Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Imran's Twist & Turns (Courtesy: Dawn/Dawn News Pakistan)

DEAR Imran: We thought you would be different from the goons we have suffered and still suffer, whose followers round up people, pay them to go to airports to greet them and take them in processions to wherever it is they are going, and, in the bargain disturb the already harried people. On the day prior to your arrival and on the day you arrived in Karachi, August 19, this newspaper carried advertisements exhorting citizens to go to the airport and give you a rousing welcome. I asked your Karachi lieutenant, Nazim Haji, why this was being done, and he told me that he was opposed to the idea but that others in your gang here had prevailed. Should you not curb and educate such elements? On Saturday, when citizens of Karachi were invited to meet you, some 400 of us had to look at each other for over half an hour. You were late. Nazim made the excuse that you had been delayed by the traffic. This raised a laugh. It was the day after the murder of Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Karachi and its traffic and its people were all stunned. Then you announced that your late- coming was not your fault. A good leader does not keep people waiting, and should he do so, even inadvertently, he accepts responsibility and apologises. REFERENCE: DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 03 October 1996 Issue : 02/40 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1996/03Oc96.html#open

Reporter - Imran Khan Speaks Out - Part 1 (DAWN NEWS 31 May 2011)

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92hLveygO8s

Imran Khan's "Mysterious Way" to offer condolence with the Victims of Terrorism


I'm sorry to say this, but the bombing of Benazir Bhutto's cavalcade as she paraded through Karachi on Thursday night was a tragedy almost waiting to happen. You could argue it was inevitable. Everyone here knew there was going to be a huge crowd turning up to see her return after eight years in self-imposed exile. Everyone also knows that there has been a spate of suicide bombings in Pakistan lately, especially in the frontier region where I am campaigning at the moment. How was it ever going to be possible to monitor such a large crowd and guarantee that no suicide bombers would infiltrate it? This may sound equally harsh, but she has only herself to blame. By making a deal with Musharraf's government — a deal brokered by the British as well as the Americans, by the way — she was hoping to get herself off the corruption charges that have been levelled against her. What she hadn't taken into account was Musharraf's unpopularity. He is regarded in Pakistan as an American stooge. And the US war on terror, which he supports, is now perceived as a war against Islam. That is why there is no shortage of recruits for the fundamentalist cause here. By siding with him, Benazir was making herself a target for assassination. The sad thing is, she didn't need to do it. Musharraf was sinking and isolated. He was on the point of declaring a state of emergency. Just when it looked as if he had no lifelines left, Benazir came back and bailed him out.

Worse, by publicly siding with a dictator, she has deliberately sabotaged the democratic process. We have an election coming up in January. As leader of the Justice Party, I am running in it but it will be a free and fair election if Musharraf is still in charge. He has dismantled state institutions, such as an independent judiciary and an election commission, and has introduced a controlled assembly, a controlled prime minister and a controlled media. The polls show he can only win this next election if he massively rigs it. That is what he did in 2002, as confirmed by the EU monitoring team. Given the way that she has undermined democracy by siding with Musharraf, I don't know how Benazir has the nerve to say that the 130 people killed in those bomb blasts sacrificed their lives for the sake of democracy in Pakistan. Meanwhile, you can take your pick as to who was responsible for the two bombs that went off. At least three jihad groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Taliban were plotting suicide attacks — but one thing is for sure, there is no shortage of candidates. The war on terror is turning everyone in the tribal border regions into potential guerrillas. Not militants necessarily but disparate groups who are becoming united by their suspicion of America. A coalition is forming, and al-Qaeda is going to be only a small part of it.

Benazir has made enemies for herself in this respect also. She alone among Pakistan's political party leaders has given public support to the massacre of women and children that Musharraf caused when he ordered his troops to attack the Red Mosque in Islamabad. She also backed his attacks on civilians in the tribal regions. Note that Musharraf has called the civilian deaths there "collateral damage" — an American euphemism. Benazir also gave her backing to Musharraf's plan to allow Nato troops to hunt down maybe 200 or 300 Taliban and al-Qaeda supporters in the border region, but in doing that they have merely recruited a million potential supporters for the terrorists. No one in the West understands that the tribal regions of Pakistan have always been an independent entity. They have never been conquered. Every man is a warrior and carries a gun. Even a superpower like the British Empire could not control that terrain. It had to bribe the tribes. I have known Benazir since we were at Oxford together, but we have drifted apart politically since then. Perhaps I could have warned her that her life would be in danger if she returned to Pakistan and had a parade, but I doubt she would have listened. After all, there has been no shortage of warnings from other quarters. But I can tell her this: it is not going to get any easier for her. Whenever she goes out campaigning in public, her life is going to be threatened. It is different for me campaigning in public, even in the frontier region, because I am not perceived as an America stooge, or a supporter of the war on terror. The British do not have clean hands in this latest suicide bombing outrage. Britain is providing a safe haven for Altaf Hussain, the Musharraf-supporting MQM political party leader who currently lives in London. He's been living in London for 15 years and from there he controls Karachi with an iron will through his mafia-like party. It was this political gangster who persuaded Benazir that he could ensure her safety if she returned. The only positive thing that might come out of this horrific bombing is that it will force everyone in Pakistani politics to sit down together at a big table and review our strategy on terror. We have to accept that it is not working, that, in fact, it is making matters worse. It is an idiotic policy because the Americans are pushing people who are in favour of democracy at the moment towards extremism. Pakistan is in danger of turning into Algeria, a country where you had government forces firing on their own civilians. Once the Pakistani army started its latest operation at the behest of the US, the whole border area rose up against it. And because the US has also bombed the area, killing many tribesmen, anyone who opposes the US becomes a hero. The tribesman's culture is a revenge culture. When one is killed another takes his place. That is where the war on terror has been so misguided. It has benefited the people who caused 9/11. And it has made Musharraf — and now his ally Benazir Bhutto — look even more like puppets of America. REFERENCE: Benazir Bhutto has only herself to blame By Imran Khan 12:01AM BST 21 Oct 2007 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/3643478/Benazir-Bhutto-has-only-herself-to-blame.html

THE extreme discourtesy with which Imran Khan reacted to Benazir Bhutto s visit to the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital after it had been devastated by a bomb blast last week was, surely, incompatible with the high ideals he professes. It suggests that even before his formal entry into politics, the ex- cricketer is well versed in the antagonistic diatribes that generally substitute for reasoned debate in the Pakistani political arena. Had the prime minister not bothered to visit the site of the explosion, that would probably have given Imran Khan equal cause for complaint. And, although he claims to be non-aligned within the existing political context, he was present at the hospital when Nawaz Sharif came calling, and even allowed the opposition leader to pledge support for his plans (whatever they may be). It is widely being presumed that the hospital bomb was an attempt to dampen Imran Khan s political ambitions. That may or may not be the case, but the tragedy has certainly helped to focus attention on him at a critical juncture in his budding political career. What exactly he intends to set up is as yet unclear, much like his motives and aims. Will it be a political party, as Press reports almost unanimously suggested before the Lahore blast, or a reform movement or pressure group as has subsequently been reported? And does the self-definition matter? The last of these rings a bell. It was a proposed pressure group that made Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi see red a little over a year ago, leading him briefly to abandon the leadership of his mammoth humanitarian operation in Karachi. He revealed little beyond that his life was in danger after he had turned down an offer to join a subversive lot to destabilise the Benazir Bhutto government, and that Imran Khan was somehow involved in it a charge which, despite its vagueness, the former fast bowler has never satisfactorily been able to explain away. At the time, Imran Khan s association with retired General Hamid Gul prompted speculation that the ex-military intelligence chief, notorious for his Afghan exploits and an inveterate foe of Ms Bhutto s regime, was up to no good. The stigma has not disappeared, and it will be interesting to see whether Hamid Gul has an upfront role in the forthcoming organisation. REFERENCE: Imrans twist and turns DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 25 April 1996 Issue : 02/17 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1996/25Ap96.html#imra

Reporter - Imran Khan Speaks Out - Part 2 (DAWN NEWS 31 May 2011)

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqfk5FhElQ4

That's how "Sir Imran Khan" treat a Saint like Abdul Sattar Edhi
Q. Have you ever been approached by political or other groups for support? (Daily Dawn)


A. Once, I was approached by General Hamid Gul, Imran Khan and few others, mostly military and intelligence officials, who were conspiring to overthrow Benazir Bhutto`s second government and wanted me to get involved. I declined because I am a social worker and not a politician. I also did not want to tarnish the credibility of my organisation by getting embroiled in something that obviously seemed quite disturbing. Eventually, I was made to feel threatened enough to temporarily leave the country. (Abdul Sattar Edhi with Daily Dawn)


Abdul Sattar Edhi, the founder of the Edhi Foundation, is unarguably the most renowned philanthropist in Pakistan. He began his work in 1951 with the opening of a free, one-room medical clinic in Karachi. Currently, his foundation runs 250 centres across the country and houses more than 2,000 children at any given time. The centres also provide free burial of unclaimed bodies, free health care and dispensaries, rehabilitation of drug addicts, free assistance for the handicapped, and family planning counselling. Over 6,000 destitute, runaways, and mentally challenged individuals are also in the foundation`s care. The Edhi Foundation has also managed to raise the largest single fleet of ambulances in Pakistan, providing transportation to over one million persons annually. The foundation is also involved in relief efforts for victims of natural and other disasters on a national and international level. Dawn.com speaks with Edhi to gauge how the foundation has been affected by the ongoing political and security situation.

Q. Your foundation is involved in a range of activities. How do you decide what projects to pursue?

A. My work involves supporting those who have no one to look after them. That also involves looking after the dead bodies and arranging a respectable burial for them. I cannot say no to anyone.

