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pakistantoday.com.pk
vol ii no 145 108 pages islamabad — peshawar edition
‘n’ chief says party to approach SC in absence of transparent probe into memo scandal Military should avoid politics Senate poll should be held on time
sunday, 20 november, 2011 Zul-haj 23, 1432
Haqqani not to be condemned unheard: Gilani PESHAWAR APP
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Saturday said US Ambassador Hussain Haqqani had been summoned to explain his position in the memo issue and he would not be condemned without him clarifying his position. “The memo issue would be taken to its logical conclusion by ensuring the national interest and Pakistani envoy to the US Hussain Haqqani has been summoned to explain his position. It will be unjust and against the norms of justice to jump to conclusion without listening to the point of view of the ambassador,” he told reporters at the walima reception of the son of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar Gilani said there was no problem for the coalition government as it had working relationship with other na-
tional institutions. Any step contrary to the law and constitution would not be acceptable and added that the opposition had certain legal options to remove the government, he siad. “Certain people, yearning for change in government through unconstitutional means, would miserably fail, as the present government was strong and stable enough to counter such moves.” He said there was total understanding and harmony between the state institutions that was not witnessed in the past during any civilian government’s tenure. Gilani said the entire nation was united against anti-state elements and was aware to protect their national interest. The PM added that the present government faced a lot of difficulties one after other, after coming into power, but took up the challenges with patience and courage. He said all major issues would be resolved while keeping in view national interest. To a question
on Imran Khan, he said it was premature to comment and once Imran Khan’s PTI formed government, “it will be become clear who was supporting whom”. About peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA, the prime
STAff REPoRT
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govt confronted with triple challenges | page 02 blowing memo issue out of proportion to do no service | page 09
ji demands inquiry | page 04 gilani weighs options | page 24
Haqqani leaves for Pakistan over secret memo
MANDRA AKISTAN Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Saturday demanded the government form an inquiry commission to probe into the Washington memo scandal and the inquiry should be completed in 10 days. “An inquiry commission should be established with the consent of the opposition so that the issue can reach a logical end. Retired judges like Fakharuddin G Ebrahim can be made members of the commission which should complete the probe within 10 days,” Nawaz said while talking to reporters. Floating another proposal for conducting an inquiry into the memo scam, Nawaz said the entire National Assembly could conduct the inquiry, which should be completed within 10 days. Nawaz said the issue should not go unnoticed by the government. “The issue of the memo cannot be ignored,” he added. Demanding Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani stop agencies from indulging into the country’s political affairs, the PML-N president said the party would approach the Supreme Court if a transparent probe was not carried out by the government in the memo scandal. To a question on Senate election, Nawaz said he was not afraid of the election and they should be held on time. Sharif said it was not given necessary that the PPP government would win the polls, as all members in both the provincial and national assemblies were not from the PPP. Without naming Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, Nawaz said there was a need to curb the role of intelligence agencies in politics. He alleged that the PML-N had proof of agencies’ support to a political party. “General Ashfaq Kayani should stop agencies from indulging into political affairs . Our army should avoid accusations of indulgence into politics,” he said. Nawaz said if anyone wanted to enter the political arena, he must do it on his own power, not with the support of the agencies. The PML-N leader expressed concern over the progress on the Abbottabad commission, saying the inquiry appeared to be heading nowhere. “The PML-N spoke on issues like the Abbotabbad Commission and killing of journalists. Many politicians come to the forefront and play a blame game, but never speak about any of these issues,” he said. Nawaz said that the PML-N always stood by its principles and the government should be answerable for its role in the incident. “Had President Asif Ali Zardari acted upon the Charter of Democracy, he would have saved the PPP-led government from the disgrace it is facing now,” Nawaz said. He said former president Pervez Musharraf should be tried in the Nawab Akbar Bugti murder case. “If a person like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto can be hanged, Musharraf should not be spared on the basis of his previous post in the Pakistan Army,” he added. Nawaz said his party had raised voice over Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. “It saddens me how the media has forgotten about the killing of journalists Saleem Shehzad and Wali Khan Babar,” he said, adding that an inquiry should be done until the culprits were brought to justice.
minister said it was the main focus of the government, as the menace of terrorism and extremism needed to be rooted out. To a question, he said, “We are a responsible government” and rejected the impression that there was any difference between the political and military leadership. “The government addressed many issues and challenges by taking parliament and mainstream national leadership into confidence. The government accepted the demands of the opposition on issues involving national interest and called joint sessions of parliament and formed judicial commissions on their request,” he said. Gilani said the military leadership explained ceratin defence-related issues to parliament for the first time and praised the army’s positive role in the nation building process.
WASHINGTON onLinE
QUETTA: PPP workers presenting a Sindhi Ajrak to Balochistan Senator Haji Lashkari Raisani during a ceremony to celebrate the Sindh Cultural Day. online
Anonymous SMSs asked 150 MPs to resign or be killed: Malik g
Interior minister says he knows where the conspiracy to kill Benazir was hatched ISLAMABAD STAff REPoRT
Amidst Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz’s threats of tendering resignations en-masse from the national and provincial assemblies to pave way for fresh election, Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday said 150 parliamentarians had recently received anonymous threatening messages, asking them to resign from their seats or else be killed. Talking to reporters after attending a ceremony held in connection with Sindh Cultural Day, Malik said the messages were sent through SMS to parliamentarians which included senators and members of the national and provincial assemblies. He said with the technical assistance of the FIA Cyber Crime Wing, two people had been arrested in this regard from Larkana. According to preliminary investigation, the culprits misused the identity cards of the detained persons, he added. Malik said the matter was being probed thoroughly and the
Cyber Crime Wing would soon identify the people involved in sending the messages. Malik said he knew about the place where the conspiracy of Benazir Bhutto’s murder was hatched and assured the nation that the killers would soon be taken to task. “One the basis of what is believed to be concrete evidence, the authorities know where the plan was prepared and at which point the attackers changed
their dresses,” he added. He said other people besides Pervez Musharraf were also involved in the crime. He said the quarters concerned had been directed to interact with Interpol for issuance of red warrants in the Benazir assassination and Akbar Bugti murder cases and bring back the culprits Malik said the assassins of Benazir Bhutto would be exposed when the PPP decided in this regard. To a question, Malik said Pakistani Ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani had been summoned to Islamabad to explain his position. However, he added, the issue of the memo is between a US citizen and the Pakistan’s ambassador to the US and President Zardari had nothing to do with it. Responding to a question with regard to sending a judicial commission to India for probing the Mumbai attack, Malik said almost all the legal formalities had been completed and Pakistan was waiting for Indian reply to identify the place for holding proceedings of the commission.
Hussain Haqqani, Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, left for Islamabad on Saturday after an explanation was sought from him over a secret memo to Washington claiming that President Asif Ali Zardari had feared a military coup. Haqqani wrote on Twitter: “On way to motherland. #Pakistan”. Pakistani businessman Mansoor Ijaz alleged in a column in the Financial Times last month that a senior Pakistani diplomat asked for help in getting a message from Zardari to then chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen. Ijaz alleged that Zardari feared a military takeover following the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May and brought unprecedented public scrutiny on Pakistani leaders. Earlier, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said he had sought an explanation from Haqqani over the secret memo. Before flying to Pakistani, Haqqani held a sitting with US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman on Friday and discussed the changing political scenario in Pakistan. The media quoted sources as saying that meeting lasted for more than 30 minutes and the two discussed regional issues, specially the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Earlier, the US State Department said the Haqqani-related media