Musharraf said he was trying to create an atmosphere of reconciliation, but certain elements were spreading rumours about political issues that were affecting business and the investment climate. Such an atmosphere could harm the country, he said. Musharraf's comments came in the backdrop of speculations among political circles that he might opt to step down.
'It will be a long time before we will see the likes of Vajpayee again.'
The Scotland Yard team probing former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination has lodged a written complaint with President Pervez Musharraf, alleging non-cooperation by local investigating agencies.
The ruling Pakistan People's Party on Saturday unveiled a package of sweeping constitutional reforms aimed at curbing President Pervez Musharraf's powers, including those of dissolving parliament and appointing the chiefs of the armed forces. The party, however, remained mum on reinstating judges sacked by Musharraf during emergency last year, an issue that has strained ties with coalition partner Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League N, which quit the cabinet.
Pakistanis are objecting to Stanford University's invitation to former president Pervez Musharraf to lecture at the varsity later this week.
Dropping hints that Pervez Musharraf's days in office may be numbered, Pakistan's ruling PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari said on Thursday that there is "tremendous" pressure from people who want the President's ouster.
Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf today said surgical strikes cannot be carried out against Pakistan and if such an eventuality arises the country is prepared to respond with "full force."
Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will call on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad on Wednesday and discuss various aspects of bilateral relations including taking forward the Composite Dialogue Process.Mukherjee, who is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad later today for discussions with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmoud Qureshi to take forward the CDP into the fifth round, would also meet Pakistani leaders Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari.
Students Islamic Movement of India chief Safdar Nagori and four others, brought from Madhya Pradesh for questioning in connection with the Ahmedabad serial blasts, were sent to judicial custody on Monday by a metropolitan court in Ahmedabad.Nagori, along with his four accomplices Abdul Sibley, Hafeez Hussain, Kamruddin Nagori and Amil Pervez, all accused in the serial bomb blast case, were brought before Metropolitan Magistrate G M Patel after their remand period ended today.
Former President Pervez Musharraf said India "cannot dare cast an evil eye" on Pakistan as long as the armed forces are there to defend the country.
Moments after former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in Rawalpindi, President Pervez Musharraf appealed to the nation to maintain peace so as to defeat the nefarious designs of terrorists.
Pervez Musharraf, ex-military president of Pakistan, looks back on some high points such as Kargil and his own ouster in a talk with Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN's Devil's Advocate programme, to be telecast on Sunday. Edited excerpts
The Pakistan government on Saturday reappointed another four judges sacked by former president Pervez Musharraf, taking to 12 the number of justices restored since Wednesday amid allegations that it was pursuing a policy of 'selective' reinstatement. The four judges of the Lahore high court, who were among 60 deposed during last year's emergency, were administered oath by provincial Chief Justice Syed Zahid Hussain Bukhari at a simple ceremony in the eastern city.
Making a strong defence of the controversial Kargil Operation, he said before that 'Kashmir couldn't be spoken. Our leaders did not mention Kashmir even in United Nation's speeches. This was the Indian side. (So) how did the Indians come on the negotiating table on Kashmir?'
India is observing the sixteenth anniversary of the Kargil War this week.
The crisis encircling Pakistan's fragile ruling coalition reached a boiling point on Sunday with the Pakistan People's Party refusing to comply with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's demand on reinstating sacked judges within a deadline and the ally also not enthusiastic about supporting Asif Ali Zardari for presidency.
In a bizarre development, Pakistan presidential spokesperson Major General (retired) Rashid Qureshi on Thursday said that no mercy petition of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh is pending with President Pervez Musharraf. Sarabjit has spent 18 years on death row in Pakistan, after being convicted for his alleged involvement in four bomb attacks in Punjab province in 1990, which killed 14 people.Sarabjit's execution was deferred for 30 days by President Pervez Musharraf.
Heeding his party's wishes, Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday decided to contest the September 6 Presidential election, but the ruling coalition appeared to be heading for a deeper crisis over the issue of reinstatement of judges sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf.However, the crisis in the government, triggered by the second largest partner of the coalition Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif threatening to pull out .
President George W Bush on Friday assured Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani of the US administration's continued support for the democratic government in Pakistan in the wake of former President Pervez Musharraf's resignation.
Former Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif has threatened to pull his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party out of the ruling coalition and "sit in the opposition" if judges sacked by former president Pervez Musharraf are not reinstated by Friday.
Amidst unprecedented security arrangements to ward off any anti-China protest and militant threat, the Pakistani leg of the Olympic torch relay kicked off in Islamabad on Wednesday at a colourful ceremony attended by President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani.
An official statement quoted Gillani as saying that "the resolution of (the) Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir could ensure lasting peace in the region and bring about much needed progress and prosperity for the people." He also said that Pakistan "believes in the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue through dialogue" and expressed "confidence that India would also reciprocate positively in this regard."
Even as it sought to 'internationalise' the Jammu and Kashmir situation, Pakistan said on Thursday it was committed to improving relations with India and resolving all outstanding issues in a just and peaceful manner for the progress and prosperity of the two countries.
