Pakistan News

Lets Talk About Politics Weekly Cartoon about Politics and what happening in Pakistan

Chief of the Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has been named in a list of 100 most influential people in the world by Time, a leading American ...

Pervaiz Munir Alvi

Previously at ATP we have talked about ‘Redundancy’ and about ‘Naming Names’ in Pakistan. At those posts lively comments by many of our readers made the original post even more interesting. Once again we are hopeful that our loyal readers will come forward and add to this post with their own interesting questions.

So question is: what is it?

Is it ‘Shala-mar’ as written in most Mughal historical manuscripts or is it ‘Shali-mar’ as written on the boxes of expensive French perfume named after the famous gardens in Lahore and in Kashmir? What is it?

Is it ‘Mumtaz Mahal’ as the queen of Emperor Shahjahan for whom he built that magnificent mausoleum in Agra at the banks of river Yamuna, or is it the gaudy and tasteless casino ‘Taj Mahal’ built by developer Donald Trump at the shores of Atlantic Ocean in the US of A. Which one is it?
(more…)

"It's a fair statement that around the globe, people are getting increasingly efficient at killing other people"

WASHINGTON - Terrorist attacks against non-combatants more than doubled in Pakistan from 2006 to 2007, reflecting the growing violence in the country's turbulent tribal areas and new bombings against ... via Chicago Tribune

Time Magazine has released its list of the 100 most influential people.  There are two Pakistanis: Ashfaq Kayani and Baitullah Mehsud.

"Once there is peace and stability in the area there can be a dialogue on such demands."

As power shifts in Pakistan from U.S. anti-terrorism ally President Pervez Musharraf, the new government is gambling on peace talks with Islamic militants to push back the tide of violent extremism. via Alabama Live

Nawaz Sharif left his talks with Asif Zardari with a large grin on his face. And unlike Zardari, he spoke to the media. He had something he wanted to say, namely: the deposed judges will be restored by a National Assembly resolution, not a constitutional package.

If this verbal promise becomes a reality, Sharif can tell the Pakistani electorate that he fulfilled his campaign commitment to restore the judges to their November 2nd status. And it could pave the way for his (and/or his brother’s) return to electoral politics, as well as the departure of Pervez Musharraf. Nawaz’s smile was revealing, but the joy could be fleeting. Many, many questions remain.

There was and will be no joint press conference. In other words, both parties will not be standing together to re-assert their commitment to a judicial restoration and ‘reform’ plan. Sharif will speak to the press tomorrow in Lahore. Zardari’s press conference in Karachi will follow. Will this new agreement become a ‘he said, he said’ drama? Even if the two offer the same story, there remains the question of whether Zardari will follow through.

And even if he does, there are many obstacles in the way. The present Supreme Court could move to block their restoration. Or, a National Assembly resolution could be passed with a simple majority and a consensus could ‘emerge’ that such a move has no binding status, even if it is followed by an executive order.

Even if the judges are restored to their November 2nd status, how long they will remain in that condition? In other words, what will the constitutional package contain?

Sharif likely had to make some compromises in this regard. And we’ll learn of them in the coming days.

Some concessions will be more manageable than others. Sharif does not want to put himself at odds with the lawyers’ movement. It’s far easier if Zardari gets to absorb their scorn.

Sharif, and to a lesser extent, Zardari, would benefit from a time gap between the restoration of the judiciary and the introduction of a constitutional package that limits its powers. Once the judiciary is restored, there are greater chances the public will be willing to accept some curbs on its power. Sharif would lose out if Abdul Hamid Dogar remains as chief justice or if Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry’s tenure would end this summer. Having Iftikhar as CJ for at least a year would be workable. Keeping Iftikhar around for more than a few months likely means he’ll have to let go of his suo moto powers.

Notes:

• Musharraf and Kayani: Arif Nizami, editor of The Nation, said on Live with Talat that Pervez Musharraf and Gen. Ashfaq Kayani “are not on the same page.” Imtiaz Alam differed, stating that the differences between the army and Musharraf are not strategic, but tactical. He rightly noted that Pakistan’s political trajectory could be toward a dangerous bifurcation–something which I alluded to in my previous post–in which the PPP falls into the “lap of the army” and the PML(N) is compelled to ally with the Jamaat-i Islami.
• On the same program, Najam Sethi made an interesting prediction: Musharraf will accept Iftikhar Chaudhry as chief justice. Today, Mush and Chaudhry will co-exist. Tomorrow, neither Musharraf, nor Chaudhry will be in their respective posts.

"There (is) very, very strong evidence suggesting that Pakistan's soil once again has been used to inflict pain on our nation."

The damaged house is seen after a raid of Afghan security forces which was used by militants in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday April 30, 2008. via The Dispatch

Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday that a reinstatement of judges that had threatened his alliance with coalition partner Asif Ali Zardari will take place as previously agreed.

“It has been decided and reiterated that the restoration of the judges will take place as per the Murree declaration,” Sharif said after two days of talks with Zardari in Dubai, referring to the two leaders’ initial agreement to reinstate the judges sacked by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. (more…)

Muzaffarabad, Apr.30 : Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said that the people of Kashmir have sacrificed their lives and livelihood in their quest for self-determination, and ... via Southeast Asia News