Jamali Resigned

[uazim]

Jang is reporting that Jamali resigned and President has accepted it. Though no official confirmation yet.

UA

[uazim]

Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali resigns
(Updated at 1605 PST) By Rana Tahir Mehmood
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali called on President General Pervez Musharraf along with Pakistan Muslim League Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Saturday and tendered his resignation, sources said.

President Musharraf accepted his resignation and advised him to work till election of the new prime minister.

[Rafaqat]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL111515.htm

ISLAMABAD, June 26 (Reuters) - Pakistani Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali tendered his resignation on Saturday, party sources said.

"He has resigned," a senior leader of the pro-military Pakistan Muslim League said on condition of anonymity. He declined to give details.

The resignation came after Jamali met President Pervez Musharraf and party sources said a formal announcement would be made at a party meeting later on Saturday.

Analysts believe Musharraf has been seeking to replace Jamali with a more dynamic figure better able to counter parliamentary opposition and pursue his reform programmes more aggressively.

Potential replacements for Jamali include Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan, a successful businessman with close links to the military.

Jamali's resignation ended a 19-month tenure in which his government failed to emerge from the shadows of Musharraf, a dominant military leader.

The resignation will raise fresh concerns over the state of democracy in Pakistan, nearly two years after elections formally ended military dictatorship. The West has been slow to criticise Musharraf, a key player in the U.S.-led "war on terror".

Musharraf has been locked in a bitter standoff with members of the parliamentary opposition, ranging from exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto to a six-party conservative Islamic alliance.

The opposition complains that the general has stifled democracy, despite holding elections in October 2002 which formally ended his three-year military dictatorship.

Musharraf took power in a bloodless coup in 1999, ousting then prime minister Nawaz Sharif who is now also in exile.

In the latest standoff, the Islamic bloc has demanded that Musharraf fulfil his commitment to step down as head of the army by the end of the year.

The president has hinted he may not honour a deal whereby he promised to hand in his uniform in return for opposition support for controversial constitutional amendments that gave him the power to sack the prime minister and dissolve parliament.

Musharraf is a key player in U.S. foreign policy, dropping Pakistani support for the Afghan Taliban in 2001 after the September 11 attacks on the United States and handing over hundreds of al Qaeda suspects to U.S. custody.

Musharraf is also pushing a lasting peace with nuclear-armed rival India, with which Pakistan has fought three major wars, two over the disputed region of Kashmir.

The Commonwealth of mostly former British colonies readmitted Pakistan last month, citing the country's progress on democratic reforms.

[uazim]

Pakistani PM Resigns, Dissolves Cabinet

8 minutes ago


ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali announced his resignation and the dissolution of his Cabinet on Saturday, ending months of speculation that his relationship with the country's military ruler was strained.


AP Photo



The leader of the ruling party, Chaudhry Shujjat Hussain, was nominated to replace Jamali.


"I resigned from my post as prime minister today," Jamali told reporters after a gathering of the party. He didn't immediately explain his decision.


Rumors had circulated for months that relations between Jamali and the country's power broker, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, had chilled. Jamali had sought to quash the rumors, even professing his "love" of the general, but Musharraf offered him no clear public support.


Observers say Musharraf, who met earlier Saturday with Jamali, had grown impatient at Jamali's inability to rein in opposition lawmakers and effectively defend the government's approach.


The move was unlikely to have a significant impact on foreign policy — including its support for the U.S.-led war on terrorism and tentative peace talks with India. But it raised fresh concern about the country's return to democracy, five years after Musharraf seized power in a military coup.

[uazim]

Pakistani PM Resigns, Dissolves Cabinet

8 minutes ago


ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali announced his resignation and the dissolution of his Cabinet on Saturday, ending months of speculation that his relationship with the country's military ruler was strained.


AP Photo



The leader of the ruling party, Chaudhry Shujjat Hussain, was nominated to replace Jamali.


"I resigned from my post as prime minister today," Jamali told reporters after a gathering of the party. He didn't immediately explain his decision.


Rumors had circulated for months that relations between Jamali and the country's power broker, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, had chilled. Jamali had sought to quash the rumors, even professing his "love" of the general, but Musharraf offered him no clear public support.


Observers say Musharraf, who met earlier Saturday with Jamali, had grown impatient at Jamali's inability to rein in opposition lawmakers and effectively defend the government's approach.


The move was unlikely to have a significant impact on foreign policy — including its support for the U.S.-led war on terrorism and tentative peace talks with India. But it raised fresh concern about the country's return to democracy, five years after Musharraf seized power in a military coup.

