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Saturday, January 29, 2011
Pakistan rebuffs call for US gunman's quick release
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday rebuffed a call from the United States for the immediate release of an American man who shot dead two men in a Lahore street, saying its legal process must be respected.
The US embassy had claimed diplomatic immunity on behalf of Raymond Davis, previously described as a consulate employee, who is under investigation on double murder charges after shooting dead the two motorcyclists this week.
"This matter is sub-judice in a court of law and the legal process should be respected," Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Basit said in a statement, adding that a report was awaited from Punjab police.
Davis, who has been held at a Lahore police station since the incident, appeared before a magistrate's court Friday and said he had fired in self-defence. He was remanded into police custody for six days.
On Saturday, two days after the deadly shooting, the US embassy in Islamabad released a statement saying he had diplomatic status and was therefore being detained unlawfully.
"When detained, the US diplomat identified himself to police as a diplomat and repeatedly requested immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," it said.
"Local police and senior authorities failed to observe their legal obligation to verify his status with either the US consulate general in Lahore or the US embassy in Islamabad.
"Furthermore, the diplomat was formally arrested and remanded into custody, which is a violation of international norms and the Vienna Convention, to which Pakistan is a signatory."
The statement said the man had a diplomatic passport and a visa for Pakistan valid until June 2012, and added that he had acted in self-defence when two armed men on motorcycles tried to rob him.
"The diplomat had every reason to believe that the armed men meant him bodily harm. Minutes earlier, the two men, who had criminal backgrounds, had robbed money and valuables at gunpoint from a P! akistani citizen in the same area," it said.
Provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah said that the US should respect Pakistan's courts and should raise the issue of diplomatic immunity there.
"The Punjab government respects the sentiments of the Pakistani public and wants to fulfil legal requirements," he told AFP in Lahore.
US ambassador Cameron Munter telephoned Pakistan Muslim League (N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Saturday and sought his help to secure Davis's release, Sharif's spokesman Pervaiz Rashid said.
Sharif, whose PML(N) rules the politically important Punjab province, also told the ambassador that the matter was to be handled by the court, he said.
Police said Friday that two handguns had been found close to the victims' bodies, but that they so far appeared to have no previous criminal record.
Imran Haider, the elder brother of one of the motorcyclists, 22-year-old Faizan Haider, claimed his brother only carried a pistol for protection and insisted the gun was licensed.
A third Pakistani was crushed to death by a consulate car that went to help Davis following the shooting in a busy street in the eastern city.
Punjab provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah has said that American influence would not be allowed to affect the criminal proceedings.
Pakistan is a vital US ally in the American-led "war on terror".
The US embassy said it regretted that "this incident resulted in loss of life" and said: "We greatly value the cooperation and partnership between Pakistan and the United States, which is vital to the interests of both countries."
The incident sparked small protests across Pakistan on Friday, a sign of the anti-American sentiment that is already running high partly because of a covert US drone campaign in the northwest tribal areas that has provoked deadly revenge attacks by militants.
The US embassy had claimed diplomatic immunity on behalf of Raymond Davis, previously described as a consulate employee, who is under investigation on double murder charges after shooting dead the two motorcyclists this week.
"This matter is sub-judice in a court of law and the legal process should be respected," Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Basit said in a statement, adding that a report was awaited from Punjab police.
Davis, who has been held at a Lahore police station since the incident, appeared before a magistrate's court Friday and said he had fired in self-defence. He was remanded into police custody for six days.
On Saturday, two days after the deadly shooting, the US embassy in Islamabad released a statement saying he had diplomatic status and was therefore being detained unlawfully.
"When detained, the US diplomat identified himself to police as a diplomat and repeatedly requested immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," it said.
"Local police and senior authorities failed to observe their legal obligation to verify his status with either the US consulate general in Lahore or the US embassy in Islamabad.
"Furthermore, the diplomat was formally arrested and remanded into custody, which is a violation of international norms and the Vienna Convention, to which Pakistan is a signatory."
The statement said the man had a diplomatic passport and a visa for Pakistan valid until June 2012, and added that he had acted in self-defence when two armed men on motorcycles tried to rob him.
"The diplomat had every reason to believe that the armed men meant him bodily harm. Minutes earlier, the two men, who had criminal backgrounds, had robbed money and valuables at gunpoint from a P! akistani citizen in the same area," it said.
Provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah said that the US should respect Pakistan's courts and should raise the issue of diplomatic immunity there.
"The Punjab government respects the sentiments of the Pakistani public and wants to fulfil legal requirements," he told AFP in Lahore.
US ambassador Cameron Munter telephoned Pakistan Muslim League (N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Saturday and sought his help to secure Davis's release, Sharif's spokesman Pervaiz Rashid said.
Sharif, whose PML(N) rules the politically important Punjab province, also told the ambassador that the matter was to be handled by the court, he said.
Police said Friday that two handguns had been found close to the victims' bodies, but that they so far appeared to have no previous criminal record.
Imran Haider, the elder brother of one of the motorcyclists, 22-year-old Faizan Haider, claimed his brother only carried a pistol for protection and insisted the gun was licensed.
A third Pakistani was crushed to death by a consulate car that went to help Davis following the shooting in a busy street in the eastern city.
Punjab provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah has said that American influence would not be allowed to affect the criminal proceedings.
Pakistan is a vital US ally in the American-led "war on terror".
The US embassy said it regretted that "this incident resulted in loss of life" and said: "We greatly value the cooperation and partnership between Pakistan and the United States, which is vital to the interests of both countries."
The incident sparked small protests across Pakistan on Friday, a sign of the anti-American sentiment that is already running high partly because of a covert US drone campaign in the northwest tribal areas that has provoked deadly revenge attacks by militants.
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LAHORE: Jan29 Photojournalist from Online Hamid Musa showing his photos to Senator Parvez Rashid during a photo exhibition organized by Lahore Photojournalists Association at Lahore Press Club.
ONLINE PHOTO
Law must take its course in US diplomat case: FO spokesman
ISLAMABAD:
The government on Saturday said the legal process should be respected after the US embassy called for the immediate release of an American diplomat who was arrestedafter he killed two Pakistanis this week.
The American, identified by police as Raymond Davis, told a court on Friday he had acted in self-defence after fleeing what he said was a robbery attempt in Lahore on Thursday.
Davis has been remanded in police custody for six days for questioning.
This matter is sub judice in a court of law and the legal process should be respected, a Pakistani foreign office spokesman said in a statement.
The US embassy said in a statement on Friday only that a staff member of the US Consulate General in Lahore was involved in an incident involving loss of life.
In a statement on Saturday, the embassy identified him as a US diplomat who it said had been unlawfully detained by authorities in Lahore, where the shooting took place.
It said the diplomat acted in self-defence when confronted by two armed men and had every reason to believe they meant to harm him, and said arresting the diplomat was a violation of international norms and the Vienna Convention.
In his initial statement, Davis told police that he was chased by the two men soon after he withdrew money from a cash machine. The men approached him when he pulled over at a traffic signal and they pointed a gun at him.
Davis then fired at the men, a police official said.
On Friday, theUS Ambassador Cameron Munterreportedly met! Foreign Secretary Salman Basheer, requesting the federal governments intervention in the case of the US official.
