Father, brothers shoot girl in court

LAHORE: A 17-year-old girl was shot dead by her brothers and father while in police custody in Sahiwal on Wednesday. According to Dawn News, Sara alias Nusrat Bibi had appeared in the Sahiwal Sessions Court to seek the dissolution of her marriage. She was married in 2001 when she was just a 9-year-old. However, she had subsequently filed a petition in the court seeking to dissolve her marriage, against the will of her brothers and father. The court had given the decision in her favour. Her brothers and father shot and killed her as she left the courtroom.

Naseerabad resident claims the bodies

QUETTA: A resident of Thambo tehsil in Naseerabad district on Wednesday formally asked the district police to hand over the dead bodies of two girls killed over honour. Police said that no one had claimed the bodies, which were exhumed on Tuesday, until Wednesday when Muhammad Murad Umrani submitted an application with the police for their custody, claiming that the two girls were his relatives. However, the police could not hand over the dead bodies, as the district magistrate was not in town throughout the day. The dead bodies are expected to be handed over to the family today (Thursday).

Baloch girls were killed with blunt weapons: autopsy report

* Police say federal government committee unlikely to come to Naseerabad for investigations

QUETTA: A medical team, headed by a senior female police surgeon on Wednesday issued the initial autopsy report of two girls killed for honour, saying that the cause of their death was wounds from blunt weapons.

Talking to reporters, Dr Shameem Mishwani said that both the bodies were buried in a two-feet deep ditch far from their home and their broken skulls and ribs showed that they were badly tortured and hit in the heads with a rod or a stone, which probably caused their deaths, APP reported.

Blood and hair samples and pieces of clothes of the victims have been obtained and would be sent to Lahore for a DNA test tomorrow (Thursday), she said.

However, the police are completely clueless about the grave of the third girl who was also killed in the same incident. Although Islamabad-based media and human rights organisations issued a report of the killing of five girls, the actual number of girls killed, a local journalist said, was three.

Investigations: A committee of the federal government, headed by National Police Bureau (NPB) Director General Tariq Masood Khosa, has still not reached the area and local police was quoted as saying that the team was unlikely to arrive in Naseerabad for investigations.

“The federal government team would come only if it does not have faith in the report issued by the provincial police,” said Sibi-Naseerabad Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Ghulam Shabbir Sheikh, who has been in the area for the past many days. Sheikh said that until now, the federal government had raised no objections to their report and he did not have the schedule of Khosa’s visit to Balochistan.

Govt cannot force CJP to retire, says Naik

* Law minister says Iftikhar can’t be CJP even if he takes fresh oath

ISLAMABAD: The government cannot force Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar to retire, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Farooq Naik said on Wednesday. Talking to ARY TV, the Law Minister said the charge that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was not following the Murree Declaration was unjustified. Naik said that the PPP wanted to restore all the sacked judges including Iftikhar Chaudhry, but some constitutional complications that needed to be addressed first.

Iftikhar: The law minister said that sacked chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry could not become the chief justice even after taking a fresh oath, Express News reported. According to the channel, Naik told media outside the Parliament House that the sacked CJP could only work as a member of a bench of the court after his reappointment. He said Justice Dogar was not a PCO judge and would continue to serve as the CJP.

PPP didn’t order re-opening of corruption cases against Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Wednesday denied it had ordered the reopening of corruption cases against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif.

Law Minister Farooq Naik informed the Senate that he has summoned the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman to find out who was responsible for reopening the cases against the PML-N leaders.

“The PPP does not believe in political victimisation or vendetta,” Naik said.

He said the NAB cases against Nawaz had been dormant during his exile, but had now been reopened by the NAB prosecutor. Naik said the PML-N government had set up an Ehtesab Bureau headed by senator Saifur Rehman, which had started political victimisation and framed fabricated cases against the PPP and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari was one of the bureau’s affectees.

Leader of the House Raza Rabbani said the reopening of the cases might be part of a conspiracy to disturb the political harmony that existed between the two major parties. He lamented media reports suggesting the army should play a role, because the two political parties were reverting to the politics of the 1990s.

Let Kashmiris decide their future: Dan Burton

* Congressman says Kashmir’s political status disputed almost since 1947
* UN has not lived up to responsibilities for Kashmir solution

WASHINGTON: Congressman Dan Burton told a meeting this week that Kashmir’s political status has been disputed almost since 1947 and the United Nations had rejected India’s claim of the state’s accession by declaring that its future would be determined by its citizens through a free and impartial plebiscite, and one that had ever been held.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America, Burton said India claims to be the world’s largest democracy and so its soldiers must be held to a higher standard of conduct. Yet, India’s insistence on resolving a political problem by force has dragged it down into a campaign of essentially lawless state terrorism.

UN: The UN has not lived up to its responsibilities, he noted, while urging both the UN and the US to get involved in the Kashmir dispute to resolve it according to the satisfaction of the people of the state.

Yusuf Buch, a former aide to the UN secretary general, told the meeting organised by Ghulam Nabi Fai of the Kashmiri-American Council, “The posture of admitting no wrong which remains habitually Indian is receiving much encouragement from the very world powers that loudly swear a commitment to human rights. The encouragement is afforded by the very potent means of studied silence over the violations being committed in Kashmir, no matter how rampant. Let me cite an example. How many times, in and out of season, we have been reminded of a particular occurrence in Tiananmen Square some years ago? The reported wrong committed there on that ill-fated day has taken place, even though in a different manner, a number of times in and out of Srinagar. Have we heard a word, even a whisper, about gardens being turned into graveyards, about young women being raped and their mothers being forced to witness the atrocity, about young men being crippled and maimed for life, about the great numbers of fake disappearances which are continuing to this day in occupied Kashmir?”

Harsh Mander, an Indian human rights activist, told the meeting, “Even in small towns in Kashmir, you encounter even today bullet-proof tanks stationed on busy market squares … we are forced to stand at our posts with our guns from early morning till late into the night. But worse still is that the local people hate us so much. We are therefore always worried for our lives.’ ”

Taliban say Chinese hostages won’t be killed

ISLAMABAD: Taliban would not kill two Chinese engineers and two Pakistanis they have been holding, but they would not release them unless unspecified demands were met, Taliban said on Wednesday. A Taliban spokesman said the four would be held until Taliban demands were met, although he declined to say what the demands were. “There’s no plan to kill them. If the government does not contact us, they’ll remain detained,” said the spokesman.

32 police recruits kidnapped in Bara sub-division

PESHAWAR: At least 32 police recruits have been seized by unidentified men in the Bara sub-division of Khyber Agency on Wednesday. The recruits were on their way to the Police Training Centre in Hangu, sources told Daily Times. Officials expressed ignorance about the incident. However, an official of the DSP office in Hangu said a number of recruits were missing. One recruit said they had been travelling in public transport, and the armed men were searching for Shias.

30 militants killed in Swat operation

* Locals claim two children, four women killed in attacks

MINGORA: At least 30 militants, including two key commanders, were killed in a military operation against the Taliban in the Kooza Bandai area of Kabal tehsil in Swat, military officials said on Wednesday.

“Up to 30 militants are confirmed dead and some 25 wounded in a ground and air offensive by the army troops,” spokesman Major Nasir Ali told AFP. Ali said the operation targeted the central headquarters of radical pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah and one of his top commanders was among those killed.

Sources told Daily Times that two army soldiers were also killed, but ISPR officials did not confirm that.

Civilian deaths: Locals said two children and four women were also killed in Wednesday’s operation, which was launched simultaneously in the Bara Bandai, Kooza Bandai and Dherai areas of Kabal tehsil. Helicopter gunships were also used to target Taliban positions, locals said.

In Saidu Sharif, police have arrested several injured Taliban who had come for treatment to the Saidu Sharif Hospital, police sources said on Wednesday.

Increased power tariff to be effective from 7th

LAHORE: Having received the government’s assent for an increase in the power tariff, the Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) has started working on the new tariff schedule, which will be effective from September 7, Geo News reported on Wednesday.

The channel reported that PEPCO would forward the summary to the prime minister within a couple of days for his approval, adding the new tariff was expected to be applicable to the electricity bills for the month of September. The new tariff rates would not be applicable to domestic consumers using 50 units a month, it said. The rate for 50 to 100 units of consumption would rise to Rs 3.93 per unit while those using 300 to 1000 units would pay Rs 8.53 per unit.

Online reported that the Ministry of Finance has approved a 31 percent increase in electricity prices. Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf said the tariff hike was inevitable.

APP quoted Ashraf as saying the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) will announce the tariff increase in the next two or three days.

While talking to reporters at the Parliament House, he said NEPRA decides electricity prices after consulting the various electricity companies. He reiterated the government’s commitment that there would be no load shedding in the country during Sehar and Iftar times.

Baitullah Mehsud, LJ join hands in Karachi

* Newly formed group is headed by Raheemullah, who is accused of involvement in Allama Turabi’s murder besides several terrorist acts in Karachi

KARACHI: Baitullah Mehsud, the defunct Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) and other outlawed jihadi organisations have joined hands to pursue terrorist acts in Karachi, Daily Times learnt on Wednesday.

An intelligence agency official told Daily Times that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud was in contact with various groups in Karachi. The newly established group is presently headed by Raheemullah alias Naeem alias Ali Hassan, son of Wilayat Khan. A resident of Street 3, Shehzad Cinema, Qasba Colony, Orangi Town, Raheemullah, 35, usually wears a Sindhi cap and has been affiliated with the LJ and Harkatul Mujahideen.

Raheemullah is accused of carrying out various terrorist acts in Karachi, including the assassination of Shia scholar and MMA Sindh leader Allama Hassan Turabi.The sources said that the law enforcement agencies have arrested several members of Raheemullah’s group, however, others are still at large and are now planning to sabotage the network cracking down on terrorists.

