Benazirbhutto.org - Emergency

Islamabad November 22, 2007: Former Prime minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto condemned the killing of former member Balochistan Assembly Balaach Marri, reportedly by security forces. She said, “it is a bad omen for the integrity of the Federation.”

Balach was killed on November 20, 2007 in a military operation in Kohlu. His spokesman said that several others were also killed with him.

In a statement today the former Prime Minister said that “the killing and bloodshed in Balochistan must immediately end.”

Mohtarma Bhutto called for national reconciliation in Balochistan, and end of military operations, release of all political prisoners, general amnesty and compensation for all dislocated during the fighting.

The former Prime Minister said Balochistan was in danger of breaking from the Federation unless an urgent political solution was found. She called for the release of Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Sardar Salal Bugti, Mr. Sarki and others.

She recalled that in August 2007 the security forces killed Balochistan’s former Governor and Chief Minister Nawab Akbar Bugti, who headed the Bugti tribe. She said that the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti had inflamed the passions of the Baloch, particularly the young.

The killing of Balaacxh Khan Marri would further inflame passions and could only fuel the fire burning in Balochistan, she said.

“People of Balochistan, like people everywhere, need food, clothing and shelter, and could bullets”.

She recalled the earlier injustice done to Dr. Shazia Khalid at gunpoint, allegedly by security personnel in Balochistan, and the disappearances of hundreds of Baloch nationalist supporters. She said that nationalism could not be crushed by force. People could only be won over by acknowledging the rights and respecting them.

Mohtarma Bhutto said the present regime must review policies in the province and intellectuals must write about it, otherwise, without a solution, consequences for the Federation would be serious.

She said the crisis in Balochistan, like the rest of the country, was political. “We must trust our people, respect and honour them, instead of confronting them.”

On behalf of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma condoled with Nawab Khair Bux Marri. She prayed that God give him patience to bear the irreparable loss and bless the soul of the departed.

PPP files reference against former PM Shaukat Aziz, Ch. Shujat, Senator Mushahid Syed and former Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani

Islamabad, 19 November 2007: Pakistan Peoples Party has filed a reference with the National Accountability Bureau against former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, President Pakistan Muslim League(Q), Ch. Shujaat Hussain, Secretary General PML(Q) Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed and former Minister Information Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani for misappropriating huge amounts belonging to the national exchequer and thereby causing a colossal loss to the government of Pakistan by way of corruption, corrupt practices and misuse of powers.

The reference was filed by Ch. Mohammad Aslam Advocate on behalf of the Pakistan Party.

The reference reads, “The Respondents who are deadly against the Pakistan Peoples Party & it’s Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, have been trying their level best to malign the party with a view to keep the party and it’s leadership away from the people of Pakistan right from the day, they assumed the posts in the Muslim League (Q)/ Government of Pakistan and they have not hesitated from using illegal, unethical, unconstitutional and unprecedented means and ways even in this regard. In connection with the filthy campaign launched by the respondents against the symbol of democracy Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Chairperson PPP and her popular party which rules the hearts of millions of people of Pakistan, the respondents got a highly objectionable, derogatory, insulting, damaging and baseless proclamation published in the daily The News, The Daily Jang, The Daily Nwa-i-Waqt, daily Waqt, Daily The Nation, Daily Ausaf and Daily Jinnah vide publications dated 14th & 15th of November 2007 (Copies attached herewith) at the expense of Government of Pakistan which amounts to misuse of powers, misappropriation of government funds and an illegal act, regarding the government funds entrusted to the Respondent No. 1 who in connivance with the other respondents committed an offence punishable Under the NA Ordinance 1999.”

The reference reads, “Based on the above facts and grounds respondents have shown wilful indulgence in misusing their power and corrupt practices under Section 9 of the NAB Ordinance. They are liable for the punishment under Section 10 of the NAB Ordinance 1999.

“It is therefore requested that the orders may kindly be passed for investigation into the matters set out herein above and a reference against the respondents for violating the provisions of Section 9 of the NAB Ordinance 1999 punishable under Section 10 of the Ordinance be initiated in competent court of law.” The reference prays.

Expresses solidarity with efforts for restoration of democracy

Mohtarma Bhutto invites Reverend Jessie to visit Pakistan

Islamabad November 17, 2007: Reverend Jessie Jackson today telephoned Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and conveyed his support for the efforts aimed at restoration of democracy in Pakistan and to her struggle for the holding of free and fair elections in the country.

Reverend Jessie Jackson a distinguished leader of the Democratic Party leader is known for his outstanding humanitarian efforts in Syria Cuba Yugoslavia and Liberia.

He is known the world over for supporting democracy movement in South Africa when Mr Nelson Mandela was fighting apartheid and for saving countless lives.

The former Prime Minister appreciated his services for the cause of democracy and human rights throughout the world and thanked him for his support to the struggle for democracy in Pakistan.

She also invited him to also visit Pakistan. Jessie Jackson accepted the invitation and would be soon visiting Pakistan in a show of solidarity with the forces of democracy.

Islamabad, 16 November 2007: Over 200 PPP activists were arrested today in Lalamusa, Gujrat and Kharian on the 4th day of the long march .

Those arrested included, Imtiaz Safdar Warraich MNA, Chaudhry Manzoor MNA, Dr. Firdaus Ashiq Awan MNA, Kamar Zaman Kaira MNA, Ijaz Saman MPA, Saood Dar MPA, Lala Shakeel MPA, Malik Tahir MPA, Abdullah Virk Ex-MNA, Tahir Zaman Kaira District President Gujrat and Zahid Bashir Chaudhry City President Sialkot.

Islamabad, November 16, 2007: Pakistan Peoples Party has condemned the roughing up of women workers and elected members of Parliament by male members of the security forces and lodging them in lock ups with males in police stations.

Women workers and members of provincial and national assemblies have undergone harsh treatment and subjected to shockingly abusive treatment by the security personnel over the last couple of days.

A large number of female activists of the Party have been arrested during the long march and shoved into police vans as male policemen beat and shoved them around. The women protestors were also booked under various offences including terrorism. The people also witnessed the scenes of state brutality against them.

In a statement today PPP Senator Rukhsana Zuberi said that it was most condemnable that female political workers were so maltreated by male police personnel and booked under anti terrorism laws.

