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“The situation in Balochistan is grave"
Former Balochistan Governor Abdul Qadir Baloch
Former Balochistan governor Abdul Qadir Baloch siad, “The situation in Balochistan is grave". Speaking at the
Pakistan's Thinker's Forum, Baloch Said,"It is not a matter of a disagreement with three sardars, as the
president and the press would have us believe. The disenchantment is real and will not be solved by releasing
pictures of some bearded, turbaned people surrendering,” Baloch said. “Sardars can be killed but the problem
will remain. Today, when the next budget is due, the Public Sector Development Programme money from the
last budget for Balochistan has not been released.”
Pakistan Thinkers’ Forum seminar
Musharraf urged to shed uniform, allow fair elections
* Shahid Hamid says little hope of SC protecting constitution
By Mohammed Rizwan
Monday, April 10, 2006
LAHORE: Regional analysts have urged President Pervez Musharraf to immediately step down as the chief of
army staff and pave the way for an interim government of national consensus to hold free and fair elections in
Pakistan.
They said this at a seminar on ‘What should be done to ensure fair elections?’ organised by the Pakistan
Thinkers’ Forum on Sunday. Former Punjab governor Shahid Hamid told the audience that under normal
circumstances, the “ultimate responsibility” of protecting the constitution and ensuring the supremacy of the
parliament rested with the Supreme Court. “But now, there is little hope that the Supreme Court will take such a
measure. We, the people, will have to step forth and exert pressure on the government to ensure free and fair
general elections in 2006 or 2007,” he said.
He said that if the president and his ruling league had decided to remain in power by any means necessary, the
situation was different. However, if there was hope of fair elections, the Election Commission (EC) would have
to be free and fair, he said. “One proposal is that the president should appoint the chief election commissioner
in consultation with the leader of the opposition, the prime minister and the chief justice. We will have to do this
(pressure the government) ourselves,” said Hamid.
He said that a bigger question would still “loom” even if an independent EC were formed: which agencies, if not
the army, would be deployed to conduct the polls?
Former foreign minister Sartaj Aziz said that the integrity of the federation was at stake unless the democratic
process was started. “The fundamental question today is: would people be given the chance in 2007 to elect
their representatives. If President Musharraf remains in uniform and continues to lead the Pakistan Muslim
League, this objective will not be achieved,” Aziz said. He said that the present was “an important time” for the
army as well. “If the president is in uniform, the army chief becomes a political appointment and politicises the
entire institution,” he said. “Today we are at a crossroads. The conflict between the army and civil society has
peaked.”
Former inter services intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen (r) Asad Durrani said that no one from outside the US would
work on behalf of the Pakistanis to ensure fair elections. “I think the role of the three AAAs – Allah, Army and
America – has be exaggerated in our politics,” said Durrani.
Former Balochistan governor Abdul Qadir Baloch also opposed the role of the military in governance and
politics. “Today, we have to decide who will rule this country. Either we want a parliamentary or presidential
system. For this to happen, the opposition in the country will have to unite on the issue,” said Baloch.
“The situation in Balochistan is grave. It is not a matter of a disagreement with three sardars, as the president
and the press would have us believe. The disenchantment is real and will not be solved by releasing pictures of
some bearded, turbaned people surrendering,” Baloch said. “Sardars can be killed but the problem will remain.
Today, when the next budget is due, the Public Sector Development Programme money from the last budget for
Balochistan has not been released.”
In his hard-hitting speech, Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Farid Piracha belonging to the Jamaat-e-
Islami said that the nation had to decide whether it wanted the “army for the country, or the country for the army”.
“This military regime must end before the next elections. Otherwise, the elections will have no credibility and the
situation will become dangerous. Every national tragedy, be it East Pakistan or the sale of rivers, occurred
during military rule,” Piracha said.
Pakistan People’s Party Deputy Secretary General Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that even after seven years in
power, President Musharraf needed the army chief’s post to run a system which would otherwise collapse.
