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February 1, 2008
Musharraf Has Many Faces and is a Good Perfomer But Sometimes the Mask Falls
British Newspaper The Telegraph Describes How Musharraf Attacked a Pakistani Journalist in London
By David Blair
Whatever you might think of President Pervez Musharraf, you have to admit he’s a good performer. Whenever I have seen him deliver a speech or stage a press conference, I have been struck by his self confidence and easy, jocular manner.
LA Times Demands That U.S. Use its leverage with Musharraf For Free Polls
Pakistan's
Editorial Says the Feb. 18 Voting Must Meet International Standards
Since 9/11, the United States has placed greater importance on backing a Pakistani leader who will fight Islamic terrorism than on encouraging democracy for that troubled nation. The result is a country that is no more democratic and is now dangerously unstable.
The Future of the PPP — and Pakistan — is in the Hands of Asif Zardari
Chicago Tribune Reports that Benazir Bhutto’s Widower is Growing into His New and Enlarged Role
By Kim Barker
He is no one's idea of a Bhutto—not as polished, not as charismatic, not as eloquent as his late wife or her father.
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January 25, 2008
U.S. Alliance with “The Shah of Pakistan” is Exacerbating Pakistan’s Instability
Cato Institute Scholar Makes the Case in Washington Post Article for Backing Away from Musharraf
By Malou Innocent
America's most vulnerable ally in the war on terror is Pakistan. But our alliance with the nuclear-armed Islamic state may be exacerbating that country's instability.
U.S. Congressman Calls for “Fundamental Reappraisal” of US Aid to Pakistan
 
By Khalid Hasan
Gary Ackerman, chairman of the congressional subcommittee that held a hearing on Pakistan on Wednesday, has called for a “fundamental reappraisal of US assistance to Pakistan.”
Pakistan Army Must Recognize PPP’s Contribution to Pakistan’s Security
Coup-Making Generals Like Musharraf Should Not be Allowed to Create Divisions Between the Army and Popular Forces
 
By Tanvir Ahmad Khan
In our stage of nation-building, real political parties, as distinct from those that are cobbled together overnight to legitimize a coup d’etat, need mass mobilization. This need is the source of the din of democracy which has traditionally jarred the military mind addicted to decorum and order
The Grief Over Benazir Bhutto’s Loss is Felt All Over the World
She Made People Feel Good, Was Extremely Forgiving and Wished Ill to No One
By Khalid Hasan
I have been scouring the Internet, looking for a poem that Benazir wrote on her 50th birthday. I did not find it, but I found much else, posted by people who never met her, never saw her and yet they felt devastated by her death
If Most Pakistanis Mistrust Their Ruler, How Can He effectively Fight Terror?
The Fundamental Premises That Have Resulted in US, UK Backing For Military Rule are Just Wrong
By Husain Haqqani
The first opinion poll, conducted by Gallup after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, showed that nearly half of the sample suspected government agencies (23 per cent) and government allied politicians (25 per cent) of killing Bhutto.
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January 18, 2008
Musharraf’s Claim of Fighting Terrorism Belied by Increase in Suicide Attacks
2,116 people killed in 2007, Daily Times Reveals, Based on Interior Ministry Document
By Azaz Syed
Pakistan witnessed a ten-fold increase in suicide bombings in 2007 as compared with 2006, an Interior Ministry document made available to The Daily Times revealed.
Army’s Respect Can Only be Restored by Reversing Musharraf’s Actions
Retired Lieutenant General Applauds New Army Chief’s decision to get Out of Politics
By Kamal Matinuddin
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani's direction to the army officers to refrain from meeting politicians and that the prime role of the armed forces is to carry out their professional duties is indeed a very welcoming statement and the need of the hour. It gives us hope that we have now a professional soldier at the helm of the army.
Musharraf, Highly Unpopular, is battling on Many Fronts and Needs to Change Course
Pro-Musharraf Politicians Are Aggravating the Situation and Election Commission is Doing Nothing
By Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi
Almost all groups and parties have strong reservations about the impartiality of the Election Commission that appears helpless in checking the excesses of pro-Musharraf political leaders. Musharraf has repeatedly dismissed these complaints
Pakistan Needs A Grand National Compromise That Restores Constitutional Rule
Musharraf Has Proved He is Not a Healer; Divide Between State and Society Must be Bridged for National Survival
By Husain Haqqani
Pakistan is a nation in need of healing. The last one year has highlighted the many fissures that have festered below the surface for years. Unity of command, so effective in running a disciplined force like a military unit, has ended up dividing the Pakistani nation.
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January 11, 2008
The Assassination of My Wife Has Left Us With a National Duty; She Fought Terror and Dictatorship For Pakistan’s People
Pakistan Establishment’s Murky Role: Only UN Investigation Will Reveal the Truth, Satisfy People
By Asif Ali Zardari
Last week the world was shocked, and my life was shattered, by the murder of my beloved wife, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Benazir was willing to lay down her life for what she believed in -- for the future of a democratic, moderate, progressive Pakistan. She stood up to dictators and fanatics, those who would distort and defy our constitution and those who would defame the Muslim holy book by violence and terrorism.
Few Believe in Government’s Explanation of Bhutto's Death as Investigation Deepens
Musharraf’s Credibility Low, Conspiracy Theories Proliferate Because No One Trusts Pakistani Rulers
 
