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Showing posts with label NRO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NRO. Show all posts

Friday, 27 November 2009

Three ways (wishes) to get rid of President Zardari - By Nazir Naji

In the following op-ed, Nazir Naji notes that out of more than 8000 beneficiaries of the much publicized NRO, only 34 are politicians, and only 15 belong to PPP. Out of these 15, four have contested the list because they were not amongst the NRO beneficiaries, whereas others, it is widely known, were subject to political persecution by the establishment (Saif-ur-Rahman, Musharraf etc) in the guise of charges of corruption.

Naji also identifies three ways that the agents of establishment in Pakistani media (Mullah Media Alliance) are currently contemplating or hoping to get rid of President Zardari:

1. Take him out by (pressurizing) the Supreme Court (through a judicial decision against NRO).
2. Take him out by an internal revolt (by Yusuf Raza Gilani).
3. Take him out by a military coup.

Only if wishes were horses, pigs would fly....

Here is the complete article:



Read more...

Wednesday, 25 November 2009

NRO and the media hype: What is the real issue? An analysis by Amir Ahmed Khan

Here is an article by BBC Urdu's Amir Ahmed Khan highlighting that NRO has nothing to do with the real life issues of the majority of Pakistanis, nor are they interested in it. In a nutshell, NRO is a media created storm in a cup of tea.

این آر آو کس کا مسئلہ ہے؟

این آر او ایک وسیع ترقومی مفاہمتی فسلفے کا حصہ ہے

اگر پاکستانی میڈیا اور خصوصاً پاکستان کے نجی ٹیلیوژن چینلز کو کسی نے پچھلے چند دنوں باقاعدگی سے دیکھا ہو تو وہ یقیناً اس نتیجے پر پہنچا ہو گا کہ اس وقت ملک میں قومی مفاہمتی آرڈیننس یا این آر او سے بڑا مسلہء اور کوئی نہیں۔

لیکن اگر یہی شخص اپنے ڈرائینگ روم سے باہر نکل کر عوام سے بات کرے تو شاید اس نتیجے پر پہنچے کہ این آر او سے نہ تو عوام کو کوئی دلچسپی ہے اور نہ ہی عوام کی نظر میں اس کی کوئی اہمیت۔

میں نے حال ہی میں اپنے چند ساتھیوں کے ساتھ کراچی سے اسلام آباد تک نیشنل ہائی وے اور انڈس ہائی وے پر سفر کیا۔ لگ بھگ بارہ سو میل کے اس سفر میں کئی پڑاؤ کیے۔ کراچی، شہید بینظیر آباد، نواب شاہ، مورو، لاڑکانہ، کشمور، راجن پور، ڈیرہ غازی خان، ملتان اور جھنگ کے راستے اسلام آباد پہنچے۔

اگر پاکستانی میڈیا اپنا کردار صرف خبروں، اطلاعات، تجزیوں اور تبصروں تک ہی محدود رکھ پائے تو شاید اس مسئلہ پر جاری بحث مباحثے کا رخ ایک بار پھر شخصی سیاست سے قومی مفاہمت کے عمل کی جانب مڑ جائے۔

بہت سے لوگوں سے ملاقات ہوئی، بات ہوئی، ہر طرح کا ذکر سنا۔ غربت، مہنگائی، بے روزگاری، تعلیم، انتہا پسندی، قوم پرستی حتٰی کہ سرائیکی صوبے کا بھی ذکر سنا لیکن اگر کسی ایک چیز کا کہیں بھی ذکر نہ آیا تو وہ این آر او تھا۔

آخر ایسا کیوں ہے کہ جو مسئلہ آجکل پاکستانی میڈیا کے لیے اولین ترجیح رکھتا ہے اس کی عوام کے دل و دماغ میں رائی برابر جگہ بھی نہیں؟

شاید اس کی ایک وجہ یہ ہو کہ پاکستانی سیاست نے جس دھاگے میں این آر او اور عوامی امنگوں کو اکٹھا پرونے کی کوشش کی ہے وہ دھاگہ ہی وقت کی لہروں میں بہہ گیا ہے۔

اسے یوں سمجھنے کی کوشش کیجیے۔ این آر او بذات خود ایک بے معنی قانون ہے۔ یہ ماننا مشکل ہے کہ جن سیاستدانوں پر برسہا برس مخالف حکومتوں کی جانب سے ایڑی چوٹی کا زور لگانے کے باوجود کسی کیس کو ثابت نہیں کیا جا سکا، انہیں یکایک اپنی سیاسی یا ذاتی بقا کے لیے این آر او کی ضرورت پڑ جائے۔

این آر او لوگوں کے لیے کوئی مسئلہ نہیں ہے

این آر او دراصل ایک بہت جامع اور اہم سیاسی فلسفے یعنی قومی مفاہمت کے فلسفے کا ایک چھوٹا سا حصہ ہے۔ قومی مفاہمت کا یہ فلسفہ پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کی رہنما بے نظیر بھٹو نے کئی برس کی تگ ودو کے بعد دنیا سے منوایا اور دنیا کو پاکستان کے لیے اس کی ضرورت پر قائل کیا۔

این آر او نامی قانون نے جس سیاسی فلسفے کو پاکستان میں نافذ کرنا تھا اس کے تحت ایک طرف تو ملک کی سیاسی جماعتوں کے بیچ اور دوسری طرف سیاسی اور عسکری قیادت کے بیچ ایک ایسی مفاہمت ہونی تھی جس کے بعد پاکستان میں سیاسی بنیادوں پر مقدمے بازی کی روایت ہمیشہ کے لیے ختم کی جا سکے۔

بے نظیر بھٹو تو اس فلسفے کو اور بھی آگے لے جانے کی خواہشمند تھیں۔ وہ کئی سال تک جنوبی افریقہ کی طرز پر حقائق اور مفاہمت کمیشن بنانے پر زور دیتی رہیں جس کے سامنے سب سیاستدان، جرنیل، کاروباری حضرات اور بیوروکریٹس اپنے جرائم کا اعتراف کرتے، آئندہ قانون کی پاسداری کا عہد کرتے، سیاستدان ایک دوسرے کی ٹانگ نہ کھینچنے کا عزم کرتے اور فوجی قیادت سیاسی حکومتوں کے خلاف سازش کرنے سے توبہ کرتی۔

بے نظیر بھٹو کی رائے میں یہ وہ واحد راستہ تھا جو پاکستان کو ماضی کے دلدل سے نکال کر ایک بہتر سیاسی مستقبل کی جانب دھکیل سکتا تھا۔ لیکن ان کی رائے چند سیاستدانوں اور جرنیلوں کی انا پرستی کی نظر ہوئی۔ قومی مفاہمت کا خواب سکڑ کر سیاسی مفاہمت تک محدود ہوا اور یوں بینظیر بھٹو اور میاں نواز شریف کی وطن واپسی کا راستہ کھلا۔

راولپنڈی کے آخری جلسۂ سے قبل بھی بینظیر نے نواز شریف سے بات کی تھی

آجکل پاکستان مسلم لیگ نواز کا یہ کہنا کہ میاں نواز شریف کی وطن واپسی کا این آر او سے کوئی تعلق نہیں تھا محض سیاسی بیان بازی ہے۔ پاکستانی عسکری ذرائع کے مطابق بینظیر بھٹو اور جنرل پرویز مشرف میں ہونے والی ڈیل میں دبئی کے حکمران خاندان کا رول اہم تھا۔ لیکن اس وقت جنرل مشرف کو شاید اس بات کا اندازہ نہیں تھا کہ اگر وہ ایک جلا وطن رہنما کی واپسی پر دبئی کے شیخ کی بات مان لیں تو دوسرے کی واپسی سے متعلق سعودی عرب کے شیخ کو انکار ان کے لیے نا ممکن ہو جائے گا۔

لہٰذا یہ کہنا غلط نہ ہو گا کہ گو میاں نواز شریف این آر او پر ہونے والے مذاکرات کا براہ راست حصہ تو نہ تھے لیکن ان کی واپسی اس قانون سے اتنی ہی جڑی ہوئی تھی جتنی بینظیر بھٹو کی۔

بینظیر بھٹو کی واپسی کے فوراً بعد ہونے والی سیاست عوام میں این آر او کی مقبولیت کا منہ بولتا ثبوت تھی۔ اس وقت پاکستان مسلم لیگ قاف نے بہت شور مچایا کہ بی بی جنرل مشرف کے ساتھ ڈیل کر کے واپس آ رہی ہے لیکن اس کے باوجود لاکھوں لوگوں نے انہیں کراچی میں خوش آمدید کہا۔

وطن واپسی کے بعد بینظیر بھٹو نے ایک دانستہ حکمت عملی کے تحت میاں نواز شریف سے مسلسل رابطہ رکھا۔ ان کے قریبی ساتھیوں کا کہنا ہے کہ قتل ہونے سے کچھ دیر پہلے ہی انہوں نے میاں نواز شریف سے ٹیلیفون پر بات کی تھی۔ بینظیر بھٹو کی ہر بات اور ہر حرکت سے واضح تھا کہ وہ اپنے مفاہمتی فلسفے کو محض ایک قانون تک ہی محدود نہیں رکھنا چاہتی تھیں۔ ان کی یہ واضح خواہش تھی کہ وہ اپنے ناقدین پر ثابت کریں کہ این آر او ان کی ذاتی سیاست کی بقا نہیں بلکہ پاکستان میں مفاہمت کے مستقبل کے لیے مشعل راہ ثابت ہو سکتا ہے۔

