South Asia Tribune

Tribune

South Asia

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Year 2

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Issue 04

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Thursday, 09.08.12

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www.satribune.co.uk

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Anni Dewani honeymoon murder: South African jailed Anni Dewani’s family has attacked the “legal torture” of protracted extradition proceedings after one of the South African hitmen accused of killing the honeymooner was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Man pleads guilty to Anni Dewani’s honeymoon murder A South African man is sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to the murder of Swedish woman Anni Dewani during her 2010 honeymoon in Cape Town. Mziwamadoda Qwabe was charged with murder along with Mrs Dewani’s British husband Shrien Dewani and another South African, Xolile Mngeni.

Mr Dewani denies plotting to kill his wife and a British court has halted his extradition, citing his mental health.

He is being treated for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Defence lawyer Daniel Theunissen told the high court in Cape Town that Qwabe had agreed to plead guilty to kidnapping, robbery, murder, and illegal possession of a firearm.

Qwabe earlier pleaded guilty to all charges. Mr Theunissen said his client had signed a plea agreement.

“It’s a positive step for the prosecution because we are now a step closer to getting information on what happened on that day, which will shed some light on the role played by Shrien Dewani,” a report.

In March, the High Court in London temporarily halted Mr Dewani’s extradition. He has been diagnosed as suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

His lawyers want proceedings to be halted for a year to give

him time to recover.

The case in the UK is due to resume in September.

Mr Dewani owns a care home in Bristol, in the west of

England, where the couple lived before Mrs Dewani was killed.

Mrs Dewani’s uncle Ashok Hindocha said her family was happy with Qwabe’s plea but still wanted to know why she was killed.

“The way we feel is that we are going through legal torture. It is extremely stressful for the family,” he said.

Shortly after the murder in November 2010, Tongo confessed to killing Mrs Dewani.

Tongo said Mr Dewani offered him about $2,100 (£1,340) to arrange the killing and make it look like a carjacking.

He was sentenced to 18 years in prison following a plea bargain.

Mr Dewani faces charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and obstructing the administration of justice.

Kids go wild is what you’ve all been waiting for, the UK’s first ladies and children’s only soft play centre!

Row as centre respect Muslim Women Privacy Sexism row as children’s play centre only allows ladies and boys aged under nine

• Branded ‘disgusting and sexist’ for ‘no men rule’ • Equality watchdog will investigate the centre’s policy • Decision made for ‘cultural reasons’ in the interests of the ‘predominantly Asian’ community A Birmingham soft play centre is being investigated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission after it decided to ban fathers from attending with their children. Play centre in Britain has been plunged into a sexism row after it banned fathers from entering the premises to avoid offending Muslim women.

The play centre is for women-only Kids Go Wild in Sparkhill, Birmingham is believed to be the first play centre in the country to introduce a women-only policy.

The play centre’s website says it is the ‘UK’s first ladies

and children’s only soft play centre.’

Continued on page 3 >>

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NEWS

‘Trendy’ Oxford Street and Piccadilly retailer forced Muslim employee to resign over headscarf

A London-based retailer forced a Muslim employee to resign after she wore a headscarf to work, because it wanted to retain its “trendy” image, an employment tribunal has ruled.

Ms Farrah brought a claim for unfair dismissal and direct religious discrimination against her former employer, Global Luggage Co, after the company moved her to a different store to maintain its “trendy” image and later forced her to resign.

Originally, Farrah worked in both the Oxford Street and Piccadilly branches of Global Luggage Co on alternate days each weekend.

However, the day after Farrah wore a headscarf to work one of the directors immediately moved her to the Oxford Street store and changed her rota so that she no longer worked at the Piccadilly store.

When Farrah challenged one of the directors as to whether the reason for this move was because she had Publisher Salah Bu Khamas (UAE) Sabha Khan (UK) UK Office 10 Courtenay Road, Wembley, Middlesex, HA9 7ND UK Phone: +44 20 8904 0619 Fax: +44 20 8181 7575 info@satribune.co.uk India Office Satya Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. C/O Satya Group.

1st Floor, Avenue Appt., Near Sheth. R. J. J. High School, Tithal Road, Valsad - 396001 Gujarat, India United Arab Emirates Office S.K. Group of Companies P.O. Box 9021, Karama Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 4 2659970, 3359929; Fax: +971 4 2659971, 3341609 www.sk-groupofcompanies.com Managing Editor & CEO Mohammad Shahid Khan Group Editorial Managers Gulzar Khan (India) Abdul Khalique (Pakistan) Editorial Board UK Frances Brunner FYI Tribune team Adrian Fellar Misbah Khan Reema Shah Rohma Khan Keziah-Ann Abakah Marketing & Sales Andrew Klugman (Manager) Art Department UK Ali Ansar (Art Director) Mohammad Reazul Islam

worn a headscarf, she was told that the company was “trying to maintain an image at Piccadilly” and that it was “trying to be trendy”.

A couple of months later, Farrah was forced to resign after she took an extended lunch break.

However, the tribunal ruled that the company had “seized on the claimant’s admitted misconduct as a pretext for dismissing her” and

that the real reason for her forced resignation was that she had worn a headscarf to work.

Farrah won her claim for unfair dismissal but lost her claim for direct religious discrimination.

However, the judge said that, had she brought a claim for indirect discrimination, the tribunal would have “in all likelihood” ruled in her favour.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

Chelmsford TUC says No to EDL

Chelmsford TUC along with other local organisations and faith groups will register their opposition to the EDL’s proposed march in the City on 18th August. We will assemble at 11.30am at Tindal Square CM1 1LX and march through the town at 1pm, returning to Tindal Square for speeches. We urge you to join us in rejecting racism and islamophobia in our community.

When the English Defence League announced they were to march in Chelmsford on 18 August 2012 we responded by relaunching our Statement Against Racism and Fascism. 151 people signed it immediately.

If you would like to add your name to the total, do let us know.

Deadly church attack in central Nigeria

Gunmen shoot dead at least 20 people, including the pastor, in church in town near city of Okene, an army official says.

Gunmen last night invaded the Deeper Life Church at Otite area in Okene, Kogi State, killing 20 worshippers and wounding many others.

Witnesses said church members were attending a night service when the gunmen launched an attack.

The attackers came in a Toyota bus and fired indiscriminate shots. They then blocked the entrance to the church, put off the lights inside and shot at fleeing worshippers, witnesses said.

Fifteen of the dead were women while 10 were men.

The Commander of the Joint Military Task Force in Lokoja, Lt-Col. Gabriel Olorunyomi, confirmed the incident, according to the News Agency of

Nigeria (NAN) He said 15 worshippers died instantly in the attack while another died on the way to the hospital.

The commander said that many injured persons were taken to hospitals in Lokoja, a distance of 40 minutes driving on the road from Okene.

He said the casualty figure might rise considering that some sustained heavy injuries.

Spokesman for the Kogi State Police Command, Simeon Ille, said they were awaiting official report from the Divisional Police Officer in Okene.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Last night’s incident came weeks after bombers attempted to attack the Living Faith Church in Okene last month but were prevent by the security operatives.

Veiled French Muslim woman charged with inciting riot

A French Muslim woman has been charged with assault and inciting a riot after she refused a police ID check because she was wearing a banned full-face veil, a police source said today.

The 18-year-old is to appear in court in the northern city of Lille on October 30 charged with assault, insulting police and inciting a riot after police tried to take her to a station for refusing to provide identification.

A French law passed in 2011, the first of its kind to be enforced in Europe, banned the wearing of the full-face-covering Islamic veil.

The law came into effect at an already fraught moment in relations between the state and France’s Muslim minority -- the

largest in Europe -- with then president Nicolas Sarkozy accused of stigmatising Islam to win back votes from a resurgent far right in this year’s election.

