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DAWN WIRE SERVICE
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Week Ending : 08 June 2002 Issue : 08/23
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Contents | National News | Business & Economy | Editorials & Features | Sports
The DAWN Wire Service (DWS) is a free weekly news-service from
Pakistan's largest English language newspaper, the daily DAWN. DWS
offers news, analysis and features of particular interest to the
Pakistani Community on the Internet.
Extracts, not exceeding 50 lines, can be used provided that this
entire header is included at the beginning of each extract.
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(c) Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., Pakistan - 2002
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CONTENTS
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NATIONAL NEWS
+ US assured Pakistan will not begin war: Musharraf
+ Proposal be formally conveyed: Pakistan
+ S. Asia paying heavy price for standoff: Musharraf
+ Indian official says attack plan ready: Defence ministry
+ Nuclear war unthinkable: Musharraf
+ All resources to be used if attacked, says Aziz
+ Pakistan not to strike first: ISPR
+ Envoys off to explain policy on Kashmir
+ Pakistan condemns staffer's abduction
+ US forces launch search operation
+ Troops redeployed in Kurram Agency
+ All parties conference opposes change in Kashmir policy
+ PPP leaders advise govt to contact Benazir Bhutto
+ ARD's white paper on referendum
+ ATC bars defence from showing video: Pearl case
+ Order reserved in Pearl video case
+ Mariane Pearl dropped as prosecution witness
+ New lady comes in focus Daniel Pearl case
+ Delegates for Loya Jirga elected
+ Lone's son inducted into APHC body
+ FSC acquits Zafran of adultery
+ NWFP govt to oppose Zafran Bibi's death sentence in FSC
+ Sherpao, ex-senator record statements: Ring Road case hearing
+ Sherpao released on bail
+ US proposes new rules for visitors
+ PML-QA not to join NA, says Pervez
+ 43 die as bus falls into ravine near Jhelum
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BUSINESS & ECONOMY
+ Defence budget to go up
+ Maleeha tipped as next FM
+ Sattar wants to quit as FM: Health grounds cited
+ Union Bank to take over Emirates branches
+ Border concerns turn equities into volatile temper
+ Stocks end weekend session on subdued note
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EDITORIALS & FEATURES
+ For what do we fight? Ardeshir Cowasjee
+ Pakistan's crisis of destiny Ayaz Amir
+ Halting the slide toward war Henry A. Kissinger
+ The view from London Irfan Husain
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SPORTS
+ Mudassar hopes Australia will tour Pakistan
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NATIONAL NEWS
20020607
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US assured Pakistan will not begin war: Musharraf
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By Hasan Akhtar
ISLAMABAD, June 6: US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage
said that although the situation was quite complicated and
volatile, President Gen Pervez Musharraf had assured him he would
avoid war with India.
After having talks with the president, Mr Armitage told reporters:
"Well, of course, the situation is quite complicated and volatile
but I am very heartened to hear President Musharraf's desire to
have war avoidance".
The US envoy said he (the president) was very articulate on his
hopes and aspirations for the people of Pakistan - pointing to the
future. The president made "it clear that nothing is happening
across the Line of Control," he said.
Some of the excerpts from Mr Armitage's press talk:
Q: Have you discussed with the president the diversion of troops
from western border to the Kashmir area?
A: We did have a short discussion on that. Of course, on CNN this
past weekend, I noticed the president discussed it very openly and
said that some elements had moved. But the main activities on the
western border seem to be unaffected from my point of view.
Q: Do you feel closer than or further than the kind of scenario
people were talking about one week ago about a conventional
engagement between India and Pakistan that might escalate beyond
that?
A: I don't know that I can characterize it. I said that President
Musharraf has made it very clear that he is searching for peace;
that he won't be the one who would initiate a war and I will be
looking hopefully for the same type of assurances tomorrow in
Delhi.
Q: When President Musharraf came back from Almaty he had said he
thought tensions had been reduced over the past few days or week.
Did he convey that assessment to you?
A: We discussed the actual situation. He is doing what he feels he
can to reduce tensions and I have noticed in newspaper accounts
both here and in India, an apparent lessening of tensions. But I'll
just leave it at that.
Q: Do you think that in the presence of such a large number of
troops infiltrations from Pakistan is possible, and what is your
opinion about the UN monitors along the LoC?
A: Well, the president has made it very clear that nothing is
happening across the Line of Control. We are looking for that to
hold over the longer run. On the question of UN observers, it seems
to be something that the Indians have dismissed off hand. We are
discussing all sorts of monitoring mechanisms without any
prejudices to one way or the other.
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20020606
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Proposal be formally conveyed: Pakistan
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Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, June 5: Pakistan, in a cautious response to the Indian
proposal of joint monitoring of the Line of Control, has reiterated
its willingness to discuss all such proposals as part of a
comprehensive dialogue.
Responding to Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's
suggestion of joint patrolling of the Line of Control, a foreign
office spokesman observed that given the level of confidence
between the two countries such a mechanism was unlikely to work.
However, he said if the proposal was in right earnest it should be
formally conveyed to Pakistan.
"If India is serious in making such proposals, it should convey
these formally to Pakistan," he said.
The spokesman further said the proposal of joint patrolling was not
new. "Similar proposals had previously been tabled with regard to
the international boundary by India," he said. The Indian and
Pakistani forces are monitoring and patrolling their respective
sides of the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, he added.
He pointed out that UNMOGIP already had a mandate to monitor the
Line of Control. "It may be expanded to perform this role more
effectively." Pakistan, he maintained, had already expressed its
willingness to accept neutral monitoring of the LoC.
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20020605
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S. Asia paying heavy price for standoff: Musharraf
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ALMATY, June 4: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said the people of
South Asia were paying the price for what he termed India's
unwillingness to end the standoff over disputed Kashmir.
"The people of South Asia continue to pay a very heavy price by the
refusal of India to resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with
the relevant UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,"
Musharraf told the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-
building Measures in Asia (CICA) here.
"For the past several months, tension along our borders with India
and the Line of Control is high, stirring deep fears in South Asia
and around the world over the real possibility of conflict," the
president said.
"We do not want war. We will not initiate a war. But if war is
imposed on us, we will defend ourselves with the utmost resolution
and determination," he said.
"We have stated repeatedly that instead of accusations, threats and
dangerous escalation, India should return to the path of dialogue
and negotiations, which is the only sane option, especially in the
dangerous environment of South Asia."
In his address Musharraf said state oppression could lead to
terrorism.
"We cannot allow individual or group terrorism on any pretext.
Similarly, we cannot condone for any reason the rapacious policies
of certain states that forcibly occupy territories and deny freedom
to peoples for decades on end," he said.
"Global peace has remained hostage to the expansionist ambitions of
such states and their ruthless campaigns to suppress, through
brutal use of force, the legitimate struggles of people to gain
their internationally recognized fundamental right to freedom and
self-determination. "Terrorism by states, apart from inflicting
massive suffering on occupied people, spawns a spiral of violence
and terrorism."
He said that "denial of freedom, and the resulting desperation and
humiliation, are the breeding grounds for extremism." To eradicate
terrorism, he said "we must address the root causes by eliminating
injustice and honouring the commitments consecrated in the Charter
principles."
Global peace, he said, has remained "hostage to the expansionist
ambitions of such states" and their ruthless campaigns to suppress,
through brutal use of force, the legitimate struggles of peoples to
gain their internationally recognized fundamental right to freedom
and self-determination.
Pakistan notes with satisfaction, he said, that the Almaty Act to
be adopted by the CICA summit had reaffirmed the core principles of
the UN Charter, namely: respect for sovereign equality and
territorial integrity of states; respect for the right of self-
determination of peoples under occupation and colonial domination;
peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and international
intercession and mediation; and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Gen Musharraf said: "Our faith in the validity of these principles
has been reinforced by the unfortunate history of South Asia."
President Musharraf said he travelled to Agra nearly a year ago in
the hope of setting into motion a dialogue process to address
Kashmir and all other outstanding issues with India. Regrettably,
he said, the summit remained inconclusive.
The president said the end of the Cold War and the elimination of
the danger of global annihilation, heightened prospects for global
peace. Ten years later, he said "that optimism has been tempered by
unfortunate events and trends."
"New threats and new prejudices darken the horizon," he warned. In
these circumstances, he said, interaction, dialogue and confidence-
building have assumed greater urgency "for the revival of a fading
promise."
"We must ask ourselves whether the present situation has been
brought about because of a sudden eruption of violence and
terrorism by misguided individuals and desperate groups that
threaten to destabilize the international community. Or is there a
deeper malaise and terrorism is a symptom of this malaise."
September 11 brought home to the world "the horror of terrorism and
galvanized inter-national resolve to fight and eliminate this
modern day scourge."
"Targeting of innocent people cannot be justified under any
circumstances. We do and we must reject terrorism in all its forms
and manifestations." However, as we wage war on terrorism, there
also is the need for introspection. "Violence in the world is not
because of terrorism alone." -Agencies
Text of president's speech at Almaty conference:
ISLAMABAD, June 4: The following is the text of the speech by
President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday to the 16-nation Conference
on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia (CICA) in
Almaty, Kazakhstan.
I congratulate you, Mr President on the fruition of your vision
embodied in the initiative for the Conference on Interaction and
Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).
We admire your sustained guidance that helped to identify the
principles for cooperation among our countries for peace and a
better future. The culmination, your initiative at this summit
meeting in the beautiful city of Almaty, located at the very centre
of Asia is needed auspicious for the Asian continent.
Mr Chairman, you had initiated this noble venture nearly 10 years
ago at a time of great hope and promise arising from a momentous
upsurge for freedom witnessed around the globe.
The end of the Cold War and the elimination of the danger of global
annihilation, heightened prospects for global peace.
Ten years later, that optimism has been tempered by unfortunate
events and trends. New threats and new prejudices darken the
horizon. In these circumstances, interaction, dialogue and
confidence building have assumed greater urgency for the revival of
a fading promise.
We must ask ourselves whether the present situation has been
brought about because of a sudden eruption of violence and
terrorism by misguided individuals and desperate groups that
threaten to destabilize the international community. Or is there a
deeper malaise and terrorism is a symptom of that malaise.
September 11 brought home to the world the horror of terrorism and
galvanised international resolve to fight and eliminate this modern
day scourge. Targeting of innocent people cannot be justified under
any circumstances. We do and we must reject terrorism in all its
forms and manifestations. However, as we wage war on terrorism,
there is also the need for introspection. Violence in the world is
not because of terrorism alone. The international community had
identified the root causes of violence more than five decades ago
and had enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the
principles and the framework for global peace.
Disregard of these principles constitutes the main source of
violence and suffering in the world and lies many a time at the
door of member states themselves.
We cannot condone individual or group terrorism on any pretext.
Similarly, we cannot condone for any reason the rapacious policies
of certain states that forcibly occupy territories and deny freedom
to peoples for decade on end, with total disdain for Charter
principles and decisions of the United Nations.
"Global peace has remained hostage to the expansionist ambitions of
such states and their ruthless campaigns to suppress, through
brutal use of force, the legitimate struggles of peoples' to gain
their internationally recognised right to freedom and self-
determination. Terrorism by states, apart from inflicting massive
suffering on occupied people, spawns a spiral of violence and
terrorism.
Denial of freedom and the resulting desperation and humiliation are
the breeding grounds for extremism.
To eradicate terrorism, we must address the root causes by
eliminating injustice and honouring the commitments consecrated in
the Charter principles.
Mr chairman,
we note with satisfaction that the Almaty Act to be adopted by the
Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia
has reaffirmed the core principles of the UN Charter namely:
* respect for sovereign equality and territorial integrity of
states,
* respect for the right of self-determination of peoples' under
occupation and colonial domination,
* peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and
international intercession and mediation, and
* mutually beneficial cooperation.
Our faith in the validity of these principles has been reinforced
by the unfortunate history of South Asia. The people of South Asia
continue to pay a heavy price for the refusal by India to resolve
the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant U.N.
resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
I travelled to Agra (India) nearly a year ago in the hope of
setting into motion a dialogue process to address Kashmir and all
other outstanding issues with India. Regrettably, the summit
remained inconclusive.
