Interim government of the Punjab province to take oath tomorrow

Supreme Court to resume Musharraf’s case tomorrow

Ponte urges to lift restrictions from the media and obliterate Emergency.

Written by: Jawad Mazhar (ROD/ Special correspondent for BosNewsLife in Pakistan)

Lahore, Pakistan, November 18th (ROD / BosNewsLife): New interim caretaker

provincial government of the province of Punjab would take oath at Governor House,
Lahore at 11:00 (AM) on Monday, Nov 19th 2007 in a simple and prestigious ceremony.
Governor of the Punjab Lt Gen (Rtd) Khalid Maqbool will administer the oath. Sources
have disclosed that Justice (Rtd) Ijaz Nisar is likely to sworn in as new caretaker Chief
Minister of Punjab.

None of the print or electronic media persons have been invited to cover the historical
event. Pakistan’s official media would report the ceremony.

Justice (Rtd) Ijaz Nisar who is expected to be new Chief Minister of Punjab started his
career as a civil judge, later he was appointed as high court judge and was promoted to
the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court. The anticipated Chief Minister has also served as
Supreme Court Judge and Chairman of Election Authority of Punjab province.

Supreme Court will resume hearing of the case about the legacy of General Pervaiz
Musharraf’s re-election as president of Pakistan on Monday, Nov 18th, 2007. A 10
member bench would hear the petitions challenging the candidacy and legacy of General
Pervez Musharraf. The decision of the apex court would play a vital role in shaping the
upcoming political scenario in the country.

The US deputy secretary of State John Negroponte has urged General Musharraf to lift
emergency, take back restrictions on media and stop action against the lawyers, rights &
political workers to ensure free, fair and transparent polls in Pakistan. He also urged
Musharraf to hold talks with the all political party leadership. "We do not think that these
kinds of emergency measures are compatible with the kind of environment that is needed
to conduct free and fair elections," he told a press conference at Islamabad.

Advocacy Network, an umbrella organization at Sargodha has decided to protest against

the State of Emergency promulgated by the President. Chairman of Rays of development
Organization (ROD) said that if the imposition of emergency was intended to fight and
eradicate the terrorism, then government’s this attempt has been nose-dived completely.
Instead of inflicting emergency, the government should let rights activists & media impart
the awareness against terrorists and terrorism. Chairman ROD maintained that peace can
be achieved through peaceful struggle and not by emergency and other violent ways.