KARACHI: In a scathing attack on President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Syed Munawar Hasan on Sunday descried them as two sides of a forged coin.

Speaking to newsmen after attending the party’s CEC meeting here, he demanded that the contempt of court action should be initiated against President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani in connection with issuance of illegal notifications about judges’ appointment.

“Prime Minister Gilani is not that innocent that he is unaware of presidential order,” he said, adding the present situation proves that the government has declared a showdown with state organs.

He was of the view that present judicial crisis would mostly dent the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

To a question, the JI Amir said that the state institutions were heading toward confrontation, which would deteriorate the situation even further. He also lauded the two judges for not accepting presidential orders about their elevation.

Hasan announced that the JI along with other parties and civil society would stage a demonstration outside the Supreme Court to express solidarity with judiciary. He also appealed to people for support for the supremacy of law.

QUETTA: Tehrik-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan on Sunday said that Pakistan needed justice more than PPP’s slogan ‘roti kapra and makan’ (bread, clothing and shelter).

In a telephone address to his party’s workers at Quetta Press Club, he said that the government wanted to bring the judges of its own choice. However, he said that his party would fully resist any such move by the government.

Khan urged the need for waging a struggle to get social and education justice besides judicial justice.

The PTI chief also called for the formation of an independent election commission along with judiciary so that the foundation of a free and fair election could be laid down in the country.

“A section of the country is doing politics either in the name of Islam or Mahajar,” he pointed out.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) will not allow the government to go scot-free, the party chief Mian Nawaz Sharif warned terming President Asif Ali Zardari as the biggest danger to the democracy.

Addressing the packed hall of journalists after the party’s meeting, he said it seemed that the government does not accept the restored judiciary.

The democracy never before faced such a great threat as now in the form of President Zardari, who has become the gravest danger to democracy, he said.

The PML-N condemns the incident that occurred yesterday, as the event plunged the country in the uncertainty and the President House outgrew its limits, Sharif told.

He said yesterday’s incident was an action re-play of November 3, 2007, adding the government is targeting the judiciary to safeguard its corruption in preference for their corruption to the respect for the judiciary.

The Army should have the role stipulated in the Constitution, he said.

Nawaz Sharif said he forcefully warned the government to ensure the supremacy of the Constitution, adding his party categorically rejects the autocratic method adopted by the government.

He said the judiciary was restored by the people not the government which only issued a notification, informing the journalists that he had told Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani a day before not to delay the implementation on the recommendations of judges’ appointments.

However, the following day, something else surfaced, he added demanding the recommendations of the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry should be immediately put into action.

Nawaz said the PML-N wants to make it abundantly clear to the government in unequivocal terms that it would not be allowed to go its way on judges’ appointments nor would it be spared the chance for corruption.

‘We can make harsh decisions in the coming days and will protest in and outside the Parliament and mobilize the masses. We will not allow anyone to spoil the institutions for personal motives,’ he said.

Had the Charter of Democracy been implemented, then there would not have been these problems, he asserted demanding President Zardari to bring back to Pakistan his wealth siphoned off to Swiss accounts; this is the money hard-earned by the people of Pakistan.

The country has been turned into a circus, he added.

The people of Pakistan will take care of all affairs, the Army should not be dragged into them; nor should the Army get itself involved in such affairs, he said.

KARACHI: Following the death of 39 people in Karachi, the rangers have been awarded special powers under Anti-Terrorism Act in the limit of 26 police stations to halt the rising incidents of violence in the city.

Section 144 has already been put into effect in these areas, while permissions granted for carrying arms have also been cancelled.

According to authorities, nine more people were shot dead in Pirabad, Sarjani Town, Liaquatabad, Buffer Zone, Mangho Pir, Sir Syed Town, Azizabad and PECH, after which the five-day death toll mounted to 39.

Tension gripped the affected areas, while enraged people staged protest in Nazimabad, Karimabad and other areas.

Earlier, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik chaired a high-level meeting called to discuss security situation in Karachi.

KARACHI: Sindh Assembly session witnessed rousing tumult, as the members hailing from Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) staged a walkout in protest against harsh speeches by Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza and Local Bodies Minister Siraj Durrani, Geo News reported Tuesday.

Both the leaders delivered emotionally charged speeches at the floor; but, the MQM members were not allowed to respond. Reacting to this, the MQM members went out of the house in protest.

Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed of MQM tried to give his statement in reaction to the fiery speeches by the Home Minister and the LB minister; but, he was stopped short by Acting Speaker Shehla Raza, saying she is running the House in accordance with the rules.

Dr Sagheer said his party condemns the killings of 125 party workers in one year, adding the Speaker is showing partiality. Later on, Muttahida members raised slogans and walked out of the House.

The session has been paused for the moment, as Senior Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, Jam Madad Ali, Murad Ali Shah and Ayas Soomro are making efforts to bring them round.