Finally the much awaited by-elections were held yesterday after 20^th amendment being passed by the parliament ensuring independent election commission. It was a litmus test for the democratic parties as how they will respect their own granted freedom to election commission. But yet again they failed to set up a true democratic culture. Throughout the day reports of irregularities were aired by electronic media but it all fell on the deaf ears.

The acclaimed largest democrat parties could not demonstrate democratic values and ensure an atmosphere deemed necessary to hold free and fair elections. All day the fire arms were not only carried along but used freely and unnecessarily by the influential supporters of various candidates. One person lost his life due to shots fired in to air to celebrate win of sitting Prime Minister’s son. It was clearly a violation of rule of law under the nose of democratic elected governments both at the provinces and Centre. Why should one not assume that unchecked use of fire arms was aimed to divert the opinion of poor and under privileged vote bank?

Media through its regular bulletins did cover the incidents with a good airtime but the independent anchors holding talk shows who have always talk of rules and upholding of democratic culture remained less vocal or least interested. It may be because of weekend and most of these shows were not scheduled but coming week will still bring an opportunity to them. Let us see how they uphold their years long preaching.

The worst incident reported and covered in Sindh where a candidate for the provincial assembly physically assaulted the election staff. This candidate did not belong to a new party but to a party widely known as largest and widely supported by liberal opinion makers across the media.

The particular incident of manhandling of election staff has left a lot of questions on the independence of election commission and rule of law. First question arises what would have happened at the far-flung polling station where media was not present? Even if we believe that all was well everywhere then coming back to this specific incident; How come a contesting candidate Wahida Shah was allowed entry in to a polling booth? She then attacks Assistant Presiding Officer and a polling agent in the presence of a Police Inspector. Why did Police Inspector instead of watching intervene by calling lady police and arresting the violent candidate. Where was the Presiding Officer? Why did he/ she not exercise his or her magisterial powers and ordered immediate arrest of the culprit then and there.

The above mentioned measures were the legal options available at the spot to authorities but let us discuss the moral obligations of the all concerned; being largest Democratic Party what action has been initiated against their candidate at its level? If party claims to be law-abiding and the most liberal political force of country; they should apologize publicly and withdraw the candidature of this woman.

Where are the other political parties who voted to pass the 20^th amendment along with treasury benches; their silence over the issue is heinous? Did they pass the amendment for all this to happen and just political scoring by claiming to have paved the way for autonomous election commission? They need to stand by-election commission on this disgrace at the hands of candidate from ruling party. The gesture of Mr. Zahid Khan of ANP for at least apologizing publicly the incident involving his party is appreciated.

Where is the provincial administration; what action has been taken against the Police Inspector present there who failed to carry out his duties and became party himself? Why provincial or federal governments remained unmoved; waiting for another suo moto action from judiciary?

It was yet of some relief to hear that Election Commission Secretary took the notice hours later incident had took place. I pray to Election Commission to take the strictest possible action even if the lady has to be disqualified and jailed; put aside any influence comes your way as this is the time to establish the long-awaited independence of your institution. This should set the precedent for the coming General Elections where no party should have the courage to bully or influence the election process and country gets its elected parliament which will lead to a better Pakistan.

By Reza Sayah for CNN

Pakistani authorities vowed Tuesday to use the international police agency Interpol to arrest former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

“The government is moving for his (Musharraf’s) red notice,” Interior Minister Rehman Malik said, referring to the Interpol’s international arrest warrant.

“We will get him through Interpol to Pakistan.”

Malik made the announcement as part of a progress report of the four-year-long assassination probe that was presented to provincial lawmakers Tuesday in Bhutto’s home province of Sindh. The briefing lasted several hours and was broadcast live on Pakistani TV.

Bhutto was assassinated in a gun-suicide attack in December 2007, shortly after she came back to Pakistan from self imposed exile to take part in the 2008 general elections.

Malik and the head of the investigation team said former Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud plotted the assassination and paid the equivalent of about $4,500 to a network of Islamist militants to carry out the killing.

Using a Power Point presentation, pictures and video to outline the evidence they had gathered, authorities said Mehsud had Bhutto killed because she supported the west’s war against Islamist militants. Investigators said they collected much of their evidence from the accused plotters’ cell phone records before and after the killing.

Last November a Pakistani court charged five alleged Islamist militants with aiding the suicide attacker and two senior police officers for failing to provide adequate security.

Musharraf has also been accused of failing to protect Bhutto. In February 2011 a judge issued an arrest warrant for Musharraf after he didn’t show up to court for questioning.

Musharraf has been in self-imposed exile ever since he left Paksitan in 2008. Last August authorities confiscated his property in Pakistan and froze his bank account. The former military ruler has denied having anything to do with Bhutto’s killing.

In Tuesday’s briefing Malik and investigators said Musharraf rejected Bhutto’s request to use a western private security contractor for protection when she returned to Pakistan. They suggested Musharraf intentionally left Bhutto vulnerable because he felt politically threatened by her return.

“It was the duty of the government to provide the prime minister with protection,” Malik yelled at one point. “Why did you not give security? What was the problem?”

Filed under: Democracy, England, Pakistan, Pakistan Army, Pakistanis, Taliban Tagged: Asif Ali Zardari, Baitullah Mehsud, Benazir Bhutto, Interpol, Pakistan, Pakistanis, Pervez Musharraf, PPP, Sindh, Taliban

Last week, the government and opposition in Pakistan came together to carry out a very impressive achievement. Both houses of parliament, after some back and forth, passed the 20th amendment. Amongst other things, the 20th amendment provides for a fully independent election commission and an institutionalized, orderly transition by setting out the contours of the interim/caretaker government that would take over in the run up to elections. When analysts and opinion-makers talk about “strengthening democratic institutions”, this is exactly the type of thing they mean.

