misjudge China’s interest for peace in the region’ China
‘After failure in the Kargil India will open new battle fronts. Pressure over Indian govt is increasing to change policy due to number of casualties in the hands of Mujahideen are unacceptable’ Ex-Indian Army Chief General Wishwanath Sharma
‘Without opening other battle fronts it is impossible to defeat Mujahideen in Kargil. Indian army with either have to fight face to face with Mujahideen or cross LoC’ Indian Defense Analyst A.K Dandy
3 July
‘Kargil could not be separated from Kashmir dispute. Indian army’s supremacy will be unacceptable over any part of LoC including Kargil’ Pakistan
‘Will not accept any deal over Kashmiris rights to decide freely, we are acting upon a clear policy’ Nawaz Sharif’s letter to Sardar Qayum
‘In order to retaliate any Indian aggression Pakistani F-16s have been airborne, this is a message to enemy that it will not be spared’
‘If India attacks to Pakistan we will be side by side withPakistan; it is in the greatest interest of Pakistan to follow its principle stance’ Chinese Ambassador
‘As long as Pakistan supported army is not withdrawn from Kargil, Clinton should stop aid to Pakistan; American Congress Committee over Kargil blamesPakistan for the dispute’
4 July
‘Indian army had to face intense casualities in Daras; intense fighting continues in Kargil. A big attack has been thwarted; Indian army launched a big attack with the support of artillery and airforce but failed.
‘Nawaz Sharif leaves for USA, USA made it clear that she wants end to the war, Pakistan’s three points agenda will be discussed in one to one meeting. Pakistan will not withdraw from its principle stance, we are ready for long term war as well’ Tehmina Daultana
‘From “Cricket” to “bus” and now deceptive diplomacy; nation not being told the truth. Deals are in progress to return Kargil to India; Prime Minister has no right to deviate from the national stance’ Saeed Manes
5 July
Nawaz-Clinton 3 hours long meeting; consensus on restoring the LoC, due to the situation in Kargil threats of war have developed, in order to stop the war both countries should take solid maeasure and start negotiations among higher officials’ Clinton
‘We cannot withdraw even from 1 Inch’ Pakistan Army
‘Pakistan should not accept international pressure overKashmir dispute, Mujahideen will not withdraw from peaks at any cost. Kargil is totally under control, within few weeks India will not be even able to withdraw its military equipment from “Zojila Pass”. If Indian army crossed LoC in no time Pakistan army will be inSrinagar. Allah is with Mujahideen, sudden visit of Nawaz Sharif to USA is suspicious’ Hafiz Saeed talks to Majeed Nizami and media
 
 
18000 feet high peak of Kargil
 
6 July
‘Including Huriat Conference all Mujahid organizations reject Nawaz-Clinton deal’
7 July
‘Pakistan has been defeated on diplomatic fronts’ Shah Mehmood
8 July
‘Nawaz Sharif has committed treachery by selling Kargil, he has no right to be in power; caretaker govt should be formed to resolve the situation. I am forced to live outside of Pakistan on return will start campaign against Nawz Sharif’ Benazir Bhutto
‘Nawaz govt has signed its deal of death. The deal of slavery is worst than destructive results of war, not even a single word of the deal expresses Pakistani stance’ Qazi Hussain Ahmad’s reaction over Washington Declaration
‘As a reaction over govt policy on Kargil Peoples Party will stage demonstrations tomorrow on the call of Benazir Bhutto; Peoples party appeals all parties to support its demonstrations’
‘On the order of US President, Nawaz Sharif ignored national interest and wasted a golden opurtunity. Whole nation had been united but our leader got defeated in the psychological war. In the next war Washington will be openly against us. The decision of Prime Minister has devastated morale of army’ Hameed Gul
‘We have not signed any deal for the withdrawal of Mujahideen. President Clinton has assured to resolveKashmir dispute within 18 months by taking personal interest. Anti govt elements are spreading rumors. Kashmir has become international dispute against the wishes of India. Due to the deteriorating situation over LoC US intervention was inevitable. So I visited USA to meet US President’. Nawaz Sharif’s interview before leaving New York  
9 July
‘in spite of Pakistan’s agreement there are no hopes of withdrawal of Mujahideen, fighting is growing intense we are facing intense resistance. We are ready for a full fledged attack over Kargil’ Indian General VP Malik
‘hope that Nawaz Sharif will fulfill the promise of ending the Kargil dispute’ USA
‘If we withdraw from Kargil no one will be in Indian Held Kashmir to support Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif has bowed the head of 14 million people. We will not let him to give up a victory over the table. Nawaz Sharif has hired few persons to propagate that Kargil has no importance. Army and Mujahideen are against him’ Press Conference of Kashmiri Mujahideen
‘Govt has sold out Kashmir in the deal with USA’ Yousaf Raza Gillani
 
 

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 These headlines published in the Nawa-i-Waqt summarize the war that was fought in 1999 for two motnhs at the height of 18000 feet. This is clear that Pakistan army has won that war tactically, strategically and professionally. This is also evident from the statements of Indian civil and military leadership expressing hopelessness. Not only this in spite of utilizing its full aerial and territorial power India failed to capture peaks of Kargil. In this small scale war not only India has to bear great casualities but in spite of having ten times bigger army and latest weapons she had to lick the dust but in such sensitive and grave situation Indian media stood side by side with Indian army and this was the Indian media that propagated India as oppressed. Alas! Pakistan lost that war due to American interests attached with India. As Pakistani military leadership ignored Indian reaction over Kargil operation in the same manners Pakistan’s political leadership did an unforgiveable mistake by accepting USA as a arbitrator and failed to understand American interests in India. In the other words USA got victory in Kargil and this was openly expressed by Bill Clinton in his address to Indian in March 2000, “This was not India that has recaptured Kargil but USinterference that forced Pakistan to withdraw from Kargil…”

Nawaz Sharif-The Horny Duffer of Gowalmandi

This man would be PM a third time ? Have we learnt nothing ?

Someone asked for the relevant bit to be highlighted. Just read the bit below……..

He ignored me. “I have bought you an iPhone,” he said.

“I can’t take it.”

“Why not? It is a gift.”

“No. It’s completely unethical, you’re a source.”

“But we are friends, right?” I had forgotten how Sharif twisted the word
“friend.”

“Sure, we’re friendly, but you’re still the former prime minister of

Pakistan and I can’t take an iPhone from you,” I said.
“But we are friends,” he countered. “I don’t accept that. I told you I was
buying you an iPhone.”

“I told you I couldn’t take it. And we’re not those kind of friends.”

He tried a new tactic. “Oh, I see. Your translator is here, and you do not
want him to see me give you an iPhone. That could be embarrassing for you.”

Exasperated, I agreed. “That’s it.”

He then offered to meet me the next day, at a friend’s apartment in Lahore, to give me the iPhone and have tea. No, I said. I was going to Faridkot. Sharif finally came to the point. “Kim. I am sorry I was not able to find you a friend. I tried, but I failed.” He shook his head, looked genuinely sad about the failure of the project.
“That’s OK,” I said. “Really. I don’t really want a friend right now. I am
perfectly happy without a friend. I want to be friendless.”

He paused. And then, finally, the tiger of Punjab pounced. “I would like to be your friend.”I didn’t even let him get the words out. “No. Absolutely not. Not going to happen.”

“Hear me out.” He held his hand toward me to silence my negations as he made his pitch. He could have said anything—that he was a purported billionaire who had built my favorite road in Pakistan, that he could buy me a power plant or build me a nuclear weapon. But he opted for honesty.

“I know, I’m not as tall as you’d like,” Sharif explained. “I’m not as fit
as you’d like. I’m fat, and I’m old. But I would still like to be your
friend.”

“No,” I said. “No way.”

He then offered me a job running his hospital, a job I was eminently
unqualified to perform. “It’s a huge hospital,” he said. “You’d be very good at it.” He said he would only become PM again if I were his secretary. I thought about it for a few seconds—after all, I would probably soon be out of a job. But no. The new position’s various positions would not be worth it.

Eventually, I got out of the tiger’s grip, but only by promising that I would consider his offer. Otherwise, he wouldn’t let me leave. I jumped into the car, pulled out my tape recorder, and recited our conversation. Samad shook his head. My translator put his head in his hands. “I’m embarrassed for my country,” he said.

After that, I knew I could never see Sharif again. I was not happy about this—I liked Sharif. In the back of my mind, maybe I had hoped he would come through with a possible friend, or that we could have kept up our banter, without an iPhone lurking in the closet. But now I saw him as just another sad case, a recycled has-been who squandered his country’s adulation and hope, who thought hitting on a foreign journalist was a smart move. Which it clearly wasn’t.”

