Opinion Printline Pakistan
A register of reports and views from the Pakistan press.
Pakistans parallel
Pakistans leader of the opposition,Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan of the PML-N,this week challenged the appointment of the head of Pakistans corruption watchdog,the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the countrys supreme court. The Express Tribune reported on March 11 that the appointment of chairman NAB had been challenged in the Supreme Court by Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan,who contended the mandatory requirement for consultation with the opposition for the appointment of chairman NAB,as enshrined in the constitution,was not fulfilled… He added he was opposed to it in view of the nominee,Justice (retd) Syed Deedar Hussain Shahs past association with the PPP and the fact that he had twice served as a member of the Sindh assembly. The three-member bench hearing the case concluded that the appointment henceforth stood null and void. Shah is said to be an old friend of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
The government reacted in two unexpected ways to the order: first,it reappointed Shah despite the court rendering his appointment ultra vires,and secondly,it called for a strike in Karachi,Shahs city. The Express Tribune reported on March 11: President Asif Ali Zardari had subsequently reappointed chairman NAB on a fresh summary sent by PM Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani. The court had expressed shock over the development and asked for the latest record regarding Shahs reappointment as NAB chief. Daily Times reported: In reaction to the Supreme Courts decision to sack Shah,the PPP on Thursday decided to hold a massive protest and called for a complete shutter-down and wheeljam strike in Karachi on Friday,while the enraged PPP workers also took to the streets against the verdict. According to reports,scores of armed men took to the streets and opened aerial fire in various PPP-dominated areas of the city.
Law minister indicted
Pakistans federal law minister has been indicted in a robbery and kidnapping case. Daily Times reported on March 7: A district court in Rawalpindi… indicted Babar Awan in a robbery and kidnapping case. The case… had been lodged with the New Town police station,Rawalpindi,in 1998. The minister,who appeared before a civil judge… along with his counsel… denied the charges and termed the case as baseless. However,the court formally charged the minister and adjourned the hearing till March 12.. Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar,expressed surprise and dismay over the prosecution in Punjab taking action on a 12-year-old case and termed it as unfortunate,besides politically motivated. Another report gave the Punjab law minister,Rana Sanaullahs view that the case had nothing to do with any… politics,adding that Babar was well aware of the case registered against him in the court and that he should respect the court. It was a citizen who had registered the case against Babar Awan and the Punjab government is not the plaintiff in this case, Sanaullah clarified.
Third time lucky
Last week,Pakistans former army chief and president,General Pervez Musharraf was served his third non-bailable arrest warrant over the accusation that Benazir Bhuttos security was lax. Previous warrants couldnt be delivered to him since he no longer lives at his
Pakistan address.
This week,the court ensured that the warrants reached him in London,which has been his publicly-known base ever since he left Pakistan in 2008. But Musharraf,the elusive commando,gave the warrant-wielders the slip again,and was found thousands of miles away from London.
A report in Dawn on March 10 stated: The government sent to the British authorities on Wednesday the arrest warrant of Musharraf in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case. According to sources in the interior ministry,the warrant was sent by the Federal Investigation Agency to Pakistans high commission in London,which forwarded it to the UK foreign affairs department…
The former president,accused of not providing adequate security to the PPP leader,is said to be in Dubai these days.
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