Mr. Eric Wilson,

Secretary,

National Constitution Committee of the Labour Party.

Dear Mr Wilson

I have been considering my position over the weekend and have concluded that I should resign from the membership of the party forthwith and so I do.

However, I wish to set out briefly reasons for my decision to resign which I have taken with heavy heart.

I am being held to account following a publication in the Times of an interview alleged to have been given by me some two years ago to a Pakistani Anchor based in Pakistan. I do not recall when this interview was held where this interview was held and nor the person who carried out this interview. All I know is what has been reported in the Times. I reject the core story that emerges out of the alleged interview.

It is noteworthy that the only evidence before the National Constitution Committee against me is the Times’ reporting and the translation of the purported transcript of the film.

With regard to the offending film I submit NEC of the Labour Party has expressly admitted and I quote “it did not have the firm or video of the interview, reported by the Times and other media”.

In the premises, my solicitor, Steve Smith requested the Times to give disclosure of the footage of the film which is the only evidence against me to enable me to get it forensically tested. In response, my solicitor has one email from the Times promising that this would be disclosed to us. My solicitor indicated to the Times that we wished to have the film forensically examined and had indeed made arrangements for this to be carried out,  then the Times backed out and declined to give disclosure of the film.  One would then ask “if the film was accurate in its contents and nothing was taken out of context why would the Times be reluctant to disclose it to me.

I believe that justice of the case demands that the film of the interview should be subjected to forensic test in order to search for the truth of the matter. This has been denied to me.

It is also quite plain that the Party has not made any independent inquiry before suspending me or even fixing the disciplinary hearing on 15th May 2013.

Then the next evidence NEC is relying upon at the proposed disciplinary hearing is the translation of the purported transcript of the alleged interview. I and my solicitor, Mr. Smith has examined it. My solicitor has pointed out to NEC that the said translation has many gaps [inaudible] which put its credibility in issue. I believe it will be against the rules of natural justice to decide my political career in the Labour Party on the basis of the flawed evidence.

Moreover, there is extrinsic evidence which suggests that the translation could not truly be representative of what I have ever said and believe. My past record sufficiently bears this out.

I was misquoted by the Daily Telegraph. However, following investigation by the Press Commission my position was vindicated by a finding in my favour.

Only very recently my photograph was published in a Pakistani newspaper in which I was alleged to have been greeted by a certain politician there with whom I have had no contact whatsoever for the last 3 years. I was not even in Pakistan at the time and date when it was ascribed to me.

It is somewhat sinister that because of my pursuit of the inquiry of a murder of a Pakistani politician in the streets of London, there are elements in Pakistan who bears grudge against me and might it be the brain child of such elements to temper with the footage of the alleged interview. It is my honest belief that only by deliberate editing of the film unscrupulously such a story has been created and attributed to me to malign me as a member of the Labour Party and member of the House of Lords.

I therefore believe that in the absence of the forensic evidence of the offending video, a fair minded person having known of all the facts of this case would observe that I will not get a fair hearing of the complaint against me.  Yet, I am at pains to point out that NEC is going ahead with the disciplinary hearing on 15th May 2013 solely on the basis of the reporting in the Times and the flawed translation of the transcript of the alleged interview.

I may add that much has been made of my “apology” which was published in the Huffington Post. I have made it quite clear previously and do so again that the apology was made without prejudice to my primary position as stated above and to assuage any feelings of antagonism that may been created against me that if at any time I may have said anything inadvertently I wanted to apologise for that. Needless to say that I have many Jewish friends and I felt it was important and necessary to do this.

I am most concerned that the Party which has freedom and justice as it core value and which I endear for decades is content to proceed against me on the basis of incredible and untested evidence. That in deed leads me to believe that the decision might have already been made. In the circumstances I seem to have no alternative but to resign from the Labour P\arty. I do not wish to unnecessarily provide bad press for the Party and/or do anything that would alienate voters from the Party having been a loyal supporter and servant of it for decades.

