Pakistan’s festering wound – TOI

On February 8, representatives of Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International testified before the Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Oversight and Investigations at the US Congress against grave human rights abuses committed by Pakistan’s security forces in the restive province of Balochistan. Since then, Islamabadhas used as many as 10 different channels to strongly protest against what it calls America’s “blatant interference” in its “internal affairs”.The issue has flared up further following the introduction of a House Concurrent Resolution by Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher seeking the right of self-determination for the native Balochs. Pakistan has summoned the acting US ambassador to Islamabad twice in a single week at the foreign office, passed a parliamentary resolution and protested through its ambassadors in Washington DC and at the UN. Wasim Sajjad, a former Pakistan Senate chairman, while referring to HRW, has called for “immediately taking action against those NGOs or persons who are accepting dollars from the US and are pursuing their agenda on the lands of Pakistan and destabilising Balochistan.”

Although the congressional hearing and subsequent resolutions were not sponsored by the Obama administration, American diplomats still face the wrath of Pakistani officials due to utter ignorance of the American poli-tical system. Anti-Americanism is not unfamiliar in Pakistan, but bashing the Obama administration for a ‘crime’ it has not committed simply means there is something fishy in Islamabad’s cupboard.

U.S. resolution for independent Balochistan

A US resolution for independent Balochistan

Baloch are divided between Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan: Rohrabacher

They had the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country, says resolution

A US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher has introduced in his country’s Congress a resolution seeking the right of self-determination for Baloch in Pakistan.

The resolution called as the House Concurrent Resolution in the US House of Representatives and co-sponsored by Representatives Louie Gohmert and Steve King calls for sovereign country for the people of Balochistan.

A week ago, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher had also chaired a Congressional committee’s hearing on Balochistan. His move is likely to affect Pakistan’s relations with the US. Both the countries are already sharing difficult relationship after the NATO attack on Pakistani post. Pakistan in reaction had suspended NATO supplies to Afghanistan.

The resolution says hat revolts in 1958, 1973 and 2005 indicate continued popular discontent against rule by Islamabad, and the plunder of its vast natural wealth while Baluchistan remains the poorest province in Pakistan.

The resolution further adds there is also an insurgency in Sistan-Balochistan, which is being repressed by Iran. The people of Balochistan, it said were divided between Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan and they had the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country and they should be afforded the opportunity to choose their own status among the community of nations, living in peace and harmony, without external coercion.

Media reports said Rohrabacher, who is also the Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations also issued a statement from his office which said, “The Baluchi, like other nations of people, have an innate right to self-determination. The political and ethnic discrimination they suffer is tragic and made more so because America is financing and selling arms to their oppressors in Islamabad.”

The press release further added that Balochistan is “rich in natural resources but has been subjugated and exploited by Punjabi and Pashtun elites in Islamabad, leaving Baluchistan the country’s poorest province.”

WASHINGTON: TP MD, Feb 17, 2012

Courtesy » The Point – Voice of Sindh & Balochistan

http://www.thepoint.com.pk/world97.php

Finally, the shoe is on the other foot – NAB initiates probe against senior PTI leader

Embezzlement: NAB initiates probe against senior PTI leader

By Zahid Gishkori

ISLAMABAD: A senior member of Imran Khan’s party of self-professed ‘clean politicians’ has come under scrutiny. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started investigations against a senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income, officials said.

Malik Naveed Khan allegedly embezzled millions of rupees in the procurement of arms for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police at exorbitant prices on the pretext of fighting terrorism, they added.

“He (Naveed), who served as inspector general police K-P, allegedly made Rs25 million in an arms purchase deal worth Rs6 billion with a Chinese firm during his tenure,” a member of an executive board of NAB told The Express Tribune.

The decision to start investigations against Naveed was taken in a board meeting on Wednesday, which also approved investigations against deputy IGP K-P Khurshid Alam, in the same case.

Naveed, who is now pursuing a political career with the PTI, is working with his close friend, head of PTI’s scrutiny committee in the province, Rustam Shah Mohmand. …..

Read more » The Express Tribune

Former governor Sindh, Hakim Saeed murder clues letter allegedly recovered from slain MQM leader by Scotland Yard

– Investigators stumble on Hakim Said murder clues

LAHORE: A letter likely to point to the murderers of former Sindh governor Hakim Said has been allegedly recovered by Scotland Yard from the house of slain Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq.

