KHI 12-04-2012_Layout 1 4/12/2012 1:50 AM Page 1
‘ Rehman Malik does not encourage registration of Bengalis’
Massive Indonesian Problems to increase quakes trigger as long as PPP tsunami alert govt stays: Nawaz
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Rs 15.00 Vol ii no 285 22 pages
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karachi edition
thursday, 12 april, 2012 Jamadi-ul-awal 19, 1433
Us facilitated Zardari’s visit to india
Rs 7 billion drug scam
ISLAMABAD SHAiQ HUSSAin
pM tells cabinet none of the enquiries conducted into the matter have pointed out ali Musa’s involvement in scam Cabinet ministers vow to defend pM and his family against ‘malicious campaign’ ISLAMABAD
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StAFF RePORt
N a fool-proof “democratic” manner, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani turned to his cabinet on Wednesday to get his son exonerated of charges of exercising influence for granting illegal quotas to pharmaceutical companies, just as the Supreme Court is warming up to delve into yet another scandal surfacing under the incumbent regime, ordering both the PM’s son and his principal secretary to become part of the probe into the allegations. Gilani took the federal cabinet into “confidence” about the ongoing “malicious” campaign against his son, MNA Syed Ali Musa Gilani, saying his son was being falsely accused of influencing the allocation of drug quota issued by the DG of the Ministry of Health. The prime minister said various enquiries conducted by departments, including one by the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, made no mention of influence exercised by Ali in their findings. An enquiry committee was set up under the directions of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, which included the federal inspector drug, deputy director of FIA and the chairman of Quality Control Islamabad. The findings of the committee did not find a clue of Ali’s involvement in the scam. The chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior also constituted another committee consisting of joint team of experts, FIA, chairman of Quality Control and federal inspector drugs to ascertain the substance used by pharmaceutical companies in the country. The report of this committee also reached the same conclusions, with no mention of Ali. A Joint Investigation Committee constituted by then minister of health consisting of joint secretary Planning & Development, Ministry of Health, deputy secretary of Narcotics Control Division and director (Enforcement) Anti-Narcotics Force with terms of reference to establish the violation of the procedure in granting quota to the recipients. The findings of the Joint Investigation team found no evidence of Ali’s involvement in the case. The prime minister said earlier his elder son Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani was implicated in the Haj scam. “In that case, the chief justice of Pakistan directed the authorities to register a case against the MNA who leveled allegations merely on the basis of hearsay,” Gilani said. Briefing reporters later, Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the cabinet expressed its grave concern over the charac-
ter assassination of the family members of the prime minister and resolved to defend the case of such victimization by presenting correct facts and figures at all forums. The minister said the cabinet expressed solidarity with the prime minister over the media trial of his family. Responding to the PML-N chief’s demand for early polls, the minister said the entire nation knew of the charge sheet presented by General Musharraf after toppling the PML-N government in 1999. “If corruption charges against Nawaz were wrong, he should have faced them in the courts and got his name cleared the way PPP leadership faced corruption cases for 11 years,” she viewed. To a question on President Asif Ali Zardari’s Indian visit, the minister said the PPP government had always strived for improving its relations with the regional countries including China, India, Russia, Iran and Afghanistan. She said the trip was private but all issues related to national interests, including Kashmir, were discussed. She said improvement of relations with India were in national interest. To a question, the minister said parliament was formulating the foreign policy for the first time and it was the responsibility of all political parties to give their opinion in parliament, not on television. Responding to a question about Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, she said if a person did not have regard for a constitutional head of the state, then he had no regard for the constitution. About the energy conference, she said the conference brought forward real facts about load shedding and claims of targeting one province proved wrong. The minister said the prime minister had directed the ministries of finance, water and power and petroleum to submit a joint strategy to end load shedding. Firdous said the cabinet prayed for an early recovery of army officers, jawans and civilians trapped in an avalanche in Siachen. She said the cabinet also discussed at length the budget strategy paper for the period 2012-13 and projections up to 2014-15. “The strategy paper aims at accelerating growth while ensuring macro-economic stability and articulates guiding principles for annual budget in order to achieve targets over the medium term,” she said. “The cabinet reviewed the implementation status of cabinet decisions pertaining to religious affairs, revenue and science & technology research divisions. The cabinet was informed that 87%, 79% and 78% decisions pertaining to religious affairs, revenue and science and technology research divisions, respectively, have been implemented. The remaining cabinet decisions pertaining to these divisions are in the process of implementation,” she said. Continued on page 04
