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Posts Tagged ‘news’

Musharraf’s party urges army to intervene: Another test case of Pakistani civil society

April 20, 2013 1 comment

It seems Musharraf’s gang is doing what is expected from them. They are willing to risk the whole country to save former military dictator, General (R) Musharraf. According to media reports, his crony and former DG ISPR General (R) Rashid Qureshi has urged army to intervene for protecting the former Pentagon pet dictator.
If army intervenes then the next Long March and Dharna should be at GHQ where the real evil resides. We support Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary and Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Insha Allah all the efforts and plans of these evil criminal minded satans will fail as Allah is the best of planners not them.

I think APML should be called as Anti-Pakistan Musharraf League instead of All Pakistan Muslim League.

Last straw?: APML urges army to intervene (Express Tribune)

Source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/538080/last-straw-apml-urges-army-to-intervene/

ISLAMABAD: Close associates of former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf have asked top military leadership to intervene in the issue immediately before tensions between state institutions get worse.

“Top military leadership will come into action [as an ex-general is being denied justice],” Major General (Retd) Rashid Qureshi, a close friend of the former president told The Express Tribune.

The Islamabad High Court on Thursday cancelled Musharraf’s bail application in the judges’ detention case and ordered his arrest. On Friday, the former president was transferred from his Chak Shahzad farmhouse to Islamabad Police Headquarters.

“Enough is enough. Judicial activism will not be tolerated anymore,” General Qureshi said, adding Musharraf will continue to face courts until he gets justice.

“We will fight legally, morally and politically against injustice in Pakistan.” Read more

NAB bosses refuse to respond as details emerge–> Ansar Abbasi report in TheNews

January 20, 2013 Leave a comment

Ansar Abbasi

Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-155380-NAB-bosses-refuse-to-respond-as-details-emerge

ISLAMABAD: Top bosses of the NAB have simply vanished to respond to the media queries pertaining to the alleged extreme coercive measures that were said to have been used during the last days on Kamran Faisal that may have led to his sudden death, either by suicide or murder.

 

Chairman NAB Fasih Bukhari and Director General Financial Crime Wing Kausar Malik, who are alleged to have held an insulting meeting with Kamran Faisal on the night of Jan 16, are neither responding on their mobile phones nor have replied to the SMS messages sent to them.

 

After repeated efforts the NAB spokesman Zafar Iqbal was, however, helpful to the extent of responding to an SMS message, conveying: “Sorry for late response. In fact I’m still with some guests. As far as you question is concerned, it is totally untrue.”

 

The spokesman was asked if he could confirm whether Kamran Faisal was brought to Chairman’s office by Kausar Malik where the officer was alleged to have been pressurised to change his report in favour of the prime minister in the RPPs case.

 

A NAB official, speaking on the condition of full confidentiality, confided to The News that Kamran Faisal was under extreme duress to change his investigation report that had become the basis for the SC’s recent order to get Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and over 20 others arrested in the RPPs case.

 

The source said that in the evening of Jan 16 Kamran Faisal, who was an assistant director of NAB Rawalpindi, was sitting with his colleagues in the office of Rawalpindi NAB Additional Director Staff officer Shafqat, when he received a phone call from NAB Islamabad headquarter to rush there. Besides others, it is said, assistant director Shahzad was also present.

 

It is said that the phone call from the Bureau’s headquarter had come from Director General Financial Crime Wing Kausar Malik. After the phone call, Kamran is said to have shared with his colleagues that he was being summoned to Islamabad HQs. On this the NAB Rawalpindi additional director staff officer provided to Kamran the official vehicle Kia Registration No. 4242 to attend this urgently called meeting in Islamabad. The name of the vehicle’s driver was said to be Tariq.

 

When approached by The News Shafqat refused to discuss anything regarding this mysterious death. However, the source claimed that Kamran reached NAB’s headquarters and went to Kausar Malik’s office where he was told that he should change his report for the sake of the institution’s respect as on the next day (Jan 17) the Supreme Court was to hear the PM’s arrest case.

