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PCO judges to be indicted

February 2nd, 2011 | No Comments


ISLAMABAD –Issuing its verdict in the PCO judges case, the Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to go ahead with contempt of court proceedings and summoned nine of the judges for 21 February.
However, the court rejected the plea to indict the officials, including generals, who were instrumental in the promulgation of 3 November, 2007 Emergency. The court noted that the two matters are different, and could be heard independent of each other.
The court decided to spare Justice Zafar Iqbal Chaudhary and Justice Khurshid Anwar Bhindar since they were not judges of the Lahore High Court on 3 November, 2007 when Emergency was imposed and the apex court had restrained all judges from taking oath under the PCO moments after.
The SC was dealing with the law point whether it could initiate contempt proceedings against the judges who took oath under the PCO, and if it could issue contempt notices to generals involved in the promulgation of Emergency in the country in defiance of a seven-member apex court benchÂ’s restraining order.
The four-member bench comprising Justice Mahmood Akhtar Shahid Siddiqui, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain had reserved on January 26 the verdict on the PCO judges case and related petitions.
While the bench rejected the plea to indict all, it appealed to Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to constitute a separate bench to hear a petition that requested contempt notices against former president Pervez Musharraf, former premier Shaukat Aziz and the corps commanders.
The court decided to proceed against the judges by framing contempt charges on 21 February as they had taken oaths under the annulled PCO. The verdict was announced by Justice Mahmood Akhtar Shahid Siddiqui, who headed the bench.
When the Emergency was promulgated, there were 17 permanent judges, including CJP, and one ad hoc judge of the Supreme Court. Out of these 18 judges four judges – Justice (retd) Abdul Hameed Dogar, Justice (retd) Mohammad Nawaz Abbasey, Justice (retd) Faqir Mohammad Khokhar and Justice (retd) Mohammad Javed Buttar chose to take oath on 3 November, 2007 while Justice (retd) Syed Saeed Ashhad took oath on 4 November. Besides them some of the judges in the High Court of the provinces also took oath under the PCO.
The SC has been hearing contempt petitions against Justice (retd) Abdul Hameed Dogar, former chief justice of the Supreme Court; Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry, former chief justice of the Lahore High Court; and eight sitting judges – Justice Syed Zahid Hussain of the SC and Justices Khurshid Anwar Bhindar, Hamid Ali Shah, Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, Hasnat Ahmed Khan, Syed Shabbar Raza Rizvi, Yasmin Abbasey and Jehan Zaib Rahim of high courts.

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Afghanistan president to visit India

February 2nd, 2011 | No Comments

Manmohan Singh and hamid karzaiAfghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai is leaving for a two-day visit to India where he is to meet with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other senior officials, his spokesman said Wednesday. “President Karzai’s visit is aimed to discuss regional economic capacity development with the Indian authorities,” Seyamak Herawi said. “He will also meet with the [...]

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Egypt situation being monitored: Pakistan

January 31st, 2011 | No Comments

pakistan map54Islamabad is “watching what is happening” in Egypt and will evacuate its citizens if the situation worsens, authorities said. Express Tribune reported Monday that the Foreign Office did not make it clear as to when it plans to bring back around 150 Pakistani families. Anti-government protests in Egypt Monday entered the seventh day as demonstrators [...]

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Pakistan to again seek access to 26/11 witnesses

January 28th, 2011 | No Comments

Rehman MalikPakistan has again decided to ask India for access to the witnesses of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack to record their statements. A formal request is going to be filed soon, officials said. This would be the second time that Pakistan would be making such a request, interior ministry officials told The Express Tribune Friday. [...]

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10-point agenda reduced to eight

January 26th, 2011 | No Comments


ISLAMABAD – Agreeing on appointing a one-person judicial commission to investigate into unjustifiable sugar price hike, the PPP and PML-N committees on Wednesday decided to put two critical issues of corruption and apex courtÂ’s verdictsÂ’ implementation on second priority.
Since the two committees had already categorised the ten points of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif by putting immediately doable on top priority and those that were not immediately doable on the second one.
Making significant headway on rest of the eight points, the two committees during their meeting on Wednesday somewhat agreed upon putting these two issues of removing corrupt cabinet members and implementation on verdicts of the Supreme Court of Pakistan with the judgement on NRO on top of them on second priority.
According to sources privy to the committeesÂ’ meeting, the PPP termed these two points as not immediately doable and therefore these were pushed to second priority. The PML-N, the sources added, did not oppose the contention of the PPP in a way silently agreeing to it.
The sources told The Nation that the PPP had argued that a unanimously agreed upon definition of corruption would be required to proceed on these points. Secondly, the PPP side had pointed out that the removal of a minister from the cabinet on corruption charges could disqualify him as member of the Parliament.
Talking to the media after the meeting, Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, who is also head of the governmentÂ’s parliamentary committee interacting with that of the PML-N, said that two sides had agreed upon a one-person judicial commission on sugar prices. He said that a retired judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court would be appointed in a day or two as the judicial commission to probe recent increase in the sugar prices.
“For prices in general, and petroleum products’ tariff in particular the committees were hammering out a mechanism that would be finalised soon,” he said. Regarding the Accountability Bill, he said, the Committees would meet again next week to do away with the disagreements between the two parties on certain provisions of the draft. According to the Finance Minister, the two committees also agreed to finalise the parliamentary committee to be appointed by the Speaker National Assembly for appointment of independent Election Commissioner.
Meanwhile, Ishaq Dar, head of the PML-N parliamentary committee, told reporters after the meeting that Governor State Bank of Pakistan presented two lists of written off loans. The Governor presented two lists to the committees including details of loans written off since 1971 to 2003 and 2004 to 2010, separately. The committees have asked the central bank to come up with more specific details of the respective written off loans. However, the SBP also informed the committees that it was not possible to differentiate which of the loans were written off on political grounds. Still Dar was hopeful and vowed to give good news soon to the public regarding the recovery of loans written off on political grounds.
The committees would take up in their next meeting the issue of expenditures reduction both at the Centre and the provincesÂ’ level.