By Peter Wonacott
As the probe into Benazir Bhutto's assassination deepens, many Pakistanis already have strongly held theories about who killed her. The problem for President Pervez Musharraf's government: Few share its version of what happened.
Murders of Benazir Bhutto and Nawab Bugti Attest to Pakistan’s Crumbling Federalism
Pakistan’s Poor International Image is a Lesser Problem Than Internal Fragmentation
 
By Senator Sanaullah Baloch
Ms Bhutto and Nawab Bugti’s assassination prolong detention of Akhter Mengal, military operation; disappearances of Sindhi and Baloch political activists and intimidation and harassment of political representatives of smaller provinces have raised many concerns on issue of political co-existence.
The Pakistani State, Dominated by Military & Intelligence Services, Bear Ultimate Responsibility for Benazir Bhutto’s Murder
There is a Visible Pattern of Attempts at Concealment, Diversion, Contradictions and Concoction in the Official Responses
 
By Kaiser Bengali
Benazir Bhutto is dead, martyred by a hired assassin’s bullets in the cause of the struggle for the rights of the people and in challenging the hegemony of a coterie of vested interests that is feeding itself off the sweat and blood of the people.
Bhutto’s Life Represents the Struggle Between Pakistan’s People and the Establishment
Pakistani Federation Can Only be Kept Together Through the Will of Its People, Who Stood With Bhutto Despite Cynicism of Intelligentsia and Intrigue of Military-Intelligence-Technocrat Oligarchy
By Husain Haqqani
Benazir Bhutto, the outstanding icon of Pakistan’s struggle for democracy is gone. For those who only saw her as a distant political figure, her human dimension clearly did not matter. That applies to those who vilified her throughout her life, those who failed to protect her and those who actually killed her. But for everyone whose life she touched, her humanity transcended the politics.
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January 4, 2008
Musharraf’s Failure to Protect Benazir Bhutto Endangers Pakistani Federation
For Most People Baitullah Mehsud and Pakistan’s intelligence Services are Two faces of the Same Coin
By S.A. Qureshi
Benazir Bhutto died among her people. She would probably not have it any other way.
Bhutto's Return to Pakistan Had Started Turning Pakistanis Against Terrorism
Pew Global Attitudes Survey Reports Few Pakistani Trust Musharraf, US Still Hated; Bhutto Could Have Been Moderation’s Lifeline That Has Now Been Cut
By Richard Wike
The assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto comes at a time when Pakistani public opinion has been increasingly turning against extremism and terrorist violence. As the 2007 Pew Global Attitudes survey highlighted, support for terrorism is on the decline in much of the Muslim world, and this is particularly true in Pakistan.
Musharraf’s Poll Postponement Decision Attempt to Avoid People’s Wrath
PML-Q Asked for Postponement day after Bhutto’s Murder; Election Commission Again Shows Subservience; Fair Election Even Less likely than Before
By Afzal Khan
The decision to postpone elections was on the cards the day after assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto when top leadership of PML-Q had met the President. The Election Commission acted as was expected. That it took three days to decide and announce the decision is a faint attempt at subterfuge.
Election Commission Follows Musharraf’s Lead at Expense of Credibility
Ignoring Opposition Willingness to Face Electorate on Time Raises Further Questions About Pakistan Polls
By Raja Asghar
The Election Commission on Wednesday went along with the executive, disregarding the views of key political parties, to postpone the Jan 8 elections for about seven weeks in a move that could put the electoral process at risk.
Scotland Yard Brought in For Bhutto Murder Probe But With Limited Scope
Most of the Evidence is Already Gone; Government Has Put Undue restrictions on Foreign Experts’ Role
By Tariq Butt
The government move to invite foreign detectives to get to the bottom of a high profile political assassination (of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto) came a bit too late, though outsiders’ close collaboration with Pakistan in netting terrorists exists since the 9/11 episode.
The Woman who Carried Herself like a Queen was Accessible to the People and Press,
Chicago Tribune Reporter Writes About Her Last Interview with Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
By Kim Barker
The last time I spoke to Benazir Bhutto, she was on a cell phone inside her home in Lahore, behind a razor-wire police cordon to prevent her from holding a mid-November rally after President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency.
With the Symbol of the Federation Dead, Sindh is Angry and Punjab is Not Helping
The Ruling Elite and the King’s Party are Putting Pakistan’s Integrity in Unity; Government Supporters, Not PPP, Was Involved in Post-Assassination Riots
By Shaheen Sehbai
Deeply aggrieved, full of anger and passionately in mourning, Sindhis are baffled and confused at the strange reaction in Punjab, specially the ruling elite which has adopted an aggressively parochial attitude, not just against the PPP but against entire Sindh, after the death of Benazir Bhutto.
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December 28, 2007
Benazir Bhutto, Martyr for Democracy and Nemesis of Military, Assassinated
Burial Amid Spreading Unrest; Aggrieved Populace Vents Anger Against Forces of Darkness That Targeted Bhutto After Killing Her Father
By Ashraf Khan
Hundreds of thousands of mourners, weeping and chanting for justice, thronged the mausoleum of Pakistan's most famous political dynasty in a raw outpouring of grief for Benazir Bhutto. The government blamed al-Qaeda and the Taliban for the assassination of the opposition leader, who was buried alongside her father.
Benazir Bhutto's Legacy is Her Struggle Against Military-Intelligence Control of Pakistan
Ruling Oligarchy Demonized Her For Years and Failed in Providing Security in Her Last Moments But She Remained the People’s Beloved
By Husain Haqqani
Benazir Bhutto's tragic assassination highlights the fears about Pakistan that she voiced over the last several months. Years of dictatorship and sponsorship of Islamist extremism have made this nuclear-armed Muslim nation of 160 million people a safe haven for terrorists that threaten the world. Bhutto had the courage and vision to challenge both the terrorism and the authoritarian culture that nurtured it. Her assassination has already exacerbated Pakistan's instability and uncertainty.
Editorials Mourn ‘Daughter of the East’, Voice Fears About Pakistan’s Future
“She risked her life for democracy”: Chicago Tribune
After Benazir Bhutto –New York Times
A killing that reverberates far beyond Pakistan - The Independent (UK)
 