[H Khan]

Pakistan Ex-finance Minister Shaukat Aziz To Be Prime Minister-official Reuters


Pakistan Ex-finance Minister Shaukat Aziz To Be Prime Minister-official

Reuters

06/26/04 11:42 Et

[H Khan]

ISLAMABAD, June 26 (Reuters) - Pakistan's former Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz will take over as prime minister once Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain completes an interim term in office, a member of the outgoing government said on Saturday.

Aziz, a respected former banker credited with turning around Pakistan's economy over the last five years, was finance minister until the cabinet was dissolved by outgoing Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali.

Jamali resigned on Saturday 19 months after being sworn in following elections in October, 2002, designed to return the country to civilian rule after the military dictatorship of President General Pervez Musharraf.

"Shaukat Aziz will be the prime minister after Chaudhry Shujaat (Hussain)," Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, information minister in the recently dissolved Cabinet said. "Now he (Aziz) will work as senior minister."



06/26/04 11:59 ET

[Maisum Ali]

This is such crap. Pakistani politics are the sleaziest in the world. For once I would like to see someone complete a term in office, even if he is a rubber stamp like Jamali.

Isn't Shaukat Aziz an American citizen? He is an amazing Finance minister, but making him prime minister, I don't think is a good idea.

And people like Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain should be hanged instead of putting them in high places.

Emotional comments, I know.. but it is soo frustrating.

[H Khan]

Given the fact the powerhouse of democracy "America" took almost 175 years before it matured into a workable structure, the polity in Pakistan is only a "shame" they can't do anything right. They all call themselves Muslims (i.e., believe in the Hereafter and having patience) they conduct themselves as heathens. It does not matter if we have a systems of governance as parliamentarian, presidential, shura, secular, theological, etc., our people (which includes myself) don't deserve anything.

On the brighter note, I have we pass through this laboring process and mature into a steadfast people who deliberate issues rather than use mob tactics.

[JameelY]

This is a joke.

Our whole experiment with democracy controlled by lotas and back room manouvers is a farce. If Jamali was selected first it was because he was a pliable rubber stamp. Now he is dumped for no fault of his and replaced by a robber baron Chaudhry Shujaat.

If we had a real democracy, Jamali whould have been done in by a no-confidence vote in the parliament. No one cane blame the politicians here because this time everything was carefully controlled by GHQ and the invisible agencies.

PM's democracy experiment has collapsed. We are heading towards a second martial law.

[H Khan]

Jameel, I think you have taken an extreme view. Nonetheless, I would agree with you about the "lotas and back room manouvers" but the prime minister can resign from his post without going to parliment but since his party is in majority than his party can nominate someone to become the new prime minister. However, this new prime minister has to go through the vote of confidence from the parliment.

[JameelY]

The thing is that it was clear that Jamali did not want to go. He had been saying that for months and weeks now. So even if his party people think he has to go, there is a system in place. You got to the parliament and ask MNAs and Senators to vote for no-confidence. Instead, it is clear that a lot of behind the scenes pressure was applied to Jamali to make him resign. That is what I'm saying.

I feel that we have to end this parliamentary charade and move to a Presidential system. We are more suited for a strong man in power than a cabinet.

[H Khan]

I feel that we have to end this parliamentary charade and move to a Presidential system. We are more suited for a strong man in power than a cabinet.

I would agree with you on this!

[H Khan]

By Amir Zia

ISLAMABAD, June 26 (Reuters) - Plucked from Citibank in New York to become finance minister after a 1999 military coup in Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz is just weeks away from becoming prime minister of the turbulent South Asian nation.

Unlike Zafarullah Khan Jamali, who resigned as prime minister on Saturday, Aziz is clearly favoured by President General Pervez Musharraf.

The 55-year-old former international banker will be running a country wracked by poverty and Islamist militancy, but Finance Ministry colleagues say he always seemed cool under pressure while steering the economy away from near bankruptcy.

"He has the leadership qualities. I have never found him tense," Ashfaq Hasan Khan, a senior ministry official, told Reuters.

"He remained relaxed even in the worst of times and most challenging situations. Therefore we never felt tense."

Not being a politician could be an advantage in Musharraf's eyes, as the military head of state has often shown scant regard for Pakistan's civilian political class.

Corruption is a huge issue in Pakistan and most of the leading politicians have been tainted by corruption allegations.

