Uzair Baloch’s gangsters killed one ‘Rangers personnel’ in Lyari ambush

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Thursday, 30 October 2014

KARACHI: A ranger has been gunned down and one injured during an exchange of fire with criminal gangs in Nawalain area of Lyari, said a Rangers spokesperson.

A key member of the Uzair Baloch's gang Sarwar Baloch, and his accomplice Owais Baloch have also been killed in the encounter.

Weapons were also recovered from their custody.

Shops and markets remained shut as tension prevailed in the area following the incident.

کراچی میں فائرنگ سے رینجرز اہلکار جاں بحق، جوابی کارروائی میں 2 گینگ وار ملزمان ہلاک

کراچی: لیاری میں رینجرز کی گاڑی پر گینگ وار ملزمان کی فائرنگ سے ایک اہلکار جاں بحق جبکہ جوابی کارروائی میں 2 ملزمان ہلاک ہوگئے۔

ایکسپریس نیوزکے مطابق لیاری کےعلاقے چیل چوک کے قریب نوالین میں رینجرز اہلکار معمول کے گشت پر تھے کہ اچانک نامعلوم افراد نے ان کی گاڑی پر فائرنگ کردی، جس سے ایک اہلکار جاں بحق اور ایک شدید زخمی ہوگیا۔

واقعے کے بعد پولیس اور قانون نافذ کرنے والے اداروں نے علاقے کو گھیرے میں لے کر سرچ آپریشن شروع کردیا اور اس دوران فائرنگ کے تبادلے میں دو ملزمان ہلاک ہوگئے، ہلاک ہونے والے ملزمان کی شناخت سرور بلوچ اور اویس کے نام سے ہوئی ہے جن کا تعلق عذیر بلوچ گروپ سے بتایا جارہا ہے۔ واقعے کے بعد علاقے میں شدید کشیدگی ہے اور رینجرز کی بھاری نفری تعینات ہے۔

Published in the XReports.net, on October 30th, 2014 | Express, Samaa

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NADRA report reveals massive rigging in CM Sindh’s constituency (PS-29)

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کراچی: نیشنل ڈیٹا رجسٹریشن اتھارٹی(نادرا) نے وزیر اعلیٰ سندھ کے حلقہ پی ایس29 خیرپورکی سنسنی خیز جانچ پڑتال کی رپورٹ الیکشن ٹریبونل کراچی میں پیش کردی ہے۔

نادرا رپورٹ کے مطابق مجموعی طور پر133پولنگ اسٹیشنوں کے86ہزار94ووٹ جانچ پڑتال کے لیے نادرا کو بھیجے گئے تھے اور نادرا رپورٹ میں انکشاف کیاگیاہے کہ13ہزار368ووٹ جعلی ہیں جن کی کاؤنٹر فائل سے تصدیق نہ ہوسکی جبکہ56ہزار79 ووٹ کی ناقص سیاہی کے استعمال، نامکمل انگوٹھوں کے نشان اور غلط شناختی کارڈ کے اندراج کی وجہ سے تصدیق نہیں ہوسکی ہے، صرف 16 ہزار 647ووٹوں کی تصدیق ہوئی ہے ۔

2013ء کے عام انتخابات میں اس حلقے سے وزیر اعلیٰ سندھ کامیاب ہوئے اور ان کے قریب ترین حریف ن لیگ کے سید غوث علی شاہ رہے ،جنھوں نے وزیر اعلیٰ سندھ سید قائم علی شاہ کی کامیابی کو الیکشن ٹربیونل میں چیلنج کیاہے۔

Published in the XReports.net, on October 30th, 2014 | Express

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Child abuse: Geo’s Mir Shakeel was raped by a hooligan – Zulfiqar Mirza

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Wednesday, 14 May 2014

Former Sindh home minister and Pakistan People’s Party leader, Zulfiqar Mirza had disclosed in the assembly that the owner of Geo TV – Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman was raped by a hooligan in his childhood.

Mirza said, a criminal belonging Dalmia – Karachi, Aaman Dalmia kidnapped Mir Shakeel when he was studying in San Patrick with Agha Siraj Durrani and Zardari. After abducting, Aaman Dalmia captured his nude photographs, blackmailed and raped him for a long time.

Further Mirza warned Geo TV and Mir Shakeel to stop media trial against PPP; otherwise he would public all inappropriate photos of him.

Published in the XReports.net, on May 15th, 2014

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Fawad Chaudhry separates himself from PPP?

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Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader, media adviser to Bilawal Bhutto and close aide of former president Pervez Musharraf, Fawad Chaudhry Tuesday announced separation from PPP in his tweet.

In the tweet, he disclosed that he has joined Express group as analyst and from now he is no more politician but a media guy. Further he revealed that he moved apart from PPP to maintain his credibility.