The Benazir I Knew, a Warm and Caring Human Being Who Didn’t Fear Death
Remembering the Pakistani leader, who was a former college classmate and recent interviewee
By Amy Wilentz
I interviewed Benazir Bhutto just a month before she returned to Pakistan in October after almost 10 years in exile.
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December 21, 2007
Is Aitzaz Ahsan Playing the Role Played by Asghar Khan in 1977?
Comment that Lawyers Would “Force General Kayani to Undo all the Wrongdoings of His Predecessor” Raise Fears of Inviting Fresh Military Intervention; Hina Jilani Says No New General
  
  
Dr. Waqar Kazmi
At a time when Pakistani civilians want military rule to end, could some elements of civil society be repeating the past mistake of looking upon a new military intervention as the way of undoing the wrongs of the last one?
January 8 Elections Will be a Meaningless Exercise in Voting
Voting Fraud is Widely Expected; Hardly Anyone Expects Musharraf to Deliver a Fair Poll
By Mohammad Waseem
THERE seems to be a consensus about the farcical nature of the elections to be held in Pakistan on Jan 8, 2008. There are many who believe these elections to be hardly anything more than a meaningless exercise in mass voting.
Political Opposition and Civil Society Need to Seek Common Ground
The Campaign Against Elections by Lawyers, Imran Khan and JI Will Only Affect Urban Anti-Musharraf Voters as Pro-Musharraf Voters of PML-Q and MQM Will Not Heed Boycott Calls
By Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi
The campaign against elections will dissuade urban voters that are likely to vote for anti-Musharraf parties. Pro-Musharraf, pro-PMLQ and pro-MQM voters are not going to pay any attention to their appeals.
Musharraf’s Anti-American Propagandist Sought Job at Voice of America (VOA)
Master of “Immaculate Deception” Ahmed Quraishi Continues to Spew Venom Against Democratic Politicians and Civil Society While Being a Shadowy Operative of Pakistani Intelligence
By Shaista Sindhu
The Pakistan government sponsored propagandist Ahmed Quraishi, revealed recently as promoting himself as the master of “Immaculate deception” on his consulting company’s website, last year applied for a job at Voice of America (VOA) Urdu television and was actively promoted by the Ministry of Information in Islamabad as well as Pakistan’s intelligence services.
The Jihadis in FATA and NWFP are Pakistan’s Self-created Threats
Former US Ambassador to Pakistan Analyzes How Pashtun Jihadis Have Become Frankenstein’s Monster for the Security Services
By William B Milam
When Dr Frankenstein first created his celebrated monster, one of the main facets of its fictional character was that it was nameless, which reflected its parentage (or lack thereof), and had no sense of human identity. Mary Shelley, the author of the first book about the monster remarked, when she saw the stage adaptation of her novel, that the idea of not “naming the unnamable is rather good”.
Pakistan Army Reduces National Security to a Single Dimension
Pakistan’s Problems Require Social, Political, Economic and Diplomatic solutions, not Just a Military One
By Ahmad Faruqui
Eight years ago, when he deposed a democratically elected government in order to bring the “essence of true democracy” to the country, General Pervez Musharraf assured the distraught citizens of Pakistan that they could trust the armed forces to do the right thing since “they had never let the country down”.
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December 14, 2007
New-Pakistan.Com is Back
We apologize for our absence for several weeks. During this period Pakistan has gone through the trauma of Emergency/Martial Law, which is ongoing. The two major democratic political leaders, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif have returned to our homeland. The campaign for the General election scheduled for January 8 has started. Our absence was due to financial, personnel and technical problems. I hope this time we will be able to stay online regularly with the support of our readers.
Syed Husainy and the www.new-pakistan.com team
Musharraf’s Intelligence Machinery has Already Prepared the results for Jan. 8 Poll
Game Plan is to Create a Hung Parliament, with JUI Mullahs Holding Balance of Power and Musharraf Calling the Shots: Dawn report
By M. Ziauddin
The Mutahhida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), now minus the Jamaat-i-Islami, is expected to hold the balance in the next National Assembly as the January 8 elections are estimated officially to throw up largely a hung house.
Musharraf’s “Three Stooges” make Fools of Themselves Trying to Defend their Ring Master
Nasim Ashraf, Cashmala Tariq and Barrister Saif Give Fantasy Answers to American Audiences and Fall Flat on their Faces
  