But being a political outsider also means Aziz will have to wait to become prime minister as he is not a member of the National Assembly's lower house, and will have to win a safe seat to qualify.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, head of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML), will hold the premiership for up to 50 days while Aziz makes the transition from the Senate to the lower house.

As the country's most influential civilian power broker, Hussain can pave the way for Aziz by sorting out fractured party politics which helped put pay to Jamali's tenure.

SHARP TURNAROUND IN PAKISTAN'S FINANCIAL FORTUNES

Aziz earned Musharraf's confidence by overseeing a sharp turnaround in the country's fortunes after taking charge when the country was virtually bankrupt.

At the end of this year, for the first time Pakistan will have successfully completed two International Monetary Fund programmes -- a standby loan facility and a poverty reduction growth programme -- after several aborted efforts in the 1990s.

Regarded as brilliant by his peers, Pakistan's civilian governments of the 1990s also sought his advice to deal with mounting indebtedness.

Aziz flew to Pakistan in 1997 on a jet owned by Citibank to try to advise then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif how to squeeze growth out of a country choked by $32 billion of debt and years of living beyond its means.

But the economy sank, and it was not until Musharraf ousted Sharif and persuaded Aziz to take charge of the Finance Ministry that the wheels began to turn.

He was helped by debt forgiveness from the West in return for Pakistan's support for the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan in 2001, and the inflow of billions of dollars from Pakistanis abroad after stricter banking rules aimed at catching terror financing.

Markets are expected to take his coming appointment positively.

Yaseen Lakhani, a former chairman of Pakistan's premier Karachi Stock Exchange, welcomed the news.

"He is a totally honest and extremely hard working person," Lakhani said. "He is a decision maker. These qualities always reflect his business acumen and management skills.

"He is a dedicated Pakistani."

His family migrated from east Punjab at the time of the partition of the sub-continent in 1947 into India and Pakistan.

Like many talented compatriots, Aziz made his name and career abroad.

He joined Citibank in Pakistan in 1969 as an executive. He was posted to Athens in 1975 and has had several other postings for the bank. He is a business graduate from Karachi University's Institute of Business Administration.

He has a son and two daughters, all living abroad.



06/26/04 15:21 ET

[Ali Mian]

AoA,

Interesting but not surprising. Mr. Jamali was chosen as PM not because of any exceptional leadership qualities that he had but because he was acceptable to all parties. He had a clean record and as he himself has said he never offended anyone. Given the leadership gap that existed in the country after the elections, along with the infighting within the PML, Jamali was the neutral acceptable person. That's why he became PM. I think its wrong to get emotional about the situation or make irrational statements as the MMA are, calling it a national crisis and threat to national security Our politicians still dont know the first chapter of Political Science 101, quite unfortunate.

The resigning of the PM is by no means undemocratic or a major issue. Prime Minister's resign in democracies all the time for various reasons, personal or political. We here in Canada are about to have a federal election in 2 days. Our former PM Jean Chretian resigned last year, and the current Prime Minister Paul Martin was elected Prime Minister by his party. He has been serving as PM for the past 6 months. So, there is no big deal if ex-PM Jamali resigned.

About Chaudhry Shujat Hussain becoming interim PM, followed by Shaukat Aziz becoming PM once elected to parliament, I think that is a smart move that will only strengthen democracy in Pakistan as well as politically and economically. We need a leader who is educated and qualifed, and not a leader whose only qualification to be PM is that he is the leader of his party or has majority support in Parliament. I think that if he is appointed PM (Shaukat Aziz) , we will see for the first time in our history perhaps politicians acting responsibly in the National interest, rather than their own.

wasalaam
Ali Mian

[Maisum Ali]

There is nothing wrong with a PM resigning. What is wrong is, when he is made to resign.

I think Shaukat Aziz is an amazing character. He was one of the best finance ministers we ever had. BUT making him a PM, I think will detract him from what he is best at.

By every passing day, Musharraf is losing more and more respect in my eyes.

You see, Musharraf was good for Pakistan. A dictator works for his personal interests. As long as his personal interests don't clash with the countries national interests, its a good thing. But when they do clash, he will take his personal interests above the country's national interest.

Cowasjee predicted this. I don't remember which article it was, but he said, that even if you put a donkey in power, eventually he will realize the amount of power he as PM and he will show some teeth. That's what Jamali did, and they had to find a more reliable rubber stamp.

[Gaf]

I think Shaukat Aziz is an amazing character. He was one of the best finance ministers we ever had. BUT making him a PM, I think will detract him from what he is best at.

