Monday, October 22, 2018
#Canada - #Trudeau holds out option of cancelling arms sale to #SaudiArabia over journalist's killing
Peter Zimonjic
'We have frozen export permits before ... we will not hesitate to do so again,' says PMAs calls mount for Canada to cancel its sale of light armoured vehicles (LAVs) to Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today that Canada has frozen permits on arms exports in the past — and is not afraid to do so again.
Trudeau made the comments during question period in the House of Commons when asked by the NDP why, in light of Saudi Arabia's ongoing war in Yemen and its role in the death of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Canada was continuing to sanction the sale.
"We have frozen export permits before when we had concerns about their potential misuse and we will not hesitate to do so again," Trudeau told the Commons Monday.
Trudeau also addressed the issue as he entered the House, saying Canada was working with its allies to determine exactly how Khashoggi died.
The comments come after the Prime Minister's Office released a statement saying that Trudeau held a meeting of a high-level government working group today to discuss lingering questions over the apparent murder of Khashoggi, who went missing after attending a recent meeting at the Saudi embassy in Turkey.
The Incident Response Team (IRT), a working group of federal cabinet ministers and senior government officials, was created by Trudeau in August to cope with national crises or incidents abroad that have "major implications for Canada," said the statement.
During a joint press conference with her Mexican counterpart before question period, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said that the Trudeau government was now examining Canada's relationship with the desert kingdom following Khashoggi's death.
"There are very important questions about the entire relationship with Saudi Arabia that need to be asked," Freeland told reporters in Ottawa Monday.
"This meeting that the prime minister convened was an important part of that conversation inside our government and we are having these serious conversations with our partners and allies." Deliberately sidestepping direct questions from reporters about whether the federal government is now reviewing the Canadian sale of (LAVs) to the Saudi government, Freeland said she has not found the Saudis' explanation for Khashoggi's death convincing.
"We are gravely concerned by the murder of Jamal Khashoggi," she said. "We do not find the explanations that have been offered to date to be credible or consistent. That is a serious problem for Canada."
General Dynamic Land Systems Canada, the London, Ont.-based manufacturer supplying the vehicles, was initially contracted to provide 928 vehicles, including LAV-6s and 119 of the heavy assault variety equipped with 105-millimetre cannons.
As of spring of last year, the company was set to deliver only 742 of the modern LAV-6s, a reduction from the original 2014 deal — which has come under criticism from human rights observers appalled by the civilian death toll resulting from Saudi Arabia's ongoing military action in Yemen. Khashoggi vanished on Oct. 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get paperwork he needed to marry his Turkish fiancée. Five days later, Turkish officials alleged that he had been tortured, killed and dismembered at the diplomatic outpost.
The Saudi government initially denied any involvement in Khashoggi's disappearance — but finally admitted early Saturday that he had died at the consulate, claiming he was killed in a "fistfight."The kingdom also said that five top Saudi intelligence officials had been fired and 18 others arrested as a result of its investigation into the matter.Khashoggi, once a Saudi royal family insider, grew critical of the kingdom's rulers following their crackdown on opposition, their war on neighbouring Yemen and the severing of Saudi ties with the small Gulf state of Qatar.
'We don't know where the body is'
Turkish media reports and officials maintain that a 15-member Saudi team flew to Istanbul on Oct. 2, knowing Khashoggi would arrive. Once Khashoggi was inside the diplomatic mission, the reports say, the Saudis accosted the 59-year-old writer, cut off his fingers, killed him and dismembered him.Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Sunday told Fox News that Khashoggi's killing was "a rogue operation" and that "we don't know where the body is.""The individuals who did this, did this outside the scope of their authority," he said. "There obviously was a tremendous mistake made and what compounded the mistake was the attempt to try to cover up. That is unacceptable to the government."According to the statement from the Prime Minister's Office, the IRT was created to "make fast, effective decisions to keep Canadians safe and secure, at home and abroad." No specific actions by the IRT have been announced as of Monday.
Opposition calls for sanctions
Meanwhile, the official Opposition was calling on the government Monday to invoke the new Magnitsky Act to sanction those responsible for Khashoggi's death.Conservative justice critic Tony Clement said that Saudi Arabia has already identified some individuals who were partially responsible for Khashoggi's death, adding that the Magnitsky law is a next step the government should consider."This may be a prime case for applying the Magnitsky law," said Clement.Last year, Canada passed the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, known as the Magnitsky Act, which gives the government the authority to freeze Canadian assets of foreign individuals who are found to have violated human rights.