دہشت گردی بھی عوام کو درپیش مسائل میں شامل ایک بڑا مسئلہ ہے

بینظیر بھٹو کا اصرار تھا کہ جب سیاسی دشمنی کی دیواروں کو قانونی سہارا دے کر کھڑا کیا ہو تو انہیں گرا کر ان کی جگہ سیاسی مفاہمت کی بنیادیں ڈالنا بھی قانونی سہارے کے بغیر ممکن نہیں۔ ان کی نظر میں این آر او کے بغیر چارٹر آف ڈیموکریسی پر عمل درآمد ناممکن تھا اور اس معاملے میں پاکستان مسلم لیگ نواز کے سربراہ میاں نواز شریف نے کبھی ان سے اختلاف نہیں کیا۔

ستائیس دسمبر دو ہزار سات کو بینظیر بھٹو کو قتل کر دیا گیا۔ ان کی موت کے ساتھ ہی پاکستان میں تیزی سے پنپتی ہوئی سیاسی مفاہمت نے بھی دم توڑ دیا۔ سیاسی مفاہمت کے اس کھیل میں میاں نواز شریف اس وقت تک بینظیر بھٹو کے جونئیر پارٹنر بنے رہنے پر آمادہ تھے۔ لیکن بینظیر بھٹو کی موت سے پیدا ہونے والے سیاسی خلا نے انہیں نئی راہیں دکھائیں۔

دوسری جانب بینظیر بھٹو کے شوہر آصف زرداری کی سیاست نے بھی ایک نئی کروٹ لی۔ بینظیر بھٹو یہ طے کر کے وطن لوٹیں تھیں کہ آصف زرداری دبئی میں رہتے ہوئے بچوں کا خیال رکھیں گے۔ لیکن ان کی موت نے پارٹی کی ذمہ داری آصف زرداری پر ڈال دی جو نہ تو بینظیر بھٹو کے سیاسی مفاہمت کے فلسفے سے پوری طرح واقف تھے اور نہ ہی اسے عملی جامہ پہنانے کا سیاسی قد کاٹھ رکھتے تھے۔

نتیجتاً صورتحال ججوں کی بحالی پر جھگڑے سے ہوتی ہوئی پنجاب حکومت کی برطرفی تک جا پہنچی۔ فوج نے کیری لوگر بل پر اعتراض کیا تو مسلم لیگ نواز کے رہنماؤں اور عسکری قیادت کے بیچ رات گئے ملاقاتوں کا سلسلہ شروع ہو گیا۔ سنہ دو ہزار نو پر انیس سو نوے کا گماں ہونے لگا۔ وہ سیاسی مفاہمت جو این آر او کی روح تھی، دم توڑ گئی۔

لیکن حیرانگی کی بات یہ ہے کہ پاکستان میں این آر او پر موجودہ بحث صرف اور صرف صدر آصف علی زرداری کی شخصیت پر مرکوز نظر آتی ہے۔ پاکستانی میڈیا میں صدر مخالف دھڑا یہ ماننے کو تیار ہی نظر نہیں آتا کہ این آر او کی موت دشمن کی نہیں دوست کی موت ہے۔

وہی این آر او جس نے پاکستانی سیاست کو مفاہمت کے ایک نئے دور میں لے جانا تھا چند گنے چنے لوگوں کی ذاتی سیاست کا پہرے دار نظر آنے لگا۔ ایسے میں پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے پاس دو راستے بچے۔ یا تو وہ بینظیر بھٹو کے مفاہمتی فلسفے کو پھر سے زندہ کر کے این آر او پر ویسا ہی اتفاق رائے پیدا کر لیتی جو اس کی مقتول رہنما کی زندگی میں تھا۔ اور یا اس بن روح کے پتلے کو مردہ جان کر فوراً دفنا دیتی۔

ایسا نہ کر کے پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی نے پیاز بھی کھائے اور جوتے بھی۔

لیکن حیرانگی کی بات یہ ہے کہ پاکستان میں این آر او پر موجودہ بحث صرف اور صرف صدر آصف علی زرداری کی شخصیت پر مرکوز نظر آتی ہے۔ پاکستانی میڈیا میں صدر مخالف دھڑا یہ ماننے کو تیار ہی نظر نہیں آتا کہ این آر او کی موت دشمن کی نہیں دوست کی موت ہے۔

اگر پاکستانی میڈیا اپنا کردار صرف خبروں، اطلاعات، تجزیوں اور تبصروں تک ہی محدود رکھ پائے تو شاید اس مسئلہ پر جاری بحث مباحثے کا رخ ایک بار پھر شخصی سیاست سے قومی مفاہمت کے عمل کی جانب مڑ جائے۔

لیکن فی الوقت میڈیا میں صدر مخالف دھڑا سخت بھنایا ہوا نظر آتا ہے۔ این آر او اچھا ہے یا برا، اس سے قطع نظر لگتا یہی ہے کہ اٹھائیس نومبر کے بعد این آر او کی قبر میں اس قانون کے ساتھ ساتھ قومی مفاہمت کا مردہ بھی لیٹے گا۔

اس وقت پاکستان میں میاں نواز شریف وہ واحد سیاستدان ہیں جو اس قبر کی کھدائی روک سکتے ہیں۔

میاں نواز شریف اور صدر زرداری میں کشیدگی اپنی جگہ لیکن این آر او پر ایک سلجھا ہوا اور جامع موقف اختیار کر کے وہ بینظیر بھٹو کے اس سیاسی فلسفے کو پھر سے زندہ کر سکتے ہیں جو ستائیس دسمبر دو ہزار سات کو راولپنڈی کے لیاقت باغ کے باہر ایک گمنام قاتل کے ہاتھوں غارت ہوا تھا



Destabilising the democratic system —Dr Manzur Ejaz
No one has any idea how the NRO is going to play out in the courts. But everyone knows that corruption is rampant in Pakistan and there are no effective means to check it. Ousting Zardari will neither fix the system nor validate the continuation of democracy in Pakistan

During the 1990s Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif took turns serving as prime ministers. Both did not complete their terms. What would have been wrong with Bhutto and Sharif completing their terms? The total number of years they ruled would have been the same number, except that the democratic system would have been consolidated. The purpose of replacing one with the other was not to improve governance but to keep the democratic system unstable. When it was clear that both the PPP and the PML-N can win elections with the same personalities and same functionaries, why was the democratic system continuously subverted?

To understand this better, we can look at the current situation where President Asif Ali Zardari is being pressurised to resign. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is also being pushed around to quit. Whoever is playing this game either has no idea of the consequences or is determined to keep destabilising the democratic system in Pakistan. Zardari’s replacement will probably be treated the same way.

All of Zardari’s drawbacks now being highlighted were known to the constituency that elected him. Everyone knew that he and many of his close associates have been protected by the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). This means that a majority of the electorate, wrongly or rightly, discounted this factor. Now according to the established democratic principles, either he has to be allowed to complete his term or be impeached according to the provisions of the Constitution. Any other method would be a violation of the essential democratic rules.

Zardari was kept in jail for eight years without any verdict on the corruption charges for which he was booked. If he was bailed out in one case the government would register another case to keep him behind bars. Primarily, he was incarcerated as a political bargaining chip. The circumstances helped him and the same game of bargaining in which he was a mere chip eventually elevated him to the seat of the president. The whole game, starting with his incarceration to the presidency, is bizarre. The campaign of ousting him is also part of the same bizarre manipulation.

Like most Pakistanis I too believe that Zardari and his cohorts have used their positions to accumulate illegal money. They siphoned off billions of dollars to foreign banks. They may be doing the same right now. But the question is: how do they do it single-handedly? Many institutions must be involved in this loot and plunder. Why can the system not stop such thefts while they are happening?

Most Pakistanis who have become rich in the last three decades — about 10 percent of the population — have not accumulated wealth through industry, trade or other legal means. An overwhelming majority of the new rich has used illegal means to gain wealth. But the proportionately much higher number of PPP leaders covered by the NRO indicates that the establishment and their proxies had a vendetta against them. Otherwise, hordes of the rich would have been in that list.

No one has any idea how the NRO is going to play out in the courts. But everyone knows that corruption is rampant in Pakistan and there are no effective means to check it. Ousting Zardari will neither fix the system nor validate the continuation of democracy in Pakistan.

Zardari may have been the worst choice as a president but a constituency elected him with full knowledge of his shortcomings. The same constituency has the right to dislodge him according to the provisions of Pakistan’s Constitution. Any other method employed to dismiss him will mean the failure of the democratic system in Pakistan. And the architect of such an illegal ouster should be ready to suggest not just Zardari’s replacement but also an alternative to democracy.

