The People - not just Civil Society - must Unite against the Common Enemies
An Interesting article posted on the Emergency Times Mailing list
By Yousuf Nazar
Open letter to BB: Why I left PPP
A lengthy but interesting letter shared on the Emergency Time Mailing List, worth reading to understand the frustrations faced by a PPP supporter
Dear Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Assalam alaikum.
After resigning from the basic membership of the Pakistan Peoples Party on 27 Nov, 2007, I am writing this letter to you elaborating my [...]
A Lawyers Ordeal
(Munir A Malik narrates a chilling account of his imprisonment and near-fatal illness caused by negligence)
By Beena Sarwar
“It was psychological torture to the worst degree,” says Munir A Malik, former President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), talking about his three-week ordeal in prison before he was belatedly taken to hospital with renal failure. “It can [...]
Why Boycott is not an Option?
Guest post by Ali Malik
In the outrage post emergency, I was confused about whether the opposition should boycott the elections or not? For instance, soon after emergency, when a Lahore based journalist (and one for whom I have high regard for), currently in Karachi, was emotionally advocating oppositions’ boycott of the polls, my only response [...]
This, that and the other - Ardeshir Cowasjee
A very interesting article written by Ardeshir Cowasjee printed in Dawn 9th Dec
Having written a column for this week, but having no desire to be carted off to jail or to suffer any physical inconvenience not being a street fighter and, besides, not having too much time left to me I consulted my [...]
Pakistans Rich List of 2008
Short-listing Pakistan’s most influential business magnates or Groups has never been an easy task because there are the people who have been very powerful in nearly every regime that has held this country’s reins since the last 60 years and then we have had those seasonal species that maneuvered their voice to be heard better [...]
Musharraf’s teams Mis-statements at Asia Society
A detailed rebuttal to Musharraf PR Teams Mis-statements at Asia Society Meeting in New York on Friday Nov 30, 2007 which ‘mis’represented by Nasim Ashraf, Kashmala Tariq and Barrister Ali Saif
My views before the event and after the event were all concentrated on the fact that this was sadly a pro-musharraf deal and [...]
First Things First : Muneer Malik Op-Ed in Dawn
Op-ed article published in Dawn, 6th December 2007 by Muneer A Malik, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association who is currently hospitalised following renal failure during his detention in Attock jail
It was heartening to see Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif finally sitting together. The formation of a joint ARD-APDM committee is a positive [...]
Musharraf’s Economic Deception - Part 1
Guest Post by Dr. Tariq Naeem
General Musharraf took over the reigns of power in 1999 from Nawaz Sharif with the Pakistan economy on the verge of bankruptcy. So desperate was the situation Nawaz Sharif toured the world visiting Pakistanis with a begging bowl requesting them to invest in Pakistan due to the sanctions imposed on [...]
Pakistani Election Commission bars Nawaz Sharif
Pakistan’s Election Commission Monday barred former prime minister and opposition leader Nawaz Sharif from a January 8 general election because of past criminal convictions. “His nomination papers are rejected because of his convictions, presiding election official Raja Qamaruzaman told Reuters in Lahore.
Its interesting to note that Mr. Nawaz Sharif in his hate to get out [...]
PML-N to reverse boycott decision soon
There are reports coming in from a number of news agencies that PML-N will very soon reverse their decision to boycott and succumb to the demands of their party stalwarts and contest the election. I truly feel that contesting the elections will only provide Musharraf with even more legitimacy to continue his reign on [...]
Shahbaz Sharif’s nomination papers rejected
The Returning Officer Ashtar Abbas rejected the nomination papers Mian Shahbaz Sharif for one National Assembly (NA 119) seat and two Provincial Assembly (PP 141 and PP 142) seats. Tariq Badaruddin Banday, a candidate from NA 119 filed objection against nomination papers of Shahbaz Sharif that the brother of Nawaz Sharif was a bank defaulter. [...]
Boycott Elections Campaign - PML-N & PPP leadership contacts
On a number of mailing lists there is a extensive list being circulated which has the contact numbers of a number of top PML-N Leadership and their contact details. It can be found at Thought Stream, the best way to get their attention is to send an SMS to their cell phone numbers [...]
Nawaz Sharif’s Return and the Boycott Dilemma
Its all over the media that Nawaz Shairf has finally landed in Lahore after some serious arm bending negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Musharraf (mind you I use Musharraf as Pakistan does not figure anywhere in this equation). It was basically orchestrated to level the playing field as Benazir was apparently acting too erratic [...]
Its time for street protests : Imran Khan
Published in DAWN on November 13th
By Shehar Bano Khan
Looking defiant and all set to mobilise students on the streets on Wednesday (tomorrow) against Gen Musharrafs emergency rule, Pakistan Tereek-i-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan lashes out at the Washington plan of installing its dream team of moderates.
Dismissing the election formula for being devised and dictated by [...]