By Shaista Sindhu
It seems that General Pervez Musharraf and his cohorts still do not understand how low their international standing is after the November 3 proclamation of martial law. As has often been the case, Musharraf & Co think that their only problem is “managing their image” without changing the substance of their dictatorial policies. With that state of mind, Musharraf sent three individuals –dubbed by Pakistanis and Americans alike as the “three stooges” after the famous comediennes –to change American perceptions about Musharraf’s power grab.
Musharraf’s covert Propaganda Being Handled By Self-Proclaimed Master of Deception, Ahmed Quraishi
Author of “Thesis” that US is Plotting Against Musharraf May Actually be an Intelligence-Connected Propaganda Consultant; Says on His Own Website that he Creates “Immaculate Deception…Tailored to Your Senses”
By Farid Alvie
Ahmed Quraishi's ''enlightening'' articles have been doing the rounds on the net of late. One can only describe him as Pakistan's very own Bill O' Reilly (with just as much credibility!). And like O' Reilly, his most used weapon of choice is the tag of 'traitor' and 'unpatriotic' for anyone who criticizes the government (or perhaps just el presidente, the now retired generalissimo), be they politicians, journalists, lawyers, academics, human rights activists, former army officers et al. It seems Mr. Quraishi gets his inspiration (along with his fake American accent) from Fox News.
Pakistani Civil Society Should Work With Political Parties for Restoration of Democracy
With All Our Disagreements, There is No Escaping the fact that Benazir Bhutto Has Sacrificed More Than All of Us in Fighting Dictatorship: Open letter to Civil Society Activists
By Wasiq Ali
I have been reading the emotional e-mails and blog postings by some of you (most notably Ghazala MinAllah's open Letter to Benazir Bhutto) demanding that Pakistan's political parties, especially PPP, follow non-political civil society organizations in demanding restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and other members of the unlawfully removed judiciary over and above all else.
Pakistan’s Army Won’t Return to Barracks; That is the Crux of the Crisis in Pakistan
Clash Between Civilian Aspirations for Democracy and Musharraf’s desire for Army Domination Greater Threat Than Islamic Militancy?
By Graham Usher
A year ago Pakistan’s General Pervez Musharraf commanded a growing economy, international support and a docile political opposition. There were squalls – a separatist insurgency in Baluchistan, a Taliban redoubt on the border with Afghanistan – but these were on the outer limits of the state, remote from Islamabad, the sanitized, whitewashed capital. For a procession of US envoys, Musharraf’s Pakistan was the epitome of a moderate Muslim nation in transition to democracy. It was almost a light in a landscape darkened by Iraq and Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s New Full-Time Army Chief Must Review Army’s Political and Other Roles
It is Times for the Army to Win People’s Support Back by returning Only to Professional Functions
By Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi
Should the people of Pakistan celebrate President General Pervez Musharraf’s decision to appoint a full time army chief and continue as president after retiring from active service? The answer is both yes and no.
U.S. Focus on Militarization Will Not Arrest Pakistan’s Growing Governance Crisis
An analysis of ineffective tribal alliances; ongoing crises within the Pakistan and American Confusion on how to handle Pakistan’s current emergency
By Paula R Newberg
This week, a cold war breeze swept across south Asia when the US military revealed unofficially that it is making plans for direct action against militants in Pakistan’s unruly tribal areas. The area that prompted Lord Curzon to caution that “frontiers are the chief anxiety of nearly every Foreign Office in the civilized world,” is once again a battleground for competing ideologies and proxy fighters. Sad to say, we’ve seen this show before.
People Are Likely to Reject Musharraf and his Allies, “The Thugs of Gujrat”
The Dredges of Pakistani Politics are Maligning Democratic Leaders to Prevent Change
 