 

The source added that Kamran was reluctant to change his report on the wishes of his superior. Later, it is said, Kausar Malik took him to the office of Chairman NAB Fasih Bukhari who was also accompanied by one of the key prosecutors of the Bureau.

 

In the Chairman NAB’s office, the source said, all the three again pressed him to change his report and suggested to him that he could give the reason that for being upset he had wrongly included the name of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the RPPs corruption case. It is said that he was also asked to sign a blank stamp paper.

 

The source claimed that after his refusal he was asked to leave. Kamran later got back to Kausar Malik’s office and shared with some of his Rawalpindi colleagues what had happened to him. On Jan 17 hearing of the RPPs case, it is said that Kamran was also present in the SC.

 

Fasih Bukhari was contacted several times but he did not pick up his mobile. Bukhari also did not respond to The News query forwarded to him through SMS mobile message.

 

Kausar Malik also did not respond to The News. An SMS message sent to him on Friday evening was responded in the midnight conveying that his mobile phone battery got exhausted so “just saw” the message. He promised to coordinate with The News on Saturday but it did not happen despite repeated efforts. Kausar Malik even did not bother to respond to the questions sent to him.

 

These questions included: a) Will you please explain why did you call Kamran to your office on 16th evening? B) Why did you take him to the Chairman NAB? c) Did you and the chairman pressurise him to change his report?

 

Meanwhile an unidentified caller from an official number starting with 924 figure had called this correspondent on Friday evening claiming that late on the evening of Jan 17 Kamran was badly scolded by his senior in the Rawalpindi NAB office for refusing to change his investigation report. The caller claimed to be a young officer of the NAB. However, this fact has also not been officially confirmed.

 

 

Statements by Chief Justice of Pakistan and Army Chief –> We support the Supreme Court, Chief Justice and the Constitution

November 6, 2012 Leave a comment

In past few days there were some statements given by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhar and Army Chief General Ashfaq Prevez Kiyani. According to media reports, Kiyanis words were (from Pakistan Today):

“Any effort which wittingly or unwittingly draws a wedge between the people and armed forces of Pakistan undermines the larger national interest.”

Also he said:

“No individual or institution has the monopoly to decide what is right or wrong while defining the ultimate national interest.”

These words may not seem very harmful but if we look them in the context of Asghar Khan case and recent proceedings of missing persons cases in the
Supreme Court then one can get some idea about the possible target of the statements.

On the other hand, SC released a speech of CJP which he gave earlier but the timing of releasing the speech to media seems to be interesting and apparently it is related with the statement by Army Chief. In the speech, honorable Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary renewed his stance to protect the constitution.

According to media reports, he said:

“Gone are the days when stability and security of the country was defined in terms of number of missiles and tanks as a manifestation of hard power available at the disposal of the state,” the chief justice said while speaking to a delegation of the 97th National Management Course, National School of Public Policy and National Management College Lahore at the Supreme Court building.

Also he said:

“The composition, powers and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court are set out by the Constitution itself and the court exercises original, appellate, review and advisory jurisdictions and its decisions are binding on all other courts of Pakistan,”

I am glad that he acknowledges the struggle by the justice loving people of Pakistan who didn’t buy Musharraf’s national interest or national security type bogus cards and supported the judiciary.

“The present day Supreme Court is alive to the fact that it has been restored to its original position by unprecedented struggle carried out by a consort of such professional classes as lawyers, students, media persons and civil society at large.”

If I have to choose between judiciary and useless army, I will choose judiciary and constitution. It seems army chief is upset because of Asghar Khan case and missing persons cases. Also people like IK have openly said that if he will be in power then generals will also be made accountable in front of the law. Indeed these are some disturbing times for anti-Pakistan corrupt mercenary generals. Army will be the biggest hurdle in any genuine change against the forces of evil and status-quo. Prime example of Army’s support to status-quo is NRO which was given to the corrupt political and bureaucratic elite.

