Pakistan army clash with government

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problems with racism. I think we are a less racist country but we have still got a problem with racism. We have still got a problem of people from different racial backgrounds being disadvantaged in Britain. I think the country has come a huge way since that dreadful murder, but feel empowered to seek the truth and nd justice, Cameron said. The Metropolitan Police and Metropolitan Police Authority - I believe in trusting them to make those decisions and I think it is right that they should, he added. A prominent legal there is still a lot more to be done, the UK premier said. When asked about the future of the Metropolitan Polices Lawrence inquiry team on Sky News, Cameron refused to comment. Its a matter for the police. They must advisor said that police ofcers, who targeted people based on their skin colour alone, should be held accountable for wasting police time and hence misusing public resources, British media reported. Continued on page 2 >>

South Asia
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Racism is still a major problem in the UK

Prime Minister David Cameron has admitted there is a lot more to be done to tackle racism in the wake of the high prole conviction of two men for the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Speaking on Sky Newss Boulton & Co, Cameron admitted that people from minority ethnic backgrounds still face disadvantage and there is a lot more to be done to end racial discrimination across the UK.

Keith Vaz MP promises full probe, fund in Bidves name

A fund will be set up in memory of Anuj Bidve, who was shot dead in Manchester on Boxing Day, British lawmaker of Indian origin Keith Vaz announced on Thursday, as he promised full investigation into the killing. Vaz, the Labour party MP, met Subhash Bidve, Anujs father and mother Yogini Bidve and brother-in-law Rakesh Sonawani in Parliament. There are many people who have contacted me who wish to acknowledge the memory of Anuj and express their sadness as to what has happened. These people who

Following the conviction of two men for the murder of Stephen Lawrence, who was attacked by a racist gang in south east London in 1993, Cameron said Britain is a less racist country than at the time of 18-year-old Stephens killing, but it still suffers

Body of Indian-origin student found in Manchester

The body of 20-year-old Indian- origin student Gurdeep Hayer has been found in Manchester city centre, eight days after he went missing, UK police said . The body was found in River Medlock in the city centre of Manchester yesterday and was identied today as that of Gurdeep, who was missing since January 2. The Greater Manchester Police Continued on page 29 >> have contacted me, and contacted the family direct, are very keen to set up a fund to honour the memory of Anuj and to help the family. I am therefore helping to establish a fund to receive donations in memory of Anuj. Further details will be announced after discussions with the Continued on page 03 >>

Israel preparing for nuclear Iran: report

An Israeli think tank with close links to the government has begun preparing for a nuclear Iran, a signal that Israel may be abandoning hope of stopping the Islamic Republic from building a bomb.
although Saudi Arabia would likely pursue its own nuclear program, the report concluded based on current policies. INSS specialists believe that an Iranian test in January 2013 would follow increasingly provocative demands by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejads regime, including the redrawing of its Iraqi borders and action against the vessels of the US Fifth Fleet. The simulation showed that Iran will not forgo nuclear weapons, but will attempt to use them to reach an agreement with the major powers that will improve its position, said a passage of the report published by the Times. The simulation showed that (the Israeli military option), or the threat of using it, would also be relevant following an Iranian nuclear test, it added.

NEWS

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

Israel is preparing for Iran to become a nuclear power and has accepted it may happen within a year, the London Times reported on Monday citing an Israeli security report as western powers described Irans uranium enrichment work at a new site as a further escalation. The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) think-tank prepared scenarios for the day after an Iranian nuclear weapons test at the request of former Israeli ambassadors, intelligence ofcials and ex-military chiefs, the paper reported. Israel has so far maintained it will do all within its power to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear capabilities, but has shifted its position following recent United Nations reports, according to the Times. Iran, which insists its nuclear
Publisher Salah Bu Khamas (UAE) Sabha Khan (UK) UK Ofce 10 Courtenay Road, Wembley, Middlesex, HA9 7ND UK Phone: +44 20 8904 0619 Fax: +44 20 8181 7575 info@satribune.co.uk India Ofce Satya Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. C/O Satya Group. 1st Floor, Avenue Appt., Near Sheth. R. J. J. High School, Tithal Road, Valsad - 396001 Gujarat, India Phone +91 2632 222209 / 222211 Fax: +91 2632 222212 Post Box No. 98 /108 United Arab Emirates Ofce S.K. Group of Companies P.O. Box 9021, Karama Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 4 2659970, 3359929; Fax: +971 4 2659971, 3341609 www.sk-groupofcompanies.com Managing Editor & CEO Mohammad Shahid Khan Group Editorial Managers Gulzar Khan (India) Abdul Khalique (Pakistan) Editorial Board UK Frances Brunner FYI Tribune team Adrian Fellar Misbah Khan Reema Shah Rohma Khan Keziah-Ann Abakah Art Department UK Ali Ansar (Art Director) Md. Reazul Islam

program is for exclusively peaceful purposes, has repeatedly said it will not abandon uranium enrichment despite four rounds of U.N. Security Council resolutions calling on Tehran to desist. While nuclear energy plants need fuel enriched to 3.5 percent, Iran says the 20-percent enriched uranium is necessary for its Tehran research reactor to make isotopes to treat cancers.

The UN atomic agency said Monday that Iran is now enriching uranium at a new site in a hard-tobomb mountain bunker, in a move set to stoke Western suspicions further that Tehran wants nuclear weapons. INSS specialists including a former head of Israels National Security Council and two former members of the prime ministers ofce conducted the simulation study in

Tel Aviv last week. If Iran does test a nuclear weapon, INSS predicts a profound shift in the Middle East power balance. According to extracts of the report seen by the British publication, experts believe the US would propose a defense pact with Israel, but would urge it not to retaliate. Russia would seek an alliance with the US to prevent nuclear proliferation in the region,

European Delegation met with Crown prince of Qatar to discuss the Palestinian Issue

The delegation left for Dubai on Wednesday 4th January for two days, to meet with the UAE Royal family as well as Ofcials. Then went to Doha, Qatar on Saturday, for a meeting with the His Highness Amir, to discuss the Palestinian Issue. The meeting organised by the Council for European Palestinian Relations, Brussels and the meeting took place on Monday 9th January at the Rulers Palace . The delegates met with Government Ofcials as well as Ministers to discuss the Current situation the Middle east and Gaza. Qatar has played an important role in Libya, Syria

and Darfur. Al jazeera continues to encourage change and reform in the Arab World as well as Qatar playing her role in replacing Many old inuential countries at the International level. Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham, with the Crown Prince of State of Qatar HH Prince Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani , also Sir Gerald Kaufman MP, Mr Geri Muller Swiss Member of Parliament, Lord Andrew Phillips, Ms Pauline McNeill, Baroness Jennifer Tonge, Lord Norman Warner Ms Alexandra, Thein MEP, Dr Arafat Shoukri In Doha Qatar on Monday 9th January 2012.

Lord Ahmed with His Highness Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum (eldest son of the last ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of UAE, HH Sheikh Maktoum, and nephew of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid the present Ruler and Prime Minister ) with Javed Malik and other dignitaries. During their meeting Sheikh Saeed welcomed the delegation led by Lord Ahmed and discussed areas of mutual interest. Later, His Highness hosted a banquet at Jabel Ali Royal Palace in Dubai. Lord Nazir Ahmed met UAE based Pakistanis in Dubai to discuss the strategy to challenge the bar imposed by

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Pakistanis with dual nationality to contest elections. Lord Nazir Ahmed said that overseas Pakistanis are an asset for Pakistan and in addition to sending billions of dollars in foreign exchange have a lot of skills and talents which could play a signicant role in nation building process and any effort to disenfranchise them would greatly discourage them. He said that at a time when the world has become a global village we must build bridges and not break them and Pakistanis resident abroad can play a very positive role in this regard.

Continued from page 01 >> Richard Stone was a leading adviser to the judge who produced the landmark Macpherson report in 1999, which concluded that the Metropolitan police was institutionally racist. Stone, a member of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry panel, said last week after the sentencing of two of the killers of the black teenager, that prosecuting ofcers who commit a crime under the act would improve public condence in stop-andsearch. Stop-and-search policy is coming under increasing scrutiny over claims of racial proling. It is a crime to waste police time in this country. A racist ofcer is an incompetent ofcer, and if theyre wasting police time they should be charged, Stone said.

Racism is still a major problem in the UK

One black lad said to me, Theyre chasing after me, having a bit of fun because Im a black boy, but they should be following intelligence, he added. Thats wasting police time. Why arent they charging these ofcers with a crime? Macphersons report, at the time, condemned the Metropolitan Police for failing to defuse tensions between police and the black community in the UK. British politicians are being severely criticized for the widespread racism problem in the UK, following the publication of a report by Britains Home Ofce, which shows 51,187 racist cases were reported to the police in England and Wales in 2010-11. Furthermore, the Institute for Race Relations (IRR), which is a British anti-racism charity, has revealed that since the racial murder of Stephen Lawrence 19 years ago, at least 96 people have been killed due to racial violence. Meanwhile, a new Mirror investigation has found that complaints of racism against the police forces in England and Wales have increased by nearly a third (32%) in recent four years, from 687 in 2007 to 904 in 2010. Racist allegations against the Met have risen from 370 in 2007, to 454 in 2008, 500 in 2009 and 464 in 2010. Of the total of 2,068 against the force, a gure which includes the rst part of 2011, around 10% were locally resolved described by police as a way of dealing with a complaint by solving, explaining, clearing up or settling the matter directly with the complainant. Only 22 were substantiated, with the rest dropped, withdrawn or unsubstantiated. During the same period, the percentage of race crimes solved by the force rose from 32% to 50%.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

Earths climate unraveling?

More than 300 record high temperatures were set in 21 U.S. states Thursday. But the heart of the unusual warmth concentrated in Plains, where some areas experienced temperatures 40 degrees above average. Several locations set all-time January record high temperatures, including Huron (65 degrees) amd Mitchell (68 degrees) in South Dakota (SD) and Minot (61 degrees), Fargo (55 degrees) and Jamestown (56 degrees) in North Dakota. (Source: CapitalClimate). What distinguishes this warm spell is the amount by which some records were broken. Consider Rapid City, SD hit 73, obliterating the old record by 13 degrees. (That 73 degree high temperature was 4 above the high temperature of 69 in Miami, Fl). Aberdeen, SD reached 63, smashing the old record of 46 by 17 degrees and setting a new monthly record. AccuWeather highlighted the following incredible record: in Philip, S.D., the mercury reached a balmy 74 degrees, which absolutely obliterated the old record of 46 set back in 2002. In Minnesota, several locations reached the 60s for the rst time ever during the rst week of January. Alexandria reached 55, crushing its old record of 38 (from 1984) by an amazing 17 degrees. In Nebraska, record highs were set in Omaha (66), North Platte (69), Valentine (69) and Imperial (73, source: USA Today, AP). Sidney Nebraskas record high of 74 broke the previous record of 62 and tied its monthly record. Record highs were also set throughout the

NEWS

Winter disappears across portions of the northern hemisphere

state of Iowa, several by at least 10 degrees Enjoy the winter chill before

and in the country, since 1850 over 160 years. The year is also expected to be warmer than the

scorcher summer sets in. The year 2012 may turn out to be among the top ten warmest years globally,

previous year, which was the ninth warmest year for India since 1901. Weather scientists have predicted

that 2012 is expected to be around 0.48 degree Celsius warmer than the average temperature or the long term global average. However, he added that the new predictions about 2012 need not be a cause for alarm in the country. According to the weather departments analysis, while 2011 was the ninth warmest year since 1901, 2010 was the warmest year on record since 1901. The other warmer years were 2009, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 1998, 1999, 1958 and 1941. Temperatures were generally near normal over most parts of the country in 2011 except parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura where these were above normal by over one degree Celsius. Indian weather scientists said that generally La Nina, the weather phenomenon which is likely to cause higher

temperatures in 2012, has positive impact on monsoons in India Planetary Climate chaos: As early as 2009, there were clear indications that Earths climate was slowly careening out of control. By the time the 2009 Geneva Climate report was released in December; the handwriting for most meteorologists was already on the wall. The game of predicting earths natural weather patterns was conforming less and less to tried and true computer models. The weather extremes and wild swings in termperature will become more pronounced with time and are characteristic of a planet suffering meteorological shock brought on by a runaway planetary entropic heating process and magnetic reversalWhat we are experiencing now is climate change- what we will be experiencing tomorrow is climate collapse.

Series of earthquakes rock China

A series of earthquakes measuring 3.1 to 5.0 on the Richter scale jolted northwest China\s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Sunday, but there were no reports of damage or injuries. An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale jolted Hoxud County of Mongolian Autonomous

Prefecture of Bayingolin in Xinjiang region at 2:20 pm Beijing Time, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. The epicenter, with a depth of seven km, was monitored at about 42.1 degrees north latitude and 87.5 degrees east longitude, the center said in a statement. The epicenter is about 188 km southwest to the regional capital of Urumqi. A magnitude 3.6 earthquake, with a depth of eight km, struck the same point six minutes later, news agency quoted a separate report from the center as saying. Earlier in the day, the center recorded another 3.1-magnitude earthquake which jolted the nearby Turpan prefecture at 7:10 am, the report said.

Continued from page 01 >> family. There will be 3 overseers of the fund, Kamel Hothi from Lloyds Bank, Reena Anand and Sangeeta Mandal. He said the family mortgaged their house in Pune to raise 10,000 college fee for Anuj. People want to help the family. Details of the fund is being worked out, he said. Vaz said he will certainly ask for a full investigation into the circumstances of the murder once the criminal proceedings are over. Unless they have that information there can never be closure because they simply cannot understand how this has happened. Fighting back tears, Subhash Bidve said: Thank you to everyone for the concern that everyone has about our son Anuj. It was really unfortunate that I lost my son, but I feel myself as a father that this should not happen again because a lot of Indian students come here for their education. We are deeply concerned with what has happened. He was a brilliant student. He was very straight forward, disciplined and soft. He was a very good son to me. I wanted to give him the best as father, Subhash told newsmen. His said Anuj had come to Britain to study microelectronics and had been working on a very special project. He was happy staying here and I feel it could have

Keith Vaz MP promises full probe

been a very great asset not only to India, but to the worldthat is the kind of work he was doing. Earlier in the day, Bidves parents viewed his body for the rst time at a funeral parlour here. They will visit Salford, where their son was shot, tomorrow. Anujs friends and family paid their last tribute to him on Saturday after his body was brought back to India from the UK where he was shot dead in Manchester on December 26 2011. Anujs parents had own to the UK to bring back his body. Anujs parents visited the spot where he was shot dead, in Salford, on Friday. His father has appealed to the police for justice. We have faith in the British judiciary, said Anujs father Subhash Bidve. One local, a 20-year old man, who calls himself Psycho Stapleton, has been charged with Anujs murder, in what the UK police have called a motiveless crime. The UK police have arrested and charged Kiaran Stapleton for Anujs murder. Bidve was a student at Lancaster University. His family said they have been deeply moved by the support they have got. Even as Anujs father said in the UK that the world is nished for them, his family has their eyes set on getting justice for their son.

NEWS

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

EDITORIAL
The Army will be forced to react
Pakistan army steps up confrontation with government Pakistans ruling coalition leaders have decided to call an urgent session of parliament Thursday in the wake of a warning from the Supreme Court that action could be taken against the President and Prime Minister for failing to reopen high-prole corruption cases. The decision was made at a meeting jointly chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at the presidency . The prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, said this week that afdavits to the court by the army chief and the head of the militarys spy agency were unconstitutional and illegal. Pakistans army warned of grievous consequences after the Prime Minister accused it of violating the constitution, and the government sacked the defense secretary in the latest signs of escalating tensions between the military and the countrys elected leadership. This has very serious ramications with potentially grievous consequences for the country, the military said. It is thought that the military is trying to remove Zardari and that his determination to hang on could end in another coup. There is speculation that, to pre-empt the move, the government could try to sack the army chief. The government on Wednesday removed the retired general who was the top bureaucratic in the defence ministry Defence Secretary Khalid Naeem Lodhi, who, in a written statement submitted to the apex court last month, had said the ministry had no operational control over the army and the ISI and only looked after their administrative affairs. Gen. Lodhi is an army appointee in the government, and is regarded as having more power than the Defence Minister. According to sources the military high command had appointed Brigadier Sarfaraz Ali commander of the 111 brigade. The brigade is posted in Rawalpindi and is part of the X Corps. It has been known to be a part of military takeovers in the country. Recently Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani issued a warning to US/Nato Terrorist in Afghanistan to stop cross border attacks in Pakistan. Kiyani asserted that no such activities will be tolerated and that Pakistan possesses the capability to respond to any situation. But why Pakistan forces did not intercept and destroy this attack despite clear instructions from the army chief and otherwise is the question. It really is a great insult to Pakistan that Americans launched drones and violated Pakistan territory. Chief Justice Sahib must take notice of it and summon air and military chiefs to explain as to why this has happened. In 1950, Pakistans rst premier, Liaqat Ali Khan, told an American journalist that should the United States guarantee our territorial integrity, I will not keep any Army at all. Instead, Khans visit ushered in the deep military cooperation with Pakistan that has enabled the Army to strongly root itself as the dominant institution in the country.

Obamas new policy may cause military tensions

Chinas state-run news media warned Washington on Friday not to recklessly practice militarism or engage in war mongering, a day after the Obama administration outlined a new military strategy with an increased focus on China. The new defence strategic document titled Sustaining US Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defence calls for the US military to strengthen its presence in Asia-Pacic and identies China as a security threat in long term. The military review says US economic and security interests are inextricably connected with the area and the US military accordingly will of necessity rebalance toward the Asia- Pacic region, including strengthening Asian allies and investing in the strategic partnership with India, state-run China Daily reported. According to the review, US fears Chinas rise will affect its economy and security in many ways and it worries about the strategic intention of Chinas military buildup. The assertive moves by the US may cause potential military tensions between China and the US, said Yuan Peng, an expert of American studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. China has repeatedly explained its defensive policy, but the US keeps pressuring China. This may irritate China and lead to negative reactions if the US continues to do so, Yuan told the Daily. However, we need to be clear that the draft of the plan, as a whole, is not China-centred, though it is somehow offending that the document puts China in a similar position with Iran, Yuan said. In the 10 primary missions of the US armed forces listed in the draft of the plan, China was mentioned with Iran - a country labelled as a member of the axis of evil by former president George W Bush. Why does the US want to shift its focus to Asia-Pacic as the region has been the most peaceful area compared with other areas which saw conicts and wars in the last three decades? said Xu Hui, professor with Beijing-based National Defense University. Although the Chinese government did not comment on the US review, it had said earlier that it welcomes the US playing a positive role in the region, but it opposes Washingtons involvement in disputes in the

South China Sea. While boosting its military presence in the Asia Pacic, the US should abstain from exing its muscles... If the US indiscreetly applies militarism in the region, it will be like a bull in a china shop, and endanger peace instead of enhancing regional stability, state-run Xinhua news agency said in a comment piece.

The US can no longer ght the worlds battles: Obama

$450bn (288bn) in cuts over the next decade. So yes, our military will be leaner, Mr Obama told reporters, but the world must know Mr Obama pointedly warned both friends and foes, sufcient to preserve US military superiority over any rival agile, exible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats. Moment of transition No specic cuts to troop numbers or weapons programmes were announced on Thursday those are to be presented as part of the federal budget next month. But a 10-15% reduction to the US Army and Marine Corps is being considered over the next decade

page on a decade of war and faced a moment of transition. Even as our troops continue to ght in Afghanistan, the tide of war is receding, he said. President Obama added: At the same time, we have to renew our economic strength here at home, which is the foundation of our strength around the world. That includes putting our scal house in order. The president said the new strategy would end long-term, nation-building with large military footprints, with the Pentagon instead pursuing a national security strategy based on smaller conventional ground

President plans to cut half a million troops and says US cant afford to wage two wars at once The mighty American military machine that has for so long secured the countrys status as the worlds only superpower will have to be drastically reduced, Barack Obama warned yesterday as he set out a radical but more modest new set of priorities for the Pentagon over the next decade. The US military will become leaner while maintaining superiority as it switches focus to the Asia-Pacic, US President Barack Obama has announced. In a rare appearance at the Pentagon, he unveiled a farreaching defence review under which thousands of troops are expected to be axed. He said the tide of war was receding, and the US needed to renew its economic strength. The Pentagon faces more than

amounting to tens of thousands of troops, Obama administration ofcials have told US media. The Obama Doctrine reects three basic realities. First, the long post-9/11 wars are nally drawing to a close. The last US troops have already left Iraq, while American combat forces are due to be out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014 (though a limited number may stay on as trainers and advisers). Second, and as the President stressed in a major speech during his recent visit to Australia, Americas national interest is increasingly bound up with Asia, the worlds economic powerhouse, and where many countries are keen for a greater US commitment as a counterweight to China. Joined by Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, President Obama stressed that the defence budget would still grow, but at a slower pace. He said the US was turning the

forces. Mr Panetta said the review would make the US military more agile, more exible, ready to deploy quickly. Ground forces would see a new mix of active and reserve components, while increasing capacity to mobilise quickly, he added. Mr Panetta emphasised the military would retain its ability to confront more than one threat at a time, and would be more exible and adaptable than in the past. But he also warned that further reductions to the Pentagon budget, possible at the end of the year if Congress proceeds with steep across-the-board cuts, would undermine the militarys ability to function at full capacity. Mr Obama has been closely involved with shaping the blueprint, meeting high-ranking defence ofcials six times since September.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

NEWS

Immigrants are not causing UK unemployment, says NIESR

Increased immigration has had nothing to do with rising unemployment in the UK, even during the recession, a think-tank concluded in a new report. Immigration does not cause unemployment according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR). (NINo) registrations of foreign nationals, which we regard as superior in a number of respects to data on migrants from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). In contrast to the LFS, which is a sample survey of the entire population at a point in time, NINo registrations to overseas nationals are complete Bondibene, and Jonathan Portes. The full paper, Examining the relationship between immigration and unemployment using National Insurance Number registration data, is available on the NIESR website. Immigration from outside the EU linked to UK jobless

Bangladeshi landlord Mohamed Tanin and his wife Maria promised sham marriages for 2,000 each. They arranged for four Portuguese women to be own in. As EU citizens, they would pass on residence rights to their husbands, who had only student visas and risked living in the UK illegally. One match involved a pregnant and much older woman getting hitched to a young Bangladeshi, Londons Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. Tanin, 26, and his 47-year-old Portuguese wife, of Poplar, east London, denied entering into a sham marriage and conspiring to arrange four more but were found guilty of all charges last month. Tanin was jailed for four years and his wife for two. The grooms-to-be were cautioned and two would-be brides, who pleaded guilty, were each jailed for 14 days time they had spent on remand.

