Pakistan is a source of concern: Obama

WASHINGTON: Once again Pakistan resonates in the US presidential election campaign. This time it was the Democratic debate between Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama conducted by CNN in California’s Kodak Theatre on Thursday night.

Responding to a question on withdrawal of troops from Iraq, Senator Barack Obama commented that the foreign policy was being conducted in a wrong way and was not focused. In that context he commented that some countries like Pakistan are a source of concern.
(Rana Fawad)

Nawaz plan C, Fazl plan D: Prof Mumtaz

Washington: (from left to right) Prof Dr Shdireen Hunter, Prof Dr Marvin
Weinbaum, and Prof Dr Mumtaz Ahmad during a disucssion at the
George Town University on Wednesday -- (Photo by Rana Fawad)

By Rana Fawad

WASHINGTON: The late Benazir Bhutto was the plan B of the US strategy in Pakistan and after her assassination Nawaz Sharif could be the plan C and don’t be surprised if Maulana Fazl ur Rehman emerges as the plan D.

This was stated by Prof Dr Mumtaz Ahmad of Hampton University during a discussion on “Recent Events in Pakistan and Their Implications” organized by the Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding of Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University on Wednesday. The other key speaker was Professor Dr Marvin Weinbaum, Resident Scholar at The Middle East Institute. Prof Dr Shireen Hunter conducted the proceedings on this occasion.

Analyzing the political situation in Pakistan, Prof Mumtaz told the audience that he won't be surprised if Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Fazl ur Rehman is brought into the power picture as plan D. He added that Fazl ur Rehman has distanced himself from the Afghan Taliban, has friendly ties with the Indians through Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, does not approve of the Kashmiri struggle as jihad, could talk to the religious elements using his influence in the troubled parts of the tribal areas, and on top of that, he is purchase-able.

Referring to Nawaz Sharif's deportation in September 2007, Prof Mumtaz told the audience that even the FIA director was kept under dark about real destination of Nawaz Sharif's plane. He said the FIA director was told that Nawaz Sharif would be taken to Karachi and that's what he told Nawaz Sharif when he escorted him to the plane. The professor added that after the plane took off, the FIA director was informed the plane was going to Jeddah.

As for the Feb 18 elections in Pakistan, the professor said the world should not be surprised if the President Musharraf's party, Pakistan Muslim League (Q), secures half of the 55 per cent National Assembly seats in the Punjab province. He said one reason was that many of the party tickets holders of PML-Q belonged to the influential families that had their own vote banks in the respective areas.

Another reason, the professor mentioned, is the fact that the Punjab government led by Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi did a lot of development work in the province and some sectors experienced significant salary raise. He said for instance the school teachers in the Punjab received almost 100 per cent raise in their salaries.

Indian movies in Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The Senate’s committee on Culture, Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism in Pakistan has recommended to end the four-decade old ban on showing the Indian movies in Pakistan.

According to The New York Times, the committee issued a statement on Tuesday saying, “The ban has practically become ineffective as these are being viewed uncensored in almost every household on cable TV as well as CDs and DVDs, necessitating a reappraisal to deal with the issue rationally.”

The Indian films were banned in Pakistan after the 1965 war between India and Pakistan. However, three movies (Mughl-e-Azam, Taj Mahal and Sohni Mahinwal) were given special permission tduring that ban.

The Pakistani cinema owners have lobbied hard to get the ban lifted while the opponents argue that it would prove to be the deadly blow for the struggling film industry in Pakistan.
(Rana Fawad)

Deposed Top Judge Assails Musharraf

By MATTHEW PENNINGTON
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan's deposed chief justice sharply criticized President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday, calling him an "extremist general" for firing 60 judges and keeping his family _ including his disabled 7-year-old son _ under house arrest for three months.(The Washington Post)

For Journalists in Pakistan, That's the Way It Is

By Nicholas Schmidle
If journalism is the 'first rough draft of history,' then Pakistan's history is suffering. (The Washington Post)

U.S. Sees Some Fraud Likely In Pakistan Election

By REUTERS WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior U.S. diplomat said on Tuesday some fraud was to be expected in Pakistan's elections on February 18 but the United States was working hard to ensure a poll that is "as free and fair as possible." (The New York Times)

