Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has expressed the resolve to continue reconciliation policy for Pakistan’s security and sovereignty and to make the parliament and democratic institutions strengthened.
Talking to a journalists’ delegation from electronic media at his residence here Sunday, he said that he had been doing a consistent politics and attainment of power had never been his target. “Because I am in favour of a system which could make the democratic institutions stronger,” he viewed.
The Prime Minister said the PPP would continue to play its role effectively, no matter, whether it is in the government or in the opposition, as democracy means not to rule the people but to serve them. “Politics is not a matter of one day but a day to day affair, and we will continue to adhere to the issue-oriented politics,” he maintained.
To a question, he said that he had accepted the PML-N agenda with all sincerity and called upon the N-League to delink it from provincial government. If PPP loses majority in Punjab, he added, it would prefer to sit on opposition benches instead of resorting to horse trading to gain majority, asserting, “We are totally against change of heart or horse-trading.”
“Punjab issue should not be bracketed with vital national policy which encompass all issues including those mentioned in the N-League agenda”, he said, adding the government was very much focusing on national issues and working to address these for the advancement of Pakistan and welfare of the masses.
To another question, Gilani said that despite PML-N had parted ways with PPP-led federal government right in the beginning, the PPP had been running the government. The PPP government, while realizing a sense of collective responsibility, took on board all its coalition partners on matters pertaining to country’s defence, security, foreign and nuclear policy and all other issues of national importance.
The PPP-led coalition government, he added, had taken revolutionary steps, which a party having two-thirds majority could not perhaps take such decisions. He cited that his government, through 18th amendment ensured the balance of power between the president and parliament, lifted ban on third-time premiership, got the country rid of dictatorship through dialogue; resolved the long-pending issue of the NFC and did not make a single amendment or law, which is aimed to benefit an individual only.
Talking to a journalists’ delegation from electronic media at his residence here Sunday, he said that he had been doing a consistent politics and attainment of power had never been his target. “Because I am in favour of a system which could make the democratic institutions stronger,” he viewed.
The Prime Minister said the PPP would continue to play its role effectively, no matter, whether it is in the government or in the opposition, as democracy means not to rule the people but to serve them. “Politics is not a matter of one day but a day to day affair, and we will continue to adhere to the issue-oriented politics,” he maintained.
To a question, he said that he had accepted the PML-N agenda with all sincerity and called upon the N-League to delink it from provincial government. If PPP loses majority in Punjab, he added, it would prefer to sit on opposition benches instead of resorting to horse trading to gain majority, asserting, “We are totally against change of heart or horse-trading.”
“Punjab issue should not be bracketed with vital national policy which encompass all issues including those mentioned in the N-League agenda”, he said, adding the government was very much focusing on national issues and working to address these for the advancement of Pakistan and welfare of the masses.
To another question, Gilani said that despite PML-N had parted ways with PPP-led federal government right in the beginning, the PPP had been running the government. The PPP government, while realizing a sense of collective responsibility, took on board all its coalition partners on matters pertaining to country’s defence, security, foreign and nuclear policy and all other issues of national importance.
The PPP-led coalition government, he added, had taken revolutionary steps, which a party having two-thirds majority could not perhaps take such decisions. He cited that his government, through 18th amendment ensured the balance of power between the president and parliament, lifted ban on third-time premiership, got the country rid of dictatorship through dialogue; resolved the long-pending issue of the NFC and did not make a single amendment or law, which is aimed to benefit an individual only.
MULTAN,Jan 31th:Scores of gangs of land grabbers are active in Punjab province with the support of lawyers, politicians, police officers, revenue officers,Judicial offials defunct religious organisations, and local landlords,”revealed a ‘Black Book’, jointly prepared by
MULTAN,June 15th: The family members and friends of Pakistani student Ali Raza, who lost his life in Kyrgyzstan’s ethnic clashes, are still waiting for his dead body.Ali Raza who became victim of the deadly clashes was a student of engineering in Osh University. It had been four long years since his parents had last met him. During all this time they remained in touch through telephone and exchange of photos.Raza’s family members said it had never crossed their mind while talking to him for the last time that there would never be any contact between them again in future.Eleven students Ali Raza (Shorkot)Ahmed Bakhsh (Dera Ghazi Khan)Wasim Abbas from Khanewal, Saif-ullah of Jalalpur Pirwala, Kalim-ullah Khan of People's Colony, Aamna Amin, Arshad Amin of Shah Rukn-i-Alam Colony, Muhammad Muneer of Bahar Chowk,Muhammad Shehzad Of Khanewal road,Muhammad Bilal and Fatima of Multan Cantt were also among the stranded Pakistanis.One of them Ali Raza had murdered.Another five students belonged to Jaranwala (Faisalabad)Dozens of Pakistani parents are concerned about the safety of their children who are in the riots-stricken country. Amina’s mother has demanded of the government to arrange for her taking the final exams before ensuring her safe return to Pakistan.The repatriation process for the Pakistanis stranded in violence-hit Kyrgyzstan began today as a C-130 plane of Pakistan Air Force arrived in Osh to bring back the stranded Pakistanis,Parents were informed by the Foreign office on Monday night..The plane also carried 14 tones of relief goods along with other items for the victims of ethnic clashes in Kyrgyzstan while food and water for Pakistani citizens. Second plane was also expected to leave for Kyrgyzstan soon after the first aircraft departed here.Relief items included medicine, tents and other food items. The plane would soon leave city of Osh after taking the stranded and dead body of Ali Raza onboard.
They told newsmen that Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi had assured them that at least 30 Pakistanis would be brought home in the first stage of repatriation, adding there are at least 269 Pakistanis in Osh, of them, 30 are present near an airport in the city.
They told newsmen that Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi had assured them that at least 30 Pakistanis would be brought home in the first stage of repatriation, adding there are at least 269 Pakistanis in Osh, of them, 30 are present near an airport in the city.
MULTAN, June 9th:The PML-N, according to reports, has at its latest meeting contemplated the possibility of an operation in southern Punjab. Nawaz Sharif has indicated this may be inevitable. Till now the party had consistently refused to acknowledge the presence of militant groups based in the province or consider using force to tackle them. As things stand today, there are few other options. The groups banned since 2002 are back in action; some have adopted new names and a number of them have forged a highly dangerous alliance with the Taliban adding a new dimension to the militancy. The question of course is how best to manage this task. An operation in primarily urban areas represents challenges that go beyond those that exist in the rural areas of the northwest. Even there, civilians have died as a result of armed action. Militant strongholds exist in Punjab. Any action against them must be backed by meticulous intelligence and good sense. The PML-N must ensure the required groundwork is in place before embarking on the task. But the government must also think beyond this. The seminaries dotted across the province need to be regulated and steps taken to ensure that groups which face action by law-enforcement agencies do not spring up again, as has been the pattern since the 1990s. This pattern must be broken once and for all. To achieve this, welfare measures are needed for southern Punjab – a region that ranks among the poorest in the country. Only a clever combination of short- and long-term strategies and tactics can defeat militancy. With the PML-N acknowledging the need for this, we can hope to see meaningful action against terrorism in the province.
