Supreme Court’s Lopsided Decision Against NRO: Double Standards, Justice Chaudhry?
ISLAMABAD, Dec 16 (APP): A larger bench of Supreme Court here Wednesday declared NRO as null and void as it violated various constitutional provisions as a law void ab-initio.The
short order read by CJ Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said that all the cases withdrawn under NRO would stand to the pre-October 2007 position. Similarly, all the cases withdrawn under section 31-A would also be revised.
The Federal Government was directed to proceed against the then Attorney General Malik Abdul Qayum for withdrawing cases outside the country in unauthorized and illegal manner.
The government was also directed to make fresh appointments on Chairman NAB and Prosecutor General NAB posts. However, the incumbents were allowed to function till fresh appointments. The Monitoring Cell would be set up as Supreme Court and all the High Courts would monitor progress on these cases.
Secretary Ministry of Law is directed to increase the number of accountability courts to expedite the process, the Chief Justice said.
He said that petitions against NRO were allowed and disposed of accordingly.
Source
Partial Justice with Partial Implications: Accountability of Politicians, Amnesty to GHQ?
Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s Reaction to the Double Standards of the Supreme Court of Pakistan
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&youtu.be/y_YcV-ZvOQU
Some reflections:
1. The democracy haters (e.g., Dr Shahid Masood, Shaheen Sehbai, Mullah Media Alliance, Taliban etc) are disappointed because the honourable court did not object to the constitutional indemnity of the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari.
2. The best course for the ex-beneficiaries of the NRO is to face their cases in the court/s, however, they do not need to resign from their positions or ministries because most of the alleged cases of corruption against them were based on political victimization, forged evidence and forced admissions (instituted by the likes of Saif-ur-Rehman, Farooq Leghari and the ISI officials). According to the Supreme Court’s verdict, the incumbents have been allowed to function till fresh appointments. Politically motivated charges of corruption do not tantamount to conviction.
3. According to Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan and retired Justice Tariq Mehmood, most of the cases against the NRO beneficiaries were decided in absentia (based on political victimisation); there is therefore a very good chance that any existing convictions will be undone in a review petition.
According to Aitzaz Ahsan:
– Zardari has constitutional immunity because he is ‘President’
– The Swiss case cannot be re-opened because Zardari is ‘President’ and international law will not allow it.
– Aitzaz insisted he will continue to support Zardari
– He insisted that President Zardari must stay in office till he completes his term
4. While the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared the NRO null and void and instructed legal proceedings against the then Attorney General Malik Qayyum, the Supreme Court took extreme care in not uttering a single word against the then military dictator General Prevez Musharraf, nor any instructions to initiate legal proceedings against General Musharraf were given. It may be noted that General Kayani, the present COAS, was a partner in the negotiations between PPP and the military dictator which resulted in the NRO and also General Musharraf’s retirement from the military.
Will the Supreme Court of Pakistan now take up cases against the ISI and Pakistan Army (involving the illegal dispersion of money to Nawaz Sharif, Qazi Hussain Ahmed etc – Asghar Khan case)?
Khamosh kyun hain aaj kal az khud sama’atain?
Az khud bata rahay hain lutairay hikayatain
(Mahmood Sham’s poem on Brigadier Imtiaz’s and General Hameed Gul’s confessing statements)
Will the Court also take take up submarine deal case and punish elements of establishment and GHQ which made millions of dollars and are also allegedly involved in jihadi factories which have ultimately resulted in suicide bombing in every city and town of the land of the pure?
5. In the end, we congratulate President Asif Zardari and the PPP government for being impartial during the whole episode. It was not too long ago when PML-N workers stormed and attacked the Supreme Court of Pakistan to prevent a non-favourable ruling against Nawaz Sharif. This is a lesson to all political parties of Pakistan.
REACTION:Govt respects SC verdict on NRO: Babar
Updated at: 2225 PST, Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ISLAMABAD: Responding to the Supreme Court’s verdict about National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), the President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that the government accepts the court and its verdict.
Speaking to newsmen outside the SC building here, he said that President Zardari enjoys the constitutional protection under Article 242. He said PPP leadership is not afraid of the verdict.
He said the resignation of the president was out of question.
Earlier, the Supreme Court, in its short verdict, declared the NRO as unconstitutional and illegal.
Source
Aitzaz says president enjoys immunity
LAHORE: Senior PPP leader Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan has said that President Asif Ali Zardari enjoys constitutional immunity under Article 248(2) and cannot be summoned by courts till the end of his term in office.
Article 248 of the Constitution
248. Protection to President, Governor, Minister, etc.
(1) The President, a Governor, the Prime Minister, a Federal Minister, a Minister of State, the Chief Minister and a Provincial Minister shall not he answerable to any court for the exercise of powers and performance of functions of their respective offices or for any act done or purported to be done in the exercise of those powers and performance of those functions:
Provided that nothing in this clause shall be construed as restricting the right of any person to bring appropriate proceedings against the Federation or a Province.
(2) No criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the President or a Governor in any court during his term of office.
(3) No process for the arrest or imprisonment of the President or a Governor shall issue from any court during his term of office.
(4) No civil proceedings in which relief is claimed against the President or a Governor shall be instituted during his term of office in respect of anything done by or not done by him in his personal capacity whether before or after he enters upon his office unless, at least sixty days before the proceedings are instituted, notice in writing has been delivered to him, or sent to him in the manner prescribed by law, stating the nature of the proceedings, the cause of action, the name, description and place of residence of the party by whom the proceedings are to be instituted and the relief which the party claims.
Source
Charge-sheet against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and some of his fellow judges in the Supreme Court
By Shaheryar Ali
The Independent Judiciary
The glorious Judge is restored, judiciary has become independent!! Really?
A. The Independent and restored judiciary dismissed the petitions of the Communist Party of Pakistan, Qazi Hussein Ahmad and Imran Khan on technical grounds, allowing General Pervez Musharraf to contest the presidential election in uniform. [But who care, judge is restored]
B. Nawaz Sharif was dragged and sent back to Saudi Arabia against courts order, our glorious judge takes action on road blocks in Islamabad, Khawaja Asif is running with contempt of court petition in hands, it takes weeks n weeks till the glorious judge is dismissed again
C. The glorious Chief justice declared the written and sealed deals of Punjabi politicians Sharif brothers unconstitutional, both of whom are convicted criminals allowing them to return, on the same time not activating their sentences. But glorious chief justice passed stay order against the NRO in 2007 by which the cases which state of Pakistan failed to get conviction in any court of the world in 10 years, and for which ‘evil’ Sindhi Zardari served the due time in jail [if convicted] were withdrawn accepting their political nature.