The writer can be reached at manzurejaz@yahoo.com Source

The campaign against the president —Munir Attaullah

It is true that the president can do no right as far as our media is concerned. It is uniformly hostile. And that, to some extent, has been the case even since those early days of 2008 when Mr Zardari first unexpectedly rose to political power

Like most of us when travelling abroad, I try hard to keep up with what is going on in Pakistan. But the many rich and mysterious flavours of the bouillabaisse that is Pakistani politics are best appreciated by local tasting. Experts say that the sense of smell has a pre-eminent role in influencing our sense of taste. Could that be the reason why, when asking the question ‘what’s cooking?’ we find the many delicious aromas of congenial rumours so irresistible to our political palette?

(I assume most readers are sufficiently cosmopolitan to understand that reference to bouillabaisse. With apologies to them, here is an explanatory note for the few who might be a little bemused by my simile. Bouillabaisse is the much beloved fish stew from the south of France, wherein many kinds of fish — including shellfish — are simmered and cooked along with a variety of vegetables, and flavoured with many kinds of herbs.)

I return to Lahore from holiday to discover that all the talk in fashionable social circles, and our opinionated media, is about how the writing is now on the wall for Mr Zardari. Apparently, his days in the Presidency are ‘numbered’. Of course this is nothing new. For the past six months at least, many an all-knowing media pundit has, on more than one occasion, confidently predicted his ‘imminent’ exit.

Like the religious junkie at Hyde Park corner, carrying a placard with the message, ‘repent, for the end is nigh’, it is mighty convenient to leave your predictions vague and not tied to an actual date. But why go as far as Britain? Did our own incomparable Dr D&G, in his monumental documentary of a few years ago, ‘The End of Time’, not work out from various mysterious signs that the one and only real Day of Judgment is also ‘imminent’?

This time round, some of these geniuses have been brave enough to set a date: November 28th, the day the NRO is finally buried. Will the president then fall on his proverbial sword? Don’t bet on it, I say. But what I can do is to make a prediction of my own: their refrain then will conveniently switch from ‘he is going’ to ‘he ought to go because, blah blah blah...’

My past reaction to such nonsense has usually been a bored yawn. For none of these geniuses ever satisfactorily answer the two questions any sane person will ask: “Will the president volunteer to resign, or will he be forced to do so? And, if the latter, who is going to do the forcing, and what will be the successful mechanism? Is it any different this time round? I do not think so. Those two questions still remain valid.

It is true that the president can do no right as far as our media is concerned. It is uniformly hostile. And that, to some extent, has been the case even since those early days of 2008 when Mr Zardari first unexpectedly rose to political power. Then it largely took the form of sullen silence or sceptical reticence. Today, the knives are out quite openly. Indeed, I sometimes get the impression — and it is a powerful one — that one particular media group is consciously embarked on a deliberate and sustained campaign to whip up public sentiment against the president, in whatever way it can.

This has two serious consequences. Firstly, there is the ‘follow the leader’ syndrome. When the most powerful media group in the country by far, takes up cudgels in this manner, the lesser players cannot afford to be left behind. For, there is nothing our public loves more than juicy political gossip. Secondly, when the result is that everyone ends up singing the same tune, our people, largely disinclined to use their own grey matter, treat as a fact what at best is media speculation and at worst wish fulfilling orchestrated rumour mongering. The recent furore over the Kerry-Lugar Bill (KLB) is a good example of what I am talking about here.

Serious consequences or not, politicians and others — and even the public — have to live stoically with this other side of the coin that is the precious democratic right of everyone to free speech. And that right extends to media groups, who have the freedom to air whatever politically partisan or otherwise biased and prejudiced views they choose to project.

That it is possible this freedom (like many others) is liable to abuse is never an argument to curtail it, except in so far as it is regulated by law. Nor is the fact that in our country anti-defamation laws against allegations and charges (often without due diligence), by individuals and state institutions, have proved ineffective, a good argument for using unorthodox means against this menace. Incidentally why are the defamation laws in our country so ineffective? Will the new judiciary do anything about this social evil now?

There is no option but to use sophisticated political means to counter those out to discredit you. But let us admit this is not either easy or simple. We all know the media thrives commercially on controversy and political and social campaigns that help boost audience ratings. If those choices are freely made I have no quibble, even though I may strongly disagree with the views projected. But sometimes the prima facie circumstantial evidence is too powerful and coincidental for a sane person to believe that that indeed is the case. Sometimes there is a powerful odour in the air of something more sinister afoot.

Media ethics is supposed to distinguish between paid advertisement and ‘news’ (and I include ‘opinion’ in the latter category). That, at least, is the theory, even though there is no escaping, anywhere, the phenomena of planted stories and ‘advertorials’ (for pay, or as a favour, or for a purpose). That our media today is freer than ever in our history is true enough, but has it completely shrugged off its past close affiliations with certain all-powerful elements of our permanent establishment? Of that the most charitable thing I will say is, “I am not so sure”.

One thing is for certain: the president will leave office only if he so wishes. And I see little evidence for that eventuality. Can he be forced out of office? On the past evidence we have of his implacable resolve in resisting pressure, only the alternatives of a military coup or impeachment will suffice. And neither is a realistic possibility at the moment.

What is more, it is my opinion that even a totally voluntary relinquishing of his office (let alone through any other method) will, for many obvious reasons, be a disastrous setback for the country’s fledgling democratic experiment. Heard the one about throwing the baby out along with the bathwater?

The writer is a businessman. A selection of his columns is now available in book form. Visit munirattaullah.com
Source

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Tuesday, 24 November 2009

Accountability of Zardari and beyond

A critical analysis by Asadullah Ghalib on the NRO Tabla and the anti-Zardari campaign
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Monday, 23 November 2009

Who needs an NRO ?

Posted by: Jarri Mirza
Blog post written by: Humza Ikram

Former Attorney general of Punjab"Khawaja Sharif" is trying to help his old master's boy, who was then Chief Minister Punjab "Nawaz Sharif".


Nawaz Sharif has really surprised his critics by playing his cards really smartly. First, he got a de-jure NRO from the establishment in a shape of Presidential Pardon and then negoiated an excellent business deal which resulted his safe exit to Saudi Arabia, where he owns one of the biggest Steel Mill of Asia and has expanded his other bussiness ventures. And now he got a de-facto NRO from the present judical setup, which is in fact an slap on recent Judicial Policy which aims to give verdicts within a time period six months.



published on 8th October, 2009 source: dailywaqt.com

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Sindhis responsible for 97% of corruption in Pakistan: NRO's message



By Abdul Nishapuri

Once again, it would appear that the rules are different for peoples from Sindh whereas politicians, bureaucrats and military personnel from Punjab and elsewhere are angels who do not have a spot of corruption on their careers. Or at least, that is what the establishment wants us to believe through its "NRO" tool.

NRO list out, 34 politicians among 8,000 beneficiaries
By Amir Wasim

Sunday, 22 Nov, 2009 (Dawn)

ISLAMABAD: A majority of the NRO beneficiaries have been bureaucrats and government officials as a list, released by the government on Saturday, contained names of only 34 politicians out of a total of 8,000.

According to the list, almost 97 per cent of the beneficiaries are from Sindh. The ordinance will lapse on Nov 28 in the light of the Supreme Court’s July 31 verdict in the PCO judges case.

The list shows that a total of 8,041 people — 7,793 from Sindh — have benefited from the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), promulgated by former president Pervez Musharraf on Oct 5, 2007.

These people have got withdrawn 3,478 cases (3,320 in Sindh) registered against them on charges of corruption, financial bungling, misuse of authority and criminal charges.

What do ordinary Pakistanis think about NRO?
(various sources including pkpolitics, friendskorner etc)

Pakistan said:
7,793 from Sindh, this does not mean that sindhis are corrupt.
Ghulam Agmad Bloor from ANP said on a TV show that 99% corruptionwas done in Punjab through loans written off ,by a specific part in punjab, and they built from sugar to terxtile industry.
These corrupt military, civil bureaucrats and government officials should be brought to justice.

This was time when every MNA and MPA in punjab was running to get loan and get write off and then develop a factry.