US: Pakistan Working on Election Rules

By FOSTER KLUG
WASHINGTON -- A senior Bush administration official said Tuesday that the United States is pushing Pakistan to fix "serious distortions" ahead of Feb. 18 parliamentary elections.(The Washington Post)

Israeli Officials: Musharraf Met Barak

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JERUSALEM (AP) -- Pakistan's president held a rare and secret meeting with Israel's defense minister in a Paris hotel last week, and the Iranian nuclear program figured high on the agenda, Israeli defense officials said Monday. (The New York Times)

U.S. diplomat dies in Pakistan; suicide suspected

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani authorities found the body of a U.S. diplomat with a bullet wound in his head at his home in Islamabad on Monday and were investigating a suspected case of suicide, police and the Interior Minister said. (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Shuns C.I.A. Buildup Sought by U.S.

By ERIC SCHMITT and DAVID E. SANGER Pakistan’s president dismissed proposals to allow the U.S. greater latitude in territories where militants are active. (The New York Times)

US Shift Seen to Pakistan, Afghanistan

By ROBERT BURNS
WASHINGTON -- In a shift with profound implications, the Bush administration is attempting to re-energize its terrorism-fighting war efforts in Afghanistan, the original target of a post-Sept. 11 offensive. The U.S. also is refocusing on Pakistan, where a regenerating al-Qaida is posing fresh... (The Washington Post)

Pakistan Rebuffs Secret U.S. Plea for C.I.A. Buildup

By ERIC SCHMITT and DAVID E. SANGER President Pervez Musharraf dismissed proposals to allow the United States greater latitude to operate in tribal territories where militants are active, officials said. (The New York Times)

Top Agents in Secret Trip to Pakistan

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) -- The top two U.S. intelligence officials made a secret visit to Pakistan in early January to seek permission from President Pervez Musharraf for greater involvement of American forces in trying to ferret out al-Qaida and other militant groups active in the tribal regions along the Afghanistan border, a senior U.S. official said. (The New York Times)

Pakistan Says Nuclear Assets Are Safe

By MATTHEW PENNINGTON
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan's nuclear weapons are safe from Taliban and al-Qaida militants because of the military's stringent security system and a political climate that precludes a takeover by religious extremists, a top official said Saturday.(The Washington Post)

Brown Should Press Musharraf on Rights: HRW

Free Elections Require Restoration of Independent Judiciary

(London, January 26, 2008) – British Prime Minister Gordon Brown should tell visiting Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf that free and fair elections will be impossible without the full restoration of Pakistan’s judiciary, Human Rights Watch said today.

Musharraf, in the United Kingdom on the last leg of his first foreign trip since the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on December 27, is scheduled to meet Brown on Monday.

“The British government has long ignored Musharraf’s systematic political repression in exchange for dubious cooperation in the ‘war on terror,’ and hollow promises on free and fair elections,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Prime Minister Brown should tell President Musharraf that the UK will no longer tolerate his abusive policies.”

On November 3, 2007 Musharraf suspended Pakistan’s constitution, fired much of the country’s senior judiciary and arrested thousands of opponents, most of whom were eventually released because of international pressure. Still under house arrest, however, are the fired chief justice of the Supreme Court, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, five colleagues and leading lawyers. While the November state of emergency has been lifted, most of its repressive provisions are still in force under the “restored” constitution.

In the lead-up to the February 18 elections, Human Rights Watch has investigated extensive media censorship, disruption of opposition party activities, bias among election officials and pre-poll rigging in favor of Musharraf-backed candidates.

“An independent judiciary is vital for people to have an avenue to contest the results of this election conducted in an environment of bias and intimidation,’’ said Adams.

Human Rights Watch urged Brown to press Musharraf to rescind these measures, seek an independent election commission and a neutral caretaker government to oversee elections.

“Brown should tell Musharraf to immediately release the detained judges and lawyers,” said Adams. “The UK’s notable failure to press for the reinstatement of an independent judiciary is alienating Pakistan’s people at Britain’s expense.”