Kiyani needs to understand that if they follow the constitution and respect the principles of justice, human rights and freedom then people will not criticize them. Exceptions are those who are working on foreign agenda but if we look into it then we can see that most of them were supported by Army because of the pro-war stance by these people. If army wants respect then they have to come out of this American war and leave their role of mercenary army. They also need to focus on defending the country instead of taking part in political activities or taking control of land and economic resources of the country. Also accountability of culprits in the institution is also required to improve the image of the institution. We need a credible or even a strong defense but not at the cost of freedom, justice and  human rights.

We support CJP and SC. Its our moral and constitutional responsibility to protect the constitution and country from these evil Khakis who only know how to serve their lust of power. They only love that Pakistan which is under their boots and we have to change this situation and inshaAllah it will be changed in a good way.

Malala Yousafzai injured in attack–> Sad news from Swat

October 9, 2012 15 comments

Just heard a sad news from Swat. Malala Yousafzai, the teenage kid who got national peace prize got seriously injured in a shooting attack. This is sad, really bad and cowardly whoever has done this. It is also bad by the government to use this kid as a symbolic person against militants and expose her to such danger. It is ridiculous that first they used her for political gains in the war and then left her without adequate security. Not only the attackers but the people responsible for her security and exposing her to such danger should be made accountable for this.

The way government and some NGOs used Malala as a symbolic warrior is similar to child soldiers used by African war lords to fight their dirty wars.

May Allah give her health.

 

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Swat: Malala Yousafzai injured in attack

Source : http://www.geo.tv/GeoDetail.aspx?ID=70793#Comments

SWAT: Malala Yusufzai the National Peace Award winner who came under the global spotlight for her efforts to bring back peace to her hometown Swat came under attack earlier today. Malala Yousafzai was injured along with two other girls when unknown assailants opened fire on her vehicle in Swat, Geo News reported.

According to police, Malala a children’s rights activist received two bullets, and was rushed to the District Headquarter Hospital in Saidu Sharif, and later shifted to a hospital in Peshawar.

It is important to mention that Malala had been receiving threats to her life, after which she was provided with a special car and unarmed security by her school.

The international children’s advocacy group Kids Rights Foundation nominated Malala for the International Children’s Peace Prize, making her the first Pakistani girl nominated for the award.

For her courageous and outstanding services for the promotion of peace under extremely hostile conditions in Swat, she was awarded the first National Peace Award by the Pakistani government on 19 December 2011.

Video shows Libyans helping rescue U.S. ambassador after attack

September 17, 2012 Leave a comment

Here are some other interesting aspects of the sad incident happened in Libya.

 

Video shows Libyans helping rescue U.S. ambassador after attack

(Reuters) – An amateur video appears to show Libyans trying to rescue U.S. ambassador Christopher Stevens from a room filled with smoke at the U.S. mission where he was found unconscious after last week’s attack by a mob protesting against a film that denigrates the Prophet Mohammad.

The video, which appeared on the internet and a copy of which was obtained by Reuters in Benghazi, confirms reports that suggested the U.S. envoy died of asphyxiation after the building caught fire.

Read More

Aafia Siddiqui Issue–>Shameful attempt by some anchors to give it another twist using the same old nationality rant

July 29, 2012 2 comments

Recently some anchors, including reputed anchor like Kamran Khan (Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Sath host) and not so reputed anchor Sana Bucha (Lekin host), have tried to show that Aafia Siddiqui is an American national or she is a dual national. Aafia’s family has repeatedly denied these allegations. It was also interesting to see that how an international lawyer like Ahmer Bilal Sufi (also affiliated with PILDAT) didn’t discuss the real aspect of the case i.e. her abduction and reasons behind her abduction.

My views on this issue are that dual national or not, the reality is that she was illegally abducted from Pakistani soil and she was a daughter of a Pakistani family. This is a ridiculous argument again trying to cash in false nationalism over single nationality or dual nationality which is not proved and most importantly was never contested in USA court in fake Afia trial. They also didn’t discuss the main accusation on the media on her i.e. her links with Al-Qaida as they didn’t have enough grounds for that. Shame on these social class fascists.