Worh to see that time a loan beneficiary and calculate the amount with interest toay.
———————————–
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/12-pms+wife+paid+rs455m+against+rs570m+liabilities–bi-07
———————————-

Wahid Doyum said:
How accurate are the cases against those on the list? NAB after all was run through Musharraf’s orders and the history of judiciary is well known.

waw said:
The above list is half of the looters. The list – which consists the gangsters from Sind- was prepared by the looters from Punjab when they (Nawaz and his team) were in government. Now the looters from Sind (Zardari and party) are in government and they are in process of preparing another list of gangsters who belong to Punjab. All these consist of one group- the looters of the nation. Now Nawaz Sharif is protecting them- Then Zardari will be protecting Nawaz. You can say two teams of looters – the lahori group and the larkana group- looting the country for the last 65 years.

agrana75 said:
This list is only for the “idiot” politicians who instead of buying judiciary and other related officials , preffered to get rid of the cases through NRO. There are many shrewd and clever politicians who foresaw long time ago that such ordinances had no long term validity and effect. They “managed” to get clear themselves through the judicary and NAB. Now, question is that no body investigating the “CRIME” even if some got acquittal from the courts, it looks some angels came down to earth and looted the money ands thats all.

i_shah said:
What about generals. they surely arent angles and have had major chunk of the national budget. I guess corruption is legal for them. afterall who needs to deal in cash when they get plots and agricultural land at dirt cheap prices:

http://www.satribune.com/archives/Aug17_23_02/P1_landgrabbing.htm#top

http://antisystemic.org/satribune/www.satribune.com/archives/200504/P1_ss3.htm

sabazbagh said:
Many of us MAY BE familiar with a fact that especially when an officer from the army reaches the rank of a ‘Brigadier’ he (& now a ’she’ also) is LITERALLY ‘OFFERED’ ON A SILVER PLATTER, a prized piece of land in any military cantonment & MAY BE, then or (sometimes earlier or later,) when he reaches the rank of a Major:/Lt:General, he is THEN AGAIN ‘OFFERED’ the best ‘PIECES’ of STUD FARMS/AGRICULTURAL LANDS; that he MAY HAVE NEVER DREAMED-OFF?

A major question is then normally asked by majority of lower rank officers, sitting within or outside GHQ that ‘WHY THEM & NOT US?

What is called a ‘rat-race’ is THUS INITIATED by senior military officers with the backing & greediness of their spouses.

Consequently, there is a lot of ‘heart-burning’ amongst the lower ranks, whether themselves officers, or other ranks (comprising of Jco’s, Nco’s & men.) Is there any JUSTIFICATION for such a dole-out or ‘charity, whatever you may call it?

In order to ‘lessen’ the so-called ‘heart-burning’ among junior officers of the rank of Lt:Colonels & Majors, it was THUS decided about 15/20 years back, to ‘DULY REWARD’ them too, by the ‘CHARITABLE ENDOWMENT’ organization called the GHQ.

This legacy of ‘buying-off’ the LOYALTIES of the officers-lot was left behind by our ‘clever & intelligent’ Britishers, who ‘devastated’ every facet of life, during their, over 200 years rule,) NOT AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE, BUT AT OURS!

Will ever any army officer voluntarily, (whether TODAY or TOMORROW,) return back to GHQ, the PRIZED land ( worth billions in Pak Rs) , house or a residential flat, ( worth millions?)
Your own answer, NOT SURPRISINGLY would be a big, NO !

murtazahasaan said:
The NRO list of Beneficiaries is not as big of an issue as the fight against terrorism. The media can help us unite to raise voice against terrorism. We are Pakistanis and we can do this.

sabazbagh said:
Whatever OTHER BENEFITS that a serving or a retired military officer obtains during his service with the civil govt, ( especially during past martial years of Ayub, Zia or any other, such era; they are usually ‘OVER & ABOVE’ what he gets from GHQ, either during his ‘pre’ or ‘post’ retirement period of service in the military.

I seriously think that the Ministry of Defense should also release a similar LIST, showing the names of beneficiaries of the three services, i.e; Pak Army Navy & Air Force, ‘who had their cake & ate it’ too & also ‘burned both ends of their candles’!

MAY BE, there will be so much of pressure by retired military officers upon the incumbent Service Chiefs,that such a list will NEVER see the light of the day.

MAYBE, (I AGAIN repeat MAYBE,) it could result in a ’swift, short & quick’ move by the military, to SAVE IT” s HOLY COWS , TOO, FROM PUBLIC EXPOSURE?

Adonis said:
Given the backdrop of all the propaganda and the virile hatred that many ignorant and gullible Pakistanis keep expressing about politicians, this list of NRO beneficiaries is an eye opener.

It is time for us to realize that our politicians are not the source of our problems, rather it is the corrupt civil and military bureaucracy.

Politicians are accountable to the people and in every elections they have to defend their deeds. If the political system is not derailed by power-hungry generals, the relatively few corrupt politicians can easily be purged by the democratic process.

hasankhan said:
cases should be reopen but if not proven relative people should be compensated and the people who filed these fake cases should be put in jails.

logical said:
In last sixty years only last PPP govt was corrupt. Other all generals, politicians are clean and most important thing is these cases registered by most honest general Mushraf.
شرم تم کو مگر نہیں اتی

• Is it not the type of NRO in past and future
* In proposed Balochistan package people will be release from jail and all the cases against them will be withdraw and many of them openly admitted that they are doing arm struggle.
*In coming years Taliban will be part of Afghan govt and thousands of Pakistani Taliban will be in political process without any sentences.
*In 1977 military operation in balochistan stopped after five years. All prisoners released. No general or political activist who was openly involved in arm struggle blame for any thing.
*Nawaz family with a deal with Mushraf went to Saudi Arab.
*In history of trade union thousand times after strikes when management and trade union sit on table for agreement first it decided all charge sheets will be withdrawn.
*Pholan davi, a proved dacoit in India got mercy and became Lock Saba member.
*Every dictator in Pakistan got approval for breaking constitution, from assessable.
*when Ayub khan went thousands political activist was in jail with true and false FIR but next day they start releasing them. Same thing happened when Bhutto gone.

All above example are proved crimes not only political but murders, treason etc. this NRO is nothing to do with proved cases even in some cases more then 11 years within two different governments.

If supreme court can say that last supreme court made mistake and their action null and void then if National assembly decide that the approval of ( Mushraf 12th October coup and first PCO ) was wrong and it is null and void then what going to be happened with Ch Iftikhar.
You can find hundreds example in our and in world history where for breaking stalemate with political understanding we have to do this. Opposition for NRO is not about eliminating corruption. This is a political agenda. Generals have no problems with politician’s corruption instead they encourage them so they can blackmail them. Why they hate Zardari? He is trying to make good relation with India and interested in supremacy of civil govt on Military. Fortunate of Pakistani people Nawaz sharif (not all Muslim league) also have same vision. Most of these people are not democrat in nature. They can not remove him democratically so remove him by NRO, by court or by military.

mir munsif said:
..the propaganda and hate compaign against PPP is very old.Mighty establishment and sponsors always tried to corner PPP,the biggest federal party of Pakistan.Inspite of all their efforts of infusing hate and fabricating new cases against PPP,they could not erase the name of PPP.Even today,if elections held,if PPP wont stand as majority party,I assure u,it would be Second largest.

Actually Military Economic Umpire and co sponsors dont want to give free space to democratic system because they fear it,If it succeeds,which will weaken their power control over state.Its war started by Military Alliance (Certain Media+Mullas+agencies+Certain class in bureacracy etc) against PPP led Govt to discredit Govt so that they can cut the roots of democracy.Wake up call for Pro-democratic forces!!

dara said:

Bravo , Bravo pakistanies from whole of Lahore only Jahangir Badar was corrupt all others are angels. Those whose names are not in NRO are the real culprits because they belong to Punjabi Establishment.

In Lahore where since 1990 we only saw Muslim League in power thus all the corruption was done by them only JB . Hamayoon Akhtar Khan, Mian Munir, Haji Maqsood Butt, Liaqat baluch, Salman butt, and numarous Muslim League MPas and MNA’s no matter they were Q or N or XYZ.

Army generals the most corrupt people along with Punjabi establishment and Muslim League are the real culprits.

Nawaz Sharief family are bunch of saints who become the most richest just with hard work and by praying five times. The state pakistan has no courege to make cases against punjabi leaders. This will take Pakistan to its logical end , disintegration.

Pakistan said:
=============================================================
Be realistic….DO NOT BE TRAPD IN THE PROPAGANDA DONE BY THESE JOKERS.
=============================================================
The following are the only clean people in the country.
1: NS
2: CHs.
3: Army Generals,Colns,Capt. etc as they all are living according to theor means.
———–
Case against Rehman A Malik: Illegal detention against complainant and gratfication.
Source: http://www.geo.tv/important_events/2009/nrolist/pages/list.asp
———-
My suggestion to AZ to resign and go to the courts to get clearance.
———
To me: 95% people in NRO will be freed.
———

mir munsif said:
More Corruption stories

Pakistan-armys-multimillionaires

http://politicalpakistan.blogspot.com/2006/01/pakistan-armys-multimillionaires.html

Army Eyes its Biggest Real Estate Catch in Hotbed Islamabad

http://www.satribune.com/archives/200503/P1_butt2.htm

One more corruption story:

High Court Presented With Massive Charge Sheet Against Pakistan Army

http://www.satribune.com/archives/aug10_16_03/P1_chargesheet.htm

mir munsif said:
Pakalert Report update to share you!

EXPOSED!!!