As Ayaz Amir noted in his column,

The 20th Amendment is a bit of a minor miracle – ensuring an independent election commission and neutral caretaker setups, going so far as to stipulate that if agreement fails between government and opposition on caretaker names, the final word will lie with the chief election commissioner. If this doesn’t stop the cry of election-rigging in Pakistan nothing ever will.

To the PML-N goes the principal credit for giving final shape to this amendment. It pushed long and hard and finally had its way. This was a far cry from its earlier stand when dark hints were thrown about resigning from the assemblies and forcing early elections. Different voices are often heard in the PML-N but ultimately, as we keep seeing, pragmatism prevails. The Memogate petition in the Supreme Court was an exception, good sense taking a back seat, but no point in pouring salt over an open wound.

The prime minister and his team, especially Khurshid Shah, also deserve credit for showing patience and not losing their cool, and not losing sight of the larger picture. Failure to agree on the 20th Amendment could have jeopardized much more, including the Senate election.

This goes along with a theme I’ve touched upon repeatedly during the last couple years. Namely, that there is a serious disjuncture in this government’s ability to get things done. The capital-p Politics stuff, they’re excellent at. The 18th amendment, marking the first time a head of state in Pakistan gave up power and privileges, for instance. Allowing political parties in FATA. The Balochistan package. The Gilgit-Baltistan reforms. The anti-women violence bill. And now the 20th amendment. On some major institutional and constitutional issues, they’ve done a good job. What they’re seriously bad at is the stuff that impacts people’s day-to-day lives, like the energy crisis or law and order.

To return to the main point of the post, the 20th amendment is an important achievement. You would think Imran Khan would be behind it, given his rhetoric in the past. After all, he’s said things like

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan declared that no general election would be tolerated prior to rectification of bogus electoral lists.

Addressing a joint press conference along with Air Marshal (r) Asghar Khan of Tehreek-e-Istaqlal (TI) on Monday at the latter’s residence, he announced his strong resolve to struggle for an independent Election Commission

He said that he was the man who had introduced neutral umpires in cricket and would also continue his efforts for an independent Election Commission.

So when the cause of independent election commission is served, why is this his reaction?

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairperson Imran Khan said on Tuesday that the 20th Amendment was stacked up against his party in particular because PTI was becoming a real electoral threat to both, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

“The 20th Amendment was just passed by the PPP and PML-N to strengthen their hold on power and to prevent PTI from sweeping the next general elections,” said Khan.

Strongly rejecting the amendment, Khan said that PML-N continues to support the wrongdoings of the government so that both the PPP and PML-N could have a share in the corrupt power structures prevailing at present.

Calling it a fraud and violation of the Constitution and democratic principles, Imran said the amendment condones elections carried out against the provisions of the Constitution.

“A complete fraud has been committed by the government in collusion with the main opposition party,” Imran stated.

Really? “A complete fraud?” That’s your opinion?

Always ripe for a head-scratching comment, Immy is. Photo: AP

It’s obvious that Imran Khan is being disingenuous here. Even he can’t be that stupid. He obviously believes this is a good step in the right direction, but refuses to say so because he can’t bring himself to say anything remotely nice about the PPP and PML-N. It’s a little churlish and a little immature.

Memo to PTI: sometimes your political opponents do worthy things. A quiet nod of appreciation, even amidst the cacophony of Pakistani politics, would not be remiss.

Rehman Malik Relied on Punjab Police Report on Bhutto Murder Briefing Sindh Assembly

NADEEM MALIK

It seems as though not much has been achieved in the Benazir Bhutto murder case as Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Tuesday not only admitted that planners of the murder are still at large, but also insisted that more time is required to collect further evidence.
Malik shared this and other details of the investigation of the former prime minister and Pakistan People’s Party chairperson’s murder case while briefing the Sindh Assembly session. He blamed Baitullah Mehsud, the Haqqani network and the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for planning the murder and said 27 terrorist groups helped in executing the plan. (Dawn)

