When Will Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan Tell the Truth?

[mujahideen]

When Will Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan Tell the Truth?

By Ahmed Quraishi
Islamabad, Pakistan

In politics, you couldn’t be luckier than Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan. His luck is every politician’s dream. Thanks to his role in the chief justice case, he is almost getting away without facing tough questions about his past politics.
Some people, especially those who oppose the Musharraf administration, are willing to let him get away without telling us the truth about the kind of politics Mr. Ahsan has been practicing in his public career.
Why should Mr. Ahsan face any of those questions?
The answer is simple.
In Pakistan, we have a feudal, elitist political class that has played the biggest part in retarding the development of Pakistani democracy and Pakistani public institutions. It’s easy to blame the military. But everyone forgets that after Independence, we changed prime ministers almost every year for eleven years before the military finally stepped in.
This feudal and cruel elite controls all the major political parties, with the exception of Jamaat-e-Islami and MQM maybe. This elite will not allow people like me, an ordinary, middle class educated Pakistani, to rise to any party top slot.
What to speak of me, even smart, non-feudal Pakistani politicians, like PPP’s Sherry Rehman or PML’s Tariq Azim, stand no chance of ever reaching the top.
Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan is one of those elitist feudal lords of this country.
Recently, he wrote an op-ed for The News. More of a tear jerker than an editorial. In it, he tried to take us back to the ‘romantic’ days of November 1988 when, according to him, the Pakistani government was forced at the last minute to hand over power to the late Mrs. Bhutto after the elections. Of course, Washington was also lobbying at the time to see her in power, lobbying very hard. But that is a story for another day.
As a young Pakistani, I believe this great nation, Pakistan, has a lot more to offer than this domineering, feudal, incompetent elite. That's why it is imperative to pose questions to our feudal-politicians like Mr. Ahsan. [Syeda Abida Hussain, another feudal elitist who, coincidentally, belongs to the same party as Mr. Ahsan, made fun of President Musharraf’s mother in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, because Mr. Musharraf comes from the middle class and his mother used to work as a typist when she was young.]
If he is such a great democrat, Mr. Ahsan strangely refuses to address the question of why not tell us why did he agree to be part of the charade at the central executive committee of the PPP that elected Mrs. Benazir Bhutto party chairman for life, knowing that she had maneuvered to kick out her mother from the position and lobbied hard to keep her brother away?
If Mr. Ahsan could muster the guts to boycott this year’s elections in violation of party policy, why couldn’t he make a similar sacrifice for democracy within the party and refuse to work under a party lifetime dictator?
Again, if Mr. Ahsan’s struggle is for democracy, why did he keep silent on the preposterous royal succession within his party after Mrs. Bhutto’s death?
If his fight is for principles, why couldn’t he say it to Mrs. Bhutto’s face when he was boycotting the elections and her party leader insisted on taking part in the elections? Why didn’t he simply abandon the party and firmly put all his eggs in the lawyers’ basket?
Why did he have one foot in the lawyers’ movement and the other in the PPP? Why was he betting on both? So that he could return to the party if the ‘movement’ fails?
Instead of addressing these very legitimate questions, which I am sure are on the minds of others like me, Mr. Ahsan shamelessly defended late Mrs. Bhutto’s opportunism in his op-ed, apologetically justifying his and her politics this way:
“[People] did not understand that … Bibi was forced to factor painful ground realities in her decision making.”
Ground realities? Isn’t that another word for, umm, opportunism?
I have no problem with being realistic in politics. It’s just that you can’t be a realist and then still claim to be a man of principles, fighting for a democracy that you never allowed in your own party on two occasions: one, when you voted a lifetime party president, and, two, when you silently accepted a royal succession from mother to son in a party that is supposed to be fighting for democracy.
Of course, I am not going to say anything about how truly educated, middle class Pakistanis have no room in the PPP, which is a front for feudal lords — like almost every other Pakistani political party

 

[Proud to be Pakistani]

Alas!

People will never understand about politicians like these!

Let them die in their frame of mind that politics can change our Nation!

 

[relent8]

Another good article by this man.!!

 

[batmannow]

GREAT, article nice to see people , can understand a system which is running pakistan for last 60 years.

