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Benazir urges Musharraf to restore constitution (Updated at 2115)
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir demanded the revival of the constitution in the country.Addressing a press conference, she said that the entire nation stood in unison in their demand for revival of the constitution. “Our focus now is the revival of constitution,” she said.The government took recourse to the violence against the protest demonstrations. It is however, the obligation of the government to avoid the violence and release the lawyers, she said.She said the gap widened between the conditions of the poor and the rich in the recent years.Benazir said Jang office was raided, another private TV channel of Karachi was attacked; and the newspapers were served with notices; all this is not in the national interest. The respectable personages are being ill-treated, she added.She said the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah struggled for a valued system in Pakistan and gathered the Muslims so that they could live independently and honourably.She remarked that Quaid-e-Azam strived for the establishment of an independent and respectable country; but now there is neither independence nor respect.“Suspension of constitution is attack on Quaid’s Pakistan,” she added demanding the press freedom should be respected.PPP chairperson said that she talked to the detainees, adding the sacrifices put up by them would bring results.Mss Bhutto said that Musharraf ensured PPP in the recent talks that he would shed his army uniform.Talking to the newsmen here, Benazir demanded, “The constitution should be revived; President Musharraf should quit the army office; all the recent detainees should be released; and the free and fair general elections should be held by January 15.”Mss Bhutto said that election commission should be re-scheduled. Responding to a question, she said that she contacted PML-N leader Ishaq Dar to talk to Nawaz Sharif regarding the strategy in view of emergency imposition in the country.She said she contacted also Muttahida Qaumi Movement in this connection.
Countrywide arrests continue on second day of emergency (Updated at 2020)
ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of persons were arrested all over the country on the second day after the imposition of emergency and the raids are still being conducted for arrests. The arrested persons include lawyers and politicians.Protesting against the imposition of emergency, lawyers boycotted the courts all over the country and held demonstrations while police arrested lawyers and political leaders and workers in a large number.The lawyers of the Karachi Bar Association also held demonstration against the judges taking oath under PCO.Police arrested 25 lawyers including president Karachi Bar Association Iftikhar Javed Qazi.After the emergency meeting of the general body of the Karachi Bar Association, police broke the lock of the main gate and entered the building. It arrested more lawyers including two female lawyers. Later, police made arrests on regular intervals.According to the police sources, 25 lawyers of the Karachi City Court have so far been arrested.Courts were completely boycotted and protest demonstrations were convened by the Sindh High Court Bar Association against the judges who took oath under PCO.According to lawyer leaders, police during the demonstration arrested over 150 lawyers.NGOs and journalist organizations held demos outside the Karachi Press Club in protest against the imposition of emergency in the country. Many people were injured in police baton-charge on the protesters and various persons were arrested.Various lawyers were wounded in the police shelling and baton-charge after the lawyers in the Lahore High Court attempted to come at Mall Road and stoned. The lawyers organizations decided to continue the boycott of courts until the lawyers are released. The lawyers took out a rally in the limits of court and the police arrested 15 lawyers from there.A shutter-down strike was observed in other districts including Quetta on the appeal by Pashtunkhaw National Democratic Alliance and the police arrested various people from there.Also, the lawyers boycotted the courts in Nauskhki sine die. The courts boycott was observed also in other areas including Turbat, Gwadar, Chaman, Loralai, Zhob, Pashin, Qala Abdullah, Qala Saifullah and Moosakhel and the flags in black colour were hoisted at bar rooms.Peshawar lawyers locked the courtrooms as a token of protest. And at the Bar Association meeting, the judges who took oaths under PCO were demanded to resign.In Noshehra also, the raids were conducted at the houses of lawyers. The courts were boycotted in Abotabad, Lucky Marwat, District Hangu, District Kurk and district Mansehra. Police arrested three lawyers and political workers from Lucky Marwat and 17 from Abotabad.The lawyers in Abotabad surrounded the Cantt police station, who were manhandled by the police.In Gilgit area also, the courts were boycotted and a rally was taken out, which was baton-charged by the police.