Couple jailed over fake brides for migrants scam

Khan: ex-doctor kept woman as slave for three years

For the rst time, NIESR researchers have used National Insurance registrations by foreign nationals to analyse the impact of immigration on the UK labour market. Results indicate that - even during the recent recession - increased immigration was not associated with increases in claims for Jobseekers Allowance. Existing research on the labour market impact of immigration to the UK has generally found little or no impact on average, with at most a generally modest impact on the less skilled. This paper adds to that evidence by using a more comprehensive and reliable data source, and updates the analysis to include the recent recession. The paper presents initial results on the impact of migration inows on the claimant count rate using previously unused data on National Insurance number administrative data on new migrant inows, largely for employment purposes, giving reliable estimates at much smaller geographies than is possible with the LFS. The results, which appear robust to different specications, different levels of geographic aggregation, and to a number of tests, seem to conrm the lack of any impact of migration on unemployment in aggregate. The NIESR found no association between migrant inows and claimant unemployment. In addition, it tested for whether the impact of migration on claimant unemployment varies according to the state of the economic cycle and found no evidence of a greater negative impact during periods of low growth or the recent recession. The research was carried out by NIESR researchers Paolo Lucchino, Chiara Rosazza The governments ofcial advisers on migration say there is a link between immigration from outside the European Union and job losses among UK workers. There are up to 23 fewer jobs for Brits for every 100 migrants from outside the EU, the Governments immigration advisers said. Many more have seen their pay squeezed by mass immigration, the independent Migration Advisory Committee said. The ndings are the rst denitive verdict on the effect of the inux which recently hit 250,000 people a year on the jobs market. Since 1997, three-quarters of 2.9million new jobs have been taken by immigrants. And the committee will say lowskilled workers in particular have suffered from competition with migrant labourers willing to take less pay. The jobless total now stands at 2.6million.

A retired doctor trafcked an African woman into the UK and kept her as a slave for more than three years, a court heard. Saeeda Khan, 69, treated Mwanahamisi Mruke like an animal, forcing her to sleep on the oor at her 500,000 home in Harrow, west London, and depriving her of food, jurors heard. After bringing her to Britain from Tanzania, Khan saw Ms Mruke, 48, as a piece of property, Southwark Crown Court heard.

Mahil:medical student only wanted tv executive to be given a few slaps

A medical student accused of luring a TV executive to his death just wanted him to be given a few slaps, a court heard Monday . Mundil Mahil, 20, claims she only wanted 21-year-old Gagandip Singh to be warned about how he should treat women after he sexually assaulted her. But his battered corpse was later found in the boot of a burned-out car in southeast London in the early hours of February 26 last year, having been beaten unconscious. Addressing the jury before Mahil gave evidence Michael Birnbaum QC, defending, accepted that she lied to the police, but did so to protect her co-defendants, Harinder Shoker and Darren Peters, both 20.

Group accused of handing out antigay death sentence leaets

A group of men handed out a leaet calling for homosexuals to be given the death sentence, a court has heard. The ve men from Derby are said to have distributed notices titled The Death Penalty? outside a mosque and put them through peoples letterboxes. The men deny stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation. The prosecution at Derby Crown Court called the literature, given out in the lead up to a gay pride event in 2010, as frightening. Ihjaz Ali, 42, Mehboob Hussain, 45, Umar Javed, 38, Razwan Javed, 27, and Kabir Ahmen, 28, have said the leaets were designed to raise awareness. All ve men are accused of stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation in the rst prosecution of its kind since legislation came into force in March 2010. Opening the prosecutions case at Derby Crown Court, where the ve men are on trial after denying all charges, prosecutor Bobbie Cheema said the case was an example of a hate crime. She told the jury of seven men and ve women: The essence of this case will come down to this - an series of three leaets the men handed out, which included The Death Penalty? leaet, and told them they would hear from witnesses who received them. The two other leaets were made and used as part of the campaign to publicise a counter-protest in response to the Gay Pride parade due to be held in Derby on July 10, 2010, she said. She added: The leaets you will see are not educational or simply informative, they are, we suggest, threatening, offensive, frightening and nasty. The trial continues.

allegation of a hate crime, that these ve defendants were part of a small group of men who distributed horrible, threatening literature, with quotations from religious sources

and with pictures on them, which were designed to stir up hatred and hostility against homosexual people. Miss Cheema showed the jury a

NEWS

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

Diane Abbott sparks ANOTHER Twitter race row after branding taxi drivers as racist
Suggests black cab drivers dont stop for black customers Scandal follows tweet suggesting white people play divide and rule with black people Fresh calls for her to be sacked over repeated race gaffes
Labour Party chiefs were today looking into a second controversial tweet from MP Diane Abbott after she suggested London cabbies drive past black customers. Many taxi drivers across the capital were fuming after details of the new gaffe by Britains rst black woman MP, who is shadow health minister, was revealed. She sent a message from her iPhone on Tuesday: Dubious of black people claiming theyve never experienced racism. Ever tried hailing a taxi I always wonder? that. I apologise for any offence caused. Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna accepted that Diane Abbotts comments were unacceptable and a big error of judgement, but he asked people to consider her actions in her parliamentary career rather than her tweet. During her 25 years in the House of Commons, Diane has proved to be a constant ghter against prejudice, hatred, racism and other forms of prejudice in our society. A Labour Party spokesman said: We disagree with Dianes tweet. She has said it has been taken out of context and apologised for any offence caused. It is wrong to make sweeping generalisations about any race, creed, or culture. The Labour Party has always campaigned against such behaviour and so has Diane Abbott. She was defended by veteran left-winger George Galloway, who tweeted: Diane Abbott has been my friend for 25 years; only the obtuse would think her a racist. The Labour MP said later that her remark had been misinterpreted. She posted to her 26,000 Twitter followers: Tweet taken out of context. Refers to nature of 19th century European colonialism. Bit much to get into 140 characters. Speaking later to Sky News, Abbott - the rst black woman to be elected as an MP repeated: I think the tweet was taken out of context and some people have interpreted it maliciously.

Diane Abbott is not a racist person

Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna believes the Hackney MPs record over the past

25 years prove she is not racist but concedes her twitter comments were unacceptable. She has since apologised for the comments saying: I understand people have interpreted my comments as making generalisations about white people. I do not believe in doing

UK and race question: Syrian president Assad blames Diane Abbott, you are right foreign conspiracies for crisis
prieto in Spanish (black) and Chelseas John Terry who allegedly called another colleague a f***ing black c*** . Racism in football reared its ugly head again last night as a young soccer star was so badly abused by the crowd in an FA Cup match that he broke down in tears. Oldham defender Tom Adeyemi became upset after becoming the target of a section of the crowd at the famous Kop end at Aneld during Liverpools tie with Oldham. Compared with a lot of things that are said on the soccer pitch, including open insults about the behaviour of ones mother and father, what one does with ones sexual Bashar al-Assads fourth speech since uprising began combines deance with talk of reforms and praise for security forces President Assad accuses foreign conspirators of efforts to destabilize the situation in Syria. Addressing the nation, he claimed that the international communitys aim to cause psychological collapse has failed and the victory is near. The existence of an external conspiracy is obvious to everyone, Assad said, addressing the nation at Damascus University He accused the international community of trying to use Arab countries as cover for interference in Syria. Assad was critical of the Arab League monitoring mission, saying it had failed. Arab world. However, he suggested the observers could still help nd a solution. Speaking about reforms, Assad said the west is not interested in reform. The foreign plot is against reform in Syria, he said. However, he added that victory is near if Syrians remained steadfast. The Syrian leader dismissed opposition claims of a bloody crackdown, saying he is ghting armed insurgents who are using peaceful protests as cover. The president denied that any order had been given to re on protesters other than in self-defense. He said there was no cover-up of any killings, and claimed that some people had been arrested by the state where there was overwhelming evidence of criminal activity.

The shadow Health Secretary in the United Kingdom, Diane Abbott, has been forced to issue an apology for her remark White people love playing divide and rule. Although her remarks come at a time when the English Premier League is getting

to grips with a race row, and after racist attacks on Britains streets, Diane Abbott is absolutely right. How many young black people have felt across the UK that they are discriminated against, that they cannot walk into a job without being judged unconsciously because of the colour of their skin, how many feel that the police pick on them more than other youths? According to reports, quite a few. Among the former colonial powers, the United Kingdoms race relations record is certainly not the worst and British society has done a great deal towards banishing racist manifestations from public view, making it illegal to make derogatory racist remarks and having a race relations board which examines complaints of racism openly and fairly. Enter the Premier League, with Liverpools Suarez apparently calling a colleague

organs and whether or not one is legitimate, perhaps being called prieto or black are not the most insulting, especially since in another incident a ball boy was called white and nothing happened. Conclusion: the more common sense and the less hype there is, exacerbating matters to points to which neither ethnic group expected or wanted them to go, the better. Moreover, muzzling a politician for telling the truth, by claiming that White people love playing divide and rule does nothing to allow for a free exchange of ideas, where debate and dialogue can do far more for race relations than drawing lines on maps, determining what people can and cannot say. In making her claim, Diane Abbott is absolutely and unequivocally right. European colonialism in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was based exactly upon this precept and the straight lines on the map of Africa bear witness to this.

The Arab League failed for six decades to protect Arab interests, Assad said. We shouldnt be surprised it has failed today. Assad accused the Arab League of hypocrisy over calling for reforms in Syria. He added that the Arab League knows nothing about democracy and is a mirror for failures in the

UK high-speed rail network gets the go-ahead

A controversial new high-speed rail line between London and Birmingham has been given the go-ahead by government. This rst phase of High Speed Two (HS2) could be running by 2026, later extending to northern England. Transport Secretary Justine Greening has announced extra tunnelling along the 90-mile (140km) rst phase in response to environmental concerns. Opponents also dispute government claims HS2 will deliver benets worth up to 47bn, at costs of about 33bn. The rst phase of the project would cut London-Birmingham journey times, on 225mph trains, to 49 minutes, Ms Greening said. This would be followed by a second phase of Y-shaped track reaching Manchester and Leeds by about 2033. Connections to existing lines should then cut journey times between London, and Edinburgh and Glasgow, to three-and-a-half hours. Transport Secretary Justine Greening made the announcement in a statement today, saying the London-Birmingham route will open in 2026 with lines to Manchester and Leeds in 2032-33. The cost of building the line will rise to 32.7 billion pounds ($50.6 billion) from 32.2 billion pounds.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

Russian naval otilla docks in Syria

A LARGE Russian naval otilla led by an aircraft carrier has docked in the Syrian port of Tartus in what Damascus state media hailed today as a show of solidarity by close ally Moscow. SYRIA- In an apparent show of solidarity with the Syrian government, Russia docked a large naval otilla led by an aircraft carrier in the Syrian port of Tarotus on Sunday, despite mounting western criticism of Damascuss continuing crackdown on antiregime protesters. On Sunday, a large Russian naval otilla led by an aircraft carrier was docked in the Syrian port of Tartous in what Damascus state media hailed as a show of solidarity by its Cold War ally. The Russian naval otilla aircraft led by an aircraft carrier docked in the Syrian port of Tartous. Russian warships patrolling the eastern Mediterranean Sea have docked

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at Russias naval supply facility in the Syrian port of Tartous, Syria`s private Addounia TV reported Saturday. Minister of Defense General Dawood Rajiha on Sunday visited the Russian aircraft carrier Kuznetsov and was briefed on its missions and ordnance. Rajiha stressed the historic relations between Syria and Russia, hailing the honorable stances of Russia in support of the Syrian people.

Russias state-owned Itar-Tass news agency quoted a source from the Russian Navy as saying that It is planned that the port of Tartus will be visited by a big antisubmarine ship of the Northern Fleet Admiral Chabanenko and an escort ship Yaroslav Mudry. Our ships are supposed to stay in Syria for several days, the source said, without giving more details about the warships mission in the country.

Governor of Tartous Imad Naddaf received the ships leaders and expressed appreciation to Russias support for Syria, the report said. The move is considered by many observers as an apparent show of Russias support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad whose country has been gripped by a nearly 10-month bloody unrest. Ofcial Syrian news agency SANA quoted a Russian naval ofcer as saying the port call is aimed at

bringing the two countries closer together and strengthening their ties of friendship, report. The Russian Navy, however, claimed the move was part of scheduled exercises and had no connection with the situation in Syria. The warships, led by Admiral Kuznetsov, the countrys only aircraft carrier, have started their patrol missions in the Northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea on December 6 to ensure the security of the sea navigation and other Russian maritime economic activities, according to the Russian Navy. The carrier group is due to spend six days in Tartous, where Russia has a naval base dating back to Soviet times. AFP quoted the Syrian press as saying that the six-day port call was meant to strengthen ties with embattled Syrian President Bahsar Assad.

Three earthquakes strike nuclear Judge slams sentencing plant region of Fukushima district powers in racism case
judge has criticised the constraints imposed on him during sentencing of a former soldier who admitted making racist remarks about Muslims. Judge Niclas Parry said it was staggering he could only impose a ne on John Parkin, from Rhyl, who said he wanted to shoot Muslims in the head and admitted being a racist. Judge Parry, who labelled Parkin a racist and a bigot, jailed him for 10 months for breaching an earlier suspended sentence. But he said he could only ne Parkin for charges of religiously aggravated public order offences against Muslims. The judge added decent members of society disagreed with Parkins views and looked to the courts to support the views held by the majority. Addressing Parkin, judge Parry said, You typify the ignorance that poisons our society. But he added, I frankly nd it quite staggering, and I always have done, that the courts sentencing powers for these matters are limited to a nancial penalty. He also said the public would be surprised, if not dismayed. Mold Crown Court, sitting in Chester, heard that Parkin was seen drunk near Elliss pub in Water Street, Rhyl, where there is also a mosque.

In September of 2011, Tokyo Electric Power Company said they suspected there were 5 active faults near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that could affect the crippled plant if they caused a tremor. TEPCO said in September of 2011 that geological deformations were observed for the rst time at 5 faults, suggesting they are active. It therefore should come as no surprise that three earthquakes erupted in the Fukushima district. The FD report says, On January 5th, an earthquake of magnitude 4.2 hit Japan. The epicenter is Fukushima Nakadori, where Fukushima plants are located. Its shallower than 10km. No information about the plant is announced yet. JNN Fukushima live camera was down immediately after the quake. The earthquake was only one of three that hit the region in cascading fashion. Meanwhile A leading Japanese journalist recently made two incredible claims about the Fukushima power plant that suffered a nuclear meltdown in March 2011,

sending shockwaves around the world. First, the former editor of a national newspaper in Japan says the U.S. and Israel knew Fukushima had weapons-grade uranium and plutonium that were exposed to the atmosphere after a massive tsunami wave hit the reactor. Second, he contends that Israeli intelligence sabotaged the reactor in retaliation for Japans support of an independent Palestinian state. According to Yoishi Shimatsu, a former editor of Japan Times Weekly, these nuclear materials were shipped to the plant in 2007 on the orders of Dick Cheney and George W. Bush, with the connivance of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The shipment was in the form of warhead cores secretly removed from the U.S. nuclear warheads facility BWXT Plantex near Amarillo, Texas. While acting as the middleman, Israel transported warheads from the port of Houston, and in the process kept the best ones while giving the Japanese older warhead cores that had to be further

enriched at Fukushima. Shimatsu credits retired CIA agent and mercenary Roland Vincent Carnaby with learning the warheads were being transported from Houston. In a strange twist, Carnaby was mysteriously shot dead less than a year later by Houston police at a trafc stop. He was shot once in the back and once in the chest. He did not have a weapon in his hands. Intelligence sources said he had been tracking a Mossad unit that was smuggling U.S. plutonium out of Houston docks for an Israeli nuclear reactor. In an even more explosive charge, the journalist says that 20 minutes before the Fukushima plants nuclear meltdown, Israel was so upset with Japanese support for a Palestinian declaration of statehood that it double-crossed Japan by unleashing the Stuxnet virus on the plants computers. The virus hampered the shutdown, leading to fallout from a section of the plant housing uranium and plutonium retrieved from the warheads supplied in 2007.

The licensee heard him say he had guns and wanted to shoot Muslims in the head while talking about blowing up the mosque. The pub landlord, who found his remarks to be extremely racist and offensive, called police, who arrived to nd Parkin was shouting and remonstrating with security staff. The court heard he continued to say things like: Muslims are taking over the country. They need to go back to their own country. Later, Parkin told police who had arrested him that he was a racist and hated Muslims. Parkin was bailed but then on Christmas Day he was refused entry into Elliss bar because he was drunk and again started making racist remarks. The court was told he said: Muslims are allowed in but I am not. He was again arrested. The two offences put Parkin in breach of a 52-week prison sentence, which was suspended for two years in June last year following an attack on his then partner, the court heard. The court was told that Parkin had served in the Army for ve years, which included a tour of Northern Ireland and two of Bosnia. Andrew Green, defending, said they were unpleasant offences but could only be dealt with by nes.

US would take action against Iran closure of Hormuz

Iran vows to close Hormuz strait if sanctioned
Islamic Republic. The Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Sea of Oman, is one of the worlds most critical oil routes. Any incidents here may cause global oil market to uctuate. On Tuesday, Irans navy ended its 10-day naval drill, dubbed Velayat 90, in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman which began on December 24 amid increasing tensions between Iran and the West over a string of issues, including Irans alleged role in a plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador in Washington, attacks on the British Embassy in Tehran, the latest International Atomic Energy Agency report on the Iranian nuclear program, and disputes over a US drone captured by Iran. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Wednesday that the European Union could decide on an oil embargo against Iran at a foreign ministers meeting on January 30. saying interference with the transit or passage of vessels through the waterway will not be tolerated. Deputy Commander of Irans IRGC Brigadier General Hossein Salami last week dismissed the US warnings over Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, adding Tehran does not seek Washingtons permission to implement its defense strategies in the Persian Gulf. Irans Foreign Ministry spokesman said Wednesday the Persian Gulf region is highly important for global energy supply, and that Iran is not after creating tension. But if the atmosphere changes into a war spirit and the situation in the region changes, all the decisions (of Iranians) would be made on the basis of new condition, Ramin Mehmanparast told Xinhua in an exclusive interview. On the potential upcoming sanctions by the EU members on Irans oil exports, the spokesman said that Irans oil and its share in

NEWS

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Dempsey says that Iran has the capability to close the Strait for a time but that US would be able to restore free trafc soon after. Defense Sec. Panetta: Pressure the responsible path. Iran has the ability to block the Strait of Hormuz for a period of time, and the US would take action to reopen it, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman General Martin Dempsey said. Theyve invested in capabilities that could, in fact, for a period of time block the Strait of Hormuz, Dempsey said in an interview airing today on the CBS Face the Nation program. Weve invested in capabilities to ensure that if that happens, we can defeat that. Should Iran try to close Hormuz, the US would take action and reopen the waterway, said Dempsey, US President Barack Obamas top military adviser. Meanwhile Iran has begun uranium enrichment at a new underground site well protected from possible airstrikes, a leading hard-line newspaper reported Sunday. The announcement came as another newspaper quoted a senior commander in the countrys powerful Revolutionary Guard as saying that Tehrans leadership has decided to order the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz if the countrys oil exports are blocked. Meanwhile, Khorasan daily quoted Revolutionary Guard deputy commander Ali Ashraf Nouri as saying that a strategic decision to close the Strait of Hormuz, should Irans exports be blocked, has been made by Irans top authorities. Irans IRGC to stage drill in February TEHRAN - Irans elite Islamic

Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy plans to hold a large-scale

of drills dubbed Great Prophet,and will be different compared to

military maneuver in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz in February, local media reported Friday, quoting an IRGC Navy Commander. The upcoming maneuver, titled Great Prophet-7, is one of a series

previous exercises held by the IRGC, Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said late Thursday. Fadavi stated the strategic Strait of Hormuz is completely under Irans control, and all activities in the waterway are monitored by the

During the Velayat 90 exercise, Iran threatened to seal off the Strait of Hormuz if sanctions were imposed on its oil exports. On December 28, the Pentagon warned Iran against any attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz,

the supply of global crude market cannot be replaced. The global energy market cannot easily disregard a country which has the second gas reserves and the fourth oil resources in the world, the Iranian spokesman said.

