Pakistani Governor Murdered by His Own Security for Opposing Blasphemy Laws

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Salmaan Taseer, governor of Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province, was shot and killed by a member of his own security detail yesterday at a strip mall in one of Islamabad's poshest, foreigner-friendly neighborhoods. His attacker turned himself into the police, confessing that he shot Taseer because he sought to remove Pakistan's blasphemy laws. Taseer, a member of the ruling Pakistan People's Party, recently defended a Christian woman sentenced to death according to the country's relatively recent blasphemy laws, which were put in place during the dictatorship of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s. Islamist parties disapproved of Taseer's calling for the law to be repealed as well as his attempts to organize a public demonstration using Twitter. Taseer was appointed governor in 2008 after the fall of Pervez Musharraf's military government when the PPP came into power. Not that it's social media's fault, but his death is probably not going to make the top of the list for ways that Twitter is helping organize progressive uprisings in the Middle East.

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Gilani scrambles for new alliances to save Govt

6:02 AM News No Comments

In a desperate move to shore up support, Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday met top leaders of the opposition PML-N and PLM-Q, but got no firm assurance from them on saving his tottering government.

Beleaguered Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani emerging from the crisis talks, however, claimed that the two main opposition parties had said they would not back any move “that derails democracy“.

Mr. Gilani took the step to reach out to the PML-N and the PML-Q, as clamour mounted for his resignation following the withdrawal of support from the 25-member strong Muttahida Qaumi Movement, a development that reduced his government to a minority left with only 160 members in a 342 strong National Assembly.

First he met PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif and then drove to the Lahore residence of former premier Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the chief of PML-Q, once described by President Asif Ali Zardari as the “qatil (killer) league” for its government’s alleged failure to provide protection to his wife Benazir Bhutto at the time of her assassination in 2007.

The desperate moves by Mr. Gilani came as leaders of his erstwhile ally Jamiet Ulema-e-Islam called for his stepping down, saying he had lost support in parliament, triggering horse trading in search of new alliances.

Following separate meetings with Mr. Gilani, a day after the MQM pulled out of the ruling coalition, leaders of the PML-N and PML-Q said they would not take any step that derails democracy or amounted to “blackmailing” the government.

Emerging from a meeting with PML-Q chief Hussain, Mr. Gilani told reporters: “He has said that no step will be taken (by the PML-Q) that derails democracy“.

The top leadership of the PML-Q will hold further consultations tomorrow on the question of supporting the PPP-led government, Mr. Gilani said.

Former premier Hussain said the PML-Q had given unconditional support to Mr. Gilani so far but had now set the condition that the government should address the people’s problems to get its backing in future.

At an earlier meeting with Mr. Gilani, senior PML-N leader and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said “democracy had become a reality after a long struggle against dictatorial regimes” and his party “would not let it be derailed“.

The PML-N’s top leadership will discuss the issue of backing the government at a meeting to be chaired on Tuesday by party chief Nawaz Sharif.

The PPP-led government is currently facing its worst crisis since it came to power after the 2008 general election.

The MQM, which draws its power from the Urdu-speaking people of Karachi, played a key role in propping up the government with its 25 parliamentarians.

The MQM said it decided to leave the ruling coalition because the government had failed to tackle the people’s problems, including price rise and corruption, though observers contended the move could be part of a greater effort to weaken the PPP’s grip on power.

The PPP has 126 members in the National Assembly or lower house of parliament, and enjoys the support of about 160 lawmakers.

It is at least 12 seats short of a simple majority and PPP leaders have begun a desperate scramble to shore up support for the government’s survival.

Observers said the PML-N’s decision not to back any move against the government was influenced by the fact that it had only 91 lawmakers in parliament.

Party spokesman Ahsan Iqbal said: “The PML-N is evaluating the situation. For bringing about a change in the country, we need 172 lawmakers but the PML-N has only 91“.

During his meeting with the PML-N and PML-Q leaders, Mr. Gilani noted that he had unanimously been elected Leader of the House in the National Assembly and the opposition parties had always backed the government on issues that strengthened institutions and democracy.

This tradition should be continued by extending support to his government at this juncture, he said.

The 2008 election had thrown up a split mandate and no party has majority in parliament, Mr. Gilani said.

The PPP has banked on support from its allies and the opposition on key issues, he added.

“I never had majority support but it was unprecedented in Pakistan’s history that I got unanimous support (during the election as Leader of the House),” he said.

Asked by reporters about the possibility of a no-confidence move against him, Gilani said this could happen in only two ways - the President could ask him to seek a confidence vote or a motion could be introduced in parliament by any party.