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HOW PPP JIAYALA MISBAHUDDIN FARID & MQM’S WATER MAFIA ROBBED KARACHI CITIZENS OF $43 MILLION FOR ALTAF “BHAI KA QATIL”HUSSAIN & SWISS BANKER ZARDARI

Posted by kulsoom Waheed in Altaf "Bhai Ka Qatil"Hussain, ZARDARI:Killers Mastermind on May 10th, 2013

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ZARDARI CORRUPTION:PPP JIAYALA MISBAHUDDIN FARID, resigned on Thursday due to “personal reasons”. Hectic job making $ 43 Million from poor people of Karachi.

KARACHI:

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board managing director, Misbahuddin Farid, resigned on Thursday due to “personal reasons”, leaving behind a utility struggling to meet the city’s water needs amid increasing theft.

The sudden exit of the MD left even his closest of aides wondering what exactly pushed him to take this step as Farid was considered close to the ruling coalition.

“I am tired. There are so many things to look after, such as my health and family,” Farid told The Express Tribune. “It was a hectic job. New issues concerning water and sewerage come up every day.” But he hinted at frustration with the job and bureaucracy, saying, “I was fighting on so many fronts at the same time. How could I tackle illegal hydrants stealing water and mafias involved in encroaching on our land all by myself?”

It was not clear if the Sindh local government department had accepted Farid’s resignation by the time this report was filed late Thursday. There was no word on his replacement either and the water board’s media department refused to issue any official statement.

His exit comes just two days after the water board shut off all the hydrants across the city in a bid to end water theft. Over the past few months, the board has taken action against illegal water connections and hydrants which caused pressure to drop in main pipelines. Tankers fill up from these hydrants to sell in areas not connected to the piped network.

After joining KWSB in November, 1987, Farid was appointed managing director on January15, 2011. As project manager, he played a prominent role in the K-III scheme, which brought an additional supply of 100 million gallons per day (MGD) to the city in 2006.

Farid was known to keep an open relationship with the media and took journalists along on “operations” against water theft. But some people have accused him of turning a blind eye to ‘influential’ culprits and those with political affiliations.

The Karachi Water Tanker Owners Welfare Association alleged that illegal hydrants were still running in Baldia, Manghopir, Banaras and other areas. According to the association, the hydrants, which suck water from large pipelines, can’t be set up without the tacit approval of the water board.

A senior water board official, who worked closely with Farid, blamed political interference for the frustration in the organisation. “We shut down illegal hydrants so many times but somehow, they start working again.” He alleged that the police have always been reluctant to help them board control theft.

“The government has been asked so many times to make theft a non-bailable offence but no action has been taken as yet.”

Karachi needs 1,100 MGD but receives around 450 MGD.

PPP & MQM Run Karachi ‘water mafia’ leaves Pakistanis parched and broke

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Corrupt PPP and MQM politicians allow businessmen to siphon off as much as 41% of the city’s water supply and turn around and sell it at exorbitant rates to residents, generating an estimated $43 million a year.

  • A driver stands atop his water tanker as he fills it up with a large blue hose from an illegal hydrant inside a red-brick building on Manghopir Road in Karachi. There are at least 160 illegal hydrants across the city used to siphon water from the city's supply.
A driver stands atop his water tanker as he fills it up with a large blue hose… (Majid Hussain / For The Times )

Reporting from Karachi, Pakistan — Name a cash cow in this sprawling city of ragged slums and glass-walled office buildings and it’s almost certain there’s an organized crime syndicate behind it.

The illegal operations, routinely referred to as mafias, are everywhere. There’s a land mafia that commandeers prime real estate, a sugar mafia that conspires to control sugar prices, and even a railway mafia that forges train tickets and pilfers locomotive parts.

For those on the city’s bottom rung, however, the underworld entity they revile the most is the water tanker mafia, a network of trucking firms that teams up with corrupt bureaucrats to turn water into liquid gold worth tens of millions of dollars each year.

The water tanker mafia’s prey can be found in slums like Karachi’s Gulshan-Sikanderabad neighborhood, where every morning people buy water from the tankers, lug the plastic jugs back to their homes on wooden carts, then come back three or four more times in the afternoon and evening to buy more.

A family that makes $100 a month can spend as much as a quarter of that on water, which, elsewhere in Pakistan, costs pennies and flows out of household taps.

Water scarcity isn’t the cause. Karachi has a steady water supply, and it has the network of pipes to pump ample water into every neighborhood, rich and poor.

But Karachi is also a city of opportunists forever on the prowl for under-the-table wealth. As municipal officials look the other way, businessmen illegally tap water mains, and use the makeshift hydrants to supply fleets of tankers that then sell water to businesses, factories and neighborhoods at inflated prices. As many as 272 million gallons a day are siphoned off by the trucks.

On a recent sunbaked afternoon, along a dirt lane filled with goats munching on piles of refuse, Momin Khan seethed as he filled another blue jug with water from a cistern replenished every other day by the water tankers.

“We’re poor laborers — we can’t spare this much for water,” said Khan, 27, a glass factory worker. “The water supply lines come right into this neighborhood, but there’s never any water. So I buy the same water that I should be getting through the pipes for free. I’ve got no choice.”

Karachi has nine hydrant locations where water supply companies can legally buy water and fill their tanker trucks. But scattered throughout the city are at least 160 illegal hydrants, said Ashraf Sagar, manager of the Orangi Pilot Project, a private organization that researches water issues in Karachi.

The siphoning takes place around the clock, Sagar said. It’s done in the dead of night, but also in broad daylight.

Along Manghopir Road, a bustling Karachi avenue lined with grease-covered car repair stalls and appliance storefronts, it’s easy to find a pair of tanker drivers standing on top of their trucks, filling up with a large blue hose from an illegal hydrant inside a red-brick building. Armed guards keep outsiders from meddling.

On average, a tanker fills up six times a day, Sagar said, siphoning as much as 41% of the city’s daily water supply, an amount that generates $43 million annually for tanker owners, according to Orangi.

“With this much money involved, it’s clear these are very wealthy people,” Sagar said. “They’re powerful PPP & MQM mafias colluding with corrupt people in the government. So there’s really nothing ordinary Pakistanis can do to stop it.”

Shahnawaz Jadoon, a deputy administrative chief for the Gulshan-Sikanderabad neighborhood, said it was virtually impossible to clamp down on an enterprise that combines the clout of city government and the wealth of Karachi’s powerful business circles.

At times, illegal hydrants are shut down by city officials, only to reopen a week later. Activists said they didn’t know of anyone involved ever being arrested.

“The big reason why people don’t get the water they’re supposed to,” said Jadoon, “is that if they did, this whole system, the tanker mafia and this corrupt network, would shut down.”

alex.rodriguez@

latimes.com

September 7, 2012

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The ‘Kaptaan’ who can bring peace – Maria Waqar

Posted by Fawad Mir in IMRAN KHAN-PAKISTAN'S HERO & DREAMER, Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on May 10th, 2013

The ‘Kaptaan’ who can bring peace

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He is pejoratively called Taleban Khan by Pakistan’s liberals, but Imran Khan’s potential to engage the Taleban can be a boon. It is often said that education is the panacea for all of Pakistan’s problems. But if you really want to see a case showing that education can, in fact, have no link with the capacity to solve problems, then try talking to Pakistan’s liberals about the Taleban. For the liberals, the Taleban are an evil force bent on transporting them from the comfort of their villas to some ramshackle place, where women totter in burkas and men are rendered indistinguishable by their long beards. The Taleban evoke an emotional reaction so intense in Pakistan’s privileged, westernised lot that their acumen is hijacked by ideological hatred. Their capacity to objectively discuss Talebanisation is undermined by their paranoia of possibly living a scene out of The Kite Runner in the future.

So, if someone tries to rationally talk about the Taleban, without denouncing them for their supposed intentions to set up madrassas in every nook and cranny, the liberals get irked. And if someone takes the liberty to suggest talking to the Taleban, he or she is labelled a Taleban apologist, fundo, extremist — the list goes on.

It’s no surprise, therefore, that Imran Khan has faced great criticism for his views on the Taleban — he’s been called Taleban Khan, his opponents have sniggered about his supposed invisible beard, he’s been pejoratively labelled as a right-wing politician (as if a genuinely leftist leader, who never sought support from religious parties, ever existed in Pakistan). 

But, Imran Khan’s views are based on a reality that most of the country’s liberals have refused to acknowledge: The Taliban are here to stay. Yes, it would be great if a military operation could pummel them into submission and the vast inundation of aid-dollars could veer the “hearts and minds” of the people away from militants. And it would be truly wonderful if an asteroid-like drone could make them suddenly disappear. But guess what? That just isn’t going to happen. After countless drone strikes, several military operations and millions of aid-dollars later, the Taleban are stronger than ever. And, in fact, they are no longer holed up in a region that most affluent Pakistanis would have spent their lives not knowing a thing about if weren’t for the war on terror.  The Taleban are now in Pakistan’s major cities, blowing up places and people and coercing the population to abstain from voting.

