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DAWN WIRE SERVICE
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Week Ending : 25 May 2002 Issue : 08/21
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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.
We encourage comments & suggestions. We can be reached at:
e-mail dws-owner@dawn.com
WWW http://dawn.com/
fax +92(21) 568-3188 & 568-3801
mail DAWN Group of Newspapers
Haroon House, Karachi 74200, Pakistan
Please send all Editorials and Letters to the Editor at
letters@dawn.com
(c) Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., Pakistan - 2002
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CONTENTS
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NATIONAL NEWS
+ Pakistan successfully test fires Hatf V (Ghauri) missile
+ Pakistan to test missiles
+ Musharraf hopes sanity will prevail
+ Parties reject army role in future
+ Qazi demands full-time COAS
+ Troops shifted from Afghan border: US
+ US not asked to vacate bases: Nisar
+ Troops being recalled from Sierra Leone, says Memon
+ Contingency plan for Capital prepared: Border tension
+ Pakistan asks UN to intervene: War-like situation
+ Pakistan prepared to match attack
+ Warships move as Vajpayee warns of 'decisive fight'
+ Pakistan, India close to war, says Musharraf
+ Government warns of war if India strikes
+ Sufficient armaments available: Gen Qayum
+ Musharraf invites political leaders
+ Pakistan hopes India will resume talks
+ New Delhi goes on warpath: Fresh attack on army in Kashmir
+ Artillery shelling matched: ISPR
+ 8,000 troops deployed along tribal belt
+ Restrictions on movement in border areas
+ Mly ready to meet any challenge: ISPR
+ Islamabad recalls HC from Delhi
+ APC warns India against aggression
+ Prosecution drops main witness: Daniel Pearl case
+ Prosecution drops 13 witnesses in Pearl case
+ Pearl case: samples being sent to Lahore
+ Phone record was tampered with, claims defence: Pearl case
+ APHC leader Lone gunned down
+ SHC restores Bhopal House to owners
+ National govt demanded
+ PPP alleges Benazir denied right to defence
+ Judgment on SGS appeal reserved
+ Benazir declared PO in SGS case
+ PPP to oppose constitutional amendments, says Asif
+ Gool Minwalla passes away
+ One killed following attack on procession: 40 vehicles torched
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BUSINESS & ECONOMY
+ Pakistan loses $100 million in Investment Protection Treaties
+ Growth rate decline propels poverty: Shaukat
+ MoU signed for promotion of IT industry
+ Over Rs10,000 RTCs banned
+ HBL sell-off to complete by October
+ What Pakistan should seek: trade or aid?
+ KSE index up 135 points on massive buying
+ Trading suspended on KSE
+ Stocks slump by 71 points as war fear mounts
+ Stocks crash on war fear: Index loses 132.5 points
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EDITORIALS & FEATURES
+ Truth about Bhopal House Ardeshir Cowasjee
+ Rising peril, stricken leadership Ayaz Amir
+ Mideast peace prospects Henry A. Kissinger
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SPORTS
+ PHF guilty of hockey's downfall in Pakistan
+ Waqar be named captain for World Cup
+ Ahmad explains decision to return
+ Isolation of Pakistan unjustified
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NATIONAL NEWS
20020525
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Pakistan successfully test fires Hatf V (Ghauri) missile
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ISLAMABAD, May 25: "Pakistan today carried out a successful test
fire of its indigenously developed medium range surface to surface
ballistic missile Hatf V (Ghauri)," said an official statement.
This was the third test of Ghauri missile system. According to
the data collected from the test all the design parameters have been
successfully validated. "The Ghauri can carry warheads with great
accuracy," the statement said.
President Pervez Musharraf "has congratulated the scientists,
engineers and all others involved with the program on their
outstanding success which is a source of pride for the nation.
The series of tests are a part of the research and development of
Pakistan's indigenous missile program, which is an essential element
of Pakistan's policy of maintaining minimum deterrence in the
interest of our security."It demonstrates Pakistan's determination
to defend itself, strengthen national security and consolidate
strategic balance in the region."
The missile was fired in northern Pakistan, a security officer said,
adding: "Hatf-V can be tipped with any warhead. Any ballistic
missile can carry a nuclear warhead."
He said the missiles had a range of between 1,500 and 2,000
kilometres (about 900 and 1,200 miles).-AFP
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20020525
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Pakistan to test missiles
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ISLAMABAD, May 24: Pakistan has notified India that it will conduct
missile tests from this weekend, officials said.
"Yes, Pakistan has notified a number of countries about this,
including India, Iran and the United States, as is the practice," a
government spokesman said.
"It has nothing to do with the current situation. We have not
undertaken tests, while India has been taking such tests."
The spokesman did not say when the tests would be carried out, but
an official source told AFP they would be done from 25th to 28th of
May.
India confirmed it had been informed by Pakistan that it planned to
conduct "routine" short- and medium-range missile tests. "We have
been informed by Pakistan that it plans to carry out a series of
missile tests comprising short- and medium-range missiles, and that
appropriate notifications have been issued for these tests, which
are scheduled for May 25 and 28," a statement by the Indian
external affairs ministry said. "This is routine and not central to
the current situation," the statement added.- AFP
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20020525
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Musharraf hopes sanity will prevail
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ISLAMABAD, May 24: President Gen Pervez Musharraf described the
current standoff between India and Pakistan as "dangerous," but
hoped good sense would prevail on both sides to defuse tension.
"But, certainly, the tensions are high and it's dangerous because
India has massed its troops on the border - army, navy and air
force. So, they have the capability of undertaking any adventurous
act," he said, vowing to defend every inch of the motherland, if
attacked.
The president said this responding to a question about chances of
all-out war breaking out by Riz Khan in BBC World's 'HARDtalk
Pakistan,' aired in the evening.
Musharraf hoped war would not break out. "Nobody - no sane person
would like to go to war."
Asked how far he was willing to take the fighting, he declared in
categorical terms: "If we are attacked, we'll certainly defend all
the way, with all our might. We certainly would defend every inch
of Pakistan."
Responding to a question about the success of diplomatic means to
defuse tension, Musharraf said: "We hope that first of all good
sense prevails on both sides between India and Pakistan." Moreover,
he said, the United States is playing a role and "all that I would
like to say is that we would like to cooperate, certainly, because
we don't want war." But, the president warned, "let war not be
thrust on us, then we will defend."
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20020525
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Parties reject army role in future
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Staff Reporter
LAHORE, May 24: Representatives of various political parties and
civil society organizations have reached a consensus on a minimum
18-point agenda on future democratic process in the country with a
pledge that they would not accept constitutional amendments nor the
national security council contemplated by President Pervez
Musharraf.
The consensus was reached at a one-day consultation on "Democratic
values and obligations of political parties" arranged by the Human
Right Commission of Pakistan at its Aiwan-i-Jamhoor, with the HRCP
chairman Afrasiab Khattak in the chair. Former HRCP chairperson
Asma Jahangir was also present.
The agreed minimum agenda will be now approved by the central
executive committees of the political parties.
The political parties represented at the consultation included
Pakistan People's Party, PPP(SB), Pakistan Muslim League (N), Awami
National Party, National Workers Party, Balochistan National
Movement, Labour Party of Pakistan, Seraiki National Party,
Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party.
After a day-long discussion the meeting issued the following agreed
minimum agenda;
1. Political parties will not accept any constitutional formula or
amendments presented by Musharraf government to give the armed
forces any 'stake holding' role in the future political setup and
they would reject the national security council.
2. They will not directly or indirectly invite the military to take
over power from an elected government.
3. Each party will appoint an "inter-party coordinator" for
dialogue with other parties.
4. They will play their role in next parliament and legislate on
independence of judiciary.
5. They will set up sub-committee in the parliament to issue a
white paper on the interference and the role of intelligence
agencies in politics and make them accountable to the parliament.
They also demanded dissolution of the present election commission
and appointment of an independent commission and accountability
commission.
6. They will take measures to eliminate terrorism, sectarianism,
violence and gunpoint culture. They will also bring enlightened
changes in education curricula to raise a new generation inspired
by humanism, peace, tolerance and honest inquiry.7. They demanded
an interim caretaker government for conducting the elections.
8. They will ensure maximum provincial autonomy and redress
grievances of federating units, dispensing with the concurrent list
of subjects in the Constitution.
9. They will give legal protection to the institution of local
bodies, the elections of which will be held on joint electorate and
party basis by the federating units.
10. They will ensure parliament's approval of all public
expenditure including defence expenditure, all treaties,
agreements, financial or otherwise, negotiated with foreign
parties.
11. They will ensure enforcement of freedom of information law,
amendments in the National Archives Act and all other laws
restricting the freedom of expression, the press and electronic
media.
12. They will check the misuse of exit control list (ECL) and
repeal arbitrary laws of detention like the Maintenance of Public
Order (MPO) Ordinance.
13. They will ensure freedom of religion and oppose religious
persecutions.
14. They wail repeal all laws discriminating against women,
children, working people, minorities and special days would be
reserved in the parliament to address their problems.
15. They will promote a culture of tolerance, free debate, respect
for difference of opinion and consensus building on major issues in
public interest.
16. They will encourage the state to create a fund for the proper
functioning of political parties and education of their cadres.
17. They will take steps to eradicate crimes committed with
impunity against women, minorities or religious sects and other
marginalised sections of society.
18. They will take steps to de-politicise the bureaucracy and armed
forces to make them truly professional.
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20020524
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Qazi demands full-time COAS
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Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, May 23: Chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmed,
said that talks with the government are only possible if President
Gen Pervez Musharraf appoints a full-time chief of army staff
(COAS) and takes the nation into confidence to face a possible
break out of war with India.
In a statement issued here, Qazi Hussain said that if it was the
duty of the religious parties to produce patriotism and national
spirit among the people, it was the duty of the government to
create an atmosphere conducive for talks and take measures that
could help in creating harmony and solidarity in the society.
He asserted that if India could adopt an aggressive policy of
crushing Kashmir's freedom movement with its military might and
declare Kashmir its integral part, why couldn't the government
announce its unequivocal support to Kashmiris' right to self-
determination.
The JI chief observed that the whole world had recognized Kashmir
as a disputed territory and that its future could only be decided
on the basis of the United Nations Security Council resolutions
which promised the people of Kashmir their right to self-
determination through a plebiscite.
Qazi said, Indian stand of declaring Kashmir as its integral part
and its continued repression in occupied Kashmir had prolonged the
issue for more than five decades and they were the real concerns
for the people in the region. He asked Gen Musharraf to take the
public into confidence, send the army officials to their respective
units from civil departments, and categorically announce that the
general elections would be held in October.
He also demanded dismissal of the chief election commissioner and
appointment of a non-controversial person to replace him.
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20020525
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Troops shifted from Afghan border: US
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Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, May 24: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld confirmed
here that Pakistan has moved some troops away from its border with
Afghanistan to its border with India since the escalation of
tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Addressing a briefing at the Pentagon, Mr Rumsfeld said the current
crisis in the subcontinent had already altered the number of
Pakistan troops on the western border.
The chief of Central Command, Gen Tommy Franks, who is in overall
charge of the coalition operations in Afghanistan, was aware of
that development. Appropriate steps would be taken "if and when"
additional Pakistani troops left the western theatre, Mr Rumsfeld
said.
There were contingency plans on the shelf, and the US was ready to
respond to any development.
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20020524
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US not asked to vacate bases: Nisar
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Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, May 23: Pakistan is not asking the United States to
vacate military bases due to increasing threats of war with India,
said Minister for Information Nisar Memon.
"Pakistan is fully cooperating with the United States against
terrorism and we have not asked the Americans to vacate our
military bases", he further stated.
Briefing reporters he however, said that Pakistan has decided to
call back its one brigade of peace-keeping forces from Sierra Leone
due to increasing threats of war and hostile statements of the
Indian leaders.