Amongst others those who have been arrested, jailed and now under house arrest are PPP Punjab information Secretary and MPA, Farzana Raja, Yasmin Misbah ur Rehman MPA, Mehreen Anwar Raja MNA, Uzma Zahid Bokhari MPA, Fayza Malik MPA, Dr. Nadia Aziz MPA., Saghira Islam MPA, Talat Shakoor, and Bilum Hasnain MNA.

For two nights the arrested women were not allowed to sleep and were subjected to harassment and torture. They were moved from one place to another to ensure that the party and their relatives could not reach them.

The PPP has demanded that all the women workers should be released immediately and persecution and harassment should come to end forthwith.

She also demanded strict action against the male police personnel who misbehaved with the women protestors.

It is highly deplorable that the state apparatus is being used to target innocent political workers, Senator Rukhsana Zuberi said.

New York, November 16, 2007 – Pakistan’s government under General Pervez Musharraf’s emergency rule has expanded its crackdown on its critics by detaining hundreds of opposition activists from the country’s largest opposition party, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Human Rights Watch said today. When US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte arrives in Pakistan on Friday, he should publicly demand the immediate release of all protestors and Pakistan’s judiciary held in detention or house arrest since the crackdown began on November 3, including Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and PPP leader Benazir Bhutto.

After Bhutto on November 13 called off power-sharing negotiations with Musharraf, activists from the PPP have faced police violence and mass arrests, particularly in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab. On November

13, the government announced that it would not allow Bhutto to mount a protest march planned by her party for the same day. Bhutto and many PPP leaders have been under house arrest in the central city of Lahore since November 13. There are multiple reports of the police tear-gassing and beating protestors with batons.

“Musharraf is trying to cling on to power by beating and jailing an ever-growing number even of opposition activists,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “But as Musharraf fills the jails with his critics, Pakistanis are expressing their disgust at his repressive rule through continued protests.”

November 14 saw arrests all over the country. In the city of Jhang, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States and a PPP member, Abida Hussain, was arrested and placed under house arrest after she attempted to lead an anti-Musharraf rally. The Punjab province president of the PPP, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, along with several others, was arrested in Rajewala in Punjab province while attempting to lead a protest march from Lahore to the capital Islamabad.

Human Rights Watch has received reports that hundreds of PPP supporters along the route of the party’s proposed protest march have been detained without charge to prevent mobilization for and turnout at the march. Similarly, in the southern province of Sindh, the political base of the PPP, hundreds of party activists have been arrested in the cities of Karachi, Hyderababad, Jacobabad, Khairpur, Thatta and Larkana. Human Rights Watch has been able to confirm the detention of at least 600 PPP activists across Sindh who were protesting Bhutto’s house arrest. Unconfirmed but credible reports indicate the numbers are likely to be much higher.

Human Rights Watch expressed concern at the use of anti-terrorism laws to detain peaceful opponents of the Musharraf government. While most of the detained activists are being held without charge, many have been charged under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), while others are being held under provisions of the colonial-era Maintenance of Public Order Act (MPO).

PPP Senior Vice Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani and 150 PPP activists were charged and produced in an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore, then sent to jail on judicial remand. The 150 detainees include at least 40

Imran Khan, a former captain of Pakistan’s national cricket team and leader of a small but vocal opposition party, Movement for Justice (PTI), was arrested on November 14 after he attempted to lead a student

rally at Punnjab University in Lahore. Aftab Cheema, a senior Punjab police officer, confirmed to the Associated Press news agency that Khan was being held at an undisclosed location and had been charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

“Musharraf is trying to portray opponents of his power grab as terrorists,” said Adams. “His abuse of Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws in a desperate bid to hold onto power must end.”

Human Rights Watch reiterated its call (http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/11/04/pakist17241.htm) for Musharraf to end the state of emergency, rescind the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) and return to constitutional rule. Musharraf must reinstate the judiciary headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, restore fundamental rights, remove restrictions on the media, and release thousands of political detainees held since November 3.

Human Rights Watch also urged Musharraf’s principal patron, the United States, to impose comprehensive sanctions on all military and economic aid, with the exception of humanitarian assistance. The US should also

impose travel restrictions on members of the Musharraf government. US Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte should make it clear to Musharraf that continued US support depends on his reversing the measures he has instituted since November 3. Negroponte is due to arrive in Islamabad on November 16.

“US failure to back up its words of criticism with concrete sanctions has only fueled further political repression in Pakistan and deepened resentment of the US among Pakistanis,” said Adams. “Negroponte’s message to Musharraf needs to simple and straightforward: if he doesn’t end repression, respect human rights and restore the rule of law, Pakistan will lose billions of dollars in US support.”

Islamabad November 16, 2007: Pakistan Peoples Party has welcomed Senator Dodd’s letter to Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte urging him to press for ending the state of emergency in Pakistan and Musharraf doffing uniform.

As General Pervez Musharraf refuses to doff uniform and lift the siege imposed through emergency, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a letter asked Secretary Negroponte to press Musharraf to end Pakistan's state of emergency, lift the restrictions on Pakistani media and release detained members of political opposition.

Dodd also said General Musharraf must resign his post as head of Pakistan's Armed Forces and allow free and fair elections, saying that Musharraf regime’s clampdown “are troubling developments that threaten to destabilize an already fragile region".

"General Musharraf's recent imposition of a state of emergency is extremely worrisome with ramifications that extend well beyond Pakistan's borders," Dodd said in the letter.

In a statement today spokesperson of the Party said that Senator Dodd’s letter lends encouragement and support to the movement for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan that the PPP is presently embarked upon under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto.

It is also a timely reminder that the people of Pakistan do not stand alone and that their struggle has the support of peoples and nations in every continent of the world, he said.

I am writing about the dangerous developments in Pakistan and your upcoming meeting with Pakistani President, General Pervez Musharraf.

General Musharraf's recent imposition of a state of emergency is extremely worrisome with ramifications that extend well beyond Pakistan's borders. The Musharraf government's recent clampdown on former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and other members of the political opposition and civil society, the Pakistani Supreme Court, and Pakistani and international media are troubling developments that threaten to destabilize an already fragile region.