MULTAN,June 9th"A major reshuffle is likely in the Punjab PPP organization within the next few months, following the resignation of its top man, Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan, who quit office of the provincial party president after facing defeat in the by-polls.Sources in the PPP say that the party leadership has so far deferred the issue related to the appointment of the new PPP Punjab president until Eid ul Fatr. Though several names are under consideration but three of them are in circulation in the party cadres for the slot i.e. former incharge central secretariat Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, Federal Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira and Zaka Ashraf, currently associated with the Zarayi Taraqiyati Bank.PPP insiders say that the party leadership is willing to appoint a stalwart who can not only strengthen the party structure in Punjab but also give a tough time to the PML-N. After a series of defeats in the by-polls, the PPP finally managed to emerge victorious on two national assembly seats and one provincial assembly seat in the by-polls. Now, the party leadership wants to appoint someone as the provincial head of the party who is capable of putting the party on the way to success. To meet that the task, the leadership believes that two people, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Chaudhry Manzoor, could be the best options under current circumstances. However, Chaudhry Manzoor is so far dubbed as the hottest candidate for the slot. After he relinquishes his assignment as the head of the party’s central secretariat in Punjab, the party leadership is likely to select him for the Punjab office, according to sources in the party. On the other hand, Kaira and Zaka Ashraf are already holding important offices and the party leadership is unlikely to give them any further task, says a party leader, on the condition of anonymity.Sources say, apart from the slot of the provincial president, a race is also going on among the aspirants from the slot of the general secretary, which is also likely to fall vacant after the appointment of the president. The slot of the general secretary is currently held by Sami Ullah Khan. Insiders in the party revealed that former PPP Lahore president Haji Aziz ur Rehman Chan, and now also a close relative of Sharifs, is also among the aspirants for the slot of the Punjab general secretary. Haji Aziz ur Rehman Chan led the PPP for more than five years in Lahore but could not manage to win the elections. Under his leadership, the party failed to win more than two National Assembly and two Provincial Assembly seats in Lahore. However, he has been a committed party member and also a ticket holder from NA-123. The party members believe that, like several other runners up of the last general election, he can be accommodated in the PPP Punjab chapter. Besides, the sources say that the name of Khalid Javed Ghurki, a former MNA and a close friend of President Zardari, is also under consideration for the slot. Ghurkis have a very strong home constituency in Lahore and they remained victorious against PML-N in 1993, 2002 and 2008 polls when ëNí had a clean sweep in the rest of the district. Khalid Ghurki, the husband of Federal Minister Samina Ghurki has also been the former president of Lahore in the second tenure of Benazir Bhutto from 1993-1996. Aslam Gill, one of the senior members of the party associated with the PPP for decades, is also among the aspirants for the slot of the general secretary. Qamar Zaman Kaira, Federal Minister for Information, while talking to The News said nominations were the prerogative of the party leadership and no decision had been taken in the regard.
MULTAN,June 6th: The 10 per cent cut in the salaries of the federal cabinet members is nothing but a ruse as the budget documents show that salary allocations have been increased from the current Rs143 million per year to Rs201 million for 2010-11, or an increase of more than 40 per cent.The ministers, ministers of state, advisers and special assistants would get a reasonable raise in their basic salaries and the announced cut would only come after the un-announced automatic increase.
According to the budget books, like the ministers and ministers of state, the salaries of special assistants and advisers to the prime minister have also been increased from a total of Rs8.2m and Rs9.9m to Rs11.5m and Rs11.7m, respectively.
In case of allocations for the salaries of members of the National Assembly, it has been increased from Rs645 million to Rs669 million for the next fiscal year. The pay of the speaker and deputy speaker National Assembly and their staff has been increased from Rs11.6 million to 16.1 million for the year 2010-11. The pay of the leader of the opposition has been increased from Rs7.7m to 8.5m. The salaries of the chairmen of the standing committees of the National Assembly have been increased from Rs108m to Rs174 million.In case of senators, allocation for their salaries has been raised from Rs172m to Rs179m. The salaries of the chairman and deputy chairmen Senate and their staff has been increased from Rs26.7m to Rs28.5m.
The pays of the leaders of the house and leader of the opposition in the Upper House have been increased from Rs18.9m to Rs20m.For chairmen of standing committees in the Senate the budget allocates Rs199m from the previous Rs177m.
Apparently following the British model where the newly elected conservative government recently announced a volunteer cut in their salaries of five percent, the Gilani cabinet’s announced 10 percent is more like playing to the galleries.
Despite Dr Hafeez Shaikh’s impressive speech, the pink budget books containing details of demands and grants and appropriations for the next fiscal year, reveal more than what Shaikh said in his speech.
It is for the government to explain if the salaries of the president, prime minister, cabinet members and members of the National Assembly and Senate would remain frozen and the increase proposed in the budget books would be withdrawn or this increase is part of the overall exempted increase in the allocation for the salaries of the government servants.
For government servants, Dr Hafeez Shaikh announced ad hoc relief of 50 pc of their basic salary beside an increase in their medical allowance. A few years back during Musharraf’s regime the increase in the salaries of the MPs and the ministers was linked to the increase in the salaries of government servants, through legislation. Prior to this legislation, the governments used to give increase in the salaries of the MNAs, senators, ministers, advisers, special assistants etc separately but it used to cause embarrassment for the regime.After the said legislation, the MPs and cabinet members started getting increase in the salary equivalent to that of government servants every year but without any formal announcement of such raises in the budget speeches.
According to the budget books, like the ministers and ministers of state, the salaries of special assistants and advisers to the prime minister have also been increased from a total of Rs8.2m and Rs9.9m to Rs11.5m and Rs11.7m, respectively.
In case of allocations for the salaries of members of the National Assembly, it has been increased from Rs645 million to Rs669 million for the next fiscal year. The pay of the speaker and deputy speaker National Assembly and their staff has been increased from Rs11.6 million to 16.1 million for the year 2010-11. The pay of the leader of the opposition has been increased from Rs7.7m to 8.5m. The salaries of the chairmen of the standing committees of the National Assembly have been increased from Rs108m to Rs174 million.In case of senators, allocation for their salaries has been raised from Rs172m to Rs179m. The salaries of the chairman and deputy chairmen Senate and their staff has been increased from Rs26.7m to Rs28.5m.
The pays of the leaders of the house and leader of the opposition in the Upper House have been increased from Rs18.9m to Rs20m.For chairmen of standing committees in the Senate the budget allocates Rs199m from the previous Rs177m.
Apparently following the British model where the newly elected conservative government recently announced a volunteer cut in their salaries of five percent, the Gilani cabinet’s announced 10 percent is more like playing to the galleries.
Despite Dr Hafeez Shaikh’s impressive speech, the pink budget books containing details of demands and grants and appropriations for the next fiscal year, reveal more than what Shaikh said in his speech.