For the past several months, tension along our borders with India
and the Line of Control is high, stirring deep fears in South Asia
and around the world over the real possibility of a conflict. We do
not want war. We will not initiate a war. But if war is imposed on
us, we will defend ourselves with the utmost resolution and
determination.
We have stated repeatedly that instead of accusations, threats and
dangerous escalation, India should return to the path of dialogue
and negotiations, which is the only sane option, especially in the
dangerous environment of South Asia.
Mr chairman, the continent of Asia is a cradle of diverse
civilisations, cultures, religions and traditions. Confidence-
building, understanding and peace in Asia can transform the world.
Imagine the change in global environment, if all the participants
of this conference were to resolve their differences and conflicts
on the basis of equity, justice, international law and the
principles of the U.N. Charter. Imagine the creative energy that
would be released and the development and progress that would
result in the new scenario for the deprived people of Asia and the
blessings it can bring to the entire world.
This objective should define the CICA undertaking and our common
efforts to promote it. We, therefore, welcome the principles and
the mechanism elaborated in the Almaty Act. We believe that this
mechanism supplements and reinforces the commitment of the member
states to the purposes and principles of the United Nations
Charter.
In this age of information, when we can instantaneously share the
pain and joy of our fellow beings anywhere in the world, it is
vital to promote understanding among peoples and cultures through a
sustained effort.
"We, therefore, fully endorse the positive elements of the
"Declaration on Eliminating Terrorism and Promoting Dialogue among
Civilisations", which are inspired by the idea of greater
interaction and cooperation among civilisations.
We reject the flawed and dangerous postulate of an unavoidable
clash of civilisations, which can only resurrect medieval
prejudices and fears and lead the world on a dark and dangerous
path of confrontation and conflict.
I conclude, by expressing sincere gratitude and appreciation for
the warm hospitality and courtesies extended to me and my
delegation since our arrival in this beautiful city of Almaty.
I Thank you Mr Chairman.-Reuters
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20020604
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Indian official says attack plan ready: Defence ministry
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NEW DELHI, June 3: The India military categorically ruled out the
use of nuclear weapons in case of war with Pakistan.
"The government makes it clear that India does not believe in the
use of nuclear weapons. Neither does it visualise that it will be
used by any other country," the defence ministry said in a
statement in New Delhi.
The hastily-issued statement appeared to be a damage-control
exercise following comments from Indian Defence Secretary Yogendra
Narain saying that India would retaliate with nuclear weapons if
Pakistan used its atomic arsenal, and that both countries must be
prepared for "mutual destruction."
Narain, the country's most senior defence ministry bureaucrat, also
said in an interview with Outlook magazine that India's command-
and-control, or the nuclear button, was in place and ready.
"Everything is finalized. It is in the hands of the civilian
government and we don't expect any delay in issuing orders," he
told the news weekly. It was the first such public comment by a
senior bureaucrat on the country's nuclear command structure.
In his interview, Yogendra Narain had said that the Indian army had
a "moral and legal right " to launch a punitive attack on Pakistan,
adding ominously: "We can strike at three hours' notice." In an
interview likely to further dismay the international community,
Narain said the Indian government was actively considering
"surgical strikes" against its nuclear rival.
He revealed that New Delhi had originally planned to attack
Pakistan in the wake of an raid by militants on India's parliament
building last December. But it changed its mind after Gen Pervez
Musharraf promised to clamp down on militant groups. He hinted that
the plan had now been revived.
Although nothing has been ruled out, New Delhi is believed to
favour a symbolic punitive attack on "terrorist" training camps
inside Azad Kashmir.
Narain told the magazine that India was entitled to cross into
Pakistani territory and attack militant training camps. The
government was prepared for the possibility that any confrontation
with Pakistan might turn nuclear, he said.
"Pakistan is not a democratic country and we don't know their
nuclear threshold. We will retaliate and must be prepared for
mutual destruction on both sides," he added.
India's Hindu nationalist-led coalition government appears to be
considering two main options: a short, swift special forces raid on
training camps or precision air strikes on the camps and their
infrastructure. Supporters of this strategy point out that the
militant bases are located close to the line of control and say a
plane could hit the target and return to Indian territory in five
or six minutes. But both plans have several flaws. In previous
conflicts the Pakistanis have picked off India's warplanes. There
are also doubts whether Indian intelligence is up to the job of
correctly identifying militant training camps, many of which are
little more than ramshackle structures. There are also grave
uncertainties that how Pakistan would respond.
Last week Gen Musharraf promised to take the battle "into Indian
territory" if attacked - in effect, opening up a new theatre of war
somewhere else. The other unknown factor is how Gen Musharraf - who
last week carried out three tests of nuclear-capable ballistic
missiles - would respond if Pakistan's conventional army crumbles.
It is this uncertainty, more than any pressure from the
international community, that has so far prevented New Delhi from
acting. Narain admitted that "surgical strikes" would probably take
place if diplomacy failed. "We know that there will be retaliation
on other parts of the border from Pakistan. It will escalate and
will not be confined to one region," he predicted.
Highly-placed military sources said Narain's comments have sent
alarm bells ringing in India's civilian establishment.-AFP/
Guardian News Service
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20020602
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Nuclear war unthinkable: Musharraf
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WASHINGTON, June 1: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said that a
nuclear war between Pakistan and India was all but unthinkable, the
CNN reported. "I don't think either side is that irresponsible to
go to that limit," Gen Musharraf told CNN in an exclusive
interview, a preview of which was shown on PTV.
"I would even go to the extent of saying one shouldn't even be
discussing these things, because any sane individual cannot even
think of going into this unconventional war, whatever the
pressures," CNN online quoted the president as saying.
The president dismissed as "absolutely baseless" charges that
Pakistan had moved nuclear missiles towards the border with India.
"That Pakistan ever moved any nuclear asset or deployed its
missiles is baseless, absolutely baseless," Gen Musharraf said in
reply to a question. He added: It was an absolutely baseless
accusation that Pakistan ever moved nuclear weapons or deployed
nuclear assets, and that holds good even now.
If India has moved their missiles this is extremely dangerous and a
very serious escalation, an extremely serious escalation. The
international community must take note of this because you can't
distinguish what is conventional and what is unconventional. "Let
us hope good sense prevails (and) this does not lead to escalation.
It has not because we are restraining ourselves, and let Indians
not test our patience and restraint because it will be very
dangerous."
The president said: "We've called for a no-war pact (with India),
that there shouldn't be any war. We've called for denuclearization
of South Asia, so we've called for reduction of forces."
Gen Musharraf said he was willing to meet Indian Prime Minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee on the sidelines of a regional summit next
week. He said he was willing to talk to Mr Vajpayee in Kazakhstan,
where both leaders would attend an Asian summit from June 4.
"It depends more on Prime Minister Vajpayee," President Musharraf
said. "I have no problem with meeting him, I have been saying that
all along so that question must be put to him."
Musharraf said that his country is "against militancy" and "will
fight militancy in any form." But, the president said, Kashmiri
separatists are engaged in "a genuine freedom struggle" to force
the implementation of a UN resolution calling for the right of
self-determination.
Musharraf insisted that "nothing is happening across the Line of
Control," but noted that "it should not end there. There has to be
some movement forward," he said. "And the movement forward is
certainly the issue of addressing, initiating the process of
dialogue, and squarely addressing the dispute of Kashmir."-Agencies
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20020602
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All resources to be used if attacked, says Aziz
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ISLAMABAD, June 1: Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Abdul Aziz
Mirza has warned that if war is thrust on Pakistan, all resources
would be utilized to safeguard the sea flank of the country.
"Pakistan Navy is fully alert and alive to the present situation.
It will protect the motherland against any threat from the seaward
and will respond with full force," he said.
He observed that though the nuclear capability and missile
technology had provided the navy with parity with India, the need
for a credible defence in the conventional field still existed.
India should not be allowed to bully Pakistan under the garb of
cross-border terrorism, for the latter had repeatedly condemned
terrorism in all its manifestations and had provided full support
to eradicate that menace at the international level, he added.-APP
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20020602
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Pakistan not to strike first: ISPR
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Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, June 1: Pakistan reiterated its position that it will
not be the first to initiate a war against India but if one was
thrust upon Pakistan it will respond with full might.
"Nobody should have any illusions or miscalculations about it,"
said President Pervez Musharraf's spokesman and DG ISPR Maj-Gen
Rashid Qureshi.
Talking to Dawn, he said Pakistan had made it amply clear to India
and the world that "if our territory or airspace is violated we
will defend and respond."
The President's spokesman stated this in response to a report in
the daily Christian Science Monitor Thursday that India was
planning a 10-day "limited assault in Kashmir if infiltration does
not significantly drop." According to a senior Indian military
official quoted in the report, the limited military operation would
be undertaken to capture territory and dismantle the militants'
infrastructure.
Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi categorically dismissed the report as
deserving of contempt and termed it "an utterly ridiculous
assertion."
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20020603
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Envoys off to explain policy on Kashmir
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KARACHI, June 2: The government has dispatched special envoys to
many countries who will explain Pakistan's policy vis-a-vis the
Kashmir issue, which has been a major cause of dispute between
Pakistan and India.
The former chief of the army staff, Jehangir Karamat, said the
world should know that the Kashmir issue was the main cause of
dispute between Pakistan and India.
Talking to APP at Karachi Airport before his departure to Rome,
Italy, the former army chief said that he was going as special
emissary of President General Pervez Musharraf to tell the European
countries about Pakistan's point-of-view in the present tense
situation between India and Pakistan.
"I will inform the governments of these European countries that
since long Pakistan has been offering mediation to solve the
Kashmir issue," he said, adding that he would also brief the world
leaders why the solution of the Kashmir problem was essential to
ease tension in South Asia.
He said that some kind of mediation process had already been
initiated and many high-level officials from the UK and the USA had
been visiting both the countries. He said the US defence secretary
was also expected to visit Pakistan and India next week.
Mr Karamat said that besides Italy, he would visit Paris, Madrid
and Denmark and meet the heads of governments and states there. He
said the main purpose of his visit as special envoy of the
president was to deliver special letters to the heads of
governments. He said Pakistani missions in these countries had
already been informing their host states about the just stand of
Pakistan, but he would personally meet the heads of governments to
deliver the president's message.
Another special envoy of the president of Pakistan, Najamuddin
Shaikh, left here late Saturday night for Bangkok on his way to
Singapore. He will also visit Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan where
he will deliver special messages from President General Pervez
Musharraf to the heads of government and state of these countries.
Talking to APP prior to his departure, Mr Shaikh said that as he
would be trying to meet opinion leaders in all these countries in
addition to delivering letters to their 'higher destinations,' he
would be away from Pakistan for about 20 days.
"I have been directed by the president to visit Singapore,
Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan to deliver as a special envoy the
letters that he has addressed to the heads of government of these
countries with regard to the current situation in South Asia," he
added.
"I think that there is an understanding in the world that peaceful
negotiations particularly in South Asia with large armies on both
sides is the only way in which a catastrophic situation can be
avoided," he said.
The former chairman of Senate, Wasim Sajjad, has said that war is
not a solution of problems bet countries.
Talking to APP at Karachi Airport before his departure to Damascus
as special envoy of President General Pervez Musharraf, the former
chairman of Senate said that he would tell the leaders of Muslims
countries that India had initiated war-like situation and gathered
its forces along Pakistan borders.
Mr Sajjad said that besides Syria he would also visit Jordan,
Turkey and Lebanon and meet heads of these countries to inform them
about Pakistan's stand. "I will request the leadership of these
countries to use their influence to defuse tension in the South
Asian region," he said, adding that as special emissary, he would
deliver special messages of President General Musharraf to the
heads of these countries.
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20020602
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Pakistan condemns staffer's abduction
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By Hasan Akhtar
ISLAMABAD, June 1: The Pakistan government condemned the abduction,
unlawful detention and torture of an official of its high
commission in New Delhi, Amir Shabbir, by the Indian intelligence
operatives, said a foreign office statement.
It said the government had lodged a strong protest with the Indian
government over "the reprehensible action" against Mr Shabbir.
Islamabad called upon New Delhi to take appropriate action against
those responsible for the abduction and torture of the official.