Daily Times learnt that Raheemullah established contact with Baitullah Mehsud and many Karachi-based activists, including Qari Abid Mehsud, Khalid Dare Walla, Mufti Ilyas, Colonel Tufaan, Qari Hussain Mehsud, Abdul Wahad Mehsud of Kunwari Colony in Metroville and Faizullah Mehsud, a resident of Sohrab Goth, have joined him.

Pakistan summons US ambassador

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Wednesday summoned United States Ambassador Anne W Patterson and protested a raid by suspected US troops in a village near Angoor Adda. Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Sadiq said such attacks “may fuel the fire of hatred and violence that we are trying to extinguish”.

Ghani wants ‘befitting reply’

PESHAWAR: The killing of civilians in a cross-border raid by suspected US commandos is ‘cowardly’ and ‘outrageous’, and people expect the Pakistani military to “give a befitting reply”, NWFP Governor Owais Ghani said in a statement. He said the attack was a “direct assault on Pakistan’s sovereignty”.

Suspected US commandos kill 20 in S Waziristan raid

* Military says Pakistan reserves right to retaliate
* ISAF unaware of attack in Angoor Adda, Pentagon declines comment
* Pakistani embassy in Washington blames ‘faulty intelligence’

WANA: Suspected US commandos killed 20 civilians “including women and children” on Wednesday in a raid in a remote South Waziristan village, officials said.

NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani said three helicopter gunships and commandos were involved in the pre-dawn attack on a house in the Jala Khel village in the Birmal area, 30 kilometres west of Wana.

Witnesses in Angoor Adda, the last Pakistani town near the Afghan border, said that troops entered the house of a local tribesman, opened fire and threw a bomb in the house. Online said a Pakistani checkpost is situated only 300 metres from the site. Residents of the village told Reuters the foreign troops detained some people.

Retaliation: An ISPR statement said Pakistan Army had lodged a protest with the Office of the Defence Representative in Pakistan (ODRP) and said Pakistan reserved the right of retaliation. “Such actions are counterproductive and certainly do not help our joint efforts to fight terrorism,” the Foreign Ministry said.

ISAF and Pentagon: A spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) told AFP he had no word of such a raid, and that the force does not have a mandate to attack outside the borders of Afghanistan unless its troops come under fire from within Pakistan. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman declined to comment.

Faulty intelligence: Nadeem Kiani, spokesman for the Pakistani embassy in Washington, told Reuters the attack was a result of faulty intelligence. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the attack.

TTP claims responsibility

ISLAMABAD: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack on Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s motorcade on Wednesday. Talking to Reuters, a TTP spokesman said Prime Minister Gilani was attacked because he was responsible for the ongoing offensives against militants in the northwest of Pakistan. “We will continue such attacks on government officials and installations,” said Muslim Khan, the spokesman for the Swat Taliban. The TTP and their Al Qaeda allies have unleashed a wave of bomb attacks in Pakistan over the past year. The government of Pakistan banned the militant organisation last month and froze its assets.

PM’s motorcade attacked on Islamabad Highway

* Two bullets hit prime minister’s car on its way to airport
* Interior secretary says Gilani and his staff were not in the vehicle
* Rehman Malik forms investigation team

ISLAMABAD: Unidentified gunmen fired shots at Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani’s motorcade in a high security zone on the Islamabad Highway on Wednesday.

Rawalpindi City Police Officer Rao Muhammad Iqbal said the motorcade was on its way to the airport to pick the prime minister. “The [prime minister’s] car was going towards the airport when it was fired upon from a small hill . . . Two bullets hit the driver’s window.”

“The prime minister and his staff were not in the car,” Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah said. A statement by the Prime Minister’s House said two of a number of sniper shots fired on the prime minister’s vehicle hit the window on the driver’s side.

“However, because of the robust and comprehensive security measures, the prime minister and all the members of his motorcade remained unharmed,” the statement said.

Security officials cordoned off the area after the incident and used sniffer dogs and metal detectors to locate where the attack was carried out from.

Police officials told Daily Times more than 20 suspects had been arrested and were being questioned. The Islamabad Highway is usually closed for traffic during VVIP movement and armed security officials are deployed on both sides of the highway, particularly the hill from where the bullets shots were reportedly fired.

Investigation team: Adviser to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik formed an investigation team headed by National Police Bureau (NBP) Director General Tariq Khosa and directed it to submit the report on the attack “within 24 hours”. Acting President Mohammadmian Soomro condemned the attack.



Source: Daily Times.

Govt not to pursue cases against Nawaz, says Gilani

ISLAMABAD: The government is not pursuing any case against the Sharif brothers, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told the National Assembly (NA) on Thursday.

Giving a policy statement regarding the re-opening of corruption cases by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, the premier said his government did not believe in the politics of victimisation.

Gilani said he was aware of reports of the re-opening of NAB cases against the Sharif brothers. “There are no proceedings against any political leader by NAB,” he added. He said a cabinet committee had been formed to repeal the NAB Ordinance and draft a new law to ensure transparent and across-the-board accountability.

However, he said the NAB Ordinance could not be repealed currently because Article 6 of the Constitution protects it.

Gilani said NAB had been placed under the control of the Law Ministry, adding that the government would not set up any special court to hear cases against politicians and that ordinary courts will take up all such cases.

PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal also welcomed the prime minister’s policy statement, but said the PML-N had reservations over the transfer of NAB cases to ordinary courts.

“We believe there is no difference between NAB courts and the courts having judges — who took oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) — until the government restores the pre-November 3, 2007 judiciary headed by sacked chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry,” he said.


KARACHI: The Sindh government it establishing separate courts for women in the province, Sindh Law Minister Muhammad Ayaz Soomro said on Thursday. The law minister told the Sindh Assembly that female judges would be appointed in the Sindh High Court (SHC) and female police deputy superintendents will be recruited. All trial cases involving women will be transferred to this system, he added. He said the Larkana District Bar Association would provide free legal aid to deserving women and widows, adding that the People’s Lawyers Forum would defend women’s cases in the SHC.

Four militants killed in Waziristan missile strike

MIRANSHAH: At least four militants were killed and five wounded when three missiles fired by an unmanned aircraft hit a house in Muhammad Khel village in North Waziristan Agency on Thursday. Three missiles targeted the house of tribesman Rehman Wali in the village bordering Afghanistan, about 35 kilometres east of agency headquarters Miranshah, security officials said.Residents said a pilotless drone flew over the area for five hours before making the attack at about 5pm.Area resident Azeemullah Wazir told AP the house was known to host foreigners. He said he heard three blasts and later saw Taliban militants surround the site.

Angoor Adda raid shameful, regrettable, astonishing: FM

* Qureshi says there was no high-value target in the village
* Attack a ‘shameful violation’ of rules of engagement

ISLAMABAD: Wednesday’s US raid on an Angoor Adda village bordering Afghanistan is ‘regrettable, shameful and surprising’, Foreign Minister Qureshi said on Thursday.

“We strongly condemn the unprovoked attack,” he told the National Assembly after tabling a condemnation resolution in the Lower House of parliament.

High-value target: Qureshi said there had not been a ‘high-value target’ in the village attacked. “Only innocent children and women were targeted. Coalition forces will have to review their policy. Incidents like this will only fuel hatred among the tribal people.”

Rules of engagement: Qureshi said the attack was a ‘shameful violation’ of the rules of engagement agreed with the US-led forces in Afghanistan and added that the NATO chief was unaware of the attack. He said the attack was also a violation of international norms and principles of the United Nations Charter, and that the Border Co-ordination Centres set up at Torkham had not been consulted.

Pakistan also at stake in Afghan campaign, warns Sarkozy

DAMASCUS: Pulling out of Afghanistan would amount to abandoning nuclear-armed Pakistan, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday.

“If we abandon Afghanistan we will be abandoning Pakistan, which doesn’t need that. I want to remind you of one thing that Pakistan has the nuclear bomb,” he told reporters. “I want to say to the French that my conviction has not changed,” he said.

The attack on French soldiers last month prompted a public outcry in France, with some calling for the immediate withdrawal of the troops.

“Our soldiers, by fighting terrorists down there, are protecting us here. We must understand that terrorism is a global movement.”

Zardari wants fund for terror victims

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday asked the government to set up a special fund for terrorism victims in the country. “Our nation is the biggest target of global terrorists,” Zardari told the media. He said it was unfortunate that the debate on global terrorism repeatedly stressed Pakistan’s position in the war on terror but conveniently ignored the plight of terror victims. The PPP co-chairman asked the government to set up a fund for the rehabilitation of terror victims, adding that the fund would provide financial independence to the aggrieved families and protect their children from being affected by terrorists’ propaganda.Zardari said, “The war against terrorism is not the West’s war, it is our war.”

Zardari to work with US, defeat Taliban

* Presidential frontrunner says he will revoke power to bring down democratic govts
* Says PPP is committed to independent judiciary

WASHINGTON: Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, has vowed to work with the United States and defeat the Taliban insurgency.
In an op-ed article contributed to the Washington Post on Thursday, Zardari wrote that “chief among the challenges that all Pakistanis face is the threat of global terrorism, demonstrated again in this week’s assassination attempt against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.” He said returning Pakistan’s presidency to democratic governance is a huge step in our country’s transition from dictatorship to democracy, a process he wants to complete. He wrote, “I will work to defeat the domestic Taliban insurgency and to ensure that Pakistani territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on our neighbours or on NATO forces in Afghanistan. We stand with the United States, Britain, Spain and others who have been attacked. Fundamentally, however, the war we our fighting is our war. This battle is for Pakistan’s soul.”
According to Zardari, “Pakistani politics has always been a struggle between democratic forces around the country and an elite oligarchy, located exclusively in a region stretching between Lahore and Rawalpindi-Islamabad. The provinces of Sindh, the Northwest Frontier (Pashtunkhwa) and Baluchistan, as well as all of rural Punjab, have often been excluded from governance. The majority of Pakistan’s people, across the expanse of our nation, have been ignored and even subjugated by Pakistan’s establishment. This concentration of unchecked power has strained our government to the point of fracture. The PPP is the only party with support in all four provinces as well as in Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The PPP’s success in democratising the presidency will strengthen Pakistan’s viability as a nation.”