Responding to a question, he said that Pakistan might remove its
troops from the western borders, "but it will affect our coalition
partners who are engaged in fighting against terrorism".
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20020524
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Troops being recalled from Sierra Leone, says Memon
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Staff Correspondent
SIALKOT, May 23: Pakistan was calling back its troops sent for UN
peace mission in Sierra Leone in the wake of aggressive statements
of war by the Indian leadership. This was stated by Federal
Information Minister Nisar Memon while talking to newsmen.
He said that Gen Pervez Musharraf had formally requested UN
Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan in this regard. "We are facing
threats from within and outside the country and are in immediate
need to call back our troops from the UN peace mission to defend
our boundaries," he added.
Talking to newsmen at the local Press Club later, he said Pakistan
wanted peace and de-escalation in the region, but ready to go all
out if India attacked.
He voiced his concern over threatening and aggressive statements by
Indian leadership that it was time for a 'decisive war'.
All differences between Pakistan and India, including Kashmir,
should be resolved through bilateral talks and other peaceful means
as provided in the UN charter. He asked the international community
to "impress upon India the dangers inherent in the explosive
situation created as a result of Indian belligerence."
Replying to a question, the minister reiterated the government
stance that no organization in Pakistan would be allowed to indulge
in terrorism in the name of Kashmir.
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20020524
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Contingency plan for Capital prepared: Border tension
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By Syed Irfan Raza
ISLAMABAD, May 23: A master contingency plan for the federal
capital has been prepared to meet any emergency situation in view
of the heightened tension between India and Pakistan, a source told
Dawn.
All the departments working under the Islamabad Capital Territory
administration have been directed to update their plans to cope
with any emergency if war between India-Pakistan starts. These
directives were given by the deputy commissioner, Tariq Mahmood
Khan, who is also controller of the Civil Defence Organization,
after attending a high-level meeting.
The source said in view of emergency, special passes would be
issued to the residents of Islamabad and stickers would be given
for their vehicles so that they could move in the city without any
hindrance.
Screening and search of every person and vehicle would be started
and no vehicle without stickers will be allowed to ply on roads.
The plan said the entire capital city could be sealed and nobody
would be allowed to enter the city.
The meeting, which was attended by assistant commissioners and
heads of various public service departments, was informed that many
departments have already updated their contingency plans.
Mr Khan directed the assistant commissioners and magistrates to
check the operational preparedness of the departments.
The source said various public utility departments, like Civil
Defence Organization, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco),
Capital Development Authority, government hospitals, Pakistan
Telecommunication Company Limited, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines
Limited (SNGPL), educational institutions, PTV, Radio, have been
asked to present their plans at a meeting scheduled for May 27.
The district food department has been directed to make effective
measures to maintain sufficient stock of consumer items so that in
case of war, smooth supply of food essential items to the people
could be ensured. Similarly, the concerned authority has been asked
to ensure availability of petrol and other fuels.
A committee, headed by Assistant Commissioner Tariq Javed Malik,
has been assigned to ensure supply of food and fuel.
The administrations of three major hospitals - Pakistan Institute
of Medical Sciences (Pims), Federal Government Services Hospital
(FGSH) and Capital Hospital (CH) - have been asked to prepare their
contingency plans, arrange extra beds and adequate medicines and
blood.
The district health officer, Dr Zafar Lodhi, has started
coordination with all hospitals of the city to update their plans.
The assistant commissioner, rural, has been asked to coordinate
with all concerned departments to ensure the availability of
vehicles for special duty.
A control room has been established in the office of the additional
deputy commissioner (general) to liaison with and coordinate among
different departments.
It was decided at the meeting that schools and colleges will be
closed in case of war and relief camps would be established in
various institutions. It was also decided that no official of the
ICT administration will go on leave without the permission of the
CDO controller.
The meeting was informed that the civil defence department has made
an elaborate arrangements for holding fire fighting demonstrations
at various public places. All volunteers of the department have
been activated both in urban and rural areas of the capital.
Rehearsal of first aid and rescue operations will also be held to
educate citizens about protective measures.
The meeting was informed that refresher courses of civil defence
was being organized in educational institutions and hospitals.
Under the plan III-Brigade will take over the federal capital in
case of emergency and extra police force would also be called out
in the city from other areas. Similarly, all police personnel now
deputed on the security of diplomats, government officials and
other important persons would called back and deployed in the city.
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20020524
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Pakistan asks UN to intervene: War-like situation
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Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, May 23: Pakistan sought the United Nations intervention
for restraining India from warpath and bringing it to the
negotiating table for defusing the present volcanic situation in
the region.
In a letter written by Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar to the UN
Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, the UN
General Assembly and the Security Council have been asked to
intervene to avert an imminent armed conflict between two nuclear-
armed neighbours.
The letter draws the attention of the UN Secretary-General and the
President of the Security Council to the explosive situation
resulting from the massive Indian deployment along the
international border with Pakistan, the working boundary and the
Line of Control in Kashmir.
In the letter, the foreign minister says: "For the past five
months, dangerous tensions have been whipped up in South Asia.
India has moved forward and deployed nearly one million troops in
battle position along the international border with Pakistan, the
Working Boundary and the Line of Control in Kashmir.
"Despite the hundreds of thousands of troops it has stationed and
the sophisticated devices it has deployed along the Line of
Control, India accuses Pakistan of infiltration across the LoC. In
making uncorroborated charges, India refuses to submit its
allegations to monitoring by UNMOGIP or impartial surveillance and
investigating.
"It disallows free access to international media and international
human rights organizations in the occupied Kashmir that can
independently assess the real situation in the territory. India
also asserts that it will know when the alleged infiltration
ceases, thus, arrogating to itself the role of the accuser and the
judge."
The foreign minister further says that the Indian leadership
routinely blames Pakistan for every violent incident inside India
and in occupied Kashmir.
"Some ruling BJP leaders have been accusing Pakistan even of the
carnage in Gujarat, even though the Indian political opposition as
well as local and international human rights groups placed the
responsibility squarely on Hindu fanatics belonging to extremist
organizations like the RSS - the parent body of the ruling BJP -
VHP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena."
The letter says the same attitude has been adopted by the Indian
government on the incidents of violence inside occupied Kashmir.
Whether it was the Chitisingpura incident in March 2000, or the
Amaranth Yatra killings later in the year, the Indian authorities
always put the blame on Pakistan.
"Such false accusations malign the Kashmiri freedom struggle and
are part of a propaganda strategy to perpetuate Indian occupation
of the state. According to All Parties Hurriyat Conference over
75,000 Kashmiris have been massacred by Indian military,
paramilitary and police forces," says the foreign minister.
"India not only refused impartial international inquiries into
these and other similar cases but also abandoned its own
investigations when it began to appear that these murders may
actually have been staged by Indian forces. The case of tampering
with the DNA tests of innocent Kashmiris, killed as terrorists
responsible for the Chitisingpura massacre, is too well-known to
bear repetition," says the letter.
In the letter, the foreign minister emphasizes the need for the
United Nations and international community to advise India to
choose the path of negotiations, adding that Pakistan is ready to
cooperate with the United Nations or the international community
for reducing tension, preserving peace and promoting dialogue
between the two countries.
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20020523
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Pakistan prepared to match attack
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Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, May 22: Government said it was prepared to defend itself
against any Indian attack, but called for negotiations and vowed to
maintain a crackdown on terrorism.
A joint meeting of the cabinet and the National Security Council
expressed deep concern over the danger posed to the regional and
international peace by the Indian deployment of troops on
Pakistan's borders and the Line of Control as well as threatening
and aggressive statements by the Indian leadership.
The meeting underlined the need for de-escalation of tension and
pullback of troops on both sides to their peace time locations. It,
however, expressed the determination of the people of Pakistan to
defend the country against any aggression or misadventure by India.
According to an official announcement, the ministers and members of
the NSC supported the government's policy to work for defusing
tension with India while remaining fully prepared and vigilant to
meet any contingency resolutely and with full force.
The meeting called on the international community to impress on New
Delhi the dangers inherent in the explosive situation created as a
result of Indian belligerence and obduracy.
The meeting decided that the government would not allow the
territory of Pakistan, or any territory whose defence was the
responsibility of Pakistan, to be used for any terrorist activity
anywhere in the world. It reiterated that no organization in
Pakistan would be allowed to indulge in terrorism in the name of
Kashmir.
The cabinet and the NSC agreed that all the differences between
Pakistan and India, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir,
should be resolved through bilateral negotiations or other peaceful
means as provided in the UN Charter. In this context, they stressed
the need for comprehensive dialogue between the two countries.
However, the meeting declared that Pakistan would continue to
extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the legitimate
struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realization of
their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN
resolutions.
The meeting discussed the government's campaign against extremism
and terrorism. It recalled the president's landmark address to the
nation on Jan 12 and reaffirmed the policy decisions announced by
him.
The meeting expressed shock and sorrow over the assassination of
Abdul Gani Lone, a veteran leader of the Kashmiri freedom struggle.
It condemned this heinous act of terrorism against the leadership
of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. It called for an impartial
inquiry into the murder.
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20020523
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Warships move as Vajpayee warns of 'decisive fight'
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NEW DELHI, May 22: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee told
Indian soldiers confronting Pakistani forces across the Line of
Control (LoC) that the time had come for a 'decisive fight'.
Although he did not spell out who the fight would be against, he
said his visit to frontline troops at a time of high tension with
Pakistan should be seen as a signal.
"Whether our neighbour understands this signal or not, whether the
world takes account of it or not, history will be witness to this.
We shall write a new chapter of victory," he told soldiers in
Kupwara, in occupied Kashmir.
"Let's work for victory. Be prepared for sacrifices. But our aim
should be victory. Because it's now time for a decisive fight."
WARSHIPS MOVE: Meanwhile, a defence official said India's navy is
reinforcing its western fleet in the Arabian Sea with five warships
from the eastern fleet. "The warships have been moved to increase
the level of preparedness on the western sector, keeping in view
the nation's security concerns and the operational situation," a
navy spokesman said.
The spokesman said the ships - a destroyer, a frigate and three
missile corvettes - would reach the west within a week.
The western fleet is based in Mumbai and its operational area
covers the Arabian Sea and the rest of the Indian Ocean. The navy
has a total of 140 ships.
Pakistani and Indian troops sides have exchanged heavy mortar and
machinegun fire across the LoC since Friday, forcing hundreds of
villagers to move to safety. - Reuters
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20020523
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Pakistan, India close to war, says Musharraf
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By Aamer Ahmed Khan
ISLAMABAD, May 22: Describing the situation on Pakistan's eastern
borders as "grim," President Gen Pervez Musharraf said that
Pakistan and India were closer to war than they had been at any
time since the Dec 13 attack on the Indian parliament.
The aggressive Indian rhetoric, said the president, had come in the
wake of complete operational capability on the part of India which
was why it could no longer be dismissed as mere rhetoric. However,
he added, Pakistan armed forces were fully prepared to meet any
threat and were capable of matching all forms of Indian aggression.
President Musharraf was speaking at a meeting with editors and
senior journalists in the morning. Soon after the meeting, he went
into a closed door joint session of his cabinet and the National
Security Council.
Moving on to the national political scene, he said it was because
of the tense border situation that he had decided to invite all
political parties for a consultative meeting.
He said he was dismayed by the refusal of the ARD (Alliance for
Restoration of Democracy) and the MMA (Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal) to
attend the all parties meeting he had called because it was a
genuine initiative given that he was least interested in retaining
power after the October elections. "In fact," he said, "I now want
to shed power. I wish there was an elected prime minister to take
the crucial decisions that need to be taken at this juncture."