Speaking to the media yesterday (Friday), Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah had said that Daviswill not be given VIP protocol and will be sent to jail after interrogation. He said that no one was above the law and that the Punjab government was taking action under its legislation.
Hindu legislator quits in Pakistan, shifts to India
ISLAMABAD: A Hindu member of the legislative assembly in Pakistan's Sindh province resigned from his seat after receiving threats and shifted to India, media reports said Saturday.
Ram Singh Sodho was elected a member of the Sindh assembly on a reserved seat for minorities on a Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) ticket in the 2008 general elections, Dunya TV reported.
Sodho received threats and shifted base to India, from where he sent his resignation to Sindh assembly speaker Nisar Ahmad Khoro, the report said.
The resignation has been accepted with immediate effect.
The PML-F is an ally of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in Sindh.
The law and order situation in Karachi, capital of the province, and other interior regions -- where the Hindu community is based in large numbers and its members are quite well off -- has been deteriorating for quite some time now.
Incidents of kidnapping for ransom of Hindu children have seen an alarming rise during the last few months, forcing many families to abandon their homes and shift to India or other countries.
Lakki Chand Garji, 82, who is the 'maharaja' of the Kali Mata Mandir in Kalat town in Balochistan province and considered to be one of Pakistan's most revered Hindu spiritual leaders, was kidnapped by a gang of armed men Dec 21 last year. He is yet to be rescued.
Ram Singh Sodho was elected a member of the Sindh assembly on a reserved seat for minorities on a Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) ticket in the 2008 general elections, Dunya TV reported.
Sodho received threats and shifted base to India, from where he sent his resignation to Sindh assembly speaker Nisar Ahmad Khoro, the report said.
The resignation has been accepted with immediate effect.
The PML-F is an ally of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in Sindh.
The law and order situation in Karachi, capital of the province, and other interior regions -- where the Hindu community is based in large numbers and its members are quite well off -- has been deteriorating for quite some time now.
Incidents of kidnapping for ransom of Hindu children have seen an alarming rise during the last few months, forcing many families to abandon their homes and shift to India or other countries.
Lakki Chand Garji, 82, who is the 'maharaja' of the Kali Mata Mandir in Kalat town in Balochistan province and considered to be one of Pakistan's most revered Hindu spiritual leaders, was kidnapped by a gang of armed men Dec 21 last year. He is yet to be rescued.
Five blasts rock Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: A suicide bomber blew up a truck packed with 500 kg of explosives inside a tunnel in Pakistan's northwestern region, killing eight people early Saturday, while more than 25 people were injured in four other bombings across the country, officials said.
The first bombing took place soon after midnight in the Kohat tunnel that connects the cities of Peshawar and Kohat.
The blast targeting the Kohat tunnel, linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to Afghanistan, was carried out by a suicide car bomber, injuring five people.
A second blast was carried out at a check-post outside the tunnel that killed seven people, including four security officials and two women, while 14 people were critically injured, Geo TV reported.
A passenger bus waiting at the check-post was also damaged in the blast, while a portion of the tunnel was badly destroyed, the report said.
Khalid Khan Omarzai, an official, said the truck was stuffed with around 500 kg of explosives and the bomber rammed it into the inner wall of the tunnel.
The huge explosion led to an oil tanker outside the tunnel catching fire and exploding a few minutes later. The second explosion damaged several vehicles, he said.
Officials at two hospitals in Kohat and Peshawar said they had received eight bodies and 14 seriously injured people.
Following the blasts, security forces sealed the area and suspended all traffic across both sides of the tunnel, causing difficulties to the commuters.
Terrorists have repeatedly targeted the Kohat tunnel, following a crackdown against militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2006.
Two back-to-back blasts later rocked the Bara market area of Khyber agency, Aaj TV reported.
Local sources confirmed that a convoy of security forces was targeted in the blast, but the nature of the explosion could not be known, the report said.
Initially, there were no reports of any casualties.
Security forces blocked ac! cess to the blast site and curfew was imposed in the market area.
Exchange of fire was also heard for some time after the blast, the report said.
Another blast targeting a police van at Alamdar road in Quetta, capital of Balochistan province, injured seven people, including three children.
Hamid Shakeel, deputy inspector general of police, said the terrorists used 6-7 kg of explosives in the blast.
Pakistani security forces have been targeted by Taliban and al-Qaida militants ever since a crackdown was launched in the restive tribal areas bordering Afghanistan to flush out militants after the 9/11 terror attack.
The first bombing took place soon after midnight in the Kohat tunnel that connects the cities of Peshawar and Kohat.
The blast targeting the Kohat tunnel, linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to Afghanistan, was carried out by a suicide car bomber, injuring five people.
A second blast was carried out at a check-post outside the tunnel that killed seven people, including four security officials and two women, while 14 people were critically injured, Geo TV reported.
A passenger bus waiting at the check-post was also damaged in the blast, while a portion of the tunnel was badly destroyed, the report said.
Khalid Khan Omarzai, an official, said the truck was stuffed with around 500 kg of explosives and the bomber rammed it into the inner wall of the tunnel.
The huge explosion led to an oil tanker outside the tunnel catching fire and exploding a few minutes later. The second explosion damaged several vehicles, he said.
Officials at two hospitals in Kohat and Peshawar said they had received eight bodies and 14 seriously injured people.
Following the blasts, security forces sealed the area and suspended all traffic across both sides of the tunnel, causing difficulties to the commuters.
Terrorists have repeatedly targeted the Kohat tunnel, following a crackdown against militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2006.
Two back-to-back blasts later rocked the Bara market area of Khyber agency, Aaj TV reported.
Local sources confirmed that a convoy of security forces was targeted in the blast, but the nature of the explosion could not be known, the report said.
Initially, there were no reports of any casualties.
Security forces blocked ac! cess to the blast site and curfew was imposed in the market area.
Exchange of fire was also heard for some time after the blast, the report said.
Another blast targeting a police van at Alamdar road in Quetta, capital of Balochistan province, injured seven people, including three children.
Hamid Shakeel, deputy inspector general of police, said the terrorists used 6-7 kg of explosives in the blast.
Pakistani security forces have been targeted by Taliban and al-Qaida militants ever since a crackdown was launched in the restive tribal areas bordering Afghanistan to flush out militants after the 9/11 terror attack.
US embassy demands immediate release of Davis
ISLAMABAD:
The United States on Saturday called for the immediate release of Raymond Davis, the US diplomat who was arrested for gunning down two men in Lahore on Thursday.
The US embassy said the diplomat was unlawfully detained in Lahore.
When detained, the US diplomat identified himself to police as a diplomat and repeatedly requested immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the embassy said in a statement.
It added, Local police and senior authorities failed to observe their legal obligation to verify his status with either the US consulate general in Lahore or the US embassy in Islamabad.
On Friday, theUS Ambassador Cameron Munter reportedly to have met Foreign Secretary Salman Basheer, requesting the federal governments intervention in the case of the US official.
Speaking to the media yesterday (Friday), Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Davis will not be given VIP protocol and will be sent to jail after interrogation. He said that no one was above the law and that the Punjab government was taking action under its legislation.
Eight killed, 18 injured in unrest in northwest
PAKISTAN:Four people were injured asmilitantsfired rockets in the Bara market of Khyber Agency on Saturday.
Security sources say that militants firedthree rockets near the press club in Bara market which injured four people including a security person.The injured have been shifted to a local hospital in Peshawar.