Meanwhile, New Delhi has also made a similar charge against
Islamabad for alleged unlawful abduction and temporary detention of
its mission's official in Islamabad, Kulwant Singh.
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20020603
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US forces launch search operation
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ISLAMABAD, June 2: Hundreds of US troops launched an operation in
the mountains of eastern Afghanistan to hunt down Al Qaeda and
Taliban fighters, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported.
It said the operation had been mounted in Nangarhar province,
across the Torkham crossing on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The operation is focused on the mountainous terrain of Shamshad
south of Torkham, the Pakistan-based private news service said.
US troops blocked all routes leading to Shamshad, and occupied the
pedestrian trails from Pakistan to Afghanistan. They also
barricaded the popular Sasobi track which is used daily by
thousands of Afghans to cross into Pakistan, it said.
The AIP said the US forces have taken up positions along the route,
with cover from helicopters flying overhead.-AFP
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20020607
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Troops redeployed in Kurram Agency
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By Zulfiqar Ali
PESHAWAR, June 6: Pakistan army troops took over charge of some
checkpoints on the Kohat-Parachinar road after the personnel were
redeployed in the Kurram tribal agency to reinforce search for
suspects and check illegal crossing of the border from the
Afghanistan side.
Reports reaching here said the army troops moved into the area and
assumed charge of Chapari and Alizai checkpoints in the Lower
Kurram Agency, close to the Khost province, where coalition forces
have launched a fresh operation against fugitive Taliban and Al
Qaeda elements.
Besides, the troops were also deputed on various checkpoints in
Kohat, Hangu and Thall to check vehicles coming from the tribal
areas. The personnel of the Frontier Corps and Thall scouts are
also assisting the troops in the area.
The troops, earlier deployed in different parts of the tribal
territory, including both North and South Waziristan Agencies, had
been withdrawn from a number of checkpoints in the Kurram Agency
and the settled areas due to the ongoing stand-off between Pakistan
and India.
Last week, president Gen Pervez Musharraf stated that Islamabad
might pull out its troops from tribal areas, deployed along the
western border to check the infiltration of Al-Qaeda suspects and
Taliban from the war-battered Afghanistan.
The statement worried many a stockholder, including Washington,
that the troops withdrawal from the western borders would affect
the coalition forces' operation against the fleeing Al-Qaeda men
and Taliban.
The coalition forces also moved into Afghanistan's eastern
Nangarhar province to flush out the hiding fighters of Al-Qaeda and
Taliban. Eyewitnesses claimed that the US troops operating in
Gorako and Dor Baba areas, close to the Pakistan border, blew up
many caves.
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20020603
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All parties conference opposes change in Kashmir policy
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Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, June 2: An All Parties Conference of some 30 Kashmiri
parties unanimously demanded that the government should resist
pressure to change its Kashmir policy because no solution but one
based on the right of self-determination would be acceptable to the
people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The APC, convened by AJK Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan
at Kashmir House, deliberated on the wave of Indian repression and
use of force to curb Kashmiri's demand for self-determination and
the situation arising out of the Indian aggression against
civilians.
Prominent among the participants were AJK President Sardar Mohammad
Anwar, AJK Muslim Conference President Sardar Attiq Ahmed Khan,
Ghulam Mohammad Safi and Syed Yusuf Naseem of All Parties Hurriyet
Conference, Abdur Rashid Turabi of AJK Jamaat-i-Islami, Sahibzada
Atiqur Rahman Faizpuri, Maulana Nazir Farooqi, Amanullah Khan,
Abdul Majeed, Mohammad Hayat Khan and Prof Mohammad Ashraf Sarraf.
No leader from PPP AJK turned up.
It unanimously adopted the following declaration:
"All Parties Kashmir Conference pays rich tributes to the valour
and determination of the people of Indian occupied J&K who infused
a new life into the Kashmir issue which remained dormant and have
thus shattered Indian hopes of bringing the Indo-Pakistan border to
the Jhelum/Neelum river.
"The conference deems it necessary to reaffirm its pledge that
notwithstanding the level and volume of Pakistan's support, the
Kashmiri people in any case will continue with their struggle for
the liberation of Kashmir.
"The conference salutes the courage and grit of the men, women and
children of AJ&K who were braving severe Indian hostilities on the
Line of Control and were standing like a solid rock between Indian
armed forces and the territories of Pakistan.
"The conference holds India responsible for disturbing peace and
tranquillity in the region and for creating an unprecedented
tension when the armies of both nuclear powers face each other
eyeball to eyeball. It becomes imperative to make it known that in
case of any eventuality the people of J&K, particularly hundreds of
thousands of Mujahideen and ex-servicemen, will stand firmly along
with Pakistan army to defend every inch of AJK and Pakistan.
"The conference pays glowing tributes to the leadership of Indian
occupied Kashmir and assure them that the people of AJK as well as
the kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan were determined to play a
full blooded role in the resistance movement. They well know that
the sanctity accorded to the ceasefire line by the United Nations
resolution was applicable to the armed forces of India and Pakistan
and not to the people of J&K and they were free to move anywhere in
their own state.
"The APC of Kashmiri parties reaffirms that the ongoing resistance
movement in occupied J&K was in conformity with the canons of UN
Charter and thus just and legitimate and the Indian occupation
force and their secret agencies themselves carry out acts of
terrorism to malign the just struggle of the people.
"It reiterates that no war can ever bring a lasting solution to a
dispute like Kashmir, it can only be achieved through peaceful
means for which negotiations and across the table talks were a pre-
requisite.''
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20020604
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PPP leaders advise govt to contact Benazir Bhutto
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Staff Reporter
LAHORE, June 3: Pakistan People's Party leaders said that the
policies pursued by the military regime had failed to solve the
thorny problems facing the country. There was, therefore, a dire
need for the restoration of democratic system.
They said the regime should establish contact with Ms Benazir
Bhutto before the situation slipped out of control and the masses
took to the streets to hold the rulers accountable.
The warning shots came at a ceremony at which some important
Pakistan Muslim League leaders from Gujranwala joined the PPP.
PPP's Punjab president Qasim Zia, who presided over the meeting,
cautioned the government against any move to 'deform' the
constitution which was a consensus document, enjoying support of
all political parties.
Time had come, the player-turned-politician said, for all political
and religious forces to join hands. "Pakistan stands isolated at
the international level. The foreign policy has failed. The country
needs a popular leadership. The farce of referendum has established
that the conglomerate of the puppet parties has failed to produce
the results desired by the regime."
Underlining the need for immediate fresh elections, Mr Zia said a
representative government would be in a better position to steer
the country out of the crises.
Former PPP secretary-general, Ahmad Mukhtar, said all policies of
the military rulers had backfired and claims that foreign
investment was streaming in were misleading. In his opinion, a
political system needed to be restored without delay so that the
armed forces could focus on their primary duty - the defence of the
country.
PPP federal council secretary-general Khalid Kharal said the
government should evolve national consensus by establishing contact
with the political leadership. Using derogatory language against
former president Farooq Leghari, he strongly criticised the regime
for sending such a person as Pakistan's emissary to various
countries to present the country's point of view on the standoff
between the two nuclear armed neighbours.
Khwaja Muhammad Saleh, Noman Butt, Farooq Ansari, Mian Muhammad
Iqbal Ansari, Chaudhry Muhammad Anwar Kamboh from Gujranwala and
Mian Zahid Aslam Butt from Faisalabad formally joined the PPP. Some
of the speakers claimed that the PPP would now be in a position to
sweep the general elections in Gujranwala division.
Provincial information secretary Naveed Chaudhry and media incharge
Iqbal Sialvi also spoke on the occasion.
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20020604
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ARD's white paper on referendum
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Staff Reporter
LAHORE, June 3: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy issued a
white paper which questions the validity of the April 30 referendum
on constitutional, factual and political grounds.
The paper, released by the alliance's deputy information secretary
Munir Ahmad Khan, alleged that the turnout claimed by the Election
Commission was highly exaggerated and at some places the votes
polled had outnumbered the registered voters. The instances of
misuse of the public money have also been highlighted in the
document.
This is the third white paper on the subject. The earlier two had
been released by the PML(N) and the Jamaat-i-Islami.
All parties are of the view that Chief Election Commissioner
Justice Irshad Hasan Khan had failed to hold an impartial and fair
referendum and thus must be removed without delay to ensure free
and fair general elections.
The ARD white papers says that no sane person will believe in the
fiction presented as facts: "No less amazing is the turnout in
Lahore where 1.9 million electorates out of a population of 4.0
million came out to vote in the referendum, regardless of the gross
under-reporting of true facts by many a biased and characterless
hacks. It means that the people of Lahore had come out on the
streets to vote in more than double the reception Imam Khomeini got
in Tehran in 1979 or two-time greater than the mob that came to
receive Ms Benazir Bhutto in 1986. Under the leadership of district
Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood the Lahorites have broken, at least, two
records.
Similar is the story of Karachi where the MQM, the PPP, the PML(N)
and the Jamaat boycotted the referendum, but the Naib Nazim set
even much healthier record. Can any sane man believe in these
figures?
In Muzaffargarh district, when the people were forced to cast their
votes, some people cast their votes and mentioned the name of
Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, Mian Nawaz Sharif, Pir Pagara, Makhdoom
Amin Fahim, Nawab Akbar Bugti, Wali Khan, Qazi Husain Ahmad,
Maulana Fazlur Rahman and other leaders. On the other hand, the
women of this area cast their votes and mentioned the name of Ms
Benazir Bhutto, Naheed Khan and other women.
A chapter on "Drop Scene of referendum on April 30" says: There
were 60 million ballot papers for 87,074 polling stations, 163,641
polling booths, and over 0.4 million staff who carried out
referendum to facilitate voters above the age of 18 years.
"More than 3,000 unconventional polling stations were set up in
parks, government offices, factories, railway stations, bus stands,
petrol pumps, hotels and offices of political parties. Referendum
day proved bleak for the government machinery, which tried its
level best to bring the people out of their homes for casting
ballots in favour of Gen Musharraf.
On April 30, polling stations were giving deserted look and the
polling staff was seen sitting outside polling stations or playing
cards, due to lack of voters.
The administration filled ballot boxes with stamped ballots on the
eve of the referendum and sent them to different polling stations.
Seeing terribly low turnout, Nazims and councillors forced people
to cast their vote. But after failing in getting them to polling
stations, they used another method. They visited different polling
stations with several groups of 25 sweepers and gardeners and cast
their votes at least for eight times.
In the afternoon, police officials were directed to visit different
polling stations and cast multiple votes and wherever polling
officers resisted them, they thrashed them and forcibly cast votes.
Police deployed at railway stations and bus stands forced commuters
to cast their votes at every station and stop. Interestingly,
district coordination officers and SPs were responsible for
boosting the turnout. In this regard, they kept on getting
directions from chief secretaries and inspectors general of their
respective provinces.
In various polling stations, small children and foreigners also
cast vote and nobody stopped them. In different government
departments, ballot papers were released before April 30 and the
employees were forced to cast their votes with a threat of being
fired from their jobs.
Pakistan Television kept on broadcasting old films of elections
because they could not capture even a single crowded polling
station throughout the country. Administration kept on taking
groups of people to the polling stations which were to be visited
by Gen Musharraf, governors and the Chief Election Commissioner, in
order to show them activity there.
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20020607
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ATC bars defence from showing video: Pearl case
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Staff Correspondent
HYDERABAD, June 6: Judge of the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Syed Ali
Ashraf Shah restrained the defence counsel, Rai Basheer Ahmed, from
displaying or exhibiting the video CD (VCD) containing images of
the gruesome murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl.
The order was passed on an application filed by the advocate
general, Sindh, Raja Qureshi, seeking an order of restraint against
the accused, their agents, or all those who were acting on their
behalf.
The trial of the case has come to a standstill till June 10 because
a division bench of the Sindh High Court, Karachi, did not announce
the order on criminal revision application of the advocate general,
Sindh, today.
The order has been reserved by the bench after hearing the
prosecution and defence counsels.
The advocate general told journalists that in case the order was
not announced on Monday, then the hearing would resume immediately
on the next day if the Sindh High Court announced the order.