It is for the government to explain if the salaries of the president, prime minister, cabinet members and members of the National Assembly and Senate would remain frozen and the increase proposed in the budget books would be withdrawn or this increase is part of the overall exempted increase in the allocation for the salaries of the government servants.
For government servants, Dr Hafeez Shaikh announced ad hoc relief of 50 pc of their basic salary beside an increase in their medical allowance. A few years back during Musharraf’s regime the increase in the salaries of the MPs and the ministers was linked to the increase in the salaries of government servants, through legislation. Prior to this legislation, the governments used to give increase in the salaries of the MNAs, senators, ministers, advisers, special assistants etc separately but it used to cause embarrassment for the regime.After the said legislation, the MPs and cabinet members started getting increase in the salary equivalent to that of government servants every year but without any formal announcement of such raises in the budget speeches.
MULTAN, June 5th:Prime Minister's younger brother Syed Ahmed Mujtaba Gilani has been elected by securing 38,692 votes in PP-206 more than 6,000 ahead of his rival Begum Naghma Mushtaq of PML-N,PML-N candidate Mir Badshah Qaisrani won the by-poll in PP-240 Dera Ghazi Khan on Saturday as he obtained 53,188 votes while his nearest rival Khawaja Salahuddin, independent candidate, bagged 30,803 votes.A tough competition was witnessed in PP-206 where a number of incidents of scuffle and exchange of fire were reported between the PPP and the PML-N workers while unknown armed men also targeted the vehicle of PML-N candidate Naghma Mushtaq Lang who managed to escape unhurt.
The constituency, covering the tehsil Jalalpur Pirwala, has remained in the limelight because Ahmed Mujtaba Gilani, the younger brother of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, was contesting the polls on the PPP ticket while the PML-N had chosen Naghma as its candidate.
Police and Rescue 1122 sources said at least five persons were injured in the clashes. Despite the fact that Punjab is being ruled by the PML-N, its mainstream leaders like Senior Adviser to the Chief Minister Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa and provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah kept complaining that the elections were being rigged by the PPP.
“It’s amazing. Even our (Punjab) police are taking their (federal government) side in rigging the elections,” Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa observed while talking to the journalists.
The PML-N had awarded ticket to Naghma, previously a PML-Q MPA, who had vacated the seat over the issue of fake degree. Both the parties had sent their heavyweights to Jalalpur Pirwala to win public support as over a dozen provincial and federal ministers along with the heads of many provincial and federal departments are in the area for the last two weeks.The election commission had appointed 766 staffers to conduct the polls at 112 polling stations with 327 polling booths while the total number of voters is 160,348. It is alleged that the two sons of the prime minister, Abdul Qadir Gilani and Moosa Gilani, forcibly entered into a polling station in Janoobi Lar area and snatched the ballot box from the female presiding officer, Zakia Bibi. Witnesses said when the PML-N polling agent, Bilal, resisted the attempt, the PPP workers kidnapped him and took to him away to the Gharib Nawaz Cotton Factory.Similarly, former provincial minister Rana Qasim Noon, another supporter of Mujtaba Gillani, forced his entry into Polling Station No-97 and snatched seven copies of ballot papers. Talking to the media persons, Rana Sanaullah alleged that Abdul Qadir Gilani forcibly entered polling stations and rigged the elections, adding that his supports shot injured some PML-N workers.He accused the PPP of ‘violating all moral and legal norms’ and said his party voters were being sent back despite possessing genuine NICs while PPP voters were casting votes on fake cards.
“They (PPP) have committed maximum violence because of the fear of defeat while we have exhibited utmost restraint. We have had enough. Now we’ll not stick to the same restraint strategy,” he warned.
On the other hand, violence was also reported from PP-240 where the PML-N candidate was challenged by the independent aspirants only, as the PPP did not field its candidate because the PML-N had won the seat in 2008 elections.Poor arrangements, slow polling, alleged rigging, aerial firing and regular scuffles between the supporters of the two main contestants were the salient features of the by-poll in Dera Ghazi Khan.Police, deployed at the number of polling stations, were helpless as irrelevant persons entered the polling stations regularly while polling was stopped at 12 twelve polling station repeatedly.
Meanwhile, PML-Q MNA Khawaja Shiraz Mehmood has accused the district administration and the police of acting as a party and said they did not respond despite the repeated complaints about the rigging by the rival group.Talking to media at Taunsa Sharif, Shiraz said it had been decided to deploy Rangers but the execution of the orders was stopped at the eleventh hour to accommodate the official candidate. He also expressed his surprise over 90 per cent voting in the tribal area with scattered population and 40 per cent turnout in the thickly populated settled areas. On the other hand, Qaisrani has termed the results as the success of poor classes and rejected the charges of rigging.
Dozens of activists of PPP & PML-N were injured in a clash and firing in PP-206 (Jalapur Pirwala) where Prime Minister's younger brother Syed Ahmed Mujtaba Gilani was contesting against PML-N's Begum Naghma Mushtaq Ex-MPA and in PP-240 (Taunsa Sharif) where Mir Badshah Khan Qaiserani and Salahuddin Akbar.Polling remained suspended for two hours on Police station Nos 69, 75, TMA-1 and 2 after cross firing between the rival groups. Rangers were patrolling in these areas to avert any eventuality.Though Election Commission of Pakistan had forbidden the visit of federal as well as provincial ministers in these constituencies but they were freely doing theirbusiness.Begum Naghma Mushtaq has complained that her supporters were kidnapped and five persons were injured by Prime Minister's son Abdul Qadar Gilani and others.She further said that Prime Minister's brother and sons were involved in rigging. Sardar Zulfikar Ali Khan Khosa senior advisor to Chief Minister alleged that we had seized two bags packed with National Identity cards from NADRA office which were parepared overnight to ensure the victory of prime minister's brother in bypoll.Turnout at the polling station was far better than other constituencies as long queues of voters were witnessed since morning. Security was tightened in PP-206, Jalalpur Pirwala and PP-240 Dera Ghazi Khan to avoid any untoward incident. The election commission had declared 27 polling stations sensitive from the total polling stations 112 .
In Dera Ghazi Khan constituency PP-240, 32 polling stations had declared sensitive and around 2000 policemen had deployed in the area. The constituency of PP-206 Jalalpur fell vacant when the elected candidate of PML-Q Naghma Mushtaq tendered resignation from the candidature when a case was filed against her of having a fake degree. A neck-to-neck contest was expected at PP-206 Jalapur Multan between the PML-N candidate Nagma Mushtaq and PPP candidate Ahmad Mujtaba Gilani, brother of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. At PP-206 some 12 candidates are contesting bye-election and 19 polling stations were declared sensitive in the constituency.
On the other hand in PP-240 D.G. Khan strict competition is expected between the independent candidate Khawja Salahuddin and the candidate of PML-N Mir Badshah Qasrani while 35 polling stations were declared sensitive.
