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"Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain felicity".
(surah Al-Imran,ayat-104)
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User Name: Noman
Full Name: Noman Zafar
User since: 1/Jan/2007
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Sharif's appeal to generals

By Ashraf Mumtaz

LAHORE, April 28: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday urged army generals to choose between Pakistan and Gen Pervez Musharraf who, he alleged, was bent upon destroying the army as an institution.

In a telephonic address from London to party leaders and workers here, Mr Sharif also
criticised the Chaudhrys of Gujrat for their support to the "dictator" and statements that they would re-elect him for another 10 terms as president.

The PML-N leader appeared unhappy over reports suggesting that Benazir Bhutto was willing to have a working relationship with Gen Musharraf.

He lent full support to the ongoing struggle for the independence of the judiciary and hoped that judges would also change their attitude towards dictatorship.
He directed party activists to accord a rousing welcome to Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on his visit to Lahore on May 5.

Punjab PML-N president Zulfikar Khosa presided over the meeting of the party leaders where ideas were discussed about receiving the CJP during his Rawalpindi-Lahore journey.

Lashing out at Gen Musharraf, Mr Sharif said time was fast approaching when those responsible for banishing the popular leadership would be looking for sanctuaries in foreign countries. But for that to happen, he said, the PML-N must stay steadfast in its
determination.

He said Gen Musharraf had committed an unpardonable offence because of which a deal with him was "unthinkable" . He said the country needed leaders, not dealers at
this juncture. He said he would never cooperate with those who had violated the Constitution and people's mandate (by overthrowing an elected government). Referring to an interview by Ms Bhutto to a newspaper in which she reportedly indicated that as prime minister she would work with President Musharraf, Mr Sharif recalled that only a few days ago a PPP delegation led by Amim Fahim had called on him to reassure that
the PPP was not going to strike any deal with Gen Musharraf.
 Reply:   پینڈو بدبودار کا پینڈو ڈگےّ جرن
Replied by(kashfi80) Replied on (30/Apr/2007)

نواز شریف فیملی بدبودار جاھل پینڈو ڈگےّ سکھوں بھارتیوں کے اجینٹ نے پہلے اپنی بیوی بیٹی کو پینڈو ڈگےّ جرنلوں کے سامنے ڈالنے کے بعد ڈیل کے ذریعے باہر گیا۔ اور اب مگر مچھ کے آنسو رو رھا ھے کمینہ۔

میاں پینڈو بدبودار ڈگےّ برادران پہلے تو کچھ عرصہ مکمل خاموش رہے پھر حالات نے کروٹ بدلی اور سیاست میں پھر داخل ہوگئے۔ اس دوران میاں پینڈو بدبودار شہباز ڈگہّ نے ایک دفعہ پاکستان آنے کی بھی کوشش کی مگر انہیں اسی طیارے پر واپس بھیج دیا گیا۔ میاں پینڈو بدبودار ڈگہّ صاحب کی جلاوطنی پر نہ عوام نے برا منایا اور نہ ہی ان کی پارٹی منافقون ميں اتنی سکت باقی رہی کہ وہ بھرپور احتجاج کرسکے۔۔

پھر میاں پینڈو بدبودار ڈگےّ برادران نے ایک پرانے نعرے “لچی اے لفنگی اے، گنجے نالوں چنگی اے” کی خجالت سے بچنے کیلیے اپنے سر پر نقلی بال لگوا لیے۔

پاکستانیوں کو چاہئے کے میاں پینڈو بدبودار ڈگےّ برادران کی حمائیت ترق کر دیں۔
کیونکہ وہ اور اس کے پارٹی ممبران سکھوں اور بھارتیوں کے ایجنٹ ھیں۔

تمام پاکستانی ۔ نواز شریف، بے نظیر پٹوّ، الطاف حسین، اور منافق ملا الائینس کر ریجیکٹ کریں۔
 
 Reply:   Benazir says ready to work wit
Replied by(Noman) Replied on (30/Apr/2007)
commnets on BB's latest interview by Dawn / The News/ Nation

Benazir says ready to work with Musharraf

By M. Ziauddin and Anwar Iqbal


LONDON/WASHINGTON, April 28: Former prime minister and PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto has said that she is prepared to work with President Pervez Musharraf and is looking forward to returning home before the general election.

Attempting perhaps to put at rest speculations that she has done a deal with President Musharraf, Ms Bhutto insisted in interviews with a British and an American newspaper that the "˜back channel' contacts with Gen Musharraf had so far `not led to any understanding' .