Click picture to enlarge

Published in the XReports.net, on May 13th, 2014

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Disheartened ‘Jiyala’ — Faisal Raza Abidi to embrace MQM

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Friday, 18 April 2014

فیصل رضا عابدی ایم کیو ایم میں شامل ہوکر پیپلزپارٹی کیلیے مشکلات پیدا کرسکتے ہیں، ذرائع 

The XReports had broken this report on August 18th, 2013 — Faisal Raza Abidi likely to join MQM.

اسلام آباد: پیپلزپارٹی کی اعلیٰ قیادت کے مطالبے پرسابق سینیٹرفیصل رضا عابدی سے استعفیٰ لیے جانے کے بعدایم کیوایم کے رہنمانبیل گبول انھیں متحدہ قومی موومنٹ میں شامل ہونے کی دعوت دینگے۔

ذرائع کے مطابق فیصل رضاعابدی جنھوں نے گزشتہ روز پارٹی کے ایک اہم رکن سے اپنی فراغت کاشکوہ کیاہے اب کراچی شہرمیں سیاست کا آغازایم کیوایم کے پلیٹ فارم سے کرینگے۔ ذرائع کے مطابق فیصل رضاعابدی پیپلزپارٹی کے اندرکے بہت سے معاملات سے آگاہ ہیں لہٰذاوہ اب ایم کیوایم جوکراچی میں اپنامکمل اثرورسو خ رکھتی ہے، اس میں شامل ہوکر پیپلزپارٹی کیلیے مشکلات پیدا کرسکتے ہیں۔

Published in the XReports.net, on April 17th, 2014 | Express

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Is twitter safe? — Taliban issues ‘hit-list’ on twitter

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Wednesday, 16 April 2014

Twitter account with the name of Tehreek-e-Taliban has issued a hit-list of prominent leaders, media personnel and liberal social media activist.

In the hit-list, it has been mentioned prominent leaders including; PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto, MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi and MNA Ali Raza Abidi, Fawad Chaudhry, ANP senior leader Bushra Gohar and other anti-Taliban twitteratis.

Media personnel have been also mentioned; Journalist and writer Beena Sarwar, Pakistan correspondent for International news agency Reuters Mehreen Zahra Malik, News Anchor Moeed Pirzada and columnist Asad Munir.

The twitter handle tagged liberal social media activists too; Anjum Kiyani, Ali Salman Alvi and others.

The twitter account warns all of them in clear words to stop speaking against Taliban. The tweet says “No Matter How Much Safe You Feel Inside Your Houses, Remember You Are Always In Our Access — Stop Propaganda Or Get Ready to be killed.”

However it is not verified, if the twitter account actually belongs to TTP.

It must be noted that Pakistan’s Taliban rebels have a history of killing Pakistan’s anti-Taliban mouthpieces.

Published in the XReports.net, on April 17th, 2014

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Blog: Rebuttal to “frontier post” — Altaf seeks another Musharraf

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Tuesday, 25 March 2014

By Babur Lodhi | Published in the XReports.net, on March 26th, 2014

Before replying to your editorial “Altaf seeks another Musharraf”, published in The Frontier Post I read it many times and reached the same conclusion every time that either you have a great misconception regarding Altaf Hussain and MQM or you intentionally tried to malign one of the most popular and followed leader of Pakistan, who is the heartthrob of millions across the globe.

Your editorial contains fabricated remarks about him. I found your editorial two dimensional; it wasn’t only filled with lame accusations and apologetic phrases but also a futile attempt to praise the political rivals of MQM by calling them ideological in comparison to MQM.

Ironically, since independence, Pakistani rulers and establishment have lived off rents from leasing out military “services” to the highest foreign bidder instead of standing on their own feet and not meddling in other peoples’ business. In the 1950s, 60s and 80s, they sold their services to the Americans, first against the USSR and then against the Taliban. Now in the 2010s, they are rolling up their sleeves to stir the Middle-East cauldron at the behest of a rich “friend”.

Being a true patriot and a farsighted national leader Altaf Hussain has every right to call to the Army to refuse to serve in foreign lands in case the civilian government so orders, as he is well versed with the constitution of Pakistan and understands the gravity of situation more than the self-proclaimed democrats of the so called ideological parties.

If you have only given a neutral look to the Altaf Hussain’s speech, you must have restrained yourselves from giving such irresponsible remarks against him and MQM. As, in its detailed verdict in the Asghar Khan case, the Supreme Court clearly held that “All army officers who obey unlawful commands are individually liable and in the event of failure of the state authorities to take action, and If any such illegal order is transmitted, the same is not worthy to be obeyed.” Altaf Hussain choose the correct time to highlight this issue of great national importance right before the rulers were preparing themselves from making another irrevocable blunder. May I know that what is undemocratic in using the verdict of Supreme Court of Pakistan as a reference?