I have no doubt that in your meeting with the Pakistani President you will reiterate the Administration's stated policy that General Musharraf should resign from his position as Chief of Staff of Pakistan's Armed Forces. A return to civilian rule is, in my view, a necessary first step on the road to democratization. However, if General Musharraf is truly committed to a democratic Pakistan, such a step must be followed by free and fair elections in which opposition groups are free to operate and campaign in an open and democratic fashion and in which the media and civil society are able to be actively engaged in the political process.

No such democratic transition can take place, however, without an immediate end to Pakistan's state of emergency rule. Therefore, I respectfully request that you urge General Musharraf to move quickly to end Pakistan's state of emergency, halt restrictions on Pakistani media and unconditionally release detained members of political opposition, including Benazir Bhutto, Imram Khan and members of the Pakistani Judiciary.

I encourage you to make it abundantly clear to General Musharraf that Pakistan's stability, security and democracy is of paramount interest to the United States and must be as well to Pakistan's political leaders. You should also inform General Musharraf that the US Congress stands with the U.S. Administration in its efforts to resolve the current crisis in Pakistan and stands ready to do its part at the appropriate time.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and please do not hesitate to contact myself or my staff if you have any questions”

Meanwhile the Pakistan Peoples Party North Texas Dallas chapter has decide a protest against the emergency on Saturday and for demanding fair and free election in Pakistan .

“We appeal to all the people of our country to walk with us on our common destination towards freedom. We ask the international community to give us moral support”, said Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada General Secretary PPP Dallas in an announcement today.

Islamabad, Pakistan – One day before a state of emergency was declared, a delegation with the International Republican Institute (IRI) concluded a mission assessing preparations for parliamentary elections. The assessment was conducted with the firm conviction of the need for credible and transparent provincial and national elections, without which the full legitimacy of Pakistan’s government cannot be achieved. During the eight-day mission, delegates reviewed the technical and political preparation for constitutionally mandated elections, which will provide a crucial roadmap to the return to democratic governance in Pakistan.

The declaration of emergency on November 3, 2007, is a significant setback to the restoration of democratic governance in Pakistan. IRI’s public opinion research program has clearly proven the voters’ consistent desire for democratic governance, regardless of which political personality led in head-to-head, comparison polling. Recent polls also showed that an overwhelming majority, 83 percent, of Pakistanis were opposed to a declaration of emergency.

The government of Pakistan’s most recent statement that elections will be held on time offers hope that the process towards democratization may be restored. However, it is hard to imagine how elections conducted under a state of emergency could be considered free and fair.

Assessment Mission Findings

Despite rumors of a possible declaration of emergency prior to November 3, the delegation found a commitment on the part of civil society and political parties to democratic elections, even among those who identified a lack of a level playing field in the pre-election environment. Political parties and the media did express concern that measures such as an emergency might be declared and elections delayed. All expressed their intent to oppose such measures.

Prior to the emergency, an over-riding concern was the continued decline in law and order within Pakistan. Potential candidates expressed fears as to their personal safety while they were electioneering; the media worried about the vulnerability of reporters and cameramen in carrying out their work to bring information to the public. A general feeling of insecurity prevailed among most Pakistanis. The concerns of election period security did not, however, lead the majority of Pakistanis, with whom the assessment mission met, to concur with governmental decrees to limit or ban political rallies and gatherings.

Questions as to the capacity of the Electoral Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to meet electoral needs in a timely and objective manner were often raised with IRI’s delegation. A consistent issue of concern was the accuracy of the official voter list and the possible exclusion of eligible voters. In meetings with the commissioner and secretary of the ECP, as well as with provincial election officials, team members were informed of draft codes of conduct and regulation changes such as posting of balloting results. Formalizing and enforcing these draft rules of conduct would have significantly increased confidence in the pre-election preparations.

The ECP and the nation’s political parties continue to find it difficult to work together despite numerous attempts by various stakeholders to facilitate regular meetings on issues related to the conduct of the elections In February, IRI facilitated a one-day roundtable between political parties and the ECP to discuss election preparations. A renewed commitment by the ECP to continue such meetings, irrespective of the timing of elections, is needed, as is the commitment by the political parties to set aside partisan rhetoric and make all attempts to work with the ECP and its provincial branches.

One important step in addressing both capacity and fairness of the ECP would be the expeditious appointment of neutral and qualified individuals to the two long-vacant spots remaining on the ECP. This could be done in consultations with the political parties and civil society.

The delegation observed that the return of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto visibly energized her political movement and heard from several camps, not merely those of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, that the return of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would be necessary to assure the public that elections would be conducted with a fair and transparent intent.

The assessment team noted the integral role played in the pre-election environment by Pakistan’s private media. In particular, private television stations have been removed from the airwaves in the wake of the declaration of emergency. It is essential that they be allowed to broadcast and be given full constitutional freedoms to report. These outlets must rise above partisan or parochial interests and provide equal access to all parties and groups involved in this election.

The assessment team urges the nation’s political parties to come forward with political programs, or platforms, which will motivate the people of Pakistan to participate in elections when they are held. Parties should also spend time organizing their efforts and building coalitions where possible.

Scholars and political observers frequently identify national elections in 1970 as among the most free and transparent in Pakistan’s history. Despite many issues which arose following those elections, it was a benchmark with one of Pakistan’s highest turnouts in 60 years. A commitment by parties to run issue-based, rather than personality-centered, campaigns would hopefully break with the disastrous cycles of elections since 1970.

Recommendations as to the value of translucent ballot boxes or educational degrees required for candidate eligibility, while important, can be postponed until there is a commitment by the government to a return to the path of democratic governance.

The issuance of the emergency declaration in the form of the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) by the government of Pakistan clearly impacts the findings and recommendations of IRI’s assessment mission. Some of the individuals who met with IRI during the course of the assessment are now under arrest or face the threat of detention. Independent media, seen by the assessment mission as one of the positive strengths of the pre-election environment, is now being censored. Political parties already challenged by a lack of level playing field will find it difficult if not impossible to rally supporters.

Restoring public, as well as international, confidence in the electoral process will be difficult but the urge among Pakistanis for democracy remains strong. It is difficult to envision credible elections as possible without the full reversal of those actions imposed by the state of emergency.

Team members met with Pakistani government officials and representatives of political parties, civil society and media in Islamabad before deploying to Karachi, Lahore and Quetta. A planned deployment to Peshawar, the fourth provincial capital of Pakistan, was postponed due to security concerns. In the provincial capitals, team members met with local leadership of 12 political parties, media and government officials.