The PPP leader, who is expected to be elected president on Saturday, said it is essential that the nation’s independent judiciary is reconstituted. Judges who were dismissed arbitrarily by Pervez Musharraf in November are being restored to the bench by the government, but Parliament must enact a system of judicial reform to ensure that future judges are selected based on merit.

The PPP and its allies, he added, are unequivocally committed to an independent judiciary guaranteed by Parliament, consistent with the constitution and independent of political pressure.



Source: Daily Times.

__________________
Regards,
P.R.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- When you see people at the office using such Internet sites as Facebook and MySpace, you might suspect those workers are slacking off.

But that's not the case at the CIA, the FBI and the National Security Agency, where bosses are encouraging their staff members to use a new social-networking site designed for the super-secret world of spying.

"It's every bit Facebook and YouTube for spies, but it's much, much more," said Michael Wertheimer, assistant deputy director of national intelligence for analysis.

The program is called A-Space, and it's a social-networking site for analysts within the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies.

Instead of posting thoughts about the new Avenged Sevenfold album or Jessica Alba movie, CIA analysts could use A-Space to share information and opinion about al Qaeda movements in the Middle East or Russian naval maneuvers in the Black Sea.

The new A-Space site has been undergoing testing for months and launches officially for the nation's entire intelligence community September 22.

"It's a place where not only spies can meet but share data they've never been able to share before," Wertheimer said. "This is going to give them for the first time a chance to think out loud, think in public amongst their peers, under the protection of an A-Space umbrella."

Wertheimer demonstrated the program to CNN to show how analysts will use it to collaborate.

"One perfect example is if Osama bin Laden comes out with a new video. How is that video obtained? Where are the very sensitive secret sources we may have to put into a context that's not apparent to the rest of the world?" Wertheimer asked.

"In the past, whoever captured that video or captured information about the video kept it in-house. It's highly classified, because it has so very short a shelf life. That information is considered critical to our understanding."

The goal of A-Space, like intelligence analysis in general, is to protect the United States by assessing all the information available to the spy agencies. Missing crucial data can have enormous implications, such as an FBI agent who sent an e-mail before September 11, 2001, warning of people learning to fly airplanes but not learning to land them.

"There was the question, 'Was that a dot that failed to connect?' Well, that person did this via e-mail," Wertheimer said. "A-Space is the kind of place where you can log that observation and know that your fellow analysts can see that."

Even though Facebook, MySpace and other social-networking sites that inspired A-Space are predominantly the domain of young people, there apparently is no such generational divide on A-Space.

"We have found that participation in A-Space crosses every conceivable age line and experience line. People are excited, no matter what age group," Wertheimer said.

Of course, the material on A-Space is highly classified, so it won't be available for the public. Only intelligence personnel with the proper security clearance, and a reason to be examining particular information, can access the site. The creators of A-Space do not want it to be used by some future double agent such as Jonathan Pollard or Robert Hanssen to steal America's 21st-century secrets.

"We're building [a] mechanism to alert that behavior. We call that, for lack of a better term, the MasterCard, where someone is using their credit card in a way they've never used it before, and it alerts so that maybe that credit card has been stolen," Wertheimer said. "Same thing here. We're going to actually do patterns on the way people use A-Space."

Yes, analysts can collect friends on A-Space the way people can on Facebook. But nobody outside the intelligence community will ever know -- because they're secret...


Source:CNN.COM

* Law secretary says sacked judges must take fresh oath within a week or be considered retired

ISLAMABAD: Three sacked judges of the Supreme Court who refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order on November 3,2007 took a fresh oath of office on Friday.

Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani and Justice Syed Jamshed Ali took the oath, which was administered by CJP Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar. It was announced that they would be considered returned to their offices and their pre-November 3 seniority would be ensured.

Peshawar High Court (PHC) sacked Chief Justice Tariq Pervez Khan also took a new oath of office on Friday, administered by NWFP Governor Owais Ghani.

PHC CJ Tariq Pervez later administered a fresh oath to two other sacked PHC judges — Justice Shahjehan Yousafzai and Justice Dost Mohammad Khan — at the PHC at 10pm.m.

A third sacked PHC judge, Justice Ejaz Afzal, however, refused to take the oath anew.

Retirement: Law Secretary Agha Rafiq told Aaj TV that judges who do not take a fresh oath within a week would be considered retired, APP reported. “We have asked all sacked judges to take fresh oath and those who refuse to do so will be retired,” he said.

Wise decisions needed to wipe out terrorism, says Kayani

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan needs to take ‘wise decisions’ in order to eliminate the menace of terrorism and extremism from the country, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said.

In his message on Defence Day, Kayani said the day “reminds us of the determination, selflessness and sacrifices of the Armed Forces, which exhibited unwavering faith, unity and discipline in the country’s defence.” He said the officers and men of the Armed Forces stand side by side with the nation in every time of trial.

The army chief said Pakistan faced numerous threats to its security, which called for unity and trust to be established between the Armed Forces and the nation. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision of a moderate state is the best guideline towards achieving the goal of eliminating extremism, he said. Kayani lauded the shaheeds (martyrs) and ghazis (war veterans) and their acts of valour and gallantry, and said their heroics in the 1965 war provided “spirit and strength” to the nation and the army.

“Today we renew our pledge that we will uphold the same spirit and fervour, hard work and patriotism, which we demonstrated 43 years ago. The best way to pay tribute to the sacrifices of our heroes is to dedicate ourselves by incessantly working towards building up professionalism, personal skills and character, so as to come up to the expectations of the nation whenever the opportunity demands,” Kayani said.

Defence Day will be celebrated today with a pledge to make all possible sacrifices to defend the country.

3,000 tribesmen protest over cross-border raid

PESHAWAR: About 3,000 tribesmen on Friday chanted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) and “Death to America” while protesting against a raid by Afghanistan-based United States-led troops. One of the elders reportedly warned the US authorities to prepare for assaults on their bases in Afghanistan if they do not stop attacks on Pakistan’s northwest border. “If Americans do not stop launching assaults in our tribal regions, we will attack their bases in Afghanistan,” tribal elder Malik Ali Muhammad told the protesters. The rally took place in Wana, the main town in South Waziristan, where local officials said at least 15 people died in Wednesday’s raid.

Four children among six killed in Pak border ‘drone attack’

* Officials say three missiles hit two houses in ‘zero point’ village
* Army denies missile struck on Pakistani side of border

MIRANSHAH: Four children were among six killed on Friday morning in a suspected missile attack from an unmanned United States spy plane on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in North Waziristan.

“Three missiles were fired from a drone that hit two houses. Four children, a woman and a man have been killed in the attack,” said intelligence officials, requesting anonymity. According to officials, the attack occurred at Almakath village in the Gorveek area, 80 kilometres west of Miranshah. The two houses lie at ‘zero point’ on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Army denies: The army, however, denied that the strike had been carried out in Pakistan’s territory. “There was no strike on our side of the border. The news is incorrect,” chief military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told AFP.

A tribesman in Miranshah said the village crisscrossed the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. “Half of the village is in Pakistan and the other half is in Afghanistan,” said Aqleem Khan.

Earlier, an Interior Ministry official said locals had reported the strike on the Pakistani side of the border, but added that later it had been clarified that the houses damaged in the strike were located on the Afghan side.

US respects Pakistan’s sovereignty: White House

WASHINGTON: The White House has said that it respects Pakistan’s sovereignty and has always mourned any loss of innocent life, but declined to comment directly on alleged United States strikes inside the Pakistan’s borders, according to AFP.

“We respect their sovereignty and we support their new civilian government,” spokeswoman Dana Perino said, adding that US President George W Bush grieved any time there was a loss of innocent life. Separately, she said that the White House expected the winner of Pakistan’s presidential election to co-operate in the fight against terrorism. “We’ll continue to work with them, we need to have their co-operation.”

Meanwhile, the US State Department said that the US had a strong relationship with Pakistan and was working with the country to improve co-operation in fighting extremism along its Afghan border.

According to APP, spokesman Robert Wood refused to talk on the raid by Afghanistan-based coalition forces in the Pakistani border area of Angoor Adda. “The US’s relationship with Pakistan is complex, like a lot of our relationships with governments around the world, but a good one. We both have important interests, interests that coincide with regard to fighting Taliban and Al Qaeda,” he said.

China, Sweden to provide spy planes to Pakistan: Air chief

LAHORE: China and Sweden will provide state-of-the-art surveillance aircraft to Pakistan, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed said on Friday. According to Geo News, he said four AWACS aircraft from China and four SAAB-2000 aircraft from Sweden would reach Pakistan soon. Talks were also underway for the purchase of 30 to 40 FC-20 aircraft from China, he added. But he told Dawn News that plans to buy the AWACS, FC-20s and short-range air-to-air missiles had been affected by Pakistan’s dwindling foreign exchange reserves. The Pakistan Air Force had sought foreign loans for the execution of some of the contracts it had signed recently, he added.

