Mullah, Military and Media: The Memogate drama

by Gulshan Ara

Allah Detha abducts the Chaudhri’s daughter one day. The Chaudhri lodges an FIR against the rising young graduate Fazlu of the village. The case nips evil in the bud: the rise of Fazlu–a middle class representative. The Chaudhri, on the insistence of his daughter, christens the abduction as a ‘marriage of convenience’ but Fazlu’s fate hangs in a court of law.

It is a typical narrative of Pakistan’s Chaudhris. So is the storyline of what media has termed as memogate—a letter requesting US to foil a possible military coup in Pakistan after the killing of the world’s most wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden in the garrison city of Abbottabad on May 2 last year.

Continue reading Mullah, Military and Media: The Memogate drama

PAKISTAN’S Supreme Court opened a potentially government-toppling commission into the “Memogate”

Memogate’ scandal threatens Pakistan stability

PAKISTAN’S Supreme Court opened a potentially government-toppling commission into the “Memogate” scandal yesterday, ignoring accusations from the human rights commissioner that the law was being used to transform the country into a “security state”.

Asma Jehangir, also president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, lashed out at the judiciary as she announced she was standing aside as legal counsel for former US ambassador Husain Haqqani because she believed he had no chance of a fair hearing.

Courtesy: THE AUSTRALIAN

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/memogate-scandal-threatens-pakistan-stability/story-e6frg6so-1226235079207

Al-Qaida, Taliban ask Pakistani militants for help against US-led forces in Afghanistan

Al-Qaida, Taliban ask Pakistani militants for help

By AP

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Pakistani militant commanders say prominent al-Qaida and Afghan Taliban fighters have asked them to set aside differences and step up support for the battle against US-led forces in Afghanistan.

The Pakistani Taliban commanders say the request came during two meetings in Pakistan’s tribal region in November and December.

They said Monday that the senior al-Qaida commander Abu Yahya al-Libi attended both meetings, as did Sirajuddin Haqqani, the de-facto head of the most feared militant group in Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s most prominent militant leaders, including Pakistani Taliban commander Hakimullah Mehsud, also attended. The commanders who described the meetings spoke on condition of anonymity because of their sensitivity.

Courtesy: DAWN.COM

Husain Haqqani’s wife parliamentarian Farahnaz Isphani talks to Wolf Blitzer

Farahnaz Isphani discusses the status of memogate hearing and threats being made while making an emotional appeal for justice in the case.

Courtesy: CNN » Wolf Blitzer