Shape of things to come: corrupt generals and morally bankrupt judges in collaboration
SC can seek army’s help for implementation of verdicts: Pirzada
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court can seek the army’s help in getting its verdicts implemented in letter and spirit, as the army is part of the executive and bound to obey the court’s orders under Article 190 of the constitution, senior lawyer Abdul Hafeez Pirzada said on Wednesday.
“The SC can seek the army chief’s help for the implementation of verdicts,” Pirzada told reporters at the SC while commenting on the detailed judgement on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). “There is an antecedent … former chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah sought the army chief’s help,” he said. He rejected the impression that a court directive to the army would seem like an invitation for taking charge of the government.
He said it would be necessary for the government to file a petition to seek immunity for the president against court proceedings.
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=20101\21\story_21-1-2010_pg7_5
What the drama were PPP doing on Chief Justice welcome in Karachi on 12th May?
What the drama (Late) Benazir Zardari were doing on Chief Justice house?
Dear Ali, the were not doing drama. They were trying to do the best in the given circumstances. They were trying to tone down the mammoth of Punjabi fascism.
Omar Khattab Sahib,
Please desist from humiliating Pakistan by your irresponsible comments on Pakistan’s Supreme Court judges. The report that you have displayed here merely points out that in the event of the government refusing to implement the SC’s decision, a possible option for the SC is to seek the asistance of Pakistan Army. There is NO collaboration. Please, please STOP cutting off Pakistan’s nose to spite your political foes, whoever they are.
Dear Sakib, I admire your patriotism. But facts are facts, my dear.
Hafiz Pirzada [Former Key Lawyer of Zardari]’s Dirty Past.
Sardar Mumtaz Ali Khan Bhutto was amongst those notorious Five Uncles i.e Ghulam Mustafa Khar {Lion of Punjab}, Mumtaz Ali Bhutto {Dahesar}, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi {as per Dawn News 2008 TV Show involved in Mehran Bank Scandal}, and Maulana Kausar Niazi {Former Deputy of Maulana Mawdoodi}, Abdul Hafeez Peerzada {Sohna Munda} of Late. Ms. Benazir Bhutto, who betrayed the widow Ms. Nusrat Bhutto after the Judicial Murder of Zoulfiqar Ali Bhutto. They left her high and dry when they were needed and many amongst those Uncles of Benazir Bhutto were helped by e.g. Ghulam Mustaf Khar, Lt. General Retd. Faiz Ali Chishti [the backbone of General Zia’s Martial Law and nowadays a Pseudo Claimant of Restoration of Democarcy under the banner of Nondescript Ex Servicemen Society].
Mumtaz Bhutto’s loved Zoulfiqar Bhutto so much that only after a few days of ZAB’s Murder, both Mumtaz and Hafeez Peerzada got married [Courtesy Monthly Herald Pakisatn Divided They Stand by Mazhar Abbas Issue of January 2008].
Mumtaz Bhutto loved late Ms. Benazir Bhutto so much that after the dismissal of her second government [1993-1996] by PPP elected President Tumandar Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Laghari, he joined the Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh under President Laghri in 1996 so much for the love of Ms. Bhutto.
Now watch the documentary of Abdul Hafiz Lakho [Lawyer of Bhutto during his Trial from 1977 to 1979]:
نوٹس خستہ مگر یادیں تازہ
آخری وقت اشاعت: Saturday, 4 April, 2009, 18:18 GMT 23:18 PST
http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/multimedia/2009/04/090404_090404_bhutto_anniversary.shtml
The Group which is interested in “Bangladesh Model” and the Group [with the connivance of Military] made False Cases against PPP Leaders in 1996/1997
Tummandar Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Laghari
http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2008/11/tummandar-sardar-farooq-ahmed-khan.html
As per Daily Dawn dated 20 Oct 2007 Former President of Pakistan Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari [a former central member of PPP] while addressing a press conference at Leghari House on Raiwind Road on Friday said, Mr Leghari opposed the National Reconciliation Ordinance. He said he had proposed national reconciliation a month ago but amnesty for corruption looked strange. He said amnesty could not be justified if army officers, bureaucrats and politicians who had plundered national resources did not return the money stolen by them. He said the ordinance had been challenged in the Supreme Court and its fate depended on its verdict. He said corruption was one of the reasons for which he had dismissed the Ms Bhutto’s government in 1996 and the Supreme Court had upheld his decision. He said an accountability commission constituted by him had found corruption of $1.5 billion by Ms Bhutto. Evidence of corruption of Nawaz Sharif was also collected but Saifur Rehman destroyed evidence against him. [1] REFERENCES: Ghaddar Kaun? Author: Sohail Warraich – Nawaz Sharif opens up to Sohail Warraich in a big way READ THE BOOK sohail waraich – ghaddar kaun [uncle/father and father in law of many who are sitting with those members of the government of Musharraf/PML-Q who were earlier with PPP and PML-N whom Mr Leghari is condemning by saying them corrupt half of [PML-Q Cabinet have cases of corruption and loan default on 12 Oct 1999] Tumandar Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari [as per news and articles] was involved in several nastiest scandal in the history of Pakistan. So it seems that whoever who is supporting the present regimes’ wrong policies which are detrimental for the Federation of Pakistan are one way or another were and are part of the permanent establishment of Pakistan and used by the same and even they were saved when in trouble by the same establishment and Lagharis are one of those.
As per the dark pages of dark history of Pakistan.
During the so-called Lost decade of 90s as per Former Governor of State Bank of Pakistan Dr. Ishrat Hussain and often repeated by Mr. Musharraf. Following event is also from the lost decade but no action was taken.
PRESIDENT LEGHARI’S LAND SALES:
The controversy over the sale of a 531-acre farm in Darkhwast Jamal Khan owned by President Leghari and his family to six people from Karachi alleged to be fronting for jailed banker Yunus Habib, gave a new and dramatic twist to the Mehran gate scandal. The president’s integrity and his image, as an honest politician, came under question when Nawaz Sharif alleged that Farooq Leghari was involved in the Mehran Bank scandal. Releasing photocopies of bank drafts worth 17 million rupees deposited in Mr. Leghari’s account in Mehran Bank, Sharif charged that the money was a pay off by Yunus Habib in return for Leghari’s bailing out Mehran bank.[Newsline June 1994]
On June 4, 1994, President Leghari conceded that the documents produced by the opposition were related to the sale of a farm that had been owned by him and several of his family members. He defended the deal, saying that there was nothing illegal about it. After much delay, the government set up two judicial commissions to enquire into the Mehran Bank affair and the 140 million rupees paid to the ISI by Yunus Habib in 1990 while he was provincial chief of Habib Bank.
President Leghari told the Newsline, Karachi: “I did ask Mr. Yunus Habib to see if he could arrange for any buyers for the land … But I didn’t know those six people (who eventually bought the land). I am not aware of whether they were fronting for Mr. Yunus Habib or if the land was actually bought by Mr. Yunus Habib and his family…. As a seller, my only interest was to make sure that I got the price of the land.” President Leghari, however, admitted, that he was approached by Yunus Habib in April, 1993, when he was Finance Minister in the interim government (April/May 1993) to save Mehran Bank from collapsing. Mr. Leghari referred Yunus Habib’s request to the State Bank, but before getting any reply, the interim government was dissolved and Mr. Sartaj Aziz, who became the Finance Minister in the revived government of Nawaz Sharif in April, 1993, ordered the relief given to the Mehran Bank. “The allegation of my having helped Yunus Habib and saved Mehran Bank is false. It was done by Mr. Sartaj Aziz and Mr. Nawaz Sharif. But I have the moral courage to say that yes, I also wanted to do the same and if I had a longer stay as finance minister I would have done the same.”[Newsline June 1994]
On Dec. 14, 1995 Younus Habib was awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 36.7 million in a fraud case by the Special Court for Offenses in Banks in Sindh.[Dawn 15.12.1995]
However, two years after the appointment, the judicial commission did not complete its enquiry into the Mehran Bank scam. The Mehran Bank scam exemplifies the increasingly corrupt political culture that has taken root in this country. And Mehrangate is just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of banking and financial scams involving politicians that have yet to surface. It seems that all politicians — whether they belong to the ruling coalition or the opposition — are part of this corrupt political culture. The charges and counter-charges made by both seem to have only one aim: to cover-up their own crimes. [Newsline, June 1994]
In July 1994 a commission, comprising five judges, was formed to investigate the Mehran Bank scandal. It took eight months to complete its inquiry in February 1995 but its report was never published. However, parts of the reports were released on December 8, 1996, according to which the commission exonerated President Leghari from any wrong doing in his so-called benami deal. But the commission did not mention to whom the land was sold by the president for Rs. 15 million and from which account the money was debited to make the payment. The Commission also cleared the former chief minister of the North West Frontier Province, Aftab Sherpao and Senator Anwar Saifullah, who were accused of being the main beneficiaries of the Mehran Bank, of all the allegations. (DAWN 9.12.1996) On May 13, 1997, the Commerce Minister, Ishaq Dar informed the Senate that the report was missing from the Law Ministry. According to Dar, the Mehran Bank scandal cost a total of Rs. 9.92 billion to the national exchequer.
