On Afzal Guru

COURTING CONTROVERSY

TAHIRUL QADRI, the Islamic cleric, had petitioned the Supreme Court last week seeking the reconstitution of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), months before the general polls. This week, his petition was set aside by the court. Dawn reported on February 13: "The court said Qadri had failed to convince the bench over his petition and the intentions behind filing it... The chief justice had also inquired as to how the TMQ chief had suddenly returned from Canada to question the ECP's organisation..."

The court proceedings took a turn when the chief justice and Qadri got "personal". The chief justice questioned his Canadian citizenship, by which he owes allegiance to Queen Elizabeth. Dawn quoted him: "'Dr Sahib, our anxiety is that you are not an ordinary individual but a jurist, a scholar, rather Sheikhul Islam, and deliver lectures in over 90 countries to bring people to the fold of Islam, but you are showing allegiance not only to Queen Elizabeth but also her successors...'" Qadri retorted: "'Is this not your picture taking oath from (former president Pervez) Musharraf?'... showing a June 30, 2005, picture of the chief justice and the former president. 'You (CJ) are still sitting in the court under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) oath... Taking oath of allegiance to Queen Elizabeth was better than taking oath under the dictatorship of Gen Musharraf'". According to The Express Tribune, Qadri said if the chief justice's loyalty cannot be termed suspicious, then his own can't be questioned either. The chief justice remarked that "Qadri should know that... Musharraf was the president in 2005 and every chief justice takes oath under [him]."

On Afzal GURU

THE execution of Indian Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru has stirred passions in Pakistan's anti-India lobby. The Friday Times reported: "It took the Pakistani foreign office more than 24 hours to react... But pro-jihad groups in Pakistan were swift in their response. They call Afzal Guru a martyr. Jamat-ud-Dawa, a charity that is linked to [the] militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba, held Guru's funeral in absentia in Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad and Islamabad. Hafiz Saeed... said the foundation of Kashmir jihad was laid down in Tihar Jail by Maqbool Bhat, and Guru's death has accomplished the mission... Saeed asked the Pakistani government to hang the Indian spy Sarabjeet Singh who Islamabad has been considering releasing as a goodwill gesture... He told the government to stop trade and friendship with India, which he said was like rubbing salt into the wounds of the Kashmiris."

... contd.

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