 

[mujahideen]

GREAT, article nice to see people , can understand a system which is running pakistan for last 60 years.

All you have to know about the system is we will get corrupt politicians for a couple af years and then the Army will come in to fix up the system and then again it will leave and then again corrupt politicians will come in and the the Army. It is an on going cycle.

 

[batmannow]

i , THINK PAKARMY should accept the responsibality to stop this crazy circle, like TURKEY , turkish army doing that. or again you have tht RUSSIAN example, i mean putin?

again people like , musharaf have to stand and deliver again, but for that he need to find peoples to advice him politicly, financially, and religiously fotr that he needs peopls who were not just his old berucratic friends, he need people like S,RASHiED AHMED who, knows politics from streets , not from drawing rooms like wise CHOWDRIES.

he, hve to be a bit religious, so that millitants cant make a target to attack and should stop all unusal external interferance by EU and US .

 

[Majnun]

He's a born liar. Hang him.

 

[Interceptor]

Aitzaz Ahsan Zinda bad, Go Musharraf Go.

 

[BATMAN]

Aitzaz Ahsan Zinda bad, Go Musharraf Go.

Baynazir, said that she will keep Musharraf.
She also ousted Aitizaz out of PPPP.

 

[Interceptor]

Baynazir, said that she will keep Musharraf.
She also ousted Aitizaz out of PPPP.

What? Batman not one of your wet dreams again.

Benazir had conferance with Aitazaz and gave him buke flowers and also sent one to CJ after the great victory. She did not talk about him as this part of gesture of respect he is very know lawyer who fought her fathers case in court, Aitazaz is still in the PPP and he siad tha the PM of Pakistan will be of the PPP. PPP supported the release of CJ and repointment and how did show this well few thousand of the black coats were PPP workers and Aitazaz is the Lawyer who WON the historical case what a lawyer he is above and beyond any of the Lawyers that Pakistan has ever produced even better in my opinion to the PPP lawyer who wrote part of the constitution of Pakistan can't remember his name.

Jiya Aitazaz he will be the next PM hopefully.

 

[mujahideen]

What? Batman not one of your wet dreams again.
Benazir had conferance with Aitazaz and gave him buke flowers and also sent one to CJ after the great victory. She did not talk about him as this part of gesture of respect he is very know lawyer who fought her fathers case in court, Aitazaz is still in the PPP and he siad tha the PM of Pakistan will be of the PPP. PPP supported the release of CJ and repointment and how did show this well few thousand of the black coats are PPP workers and Aitazaz is the Lawyer a historical case and WON what a lawyer he is above and beyond any of the Lawyers that Pakistan has ever made even better in my opinion to the PPP lawyer who wrote part of the constitution of Pakistan can't remember his name.
Jiya Aitazaz he will be the next PM hopefully.

I am sorry Interceptor but I will have to agree with Batman here. Even when Aitazaz went to London Benazir did not meet him. The fact is Benazir was sort of jeleous of all the publicity that he was getting and as the party dictator she wanted to be the center of discussions.

Interceptor I apologize this if it seems like I am trying to gang up one you. And I would like to remind the people who are discussing this topic that we shouldn't gang up on someone just because they have different opinions. We must learn to share our opinions and hopefully learn something from eachother.

 

[Interceptor]

^

Where do you come up with these things and why do you alleged Atizaz Ahsan for being anti Benazir or Benazir being anti Aitazaz for god sake leave her be she is dead now, and yet you crave on new allegation she went out side Chief Justice house and protested as the first politician, she asked Musharraf personally to free Atizaz and now look at Atizaz he is a broken man her leader was murdered by this establishment and yet some how out of the blue comes Benazir is jealous of his publicity she ordered him and his workers to work closely and free Cheif Justice is it would make the Stay of Musharraf Traitor hard and through this the election commission can become more transparent.

Batman hates Atizaz I know him very well during the sacking of Chief Justice of Pakistan he clapped with both hands I told him that Atizaz will win this case and re-appoint the Chief justice. And yes she met Aitzaz Ahsan in London she called all the top leaders of PPP to join the central executive conference this was about 20 days before 18 of October.

Read below Aitazaz commitment to Benazir he wrote this in his illegal detention.