The affluent people living in these cities have long negated the idea of even considering the idea of negotiating with the Taleban, thinking that this would transform Pakistan into Afghanistan one day. But the way the militants are currently trying to derail the democratic process is dreadfully reminiscent of their attempts to thwart Afghan elections in the past. Pakistan is on its way to becoming Afghanistan.

So in the light of these reality checks, let’s evaluate the options Pakistanis have at the moment. First, there’s the option of eliminating the Taleban completely. While getting completely rid of rebels and insurgents through military might is always a theoretical possibility for a state, its execution is often difficult and painful. It took Sri Lanka 17 long years to crush the LTTE — the inventors of suicide bombing — in 2009, but it came at a high human cost. Scores of Tamil civilians lost their lives and thousands were internally displaced, as the Sri Lankan military cracked down on the Tamil insurgents.

Another famous case of a successful counterinsurgency operation is the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960) when the British forces crushed the Malaysian National Liberation Army in Malaya (modern-day Malaysia). Cited repeatedly in a plethora of counterinsurgency studies, the campaign involved a number of hardline tactics, including forced relocation of hundreds of thousands of people — now considered a war crime according to international law — to isolate the rebels. The “hearts and minds” campaign that was employed by British troops to win the support of the indigenous population in Malaya is often cited as the motive behind the cottage industry of Western-backed development programmes in Pakistan. But still, the military campaign was of utmost importance in successfully countering the insurgency. 

But can the success of the British operation that was fought in Malaya’s jungles be replicated in Pakistan’s far greater territory, which is now speckled far and wide with Taleban bases (the primary reason why the US policy of exclusively targeting Pakistan’s borderlands with drones has failed in crushing the militancy)?  And while the Tamil civilian population suffered enormously as the Sinhalese state attempted to annihilate the LTTE, will the Pakistani military, which has a disproportionately high representation of the Pashtuns, let people from their own ethnic group be collateral damage in the fight against militancy? These are difficult questions, but Pakistanis need to think about them before they make a choice at the ballot.

Now, let’s consider the option of talking to the Taleban.  Before calling me a ‘fundo’ or a biased Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporter, please note that the country which started the war on terror — the US — has been holding peace talks with the Taleban in Qatar to facilitate the country’s exit from Afghanistan in 2014. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who had once declared that the Taleban were never coming back to Afghanistan, is very much part of these talks. The US and Afghanistan have finally realised that it’s virtually impossible to crush the Taleban.

And many states have been able to successfully negotiate with rebels/insurgents and pave way for peace. One case is of Indonesia, which struck a peace deal with separatist rebels from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in 2005 after the latter fought an insurgency for 29 years. Under the agreement, the province of Aceh was given  special autonomy and government troops withdrew from the area after GAM laid down their arms. And in 2012,  the Philippines signed a peace deal with Islamist rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (Milf), brokered by Malaysia.

The most recent case is the decision of the Kurdish rebel group, Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has fought a guerrilla war against the Turkish state for the past 30 years, to withdraw its fighters to neighbouring countries in an effort to commit to peace.

Negotiating with recalcitrant non-state actors, however, is no easy feat for governments; it is, in fact, fraught with problems. The biggest problem, as Barbara Walter has argued in her seminal workCommitting to Peace: The Successful Settlement of Civil Wars, is finding a neutral third-party guarantor who will ensure that the two parties will stick to the terms of the accord. Otherwise, how can the rebels credibly know that the much more powerful state will not simply gun them down just as soon as they lay down their arms?

The absence of an impartial actor is one major reason why the Pakistani government’s previous accords with the Taleban have failed, including the Swat deal. At this point, many people reading this  piece have absolutely no doubt that I am a complete ‘fundo’, but there are two things I want to pinpoint. First is that both sides — the militants and the Pakistani army — were constantly flouting the terms of the Swat deal. The deep mistrust on both sides made the weaker power, the Taleban, highly insecure and inclined to offensively exert their might — by kidnapping security personnel and refusing to put down their arms, for example.  

Secondly, detractors of the Swat deal often say that it bolstered Talebanisation, but here’s my problem with this thesis: Pakistan is getting Talebanised although there’s no deal in place. And it’s happening because Pakistan has no coherent strategy to deal with militants.

The ideal way for the state to deal with the Taleban would be to first debilitate them militarily, and then offer to negotiate with them when they are weaker. The examples that I have already cited show that negotiating with rebels when they are in a position of  weakness can prove fruitful. The Aceh peace agreement came after the 2004 tsunami had devastated the province and weakened the rebels, making them inclined to a peace deal with the government. And the recent decision of the Kurdish rebel fighters to withdraw from Turkey has followed months of quiet negotiation between the jailed founder of the PKK, Abdullah Ocalan, and the Turkish government.

Basically, negotiations with the Taleban just cannot be avoided. If Pakistan is to ever find peace, its leaders will have to talk to the Taleban at some point in time.  And there’s no better politician who can do this right now than Imran Khan. He’s the only one who has the guts to openly talk about the Taleban and has the potential to engage them. While we don’t yet know what his exact strategy is going to be, the strategies (or lack thereof) of other politicians vis-à-vis the Taleban have miserably failed. Those, whose minds are not blinded, can clearly see that this is, in fact, true.

Courtesy:

Maria Waqar is a senior-sub editor at Khaleej Times. She can be contacted at [email protected]

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“SADIQ & AMIN” NAWAZ SHARIF & SHAHBAZ SHARIF

Posted by Azahir in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on May 10th, 2013

 

NAWAZ SHARIF’S CORRUPTION:CROOKED PAKISTAN ELECTION COMMISSION DECLARE LOAN DEFAULTERS LIKE SHARIF BROS SADIQ & AMIN

 

It is a proven fact that in 1998 Nawaz Sharif was double-minded about the atomic explosions. While the nation waited breathlessly for a befitting reply to India, Nawaz Sharif was busy in negotiating economic packages with US Government. Gohar Ayub Khan, who was foreign minister at that time, has also corroborated this fact in his book.

 
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1. 1. CORRUPTION CASES

 

Nawaz Sharif and his cronies have always been working to plunder Pakistan’s wealth as their sole agenda. He expanded his business empire by misusing his authority as Chief Minister Punjab and Prime Minister Pakistan. And in order to gain financial benefits, he manipulated laws and changed policies. Likewise, in a bid to avoid accountability, the Nawaz Sharif Government amended “The Ehtasaab Act” and made it effective from “1990” instead of “1985” as proposed in the original text of the “Ehtasaab Act” prepared by the interim government of caretaker Prime Minister (Late) Mairaj Khalid (1996-97). And by bringing this change he cunningly saved his tenure of Chief Minister Punjab (1985-88) from accountability.
Despite all maneuvering following references were filed against the Sharifs:-

 

  1. Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and others misused official resources causing a loss to the national exchequer of Rs 620million by developing 1800 acres of land in Raiwind at state expense.
  2. Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif are accused of whitening black money during their first tenure (1990-93) and causing a loss of Rs 180 million to the national exchequer by evading income/wealth tax.
  3. Nawaz Sharif, Saif-ur-Rehman and others reduced import duty from 325% to 125% on import of luxury cars (BMW), causing a huge loss of Rs1.98 billion to the national exchequer.
  4. On the imposition of emergency and freezing of foreign currency accounts, Nawaz Sharif and Saif-ur-Rehman removed 11 billion US dollars from Pakistani Banks illegally. Without the consent of account holders, Foreign Exchange Bearer Certificates (FEBC) accounts were frozen and foreign exchange was misappropriated.
  5. Illegal appointments in Pakistan International Airlines (Nawaz Sharif and Saeed Mehdi).
  6. Abbotabad land purchase scam (Nawaz Sharif and Sardar Mehtab Abbasi).
  7. Availing bank loan for Ittefaq Foundries and Brothers Steel Mills without fulfilling legal requirements (Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif).
  8. Concealment of property in the US (Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif).
  9. Illegal appointments and promotions in Federal Investigation Agency (Nawaz Sharif).
  10. US wheat purchase scam (Nawaz Sharif and Syeda Abida Hussain).
  11. Murree land purchase scam (Nawaz Sharif and Saif-ur-Rehman)
  12. Tax evasion (Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif).
  13. Forging of passports and money laundering (Nawaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar).
  14. Concealment of private helicopter purchase while filing assets’ detail (Nawaz Sharif).
  15. Favoring Kohinoor Energy Co, causing loss of Rs. 450 millions (Nawaz Sharif and Others).
  16. Illegal cash finance facility given to Brothers Sugar Mills (Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif).
  17. Bribe offered to ANP’s Senator Qazi Mohammad Anwer (Nawaz Sharif and Others).
  18. Hudaibiya Paper Mills Reference against Sharif brothers and Ishaq Dar.
  19. Illegally appointing Chairman Central Board of Revenue (Nawaz Sharif)
  20.  Whitening of black money by amending laws (Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif). 
  21.  Causing Rs. 35 billion loss by writing off/rescheduling bank loans (Nawaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar).
  22. Bribing (late) Maulana Sattar Niazi from National Exchequer (Nawaz Sharif and Others).
  23. Plundering Rs. 200 million from Jahez and Baitul Maal funds (Nawaz Sharif & Others)
  24. Opening fictitious foreign currency accounts (Nawaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar).
  25. Making 130 political appointments in federal departments (Nawaz Sharif).
  26. Relaxing export duty and rebate to transport sugar to India (Nawaz Sharif).
  27. Whitening of money through FEBC (Nawaz Sharif).
  28. Wealth Tax evasion (Nawaz Sharif).
  29. Concealment of facts to evade property tax (Nawaz Sharif).
  30. Withdrawal of case against Senator Islamuddin Sheikh (Nawaz Sharif, & Ishaq Dar)

