Nadeem Malik

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

News Guru- Growing Terror


Growing Terror

-----------------------

 

 

In Pakistan's tribal areas, they train suicide bombers, create roadside-bomb factories and have doubled the number of high-quality Taliban fund-raising and recruiting videos posted online- NYT

 

 

Foreigners are also increasingly financing younger Taliban leaders in Pakistan's tribal areas who have closer ties to Al Qaeda, like Sirajuddin Haqqani and Anwar ul-Haq Mujahed- NYT

 

Pakistani security officials say the Islamic Jihad Union, a terrorist group led by militants from Uzbekistan, operates a training camp in Mir Ali.

 

Bomb went off at a checkpoint in Rawalpindi, just a half-kilometer from Army House

 

President Pervez Musharraf was safely inside at the time

 

Lone bomber walked up to the checkpoint guarding the road leading to Musharraf's office

 

Residence gate of Gen. Tariq Majid commander scarred with shrapnel and spattered with blood

 

Swat operations leaves 100 people dead

 

Extremists are trying hard to secure a big catch- Sheikh Rashid Ahmed

 

Ceasefire between Maulana Fazlullah and government forces

 

Pakistan has deployed troops to flush out militants

 

Growing instability has shaken authority of President Musharraf

 

Thousands flee scenic Swat valley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nawaz Sharif Return

 

 

Supporters of Pakistan Ex-PM Sharif Rally at Supreme Court

 

President Gen. Pervez Musharraf ousted Nawaz Sharif in a 1999 coup

 

Sharif attempted to return from a seven-year exile on September 10 but was deported

 

Sharif still hopes to return before polls

 

Newsweek

Pakistani sources say Saudi King Abdullah urged Musharraf to let Sharif back out of respect for the wishes of the Pakistani people and a ruling by Pakistan's Supreme Court. Musharraf is refusing, but he may permit Sharif's wife, Kulsoom, to return.

 

 

 

 



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Friday, October 26, 2007

News Guru on FATA situation

Congressional hearing

 

 

REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL SAYS:

 

Iran is working towards nuclear capability, but there is another Muslim state that already has it, that, in my view, poses a potential threat to our interests, and that is Pakistan-

 

Pakistan continues to train and recruit terrorists, al Qaeda specifically, in their country. The Saudis continue to finance this operation-

 

 

 

 

 

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Says:

 

This is a country that was really at the brink of extremism.

 

I think one of the lessons is that we effectively didn't maintain our relationship with Pakistan after the Soviet Union left Afghanistan, and we paid for that. We paid for it in the rise of extremism.

 

We have a good partner in President Musharraf.

 

We are encouraging him to broaden his contacts with moderates, which is why we have been supportive of his efforts with Ms. Bhutto-

 

We there will be an effort of all moderates to be prepared for fully democratic elections to take place in the Parliament in December-

 

PART-II

FATA SITUATION

Senator Professor Ibrahim

MMA

 

 

 

30 PKISTANI SOLDIERS KILLED AS THEIR CONVOY HIT BY ROADSIDE IN MINGOORA on Wednesday- Sources

 

Blast set fire to truck loaded with ammunition- Sources

 

 

Additional Frontier Corps Troops have been deployed in Mingora, Saidu Sharif and Matta areas of Swat to reinforce the local administration and Police- ISPR

 

Army troops have also been requisitioned but would remain standby to facilitate the local administration- ISPR

 

Reinforcement of local Law Enforcement Agencies meant to control the activities of militants who are trying to challenge the writ of the government- ISPR

 

 

 

 

 

 




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Wednesday, October 24, 2007

News Guru on Code of Conduct/ Terrorism

Code of Conduct

Iqbal Zafar Jhagra

Secretary General PML(N)

 

All parties shall avoid activities which are corrupt practices and offences

 

Political parties shall firmly restrain their workers from exerting undue pressure/ violence against media

 

Political parties shall refrain from making such comments on international issues as are likely to embarrass the government's relations with other countries

 

Workers of political parties shall not indulge in forgeries and disinformation to defame other political parties/leaders

 

Political parties shall refrain from speeches calculated to arouse parochial and sectarian feelings and controversy of conflicts between genders, sects, communities and linguistic groups

 

Carriage and display of all kinds of lethal weapons and fire arms shall not be allowed in public meetings

 

Aerial firing, use of crackers and other explosives at public meetings shall not be allowed

 

Ministers shall not combine their official visits with election campaign.