The Public Interest Litigation, the Civil Rights Jihad:
“Our glorious chief justice took notices causing a civil right revolution in Pakistan”
1. Did the glorious chief justice revise and nullifiy Molvi Tameez uddin case which is back bone legal precedent of almost all unconstitutional acts in Pakistan. No
2. Did the glorious chief justice revised and nullified Begum Nusrat Bhutto case. No
3. Did the glorious chief justice revised and nullified Zaffarullah shah case . No
4. Did the glorious chief justice revised and nullified The Lawyers Forum case. No
5. Did the glorious chief justice revised and nullified The Hudood Laws which are discriminatory and unconstitutional. No
6. Did the glorious chief justice revised and nullified Law of evidence by which woman’s evidence is considered half of that of a man. No
7. Did the glorious CJ nullified the Anti Ahmedi laws which are one of the most draconian laws that ever existed any where.? No
8. Did the glorious CJ lifted the unconstitutional ban on student unions esp since his restoration owed a lot to “lawyers unions”. No
9. Did he lift ban on trade unions. No
10. Did he take notice of murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti. No
11. Did he take notice of the Baluchistan operation. No
12. Did he take notice of murder of 170 PPP workers and allowed PPP to launch the FIR. No
13. Did he remove laws against homosexuals and gay people. No
14. Did he pay any heed to the long-pending Asghar Khan case against the ISI and the military Generals? No
But he took notices of individual cases. Which usually Supreme Court should not, it should make legal civil rights moves to change system like in the USA. But who cares
Its very bad to take back “corruption” cases [which were never convicted and Zardari actually served the legal time if was convicted] but what about the high treason cases against judges which were never filed. What about the convictions and sentences of Punjabi Sharifs. Who will file the corruptions charges against General Zia and Jamate Islami?? The Afghan Jihad? Who will look into the empires of General Hameed Gul and General Abdul Rehman? Is only PPP is to be persecuted? its one chairman hanged, second stunned, third shot, and now 4th be hanged? 8 years of prison is not enough so will he be hanged too? but why only PPP’s politician have to be held accountable? NRO is bad ? But what bout the “un-sung NROs”?? The high treason to corruption to murder charges that never were filed in first place?
Re-throne Iftikhar ch and Hang zardari, and sing all Faiz and Jalib on Geo, it will be the same , thats the bitter truth———
Shaheryar Ali
Source
What do ordinary Pakistani citizens say?
Some comments:
(various sources, Dawn.com, pkpolitics etc)
Umer said:
Another political judgement.The Supreme Court,first of all,should have looked into the legality or otherwise of the cases before re-opening them.Most of these case were one-sided and based on political vendetta.
Asfandyar said:
it was a good judgement but the court proceeding were political motivated , the court had to decide whether NRO is against human rights or not,but the most of the discussion and Q&A from judges revolve around particular cases and NAB reports.
its a clear case of political victimization.
Rajiv said:
Do you think the decision will create instability as claimed by the government?
Yes.
Do you think this move will serve to discourage corruption?
No
How will this decision impact the political and security situation in Pakistan?
More intrigue and instability.
Do you think that politicians and bureaucrats accused of corruption will now be held accountable?
No.
Do you think that the debate regarding NRO focuses too much on politicians and less on accountability measures?
Its a useless debate. Coruption is everywhete in Pakistan. Army, Muslim League, PPP. So this is just politically motivated anti-corruption drive.
Mahzaib Aziz said:
I simply cannot understand why is this the “main” issue within the media circles, these cases have been in courts for years, none of them was proved, perhaps the judiciary has “transformed for the better (which i somewhat disagree with)” but i don’t see an unbiased decision coming up very soon, in fact this thing may turn on its head, don’t be surprised if these same courts vindicate NRO beneficiaries(at least the top lot) ..
bsobaid said:
I must congratulate PPP government for being impartial during the whole episode.
It was’nt too far ago when N-League workers stormed and attacked government to prevent a non-favourable ruling.
This is a lesson to all political parties of PAkistan.
gayan said:
This Decision makes no sense to me…..Supreme Court wasted two precious weeks of the people of Pakistan.
They should have declared it Null & Void within one day of the proceedings…..
SO what did you get guys out of this…..Nothing…..
Zardari is the president of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and you can’t do anything about it.
The cases will go back to courts so if any of you zardari hater has any proof of his corruption; it is ur duty to give it courts. But hang on, u guys have no idea, u just follow propaganda and personal hatred…..sad…. pathetic….
The only way you will get rid of him is through political means. So get real. Support your candidate in the next election. Be democratic, use ur mind, don’t play in the hands of military and media propagandas.
mir munsif said:
This is historical decision as expected but This is neither against Govt nor against AZ,because I think Neither PPP led Govt not AZ ever opposed this decision in SC.PM and President said that they will honour the verdict.Now cases are open,PPP never shy away from state sponsored manipulated cses against PPP leadership and workers,Now as per SC verdict Cases are open,but for you info ” Cases against PPP leadership are NEVER proved any court of Law,so one can allege them but cant call them CONVICTED”.Any one can be alleged,but conviction is important.Since PPP has always suffered at the hands of Establishment forces,and always come back in power with support of PPP.If you like it or not,even in the presence of this NRO,ppl voted for PPP in most of provinces.Even after the annulation of NRO,ppl will elect PPP inspite of Establishment sponsored Propaganda or policies.Finally,I think,as per constitution,PPP led Govt has legtimate right to govern the state for given period,any effort to dislodge PPP will neither bring good for democracy nor for state as whole.We may not like face of AZ but we have to respect his mandate.
c hussain said:
… the people who benfited from NRO were accused and not convicted. So until they are convic ted in a court of law they are presumed to be innocent. That what the Pakistan law states and that is what the consitution states. To let the accused off the hook by a law like NRO is no doubt a crime but that does not mean they have commited a crime also – until they have exhausted all the avenues open to seek justice for the accusations that have been made against them. So the Court in no way could declare NRO beneficiaries as convicted – it could only open up the cases so that the law can take its due course which now it will. Thats why it ordered for Swiss cases to be opened up but that does not mean that Zardari has been convicted of any crime.