The security forces have cordoned off the area and a search operation in the region has been initiated.
Earlier last night (Friday), at least eight people including two women were killed and 14 others wounded in twin truck bombings that targeted a key road tunnel in Kohat.
The attacks took place late Friday night in and outside the tunnel which connects the main city of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the city of Kohat.
In the first attack, an explosive-laden truck entered the tunnel and blew up, badly damaging another truck behind it, wounding five people, top administration official in Kohat, Shahidullah, told AFP.
Security officials said the attack aimed to damage the Japanese-built tunnel, which had been recently reopened to 24-hour vehicle traffic after being open during the day only because of the risk of militant attacks.
Shahidullah said that in the second incident, an oil tanker packed with explosives hit a joint paramilitary Frontier Corps and army checkpoint outside the tunnel.
The checkpoint was empty but four civilians, including two women who were travelling in a passenger van behind the tanker, were killed and 14 others wounded in the attack, he added.
The checkpoint is located in the lawless tribal town of Darra Adam Khel, which is known for its weapons bazaar and illegal arms factories.
A local police spokesman confirmed the two attacks and casu! alties, and said that at least 500 kilograms of explosives were used in the first attack.
He said that the security forces cordoned off the tunnel immediately after the incidents and closed it to traffic.
Pakistans northwest and tribal areas have been wracked by violence since hundreds of Taliban and al Qaeda fighters sought refuge there after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.
The government has claimed a number of military successes against the militant hardliners during the last two years, but attacks continue across the country and are concentrated in the northwest.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Fighting extremism: Progressives must take a stand
LAHORE:The progressive elements should stand up and raise their voice against violence and those supporting it if they actually want to see a change in society.
This was stated by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan chairperson Dr Mehdi Hasan on Friday at a seminar on No to Incitement of Violence. The seminar was organised by the Centre for Peace and Democracy at the Lahore Press Club.
All of us are responsible for the recent wave of extremism. By retreating, we have provided space to the people who spread violence, he said. He said the roots of the countrys problems went back to its creation.
He said after Jinnahs death, his party approved the views supported by religious parties, which had opposed the idea of Pakistan, in the form of the Objectives Resolution of 1949.
He also blamed the judiciary for taking up selected causes. Had the judiciary been free, it would have taken up Asghar Khans petition which is pending since 1974, he said, the ISI chiefs statement is on record that Islami Jumhoori Ittehad was created because Army did not want to give the Pakistan Peoples Party a free hand in the countrys affairs.
Dr Hasan said the 1973 constitution could not be revived unless the changes brought in by dictators through 8th and 17th Amendments were done away with. The media, he said, was promoting extremist views. He said there were about 150 opinion pieces published in five major Urdu newspapers every day and 95 per cent of these promoted extremist views.
Lawyer Abid Hasan Minto said most of the people he had interacted with had no understanding of the blasphemy laws. Tracing the history of the laws, he said from 1947 to 1980 there was no law dealing with tauhin-i-risalat. He said the Section 295-C introduced during Ge! neral Zi as era had both death and life sentences. It was through a Federal Shariat Court (FSC) ruling that four judges expunged the life sentence from the law, he said. He added that the FSC was created by the 8th Amendment and had no place in a parliamentary form of government.
Minto said Islamic jurists had differed on punishment for blasphemy. He said Imam Abu Hanifa had ruled out death sentence for blasphemy in light of Quran and Sunnah.
He said those defending the law for the love of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) should instead work towards providing justice to the common man. How can one have devotion for the Holy Prophet (pbuh) without bothering to examine the message of equality, justice and peace that he preached, he asked.
He criticised the religious parties for rallying in support of a law they had no knowledge about and never raising their voices against private jails in Sindh, honour killings and the exploitation of workers.
PPPs information secretary Fauzia Wahhab said only four women and a minority MNA had had the courage to stand up and condemn Governor Salmaan Taseers assassination in the National Assembly. She said there were loopholes in the legal system, pointing to the high acquittal rate of terrorism suspects. She said people promoting violence were benefiting from these loopholes.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2011.
Isaf container scam: Afghan, Italian missions evading probe, says official
KARACHI:The Afghan and Italian consulates in Karachi have been accused of being involved in issuing fake no-objection certificates (NOCs) for the clearance of Isaf cargo destined for Afghanistan, which were eventually pilfered in Pakistan.
The allegations, made in a report prepared by the office of the federal tax ombudsman, have been submitted to the Supreme Court which is hearing the case into the Isaf container scam.
Despite repeated attempts, the Italian and Afghan envoys have refused to answer queries sought by the federal ombudsman and Customs Intelligence unit, sources within the two offices say.
A detailed questionnaire has again been sent to the Italian consulate regarding the matter. The Customs Intelligence has been pursuing the case since last August, but they persistently ignore us. The same goes for the Afghan consulate in Karachi, a senior official said.
According to the report, on April 8, 2010 the directorate general of Customs Intelligence, after receiving specific information that a container (No SOLU7066253) with illegally-declared goods had left Karachi for Peshawar, registered a case (FIR 40/2010) at I & P Branch, Customs House, Peshawar.
On April 10, 2010, two persons (a customs clearing agent of M/s Tayyaba Agencies and a transporter of M/s Umair International) were arrested from Karachi. During interrogation, the clearing agent confirmed that the container belonged to M/s Lunar Products of Kabul. On April 13 last year, the same container was found in a dismantled condition on the Ring Road, Peshawar. The proprietor of the said prem! ises was also arrested.
By this time the Customs Intelligence came to know about the arrival of a second container of the same company at Karachi port. Its physical examination yielded 36,000 cans of beer and 4,800 bottles of Scotch whisky. The container was earlier declared to contain Coca Cola (10,800 cans), Sprite (10,080 cans), soda water (9,600 cans), mineral water (12,720 cans) and sparkling water (3,600 cans).
The value of the declared goods according to the invoice had been shown to be Rs1.3 million. However, the value of goods plus the amount of unpaid customs duties worked out to be in excess of Rs15 million.
The investigation team arrested Muhammad Sohail, a local representative of M/s Lunar Products in Pakistan. According to his statement, Mateen, a foreign national of Afghan origin and settled in Sweden, had contacted him for engaging his services for the clearance of Isaf cargo from Karachi.
Mateen gave Sohail authorisation of Isaf headquarters on the basis of which he obtained recommendatory letters of the Afghan Consulate-General in Karachi. In fact, Isaf was not found to be having anything to do with the scam. The Isaf representative in the British High Commission confirmed that no nation participating in Isaf had claimed to have utilised the services of M/s Lunar Products. However, the recommendatory letters written by Afghan Consulate General were confirmed to have been genuinely issued, though on the basis of what turned out to be fake Isaf letters during the investigation, the report said.
During the investigation of the container scam, the investigating team suspected that possibly five containers belonging to M/s Supreme Foods and 22 containers belonging to M/s ES-KO had been cleared under dubious circumstances.
The report added that while M/s Supreme Foods containers, like Lunar, probably never crossed into Afghanistan, the clearance was done under fake cross-border certificates. The 22 containers belonging to M/s ES-KO were apparently cleared on the ba! sis of f ake NOCs issued by Afghan Consulate, Karachi. It was also suspected that many more containers belonging to M/s ES-KO had also been cleared against fake NOCs issued by the Italian Consulate, Karachi. As the Italian Consulate has apparently dilly-dallied to respond in the matter, the Office of Federal Tax Ombudsman intends to closely monitor this investigation, as also the allegedly fake NOCs issued by the Afghan Consulate, Karachi, the report added.