NA session summoned on Wednesday (Updated at 1925)
ISLAMABAD: The national Assembly session has been called on Wednesday at 500pm.Talking to newsmen here, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said the session of cabinet has been summoned, where the national political scenario would be mulled over.
Govt not planning censorship on media (Updated at 1920)
ISLAMABAD: Prime minister Shaukat Aziz said Monday that the government is not disposed to put curbs on media in the country.Talking on the occasion, he said that new judges would be appointed in due consultation with the Chief Justice Pakistan.Shaukat Aziz said that next general elections would be held as per schedule.The imposition of any censorship on media is not under consideration, he added.
EU concerned over emergency in Pakistan (Updated at 1910)
ISLAMABAD: The head of mission of the European Union in Pakistan expressed concern over the imposition of emergency in the country. This was said in a statement released in Islamabad that the European Union is concerned over the imposition of emergency and suspension of basic rights by President General Pervez Musharraf on November 3. The European Union demanded to immediately restore all the constitutional organizations and hold elections at scheduled time. It also demanded not to put any ban on media and the judiciary. The head of mission of the EU has in this connection contacted high-level government officials and expressed his reservations.
Netherlands delays aid to Pakistan after emergency (Updated at 1850)
THE HAGUE: The Netherlands has suspended aid to Pakistan after military leader President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule, Dutch Development Aid Minister Bert Koenders said Monday. "This is a dramatic coup d'etat that we strongly disapprove of and that undermines Pakistan's democracy, development and population," Koenders said while talking to a local news agency. The Netherlands had budgeted some 15 million euros (21.7 million dollars) in aid to Pakistan for 2007 and some 12 million euros has already been spent. The remainder is now suspended, Koenders' spokesman Franceso Mascini said. For next year the Netherlands had planned to give some 40 million euros in aid to Pakistan mostly for education. That is now under review.
Worst recession in KSE, index falls by 635 points (Updated at 1845)
KARACHI: The Karachi Stock Exchange has seen today the worst recession in the history of the country which broke all records of the past.
All the stock exchanges of the country were in the grip of recession after the emergency was declared by President General Pervez Musharraf and the KSE 100-index, after lowered by 635 points in a day, closed at 13,279 points, which is a record in the history of the country.
Earlier on June 14, 2006, KSE 100-index was declined by 547 points.
However, senior members of the KSE expect that improvement may be seen in the coming days.
Police raid on Jang press (Updated at 1825)
KARACHI: Police on Monday raided a printing press belonging to Pakistan's biggest-selling Jang newspaper group amid tough curbs on the media imposed under the state of emergency, officials said. They stormed the Karachi premises of Awam, a sister publication of Jang group, following reports it was bringing out a special supplement on the emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf at the weekend, they said. Awam Editor Nazir Leghari said he received a telephone call from Information Advisor to CM Captain Abidi and Director Information SM Iqbal, who asked about the supplement of Awam newspaper. I responded, “It is daily occurrence and supplements are published virtually daily; today also a supplement is going to press.”Nazir continued, “I was said that you will not publish this supplement today. I responded that only the incidents which are happening around are being published. After the closure of TV channels, the print media is the only source of information for the readers to remain informed.”Captain Abidi forbade me to publish this supplement and SM Iqbal threatened me to face serious consequences. Thereupon, Nazir Leghari continued to say that he told them they are objecting even before the publication of the supplement.Regarding the news reports included in the supplement, Nazir said it comprised the morning news items regarding the ruthless torture on lawyers in Karachi and Lahore; the confinement of Sindh High Court Chief Justice, Justice Sabihud Din at his residence; admittance denial for Senior Judge Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani, Justice Athar Saeed and Justice Maqbool Baqar to enter SHC premises; and dumping the Attorney General Rizwan Siddiqui and Justice Shafi Mohammedi into a vehicle.The conveyance of reports like these is our responsibility, Nazir said."It is an attack on the freedom of the media. They came here and threatened to close our press. It is beyond the law," the editor of the evening newspaper, Nazir Leghari was quoted as saying. "We sometimes print special supplements and in the afternoon the press manager telephoned me that police raided our printing press and threatened to seal the press. They said we cannot publish supplements but it was already printed and sold in the market," he added. Leghari said the paper put out a supplement to keep people informed in the wake of the government's shutdown of all private television news channels along with news regarding lawyers protest demonstration.Awam Editor said that he accompanied with other senior editors and officers arrived at the press to find Director Information SM Iqbal and Director Information Azizullah Memon there. Seeing a large number of journalists and other workers there, the policemen departed from there.A government official in Karachi said that under emergency rules, the evening newspaper is not supposed to publish any special supplements, and police were sent to check that the restriction had not been violated.