Mission team members were Dr. Marvin Weinbaum, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Illinois and Scholar-in-Residence at the Middle East Institute; Joanna Levison, former State Department employee with the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; Larry Halloran, Minority Deputy Staff Director for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform; and Brian Joseph, South and Southeast Asia Director for the National Endowment for Democracy. The team also included IRI staff members Tom Garrett, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa; Rob Varsalone, Resident Country Director for Pakistan; Omar Alvi, Pakistan Program Officer; Steve Cima, Resident Program Officer; Jamie Tronnes, Resident Program Officer; Tariq Junaid, Project Manager; and John Dwyer, Long-term Observer Coordinator.

Deplores state excesses against them, calls for giving tenants rights

Islamabad, November 14, 2007 - Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has hailed the heroic struggle waged by the tenants on the farmlands in Okara and said that the Pakistan Peoples Party was with them and would not abandon them.

In a statement today she said that she planned to meet the tenants in Okakara during the long march to express solidarity with them but an unnerved regime had blocked her from visiting them.

She said that she was shocked to learn during exile the atrocities committed against the tenants and how their lands were being grabbed that had damaged the image of the country.

She said that two years ago the PPP took up the issue in the Human Rights Committee of the Senate which called for an end to the victimization of tenants. It also said that since the land belonged to Punjab the provincial government should also be involved in resolving the dispute.

The Senate report had also lamented the massive human rights violations of the tenants and the filing of false cases against them and recommended that the investigations into cases should be entrusted to agencies outside Okara.
But within days of the Senate body’s recommendations another offensive was launched against the tenants, she said.

"It was an affront to the elected Parliament that the Parliament's recommendations were so brazenly disregarded and brute force used against tenants". She said that the PPP will implement the Parliament’s recommendations.

Mohtarma Bhutto said that the Human Rights Watch also criticized the torture of Okara tenants. "Pakistan's military and paramilitary forces are brutalizing their own people in the Punjab instead of protecting them," said a recent HRW report. "It's a dangerous moment in Pakistan when the military turns on its own core constituency."

The report said that even children of the farmers were tortured to coerce them into signing tenancy agreements.

The former Prime Minister demanded that a bipartisan parliamentary probe into the shameless and barbaric incidents of torture of tenants. She said that she was shocked beyond measure that the security forces continued with killing and torturing farmers in the Punjab with impunity because they refused to sign contracts to cede their land rights to the army.

The PPP Chairperson called upon the regime to stop torturing poor peasants, restore them their rights and punish those 'responsible for inflicting torture on the tenants and bringing huge embarrasment to the nation'. Mohtarma Bhutto said that soon she will visit her deprived and dispossessed brothers and sisters at the farmlands.

PPP denounces smear campaign of Mohtarma Bhutto
Decides to take legal action against plotters

Islamabad November 14, 2007: Pakistan Peoples Party has denounced the smear campaign of character assassination through newspaper adverts today against the Party Chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as “dying kicks of the Jehadi remnants of Zia era”.
In a statement today spokesperson for the Chairperson PPP former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the letter alleged to have been written by Mohtarma Bhutto was forged in 1990 by elements in agencies. The forgery behind it has been exposed from the following, he said.
1. Mohtarma Bhutto has never used letterheads titled “Mrs. Benazir Bhutto”.
2. The name was deliberately misspelled as GAILBRAITH in the letter to evade legal action just in case Mr Peter Galbraith challenged it.
3. In September 1990, the date of the forged letter, the purported addressee Peter Galbraith was a senior advisor to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (1979 to 1993) and not in the NDI as stated in the forged letter.
4. The letter is full of grotesque grammatical mistakes that are unimaginable from the office of Chairperson PPP.
The publication of a forged letter after nearly two decades shows how the moving finger that has engineered elections in the past is at it again, he said.
These elements had also cobbled together an anti PPP alliance IJI using money stolen from the banks, he recalled.
He said that it was curious that the ad was printed even though, contrary to the normal practice, the name of the advertising company that designed the advert was not mentioned.
Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the Party had credible information that the secret hands behind the campaign financed the advert from the public funds at the disposal of Information Ministry and paid at commercial rates.
“The dirty brigade playing dirty tricks at public expense must be punished; they will be”

The Party has decided to take legal action against all those involved in planning, executing and financing this smear campaign, he said.

NM Letter

101 A, Bridge Colony, Lahore
Tel: 6670086
Mobile: 0300-8460629
Mobile : 0345-4203757
G8/2 333 Ravi Road
Islamabad Tel: 2263132

Naveed Malik
CHAIRMAN
Pakistan Solidarity Front

Former Chairman (Minister of State)
Prime Minister's Inspection Commission
Deputy Chairman Prim. Minister's Policy Co-Ordination Committee
Component Party of
The Alliance For the Restoration Democracy

Dear Babar Sahib,

I have seen an advertisement In various newspapers of Pakistan given by the Muslim League (Q) today.

The advert consists of a letter dated 24.9.90 allegedly written by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party to Mr. Peter Gailbraith, supposedly of the National Democratic Institute, Washington.

I first released this letter to the media as Political Advisor to the then Chief Minister Punjab. I believe it is important to correct the record.

The letter was prepared by some secret and hidden elements that used Mr. Siraj Munir and Chaudary Sardar Mohammad, the then Additional Inspector General (Special Branch of Intelligence) as their front people.

The letter was crafted to damage Mohtarrna Benmir Bhutto in the elections of 90 by projecting her as a security risk.

As advisor i was mislead by the elements which had forged the lettor into believing that it was genuine who also asked me to release it to the media.
Later, it transpired to me that a special secret cell created for the character assassination of Mohtorma Berazir Bhutto during the 1990 elections had forged it. Please note the date of the letter i.e 24th September, 1990. The 1990 elections took place after a short time of this letter.

It is most unfortunate that this forged letter is being used once again by the secret elements in the name of Muslim League (Q) has allowed its name to be used. This letter was in the custody of Mr. Ghulam Haider Wyne in the office record of the Pakistan Muslim League which is now under the control of Muslim League (Q) led by Chaudhry Shujat and Chaudhry Pervez Eleahi.