2. FINANCIAL GAINS BY USING HIS AUTHORITY AS PRIME MINISTER

The first tenure of Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister in the year 1990 saw another reign of loot and plunder. During this period Mian Nawaz Shairf obtained loans amounting to more than Rs.614 billion from Banks through his influence against inadequate guarantees. According to the details of loans obtained by Sharifs include Rs.1556 million  for Ittefaq Foundries, Rs. 543 million for Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills, Rs.455 million for Mehran Ramzan Textile Mills, Rs.373 million for Ramzan Bukhsh Textile Mills, Rs.339 millions for Ch. Sugar Mills, Rs.226 millions for Ittefaq brothers, Rs. 205  million for Sandalbar Textile Mills, Rs.182 million for Hudaibiya Engineering Mills, Rs.153 million for Hamza Board Mills Ltd, Rs.134 million for Hudaibiya paper Mills, Rs.351 Million for Brothers Sugar Mills, Rs.174 million for Brothers Textile Mills, Rs.159 million for Brothers Steel Mills, Rs.623 million for Ramzan Sugar Mills, Rs. 191 million Khalid Siraj Textiles, Rs.313 million for Ittefaq Sugar Mills, Rs.164 million for Ittefaq Textile Mills, and Rs.239 million were obtained for Ittefaq Brothers. Due to the malpractice the national wealth was used for establishing personal empire while the country’s economy was facing disaster. This loan was equivalent to the total internal loan obtained by the government of Pakistan! These so called patriotic politicians ruthlessly plundered the national exchequer and used national wealth for personal financial gains. In addition money laundering worth billions of dollars through illegal means, wheat import scam, awarding motorway’s contract to an internationally black listed company, receiving heavy loans despite of being defaulter, secret businesses in UK (Evidence attached), Sugar mills in Kenya and four flats in the most expensive area of London and huge commissions in privatization of Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB) are also a few “achievements” of Nawaz Sharif and family.

3. THE AUDITOR GENERAL REPORT

The Auditor General Report released in the year 1988-89 reported that Nawaz Sharif, misusing his authority as Chief Minister Punjab, issued directives which resulted into direct malpractice of Rs. 35 billion.
The report said that the Chief Minister Secretariat had been turned into a hub of corrupt practices and Nawaz Sharif used public money like an emperor that resulted into huge fiscal deficit of the province.
The Auditor General Report released in the year 1986-87 said that the then Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif had used Rs. 1200 million for malpractices in only one year.
Nawaz Sharif allotted 3000 precious Lahore Development Authority (LDA) plots among his favourites due to which the province suffered loss of billions of rupees.
Nawaz Sharif was the lead character of the Cooperative and Financial Institutions Scam, which deprived the retired employees, orphans, widows, and poor of their total assets amounting to Rs. 17 billion.
Nawaz Sharif released Rs. 1200 million from his discretionary grant in the year 1985-86 while Rs. 1895 million were released in 1986-87, Rs. 1899 million were used in 1987-88 while another Rs. 1887 million were distributed among his cronies.

4. RELATIONS WITH THE TERRORISTS

Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and other party leaders practically share and proudly identify commonalities between PML-N and Taliban and they have very close ties and cordial relations with terrorists and banned terrorist outfits. In early 90s Nawaz Sharif received huge sums of money from Osama Bin Laden to overthrow former Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s Government. Even now PML-N’s cabinet members and spokespersons are commonly seen hanging around with members of those banned outfits, reportedly involved in managing terrorist attacks on thousands of innocent Pakistanis including soldiers, police officials and members of other law enforcement agencies.
Due to compromising attitude of PML-N’s leadership and their mild will to fight against the menace of terrorism the members of law enforcement agencies are completely demoralized. That is one of the reasons that the investigations against terrorists are not carried out in a proper manner and proof against arrested terrorists usually is not available. Due to the incapability of the Punjab Government terrible terrorist attacks took place in the province including suicide attack on Police Training School Bedian Road, blast in Moon Market Lahore, car bomb blast in the Rescue 15 building, car bomb blast in F.I.A building, suicide attack on Munawan Police Training Center, Model Town link road bomb blast, suicide attack on Jamia Naemia, terrorist attack on Ahmedi’s worship places, blasts in Imam Bargahs including Karbla Gammay Shah and suicide bomb blasts in the sacred shrine of Hazrat Data Gunj Buksh along with many others. After these attacks PML-N has morally lost its right of government in Punjab.
Further, it was Shahbaz Sharif, who instead of showing courage and political and moral will to fight against the enemies of Pakistan, in his speech in Jamia Naemia Lahore, begged for mercy from the terrorists. He, in a very disgraceful manner, requested them not to attack Punjab as they are likeminded and standing on the same side. This statement of Shahbaz Sharif reflects his mindset !

5. CONSPIRACIES AGAINST DEMOCRACY

Nawaz Sharif and Co. has always been involved in destabilizing the democratic system by one way or the other and did not even hesitate to take bribes to grab power. Lt. General (R) Naseerullah Babar, the former Interior Minister had disclosed in the National Assembly in 1994, that the ISI had disbursed money to purchase the loyalty of various right wing politicians, including that of Nawaz Sharif, in order to manipulate the 1990 elections, for the Islamic Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI- Pakistan democratic alliance), and bring about the defeat of the PPP. As proof Lt. General (R) Naseerullah Babar, Lt. General (R) Asad Durrani and others have filed affidavits supported by copies of various documents. In Air Marshal Asghar Khan’s human rights petition (HRC 19/96) in the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the former Chief of Army Staff Mirza Aslam Baig and the former Chief of the ISI and a banker concerning the criminal distribution of the people’s money for political purposes. The case is pending adjudication in the Supreme Court of Pakistan for the last 14 years.

6. DECEIT AND LYING

Nawaz Sharif’s politics is based on the philosophy “lie repeatedly till it seems as the truth”. He has based his politics on deceit and lies. Nawaz Sharif and his “chellaz” believe in lying repeatedly and religiously follow their convictions in this regard. They are masters in the art of manipulation and alteration and use their wealth to achieve their goals. One example is enough to expose their hideous character. After conviction in the hijacking case, Nawaz Sharif and his family approached foreign friends who persuaded President Pervez Musharraf to have mercy and forgive them. Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif  and family sought pardon and signed agreements including a commitment not to participate in politics for a period of  ten years but they kept lying and hid the existence of these agreements from the nation until the head of Saudi Arabian Secret Agency, Prince Miqran Bin Abdul Aziz and Prime Minister of Lebanon Mr. Saad Hariri’s unveiled the existence of these agreements and Ch. Nisar had to admit the existence of these agreements during the press conference of Javed Hashmi. Sharif brothers in return of Pervez Musharraf’s “Ehsaan” (generosity) have not only crossed all limits of hostility but also lied to the nation. Would Nawaz Sharif and his “chellaz” ever tender apology to the Pakistani Nation, for lying to them for so many years?      

7. POLICE STATE

Under the horrible times of Shahbaz Sharif’s Government the Punjab province has been virtually converted in to a “Badmaash” (rogue) province. Here police officials get involved in heinous and brutal criminal activities like one in Sialkot. The administration did not take any action against the shameful and atrocious lynching of two young brothers until the footage was telecast on electronic channels. It is believed that only in Gujranwala Division, where a brother of PML (N) MNA was deputed as head of police department, more than two hundred extra judicial killings have taken place.  The record shows that in Punjab, police force has been continuously used to harass and insult political rivals. An endless campaign of lodging false FIRs against political opponents has also been initiated. Use of brutal police force and baton-charge has become a routine. Every segment of society including journalists, doctors, teachers, students, nurses, Government employees, semi Government and private institutions and lawyers have faced the brutality of police while protesting for their demands.