"The first thing I want to do is to release all political prisoners" she announced as our meeting on November 30, 1988 began at Dr Zafar Niazi's house in Islamabad. In the elections held after the death of General Zia, the PPP, despite all efforts of the agencies, had succeeded in the elections. After failing to prop up any rival, President Ghulam Ishaq had finally agreed that very day to accept her as Prime Minister of Pakistan.

The historic meeting of PPP leadership was being held to set top priorities of Bibi's first government. It was here as the Prime Minister designate that she showed her metal. So far her life and emotions had been premised on the bitter fact that her dearest father had been deposed, imprisoned, humiliated, falsely charged, hanged and then buried without due ceremony. But she brought to that meeting only her winning smile and the undiluted optimism of a political idealist.

Zia had left behind a large number of political prisoners and convicts of military courts. Each had been denied due process. Releasing them, she said, was going to be her number one priority.

What pledge should we make to ourselves? she asked. "That we must ensure press freedom", I suggested. "For anything that it may print?" she asked. "Yes, for anything. We must set a precedent," I said. And she agreed at once, excited that it was a good idea.

Next day I was sworn in as her Interior Minister. In that capacity, I received countless recommendations to prosecute this or that publication. I turned down each of these even when our government was brutally and deliberately slandered.

Once a cabinet colleague complained to her that I was not prosecuting publications for false propaganda against her husband Asif Zardari. "But Malik Sahib," she retorted, "we have pledged to allow full freedom to the media. We will have to bear with it." Then she turned to me and asked: "Is there anything that can be done without the government getting involved?" "Yes," I replied. "Asif should file a civil suit for damages in his personal capacity." And so it was that Mr Asif Zardari, husband of a serving Prime Minister had the grace to file a private civil suit for damages as an ordinary litigant.

That is what she was. At once humane and proper. How can I recount in such as short piece, all aspects of a life lived to such fullness particularly when I have worked so close to her during her life? Even books will fail to do justice. Presently only a few instances establishing her more prominent qualities must suffice. One was fortitude.

Between 1990 and 1993 there were as many as 18 prosecutions against her and her husband Asif Zardari. Both were also slandered and defamed. I had publicly promised to turn these prosecutions "from the trial of Mohtrama into the trial of Ishaq Khan". In the end, they were both acquitted in all those cases, with her husband bravely facing adversity and she standing by him like a rock. She had the fortitude to bear the designed torment aimed at her by the notorious regime of Jam Sadiq Ali in Sindh.

Never will I forget that one day in 1992 when I entered the outer gate of Landhi Jail to defend Asif in a trial being conducted inside the jail itself. There she was, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, carrying two young infants, Bilawal and Bakhtawar, in her arms, and sitting on a pile of bricks. I was furious and immediately went to the Jail Superintendent. But she calmed me down saying that she had learnt not to expect any decency from the jail staff. After all, she herself had remained imprisoned for five years as a young girl.

Through all her trials and tribulations, she demonstrated amazing charm and stamina. When she came to stay with us in Gujrat in December 1986, she arrived at 3 am on that freezing December night having traveled a full 10 hours from Lahore, but she sat up chatting with Bushra for another one hour with Zaynab, our youngest, in her lap. Early in the morning she was up, fresh as a flower, all ready to meet local party officials.

She kept punishing schedules and was the only politician who had toured the entire Pakistan, city by city, town by town, village by village and hamlet by hamlet at least five times. She knew the party workers by face and the towns by the streets.

And through it all she remained a model of womanhood at its most sublime. While being the most hardworking, hands-on, leading politician of the country, she was unabashedly feminine at the same time. In this intolerant and male dominated country, she refused to be uncomfortable about her womanhood. She gave birth to her first child in the middle of 1988 election campaign and another child while she was the first woman Prime Minister of Muslim Pakistan.

Then there was her courage. She was afraid of nothing. I was on her truck at the time of the blast of 18 October. Next morning when I met her she was in her normal routine. I did not know that I was seeing her for the last time. When I sought her leave to return to Lahore for my Supreme Court Bar elections, she said "It will be a landslide in your favour. Good luck. And thanks for being here." When I was withdrawing from the parliamentary contest I sent word to her and she consulted me, through Senator Safdar Abbasi on my choice for my substitute. She accepted the choice. But I was arrested the day after my election as President SCBA and denied permission even to attend the funeral or soyem of the one who believed in freeing political prisoners and the media, and in politics of non-violence.