The signature of Mohtarma Benazir 8hutto were taken out from an Eid Card by a Photostat machine on a piece of paper and then fixed it on the letter.

Naveed Malik
Pakistan Solidarity Front
Former Chairman (Minister of State)
Prime Minister's Inspection Commission
Deputy Chairman Prim. Minister's Policy Co-Ordination Committee
November 14, 2007

America's 12 human rights organizations have strongly urged U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in their recent joint letter to suspend all U.S. security assistance and military aid to Pakistan's repressive government of outlaws, because
in November 2007, General Pervez Musharraf, a corrupt terrorist tyrant of the Pakistan Army, once again committed many barbarous crimes against millions of Pakistani citizens, including the capital crime of high treason which is punishable with death or imprisonment for life under Article 6 of the Constitution and the High Treason (Punishment) Act. Devil Musharraf illegally subverted and abrogated the
Constitution, and unlawfully imposed illegal military Martial Law of rogue Army generals, unlawful Emergency Rule, anti-Constitution PCO, evil PCO judges/justices, barbaric state terrorism and unconstitutional 'laws' on over 165 million enslaved citizens of Pakistan.

Read the full text of the joint letter of America's 12 human rights
associations:

November 13, 2007

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Rice:

We are writing to urge a significant increase in U.S. pressure on the Government of Pakistan to end Martial Law and to release those who have been detained or are under house arrest. This increased pressure should include a strong, unequivocal statement from [U.S.] President [George W.] Bush explicitly condemning Martial Law and the subsequent arrests, and a cutoff of all security assistance until these
repressive steps are reversed.

Although [General Pervez] Musharraf has sought to justify the suspension of the Constitution as a response to terrorism and extremism, Martial Law has from the start constituted an attack on the independence of the judiciary and on civil society. As you know, [General] Musharraf has purged the Supreme Court of independent-minded judges. The arrests have targeted moderate and democratic critics of
his rule: human rights activists, lawyers and members of opposition political parties. It is critical for the United States Government to condemn these serious human rights violations, and for senior U.S.

officials to express these concerns clearly and forcefully.

Senior U.S. officials, including President Bush, have criticized the Emergency measures and called for a return to democracy. However, such statements were not linked to any explicit statement of consequences should the Musharraf Government fail to reverse the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation.

The human rights community is in full support of effective and appropriate multilateral counterterrorism measures. However, even tacit support for this imposition of Martial Law in Pakistan can be expected to set back efforts to address terrorism in that country and throughout the region. Violation of fundamental human rights standards and violent repression of non-violent critics of the government will only increase popular support for militant groups. The imposition of a state of Emergency by the Musharraf Government flies in the face of
the [Bush] Administration's policy of supporting freedom and democracy as an antidote to extremism.

We strongly urge you to send a clear, consistent and public message to the Government of Pakistan. We also urge you to call for the immediate release of those detained or held under house arrest, a rescinding of the Emergency orders and any restrictions on press freedom, a full restoration of the Constitution and the reinstatement of all judges who have been removed from their positions. Without such measures, free and fair elections will not be possible.

We urge you specifically to call on the Pakistani authorities to immediately release the leading jurists and advocates now under house arrest or in detention, including members of the Supreme Court and its bar association, Chair of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Asma Jahangir, and other officials of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan [HRCP].

Until these steps are taken and the rule of law is restored, all security assistance to the Government of Pakistan, including military assistance, should be suspended, to put added pressure on the Government of Pakistan to meet its international human rights obligations.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

1. Mr. Larry Cox, Executive Director

Amnesty International USA (AIUSA)
http://www.amnestyusa.org

2. Ms. Karin Ryan, Director
Human Rights Program, The Carter Center (TCC)
http://www.cartercenter.org

3. Ms. Jennifer Windsor, Executive Director
Freedom House (FH)
http://www.freedomhouse.org

4. Mr. Salih Booker, Executive Director
Global Rights (GR)
http://www.globalrights.org

5. Ms. Maureen Byrnes, Executive Director
Human Rights First (HRF)
http://www.humanrightsfirst.org

6. Mr. Kenneth Roth, Executive Director
Human Rights Watch (HRW)
http://www.hrw.org

7. Mr. Gary Haugen, President
International Justice Mission (IJM)
http://www.ijm.org

8. Mr. Robert Arsenault, President
International League for Human Rights (ILHR)
http://www.ilhr.org

9. Ms. Felice D. Gaer, Director
Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights (JBI)
http://www.ajc.org

10. Ms. Robin Phillips, Executive Director
Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights (MAHR)
http://www.mnadvocates.org

11. Mr. Frank Donaghue, Chief Executive Officer
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)
http://www.physiciansforhumanrights.org

12. Ms. Monika Kalra Varma, Director
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights (RFKHR)
http://www.rfkmemorial.org

NOTE: The Human Rights Foundation (HRF - USA)
- http://www.JusticeForum.info
- has endorsed this letter of America's 12 human rights groups to U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Islamabad, 13 November 2007: PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that the Presidential notification and retirement as army chief were two separate issues and it was wrong to connect the two.

In a statement today he said that the announcement that National Assembly would be dissolved on Thursday, provincial assemblies on Nov 20th and elections to the National and provincial assemblies would be held on the same day before January 9, 2008 is a step the right direction.

However, the nation still has not been given any date of Musharraf retiring as Chief of Army Staff.

The PPP demands that General Musharraf retires from the Army on or before November 15 as promised by him to the PPP, the Supreme Court and the people of Pakistan, he said.

General Musharraf says that he cannot do so unless the PCO Supreme Court decides the case.

He said that the PPP believes that the issues of Presidential notification and retirement as Army Chief are two separate issues. Musharraf must retire as Army Chief on or before November 15 while the issue of eligibility is decided.

It is therefore wrong to connect the eligibility issue with retirement as Army Chief.

The Pakistan Peoples Party believes that fair, free and impartial elections and free expression of the will of the people of Pakistan cannot be made under the present environment. The opposition parties are gagged and their hand tied while the Election Commission has still not been reconstituted, he said.

The issue agitating public mind including emergency, a pliant judiciary, a non-independent Election Commission and the presence of the political mayors controlling guns and funds have still not been addressed.

Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the amendments made in the Army Act making it applicable to all citizens rather than extremists militant groups has also raised many questions and sent wrong signals to the peoples.

Unless these issues are addressed the parties would be going into the electoral arena with their hands tied, he said.

The announcement of the election schedule may raise hopes but far too often in the past hopes were raised only to be dashed, he said.

Islamabad, 12 November 2007: Naheed Khan, the political secretary to the Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has said that the universal recognition of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as the most popular leader of Pakistan has infuriated the dictatorship as it knows that its days are numbered.

General Musharraf in his press conference in response to a question from a foreign journalist that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s popularity is increasing because of his dictatorial measures negated the journalist’s analysis and started fuming.

Naheed Khan said that General Musharraf got baffled because he had the images of three million people on the streets of Karachi on 18 October to receive their leader Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.. The shoeless and shirtless people of Pakistan came from far flung areas of different parts of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas on foot to receive their sister. He had a stutter because he was telling a lie when he questioned Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s popularity. The reception in Karachi should have been an eye opener for the dictatorship but like all autocratic characters general Musharraf is refusing to accept the ground realities.

Naheed Khan said that thousands of people gather at the airports on a shortest possible announcement, because of security concerns, of her arrival and it is a fact that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s popularity is indeed increasing by the day. General Musharraf is no body to question the popularity of the PPP leadership as the people have already spoken. Let the people of Pakistan decide to choose that who will lead Pakistan and would take the country out of the crisis in which the dictatorship has engulfed Pakistan.

Islamabad, 12 November 2007: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has condemned the arrest of two Baloch politicians Mir Hasel Bazenjo and Yousaf Masti Khan on charges of treason and sedition.

In a statement today, she said that singling out only Baloch leaders for sedition and treason would only further alienate of the people of Balochistan, increase provincial disharmony and endanger the integrity of federation.

Mir Hasel Bazenjo and Yousaf Masti Khan were arrested from the Karachi Pres Club for protesting against the proclaiming against the PCO and emergency charging them with treason and sedition.

She said that everyone in the country was protesting against the emergency and the PCO and singling out the Balochs for treason would strengthen those who assert that the people of Balochistan were not treated in the same manner as those in other provinces.

Mohtarma Bhutto said that the recklessness showed that those who took this decision were intoxicated with power and unmindful of the consequences of their decisions.

She warned that singling out former parliamentarians from Balochistan for treason would exacerbate the feelings of alienation and strengthen the hands of separatists in the province.

Mohtarma Bhutto said that it was this feeling of deprivation and discrimination which resulting in the break up of Pakistan in 1971.

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto called for the immediate withdrawal of cases against Mir Hasel Bazenjo and Yousaf Masti Khan.

Resolution Links Some Military Aid to Musharaff Reinstating Constitution, Proceeding with January Elections

(1) to condemn the decision by President Musharraf to declare a state of emergency, suspend the Constitution, dismiss the Supreme Court, and initiate a nation-wide crackdown on political opposition, the media, and the courts;

(2) to call on President Musharraf to revoke the state of emergency, respect the rule of law and immediately release political detainees, restore the Constitution, freedom of the press and judicial independence, and reinstate all dismissed members of the Supreme Court;

(3) to call upon President Musharraf to honor his commitment to relinquish his position as Chief of the Army, allow free and fair parliamentary elections in accordance with the schedule mandated by the Constitution, establish an independent commission to guarantee that such elections are free and fair, and permit full and unfettered independent monitoring of such elections;

(4) that the Government of the United States should provide whatever assistance is necessary to facilitate such free and fair elections, including by supporting independent election monitoring organizations and efforts;

(5) to call upon the Government of Pakistan to conduct a full investigation into the attempted assassination of former Prime Minister Bhutto and provide her and other political leaders with all necessary security to ensure their personal safety; and

(6) that United States military assistance to Pakistan should be subjected to careful review, and that assistance for the purchase of certain weapons systems not directly related to the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban should be suspended if President Musharraf does not revoke the state of emergency and restore the Constitution, relinquish his position as Chief of the Army, and allow for free and fair elections to be held in accordance with the announced timeframe.

Islamabad November 9, 2007: President Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has announced to hold protest demonstrations in Sindh on Sunday November 11 to protest against the state’s excesses against peaceful Party workers today.

In a statement today Syed Qaim Ali Shah denounced the regime’s massive crack down on the people today as unprecedented and a knee jerk response of a paralysed regime.

He said that the blocking of the roads causing hardships to common people, the arrest of over five thousand Party workers and the detention of Party MPs by the regime to stop the people from attending the public meeting Liaqat Bagh in Rawalpindi today was new fascism which the Party would not accept.

To protest against state’s excesses against the Party workers and deny them their constitutional rights the Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh had decided to observe a complete strike throughout the province on SundayNovember 11.

He appealed to the people of the province to participate in the protest demonstrations on Sunday November 11 to send a powerful message to the regime that they would accept neither the usurpation of their rights nor any excesses against them.

Washington, D.C. - Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today made the following statement on the developing situation in Pakistan:

"I urge General Musharraf not to move against either Benazir Bhutto or her supporters who are joining thousands of Pakistanis in protesting against the declaration of martial law. Rather, General Musharraf must accept the demands of the Pakistani people, Ms. Bhutto, and the international community to end martial law, immediately release all political prisoners, including lawyers, end the media blackout, and hold early and transparent elections. General Musharraf must also honor his longtime promise to take off his military uniform."

Washington, DC - Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) called today for a new U.S. approach to Pakistan. Sen. Biden proposes dealing effectively with the current crisis in Pakistan; developing a new long-term approach and relationship with Pakistan; and creating conditions in the region to maximize success. The details of Sen. Biden's new policy for Pakistan are below.

"I've been saying for some time that Pakistan is the most complex country we deal with - and that a crisis was just waiting to happen. President Musharraf staged a coup against his own government. He suspended the constitution, imposed de-facto martial law, postponed elections indefinitely, and arrested hundreds of lawyers, journalists, and human rights activists," said Sen. Biden.

Sen. Biden argued that while Pakistan has a strong moderate majority, if that majority is denied a voice in the system and free and fair elections, it could be forced to make common cause with fundamentalists, as the Shah's opponents did in Iran three decades ago. "It is hard to imagine a greater nightmare for America than the world's second-largest Muslim nation becoming a failed state in fundamentalist hands, with an arsenal of nuclear weapons and a population larger than those of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and North Korea combined."