8. POOR GOVERNANCE & MALADMINISTRATION

It is a hard fact that poor governance & maladministration is trade mark of Sharif brothers. Shahbaz Sharif is an attention-seeker and likes to show off. For the sake of “cheap publicity” he has started calling himself “Khadam-e-Ala” but miserably failed to meet the challenges of governance and administration. It’s a harsh reality that during his tenure in Punjab all institutions deteriorated conspicuously. In order to achieve their motives, Sharifs always appoint their blue eyed personnel on key posts by completely ignoring merit. Almost all districts of Punjab are being run by grade 19 officers who are incapable hence a basic reason for poor governance. Due to his dictatorial approach Shahbaz Sharif himself heads 12 provincial ministries and he seldom holds cabinet meeting. He takes decisions over ruling, the cabinet. His obstinate behavior is the prime reason for the maladministration in the province. It would be just and appropriate to suggest that Sharifs have failed to establish a democratic spirit in their government and have completely overlooked the norms of democratic political setups

9. CRIMINAL ASSAULT ON THE SUPREME COURT OF PAKISTAN

In order to consolidate and attain more power, ‘the champion of democracy and independent judiciary’, Nawaz Sharif attacked every individual and institution, he felt could get in the way and challenge his authority. In order to get rid of Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, who Nawaz Sharif despised, the latter created divisions amongst the judges using the humble services of a former judge, Rafique Tarrar (later President of Pakistan) to make life difficult for the Chief Justice. A group of judges refused to acknowledge CJ Sajjad Ali Shah as the Chief Justice and things got so bad that a number of junior judges made it difficult for him to carry out his duties. Eventually, Sharif ordered his thugs to attack the Supreme Court in order to prevent the Chief Justice from giving a ruling against him.
The police did nothing to stop Sharif’s thugs as they attacked and entered the Supreme Court premises. The judges inside the building barely managed to escape. The thugs, led by Sajjad Naseem and Mushtaq Tahir Kheli, Nawaz Sharif’s political secretaries, entered the court chanting anti-CJ Sajjad slogans and destroyed the Court Room.

10. CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE PRESS AND JOURNALISTS

A number of incidents during 1998-99 indicated a pattern of harassment and intimidation of individual journalists as the government was increasingly becoming intolerant. Imtiaz Alam, a Lahore-based journalist, complains of threats over the telephone and then of his car being set on fire in a mysterious manner the next day. Another Lahore journalist, Mahmud Lodhi, was picked up and held in illegal custody for two days. He was questioned about his involvement with a BBC team filming a documentary on the rise and wealth of the Sharif family. Present Pakistani ambassador in USA Mr. Hussain Haqqani was picked up in a cloak-and-dagger fashion and interrogated at a FIA Center for money embezzlement while he held government office.
The residence of Idrees Bakhtiar, a senior staff reporter of monthly Herald and BBC correspondent in Karachi was raided by CIA police on Nov. 26, 1998. The police harassed the family and also arrested his 28-year old son, Moonis, who was later released.  On Feb. 13, 1999, three persons, including Senator Abdul Hayee Baloch and a lady worker from Lahore, were injured when the police baton-charged, used water cannons and threw  bricks on a peaceful procession of the Pakistan Awami Ittehad in front of the parliament house in Islamabad. The march, organized by the PAI for the freedom of the press, was led by PAI president Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan (late), the then opposition leader Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and secretary general of the alliance Hamid Nasir Chatta, besides a number of sitting and former PPP MNAs and senators.
The owner of the Frontier Post, Rehmat Shah Afridi, was arrested in Lahore on April 2, 1999, by the Anti-narcotics Force. The Peshawar-based Frontier Post was critical of government policies. Afridi’s arrest was seen by journalists and others as another attempt to gag the Press. On May 8, 1999, Najam Sethi, Editor of The Friday Times, was arrested on the orders of Nawaz Sharif. Police stormed into his house in Lahore and dragged him out of his bed room. After brutal torture and breaking furniture of the house he was shifted to some unknown place. And before leaving the house with Mr. Sethi, they tied his wife Jugnoo’s hands with a rope and locked her up in a dressing room. Later, Nawaz Sharif asked COAS Gen. Musharraf to charge Mr. Sethi under the Pakistan Army Act for being a traitor and give him maximum punishment (maximum punishment is death!).
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a press freedom organization, said on June 1, 1999 that it was conducting an investigation into a “hit list” prepared by the Pakistan government that contains 35 prominent journalists of Pakistan. According to reports received by the CPJ, the federal government had decided to establish a special media cell comprising officials from the police, Intelligence Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency to punish the journalists, who had been writing against the government. Ehtesab Bureau Chairman, Senator Saifur Rehman Khan was to head this cell which would function from Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar with its head office in Islamabad.
According to the CPJ, the journalists were: Irshad Ahmed Haqqani (late), Rehmat Ali Razi, Anjum Rasheed, (writer and anchor person) Suhail Warraich, Sohaib Marghoob and (late) Roman Ehsan (Jang Lahore), M. Ziauddin (Dawn Islamabad), Dr. Maleeha Lodhi, Javed Jaidi, Nusrat Javeed, Mariana Babar and Ansaar Abbassi (The News, Islamabad), Rehana Hakeem and Zahid Hussain (Newsline), Ejaz Haider, Khalid Ahmed, Jugnu Mohsin and Adnan Adil (The Friday Times, Lahore), Mahmood Sham (Jang, Karachi), Rashed Rehman (The Nation, Lahore), Amir Ahmed Khan (Herald, Karachi), Imtiaz Aalam, Beena Sarwar, Shafiq Awan, Kamila Hyat and Amir Mir (The News Lahore), Abbas Athar (Nawa-e-Waqt, Lahore), Kamran Khan and Shehzad Amjad (The News Karachi), Azam Khalil (Pulse), Mohammad Malik (Tribune), Imtiaz Ahmed (The Frontier Post, Peshawar), Ilyas Chaudhry (Jang Rawalpindi), Naveed Meraj (The Frontier Post, Islamabad) and Syed Talat Hussain (The Nation, Islamabad).
The Government of Nawaz Sharif started a campaign against the Jang group in July 1998 when it refused to sack a number of journalists critical of Government policies. The government objected to the Jang group newspapers’ reporting about the law and order situation in the country and put a ban on advertisement. On August 13, a report was published about non-payment of Rs. 700 million to farmers by the sugar mills owned by the Nawaz Sharif family. Three days later, the government sent notices to Jang for non payment of taxes and the case was shifted to the Ehtesab cell. On September 27, 1998, the Government asked the Jang group not to publish a report of ‘The Observer London’ that Nawaz Sharif had siphoned off millions of rupees. The report was not published by the Jang but it was published by its sister English newspaper The News. On November 5, bank accounts of the Jang group were frozen and FIA raided the Jang and the News offices in Rawalpindi and customs authorities stopped delivery of newsprint to the Jang.
On Jan 28 1999, a sedition case was registered against Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman for publishing an advertisement of Muttahida’s Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation on January 1, which according to the police, was aimed at inciting people against the state.
Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman revealed that Senator Saif-ur-Rehman asked him to sack a number of Jang employees who should be replaced in consultation with the Government. He released to the press audio-tapes of conversation with Saif-ur-Rehman on this issue. Saif-ur-Rehman accused Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman for evading tax and customs duty to the tune of Rs. 2.6 billion.
The hostility of Sharifs towards media is also evident from the fact that in the parliamentary history of Pakistan for the first time a resolution, condemning the media, was tabled (by a group of MPAs belonging to Nawaz League) and passed in the Punjab Assembly.

11. DESTABILIZATION OF INSTITUTIONS

There is probably no institution in Pakistan which Nawaz Sharif did not aggressively confront in order to make them comply with his wishes. Besides picking a fight with the President, the Judiciary and the restricted/limited media of that time, Sharif also decided to have a confrontation with the army, the only viable institution left in Pakistan. Due to his hostile and dumb approach in Nawaz Sharif’s first term as prime minister, he fell out with three successive army chiefs:  General Mirza Aslam Beg, General Asif Nawaz and General Abdul Waheed Kakar.  During his second tenure, he fell out with two other Generals, General Karamat and later with General Pervez Musharraf. General Karamat became the first Chief of Army Staff in the history of Pakistan to have been prematurely retired!
One by one all challenges and potential obstacles to his dictatorial mindset were removed from his way by Nawaz Sharif. Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Farooq Leghari, Sajjad Ali Shah, and General Jehangir Karamat were all removed from the scene by Nawaz Sharif.