Q. Is there any part of the country where your organisation has encountered problems owing to the security situation?

A. We have never had any serious problems with anyone. There have been incidents reported by our workers and volunteers regarding hide-snatching [during Eid-ul-Azha] in the past, but we are operating as we always have. In fact, we are also planning to establish centres in Tank and Hangu. Even the Taliban haven`t made any trouble for us; they donated money to the foundation and said they did so because I was helping those who couldn`t help themselves.

Q. The foundation has accepted donations from the Taliban; does that mean that you agree with their ideology?

A. No, I do not. I also told them that I do not agree with all the violence and destruction and the effect it has on people`s lives. To that, they said they were not behind the attacks that targeted civilians and ordinary people.

Q. What is it that makes your angry?

A. I don`t get angry – it`s not in my nature. Sometimes [my wife] Bilquis and I have arguments, but that`s all.

Q. Do you think philanthropic organisations such as yours cause the state to further abscond from its civic responsibilities?

A. If the state can ensure that all who are subject to pay taxes do so, that would be a good enough start. If people were to honestly pay their taxes and also give charity, it would solve more than half of the country`s problems.

Q. In 2008, eight children were abandoned by three women at an Edhi Foundation centre. The foundation later paid the families Rs. 100,000 each to take the children back. Are pay-offs of this kind effective when the root causes for children being abandoned are not addressed?

A. Pay-offs are, of course, no solution, and we normally do not hand out money like that. Usually, we give shelter to children whose families abandon them, primarily for monetary reasons. The day people stop abandoning their children at our centres, I will believe that things are changing in Pakistan. But that does not seem to be happening. It is also quite clear that the government does not get actively involved, so I have no hope of people getting support from the state.

Q. No hope? Isn`t that a fatalistic position to take regarding the state machinery?

A. It is. But how can I have hope in a state that is being exploited by the current system – a system that is itself being manoeuvred by groups with no commitment to the people of this country. The whole political frame as it currently exists has to reinvent itself before we can even begin to hope for change in Pakistan.

Q. Have you ever been approached by political or other groups for support?

A. Once, I was approached by General Hamid Gul, Imran Khan and few others, mostly military and intelligence officials, who were conspiring to overthrow Benazir Bhutto`s second government and wanted me to get involved. I declined because I am a social worker and not a politician. I also did not want to tarnish the credibility of my organisation by getting embroiled in something that obviously seemed quite disturbing. Eventually, I was made to feel threatened enough to temporarily leave the country.

Q. How do you see the future of Pakistan?

A. I will continue to do my work and serve the people. However, Pakistan is now at a critical make-or-break stage, and if the system does not undergo a major overhaul, I am afraid that the country may even break up. Given the current conditions, it will take nothing short of a calculated, studied revolution to change things and save Pakistan. REFERENCE: The writer can be contacted at quratulain.siddiqui@gmail.com “Pakistan is at a critical make-or-break stage” By Qurat ul ain Siddiqui March 15, 2010 http://archives.dawn.com/archives/66970 

The air of mystery surrounding the organisation is likely to be either the result of a deliberate attempt to engage media attention in the run-up to the launch, or a symptom of genuine uncertainty. Imran Khan s indecisiveness is legendary: it was publicly manifested in the way he agonised for years over retiring from cricket, and again in his inability to make up his mind over whether or not to carve a political career. But there is also a third possibility: the reticence could owe itself to the fact that he hasn t yet been told precisely what sort of body he is on the verge of founding. The obvious question would be, By whom? One could hazard a couple of guesses based on the sort of company he has kept in recent years but that would, perhaps, be stepping too far into the speculative realm. It s best to wait and see. However, the possibility should not be overlooked. Imran Khan unabashedly exploited his popularity as a sportsman in soliciting contributions for his cancer hospital project. That was, and remains, a good cause (despite his efforts to use it as a basis for periodical tirades against Islamabad). A political (or semi- political) organisation is a different matter altogether. Imran Khan s criticism of the existing order has thus far been couched in generalities. Almost everyone agrees that corruption is an unmitigated evil, that its tentacles stretch deep into the Pakistani body politic (although Pakistan is by no means the only victim of the scourge), and that it needs to be rooted out. Nor is the proposition that far greater significance should be attached by the state to education and health care by any means original (It s interesting to note, however, that Imran Khan has refrained from advocating lower defence expenditure as a means of funding such benefits. Is this merely a coincidence?) And attacks on the elite are always welcome in countries with yawning disparities of wealth, even when they come from a member of that very class. Where Imran Khan s advocacy of reforms diverges from the line of argument usually adopted by objective intellectuals is in his persistent attempts to convey the impression that the present government is directly and solely responsible for all of Pakistan s ills. That is utter nonsense. Whatever the failings of the current administration and there are many the national woes most worthy of redressal have been around for much longer than Ms Bhutto s tenure in power. It is noticeable that Imran Khan has never commented adversely on the country s most recent (and most disastrous) military dictatorship; when General Zia-ul-Haq asked him a decade or so ago to renounce his retirement from cricket, he veritably leapt at the opportunity. And his current dalliance with General Zia s chief civilian protege seems to ignore the fact that the Nawaz Sharif government s reputation for corruption was at least as high as that of the present regime. REFERENCE: Imrans twist and turns DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 25 April 1996 Issue : 02/17 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1996/25Ap96.html#imra


Reporter - Imran Khan Speaks Out - Part 3 (DAWN NEWS 31 May 2011)

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDHaM0J6Rzg


At the Oxford Union of which I became a temporary member I had the priceless opportunity of listening for the first time in person to Pakistan's last great hope for the future, Imran Khan, who arrived to address the Union with the Lady Jemima and a handful of drooling Pakistanis in tow. Dressed in a smart suit and with his height and good looks he cut an impressive figure but what more, without upsetting his admiring hordes, is there to say about him? There he was with his usual routine about 'brown sahibs' and the virtues of native dress but beyond that it was impossible for him to venture. If his minders like the inevitable General Hamid Gul are still pinning their hopes on him, some desperate measures on their part are called for to broaden the scope of Imran Khan's public conversation. Still, it is a sobering thought that he is the most talked about and photographed Pakistani in all the green spaces of the United Kingdom. Which probably means that the modern celebrity business is no laughing matter. REFERENCE: Islamabad Diary : Back to the promised land By Ayaz Amir DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 03 August, 1995 Issue : 01/30 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1995/03Ag95.html


Could Imran Khan be out to avenge a personal slight? It was clearly stupid of the state-run media initially to ignore him in World Cup-related publicity. But his plaints go back much further, in apparent ignorance of an obvious contradiction: why should the government be nice to him when he has gone out of his way to be nasty to it? Then there is the evidence of hypocrisy. A corroborative anecdote may not be out of place. On a private visit to Dubai not many moons ago, Imran Khan insisted on being shot only above the waist by a Press photographer. The reason? Having (rather silly) advised Pakistani youth to stick to indigenous attire, he did not wish to be photographed wearing calamity of calamities! a pair of trousers. Never mind the complex issue of his rather sudden exchange of vows with Jemima Goldsmith after insisting on several occasions that he would settle for an arranged marriage with a simple Pakistani bride not to mention the trail of broken-hearted girl friends. Those are personal matters. But the series of inconsistencies are very much in the public domain, particularly after the acknowledgement of political ambitions. The most generous interpretation of these would be an inordinate level of naiveti. But even that can be a dangerous trait in the political arena, especially in view of a broad pre-existing constituency of admirers. REFERENCE: Imrans twist and turns DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 25 April 1996 Issue : 02/17 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1996/25Ap96.html#imra

Reporter - Imran Khan Speaks Out - Part 3 (DAWN NEWS 31 May 2011)

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8vsOjIECFg


Imran Khan’s choice of candidate for prime minister has left many of his ardent fans, especially women, dumbfounded. The cricketer-turned-politician voted for Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s nominee for premier, against the advise of many liberal and progressive members within his Tehrik-e-Insaaf (TI). Imran used his solitary vote in parliament in Rehman’s favour, forwarding the argument that the MMA is the only political force that is independent and does not take dictation from abroad. He maintained that he found himself ideologically and politically close to the MMA, which denounces President Pervez Musharraf’s support to the international coalition in the war against terrorism, especially in neighbouring Afghanistan. “Khan has more than a soft corner for the ousted Afghan Taliban,” a senior leader of his party said on the condition of anonymity. “He thinks that the orthodox religious militia did a great service to Afghanistan and Islam before they became a target of the Americans.”

