Tough contest between Fazl, Kundi likely in NA-24

DI KHAN: A tough one-on-one contest between Maulana Fazl Rehman of MMA and Faisal Karim Khan Kundi of PPPP is expected on National Assembly seat of the district i.e NA 24. Clinching victory in general elections of 2002 by a narrow margin, Maulana Fazlur Rehman will face a stiff resistance by his old rival Faisal Kundi this time. Major clans and influential families have joined hands against the Maulana brothers. However, electioneering has lost its traditional zeal and fervour in the district as sabotage activities being carried out by terrorists have plagued the southern district.

Rice, Musharraf discuss need for free, fair elections

DAVOS: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held talks with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday which focused on the importance of Pakistan's upcoming elections, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
"They talked about the importance of the upcoming elections and that they need to be free and fair elections," McCormak said after a closed-door bilateral meeting between the two on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Their talks also stressed the need for the Pakistani people to "have confidence" in the electoral process, he said.
Musharraf was in Davos on the second leg of a European tour aimed at shoring up his battered image after months of turmoil and the assassination of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto last month.
In Paris on Wednesday, Musharraf pledged that elections postponed after Bhutto was killed and now scheduled for February 18 would be free and fair.

Entire political leadership in danger: Interior Ministry

 

 

ISLAMABAD: Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier (Retd) Javed Iqbal Cheema Tuesday said the government has prepared a security advisory plan for politicians to avert life threat to them.
He told the weekly media briefing that the advisory is aimed at providing general guidelines to the political leadership for their safety and security.
Cheema said after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto it is of paramount importance that political leadership is sensitized about looming threat and asked them to adopt a security conscious approach.
"The government would provide adequate security cover to the political leaders, it is incumbent upon the political leadership itself to play its role in taking necessary steps to ensure their own safety by cooperating and paying heed to security advisory."
He said all Home secretaries and heads of law enforcement agencies have been given directives to ensure foolproof security of all political leaders under threat.
Under the security advisory the political leadership is mandatory to maintain close liaison with provincial home departments and local police through nominated focal person.
Political leaders should give due heed to security advise rendered by the local police chief. They are advised to keep provincial administration/ police informed of travel plans; not to hesitate to ask for security measures required for a specific event; avoid unnecessary public exposure; keep travel plans flexible/ unpredictable; plan and use different routes for traveling; security clearance of personal guards and employees through local police should be ensured; prefer use of security personnel provided by the government over personal guards; gather/ Cornor meetings may be used as preferred mode of electioneering and big rallies should be avoided as far as possible; unnecessary exposure during slow movement of vehicles should be avoided; unidentified persons should not have access to residence; unidentified persons should not be allowed to get closer to the leader; personal guards/ party workers detailed for security duty should be issued with security passes for recognition by local police.
Cheema said law enforcement agencies are taking additional security measures in the light of the Karachi incident to make sure that the designs of the perpetrators of terrorism are foiled.
He said the government is taking all precautionary measures and exercising extreme vigilance, adding it is with the cooperation of the entire nation that the country can overcome the danger posed by the terrorists and extremist elements trying to create instability.
Referring to Scotland Yard team, the spokesman said that six experts in the field of explosive and graphics who left Pakistan had finished their job. "The number of experts would keep increasing or decreasing according to the needs and requirements of investigation."
He said foolproof security arrangements are in place across the country to ensure peaceful religious rites during the sacred month of Muharram.
All resources including troops and rangers have been mobilized to assist the law enforcement agencies for round the clock vigilance around religious places, he said.
About Karachi blast, Cheema said it shows the desperation of terrorist elements who struck at innocent people in the industrial Quaid-e-Abad areas.

Musharraf terms election dates change reports baseless

KARACHI: President Musharraf says the caretaker government is in control of conducting free, fair, transparent elections, and all allegations regarding a change in election date are baseless.
Addressing the Sindh cabinet, the president said that the polls would be conducted peacefully. He said no persons or groups would be allowed to disrupt the electoral process.
Earlier at the Governor's House, President Musharraf addressed the wheat crisis and said smuggling was the main cause of the issue he said the smuggling of wheat and flour was in the process of being stopped.
Speaking on post-November 27th violence in Sindh -- the President said handling security in Karachi was a key issue, and such violence would not be allowed again.
He also added that the issue of poverty would be addressed by growth in the industrial and communication sectors.

JUI(F), PML-N, PPP-S devise poll alliance in Nowshera

NOWSHERA: Three mainstream political parties including JUI (F), PML (N) and PPP (S) have announced to form tripartite alliance at district level by reaching a consensus on seat adjustments for two seats of National Assembly and three seats of provincial assembly in the district.
The announcement to this effect was made by the head of negotiation body of JUI-F Maulana Muhammad Naseem in a joint press conference at Nowshera Press Club here on Wednesday.
District vice president of Jamiat Haji Younus, former MPA Muhammad Mujahid, district president of PPP-S and candidate for NA-6 Mian Jamshaiduddin Kakakhel were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Muhammad Naseem informed that joint candidates of the alliance for the seats of National Assembly are Mufti Muhammad Sajjad of MMA for NA-5 and Jamshaiduddin of PPP-S for NA-6 while.
He further revealed that Iqbal Zafar Jhagra would be the candidate of alliance for PF-12, adding that candidates for other seats would be finalised after negotiations.
Addressing the occasion, the leaders of the three parties said that aspirants fielded by the alliance would inflict a clear defeat over the opponents in the coming general elections.
Coming hard upon Awami National Party, they said that the so-called nationalist party had done nothing for the people of the backward province despite getting many chances to hold power in the past.
They said that an effective campaign would be run to muster up maximum support for the candidates of the alliance, urging the workers to reach the combined message of the parties to every nook and corner of the district.