Reported News Details of the CID Reports
The United Nations Inquiry Commission, headed by Heraldo Munoz, was informed by the CID officials of Punjab Police during the course of its investigations that the assassination of Benazir Bhutto had been masterminded by the slain Ameer of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Commander Baitullah Mehsud and the bomber, who exploded himself outside the Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi, was one Saeed alias Bilal, a resident of South Waziristan Agency.
According to official documents provided to the UN Inquiry Commission by the CID Punjab, a group of 12 militants was actually dispatched to the garrison town of Rawalpindi, a day prior to Benazir Bhutto’s December 27, 2007 election rally, to physically eliminate the PPP leader, who was touring Punjab in connection with her party’s election campaign. The FIR of the Benazir Bhutto murder case was registered by the Rawalpindi police under sections 302/324,435,436,120-B/4/5ESA,7/ATA while investigations were carried out by the Additional Inspector General CID Punjab Chaudhry Abdul Majeed.
According to the CID documents, four of the 12 militants tasked to kill Benazir Bhutto belonged to Madrassa Haqqania in Akora Khattak near Peshawar, which is also referred to as Darul Uloom Haqqania. The Madrassa is being run by Maulana Samiul Haq, the pro-Taliban Ameer of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam. Three of the 12 TTP militants have been shown in the CID documents as already killed, including the suicide bomber. Of the remaining nine accused, five have already been arrested by police while the remaining four are still at large.
Additional Inspector General of the CID Punjab, Malik Mohammad Iqbal, when asked if the Punjab CID still owns its findings into the Benazir Bhutto murder case, said the assassination inquiry was actually conducted by a Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which was headed by the then additional DIG CID and representatives of the Rawalpindi police.
He said it was a joint probe on the basis of which the challan of Benazir Bhutto murder case had been submitted with a Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court, which still holds ground and the trial of the arrested accused is still on.
The three accused shown as already dead include the human bomb Saeed alias Bilal (r/o Waziristan), Nadir alias Qari Ismail (r/o Madrassa Haqqania, Akora Khattak) and Nasrullah r/o Madrassa Haqqania, Akora Khattak). Four other accused in the Benazir Bhutto murder, who are still at large and have already been declared proclaimed offenders include Ikramullah r/o South Waziristan, Abdullah alias Saddam r/o Mohmand Agency, Faiz alias Kiskit, an ex-student of Madrassa Haqqania, Akora Khattak and Abdur Rehman alias Noman alias Usman, an ex-student of Madrassa Haqqania.
The remaining five accused already in the custody of the Rawalpindi police and being tried for the Benazir Bhutto murder include Rafaqat, Hasnain Gul, Sher Zaman, Rasheed Ali and Aitzaz Shah.
According to the findings of the CID, Baitullah Mehsud had given Rs 400,000 to one Qari Ismail, who subsequently dispatched a group of suicide bombers and shooters to Rawalpindi to kill Benazir Bhutto.
The UN Commission was told by some senior CID officials that the TTP militants had planned to target Benazir Bhutto in different cities, wherever she was going in connection with her campaign, until she was finally killed.
According to the CID narrative, 15-year-old Aitzaz Shah from the Mansehra district of the NWFP, and his co-accomplice Sher Zaman, reportedly trained at Miramshah, were the first ones to be arrested after the Benazir Bhutto murder from Dera Ismail Khan by a joint investigation team of the Punjab police, headed by Chaudhry Abdul Majeed. Two more suspects, Hasnain Gul and Rafaqat, were later arrested from Rawalpindi. Rasheed Ali was the last one to be nabbed but Aitzaz was the first one to have furnished some vital information to his interrogators pertaining to the Benazir murder.
As the police obtained physical remand of the arrested accused and broadened the scope of investigations, it was learnt that Aitzaz Shah had actually obtained Jihadi training from a well known Deobandi religious school in Karachi — Jamia Binoria, also referred to as Jamia Islamia and known for its pro-Taliban leanings. As per the CID report, after being brainwashed and trained to kill, Aitzaz was sent to South Waziristan from where he had travelled to Darul Uloom Haqqania Madrassa in Akora Khattak. Afterwards, Aitzaz was taken to a Jihadi training centre in Akora Khattak – Wali Mohammad Markaz and tasked with the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
According to the CID findings, Baitullah had provided Rs 50,000, a suicide jacket and other necessary items to someone else, but he could not attack Benazir Bhutto. After his suicide bombers’ failure to hunt down the PPP chairperson in Karachi, Peshawar and other places, Baitullah Mehsud had assigned Qari Ismail of Akora Khattak and given him Rs 400,000 to execute the Benazir assassination plan. After reaching the Rawalpindi bus stand on December 26, the assailants had stayed at a Quaid-i-Azam colony house. In the evening, they visited the Liaquat Bagh site in a taxi and decided after surveying the area to hit their target from different directions during or after the public meeting.
As per the assassination plan, Saeed alias Bilal was to carry out the suicide attack in case he failed to shoot down Benazir while Ikramullah was to detonate himself if Saeed failed. Both Saeed and Ikramullah were provided logistics by Hasnain Gul, including an explosive-laden suicide jacket, a pistol and an optical device.
The assailants had reached the Committee Chowk in a taxi and later gone to the Liaquat Bagh via Iqbal Road and College Road. An unarmed militant went inside the Liaquat Bagh to give his accomplices updates about the movement of Benazir Bhutto, especially about her arrival and departure from the venue of the rally. As per the CID claims, the assailants had first attempted to enter the Liaquat Bagh to carry out a suicide attack close to the stage, but they had failed in their designs, chiefly due to foolproof security arrangements.
The UN Commission was further informed that several suicide bombers and sharp shooters were waiting for the PPP leader at the crime scene outside the Liaquat Bagh after their failure to enter the venue. Going by the CID account, the assailants had started chasing Benazir Bhutto as soon as she came out of the Liaquat Bagh and it was none other than the fearless PPP chairperson, who actually provided them with a golden opportunity to target her, when she decided to come out of her bullet proof vehicle Toyota Land Cruiser from its sunroof to wave to her cheerful supporters. That was the time gunshots were fired, aiming at Benazir Bhutto. As Saeed alias Bilal failed to hit Benazir Bhutto, he blew himself up, killing the PPP leader and 23 others, mostly on the spot. However, the Dopatta, which Benazir Bhutto was wearing at the time of the blast, could not be traced despite frantic efforts by the investigators.
Narrating the motivation of the crime, the CID findings say the accused had said during interrogations that they were annoyed over the pro-West approach of Benazir Bhutto who had returned to Pakistan at the behest of some foreign powers and, therefore, they feared a strong government action against the militants if she was allowed to come to power after the elections.
However, the fact remains that much before coming to power after the 2008 general elections; the PPP leadership had rejected the confession made by Aitzaz Shah and his other accomplices about their involvement in the Benazir Bhutto murder.
The then PPP spokesman and now presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar had described Aitzaz’s confession a cock and bull story intended to reduce pressure on the Musharraf regime, saying the arrested youth, who has already been declared a juvenile by the court, had been made to narrate exactly the kind of things the Pakistani authorities wanted to hear, backing up their earlier conclusions reached within hours of the Benazir Bhutto killing.
The trial of the five accused in Benazir Bhutto murder case was deferred on August 22, 2009 by the Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court following a federal government request to transfer the case to the Federal Investigation Agency so as to enable it to arrive at a definitive conclusion. Subsequently, on August 25, 2009, the federal government had formed a high-level team to re-investigate the Benazir murder.
The Special Investigation Group of the FIA was assigned the task to fix criminal liability on the assassins and planners of the gun-and-bomb attack on Benazir Bhutto. It was announced that the SIG’s investigation would be parallel to the probe being carried out by the United Nations Inquiry Commission.
“The main reason for the fresh probe is that the inquiry report to be prepared by the UN Commission can’t be presented before any court of law as desired by the UN. The government requires a separate investigation report for a proper trial against the criminals in the court”, a senior FIA official had said on August 25 in Rawalpindi, adding that the United Nations report would have no legal standing and it could not be used for prosecution.
When this correspondent tried to take version of Jamia Binoria, Karachi, no responsible person was found. However, the person present there termed the Punjab police-CID report malicious and baseless. Expressing similar sentiments, a person in Madrassa Haqqania, Akora Khattak, said this report is part of the campaign to discredit religious schools.