The Swiss government has officially informed Pakistan that it cannot revive cases of alleged money laundering against President Asif Ali Zardari as the matter is time-barred, Law Minister Zahid Hamid has said.
President Pervez Musharraf had warned slain Benazir Bhutto that her life would be in danger if she did not extend him political cooperation prior to her return to Pakistan, a new book has revealed.Referring to a conversation between Bhutto and Musharraf in September 2007, which was recorded by United States intelligence agencies, Pulitzer Prize winning US journalist Ron Suskind's book The Way of the World, has disclosed the President's veiled threat to the former premier.
The session of the 342-member Assembly commenced on Monday evening as the Paksitan People's Party-led coalition said it has drawn up an "unimpeachable" chargesheet listing allegations of misconduct, violation of Constitution and financial irregularities against Musharraf, who turned 65 on Monday.
Last year, Musharraf declared Ifikhar Muhammad Chaudhry a non-functional chief justice of Pakistan. This year, he is becoming the first non-functional President of the country. Some close friends have already advised Musharraf to step down quietly, but the General is still confident that his hand picked army chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kyani will rescue him soon.
Beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday summoned Pakistan's National Assembly, lower house of Parliament, on August 11 during which the ruling coalition is likely to bring forward an impeachment motion against him. Musharraf signed a summary convening the Assembly on Monday, officials said without specifying the agenda.
The Pakistan People's Party-led coalition comprising Musharraf's opponents came to power after his ally Pakistan Muslim League-Qaid was routed in the February 18 election. But the former General, who is being sidelined by the new dispensation, has apparently decided to keep a distance from the Parliament by not convening a joint session, which he would have addressed.Under the previous government, Musharraf had addressed parliament once during its five-year term.
Ruling out his resignation, President Pervez Musharraf has decided to face impeachment proceedings to be initiated against him by Pakistan's ruling coalition and vowed to defend himself before Parliament. Awami Muslim League leader Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, a close confidant of Musharraf, said the President was determined to fight back.
Pakistan government has put on hold an order to bring the powerful ISI under the control of the interior ministry that had raised hackles of the President and the military, saying further deliberations are needed on "coordinating intelligence efforts".
The police team, accompanied by the banned outfit's leaders Qamaruddin Nagori, Safdar Nagori and Aamil Pervez, visited the jungle and recovered 122 guilletines and explosives, 100 detonators, wire bundles, starters and VCD from the area where the training camp was organised in 2007, highly placed sources told PTI in Indore. According to sources, they also tested explosives at a farmhouse, owned by one Shahjad Hussain in the Gawalu village of Balwada police station.
The Pakistan Peoples' Party-led coalition government has sent an unambiguous message to the United States that any mess with the newly elected democratic dispensation by President Pervez Musharraf will not be tolerated. The PPP leadership, however, held out a categorical assurance to the Bush administration that the new government would not create a situation leading to the unceremonious exit of Musharraf.
The United States has ruled out a military coup in Pakistan in the wake of the political chaos saying Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani is a staunch supporter of democracy and doesn't want to take over like his predecessor Pervez Musharraf did in 1999.
Pakistan's new Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani on Saturday offered a dialogue to militants who lay down their arms, saying ending terrorism is his first priority. He also pledged to reinstate the judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf during emergency last year. Unveiling a slew of populist measures in his first policy statement after securing an unprecedented unanimous vote of confidence, Gillani told the National Assembly that terrorism is the biggest problem.
Coming under 'immense pressure' from the defence establishments, the Pakistan government has withdrawn its decision to place the Inter Services Intelligence under civilian control, leading newspapers reported on Monday.Less than 24 hours after moving to clip the wings of the Inter-Services Intelligence, the government issued a clarification stating that its earlier notification that the body had been placed under direct control of the Interior Ministry was 'misunderstood.'
With the situation in Pakistan raising concerns, former military ruler Pervez Musharraf today said he would consider becoming President again if he could play a useful role in the post even as he ruled out joining any political party.
Pakistan's incoming government should convert the death sentence of Indian national Sarabjit Singh into life imprisonment on "humanitarian grounds" and ensure his early release, caretaker Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney said on Monday. President Pervez Musharraf had on March 19 deferred the hanging of Sarabjit, scheduled for April 1, by 30 days after receiving an appeal for clemency from the Indian government and the condemned man's family.
Describing terrorism and extremism as a "common threat" to India and Pakistan, former President Pervez Musharraf on Friday said the two countries need to adopt a "new path of peace and harmony" to resolve the problem. "We are facing terrorism and extremism as a common threat to the whole world, the region, Pakistan and India. That is what we need to discuss and find solutions (and work) towards a resolution," he told reporters at the airport before leaving for New Delhi.
The most horrifying incident of Black Tuesday took place in Lahore. People of Pakistan watched the action replay of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in Lahore for at least 25 minutes.Though the death toll in the attack on the Lankan cricket team is lower, the impact of the attack is similar to that of the Mumbai terror siege.