Iran ready to export nuclear services: TV

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Fereidoon Abbasi said the Islamic republic is ready to export services related to nuclear energy to other countries, the local satellite Press TV reported on Sunday. Abbasi made the remarks on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of an exhibition of the countrys nuclear achievements in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province on Saturday. Iran can now produce heavy water (deuterium oxide), which is very useful for medical applications, Abbasi was quoted as saying. Abbasi also said that with the recently unveiled third-generation centrifuges, which perform in the near future. The Fordo facilities will be launched soon and will be able to produce 20 percent, 3.5 percent and 4 percent enriched uranium, Abbasi said. In August, Abbasi said that the Islamic republic had started transferring the nuclear enrichment centrifuges of its Natanz nuclear facility to the Fordo atomic site in the central province of Qom. In June, Abbasi said that Iran was going to install new generation of centrifuges in its uranium enrichment sites and will increase its 20-percent uranium enrichment output by three times. Local media reported last week that scientists and researchers of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran succeeded in producing and testing the rst sample of nuclear fuel rod successfully. After all the preliminary tests, including the physical and dimensional tests, were conducted successfully, the nuclear fuel bar was fed into the core of Tehran Research Reactor to further study the performance of the produced sample, said the reports. Iran said Tehran Research Reactor uses the nuclear fuel bar to produce medicines for cancer treatments. The West suspects that Irans uranium enrichment may be meant for producing nuclear weapons. The allegations have been denied by Iran, saying its nuclear program is only for peaceful use.

much faster than the previous models and can considerably accelerate the enrichment process, the country can enrich uranium at the level of 20 percent. Abbasi said Saturday that the subterranean Fordo enrichment facilities will start operating

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Work displayed in saarc int. are a review of southasianmedia.net. The information on this page is for information purposes only. The South Asia Tribune and SAARC International Ltd. assume no liability for any inaccurate, delayed, or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The full story can be viewed at www.southasianmedia.net

Saarc international I Thursday 12 January 2012

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there should be a balance between the institutions in the country. He said: The game currently being played was aimed at stopping the Senate polls from taking place. Well-placed sources said that President Asif Ali Zardari called the senior leader of PPP Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan to the presidency on Wednesday and consulted him on the matters of NRO and implementation of Supreme Courts Continued on page 10 >>

international

Thursday, 12.01.12

Pakistan army steps up confrontation with government

COAS talked to me before ISPR reaction: PM

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani talked to him on the phone before the issuance of the military reaction to his (Gilani) statement by ISPR, They did not write to the Defence Ministry and bypassed the Ministry of Law and Justice and sent only a copy to the Attorney General. They sent the replies straight to the Registrar. The Prime Minister said under a trichotomy of powers

Muslim quota is in Congress New Delhi must clarify manifesto, says Salman Khurshid how expats will vote
Setback for Congress: EC directs Centre to put on hold sub-quota for Muslims

The Election Commission on Wednesday ordered the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public

Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel and Training) shall not be given effect

to the ofce memorandum dated December 22, 2011, providing a 4.5 per cent sub-quota for minorities within the 27 per cent quota for Other Backward Castes (OBCs) in the Central government jobs and educational institutions, in the ve poll bound States. Continued on page 24 >>

The decision by the Indian government to allow Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to cast their franchise is long overdue. While details on how expatriate Indians would cast their vote during state and parliamentary elections are sketchy there is no clarication on whether votes could be cast in the country of residence the

decision to facilitate this process ensures that the government has acknowledged the importance of the Indian communities living abroad. The onus now lies on the government to provide clarity on how NRIs will participate in the elections. Last year, the decision Continued on page 28 >>

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related development, the army chief summoned an emergency meeting of the corps commanders. The prime minister revoked Lodhis contract and handed over the additional charge of secretary defence to Nargis Sethi. Furthermore,Pakistani media quoted sources as saying that the military high command had appointed Brigadier Sarfaraz Ali commander of the 111 brigade. Prime Minister Gilanis ofce said in a statement that Lodhi was red for gross misconduct and illegal action which created misunderstanding between state institutions. The army earlier said the defence ministry had failed to process its submissions made to a Supreme Court inquiry into a controversial unsigned memo that sought US help in curbing the power of the military. That failure triggered a row between the countrys military and civilian leadership, with the prime minister earlier in the week telling Chinese media the army top brass had acted unlawfully in failing to consult it. Moreover, Lodhi was regarded as having more power than the defence minister because of his direct ties to the army high command. Gen Lodhi recently wrote to the Supreme Court saying the government had administrative, but not operational, control of the army. State media said he lost his job for creating misunderstanding between state institutions. Last month Mr Gilani said conspirators were plotting to bring down his government, without specically blaming the military. That prompted Gen Kayani to dismiss coup rumours. The army has reportedly called a meeting of senior commanders for Thursday. The army has staged four coups in the past, with democracy restored in 2008 after the latest period of military rule. Most independent analysts say the army has little appetite for a direct coup but is happy to allow the Supreme Court, believed to be hostile to Zardari, to end the current

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Saarc international I Thursday 12 January 2012 Added to that are still fresh memories of protests against the last military ruler, Pervez Musharraf. International sanctions which would follow any coup would also do further damage to an already devastated economy. With elections approaching, the civilian government feels under siege on all sides. It hopes to win support by being seen to rein in the military something that has never been done in Pakistans history. By going on the offensive, civilian leaders risk inviting the wrath of the military. This is political adventurism on the part of the government, said Mutahir Ahmed, professor of international relations at the University of Karachi. Instead of stabilising and strengthening the democratic forces, the present government is following the policy of confrontation, he said. I think the lines have been drawn, now it depends on who res the next shot, said Rasul Bakhsh Rais, professor of political science at Lahore University of Management Sciences. It is a three dimensional war: the judiciary, the political executive and the armed forces. Observers say political pressure is growing to topple the government before Senate elections scheduled for March, which are expected to give Zardaris party a majority in the upper house that would give him signicant political power for the next six years. The country also is to hold general elections next year, although some are pushing for the vote to be held sooner. Most independent analysts say the army has little appetite for a direct coup but is happy to allow the Supreme Court, believed to be hostile to Zardari, to end the current setup via constitutional means. We cant rule out those impulses. They are rooted in history, but right now the army have decided not to. Rather they will stay by the sidelines and watch the court, said Rais. A senior member of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said the government and the army were both digging in. The prime minister has started throwing down the gauntlet, the party member said. The United States, the source of billions of dollars of aid, wants Pakistans civilian leaders and generals to maintain smooth ties so they can focus on helping Washington wind down the war in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Zardari defused the Clash

Continued from page 9 >> instructions. During meeting, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan Chaudhry appraised President Zardari that there was no harm in writing the letter to Swiss courts on which the president asked him to prepare the draft of the proposed letter. Barrister Aitzaz expressed willingness on the new job assigned to him. However, Barrister Aitzaz denied the meeting or any responsibility assigned to him in this regard On the other hand, President Zardari also sent a goodwill message to Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani that he and his aides should complete the tenure in the ofce and the democratic mandate should also be kept in view, the sources added. The sources said that the message was conveyed to the Army Chief through JUI (F) chief Maulana Fazal-urRehman. Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman also spoke to the media and said that government had contacted him to resolve the issue amicably. He advised government as well as army to take the matter cool mindedly. setup via constitutional means. We cant rule out those impulses. They are rooted in history, but right now the army have decided not to. Rather they will stay by the sidelines and watch the court, said Rais. Daily Independent reported Pakistans Supreme Court said yesterday it could dismiss the Prime Minister unless he begins corruption proceedings against the President. The conict with the court has been brewing since 2009, when judges struck down an amnesty protecting President Asif Ali Zardari and other politicians from prosecution and ordered their cases reopened. What we are seeing is almost unprecedented in Pakistan. The army usually operates behind the scenes its statement is being seen as another step towards a confrontation with the government. The military has a history of seizing power - but for the rst time it is engaged in a media war instead. Pakistans unbridled free press is one reason why most observers feel the military would be reluctant to stage a coup right now.

PM sacks Secretary Defence; COAS calls emergency meeting

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sacked his defence secretary on Wednesday for gross misconduct as tensions with the military exploded following an army warning to the civilian leader. SC forms larger bench for NRO review case The bench, headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk, will initiate hearing of the case on January 16. The bench will be comprised of Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Ejaz Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar, Justice Ejaz Fazal and Justice Ather. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday sacked Secretary Defence Khalid Naeem Lodhi, report . In a

Commission completes report on Salim Shahzads murder

The commission investigating the murder of journalist Saleem Shahzad has completed its report and is likely present it to the government on Tuesday. President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and a member of the probe commission Pervez Shaukat told APP that the commission had nalised its report in six months time and after interviewing 41 individuals. He said the government had assured that it would take action against those responsible in accordance with the ndings of the commission. According to a report published in Newyorker The murder of a reporter who exposed Pakistans secrets.by Dexter Filkins on September 19, 2011 directive was not to kill him but to rough him up, possibly in the same way that Cheema had been dealt with. But a senior American ofcial conrms that, at some point before Shahzad was taken away, the directive was changed. He was to be murdered. Five weeks after the killing, Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said publicly that it had been sanctioned by the government of Pakistan. In fact, according to the American ofcial, reliable intelligence indicates that the order to kill Shahzad came from a senior ofcer on General Kiyanis staff. The ofcer made it clear that he was speaking on behalf of Kiyani himself.

The rst order to harm Shahzad was issued shortly after his article on the Mehran attack appeared. The initial

IAI signs $1.1b arms deal with India

Israel Aerospace Industries will sell India missiles, anti-missile systems, UAVs, intelligence and other systems. Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) (TASE: ARSP.B1) has signed one of its largest arms deals, for the sale of $1.1 billion worth of missiles, anti-missile systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), intelligence and other systems. In a brief notice to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE), IAI announced that it has signed a four-year $1.1 billion arms deal with an Asian country. It did not name the customer or the systems that would be sold, but said that advances would be paid in exchange for guarantees in the same amount. Sources inform that IAI has been in intensive talks with Indian defense procurement ofcials. Other Israeli defense companies

have simultaneously been offering India their wares in an attempt to win the huge contract. IAI CEO Yitzhak Nissan personally led the negotiations for the company, which has already signed large arms deals with India, including for the sale of Barak groundbased and ship defense missiles, accelerated

its negotiations. A source close to the deal said that it would greatly boost IAIs orders backlog, and is a major personal achievement for Nissan at a time when the global defense market is in crisis following the US departure from Iraq and other countries slash defense spending.

A deal of this size should not be taken for granted at a time when many countries are cutting their defense spending because of uncertainty in global markets. Nissan succeeded in reaching a mega-deal that will give IAI nancial and job security for years, the source said.

Saarc international I Thursday 12 January 2012

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11

WEEKLY REVIEW OF AFGHANISTAN NEWS

Afghanistan asks Pakistan to end support to Taliban for peace

Afghanistan asks Pakistan to end its unequivocally abundant support to Taliban to check terrorist activities in the region that are hurting both countries. A top advisor to Afghan President Hamid Karzai said while bold and open discussions have been held between Kabul and Islamabad on the issue of tackling terrorism, Pakistan now needs to walk the talk. Both countries are suffering from losses due to increasing terrorist Afghan transition. He said while notable progress has been made in strengthening the security sector in Afghanistan, it was only in 2011 when the governments comprehensive, population- centric counter-insurgency operations started bearing results and the trend started reversing. This is, however, a delicate progress and can reverse, if not managed well. With the unequivocally abundant support funnelled to them from outside the Afghan borders, insurgents are increasingly shifting tactics focusing on high prole targets thus rejecting any notion that they are losing the war, he told over 100 delegates, including high ranking diplomats and representatives from the Pakistan and Indian High Commissions. Other Afghan delegates too insisted that Pakistan was a source of insurgency in their country, and any fencing of the 2,400 km of border would not help contain terrorists.

activities, Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, an advisor on the Home

Security to the President, said on the sidelines of a workshop to discuss the

Afghan endgame: US ready for Haqqani talks

Despite having suffered serious setbacks in the aftermath of the November 26 Nato airstrikes which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, Washington and Islamabad have continued dialogue even amidst aring tensions. The US has taken Pakistan into condence over the unprecedented development of allowing the Taliban a political ofce in Qatar to advance the Afghan reconciliation process, sources revealed. A senior Pakistani ofcial stated that the Obama administration not only sought Pakistans consent over the Taliban ofce but had also given a green light to allow the deadliest Afghan insurgent group, the Haqqani network, to be a part of the reconciliation process. The move by Washington was a clear deection from its previous policy of keeping Islamabad at bay over its peace overtures with the Afghan Taliban. Yes, we were onboard, said the senior Pakistani ofcial referring to the latest push by Washington to seek a political

10 killed in siege in Afghanistan

Three policemen and four civilians were killed when three suicide bombers stormed a government building in south-eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, the interior ministry said. After a siege that lasted for hours, the bombers were also killed, according to ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi. There were three suicide bombers, one of them was gunned down by police, the two others detonated themselves, he said. Three policemen and four civilians have been martyred, and two policemen and one civilian have been injured. The group of suicide bombers seized a building housing the directorate of communication in Sharana, the capital city of Paktika province, after killing a police guard at the gate. Police surrounded the building and two policemen were killed in the ensuing reght, a ministry statement said. It was not immediately clear how the four civilians died. Taliban insurgents ghting the government of president Hamid Karzai claimed responsibility for the attack.

settlement of the Afghan conict. The US has long resisted talks with the Haqqani network, believed to be based in the North Waziristan Agency. Contrary to Washingtons prior stance, the countrys military establishment is now looking to avoid confronting the Haqqanis head on, arguing that the group has a pivotal role in any future political dispensation of Afghanistan. They [Americans] are now following the same approach that we have been advocating for years, said a security ofcial, requesting not to be named. The ofcial added that Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani himself conveyed to US President Barack Obama in late 2010 that a

solution to the decade-old conict in Afghanistan could only come through the meaningful talks with the Taliban. The Pakistan military had even urged the US to announce a ceasere in Afghanistan creating favourable conditions for talks with the insurgents, it was disclosed. But Washington, instead of following that policy, initiated talks with the Taliban on its own, said the ofcial. The CIA had attempted to woo certain Taliban individuals but their efforts failed because those people had nothing to do with the Taliban, commented defence analyst Brig Mehmood Shah (retd). Shah the former security secretary of the Federal Administered Tribal

Areas (Fata) said the opening of the Taliban ofce was certainly a positive development. An American diplomat also conrmed that the two countries have been engaging in dialogue on the Afghan endgame despite the recent hiccup in the relationship in the wake of the Nato attacks. We have already acknowledged that Pakistan has a critical role in the Afghan reconciliation process, said the diplomat, who requested to remain anonymous. Meanwhile, a Pakistani security ofcial admitted that despite Islamabads strong reaction to the Salala attack, the US did not escalate the situation further.

Afghanistan opposes foreign leadership in peace talks

Ofcials in Afghan presidential palace say the government of Afghanistan supports peace talks with the Taliban group under the leadership of the Afghans only. Afghan presidential palace spokesman Aimal Faizi said, Afghanistan has not been involved in US-Taliban peace talks so far. Mr. Faizi further added, Afghanistan supports only the establishment of the Taliban liaison ofce in Qatar and not the peace negotiations under the leadership of the foreign nations. This comes as the Taliban group agreed with the United States to open a liaison ofce in Qatar in a bid to initiate peace talks. under the leadership of the Afghans only. Presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi warned that any peace negotiations in the absence of the Afghans will not lead to a positive result and will not be accepted by the Afghan government. This comes as a number of close allies of president Hamid Karzai earlier said that president Karzai was not satised with the US Taliban peace talks as the Afghan government was not involved during the talks. Sources in Afghan presidential palace quoted by Al Arabia News Agency said, US ofcials have assured Afghan ofcials to start peace talks as soon as the Taliban liaison ofce is opened in Qatar and the leadership of the peace talks will be handed over to Afghans only. In the meantime Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omer conrmed Taliban-US peace talks. Taliban group on Tuesday following a statement for the rst time agreed with the establishment of the groups liaison ofce in Qatar and insisted for an immediate freedom of the Taliban detainees from the US detention facilities.

Afghan presidential palace spokesman Aimal Faizi conrmed peace talks with the Taliban group by foreign states and said that Afghanistan did not have any role during the peace talks. He also emphasized that the stance

of the Afghan government remains unchanged regarding any peace talks with the militant groups, all peace negotiations should be processed

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF BANGLADESH NEWS

BNP grand rally in Dhaka Mar 12

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will hold a grand rally in the capital on Mar 12 to demand ouster of the government, party chairperson Khaleda Zia has announced. Addressing a rally at the port citys Polo Ground at the end of her two-day Chittagong road march on Monday, Khaleda said: The Awami League government could not do anything for the people in the last three years. They have not fullled the pledges made during the election. Claiming the countrys poverty rate had decreased during the then four-party alliance governments tenure, she said, Words of development dont suit them (Awami League and allies). Arriving at the rally venue at 3:50pm, Khaleda got a lively welcome from leaders, activists and supporters of the BNP and other alliance partners and began her speech at 4:45pm. Announcing the partys next antigovernment new programme, she said, We will hold a grand rally in Dhaka on Mar 12. I would like to ask the government not to interfere, or they will have to take the responsibility for the consequences. Addressing the crowd, she said, As a response to my call, you will take part in the grand rally. You will join Dhaka Chalo (march to Dhaka programme) programme on Mar 12. She also announced a mass procession programme in every divisional town on Jan 29. We have decided to hold demonstrations, human chains and campaigning programmes in February, considering the upcoming SSC examinations and to save the people from suffering, she said. ANTI-JAMAAT POLICY Criticising the governments antiJamaat policy, Khaleda said, Awami League, along with Jamaate-Islami had held movements against us in 1996 demanding the caretaker government system. And now they are branding them as war criminals.

Manzur Ahmed, the chief executive ofcer of Bangladesh Cricket Board and a former national cricketer, died on January 10 in Dhaka. He was 55. BCB ofcials conrmed the news at a programme organised ahead of the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 tournament. Manzur was originally scheduled to attend the programme. A wicketkeeper-batsman in the 1980s, Manzur was appointed as the BCB CEO in September 2010.

Bangladesh Cricket Board CEO Manzur Ahmed dies

BNP takes road march to Ctg

More than 3,000 vehicles join convoy to voice demand for caretaker govt

Charges against Ghulam Azam, Nizami accepted

The International Crimes Tribunal on Monday took into cognisance the formal charges against former Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Ghulam Azam and the incumbent chief Matiur Rahman Nizami in connection with crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. The tribunal also xed February 12 for starting the charge framing hearing against Nizami. During the days hearing, the threemember tribunal headed by its Chairman Justice Nizamul Huq said it took the charges into cognisance as it primarily found the element of offence committed by Nizami during the countrys Liberation War after examining the formal charge, investigation report, relevant papers and documents and other materials submitted by the prosecution. The tribunal directed the prosecution to submit the copy of formal charges

n a massive convoy of vehicles, BNP chief Khaleda Zia, in the rst white SUV, leads the road march towards Chittagong yesterday. The photo was taken near Kanchpur Bridge on DhakaChittagong highway. Another photo on page 20. Photo: Palash KhanRakib Hasnet Suman, from Feni The main opposition BNPs road march, aimed at drumming up support for its demand for restoration of the caretaker government system, reached Chittagong last night, with participation of thousands of activists and supporters. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia left her Gulshan residence around 10:20am to lead the road march, bigger than other three towards Sylhet, Chapainawabganj and Khulna. Her motorcade set off from the partys Naya Paltan headquarters around 10:45am and reached Feni at 7:00pm. Some three thousand vehicles carried at least 15 thousand party members from the capital. The movement of the convoy led to major trafc chaos on the DhakaChittagong highway. They, however, left Feni around

7:45pm and were in the port city by 11:00pm. After her night stay at Chittagong Circuit House, she will address a public meeting at Polo Ground this afternoon. Different parts of the highway were adorned with arches, portraits of party bigwigs, banners, posters and placards to welcome the opposition leader. A very large number of party leaders, workers and supporters welcomed Khaleda standing by the road. A beaming Khaleda Zia responded to the crowds by waving from her jeep. Security was tight and Rab and police were seen escorting her motorcade. The opposition leader addressed three wayside rallies at Chandina, Noor Manikchad and Poduar Bazar in Comilla and a public meeting on Feni Pilot School ground on the rst day of her two-day road march towards the port city. In Feni, the BNP chairperson reiterated that the next parliamentary elections must be held under a non-party caretaker administration and the government has to take steps to ensure it. She warned that no political party

will participate in the polls if held under a partisan government. Awami League will make a grave mistake if it tries to hold the elections under its supervision. Restoration of caretaker government system is now a public demand, she said. From her Chittagong rally, she would announce agitation programmes to oust the government, Khaleda said, urging the people to be ready for the antigovernment movement. In 1996, Awami League returned to power after 21 years. This time it will take 41 years because of their misdeeds, she said and declared that a whitepaper on corruption will be published after end of this governments rule. The former premier was highly critical of the government for its failure in dealing issues that include price hike of essentials, Teesta water share and Tipaimukh dam construction. Khaleda Zia also said the government was playing a game over the formation of a new Election Commission. The formation of the Election Commission is not our prime issue. Our key demand is restoration of the caretaker government system.

and documents to its registrar ofce by January 12 so that the defence could collect those on January 15. The prosecution on December 11 last year submitted 15 crimes against humanity charges against Nizami to the tribunal. Nizami was present before the tribunal during the days proceedings.

War Crimes Trial

Sayedee ordered torching a house

Says 10th prosecution witness
A prosecution witness told the International Crimes Tribunal yesterday that Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee ordered a group of collaborators to torch the house of a businessman in Parerhaat of Pirojpur during the Liberation War. Tora ghor-duare agun dhoraiya de [set re to the houses], was Sayedees order, said Bashudeb Mistri, the tenth witness. The collaborators then torched the houses of Manik Poshari, a sh trader of Pirojpurs Chithalia village. The three-member tribunal nished recording the deposition and cross-examination of Bashudeb yesterday. Bashudeb is the 10th out of 68 prosecution witnesses in the case led against Delawar Hossain Sayedee in connection with crimes against humanity during the 1971 war.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF BHUTAN NEWS

Malaria control in Bhutan: a case study of a country embarking on elimination

Bhutan has achieved a major reduction in malaria incidence amid multiple challenges. This case study seeks to characterize the Bhutan malaria control programme over the last 10 years. Methods: A review of the malaria epidemiology, control strategies, and elimination strategies employed in Bhutan was carried out through a literature review of peer-reviewed and grey national and international literature with the addition of reviewing the surveillance and vector control records of the Bhutan Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme (VDCP). Data triangulation was used to identify trends in epidemiology and key strategies and interventions through analysis of the VDCP surveillance and programme records and the literature review. Enabling and challenging factors were identied through analysis malaria cases in Bhutan declined by 98.7% from 1994 to 2010. The majority of indigenous cases were due to Plasmodium vivax (59.9%) and adult males are most at-risk of malaria. Imported cases, or those in foreign nationals, varied over the years, reaching 21.8% of all conrmed cases in 2006.Strategies implemented by the VDCP are likely to be related to the decline in cases over the last 10 years.

of socio-economic and health indicators, corroborated through a review of

national and international reports and peer-review articles.FindingsConrmed

Stealing from the law! 44 trainees take up medical transcribers job

Thimphu district court was robbed off Nu 575,000 on the night of January 2. The cash, which was surety bail amount (SBA) and courts miscellaneous funds, were kept in a steel almirah in the accounts ofce. Court ofcials said that, although they were supposed to deposit the SBA of Nu 417,000 to the bank on December 30, they couldnt do it, as the bank was closing its accounts for the year and did not accept the money. They then kept the money in the almirah. The courts sweeper found the almirah broken on the morning of January 3, and she informed the courts peon. The peon told the accountant, who reported the matter to police. Police sources said they are conducting preliminary investigation. We recovered matchsticks from the crime scene, which indicates that the burglar used matches, instead of switching on the lights, lieutenant Singye Wangdi said. The steel almirah, which was yanked open, was also blackened by smoke. The miscreant managed to break into the accounts ofce, by pulling the main door that was locked. But the accounts ofce, as usual, was not locked. Fearing that he might not get a job if he failed, Ugyen Wangdi, a visually impaired Sherubtse graduate did not sit for the common exams Yesterday, Ugyen Wangdi got a job, when he was certied as a medical transcriber. A visually impaired class X student, 10 university graduates and 72 class 12 students took the course that started in January last year. Of the 83, who were trained, only the 44 who passed the course will start transcribing voicemail of foreign doctors to patients and doctors from next week. The training for those, who did not pass, might get extended. During

the course, participants learnt medical terms, medical-related studies, to type faster and transcribe voice mails. We started this course, thinking it might help in providing employment opportunities, the proprietor of Bhutan Business Solutions, Damchae

Dem, said. Bhutan Business Solutions, which today has 35 medical transcribers, is under the Pelden group of companies. She said students should be proud and careful, as their wrong transcription may affect somebodys life.