Supporters of the law have defended it as a measure aimed at supporting women’s rights

although the text makes it clear that a woman cannot choose herself to cover her face in public.

The woman, arrested on Saturday, was stopped by officers in Roubaix, outside northern France’s largest city of Lille.

She allegedly said she did not have

time and did not want to show her ID card and covered herself up with another veil as she walked away, the police source said, asking not to be named.

When police tried to take her to the station, she allegedly grabbed hold of a vehicle and started kicking, punching and screaming, the source added.

She allegedly tried to bite police and scratched one of them before being taken into custody. None of the officers were hurt.

In a similar incident on July 24, three officers in the southern city of Marseille sustained minor injuries after they stopped a fully veiled woman by a mosque. The woman, two men and a minor are due in court over the alleged assault.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

NEWS

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British Special Forces are likely to be operating in Syria Britain secretly equipping Syrian rebels with latest satellite phones to help topple Assad that British Special Forces are likely to be operating in Syria.

Teams from the SAS and SBS are understood to be based in the neighbouring state of Jordan, slipping into Syria on missions.

Ex-British Army commander Richard Kemp – a former member of the Government’s Joint Intelligence Committee – said: ‘The UK Government cannot give practical support to the rebels

British officials are secretly equipping Syrian rebel groups with satellite phones in a bid to topple President Bashar al-Assad daily mail report.

The supply of the latest generation of handsets is part of the Foreign Office’s mission to mould militias into a coalition capable of governing the country. The phones, used by the Ministry of Defence, are designed for rugged environments and are shock, dust and water resistant.

Whitehall sources also confirmed the Foreign Office is teaching negotiation and ‘stabilisation’ skills to opposition leaders, and advising on how to address the Syrian people and international audiences.

According to military experts, the presence of Foreign Office officials and the provision of training and equipment to the opposition means

without a presence inside Syria, and any Foreign Office officials seeking to liaise with the opposition leaders would require close protection from Special Forces.

‘The situation is hostile and changing rapidly. It is important Britain monitors the situation closely.’

On January 2, a US soldier in San Diego claiming links to Special Forces posted on his Facebook page that he was deploying to Syria. This tantalizing piece of information startled readers, leading many to ask: does USA have troops in Syria and if so, why? It’s no secret to many in Congress, where testimony before the Armed Services Committee as of last year by a top military official confirmed that the US has Special forces in over 20 Mideast countries including Syria, The Nation reported in 2010.

48 Iranian pilgrims abducted in Damascus: Iran state TV Iran asks Turkey, Qatar for help freeing captured nationals in Syria Syrian rebels: Kidnapped Iranians are Revolutionary Guards

Tehran has asked Turkey and Qatar to help secure the release of Iranian nationals kidnapped in the Syrian capital Damascus on Saturday. The Free Syrian Army claimed the Iranians were members of the elite Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Tehran has asked Turkey and Qatar to help secure the release of Iranian nationals kidnapped in the Syrian capital Damascus on Saturday. The Free Syrian Army claimed the Iranians were members of the elite Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

The Free Syrian Army is responsible for the

kidnapping, according to Iran's Fars news agency.

Forty-eight Iranians were kidnapped while on a pilgrimage in the Syrian capital Damascus on Saturday, their embassy’s consular chief in Damascus told Iran’s state television.

“Armed terrorist groups kidnapped 48 Iranian pilgrims on their way to the airport,” Majid Kamjou told the IRIB network, which gave the report on its website.

The embassy knows the whereabouts of the pilgrims and is pursuing “relevant channels” to free them, he added

Meanwhile Syria’s state television channel reported that “armed terrorist groups” had kidnapped the pilgrims who were in a bus in the Damascus suburbs and said the relevant parties were dealing with the situation.

Tehran is the staunchest ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose forces are locked in a bloody conflict in Damascus and other cities against rebels his regime describes as "terrorists".

Now Syrian rebels claimed the 48 Iranians kidnapped on Saturday are members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and not pilgrims

as Iran alleged, according to footage aired by AlArabiya on Sunday.

The rebels “captured 48 of the Shabiha (militiamen) of Iran who were on a reconnaissance mission in Damascus,” said a man dressed as an officer of the Free Syrian Army, in the video aired by Al-Arabiya.

Iranian news agency IRNA reported Sunday that Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akber Salehi appealed to both Qatar and Turkey, countries formally assisting the Syrian opposition, for help securing the release of the hostages. Turkey and Qatar have supported the mostly-Sunni rebels in Syria.

Row as centre respect Muslim Women Privacy

Continued from page 1 >> The centre, which opened in June.

Kids Go Wild is believed to be the first such play centre in the country to introduce a ‘women only’ policy, which also bans boys over the age of nine.

Bosses at the centre, claimed the policy was instigated for ‘cultural reasons’ and was in the interests of women.

The move has, however, angered both Muslim and nonMuslim men, with one father branding the move as “disgusting” and “sexist”, The Daily Express reports.

“In the Muslim community men and women being separate is normal at religious events and social functions.

But a play centre isn’t a religious or function thing. It’s somewhere for children to play. A ban on men gives the wrong impression about men,” the report quoted a father, as saying A poster outside the centre, in the predominantly Asian area of Birmingham, reads: “Ladies and children only.

No boys over nine allowed.”

The newly-formed group advertises itself as “the UK’s

first ladies and children’s only soft play centre”. An Equality and Human Rights Commission spokesman said: ‘The Equality Act does allow for some services to be just for women or men-only, but this is the exception not the norm and must pass a strict test to be justifiable.

‘We will look into why Kids Go Wild is a women-only service.’ If the commission’s lawyer considered the play centre’s policy to be discriminatory, it would ask Kids Go Wild to change it, the spokesman added.

NEWS

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EDITORIAL

The Mysterious 2012 London Olympics

The US action of dropping atomic weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was an act of terrorism.

August 6 1945 - Hiroshima, Nuclear Terrorism The world’s first act of nuclear terrorism happened on August 6 1945 when an American pilot dropped the A-bomb on the city of Hiroshima, murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women, children and babies. Like any terrorist strike, it took out a civilian target with a callous and criminal disregard for human life.

This terrorist strike preceded the second on Nagasaki, just days later, in which further hundreds of thousands of civilians were murdered, 67 years ago. Remembering these events, the UN Secretary-General, Ban Kimoon, has stated that “There must never be another nuclear attack - never. The elimination of such weapons is not just a visionary goal, but the most reliable way to prevent their future use.”

Page mistook Sikhs for Muslims, Breivik mistook Christians for Muslims, Osama mistook Muslims for Non believers and Arab Muslims rebels mistook Muslims for?

The gunman who killed six people at a Sikh temple south of Milwaukee on Sunday and critically wounded three others, including a police officer, was identified Monday as Wade Michael Page, a 40-year-old Army veteran with reported links to the white supremacist movement. Sikh typically wear turbans, they are sometimes mistaken for Muslims or Arabs, although they are neither. Wade Michael Page did not appear dangerous when he bought a handgun at a shop last month, the Gun shop owner said . Shop owner Nugent said Page did not look strange and appeared calm. “He didn’t have a shaved head or 9/11 tattoo. He didn’t talk stupid or act stupid,” Nugent said.

“He raised no eyebrows whatsoever.”

Ex CIA man Tim Osman popularly known as Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda Leader was a mass murderer who killed more Muslims than anyone else — and harmed Islam in the process. According to the report, titled “Deadly Vanguards: A Study of Al Qaeda’s Violence Against Muslims.” “The fact is that the vast majority of al Qaeda’s victims are Muslims. Al Qaeda the group’s terrorist actions from 2004 to 2008 led to more non-Western deaths than Western killings.

