Aitezaz The Savior, Ashraf The Thug

Is it not strange that while Mr. Aitezaz Ahsan was trying to save Dr. Niazi, some of his closest buddies in the lawyers’ movement were physically beating the aging politician? The News International newspaper, in its frontpage photograph on Wednesday, Apr. 9, showed Mr. Ashraf Gamot, the tall and young lawyer seen standing right behind his master in all public events, was carrying a shoe and hitting Dr. Niazi’s head with it. Mr. Ahsan can lie all he wants. Video tapes and photographs won’t.

By HASSAAN KARIM

Wednesday, 9 April 2008.

WWW.AHMEDQURAISHI.COM

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—Aitzaz Ahsan in his press conference in Lahore on Wednesday has once again tried to start a blame game and tried to defend an act of blatant aggression against a veteran politician Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi.

Mr. Ahsan can be excused for this blame game since all those who were committing this aggression against an aging parliamentarian were none other than his own men. More..

Is it beginning of the end? Musharraf to react?

AS people were still in a state of shock over the shameful treatment meted out to former Chief Minister of Sindh Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim in Karachi, a group of unruly lawyers poisoned the political atmosphere further by manhandling former Federal Minister Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi the following day. Niazi, who always spoke about the Constitution and rules and regulations, received punches, kicks and shoe strokes only because his interpretation of the intricate laws and dubious clauses of the Constitution was not acceptable to some people.

What happened to Dr Niazi was vandalism of the highest order, which cannot be and must not be tolerated, in a civilized society. A person of the stature of Sher Afgan, who is a reputed constitutional expert and seasoned parliamentarian, was detained for four long hours and as per interviews he gave to media during this period his life was in real danger.

Ultimately, when he was brought out in apparently tight security even then he could not escape the wrath of the lawyers. He was dragged, pounced upon and beaten. It is all the more shameful that the ambulance in which he was being evacuated was not spared and some people broke its sidescreens. According to eyewitnesses, President Supreme Court Bar Association Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, who reached the spot to calm down the protestors and ensure safe passage for She Afgan, was also manhandled. More…

President Musharraf and PM Gillani meet

President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani have strongly condemned the recent acts of rowdyism in Karachi and Lahore, where former Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Former Federal Minister Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi were assaulted and inhumanely treated.

The two leaders made these observations during a call by the Prime Minister on the President at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad Wednesday afternoon. They termed the incidents as totally unacceptable and directed the concerned authorities to carry out an immediate investigation in order to identify and ascertain those responsible so that they may be brought to justice.

The President and Prime Minister were of the view that such acts of hooliganism were designed to vitiate the unprecedented cooperation and spirit of accommodation by political parties on all sides of the spectrum. They stressed upon the need for developing an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding of differing points of view. More..

President Musharraf condemns assault on Dr. Sher Afghan

ISLAMABAD, Apr 8: President Pervez Musharraf has condemned the act of hooliganism in Lahore in which senior politician and former Federal Minister Dr. Sher Afghan Khan Niazi was assaulted and inhumanly treated. More…