GEO TV, Kamran Khan and the Lies of Dr Shahid Masood

http://pakalert.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/geo-tv-kamran-khan-and-the-lies-of-dr-shahid-masood/

Bawa said:
صدر کیخلاف مقدمات ختم ہو چکے: ترجمان

لاہور /اسلام آباد/ (خبرنگار خصوصی نوائے وقت +خصوصی نامہ نگارنوائے وقت + ریڈیو نیوز) ایوان صدر کے ترجمان فرحت اللہ بابر نے کہا ہے کہ قانون کے تحت صدر زرداری کیخلاف جو کیس ثابت نہیں ہو سکے اور جن کی انوسٹی گیشن ہو رہی ہے وہ ختم ہو چکے ہیں۔ نوائے وقت سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے انہوں نے کہا اگر عدالتیں اس حوالے سے کوئی دوسرا فیصلہ کرتی ہیں تو وہ ہمکارے لئے قابل قبول ہو گا۔ امریکہ میں پاکستانی سفیر حسین حقانی نے کہا ہے کہ میں نے کبھی این آر او سے فائدہ نہیں اٹھایا۔ میری سمجھ میں نہیں آتا میرا نام این آر او سے فائدہ اٹھانے والوں کی فہرست میں کیسے آ گیا۔ انہوں نے کہا احتساب بیورو نے جو مقدمات میرے خلاف بنائے تھے وہ میں نے عدالتوں سے کلیئر کرا لئے تھے۔ مزید براں پیپلز پارٹی کے سیکرٹری جنرل جہانگیر بدر نے فہرست کو مسترد کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ این آر او سے فائدہ اٹھانے والے کوئی اور ہونگے۔ میرے مقدمات ہائیکورٹ میں ہیں۔ انہوں نے کہا میرے فیصلے کی گھڑی آئی تو میرا نام این آر او میں شامل کر دیا گیا۔ ہم عدالتوں سے گھبرانے والے نہیں‘ مقدمات کا بھرپور دفاع کرینگے۔ پیپلز پارٹی کی سیکریٹری اطلاعات فوزیہ وہاب نے کہا ہے کہ عدالت کو ایسے فیصلے ریورس نہیں کرنے چاہئیں جس سے ملک کا مفاد اور موجودہ نظام متاثر ہو ۔ نجی ٹی وی سے گفتگو میں انہوں نے کہا کہ پیپلزپارٹی مقدمات سے گھبرانے والی نہیں پارٹی رہنماؤں نے ہمیشہ عدالتوں کا سامنا کیا ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ این آر او سے فائدہ اٹھانے والوں کی فہرست پہلے ہی جاری کردینا چاہیے تھی اس میں تاخیر کی گئی۔ ان کا کہنا تھا کہ اکثر مقدمات انتقامی کارروائی کے تحت بنائے گئے

Pakistan said:
After November 28, Nobody will be able to comment on this NRO issue.

As far far as These jokers (from Mullah Media Alliance) are concerned, They will damage the country by spreading false information and propaganda.

Ansar Abasi once mntined that PM stoped AZ to fire COA which was totally wrong and there was no fact at all.Think about the consequences in sight for the vicious propganda and If COA had taken this seriously.

Same thing applied with Saleh Zafar,a biggest joker,Once spread the news that AZ offered 5 crore each MNA to cast a vote in favour of NRO,What the hek this news analyst is?
This Jang group is trying to become a new piller in the country as they think it was the Jang newsgroup brought Musharaf don hence they can do this with each and every governament.
DEFEAT IS YOUR FATE YOU ALL JOKERS…….

mir munsif said:
I am neither against healthy criticism nor I ever consider PPP as Party of angels.Having said that I am also against Biased and abusive approach against PPP and its leadership.Even as per Transparency International and many independent fact finding reports,the Biggest plunders of national assets are Military Establishment Umpire.They are looting it without any accountability and any check & balance and any time they can over throw democratic system on the basis of so called ‘Biggest national interest’..while they are also considered Pure ppl of Pakistan.

Its important to understand the bigger picture,The weakness of any party or democratic system gives stimulus or rejuvenate the role of Military Authority.Since the day one,The Military Alliance has captured the authority over state and they WONT ever allow any Federal party or leadership to earn good names or strengthen the democratic system.It is indeed War of interests between Democratic Camp Vs Military Alliance (Military+Intelligence agencies+Certain Media+Pseduo Political groups+Mullas etc).

Politicians have suffered more and earned bad name,while the Military Alliance have earned not only good name but also plundered at the extreme.Give a break please,whether good or bad,Politicians have to go through democratic process,which may be slow but sooner or later,it will reform,but the wekaness of Political parties should not be an EXECUSE for any Military QUO.Therefore,I suggest you all to be free to criticize any party or leadership but dont be blind in hate/biased mind..dont be a tool of Propaganda Industry of Agencies and Media co which have only objective to discredit Democratic system.

zahidnaqvi said:
The TIME for serious thinking has now arrived. We must admit that due to our religious thinking and attachments, certain communities and regions have blindly voted for Bhuttto Party, and believe me we all are suffering very badly now. In view of Transparency International Report we have been down-graded by 5 points and this is only due to NRO and widespread corrruption.

The corruption is to such a high level that even if you need a new gas or electricity connection you have to bribe from an ordinary office clerk, then SDO and then XEN.

Yes, this corruption has been in ALL previous Govt’s, but my God why is it ‘free for all’ situation when Bhutto Party rules. Peoples Party must change its name to Bhutto Family Corruption Party.

What really annoys me is that for the last few weeks, Zardari has now started to wear Sindhi topi. I personally saw that news item when 2 days ago at Kabul Airport he was wearing Sindhi topi. Zardari must come to his senses, he is now trying to fight Sindhi against Punjabi, and Shia against Sunni. We must now allow this to happen. I urge to all Zardari lovers that they must come to their senses. This latest list of beneficiaries has been prepared by Zardari’s own hand picked PM and this list contains 90% Sindhhi’s.

In the last 2 Govt of Benazir, Sindhi’s were particulary given jobs in PIA, Customs, Airport Immigration, huge loans in the name of Agricultural Loans, free umrah tickets etc. I am not saying that the then Punjab Govt of Pervaiz Elahi was an angel, but the level of corruption with the aid of MQM was at a very high level in Sindh.

mir munsif said:
@Zahid Naqvi

U Said “This latest list of beneficiaries has been prepared by Zardari’s own hand picked PM and this list contains 90% Sindhhi’s.”

I refute ur claims that 90 percent are Sindhis instead the right Phrase should be 90 percent are from SINDH.Dont play with fire of ethncity.

List contains names of only 34 politicians out of a total of 8,000.Only four Sindhi Political figures got benefit from NRO (AZ,Nusrat Bhutto,Agha Siraj Durani,Yusuf Talpur),14 Politicians are from Punjab.The Biggest beneficiary of NRO is MQM not Sindhis…Mind the GAP Please.

Your second claim about Sindhi topi,which creates trouble for you,seeing a President wearing Sindhi cap as if its some cap from India or Jews.Give a break man,President AZ wears this cap on many official events even on the day he took oath as President.Why A sindhi cap gives u suffocation,why you see always boiling Ethenic divide.SIndhis are equal stake holders of this state,who were the first ppl in Indo Sub continent to pass the Pakistan resolution bill in Assembly before prepartition,they always voted for Federal Parties,either PPP or PMLN etx,then why again some ppl want to corner them.Dont Push harder or play with fire,I am sure,if PPP ever lost its strength in Sindh,then if u know the dynamics of Sindh,No other party has any base nor they try to make their foundation…how many times NS or Imran khan visited Sindh…??Except PPP,other strong thriving forces are Nationalists.I personally feel that Sindh can turn another Baluchistan the day PPP loose its credibility in Sindh,coz other credible force left is Nationalists.

mir munsif said:
@Zahid Naqvi,

I respect your opinion but I appreciate if you enlighten us on healthy discussion and pointing out problems with solutions rather fueling Hate,ethnicity and launching personal attacks on PPP leadership through this platform.Grow up dude..Your Qazi sb’s vote bank is less than 5 Percent and every one knows whts their strength and even you will know in future elections where your JI stands

with all Military Mulla alliance Might and propaganda,they could not erase the name of PPP.Keep bashing and shouting as long as you can,coz this wont harm the vote bank of PPP,it will absolutly give some blood pressure to u SInce your agenda seems to find all sort of blames upon PPP and all evils are in PPP while the rest of parties and Military Mullas are angels ..

runaway said:
when is Shahid Masood going to discuss Kiyani’s role in NRO.

Shouldn’t he also resign for his role in NRO?

I dont like Zardari but he is easy punching bag. Just by getting rid of one person won’t fix problems of Pakistan

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Sunday, 22 November 2009

Establishment's temporary NRO for Yusuf Raza Gilani

It seems that the all powerful establishment in Pakistan and their agents in Pakistani media have decided to, at least temporarily, ignore the cases of alleged corruption against Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani (and other politicians). They have offered this temporary NRO to Gilani because their first target is to hit and malign President Zardari. Gilani and other politicians will be dealt with in the next round. Here is what was reported in Dawn today, which is followed by an analysis by Abbas Ather:

PM’s wife paid Rs45.5m against Rs570m liabilities
By Syed Irfan Raza
Sunday, 22 Nov, 2009

ISLAMABAD: Although the wife of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had settled her default case with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), she had been given ‘undue favour’ and asked to pay only Rs45.5 million against total liabilities of Rs570 million, sources in the NAB alleged on Saturday in an interview with Dawn.

