ISB pages 16-11-2011_Layout 1 11/16/2011 1:29 AM Page 1
rs15.00
Lessons learnt from defeat, says Misbah
Indo-Pak talks: Trade to lead ‘normalisation roadmap’
Yemen’s Saleh says ready to step down in 90 days
PAGE 20
PROFIT | PAGE 01
PAGE 17
pakistantoday.com.pk
Vol ii no 141 32 pages islamabad — peshawar edition
wednesday, 16 november, 2011 Zul-Haj 19, 1432
Army supports democracy, Kayani tells Zardari US Ambassador Munter calls on Zardari shortly after Gen Kayani leaves g Army chief takes up with president case of alleged memo sent to Washington
g
ISLAMABAD SHAiq HuSSAiN
Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani on Tuesday held an important meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari amidst speculation of uneasy ties between the country’s civilian rulers and the military establishment, telling the president that the army wanted to strengthen the democratic system in the country. An official seeking anonymity said apart from other issues, the vital matter of an alleged “memo” being linked to the presidency and sent to senior most military official in Washington in a bid to seek help of Washington against possible military coup in Pakistan was also discussed during the meeting between the president and army chief. “General Kayani observed during the meeting that the armed forces wanted to strengthen the democratic order in the country, but he also expressed the resentment among the military cadres over such reports,” the source said. The three service chiefs, including General Kayani and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shameem Wynne, were not among the guests in-
vited to a reception hosted by President Zardari in the honor of Turkmen President Gurbangul Berdymukhammedov at the Presidency on Monday. Although the ISPR denied that the top brass of army avoided participation in the reception, saying that army chief did not get an invitation and General Wynne was abroad, their absence triggered speculation about the strained relations between Islamabad and Rawalpindi. “Current security situation and professional matters pertaining to Pakistan Army were discussed during the meeting,” said a brief official statement issued from presidency after the meeting. In a related significant development, US Ambassador Cameron Munter also called on President Zardari a couple of hours after the crucial meeting between the president and army chief. Officials said the purpose of US ambassador’s meeting was to have an idea of what transpired in the hour-long meeting between the president and General Kayani, as the US is keenly monitoring the situation in Islamabad as reports emanate
g
Landmark legislation brings end to brutal traditions and social practices against women
Continued on page 04
ISLAMABAD iRFAN BuKHARi
In a landmark legislation that brings an end to brutal centuries-old traditions and social practices against women, the National Assembly unanimously passed the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Bill of 2011 on Tuesday, which declares exploitation of and discrimination against women a crime punishable under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The private member’s bill,
Taking back advance payments to RPPs not enough: CJP ISLAMABAD MASOOD REHMAN
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed on Tuesday that taking back the unjustified huge advanced payments to rental power companies would not be enough, so the court would determine who made these advanced payments and why. He said all those responsible for the failure of Rental Power Projects (RPPs) should be pointed out, rather than grilling only former water and power minister Raja Pervez Ashraf. He hinted that the hearing of the suo motu RPPs’ case would be completed by Friday, which he is conducting as the head of a two-member Supreme Court bench also comprising Justice Khilji Arif Hussain. Counsel for the Water and Power Ministry Khawaja Tariq Rahim told the court that 14 percent, against the already agreed seven percent, mobilisation advance and other payments were given to the rental power companies just to save the investment. He said the approval of RPPs was given by the federal cabinet at the time and the Finance Ministry had said in May 2008 that it would pay for the RPPs, however in December it declined.