Coming to the second part of the editorial, where you have regarded PMLN, PPP and PTI as ideological parties. I am not sure that what parameters you have used for considering them as ideological political parties. Is it corruption and bad governance or supporting the religious fanaticism that you failed to find in MQM? Another point that I would like to highlight: being an editor you must be well-informed how many times these so called ideological parties have used not so ideological means to seize power through the backdoor, whether, it was the formation of IJI or the letting loose to corruption of each other.

While, writing an emotional editorial you also forgot that MQM is not only confined to Karachi and Hyderabad, MQM also won from Sukkur, Mirpurkhas and Gilgit-Baltistan as well. If you look at the current division of seats among the political parties you will only see votes cast on ethnic bases, as no single party was able to get success in all the provinces. PMLN won from Punjab, PPP from rural Sindh and PTI won from KPK. I also would like to clarify that MQM is not a king’s party unlike PMLN, PPP and PTI where a common middle class worker couldn’t ever dream of becoming a parliamentarian, as all of them sell their party tickets to the elite. On the other hand, MQM represents the lower and middle class of Pakistan and holds the honor of sending the members of working class to the parliament before anyone. It’s only the MQM which is making sincere efforts to stop the Talibanization in the country as well as doing immense relief work for the victims of Thar crises.

In the end, I would like to remind you about Karachi’s by-election 2013 which were held under Law Enforcement Agencies and MQM won the seats with big margin against PTI, PPP and PMLN. Thus, Altaf Hussain does not need any support except the love and support of the poor and deprived masses of Pakistan to change their destiny and prove his biased critiques wrong.

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of The XReports.

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مرسون مرسون پر سندھ نہ ڈيسون ؛ پر اگر ہم زندہ رہیں گے تو سندھ کسی کو نہیں دیں گے

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Monday, 10 March 2014

تھر کی صورتحال ہے کہ اس جدید دور میں بھی تھر زمانہ قبل از مسیح کی تصویر پیش کررہا ہے. فوٹو: فائل

سندھ کے شہری علاقوں کے ساتھ ہونے والی ناانصافی کے خلاف جب سندھ کی تقسیم کی بات کی آواز آنا شروع ہوئی تو پیپلزپارٹی کے چیرمین جناب بلاول بھٹوزرداری صاحب نے سندھی میں ایک ٹوئٹ کیا جس کا مطلب تھا کہ’’ مرجائیں گے مگر سندھ نہیں دیں گے‘‘ تو میرا محترم بلاول صاحب یہ سوال ہے کہ سندھ کے باسی جو بھوک اورپیاس سے مررہے ہیں تو آپ کی حکومت پہلے  ان کو بچانے کا تو بندوبست کرلے۔

یہاں ایک بات میری سمجھ میں جو آتی ہے وہ یہ ہے  کہ پیپلزپارٹی کو سندھ کے بڑے شہری علاقوں میں ووٹ بہت کم پڑتے ہیں اوراس علاقے سے منتخب ہونے والے نمائندے سندھ میں اپوزیشن کا کردار ادا کرتے ہیں سوائے آپ کے پچھلے دورحکومت میں لیکن جب بھی پیپلزپارٹی کی سندھ میں حکومت آئی تو شہری علاقوں کے نمائندے اپوزیشن میں بیٹھے ،مگر مجھے جو بات سب سے زیادہ تکلیف پہنچاتی ہے وہ یہ کہ جو لوگ آپ کو ووٹ دے کر اس مسند اقتدار پر بٹھاتے ہیں خدارا ان ہی کا خیال کرلیں۔

میں یہاں ایک سوال کرنا چاہتا ہوں کہ پاکستان میں جب جب عام انتخابات ہوئے تو سندھ میں ہمیشہ وزیراعلیٰ سندھی بولنے والا ہی آیا لیکن  اس نے سندھ کو کیا دیااگر ہم اندرون سندھ کا حال دیکھیں تو سندھ کے حکمرانوں پر افسوس کے علاوہ کچھ نہیں کیا جاسکتا۔

بلاول بھٹوزرداری صاحب آج کل ٹوئٹراورسیاسی طورپر بہت متحرک ہیں اورجو ان میں خاص بات دیکھنے کی ہے وہ ہے جناب ذوالفقارعلی بھٹو صاحب کا انداز وہ ان کی طرح شیروانی اورقیمض کے کلف کھول کر ہمیں تقریرکرتے تو نظرآتے ہیں لیکن سندھ کے باسیوں کے لئے ان کی حکومت کو جوکرنا چاہئے اسے وہ کرنے سے قاصر ہیں۔