Islamabad Tonight – 27th December 2011 Senator Dr. Safdar Ali Abbasi PPP and Naheed Khan PPP in fresh episode of Islamabad Tonight

Islamabad Tonight – 4th November 2010 :5 Ws of Benazir Bhutto’s Assassination 5 Ws of Benazir Bhutto’s Assassination – such as Who, What, Why, Where, How, When Naheed Khan and Safdar Abbasi in Islamabad Tonight with Nadeem Malik

UN report on Bhutto murder finds Pakistani officials ‘failed profoundly’

15 April 2010
Security arrangements by Pakistan’s federal and local authorities to protect assassinated Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto were “fatally insufficient and ineffective” and subsequent investigations into her death were prejudiced and involved a whitewash, an independent United Nations inquiry reported today.The UN Commission of Inquiry, appointed last year by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the request of the Pakistani Government, reached no conclusion as to the organizers and sponsors behind the attack in which a 15-year-old suicide bomber blew up Ms. Bhutto’s vehicle in the city of Rawalpindi on 27 December 2007.

But it found that the Government was quick to blame local Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud and Al-Qaida although Ms. Bhutto’s foes potentially included elements from the establishment itself.

“A range of Government officials failed profoundly in their efforts first to protect Ms. Bhutto and second to investigate with vigour all those responsible for her murder, not only in the execution of the attack, but also in its conception, planning and financing,” the Commission said.

“Responsibility for Ms. Bhutto’s security on the day of her assassination rested with the federal Government, the Government of Punjab and the Rawalpindi District Police. None of these entities took necessary measures to respond to the extraordinary, fresh and urgent security risks that they knew she faced.”

General Pervez Musharraf was president at the time of the suicide bombing in Rawalpindi. The report said the then federal Government lacked a comprehensive security plan, relying instead on provincial authorities, but then failed to issue to them the necessary instructions.

“Particularly inexcusable was the Government’s failure to direct provincial authorities to provide Ms. Bhutto the same stringent and specific security measures it ordered on 22 October 2007 for two other former prime ministers who belonged to the main political party supporting General Musharraf,” it stated.

“This discriminatory treatment is profoundly troubling given the devastating attempt on her life only three days earlier and the specific threats against her which were being tracked by the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence agency),” it added, stressing that her assassination could have been prevented if the Rawalpindi District Police had taken adequate security measures.

Turning to the immediate aftermath of the attack, the Commission found that police actions and omissions, including the hosing down of the crime scene and failure to collect and preserve evidence, inflicted irreparable damage to the investigation.

“The collection of 23 pieces of evidence was manifestly inadequate in a case that should have resulted in thousands,” it said. “The one instance in which the authorities reviewed these actions, the Punjab (provincial) committee of inquiry into the hosing down of the crime scene was a whitewash. Hosing down the crime scene so soon after the blast goes beyond mere incompetence; it is up to the relevant authorities to determine whether this amounts to criminal responsibility.”

It also found that City Police Officer Saud Aziz impeded investigators from conducting on-site investigations until two full days after the assassination and that the Government’s assertions that Mr. Mehsud and Al-Qaida were responsible were made well before any proper investigation had started, pre-empting, prejudicing and hindering the subsequent investigation.

“Ms. Bhutto faced serious threats in Pakistan from a number of sources,” the Commission said. “These included Al-Qaida, the Taliban and local jihadi groups, and potentially from elements in the Pakistani establishment. Notwithstanding these threats, the investigation into her assassination focused on pursuing lower-level operatives allegedly linked to Baitullah Mehsud.”

It stressed that investigators dismissed the possibility of involvement by elements of the Pakistani establishment, including the three persons identified by Ms. Bhutto as threats to her in her 16 October 2007 letter to General Musharraf. It also noted that investigations were severely hampered by intelligence agencies and other Government officials, which impeded an unfettered search for the truth.