Bawa said:
جناب شاید آپکو معلوم نہیں یا پھر جان بوجھکر انجان بن رہے ہیں. جنرل اشفاق پرویز کیانی وہ شخصییت ہیں جو اس این ار او میں دلال کا کردار ادا کر رہے تھے. وہ اسوقت آئی ایس آئی کے سربراہ تھے. انکا این آر او میں ایک خاص مفاد تھا کیونکہ اس این آر او کی تکمیل کے نتیجے میں جنرل پرویز مشرف کی وردی اترنا تھی اور جنرل کیانی کو آرمی چیف بننا تھا. دوسرے لفظوں میں یوں بھی کہا جا سکتا ہے کہ وہ بھی این آر او کے تحت فائدہ اٹھانے والوں میں شامل تھے. سادہ الفاظ میں کہہ لیں کہ زرداری اینڈ کمپنی نے حرام کھایا ہے جبکہ مشرف، کیانی اینڈ کمپنی نے حرام کھلوایا ہے. حرام کھانے والے اور حرام کھلوانے والے
. اب وقت آگیا ہے کہ غلط کو غلط اور صحیح کو صیحیح کہا جائے. کیا کیانی کے عہدے کا حلف اسکو این آر او کا حصہ بننے کی اجازت دیتا تھا؟ کیا کیانی نہیں جانتا تھا کہ بینظر اور زرداری کے سوئس اکآونٹس کی حقیقت کیا ہے؟ کیا کیانی نہیں جاتا تھا کہ مشرف کو وردی سمیت یا بغیر وردی صدر بنوانا غیر آئینی ہے؟
حقیقت یہ ہے کہ کیانی بھی مشرف کے گناونے جرایم میں برابر کے شریک ہیں. انکو بھی قانون کے شکنجے میں لانا وقت کی اہم ضرورت ہے
gayan said:
Bawa is correct …this is a clear violation of his oath…he must be brought to justice…….
Chief justice should brought all thos involved in this act. Zaradri is the least responsible.
MQM killed 52 people in karachi on the order of chief of army staff…where is the justice for those people??????????
u can jump up and down on this verdict but it has no value and absoultely no effect. Even a Maja and Gama knew this is will be the outcome.
As far as zardari is concern…nothing will happen to him bcs he heads political party….
hasankhan said:
oh my God how supreme court ask to send swiss cases back for reopen,dont they know asif zerdari is the president of pakistan.this time these cases will not be open against zerdari but against the president of pakistan.if the verdect comes against,zerdari wont be defamed but the president and the whole nation would be defamed.apni hi jag hansai kuro,wah wah wah,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,kia faisla hai.
Now that the Supreme Court has nullified the NRO, we must proceed thoughtfully and carefully so as to preserve the democratic order and use the opportunity to strengthen Pakistan, not destroy it. In the following days there will certainly be the shrill voices of anti-democracy groups, especially those in the media. But we must remember that Pakistan is currently in a war, and a radical shakeup of government officials will only weaken our ability to defend our national security. Here are some key points to consider: http://www.new-pakistan.com/2009/12/16/we-must-proceed-thoughtfully-following-nro-decision
Ex nawaz govt blamed that zardari has 1.5$ billion is installed in swiss bank.By the way pakistan black mafia including ex army generals,ex military bureaucrats,civil bureaucrats and politicians has $.1000 billion in swiss bank .why the other having $ billion 1000 are not being trialed by media and supreme court?
How could one change the terrorist atmosphere gifted by Gharit Mafia Dictator General Zia ?Again,The present ruling of Sc clearly shows biased decision favour the Mian Brothers giffted by Ghariat Mafia Dictator Zia.Mian Brothers were proved to be innocent after having million case.Gr8 Gr8 SC Gr8 Gr8..
Don’t one watch Geo(Jew)and other private channels crying like crows against a single action of democratic govt?How can Democratic govt work in the presence of crow Anchors crying all the time.Anyways this is a best website presents true picture of our Ghariat Heroes.(crow Anchors)
The fucking Supreme Court of Pakistan is blind to see the corruption done under other governments……have they forgotten Nawaz Sharif’s robbery ….Musharraf and his party’s undertaking power illegally and destroying the country , but they can only see NRO….These courts are the killers of democracy…the murderers of peoples’ power and a disgrace to the name of judiciary and justice…curse on them for all they want to harm the federation of Pakistan , but certainly , there is gonna be a revolution….we will stand against all sort of conspiracies and will prove that only “DEMOCRACY IS THE GREATEST REVENGE”. LONG LIVE PPP, LONG LIVE ZARDARI.
What action is taken on this???
CJ says chiefs of MI, ISI asked him to quit: Affidavit on March 9 camp office event By Iftikhar A. Khan May 30, 2007 Wednesday Jamadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1428 http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/30/top1.htm
Where is the justice on this:
The air marshal was advised by the Supreme Court on Oct 28, 1996 that his letter had been converted by the CJP into a petition and registered as Human Rights Case 19/1996,its first hearing to be on Nov 3 of that year. REFERENCE: Let justice awaken By Ardeshir Cowasjee Sunday, 30 Aug, 2009 http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/columnists/ardeshir-cowasjee-let-justice-awaken-089
Roedad Khan filed petition against NRO but who will look into the affairs of Roedad Khan???