Explaining his concept of power, he said he wanted to shed the
powers of the chief executive which ought to rest entirely with the
prime minister. Musharraf said he was least interested in a
figurehead prime minister and wanted a premier who wielded complete
power to govern. However, he added, the setup he wanted to create
would revolve around a system of checks and balances in which no
one - the Prime Minister, the President or the Chief of Army Staff
- could act arbitrarily.
This, he said, was possible only if the powers vested with each of
these individuals were "diluted through an institutional mechanism
such as the National Security Council." The president said his
government was confident that it would finalise the required
constitutional amendments for the purpose within one month at the
most. However, he added, the basic character of the Constitution
would remain the same.
Musharraf said the intense diplomatic activity currently under way
was evidence of the world's desire to prevent a war between the two
nuclear-armed neighbours in the subcontinent.
Dismissing suggestions that the US was not entirely happy with the
efforts made by his government, he replied that such reservations
were limited to the western media and were not shared by the
western governments. If there was any difference, it was only on
emphasis, he added.
Explaining, the president said Pakistan was more concerned with the
local sectarian terror networks than by Al Qaeda or what India
refers to as "cross-border terrorism." The West, on the other hand,
was focussed entirely on the latter. Despite this difference in
perception, Musharraf said, western governments were completely
satisfied with Pakistani cooperation.
SECURITY OFFICIALS: As part of the background to the presidential
briefing, top security officials told newsmen that a two-kilometre
strip all along the Line of Control (LoC) had been under intense
Indian firing since May 17. Over 16,000 light and medium artillery
shells had been fired by the Indian forces in the past five days,
resulting in 20 deaths and 129 injuries. Pakistani military
casualties currently stood at five dead and 30 injured.
Meanwhile, the security officials said India had taken its military
build-up in the Indian held Kashmir to unprecedented levels by
completing the deployment of two more mountain divisions in the
valley. The latest deployment raises the number of Indian military
and paramilitary forces in the valley to over 700,000.
Security officials said India was quite likely to carry out air
strikes in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, possibly backed by a limited
ground offensive. However, President Musharraf warned, even in the
case of a limited offensive, the situation could quickly spiral out
of control.
Security officials further said Pakistan was ready to pull back its
forces from the western front if required and was even prepared to
recall its troops currently serving in places such as Sierra Leone.
They said Pakistan's western allies in the US-led war on terror had
been informed of the possibility.
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20020522
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Government warns of war if India strikes
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ISLAMABAD, May 21: Pakistan warned that any cross-border action by
India would provoke retaliation, and analysts predicted that it
could trigger a wider conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Military spokesman Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi told AFP: "Any incursions
into Pakistani territory or Azad Kashmir will be responded to and
met with full force."
Analysts say signals from New Delhi indicate the Indian government
is determined to launch limited strikes on alleged militant camps
in Azad Kashmir.
"If that happens it will definitely provoke a retaliation by
Pakistan and the situation can spin out of control," political
commentator Khalid Mahmood of the Institute of Regional Studies
told AFP.
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20020522
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Sufficient armaments available: Gen Qayum
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Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD May 21: Lt Gen Abdul Qayum, Chairman of Pakistan Ordnance
Factories reassured the nation that sufficient stocks of
conventional arms and ammunition would be available in the event of
a full-scale war with India.
In an informal chat with newsmen at the National Assembly premises
Gen Qayyum, however, made it clear that Pakistan, being a civilised
state, would like that reason prevailed on part of India and
expressed the hope that it will shun the war-mongering posture.
He expressed his confidence that there would be no full-scale war
for India was also aware that it would be equally disastrous for
New Delhi if it launched offensive against Pakistan.
"When Pakistan pleads for peace it does not mean it is doing it
because of weakness but it is a norm which is internationally
recognised."
So far as the preparedness of the armed forces in terms of
conventional arms supplies was concerned, he said such preparedness
was made during peace times which had been achieved already.
Replying to a question he said sufficient amount of arms and
ammunition as required by formation commanders was available on
various fronts and sectors and pace of production had naturally
been accelerated according to the growing demand.
He opined that India, in the first place, would not resort to make
any adventure and would try to make incursion inside some
vulnerable parts of Azad Kashmir in hot pursuit, but it would have
assessed by now that there was no dearth of courage as far as armed
forces or the people living on bordering areas was concerned.
Gen Qayum said that the incident which took place in Jammu on the
basis of which India was creating a war hysteria, was an indigenous
one which could not have masterminded by Pakistan since its fallout
was going against its own interests.
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20020521
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Musharraf invites political leaders
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By Faraz Hashmi
ISLAMABAD, May 20: President Gen Pervez Musharraf decided to
consult a cross-section of people, particularly political leaders,
to take the nation into confidence about the situation arising out
of unprovoked Indian shelling along the Line of Control and the
Working Boundary.
Dawn officially learnt that apart from a meeting with politicians,
a joint meeting of the cabinet and the National Security Council,
and a consultative session with the editors of national dailies had
also been lined up by the president's secretariat for Wednesday.
"Invitations are being extended to all the political parties and
groups," said Information Secretary Anwer Mehmood when asked about
the parties and political leaders being invited for consultation.
There would be no exception, said Mr Mehmood when asked whether any
party would be left out.
On all previous occasions, including the president's pre-Agra
summit interaction with political leaders and other people, the
PML(N) has not been invited, apparently to deny any official
recognition to the former ruling party.
All other parties, including the ARD, have received the official
invitation. But, till late Monday, the PML(N) had received no
invitation from the government.
PML(N) chairman Raja Zafrul Haq said that the Alliance for
Restoration of Democracy had decided to take a collective decision
on the issue of accepting the invitation.
ARD leader Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan has established contacts with
other ARD leaders and the Jamaat-i-Islami chief, and reached an
understanding with them to take a joint decision whether to accept
or reject the invitation.
At its last meeting, the ARD had imposed a discipline on all the
component parties not to accept individual invitations of meetings
with the president.
JI chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed was approached personally by the
Principal Secretary to the President, Tariq Aziz, for extending
invitation to him, a political source said.
Tehrik-i-Insaaf leader Imran Khan, Millat Party chief Farooq Ahmed
Khan Leghari and pro-government faction of PML (Quaid-i-Azam group)
were included in the list of invitees.
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20020521
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Pakistan hopes India will resume talks
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By Hasan Akhtar
ISLAMABAD, May 20: Pakistan said that the international community,
despite some setbacks in its recent efforts, was working for de-
escalation of tension with greater vigour and pressing both sides
to come to the negotiating table.
Foreign ministry spokesman Aziz Ahmad Khan averred that the
international community was fully cognizant of the seriousness of
the heightening tension.
Owing to the international diplomacy coupled with the reinforced
efforts by the United Nations, he said Islamabad hoped that Delhi
would see reason and resume dialogue on all contentious issues and
disputes.
In reply to suggestions from reporters to "press" the United States
to compel India for reducing tension and withdrawing troops from
borders, the spokesman pointed out that the recent visit by
Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca was basically aimed at
securing de-escalation in tension and gradual withdrawal of forces
from borders. The spokesman further said that Deputy Secretary of
State Richard Armitage would also visit the region soon for the
same purpose.
He said that Pakistani ambassador in the United Nations had been
keeping the world body and its secretary-general as well as the
president of the Security Council abreast of the developments in
the worsening South Asian scenario.
The spokesman advised the reporters to refer their questions about
the war-like situation on the Line of Control to the ISPR, but he
confirmed that heavy guns were exchanging fire for the last few
days.
In reply to a question whether troop engagement on borders with
Afghanistan at the time of the heightened activity on the eastern
border was desirable, the spokesman said the government was fully
alive to the security requirements and emphasized that the defence
forces were capable of meeting any eventuality.
Pakistan, he said, would continue to play its role in the fight
against terrorism on the Afghanistan front. Referring to Indian
allegations of cross-border movement between the divided parts of
Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesman recalled that Pakistan had offered
deployment of independent international monitors on both sides of
the Line of Control to confirm the Indian allegations but, he
added, New Delhi had declined to accept the offer.
As regards a recent statement of Chris Patten, European Union's
external affairs chairman, suggesting that referendum was a
deviation from the road-map given out for Pakistan's return to
democracy, the spokesman said that Mr Patten was perhaps not fully
briefed on the referendum issue. In fact, he asserted, referendum
had reinforced the president's resolve to restore democracy.
Asked for comments on an APC's call for the installation of an
interim setup composed of all parties to meet the mounting Indian
challenge, the spokesman said it was not for the foreign ministry
to respond to internal issues. He, however, added that the present
government had been functioning "very well and properly" and was
cognizant of what is required of it. He hoped that political
parties would extend "solid support" to the government in this hour
of national crisis.
The spokesman said that as of now he was not aware of any change in
the scheduled meeting of the Indus basin commissioners of Pakistan
and India on May 29. However, he said, in case the meeting could
not be held as stipulated once every year, the Indus Basin Treaty
provided means to redress. He pointed out that the treaty was a
bilateral agreement and guaranteed by international guarantors.
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20020520
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New Delhi goes on warpath: Fresh attack on army in Kashmir
-------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW DELHI, May 19: The Indian government went on the warpath
following a second attack on an army camp in occupied Kashmir in
less than a week, announcing an increased mobilization and warning
that it would match Pakistani firepower.
Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh also announced, at the end of a
meeting between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his
security advisers, that India was reconsidering Pakistan's Most
Favoured Nation status.
Under the increased mobilization, India's paramilitary forces
operating in occupied Kashmir will be transferred from the command
of the interior ministry to the army, and the coast guard will be
placed under the command of the navy.
Military experts said the move would add muscle to India's million-
plus army as well as crank up the country's war machine for rapid
response in case of conflict with Pakistan.
"If any artillery fire comes on our forces from across the border
then they will be immediately retaliated," Singh said.
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20020520
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Artillery shelling matched: ISPR
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By Arshad Sharif
ISLAMABAD, May 19: Pakistan has repulsed the use of heavy artillery
by the Indians along the LoC and the working boundary during the
past two days, director general ISPR, Major General Rashid Qureshi
told Dawn.
The Indians have escalated the tensions by using heavy artillery
and directly attacking Pakistan along the working boundary,
resulting in civilian casualties, the president's military
spokesperson said.
He said Pakistan retaliated the fire on Indian military targets
and, unlike the enemy's act, did not target the civilians. He said
India was directly and indirectly sabotaging the global war on
terrorism by engaging Pakistan on the eastern borders.
He said India deliberately chose to escalate the border tensions,
knowing full well that Pakistan, in league with the US-led
coalition forces, was fighting the war on terrorism.
He said the global powers must question India on its recent actions
which amounted to distracting an important coalition partner in the
global war against terrorism. The Indian actions, he said, amounted
to supporting the terrorists indirectly.
Pakistan does not want war, the DG ISPR said, adding the Kashmir
struggle was indigenous against the brutalities of the Indian
forces. Blaming Pakistan for their own ills would not solve the
Indians' problems, he said.
Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi said Pakistan was fully prepared to thwart
any Indian designs against the integrity and sovereignty of
Pakistan, adding the armed forces stood alert to defend each and
every inch of the country.
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20020520
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8,000 troops deployed along tribal belt
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By Qudssia Akhlaque
ISLAMABAD, May 19: More than 8,000 Pakistani army troops have been
deployed in the tribal belt of Waziristan to check infiltration of
Taliban and Al Qaeda men and to capture those who may have taken
refuge there, sources told Dawn on Saturday.
Pakistani authorities won their right to patrol the 'no-go areas'
of Waziristan in their biggest US anti-terror operation within
Pakistan on the condition that Americans will not be directly
involved in the ground attacks and that the government will
immediately undertake billion-rupee development projects, these
sources maintained.