By Wajid Shamsul Hasan
Gujrat-in the province of Pakistani Punjab-has earned international notoriety for at least two things-if not more. Firstly, it is known widely what many in their reverence call "Shah Doula Dey Chohay"-men and women with shrunken heads over a large human body-- described medically as micro-encephalic children. When one looks at their sad plight, it evokes sympathy and remorse.
The Rise of Student Power Reflects the desire of Pakistanis for Freedom and Modernity
Economic Growth Under Authoritarian Order Will Not Prevent People’s Democratic Aspirations
By Rasul Bakhsh Rais
The college and university students of Pakistan made history in launching the first wave of agitation against Ayub Khan in 1968. The students’ street action and demand for his removal was a surprise for the Field Marshall and many of his supporters as these students were the product of the modernization his regime had brought about by expanding educational opportunities in almost every field. Why, then, would the students rise against his regime? What did they want? These questions are important because the same situation is emerging again, but the Pervez Musharraf regime is not likely to be nimble enough to grasp this bitter reality.
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Issue No 57, October 12, 2007
Musharraf “Elected” President But Pakistan in Limbo as Result Awaits Court Ruling; Eligibility to Run as Army Chief Remains Matter of Contention
Insistence on Seeking Election in Uniform Reflects Insecurity of a Military Dictator;
By Sadiq Saleem
General Pervez Musharraf muscled his way to a presidential election win from existing assemblies but was unable to officially declare victory, which must wait for a ruling by the Supreme Court on whether he was even eligible to run. As the Associated Press reported, “Pakistan is caught in a political limbo” as a result of the ballot that Musharraf won as predicted with almost 98 percent of the votes cast. Much of the opposition boycotted it in protest against Musharraf seeking election while still serving as Chief of Army Staff.
Musharraf’s Election, Even if Legal, Will Not Confer Legitimacy on Him
Unless Army Moves Out of Politics, Pakistan Could Slide Down Myanmar’s Way
By Husain Haqqani
General Pervez Musharraf may have won a legal battle when Pakistan’s Supreme Court made it possible, on a technicality, for him to run for president without giving up his position as army chief. But “legal” is not the same as “legitimate.” It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that a government headed by a serving general in uniform is, by definition, a military regime. For a government to qualify as civilian and democratic, its head must be elected as a civilian and under the spirit of the constitution.
Pakistan under Musharraf’s ‘Civilian’ Tenure has to Be Different From His Military Stint
In Editorial, The Daily Times, Analyzes How Pakistan Might Function Under a return of the Troika
By Editors of The Daily Times
President General Pervez Musharraf has been elected almost unopposed because of the circumstances in which the election was held on Saturday. The opposition wanted to delegitimize the process and resorted to the strategy of resignations, and boycott, in one case, of its own candidate. But the planned strikes and protest marches did not materialize, except for the fight put up by the lawyers in Peshawar which turned violent; and some mild agitation by the lawyers’ community at other centers of the Electoral College.
The Notion of Army as Pakistan’s Middle-Class Engine of Change is Wrong
The military elite was always part of the ruling elite; Army’s Self-Defined Role as Guardian of Ideological Frontiers makes Withdrawal from Politics Difficult; Army’s Secularism is a Myth
By Dr Ayesha Siddiqa
As Pakistan struggles through the current political crisis, the issue remains: how can the army, the strongest institution of the state, be tamed? Its members, both serving and retired, believe that the institution is the only thing that stands between the survival and disaster of the Pakistani state. This perception has systematically been communicated to the public which helps create the perception in some segments of the population that the institution is comparatively better than the political class.
The General Virtually on His Knees Begging Support From Politicians He Hated
Rhetoric Against “Corrupt Politicians” and Promises of Brining “Corrupt Politicians” to Justice Have Given Way to a Reconciliation Musharraf Always Rejected
By Rasul Bakhsh Rais
President General Pervez Musharraf’s thumping majority in the presidential elections through the Electoral College is no surprise. He was expected to win and he has. The General (and soon to be constitutional President) and his supporters in the assemblies and outside have lauded his election as a major development towards a transition to a stable democratic political system and for the continuity of his policies. There is also an argument that Pakistan cannot perhaps win the war on terror or effectively support its allies, if Musharraf does not occupy a central position in the political system.
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Issue No 56, October 5, 2007
Benazir Bhutto Says She Will Return to Pakistan Knowing Her Life Will be at Risk
Tells Sunday Times “I truly Believe This is the Chance to Get Democracy Back in Pakistan.”
By Christina Lamb
HER father and two brothers were murdered; she has been jailed, twice thrown out of office as prime minister, exiled and left to bring up her three children single-handedly while her husband spent more than eight years in prison.
The Army in Present-day Pakistan is Like the Church in Medieval Europe
All They Want is Your Land and Your Money; An Analysis of the Military’s Psychological War Against Civilians
 