I will conclude by saying my thanks to the Labour Party – the Party I have served for nearly four decades. I wish it well in the forthcoming elections and whilst I may be resigning my heart will always be with the Party.

I will remain,

Yours very sincerely,

Lord Nazir Ahmed.

Governor Sindh signed the ordinance for Mandatory Thalassaemia tests before marriage & One Dream of Late Kashif Iqbal Has Fulfilled .

Thalassaemia Child, Zaid Rao became President of Federation Of Pakistan Chamber & Commerce Industries

Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, trustee of Kashif Iqbal Thalassaemia Care Centre (KITCC) announced in thalassaemia awareness seminar organized by KITCC that he is just returning after getting the ordinance of compulsory thalassaemia test before marriage signed by the Governer Sindh, Dr. Ishratul Ibad. He further informed that his and KITCC’s struggles finally paid-off.

Mr. S. M. Muneer, leader of the business community and Patron-in-Chief of KITCC appealed to the audience to come forward and support KITCC by arranging camps to raise awareness and donate blood.

Thalassaemia child, Zaid Rao was also made Honorary President of FPCCI for one day with the courtesy of KITCC & Make-a-Wish foundation’s Mr. Ishtiaq Baig. Zaid impressed the audience with his great inspirational speech.

Mr. Iqbal, Founder & Chairman explained the reasons for the spread of thalassaemia. Mr. Kashif Mulla, COO gave the progress report and explained the mission of KITCC. Vote of Thanks was giving by General Secretary, Bilal Mulla. Event was graced by the presence of many renowned dignitaries like Dr. Zahid Ansari of SBTA, Mr. Gulzar Feroz, VP of FPCCI, Dr. A. Bari, CEO of Indus Hospital, Chef Gulzar, Dr. Ishtiaq Baig, Mr. A. K. Memon, H. N. Akhter, Dr. Durriya & Mr. Javed Qaim Ali of Burhani Blood Bank, VPs of FPCCI and many others.

Earlier, KITCC also held a press conference to raise awareness on thalassaemia and appeal industrialists to come forward and support in blood donation.

Miserable Indian Democracy

Miserable truth behind sky touching claims

By: A. Haq, London

Boastful claim of being crowned as the world’s largest democratic , India is trying to pose to the world through false and misleading propaganda that India is also a fast developing country in Asia and that the living standard of the people is also improving. This is a claim but to whom and for what reason when the facts are far from this impression.

Star Channel plays of India are also part of the misleading campaign which present the society where people are free from economic tensions and living life of affluence. No doubt India has made enormous macro level economic developments about which she can talk loud. Economic indicators show India making progress in economic and industrial sector. Middle class and upper class is discussed to have made improvement in living style. Increasing foreign exchange reserves and the purchasing power of the masses is also discussed to have grown substantially.

But regretfully the benefits of the economic change in the country have brought no change in the uplift of the masses. The fruit of the success has not reached the common man. Instead huge amounts of billions of dollars are being wasted away on amassing armaments with a view to perhaps contest her position as a major power of the world.

It was mainly due to the economic data and figures that the previous Indian government had raised the slogan of ‘India is shining’. That political government had in a way claimed to have touched the climax but the very next elections exposed the blatant reality and proved that all these slogans were false.

Many Indian scholars are also criticising Indian government claims and opine that such a progress is useless to the public if the fruit of progress and development does not change the lot of the common man. An eminent Economist had said, ‘In the vast sea of poverty building a few islands of prosperity cannot be claimed as success. The true facts of India and Indian Economy are surprisingly even bitter.

According to ‘Economy Watch’ out of 1.25 Billion Indian population 37% are living below the poverty line; but in view of the World Bank the ratio goes to 42%. Though many others believe that the poverty ratio is even greater than these.

It is a country which has also the credit of having world’s richest people like Lakshmi Mittal and Makesh Ambani but on the other hand there are Billions of people who cannot afford two meals a day.