Members take oath of allegiance

Dr. Avtar Lit

CEO Litt Corporation Ltd

Asif Ghazali
Kismat Radio

Tune in on 1035 AM in Greater London

The eighth session of the Parliament began Friday with the usual zhugdrel phuensum tshogpa, a prayer for a fruitful parliamentary discussion. What was signicant about the opening session, however, was the 67 elected members of the Parliament and the ve eminent members of the National Council the King nominated, taking a solemn oath of allegiance to His Majesty. That was followed by the 72 members of Parliament, led by the prime minister himself, taking turns to sign the oath inscribed, on what looked like a scroll laid across a long table, with the King standing in front of it. The procession lasted more than half-an-hour. National Assembly speaker Jigme Tshultim explained the solemn procession was in fulllment of a provision contained in the Constitution. Article 2, section 5 of the Constitution states that on His Majestys ascension to the throne, royal family members, parliamentary members, court justices led by the chief justice, heads and members of constitutional post holders, heads of defense forces and secretaries, among others, shall take an oath of allegiance to the Druk Gyalpo. Some members of Parliament said this was not done when His Majesty ascended the throne and after the rst elected government came in. For the rest of the session, the prime minister, opposition leader, National Council chairperson and the assembly speaker expressed their appreciation to His Majesty the King and the Queen for joining the parliamentarians at the opening of the eighth session. It was the Queens rst presence at Parliament and she observed the proceedings from the dignitaries gallery.

DAB Digital Radio in West Yorkshire Nationally on Sky 0173 Listen live at www.kismatradio.com
Launched in February 2005, Kismat Radio is the UKs only 24 hour Asian talk radio station. We provide the UKs Asian community with a platform for discussion and debate on all sorts of issues. We bring educational and informative programming specically tailored to the needs of the Asian community, as well as playing the best range of music for the discerning listener. Our listeners know and trust the Kismat name and brand, which gives us a loyal, involved, and growing audience.

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Saarc international I Thursday 12 January 2012

180 Indians released from Pakistan jail

Pakistan on Saturday released 180 Indian nationals including 179 shermen, imprisoned for violating territorial waters, as part of measures to normalise relations with India. The released Indian nationals were later put on four buses which will take them to Wagah border near Lahore for their handing over to the Indian authorities on Sunday. Police is accompanying the four buses for security reasons. The authorities today have released 180 prisoners which is a very positive development and Yousuf was arrested by Pakistani authorities after straying into Pakistan after crossing the border. He said they were still 276 Indian shermen in jails in Karachi while in recent times the authorities had seized around 320 boats as well. Marine authorities frequently arrest and seize Indian shermen and their boats when they wander into Pakistani territorial waters. Zahid said his organisation was also making efforts to locate missing Pakistani shermen and get around 42 shermen in Indian jails.

a vindication of our efforts to improve relations between the two countries, Justice retired Aslam Nasir Zahid who heads a nongovernmental organisation told.

The organisation is working with an Indian NGO to provide justice and relief to prisoners mostly poor shermen jailed in Pakistani and Indian jails.

Zahid said the Indian prisoners that included one civilian, Sama Yousuf were released by the government as a goodwill gesture for the start of the new year.

Allies agree on early polls, divided on new provinces

SAFMA seminar: Lack of public pressure led to military dominance

Though the coalition partners on Friday stood divided on a joint resolution on the question of new provinces, they agreed to the idea of holding Senate and general elections ahead of schedule in mid-February and October, respectively. A source told Pakistan Today that President Asif Ali Zardari took the leadership of all coalition partners into condence over the governments decision to hold early elections, which was endorsed by heads of all parties in the coalition. The president told the political leaders that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had conveyed a message to Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Hamid Ali Mirza to start preparations for the Senate elections, the schedule for which may be announced during the next week, said the source. The source added that the government believed the Senate elections might start by January-end and the nomination papers may be sought by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) around January 28. The process of appeals against nomination papers may be xed around February 10 or 11 and polls may be held by mid-February. However, oath to newly elected Senators would be administered on March 13, the source added.The source said the president also called a parliamentary party meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) late on Friday night and took the party legislators into condence over the governments decision to hold Senate and general elections ahead of

schedule. NEW PROVINCES: The source, however, conceded that the coalition partners could not resolve differences on the creation of Saraiki and Hazara provinces as the PPP, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) could not bridge their differences. Though President Asif Ali Zardari held separate talks with the delegations of MQM and ANP to understand the nature of differences between them prior to the joint meeting, he could not convince any of them to change their respective positions, said the source. DIFFERENCES: The source said the PPP leadership wanted legislation for the creation of a Saraiki province and it had no interest in a Hazara province. On the other hand, the source added, initially the ANP leadership was interested in the creation of a Saraiki province but the accelerated pace for the creation of a Hazara province by MQM and PML-Q had compelled the Pakhtun leadership to think twice before lending support to a Saraiki province. The ANP leaders now are in a x and they are more inclined towards the PML-Ns stance on new provinces rather than the PPP, the source said. The ANP leadership told President Zardari that the demand for a Hazara province was a conspiracy being hatched by the MQM and PML-Q leadership, which were remnants of a dictatorship against the democratic parties of ANP and PPP.

ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan told the president that a province was being claimed which would prove to be the smallest in terms of area and population, which had no basis and no rationale. He said this was just a conspiracy against the recognition of the Pakhtun people, which was given to them only a year ago, the source quoted the ANP leadership as telling the president. On the other hand, the source said the MQM delegation told the president that they were raising the voice for the people of Hazara and south Punjab, who had been ignored and kept underdeveloped. Finally, the source said it was decided that any move on new provinces would be made in the National Assembly after reaching a consensus over separate bills for Saraiki and Hazara provinces. No threat to democracy: Separately, President Zardari, co-chairing a meeting of PPP senators and MNAs later in the evening, said he saw no threat to democracy but no matter what happened the PPP would not disappoint the nation and the people would nd the party fully prepared to face any eventuality with courage and determination. Brieng reporters about the meeting, Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the meeting renewed the partys commitment to strengthen democracy and the democratic institutions in the country and to continue to resist any attempt that sought to undermine democracy and civil institutions.

The obscure relationship between civil and military forces in Pakistan remained at the centre of discussion at a seminar organised by the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) on Friday. The politicians, intellectuals and journalists, in a seminar titled Civilmilitary relationship in a parliamentary democracy on Friday, said that the political forces in the country had a long way to go before they could takeover the militarys decades old dominance. The seminar was organised by the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA), where Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Member National Assembly (MNA) Ayaz Amir, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and former information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, columnist and writer Ayesha Siddiqa and journalist Imtiaz Alam spoke to an audience, comprising people from military, media and the civil society. Ayaz Amir maintained that the political leadership had the chance to bring the military under their thumb in every era but they lost it. The wisdom and intellectual capability required to counter the dominance of military is lacking in our political leadership, he said. SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam averred that the group discussion had been initiated to analyse the current situation in the country, but he did not anticipate a military takeover. The speakers said that the time had come to formulate a doctrine about the civilmilitary relations, in context of the ground realities of Pakistan.

Former information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said, Strong public pressure could help the political parties to gain maturity and strength, as well as to weigh on public leaders to better their performance as representatives of the public. He said that the non-party election ordered in 1985 had negated the value of political parties with the result that the members of Baradari and cohorts of different ambitious groups fought elections on different platforms but later banded themselves in a devised and regimented political party. The experiment of non- party elections of 1985 resulted in disjointing the unity of federation, creating a centrist state and regimenting democracy, he added. Kaira added that the reasons for the over-reach of military in state affairs was also entrenched psychologically because the region was ruled by military under the Britishers also. Ayaz Amir assigned the reason for the upper hand of military to the adverse circumstances in which Pakistan was created. Apart from Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and perhaps Liaquat Ali Khan, the public leaders were weak and leaned on other public ofcials and since 1954 on military leaders, he said, adding that Opportunities did come in the way of politicians to correct the imbalance in the political set up. However, such opportunities were missed by Zulquar Ali Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and even presently by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. They bailed out defence forces in difcult times.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF INDIA NEWS

In 10 years from 1995 to 2005, the military expenditure in South Asia increased by 50 per cent, and one in every 10 military personnel in the world are in this part of the globe, a US report has said. From 1995 to 2005, the military expenditures of the states of South Asia appear to have risen about 50 per cent in absolute terms and about 23 per cent per capita terms, said the report World Military Expenditure and Arms Transfers 2005: Highlights and Trends, released by the US State

Military expenditure in South Asia increased by 50% in decade

appears to have fallen from 2.7% in 1995 to 2.4% in 2005, the report said. During 1995 through 2005, South Asias arms exports appear to have been negligible, while the annual value of its arms imports appears to have ranged from about $1 billion to about $4 billion, trending upward, it said. The regions share of world arms imports appears to have been about three per cent, trending upward and exceeding four per cent in 2004-05, the report said.

Department. South Asias share of world military spending appears to have risen from about 1.8 per cent in 1995 to about

2.1% in 2005. During the decade, the share of the sum of South Asias GDPs to which its military expenditures were equivalent

South Asias arms imports appear to have been equivalent to about 1.6% of its recorded imports of all goods and services, and its arms trade decit appears to have been about $26 billion, equivalent to about ve per cent of its recorded trade decit in all goods and services, it said. Globally the report said, in constant2005-dollar real-exchange-rate terms, world military expenditures appear to have risen about 30 per cent from 1995 to 2005, reaching nearly $1.2 trillion in 2005.

Sukh Ram shifted Rahul attacks BJP for running most to hospital again corrupt governments in states
Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Sunday attacked BJP by saying that the party is taking corrupt ministers thrown out by others and running the \most corrupt\ governments in states ruled by it. Ministers are being removed and the BJP is taking them. They took Babu Singh Kushwaha, who is the most corrupt minister. He is amongst the most corrupt ministers. BJP took a trip across India against corruption, he said in an apparent reference to L K Advanis rath yatra. But they run the most corrupt governments in Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Jharkhand and here (in UP) they have taken Babu Singh Kushwaha, he said. Yesterday, Rahul had claimed that Kushwaha had approached Congress rst after being sacked by Chief Minister Mayawati but his plea to join the party fold was turned down. He also attacked Mayawati alleging that thousands of crores for MNREGA sent to Uttar Pradesh was eaten

First phase of Uttar Pradesh polls rescheduled

The rst phase of Assembly polls in U.P. to be held on February 4 has been rescheduled and fresh date will be announced soon, the Election Commission said on Sunday citing uncertainty about the date of Barawafat festival, the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad, which may also fall on the same day. The poll panel said the law and order enforcing agencies and District Election Ofcers of the state had also referred to the possibility of the Barawafat festival coinciding with the with the rst phase of polls, during the Commissions two-day review meeting in Lucknow last week. A revised schedule will be announced soon.

Former Union Minister Sukh Ram, who surrendered before a local court on Saturday which sent him to jail to serve his three-year sentence in 1993 telecom scam case, has again been shifted to ICU of a city hospital. According to the Deputy Inspector General of Tihar Prisons, R N Sharma, the condition of the 86-year-old ailing former minister had deteriorated and on advice of the Tihar jail hospital doctors, he was admitted to the ICU of Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital on Saturday afternoon.

Rahul Gandhi attacked on BJP during a public meeting in Gorakhpur by the magical elephant sitting in Lucknow, in an obvious reference to BSPs election symbol. The magical elephant built by Mayawati is eating peoples money, he said.

Non-bailable warrant against Jayalalithaa stayed

The Principal Sessions Judge of Cuddalore district on Thursday stayed a non-bailable warrant ordered by a lower court against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in a case led against her at the instance of the Election Commission in 2007. The Supreme Court had ordered on July 10, 2007 that status quo be maintained in the case, effectively staying the criminal proceedings against Ms. Jayalalithaa before the Judicial Magistrate, Parangipettai, in Cuddalore district. However, the magistrate had ordered the issue of an NBW against her for non-appearance in court on June 27, 2011. At the same time, the magistrate stayed the NBW, but did not dispense with the Chief Ministers personal appearance. The woman magistrate had kept the NBW pending without issuing it until December 30, 2011. When the matter came up before

Singh hopes problems with allies will be temporary

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday described the problems being posed by some allies in the UPA as temporary, and was condent that they would be overcome. Dr. Singh was replying to a query whether these problems, midway through the governments tenure, would hit development plans. The reference was to the Trinamool Congress, which has hit out at comments by Congress Ministers in the West Bengal government and opposed the Centres gen-next opening up on several counts. We have our problems but I am condent that if we have the will and determination, we will overcome these temporary problems, Dr. Singh said at a joint press conference with Trinidad & Tobago Premier Kamla Persad Bissessar at Hyderabad House. Life would not be worth living if it even as Dr. Singh was winding up his reply. Her relaxed demeanour and extempore opening statement encouraged Dr. Singh to make observations after the interaction ended. Earlier, the Prime Minister underlined the importance of this tiny Caribbean country in Indias quest for hydrocarbons. There will be a substantial requirement, which can be met by import of commercial energy. Trinidad & Tobago can do a lot of things in this regard.we need LNG and oilwe will explore ways and means to nd out how cooperation can be expanded for future benet of both countries. The two sides signed ve MoUs, which the Prime Minister described as building blocks for the future and a good sign, but wanted both sides to ensure their full implementation.

the magistrate on January 4, she said: Accused called absent NBW pending, but not issued; SC matter stayed Call on February 16, 2012. The order implied that the warrant was alive and the court was insisting on Ms. Jayalalithaas appearance before it. Aggrieved by the order, Ms. Jayalalithaa, through her counsel, led a petition before the Principal Sessions Judge in Cuddalore on Thursday, seeking a stay on the lower courts order and pleading that the warrant be withdrawn.

were not beset with one problem or the other. We are a large country with great complexity and great diversity, he said, a theme quickly picked up by Ms. Persad Bissessar, who helped relax the normally staid atmosphere at such interactions. Life without challenges would be very boring. I am sure challenges will be overcome, she interjected

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King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has agreed to hold a Jewish-Muslim dialogue in Bahrain later this year. Iran is a common threat to Bahrain, Israel and the US, the King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was quoted as saying by a Jewish ofcial on Sunday. Rabbi Marc Schneier, vice president of the World Jewish Congress, said the king told him he was alarmed by the Islamic Republic during a 45- minute meeting held in the capital city of Manama late last month. I made a point how its ironic how we share a common enemy and he acknowledged that Iran has been a threat, said Schneier, who gave the king a hanukkia at the end of their conversation. The nation has a troubled history with its northern neighbor across the Persian Gulf, which once laid claim to its

Iran is a threat to us all

Bahrain to Jewish leader

territory. Schneier said Hamad agreed to his request to host a Jewish-Muslim dialogue in the oil-rich country later this year. The rabbi, who is also president of

the Foundation for Interfaith Dialogue, said there was no set date or list of participants yet but that the conference would aim to improve ties between the

Abrahamic faiths. Rabbi Marc Schneier, vice-president of the World Jewish Congress, said the rst bilateral JewishMuslim dialogue in the Gulf aims to

build trust by nding common religious ground between the two groups as an essential precondition for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conict.

UAE sees delays to pipeline as Iran tensions mount

Saudis worried about Iran closing Strait of Hormuz
Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba and discussed bilateral and regional issues as well as ways and means to cooperate in energy sector, Abdulaziz A. Turkistani, Saudi ambassador to Japan, said on Sunday. He said the talks between Prince Salman and Gemba mainly focused on how to strengthen Saudi-Japanese relations further. A much-delayed strategic pipeline project that would allow United Arab Emirates oil exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz in the event of an Iranian blockade will not be ready for at least another four months, the UAE oil minister said on Monday. Mohamed al-Hamli said he hoped the 1.5m barrel-a-day facility would be operational by the middle of the year, in remarks that raise fresh questions about energy supply security if the confrontation with Iran deepens. The newspaper said that Japanese ofcials asked Saudi Arabia, the worlds largest oil exporter, to make nuclear reactors. The latest U.S. sanctions target Irans central bank and are aimed at hindering Tehrans ability to receive payment for A Saudi oil ofcial said that whether Japan or other countries continue to buy Iranian oil was an internal matter, reecting the unease in many nations after the latest U.S. sanctions on Tehran and Irans threats to choke off the Strait of Hormuz in response. The comments by the Oil Ministry ofcial were reported on Monday by the Saudi daily Al-Watan a day after Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba met with senior Saudi ofcials in the kingdoms capital, Riyadh. Saudi Arabia and Japan pledged to boost cooperation in the energy sector with a proposal to provide more oil to Tokyo in case of a shortage or supply disruptions following fresh sanctions imposed on Iran by the West. Defense Minister Prince Salman and Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Al-Naimi held talks with these countries. The ofcial was not identied. Still, Saudi ofcials have said that Gulf oil producers are ready to step in and offset any loss of Iranian oil in the market, though it remains unclear if the necessary pipelines that would reroute the oil away from the strait are all fully operational. One pipeline with a capacity of about 1.5 million barrels per day being built by the UAE has yet to be completed. China, a major Iran oil importer, has resisted the sanctions effort. The Asian powerhouses deputy foreign minister, Cui Tiankai, said Monday that Chinas trade relations with Iran have nothing to do with Tehrans nuclear program and that sanctions alone cannot resolve the dispute. Iran has repeatedly raised the specter of closing the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a sixth of the worlds oil ows, if the U.S. and its allies impose measures targeting its oil exports. Many analysts and ofcials have played down the comments as bluster by the Islamic Republic, noting that such a move would hit Iran hard given that it receives over 80 percent of its government revenue from oil sales. A potential Hormuz blockade still remains the ultimate fear in the oil market, Barclays said in a Jan. 5 note. Should the Hormuz be closed to ships, the pipeline alone wont prevent price rallies because most of the oil from the Gulf would still be stopped, Kamel alHarami, an independent oil analyst said by phone from London on Jan 6.

up for the potential loss of Iranian oil for Japan. The Asian nation is now even more heavily dependent on oil and natural gas imports after last years tsunami forced the shutdown of

its oil exports. Al-Watan quoted the senior Saudi ofcial as saying that the issue of buying or not buying oil from Iran is an internal matter to be decided by

Saarc international I Thursday 12 January 2012

Syria vows iron st as Damascus dead buried

UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon has condemned the recent deadly bomb attack in the Syrian capital of Damascus that claimed the lives of dozens of people. On Friday, 26 people were killed and dozens of others were injured when an unknown attacker detonated explosives at a crossroad in the densely populated neighborhood of alMidan in Damascus. I condemn the terrorist bombing in which many people were killed and injured today in the Syrian capital of Damascus, Ban told journalists at the United Nations headquarters in New York. I extend my sympathy and condolences to the bereaved families of the victims and people of Syria. I remain gravely concerned about the deteriorating situation in Syria, he added. The UN chief reiterated that all violence is unacceptable and must stop immediately. Syrian ofcials say most of those killed were civilians; some security forces were also among the casualties. Authorities believe that the death toll could increase since

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UN chief condemns Damascus attack while Syria blames Al-Qaeda

some of the injured are in critical condition. The Syrian Interior Ministry has

blamed al-Qaeda for the bomb attack. This is the second such incident

in Damascus in the past two weeks. On December 23, at least 44 people were killed in two bombing attacks outside Syrian intelligence buildings. The bodies of the martyrs who fell during the terrorist attack which took place on Friday in al-Midan neighborhood in Damascus were escorted to their nal resting places in a solemn mass popular and ofcial procession. After holding prayers for the martyrs at al-Hasan Mosque, ofcial ceremonies were held for the martyrs whose bodies were wrapped in Syrian ags and carried on shoulders among the chants of citizens who gathered

to participate in the procession. The gathering citizens denounced the heinous crimes committed by armed terrorist groups and afrmed the Syrian peoples adherence to national unity and determination to remains steadfast to foil the conspiracy targeting Syria. Mean while Hezbollah says Syria attack part of U.S. plan Hezbollah described Fridays suicide bombing in Damascus as part of a larger U.S. plan to destabilize the country, while Lebanons foreign minister said the explosion was the beginning of further terrorist operations beyond Syrias borders.

Backside ID the way of the future - now bums can be identied

Iran thanks US for naval rescue operation

13 Iranians redeemed in Arabian Sea

Scanner identies persons ID through their bottom Looks at how you sit and has 98 per cent accuracy Uses pressure sensors placed in car seat THE car of the future may be a rear-end drive. Japanese scientists have come up with a biometric scanner that can identify an individuals bum, report. The scanner - usually used to identify unique, unchangeable markers such as ngerprints or eye patterns - measures 360 pressure points to build a 3D prole of how a person sits and it can identify who is sitting in it. The discovery could also do away with car keys and researchers say it could even be used in ofces instead of computer passwords. The scientists, from Tokyos Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology, said the system had proven to be 98 per cent accurate. It is a simple matter of tting pressure sensors inside a normal car seat - and it could be in production cars as early as 2014.