During the Mehrangate investigations of 1993 which led up to the Supreme Court case, Younas Habib (YH) of HBL/MBL, as per his statement filed in court (recorded in Karachi under section 161 Cr.P.C), disclosed that the following political and other pay-offs were made between 1991 and 1994:
Sardar Farooq Leghari 12/12/93 (payment set/off) Rs 30 million – 6/1/94 Rs 2.0856 million – 19/3/94 Rs 1.92 million.”
Farooq Leghari PO Issued 1,50,00,000. Another 1,50,00,000 paid through Bank. {2} For further graphic details see the notes and references.
Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari, former president of Pakistan. and his son Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari were elected from NA-172 and NA-173, and Sardar Farooq’s first cousin, Sardar Mohammad Jaffar Khan Leghari, won elections from NA-174 under the banner of the National Alliance. Meena Ehsan Leghari, wife of Sardar Jaffar, and Ayla Malik, niece of Sardar Farooq Leghari, have been accommodated on women reserved seats. Whereas, Sumaira Malik, sister of Ayla Malik, has won elections from NA-69 from the platform of National alliance. The wife of Farooq Leghari belongs to the family of Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, who is also a member of National Assembly and federal minister for water and power. Sikandar Sherpao, son of Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, is member of the NWFP assembly.
BETWEEN 1996 TO 1999:
It is widely believed that when Nawaz Sharif met with President Farooq Laghari in the third week of December, a deal was struck by which Nawaz agreed to continue the process of turning Pakistan’s political system into “guided democracy’ which the interim government was about to initiate and supreme court judgments were about to facilitate. In return, Nawaz was promised the removal of barriers to his comeback and modification of the accountability process in a way that adversely affected only his opponent Benazir Bhutto’s People’s Party. Farooq Laghari dismissed Benazir to let Nawaz Sharif come back into power. Short of imposing martial law, this was the only course available. But simply letting one “corrupt and irresponsible” political leader to be replaced by another of the kind and leaving the things as they are did not make any sense at all. There had to be a sweetener in the deal for the establishment. The agreement to impose a supra-cabinet, military-dominated body (now called the Council for National Defense and Security) to oversee the day-to-day running of the government, and the continuation of Article 58 (b) 2 and other unsavory elements of the Eighth Amendment, must have been reached before Farooq Laghari announced the overthrow of Benazir Bhutto and the dissolution of the parliament.
It is hard to believe that Farooq Laghari simply dragged the military into joining the CNDS, prompting General Jehangir Karamat to say that the parliament would be free to dispense with it. Regardless of whether and when Nawaz Sharif struck a deal with the establishment, it is clear that the context in which Nawaz Sharif is stepping into Prime Minister’s House has all the earmarks of guided democracy, the contours of which have been clearly drawn by the interim government. Like it or not, this is the mother of all constraints under which Nawaz Sharif is expected to function.
Farooq Laghari’s proclamation laid primary emphasis on the extra-judicial killings in Karachi and the Supreme Court accepted that as a valid basis for the dismissal of the Benazir government, even though the President’s counsel failed to produce any evidence in support of the allegation. It goes without saying that human rights violations of all kinds must be stopped and the culprits must be punished. However, in this particular case, the “extra-judicial” killings are just being used most brazenly to victimize one side. Farooq Laghari’s human rights concern, and its validation by the Supreme Court, can open a Pandora’s box for Nawaz Sharif unless he chooses to become a henchman for Laghari’s operation vendetta. As anyone not suffering from amnesia knows, the Operation Clean Up was started during Nawaz Sharif’s first term and the army was involved in it. With the army’s withdrawal in late 1994, the messy situation in Karachi was off-loaded on Benazir Bhutto. To the extent the federal government was involved in it, President Laghari cannot absolve himself of the responsibility for the violations. This is, perhaps, the most cynical ploy from Laghari’s arsenal of artifacts. Nawaz Sharif need not buy into it.
THE LAGHARI CLAN
“Farooq Leghari, his son Awais Leghari and other members of their family, should be held accountable for their various corruption scandals such as cooperatives and PTCL scandals” but it should be done alongside the holding accountable PPP and PML-N and other NRO beneficiaries and not instead of it, as seems to be the plan. Farooq Leghari’s corruption did begin when PPP was in power. Also, how is PPP going to deal with the fact that Zardari’s henchman Malik Riaz of Bahria Town is a business partner of Farooq Leghari?
Senator Jamal Leghari, the elder son of Farooq, who is no less corrupt. That Farooq and Awais are guilty of corruption, there is no doubt about that either. It is a fact that Farooq Leghari (and Jamal and Awais jointly) had less than 1250 acres of land when he became president but today Farooq Leghari alone has acquired more than12,500 acres of agricultural land (I have no clue about the acquisitions by Awais and Jamal Leghari but they have been on a land buying spree as well). And this does not include other property and bank accounts. His cousin Sumaira Malik of the “Cat House” fame has spent twice that. PML-Q removes chief of women’s wing by Our Staff Reporter [ Former federal minister Sumera Malik has been removed from the post of the chief of the women’s wing of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q. She had attended a dinner at the presidency and again met President Zardari on Saturday – http://www.dawn.com/2008/11/03/top18.htm%5D Her sister Ayla Malik’s (these days with DunyaTV) husband (now ex) Sardar Rind has bought another 12,500 acres in the same area as Farooq Leghari. Farooq’s cousins of course are not only among NRO beneficiaries but also big loan defaulters (but sitting pretty in the National Assembly or as Nazims)
“QUOTE”
WASHINGTON, October 17: Dear Readers, this is the final piece on the South Asia Tribune, as this site is now being closed for good. I understand that it may come as a rude shock to many and may create despair and depression for all those who had started to look up to SAT as a beacon of courage and resistance, but this decision has been based on many factors, which I will explain briefly. SAT would be on line for the rest of this month, till the end of October. On November 1, 2005 it will disappear from the Internet. All those who may be interested in keeping a record of any SAT article or report can save it any time before that date. REFRENCE: The Final Word from theSouth Asia Tribune By Shaheen Sehbai WASHINGTON DC, Oct 17, 2005 ISSN: 1684-2057
Mr Shaheen Sehbai [Present Group Editor, The News International]’s web based magazine South Asia Tribune [Shaheen Sehbai Founded this magazine after he escaped from Pakistan in 2002 to seek political asylum in USA]. From the website of Shaheen Sehbai [link is dead text is as under]
Prime Minister Jamali Orders a Probe on Secret Report – How a Present Minister Leaked a $25 Million Phone Tender to His Party SOUTH ASIA TRIBUNE – By Rauf Klasra – August 3-9, 2003
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali has directed the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to probe the unprecedented leakage of international tenders worth $25 million prior to opening of bids for the expansion program of government-owned mobile telephone service, U-Fone. Young Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications, Awais Leghari, son of former President Sardar Farooq Leghari, who had appointed the Board of Directors of both PTCL and U-Fone, is being accused of giving favors to some of his favorite companies. Pakistan Telecommunication Limited commonly referred to as U-Fone is a 100 per cent owned subsidiary of PTCL. It came into existence in 2001. Government owns 88 percent shares in PTCL. It is a GSM-based technological enterprise with almost 500,000 customers nationwide. Mobilink is its main competitor whereas other competitors,Paktel and Instaphone, are based on Analog system.