How can you allow someone to be abducted without due process if that person (national or not) has entered legally in Pakistan? The case on her was prosecuted for a stupid charge that she snatched gun from USA marines and then in the process got shot herself. No finger prints were there on the gun as was admitted by US official who gave the testimony in the case.

Apparently the momentum is being created to make a ground for the release of Dr. Shakeel afridi.

It is really shameful how things are being presented in the media. Either it is an act or irresponsibility and lack of prudence or lack of honesty, in both cases media organizations should see the professionalism standard of their anchors and opinion makers. Civil society should raise the issue on any forum.

Read also:

http://united4justice.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/aafias-sentencing-a-question-mark-over-usa-justice-system-shame-for-pakistan-army-and-government/

http://united4justice.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/aafia-siddiqui-indictment/

 

 

 

 

 

New NADRA Smart ID cards:Another way to invade privacy

July 22, 2012 3 comments

I have just read a news on NADRA’s plan to launch smart NIC card. They are starting it with overseas Pakistanis which will eventually be enforced on locals as well.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-120967-Nadra-introduces-smart-ID-cards-for-overseas-Pakistanis

http://www.onepakistan.com/finance/news/general/10139-nadra-set-to-launch-new-smart-nic-for-overseas-pakistanis-in-europe.html

I feel this will be a real big attack on privacy and they will use it for tracking/monitoring people they want to monitor. This will be bad news for honest journalists, judges and any other person who doesn’t want to give up his/her freedom. They will share the information with their foreign masters like they already do for many other things.

Please consult with some honest person who is an expert in the area (and also not a puppet of security agencies) and start an awareness campaign through media on this issue. Its not necessary to accept any thing in the name of technology. Privacy is a right given to us by our religion and constitution and we shouldn’t give it up so easily in the name of welfare services, security or whatever fancy terms governments use to enslave their population.

Also if you link it with the fact that people like Rehman Malik run private security and intelligence firms overseas then things will look worse.

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Nadra introduces smart ID cards for overseas Pakistanis — The News

by Murtaza Ali Shah

Source : http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-120967-Nadra-introduces-smart-ID-cards-for-overseas-Pakistanis

LONDON: The official launch of the National Database and Registration Authority’s new ID Card — the Smart National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop) — descended into a complete ruckus on Sunday night as Pakistani journalists and community leaders walked out of the launch ceremony.

Tariq Malik, Nadra’s new Director General, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan and various senior Nadra officials from Pakistan and Europe were present for the launch, dinner and musical evening which was attended by over 200 invited guests.

Tariq Malik, Nadra’s new Director General who took charge a couple of days ago, told the gathering that the Smart card is a 3rd Generation chip-based identity document that is built according to international standards, has over 36 physical security features that uses latest encryption codes making it the safest card in the world.

He informed the audience that Nadra plans to open its public facilitation centres in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford and Glasgow and later will expand into the rest of Europe. But ugly scenes erupted when Nadra officials refused to take questions from media and community leaders about various aspects of the new scheme and made it to the dinner hall, where singer Raheem Shah performed with a live band.

Journalists protested that there were too many controversial and critical issues surrounding the launch of the new scheme and it was important to ask searching questions and that Nadra officials must address the anxiety of the community as they had deep-rooted security concerns about their personal details being manipulated and fiddled with.

It was then agreed that Tariq Malik will answer questions of journalists after the dinner. The new Nadra DG gave an assured performance before the journalists and did his best to provide satisfactory answers but he admitted that there were some areas about the bidding process and the takeover by the UK based company in which he had no involvement and decisions were made at the top. But he assured that stringent action will be taken against the partners if they failed to meet the strict criteria set by the Nadra, failing which their contract will be terminated after a year.

It also became clear during the launch that the company that International Identity Services (UK) Limited (“IIS”) made responsible to assist Nadra actually belongs to the son of Mian Afzal Khalid, a veteran Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader in the UK who is also Chairman of PPP’s Federal Council (UK).

