KHI 03-04-2012_Layout 1 4/3/2012 2:58 AM Page 1
Pakistan considers India a ‘threat’ but US differs: Leon Panetta
Fuel prices might go down, but just a little
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Rs15.00 Vol ii no 276 22 pages
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Public holiday in Sindh on Bhutto’s 33rd death anniversary PAGE |06
Karachi edition
Osama’s family handed 45-day prison sentence ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
A civil court on Monday indicted al Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden’s family members to a 45-day imprisonment for illegally staying in Pakistan. As three widows and their children had already passed one month in prison, they would be deported to their respective countries after 15 days. Senior Civil Judge Shahrukh Anjumad handed down a 45-day imprisonment sentence along with a fine of Rs 10,000 each, to Bin Laden’s three widows and two daughters under the Foreign Act. The proceedings of the case were carried at a house located in sector G/6 of the capital city where the al Qaeda chief’s family was kept and the house has also been declared a sub jail. Talking to reporters, Zakarya Ahmad Abd alFattah, brother of Osama’s Yemani wife said the court had announced a one and a half month imprisonment to all the five accused including Osama’s three widows, Amal Ahmad Abdul Fatheh, Silham Sharif, and Kharia Hussain Sabir, and two daughters, Maryam and Sumiya. He said the fine of Rs 10,000 on all the adult members had also been imposed, adding that the court had also directed the government to arrange necessary documents for the earliest repatriation of the Osama’s family members, so that they can go to their own country’s—Saudi Arabia and Yemen – after completing their imprisonment. Amal al Sadeh along with bin Laden’s two other wives from Saudi Arabia and an undisclosed number of children were among the 16 people detained by Pakistani authorities in the wake of the May 2 raid on the al Qaeda leader’s Abbottabad compound. FIA Assistant Director (Legal) Khalid Naeem said Amal was also charged under Section 419 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for cheating and not providing her real identity. Muhammad Aamir, lawyer for the Bin Laden family told reporters that the period of detention of his widows and children started on March 3, when they were formally arrested on charges of illegal entry and residency in Pakistan and that they would continue to be held at their house in federal capital. He added that the directions had been given to the interior secretary for making all the arrangements of Bin Laden’s deportation and the said process may be completed in two weeks.
tuesday, 3 april, 2012 Jamadi-ul-awal 10, 1433
Karachi violence finally gets president’s attention Zardari orders aerial patrolling, heavy-duty armoured personnel carriers to maintain peace
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KARACHI
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STAFF REPORT
ARACHI is all set to have a garrison look as President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday took a strong exception to incidents of targeted killings, extortions and street crimes in the violencehit commercial hub of the country. Almost every day of the last week saw the city witnessing cold-blooded killings and socio-economic life coming to a grinding halt with over 50 people falling prey to politically-motivated targeted killings, dozens of vehicles being set on fire and trade and business incurring incalculable losses during the weeklong violence. Monday being no exception saw the targeted killing of a PPP office bearer in the gang-war-fame Lyari neighbourhood, one of the city’s most volatile localities. Chairing a high-level meeting of offi-
cials from the government and law enforcement agencies at Bilawal House, President Zardari ordered the security personnel to deal with the criminals with zero tolerance. The president said the city of 180 million had badly been plagued by the menace of extortion and other street crimes with the life and properties of common man paralysed the most. The president directed the concerned quarters to equip the police with aerial patrolling equipment as well as heavy-duty armoured personnel carriers (APCs). The law enforcers would also be doing the “geo fencing” of various city neighbourhoods infected the most. Among others, the meeting was attended by Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Home Minister Manzoor Wassan, Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Law Min-
ister Muhammad Ayaz Soomro, Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani, the Sindh IGP, Pakistan Rangers Sindh DG, IB DG and other senior federal and provincial government officials. Meanwhile, the interior minister, who arrived on Saturday, called upon the media not to sensationalize the news regarding violence. In a talk on Monday, the PPP’s major troubleshooter in Karachi, said the media should avoid spreading sensation by, what he termed it, the misreporting of facts regarding law and order in Karachi. He claimed that there was no incident of targeted killing on Sunday, but he saw some of the newspapers reporting the killing of six people in targeted killing. The interior minister claimed that those reported to have fallen prey to politically-motivated killings had died naturally or were shot dead out of personal enmities or accidents.
