May 23, 2007
NYT Editorial
Propping Up the General
It seems the more unpopular Pakistan’s military dictator, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, becomes at home and the less he is willing to fight the Taliban, the more the Bush administration clings to him.
Washington is afraid, and entirely not without reason, that nuclear armed Pakistan’s next ruler could be even worse. The answer is not to stand by while the general cranks up his repression. That only feeds the fundamentalist and anti-American passions that Washington fears.
Instead of propping up the general, Washington should use the leverage it gets from roughly $2 billion a year in aid to encourage an early return to democratic rule.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, the United States has been paying about half that amount each year to reimburse Pakistan’s military for fighting Taliban and Al Qaeda forces along the Afghan border. Eight months ago, General Musharraf radically pared back those efforts, but the lavish American payments have continued. Cutting back on those patrols makes it easier for the Taliban and Al Qaeda to kill American and NATO troops. Congress must insist that future payments be linked to actual counterterrorist activity and results, as some American military officials now recommend.
Washington’s uncritical support has also reinforced the general’s arrogance and insularity, which are at the heart of his current political problems. In March, he arbitrarily suspended Pakistan’s independent-minded chief justice, setting off protest demonstrations which have continued ever since. The suspension came as the court was preparing to hear challenges to the general’s schemes to keep himself in power — as both army commander and president — with his presidential candidacy ratified by the current, submissive Parliament, not the new one due to be elected later this year.
Members of the general’s ruling party are now urging him to reach a compromise. Some are even calling on him to open up the election to other serious contenders, including two former prime ministers, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, now living in exile. Both governments were badly stained with corruption. But there can be no meaningful return to democracy without the free participation of Pakistan’s two most popular political leaders. General Musharraf is resisting this good advice, but could change his mind if Washington added its voice to the call for free elections.
A succession of uniformed dictators has misruled Pakistan for more than half of its 60-year history. All have advertised themselves as great friends of Washington, but all have fanned extremism while discrediting America’s reputation among ordinary Pakistanis. There is no security with General Musharraf. The United States belongs on the side of Pakistani democracy.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Dead Man's Affidavit
Justice Javed Iqbal chairing the three-member bench of the Supreme Court ordered Interior Ministry to submit affidavits about the 56 missing people who were traced by the ministry last week. The affidavits must include details regarding the date and place of abduction; duration and place of detention; and charges levelled against recovered people. These 56 are out of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan's list of 136 missing Pakistanis.
I wonder how the ministry would comply with this court orders for Saud Memon, a 44 years old textile merchant of Karachi, and father of five kids. His shrunken and shriveled body, weighing only 40 pounds, was dumped near his house by the intelligence agencies on April 28, 2007, after confining him for 4 years, 1 month and 21 days.
On court orders he was produced in the Supreme Court on May 14, 2007. He was unable to walk so he was brought in on a wheelchair by his brother, Mahmood Memon.
He was unable to speak or hold his head so his brother spoke for him and pleaded with justices that Saud's name should be removed from the ‘Red Book’ compiled by the Interior Ministry, which contains the names the people wanted by the government. The head money set for Saud is Rs 3 million. Justice Javed Iqbal ordered: “Saud Memon should not be arrested without approval of this court.”
He had lost all his memory as a result of torture at the hands of intelligence agencies. The court was shocked and alarmed to see his condition and ordered the newly appointed Deputy Attorney General Barrister Tariq Khokhar to have him treated at Agha Khan Hospital and his medical report presented to the court.
But Saud Memon died on Friday, May 18 at the Liaquat National Hospital in Karachi. Hospital authorities said he died of tuberculosis and meningitis. His family claims he was poisoned while in detention.
He went missing on March 7, 2003. He was arrested from South Africa by FBI, kept at Guantanamo Bay until 2006 when he was handed over to Pakistani agencies. The family heard about his alleged detention last year through a man who was released by the same agency sometime ago. According to Amina Masood Janjua, it was confirmed by three other persons released from ISI’s detention that Saud Memon was with them in ISI custody.
Saud owned the shed and land in Ahsanabad, Gadap Town, Karachi, where body of Daniel Pearl, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, was found in a shallow grave on May 17, 2002 after his kidnapping and beheading in January 2002. Pakistani authorities said at the time they wanted to question Mr Memon but that they could not find him. They never acknowledged his detention either. But earlier this month when Supreme Court, which is investigating "disappearances" of terror suspects, started asking questions about his disappearance and agencies possible involvement in it, he was dumped near his house.