MS Nortel of Canada provided the equipment to U-Fone under an agreement. It was a turn key project agreement. The said Canadian company provided the entire network by virtue of which U-Fone is operating in the market today. U-Fone has to increase its network in Pakistan.
Although, a smart and young minister from Dera Ghazi Khan, Awais Leghari denies these charges but secret reports sent to the Prime Minister have clearly indicated his name in the scam.
According to an official estimate, people involved in the leakage of the tenders and bids to a particular firm could pocket at least $4m to $5m out of the deal which has become a cause of serious political tussle between theJamali Government and former President Farooq Leghari.
General Pervez Musharraf is said to be displeased with these corruption reports about Leghari and a clear hint has been given to the elder Leghari by PM Jamali that Awais could be out of the Government in a cabinet reshuffle likely next week.
But, Farooq Leghari has threatened to walk out of the Government alliance if his son was replaced on charges of corruption.
A highly classified report sent to the Prime Minister has advised the Prime Minister to immediately intervene in the first financial scam of his government, otherwise, tax payers would suffer a massive loss of $10m on purchase of equipment from a particular firm at much higher prices for the expansion of mobile service in other cities of Pakistan.
This classified report sent to Prime Minister has been prepared by a ministerial level person in the Jamali cabinet who is not ready to disclose his name. This report clearly establishes the link of Awais Leghari with those who were leaking the tenders to a particular international company.
The PM has also been asked in the secret report to get the copy of the agreement of $25 million regarding expansion of official mobile service from U-Fone and pass it on to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to maintain transparency.
When contacted by South Asia Tribune, Spokesman PTCL Sultan Hassan said that he had no information about any such inquiry or other details of the developments as claimed to be part of a report to the PM by some concerned government quarters.
Chief Executive of U-Fone, Arshad Khan strongly defended the performance of his company saying it had done a good job in the past and would continue to perform its duties in the greater interests of the entire nation. He said only people with vested interest were spreading such rumors to malign the company. He also lectured this scribe on the benefits of reporters staying away from such issues as this was against the interests of the country.
Mr Khan who actually helped launching of U-Fone mobile service and making it a success story, said the company had been doing everything in a transparent way and concerned quarters had already been conveyed our view point on the issues involved. On the question of an inquiry, he said he could not give the details and those should be asked from whoever had either ordered the inquiry or started the probe. He repeatedly made it clear that the company was being run on professional and commercial lines.
Meanwhile sources in the Prime Minister Secretariat confirmed that Mr. Jamali had ordered Director General IB to inquire into the matter and submit him the report after it was brought to his notice that tenders were leaked before the formal opening of the bids. According to available copy of the report submitted to the Prime Minister regarding irregularities in the U-Fone expansion program, tenders were invited for the “new cities expansion” category. It was planned to expand the network of
U-Fone service.
In order to procure equipment for these new cities under the third phase, five new vendors were pre-qualified by the board and management of the mobile service company for the bidding process. They were Alcatel,
Ericsson,Huawei Technologies, Motorola and Siemens.
PM was informed that tenders were invited and subsequently bids were opened on March 26, 2003. But prior to opening of bids, papers of one of the bids were found to have been opened. This matter was agitated. PM was informed that the Board of Directors decided not to go for the re-tendering process as it would consume time and official phone service might lose the prospective market/potential customers. The Board, it may be added, has several members appointed by the young minister under probe.
Moreover, it was told that it would also not be in the financial interests of the U-Fone company since its rival,Mobilink, was already ahead of the U-Fone, as it was actively involved in the process of commissioning the equipment for its proposed expansion. U-Fone probably will be in a position to do so in six to nine months, PM was told with the apprehension that there were chances that the Government-owned mobile service may lose its market.
The PM was also informed that there were doubts about the honesty levels of some of the Directors of U-Fone, since they owed their recent appointment to Minister Awais Leghari. Fears were conveyed to the PM, that these Board members may work even against the interests of the company, if the situation so demanded. The PM was informed that this can be very aptly verified from the record if there is any, as the word in the market was that even the minutes of the meeting of the U-Fone Board were not circulated to some of the Directors. The PM was told that this Board had already decided about the procedure of bidding which was not fair and if the Government did not intervene, U-Fone will suffer an irreparable loss, according to some estimates close to $10-12 million. The PM was told that the negotiations being carried out at the U-Fone Headquarters showed equipment worth $24 to $25 million may be bought for $28 million or more and the extra amount will end up in the safe accounts of many. The report to the PM said the expansion program, commonly referred to as the Third phase of U-Fone, can be categorized under two schemes:
(a) the existing network expansion category
(b) The New Cities expansion category.
Since both these categories are included under the same expansion program, therefore, this concern, amongst others, has caused reason to prepare the report.
The Existing Network Expansion Category: The inexorable logic from the afore stated will be that the cities ofPakistan in which U-Fone is already operational will inevitably be equipped with the network of MS Nortel. So, theneighboring cities of such areas where the services of mobile phone is already available have to be provided with the equipment of Nortel. It is logical and will of-course be cheaper too. These cities have been included in the further expansion program now being termed as the third phase.
The Board of Directors of U-Fone has approved this. The report said it might be worth mentioning that the Federal Minister for IT&T Awais Leghari recently appointed the majority of the Directors of the Board of both PTCL and U-Fone.
With these considerations, one is poised with an important issue and that is of the price i.e. will U-Fone pay the same price which it paid at the time of its start on, or will it be any other price. The report says that Nortel will and should remain as the solve vendor for the proposed expansion under this category.
The New Cities Expansion Category: The report said the government is trying to provide network in order to enable the U-Fone mobile telephone services to the people in other cities in addition to major ones.
Therefore, in order to procure equipment for these new proposed cities under the third phase, five new vendors were pre-qualified by the Board and the management of U-Fone for the bidding process namely Alcatel, Ericsson, HuaweiTechnologies, Motorola and Siemens.
But, the bids were leaked. The report has now suggested that the government may immediately constitute a committee to ensure something like this does not happen again. At the same time, we must also ensure that U-Fone does not lose its prospective customers either. But in any event, before the conclusion of the agreement, the NAB should approve it.
We may have recourse to any of the following:
(i)We can either recall for the entire re-tendering. This might cause a further delay of at least four to six months but as it is our main competitor Mobilink has won the race. It is opening its market to its customers in a couple of weeks.
(ii) Since the vendors will remain the same, we may alternatively ask all the remaining four to compete with each other in the presence of a committee especially constituted for the purpose. If this proposal is accepted, then the entire exercise should be over within a week and U-Fone may invariably save millions of US$ with our small efforts.
Moreover, Nortel will have to match the same price and it will.
(iii) it must be categorically borne in mind that there is no technological difference in the equipment of all these vendors. At least U-Fone’s management should not have any problem since they were the ones who pre-qualified all these categories after technical evaluation.
(iv) by this exercise, an important factor will also be elucidated. Nortel who has been enjoying monopoly status so far in supplying equipment and has been charging their desirable charges in connivance with PTCL management, this would have to be settled scores with us at our terms. This exercise will also unveil the magnitude of the corruption in which our management has been actively involved.
“UNQUOTE”
Notes and References.
http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2008/11/tummandar-sardar-farooq-ahmed-khan.html
Who were the Conspirators!!!