Sources said that extra contingents of police and rangers were sent to the sensitive areas in both the constituencies.
The constituency, covering the tehsil Jalalpur Pirwala, has remained in the limelight because Ahmed Mujtaba Gilani, the younger brother of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, was contesting the polls on the PPP ticket while the PML-N had chosen Naghma as its candidate.
Police and Rescue 1122 sources said at least five persons were injured in the clashes. Despite the fact that Punjab is being ruled by the PML-N, its mainstream leaders like Senior Adviser to the Chief Minister Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa and provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah kept complaining that the elections were being rigged by the PPP.
“It’s amazing. Even our (Punjab) police are taking their (federal government) side in rigging the elections,” Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa observed while talking to the journalists.
The PML-N had awarded ticket to Naghma, previously a PML-Q MPA, who had vacated the seat over the issue of fake degree. Both the parties had sent their heavyweights to Jalalpur Pirwala to win public support as over a dozen provincial and federal ministers along with the heads of many provincial and federal departments are in the area for the last two weeks.The election commission had appointed 766 staffers to conduct the polls at 112 polling stations with 327 polling booths while the total number of voters is 160,348. It is alleged that the two sons of the prime minister, Abdul Qadir Gilani and Moosa Gilani, forcibly entered into a polling station in Janoobi Lar area and snatched the ballot box from the female presiding officer, Zakia Bibi. Witnesses said when the PML-N polling agent, Bilal, resisted the attempt, the PPP workers kidnapped him and took to him away to the Gharib Nawaz Cotton Factory.Similarly, former provincial minister Rana Qasim Noon, another supporter of Mujtaba Gillani, forced his entry into Polling Station No-97 and snatched seven copies of ballot papers. Talking to the media persons, Rana Sanaullah alleged that Abdul Qadir Gilani forcibly entered polling stations and rigged the elections, adding that his supports shot injured some PML-N workers.He accused the PPP of ‘violating all moral and legal norms’ and said his party voters were being sent back despite possessing genuine NICs while PPP voters were casting votes on fake cards.
“They (PPP) have committed maximum violence because of the fear of defeat while we have exhibited utmost restraint. We have had enough. Now we’ll not stick to the same restraint strategy,” he warned.
On the other hand, violence was also reported from PP-240 where the PML-N candidate was challenged by the independent aspirants only, as the PPP did not field its candidate because the PML-N had won the seat in 2008 elections.Poor arrangements, slow polling, alleged rigging, aerial firing and regular scuffles between the supporters of the two main contestants were the salient features of the by-poll in Dera Ghazi Khan.Police, deployed at the number of polling stations, were helpless as irrelevant persons entered the polling stations regularly while polling was stopped at 12 twelve polling station repeatedly.
Meanwhile, PML-Q MNA Khawaja Shiraz Mehmood has accused the district administration and the police of acting as a party and said they did not respond despite the repeated complaints about the rigging by the rival group.Talking to media at Taunsa Sharif, Shiraz said it had been decided to deploy Rangers but the execution of the orders was stopped at the eleventh hour to accommodate the official candidate. He also expressed his surprise over 90 per cent voting in the tribal area with scattered population and 40 per cent turnout in the thickly populated settled areas. On the other hand, Qaisrani has termed the results as the success of poor classes and rejected the charges of rigging.
Dozens of activists of PPP & PML-N were injured in a clash and firing in PP-206 (Jalapur Pirwala) where Prime Minister's younger brother Syed Ahmed Mujtaba Gilani was contesting against PML-N's Begum Naghma Mushtaq Ex-MPA and in PP-240 (Taunsa Sharif) where Mir Badshah Khan Qaiserani and Salahuddin Akbar.Polling remained suspended for two hours on Police station Nos 69, 75, TMA-1 and 2 after cross firing between the rival groups. Rangers were patrolling in these areas to avert any eventuality.Though Election Commission of Pakistan had forbidden the visit of federal as well as provincial ministers in these constituencies but they were freely doing theirbusiness.Begum Naghma Mushtaq has complained that her supporters were kidnapped and five persons were injured by Prime Minister's son Abdul Qadar Gilani and others.She further said that Prime Minister's brother and sons were involved in rigging. Sardar Zulfikar Ali Khan Khosa senior advisor to Chief Minister alleged that we had seized two bags packed with National Identity cards from NADRA office which were parepared overnight to ensure the victory of prime minister's brother in bypoll.Turnout at the polling station was far better than other constituencies as long queues of voters were witnessed since morning. Security was tightened in PP-206, Jalalpur Pirwala and PP-240 Dera Ghazi Khan to avoid any untoward incident. The election commission had declared 27 polling stations sensitive from the total polling stations 112 .
In Dera Ghazi Khan constituency PP-240, 32 polling stations had declared sensitive and around 2000 policemen had deployed in the area. The constituency of PP-206 Jalalpur fell vacant when the elected candidate of PML-Q Naghma Mushtaq tendered resignation from the candidature when a case was filed against her of having a fake degree. A neck-to-neck contest was expected at PP-206 Jalapur Multan between the PML-N candidate Nagma Mushtaq and PPP candidate Ahmad Mujtaba Gilani, brother of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. At PP-206 some 12 candidates are contesting bye-election and 19 polling stations were declared sensitive in the constituency.
On the other hand in PP-240 D.G. Khan strict competition is expected between the independent candidate Khawja Salahuddin and the candidate of PML-N Mir Badshah Qasrani while 35 polling stations were declared sensitive.
Sources said that extra contingents of police and rangers were sent to the sensitive areas in both the constituencies.
MULTAN,June 4th:The Pakistan Muslim League-N Punjab President Sardar Zulfikar Ali Khan Khosa has said " we have decided to set up shadow committees to keep a strict eye on the usage of public funds in different ministries and the forthcoming fiscal budget to purse the departments of corrupt, dishonest and bad reputed elements. Talking to newsmen here on Friday he said that transparency international had admitted that corruption had decreased in Punjab province.Khosa said that parliamentary party of PML-N passed a unanimous resolution expressing apprehensions over the enforcement of value added tax (VAT), Israeli aggression on Gaza aid flotilla and the recent acts of terrorism in Lahore which shows the PML-N interest in people's problems It demanded the government cut the huge size of the cabinet and free the people from the clutches of inflation.Khosa said that the PML-N during the budget session will strongly react to the imposition of the VAT. The party could consider launching of a movement against the government if it enforced VAT without the consent of the provinces.During the meeting, members of the national assembly articulated concerns over the proposed VAT and said that it would greatly increase the inflation level. Khosa said that the government wants to snatch a piece of bread from the mouths of poor through this act, he said, adding that the enforcement of the tax will reduce the purchasing power of the people. He expressed concerns over the steps taken by the government for the affectees of Hunza Lake, describing them as inadequate.While condemning the acts of terrorism in Lahore said that instead of expressing grief over the incidents, the governor Punjab and Interior Minister Rehman Malik are playing politics through their statements. "If the government maintained its present posture, we will raise voice against the Punjab governor and the interior minister at every forum.".