In the poverty stricken states, there are hundreds of peasants who commit suicide because they are unable to pay their loans and accruing interest thereupon.

Mumbai is considered to be the hub of economic and industrial activity and is called the richest city of India. On the contrary it has also the biggest slum named ‘Dharavi’ in it. Approximately 60% of Mumbai comprises of slums where people are living in abject poverty and their estimated population is 70 Lac. India has made these slums also a source of generating money in donations. When foreign tourists visit India particularly Mumbai they also happen to visit these slums to get the eye witness account of the miserable situation. The story of the Hollywood movie ‘Slim dog millionaire’ revolves around the miserable life of the homeless, shelter less people, unwonted kids and destitute in a touching manner. Many Indians have rejected this movie because it has shattered the Indian image of Economic Tiger and exposed truly the living standard of the common man. This realistic movie was acknowledged as the best movie of the year in 2008 and pocketed 8 Oscar Awards.

This miserable situation is not particular with Mumbai alone, the same like condition exists in other cities of India where shelter less people are seen sleeping along footpaths under the open skies. Their kids born on these footpaths and grow young there.

According to UN studies 36.60 Million civilians are without adequate sanitation facilities which means that 1/3 of the total population of India is living life without proper toilet facility.

The economic conditions of Pakistan may be a little bad but not like India in anyway. A notable Indian scholar and Journalist Khashwant Singh writes that he had visited Pakistan many a times but he has never seen anyone barefooted.

Indian poverty level is so bad that it tops the countries where people sell their limbs. The biggest victims of this poverty condition are children. According to a government report every year 2.2 million kids are compelled to undergo child labour. This is also a common spectacle to find unwonted new born kids on heaps of rubbish. Pregnant women their also have the tendency to seek information regarding male or female. In case of a girl-baby most women undergo abortion because a girl is considered to be a burden on the entire family. Besides this countless women are involved in prostitution as well.

In fact Indian economic system is based in injustice and regulated by anti-social traditions. The rich grows richer and the poor, poorer. One of the major reasons is Hinduism and caste system which keeps the lower category people devoid of any rights. Most of the people of India belong to the lower caste people. Muslims over there are also facing worst economic conditions due to ethnic discrimination. The result of all this is going against the system. Maoist Movement is getting stronger day by day in India and so becoming headache for the government.

SHAHID Mahmood RAJA from Ilford, Nisar Ahmed from East Ham, Masoud Afzal Kayani from Forest Gate, Aitazaz Amer Raja from Ilford, Skakeel Ahmed from The Drive London congratulated Councillor Commissioner Choudhry Mohammed Shafique on being put forward as a deputy mayor of Slough Borough Council by the Labour Party. The official ceremony takes place on 16th of this month. They expressed hope that Ch mohammed Shafique will in his capacity as deputy mayor work even harder to bring about community cohesion and harmony amongst the different communities in the Borough. Mr Shafique as they know him is young, energetic and highly educated personality and truly people's person. He was first elected as Councillor in 2006, became local government minister, and cabinet commissioner for community and leisure in 2009  and served in this position for 3 years. He was successful former vice president, and president (twice) of Pakistan Welfare Association Slough,  School Governor for Bayliss Court Girls School, these are only a few of his social and political activities,  takes interest in social and charitable causes and his popularity among his colleagues which makes it highly likely that he will be chosen Mayor next year. It is to be remembered that Ch M Shafique comes from Dhoke Baba Faiz Bux, near Bewal, Tehsil Gujar Khan, is very well known in both places And he is a credit to his fellow compatriats. He is very helpful and co operative to anyone who needs it, one could be of any colour,creed and culture. His religious upbringing has molded him in a great human being who loves all. He is always in front line in building bridges between indigenous community and other ethnic communities.

• Click to enlarge Click to enlarge
• Click to enlarge Click to enlarge