Intelligence sources in Islamabad said more than 8,000 Pakistani
troops were stationed last week in the North and South Waziristan
agencies. Their mandate is to seal the porous border with
Afghanistan which according to Pakistani authorities has 46 major
crossing points including Torkham and Chamman. The unfrequented
routes run in hundreds.
Informed sources disclosed these troops will conduct raids and
ground attacks on targets identified by the American Central
Command (CENTCOM) operations from Tampa (Florida) and cleared by
the Pakistani military authorities. The CENTCOM is providing
technical intelligence to direct this operation.
"The tribal leaders have not only permitted access to Pakistan army
personnel but have also assured Islamabad of help in tracking down
Al Qaeda and Taliban members who found refuge there," these sources
said.
Dawn also learned from officials involved in the operation that the
tribal elders have given the government their commitment "that no
one in the area would host any Al Qaeda or Taliban fighters."
The tribal leaders have stipulated a fine of Rs500,000 against any
one affording refuge to Al Qaeda or Taliban suspects and have also
informed all tribals that any house used to shelter Al Qaeda or
Taliban suspects will be put on fire.
Another intelligence source said that the numbers of Pakistani
troops assigned the task was growing and that additional posts had
been established only the other day for the additional Frontier
Constabulary (FC) men called in to seal the border North and South
of Waziristan.
The troops operating from inside Waziristan comprise a 3000-strong
brigade with equal number of FC personnel, some 2000 army engineers
and 100 commandos from the Special Services Group (SSG). Members of
the army engineering corps will have the dual task of carrying out
development work in the area and apprehending fleeing Al Qaeda and
Taliban men.
The massive mobilization of troops in the area last week was on the
insistence of Americans who believe suspected Al Qaeda and Taliban
fighters are now re-grouping in the area, sources said on Saturday.
All operations are planned and coordinated by the Joint Staff
Headquarters (JSH) in Rawalpindi with CENTCOM, the US Central
command.
The CENTCOM has been providing information with satellite maps and
sketches of some suspected Al Qaeda and Taliban militants to
concerned agencies in Pakistan based on its intelligence- gathering
network.
Based in Florida, CENTCOM is the United States security command for
South, Central and South West Asia. A CENTCOM representative based
in Islamabad provides lists of targets with maps in daily meetings
at the JSH. The list is then forwarded to the concerned agencies
who whet and verify information before it is relayed to the
operational heads for combined covert action in pockets of tribal
area.
When queried about the level and nature of the US involvement in
the Waziristan operations, the US embassy spokesman said a couple
of days back that he was not in a position to comment. Instead he
gave the CENTCOM contact number in Florida saying that since they
were handling these operations it was best to talk to them.
Federal government sources say that the US authorities had
requested Pakistan that their commandos be allowed to take part in
the search and raid operations in the tribal belt and that American
air power be deployed in the area but President Musharraf turned
down the request.
These sources said that it was agreed between the Pakistan and US
authorities that American presence will remain on the margins of
tribal area and their role confined largely to technical
intelligence, intelligence sharing and communications levels.
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20020519
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Restrictions on movement in border areas
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Staff Correspondent
SUKKUR, May 18: The military authorities have restricted the
movement of residents in the border towns of Ghotki and Mirpur
Mathelo due to alarming situation and tension between India and
Pakistan.
The decision was taken to stop the people from frequent movement in
the border areas specially the residents were asked by the civil
and military officials not to move frequently in the night time.
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20020519
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Mly ready to meet any challenge: ISPR
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By I.H. Raashed
LAHORE, May 18: Pakistan has made "full military preparations to
the extent required" to meet any war imposed by India. This was
stated by ISPR Director-General Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi while
briefing senior journalists and columnists.
He said that India would think a hundred times before launching a
full-scale war against Pakistan. "I think India will not launch a
full-scale war, but there is a danger of Indian attack on Azad
Kashmir and the Working Boundary," he added. He said that artillery
fire which had stopped during the past one year or so had been
resumed by India at the Line of Control and it was now hitting the
civilian population.
Gen Qureshi, however, explained that he was not ruling out the
possibility and probability of a full-scale war and "we are
prepared to meet any threat."
He said that India had started medium artillery fire at about 8am
on Saturday targeting the civilian population. There was intense
shelling on Friday, and on Saturday India asked Pakistan to
withdraw its High Commissioner from New Delhi though the diplomatic
relations were still intact. All these events indicated that India
wanted to aggravate the situation, he said, but warned "India must
remember that Pakistan is not Palestine which can be easily
attacked".
He said that any attempt of hot pursuit by India across Azad
Kashmir might also lead to a war. However, he pointed out, due to
difficult terrain and mountainous region India was not in a
position to make a thrust into Azad Kashmir where aircraft and
tanks could not be used like occupied Palestine where Israelis were
freely using such weapons.
Referring to the Jammu incident, Gen Qureshi debunked the Indian
propaganda that Pakistan was involved in it. He asked why Pakistan
should commit an action which would cause harm to it and benefit
India? He said that India had no proof of Pakistanis' involvement.
Recovery of mere chocolate wraps bearing "made in Pakistan" words
could not be a valid proof. How could terrorists carry with them
their identity symbols? he asked. Why would they fire on a
passenger bus when they were on a mission to attack a military camp
and why would they kill women and children?
Gen Qureshi was of the view that the bus had been hit by the firing
of the Indian troops.
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20020519
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Islamabad recalls HC from Delhi
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By Hasan Akhtar
ISLAMABAD, May 18: The Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi,
Ashraf Jahangir Qazi, was recalled by the government on the demand
of the Indian government.
The Indian demand came only a day after its parliament adopted a
unanimous resolution, criticizing Pakistan for its support to
alleged cross-border militancy which Islamabad has consistently
denied.
A foreign ministry press release said that Pakistan had noted with
disappointment the decision of the Indian government and added that
Islamabad had accordingly decided to recall the high commissioner.
India had already recalled its high commissioner from Islamabad
following an attack on the parliament house in New Delhi in
December by five attackers who were killed in a shootout with
security guards. India had blamed Pakistan for the attack which
Islamabad had vehemently denied.
Pakistan had avoided taking any tit-for-tat step against the Indian
decision and retained its high commissioner to continue to act
though the government of India had virtually ceased to recognize
his diplomatic representation and he was accused of maintaining
questionable links with so-called Kashmiri separatists.
The press release said that despite the Indian demand for the
recall of the Pakistan high commissioner, "the government of
Pakistan will continue to work for complete normalization of
diplomatic relations between the two countries".
Ashraf Jehangir Qazi is expected to leave his post in Delhi during
this week, after having been in office for about four years.
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20020520
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APC warns India against aggression
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By Ashraf Mumtaz
LAHORE, May 19: An All Parties Conference on Sunday warned India to
desist from committing any aggression against Pakistan as the
democratic and patriotic forces were united like a rock to defend
their country.
Leaders of over two dozen political and religious parties and some
professional organizations said that in the interest of peace and
stability of South Asia and to safeguard the future of the people
of entire region, India should adopt the course of negotiations to
settle all disputes with Pakistan on the basis of the principles of
international law and the charter of the United Nations.
The APC, however, did not soften its resolve to pull down the
military regime through a sustained struggle despite a tense
situation on borders.
Through a resolution and a joint declaration adopted at the APC,
fifth since the military takeover in October 1999, the participants
said that the nation had completely rejected the stage-managed
April 30 presidential referendum after which Gen Pervez Musharaf
should immediately resign from all his "de facto" positions and
hand over power to a neutral caretaker government which should
unite the nation, face challenge posed by India and hold fair and
free elections.
They called for the appointment of a full-time Chief of the Army
Staff who could devote his attention to the country's defence and
meet the threat to national security and territorial integrity.
ARD President Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan presided over the conference
held at the Lahore Press Club. Parties in the ARD and the Muttahida
Majlis-i-Aml were the major participants. Leaders of all the
parties expressed their views before the finalization of the
resolution and the declaration.
The ARD chief sidelined as hypothetical a question whether the APC
leaders would participate in an APC the government is expected to
hold in Islamabad on May 27 in view of the situation on the border.
Same was his response when questioned if opposition parties would
be prepared to hold talks with the government.
So far, the Nawabzada complained, Gen Musharraf had been taking all
important decisions on his own and he had been inviting political
leaders subsequently only to inform them.
When a reporter asked if demand for Gen Musharraf's resignation at
such a critical juncture would not endanger the country's defence,
the senior leader answered in the negative. There could be nothing
better in the national interest, he argued. He said nobody was
indispensable for the country and even Chamberlain had been
replaced with Churchill right when the war was going on.
Maintaining that the threat of war loomed large and the country
needed complete unity and a strong leadership, a resolution adopted
by the APC said that having been rejected in the referendum by the
people of Pakistan as well as the national and international
intelligentsia, Gen Musharraf "stands discredited and lacks the
stature and moral authority to deal with the current threat to
national security and territorial integrity of Pakistan".
It said while India was poised to wage war on the eastern front of
Pakistan, Gen Musharraf was using Pakistani troops to seal the
western border with Afghanistan and conduct operations in tribal
areas.
The resolution said that the Chief Election Commissioner, his
colleagues who betrayed the nation, by becoming a party to the
rigging of the referendum, must be removed and an independent and
impartial new Election Commission should be appointed consisting of
men of proven integrity.
It may be pointed out that the PPP was the only party which had
welcomed the appointment of Justice (retd) Irshad Hasan as the CEC
on the grounds that he had brought with him a treasure of
experience.
The resolution sought an end to the ban on political activities.
All political parties have the right to choose their own leadership
and no party should be deprived of its leaders.
"All leaders should be allowed to freely take part in political
activities to galvanize the nation to face the Indian challenge
because wars cannot be fought unless the nation backs its armed
forces", the resolution said in a clear reference to former prime
ministers Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif.
Appreciating the people for boycotting the presidential referendum,
the APC also praised the Commonwealth, the European Union and the
USA for not supporting the farcical exercise.
A truth commission will be set up to look into the instances of
misuse of public funds by the local government functionaries to
ensure the success of Gen Musharraf in the referendum.
The APC called upon the people of federating units from all walks
of life to join hands for the revival of their sovereign will and
the right to freely choose their elected representatives,
restoration of human and social rights and jointly face the threats
from internal and external dangers to people's life and national
existence either by terrorism or foreign subjugation.
It demanded a clear election schedule, immediate revival of all
political activities and human rights, level playing field for all
political parties and their respective leaders, holding of free and
fair elections under a neutral, autonomous, credible and powerful
Election Commission formed with the approval of all political
parties in place of the incumbents who must immediately resign for
having violated their oath by "becoming an instrument of a rigged
referendum".
The APC rejected any arbitrary changes in the 1973 Constitution,
mutilation of international democratic standards of elections,
distortion of electoral laws, prohibitive changes in the Political
Parties Act and restrictions on the parties and their leaders.
"We expect from the international community, the international
human rights bodies and the UN agencies to uphold the aspirations
of the people of Pakistan for the restoration of democracy,
fundamental human rights, the constitutional order through free and
fair elections and transfer of power to the genuinely elected
representatives of the people, who alone can ensure Pakistan's
credible participation in international affairs as a responsible
and civilized nation," the APC declaration said.
The participants expressed solidarity with the freedom movement in
Kashmir and the struggle of the Palestinian people for their
rights. They also supported the demand for the implementation of
the Wage Board Award for the newspapers employees.
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20020523
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Prosecution drops main witness: Daniel Pearl case
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent
HYDERABAD, May 22: The prosecution side dropped an important
witness, Arshad Noor Khan, former presiding judge of the Daniel
Pearl kidnapping-cum-murder case, at the eleventh hour on the
ground that the Sindh High Court did not grant him permission to
depose before the court in the case of a US journalist.
Advocate General Sindh Raja Qureshi, however, produced the Resident
Security Officer (RSO) at the US Consulate, Karachi, Roland Banett
who claimed that the office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) of the USA was located in Islamabad.
