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People celebrate Mush’s resignation
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Muhammad Anis
Islamabad
Like other parts of the country, the residents of twin cities expressed joy over President Pervez Musharraf’s resignation and demanded his trial.
People came out of their houses and offices as soon as General (r) Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation in a televised address to the nation. People gathered in groups in various localities of twin cities and raised slogans against Pervez Musharraf. Some people distributed sweets on the occasion.
The celebrations were at their peak in front of the Zardari House, central secretariats of coalition partners — PML-N & PPP — and offices of the Jamaat-e-Islami and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI).
Political workers took rounds of roads on motorbikes and cars to express their jubilation over the development. There were also reports of aerial firing and fireworks from various parts of twin cities, particularly from central parts of Rawalpindi.
Not even a single demonstration was held in any part of twin cities in support of a dictator who ruled the country for almost nine years. The majority of people interviewed by ‘The News’ were of the opinion that Pervez Musharraf should be tried in court for violating the constitution, killing of hundreds of students of the Jamia Hafsa, killing of Baloch leader Akbar Bugti and handing over of a large number of Pakistanis to the US.
Shamsur Rehman Swati, secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) (Rawalpindi), said “Safe passage should not be given to Pervez Musharraf, who is the killer of innocent people at Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa as well as democracy.”
A large number of female students of Jamia Hafsa, led by Umme Hassaan, staged a rally at Aabpara Chowk demanding trial of Pervez Musharraf. They carried placards and banners demanding that Pervez Musharraf should be hanged publicly at the Lal Masjid crossing.
Lal Masjid Naib Khateeb Aamir Siddique, who is the nephew of Maulana Abdul Aziz, was also present on the occasion. He said that those providing safe passage to Pervez Musharraf would also be considered murderers of students and teachers of Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid. “There should be no safe passage for Musharraf. He should rather be tried in the court of law,” Aamir Siddique said.
The students of Jamia Hafsa were joined by traders of Aabpara Market who distributed sweets among demonstrators. “These sweets are from traders of Aabpara Market,” said a man carrying a basket of sweets for distribution among protesters.
The representatives of traders, while speaking on megaphone, demanded that Pervez Musharraf should be hanged publicly at Aabpara Chowk in Islamabad, Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore or in front of Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi. “He deserves this treatment,” they said.
Speaking on the occasion, Aabpara Traders Association President Ajmal Baloch and others said the coalition government should now fulfil its commitment of restoring all deposed judges within three days.
Some traders used abusive language against Pervez Musharraf and termed his resignation victory of the coalition government and other anti-Musharraf forces. They said that Pervez Musharraf handed over the daughter of the soil, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, to the US.
On the occasion, the demonstrators burnt an effigy of Pervez Musharraf to vent their anger and hatred against him. Rallies against Pervez Musharraf were also staged at Melody Market, Markaz G-9, and G-9 I&T Centre.
In Rawalpindi, people gathered in front of television sets in shops and hotels resorted to celebrations as Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation. The traffic remained blocked at various points on Murree Road, Iqbal Road, Liaquat Road and College Road due to the celebrations.
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Musharraf keeps viewers in suspense till the fag end
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Myra Imran
Islamabad
Leaving aside their household chores, women listened to President Pervez Musharraf’s farewell speech with great interest and appreciated his decision to finally call it quits.
Though aired at a busy time of the day, the address kept most women glued to their television sets. Commenting on the speech, they said it had suspense, because the announcement of the resignation came almost at the fag end.
“Musharraf has always been unpredictable and that is what made me think that he might not resign,” said Anila Saeed, a housewife, surprised that his rule was now over. Some of the women expressed concern that the resignation might create a vacuum. “I am still confused whether this is a step towards stability or more instability,” asked Noreen Farooq.
In the present political and economic scenario, she said that the country needed a strong president and prime minister. “Appointments just to make everyone in the coalition happy is a dangerous trend,” she pointed out.