Stage set for presidential election today

ISLAMABAD: The stage is set for the election of Pakistan’s 14th president today (Saturday), and the Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is the frontrunner in the three-way race. He is competing with PML-N backed former chief justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui and PML-Q Secretary General Mushahid Hussain. The Senate, the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies will choose the new president through secret balloting and that will begin simultaneously at the Parliament House in Islamabad and the provincial assemblies at 10am and end at 3pm. Unofficial results will be announced soon after the counting. The chief election commissioner, who is the returning officer, has nominated the chief justices of Lahore, Sindh and Balochistan high courts and the acting chief justice of PHC as presiding officers in their provinces.

Balancing presidential powers first priority, says Zardari

* Support for candidature ‘vote of endorsement’ for strong federation: PPP co-chairman

ISLAMABAD: Balancing presidential powers will be my first priority as president, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Friday.

“If elected president, first priority will be to support the prime minister, the National Assembly and the Senate to amend the constitution and bring into balance the powers of the Presidency,” he said.

Zardari said he stood strongly for a system where elected representatives took decisions for the country, adding that a strong federation could best respond to challenges confronting the nation. Commenting on the unanimous support by three provincial assemblies to his candidature, Zardari said this support was due to the ideals he stood for.

Strong federation: “The overwhelming support for my candidature by the three provincial assemblies, the Northern Areas Legislative Assembly and the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly is a vote of endorsement for a strong federation. There is also consensus in the country that an empowered federation alone can stand up to challenges that are threatening the nation’s stability. A robust Pakistan can only be ensured by a candidate who has the support of a majority of political forces,” he said. He added this year’s presidential election was being conducted in a purely political and democratic environment.

US should respect Pak territorial integrity: Germany

ISLAMABAD: The United States-led coalition forces in Afghanistan should respect Pakistan’s territorial integrity and avoid launching unilateral military strikes inside the country, German Defence Minister Dr Franz Joseph Joung said on Friday. “I think it is important that Pakistan fights against militants in its territory on its own. We should not conduct military operations from the Afghan side. Pakistan’s territorial integrity needs to be respected,” he told a small group of German reporters at a local hotel. Joung said every action inside Pakistan should be executed in collaboration with Islamabad.

Pakistan reserves right to retaliate in future: Gen Tariq

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan reserves the right to appropriately retaliate against unilateral attacks by coalition forces from Afghanistan, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Tariq Majid said on Friday. “Pakistan reserves the right to appropriately retaliate in future,” General Tariq told German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung who called on him at the Joint Staff Headquarters. Condemning the attack by US forces at Angoor Ada, the CJCSC said such cross-border strikes would alienate locals. General Tariq said that Afghanistan was levelling allegations against Pakistan to cover its failures.

Pakistan stops NATO supplies

* Khyber Agency PA says Torkham Highway closed due to Taliban threats to trucks
* Says decision not a reaction to US attacks

PESHAWAR: Pakistan stopped supplies to the United States and NATO forces in Afghanistan through its western Torkham border on Friday, citing security concerns.

A senior official said the measure followed increasing Taliban threats to trucks carrying the supplies.

“All Afghanistan-bound supplies for the International Security Assistance Force have been stopped as the [Torkham] highway is vulnerable,” Khyber Agency Political Agent Tariq Hayat told Daily Times, dismissing the impression that the decision is a reaction to continued United States attacks in Waziristan.

“This decision has nothing to do with the situation in Waziristan or the US attacks. This is purely a security issue and we want no untoward incident to take place as far as supplies for ISAF are concerned.” The international Torkham Highway was closed for “vulnerable vehicles”, he said referring to trucks carrying ISAF supplies, and the supplies would resume after the highway was cleared.

The political agent did not say how long the highway would take to be cleared, but added that other traffic would be allowed on the road.

A senior border official at Torkham, 58 kilometres west of Peshawar, said the closure of the highway would also affect the US forces, which get fuel, food and other military supplies through Torkham crossing points.

The coalition forces also get supplies through the Chaman border in Balochistan, but the bulk of the supplies goes through Torkham – a shorter route for Kabul where the US and NATO forces are based.



Source: Daily Times.

__________________
Regards,
P.R.

Zardari’s five challenges

WASHINGTON: There are five challenges that the new President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari will face, namely militancy, the economy, democracy, India and his own personal safety.

According to an Associated Press assessment, President Zardari will have to respond to Western pressure to crack down on Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters in Pakistan and Afghanistan, motivate donors to top up the country’s foreign currency reserves and prevent a run on the rupee, deal with demands to release Dr AQ Khan, face pressures to resign as co-chair of the Pakistan People’s Party and restore the parliament’s powers and continue the peace process with India.

30 killed in Peshawar suicide attack

* Seven policemen among dead as bomber rams pick-up truck into Kohat Road checkpost

PESHAWAR: At least 30 people were killed and more than 70 injured when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a security checkpoint in the outskirts of Peshawar, officials said.

Seven of the dead were policemen. A witness said a pickup truck hit several policemen manning the Zangli checkpost on Kohat Road before it exploded. The checkpoint is situated about 20 kilometres south of Peshawar on the road leading to Darra Adam Khel and Kohat. The vehicle was travelling northwards to Peshawar.

The explosion gouged a four-foot deep crater in the road, and two nearby markets collapsed. Destroyed vehicles and pieces of debris scattered across a large area.

Officials said many people were trapped under the rubble of damaged buildings in a nearby market. Civilians dug frantically with their hands in hopes of finding survivors. Fourteen of the injured at Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital are in a critical condition.

Nasirulmulk Bangash, a top police official in the area, told AP the vehicle carried at least 150 kilogrammes of explosives - an amount he called “unprecedented” - and was apparently en route to Peshawar.

The amount of explosives indicated the attack was aimed at a higher-value target than the small checkpoint, but might have been tripped up by high security on election day, Bangash said, without speculating on what the intended target might have been. Rescue efforts were also impaired because several major roads in Peshawar had been closed down due to heightened security.

Later on Saturday, a man was killed in a gunfight between rival groups attending the funeral of a police ASI killed in the bombing. The cause of the fight could not be ascertained.

WASHINGTON: The United States congratulated Asif Ali Zardari on his win in Pakistan’s presidential vote, the White House said in a statement. “President (George W) Bush looks forward to working with him, Prime Minister Gilani, and the government of Pakistan on issues important to both countries,” White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said, according to AFP. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talking to reporters travelling with her in North Africa welcomed Zardari’s election as president and praised what she said was his emphasis on fighting terrorism, Reuters reported.

Zardari good omen for Pakistan: Altaf

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has congratulated Asif Ali Zardari on becoming president through an overwhelming majority. He also congratulated the leaders and workers of the Pakistan People’s Party and the people of Pakistan. Hussain said elected members’ confidence in Zardari means he is a good omen for Pakistan, and hoped the president-elect would use his expertise for the progress and well being of Pakistan and its people. Hussain thanked Pakistan Muslim League-Functional President Pir Pagaro and National People’s Party chief Mustafa Jatoi for supporting Zardari.

Dictatorship has been defeated: Nawaz Sharif

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Felicitating PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on his election as president, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said that Zardari’s election was the defeat of dictatorship, ARY One World reported. In a statement, Nawaz said that Zardari’s victory was the success of the democratic process in the country. He hoped that Zardari would represent the federation and rise above his political affiliation. Nawaz also hoped that the PPP-led government would steer Pakistan out of economic crisis and other challenges, including extremism and terrorism.

‘President subservient to parliament’

ISLAMABAD: Parliament is sovereign and the president is subservient to it, President-elect and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday. Zardari told a reception hosted in his honour at Prime Minister’s House following the presidential poll that those having reservations on the holding of two offices - the Presidency and the co-chairmanship of the party - by him should respect the mandate given by parliamentarians who represent 98 percent of the population. The president-elect quoted his late wife Benazir Bhutto’s words that “democracy is the best revenge”.

Mr 100 percent!

KARACHI: PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari received 100 percent of the votes in Sindh Assembly in Saturday’s presidential election. Of the 163 votes cast in the 166-member House, one was invalid, and Zardari received all the remaining 162, according to an announcement by Sindh High Court Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, who was the presiding officer. Sindh Food Minister Nadir Magsi, MQM’s Dr Muhammad Ali Shah and PML-Q’s Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim were absent. Members of a group led by Rahim voted for Zardari, but the former Sindh chief minister did not attend because he is abroad. MQM’s Shah is also on a foreign tour, and PPP’s Magsi had been sent to Balochistan for the election campaign. Ten members of the PML-F arrived at the polling station 20 minutes before polling ended, reportedly after their chief Pir Pagaro asked them to vote following successful last-minute negotiations.

A to Z: Prison to Presidency

* Convincing victory for Zardari with thumping majority in three provinces
* PPP co-chairman gets 481 votes from electoral college, Justice Siddiqui bags 153, Mushahid only 44

ISLAMABAD: Asif Ali Zardari secured a large win in the presidential elections on Saturday, capping a remarkable rise from jail, exile and his wife Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.

Zardari secured 281 out of 426 Senate and National Assembly votes and won a thumping majority in three of the four provincial assemblies, ending up with 481 of the 702 votes of the presidential electoral college.

The 53-year-old has become the 14th president of Pakistan, defeating Nawaz Sharif-backed retired chief justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui who received 153 votes, and the PML-Q-backed Mushahid Hussain who received 44.

Hundreds of supporters gathered outside the parliament and cheered “Long live Bhutto” and “Zardari is our leader” as soon as the result was announced.

Zardari and Benazir’s two jubilant but tearful daughters, one carrying a portrait of their late mother, smiled and hugged friends in the gallery of the National Assembly.

Security was tight as secret voting began shortly after 10am and ended at 3pm in the two chambers of parliament and four provincial assemblies.