Earlier, several MQM workers, allegedly involved in Said’s murder on October 17, 1998, were arrested and subsequently sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court. However, on May 31, 2001, the Sindh High Court acquitted all the accused in the case.

The letter, said to have been written to Dr Farooq by one Javed Turk, is part of a number of documents impounded from the MQM leader’s house as part of the ongoing investigations into his murder.

The investigating agency is translating the letter from Urdu to English for possible clues, sources said.

Said, who established Hamdard Foundation in 1948, was a well known scholar and philanthropist.

Farooq Murder probe

Translated documents, recovered from Farooq’s house, are helping Scotland Yard zero-in on possible suspects in Farooq’s murder case, sources said.

Scotland Yard has recently questioned on caution one person and also carried out house and office raids in the UK in connection with Dr Farooq’s murder. The person questioned on caution is believed to have links with an important Pakistan-based political party.

Knowledgeable sources have claimed that the MQM UK chapter has taken strong exception to the direction the murder case probe has taken and has even reportedly protested to the UK government. ….

Read more → The Express Tribune

via → Siasat.pk

Tum Agar Sindh Ke logoN Se Muhabbat Karte, YooN Na In Khak Nasheenoon Se Kinara Karte, Aaj Auroon kee Ttarah, Sindh ke betae hote

Tum Agar Sindh Ke logoN Se Muhabbat karte … yoon na in khak nasheenoon se kinara karte, tanz ke teer na mara karte ….. aaj auroon kee tarah, Sindh ke betae hote

→ YouTube

Anna Hazare’s message to the Nation

My Dear friends, A decisive battle against corruption has begun. We are not against any political party. We want systemic reforms. We want a corruption-free country. After all, what are the people asking for – a strong anti-corruption law which provides for honest and time-bound investigations and trials that result in jail for the guilty, confiscation of embezzled money and their dismissal from service? Are we asking too much? For two months, we were talking to the government.

Government seems unwilling to take even small steps against corruption. Government appears insincere. We have met all prominent political leaders. We have tried everything. What do we do now? When I announced my indefinite fast from 16th August, the government threatened that they would crush us the way they crushed Baba Ramdev’s peaceful agitation.

Friends, this is a historic opportunity. We can’t afford to lose it. We are determined to fight to the end. If they arrest us, we will peacefully offer ourselves. If they use batons and bullets, we will happily lay down our lives but will not leave the place. We will not retaliate. It will be a completely non-violent movement. “If you fast on 16th August, you will be crushed” – this is what they are saying. “We will impose section 144 on Jantar Mantar” – this is what they are thinking. But I say that if every citizen in this country takes off from his work from 16th August, comes on the streets in front of his house, at the crossing, with a tricolor in his hands shouting “Mata ki Jai” and raising slogans against corruption, they will fall short of batons and bullets. The government may arrest one Anna Hazare but how will they arrest 120 crore Anna Hazares? They may impose section 144 at one Jantar Mantar but will they impose section 144 on the whole country? And let me tell you – the police and army is with us. At traffic signals, policemen stop us, express their support and wish us well; at Raj Ghat, the policemen donated generously for the movement! So, will you take off from your work from 16 August? Will you descend on the streets with me? This year, the country will wait for 16th rather than 15th August. In solidarity.

Thanks

Anna Hazare

Courtesy: → Desiyatra, August 11, 2011

PAKISTAN: Another Pakistani woman is killed, yet officials remain silent

AHRC-FAT-033-2011, July 5, 2011 – An article from Radio Free Europe forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission

PAKISTAN: Another Pakistani woman is killed, yet officials remain silent

Shazia, 19, was stoned, burnt with acid, and then shot dead for an unknown sin

By Daud Khattak

No one noticed last month when Shazia, 19, was stoned, burnt with acid, and then shot dead for an unknown sin in Mardan, the second largest town in northern Pakistan after Peshawar.

Originally from a village in the Swat Valley, Shazia was snatched by her ex-husband from her mother, taken into the mountains, tortured, and eventually killed.