It was not immediately clear how, of all the people and companies, the contract went into the hands of a diehard PPP leader. Mian Khalid, who was present at the launch along with other PPP leaders, told The News that he had nothing to do with his son’s business. “Politics has played no part and my son has secured the contract on the basis of merit,” he said.

Tariq Malik said that Smart Nicop will provide 2.5 million overseas Pakistanis in Europe with priority travel, banking facilities and increased security as well as the existing visa-free entry to Pakistan.

He said Nadra’s top concern remained protecting public information and no one other than a select number of Nadra staff will be allowed access to the data of citizens.After The News highlighted the issue of the Nadra contract for issuance of the Nicop cards, Nadra was at pains to point out that IIS has been awarded the contract to provide marketing and support facilities for the centres, with all processing for the Smart Nicop being carried out by Nadra, with approximately 500,000 Pakistani holders of the existing card in Europe will eventually need to upgrade.

But it was not clear immediately whether the community will happily pay more than three times the amount it is currently paying for the same services. Pakistanis in Europe have felt the fee was raised without consulting them in times of austerity when economic conditions in Western Europe have made Pakistanis amongst the worst hit migrant groups.

Both Nadra and IIS said that the decision to make IIS a partner was followed by a public tender “under internationally recognised procedures and was made after extensive consultation with key stakeholders” but the latest discovery of a senior PPP leader’s involvement in the scheme will raise further questions about the whole tender and bidding process, therefore the questions around the whole scheme are unlikely to go away.

Tahir Khalid, head of operations for IIS said in a statement: “The new Nicop card is a milestone for Pakistan. The launch has been a carefully considered journey for IIS and Nadra, which was necessary given the highly sensitive nature of this product. IIS has worked to meet all the demands of Nadra without compromising data security and we are looking forward to promoting the benefits of Smart Nicop to local Pakistani communities.”

Murtaza Ali Shah
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
From Print Edition
 154  18  3  5

LONDON: The official launch of the National Database and Registration Authority’s new ID Card — the Smart National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop) — descended into a complete ruckus on Sunday night as Pakistani journalists and community leaders walked out of the launch ceremony.

Tariq Malik, Nadra’s new Director General, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan and various senior Nadra officials from Pakistan and Europe were present for the launch, dinner and musical evening which was attended by over 200 invited guests.

Tariq Malik, Nadra’s new Director General who took charge a couple of days ago, told the gathering that the Smart card is a 3rd Generation chip-based identity document that is built according to international standards, has over 36 physical security features that uses latest encryption codes making it the safest card in the world.

He informed the audience that Nadra plans to open its public facilitation centres in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford and Glasgow and later will expand into the rest of Europe. But ugly scenes erupted when Nadra officials refused to take questions from media and community leaders about various aspects of the new scheme and made it to the dinner hall, where singer Raheem Shah performed with a live band.

Journalists protested that there were too many controversial and critical issues surrounding the launch of the new scheme and it was important to ask searching questions and that Nadra officials must address the anxiety of the community as they had deep-rooted security concerns about their personal details being manipulated and fiddled with.

It was then agreed that Tariq Malik will answer questions of journalists after the dinner. The new Nadra DG gave an assured performance before the journalists and did his best to provide satisfactory answers but he admitted that there were some areas about the bidding process and the takeover by the UK based company in which he had no involvement and decisions were made at the top. But he assured that stringent action will be taken against the partners if they failed to meet the strict criteria set by the Nadra, failing which their contract will be terminated after a year.

It also became clear during the launch that the company that International Identity Services (UK) Limited (“IIS”) made responsible to assist Nadra actually belongs to the son of Mian Afzal Khalid, a veteran Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader in the UK who is also Chairman of PPP’s Federal Council (UK).

It was not immediately clear how, of all the people and companies, the contract went into the hands of a diehard PPP leader. Mian Khalid, who was present at the launch along with other PPP leaders, told The News that he had nothing to do with his son’s business. “Politics has played no part and my son has secured the contract on the basis of merit,” he said.