“The Commission believes that the failures of the police and other officials to react effectively to Ms. Bhutto’s assassination were, in most cases, deliberate,” it declared.

The three-member panel, which was headed by Chilean Ambassador to UN Heraldo Muñoz and included Marzuki Darusman, former attorney-general of Indonesia, and Peter Fitzgerald, a veteran official of the Irish National Police, urged the Government to undertake police reform in view of its “deeply flawed performance and conduct.”

It also recommended the establishment of a fully independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate political killings, disappearances and terrorism in Pakistan in recent years in view of the backdrop of a history of political violence carried out with impunity.

Ms. Bhutto’s widower, Asif Ali Zardari, is the current Pakistani President.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban commended the commissioners and their staff for completing their challenging nine-and-a-half month-long task “expeditiously and in a professional manner.”

In a later news conference today, Mr. Muñoz stressed that the Commission interviewed more than 250 interviews with Pakistanis and others both inside and outside Pakistan, reviewed hundreds of documents, videos, photographs and other documentary material provided by federal and provincial authorities in Pakistan and others.

In the report, the Commission said it was “by the efforts of certain high-ranking Pakistani Government authorities to obstruct access to military and intelligence sources” but during an extension of its mandate until 31 March it was able eventually to meet with some past and present members of the Pakistani military and intelligence services.

Press Release

8 February 2008

BEGINS

SCOTLAND YARD REPORT INTO ASSASSINATION OF BENAZIR BHUTTO RELEASED

The findings of a Scotland Yard inquiry into how Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto died after being attacked during a political rally in Rawalpindi were presented to the Government of Pakistan today.

The conclusions of the inquiry were outlined in a detailed report handed over to interim Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz by Detective Superintendent John MacBrayne, accompanied by a senior official from the British High Commission, during a meeting in Islamabad.

The text of the executive summary of the report is as follows:

On the 27th December 2007, Mohtarma Benazir BHUTTO, the leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), died as a result of being attacked in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Following discussions between the Prime Minister and President Musharraf, it was agreed that officers from the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) should support the investigation into Ms Bhutto’s death. The primary focus of the Scotland Yard team was to assist the Pakistani authorities in establishing the cause and circumstances of Ms Bhutto’s death. The wider investigation to establish culpability has remained entirely a matter for the Pakistani authorities.

The SO15 team was led by a Detective Superintendent Senior Investigating Officer, and comprised two forensic experts, an expert in analysing and assessing video media and an experienced investigating officer. The team arrived in Pakistan on 4th January 2008 and spent two and a half weeks conducting extensive enquiries. During the course of their work, the team were joined by other specialists from the United Kingdom.

The UK team were given extensive support and co-operation by the Pakistani authorities, Ms Bhutto’s family, and senior officials from Ms Bhutto’s party.

The task of establishing exactly what happened was complicated by the lack of an extended and detailed search of the crime scene, the absence of an autopsy, and the absence of recognised body recovery and victim identification processes. Nevertheless, the evidence that is available is sufficient for reliable conclusions to be drawn.

Within the overall objective, a particular focus has been placed on establishing the actual cause of death, and whether there were one or more attackers in the immediate vicinity of Ms Bhutto.

The cause of death

Considerable reliance has been placed upon the X-rays taken at Rawalpindi General Hospital following Ms Bhutto’s death. Given their importance, the x-rays have been independently verified as being of Ms Bhutto by comparison with her dental x-rays. Additionally, a valuable insight was gained from the accounts given by the medical staff involved in her treatment, and from those members of Ms Bhutto’s family who washed her body before burial.

Ms Bhutto’s only apparent injury was a major trauma to the right side of the head. The UK experts all exclude this injury being an entry or exit wound as a result of gunshot. The only X-ray records, taken after her death, were of Ms Bhutto’s head. However, the possibility of a bullet wound to her mid or lower trunk can reasonably be excluded. This is based upon the protection afforded by the armoured vehicle in which she was travelling at the time of the attack, and the accounts of her family and hospital staff who examined her.

The limited X-ray material, the absence of a full post mortem examination and CT scan, have meant that the UK Home Office pathologist, Dr Nathaniel Cary, who has been consulted in this case, is unable categorically to exclude the possibility of there being a gunshot wound to the upper trunk or neck. However when his findings are put alongside the accounts of those who had close contact with Ms Bhutto’s body, the available evidence suggests that there was no gunshot injury. Importantly, Dr Cary excludes the possibility of a bullet to the neck or upper trunk as being a relevant factor in the actual cause of death, when set against the nature and extent of her head injury.

In his report Dr Cary states:

• “the only tenable cause for the rapidly fatal head injury in this case is that it occurred as the result of impact due to the effects of the bomb-blast.”
• “in my opinion Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto died as a result of a severe head injury sustained as a consequence of the bomb-blast and due to head impact somewhere in the escape hatch of the vehicle.”

Given the severity of the injury to Ms Bhutto’s head, the prospect that she inadvertently hit her head whilst ducking down into the vehicle can be excluded as a reasonable possibility.

High explosives of the type typically used in this sort of device, detonate at a velocity between 6000 and 9000 metres per second. This means that when considering the explosive quantities and distances involved, such an explosion would generate significantly more force than would be necessary to provoke the consequences as occurred in this case.

