ISLAMABAD: A military spy agency recorded a conversation between President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan’s Ambassador in US Husain Haqqani discussing the Kerry Lugar Bill and the recordings captured the two discussing how to strengthen democratic institutions in Pakistan. Continue reading »
By Syed Irfan Raza
ISLAMABAD: Although the wife of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had settled her default case with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), she had been given ‘undue favour’ and asked to pay only Rs45.5 million against total liabilities of Rs570 million, sources in the NAB alleged on Saturday in an interview with Dawn. Continue reading »
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Law and Justice on Saturday released the official lists containing names of individuals who have benefited from the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). Continue reading »
ISLAMABAD: In a surprise disclosure on Saturday, the government released a list of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) beneficiaries, despite previously refusing to submit these details in the National Assembly and the Senate. Continue reading »
The political leaders and parties need to give up, at least temporarily, their efforts to delegitimise each other and pull each other down. By doing this they are hastening the collapse of the current democratic order. They need to discard their highly partisan and personalised worldview
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By Ansar Abbasi
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) presented to the government on Thursday a list of 248 politicians and bureaucrats, who were alleged to have plundered hundreds of billions of rupees but were cleared by the NAB under the NRO. Continue reading »
ISLAMABAD: Following is the transcript of the second part of Nawaz Sharif interview with Geo News.
Hamid Mir (HM): The impression one gathers from what you have said is that “the worst democracy is better than the best dictatorship.” Still there are many critics in Pakistan who are all praise for dictatorship but democracy is not visible even in their own political party. An objection is being raised about your party that Punjab chief minister and leader of the opposition in the NA met the army chief without seeking permission from you or the party, and that no action has been taken against them. Continue reading »
RAWALPINDI: Following is the transcript of exclusive interview of Nawaz Sharif with Geo News: Continue reading »
In the last fateful meeting of the party central executive committee, the old PPP guards surprisingly compared the present siege-like situation of President Asif Ali Zardari to that of late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who during his incarceration days was given similar sugar coated assurances about his survival by his party leaders, just as an ‘all is well and great’ report being given today by all the president’s men. Continue reading »
* Former president’s return to Pakistan unlikely
* Aides say Musharraf may announce his own political party when legal bar ends
By Irfan Bukhari
ISLAMABAD: Former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf is likely to enter politics when a legal bar – which prevents public servants from participating in politics for two years from the date of retirement – ends on November 28. Continue reading »
No democrat would hold a brief for military dictators. But if a dispassionate analysis is made, one comes to the conclusion that elected leaders are also responsible in equal measure for having brought the country to the present pass
Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif has said at an election rally at Chilas Rest House that the primary reason for all the problems of the country is frequent violations of the Constitution. One would agree with Mian Nawaz Sharif that all organs of the state must work according to the parameters defined in the Constitution and no one should overstep into the other’s domain. He is also right in demanding of President Asif Ali Zardari the annulment of the 17th amendment and withdrawal of 58(2)(b), and it should be done in days and not weeks and months. But Mian sahib has to be reminded that during his second stint as prime minister, PML-N leaders and workers had stormed the apex court. The treatment meted out to then chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah can only be described as despicable. Second, it has to be borne in mind that almost all leaders or parties on the political scene today have at one time or another aided and abetted dictators, despite claiming to be champions of democracy. Continue reading »
By Shaheen Sehbai
ISLAMABAD: The crumbling presidential edifice in the bunkered palace with two green flags on the Constitution Avenue is giving rise to numerous stories, some fiction, some wishful thinking, and some partly true. Continue reading »