اگر ہم سندھ کی قومی شاہراہوں کا حال دیکھیں تو وہ  خستہ حالی کی تصویرپیش کرتی ہیں، سندھ کا تعلیمی معیار جہاں آج پہنچ گیا ہے وہ بھی کسی سے ڈھکا چھپا نہیں اندرون سندھ کے لوگوں کو نہ تو صاف پانی میسر ہے اورنہ ہی صحت کی بنیادی سہولتیں۔

اورجس بات کا مجھے سب سے زیادہ افسوس ہوا وہ میڈیا پر چلنے والی تھر کی صورتحال ہے کہ اس جدید دور میں بھی تھر زمانہ قبل از مسیح کی تصویر پیش کررہا ہے یہاں کے لوگ بھوک، پیاس سے مررہے ہیں اورسندھ کے حکمران چین کی بانسری بجارہے ہیں۔

سندھ کی ثقافت کے نام پر جو کھیل کھیلا گیا وہ تو سب نے ہی دیکھ لیا کہ اس میں سندھ کی ثقافت کے علاوہ سب کچھ تھا اگر بلاول بھٹو زرداری صاحب کو سندھ کی ثقافت سے اتنی محبت ہے تو اس محبت کا صرف 10 فیصد اظہار سندھ میں بسنے والے لوگوں سے بھی کرلیں تو شاید جہاں آج سندھ ہے یہ وہاں نہ رہے۔

سندھ کا باسی ہونے کے ناطے مجھے جتنا افسوس ہوتا ہے شاید وہ اس تحریر میں نظر نہ آئے میں یہاں صرف اتنا کہوں کا کہ اگرہم زندہ رہیں گے تو پھر سندھ بھی کسی کو نہیں دیں گے۔

Published in the XReports.net, on March 10th, 2014 | Express

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Imran Khan’s nephew lost student union election for calling Bilawal a faggot

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Saturday, 8 March 2014

Imran Khan, whose nephew has been accused of homophobia.

The nephew of Pakistani politician Imran Khan has sparked controversy at his university, after he tweeted that a politician was "worse than a faggot".

Hassan Niazi, who is studying for a master's in international human rights law at City University London, was a candidate for the position of student union president when the tweet about Bilawal Bhutto, of the Pakistan People's Party, was picked up by student journalists.

In response to a tweet about Bhutto hosting a cultural festival, Niazi, who has worked in Khan's political party in Pakistan, wrote: "hahaha wet dream. I doubt he is even capable of it. Waise he is worse than a faggot #babychicken".

Niazi also posted a tweet simply saying "faggot?" and another saying "I think faggot he won't mind so it's fine". He later responded to criticisms by saying "so this wasn't joke but frustration."

Zoe Burdo, secretary of the LGBT society at City University, says: "He used inappropriate language. He referred to someone as a 'faggot', using derogatory and offensive terms. Then when he was called out on it he defended it instead of apologising."

Niazi subsequently lost his campaign to be president of City University's student union by two votes to Rima Amin, who will become the first female president at City University for 11 years. Vice presidents Issy Cooke and Natalia Rajapakse will join her to make up the university's first all female sabbatical team.

During the campaign, Niazi lodged a complaint to the union and called in his legal team to try and suspend the polling process. He argues the criticism has been part of a "victimisation campaign" to scupper his chance of becoming student union president. He says:

"During the election campaign I was victimised, initially by being labelled as anti-semitic, then homophobic and also as a racist. This forced me to lodge a complaint against my opponent and the people who published this material.

"I requested the suspension of polling until my complaint reached any conclusion. I got a disappointing response to my complaint and the vice-chancellor gave a very cold reply. I will again lodge an official complaint for the wrongdoing within the campus.

"The word 'faggot' which got highlighted during the election was clearly a victimisation campaign against me and words were taken totally out of context from one of my tweets.

"I am a student of human rights and want to be a voice of every student. I would never say anything to hurt someone. I again reject these false allegations against me during the election campaign. I am not used to these terms. And if my tweet offended anyone I apologise.

"However the tweet was taken out of context to damage my election campaign. I believe this victimisation also resulted in my loss by only two votes."

Scott Campbell, a student at City University who has been involved in setting up new student paper the Square, agrees that the controversy damaged Niazi's election campaign. He says:

"He lost the election by two votes and he was in the lead before. I know a number of people who went and changed their votes."

Giulio Folino, the current student union president at City University, watched the drama unfold. He says: "Homophobia, or discrimination of any kind, is always unacceptable.

"During my time in office, we have introduced liberation officers to help address student concerns about these issues. The students' union has been working with the university to develop the anti-harassment and bullying policy to ensure it explicitly protects those at risk, which includes LGBT students."