Conspiracy: Kamran Khan, Farooq Laghari, Sajjad Mir, Saifur Rehman & Media Trial of PPP. http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/11/conspiracy-kamran-khan-farooq-laghari.html
As per an “Allegedly Famous Investigative GEO TV Program” Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Saath –24 th November 2009 [Video Mr. Kamran Khan, Senior Correspondent for GEO TV/THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL & Daily Jang, continuously insisted while discussing NRO with Wajid Shamsul Hasan [Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom] that corruption cases registered against Asif Ali Zardari for were genuine and Senator Saifur Rehman [Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz – & Former Undeclared Adivosr to General Musharraf] really and genuinely worked hard on these cases. What a shame for The Jang Group of Newspapers which was ruthlessly persecuted by the same Senator Saifur Rehman during 1999 and more shameful is this that the same Kamran Khan and Jang Group of Newspaper had filed stories after stories against Senator Saifur Rehman’s Corruption and Violation of Rules and Law regarding Press Freedom.
Former Senator Saifur Rehman [PML – Nawaz] during 1996-1997, in connivance with the then President Farooq Ahmed Khan Laghari, Kamran Khan [The News International] and Sajjad Mir [the then Editor of Daily Nawa-e-Waqt and nowadays a TV Anchor in Pakistani Private TV Channel NEWSONE AND TVONE] had a conducted detailed Media Trial of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari [while their cases were pending in the Court of Law]. The most funny thing is that Mr Sajjad Mir played the part of TV Anchor on Pakistan Televison Network and his guest was Kamran Khan revealing the detail of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari.
YOUTUBE VIDEO ARE AS UNDER OF THAT PTV MEDIA TRIAL.
Corruption of Zardari-Benazir Part -1 of 5
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cax6xkIRHr4&feature=player_embedded
Corruption of Zardari-Benazir Part – 2 of 5
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8z62URPouE&feature=related
Corruption of Zardari-Benazir Part – 3 of 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INhDlNzjbmQ&feature=related
Corruption of Zardari-Benazir Part – 4 of 5
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF8MXBD-sfk&feature=related
Corruption of Zardari-Benazir Part – 5 of 5
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8qH_iYUjjY&feature=related
JANG GROUP OF NEWSPAPERS/THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL AGAINST THE SAME SENATOR SAIFUR REHMAN WHO IS NOW BEING PRAISED BY KAMRAN KHAN AND HIS NEWSGROUP.
“QUOTE”
Cassette exposes govt’s assault on press – Mir Shakil says govt preparing anti-state cases against him; fears for his life; ‘our organisation is being destroyed’; audio cassette of talks with Saif, Mushahid played during crowded press conference; journalists flabbergasted – By our correspondent KARACHI: Editor-in-Chief of Jang Group of Newspapers Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman on Thursday said that after victimising his group by freezing its accounts, seizing newsprint and serving income tax notices, the government was now preparing anti-state cases against him. Addressing a crowded press conference at the Karachi Press Club, Mir Shakil said that there would not be any problem for the Jang Group if he bowed before the PML government, instead of publishing the truth. The editor-in-chief said that the PML government had attempted to create an impression that the action against the Jang Group of Newspapers was an administrative affair because of income tax issues and misuse of newsprint quota. But every government action taken against his group was to stop printing of those news items, which would go against the interest of the prime minister, his business concerns and his family, he added. Flanked by senior journalists Z A Sulehri, Irshad Ahmad Haqqani, Maleeha Lodhi and Kamila Hayat, Mir Shakil said that he was under tremendous pressure from Ehtesab Bureau chief Saifur Rahman, who was out to victimise the Jang Group of Newspapers for not bowing before his whims.During the press conference, Mir Shakil also played an audio cassette on which some of his talks with Senator Saifur Rahman, Information Minister Mushahid Hussain and senior journalist Mujeeb-ur-Rahman Shami, who played the mediator’s role, were recorded.
The cassette also included the following dialogue between Mir Shakil and Senator Saifur Rahman: “Mir Shakil: The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has given verdict in our favour. “Saif: This was because of our leniency. We did not give him (chairman of the tribunal) the instructions. If we had given him the instructions, even his father could not have given that decision.” Regarding the character of IT Tribunal Chairman Mujibullah Siddiqui, Mir Shakil said that he was an honest officer and had enjoyed enviable reputation for his integrity. This was a fact endorsed by senior lawyers, who had come to hear Mir Shakil’s press conference. During the recorded meetings, Senator Saif and Information Minister Mushahid Hussain were heard demanding favours from the Jang Group on policies regarding the governor’s rule in Sindh, the Shariah Bill and the economic policies. The government functionaries were heard as saying that 14 people on senior positions both in the Jang and The News should be removed. The journalists included Maleeha Lodhi, Kamila Hayat, Irshad Ahmad Haqqani, Mahmood Sham, Kamran Khan, Abid Tahami, Marghoob, Khawar, Aftab Iqbal and others.
The government also demanded that such journalists should be replaced by people who could favour the government’s policies. The government had divided the unfavourable journalists into ‘A’ and ‘B’ categories. Raising objections on the reports of investigative reporter Kamran Khan, Saif said during the meetings the government had secured assurances from the ISI about him and he should be controlled by Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. The government team also accused the Jang Group of spreading hatred among the masses against the ruling party. They demanded that telephonic surveys on national issues should not be conducted by newspapers. Mir Shakil said that because of restrictions on newsprint supply, the Jang Group was facing hardships in bringing out its daily newspapers. “Despite clearance from the Customs authorities, 2,000 reels of paper have not been released todate. Because of this problem, from Saturday, daily Jang will print only six pages and The News will bring out 10 pages,” he added. Mir Shakil said: “All our bank accounts have been seized. The personal accounts of mine and my mother have also been seized. Yesterday (Wednesday) when my brother gave statement in our favour, his account in the United Bank Ltd, Al-Rahman Branch, was also seized.” The editor-in-chief said that the Supreme Court was moved against the injustices meted out by the PML government. “It was a remarkable thing that this step was taken by us in the country,” he added. Mir Shakil said reports were received that anti-state cases were being prepared against him. He said: “The government is making all out attempts that the issue should not be construed as one of ‘press freedom’ and ‘freedom of expression’. I am afraid that something terrible is in the making. I also fear for my life.” He said he would prove whatever published in the Jang Group of Publications was the truth. “Whatever we published was also covered by other newspapers, but only our group was being targeted. I don’t care whatever they will do with me. I will prove each and everything on the basis of logic and facts. Whatever we published, it is our job to prove it. And what the government said, it is their responsibility to prove it,” Mir Shakil remarked. The editor-in-chief said that the government’s actions were based on malicious intentions and were taken with ‘unfair mind’. According to the tape-recorded message, Senator Saifur Rahman said that the income tax and other legal notices would be withdrawn and government advertisements would be released, if the Jang Group supported the government’s policies.
Mir Shakil said: “There was a time when I got confused. I thought about my life, my family, my organisation and about my 4,000 workers and their families. It is very difficult to stand before the state power. Some people advised me to bow down and accept the government’s conditions to save the institutions. But there were also people who advised me to stand for the truth.” Regarding a story which was published in daily Observer of London and reproduced in Pakistan by a number of newspapers but could not be covered by the Jang because of pressure from the government, the editor-in-chief said: “I felt sorry for it. In the market economy, it is very difficult to survive, if one is not in the competition.” Mir Shakil said: “The government did too much against us and is still doing a lot. The organisation of newspaper owners — the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) — and the association of editors — the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) — also intervened into the matter. But under the given circumstances, the Jang Group had to take decisions which were not recommended by the APNS and the CPNE. But they are with us. There is also a resolution from them in our favour.” The editor-in-chief said that the situation was in the Jang Group’s favour. “We were not involved in selling imported newsprint quota in the market. We did not avoid payment of income tax. We did not publish stories which were incorrect,” he added. Without giving names of other newspaper organisations involved in selling newsprint quota, Mir Shakil said the government was not taking any action against them. The editor-in-chief said that when he addressed a press conference in August 1998, some newspapers played a nasty role. “They propagated that there was a deal between the government and the Jang Group. But that was not true. If there was any deal and if that was any administrative matter, then why the ban was imposed on releasing public sector advertisements to us,” he added. Mir Shakil said: “I did not leave any stone unturned to resolve the issue. I went from pillar to post. I wrote a letter to Abbaji, the father of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, but to no avail. The government’s action against the Jang Group began in August 1998, when income and wealth tax cases of the group’s various companies and directors, previously being dealt by different Income Tax (IT) circles, were pooled in one circle. This circle is renowned as a branch of the Ehtesab Bureau in the IT Department where cases of those politicians are dealt, against whom the government has decided to take any action.”