The recent visit to India by President Asif Ali Zardari was not a “private” one as declared by the Pakistani government, but it was by all means an important official trip aimed at giving thrust from the top-level to the ‘sluggish’ pace of Indo-Pak peace process, and was made possible with the US’ role as ‘facilitator’, which believes that normal ties between the archrival nuclear neighbours are vital for the success of Afghan endgame. Apart from the US’ desire and its active role that it played for Zardari’s visit to New Delhi in the face of India’s reluctance, which does not see the environment conducive for the Pakistani leader’s visit, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led coalition government had also made hectic diplomatic efforts for this trip. The task of arranging the president’s visit was assigned to the Foreign Office back in September 2010, but its efforts could not succeed due to India’s position that the environment in India in the wake of 2008 Mumbai attacks was not free of hostility towards Islamabad. Diplomatic sources privy to ‘behind the scene’ efforts by Islamabad and Washington for Zardari’s visit revealed that Interior Minister Rehman Malik also used his friendly ties with some key Indian ministers for persuading the Congress-led government
in New Delhi to host President Zardari, but that too proved to be a futile attempt. “It was American intervention that proved successful and the Indian authorities finally expressed their willingness to receive the Pakistani president in New Delhi and also arrange a meeting between the visiting leader and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,” said a diplomatic source requesting anonymity on Wednesday. The Obama administration is eager for successful peace talks with the Taliban started recently in Qatar, but it also believes that without Pakistan’s support the success of Doha talks is not possible. The US policy makers know that Pakistan has strong concerns about the India’s role in Afghanistan and
unless there are normal ties between Islamabad and New Delhi, or any movement towards that, they feel that the Pakistani leadership will not be of any great help for the US in peace talks with the Taliban. “Hence, the Obama administration decided to play its role for top-level talks between Pakistan and India and facilitate a meaningful dialogue between the South Asian neighbours, but in order to have fruitful talks and start a movement towards settlement of different bilateral issues, it was decided by all key players involved that President Zardari’s visit would be dubbed as a ‘private trip’ aimed at paying homage at Ajmer Sharif,” the source said. Another source, who also sought anonymity, said the talks between President Zardari and Prime Minister Singh were satisfactory and both sides decided to speed up the dialogue process and especially go for more Confidence Building Measures (CBMs). “One reflection of that understanding is the visit of an Indian media delegation to Islamabad, which arrived Wednesday evening and in a rare development will be taken to Chakoti (Azad Kashmir) and also to Swat for a visit. This trip is part of CBMs to bring closer the media representatives from the two countries,” he said. Continued on page 04
KARACHi: Fishermen navigate through rough waters following an 8.7 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of indonesia on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami alert in several countries including Pakistan. online | story on page 04
Several vehicles torched as Sindhi nationalists mourn ‘murdered leader’ HYDERABAD Online
A complete shutter-down and wheeljam strike was observed across Sindh on Wednesday, officials said. However, life in a few areas of Karachi remained per routine. The strike call was given by the Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) against the alleged “killing” of its chief Bashir Khan Qureshi. A protest demonstration was held in Hyderabad while roads were also blocked at various places. All business activities came to a
grinding halt in big and small cities of the province, including Sukkur, Nawabshah, Larkana, Khairpur, Tando Muhammad Khan, Mirpurkhas, Mithi, Islam Kot and Sakrand. The strike was also observed in various localities of Karachi, including Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Gulshan-e-Hadeed. Some gunmen opened fire early morning in Hyderabad and other parts of the province and forced traders to shut their shops, while miscreants gutted two rail wagons in Kotri and torched a truck and bus in Karachi. Few cracker blasts and firing
incidents were also reported when the police arrested JSQM activists from various parts of the province. Meanwhile, police claimed to have taken into custody several arsonists on charges of sparking panic among citizens. JSQM Secretary Genereal Asif Baladi claimed that Qureshi didn’t die of heart attack instead he was killed by state elements. Party leaders had demanded the government that the autopsy be conducted by a private hospital in order to determine the actual cause of the death, but officials have failed to meet the demand as yet.