Published in the XReports.net, on March 9th, 2014 | The guardian

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Tharparkar famine: PPP CM says, “I can’t do anything further”

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Friday, 7 March 2014

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has taken notice of the death of children in drought-hit Tharparkar district and directed health officials to provide adequate medical facilities to the ailing children, a private news channel reported on Friday.

People in Tharparkar, the desert area of Sindh, are facing famine-like situation in most of the areas where at least 32 malnourished children are reported to have died owing to food shortage. At least 193 children have died in Thar over the past three months.

On the other hand, reports said that thousands of tonnes of wheat sent by the provincial government for distribution among the people is rotting in Food Department’s godowns.

In recent days, thousands of families have been affected by the drought which compelled them to leave their homes and move to other areas in search of water.

On Thursday, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Patron-in-Chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed his concern over the grave situation in Thar and directed Sindh Government to immediately launch relief operations in the affected areas.

On his direction, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah took the notice of children’s deaths and visited civil hospital Mithi.

His government has spent millions of rupees on Sindh Festival, but the relief announced by the CM was mere 25 kg wheat each for affected family. When the reporters raised question over the quantity of the relief and termed it insufficient, the CM said “I can’t do anything further; this is only what we have for the relief.”

He rejected reports about number of children’s deaths, and directed health officials to provide adequate medical facilities to the ailing children.

The other thing he did during his visit was suspension of Tharparkar deputy director of livestock/animal husbandry Dr Nobat Khan Khoso for his failure to prevent animal disease in the desert.

The CM claimed that Sindh government has increased the amount of aid for Tharparkar from Rs 9.3 million to Rs18.6 million.

Ranikhet disease has left hundreds of peacocks dead in Tharparkar.

Published in the XReports.net, on March 7th, 2014 | PT

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PPP-backed UK party’s spokesman was ‘gang leader’ in Pakistan

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Wednesday, 5 February 2014

06-02-2014 | The News
LONDON: A Pakistani man from Karachi who represented the right-wing United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) in media appearances has been called the “boss” of a kidnapping gang in Pakistan.

The BBC Newsnight reported that Mujeebur Rehman Bhutto, from a posh Karachi area with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) links, was behind a high-profile kidnapping in Karachi in 2004 and he then took a £56,000 ransom payment in Manchester. Bhutto shot to prominence recently in Britain when he represented the extreme right-wing party as its Commonwealth spokesman.

Mujeeb’s father was a customs officer in Karachi. He lived in Gulshan Block 4 in Karachi, according to a source. The victim, Ahmed Naeem, who was kidnapped on June 11, 2004, from near his Gizri residence, was the son of a rich car dealer.

In 2005, 35-years-old Bhutto admitted being the gang’s “boss” and was jailed for seven years by a UK court.

Bhutto told Newsnight that he had admitted the charges against him in 2005 rather than risk being sent back to Pakistan and hanged. “The evidence which was brought against me was from Pakistan. The allegation was simply because of political rivalry,” he told the BBC. A source told The News that the kidnapped man was son of a rich Karachi businessman.

In 2005, Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the Anti-Terrorism Court-5 awarded death penalty to Fida Hussain Khoso son of SSP Nadir Khoso, Junaid Rehman son of Abdul Rehman Ansari, deputy controller of the Karachi Building Control Authority, Qurban Ali Khoso, Abdul Rasheed, Mohammad Atiq Bajwa and Khalid Aziz, for kidnapping the son of a car dealer. All these men were Mujeeb’s accomplices.

The BBC said that Mujeeb first flew to Manchester to take payment of a £56,000 ransom for a high-profile 2004 kidnapping, according to an investigation by BBC’s Newsnight programme. Suspects Mujeeb and Ghulam Murtaza Khan Bhutto, both sons of SPO Rano Khan Bhutto, and their alleged accomplice Saeed Naqi were arrested in a Manchester car park, soon after the delivery of the ransom.

In 2011 he became a member of UkIP, the BBC reported. He went on to appear as a spokesman for the party on the BBC debating show The Big Questions, and organised a trip to a mosque in Leeds for the party leader Nigel Farage. The BBC said he is still a wanted man in Pakistan. The BBC revealed that at one point as he negotiated a ransom he threatened to cut the victim’s head off and post it to his father.

Ahmed Naeem was then released by the gang in Pakistan, but Bhutto was arrested by Greater Manchester Police. The £56,000 ransom was found hidden at his house in Leeds, and he was forced to repay it.

A UkIP spokesman has said Bhutto joined the party less than a year ago from the Conservative Party but he resigned his membership “when we recently became aware of possible issues relating to his past and raised the matter with him.”

He was sentenced under the name Majeebur Bhutto. “You came to the UK to avoid the risk of detection in Pakistan, where kidnapping is a capital offence,” said the judge, Martin Steiger.

