PPP's Manifesto

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Benazir launches party manifesto​

By Asim Yasin

ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto on Friday formally launched the party manifesto for the January 8 elections, focusing on “5 Es” namely employment, education, energy, environment and equality.

“We believe that the key to development lies in focusing on employment, education, energy, environment and equality and in the January 8 elections we are presenting a better future for the people of Pakistan,” said the former prime minister while unveiling the party manifesto 2008 at a crowded news conference on Friday.

PPP Parliamentarians Secretary General Raja Pervez Ashraf and Information Secretary Sherry Rehman were also present on the occasion. The focal point of the manifesto, however, remains the party’s popular slogan of “Roti, Kapra aur Makan” or “Food, Clothing and Shelter” with three additions of education, energy and employment.

Interestingly, the PPP has included all the 36 points of the Charter of Democracy in its manifesto. Briefing on the main focal points of the manifesto, Benazir Bhutto said in order to create employment, the educated youth would be given one-year employment on trial basis, micro-finance would be enhanced and the elderly would be given special concessions.

“After coming into power, we would construct small dams to overcome the water shortage in the country, power generation would be promoted and the menace of load-shedding would be ended,” she added.

Benazir Bhutto said that the PPP would remove the ban on student unions but at the same time would not allow arms on campuses and even in Madrassas. The education curriculum will also be revised in line with modern education.

Benazir said the PPP would not turn the religious seminaries into arms depots or military headquarters to impose their will on the people. She vowed to expand micro finance in the country so that as many as 5 million people could borrow money to generate incomes.

On equality, she said it was an important part of the manifesto and that every citizen had equal rights. She said, “We want to make Pakistan a moderate economic country, as we are living in a global world in order to fulfill its requirements we have to change our thinking but this will only be possible if the Constitution is held supreme and the judiciary is independent and the democracy prevails.”

Benazir said that the party would also empower the women and minorities through putting in place a national employment policy for women; through taking institutional initiatives to prevent crimes against women; through effective legislation to enable secure ownership of assets and resources for women; through establishing family courts led by women judges.

She said the PPP would provide protection to Pakistan’s minorities through reviewing laws that discriminated against them. It will empower the minorities through job quotas and affirmative action programmes that entitled them to employment in the public sector, she added.

On environment, she said the PPP would support the Kyoto Protocol and it would be implemented in the country. Benazir also said that the housing credits would be provided to low and middle-income groups and for senior citizens the party would provide financial assistance.

In the health sector, she said that national insurance scheme would be launched for better health facilities for the people. On foreign policy the PPP says that it will support the right of self-determination for all people and it will support the rights of Kashmiri people and will pursue the composite dialogue process agenda that it initiated with India.

On terrorism, the PPP vowed to dismantle “the militant groups who seek to make hostage the foreign policy of the country and impose their writ through force on tribal areas of Pakistan and elsewhere and the distinctions between and amongst terrorist groups will no longer be maintained”.

On defence, the PPP says that the educational curriculum in defence institutions will be revised to ensure respect for democracy, democratic institutions and elected officials. In addition, the PPP says that all newly-appointed services chiefs will be given a public oath of office, similar to the one taken at commissioner, prior to taking up their assignments.

On provincial autonomy, the PPP says it will abolish the concurrent legislative list, the provinces will be given due share in their natural resources, review the criteria of the NFC award while taking into account contribution of revenues, geographic size, backwardness and level of development as well as population, review the natural gas rates and royalty formula, provinces will be given part of sale proceeds in the sale of federal assets in their provinces.

"Benazir Bhutto said in order to create employment, the educated youth would be given one-year employment on trial basis,"


What on earth is this!
How on earth are we going to pay these "trial employees"? Where are they going to be "trialling"? What happens after they are done "trialling"?
They go back to being homeless, since the state spent all that money on one year of needless employees, rather than investing it in projects that would create employment

Alas, I see a return to the bloated, inefficient state enterprises of pre-musahrraf days!

Instead of offering "trial employments", Pakistan would be better served if she took that money and expanded schools and hospitals - those places will need people to construct them (note: employment being generated) and once constructed they will need to be staffed (not again: employment being generated) and this will be long term employment for our yout, where they can contribute to the welfare of the nation, rather than the type she is proposing where a dozen people are sitting around conducting "nose picking trials" (who can fling that booger furthest - you go first Asim).

