Pakistan Politics

 By Muhammad Akram

LAHORE: The 22-day-long lifeline to a prime minister who was in a Catch 22 situation only a day earlier on whether to appear before the Supreme Court’s special bench hearing NRO implementation case can safely imply as a show of restraint on both the sides as well as an explicit desire to find a middle way out of the deepening quagmire of more than three-year-long stand-off between the executive and the judiciary.

If on the one hand the top PPP leadership had ignored the most popular demand within the party circles that the PM should not appear before the bench to express displeasure over the disqualification of his predecessor, the special bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa on the other hand granted 22 days to the government to amicably resolve the lingering dispute over writing a letter to the Swiss authorities for reopening alleged graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. Read More »Pakistani Executive off the hook, but what about Judiciary?

 Ex-PM says no need for elections as judges want to govern the country.

 He would advise Raja to not to go to court.

MULTAN: Terming judiciary similar to dictators, former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said sarcastically that there was no need of elections as the judges want to govern the country.

Speaking to reporters during an iftar party, he said, “We have fought against all dictators and were always successful, but today the judiciary has become a dictator.”Read More »Judiciary has become a dictator, says Gilani

* Abidi says SC verdict on new contempt law has laid foundation of confrontation between state institutions

* CJP should resign for ‘crime’ of his son

Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Senator Faisal Raza Abidi on Sunday asked the CJP to quit for taking oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) and for alleged involvement of his son in a financial impropriety case.

Addressing a press conference at the PPP Secretariat on Sunday, Abidi alleged that the son of the CJP, Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, had misused the Chief Justice House, Islamabad. He questioned if former CJP Dogar was held responsible for the crime of his daughter, referring to the undue increase in marks of Farah Dogar in FBISE exams, why could not the present CJP be held responsible for the crimes of his son. Abidi said the annulment of the contempt of court law had laid a basis for confrontation between two major pillars of the state.
Read More »Islamabad: Senator levels allegations against CJ, demands resignation

The man at the centre of the PML-N vs Imran Khan controversy over Shaukat Khanum investments, Imtiaz Hydari has come out publicly and blasted Khwaja Asif and his party declaring that his company handling $1.8 billion in funds has already absorbed the drop in value of a sound investment decision taken by the board.

“My company, HBG has taken steps to absorb the impairment in value by granting increased shares to SKMT i.e. the reduced value of Sugarland shares will be compensated by higher percentage shareholding of SKMT in Sugarland BVI. This preserves and protects SKMT investment. Additionally, HBG has also provided an undertaking to assist SKMT’s exit from the investment with Capital Protected,” Hydari said in a response released to the media on Saturday.Read More »Khwaja Asif vs Imran Khan: investor speaks and answers key questions

Article by I. A. Rehman, published in Daily Dawn on 21^st June 2012

ALL praises to the Almighty that the people of Pakistan have been blessed with two history-making judgments of the apex court and this within a matter of days.

The more momentous of the two verdicts has ended the months-old agony of Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani by pushing him off the prime ministerial gaddi. Since the issue was contempt of the highest court in the land the verdict was not unexpected, though the scale of punishment is.

While all Supreme Court verdicts must always be honoured even if they do not appear to be sound, it may not be possible to avoid a prolonged discussion on the present judgment. There are quite a few issues that will need to be clarified.Read More »The two judgments

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has disqualified Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani in its short order of the NA Speaker ruling case.

  Yousuf Raza Gilani is disqualified from membership of parliament from April 26, the date of his conviction. He has also ceased to be the prime minister of Pakistan,” said chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, reading the order.

 The Election Commission shall issue a notice of disqualification and the president is required to take necessary steps to ensure continuation of democratic process,” he added.Read More »Supreme Court Disqualifies Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yusuf Raza Gilani

By Ayaz Amir

We know the kind of influence Malik Riaz Hussain of Bahria Town has been famous for peddling: chummy with presidents and prime ministers, close links to all major political parties, ex-generals and air-marshals in his employ, leading champions of the fourth estate in his pocket, or at least beneficiaries of his largesse. We can even go a step further and for the sake of argument say that he is the biggest wheeler-dealer this side of Suez.

Read More »Islamabad Diary: Et tu Brute?

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has wrapped up the suo motu case involving Chief Justice’s son Dr Arsalan Iftikhar and real estate tycoon Malik Riaz, ordering action against the two in its short order issued Thursday, DawnNews reported.

The court has ordered the Attorney General Irfan Qadir to take strict legal action against Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, Malik Riaz and his son-in-law Salman Ali Khan.Read More »SC orders strict action against Arsalan Iftikhar, Malik Riaz

ISLAMABAD: Taking suo motu notice Malik Riaz’s press briefing, the Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a show cause notice to the real estate tycoon, asking him to appear before the court on Thursday, DawnNews reported.

A three-member bench of the SC’s senior most judges, headed by Justice Shakirullah Jan, was hearing the suo motu case pertaining to the business tycoon’s Tuesday press conference.

Justice Shakirulah Jan read out the text of Riaz’s press briefing in court and said that it appeared as if the judiciary was being scandalised.

Justice Shakirullah said that Riaz had ridiculed the court with the press conference and could be held in contempt of court.

The show cause notice issued to Riaz also said that he had made an attempt to obstruct justice.

The SC had earlier summoned the record of the controversial press conference. Sources had told DawnNews that an informal meeting of the apex court judges had taken place in the chief justice’s chamber. The meeting which lasted for nearly an hour was reportedly attended by 12 apex court judges.Read More »Malik Riaz issued contempt notice over press briefing