Exactly, that is what worries me the most !

[SyedA]

Maisum

can you elaboate more on his personal interest and how is it going above the national.

[Maisum Ali]

Well see, this is what I am beginning to think.

He took power not because he had any special love for Pakistan. He took charge of Pakistan because Nawaz removed him.... or he was planning it because he thought that Nawaz was gonna remove him. In any case, whether it was planned or a spontaneous reaction by his subordinates. It was done because he was removed from power.

So that's personal interest right there.

Then he really talked about doing this and that for Pakistan, and I will give him credit for what he did. We all know his accomplishments.

Now he has to stay in power. He has the backing of the US of A. The Americans tell him to go into Wana. He does. That is a point where national and personal interests converge. That's always a good thing.

Now Jamali started exercising his power of Prime Minister ship. So he removes him through a lot of underhand measures. That is where personal and national interests collide. Jamali was supposed to be just a rubber stamp. And once he realized how much power he had in our parliamentary system. He started making his presence known. And obviously that irked Musharraf.

[uazim]

Well see, this is what I am beginning to think.


Now Jamali started exercising his power of Prime Minister ship. So he removes him through a lot of underhand measures. That is where personal and national interests collide. Jamali was supposed to be just a rubber stamp. And once he realized how much power he had in our parliamentary system. He started making his presence known. And obviously that irked Musharraf.

BTW, I may be missing it but when did Jamali started exercising his powers and what did he do.

[Rafaqat]

I thought Jamali was almost a silent spectator. Too quiet. He should have been allowed to complete his term though. We need some stability in our political system, not a repeat of Leadership changes like in Dark days of BB and Nawaz.

Now i am very concerned about Shaukat Aziz becoming the PM. He was brought on the basis of his Finance credentials. He proved to be rock solid in that role. Now he's being removed and placed into a totally different role. Will that suit him ? time will tell. I'd say, if Shaukat Aziz really wanted to have a go, then he probably deserves a chance. We wont get a better qualified person to do the job. However, if he was pushed into taking this role (by whoever), then we may just be witnessing a blunder.

Rafaqat

[TahirN]

SLAMABAD (AFP) - Economic wizard and former Citibank executive Shaukat Aziz, who is to take over as Pakistan's next prime minister in about two months, has vowed to make the country an Asian tiger.

"Pakistan is facing many challenges today, it is my firm belief that this country has potential to rise," he told reporters after prime minister Zafarullah Jamali abruptly resigned late Saturday.

"If we resolve our problem through conciliation and consensus, there is no power which can stop Pakistan from achieving its potential."

Aziz, 55, will replace Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain who has been named interim prime minister.

"Pakistan can also grow like China, Malaysia, Thailand other regional countries" dubbed as Asian tigers for their economic boom, Aziz said.

"Insha Allah (God willing), the country will achieve its goals. We will feel proud and the Muslim world will also feel proud of Pakistan."

President Pervez Musharraf has rewarded Aziz for vigorously pursuing his economic agenda, appointing him finance minister only a month after taking power in a military coup in October 1999 amid economic stagnation.

He was retained by Jamali when Musharraf held the country's first elections after three year military dictatorship in 2002 to ensure Musharraf's economic reform agenda continued.

Under Aziz's watch, Pakistan's economy stabilized and this year achieved a growth rate of 6.4 percent.

While presenting the national budget this month, Aziz told parliament Pakistan was gaining "economic sovereignty as a result of far-reaching economic reforms."

"We will not go about begging any more from financial institutions" after the current three-year 1.5 billion dollar International Monetary Fund (news - web sites) loan package ends this year.

According to an official document the country has a per capita income of 652 dollars. Exports rose to a record 12.5 billion dollars, with imports worth 15 billion dollars. The overall fiscal deficit was 3.3 percent of GDP (news - web sites).

Foreign direct investment was projected to hit 1.0 billion by the end of the current fiscal on June 30.

Unemployment was 8.27 percent, and the official inflation rate was 3.9 percent in the country which has a poverty rate of 28.6 percent.

In the 15.6 billion dollar budget adopted last week, Aziz pledged a 26 percent increase in development spending to 202 billion rupees (3.5 billion dollars) to create more than a million jobs.

Aziz's induction was also likely to improve economic relations with rival India, whose prime minister, Manmohan Singh, is also a former Indian finance minister.

Born in Karachi, Aziz got an early education from Karachi's prestigious Saint Patrick's School.