The examination-in-chief of the investigating officer (IO),
Hameedullah Memon, has been completed and his cross examination has
been reserved till Monday by the defence.
Defence Counsel Rai Basheer Ahmed claimed that in case the high
court rejected criminal revision application of the advocate
general, Sindh, then he and Abdul Waheed Katpar would need two days
to prepare themselves for cross examination of the investigating
officer after viewing the VCD with the experts.
By way of his application, the advocate general, Sindh, has
requested a division bench of the Sindh High Court to set aside the
order, passed on May 28 by the anti-terrorism court, Hyderabad,
ordering the release of the VCD.
The advocate general, Sindh, informed journalists that the trial
had come to a standstill because the trial court would have to
await the order of the SHC which could be announced any day.
He claimed that he filed the application seeking order of restrain
against defence on the basis of newspaper reports that the defence
counsel wanted to show the VCD at the press club on Wednesday.
He said that the defence counsel denied that he had shown the VCD
on Wednesday and undertook not to do so in future as well.
He claimed that the application was filed because section 8(c) of
the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 declared the conveying or exhibition
or displaying of movies or visual images with sound which conveys
terrorism to be schedule offence.
To a query that whether the same applied to journalists, he said
that if the video, obtained by way of unauthorised means, contained
images, which spread terrorism, it fell within the mischief of the
ATA, and added that the video had some images of terrorism in
theshape of the slaughtering of the American journalist. However,
if the video was obtained through lawful means and from the court
of law, then it would mean lawful acquisition, he clarified.
He said that he did not know whether the video of the American
journalist was available on the internet. Responding to another
question, the advocate general said that reality is reality, and a
movie, showing scenes of terrorism and violence, is after all a
movie.
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20020605
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Order reserved in Pearl video case
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, June 4: The anti-terrorism appellate bench of the Sindh
High Court reserved order on the prosecution's application for
setting aside the trial court's order for providing the video
cassette showing Daniel Pearl's murder, to the accused, but at the
same time held that the impugned order would remain suspended.
Besides the principal accused, Ahmed Umer Saeed Sheikh, Sheikh
Mohammad Adil, Syed Salman Saqib and Fahad Nasim, who are facing
trial in Hyderabad Central Jail, are respondents in the
application.
While the prosecution's line of argument was that providing the
tape to the accused at this stage would be inexpedient in the
public interest, counsel for the accused maintained that it was the
case property and being used as an evidence against them. Therefore
they must have it to defend their clients. It was all the more
necessary because some international websites had put the video for
viewing.
When the matter came up, Raja Qureshi, the Advocate-General, Sindh,
read out the order of the trial court on earlier two applications
in this regard. He tried to convince the court to first watch the
video and then decide whether to hand over the recording to the
accused. At this point Justice Siddiqui asked the AG to first argue
on whether the accused were entitled or not to be provided the
video tape.
Mr Qureshi submitted that the said "video is not a document but a
crime article and therefore it cannot be given to the accused." He
then referred to section 2( b) of the Qanoon-i-Shahadat and section
29 of PPC to define what was document. He also referred to section
8 (1) (c) of the Anti-terrorism Act of 1997, which was also one of
the sections under which the charge had been framed against the
accused.
It was his contention that the above section of the AT Act made the
video to be crime article as it contained a recording of visual
images and sound which was threatening and creating a sense of fear
and insecurity. It was likely to stir sectarian hatred. "It is a
crime article because it conveys through modern devices the
commission of crime and promotes terrorism," he submitted.
The AG submitted that the said video was delivered at the US
consulate two days before Eidul Azha, perhaps to send the message
to the world how Muslims treated Jews. That could have generated a
backlash against Muslims. Justice Siddiqui intervened, saying this
line of argument did not seem to be convincing, perhaps as the
video was reportedly on international websites.
The AG argued that the original video tape was displayed through an
FBI agent, John Moligan, on May 14 and he was cross-examined on May
16. Both the original and copy were watched by the accused, defence
team and prosecution team in the presence of the presiding judge on
May 14. Such request had not been made then. What was the purpose
of making such a demand when the last prosecution witness, ie, the
investigation officer, is to be examined on Wednesday. What would
be the justification of providing copy of the crime article which
had been returned and taken away by the FBI agent to Washington DC,
with the permission of the trial court, he argued.
He also invoked articles 40 and 5 of the constitution. Article 5
deals with loyalty to the state and obedience to the constitution
and the law. Article 40 deals with strengthening of bonds with the
Muslim world and strengthening international peace.
"The viewing of the video reflecting the slaughtering of an
American Jew, Daniel Pearl, would be an instrument of advancing
acts of terrorism internationally, and therefore if it is released
it could occasion massacre of Muslims and religious sects
nationally and internationally," the AG has contended in the
application.
He was also opposed to providing the video to the defence because
it was "likely to incite hatred and contempt on religious,
sectarian, or ethnic basis to stir up violence, or is likely to
affect the external affairs of Pakistan."
When the AG referred to the risk of disclosure to the public at
large, nationally and internationally and sectarian hatred, Justice
Siddiqui observed that sect is a subdivision of a religion. Jews
are not a sect.
"If it is perceived to be between the followers of the two
religions, will it fall under sectarian hatred clause (section 2
(h)," he asked. Mr Qureshi referred to the definition of sectarian
hatred under the AT Act.
Counsel for the accused Abdul Waheed Katpar believed it was a faked
video, and said during the cross-examination, the FBI agent had
said that science had developed to such a level that such things
could be faked.
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20020606
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Mariane Pearl dropped as prosecution witness
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Staff Correspondent
HYDERABAD, June 5: The prosecution in the Daniel Pearl kidnapping-
cum-murder case dropped Mariane Pearl as its witness following a
written statement filed in the Anti-terrorism Court on her behalf
stating that she was unable to travel to Pakistan or London for an
indefinite period.
Barrister M. Jamil, counsel for the slain journalist's wife, filed
the statement.
She is the 15th witness dropped by the prosecution another one
being the former presiding officer of the case, Arshad Noor Khan
who, earlier, had not been allowed by the Sindh High Court to
depose in the case.
The prosecution has so far produced 23 witnesses including two FBI
agents and a US consulate official.
The prosecution's application seeking appointment of a commission
to record Mariane Pearl's statement in London has been rendered
infructuous after the filing of her fresh statement by her counsel.
The cross-examination of an investigation officer, Rao Aslam, was
completed whereas examination-in-chief of another investigation
officer, Hameedullah Memon, was started.
Later, the Chief Prosecutor and AG Sindh, Raja Qureshi, told
newsmen that he had no choice but to drop Mariane Pearl as PW as
she was unable to travel. However, he added, her non-examination
would neither harm nor help the prosecution case at this point of
the time because she was not an eyewitness to the kidnapping or
murder. He said that she was an important PW because the FIR was
lodged by her and that she had produced some e-mails before the
court which were now the case properties. He said that the
proceedings had to be completed within a stipulated time and the
court could not wait for her appearance for an indefinite period as
her statement pointed out.
Regarding appointment of commission to record Mariane Pearl's
statement in France, Mr Qureshi acknowledged that the application
was rendered infructuous because Pakistan and France had no treaty
to allow such a commission in that country.
The Defence Counsel, Rai Basheer Ahmed, told newsmen that Mariane
Pearl's withdrawal from the PW list had demolished the foundation
of entire case. He said that there was no one left now to endorse
the testimony of PW, Nasir Abbas, a taxi driver. Rai Basheer
recalled that Mariane Pearl had claimed that her husband had gone
in the taxi in her presence.
Meanwhile, the ATC Judge, Syed Ali Ashraf Shah, made the cross-
examination of the IO, Hameedullah Memon, subject to the
announcement of an order by a division bench of the Sindh High
Court, Karachi, on a criminal revision application filed by the
Advocate General Sindh otherwise the trial would come to a
standstill.
Partly allowing the application of the Defence Counsel, Rai Basheer
Ahmed, about the suspension of proceedings till that announcement,
the judge adjourned the matter till Thursday.
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20020602
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New lady comes in focus Daniel Pearl case
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Staff Correspondent
HYDERABAD, June 1: The Anti-terrorism Court, Hyderabad, examined
Rao Aslam, the first investigating officer of the Daniel Pearl's
kidnapping-cum-murder case.
During his cross-examination, which continued till the court
adjourned the hearing till June 5, Rao Aslam deposed that 'for
security reasons' he avoided making any entry at the Rawalpindi
police station or calling police help in connection with his visit
to Akbar Hotel where Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh had stayed. He
admitted that he did not prepare map of the hotel and the room
where Omar Sheikh stayed.
Cross-examination of another prosecution witness Mehmood Iqbal
Hashmi, administrator of an internet service provider's office, has
been completed by defence counsels.
The court did not pass any order on the application of the Chief
Prosecutor and AG Sindh, Raja Qureshi who had sought appointment of
a commission to record statement of Mariane Pearl, wife of the
slain journalist. She has given birth to a baby boy two days back
in France.
Raja Qureshi opposed the long adjournment on the ground that the
proceedings were being on a day-to-day basis as mandated by law.
On June 4, the prosecution and defence lawyers would be busy
attending Sindh High Court, Karachi, in connection with hearing of
criminal revision application, filed by the AG Sindh. The AG has
prayed to the court to set aside an order of the ATC Hyderabad
calling for the release of a video cassette containing material
related to the murder of Daniel Pearl. Meanwhile, the ATC has
allowed meeting of veil-observing female relatives of accused in
presence of a female warden inside the jail.
Raja Qureshi told newsmen that Barrister Jamil did not furnish any
fresh communication on behalf of his client, Mariane Pearl, and
added that her arrival from France depended on her doctors'
permission.
He said that Rao Aslam produced before the court the documents
related to e-mails and other recoveries made in the case. The e-
mails, the AG stated, contained photographs and messages concerning
Daniel Pearl and were sent to Miss Asra Nomani, the host of Daniel
Pearl, though the actual addressee appeared to be Mariane Pearl.
Giving details of cross-examination of Mehmood Iqbal Hashmi and Rao
Aslam, the defence counsel, Rai Basheer Ahmed, said that Hashmi
admitted that he had no record of e-mails which could prove that
these were sent by the accused. He said that the e-mails were sent
to Miss Nomani, who claimed to be a freelance journalist. He
pointed out that Miss Nomani, a Pakistani, had dual nationality of
USA and Pakistan.
The counsel said that there was no mention of Miss Nomani in the
entire prosecution case in spite of the fact that she had stayed
with Daniel Pearl and accompanied him to a village restaurant when
he was abducted.
Owner of the Zamzama Street residence at Clifton, Rai Basheer
claimed, the same lady was also involved in correspondence/
negotiations with kidnappers through e-mails. He further informed
the newsmen that the US immigration authorities had twice refused
visa to the lady to travel to Pakistan but she got the same with
Daniel Pearl's favour.
About examination-in-chief and cross-examination of Rao Aslam, the
defence counsel said that the IO admitted he did not secure any
rent agreement of Mariane Pearl's house but categorically denied
having come across Miss Nomani.
The counsel pointed out to the IO that the lady could be the main
accused or a witness in the case had she been included in the
investigation.
According to Rai Basheer, the IO told the court that he did not
collect any evidence proving that Amir Afzal was an employee of
Akbar International Hotel and also did not record the hotel
manager's statement.
The counsel pointed out that the IO did not include Arif in the
investigation although the person was referred by one of the
friends of Asif Mehfooz Farooqui. The counsel argued that Arif had
taken Asif Farooqui and Daniel Pearl to the hotel for a meeting
with Pir Mubarak Ali Shah Gillani whose statement was recorded by
the IO in Lahore.
The counsel said that Asif Farooqui did not disclose the identity
of his friend who sent Arif to him although he could be the main
accused.
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20020603
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Delegates for Loya Jirga elected
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KANDAHAR, June 2: Elections to select delegates to the Loya Jirga
were held here, with many candidates declaring they would back
former Afghan king Mohammed Zahir Shah and his ally Hamid Karzai at
the traditional assembly.
Karzai should be appointed prime minister with Zahir Shah named
head of state at the Loya Jirga which will select a new
transitional government, they said.