For the U.S. Navy, it was a publicrelations jackpot: An aircraft carrier group cruising the seas in the Middle East this week stumbled upon an Iranian shing vessel in distress, hijacked by pirates. The U.S. Navy has rescued 13 Iranian seaman being held captive by pirates in the Gulf of Oman. In a move that should relieve tensions between the nations temporarily at least the Americans successfully

responded to a distress call from a merchant ship. A Navy helicopter from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis tracked the Somalian pirates to an Iranian-agged dhow that had earlier been hijacked. Iran on Saturday applauded the US rescue of 13 Iranians held hostage for weeks by pirates in the Arabian Sea, calling it a humanitarian and positive act. The rescue operation took place on Thursday by

the same US aircraft carrier group that Iran warned not to return to the Gulf. Speaking with Irans Arabic-language broadcaster Al-Alam, Irans Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that we consider the actions of the US forces in saving the lives of Iranian seamen to be a humanitarian and positive act and we welcome such behavior. We think all nations should display such behavior, He said.

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Saarc international I Thursday 12 January 2012

Ties with Israel can bring India-Pakistan closer -Pervez Musharrafs new game
Former President Pervaiz Musharraf has expressed his support for the betterment of ties between Pakistan and Israel, in a recent interview to an Israeli newspaper. Talking to Haaretz, Musharraf said that Israel is a reality and a positive relationship with it can prove to be helpful for Pakistan. He said: Pakistan also needs to keep readjusting its diplomatic stand toward Israel based on the mere fact that it exists and is not going away. Seeking closer ties with Israel, former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf said the Jewish state is a fait accompli, relations with it can help Islamabad come closer to the strong Jewish lobby in the US and in its conict against India. Mr. Musharraf, who is planning to return to Pakistan on January 25 or 27, in his rst interview to an Israeli daily Haaretz said getting closer to Israel would be in the interest of his country as Israel has always been pro-India against Pakistan. Popular sentiment He said defying popular sentiment in Pakistan, he shook hand with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the UN, spoke to the American Jewish Congress as the Head of the State and sent his foreign minister Khurshid Mahmoud Kasuri to meet the then Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom in Istanbul. I felt I needed to test the waters in Pakistan when it comes to Israel. Yes. We have been anti-Israel in Pakistan because of Palestine, because the Pakistani people are on the side of the Palestinians and concerned for their plight. Right from the beginning, from when we got our independence in 1947 and Israel came into reality a year later, we have been pro-Palestine, said Mr. Musharraf. But I believe in realism and in assessing ground realities. I think its necessary to understand the changing environment, analyse it -- and respond. A lot has happened since 48, and one has to adjust. Policies are made, yes, but when the environment changes, policies should change. Policies should not remain constant, he said justifying his gestures towards the Jewish state. On Palestine cause The General feels that his country can continue to support the Palestinian cause but should not err in grasping changed global scenario. Israel is a fait accompli. A lot of the Muslim world has understood that and I know many Muslim countries have relations with Israel, whether above board or covertly. So this is the change in reality I am talking about, Mr. Musharraf said. Pakistan has to keep demanding the resolution of the Palestinian dispute... [but] Pakistan also needs to keep readjusting its diplomatic stand toward Israel based on the mere fact that it exists and is not going away, he asserted. Mr. Musharraf said defying the popular sentiment in Pakistan he stood by his actions of shaking hand with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the UN, speaking to the American Jewish Congress as the Head of the State and sending his foreign minister Khurshid Mahmoud Kasuri to meet the then Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom in Istanbul. Positive responses In his interview, he said, the public gave a positive response to his initiatives completely forgetting the widespread furore it caused in Pakistan with the secular parties accusing him of playing up to the Americans and the religious parties threatening street protests to oust the government if it took even a small step toward the recognition of Israel. His government had to immediately backtrack with both Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali orients itself with Israel -- on the Palestinian issue, but also on any issue in the Arab world, he responded. For example, in the US, if a Presidential candidate utters a word against Israel or the Jews, all Jews gravitate against him. So candidates have to be pro-Israel. This is all seen by the Muslim world and then there is a reaction against it. This is harmful, and dangerous, evoking and conrming the clash of civilisations, Mr. Musharraf stressed. On U.S. Jewish lobby The former Pakistan president came hard on the exaggerated inuence enjoyed by the US Jewish lobby but also gave a confused response citing it as one of the reasons for seeking close ties with Israel. The lobby is exactly what is disliked in the Muslim world. Why is the US like that? Now, for example, when there was a move in the UN to recognise Palestine, the whole world is on one side, and the US on the other. These are the things that are seen in the Muslim world as totally partisan and biased in favor of Israel and Jews because of Jewish inuence, the US is totally pro-Israel, he pointed. They dont see realities and they are unfair to the point of violating justice. On one side they believe in democracy, say, but then Hamas wins and they change their position. What kind of a dual policy is this? I think the US needs to look inward and I would say the Jewish community in the US needs to look inward as well, he argued. Political turmoil in Muslim world Mr. Musharraf feels that the wave of political turmoil in the Muslim world owes its origin to this partisan attitude. is nothing to lose by trying to get on Israels good side, Mr. Musharraf told the Israeli daily. On the India factor However the former Pakistani military ruler was on a more condent footing when describing another reason why it might be in Pakistans interest to get closer to Israel -- the India factor. The issue of India is another sensitivity in Pakistan. Israel has always been pro-India against Pakistan, he said. Acknowledging that this could be in part because Israel and Pakistan do not have diplomatic relations, he still feels the opposition is a little far fetched. Well, yes. Thats right. But that does not mean you should be actively anti-Pakistan, supporting India on important issues such as the Kashmir dispute, advising them, and cooperating on intelligence, which is a very big deal, Mr. Musharraf noted. Pakistan adjusting its stance toward Israel has the advantage of possibly breaking those anti-Pakistan activities, he said. The former General explains his independent thinking in assessing the pros and cons of a situation, such as relations with Israel, to his military training, and surprisingly also lack of readings. I suppose from my military training. I was always an analytical and independent thinker, but it really was magnied by that training. And then, I dont read that much. Some people read and acquire things from the books and statements of others -- but I generate my own ideas as opposed to borrowing them. I believe in my own theories, he said. Mr. Musharraf in his interview also eulogises comatose former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for his contributions on the battleeld for Israel, admitting that he is a fan of the former Israeli General. I know how he (Sharon) contributed toward the victories of the Israelis. In every war it was his contribution that counted. Every time this man contributed. He is a great military leader ...My admiration comes from a place of realistic assessment of his military exploits, which were very impressive. I think he was a great military commander and I appreciate that, he told the Israeli daily. Asked about his offer to mediate solve the IsraeliPalestinian conict Mr. Musharraf argued that it was at the root many of todays bigger problems. On terrorism and extremism Look at terrorism and extremism, 9/11, al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas -- all these are products of the unsettled Palestinian dispute. Because of the misery these Palestinians are suffering, which is seen all over the world on TV, there is a reaction, he argued. If you go back to the history of the Muslim world, you see that for centuries we were colonised all of us except Turkey. When we gained independence after the Second World War, we were illiterate, backward and poor, almost all of us, and the Palestinian issue arose as a focal point. This aroused sympathetic feelings in the whole Muslim world and affected the collective mind of the Muslims, he further added. And, with the root of so many problems in the Palestinian problem, I was thinking, how is it that we have not solved the dispute and it is causing so much trouble to the whole world, especially to the Muslim world, and it has come to our region now, to Afghanistan, with al-Qaeda and all this, Mr. Musharraf said explaining his offer to mediate in the conict.

and Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed reiterating Pakistans traditional policy toward Israel, and the Foreign Ofce jumping in and joining the chorus. Mr. Musharraf however insists that there was no negative fallout, though admitting that it was a risk. There is always a risk in any new initiative. You can never be sure [what the reaction will be]. But a leader who is not prepared to take risks is not a leader. I believe that leaders should generally ow with public opinion. But there are times and issues where the public opinion goes astray, or is anchored in wrong premises -- and to change that is the leaders job, he stressed. On Israel and Pakistan Pointing towards a commonality between Israel and Pakistan, Mr. Musharraf said that they both

owe their origin in religion. Pakistan, like Israel, is an ideological state. That is the foundation of our creation. We are an Islamic republic, he said. Mr., Musharraf, explaining the strong reactions in his country towards various actions that are perceived anti-Islamic, said this goes toward explaining why Pakistani Muslims are much more sensitive about Islam than most other Muslim countries. We are extremely sensitive about desecration of the Koran. So we are wholly sensitive to the Palestinian plight and any new initiative regarding Israel has to be proposed very delicately. Asked about the recent furore caused by the statement of US ambassador to Belgium, who hinted that Israels political positions may explain anti-Semitism in Muslim countries, Mr. Musharraf in carefully chosen words said that it may be correct. It may be correct, especially when the Jewish community anywhere in the world immediately

We feel on the defensive. And this has led to guerrilla warfare and terrorism, which we see as a force equaliser...You are alienating the Muslim community as a whole and that is why extremism and Islamic political parties are gaining strength, he said, pointing at the changes in the Arab world today, and the ground being gained by religious political parties in countries like Egypt or Tunisia. When asked what Pakistan has to gain by getting closer to Israel, the very thing that most irks Mr. Musharraf, the perceived Jewish inuence in the US and elsewhere was what he pointed out as a potential prize. What do we stand to gain? First of all, there is an unnecessary opposition by Israel to Pakistan in all international forums, he said. And the world media is part of this, yes. Israel has clout in the media. I would say the Jewish community has clout in the media, in the US and elsewhere. Which leads to unnecessary opposition to us. Israel is a country which has certain clout. Especially with the US backing it. In any case, there

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2012: Pakistan election year?

t seems that 2012 will be an election year, or at least that is what the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government is hinting at. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has hinted snap parliamentary polls and said he is ready to discuss the issue with the opposition leader Nawaz Sharif. I am ready to hold talks with Nawaz Sharif on all issues, including early elections, President Zardari said in an interview with private Geo television to be aired on Saturday night. Parliamentary elections are due in 2013 but a minister was quoted by local media on Friday as saying that polls could be held in October this year. Reports also suggested that President Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani have sought consent of allies in the ruling coalition to hold early polls. The PPPs core committee met with President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani on Thursday and decided to mobilise people and hold rallies and public meetings throughout the country. According to reports, the PPP has decided to hold the Senate elections in mid-February. Under the constitution we can hold Senate elections any time within one month before March 11, said Leader of the House in Senate Nayyar Hussain Bokhari. Whether the Senate elections are held in February or March, the results would not be any different and the PPP and the PML-N will be the two main parties to gain from the Senate polls. Once the Senate elections are out of the way, the PPP can decide to hold the general elections early, most likely in October this year. A neutral caretaker setup will then be announced.

The Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have already

having second thoughts about its plan. There are a number of reasons for this, most notably that the PML-N tried

movement. Another reason could be that though there are some issues like rising ination, gas and electricity load

been making noises about an early election. The PML-N even threatened to start an agitation but maybe it is

to test the waters by holding rallies but it was not able to get the desired numbers for starting an agitation

shedding, petroleum prices, etc, on which it could get people out on the streets, the results of such anarchy

could result in the destabilisation of the system and would inadvertently help the forces waiting in the wings. In order to allow the democratic process to continue without destabilising the government, the best option appears to be to have an early election. Since this is a demand from all quarters, the PPP government is now considering this option, as is its prerogative in any case. In a way, this could also help the PPP. The incumbency factor goes against all sitting governments, especially in Pakistan, but despite the rise of Imran Khan and his PTI, political judgement leads many to believe that the results would not be very different (give or take a few seats) from that of the previous election. Those who are waiting for some sort of change might be in for disappointment. Despite the fact that the PPP-led coalition government has been criticised for misgovernance and not performing as well as it could have, the results of the next general elections would not be phenomenally different if we keep the arithmetic of parliamentary politics in mind. Besides, the next elections were to be held in early 2013 in any case, so six months would not make much of a difference to the mainstream political parties. The PTI will gain seats in Punjab probably at the expense of the PML-N and some seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but the only party with a presence in all provinces of Pakistan is the PPP. Who forms the next government, only time will tell but there will probably be a hung parliament again with the PPP getting the most seats in the general elections.

Memogate: Commission excuses Haqqani from future hearings

The judicial commission probing the Memogate scandal excused Former Ambassador to US Husain Haqqani from future hearings on Monday and said that he will be called when required, reported Express News. During the proceedings, Haqqani told the commission that he had been efcient in representing Pakistan as an ambassador to the US, and has nothing to do with the alleged memo. I had no role in creating, drafting and/or delivering the memorandum to the (US) Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen, Haqqani said. I have no knowledge of the origin, authenticity or purpose of the said memo, he added The former ambassador to US further said that he was falsely accused in the media and (by) Mansoor Ijaz of being the Faiz Isa asked Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq if he is willing to submit an afdavit saying that no case will be registered against Ijaz, the Pakistani American businessman at the centre of the scandal. The attorney general said that no case was registered against Ijaz in Pakistan, hence no investigation can be initiated against him. Ijazs counsel Akram Sheikh also said that no case can be registered against his client in Pakistan as he is not a Pakistani national. He added that Ijaz can come to Pakistan on January 16 to appear before the court. The commission ordered the attorney general to issue Ijazs visa as soon as possible.

person that communicated the contents of the memo. Haqqanis lawyer Zahid Bukhari also refused to submit Haqqanis BlackBerry data to the judicial commission saying that it was the responsibility of the government to provide the commission

with the data. Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and Haqqani also appeared before the commission to record their statements. Haqqani also led an application in the Supreme Court against the courts decision to form a judicial commission to probe the Memogate.

In the application led through his counsel, Haqqani stated that the courts decision to constitute a commission was against the Article 9 and 15 of the Constitution. He added that the Supreme Court cannot order the High Court judges to form a commission and that it has transgressed it jurisdiction in the matter. The commissions chairman Justice Qazi

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Saarc international I Thursday 12 January 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF PAKISTAN NEWS

Gilani says Seraiki province to emerge soon

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said here on Sunday that his government was determined to set up a new province in the Seraiki belt. People are seeking their rights and it is my promise to them that a Seraiki province will soon emerge and the people of the area will soon get their own province and the assembly, the prime minister said while addressing a public meeting at Khanpur Maral. He said that although some people in the opposition termed the issue of Seraiki province an election stunt of the PPP, but, he added, his party was sincere in its promise to set up new province. They (opposition) should suggest ways which should be used for creation of the Seraiki province. They should say whether they want the new province to be created through the ballot or through a protest movement. He asked the opposition to tell the people what course should be taken. Referring to severe power and gas shortages which have triggered riots and disturbances across the country, the prime minister strengthened provinces by giving them autonomy, adding that the PPP was a federal party with roots in the entire country. Two things are necessary for security of the country; one of them is the Constitution and the other is a federal political party, he said, adding that attempts to weaken the federal political party would weaken the country. He said the government was committed to solving all problems of the country to accomplish the mission of assassinated PPP leaders.

claimed that his government would resolve the crisis within a few months. Mr Gilani said the government had

New provinces: 20th Amendment is China and Pakistan pledge foundation of change, says Sattar military ties to a new level
MULTAN: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) senior leader and Deputy Convener Raabta Committee Farooq Sattar said on Sunday that the approval of the 20th amendment from the parliament will be a gift of change to the middle class society, poor people and struggling classes of Pakistan. The 20th amendment is the foundation of change in Pakistan, said Sattar. He was talking to the media in a weekly program called Meet the Press at the Multan press club. Sattar said that MQM took pride in the fact that they were the leaders of change in Pakistan and had presented the 20th amendment in parliament for discussion. We have placed the demand for the formation of a new province Southern Punjab as a top priority in the amendment for the people. If hindrances will be created in the way, then there will be protests and agitations not only in Southern Punjab must be aware of the grievances of the people of southern Punjab. I cannot guarantee the solidarity of Pakistan if hurdles will be created for the 20th amendment. Today our country is standing on the verge of dismemberment. Balochistan has today converted into East Pakistan and people of hazara already have many reservations over deprivation of their rights. Our basic challenge is to save Pakistan by maintaining its solidarity. Speaking on the creation of South Punjab, Sattar further said that the population of Punjab was greater than 160 countries of the world. We are struggling for southern Punjab to give it freedom from the kings sitting in Lahore otherwise it will never be given its due right. We are not in favor of an administrative unit but support the demand of the people of the southern Punjab which is a new province with all constitutional rights.

but all over Pakistan by the MQM, he added. Sattar said that MQM was the voice of the people of Pakistan and it was the partys duty to stand alongside with them in their demands and that they would face all challenges with the people. He added that the 20th amendment would usher a new Pakistan, if politics of hypocrisy and political reconciliation did not come in its way. The powers trying to block the resolution of a new province in Punjab

China and Pakistan on Thursday pledged to strengthen their military ties and step up defense cooperation to a new level during a meeting between Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and top Chinese military ofcials in Beijing. China and Pakistan pledged to strengthen military ties and bring existing cooperation to a new level, Xinhua news agency reported after General Kayanis meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Gen Liang Guanglie. China values its traditional friendship with Pakistan, Liang said, adding that Beijing hopes to develop pragmatic and

effective cooperation with Pakistan in national defense arena. He said bilateral all-weather friendship held between China and Pakistan is a strategic choice and is in accordance with fundamental interests of both nations. China hopes to safeguard regional peace and stability with Pakistan and contribute to the security and development of two countries, he added. General Kayani said Pakistan attaches great importance to its relationship with China, adding that both countries have extensive common interests in both international and regional affairs, Xinhua said.

Nawaz calls for ending operation in Balochistan

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has demanded an immediate end to military operations in Balochistan and said that an all parties conference will be convened soon in Islamabad to discuss the situation in the province. And to nd ways of resolving the crisis the seed of which had been sown by the regime of Pervez Musharraf. Speaking at a function organised by the National Party here on Friday, he touched on various subjects concerning the province enforced disappearances, Baloch leaders role in national politics, use of force in tackling political problems, economy, etc. Peace cannot be secured in Balochistan until the longstanding issues facing the province are resolved, he said. He called for evolving a joint strategy for bringing the people of Balochistan back be given a chance to play their role in national politics. He suggested that Gwadar port should be declared a free port a status he believed would help boost trade and economic activities in the region. As the third port of the country, Gwadar port has the potential and capability to compete with other ports in the region and it can be of great nancial benets not only to Balochistan but to the entire country. Mr Sharif accused the PPP government of having failed to implement the agenda it had announced for Balochistan after coming to power. He also criticised military operations being carried out in Balochistan and said these must be stopped forthwith and issues should be resolved through negotiations. Expressing concern over disappearance of political workers and other people, he said every effort should be made to trace them and incidents of target killing in the province must come to an end. Why is the government not taking steps against the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti when there is no martial law in the country? he asked. About the Kharotabad incident, in which ve foreigners were killed, Mr Sharif said no proper action was taken against the ofcials involved. PPI adds: Talking to journalists after a meeting with Jamhoori Watan Party leader Talal Bugti, son of Akbar Bugti, Mr Sharif said people of the province were not satised with the Balochistan package announced by the government.

to the mainstream. Mr Sharif said that instead of launching operations against them we must address grievances and problems of the people of Balochistan because it is the need of the hour. National Party president Senator Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, Mir Hasil Khan

Bizenjo, former senator Tahir Bizenjo, PML-N secretary general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Ahsan Iqbal, Sardar Sanaullah Zehri and Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch attended the function. The PML-N leader said the genuine leaders of Balochistan deserved to

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF MALDIVE NEWS

Govt agrees to ADC deduction from fee: GMR

The government has agreed to deduct the US$25 Airport Development Charge and Insurance Charge from the concession fee to be paid to the government, Indias GMR said yesterday. The Bangalore-based companys CFO Siddarth Kapur told Indias The Economic Times that the approval was given after a discussion between the Finance Ministry and Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL). The newspaper reported that the concession agreement between GMR and the government allowed the company to charge US$25 per passenger as ADC and a US$2 insurance charge from international departing passengers. Kapur said the revenue from collecting the charges would be utilised for the development of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport. GMR announced last week that the company would deduct the income it expects to receive by collecting the development charge from the to be received by collecting the charge was included in the concession fee proposed, the company added. The government leased the airport to GMR for 25 years on June 29, 2010. The Indian company formed a joint venture with Malaysia Airports Holdings and registered GMR Male International Airport Private Limited, which took over the running of the airport on November 25, 2010. The GMR-MAH consortium proposed to pay US$78 million (almost Rf1 billion) upfront, one percent of the total prot in the rst year (until 2014) and 10 percent of the prot from 2015 to 2035. It also agreed to pay 15 percent of fuel trade revenues in the rst four years and 27 percent from 2015 to 2035. The government earlier revealed that GMRMAHB would invest US$400 million for building, modernising, and expanding the airport.

concession fee to be paid to the government. GMR informed its decision to MACL following the Civil Court ruling that quashed the charging of the US$25 charge from international passengers departing from the airport commencing this January.

MACL Managing Director Mohamed Ibrahim conrmed that the government had agreed with GMRs decision. GMR earlier revealed that the development charge would contribute about US$25 million per annum commencing January. The income

Govt incapable of fullling Civil court concluded hearings for the case reclamation project in Thilafushi protestors demands
Deputy President Abdulla Mohamed said the governments order to close down the spas in the resorts proved that it did not understand the demands. The government should take the responsibility of the losses faced by resorts due to its order, he added. Well not wait and see what the government does. Well [make the government] full those demands the way the people want, he said. Five demands were put forward at the mass demonstration organised by the civil society coalition and opposition parties on December 23. The demands include removing the SAARC monuments in Addu, condemning UN human rights chief Navi Pillays comments about Islamic Sharia, not allowing Israeli airlines to operate ights, closing down the brothels in Male and a reversed decision on declaring areas of inhabited islands uninhabited in order to permit alcohol sales. The religious protestors asked the government Civil court today concluded hearings for the case against the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) by the Thilafushi Corporation Limited (TCL) for ordering to stop the land reclamation project in Thilafushi. The project was awarded to Heavy Load Maldives owned by the ruling Maldivian Democratic Partys (MDP) parliamentary group member and Hulhu-henveiru MP Moosa Reeko Manik. TCLs lawyer Mazlan Rasheed said that ACC ordered TCL to stop the project without carrying out any investigations.