Tariq Malik said that Smart Nicop will provide 2.5 million overseas Pakistanis in Europe with priority travel, banking facilities and increased security as well as the existing visa-free entry to Pakistan.

He said Nadra’s top concern remained protecting public information and no one other than a select number of Nadra staff will be allowed access to the data of citizens.After The News highlighted the issue of the Nadra contract for issuance of the Nicop cards, Nadra was at pains to point out that IIS has been awarded the contract to provide marketing and support facilities for the centres, with all processing for the Smart Nicop being carried out by Nadra, with approximately 500,000 Pakistani holders of the existing card in Europe will eventually need to upgrade.

But it was not clear immediately whether the community will happily pay more than three times the amount it is currently paying for the same services. Pakistanis in Europe have felt the fee was raised without consulting them in times of austerity when economic conditions in Western Europe have made Pakistanis amongst the worst hit migrant groups.

Both Nadra and IIS said that the decision to make IIS a partner was followed by a public tender “under internationally recognised procedures and was made after extensive consultation with key stakeholders” but the latest discovery of a senior PPP leader’s involvement in the scheme will raise further questions about the whole tender and bidding process, therefore the questions around the whole scheme are unlikely to go away.

Tahir Khalid, head of operations for IIS said in a statement: “The new Nicop card is a milestone for Pakistan. The launch has been a carefully considered journey for IIS and Nadra, which was necessary given the highly sensitive nature of this product. IIS has worked to meet all the demands of Nadra without compromising data security and we are looking forward to promoting the benefits of Smart Nicop to local Pakistani communities.”

Myanmar raises death toll from clashes –>Disturbing news from Myanmar

It is not unexpected to see tyranny in a country ruled by dictators. But situation in Myanmar is getting worse day by day. Muslim minority in Myanmar are suffering badly from certain groups fueling racism and religion base riots. Human rights associations and justice loving people should raise their voice on the worsening situation in Myanmar.

Myanmar raises death toll from clashes

State media says 50 people killed and thousands more displaced by clashes between Rakhine Budhists and Rohingya Muslims.

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2012/06/201261692224258958.html

Myanmar’s state media says the death toll has gone up to 50 in ethnic clashes in the western state of Rakhine, as the UN warned of “immense hardship” faced by thousands displaced by rioting.

The New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Saturday that 54 other people were injured and 2,230 houses and buildings were destroyed by fire during the clashes between Rakhine Budhists and Rohingya Muslims.

The report did not say whether the updated toll included 10 Muslims beaten to death on June 3 by a Buddhist mob in apparent revenge for the rape and murder of a Rakhine woman, which sparked the violence.

The violence was a result of long-standing tensions between the ethnic Rakhine community and the minority Rohingya, whom many Rakhines regard as illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.

The Rohingya say they have lived in the region for decades.

A senior state official said on Thursday that 29 people had been killed, but rights groups and other local sources believe the real figure could be much higher, as there was hardly any information from the remote villages.

Despite the apparent cessation of violence, the area still faces a humanitarian crisis because of the numbers of displaced people.

Thousands displaced

Nearly 32,000 people from both sides are being housed in camps across Rakhine, officials in the capital, Sittwe said on Thursday, after thousands of homes were set ablaze.

Unknown numbers of Rohingya have also tried to flee to Bangladesh, but the authorities there have barred their entry.

A UN team witnessed the devastation on a two-day visit to the region, saying that about 10,000 displaced people, both Rakhine and Rohingya, were sheltering in Sittwe alone.

Pledging help for the affected area, UN special adviser Vijay Nambiar praised the government for its “prompt, firm and sensitive” response to the clashes but urged a “full, impartial and credible” probe into the unrest.

Sittwe, a port city and the region’s main urban centre, was calm for the fourth straight day, though many shops and markets remained closed and people were still fearful of further arson attacks.

Soldiers were sent to help quell the violence and when the situation spread to Sittwe, President Thein Sein declared a state of emergency, giving the military full administrative powers to keep order.

