Islamabad, January 22
Geo News, Pakistan's most popular TV news channel, had apparently agreed to drop shows by two top anchors critical of President Pervez Musharraf before being allowed to return to cable networks after a nearly three-month ban.

Caretaker information minister Nisar Memon has said Geo News was allowed to return to cable after it signed a government-mandated code of conduct, but the channel reportedly agreed to keep two political talk shows hosted by Shahid Masood and Hamid Mir off the air.

Both Masood and Mir had been very critical of Musharraf on their weekly talk shows.

In a statement, the Geo group said: "Many issues have been resolved between the network and the government, but some are still left and it is hoped that they would be resolved very soon".

Reporters Without Borders, an international media watchdog, hailed the lifting of the government ban on cable distribution of Geo News but deplored "the fact that President Musharraf made it conditional on the suppression of some of its programmes".

"It is regrettable that the government insisted on the withdrawal of certain programmes. This constitutes yet further evidence that censorship is unfortunately still the rule just a few weeks before the parliamentary elections scheduled for February 18," it said in a statement.

Geo TV's management confirmed to Reporters Without Borders that Musharraf gave permission on January 19 for cable operators to resume distributing Geo News and its sister sports channel, Geo Super.

"The agreement between Geo TV's owners and the government is conditioned on the suppression of news programmes hosted by Shahid Masood and Hamid Mir, two veteran journalists and commentators," Reporters Without Borders said.

"They are allowed to continue working as journalists for the station, but cannot present their own programmes. The authorities also requested that columns by pro-government commentators should be published more often in The News and Jang, two newspapers owned by the Geo TV group."

Geo News was banned along with other Pakistani TV news channels when Musharraf imposed emergency on November 3. Most other TV channels resumed broadcasting after signing the government's code of conduct on November 12.

Geo CEO Mir Ibrahim Rahman has said the network lost $25 million because of the suspension of cable broadcasts.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) said it hoped "that the resumption of Geo broadcasts is not contingent to a compromise on its editorial independence and objectivity, nor would it affect the professional career of any member of its staff".

"Our apprehensions in this respect stem from the experience in case of revival of other channels under severe curbs, restraints and self-censorship and sidelining of senior and popular anchors," the PFUJ said.

Draconian broadcast laws, "so-called covert and overt codes of conduct, back door coercive tactics, press advice and security threats continue to define the media scene in Pakistan", it said.

"The restriction on live coverage of political events and talk shows is being used to stifle free debate on issues of national and public importance," PFUJ added. — PTI

The government is facing an immediate constitutional challenge of how to keep the deposed judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and the senior detained lawyers, including Aitzaz Ahsan, in preventive detention beyond the limit of 90 days set by the constitution.

The detention period that began on November 3 was extended on monthly basis and the 90-day limit would end on January 31. Two leading members of lawyers’ movement Ali Ahmed Kurd and Justice Tariq Mahmood are also under house arrest along with several deposed judges.

Under the constitution, no person can be kept in preventive detention for more than 90 days unless a judicial review board certifies that the person is a threat to public safety. But the government has yet to refer the cases of the under-detention deposed judges and the three lawyers.

Official sources indicated tha there were no plans to set them free. President Musharraf has said they want to launch an agitation which would not be allowed. He has also threatened to use army and paramilitary rangers to crush any agitation.

The government has so far been reluctant to refer these cases to the judicial review boards. Interestingly, caretaker interior minister Hamid Nawaz is simply denying that any of the deposed judges is under preventive or any other type of detention. In case of Aitzaz Ahsan and two other lawyers, the interior minister said their cases were being dealt with by the provincial governments and not by the interior ministry.

When told that Justice Tariq Mehmood is under detention in Islamabad, he said then in his case the Islamabad capital administration should be approached whether he would be set free on January 31 or will stay under preventive custody.

It is learnt that while the government does not recognise the fact that any of the deposed judges is under detention, as they have not been detained under any legal order, top legal aides of President Musharraf are opposing the formation of review boards for the legally detained lawyers.

It is being asserted that the three lawyers have not been detained for 90 days under one order. Instead they have been detained under three successive orders for 30 days each. As such none of the orders can be reviewed by the board. The government has, therefore, not informed the respective chief justices as yet about the need for them to name the judges who will constitute the boards, although the time-limit is about to expire.