MULTAN, JUne 4th:The Punjab government has decided to close down all unauthorised NATO supply terminals in the province over security fears. Official sources reveal the decision has been taken after intelligence agencies warned that terrorists are planning to attack NATO supply terminals in several areas of Punjab, including Attock and Mianwali. Security agencies have also warned the Punjab government that most of these miscreants are now present in these areas, and have already carried out a number of attacks. In one such attack on April 24 near Chakwal, terrorists set fire to 12 NATO tankers, and killed four policemen who were on guard duty. The attackers have still not been traced and are believed to be planning more attacks. After receiving the intelligence report, the Punjab government has decided to close down all NATO terminals in the province that have been set up without the authorisation of the provincial government and the Interior Ministry. The Punjab government has issued instructions to all district police officers in this regard
MULTAN,May 28th:Youm-e-Takbeer was commemorated on Friday May 28, 2010 to mark 12 years since Pakistan first conducted nuclear tests.The day was celebrated in Multan and other parts of Southern Punjab with a solemn pledge to make Pakistan a stronger country, militarily and economically.Pakistan had conducted nuclear tests at Chaghi, Balochistan in response to five nuclear explosions conducted by India, to become the seventh country in the world to possess nuclear weapons.To mark the day, All wings of Pakistan Muslim League and social organizations have organised rallies, demos and cake cutting ceremonies.Women Wing staged a demonstration in front of Multan Press Club and chanted salogans in favour of party leadership and Dr.Abdul Qadeer Khan. Addressing the major function Makhdoom Javed Hashmi MNA said that time has come that all the political forces, social and economic experts and intellectuals should evolve a comprehensive strategy to convert the country into an invincible force. He said, “To pull the country out of the prevailing crises, we will have to relive the passion of May 28 in the economic, social and educational fields by adopting comprehensive strategy coupled with undeterred revolutionary steps and decisions at national level”. He said that democratic government of Mian Nawaz Sharif made the defence of the country invincible on May 28, 1998 by testing its nuclear capabilities and established Pakistan as the first nuclear power in the Muslim World. Javed Hashmi said that the event of May 28 had established the fact that people of Pakistan were courageous and strong-willed and no power could obstruct them when they decide to take any measure for the interest of the country. “It is need of the hour to focus our energies to convert the country into a real welfare state and to achieve the goal of economic self-reliance in order to lower the country’s dependency on foreign aid.
MULTAN,May 16th: Federal Minister for defence production Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Jatoi has tendered his resignation from the ministry on Saturday late night because his candidate Sami-ullah Leghari has lost the by-election in PP-259 Muzaffargarh-IX. Sardar Qayyum had recommended the name of Sami Leghari for PPP Ticket from this constituency. His opponent Syed Abdul Basit Sultan, an independent candidate won the election.He had served as provincial minister during Pervez Musharraf era. However Pakistan People's Party re-gained the seat of NA-178 Muzaffargarh-ii where Jamshed Khan Dasti re-elected .Jatoi said ," I have no right over the ministry as my candidate lost the by-election. “I am a democratic man, and always took the right decisions in my political life,” he said.
MULTAN,April 25th:Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said he is not opposed to creating more provinces, but it should be according to the Constitution and the entire exercise needs proper timing.
In an interview with state-run TV channel on Saturday night, he urged the need to strengthen the country.
"Dialogue will be held with the people of Hazara Division to remove their grievances and sense of deprivation as it is the prime responsibility of the government to take care of all the parts of the country without any discrimination," the prime minister said.He said the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government would also be taken on board in order to resolve the issue. He added that the government respected the opinion of the common men, as the dictatorship had been replaced by a democratic system.Gilani said the PPP had always struggled for the rights of the masses and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto waged his struggle for the people and not for the sake of power. "Our great leader Benazir Bhutto sacrificed her life for the rights of the people and the strengthening of institutions," he added.He said the nomenclature of the NWFP had been changed keeping in view the voice of the majority. "We respect the mandate of each party and name of the province was changed to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa after the adoption of a resolution by the provincial assembly."The prime minister said Pakistan was facing many challenges, which necessitated collective efforts to consolidate and strengthen the country. To remove the grievances accumulated during the past 63 years, he said, the government had taken steps for ensuring provincial autonomy and all decisions made to achieve the goal would be implemented so that people could get their rights at their doorsteps.Describing the passage of 18th Amendment as a milestone towards strengthening the Parliament, Premier Gilani said the government was determined to implement the constitutional reforms in letter and spirit.He said Senator Raza Rabbani had been entrusted the task to ensure its implementation while a consultative process was also initiated with the political parties, adding that he had already contacted PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif and JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, requesting the two leaders to nominate their members for the committee for implementing the amendment at the earliest.
In an interview with state-run TV channel on Saturday night, he urged the need to strengthen the country.
"Dialogue will be held with the people of Hazara Division to remove their grievances and sense of deprivation as it is the prime responsibility of the government to take care of all the parts of the country without any discrimination," the prime minister said.He said the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government would also be taken on board in order to resolve the issue. He added that the government respected the opinion of the common men, as the dictatorship had been replaced by a democratic system.Gilani said the PPP had always struggled for the rights of the masses and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto waged his struggle for the people and not for the sake of power. "Our great leader Benazir Bhutto sacrificed her life for the rights of the people and the strengthening of institutions," he added.He said the nomenclature of the NWFP had been changed keeping in view the voice of the majority. "We respect the mandate of each party and name of the province was changed to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa after the adoption of a resolution by the provincial assembly."The prime minister said Pakistan was facing many challenges, which necessitated collective efforts to consolidate and strengthen the country. To remove the grievances accumulated during the past 63 years, he said, the government had taken steps for ensuring provincial autonomy and all decisions made to achieve the goal would be implemented so that people could get their rights at their doorsteps.Describing the passage of 18th Amendment as a milestone towards strengthening the Parliament, Premier Gilani said the government was determined to implement the constitutional reforms in letter and spirit.He said Senator Raza Rabbani had been entrusted the task to ensure its implementation while a consultative process was also initiated with the political parties, adding that he had already contacted PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif and JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, requesting the two leaders to nominate their members for the committee for implementing the amendment at the earliest.
MULTAN,April 25th: Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Senior Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has said that A possessee of fake degree of graduation, third divisioner in intermediate and Secondary level has no right to distribute degrees and medals among the Ph.Ds post graduates and graduates at the tenth convocation of Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan.Delivering his speech at a seminar on " 18th amenment and common man,"chaired by Allama Rashid Ahmed Arshad chief of Ulema & Mashaikh wing of PML-N, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi said that Qureshi family had ever supported the rulers and they cannot stay away from the power corridores.Now they had realised that PPP's future is bleak and now they are flexing their muscles to jump into Muslim League. but we had shut the doors for "Lotas" and plunderers . Hashmi said that Shah Mehmood Qureshi was issuing statements like the predictions of late Sana Khan (A lady astrologer cum palmist) and he called him as Sana Qureshi who had predicted that Muslim league leadership would not allot him (Javed Hashmi)ticket neither from Multan nor from Lahore.He asked whether he was doing work for Muslim league instead of his party.
