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Rs 15.00 Vol ii no 286 22 pages islamabad-peshawar edition
Friday, 13 april, 2012 Jamadi-ul-awal 20, 1433
India willing to discuss Kashmir with Pakistan NEW YORK nnI
India is willing to restart talks with Pakistan over the Kashmir dispute as part of efforts to advance the peace process, a top Indian diplomat has said. At the same time, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, underscored the need for Pakistan to take serious action against what he called militants that use its soil to attack India. Mathai’s statement came in the wake of President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to India on Sunday during which Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accepted his invitation to make a first official trip to Pakistan. A deal over the Himalayan territory of Kashmir, split between India and Pakistan in 1948 and claimed in its entirety by both, is vital to a long-term peace deal between the two nations, which have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947. Pakistani officials have long de-
manded India start discussions on Kashmir, while India wants Pakistan to crack down on militants. Choreographing progress on these demands will likely be important for further progress in the détente, the paper said. Abdul Basit, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan, said while there had been progress in the “tone and tenor” of the discussions, Pakistan believed that “unless the Jammu and Kashmir issue is resolved we cannot expect lasting peace in South Asia”. Mathai claimed Pakistan’s failure to clamp down on militant groups that have attacked India was the major roadblock to peace talks. He said it was deeply troubling to India that Hafiz Saeed was able to address public gatherings and appear on television. The US and India alleged Hafiz Saeed helped plan the 2008 attacks on Mumbai, which killed more than 160 people. Last week, Washington offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
Parliament re-sets US ties, wants drones off skies Mps unanimously urge govt to seek unconditional apology from NaTO forces over Mohmand airstrikes, restrict transport of weapons to afghanistan via pakistan g Gilani assures parliament govt will implement pCNS recommendations
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ISLAMABAD
T QUETTA: Men carry a shooting victim on a stretcher at the site of an attack by gunmen on Thursday. Four Shias were gunned down in the drive by shooting. afp
SC tells aitzaz to conclude arguments by 18th pM’s lawyer says bench is not qualified to hear contempt case against prime minister g
ISLAMABAD MASood REhMAn
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed Aitzaz Ahsen, counsel for Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in the contempt of court case against him, to complete his arguments by April 18. A seven-member special bench comprising Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Muhammad Ather Saeed issued the directives while hearing contempt proceedings against Gilani. However, Aitzaz submitted that he could not promise if he would be able to complete his arguments by April 18. In his arguments, Aitzaz referred to Article 10-A of the constitution, which says that every citizen of Pakistan has a right to fair trial. “Any judge, who takes notice of any incident, without a petition filed or an FIR registered, automatically becomes a complainant in the case and hence is not eligible to hear the case,” Aitzaz argued. He said that
President Asif Ali Zardari enjoyed immunity during his presidential tenure under the international law. He said that although many people dislike Zardari, but he was still an elected head of the state and could not be presented before any court of law. Aitzaz argued that under Article 10-A, the special bench was not eligible to hear the case, as the case was initiated by it on its own. He said that it was a requirement of transparent proceedings that no person should be a judge in his own case. Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa noted that no single judge, but the whole bench was using its right to hear the case. Aitzaz said he does “not differ with the court or the people on the $60 million deposited in Swiss banks, which was public money and should be brought back to the country, but let President Zardari step down”. He said Zardari could be tried but only after he steps down from the office of the President. He said as long as Zardari was the president, he enjoyed immunity and could not be presented before any court of any country. Continued on page 04
STAFF REpoRT
HE parliament on Thursday night unanimously approved revised guidelines on the country’s foreign policy for re-engagement with the US in a bid to put bilateral relations back on track with the US, enabling the government to formulate policy based on the guidelines. However, there was no mention of reopening NATO supply routes in the recommendations by the bi-partisan Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS). An official source, however, informed Pakistan Today that the prime minister himself would announce the reopening of the NATO supply routes through an executive order or the Defence Committee of the Cabinet, which had blocked the NATO supply routes, would take the decision. Earlier in the day, the PCNS met and finalised its foreign policy guidelines unanimously. Playing smartly, the PCNS, which kept meeting for almost four long months, did not say a single word about the fate of NATO supply routes and rather left the hard task with the government, suggesting that