A representative of the Italian embassy in Islamabad, Mr Sergio declined to comment about the whole affair.
Afghan embassys press attach Abdul Rahim also declined to speak about the matter.
A senior official probing the matter conjectured that since these foreigners have diplomatic immunity, they think they can get away even with criminal activity. But they forget that even if one has diplomatic immunity, one cant get away with organised crime in the host country, he said, adding that the courts in Pakistan are expected to press criminal charges if the embassies and their consulates concerned do not respond.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2011.
More Taliban cadres joining reconciliation
LONDON:Increasing numbers of senior Taliban members are showing interest in reconciliation talks, a senior Foreign Office official said in a briefing to journalists in London on Friday. However, there was not much chance of a sudden breakthrough in negotiations, she added.
Regarding Pakistans role in reconciliation efforts, the official said that although Pakistan has an important stake in Afghanistan it is not a controlling stake and the interests of other countries in the region would also have to be taken into account.
The reconciliation efforts, she said, were Afghan led, and President Karzai had made it clear that there would be no preconditions to talks.
She acknowledged that the Pakistan Army had made heroic efforts to combat violent extremism but added that Britain would like to see more efforts between Kabul and Islamabad to deny safe havens to the Taliban.
Asked whether the level of violence in the region needed to be lowered, she said it was the UKs position that military pressure should continue as the Taliban were continuing to harass and intimidate villagers.
The official refused to comment on the use of drones in the conflict and whether they were operationally helpful. This was a matter for the US and Pakistan, she said, and the British government assumes that its allies are acting within the bounds of international law.
Asked if the British government approved of drone strikes, she said it was not an issue on which the British governments approval is needed.
The purpose of the briefing was to apprise the media of the progress that had been made in the last year towards normalisatio! n in Afg hanistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2011.
Coalition partners: Conference on Karachi situation postponed
KARACHI:In a surprising development, the Sindh government has again postponed an all-party conference on the law and order situation in Karachi.
The meeting, previously scheduled to be held on January 31, was originally announced to be held on January 26, but it was put off without any justification.
Although PPP leaders insisted that the only reason for the postponement was that the government wanted to gain more time to hold it in a better manner, sources said that the conference was being postponed because of reservations expressed by one of the coalition partners of the provincial government.
An MQM handout said that the law and order in Punjab was worse than Sindh. Therefore, it said, a conference should be held there urgently.
Four different committees have been formed to persuade various political parties.
The first comprises Ayaz Soomro, Najmi Alam and Prof N D Khan. This team is tasked with inviting the MQM, Jamat-i-Islami, PML-N, JUI-F, Jamhuri Watan Party, and JUI (Samiul Haq). The second committee includes Pir Mazharul Haq, Rashid Rabbani, Waqar Mehdi: it is tasked with inviting the ANP, PML-F, NPP JUP and the Jafaria Alliance.
The third committee includes Rafique Engineer, Shehla Raza, Lal Bux Bhutto and Habibullah Junaidi. This team has been given the responsibility to invite the Sunni Tehreek, Tehrik-e-Insaf, JUI-F, Jamiat Ahle Sunnat, Nifaze-e-Fiqah Jafria and Jamiat Ahle Hadis.
Meanwhile, Taj Haider, Mahkhdoom Jameeluz Zaman and Zahid Bhurgari have been asked to coordinate with all Sindhi nationalist parties.
Published in The Express Tribun! e, Janua ry 29th, 2011.
Indian generals court martial: Pakistan should follow Indias lead
ISLAMABAD:Taking note of the misuse of power by government officials, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, taking a cue from the court martial of a serving general in India, said on Friday that those responsible will be brought to book.
Why dont a few top guns in our country get booked for their wrongdoings, the chief justice asked during hearing the case of an alleged fake encounter by the police in Daska one year ago. Its high time that some heads roll, he said.
The fake encounter, in which a boy was gunned down, was followed by the suspension of some low ranking officials. The police later mentioned in an inquiry report that a compromise was made with heirs of the deceased. The court, however, rejected the report and observed that the responsible top officials were left untouched.
The CJP was heading a four member bench that was hearing case against police officials including former Regional Police Officer Gujranwala Zulfiqar Cheema and DPO Sialkot Ameen Awais. According to the police inquiry report, 16 low ranking police officials were sacked in connection with the fake encounter case.
These include four inspectors, five sub-inspectors, one assistant sub-inspector and five constables. An inspector was also forced to retire. The court in its order directed the Inspector General Police (IGP) to take personal interest in the matter, instead of saving the skin of petti bhais.
Citing the example of the Indian Lt General who was court-martialled, the chief justice urged Pakistan to follow this precedent.
Top officials have privately acknowledged that they are scared of such kinds of accountability because the snowball effect of the court martial is already being sensed in Pakistan.!
M eanwhile, Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday blamed this sort of police culture for target killings in the country. Your decision to kill someone with rifles invokes people to keep this practice in the streets due to which lawlessness has increased since 1966 when such kind of police encounters started, he observed.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2011.
Grocery Shop
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Agriculture Of My Beautiful P A K I S T A N.
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FIA issues arrest warrants for Moonis Elahi
LAHORE:The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has issued arrest warrants for Moonis Elahi, the son of former Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, in the NICL scam case.
The warrants were issued after Moonis failed to appear before the FIAs inquiry team investigating the scam.
According to an earlier report in The Express Tribune, Moonis will be booked under the supplementary statement that the manager of one of his companies made before the FIA in which he alleged that Rs220 million of the plundered money was received from Mohsin Habib Warraich and was later handed over to Moonis Elahi.
Moonis Elahi is also being arraigned in all three cases registered by the FIAs Punjab bureau. Sources in the FIA toldThe Express Tribunethat Moonis Elahi used his influence to open a fake bank account and received the plundered money through this account in the name of his companys manager.
SC calls for action on Reko Diq licence
ISLAMABAD:The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday directed the Balochistan government to take a decision on the renewal of Tethyan Copper Companys license for the Reko Diq project based on the feasibility report prepared by the company instead of waiting for their licence to expire.
The court was hearing petitionsfiled by 26 senators challenging the contract of the TCC to explore and excavate gold and copper from the Reko Diq mines in Balochistan which are estimated to have reserves worth over $260 billion.
Advocate General Balochistan, Salahuddin Mengal told the court during todays (Friday) proceedings that all licences issued for the project would expire by February 20.
He said that eight licenses were issued between 1993 and 1999, out of which only one allowed the exploration of minerals.
If the companys license is not renewed, a new agreement will have to be signed for it to carry out its mining activities.
Responding to Mengals statement that mining licences were issued for the Reko Diq project by the governor in 1993, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhryobserved that governors were not authorised to act on behalf of the government.
The hearing of the case has been adjourned till January 31st.
Missing persons: 96 cases have been solved, court told
ISLAMABAD:Defence Secretary Lt-Gen (retd) Syed Athar Ali on Friday said the intelligence agencies are cooperating with the Judicial Commission and the government due to which 96 cases of missing persons have been solved, while 36 remain pending.