He did not comment further on the issue.

The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, which too pulled out of the PPP-led government last month, sent a delegation of senior leaders led by Abdul Ghafoor Haideri to meet PML-Q chief Hussain to ask him not to support the ruling coalition.

Haideri said the JUI would introduce a no-confidence motion in parliament if Gilani and his cabinet did not resign.

However, observers said such a move by the JUI would fail as the party has only eight lawmakers and virtually no backing from bigger parties like PML-Q or PML-N.

Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, president of the PPP’s Punjab chapter, too said the JUI would not move any no-confidence motion and the crisis would soon be over.

PPP central information secretary Fauzia Wahab told PTI that her party had no plans to remove Gilani from the premier’s slot.

“The PPP is sure that it will not change Prime Minister Gilani. We will foil any move in this regard,” she said.

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New Year’s Eve: Additional force for safer celebration

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LAHORE: Security was tightened around the city on Saturday night on account of the New Year’s Eve.
Police contingents were deployed at several points to avoid any untoward incident.  An additional 3,610 personnel of the city police, 50 of the Elite Force, 400 of the Mujahid Squad, 1,610 of the traffic police and around 1,550 of the Punjab police were on duty on The Mall, Jail Road, Gulberg’s Main Boulevard, Ferozepur Road, Defence, Lahore Ring Road, Shalimar Road, GT Road, and Canal Bank.
They were meant to discourage rash driving, motorcycle stunts and those involved in celebratory firing in particular.
The police were also directed to take strict action against those using loud speakers during the night.
DIG (operations) Rao Sardar Ali told The Express Tribune that the police had been directed to be strict with law breakers.  He said that additional pickets were set up around the city so that those racing one another or speeding could be controlled.
SP Faisal Rana said that a team of TMOs would accompany the police officials in their raids on parties where firing was reported.
He said security at the nine entry points to the city had also been tightened.
Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Ahmed Mobeen directed the traffic wardens to be strict with eve-teasers and one-wheelers.
He said that the police deployment in the city included 12 DSPs, 76 inspectors and 1,610 wardens. He said that 11 emergency squads were on stand by to meet any emergency situations.
Earlier, the CTO cancelled the 2010 revenue tickets obtained from the post offices to pay for driving licences. He said the citizens should get new tickets issued by the post offices in 2011. He said that the revenue tickets from 2010 will not be accepted from Saturday (today)

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‘Balochistan to be the focus of development’

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday in a New Year’s resolve, vowed to direct all energies for the mitigation of problems being faced by the people of Balochistan.
He said he would make frequent visits to the province in 2011 to reach out to the common man and personally inaugurate mega projects for the improvement and welfare of the people of Balochistan.
Gilani said the Gawadar Port would serve as a catalyst of national development and directed that a certain percentage of trade be routed through the port. Gilani assured that all commitments made in the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan would be fulfilled.
The prime minister said the government was open to suggestions for bringing in socio-economic development for the people of Balochistan and asked parliamentarians to come up with new ideas to make the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan more productive.
He said the government was preparing workable plans for the optimal utilisation of the resources of the province.

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31st National games end amid fanfare

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PESHAWAR: The 31st National Games concluded in Qayyum Sports Complex Peshawar here on Friday with a colourful closing ceremony. Pakistan Army was once again successful in defending their title. Several records were set during the National Games.
The 31st National Games commenced in Peshawar on the 25th of December in Qayyum Sports Complex amid tight security. Individual and team sports including track and field events were on display during the week.
Muhammad Ali from Wapda finished first in the 1,500 metre race, the last event of the National Games.
In the colourful closing ceremony, children dressed in lively outfits performed traditional dances of the four provinces, amid roaring applause from the audience.
Similarly, horse dances and low aerial glider performances entertained the surprised audience. There was also a group of school-age students singing and a beautiful fireworks display as the games came to a close.
Pakistan Army defended their title and grabbed 212 medals overall, included 106 gold, 97 silver and 27 bronze. Wapda got second position in the games with 183 medals overall, including 78 gold, 50 silver and 55 bronze. Pakistan Navy came third with 47 medals including 11 gold, 18 silver and 18 bronze.
Two records were broken in the games. Maryam Babar from Wapda made a record 11.66 metre triple jump, breaking the old 11.53 metre record.
Similarly, Kiran from Pakistan Army won a total of 13 medals, breaking the old record of 12 medals.
7000 players from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh, Azad Kashmir, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Fata,  Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Airforce, Pakistan Railway,  Wapda, Pakistan Police and Higher Education Commission participated in the  event.

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