Shaheen Sehbai VS Roedad Khan (Ex – Civil Serpent).
http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/11/shaheen-sehbai-vs-roedad-khan-ex-civil.html
Nawaz opened up by congratulating Kamran on his Mehrangate exposures which had recently appeared in the press, asking how the inquiry was progressing, and giving his own views. They exchanged information, each believing the other was being informed. They talked about how COAS Aslam Beg (sporter of shades in the shade) managed to get Rs 14 crore (140 million) from Yunis Habib, then of Habib Bank. This was deposited in the ‘Survey Section 202’ account of Military Intelligence (then headed by Major-General Javed Ashraf Kazi). From there Rs 6 crore was paid to President Ghulam Ishaq Khan’s election cellmates (General Rafaqat, Roedad Khan, Ijlal Hyder Zaidi, etc.), and Rs 8 crore transferred to the ISI account. After lunch, Nawaz brought up the subject of how Aslam Beg early in 1991 had sought a meeting with him (then prime minister) to which he brought Major-General Asad Durrani, chief of the ISI. They told him that funds for vital on-going covert operations (not identified by Nawaz) were drying up, how they had a foolproof plan to generate money by dealing in drugs. They asked for his permission to associate themselves with the drug trade, assuring him of full secrecy and no chance of any trail leading back to them. REFERENCE: We never learn from history By Ardeshir Cowasjee dated 21 July 2002 Sunday 10 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1423 http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20020721.htm
Now, my friend Roedad Khan, perpetual bureaucrat steeped in the art of bureaucracy, yet again ready to serve his country, has reacted in a letter printed in this newspaper on July 26. Apparently, his innocence has been injured. He denies having had any connection with those in President Ghulam Ishaq’s secretariat who were paid to ‘fix’ the 1991 elections. He has, however, said that though he does not wish “to comment on the substance of the matter,” he “will do so at the appropriate time,” which, hopefully, will be soon. His secretariat colleague, General Rafaqat, is listed as having accepted ISI funds to do the job. So it should seem unlikely that the other secretariat members such as Roedad Khan, Ijlal Zaidi and Chaudhry Shaukat would not be in the know. (Oddly enough, when last month President General Pervez Musharraf met a band of ‘intellectuals’ with whom to discuss the coming elections, the strategy to be adopted, and the constitutional amendments, these four retired members of Ghulam Ishaq’s special assignment cell were amongst those summoned.). REFETRENCE: We never learn from history-3 By Ardeshir Cowasjee 11 August 2002 Sunday 01 Jamadi-us-Saani 1423 http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20020811.htm
I am afraid what will be the fate of Balouchistan Package(an NRO for Balouch leadership).If the present Govt. withdraw cases against them, they came back from the mountains and the leadership return from the exile…..They start usual political activities and then after an year the judiciary comes into actions and ask how dare U…..??
Go back to the mountains or exiles or face the courts…..and launch a new offenssive against the state as no one has the rights to withdraw the cases against U
If Klasra’s Report good against PPP then why not quote Klasra is good for the following
Five generals also got their loans written off By Rauf Klasra Sunday, December 06, 2009
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=25928
No ID no worry, get loans and get them written off also
Saturday, December 05, 2009 By Rauf Klasra
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=25915
Guess who walked away with nation’s 100 bn rupees?
Friday, December 04, 2009 Chaudhrys, Saifullahs, Jatois, Legharis, Tawakals, Saigols,Jams, generals; some cases were genuine By Rauf Klasra
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=25898
What action is taken on this???
ISLAMABAD, May 29: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, on Tuesday narrated for the first time his version of the events of of May 9 at the President’s camp office in Rawalpindi. He said in an affidavit that top intelligence officials had constantly pressured him into resigning, and after keeping him confined at the office for over five hours, he was allowed to leave in a flagless car. “I was informed that I have been restrained from acting as the chief justice.” The `non-functional’ chief justice informed the full-bench hearing identical petitions against the presidential reference that since the action of March 9, he had remained a victim of intrusive and not-so-intrusive intelligence and police operation. “I replied that it was not based on facts as my case was decided by a two-member bench and that attempts are being made to maliciously involve the other member of the Bench as well.” After this, the president said there were a few more complaints as well, directing his staff to call the ‘other persons’. The ‘other persons’ entered the room immediately. They were: Prime Minster Shaukat Aziz, the Directors General of Military Intelligence (MI), Director General of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Director General Intelligence Bureau (IB), Chief of Staff (COS) and another official. All officials (except the IB chief and the COS) were in uniform. “The meeting lasted about 30 minutes. The chiefs of the MI, ISI and IB stayed back, but they too did not show him me a single piece of evidence.” In fact, Justice iftikhar said, no official, except the ISI chief, had any document with him. The officials, however, alleged that Justice Iftikhar had used his influence to get his son admitted in Bolan Medical College, Quetta, when he was serving as a judge of the Balochistan High Court. The ISI and MI heads persisted in their demand for resignation, the CJ said. “I refused, saying that the demand has a collateral purpose.” “I was kept there absolutely against my will till 5pm. I was stopped there on one pretext or the other and at one stage was told the president will once again see me. “After 5pm, the MI chief told me `This is a bad day. Now you are taking a separate way and you are informed that you have been restrained from working as a judge of the Supreme Court or the Chief Justice of Pakistan’.” Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry further said when he came out of the room, he was stunned to find that the national flag and the insignia of office were no longer there on his car. “My staff officer later informed me Justice Javed Iqbal has taken oath as Acting Chief Justice and it has been shown on TV. My driver said he had been instructed not to drive the Chief Justice to the Supreme Court.” REFERENCE: CJ says chiefs of MI, ISI asked him to quit: Affidavit on March 9 camp office event By Iftikhar A. Khan May 30, 2007 Wednesday Jamadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1428 http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/30/top1.htm
Where is the justice on this?
Roedad Khan filed petition against NRO but who will look into the affairs of Roedad Khan???
