Anwar Ali Merchant Congratulates the Cabinet of Excellency Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani

Press Release
For Immediate Release

Text of the message of congratulations for Excellency Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani:

Islamabad, March 31, 2008
Excellency Yousuf Raza Gilani
Prime Minister
Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Sir,

On the happy occasion of your 24-member cabinet sworn in by His Excellency President Musharraf, I send you my warmest hearty congratulations with prayers for success in all your future endeavors.

I send my hearty felicitations and best wishes individually to each of the honorable ministers sworn in today:
Shah Mehmood Qureshi (Foreign Minister), Sherry Rehman (Information Minister), Syed Naveed Qamar (Minister for Privatisation/Port and Shipping-additional), Raja Pervez Ashraf (Minister for Water and Power), Syed Khursheed Shah (Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis), Qamar Zaman Kaira (Minister for Kashmir Affairs), Senator Farooq Naek (Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights), Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar (Minister for Defence), Nazar Muhammad Gondal (Minister for Narcotics), Najamuddin Khan (Minister for States and Frontier Region) and Mir Humayon Aziz Kurd (Minister for Population Welfare), Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan (Senior Minister), Senator Ishaq Dar (Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs and Commerce), Ahsan Iqbal (Minister for Education), Tehmina Daultana (Minister for Women Development), Sardar Mehtab Abbasi (Minister for Railways), Khawaja Asif (Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources), Rana Tanveer Hussain (Minister for Defense Production), Shahid Khakhan Abbasi (Ministry of Trade), Khawaja Saad Rafiq (Minister for Youth Affairs), Ghulam Ahmed Bilour (Minister for Local Government and Rural Development), Khawaja Mohammed Khan Hoti (Minister for Social Welfare), Rehmatullah Kakar, Hameedullah Jan Afridi, and Rehman Malik.

I also take this opportunity to congratulate President Musharraf for having successfully put Pakistan on the roadmap of democracy and welfare of the people of Pakistan.

Excellency, once again I congratulate you and the honorable ministers from the bottom of my heart with prayers for welfare, happiness, independence and sovereignty of our great nation – Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Thank you,

Sincerely,

Anwar Merchant
Founder Chairman – President
Muslim Democracy League

Islamabad 44000
Pakistan
+923455086313
Email: nuslimdemocracy@gmail.com

NOTES:

Formed on the auspicious birth anniversary of Holy Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him and his family] Rabi ul Awwal 12, 1429 ME, Friday March 21 2008, Muslim Democracy League is the political forum and thinktank of Pakistan, contributing knowledge, consultation and insight related to promotion of faith based consensus democracy in Pakistan.

The norms and assumptions that characterise belief and action in Islam have their initial inspiration in two foundation sources. One is the message revealed by God to the Holy Prophet [peace be upon him and his family] and recorded in Quran. The second is Sunnah, the recording of the Prophet's life, his words, actions and habits, his character, struggle, piety, modesty and success that has come in time to represent for Muslims, a timeless pattern for daily life. And this is true both for the state and the individual. Accordingly, Muslim Democracy League supports to enhance theological and political consensus among different stake holders for the development of good governance in Pakistan.

Muslim Democracy League is the continuation of the original theme and format of Muslim League [1906]. It works to build confidence between West and Muslims, and facilitates collaboration between people, civil society and government to address some of the development needs in Pakistan today.

Muslim Democracy works to historically deliver, both for Pakistan and world community so to speak about civil society and democracy, knowledge and learning, health, housing and economy, technology, industry and commerce, heritage and environment, alleviation of the sufferings of the poor, the sick and the needy, women emancipation and good governance, theological and political consensus, protection and welfare of minorities, support for responsible media, independence of judiciary, indigenous rule of the people, dignity and integrity of the government, Muslim Caliphate, Armed Forces, Law Agencies, and Islamic ethics of discipline, tolerance, knowledge, development, pluralism, interfaith harmony and global peace.

