Another Party Emerges Out of PTI called Awami Tehrek e Insaf (ATI)

Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza is a (so-called) hooligan : Rana Sana Ullah

Geo
KARACHI: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Sunday came hard on Sindh Home Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza for the latter’s statement against Pakistan Muslim League-N, Geo News reported.

“Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza is a (so-called) hooligan who only a few days back visited Nine Zero to bow his head in respect,” Rana Sanullah said in reaction to the statement of Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza in which he warned Nawaz League of dire consequences ‘if it tried to use undemocratic tactics against Pakistan People’s Party in Punjab’

The Punjab Law Minister said ill will is evident in Zulfiqar Mirza’s statement, describing it as an attack on Pakistan’s integrity.

“Pakistan People’s Party has no intention to implement the 10-point agenda,” he claimed, adding that no reconciliation can be greater than Pakistan’s stability.

He said N-League has already decided to throw PPP out of the Punjab government.

Punjab tussle: Zulfiqar Mirza warns PML-N of consequences

Tribune

FAISALABAD: Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza has warned PML-N of “consequences”  if the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is forced out of the Punjab coalition.

Speaking at a public gathering in Lyari on Sunday, Mirza asserted that the PML-N was hatching conspiracies to eliminate the PPP from Punjab. He warned the PML-N that any undemocratic step against the PPP government would result in anarchy in the country.

Mirza’s warning follows statements by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who  said February 22 will be the final day of talks with the PPP on the PML-N’s 10-point agenda.

Talking to the media in Faisalabad on Sunday, Shahbaz said the PML-N will decide on February 22 if it wants to have the PPP as a coalition partner in the Punjab government. Party chief Nawaz Sharif had earlier ruled out giving more time to the PPP to implement the 10-point reforms agenda.

PML-N, the main opposition group, has been engaged in negotiations with government interlocutors on economic and governance reforms linked to a 10-point agenda it had given to the PPP. Nawaz Sharif has given a 45-day deadline to implement the agenda, starting from January 10. Failure to deliver on the economic cum political agenda may lead to the parting of ways for both parties in Punjab.

Tension in Punjab

In an earlier report in The Express Tribune, the PML-N had refused to propose two members from its party to be part of a committee to discuss the 19-point agenda put forward by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) regarding governance in Punjab.

The agenda – presented to the Punjab government by the PPP in seeming retaliation to a 10-point agenda given to it by the PML-N in the centre – was termed ‘useless’ and a ‘waste of time’ by Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah.

The PML-N had to announce its members on February 15, but Sanaullah has now categorically refused to implement the PPP’s agenda in Punjab. When contacted, Raja Riaz refused to comment on the issue.

Fauzia Wahab resigns from party office

AJJ News
Sectary information Pakistan Peoples party (PPP) Fauzia Wahab has resigned from her party office on Saturday.
Talking to media here Wahab said that the statement regarding Raymond Davis was personal her view adding that she had a proud for being a part of PPP.
She said that she would continue to work as a worker for party.

Raymond Davis case: Kerry arrives in Pakistan

Tribune

US Senator John Kerry arrived in Lahore late Tuesday on a mission to resolve a diplomatic row over the American official charged by police with murdering two Pakistanis.

The chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who helped spearhead a record $7.5 billion aid package for Pakistan, is well respected in the country.

He will meet government officials to reassure them of long-term US commitment to Pakistan, said a spokeswoman for the US embassy in Islamabad.

“He’s coming tonight to speak with government officials about the relationship and reaffirm support for the strategic relationship,” said spokeswoman Courtney Beale.

Kerry’s visit aims to look for a resolution to the issue and to tone down the pressure on Pakistan’s coalition government, one US official said on condition of anonymity.

US says it will certify Davis has diplomatic immunity

The US government on Monday announced that it will certify before a Pakistani court that Raymond Davis, the US consular employee accused of shooting dead two men in Lahore, has diplomatic immunity, according to a BBC report.

US state department spokesman PJ Crowley said, “On Thursday, we will present a petition to the court to certify that he has diplomatic immunity and that he should be released.”

He said Pakistan had an “international obligation” to release Davis because he “has diplomatic immunity”.

“We respect our international obligations, and we expect other countries, including Pakistan, to do the same,” he added.

Petition to summon Qureshi, Wahab in Davis case

Meanwhile, a writ petition was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday demanding that statements of former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and former PPP Information Secretary Fauzia Wahab be included in the Raymond Davis case.