Referring to a television programme telecast the previous night on the PTV, Mir Shakil said that it was a one-sided propaganda. “If there is democracy, then versions of both the sides should be presented and then experts will decide what is right and what is wrong. This is the policy of the Jang Group to give views of all concerned parties. We have printed complete view of the government’s side also in our newspapers,” he remarked. REFERENCE: Cassette exposes govt’s assault on press – Mir Shakil says govt preparing anti-state cases against him; fears for his life; ‘our organisation is being destroyed’; audio cassette of talks with Saif, Mushahid played during crowded press conference; journalists flabbergasted .
KARACHI: Barring two brief stints under Major General (retd) Enayet Niazi and Khawar Zaman, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) played second fiddle to former Ehtesab Czar Senator Saif-ur-Rahman in covert operations during which numerous respectable citizens were kidnapped, tortured and placed under illegal detention, an exercise never witnessed before in the country. Officials and business sources informed the News Intelligence Unit (NIU) that Saif-ur-Rahman operated mostly through a select group of FIA officials who danced to his tunes when Mian Mohammad Amin, Chaudhry Iftikhar Ali and Major (retd) Mohammad Mushtaq were heading the FIA. Major General Enayet Niazi and Khawar Zaman had, however, resisted Saif’s attempt to use the FIA for illegal activities, a position that triggered their sudden transfer from the job.
These sources believed that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had first-hand information about Saif’s involvement in the kidnapping of some of the very reputed citizens as he ignored strong complaints against this nasty operation even from his cabinet colleagues. For instance when the FIA sleuths kidnapped Farooq Hasan, owner of Hasan Associates, a renowned builder and developer of Karachi last year and locked him at a Saif-run safe house in Islamabad, former federal minister Halim Siddiqi had rushed to Nawaz Sharif to inform him about Saif’s involvement in the kidnapping of a well-known Karachi businessman. Halim Siddiqi’s pleas both to Sharif and Saif went unheeded as Hasan had to stay for about a week in Saif’s dungeon and was only released when he signed a confessional statement that had been prepared by Saif’s lieutenant at the Ehtesab Cell. Saif prepared confessional statement for Farooq Hasan relating to dealings of AES power plant with the Benazir government.
Throughout his confinement Hasan was physically abused, mentally tortured and was not allowed to sleep. Sources said during his arrest Hasan was also kept and interrogated at Saif’s personal residence in Islamabad. Jamil Ansari, the Chief Executive of a famous trading and business group in Karachi, was kidnapped last year by the FIA while he was about to board a Karachi-bound flight from Islamabad. For the next four days Ansari’s family in Karachi had no knowledge of his whereabouts. The case was soon brought to the knowledge of Nawaz Sharif, who conveniently ignored protest from an associate who thought that such daylight kidnappings of the business luminaries without any charges would bring the PML government into disrepute. Sources said that for more than a week, Ansari, a businessman, was questioned for his friendship with a ranking naval official. This week-long illegal detention under Saif’s orders of the chief executive of a reputed firm had sent a shock wave in Karachi’s mercantile community, but the Nawaz Sharif administration was not bothered.
The FIA was also involved in the kidnapping of Shahzad Sherry, a well-known international banker, from Karachi. Like other victims, Sherry was also swiftly shifted to Islamabad, where he was locked at a government-run safe house. For several days Sherry was kept in illegal confinement and questioned by the former Ehtesab Bureau stalwarts including Senator Saif-ur-Rahman. Sherry was apparently also paying price for his friendship with certain naval officials. His detention also continued for several days before being released without bringing any criminal charges against him. Karachi-based Jamil Hamdani, another representative of an international bank, was kidnapped from his house in Defence Society Karachi last month and was forced to board an Islamabad-bound flight for an urgent meeting with Saif-ur-Rahman and his team. Sources said that Saif pointedly informed Hamdani about his disliking for his bank’s interest in the privatisation of Habib Bank Limited. Jamil Hamdani was believed to be working on an international consortium that was interested in the management of overseas operations of Habib Bank. No apologies were offered after Hamdani was set free three days later by the Ehtesab sleuths who also warned him not to talk to the press about his ordeal. Saif’s frenzy to get private citizens abducted through the FIA touched its peak last year when he used the federal agency to kidnap Arif Zarwani, a UAE national and a reputed businessman, from his friend’s house in Defence Society Karachi. Zarwani, who had been arrested in an FIA-cum-police raid, was quickly flown to Islamabad, where he was handed over to Wasim Afzal, a close associate of Saif-ur-Rahman. The Ehtesab action created a stir in the UAE as Nawaz Sharif was personally told that Zarwani’s kidnapping in Karachi had endangered his official visit next day to the UAE. Zarwani, who was apparently picked up for his ties with Asif Zardari, was freed from the Ehtesab clutches, two days later, only after he was forced to listen to a telephonic sermon from Saif who was then touring Europe.
No reasons were given for Arif Zarwani’s arrest nor any criminal charges were brought against him. Despite an official protest from the UAE Nawaz Sharif did not question Saif or the FIA for the kidnapping of a foreign national. In another case Ghulam Mustafa Memon, a well-known petroleum dealer and a former friend of Asif Ali Zardari, was kidnapped in an FIA action from his house in Defence Society, Karachi last year. During the operation the FIA sleuths ransacked his house. Memon, like other victims, was quickly flown to Islamabad where he was kept at a safe house for about a week. Mustafa Memon said that during the detention, he went through severe physical torture and mental harassment at the hands of senior Ehtesab officials including Khalid Aziz. At least a week later Mustafa was quietly released from Islamabad and no criminal charges were brought against him. Among others who made the hostage list of Saif-ur-Rahman was Naeemuddin Khan, a senior United Bank Limited (UBL) executive responsible for recovering Rs 1.2 billion loans from Saif-ur-Rahman’s Redco Textile Mills. While using the FIA in the kidnapping of Naeemuddin Khan from his room at Karachi’s Pearl Continental Hotel, Senator Saif is understood to have told the FIA that Naeemuddin was involved in money laundering. Without verifying the facts an FIA team barged into Naeemuddin’s room in August this year and in the next few hours he was facing a Saif-ur-Rahman interrogation squad at an unspecified location in Islamabad.
Naeemuddin’s ordeal ended after Nawaz Sharif listened to a strong complaint in this regard from National Assembly Speaker Illahi Bukhsh Soomro and ordered the bank executive’s release. Sharif, however, refused to order any probe into the kidnapping of a bank executive who was being punished for his attempt to recover Rs 1.2 billion of loan from Saif-ur-Rahman. The Naeemuddin Khan episode also unveiled that Saif was using the Intelligence Bureau also to settle personal scores. Informed officials said that before being picked up by the FIA, Naeemuddin Khan was constantly followed by the IB agents while his personal and official phone was tapped for several months. The recording of his secret taping was provided to Saif-ur-Rahman. It is no more a secret that leading newspaper columnist and politician Hussain Haqqani had been kidnapped by the FIA sleuths along with his brother, an active service Army Colonel, during an evening stroll on direct orders from Saif-ur-Rahman early this year. Official sources said that it was at least three days after Haqqani’s kidnapping that Saif-ur-Rahman ordered the FIA bosses to “produce” a case against him. Official sources confirmed Haqqani’s account that he was beaten and kept awake during the first week of his arrest. Haqqani is of the few Saif victims whose captivity brought criminal charges, vehemently denied by Haqqani who said that the cases against him was the figment of Saif’s imagination. The only Saif-sponsored kidnapping that did not have any FIA role was that of Najam Sethi, Editor, Friday Times. Sethi, who apparently served the longest term of illegal captivity, had been dragged out of his Lahore house by the Intelligence Bureau officials who later handed him over to the ISI, that kept him at one of its safe houses in Islamabad for about three weeks. Like all Saif-ordered kidnappings of various reputed citizens, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had fully supported the unlawful arrest of Najam Sethi, as it was later discovered that Sharif had personally asked Lt Gen Khawaja Ziauddin to keep Sethi in ISI custody.