Late Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto year ago revealed about the Osama Bin Laden’s Murder while in an interview following a failed assassination attempt on her life in October 2007, Benazir Bhutto says bin Laden has already been killed.

In the interview, she even identified the man who killed the notorious al-Qaeda leader as Omar Sheikh , yet US President Obama announced that the al-Qaeda leader was killed by US forces after he was found hiding in a compound in Pakistan. On the other hand according to the daily Mail Bin Laden WAS NOT buried at sea, but flown to the U.S. for cremation at secret location, claims intelligence boss in leaked email.

Norwegian mass murderer Anders Behring

Breivik a Freemason a Christian terrorist, at Trial’s End, Lawyers Say Norway Killer Is Not Insane, he killed 77 people. He was charged for terrorist attacks and pre-meditated murder after planting a car bomb outside the government’s main office buildings in Oslo and going on a shooting spree at the ruling Labor party’s summer youth camp on the nearby island of Utøya. The verdict for his case is expected on August 24.

Norway massacre man inspired Colorado killer Holmes followed the “teachings” of Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik as he planned his murder spree. Holmes even signed up on an adult contact website in a bid to follow Breivik’s advice to “keep up morale” by having plenty of sex before his attack. According to some reports an ex-mossad agent fingered other Mossad agents as being on that remote Norway Island the very weekend of the BDS Political Camp. When the incident happened some said Norway is being punished for its support for the oppressed Palestinians.

So Norway was punished for its support for Muslims, Afghan Muslims were punished

by CIA funded Muslims for their support for Soviet Union, Arab world from Saddam To Qaddaffi and Hosni Mubarak punished for its support for Western Zionist powers for being dictators. Soon Qatar, Saudi, Turkey and Bahrain and UAE will be punished by the same Zion …..

Just as the assassination of JFK and Watergate fuelled a golden age of paranoia, so the attacks of 11 September 2001 and its repercussions have ushered in a new, productive generation of conspiracy theories. It’s not just a fringe minority.

For the conspiracy hardcore, though, 9/11, the London 7/7 attacks and other terrorist incidents are what’s known as “false flag” operations; hoax attacks designed to advance the conspirators’ agenda, and the London Olympics plot is the next one.

Something does not feel right about the 2012 London Olympics from day it was announced , and I won’t be able to get these thoughts out of my head even if I do tune in for the coverage.

If you were scratching your head watching the Olympic opening ceremony, and thinking to yourself, “what on earth has this got to do with sport”? then you were not alone. I guess we will know later on this year if the symbols bear any special meaning. Keep your eyes open for the truth. Here are the words from the poem entitled Jerusalem written by the famous British poet and artist William Blake during the 18th Century: “I will not cease from mental fight, nor shall my sword sleep in my hand, till we have built Jerusalem, in England’s green and pleasant land.”

The London Olympics theory is an intriguing case, not least because it actually makes a prediction. Either something will happen in 2012 or it won’t: the theory will be right or wrong. What will people such as David do if nothing happens? “I’ll be really bloody surprised,” he says, “but if nothing happens, I’d say that the forces of good behind the scenes, like us, saved the day and the forces of evil were stopped.”

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

Egypt military vows to hunt down Sinai attackers Close to 30 assailants thought to be on the run

Egypt’s military vowed on Monday to hunt down those behind the killing of its 16 soldiers at a checkpoint along the Sinai border with Israel. It called the attackers “enemies of the nation” and suggested they were Egyptian Sinai-based militants who received Palestinian support from the Gaza Strip.

The violence — which saw the attackers try to break through the border after killing the soldiers — could increase tensions with Israel, which has stepped up pressure on Egypt to clamp down on the lawless border region. Officials say Egypt has deployed at least two helicopter gunships to the Sinai Peninsula in the hunt for militants behind the killing of 16 Egyptian soldiers at a checkpoint along the border with Israel.

Security and military officials said Monday that more aircraft were expected to arrive in the town of El-Arish ahead of a military campaign against the militants in the area. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Hamas’ Haniyeh blames Israel for Sinai attack

Haniyeh joins Muslim Brotherhood in accusing Israel of orchestrating Sinai attack. Meanwhile, dozens of Egyptians demand that Cairo cut off ties with Israel Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on Monday led a mass prayer in solidarity with the victims of the terror attack in Kerem Shalom outside the Egyptian Embassy in Gaza in the backdrop of harsh accusations directed against the group following the attack.

Egypt’s Brotherhood says Mossad behind Sinai attack Meanwhile, dozens of Egyptians protested outside the Israeli ambassador’s

residence in Cairo calling on the Egyptian government to cut off relations with Israel, local media reported Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood said on its website that the attack on a police station in Sinai on Sunday in which 16 policemen were killed “can be attributed to Mossad” and was an attempt to thwart Islamist President Mohamed Mursi.

The statement said Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, was trying to abort the Egyptian uprising that toppled president Hosni Mubarak last year and that it was “imperative to review clauses” of the agreement between Egypt and Israel.

NEWS

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

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Iran warns Syria conflict could engulf Israel

Iran warned against foreign intervention in Syria on Sunday and said the conflict there could engulf Israel, Iranian media said.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani accused the United States and regional countries he did not name of providing military support to rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iran.

Syria has accused Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia of backing rebels in Syria and fuelling violence there. Iran has supported Assad’s efforts to crush the 17-month revolt and has accused Western countries and Israel of interfering in the crisis.

“The fire that has been ignited in Syria will take the fearful (Israelis) with it,” Larijani said on Sunday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

“What really allows these countries to interfere in internal Syrian affairs?” Larijani was quoted as saying. Larijani is considered a moderate conservative and a close follower of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the most powerful man in Iran who decides foreign policy. Larijani is also a critic of President Mahmoud

Ahmadinejad and widely expected to run for president in 2013.

Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel, a key ally of Khamenei and father-inlaw to the paramount leader’s son, Mojtaba, said on Sunday the people of Syria should not allow the United States and Israel to break the “resistance front”, IRNA reported.

“Since the Americans and (Israelis) do not want to solve the Syrian issue, they continue to make the…region insecure,” Haddad Adel was quoted as saying.

On Friday, following his visit to Moscow to discuss Syria, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said “terrorist groups” supported by foreign forces were operating in Damascus and Aleppo, IRNA reported.

Amir-Abdollahian said “tens of thousands of weapons” had entered Syria from neighbouring countries and were being used by groups including al Qaeda.

“Unfortunately America and regional countries … do not take steps to control the borders,” Amir-Abdollahian was quoted as saying.

US leaks plot to hit Iran N-plants

PLANS for a US attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities appear to have been leaked to Israeli newspapers after a visit by US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta last week.

The aim appears to be to prevent an Israeli airstrike on Iran before the US presidential election on November 6. The two papers, Maariv and Yedioth Ahronoth, have both campaigned against a pre-emptive Israeli air attack, which they believe could embroil Israel in a long war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak have been openly distrustful of US promises that it will prevent Iran building a nuclear weapon, and will use military force if necessary.

Washington, which imposed tougher sanctions against Iran last week, fears the consequences of an Israel attack before the presidential election.

“We will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, period,” Mr Panetta told Mr Netanyahu last week. “We will exert all options in the effort to ensure that does not happen.”

The papers cited Israeli sources claiming that in private conversations, Mr Panetta expressed his frustration over “the mistrust that Netanyahu and Barak demonstrate with regard to the American commitment to stop the Iranian nuclear program”. Americans believed this to be “ingratitude”, considering the unshakable US support for Israel’s security.