By Mohammad A Shaikh
I recall a debate I happen to see on the 25th of September on Geo TV. Our “esteemed” textile minister, Mr. Cheema, was having an open debate on the textile industry. The present anti-dumping duties by the EU came up. Geo got an EU trade rep via direct telecast. Without any prelude or prefix or any other economic rationale or justification whatsoever, Mr. Cheema took on the EU trade rep: “you have to get rid of the anti-dumping duties because we are fighting a war against terrorism.”
Britain Declares Full Democracy for Pakistan as its Policy Aim
High Commissioner Explains How the World No Longer Sees Pakistan Only Through Musharraf’s Lens
By Robert Brinkley
Earlier this week I took part in the launch ceremony in Islamabad of a new project called ‘Mainstreaming Women’s Voices’. This excellent project, run by the Pattan Development Organisation with the Women Councillors’ Network and funded by the British High Commission, is all about helping women get their voices heard in the grass-roots political systems in Pakistan.
Islamabad Airport Project : Rs 1.7bn Fraud Alleged in the Name of Musharraf
Another Scandal Exposes Regime’s Claims of Eradicating Corruption
By Ansar Abbasi
The Defence Ministry is probing an alleged fraud of Rs 1.72 billion in the new Islamabad Airport project, committed in the name of President General Pervez Musharraf and the institution of Pakistan Army.
The Supreme Court Judgement to Let Musharraf Run for President Not Based on Merit
If Petitions Were Not Maintainable, They Should Have Been Thrown Out Earlier
By Khalid Jawed Khan
BY A majority of six to three, the Supreme Court has dismissed petitions challenging the validity of General Musharraf holding the offices of president and COAS and contesting elections for another term in uniform. As the majority of judges dismissed these petitions on the ground of maintainability under Article 184(3) of the Constitution (that deals with the original jurisdiction of the SC), the issues were not decided on merit.
Islamist Militants Blow up Buddha Statue in Swat; Region Exploding as Taliban Rise
Musharraf Regime Fails to Check the Rise and Rise of Terrorist Influence
By Our Correspondent
In a rerun of the frightening practices of Afghanistan’s Taliban, Islamist militants in parts of the Northwest frontier Province have been enforcing their version of law that resembles medieval obscurantism. Just as they did with the ancient Bamiyan statues, the Taliban blew up the historic statue of Buddha in Jihan Abad area of Swat district on Saturday.
Citizens’ Group Demands Polling Station Wise Progressive Results on Election Commission of Pakistan Website
Fears About Manipulation of Forthcoming Polls Continue to Mount; Electoral reforms Proposed
By Shaista Sindhu
The Citizens’ Group on Electoral Process, a Group consisting of eminent Pakistanis from the fields of law, judiciary, media, academics and research and facilitated by PILDAT (Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency) has put forward a set of key electoral reforms ahead of Elections for adoption by the Government and the Election Commission.
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Issue No 55, September 28, 2007
Musharraf’s Men Beat Up Lawyers, Journalists Outside Election Commission
Filing of Nominations for Presidential Election Becomes Bloodbath; Commando Action Shows EC Weakness and Complicity with Military Regime; Pakistan Needs to take Lessons from India’s EC
By Afzal Khan
The expression of helplessness on part of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to halt the bloodletting outside his office on the Constitution Avenue during scrutiny of nomination papers for the presidential election was pathetic. All the exhortations of lawyers of Justice Wajihuddin and Makhdoom Amin Fahim went unheeded. He even declined to ask the Prime Minister and other top officials to direct the administration to stop brutal action by police and security agents.
Former Minister Accuses Musharraf of Ignoring Condi’s Snub to Shaukat Aziz
Ruling Party Member’s Letter to Musharraf Outlined How his Government is Losing Its Way
 
By Our Correspondent
A Minister of State, who recently resigned from the cabinet of General Pervez Musharraf, accused his former boss of ignoring deprecating remarks against “Prime Minister” Shaukat Aziz in a recently released biography of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Pakistan’s Rulers, and Their Apologists, Treat the Constitution with Contempt
The spirit of the Constitution is dead and what remains is the minutia of technicalities and wordplay
By Dr. Adil Najam
I believe in the sanctity of the Constitution. I believe that there is no more important document in the life of a nation than the Constitution. I believe that respect for the Constitution is integral to being a respectable nation. More importantly, I believe in the idea of the Constitution. The idea that the citizenry of a polity will come together in mutual agreement on a set of basic principles, rules, norms, values and decision-making processes that will govern the governance of that citizenry. It is precisely because I take the Constitution as seriously as I do that I cannot help but make the argument I wish to make.
Musharraf Faces a Growing Crisis of Legitimacy, Which “Election” Will Not End
Without Breakthrough in talks with Bhutto and PPP Window for Orderly Transition Will Narrow
By Husain Haqqani
Not long ago General Pervez Musharraf was quoted in newspaper reports as telling parliamentarians of the King’s Party (the Pakistan Muslim League Q) that he would remain president for the next five years at all costs. Now with a presidential “election” looming, it is clear what he meant.
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Issue No 54, September 21, 2007
Musharraf Election by Hook or Crook Unlikely to End Crisis of Legitimacy
Dozens of Opposition Leaders Arrested to Forestall Protests; New Interpretations of Constitution to Create Further Legal Confusion; Army Command Reshuffled; PPP Forced to Compete with APDM
By Sadiq Saleem
General Pervez Musharraf appears to have decided to declare himself elected president of Pakistan by October 6, but this “by hook or by crook” strategy is unlikely to resolve the crisis of legitimacy currently enveloping Musharraf’s rule. The ISI Chief has been changed and the army command reshuffled. Supreme Court judges are being intimidated publicly with threats of imposition of martial law and privately with allegations against individual judges.
Iranian Hostages Freed But Teheran Wants Pakistan to hand Over the Hostage-takers
What Role are Pakistani Security Services Playing in Destabilizing Iran? ISI Backing for terrorist Group Jundallah Suspected
 