"We want the Loya Jirga to bring security and to determine the
destiny of the country. We will elect somebody who is well known
and who has proved he will serve the country," said Amanullah from
Zabul.
"Zahir Shah is acceptable for the country. Zahir Shah should be the
leader and Karzai should be the prime minister," he said.-AFP
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20020604
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Lone's son inducted into APHC body
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NEW DELHI, June 3: All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) formally
inducted Bilal Lone, son of assassinated Hurriyat leader Abdul
Ghani Lone, into the group's seven-member executive council. Bilal
is the eldest son of the late leader.
In an obvious show of unity, all the major leaders of the group
attended the meeting, Star news reported.
After his father's death on May 21, Bilal was elected the President
of the Supreme Council of the People's Conference, his father's
political party.
After the ceremony in Srinagar, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, regarded as a
moderate voice within the pro-freedom alliance, said that the group
planned to write letters to the leaders of India and Pakistan,
appealing for peace and a dialogue process to resume between the
two.
"I have made a suggestion to the Hurriyat that we should write
separate letters to both Prime Minister Vajpayee and General
Musharraf to resume the dialogue process. We are aware that the
situation along the borders is causing the loss of innocent lives
on both sides. War is no solution to this crisis," the Mirwaiz
said.-J.N.
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20020607
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FSC acquits Zafran of adultery
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, June 6: A three-member Federal Shariat Court bench
acquitted Zafran Bibi, who had been awarded stoning to death
punishment by the district and sessions judge, Kohat, for having
committed adultery.
Leaders of human rights organisations had approached high
government officials, including federal and provincial ministers,
seeking repeal of the Hudood laws which, they said, were based on
"misinterpretations of the injunctions of Islam."
The prosecution while instituting the case had alleged that Zafran
Bibi had committed adultery with the brother of her husband as a
result of which she gave birth to a child when her husband was in
jail on murder charge.
The district and sessions judge, Kohat, had found the woman guilty
of the offence and had sentenced her to death by stoning.
Zafran Bibi had filed an appeal with the Federal Shariat Court
which had summoned both the convict and her husband.
The three-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Fazal Elahi Khan,
Justice Fida Mohammad and Justice Ejaz Yousaf, was told by Zafran
and her husband that the allegation was totally ill-founded.
They submitted that the child in question was their daughter, and
that the defence counsel distorted the case. The court in its order
observed that since Zafran Bibi and her husband have denied the
commission of the offence the question doesn't arise of their
conviction.
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20020603
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NWFP govt to oppose Zafran Bibi's death sentence in FSC
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Waseem Ahmad Shah
PESHAWAR, June 2: The NWFP government has decided to oppose the
sentence of death by stoning in public slapped on Zafran Bibi by a
trial court in Kohat, before the Federal Shariat Court, which has
fixed June 5 for hearing the case in Islamabad.
"We will definitely oppose the sentence purely on legal grounds,"
NWFP Advocate-General Barrister Jehanzeb Raheem told Dawn here. He
said the government believed that in the instant case the sentence
should not be awarded under Hadd.
The principal law officer of the province said in the present
circumstances the government could not support the controversial
verdict at any cost.
The provincial government would be represented before the shariat
court by the provincial advocate-general and Additional Advocate-
General Mussarat Hillali.
In the legal circles Mr Raheem, a former president of the Peshawar
High Court Bar Association, is considered a progressive lawyer,
whereas Ms Hillali is a known human rights activist who had also
served as vice-chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
Sources in the law department told Dawn that the legal brains of
the government believed that the verdict of the additional district
and sessions judge, Kohat, was suffering from various lacunas and
even the requirements given in the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of
Hudood) Ordinance 1979 were not fulfilled before awarding such a
harsh sentence. It was due to the same reason that the spouse of
the NWFP Governor, Ms Iftikhar Hussain Shah, provincial Law
Minister Athar Minallah and Ms Hillali, visited Kohat prison and
met Zafran Bibi there, a government official said.
Moreover, he stated, under the ordinance there were two conditions
which had to be fulfilled before awarding a sentence under Hudood:
confession by an accused; or evidence of four truthful male Muslim
witnesses.
The shariat court in two of its judgments (PLD 1986 FSC 274 and PLD
1988 FSC 42) had placed certain restrictions on recording
confessional statement of an accused for awarding a sentence under
Hadd and in the present case those restrictions were not followed
by the trial court while recording the statement of the condemned
female, he claimed.
It is worth mentioning that a three-member bench of the Federal
Shariat Court, which will be headed by Chief Justice Fazal Illahi
Khan, will hear on June 5 the appeal of Zafran Bibi and reference
of the Kohat sessions court for confirmation of the sentence. Malik
Fakhre Azam and Zafarullah Khan will represent the female.
The appellant's counsel claimed that she had never recorded any
confessional statement.
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20020607
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Sherpao, ex-senator record statements: Ring Road case hearing
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report
PESHAWAR, June 6: A former chief minister, Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, and
former senator Haji Gul Sher recorded their statements before an
accountability court in the Ring Road land acquisition case.
The statements were recorded under section 342 of the Criminal
Procedure Code by presiding officer Said Maroof Khan before the
case was adjourned to June 13.
In his written statement, Mr Sherpao said he had been falsely
implicated in the case. He stated that he was not in office when
the compensation for the land acquired for the project was fixed.
Mr Sherpao said the only allegation against him was that he had not
given approval to a summary that sought to file an appeal against
the fixation of compensation at inflated rates. He added that when
the summary was moved the appeal was time-barred.
Haji Gul Sher said he had no relations with the mutations of the
land produced by the prosecution. He added that the land acquired
for the project belonged to his brothers and not him. He said the
compensation was not fixed at exorbitant rates as the lands
acquired by the government were commercial land, and therefore its
rates were high.
Mr Sherpao has already been granted bail in the instant case by the
Peshawar High Court.
Five of the co-accused - former provincial minister Habibullah
Kundi, Haji Khatam Gul, Jam Sher and Juma Sher, and former land
acquisition collector Syed Ayub Shah - have been absconding in the
case. They were earlier sentenced in absentia to three years
rigorous imprisonment.
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20020605
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Sherpao released on bail
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report
PESHAWAR, June 4: The former chief minister of NWFP, Aftab Ahmad
Khan Sherpao, who was released from central jail, Peshawar has
called for a dialogue between the government and political parties
to fight uncertainty in the country.
Addressing party-workers outside central jail, Sherpao said: "The
country's interests should come first. He urged the politicians to
focus on national issue and not on petty differences."
A single bench of Peshawar High Court allowed bail to Sherpao in
the Ring Road Peshawar land acquisition scandal.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested Sherpao on
his return from Britain on Jan 6, 2002. He was acquitted in two of
the accountability cases pending against him and his three years'
sentence in absentia was also set aside by the court. The only case
pending against him is the Ring Road land acquisition scam in which
he was granted bail.
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20020607
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US proposes new rules for visitors
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Masood Haider
NEW YORK, June 6: Thousands of visitors from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
and some other Middle-Eastern countries would have to register with
the US government and be fingerprinted according to new rules being
proposed by the US Justice Department, the New York Times said
quoting Bush administration officials.
The paper says that the initiative, the subject of intense debate
within the administration, is designed for "individuals from
countries who pose the highest risk to our security," including
most visa holders from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and many other Muslim
nations.
More than 100,000 foreigners, including students, workers,
researchers and tourists, all foreigners from designated countries
who do not hold green cards, would probably be covered by the plan,
the Bush administration officials said.
New arrivals from the designated countries would be fingerprinted
at airports or seaports, and be required to register with the
Immigration and Naturalization Service after a 30-day stay in the
country, officials said.
Violators could be fined, refused re-entry into the United States
or possibly deported, officials said.
The plan will be published in the Federal Register. After a comment
period, it will become a Justice Department regulation.
The Times said that the proposal ignited a raging debate in the
Bush administration. White House officials supported the proposal,
but the State Department lodged objections, fearing diplomatic
repercussions with allies in the war on terror.
The civil liberties and Arab-American groups expressed outrage at
the proposed requirements, arguing that such a policy was a blatant
example of racial and ethnic profiling.
"What's the logic of this?" Jeanne Butterfield, executive director
of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, was quoted as
saying by the Times. "Anyone who's truly dangerous is not going to
show up to be registered."
James J. Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, a policy
organization, said the registration plan would be "an overtly
discriminatory, inefficient and ineffective way to deal with the
problem".
The authority for proposing the new registration requirements rests
with a long-dormant provision in the Immigration and Nationality
Act of 1952, administration officials said.
A section of that law requires all foreign visa holders to register
with the government if they remain in the United States for 30 days
or longer. The law also required the fingerprinting of virtually
all foreigners who were not permanent residents, except for
diplomats.
The law remained on the books, but enforcement fell off in the
early 1980's when the volume of visa holders climbed rapidly and
the immigration service's budget and staffing dropped.
In 1979, the year when Iranian hostage crisis occurred, Iranian
students were required to register with the government. After the
attacks last year, most visa holders from Iran, Iraq, Sudan and
Libya were fingerprinted as they entered the United States. But the
terrorist attacks had given fresh impetus to a much broader
program. One administration official told the paper that the new
registration proposal would help the government in identifying the
highest-risk foreign visitors now living in the United States.
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20020607
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PML-QA not to join NA, says Pervez
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
LAHORE, June 6: The Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam) will not
join hands with the National Alliance headed by former caretaker
prime minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Chuadhry Pervez Elahi, the
party's Punjab president, announced.
In a statement issued here, he said the party had taken the
decision after due consultation.
On account of their pro-government positions, the PML-QA and the
National Alliance had been expected to form an alliance to
challenge the Pakistan People's Party and the PML(N) in the October
general elections.
About cooperation with other PML factions, Mr Elahi said his party
was willing to give party offices to those merging their factions
with the PML-QA. But, he said, the party would not yield the
offices held by its senior leaders.
Instead of forming any alliance, he said the party would make
adjustments with the Jamaat-i-Islami, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam and
other parties having a similar ideology. He said the next election
would be contested primarily between parties which had created
Pakistan and the one which, according to him, was responsible for
its dismemberment.
He was critical of Ms Benazir Bhutto's statements during her visit
to India. These statements, he alleged, showed that interests of
other countries were darers to the former prime minister than her
own country.
The PML-QA leader said Ms Bhutto had confined her politics to the
"Sindh card."
Meanwhile, the PML-QA has called a meeting on June 12 at the
residence of Chaudhry Shujaat Husain in connection with the
consultations for the elections.
Mian Azhar will preside over the meeting.
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20020603
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43 die as bus falls into ravine near Jhelum
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Hamid Asghar
GUJAR KHAN, June 2: At least 43 people were killed and 10 others
injured when a bus fell into a ravine near Dina, Sunday morning.
Sources said that when the Rawalpindi-bound luxury coach reached
Bakrala Bridge, it hit the fence and fell into ravine.
According to Superintendent of Police, Jhelum, Saleem Bhatti, there
were 53 passengers in the bus. He said 40 passengers died on the
spot, while three more died on way to hospital.
The area people with the help of cranes and dumpers straightened
the twisted bus and removed bodies from the wreckage. The bodies
and the injured were shifted to the DHQ hospital, Jhelum.
The district police officer told Dawn that passengers belonged to
different areas of Punjab, including Gujranwala, Khushab and
Lahore. He said so far 32 bodies had been identified, while
efforts were being made to ascertain the identity of the remaining
bodies. He said out of eleven unidentified bodies, six had been
handed over to Mayo Hospital and four to Services Hospital.
Three of the injured have been referred to the DHQ Hospital
Rawalpindi, six have been admitted to DHQ Hospital Jhelum, while an
injured armyman has been shifted to Combined Military Hospital
Mangla, the district police officer added.
Governor Khalid Maqbool also telephoned the DCO Jhelum and
expressed shock over loss of lives. He directed the district
administration to extend full cooperation to the victims of the
accident.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
20020607
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Defence budget to go up
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Ihtasham ul Haque
ISLAMABAD, June 6: The federal budget, which is being presented on
June 15, will have an increased allocation for defence spending for
the first time in three years.
"Our defence budget, in actual terms, has been static for the last
three years but now we need to offer certain increase in it in the
budget for 2002-2003, said Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz.