Commanding 30 years of experience in global finance and international banking, Aziz was appointed executive vice president of Citibank in 1992.

Aziz, who was elected Senator on a seat reserved for technocrats in 2002, is married with three children and is an avid golfer and art enthusiast.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...z_040627123542

[H Khan]

SLAMABAD (AFP) - Born in Karachi, Aziz got an early education from Karachi's prestigious Saint Patrick's School.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...z_040627123542

The ironic aspect, President Musharraf went to St. Pat's School also.

[Maisum Ali]

BTW, I may be missing it but when did Jamali started exercising his powers and what did he do.

BBC News

Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali was not a political heavyweight whose exit from Pakistan's political scene would be missed by anyone.

In fact, he had been such a non-entity within the governing Pakistan Muslim League (PML) party that when he announced his decision to resign at the party's parliamentary caucus, not a single MP tried to stop him from doing so.

On the contrary the ruling party lawmakers were more keen to find out who his successor was going to be, and there was a big applause when the PML President, Chaudry Shujat Hussain was named as the next prime minister.

Zafarullah Khan Jamali
Jamali was increasingly reluctant to bow to pressure

Although the move is not in violation of the constitution, it has raised fresh questions about the state of democracy in the country.

And the way this change has been engineered somehow suggests that Pakistan's is still a "controlled democracy" where decisions are imposed from the top, mostly by the president who also happens to the chief of the army.

Mr Jamali was not a very charismatic or competent prime minister, but then he was never meant to be so. He was President Pervez Musharraf's choice, who at that time was perhaps looking for a prime minister who did not stand in the way of his policy objectives.

Making a stand

After seizing power in a military coup in October 1999, Mr Musharraf eventually fulfilled the pledge of holding parliamentary elections three years later.

But at the same time he introduced his own new political model that allowed him to hold the dual office of the president and the army chief, and to set up a national security council in order to institutionalise the role of the armed forces in the civilian set-up.

Initially Mr Jamali obliged both Mr Musharraf and the PML chief, Mr Hussain. However, there came a time when he too tried to assert himself.

Pervez Musharraf (foreground) and Zafarullah Khan Jamali (left)
Musharraf refused to allow Jamali to encroach on his power

Mr Jamali reportedly took position on some of the issues like the creation of the National Security Council, which sent alarm bells ringing in the president's camp.

At one point he even suggested that he would expected Mr Musharraf to honour his pledge by removing his military uniform. There were also reports that at times he refused to oblige the party's president on issues that he considered unethical or illegal.

But the first real sign of an emerging crisis became known earlier this year when during a foreign visit Mr Jamali issued a statement to highlight a fact that none of the previous governments was allowed to complete its tenure.

It was certainly not a naive statement, and was followed by Mr Jamali's expression of hope that he would be able to complete his term.

Undermined

It certainly did not go down well with the president's camp. Since the party's chief, Mr Hussain, had already turned against him, a vicious campaign soon started against Mr Jamali.

Stories were regularly leaked in the local newspapers about his possible ousting and pressure kept building on him through party colleagues and the press, eventually compelling him to quit.

The move was followed by a shocking announcement that instead of a more energetic party figure, the ailing PML president, Mr Hussain, was going to be the new prime minister.

Zafarullah Khan Jamali (left) and Chaudry Shujat Hussain
Jamali is succeeded temporarily by Hussain

But a bigger surprise came within hours, when it was disclosed that Mr Hussain's appointment was only a stopgap arrangement, and within six months the present finance minister, Shaukat Aziz, would take over as the country's prime minister.

During this period he will have to fulfil the constitutional requirement of getting elected to the parliament's lower house, the National Assembly.

The former international banker is part of Mr Musharraf's original team. He is also a known favourite of the US, and is credited with turning around Pakistan's economy in a big way.

The decision also indicates that Mr Musharraf will continue to remain the country's de facto chief executive, and hence his domestic and regional policies will not be affected.

Opinion remains divided on whether the ousting of Mr Jamali, or the way he has been forced to quit, undermines democracy.

However, it certainly shows that Pakistan's powerful military, or at least the present military ruler, prefers to rule through technocrats, with the parliament being treated as nothing more than a necessary evil.

[Maisum Ali]

Although, if Shaukat Aziz is allowed to exercise his power. He might turn out to be good for Pakistan. India also has a former finance minister at its reigns.

And Musharraf also trusts Aziz's judgement on a lot of matters.

The other good thing coming out of this, is that for once we have a Prime Minister who is a not a feudal. He is a pure technocrat.