Attorney-general Malik Qayyum met Aitzaz Ahsan on Sunday reportedly to dissuade him from launching his planned judicial bus if the government decided to release him. Aitzaz declined to give any assurance.

Malik told reporters that the government has not yet requested the superior judiciary for the constitution of the review boards. Independent sources, however, point out that if the government can avoid the 90-day limit by passing three or more one-month orders in succession, then the limit can always be circumvented and the provision of the Constitution would not apply.

Prominent lawyer Athar Minallah said even if the government avoids this constitutional obligation, this would be a first real test for the post-November 3 judiciary to show its independence and take suo moto notice of the situation where not only the deposed judges are under illegal detention but the three lawyers are also not free and are likely to be retained under preventive custody after 90 days.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is ready to give President Pervez Musharraf a safe passage if he agrees to step down, reverse illegal and unconstitutional actions of November 3 to ensure holding of free and fair elections, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said.

“I have nothing personal against Musharraf and would like to move forward instead of getting bogged down in any vendetta,” Nawaz told private TV channel ARY. He said free elections without an independent judiciary, a neutral government and independent election commission are not possible. Musharraf has a vested interest in manipulating elections results and could not be trusted to guarantee impartial polls.

Sharif was asked to explain recent statements by his brother and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif saying talks could be held with Musharraf provided he ensures holding of fair elections. Both brothers have been disqualified to contest elections and preferred not to file an appeal against rejection before high court judges who have taken oath under the Provisional Constitution Order promulgated by Musharraf on November 3. The Chief Election Commissioner refused to exercise his prerogative to review the decision.

Shahbaz’s recent meeting with Musharraf’s close friend and trouble shooter Brig Niaz Ahmed triggered speculations that Musharraf wants to soften Nawaz Sharif’s stiff stance against him. Media reports said Musharraf was also using Saudi good offices to persuade Nawaz to end his current confrontationist posture.

Nawaz denied any covert contacts with Musharraf. He said Musharraf has no legitimacy as president because his election through outgoing assemblies had no legal validity. He dismantled entire judiciary to preempt verdict against him and then imposed emergency.

Nawaz reiterated that reinstatement of judges remain on top of his agenda. His party will not join any national government which Musharraf has promised after elections. His own proposal for such a government does not visualise any place for Musharraf in national political landscape.

Brussels, January 22
The European Union will send a team of observers to monitor Pakistan's elections, European foreign policy chief Javier Solana has said.

Solana, who met President Pervez Musharraf yesterday, gave a blunt message to the Pakistani leader that any future cooperation will depend on holding of free and fair polls. "Our message is clear. It is that the elections have to be fair, free and secure.We expect that a government conforming to the will of the people would be in place and continue reforms especially setting up rule of law," Solana said after talks with Musharraf who was here on the first leg of his four-nation eight-day European trip.

"Our reaction on cooperation and the level of engagement will be in view of the result of the process," he added. A team of EU election observers will be "on the ground" to monitor the elections, Solana said.

Musharraf told the EU that its election monitors were free to go around in Pakistan and observe the elections and were free to report from anywhere.

Addressing the European Parliament, Musharraf also sought to allay fears of its nuclear arsenal falling into the hands of extremists and criticised the West for questioning its commitment to the fight against terrorism.

"Stop criticising us.We are fighting the war on terror for ourselves, more than for anyone else," Musharraf said. He sought EU help in trade and investment, saying that investing in Pakistan's economy would wean the extremists from their violent paths. — PTI

Islamabad, January 22
US Centcom chief Admiral William Fallon on Tuesday arrived in Islamabad on one-day official visit. Fallon met with Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Gen Pervez Kiani.

General Pervez Kiani said at the meeting that only Pakistani forces would conduct any operation inside Pakistan. However, intelligence sharing with the US could be done.

It was necessary to find out the root causes of terrorism and extremism. The army would continue its role against the war on terror, Kiani said. Gen Kiani made it clear to Admiral Fallon that intelligence sharing on Pak-Afghan border security was a must. US Centcom chief said war against terror could only be won with joint efforts.