Myanmar’s government doesn’t consider the country’s about 800,000 Rohingya Muslims as citizens, thereby rendering them stateless and unable to access to education, health and social security.

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SC orders action against Riaz, Salman and Arsalan–>Remarkable judgment

In a historic judgment by Supreme Court of Pakistan , the judges have ordered an action against Malik Riaz (real estate mafia lord), Salman (Son in law of Malik Riaz) and Arsalan Iftikhar Chaudhry (Chief Justice’s own son).

We salute Chief Justice and Supreme Court for showing us that, at least in their eyes, no one is above the law.

 

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SC orders action against Riaz, Salman and Arsalan

Source: http://www.geo.tv/GeoDetail.aspx?ID=54275

ISLAMABAD: A two member bench of the Supreme Court comprising of Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif have concluded hearing of the Arsalan Iftikhar suo moto case and issued its short order.

In the short order the Supreme Court directed Attorney General Ifran Qadir to take strict action against Malik Raiz, Salman Ahmed (Riaz’s son-in-law) and Arsalan Iftikhar according to the law. The court said that the three had the right to a transparent trial.

The court ruled that Malik Riaz tried to buy justice, adding those giving bribes and those taking it were both sinners.

The two member bench also rejected the plea of Malik Riaz’s counsel Zahid Bukhari to form a commission or send the case to an investigation agency.

The short order was written on the basis of statements recorded by parties in the case along with those of Hamid Mir, Kamran Khan and Shaheen Sehbai.

Shaheen Sehbai admitted that the son of the CJ was targeted to hatch a conspiracy against the judiciary.

The order further said that Malik Riaz had accepted that despite spending more than Rs340 million he could not get relief. The media should not be used by such persons who do not respect the law and constitution, the order said.

 

Kleptocracy in focus–>Babar Sattar, TheNews

Source : http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-9-113436-Kleptocracy-in-focus

by Babar Sattar

The writer is a lawyer based in Islamabad.

The chief justice did the courageous thing by taking suo motu notice of the clandestine affair between Malik Riaz and his son Arsalan Iftikhar that had spread like wildfire through a crafty whispering campaign. And after putting the judicial wheels in motion to hold to account his son and Malik Riaz, and throwing his weight behind affixing the liability of the two in a transparent and impartial manner in an open court, he did the right thing by recusing himself from the case. Those who argue that the accusations rooted in gossip should have been shrugged off are wrong. The conduct in question might be that between two private individuals, but one of them being the CJ’s son, the insinuation was that illegal gratification was offered and accepted to influence the outcome of court cases pending before the Supreme Court.

From the disclosures made by journalists so far it is obvious that documents and accounts (and probably even videos?) were meticulously kept to drag the name of the CJ through dirt and consequently bring into disrepute the integrity and credibility of the apex court. The matter therefore didn’t relate to the CJ alone, but would bring under cloud the competence of the highest court of the land to dispense justice not adulterated by considerations of favour. And this in turn would bring into question the very notion of the existence and utility of rule of law in Pakistan by lending credence to the view that (i) law is not a shield for the weak but a weapon in the hands of the powerful to keep in subjugation the lesser mortals in society, and (ii) unimpeachable integrity is a defunct concept as every mortal is up for sale at the right price.

Such jaundiced view of the state and society is not a figment of cynical imagination but is rooted in the reality that the ordinary Joe is confronted with on an everyday basis. By all rational accounts we are living in a kleptocracy: a government of the extortionist, by the extortionist, for the extortionist. The state is in default of its contract with the citizen. You no longer have an entitlement to your rights even if you do your duty as a citizen. And consequently you have to pay for everything, even to protect your most basic rights to life, liberty and dignity. And if you are ready, willing and able to pay, it doesn’t matter if what you seek is right or wrong. State largesse flows through channels of personal patronage. Personal loyalty trumps merit. There is no distinction between honest and dirty money. And there are no principles remaining, only interests.