 

[Cheetah786]

Benazir Bhutto said that the PPP would remove the ban on student unions but at the same time would not allow arms on campuses and even in Madrassas. The education curriculum will also be revised in line with modern education.

Benazir said the PPP would not turn the religious seminaries into arms depots or military headquarters to impose their will on the people. She vowed to expand micro finance in the country so that as many as 5 million people could borrow money to generate incomes.

On equality, she said it was an important part of the manifesto and that every citizen had equal rights. She said, “We want to make Pakistan a moderate economic country, as we are living in a global world in order to fulfill its requirements we have to change our thinking but this will only be possible if the Constitution is held supreme and the judiciary is independent and the democracy prevails.

According to our constitution she cant run for the office any more.but the good news is she respects the constitution and right after she changes it to suit her needs .it will be respected by her and others should do the same.
democracy is very important to these basterds yet she is a chair person of ppp for life.
student unions are for what use they dont promote education they promote polictical views and have nothing to do with education.but the good news is she is standing up for education.
setting up quotas system only creates hatred.but good news is she wants to create equal oppertunities for minorities.
i say if people of pakistan vote for her or the other basterd they deserve what they get.

koyoto applies to industrilized nations we are far from being one.by going into that direction she will make sure to take out few that we have.chinese indians and americans are against it.but yes pakistan should do some thing about it.

would she be bringing here kids into pakistan to get educated there now.

 

[fatman17]

Nothing New in this so-called Manifesto which will change the lives of Pakistanis. I would really like to see how she manages this public oath of office for the service chiefs!

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

PPP manifesto has shocks for Musharraf​

By Hamid Mir

ISLAMABAD: The Manifesto 2008 of the Pakistan People’s Party is surprisingly quite disturbing for the establishment as it is closer in its thinking, formulations and content to the PML-N of Nawaz Sharif rather than the liberal anti-extremism agenda of Pervez Musharraf.

Released by Benazir Bhutto recently, it has surprised both her critics and especially diplomats in Islamabad because it is not according to the policy direction of Pervez Musharraf. Many critics though are still of the view that she is helping Musharraf by participating in an election without pressing for the independence of the judiciary.

Some are even claiming that both Benazir Bhutto and Maulana Fazalur Rehman are negotiating with Musharraf secretly but the new manifesto has a very different message. The PPP has rather strikingly demanded that military dictators responsible for subverting the Constitution in the past must be answerable to the people of Pakistan. This would be of serious concern to Musharraf as he is the only one alive to face the consequences.

Understandably, the new manifesto has many other points on which President Pervez Musharraf will disagree with the PPP. Firstly, the PPP claims, as against Musharraf, that it was Benazir Bhutto who gave freedom to Pakistan’s electronic media in the first place.

Secondly, the PPP has included the Charter of Democracy (COD) in the manifesto, which was signed between Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif many months ago in London. Then the PPP has also promised things which hit at the root of President Musharraf’s wide powers as a civilian president. These critical issues include: the appointment of governors, three services chiefs and CJCS shall be made by the prime minister who will be the chief executive; National Security Council will be abolished and replaced by the old Defense Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) headed by the prime minister; politically motivated NAB will be abolished and replaced by an independent Accountability Commission; Nuclear Command and Control will be placed under the DCC; all security agencies including ISI and MI will be answerable to the elected prime minister; all indemnities promulgated by the military regimes will be reviewed; and defense budget will be discussed and approved by the parliament.

These issues strike deep at the power base of Musharraf while some go even beyond, like the demands that even the Military Intelligence (MI), which is now under the Army chief, should come under the PM or the control of the nuclear assets.

Pro Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League-Q has rejected all these points and claimed that the PPP has sent a surprising message through the manifesto to the establishment, making it to think twice before reposing full faith and trust in Benazir Bhutto.

There is one point in the manifesto that can even disturb the fan club of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. This clause pertains to the appointment of judges to the superior courts and says these appointments will be made with the advice and consent of a joint parliamentary committee consisting of equal representatives of the government and the opposition and on the recommendation of a commission headed by a former chief justice who has not taken oath under the PCO.

