Supreme Court stayed implementation of various clauses of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and issued notices to the parties concerned on Friday.

The court also put on hold implementation of decisions by some lower courts under the ordinance and ordered that these decisions would not be implemented till the verdict of the apex court.

The court took up for regular hearing the petitions filed by Dr Mubashar Hasan, Imran Khan and Qazi Hussain Ahmed challenging the constitutional validity of the ordinance. The NRO was issued on October 5 under a deal cut by President General Pervez Musharraf. It pardoned all her corruption cases in return from Benazir Bhutto’s decision not to join the rest of the opposition in submitting en bloc resignations to deny Musharraf’s election through outgoing assemblies of credibility and legitimacy.

The PPP fielded Makhdoom Amin Fahim as presidential candidate, but withdrew him after the promulgation of the ordinance. It abstain from voting but Musharraf later appreciated that it did not resign.

A four member Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry took up five petitions for hearing challenging the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) 2007. Other members of the bench include Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi and Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan.

In his remarks at the opening of the hearing, the Chief Justice said this is an important case and attorney general should appoint assistant for court. The apex court directed to stop implementation on different clauses of NRO.

The lawyer of petitioner Dr Mobashir Hassan during his arguments said that NRO has been issued for a particular class of politicians which is a pardon cover for political wrongdoings. The court adjourned the hearing for three weeks.

Islamabad October 12
The chief military spokesman has reacted angrily to a BBC report in which three army officers held hostage by the Taliban in south Waziristan were interviewed.

“This is an attempt at slanted propaganda,” Major-Gen Waheed Arshad said here after militants led by Baitullah Mehsud allowed the BBC access to the three officers, for the first time, since they and some 250 other soldiers were abducted on August 30.

BBC reporter Haroon Rashid wrote that the officers “did not want to talk but were pressurised by the Taliban to do so”.

General Arshad warned Pakistani journalists against “becoming spokesmen of militants”. He said the Taliban wanted to use the interview as a propaganda tool to press the government to meet the their demands for the release of their men in return for the release of Pakistani troops.

Commanding officer Lt-Col Zafar, Major Ateeq Azam and Lieut Farakh Mansoor were the three officers the BBC interviewed. Major Ateeq said he hoped the military command would do something for their release. Col Zafar said he was leading a convoy taking rations to soldiers in Ladah from Shakai when tribesmen stopped the convoy.

Washington, October 13
Civilian leadership in Pakistan is the key to bridging the gap with the public in the war against terrorism, according to a top US diplomatic analyst.

Lisa Curtis, senior research fellow at the Asia Studies Centre of the Heritage Foundation in Washington, says that prolonged military rule in Pakistan has spread frustration among its people, who, by and large, have a moderate outlook and want to be a part of the global community.

Curtis said in an interview to Asian News International: "Right now, the frustration is stemming from the lack of democracy and the frustration with the military rule, and that gets mixed up with the fight against extremism in a negative way."

"The frustration with Musharraf (President Pervez Musharraf) leads to frustration with the US, which means they don't support the fight against terrorism. So, I do think a civilian leader could possibly bridge that gap and get support from the Pakistani people on this", Curtis added. The USA needs to reach out to Pakistan's civilian leaders and promote fair elections in that key US ally to build support for fighting terrorism.

US ally Musharraf, who took power in a coup in 1999, won re-election last week in a result whose legality is being weighed by Pakistan's top court this week.

Doubts over the final outcome have added to uncertainty in Pakistan entering a transition period from military to civilian rule, which will culminate in a national election due by mid-January.

The peace process between India and Pakistan, which had seen tremendous progress during Musharraf's rule, Curtis says, should not be greatly affected as a strong foundation had already been laid by the Pakistani military ruler.

"As far as a new civilian leader and whether they'll be able to continue that, I think there are a couple of things that are in favour that bodes well and that is the people of Pakistan and the people of India have become invested in this process. They are very much supportive. So, you have broad public support for continuing it and you have people to people exchanges that have been going on very well. . So there are a lot of things in place already," Curtis said.

Meanwhile, with regard to militancy in the tribal areas, Curtis said while Pakistan's military has gone back on the offensive in the area, there still had to be greater coordination between Pakistan and the NATO and the US forces, to combat the insurgents.Violence has surged in the Waziristan region since militants scrapped a peace deal with authorities in July.

Sick of being on the receiving end, the Pakistan army lashed back last weekend, unleashing fighter jets, helicopter gunships, artillery and ground troops on militants.

While on India's relation with Afghanistan, Curtis said the close ties the two countries have, are causing tension in Pakistan. — ANI