Of the 436 votes in the Senate and the National Assembly, Zardari received 281, Justice Siddiqui 111 and Mushahid received 34.

Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Muhammad Farooq declared 10 votes invalid. Six votes were not cast.

The opposition PML-Q has 92 members in the parliament – 38 in the Senate and 54 in the National Assembly – but a majority of its members voted for Zardari.

The PML-N has 91 seats in the National Assembly and four in the Senate. It was able to get 16 extra votes, from senators belonging to the All Parties Democratic Movement and possibly some PML-Q members.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) had announced it would not vote, but turned up and voted for Zardari after last minute negotiations.

In the 166-memeber Sindh Assembly, the PPP co-chairman received all the 162 correctly cast votes. Three members were absent and one vote was rejected.

In accordance with a formula specified in Schedule II of the Constitution, the 162 Sindh Assembly votes were counted as 62.

In the 65-member Balochistan Assembly, 59 votes were cast for Zardari. Justice Siddiqui and Mushahid received two votes each.

All 124 members of the NWFP Assembly cast their votes – 107 for Zardari, 10 for Justice Siddiqui and three for Mushahid. In line with the formula specified in the constitution, the votes were recalculated as 56 for Zardari, five for Justice Siddiqui and two for Mushahid.

In the 371-member Punjab Assembly, Justice Siddiqui bagged 201 votes – counted 35, Zardari received 123 – counted 21, and Mushahid 36 – counted 6.

The oath taking of the newly elected president is expected to be held on September 9, according to an Online report.

Citing sources in the President’s House, the news agency said preparations for the ceremony had been completed. Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar would administer the oath and important political leaders, including those from the PML-Q and the PML-N, will be invited to the ceremony, it said.



Source: Daily Times.

__________________
Regards,
P.R.

Australia conservatives charged for state election

Monday, September 08, 2008


CANBERRA: Australia looked set to expand uranium mining on Sunday with conservatives poised to win elections in resource powerhouse Western Australia State and demolish the coast-to-coast grip of the centre-left.

State Labor Premier Alan Carpenter was bravely tipping a hung parliament with four of the 59 seats still in doubt, but election analysts said the two conservative opposition parties would likely form a coalition government in coming days.

“It has not been the sort of night and the sort of day that we had hoped,” said Carpenter, who called the election five months early to capitalise on disarray caused by a conservative leader, caught sniffing the chair of a female staffer.

A day before Carpenter called the poll, the pro-uranium Liberal Party dumped its troubled leader Troy Buswell, who was dogged by lurid reports of his chair-sniffing behaviour, and replaced him with veteran Colin Barnett.

“I believe that the people of Western Australia have expressed their trust in myself and my colleagues. They have given us an opportunity and if that comes to pass we will accept that opportunity,” said Barnett.

Labor was tipped to win 27 of the 59 seats in the state’s Legislative Assembly, while the conservative Liberal Party was tipped to take 25. The conservative Nationals, representing mostly farmers, were likely to win four seats and others three.

Western Australia is at the centre of Australia’s resource boom with vast iron ore and offshore oil and gas projects, but the state’s centre-left Labor government opposes uranium mining, meaning eight major deposits remain unexploited.

The state accounts for a third of the A$1 trillion national economy on the back of the international resource boom, and a third of global iron ore exports, but has only a tenth of Australia’s 21 million population

Mysterious powder sent to US diplomats

Monday, September 08, 2008

ISLAMABAD: Two American diplomatic outposts in Pakistan received envelopes containing an unknown white powder last week, sparking a security scare, a US embassy spokesman said on Sunday.

Tests are being conducted on the substance, spokesman Lou Fintor said. He declined comment on whether any embassy staffers had become ill or were under observation. The envelopes were sent to the US consulate in Karachi on Thursday and the US embassy in Islamabad on Friday.

Fintor said both facilities have remained open, with no plans to close them. “Embassy personnel followed established response procedures,” Fintor said. “We applaud the rapid and appropriate response by our mailroom and security staff to contain any potential threats. We take threats of this type very seriously, hoax or not,” Fintor added. He would not say where the envelopes had been mailed from, pending an investigation, or to whom they were addressed

German Air Force chief visiting Pakistan

Monday, September 08, 2008

ISLAMABAD: Lieutenant General Klaus-Peter Stieglitz, Chief of Air Staff (COAS) German Air Force (GAF), will be visiting Pakistan from Monday, September 8 on the invitation of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

According to a statement issued here on Sunday, the GAF chief will call during the visit on Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmad, CAS PAF.Lt-Gen Klaus-Peter Stieglitz had joined the GAF in 1968. He has to his credit 3,500 flying hours and has flown various combat aircraft.

During his 40-year career, he has held various command, staff and instructional appointments that include: Assistant Branch Chief for Operational Policies, Air Staff-III, MoD; Assistant Branch Chief, Planning Staff, MoD, Wing Commander No 35 Fighter Bomber Wing and No 73 Fighter Wing, Branch Chief Policy on Flight Regulations, Air Traffic Management, Flight Safety, Air Staff-III MoD.

Shahbaz announces Rs 5.7m for families of Mianwali victims

Monday, September 08, 2008


LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday distributed compensation cheques of Rs 5.7 million among the 10 victim families of the Mianwali van accident that claimed the lives of 19 innocent boys and girls on Saturday.

The chief minister visited Dera Gangeeranwala, a suburban village of Mianwali, to console the heirs of the deceased students. Expressing his profound grief and sorrow over the tragic incident and sympathies with the bereaved families, the chief minister assured them that the PML-N government would make every effort to support and facilitate the affected families.

He also offered Fateha for the departed souls and consoled the bereaved families. The chief minister also ordered the construction of a 50-km-long dual carriage way from Harnoli village to Musakhel area of the district.

He said the government had evolved a comprehensive strategy to bring the Mianwali district at par with the developed cities of the province.On the demand of the Mianwali's MNAs and MPAs, he promised that the proposal of a cadet college in the district would be considered in a proper manner. The chief minister also directed the authorities concerned to conduct a survey to assess the damages caused by the recent rains in the district so that the affected people could be compensated.

MNA Umair Hayat Khan Rokhri, MPA Ali Haider Noor Khan Niazi, ex-MNA Inamullah Khan Niazi, former provincial minister Gul Hameed Khan Rokhri, Malik Ghulam Shabbir Joya and Mianwali District Nazim Haji Ubaidullah Shadikhel were also present on the occasion.


Monday, September 08, 2008

PESHAWAR: Victims of Saturday’s bomb blast were lowered into graves amid moving scenes in Zangali village, with a question in the mind of bereaved families as to what did the attackers achieve by targeting innocent civilians who had no say in government’s policy against the so-called “war on terror”.

Crying uncontrollably, the near and dears of the deceased were seen cursing the attackers who shed the blood of innocent and poor people, majority of whom were shopkeepers and vendors.

Following the tragic occurrence at Zangali area, situated on Indus Highway some 12 kilometres off Peshawar, the people had gone into deep shock while the children were afraid even to roam the area.

Moreover, apart from all that, one of the relatives of the deceased burst into anger against the government, saying people had to face difficulties in reaching the hospitals in city as the provincial government had tightened security during presidential election, leaving the vehicular traffic almost jammed. “On the one hand, we witnessed the bloodbath and the bodies of our near and dear ones and on the other we faced severe problems in rushing our wounded relatives to the Lady Reading Hospital due to traffic jam,” one Abdur Rehman told The News.


Source : The News

__________________
Time is the longest distance between two places.

‘Military unlikely to pressure new president’

* Analyst says army realises political interference will not help military or country

ISLAMABAD: President-elect Asif Ali Zardari is unlikely to face the same level of military pressure as former premier Benazir Bhutto did during her two terms in office, analysts said.

The military, that has ruled Pakistan for around half its 61 years of existence, most recently under former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf, remains a potent force.

But analysts said Zardari’s civilian rule would not be impeded as long as he did not interfere or challenge the military doctrine.

“The army has decided to co-exist with the present political realities and leadership,” military analyst General (r) Talat Masood said.

Won’t help: “They realise any meddling in politics will be very much misunderstood and will not be helpful to their own institution or [in the country’s interest].”

As president, Zardari will head the National Command Authority, which safeguards the country’s nuclear weapons. However, the reality is that the armed forces will have firm control of the atomic arsenal.

“The military will still be in charge of the nuclear asset,” Masood said.

“But with no immediate moves to impeach Musharraf, the military will give the new president the backing he needs to rule without hindrance,” said political analyst Hasan Askari.

“So far, Zardari has maintained cordial relations with the military top command and taken care of their sensitivities,” Askari said.

“The army will show acceptance and see how things play out with Zardari as supreme commander of the armed forces. They have given him political space and are likely to stay within their professional domain.”

“The army needs political support for the war on terrorism and would expect the president to ensure that the civilian government backs its aims,” Askari said.

While Zardari’s recent rise to power had been smooth the pressures of office would put him under strain in coming months, said Islamabad University Peace and Conflict Studies head Riffat Hussain.

“The army realises it has been too visible in Pakistani politics for too long, and that it is time for it to retreat,” Hussain said.

“But there will be people who look on the army as the final arbitrator in decision making. The relationship will be severely tested by the internal and external security threats that Pakistan is facing.”

Pakistan could be next big IMF customer

* Citigroup calls weak rupee ‘a legacy of flawed economic policies’
* Sees risk of debt default next year

LAHORE: A recent report by Citigroup suggests Pakistan as the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) next big customer, according to a Newsweek report.

According to the magazine, the IMF had seemed on track to permanent downsizing earlier this year, because emerging-market growth had left it without a client base of economically poor nations. However, that might soon change.