"Failure to reach an understanding with Gen Musharraf could mean false charges leading to her arrest, but it is a risk she is willing to take," she told The Times of London and The Washington Times in interviews in Dubai. The interviews were published on Saturday.

"And so all this talk of an "˜understanding' I find very confusing," Ms Bhutto said in the The Times of London interview.

With one confusion out of the way, Ms Bhutto gave rise to a new one, telling the paper that she was prepared to work with

President Musharraf.

But the terms set by her for this arrangement to become a reality appear rather impossible for the president to accept because as of today he does not seem all that eager to give up his uniform in a hurry or bring about a balance in the powers between the offices of the president and the prime minister.

And perhaps to reassure PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, she referred to the Charter of Democracy.

"And for that we are calling for a robust international monitoring team to ensure that these elections are fair and free because obviously if they're not, the ruling party will still be in the driver's seat and the creeping Talibanisation of Pakistan will continue," she remarked.

But then enigmatically in the next breath she says something that is anathema to Mr Nawaz -- `a good working relationship between Gen Musharraf and me is a necessity for Pakistan'.

Compounding the confusion further, she adds that `it is premature to talk about working with President Musharraf at this stage' because, according to her, the ruling party has said `we can rig the election'.

Ms Bhutto said: "Democracy can work in Pakistan if the West stops propping up military dictatorships. Our tragedy has been that the military has been able to exploit the West's strategic interest in Afghanistan for almost two decades."

According to Ms Bhutto, President Musharraf, far from being weak, was strategically catering for the extremists in order to convince the US that unless they continued to back him, their worst fears would be realised.

She says: "The indications are that he is confident he has the support of the White House and that because of the Iran stand-off with the West, he feels that he will continue to be a key ally."

"Had my government remained in power, most of the world's terrorist tragedies would not have occurred -"“ since the trail so often leads back to Pakistan," she adds.

RETURN TO PAKISTAN: In the Washington Times interview, Ms Bhutto said she was eager to return to Pakistan this year irrespective of whether there's an understanding or not. "I realise that absent an understanding, I run the risk of being arrested on fallacious charges. I plan to take on the challenges, knowing my life is dedicated to the restoration of democracy."

"The general elections of 2007 could turn out to be the last chance to save a moderate Pakistan from a creeping Talibanisation."

In reply to a question whether Gen Musharraf had shown any indication that he would welcome her back to Pakistan, she said the government had been sending feelers to opposition parties, including the PPP, since it seized power.

"However, despite the passage of many years, the PPP and Gen Musharraf's team have failed to reach an understanding as yet on a transition to democracy."

Ms Bhutto said media reports claiming that the government had closed a cell investigating corruption charges against her were incorrect.

"The department established to pursue a political vendetta against me has not been shut down. An official has been changed, but that is neither here nor there." .

Benazir ready to become PM with Musharraf as president

By Rauf Klasra

LONDON: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has announced that she would accept General Musharraf as president after the 2007 general elections.

"I think that a good working relationship between Musharraf and me would be a necessity," she told a reporter of The Times during a four-hour interview in Dubai published here at the weekend. She repeatedly said it was in the "national interests".

The Times has claimed that Benazir does not rule out that she might become prime minister again. "If the people vote for my party and parliament elects me as prime minister, it would be an honour for me to take up that role and General Musharraf would be there as president, so I think that a good working relationship between him and me would be a necessity for Pakistan," she said.

"I would have the choice of either respecting the will of the people and making it a success or being short-sighted and putting my personal feelings about past events ahead of the national interest, and what I want more than anything is for Pakistan to prosper as we make a transition to democracy,' she said.

The interview unfolds many interesting aspects of Benazir's personality and her new found love for working with General Musharraf.

"(Benazir) Bhutto is the most extraordinary woman who says the most extraordinary things, veering wildly between self-aggrandisement and a knowing, sometimes humorous, recognition of how she can come across," the reporter writes.

The Times writes that Benazir's response to a possible deal with Musharraf was: "I find these reports very confusing." It is also confusing that while Benazir does not shirk from criticising Musharraf at every opportunity, she also makes it clear in this interview that she would be ready to work alongside him as long as certain conditions were met.