ISLAMABAD: Leaders of major political parties of the country joined the protesting journalists on Monday in their demand for complete press freedom and marched up to the Parliament House calling upon the government to give up its hold on the press. Addressing the rally near the Parliament building, leaders of political parties as well journalists’ organisations vowed to continue their battle for press freedom and asked for an end to victimisation against the press, the Jang Group in particular. Leaders of APNEC and RIUJ under Minhaj Berna, PFUJ president Abdul Hameed Chhapra, and others had organised the press freedom march to condemn the government for its ‘dictatorial policies to silence the press’. Leaders of journalists’ bodies CR Shamsi, Pervaiz Shaukat, Fouzia Shahid, Faraz Hashmi and others also addressed.
Chhapra said the government had tried to crush the press but pledged to lead a movement against it, saying the journalists would do all they could to liberate press from the clutches of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Senator Saifur Rahman. “The working journalists have won the first battle and would win other such battles also”. He said the political leaders had joined the press in its struggle today. CR Shamsi, Pervaiz Shaukat and Faraz Hashmi condemned the government for attacks on the press and expulsion of 40 employees of daily Assas. They also called for an end to the contractual appointments. There were, in fact, two separate rallies in Rawalpindi and Islamabad as the political leaders first converged at the Murree Road and marched against ‘the government’s moves to muzzle the press.’ Later, they travelled to Islamabad to join journalists at Aabpara Chowk and then walked up to the Parliament House. Those who attend the press freedom rally were Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, former NA Speaker and head of PML(J) Hamid Nasir Chattha, key MQM Senators under Aftab Sheikh, leader of the opposition in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan, other PPP Senators, former PPP minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Benazir Bhutto’s political secretary Naheed Khan. Also present were Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), Aftab Lodhi of Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT), Amirul Azim of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Senator Dr Hayee Baloch of Balochistan National Movement (BNM) and Syed Kabir Ali Wasti of Pakistan Muslim League (Qasim), besides several others. Workers of the political parties also marched with journalists up to the Parliament House. Former ambassador to the United States and editor ‘The News’ Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Dr Maleeha Lodhi, editor Jang daily Rana Tahir, ex-editors of the Jang and scores of journalists attended the rally, which also included activists of several human rights groups, non-governmental organisations, representatives of lawyers, doctors, intellectuals, labour unions and others.
Shaheen Qureshi, Editor Coordination Jang Group categorically denied the group had entered into any deals with the government and said the latter had agreed to certain concessions to diffuse the pressure and buy time. “Let me make it clear that there is no compromise whatsoever as the government has claimed since Saturday,” he said. Shaheen noted that the attack on press freedom was in fact an issue of the survival of Pakistan and democracy because both were closely related. He said the government had destroyed all institutions and had now directed its guns at the press. He said the real person behind attacks on press freedom was Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and not ‘his stooge Saifur Rzhman’. He said the Jang Group had moved the courts for justice and it would win the legal battle for freedom of the press. “We don’t need certificates from anybody to prove our patriotism,” Shaheen Qureshi said. Addressing the gathering, PPP Senator Aitzaz Ahsan said victimisation of the press at the hands of Nawaz government had proved that it was out to demolish all institutions of the country. He said the federation was literally at risk now as the government aimed at dissipating the fourth pillar of the state. He said the politicians of the country had long been raising voice against the policies of Sharif but it was the press, which had united all of them as the press had also come under attack. Dr Hayee Baloch of BNM assured the journalists that his party fully supported them in their struggle. Imran Khan said the government claimed it had struck a deal with the Jang Group but asked: “Even if this be true, we won’t allow Sharif to hush-up the alleged tax evasion of the Jang Group because it is the people’s money.” Imran said ever since “this business-minded person” had entered the Prime Minister’s house, he had been signing deals for personal gains.
Syed Kabir Ali Wasti, who arrived in Aabpara at the head said the government wanted to mute the press so that its misdeeds did not reach the people of Pakistan. Amirul Azim of JI said it was a pity that those who wanted to recover the so-called taxes from the Jang Group were themselves tax-evaders. Allama Zubair Zaheer quoted a Hadith to say that truth should never be hidden and that to say truth before a tyrant ruler was Jihad. Qamar Zaidi of Therik-e-Jaffaria said Senator Saifur Rahman had resorted to a ‘devilish act’ .
Read the allegation of Jang Group against Nawaz Sharif [1997-1999]:
1 – Jang Group: Deteriorating law and order situation (July 1998).
.Government reacts strongly, demands to stop the news.
2 – Jang Group: Irshad Haqqani’s column on the political situation (July 13, 1998).
NAWAZ SHARIF’S GOVERNMENT REACTION:
Objects to the column, sends seven articles, which were published on July 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 28 and 30, 1998.
3 – Jang Group: Traders refuse to pay GST (July 15, 1998).
• Discussion on PTV, the Jang criticized by name, July 16, 1998.
4. Jang Group: People’s reaction to the freezing of foreign currency accounts (July 1998).
• Government suspends advertisements to the Jang group, July 21, 1998.
5. Oil prices increased by 25 percent (July 25, 1998).
• Government objects to the display of the news.
6. Protest against price hike (Aug. 4, 1998).
• Government objects.
7. Flour mills increase Atta prices (Aug. 4, 1998).
• Government asks not to publish stories about the re-price hike.
8. Jang Group: Sugar mills owned by the Sharif family have to pay Rs. 700 million to farmers (Aug. 13, 1998).
• Don‘t publish stories about the Sharif family, says the government.
9. Jang Group: A survey on the Independence Day criticizing the government (Aug. 14, 1998).
NAWAZ SHARIF’S GOVERNMENT REACTION:
• Newspapers have had their fun, now it is our turn: PM (Aug. 16, 1998). MSF criticizes the Jang (Aug. 15 & 17, 1998).
10. Jang Group: Reports about US missile falling inside Pakistan during the US missile-raids on Afghanistan.
• Government gets very upset, begins sending income tax notices (Aug. 18, 1998). All tax cases against the Jang group sent to a cell headed be Senator Saifur Rahman (Aug. 19, 1998). PM delivers a speech against the Jang group, PML workers chant slogans against the Jang (Aug. 23, 1998).
11. Jang Group: Ittefaq Group and Redco are defaulters: Qazi Hussain Ahmed (Aug. 24, 1998).
• A magistrate, accompanied by the police, serves notices on Mir Shakilur Rehman. Four tax notices served on Aug. 24, 1998 after midnight. Six more notices sent (Aug 25, 1998).
12. Jang Group: A close relative of Kulsoom Nawaz inducted in the FIA as an assistant director (Aug. 27, 1998).
• Nine tax notices sent on Aug. 27, 1998.
13. Jang Group: A joint APNS-CPNE meeting expresses concern over government policies (Aug. 27, 1998).
• Some newspapers are talking about martial law, we should take them to the court: PM (Aug. 28, 1998).
14. Jang Group: Mir Shakilur Rehman addresses a press conference, speaks of the government’s actions against the Jang group (Aug. 27, 1998).
15. Jang Group: Mir Shakilur Rehman meets the Prime Minister (Aug. 28, 1998).
NAWAZ SHARIF’S GOVERNMENT REACTION:
• Government restores its advertisements. Promises to withdraw the tax notices. No notices served throughout the month.
• Government objects. Serves another tax notice on Sept. 23, 1998.
• Government objects.