“What sort of a system has he created in seven years, which would fall the moment he leaves his army post,”
Qureshi said. The PPP leader demanded that the Council of Common Interests be activated to investigate the
Balochistan problem.
MNA Kashmala Tariq defended the government’s policies on economic development and urged the audience to
also look into the “positives” that the government had delivered.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C04%5C10%5Cstory_10-4-2006_pg7_25
Musharraf urged to shed uniform, allow fair elections
* Shahid Hamid says little hope of SC protecting constitution
By Mohammed Rizwan
Monday, April 10, 2006
LAHORE: Regional analysts have urged President Pervez Musharraf to immediately step down as the chief of
army staff and pave the way for an interim government of national consensus to hold free and fair elections in
Pakistan.
They said this at a seminar on ‘What should be done to ensure fair elections?’ organised by the Pakistan
Thinkers’ Forum on Sunday. Former Punjab governor Shahid Hamid told the audience that under normal
circumstances, the “ultimate responsibility” of protecting the constitution and ensuring the supremacy of the
parliament rested with the Supreme Court. “But now, there is little hope that the Supreme Court will take such a
measure. We, the people, will have to step forth and exert pressure on the government to ensure free and fair
general elections in 2006 or 2007,” he said.
He said that if the president and his ruling league had decided to remain in power by any means necessary, the
situation was different. However, if there was hope of fair elections, the Election Commission (EC) would have
to be free and fair, he said. “One proposal is that the president should appoint the chief election commissioner
in consultation with the leader of the opposition, the prime minister and the chief justice. We will have to do this
(pressure the government) ourselves,” said Hamid.
He said that a bigger question would still “loom” even if an independent EC were formed: which agencies, if not
the army, would be deployed to conduct the polls?
Former foreign minister Sartaj Aziz said that the integrity of the federation was at stake unless the democratic
process was started. “The fundamental question today is: would people be given the chance in 2007 to elect
their representatives. If President Musharraf remains in uniform and continues to lead the Pakistan Muslim
League, this objective will not be achieved,” Aziz said. He said that the present was “an important time” for the
army as well. “If the president is in uniform, the army chief becomes a political appointment and politicises the
entire institution,” he said. “Today we are at a crossroads. The conflict between the army and civil society has
peaked.”
Former inter services intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen (r) Asad Durrani said that no one from outside the US would
work on behalf of the Pakistanis to ensure fair elections. “I think the role of the three AAAs – Allah, Army and
America – has be exaggerated in our politics,” said Durrani.
Former Balochistan governor Abdul Qadir Baloch also opposed the role of the military in governance and
politics. “Today, we have to decide who will rule this country. Either we want a parliamentary or presidential
system. For this to happen, the opposition in the country will have to unite on the issue,” said Baloch.
“The situation in Balochistan is grave. It is not a matter of a disagreement with three sardars, as the president
and the press would have us believe. The disenchantment is real and will not be solved by releasing pictures of
some bearded, turbaned people surrendering,” Baloch said. “Sardars can be killed but the problem will remain.
Today, when the next budget is due, the Public Sector Development Programme money from the last budget for
Balochistan has not been released.”
In his hard-hitting speech, Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Farid Piracha belonging to the Jamaat-e-
Islami said that the nation had to decide whether it wanted the “army for the country, or the country for the army”.
“This military regime must end before the next elections. Otherwise, the elections will have no credibility and the
situation will become dangerous. Every national tragedy, be it East Pakistan or the sale of rivers, occurred
during military rule,” Piracha said.
Pakistan People’s Party Deputy Secretary General Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that even after seven years in
power, President Musharraf needed the army chief’s post to run a system which would otherwise collapse.
“What sort of a system has he created in seven years, which would fall the moment he leaves his army post,”
Qureshi said. The PPP leader demanded that the Council of Common Interests be activated to investigate the
Balochistan problem.
MNA Kashmala Tariq defended the government’s policies on economic development and urged the audience to
also look into the “positives” that the government had delivered.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C04%5C10%5Cstory_10-4-2006_pg7_25
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