 

Wall chalking as part of an election campaign shall be prohibited in all forms

 

Election Expenses-

National Assembly–  PKR 1.5 mln

 

Provincial Assembly- PKR 1 mln

 

 

Election Commission prescribes:

 

 (a) Posters 2-feet x 3-feet

(b) Hoardings 3-feet x 5-feet

(c) Banners 3-feet x 9-feet

(d) Leaflets/Handbills 9-inches x 6 inches

 

 

Issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer not allowed

 

Party shall inform local administration of the venue and time of any public meeting well in time

 

Political parties shall not hold public meetings or rallies on main streets, roads and chowks

 

Political party shall give advance intimation of at least 3 days to local police authorities

 

Foreign/Domestic observers and representatives of recognized bodies will be provided free access to witness election process

 

 

 

Human Rights Watch:

Brad Adams, Asia Director

Huma Rights Watch

Musharraf should accept ruling on re-election- HRW

Government must end intimidation of Supreme Court, threats of martial law- HRW

 

Pakistan's government is attempting to frighten the judiciary into submission- HRW

 

Government says: Martial law could be imposed, Constitution suspended and Judges fired if the court rules against Musharraf- HRW

 

Government is holding Pakistan, its constitution and its people hostage to Musharraf's desire to cling to power- Brad Adams, Asia director of HRW

 

Musharraf should publicly withdraw martial law threat-

 

Musharraf said: "Let them come to their decision, then we will decide."

 

Alleged warnings have been made by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Dr. Sher Afgan and Attorney General Malik Qayyum

 

These threats have no value for us- Justice Javed Iqbal

 

Fear of election postponement or cancellation if Supreme Court rules against Musharraf

 

 

 

Part-2

Death Threat to Bhutto

Raja Pervez Ashraf

Secretary General PPP

 

Benazir Bhutto receives new death threats

 

Friend of al-Qaida threatens to slaughter BB like a goat

 

Farooq Naik alerts Chief Justice of the threat

 

There are elements who want to kill us- BB

 

BB to visit Islamabad, Lahore and Larkana

 

Pakistani agencies question 15 over Bhutto bombing

 

 

Pakistan sends 2,500 troops to Swat

 

Try Beeper at 8:50pm

General Waheed Arshad

DG ISPR

 

Troops set up checkpoints across Swat-

 

Military deployment to curb activities of Maulana Fazlullah, head of TNSM

 

 

Pakistan banned Tehrik Nifaz-e-Sharia Mohammed, and jailed its founder Sufi Muhammad, who is also Fazlullah's father-in-law, in 2002

 

TNSM re-emerged this year in Swat and Malakand

 

Fazlullah also uses FM radio station to campaign against girls education and denounce polio vaccination as Western plot to sterilize Muslim children

 

Fazlullah uses a madrassa, or Islamic school, as his headquarters in the village of Imam Derai, where he also leads prayers

 

Authorities accuse Fazlullah of links to Red Mosque

 

 




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N A D E E M M A L I K
CNBC PAKISTAN
BUREAU CHIEF
ISLAMABAD

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PPP/PML(Q) Trade allegations-News Guru

World Public Opinion Poll

 

Equal numbers 40 pct each favor and oppose 3rd term premiership for Bhutto

 

Benazir Bhutto more popular than General Pervez Musharraf

 

Benazir Bhutto 27 pct

Nawaz Sharif 21 pct

President Pervez Musharraf 21 pct

PM Shaukat Aziz 2 pct

51 pct support return of Nawaz Sharif

 

 

PART-1---TRADING BARBS

 

 

 

Very powerful figures behind the assassination attempt- BB says

 

Bhutto blames government for turning off streetlights

 

Bombers used C4 plastic explosive

 

First bomber carried 17 to 22 pounds of explosives

 

Second 33 pounds explosives

 

BB accuses Pervez Elahi, Arbab Rahim and IB Chief

 

I survived, but 140 of my supporters didn't- Benazir Bhutto

 

Benazir accuses Baitullah Mehsud, Hamza bin Laden and a Red Mosque militant

 

Shujaat Hussain accuses Asif Zardari plotted the attack

 

 

Pakistan a key country in battle against extremism, which uses terror as a tactic- Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad

 

We support a credible investigation and we support an investigation that will get to the bottom of what has happened and for perpetrators to be brought to justice- Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad

 