According to both papers, the Americans argued

that an Israeli strike would delay the Iranian bomb by no more than a year or two, while a US attack could destroy the entire program.

Maariv claimed the US strike “would begin with hundreds of cruise missiles to demolish Iran’s air defences, intelligence bases and radar stations”. A wave of B-52 bombers would then drop bunker-buster bombs on all Iran’s nuclear facilities. “After the attack, an ultimatum would be issued to Iran,” Maariv said, “to stop its military nuclear program immediately. In return, the West would supply it with peaceful nuclear reactors.”

Ben Kaspit, Maariv’s political editor, said: “A lot depends on the Iranian reaction to the initial attack. Attacking Israel, and Arab allies of the US, would initiate a second stage of the offensive. That would include attacks on government symbols, infrastructure and oil installations.”

Mr Panetta left Israel without getting any guarantees from Mr Netanyahu. “(President Barack) Obama will not attack Iran never,” Mr Netanyahu was quoted as telling opposition leader Shaul Mofaz. “In his second term, Obama will care even less about us than he cares now.”

Some Israelis believe Mr Netanyahu and Mr Barak are bluffing. “If so, they’re doing a fantastic job,” said a political insider. “They’re squeezing Obama, who will pay Israel big time for not spoiling his campaign.”

Amir-Abdollahian said he did not believe Syria would be attacked by foreign powers, but that if it were, it would not need Iran’s help in defending itself.

“Syria has been ready for years to respond to any military attack against it by (Israel) or other countries, and can respond strongly to any military action by itself and with complete readiness,” he was quoted as saying.

Iran and Russia support the sixpoint plan presented by former UN peace envoy Kofi Annan to solve the crisis. A frustrated Annan resigned his post last week, blaming “finger-pointing and name-calling” at the UN Security Council for his decision to quit.

Iran has blamed the United States and countries in the region for the failure of Annan’s plan.

PM: Israel won’t be spared even if US attacks Iran In closed talks, Netanyahu says missiles will be fired at Israel even if US strikes Iran but admits likelihood of US strike is small Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in closed talks over the weekend that a United States strike on Iran will not necessarily minimize the chances of a missile attack on Israel, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Sunday.

“I would prefer that the US attack Iran, but the likelihood of that is small,” he said. “In any case – even if the US attacks, missiles will be fired at Israel.”

Netanyahu countered the claim that a military strike will set back Iran’s nuclear program just a couple of years. “They said the same thing about the Iraq reactor,” he noted.

“They said the (Iraqis) could rebuild the reactor within two years, they still don’t have a bomb.”

Netanyahu estimated that Iran is a few months away from becoming nuclear. “The time frame isn’t measured in days or weeks, but not in years either.”

7 Terrorists Arrested in Syria, Closely Linked to Geagea and Hariri

Syrian forces have arrested seven terrorists working for the Zionist security services, while closely linked to the future party leader’s militias Saad Hariri, and head of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, “Al-Manar newspaper” reported Thursday.

The daily also quoted sources in Doha as saying that Qatari intelligence has lost contact with six of its members who oversee the communication with the armed groups in Aleppo.

The sources feared they are in the grip of Syrian forces.

“Al-Manar daily” also said that French, American and Turkish intelligence asked their members to leave the hot combat zones in Aleppo, after receiving information on besieging thousands of foreign fighters in the neighborhoods of Aleppo city.

NEWS

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

Where’s the gold? NY Fed undergoes first-ever audit

A massive trove of gold kept under lock and key five stories under Manhattan at the New York Federal Reserve has been undergoing its first audit in history. It could put conspiracy theories - for example, that the gold is a sham - to sleep for good.

According to the official record, the US government keeps billions of dollars in gold stored beneath the New York Fed’s Italian Renaissance fortress around the block from Wall Street.

But conspiracy theorists claim that the gold stock may have been stolen years back in a dramatic caper, that it’s been used for backdoor deals with foreign governments, or even that it’s been removed and replaced with gold-painted metal bars.

And as many know, the stash has caught the attention of some politicians, most notably Texas Representative Ron Paul.

For years, Paul has called for an independent audit of not only the New York Fed, but of the Federal Reserve Bank as a whole.

But the government hasn’t been eager to grant his wish.

In 1981, when Paul served on

the Gold Commission – a panel formed by Congress to look into expanding gold’s role in the US financial system – he argued for full gold audits to be carried out on an annual basis.

He has proposed legislation for an exhaustive review of all the gold kept on US soil, which includes bullion owned by various foreign governments in addition to America’s.

“If the gold is there and everything is in order, they should welcome an audit,” Paul said, as quoted by The Los Angeles Times.

Now, things seem to be moving

in Paul’s direction, at least at the New York Fed – which is by leaps and bounds the largest by assets, and most influential of America’s 12 reserve banks.

The US government has been quietly carrying out an audit of all the American-owned gold at the New York Fed. The process involves drilling small holes in about ten per cent, or roughly 350, of the bars to make sure they’re pure.

About a half dozen Mint, Treasury Inspector General’s Office and New York Fed employees took part in the audit. It’s being monitored

by the Government Accountability Office, the branch of Congress that wields investigative powers.

Other than that, Treasury officials have thus far refused to provide any details about the operation or its findings. They only say that the results will be announced towards the end of the year.

The New York Fed has also refused to comment.

But one anonymous Fed official, apparently speaking in the direction of conspiracy theorists, quipped recently that the audit will show that “Goldfinger didn’t sneak in at night” and take off with the

gold.

Though the gold kept at Fort Knox, West Point and the US Mint in Denver, Colorado, have all been audited and tested in the past, the remaining 5 per cent – or about $21 billion – of America’s gold, held at the New York Fed, has never been exhaustively checked out.

Taking into consideration the gold owned by other nations, the New York Fed’s vaults hold about 23% of the world’s official gold reserves.

And even if the audit shows that the gold’s all there, it’s not likely to satisfy many, including Paul.

He claims he’s not concerned with whether the gold is real or fake, but with the paperwork that would outline what it’s been used for. Many suspect deals that were never made public, like loans to foreign governments.

The US stopped backing dollars with gold in 1971, bringing an end to the Gold Standard. Today, the gold in vaults across the country carries little weight, so to speak.

To that, Paul suggests that Washington simply get rid of it.

“I would just as soon they sell the gold,” he’s said. “And then we would find out if they really had it.

Femen stage topless anti-Islamist Olympic protest in London Members of Ukrainian female protest group Femen demonstrate in London to draw attention to what they call “bloody Islamist regimes” taking part in the Olympics.

Five French members of the Femen radical feminist group have been arrested in London during a topless demonstration against the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The activists wore only knickers and had “No Sharia” written on their chests. They said their protest, outside City Hall, was against Olympic-competing countries which operate under Sharia or Islamic Law. “Femen demands that the International Olympic Committee condemns violence towards women from Islamist states,” they said on Facebook.

“Femen requires the states that apply the laws of Sharia be shut out of the Olympic Games because of the inhumanity of these laws, which are in total contradiction with Olympic principles of peace and phi-

towards women from Islamist states.”

“Femen requires the states that apply the laws of Sharia be shut out of the Olympic Games, because of the inhumanity of these laws, which are in total contradiction with Ol-

lanthropy.

Four women from FEMEN protested at City Hall close to Tower Bridge, their breasts exposed and their bodies painted with slogans, such as “No Sharia,” shortly before being apprehended by police.

The group posted a picture on their

Facebook page, showing the five colored Olympic rings replaced with nooses accompanied by the slogan, “Islamism Kills A Generation.”

It said in a statement: “Femen demands the International Olympic Committee to condemn violence

ympic principles that are peace and philanthropy.”