The case was adjourned till May 27 as the Lahore-based defence
counsel, Rai Basheer Ahmed would be busy before the Supreme Court
during the next couple of days.
The Attorney General Sindh was quick to blame the defence side for
resorting to extreme delaying tactics given the fact that it was
earlier mutually decided between the prosecution and defence that
the case proceedings would be held on a daily basis but the defence
had once again reneged from its commitment.
Former presiding judge of the case, Arshad Noor, did appear before
the trial court but did not record his evidence in the absence of
permission from the Sindh High Court which was mandatory under
article 4 of the Qanoon-e-Shahadat.
Briefing journalists after the court proceedings at the Central
Prison, the Attorney General said, "Arshad Noor Khan was requested
by this court to appear and he did appear but the requirements of
article 4 of Qanoon-e-Shahadat mandated that he has to obtain prior
permission from the superior court to appear before this court
which is a sub-ordinate court. The permission was not available
with Arshad Noor Khan and in view of the fact that two witnesses
had been examined on the same point and to avoid legal
complications, the prosecution gives this witness up."
He, however, refused to comment as to how and why the Anti-
Terrorism Court judge turned up before the court when there was no
permission from the Sindh High Court.
The AG clarified, "The absence of an Anti-Terrorism Court judge
being a witness in the case will neither benefit nor harm the
prosecution case."
The appearance of the judge was sought by prosecution through a
written application on the ground that the principal accused, Ahmed
Omar Saeed Sheikh, had made a confessional statement.
The Attorney General disclosed that Roland Banett told the court
that he coordinated between the officials of the FBI and local
investigating officials, and whatever information he had been
provided by the FBI had been forwarded to local investigators.
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20020522
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Prosecution drops 13 witnesses in Pearl case
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Staff Correspondent
HYDERABAD, May 21: The prosecution, in the Daniel Pearl kidnapping-
cum- murder case, has dropped 13 out of 38 witnesses telling the
court that sufficient material had been placed on record and nearly
all the important PWs had already been produced.
The Advocate General Sindh, Raja Qureshi, the chief prosecutor in
the case, informed the court that 13 witnesses dropped needed not
to be produced and that only five more PWs would now be produced to
prove the case.
The five PWs are Arshad Noor Khan (Anti-Terrorism Court-III Judge),
Marianne Pearl (wife of the slain US journalist Daniel Pearl),
Ronald Banett (the RSO at US consulate, Karachi), Hameedullah Memon
and Rao Aslam (inspectors).
Those dropped are Athar Waqar Azeem (General Manager PTV), Manzoor
Qureshi (programme manager PTV), Agha Tajamul (SSP), Malik Asghar
Usman (DSP), Noor Muhammad (ASI), Ashiq Ali and Ali Nawaz (head
constables), Chaudhry Nazar Hussain, Faisal Afridi (taxi driver),
Mubarak Ali Shah, Sami Qureshi, Abdul Majeed and Haroon Sheikh.
Two more prosecution witnesses, Muhammad Ali (the assistant
director, Anti-Car Lifting Cell, Karachi) and Zaheer Ahmed, an
independent Musheer of the arrested accused - Fahad Naseem and
Salman Saqib - were produced before the court on Tuesday bringing
the total number of witnesses examined and cross-examined so far to
20. All the accused were also present in the court.
Meanwhile, Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), headed by Syed Ali Ashraf
Shah, would record deposition of ATC-III Judge Arshad Noor Khan,
former presiding judge in the case. The latter has been requested
to be called as court witness by prosecution with the permission of
the Sindh High Court (SHC). Deposition of Mr Ronald Banett, an
official of the US consulate, would also be recorded. Mr Banett's
name was disclosed by a special agent of the FBI.
The application about appointment of commission to record the
statement of Marianne Pearl remained undecided as Barrister Jameel,
her counsel, apprised the court that he would consult with her
about whether she was willing or not and would inform the court on
Friday.
The court allowed a defence plea of Rai Basheer Ahmed, who had
sought permission to allow him and his clients to examine a CD on
their own computer. The CD was brought on record by PW, Sheikh
Naeem, the sub-server operator Webnet, managed by Mehmood Iqbal
Hashmi. The CD contained data of e-mails, claimed to have been sent
by the accused to different organizations and newspapers, about
Daniel Pearl and their demands.
The counsel did not accede to the request of prosecution that it
would also like to see the CD along with the defence and accused.
He maintained that since he had to prepare for cross-examination,
he had reservations and could not oblige the prosecution.
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20020520
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pearl case: samples being sent to Lahore
-------------------------------------------------------------------
KARACHI, May 19: Authorities launched DNA tests on samples taken
from a dismembered body which they believe are the remains of
murdered US reporter Daniel Pearl.
"We are sending samples to Lahore for DNA testing today," a police
investigator told newsmen, adding that they included teeth, hair,
bones and samples of blood stains taken from the hut where Pearl
was believed to have been killed.
"The opinion of the experts who will conduct the DNA tests will be
final for us," said the investigator, adding that the laboratory in
Lahore specializes in the high-tech procedure.
Authorities found the decapitated body on Friday buried on a vacant
plot of land near the blood-stained hut where he was apparently
murdered after being abducted on January 23.
The investigator said police had questioned a man who used to own
the desolate plot, in an area notorious as a criminal haunt.
The owner, Maulana Tayyab, said he had sold the property some eight
years ago but did not recall the name of the buyer. He promised to
provide police with papers relating to the sale, the investigator
said.-AFP
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20020519
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Phone record was tampered with, claims defence: Pearl case
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent
HYDERABAD, May 18: Defence counsels in Daniel Pearl kidnapping-cum-
murder case contested the validity of print-outs of cellular phone
connections saying that all these documents were tampered with by
the prosecution and police in order to establish that the
connections were used by the accused.
They claimed that in the print-outs, produced by the manager of a
cellular phone company, Col (rtd) Usman, the telephone connections
were not shown in the name of the present accused.
The court adjourned the matter for Tuesday (May 21) when it would
hear the viewpoint of Barrister Jameel on the application of
appointment of a commission to record the statement of Marine
Pearl, wife of the slain Wall Street Journal reporter.
Advocate General Sindh, Raja Qureshi, told newsmen that the court
would not work on Monday as the defence counsels were busy in
Lahore in connection with their cases. The AG, who is also the
chief prosecutor, raised objection on this as well.
He produced another witness Mahmood Iqbal Hashmi of the Webnet, a
Karachi-based internet service provider. Mr Hashmi produced six
attachments along with his statements saying that he provides
internet facilities to different sub-servers through internal
servers in order to facilitate them to send their electronic mails
worldwide. He claimed that the US consulate at Karachi had
requested him to find out as to from where such e-mails were
transmitted.
Mr Hashmi added that he found that the e-mails in question were
sent through the sub-server - Sheikh Naeem, another prosecution
witness who has already been examined by the court. Mr Hashmi said
that he had handed over one copy of the data to the US consulate
and anther to the investigating police officials while yet another
copy was being submitted with court for record. His cross-
examination was still reserved by the defence lawyers.
The AG said that as per Sheikh Naeem's statement, he provided e-
mails facility to 60-70 users and the e-mails which were verified
by Mehmood Iqbal Sheikh were transmitted from line No: 66. He
deposed that the line was being used from telephone number and
laptop of accused Fahad Naseem.
Referring to Salman Saqib who, the AG said, complained of medical
problems every now and then a medical board conducted his
examination and according to its report he was perfectly alright.
During cross-examination of Col (rtd) Usman, AG pointed out that
according to the print-outs it was proved that the accused used the
facility of cellular phone on a different time, date and duration
and in complicity with others committed an offence for which they
were being prosecuted. He, however, clarified that the manager of
the phone company could not establish that they were actual users
of cellular phone connections because the mobile phones could by
used by anyone. He said that these phones could be obtained in the
name of any other person on submission of photo copy of NIC.
The AG said that on May 22 the ATC-3 Judge Arshad Noor Khan, former
presiding judge of the Daniel Pearl case, would be examined and
cross-examined alone.
To a query whether Sindh High Court had allowed the judge to appear
before the court, he said a written application had been addressed
to the Registrar of the SHC and added that such applications were
always allowed because it involved fair and transparent
dispensation of justice in the case.
A junior defence lawyer, Mohsin Imam, told newsmen that Col (rtd)
Usman agreed that from his office record, he could not establish as
to who spoke to whom.
The defence counsels sought the certified copy of a CD which was
earlier produced by Sheikh Naeem. The court directed the reader of
the court and the SSP of CIA, Manzoor Mughal, to ensure the
provision of CD to defence lawyers after getting it copied from an
internet service provider. The counsels maintained that this
witness had no solid proof of the cellular phone connections having
been obtained by the accused and that they were using them.
A Lahore-based defence counsel, Rai Basheer Ahmed, informed newsmen
that print-outs of 17 telephone connections, which were in fact
details of incoming and out-going calls of these connections, were
tampered with because these print-outs were computerised and issued
in English.
He said that he confronted these print-outs with prosecution
witness in order to prove that the witness did not tamper them. He
insisted that the prosecution and police had tampered with the
report.
For instance, he said, the connection of Shamim Ahmed had been
shown as Shamim Ahmed alias Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh whereas the
connection of Shafi Muhammad Pathan, a resident of Mardan, was
shown to be one being used by the slain journalist Daniel Pearl. He
pointed out that names of Daniel Pearl and Ahmed Omar were written
in Urdu.
The lawyer said that the cellular phone company did not fix the
responsibility on the users for the misuse of phones and added that
accused had nothing to do with these connections.
He maintained that the prosecution tried to establish that the
connections were issued in the name of different people but the
accused were their real users. He claimed that Col (rtd) Usman
admitted that he had no record that present accused had obtained
these 17 connections and that he was also unable to prove that
accused were their real users. He pleaded that all these persons in
whose names the connections were issued had not been joined in the
investigation by police.
Rai Basheer raised objection when PW, Mahmood Iqbal Hashmi,
produced the copy of data of e-mails to the court. The counsel said
that police did not include this data in the case-file thus it
could not be made part of the case now.
The court said it would decide this point at the time of final
arguments. It allowed brother of Fahad Naseem to meet the detainee.
Other relatives of the accused would be allowed an interview with
him during the course of break of court. This order was passed on
an application filed by Rai Basheer Ahmed.
He also expressed dissatisfaction over reports of medical board
that examined Salman Saqib. He claimed that he had authentic
reports of Agha Khan Hospital and requested the court to get the
accused re-examined and obtain tests from the laboratories of the
same hospital.
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20020522
-------------------------------------------------------------------
APHC leader Lone gunned down
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SRINAGAR, May 21: Abdul Gani Lone, leader of the All Parties
Hurriyat Conference, was shot dead in a killing likely to undermine
efforts to bring peace to occupied Kashmir.
Witnesses said Lone was shot dead by two unidentified men while he
was attending a function to mark the 12th death anniversary of
Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq, who was killed by unidentified
gunmen in his house on May 21, 1990.
On that day more than 50 people were killed when Indian police
opened fire on mourners carrying the body of Maulvi Farooq. The
gunmen who shot Lone also lobbed a grenade, but it failed to
explode, the witnesses said. One of his bodyguards was also killed
and another was injured in the attack.
"He (Lone) fell down and started reciting Quranic verses. When the
gunmen realized that he was still alive they fired again and he
died there," Lone's driver, Abdul Rashid, said.
Wailing mourners, many beating their chests and pulling their hair,
surrounded Lone's bullet-ridden body at his residence.
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20020522
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SHC restores Bhopal House to owners
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 21: The Sindh High Court ordered restoration of
possession of Bhopal House to Shaharyar M. Khan, legal heir to the
late Begum Abida Sultaan, after the contemners offered
unconditional apology for forcibly dispossessing the plaintiff of
the property.