Demo outside KPC; police lathi-charge (Updated at 1800)
KARACHI: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and media organizations staged a demonstration outside Karachi Press Club (KPC).Police manhandled the demonstrators with lathi-charge injuring several people and arrested various others on the occasion.Police surrounded the KPC premises from the morning and as soon as the protest began, police took to lathi-charge.Policemen broke two cameras of TV channels and also took away the two cameramen in their vehicle.
US asks Musharraf to quit army chief office, restore democracy (Updated at 1750)
WASHINGTON: The United States asked President Pervez Musharraf to restore democracy after quitting the office of the army chief.Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a statement that the restoration of the constitution and holding of the elections are in the interest of Pakistan.He said that Pakistan has gone away from democracy on which the US is much disappointed.
Sardar Raza Khan refuses to take oath under PCO (Updated at 1630)
ISLAMABAD: Justice Sardar Raza Khan said that he was amazed to see that his five colleagues took oath under PCO.Talking with CNews News from Islamabad, Justice Sardar Raza Khan said that he was asked to take oath under PCO but he refused.Justice Sardar Raza Khan said that now only those judges are free who have taken oath under PCO.He said that he is confined in his house for three days.Commenting on emergency, he said that the situation is just like martial law and he therefore refused to take oath under PCO. Justice Sardar Raza Khan said that this is very difficult to know what the decision would be given by 11 judges. He said that the judiciary is related to the people and only the people are its strength. If the judiciary gets people’s support through media then it would have long term impact, he added.
Benazir urges Musharraf to restore constitution (Updated at 2115)
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir demanded the revival of the constitution in the country.Addressing a press conference, she said that the entire nation stood in unison in their demand for revival of the constitution. “Our focus now is the revival of constitution,” she said.The government took recourse to the violence against the protest demonstrations. It is however, the obligation of the government to avoid the violence and release the lawyers, she said.She said the gap widened between the conditions of the poor and the rich in the recent years.Benazir said Jang office was raided, another private TV channel of Karachi was attacked; and the newspapers were served with notices; all this is not in the national interest. The respectable personages are being ill-treated, she added.She said the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah struggled for a valued system in Pakistan and gathered the Muslims so that they could live independently and honourably.She remarked that Quaid-e-Azam strived for the establishment of an independent and respectable country; but now there is neither independence nor respect.“Suspension of constitution is attack on Quaid’s Pakistan,” she added demanding the press freedom should be respected.PPP chairperson said that she talked to the detainees, adding the sacrifices put up by them would bring results.Mss Bhutto said that Musharraf ensured PPP in the recent talks that he would shed his army uniform.Talking to the newsmen here, Benazir demanded, “The constitution should be revived; President Musharraf should quit the army office; all the recent detainees should be released; and the free and fair general elections should be held by January 15.”Mss Bhutto said that election commission should be re-scheduled. Responding to a question, she said that she contacted PML-N leader Ishaq Dar to talk to Nawaz Sharif regarding the strategy in view of emergency imposition in the country.She said she contacted also Muttahida Qaumi Movement in this connection.