The air marshal was advised by the Supreme Court on Oct 28, 1996 that his letter had been converted by the CJP into a petition and registered as Human Rights Case 19/1996,its first hearing to be on Nov 3 of that year. REFERENCE: Let justice awaken By Ardeshir Cowasjee Sunday, 30 Aug, 2009 http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/columnists/ardeshir-cowasjee-let-justice-awaken-089
Nawaz opened up by congratulating Kamran on his Mehrangate exposures which had recently appeared in the press, asking how the inquiry was progressing, and giving his own views. They exchanged information, each believing the other was being informed. They talked about how COAS Aslam Beg (sporter of shades in the shade) managed to get Rs 14 crore (140 million) from Yunis Habib, then of Habib Bank. This was deposited in the ‘Survey Section 202’ account of Military Intelligence (then headed by Major-General Javed Ashraf Kazi). From there Rs 6 crore was paid to President Ghulam Ishaq Khan’s election cellmates (General Rafaqat, Roedad Khan, Ijlal Hyder Zaidi, etc.), and Rs 8 crore transferred to the ISI account. After lunch, Nawaz brought up the subject of how Aslam Beg early in 1991 had sought a meeting with him (then prime minister) to which he brought Major-General Asad Durrani, chief of the ISI. They told him that funds for vital on-going covert operations (not identified by Nawaz) were drying up, how they had a foolproof plan to generate money by dealing in drugs. They asked for his permission to associate themselves with the drug trade, assuring him of full secrecy and no chance of any trail leading back to them. REFERENCE: We never learn from history By Ardeshir Cowasjee dated 21 July 2002 Sunday 10 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1423 http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20020721.htm
Now, my friend Roedad Khan, perpetual bureaucrat steeped in the art of bureaucracy, yet again ready to serve his country, has reacted in a letter printed in this newspaper on July 26. Apparently, his innocence has been injured. He denies having had any connection with those in President Ghulam Ishaq’s secretariat who were paid to ‘fix’ the 1991 elections. He has, however, said that though he does not wish “to comment on the substance of the matter,” he “will do so at the appropriate time,” which, hopefully, will be soon. His secretariat colleague, General Rafaqat, is listed as having accepted ISI funds to do the job. So it should seem unlikely that the other secretariat members such as Roedad Khan, Ijlal Zaidi and Chaudhry Shaukat would not be in the know. (Oddly enough, when last month President General Pervez Musharraf met a band of ‘intellectuals’ with whom to discuss the coming elections, the strategy to be adopted, and the constitutional amendments, these four retired members of Ghulam Ishaq’s special assignment cell were amongst those summoned.). REFETRENCE: We never learn from history-3 By Ardeshir Cowasjee 11 August 2002 Sunday 01 Jamadi-us-Saani 1423 http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20020811.htm
What about a Sentence on this?
PAKISTAN: Corruption cases against Generals, Air Marshals and Admirals are the test of an independent judiciary http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2009statements/2332
“speedy justice with judicial policy 2009 ” please as a ordinary citien of Pakistan. i urge you to atleast call a hearing on missing person case , please call a hearing on gojra tragedy ;we are waiting for the gojra tradegy hearing from last 4 months , trust me i’m not asking you to convict mass murders of gojra but atleast call a hearing .
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/29-gojra-violence-accused-still-at-large-529
We are grateful that the chaos predicted, perhaps self-servingly, in some quarters is not immediately evident as a result of yesterday’s judgment. There should never have been any fear of that, but in a country where law and politics have so unfortunately been intertwined on so many occasions in the past, anything possibly impacting on the legal status of the holders of high office, especially if they happen to be civilian, inevitably creates political uncertainty. But now that the court has pronounced its judgment and demonstrated a fair and just interpretation of the law and the constitution, it falls upon the former beneficiaries of the NRO to do their part and defend themselves in a court of law. All the NRO beneficiaries have consistently put forward the defence that the cases and investigations against them were politically motivated and have no basis in fact. So now it is incumbent upon them to come forward and prove their innocence in a court of law. There is no dictator on the scene, no kangaroo courts, no government that is bent on eliminating its rivals politically — in short, there is no excuse for the defendants to avoid seeking what they have claimed justice ought to give them.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/19-nro-judgment-hh-01
Legal experts said this:
Justice (r) Fakharuddin G Ibrahim said President Asif Zardari enjoyed immunity under Article 248 of the constitution for the cases pending in the country’s courts. However, he maintained that Zardari enjoyed no immunity regarding his pending cases in Swiss courts. Ibrahim said presidents of US, India and France also enjoyed exemption from appearing before the courts.
On the other hand, former Supreme Court Bar Association president Aitzaz Ahsan told a private TV channel that Zardari enjoyed immunity under Article 248 of the constitution; therefore, he would not be affected by the decision. He said a sitting president could not be summoned in court and no action could be taken against him.
Abid Hassan Manto said until and unless Zardari held the office of the president, the cases against him would remain pending. He opined that those already convicted should leave public office immediately. He said all the cases closed under the NRO would automatically stand open and revived after the SC decision. “These cases would reopen in the courts concerned from where and when closed under NRO as the ordinance was never issued”, he said. He also said the president could enjoy immunity under Article 248 for the “actions done” until he was in office.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\12\17\story_17-12-2009_pg7_24
How can a person , who committed an act in 1999 which is punishable by death according to Pakistan’s constitution, ask the cases of 1996 to be reopened against other persons. Why NRO is only applicable on CJ. I think a case of high treason should be filed against him too.
Corrupt NAB Officer!!!
Governor’s Principal Secretary resists car surrender Friday, May 09, 2008 LAHORE
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=111452
THE Chief Minister’s Secretariat is facing resistance from the Governor’s House in its efforts to take a luxury bulletproof vehicle from Principal Secretary to Governor, Hasan Waseem Afzal, The News learnt on Thursday.
Chief Minister Dost Muhammad Khosa, after assuming office, turned the Chief Minister’s Secretariat into an Information University for Women.
He also announced an auction of a fleet of luxury vehicles which was used by former Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi for security purposes. In pursuance to CM orders, the CM’s Secretariat and the Service and General Administration Department started taking surplus vehicles from all administrative departments for their auction. The CM’s Secretariat did not even spare former CM Ch Pervaiz Elahi and took all the vehicles he was using even after leaving the CM office. Sources said a luxury bulletproof vehicle, owned by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, was still in the use of Principal Secretary to Governor, Hasan Waseem Afzal, and he was not willing to surrender it despite several reminders by the S&GAD. Insiders said the CM’s Secretariat was finding itself helpless before an influential Afzal, as it wanted to get back the luxury jeep to auction it.
Former Home Secretary Hasan Waseem Afzal was using the bulletproof vehicle worth Rs 36 million ever since it was imported from Japan in September 2004. Mr Afzal, as Home Secretary Punjab, received the bulletproof jeep from the former Punjab Chief Minister on the pretext that he was facing life threats from PPP and PML-N activists. On his transfer as Punjab Additional Chief Secretary, Mr Afzal took the vehicle to his new office instead of sending it to the new Home Secretary.