Justice Iftikhar took oath under the PCO many years ago but not in 2007 and according to the new PPP manifesto, he cannot head any commission for the appointment of new judges. The PPP has also promised to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to investigate how the so-called National Accountability Bureau was used to commit perjury and wasted national resources to politically re-engineer Pakistan. The Page 18 of the manifesto says “each elected leader of Pakistan left office brutalized and criminalized while none of the military dictators paid the price even when they disintegrated the nation and mutilated the Constitution.” This is a profound observation which can shake many who are sitting on the fence of the establishment watching the Musharraf-Benazir political romance.

The PPP has also challenged the claims of Musharraf that actually it was he who gave freedom to the media in Pakistan. The manifesto says that “PPP liberated the press in 1988 by allowing free import of newsprint, the abolition of government permission to establish newspapers and journals and by introducing private radio and television stations”.

The Information Secretary of PPP Sherry Rehman explained that the first private radio channel FM 100 and the first private TV station Shalimar Television Network (STN) were established in the second tenure of Benazir Bhutto. So the credit of liberalizing the electronic media goes to the PPP and not to Musharraf.

The PPP manifesto says that the future of Kashmir will be determined according to the aspirations of the people of Kashmir and the UN resolutions but it also supports open and safe borders at the Line of Control to socially unite the Kashmiri people.

The PPP has also promoted the idea of the Asian Common Market in its manifesto. It is also promised that a treaty of peace and cooperation with Afghanistan will be signed with a commitment that the PPP will not allow Pakistan’s territory to be used for cross border terrorism against Afghanistan.

The PPP have also given the idea to build “Apna Ghar” (my home) as a free boarding school for socially or economically disadvantaged children to counter the mushroom growth of religious seminaries (Madrassa). The PPP is committed to confront terrorism in its manifesto but this issue has not been presented as one of the main agenda items.

The new manifesto is slightly different in words from the manifesto of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who founded the PPP in 1967 but the principles are the same. ZAB said that Islam is our religion, democracy is our politics, and socialism is our economy and all power to people. The new manifesto says that Islam is our religion, democracy is our politics, social democracy is our economy and all power to people.

Benazir Bhutto has replaced socialism with social democracy in the new manifesto, which is also not against the ideology of her father. ZAB wrote her a letter in 1978 from Rawalpindi jail in which he expressed his liking for the Scandinavian model of social democracy in Pakistan for the eradication of poverty.

The new manifesto promised containment of inflation, tax system, public works programme, vocational training, just labor policy, job quota for minorities in services of Pakistan including Army, police, intelligence, judiciary and other departments. All these promises need many constitutional amendments and the PPP needs a two-third majority in the coming election to fulfill these promises.

The highlighted parts will essentially end up doing the same thing that NS tried to do with his "amirul momineen" crap. I really hope we get a hung parliament - this is too much power concentrated in the PM.

 

[JK!]

Agnostic,

Could you explain to me how or why BB and NS are still able to particpate in elections when they have already served twice as PM?

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Agnostic,

Could you explain to me how or why BB and NS are still able to particpate in elections when they have already served twice as PM?

They can still run for election to the National assembly and senate I believe. They would not then, if elected, be eligible to run for the office of Prime Minister - unless they overturn that with a two thirds majority. I am not aware of any term limits for NA or Senate member.

A quick blurb, Personally I think that NS is going to run - ther is too much at stake here. There is a very strong chance that he and BB could come up with a two thirds majority and overturn every reform Musharraf has brought about. I don't think he will pass up that chance.

 

[JK!]

True say about Nawaz Sharif.

Its a bit like politics in the UK where Gordon Brown was loved one minute and hated the next within the space of a week.

Anything goes until January it seems.

 

[araz]

Well folks.
It seems like another one has bitten the dust. Both the Shareef brothers have now been disqualified and unless something drastic happens will not be taking part in these elections.Lets see how this cookie crumbles.
With regards Benazir,it is my firm belief that all the menifesto aside Benazir will only look after Benazir. I have a parody to her menifesto but it is too uncivilized to mention her. Sorry folks this witch disgusts me.
Araz

 

[fatman17]

old wine in a new bottle.....

Pakistan: Benazir, where is your alternative?

Former Prime Ministers Nawaz Shariff and Benazir Bhutto continue to struggle to reach consensus on how to deal with the elections announced by President Parvez Musharaff. Both filed nominations. Shariff has been disqualified. Benazir announced the Pakistan Peoples Party’s election manifesto on 30 November 2007. Since then, Shariff and Bhutto have been trying to cobble together a pro-democracy alliance but so far they have succeeded only in undermining the democracy movement; the lawyers, journalists and human rights activists – have been sidelined.