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Zardari purchases 2-kanal house for PPP Secretariat

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Tuesday, 4 February 2014

05-02-2014 | Dawn
LAHORE: In an interesting political development, former president Asif Ali Zardari has bought a two-kanal house for the Pakistan People’s Party Punjab Secretariat in the neighbourhood of the PML-N’s provincial headquarters in Model Town.

The Model Town house in C Block has been bought in the name of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Bakhtawar Bhutto and Assefa Bhutto. The Sharifs own the PML-N Secretariat in H Block (Model Town).

The PPP leadership has now decided to shift its provincial headquarters from Faisal Town to Model Town. “The old secretariat in Faisal Town will be used for seven other wings of the party,” PPP Punjab President Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo.

The PPP, which received drubbing in the general election in Punjab, has been in financial crunch for quite some time. It had acquired the Model Town office on rent before the election. A notice to vacate the house was served on the party when it did not pay the rent for a couple of months. It even had no money to pay the salaries of the employees there as well as those of Faisal Town.

The situation was brought to the knowledge of Asif Ali Zardari who not only directed some ‘rich’ party members including Wattoo to donate (to the party funds) but also sent the amount from his pocket to buy the Model Town office.

Manzoor Wattoo said the PPP had bought the new secretariat out of its funds. He confirmed that it had been purchased in the name of Bilawal, Bakhtawar and Assefa.

Bilawal, who is scheduled to arrive in the provincial capital within a month or so, may not visit the new secretariat because of security concerns. He usually stays in the bomb-proof Bilawal House at Bahria Town. Property tycoon Malik Riaz had got it built for Mr Zardari and members of his family. Zardari claims he had bought the Bilawal House (from Riaz).

Fawad Chaudhry, media adviser to Bilawal, said Mr Bilawal would arrive in Lahore by the end of this month or early next month and have meetings with the party workers especially the youth. Bilawal believes threats cannot deter him from engaging in political activities.

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Blog: What is Owen Bennett-Jones interest in Pakistan?

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Sunday, 2 February 2014

By Danish Kazi | 03-02-2014
Owen Bennett Jones is a free lance journalist who hosts one of the programs in a global media channel. If you check is profile. His main contribution to the literary community is his book “Pakistan : Eye of the Storm” . A book touching on the serge of Talibanization in the country written in 2002-3 followed by new editions over years. Also, if you see he has been showing keen interest all these years in the affairs of the country. Interesting to be in case you are a foreign journalist.

He is seen as pointing fingers against Pakistan Army for the many issues faced in Pakistan. So much so in one of his books . He correlates our Army to Lord Shiva seen as the sustainer as well as a destroyer of Pakistan. He was seen actively accusing ISI post Osama Bin Laden’s episode. But though he has been so much actively keeping an eye on the country. His claim to fame came once he started accusing MQM for the murder of Dr. Imran Farooq who was one of the founding members of the party.

Initially, I just ignored his overtures against MQM knowing that he is a free lance journalist and not necessarily represents the view of the media channel who ran the documentary against MQM last year and that may be some of his friends in the Pakistani media who would like to put pressure on MQM to withdraw from the PPP government would have done so since may be they would like to play behind the scenes . Also, possibly he may be good friends with our Tsunami Bhabi i.e. Jemima Khan and though she is no more married to Imran Khan but bearing his two sons still feels she has a right to interfere in the Pakistani government. It looks like the populist evening newspaper style reporting that he has done in the video doubts me to believe that such a channel would be behind such a low quality produced video; having ardently myself following it for many years but I am sure they had to give in to him for some reasons which maybe contractual or otherwise.

But what made me sit and do more desk research on the gentlemen was the coincidence of his new documentary which he stated as part 2 against MQM and its leadership right at the time when peace negotiations got kicked off with Taliban and MQM is seen as the only party voicing its concerns with the same. The strategy to distract MQM so that instead of charging against such negotiations. They are left with defending their own reputation. Our proud Pakistan Army who has given thousands of lives in sustaining Pakistan’s strata for the people of Pakistan in line with the vision of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had only one party seemingly on their side opposing negotiations and that was MQM as the rest out of reasons known to them only submitted to the same surprisingly PPP who came into power only when Benazir Bhutto was killed by Taliban. As per reports in the media . I am sure the army which was purportedly ready for action and being a major stakeholder seen quiet on the issue till now must have been taken aback. So it looks like that the new offensive against MQM was timed in concurrence to those in tune with the negotiations at the top be done.

Recently , Mr. Jones wrote a piece a few days ago and reportedly stated and confirmed that he was in contacts with people who are close to Taliban and discussed at length the implications of the drone strikes in the province of KPK. A leading local Pakistani newspaper carried the story. Now if you think of it the news piece was published in sync with at the same time when PTI was kick starting their anti drone campaign . I am sure Mr. Jones had nothing to do with the same and it was just an innocent coincidence. I am also very much surprised to see that as per his claims he has links to Taliban which I am sure is only for his professional purposes.