12. Ill-CONSIDERED  ECONOMIC DECISIONS

Nawaz Sharif’s ill-considered economic decisions cost Pakistan dearly! But the Sharif family’s personal business empire grew exponentially through questionable means.
Nawaz Sharif, during his tenure as Chief Minister Punjab from 1988-90, deprived the provincial departments of Rs. 15.35 billion. In addition in 1997-99 he caused huge loss amounting in 11 billion US dollars to private account holders by freezing foreign currency accounts contrary to the law and constitution wherein he and his cronies managed to get away with huge sums even after the freeze. Billions of dollars were removed from the banks without the permission/consent of the account holders but the accounts of common Pakistanis were withheld.
In last two and half years, Shahbaz Sharif wasted more than 40 billion rupees in “Sasti Roti” and other subsidized food schemes that had been initiated to earn cheap popularity and to benefit their political supporters. Admittedly these funds have been distributed amongst their own supporters without any audit just to gain political mileage. A huge chunk of these funds has been disbursed by the ghost “Tandurs” (burners) owners. Inflation and un-employment is rocketing day by day due to the ill-conceived decisions of the provincial government. This is one of the reasons that Punjab could not help flood victims at the time because they had utilized their funds in senseless politically motivated schemes and now have an overdraft amounting Rs. 80 billion.

13. SELLING KASHMIR CA– — USE TO VAJPAYEE IN 1999 AND HUMILATING ARMED FORCES IN USA, DURING KARGIL

 
The so called son of soil Nawaz Sharif virtually sold Kashmir in 1999 during Indian PM’s visit to Lahore. Nawaz Sharif deleted the word Kashmir from the joint declaration to please Indian counterpart. By crossing all the limits of treachery and falsehood Nawaz Sharif and his cronies claim that Pakistan armed forces lost the Kargil war. In fact, due to the decisions of Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan lost this war in the drawing room of the American President after wining it in the battlefield.14. ATOMIC EXPLOSIONS

It is a proven fact that in 1998 Nawaz Sharif was double-minded about the atomic explosions. While the nation waited breathlessly for a befitting reply to India, Nawaz Sharif was busy in negotiating economic packages with US Government. Gohar Ayub Khan, who was foreign minister at that time, has also corroborated this fact in his book.

 

RAUF KLASRA’S ARTICLE ON PML-N’S OPPORTUNISTIC POLITICS

–'Kya Hoa Tera Vaada Woh Qasam Woh Irada'

Here’s an excellent article by Rauf Klasra published in the ‘Daily Express’, that provides critical review on Pakistan Muslim league’s recent political move in Punjab, it’s chief boss Mian Nawaz Sharif’s opportunistic politics and undemocratic style of leadership. Mr. Klasra and other political observer are rightly suggesting that such sort of confrontational politics and mindset will surly be a nightmare for the democratic evolution in Pakistan, moreover, political corruption is a biggest problem that, now, Pakistani democracy is facing, has and will continue to affect us all.

The PML-N talks of democratic norms, supremacy of law and constitution but in reality PML-N is trying to find out excuse to topple the PPP civilian elected democratic government from the day one. The true face of Sharif brothers, signatory of Charter of Democracy which called for respecting the mandate of others, has been exposed through this act. Even Sharif brothers has also forgotten that the turncoats were “protégés of Gen Musharraf”.

PML-N MADE A MOCKERY OF THE CHARTER OF DEMOCRACY (COD) BY ACCEPTING TURNCOAT POLITICIANS:

Federal Law Minister Babar Awan rightly said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had made a mockery of the Charter of Democracy by accepting turncoat politicians among their ranks.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Monday, the law minister said that the custodians of Lahore’s politics want to bury the Charter of Democracy in Miani Sahib Graveyard.
He said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) does not want that its 19-point agenda in Punjab would suffer the fate similar to the All Pakistan Democratic Alliance (APDA).
Babar said that the PPP was taunted for its politics of reconciliation, while its opponents wanted to run the government with the help of turncoats. However, they should know that such turncoats are only loyal to money, he added.
He also said that the PPP will continue the process of dialogues with all political parties, including the PML-N. He said that the PPP does not believe in the politics of deadlines because the PPP has never given a deadline to any party, stating that in politics, decisions can be taken by consultation and not by dictation.
He added that a single party cannot decide the entire country’s fate and that all political parties should work together for the betterment of Pakistan.
Babar also claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s press conference the previous day caused hostility in smaller provinces.
In an attempt to warn the PPP, Shahbaz Sharif had said that February 22 would be the final day for talks with the PPP on the 10-point agenda.
The PML-N will decide on Tuesday whether it wants to have the PPP as a coalition partner in the Punjab government or not. PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif has already ruled out giving more time to the PPP to implement the reforms agenda. He has called a special meeting of the party leadership on February 25 to discuss the reforms agenda and PPP ministers’ fate in Punjab.

PML-N Is Violating Charter of Democracy by Horse-Trading; Babar Awan

    

 

 

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Junaid Bughdadi

 

Latest Comments
 
    1. Khalid Aziz

       

       
       

      Nawazoo ko siri paye khilao

      – 

    2. ash

       

       
       

      so what was right in Baluchistan is wrong in Punjab?

      – 

    3. Kamal Ali

       

       
       

      Mian Nawaz Sharif nae General Zia Ul Haq ko 11 saal diye, General Pervaiz Musharaf us kiye ghalit fasilon ki waja saye 10 saal quoom per musalat reha, aab aaj jab kiye aawam ki muntakhib hakumoot badi mushkil se aayi hae, aur apne 5 saal pore kerne jaa rahi, us ka aik aik din Mian Nawaz Sharif ko nagwar guzr reha hae, PMLN nae shoro hi saye PPP ki Hakumat ko tasleem nahin kiya, un Judges ko behal kerwane kiye liye jo General Pervaiz Musharif ki baqiyat thae, jo Musharaf kaye talwe chat te reha, un ko behal kerwaniye kiye naam per aik muntakhib hakumat ko gerane ka pora intizam kiya hoa tha, aij bhi aik 10 nakati agenda ka jhot bol ker awam ko gumrah ker reha hae aur mahaz araiyi ki siyasat ko dobara zinda kiya ja reha hae.
      Sham on you azooliyon ki siyasat ka keh ker sab sae badi beasoli kerne wale shaksh per…

      – 

    4. Abdul Nishapuri

       

       
       

      Nawaz Sharif’s letter to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

      سیاست میں حصہ لینے کیلئے دس سالہ پابندی کا خاتمہ،نواز شریف کا سعودی شاہ کو خط

      اسلام آباد(آن لائن)پاکستان مسلم لیگ ن کے قائد میاں نواز شریف نے سعودی عرب کے بادشاہ شاہ عبد اللہ کو خط لکھا ہے کہ وہ عملی سیاست میں حصہ لینے کا آغاز کررہے ہیں کیونکہ سیاست میں دس سال تک حصہ نہ لینے سے متعلق شرط ختم ہوگئی ہے۔ انتہائی مصدقہ ذرائع نے بتایا ہے کہ پنجاب کے وزیر اعلیٰ شہباز شریف نے اپنے بڑے بھائی کو اعتماد میں لینے کے بعد سعودی سفیر ابراہیم الغدیر سے اسلام آباد میں ملاقات کی اور یہ خط ان کے حوالے کیا۔آن لائن نے جب سعودی سفیر سے اس سلسلے میں رابطہ کیا تو انہوں نے شہباز شریف سے ملاقات کی تصدیق کی اور اس بات کی بھی تصدیق کی کہ شہباز شریف نے ا نہیں سعودی شاہ عبد اللہ کیلئے ایک خط بھی دیا ہے۔

      http://jang.com.pk/jang/feb2011-daily/28-02-2011/main4.htm

      Chithi zara sayan ji ke naam likh de

      – 

    5. Saleem Ahmed

       

       
       