Benazir Bhutto’s election manifesto offers no alternative. The proposals lack any substance. She has nothing to offer in terms of governance. There is nothing substantive on human rights.

Some of the key issues of concern are highlighted below.

I. No commitment on an independent National Human Rights Commission

At page 15 of its election manifesto under the heading “Human Rights”, the PPP boasts of introducing a Ministry of Human Rights in Pakistan and promises to respect the life, liberty, property, livelihood and right to freedom of association, expression and movement of every citizen and honour the 'International Human Rights Declaration' in both letter and spirit. This is not a real solution to Pakistan’s deeply rooted rights problems.

The Ministry of Human Rights has failed while the previous administration attempted to establish an independent National Human Rights Commission. A draft National Commission for Human Rights Bill was presented to the National Assembly in February 2005. In May 2005, the Bill was referred to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights for further consideration and deliberations. The mechanism has not moved since.

Pakistan needs a strong National Human Rights Commission. It needs a Commission which complies with the United Nations Paris Principles on National Human Rights Institutions. Strangely, the PPP promised to establish an independent National Commission for Religious Minorities but fails to address the issues of an independent national human rights institution.

The PPP must support the establishment of a National Human Rights Commission.

II. No commitment at international level

On international commitments, the PPP states “It will honour the International Human Rights Declaration in both letter and spirit.”

Despite being targeted by successive military rulers, the PPP’s leadership appears to be illiterate on “human rights”. There is no “international human rights declaration” unless they were referring to the “Universal Declaration on Human Rights”. The issue is not about honouring a UN human rights declaration but rather more about undertaking legal obligations by ratifying the treaties and ensuring their compliance at national level. So far, Pakistan has failed to ratify International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance; International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families; Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict; and Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

For a country with human rights problems on a scale of Pakistan, the poverty of knowledge on human rights is astonishing. For the PPP human rights is only to be invoked to protest the arrest of political leaders. Human rights are only for PPP leaders. When in power the PPP had an appalling record on human rights, see ACHR Weekly Review titled “Bhutto and Shariff: Be Careful of What You Wish For” of 14 November 2007.

III. Improving the plight of the minorities

The PPP promises to establish a national commission on minorities with the powers of a tribunal and review discriminatory laws. This looks like nothing more than rhetoric given that the PPP’s manifesto is silent on amending the 1973 Constitution introduced by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The Constitution sanctions discrimination. Article 2 of the Constitution declares Islam as “the State religion of Pakistan” and the Holy Quran and Sunnah to be “the supreme law and source of guidance for legislation to be administered through laws enacted by the Parliament and Provincial Assemblies, and for policy making by the Government.” Hence, the Constitution justifies Acts or Ordinances which justify discrimination like the “Anti-Islamic Activities of the Quadiani Group, Lahori Group and Ahmadis (Prohibition and Punishment) Ordinance, 1984” promulgated by then President General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, which inserted draconian provisions such as Sections 298-B and 298-C in Pakistan’s Penal Code. Without amendment of the 1973 Constitution, discrimination will be sanctioned by the state.

IV. Empowerment of women

The PPP’s manifesto has a lot of promises on empowerment of women including enunciation of a national employment policy for women; increasing the job quota for women in civil services to 20%; enabling legal ownership of women over assets and resources through legislation; appointment of women judges in the family courts and upper judiciary; prevention of crimes through institutional initiatives etc.

The PPP says nothing on the need to strengthen the National Commission on the Status of Women which does not have adequate powers. If strengthened with a wide mandate and supported by adequate resources, the National Commission on the Status of Women can become the nodal agency of the Government for empowerment of women in Pakistan.

