जोर toor

Dmegs Directory

PML-N quits Pakistan's ruling coalition

The Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif Monday quit the ruling coalition over differences on the reinstatement of judges sacked by former president Pervez Musharraf and on who should replace him. Sharif said his Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) had decided to sit in opposition after Asif Ali Zardari, leader of the Pakistan People's Party, failed to honour his commitments. “We have taken this decision after we failed to find any ray of hope and none of the commitments made to us were fulfilled” by Zardari, he told a news conference. “This situation forced us to withdraw our support and sit on opposition benches,” he added. However he vowed to “continue struggle for restoration of judges and genuine democracy in Pakistan.” Sharif also announced that his party had decided to put up its own candidate against Zardari, nominated for the presidential slot by the PPP. He named retired Chief Justice of Pakistan Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui as his party's candidate in the presidential polls scheduled for September 6

Lawyers observe ‘Salvation Day’

Lawyers observed ‘Salvation Day’ in different parts of Sindh on Tuesday to express their joy over the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf.

Lawyers in Hyderabad took out a rally from the District Bar Association to local press club under the lead of President, Hyderabad chapter of the High Court Bar Association, Abdul Sattar Qazi and General Secretary, Hyderabad District Bar Association Nisar Ahmed Durrani. A general body was also held at the Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhry Hall.


Mr Qazi said the resignation of Pervez Musharraf was a victory for the nation. He demanded reinstatement of deposed judges without delay.

According to Mr Durrani it was also a victory of lawyers who relentlessly struggled for 18 months against the dictator. He said the real victory would be celebrated once deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhry and other judges were reinstated.

“We are waiting for the deadline of 72 hours for their reinstatement,” he said.

Sultan Shaikh said the charge sheet against Musharraf was quite lengthy and demanded to put him to trial for the misdeeds.

Lawyers in Sanghar offered thanksgiving prayers at the district bar office. They distributed sweets and congratulated each other. Similar ceremonies were held at Tando Adam, Shahdadpur and Khipro.

President DBA, Anwar Mehmood Nizamani said that all judges, including Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhry would be restored. He said the main obstacle was removed with justice now to prevail.

Lawyers in Mirpurkhas celebrated Salvation Day and held a general body. President DBA Salahuddin Panhwar said the real democracy was restored following the resignation of Musharraf. He demanded reinstatement of the deposed judges immediately.

In Nawabshah, members of District Bar Association took out a rally to celebrate the resignation of Musharraf. Lawyers carrying placards and posters of Chief Justice Iftikhar Choudhry were dancing.

Clashes leave 23 dead in Kurram

Fie-rce clashes between rival factions in Kurram Agency continued on Tuesday, leaving 23 people dead and 30 others wounded.

A jirga of Toori tribe, meanwhile, threatened to boycott negotiations if the political authorities failed to end the fighting by Wednesday morning.

A member of the jirga said the tribe’s elders had rejected a 72-hour extension in the deadline given to the rival groups and asked the authorities to take immediate action.

Last week, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik had declared that action would be taken against the warring groups if they did not lay down arms within 72 hours.

An 18-member jirga comprising elders of Hangu district and Orakzai Agency arrived in the troubled area on Tuesday and held talks with representatives of the factions. Both sides presented their points of view to the jirga.

Sources said heavy weapons were being used in clashes in different parts of the region.

They said residential areas were also being attacked and fierce clashes in Alizai, Enzari and Bagzai areas of Lower Kurram had caused large-scale displacement of people and destruction of property.

Musharraf denies reports about leaving country

Former President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday denied reports that he was going abroad and was planning to settle in another country and insisted that he had resigned “in the best national interest”.

According to a private TV channel and some sources in the capital, Gen (retd) Musharraf described as baseless media reports that after performing Umra he would move to the United States where his son ran a well-established business.

He was talking to a delegation which called on him at the President’s Lodge in Rawalpindi. However, the TV channel did not say which delegation had called on the former president.

Meanwhile, analysts said that Mr Musharraf’s resignation resulted from a ‘deal’ with the ruling coalition that ensured a ‘safe passage’ in return for a promise not to restore the deposed judge or to repeal the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) before announcing his resignation.

“We had advised the president to reinstate deposed judges and revoke NRO before tendering his resignation but he avoided the steps because he thought that these could destabilise the country,” a PML-Q leader said.

However, Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Farooq H. Naek rejected reports that Gen (retd) Musharraf had resigned under a deal with the government. “No, there is no deal. The former president resigned of his own will. Today,” said the minister.

When asked whether the government would make public the charge-sheet against the former president, Mr Naek said the charge-sheet had been drawn to impeach the former president. But since he had resigned, “it is meaningless”.