"To prevent that nightmare from becoming a reality, I believe we need to do three things. First, deal pro-actively with the current crisis. Second, and for the longer term, move from a Musharraf policy to a Pakistan policy that gives the moderate majority a chance to succeed. And third, help create conditions in the region that maximize the chances of success, and minimize the prospects for failure," said Senator Biden.

"To help defuse the current political crisis, we must be far more pro-active, not reactive and make it clear to Pakistan that actions have consequences," said Sen. Biden. "President Bush's first reaction was to call on President Musharraf to reverse course. Given the stakes, I thought it was important to actually call him - which is exactly what I did. I also spoke to opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. President Musharraf and I had a very direct and detailed discussion. I told him how critical it is that elections go forward as planned in January, that he follow through on his commitment to take off his uniform, and that he restore the rule of law to Pakistan. It was clear to me that President Musharraf understands the consequences for his country and for relations with the United States if he does not return Pakistan to the path of democracy. If President Musharraf does not restore his nation to the democratic path, U.S. military aid will be in great jeopardy."

Sen. Biden believes that beyond the current crisis in Pakistan, there lurks a far deeper problem. The relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan is largely transactional - and this transaction isn't working for either party. Sen. Biden believes we must beyond this transaction relationship - the exchange of aid for services - to the normal, functional relationship we enjoy with all of our other military allies and friendly nations.

"We've got to move from a policy concentrated on one man - President Musharraf - to a policy centered on an entire people, the people of Pakistan," said Sen. Biden.

Sen. Biden proposes a new U.S. approach to Pakistan rooted in four-parts:

1.The U.S. must triple non-security aid, to $1.5 billion annually for at least a decade. This aid would be unconditioned. It would be the U.S.'s pledge to the Pakistani people. Instead of funding military hardware, it would build schools, clinics, and roads.
2.The U.S. must condition security aid on performance. We should base our security aid on clear results. The U.S. is now spending well over $1 billion annually, and it's not clear we're getting our money's worth.
3.The U.S. must help Pakistan enjoy a "democracy dividend." The first year of democratic rule should bring an additional $1 billion - above the $1.5 billion non-security aid baseline. Sen. Biden supports tying future non-security aid - again, above the guaranteed baseline - to Pakistan's progress in developing democratic institutions and meeting good-governance norms.

4.The U.S. must engage the Pakistani people, not just their rulers. This will involve everything from improved public diplomacy and educational exchanges to high impact projects that actually change people's lives.

"This plan would fundamentally and positively shift the dynamic between the U.S. and Pakistan," said Sen. Biden.   "Here's how: a drastic increase in non-security aid, guaranteed for a long period, would help persuade Pakistan's people that America is an all-weather friend and Pakistan's leaders that America is a reliable ally. Pakistanis suspect our support is purely tactical.   They point to the aid cut-off that followed the fall of the Soviet Union, to our refusal to deliver or refund purchased jets in the 1990s, to our blossoming relationship with rival India. Many Pakistanis believe that the moment Osama bin Laden is gone, U.S. interest will go with him.    When U.S. aid makes a real difference in people's lives, the results are powerful. To have a real impact on a nation of 165 million, we'll have to raise our spending dramatically. A baseline of $1.5 billion annually, for a decade, is a reasonable place to start. That might sound like a lot - but it's about what we spend every week in Iraq."

"Next, conditioning security aid - now about three-quarters of our package- would help push the Pakistani military to finally crush Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Aid to the Pakistani people should be unconditioned - that is, not subject to the ups and downs of a particular government in Islamabad or Washington. But aid to the Pakistani military and intelligence service should be closely conditioned - that is, carefully calibrated to results.
Like it or not, the Pakistani security services will remain vital players - and our best shot at finding Bin Laden and shutting down the Taliban. Their performance has been decidedly mixed: we've caught more terrorists in Pakistan than in any other country- but $10 billion later, Pakistan remains the central base of Al Qaeda operations. We must strike a much better bargain," said Sen. Biden.

"In addition, a "democracy dividend" - additional assistance in the first year after democratic rule is restored - would empower Pakistan's moderate mainstream. The Bush Administration's Musharraf First policy was understandable - at first. Musharraf had broad support, and in the wake of 9/11 he seemed committed to the fight against Al Qaeda. Six years later, the General is diverting his military, his police, and his intelligence assets from the fight against the terrorists to a crackdown on his political opponents. The Pakistani people have moved on. Hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets to protest Musharraf's unconstitutional rule- and hundreds have been killed or gravely injured in the process. The Democracy Dividend would help restore the moral currency this administration has squandered with empty rhetoric about democracy. And it would enable the secular, democratic, civilian political leaders to prove that they-more than the generals or the radical Islamists-can bring real improvement to the lives of their constituents," said Sen. Biden

"Last, we've got to engage the Pakistani people directly, and address issues important to them, not just to us. On Afghanistan, Iraq, the Palestinians, Kashmir, Pakistanis want a respectful hearing. We owe them that at least that much. Ask an ordinary Pakistani to list his top concerns about America and you may get answers unrelated to international grand strategy: our visa policy and textile quotas. Or she might raise Abu Ghraib and Gitmo or water-boarding and other forms of torture the Bush Administration still refuses to renounce. Pakistanis don't see these as
mere "issues." They see these things as a moral stain on the soul of our nation. In my judgment, so should we," added Sen. Biden.

Sen. Biden believes that this new Pakistan policy cannot succeed in isolation. Conditions in the region and in the broader Muslim world - conditions that the United States can affect - will make a huge difference, for good or for bad. "We've got to connect the dots - to be, as I suggested at the outset, smart as well as strong," said Sen. Biden

In order to increase the prospects that Pakistan will take the lead in the fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda, Sen. Biden believes we should rededicate ourselves to a forgotten war: Afghanistan. "When we shifted resources away from Afghanistan to Iraq, Musharraf concluded the Taliban would rebound, so he cut a deal with them. Redoubling our efforts in Afghanistan - not just with more troops but with the right kind, and with a reconstruction effort that matches President Bush's Marshall Plan rhetoric would embolden Pakistan's government to take a harder line on the Taliban and Al Qaeda," said Sen. Biden.