Mr Afzal took the vehicle, owned by the provincial government, to Islamabad after he was given an assignment as Deputy Chairman NAB. Insiders said the federal government had allowed Mr Afzal to use the vehicle because he was allegedly being threatened by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for ‘tracing’ Swiss accounts of the late Benazir Bhutto and her spouse. Now, Mr Afzal is posted in the Punjab as Principal Secretary to Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool and the luxury vehicle is still in his use and he is not willing to surrender it to the S&GAD.
However, when contacted, ACS said they had sent a number of reminders and notices to Mr Afzal to surrender the jeep to the S&GAD but he had not responded to them. He said they had taken around 300 vehicles from different departments, including the CM’s Secretariat, and were expecting the number to swell to 450 within a couple of days. He said they had formed a committee to take measures for the auction of the vehicles after completing legal requirements.
Corrupt NAB Officer!!!
EC to probe Punjab bureaucrats’ role Thursday December 20, 2007 (1044 PST)
http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?195722
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken notice of the allegations levelled by president of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and former chief minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif against two senior Punjab bureaucrats, GM Sikandar and Hasan Wasim Afzal. It is expected that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (Retd) Qazi Muhammad Farooq would take up the matter with the Governor of Punjab today (Thursday) through an official communication.
Highly placed sources in the ECP told media Wednesday here that the Commission would gather details of the allegations and accordingly the matter would be taken up with the governor of the province.
Shahbaz Sharif said earlier Wednesday that the two bureaucrats sitting in the Governor`s House Lahore are engaged in activities detrimental to the PML-N. GM Sikandar, former principal secretary to Chaudhry Pervaiz Illahi, who proceeded on leave last month, has refuted the allegations.
Kunwar Muhammad Khan Dilashad, Secretary ECP who returned from Quetta in the afternoon, while talking to this scribe confirmed that the CEC would take up the matter with the provincial governor after examining the nature of allegations. “We are determined not to allow anybody to commit any irregularity and no one will be permitted to use official clout for political purposes. The Commission will redress any complaint that has any credence”, the ECP secretary added.
In the meanwhile, US ambassador Anne W Patterson has written to the ECP that about 2000 observers would come to Pakistan to monitor the polls. The observers, mainly from the West, would like to visit a number of places in connection with their work.
Kunwar Muhammad Dilshad said that the ECP would welcome the observers and they would be facilitated to visit any polling station in any part of the country. They would be issued the relevant security cards for the purpose and they would be permitted to examine the whole process without any hindrance. They would be allowed to go any where in the country for monitoring the polls, as the cards issued to them would be valid for the whole country. The ECP secretary hoped that the observers would start reaching Pakistan on December 25.
End.
NAB OFFICER A PROBABLE ASSASSIN OF BENAZIR BHUTTO!!!
Benazir has not yet named the three persons, but PPP insiders disclosed their identity to Outlook. It’s an illustrious list: Brig (retd) Ejaz Hussain Shah, DG, Intelligence Bureau; Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, chief minister of Punjab; and Hassan Waseem Afzal, a former official of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). A fourth, familiar name pops up in the concluding part of the letter—that of former isi chief, Lt Gen Hameed Gul, who’s a vocal supporter of the Taliban and Al Qaeda. ATTACK ON BENAZIR
Scenes From A Wreckage The imprint, Al Qaeda’s. Blessed by? Establishment Islamists? AMIR MIR MAGAZINE | NOV 05, 2007 http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?235926
For almost 10 hours on October 18, the people of Karachi choked the streets, cheering Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in a mass catharsis on her return home from exile. As Benazir’s cavalcade threaded through an enraptured throng towards the mausoleum of Mohammed Ali Jinnah where she was to address a public rally, the PPP leader stood atop an especially fortified, bullet-proof truck, waving lustily at her followers and occasionally wiping eyes brimming with tears of joy.
Not only did the attackers know Benazir’s security tier, they also opted for a suicide bomber to evade jamming devices.
At 12.09 am on October 19, the cavalcade had reached the Karsaz Bridge, still 10 km away from the destination. But Benazir was not to be seen—19 minutes earlier she had gone down to use the makeshift washroom built in the lower deck of the truck.
It was then that someone tossed a grenade on the right side of Benazir’s truck, hoping the explosion would break the three rings of security cordon around it. The outer ring was of Pakistani policemen, the other two of the Janisar Force of the PPP. Her personal guards valiantly held their ground. In the ensuing confusion, a suicide bomber tried to sneak under Benazir’s truck from the left to inflict maximum damage. Challenged, he detonated himself. (Subsequently, the truck’s windshield was found riddled with bullets, suggesting a sniper had tried to ensure nobody could escape to safety.) The carnivalesque mood soon turned funereal—human flesh and limbs flew around, people wailed in agony and grief, and the death toll reached a chilling 143.
What saved Benazir was that she wasn’t atop the truck at that fatal moment; the explosion was powerful enough to rip off a door of her truck. Government sources say the assassination plan reveals prior knowledge of the security architecture around Benazir. Not only was the attack three-pronged, those who masterminded it also chose a suicide bomber in order to evade the jamming devices fitted into two vehicles immediately in front and behind Benazir’s truck.
What saved her was she wasn’t atop the truck at that fatal moment; 19 minutes back she’d gone down to the washroom.
The jammers could have prevented any explosion triggered by a remote-controlled device, as had happened during one of the two attempts on Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf’s life in 2003.
Ground zero Will this vision of destruction win Benazir votes?
The nature of explosives used is another indicator of intricate planning. Investigators say the suicide bomber (whose head has been recovered, and is supposed to be a 21-year-old who had a 48-hour stubble) had strapped himself with 15-20 kg of an explosive mix of C4 and Trinitrotoluene or TNT. The C4 explosive is rated as the best quality military plastic explosive that detonates with tremendous velocity, and isn’t readily available. The other ingredient—TNT—has the capacity to shatter concrete structures and hillocks. Investigators say the TNT was meant to pierce through the bullet-proof casing of Benazir’s vehicle, with the C4 inflicting damage over a wide area. Fortunately for Benazir, two police jeeps accompanying her bore the brunt of the explosion.