Countrywide arrests continue on second day of emergency (Updated at 2020)
ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of persons were arrested all over the country on the second day after the imposition of emergency and the raids are still being conducted for arrests. The arrested persons include lawyers and politicians.Protesting against the imposition of emergency, lawyers boycotted the courts all over the country and held demonstrations while police arrested lawyers and political leaders and workers in a large number.The lawyers of the Karachi Bar Association also held demonstration against the judges taking oath under PCO.Police arrested 25 lawyers including president Karachi Bar Association Iftikhar Javed Qazi.After the emergency meeting of the general body of the Karachi Bar Association, police broke the lock of the main gate and entered the building. It arrested more lawyers including two female lawyers. Later, police made arrests on regular intervals.According to the police sources, 25 lawyers of the Karachi City Court have so far been arrested.Courts were completely boycotted and protest demonstrations were convened by the Sindh High Court Bar Association against the judges who took oath under PCO.According to lawyer leaders, police during the demonstration arrested over 150 lawyers.NGOs and journalist organizations held demos outside the Karachi Press Club in protest against the imposition of emergency in the country. Many people were injured in police baton-charge on the protesters and various persons were arrested.Various lawyers were wounded in the police shelling and baton-charge after the lawyers in the Lahore High Court attempted to come at Mall Road and stoned. The lawyers organizations decided to continue the boycott of courts until the lawyers are released. The lawyers took out a rally in the limits of court and the police arrested 15 lawyers from there.A shutter-down strike was observed in other districts including Quetta on the appeal by Pashtunkhaw National Democratic Alliance and the police arrested various people from there.Also, the lawyers boycotted the courts in Nauskhki sine die. The courts boycott was observed also in other areas including Turbat, Gwadar, Chaman, Loralai, Zhob, Pashin, Qala Abdullah, Qala Saifullah and Moosakhel and the flags in black colour were hoisted at bar rooms.Peshawar lawyers locked the courtrooms as a token of protest. And at the Bar Association meeting, the judges who took oaths under PCO were demanded to resign.In Noshehra also, the raids were conducted at the houses of lawyers. The courts were boycotted in Abotabad, Lucky Marwat, District Hangu, District Kurk and district Mansehra. Police arrested three lawyers and political workers from Lucky Marwat and 17 from Abotabad.The lawyers in Abotabad surrounded the Cantt police station, who were manhandled by the police.In Gilgit area also, the courts were boycotted and a rally was taken out, which was baton-charged by the police.
NA session summoned on Wednesday (Updated at 1925)
ISLAMABAD: The national Assembly session has been called on Wednesday at 500pm.Talking to newsmen here, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said the session of cabinet has been summoned, where the national political scenario would be mulled over.
Govt not planning censorship on media (Updated at 1920)
ISLAMABAD: Prime minister Shaukat Aziz said Monday that the government is not disposed to put curbs on media in the country.Talking on the occasion, he said that new judges would be appointed in due consultation with the Chief Justice Pakistan.Shaukat Aziz said that next general elections would be held as per schedule.The imposition of any censorship on media is not under consideration, he added.
EU concerned over emergency in Pakistan (Updated at 1910)
ISLAMABAD: The head of mission of the European Union in Pakistan expressed concern over the imposition of emergency in the country. This was said in a statement released in Islamabad that the European Union is concerned over the imposition of emergency and suspension of basic rights by President General Pervez Musharraf on November 3. The European Union demanded to immediately restore all the constitutional organizations and hold elections at scheduled time. It also demanded not to put any ban on media and the judiciary. The head of mission of the EU has in this connection contacted high-level government officials and expressed his reservations.
Netherlands delays aid to Pakistan after emergency (Updated at 1850)
THE HAGUE: The Netherlands has suspended aid to Pakistan after military leader President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule, Dutch Development Aid Minister Bert Koenders said Monday. "This is a dramatic coup d'etat that we strongly disapprove of and that undermines Pakistan's democracy, development and population," Koenders said while talking to a local news agency. The Netherlands had budgeted some 15 million euros (21.7 million dollars) in aid to Pakistan for 2007 and some 12 million euros has already been spent. The remainder is now suspended, Koenders' spokesman Franceso Mascini said. For next year the Netherlands had planned to give some 40 million euros in aid to Pakistan mostly for education. That is now under review.
Worst recession in KSE, index falls by 635 points (Updated at 1845)
KARACHI: The Karachi Stock Exchange has seen today the worst recession in the history of the country which broke all records of the past.