Default: The magazine quoted a recent report by Citigroup saying Pakistan could be the IMF’s next big customer. According to the magazine, “the bank sees a big risk of sovereign-debt default next year thanks to a weak rupee (a legacy of flawed economic policies) and higher energy prices”.

“The balance-of-payment situation in energy-dependent countries like Pakistan has deteriorated,” Newsweek quoted Citi economist Mushtaq Khan as saying. “Oil has softened, but even if prices stay where they are, Pakistan will run a large deficit,” Khan said.

According to the magazine, Khan noted that Pakistan needed IMF advice more than money. It said proposed loans from Saudi Arabia could stabilise the currency, but other investors “would not bite until they see a plan for structural reform”.

Earlier, an IMF staff assessment of Pakistan’s macroeconomic situation had called it fragile and vulnerable to a crisis.

According to the IMF experts responsible for the assessment, the external current account deficit for 2008-09 will be $14 billion or 7.7 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). With capital inflows of about $7 billion, the IMF estimated the external financing gap to be around $7 billion.

Real GDP growth is expected to slow further to about 4.5 to 5 percent in 2008-09, while average inflation is projected to increase to 16-17 percent owing in part to the expected pass-through of higher international food and energy prices.

The IMF also recommended that a stronger effort is necessary to broaden the tax base by eliminating some tax exemptions. Interest rates should be allowed to rise as needed in order to lower inflation and ensure that the domestic financing of the deficit is covered entirely by commercial banks and non-bank sources.

The IMF noted that Pakistan has requested an oil facility from Saudi Arabia to defer the payment of oil imports of 110,000 barrels per day, which at current oil prices would amount to $5 billion annually. The terms and conditions of the deferment were on hold till the presidential election.

100% increase likely in job quota for women

ISLAMABAD: The government is considering increasing the job quota for women in federal and provincial departments from 10 to 20 percent, sources told Daily Times on Sunday. They said the Women Development Ministry has moved a summary detailing the proposal to Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, which has been recommended by the Establishment Division. The Law and Justice Ministry has also endorsed the summary, according to the sources. Former president General Ziaul Haq had allocated a five percent quota for women in government jobs, which was increased to 10 percent during the Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf-led government.

More sacked judges agree to take fresh oath

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Five more sacked judges are likely to take oath on Tuesday, leaving sacked chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry virtually ‘isolated’, sources said on Sunday.

They said two sacked judges of the Supreme Court (SC) - Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan and Justice Nasirul Mulk - had agreed to take fresh oaths, adding that a notification in this regard would likely be issued today (Monday).

The source confirmed two sacked judges of the Sindh High Court - chief justice Sabihuddin Ahmad and Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani - would also take oath as SC judges on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, deposed Lahore High Court judge Khawaja Muhammad Sharif has also expressed his willingness to be reappointed as a SC judge and is likely to take oath today (Monday), Geo News reported on Sunday. However, talking to the channel, Sharif dismissed reports about his reappointment as ‘baseless’, and said he had not been contacted for a fresh oath.

Zardari calls off celebration holiday

KARACHI: President-elect Asif Ali Zardari has withdrawn today’s (September 8) public holiday and stopped millions of people from celebrating a day off in his honour on Sunday. Following Zardari’s directives, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah withdrew the notification. “The government withdrew the notification after Zardari said it was not the time to go on holiday but to work hard and solve people’s problems,” provincial minister Waqar Mehdi told reporters. All offices, corporations, councils and educational institutions will now remain open today. The holiday was for state employees, schools and colleges.

Karzai invited to oath-taking

KABUL: President-elect Asif Ali Zardari has invited his Afghan counterpart to attend his oath-taking ceremony next week, the Afghanistan government said on Sunday. According to a statement issued by Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s office, Karzai telephoned Zardari to congratulate him on winning the September 6 presidential election. The statement said Karzai had accepted the invitation expressing hope that relationship between the two neighbouring countries would improve. Relations between Karzai and former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf remained tense due to Kabul accusing Islamabad of not doing enough in the war on terror.

PM vows to restore 1973 Constitution

* Gilani says Zardari’s victory completes democratic process
* Meets bi-partisan United States congressional delegation

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday vowed to restore the 1973 Constitution in its original form, and said the measure would guarantee an independent judiciary and free media.

“With the election of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari as Pakistan’s president, the democratic process in the country is complete,” the prime minister said while talking to a United States congressional delegation.

The statement comes amid demands for the removal of the constitutional amendments that give excessive authority to the president, and promises by the PPP that it will create a balance of power between state institutions.

The six-member bi-partisan congressional delegation had called on Gilani at the Prime Minister’s House, a day after Zardari’s convincing victory in Saturday’s presidential election.

The delegation included House Armed Services Committee members Congressman Jim Cooper (Democrat-Tennessee) and Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (D-Kansas), House Committee on Education and Labour member Congressman Thomas Petri (Republican-Wisconsin), House Ways and Means Committee member Congressman Jon Porter (R- Nevada), and House Homeland Security Committee member Congressman Dave Reichert (R-Washington).

US Ambassador Anne W Patterson was also present.




Source: Daily Times.

__________________
Regards,
P.R.

The foreign-policy challenges are coming thick and fast for America's presidential hopefuls these days - providing a sharp reminder to us all that the new man in the White House will find himself handling pressing issues in some of the world's most dangerous and unpredictable trouble spots
First came the crisis over South Ossetia which challenged both John McCain and Barack Obama to explain how they would balance the Westernising ambitions of former communist states like Georgia against the hard reality that a resurgent Russia remains at least a regional super-power.

Now there is the resignation of Pervez Musharraf - the Pakistani military strongman who ignored the differences of opinion within his turbulent Muslim country and declared it to be an ally of the United States in the "war on terror".

The threat of a new Cold War with the Russians has been making headlines around the world, but the upheaval in Islamabad is potentially even more destabilising.

Washington's approval

Something in the Musharraf approach clearly struck a chord with George W Bush - at a practical level it would have been almost impossible for the US to conduct effective operations in Afghanistan without the co-operation of neighbouring Pakistan
But the Pakistani leader's personal style dovetailed neatly with the Bush approach to politics too - both men liked the idea of following simple strategies based on big ideas, rather than troubling themselves with the detailed issues of day-to-day politics.

On the face of it, that made Pervez Musharraf a familiar figure on the American political stage - the military strongman who while not himself a democrat, was nonetheless a keen supporter of the world's most powerful democracy and whose support was rewarded with American aid - around $10bn in this case.

He is not the first such figure to alienate huge sections of his own population in pursuit of Washington's approval and friendship.

Difficult issue

The reason why Pakistan is so different - and so difficult - for the United States is because within its own institutions of power there are competing impulses about where the country's true interests lie.

One American foreign policy analyst put it like this: "Pakistan is probably the most difficult issue the next president will face. It is both a victim of Jihadist terrorism - as with the assassination of Mrs Bhutto - and a sponsor and safe haven of Jihadist terrorism and it is unclear who's on which side at any given time."

There are clear indications that elements within the Pakistani Intelligence Services (the ISI) support the resurgent Taleban - only last month the CIA presented Pakistan's government with evidence that its intelligence agents assisted a suicide bomb attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul.

That has to be balanced against the fact that Pakistani agents have arrested hundreds of al-Qaeda suspects in recent years, including a number of key players who were handed on into US custody.

Anti-Americanism

It is a sobering thought for Americans that even under a pro-Western military strongman, Pakistan to some extent faced both ways in the "war on terror". Under a democratically-elected coalition government, the country might become an even more complex and ambiguous partner.
President Bush rewarded Pervez Musharraf's support with $10bn aid

President Bush was quick to stress the importance to America of working with the new Pakistani leadership, but the challenge for the next president is to persuade the new regime in Islamabad to remain focussed on the "war on terror".

The American hope is that a democratically-elected government will be a more natural partner than a military dictatorship, but it is far from certain that things will work out that way.

In the fractious and sometimes dangerous world of Pakistani politics, the coalition may well find itself pre-occupied with its own survival. And it will have to be mindful of a strong streak of anti-Americanism in Pakistan which is not entirely confined to Islamic fundamentalists.

Pakistani-Afghan border

So President Bush, and whoever follows him into the White House, will need to be subtle and determined if they are to keep the new Pakistan somehow involved in the America-led alliance which fights the "war on terror".

Washington has poured aid into Pakistan in recent years - and picks up the bills for keeping the Pakistani Army deployed in the tribal areas around the country's border with Afghanistan - but there have been signs lately that the Americans do not believe they are getting good value out of this proxy war.

Many Pakistanis in turn resent the idea that their army is being paid to operate on behalf of the United States.

That is just one complicating factor in an area which will become more important if a future President Obama or President McCain makes good their stated intentions to step up American deployment in Afghanistan and raise the profile of the US campaign there.

It will be difficult for America to step up operations in Afghanistan without being sure that the Pakistani-Afghan border is secure - and that will only happen if US relations with both the Pakistani military and the new civilian government are good.

The presidential hopefuls will find themselves tested with questions about all sorts of trouble spots around the world in the next few months - none is more important than this.

LONDON: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Thursday he would press Pakistan to allow United States and NATO troops in Afghanistan to take a new approach in the hunt for Taliban and Al Qaeda-linked militants. Addressing a news conference, Brown said he would talk to President Asif Ali Zardari to draw up a revised strategy to halt the flow of militants across the border. US President George W Bush and Brown also discussed the strategy on Afghanistan in a video conference call. “We are trying to prevent cross-border terrorism,” said Brown.

ANP threatens to quit cabinet

ISLAMABAD: The Awami National Party (ANP) on Thursday announced it had reservations concerning the allocation of ministries among the coalition partners and threatened to quit the federal cabinet if the PPP did not offer it ministries of its choice.

