BBC News – Pakistan politician Zahra Shahid Hussain killed in Karachi

Sunday, 19 May 2013. A senior female Pakistani politician has been shot dead in the southern port city of Karachi.

Zahra Shahid Hussain was the senior vice-president of Pakistan’s Movement for Justice party (PTI), led by former international cricketer Imran Khan.

She was killed by gunmen on a motorcycle outside her home in the city’s upmarket Defence neighbourhood.

Her murder took place on the eve of a highly-contested partial re-run of last weekend’s general election.

The reason for the shooting is unclear.

PTI leader Imran Khan took to Twitter to blame Altaf Hussain, the London-based leader of Karachi’s dominant MQM party for her murder – a claim the party has strongly denied.

Mr Khan said Mr Hussain had “openly threatened PTI workers and leaders through public broadcasts”.

Mr Khan, a former cricketer, said he also held the UK government responsible, as he had already given a warning about the MQM leader’s remarks.

The MQM condemned the murder and described Imran Khan’s allegations as “immature”.

‘Tragic incident’

Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, citing police, said the shooting happened during an attempted robbery.

However, our correspondent says that reports of Ms Hussain being shot twice in the head raise suspicions that it was a targeted killing made to look like a robbery.

Local PTI leader Firdous Shamim told AFP news agency that Ms Hussain “was leaving her home for work when three gunmen attacked her. She thought they wanted to snatch her purse and handed it over to them but they killed her”.

Ms Hussain was reportedly rushed to hospital but succumbed to her injuries on the way.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the murder, describing it as a “tragic incident”.

Sunday’s partial re-run of the vote in Karachi was ordered after Mr Khan’s party accused the MQM of widespread vote-rigging and intimidation.

The MQM – which took most of the seats in Karachi – denies any irregularities and is boycotting the vote.

The authorities have decided to deploy troops at 43 polling stations in Karachi’s NA-250 constituency where Sunday’s vote is taking place. Voting was halted at the polling stations during the 11 May election because of alleged irregularities.

Karachi is torn by regular violence – much of it politically motivated.

Last week’s general elections appear to have paved the way for the first transition from one elected government to another in Pakistan – a country prone to military takeovers.

Unofficial results suggest that the Pakistan Muslim League led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will secure a majority in parliament.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22584440

Dawn – Imran rules out alliance with Nawaz, Zardari

Ahmad Hassan

12 November 2011

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (Movement for Justice) chief Imran Khan said on Friday he would never ally himself with either Nawaz Sharif or President Asif Ali Zardari because they would never meet his condition of declaring their assets.

He was addressing a news conference at the residence of former chief of Intelligence Bureau Masood Sharif who announced that he was leaving the PPP and joining the PTI.

Mr Khan urged all “sane and clean” political leaders to join his party to bring about what he called a “tsunami of change”.

When asked why did he not demand that generals and judges should also declare their assets, he said: “First it is for the politicians, the president, the prime minister, cabinet members and top government functionaries to set an example by declaring their real and concealed assets; after that we can force all segments of society, including generals and judges, to declare their assets.”

When asked how would he ensure fair and free elections which could enable him to come to power, Mr Khan said he would deploy 10 young monitors at each polling booth and would ensure that polls were conducted by an independent Election Commission under a neutral government. He warned that if anyone dared to rig the polls his party would demonstrate its street power and there might be a ‘bloody reaction’.

He said fair and free polls could not be held under President Zardari and his party would move the Supreme Court to ensure that elections were conducted by a truly independent Election Commission and without administration’s influence.

About the allotment of PTI tickets, he said a cell of his party would investigate the past of each candidate who would also have to declare his assets. He said youths would be in majority among the candidates of his party.

He took pains to explain his concept of liberalism which has been criticised in a statement by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan which has also accused him of being an agent of the US and European powers. “My concept of liberalism is strictly in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and Islam which does not coerce anyone to convert. I am a disciple of Allama Iqbal who was the greatest liberal.”

Mr Khan said the statement appeared to be a fabrication by the same elements which had assassinated Benazir Bhutto and put the blame on Taliban.

He said a large number of politicians were contacting him to join his party, but he was cautious because he was aware of the criticism which he would face in the event of tainted people joining the PTI.

When asked why had he failed to fulfil his promise of bringing MQM chief Altaf Hussain to justice, Mr Khan said he had already provided evidence against Mr Hussain to the Scotland Yard. But, he said the criminal activities in which the MQM chief was involved had taken place in Pakistan and it was for the government to pursue cases against him.

Answering a question about his failure to provide any solution in his Lahore speech to the burning issues of price hike and unemployment, Mr Khan said: “If the government stops corruption and tax evasion it can save Rs3,000 billion to boost the economy which will automatically curtail prices.”

Mr Masood Sharif said he had quit the post of PPP Parliamentarians’ senior vice-president and resigned from the party’s Central Executive Committee when it decided to enter into a deal with General Musharraf over the NRO. He said PTI was the only party which could bring about a change in the country.

Mr Sharif had reportedly contested the 2002 election against Imran Khan for NA-15 Karak seat.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/12/imran-rules-out-alliance-with-nawaz-zardari.html