Justice Zahid Kurban Alavi passed the order when the contempt
application of the late Begum Abida Sultaan came up for
consideration.
In the light of the court's order Shaharyar M. Khan was handed over
possession of Bhopal House in the afternoon.
When the matter came up before the court, surprisingly Barrister
Aitzaz Ahsan stood up on behalf of the alleged contemners, Muhammad
Mushtaq, executive engineer, and Iftekhar Ahmed, assistant
executive engineer, and pleaded that "due to certain
misunderstanding a wrong was done."
Mr Ahsan submitted that in order to rectify the wrong the
contemners, who were present in the court, were prepared to
immediately restore and hand over the possession back to the
plaintiff's son, Shaharyar M. Khan. He also submitted that this was
being done without conceding on the plaintiff's claim to the title
of the property. It was also submitted that the evidence should be
recorded and completed at the earliest so that the long-
outstanding matter could be resolved and disposed of.
On May 14, a day before the Qul of the late Begum Abida Sultaan of
Bhopal, the occupants of Bhopal House in Clifton were evicted by
force at the behest of the Intelligence Bureau.
On May 15, Muhammad Mushtaq, Executive Engineer, PWD, the defendant
No 3, had submitted before Justice Alavi that he had received
instructions from the federal ministries of law and housing and
works.
The contemner had further submitted that he was fully aware that
there might be a possible contempt to which he was given assurance
by the competent authority to defend him.
It was the case of the plaintiff that the house was the property of
Nawab Hamidullah Khan, Nawab of Bhopal, where the IB had set up its
office in the annexe. The plaintiff had shown various documents to
disprove the claims of the federal government's agency.
The ministry of housing and works had claimed that the said
property was "purchased by the Government of Pakistan from the
Nawab of Bhopal for a consideration of Rs450,000 in 1958." But a
message faxed by the Press Information Department had stated that
the "building had been in possession of the Government of Pakistan
as an evacuee property since 1947, without any objection from the
claimant or anyone on his behalf uptil 1992."
Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, counsel for the plaintiff, briefly narrated
the facts leading to the unfortunate incident. According to him, in
spite of orders passed by this court an action had been taken which
was contrary to the statement and undertaking given by the
defendants that no action should be taken against the plaintiff,
but only through due process of law. Deploring the action of the
contemners, Mr Pirzada advocated for prosecuting them.
When Mr Ahsan offered unconditional apology to the court on behalf
of the contemners, Justice Alavi asked for Mr Shaharyar Khan's
views.
As Mr Khan magnanimously expressed his satisfaction with the
unconditional apology given by the contemners, Justice Alavi
accepted the unconditional apology. He also ordered restoration of
possession of Bhopal House to the plaintiff's son, in the course of
the day, and also told the plaintiff to move amended title of the
plaint so as to bring the legal heirs on record.
Thereafter, the matter which was already pending before Abdul Aziz
Memon, advocate/ commissioner, for recording of evidence, should be
sent back to him and evidence be recorded and completed within one
month, Justice Alavi ordered.
Mr Khan later said: "I am deeply gratified at the decision of the
court." He said a close relation of his, with his family, was
staying in Bhopal House before it was sealed.
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20020520
-------------------------------------------------------------------
National govt demanded
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 19: The Pakistan People's Party's acting secretary-
general, Mian Raza Rabbani, has said the external threat facing the
country needed the setting up of a national government immediately
so that the country could meet the internal and external challenges
collectively.
He was speaking at press conference on Sunday here in Bilawal
House, where a former MNA from Nawabshah, Syed Bashir Ahmed Shah,
expressed his confidence in the leadership of Benazir Bhutto and
announced his decision to join the PPP.
In reply to a question, Mr Rabbani said whenever there had been
dictatorship in the country, tension had risen on the borders, and
now also India got the advantage of an unelected government in
Pakistan.
Answering another question, the PPP leader said if there was a move
by the government to hold an all-parties conference to take
political parties into confidence on the situation, his party would
take a decision after consultation with the ARD.
He claimed that in the present trying circumstances only a towering
international personality and calibre of Benazir Bhutto could steer
the country out of the crisis.
"Declaring Benazir Bhutto absconder during heightening tension on
the borders is an insult to the dignity of the country which would
result in causing further despondency among the nation," he
maintained.
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20020525
-------------------------------------------------------------------
PPP alleges Benazir denied right to defence
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, May 24: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has urged the
Commonwealth to take note and examine the conduct of the trial on
May 17 in which what it called the due process and right to defence
were denied to Benazir Bhutto.
"It is feared that Judge Mansoor Ali Khan is acting under
pressure," PPP acting secretary-general Raza Rabbani said in a
letter addressed to the secretary-general of the Commonwealth,
Donald McKinnon, expressing concern over denial of due process and
a fair trial to Ms Bhutto by the military regime in the SGS case.
The letter also drew attention of the Commonwealth to how Ms Bhutto
was declared as proclaimed offender by the court despite being
represented by her counsel.
Regrettably, since the overthrow of the PPP government in 1996,
military hard-liners formed a front organization for political
purposes under the disguise of anti-corruption, the letter said.
Mr Rabbani said a former prosecutor had written of NAB pressuring
the courts by telling them to behave. Special salaries and perks
were offered as a financial incentives to judges serving in the
trial courts, he alleged.
"It is widely known that the proceedings are watched by
intelligence officials to ensure that all goes according to script.
Ms Bhutto fears that the judge is acting under pressure in the
presence of such individuals in a country where half of the Supreme
Court was sacked by the military dictator."
The PPP leader said that the Supreme Court had already set aside
the conviction of Ms Bhutto in the SGS case after tape-recorded
conversations revealed that the course of justice was perverted by
the then regime in collusion with the trial judge.
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20020522
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Judgment on SGS appeal reserved
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, May 21: The Supreme Court reserved its judgment on the
appeal of a Swiss company, Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS),
seeking wrap up of arbitration proceedings in Pakistan.
A SC bench, comprising Justice Munir A. Sheikh, Justice Qazi
Mohammad Farooq and Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, reserved its
judgement after conducting proceedings for about five days.
The SGS approached the apex court against the order of a civil
court of the appointment of an arbitrator to settle the dispute
that arose after the termination of the contract. Justice (retd)
Khalilur Rehman Khan has been appointed arbitrator by the civil
judge.
After preliminary hearing, the apex court granted leave to appeal
to consider three questions: i) whether the arbitration agreement
between Pakistan and the SGS continued to remain valid after the
Pak-Swiss treaty? ii) whether the SGS was an "investor" within the
meaning of the Pak-Swiss treaty? iii) whether the SGS had waived
its right to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment
Disputes' (ICSID) arbitration in view of its conduct in pursing its
claims before the Swiss courts and filing a counter claim before
the civil judge, Islamabad.
The Swiss company stated that it had approached the ICSID for
getting compensation from the Pakistan government for the
termination of the pre-shipment inspection contract, and demanded
that the arbitration proceedings, initiated in Pakistan, be
stopped.
The firm maintained that Pakistan and Switzerland had signed a
bilateral investment treaty in May 1996, and any dispute arising
out of any agreement would be decided by the ICSID, a forum
provided in the investment treaty.
After the SC had set aside the judgement convicting Benazir Bhutto
and Asif Ali Zardari on the charges of getting commission from the
SGS, the company filed a counter claim against the government in a
Pakistani court.
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20020519
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Benazir declared PO in SGS case
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, May 18: PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto was declared
proclaimed offender for her failure to appear in the accountability
court in connection with the SGS case.
This is the second time when an accountability court has declared
the former prime minister proclaimed offender for the same offence.
Earlier, Benazir Bhutto was also sentenced to three years rigorous
imprisonment on the same charge by another accountability court.
The SGS case was remanded to the accountability court by a seven-
member bench of the Supreme Court for a retrial. Ms Bhutto and
spouse Asif Ali Zardari are facing the charge of awarding a
preshipment inspection contract to the SGS, a Swiss company, in
consideration of 6 per cent commission of the total amount received
by the company from the government of Pakistan.
The commission, according to the prosecution, was paid to an
offshore company, Bomer Finance Inc., allegedly owned by Asif
Zardari while Jens Schlegelmilch acted as his fiduciary agent. The
ultimate beneficiaries of the commission were Asif Zardari and
Benazir Bhutto, the prosecution alleged.
On Friday, while separating the case of Asif Zardari and former
Central Board of Revenue chairman A.R. Siddiqui from the main
reference in the SGS case, the court declared the nine co-accused
in the reference as POs and adjourned the hearing to May 30. In
addition to Jens Schlegelmilch, the other eight directors of the
Swiss firm are: Colin Robey, then vice-president; Oliver De
Breakeleer, then managing director; Michael Lysewycs, executive
manager; Michael Worrow, operation manager; David Murray, operation
manager; William Boyd, technical manager; R. Rijken, manager; and
Andrea Ralph, manager.
The court, which had earlier issued arrest warrants against the
former CBR chairman because of his constant absence, on Friday
directed the co-accused to submit an undertaking with a bank
guarantee of Rs1 million to ensure his appearance before the court.
Lawyers Tariq Aziz and Raheel Malik represented the National
Accountability Bureau before Judge Mansoor Ali Khan and informed
the court that proceedings under section 87 of the Criminal
Procedure Code had already been completed which empowered the court
to issue the proclamation order.
Earlier the process server, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Riyasat Ali of
Boat Basin Police Station, informed the court that he had affixed
the court's proclamation orders at the Bilawal House, the Karachi
residence of Benazir Bhutto and at other important public places.
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20020519
-------------------------------------------------------------------
PPP to oppose constitutional amendments, says Asif
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report
PESHAWAR, May 18: Castigating the government plans to bar election
of a person as a prime minister for third stint, central leader of
Pakistan People's Party, Asif Ali Zardari said that the proposed
constitutional amendments were against the norms of democracy and
the party would fully agitate against it.
"It is the will of the people which shall prevail and the army
generals have no authority to play with the destiny of the people,"
he told newsmen in the premises of Attock Fort, where he was
brought in connection with hearing in asset case.
Asif Zardari claimed that his spouse Benazir Bhutto would
definitely return to Pakistan before October elections. He
criticized Gen Musharraf for issuing statements that Ms Bhutto
would not be allowed to contest polls, stating that the general had
no authority to issue directives as only the courts and election
commission authorities were empowered to stop any person from
contesting polls.
"Even Ziaul Haq had issued same statement that he would not allow
the PPP to form government, but time proved that the masses were
with PPP," Mr Zardari said. He added that the recent statement of
Commonwealth was encouraging as it had expressed concern over
deviation of Gen Musharraf from the prescribed roadmap.
Answering a question regarding tension between India and Pakistan,
he said that there was a general perception that the present regime
wanted to divert attention of the masses from the referendum fiasco
and other pressing domestic issues due to which it had been staging
dramas.
He added that Gen Musharraf had given first post-referendum gift to
the nation in the shape of enhancement in prices of petroleum
products.
About entering into alliance with other political parties for the
coming elections, he said that alliances were part of political
process and the PPP would definitely like to enter into alliance
with like-minded parties.
Asif Zardari was apprehensive about fair and impartial polls in the
country, stating that under the present regime they had not been
expecting fair polls.
When asked did he expect that he might be convicted in any of the
cases pending against him to bar him from contesting polls, the PPP
leader expressed the hope that the presiding officers of concerned
courts would have learnt lesson from the chapter of Justice Qayyum
and they would not convict him on the directives of the government.
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20020522
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Gool Minwalla passes away
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Bhagwandas
KARACHI, May 21: One of the pioneers in social work, a women's
rights activist and educationist, Gool Khurshed Minwalla died at
her Bath Island home. She was 89. She leaves three sons, a daughter
and several grandchildren.