It is also important to comment upon the construction of the vehicle. It was fitted with B6 grade armour and designed to withstand gunfire and bomb-blast. It is an unfortunate and misleading aspect of this case that the roof escape hatch has frequently been referred to as a sunroof. It is not. It is designed and intended to be used solely as a means of escape. It has a solid lip with a depth of 9cm.

Ms Bhutto’s injury is entirely consistent with her head impacting upon the lip of the escape hatch. Detailed analysis of the media footage provides supporting evidence. Ms Bhutto’s head did not completely disappear from view until 0.6 seconds before the blast. She can be seen moving forward and to the right as she ducked down into the vehicle. Whilst her exact head position at the time of the detonation can never be ascertained, the overwhelming conclusion must be that she did not succeed in getting her head entirely below the lip of the escape hatch when the explosion occurred.

How many people were involved in the immediate attack?

There has been speculation that two individuals were directly involved in the attack. The suggestion has been that one suspect fired shots, and a second detonated the bomb. All the available evidence points toward the person who fired shots and the person who detonated the explosives being one and the same person.

• Body parts from only one individual remain unidentified. Expert opinion provides strong evidence that they originate from the suicide bomber.
• Analysis of the media footage places the gunman at the rear of the vehicle and looking down immediately before the explosion. The footage does not show the presence of any other potential bomber.
• This footage when considered alongside the findings of the forensic explosive expert, that the bombing suspect was within 1 to 2 metres of the vehicle towards it rear and with no person or other obstruction between him and the vehicle, strongly suggests that the bomber and gunman were at the same position. It is virtually inconceivable that anyone who was where the gunman can clearly be seen on the media footage, could have survived the blast and escaped.

The inevitable conclusion is that there was one attacker in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle in which Ms Bhutto was travelling.

In essence, all the evidence indicates that one suspect has fired the shots before detonating an improvised explosive device. At the time of the attack this person was standing close to the rear of Ms Bhutto’s vehicle. The blast caused a violent collision between her head and the escape hatch area of the vehicle, causing a severe and fatal head injury.

John MacBrayne QPM

Detective Superintendent

Counter Terrorism Command

1st February 2008

Filed under: CURRENT AFFAIRS

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission has decided to give voting rights to overseas Pakistanis in general elections. The landmark decision would enable 3.7 million overseas Pakistanis to participate in elections. A high level meeting of the commission held here on Tuesday with EC Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan in the chair. The meeting was also attended by [...]

Charges Framed-PM Willfully Flouted Orders: Supreme Court

NADEEM MALIK

PM Willfully Flouted Orders: Supreme Court
’وزیرِ اعظم یوسف رضا گیلانی نے جان بوجھ کر عدالتی احکامات پر عملدرآمد نہیں کیا۔ ‘
ان کا کہنا تھا کہ سپریم کورٹ نے اپنے فیصلے میں کہا تھا کہ این آر او کے تحت زیرِ التوا مقدمات پر عمل درآمد شروع کروانے کے لیے سوئس حکام کو خط لکھیں۔ جبکہ وزیرِ اعظم نے ایسا نہیں کیا۔ عدالتِ عظمٰی کا کہنا ہے کہ وزیرِ اعظم آئینی طور پر عدالت کے احکامات ماننے کے لیے پابند تھے۔ تاہم وزیرِ اعظم گیلانی نے فردِ جرم کی صحت سے انکار کرتے ہوئے اسے چیلنج کر دیا ہے۔

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NADEEM MALIK Senate Elections Almost Secured For PPP: For All Practical Purposes, Supreme Court Proceedings postponed till Last Week of February, So PPP’s 42 Seat on March 2 Senate Elections are Guaranteed. Prime Minister Gilani can Opt to Resign after the Senate Vote and either a New PPP Prime Minister or uncement of General Elections would make the Contempt Court Irrelevant. Aitzaz Ahsan and Babar Awan are Going to Get the PPP Senate Tickets.

NADEEM MALIK

Charges Framed against Prime Minister Gilani

NADEEM MALIK

Prime Minister Gilani in Supreme Court to Face Contempt Charges

NADEEM MALIK

Pundits are still puzzling out the prime minister’s motivations for risking his job for Zardari, who has dismal popularity ratings and a long rap sheet of kickback, shakedown and other corruption allegations. Some see the 59-year-old prime minister finally shedding his unassuming personality and coming into his own.
-Another theory holds that Gilani wants to go out as a selfless political martyr who showed his unflagging party fealty to the very end. Such sacrifice would leave a dynastic legacy for his children, who also are involved in politics.
-Then there’s another option, according to party insiders: Zardari could pardon Gilani immediately after he’s convicted. (Washington Post)

NADEEM MALIK

A Perfect Setting for PPP Before the Next General Elections:
According to the Constitution the Speaker of the National Assembly – Dr Fehmida Mirza – would become the Acting Prime Minister, in case PM Gilani loses his job. But the moment the President nominates a new Prime Minister, there would be problems. The PPP does not enjoy majority in the National Assembly; it needs the votes of its coalitio…n partners – ANP, MQM and PML(Q) – to elect a new Prime Minister. (Usman Khalid)
Name of Khurshid Shah is also doing the rounds, as son of ‘South Punjab’ would become Sayasi Shaheed and Sindhi PM would assume the office to face the music, a perfect setting for ruling PPP before the next General Elections. The timing of the court orders and strategy of the government to delay it at least till the Senate Elections, would allow the PPP to get ready for the final showdown.
There is hardly anything like governance, rule of law, basic service delivery, and there are many negatives like loadshedding, gas shortages, price hike, job losses and economic difficulties, but Shahadat is still something that PPP would be able to sell in Sindh and South Punjab.See More

NADEEM MALIK

Asked if he would rather resign for the sake of the president, Gilani said if convicted of contempt, he would automatically lose office, so there was no need for him to quit.
“There’s no need to step down,” he said. “If I’m convicted, then I’m not supposed to be a member of the parliament.”
President Asif Ali Zardari: “There had been a lot of cases against him, and they were all politically motivated,” Gilani said, referring to Zardari.
“He has got immunity. And he has not got immunity only in Pakistan, he has transnational immunity, even all over the world.”