The existing National Commission on the Status of Women has not been established by the Parliament but a product of an Ordinance promulgated by General Pervez Musharraf in a state of emergency. This is required to be strengthened through enactment of a law by the Parliament. Besides, the procedure of appointment of the Chairperson and the members compromises the independence of the Commission. They are to be appointed only by the Federal Government and there is no requirement of concurrence of views of the leader of opposition either of the National Assembly or of the Senate. At present the Additional Secretary or a Director General of the Ministry of Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education is acting as the Secretary of the Commission. The functions of the Commission are enormous and daunting and therefore, certainly needs an independent Secretary to effectively carry out the mandate of the commission. Finally the provision that the Chairperson, Members and other staff of the Commission are public servants makes the Commission an extended arm of the Federal Government instead of making it autonomous. [1]

V. PPP’s silence on the American War against terror

The PPP is silent on the policies of President Pervez Musharraf on war against terror. Although the exact number of detainees handed over to the US is unclear [2] it is believed that some 700 suspects have been arrested by the security forces. Many of them have been held incommunicado and many of them have been handed over to the United States for interrogation without any trial in Pakistan.

VI. Deathly silence on the plight of the Balochis

Apart from the promise of inducting 10,000 male health workers in Balochistan along with the North West Frontier Province there is no mention of either the plight of the Balochis or any action plans to solve their problems in the PPP’s manifesto. It makes no mention of redressing the genuine grievances of the Balochis including the killing of hundreds of Balochis by the security forces.

Similarly, it does not talk about repealing the draconian Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) currently in operation in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. It only talks about amending the FCR to enable a right of appeal to the Peshawar High Court and further to the Supreme Court against all convictions under it. It seems that the PPP is not concerned about the widespread human rights violations that are being perpetrated by the Political Agents or Assistant Political Agents under this draconian legislation. The very existence of such a draconian law only in the FATA and nowhere else throughout Pakistan is a clear case of racial discrimination against the tribal peoples of FATA.

VII. Judiciary

On judicial reforms, PPP’s manifesto only promises about establishing a neutral independent judiciary.

PPP has failed to raise the issue of reinstatement of the judges illegally dismissed by General Pervez Musharraf to validate his own election as President.

Moreover, the PPP manifesto fails to state that the PPP government will implement directions/orders issued by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhury. Most important among them is the one on missing persons. In fact, among others, it is the notices issued by Mr. Justice Chaudhury to the General Pervez Musharraf Government which brought the judiciary in direct conflict with the generals. Upon reinstatement, Mr. Justice Chaudhry again issued suo motu notices to Chief Secretary and Provincial Police Officer of Balochistan on 1 August 2007 on the rising number of disappearances of political activists in Balochistan. Again on 29 October 2007, a three member Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry told the interior and defence secretaries that failure to trace and release all individuals illegally detained by secret agencies would result in stern action according to the law. [3]

PPP once again fails to make any commitment.

VIII. Press and media Freedom

On media freedom, the PPP’s manifesto boasts of liberating the Pakistani Press. It promises to establishing a Press Complaint Commission and ensuring participation by the private sector in the press and media industry. However, there is no mention of anything about repealing of the draconian Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) under which scores of journalists and media persons have been booked, arrested and convicted. General Pervez Musharraf widely misused this law to gag the electronic media. Several news channel critical of the military regime have been banned.

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had a poor human rights record. After years of exile, she has nothing except to demand that Musharraf be replaced. If her manifesto is anything to go by it is unclear how democracy or human rights would be any better served.

 

[roadrunner]

"Benazir Bhutto said in order to create employment, the educated youth would be given one-year employment on trial basis,"


What on earth is this!

lol! The bad part is that this sort of bs actually works with a half literate population. Bhutto is just an abuser. Abdullah Gul was spot on..Bunch of jokers. I'd like to see Musharraf's manifesto, and compare the two. See which one is more realistic!

 

[Energon]

There are some good parts regarding overhauling the education system, dismantling militant groups, cleaning up madrassas, controling arms etc.

My question is what are the chances of her realistically being able to do this?

If we take the current axiom that the PA is the most well organized public and political institution in Pakisan, then see that the abovementioned duties lie within their realm and acknowledge that the PA is the only organization remotely in a position to achieve this objective... then what makes anyone think that BB can do a better job than Musharraf when the latter has much stronger ties with the key institution in question?

 

[fatman17]

There are some good parts regarding overhauling the education system, dismantling militant groups, cleaning up madrassas, controling arms etc.

My question is what are the chances of her realistically being able to do this?

