General elections to be held in February: Shujaat (Updated at 1450)
ISLAMABAD: Government will hold elections in February and the state of emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf will be lifted very soon said President Pakistan Muslim League (PML) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain announced Thursday.He made this announcement while addressing a joint press conference along with parliamentary leader of MQM Farooq Sattar and federal minister for Babar Ghauri.“ The election might be delayed for few weeks if necessary,” he said. “We are making all out efforts to lift the emergency as soon as possible,” Shujaat said. He called upon the allied parties to start preparations for the election. Joint committee of PML and MQM has been formed to launch election campaign, he informed.
Lawyers boycott courts in Karachi (Updated at 1515)
KARACHI: Karachi lawyers on Thursday continued boycott of the court proceedings against imposition of emergency in the country and condemned the measures taken by the government during general body meeting. A general body meeting of lawyers under auspices of Karachi Bar Association was held in City Courts, which demanded the immediate end of emergency, end of cases and release of lawyers and political workers.
India win toss, elect to bat in Mohali ODI (Updated at 1350)
MOHALI: Indian skipper Mahendra Dhoni won the toss and chose to bat first against Pakistan in the second one-day international on Thursday. India recalled attacking batsman Virender Sehwag into the playing eleven, omitting left-arm spinner Murali Kartik for the day-night game. The hosts won the first match of the five-game series inGuwahati on Monday by five wickets. Pakistan also dropped their second spinner, left-arm Abdur Rehman, and included left-arm Sohail Tanvir in a four-man pace attack. Teams: India: Mahendra Dhoni (captain), Saurav Ganguly, SachinTendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, RobinUthappa, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, RudraPratap Singh. Pakistan: Shoaib Malik (captain), Salman Butt, KamranAkmal, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ulHaq, Sohail Tanvir, Rao Iftikhar, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar.
Musharraf chairing NSC meeting (Updated at 1340)
ISLAMABAD: The meeting of National Security Council (NSC), presided over by President General Pervez Musharraf, has been in progress today (Thursday).The NSC meeting has been reviewing the current situation in the wake of declaration of emergency and enforcement of PCO.Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the Speaker National Assembly, Chairman Senate Muhammad Mian Soomro, the heads of armed forces wings and Chief Ministers of all the four provinces are attending the NSC meeting.
Hasil Bizenjo among five political leaders remanded (Updated at 1240)
KARACHI: National Party chief Hasil Bizenjo, Yousuf Masti Khan, Liaquat Sahi, Farid Awan and Shamshad Qureshi were remanded in the Court of Judicial Magistrate South Zeeshan Akhtar on Thursday.They court ruled to give them in jail custody for involvement in commotion, disruption and other allegations.The said leaders were arrested during a demonstration against the emergency outside Karachi Press Club three days ago.
Stern security in Lahore (Updated at 1130)
LAHORE: Security arrangements in the city and outside the High Court has further been beefed up on the fifth day consecutive day since the imposition of emergency.Heavy contingents of police have been posted outside Aiwan-e-Adal, High Court while check posts were also set up at important roads of the city. The police have erected barriers around the Lahore High Court building and conducting strict checking outside the court and at main roads of the city.
Altaf for unity among allied parties to pull country out of crisis (Updated at 1040)
LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has called upon the allied parties of Pakistan coalition government to display unity and harmony to pull the country out of crisis.Altaf Hussain stated this in a telephone talk to Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.The allied parties should take concerted efforts for this purposed and they should find ways and means to chalk out the joint strategy to overcome the crisis.
Future of Assemblies to be decided till Nov 14: Musharraf (Updated at 1000)
ISLAMABAD: President Musharraf told PML MPs that the period of emergency would be minimal and the election schedule would be announced as soon as the Supreme Court decides about his candidature in the presidential elections.Sources said the president told the gathering that he had received proposals for extending the tenure of assemblies by one year but he had not taken any decision yet. Sources said the president also told the Leaguers that he wanted to hold general elections according to the existing timeframe and a final decision regarding the general elelctions and future of Assemblies would be taken by November 14.Sources said he also asked the Leaguers that rather than taking a defensive position on the imposition of emergency they should come forward to brief the people about the facts that led to its imposition.According to sources, during the interaction with the president, a few parliamentarians suggested that the assemblies should not be dissolved till the final decision of the Supreme Court on the petition challenging his candidature. Sources said Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi also seconded the proposal saying till the decision of the Supreme Court the election schedule should not be announced.