Clement's comments follow a similar call by NDP foreign affairs critic Hélène Laverdière, as well as bipartisan demands in the U.S. Congress.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cbc-saudi-freeland-irt-meeting-1.4873227
OP-ED - #Pakistan - #سلام_مادرِجمہوریت #PPP - Begum Bhutto and dictators
Wajid Shamsul Hasan
The true strength and greatness of her character manifested itself in times of stress and strain. When Ayub Khan jailed ZAB, Begum Bhutto kept alight the flame of her husband’s struggle for democracy.
The picture of an Independence Day march by the first contingent of Pakistan Women National Guard in 1947 is a manifestation of Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan and the role that he had envisioned for Pakistani women. Women’s National Guard was established by the widow of Pakistan’s first Prime Minister Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan. It shows leading with the National flag Begum Pasha Haroon, artist Sughra Rababi (aunt of Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla) and Begum Nusrat Bhutto, widow of PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The Quaid had believed much before Pakistan came into being that without women — there could not be any progress.
No doubt our women despite enormous hurdles have achieved much but still they have a long way to go. They have to demolish anti-gender taboos, religious inhibitions imposed by bigotry of the powerful mullacracy and restrictions embedded and imposed by feudalistic customs that continue to straightjacket space for progress of rural women while their urban counterparts have been competing with men in politics, education and every field of socio-economic endeavour.
Indeed, Pakistan’s history would not be complete without mention of those women who played a lead role in the struggle for Pakistan. And when the country found itself rudderless to face Field Marshal Ayub Khan in engineered Presidential elections in 1965 to perpetuate one-man rule, it was Quaid’s sister Madre Millat Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah who picked up the gauntlet.
Indeed, only a woman and a mother as strong as Begum Bhutto — could have survived the judicial murder of her husband, plotted killing of her two sons and cold blooded assassination of Benazir Bhutto by yet another dictator who is now on the run
During the life of the Quaid Ms Jinnah had nothing to do with politics but she knew well why her brother had chosen a democratic, secular and progressive future for his country. And when she realised that President Ayub Khan was out there destroying her brother’s Pakistan, she challenged the dictator. Her decision was timely. Combined Opposition Parties (COP) could not find a strong male candidate to take the bull by the horn. Had she not challenged Ayub, course of Pakistan’s history would not have changed after 1965. In the rigged polls, she was defeated but she set the ball of dictator’s decline rolling leading to his ultimate political demise.
Not that Pakistan did not have other courageous ladies, those that need special mention and who proved to be catalysts — are Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan, Begum Nusrat Bhutto, martyred Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, giant of human rights activist Asma Jehangir and of course Nobel Laureate Malala Yusufzai. Each one has contributed immensely for the education, emancipation, empowerment of women and less privileged in Pakistan.
Begum Bhutto was an exception. Destiny chose to give her birth on 23rd March (1929) eleven years before the historic Lahore Resolution was passed paving way for the establishment of Pakistan. Indeed, her long struggle, her blood and sacrifices carved a unique niche for her in Pakistan’s history. She took on two military dictators, one more ferocious than the previous, when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was incarcerated by them for his opposition to military dictatorship. She led Pakistan People’s Party founded by ZAB in 1967 to uproot the forces of status quo. PPP was his vehicle for change in Pakistani politics, unshackling the chained masses, giving them a voice and respectful existence.
Begum Sahiba’s greatness could be linked to the legendary Kurd hero Salahuddin Ayubi. I had known Begum Bhutto from the time when she was the graceful and dignified wife of Pakistan’s most dynamic foreign minister. In 1947-48 as a young member of the Women’s National Guard she spearheaded gigantic relief operations to provide shelter and succour to the millions of the uprooted refugees at a time when Pakistan had no resources. In that hour of crisis, she stood tall among the tallest that had plunged themselves in one of the biggest relief operations ever undertaken.
The true strength and greatness of her character manifested itself in times of stress and strain. When Ayub Khan jailed ZAB, Begum Bhutto kept alighted the flame of her husband’s struggle for democracy. She, however, gave her best when Bhutto Sahib was removed in 1977 coup by General Ziaul Haq. She had her head battered by his bullies, yet she led the masses, kept alive their democratic aspirations, galvanised the opposition parties in Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) through hell and high water. Though she was not alone this time as her equally gifted daughter Benazir was by her side as pillar of strength, it was her profound commitment and affection for the party workers and the masses that garnered unprecedented popular support to the democratic movement ever when General Zia had to resort to scotch earth policy to save his power.