President Pervez Musharraf Monday said the winning party or a coalition would form the next government and he would work with it according to the constitution. Talking to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who is Co-Chair of the Pakistan Caucus on the Hill, at the President’s Camp Office here he said there was no conflict in his role with the Prime Minister in accordance with the Constitution, which was based on the parliamentary system.

The President said holding of the general election have belied those who raveled in conspiracy theories and spread misperceptions.

Sheila Jackson, who is in Pakistan to observe the elections, exchanged views about the political process and the democratic elections in the country.

President Musharraf gave an overview of the developments leading up to the election and said that the government was committed to full transition to democracy and these elections were yet another evidence of the sincerity of his commitment.

He said Pakistan suffered from many misperceptions such as the doubts that were being cast over the holding of the election especially when these were briefly postponed after the tragic assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

Sheila Jackson said as member of the House she reflected feelings of her colleagues on the Hill who desired to see democratic, stable and strong Pakistan that continues to play its important role for peace and progress in the region and in the world.

They wanted to see Pakistan emerge as a role model following the elections, she added.

She recalled that she visited Pakistan earlier while accompanying former President Clinton and was impressed by the vision of the President for Pakistan.

Sheila Jackson appreciated President’s policies especially for empowerment of women and promotion of a vibrant free media with scores of private sector TV channels operating in the country.

She praised the role of Pakistan in fighting terrorism and paid tribute to the sacrifices made by the Pakistan armed forces. She affirmed that as a friend it would remain her endeavour to present an honest and correct perception of Pakistan .

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Prominent author on religious history, Karen Armstrong’s books about different religions, including her highly acclaimed “A History of God,” have made her one of the most prominent authors on religious history. The London-based “On Faith” panelist also is the author of three television documentaries and took part in Bill Moyers’ television series “Genesis.” Since September 11, 2001, she has been a frequent contributor to conferences, panels, newspapers, periodicals and broadcast media on the subject of Islam. Comparative theology is a particular interest of the author, who entered a Roman Catholic convent in 1962 at age 17, but after seven years as a nun left her order to pursue English literature at Oxford University. Her books, which have been translated into 40 languages, also include “Through the Narrow Gate,” “Islam: A Short History,” “Buddha,” a spiritual memoir, “The Spiral Staircase,” and most recently “The Great Transformation.”

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MAKE HISTORY FEBRUARY 5, 2008


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Patti Solis Doyle is bringing forth new life, winning for Hillary an ABC News/Washington Post presidential poll with 41 percent of all Democratic support.

The gray, nondescript building in Arlington, Virginia, where Patricia Solis Doyle runs Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign was a district office of Citizenship and Immigration Services until 2004. It's a fitting space for Patti, 42, the first Latina to run a U.S. presidential campaign. Her corner office is furnished with Clinton hand-me-downs, including an old kitchen table and daughter Chelsea's armoire. But one thing stands out: a Diego Rivera painting, Los Sembradores. It shows two Mexican men toiling in the soil, bringing forth new life—the perfect metaphor for Patti's current task.

After managing Hillary's two triumphant races for New York Senate and heading her political action committee and fund-raising efforts, Patti has become Clinton's single most important political adviser. "I can't imagine running for president without her by my side," Hillary has said of Patti, who confirms she'll never run for office and is content being a behind-the-scenes player. But what a player she is: At press time, Hillary was leading an ABC News/Washington Post presidential poll with 41 percent of all Democratic support. Hillary never even officially asked Patti to run the campaign, where she manages approximately 250 people and millions of dollars in funds. "It was more like, 'Of course Patti's the campaign manager,'" explains Patti, who coined the now-ubiquitous term "Hillaryland" back when Hillary was the first lady.