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Captors kill Colonel Imam in North Waziristan

January 24th, 2011 | No Comments


PESHAWAR – Former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officer Colonel Imam has been killed by the abductors in North Waziristan Agency, TheNation learnt reliably on Sunday.
Sultan Aamir Tarar, commonly known as Colonel Imam, along with two other colleagues including Khalid Khawaja, a former intelligence agency officer, and Asad Qureshi, a journalist, was kidnapped by a militant group almost 10 months back in March 2010 on the charges of spying, when they were travelling from Bannu to Waziristan.
Colonel Imam, who was also known as mentor of Taliban, had been picked up by the militant group, Asian Tigers, when he was on his way to Waziristan to meet Taliban leadership and make a documentary film in this regard.
Sometime back a video footage of Colonel Imam was released by the abductors in which, he was shown as saying that his life was in danger and he urged the government to fulfil his kidnappersÂ’ demand of freeing a number of prisoners held for terror activities.
Though the government authorities are yet to confirm the killing of Colonel Imam, the sources said that he was killed Sunday in North Waziristan Agency at an undisclosed location. It may be mentioned here that out of the other captured colleagues of Colonel Imam, Asad Qureshi, was released a few months back while Khalid Khawaja was also killed by the said organisation on April 30, 2010 and his body was thrown in the suburbs of Mir Ali, North Waziristan Agency.
The abductors are still keeping ImamÂ’s dead body. According to the sources, Imam was murdered for failing to pay the ransom money demanded by his kidnappers.
Staff Reporter from Islamabad adds: Family of Sultan Amir Tarar commonly known as Col Imam was not accepting condolences for not being confirmed of his death after reports that his captors killed him, said General (Retd) Hameed Gul.
Former ISI chief Gul told this scribe, “I went to his home for condolence but they were not accepting as yet.”
He was unable to either deny or confirm the reports of Imam’s death. “I have checked the root source of all the reports and that is only one. These sort of reports need to be confirmed by more than one source,” he said.
Talking about the reports that he might have passed away due to a heart attack, he said, “He had a heart problem but not that sever. We were told that he had run out of his medicines and that too were dispatched to him,” he added.
“Why I doubt his captors had killed him because he was a sort of insurance policy with them,” he said.
Recalling the story of his kidnapping, he said, initially so-called Asian Tigers group of some Usman Punjabi had taken him and his other companions into custody through a trap. Later on another group of Sabir Mansoor killed Usman Punjabi and others and took Imam in its custody. Eventually, Col Imam had gone to Hakimullah MahsudÂ’s custody after they had killed Mansoor and his group.
Of late, Gul said, Afghan Taliban, Mujahideen, and Haqanni group of North Waziristan were asking Mehsud to release Col Imam. According to former ISI chief, there were also reports that Mehsud had demanded release of his men arrested in connection with suicide attacks on GHQ and Parade Lane Mosque in Rawalpindi. There were also reports that they had demanded ransom money of Rs50 million.
Gul feared that in case the captors had killed him, they would face music as most of the Taliban both in Pakistan and Afghanistan consider Imam, as their mentor, and would not spare Mehsud. That is why he said there were also reports that Mehsud group was asking for guarantees that they would not be attacked if they release Imam.
The biggest question at present, he said, is why they are not releasing the dead body of Col Imam if they have killed him or he expired due to some heart attack.
“He was a great soldier, good Muslim, and basic character in development and training of Taliban in Afghanistan,” Gul remembered Imam. “Though he served as my subordinate but he was more like a friend to me,” he added. “He never missed collective prayer to my knowledge,” he recalled the days with Col Imam.
A retired Pakistan Army officer and special warfare operation specialist, Imam was a former member of the Special Service Group (SSG). Western media considered him “inactive” ISI intelligence officer who had served as former Pakistani Consul General at Herat, Afghanistan.
A veteran of Soviet war in Afghanistan, he is widely believed to have played a key role in the formation of the Taliban, after having helped train the Afghan Mujahidin on behalf of the United States in the 1980s.
According to Wikipedia, Colonel Imam, who was a commando-guerrilla warfare specialist, had trained Mullah Omar and other Taliban factions. Colonel Imam remained active in AfghanistanÂ’s civil war until 2001 US-led war on terrorism, and supported the Taliban publicly through media.
Imam was educated and a graduate of Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), Kakul; and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, USA. After his graduation from PMA, he joined the Pakistan ArmyÂ’s 15th Frontier Force Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant. His unit was sent to United States in 1974, and was trained shoulder-to-shoulder among with United States Army Special Forces. Upon his graduation from the Special Forces School, he was awarded American Green Beret by his training commander. Following his return to Pakistan, Imam joined the Special Service Group (SSG). In 1980s, he had participated in Soviet war in Afghanistan, notably the Battle for Hill 3234. Colonel Imam increasingly involved in AfghanistanÂ’s politics even after the Soviet left the Afghanistan. After the Soviet-Afghan war, Colonel Imam had supported and trained Taliban fighters independently.
After the Soviet defeat and the collapse of communism, Colonel Imam was invited to the White House by the then president George Bush (senior), and was given a piece of the Berlin Wall with a brass plaque inscribed: “To the one who dealt the first blow.” Today, western intelligence agencies believe Imam is among a group of renegade officers from Pakistan’s ISI who continued to help the Taliban after Pakistan turned against them following the attacks of September 11, 2001.
During his career in Pakistan Army he had won three prestigious awards namely Sitara-e-Jurat, Tamgha-e-Basalat, and Sitara-i-Imtiaz(Military).

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Cabinet to be ‘rightsized’

January 23rd, 2011 | No Comments


ISLAMABAD – Some ministers in the federal cabinet are being removed in what is being described as ‘rightsizingÂ’ of some 100-strong council of ministers, apparently to meet an important demand of the PML-N to reduce expenditure.
Federal Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan confirmed that the step was being taken to ‘rightsize’ the cabinet. PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had given a 10-point charter of demands to the government on January 4 with a clear message that the needful should be done in 45 days. Otherwise, he had said, the PML-N would be left with no option but to call for fresh elections.
A committee comprising representatives of both PPP and PML-N is already working on modalities to implement the agenda. It is not clear how many ministers will be shown the door. However, it is expected that many ministers will lose their jobs, as only then will the government be able to show some cut in the expenditure.
It may be recalled that two federal ministers have already been sacked – although for a different reason. They are: Hamid Saeed Kazmi and Azam Khan Swati. Swati had alleged that Kazmi was involved in corruption in Haj operation. He also took the matter to the Supreme Court.
The prime minister removed both of them, saying they had violated discipline. Talking to journalists on the premises of the Supreme Court after the Judicial Commission meeting, Federal Law Minister Babar Awan disclosed that President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani had decided rightsizing of the Federal Cabinet.
He said it had been decided to reduce the number of ministers in the new cabinet with a view to cutting down government expenditures. The decision has been taken in the light of PML-NÂ’s suggestions for economic reforms and more than one dozen institutions would be restructured.
Babar said the government was discussing the issue with all political parties with an open mind, adding that all political parties and the government wanted to strengthen the system.
Brushing aside possibility of the Federal CabinetÂ’s dissolution, PPP central leaders said no such plan was under consideration and only a few portfolios of some of the cabinet members would be changed and that too owing to the devolution of over 12 ministries to the provinces under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
Both the Presidential and Prime MinisterÂ’s spokesmen confirmed to The Nation that no proposal of dissolution of the Federal Cabinet came under discussion in the PPP Core CommitteeÂ’s meeting held at the Presidency on Friday night. The matter did not figure in the recent meetings of the President and Prime Minister either, confirmed these spokesmen.
The sources in PPP on condition of anonymity informed that the reshuffle in the portfolios of some of the federal and state ministers came under discussion in the Core Committee meeting of the party as over 12 full-fledged federal ministries would be devolved to provinces after the abolition of Concurrent List under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
The sources further informed that at the same time, a few federal ministries also fell vacant after the two coalition partners – JUI-F and MQM – stepped out from the Federal Cabinet.
The sources revealed that in the Core Committee meeting, President Zardari had stressed the need for bringing the estranged coalition partners back in the Federal Cabinet and it was decided that the portfolios vacated by these coalition partners would not be reallocated and the current arrangement of keeping these portfolios as additional charge with some ministers would be kept intact.
The sources further said the devolution process of over 12 full-fledged federal ministries and its allied departments to provinces would be completed by June 30 and the process of rightsizing of the Federal Cabinet would also be completed by that time.
Some senior PPP leaders informed The Nation that a few state ministers could lose their berths in the Federal Cabinet owing to their poor performance and they would be replaced with active and vibrant party leaders. However, this condition would not apply on the ministries doled out to coalition partners, these leaders further informed and added that the share of ministries given to the coalition partners would not be affected by this rightsizing.
The sources in the party further informed that the PPP leadership had also constituted a special committee to examine the possibility of merger of some of the divisions and ministries, which in the past were carved out to accommodate maximum party leaders and coalition partners.
It is pertinent to mention here that the 18th Constitutional Amendment had restricted the size of the federal government to 11 per cent of the total strength of the Parliament which would remain below 50 but this clause would be applicable to the government formed after the next general elections due in 2013.
The condition of small size cabinet under the 18th Amendment would be made applicable after 2013 general elections owing to the problem of incumbent government, which had to accommodate a number of coalition partners in the Federal Cabinet.