      ہم نے پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کو انقلابی جماعت بنانے کا فیصلہ کیا ہے ملک کے مسائل کو جڑ سے اکھاڑنے کیلئے انقلاب لانا ہو گا انقلابی جذبے سے ہی مسائل حل ہو سکتے ہیں ملک کو ناکام ہوتا نہیں دیکھ سکتے ججز کی بحالی کے حوالے سے ساٹھ سال کے بعد قوم نے اپنا سکہ اور لوہا منوایا کہ وہ کوئی بھی فیصلہ کر سکتی ہے انہوں نے کہاکہ لوٹوں کی سیاست کا خاتمہ کر چکے ہیں جب آصف علی زرداری نے پنجاب میں ہماری حکومت کو توڑا تو لوٹوں نے واپس آنے کی کوشش کی تھی اللہ نے پارٹی پر کرم کیا اور اسے لوٹوں سے دور رکھا انہوں نے کہاکہ میں نے واضح کر دیاتھا کہ پارٹی میں لوٹے واپس آ گئے تو میں سیاست سے دستبردار ہو جاؤں گا۔ حکومت جاتی ہے تو چلی جائے پنجاب میں کسی اور کی حکومت بن جائے مگر لوٹوں کو واپس نہیں لیں گے پارٹی میں لوٹا بازی کی سیاست کو برداشت نہیں کیا جائے گا نواز شریف نے کہاکہ جن کارکنوں نے پرویز مشرف کے ظلم و ستم کا سامنا کیا وہ ہیروں میں تولنے کے لائق ہیں ان جانثار رکاکنوں کو پارٹی کی تنظیم نو میں پورے عزت و قار کے ساتھ جگہ دی جائے گی کارکنان پارٹی کا قیمتی اثاثہ ہیں اس عہد کے ساتھ جمع ہوئے ہیں کہ پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کو حقیقی معنوں میں بانی پاکستان قائداعظم محمد علی جناح کی میراث بنایا جائے گا ہمیشہ مسلم لیگ کو تماشا بنایا گیا پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) نے بانی پاکستان کی سپاہ بن کر اس کی میراث بننا ہے ہم اقتدار نہیں اقدار کی سیاست کر رہے ہیں۔ اقتدار کے کھیل کے کھلاڑی بننے کے لیے اپنے اصول و نظریات کو قربان نہیں کریں گے ۔ ملک میں جب بھی آمر برسراقتدار آیا اسے نے عدلیہ کی آزادی پر شب خون مارنے کے لیے مسلم لیگ میں دراڑ ڈال کر اس پر قبضہ کیا۔مسلم لیگ ہمیشہ آمروں کے عزائم کا کھلونا بنی ہے

      http://awaz-e-haq.com/2009/09/page/68/

      Archive for September, 2009

      سٹیٹس کو ‘‘ کو برقرار رکھنے کے بجائے اسے تبدیل کیا جائے گا پاکستان کو بچانے کیلئے انقلاب لانا ہوگا۔ ۔ ۔ نوازشریف

      – 

    6. Saleem Ahmed

       

       
       

      Sharifs lose 80pc of assets, says Qureshi Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending: 16 December 2000 Issue : 06/48http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/2000/dec1600.html#shar

      ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: The exile of the Sharif family to Saudi Arabia following the pardon announcement by the government, has deprived the Raiwind dwellers of their 15 assets, worth billions of rupees. A spokesman for the government, Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi, told Dawn on Monday that almost 80 per cent of the Sharifs’ property had been “taken over” by the government. According to Mr Qureshi, the 15 assets that have been taken over by
      the government in return for providing a safe “exit” to the Sharif family include Rs300 million in cash; industrial assets including Brother Steel Mills; Ilyas Enterprises; Hudaybia Paper Mill; Hudaybia Engineering Company; Hamza Spinning Mills; residential property including the Model Town bungalow; three houses at Mall
      Road Murree; property at 135 Upper Mall Lahore; a plot at Model Town Lahore; a plot at Upper Mall, Lahore; agricultural property including 10.2 kanals of land at Khanpur Sheikhupura Road Lahore; 41 acres and 7 kanals of land at Sheikhupura; 14.2 kanals of land and another 35 kanals at Bhaipharu in Chunnian and 88 kanals of land at Raiwind.

      The Raiwind palace of the Sharif family, which ruled the country for almost 15 years, has however not been Confiscated by the government. Mr Qureshi dispelled the impression that there had been any underhand deal between the government and the Sharif family. He said the government had simply responded to the repeated mercy petitions filed by the Sharifs. Contrary to what the Sharifs were pretending before the public and
      in their statements to the media, Mr Qureshi said they had been writing to the government including the chief executive and the president, appealing for pardon.

      “We were receiving their requests for mercy in the past three to four months particularly after the courts handed over decisions against Nawaz Sharif,” he said.
      These requests were renewed recently following Nawaz Sharif’s reported ailment. Mr Qureshi stated that since the chief executive had repeatedly said that he was not vindictive so he recommended to President Tarar that the imprisonment of the Sharifs be pardoned and turned into exile while the rest of the punishments including fines, forfeiture of property and disqualification should stay.

      When told that the people in streets felt as if they had been betrayed by the government for allowing a safe exit to the Sharifs, the government spokesman said, “the Government has actually taken a compassionate view of the situation and converted the imprisonment into exile.”
      Qureshi dispelled the impression that a “deal” was ‘brokered’ either by a Saudi prince or was the exit the consequence of Saudi Arabia’s pressure.

      – 

    7. Saleem Ahmed

       

       
       

      Cabinet had no idea of exile deal Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending: 16 December 2000 Issue : 06/48http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/2000/dec1600.html#cabi

      ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The government did not consult the Cabinet but took into confidence the military elite while granting pardon to Nawaz Sharif and sending the family into exile. A well-placed government source confided to Dawn that the dramatic decision had been taken purely by the men in uniform. The matter was discussed in the closed circles of the military
      before being put to the corps commanders at their two-day meeting last week. Asked whether the matter was placed before the cabinet, the source said: “No”. It was too sensitive a matter to be discussed by the cabinet, he added.

      The military elite’s support to the idea came when it was explained that the pardon and the exile was being allowed following Saudi Arabia’s request. It was said that the Saudi government had given assurance that the
      Sharifs would not take part in politics “for quite some time”. “Besides, the Sharifs, too, had given the undertaking in writing not to take part in politics,” the source said. Asked how Saudi Arabia would prevent any of the Sharifs to travel to London and issue political statements from there against the military regime, the source said: “If the Saudis can get the
      Sharifs freed, they can also make them behave accordingly. They (the Saudis) are very strict in their commitments.”

      The source, however, refused to accept that there was any Saudi “pressure” on the government to get the Sharifs off the hook. In reply to a question, the source said that those exiled to Saudi Arabia would remain there. “If anyone of them goes to some other country he would be bound to come back to the country of exile,”
      the source said. “We have the best example of Idi Amin who lives in Saudi Arabia with his 19 wives but as a completely non-political entity.” Persuading the government for pardon, the Saudi authorities had
      said that not only would it be an Islamic act to set Nawaz Sharif free after the payment of Qisas but it would also be politically helpful to the military regime.

      “We were told by the Saudis that they had also tried to get Zulfikar Ali Bhutto freed but Pakistan’s response in negative had plunged the country in an unending political turmoil,” the source said. He stated that the military government was expecting that the departure of Sharifs’ from politics would set things, particularly
      economic situation, right for the country. The government, he said, hoped that the present state of “shock” and “uncertainty” would not last long.
      “Don’t you agree with the idea of throwing the dirt out to get the house in order,” the source commented.

      – 

    8. Saleem Ahmed

       

       
       

      Exclusively for Jang Group [under Nawaz Sharif DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 05 June 1999 Issue : 05/23
      Government] http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1999/05jun99.html#35jo

      WASHINGTON, June 1: The Committee to Protect journalists, a New York-based press freedom organization, is conducting an investigation into a “hit list” prepared allegedly by the Pakistan government.
      “We are looking into it,” a CPJ spokesperson said, confirming that the list contains the names of 35 prominent journalists. According to the CPJ, the names were: Irshad Ahmed Haqqani, Rehmat Ali Razi, Anjum Rasheed, Suhail Warraich, Sohaib Marghoob and Roman
      Ehsan, (Jang Lahore), M. Ziauddin and Ansar Abbasi (Dawn
      Islamabad), Dr Maleeha Lodhi, Javed Jaidi, Nusrat Javed and Mariana Babar (The News Islamabad), Rehana Hakeem and Zahid Hussain (Newsline), Ejaz Haider, Khalid Ahmed, Jugnu Mohsin and Adnan Adil (The Friday Times), Mahmood Sham (Jang Karachi), Rashed Rehman (The Nation Lahore), Amir Ahmed Khan (Herald), Imtiaz Alam, Beena Sarwar, Shafiq Awan, Kamila Hyat and Amir Mir (The News Lahore),

      Abbas Athar (Nawa-i-Waqat Lahore), Kamran Khan and Shehzad Amjad (The News Karachi), Azam Khalil (Pulse), Mohammad Malik (Tribune), Imtiaz Ahmed (The Frontier Post Peshawar), Ilyas Chaudhry (Jang Rawalpindi), Naveed Meraj (The Frontier Post Islamabad) and Syed Talat Hussain (The Nation Islamabad).

      According to reports received by the CPJ, the federal government had decided to establish a special media cell comprising officials from the police, Intelligence Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency to punish the journalists who have been writing against the government. Ehtesab Bureau Chairman Senator Saifur Rehman Khan would head this cell which would function simultaneously at Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar with its head office at Islamabad.

