18 year Vote

Special Majlis decides to lower voting age to 18 for the upcoming referendum

A majority of the Special Majlis has today voted in favour of lowering the voting age to 18 for the upcoming referendum on the system of government. 57 members voted in favour whilst most of Dictator's members abstained, in addition to former speaker Abbas. Despite claims by the Dictator that he was now in favour of lowering the voting age, it is apparent that his own unelected MPs were not in agreement with him. Political analysts think that this historical development will further strengthen the stand of the opposition who are in favour of parliamentary system of government.

These are the members who did not vote:
1) Abbas Ibrahim (Gdh),
2) Mariyam Afeefa (Male Atoll),
3) Aneesa Ahmed (Meemu),
4) Abdulla Kamaluddin (Min),
5) Aishath Mohamed Didi (Min),
6) Hamdhoon Hameedh (Min)
7) Ibrahim Rafeeq (Min)
8) Ismail Shafeeu (Min)
9) Mahumoodhu Shaugy (Min)
10) Mauroof Jameel (Min)
11) Mohamed Nasheed (Min)
12) Mohamed Saeedh (Min)
13) Abdul Rasheedh Hussain (Pres)
14) Ahmed Shareef (Pres)
15) Ahmed Zahir (Pres)
16) Aishath Azima Shakoor (Pres)
17) Fathimath Dhiyana Saeedh (Pres)
18) Fathin Hameedh (Pres)
19) Ibrahim Saleem (Pres)
20) Ibrahim Shafiu (Pres)
21) Mazeena Jameel (Pres)
22) Mohamed Aboobakuru (Pres)
23) Rashida Yuoosuf (Pres)
24) Zahiya Zareer (Pres)
25) Shahin Hameedh (Raa)
26) Moosa Rameez (Shaviyani)
27) Mohamed Hussain (Shaviyani)
28) Yuoosuf Naeem (Vaavu)

Gayyoom Should Be Responsible For Salah's Death

Salah's story will not fade away. We will remember him. Gayyoom Must pay the price.

Golha Brand

The majilis is now controlled By Buruma Gasim, and some of the members are his pupets. Gayyoom Control Gasim through his old tactics. So dont you wonder what will happen in the majilis. Be aware they have a cunning plan.

Deen Is Out Of Options

Bloody battle rages in Karachi

28 die in clashes over suspension by Musharraf of top court judge

Men armed with assault rifles battled for hours yesterday in a confrontation between pro- and anti-government forces that raged through residential neighbourhoods in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, killing at least 28 people and injuring more than 100 others.

The strife in the volatile port city of 15 million people was the worst yet during a crisis that erupted two months ago when President Pervez Musharraf suspended the country's top judge.

Backers of Musharraf appeared to be the driving force behind the violence in Karachi.

In a neighbourhood close to the airport, smoke billowed from burning barricades, panicky motorists abandoned their vehicles and residents of high-rises took cover in inner rooms as the chaotic fighting continued through much of the day.

Musharraf, speaking at a rally in the capital city, Islamabad, appealed for calm but stopped short of declaring martial law in Karachi.

"If you are unhappy about what has happened ... halt these protests," the president told nearly 50,000 supporters. "There is no need for an emergency – the people are with me.''

Musharraf accused the country's senior jurist, Iftikhar Chaudhry, of misconduct when suspending him March 9. But many believed the president was acting to preclude a challenge to the validity of elections to be held later this year.

A judicial panel is examining Chaudhry's suspension, but it could take months to reach a conclusion.

Yesterday's fighting in Karachi broke out just before Chaudhry was to address a large gathering of lawyers, who have rallied to his cause. Chaudhry was expected to demand his job back and to urge Musharraf to either step down or give up his military role – a stance that his backers believe was his political downfall.

Opposition parties said the violence was orchestrated by the city's pro-government Mutahida Qami Movement. Leaders of the opposition planning to greet Chaudhry said police stood idly as they were beaten and intimidated at the airport, and during the violence that spilled into the sprawling city.

Opponents of Musharraf have accused him of engineering the coming parliamentary elections in a way that will ensure his continuing grip on power.

The violence threatened to put a damper on the Pakistani leader's recent reported overtures to former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, now in exile in Dubai. Backers of Bhutto's People's Party were among those clashing with pro-government supporters in the violence that continued after nightfall in Karachi.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch condemned the unrest and called on the government to take stronger steps to protect civilians.