The petition was filed by the judicial activism panel and refers to a public statement issued by Qureshi in which he said that Washington pressured him for the release of Raymond Davis but he had refused to comply on the basis that Davis is not a diplomat.

The petition also requests for the inclusion of Fauzia Wahab’s statement at a press conference in which she claimed that Davis is a diplomat and is eligible for diplomatic immunity.

The petition has called on the court to summon both Qureshi and Wahab to record their statements.

It has also appealed to the court to hold Davis responsible for the death of Shumaila, the wife of one of the men shot dead by him.

PPP Govt. dismiss 13 cases of massive Corruption.

PPP, MQM agree on magistracy system

Tribune

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement have agreed on revival of magistracy system in Sindh province. The two parities reached the consensus in a meeting held at Chief Minister House here on Sunday. The PPP was represented by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and provincial ministers Pir Mazharul Haq and Muhammad Ayaz Soomro while Deputy Convener of the MQM Coordination Committee Dr Farooq Sattar and provincial minister Sardar Ahmed represented MQM.

According to the sources, important and decisive dialogue took place between the coalition parties about the revival of the magistrate system. MQM insisted its point of view that the powers should be given in magistrate system to elected representatives and local body officers instead of concentrating them in a single person’s hands. The local body officers can effectively use these powers in checking overpricing.

The meeting agreed that Syed Sardar Ahmed will prepare a consensus summary in coordination with law minister Muhammad Ayaz Soomro and Secretary Law that will be presented to Chief Minister Sindh who will approve it and send it to the federal government.

Syed Sardar Ahmed told journalists that the two parties have reached a consensus on revival of magistrate system under the Sindh Local Bodies Ordinance.

PPP Punjab sets Feb 7 as deadline for PML-N

Tribune
PPP Punjab had earlier presented the PML-N with a 19-point agenda to improve workings in the province.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab on Sunday set Monday, February 7, 2011 as the deadline for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to reply to the 19-point agenda that the PPP sent to it.

PPP provincial ministers will arrange token protests in front of the Punjab Assembly if the PML-N does not give a positive response, said sources. Hour-long protests are expected to take place every day after February 8, 2011.

Earlier, Punjab Senior Minister Raja Riaz Ahmed had told a press conference that the provincial parliamentary party of PPP had sent a 19-point agenda to the chief of PML-N Mian Nawaz Sharif for improving the performance of the Punjab government.

The PPP asked Sharif to remove corrupt provincial ministers whose portfolios were changed in the recent past over corruption and negligence charges. The party also demanded holding of local government elections as early as possible and action against officials responsible for failure of Sasti Roti and food stamp schemes.

This had come in the wake of the 10-points agenda that the PML-N had initially presented the PPP with along with a 45-day deadline.

Shershah scrap market carnage: As no one comes forward to testify, 9 men walk free

Tribune

KARACHI: Nine suspects, who had allegedly confessed to being involved in the Shershah market carnage, were acquitted on Wednesday because of a lack of evidence and witness testimony.

Justice Sajjad Ali Shah of the Sindh High Court, in his capacity as the administrative judge for the Anti-Terrorism Courts of the Karachi division, ordered their release after even the case’s complainant failed to identify any of them.

He had named Muhammad Tufail, Abid Ali, Asghar Ali, Tahseen, Abdul Rasheed, Johar, M Aijaz, M Iqbal and Muhammad Akbar in the case.

Thirteen workers and owners of shops in the Shershah scrap market were killed on October 19, 2010, when unidentified men on motorcycles opened indiscriminate fire in the market. Six shopkeepers, Kashif, Arsalaan, Rashid, Zeeshan, Arif and Imran, were injured.

On Wednesday, the accused men were produced before the judge by the investigation officer, who wanted more time to question them, arguing that they were not cooperating and had not confessed any connection to the crime.

The man who registered the case, Muhammad Nafees, was in court because of orders passed on January 19.

At the last hearing, the court had ordered for a joint interrogation team to submit a report. It was presented to the judge on Wednesday. When the judge asked Muhammad Nafees to identify the accused men present in custody, he said he had never seen them before and they were complete strangers.

Rao M Sharif, counsel for the complainant assisting the Special Public Prosecutor, said the complainant was not identifying the men because he was scared. If their remand were extended, we may discover something more, he added.

The bench declined the request, however, and ordered the release of all the men accused in the case.