Bush asks Musharraf to hold general elections (Updated at 930)
WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush has asked Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to hold the general elections as scheduled and also to shed his uniform, as "he cannot be the president and the head of the military at the same time". "I spoke to President Musharraf right before I came over here to visit President Sarkozy. And my message was that we believe strongly in elections and you ought to have elections as scheduled, and you need to take off your uniform," Bush said during a joint press conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at Mount Vernon. "You can't be the president and the head of the military at the same time," Bush said to Musharraf over telephone.
Benazir threatens long march o 13 Nov (Updated at 855)
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party Ms Benazir Bhutto has given the deadline of November 9 to General Pervez Musharraf to quit the post of the Chief of the Army Staff as promised by him to the Supreme Court, lift the state of emergency, restore the Constitution and reconstitute the Election Commission for holding transparent elections as per constitutional timeframe, failing which she would start a long march on November 13 from Lahore to Islamabad."If these demands are not met by November 9, we'll start a long march from Lahore on November 13 and then we will stage a sit-in in Islamabad till the Constitution is restored and Musharraf quits the post of the Army chief," she said while addressing a press conference here at the PPP Central Secretariat. Earlier, she chaired a meeting of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy. Benazir Bhutto said her party was ready to talk to all parties, including the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, to launch a movement for the restoration of the Constitution. "I have talked to senior PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar, Asfandyar Wali and Hasil Bizinjo for launching a joint struggle for the restoration of democracy," she added.
No option except partnership with Pakistan and its people: US official (Updated at 0400 PST)
WASHINGTON: Top State Department official John Negroponte said US strongly counseled against emergency rule, but Pakistan’s leadership did not follow the American advice. "Partnership with Pakistan and its people is the only option," the deputy secretary of state added in testimony to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. He said: ``We strongly counseled against emergency rule, but Pakistan’s leadership did not follow our advice,'' Negroponte said."As we assess our relationship with Pakistan, we need to protect our vital, long-term interests in Pakistan by helping the Pakistani people ensure Pakistan's progress toward democracy and civilian rule," Negroponte said. He reaffirmed Bush's demands on Musharraf, including that he resign his position as head of the army. "But the president also pointed out that President Musharraf has been indispensable in the global war on terror, " the official said. "We cannot afford to have on-again, off-again interactions that characterized our relationship in the past," Negroponte said. “Pakistan’s future is too vital to our interests and our national security to ignore or to downgrade."
ISLAMABAD: Government will hold elections in February and the state of emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf will be lifted very soon said President Pakistan Muslim League (PML) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain announced Thursday.He made this announcement while addressing a joint press conference along with parliamentary leader of MQM Farooq Sattar and federal minister for Babar Ghauri.“ The election might be delayed for few weeks if necessary,” he said. “We are making all out efforts to lift the emergency as soon as possible,” Shujaat said. He called upon the allied parties to start preparations for the election. Joint committee of PML and MQM has been formed to launch election campaign, he informed.
Lawyers boycott courts in Karachi (Updated at 1515)
KARACHI: Karachi lawyers on Thursday continued boycott of the court proceedings against imposition of emergency in the country and condemned the measures taken by the government during general body meeting. A general body meeting of lawyers under auspices of Karachi Bar Association was held in City Courts, which demanded the immediate end of emergency, end of cases and release of lawyers and political workers.
India win toss, elect to bat in Mohali ODI (Updated at 1350)
MOHALI: Indian skipper Mahendra Dhoni won the toss and chose to bat first against Pakistan in the second one-day international on Thursday. India recalled attacking batsman Virender Sehwag into the playing eleven, omitting left-arm spinner Murali Kartik for the day-night game. The hosts won the first match of the five-game series inGuwahati on Monday by five wickets. Pakistan also dropped their second spinner, left-arm Abdur Rehman, and included left-arm Sohail Tanvir in a four-man pace attack. Teams: India: Mahendra Dhoni (captain), Saurav Ganguly, SachinTendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, RobinUthappa, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, RudraPratap Singh. Pakistan: Shoaib Malik (captain), Salman Butt, KamranAkmal, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ulHaq, Sohail Tanvir, Rao Iftikhar, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar.
Musharraf chairing NSC meeting (Updated at 1340)
ISLAMABAD: The meeting of National Security Council (NSC), presided over by President General Pervez Musharraf, has been in progress today (Thursday).The NSC meeting has been reviewing the current situation in the wake of declaration of emergency and enforcement of PCO.Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the Speaker National Assembly, Chairman Senate Muhammad Mian Soomro, the heads of armed forces wings and Chief Ministers of all the four provinces are attending the NSC meeting.