Her mother, Noor Jehan, a widow with no male relatives, has lodged complaints at three different police stations about her daughter’s fate, but her wailing, so far, has fallen on deaf ears. Law-enforcement agents keep telling her that “investigations are under way.”

Days before Shazia’s heinous murder, another woman was stripped and paraded around Haripur, a city near the now-infamous suburb of Abbotabad, the last dwelling of Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. …

Read more → ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (AHRC)

Talay Bugti, the grandson of late Nawab Akbar Bugti has been killed

Firing in Defence Karachi kills five; hurts seven

KARACHI: At least five people have been killed including Talay Bugti, the grandson of late Nawab Akbar Bugti, and another seven injured in an incident of firing at a private gathering in a bungalow located in Defence Khayaban-e-Rahat area in Karachi late on Saturday, SAMAA reported.

Initial reports suggested that the Baloch leader Talal Bugti of Jamhori Watan Party (JWP) was also among dead. However, later it was confirmed by hospital sources that the killed man was Talay Bugti instead of Talal.

According to sources, the exchange of fire between the security guards after some arguments on conflicting points emerged during a dance party led to the killing.

Law enforcement agencies including police and rangers have converged to the crime site and kicked off investigations after placing strict cordon around the area.

Meanwhile, the dead bodies and the injured people have been shifted to a private hospital for autopsy and medical attainment respectively. SAMAA

Courtesy:→ Siasat.pk → SAMAA TV

Only Najam Sethi can dare to talk about establishment like he is talking in this program

Another amazing program by Najam Sethi. Only he can dare to talk about establishment like he is talking in this program about the political assassinations in Pakistan.

In nutshell:- 1. Laiqat Ali Khan was assassinated by civil and military bureaucracy. 2. General Zia ul Haq was killed by top civil-military bureaucracy. In both cases investigations were covered up, derailed and stopped and in both cases blame was passed on to foreign elements but in reality those were local conspiracies. Thank you Najam Sethi Saheb for this daring to talk show against the devil – the Military Mullah Alliance. Undoubtedly Najam Sethi is true, when he says that the security establishment is the main reason of the plight of the people of Pakistan. The language of the program is urdu/ Hindi.

To watch other parts – Part -1,  Part -2, Part -3, Part -4, Part -5

Courtesy: Geo TV (Apas Ki Baat with Najam Sethi and Muneeb Farooq, 9th March, 2010)

via- ZemTV

SALMAN TASEER’S BLOOD ON SOCIETY’S HANDS?

Governor Punjab Salman Taseer’s murder is a result of rising extremism and fanatisicm in the country. Shutting our eyes to problems of intolerance, extremism and fanaticism will not help the problem go away. In this episode of Reporter, Arshad Sharif tries to find out if the media, judiciary, lawyers and society at large also have a role in promoting extremist tendencies in Pakistan. The language of program is urdu/ Hindi.

Courtesy: DAWN NEWS TV (Reporter with Arshad Sharif)

Justice Javed Iqbal’s Parents Murdered

LAHORE: The parents of Justice Javed Iqbal, a senior judge of the Supreme Court, were found murdered under mysterious circumstances in their house near Cavalry Ground on Tuesday night.

Courtesy: SAMAA TV (News Beat with Meher Bokhari, 12 Jan, 2011)

via – ZemTV – You Tube Link

Benazir Bhutto – the savior

– You Tube Link

Powerful hidden hands are covering up the assassins of Benazir Bhutto?

Courtesy: ARY News, via – Siasat – You Tube Link

Benazir assassination case and the establishment

by: Munwar S.

Now the seasonal frogs have appeared again in the form of A, B, C and Q leagues. These slaves of intelligence agencies are talking all possible non-sense. They are creating ground for the overthrow of elected government as usual to appease their masters and fathers. PPP folks are weak due to their inefficiency as well as the pressure of establishment. What I see is that if PPP starts or dares to investigate .. and intelligence agency monsters in the BiBi case, its government will be overthrown on so many accounts which nobody would think of, as usual. Now we also know the real face of Judiciary which has never been independent rather responsible for the death of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and thousands other innocent people. Things won’t solve anyways without a decisive battle between cruel forces and the innocent people which PPP should get ready for if they want to save people and themselves. Because people will have to do it eventually, sooner the better.

Courtesy: Sindhi e-Lists, May 5, 2010