Talking to Dawn here on Thursday he, however, declined to give any
figure or percentage about the increase in the defence budget. "We
are carefully examining the issue as we cannot ignore issues
relating to our security," he added.
India had increased its defence budget by 28 per cent, 14 per cent
and 8 per cent in 2000-2001, 2001-2002 and 2002-2003, respectively.
"We have to look after the defence requirements of all the three
services, keeping in view the fast changing security environment in
the region," the finance minister said.
A decision has been taken to introduce a 100 per cent self-
assessment scheme from July 1, he said, adding that the purpose
behind this move was to build confidence between the taxpayers and
tax collectors. "But self-assessment scheme does not mean that you
start paying tax less than what you paid previously," he said,
adding that some more relief could be offered to the public in the
next budget by ensuring that inflation remained under control.
A number of irritants that were blocking new investment will also
be removed in the next budget on the recommendations of the Cabinet
Committee on Deregulation. In this behalf, he said, hurdles created
by the labour and social security departments will be eliminated to
help the business community.
Responding to a question, he said the government will achieve 3.3
per cent GDP growth rate as agreed with the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) for the current financial year. This growth rate, he
said, could even touch 3.5 per cent as manufacturing and
agriculture sectors have performed well.
He said India had envisaged a GDP growth target of 5.7 per cent but
it had hardly managed 4 per cent growth and, as such, "our position
is better than India's". Similarly, exports have picked up and the
CBR has started receiving considerable import duties, which
otherwise had been declining due to the Sept 11 events, he said.
To a question, he said the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) was
making all-out efforts to achieve the revised Rs414 billion revenue
collection target for the outgoing year.
During June, he said, CBR has to collect roughly Rs50 billion to
Rs55 billion. "We are also having a lot of non-tax revenues from
petroleum levies, dividends, provinces and Wapda, which will help
in the collection of adequate revenues by June 30 this year," he
added.
The finance minister said that revenue collection target for 2002-
2003 could be in the vicinity of Rs445 billion to Rs450 billion. He
said that the National Economic Council (NEC) - the highest body on
economic decision-making - will be meeting on June 8 to approve
various budgetary proposals, including the size of new Public
Sector Development Programme.
The Annul Plan Coordination Committee had approved last month Rs140
billion PSDP for the next financial year. When asked whether the
NEC, to be presided over by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, will
increase the size of the new PSDP, he said it all depended on
resources.
Before the NEC, Aziz said, Economic Advisory Board (EAB) will meet
on June 7 to discuss the state of the economy and offer various
proposals to further improve it.
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20020608
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Maleeha tipped as next FM
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, June 7: Pakistan's ambassador in Washington, Dr Maleeha
Lodhi, declined to comment on reports in a section of the press
that she was likely to replace Mr Abdul Sattar as foreign minister.
The reports said Mr Sattar had submitted his resignation to Gen
Pervez Musharraf, saying he wanted to leave office due to health
reasons.
Dr Lodhi's name was mentioned among those likely to succeed Mr
Sattar. The other names mentioned were those of the present foreign
secretary, Mr Inamul Haq, and former foreign secretary Najmuddin
Shaikh.
Mr Sattar had been keeping a low profile for the past several
months, and senior US administration officials (like Secretary of
State Colin Powell) who wanted to get through to the military
leadership would talk directly to Gen Musharraf.
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20020606
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Sattar wants to quit as FM: Health grounds cited
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Special Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, June 5: Foreign Minister Abdus Sattar, who underwent a
three-hour long complicated surgery requiring endoscopy has
requested the president to relieve him of his cabinet duties at the
latter's earliest convenience.
The surgery, though having cured Sattar's chronic nasal
complication following successful removal of the nasal polyps, is
said to have left the foreign minister too weak due to the three-
hour long anaesthesia and the strong medication he is being
administered for recovery and recuperation. This is said to have
made it very difficult for Sattar to do justice to his onerous
tasks as the foreign minister at this critical juncture in the
country's history and, therefore, sources added, he has asked to be
relieved.
Appreciating Sattar's difficulties, the president is said to have
been deeply disturbed at the prospect of losing a highly capable
member of his team at this very crucial time. However, the
president is said to have taken no decision one way or the other,
so far.
Meanwhile, sources said, the president has started looking at a
short list of names to choose the right person from, in case he is
left with no option but to finally accept Sattar's request.
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20020608
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Union Bank to take over Emirates branches
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Dilawar Hussain
KARACHI, June 7: Union Bank Limited - a private sector listed
commercial bank - proposes to take over all 10 branches of Emirates
Bank in Pakistan at an 'amalgamation price' of $18 million.
Union Bank was understood to have entered into an agreement with
Emirates Bank International PJSC (EBI), a banking company
incorporated under the laws of the United Arab Emirates, for
amalgamation of Pakistan branches of EBI located at Karachi (at
I.I.Chundrigar Road and Clifton); Lahore (at Edgerton Road and
Gulberg); Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot and
Peshawar.
Union Bank confirmed that the State Bank of Pakistan had given its
'approval in principle' on June 6. An extraordinary general meeting
of shareholders in Union Bank has been called for June 29 at the
bank's registered office in Faisalabad. The meeting would be asked
to approve increase in bank's authorized capital from Rs1.5 to
Rs2.5 billion and to endorse the 'draft scheme of amalgamation' of
the Emirates Bank Pakistan branches into the Union Bank. A similar
consent would be sought from the majority of members of Emirates
Bank, after which the scheme would be presented to SBP for its
sanction.
Union Bank expects the effective date of amalgamation of two banks
to fall on June 30.
The news of proposed takeover of Pakistan branches of Emirates Bank
comes just as Union Bank prepares for the upcoming privatization of
United Bank Limited. Union Bank and associates is one of the three
parties who have been pre-qualified to bid for 51 per cent shares
and management control of UBL. The bidding is set to take place
next June 10.
Union Bank did not say on Friday how it proposes to raise the
purchase price of $18 million- equivalent to a billion rupees. Its
attempt last year to ask shareholders for cash in right issue was
greeted with a cool response; the bank receiving just Rs157 million
in subscription against offer of Rs540 million, for shares in the
ratio of two for three. But at the end of December last year, the
Bank held cash & cash equivalents in the sum of Rs4.60 billion
including Rs1.35 billion being balance on deposit accounts with
banks outside Pakistan. Total assets of the bank stood at Rs 30
billion. Deposits were Rs21 billion and advances Rs14 billion.
In the three years, 1999 through 2001, the bank has concentrated on
cleaning up the balance sheet, which resulted in aggregate
provisioning of Rs421 million against non-performing loans,
including Rs200 million provided last year. The bank earned
operating profit of Rs207 million and after-tax profit of Rs31
million in the year ended December 2001.
Union Bank has 32 branches in 17 cities and employs 858 people. It
is to be seen if jobs-in either of the banks- would be axed, as a
result of the merger. But the hard-nosed chairman of the bank,
Shaukat Tarin is reputed for effectively applying his right-sizing
model at the country's largest bank-Habib Bank Limited- in times of
its greatest financial distress.
At the last count on end-December 2001, institutional investment in
the Union Bank equity was nominal and nearly 90 per cent of the
interest in the bank was vested in 8,870 individuals. But of those,
one individual was noted to hold 47.8 million shares, equivalent to
59 per cent of the bank's capital. Dr. Abdullah Mohammad Abdullah
Basodan, a member of the Supreme Economic Council of the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, has been identified by the Bank as the 'sponsor'. He
sits as a director on the eight-member board of Union Bank.
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20020603
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Border concerns turn equities into volatile temper
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Muhammad Aslam
The KSE 100-share index earlier in the week did rise by about 15
per cent on the hopes of a peace being brokered by the US and
Russia, later it reacted on the negative news. The end was subdued
as an abortive effort to breach through the psychological barrier
of 1,700 points failed. It ended the week around the previous level
of 1,663.3, off only 0.13 points.
The market capitalization also suffered a modest decline of Rs1.008
billion at Rs387.160 billion.
The big gainers were led by the Engro Chemical, the PSO, the Shell
Pakistan, the Wyeth Pakistan and the BOC Pakistan. These were
followed by the Kohinoor Weaving, the Security Papers, the Wyeth
Pakistan, the Mari Gas, the Tri-Pack Films, the Noon Sugar, the
Siemens Pakistan, Dawood Hercules and some others. Later selling,
however, allowed them to finish with clipped gains.
Losses on the other hand were fractional barring the Treet
Corporation, the BOC Pakistan, the Ferozsons Lab, Shafiq Textiles,
the Packages and many others.
Trading volume showed a modest rise at 570 million shares as
compared to 486 million shares a week earlier, bulk of which went
to the credit of the current favourites such as the Hub-Power and
the PTCL followed by the PSO, the MCB, the Sui Northern, the KESC
and the FFC-Jordan Fertiliser.
Other actives were led by the Engro Chemical, the ICI Pakistan, the
Pak PTA, the National Bank, the Japan Power, the World Call, Dewan
Salman and several others.
FORWARD COUNTER: Speculative issues on the forward counter also
followed the lead of their counterparts in the ready section,
although on-balance closing was mixed barring the PSO, which came
in for heavy selling but on the other hand the Engro Chemical and
some others managed to finish with good gains on strong buying.
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20020608
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Stocks end weekend session on subdued note
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, June 7: The KSE index suffered a fresh setback of 23.56
points at 1,691.29 amid low volume.
Leading losers were led by National Refinery, Pakistan Oilfields,
Shell Pakistan, PSO and Wyeth Pakistan, falling by Rs.1.35 to
12.65, followed by Central Insurance, National Refinery, Abbott
Lab, Engro Chemical and Tri-Pack Films, which fell by one rupee to
Rs.1.35.
Barring Dawood Hercules Lever Brothers, which rose by one rupee
each, gains were mostly fractional and confined to below one rupee.
Turnover figure shrank to 79m shares from the previous 160m shares
as leading investors held on to their positions rather than
following the lead of bears. Losers led gainers by 175 to 55, with
39 shares holding on to the last levels.
Hub-Power led the list of actives, off 55 paisa at Rs.23.10 on 27m
shares followed by PTCL, easy 30 paisa at Rs.16.05 on 15m shares,
National Bank, unchanged at Rs.18.55 on 6m shares, FCC-Jordan
Fertilizer, lower 20 paisa at Rs.6.55 on 5m shares and Pak PTA, up
15 paisa at Rs.5.50 on 4m shares.
Other actives included Adamjee Insurance, up 25 paisa on 3.514m
shares, MCB, lower 60 paisa on 2.656m shares, Bank of Punjab, off
45 paisa on 2.543m shares, Sui Northern Gas, easy 30 paisa on
2.007m shares and Engro Chemical, off Rs.1.15 on 1.974m shares.
FUTURE CONTRACTS: Speculative issues on the forward counter also
followed the lead of their counterparts in the ready section and
fell, major losers among them being Engro Chemical and PSO, falling
by Rs.1.20 and 2.65 at Rs.59.05 and 130 respectively. PSO was
traded for 1.915m shares.
Hub-Power again came in for active selling, off 50 paisa at
Rs.23.30 on 14.240m shares followed by PTCL, easy 35 paisa at
Rs.16.35 on 3.389m shares and FFC-Jordan Fertilizer, lower 15 paisa
at Rs.6.65 on 1.002m shares.
DEFAULTER COMPANIES: Crescent Board came in for active selling and
fell by 50 paisa at Rs.3.80 on 16,000 shares followed by Mehran
Jute, unchanged at Re.1 on 12,000 shares. Others were traded
modestly.
Back to the top
EDITORIALS & FEATURES
20020602
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For what do we fight?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Ardeshir Cowasjee
Reacting to my column of last week in which I quoted Albert
Einstein's (probably apocryphal) remark after he had seen the
effects of the atom bomb on Japan about wishing he had been a
shoemaker rather than a scientist, a reader responded saying that
it should be clockmaker.
However, one observation of Einstein's which is not apocryphal, but
a recorded fact is: "If relativity is proved right, the Germans
will call me a German, the Swiss will call me a Swiss citizen, and
the French will call me a great scientist. If relativity is proved
wrong, the French will call me a Swiss, the Swiss will call me a
German, and the Germans will call me a Jew."