Chaudhry says SC will have to determine who paid the RPPs huge sums of money and why
g
Justice Hussain observed that the matter of RPPs was not negligence, but criminal negligence. “Don’t think that you will be given a clean chit after you have taken back the money given to the rental power companies in the head of mobilisation and other advances,” Chief Justice Chaudhry noted, adding that it would also be determined who paid this huge sum and why. Rahim stated that the price of furnace oil per tonne was Rs 24,000 which went up to Rs 65,000 per tonne in a year after the contracts were awarded to the RPPs. The chief justice observed that because of the absence of result-oriented policies of the government and its irresponsible approach, the matter of RPPs had become complicated. He said payments were made without any justification to the government’s favourites. The chief justice remarked further
moved by Pakistan Muslim LeagueQuaid (PML-Q) MNA Dr Doniya Aziz, will now go to the Senate for ratification and if it is also passed by the Upper House, it will be sent to the president, who will then sign it into law. “Whoever gives a female in marriage or otherwise compels her to enter into marriage, as badal-e-sulh, wanni, or swara or any other custom or practice under any name in consideration of settling a civil dispute or a criminal liability shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years and shall not be less than three years and shall also be liable to fine of Rs 500,000,” the bill states. This bill was tabled in the National Assembly in October but was put on hold because of some legal lacunae and opposition from several treasury members. A similar bill had been introduced in the National Assembly by PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in 2006 but was not passed. The bill also seeks to prohibit depriving a woman from inheriting property by adding a new chapter titled “Offences Against Women” to the PPC. “Whoever by deceitful or illegal means deprives any woman from inheriting any movable or immovable property at the time of opening of succession shall be punished with imprisonment for either description for a term which may extend to 10 years but not less than five years or with a fine of Rs 1,000,000,” says the bill. Similarly, when this bill becomes law, forced marriage will also be declared a punishable offence. Continued on page 04
gilani Congratulates Mps on passage of woMen’s bill | page 04
Pakistan wants to settle all issues with India through dialogue: PM g
Gilani hails Guru Nanak’s role in spreading religious harmony LAHORE
that after spending billions of rupees, the national grid was receiving less than 100 megawatts of electricity, and at present there were only eight RPPs instead of 18. He said the court would not tolerate financial loss to the national exchequer at any cost. Rahim then said if the money of poor people was being wasted in the RPPs, the projects should be shut down. “This is the hard-earned money of the poor people, people who barely earn enough to have two meals a day. We have to see how much benefit the poor people reaped and how much they suffered [because of these projects]. There is a difference between running a government and running a shop. What you are talking about is running a retail shop,” Justice Hussain remarked. Citing Para 22 of the Asian Development Report relating to the RPPs, the chief justice said the contents of the report had recommended fact finding in the RPPs’ case. Federal Housing and Works Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, one of the two petitioners against the RPPs, informed the court that the contract of Reshma RPP did not come into existence. Rahim said he would defend the allegation. The court later adjourned further hearing until Wednesday (today).
STAFF REPORT
Terming establishment of peace in the region the key to eradicating poverty, disease, injustice, ignorance and unemployment, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday that Pakistan wanted to settle all issues with India through dialogue. Delivering his keynote address here on Tuesday at the international seminar on “Sikh Muslim Sanjh Tareekh De Aainey Vich” organised by Dyal Singh Research and Cultural Forum (DSRCF), the premier said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government believed in friendly relations with all neighbouring countries. He said Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry had initiated the process of dialogue for balance of trade and to grant Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India and the negotiation between the commerce secretaries of both countries were underway in New Delhi. “Recently, I have had a very successful meeting with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in the Maldives. We agreed that negotiation is the way to resolve all outstanding issues,” said Gilani. The prime minister said all the PPP governments took practical steps, which were never taken by any other regime, for the welfare and prosperity of the minorities in Pakistan. He said the PPP-led democratic government believed in interfaith harmony and the PPP
was a progressive and enlightened party. He said the party’s manifesto specifically mentioned that followers of other faiths were citizens of Pakistan and enjoyed equal rights under the constitution. He said the government had completed many development projects through special funds in the minorities’ areas. The prime minister also congratulated the entire Sikh community on the 543rd birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak and welcomed them to Pakistan. “The people of Pakistan, especially of Punjab, extend warm welcome to you on your arrival here, and they pray for your safe return after your visit to holy places and the performance of your religious rituals in a peaceful environment. I am sure you must have got spiritual satisfaction in the real sense during your stay here,” he said. He said personalities like Baba Guru Nanak were rare. There were hundreds of religions in the world today and the essential message of all of them was the promotion of peace and love, he added. “Today we are in need of religious tolerance which was propagated by Baba Guru Nanak, who accepted the Oneness of God as the ultimate truth and travelled all four corners of the world to spread this message. He went to Tibet, holy cities of Makkah and Madina. A memorial in Baghdad today has the name of ‘Nanak Faqeer’ written on it,” he said. Continued on page 04