Taliban deny link to attack on Benazir Bhutto- Daily Outlook quotes Taliban commander Mullah Hayatullah Khan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part-2----------Attack Investigations

 

 

 

No breakthrough in investigations so far- Wasim Akhtar

 

Two suicide bombers involved- Wasim Akhtar

 

Finger prints, images sent to NADRA- Wasim Akhtar

 

No need to call foreign investigators-

 

Lights were never tuned off-

 

Not sure so far who is behind these attacks- Wasim Akhtar

 




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N A D E E M M A L I K
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BUREAU CHIEF
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Friday, October 19, 2007

SC Orders Reopening of Jamia Hafsa

SC Orders Reopening of Jamia Hafsa

 

 

Federal Government shall pay compensation (Diyat)  to heirs of all innocent deceased who have been killed in the Lal Masjid incident- SC

 

A Madrassa building for day scholars' girls will be constructed by the CDA.

 

The remaining land is likely to be utilized for construction of buildings related to research/education and other similar fields.

 

CDA may also consider the construction of hostel with Madrassa- SC

 

Total land of Jamia Hafsa may be treated as part of the institution and Research Center for religious education and efforts should be made to complete the construction of the building of Madrassa and Research Center within a year.

 

Poor students are suffering due to the fault of others and they were not at all responsible for the sad incident

 

 

government shall provide a suitable place to accommodate and adjust the female students of Jamia Hafsa

 

Jamia Hafsa students classes to resume before October 30, 2007

 

Umme Hassan to remain Principal of Jamia Hafsa




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N A D E E M M A L I K
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Wednesday, October 17, 2007

SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT IN NAWAZ SHARIF CASE

SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT IN NAWAZ SHARIF CASE

 

AUGUST 23, 2007

 

 

Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Constitution are always considered paramount and cannot be curtailed, usurped or infringed by any legislative device or executive measurement. However, it is subject to any reasonable restriction that may be imposed by law in the public interest. 

 

No such reasonable restriction could be pointed out by the learned Attorney General for Pakistan imposed on the petitioners by law in the public interest. 

 

The undertaking cannot be equated to that of legal restrictions imposed in the public interest.

 

Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

 

Article 13 states: Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

 

The Human Rights Declaration itself draws its inspiration in this regard from the Magna Carta, which, as early as 1215, proclaimed: "No man shall be outlawed or exiled Except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land.

 

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR): Article 12(4) states that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of the right to enter his own country.

 

 

Notwithstanding national and international efforts to outlaw political exile, the practice persists in authoritarian and politically under-developed societies as an undesirable legacy of ancient times.

 

Had this undertaking not been in the field the position would have been different and sentence awarded in various cases would remain intact. The petitioners got remission/pardon on the basis of such undertaking hence it cannot be kept out of consideration.

 

 

Journey to Saudi Arabia cannot be termed as "forced exile" which was never challenged for a couple of years as the petitioners were aware regarding the undertaking which culminated to their release from jail.

 

They were fully aware about it and by no stretch of imagination it can be termed as "forced exile".

 

 

Forced exile of King Bahadur Shah Zafar to Rangoon by Britain, Wajid Ali Shah to Kolkota, King Zahir Shah of Iran to Italy, Duke of Windsor to France and Trotsky to Mexico

 

 

 

The petitioners being citizens of Pakistan can return to their country as no restraint can be placed on a Pakistani citizen to return to his country and the undertaking given by the petitioners had no Constitutional legitimacy as such the petitioners cannot be prohibited from coming to Pakistan

 

 

Every citizen has undeniable right vested in him as conferred under Article 15 of the Constitution to go abroad and return back to Pakistan without any hindrance and restrain.

 

 

 

Any invasion upon the rights of citizens by anybody no matter whether by a private individual or by a public official or body, must be justified with reference to some law of the country.

 

Functionaries of State are to function strictly within the sphere allotted to them and in accordance with law

 

An action of an Authority admitted to be derogatory to law and Constitution is liable to be struck down."

 

It is declared that Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, under Article 15 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 have an inalienable right to enter and remain in country, as citizens of Pakistan.