Also, the MMA’s firm stand against Musharraf, especially his series of controversial constitutional amendments, won the heart of Pakistan’s former speedster, he added. Imran’s protracted bitterness towards the Pakistan Peoples’ Party and anger against the Pakistan Muslim League left him with no alternative other than the MMA, which secured 86 votes, including those of the Pakistan Muslim League (N). Khan’s vote for the pro-Taliban cleric has added to the political confusion within his party, which performed poorly in the October 10 elections. “It would have been understandable, had Imran voted for a candidate that was nominated jointly by the opposition,” said a senior Tehrik-e-Insaaf leader. “But by voting for the MMA, he most certainly has lost his standing among the liberal, democratic and progressive elements in society.” Human rights groups and the majority of the moderate and liberal Muslims have been extremely critical of the MMA’s narrow interpretation of Islam and the conservative views of its leaders on women, education, fine arts, television and sports. By voting for the MMA, the Tehrik-e-Insaaf chief has, in effect, endorsed the religious alliance’s stand on these issues as well. Will the women’s wing of the Tehrik-e-Insaaf, led by Jemima, Khan’s British-born wife, endorse the Taliban-like interpretation of Islam? That remains a moot point. Mairaj Mohammed Khan, the Tehrik-e-Insaaf’s secretary general who has spent a lifetime advocating socialism and secular politics, finds it hard to defend the somersaults of the party leader, who has drifted from one extreme (of being pro-Musharraf) to the other extreme (of being anti-Musharraf) within a short span of time. “Even we are finding it difficult to figure out the real Imran,” quipped another of his Karachi-based leaders. “He dons the shalwar-kameez and preaches desi and religious values while in Pakistan, but transforms himself completely while rubbing shoulders with the elite in Britain and elsewhere in the west.” Many in the Tehrik-e-Insaaf would have preferred to see Imran abstain from the voting like the veteran Pakhtoonkhawa Milli Awami Party leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai. “But such political maturity is perhaps too much to ask or expect of Imran,” says a Karachi-based Tehrik-e-Insaaf leader and a close aide of Mairaj Mohammed Khan’s. “It is understandable why people do not take Imran and his party seriously in politics,” he said. “His self-righteousness and high-flying principles fail to explain the contradiction between his strange fondness for the maulanas and his passion for all the good things in life which have come from the west. REFERENCE: Will the Real Imran Please Stand Up? By Amir Zia 9 DECEMBER 2002 http://www.newslinemagazine.com/2002/12/will-the-real-imran-please-stand-up/
Naiveti does not quite suffice as an explanation for Imran Khan s most recent outbursts against Ms Bhutto, which were ill- advised, totally uncalled for, and even callous; the hospital bomb was a heinous crime, and the prime minister had every right to condemn it as well as to visit the site. His inability to restrain his gut instincts even amidst a tragedy of such proportion is not a good omen. Imran Khan does, of course, has every right to participate in politics, even if his experience of power play is limited to cricket board intrigues. He may even surprise sceptics like me. But a great many questions will have to be plainly answered before that transpires. In the meanwhile, the over-enthusiastic faithful would do well to remember that it s wise to be wary of pied pipers, particularly when it is not clear who is calling the tune. REFERENCE: Imrans twist and turns DAWN WIRE SERVICE Week Ending : 25 April 1996 Issue : 02/17 http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1996/25Ap96.html#imra

Pakistani Media's Role in the Anarchy in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—Last November, 30 of Pakistan's most influential journalists boarded a plane bound for Saudi Arabia. The occasion was the hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims are expected to perform at least once in their lifetimes, if they can afford it. On this trip, however, money wasn't a problem: The Pakistani government picked up the tab. For months, the story of the government-sponsored hajj went unreported. The fact that reporters were accepting gifts from the government hardly qualified as news. Plus, reporters in Pakistan have an unspoken rule, a kind of omerta: You don't write about other reporters. Unless you're Matiullah Jan. Jan, an anchor for Dawn News in Islamabad, launched a new show in January called Apna Gareban—the name means "under our collar," an Urdu idiom that translates as "our own underbelly"—in which Jan investigates the conduct of his fellow journalists. On the show, he acts as a kind of one-man ombudsman for all of Pakistan, badgering reporters, ambushing them Bill O'Reilly-style, and guilt-tripping them on air for their alleged misdeeds—behavior unheard of in the Pakistani media. "This is a very revolutionary thing," says Mehmal Sarfraz, op-ed editor at the Daily Times in Lahore. "Somebody had to do it." REFERENCE: The Ombudsman: How one TV reporter tried to reveal the underbelly of the Pakistani media. By Christopher Beam Posted Friday, May 20, 2011, at 4:17 PM ET http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/

News Night with Talat - Part - 1 (Dawn News Pakistan 30 May 2011)


URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Isedf2SENQ

ARY NEWS Hires a Murderer & Blasphemer (Aamir Liaquat Hussain).


QUESTION: The last question on close allies. Pakistan is a close ally of the U.S. We were here last year and we are here today. A governor has lost his life, a minister has lost his life, and thousands of people. What are we going to do? We have been pumping billions of dollars, so next year, again, we’ll have a report. Do you have anything about --


ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Yeah. I --
QUESTION: -- talking – walking the walk instead of just talking the talk?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: No. These are – the issues you raise are of great concern. I was in Pakistan in January. I met with Governor Taseer’s family three weeks after he was assassinated, continue to be in contact with them. I met with Minister Bhatti there and again here. Secretary Clinton and I met him together several weeks before he was killed. The issues of intolerance in Pakistan trouble us greatly, and I think they trouble most Pakistanis. I am particularly concerned about the Urdu press and the role it plays in that. Again, we can’t force that change, but we are very mindful – our Ambassador Cameron Munter is very, very attuned and very sensitive to the real challenges that we and the Pakistani Government face in trying to tamp down the intolerance that now is so pervasive. REFERENCE: Remarks to the Press on the Release of the 2010 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices Remarks Michael H. Posner Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Washington, DC April 8, 2011http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/rm/2011/160393.htm 

According to the AHRC, in May 2009 Maheen Usmani, a senior anchorperson for Dunya Television News in Islamabad, allegedly received two late-night telephone calls from Yusuf Baig Mirza, the channel's managing director, in which he made inappropriate comments. Usmani informed the channel's director of news and chief executive officer, but no action was taken. She claimed that she experienced professional setbacks; on June 15, she resigned, citing "continued harassment, coercion, and highly unethical conduct of the top management of Dunya News." An internal investigation committee and the National Press Club investigated the claim, but there was no progress by year's end. Mirza filed two defamation lawsuits against Usmani, who was approached with offers of money and jobs in exchange for dropping the case. According to The Nation, M. Zar Nigar Ali of PTV accused the head of the current affairs department, Tahir Mahmood, of sexual harassment and threatening behavior. Ali allegedly received late-night telephone calls from Mahmood in which he made threats if she did not reciprocate his advances. REFERENCE: 2010 Human Rights Report: Pakistan BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR 2010 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices April 8, 2011 http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/sca/154485.htm 
News Night with Talat - Part - 2 (Dawn News Pakistan 30 May 2011)


URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYG3IXynD9g

Mubashir Lucman & Dunya News "RAPE" Mukhtaran Mai "Again"!

In 2009 I used to work for Express News TV as a Researcher and I was asked by the Executives to provide Question for General Pervez Musharraf which I did and now watch the Intellectual Dishonesty of this Loudmouth Braggart i.e. Mubashir Lucman and compare the question which I had sent with proper references and see for yourself how "soft" Mubashir Lucman was on a "Military Dictator" and compare the same Mubashir Lucman's program with any "Elected Representative" and you may note that he not only misbehave rather put the guest in embarrassing position [shame on our Politicians who accepts insults from a two bit TV Anchor]. Such Interviews should be called "Press Conferences" Compare the questions which were sent and watch what Mubashir asked! REFERENCE: Alleged Trial of General Pervez Musharraf! http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/07/alleged-trial-of-general-pervez.html Real & Ugly Face of Express News Group & GEO/Jang. http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2010/10/real-ugly-face-of-express-news-group.html  and the same Mubahir Lucman [Former Caretaker Provincial Minister Punjab under General Pervez Musharraf, nowadays Dunya TV Anchor] literally Raped a Rape Victim Ms. Mukhtaran Mai in April 2011. Intellectual Dishonesty of Mubashir Luqman & Dunya Newshttp://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2011/01/intellectual-dishonesty-of-mubashir.html
In February, Jan aired an hourlong report outing the journalists who visited Mecca on the government's dime. Many of the reporters defended themselves. One said God had called him to Mecca, and he had to obey, despite having gone on hajj twice before. "God called you three times?" Jan asked, incredulous. Others said they didn't know where the funds had come from, and they never bothered to ask. Pakistan's supreme court soon ordered the reporters to pay back the money, though some have appealed the decision. The issue wasn't necessarily that journalists had taken a trip that was paid for by the government; journalists, Pakistani and otherwise, do that all the time. (This article, in fact, was made possible by the East-West Center, which organized a trip to Pakistan funded by the U.S. State Department.) The trip to Mecca wasn't a reporting trip—some journalists even brought their families—nor was it acknowledged publicly until Jan brought the issue to light. The growth of the Pakistani media over the last decade has exacerbated journalistic corruption. Newspapers flourished in the 1980s and '90s, but there was only one cable TV channel, the state-run Pakistani Television. That changed in 2003, when Gen. Pervez Musharraf, frustrated that Pakistanis were getting much of their news from India, relaxed the ban on cable channels, or "electronic media." The medium boomed, as Pakistan went from one cable TV station to dozens in 2011. REFERENCE: The Ombudsman: How one TV reporter tried to reveal the underbelly of the Pakistani media. By Christopher Beam Posted Friday, May 20, 2011, at 4:17 PM ET http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/

News Night with Talat - Part - 3 (Dawn News Pakistan 30 May 2011)


URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG3LySjWhWo

Mubashir Lucman & Dunya News "RAPE" Mukhtaran Mai "Again"!