If we take the current axiom that the PA is the most well organized public and political institution in Pakisan, then see that the abovementioned duties lie within their realm and acknowledge that the PA is the only organization remotely in a position to achieve this objective... then what makes anyone think that BB can do a better job than Musharraf when the latter has much stronger ties with the key institution in question?

here again i couldnt agree more with you but really do these activities fall under the PA perview. actually NO but they have been put into this position by the weak civilian administration set-up (para-military / police / levies / education ministry etc). these institutions need to be strengthened but do the politicians have the will to do so.

 

[Spring Onion]

There are some good parts regarding overhauling the education system, dismantling militant groups, cleaning up madrassas, controling arms etc.

My question is what are the chances of her realistically being able to do this?

If we take the current axiom that the PA is the most well organized public and political institution in Pakisan, then see that the abovementioned duties lie within their realm and acknowledge that the PA is the only organization remotely in a position to achieve this objective... then what makes anyone think that BB can do a better job than Musharraf when the latter has much stronger ties with the key institution in question?

Well you did not read the parts highlighted by Agno about her manifesto from that article.
Read between the lines.

Why BB is being promoted by a certain country and why there is so much fuss about our nukes?
We all read every other day the anti-Pakistan Western, Indian, US media is coming up with regular propaganda about Nuclear weapons of Pakistan and talk things that have no basis which they also know is all they are talking highly rubbish but than its another way to star a media battle for surfacing the general opinion before going to wage and accomplish the real agenda and wars.
Same happened before Iraq attack.
So if you read BB’s manifesto clearly the only new thing there is the points where she said “IF” she comes to power she will bring all intelligence agencies, the army and the “Nuclear Weapons” under control of PM
Now here we are where the real interest of that certain country lies that is promoting BB.

Now only an extremely idiot can believe that our nukes will be saved under good for nothing political leaders. While if its BB well we all know very well just for power she in the past had been revealing a lot to outsiders.

Now if she can really do it ? well if the certain country or anyone think that after removing Musharraf even from presidency and putting BB in place will help their plane to disarm Pakistan than it would be highly foolish as

1. The only disciplined and highly organized institution Army had been guarding the nukes very well and brining this institution under PM’s control a wishful thinking. Politicians are too weak to even stick to their own statements while No matter if its Gen Musharraf or Gen Kayani no one will wish to see their power house weakened by such politicians and that too at the behest of an outside country.

2. The more the armymen are supportive of their institution the more they will be saved and strong hence no one gonna weaken it by siding with BB and alien country and even if one person does so others will topple the plan. Its their survival fight.

3. Our agencies are much more professional and better than even those of the powerful countries, so they know how to deal with traitors and don’t think so they will come under the control of unworthy politicians.


4. As far giving the alien country a green signal to operate in our tribal agencies well let them they will have the nightmare of their life and BB too if she does so.

5. Now I do not know who the idiot is who had advised BB to add these dangerous points in her manifesto to please an outside country for coming into power but the manifesto is a blessing in disguise as our agencies and concerned people at the helm of affairs of army will definitely put their guards in action much before she comes to power.

 

[fatman17]

Benazir Bhutto's election bid Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on Friday faced a legal appeal challenging her qualification to contest the upcoming general elections, officials said.

One of her rival candidates earlier filed objections to her nomination papers for the national assembly seats, News Network International news agency reported.

Saifullah Abro of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) party challenged the former prime minister's nomination papers, and called on the election officials to reject her papers.

Abro argued that Bhutto had been convicted in several corruption cases and that according to rules a convicted person could not stand for election.

Bhutto filed nomination papers for two national assembly seats in her home district of Larkana in southern Sindh province.

Early this week, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's nomination papers were rejected by the election officials on the ground that Sharif was convicted and sentenced to life in prison on the charges of plane hijacking and corruption.

The election commission, which has set up special tribunals to decide appeals against nomination papers, will make a decision on legal challenge to Bhutto's nomination papers by Dec 10.

The election commission will issue a final list of candidates on December 16.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

This article is a bit dated, but it serves to illustrate the point that BB's American connections and apparent compromises on almost every aspect of Pakistan's Strategic interests served to unite the military behind Musahrraf, and have once again ensured bad blood and distrust between her and the "establishment", as she chooses to call it.

How foolish and unwilling to learn from history can one person be? The only reason for her repeating and in some sense exceeding her past mistakes, in my opinion, is that she really believes the US will come through for her.

