Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Benazir Bhutto: Her Headaches Continue

It appears that the regime is not altogether pleased with Benazir Bhutto now that she has returned.

The huge crowds gathered to receive her unnerved Musharraf and his stalwarts (most, if not all, of whom are in office by virtue of the cooked elections of 2002). Secondly, Benazir Bhutto has publicly hurled charges against some of Musharraf’s ‘nearest and dearest’ for planning the bomb that savaged her motorcade on 18th October killing and maiming hundreds of people.

So now the government has not only announced that the National Reconciliation Ordinance would not apply to cases pending against Benazir Bhutto in foreign courts but also that the government would provide necessary evidence and witnesses if sought by any foreign court.

Obviously the deal has suddenly been consigned to the rubbish heap and the gloves have come off.

Let us see if Bhutto crumbles or fights.

_______________________________________

The BCC recently provided a synopsis of the foreign cases currently pending against the PPP leader.


FOREIGN CASES THAT COULD HAUNT BHUTTO

By Richard Lawson
BBC News, London



Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is preparing for general elections shortly after returning to the country after years of self-imposed exile.
She came back after President Pervez Musharraf granted her a controversial amnesty from the charges in Pakistan.

The Supreme Court may yet rule that amnesty illegal. But even if it clears it, Ms Bhutto, who has been in talks about a power-sharing deal with President Musharraf, could still face several cases outside of Pakistan.

One of the most advanced is in Switzerland, where in 2003 Geneva magistrate Daniel Devaud convicted Ms Bhutto of money-laundering.

In his judgment, he found she and her close associates received around $15m in kickbacks from Pakistani government contracts with SGS and Cotecna, two Swiss companies.

Mr Devaud sentenced Ms Bhutto and her husband Asif Zardari to 180 days in prison, ordering them to return $11.9m to the government of Pakistan.

"I certainly don't have any doubts about the judgments I handed down [which] came after an investigation lasting several years, involving thousands of documents," he has told the BBC.

Ms Bhutto contested the decision, which was made in her absence, and the case is being reheard, with the former prime minister now facing the more serious charge of aggravated money-laundering.

Not automatic

Asked about the case, her officials told the BBC: "These allegations are part and parcel of a campaign of a character assassination. Ms Bhutto has not done anything illegal. She and her husband, Senator Asif Zardari, both have defended themselves in every court in every country."

Many in Pakistan assume the Swiss case will now collapse because of the deal struck between Ms Bhutto and President Musharraf.

Yet under Swiss law, even if the government of Pakistan stops co-operating, that would not automatically end legal proceedings in Switzerland.

Vincent Fournier, the Swiss judge in charge of the current case, told the BBC he planned to hand the case over to Geneva's attorney-general this week.

A second international case involving Ms Bhutto is under way in England.

In this case, the government of Pakistan alleged that Ms Bhutto and her husband bought Rockwood, a $3.4m country estate in Surrey, using money from kickbacks.

Ms Bhutto and Mr Zardari denied owning the estate for eight years. But in 2004, Mr Zardari suddenly admitted that it was his.

Then, in 2006, an English judge, Lord Justice Collins, came to an interesting, though by no means final, conclusion about the estate.

Whilst stressing he was not making any "findings of fact", Justice Collins said there was a "reasonable prospect" of the government of Pakistan establishing, in possible future court proceedings, that Ms Bhutto and/or her husband bought and refurbished Rockwood with "the fruits of corruption".

Asked by the BBC about Rockwood, Ms Bhutto's officials denied any allegations of corruption, but gave no detailed response, although her husband's lawyers told Justice Collins that Pakistan's case was speculative.

The London case is a civil one. That means it could collapse should President Musharraf's government decide not to pursue it.

Iraq questions

Ms Bhutto also faces allegations concerning the United Nations oil-for-food scandal.

In 2005, the Independent Inquiry Commission led by former US Federal Reserve head Paul Volcker found that more than 2,000 companies breached UN sanctions by making illegal payments to Saddam Hussein's government in Iraq before 2003.

Among them was a company called Petroline FZC, based in the United Arab Emirates. Mr Volcker's inquiry found it traded $144m of Iraqi oil, and made $2m of illegal payments to Saddam Hussein's regime.

Documents from Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau appear to show that Ms Bhutto was Petroline FZC's chairwoman.

If these documents are genuine, and the oil-for-food allegations are proven, this would be especially damaging for the former prime minister.

The Spanish authorities are investigating financial transactions thought to be linked to Petroline FZC. In addition, President Musharraf's amnesty dropping corruption charges against public officials only covers the period 1986-1999.

The Petroline FZC transactions came after that, which means that in theory a charge is possible.

Ms Bhutto has always denied all corruption allegations, and her supporters say the allegations against her are politically motivated.

But her legal difficulties may not be over yet.





26 comments:

Anonymous said...

This simpleton feels at times that the clever are not so clever.

Anonymous said...