In 2009 I used to work for Express News TV as a Researcher and I was asked by the Executives to provide Question for General Pervez Musharraf which I did and now watch the Intellectual Dishonesty of this Loudmouth Braggart i.e. Mubashir Lucman and compare the question which I had sent with proper references and see for yourself how "soft" Mubashir Lucman was on a "Military Dictator" and compare the same Mubashir Lucman's program with any "Elected Representative" and you may note that he not only misbehave rather put the guest in embarrassing position [shame on our Politicians who accepts insults from a two bit TV Anchor]. Such Interviews should be called "Press Conferences" Compare the questions which were sent and watch what Mubashir asked! REFERENCE: Alleged Trial of General Pervez Musharraf! http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/07/alleged-trial-of-general-pervez.html Real & Ugly Face of Express News Group & GEO/Jang. http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2010/10/real-ugly-face-of-express-news-group.html  and the same Mubahir Lucman [Former Caretaker Provincial Minister Punjab under General Pervez Musharraf, nowadays Dunya TV Anchor] literally Raped a Rape Victim Ms. Mukhtaran Mai in April 2011. Intellectual Dishonesty of Mubashir Luqman & Dunya Newshttp://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2011/01/intellectual-dishonesty-of-mubashir.html
News Night with Talat - Part - 4 (Dawn News Pakistan 30 May 2011)

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RiU1GFBq6E

Ugly Role of Samaa TV & Meher Bokhari in Salman Taseer's Murder.
The brutal assassination Salman Taseer has opened a can of worms in an already contaminated social landscape of Pakistan which is struggling with modernity in the second decade of the 21st century. The odious adulation over the extremist security turned homicidal goon Qadri is as disturbing as it is, the media was also not far behind in scoring sensationalist ratings on the Taseer/Asia Bibi fiasco. Below are two clips from Mehar Bukhari’s show on Samaa TV where she interviewed the late Governor on the 25th of November 2010. Observe the rabid antics of the above mentioned TV anchor and her uber-provocative assault on Mr Taseer. The media must draw a line on their point scoring, foaming behaviour and a call for the said TV anchor to take a fraction for inciting hate against Salman Taseer and pandering to the radical conservatives. REFERENCE: Meher Bukhari has Salman Taseer’s blood on her hands as well Zia Ahmad January 11, 2011 · 3:00 pm http://pakteahouse.net/2011/01/11/meher-bukhari-has-salman-taseers-blood-on-her-hands-as-well/ 
As the sector has grown, so has its power. "The media is more unrestrained now than ever," says Najam Sethi, a columnist and the editor of the Friday Times in Lahore. "We can get away with murder." Sensationalism abounds, fact-checking is a foreign concept for many outlets, and TV reporters who have rushed in to fill the media vacuum often have no journalistic background. The agency that regulates cable channels, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, prohibits content that is "defamatory or knowingly false," but it rarely takes action. Many Pakistani journalists accept gifts from politicians, presumably in exchange for favorable coverage. Less blatant forms of corruption—caving to threats from militant groups after a suicide attack by replacing the word "died" with "was martyred," for example—are common. In the most egregious cases, "reporters" aren't reporters at all but simply businessmen with press cards who use their access to the press to help friends, punish enemies, and blackmail law enforcement. If you're pulled over by a traffic cop and you have a press card, says Jan, you don't have to pay. REFERENCE: The Ombudsman: How one TV reporter tried to reveal the underbelly of the Pakistani media. By Christopher Beam Posted Friday, May 20, 2011, at 4:17 PM ET http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/


News Night with Talat - Part - 1 (Dawn News Pakistan 31 May 2011)



URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8msZMBrcTzY

Jang Group/GEO TV Published the Fatwa of Murder of Salman Taseer.
WASHINGTON, Jan 18: Four US Congressmen have asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to refuse visas to those who praised the assassination of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer and showed support for his assassin Mumtaz Qadri. In a letter sent to Secretary Clinton, Congressmen Gary Ackerman, Steve Israel, Peter King and Michael McCaul said: “Some of the most prominent clerics, journalists and lawyers who have praised Mr Taseer`s death and have demonstrated support of his murderer, are people who frequently travel to the US and hold American visas.
Thursday, November 25, 2010, Zilhajj 18, 1431 A.H
http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/nov2010-daily/25-11-2010/main4.htm













News Night with Talat - Part - 2 (Dawn News Pakistan 31 May 2011)


URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMXBgmjnkuM

Kashif Abbasi (ARY NEWS) Misquote Dr Zulfiqar Mirza & Quote Dr. Qadir Magsi.
http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2011/04/kashif-abbasi-ary-news-misquote-dr.html

Yet the media rarely critiques itself. Only one Pakistani newspaper, the Express Tribune, has hired an ombudsman, and his mandate is limited to that paper. He doesn't write a column, either—he just handles reader complaints in-house. Media "navel-gazing" may have a bad name in the United States, but the Pakistani media's belly could use some inspection. That was Jan's thinking when he created Apna Gareban. The purpose was to turn the same critical eye on journalists that they turn on politicians. Jan has worked for several years as a court reporter for Dawn News in Islamabad. "In court, we talk about right and wrong, black and white, accountability, justice, equality of treatment before the law," he says. But those terms are almost never used in conversations about the press. "All of the sickness of society is being scrutinized by the media, but the media is not being held accountable itself." Apna Gareban became the first major TV program to dig into the backgrounds of influential journalists, essentially making Jan the ombudsman for all of Pakistan.REFERENCE: The Ombudsman: How one TV reporter tried to reveal the underbelly of the Pakistani media. By Christopher Beam Posted Friday, May 20, 2011, at 4:17 PM ET http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/ http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/pagenum/2

In the first episode, Jan visits the federal government's Press Information Department, where publishers—and often reporters themselves—go to solicit government ads. (A big chunk of the ads that appear in Pakistani newspapers and on TV are paid for by the government, usually to promote new projects or to congratulate officials for their achievements.) There, he interrogates a reporter who's asking for ads. "If they don't give you ads, do you publish stories against them?" says Jan. "Well, they do give us ads," says the reporter, "so why should we say anything against them?" The transactional relationship between the government and the press is a recurring theme. In one episode, Jan examines the 290 million rupee ($3.4 million) "secret fund" set aside by the Information Ministry for journalists. The fund covers everything from buying ads in newspapers to providing medical care for reporters to paying for their daughters' weddings. All this is to the good, former Information Secretary Ashfaq Gondal tells Jan: "There is no one to look out for the welfare of these journalists." Jan plays along. "These are great deeds," he says. "So why would you keep this a secret?" Gondal responds that the purpose of the information ministry is "to establish a sort of goodwill within the populace so that the populace tilts toward progress and keeps up with the times." What better way to "establish goodwill" than to buy off the press? REFERENCE: The Ombudsman: How one TV reporter tried to reveal the underbelly of the Pakistani media. By Christopher Beam Posted Friday, May 20, 2011, at 4:17 PM ET http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/ http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/pagenum/2

News Night with Talat - Part - 3 (Dawn News Pakistan 31 May 2011)


URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAfLq7ij71Y&feature=player_embedded


Kashif Abbasi (ARY NEWS) Misquote Dr Zulfiqar Mirza & Quote Dr. Qadir Magsi.


Friendly journalists - Mr Zardari's supporters believe that cancelling the trip would not have helped him. "He would have been remembered and criticised even if there were no floods in the country," said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday. And indeed, the current anti-Zardari campaign in the media started before the floods hit the headlines. The criticism began after British Prime Minister David Cameron made remarks in India on 28 July where he accused some in Pakistan of "looking both ways", exporting terror to neighbouring countries. On 31 July, Pakistan's Geo TV reported that the chief of the ISI intelligence service, Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, had cancelled a scheduled trip to the UK because of Mr Cameron's remarks, but Mr Zardari was continuing with his planned trip. Pakistan's ubiquitous TV news presenters began questioning President Zardari's patriotism and personal integrity. The print media was not far behind. While President Zardari's European tour had been "reduced to a pleasure trip" after Mr Cameron's remarks, "the army reacted in a timely and dignified manner" by cancelling the ISI chief's UK visit, an editorial comment in the Pakistan Observer newspaper said. The News newspaper called Mr Zardari's visit a "pursuit of his own dynastic aggrandizement". The floods only intensified this initial criticism. Two significant developments took place on Thursday. Firstly, Bilawal Bhutto denied he was planning to address the Pakistan Peoples' Party rally in Birmingham, one of the main reasons for Mr Zardari's trip. Secondly, Prime Minister Gilani informed journalists that the ISI chief had not, in fact, scheduled a visit to the UK in the first place. Many quarters insist Bilawal Bhutto's "cancellation" of an appearance at the Birmingham show may be the result of a rethink on the part of Mr Zardari's advisers to minimise political damage. But what about the confusion over the story about the ISI chief's visit to the UK? The initial report on Geo TV had come from mysterious, unnamed sources. And even more mysteriously, the army's media wing - which normally keeps a hawkish eye on the news, correcting reports at the first possible stage - had not stepped in to clarify the report. The ties between the military and the media are strong. The military often use the media to protect its hold on the giant corporate empire which it has built. In the 1980s the military did this through open censorship. Since the 1990s it has evolved subtler ways. It controls almost all access to big stories, and has therefore been able to raise a corps of "friendly" journalists who now control most key jobs in Pakistani media due to their "contacts". President Zardari's supporters suggest the media could have made up the story of the ISI cancelling its trip to the UK in order to spark an anti-Zardari campaign, which intensified as the scale of the flood damage became clear. REFERENCE: Criticism of Zardari in Pakistan hides a political game By M Ilyas Khan BBC News, Islamabad 7 August 2010 Last updated at 15:10 GMT http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10901583


News Night with Talat - Part - 4 (Dawn News Pakistan 31 May 2011)


URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_cShSMDHQA&feature=player_embedded



Safma took serious exception to the conspiracies and sinister moves to bring undemocratic and unconstitutional changes and overstepping of various institutions of the state, including a section of sensational media, going beyond their legitimate sphere, professional and ethical limits. It also express dismayed at deteriorating quality of the governance at various tiers of governance and across all institutions of the state and worried about a lack of inconsistency in eradicating terrorism and appalled by the insistence on keeping sanctuaries of terrorism as so-called “strategic assets” and not strictly stopping terrorists outfits from operating in various disguised forms. Disturbed over the alienation, deprivation and sufferings of the Baloch people, perturbed over continuing inflation and hardships being faced by the common man, especially the people affected by the floods and terrorism, Safma is disappointed over not changing the media laws, especially the Information Law, Pemra Law and Press Council Law and condemn killing, torture and victimization of working journalists by various state and non-state actors, non-implementation of Seventh Wage Board Award, retrenchment of media persons and a lack of protection and insurance coverage for journalists reporting from conflict zones. Media persons reiterate full faith in constitutional, democratic and representative system that ensures freedom and fundamental rights, an independent judiciary, a free and responsible media and above all sovereignty of our people reflected through federal and provincial legislatures. Safma emphasized the need for evolving a broadest national consensus among all stakeholders on major national issues, such as terrorism, economy (macro-economic policy, state corporations, taxation, non-development expenditure, energy, rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood and terrorism affected), foreign policy, national security and neighbors; Crisis of Balochistan and transparent and accountable governance and across the board accountability; The media persons are of the considered view that future of the federation and our nation-state lies in democracy and continuation of constitutional, federal and democratic setup while submitting to the will of the people, which is represented by the elected legislatures and governments responsible to them. The state must retain its writ across the land without in any way, allowing state or non-state actors to undermine it, nor must it allow any autonomous sanctuary undermining its sovereignty and international obligations. All organs of the state and media must perform their functions in accordance with the letter and spirit of the 1973 Constitution, democratic norms and avoid transgressing their institutional limits while respecting the mandate of the people. Both the state and society can face up to the challenges of natural calamities, terrorism, lawlessness, economic meltdown, poor-governance, human and physical security by reaching a national consensus on major policy issues. REFERENCE: Institutions including media overstepped: Safma Monday, November 08, 2010 Zilhajj 01, 1431 A.H. http://www.thenews.com.pk/08-11-2010/National/14482.htm




