Pakistan general elections on Jan 15, 2008: minister

[Neo]

Pakistan general elections on Jan 15, 2008: minister
Karachi News.Net
Thursday 28th December, 2006

The general elections in Pakistan will be held on Jan 15, 2008, a high-profile minister has said in an apparent move to placate political parties and the West that have been demanding restoration of democracy in the country.

The precise date, disclosed for the first time by Tariq Azim, the state minister for Information and Broadcasting at a press conference, sets the time table for the elections in a country currently having its fourth phase of military-guided democracy.

But there is a catch: President Pervez Musharraf would be re-elected before the general elections take place by the current legislatures, both federal and provincial, that had elected him once earlier.

This is a contentious issue with not only the politicians, but also legal and constitutional experts, who question whether a legislature can be an electoral college to elect the president twice in its single tenure.

The presidential elections would be held between Sep 15 and Oct 15, 2007, Azim said Wednesday.

This is in keeping with Musharraf's repeated hints that he would seek a second term in the presidency and also decide when he, the Army Chief since 1998, would hang his uniform. He has argued that the country needs him in the dual role.

The Daily Times quoted Azim on Thursday as saying that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the banker-turned-politician, would be the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid)'s prime ministerial candidate.

Mushasrraf has preferred Aziz, a political lightweight, to the other senior leaders in Muslim League.

Azim's announcement should draw reaction from three top politicians living abroad in exile - two former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, who have been striving to forge an alliance since May this year, and Altaf Hussain, chief of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM).

Musharraf has said that Bhutto and Sharif cannot contest the forthcoming elections.

Also put on alert will be other parties, especially Muttahida Majlis-E-Amal (MMA), the principal Islamist alliance that has been threatening to get its lawmakers to resign from the legislatures en masse to prevent Musharraf's re-election gambit.

Since he captured power in a military coup in 1998, Musharraf has been criticised in the West for denying democracy to his people.

The polls in 2002 did not convince the critics and US President George W. Bush publicly pleaded for the restoration of democracy during his brief visit in March this year.

http://www.karachinews.net/story/222632

 

[Neo]

Different dates for Pakistan polls, but Musharraf election certain

Karachi News.Net
Thursday 28th December, 2006

Two Pakistani ministers have announced different dates for the country's general elections, but said that President Pervez Musharraf would be re-elected by the present legislatures in September-October next year.

There was no official word on it, nor was there any reaction from political parties that have been clamouring for the polls.

The ministers rejected media queries that their announcements were prompted by the recent threat of economic sanctions by the European Union (EU).

While Minister for Sports Mian Shamim Haider said Wednesday that the general elections would be held in November 2007, Tariq Azim, state minister for information and broadcasting, a junior but high profile minister, said the polls would be held on January 15, 2008.

'The next general elections will be held in November 2007. However, before that the house will re-elect Musharraf president for another five-year term. The president is likely to be re-elected in the month of October 2007,' Haider was quoted in The News.

The Daily Times and other newspapers carried the dates announced by Azim, but none appeared to point out the discrepancy in dates between the two announcements.

Either way, the announcements appeared to be signals to political contenders and also the West whose governments have been demanding restoration of democracy.

But there is a clear catch in Musharraf's re-election bid. The current legislatures, both federal and provincial, had elected him once earlier.

This is a contentious issue with not only the politicians, but also legal and constitutional experts, who question whether a legislature can re-elect the head of state in its single tenure.

But this is in keeping with Musharraf's repeated hints that he would seek a second term in the presidency and also decide when he, the Army Chief since 1998, would hang his uniform.

He has argued that the country needs him in the dual role.

Both Haider and Azim told media that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the banker-turned-politician, would be the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid)'s candidate for the prime minister's post.

Mushasrraf has preferred Aziz, a political lightweight, to the seniors in Muslim League politics.