The defence secretary told the court that he will represent the intelligence agencies. He said those behind the disappearances will also be brought to the court.
The Supreme Court (SC) was hearing the missing persons case today (Friday). Both defence and interior secretaries appeared in court in pursuance of the court order.
Jutice Javed Iqbal observed that the number of missing persons ison the riseand thatit is the governmentsresponsibility torecover those who have gone missing.
Speaking to the media after the hearing, Human Rights Chairperson Amna Janjua expressed dissatisfaction over the way the authorities are dealing withmissing persons cases.
US seeks to avoid backlash from Lahore shooting
WASHINGTON:The United States said Thursday it will try hard to ensure there is no anti-American backlash from a shooting incident in which a US consular worker was charged with the murder of two Pakistani men.
We want to make sure that a tragedy like this does not affect the strategic partnership that were building with Pakistan, State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters. And well work as hard as we can to explain that to the Pakistani people, Crowley said.
In Lahore, a US consular worker was charged with the murder of two Pakistani men following their shooting in a busy street, a provincial minister said. The American man told police he shot the two motorcycle riders in self defense after they pulled a pistol on him in an attempted robbery, police officials told AFP.
Crowley gave few details of the event, but confirmed that an American civilian working for the US consulate in Lahore was involved in an incident, while declining to identify the individual.
Theres a Pakistan investigation. We will cooperate fully, he said.
Diplomat to appear in court
The US official is expected to appear in a Pakistan court today (Friday) on double murder charges, police said, a day after he shot dead two men on a motorcycle in what he said was self-defence.
A third Pakistani was crushed to death by a US consulate car that had followed to aid the official following the shooting in a busy street in the eastern city of Lahore.
Police identified the gunman as Raymond Davis and said he described himself as a technical adviser with the consulate. The post mortem of the dead men is under way,! we are waiting for the report, police investigation officer Muneer Ahmed told AFP. Once we get the report and other documents we expect to produce the American before a magistrate for possible remand.
The US official told police he shot the two motorcycle riders in self-defence after they pulled a pistol on him in an attempted robbery, police said.
Ahmed said another murder case had been registered against unknown foreigners in the second vehicle over the killing of the third man.
The post mortem was delayed overnight because of protests by family members of the deceased, he said. More than 100 people blocked the road after the incident by setting tyres on fire to protest against the killing, later moving their picket outside the police station where the Americans car was impounded.
The US embassy in Islamabad has confirmed the man involved was a consular official but said it was still trying to work out with the police what had happened.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Missing NATO containers: Court applauds steps taken by FBR to check smuggling
ISLAMABAD:The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday directed the concerned parties to submit their replies in the Nato containers case within three days before ex-parte proceedings are initiated.
Certain innovations are being introduced in the Afghan Transit Trade to curtail smuggling in Nato containers. Tracking systems are being installed for scanning and monitoring the containers, Chairman FBR Salman Siddique informed the court. Transporters will be required to give a bank guaranty before the containers leave for their destination. In case of violation of the agreement, the bank guaranty will be sealed.
The court was informed that 30 officers out of 43 have submitted their replies. It seems that the rest have nothing to say in their defence, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed. They have been granted three days to submit their replies before the court initiates proceedings against them.
The FBR is to conduct a thorough investigation headed by Hafiz Muhammad Anees. Tax collection officers and staff based in Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta who helped the smugglers evade taxes have been transferred, Siddique informed the court.
The chief justice appreciated him for taking bold steps. We fear you may be transferred and appointed as the Chief Secretary Balochistan, he remarked. The FBR will not spare the culprits and the looted money shall be retrieved, Siddique assured the court. Nobody will get away by pulling the right connections.
Ther! e is a 7 9 per cent gap between the taxes levied and the revenue accruing from them in Pakistan, the chairman informed the bench. He was however hopeful results would be visible within a month.
The chief justice assured Siddique of the courts support for the implementation of the steps FBR has taken to check smuggling in Nato containers.
The bench reprimanded Director General National Logistics Cell (NLC) for not receiving the court notice issued to him and asked him to explain why he should not be charged with contempt of court. The counsel for NLC, Afnan Karim Kundi apologized however and said it was a misunderstanding.
The chief justice said he would like to see the looted money recovered from the accused.
The court has adjourned the case till February 28.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2011.
10-point economic agenda: More pressure awaits PPP
ISLAMABAD:Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has decided to exert more pressure on the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government to implement the opposition partys 10-point reforms agenda.
A consultative meeting of the party was held here with its chief Nawaz Sharif to discuss the outcome of successive meetings between the governments ministerial team and PML-Ns four-member panel to implement the proposed reforms.
PML-N, in its press statement issued after the meeting, expressed dissatisfaction over the progress made so far and accused the government of resorting to delaying tactics.
The government must ensure implementation of the 10-point agenda within 45 days. Any extension to this period will not be in the interest of the nation. the media office of the PML-N quoted Nawaz as telling the meeting.
Earlier this month, the PML-N had given a deadline of 45 days to the government to implement a 10-point agenda mainly focusing on improving governance. The timeframe is likely to be extended, party insiders say.
After the PML-Ns so called timeframe, the government constituted a five-member committee of federal ministers who held meetings with all parties in the parliament and briefed them on the gravity of the economic situation.
The government team also held a series of meetings with the four-member committee of Nawaz League, and the process is continuing.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2011.
Reko Diq contract outside the law: SC
ISLAMABAD:The Supreme Court observed on Thursday that there was no law under which contracts like the one with foreign companies, like the Tethyan Copper Company (TCC), could be signed and sought details of the contract.
The observation was made by Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry while hearing petitions challenging the contract of the TCC in Reko Diq copper-gold deposits filed by 26 senators. The was taken up by a four-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Sair Ali, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Kahlilur Rehman Ramday.
The apex court also said it was unsatisfied with the response filed by the Balochistan government. During the course of hearing, the applicants counsel Raza Kazam urged the court to determine whether the contract was against rules and regulations or not.
And if the contract is (found to be) against the set rules and regulations, officials who were responsible for (signing) the contract should be pointed out, he added.
Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday said that the contract had been awarded to the company in 1999 but questioned under which law the company had drilled to a depth of 20,000 metres.
The court instructed the provincial representatives to attend the court proceedings. Later, the hearing was adjourned till Friday (today).
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2011.
They are not freezing. but we....... :)
Adil (CHamp) has added a photo to the pool:
On the way to Kawai, Pakistan and taken while im on the Jeep , very quick click :) but im glad its almost perfect. :)
American kills 2 Pakistanis in 'self defence': police
LAHORE:
An American man shot dead two Pakistanis in a street in Lahore city on Thursday. The US citizen told police officials that he fired his pistol in self defence.
The American national told us he was driving his vehicle and stopped at a traffic signal. He saw motorcycle riders and one pulled out a pistol. The man told us he then pulled out his pistol and fired in self-defence, Lahore police chief Aslam Tarin told AFP.
Hes an American national. Hes in our custody and we are investigating.
A third Pakistani man was killed a short time later when a car from the US consulate in Lahore hit two pedestrians at the scene of the shooting, Tarin added.
One person died in the accident, Tarin said.
Television footage showed that a crowd had gathered at the scene of the incidents, setting tyres on fire in protest.
The US embassy in Islamabad confirmed the man involved was a consular official.