A scrutiny of Fauzia Gilani’s case revealed that she had obtained two loans totalling Rs200 million from Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), but she settled the case after committing ‘wilful default that prevailed over a decade’.

According to documents, the sources said, the principal of Rs200 million had swelled to Rs570 million as non-payment of instalments spanned a decade. However, she managed to settle the case by paying back Rs45.521 million.

The sources said she had obtained a loan of Rs120 million for Multan Edible Oil Extraction and another loan Rs77 million for Pak Green Fertilisers.

According to the NAB press release, the cases were settled by the ZTBL in pursuance of the Sindh High Court’s order of Oct 2, 2006, and March 17 of last year and a circular of the State Bank.

In consequence, ZTBL forwarded a request to NAB for withdrawal of the cases.

‘After having received clearance of liability certificate from ZTBL regarding full payment of the settlement amount of Rs45.521 million, NAB withdrew references against the companies.’

The source said Mrs Gilani had gone through the prescribed procedure of settlement of ‘wilful default cases’. They interpreted the move as a ‘confessed wilful default’.

The NAB Ordinance defines wilful default as: ‘Wilful default under this ordinance if he does not pay, or continues not to pay, or return or repay the amount due from him to any bank, financial institution, cooperative society, Prime Minister Gilani faced two other cases in NAB—illegal appointments in National Assembly when he was National Assembly speaker and purchase of vehicles. Both cases were settled in the Islamabad High Court.

A case of the prime minister’s personal secretary, Tariq Khakwani, in which he was accused of obtaining a plot in Sector I-8, Islamabad, under the prime minister’s quota in 1988-89 is still alive in Lahore High Court.

The NAB had filed an appeal against its own reference and had requested an accountability court to dispose of the case.

However, the court turned down the request and the NAB moved LHC against the accountability court’s decision.

The LHC upheld the verdict of the accountability court and the case is still pending. Source..

Abbas Ather
.

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Monday, 16 November 2009

The NRO and President Zardari - An analysis by Tariq Butt

Here is an analysis of the anti-democracy (in the guise of anti-NRO) campaign by the Friends of Taliban in Pakistani media and politics. The analysis is by Tariq Hussain Butt, a leader of PPP, UAE.

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Friday, 13 November 2009

‘Sharifs used paper mill to whiten money’ - Ishaq Dar's confession



By Azaz Syed
Friday, 13 Nov, 2009
Dawn

Senator Ishaq Dar, while accusing Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif of money laundering, also implicated himself by confessing in the court that he had opened fake foreign currency accounts in different international banks.

ISLAMABAD: The Musharraf government prepared a money laundering reference against PML-N leaders Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mian Shahbaz Sharif in 2000 on the basis of a statement recorded by one of their trusted lieutenants, Senator Ishaq Dar, according to a court document seen by Dawn here on Thursday.

Senator Dar’s handwritten statement, given before a magistrate back on April 25, 2000, had alleged that Sharif brothers used the Hudaibya Paper Mills as cover for money laundering during the late 1990s.

The reference was prepared on the orders of then president Pervez Musharraf, but it was shelved after the Sharif brothers went into exile in December of the same year.

The Musharraf government tried to reopen the reference in 2007 after Nawaz Sharif announced his return to the country.

The confessional statement of Senator Ishaq Dar was recorded before a district magistrate in Lahore. He was brought to the court from a jail by Basharat Shahzad, who was then serving as assistant director in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

According to legal experts, the senator’s deposition was an `irrevocable statement’ as had been recorded under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

Senator Ishaq Dar has always been regarded as one of the closest aides of the Sharif family, and is now also a relative as his son is married to Nawaz Sharif’s younger daughter.

However, the NAB record clearly shows that back in 2000 he had agreed to give a written statement against the Sharifs about their alleged involvement in money laundering.

The top PML-N leaders had hit a rough patch by then as some of their lieutenants were busy developing a new political system for Gen Pervez Musharraf after his Oct 1999 military coup.

In the statement, Ishaq Dar accused Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif of money laundering in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case.

At one point in the 43-page statement, Mr Dar said that on the instructions of Mian Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, ‘I opened two foreign currency accounts in the name of Sikandara Masood Qazi and Talat Masood Qazi with the foreign currency funds provided by the Sharif family in the Bank of America by signing as Sikandara Masood Qazi and Talat Masood Qazi’.

He said that all instructions to the bank in the name of these two persons were signed by him under the orders of ‘original depositors’, namely Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mian Shahbaz Sharif.

‘The foreign currency accounts of Nuzhat Gohar and Kashif Masood Qazi were opened in Bank of America by Naeem Mehmood under my instructions (based on instructions of Sharifs) by signing the same as Nuzhat Gohar and Kashif Masood Qazi.’

The document shows Dar stated that besides these foreign currency accounts, a previously opened foreign currency account of Saeed Ahmed, a former director of First Hajvari Modaraba Co and close friend of Dar, and of Mussa Ghani, the nephew of Dar’s wife, were also used to deposit huge foreign currency funds provided by ‘the Sharif family’ to offer them as collateral to obtain different direct and indirect credit lines.

Senator Dar had disclosed that the Bank of America, Citibank, Atlas Investment Bank, Al Barka Bank and Al Towfeeq Investment Bank were used under the instructions of the Sharif family.

Interestingly enough, Ishaq Dar also implicated himself by confessing in court that he — along with his friends Kamal Qureshi and Naeem Mehmood — had opened fake foreign currency accounts in different international banks.

Mr Dar said an amount of $3.725 million in Emirates Bank, $ 8.539 million in Al Faysal Bank and $2.622 million were later transferred in the accounts of the accounts Hudaibya Paper Mills.

He said that the entire amount in these banks finally landed in the accounts of the paper mills.

The Hudaibiya Paper Mills case is still pending in the National Accountability Bureau.
If it is opened again, the Sharif brothers may be in for a rude shock: a confidant is to blame for the albatross around their necks.

In this regard Dawn made repeated efforts to contact Senator Dar on telephone, but without luck as his mobile number was switched off and he did not reply to text messages.

However, a PML-N spokesman Siddiq ul Farooq alleged that the signed statement was extracted from Mr Ishaq Dar under duress.


‘NAB report dents Nawaz Sharif’s stance on NRO’

LAHORE: Rashed Rahman, renowned analyst and Editor of the Daily Times, has said that the recent money laundering scandal of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif revealed in the documents of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has damaged the so-called moral stance of the Sharifs on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

Talking to a private television channel, he said that no body had the moral high grounds amongst the political class of the Pakistan, as they were all involved in scandals including the Sharifs. Rahman said that PML-N leader Ishaq Dar had confessed to the money laundering of the Sharifs viz-a-viz the Hudabia Paper Mills case, saying he could not deny the confessional statement of Sharif’s confidant and accountant-en-chief, Ishaq Dar.

Rahman said the same statement of Ishaq Dar was lying with NAB since 2000, and wondered as to why this report had been suppressed for so long. (Daily Times)

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Thursday, 12 November 2009

Supreme Court is under siege by the Mullah Media Alliance

It has been learnt through reliable sources that agents of anti-democracy or/and pro-Taliban forces in Pakistani media, namely Shahid Masood and Ansar Abbasi (and their cronies), will in the next few days exert pressure on the Supreme Court of Pakistan, in order get their specific anti-democracy agenda implemented through the judiciary e.g. in the guise of the anti-NRO campaign, and other 'establishment-led' investigations against the PPP government. We present below two news items as well as an op-ed by Ansar Abbasi in which he has tried to pressurize the supreme court of Pakistan to pass judgements consistent with the agenda of the Mullah Media Alliance.

The following news items in today's newspapers can help us solve the puzzle:

SC clarifies report on Zardari’s cases
Source

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday clarified reports that said two cases of President Asif Ali Zardari were placed in a cause list issued in August for hearing on November 16-17. In a press statement, the court said the cases related to the year 1998-99 and were being processed according to routine. One of the cases related to the transfer of a case from one court to another, while the other was filed against an order of the Sindh High Court, wherein the court ordered the release of the property of an appellant. The court said both cases were old and publication of reports in a section of the press should not create any misunderstanding. staff report

PML-N pressured me to become ‘approver’ against Chaudhrys: Hamesh

LAHORE: Former president of the Bank of Punjab (BoP) Hamesh Khan has claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz pressed him to become an ‘approver’ against the Chaudhrys of Gujrat but he refused, a private TV channel reported on Wednesday. Hamesh said the Punjab government assured him that no action would be taken against him if he became an ‘approver’. He said that he had decided to leave the country to avoid becoming a political victim. daily times monitor

Murtaza Bhutto murder case: I was forced to become approver against Zardari: Suddle

Thursday, November 12, 2009
By Shamim Bano
Karachi
The News

Nineteen accused in the murder case of Mir Murtaza Bhutto and six of his comrades denied charges levelled against them and proclaimed their innocence.

Shoaib Suddle, the then Director Intelligence Bureau and presently the Federal Tax Ombudsman, said that the prosecution witnesses testified against him as the then government exerted immense pressure on him to become an approver against Asif Ali Zardari, which he refused.