“With the support of the IOC [International Olympic Committee], these Islamist governments use the participation of women in the Olympic games to hide thousands of victims and dead,” the statement said.

“If the IOC keeps flirting with radical Islam, new Olympic disciplines, such as stoning or speed raping will be added to the competition.”

London’s Metropolitan Police issued a statement saying security personnel attended the venue of the protest at 11:30am local time.

“Four topless female protesters were arrested under section five of the Public Order Act for disorderly behavior,” the police said.

“They were taken to a central London police station where they were given a caution and later released.”

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

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NEWS

Parents jailed nine years after Shafilea Ahmed honour killing He loved discos, sexy clothes and white girls, says first wife of Shafilea Ahmed’s killer father

On Friday Farzana and Iftikhar Ahmed were jailed for 25 years for the murder of their 17-year-old daughter, who they considered too Western.

Now Mr Ahmed’s first wife, a Danish women who he met in the 1980s, has revealed that the killer was formerly a fun-loving and gregarious young man with a love of Western life and white women.

As a young man, Iftikhar Ahmed — or ‘Bazza’ as he liked to be known back then — could not have embraced Western life more enthusiastically.

Fun-loving and gregarious, he cut quite a dash at parties and discos in his tight jeans and sunglasses.

Born into a strict Muslim Pakistani family, but raised in Britain, he shunned tradition by dating white girls and rejected an arranged marriage for a love match with a woman outside his culture.

IFTIKHAR AHMED: THE ADULTERER Iftikhar Ahmed was an adulterer who cheated on his first wife and abandoned his son in order to avoid bringing shame on his family in Pakistan.

Mr Ahmed was already married to a Danish woman by the name of Vivi Lone Anderson when he decided to turn his back on her and follow through with the marriage his family had arranged for him when he was a child.

They were married in June 1982 in Copenhagen and had a son, Tony Anderson.

Mr Ahmed stayed in Denmark until

1986 when he received a letter from his family in Pakistan.

He told his then wife he had to go home as his mother was ill, but Ms Anderson was to discover that this was a lie.

He never raised his voice, lifted a hand in anger or imposed his will on his wife.

Back then, anyway . Vivi Lone Andersen said Iftikhar was “a very happy boy” who enjoyed dancing, drinking beer and going to discos when he lived with her in Denmark.

She said his personality changed around his Pakistani relatives.

Today, Iftikhar Ahmed, 52, bears no resemblance to the man Vivi Lone Anderson was happily married to for four years before a remarkable set of circumstances forced them apart.

While visiting his dying mother in Pakistan, having left his Danish wife and son at home, Ahmed agreed to an arranged marriage to a cousin.

When he returned to his family, it was with his new wife — already pregnant — in tow. Heartbroken,

Vivi left him and they divorced. It was a triumph of cultural tradition and family honour over a Westernstyle love match. If only that was all it had proved to be.

Ms Andersen said Iftikhar changed when relatives from Pakistan visited them, and he told her he felt forced to marry Farzana after she threatened to kill herself if he did not.

“He explained to me that if he had not married her, she did not want to marry anyone else but him,” Ms Andersen said.

on to have three daughters and a son. Shafilea went missing in 2003 and her body was found in February 2004.

The parents of teenager Shafilea Ahmed have been found guilty of her murder and jailed for a minimum of 25 years each.

The remains of the 17 year-old were found on the banks of the River Kent in Cumbria six months after she went missing from her home in Warrington, Cheshire in 2003.

Taxi-driver Iftikhar, 52, and wife

stuffing a plastic bag in her mouth and murdered her in front of their other children.

Shafilea’s sister Alesha, who was 16 at the time, told the court she heard her mother say “just finish it here”.

Father Iftikhar told police that Shafilea had ran away in the middle of the night and he never saw her again.

Almost 30 years on, Ahmed and his second, Pakistani-born wife Farzana, 49, are beginning 25-year sentences after being found guilty of the

“She would kill herself if he didn’t marry her in Pakistan, and then he did it.”

Ms Andersen said she was married to Iftikhar for five years, but left him after learning he had married Farzana, adding: “Farzana was pregnant at that time so he was in deep trouble and he knew that if I

Farzana Ahmed, 49, had denied killing their daughter but a jury at Chester Crown Court refused to believe their version of events.

As they returned their guilty verdicts Mrs Ahmed wiped tears away from her eyes with a tissue at the prospect of life imprisonment while her husband stood impassively.

went to the British police, which I could have easily done, he would have been thrown out.

“I don’t know the rules in Britain about having two wives because we were still married at that time.”

Iftikhar, 52, and Farzana, 49, went

The prosecution claimed Shafilea was killed because she “brought shame” on her family for refusing to participate in an arranged marriage with another family member.

In an apparent “honour killing” the couple suffocated the 17 year-old by

murder of their 17-year-old daughter Shafilea, who vanished from their Cheshire home in 2003.

Dark secret: Mr Ahmed (in doorway) at the funeral of his daughter as her coffin is carried from her house leaves her home in Warrington Shafilea Ahmed’s life and death The Ahmed family originate from the village of Uttam, in the Gujrat region of Pakistan. They are Sunni Muslims and their first language is Punjabi.

14 July 1986 Shafilea Ahmed, the first child of cousins Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed, is born in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Iftikhar has an older son, Tony, with a Danish woman he married.

10 March 1998 Shafilea first comes to the attention of the police when she and her younger sister are reported missing from home by her parents.

They return the same day.

3 October 2002 Teachers learn that Shafilea is being held against her will at home and prevented from attending school. They speak to her father who allows her to return to Continued on page 8 >>

NEWS

8 Continued from page 7 >>

class.

25 November 2002 Shafilea runs away from home and her parents report her missing.

She is found with her bags in a park and has a meeting with her parents at school. She returns home after spending a night with a friend.

3 February 2003 Shafilea runs away again and stays with friends, before she is taken in by social services.

5 February 2003 She registers as homeless, citing fears she will be forced into an arranged marriage in Pakistan. The document is signed.

10 February 2003 She returns home after her father attends school.

18 February 2003 Shafilea travels to Pakistan with her father and two siblings for a family holiday. While there, she swallows bleach and is admitted to hospital 19 March 2003 Her father returns home with her two siblings and cashes in Shafilea’s return centre. Her disappearance is not reported by ticket for £250.

27 May 2003 She returns to the UK and is her parents. taken by ambulance to hospital after her father 18 September 2003 She is reported missing dials 999. She is admitted to the intensive care by Joanne Code, her former teacher, after she overhears her younger siblings and unit.

3 September 2003 Shafilea enrols at Priestley schoolfriends raise concerns about her College and begins a part-time job at the welfare.

18 December 2003 Her parents are arrested Manweb call centre in Warrington.

5 September 2003 She attends hospital for along with five other members of her extended family for allegedly perverting the course of treatment to her damaged throat.

11 September 2003 She goes missing from her justice. They are all later released without Mr. Dustin Power, Oasis, Mr. Nazeem Ebrahim, Oasis, Mr. Shaheen Ebrahim, Mr. Adam Ebrahim family home after finishing her shift at the call charge.

Mr. Andy O’Callaghan, PWC, Mr. Shaheen Ebrahim, Oasis, ector’s of Oasis Crescent UK Ltd.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

4 February 2004 A body is found on the banks of the river Kent in Sedgwick, Cumbria, by three workmen after a flood.

23 February 2004 The body is identified as

on suspicion of murder and bailed pending further inquiries.

7 September 2011 They answer bail and are charged with murder. They are remanded in

that of Shafilea and a murder investigation is launched.