The ANP has reservations over the ministries’ allocation formula settled at the time of the first phase of the federal cabinet’s formation, which says that each ministry would be allotted against six seats in the National Assembly.

ANP Information Secretary Zahid Khan said that ANP had accepted the portfolios with an assurance from the PPP that the portfolios would be changed later as per the ANP’s demand.

Foreigners among 100 militants killed in Bajaur offensive

* Taliban main office in Inayat Killi targeted in airstrike

KHAR: At least 100 militants were killed and around 25 injured on Thursday in the continued military offensive in Bajaur while airstrikes targeted Taliban command centres, official sources and local residents said.

“Eighty to 100 militants were killed in Bajaur today. Most of them are foreigners,” the official said on condition of anonymity, Reuters reported The Taliban casualties were reported in Loyesam, Tangkhata, Rashakai, Khazana and Banda areas following airstrikes, artillery and mortar fires.

Several militant hideouts were also destroyed in the offensive, they added.

Main office: Taliban’s main office in Inayat Killi, nine kilometres off Khar, was targeted in an airstrike while 200 shops in a commercial market were also destroyed, eyewitnesses told Daily Times.

According to witnesses, the whole market was in flames following the attack, causing damage worth millions of rupees. No official confirmation was available. After taking control of militants’ stronghold in Loyesam, the government forces prepared to march towards the militant-controlled areas in Charmang and Nawagai.

“Life is completely paralysed and we feel as if we are lifeless,” residents said as curfew was adding to the local population’s problems and a creating food shortage in the area.

The operation against militants was launched on August 6 but the authorities have failed to arrest any known militant leader, the local residents added.

Tribal regions have been wrecked by violence since hundreds of Taliban and Al Qaeda militants fled there after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001.

US and Afghan officials have repeatedly claimed the tribal region is used by militants to launch cross-border attacks on international coalition troops deployed in Afghanistan.

‘Next US terror attack could be by Westerners’

LAHORE: United States counterterrorism experts believe that terrorists with an “American face” will conduct any future attack, The Telegraph reported on Thursday. Referring to reports of Westerners in terrorism training camps in Pakistan, the report quoted experts saying dozens of Westerners have undergone training, as terrorists try to recruit non-Middle Eastern Asians, particularly Caucasians, because they are less likely to attract the attention of security forces. Al Qaeda’s recent decision to release videos in English and a similar change on extremist websites have also been cited of evidence of a new strategy to find foreign recruits, according to the report. Such concerns were sharpened last week after the arrest of three Germans over an alleged plot to destroy a club used by US servicemen. The Germans had allegedly been trained in camps in Waziristan.

No consensus on who was behind September 11: poll

WASHINGTON: Seven years after the September 11 attacks, there is no consensus outside the United States that militants from Al Qaeda were responsible, according to an international poll published on Wednesday. The survey of 16,063 people in 17 nations found majorities in only nine countries believe Al Qaeda was behind the attacks. US officials squarely blame Al Qaeda, whose leader Osama Bin Laden has boasted of organising the suicide attacks by his followers using hijacked commercial airliners. On average, 46 percent of those surveyed said Al Qaeda was responsible, 15 percent said the US government, 7 percent said Israel and 7 percent said some other perpetrator. One in four people said they did not know who was behind the attacks. The poll was conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org., a project managed by the University of Maryland in the US.

PM backs Kayani’s statement

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday offered staunch support for Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani’s criticism of US raids in the Tribal Areas. Gilani said the comments reflected government policy. The prime minister also urged Pakistanis not to be ‘upset’ by comments by the US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, who said he had ordered a new cross-border strategy to help stamp out militant attacks in Afghanistan. “The government will take all steps to defend the country’s borders,” Gilani said.

NATO won’t take part in Pak raids

BRUSSELS: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) will not take part in a proposed United States strategy to conduct raids into Pakistan from Afghanistan against Taliban and Al Qaeda militants, a spokesman said on Thursday. “The NATO policy ends at the border,” said spokesman James Appathurai, adding, “There are no incursions by NATO into Pakistan.” Appathurai said the issue would be discussed when the 26 NATO defence ministers debated the Afghan strategy at a meeting in London on September 18 and 19.

Foreign raids will be retaliated: ISPR

LAHORE: The Pakistan Army will retaliate against foreign raids on Pakistani territory, Aaj TV quoted ISPR spokesman Major General Athar Abbas as saying on Thursday. According to the channel, Abbas told the BBC that Pakistan would not tolerate military action from across the border, adding that the coalition forces in Afghanistan had already been informed about it. He said a decision on any retaliatory action would be taken when the time came, adding that Pakistan’s reaction would be in accordance with the degree of intervention.

Chief of Army Staff chairs corps commanders’ meeting : No way, says Kayani

* Army chief urges US to show patience in finding ‘comprehensive solution’ to ‘complex’ FATA issue
* Says political engagement necessary ‘to win hearts and minds’

RAWALPINDI: Top military commanders on Thursday supported Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Kayani on his criticism of cross-border US raids in Pakistan, saying only Pakistani forces are authorised to conduct military operations in Pakistani territory.

On the first day of the monthly corps commanders’ meeting chaired by Gen Kayani, the army said Pakistan was part of international efforts against terrorism and had done more in the war on terror than any other country.

More patience: A Dawn News report aired later on Thursday said Gen Kayani told the corps commanders he had briefed the Americans on the complexity of the problem in the Tribal Areas and urged the US to show more patience while moving towards a more comprehensive solution.

Hearts and minds: According to the channel, he said winning hearts and minds is critical to winning the war on terror and requires political engagement.

He also briefed the corps commanders on his meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari, the channel said.

Sources privy to the meeting told Daily Times the commanders discussed the military operations in Swat and Bajaur and the security situation along the Afghan border. The deteriorating security situation in neighbouring Afghanistan was also discussed, the sources said.

Kayani had said in an earlier statement Pakistan would defend its sovereignty “at all cost”.

Karzai backs new US focus on Pakistani militants

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday backed a proposed United States strategy that would involve hitting Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in Pakistan, saying he had been calling for a changed approach for years. “Change of strategy is essential,” Karzai told a news conference. “It means that we go to those areas which are the training bases and havens (for terrorists) and we jointly go there and remove and destroy them.” Karzai also welcomed a US plan to send more troops to Afghanistan, but said foreign troops could not stay indefinitely.

Brown to press Pakistan to ‘try new approach’

LONDON: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Thursday he would press Pakistan to allow United States and NATO troops in Afghanistan to take a new approach in the hunt for Taliban and Al Qaeda-linked militants. Addressing a news conference, Brown said he would talk to President Asif Ali Zardari to draw up a revised strategy to halt the flow of militants across the border. US President George W Bush and Brown also discussed the strategy on Afghanistan in a video conference call. “We are trying to prevent cross-border terrorism,” said Brown.

NYT report reveals US president has authorised FATA raids : Boots on ground: Bush

* US wants to be ‘more assertive’ as FATA terror havens ‘not tolerable’ * American officials say Pakistani govt has ‘privately assented’ to limited ground assaults

WASHINGTON: United States President George W Bush secretly approved orders in July for the first time allowing American Special Operations forces to carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan without prior approval of the Pakistani government, the New York Times reported on Thursday, quoting senior American officials.

The newspaper described the ‘classified orders’ as a watershed for the Bush administration after nearly seven years of trying to work with Pakistan to combat the Taliban and Al Qaeda and after months of high-level stalemate about how to challenge the militants’ increasingly secure base in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas.

More assertive: The US will only notify Pakistan when it conducts a ground attack but will not ask for its permission. “The situation in the Tribal Areas is not tolerable. We have to be more assertive. Orders have been issued,” a US official was quoted as saying.

The new orders reflect concern about safe havens for Al Qaeda and the Taliban inside Pakistan, as well as an American view that Pakistan lacks the will and ability to combat militants. They also illustrate lingering distrust of the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies and a belief that some American operations had been compromised once Pakistanis were advised of the details, the New York Times reported.

The newspaper added that the CIA has been firing missiles inside Pakistan for several years.

Private assent: A senior American official said that the Pakistani government had “privately assented to the general concept of limited ground assaults by Special Operations forces against significant militant targets, but that it did not approve each mission”. The official did not say which members of the government gave the approval.

The report, while noting Pakistan army chief’s declaration that “at no cost” will Pakistan permit foreign trips on its soil, said it is not clear what legal authorities the United States has invoked to conduct even limited ground raids in a friendly country.

The newspaper noted that Pakistan’s new president, while supportive of the US, cannot afford to be seen as an “American lap dog” like his predecessor.

Details about last week’s commando operation in Angoor Adda indicate that the mission was more intrusive than had previously been known. According to two American officials briefed on the raid, it involved more than two dozen members of the Navy Seals who spent several hours on the ground and killed about two dozen suspected Al Qaeda fighters who had been conducting attacks against an American forward operating base across the border in Afghanistan.

Supported by an AC-130 gunship, the Special Operations forces were whisked away by helicopters after completing the mission. “Unilateral action by the American forces does not help the war against terror because it only enrages public opinion,” Ambassador Husain Haqqani said last week, adding, “In this particular incident, nothing was gained by the action of the troops.”

Pakistan prefers drone attacks to ground raids, the newspaper said. Some congressional officials, it disclosed, have been briefed on the new strategy.



Source: Daily Times.

__________________
Regards,
P.R.

Legislation comes to a halt

* 23 National Assembly bills stalled because of non-functional standing committees
* Government failed to make committees operational in over six months in power

ISLAMABAD: Twenty-three legislative bills are pending before the National Assembly (NA) as its standing committees remain non-functional, bringing the legislation to a standstill in parliament, a source said on Saturday.