MULTAN, April 24th: Makhdoom javed Hashmi, Senior Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League(Nawaz) has said that power generation units are lying shut however machinery of corruption is running regularly. The country had plunged into the dark and dearness.People would react sharply like kirghistan if the rulers failed to provide them any relief. Addressing an anti load-shedding rally jointly organised by United Citizen Alliance (UCA) and PML-N and led by Javed Hashmi, Tariq Naeem-ullah Khan, Qurban Fatima, Afsheen Butt, Tehseen Fatima and Nafeesa Begum.Participants burnt the effigy of federal minister for water & power and they were carrying black flags, banners and placards inscribed with slogans," save our trade- industry & agriculture," End the load shedding," Pay Rs.200 billion to IPPs and end energy crisis," 18th amendment does not provide a loaf of bread," Javed Hashmi said that there would be no power crisis if Pakistan accepts the offer of Iran, Kazakistan and Kirghistan besides making payment of Rs.200 billion to the oil companies.He said that scandals of Rs.300/ 300 billions are coming in the media.If the rulers stop their corruption of Rs.300 billion and pay Rs.200 billion ,there would be no energy crisis there ould be no need to close the markets at 0800 PM, Two days off and taking other measures.He warned that masses would snatch their wealth if rulers did not resolve their problems.He said that the policies of the present government are a continuation of the previous one which is carried out in a subtle manner. The purpose of all this exercise is to divert the attention of the people from the main problem, i.e. the judicial crisis and reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary.Tariq Naeem-ullah Khan asked Have you ever passed by the President House or the PM Residence at night? people can see the whole site aglow with heavy lighting not only the insides but the outside lawns, grounds etc. Not withstanding the other senior government officers at the national and provincial level who are allowed free electriciy. Mind it none of such officials even pay a single penny out of their pockets for such misuse while we and the public at large is made to pay through their noses.
MULTAN, April 24th: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said," we do not believe in backdoor diplomacy and we want composite dialogue on Kashmir," Kashmir is a very sensitive and core issue and Pakistan resolve this issue peacefully but this issue cannot be resolved without taking the Kashmiris into confidence.Talking to newsmen on saturday after annual convocation Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Saudi Arabia and United States want purposeful and meaningful dialogues between Paskistan and India.He said that both Pakistan and India were nuclear power and India should not make this issue a matter of its "ego"
To a question about the statement of Former foreign minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri that the solution to the Kashmir dispute was just a signature away once India and Pakistan decide to pull the file from the rack and revealed the previous Musharraf government had completed almost 90 per cent of the spadework on the half-a-century old Kashmir dispute by 2007 as the whole exercise just needed the formal signature of all the three parties to the issue - Pakistan, India and representatives of Kashmir., Shah Mehmood did not agree with him and said Kashmir dispute cannot be resolved by a single person nor by the foreign office and it would be resolved through positive negotiations between Pakistan and India but India was reluctant to come to the negotiation.Shah Mehmood also disagree with Mr. Kasuri that three-year long arduous efforts were rendered fruitless by the sudden emergence of the judiciary-executive row in 2006, which forced the Musharraf regime to put the matter on the backburner for the time being. Shah Mehmood said that it was not true that the two sides had agreed to full demilitarisation of both Indian Kashmir as well as Azad Kashmir. In addition, a package of loose autonomy that stopped short of the azadi and self-governance aspirations, had been agreed on and was to be introduced on both sides of the disputed frontier, as claimed by former foreign minister.Qureshi said the United States has realized that the Pakistani nation has delivered and now the Americans have to do something. Commenting on the strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the United States which concluded recently, he said it is a process which has been initiated. “You have to see the basic difference between the past and the present meetings. The level of interaction has been upgraded. You can see the level of participation. There are specifics and by the end of April, we will be delivered a big sum and by the end of financial year, the backlog will be cleared,” Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that India was reluctant to accept the stance of Pakistan on water issue and implementing the Indus water treaty. Qureshi said that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan singh had positive thinking but indian pressure groups were spoiling the situation because they were very influential. He said that two nuclear neighbours were quite worried about the volatile situation in the region, especially around the LoC. “All India and Pakistan now need is to defreeze the process.he said.
To a question about the statement of Former foreign minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri that the solution to the Kashmir dispute was just a signature away once India and Pakistan decide to pull the file from the rack and revealed the previous Musharraf government had completed almost 90 per cent of the spadework on the half-a-century old Kashmir dispute by 2007 as the whole exercise just needed the formal signature of all the three parties to the issue - Pakistan, India and representatives of Kashmir., Shah Mehmood did not agree with him and said Kashmir dispute cannot be resolved by a single person nor by the foreign office and it would be resolved through positive negotiations between Pakistan and India but India was reluctant to come to the negotiation.Shah Mehmood also disagree with Mr. Kasuri that three-year long arduous efforts were rendered fruitless by the sudden emergence of the judiciary-executive row in 2006, which forced the Musharraf regime to put the matter on the backburner for the time being. Shah Mehmood said that it was not true that the two sides had agreed to full demilitarisation of both Indian Kashmir as well as Azad Kashmir. In addition, a package of loose autonomy that stopped short of the azadi and self-governance aspirations, had been agreed on and was to be introduced on both sides of the disputed frontier, as claimed by former foreign minister.Qureshi said the United States has realized that the Pakistani nation has delivered and now the Americans have to do something. Commenting on the strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the United States which concluded recently, he said it is a process which has been initiated. “You have to see the basic difference between the past and the present meetings. The level of interaction has been upgraded. You can see the level of participation. There are specifics and by the end of April, we will be delivered a big sum and by the end of financial year, the backlog will be cleared,” Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that India was reluctant to accept the stance of Pakistan on water issue and implementing the Indus water treaty. Qureshi said that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan singh had positive thinking but indian pressure groups were spoiling the situation because they were very influential. He said that two nuclear neighbours were quite worried about the volatile situation in the region, especially around the LoC. “All India and Pakistan now need is to defreeze the process.he said.
MULTAN,April 17th:Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday that a national criminal investigation would be the next step to move forward after the announcement of UN Commission’s report on assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.Addressing a press conference at the local airport, he said that the UN report was being examined by legal experts and added that government was moving forward in accordance with the procedure and would not take any decision in haste.
He said that President Asif Ali Zardari would announce the next strategy after a thorough process of consultation and after taking the party and its CEC into confidence.
He said that government had opted for the inquiry by the UN to ensure impartiality and added that the criminal investigations thus conducted would have more weight. It would be more credible at national and international levels, he added.
The FM said that the martyrdom of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was not merely a loss for the party but for Pakistan, the region and the whole world because she was a leader of international stature.
Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that President Asif Ali Zardari and the Bhutto family waited patiently because they wanted to have truth behind the tragedy unveiled.
To a question, he said that he does not want to repeat the excerpts from the UN Commission’s Report which indicate poor security arrangements made by the then government and that the process of investigation was impeded.
The Foreign Minister said that the whole world has expressed confidence on Pakistan’s nuclear programme at the Nuclear Safety Summit in Washington and doubts which used to be expressed by some elements have died their own death. It shows that all doubts and stories were meaningless, he added.
He said that US President Barack Obama himself expressed confidence over Pakistan nuclear programme stating that its security measures were second to none.
The FM said that he himself accompanied Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani to Washington to attend the nuclear safety summit and our experts’ team headed by Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Masud Khan presented Pakistan’s case effectively.
He said that Pakistan informed the summit that was attended by heads of 45 countries that our three-layered security system meets international standards and was foolproof. The FM added that Pakistan also made it clear that its export control regime and regulatory framework were also in accordance with the international standards and no one raised objection on it during the summit.
Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the most important was the statement of US President at the summit in which he stated in his concluding remarks: “We recognize the right of the developing countries to civil nuclear technology.”
To a question, the FM said that this government raised the issue of civil nuclear technology with the US. He, however, added that India did not secure the civil nuclear technology agreement with the US overnight.
He said that the PM also met with the US President, secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Senator John Kerry and the IMF officials.
During the meeting with the IMF officials, the PM said that Pakistan was battling power crisis and it was not possible for the government to raise power tariff further in such circumstances. He added that PM told the IMF officials that the burden would be beyond the capacity of the people of Pakistan.
We felt a sense of understanding during the talks and Pakistan government hopes that the next IMF tranche would be released after the IMF board meeting to be held on May 3-4, the foreign minister added.
He said that President Asif Ali Zardari would announce the next strategy after a thorough process of consultation and after taking the party and its CEC into confidence.
He said that government had opted for the inquiry by the UN to ensure impartiality and added that the criminal investigations thus conducted would have more weight. It would be more credible at national and international levels, he added.
The FM said that the martyrdom of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was not merely a loss for the party but for Pakistan, the region and the whole world because she was a leader of international stature.
Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that President Asif Ali Zardari and the Bhutto family waited patiently because they wanted to have truth behind the tragedy unveiled.
To a question, he said that he does not want to repeat the excerpts from the UN Commission’s Report which indicate poor security arrangements made by the then government and that the process of investigation was impeded.
The Foreign Minister said that the whole world has expressed confidence on Pakistan’s nuclear programme at the Nuclear Safety Summit in Washington and doubts which used to be expressed by some elements have died their own death. It shows that all doubts and stories were meaningless, he added.
He said that US President Barack Obama himself expressed confidence over Pakistan nuclear programme stating that its security measures were second to none.
The FM said that he himself accompanied Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani to Washington to attend the nuclear safety summit and our experts’ team headed by Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Masud Khan presented Pakistan’s case effectively.
He said that Pakistan informed the summit that was attended by heads of 45 countries that our three-layered security system meets international standards and was foolproof. The FM added that Pakistan also made it clear that its export control regime and regulatory framework were also in accordance with the international standards and no one raised objection on it during the summit.
Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the most important was the statement of US President at the summit in which he stated in his concluding remarks: “We recognize the right of the developing countries to civil nuclear technology.”
To a question, the FM said that this government raised the issue of civil nuclear technology with the US. He, however, added that India did not secure the civil nuclear technology agreement with the US overnight.
He said that the PM also met with the US President, secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Senator John Kerry and the IMF officials.
During the meeting with the IMF officials, the PM said that Pakistan was battling power crisis and it was not possible for the government to raise power tariff further in such circumstances. He added that PM told the IMF officials that the burden would be beyond the capacity of the people of Pakistan.
We felt a sense of understanding during the talks and Pakistan government hopes that the next IMF tranche would be released after the IMF board meeting to be held on May 3-4, the foreign minister added.
MULTAN, April 17th: Baloch Leader and Secretary General of Jamhoori Watan Party Rauf Khan Sasoli has said that employment was denied to Balochs for the last 30 years in Customs,Excise, Income tax, Pakistan Steels, Utility Stores Corporation,PSO ,OGDC, Islamabad Police, FIA and other federal Government departments and autonomous bodies and Now Government should immediately recruit at loeast 15,000 youths in these departments condoning all deficiencies. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Sasoli said that relatives of Deputy commissioners, Commissioners, and DCOs who got jobs on fake domiciles and permanent residential certificates must be taken to task and exemplary punishment be awarded to such officer who had violated the rules and regulations. Sasoli said that Khyber Pukhtoon Khawah province should be consist of FATA, NWFP and Pushtoon majority areas of Balochistan while Hazara division be made apart of Hindku province and there was no need of a separate province for Hazara people.He said that Seraiki nationality had its own cultrure, civilisation, land and identification and It was a valid demand of Seraiki people to constitute a new province.He said that Parliament and Senate were authorised to make laws and to amend the constitutions keeping in view of the ground realities.He called upon the Political parties, groups and institutions not to develop a state of confrontation and they should do work unitedly to strengthen the country.He said that Pervez Musharraf was a killer of Nawab Akbar Bugti, and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and his aides in Pakistan must be inducted in Exit control list so that they could not sneak away abroad.Sasoli said that General Zia-ul-Haq had introduced klashinkov, Heroin culture and Afghan repatriates/.refugees and he changed the role of the parliament by giving the tasks of streets and drains of their localities .Commenting on the passage of 18th constitution,he said that it was a positive step towards democracy, decency and consensus.
