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| India-Pakistan |
| I dont mind going to court to clear my name: Malik |
| 2009-12-21 |
| [Dawn] Interior Minister Rehman Malik has rejected corruption allegations against him and other politicians. "No, no! Certainly not!" Malik says the cases are politically motivated and until proven guilty no one can say that the charges are true. 'Allegations are always there, allegations are on our judiciary. Allegations are on our leadership,' he said. 'Well, fine. If the Supreme Court wants us to go a second time to the court, yes, we'll go, we'll clear it. But until proven guilty, nobody can say they are the right charges.' Pakistan's interior minister has defiantly characterized himself and other politicians facing corruption charges as victims of politically motivated opponents, in an interview with CNN. Rehman Malik said he does not fear his day in court because he has done nothing wrong. 'The allegations are false, therefore, I'm not worried at all,' Malik told CNN's Arwa Damon in an interview Saturday. 'We think that it's good that we go through that process and clear our names, though our names are already clear.' Malik is among thousands of bureaucrats and politicians who were granted amnesty by the now-nullified National Reconciliation Ordinance, which saved them from having to face corruption charges. Many Pakistanis viewed the ordinance as protecting the elite at the expense of the poor, and local media largely hailed the decision, saying it was long awaited accountability and justice. But Malik said the amnesty was fair. 'This was basically an agreement between all the political leadership that any politically victimised person should be given a leave immediately so we can get all the political leadership in Pakistan to take part in election,' he said. He rejected as propaganda criticism of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party and calls for President Asif Ali Zardari to step down. |
| Posted by:Fred |