We can confirm hes a consular employee, but we dont know exactly what happened. Theres a lot of speculation and were speaking with the police to find out exactly what happened, US embassy spokesman Alberto Rodriguez told AFP.
Chief Minister Punjab, Mian Shahbaz Sharif has ordered Inspector General (IG) Punjab to submit a report on the incident.
PML-N rejects names for 'sugar price hike' judicial commission
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday rejected the names proposed by the government for a judicial commission to investigate the sugar price hike.
The PML-N rejected the names proposed by the government and proposed the name of Justice (retired) Sardar Raza to head the commission.
The government and PML-N had decided to form the judicial commission on January 26. The commission is to be headed by a high court of Supreme Court judge.
Sugar prices across the country had gone up towards the end of 2010. Prices in the local markets were ranging from Rs95 to Rs120 per kilogramme.
The price of a 50 kilogramme bag of sugar, which was Rs 3,900 in the wholesale market in October 2010, had risen to Rs 5,250 an increase of Rs 1,350 per bag.
American kills 2 Pakistanis in 'self defence': police
LAHORE:
An American man shot dead two Pakistanis in a street in Lahore city on Thursday. The US citizen told police officials that he fired his pistol in self defence.
The American national told us he was driving his vehicle and stopped at a traffic signal. He saw motorcycle riders and one pulled out a pistol. The man told us he then pulled out his pistol and fired in self-defence, Lahore police chief Aslam Tarin told AFP.
Hes an American national. Hes in our custody and we are investigating.
A third Pakistani man was killed a short time later when a car from the US consulate in Lahore hit two pedestrians at the scene of the shooting, Tarin added.
One person died in the accident, Tarin said.
Television footage showed that a crowd had gathered at the scene of the incidents, setting tyres on fire in protest.
The US embassy in Islamabad could not immediately be reached for comment.
Hajj scam: Contacts established between Kazmi and Rao Shakeel
ISLAMABAD:Additional Director General for the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Javed Bukhari informed the court on Thursday that contacts between Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Rao Shakeel and Ahmed Faiz have been established.
He also said that evidenceregarding State Minister Shugufta Jamanis involvement has also been found anda probe is underway to establish that.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was hearing the Hajj corruption case today (Thursday).
Bukhari submitted a statement of Zain Sukhera, another suspect in the scam.
The Attorney Generalinformed the court that Javed Ali Shah has been appointed as Additional Director General FIA and will have absolute powers to conduct a thorough investigation.
Javed Ali Shah presented Zain Sukheras statement in the court who is known for his affiliation with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilanis son, Qadir Gilani.
The chief justiceobserved that inquiriesare not being conducted properly because the government has hired contractual employees on key posts.
A listof nine contractualofficialswas also presented in the court.
Indian forces open fire across Shakargarh border
NAROWAL:Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) opened fire across the Shakargarh working boundary in the Narowal district late Wednesday night.
According to a Rangers spokesman, the Indian forces started indiscriminate firing which was followed by mortar shells being launched into the Pakistani side.
Pakistan rangers also retaliated and the exchange of firing continued on for about half an hour.
However, no injuries or casualties have been reported in this incident and no official statement has come out from the Indian side.
Last week, Indian BSF had violated the working boundary in the Bajwat sector in Sialkot by firing across the border. An exchange of fire had ensued between the Indian and Pakistani forces but there had been no reports of casualties.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Contempt of court charges: SC reserves PCO judges verdict
ISLAMABAD:A four-member bench of the Supreme Court, hearing contempt of court cases against PCO judges, reserved its verdict on Wednesday following arguments presented by defence attorneys.
Recurring objections hinge on the question of whether judges can be tried by the Supreme Court on contempt of court charges and whether it has the jurisdiction to implicate army generals for violating the court order of November 3, 2007, and serve them contempt of court notices.
Contempt proceedings cannot be initiated against judges under Article 204 of the Constitution, defence attorneys had contended. The Supreme Judicial Council has the sole jurisdiction to try judges under Article 209 of the Constitution.
If the judges violated the court order, the army was guilty of committing the same offence, Dr Basit, counsel for Justice Shabbar Raza Rizvi and Justice Hasnat Ahmad Khan, had argued before the bench. Army officers should also be summoned by the court, he said.
Dr Basit has requested the bench to give the president and members of the Supreme Court Bar Association a chance to argue the case since they are considered assistants of the court.
SM Zafar, counsel for Justice Zahid Hussain, argued that judges cannot be prosecuted for contempt of court on account of their immunity. If judges had immunity, it would have been mentioned in the Constitution, Justice MA Shahid Siddiqui remarked.
Everything is spelt out in the code of conduct for judges. Wh! en a jud ge interprets a piece of legislation and sets a precedent, it becomes the law, Justice Jawad S Khawaja observed.
It is said that the order of November 3 does not exist, would you agree? Do you accept the order? Justice Siddiqui enquired. I do not agree with this contention, Zafar answered.
Dr Basit submitted that the bench should first decide if army generals may be served contempt notices for violating the order.
The court adjourned the case till Thursday. The bench is yet to decide the date on which to announce the verdict, a court official informed the media.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2011.
NICL land scam: Arrest warrants for Moonis Elahi sought
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD:The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has decided to get arrest warrants for Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, the son of former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, on charges of being involved in the multi-billion-rupee NICL scam.
Authorities said that Moonis Elahi was being summoned on charges of receiving Rs220 million out of Rs2.5 billion misappropriated in the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) land scam.
Officials said that he (Moonis) was told to appear before investigators probing the scam two weeks ago, but he was reluctant. We have decided to obtain an arrest warrant as he failed to appear before the FIA despite a lapse of 16 days, a senior investigator said.
The FIA is also learnt to have started gathering information regarding Moonis Elahis bank accounts and other assets. The FIA, sources said, had also contacted Interpol.
Extradition papers regarding the arrest and extradition of Mohsin Habib Warraich have been sent and British authorities, sources told The Express Tribune. FIA authorities are also seeking the extradition of Javed, one of directors of NICL.
On Wednesday, FIA teams conducted a number of raids for the arrest of Rana Muhammad Ali, an employee of the Warraich family.
The Lahore bureau of FIA sent eighth reminder to its Sindh chapter for the arrest of proclaimed offender Amin Qasim Dada, another NICL director. FIA Punjab teams also summonned Director FIA, Sindh, Moazzam Jah on January 28 on charges of providing shelter to a wanted accused.
Zafar Ahmad Qureshi has once again been appointed as the investigation officer ! in the c ase. He has now been appointed as additional director general of FIA at Lahore.
Qureshi is learnt to have changed the composition of the team investigating the case by forming a new three-member team.
If there is any hesitation on behalf of any accused to appear before the team, arrest warrants can be obtained from the special court, Zafar Ahmad Qureshi told The Express Tribune.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2011.
National Assembly session: Govt promises stringent steps to maintain order
ISLAMABAD:The government has promised more stringent measures to improve security a day after terror attacks in two major cities killed more than a dozen people, after a brief lull in terror activities.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik told the National Assembly on Wednesday that the disaster would have been worse had the security personal not been on high alert in major cities.
We have to fight together against terrorism; terrorists are killing innocent people across the country, Malik said. He said it was a matter of satisfaction that all political parties are united in eliminating terrorism.