His family denies he had anything to do with the murder. British-born Ahmed Omar Sheikh was sentenced to death for the murder of Daniel Pearl, while three other men were given life imprisonment. In March, alleged al-Qaeda mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed confessed to personally beheading Pearl, according to an incomplete Pentagon transcript of his testimony at a military tribunal.
I wonder how the ministry would comply with this court orders for Saud Memon, a 44 years old textile merchant of Karachi, and father of five kids. His shrunken and shriveled body, weighing only 40 pounds, was dumped near his house by the intelligence agencies on April 28, 2007, after confining him for 4 years, 1 month and 21 days.
On court orders he was produced in the Supreme Court on May 14, 2007. He was unable to walk so he was brought in on a wheelchair by his brother, Mahmood Memon.
He was unable to speak or hold his head so his brother spoke for him and pleaded with justices that Saud's name should be removed from the ‘Red Book’ compiled by the Interior Ministry, which contains the names the people wanted by the government. The head money set for Saud is Rs 3 million. Justice Javed Iqbal ordered: “Saud Memon should not be arrested without approval of this court.”
He had lost all his memory as a result of torture at the hands of intelligence agencies. The court was shocked and alarmed to see his condition and ordered the newly appointed Deputy Attorney General Barrister Tariq Khokhar to have him treated at Agha Khan Hospital and his medical report presented to the court.
But Saud Memon died on Friday, May 18 at the Liaquat National Hospital in Karachi. Hospital authorities said he died of tuberculosis and meningitis. His family claims he was poisoned while in detention.
He went missing on March 7, 2003. He was arrested from South Africa by FBI, kept at Guantanamo Bay until 2006 when he was handed over to Pakistani agencies. The family heard about his alleged detention last year through a man who was released by the same agency sometime ago. According to Amina Masood Janjua, it was confirmed by three other persons released from ISI’s detention that Saud Memon was with them in ISI custody.
Saud owned the shed and land in Ahsanabad, Gadap Town, Karachi, where body of Daniel Pearl, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, was found in a shallow grave on May 17, 2002 after his kidnapping and beheading in January 2002. Pakistani authorities said at the time they wanted to question Mr Memon but that they could not find him. They never acknowledged his detention either. But earlier this month when Supreme Court, which is investigating "disappearances" of terror suspects, started asking questions about his disappearance and agencies possible involvement in it, he was dumped near his house.
His family denies he had anything to do with the murder. British-born Ahmed Omar Sheikh was sentenced to death for the murder of Daniel Pearl, while three other men were given life imprisonment. In March, alleged al-Qaeda mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed confessed to personally beheading Pearl, according to an incomplete Pentagon transcript of his testimony at a military tribunal.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Not Traceable
This absurd drama plays every so agten with a bizzar consistency. Judges take their seats sheepishly; victim families wait anxiously; officials report nonchalantly; judges give some wishy-washy orders and another date; court is adjourned; vistim families go back to their miserable lives. This is missing persons' drama taht is played out elaborately in Pakistan's Supreme Court.
Same ritual next time.
This time the Deputy Attorney General presented the concise report on behalf of National Crisis Management Cell concerning those seven people the court had inquired in its last hearing on April 27.
According to the findings of NCMC, Faisal Faraz is not traceable.
In other words, even though the Cell admits that disappearance of Pakistanis at the hands of intelligence agencies is National Crisis but it cannot manage it. Or it can manage it the only way it is adept at: by telling lies and concealing the truth.
Faisal Faraz, a mechanical engineer from Lahore, was abducted from Rawalpindi Daewoo Bus Stop on July 30, 2005. He was with Masood Janjua. Masood is also missing since.
Justice Javed Iqbal asked the representative of the NCMC of Interior Ministry, Colonel (who else?) Imran: “Are you denying that he was picked up".
Col. Imran: “We don’t have him and we have contacted all the agencies. We are still making efforts.”
Justice Iqbal qasked him about the efforts NCMC has made in recovering Faisal Faraz and others missing people. The paper does not report what did Colonel Imran say.
Justice Iqbal instructed Col. Imran that all missing persons have to be traced out and that the law does not give any right to any government department to abduct people unlawfully and whosoever exercises such powers, will have to be answerable before the Supreme Court.
“Legal action will be taken regardless of who is who,” said Justice Javed Iqbal.
When families and lawyers of the insisted then Col. Imran told the judge that most of the information about the missing people cannot be revealed.
Justice Javed Iqbal told Col Imran that any sensitive information can be revealed in his chamber. The paper does not say if "sensitive information" was revealed in the chamber of hte judge or not.