11 January 2008 A four-day inquest into her death concludes with a verdict of unlawful killing.

25 August 2010 A robbery occurs at the Ahmeds’ home. Shafilea’s sister Alesha is arrested on suspicion of robbery.

31 August 2010 Alesha Ahmed provides a witness statement implicating her parents in Shafilea’s death.

2 September 2010 The couple are arrested

custody.

15 September 2011 They are released on bail by Manchester crown court.

21 May 2012 The murder trial begins at Chester crown court.

9 July 2012 Farzana Ahmed changes her witness statement, sacks her defence solicitors and implicates her husband in a single attack on their daughter. She claims she tried to intervene but was punched.

August 2012 The couple are found guilty of murder.

Mr. Verwey Wiese, Deloittes, Mr. Adam Ebrahim, Oasis

“Islamic Investments in the UK – The time is now”, Adam Ebrahim, CEO Oasis Crescent UK Limited.

The global Islamic investment industry has grown rapidly over the past 20 years but is still fairly small in relation to its conventional counterparts globally. Traditionally, countries such as Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have been the major players in this area. Today, significant development is taking place in countries such as Turkey and Indonesia. Importantly, the Western world is opening up to this market with atShaheen GBP0.7bn is Mr. a Adam mereEbrahim fraction of the job creation andPower, contribution to Ebrahim, the help the likes of the US, UK, Mr. South Mr. Dustin Oasis, Mr. Nazeem Oasis, to drive stimulation in the Islamic NazeemAfrica Ebrahim, Mr. Ebrahim, Mr. Andyat O’Callaghan, PWC, Mr. Ebrahim, Oasis, Executive Director’s of Oasis UK Ltd. Mr. Dustin Power, Oasis, Mr.space.

Nazeem Ebrahim, Oasis, Mr. Crescent Nazeem Ebrahim, Mr. Shaheen Ebrahim, Adam Ebrahim overall investments industry.

While the Mr.UK economy a time when it Shaheen is under investment and Australia all establishing Islamic Mr. Verwey Wiese, Deloittes, Mr. Mr. Adam Ebrahim, Oasis PWC, Mr. Shaheen Ebrahim, Oasis, Andy O’Callaghan, Executive Director’s of Oasis Crescent UK Ltd. and the variety stress.

A unique solution is a premier Shari’ah investment sectors. London with its number of institutions Mr. Verwey Wiese, Deloittes, Mr. Adam Ebrahim, Oasis world class, regulated and transparent of Islamic wealth management products As a leading global Islamic wealth compliant balanced asset allocation Lord Mohamed Sheikh of House of Lords delivering the keynote address at r Prime Minister Pakistan delivering the keynote beingheld offered in the UK is currently manager, we saw the opportunity in fund. Our Crescent balanced range of financial system, is well positionedthe togala dinner at The Landmark Hotel, London l reception held at The Langham Hotel, London be a major hub for global Islamic wealth limited, this presents an emerging UK Islamic wealth management and funds provide appropriate diversification growth opportunity for the financial launched our office in London. We across asset classes, geographies and management in the future.

The total UK investment management sector. The pension and savings market believe the timing of the launch is currencies with the various options

him, Mr. Adam Ebrahim escent UK Ltd.

an environment where money market yields in the UK are around 0.6% and anticipated to remain low for some time, while inflation is around 2.8%, investing in Shari’ah compliant equity and balanced funds are an attractive investment option for astute investors of any religious, cultural or racial grouping.

Our group has its roots in South Africa and was established in 1997. We launched our first Shari’ah compliant fund in 1998, the Oasis Crescent Equity Fund. Having been through various economic and financial crises over the years, this Fund has delivered an annualized return since inception through to March 2012 of around 21.3% (in GBP) compared to average UK inflation of 2.2% per annum during that

Mr. Dustin Power, Oasis, Mr. Nazeem Ebrahim, Oasis, Mr. Andy O’Callaghan, PWC, Mr. Shaheen Ebrahim, Oasis, Mr. Verwey Wiese, Deloittes, Mr. Adam Ebrahim, Oasis

industry has assets in the region of in the UK provides huge potential with GBP4.4trn. With 1.7m Muslims in the UK the likes of the National Employment Mr. Adam Ebrahim, CEO, Oasis Crescent UK Ltd. and Mr. Arne Frandsen, CEO Pallinghurst Trust (NEST) launching a (2.7% of UK population) and significant Savings foreign inflows, the opportunity for the Shari’ah compliant savings option Islamic wealth management market in the second half of this year. In the in the UK is immense with market challenging economic environment potential of anywhere between GBP120- which is anticipated for the foreseeable 160bn. The current size of the Islamic future, the successful development of H.E. Shaukat Aziz, Formerthis Minister Pakistan keynote could delivering providethemeaningful wealth management industry in the UK Primesector

perfect as the demand for Islamic wealth available to meet the specific risk period. While investors have experienced management products is substantial. profiles of investors. Equities are an increased volatility in financial markets There is an enormous amount of money integral part of these portfolios and over the past few years, inflation is the from Muslims is currently sitting “idle” provide protection against inflation. I ‘cancer’ of one’s wealth and the major in conventional bank accounts, with would like to highlight the importance risk longer term. It is therefore our core the interest earned being given away of equities. If you had invested US$100 focus to first protect and then grow the to charity. As the product offerings 50 years ago in the S&P500, it would be real wealth of clients over the long term. broaden and deepen, and as more worth US$12,000 today compared to We hope to replicate our success we Mr. Nazeem Lord Mohamed Sheikh of House of Lords delivering the keynote address at Ebrahim, Mr. Shaheen Ebrahim, Mr. Adam Ebrahim institutions enter this market, it will US$750 if it grew just by inflation. In enjoy in South Africa in the UK as well. the gala dinner held at The Landmark Hotel, London

address at the cocktail receptionH.E. held at The Langham Hotel, London Shaukat Aziz, Former Prime Minister Pakistan delivering the keynote address at the cocktail reception held at The Langham Hotel, London

Executive Director’s of Oasis Crescent UK Ltd.

Lord Mohamed Sheikh of House of Lords delivering the keynote address at the gala dinner held at The Landmark Hotel, London

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

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09

‘Batman’ shooter James Holmes also connected to Army psychiatrist

Sikh Temple Shooter Was In Army Psychological Operations?

Police identify Army veteran as Wisconsin temple shooting neo-Nazi gunman with white supremacist ties

The suspect in the Sikh temple shooting who killed six in Wisconsin on Sunday has been identified as 40year-old Wade Michael Page shooter was psy-ops specialist .

operations, added to reports of multiple shooters being responsible for the massacre, suggests that the incident could have been some kind of drill of which Page’s role only

local media.

Sikh Killings Viewed as Domestic Terrorism by Investigators Unlike the killings last month in Aurora, Colorado, and the

a civilian population” or “affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping.”

The incident at the Sikh temple in Oak

concern” and urged the FBI and the Justice Department to monitor those incidents as hate crimes.

The deadly shooting at the Colorado movie theater on July 20 probably

An Army veteran who neighbors say played in a far-right punk band was the lone shooter in the rampage at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin that killed six people and wounded four, according to information Monday from law enforcement authorities.

Wade Michael Page, 40, was shot to death by police responding to the Sunday morning attack in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek, the community’s chief of police told reporters.

Following the pattern of numerous other mass shooters down the years, the accused gunman behind

comprised one part.

Testimony from one eyewitness that four men carried out the attack has been dismissed, despite the fact that his story is corroborated by other victims who told family members that there were “multiple shooters” involved.

In addition, the Chairman of the temple stated that there were a “few suspicious men were seen on Temple premises,” again clearly suggesting the involvement of more than one person.