But as we all know that there is nothing like a free lunch in the world. The question is what Mr. Jones had to pay in return for getting important news from the other side. Also, it makes me wonder what has been the reason for Mr. Jones for interfering in Pakistan and his only book as I can find on the web makes me think that unless he was born here which he was not. Unless he had a daughter or son in law from here which isn’t . What other reason he could have in interfering in Pakistan’s domestic political issues instead of hitting on Pakistan’s recent policy stand on Taliban though he had been very vocal about it?

I sometimes wonder. Does he really understand what role Dr. Imran Farooq played during the 90’s operation? Why was he under hiding and where he has been hiding? I am sure he would have researched on that . Further, he wants to make me believe that Altaf Hussein knowingly his situation where he is at the blade of the sword for much trivial issues would be naive enough to take a shot at Dr. Imran Farooq and that too a day before his birthday . He wants me to believe that knowing that Scotland Yard is a tough agency who has cracked much more difficult cases and that too against Al Qaeda and their likes. Any one would be insane enough to deliver such a deadly attack in the heart of Britain though whatever could have been the political rivalry if there was any. Further, Mr. Jones wants me to believe that Scot Land Yard who has solved many grave murder mysteries have not been able to solve this one all these years. The proof is that Mr. Hussein has not been formally charged or even referred to in this case. I wonder who gave the right to Mr. Jones to accuse anyone of a murder when the judicial system is yet to do the same. Many questions like this come to my mind and that of many if you think progressively and without bias.

So all it makes me believe that the recent attack on MQM and Altaf Hussein right at the outset of the negotiations with Taliban and drawing parallel to the above proximity to the anti MQM elements in the country who want to wash their dirty linen abroad. Maybe he had to write it to please his friends who have been giving him intelligence on Pakistan all these years as definitely he is not a friend of Pakistan as well; as he has been accusing ISI on having links to Al Qaeda and Mumbai attacks etc. Maybe it could be that his friends in Taliban camp would have asked him as a strategy to release this video to distract MQM so that they pursue their course of insanity. In that case , I wonder what does he get in return. I am sure it does not come for free.

My view on this is simple. PTI who has strong friends abroad is behind this smear campaign as they try to kill two birds with one stone. One maligning MQM and Two pursuing with the desire of negotiating with Taliban as per their election promises. I am sure what ever the case its not in the interest of Pakistan. As for Mr. Jones who was a lesser known brand name in Pakistan is more known now. I am sure he is biased as he has not done his journalistic home work in detail otherwise he could have understood the motive well behind the Dr. Imran Farooq murder and who benefited the most from it. Its definitely not MQM and Altaf Hussein from any angles. I am sure had he researched the history and the recent past . He could have ascertained. I am sure he is hanging to his ego as I am sure at this day and age . He cannot go back on his story and loose his credibility and may be his job. What I am confused with is that why is he aligning with the same mindset in Pakistan against MQM who has been an ally in the war against terror? Why is he allying with those like TTP and Co who have killed UK’s sons and daughters during 7/7 and in Afghanistan.

I am sure he has chosen a price which we would all soon know or may be its part of a blanket deal and hitting MQM is an agenda knowing the animosity which TTP has against MQM knowing that it’s the only party standing between them and absolute route in the country and especially Karachi. I hope logic would prevail. I hope the drama of negotiation would end. I hope Mr. Jones gets his price and I hope he fails in his effort to derail Pakistan . Pakistan Zindabad!

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of The XReports.

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TTP peace-talks — PPP faces split into two factions

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Wednesday, 29 January 2014

29-01-2014 | TNT
ISLAMABAD: After the government’s clear cut announcement of dialogues with Taliban, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) seemed to be split in two portions.

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has shown his annoyance over the dialogue in his Twitter comments.

Bilawal said that initiating dialogue with militants Nawaz Sharif have become Neville Chamberlain (the person who signed Munich agreement in 1938 as British Prime Minister with Germans).

In the Bilawal’s outlook, he wanted to see Nawaz Sharif as Winston Churchill (the man who defeated Nazi as Britsh Premier).

Contrary, its parliamentary leader Khursheed Shah has supported the government stance on talks. In this regard Khursheed Shah said that they will support talks for the peace in the country.

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PPP pressurizes Muttahida

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29-01-2014
London: Member of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Kunwar Khalid Yunus has posted a controversial tweet in which he revealed that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is pressurizing MQM to join Sindh government.

He signaled in his second tweet that MQM’s workers and office-bearers have ruled out joining PPP-led Sindh government.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad had left the city for London on Tuesday.

