LHR 28-03-2012_Layout 1 3/28/2012 4:41 AM Page 1
US drone strikes in sharp decline in Pakistan
Shahbaz teams up with industrialists against outages PAGE | 03
rs15.00 vol ii no 270 22 pages
PAGE | 03
Syria accepts Annan’s peace plan PAGE |16
lahore edition
10 killed as violence flares in Karachi at least 50 vehicles, including buses, mini buses and trucks torched by protesters
Wednesday, 28 march, 2012 Jamadi-ul-awal 4, 1433
Obama calls for ‘balanced’ review of Pakistan-US ties US president says Washington respects Pakistani sovereignty g Gilani tells Obama no war could be won without ownership of the people
KARACHI AAmIR mAjEEd
Gunmen and arsonists went on the rampage in the country’s financial capital Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, nawab Shah and other cities of Sindh on Tuesday, killing at least 10 people and setting dozens of vehicles alight, officials said. The unrest was sparked by the murder of a worker of the muttahida Qaumi movement (mQm) and his brother late monday, reviving fears that the city of 18 million could return to horrifying levels of violence that left more than 1,700 people dead last year. mansoor mukhtar, 37, was shot dead late monday when gunmen burst into the home where he was sleeping, police said. His brother also died and his sister-in-law was wounded in the attack in the central neighbourhood of PIB Colony, police said. Talking to Pakistan Today, SP Gulshan-eIqbal Abdul Salam Sheikh said the gunmen killed mansoor mukhtar instantly, while his brother maqsood mukhtar succumbed to his wounds at a private hospital. He said mansoor’s sisterin-law uzma maqsood and two other mQm workers, muhammad Yousuf and muhammad Amjad received bullet wounds. He said the attackers ransacked the entire house and also stole cash, jewellery and other valuables. Continued on page 04
World leaders urge action against nuke terrorism SEOUL STAff REpORT
As the two-day nuclear security summit came to a close on Tuesday, the world leaders renewed their commitment to work towards strengthening nuclear security and reducing the threats of nuclear terrorism by preventing criminals and unauthorised actors from acquiring the nuclear materials. An eleven-point communiqué released at the end of the event highlighted the nexus between nuclear security and safety in the aftermath of the Fukushima incident, marking a difference between this document and the one issued after the 2010 Washington Summit. The Washington communiqué primarily provided a work plan to the participating States, reminding them of their fundamental responsibility to maintain effective control of all nuclear materials and nuclear facilities under their control. Reiterating their commitment to continue the effort to create a safer world, the participating leaders reaffirmed that the measures to strengthen nuclear security would not hamper the right of the states to develop and utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This is significant as Pakistan has been seeking a non-discriminatory access to nuclear technology for peaceful uses, including nuclear power generation, to meet its growing energy requirements. Continued on page 04
SEOUL
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SEOUL: US president Barack Obama looks on as prime minister Yousaf Raza gilani addresses reporters on Tuesday. afP
no let up in Punjab power riots LAHORE/FAISALABAD STAff REpORT/AgEnCIES
Protests against massive load shedding continued across the province for the fifth day running, as an angry mob torched LeSCO’s regional office in the Ichhra area of Lahore on Tuesday. massive protests were staged in Lahore, Gujranwala and Faisalabad over prolonged power load shedding on Tuesday as well. Despite tall claims by the minister for power, PePCO and LeSCO of improvement in situation, outages remained almost per routine. LeSCO suffered a loss of hundreds of thousands of rupees due to the arson by the protesters, with officials estimating losses of at least Rs 1 million. Traders of Ichhra and Ferozepur Road were carrying out a peaceful protest but things got out of control when people surrounded the LeSCO office and pelted stones at it. The officials present in the office escaped, leaving the protesters to ransack the office. “The damage of property and equipment is huge and could be more than Rs one million,” said an official of the company, adding that LeSCO was only a distribution company and had nothing to do with load shedding. In another protest in Shahdara, protesters blocked the main road, blocking the traffic coming into and leaving the city for hours. Annoyed demonstrators also blocked roads by burning tyres at Laxmi Chowk and Baghbanpura. They said there was no relief from electricity load shedding despite the rising cost of electricity, vowing to continue protests until a positive step was taken to deal with the energy woes. In Faisalabad a complete shutter down strike was observed against prolonged hours of power load shedding. Continued on page 04
shaky govt stops fpa ColleCtion | page 28
Angry mob torches LESCO office in Lahore, blocks roads in Gujranwala and Faisalabad PEPCO gets additional fuel after govt pays PSO Rs 20b, Rs 150b still outstanding
LAHORE: A man shouts anti-government slogans as violent demonstrators ransacked a LESCO office at Ichhra on Tuesday. nadeem ijaz
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SARmAd BASHIR
ReSIDenT Barack Obama on Tuesday welcomed the parliamentary review of relations between Pakistan and the united States, and told Prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani he hoped that it would lead to a “balanced approach that respects Pakistan’s sovereignty but also respects our concerns with respect to our security and our needs to battle terrorists”. The much anticipated meeting took place on the sidelines of the nuclear security summit here at which both leaders discussed ways to assuage tensions between the two countries. It was the first highest-level contact between Islamabad and Washington since the uS navy Seals recovered and killed al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. The massacre of 24 soldiers in nATO airstrikes on the Salala checkpost in november further strained the already tense relations. “Prime minister Gilani has very clearly articulated to President Obama that government as the executive head has asked the parliament to recommend new rules of engagement with Washington,” Foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar said while briefing the Pakistani media about the meeting. She, however, dispelled the perception that the government had already decided to revive ties with the united States and the parliamentary review was mere eyewash.During the meeting, which lasted for an hour, the two leaders discussed a wide-range of issues, including bilateral relations and peace and stability in the region. Obama appreciated Pakistan’s role in fighting terrorism and extremism and said improved relations between Islamabad and Washington were important to achieve success in the ongoing war on terror. Gilani made it clear to him that no war could be won without the ownership of the people. Obama said his country fully recognised and respected the sovereignty of Pakistan but at the same time he stressed the need for protecting the security of the uS from terrorists. Referring to the parliamentary process on the issue of future relations between Pakistan and the united States, he said that his country accorded due respect and honour to the process. “I welcome the fact that the parliament in Pakistan is reviewing, after some extensive study, the nature of this relationship,” Obama said, adding, “I think that it’s important for us to get it right.” Giving his comments to the media along with Gilani at the Coex Convention Centre, the venue of the summit, Obama said both Islamabad and Washington needed to work together for the security and peace in region. He was of the view that stability and security in Afghanistan was important because it would not only benefit Pakistan, but also the entire world. Obama mentioned the fact that during the last several months, Pakistan-uS ties had experienced some strains but he welcomed the parliamentary review, adding the nature of relations were important. Continued on page 04
opp CritiCism hinders na debate | page 28