The PPP chairperson said, "My followers will read this and they haven't heard me speak like this before. Firstly, I plan to go back to Pakistan by the end of this year whether Musharraf would like it or not. And I believe that the (corruption) cases must all be dropped. Not one single case has been dropped and you will please note that between my mother, my father-in-law and myself there are about 20 charges or more. And what I feel and my party feels is that for more than a decade these charges have been used to hobble the opposition, to undermine my leadership and the PPP, and they should be dropped because none of them has been proven, and if they're not dropped then it creates an unbalance as we enter the elections of 2007. And we feel outraged that government funds have been used on a politically motivated investigation that has borne no fruit over ten years."

"But I also believe, there are other important issues for the people of Pakistan to consider, which is would Musharraf continue to keep his uniform? And would there be a balance of power between the president and the prime minister, because at the moment we have shadow-boxing, where the prime minister is technically the head of the government but the substantive decisions are taken by the presidency or the military."

Benazir knows that in returning to her homeland, she may be arrested or killed the moment she steps off the plane. This is why she is still careful not to discuss her travel arrangements. However, she declares that she is not afraid of death. She says that death has to come. She doesn't feel that there's anything like immortality.

The Times writes, "Like most of people, Benazir Bhutto is full of contradictions and for all her intelligence and determination, she definitely has her fragile side. You don't expect such a fierce spirit to quote Dale Carnegie as a fount of wisdom or to say that she reads self-help books "to try to cope with stress and anxiety."

It would be interesting to note that Benazir these days is studying a book "secrets about Men that Women should know," reveals The Times.

When Benazir was a little girl, her father used to say: "Well, if Nehru's daughter can become prime minister of India, my daughter can become prime minister of Pakistan." He was always telling her about women leaders, and that was where her radicalisation began: "Of course, I come from a region that has produced women leaders, and so he would talk to me about Indira Gandhi and Mrs Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka, Golda Meir and also Joan of Arc." These were remote figures for her as a girl and it was Margaret Thatcher's rise to power, which Bhutto was in England to witness, that really inspired her.

It was her father who chose to call his first-born daughter Benazir, which means "without comparison". "I think he would feel that she is living up to his name," the reporter says.

http://thenews. jang.com. pk/top_story_ detail.asp? Id=7498
 

"˜I can work as PM under Musharraf' Deal bid collapsed prematurely: BB

Fears being arrested or killed on return | Says she will return by year-end

Agence France Presse

LONDON: Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto will return to her homeland by the end of this year and hopes to hold office again, she said in a newspaper interview published Saturday.

Bhutto also confirmed that she had had "back-channel" contacts with the regime of President Pervez Musharraf, but denied there was any "understanding" between them about her future.

"I plan to go back to Pakistan by the end of the year whether Mr Musharraf would like it or whether he would not like it," she told the Times, calling for corruption cases against her and family members to be dropped.

"There have been 'back-channel' contacts with Musharraf for some time (but) they have not led to an understanding. "And so all this talk of an 'understanding' I find very confusing."

Bhutto, chair of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), said it was too early to start thinking about working alongside Musharraf.

She accused the military leader's party of believing that "they can rig the election so there's no need for free election or a future parliament headed by the PPP...which is why it is premature to talk about working alongside General Musharraf at this stage." But she also did not rule out becoming prime minister again, with Musharraf as president, despite a ban on politicians serving more than two terms, as she has.

"If the people vote for my party and parliament elects me as prime minister, it would be an honour for me to take up that role and General Musharraf would be there as president, so I think that a good working relationship between him and me would be a necessity for Pakistan," she said.

Pakistan is expected to hold elections at the end of this year or early next and the Times said that Bhutto, who is in exile in Dubai and London, has had high level contacts with Washington and possibly Britain about her plans. She said she would not reveal full details about her plans for a return as she fears being arrested or killed.

"I think the threat very much remains because my politics can disturb not only the military dictatorship in Pakistan, but it has a fall-out on Al-Qaeda and a fall-out on the Taliban," she said in remarks quoted by the paper.

Bhutto stressed that she believed democracy could work in Pakistan "if the West stops upholding military dictatorships through their financial and political support."

"Our tragedy has been that the military has been able to exploit the West's strategic interest in Afghanistan for almost two decades," she said.