You can get a good view about who the Pakistani's think is behind this (Al Qaida, Musharraf or Bhutto herself) at http://foreignviews.com/2007/10/29/bombing-of-benazir-buttos-welcome-procession-in-karachi-pakistan.aspx

Anonymous said...

www.foreignviews.com

Anonymous said...

Why can't the people see how corrupt BB and her clan are?

Can she and her clan give a reconciliation statement of their wealth since joining politics?

Anyone who wants to lead the public should be ready to give a full account of themselves in microscopic detail.

There are too many compromised individuals in the system. There is no justification for accepting these people or their methods.

Where there is no justice, there is no future.

Let the rule of law prevail - let our legal system encourage participants with fearless integrity.

Its the only way out of this mess.

Anonymous said...

Breaking News!
A beghairat is always a beghairat.

Asfandyar said...

are you okay man? havent updated for a bit, hope you're not languishing in a cell somewhere for protesting a tad too vociferiously? :o

"Where there is no justice, there is no future."

HAHAHA. like comics much mate?

Ahsan said...

seriously, i too am worried about onlooker. i get the feeling he's been picked up or something. why else wouldn't he post at a time like this?

SayItSingIt said...

Interesting stuff you always put up to read...

Where are the updates though? So much to write about!!!

One of my other friends has started a blog (similar to yours, but based on satire and sarcasm as well) I think anyone that reads this blog will get a good kick out of it (especially you, Onlooker!)

www.hamzausman.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Asfandyar "where there is no justice, there is no future" sounds idealistic but not comical.

One realises the value of justice when they are at the receiving end of a significant judgement.

Its like being admitted to a hospital where the administrative and professional standards are down the tube because the people in charge didn't really take things seriously enough - but now your life or quality of life depends on their standards.

I believe that there are no short cuts to a good, fair and dependable system.

Shouldn't we be aiming for high ideals and taking realistic steps to achieve them?

Take care.

Anonymous said...

Mushquiz
Our beloved Mush was sweating badly during his great press conference. Why so in this weather???

Saim said...

Onlooker, seriously, you ok?

More than 10 days into the emergency and no post from you.A fortnight since your last post.

Hope you are well, although I am starting to feel otherwise.

Ahsan said...

seriously, people: onlooker's in jail or something. what else could it be? too bad he never used his real name on the blog, else we'd know for sure. shit, hope he's ok and in one piece. you never know what those bastard police wallahs do in thaanas...

Anonymous said...

he mr. wise guy, the barrister for pakistan's every thing evil why don't you protest against martial law now? han, afriad some military guys would beat you up! thought so. YOu god damn bourgeiosis, the so called post-modernists can criticize for the sake of it. HELLO MR if you think its all so bad go do some thing. Don't give us a post rambling about how you went to a protest and were beaten up, jailed nad later released like bilal hassan minto. dude you guys were taken into custody, a few charges filed, which are never going to be pursed because the whole capitalistic system works upon filthy patronage. dowwn with your hypocrasy and down with this sham democracy. do not worry this protest movement will ield another tyrant bhutto or drunk yahya, and most of all you do not have top worry about any thing because you'll still drive the same or a better model of the car and eat in pc and comment over glassses of whiskey and marlbro.

Saim said...

Onlooker, this isn't a bad joke now is it?

I'm starting to think your anonymity wasn't for your own good.

Anyhow, I do sincerely hope you are doing well.

A Different Drum said...

Anonymous

Thanks for supporting "mr. wise guy, the barrister".

Having returned to the blog after an absence of many days (reasons for which I blogged today) I just read your compliments.

In his longish span of life your Blogger has had his share of lathis and on occasion received a death threat or two. It is all part of life's drama if one lives in Pakistan.

To date no one who has known me has ever accused me of cowardice so I guess there is always a first time (but then 'anonymous' you really don't know me, do you?)

For the record I don't eat at the PC, drive a fancy new model car, nor do I smoke Marlbro or for that matter anything else (for reasons of age and health I have had to give up the dreaded weed).

For the record I am off again early next week to a meeting in the capital where we are likely to meet a lathi or two and a probable dose of charming tear gas as well.

Care to join us, anonymous?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous! i wish we have much more people like yourself, even if we have to trade a thousand of these shallow for one like you. BB, the Sharif's, The chaudhry's ,the musharraf's along with every other political name belongs to same bag of chips brand called " we'll do it for money"
its really sad that other countries have prisons and courts for those who commit crimes against national interests like taking money ,extortion, abduction, murders etc and we have parliaments and senates for this kind!! I believe that we the people of Pakistan have a very short term memory and we also don't want to see ourselves where justice is served at our expense. It’s a pity that in 1947 to independent states Pakistan and India emerged. Our neighbors got rid of all the private states in the country and landlords and feudals in the country. It was the first thing they did. No doubt they are the worlds top democracy now and had been for the last so many decades....our situation is so disappointing that it doesn’t even hurt anymore, it looks normal somewhat... Does anyone has a sollution to our problems???

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Shahryaar Rehman said...

seriously, i too am worried about onlooker. i get the feeling he's been picked up or something. why else wouldn't he post at a time like this?

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