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Rangers given go-ahead

January 22nd, 2011 | No Comments


ISLAMABAD – PPPÂ’s senior leadership has opposed military operation in violence-hit Karachi and suggested full-fledged action by Rangers to normalise the situation in the city, it has been learnt reliably.
A meeting of the Core Committee of PPP was held Friday night at the Aiwan-e-Sadr took serious note of the situation in the city. The meeting was presided over by PPP Co-Chairman President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
According to sources, it was also noted in the meeting that there was a lack of liaison between Interior Minister Rehman and Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza which is badly affecting performance of the government.
The government has decided to launch full-fledged operation against criminals in order to bring situation to normal in Karachi. In the meeting, sources said, some PPP leaders strongly criticised the 10-point agenda, which has been presented by PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif so as to improve countryÂ’s economic situation and said Prime Minister Gilani should not blindly accept everything presented by the Opposition.
According to sources, three federal ministers also blasted Punjab Governor Latif Khosa for visiting the grave of Mian Sharif and said the governor, instead of visiting graves, should apprise the masses of corruption and inefficiency of the Punjab government. The meeting noted that the PPP is pursuing policy of reconciliation while the PML-N was doing everything to thwart this policy of the government.
A PPP leader told the meeting that the MQM were mounting their pressure for holding local bodies polls in Sindh, and the ongoing bloodbath in Karachi would end if holding of elections was announced.
A senior PPP leader was of the view that the government should not adopt policy of confrontation and JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman should be contacted to rejoin the government.
According to Waqt News TV channel, the MQM would also be invited to rejoin the Federal Cabinet.
Abrar Saeed adds: Reiterating to push forward the policy of reconciliation, it was the unanimous view of the central leadership of PPP to take along all the political forces in steering the country out of the prevailing political and economic crises.
The Core Committee of the party took serious notice of the sacking of over 4,000 employees by Karachi Electricity Supply Company (KESC) and constituted a three-member committee comprising Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah and Advisor to Prime Minister Senator Mian Raza Rabbani to take up the issue with the Government of Sindh.
The party reiterated its commitment to standby the working classes. It recalled the reinstatement of sacked employees in the recent past and said that it would not abandon the labour and the working classes.
The central leaders of the party came up with open debate on host of issues including the response to the 10-point formula given by the PML- N for sprucing up the governance and economic management, relations with the coalition partners, current spate of target killings and the ways and means to bring the port city of Karachi under the rule of law, and a number of matters of national importance.
It was also the consensus view of the party leadership that all the stakeholders should be taken into confidence while taking any crucial decision on Karachi unrest and it was further decided that all the options including deployment of Armed Forces in the port city would be placed before the All Parties Conference on Karachi peace due in Federal Capital on 26th of this month.
It was the unflinching stance of President Zardari that all the stakeholders including MQM and ANP would be taken on board while taking any policy decision regarding Karachi and he was optimistic that peace in the port city would be brought without taking any extreme administrative step.
Both the President and Prime Minister appreciated the 10-point demands put forth for steering the country out of prevailing economic mess and said that they had asked the other political parties in the Parliament to give their suggestions as well, so that a comprehensive national agenda for economic and administrative reformation could be evolved.
It was further decided in the meeting that the government should go about swiftly the revamping process of the state-owned corporations and also take other corrective measures for bringing overall improvement in the national economy.
It was further decided with voice vote that PPP would continue to stay part of the Government of Punjab in pursuance of its policy of reconciliation and would not let the Mian Shahbaz Sharif government destabilised.
The matters relating to the partyÂ’s reorganisation also came under discussion and in this connection party leaders were asked to reinvigorate the party set-up at grassroots level so that the party could show better results in the upcoming local bodies elections across the country.
At the outset of the meeting President Zardari, who is also Co-Chairman of Pakistan PeopleÂ’s Party, also briefed the members about his recent visit to UAE and America. He also shared the details of his meeting with President Obama with the participants of the meeting.
Besides President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani, the Core Committee meeting of the party was attended by Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, leader of the House in Senate, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Minister for Commerce, Chaudhary Ahmad Mukhtar, Minister for Defence, Nazar Mohammed Gondal, Minister for Food & Agriculture, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Rehman Malik, Interior Minister, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah, Minister for Labour & Manpower, Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Dr Babar Awan, Minister for Law & Justice, Raja Pervaz Ashraf, Minister for Water & Power, Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, Advisor to PM, Senator Jahangir Badar, Senator Faisal Raza Abidi, Rukhsana Bangash, MNA, Fauzia Wahab, MNA, Fauzia Habib, MNA, and Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar.
Staff Reporter from Karachi adds: Two activists of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were gunned down in yet another incident of target killing in Joria Bazaar, Risala police said on Friday.
The incident took place near a shop situated in Joria Bazaar, when the victims, 50-year-old Haji Fareed, son of Abdul Hafeez; and Saeed, alias Gullo, were sitting there. Suddenly two armed men reached there on motorcycle and opened indiscriminate firing on them; resultantly both sustained to injuries.
Police shifted them to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) for medical treatment where they breathed their last. With the news of killings spread, scores of MQM workers, leaders and sympathisers gathered in CHK. Tension engulfed the surrounding areas and all shops and market were closed.
SHO Faryad Bhatti said it was the incident of target killing. Haji Fareed was the father of five children and also used to run a grocery shop in the same vicinity and was also a very prominent social worker of the area. Victim Abdul Hafeez was an employee of City District Government (CDGK) and he was unmarried. Both victims were the activists of MQM.
Later, their funeral prayers were offered in Denso Hall. No case was registered till the filing of this report. It is pertinent to mention here that two activists of MQM had been gunned down in the same area four days ago.