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That's what Patti has been doing since she became Hillary's first hire as a scheduler 16 years ago. At the time, Patti, a Northwestern University graduate (she attended on a merit scholarship) was working on Richard M. Daley's successful Chicago mayoral bid. It was an unexpected move for a woman who studied communications and dreamed of becoming an on-air reporter, but her oldest brother, Danny, alderman of Chicago's 25th Ward, had encouraged her to get into politics. When Daley's campaign manager, David Wilhelm, was tapped to head Bill Clinton's first presidential run in '92, he took along some young, hard-working staffers. "The day I landed in Little Rock was the day Hillary decided she needed help," Patti rem-inisces. "David said, 'I've got this great girl from Chicago,' and Hillary said, 'I'm from Chicago.' The rest is history."

And unlike most in her field, Patti has stood by the same player since day one, in part because they've become close friends. "She came to the hospital when my kids were born, read at my wedding and called my father when he was dying of lung disease," Patti says of Hillary. "So this race is very personal. I'd do anything for her."

That dedication is paying off, particularly with Hispanic Democrats. Current polls indicate that 59 percent of them support Hillary. That's her strongest showing among any major demographic group and a huge asset in California, Florida, Nevada and other states with early primaries. Patti also keeps a close eye on Hillary's national Hispanic outreach team—the first of its kind assembled by any candidate, says Fabiola Rodriguez-Ciampoli, Hillary's director of Hispanic communications.

As a native of Chicago's predominantly Mexican Pilsen neighborhood, Patti cares deeply about immigration, an issue she's brought to the fore in this campaign. "It's very personal for me," she says. "As a community and as a culture, we provide so much richness to this country." To understand her passion, one need only know the story of her parents, Santiago and Alejandrina. Born in Monterrey, Mexico, Santiago came to the States in the early 1940s and was deported twice; after his third immigration, he got his visa and eventually brought over his wife and their four children. They moved to Chicago, where Patti was the sixth and last child born. Santiago worked three jobs to pay for his children's private, Catholic schooling, earning no more than $18,000 a year. Alejandrina labored in an industrial Laundromat, while Patti worked at a cowboy boot store. "He always said, 'Hazte valer'—make yourself valuable," says Patti of her father, her greatest mentor. "To me, it meant work hard, get a good education and never embarrass yourself or your family." Watching Patti, you know Santiago is smiling.

Support Hillary Create History

Watch Hillary Interview 12-7-07

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Dear Friends,

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On July 23, 2007, leaders of the U.S. military and NGO community celebrated a promising moment for civil-military relations in peace operations: the rollout of guidelines that will serve as "rules of the road" for how the two entities should operate in hostile environments.

Facilitated by the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Guidelines seek to mitigate frictions between military and NGO personnel over the preservation of humanitarian space in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. Principles in the Guidelines include ensuring that military personnel wear uniforms when conducting relief activities to avoid being mistaken for nongovernmental humanitarian organization representatives. Conversely, it recommends that, to the extent practical, humanitarian relief personnel avoid traveling in U.S. Armed Forces vehicles, with the exception of liaison personnel.

The heads of both the U.S. military and InterAction (an umbrella organization for U.S. NGOs) have endorsed the Guidelines and will be disseminating them throughout their organizations. Two years in the making, the effort represents "a desire from both sides to move beyond polemics to proactive problem solving," said Jeb Nadaner, deputy assistant secretary of defense for stability operations at the Pentagon.

NGO leaders likewise expressed optimism at the potential for change. "We do not want to understate the importance of this document for us," said Sam Worthington, InterAction president and CEO. "We believe that these Guidelines will serve a purpose beyond U.S. NGOs to our global partners."

The initiative was launched in March 2005 when Ambassador Carlos Pascual, coordinator for reconstruction and stabilization at the U.S. State Department, asked the Institute to establish a Working Group on Civil-Military Relations in Nonpermissive Environments. What began as a dialogue between military and NGO leaders has resulted in a pioneering effort upon which both sides hope to expand. Military and NGO leaders intend to promulgate the Guidelines throughout their communities via media and education channels: NGOs will publish the Guidelines in their newsletters and literature; the military will incorporate the Guidelines into joint military doctrine publications. The next challenge lies in implementing the Guidelines in the field and creating a monitoring process by which the Guidelines can be continuously updated and revised.

Guidelines Handout

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