And consequently instinct demands that one accumulate as much wealth and influence as possible and use it to build social networks of protection to replace the role of the state. And it is people like Malik Riaz, who have mastered the ways of this ‘brave new world’ where money buys influence, influence yields more money, and with the use of money and influence to cajole the powerful and coerce the weak there are no limits to what you can accomplish. But not everyone in this state and society is comfortable with the rules of our evolving kleptocracy. And when someone who has reached the highest echelons of power within the state, like the CJ, refuses to be bought or otherwise inducted within the kleptocracy, the stakes go through the roof.

Within the kleptocracy that we are referring to, the kith and kin of the powerful do exceedingly well. Why should it be surprising that the mediocre son of our CJ grew a sense of entitlement to receive preferential treatment and climb the ropes without paying his dues? Does such lack of discretion and propriety reflect poorly on Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the father? It probably does. But does it undermine his integrity or credibility as a judge and a public-office holder? Absolutely not. In exposing the dealings between himself and Arsalan Iftikhar, Malik Riaz has used the nuclear option. Why would anyone need to employ means of last resort in the event that quiet persuasion is working? According to media accounts, Malik Riaz leaked details of sponsoring the merry-making of Arsalan Iftikhar because his investment wasn’t paying off.

So what we have so far is this. By his own account, Malik Riaz paid Arsalan Iftikhar to influence the outcome of judicial proceedings pending before the Supreme Court. Was he forced to do so because the wily Arsalan was blackmailing poor Mr Malik? Improbable, and Mailk Riaz would need to adduce evidence to establish that he was at the receiving end of this clandestine relationship with the imprudent 34-year-old. As Arsalan Iftikhar was not holding court and adjudicating cases implicating Malik Riaz, he would in fact need to establish that the CJ was in fact blackmailing him while using his son as an agent. Without this, and in view of information disclosed by Malik Riaz himself, he could be charged for offering illegal gratification to influence a public servant.

This could make him liable under Section 165-A read with Sections 162 and 163 of the Pakistan Penal Code as well as Section 9 of the NAB Ordinance. If it were established that Arsalan Iftikhar accepted the gratification with a view to influence the discharge of functions by the office of the CJ or other public servants due to the exercise of his personal influence, he could also be liable under Sections 162 and 163 of the PPC. Now that details of this scandal are out in the open, it is essential for the apex court not to take a narrow view of this affair in the event that Malik Riaz backs off and doesn’t adduce any evidence before the court, but instead exercise its inquisitorial powers to collect and decipher facts to ensure that both Malik Riaz and Arsalan Iftikhar are held to account for their actions in accordance with the law.

In this debate, Malik Riaz must not be seen as a solitary individual. He might be a good friend, a loving father and a rich man who believes in charity. But he is also a phenomenon that highlights the growing predatory instincts of our society. This phenomenon has cultivated the myth of infallibility and immortality of the powerful within the society. It has defeated the conventional wisdom that if you are caught with hands in the cookie jar society holds you to account and respectable folk refuse to associate with such delinquents. It has established that irrespective of personal repute, money can buy the best professional assistance. It has proven that if cut a piece of the pie everyone is willing to play ball. This phenomenon has established an ethic of success that labels right and wrong as irrelevant for those who aim for upward professional and social mobility.

The CJ’s commendable action of dragging his son before an open court and laying his ethical failings in plain public view is a defining moment in the fight between continuity of the depraved status quo and the desire for change. As nothing succeeds like success, the strength of the entrenched kleptocracy is rooted not in its popularity but in its efficacy. Our ruling elites – across the political class, the khakis, the bureaucracy, the media and the lawyer fraternity etc – are mostly its beneficiaries.

The few who still have qualms about meddling in grime have turned apathetic having made their peace with the ‘ground reality’ they cannot change. In this environment, the action of the CJ to stand by law and principle, even as he subjects himself and his family to public scrutiny and possible embarrassment, has provided a unique opportunity to stand up and fight the kleptocracy. We must not fitter this opportunity away.

Email: sattar@post.harvard.ed

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