Not only did Begum Bhutto aided by the ‘dearest daughter’ foiled General Zia’s machinations but also buried deep down conspiracies by Quislings and Trojan horses who had been bought over by Zia to hijack the PPP. Bhutto sahib from behind the prison bars could foresee their intrigues in his absence. She saved the party from the vultures within and kept the party flag high in defiance of a ruthless martial law and state oppression.
Later, due to worsening health condition she passed the mantle of PPP leadership to Benazir. No single political family in modern history has given so many lives to the cause of democracy and people of its country as did the Bhuttos. Indeed, only a woman and a mother as strong as Begum Bhutto-could have survived judicial murder of her husband, agencies-plotted killing of her two sons and cold bloodied assassination of Benazir Bhutto by yet another dictator now on the run — all in the prime of their lives.
Bhuttos were committed to reviving Quaid’s secular, liberal and progressive Pakistan. One must give credit to former President Asif Ali Zardari who steered the nation to the democratic goal after Benazir’s assassination. Constitutional reforms under him have given strength to the federation. PPP under Bilawal Bhutto as successor Chairman to his mother is determined to keep the Party flag aloft and to bury forces of obscurantism, extra-constitutionalism and revert to making Pakistan peaceful, progressive, prosperous and egalitarian society with equality to all religions and nothing to do with the business of the state.
SZAB, Begum Bhutto and martyred Benazir Bhutto were committed to reviving Quaid’s secular, liberal and progressive Pakistan. Now Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto- too are overly committed to the same goal especially when obscurantist and extra-constitutional forces under the cover of activism of dubious kind have been plotting to subvert democracy. Let that not happen at any cost — as befitting tribute to Begum Bhutto.
#PAKISTAN - #PPP - Remembering Begum Nusrat Bhutto: Mother of Democracy
After she lost her husband to dictatorship, Begum Nusrat Bhutto took charge of PPP as the Chairperson and continued her struggle against martial law. The undemocratic forces were so terrified of this strong-willed lady that they tried to put out the spark burning for democracy by arrests and jails. The attempts to crush the voices of democracy were thwarted as Begum Bhutto kept the party flag aloft. When she was assaulted with baton charge at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, a photograph of the wounded Begum Bhutto was published in all the newspapers, revealing the ugly face of dictatorship.The photograph has been imprinted in the memory of the nation and they are haunted by the image when their mother was treated savagely by the autocratic ruler.
When such tactics proved futile, the state resorted to emotional and mental torture by targeting Begum Bhutto’s children. Her daughter was put under house arrest and denied medical assistance. She was treated brutally in Sukkar jail and was kept away and separated from her mother. However, the resolve of the Bhutto ladies shook the dictator and added to his fear.
After the judicial murder of Shaheed Zulfiqar Bhutto, Begum Bhutto redoubled her political struggle for democracy. Proving his cowardice, General Zia postponed the elections scheduled on 16 October, 1979. The voice of PPP, Musawat newspaper was shut down.
Along with journalists, PPP workers were punished with lashes but the sky continued to witness their echoes of jiyaye Bhutto. If their leader was facing cruelties and yet marched on for democracy, the workers decided they would not let her down. During this era of darkness, Begum Bhutto also faced separation from both her sons, Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Shahnawaz Bhutto. Despite all the difficulties, she dashed all hopes of Zia ulHaq to easily sail through in his boat of dictatorship. Begum Bhutto was diagnosed with lung cancer during her long detention and the regime tried to seize the opportunity of taking revenge on its opponent by denying her aid. However, due to national and international pressure, she was allowed to go outside Pakistan for the sake of her health and treatment. On 22 November, 1982, Begum Bhutto reached Munich in Germany. Her health was very frail and she was accompanied by her sister as caretaker. Even though she was extremely ill, she addressed party workers who had gathered from different European countries:
“For the sake of democracy in our country, human rights, and restoration of the constitution, you must come forward and protest without fearing the martial law. It is the duty of the workers of Pakistan People’s Party and all the democratic citizens of Pakistan to give a final shove to the apparently strong but hollow pillars of martial law to bring them down on the ground.”
Benazir Bhutto proved true successor to her father Quaid-E-Awam Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as predicted by Begum Sahiba. She led party to victory twice against all odds. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto became leader of international stature. Begum Nusrat Bhutto proudly stated about Benazir Bhutto, “She is an intelligent, courageous, and politically enlightened girl who will play an important role in taking PPP to new heights of success. Bhutto Shaheed has especially given political training to his daughter. When Bhutto Shaheed was in jail, he was allowed one hour to meet with visitors. He used to give political lectures during this hour. This teaching during the last days of Bhutto Shaheed proved to be of immense importance for our daughter. Benazir has passed every test and will offer effective leadership to the party”.