Belligerent Benazir inadvertently helped Musharraf​

Three weeks after emergency, the general is back on his feet

By Kamran Khan

KARACHI: Just three weeks after pushing Pakistan into the second emergency rule of his eight-year reign, President Gen Pervez Musharraf appears to have survived the strongest challenge yet to his hold on power. The Pakistan Army is still standing solidly behind him, the United States is ‘’pretty comfortable’’ with the situation and his fractious political supporters are busy in getting their act together for the elections.

Based on this recovered confidence, anchored in American and Army support, President Musharraf is now getting ready to step down as Chief of Army Staff within the next few days, say his associates.

According to an important aide, President Musharraf’s articulation of views and candour were at their best when he spoke to President Bush in an unpublicised telephone conversation early last week. During this dialogue, he convinced Bush that the emergency was imposed for “only a few weeks” in the best interests of democracy. This landmark telephone conversation between President Bush and President Musharraf, kept secret from the media in both countries, was also used by Musharraf to provide a timetable for the complete restoration of democracy in Pakistan to the person who is perhaps his best international friend.

Musharraf followed up the promise made to Bush during this conversation when he gave the date for the general elections and ordered the release of thousands of political detainees. President Bush was clearly happy and he couldn’t resist expressing his satisfaction publicly on Wednesday by declaring one more time: “I think he (Musharraf) truly is somebody who believes in democracy.”

In an interview with this correspondent in February last year, President Bush had said that he shared Musharraf’s “vision for democracy.” Now 21 months later, Bush said last Wednesday, “I do believe that he’s going to end up getting Pakistan back on the road to democracy, I certainly hope so.”

Opposition politicians, particularly Benazir Bhutto, are discouraged. But what she is probably unaware of is that her belligerent political posturing since her return to Pakistan last month, reinforced the perception among the country’s military commanders that it was the worst time to lift support from Musharraf. More ominously, Bhutto’s combative statements dealt a severe blow to her desire of finally making peace with the Pakistani military establishment.

“What does Ms Bhutto expect from the Army or the people when she starts her day by demanding that the US cut off aid to the Pakistani military,” asked a general not authorised to speak on the record with the media . “I know Gen Musharraf and Gen Kiyani (Vice Chief of Army Staff) had a hard time selling the NRO (National Reconcliation Ordinance) to senior commanders,” the same general claimed. He said General Musharraf’s decision to grant amnesty to Benazir was considered a highly unpopular decision within the institution.

“Her statements on AQ Khan and the Army’s role in curbing militancy had already complicated the situation before she launched the aid cut-off campaign in the western media,” another Army general explained during a private conversation last week. “The notion that she is playing to the gallery in western capitals is gaining ground in the Army in particular and the country in general,” he said.

This became evident when the visiting United States Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte was informed by the government during his visit to Islamabad last week that his desire to arrange a personal meeting with Ms Bhutto would carry negative consequences.

Negroponte got a detailed sense of this perception during his meetings with President Musharraf and two meetings with Vice Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, an informed official said.

During several private conversations with senior military and intelligence officials over the last several days, a consensus view seemed emerging. In this view, international forces were using discontent against President Musharraf to undermine the institution of the Army in Pakistan.

This perception within the Army emanated from the campaign to reinstate the chief justice when the angry lawyers allegedly failed to distinguish between President Musharraf and the largely apolitical Pakistan Army. Their slogans, even in the presence of Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, allegedly targeted the rank and file of the Army and the media ran the campaign unedited, several Army officials claimed.

An element of mystery was added in the military minds when Ms. Bhutto, backed by huge support from the western media, suddenly opted to increase pressure on General Musharraf by demanding the US to cut military aid to “nuclear-armed” Pakistan.

Hence the final decision was taken in informal and formal discussions between the corps commanders and Gen Musharraf just before and after the imposition of emergency to completely detach the Army from civil governance under the new Army chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani and to maintain strategic support to President Musharraf’s vision for democracy which the GHQ is most happy to share with President George Bush.

This was the period when the military commanders also turned down President Musharraf’s offer to quit both as the Army chief and president if that would help restore the much desired civil- military balance of power in Pakistan. According to a reliable official’s account of the meetings and conversations that took place between President Musharraf and several corps commanders and principal staff officers in the last week of October and the first week of this month.

Barring an unprecedented development, the Army seems ready to vanish from the public eye, even to the extent that senior Army officers may be asked to restrict their contacts with civilians only to close relatives and old friends.