Guest Post by Kruman
The single most important issue raised in the affidavit filed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was that the president did not have a reference from the Prime Minister when they met in the GHQ on March 9, 2007. The president has kept insisting that he merely performed his constitutional duty to forward the reference submitted by the Prime Minister to the SJC.
This statement by the president was challenged (by implication) in the affidavit filed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). CJP’s affidavit stated that the president only had hand-written notes during their meeting on March 9th i.e. no reference had been submitted by the PM till then. This is a very serious allegation against the president as it implies that the presidential reference was prepared after the CJP refused to resign on March 9. It was expected that the PM would file an affidavit (in support of Musharraf’s position) clarifying that he (Shaukat Aziz) had submitted a reference to the president prior to the president/CJP meeting on march 9 2007.
Interestingly, Sharifuddin Pirzada stated this week in the Supreme Court hearings that if the reference was not forwarded by the PM then it should be nullified.
The affidavits filed by DG MI, DG IB and President’s Chief of Staff have circumvented the issue above. The most important player in this crisis, after the president and CJP, the Prime Minister has preferred to stay mum. All of these are ominous signs for the president, general Pervez Musharraf. In a meeting with his allies in the parliament he complained that he felt alone in the current crisis. His isolation seems to be growing.
Dillam dar aashiqi awarah shud, awara tar bada
Tanam as bay dilli baycharah shud, baychara tar badaMy heart is lost in love, may this state ever grow
I have gotten helpless in this state, may this helplessness ever grow
(Hazrat Amir Khusro)
And now they’re going to file a fresh reference against the CJ, for his post-March 9 activities.
A government of the criminals, for the criminals, by the criminals. The following is a news report posted on Watandost:
The News, June 10, 2007
MIRPURKHAS: A well-known cardiologist who conducted medical check-ups on ex-DIG Salimullah Khan in the district jail and had suggested his tests, has left the country after a top political personality of the province allegedly threatened him with dire consequences on telephone.
The cardiologist of the Civil Hospital, Mirpurkhas, had examined Salimullah in the district jail at Khan’s request a few days back and had suggested in writing some tests to be conducted by pathological laboratories.
It apparently annoyed some powers in the Sindh government who did not want any relief for the ex-DIG. Following the incident, a top political personality of the provincial government phoned the heart specialist and threatened him with dire consequences for recommending the tests, which might provide a basis for relief for the former police official during the legal process.
The political personality was quoted as saying: “You will go missing and no one will know where you are.â€
General Musharraf is running the country like an army unit. He makes all the decisions and everybody else is supposed to fall in line. If things go wrong they are supposed to defend his decision whether it is defensible or not. Shaukat Aziz as his second in command is supposed to carry out his orders rather than to use his own brains. the rest of us are his troops and are supposed to clap on his every utterance—recently gibberish. this is this cartoon’s mindset.
Yasser,
He is just trying to protect the prez. In their minds they’ve lost the legal battle. In case of an adverse decision they want the PM to take full responsibility for the reference and resign.
the whole crisis would have cool down, if presidant Musharaf had the ability to say only five words “sorry i made a mistak” every leader should have the quality to accept the mistak. Unfortunately we are unable to find objective dirven leadership, the whole game seems to be “ego dirven”.Long time ago west have proved “Right is might” by demonstrating social justice in their societies. every body is equal before eyes of law may it be prime minister, cheif of army staff or cheif justice. but here the law is exercises with concept of “Might is Right.