Mazlan also said that the ACC did not issue a formal report as required by law and exceeded the authority given to independent organizations by the law. ACCs Lawyer and former Attorney General Aishath Azima Shakoor said that TCL had disobeyed the order by continuing the project. She also said that the order was issued after the ACC found TCL in 10 separate violations of the law in awarding the project. The ACC was within its rights in issuing the order as afforded by the law, Azima said.

to full their demands before today and vowed to hold another protest if the government fails to act. The Presidents Press Secretary, however, said the government does not have any more actions to take in response to the demands and that actions were taken in the most responsive manner.

Duty cut guaranteed commodity price drop

The governments decision to waive import duty from necessities have already guaranteed price drop in commodities, President Mohamed Nasheed said yesterday. Speaking in his weekly radio address, the President said the new year is emerging as a potentially promising year for the entire population of the country. The President said the central aim of the universal health insurance scheme Aasandha was not only improving the nation-wide affordability of healthcare to the general population but also enhancing the quality of service offered. Discussing key components of the health insurance scheme, President Nasheed said the cumulative benet of the scheme would augment the nations Gross Domestic Product (GDP) along with easing the nancial burden of the average Maldivian family and allowing the interaction of a host of positive socio-economic changes

to culminate in higher standards of living. The President stressed that the whole nation would reap the harvest of decisive progress being made towards economic transformation this year. The governments decision to introduce a Duty Free Year would create nancial stability and guarantee the permanence and continuity of a strong, viable institution that is adequately equipped to serve the nation and its economy, he added.

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Saarc international I Thursday 12 January 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF NEPAL NEWS

Parties press for ending peace process

A meeting of 15 parties, including Nepali Congress & CPN-UML, today urged PM Baburam Bhattarai and Maoist leadership to conclude the peace process at the earliest as per the November 1 seven-point agreement and the six-point pact reached on Nov. 29. The ruling Unied CPN-Maoist and United Democratic Madhesi Front, a loose alliance of the ve Madhes-based parties, however, did not attend the meeting called by NC and UML. The meeting concluded that the remaining tasks of the peace process seeing off the combatants opting for voluntary retirement, beginning the integration of the combatants willing to join the Nepali Army and handing over others wishing for rehabilitation to the Peace Ministry must be concluded in line with the November 1 and November 29 agreements, which had agreed that all those tasks would be concluded by mid-December. Although the regrouping of the combatants has been completed, the process of seeing off the combatants opting for voluntary retirement and integration has yet to start, UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal said after the 15-party meeting. Khanal said the constitution-drafting process would not move forward without completing the peace process. NC parliamentary party leader Ramchandra Paudel said the system, came to a standstill after the Maoist leaders handed over a memorandum to the PM on issues of the peace process a few days ago. The memorandum demanded that (a) it must be guaranteed that the new constitution would be adopted on time, (b) an agreement must be reached on rank harmonisation of the Maoist combatants joining the Nepali Army, (c) a thirdparty involvement is a must to monitor the bridging course to be imparted to the combatants and personnel of the Nepali Army and (d) the combatants opting for voluntary retirement must get agreed cash at once, not in two installments, which was agreed on November 1 agreement.

meeting had endorsed what the NC and UML had decided on Saturday. He said they would hold another round of talks with other parties, including the ruling ones,

tomorrow. NC and UML leaders said the constitution-drafting process, which had been focusing on the forms of governance and election

11 Japanese volunteers come to Nepal for 2 years

work on vegetable growing, soil and fertiliser, public health and computer technology in Bhaktapur, Kaski and Kathmandu, the SV will work in Central Citrus (Junar) Cooperative Union Ltd under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative, JICA said in a statement. Each year the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) dispatches Japanese volunteers eager to utilise their skills and experience acquired in Japan to developing countries. Currently, JICA has a total of 91 volunteers working in Nepal in the areas of education, environment, health, vocational training, engineering, sports, rural development, and agriculture and women empowerment.

Police nab 7 Chinese with $97,000 in purse

The huge amount of dollar was conscated from the arrestees after the police searched them in suspicion, informed Chhatra Basnet, Inspector at the Metropolitan Police Range, Jagati. The police on Saturday arrested seven Chinese nationals with a sum of $97,000 from Jagati of Bhaktapur. They were heading to Khasa by using three vehicles( Ba 8 Cha 6426, Ba 7 Cha 5434 and Ba 7 Cha 9176) concealing the amount in various parts of their bodies. The police has also impounded the vehicles.

KATHMANDU: Eleven Japanese volunteers have arrived here in the Capital on Tuesday to work at different parts of the country. The Kathmandu-based ofce of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) informed that the new batch of volunteers 10 Japanese Overseas

Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) and one Senior Volunteer (SV) will spend two years in Nepal. Four JOCVs will work on community development in Syangja, Parbat, Baglung and Tanahun, and two on early child education in Lalitpur and Tanahun. Similarly one each JOCV will

New constitution by May 28-deadline, says PM

Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai Friday reiterated the new constitution would be promulgated by the present deadline of the Constituent Assembly (CA), May 28. Inaugurating the 13th convention of Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Gorkha district, the Prime Minister said, The government is going all out for completing the peace process and delivering a new constitution by the deadline of the CA. On army integration issue, he said that those PLA combatants opting for voluntary retirement would be seen off within a few days. There is no need to cast doubt in this regard. Except for some differences over state restructuring and forms of governance, consensus has been made on almost all disputed issues related to the new constitution, Prime Minister Dr Bhattarai said. The Prime Minister claimed that CPN-UML had tentatively agreed to the presidential system as proposed by UCPNMaoist and observed that Nepali Congress was sticking

to its old stand. UCPN-Maoist has been advocating for an executive president directly elected by the people. Nepali Congress has been creating hurdles to expedite the constitution writing process as it has been clinging to parliamentary system and even refusing to accept a mixed system, Prime Minister Dr Bhattarai remarked.

Saarc international I Thursday 12 January 2012

SAARC

23

WEEKLY REVIEW OF SRILANKA NEWS

Tamil parties must strengthen Presidents hands

President Mahinda Rajapaksa with his magnanimous leadership successfully eliminated LTTE terrorism and liberated the people who suffered atrocities of the LTTE for several decades, Douglas Devananda said. A Parliamentary Select Committee is the only way to a permanent political solution to the ethnic issue. All Tamil parties, including the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) must strengthen President Mahinda Rajapaksas hands to nd a durable solution to the ethnic issue, said Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Minister Douglas Devananda. President Mahinda Rajapaksa with his magnanimous leadership successfully eliminated LTTE terrorism and liberated the people who suffered atrocities of the LTTE for several decades, he said. Thereafter, the President has turned his attention to solve the countrys burning ethnic issue by consulting all sections of the people to nd a permanent durable solution and to bring peace, harmony and co-existence among all Sri Lankans. The only way to nd a permanent political solution to the ethnic issue President is keen to bring about a permanent durable political solution to the ethnic issue, after eliminating terrorism from the country. Therefore, the President is taking the initiative to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee with comprehensive representation of all sections of the people. This is the only opportunity for all Tamil political parties, including the TNA, to participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee and submit their proposals and argue their case. Devananda said that the TNA is not the only representative of the Tamil people.

is through a Parliamentary Select Committee. Therefore, the time has come for all Tamil political parties, including the TNA to strengthen

the hands of our President to nd a durable solution to the ethnic issue, Devananda who is the EPDP also secretary general said: The

A swift take-off of the massive housing project that New Delhi is funding for Sri Lankan Tamils will top External Affairs Minister SM Krishnas agenda during his scheduled four-day visit to the island nation from January 16. Despite India being swift in post-war reconstruction of war ravaged Sri Lanka, the project has had been in a limbo due to delays in procedural clearances from both sides. Sources told The Pioneer that Krishna is likely to sign an MoU on housing which would include a go ahead for 49,000 housing units for internally displaced persons (IDPs) at a cost of Rs 1319 crore, approved by the Cabinet recently. The project will benet an identical number of war ravaged internally displaced persons and Indian Origin Tamils in

Krishnas 4-day Sri Lanka visit will start on Jan 16

President orders to provide all facilities to people

Sri Lanka. Krishna will also hand over 1,000 houses, constructed as a pilot project, to displaced Lankan Tamils These houses have been constructed for the vulnerable sections of the IDPs like physically handicapped, single

women households, widows. The Cabinet had in December last year approved the reconstruction and repair of 49,000 houses for IDPs in Northern and Eastern Provinces in Sri Lanka under grant assistance from the Government. With the shift from relief and rehabilitation to reconstruction and development, India turned its attention to the housing requirements of the IDPs. During the visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to India from 8-11 June 2010, an announcement was made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that India would support a programme to reconstruct 50,000 houses in Sri Lanka. The commitment for 49000 houses forms a part of the overall commitment announced by the Singh.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa presided over a progress review meeting of construction work relating to the 2012 Deyata Kirula Development Exhibition at Temple Trees yesterday. At this meeting the members of the Deyata Kirula Organising Committee briefed the President about the progress of permanent building construction work at the exhibition grounds as well as the progress of other development work completed in the highways, irrigation, drinking water supply, housing development, electricity

supply and telecommunication sectors and the progress in school development work undertaken to coincide with the exhibition, said a press release by the Presidents Media Division. The release added that the President directed ofcials to provide all facilities to people in the region through the development work undertaken in Anuradhapura district concurrent to the exhibition and to take steps to develop selected places of worship in difcult areas in the district.

n a bid to promote closer connectivity between the people of the North and South, the government is to expedite the reconstruction of the Northern railway track, devastated by terrorists, with nancial assistance from India. The Indian government has agreed to provide a US $ 382.37 million credit line to Sri Lanka with concessionary rates for the restoration of the 56 km Northern railway track from Palai to Kankesanthurai. The restoration project includes the installation of signal and telecommunication systems. The Cabinet of Ministers on Thursday approved the memorandum by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Minister of Finance to obtain the credit facility from India for the restoration of railway track. The government is to enter into

US $ 382 m from India for rail revival

I

British Tamil hotelier shot in Trincomalee

A British Tamil business man, Kandiah Rajagopal, who owned a hotel in Trincomalee, was shot and injured off Vihara Road, near a Sri Lankan army base, on Tuesday. The shooting, having occurred despite the overbearing military presence in the North-East, is the latest in a string of attacks on foreign nationals. The shooting of Rajagopal, a hotelier, comes as several other hotel owners, including foreign investers, have accused the government of arbitarily demolishing hotels in the Unawatuna region, reported the British newspaper, The Telegraph - Sri Lankan government accused over bulldozed hotels. According to the newspaper, hotel owners and human rights groups have alleged that the targetting of these privately owned, smaller hotels, was a ploy to push tourists towards larger resorts.

an agreement with the Export and Import Bank of India to obtain the credit facility shortly. The government of India initially agreed to fund US $ 149.3 million to connect North of the country, for the rst time in decades from Palai to Kankesanthurai and an agreement in this regard was reached on November 20. US $ 86.52 million will be utilized for the setting up of signalling and telecommunication systems and US

$ 146.51 million is to be utilized for other contracts that may be mutually agreed upon by two governments. This project is to be completed by 2013. Meanwhile, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to grant passports free-of-charge to Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu who wish to return to the country. Over 90,000 Sri Lankans who ed the country during the height of war, are staying in refugee centres

in Tamil Nadu and those wishing to return to the country would be issued passports free-of-charge from the Sri Lankan High Commission in Chennai. The proposal in this regard was submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the weekly Cabinet meeting. Each Sri Lankan will have to pay Indian Rs 4,400 to obtain a passport if this facility was not provided by the government.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Saarc international I Thursday 12 January 2012

India has become growth driver of world economy: Pranab

Food Security, said Mukherjee. The nance minister also proposed creation of Rs 500 crore Womens Self Help Fund for empowering women and facilitating their inclusion in the economic growth. Though he complimented the role played by the overseas Indians in the growth of the country, he said India still hasnt tapped the full potential of the diaspora. What was considered a brain drain in the 70s has turned out to be brain gain. The successful diaspora brought in best practices to India, boosted the countrys image and gave it an edge on the global stage, said Mukherjee. However, citing the example of China, wherein Chinese diaspora has been a signicant contributor to FDI in China, he urged the Indian diaspora for greater participation. Reforms are key to maintain the high growth trajectory of the economy, but he said big bang reforms would be difcult to achieve the objective without consensus. On the state of economy, he said 2011 has been a difcult year for the entire world and India cannot completely insulate itself from the negative ripple effects.

The high economic expansion of the country has given the means to bridge chronic deciencies and an opportunity to share the benets among all sections of the society, said nance minister Pranab Mukherjee while addressing the Pravasi Bha After two decades of economic liberalization, the country has not only become a growth driver of the world economy, but also helped the government to roll out programmes like NREGA which is making a difference to lives of common people in rural India. Empowerment through inclusive

growth has been given legal entitlements such as Right to

Information & Right to Education. There is also a proposal for Right To

Dhaka, Delhi can turn Global economy would collapse in 7 days S Asia into a business hub if a major disaster struck the planet
India keen to award Bangladesh most preferred nation status for border trade
India is keen on awarding Bangladesh the status of the most preferred nation for trade across the border and will work to ensure capital ows to the country for business, a senior Indian minister said yesterday. nation status for trade across the border, (so that) trade between the countries takes place almost tarifffree. We should reach out to Bangladesh, the minister said. He also lauded the role of Bangladesh prime minister in developing the bilateral relations. I want to pay tribute to the vision and statesmanship of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. India and Bangladesh are today closer than ever before. We are perhaps today as close as the day on which Bangladesh was liberated, Chidambaram said. India entered into a number of agreements with Bangladesh, especially on territory, enclaves and adverse possession of areas which are now accessible due to the cooperation of the chief ministers of northeastern states, particularly Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and West Bengal. They have made it possible to settle the long-standing disputes. There are still one or two outstanding issues but I am condent that we will settle those too in 2012, he afrmed. The global economy could withstand widespread disruption from a natural disaster or attack by militants for only a week as governments and businesses are not sufciently prepared to deal with unexpected events, a report by a respected think-tank said. Events such as the 2010 volcanic ash cloud, which grounded ights in Europe, Japans earthquake and tsunami and Thailands oods last year, have showed that key sectors and businesses can be severely affected if disruption to production or transport goes on for more than a week. One week seems to be the maximum tolerance of the justin-time global economy, said the report by Chatham House, the London-based policy institute for international affairs. The current fragile state of the worlds economy leaves it particularly vulnerable to unforeseen shocks. Up to 30 percent of developed countries gross domestic product could be directly threatened by crises, especially in the manufacturing and tourism sectors, according to the think-tank. It is estimated that the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Asia cost businesses $60 billion, or

Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said India and Bangladesh can join hands in making this part of the world a hub of business activities when bilateral relation between the countries is in the best shape. He said it is the duty of New Delhi to give access to goods and services from Dhaka since Indias economy is many times bigger than the other. It is Indias responsibility to ensure that capital ows from India to Bangladesh to start businesses. Addressing the Northeastern States Business Summit here yesterday, Chidambaram said Bangladesh is blessed with natural resources, especially natural gas while India with entrepreneurs and capital. Joining the hands together, so much business can be created on both sides of the border. I think it is important that the businessmen look upon Bangladesh and India as one market -- a market where goods and services can be produced, traded and exchanged. Therefore, we are very keen to gift Bangladesh the most preferred

about 2 percent of East Asian GDP, the report said. After the Japanese tsunami and nuclear crisis in March last year, global industrial production declined by 1.1 percent the following month, according to the World Bank. The 2010 volcanic ash cloud cost the European Union 5-10 billion euros and pushed some airlines and travel companies to the verge of bankruptcy. I would like to think we can learn from those experiences and be more resilient for longer but it wont happen unless governments and businesses are better prepared and put in place different supply chains which can be relied on when disasters

strike, said Alyson Warhurst, chief executive of UK-based risk analysis company Maplecroft. Costs can escalate quickly when transport or major production hubs are disrupted for more than a few days, which can in turn threaten food and water supplies and energy and communication networks, the report said. Climate change and water scarcity will only add to risks, putting even more pressure on infrastructure and resources. Experts have been warning governments over the past few years that they are not properly prepared to deal with national crises. -MSNBC

Muslim quota is in Congress manifesto, says Salman Khurshid

Continued from page 9 >> The direction will be applicable till the completion of the election process in the ve States. The Commission also took into account the fact that the decision was taken and announced by the Centre on December 22, before the coming into force of the model code of conduct , i.e., December 24 when the poll schedule was announced. The BJP had petitioned the EC after Congress leader and Union minister Salman Khurshid promised nine per cent sub-quota for backward Muslims while campaigning for his wife in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh. The party urged Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi to take action against Khurshid for violating the model code of conduct by announcing a quota for Muslims if the Congress was voted to power in Uttar Pradesh. Khurshid, however, defended his remarks. Defending Khurshids announcement, Congress had said that in its manifesto for the 2009 Lok Sabha elections it had promised to give reservation to backward Muslims and implement the Sachar Committee report and the Rangnath Mishra Committee report on minorities. Many political parties, particularly the BJP, had strongly opposed the decision of the union cabinet, and said the

announcement was made to induce Muslims, who are in sizable numbers in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. The decision will benet Muslims more than other minorities as there are many Muslim communities designated as OBCs, they said. Even some Muslim organisations felt that the cabinet decision would betray their interests. Earlier the various OBC Muslim communities listed for 27 percent OBC quota managed to get 2.3 per cent. Now the OBC Muslims would have to compete with Christians, Sikhs and Parsi OBCs for 4.5 percent quota. In other words all these minority communities representation would be restricted to 4.5 percent and the remaining 22.5 percent quota would be for Hindu OBCs, they claimed.

Saarc international I Thursday 12 January 2012

ENTERTAINMENT

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Shahrukh Khan, Katrina Kaif begin Hrithik Roshans new shooting for Yash Chopras love story tness inspiration, a
some part of the shoot. The lm also stars Anushka Sharma, who has become a Yash Raj favourite after debuting with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi opposite SRK. According to India Today the lyrics will be penned down by Gulzar and composer AR Rahman will deliver the music. Shah Rukh Khan had a busy 2011 with his last two releases Ra.One and Don 2. 2012 will be a Khanful year for Katrina Kaif, all courtesy Yash Raj Films. Shes already been shooting for Ek Tha Tiger with Salman Khan. And shell be seen doing stunts and irting with Aamir Khan in Dhoom 3. But what everyone is waiting to see is Katrina Kaifs pairing with Shah Rukh Khan. It might be noted that Yash Chopra had announced his retirement about seven years ago when his lm Veer Zaara. And now that hes returning to direction after such a long gap, one expects nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece from him.

66-year-old woman

Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif will be seen together for the rst time on screen in a lm which will be directed by veteran lmmaker Yash Raj Chopra. Launching my dads lm today with a little pooja at YRF... shoot starts tomorrow with @ iamsrk and Katrina Kaif.. Dad directing after Veer- Zaara (sic), tweeted

Yash Chopras son Uday Chopra. Yash Chopra, the director of epic love stories, is ready to don the directors cap after a gap of eight years. The untitled romantic lm will have a panoramic sweep and will be shot in India, London and Thailand. In India, Shah Rukh and Katrina will travel to Kashmir for

Actor Hrithik Roshan, who is a tness freak and always tries out something new to get a well-toned body, says he has found a new inspiration for the same. Roshan, 37, has posted a picture of a 66-year-old woman hitting the gym with him on his Twitter account saying that she is his new inspiration. Guess who I met while working out at true tness!! My new

inspiration! Thats Mrs Madhavi Laad. Age 66. Working out!, he said. The actor, who recently injured his back on the sets of his forthcoming release Agneepath, said he has recovered well now. My back has recovered well. Should be perfect before 1st day of Krrish Godwilling. On my 10th week of transformation. Will post pictures soon! Love, he added.

Pentagon to probe movie leak of Osama Bin Laden raid

Details of Osama Bin Laden raid leaked to The Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow, claims US senator
A US senator has claimed that classied information about the killing of Osama Bin Laden was leaked to lm director Kathyrn Bigelow. Los Angeles - The Pentagon has begun an investigation into whether the Obama administration leaked classied information about the operation that killed Osama bin Laden to Hollywood lm-makers working on a movie about the daring raid, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday. The report said that Republican Congressman Peter T King demanded the probe following reports that Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal, the team behind Oscar-winning Iraq war lm, The Hurt Locker, were planning a movie about the raid that would hit screens just before the 2012 election, and could provide a critical boost to US President Barack Obama. The New York Times reported in August that the lmmakers were granted access to classied information about the mission. Both the White House and the

lmmakers have insisted that no rules were broken. The Independent reports that Republican senator Peter King is claiming that condential details about the Navy Seals raid that resulted in the death of Bin Laden have been passed on to Bigelow, who won the Academy Award for Best Director for her 2009 lm The Hurt Locker, and relate to a new movie she is working on that

will be released later this year. Although Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal are thought to have been working on their new project before the raid took place, Kings claims are currently being investigated by the US Defence Department. The Australian actor, most recently seen in this falls critically acclaimed MMA family drama Warrior, has signed on to star in the lm about the US militarys pursuit of Osama Bin Laden being produced by Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow. Variety reports that Edgerton has joined on after

passing up the 300 prequel lm. Hollywood actor Joel Edgerton has conrmed that he is in talks to lead the cast in a lm on the killing of Osama bin Laden, to be directed by Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow. The 37year-old Australian, who starred alongside Tom Hardy in martial arts blockbuster Warrior, said no deal has been nalised but he has been in contact with Bigelow over a possible lead role. I just got a ton of emails about it, and Ill say is its not necessarily untrue, but its not necessarily true, he said.