PPP leader among seven killed in fresh Karachi violence KARACHI AgEnciES
After two days of silence, the sequence of violence resurfaced in parts of Karachi again on Monday, claiming the life of at least seven people, including a PPP local leader. Police said that unidentified gunmen opened fire on the vehicle of PPP Lyari Vice President Hassan Soomro. The leader received a bullet to his head and was rushed to a hospital, however, he could not survive the injuries. Akhtar Gorchani, a senior police officer, said a woman was shot dead on Jinnah Road. In Sohrab Goth, a man was killed and another injured in cross-firing between two rival groups. President Asif Zardari, Faisal Raza Abdi and PPP Karachi President Nabeel Gabol condemned the killing of their party leader. Gabol said Lyari, which was considered the stronghold of the PPP, had become a battlefield under PPP’s own regime. “Our leaders have been killed. Now the tolerance of our workers is finished but there is still no Rangers official deputed in the area,” he said, demanding an immediate operation against terrorists.
3 soldiers, 14 militants killed in Mohmand
KARAcHi: Plainclothesmen engage in a gunfight with miscreants in Lyari after an operation was launched to curb violence. online
Pakistan paying heavy price for int’l politics: PM g
Gilani calls for cooperation among regional countries for economic development g Seeks Chinese help to meet energy needs BOAO AgEnciES
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday said Pakistan had paid a heavy price for international politics, as the country had had to make challenging decisions. Addressing the Boao Forum, PM Gilani highlighted the role Pakistan had played in the war against terrorism. He regretted that Pakistan had to accommodate more than 3.5 million refugees due to Russia in the Afghan war. Highlighting the Pak-Sino ties, the prime minister affirmed that the relations between the two countries were strengthening by the day. Gilani reiter-
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ated that Pakistan was facing major challenges in restoring peace in the region. He said the world economic recession and increase in international oil prices had also left a bad impact on the economy of Pakistan. He called for more cooperation among the regional countries for economic development. Highlighting his achievements, Gilani said parliament had made landmark legislations and restored the 1973 constitution. He said there was an independent judiciary‚ free media and a vibrant civil society. Gilani hoped that Pakistan would achieve the targets of millennium development goal by 2015. He said Pakistan was working to im-
prove its relations it the world, including with India. Gilani said being a new democracy, Pakistan faced many challenges and due to the same reason, the government had to make critical decisions. He called for more cooperation among the regional countries for economic development. Gilani said Pakistan played the role of a frontline state in the war against terror and suffered a lot on its economic front. The prime minister urged the Asian countries to establish regional harmony and sustainable development through increased trade and economic growth. “If we do not establish regional harmony based on trade, investment and economic growth, we fear we will re-
main hostage to the past. We can break free of this past,” he said. He said by 2050, Asia was expected to account for more than half of the global economy, restoring the world’s largest continent to its former position of economic primacy. “In short, we may well witness the birth of a new world,” he said. The PM praised the role of China for the establishment of peace in the region. Earlier‚Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang inaugurated the opening session and said promoting internal growth drivers was the new trend in Asia’s open economic development. Continued on page 04
PESHAWAR/KURRAM AGENCY: Dozens of militants attacked a paramilitary checkpoint overnight, sparking clashes that left at least three soldiers and up to 14 militants dead, officials said on Monday. The attack in Mohmand Agency was beaten off when troops responded with artillery and heavy weapons, according to a spokesman for the Frontier Corps (FC). “Militants attacked a Frontier Corps checkpost in Baizai area of Mohmand Agency on Sunday night, which triggered a firefight, killing three troops and 14 rebels,” local official Siddiqullah said. Five troops were also injured and the militants had infiltrated Pakistan from Afghanistan’s northeastern Kunar province, he said. The identity of the militants was not clear, but Afghan and Pakistani Taliban sympathisers have strongholds on both sides of the porous border. The FC spokesman confirmed the incident and casualties and said the militants had attacked the post from three different directions. Meanwhile, a man was killed and another 13 injured in a blast in Kurram Agency on Monday, officials said. According to officials, a bomb exploded near a taxi stand, also damaging many vehicles. Security forces rushed to the scene to cordon off the area and conduct a search operation. The officials said it could be a remote-controlled bomb blast. No one has claimed the responsibility for the attack. Agencies