16. Jang Group: Stories about CTBT (Sept. 1998).
17. Jang Group: Pakistan agrees to sign CTBT unconditionally (Sept. 24, 1998).
18. Jang Group: US appreciates Pakistan’s assurance to sign CTBT (Sept. 25, 1998).
19. Jang Group: IMF-government talks produce no results (Sept. 26, 1998).
NAWAZ SHARIF’S GOVERNMENT REACTION:
• Government sends a strong warning. Urges the group not to criticize economic policies.
• Government gets very upset and conveys its anger.
20. The London Observer publishes a story about the Sharif family. Jang was asked not to publish it. The News reproduced the story (Sept. 18, 1998).
• Government objects.
• Government objects to the coverage of the Jang.
• Government objects.
• Government says the group is publishing too many stories about the armed forces.
• Government objects to stories about its economic policies.
21. Jang Group: Kamran Khan’s story saying the government spending foreign exchange on the Prime Minister’s favourite projects (Oct. 4, 1998).
NAWAZ SHARIF’S GOVERNMENT REACTION:
• Government again suspends advertisements to the Jang (Oct. 13, 1998).
• Objects to publishing stories about unemployment. Sends three income tax notices (Oct. 14, 1998). Freezes Jang’s accounts, stops supply of newsprint to the Jang group although the custom authorities had already released it. Six more income tax notices served (Oct 15, 1998).
• Government shows its contempt.
• Six more tax notices served. (Oct. 27, 1998).
• Objects to the coverage.
22. Jang Group: General Jehangir Karamat proposes National Security Council, reactions (Oct. 5, 1998).
23. Jang Group: Corps commanders express concern over the prevailing situation (Oct. 7, 1998).
24. Jang Group: General Jehangir Karamat resigns, national and international reactions on his resignation (Oct. 8, 1998).
25. Jang Group: The economic situation worsens (Oct. 12, 1998).
26. Jang Group: Protest outside Nawaz Sharif’s flats in London (Oct. 12, 1998).
27. Jang Group: UBL sacks 8,000 employees (Oct. 14, 1998).
28. Jang Group: Jang and The News reproduce a story published in the Independent, London about the Sharif family (Oct. 21, 1998).
29. Jang Group: Court asks for official record in the plot case against Nawaz Sharif (Oct. 22, 1998).
30. Jang Group: PML and the MQM split (Oct. 30, 1990).
31. Jang Group: 18 people including PML legislators convicted in the contempt case (Oct. 30, 1998).
32. Jang Group: Kamran Khan’s story saying that all the accused arrested in the Hakim Saeed case were fake (Nov. 5, 1998).
33. Jang Group: APNS, CPNE meet in Lahore, ask the government to end its victimization campaign against the Jang group (Nov 14 1998).
34. Jang Group: Stories about the deteriorating law and order and the economic situation (November, 1998).
35. Jang Group: Income Tax Appellate Tribunal upholds the plea of the Jang group and unfreezes its accounts (Nov. 19, 1998).
36. Jang Group: Half of the newspapers are with me and the rest are with them: Prime Minister (Nov. 25, 1998).
37. Jang Group: My first preference is to make the press change its directions: President Tarar (Nov. 29, 1998).
38. Jang Group: The government is not victimizing the Jang group: Nawaz Sharif (Dec. 4, 1998).
39. Jang Group: No relief to the Jang: Official spokesman (Dec. 16, 1998).
40. Jang Group: Official actions against the press has hurt me: Waseem Sajjad (Dec. 17, 1998).
41. Jang Group: Nawaz Sharif, his mother and wife did not disclose their plots in Murree: PPP (Dec. 18, 1998).
42. Jang Group: Tax dues against Nawaz Sharif rescheduled in Jang: Mushahid Hussain (Dec. 18, 1998).
43. Jang Group: Government preparing another case against the Jang group: Saifur Rehman (Dec. 18, 1998).
44. Jang Group: Nawaz Sharif Spends three days shopping in London: Sunday Telegraph (Dec. 21, 1998).
45. Jang Group: Jang and The News publish details of the government’s actions against the group.
46. Jang Group: Mir Shakilur Rehman plays cassettes of a conversation with Senator Saifur Rahman at the Karachi press club (Jan. 28, 1999).
NAWAZ SHARIF’S GOVERNMENT REACTION:
• Objects to the coverage. Sends four fresh tax notices on Nov. 2 and five new notices on Nov. 5.
• A barrage of tax notices. Nine notices served on Nov. 5 and four on Nov. 6.
• Government objects to the Jang’s decision to take the dispute to newspaper associations.
• Government reacts strongly against the story.
• Government increase its victimization after the Tribunal’s decision. Sends a tax notice on Nov. 23.
• Sends six tax notices on Nov. 26. Another on Nov. 27. Ten notices served on Nov. 30. Customs officials stop newsprint. Another tax notice served on Dec. 3.
• A tax notice served on Dec. 10 Five notices served on Dec. 12. On Dec. 15 FIA raids the offices of The News and the Jang in Rawalpindi.
• Government intensifies the campaign against the Jang group and starts sending threatening messages. Agencies put listening devices to the telephones at the offices and homes of the editorial staff of the Jang group. Intelligence agencies increase their vigilance of the editorial staff of the Jang and The News. Another raid on Rehan Paper Mart. Agencies try to collect evidence against the Jang. APP spreads a story falsely implicating the Jang group in a case. Notices serves on Mir Shakilur Rehman to appear before a special Judge of the customs (Dec. 19, 1998).
• Expresses strong objection to the story and sends five tax notices on Dec. 22. Two income tax notices served on December 23 & 26. Five more notices on Jan. 12, 14, 15 & 21, 1999.
• FIA cordons off offices of the Jang and The News in Karachi and Lahore.
• Threat to try Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman in a military court under sedition charges. A case is registered the same day (Jan. 28, 1999). REFERENCE: Punishment For Telling The Truth A Tale of Vendetta and Intimidation
ISLAMABAD: It is not just General Pervez Musharraf, who is caught in the Chak Shahzad power scam for using more electricity and paying less money, another former president, an ex-prime minister and a serving general too are found either using “illegal electricity tariff” or involved in cases of ‘irregularity in billing’ owing to faulty meters. These include such luminaries as former interim president and ex-chairman Senate Wasim Sajjad; ex-caretaker prime minister and ex-chairman Senate Muhammadmian Soomro; ex-chairman of the disbanded Ehtesab Bureau and former senator Saifur Rehman; Corps Commander Gujranwala and ex-DG ISI Lt Gen Nadeen Taj and others. Farmhouse No 10-B, where former Senator Saifur Rehman’s brothers live, too is found to have been using wrong tariff. The name of the subscriber in the IESCO’s record in this case is Ahmad Touqeer Naqvi. REFERENCE: Lt-Gen Nadeem, Wasim Sajjad, Soomro among power defaulters By Ansar Abbasi Friday, June 19, 2009
Such influentials, besides Pervez Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz who fled from the country within weeks after completing his tenure, includes former PML-N senator Saifur Rehman and top parliamentarians and retired defence officers. In the case of Saifur Rehman, whose Chak Shahzad farmhouse is also being used as Redco’s site office, SDO Jamil said his connection was changed a few months back and given industrial tariff. The Admin officer at Rehman’s site office when contacted did not offer any comment. However, the electricity bill of Saifur Rehman’s place shows that the D-2(1) tariff is still intact at his residence though it was showing not to have consumed even one unit of electricity since January this year. An Iesco source said at least 24 air conditioner units are fixed in the Redco farmhouse buildings. The SDO also confirmed that a former ISI chief, who is also residing in the same locality, was provided free-of-cost transformer and poles, etc., following orders of the then-Iesco chief Brigadier Shahbaz.