Bigelow, who won an Oscar for best director for The Hurt Locker (2008), is rming up the cast with Idris Elba, Guy Pearce and Hardy, all also reportedly pencilled in for lead roles. Edgerton, who starred in a prequel to sci- horror lm, The Thing, last year and is due to play Tom Buchanan in Baz Luhrmanns The Great Gatsby, was recently in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu. It is fairly chaotic as a city, but I kind of love that, he says, adding, Im drawn to going to places where the culture is very different.

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The Anglo-American-Israeli triple alliance which now rules the world from London, Washington and Jerusalem, and which wages unjust war on Islam and Muslims on behalf of the Euro-Jewish State of Israel, has lost in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto one who proclaimed herself to be their dearest friend and supporter. She walked the extra mile, and talked even more than that, to convince them that she was a sincere friend and ally. She did so because she understood perfectly well that Pakistan, like Saudi Arabia, was different from most other countries in the world in the sense that the ruling Jewish-Christian alliance that had created the world-order would never tolerate the survival of any regime in either country unless it was subservient to them. While this was also true of nearly all of the rest of the world of Islam, it was emphatically so in respect of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Even so, I believe that they suspected Benazirs sincerity, and that they must be quietly relieved that she is no more. After all, they knew what they did to her father, and she knew it as well; and the possibility existed that there must have burned in a daughters heart a deeply held desire to avenge the gruesome and humiliating assassination/hanging death of a father she adored. It would be rash for anyone to dismiss the possibility that the events we now recall were in some way related to her assassination. Indeed a summary dismissal of our arguments will raise more questions, rather than resolve the problems posed by the essay. When Israel launched her preemptive war on the Arabs and Muslims in 1967, that country succeeded in wresting military control over Jerusalem and over Masjid al-Aqsa. This Masjid, which was originally built by Prophet Solomon (alaihi al-Salaam), was universally recognized as the third of the three holiest Masajid in Islam, - the other two being the Masjid al-Haram (Kaaba) built by Father Abraham (alaihi al-Salaam) in Makkah, and the Masjid al-Nabi in Madina which was built by Prophet Muhammad himself (peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon him). The loss of Jerusalem and of Masjid al-Aqsa affected Saudi Arabias King Faisal so traumatically that he took courageous steps to terminate that countrys client-state relationship with the Jewish-Christian alliance that ruled the world. Faisal took carefully prepared steps to mend his relationship with Egypts Gamal Abdel Nasser and to put an end to the proxy war that their two countries had been waging in Yemen. When Nasser died in 1970 Faisal then continued his efforts to forge a Saudi-Egyptian alliance with Nassers successor, Anwar Sadat. Those efforts bore fruit, and by October 1973 Egypt felt herself ready to avenge the humiliating defeat at the hands of Israel in 1967. Simultaneous with the launch of war on Israel in October 1973 - an attack that caught Israel completely by surprise and could have resulted in an Israeli defeat had it not been for massive American military intervention in the war - Faisal unveiled his master plan. He

A Bhutto is a Bhutto
imposed an Arab oil boycott on the US. The US dollar, which had been oating at US$40 per ounce of gold, suddenly sank by 400% to US$160 per ounce of gold, and American motorists were queuing in lines a mile long to buy gas for their motor cars. The political genius of Pakistans Prime Minister, Zulqar Ali Bhutto

COMMENT

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

Shiekh Imran Hossein

Tribune Comment
recognized the unique opportunity that had emerged with the dramatic successes of the war and the oil boycott and grasped that opportunity to forge a PakistaniSaudi anti-systemic alliance. Bhuttos political acumen, when combined with the moral and spiritual authority of Faisals sincere faith, would now function as the foundation for launching an effort to restore political and economic independence to the world of Islam. Within an amazingly short period of less than four months, Bhutto succeeded in hosting the Lahore Islamic Summit Conference that brought together the largest and most representative gathering of Muslim leaders since the collapse of the Islamic Caliphate in 1924. The US administration vigorously opposed that Islamic Summit. Henry Kissinger warned Bhutto of dire consequences of hosting such a summit.

nuclear explosion and entered into the nuclear club. It is quite likely that the timing of the Indian nuclear explosion represented a carefully calculated Indian political and military warning against the emergence of an Islamic bloc that would be independent of the AngloAmerican-Israeli embrace. India was resolutely opposed to the emergence of an Islamic bloc, indeed so opposed that the Indians had courted public humiliation in 1970 when the Indian delegation was thrown out of the Rabat Islamic Summit Conference. Bhuttos response to the Indian nuclear explosion conrmed beyond any doubt that he was committed to an independent Pakistan that would be free from American and Indian hegemony. He emotionally and publicly launched Pakistan on a do-or-die national effort to achieve a Pakistani nuclear response (to Indias entry into the nuclear club) and announced that the effort must be pursued even if it were to take a thousand years and even if we have to eat grass. However, money did not really constitute a problem since, so long as the Saudi-Pakistani alliance remained intact, it would always be possible for Saudi Arabia to fund that Pakistani effort. In fact, it took just a few years for Bhuttos dream to be realized and for Pakistan to dramatically succeed in entering the nuclear club. This essay is primarily concerned, however, with the consequences that emerged for Faisal and Bhutto for having dared to defy the Jewish-Christian alliance. (Readers may wish to look at my essay on the topic: The Quran prohibits Muslim friendship and alliance with a Jewish-Christian alliance located on my website www.imranhosein.org). In August 1975, one year after the

they made a truly horrible example of him and he suffered worse than a dog before he was assassinated/hanged to death. In 1976, Bhuttos Pakistan Peoples Party completed its ve-year term of ofce and general elections were due. The AngloAmerican-Israeli alliance intervened so dramatically in those elections that Pakistanis resident in USA were sent back home with briefcases packed with millions of dollars. One such money-mule confessed to such to this writer himself. Pakistani intelligence discovered evidence of massive intervention and corruption of the electoral process. Bhutto counterattacked by rigging the election. His enemies then responded by nancing such violent street demonstrations and riots that it was Iran in 1952 all over again. The CIA had brought down Dr Mossadiqs nationalist Iranian government in 1952 while using the same strategy. The fact that Bhutto had made many enemies made the task easier for them this time around. Street demonstrations and riots eventually created political conditions that could be used to justify a preplanned military coup-detat. Predictably, the military coup detat installed a pro-

following: Former US ambassador says Mossad may have knocked off Pakistani President in 88 over nukes A curious report in the Nation by Barbara Crossette who tantalizingly speaks of the role of an Israeli lobby (gosh, dear, whats that!?) in the destruction of former ambassador Chas Freemans career, and says the lesson is underlined by a forthcoming memoir, Danger Zones, by 82-year old former ambassador to India, and child of Holocaust survivors, John Gunther Dean: It was in the midst of this Soviet endgame in Afghanistan that Dean fell afoul of the State Department for the last time. After the death of [Pakistani President] General Zia in August 1988, in a plane crash that also killed the American ambassador in Pakistan, Arnold Raphel, Dean was told in New Delhi by highranking ofcials that Mossad was a possible instigator of the accident, in which the planes pilot and co-pilot were apparently disabled or otherwise lost control. There was also some suspicion that elements of Indias Research and Analysis Wing, its equivalent of the CIA, may have played a part. India and Israel were alarmed by Pakistans work on a nuclear weapon--the Islamic bomb. Dean was so concerned

American military dictator. Bhutto was arrested and spent more than a year in jail (in humiliating conditions that he described to be worse than that of a dog) before he was assassinated/hanged to about these reports, and the attempt by the State Department to block a full FBI investigation of the crash in Pakistan, that he decided to return to Washington for direct consultations. Instead of the meetings he was promised, he was told his service in India was over. He was sent into virtual house arrest in Switzerland at a home belonging to the family of his French wife, Martine Duphenieux. Six weeks later, he was allowed to return to New Delhi to pack his belongings and return to Washington, where he resigned. Benazir did her very best during her two brief terms as Prime Minister of Pakistan to convince them that she was not her fathers daughter, but in the end, it appears to me, they decided that a Bhutto was a Bhutto, and they could not chance another Bhutto!

Prime Minister Kosygin of the USSR did the same. The Shah of Iran was used to try to obstruct the convening of the Summit. However, nothing could stand in Bhuttos way. He courageously deed the Anglo-American-Israeli alliance and the Summit was successfully held in Lahore in February 1974. Bhutto set modest and realistic political and economic goals that he sought to achieve in the Summit, and he was successful in achieving those goals. Bhutto the actor also brought drama to the Summit when he reconciled with Bangladeshs Mujibur Rahman and cleverly used the platform of the Summit to extend political recognition to a Bangladesh that had emerged from a truncated Pakistan. Two months after the Summit, in April 1974, India launched her rst

Lahore Summit and less than two years after the oil boycott on the US, Faisal was assassinated. Those who planned the assassination demonstrated their evil genius (even before 9/11) when they succeeded in drugging, brainwashing and hypnotizing one of Faisals nephews, then a student at an American university, to return to Saudi Arabia and to shoot his uncle to death. The Saudi royal family understood perfectly who was responsible for the assassination, why it had occurred, and what was the message with which it came, and decided to abandon Faisals independent foreign policy and to return to the American embrace as a client state. The score then read one has gone - one more must go. Bhuttos turn was next. Faisals death was quick. It took just a moment and it was over. Not so Bhutto, -

death as an accomplice to murder. The message to the world was now clear: Both were gone - and so too would any other Pakistani or Saudi Muslim leader who chose to follow them! Indeed the military dictator who had deposed Zulqar Ali Bhutto himself had a change of heart and subsequently attempted to take Pakistan out of the Jewish-Christian embrace. But Ziaul Haq paid the price that Panamas Omar Torrejo and many

others beside had paid. His airplane fell out of the sky and he too, died in yet another political assassination planned and executed by the greatest terrorists mankind will ever know. Consider the

And so on both occasions that she became Prime Minister, she was deposed. However, on this post 9/11 occasion when Israel is so close to achieving a messianic destiny of ruling the world, and Benazirs electoral victory was only two weeks away, they had to put her away.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 January 2012

A very interesting document that Pentagon intended for internal use only within the U.S. government emerged on the Internet. It contains information about the development of the so-called non-lethal weapons - the one that does not kill enemies, but is able to effectively manage them. The leaked document was published on Public Intelligence website, which previously declassied some documents of the U.S. government on national security issues. The Handbook of non-lethal weapons has over one hundred pages and describes in detail various types of weapons, including lasers, heat rays and sound waves that can be used for various purposes - from crowd control to disorientation. The document contains a proposal for improvement of the existing types as well as completely new technology that until now was described in science

USA wants to manipulate enemies rather than destroy them

SPECIAL FEATURE

27

a new weapon. As explained by an expert on military technology from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, James Lewis, this division of the Pentagon develops wa ys of defeating the enemy without the help of the tried and tested tools such

emanating from the device affect divers hearing, instantly causing severe nausea and disorientation. The side effects of this cannon that, according to the document, is still under development, are possible negative effects on the underwater ora and fauna. There are more unusual weapons, such as laser

non-lethal weapons; they have proven that they can destroy targets. Experiments on the operational use of lasers have been carried out by the Americans since the 1970s. Early prototypes were based on heavy chemical lasers pumped with dye solutions that produce hazardous gases.

ction only, The Daily Mail reports. Indeed, some of these ideas remind of the wellknown science ction books, for example, the Inhabited Island by Strugatsky brothers, where the authorities affected the minds of people around the world with radiation. According to experts the BBC refers to, the list is a commercial purpose of the U.S. military that will require sustained funding. The developer is the Joint Non-lethal Weapons Program of the Pentagon that has been criticized in the past for wasting money on the projects that have never been implemented. The ofce was created in 1996 shortly after the military operations in Somalia and Bosnia. Its goal was to accelerate and facilitate the early provision of the U.S. Army with non-fatal weapons. 13 years later - in 2009 - a report of this department said that it spent approximately $400 million on 50 research projects, but it was not in a position to really make Continued from page 32 >>

as re and explosives. It is unclear whether the new weapons will be a reality, but the published document indicates that the development is in full swing. Despite the fact that management has not proven to be effective, the U.S. military have increasingly pressing needs in non-lethal weapons. In particular, one of the biggest problems in Iraq was that the U.S. soldiers had to use rearms whenever the Iraqis, and not always ghters, tried to drive to the checkpoints without stopping. In some cases, innocent civilians were injured and killed. The document that leaked to the Internet describes the characteristics of each type of non-lethal weapons and the strategic importance and potential damage from its actions. The most common consequences for the person in affected areas include temporary blindness, deafness and loss of motion. Here is one example: underwater pulse cannon directed against enemy divers. The sound waves

modication of the ow. The document states the laser could be used for the destruction of the aerodynamic ow around the wings of an enemy plane, forcing it to change direction. Here are some other devices described in the document: - A system in whose range people feel unbearable heat that causes them involuntarily move to another location; - Effecting human muscular system with electrical impulses; - A portable system emitting powerful microwaves that can stop cars and other equipment at a distance; - UAV, equipped with a microwave device that can cause malfunctions in the electrical system of ships. The Pentagon did not conrm nor deny the authenticity of the leaked document on the Web. The United States has long been testing deadly laser. However, the Pentagon lasers are used not only as

In recent years, major work has been done to improve solid-state lasers based on the use of compact generators of optical radiation similar in design to the light-emitting diodes. Such high-energy lasers until now have been designed primarily for missile defense systems, or to destroy ground targets. However, a successful series of tests of a high-energy laser in April, when it destroyed a target ship, has demonstrated their increased capabilities. With regard to non-lethal use of lasers and microwaves, the tests of a microwave gun started as far back as 2010 on convicted individuals in prisons as a means to suppress the riots. The use of psychological warfare was recently spotted in Russian riot police. During the suppression of a protest rally in Triumph Square on December 6, they tried to disperse the crowd repeatedly with amplied sound.

Amir still has international future: PCB

also a fact that we cannot condone the shame he and the two other players have brought to Pakistan. We will never support any player who indulges in such criminal and unethical activities, Zaka Ashraf said. The PCB chief was responding to questions about what the future held for Aamir and the PCBs policy regarding him at a press conference in the city on Tuesday. I dont know the exact dates but whenever he is released, we have to see what the provisions of the ICC ban are on him; whether he can play at any level. But I would like to see him undergo intensive counselling, he said. Ashraf said as far as his future was concerned, it was for the selectors to decide what they wanted to do with him. But let me be clear the PCB will not help or provide him any assistance at all in his appeal against the ICC ban. Whenever the ICC clears him, we will see what to do, he said, adding, But it is a fact that it was a big setback to Pakistan cricket to lose two top bowlers in such a manner. Aamir, who will turn 20 in April, was given a six-month jail sentence by the crown court in London last October for his role in the spotxing scandal that was exposed in August, 2010 while Pakistan was touring England. The crown court in London also sentenced former captain, Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif to different jail terms and also passed a guilty verdict against their agent Mazhar Majeed on charges of corruption, cheating and fraud during the fourth Test against England at Lords in 2010. The ICC anti-corruption tribunal in February last year had already imposed a minimum ban of ve years on Amir and teammates, for the spot-xing scandal after they were rst suspended in September 2010

Spot-xing a thing of the past,

Sarfraz was a bit stumped when a reporter asked whether he is surprised that a former Pakistan captain is in prison. The only statement that Misbah had about his team was: We are playing a lot of cricket here on these wickets and our team is performing well. So it is denitely a boost to play here and the condence level of our team is high. Misbah, however, defended his team strongly when asked how Pakistan had moved on after the 2010 scandal. The credit goes to the team and all the players. After that difcult time, everybody stuck to the task and gathered their thoughts. Everybody wanted to prove to the world that we are good players and a good team, he said. I think they just proved it and they are really focusing on cricket and making my job easier. I have a good bunch of boys and a very good team; they are really focusing on their cricket and on their performance and that is why the team is performing well. Misbah was even asked whether his team was corruption-proof. Our performance over a year-and-a-half shows that we are going the right way, he said.

Young Pakistan spinners to test England in warm-up match

Sarfraz considers the match a great opportunity for the youngsters in the team. My team is made up of all those who really did well in our domestic cricket tournaments. It is a great opportunity to perform against the world No 1 team. Every player in my team knows that if they can perform well in this match they will be considered for international cricket and so everyone will try and give their best. We have worked very hard for this match, he said.

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NEWS/COMMENT

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

10th Anniversary Magazine of

New Delhi must clarify how expats will vote

Continued from page 9 >> to allow NRIs from the ve assembly pollbound states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa to vote was taken for the rst time, but it came with a rider voters had to be physically present in their place of origin to exercise their franchise. It is not possible for every Indian residing abroad to go back home for the elections. Moreover, a proportion of Indians living abroad make up a low-income group which also forms the countrys main vote bank. How will they participate in this process? The government must provide the wherewithal and a convenient process that works. In a hi-tech world, one in which India is making signicant strides forward, the government must ensure that there are polling stations in their embassies across the globe. Databases containing citizens details, along with conrmation of their assembly and parliamentary constituencies, are vital in order to promote increasing participation. These problems must be addressed as soon as possible. Indians living abroad, despite their signicant contribution to their countrys economy, have been denied their fundamental right for too long. With the elections looming, political parties, mainly the ruling coalition, have realised this which is why the government must entrust their embassies with the tools to enable this process. Expat Indians can now vote from abroad NRIs need to register themselves at the embassies in their respective countries of residence Non-Resident Indians can now cast their votes in the upcoming assembly polls in India this month. The assurance was given by the Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Sunday, while addressing the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas diaspora meet in Jaipur. Pursuant to the law that was enacted to enable Non-Resident Indians to vote in our national elections, the government has issued notications for registration of overseas electors under the Representation of People Act, 1950, Singh was quoted as saying by Times of India. NRIs are required to register themselves at the embassies in their respective countries of residence to be eligible to cast their votes in the upcoming assembly polls in ve states between January and March. Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi also conrmed that Indian nationals residing abroad can exercise their franchise in India. Our objective is to raise the level of engagement to go beyond mere investment related issues and address a broader agenda, Ravi added. Indian community leaders in the United Arab Emirates ( UAE) have hailed their governments decision to allow non-resident Indians (NRIs) to vote as historic, expressing hope that the move would strengthen democracy and allow the diaspora to voice its issues more effectively. They, however, said that the decision needed more publicity and that the government should ensure that people were able to vote from their countries of residence, rather than having to travel back to India to cast their ballot. It is a very signicant decision and every Indian must vote. Of the 1.3 billion population that India has, more than 25 million live in different countries across the world, which highlights the importance of the diaspora. I feel it is a very good decision to give them a right to participate in the election process, the Gulf News quoted K V Shamsudeen, chairman of Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust, as saying. It is a historic moment, a great decision. We can now voice our issues much strongly and everyone should participate. It is an opportunity to strengthen our democracy, he added.

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COMMENT
The resolution can only be brought in the NA if passed by the provincial assembly with a two-thirds majority, Senator Raza Rabbani. PPP Senator Raza Rabbani, the moving spirit behind the 18th Amendment that gave more autonomy to the provinces, on January 6 poured cold water on the ferocious debate in the National Assembly about increasing the number of provinces in Pakistan. He quoted the Constitution and said: The resolution for the creation of more provinces can only be brought before the National Assembly if passed by the provincial assembly with a two-thirds majority. The PPP was all set to campaign for the creation of a Seraiki suba (province) in south Punjab, and thought that any debate about it at the National Assembly would harm it. That has actually happened: its projected action at the Punjab Assembly to bring the ruling PML-N under pressure on the basis of the pro-Seraiki suba Muslim Leaguers from south Punjab, may have been adversely affected by this. The MQM, trying to break out of the political straitjacket of Karachi and shake off renewed charges of wanting to create a secessionist Jinnahpur in Sindh, has pounced upon the devolutionary campaigns in south Punjab and Hazara to gain a foothold in national-level politics by championing more provinces. The reaction among south Punjabi Muslim Leaguers has been predictable: they want the suba but not at the behest of the MQM which has yet to win a seat there. The MQM has also embraced the cause of Hazara Suba, forcing the trafc to remind everyone that it was still alive. There was further confusion over the possible repackaging of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) The PML-N would not want a vivisection of Punjab but supports the Seraiki suba for fear of losing votes there. Yet it backs the Hazara suba. It says it is in favour of more provinces but not on linguistic-ethnic bases which is the case in Seraiki and Hazara movements. The Seraiki province will be sizeable if it comes into being (comprising districts Mianwali, Bhakkar, Khushab, Jhang, Layyah and Muzaffargarh) with a total population close to 13 million. But the Hazara province (comprising Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Kohistan) may be less viable because of its small population of 3.5 million. The Seraikis are equally distracted by a Bahawalpur suba movement (inclusive of Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan, etc.) which, if made, would cover an area with a population of devolution through new provinces is good for the local population because it brings governance closer to them. But in India, too, the demand must be channelled through the state assembly and Telangana is not getting the kind of support the Seraiki suba idea has among the southern Punjabis in Pakistan. In any case, in India even if there are 100 provinces, the average unit will still hold the population comparable to a country in Europe. There are further ironies to consider: the provinces have demanded more autonomy on the principle of devolution but none of them is willing to devolve further by allowing local governments. Furthermore, the Eighteenth Amendment still has to bite in the shape of more resources from a centre that remains impoverished. The politics of

The politics of more provinces

ANP to use harsh words, including a reference to Jinnahpur, to remind everyone that the nal decision will have to be taken at the provincial assembly where Pashtun nationalism which the ANP has, at times, said should be amalgamated into KhyberPakhtunkhwa. The irony is that while the Eighteenth Amendment gives the right to create more provinces to

... devolution through new provinces is good for the local population because it brings governance closer to them. But in India, too, the demand must be channelled through the state assembly and Telangana is not getting the kind of support the Seraiki suba idea has among the southern Punjabis in Pakistan.
will probably get a llip at the cost of the sizable non-Pashtun population in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Predictably the Hazara suba movement led by an unlikely octogenarian has hit the streets in Abbottabad and blocked the provincial assemblies a kind of self-surgery of their jurisdictional strength the creation of more provinces is considered a device of further devolution which is at the heart of the 18th Amendment. around seven million. In India, the number of provinces has grown from 22 to 28 in recent years and there is a movement afoot in Andhra Pradesh to slice a Telangana province from it. It is generally accepted that more provinces is based on sound principles, but apparently dishonest intentions. The debate will create more unrealistic expectations than the country is able to meet given its current battered state.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

The road map to the Afghan endgame

Some Taliban may set up an ofce in Doha, but will all Americans actually leave Kabul? Once upon a time they favoured Dubai - their smuggling Mecca. Now the Taliban destination of choice will be Doha.
So the Taliban will open a political ofce in Qatar to be engaged in negotiations with the international community, according to Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid. Afghan president Hamid Karzai wanted the ofce to be either in Turkey or Saudi Arabia. The Obama administration applied some screws - Karzai had to accept Qatar. So much for the sovereignty of the man informally known as the mayor of Kabul. The Doha operation was strictly a US, German, Qatari and Taliban representatives affair. Doha was specically picked by the Obama administration. The concept of a reward was clear - as in Qatars solid, unconditional partnership with NATO, which, by the way, is spectacularly losing a war in Afghanistan. In a crucial electoral year, the White House now expects to accumulate some extra foreign policy dividends by enticing the Taliban to the table (a lavish Kabuli rice banquet at the RitzCarlton, perhaps?) But whats the real story behind the spin? groove; From here on in we want a very formal, business-like relationship. The lines will be drawn. There will be no more of the free run of the past, no more interpretation of rules. We want it very formal with agreed upon limits. Translation; Washington can kiss its signature strike drone war over the tribal areas goodbye. Then enter the current visit to China of Pakistans army chief Ashfaq Kayani - who until virtually yesterday was a Pentagon darling. That points to Beijing and Islamabad/Rawalpindi intimately connecting their strategy in relation to further developments in Doha.