Later Minister of State for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar made an attempt to convince critics of the reformed general sales tax (RGST) that the government has wanted to implement under conditions set by international donors for more loans. Documentation of the economy was need of the hour, she asserted in response to a calling attention notice.
It is representation of the tax culture in the country and makes the governments case for documentation of the economy stronger, Khar said of RGST.
Though Khar could not reveal the estimated revenue loss, she urged the legislators to cooperate with the government in helping it catch tax-evaders. These are the people who start rallying against the government and succeed in winning the support of parliamentarians, she added.
We have started issuing notices to those who do not file their tax returns despite having a turnout of more that Rs5 million, she said. She also urged lawmakers not to politicise the issue, saying the government was exploring every optio! n to imp rove the system. The tax base at this juncture was much lower than the required, Khar said.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2011.
The Afghan endgame: Islamabad, Kabul to propose end to combat
ISLAMABAD:Pakistan and Afghanistan are likely to propose to the US to halt combat operations in the war-torn country and allow the reconciliation process to take the lead in the latest push for peace with the Taliban.
But the idea is likely to pitch the two countries against Washington, which seeks to go hard against the insurgents before the coalition forces begin pulling out from Afghanistan.
As Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rassoul arrives in Islamabad today (Thursday), the two countries have decided to put up a joint front at next months trilateral meeting with the US.
We believe the time has come to initiate a political process in Afghanistan, said a top Pakistani diplomat, who has been dealing with the issue of the Afghan war.
Pakistan and Afghanistan will soon ask the US to cease the offensive and let the reconciliation process take centre-stage, the official told The Express Tribune.
The proposal will be part of a joint strategy that Islamabad and Kabul are working out for their crucial meeting with the US in the third week of February.
The three-way consultations, at the level of foreign ministers, among Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US will discuss the Afghan endgame and the way forward.
The Washington meeting has assumed significance as it comes months before the US-led Nato troops start pulling out of Afghanistan by July this year. Pakistani officials say relations between Islamabad and Kabul have improved significantly in recent months, as the two neighbours h! ave deci ded to move beyond their past. There is a realisation now from both sides that we are the real victims of this ongoing war in the region we are the real stakeholders and we need to come up with a joint approach, said another official.
He acknowledged that the approach of Pakistan and Afghanistan to a war, which has entered 10th year, is not liked by the US at this stage.
But, we see signs of policy shift from the Obama administration they are also now talking about reconciliation, he added.
However, he said, the stakeholders still have to cross many stumbling blocks before arriving at a consensus on peacemaking with the Taliban.
The Afghan foreign minister will hold discussions with Pakistans top political and military leadership on the reconciliation process.
In recent weeks, Islamabad and Kabul stepped up consultations on the Afghan endgame. Since Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani visited Kabul in December last year, the two neighbours have had top-level exchanges.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2011.
Cabinet approves import of 5-year old cars
ISLAMABAD:The federal cabinet on Wednesday approved the decision to allow the import of five-year-old cars.
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
The government, on December 8, 2010, had increased the age limit for car imports from three years to five years, meeting a longstanding demand of dealers and countering hikes in domestic car prices.
Earlier, a report in The Express Tribune said Gilani was believed to be facing resistence after nearly two dozens ministers in the powerful Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet had challenged his decision to reverse the ECC move toallow the import of five-year-old used cars.
Shershah attack: Nine freed after confession
KARACHI:The Anti-terrorism Court in Karachi on Wednesday issued orders to release nine attackers who were alleged to be involved in the Shershah Market incident.
The accused men Akbar, Abdul Latif, Tufail, Asghar, Ejaz, Abid, Iqbal, Tehseen and Jauhar had surrendered before the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the police at their office in Saddar on January 11.
According to sources, the accused were presented before the court where the petitioner failed to identify any of them as real culprits of the incident.
The administrative judge of the anti terrorism court issued orders to release the accused by giving them benefit of the doubt.
On October 19, attackers had killed 14 shopkeepers in Shershah market. There were 17 attackers nominated in the FIR, namely Baba Ladla, Nawab, Pervaiz, Shafi Magsi, Ejaz, Abid, Mullah Raju, Jawad, Iqbal, Akbar, Rasheed alias Waja, Imdad, Asghar, Tufail, his son Tahseen and others.
Lahore Fort
Asim237 has added a photo to the pool:
The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila is citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore. The trapezoidal composition is spread over 20 hectares.
Origins of the fort go as far back as antiquity, however, the existing base structure was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar (15561605), In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Al Qaeda under most pressure since 2001: Obama
WASHINGTON:Al Qaeda is under more pressure in Pakistan now than at any time since the September 11, 2001 attacks, US President Barack Obama said in his State of the Union address Tuesday.
Their leaders and operatives are being removed from the battlefield. Their safe-havens are shrinking, Obama said, according to prepared remarks released by the White House.
And we have sent a message from the Afghan border to the Arabian Peninsula to all parts of the globe: we will not relent, we will not waver and we will defeat you.
Obama thanked counter-terrorism operatives foiling the plots that al Qaeda continues to plan but also sought to reassure American Muslims that there would be no backlash against them. As extremists try to inspire acts of violence within our borders, we are responding with the strength of our communities, with respect for the rule of law and with the conviction that American Muslims are a part of our American family, he said.
Obama has increased the number of unmanned drone strikes in areas of Pakistan close to the Afghan border that are a key battleground in the fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda. The strikes are deeply unpopular among the Pakistani public, who see foreign military action on Pakistani soil as a violation of national sovereignty.
Missile attacks doubled in the tribal areas last year as the covert campaign was stepped up, with more than 100 drone strikes killing over 670 people in 2010, compared with 45 strikes that killed 420 in 2009, according to an AFP tally.
Pakistan tacitly cooperates wit! h the bo mbing campaign, which US officials say has severely weakened al Qaedas leadership. But it has stalled on launching a ground offensive in the lawless district of North Waziristan, saying its troops are overstretched. Washington says the drone strikes have killed a number of high-value targets, including the former Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud.
Islam and state: Scholars discuss modern dilemmas, challenges
ISLAMABAD:With themes such as the origins of religious extremism in Pakistani society, Islams view of democracy, and rights of minorities, an international conference opened here on Tuesday.
The two-day conference on Islam and State: Practice and Perceptions in Pakistan and the Contemporary Muslim World opened at the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) and was attended by local and foreign scholars.
In his inaugural speech, the chief guest, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Education Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali, dwelt on the controversial blasphemy laws which seems to have polarised Pakistani society. He said a new Islam was being preached in Pakistan these days which justified suicide attacks and the killing of innocents. He considered it tragic that religious parties were justifying murder and glorifying the murderer. He emphasised the need to resolve the debate about literal or contextual interpretations of Quran in order to revive the institutions of Ijma and Ijtihad, as advocated by Allama Iqbal.
Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik, Rector of IIUI, was of the opinion that the main task that lay before the state in Pakistan was to liberate the nation from subservience to the US. He advocated Iqbals and Jinnahs interpretation of a liberal and progressive Islam that upheld the ideals of human equality, social justice and democracy.
IIUI President Dr Mumtaz Ahmad said that it was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and not General Zia who gave the initial impetus to politicise religion. The only difference between the two, according to him, was that Bhutto failed in using Islam to his benefit whereas Zia succeeded. He said r! eligion, which was supposed to integrate the nation, had been unable to achieve that purpose. However, he was optimistic about the revival that currently seems to be underway.