Neither was any material connecting the accused to commission of the said crime placed on the record nor was an identification parade carried out and since all the accused were named with parentage, therefore the attendance of the complainant was directed.

The IO stated that despite all efforts by him none of the  witnesses was ready to identify any of the accused.

The halfhearted request for the extension of remand by the IO was without any purpose, the AJ said in his detailed order.

He then directed the police to release the accused men under section 497 (2) of the CrPC after they furnish personal bonds before the IO.

Case history

An FIR was registered on October 20, on the basis of a written statement by complainant, Muhammad Nafees.

The Gulbahar police first arrested Lal Muhammad Magsi and later nominated Aslam Pervez, Shafi Muhammad and Nawaz.

The nine accused men acquitted on Wednesday had voluntarily surrendered before the Special Investigation Unit earlier this month while three others, Hameed alias Mulla Raju, Noor Muhammad alias Baba Ladla and Rashid, are still absconding.

Talking to the media on Wednesday, one of the acquitted men said that they are all poor workers in the graveyard adjacent to the place of the attack (Mewashah graveyard). We are not part of the alleged Lyari gang, he added.

Special Public Prosecutor Arshad Cheema said that the accused have been exonerated for want of evidence but they can face a trial if any investigator manages to find evidence against them. He said that the state should have been the complainant in this case rather than an individual person.

To another question on whether an order was passed against the complainant for lodging a false FIR, Cheema said that if at any stage it was proved that the FIR was false, prosecution under Section 173 of the CrPC would be initiated against the complainant.

Big cases mean big bucks for 15 lawyers

Tribune

Lawyers in NRO and 18th amendment cases paid Rs26 million by PPP govt to defend cases.

ISLAMABAD: Two high profile cases in the Supreme Court of Pakistan – the National Reconciliation Ordinance and the 18th Amendment – opened the gates of wealth on 15 lawyers of the country in 2010.

The lawyers were paid Rs26million by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government to defend these cases.

Former chairman Senate and PML-Q leader in the upper house, Senator Wasim Sajjad emerged as the highest paid lawyer in the country in one government case when he was paid Rs5.9million by the government to defend the 18th Amendment in the Supreme Court.

These lawyers were paid after the government approved the hiring of a brigade of 15 lawyers for just one case, paying them a total of Rs19.5million.

The names of these lawyers and the fees paid to them were produced in the National Assembly on Monday during the question hour when MNA Nighat Parveen Mir sought these details, as well as the procedure adopted in the selection of the advocates. However, no reason was given regarding why such a large number of lawyers were hired in the first place to defend the 18th amendment when the government had the services of some top constitutional lawyers such as Wasim Sajjad and a few others.

The NA was informed in writing that these advocates were hired with the mutual consultation of the Law Minister, Secretary Law and Attorney General of Pakistan.

According to the list produced in the NA, the government hired a total of 13 lawyers to defend the 18th amendment in the court.

Wasim Sajjad, who led the team, was given Rs5.9 million, Sardar Ghazi Rs1 million, Barrister Bachaa Rs2 million, Raja Ibrahim Satti Rs1 million, Masood Chishti Rs1.5 million, Salaudin Gandapur Rs700,000, Iftikharul Haq Khan Rs500,000, Ch Nasrullah Warriach Rs3 million, Mumtaz Mustafa, Rs1.2million, Ch Mushtaq Masood Rs1 million, Khurshid Ahmed Sodhi Rs1 million, Iftikhar Ahmed Mian Rs500,000, Mahmood Sheikh AOR Rs200,000. Thus, a total of Rs19.5million were paid to 13 lawyers.

In the NRO review petition, Kamal Azfar was first paid Rs2.5 million and then Rs1.5 million. Advocate KK Agha got Rs1million and Masood Chishti Rs1.5million. The fee of Governor Punjab Latif Khosa was yet to be paid as the fee was under consideration.

Nabeel Gabol takes back resignation

Tribune

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Ports and Shipping, Nabeel Gabol, who had resigned from his cabinet post on Tuesday, took back his resignation after he met Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in Islamabad on Friday.

Nabeel Gabol had called on the prime minister and the prime minister had assured him of the redressal of his grievances.

Gabol had resigned from his cabinet post saying that he was quitting because he felt powerless in taking important decisions within his ministry and that he was unable to address the issues of his constituency.

Sources said that Gabol stepped down in protest against a massive operation by Rangers and police commandos in Orangi Town and a possible crackdown in his home constituency of Lyari.