 
 
BB ready to be PM under Musharraf

LONDON (AFP) - Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto will return to Pakistan by end of this year and hopes to hold office again, she said in a newspaper interview published Saturday. 
Bhutto also confirmed that she had had 'back-channel' contacts with the regime of President Pervez Musharraf, but denied there was any 'understanding' between them about her future. 
"I plan to go back to Pakistan by the end of the year whether Mr Musharraf would like it or whether he would not like it," she told the Times, calling for corruption cases against her and family members to be dropped. 
"There have been "˜back-channel' contacts with Musharraf for some time (but) they have not led to an understanding. "And so all this talk of an "˜understanding' I find very confusing." 
Bhutto said it was too early to start thinking about working alongside Musharraf. She accused the military leader's party of believing that "they can rig the election so there's no need for free election or a future parliament headed by the PPP...which is why it is premature to talk about working alongside Musharraf at this stage." 
But she also did not rule out becoming PM again, with Musharraf as president, despite a ban on politicians serving more than two terms, as she has. 
"If the people vote for my party and parliament elects me as prime minister, it would be an honour for me to take up that role and General Musharraf would be there as president, so I think that a good working relationship between him and me would be a necessity for Pakistan," she said. 
Pakistan is expected to hold elections at the end of this year or early next and the Times said that Bhutto, who is in exile in Dubai and London, has had high level contacts with Washington and possibly Britain about her plans. 
She said she would not reveal full details about her plans for a return as she fears being arrested or killed. 
"I think the threat very much remains because my politics can disturb not only the military dictatorship in Pakistan, but it has a fall-out on Al-Qaeda and a fall-out on the Taliban," she said in remarks quoted by the paper. 
Bhutto stressed that she believed democracy could work in Pakistan "if the West stops upholding military dictatorships through their financial and political support." 
"Our tragedy has been that the military has been able to exploit the West's strategic interest in Afghanistan for almost two decades," she said. 
PPI adds: Former Prime Minister Ms Benazir Bhutto wants to return to Pakistan to seek election this year. 
In an interview from Dubai, where she has been living in exile, Ms Bhutto told The Washington Times that failure to reach an understanding with President Pervez Musharraf could mean false charges leading to her arrest, but it is a risk she is willing to take. 
On reports that General Musharraf dismissed a committee looking into corruption charges against her. Was this part of an agreement to facilitate your return to Pakistan? 
She said: First, a clarification: The department established to pursue a political vendetta against me has not been shut down. National Accountability Bureau is still pursuing fabricated criminal cases against me. An official was changed but that is neither here nor there, as officials were changed several times over last decade.
I am only political leader in Pakistan, with my party supporters, who are being persecuted. The rest of politicians who had cases against them have either been pardoned or had cases dropped. Nuclear scientist (Abdul Qadeer Khan) who admitted to selling nuclear parts internationally, admitted guilt and has been pardoned. The cases against me are for purposes of diverting attention from institutionalised corruption of military regime and to hobble my leadership. The charges are fallacious, and 10 years of investigation have failed to provide a shred of evidence. It is important to note that having a committee by itself demonstrates bizarre level of personal vendetta that this regime is willing to take to discredit Pakistan People's Party and myself. 
Q: Has Gen. Musharraf shown any indication he would welcome you back to Pakistan? 
A: Gen. Musharraf's regime has sent feelers to opposition parties, including People's Party, since it seized power. However, despite passage of many years, PPP and Gen. Musharraf's team have failed to reach an understanding as yet on a transition to democracy. I plan to return to Pakistan this year irrespective of whether there is an understanding or not. I realize that absent an understanding, I run risk of being arrested on fallacious charges. I plan to take on challenges, knowing my life is dedicated to restoration of democracy. 
Q: Would Gen. Musharraf improve his standing by allowing exiled leaders like you back into Pakistan? 
A: Elections in Pakistan would not be credible without free participation of all personalities, including myself. It would certainly damage Gen. Musharraf's standing if elections are manipulated to deny people of Pakistan right to determine their own destiny through free and fair, internationally monitored general elections. 
Q: Your family has been put through a lot over past few years.
Why do you want to return? 
A: I am aware of obstacles of injustice in participation in Pakistan today, but I believe it is my duty to take on challenges the country faces and work toward promise of democracy.
Q: Would you run for office of prime minister, if given a chance?
A: It would be an honor for me to serve people of Pakistan as prime minister, were they to elect me to office. My party and I have a popular base, we have experience and team. I believe we could tackle problems of extremism, terrorism, poverty alleviation, lack of proper health and educational facilities through democracy. In my view, democracy and development go together. 
Q: Has President Bush's administration been supportive of your desire to return to Pakistan? 