      – 

    9. Saleem Ahmed

       

       
       

      Nawaz orders fresh inquiry against FIA official By Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 04 September 1999 Issue : 05/36 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1999/04sep99.html#nawa

      ISLAMABAD, Aug 30: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has ordered re-inquiry against an FIA official who investigated the foreign currency accounts of Mian Abbas Sharif, the younger brother of the premier, it was learnt. The PM set aside the findings of the investigation carried out by Sajjad Mustafa Bajwa, assistant director (under suspension). He also rejected the recommendations of a former secretary of interior who had exonerated Mr Bajwa and called for his immediate reinstatement. However, a deputy secretary of the interior ministry who was asked to reopen inquiry against Mr Bajwa refused. Now a joint secretary of the interior division Javed Raza, has been nominated the inquiry officer.

      – 

    10. Saleem Ahmed

       

       
       

      Shahbaz Sharif talks of intelligence report; flat denial by FO Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 09 October 1999 Issue : 05/41 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1999/09oct99.html#shah

      ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: The reported statement of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mian Shahbaz Sharif, in which he had accused the Taliban of backing sectarian violence in Pakistan, has stunned the high authorities here.
      The Foreign Office has formally regretted what it termed “the baseless speculation and incorrect reporting in some sections of the media, claiming that the Taliban government of Afghanistan is allegedly involved in recent incidents of terrorist violence in the
      country.” Sources in the relevant agencies of the federal government have expressed complete ignorance about the availability of any intelligence report that could support what the Punjab CM was reported to have said in his talk with newsmen at Lahore on Tuesday.

      They said the Punjab delegation which had attended an inter-provincial meeting on Monday, a day before the CM’s reported statement, did not mention a word about the Taliban backing the sectarian violence in Pakistan.
      “There was absolutely no mention of the Taliban in the meeting which was called merely to discuss sectarianism,” a source who attended the meeting said.

      The Punjab Chief Secretary, A.Z.K. Sherdil, however, told Dawn by telephone from his Lahore residence that some intelligence reports did suggest that religious extremists from Pakistan got training in Afghanistan and before joining sectarian violence in the country.

      He said these intelligence reports maintained that such elements received training in camps inside Afghanistan, had fought along with the Taliban against the Afghan opposition, and had infiltrated into Pakistan and were involved in sectarian violence. “We are quite concerned about this situation and want a comprehensive policy to check this movement across the Pakistan-Afghan border,”
      Mr Sherdil said. He, however, denied that there was any mention, in these intelligence reports, about Riaz Basra’s protection by the Taliban.

      The chief secretary said there was massive gun-running from Afghanistan to the tribal areas in Pakistan from where the weapons came to the NWFP and then supplied to other provinces. He said since the Pakistan-Afghan border was not properly manned, this practice continues.

      However, official sources in the federal government totally deny having seen any such intelligence report. But some sources believe that the Punjab chief minister who has recently returned from an “important US trip” had taken an initiative to dissociate Pakistan from the Taliban and Afghanistan.

      Meanwhile the Foreign Office, in a press statement issued here on Wednesday evening, regretted “the baseless speculation and incorrect reporting in some sections of the media, claiming that the Taliban government of Afghanistan is allegedly involved in
      recent incidents of terrorist violence in the country.”

      – 

    11. Saleem Ahmed

       

       
       

      Over 90 men appointed on political basis Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending: 02 January 1999 Issue : 05/01http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1999/02Jan99.html#over

      ISLAMABAD, Dec 27: The year 1998 has been one of the worst years for civil bureaucracy in Pakistan for mounting politicization, intensified inter-service rivalries, controversial promotions and non-resolution of outstanding issues. According to official sources, during 1998 well over 90 persons were appointed on political basis and were given key positions in
      the civil bureaucracy on the orders of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

      The political appointees include retired government servants and persons from open market. At least 13 persons were offered grade 22 positions; 17 were adjusted against grade 21 posts; 31 were offered
      grade 20; and the rest in other grades. These include the retired civil servants re-employed in violation
      of the rules and without fulfilling the conditions for re-employments. These political appointees also include those retired military officers who were re-employed without following the prescribed procedure.

      “Most of these appointments were irregular,” a source said, adding the prime minister had been using his discretionary powers to make these appointments.

      Political appointments in certain cases is allowed under the rules provided it is done in the public interest. However, during the year under review hardly any of these political appointments were made on the recommendation of relevant government agencies.

      “Everything has been travelling down from big office,” a source said. The sources said transfer of bureaucrats remained a tricky issue and most of the appointments at key positions were made without consulting the government agencies which were supposed to initiate
      and regulate the transfers of bureaucrats.

      The establishment division, which is responsible for the career planning of the officers, has turned into a post office and is there only to stamp whatever is communicated to it by the prime minister’s office.

      Under the rules the prime minister issues the transfer order for bureaucrats in grade 21 and 22. The rest is the jurisdiction of the secretary, establishment. But in case of the transfer of grade 21 and 22 bureaucrats the establishment division is the authority to identify the vacancy, look for suitable candidates and propose a
      panel of officers before the prime minister. The PM is then supposed to select one of the officers.

      “But in actual practice no such exercise is done. Now everything is done by the PM’s office who simply conveys as to who should be transferred against which position,” a source said, adding during this year almost all the key positions like federal secretaries, chief secretaries, inspector generals of police (IGPs) and heads of different departments were decided without the knowledge of the ED.

      “The ED has been only bothered at the time of the issuance of notifications,” the source said.

      Even in those cases where the secretary, establishment, is the competent authority, the PM office has been interfering to give the plum postings to ‘blue-eyed’ bureaucrats. Sources in the PM’s office confirmed to this correspondent that most of these posting orders were issued by the PM’s office on the wish of the parliamentarians and other influentials.

      The promotions have also been very controversial during this year. Most of the groups of the civil bureaucracy remained frustrated because of their bleak promotion prospects. The district management group, however, got good promotions. It got two promotion in grade
      22, 14 in grade 21, at least 21 in grade 20 and others.

      Information group officers, having very bleak promotion prospects, were happy during this year because of their en-block promotions. These promotions were made without following the statutory provisions.

      Disparity in the pace of promotion between different groups has further worsened. Bureaucrats, particularly belonging to the groups of office anagement/secretariat, information, military land and cantonment, railways, and commerce and trade, remained the worst as far as promotion is concerned.

      The government has set a new precedent during the year 1998 by giving out of turn promotions to at least four of its ‘blue eyed’ bureaucrats. Two juniors were promoted (in grade 20 and 21 respectively) in PSP; and one each in secretariat group (in grade 22) and DMG (in grade 20) without considering a brigade of their
      seniors. All these officers were promoted without following the statutory provision or fulfilling the prescribed procedure and in complete violation of government rules.

      Long-standing issues, like the fixation of share for different occupations in the secretariat group, remained unresolved. The issue is pending since the introduction of the 1973 administrative reforms.

      – 

    12. Saleem Ahmed

       

       
       

      PML leaders being excluded from Ehtesab process Ansar Abbasi DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 26 April 1997 Issue : 03/17 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1997/26Apr97.html#pmll

      ISLAMABAD, April 25: Government agencies involved in the accountability exercise are said to be avoiding the processing of cases of alleged corruption or misuse of authority against members of the ruling PML, it is
      learnt. Investigations into the working of the Ehtesab commission and the interior ministry which are directly concerned with the accountability process under
      a statute, show that neither of them has been processing the references against PML leaders. According to sources, the two agencies have even been told to lay off certain cases.

      The sources claimed that some of the top PML leaders against whom references had been pending were Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Sindh Chief Minister Liaquat Jatoi, Punjab Assembly speaker Pervez Elahi, former chief minister of the NWFP Pir Syed Sabir Shah, former Balochistan chief minister Zulfiqar Magsi, and former Punjab minister Raja Ishfaq Sarwar. Besides, a case against the NA deputy speaker, Jaffar Iqbal, was referred by an advocate from Multan to the Ehtesab Commissioner. But the commission has denied having received any formal reference in this regard.

      A commission source, however, told this correspondent that the reference had actually been sent to the commission and it had been redirected to the provincial anti-corruption department for verification of the allegations. The Ehtesab Commission has so far referred a total of 54 cases to special benches of the high courts for trial. These include only two references
      against the PML leaders Chaudhry Sher Ali (MNA) and Jam Mashooq Ali (MNA). But both had been sent to the high courts much before the present government came to power.

      It is learnt that the agencies concerned have been told to keep a low profile in some cases involving bureaucrats and other top officials. The case of Raana Sheikh, former MD, PTV, for instance, has been pending with the interior division but they have been asked not to send it to the Ehtesab Commission, interior ministry sources told dawn. Later, the Accountability Cell of the PMs Secretariat suspended all these officers except the two Ahmad Riaz Shiekh and Chaudhry Sharif. The FIA
      administration, the sources said, wanted to move against these two officials but they had not only been saved but the authorities had also been asked to process the case of promotion of one of them.

      According to one source, these officers have set the condition that they will only go to FIA if the incumbent director general is removed.

      – 

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