Opinion Ashraf,the new Gilani?

Daily Times reported on August 9: “A five-member bench… directed the incumbent premier to appear before the court on August 27 and explain why the court should not proceed against him”. The bench underscored its lenient stance and caught Ashraf on the wrong foot: “We may observe at this stage,and we observe so with respect to the esteemed elective office of the prime minister/ chief executive,that the ostensible calculated defiance on his part through adoption of dilatory tactics and putting up excuses for resisting implementation of this court’s directions may know no bounds,but at the same time restraint exercised by this court is also not without any limit.”

Trust deficit

ASHRAF’S party,the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP),expects him to suffer the same fate as his predecessor. Dawn reported on August 9: “PPP leaders,including its legal brains,think PM Raja Pervez Ashraf should not appear before the Supreme Court… as they believe he will not get any relief… There has been a consensus among all tiers of the party that ‘enough is enough’ and PM Raja should be ready to go home without being ‘too obedient’ to the court. They are of the view that the PM’s fate will not be different from that of Gilani… Abdul Qadir Gilani,the elder son of Gilani,told Dawn it made no difference whether PM Ashraf appeared before the court or not,as the decision would be against the PPP… PPP’s Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Raja Riaz said efforts were under way to push the PPP to the wall. ‘Some elements,including Nawaz Sharif,are taking cover behind the judiciary to sideline the PPP,’ he said,adding the party was not expecting any relief from the courts.”

Hindus of Pakistan

THE migration of Hindus from Pakistan to India is becoming controversial. The Express Tribune reported on August 9: “Amid increasing cases of violence and lack of security against their community,60 Hindu families from Balochistan and Sindh have decided to migrate to India… Four out of the 60 families left for India during midday… The rest of the families are expected to travel today… The families had complaints that their shops were looted,houses were raided by unknown men and their women were forcefully converted. He said that the visas on their passports were not permanent; however,he said that chances of them coming back to Pakistan were slim…”

While Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has dismissed this as “propaganda”,reports suggest these families don’t want to return to Pakistan. The News reported on August 10: “The Indian High Commission in Islamabad and Pakistan’s Interior Ministry have denied media reports that 250 Hindus were planning to flee the country.” Malik alleged that “the embassy of a ‘neighbouring country’ has hatched a conspiracy against the government by issuing 250 visas to the Hindu families without checking the facts.” Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has constituted a committee composed of minority ministers to look into the matter.