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No dialogue till Pakistan stops terrorism: Gadkari

January 22nd, 2011 | No Comments

nitin gadkariBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari Saturday said his party favoured resumption of the India-Pakistan dialogue, but only after Islamabad dismantled all terrorist training camps in its territory and stopped cross-border terrorism from its soil. Speaking to Indian journalists in Beijing, Gadkari said Pakistan has failed to take action against the perpetrators of the [...]

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Pakistan not to call itself `frontline state’ in terror war

January 21st, 2011 | No Comments

PakistanafmapIslamabad has decided to drop the phrase “frontline state in war against terrorism”, frequently used by officials to highlight Pakistan’s role against terror, as it was not serving the country’s interest, an official said. “Descriptions like frontline state in war against terrorism overcast country’s positivities. Therefore, we are doing away with this phrase,” Dawn quoted [...]

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Rs37b lost in ISAF containers pilferage

January 20th, 2011 | No Comments


ISLAMABAD – Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary on Wednesday hearing the embezzlement of billions of rupees in International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) containers case observed that revelations made in the Federal Tax Ombudsman report is just the tip of the iceberg, as further investigations could divulge much more.
The Federal Tax Ombudsman submitted a comprehensive report regarding fraud in the garb of Afghan Transit Trade, which testified that large number of containers carrying Afghan trade goods have been pilfered inside the country.
The report has made a startling disclosure that more than 50,000 transit containers have been pilfered within Pakistan that have caused a huge loss of approximately Rs19 to Rs37 billing to the countryÂ’s economy during the last four years. A three-member bench of apex court comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday, while hearing the ISAF containers case ordered the authorities concerned to take a strict action against those involved in the case and issued them notices.
The Court on September 30, 2010 had directed the Federal Tax Ombudsman to file a comprehensive report over the permission of contraband items under the garb of food supplies to the ISAF in Afghanistan under the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA). The court also sought a comprehensive report over 10,000 to 11,000 containers of ISAF which went missing from Karachi, as Customs has no record of these containers.
The Chief Justice said, “We have gone through the report, which is not only comprehensive to the point with the reference mentioned in the complaint of smuggling of foreign goods in the name of Afghan Transit Trade.”The report prima facie concluded that action is required to be taken against all the concerned officials of Customs. The court stated that for the sake of justice it would be appropriate to provide them an opportunity of hearing so they may also forward their comments in view of the report prepared by Federal Tax Ombudsman.
The court directed Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Salman Siddique to assist the court and provide a list of all officials, including former chairperson of CBR/FBR, who was holding the position from January 1, 2007 to December 24, 2010, the Members of Customs (Customs Collectors Karachi Port and Port of Qasim, Collectors of Quetta and Peshawar, Secretaries Commerce and Finance, Director General Customs Intelligence and Investigation and the relevant officers of NLC who were hold the charge during that period. The court said that the Chairman CBR might also identify any other officer, prima facie involved in the alleged corruption, so he may be summoned.
The court directed the FBR counsel to furnish the list by January 20, 2011 along with copies of the report prepared by the FTO, which shall be obtained from the office of the FTO as we have been given only six copies. On receipt of the names as mentioned above the office shall issue notices through the FBR for affecting service upon them. However, notice would be served on the DG NLC by the office itself.
The officers/officials to whom notices are issued are directed to file their comments, particularly in respect of the period during which they were holding the charge of the above posts.
The Chief Justice observed that right from top to the bottom officials are involved in the case. The Chief Justice asked the FBR chairman to proceed against the officials allegedly involved in the case, get them handcuffed and present their report in the court. The chairman FBR replied, “We have to take some measures and finalise the nitty-gritty of the plans.”
Justice Ramday said, “If someone is in this illusion that by deputing a person of his choice could influence the investigation is wrong, because the court would itself control the investigation.” He asked whom they could depend? If the economy will be bad then how would the country be run? Justice Ramday said, “Like Haris Steel Mills’ case the court could control the investigation of this case as well.
The Chief Justice asked Salman that if you have time then travel from Quetta to Chaman by road. The CJP said in the presence of Customs officials and the Levies goods are being smuggled in and out of the country, but no one is there to question them. He said because of smuggling the national exchequer faces a loss of $2 billion every year.
The Chief Justice further said that even the Islamabad markets are flooded with the smuggled goods. Justice Ramday said that the domestic barrowing have reached Rs4008 billion since 2008 to 2010. The court wondered that besides the smuggling of alcohol and arms, what else is being smuggled on the pretext of Afghan trade.
The case is adjourned till 27th January.

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US to find ways to boost Pak economy

January 15th, 2011 | No Comments


WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama Friday assured President Asif Ali Zardari President of United StatesÂ’ help in overcoming PakistanÂ’s difficulties and challenges when the two leaders met at the White House, according to the Pakistani envoy.
The US President offered to look at new ways to help PakistanÂ’s troubled economy as he showed support for President Asif Ali Zardari at a White House meeting, officials said.
President Zardari flew into Washington Thursday afternoon for a memorial service later in the day for the late US envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke who died last month at the age of 69.
“He (Obama) was very clear in asserting that the US wants to help Pakistan in overcoming its difficulties and challenges and also recognizes the successes that have been accomplished in fighting terrorism, building democracy and instituting economic reforms,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani said in a post-meeting Press briefing.
On his part, President Zardari said Pakistan wants to stand up on its feet economically and not remain a permanent recipient of aid.
Haqqani said Zardari expressed appreciation for assistance from the US, which in 2009 approved a five-year, 7.5-billion-dollar package for the key but complicated war partner.
Ambassador Haqqani said the top-level US-Pakistan meeting was held in a friendly atmosphere, countering media reports about a strain in the relationship between the two countries and that Zardari would come under pressure for starting military operations in North Waziristan.
“Nobody scolded anybody, nobody raised the question of Pakistan not doing enough, nobody said anything negative about the lack of support of either country for the other,” he said
“We continue to work positively in all areas of cooperation, political, economic, diplomatic, strategic, intelligence and military,” Haqqani said, underscoring the cooperative nature of ties.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Adviser Douglas Lute and, White House counterterrorism advisor John Brennan assisted the US president while Ambassador Haqqani accompanied President Zardari for the meeting.
President Zardari, speaking about Pakistan’s priorities and requirements, told his US counterpart that “Pakistan does not want to be a permanent recipient of aid. We want to be able to stand up on own two feet. And for that we need economic reforms and we are cognizant of that, and working on that and that Pakistan and the US are partners” in this respect, according to Haqqani.
For their part, President Obama and Secretary Hillary said over the next few days, they would try to find new ways to strengthen Pakistan’s economic reform process “while taking into consideration social and political factors as well as the overwhelming reality of the floods, which disrupted the economic growth last year,” the Pakistani envoy said.
Obama expressed his condolences over the assassination of Governor Punjab Salman Taseer. He appreciated Islamabad’s resolve to build a “moderate democratic Pakistan which is the strongest guarantee against terrorist threat in our region,” Haqqani told reporters.
“He appreciated the stance of the government of Pakistan in wanting to pursue the perpetrators of this crime as well as to continue to work towards building a moderate, democratic Pakistan, which is the strongest guarantee against the success of terrorists in our region.”
President Obama “unequivocally” stressed US support for democracy in Pakistan, the envoy added.
“Both presidents acknowledged the services of the late ambassador (Richard) Holbrooke and the great energy and strength that he had brought to the US-Pakistan relationship and agreed there was need to continue with that momentum to build the strategic partnership.”
However, Ambassador Haqqani said, President Obama made it clear that the meeting could not be a substitute for formal talks between the two anti-terror partners during an official visit to Washington by President Zardari later this year and President ObamaÂ’s own visit to Islamabad.
According to a White House statement, Obama told Zardari Friday that he was “looking forward” to visiting Pakistan later this year.
It also said the two leaders’ “discussion focused on our shared efforts to fight terrorism and promote regional stability, specifically on the importance of cooperating towards a peaceful and stable outcome in Afghanistan” and that Obama “underscored the importance of the US-Pakistan relationship and our continued support for Pakistan.”
The US President emphasized the importance of cooperating to promote stability in Afghanistan, the White House said.
Husain Haqqani, the Pakistani ambassador in Washington, told reporters that the two leaders voiced concern about rising extremism worldwide that he said was behind the recent assassination of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer and this monthÂ’s shooting rampage in the US state of Arizona that killed six people and critically wounded a member of Congress, Gabrielle Giffords.