Another episode focuses on the awarding of lavish government housing to top-tier Pakistani journalists at cheap rates. Jan kicks off the program by reading the names of the 24 journalists, displaying their pictures, and describing their homes and how much they pay in rent. When confronted, one reporter insists it's his "right" to get preferential treatment. Another compares his situation to that of a BBC reporter, whose salary is subsidized by the government. "Do BBC's journalists get premium apartments from their rulers?" asks Jan. "I don't have that information," says the reporter. "Forget information," says Jan, "they don't get any, you know this." Jan's interview technique, a one-two combo of logic and shame, drives his subjects into contortions. At first, the well-known anchor Asma Shirazi defends her decision to go on the government-funded hajj by saying she was misled about its funding. Then she says that even if she knew it was publicly funded, she would have gone anyway. Then she accuses Jan of failing to go after the "real big criminals," like journalists who take land as bribes. Finally she agrees to pay back the money. REFERENCE: The Ombudsman: How one TV reporter tried to reveal the underbelly of the Pakistani media. By Christopher Beam Posted Friday, May 20, 2011, at 4:17 PM ET http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/

Jan is more than happy to play populist demagogue, despite being the son of a retired Army colonel and living in a relatively comfortable neighborhood of Islamabad. "The taxpayers are hungry for food and thirsting for water," he tells Shirazi, "scrounging for every cent they can get, and instead you spent hundreds of thousands of rupees to go on a free ride to the pilgrimage." His crusade hasn't exactly endeared him to his colleagues. "Watching fellow journalists squirm" is "painful," writes Steve Manuel, who worked at Pakistani newspapers for 25 years and founded the website Journalism Pakistan. "There are other ways to expose such people … tattling on fellow journalists is not one of them." Manuel also argues that Jan could be more critical of his bosses. "[W]hy not also highlight the corruption practiced and encouraged by big media houses including Dawn?" Jan says he's been careful to investigate his friends, too. And he's paid a price. For one episode, Jan invited prominent columnist and longtime friend Rauf Klasra onto the show to explain why he lives in a high-end government residence. "I told him at the start of the show, we're not friends in the studio—I'm a journalist and you're a journalist," says Jan. During the interview, Klasra turned the tables on Jan by producing documents that accused the CEO of Dawn Media Group, Hameed Haroon, of corruption. Jan invited Haroon onto the show on the spot, but he never came. Jan and Klasra's friendship hasn't recovered. REFERENCE: The Ombudsman: How one TV reporter tried to reveal the underbelly of the Pakistani media. By Christopher Beam Posted Friday, May 20, 2011, at 4:17 PM ET http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/

The most profound moments of Jan's program are not his attacks on the media, but what they reveal about broader systemic problems in Pakistan. When Jan asks a judge why he doesn't punish media organizations that fail to pay their journalists—not uncommon in Pakistan—the judge blames the system. "I really want to prosecute them," the judge says, and salary issues fall squarely within his jurisdiction. But "there's always a reason or a loophole that the defendant exploits to circumvent penalization." Even when the judge orders someone to appear in court, they often don't show up. "I tell the police to summon the person to court, and they come and tell me the person is unavailable. What am I to do?" REFERENCE: The Ombudsman: How one TV reporter tried to reveal the underbelly of the Pakistani media. By Christopher Beam Posted Friday, May 20, 2011, at 4:17 PM ET http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/ http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/pagenum/2

In April, Apna Gareban was shut down after 12 episodes. The final straw was an investigation into the conduct of a reporter at Dawn News, Jan's employer, who was making money on the side by selling goods from a kiosk provided by the government—a clear conflict of interest. "We knew [Apna Gareban] was going to be an experiment," says Jan, who has returned to reporting on the courts full time. "I'm reconciled to the fact that there were pressures on the organization from the highest levels of the media industry." The journalists who'd been exposed were angry, and media owners were worried they'd be next. "They looked in the mirror and saw what they looked like," says Jan. "Then they decided to break the mirrors instead of washing their own faces." REFERENCE: The Ombudsman: How one TV reporter tried to reveal the underbelly of the Pakistani media. By Christopher Beam Posted Friday, May 20, 2011, at 4:17 PM ET http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/ http://www.slate.com/id/2294826/pagenum/2

Monday, May 30, 2011

Political Point Scoring by PML (Nawaz) on National Assets & TRUTH.

As per Oxford dictionary "Brag": verb (brags, bragging, bragged) [reporting verb] say something in a boastful manner: [with clause] : he bragged that he was sure of victory [no object] : they were bragging about how easy it had been noun 1 [mass noun] a gambling card game which is a simplified form of poker. 2 a boastful statement.

Its an old principle (unwritten) of Murky Intelligence World that you never discuss or brag about your achievements and that too on a live TV and if that was not enough then discussing these issues during the most turbulent time of History when half of the world is asking for your blood. What we have here that Dr Strangelove is telling stories as if he is doing some service and even worse are those politicians who never leave any opportunity to capitalize even the Tragedies, which part of the Word Secret or Clandestine  is beyond the comprehension of these Nincompoops. 

Dr. Strangelove - Survival Plan - Watch the Clip from Stanley Kubrick Classic Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057012/



LAHORE: A Youm-e-Takbeer ceremony titled ‘Thank you Dr Qadeer Khan’ was held under the auspicious of Mohsin-e-Pakistan Lovers Foundation and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) at Punjabi Complex here Saturday. The chief guest of the ceremony was the former army chief and DG ISI General (retd) Ziauddin. Gen Ziauddin (retd), while addressing the participants, claimed that former Gen Pervez Musharraf had given asylum to Osama bin Laden on mala fide nature. He said that Gen Musharraf kept extraditing other people but he himself hide bin Laden so that the series of coming of money would continue and kept minting money from America. Gen (retd) Ziauddin said that ex-DG Ejaz Shah had colluded with Musharraf in this job and General (retd) Mehmood could also be part of that job too. When asked had Musharraf handed Osama bin Laden over to anyone before departing, he said that absolutely. He said that you could see how Ejaz Shah had enjoyed perks still today and he was still travelling in a car with green number plate. REFERENCE: ‘Musharraf provided Osama shelter to mint money from US’ Ali Masood Monday, May 30, 2011 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=6348&Cat=13&dt=5/30/2011


http://ejang.jang.com.pk/5-30-2011/Karachi/page1.asp#;
http://ejang.jang.com.pk/5-30-2011/Karachi/pic.asp?picname=1042.gif























Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan in Front Line (15 Jan 2010) - Part 1.


URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAQFmJ9bBj4



Investigation: Nuclear scandal - Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan - The Pakistani scientist who passed nuclear secrets to the world’s rogue states has been muzzled by his government. In a smuggled letter, AQ Khan reveals his side of the story by Simon Henderson From The Sunday Times September 20, 2009 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6839044.ece




The former general said that how it was possible that Osama had been living near Abbottabad army academy for five years without any information. In such a period at least eleven of twelve time the houses were searched then why Osama was not found. He said that the whole band of General Musharraf was corrupt and Musharraf and his accomplices were minting money with both hands. He said that besides General (R) Tanvir Naqvi and another general all were plundering the country. He said that Musharraf had already made a plan to usurp power. He said, “When I was DG ISI Musharraf used to set spy on me.” While speaking on the dual policy of Musharraf, he said that he had sent a man to India for secret contact and when I as DG ISI summoned that person, at first that person refused but when I put proof before him then he admitted to visit India on Musharraf’s direction. REFERENCE: ‘Musharraf provided Osama shelter to mint money from US’ Ali Masood Monday, May 30, 2011 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=6348&Cat=13&dt=5/30/2011


Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan in Front Line (15 Jan 2010) - Part 2.





Karamat's categorical tone left some US officials a little embarrassed, for they are not used to ambassadors laying down the line in Washington. "Even Tony Blair's ambassador won't use that tone in public," said one observer. Some others said that Pakistan prescribing the agenda was a case of the tail wagging the dog. Meanwhile, what surprised some was Karamat's dismissive tone about the A Q Khan affair, which he labeled a "proliferation episode" while denying any government complicity in it. "There was no government sanction, approval, or any kind of government connection with what went on," he said flatly. But Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, in his 11-page confession reported in the US press in February, named Karamat, former chief of army staff General (retired) Mirza Aslam Beg and President General Pervez Musharraf as the men on top who were aware of what was going on. As the chief of army staff from 1996-98, Karamat was directly responsible for the safety and security of the nuclear program. REFERENCE: Pakistan lays down the agenda for the US By Seema Sirohi South Asia http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/FL25Df01.html
Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan in Front Line (15 Jan 2010) - Part 3.