Gool Minwalla was one of the few leading women social workers who
joined hands with Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan when she established
the All-Pakistan Women's Association (APWA) for the welfare of the
women soon after partition.
Born on May 1, 1913, Gool was one of her parents' six children -
three girls and three boys. She studied at Mama Parsi Girls School
and after doing her matriculation, she joined the school as a
teacher.
She took a teachers' training course at Adyar, Madras (now
Chennai), conducted by Maria Montessori, in 1939, and gained an
international diploma for education of children aged between 2- 1/2
and 6 years. On her return, she established the first montessori
school in Karachi, which is still operational. It was accredited by
the Association of Montessori International (AMI) in Amsterdam.
Gool also established the Pakistan Montessori Association, which
started conducting International Diploma in Montessori Method. Dr
Maria Montessori also came to Pakistan to see the working of the
montessori schools. So far, over 3,500 montessori teachers have
obtained training from her organization.
She was also appointed external examiner by the AMI to assess
students all over the USA, Europe, India, Sri Lanka and Japan.
The government recognized her services in the field of social
welfare work and she was awarded Tamgha-i-Quaid-i-Azam in 1958. At
different times she had served various social welfare organizations
such as the Poor Patients' Welfare Society; Poor Families Welfare
Society; Karachi Children's Welfare Society; the Ida Rieu Poor
Welfare Association; etc.
She also helped establish many organizations like Social Services
Coordinating Council; the Pakistan Council of Social Work; Karachi
Social Services Group; the Karachi Tuberculosis Association; and
the National Federation of Welfare of the Blind; the Pakistan
United Nations Association; etc.
She had also served as the chairperson of the National Council of
Social Welfare and served on the KDA, Radio Pakistan and the Remand
Home.
Ms Minwalla had represented the country at various forums,
including the United Nations International Congress at Geneva on
the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders. She was
also the initiator of the American Field Service Program in
Pakistan that is providing assistance to the youth.
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20020522
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One killed following attack on procession: 40 vehicles torched
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 21: One person was killed and over a dozen others
injured when some miscreants pelted a religious procession passing
through Nishtar Road with stones. Afterwards young processionists
set fire to at least 40 vehicles.
One of the injured said that one of the participants of the
procession snatched the gun of a policeman and started firing at
the miscreants who had been hurling stones. As a result, Imran, 21,
and Nauzad Khan, 30, got injured. Nauzad was pronounced dead at the
Civil Hospital.
Two petrol pumps on Nishtar Road, between Lasbella and Teen Hatti,
were destroyed by the mob. A truck and tankers parked in a private
compound on the road were also set ablaze by youths.
Meanwhile, enraged youths set on fire the parked vehicles on the
blocked track of Nishtar Road. Over a dozen rickshaws, minibuses,
buses of 7-C route, taxis, and motorcycles were set on fire. An oil
tanker was torched which fuelled the fire to other vehicles.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
20020520
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Pakistan loses $100 million in Investment Protection Treaties
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Rafaqat Ali
ISLAMABAD, May 19: Pakistan has been robbed of US$100 million, and
three claims totalling approximately US$970 million are pending
with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
(ICSID).
The situation is so grim that Pakistan's foreign assets, including
its reserves with the Reserve Bank of America, PIA's fleet, ships
of PNSC, and its embassies, are at risk of being forfeited on the
orders of the ICSID.
At present Pakistan has investment protection treaties with 43
countries of the world, the majority of which were signed in the
nineties, without properly defining the term "investment". Even, a
company which was hired to provide pre-shipment inspection
"services", has filed a claim for US$120 millions with the ICSID.
Unlike other countries, Pakistan has never protected its foreign
assets. If a suit was decreed by the ICSID, the other party could
ask for the execution of the treaty by identifying Pakistan's
assets.
In the case of a French firm, which was contracted to build the
Jinnah terminal at Karachi Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority
had first joined the ICSID proceeding in Singapore, but backed out
later, saying that it was too expensive. The ICSID issued an ex-
parte decree directing Pakistan to pay US$100 to the company. The
suit, however, was set aside by the Sindh High Court. But when the
French government threatened that Pakistan's foreign assets could
be confiscated to realize the claim, Pakistan, in total disregard
to the SHC order, signed a loan agreement for US$100 million with
the French government to pay the entire amount to the company.
At present three claims worth US$970 million are pending before the
ICSID. The Italian company, Impreglio, working at Ghazi Brotha
project had approached the ICSID after developing disputes with
Pakistan. Efforts are afoot to reach a settlement.
The Swiss Company, SGS, which had been contracted to provide pre-
shipment inspection services, has also approached the ICSID, with a
claim of US$120 million. Similarly, Turkish company Bayinder, which
was contracted to build the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway, has filed
a claim for US$400 million.
The official sources say that irrespective of what would be the
outcome of the claims with the ICSID, participation in the
proceeding was so expensive that countries like Pakistan usually
avoid appearing.
When a complaint is registered with the ICSID, both the parties are
required to deposit US$100,000 as fee apart from engaging foreign
lawyers who specialize in the ICSID proceeding, mostly held in
foreign countries.
Those dealing with the issue feel that Pakistan can protect its
interest by properly defining the term "investment" and that any
decree would be executed through Pakistani courts. They further
suggest that a definition of the word "investment" provided in the
Foreign Investment Act 1977 should be made applicable. According to
that only that money which was brought in for establishing any
factory, or for use in the exploration activity in Pakistan, would
be called "investment".
The official sources confirmed that when it comes to the
rectification of an investment treaty with any country the cabinet
hardly takes two to three minutes to do that.
The present government too has singed five investment protection
treaties; of which three disputable claims are with the ICSID
awaiting settlement.
The counties with which Pakistan has investment treaties are
Germany, Romania, Sweden, Kuwait, France, South Korea, the
Netherlands, China, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Spain, Turkmenistan,
the United Kingdom, Singapore, Turkey, Portugal, Malaysia,
Switzerland, Kyrgyz Republic, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, UAE, Iran,
Indonesia, Tunisia, Syria, Denmark, Belarus, Mauritius, Italy,
Oman, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, Belgium, Qatar, the Philippine,
Yemen Arab Republic, Egypt, Opec Fund, Lebanon, Morocco, and Bosnia
& Herzegovina.
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20020521
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Growth rate decline propels poverty: Shaukat
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Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, May 20: Minister for Finance Shaukat Aziz said that
Pakistan has been experiencing declining growth rate for the last
several years due to which poverty has been increasing in the
country. This was stated by Minister for Finance Shaukat Aziz.
He said Pakistan had been experiencing an increase in the incidence
of poverty, which was a consequence of declining economic growth
rate over the past several years. The Government of Pakistan has,
therefore, taken a conscious decision to prioritize poverty
alleviation in the overall framework of economic policy-making, an
approach evident through the government's comprehensive Poverty
Reduction Strategy Paper.
Aziz pointed out that as a part of new strategy, a higher resource
allocation had been ensured for poverty alleviation programs such
as the integrated small works program, which was aimed at
generating direct employment, ensuring enhanced access to basic
education, health and nutrition, strengthening the Zakat system and
the provision of safety nets such as the food support program.
The strategy also focused on ensuring access to sustainable micro
finance services to the poor to enhance their income-generating
capacity since there existed a direct nexus between poverty and
micro finance, he said.
In Pakistan, among the nearly 6.5 million poor households, less
than five per cent had access to affordable micro finance services
from institutional sources. The poor thus have to turn to informal
credit suppliers where the terms and conditions were such that they
perpetuated rather than ameliorated poverty, he observed.
The government, therefore, has decided to pro-actively address the
underlying issues that had restricted the flow of micro finance
services to the poor and designed a comprehensive micro finance
development strategy for Pakistan.
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20020523
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MoU signed for promotion of IT industry
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Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, May 22: The United Nations Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO) and the Pakistan Software Houses Association
(Pasha) signed a memorandum of understanding to help the industry
build a better IT-enabled Pakistan.
Pasha President Hamza Matin and the UNIDO Representative in
Pakistan, Dr Carlos Chanduvi-Suarez signed the document at a
ceremony held at the UN Information Centre on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, Hamza Matin said, the agreement would
open doors for the foreign investors to come and do business in
Pakistan.
Dr Suarez hoped for greater cooperation with the umbrella
organization of the software houses. Pasha is an umbrella
organization of over 200 software houses in the country.
As per the memorandum, Pasha would play a lead role with the
assistance of UNIDO in the growth of the software-driven IT
industry in Pakistan. It also aims at maintaining close interaction
with federal, provincial and local governments on IT sector
development and facilitation.
Both UNIDO and Pasha would play a vital role in development of
vision, strategy and policy framework for the IT sector besides
liaising with the government bodies for participation in
international exhibitions and conferences for business development.
They would also work together in developing a liaison with all the
IT sector interest groups specially telecommunications,
infrastructure and education to align them with the industry
requirements.
The two bodies agreed to promote standardization and adherence to
established quality standards in IT companies besides creating
awareness about benefits and facilitation in protection of
intellectual property rights in Pakistan to encourage alliances and
investments.
It would exploit and promote relationships and linkages with
overseas Pakistanis, international bodies and investors to become a
catalyst for use of information technology for government, business
and the social sector in the country.
Both the organizations would train software houses for
participation in the industrial development of Pakistan.
To realize the objectives, Hamza Matin said, "Pasha would have to
expand beyond the boundaries within which it currently operates and
a significant amount of capacity building would be required."
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20020524
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Over Rs10,000 RTCs banned
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 23: The State Bank stopped banks from issuing rupee
traveller cheques (RTCs) of more than Rs10,000 denomination. The
SBP said in a statement it has directed all the banks to
immediately recall all un-issued or unsold RTCs of more than
Rs10,000 denomination and intimate the position to SBP's Banking
Policy Department.
The central bank said the guideline issued on Thursday aims at
preventing the use of RTCs for settlement of undocumented
transactions "which may also facilitate money-laundering."
The SBP has asked the banks to issue public notices directing RTC
holders to either encash or return the unused RTCs of more than
Rs10,000 denomination for change into lower denomination or refund.
This exercise should be completed within six months. It has also
asked them to ensure that at the time of issuance of RTCs for
cumulative amount higher than Rs10,000 proper identification of the
purchase should be obtained and placed on record. National tax
number and national identity card number may establish somebody's
proper identification.
The State Bank has also asked the banks to immediately report to
its Banking Policy Department the name of the persons to whom rupee
travellers cheques totalling Rs500,000 and above have been issued
in sequential order.
The SBP has advised the banks that they should accept for payment
only those rupee traveller cheques, which bear the signature of the
purchaser and are countersigned by the holder.
The central bank has also asked the banks to report to it their
outstanding RTCs in the footnote to their weekly statements.
"The State Bank encourages the use of rupee traveller cheques for
the traveling public (only) and has, therefore, directed the banks
that while advertising the rupee traveller cheques...they should
emphasize its utility only for travel or travel related purposes."
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20020524
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HBL sell-off to complete by October
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 23: State Bank Governor Dr. Ishrat Hussain said that
after the privatisation of United Bank Limited next month, the
sell-off of the Habib Bank Limited would complete by October.
He said the process of privatisation of all the government-owned
banks would be over by the year-end and till such time there was no
possibility of reduction in interest rates.
The SBP Governor said that high cost of running government owned
banks did not leave any room for reducing interest rates. He said
the non-performing loans to the tune of Rs300 billion of the
government owned banks would be transferred to the Corporate and
Industrial Restructuring Corporation (CIRC) so that these banks
could start their new life with a clean slate.
"When these banks will be in the private sector and there will be
competition only then one could expect the reduction in interest
rates," Dr. Ishrat responded to a demand raised by PHMA chairman
Shahzad Azam in his address of welcome.