Hasil Bizenjo among five political leaders remanded (Updated at 1240)
KARACHI: National Party chief Hasil Bizenjo, Yousuf Masti Khan, Liaquat Sahi, Farid Awan and Shamshad Qureshi were remanded in the Court of Judicial Magistrate South Zeeshan Akhtar on Thursday.They court ruled to give them in jail custody for involvement in commotion, disruption and other allegations.The said leaders were arrested during a demonstration against the emergency outside Karachi Press Club three days ago.
Stern security in Lahore (Updated at 1130)
LAHORE: Security arrangements in the city and outside the High Court has further been beefed up on the fifth day consecutive day since the imposition of emergency.Heavy contingents of police have been posted outside Aiwan-e-Adal, High Court while check posts were also set up at important roads of the city. The police have erected barriers around the Lahore High Court building and conducting strict checking outside the court and at main roads of the city.
Altaf for unity among allied parties to pull country out of crisis (Updated at 1040)
LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has called upon the allied parties of Pakistan coalition government to display unity and harmony to pull the country out of crisis.Altaf Hussain stated this in a telephone talk to Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.The allied parties should take concerted efforts for this purposed and they should find ways and means to chalk out the joint strategy to overcome the crisis.
Future of Assemblies to be decided till Nov 14: Musharraf (Updated at 1000)
ISLAMABAD: President Musharraf told PML MPs that the period of emergency would be minimal and the election schedule would be announced as soon as the Supreme Court decides about his candidature in the presidential elections.Sources said the president told the gathering that he had received proposals for extending the tenure of assemblies by one year but he had not taken any decision yet. Sources said the president also told the Leaguers that he wanted to hold general elections according to the existing timeframe and a final decision regarding the general elelctions and future of Assemblies would be taken by November 14.Sources said he also asked the Leaguers that rather than taking a defensive position on the imposition of emergency they should come forward to brief the people about the facts that led to its imposition.According to sources, during the interaction with the president, a few parliamentarians suggested that the assemblies should not be dissolved till the final decision of the Supreme Court on the petition challenging his candidature. Sources said Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi also seconded the proposal saying till the decision of the Supreme Court the election schedule should not be announced.
Bush asks Musharraf to hold general elections (Updated at 930)
WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush has asked Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to hold the general elections as scheduled and also to shed his uniform, as "he cannot be the president and the head of the military at the same time". "I spoke to President Musharraf right before I came over here to visit President Sarkozy. And my message was that we believe strongly in elections and you ought to have elections as scheduled, and you need to take off your uniform," Bush said during a joint press conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at Mount Vernon. "You can't be the president and the head of the military at the same time," Bush said to Musharraf over telephone.
Benazir threatens long march o 13 Nov (Updated at 855)
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party Ms Benazir Bhutto has given the deadline of November 9 to General Pervez Musharraf to quit the post of the Chief of the Army Staff as promised by him to the Supreme Court, lift the state of emergency, restore the Constitution and reconstitute the Election Commission for holding transparent elections as per constitutional timeframe, failing which she would start a long march on November 13 from Lahore to Islamabad."If these demands are not met by November 9, we'll start a long march from Lahore on November 13 and then we will stage a sit-in in Islamabad till the Constitution is restored and Musharraf quits the post of the Army chief," she said while addressing a press conference here at the PPP Central Secretariat. Earlier, she chaired a meeting of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy. Benazir Bhutto said her party was ready to talk to all parties, including the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, to launch a movement for the restoration of the Constitution. "I have talked to senior PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar, Asfandyar Wali and Hasil Bizinjo for launching a joint struggle for the restoration of democracy," she added.
No option except partnership with Pakistan and its people: US official (Updated at 0400 PST)
WASHINGTON: Top State Department official John Negroponte said US strongly counseled against emergency rule, but Pakistan’s leadership did not follow the American advice. "Partnership with Pakistan and its people is the only option," the deputy secretary of state added in testimony to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. He said: ``We strongly counseled against emergency rule, but Pakistan’s leadership did not follow our advice,'' Negroponte said."As we assess our relationship with Pakistan, we need to protect our vital, long-term interests in Pakistan by helping the Pakistani people ensure Pakistan's progress toward democracy and civilian rule," Negroponte said. He reaffirmed Bush's demands on Musharraf, including that he resign his position as head of the army. "But the president also pointed out that President Musharraf has been indispensable in the global war on terror, " the official said. "We cannot afford to have on-again, off-again interactions that characterized our relationship in the past," Negroponte said. “Pakistan’s future is too vital to our interests and our national security to ignore or to downgrade."