MULTAN,April 17th: Federal Government is actively considering to suspend the services of City Police Officer (CPO) Multan Syed Saud Aziz and made him a scapegoat because UN fact finding commission lays a lot of blames on Saud Aziz on different counts, especially washing of the crime scene and lack of autopsy. The then Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO), Saud Aziz, had ordered to hose down the scene of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination at the Liaquat Bagh on the order of the chief of the Military Intelligence of the time, Major General Nadeem Ijaz, who was not only a relative of Pervez Musharraf but also a known crony of the former dictator.Soon after this incident,Saud was posted as the CPO Multan immediately after the present government came to power.The commission attached a great significance to the washing of the crime scene to eliminate the evidence that could have proved tremendously useful in investigations into the assassination.According to the findings, another source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Saud Aziz was ordered to hose down the scene by the then MI chief.The report said that an ISI officer, Rawalpindi Detachment Commander Colonel Jehangir Akhtar, was present at the RGH through much of the evening. At one point, ISI deputy chief Major General Nusrat Naeem, contacted senior physician Prof Mussadiq through Colonel Jehangir’s cell phone. When asked about this by the commission, Nusrat Naeem initially denied making any calls to the hospital, but then acknowledged that he had indeed called when pressed further. He asserted that he had made the call, before reporting to his superiors, to hear, directly from Prof Mussadiq that Benazir Bhutto had died.The commission said sources informed it that Saud Aziz did not act independently in deciding to hose down the crime scene. One source, on condition of anonymity, said the CPO had confided to him that he had received a call from the Army Headquarters instructing him to order the hosing down of the crime scene.Others, including three police officials, told the commission that Saud Aziz did not act independently and that “everyone knows” who ordered the hosing down. At one place, the report said, the then Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lieutenant General Nadeem Taj met Benazir Bhutto in the early morning hours of December 27 at the Zardari House Islamabad. It said that directly knowledgeable sources told the commission that they spoke both about the elections as well as threats to her life; versions differ as to how much detail was conveyed about the threats. The commission is satisfied that at the least the ISI chief told Benazir Bhutto that the agency was concerned about a possible terrorist attack against her and urged her to limit her public exposure and to keep a low profile at the campaign event at the Liaquat Bagh later that day.. However, they were not willing to state on the record what it is that “everyone knows”. This is one of the many occasions during the commission’s inquiry when individuals, including government officials, expressed fear or hesitation to speak openly, the report said.It said that on three different occasions, senior Physician Professor Mussadiq of the RGH, where Benazir Bhutto was brought from the Liaquat Bagh, asked Saud Aziz for permission to conduct her autopsy, and the CPO refused each request. On the second request, Saud Aziz is reported to have sarcastically asked the professor whether an FIR had been filed, a matter that the CPO should know, not the professor.The report said that the then District Coordination Officer of Rawalpindi Irfan Elahi (now a senior Punjab government official), who was also present outside the operating room of the RGH, supported the CPO’s position. The authorities, however, deny that the CPO deliberately refused to allow an autopsy. They insist that they wanted to get permission from Benazir Bhutto’s family. However, the commission said the police’s legal duty to request an autopsy does not require permission from a family member.It said that because Prof Mussadiq could not obtain police consent to carry out an autopsy, he called in X-ray technician Ghafoor Jadd, who took two X-rays of her skull with a portable X-ray machine. He did this without notifying or seeking Saud Aziz’s consent. Though not present at the time, a radiologist examined the X-rays the next day. Benazir Bhutto’s death certificate was completed and signed by the senior registrar, Dr Aurangzeb, who recorded the cause of death as “To be determined on autopsy”.The report said that soon after the blast outside the Liaquat Bagh the CPO left the crime scene for the RGH; SSP Yaseen Farooq followed shortly thereafter. The most senior Rawalpindi police official remaining at the crime scene was SP Khurram Shahzad, who continued to take instructions from Saud Aziz by telephone. The management of the crime scene and the collection of evidence by the Rawalpindi police during this time have generated considerable controversy.The commission said that senior Pakistani police officials explained to it that in law and practice, the ranking police official at the scene of the crime takes decisions relating to crime scene management. SP Khurram asserted that he made the decision to hose down the scene. Before issuing the order to the rescue and fire services, Khurram called his superior, Saud Aziz, to seek permission, which was granted. Sources, including police officials familiar with the case, questioned the veracity of SP Khurram’s claim that the decision was his initiative.The report said Saud Aziz’s role in this decision is controversial. Many senior Pakistani police officials have emphasised that hosing down a crime scene is fundamentally inconsistent with Pakistani police practice. While they acknowledge that there is no uniformity of practice in crime scene management in Pakistan, the washing of such a place is considered extraordinary. Indeed, with the exception of some Rawalpindi police officials, nearly all senior Pakistani police officials have criticised the manner in which this crime scene was managed. One senior police official argued that hosing down the crime scene amounted to “criminal negligence”.According to the commission, several senior police officials who know the CPO were troubled that an officer with his 33 years of experience would allow a major crime scene to be washed away, thereby damaging his reputation.The report said that some senior Pakistani police officials identified further factors suggesting that the CPO was not acting independently. They point out that, while the deliberate hosing down of a scene is unheard of in police practice, it has occurred on a few occasions, in each case when the military has been the target of such attacks and the crime scene was managed by the military directly.Even Saud Aziz, the commission said, when asserting to it that there were precedents for hosing down a crime scene, acknowledged that all the incidents which he posited as precedents actually involved a military target. The police officials who point out this pattern saw it as further indication that the military was involved in having the crime scene hosed down.The report said since the extraordinary nature of the hosing down of the crime scene generated such controversy that Punjab government officials recognised that some response was necessary. A three-member inquiry committee was set up by the chief minister to look into the washing down of the crime scene. The commission requested meetings with these individuals, which the facilitation committee was not able to arrange. No credible reason was provided. However, the committee accepted the Rawalpindi police explanation that the decision to wash the crime scene was formed by the investigating police officer at the scene, SP Khurram, with permission from CPO Saud Aziz, on grounds of public order. The committee had further found that the decision was not made with any mala fide intention and that washing the crime scene did not negatively impact on the conclusion as to the cause of death.The commission said Benazir Bhutto’s Land Cruiser was initially taken to the City Police Station some time after midnight early on December 28 and then taken to the Police Lines. In the early hours of December 28, Saud Aziz went to see the Police Lines, together with others, including ISI officers, who were the first to conduct a forensic examination of the vehicle. An investigating police officer on the orders of the CPO removed Benazir Bhutto’s shoes and took them to the City Police Station. Sometime thereafter, the shoes were ordered back into the car.The report said the commission is not convinced that the decision to wash the scene was made by Saud Aziz alone. The attack was too significant and its target too important to Pakistani society to make such a decision solely on his level.“Sources told the commission that CPO Saud Aziz was constantly talking on his mobile phone while at the hospital. In the commission’s view, he has not adequately explained who called him during that time. Other sources have provided credible information about the intervention of intelligence agencies in the case. Whoever was responsible for this decision, and for whatever reason, acted in a manner that is contrary to the most basic police standards and hampered the proper investigation of the assassination,” the report said.The report said the lack of a clear cause of death established by an autopsy severely affected the credibility of the government among the general public and has given rise to wide speculation as to the cause of Benazir Bhutto’s death. CPO Saud Aziz again appears in a setting in which he seems to have been able to impede the effective investigation of the crime. Again, it is unlikely that a police officer of his level could make such significant and ultimately destructive decisions on his own and wield such power. He maintains that he did not deny any requests for an autopsy.Furthermore, it said, the CPO impeded some Joint Investigation Team investigators from conducting on-site probe until two full days after the assassination. The failure of Punjab authorities to otherwise review effectively the gross failures of the senior Rawalpindi police officials and deal with them appropriately constitutes a broader whitewash by Punjab officials.The commission said the deliberate prevention by the CPO of a post mortem examination of Benazir Bhutto hindered a definitive determination of the cause of her death. It was patently unrealistic for the CPO to expect that Asif Zardari would allow an autopsy on his arrival in Pakistan at the Chaklala Airbase nearly seven hours after his wife’s death and after her remains had been placed in a coffin and brought to the airport. The autopsy should have been carried out at the RGH long before Zardari arrived.