The SBP chief said the banking sector could not improve its working
and efficiency without under going a major surgery and the time had
come to act in this direction if "we want to see interest rates
lower to meet the business community's outstanding demand".
He expressed the hope that in the new budget there would be further
cut in corporate taxes, which had been reduced from 58 per cent to
50 per cent in the past.
The export refinance rates, he said, had been linked with the T-
bills and the SBP had directed the banks not to charge more than
1.5 per cent from exporters, which was equal to what the government
is paying.
There was a time when the economy was under the grip of
dollarization but the same had been reverted to the rupee. However,
he said account holders had been allowed only to keep 20 per cent
of their deposit amount in dollar accounts. Nevertheless, he said
exporters had been exempted from this condition.
Like long-term rupee finance being provided under Pakistan
Investment Bonds, he said, there was a need for having long-term
dollar finance as well. Very soon, Dr. Ishrat said, there would be
such facility as the SBP was under negotiation with the Exim Bank
of Japan and other banks for providing such service, which was
stopped under sanctions.
Initially, he said such facility would be available for import of
machinery as some European banks had also been approached for
providing long-term dollar financing to "our industry".
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20020520
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What Pakistan should seek: trade or aid?
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By Anwar Ali Shah
It is generally believed that the foreign economic assistance which
Pakistan received from time to time is a heavy constraint on the
process of development because every year the country has to set
aside a huge amount of money for the repayment of the foreign
loans.
Debt-servicing has become the largest item of expenditure in the
national budget and most of the loans that Pakistan is receiving
help only to repay the old ones. There is, therefore, a persistent
demand in Pakistan to get rid of aid because it not only shackles
the economy, it also puts a heavy premium on the freedom of action
in the foreign affairs of the country.
It, however, cannot be denied that foreign aid has played a crucial
role in the economic development of Pakistan, particularly in the
expansion of industrial sector. Being a poor country, Pakistan
could not accumulate surplus capital through mobilization of
domestic resources. There were, therefore, heavy shortages of
capital for investment purposes and to finance the import of
essential industrial raw material, capital goods and machinery. The
need of the industrial sector have been met by getting foreign
assistance.
Foreign aid includes loans, credits and grants. The ratio of these
foreign resources to one another depends upon the nature of
political relationship between the donor and recipient country.
Loans as compared to grants, carry high interest rates which lead
to the accumulation of debts. During the last 30 years, Pakistan
has accumulated an enormously large foreign debt without having
developed the socio-economic infrastructure necessary to sustain a
growth process which can help the country to reduce its dependence
on foreign aid.
In another area, i.e. foreign trade, Pakistan is unable to finance
its import bill through the mobilization of domestic resources or
through earning foreign exchange on exports. It is because our
imports far exceed our exports. Under these circumstances, Pakistan
has no other option but to need foreign aid in the form of medium
or long term loans because such an inflow of external financial
resources help narrowing down both a saving-investment gap and an
import-export imbalance.
Unfortunately, Pakistan cannot establish heavy industries due to
financial constraints. Small industries cannot prosper in the
absence of heavy industries, because heavy industry is the primary
consumer of products of small industries. Medium size industries in
Pakistan are faced with tough competition in the world market. All
the developing countries of the world are processing only medium
size industries due to lack of financial resources and it causes
tough competition.
Besides, Pakistan's exports are highly concentrated in few
items/groups namely cotton, fish, leather, rice, synthetic
textiles, wool, carpets and sports goods. Cotton group alone
contributed an average 60.3 per cent to total exports. A poor
cotton crop can seriously affect total export proceeds as it has
been observed several times during the decade.
The government has taken a number of steps to expand exports. With
a view to encouraging the exports, the government has provided a
number of export incentives to the industrial sector; but in spite
of these incentives, the exports are not picking up due to a number
of factors. These include low productivity of the work force, lack
of physical infrastructure and an environment marked by political
instability.
The promotion of foreign investment for exports in technology based
industries where Pakistan lagged needs to be aggressively pursued.
A much-targeted approach. both in terms of industries and countries
of origin may be helpful. Specifically, Pakistan needs to look to
East Asian countries like Korea which have had enormous success in
developing new exports but are now facing rising wages and are
interested in establishing production bases abroad.
It is not possible for public sector to these objectives and goals
without active participation of private sector. Fortunately, there
is a clear consensus within the government that the private sector
is pivotal for development because the state sector is seriously
over extended financially, has become increasingly inefficient, and
cannot provide effective leadership for modernizing the economy.
While increased public investment in physical infrastructure and
human capital will be needed, it is private sector investment (both
domestic and foreign) which will be the engine of growth.
In short term to medium term, the private and public sector need to
work jointly on defining and agreeing on policy goals and
strategies in areas such as export development, modernization of
agriculture and industry, skills development, legal and regulatory
framework, an effective and elastic tax system and development of
financial sector and capital markets.
The common ingredient of the higher growth is the innovations and
new technology. It is obvious that dynamic researches are required
for innovations. If we want to achieve the higher growth targets,
we will have to create the links between the research organizations
and industries. The technological innovations and new ideas in the
field of economics have always played the significant role in the
world economies. It happened in Germany, it is the secret of US
economic growth, and it is the policy of Japanese economy. The
industrial growth with the utilization of domestic labour and raw
material is the common path of development. Similarly, the
innovation is a path of industrial development. What is selling in
the world trade market is 'technology'. The share of technological
innovations in the global trade is 72 per cent whereas in the case
of Pakistan, high technology exports as a percentage of manufacture
exports is only 3 per cent. It would be worthwhile to mention here
high technology exports as a percentage of manufactures exports in
respect of a few countries:
Japan: 39 pc, Israel: 30 pc, USA: 44 pc, Germany: 25 pc, UK: 40 pc,
India: 10 pc, Pakistan: 3 pc.
Under these circumstances, it is extremely difficult for Pakistan
to get its due share in the global trade market without
technological advancement.
We all know that South Korea followed Pakistan's development plan,
succeeded in building industrial infrastructure and appeared on the
world economic map as Asian Tiger. It is perhaps high time we
follow economic role model of South Korea which is as under:
(a) establishment of large trading companies; (b) import
substitutions; (c) fiscal and credit policy; (d) liaison between
public and private sectors; (e) industrial concentration; (f) large
national projects; (g) reliance on multinational corporations for
technological imports.
I am positive that Pakistan has capacity and capability to enter
the world trade market in a big way. We have already wasted much
time and cannot do any more. The government should go all out to
create the links between the research organizations and industries
to achieve the higher growth targets. Besides, the government
should make every possible effort to attract the multinational
companies to invest in agriculture, oil and gas, small and medium
enterprises, and IT sectors with a view to increasing production.
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20020525
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KSE index up 135 points on massive buying
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 24: The KSE 100-share index soared by about nine per
cent on massive buying. It ended the day at around 1,663.22 points
as compared to the previous close of 1,527.58, up 135.64 points or
nine per cent, reflecting the strength of leading base shares,
notably PSO, PTCL and Hub-Power. The market capitalization soared
by Rs30.564bn to Rs388.168bn.
Top gainers were led by Nestle MilkPak, PSO, Shell Pakistan, Wyeth
Pakistan and Lever Brothers, which recovered Rs9.10 to 54. Other
good gainers included Central Insurance, Pakistan Oilfields,
Siemens Pakistan, Packages, BOC Pakistan, Security Papers, Fauji
Fertiliser, Engro Chemical, Millat Tractors and several others,
rising by Rs3.00 to Rs8.15.
Losers were led by some second-liners, notably Aventis Pharma,
Javed Omer, falling by one rupee to Rs1.10.
Trading volume was modest as investors were not inclined to sell in
anticipation of a further rise in prices, falling to 102m shares
from the previous 141m shares. Gainers forced a strong lead over
the losers at 235 to 22, with 26 shares remaining unchanged.
The KESC topped the list of most actives, up Rs1.50 at Rs5.50 on
25m shares, PTCL, higher also by the same amount at Rs15.35 on 16m
shares, Hub-Power, higher by Rs1.50 at Rs21.25 on 11m shares, FFC-
Jordan Fertiliser, up by Rs1.50 at Rs6.50 on 9m shares and PSO, up
Rs9.25 at Rs133.10 on 6m shares.
Other actives were led by Pak PTA, higher by Rs150 on 5m shares,
Japan Power, up 90 paisa also on 5m shares, Sui Northern, higher by
Rs1.50 on 4m shares and Dewan Salman, up Rs1.50 on 2m shares.
FUTURE CONTRACTS: Forward counter also showed bullish trend on
strong support and leading shares, notably ICI Pakistan, FFC-Jordan
Fertiliser, Engro Chemical and PSO posted gains ranging from Rs2.50
to Rs9.30 at Rs35.90, Rs6.00, Rs54.65 and Rs113.40 respectively on
modest volumes. But the largest turnover was recorded in Hub-Power,
up Rs1.50 at Rs21.40 on 3.947m shares followed by PTCL, also higher
by the same amount at Rs15.45 on 2.396m shares.
DEFAULTER COMPANIES: Shares of a dozen companies came in for
trading on this counter but most active among them was Mehran Jute,
up 65 paisa at Rs0.65 on 0.161m shares, followed by Ravirayon,
unchanged at Rs5.00 on 79,000 shares and Suzuki Motorcycle, up
Rs1.35 at Rs5.30 on 61,000 shares.
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20020524
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Trading suspended on KSE
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 23: Trading on the Karachi Stock Exchange could not be
resumed as the authorities were not inclined to test the
vulnerability of a market signalling distress signals and a
possible crash in the backdrop of last three sessions' massive
price erosions caused by fears of war with India.
It is a timely decision to give a temporary relief to the investing
public, although the market has a room for a further technical
correction after having risen by 45 per cent during the last two
months from 1,200 to 1,900 point index level, brokers said.
"Investors are now after the US dollar and the gold after having
sold their stake in shares", says a broker adding "massive amounts
have already outflowed in both since the panic selling in shares
started". The dollar was quoted at Rs61.10 and Rs61.20 for buying
and selling by the Forex Association of Pakistan, while the gold
soared to 10-year peak level of Rs6,267 per 10 grams.
The closure apparently followed after a massive rescue operation
launched by the institutional traders and the financial
institutions at the lower levels failed to produce the desired
results as disturbing news from the borders followed in quick
succession, sending signals that the war has begun and the
consequent fresh panic liquidation.
An idea of nervous and panic selling may well be had from the fact
that corrective steps taken by the KSE to forestall further decline
lost their relevance as most of the leading shares, notably PSO,
Shell Pakistan and Nestle MilkPak finished around their circuit
breakers.
"The market has lost over 16 per cent, eroding about Rs54 billion
from the market capitalization during the last three sessions after
the war hysteria gripped it, greater part of which is contributed
by the rumour-mongers and where the end will come is not clear",
stock analysts said.
"Investors are opting for gold and dollar after unloading long
positions in stocks as both are considered safe havens in the war-
like situations", they said adding the "outflow is massive running
into billion of rupees".
All roads may still not lead to a possible Indo-Pak war, there is
no immediate possibility of easing of the prevailing tension on the
borders, they said adding the "series of successive negative
developments including the killing of a moderate Kashmiri leader
continue to add fuel to the fire".
"I don't think the market sentiment could be boosted at least for
the near-term after injecting massive amounts to reverse trend",
says a leading broker "investors have already gone to an undeclared
war and may take quite sometime to be back in the market".
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20020523
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Stocks slump by 71 points as war fear mounts
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 22: The KSE 100-share index again received massive
battering and plunged by another 4.4 per cent or 71 points at
1,527.58 on heavy selling at the fag-end of the session triggered
by rumours of shooting down of an aircraft and Indian Prime
Minister's statement about a possible war.
The market leaders again led the decline on heavy selling and fell
like ninepins under the lead of PSO, Shell