Barlow went about his business without incident, so he thought, until July of 1989. Then he learned that the United States government was once again distorting intelligence on Pakistan’s nuclear capability. He had prepared a comprehensive analysis on Pakistan’s nuclear capability for Secretary of Defense Richard Cheney and other senior officials. The paper cited what Barlow and many others in the intelligence community understood to be persuasive data showing that the F-16 aircraft previously delivered to Pakistan had been modified to deliver nuclear weapons. Barlow’s paper was complemented by a separate Defense Intelligence Agency study, which reached the same conclusion. REFERENCE:  A REPORTER AT LARGE On the Nuclear Edge by Seymour M. Hersh MARCH 29, 1993 http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1993/03/29/1993_03_29_056_TNY_CARDS_000363214 


Former Gen Ziauddin said that he had been associated with Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan for three years and all allegations on him are false and he is hero of the nation and most intelligent person. He said that if given chance Dr Qadeer would solve the issue of energy within six months. While addressing telephonically, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan said that the youths should come forward to save the country and we would stand by with them. He said that revolution is the only solution to the problems. He said that country’s situation is extremely bad and people are fed up with price hike, anarchy and unemployment. He said a campaign should be launched with full force and there is a need to liberate the country. Arif Nizami, Qayyum Nizami, Irshad Arif, Dr Mujahid Mansoori, Amna Ulfat, Saadullah Shah, Maj (R) Muhammad Arif and Syed Rajab Ali were among those who spoke on the occasion. REFERENCE: ‘Musharraf provided Osama shelter to mint money from US’ Ali Masood Monday, May 30, 2011 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=6348&Cat=13&dt=5/30/2011


Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan in Front Line (15 Jan 2010) - Part 4.





• Chief of Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani wanted to remove Zardari into exile and replace him with Asfandyar Wali as president. Kayani felt that Faryal Talpur, Zardari’s sister, would make a better president than Zardari, who he preferred over PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif. • United States was concerned for the security of nuclear facilities and the access to the facilities in Pakistan. • Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had approved US drone strikes inside Pakistan. • Former President Musharraf wanted to remove Kayani for being unhelpful; ISI chief felt that Zardari was too corrupt to lead the country as president. • Nawaz Sharif wanted to bring nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan into politics and convinced the US he remained on their side in the war on terror. REFERENCE: Key Leaks By Sadef A. Kully | DAWN.COM December 2, 2010 http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/02/key-leaks.html

Capital Talk - 6th Decembe 2010 - P1 - Who is real American agent?


URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfl3YpShdJo

"QUOTE"



2008: Zardari, Nawaz agreed not to restore Chief Justice Iftikhar ChaudhryDAWN.COM May 24, 2011 (1 week ago) http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/24/2008-zardari-nawaz-agreed-not-to-restore-chief-justice-iftikhar-chaudhry.html

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2018

TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PK

SUBJECT: ZARDARI’S VIEWS ON AGREEMENT WITH NAWAZ



REF: A. ISLAMABAD 1070

B. ISLAMABAD 970

C. ISLAMABAD 924



Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b), (d)



1. (C) Summary: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Asif Zardari told Ambassador March 10 that  yesterday’s agreement with Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif was less than it seemed regarding the restoration of the judges (Ref A). Zardari reiterated his desire to work with Musharraf as President. He and Nawaz have agreed, privately, that former Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry will not be restored and that the current Chief Justice will remain. Zardari said his choice for Prime Minister was Yousef Gillani (Ref B). Zardari has selected Sherry Rehman as Minister of Information and Syed Naveed Qamar as Minister of Finance (Ref C). Embassy cautions there is more ground to travel before these issues are resolved. Zardari seems sincere and has shown some political courage, particularly on the Kashmir issue. He has good ideas, especially on the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and on economic issues. But it remains to be seen how he will handle the parliament )- and his coalition partners — once the sessions get underway. End Summary. 


2. (C) Ambassador called on Asif Zardari March 10 to get his version of the “”deal”" with PML-N head Nawaz Sharif. Zardari said he and Nawaz had agreed (very privately) that the former Chief Justice would not be restored, nor would current Chief Justice Dogar be removed. Zardari said he had to do something about the judges: a new civilian government could not keep the former Chief Justice and his family, including two disabled children, in confinement two blocks from the parliament, and Zardari had conveyed this view to ISI head Nadeem Taj and NSA Tariq Aziz. He had asked the government to move the former Chief Justice to his family home in Quetta, but the government had refused, arguing that the CJ “”had a gun”" and would forcibly resist being moved. (Comment: No one wants the black eye of moving the former Chief Justice

and his family under the glare of international publicity. End Comment.) When Ambassador asked about the 30 day deadline for the parliamentary resolution which would supposedly reinstate the judges, Zardari laughed and said in politics thirty days could become eighty or ninety. He reiterated his commitment to working with Musharraf and especially Tariq Aziz, with whom he felt particularly comfortable. He wanted Musharraf to “”relax”" and not be so concerned about the former Chief Justice.

3. (C) Zardari revealed he had been in touch with Chief Justice Dogar to assure him he would not be removed. Zardari was less clear about the legalities of the restoration of the other judges, although he implied some phased-in system might be employed. He noted Aitzaz Ahsan was campaigning for President now, a job that Nawaz Sharif would also like to have. Zardari said he would not welcome Aitzaz back into the PPP fold.

4. (C) Ambassador asked about the choices for Prime Minister. Zardari reiterated that he was angry Amin Faheem had spent virtually the entire campaign in Dubai ) engaging his “”weak libido (sic)”" and ignoring his party responsibilities in the middle of the campaign. Zardari argued that Faheem was simply not up to the demands of the office of the Prime Minister. Ambassador asked about the possibility of a split in the party and the general perception that Faheem was a popular party stalwart with IOUs in the party structure. Zardari said Faheem would only take two deputies with him if he split from the party. In the meantime, he was being courted by the PML-Q. Zardari confirmed he would have been willing to work with the PML-Q if they had dumped the Chaudharys — which Musharraf had been reluctant to do. Now, Zardari said, he did not trust Faheem. Zardari said he was going to wait until the very last minute, after the assembly was convened, to announce the choice for PM.


5. (C) Zardari said he had made a deal with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader Fazlur Rehman to enter the coalition. While he only has six seats in the national assembly, Rehman still has fourteen senators. Ambassador asked if ANP leader Walid Khan had agreed to this: Zardari ISLAMABAD 00001072 002 OF 002 said he had. 

6. (C) Zardari said he planned to run in a by-election if he were permitted to do so. Ambassador said we would like to work with the PPP and other parties on the reform of the electoral commission, to make it truly independent. Zardari concurred with this idea.

7. (C) Zardari said he had floated Ahmed Mukhtar,s name as a possible candidate for Prime Minister, but Mukhtar had not done well in the subsequent glare of international publicity. Zardari said his current choice was Yousef Raza Gillani (Ref B) who is also a vice chairman of the party. Zardari argued he needed someone from the Punjab as PM, since that populous province was the backbone of the party’s future. He said Sherry Rehman would be Information Minister and that Syed Naveed Qamar would become the Minister of Finance, although he would be advised by a strong group of businessmen. Zardari said he was at pains to rebrand the PPP as friendly to business and to encourage American investment.

8. (C) Comment: Party infighting seems to continue unabated. Tariq Aziz told us a few days ago that while the government would have preferred Amin Faheem, any of the four major candidates would be acceptable to them. Embassy will get an update from him March 11. At this point we do not believe it realistic to try and put together any coalition with the PML-Q. One of the main outstanding questions is whether Zardari plans to run for Prime Minister himself if allowed to run in a by-election. End comment.

PATTERSON

2008: Zardari, Nawaz agreed not to restore Chief Justice Iftikhar ChaudhryDAWN.COM May 24, 2011 (1 week ago) http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/24/2008-zardari-nawaz-agreed-not-to-restore-chief-justice-iftikhar-chaudhry.html

"UNQUOTE"


Capital Talk - 6th Decembe 2010 - P2 - Who is real American agent?



"QUOTE"



Shahbaz speculated Kayani may be pressured to intervene in political system DAWN.COM May 20, 2011 (2 weeks ago) http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/20/shahbaz-speculated-kayani-may-be-pressured-to-intervene-in-political-system.html

195758 3/6/2009 19:08 09LAHORE41 Consulate Lahore SECRET “O 061908Z MAR 09

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AMEMBASSY KABUL
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
AMEMBASSY LONDON
CIA WASHDC
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
AMCONSUL LAHORE “S E C R E T LAHORE 000041
E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/6/2034

TAGS: PGOV, PTER, KDEM, PK

SUBJECT: (S) SHAHBAZ SHARIF OPEN TO NEGOTIATIONS WITH PRESIDENT

ZARDARI

Derived from: DSCG 05-1, D



1. (S) Summary: In a March 6 meeting with Principal Officer, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif laid out a number of preconditions for a quick negotiated settlement to the current political impasse with President Asif Zardari including that (1) the agreement included concrete progress to resolve the judges’ issue and (2) their was a guarantor to ensure President Zardari lived up to his commitments. Shahbaz suggested that either a dismissal of all judges who had taken an extra-constitutional oath — including former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry — or creation of a constitutional court superior to the Supreme Court might offer ways to resolve the issue but noted that Nawaz Sharif had not yet been consulted on these ideas. Shahbaz worried that if the current political impasse was not resolved prior to March 12, the long march could be exploited both by terrorists and by elements of the establishment who still wished to derail the democratic process. While Shahbaz reposed continued confidence in Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Kayani and suggested that Kayani could be used to pressure Zardari towards a reasonable agreement, Shahbaz cautioned that Kayani was only one general and that others were undoubtedly pushing Kayani to use the current political impasse as a pretext for intervention in the system. End Summary.