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Samjhauta blasts probe moving at snail’s pace: Pakistan

January 14th, 2011 | No Comments

pakistan map54Pakistan has accused India of moving at “snail’s pace” in probing the 2007 Samjhauta Express train bombing, and said it hoped New Delhi will share details of the investigaton with Islamabad “at the earliest”. “We hope India will share details of their investigations with Pakistan at the earliest, as was conveyed to them formally two [...]

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US gets ‘no’ on NWA action

January 13th, 2011 | No Comments


ISLAMABAD – Pakistan on Wednesday made it clear to the US that it would not become a part of any new American great game in relation to its forcesÂ’ announced withdrawal from Afghanistan starting from July this year.
Officials requesting anonymity told The Nation that Islamabad had also conveyed to the visiting US Vice-President Joe Biden that neither politically nor strategically it suited Pakistan to open up any new war front in North Waziristan Agency.
Biden, who held separate meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and COAS Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, assured the Pakistani leadership that the US fully respected sovereignty of Pakistan.
He assured Pakistan that there would be “no boots on the ground”. He also dismissed Pakistan’s apprehensions about US-sponsored foreign intervention thorough Afghanistan.
Acknowledging Pakistan’s legitimate apprehensions, the visiting dignitary made it clear that the US wanted Pakistan’s key role in bringing peace in Afghanistan. He rather acknowledged Pakistan’s apprehensions about foreign intervention through Afghanistan as “legitimate”.
Terming these meetings as extremely useful high-level consultation, the sources said that both the sides discussed how to proceed forward on matters related to Afghanistan.
They opined that the US was interested in finding out “Pakistan’s bottom line and its intentions” regarding Afghanistan.
They said both sides also discussed possibilities of Afghan TalibanÂ’s future political role and agreed that if they disassociated themselves from al Qaeda and would be acceptable, at all
The US Vice-President arrived in Islamabad after two days in Kabul, where he said Pakistan needed to do more to help the US in its battle against Taliban and other militants in Afghanistan as it prepares to withdraw its troops from there.
Earlier, addressing a joint Press conference with Premier Gilani following their one on one meeting at the Prime MinisterÂ’s House, Biden rejected misperceptions that the US planned to impose any war on Pakistan as part of its counter-terrorism fight against al Qaeda. He reassured that the US wanted to forge long-term strategic partnership with Pakistan.
“A stable, prosperous and democratic Pakistan was in the interests of the US,” the US Vice-President said.
Calling the Pak-US relationship “absolutely vital”, he said that was what he had experienced in his capacity as member of Foreign Relations Committee during his 30-year long interaction with Pakistani leadership.
He said it was an opportunity for him to do away with some misperceptions about US-Pakistan relations.
He said his country’s aspirations for Pakistan was to see it a developed and a prosperous country. “I want the grandchildren of Pakistan and US not to find in future the articles on terrorism. I want the Pakistani scientists to accomplish Nobel peace prizes,” he said.
The US Vice-President said due to USÂ’ interest to forge deeper relations with Pakistan, it had set up a large educational system for Pakistanis and demonstrated this by actions during the last seven years by initiating numerous projects.
He said the US was working in partnership with Pakistani Government and had increased security cooperation.
Biden pointed out that during the last summer’s devastating floods in Pakistan, the US made extensive support for relief and rehabilitation. “This is what the partners do for partners,” he added.
About misconception regarding USÂ’ disrespect towards Islam, the US Vice-President said the situation was in fact quite the opposite as the Muslim Americans freely practised their religion in the US.
He attempted to dispel what he called common anti-American misperceptions in Pakistan while urging the government to fight growing religious extremism.
He said Islam was the fastest growing religion in the US and mentioned President Barack Obama’s statement in a Muslim-populated area that “Islam is a part of America”.
“I would challenge to name any other country in the world which provides greater freedom of worship. We are not the enemies of Islam and we embrace those who practice this great religion,” he said.
He said a large number of people were converting to Islam in America.
Biden called Amna Taseer, the widow of the slain governor, to express his condolences on behalf of the president and the American people.
Biden said militancy in Pakistan was a threat to both countries, adding that IslamabadÂ’s efforts against militants were not enough.
Militant groups have exploited grievances, exacerbated by US drone attacks in the west of the country, to build support.
He said President Barrack Obama, he and his countrymen were saddened over the assassination of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, adding that there was no justification for such senseless act against a person who raised voice for tolerance.
While offering condolences over TaseerÂ’s killing on behalf of President Obama, he said that societies needed tolerance to grow.
“The governor was killed simply because he was a voice of tolerance and understanding,” he said.
“As you know all too well … societies that tolerate such actions end up being consumed by those actions,” he said, urging Pakistan for NWA operation
Biden said militancy in Pakistan was a threat to both countries, adding that IslamabadÂ’s efforts against militants were not enough.
In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Gilani thanked the US administration for its extra-ordinary contribution to the relief and rehabilitation efforts for the people and areas affected by the recent unprecedented floods in the country.