Former IB chief Masood Sharif and Shoaib Suddle appeared in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge East-I Aftab Ahmed Khan along with 17 other accused and recorded their statements under Section 342 on Wednesday.

Suddle and Sharif, who were exempted from personal appearance, appeared in the court for the second time in 13 years.

They had earlier appeared in the court in 1997, a year after the incident took place.

Rai Tahir and Abdul Basit, who were exempted from personal appearance, also recorded their statements before the judge.

A written questioner was prepared by the court that pertained to three points; the accused hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Mir Murtaza Bhutto and his six comrades; secondly, they all had common intention to fire on the motorcade of Mir Murtaza Bhutto; and thirdly, they ordered their juniors to open fire on the motorcade of Murtaza Bhutto and his associates.

In the shootout, Bhutto was killed along with Aashiq Jatoi, Wajahat Jokhio, Sajjad Ghakro, Bachal Ujan, Yar Mohamamd Baloch, Rahim Brohi, and Sattar Rajpur while Dr Mazhar Memon, Asghar Ali and Ayaz Dayo sustained injuries.

Asif Ali Zardari and Shakaib Qureshi have already been acquitted from the charges. The rest of the accused include former chief minister late Abdullah Shah, late Zeeshan Kazmi, Shoaib Suddle, Masood Sharif, Wajid Ali Durrani, Shahid Hayat, Rai Mohammed Tahir, Agha Jamil, Shabbir Qaim Khani and Abdul Basit.

All the accused, however, denied charges, saying, they were falsely implicated in the case and they prayed the court to acquit them of all charges. When asked by the judge as to why the prosecution witnesses gave evidence against them, they replied that they gave false proofs on the instigation of the complainant party.

The judge asked the accused if they would record their statements on oath, to which all replied in negative, saying that they wouldn’t do so since there was no evidence against them. They also deposed that they did not give any instructions to any of the police personnel to open fire on the motorcade of Mir Murtaza Bhutto.

Clarifying as to why the PWs testified against him, Shoib Suddle said that four days before the incident i.e. on September 16 (1996), Mir Murtaza’s close friend Ali Sonara was arrested following which Mir Sahib along with his companions attacked the CIA Centre, threatened the police personnel and ransacked the office, alleging that the police chief ought to arrest him.

Secondly, he added, DSP Zafar Mithani, who was investigating the matter, misbehaved with the staff of the French Consulate and forcibly stopped them from entering into Hawkesbay. An inquiry was conducted and he was suspended. Later, the investigation was handed over to his father Ali Gohar Mithani who, according to Suddle, took revenge or was biased and that was why the PWs testified against him.

He deposed that due to this case he along with his family members underwent a lot of mental torture and he was also arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order.

In their defence, Rai Tahir and Shahid Hayat asked the court to call two defence witnesses - Rao Imran Ashraf, a reporter of an evening newspaper and Inspector Haider Ali. The court, however, directed to produce them on the next date of hearing on November 14.

The first hearing of the case was held in March 1997, six months of the incident as a tribunal was appointed in October 1996. Asif Ali Zardari was acquitted in March 2008 by the Sindh High Court while Shakaib Qureshi was acquitted in November 2008 by ADJ Abdur Rehman Bhatti. Another accused in the case, Haq Nawaz Sial, was killed in mysterious circumstances.



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Tuesday, 10 November 2009

2nd Instalment Of Truth - NRO Actually!

Selection by: Jarri Mirza

Article written by: Marvi Sirmed

This is in continuation of my earlier post on NRO, posted on November 7, 2009, which can be seen at http://marvisirmed.com/?p=193. We were trying to learn about this Ordinance clause by clause. So far we have examined Section II and saw that a major amendment in Criminal Procedures Code could well be used to control the damage (if any), if the federal and provincial governments want. We’ll now move on to next sections.

Section III of the Ordinance adds up a new subsection to section 39 of the Representation of People Act (RPA) of 1976. The RPA has been amended many times after its promulgation in 1976. The latest amendment came in 2008. The said Section 39 of the RPA deals with the consolidation of election results. It previously had six subsections. The seventh subsection thus added involved immediate providence of the election results by the returning officer, to the contesting candidates and their election agents who are present during the consolidation process. It is provided that the returning officer will provide them the copy of the result of the count sent to the Election Commission. It must be noted here that all political parties agree that this amendment to the RPA 1976 is beneficial for the electoral process and its free, fair and transparent holding.

Sections IV and V of NRO can be read clubbed together for better comprehension. Both of these sections provide that no member of the Parliament or of Provincial Assemblies could be arrested in a NAB related case unless recommended by Special Parliamentary Committee on Ethics. These sections also provide that such Committees on Ethics will be constituted in Senate and in National / Provincial Assemblies, having equal representation of opposition and ruling party members. The members of these Ethic Committees will be appointed by the Speaker(s) National / Provincial Assemblies / Chairman Senate as recommended by the Leader(s) of House(s) and Leader(s) of the Opposition. There will be 8 members in each of these committees and a chairperson.

Moreover, both of these sections actually make amendment to already existing National Accountability Ordinance of 1999. Under Section 31-C of the NAO, the officers of banks and financial institutions who might be charged for appropriation and right off/ waiver of loans etc, under NAB, were given protection. These two sections of NRO (Section 4 and 5) actually extend this protection to the elected representatives of people.
The protection given to the bank officers under NAO 1999 provides for the NAB to not arrest any such accused unless a formal approval is given by the Governor State Bank of Pakistan. Similarly, if some officers / other persons associated with NAB investigations are accused of hampering such proceedings, s/he will not be charged with out the sanction of a Committee headed by NAB Chairperson.

In the presence of such a protection for the bank / government officers that already existed in the form of NAO 1999, the temporary protection given to the elected representatives of people doesn’t seem a big deal. Further, this protection seems to be given to curtail political victimization of the opposition members by any sitting government. This provision, negotiated by PPP with the then military ruler, seems to be in accordance with Charter of Democracy agreed between PPP and PML-N according to which, no political victimization will be done against each other. It seems that CoD was being formally institutionalized when this very clause was being negotiated.

It must be mentioned here, that a special meeting of Parliamentary Committee on law and Justice was convened on October 31, 2009 under the Chairpersonship of Begum Nasim Akhtar Chaudhry who is member of National Assembly from ruling PPP. The said Committee comprises 16 members including the Chairperson, 4 members from PML-N, one from MQM, 3 from PML-Q. That makes one chairperson, 7 members from PPP while total 8 members from other parties. This Committee discussed the Ordinance clause be clause and approved with simple majority.
Strangely enough, all major parties i.e., PPP, PML-N and PML-Q unanimously agreed to scrap these two sections of NRO. Should we think that all the parties agree to carry on with political victimization of each other?

Section VI of NRO provides for a new sub-section in Section 31 (A) of National Accountability Ordinance 1999. This new section says that any judgement of the court passed in the absence of the accused, would be void and should not be complied with. This Section was specifically added for the benefit of Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto – two main leaders of major political parties who were thrown out of the political arena in Pakistan. This clause also seems to be an outcome of Charter of Democracy. In the absence of PML-N from the entire discussions of NRO with the General, PPP and MQM negotiated this clause, to the clear benefit of Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mohtarma. This is the section which made it possible for Mian Nawaz Sharif to stage a comeback.

Section VII , the last of NRO, provides for the withdrawal of all the cases against the holders of public offices, which were initiated by the Federal Government prior to October 12, 1999. These cases will only include the pending cases, and not the cases in which decisions have been finalized, or plea bargain has been settled by NAB. This also does not include cases related to cooperative societies and financial & investment companies, no matter if they are initiated prior to October 12, 1999.

Under this Section, protection is also provided to the NAB members & functionaries, federal, provincial and local governments and their functionaries against persecutions, on account of withdrawal of such cases.

It is very clear that all parties including PML-Q (including its Patriot members e.g., its Parliamentary Leader Faisal Saleh Hayat among many others), MQM, some members of PML-N and PPP are the beneficiaries of this section. It is also ironic that PML-N who is the biggest critic of this Ordinance, took active part in the Law & Justice Committee deliberations on NRO until Section 6. As soon as discussion started on Section 7, they staged a walk out. It may probably be due to the reason that the said section benefits only the mid level leaders of PML-N, and not the main leadership.

We’ll continue our discussion on NRO in the next instalment of truth, let’s assimilate this much first!

SOURCE:http://marvisirmed.com/?p=197..

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NRO Actually! (1st Instalment Of Truth)


Selection by: Jarri Mirza

Article written by: Marvi Sirmed

Before I write something about my own personal take on NRO and its legitimacy, I would like to analyze what it actually is and what it is about. While we hear a lot about in the media (generally biased against one party or the other), it is all the more necessary to look into what this word NRO means, what document it is and what it means to the politics in Pakistan. Since the writing could take many pages, and I’m doing it in detail clause by clause, I think we should make it easier for the reader to grasp the information in easiest possible way.