Sharing his views on Islam and democracy, Dr Khalid Masud, former chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology, discussed the concept of sovereignty in light of the views of Iqbal and Maulana Maududi.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2011.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
THE KING FISHER
TARIQ/ sulemani has added a photo to the pool:
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia. The group is treated either as a single family, Alcedinidae, or as a suborder Alcedines containing three families, Alcedinidae (river kingfishers), Halcyonidae (tree kingfishers), and Cerylidae (water kingfishers). There are roughly 90 species of kingfisher. All have large heads, long, sharp, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. Most species have bright plumage with little differences between the sexes. Most species are tropical in distribution, and a slight majority are found only in forests. They consume a wide range of prey as well as fish, usually caught by swooping down from a perch. Like other members of their order they nest in cavities, usually tunnels dug into the natural or artificial banks in the ground. A few species, principally insular forms, are threatened with extinction.
NA session: PML-N, MQM lash out at each other
ISLAMABAD:The National Assembly went through a brief session of chaos on Tuesday, minutes ahead of a premature adjournment after a verbal clash between members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
MQMs chief Altaf Hussains statement seeking imposition of martial law in Punjab is at the heart of the latest clash between the two groups. Temperatures soared after a top leader of the PML-N called for Hussains trial under the high treason law, for what he called a mischievous attempt to entice a military mutiny.
Ahsan Iqbal reminded MQM members that under the recently approved 18th constitutional amendment, supporting military intervention in politics is a crime as big as imposing martial law, and Altaf must be punished for that. This is treason, to the constitution and the country, Iqbal remarked only to provoke MQM members for a chorus of sloganeering against the PML-N.
Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi had to adjourn the session till Wednesday afternoon after his repeated calls for calms in the house failed.
In a speech delivered from London, Altaf had called for imposing martial law in Punjab to control an alarming rise in crimes. His assertion angered several leaders of the PML-N who chose points of order in the National Assembly to ridicule the statement, calling it an act that could not be justified on legal and moral grounds.
We have had enough of martial laws they never bring any good to the country and the people. Nobody should demand such a thing again, PML-N MNA Tehmina Daultana said in a speech earlier in the day.
Syed Asif Husnai! n of the MQM defended his leaders statement, however he did not directly support martial law for Punjab.
Earlier, the house deferred a bill by the PPP seeking extra punishment for those involved in disfiguring womens faces by throwing acid.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2011.
LNG project: Fresh tender despite pressure
ISLAMABAD:The retendering of a $20 billion Liquefied Natural Gas deal comes despite extreme pressure, from within and outside Pakistan, to re-award the contract to the same firm that was involved in the initial controversial deal.
Key political authorities as well as foreign diplomats were actively lobbying for the deal to be given to the same French-American consortium without fresh bidding in the aftermath of the Supreme Courts order to cancel the deal after it was found to be laced with incongruities.
As reported earlier, the law ministry had refused to sign off on advice that would see the re-awarding of the contract to GDF-Suez a move that had the support of the ministry of petroleum.
The petroleum ministrys position before the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) was that the Supreme Court did not order fresh tendering in its detailed judgment, so there was no need for fresh tenders. But the law ministry did not agree with this interpretation.
An official confirmed to The Express Tribune that Federal Law Minister Babar Awan did not attend at least half a dozen meetings of the ECC in recent months after the issue became a bone of contention between law and petroleum ministries, as he did not want to deviate from his ministrys written legal opinion.
Later French and American diplomats also met with Awan to convince him to support the move to give the contract to GDF-Suez again a consortium that has links with former US president George Bush and half brother of French president Sarkozi.
The sources said that the fresh tender might save Pakistan a few billion dollars as the gl! obal pri ces of LNG have shown a considerable decline since the petroleum ministry had struck a deal with GDF-Suez.
The LNG deal had been stopped by the Supreme Court after top officials of the petroleum ministry, including its special secretary GA Sabari, confessed that GDF-Suez was given the $20 billion contract without having ever participated in the bidding. He had disclosed that the contract was awarded after negotiations, not through bidding as required under the procurement rules.
One insider said that a last-ditch warning by petroleum minister Naveed Qamar in Tuesdays ECC that retendering would significantly delay the project fell on deaf ears. Finance Minister Dr Hafeez Sheikh refused to differ with the legal opinion to re-advertise the contract to ensure transparency.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2011.
Multi-billion dollar project: Controversial LNG deal scrapped by ECC
ISLAMABAD / ISLAMABAD:Bringing an end to the ongoing controversy, the government on Tuesday decided to scrap the multi-billion-dollar Mashal Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import project and directed that the contract be retendered according to the law ministrys opinion.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the cabinets Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), headed by Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.
Finance Secretary Dr Waqar Masood told reporters that the ECC has decided in principle to retender the project while Petroleum Minister Naveed Qamar said that the project will be retendered according to the ECCs decision.
In February 2009, the ECC, then headed by former finance minister Shaukat Tarin, had awarded the 3.5-million cubic feet per annum import of LNG contract to a French company called GDF-Suez. The total cost of the project over five years was estimated at $20 billion.
The LNG terminal handling project was awarded to Dutch company 4Gas. However, on the basis of alleged corruption in the deal, the Supreme Court directed the government to bundle the LNG import and terminal contracts and award them to a single party. This led to a tussle between the petroleum ministry, which wanted to award the bundled project to 4Gas again, and the law ministry, which demanded retendering of the contract.
However, according to an official handout released by the finance ministry: On the summary moved by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources for the import of LNG, it was decided that the law ministry may be consulted and review it in detail.
When asked to comment on the ministrys handout,! a spoke sperson of 4Gas said there was nothing to say on the basis of the press release.
The ECC also approved a summary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources seeking allocation of gas at Wellhead from the Oil and Gas Development Companys dormant fields.
The summary had proposed that gas from Nur Bagla, Jakhro and Sara West fields may be allocated to the Government of Sindh or to its designated entity at Wellhead.
The summary was moved in light of the 18th amendment, after which the subjects of mineral and natural resources were devolved to provinces.
No decision on restoring gas supply to fertiliser sector Meanwhile, the ECC could not decide on restoring gas supply to the fertiliser sector for producing 250,000 tons of urea to meet the needs for Rabi crop.
The industries ministry sought immediate restoration of gas for 30 days to the fertiliser industry and a combination of proposals was presented before the committee.
During deliberation, committee members were told that 55,000 tons of urea is stocked with the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) but that stock was specified to be distrib uted among flood-hit people through provinces.
The matter was referred to a committee formed to monitor the import of 225,000 tons of urea. It has been assigned to review the quantity of urea available in the country and gas availability for fertiliser companies. The committee has also been assigned to acquire assurance from the Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) for the delivery of 225,000 tons urea before February 15. Officials said the Sabic may be unable to deliver on time as the National Tariff Commission has already initiated anti-dumping investigation against the company on account of exporting 5,000 tons of caustic soda to Pakistan.
Shaikh told the Adviser to the prime minister on Agriculture Kamal Majeedullah to talk to the Government of Sindh about the 55,000 tons of urea presently stocked with the TCP.
Piper of Punjab
!shtiaQ Ahmed has added a photo to the pool:
A musician from the land of five rivers, performing at the Spring Festival at Mandi Bhawaldin, Punjab, Pakistan