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Justice JavedÂ’s parents killed

January 12th, 2011 | No Comments


LAHORE – Malik Abdul Hameed, former DIG Police and father of Supreme Court judge Justice Javed Iqbal, along with his spouse was found strangled to death at their Cavalry Ground residence in Cantonment police area late on Tuesday night.
Police sources claimed that the possibility of target killing could not be ruled out.
Sources further said the couple, in their early 80s, was tortured and strangled to death in their house located in the posh and fortified locality. The policemen deployed outside their residence 164-Cavalary Ground were absent from the duty. The motives behind the murder are yet to be ascertained, but nothing from the luggage was missing, raising suspicions, a top police source said. Both Malik Abdul Hameed, 85, and his wife Amna Hameed, 80, were lying dead on the floor in the courtyard of the lower portion when the police reached there.
A woman residing on the upper portion of their house on rent found the couple dead and informed the police about the gruesome murder incident.
“Two female neighbourers phoned the police, which reached the spot and detained the both for preliminary investigation,” insiders said. They further said as the women were the first eyewitnesses of the incident, they would be interrogated regarding the incident.
Investigators were on the scene, collecting evidences to determine how the killers brutally murdered Malik and his wife.
Apparently, the killers suffocated former DIG Special Branch Quetta Abdul Hameed and his wife to death by putting pillows on their faces. “We are trying to find out motives behind the killings. Nothing is clear at this moment,” the source said.
Justice Javed Iqbal, a close associate of Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry who had refused to take oath under PCO, was in Islamabad while his parents were staying alone at their Lahore residence. The Punjab Bar Council announced strike for Wednesday (today) and lawyers will not appear in the courts to protest the killings.
Sources said Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA) SP Umar Virk had got a tip-off that a gang would break into the locality some days back on which the CIA, in collaboration with the Lahore Police teams, had started surveillance of the area and deployed personnel at several locations.
Days after the newly-appointed IG Punjab Javed Iqbal assumed charge of his new office and spelt out his priorities to bring down the alarming crime rate, dacoits have killed the parents of a senior Supreme Court judge Justice Javed Iqbal.
The police have arrested the street guard and are investigating.
The news got many grave ramifications for the judges and their families after this incident took place.
It is worth mentioning here that the horrible incident has come at such a critical situation when the SC judges are being considered the only ray of hope and the only working institution for the deprived people across the country.
The dacoity-cum-murder incidents have swelled to an alarming level in Lahore as the dacoits killed 55 people on offering resistance last year.
Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif took strong notice of the incident and directed IGP Javed Iqbal to nab the killers.
The Chief Minister of Punjab, the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner, the DCO Lahore and provincial law minister were also on the crime scene till the filing of this report.
The police denied the media access to the crime scene and cordoned off the entire locality.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rehman Malik constituted a Joint Investigation Team comprising ISI, FIA, IB and Punjab Police to probe into the ghastly murder incident.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif, PML-Q President Ch Shujaat Hussain, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and JamaÂ’at-i-Islami Ameer Syed Munawar Hassan and former Ameer JI Qazi Hussain Ahmed strongly condemned the killing of the parents of Justice Javed Iqbal.
Premier Gilani directed the Joint Investigation Team to investigate the sad incident and submit a report at the earliest. The Prime Minister conveyed his heartiest condolences and sincere sympathies to the members of the bereaved family.
President Zardari also strongly condemned the tragic happening and ordered immediate inquiry into the incident. He expressed his deep sense of shock and grief over the tragic deaths and prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed souls in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family.

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Terror can’t be ignored for friendly ties with Pakistan: Krishna

January 11th, 2011 | No Comments

sm krishnaAsking Pakistan to fulfil its assurances of disbanding the terror infrastructure on its soil, India Tuesday said it was willing to go “more than half the way” to hold peace talks with the neighbour but terrorism could “not be shoved” under the carpet External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, during an interaction with visiting journalists from [...]

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Law to monitor agencies sought

January 11th, 2011 | No Comments


ISLAMABAD – The year of 2011 would be the year of recovery of missing persons, remarked Justice Javed Iqbal while heading a three-member bench that was hearing a suo moto case of missing persons on Monday.
Additional Advocate General (AAG) for Pakistan, K.K. Agha, presented the report of the Inquiry Commission. He said that without permission of the Federal Government the report could not be made public. He, however, said that according to the report 134 persons had been released in eight months. The report also suggested that Parliament should legislate in order to curb the practice of enforced disappearances.
The court has ordered the Federal Government to submit a report regarding the implementation of measures suggested in the CommissionÂ’s report to redress the missing persons issue.
In April 2010, the apex court had decided to give the Government a chance and, therefore, advised it to constitute a commission for hearing of missing personsÂ’ cases. The aggrieved families were directed to cooperate with the commission. The Federal Government respecting the courtÂ’s order formed a 3-member Inquiry Commission including Justice (Retd) Kamal Mansoor Alam, President, Justice (Retd) Fazal-ur-Rehman (Member) and Justice (Retd) Nasira Iqbal (Member). The commission after hearing the aggrieved families suggested for almost eight months some measures to curb the practice
of enforced disappearance.
Justice Javed Iqbal inquired from the AAG whether responsibility was established in disappearances and what action was taken against the responsible persons. Hashmat Habib Advocate informed the court that some missing persons were kidnapped by the state agencies. He said there should be some sort of legislation as proposed in the report, and Chuadhry Ikram hurriedly added particularly to the intelligence agencies.
The Judge said that there should be some tribunal for the hearing of missing person cases.
The AAG said, “Nothing is dodged in the report and it is very courageous.” He said that after 9/11 certain steps were taken outside the law, but no legislation was done to stop enforced disappearance.
Chairperson of Defence of Human Right (DHR) and Public Service Pakistan, Amina Masood, informed the court that though the report had been prepared five months ago, they had not been supplied copy of it. She said, “We have been living in agony for more than five years.”
Justice Jillani remarked as the Attorney General is the principal law officer of the court therefore he should advise the Government to do some legislation to resolve the issue of missing persons.
Amina Masood said that they had pinned hope to the Supreme Court as many people were recovered due to the courtÂ’s interest. She said that the chronic cases like that of Faisal Faraz and Masood Janjua were still pending. Men and boys are still being kidnapped in the presence of thousands of people, she added.
She also supplied her report of missing persons to the court. According to the report, a total of 281 persons are missing. Out of them 164 are in Punjab, 70 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 18 in Balochistan, 15 in Sindh, 9 in FATA and 5 in AJK. She regretted that not a single penny as compensation was given to the affected family. Amina said many commissions were formed in the past but did not prove fruitful. On one hand people are released but with much faster pace people are picked up.
The AAG replied that the Government wanted to regulate missing persons issue. Agha said that he had received the copy of report the previous day (Sunday) and wanted to study thoroughly, therefore needed some time to study it. The court therefore adjourned the case till next Monday.
Agencies add: Terming contents of the report classified, the AAG said that he received the report overnight and could not go into its contents completely.
He said he would require time to consult the Federation on the issue of fixation of responsibility.
Justice Javed in response to it observed that there should be a permanent body to regularly monitor such cases. He also referred to the report submitted by the Judicial Commission seeking a law to monitor agencies.