A: From his visit to Pakistan and other public statements, I believe President Bush understands and supports call for genuinely free and fair elections, which means an election run under auspices of an impartial caretaker government, controlled and supervised by a truly independent election commission, open to participation of all political parties and political party leaders, and monitored by robust teams of international observers watching both voting and counting of ballots. My party has presented our list of demands to Pakistan's election commission for reforms necessary for holding of transparent elections. 
Q: Recently, four US senators wrote a letter to Gen. Musharraf that, in part, sought your return to Pakistan. What support are you getting from US lawmakers? 
A: US actions are increasingly encouraging. We welcome Congress' support and hope the general will listen to these calls and follow through on his promise of "enlightened moderation." Democracy in Pakistan is not just important for Pakistanis, it is important for the entire world. 
Q: Since September 11, 2001, Gen. Musharraf has been hailed as an indispensable American ally in war on terrorism. What is your assessment of Gen. Musharraf's support in this effort - has he delivered as much as he could? 
A: PPP and I are worried that despite Gen. Musharraf's declarations of support in war against terrorism, situation domestically in Pakistan is worse than it was following events of 9/11. Religious parties have risen to power for first time in the country's history, suicide bombings have occurred, again for first time in its history. Moreover, then-defeated and demoralized Taliban have now re-established themselves in tribal areas of Pakistan. Further, it appears they have established safe haven from where they collect taxes, dispense their form of justice and run an irregular army. 
Elsewhere in Pakistan, more militias hiding under name of madrassa have been established since 9/11. Jamia Hafsa Madrassa in Islamabad is one example. It was constructed on illegally occupied government land. It's frightening to think how many such hidden sleeper cells have been created since 9/11 housing armed persons who can take on the state at any time. Islamabad Madrassa, allied with a government-appointe d cleric, is now threatening barbers, beauticians and the entertainment industry while regime says it is helpless to act. 
General elections of 2007 could turn out to be a last chance to save a moderate Pakistan from creeping Talibinzation that is taking place. If anything years since 9/11 have demonstrated that a military regime is unsuccessful in undermining forces of terrorism, extremism and militancy. In fact PPP believes that it is democracy, alone which can undermine forces of terrorism and extremism. In 1993 Pakistan was about to be declared a terrorist state following first attack on World Trade Towers. However, I was elected soon thereafter and with help of people of Pakistan and international community, my government stopped spread of terrorism. After my overthrow, terrorists regained upper hand and planned second attack on World Trade Towers. 
Q: In his memoir, Gen. Musharraf suggested Pakistan was bullied into supporting United States in war on terrorism. If you were elected prime minister, would you reconsider Pakistan's role as an ally in this war, given its unpopularity in Pakistan? Would it be easier for a democratically elected leader to sell the war on terror to Pakistani people? 
A: There is absolutely no doubt amongst ordinary Pakistanis that we need to get rid of extremists from our lands. There is no difference of policy objectives with West. With resurgence of Taliban along border of Afghanistan, and recent spread of extremists into more settled areas like Tank (in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province) and Islamabad, it is necessary that Pakistan do as much as it can to rid the country of hate-mongers. We have a common purpose in undermining forces of terrorism. 
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's party, as well as parties of Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, have committed themselves to fighting terrorism and building peace in Charter for Democracy signed in summer of 2006. It would be easier for a democratically elected government led by PPP to involve people in building peace and fighting terror. The reason for America's unpopularity in Pakistan is that democratic development in Pakistan has rarely been a priority for the United States. Ordinary Pakistanis feel alienated, and therefore we see rising anti-American sentiment in Pakistan. The U.S. government must support democracy and give democracy time to flourish. 
Q: Do you believe a democratically elected leader can be a more useful ally of United States in this war on terror? 
A: Dictatorships such as military regime currently in power in Pakistan suppress individual rights and freedoms and empower most extreme elements of society. Governance is neglected and political madrassas exploit this by promising three meals a day, food, clothing, shelter, education to economically disadvantaged groups. They then brainwash them into extremism. 
I believe restoring democracy through free, fair, transparent and internationally supervised elections is only way to return Pakistan to civilization and marginalize extremists. A democratic Pakistan, free from yoke of military dictatorship, would cease to be breeding ground for international terrorism. That is only long-term solution.
Q: Gen. Musharraf has struck peace accords with tribes in North-West Frontier Province. Do you believe these agreements stand a chance of success? If you were prime minister, would this be a route you would pursue? 
A: I don't believe in signing "peace deals" with terrorists. I believe they only embolden terrorists and allow them a breathing space to rest, rearm and re-engage. PPP and I have made a commitment to people of tribal areas to provide them peace and security so that development can come to them and their children can get jobs. We have announced a tribal areas policy to bring political reforms to the area, as well as called for a lifting of ban on political parties participating as parties in tribal areas.
 

 
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