All the stock exchanges of the country were in the grip of recession after the emergency was declared by President General Pervez Musharraf and the KSE 100-index, after lowered by 635 points in a day, closed at 13,279 points, which is a record in the history of the country.
Earlier on June 14, 2006, KSE 100-index was declined by 547 points.
However, senior members of the KSE expect that improvement may be seen in the coming days.
Police raid on Jang press (Updated at 1825)
KARACHI: Police on Monday raided a printing press belonging to Pakistan's biggest-selling Jang newspaper group amid tough curbs on the media imposed under the state of emergency, officials said. They stormed the Karachi premises of Awam, a sister publication of Jang group, following reports it was bringing out a special supplement on the emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf at the weekend, they said. Awam Editor Nazir Leghari said he received a telephone call from Information Advisor to CM Captain Abidi and Director Information SM Iqbal, who asked about the supplement of Awam newspaper. I responded, “It is daily occurrence and supplements are published virtually daily; today also a supplement is going to press.”Nazir continued, “I was said that you will not publish this supplement today. I responded that only the incidents which are happening around are being published. After the closure of TV channels, the print media is the only source of information for the readers to remain informed.”Captain Abidi forbade me to publish this supplement and SM Iqbal threatened me to face serious consequences. Thereupon, Nazir Leghari continued to say that he told them they are objecting even before the publication of the supplement.Regarding the news reports included in the supplement, Nazir said it comprised the morning news items regarding the ruthless torture on lawyers in Karachi and Lahore; the confinement of Sindh High Court Chief Justice, Justice Sabihud Din at his residence; admittance denial for Senior Judge Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani, Justice Athar Saeed and Justice Maqbool Baqar to enter SHC premises; and dumping the Attorney General Rizwan Siddiqui and Justice Shafi Mohammedi into a vehicle.The conveyance of reports like these is our responsibility, Nazir said."It is an attack on the freedom of the media. They came here and threatened to close our press. It is beyond the law," the editor of the evening newspaper, Nazir Leghari was quoted as saying. "We sometimes print special supplements and in the afternoon the press manager telephoned me that police raided our printing press and threatened to seal the press. They said we cannot publish supplements but it was already printed and sold in the market," he added. Leghari said the paper put out a supplement to keep people informed in the wake of the government's shutdown of all private television news channels along with news regarding lawyers protest demonstration.Awam Editor said that he accompanied with other senior editors and officers arrived at the press to find Director Information SM Iqbal and Director Information Azizullah Memon there. Seeing a large number of journalists and other workers there, the policemen departed from there.A government official in Karachi said that under emergency rules, the evening newspaper is not supposed to publish any special supplements, and police were sent to check that the restriction had not been violated.
Demo outside KPC; police lathi-charge (Updated at 1800)
KARACHI: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and media organizations staged a demonstration outside Karachi Press Club (KPC).Police manhandled the demonstrators with lathi-charge injuring several people and arrested various others on the occasion.Police surrounded the KPC premises from the morning and as soon as the protest began, police took to lathi-charge.Policemen broke two cameras of TV channels and also took away the two cameramen in their vehicle.
US asks Musharraf to quit army chief office, restore democracy (Updated at 1750)
WASHINGTON: The United States asked President Pervez Musharraf to restore democracy after quitting the office of the army chief.Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a statement that the restoration of the constitution and holding of the elections are in the interest of Pakistan.He said that Pakistan has gone away from democracy on which the US is much disappointed.
Sardar Raza Khan refuses to take oath under PCO (Updated at 1630)
ISLAMABAD: Justice Sardar Raza Khan said that he was amazed to see that his five colleagues took oath under PCO.Talking with CNews News from Islamabad, Justice Sardar Raza Khan said that he was asked to take oath under PCO but he refused.Justice Sardar Raza Khan said that now only those judges are free who have taken oath under PCO.He said that he is confined in his house for three days.Commenting on emergency, he said that the situation is just like martial law and he therefore refused to take oath under PCO. Justice Sardar Raza Khan said that this is very difficult to know what the decision would be given by 11 judges. He said that the judiciary is related to the people and only the people are its strength. If the judiciary gets people’s support through media then it would have long term impact, he added.