 

Their return/entry into country shall not be restrained, hampered or obstructed by the Federal or Provincial Government Agencies, in any manner

 

 

 

Bench already constituted for Constitution Petitions may proceed with the matter from 18th October 2007 to dispose of the cases accordingly- Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry

 

 

Justice Falek Sher expressed his inability to be a member of the Bench, as according to him he has already expressed his opinion on merits in Constitution Petition-

 

 

Same is the position of Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan

 

Justice Rana Bhagwandas is out of country being on ex-Pakistan leave

 

Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk is proceeding abroad on official commitment on October 20-

 

Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad is on medical leave

 

I feel that the judicial propriety requires that I should not sit in the Bench hearing petitions involving election of the incumbent President of Pakistan being holder of two offices- Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry

 

 




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Thursday, October 11, 2007

Pakistan Borderlands- US House Armed Services Committee

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton

 

"A stable, democratic and prosperous Pakistan, actively working to counter terrorism and Islamist militancy, could be an extremely valuable partner in stabilizing the Middle East and South Asia-

 

Al Qaeda has become progressively active in western Pakistan, where they are determined to be enjoying "safe haven".  Osama Bin Laden and his lieutenant Ayman al-Zawahri are still believed to be in this region as well-

 

US Commander for counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan reports an estimated 50-60 pct increase in foreign fighters infiltrating into Afghanistan-

 

 

A UN report found nearly all suicide attackers in Afghanistan undergo some form of training in preparation in Pakistan

 

Pakistan is believed to have enough fissile material for 55-90 nuclear weapons and missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads over significant distances-

 

US has provided Pakistan $10 bln assistance since 9/11-

 

Recent polls shows only 19 pct Pakistanis now have a favorable view of US and most still see the fight against terrorism as an American one-

----------------

 

 

Ambassador Teresita Schaffer with the Center for Strategic and International Studies

 

 

In the past six months, Musharraf has been seriously weakened-

 

 

Major non-religious political figures have diminished-

 

US is publicly involved in the deal-making leading to Pakistan's next government-

 

Benazir Bhutto tarnished her political leadership in the process of understanding with General Pervez Musharraf-

 

Next elected government is likely to be an uneasy one-

 

Musharraf believes in unity of command not in power sharing-

 

PML (Q) and army will be strongly tempted to manipulate election to minimize Bhutto's claim on power-

 

Assuming Musharraf does retire, army will be a distinct power center no matter how careful Musharraf has been to promote officers loyal to him-

 

The biggest challenge will be a nasty and violent campaign by extremists-

 

The death toll in terrorist acts since July is at least several hundred. State authority looks weak, and the army looks inept-

 

Deep US involvement in Musharraf's effort to work out a political understanding with Benazir Bhutto reinforces perception that US is choosing Pakistan's government with no regard for the wishes of people-

 

 

Work with army on military issues, address its shortcomings in counterinsurgency, but do not build up its political role-

 

 

---------------------

 

 

Dr. Marvin G. Weinbaum

Scholar-in-Residence, Middle East Institute

 

 

Islamabad has, for now, lost the battle to fight militancy and terrorism

 

 

Today Pakistan state has virtually ceded North and South Waziristan to powerful radical forces

 

 

Musharraf's political problems during 2007 have served as a strong distraction from the problems posed in the tribal agencies

 

 

 

 

The International Republican Institute (IRI)

 

·         

·        Astonishing number of Pakistanis say country is headed in the wrong direction---73 pct

 

 

·        A majority of 65 pct report that they feel less secure

 

·        The government receives low marks for it performance on key issues--75 pct rate poor

 

·         

 

·        An overwhelming majority state that the ruling coalition does not deserve re-election

·         

·         

·        Economic issues remain the top concern of Pakistani voters

·         

·         

·         

 

·        Pakistanis feel that extremism is a serious problem

·         

 

·        Votes are increasingly turning against Musharraf's dual roles---76 pct for Musharraf to resign as Army Chief

 

 

·        Voters are opposed to a declaration of an emergency

·         

·         

·        Voters mixed on a potential Musharraf / Bhutto deal

·        35 pct supported and 49 percent opposed deal

·         

·         

·        Voters somewhat cynical in regards to Bhutto's motives for such a deal

·         

·         

·        Musharraf's decline continues to an all-time low of 21 percent, down from a high of 63 percent in September 2006

 

 

·        Nawaz Sharif's rating surges to 53 pct

·         

·         

·        Bhutto slips to second to 36 pct

·         

 

·        Musharraf re-election continues to lose support

 

·        PML-N moves into first, PPPP slips into second, PML-Q drops into third

 




-----------------------------------------------------------
N A D E E M M A L I K
CNBC PAKISTAN
BUREAU CHIEF
ISLAMABAD

0321-5117511

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