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PM says ‘yes’ to Nawaz agenda

January 10th, 2011 | No Comments


ISLAMABAD – Accepting the 10-point demands a day ahead of the ‘so-called ultimatumÂ’ given by Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said that in his telephonic contact with Mian Nawaz Sharif he had assured him that government would not lose the opportunity of steering the country out of crises on implementing his agenda.
He was addressing the press conference at Prime MinisterÂ’s House soon after talking to Nawaz Sharif assuring him that government was ready to implement his agenda for bringing improvement in governance.
Before his chat with Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Gilani secured approval of the same from President Asif Ali Zardari and also took into confidence the parliamentary leaders including PML-Q President Ch Shujaat Hussain, MQM chief Altaf Hussain, PPP-S President Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Functional League head Pir Pagara, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan and FATA MPs leader Munir Orakazi. All these national leaders have endorsed the decision of Pakistan PeopleÂ’s Party and hence it has acquired the shape of national agenda, Premier added.
To a question Prime Minister said that he did talk about the ultimatum given to his government by Nawaz Sharif but he said that he was quoted out of context and he had not given any ultimatum. Premier further said that after expressing the governmentÂ’s affirmative response on 10-point demands of Nawaz Sharif he once again put the question about the next deadline of 45 days but Main Nanas Shari said that as the government seemed sincere in implementing the 10-point demands put forth by him for sprucing up the governance so there was no more deadline.
Nawaz Sharif further said that as the government wanted to implement his agenda for putting the house in order so there is no question of showing the door to Pakistan PeopleÂ’s Party in Punjab, Prime Minister quoted Nawaz Sharif.
Prime Minister Gilani further informed that on his suggestion Nawaz Sharif had agreed to form a Parliamentary Committee under the head of Senator Ishaq Dar to take up the issues concerning PML-N with government in furthering 10-point agenda given by Mian Nawaz Sharif which he termed ‘national agenda.’
Prime Minister said that PPP would definitely take PML-N on board while appointing new Governor Punjab when asked whether PPP would take into confidence while appointing this important administrative slot in Punjab.
To a question Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raze Gilani said that his government was already working on the same lines to bring improvement in governance and to control leakage of funds from various corporations and state owned enterprises.
He said that the restructuring of Pakistan Railways, PIA, Pepco and Steel Mills was already on the agenda and in next cabinet meeting they would be going to discuss the ways and means to bring improvement in these state entities running into losses.
Prime Minister Gilani said that his government was pursuing the policy of reconciliation and referred to the unanimous passage of 18th Amendment, 19th Amendment, 7th NFC Award, political status granted to Gilgit-Baltistan and reforms package for Balochistan and termed it a result of the policy of reconciliation adopted by Pakistan PeopleÂ’s Party and expressed his partyÂ’s resolve to pursue the same in future as well.
To a question Premier Gilani said that in achieving these goals would only be possible through the active support of all the stakeholders in the Parliament and it was singular honour of the incumbent Parliament that it had done most of the legislation with consensus and hoped that they would be able to steer the country out of prevailing economic mess in same spirit of politics of reconciliation.
To another question about the following of Supreme Court verdicts Prime Minister said that PPP was having the singular honour of complete adherence to the each and every verdict of the apex court.
When his attention was drawn toward the governmentÂ’s non-implementation of NRO verdict of SC he replied that it was sheer bias when people talk about only one case out of 8,034 cases withdrawn under NRO and added that still the case on NRO is subjudice in the apex court and let the court take decision on the review petition of the government.
To another question about the fresh spate of target killing in Karachi he said that PPP in support of MQM and ANP would definitely bring normalcy to the port city which is the economic hub of the country and disturbance over their would have negative impact on the whole economy.
To a question about the allegations of corruption coming on his family members including his son in Haj scam Premier Gilani termed them as mere allegations and quickly added that the case of Haj scam was in the court and if someone have substantial proof he could submit the same in the court.
To a question about some of his wrong decisions Prime Minister said that out of over 10,000 decisions he had taken if some four or five decisions were wrong and said that it could be taken as error judgment. As the matter relating to some appointments were in the court of law and whatever would be the decision of the court it would be implemented in totality.
Responding to another question Prime Minister Gilani said that actually the persons who are hurling corruption allegations on him were targeting President Asif Ali Zardari and as he was defending him so they had also turned against him.
He further said that as President was the part of Parliament so it was his duty to defend him and this thing annoyed certain quarters, which had launched dirty campaign against him.
To another question he said that incumbent political dispensation was not going anywhere as for the first time in the history of the country the establishment was supportive of the political set-up and it was also for the first time that PPP and establishment were on one-page.
To another question he once again reiterated his governmentÂ’s stance that they would not bring any change in the blasphemy laws and added that during his chat with him Maulana Fazlur Rehman had also asked him about it and his reply was the same that government would not bring any change in the law.

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US sending new aid package

January 9th, 2011 | No Comments


WASHINGTON – US Vice-President Joe Biden is set to take a message to Pakistan that the United States is prepared to supply more military, intelligence and economic aid its government wants, according to a report published in a leading American newspaper Saturday.
President Barack ObamaÂ’s administration is planning to send more help to Pakistan amid complaints from government officials there that the United States doesnÂ’t understand their security priorities or offer enough help.
According to the plan, decided on in last monthÂ’s White House Afghanistan war review, the US will offer more military, intelligence and economic support to Pakistan. The Obama administration also plans to intensify efforts to forge a regional peace.
Biden will travel to Islamabad next week for meetings with Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and top government leaders, The Washington Post said. “Biden will challenge the Pakistanis to articulate their long-term strategy for the region and indicate exactly what assistance is needed for them to move against Taliban sanctuaries in areas bordering Afghanistan,” the newspaper said. Pakistani officials have complained that US military aid is both inadequate and late to arrive. The report on Obama’s Afghanistan policy review said unspecified ‘adjustments’ were needed for Pakistan.
One senior official told the Post the review concluded the United States must “make sure that our sizeable military assistance programmes are properly tailored to what the Pakistanis need and are targeted on units that will generate the most benefit.”
The official said other parts of the strategy include easing Pakistani fears that India is becoming a force in Afghanistan and working toward a political solution. “We think there’s a lot of room for improvement on that front,” the senior official said.
He said Pakistan is vital to efforts to negotiate with the Taliban. The Post report came a day after it made a strong case for strengthening President Asif ZardariÂ’s government.
The Post said some US military commanders and intelligence officers had proposed allowing US ground forces to launch targeted raids against insurgent stronghold, but Obama and his top national security aides rejected those suggestions. They concluded that the United States cannot afford to threaten or further alienate a precarious, nuclear-armed country whose cooperation is essential to the administration on several fronts.
The classified review pledged to ‘look hard’ at issues of economic stability, the Post said. It also directed administration and Pentagon officials to “make sure that our sizeable military assistance programmes are properly tailored to what the Pakistanis need and are targeted on units that will generate the most benefit” for US goals, said one senior administration official who participated in the review and was authorised to discuss it with the newspaper on condition of anonymity.
Beginning with Biden’s visit, according to the dispatch, the time may be ripe for a frank exchange of views and priorities between the two sides, another administration official said. The Pakistanis “understand that Afghanistan-Pakistan has become the single most important foreign policy issue to the United States, and their cachet has gone up.” But they also realise that they may have reached the point of maximum leverage, the official said, “and things about their region are going to change one way or the other” in the near future, as Congress and the American public grow increasingly disillusioned with the war and a timeline for military withdrawal is set.
“Something is going to give,” he was quoted as saying. “There is going to be an end-game scenario and they’re trying to guess where we’re heading.”
On intelligence, the administration plans to address PakistanÂ’s complaints that the Americans have not established enough outposts on the Afghan side of the border to stop insurgent infiltration, while pressing the Pakistanis to allow US and Afghan officials to staff border coordination centres inside Pakistan itself.
The administration also plans “redouble our efforts to look for political approaches” to ending the war, including a recognition that Pakistan “must play an important role” if not a dominant one, in reconciliation talks with the Taliban, the official said.
An intelligence estimate prepared for the review concluded that the war in Afghanistan could not be won unless the insurgent sanctuaries were wiped out, and that there was no real indication Pakistan planned to undertake the effort.
But the White House concluded that while Taliban safe havens were ‘a factor’, they were “not the only thing that stands between us and success in Afghanistan,” the senior official said. “We understand the general view a lot of people espouse” in calling for direct US ground attacks, he said of the intelligence estimate. But while the administration’s goal is still a Pakistani offensive, the review questioned whether ‘classic clear, hold and build’ operations were the only way to deny the insurgents free access to the borderlands, and asked whether “a range of political, military, counterterrorism and intelligence operations” could achieve the same result.
“That view represents a significant shift in administration thinking, perhaps making a virtue of necessity given Pakistani refusal thus far to launch the kind of full-scale ground offensive the United States has sought in North Waziristan,” the dispatch said.
“The challenge is that when you talk about safe havens in Pakistan, you imagine some traditional military clearing operation that then settles the issue,” the official said. While the Pakistani military has cleared insurgents from most of the tribal areas, it remains heavily deployed in those areas, where little building has taken place.