These influential people including civil-military bureaucrats and politicians quite conveniently got these plots allotted by the CDA from time to time at throwaway price in the name of growing ìvegetables, poultry and orchardsî. President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also purchased their farmhouses from the original allotees. The most prominent among these 499 owners are General Pervez Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz who bought these plots in 2003 from their original owners. Justice Javed Iqbal, Wasim Sajad, Saifur Rehman, Naheed Khan, former interior minister Wasim Shahzad, ISI, Hafeez Pirzada, top military and civilian officers are included in the list. But their allotment is in danger of being cancelled after the CJ directed the CDA to lunch a survey and cancel the allotments of those farms which were being used for the purpose other than for which they were actually allotted. Meanwhile, several property dealers of Islamabad have confirmed to The News that the current market value of the land owned by 499 privileged individual is Rs75 billion. One property dealer said one acre of land in this area sells for Rs200-250 million. ìThe network of carpeted roads leading to these farmhouses has further hiked the price of these expensive farms, the dealer commented.
ISLAMABAD: The Human Rights Watch, a New York-based organisation, on Friday released a highly controversial audio tape of Attorney-General of Pakistan Malik Mohammed Qayyum in which he talks about a rigging plan for Monday’s elections. The audio, released on the website of HRW, was obtained by it from secret sources and the organisation accused the attorney-general of saying “that the upcoming parliamentary elections will be massively rigged”. Malik Qayyum, while talking to The News, termed the recording fake and a conspiracy against him because he was a close aide of President Musharraf. He said the release of this fake audio was a conspiracy against him and the president. The Human Rights Watch claims that the conversation was recorded when a journalist was interviewing Qayyum and he took another call, putting the journalist on hold. The said journalist was recording the call and thus conversation of Qayyum with an unidentified person was recorded ultimately. In the recording, Qayyum appears to be advising an unidentified person on what political party the person should approach to become a candidate in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Human Rights Watch said that the recording was made during a phone interview with a member of the media on November 21, 2007. Qayyum, while still on the phone interview, took a call on another telephone and his side of that conversation was recorded. The recording was made the day after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the polls. The election was originally planned for January 8 but was postponed after the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan on November 25.
An English translation of the recording, which is in Urdu and Punjabi, follows: “Leave Nawaz Sharif (pause)… I think Nawaz Sharif will not take part in the election (pause)… If he does take part, he will be in trouble. If Benazir takes part she too will be in trouble (pause)… They will massively rig to get their own people to win. If you can get a ticket from these guys, take it (pause)… If Nawaz Sharif does not return himself, then Nawaz Sharif has some advantage. If he comes himself, even if after the elections rather than before (pause). Yes.” The HRW press release also claimed that its repeated attempts to contact Qayyum by phone were unsuccessful. It said in February 2001, the Sunday Times published a report based on transcripts of 32 audio tapes, which revealed that Qayyum convicted Benazir Bhutto and Zardari for political reasons. The transcripts of the recordings reproduced by the newspaper showed that Qayyum asked the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s anti-corruption chief, Saifur Rehman, for advice on the sentence: “Now you tell me how much punishment do you want me to give her?”
London-based Brad Adams, director Asia region-HRW, was asked by The News to comment on Malik Qayyum’s view that the release of the audio just two days before the elections was a conspiracy. Brad replied that his organisation had got this audio recording some three days back and as being an international NGO, it had first confirmed the voice signatures of Malik Qayyum and then tried its best to contact him for his version. Brad, however, refused to mention or give any hint regarding the source from which it had taken the audio. Tom Malinowski, Washington advocacy director of HRW, when asked by The News that whether his NGO had got this recording from some of its staff here in Pakistan or from some intelligence agency, said that he could not speak about the source. To a question that Pakistani government sees the release of the recording as a conspiracy, he said: “Its silly to talk like that, the government should feel sorry what it has planned for elections.” Malik Qayyum told The News that HRW did not take his version and that it did not know about the identification of the person to which he was talking, which automatically raised questions about the authenticity of the recording.
Abbas Ather’s analysis:
Jurists criticise call for army help on NRO verdict
By Nasir Iqbal
Saturday, 23 Jan, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Appeals being made by certain quarters to the military to ‘help’ implement the NRO verdict have annoyed saner elements in the country who regard the calls more as a slur on the judiciary than a service to the country.
Those making such calls should understand that in their innocence they were causing more harm than good to the cause of attaining the cherished goal of independent judiciary for which the nation had rendered sacrifices, observed Justice (retd) Tariq Mehmood, one of the pioneers of the popular lawyers’ movement, while talking to Dawn.
Citing the Nov 1997 instance when former Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah had asked the armed forces to provide security to the judiciary, senior Supreme Court lawyer Abdul Hafeez Pirzada has suggested that the apex court could seek army’s help in getting its verdict on the NRO implemented because the military was part of the executive and thus bound to obey the court’s order under Article 190 of the Constitution.
Similarly, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan has said the judiciary could order the military to hold mid-term elections by ousting the present ‘inefficient’ government.
Under Article 245 of the Constitution, the armed forces could be commanded to come to the aid of the civil power only when asked to do so by the federal government, Tariq Mehmood said, adding that military dictatorship would be strongly opposed by those who had always struggled for the democratic polity. He said he feared that perception and doubts emanating from such demands would tarnish the image of the judiciary.
Eminent constitutional expert Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim expressed concern over the suggestion and said the executive and judiciary were two pillars of the state and if one fell the entire edifice would collapse.
He said compromise was the need of the hour and the country’s progress required everyone to avoid extremism, not to get emotional or draw offensive lines to derail the entire system.
The armed forces must not be dragged into the arena, he said, adding that Pakistan was in the midst of all kinds of crises, from Balochistan issue to terrorism, law and order, rampant unemployment, retarded economic development and gas and electricity shortages. Therefore, adventurism of any kind is not a tangible solution.
“It is crucial to sit down and work out a bailout package,” he said.
According to him, mid-term elections under a caretaker government after cleansing the dirt from the society could be one of the solutions. If the military is called then it would be a triangular conflict involving important pillars, and the executive, judiciary and the armed forces being on the collision course would make the situation murkier.
He recalled that when he was law minister he had suggested that it should be made obligatory for candidates to disclose their assets before taking part in elections and that such declarations should be subject to challenge by voters. But the suggestion was shot down by the Musharraf government.
According to him, the problem started when President Asif Ali Zardari decided to keep the office of the PPP’s co-chairmanship, because the president represents the federation and not any political party.
Mr Ebrahim, however, appreciated Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s assurance that the NRO verdict would be implemented in letter and in spirit and said that resolutions like these were needed to save the situation. Mr Ebrahim said that in his opinion the judiciary should have decided the NRO case immediately after the federal government had pleaded not to contest the bad law.
Supreme Court Advocate Naseer Ahmed Chaudhry said the suggestion of calling the military was naive and “takes a short measure of the Constitution and the institutions it seeks to establish”.
“No constitution could contemplate such a situation and the implication it would lead to”, Advocate Chaudhry said, adding that in a constitutional dispensation such a suggestion would never be liked by anyone. “The armed forces are merely a wing and an entity of the executive government and do not stand alone,” he said.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/13+jurists-criticise-call-for-army-help-on-nro-verdict-310-za-06
LAHORE- A Civil court on Monday ordered Pakistan Telecommunication Limited (PTCL) authorities to submit details of PTCL assets before the court.
As the counsel of Global IT Vision civil Pvt had filed a suit seeking damages of Rs. one billion from PTCL for suspending services to the IT Company without any legal justification. The court had already issued notices to PTCL Chief Executive, Senior Executive Vice President Tariq Salman, General Manager Muhammad Bsharat Qureshi and Senior Manager Nadeem Abbasi.
The suit for damages was filed by the Company’s counsel Azher Siddique Advocate.
Petitioner’s counsel contended that PTCL had suspended agreement with IT firm on May 4, 2010 and suspended SIP services to the company without giving an opportunity of hearing to company.
Counsel said that due to suspension of services, the Company has to bear loss of billions of rupees and suspension by PTCL also tarnished the image of the company.
He prayed before the court to freeze all the assets of PTCL and put names of senior officials including a foreigner on exit control list (ECL).
Azher further prayed the court to direct PTCL to submit Rs. one billion as security so that PTCL could not sell the assets of the company in case of a decision against it.
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online//Regional/14-Dec-2010/Court-seeks-PTCL-assets-details