NADEEM MALIK asked: YOUR OPINION: PM CONTEMPT OF COURT CASE

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NADEEM MALIK

To Step Down if Convicted: Gilani
“If I am convicted, then there is no need for me to even be a member of the parliament.”

NADEEM MALIK

At last, Supreme Court Takes Assertive Role in Missing Persons’ Case. I Wish the Court Becomes Champion to Protect Human Rights of 180 Million Hapless Pakistanis

NADEEM MALIK

Appeal Dismissed

NADEEM MALIK

The Supreme Court should have the power to get its decisions implemented otherwise there is no point to take up so many issues and put everything on hold. Impartial, Transparent and Timely Decisions. No Favours. No Fears. Cost of Delay is Loss of Pakistan.

Nadeem Malik’s Photos
The Supreme Court should have the power to get its decisions implemented otherwi…se there is no point to take up so many issues and put everything on hold. Impartial, Transparent and Timely Decisions. No Favours. No Fears. Cost of Delay is Loss of Pakistan.See More
By: Nadeem Malik

NADEEM MALIK

سنہ دو ہزار آٹھ سے سنہ دو ہزار گیارہ تک واشنگٹن میں پاکستانی سفارتخانے نے باون ہزار سے زائد امریکیوں کو ویزے جاری کیے۔

BBC Urdu – پاکستان – تین برس میں باون ہزار امریکیوں کو ویزے جاری
www.bbc.co.ukسنہ دو ہزار آٹھ سے سنہ دو ہزار گیارہ تک واشنگٹن میں پاکستانی سفارتخانے نے باون ہزار سے زائد امریکیوں کو ویزے جاری کیے۔

Filed under: CURRENT AFFAIRS

PT Report Chitral, February 12: While Pakistan’s government dangerously dangles between the Supreme Court and Presidency, preparations for general elections are already half way through. Several candidates have expressed their desire to contest elections. According to Chitral News,  Ex president PPP Zainul Abeddin had some time back announced contesting for both the NA and PA [...]

http://www.awaztoday.com/playshow/19642/Islamabad-Tonight-1st-February-2012.aspx
http://www.zemtv.com/2012/02/01/islamabad-tonight-on-aaj-news-shaikh-rasheed-interview-1st-febuary-2012/
http://www.friendskorner.com/forum/f247/video-islamabad-tonight-nadeem-malik-1st-february-2011-shaikh-rasheed-262541/
http://www.pakistanherald.com/Program/Islamabad-Tonight-February-01-2012-Nadeem-Malik-9558

ISLAMABAD TONIGHT

WITH NADEEM MALIK

01-02-2012

TOPIC- PAKISTAN POLITICS

GUEST- SHEIKH RASHEED AHMED

SHEIKH RASHEED AHMED OF AML WAS THE ONLY GUEST ON THE SHOW

He said that Molana Fazal Ur Rehman and Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed statements in Pakistan should be considered. He said that right after the senate elections general elections will be announced in the country. He said that the next budget will be the first rigging of the elections. He said that the kind of promises will be made in the budget which next government will not be able to fulfill. He said that PML-N has been trapped once again. He said that there is a big difference between the thought of Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif. He said that Mian Shahbaz Sharif likes to play on the front foot. He said that PML-n was afraid that military might take over the government. He said that there was no chance of military of taking over the government.

He said that once PML-N joined the government it should have not come out. He said that if Ishaq Dar would have been the finance minister of the country the corruption was not going to be so rampant.

He said that the backing off from memogate has put a bad mark on the reputation on the military. He said that it is hard for him to understand general Kyani and that Kyani only talks in a year as much he talks in a day. He said that his assumptions about general Kyani have always failed. He said that he thought that general Kyani will not take extension as COAS but he did. He said that in his opinion memogate is a reality because he knows general Kyani. He said that memogate was a very serious matter for the military but he does not know why they backed off.

He said that people voted for five years but now they want change. He said that people are disappointed from the politicians, military and judiciary and are sick and tired of them. He said that it is true that military told Musharaf not to come to Pakistan.

He said that he does not believe that military is supporting to any political party. He said that some people have joined PTI just because they think that military is in the support of this party. He said that he will let people know that who is good and who is bad. He said that there is no difference between the government and opposition. He said that people of Pakistan are dying and that 85% parliamentarians do not live in their constituencies.

He said that he went to the meeting of Difa-e-Pakistan on the call of general Gul Hameed. He said that when an organization is banned it goes underground and take guns in their hands.

He said that from 40 to 50 pharmaceutical factories belong to the politicians. He said that the medicines of UNCEF have no warranties in Pakistan. He said that he claims that the polio drops given to children in Pakistan are counterfeit.

He said that today it is time of politics of interests and not of diplomacy. He said that he predicts that the next will be a hung parliament in the country than the current one. He said that PPPP in the rural areas and PML-N in Lahore will take some seats. He said that if a wave is drawn PTI can do a clean sweep in the next elections. He said that ANP will be finished after the next elections. He said that he does not see any role of ANP in the Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa politics after the next elections.