"All this talk of war with Iran, however, is totally counter-productive to achieving our ends in Iran - but also in Pakistan. In Iran, it allows President Ahmadinejad to distract the Iranian people from the failures of his leadership and adds a huge security premium to the price of oil, with the proceeds going from our consumers to Iran's government. And in Pakistan and also Afghanistan, anything that fuels the sense of an American crusade against Islam puts moderates on the defensive and empowers extremists. It is hard to think of a more self-defeating policy," said Sen. Biden.

"History may describe today's Pakistan as a repeat of 1979 Iran or 2001 Afghanistan. Or history may write a very different story: that of Pakistan as a stable, democratic, secular Muslim state. Which future unfolds will be strongly influenced-if not determined- by the actions of the United States. I believe that Pakistan can be a bridge between the West and the global Islamic community. Most Pakistanis want a lasting friendship with America. They respect and admire our society. But they are mystified over what they see as our failure to live up to our ideals.   The current crisis in Pakistan is also an opportunity to start anew, to build a relationship between Pakistan and the United States upon which both our peoples can depend - and be proud," concluded Sen. Biden.

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The International Bar Association calls upon the world’s bars and law societies to support lawyers and judges in Pakistan

The International Bar Association (IBA) is calling upon its member bars and law societies across the globe to support lawyers and judges in Pakistan. Since President Musharraf declared a state of emergency and suspended the Pakistan constitution on 3 November 2007, mass protests, led by judges and lawyers, have taken place. Recent reports suggest that thousands of lawyers have been arrested and subjected to torture and ill-treatment for protesting against President Musharraf’s action. Among those arrested is Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry who is believed to be under house arrest.

The order declaring the state of emergency and the provisional constitutional order, also issued on 3 November, have far-reaching consequences for the rule of law. Certain fundamental human rights contained within the constitution, including the right to life, liberty and freedom of movement, have been suspended while the powers of arrest have been extended. Critically, the constitutional order also states that courts may not question the legality of the proclamation of emergency or any other order, nor can it challenge or overturn any such orders issued by the president or prime minister. Mark Ellis, IBA Executive Director said, ‘The effect of these orders is to provide complete immunity to President Musharraf and his government, thereby enabling them to change the constitution, and adopt any orders or laws they see fit to retain power.’ He adds, ‘Lawyers and judges in Pakistan have recognised that the Government of Pakistan has negated the rule of law. We are deeply concerned that such protests have been met with mass arrests and allegations of ill-treatment.’

Fernando Pombo, President of the IBA, continued, ‘We are calling upon bars and law societies around the globe to support the actions of lawyers and judges in Pakistan by lobbying their government to pressurise the Pakistan authorities to reinstate the constitution.’

The IBA is concerned that, unless the constitution is restored and properly applied, the rule of law in Pakistan will continue to deteriorate, leading to greater human rights abuses and further departure from the principles of democracy.

The past year has seen President Musharraf face various crises. Prior to the presidential elections and in light of his declining popularity, President Musharraf faced mounting public protests. Numerous legal challenges to his presidential candidacy were issued before the courts, and, following the results in early October, in which President Musharraf received 98 per cent of the vote, a further petition was lodged with the Supreme Court challenging the result. Critics are suggesting that the introduction of a state of emergency was acting to pre-empt the decision of the Supreme Court as to the legality of the presidential elections. The past months have also seen a rise in extremist violence and suicide attacks.

The calls from the IBA to bars and law societies around the world are further to a press release of 5 November and the recommendations made in a recently released IBA report addressing violations of the fundamental principles of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in Pakistan. The report dealt specifically with the issues of General Musharraf preventing the Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, from carrying out his judicial day-to-day functions, and the placing of Mr Chaudhry incommunicado under house arrest for three days when he refused to resign his post. The report entitled, The struggle to maintain an independent judiciary: a report on the attempt to remove the Chief Justice of Pakistan, is available from the IBA website.

Click here to download the executive summary: The struggle to maintain an independent judiciary: a report on the attempt to remove the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Click here to download the full report: The struggle to maintain an independent judiciary: a report on the attempt to remove the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Romana St Matthew - Daniel
Press Office
International Bar Association
10th Floor
1 Stephen Street
London W1T 1AT
United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7691 6868
Fax: + 44 (0)20 7691 6544
E-mail: romana.daniel@int-bar.org
Website: www.ibanet.org

About the International Bar Association
- the global voice of the legal profession

The International Bar Association (IBA), established in 1947, is the world's leading organisation of international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. The IBA influences the development of international law reform and shapes the future of the legal profession throughout the world. It has a membership of 30,000 individual lawyers and more than 195 bar associations and law societies spanning all continents.

Grouped into two divisions – the Legal Practice Division and the Public and Professional Interest Division – the IBA covers all practice areas and professional interests, providing members with access to leading experts and up-to-date information. Through the various committees of the divisions, the IBA enables an interchange of information and views as to laws, practices and professional responsibilities relating to the practice of law around the globe. Additionally, the IBA’s high-quality publications and world-class conferences provide unrivalled professional development and network-building opportunities for international legal practitioners and professional associates.

The IBA’s Bar Issues Commission provides an invaluable forum for the IBA’s member bar associations and law societies to discuss all matters relating to law at an international level.

The IBA's Human Rights Institute promotes, protects and enforces human rights under a just rule of law, and works to preserve the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession worldwide.

Other institutions established by the IBA include the Southern Africa Litigation Centre and the International Legal Assistance Consortium.

Contact information:
International Bar Association
10th Floor
1 Stephen Street
London W1T 1AT
United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)20 7691 6868
fax: +44 (0)20 7691 6544
website: www.ibanet.org

About the Human Rights Institute

In 1995, the International Bar Association (IBA) established the Human Rights Institute (HRI) under the Honorary Presidency of Nelson Mandela. The HRI is now a leading voice in the promotion of the rule of law worldwide.

The HRI works across the IBA, helping to promote, protect and enforce human rights under a just rule of law, and to preserve the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession worldwide.

Human Rights Institute
International Bar Association
10th Floor, 1 Stephen Street
London W1T 1AT, United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7691 6868
Fax: + 44 (0)20 7691 6544
E-mail: hri@int-bar.org
Website: www.ibanet.org

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