However, a one-line handout by the media office of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani attributed the decision to unspecified personal reasons.

Gabol, a close confidant of President Asif Ali Zardari and a central leader of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). His residence in Karachi was also allegedly raided by police after his resignation.

There have been several incidents in the recent past where ministers and lawmakers have resigned from the slot they hold, only to be convinced by their parties or the government to rethink their decision.

Highly placed dignitary had Gabol name on ECL

GEO
KARACHI: The name of former state minister and leader of Pakistan People’s Party, Nabil Gabol was placed on Exit Control List (ECL) on recommendation of a highly placed dignitary, sources told Geo News on Thursday.

Nabil Gabol, on Wednesday, resigned from the post of state minister for Ports and Shipping.

Later, he claimed that police raided his house in Karachi for taking him into custody. He said that he had gone into hiding.

More deaths across Karachi

Rangers patrol the streets of Khi as target killings continue. 

TRIBUNE

KARACHI: Violence has claimed six more lives in gunshot incidents in different areas of Karachi, despite ongoing search operations and Rangers being given additional powers in the metropolis.

Shootings were reported in Orangi town, Lyari, Manghopir, Aslam Barohi Colony and Sohrab Goth today (Thursday). Rangers were called in to administer matters of security in the city and a partial curfew has been imposed.

A provincial level All Parties Conference (APC) will be held in Karachi next week to discuss the law and order situation. The APC will discuss efforts and means for improving the law and order situation in the violence-hit city.

The decision to hold the APC was taken during a high-level meeting held at the Chief Minister’s house in Karachi. It was attended by Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and Home minister Zulfiqar Mirza. The three leaders have decided to meet every fortnight to ensure close coordination. Police and Rangers will be coordinating with the Sindh Home Department to implement measures to combat violence in Sindh.

PPP MNA Nabeel Gabol resigns as State Minister

GEO
KARACHI: State Minister for Ports and Shipping Nabeel Gabol has tendered resignation from his office, Geo News reported Wednesday.

Nabeel has been reported to have declined to be at variance with his party and the government.

He told Geo News that being a state minister he enjoyed very limited authority and that the problems of his ministry were not being resolved, sources said.

Nabil Gabol also said in the capacity of state minister for Ports and Shipping he had been unable to address the issues of the people of Lyari.

Karachi killings: No curfew, says Sharmila Farooqi

Tribune

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister, Sharmila Farooqi on Sunday said that a partial curfew will not be imposed in any area of Karachi.

Farooqi said that an operation will only be carried out in the areas affected by violence.

Earlier, Interior Minister Rehman Malik had announced that a partial curfew would be imposed in some parts of Karachi starting today.

Speaking to the media after a meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Malik also said that pillion riding would be banned in those areas affected by the violence.

Malik did not explain what he meant by “semi-curfew”, but Sindh province home ministry spokesman Sharfuddin Memon told AFP “it is for the authorities to decide for how long they would like a troubled area to remain under curfew.”

“It is responsibility of the federal and provincial governments to protect the people,” Malik said, justifying the decision to impose the partial curfew, without disclosing which areas would be affected.

Malik also said, without elaborating, that there was “a third element trying to deteriorate the situation in Karachi.”

Updated from print version (below)

Karachi killings continue: Violence triggers political turmoil

The reverberations of the continuing violence in Karachi caused a stir across the national political stage on Saturday, with parties calling for a debate on the fresh flaring up of violence in the metropolis.

As the 48-hour death toll in Karachi hit 27, including the killing of a Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader, parties belonging to both the opposition and treasury benches submitted adjournment motions in the parliament to debate the violence.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik, the government’s specialist troubleshooter, also sprung into action and held a number of meetings with different stakeholders, including two with the MQM, after rushing to Karachi.

In the two meetings held at the Sindh Governor House between MQM leaders and Malik, the former complained about the targeting of its activists and leaders.

Disgruntled, the MQM delegation, which included Deputy Convener of the MQM’s central coordination committee Farooq Sattar, is reported to have stressed that promises made to the party by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani only a few days ago during his visit to their headquarters were not being fulfilled.  Sources toldThe Express Tribune that the MQM wanted to meet Gilani once again to remind him of his ‘promises’.

Malik is also said to have called MQM chief Altaf Hussain to assure him that those involved in the killing of party activists would be arrested soon.

