Opinion Powerless Pakistan

The PPP government at the Centre was on the defensive now,suggests a report in Dawn: “ PM Yousaf Raza Gilani has sought CMs’ support in containing the countrywide protests… A senior official said the government had received intelligence reports that protests were turning into riots in some areas and had the potential of becoming an anti-government movement.” An energy conference was called,reported Dawn on April 20: “Sources said if the proposals for conservation discussed were implemented… the duration of loadshedding could come down by at least four hours…” Another report added: “ Shahbaz has presented a nine-point formula for minimising the impact of the crisis .” On April 21,The News reported quick action in Lahore the following day: “Punjab government has decided to close down all commercial centers and marriage halls after 9 pm from today…”

The strategy to combat the crisis was unveiled on April 23,as The News reported: “two weekly holidays in the public sector; markets to close by 8 pm; ban on unauthorised usage of ACs in government offices; 50 per cent reduction in power usage in the presidency,PM House,CM Houses,Governor’s Houses and all top government functionaries.” The 8 pm curfew didn’t go down well with businessmen,reported Daily Times : “Traders have threatened to observe a shutter-down strike against the decision of closing businesses by 8 pm… They warned they’d keep shops open until 10 pm and retaliate if the government used force…” Dawn reported the ire of Karachi’s power elite: “ Elected representatives and opinion leaders reacted strongly to the conservation measures under which 300 megawatts will be diverted from Karachi to other power-starved areas of the country. L eaders in the Sindh assembly described the measures as ‘ill-advised’,and ‘a conspiracy to create a law and order situation’.”

ACtion taken report

The first victims of the UN report on Benazir Bhutto’s assassination have begun to be picked out,reported Daily Times on April 19: “The interior ministry has placed several names,including those of former intelligence officials,on the exit control list… As many as six police officials who were serving during the tenure of Pervez Musharraf have been put on the ‘duty suspension list’.” Dawn voiced popular concern: “However,there was no word about the fate of the PPP leaders identified by the report for having provided ‘insufficient’ security cover to Ms Bhutto. These leaders include high-profile government functionaries such as Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza.” The News added to the debate: “S ome people have heaved a sigh of relief over being almost exonerated by the UN commission while there are others who have become even more agitated as they say the whole exercise was nothing but a hogwash and waste of public money and time. But the report has become extremely controversial. Doubts are being cast over its credibility,after it was withheld for 15 days on request… the dilemma is the people who were interviewed by the Commission as ‘suspects’ … are the ones who are holding the most important positions… For instance,Rehman Malik,who was security adviser to Ms Bhutto… The person who failed to provide security to one politician has now been entrusted with providing security to the whole nation.” Dawn quoted Bhutto’s chief protocol officer on April 22 as saying: “Malik and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan should step down and present themselves before the investigation team and provide information about the assassination…”

Amendment questioned

In the run-up to the sealing of the 18 th amendment,a number of petitions have been filed questioning the propriety of some judicial reforms. Dawn reported on April 20: “The day President Asif Zardari signed the bill into law,a second petition was moved in the Supreme Court challenging the constitution of a judicial commission for the appointment of superior court judges… “ The News on April 22 added: “The Supreme Court Bar Association challenged in the apex court the composition of the judicial commission… It prayed the court to declare the procedure for the appointment of judges as ultra vires of the constitution.” Meanwhile,The News reported the law ministry had ordered the production of “over 5,000 copies of the new constitution.”