But Justice Iqbal assured the families that legal action would be taken.
About Imran Munir, 35, the Col. Imran's report disclosed that he is in military’s detention on charges of spying for a foreign country. Imran Munir went missing on July 8th, 2006.
According to his sister, he was "invited" by Brig Mansoor to a dinner in Blue Area, Islamabad. He never came back home. He worked in Malaysia and was on a visit to Pakistan for 2 weeks.
His family was never informed about his whereabouts, his detention, or any charges against him.
After the Supreme Court inquiries during hearings, on April 27, his whereabouts have finally been revealed.
The Supreme Court directed the NCMC to present the charge sheet against Imran Munir in the court and to make arrangements for Imran’s meeting with his family.
How about Attiqur Rehman? The DAG told the court, “He is untraceable” too.
Attiq’s lawyer, Ikram Chaudhry, on the other hand told the bench that DIG and SP Abbottabad had told his client’s family members that he had been picked up by the agencies.
Justice Javed Iqbal summoned IG NWFP and SP Abbotabad to appear beforwe the Supreme Court on the next hearing on May 11, 2007.
Qari Saifullah Akhtar. The concise report presented by the National Crisis Management cell, revealed: “He is engaged in jihadi activities somewhere in Punjab.” (How do they know? And where is that 'somewhere'?)
Qari Saifullah’s lawyer, Hashmat Habib told the bench that government is aware of the whereabouts of Qari Saifullah since he was handed over to the Pakistani government by the UAE authorities on August 8, 2004.
He substantiated his statement by narrating NCMC’s Director General Javed Iqbal Cheema’s interview to a newspaper on August 9, 2004; saying, “Qari Saifullah is in custody of law enforcement agencies and Pakistani agencies are interrogating him.”
The then Information Minister, Sheikh Rashid’s statements given in August 2004 also confirmed that Qari Saifullah was in government’s detention.
After listening to the arguments given by both the sides, Justice Javed Iqbal ordered that a specific report about Qari Saifullah be furnished in the next hearing.
Naeem Noor Khan. According to the NCMC he is also not traceable either. Whereas in August 2004, government acknowledged his arrest. Sheikh Rashid, the then Information Minister , and Faisal Saleh Hayat, the then Interior Minister, and Shaukat Sultan, the then DG ISPR, all confirmed Naeem Noor Khan’s arrest in a press conference in August 2004.
On Supreme Court orders in the last hearing, the Interior Ministry had appointed Col Javed Iqbal Lodhi as deputy secretary to be accessible to the families of the missing people and to arrange their meetings with the detainees and also obtain necessary information regarding missing people.
Justice Javed Iqbal further ordered the deputy secretary to make his telephone numbers known so concerned people could contact him.
Qari Obaidullah was arrested from his house in Multan on November 26, 2003 by elite unit of armed forces accompanied by the agents in civilian clothes. But the armed forces never informed Qari Obaidullah’s family about his detention and they have not met him in four years. His wife had filed a petition in Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi Bench.
The Deputy Attorney General appeared in the court and stated, “Obaidullah was in the custody of the Armed Forces of Pakistan and was required in connection with a case under Section 2(d) of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.”
The bench directed the Deputy Attorney General to make meeting arrangements of Qari Obaidullah with his family.
All the families of missing people expressed their fears before the bench that their loved ones could also be meted out the same treatment as Saud Memon was subjected to.
Saud was dumped near his home in Karachi on April 28, 2007 in a vegetative state. He is not able to speak, walk or hold his head on his own. This 44 years old man weighs only 44 pound (18 kilogram).
Justice Javed Iqbal ordered the Deputy Attorney General to inform the court about Muhammad Idrees Abbasi’s whereabouts and present a concise report in the court on the next hearing due on May 11, 2007.
Same ritual next time.
This time the Deputy Attorney General presented the concise report on behalf of National Crisis Management Cell concerning those seven people the court had inquired in its last hearing on April 27.
According to the findings of NCMC, Faisal Faraz is not traceable.
In other words, even though the Cell admits that disappearance of Pakistanis at the hands of intelligence agencies is National Crisis but it cannot manage it. Or it can manage it the only way it is adept at: by telling lies and concealing the truth.
Faisal Faraz, a mechanical engineer from Lahore, was abducted from Rawalpindi Daewoo Bus Stop on July 30, 2005. He was with Masood Janjua. Masood is also missing since.
Justice Javed Iqbal asked the representative of the NCMC of Interior Ministry, Colonel (who else?) Imran: “Are you denying that he was picked up".