2. (S) Principal Officer met March 6 with PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif to deliver talking points provided by Ambassador Holbrooke. Shahbaz immediately accepted that a quick negotiated settlement of all of the Sharifs’ outstanding issues with President Zardari was in the national interest and stated that he and his brother were fully prepared to be constructive participants in a dialogue process that yielded concrete results. However, Shahbaz cautioned that it was President Zardari who had initiated this latest political crisis through his pressure on the Supreme Court to disqualify the Sharifs and that it was President Zardari who would need to show himself open to a final negotiated settlement. Shahbaz opined that any trust in President Zardari’s intentions was gone, owing to his habit of negotiating and then breaking deals with the Sharifs. Shahbaz stated that he was only interested in dialogue if it led to concrete commitments from Zardari that would finally resolve the outstanding issues dividing the parties, particularly the judges’ issue. He also stressed that given Zardari’s past track record on agreements, any settlement would need to include a guarantor, who could exercise pressure on both sides to fulfill commitments. Shahbaz did not offer comment on to which party he would like to serve as guarantor, deferring instead to his elder brother.

3. (S) Shahbaz stated that for any reconciliation between the PML-N and President Zardari to proceed, the President would at a minimum have to resolve a formula that restored Shahbaz’s government, restored Nawaz’s eligibility, and restored — if only for a few moments — former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. Shahbaz stated that the first two issues could easily be resolved through presidential decree and/or parliamentary action, if both the PML-N and PPP leadership agreed to do so. On the Iftikhar Chaudhry issue, Shahbaz suggested two possible compromises (although he noted that his brother might have separate complimentary or conflicting ideas). First, he proposed that President Zardari announce Chaudhry’s restoration concomitant with a parliamentary decision, removing all judges who have taken oath under a provisional constitutional order (PCO) from office. Under this formula, Chaudhry, who took a PCO oath following Musharraf’s 1999 coup, along with most other senior judges would be removed from office. The parties could then implement the provisions of the Charter of Democracy, which lays out a system for multiparty consultation and agreement on judicial appointments. Second, he suggested that the Constitutional Court, envisaged in the Charter of Democracy, be established and that it be made superior to the Supreme Court. Iftikhar Chaudhry’s restoration as Chief Justice would then have little measurable impact, as the Constitutional Court, staffed by appointees from both parties, could nullify his decisions.

4. (S) Shahbaz agreed with USG concerns that the current political impasse was distracting attention from issues of national importance. He also expressed his concern that terrorists could exploit the current demonstrations and the planned long march to carry out attacks on the public and political leaders. He also expressed concern that while he and his brother could confidently control PML-N elements in the long march and keep them peaceful, people from numerous other organizations outside their influence would also be participating. Shahbaz expressed serious reservations that in the current emotionally charged climate, these elements could resort to vandalism and/or violence. If such occurred, Shahbaz worried that the army might be tempted to intervene in the political system.

5. (S) Shahbaz expressed great faith in Chief of Army Staff Kayani’s commitment to civilian rule and democracy. He stated without prompting that Kayani was the least likely army officer to intervene in the democratic process. However, he cautioned that Kayani, unlike Musharraf, was surrounded by corps commanders who were effectively his equals in terms of seniority. If these officers pressed for a direct or Bangladesh-style indirect intervention in the system, Kayani would have no choice but to comply with their wishes. Shahbaz stated that he hoped Kayani would play a constructive role at this time in pressing all political leaders to resolve their outstanding issues quickly and through negotiation.

6. (S) Shahbaz remained optimistic that if a provincial election for Chief Minister were declared, the PML-N could muster the necessary votes to elect its candidate (currently Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Khosa — an 80 plus year old former Punjab Governor from Dera Ghazi Khan currently serving as PML-N’s Punjab President) as Chief Minister. Shahbaz was confident that under no circumstances would PML-N or PML forward block members vote for the PPP, as, he argued, they are mindful that the next elections will go to the PML-N and these members wish to win a second term. Shahbaz claimed that he was open to an alliance with the PML, provided that the PML dropped its initial demand that the Chief Minister slot go to the PML, as there was no way he could sell that to Nawaz. Shahbaz reported that he was in regular contact with Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi (through intermediaries) regarding a possible deal, but noted that at least initially, the PML would need to agree to a partnership without preconditions — in order to win over Nawaz. Ministries would, of course, be provided appropriate to the PML’s status as a “”junior coalition partner.”"

7. (S) Comment: Shahbaz Sharif seemed slightly more open than during his meeting a week earlier to reconciliation with President Zardari. However, he seemed extremely cautious about any direct dialogue with President Zardari absent an outside guarantor and pre-agreement from Zardari to resolve all issues including the restoration — even if only symbolic — of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. Post believes that Shahbaz has not discussed his various “”solutions”" in detail with his elder brother Nawaz Sharif, who will ultimately have to acquiesce to any final deal. Shahbaz offered no assurances that the PML-N was prepared to end its street protests / public meetings unilaterally, placing the blame for any disruptive consequences on President Zardari, who Shahbaz regards as provocateur. Shahbaz remained pessimistic about President Zardari’s desire to pursue reconciliation.

End Comment

HUNT

Shahbaz speculated Kayani may be pressured to intervene in political system DAWN.COM May 20, 2011 (2 weeks ago) http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/20/shahbaz-speculated-kayani-may-be-pressured-to-intervene-in-political-system.html


"UNQUOTE"

Capital Talk - 6th Decembe 2010 - P3 - Who is real American agent?


"QUOTE"



Shahbaz was willing to negotiate CJ’s future DAWN.COM May 20, 2011 (2 weeks ago)

196903 3/14/2009 11:25 09LAHORE49 Consulate Lahore SECRET “O 141125Z MAR 09

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NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
CIA WASHDC
AMEMBASSY KABUL
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
AMEMBASSY LONDON
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
AMCONSUL LAHORE “S E C R E T LAHORE 000049

E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/14/2034

TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, PTER, PK

SUBJECT: SHARIFS REMAIN OPEN TO NEGOTIATION

CLASSIFIED BY: Bryan D. Hunt, Principal Officer, American

Consulate Lahore, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (d)


1. (S) Summary: In a March 14 meeting, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif told Principal Officer that he and his brother — former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif — welcomed efforts by the United States, United Kingdom, and the Pakistan Army to negotiate a political settlement between his party and the government. Shahbaz stated that the Sharifs’ key demands in these negotiations were: (1) restoration of the electoral eligibility of both Sharif brothers; (2) restoration of Shahbaz Sharif’s government in the Punjab; (3) some sort of face-saving restoration of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry; and (4) agreement on transfers of powers between the President and the Prime Minister in accordance with the Charter of Democracy. Shahbaz noted that the lawyers would need to be brought into the discussion on Iftikhar Chaudhry’s restoration and that, in his assessment, both current Chief Justice Dogar and Punjab Governor Salman Taseer would be unable to play a role in the new system. Shahbaz rejected the proposal for a provincial unity government headed by the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), as contrary to the clear will of the electorate. Shahbaz accepted Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s proposal to negotiate an appropriate venue for the lawyers’ planned sit-in in the Islamabad/Rawalpindi area, but stated that Advisor Malik would need to negotiate such a deal with the lawyers, not simply the PML-N. As demonstrated in the meeting, the PML-N has hardened its demands and displayed little flexibility. End Summary.

Negotiation

2. (S) PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif welcomed efforts by the United States, United Kingdom, and the Pakistan Chief of Army Staff to negotiate a political settlement between the leadership of the PML-N and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Shahbaz stated that the three parties working in concert should eventually be able to place sufficient pressure on both sides to find a durable solution to the crisis and that the Sharifs were satisfied that any deal guaranteed by the three would be implemented. Shahbaz stressed that he and his brother — former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif — were sincere in desiring a negotiated settlement to the outstanding issues and promised that they would show “”maximum flexibility”" in trying to find a workable approach in concert with international donors and the Pakistan army. Shahbaz, however, assessed that it was President Zardari’s intransigence on restoration of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and his misreading of Punjabi politics that had created the current crisis and that would likely be the greatest stumbling block to quick progress in the discussions.

3. (S) Shahbaz Sharif highlighted that the PML-N currently had four core goals in the negotiation process. First, the restoration of the eligibility of both Sharif brothers to contest in national elections was a prerequisite to progress on any other issues. Shahbaz bluntly stated that his party had no room for maneuver on this demand. Second, Shahbaz insisted that his government in the Punjab province would have to be restored. Principal Officer raised the possibility of a provincial unity government headed by the minority PML, which Shahbaz rejected. The former Chief Minister argued that his party had a clear plurality in the provincial assembly, which had been established through an election that had been judged by the international community to be free, fair, and credible. Shahbaz stated that this gave his party the mandate to form the government and that the public would never accept a deal that did not restore his government to power. Shahbaz stressed that his party was not open to negotiation on this point. Shahbaz underscored that Punjab Governor Salman Taseer would need to be replaced.

4. (S) On the issue of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, Shahbaz claimed that the PML-N was open to negotiation, provided that Chaudhry was symbolically restored as Chief Justice of Pakistan. Shahbaz stressed that his party could not afford the political humiliation of abandoning what had become a long-standing principle in favor of Chaudhry’s restoration. At the same time, Shahbaz claimed to understand that Chaudhry was a problematic jurist, whose powers would need to be carefully curtailed. Shahbaz underscored that the Sharifs were prepared to adopt any safeguards that President Zardari desired prior to Chaudhry’s restoration, including curtailment of his powers to create judicial benches, removal of his suo moto jurisdiction, and/or establishment of a constitutional court as a check on the Supreme Court. Shahbaz also stated that following the restoration, the PML-N was prepared to end the issue and remove Chaudhry once and for all by adopting legislation proposed in the Charter of Democracy that would ban all judges who had taken an oath under a Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) from serving. Asked about the PML-N’s openness to a new role for current Chief Justice Hameed Dogar, Shahbaz stated that Dogar was a completely discredited jurist and that his party did not believe that he should play any role in a future set-up after his mandatory retirement on March 20. Shahbaz left the clear impression that the PML-N was unwilling to show any flexibility on Dogar.