Begum Nusrat Bhutto’s resolve was so strong that it travelled from one generation to another. Her children continued her struggle against dictatorship and today her grandchild Bilawal Bhutto is a champion of democracy. There is no doubt that the contributions of the Bhutto family for democracy in Pakistan are invaluable.
Begum Nusrat Bhutto was born on 23 March 1928 and she passed away on 23 October 2011.
Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto pays rich tribute to Madar-e Jamhooriyat late Ms. Begum Nusrat Bhutto on her 7th anniversary
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while paying rich tribute to Mother of Democracy (Madar-e Jamhooriyat) late Ms. Begum Nusrat Bhutto on her 7th anniversary has said that the history of struggle for democracy in Pakistan will never be complete sans commemoration of unprecedented contribution of her.
In his message on the occasion of 7th anniversary of Mother of Democracy (Madar-e Jamhooriyat), he said that she was the first voice of courage that challenged the then Dictator Zia, enforced the unity of all democratic forces under one common platform and launched the movement for the restoration of Democracy in Pakistan.
He said that it was the legacy of Ms. Begum Nusrat Bhutto that she not only enforced the unity of all the democratic forces under one common platform but she brought forward the women of the country forward in the movement for the restoration of Democracy.
The PPP chairman said that Ms. Begum Nusrat Bhutto had dedicated her life for the fight against the forces of tyranny and anti-people elements and she never hesitated in offering her entire family in sacrifice.
He said that the sacrifices she had offered have very little precedence and are just numbered on finger tips in history .
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the PPP is the custodian of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s ideology, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s vision and late Ms. Begum Nusrat Bhutto’s unprecedented sacrifices, and their legacy would keep going on until the goal of making Pakistan a peaceful, prosperous and progressive country is attained.
https://mediacellppp.wordpress.com/2018/10/22/chairman-ppp-bilawal-bhutto-zardari-pays-rich-tribute-to-madar-e-jamhooriyat-late-ms-begum-nusrat-bhutto-on-her-7th-anniversary/
خیبرپختونخوا - لیڈی ریڈنگ ہسپتال میں سٹریچر نہ ہونے پرخاتون بیماربچے کو ٹوکری میں ڈال کر ڈاکٹر کے پاس لے گئی
خیبرپختونخوا میں تحریک انصاف کی جماعت گزشتہ ساڑھے 5 سال سے برسر اقتدار ہے ، اپنے گزشتہ دور حکومت میں صوبائی وزراءہر فورم اور جلسے میں محکمہ صحت میں اصلاحات کے دعوے کرتے نظر آئے تاہم اپنے 5 سالہ دور حکومت کے دوران صوبے کے سب سے بڑی تدریسی ہسپتال لیڈی ریڈنگ میں مریضوں کیلئے سٹریچرز کی تعداد میں اضافہ نہ کرسکے۔ ہفتہ کے روز ایک دیہاتی خاتون اپنے بیمار بچے کو علاج کیلئے ہسپتال لائی تاہم سٹریچر نہ ہونے کی وجہ سے وہ اپنے بچے کو ٹوکری میں ڈال کر ڈاکٹر کے پاس لے گئی، ڈاکٹر نے سی ٹی سکین کرنے کا کہا تو خاتون اپنے بچے کو ٹوکری میں ہی سی ٹی سکین کیلئے بھی لے گئی، اس تمام واقعے کو ہسپتال میں موجود لوگ دیکھ کر اس کی تصاویر بنا رہے تھے جبکہ بیشتر افراد تحریک انصاف کی حکومت پر تنقید کرتے بھی نظر آئے۔
ہسپتال میں موجود بعض افراد کا کہنا تھا کہ تحریک انصاف کی حکومت محکمہ صحت میں اصلاحات لانے کے دعوے تو کرتے نہیں تھکتی لیکن حقیقت یہ ہے کہ صوبے کے سب سے بڑے تدریسی ہسپتال میں سٹریچرز کی تعداد اتنی کم ہے کہ ہر دوسرے مریض کو کندھوں پر ڈاکٹر کے پاس لے جایا جاتا ہے۔ واضح رہے کہ صوبے میں صحت شعبہ کی ترقیاتی بجٹ کیلئے گیارہ ارب 90کروڑ روپے مختص کیے گئے ہیں تاہم اب دیکھنا یہ ہے کہ اس بجٹ کو عوام کی فلاح کیلئے استعمال کیا جاتا ہے یا نہیں۔
https://dailypakistan.com.pk/21-Oct-2018/868032?version=amp&__twitter_impression=true
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