Col. Imran: “We don’t have him and we have contacted all the agencies. We are still making efforts.”
Justice Iqbal qasked him about the efforts NCMC has made in recovering Faisal Faraz and others missing people. The paper does not report what did Colonel Imran say.
Justice Iqbal instructed Col. Imran that all missing persons have to be traced out and that the law does not give any right to any government department to abduct people unlawfully and whosoever exercises such powers, will have to be answerable before the Supreme Court.
“Legal action will be taken regardless of who is who,” said Justice Javed Iqbal.
When families and lawyers of the insisted then Col. Imran told the judge that most of the information about the missing people cannot be revealed.
Justice Javed Iqbal told Col Imran that any sensitive information can be revealed in his chamber. The paper does not say if "sensitive information" was revealed in the chamber of hte judge or not.
But Justice Iqbal assured the families that legal action would be taken.
About Imran Munir, 35, the Col. Imran's report disclosed that he is in military’s detention on charges of spying for a foreign country. Imran Munir went missing on July 8th, 2006.
According to his sister, he was "invited" by Brig Mansoor to a dinner in Blue Area, Islamabad. He never came back home. He worked in Malaysia and was on a visit to Pakistan for 2 weeks.
His family was never informed about his whereabouts, his detention, or any charges against him.
After the Supreme Court inquiries during hearings, on April 27, his whereabouts have finally been revealed.
The Supreme Court directed the NCMC to present the charge sheet against Imran Munir in the court and to make arrangements for Imran’s meeting with his family.
How about Attiqur Rehman? The DAG told the court, “He is untraceable” too.
Attiq’s lawyer, Ikram Chaudhry, on the other hand told the bench that DIG and SP Abbottabad had told his client’s family members that he had been picked up by the agencies.
Justice Javed Iqbal summoned IG NWFP and SP Abbotabad to appear beforwe the Supreme Court on the next hearing on May 11, 2007.
Qari Saifullah Akhtar. The concise report presented by the National Crisis Management cell, revealed: “He is engaged in jihadi activities somewhere in Punjab.” (How do they know? And where is that 'somewhere'?)
Qari Saifullah’s lawyer, Hashmat Habib told the bench that government is aware of the whereabouts of Qari Saifullah since he was handed over to the Pakistani government by the UAE authorities on August 8, 2004.
He substantiated his statement by narrating NCMC’s Director General Javed Iqbal Cheema’s interview to a newspaper on August 9, 2004; saying, “Qari Saifullah is in custody of law enforcement agencies and Pakistani agencies are interrogating him.”
The then Information Minister, Sheikh Rashid’s statements given in August 2004 also confirmed that Qari Saifullah was in government’s detention.
After listening to the arguments given by both the sides, Justice Javed Iqbal ordered that a specific report about Qari Saifullah be furnished in the next hearing.
Naeem Noor Khan. According to the NCMC he is also not traceable either. Whereas in August 2004, government acknowledged his arrest. Sheikh Rashid, the then Information Minister , and Faisal Saleh Hayat, the then Interior Minister, and Shaukat Sultan, the then DG ISPR, all confirmed Naeem Noor Khan’s arrest in a press conference in August 2004.
On Supreme Court orders in the last hearing, the Interior Ministry had appointed Col Javed Iqbal Lodhi as deputy secretary to be accessible to the families of the missing people and to arrange their meetings with the detainees and also obtain necessary information regarding missing people.
Justice Javed Iqbal further ordered the deputy secretary to make his telephone numbers known so concerned people could contact him.
Qari Obaidullah was arrested from his house in Multan on November 26, 2003 by elite unit of armed forces accompanied by the agents in civilian clothes. But the armed forces never informed Qari Obaidullah’s family about his detention and they have not met him in four years. His wife had filed a petition in Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi Bench.
The Deputy Attorney General appeared in the court and stated, “Obaidullah was in the custody of the Armed Forces of Pakistan and was required in connection with a case under Section 2(d) of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.”
The bench directed the Deputy Attorney General to make meeting arrangements of Qari Obaidullah with his family.
All the families of missing people expressed their fears before the bench that their loved ones could also be meted out the same treatment as Saud Memon was subjected to.
Saud was dumped near his home in Karachi on April 28, 2007 in a vegetative state. He is not able to speak, walk or hold his head on his own. This 44 years old man weighs only 44 pound (18 kilogram).
Justice Javed Iqbal ordered the Deputy Attorney General to inform the court about Muhammad Idrees Abbasi’s whereabouts and present a concise report in the court on the next hearing due on May 11, 2007.
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