NEWS

29

Stuff those drones, buddy

As in all things AfPak, wishful thinking remains the law of the land. Washington has been abuzz with secret discussions between US and Taliban ofcials. Not so secret after all. Washington wanted the Taliban to renounce all weaponry. The Taliban said no. Washington wanted the Taliban to renounce any links to al-Qaeda - and in this case Taliban prisoners would be released from Guantanamo. The Taliban said lets talk. Wishful thinking also pervades the notion that the political ofce in Doha will somewhat isolate Pakistan from the Taliban leadership. Mullah Omar, as every grain of sand in the Balochi deserts know, lives in Quetta, undisturbed by ubiquitous US surveillance. Even though Islamabad was not consulted about the Doha ofce, Washington assumes the Pakistani ISI is not monitoring each one of these steps - as it keeps monitoring its ironclad Taliban connections. Predictably, Tehran was also snubbed by Washington. The architects of the Doha strategy must have been mesmerised by Tom Cruise escalating Burj Dubai in the latest installment of Mission Impossible to believe both Pakistan and Iran could be sidelined of any meaningful Afghanistan endgame. Moscow - also not consulted - is not buying the Doha strategy. The same goes for Beijing - as in this piece quoting Afghan analysts. And with US-Pakistan relations reaching new abysmal lows over repeated Washington blunders, Pakistani military spokesman General Athar Abbas has already set the new

It will be fascinating to watch the reaction of these Taliban envoys when faced with the (blasphemous?) IM Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. But who exactly are these people? Well, at least they wont be able to pose as impostors - as the one who killed Afghan political icon Burhanuddin Rabbani in September 2011 with a suicide bomb disguised in his turban. Or the fake Taliban negotiator who bagged a stful of dollars from US and UK intelligence in 2010. But what about the Supreme Leader, Mullah Omar? Hes not exactly booking a ight on Qatar Airways. On the contrary; acting on one of his directives, last Sunday the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban have formed a ve-member Shura advisory council. Their key decision: the Pakistani Taliban will no longer be ghting the Pakistani army, as in suicide bombings and kidnappings in the tribal areas. They will focus their repower on the occupying US/NATO forces in Afghanistan. Mullah Omars message was unambiguous: Convey my message to the Pakistani Taliban that you have forgotten the real purpose, which is to ght the invading forces in Afghanistan and liberate it from their occupation. Only one factor could possibly allow Mullah Omar to form a united AfPak front to launch the umpteenth summer offensive against US/NATO; the Pakistani ISI promising the Pakistani Taliban it would not attack them anymore - and neither would US drones. So if a united AfPak Taliban is getting ready to rumble and control more Afghan land in 2012 than that which they already do, what about those Taliban trekking to Doha? Theres no better clue to Taliban intentions than one of their ofcial declarations; The stance of [the] Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from the beginning has been to bring about the end of the invasion of Afghanistan and

No more Mission Impostor

to let the Afghans establish an Islamic government of their own choosing which does not pose danger to anyone. In Taliban talk, does not pose danger to anyone means no more safe bases for al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Thats about all Washington will get - if those Taliban are released from Guantanamo, of course. You have forgotten the real purpose, which is to ght the invading forces in Afghanistan and liberate it from their occupation. - Mullah Omar As for the Taliban trekking to Doha, these will be the so-called good Taliban - a mirage Washington has been entertaining for years. Most of this bunch lives in Kabul - protected by Karzais elaborate made-in-USA security apparatus. After all, there is no monolithic Taliban - its a Pashtun-style coalition of the willing. The Haqqani network, for instance, wont be ying to Doha. On the other hand the Gulbuddin Hekmatyar faction - via his son-in-law - is already talking to NATO hands in Kabul. Once again, its instructive to go back to the ofcial Islamic Emirates take on negotiations; The perturbing reports spread by some news agencies and Western ofcials about negotiations have no reality and are strongly rejected by Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Then theres the fascinating case of former Taliban commander-in-chief: Mullah Mohammed Fazl. Will the Americans drop him in Kabul or directly in Doha - straight from Guantanamo? From butcher of Shia Hazaras in Afghanistan to Guantanamo resident and then senior Islamist politician - now thats the career move of the ages. All that if Mullah Fazl is back - and thats a major if. Some kind of panic has already set in Washington, as in serial denials theres any deal over the release of Taliban prisoners in Guantanamo.

Doha is a Hail Mary pass. The Obama administration had to come up with something; after all theres a NATO summit in Chicago next May. The eurozone is imploding. 2012 will be a hardcore social unrest year all across Western Europe. Theres simply no more collective stomach - not to mention wallets - for the interminable AfPak quagmire. At least the Obama administration has not committed the monster strategic blunder - anyone counting them yet? of starting a war with Pakistan. Betting on its staying power after November 2012, the Obama administration knows Washington will have to leave in 2014. The Pentagon will literally move the Hindu Kush to keep at least some Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) bases in Northern Afghanistan to monitor China, Russia and Iran; thats a crucial part of the Full Spectrum Dominance doctrine. Yet by any possible measure the Taliban will never allow permanent outposts of the US Empire of Bases. Their maximum concession is to sever links with al-Qaeda. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) wants an Afghan solution for the country, with input from all neighbours. SCO top members Russia and China, as well as observers (and on the way to become full members) Pakistan and

friend

Iran, all want no US bases. If the SCO has its way, its bye-bye to the Washington-concocted notion of a New Silk Road. Until 2014, Washington still will have to face Islamabads new rules on the supply lines from Karachi to both Chaman and the Khyber Pass, plus Moscows rules concerning the Northern Distribution Network (NDN). In both cases, bluster is a self-defeating option for Washington. After 2014 no one possibly knows what will happen. Certainly the Afghan National Army - most of them Tajiks - will control Northern Afghanistan, trained and nanced by the US. Thats whats been already spun in Washington as US troops taking an advisory role, starting already in 2013. The Taliban - overwhelmingly Pashtun - will control the whole Southwest to Southeast arc, counting on support from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. But still the Pentagon remains obsessed with keeping an army, however slimmed-down it may be, ghting the Taliban until... kingdom come? Which brings us back to Doha. The Bush administration invaded Afghanistan to take out the Taliban. It did, but the mission - guess what - was not accomplished. The Taliban staged a major comeback. Now the Obama administration is more or less inviting them to come back to power. Pentagon hardliners could not possibly live with the idea of Washington abandoning Kabul in a remix of Saigon 1975 - helicopters ying away from the roof of the US embassy. The Obama administration wants at least to save some face. Practitioners of Full Spectrum Dominance want their bases. It aint over till the last Hellre sings - in the Hindu Kush, not in pleasant Doha. Pepe Escobar is the roving correspondent for Asia Times. His latest book is named Obama Does Globalistan (Nimble Books, 2009). The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reect SAT editorial policy. Courtesy Al Jazeera

Body of Indian-origin student found in Manchester

Continued from page 1 >> investigating his disappearance today said the body was found in the river near the York Street in the Manchester city centre and was today formally identied as that of Gurdeep. There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. A Home Ofce post-mortem is due to take place later this week, the police said. The police said the search for Gurdeep had been called off after the body was discovered. No further details were available on the circumstances related to his death. Professor Michael Scott, vice-chancellor of the university said: I was fortunate enough to spend some time speaking to Gurdeep shortly before Christmas. We discussed our shared roots in the West Midlands and it was clear how much he enjoyed university life and how well-liked he was by his peers. The thoughts of everyone at Glyndwr University are with Gurdeeps family at this tragic time.

The end, beautiful

30

Amir Khans promoters claim WBA has ordered Lamont Peterson rematch
Amir Khan scorecard dispute man named as IBF ofcial Mustafa Ameen IBF admits to organising credential for mystery man in Khans defeat to Peterson Khan lost WBA and IBF titles to Peterson in December
Amir Khan, left, has questioned the presence of a mystery man in a hat, circled, at his defeat to Lamont Peterson. The International Boxing Federation (IBF) has admitted they asked for the bout for him. Amir Khans promoters have claimed he has been offered a rematch with Lamont Peterson after they were told by the International Boxing Federation that the mystery man seen ringside not being directly involved in it. His name is Mustafa Ameen and the IBF have conrmed to us his name, and they have conrmed to us that hes involved in an ofcial capacity with the IBF, Schaefer told Sky Sports News. WBA that they will order an immediate rematch, he said. We received a verbal conrmation today and we will get a written conrmation by next Tuesday. That means that no ghter can take an interim ght, that the next ght for belts, but said: Its difcult to guess the no-contest ruling. I certainly hope this could happen. Meanwhile Khan took to Twitter on Saturday to say: We are just hoping for answers now, and we have left it with our

SPORTS

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

mystery man Mustafa Ameen to be accredited for Amir Khans ght with Lamont Peterson. The organisation said in a statement that Ameen is not an employee but does help the IBF provide nancial assitance to retired boxers. They also asked the local boxing commission to arrange a credential to

was one of their ofcials. Peterson won Khans IBF and World Boxing Association titles last month after a disputed points decision. Richard Schaefer, the chief executive ofcer of Golden Boy Promotions, said the man has now been identied as Mustafa Ameen, an IBF ofcial who was given accreditation for the ght despite

However, he was not in Washington in an ofcial IBF capacity, but the IBF asked the Washington commission to issue him a credential so that he could attend the ght. Schaefer claimed the WBA has offered Khan a rematch with the American, and urged the IBF to follow suit. We have been informed today [Saturday] by the

Peterson would be a rematch. We hope that the IBF will follow because thats the least they can do. The ruling of the WBA to order an immediate rematch should put additional pressures on the IBF. He is also hopeful that the outcome of the ght will be changed to nocontest, allowing Khan to retain his

promoters and legal team, apparently the ruling for someone interfering with the scorecards or judges, the ght is ruled as a no-contest. Lets just wait and see if Michael Welsh [the ght supervisor] or Mustafa Ameen come out and speak out, they know the truth and exactly what was going on.

Spot-xing: Asif appeals to CAS over ban

been sent to the ICC and to the Pakistan Cricket Board, he said by telephone on Saturday. These legal representations are highly professional and very serious. An ICC spokesman said the world governing body were not aware of the appeal. The Pakistan trio were also found guilty of spot-xing charges by the Southwark crown court in London last year and given prison sentences. Asif had engaged the legal rm after his conviction by the crown court. Asif, 29, who played 23 tests and 38 oneday internationals, was handed a 12-month sentence for his part in bowling deliberate no-balls during the Lords Test.

Lasith Malinga returns to strengthen pace attack *Thilan Samaraweera a surprise omission
PAARL, Jan. 7 - Sri Lanka, after going down narrowly 1-2 in the three-Test series, is determined to bounce back and win the ve-match One Day International series against South Africa which is scheduled to commence on Wednesday. The tourists have included paceman Nuwan Kulasekera in the squad for the ODI series. Sri Lankas pace attack looks formidable for the ODI series as they have regained the services of Lasith Malinga. After four months on the sidelines, Malinga, along with top order batsman Upul Tharanga and Kosala Kulasekara are back in the side. Surprisingly, middle order bat Thilan Samaraweera, Sri Lankas most successful batsman in the three-Test series has not found a place in the squad for the one day series. Samaraweera, along with Chanaka Welegedara, Kaushal Silva, Tharanga Paranavitana, Dimuth Karunaratne and Kanishka Alvitigala are the players who will return home after the Test series.

Sri Lanka determined to bounce back in ODIs

Pakistans jailed pace bowler Mohammad Asif has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) against a ban imposed on him by the International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption tribunal last year. The ICC tribunal imposed minimum veyear bans on Asif and his team mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir for their involvement in spot-xing during the fourth test against England at Lords in August, 2010. A spokesman for Asifs law rm, SJS Solicitors, said an appeal had been led. I can conrm that to you fully. Its a very substantial appeal. The documentation has been sent not only to the CAS, its

Mohammad Amir might be released late January: Sources

Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Amir, jailed in London over a spot-xing scandal, is expected to be released later this month, report Sources in London said that Amir will be

released after half of his jail term ends on February 3 as per the British laws. It is expected that the cricketer will be released on bail over good attitude shown in the young offenders institute where he is currently serving his punishment. The teenage fast bowler was sentenced last year in November to six months in prison for bowling no-balls at prearranged times during a Test match against England at Lords in August 2010. After pleading guilty, he was sent to serve time in a young offenders institute. Former captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif were also jailed over the same scandal. Their British agent Mazhar Majeed was also jailed.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

Washingtons enemy doesnt exist

Arab spring has created intelligence disaster, warns former CIA boss Michael Scheuer says rendition should be brought back as lack of intelligence has left UK and US unable to monitor militants The Arab spring, he said, was an intelligence disaster for the US and for Britain, and other European services. Scheuer headed the Bin Laden unit at the CIA from 1996 to 1999, and worked as special adviser to its chief from 2001 to 2004. The author of a biography of Bin Laden, he now teaches on the peace and security affairs programme at the University of Georgetown. Americans are in the crosshairs of terrorists worldwide purely due to Washingtons policy in the Muslim world, not because there is an Islamic enemy whose only aim is to kill Americans for their freedoms and lifestyle, insists a former CIA ofcer. Historian Michael Scheuer, an author of Through our enemies eyes, who worked for the agency for over 20 years till 2004 and at one time was the chief of the CIAs Bin Laden unit, says Americas greatest enemy radical Islam never existed: neither when Bin Laden was alive, nor now. Israeli lobby drag America into wars Actually, it is Americas relationship with Israel that is causing this war [on Islam], and until Americans accept this, we are not going to defeat this enemy, the author says. Michael Scheuer believes it is the Israeli lobby in America that is dragging the US into wars. In Israel itself as a country, it is not a problem. The real problem is the leaders of the Jewish American community in the US, who inuence and corrupt our Congress to support Israel when we have no interest there, he states. The American political establishment is caught between two things. They are extremely pro-Israel and they are almost Marxist in their belief that the spread of democracy is inevitable in all places, in all peoples, in all time, evaluates the former CIA ofcer, adding that in their desire to protect Israel, the US establishment cannot tell whats real. Radical islamists will benet Michael Scheuer predicts that in countries caught up in the Arab Spring like Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, there is not going to be a democracy that in any way resembles democracy in the west. At the same time, the anarchy being created in the Muslim world will make radical Islamists the only beneciaries of the chaos engulng the Arab countries. According to Michael Scheuer, further radicalization of Islamist groups, particularly in Africa, is inevitable thanks to guns becoming more affordable. The endless ow of uncounted weapons and the opened prisons in the above countries have reinforced Islamist groups around the world, believes Scheuer. Their [American political establishments] mindless pursuit of secular democracy at the end of the day endangers the stability of the region and probably the whole world, he says. If Syria falls to Islamists Israel will go down As for the situation in Syria it has been interfered in by the US unconscionably. Until they [the Syrians] removed the US ambassador, he was running around their country trying to encourage groups to overthrow the Syrian government. That is not the role of any diplomat, US, Russian, Chinese or British, the author points out, saying that Syrians were urged onto the streets cold-bloodedly, without mention of the possibility of being shot dead by the government. The author recalls that Syria, with its traditional support of Hezbollah, is naturally an Israeli zone of interest, not an American one. Syria is a country with no US interest. Since I was a little boy, weve been afraid of the Syrians, the author says, laughing at the fact that if you look at the map its hard to imagine that this little blat of country called Syria could be a threat to the US. Clarifying a possible result of any American success in Syria, Scheuer says that this is another good example of dichotomy in the thinking of the American leaders. Because as we call for democracy in Syria, if Assad goes Israels security goes straight down. Israel sets US plans on Iran Michael Scheuer reveals that Americas plan on Iran depends on that of Israel. Both Republicans and Democrats are deathly afraid that Israelis will attack Iran off their own work. If Israel attacks Iran, the Americans will get blamed for condoning it, whether we did or not, he explains. What we are seeing is a slow, almost non-accelerable advance toward some kind of a conict with Tehran. He labels the alleged plot of eliminating a Saudi Arabian ambassador in the US with the help of a Mexican drug cartel a comic uproar, saying he can hardly believe Iran would risk a war with the US, Israel and much of NATO, just to kill somebody who is not even a member of the ruling family of Saudi Arabia. Theyve come down under belief that democracy is better for everybody. The truth is, American and western foreign policy interests in the Middle East have depended for 50 years on the maintenance of tyranny that gave us access to oil, that protected Israel and persecuted Islamists to protect us. All of that going by the wayside, acknowledges the author, recalling the Israelis, who were rst to realize that democracy might not be good for their security. Libya will be anti-American Answering a question about war-torn Libya, the author pointed out that this country is notorious for having its Islamists ghting against the Soviets in Afghanistan, and then the same men encountering t h e Americans in Iraq and also in Afghanistan. Michael Scheuer is uncertain whether Libya will become a hotbed for terrorists, but it will decidedly be anti-American and anti-

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NATO. We are ghting a religious war Despite being largely well-educated and technologically advanced, America lacks common sense , claims the former CIA ofcer, maintaining that for the last 20 years, the US has been very efcient in creating enemies and endangering security. The last four American presidents have been telling the population that the wars the US wages abroad are against a bunch of madmen, and in no way religious wars. We are denitely ghting a religious war. And until we come to realize that we are never going to be able to defeat it, Scheuer concludes. Let the Chinese deal with these [Islamist] people for the next 50 years, weve had enough of it, but the point is the Americans cannot get out.

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Disgraced pace bowler Muhammad Aamir might be given a chance to resurrect his international career when he comes out of jail and the ICC permits him to play again, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said Tuesday. Aamir and his two colleagues, Mohammed Asif and Salman Butt, were handed bans for their role in last

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 12 January 2012

Amir still has international future: PCB

years spot-xing scandal in England. PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf also made it clear that he personally believed that whenever he is cleared by the ICC, Aamir needed to undergo intensive counselling before the selectors can consider him and decide about his future. There is no doubt about his immense talent but it is Continued on page 27 >>

Sports

SAT

Young Pakistan spinners to test England in warm-up match

Alastair Cook dominated with the bat as he deed the Pakistan Cricket Board XIs pace and spin on the rst day of Englands nal warm-up match. Opener Cook was out for 133 as England declared on 269 for nine on a tricky surface. The PCB ended the rst day with 23 for none after facing eight overs. England had begun badly reaching 14 for two with Mohammad Talha taking the key wickets of Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott. The leg spin of Yasir Shah also caused Englands batsmen problems as he took the key wickets of Kevin Pietersen who scored 38, while Ian Bell fell for a duck. Batsman Eoin Morgan failed with the bat again scoring just eleven runs.

But Cook continued his very good form going into 2012. He had scored 84 when he could have been out when he was dropped after a mis-pull. He shared stands of 83 for the third wicket with Kevin Pietersen and then 90 for the sixth with Matt Prior. And he reached his rst century of 2012 and as a married man. England play three Tests against Pakistan with the rst match beginning on January 17th at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Slow bowlers will give a tough time to visitors, PCB XI skipper says England take on a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) XI in their second three-day warm-up match at the International

Cricket Council (ICC) Global Cricket Academy from today. They will face some of Pakistans most promising spinners during the encounter. The PCB XI, led by Sarfraz Ahmad and coached by former Pakistan Test star Ejaz Ahmad, announced that they want to exploit Englands unfamiliarity on subcontinental wickets. Though England beat the International Cricket Council (ICC) Combined Associate and Afliate XI by three wickets in their rst warm-up match on Monday, some of their top batsmen struggled for runs in both innings. The PCB XI skipper not only warned England that his bowlers are very talented, but also informed his opponents that they will face a tough time against off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in the coming Test matches. Ajmals doosra will be tough for England. He has now discovered a teesra too in Bangladesh, said Sarfraz. When asked to say whether Graeme Swann or Ajmal is the better spinner, Sarfraz said: Ajmal is better because he has more variety. He can bowl the doosra very well and has now discovered the teesra too. Ejaz chipped in to add: England should not forget that Saeed Ajmal took ve wickets in the last Test against England in Birmingham. Continued on page 27 >>

Spot-xing a thing of the past, Pakistan skipper says

Misbah maintains his cool despite a grilling from English media It was a tough welcome for Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq. He was grilled by the English media yesterday which tried their best to provoke him with questions over the spot-xing scandal during their last series. Misbah kept his cool through his repeated answers that the spot-xing saga is a thing of the past and that he and his team now focus on the present and future. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) XI captain Sarfraz Ahmad and their coach Ejaz Ahmad were also not spared the barrage of questions on the spot xing scandal. Ejaz, who accompanied Sarfraz in an earlier press conference, was forced to even reveal that all his players return to their hotel rooms by 10pm and not go anywhere. Continued on page 27 >>

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