This calls to mind our physicist, the Ahmadi, Professor Abdus
Salam, my contemporary. When he was awarded the Nobel Prize in
1979, he was recognized and lauded as a Pakistani and a Muslim,
although the 1973 Constitution did not admit to the latter. When I
met him in the mid-1980s, I asked him whether he was still
considered to be a Pakistani and a Muslim. He held my hand, smiled,
and replied, "Does it matter?" But, then, I was talking to a
profoundly educated human being.
Another reader has forwarded to me a paper published in 1999 by
Russell D. Hoffman on 'The Effects of Nuclear Weapons'. It sets it
all out very neatly. This paper has been checked by our present
nuclear physicist, Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, who confirms its contents to
be reasonably accurate, qualifying at the same time that the
effects described therein are for a 1,000 kiloton bomb and that
Pakistan and India profess to only possess bombs ranging from 20 to
25 kilotons.
Let us remember how, during the latter half of May 1998, there was
much joyful dancing in the streets of both India and Pakistan. Why?
Because, in all probability, nine out of ten of the people of both
countries had no idea of the effects of a nuclear blast. They still
do not know, because the leaders of both countries, irresponsible
and self-serving, have not bothered to tell them. They do not know
there is nothing to dance about in either the possession or the use
of nuclear weapons - they are not known as weapons of mass
destruction without valid reason.
The US, the sole world superpower and the sole possible
intermediary in the dangerous game now being played on the
subcontinent, knows well that as many as nine out of ten who die
from a nuclear blast do not die in the explosion itself - they are
not simply and neatly instantly vaporized.
The State Department is now considering the evacuation of some
63,000 of its citizens (amongst whom are my three lovable Jack
Russell terriers of Virginian origin) who now reside in South Asia.
There is, naturally, no reason why any foreigner, and for that
matter any Pakistani or Indian, should be vaporized merely because
of the shenanigans of stupid men.
Current estimates are that 12 million will be killed outright in a
nuclear exchange between the two warring countries, and countless
more millions will linger on, dying slowly, painfully, horribly.
Taking Hoffman's 1,000 kiloton blast as an example, those within a
radius of, say, six square miles will be killed by the gamma rays
emitted by the blast. They will be the lucky ones. They will have
no warning, no idea as to what it was that cooked them. Outside the
circle, for another ten miles or so, every living thing, human or
animal, will be instantly blinded by the bright light from the
explosion, many times hotter than the sun, whether their eyes be
open or closed. And from fifty miles away from the epicentre, those
who happen to be looking towards the detonation will lose their
sight.
The initial gamma burst will be followed, a tenth of a second
later, by a multi-spectral heat blast, followed over the next few
seconds by a pressure wave which will cause all living things in
its way to bleed from every orifice of their bodies. The wave will
be accompanied by high-velocity winds, as great as 70 miles per
hour as far away as six miles from the epicentre, which winds,
carrying dangerous debris, will cause multiple wounds and injuries.
The wave and the winds will cause the death of many, and those that
survive, over perhaps an area of a hundred square miles, will later
suffer from vomiting, skin rashes, and an unquenchable thirst.
Their hair (dyed or natural) will fall out in clumps, their skin
will peel off.
After all this, there is more to come. The next immediate threat is
a firestorm of intense heat and hurricane force, that can, in the
case of a one megaton blast, cover a hundred square miles, driving
towards the centre where the mushroom-shaped cloud is rising, miles
up into the skies, reaching out to cover an area of almost ten
miles across. The cloud will dissipate within an hour, and then
comes the invisible untrackable spread of death and disease. The
cloud's drift will carry a deadly cargo for thousands of miles,
over international borders into countries which have no involvement
in the India-Pakistan dispute.
More fun to come. Further death and destruction, and no dancing in
the streets in which the asphalt is melting and burning as burning
people try to run along them. Those on fire who can find water in
which to jump will catch fire again when they surface. Survivors of
the initial blast who have lived through all these subsequent
horrors will die over the next few weeks as their bodies begin to
break down internally, at the molecular level, life ebbing away
painfully as they slowly bleed to death from each and every orifice
and pore. Other deaths will occur much later from the widespread
release of radioactive materials into the environment. Cancer,
leukemia and other genetic damage will strike generations to come.
For the first day or so after the blast, visible pieces of fallout
will appear, some like great chunks of marble. Later, and
continuing on and on, the fallout will be invisible and trackable
only with geiger counters carried by men in moonsuits which, under
the circumstances, would be unobtainable.
The final manifestation is the Electro-Magnetic Pulse caused by the
nuclear blast, which can be as large as the subcontinent and as
deadly. It can electrify metallic structures in such a way that an
entire country can seem to have been struck by lightning in one
fell swoop. To cite just a few of the happenings, pacemakers will
cease to work, aircraft will fall from the skies, train tracks and
telephone wiring will carry the charge, and whatever does not
explode will cease to function.
There are no benefits, none at all, to be had either from the
possession of, or from the use of, nuclear weapons of mass
destruction. Our jihadis may console themselves, and fool others,
by propagating that so far the Indian nuclear arsenal is far
inferior to ours.
Nuclear physicist, Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy (hoodbhoy@Ins.mit.edu), has
prepared a 35-minute video documentary film which takes a critical
look at what the bomb has done for the two countries. He has
suggested to our moribund PTV that it show this film so that the
people know what is what when it comes to their precious nuclear
arsenal, but typically PTV has refused. Obviously, its useless
mandarins are too afraid. Should anyone, prior to their impending
possible vaporization, wish to see this video they may obtain a
copy from Pervez.
All going well, I should be writing again next week.
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20020607
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Pakistan's crisis of destiny
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By Ayaz Amir
"You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing.
Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God,
go." - Cromwell to the Long Parliament when he thought it was no
longer fit to conduct the affairs of the nation.
Terrible words which fitted the gravity of the hour. The same words
were thrown at Neville Chamberlain, Britain's prime minister, in
the House of Commons soon after the outbreak of the Second World
War. They were said to have shattered him but he held on to office.
It took the fall of France to make him finally hand over the seals
of office to Churchill.
We need to get the dialectics of our present predicament right. We
don't face the threat of war. Not when one side has decided to
suffer every provocation without taking offence or offering any
resistance. Fears of the subcontinent being vapourized are
therefore a bit premature.
What we do face is a Chamberlain situation: a weak and bumbling
leadership whose very weakness is inviting Indian belligerence and
foreign pressure. First the capitulation to American threats. Now
the helplessness before Indian threats.
It is a measure of our diplomatic ineptitude that no one believes
us. We are being painted as liars and supporters of terrorism while
India, which has yet to live down the infamy of the communal
carnage in its state of Gujarat, is coming off as the aggrieved
party in Kashmir.
The bankruptcy of the line we've been following since September is
thus complete. Helping America in its war on Afghanistan was
supposed to furnish us with ironclad guarantees for our security.
Used and abandoned by the Americans before, we were told it would
be different this time.
It has been different this time in the sense that after having been
used we are now being pummelled by a combination of American
pressure and Indian threats. As India mounts the moral high horse,
everyone, from Bush downwards, is hectoring us.
In any defensive battle the Pakistan army is more than a match for
the Indian army. What do the textbooks say? That, in order to gain
a decisive victory, an attacking force should have a 3-to-1
superiority over the enemy (at least at the point of attack). With
the scales about evenly matched along our eastern frontier, India
does not have this kind of advantage. So why is Pakistan so fearful
of a conventional war?
Saying the above does not amount to beating the drums of war.
Pakistan has already lost the propaganda battle so completely that
even within the country any reference to military statistics is
read as evidence of jingoism and of disregard for the consequences
of a nuclear war. Who is talking of a nuclear exchange and why
should things come to that pass?
Some of us are confusing the issue and thereby becoming the
apostles of appeasement. Appeasement does not pave the way to
peace. It encourages more bullying as is happening these days. When
the uprising in Kashmir was at its peak India never made an issue
of "cross-border infiltration". Why is it doing so now? Because of
Pakistan's weakness and its susceptibility to external pressure.
But we have to realize one thing. Even if we accept all of India's
demands, even if we accept Mr Vajpayee's proposal of joint Indo-
Pakistan patrols along the LoC, more demands will follow.
Which doesn't mean both states should live in a state of perpetual
hostility, pursuing an arms race which mocks the poverty of their
people. It only means that for an enduring peace between two
hostile neighbors there has to be an element of give-and-take. At
the moment, given the weakness and bumbling of the military rulers,
that element is missing. India wants all the take while giving
nothing in return.
So what should Pakistan be focusing on? On the symptoms or the root
causes of the present crisis? The tension with India is a symptom
of our weakness, not the cause of it. The cause lies in the nature
of our present leadership. As long as this fundamental problem is
not addressed, confusion followed by humiliation is destined to be
our reward.
Without the military easing its stranglehold on power and politics
there is no way of getting out of this mess. It is perhaps fair to
say that the army as an institution has lost any appetite for
further mismanaging the nation's affairs. Unless it is more thick-
skinned than it is generally supposed to be, it is also perhaps
cognizant of the loss of prestige it has suffered because of over-
involvement in civilian affairs.
But against institutional sentiment we must balance the weight of
individual ambition. Even when institutional advantage lies in one
direction, vested interests can often pull in the other. This is
the problem we face today: the country made hostage to the whims
or, more charitably, the limited vision of a few individuals.
Seen in this light, the referendum was a gift from the gods for the
people of Pakistan for it achieved the impossible: reducing the
level of arrogance and cockiness flying about in Islamabad.
Referendum say pehlay (before the referendum) and referendum kay
baad (after the referendum) are two different stories.
Who could have imagined a military overture to the political
parties before the referendum? Now as former heresy becomes present
necessity, a certain desperation is perceptible in the invitation
to the political parties to come to Islamabad.
So what is to be done? The political parties must reach out to the
men now in control for the sake of national unity. But the military
rulers must also reach out to the political parties for the same
purpose. Ruling in isolation, as we have all too vividly seen, has
been a prescription for disaster and a source of sustained
embarrassment for the Pakistani nation. We were beggars always. But
today, insulted from all sides, our cup of humiliation is full.
None of the above means we should have been on the side of the
Taliban or exported 'jihad' across the LoC. These policies should
have been re-examined a long time ago, much before September caught
up with our delusions. But failing to do the needful on our own, we
have been arm-twisted and pushed into falling in line.
We thought in September, soon after receiving Powell's famous
telephone call, that by becoming an American satellite for the
duration of America's onslaught on Afghanistan, we were putting
India in its place. As events have shown, this turned out to be our
biggest fallacy.
By delivering a defiant speech on May 27 Gen Musharraf seemed to be
giving the impression that he had finally drawn a line in the sand
beyond which there would be no more retreating. But events since
have dispelled this impression. The very defiance of the speech was
a smokescreen behind which Pakistan continues to receive insults
and lectures from other countries.
With such a record of failure any dispensation would lose the
Mandate of Heaven. This is what has happened with the Musharraf
regime whose ability to govern stands impaired with the conjoining
of two fatal circumstances: (1) the folly of the referendum and (2)
the perception of weakness in the face of Indian threats.
But we have to be mindful of realities. No one surrenders power
voluntarily and Gen Musharraf is not about to set an example in
this regard. Taking Pakistan into safer waters has to be a joint
undertaking. Reaching out to each other, the military and the
political parties must cover common ground in preparation for the
October elections.
Let the people choose whom they will for the task of running the
country while all concerned can agree to keep Gen Musharraf as
president: safely out of harm's way in the vast spaces of the
presidency and in no position to do more harm to the country.
God knows Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were epic disasters in
their own right, blowing their chances and ruining the prospects of
democratic rule. But if the truth be told, their excesses pale
before the achievements of military rule. The military then should
not be reinforcing failure, a cardinal violation of military
strategy. "They also serve who only stand and wait..." said Milton.
In like manner, often the highest patriotism is to know when to
quit.