By Dr Waqar Kazmi
Iran's Interior Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi recently said that Iran was serious in its call for extradition of Iranian hostage-takers from Pakistan. “Iran has provided Pakistan with documents proving that the hostage-takers who kidnapped Iranian nationals in Zahedan are Iranians. As a result Iran calls for their immediate extradition from Pakistan," Fars news agency quoted pour-Mohammadi as saying.
Pakistan Doubles Risk of Default on Bonds Before Elections, Says Credit Analyst
Experts Recommend Buying Protection Against default on $ 2.7 billion in Dollar-Denominated Bonds; Pakistan Bonds May Become as Risky as Those of Ecuador Under “`Pessimistic Scenario''
By Our Correspondent
Growing opposition to Pakistani ruler, General Pervez Musharraf may double the risk of the country defaulting on its bonds, according to Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.
Musharraf Cronies, the Chaudhries of Gujrat, Implicated in “Double Shah” Scam
Ponzi Scheme Conned Thousands Out of Rs. 40 Billion with Promise of Doubling Their Money
By Ayesha Jameel
A scam artist arrested in April for defrauding thousands of people in Northern Punjab of billions of rupees is believed to enjoy the patronage and protection of the Chaudhries of Gujrat –King’s Party PML (Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and his cousin Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Chief Minister of Punjab. Online news agency reported that Syed Sibtul Hassan Shah a.k.a Double Shah, may even have shared the financial proceeds of his Ponzi scheme with the politically influential clan.
IRI Polls Shows Musharraf Support Evaporating, Most Pakistanis Support Bhutto & PPP
59% Say Free Poll Not Possible Under Musharraf, 55% Want Army Out of Civilian Affairs; PPP and PML(N) Have Gained Support, PML (Q) has Lost Since IRI’s 2006 Poll; MMA Down to 7% including Losses to PPP in NWFP; PML (N) Leading Party in Punjab, PPP in other three provinces
 
By Shaista Sindhu
62 Percent of Pakistanis want General Pervez Musharraf to resign as army chief, 59 percent believe a free and fair poll is not possible while he is in power and more people support the prospect of a transition negotiated between Benazir Bhutto and Musharraf than are opposed to it, according to an opinion poll conducted by the United States’ International Republican Institute (IRI).
Why Must Pakistan Go Through Convulsions Whenever it is time to Change Rulers?
Lack of constitutional Governance and Rule of Law Prevents Pakistan From Becoming a Normal Country; Pakistan Can Win Only if Musharraf is Willing to Lose; Politicians Should Know How to Deal with Defeat But Pakistan’s Generals Distort the System to Win at All Costs
By Husain Haqqani
Pakistan is going through many convulsions to ensure that General Pervez Musharraf remains in office. The general believes he is indispensable for Pakistan. His sycophants encourage him in that belief. As a result, the Supreme Court is hearing several petitions challenging the constitutionality of Musharraf’s election bid while the supremely docile Election Commission is busily amending and reinterpreting rules to approve a Musharraf candidacy. Why, one wonders, can’t Pakistan go through leadership changes like mature nations, with a clearly defined election process that is periodically implemented by an undisputed mechanism?
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Issue No 53, September 14, 2007
Musharraf Plans “Re-election” From Existing Assemblies, Will Shed Uniform
PML (Q) Leaders, Intelligence Officers Believe They Can Manage the Votes
By Afzal Khan
General Pervez Musharraf has reiterated his desire to shed his uniform prior to presidential election, according to The Nation, citing reliable sources. The Election Commission which has already delayed for too long the announcement of the schedule for presidential poll while waiting for a nod from the President, is doing so on Tuesday September 18, it is further learned.
Blocking Nawaz Sharif’ Return Adds to Pakistan’s Uncertainty and Turmoil
Did Saudis Act Under Pressure from US? If Yes, Washington Should Push For Democracy and Not Prop up an Increasingly Unpopular, Authoritarian regime Writes Former Pakistani Ambassador
By Tariq Fatemi
There appears to be no end to the uncertainty and turmoil that has engulfed the nation ever since the regime’s ill-fated move on March 9 to oust the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. This was followed by the May 12 carnage in Karachi that was another damning indictment of the regime. Nevertheless, the July 20 Supreme Court decision restoring the Chief Justice was a defining moment that restored the nation’s faith and confidence in the judiciary.
Pakistanis Celebrate as Bhutto Announces Plans to Return Home on October 18
Musharraf regime Says She Will face Cases; Democratic Parties Welcome Former PM’s Decision
By Syed Yahya Husainy
There were widespread celebrations throughout Pakistan, especially among supporters of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), over the announcement that Former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto will return home on October 18 after more than eight years in exile. Spokesmen for General Pervez Musharraf’s regime said after the announcement that she would still face the corruption charges that have been leveled against her for over eleven years without any final proof before courts of law.
Shaukat Aziz & Co. Plan Selling PIA’s Roosevelt Hotel in NYC for Half Its Value
Latest Privatization Scandal Exposes Regime Claims of Ending Corruption Parliament Tries to Block Sale
 
