Asif Ali Zardari vows defiance at Garhi Khuda Bux
GARHI KHUDA BUX: An embattled but defiant President Asif Ali Zardari used the fourth anniversary of the death of his wife Benazir Bhutto to say he would not resign in the face of numerous crises building around him. “We want to make history, not headlines. I tell you, politics — which we have left to our prime minister and the cabinet — is the art of the possible,” he told a rally of tens of thousands of supporters. “But making a nation is the art of the impossible and I believe I’m doing the art of the impossible.”
The president in his fiery speech said that democracy was still in its infancy in the country, and it will take time to grow stronger. We will only fight for democracy, he said.
I am a constitutional president, added President Zardari, and (Gilani) is a constitutional prime minister.
In a jab at the Supreme Court, which is currently pursuing several corruption cases against Zardari, who currently enjoys immunity as head of state, he asked about the as yet unsolved case of his wife’s assassination.
“People ask what happened to Benazir Bhutto’s case,” he said. “I ask (Chief Justice) Iftikhar Chaudhry: what happened to Benazir Bhutto’s case?”
The rally came two days after cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan brought at least 100,000 people into the streets of Karachi in a rally that increased pressure on the government.
Taking a jibe at Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf’s rising popularity, which Imran Khan terms a political “tsunami,” the president said it was not a “tsunami”, but a “Zoo-nami”.
“We were compared to countries like Singapore,” said President Zardari, commenting on Imran Khan’s speech two days earlier. “Look at their population, and look at ours.”
“We do not want to enter into any theatre of war. We are friends of all. Nobody can dictate who we trade with and who not,” he added.
Police estimated Tuesday’s crowd at more than 70,000. Colourful banners sprouted from the throng, which spread out beneath the graceful, white marble mausoleum that contains the bodies of Pakistan’s most famous political family.
Speaking from behind bulletproof glass, Zardari appeared relaxed and healthy, which would likely calm rumours of his ill health.
Zardari “struck a defiant note, but refrained from attacking the military establishment”, at the rally, said security analyst Imtiaz Gul. “This comes a day after Gilani also backed down, and based on that this smacks of some sort of ‘backdown’ on the part of the government.”
Party members on the scene were upbeat.
“The army or the Supreme Court can do nothing to the government and our party,” said Ali Gohar, 45, a PPP worker from the town of Sukkur who had come to pay homage to Bhutto.
“The PPP has the blood of martyrs in its foundations and we will support it as long as we live.”
PPP Dallas observes 4th death anniversary of BB
DALLAS: The fourth death anniversary of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was observed by Pakistan People s Party North Texas chapter in Irving Texas.Party officers, friends and community leaders attended the event and offered fateha for Shaheed Mohtarma Bhutto. The President of North Texas chapter Zahid Khanzada and Senior Vice President of PPP North Texas, Syed Fayyaz Hassan addressed on the occasion.Khanzada stated that trials of killers of BB Shaheed will strengthen democracy and democratic institutions in Pakistan. He said the jiyalas of PPP has converted the sorrow into strength for democracy. We have taken revenge by strengthening democracy in Pakistan; we promise that we will carry the mission of Benazir Bhutto to its conclusion. PPP founder member Sardar Zahoor Ahmad, Kashmiri leader Raja Muzaffar, Dr, Ghulam Nabi and Imtiaz Jan and others also addressed the meeting. Renowned Urdu poet of USA Younus Ajaz presented poem to pay tribute to Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto shaheed.
Ch.Aitzaz Ahsan set to play major role in PPP affairs
ISLAMABAD: Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, who became a household name when he successfully led the lawyers’ movement for the restoration of judiciary in 2007-09, is set to play an important role in the affairs of the PPP, according to sources. The leadership of the ruling party —facing a hostile establishment and a not-so-friendly judiciary in the wake of the memo crisis —had decided to bank on the legal and political acumen of Mr Ahsan, they said.
A PPP office-bearer said that in the coming days the people would see Mr Ahsan playing an active role in the party’s affairs. Of late, Mr Ahsan has been visiting the Presidency regularly.
Mr Ahsan slipped into the background after his party came to power in the 2008 general election. According to media reports, differences between the party leadership and Mr Ahsan cropped up due to the latter’s refusal to contest elections on the PPP ticket.
Some reports back then had suggested that Mr Ahsan was joining the PML-N and such reports created misgivings within the PPP ranks about him. Recognising Mr Ahsan’s role in the lawyers’ movement, Mr Sharif had announced that in case Mr Ahsan decided to contest the elections, his party would support him unconditionally.
After playing a key role in the reinstatement of incumbent Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, who was sacked by Gen Musharraf, Mr Ahsan also decided not to appear before him, a move that restricted him to Lahore.
“You may call it the re-launching of Mr Ahsan in the PPP when he was asked to make a speech at the fourth death anniversary of former prime minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto alongside President Asif Ali Zardari,” said a PPP office-bearer.
“Yes, he will be playing a key role in all major decisions of the party,” the party official added.
When asked to comment on Mr Ahsan’s presence in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh and making a political speech there, Dr Hassan Askari Rizvi, a political scientist, was of the view that his active participation in party politics would definitely prove a major morale booster for the Gilani government.
“His presence in the party will also help the government ease ongoing tension between the judiciary and federal government.
I met him at a function in Lahore on Dec 24. What I gathered from his talk was that he is going to play an active politics in coming days,” said Mr Rizvi.
When the same question was asked to PML-Q Senator S.M. Zafar, he saw Mr Ahsan’s presence in Naudero the result of the party decision to bring back all its annoyed leaders into the party fold.
He said that after Javed Hashmi’s decision to join PTI which was a major loss to Mian brothers, all political parties, including the PPP, were in a rush to get back their key leaders.
“Of course, Mr Ahsan is a big name, his mere presence, in politics or anywhere else, can make a huge difference, which the PPP at the moment just cannot afford to miss,” said Mr Zafar.
However, Senator Zafar said that knowing his legal stature in the country “I don’t think he would play an anti-judiciary role in the current scenario”.
Business News
FSD industry out of gas even on 7th day
FAISLABAD: Industries in Pakistan’s Manchester remained out of gas due to extremely low pressure even on the seventh day here, Geo News reported.
Enraged industrialists today announced continuing their protests. The industrials and the workers have been staging protests burning notices/bills from the gas company, vowing not to pay any more.
Gas outages have crippled the already staggering manufacturing sector denting production and depriving daily-wagers of days’ livelihood.
On the other hand the domestic consumers are suffering even worse with gas pressure too low to cook.
Meanwhile, All Pakistan Textile Exporters Association’s Chairman has said that if their demands were not met, then the industrialists and the workers would be staging protests on the Motorway choking the flow of all sorts of traffic.
· At Garhi Khuda Bux: PPP stares down critics with own show of strength
· Pak-India talks: Vital accords on nukes, missile tests extended
· Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has re-emphasized that he never talked about removing the Chief of Army Staff and DG ISI.
· President Asif Ali Zardari has vowed to defend the Constitution and said he would not let anyone damage the federation.
· Memo case: Asma pleads SC to call Mansoor Aijaz
· CNG stations closed in Sindh, Balochistan for 24 hours
· PPP Jiyala stages bloody protest for not arresting Benazir Bhutto’s killers
· President Zardari gives dinner party in Naudero House
· US briefs COAS Kayani on investigation
· Veena regrets ‘tragic’ nude photo shoot
· Asifa to bear BB’s flag: Zardari
· 'Didn’t beg Kayani, Pasha for extension'
| Mohammed Saleem Mansoori |
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