5. (S) Shahbaz raised that his party also believed any negotiated settlement should include movement towards full adoption of the Charter of Democracy, particularly its provisions related to the repeal of Musharraf’s controversial 17th amendment and the transfer of powers from the President to the Prime Minister. Shahbaz stated that this had been a long-standing demand of the PML-N (although it had not previously been raised with the international community in the context of the current political crisis) and that given the problems Zardari had caused, it was prudent to move forward. Shahbaz indicated that the actual implementation of this part of the agreement could be prolonged, but felt that his party would require, at a minimum, a guarantee from Zardari that it would eventually move forward on an agreed-upon timeframe.

Long March

6. (S) Shahbaz noted that both he and Nawaz Sharif were very concerned about the potential for criminal and/or terrorist elements to exploit the chaos created by the long march and induce violence. He thanked the Principal Officer for USG efforts to encourage former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take greater precautions with his personal security, noting that Nawaz had understood the message and had promised to modify his behavior. Shahbaz stated that he was disappointed that Interior Minister Rehman Malik had only belatedly advised the Sharifs formally of threats to their security in a March 13 letter. He noted that even this had only come following the Sharifs’ independent gathering and sharing of information with the federal government on criminal elements’ intentions to make trouble during the long march. Nonetheless, Shahbaz conceded that Malik’s fears were well-founded and promised that the senior leadership would take “”full-proof”" security precautions during the rallies and minimize their exposure to the public.

7. (S) Principal Officer asked Shahbaz whether his party was prepared to negotiate the venue for the planned Islamabad sit-in with the federal government in order to minimize the security threat and disruption to governance in the capital. Shahbaz stated that “”unofficially”" the PML-N was fully prepared to discuss the issue with Malik and to compromise on a venue acceptable to both parties, even if it meant holding the sit-in in Rawalpindi or on the outskirts of Islamabad. However, Shahbaz stated that the PML-N was not the primary organizer of the event and that if Malik wished to discuss such matters, he should include the other sit-in participants, principally the lawyers’ movement leadership in the negotiations. Shahbaz was adamant that while the PML-N was prepared to be helpful, the party would have to follow the lawyers lead on this question, as the lawyers were the primary event organizers. (Note: Ambassador conveyed Shahbaz’s message to Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who requested that the PML-N take the lead in organizing a trilateral discussion including himself and the lawyers. Post has conveyed Malik’s request to Shahbaz Sharif. Shahbaz, after consulting with senior leadership of the PML-N, refused to assist. End Note.)

Comment

8. (S) As was expected, the Sharifs are expanding the issues on which they want progress as part of negotiations with President Zardari. The removal of Governor Taseer, the final retirement of Chief Justice Dogar, and progress on the Charter of Democracy provisions related to the 17th amendment are all new PML-N demands that will likely be highly controversial with President Zardari. Post believes that the Sharifs are likely flexible on the 17th amendment but will hold firm to both the Dogar and Taseer removals — for largely personal reasons. The offer to negotiate on the sit-in venue is an important concession that has the possibility to help improve security and minimize direct confrontation during the long-march and that could serve as a confidence building measure for future negotiations. However, Shahbaz’s insistence on the lawyers’ involvement in this process could easily complicate the discussions significantly, and we will need to continue to lean on the Sharifs to show leadership and bring the lawyers to a reasonable compromise.

End Comment


Shahbaz was willing to negotiate CJ’s future DAWN.COM May 20, 2011 (2 weeks ago)

"UNQUOTE"

Capital Talk - 6th Decembe 2010 - P4 - Who is real American agent?






"QUOTE"



Kayani, politicians asked US to intervene in Zardari-Sharifs rowDAWN.COM May 20, 2011 (2 weeks ago)

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2018

TAGS: PREL, PTER, PGOV, PK

SUBJECT: ZARDARI-NAWAZ RECONCILIATION: PLEAS FOR U.S.

INTERVENTION

REF: A. LAHORE 41

B. ISLAMABAD 488 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, for reasons 1.4 (b)(d)


1. (C) Summary. Amid flurries of political horse trading and so-far unsuccessful efforts to mediate a resolution to the Sharif brothers’ disqualification from public office and the imposition of governor’s rule in Punjab, Chief of Army Staff General Kayani and several political parties appealed to the U.S. to intervene. Pakistan Muslim League (PML) leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain indicated to Ambassador he would align with Zardari if we would guarantee he became leader of the Senate (next in line to the President); Shahbaz Sharif told PO Lahore (Ref A) the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) would need a guarantor for any reconciliation with Zardari; the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) wanted U.S. reassurance we still supported Zardari but also was concerned that MQM would be damaged by its association with him.

2. (C) There are several common themes here: distrust of Zardari; agreement on the need to find a way out of the current political impasse to prevent disruptive street violence; and abandonment of all pretense that the U.S. should not intervene in Pakistani internal affairs. Ambassador has been careful to keep the U.S. out of the political souk; however, it is in our interests to ease Zardari off the ledge he has walked onto and avoid the kind of violence that will force the Army to restore law and order. Even if a reconciliation package can be found, it is unlikely Nawaz can back out of support for the lawyers’ march, scheduled to begin on March 12 and culminate in Islamabad on March 16. We have no leverage over Nawaz but continue weigh in with Zardari. We will urge him to resolve quickly the political leadership issue in Punjab and avoid further exacerbating the judiciary issue with a decision to extend the current Chief Justice. End Summary.

MEDIATORS SHUTTLE
—————–

3. (C) On March 6-7, multiple political mediators, including Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani, Awami National Party leader Asfundyar Wali Khan and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Fazlur Rehman, conducted visits aimed at reconciling President Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leaders Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif in the wake of mounting political pressure following the Sharifs’ disqualification from public office and Zardari’s imposition of governor’s rule in Punjab. There was a mixed response to PML-N’s call for nationwide strikes on March 6; as expected, the biggest support for strikes and PML-N rallies continued to be in the Sharifs’ home base of Punjab. Zardari and PM Gilani met to review the situation, and Zardari saw Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) in-country leader Farouq Sattar. Representatives of rival center-right parties PML-N and the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) also met, while PML also offered to mediate between Zardari and Nawaz. PML also reportedly met with PM Gilani to discuss a possible alliance with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

4. (C) Despite assertions by Fazlur that Nawaz and Zardari were seasoned politicians who would come to an agreement, Nawaz continued to address large crowds and Zardari has shown no sign of budging on the judges’ issue or the Sharifs’ disqualification. In impassioned speeches in Lahore and Faisalabad this weekend, Nawaz asserted that the dispute could only be settled on the street and predicted that the lawyers’ march would mark the beginning of “”revolution”" in the country. Both Zardari and Nawaz have boxed themselves into hardline positions.

MQM WORRIED
———–

5. (C) On March 6, MQM leader Farouq Sattar asked urgently to see Ambassador to convey the concerns of MQM leader Altaf Hussain regarding the political upheaval. Sattar emphasized that MQM continued to support Zardari 100 percent, but said:

(1) it was clear Zardari had not done his homework by accurately counting votes before declaring governor’s rule;

ISLAMABAD 00000495 002 OF 002

(2) the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) support for both the disqualification and governor’s rule was weak at best; and

(3) the coalition was not governing well and this latest distraction would not help matters. His conclusion was that Zardari’s friends had to get together and find a way to help him out of this mess, so that the coalition could concentrate on the economy and growing militancy. Altaf Hussain wanted to know if the U.S. still supported Zardari.

6. (C) Ambassador agreed with Sattar’s analysis, said emphatically that we continued to support the elected government and asked Sattar for suggestions on how to reconcile Nawaz and Zardari. Sattar described a formula he had proposed to Zardari several days ago–enact a constitutional amendment that would concurrently fire all/all judges who had taken oaths to dictators (this would include both the former and current Chief Justices Chaudhry and Dogar) and, through a new judicial review board, hire new judges with impeccable credentials (this could include judges backed by Nawaz and Zardari). Sattar, whose MQM party strongly dislikes the PML-N, did not suggest that the disqualification of Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif be overturned. MQM remains a key player the PPP cannot afford to lose; Zardari did not move against Nawaz until MQM (with its 25 seats in the National Assembly) agreed to join the governing coalition and return the PPP government to a slim majority in the National Assembly.

PML IN THE SOUK
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7. (C) On March 7, Ambassador met with Pakistan Muslim League (PML) leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi. PML holds the votes to enable either the PPP or the PML-N to form a coalition government in Punjab but has been sitting on the fence courting offers from both Zardari and Nawaz. A significant (30 plus) forward block within PML has made it clear it supports joining Nawaz, and many in the party agree it would make more sense to bring these two center-right parties together again. However, uniting PML and PML-N would precipitate a leadership struggle between the Sharifs and the Chaudhrys. Others within the party believe an alliance with the PPP makes more sense because Zardari now controls a larger share of the spoils.

8. (C) Shujaat made it clear to Ambassador he would like U.S. support for his bid to become leader of the Senate (second in line to the President); Elahi would like to return to his former post as Chief Minister of Punjab. Shujaat told Ambassador, however, that he does not trust Zardari to follow through on his promises without a guarantor. (Note: Shahbaz Sharif told PO Lahore (Ref A) that PML-N would also like a guarantor to any reconciliation deal because of questions about Zardari’s trustworthiness.) 9. (C) Comment: With the lawyers’ march scheduled to begin on March 12, and election of a new Senate leader expected the same day, time is running short for a resolution of these disputes. The media, which overwhelmingly has criticized Zardari for both the Sharifs’ disqualification and governor’s rule, will have a field day covering the long march. Meanwhile, the situation in Swat and even the Sri Lankan cricket team attack have receded from the front pages to make way for the current political drama. As Awami National Party leader Khattak told Polcouns March 5, “”Zardari will not be able to concentrate on anything else but the Punjab crisis from now on.”" This has all become reminiscent of Musharraf’s obsession with the former Chief Justice, to the detriment of his own rule and government control over the tribal areas.

PATTERSON


Kayani, politicians asked US to intervene in Zardari-Sharifs rowDAWN.COM May 20, 2011 (2 weeks ago)


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