So, who were these people who could access such devastating and rare explosives, and who were aware of the obstacles they would encounter in targeting Benazir? The signature of Al Qaeda, as well as local militant groups affiliated to it, is writ large—the self-destructing agent, the total apathy towards popular sentiment, the appetite for the ‘big’ hit.
Some PPP insiders believe the assassination attempt was to nip Benazir’s moderate alliance with Musharraf in the bud.
But did these groups have the assistance, or tacit approval, of jehadi-minded elements in the administration? Benazir herself thought so. On October 19, she disclosed that she had written a confidential letter to Musharraf on October 16, informing him about three senior officials who were planning to assassinate her when she returned home. Her information, she said, had come from a brotherly country (read Afghanistan) who told her about four suicide squads having entered Karachi to kill her. “However, I had made it clear (to Musharraf) that I won’t blame Taliban or Al Qaeda if I am attacked, but I will name the three officials as I know quite well my enemies in the Pakistani military and intelligence establishment,” she told journalists.
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi Chief minister of Punjab and president of the PML-Q there
Benazir has not yet named the three persons, but PPP insiders disclosed their identity to Outlook. It’s an illustrious list: Brig (retd) Ejaz Hussain Shah, DG, Intelligence Bureau; Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, chief minister of Punjab; and Hassan Waseem Afzal, a former official of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). A fourth, familiar name pops up in the concluding part of the letter—that of former isi chief, Lt Gen Hameed Gul, who’s a vocal supporter of the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
PPP insiders believe the quartet’s motive in organising the assassination attempt on Benazir was to check the burgeoning moderate political alliance between her and Musharraf. As such, the Musharraf camp was bitterly divided over his deal with Benazir. One group led by the secretary of the National Security Council, Tariq Aziz Warraich, was in favour of Musharraf sharing power with the PPP. Shah’s group opposed the deal with Benazir, believing it would be at the cost of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Qaid-e-Azam). Ejaz Shah is close to the powerful Chaudhry brothers—Elahi and Shujaat Hussain—whose party the ruling PML-Q is, besides sharing their fundamentalist worldview.
Indeed, it was Shah who had ‘arranged’ the surrender of Sheikh Ahmed Omar Saeed, the killer of American journalist Daniel Pearl, on February 5, 2005, in Lahore. Then, Shah was the home secretary of Punjab. Shah knows Omar’s family well as both of them belong to the Nankana Sahib area of Punjab. The relationship between Shah and Omar was really one of a handler and his agent. In an interview with Daily Times, August 13, 2007, Benazir Bhutto said, “Brig Shah and the isi recruited Omar Sheikh, who killed Danny Pearl. So I would feel very uncomfortable to have the Intelligence Bureau, which has more than 1,00,000 people under it, run by a man who worked so closely with militants and extremists.”
Links with militants apart, Shah was instrumental, say PPP insiders, in splitting PML (Nawaz) and weaning away 20 PPP members in the National Assembly, to form the PML-Q. It’s Shah on whom the PML-Q depends to manipulate the impending general election to its advantage. For the Chaudhry brothers, the general election is a do-or-die battle: a defeat could well spell political oblivion for them.
The third person named in Benazir’s letter, Hassan Waseem Afzal, is currently secretary to the governor of Punjab. He was appointed to this post after he was removed as NAB’s deputy chairman on Benazir’s insistence a few months before her Abu Dhabi meeting with Musharraf in July this year. It was one step Benazir had wanted Musharraf to take as a confidence-building measure with her. Afzal had incurred her wrath because he had made it his personal mission to pursue corruption cases against her in the United Kingdom, Spain and Switzerland. It was on his order that the Interpol issued a red alert notice against her.
Lt Gen Hameed Gul Former ISI chief who is a vocal supporter of the Taliban and Al Qaeda
The fourth conspirator PPP names is Gul, a retired, dyed-in-the-wool Pakistani general who headed the isi following the jehad against the Soviets in Afghanistan and was responsible for fomenting the Kashmir insurgency in 1989. Gul worked in tandem with the Americans against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, but began to oppose America post-9/11. In 2003, Gul declared, “God will destroy America.”
Government sources, however, say a high-level meeting presided over by Musharraf dismissed Benazir’s accusations as “childish”. They also say her insistence on implicating Musharraf’s close associates in the Karachi carnage could even threaten her equation with the president. (The FIR filed by Benazir in Karachi states as suspects “those whose names were given to Gen Musharraf”.) They claim the suicide attack bore the signature of Al Qaeda, arguing that she has incurred its wrath because of her support for military operation against the Red Mosque fanatics in Islamabad in July and for declaring that she would allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to question Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan about his nuclear proliferation activities. Her emergence as an ally of Musharraf, government sources say, explains the fury of militants who had targeted him as well earlier.
But, are Benazir’s claims as ridiculous as government sources are making them out to be? Why, even Musharraf in his book, In the Line of Fire, wrote that militants roped in Pakistani air force personnel in the conspiracy to kill him in 2003. In another abortive attempt the same year, Musharraf implicated personnel of the Special Services Group charged with vip security. What was accepted as true in Musharraf’s case cannot prime facie be falsified in Benazir’s. Nothing is impossible in Pakistan’s cloak-and-dagger politics.
If I am Killed
http://ppp.com.au/Downloads/If%20I%20am%20Killed.pdf
“On Oct 16, before returning home, I wrote a letter to Gen Musharraf in which I informed
him that if anything happens to me as a result of these attacks, then I will neither nominate
the Afghan Taliban, nor Al Qaeda, not even Pakistani Taliban or the fourth group. I will
nominate those people who, I believe, mislead the people. I have spelt out names of such
people in the letter,” she said. “I have named three people, and more, in that letter to Gen
Musharraf. I have named certain people with a view to the attack that took place yesterday
so that if I was assassinated, who should be investigated.”
• Below are excerpts from some published news reports about Shaheed
Benazir Bhutto’s apprehensions and accusations about her possible
killers since the terrorist attack on her Karachi rally on October 19, 2007
Email to be used only ‘if I am killed’
Associated Press/Dawn, December 29, 2007
It was a story CNN’s Wolf Blitzer hoped he would never have to report — an
email sent through an intermediary to him by Benazir Bhutto complaining
about her security. Conditions of use: only if she were killed.
