Pakistani People’s power restores Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani early Monday morning announced reinstatement of the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and other judges.

“I restore the deposed chief justice and others according to the promise made by me and the President,” Gilani said in a televised address to the nation.

The announcement, in light of the directive of President Asif Ali Zardari, met the main demand of the political parties and the lawyers’ community.

He said, “A notification to this effect is being issued now.” He said Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry would replace Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, who retires on March 21.

Gilani said and pledged to “continue the politics of reconciliation.” The deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was removed from service by former President Pervez Musharraf on March 9, 2007, sparking a wave of protest that led to his resignation from his office on August 18, 2008.

The prime minister also announced reinstatement of other judges of the Supreme Court and said the number of judges for the apex court has already been increased through legislation to accommodate the reinstated judges.

The prime minister also announced that the federal government would file a review petition in the Supreme Court seeking reversal of the order of disqualification of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, and addressing all issues in light of the Charter of Democracy.

'Collective efforts' paved way for Musharraf’s exit: Nawaz Sharif

RAIWIND: Pakistan Muslim League-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif said on Friday that his party forced former President Pervez Musharraf to step down and the PPP or President Asif Ali Zardari did not do it all alone.

In an exclusive interview with Geo news senior correspondent Hamid Mir, Nawaz termed the NRO a big obstacle in the country’s progress and judicial independence. The PML-N chief said he has great respect for an independent judiciary but would not support the biased judiciary.

Nawaz said the nation holds deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry in high esteem. He expressed hope that the long march would be successful despite a massive crackdown by the government.

Nawaz said the country is passing through hard times and he was struggling for a greater cause.

Nawaz Sharif says :Pakistan going through its worst crisis ever

ABBOTTABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif has asked the nation to get ready for offering sacrifices for a revolution in the country.

Addressing a charged rally here on Wednesday, Nawaz said time had come that the people should come on streets to change their destiny. He asked the people to take part in the long march of lawyers, if they wanted to change their fate.

Nawaz said President Asif Ali Zardari has again introduced the politics of horse-trading in the country. He lauded the efforts of Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Sardar Mehtab Khan and Pir Sabir Shah for the restoration of deposed judges and supremacy of constitution.

"Today is a defining moment in Pakistan's history. We can change the destiny of this country. Pakistan stands at a crossroads today and it is your duty to save it," Nawaz said.

"We want to change this outdated system because it poses a danger to our existence and they want to charge me for sedition," he told the rally of thousands of supporters, who cheered and waved party banners.

The PML-N Quaid said the people were facing a grim situation, because they had not learnt to rise up against the system. He said the PML-N would not go nation’s sacrifices unnoticed. He said the society was facing unrest, turmoil and anxiety because of the wrong and inconsistent policies of the previous and incumbent governments.

KANUPP restores power supply to KESC

KARACHI: The Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP) has restored electricity supply to KESC on Monday. KANUPP was shut down on January 24, 2009 for routine maintenance work. Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Spokesman Tariq Rashid said that KANUPP was started and synchronised with the KESC grid at 8:50 am on Monday.

Pervez Musharraf for reconciliatory politics in country

KARACHI: Former president Pervez Musharraf Monday said that there should be politics of reconciliation in the country which is passing through a critical juncture.

He was addressing a press conference held immediately after his arrival at Karachi airport from India.

Pervez Musharraf said Sharif brothers are themselves responsible for whatever is happening with them.

Commenting on dealing with terrorist elements in the country, he said Pakistan must use iron clad hand to crush terrorists.

The former president extremist elements exist in our society but he ruled out success in war on terror only through use of force.

He expressed satisfaction to the kind of security being provided to him in Pakistan and added that he knows how to take care of himself.

Pervez Musharraf said he went to India as a common citizen for delivering lecture where he was provided security protocol of a former president. This kind of visits help remove misunderstandings, he added.

The scholars with whom I interacted during the visit questioned me with an open mind and also listened attentively to what I had to say.

He said he felt that India has more misperceptions.

Pervez Musharraf said good progress was being made on Kashmir issue during his regime.

Pir Sahib Pagara sees ‘revolution’ coming

KARACHI: Chief of Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) Pir Pagara Saturday said a ‘revolution’ is on its way to the country.

Talking to newsmen here at Kingri House, he said just like Chaudhry brothers the political future of Sharif brothers is also bleak.

“If people would say wrong things and commit wrong deeds, it automatically paves way for a marshal law,” Pir Pagara predicted.

He observed that the lawyers’ work is to fight cases and not to hold long marches.

Sri Lankan cricketers attacked on Pakistan's darkest hour in sports history

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

March 3, 2009 will go down in Pakistan’s sporting history as the darkest day. It was for the first time in Pakistan when the sportspersons were directly targeted. The visiting Sri Lankan cricketers were attacked when they were on their way to the Qaddafi Stadium on what was to be the third day of the second and final Test.

Half a dozen Pakistani policemen sacrificed their lives in the process of protecting the lives of the Sri Lankans, five of whom were among 19 wounded, in the daylight attack.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardene, his deputy Kumar Sangakkara and the mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis received minor injuries but star batsman Thilan Samaraweera and opener Tharanga Paravitarana were seriously injured.

The Test match was abandoned right away and the tour was called off. The Sri Lankan squad, having endured nightmarish moments earlier in the day, must have heaved a sigh of relief after safely landing in Colombo.

The Sri Lankan captain was quick to point out, upon his arrival in Colombo, that it was their own terror background that helped them in saving their lives when the bus carrying them to the stadium was ambushed.

"We have been brought up in a background of terrorist activities. We are used to hearing, seeing these things - firing, bombings. So we ducked under our seats when the firing began. It was like natural instinct," he was quoted as saying.

Jayawardene, very sportingly, also said that the attack on the team could have happened anywhere and could not be pinned down to Pakistan.

The other teams might have panicked in such circumstances that would have obviously caused greater damage. The Sri Lankans handled the situation very well during and after the attack.

Sri Lanka, after having piled up a total in the excess of 600 in the first innings for the second Test running, must have believed that they had a realistic chance of winning the game which would have also given them the series.

Thee march towards victory was in their thoughts when they boarded the bus at 8.30 am. As Sangakkara wrote in his diary they were all looking forward to the third day's play and trying to win the series.


He added: The bus was full of the normal banter. Players traded stories, mostly about Lahore shopping, and cracked jokes. Others chatted about the cricket and the crucial first session. Then, as we approached the large roundabout before the Gaddafi Stadium, we suddenly heard a noise like a firecracker. The bus came to a halt and some of the guys jumped out of their seats to see what was happening. Then came the shout: "They are shooting at us!"

“The truth is we owe our lives to the courageous Mohammad Khalil, the driver. I will forever be grateful to him. The tyres of the bus had been shot out and he was in grave personal danger, exposed to gunfire at the front of the bus. But he was hell-bent on getting us to safety and, somehow, he got us moving again. Had Khalil not acted with such courage and presence of mind most of us would have been killed,” Sangakkara acknowledged like a true sportsman.

(http://skm-sports.blogspot.com)