I would apologize from my lawyer friends for not writing this piece in a way they are used to read legislations in. And it is mainly because this piece is intended to serve lay people instead of technical professionals in the field of law. I would try my best to refrain from the legal jargon as far as it is possible. Even then, if there’s something beyond the understanding of a common person (me included), I would request the reader to kindly bring it in the comments so that we could collectively try to understand it. For the purpose of making the continuity easy, I’m calling these pieces “Instalments of Truth”, and this is the first instalment!

I often hear and read comments by lay-persons, saying that NRO was “signed” by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Now, here’s where the folly lies! NRO is an abbreviated form of National Reconciliation Ordinance 2007, which is a piece of legislation. Legislation, as we all know, is a forte of the parliament in a parliamentary democracy like Pakistan. Pakistan, like many other nation satates, follows West Minster style of parliamentary system (UK, India, Australia, Canada to name few of the parliaments that follow West Minster). There is a corresponding system of government, commonly called Jeffersonian Parliaments, commonly called Presidential form of government (mainly USA). In a West Minster style parliamentary system like the one followed by Pakistan, President is the ceremonial head of the state, who has limited role in legislation.

According to the powers conferred upon the president, by the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, the President can issue an Ordinance as a piece of legislation when the Parliament is not sitting. Exercising the same power, General (now retired) Pervaiz Musharraf issued an ordinance called National Reconciliation Ordinance 2007, commonly known as NRO. Since it was an Ordinance, it was signed by the President of Pakistan, not by any political party sitting outside the government at that point in time. It is however, debatable, how this ordinance came into being. Without getting into the details of its origin for the time being, we’d go to what it says. The readers can refer to the original text of the NRO wherever s/he deems necessary, which I’ve already put on one of my blogs under the link: http://marvi-sirmed.blogspot.com/2009/10/national-reconciliation-ordinance-2007.html

The Ordinance has seven distinct Sections. Section I deals with the title of the Ordinance as is the usual practice of drafting a legislation.

Section II deals with an amendment in the Criminal Procedures Code (CrPC), which has been there since 1898. This Section of NRO amends section 494 of the CrPC, which empowered only the Prosecutor Generals to withdraw pending Criminal cases. After the amendment introduced by NRO, the Boards at Federal and Provincial Levels could be constituted to review the cases pending from 1st January 1986 to 12 October 1999. These Boards will see if the accused persons in these cases have been falsely involved in these cases on politically motivated reasons. In this case, the Review Boards thus created, can recommend withdrawal of cases to the respected governments.

These Review Boards would be of two types: Provincial and Federal. The Provincial Boards will be chaired by respectable retired Judges of High Courts and will comprise Advocate General / Prosecutor General and the Provincial Law Secretaries. The Federal Board will be chaired by a retired judge of the Supreme Court and will have Attorney General and Federal Law Secretary as its member, while both of these Boards would be appointed by federal and provincial governments as the case may be.

It is noteworthy here that NRO does not bind the federal and provincial governments to act upon the recommendations of the Review Boards. So, if any of the government doesn’t want to withdraw any of the cases, there’s no binding on them to comply with the Boards’ recommendations. In other words, the status of the Boards is recommendatory, not obligatory. It should also be noted here that this particular clause was included on the insistence of MQM, who was part of discussions made on such legislation. The dates mentioned in this section provide cover to the criminal cases made on MQM during the period from 1986 to 1999.



Source: http://marvisirmed.com/?p=193

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We won't let you bury NRO; you can bury democracy instead.

Here is a selection of three op-eds on this topic:

Abbas Ather notes that the right-wing (pro-Taliban) anchors and propagandists don't want to bury NRO; instead they wan't to bury democracy in Pakistan.

Munno Bhai wonders if the abusers of the freedom of media in Pakistan might need a "Saif-ur-Rehman" in the future?

Ayaz Khan advises anchors and journalists with a particular (pro-Taliban, anti-Zardari or anti-democracy) agenda to have a bit of objectivity in their reporting and analysis.

(Abbas Ather)

(Munno Bhai)

(Ayaz Khan)

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Saturday, 7 November 2009

Nawaz Sharif's (temporary) NRO for the wife of Yusuf Raza Gilani

After the "minus one" campaign, do you know who will be the next in line? Yes, it will be our very dear, (apparently) acceptable to Nawaz Sharif and ISI, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.

It was thus observed in an editorial of The News (8 Nov 09): "As speculation about the imminent downfall of the president grows in volume and pitch, with more and more people convinced that Mr Asif Ali Zardari is headed out of the towering gates of the presidential palace he moved into just over a year ago, it seems to have suddenly dawned on the prime minster that he must do all he can to save himself. While Mr Yusuf Raza Gilani has been quite willing, for some months, to play along with those who would like to see the back of Mr Zardari, he now seems conscious of the fact that the same elements may see no need to allow him to retain his post either. The 'minus-one' formula we have heard so much about since the middle of the year may not turn into the 'minus-342' move the Punjab governor has spoken of. But its impact could expand beyond the presidency and draw into the churning whirlpool the prime minster and his government. While Mr Zardari has been drawing much of the flak for the paralysis we see in government, and indeed he has been partially responsible for this by intervening in decision-making at every level, the cabinet must accept a significant chunk of responsibility for failing to get things moving in any meaningful direction."

Here is a glimpse of the ammunition that will be used against the Gilani sahib of Multan Sharif.

According to recent media reports, the NAB withdrew two cases against Fauzia Gilani and others who received Rs71.480 million from the Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan in 1987. Two years later, the same tola milked the same bank for another Rs100.200 million. After grabbing Rs171.680 million in a span of 24 months, Mrs Gilani (actually, could it be Mr Gilani?) and her five business partners scooted--I mean, defaulted. The timing for defaulting was ideal – it was the reign of Benazir Bhutto and Gilani was in her cabinet.

Today, fate again favours Gilani making him our prime minister and the NAB favours him by forgiving his wife the default.




'Out, damned spot'!

Saturday, November 07, 2009 (The News)
Anjum Niaz

"All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand," cried Lady Macbeth after killing Duncan, king of Scotland, in Shakespeare's Macbeth. Fast-forward four centuries. We know that all the laws in the world, not even the NRO, can wash clean the corruption of our leaders, both in the government and the opposition. The media, like Macbeth's three witches, brews up toxicants while dancing around a cauldron boiling over with 100 corruption cases of the president and his cronies. Chanting "Fair is foul and foul is fair," the witches (read: the media) are foreshadowing events to come, predicting the evil that will cloud the president's judgment in pursuing the passing of the NRO by Parliament.

The president blocked the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry till the end. He feared the chief justice would never give him and his friends a free pass for their alleged corruption. Today, a nation of 180 million is crying out for justice. Our only hope is the Supreme Court. My Lords, dispense swift justice in dispatching the NRO and make sure the beneficiaries receive exemplary punishment.

The pots meanwhile have started calling the kettles black. "All parties benefited from the National Reconciliation Ordinance; it also helped people (the Sharif brothers) who had been exiled for 10 years to return to Pakistan under a deal," Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah is reported as saying. "These NRO beneficiaries are now playing politics," Shah said, referring to Nawaz Sharif's rejection of the NRO.

If the system has to be cleaned, let there be accountability across the board. It's not only the PPP godfathers who stole from a beaten nation, but leaders of all political parties, civil and military scofflaws. Go get them all.

Among those whose past must be made transparent is the prime minister's wife, our First Lady. The media is airbrushing Gilani as the next in succession to Zardari. But there are skeletons rattling in his cupboard. One of them is the stuffing of undeserving people in the National Assembly Secretariat. An NAB official dealing with the case gave me glaring examples of how Yusuf Raza Gilani had "reprehensibly" misused his position as Speaker. The official has all the records, but they are worthless because his bosses at the grandly called National Accountability Bureau have unashamedly caved in to the prime minister and withdrawn two bank-default cases against Mrs Fauzia Gilani and five others. They settled "out of court," we're told.

According to recent media reports, the NAB withdrew two cases against Fauzia Gilani and others who received Rs71.480 million from the Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan in 1987. Two years later, the same tola milked the same bank for another Rs100.200 million. After grabbing Rs171.680 million in a span of 24 months, Mrs Gilani (actually, could it be Mr Gilani?) and her five business partners scooted--I mean, defaulted. The timing for defaulting was ideal – it was the reign of Benazir Bhutto and Gilani was in her cabinet.

Today, fate again favours Gilani making him our prime minister and the NAB favours him by forgiving his wife the default.

"Surely these loans, including the principal amount as well as the accumulated mark-up for the past many years, must have been repaid," writes Brig (retd) Farooq Hameed Khan, a former NAB consultant in Lahore. "If this has really happened, it is unbelievable in a country like Pakistan where the rich and powerful do not normally return bank loans. This 'mother of all settlements' should be made public for all others to follow this historic and rare gesture by the country's top elite," he says.

We have a right to ask about the reported "out-of-court settlement" between the First Lady and the NAB.


The writer is a freelance journalist with over twenty years of experience in national and international reporting. Email: aniaz@fas.harvard.edu ; www.anjumniaz.com

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