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20020606
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Halting the slide toward war
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By Henry A. Kissinger
US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld's visit to the Indian
subcontinent to help arrest the slide toward war is one of the most
complex assignments undertaken by an American official in recent
years. For the conflict between India and Pakistan takes place on
many levels: the passions of both sides override traditional
calculations of self-interest; the two countries possess nuclear
weapons and delivery systems and have threatened to use them;
important interests of major powers are involved. Nevertheless, no
country - not even the world's only remaining superpower - is in a
position to impose a solution.
The Kashmir issue is one of the residues of the settlements of the
period immediately following World War II. The subcontinent had had
a high degree of geographic, cultural and religious cohesion but no
unified political framework prior to British rule. Britain brought
about political structures based on western political values and
institutions. These values raised the issue of the coexistence of
the Muslim and Hindu religions in a country where Hindus formed the
vast majority. Britain tried to solve the problem by partition:
regions with a Muslim majority (more or less) were formed into the
state of Pakistan; the rest of the territory became contemporary
India.
All this was accomplished amid unspeakable massacres carried out by
both sides. But the borders could not be drawn unambiguously;
today's India retains a population of 150 million Muslims, making
it the second most populous Muslim country in the world after
Indonesia. In 1971, East Pakistan seceded, aided in no small part
by an Indian military invasion, forming the present state of
Bangladesh.
The current crisis in Kashmir goes back to the bloody days of
partition. In 1947, hesitation by the Hindu ruler of the
predominantly Muslim population in Kashmir precipitated
interventions by both Indian and Pakistani troops and eventual
accession of the ruler to India. The conflict ended, to the
satisfaction of neither party, essentially along the existing line
of demarcation - the so-called Line of Control - leaving the
largest part of the population and the most important territory on
the Indian side. In 1948, a UN resolution called for a plebiscite
to determine the will of the population. That vote has never taken
place.
In the half-century since, the issue of Kashmir has become embedded
in the fabric of how the two nations justify their existence. For
Pakistan, Kashmir symbolizes its claim to governing those parts of
the Indian subcontinent where Muslims are in a majority. For India
- which today has a larger Muslim population than Pakistan - the
future of Kashmir is a test of its national cohesion. For, were the
Pakistani claim sustained, the political future of the 150 million
Muslims in India might be in play.
No wonder there have been three wars over the future of Kashmir.
And, inevitably, the issue of Kashmir has proved unsuitable for
mediation; there is no compromise foreseeable between the clashing
passions. Pakistan calls for American mediation to add pressure to
its claim for a change in the Line of Control. India rejects any
mediation and, indeed, any outside role because it will not grant
the principle of the Pakistani claims. Neither the United States
nor Russia - or any other group of countries - has been able to do
more than ameliorate the impasse.
Matters have once again reached the boiling point because, for at
least a decade, Pakistan has been supporting guerilla activity in
Kashmir by tolerating infiltrators crossing the Line of Control,
frequently with the support of Pakistani intelligence services.
Since the Line of Control runs along mountain ridges, many of them
above 10,000 feet in elevation, support camps have been established
to facilitate these border crossings.
Paradoxically, this state of affairs, however painful, was
tolerable to India so long as Pakistan was isolated. And for
several decades, Pakistan was governed by civilians who mismanaged
its economy and finances and, since October 1999, by an unelected
military government headed by Gen. Pervez Musharraf. These
governments sought to sustain themselves by appeals to Islamic
fundamentalism. But the attacks of Sept. 11 brought home to
Musharraf the vulnerability of Pakistan's position. He overcame
diplomatic isolation by turning full circle. He abandoned the
Taliban in Afghanistan, turned on fundamentalists in his own
country and opened Pakistani territory to American operations
against Al Qaeda.
These measures were widely welcomed in America. In India, they
raised the spectre of a Pakistan modernizing with western help and
investment, re-linked to the United States by cooperative ties, but
continuing to support terrorism against India, thereby giving the
open wound in Kashmir a sub-continental scope and turning Pakistan
into a permanent thorn in India's side. The Dec. 13, 2001,
terrorist attack on the Indian parliament provided a pretext to
settle the Kashmir issue, and perhaps the challenge of Pakistan
itself, conclusively.
The temptation is great to turn the issue of global terrorism
against Pakistan and to reduce Pakistan's capacity to serve as a
symbol for India's Muslim population. And precisely because
Pakistan's leaders view India's motives in a similar manner, they
are making nuclear threats that have a certain plausibility.
In this manner, the issue of Kashmir merges with some of the basic
principles of Indian foreign and security policy. These are naval
supremacy in the Indian Ocean, friendly regimes on India's borders
and pre-eminence in the entire arc from Singapore to Aden. The
single-minded pursuit of this policy has provided occasions for
most of India's neighbours to experience India's considerable
military prowess. This confluence of motives has brought about a
situation dangerously close to developing its own momentum.
In terms of the war against global terrorism, the United States
opposes the violation of demarcation lines by terrorist groups and
the use of terrorism against civilian populations. This is why the
Bush administration has used its influence in Pakistan to press
ever more insistently on an end to infiltration and the closing of
the camps near the Line of Control facilitating it. The United
States also has a major geopolitical interest in cooperative
relations with India, the world's largest democracy. A position of
major influence for India in the region between Singapore and Aden
is - or can be made to be - compatible with America's strategic
interests in both the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
But the dynamics of the situation are far from clear-cut. The Al
Qaeda terrorists are on Pakistan's side in the war in Kashmir. But
they despise Musharraf for siding with the United States in
Afghanistan. They would celebrate his downfall either because he
appears weak vis-a-vis India or because he loses a war. Thus, even
while Musharraf says (and probably sincerely) that he is trying to
control cross-border actions, he may lack the ability to enforce
it. And many elements of the Al Qaeda (and perhaps some in the
Pakistani intelligence services) have a vested interest in
Musharraf's downfall by ignoring his orders and starting a war.
This danger confronts America with a grave dilemma. Even though the
Pakistani regime has serious flaws, Musharraf has been a staunch
ally in the battle against the Taliban, Al Qaeda and Islamic
fundamentalism since Sept. 11. In January, Musharraf separated
Islam from cross-border violence and began a process of controlling
the Islamic schools teaching global jihad. Were the most moderate
Islamic regime in the region to collapse while America looks on,
the consequences for Afghanistan and the entire region could be
serious.
Radicals would gloat about the precariousness of friendship with
the United States and the unreliability of American security
assurances. Our military forces in Afghanistan would lose their
rear area; Al Qaeda might rediscover a base territory. Osama bin
Laden in Kabul is one thing; Osama in Islamabad would be
devastating.
The situation could easily get out of hand if India would feel
obliged to respond to terrorist attacks by elements not controlled
from Islamabad (and even more so to deliberate provocations). Even
if its intentions are limited, India may misjudge the Pakistani
"red line" at which the war escalates, perhaps into the nuclear
field. For Pakistan is in a position vis-a-vis India analogous to
which the United States perceived itself to be in Europe during the
cold war. In the face of the superiority of the Indian conventional
army, Pakistan treats nuclear arms as the indispensable balancer.
Hence its threshold for nuclear use is lower, and renouncing
nuclear weapons may, in fact, make a war more likely.
But the major nations have no reason to accept the counsel of
despair that the momentum of events is beyond control, especially
on an issue where their interests are so congruent and so engaged.
Indeed, the tensions along the Line of Control are an almost a
unique case of crisis calling for multilateral diplomacy. Russia
will not look lightly on a radicalization of the Islamic world -
this is why Russian President Vladimir Putin has been personally so
active. China has a relationship with Pakistan stretching over a
decade - partly as a counterweight in the Sino-Indian border
disputes. Europe - especially Great Britain - has a historic
interest in a peaceful evolution of the area.
All these countries - whatever their other differences - seem to
agree with the parameters outlined earlier: opposition to terrorist
infiltrations, opposition to the weakening of Pakistan. In these
conditions, the United States cannot confine itself to
exhortations; it must instead take the lead in crystallizing these
general interests into a more precise calculus of incentives.
American policy must help chart the narrow path that presses
Musharraf to prevent infiltration across the Line of Control, while
making clear to India that a war would seriously weaken India's
vital interests, including the cooperative Indian-American
relationship that has been making such significant progress.
Finally, there is the issue of the use of nuclear weapons. The
world has listened to the reciprocal threats of both sides with
amazing equanimity - almost as if nuclear war were a natural
disaster like the weather, beyond human control. But nuclear war on
the Indian subcontinent would cross a dividing line heretofore
resistant to all passions, in all wars of the nuclear age. The
other nuclear powers - especially Russia and the United States -
should not accept that nuclear weapons become conventional. All
aspirations to nonproliferation will disappear if the risks of
nuclear use are not made to exceed those generating resort to them.
At least Moscow and Washington - possessing the largest nuclear
capabilities - should convey to the parties their insistence on
this dividing line and begin urgent studies on specific measures to
give effect to these warnings. But these measures can work only if
there is a de-escalation of the military buildups along the Line of
Control side by side with the end of infiltration.-Copyright 2002,
Los Angeles Times Syndicate International.
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20020608
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The view from London
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By Irfan Husain
After witnessing the colorful pageantry and the tumultuous
celebrations that took place in London to mark Queen Elizabeth's
Golden Jubilee, it is difficult to imagine that India and Pakistan
are still eyeball-to-eyeball in the summer heat of the
subcontinent.
My wife drove me straight to Buckingham Palace from Heathrow in the
evening to participate in the proceedings. The Palace grounds were
full, as were the adjoining parks, so we walked to Hyde Park's
Speakers' Corner where a couple of giant screens had been set up to
view the pop concert. Tens of thousands of people sat around, stood
or danced to the music. Many picnicked or swigged from cans of
beer. The atmosphere was relaxed and laid back: there was no sign
of anger or aggression as the multi-ethnic crowd milled amiably in
every direction.
The next day, we went to the St Bartholomew fair where a number of
brass bands played in an area of London that dates back to the
early part of the 12th century and now houses Smithfield, an old
food market. Appropriately, the festival celebrated food with
farmers and butchers from all over the country selling everything
from arrays of cheese to cooked sausages. Again, the festival was
inclusive, with people of every skin tone imaginable eating and
shopping side by side.
That afternoon, we watched the final carnival and flypast before
Buckingham Palace on television before I finally succumbed to jet-
lag. But nowhere in the entire proceedings was there any discord or
unpleasantness as the entire nation celebrated the Queen's 50th
year as monarch of the British Isles.
The next morning I went through the newspapers and saw there had
been no breakthrough at Almaty, and both Vajpayee and Musharraf had
stuck to their public postures without attempting to reach any kind
of reconciliation. To be fair, the Pakistani leader did repeat his
open offer to talk to the Indians 'at any time and at any place'.
However, the Indians continued to insist on preconditions. If the
Pakistan army cannot or will not put an end to the infiltration
that is supposed to be taking place, why can't the Indians, with
over half a million men in uniform in Kashmir, intercept the
intruders?
One only wishes the leaders of both countries could see how
ridiculous they seem to people across the world. Today's Daily
Telegraph likened the animosity between the countries to a 'Punch
and Judy show', referring to the popular puppet show in which the
two leading characters belabor each other with sticks to the
merriment of their infantile audience. The only reason the world is
paying any attention to the current tension on the subcontinent is
that both protagonists are now nuclear powers.
I remember how indignant I used to get years ago when the West
attempted to prevent us from developing a nuclear capability,
considering this an expression of the lingering imperialist and
racist mindset that still held sway in western capitals. But I now
realize that neither India nor Pakistan is mature enough to handle
the responsibility that comes with this kind of power. The current
stand-off reminds me of an old joke: what do you say to a gorilla
with a machine gun? You say 'sir!'
Just before leaving Karachi, I read in the newspapers that General
Musharraf had dispatched a number of envoys around the world to
brief leaders and opinion-makers about the Kashmir issue. Now this
might come as a bit of a surprise to our president, but this is
precisely what our ambassadors have been doing for the last five
decades. In fact, the mileage racked up by the special envoys sent
from Islamabad over the years to brief the world on Kashmir would
have filled the large gap in our budget had they been kept home. I
don't think we have any idea of the profound boredom the mere
mention of the word 'Kashmir' inspires in the chanceries of world
capitals.
I can understand Musharraf's dilemma and can even sympathize with
him: having dumped