the opposition parties did not want to take an unpopular decision in the election year. Later, the parliamentary parties met separately to discuss the recommendations. The recommendations were then tabled in the joint sitting of parliament that approved the draft the same day. The joint sitting of parliament, through unanimous vote, also urged upon the government to seek unconditional apology from the NATO forces for strikes in Mohmand Agency, cessation of drone attacks and not to allow any private security contractors or intelligence operatives and overt and covert operation inside Pakistani territory. Addressing the members of the joint sitting, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani assured the House that the government would ensure the implementation of resolution on the recommendations by PCNS on new rules of engagement with the United States. “Today’s resolution will enrich your respect and dignity. I assure you that we will get these enforced in letter and spirit,” said the prime minister addressing joint sitting of the parliament, moments before it adopted the resolution unanimously. Gilani thanked the PCNS head Senator Mian Raza Rabbani and other committee members for their hard work and commitment, observing that
these recommendations will be the guiding framework for this government. “For the first time in Pakistan’s history, we have brought real and substantive oversight and democratic accountability to our foreign and security policy,” the prime minister said. He said the parliament had proven time and again that when it comes to the matters of national interests, “we can and do come together”. “We are making history today. And that we have the strength, the resolve and the ability to take critical decisions in the interest of the nation.” Gilani told the parliament that he learnt about Salala tragedy while in Multan and he immediately mobilized the government and called a meeting of the Defense Committee of Cabinet under his command. The DCC, he said, immediately instructed the US to vacate the Shamsi base and under the guidance of the parliamentary resolution of May 14, suspended the US/NATO/ISAF lines of communication within Pakistan. Prime Minister Gilani said the support from across the political divide had strengthened the government’s position to take a bold stance that was not a usual thing. He said after the Salala tragedy, the world had been eyeing Pakistan’s parliament that had been devising new terms of engagements with the United States. He also recalled his meeting with US President Barack Obama, to whom he told that the partnership with Pakistan could not be successful until the people were satisfied, also mentioning to his meeting with former US President George Bush whom he told about the government’s 3-D policy: Dialogue, Development & Deterrence. “We wish to create a peaceful environment in the region for achieving prosperity and welfare for our people. My government remains committed to improving relations with our neighbours,” the prime minister said. He said in recent months, the government had taken transformational initiatives to reach out and engage with its neighbours and the vision of the South Asia and Central Asia region is one of mutual security, prosperity and harmony. “We live in an independent and interconnected world. As a responsible global actor, Pakistan will play its rightful role. By following an independent policy, we will uphold the principles of peace and justice,” Gilani remarked. “I would like to assure this House that my government will implement the recommendations that have been made, both in letter and spirit,” the prime minister said. NISAR: Leader of the Opposition in the
National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that all recommendations related to NATO supplies were not included in recommendations on the demands of the opposition. He said his party was interested to include the issue of Dr Afia Siddiqui in the recommendations but the government said that it was its responsibility to take up administrative matters. “This document (recommendation) would be only meaningful when it would go for its implementation not like the previous resolutions which were not implemented,” he added. “It is a half done job as it could be called historical occasion when this resolution would be implemented in letter and spirit. The prime minister’s commitment is not enough the recommendations should implement fully as even a one clause of previous resolutions was not implemented,” he said, demanding guarantee that this resolution was not treated like previous resolutions. After thorough discussion on the recommendations, he said, government has withdrawn some part of clause-6 of the previous. Likewise, in clause–7 of previous recommendation regarding ‘no covert or overt operation inside Pakistan shall be tolerated, word tolerated has been replaced with permitted. Having reservation on it the clause-10 ‘fifty percent of US/NATO/ISAF containers may be handled through Pakistan Railways (PR) and clause-15 of previous resolution have been withdrawn. Nisar said every political party in the House wanted good relation with the US, but there should not be imbalance in the relations. FAZL: Adding his share, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rahman said previous resolutions were not implemented in letter and spirit and the fresh one should not be treated in that way. He said that foreign agencies should not operate in our country. “If in the future the government adopts any step in this regard, it would be tantamount to sabotaging parliament,” he added. Continued on page 04