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POL prices hike rolled back

January 7th, 2011 | No Comments


ISLAMABAD – With the consensus of all parliamentary parties, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday announced to withdraw the recent hike in the prices of petroleum (POL) products.
“On the demand of the people and political leadership of the country, I announce to restore the POL prices as of December 31, 2010. The decision is taken with the consensus of all the parliamentary parties. It was impossible if there was no consensus,” the premier said while speaking during the National Assembly session.
The government had raised fuel prices by as much as 9 per cent on the eve of New Year. Days later, the second-largest ruling coalition – Muttahida Qaumi Movement – cited the price hike as a reason for joining the opposition. The defection deprived the ruling Pakistan PeopleÂ’s Party of a majority in the Parliament, plunging the country into political turmoil at a time of severe economic troubles and relentless militant attacks.
The rollback was also one of the PML-NÂ’s several demands presented to Prime Minister Gilani. PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif also wanted a 30 per cent cut in the government expenditure and the implementation of a series of court verdicts against the PPP members over corruption. In his speech, the prime minister said before announcing the withdrawal, he met with the parliamentary leaders of all the parties where Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh and his team briefed them on the recent economic situation of the country.
“During the meeting, we reached a consensus that the recent hike in POL prices should be withdrawn and the new prices should be as of December 31,” the prime minister told the Lower House.
He informed the House that during the meeting, it was decided that a parliamentary committee comprising all the political partiesÂ’ members would be constituted that would not only devise a strategy to handle the influence of fluctuating prices of petroleum products in the international market but would also draw an economic road map for the country.
Later, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Ch Nisar Ali Khan lauded the decision of the Prime Minister to withdraw the recent increase in the POL prices. “It was a demand of the people of Pakistan and today the Prime Minister has bowed in submission of people which is a good tradition”, Nisar said while adding that the act would give a message that the Parliament was serious in resolving the problems of the people. He said that another problem being faced by the people was the gas loadshedding and the government should also take steps in that direction.
Commenting on the murder of the Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, Nisar said it was a gory incident but some federal ministers were terming it a political killing even when the inquiry report was still pending.
He said that the ministers should avoid giving such statements when the society had already divided on this incident.
“If some body wants to get the slot of Governor Punjab then he should use any other pitch. Stop making statements like ‘Ranjit Singh’ or ‘Maula Jatt’. Providing security to Taseer was the responsibility of Islamabad police as he was in the Capital. Inquiry committees are working on it and let them complete their investigation, he said. If someone found involved, action would be taken against him”, Nisar said.
He told that Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif was willing to attend the funeral prayer of Taseer but Senior Minister Raja Riaz urged him not to come to avert any untoward situation, as number of PPP workers were in anger after such statements. Chief of Awami National Party Asfandyar Wali Khan thanked the Prime Minister and the parliamentary leaders of all the political parties for sitting with the PM on his advice to settle the issue of price hike in POL products.
“It is a bold step and also a proof that we can collectively solve the issues of people. Deputy Parliamentary Leader of MQM Haider Abbas Rizvi while congratulating the parliamentarians and people of Pakistan tanked the Prime Minister and termed it a bold step. It is difficult to undo his own decision but we are thankful to PM Gilani who reviewed his decision,” Rizvi added. He also urged the PM to review the prices of LNG and CNG too. Talking about the briefing of the Finance Minister to the parliamentary leaders Rizvi said that Finance Minister told them that the government had a plan to give subsidy of Rs30 billion to people on electricity but “till now it has given the subsidy of Rs156 billion.”
Maulana Ataur Rehman of JUI-F also welcomed the decision and congratulated the Parliament and people of Pakistan on the decision of Supreme Court of Pakistan ordering Ministry of Religious Affairs to pay back 700 riyals to each Haji. Talking about the murder of Punjab governor, he said his party had been requesting the govt not to touch the issue of amending blasphemy law but the govt and the governor did not pay heed to it and neglected their demand.
“The inquiry is still in way; however, if we take the statement of killer accurate the fault was of the governor,” he added.
He demanded of the govt to dissolve the committee formed to introduce amendments into the law and to withdraw the bill of Sherry Rehman. “If the government touches such sensitive laws then such incidents can again happen. The govt is responsible not the young generation. However JUI-F respects the law and the religious parties never take law into their hands,” Ataur Rehman said. Riaz Hussain Pirzada also congratulated the House and people for the withdrawal of hike in POL prices. Talking about the murder of Salmaan Taseer he said that it was not on the ground of religion. Such steps are taken after proper planning. There would be a network behind it, he added.
Meanwhile, the House also offered fateha for the departed soul of Governor Salmaan Taseer. Earlier, the parliamentary leaders of political parties met with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza to discuss the hike in POL prices.
Finance Minister Abdul Hafiz Sheikh briefed the Parliamentary leaders on the economic situation of the country and recent hike of the POL products. The meeting decided to withdraw the increase in POL prices and to form a parliamentary committee to draw an economic road map for the country.

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