Ms Bhutto wrote to Wolf Blitzer that if anything happened to her, “I would hold
(President Pervez) Musharraf responsible.”
Mr Blitzer received the email on Oct 26 from Mark Siegel, a friend and longtime
Washington spokesman for Ms Bhutto. That was eight days after she
narrowly escaped an attempt on her life on Oct 18.
Benazir Bhutto wrote to Blitzer: “I have been made to feel insecure by his
(Musharraf’s) minions,” that specific improvements had not been made to her
security arrangements, and that the president was responsible.
Blitzer agreed to the conditions before receiving the e-mail. He said on Friday
that he called Siegel shortly after seeing it to see if there was any way he
could use it on CNN, but was told firmly it could only be used if she were killed.
Siegel could not say why she had insisted on those conditions.
Blitzer reported on the e-mail late on Thursday. He noted that Ms Bhutto had
written a piece for CNN.com that mentioned her security concerns and that
American politicians had tried to intervene on her behalf to make her feel
safer. “I didn’t really think that it was a story we were missing out on,” he said.
“I don’t think the viewers were done any disservice by my trying to hold on to
this.”
Wolf Blitzer was the only journalist sent such a message, Siegel said. He also
sent the e-mail to Representative Steve Israel, a New York Democrat.
Siegel said he did not believe Ms Bhutto’s opinions had changed since she
wrote the e-mail. Her message specifically mentioned she had requested four
police vehicles surrounding her vehicle when travelling; Siegel said it seemed
evident from pictures taken at the assassination scene that the request was
not fulfilled.
Ms Bhutto did not necessarily believe that President Musharraf wanted her
dead, but felt many people around him did, he said.
Her husband contacted Siegel on Thursday to remind him about the e-mail
message and to make sure it got out, he said.
‘Zia remnants’ blamed for Karachi carnage
Dawn, October 20, 2007
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on Friday (October 19, 2007) condemned the suicide attack on her
rally (in Karachi) and blamed it on what she termed ‘Zia remnants’. She said that before
returning home, she had written to President Pervez Musharraf that more than three officials
were planning suicide attacks on her.
“The attack was a message sent by the enemies of democracy to all the political parties of the
country. It was intended to intimidate and blackmail all the political forces and elements
working for democracy and human rights. It was a warning not only to me and the PPP but to
all political parties; indeed to the entire civil society.”
“On Oct 16, before returning home, I wrote a letter to Gen Musharraf in which I informed him
that if anything happens to me as a result of these attacks, then I will neither nominate the
Afghan Taliban, nor Al Qaeda, not even Pakistani Taliban or the fourth group. I will nominate
those people who, I believe, mislead the people. I have spelt out names of such people in the
letter,” she said. “I have named three people, and more, in that letter to Gen Musharraf. I have
named certain people with a view to the attack that took place yesterday so that if I was
assassinated, who should be investigated.” She alleged that more attacks were being planned
on her life. She said her apprehension was that a strike would be made ……..“The modus
operandi will be that selected people will be planted in the police department and posted near
my house. Perhaps, commandos will be sent in the garb of a rival political party and blamed
for the attack.”
Ms Bhutto said she had shared this piece of information with Gen Musharraf and was
confident the government would take pre-emptive measures.
After Bombing, Bhutto Assails Officials’ Ties
New York Times, October 20, 2007
Looking pale and shaken the day after she survived a suicide bomb attack,
the opposition leader Benazir Bhutto said Friday that she had warned the
Pakistani government that suicide bomb squads were going to go after her
on her return to the country and that it had failed to act on the information.
Ms Bhutto pointed the finger at government officials who she said were
sympathetic to the militants and were abusing their powers to advance their
cause. She did not identify them on Friday, but said she had in a letter to the
government this Tuesday. It was not clear if she was implicating the officials
directly or accusing them of dragging their feet on her warning. “I am not
accusing the government, but I am accusing certain individuals who abuse
their positions, who abuse their powers,” she said.
Aides close to Ms. Bhutto said that one of those named in the letter was Ijaz
Shah, the director general of the Intelligence Bureau, another of the country’s
intelligence agencies and a close associate of General Musharraf.
Mr. Shah hung up when asked by telephone for a reaction to the allegations.
Bhutto names suspects in letter to Musharraf
24 Oct 2007, 1706 hrs IST, PTI
ISLAMABAD: October 24 (PTI) Former Pakistan Premier Benazir Bhutto has
named four well-known persons, including Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry
Parvez Elahi and former ISI chief Hamid Gul, as those who pose a threat to her
life in a letter to President Pervez Musharraf, the media here reported today.
In the letter written on October 16, two days before she returned to Pakistan
from eight years in self-exile, Bhutto said she feared there was a threat to her
life from Elahi, Gul, Hassan Waseem Afzal, the former Deputy Chairman of the
National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and Intelligence Bureau chief Brig
(Retd) Ijaz Shah, Geo TV reported.
In a press conference held hours after the suicide attack on her motorcade in
Karachi on Thursday night that left nearly 140 people dead, Bhutto had,
however, said she had named three persons in the letter.
She had indicated that there were also other officials who posed a threat to
her life as, she claimed, they were abusing their powers and positions.
Bhutto, who also referred to three persons posing a threat to her life in a
complaint she submitted to police in Karachi, has so far not publicly named
these persons.
In her complaint, Bhutto only said that police should take action against “those whose names
were given to Musharraf”.
The government has so far been silent on her allegations though Musharraf’s spokesman
defended the IB chief’s integrity and reputation and said there was no move to sack Shah.
Some media reports had earlier suggested that Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim was
also named in Bhutto’s letter.
Afzal, who played a key role in probing graft charges against Bhutto and was removed from his
post in the NAB due to pressure from her PPP party, is currently serving as Secretary to Punjab
Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Khalid Maqbool.
Zamarrud Naqvi’s column in Express, 17 Jan 2010:
Supreme Court’s Lopsided Decision Against NRO: Double Standards, Justice Chaudhry? Abercrombie Down Jackets Women http://www.abercrombiecanada.ca/abercrombie-down-jackets-women-c-443 Supreme Court’s Lopsided Decision Against NRO: Double Standards, Justice Chaudhry?