Pakistan orders release of those detained after Nov 3

by hussain | November 19, 2007 at 12:09 pm

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Majority of Pakistani political leaders and workers, lawyers and journalists taken into custody by police or put under house arrest after imposition of state of emergency on November 3 will be released this week, as the process has already started on directive of interim Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro.

"My instructions to release recently arrested people had reached the provincial governments by the weekend and process to release political leaders and workers, lawyers and journalists has already started," Soomro told a group of journalists here Monday. "Majority of such people will be released this week."

Soomro, who is also Senate chairman and took oath as caretaker prime minister on November 16, said the interim administration would extend full support to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding free and fair elections. "The January 2008 elections will be the most transparent and fairest of the country's history," he said.

The interim prime minister, called caretaker in the country, said that creation of a peaceful atmosphere for general elections would be the top priority of the interim administration. Desiring a broad reconciliation among political parties, he said: "A unanimous code of conduct for general elections will be adopted. I and members of my cabinet will not support or oppose any political party because all parties are equally important for us."

Declaring that his government would ensure continuity of policies, Soomro said the military action in the troubled Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Swat is in the national interest. "The suicide bombers are not serving humanity or religion of peace, Islam. Efforts to purge the country of the terrorism and extremism will continue."

Sporadic protests by political parties, lawyers, civil society activists and media persons against the imposition of state of emergency and curbs on media are continuing across the country.

Although the Musharraf-led regime has allowed cable operators to disseminate broadcasts of two local and two international television channels, two Dubai-based Pakistani television channels are still off air. Islamabad has also influenced the Dubai administration to shut the transmission by two channels.

Manwhile, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Monday granted bail to 42 lawyers arrested by police on November 5 during a protest against the imposition of emergency in Lahore High Court. The released lawyers including Lahore High Court Bar Association General Secretary Sarfraz Cheema are confined in different jails of the Punjab province.

On the other hand, interim Chief Minister of Balochistan Province Mohammad Saleh Bhootani also announced Monday as a mark of goodwill to release all lawyers, political leaders and workers arrested during recent agitation against emergency. He made the announcement at a press conference in Quetta soon after taking oath of his office.

Besides swearing in of the interim Balochistan chief minister, the caretaker chief minister of Punjab also took oath of his office in Lahore Monday. Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool administrated oath to Ejaz Nisar, a former judge of the Lahore High Court, as caretaker chief minister of the province. Similarly, interim cabinets of the Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab provinces were also announced.

The interim administration is already in place in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), as the provincial government and legislature were dissolved there early last month.

Imran Khan on hunger strike

Legendary cricketer and chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI or Justice Movement) Imran Khan went on an indefinite hunger strike on Monday in the prison. Khan was sent to Dera Ghazi Khan Prison last week for protesting against emergency rule. Saifullah Niazi, spokesman for Khan, said that Khan wanted restoration of the Constitution and reinstatement of deposed judges of superior courts.

Top court rejects five of six petitions against Musharraf re-election

The Supreme Court of Pakistan Monday dismissed five petitions challenging re-election of General Pervez Musharraf as head of the state for another five-year term while one would be heard later in the week. “Five petitions have all been dismissed. Only one is left and that will be heard on Thursday,” Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum told media.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto said earlier Monday that it did not recognise the judges sworn in under emergency rule therefore it had withdrawn its petition. However, it could not be ascertained immediately that the petition, filed by PPP Vice-President Makhdoom Amin Fahim, was one of the five that had been dismissed or not.

Opposition parties boycott polls meeting

Key opposition parties Monday did not attend a meeting called by the ECP to finalise a code of conduct for general elections. Officials and state media said that PPP, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of exiled former PM Nawaz Sharif, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (an alliance of six religious parties) and PTI stayed away from the meeting. These parties have said they are mulling a boycott of the elections.

Elections were earlier planned to be held on January 6 but on recommendation of Gen Musharraf on Sunday, now it would be held on January 8. Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Muhammad is scheduled formally to announce election schedule at a news conference on Tuesday.

Bhutto has no immediate plans for talks with Musharraf

Bhutto said Monday she had no immediate plan to revive talks with Musharraf amid the crisis over emergency rule. However, she categorically did not rule out talks in the future. She last week called on Musharraf to quit but on Monday her words reportedly appeared to signal a slight shift in stance. "I have had no meeting with Musharraf and no such meeting is scheduled," she told reporters in Karachi.

After US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, during a visit to Islamabad, called for resumption of talks between Musharraf and Bhutto, US Ambassador in Islamabad Anne Patterson called on Bhutto at her residence in Karachi on Monday. Leaving residence of Bhutto, Patterson told reporters that she was meeting Pakistani political leaders to press for free and fair elections. "The United States is interested in the reconciliation of all the moderate political elements," she said. "I am here to assure her [Bhutto] and all others that we will do everything possible to ensure that the election takes place," media quoted her as saying.

Pakistan asks Europe not to aggravate situation

Also on Monday, Pakistan asked the European Parliament not to aggravate the political situation in the country by making unrealistic and intrusive demands. Reacting to a resolution by the European Parliament on the situation in Pakistan, the Foreign Office said the EU must take cognizance of the sensitive situation prevailing in the country.

Terming the resolution as regrettable, the Foreign Office said it ignored the ground realities. "The European Parliament must take cognizance of the sensitive situation prevailing in Pakistan and should not aggravate the ground situation in Pakistan by unrealistic and intrusive demands," a Foreign Office statement said.

The statement said the resolution failed to show understanding of the extraordinary situation that necessitated emergency for maintaining political stability and preserving the ongoing political process in the country. "The emergency was imposed to avert an institutional breakdown and internal crisis that had paralysed the government and had the potential to cause incalculable harm to the country. The continuation of that situation would have constricted the ability of the government to counter militancy and terrorism that poses a grave threat to Pakistan and the world," the statement said.

Musharraf to visit Saudi Arabia on Tuesday

General Musharraf will visit Saudi Arabia Tuesday for talks with King Abdullah, the official Saudi news agency reported Monday. It said that Musharraf and Abdullah will discuss ways to boost bilateral ties as well as regional and international issues of common concern. During his stay in Saudi Arabia, the Pakistani leader will also perform the Umrah in Makkah.

There have been speculations in the Pakistani media last week that Musharraf was likely to meet exiled former Premier Nawaz Sharif in Jeddah. However, Sharif's party and the president's spokesman had different views on the matter.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq said Musharraf expressed his desire at least twice through the Saudi authorities to meet Sharif. The general, he claimed, had conveyed to the exiled leader that he just wanted to talk to him and would not set conditions for his return to Pakistan. However, he said, Sharif refused to see the man who had ousted him from power "without any justification" in 1999, and then exiled the entire Sharif family.President Musharraf's spokesman Maj Gen (Retd) Rashid Qureshi disputed the claim and said the president did not express any such desire.