Pakistan's top politicians live abroad in exile - two former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, who have been striving to forge an alliance since May this year, and Altaf Hussain, chief of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM).

Musharraf has said that Bhutto and Sharif cannot contest the forthcoming elections.

Haider said there was no bar on Bhutto's or Hussain's return home to contest the elections or head the campaign of their respective parties. 'These political leaders, however, would have to face legal battles on their return home.' However, he said Sharif's case was different as he left the country after reaching a deal with the government.

Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) has said it was ready to contest elections under Musharraf. The party's Secretary-General Raja Pervez Ashraf said: 'We will contest the elections at any cost and not leave the field open.'

Also on alert will be other parties, especially Muttahida Majlis-E-Amal (MMA), the principal Islamist alliance that has been threatening its lawmakers will resign from the legislatures, en masse, to prevent Musharraf's re-election gambit.

Since he captured power in a military coup in 1998, Musharraf has been criticised in the West for denying democracy to his people. The polls in 2002 did not convince the critics and US President George W. Bush publicly pleaded during his brief visit in March this year.

http://www.karachinews.net/story/222658

 

[Neo]

I'm confused now!
Aren't we supposed to have election in March or April next year?

 

[Owais]

I'm confused now!
Aren't we supposed to have election in March or April next year?

Constitutionaly, these elections can be held on jan 2008.

 

[Lahori paa jee]

There seems to be some division among the ranks and the qurban league. The lotas of PML-Q have yet to decide who will be their candidate for PM's seat.

But this greatests chamcha Tariq Azeem (Minister of state for Inofrmation)has been snubbed by his party leader as well as the Federal Minister of Information Muhammad Ali Durrani

No poll decision made: Durrani: Azeem’s remarks sow confusion

Federal Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani on Thursday contradicted the statement made a day earlier by his deputy regarding the dates and modalities of the presidential and general elections. He also declared that there had been no decision on re-electing Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for a second term.

The surprise announcement seemed to override a statement made on Wednesday by the minister of state for information, Tariq Azeem.

Mr Azeem had said in unambiguous terms that the general election would take place by Jan 15, 2008, and would be preceded by an exercise by the present parliament to re-elect Gen Pervez Musharraf as president for a second term.

Mr Azeem had also declared in his press talk that the governing Pakistan Muslim League, or PML(Q), had decided to re-elect Shaukat Aziz as prime minister for a second term.

However, even before the political parties and analysts could start assessing the impact of such a dramatic announcement, Mohammad Ali Durrani declared that no such plans were on the cards. Much to the embarrassment of his own junior minister, he told journalists in Rawalpindi that neither the election dates had been fixed nor there had been any decision to re-elect Shaukat Aziz.

However, if it was any consolation for the prime minister, Mr Durrani announced that the PML (Q) would certainly award a ticket to Mr Aziz to stand in the general election, and a decision about the next prime minister would be taken later.

His insistence was this had also been Mr Aziz’s stance. “Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz himself has said a number of times that the Pakistan Muslim League would take a decision regarding the next prime minister after elections.”

It is not clear what had prompted State Minister Tariq Azeem to announce in such specificterms that the existing parliament would re-elect President Musharraf by October next year,and the process would be followed by the holding of general elections by Jan 15, 2008.

The statement sent shockwaves, not just through the opposition circles, but also among many of the government’s own allies — none of whom were taken into confidence.

Sources in the government said that on Thursday morning a decision was taken at the highest level that a clarification about both the presidential as well as the general elections was immediately required. The information minister was given the task to explain, in a somewhat subtle manner, the government’s official position on the issue.

After a reception in Rawalpindi, Mr Durrani had an ‘informal chat’ with journalists to explain the position of both the ruling PML (Q) as well as the government. The minister clearly avoided any comments on Mr Azeem’s ‘disclosure’, but said there was absolutely no ambiguity in the government’s position or plan about the elections. He said a formal announcement would be made at an appropriate time, but hastened to add that all moves, including the election of President Musharraf for a second term, would be in accordance with the Constitution.