He said that PTI will take seats in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa but he does not say that PTI will form a government in the province. He said that there will be no change in the number of MQM seats in the province of Sindh. He said that Peoples Party will face a shock in the interior of the Sindh but yet to have to see that who will fill the vacuum.

–

Filed under: CURRENT AFFAIRS

Ah, to think of the games of chance or strategy that keep us so entertained and enthralled.

Played for fun, stakes or mere pride, the allure of the games of chance arises from the unique mixture of skill and luck required for success. As all of us addicted to such games, for occasional monetary considerations, are all too aware that fate is a very fickle mistress indeed.

Disguised as luck she flirts without any inhibition, first enticing, then inviting and finally possessing. Whether it’s a board game or cards, this lady is equally adept at controlling the roll of the dice or the shuffle of the deck and in deciding the outcome. And as any punter would tell you on his honor, or whatever is left of it, once in the clutches of this particular belle dame san’s mercy it’s impossible to break free.

The advantage then, of sorts, as far as these games are concerned is that the loss of either or all of honor, pride or wealth can be blamed on the whim of the goddess Fortuna.

Unfortunately this is not the case with strategy games. Win or loss here has to do with the skills of the players. Take chess, that ultimately consummate strategy game. Based on the timeless principles of war those sixty four squares contain millions of possible permutations of moves.

Between well versed equals it’s a fascinating battle of wits to set and spring traps and  counter traps. Such matches are mostly settled when in brutal endgame a series of pieces are sacrificed by both side to achieve that crucial aim of checkmating the opposing king.  All other pieces can be sacrificed in order to either protect one’s own king or checkmate that of the opposition’s. All moves in chess are therefore incidental to this one grand design.

The current Pakistani political situation is akin a deadly game of chess, being played out with very high stakes. On one side we have our ruling coalition and on the other side the Kiyani & Pasha duo in the vanguard. The ruling coalition is defending while the opponents are on the offensive  . However as grand masters well know the most difficult task in chess is to break down a well constructed defense.

The memo gate and covert support for PTI are frontal attacks designed to provoke the government into some rash reaction, thereby breaking its defense. However Zardari & co have put up a masterly exhibition of defensive moves. Having secured their vulnerable flanks with the Presidential immunity, a wide alliance of political parties and a tacit understanding with PML against teaming up with the army, they are now simply biding their time. The upcoming senate elections are what they are aiming for. Winning the majority of senate seats up for elections, as expected, will considerably strengthen their position.

They have correctly assessed that the army traditionally only moves against the civilian government when there is a mass civilian street agitation to act as a smokescreen for its true intentions, a power grab. They have neutralized this aspect by giving PTI complete leeway in terms of holding mass rallies and studiously avoiding any semblance of counter agitation. With meaningful choice finally available in the upcoming elections, most of the Pakistani voters would prefer to bring change by ballot.

The only option left in such a situation to the opponents is to undertake a series of risky gambits, something which they have have now resorted to.

Thus this move of the NRO case. Our constitution’s article 248 clearly grants the President, and Governors, immunity from all civil and criminal proceedings during the term of their offices. This means that in order to initiate such proceeding the President first has to be impeached by the parliament. As per article 47 this requires a two third majority of the combined total votes of the National Assembly and the Senate.

To all those remotely interested in due process of law, please remember the cases of Presidents Nixon and Clinton. Nixon resigned because impeachment was a certainty. He subsequently only escaped a trial as President Ford pardoned him. Dear Clinton actually went through the impeachment proceedings which failed to garner the required votes. No subsequent criminal charges could therefore be levied on him.

On purely legal grounds therefore the NRO case has no merit. But then stranger things have happened in Pakistan. Let’s hope the writ of law is upheld by the guardians of law.

Make no mistake, these coming three months are going to be among the most critical ones in the political history of Pakistan. If senate elections are held on time, then early general elections will be the governments first priority. Both these events should go a long way in establishing the credibility of the election process as a means of managing change.

I sincerely hope that Messrs. Kiyani & Pasha show maturity and do not opt for some rash action in order to force an endgame before March. Any such move is going to have a devastating and possibly fatal impact on the prospects of political stability and national unity.

But fingers crossed all the same. Fate, like most beautiful females, has a latent cruel streak. We can only hope that she is in a benevolent mood and does not spring a nasty surprise on us.

For the first time in our history a civilian setup has managed to sustain a confrontation of this manner for such a period of time. The credit for this should also go to all the opposition political parties. Whatever their individual merits or demerits this time they have avoided the temptation of openly siding with the army.

Whatever the outcome of this match the President and the Prime Minister have managed to contain the influence of the chiefs of Army and ISI, and ensured that the parliament and judiciary remain very relevant. The judiciary has emerged stronger and is likely to challenge the government shortly, as it should, but then that is liable to be a much more civilized confrontation.

So hats off to you, messrs Zardari and Gillani. Please take a bow, you have earned it. Corrupt, inept, greedy and God only knows what else you may be but without a shadow of doubt you are fighting the good fight, for all the wrong reasons. But then that is a minor irritation when seen in the bigger context. And looking at the chessboard, and the position of the pieces, you are indeed masters of the game.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Friday said that the government should hold general elections as early as possible in order to avoid ‘mishap’ in the country, DawnNews reported. Sharif said that coalition partners of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government were equally responsible for the crisis in the country. “Wisdom demands [...]

By Saad Hafiz: