Muharraf-named court rejects challenges

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Judges hand-picked by Gen. Pervez Musharraf took just two hours Monday to quash legal challenges to his disputed re-election as president, paving the way for him to fulfill a promise to quit as army chief, perhaps by the end of the month.

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Islam & America: Through the Eyes of Imran Khan - Pakistan

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Pakistan cricket stunned by Imran's arrest

Karachi (PTI): Pakistan's former and present cricketers have expressed sadness and disappointment over the arrest of former captain Imran Khan, who led the national team to 1992 World Cup victory.

Imran, an iconic figure in Pakistan cricket, was arrested on Tuesday when he turned up at a students' rally at Punjab University campus protesting against the emergency clamped on the nation.

Imran, who now heads the Tehreek-e-Insaaf political opposition party, was reported to have been mistreated during his arrest and faces charges under a anti-terrorism act.

His nearest rival to equalling his iconic status as a cricketer, Javed Miandad said he was disturbed by the photographs of Imran being arrested.

"It is a fact that when Imran entered politics he knew what he was doing but having played with him and seen him up close as captain I did feel sad at the way he was roughed up," Miandad said.

"Having played with Imran the cricketer it is not easy to see him arrested," the former captain and coach said.

Former national selector and Test player Iqbal Qasim said he hoped for the best for Imran.

"We respected him a lot as a player and captain and he had a certain aura about him. His position in Pakistan cricket is undisputed and historic. I was never comfortable when he decided to enter politics but that is a decision he took and is now bravely facing," Qasim said.

All-rounder Abdul Razzaq, who will appear in rebel Indian Cricket League, said he was very upset to see the way Imran was treated by the students wing and police.

Polls under emergency can't be fair: World NGO

BERLIN: Pakistan's upcoming elections will be a biased exercise and country's long-term path to democracy and accountability risks serious derailment if the enforced state of emergency and suspension of country's constitution continue, said Transparency International, calling on government of Pakistan to restore the constitution, judicial independence, freedom of press and the right to assembly.

"Holding elections on schedule is a positive development, but fair and transparent campaigns and elections are not possible without the guarantee of fundamental rights," said Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International.

Looking beyond just the coming elections, Transparency International noted that judicial independence has been severely compromised by political interference from the executive. "An incapacitated judiciary is no longer able to check government impunity and hold leaders accountable for their actions," said Pascal Fable, Regional Director for the Asia Pacific.

"With the suspension of the constitution and a muzzled judiciary, the country is more vulnerable to abuse of power because there in no rule of law."

"All candidates and parties, across the political spectrum and including the opposition, must be open about their record and their agenda and need to answer question from the public and the media. This is an essential part of transparent campaigning and is currently impossible under emergency rule," said Labelle.

Dr Amir expresses grief over Geo News closure

KARACHI: Dr Amir Liaquat Hussein said he could not even think of the fresh move by the government.

Talking to Geo News, he appreciated the Geo TV network that it did not submit to the will of the government and did not play in the hands of rulers.

Dr Amir said, �We kept on telling the truth and mirroring the rulers their face; we had no knowledge that the rulers would take it so badly that they will rise to close the telecast of Geo News.�

Dr Amir said that the people, who talked about the tolerance and fortitude, lost their own temper.

Geo TV ordered to shut down

KARACHI: Geo TV network has been ordered to shut down by authorities of the country from where it is being aired.

The concerned authorities told the reason that there is immense pressure from Musharraf government on them to get the telecast of Geo network closed down.

Geo TV being shut down

KARACHI: There are reports that the government of Pakistan is using its influence with a foreign country to get the Geo TV network closed down, as the Geo TV network refused to surrender to the will of the government.

It should be noted that Geo news and its entire sister channels had been closed down across Pakistan after the imposition of emergency.

Earlier, the cable operators in Pakistan were forced to close all channels being operated by Geo Network and the Pakistani viewers were deprived of the great source of information. However, the Geo TV was on air from its Dubai office.

The latest developments are that the government of Pakistan has gone to the limit of seeking the closure of Geo News network across the globe through a country.

After this closure of Geo Network, the worldwide viewers would not be able to watch the great source of information worldwide.

According to Geo TV network, it did not surrender to the will of the government and did not sign any paper of compliance with the government, for which it has been punished that its worldwide telecast is being gagged.

On this occasion, Senior Geo News analyst Kamran Khan, Host of Capital Talk Hamid Mir, Dr Amir Liaquat Hussein, Geo News Senior analyst Nasir Beig Chughtai, Justice (rtd) Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, Senior defence analyst (Rtd) Talat Masud and British member of Parliament Mohammed Sarwar expressed their grief over this government step regarding closing down the Geo News network and condemned this fresh government attack on the media.

It should be noted that nearly all the news channels of the country were taken off air, as soon as the emergency was announced in the country. PEMRA hammered out code of conduct for the media to follow and it was said only those channels would be allowed to operate if they fall in line with the government wishes.