Sources in the PML(Q) said a debate had been going on for quite some time within the ruling coalition on how to handle the tricky issue of the president’s re-election by the present parliament. There has also been more than one view on the likely dates for the general election, and on the question of re-electing Mr Aziz as prime minister.

Observers said the comments by Mr Azeem and a prompt clarification by Mr Durrani suggest that more efforts are required for building a consensus within the ruling party on such crucial issues before a formal announcement is made.

Source

 

[Lahori paa jee]

I'm confused now!
Aren't we supposed to have election in March or April next year?

PM can request the president to dissolve the assemblies at any time during the five years period which ends in October or November 2007. The next election should be held after 90 days if 5 years are finished. But there are many problems with this

Mushy's 5 years as president end in september so he has to get himself elected again from assemblies. The present assemblies can relect him but that would be cheating. And if he goes for early elections and waits for the next assemblies who knows what may be the outcome

 

[alamgir]

PM can request the president to dissolve the assemblies at any time during the five years period which ends in October or November 2007. The next election should be held after 90 days if 5 years are finished. But there are many problems with this

Mushy's 5 years as president end in september so he has to get himself elected again from assemblies. The present assemblies can relect him but that would be cheating. And if he goes for early elections and waits for the next assemblies who knows what may be the outcome

majority of pakistani believe that elections in pakistan under mush.is a dramma to satisfy west and on other hand we not have a singal person in our political system able and honest who lead the nation

 

[Neo]

PM can request the president to dissolve the assemblies at any time during the five years period which ends in October or November 2007. The next election should be held after 90 days if 5 years are finished. But there are many problems with this

Mushy's 5 years as president end in september so he has to get himself elected again from assemblies. The present assemblies can relect him but that would be cheating. And if he goes for early elections and waits for the next assemblies who knows what may be the outcome

Thanks for elaborating Paa Jee.
What's lates about BB ji and Ganjja, I read they're going to boycot the election.

Good or bad in your opinion?

 

[Lahori paa jee]

majority of pakistani believe that elections in pakistan under mush.is a dramma to satisfy west and on other hand we not have a singal person in our political system able and honest who lead the nation

I agree with you Alamgir. Despite the political leaders repeated calls to the nation to topple Mushy government and take to streets, people have not come out. This is because the political leaders have let them down again and again. But elections under Mush can never be fair

Thanks for elaborating Paa Jee.
What's lates about BB ji and Ganjja, I read they're going to boycot the election.

Good or bad in your opinion?

Oh not at all. Anyone who boycotts elections would be heading towards a dead end. It would be a political suicide to stay away from elections and i dont think anyone would be interested in doing that.

But there are rumours of a possible deal between Mush and BB. We are heading towards very interesting times. If Mush wants to go ahead with Kalabagh Dam he needs a strong support from Sindh and NWFP. Which bb can provide him. (Such a deal if it happens would make Mush very uncomfortable for he will have to share his powers with BB and BB is no Jamali/Shujaat/Shaukat. Such a deal would also hurt Mushy's imageand he will loose whatever little credibility he has left)

Expect early elections as all the indicators point to this possibility. And the elections would be rigged. Already the police chiefs of three provinces have been changed along with major reshuffling of other police officers.

 

[Awesome]

Thanks for elaborating Paa Jee.
What's lates about BB ji and Ganjja, I read they're going to boycot the election.

Good or bad in your opinion?

It's not fair... But it's legal

Since when did we want things fair for people like the MMA, NS and BB?

We all know the likely result of next years elections is going to be another hung parliament until or unless alliances can be made. Now the alliance maker and breaker is Musharraf. I think its good he's not leaving this as a bribe card that parties can play with him. "Promote us and we vote for you as Prez".

Now Musharraf can play the cards at will based on issues the parties would support not a vote.