Saadia Majid, another housewife, said that politicians now had another chance to prove themselves. “It will be a great disappointment if they again fail to deliver.” There were women who said their only concern was the rising inflation and that they were not bothered with who becomes the president or the prime minister.
They said that now that the ‘hurdle’ had been removed, the government should concentrate on providing relief to people. “We expect our leaders to take solid steps to check inflation,” said Anila.
Saima Khalid, a student, suggested that people could not afford to watch political turmoil any longer and the coalition should start dealing with their political activities and governance issues separately. “I don’t think it should be that difficult now,” she said.
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N finally he resigns
Musharraf announces resignation
Updated at: 1400 PST, Monday, August 18, 2008
RAWALPINDI: President Pervez Musharraf announced in a televised address to the nation Monday that he had decided to resign after nine years in power to avoid the threat of impeachment.
"After viewing the situation and consulting legal advisers and political allies, with their advice I have decided to resign," a grim-faced Musharraf said, backed by Pakistani flags and a portrait of the country's founder.
"I leave my future in the hands of people."
Musharraf made the shock announcement after denying that any of the impeachment charges against him could stand and launching into a lengthy defence of his time in power.
"Not a single charge in the impeachment can stand against me," Musharraf said. "No charge can be proved against me because I never did anything for myself, it was all for Pakistan."
He said that there was now law and order in the country, that human rights and democracy had been improved and that Pakistan was now an crucial country internationally.
"On the map of the world, Pakistan is now an important country, by the grace of Allah," he said.
The President dismissed the “false allegations” being leveled against him by the coalition government and said he was neither afraid of the charges against him, nor shy to face these through impeachment.
“For me it is always Pakistan first”, Musharraf said and added that politics of confrontation must come to an end and instead a policy of reconciliation be pursued.
He stressed immediate measure be taken to arrest the economic downturn and said the nation has the resilience to withstand any challenge.
He said it was not a time to show bravado, but to get serious as country’s dignity was at stake, the office of Presidency would bear the brunt.
“For 44 years I have safeguarded the country and will continue to do so.”
“No charge sheet can stand against me. Not even a single charge can be proven against me as I have full trust in Allah Almighty and I did everything with the belief of Pakistan First.”
The President said he took all decisions with consultation, took all stakeholders onboard, on the most difficult decisions.
“All stake holders, whether they were soldiers, politicians, bureaucrats, members of civil society, Ulema were consulted in all decisions. “I have nothing to worry about the charge sheet,” Musharraf said.
~Fragi~
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WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday said the issue over President Musharraf’s political future was for Pakistanis to determine and indicated that the United States granting asylum to the embattled leader was not currently under consideration.
Washington, she said, has been supportive of the new democratic Pakistani government, adding the US is cooperating with Pakistan in a broad range of areas, including its economic development and the fight against terrorism.
“This is a matter for Pakistanis to resolve and we have been supportive of democratic elections that took place in Pakistan, in fact, advocated for them. “We have been supportive of their new democratic government as witnessed by President (Bush)’s meetings with Prime Minister (Yousuf Raza) Gilani. So this is a matter for Pakistan to determine,” she told FOX News channel when asked if President Musharraf should step down to avoid an impeachment fight.
Pressed if she is prepared to say whether or not the US would grant President Musharraf asylum, Secretary Rice said: “This is an issue that is not on the table, I just want to keep focus on what we must do with the democratic government of Pakistan. President Musharraf has been a good ally everyone knows that we disagreed with his decision in terms of the state of emergency which he declared (in November 2007). But he kept his word, took off his uniform. Now there is a democratic government in Pakistan.
“Pakistan and the United States have a joint interest in fighting terror because these terrorists are not just after the United States and Afghanistan, they are also after Pakistan as demonstrated by the fact that they killed (Benazir) Bhutto. “That is what we are concentrating on, and helping Pakistan to sustain its economy, to build its schools.”