As a political leader she could organize and mobilize the biggest political organization in Pakistan, set the political agenda, make millions of ordinary people dream the greatest dreams for this land and yes, in fair elections, win elections too. She could do all that. But what she could not tackle were certain self-appointed guardians of the state, who refused to allow people the right to solve their problems themselves and who harassed, hounded, threatened and conspired against her. They did not permit her a fair shot at the democratic game because they knew that she would win, not by breaking the constitution or at gun point but through the sheer will of ordinary people who are supposed to be sovereign. Even on the last day of her life, her foremost concern was not how to win the elections but how to prevent them from being rigged. I wonder if people understand that in this lies a tragedy, not only for Bibi, but for this nation.

Many sincere analysts questioned the integrity of her politics. They did not understand that after facing conspiracy after conspiracy, Bibi was forced to factor painful ground realities in her decision-making, always striving to achieve one day her true political ideals.

This fundamental question may indeed be addressed through another question: Why, during the 30 years from 1977, when an elected and popular Prime Minister was ousted at gun point to the date when Bibi lost her life to another gun, the total period for which she, the most popular political leader, was allowed to govern the country was three times less than the time that Chaudhry Shujaat's party remained in power? The real source of this country's problems may be revealed by the answer. In kowtowing to the civil and military bureaucracy there is a premium. He and his ilk can do it. She could not. They survive. She had to be eliminated.

One cannot help wondering why our establishment that claims to be obsessed with maintaining the federation, could not bring itself to see in Bibi that glorious human chain that kept all four provinces together, and as an asset and an ally instead of a foe.

Above all else I will remember her for three qualities: a constant urge to reach out to her people, a willingness to take on Herculean challenges, and for her ability to forgive, even embrace, her enemies. These three qualities made her superhuman. And all three took her to her tragic, yet heroic death.

All I can now say is: 'Bibi it is an honour to have worked for you and with you. The Himalayas wept the death of your father. The world weeps for you.'


The writer is a former interior minister and president of the Supreme Court Bar Association

 

[mujahideen]

Where do you come up with these things and why do you alleged Atizaz Ahsan for being anti Benazir or Benazir being anti Aitazaz for god sake leave her be she is dead now, and yet you crave on new allegation she went out side Chief Justice house and protested as the first politician, she asked Musharraf personally to free Atizaz and now look at Atizaz he is a broken man her leader was murdered by this establishment and yet some how out of the blue comes Benazir is jealous of his publicity she ordered him and his workers to work closely and free Cheif Justice is it would make the Stay of Musharraf Traitor hard and through this the election commission can become more transparent.

Batman hates Atizaz I know him very well during the sacking of Chief Justice of Pakistan he clapped with both hands I told him that Atizaz will win this case and re-appoint the Chief justice. And yes she met Aitzaz Ahsan in London she called all the top leaders of PPP to join the central executive conference this was about 20 days before 18 of October.

Read below Aitazaz commitment to Benazir he wrote this in his illegal detention.

First of all I am not trying to say anything bad about Benazir and if you think I am I apologize, because quite frankly she is dead and whatever she did was over. Now as far as Batman is concerned I cant comment on what he says, but about my comments I have already cleared it up that I dont mean to offend you, because I have realized that we all have different opinions and by discussing then we might be able to find some kind of common ground.
Now getting back to the topic. Now what I said about Aitazaz and Benazir I stand by that comment, but at the same time I also realize and everyone of us should realize, is that we dont know what really goes on inside, we just comment on the situation. I dont think Benazir wanted to restore the judiciary because whatever she was doing was on behalf of Washington. Now in the future the judiciary will not be restored and we will see Aitazaz form his own party along with the other lawyers. I dont think any politician wants the judiciary to be restored whatever they are doing is because they always want to be in opposition to President Musharraf. The way I form my opinion is by what I see, what I hear and what I read, so it could just be that my sources are wrong, but from what I have seen I stand by my words. Now you posted up the article by Aitazaz, I have already read this, but you also must realize that this was written soon after Benazir was assassinated at this time even her biggest critics were full of kind words for her. Personally speaking from my point of view, when I heard the news I was indeed sadden even though I use to criticize her but at the same time I also realize that our politics is incomplete with out her. What I didn't like was that her coffin was drapped in a party flag, she belonged to all of us, she was the former Prime Minister of Pakistan and she should of been drapped in the Pakistani flag.