By Shaista Sindhu
The Musharraf regime is keen to sell off the Roosevelt Hotel in New York’s midtown Manhattan district despite sustained opposition from the property’s owner, Pakistan International Airlines Investments Limited (PIAIL). Offers of as much as one billion dollars from Manhattan-based real estate developers, seeking to build a skyscraper on the valuable commercial property in the center of town, are being ignored because the government’s financial advisers — a consortium led by Citibank, “Prime Minister” Shaukat Aziz’s former employers — have put the Roosevelt’s value at about $400 million.
Sharif’s Expulsion Confirms Pakistan is Under Law of Rulers, Not Rule of Law
National Reconciliation is the Need of the Hour; Army Must Apologize for its Excesses; Politicians Must Accurately Calculate Their Strengths and Weaknesses; Confrontation Without Preparation and Decision to Slam Bhutto for Pursuing Negotiated Transition Weakened Opposition
 
By: Husain Haqqani
Pakistan is a country run under the law of rulers not one that is subject to rule of law. If evidence was needed of this reality, it was provided on September 10 with the deportation of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The Supreme Court of Pakistan had only recently recognized Mr. Sharif’s “inalienable right” as a citizen to return to the country from an exile imposed on him by an unelected government. Instead of allowing Mr. Sharif to exercise his right, the government exiled him again.
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Issue No 52, September 7, 2007
Army is Disillusioned with Musharraf as Both Commander and National Leader
Retired Brigadier Points Out the Disastrous Consequences of Pakistani Ruler’s Missteps, Analyzes the Failure of Military Operations in NWFP’s Tribal Areas
By Shaukat Qadir
In the absence of any battle or casualties, the capture of such a contingent, followed by a smaller one, within the span of a few days offers no explanation other than that the troops opted to surrender. Admittedly, this is conjecture, but following the explanation offered before this conclusion is drawn, there appears no logical alternative.
Stage is Set For Civilians Confronting Military Domination
Whether Sharif is Deported or Arrested, Whether Deal with Bhutto Materializes or Not, Musharraf faces Challenges to Centralized and Authoritarian Rule
Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi
The planned return of the Sharif brothers poses an additional challenge to the government agenda to hold presidential elections later this month. Even if the Sharif brothers are deported or they are arrested, the negative fallout of these developments can lead to open confrontation between his supporters and the government.
The Political Edifice Built by Musharraf Faces the Great Unraveling
Musharraf Has no Moral or Political Standing; Pakistan may be on the Brink of a Democratic Revolution
By Ahmad Faruqui
Pakistanis should rejoice in the immortal words of Victor Hugo: “No one, not even all the armies of the world, can stop an idea whose time has come.” That idea is to establish a representative government along the lines of what Iqbal dreamed about and what Jinnah sought fervently to accomplish against very difficult odds.
As Musharraf’s Grip on Power falters, Pakistanis Must Resist Covert Plans for a New IJI
Is Sharif’s Return Grandstanding that could pave the Way for Continued Military Rule Without Musharraf? Bhutto’s Talks Strategy Offers Better Hope for Democratic Opening
 
By Husain Haqqani
The last three decades have seen the ouster from power of several entrenched authoritarian rulers around the world. The process of political change at the end of dictatorship in most cases falls into two broad categories: the blood-in-the-streets outcome or the negotiated transition scenario. In the first case, disillusionment with the autocrat leads to civil disturbance or mass protests.
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Issue No 51, August 31, 2007
ISI’s Armchair Strategists Attribute Mounting Violence to “Sino-American Turf Battle,” call U.S. an “Enemy of Pakistan”
Writers Linked to Intelligence Services Again Claim Pakistan’s problems Due to external Factors in Attempt to Justify Military-Intelligence Domination
By Dr Waqar Kazmi
An army that seeks to rule a country forever continually needs an external enemy to justify its existence. The events of the last few years have forced the Pakistan army to review its insistence on keeping the nation in a state of frenzy about India. Now, armchair strategists with close ties to Pakistan’s intelligence services are trying to market the idea that the United States along with India poses the major threat to Pakistan’s national security.
Pakistan is Once Again at a Crossroads: Will Elections End Our Uncertainties?
World Renowned Pakistani Economist Addresses Economic, Political, Social Issues as Well as the Challenge of Extremism
 
By Shahid Javed Burki
Will the next series of elections, promised by General Pervez Musharraf for sometime later this year or early next year, help to address many economic, political and social problems the country faces these days?
Boy Shown Beheading Pakistani Soldier in New Taliban Video
The Threat of Talibanization Knocks at the Door of the Pakistani Military That Created the Extremist Monster
By Shaista Sindhu
A disturbing video release by the Taliban shows an apparently teenage boy beheading one of 16 Pakistani soldiers kidnapped in the restive tribal area bordering Afghanistan.
The gruesome recording, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, which reported about it, further highlights the dangerous path on which Pakistan’s political meddlesome military has put the country.
Seeking Foreign Support in Domestic Politics Compromises Pakistani Sovereignty, Reveals Critical Flaw in Establishment Thinking
Leading Public Intellectual Questions Inability to Maintain Dialogue Among Key Political Actors While Allowing Foreigners to Negotiate Domestic Quarrels
By Husain Haqqani
Within days of celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of Pakistan’s emergence as an independent country, Pakistanis have been repeatedly reminded of the limitations of their independence. The pursuit of grandiose strategy by politicized generals at the expense of internal strength has so compromised Pakistan that many of its key decisions are taken only after the intervention of foreign actors.
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Editorial Team