The PPP-led government has failed to set up standing committees in the Lower House after more than six months of its formation.

The source at the NA Secretariat said the legislative business at the House was being accumulated due to delay in the election of committees’ chairpersons.

“Twenty-eight bills have been moved in the NA and referred to the committees so far. Three of them have been referred to the mediation committees after they were lapsed whereas two bills, including the Finance Bill were passed,” the source said.

The bills pending with standing committees include the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2008, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2008 and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill, 2007.

These bills were introduced in the NA during its session in April.

Eight more bills, including the Finance Bill, were moved in the NA during its session in June. The House passed the Finance Bill on June 22.

The Senate passed and forwarded four bills to the NA last month, but they are pending before the standing committees.

Eight more bills introduced in the NA in August are pending before the committees.

The source said the “changing political scenario” in the country could further delay the formation of over 40 standing committees. “The four-party coalition had agreed to a formula of distribution of committees but the situation became different after the PML-N quit the alliance,” the source said.

The PPP, the source said, would have to draw a fresh formula with the JUI-F and ANP.

The source said the PPP might not offer the PML-N the same representation in the committees it had promised when the two parties were coalition partners. The MQM is likely to get some committees when it the joins the federal cabinet. The share the PML-Quaid is also likely to be enhanced, the source said.

30 terrorists killed in Bajaur operation

* Security forces patrol streets g Markets open as curfew relaxed in Khar

KHAR: At least 30 terrorists were killed and several others injured during military action in Bajaur Agency on Sunday.

The security forces pounded terrorist hideouts with heavy artillery and helicopter gunships in the Loyesam, Tangkhata, Rashakai, Bi China and Khazana areas of the agency.

Forces petrol: Meanwhile, security forces patrolled Loijor, Tangi and Charmang, areas previously held by terrorists, for the first time. The ongoing military operation has restored the government’s writ in Atman Khel and Khar tehsil areas of the agency.

Markets opened and a large number of people come out to shop on Sunday when the curfew was relaxed in Khar from 7am to 2pm.

The political authorities had also announced a relaxation in the curfew in the Haji Lawang, Yousaf Abad, Qazzafi and Jaar areas from 7am to 2pm.

However, a curfew remained in place for the 11th consecutive day in Sadiq Abad, Tauheed Abad, Shandi Mor and Bilal Abad.

The political authorities announced the imposition of curfew in the agency’s second largest bazaar in Inayat Kilay and arrested several suspects fleeing the area with the displaced local population.

Russian jet crash kills all 88 on board

PERM: An Aeroflot Boeing-737 jet reportedly caught fire in the sky and crashed near a Ural mountains city on Sunday, killing all 88 people on board, the airline said.

There were at least 20 foreigners and seven children on the plane, which came down as it prepared to land in Perm on a flight from Moscow.

Among the victims was General Gennady Troshev, adviser to former president Vladimir Putin, Interfax news agency reported. A source quoted by RIA Novosti suggested that an engine failure could have sparked flames on board.

The airline has pledged compensation of up to two million rubles (some $80,000) for each victim.

US spy planes make flights over Waziristan

LAHORE: United States spy planes on Sunday once again made flights over areas of North and South Waziristan agencies, creating panic among the locals.

According to Express News, US drones flew over the Ghulam Khan, Saidki, Miranshahand Miral areas of North Waziristan and Angoor Adda area of South Waziristan. The latest flights have added to the panic and fear among the locals who were already worried by US drone attacks into Pakistan, the channel said, adding that a US spy plane fled the airspace of N Waziristan agency airspace after flights by Pakistani fighter jets in the area on Saturday.

ANP for uniform allocation of ministries

ISLAMABAD: The Awami National Party (ANP) wants a uniform yardstick to allocate ministries among the coalition partners in the Centre, ANP Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel said on Sunday. He expressed concern over the preliminary formula to resolve the issue of allocation of ministries for each coalition partner saying, “If the MQM can get six ministries in the Centre, why can’t we?” Adeel hoped the issue would formally be taken up among the coalition partners after Eid.

PML-N unanimous on Nisar as Opp leader in NA

LAHORE: The PML-N has unanimously nominated Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan as its candidate for the opposition leader in the National Assembly, PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq said on Sunday. Talking to ARY One World, Farooq welcomed Pervaiz Elahi’s decision to resign as the opposition leader, saying it will create ‘goodwill’ and yield good results in the days to come. He denied disputes within the party over Nisar’s nomination as the opposition leader.

PML-Q in touch with PPP and PML-N: Shujaat

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) is not going to forge an alliance with any party ‘at this stage’, but is in constant touch with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), PML-Q President Shujaat Hussain said on Sunday. He told reporters that now that Pervaiz Elahi had resigned as opposition leader, Senator Kamil Ali Agha will act as the leader of the opposition in the Senate.

Elahi resigns as NA Opp leader

* PML-Q leader says he resigned ‘in the interest of the smooth working of parliament’
* PM says decision would strengthen democratic institutions
* Zardari accepts resignation

LAHORE: Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi resigned as opposition leader in the National Assembly (NA) on Sunday.

In his resignation sent to the National Assembly speaker, Elahi said that he was resigning “in the interest of the smooth working of parliament and with a view not to embarrass your position as speaker”.

Elahi added that the office of the opposition leader was being “sought by those who were part of the federal government until September 13”, in an apparent reference to the PML-N.

The PML-N had requested the speaker to nominate Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan as the leader of the opposition because the party had 92 members in the National Assembly, compared to 53 PML-Q MNAs.

The PML-Q media cell said that the party leadership wanted to see democracy functioning smoothly in the country. The leadership had decided that its opposition leader should resign in the interest of the country.

PML-N Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal told Daily Times that it was a good step on the PML-Q’s part. He said that in their meeting with National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza, his party members had demanded she should ask Elahi to either prove the support of a majority of opposition MNAs or resign.

He said that his party had told the speaker that they would not sit behind a minority party in the opposition during the joint session of parliament for the president’s address.

PM: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani while appreciating Elahi’s decision said that this would further strengthen the democratic institutions in the country.

Zardari: Dawn News quoted official sources as saying later on Sunday that President Asif Zardari had accepted Elahi’s resignation as the opposition leader.

Summary sent to PM for cut in petrol prices

ISLAMABAD: The Petroleum Ministry on Sunday moved a summary to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani recommending a reduction in petrol price by Rs 5-7 per litre after oil prices declined in the international market. Sources in the ministry told Daily Times that the prime minister is expected to approve the recommendation on Monday (today), through which the government wants to pass on to consumers the reduction in oil prices internationally. However, the sources added that the prices of other petroleum products including diesel and kerosene oil would remain unchanged during the fortnight. They said the government did not plan to reduce the prices of the other petroleum products until a government subsidy continued for them.

‘Incursions can provoke terror attacks in UK’

LAHORE: American raids on Taliban and Al Qaeda targets in Pakistan could provoke terror attacks in London, Pakistan’s high commissioner to the UK warned on Saturday, according to The Sunday Times. Wajid Shamsul Hasan said the American bombings had killed hundreds of civilians but had failed to eliminate any Al Qaeda leader, the paper reported. “This will infuriate Muslims in this country and make the streets of London less safe,” he said. The high commissioner said the community’s anger was growing and the “Americans’ trigger-happy actions will radicalise young Muslims. They’re playing into the hands of the very terrorists we’re supposed to be fighting”.

Zardari wants ‘new dialogue’ to tackle terror

LAHORE: Highlighting the need for ‘a new dialogue’ to tackle terrorism, President Asif Zardari has said he would seek an international conference on the issue at the UN General Assembly later this month. “Whatever medicine we’ve been using it hasn’t ended the poison, it’s made it worse,” Zardari was quoted as saying by The Sunday Times. Zardari told the newspaper in comments published on Sunday he felt Pakistan was being blamed for NATO’s failure in Afghanistan. Zardari said “if the problem was two on a scale of one to ten, now it’s nine. . . We players should all get together and start a new dialogue”.

US incursions into Pakistan, violation of airspace: Zardari, Gilani vow to defend country’s territorial integrity

* President, PM speak on telephone, say country’s sovereignty must be respected ‘at all cost’
* Zardari in UK, will discuss FATA situation

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani vowed to defend Pakistan’s sovereignty in a telephone conversation late on Saturday.

“[Gilani] called the president of Pakistan... last night in Dubai and discussed with him the frequent violation of the country’s air space and incursions by the US forces,” said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Both the leaders have unanimity of views that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country should be respected at all cost.”

The two leaders “vowed to defend Pakistan” in the conversation made just before the president left for the UK.

Sources privy to the conversation told Daily Times the top leaders had been ‘uneasy’ with the reported US plan to go after targets in the Tribal Areas despite Pakistan’s protests. They said Gilani asked Zardari to press the UK to influence the US to stop the attacks.

Zardari reaches London: The president arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport early on Sunday where Pakistani High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan and senior embassy officials welcomed him.

“It is a private visit but the president will meet the British prime minister,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Muhammad Sadiq told AFP.

Pakistani state media said that Zardari would hold talks on “the emerging situation on the troubled Pak-Afghan border” in London.

“Pakistan would convey to Britain that it has done more in the war on terror than others,” the Associated Press of Pakistan quoted the high commissioner as saying.

A senior presidential aide told AFP Zardari had gone to London for his daughter Bakhtawar’s admission to the University of Edinburgh.

He will return to Pakistan on Thursday to address a joint sitting of parliament and will fly to New York on September 24 to attend the United Nations General Assembly session.



Source: Daily Times.

__________________
Regards,
P.R.