 

[mujahideen]

Aitzaz dares Qayyum, Pirzada to TV debate

By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Renewing his challenge to the presidential legal team comprising Sharifuddin Pirzada and Attorney-General Malik Muhammad Qayyum for a live TV debate on the restoration of judges through an executive order, Supreme Court Bar Association President Aitzaz Ahsan said there was no need for a two-thirds majority for the restoration of the judges as only an executive order was enough.

"I challenge Sharifuddin Pirzada and Malik Qayyum to come on any TV channel for a live debate on the restoration of judges through an executive order," he said while talking to newsmen here on Thursday outside the Zardari House after holding a luncheon meeting with PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. “Both of them are giving wrong advice to the Presidency.”

According to sources, during the meeting Aitzaz Ahsan gave his detailed point of view on the restoration of judges through an executive order.

However, sources said Asif Ali Zardari also referred to the opinions of his three legal advisers, Senator Farooq H Naek, Senator Dr Babar Awan and Senator Latif Khosa, who are advocating a two-thirds majority for the restoration of judges. But Aitzaz Ahsan stuck to his position that the restoration of judges was possible through an executive order.

Sources said the two also discussed the fate of the PCO judges after the restoration of judges in the light of the Murree Declaration. Meanwhile, talking to newsmen after the meeting, Aitzaz Ahsan said the legal fraternity all over the country would stage a long march from their respective cities on the Army House instead of Islamabad if Pervez Musharraf tried to hatch conspiracies against the Bhurban Accord.

"The president's legal advisers are giving a wrong advice to the president over the reinstatement of the deposed judges who refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO)," he added.

When asked about the opinion of presidential legal aides as well as three PPP lawyers who were also senators, Aitzaz Ahsan said those saying that two-thirds majority was needed for the reinstatement of the deposed judges were in fact supporting the unconstitutional steps taken by President Musharraf on Nov 3.

He asked Pervez Musharraf to step down for peace in the country. "The nation would not forgive a man who detained nine judges, including the chief justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry," he added.

When asked whether he would contest the by-elections, he said, "If the party awards me a ticket for the by-elections, then I will follow the party's decision." Aitzaz Ahsan said the Black Flag Week was being observed with full devotion and dedication while traders and civil society members were also actively participating in it.

"The rally in Lahore has been postponed due to bomb blasts while new date will be announced in this respect soon," he added. He said traders would also join the ongoing movement of legal fraternity and would give a call for shutter-down strike all over the country if Pervez Musharraf tried to create hurdles in the way of parliament for the reinstatement of the deposed judges.

Aitzaz dares Qayyum, Pirzada to TV debate

 

[mujahideen]

Aitzaz hints at contesting by-polls

Our Staff Reporter

LAHORE - Following a marathon meeting with PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif here on Friday, Supreme Court Bar Association President Aitzaz Ahsan finally showed his willingness to contest by-elections.
He said that PPP would decide whether he would contest by-election or not. “I will also consult lawyers community before making a decision in this regard,” Aitzaz said this during a meeting with PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif at latter’s residence in Defence
He showed his flexibility when Shahbaz offered him to contest as PPP-PML-N joint candidate in forthcoming by-election.
It is pertinent to mention here that SCBA strongly advocated in favour of boycotting the February 18 elections.
During the one-to-one meeting, which continued for several hours, both the leaders exchanged views on political situation and lawyers movement.
Shahbaz offered Aitzaz that his party would provide full support to him in by-elections. Talking to mediamen, he said “Our parliamentarians would take oath according to the 1973 Constitution. Legislators-elect have to take oath from President Musharraf unwillingly but they have to do this to fulfil the commitment of restoring the judges.”
He said “Whatsoever Musharrraf and his cronies do, judges would be reinstated.” He said that a resolution, to be passed for judges’ restoration, did not require Musharraf’s signature.”

The Nation