#PPP is pressurising #MQM in join #Sindh #Govt.
— Kunwar Khalid Yunus (@KunwarKhalidYun) January 29, 2014

Difference between other political party n MQM is: when MQM workers listen to join govt it display dismay.Other parties workers play joyous.
— Kunwar Khalid Yunus (@KunwarKhalidYun) January 29, 2014

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PPP govt spent counter-terror funds on luxury gifts

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Thursday, 23 January 2014

24-01-2014 | Dawn
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani officials used a secret counter-terrorism fund to buy wedding gifts, luxury carpets and gold jewellery for relatives of ministers and visiting dignitaries, according to documents seen by AFP.

The revelations cast a spotlight on high-level corruption in Pakistan as the impoverished but nuclear-armed country battles a surge in Taliban violence.

They concern the National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) of Pakistan's interior ministry, formed in 2000 to coordinate between the country's intelligence agencies and federal and provincial governments on national security matters.

The US and other Western countries have poured billions of dollars into Pakistan since the 9/11 attacks of 2001 to help in its fight against Taliban and al Qaeda linked militants.

The NCMC received some 425 million rupees ($4.3 million) from Pakistani government coffers from 2009-2013, according to files obtained by Umar Cheema, an investigative journalist for Pakistani daily The News, and seen by AFP.

During that time the interior ministry was headed by Rehman Malik, a flamboyant loyalist of former president Asif Ali Zardari's Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

Watches, carpets, gold, goats

Many of the documents deal with payments to intelligence sources, routine maintenance of vehicles and overtime for employees.

But the files also include receipts for gifts for US and British embassy officials, as well as flowers and sweets for journalists.

One receipt for 70,000 rupees ($700) is itemised as a “Pair of wrist watches for marriage of nephew of minister for interior”.

The documents show that on a trip to Rome for an Interpol conference in November 2012, Malik took a necklace, wooden tables and a TouchMate tablet computer as gifts.

The counter-terror fund was also used to buy three rugs as wedding gifts for the son of former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf early last year.

A set of 21-carat gold jewellery worth $3,000 was bought for one unnamed individual, while another was the recipient of a $1,500 set.

A handicrafts store in Islamabad was paid some $23,000 in December 2012 for carpets and crafts given to local officials and delegations from the EU, Iran and India.

Among the more bizarre items paid for from the fund was the $800 cost of four sacrificial goats, plus butchery costs, listed as “stabbing charges”, for the festival of Eid-ul-Azha.

Alms to the poor and donations of sweets, flowers, and cash to a local Sufi saint were also made from the fund in 2012, the documents show.

'You know how Pakistan works'

Pakistan's present government, led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has ordered an audit of the interior ministry accounts from 2010-2013.

Ministry spokesman Danyal Gilani confirmed the audit was ongoing but declined to indicate a timeframe for its completion.

The director general of the NCMC, Tariq Lodhi, did not respond to repeated attempts to seek comment. Upon coming to power in June last year, Sharif's government abolished secret funds in 16 ministries in an effort to curb corruption and rein in spending.

Malik, who as minister was famed for his expensive ties and purple hair-dye, mounted a firm defence of his conduct on Twitter, denying he had used the fund and saying it was “never under the control of the minister”.

Asked why some receipts contained hand-written instructions saying they were the minister's directives, Malik told AFP: “You know how Pakistan works.

Just because it mentions me does not mean I personally authorised the payments.”In a tweet, he said using funds to entertain dignitaries and offer gifts was “routine for 15 yrs”.

But Moinuddin Haider, who served as interior minister from 1999 to 2002, said the NCMC fund was not set up to pay for “gifts abroad”.

“The purpose of these funds was to establish offices in the provinces, primarily to be spent on communications equipment and data analysis,” he told AFP.

Cheema, who won the Daniel Pearl journalism fellowship in 2008, said the affair was indicative of how officials had turned the national terror crisis, which has killed thousands of people across the country since 2007, to their own benefit.

“This abuse clearly explains how our leaders convert a tragedy into an opportunity for personal gains,” he said.

“If history is any guide it's not going to be resolved nor will the abolition of secret funds lead to any corrective measures.” Ayesha Siddiqa, a security analyst, termed the use of the funds “sad”, but said a lack of clear counter-terrorism policy direction by successive governments was also to blame, as well as the way Pakistan's bureaucracy works.

“There is also this problem with the government where if a department gets funds you're in a hurry to spend them, because if the funds lapse they will be deducted the next year and the department will be reprimanded,” she said.

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Controversial pictures of Benazir Bhutto on google

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Saturday, 18 January 2014

19-01-2014
Controversial pictures of Benazir Bhutto on the world biggest search engine, Google.

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