“On one hand our workers are being killed, on the other police and law enforcement agencies are arresting our activists,” said a source quoting the discussion that took place at Governor House.

The sources added that the MQM had handed over a list of suspects allegedly involved in the targeted killings as well as areas in which to launch an operation to stop the violence.

The federal interior minister is reported to have said: “We are going to establish permanent Rangers check posts in sensitive areas to deal with the target killing incidents”.

Since Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah was out of the city Senior Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, represented the  PPP and assured coalition partners that all issues would be resolved and that even the local bodies system would be restored after consultations with the MQM.

Another meeting is expected today in the Chief Minister House with Qaim’s return to the city.

Parties seek debate

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Saturday sought a debate in the National Assembly on the Karachi violence. Stressing that it was the need of the hour, he asked the government to convene a session and also called for action against those responsible for the killings.

Meanwhile, the Awami National Party, which is a coalition partner of the PPP, submitted an adjournment motion in the Senate to debate the Karachi killings. Party senators Azim Khan and Afrasiab Khattak filed the motion in the Senate secretariat, while Jamaat-e-Islami’s legislators in the upper house of parliament also filed separate adjournment motions to discuss the issue in the next session.

Similarly, Amir Muqam of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) filed an adjournment motion in the National Assembly secretariat to hold debate on the subject.

Former town naib-nazim killed

The killings continued in Karachi, with the latest victims including the former SITE Town naib-nazim Badshah Khan. He was gunned down while getting into his car outside his house in Orangi Town in the limits of the Mominabad police station. He was hit by four bullets and died on the spot. Fifty-year-old Khan had been affiliated with the MQM since 1993 and won the local bodies election in 2005. His funeral, held at the KMC ground in Baldia Town, was attended by a large number of MQM leaders and workers.

MQM chief Altaf Hussain has condemned the assassination and termed it as an attempt to stir more violence in the city. He said that all political parties in the city needed to exercise restraint and unite against elements conspiring against peace. He made a passionate appeal to the people of Karachi to see through the conspiracy.

Moreover, in a press conference at the Khurshid Begum Memorial Hall, the MQM coordination committee has asked president, prime minister, interior minister as well as the governor and chief minister of Sindh to ensure the arrest of the killers of innocent people, including Badshah Khan.

Member of the MQM Coordination Committee Gulfraz Khan Khattak said that concrete steps need to be taken for the protection of the life and property of the people.

Separately, Ziarat Khan, aged 35, was shot dead outside his home in Surjani police limits. Three people were hurt in firing in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and one in Baldia town.

Saeed, who was said to be a member of Sunni Tehreek, was killed and at least five people injured in a firing incident in Ranchore Lane late Saturday night.  In the Mominabad police limits, two PPP activists, Zubair Kala and Tahir Baloch, were gunned down in firing near Urdu Chowk.

Police claims arrests

Capital City Police Officer Karachi Fayyaz Leghari while talking toThe Express Tribune said that around 4,000 police personnel have been deployed across the city, adding that the situation on Saturday was much better due to the security measures.

He also claimed to have made major arrests in connection with the violence.

“We are conducting raids in parts of the city and the raids will continue where necessary,” the city police chief said. He further said that six arrested persons were involved in firing on a passenger bus, an attack on an ANP leader, the killing of a journalist and various other incidents of targeted killing.

ANP blames Malik, Mirza

Awami National Party (ANP) Sindh chapter chief Shahi Syed holds Interior Minister Rehman Malik, and Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza responsible for the targeted killings in the city.

Talking to The Express Tribune Syed said that, “governments are responsible for the targeted killings in the city; when there was target killing during Pervez Musharraf’s regime, we held him responsible and protested against him – and now the present government is responsible. Syed added that the intelligence agencies of the country are under Rehman Malik and the Sindh security is with Zulfiqar Mirza, so both are responsible for the situation.

Syed said that inquiries should be conducted into the killings of party workers – even if it means starting from the killing of MQM activists.

When asked about the main reason behind the target killings in the city, Syed answered, “Reconciliation is the main reason behind the target killings, which is another word for ‘begharti’ (unscrupulousness)”.

Meanwhile, the interior minister during a meeting with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman asked him to play his role in stopping the violence in the metropolis.

The interior minister also discussed the prospects of JUI-F’s rejoining the government as a coalition partner. A JUI-F legislator said his party chief has declined to join the government, but expressed readiness to play a role in bringing peace in Karachi.