India outraged over Sikh killings

attempted assassination last year of Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona, the FBI is investigating a gunman’s rampage that killed six people at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee as a domestic terrorism incident.

By giving it that label, federal and local law enforcement can tap the resources of the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Forces, said Pat Rowan, a partner at McGuireWoods LLP, a Washington law firm who headed the U.S. Justice Department’s national security division under President George W. Bush. These multi-agency teams

Creek, Wisconsin, two days ago ended when Wade Michael Page, a 40-yearold U.S. Army veteran, was shot dead by police. He appeared to target turbaned men as he moved through the building, a member of the temple, Kanwardeep Singh Kaleka, told CNN. Mark Potok, senior fellow at the Montgomery, Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center, which studies hate crimes, described Page in a website posting as “a frustrated neo-Nazi who had been leader of a racist white-power band” called End Apathy.

wasn’t investigated as domestic terrorism because the motivations of the accused killer, James Holmes, appeared to be tied to mental illness, not politics, said Stewart Baker, a former assistant secretary for policy at the Department of Homeland Security.

Holmes is likely to use an insanity defense, said Craig Silverman, a former chief deputy district attorney in Denver who is now in private practice.

Likewise, the focus of the case in the Jan. 8, 2011, attack on Giffords and constituents attending a town

yesterday’s massacre at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin worked in psychological operations while he was with the U.S. Army. “A U.S. Army spokeswoman told Yahoo News that Page served from April 1992 until October 1998 as a member of the psychological operations unit. He was never deployed, but won numerous medals, including two for good conduct and one for humanitarian service. 40-yearold Wade Michael Page’s involvement with psychological operations bears similarities to accused Colorado shooter James Holmes, who was treated by University of Colorado psychiatrist Dr. Lynne Fenton, a former U.S. Air Force doctor. Page’s involvement with Army psychological

Protests and prayer vigils were planned as grieving Sikhs across India called for strong U.S. gun-control laws after a gunman killed six Sikhs on Sunday in their temple.

The motive of Wade Michael Page, a U.S. Army veteran who opened fire on worshippers at a Sikh temple, in Oak Creek, Wis., and was shot and killed by police, was not clear.

At the Golden Temple in Amritsar near the Pakistan border, one of the Sikh religion’s most sacred shrines, officials said they were planning a three-day prayer vigil in honor of the victims.

“We are still in shock after the incident,” Avtar Singh, the president of the trust that runs the temple, told

have access to past investigations and databases that may prove useful in the probe, he said.

“It’s really about the motive and not how many people were injured,” Rowan said.

Under the USA Patriot Act, domestic

FBI Monitoring Previous attacks on members of the Sikh community across the country led more than 90 members of Congress to send a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and Robert Mueller, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,

hall session outside a Tucson supermarket has been the mental state of the accused gunman, Jared Lee Loughner.

Loughner may plead guilty under a deal that could lead to a life prison term, report.

in April. The lawmakers said the “hatemotivated attacks” were a “growing

PM condemns ‘senseless’ gurdwara killings in US Describing the shooting at a Wisconsin gurdwara as a “senseless act of violence”, PM Singh on Monday said, “We hope that the authorities will reach out to the grieving families and ensure conditions that such violent acts are not repeated in the future.”

Continued on page 11 >>

terrorism occurs when a person intends “to intimidate or coerce

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

China’s Xinjiang bans Muslims from fasting during Ramadan

Chinese authorities in the Xinjiang region have banned Muslim Uyghurs from fasting during Ramadan, and curbed other Muslim activities including visits to mosques.

The outright ban on fasting during Ramadan has been applied to Muslim officials, both active and retired, and students under the age of 18. The rest of the Uyghur population (around nine million) is

to be discouraged from fasting. The statement posted on the Xinjiang government website urged party leaders to bring “gifts” of food to local village leaders to ensure that they were eating during Ramadan.

A statement from Zonglang township in Xinjiang’s Kashgar district said that “the county committee has issued comprehensive policies on maintaining social stability during

Pakistan, Iran must promote border trade: Ahmadinejad

Iranian President Mahmood Ahmadinejad said that the border region between Iran and Pakistan should be the most active one for trade and commercial transactions.

Ahmadinejad said this in a meeting on Monday in Tehran with Pakistani Senate Chairman Nayyer Hussain Bokhari.

In a press release issued after the meeting, the president said, “The geographical borders between Iran and Pakistan are only due to the geopolitical divisions notwithstanding the fact that the people of Iran and Pakistan have numerous cultural commonalities emanating from the same source and origin.”

He emphasised the need for making use from the existing potentials for cooperation between Iran and Pakistan for meeting the needs of both countries.

Ahmadinejad said that both the countries have common interests and also expressed satisfaction with the new agreements reached between Tehran and Islamabad.

He said, “In addition to improving

political and economic relations, the conditions should be set for facilitating the exchange of visits between the people of Iran and Pakistan because expansion of such ties in addition to establishment and enhancement of economic ties would immensely influence the further proximity between the Iranian and Pakistani nations.”

Senate Chairman Nayyer Hussain Bokhari echoed Iranian president’s comments, saying Pakistan and Iran are two brotherly Muslim countries with long-standing historic relations.

“Further interactions between Iranian and Pakistani nations could help enhance bilateral relations,” Bokhari added. He said, “Both Iran and Pakistan have many common stances in many international organisations and institutions, while Iran as a role-player in the Middle East region greatly influences the international and regional issues.”

Nayyer Bokhari also called for maximum cooperation between Iran and Pakistan for their role in the region.

the Ramadan period.

“It is forbidden for Communist Party cadres, civil officials (including those who have retired) and students to participate in Ramadan religious activities,” said the statement.

There is “a much more public and concerted effort” than in previous years and in some cases Communist Party leaders are delivering food to village elders to try to get them

to break their fast, according to Dru Gladney, a professor of anthropology at Pomona College in California and an expert on China’s Muslim minorities.

Regional spokeswoman Hou Hanmin was quoted in the state-run Global Times newspaper Friday as saying authorities encourage people to “eat properly for study and work” but don’t force anyone to eat during

Ramadan.

Xinjiang is home to about nine million Uighurs, largely a Muslim ethnic minority, many of whom accuse China’s leaders of religious and political persecution. Longsimmering resentment among Uighurs over rule by China’s Han majority and an influx of migrants has sporadically erupted into deadly violence that claimed 200 lives in July 2009.

World Uyghur Congress, an exiled rights group, warned the policy would force “the Uighur people to resist against the Chinese rule even further.”

“By banning fasting during Ramadan, China is using administrative methods to force the Uighur people to eat in an effort to break the fasting,” said Al-Jazeera has quoted group spokesman Dilshat Rexit as saying.

Nasrallah: The No.1 Threat for Israel is Hezbollah Hezbollah Secretary General Nasrallah said that the main threat for Israel in the world is Hezbollah and not the Arab regimes whose decision-making is within the United States.

Speaking during the annual iftar banquet on Monday, Sayyed Nasrallah extended his condolences to the Egyptian government, army and people for their loss pointing out that the Zionist entity would benefit the most.

16 border guards were killed on Sunday in an assault near the border with occupied Palestine when the troops were having their Iftar . Egyptian state TV said the attack was carried out by “Islamic” militants.

Nasrallah expressed his sorrow for the security developments around the region starting from Syria where killings and kidnappings are taking place and ending with attacks in Iraq, arrests in Bahrain and Al-Qatif.

Hezbollah Main Threat to ‘Israel’

“The number one threat for Israel in the world is Hezbollah,” Nasrallah assured, indicating that the Zionist entity does not worry when some Arab countries buy advanced and expensive weapons and warplanes.

“Israel feels comfortable in front of some Arab countries’ huge armies because the decision-making of these regimes is within the US.”

Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that the main concern for ‘Israel’ is Lebanon, because of the existence of a strong Hezbollah which is incubated by huge part of the Lebanese people .

“Have Israel’s ambitions ended?

Will Israel be satisfied with its oil and gas resources amid remarks that it will only generate $250 billion?” he wondered.

Sayyed Nasrallah also wondered if the Lebanese army has the deterrent force and stressed the need that it’s power should be equivalent to that of the Zionist army.

Hezbollah Has the Deterrent Force against ‘Israel’ Some in Lebanon, Hezbollah S.G. said, fears that weapons are in the hands of a specific side of a specific sect, “this means that other sects feel threatened. The resistance now forms a deterrent

force, what should be made is to address concerns and not cancel the resistance and let the country face the Israeli threats.”

Alternative to Dialogue…

Chaos

Nasrallah assured that the anarchy of arms exists where there is no resistance, adding that Hezbollah “had the power to rule the country in May 7 but we didn’t want and don’t want.” “Whoever thinks that a certain sect must rule the country would be dragging the country into destruction and I hereby announce in the name of Shia in Lebanon that we don’t want to be a ruling sect or a leading sect,” Sayyed Nasrallah said.

Turning to Syria, he said: “Dialogue is prohibited in Syria because the Americans, the West and Israel are not allowing the Syrian opposition to engage in dialogue.”

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

Turkey’s next after Syria: Iranian Chief of Staff

Turkey will be next in line for violence after Syria if it continues to work on behalf of Western interests, Iranian Chief of General Staff Hasan Firuzabadi has said, according to Doğan news agency.

Ankara is following the Western lead in the region, along with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and is responsible for the bloodshed in the Arab republic, Firuzabadi said.

"If these countries continue with their existent approach to Syria, they should know that Turkey and

the others will be next in line," Firuzabadi said.

Kazem Jalali, a member of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, had previously said that "Turkey and those who support and arm terrorists [in Syria]" were responsible for the safety of Iranians kidnapped in Syria.

Forty-eight Iranians were kidnapped on Aug. 4 by unidentified "armed terrorist groups" as they were travelling in a bus to the airport in Damascus, according to the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital and the Syrian state news agency SANA. It was the single biggest abduction of Iranians since the start of the Syrian uprising in March last year.

Sikh Temple Shooter Was In Army Psychological Operations?

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11

August, Syria: Is this the month the FUKUS Three act?

Kofi Annan is not going to prolong his position as envoy for the UNO and Arab League for Syria.

The reason is quite clear: the countries which are supposed to be supporting him are undermining his position, although he has invented some other excuse.

Meanwhile France takes over as President of the UNSC. Watch this space.

August 2012, France takes over as President of the United Nations Security Council. France, the first member of the FUKUS Axis (France, UK, US); France, the latter-day Napoleonic wannabe, desperate for a place on the world stage as the French language plummets in the ratings and the Brits and Americans behind the scenes make disparaging remarks about their military capacities (Never trust a Frenchman, what?

Wow, our aircraft was knocked off the apron by an...Air France??? Oh Heck no, anyone but them!).

Watch this space. François Hollande is a balder version of

Sarkozy, slightly more intelligent, a bit more cultured and with a decent-looking packaging, but his foreign policy is a cut and paste version of Sarko the Psycho.

For France and its FUKUS Axis friends, arming and financing terrorists indirectly through the Gulf Cooperation Council and lackey boy Turkey, is called foreign policy.

As in Libya, arming, aiding and abetting terrorist forces, on the West’s own lists of proscribed groups and therefore breaking their own laws, creating terrorist groups, sending in special forces and selling arms to murderers is considered morally sound and valid. Calling the Syrian Government and authorities a “regime” and criticising them from cracking down on these terrorist elements is the most puerile attempt to sway public opinion but these days there is plenty of information on the net from real news sites and not the bought media to inform people about what

is going on.

And what is going on is that the FUKUS Axis is yet again destabilising sovereign states, drawing lines on maps, and gearing up for an invasion, allegedly planning to use either the UN General Assembly (whose recommendations are not legally binding like the UN Security Council, but which will probably be touted as such in the “media”), obviously skirting round the UNSC because Russia and China are standing behind international law...and who knows, if the ploy does not work, will they sponsor a chemical weapons attack to “justify” an invasion?

With France in the chair at the UNSC this month, everything is possible and after Libya, would anyone put anything, however low it may be, beneath London, Paris and Washington with the current champions of skulduggery in power? After Libya, trust them at your peril. After Libya, take the FU/KUS Axis at face value.

Continued from page 9 >>

Reacting to the violence on Sunday which aw six people dead, Singh said it was painful the act had happened in a religious place.

US ambassador to India Nancy Powell visited the Bangla Sahib gurdwara in Delhi to offer prayers and promised an investigation. In a statement, the US embassy said, “We are deeply saddened by the senseless loss of lives and injuries caused by the August 5 shooting at a Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families. An investigation into the incident has begun. Any incident like this one is tragic, especially when it happens in a place of worship.”

Powell also spoke to Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Badal, in a missive to the PM, asked him to take up the issue with the US government. “There is a growing feeling in the minds of Punjabis in general and Sikhs in particular that the Union government must get more actively and vigorously involved in getting the US administration address the issue of safety in right earnest.”

Condemning the attack, external affairs minister S M Krishna said he was trying to speak to his counterpart Hillary Clinton, who is currently touring Africa. “I condemn this incident and every right thinking person has to condemn this.

This is an attitude which does not fit into the proclaimed policies of the US,” Krishna said.

After Sikh Killings, Obama Calls for “Soul-Searching” President Obama, reacting gingerly to the weekend’s deadly shooting rampage at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee, steered clear of the gun control debate on Monday, emphasizing instead that “we are all one people and we look after one another and we respect one another.” Speaking in the Oval Office, Obama said he was “heartbroken” about the deaths of six people and the wounding of three others Sunday, including a police officer, adding that he awaited the findings of a “full investigation.”

In Wisconsin, Sikhs told journalists that members of their faith -- a religion founded in India around 1500 -- have been victims of slurs and violence since 9/11 because they’re mistaken for Muslims.

“I think all of us recognize that these kinds of terrible, tragic events are happening with too much regularity for us not to do some soul-searching and to examine additional ways that we can reduce violence,” Obama said.

After shooting, some Sikhs warn of using ‘We’re not Muslim’ as defence Candlelight vigil on Sunday evening in Milwaukee’s Cathedral Square.

As members of the US Sikh community mourn the deaths of six people killed in a shooting at a temple in Wisconsin, the incident has recalled past crimes in post9/11 America in which victims were targeted because they had been mistaken for Muslims. While some Sikhs have dwelled on this point, our Observer warns against focusing more on the crime’s target than on the crime itself.

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There are many mysteries waiting to be unravelled. Explore Dubai at your pace and relive great traditions from day gone by.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

US never listens to us, complains Pakistan

‘US drone attacks weakening democracy in Pak’ In an interview to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Pakistan’s high commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan also accused the US of “talking in miles” when it comes to democracy but “moving in inches”.

He also claims that some factions of the US government still prefer to work with ‘just one man’ rather than a democratically-elected government, and accuses the US of ‘talking in miles’ when it comes to democracy but of ‘moving in inches.’

As High Commissioner to London, Wajid Shamsul Hasan is one of Pakistan’s top ambassadors. Now four years into his second stint in the post, he is no stranger to controversy.

In an extended interview with the Bureau, Ambassador Hasan argues that US drone strikes risk significantly weakening Pakistan’s democratic institutions: ‘What has been the whole outcome of these drone attacks is, that you have rather directly or indirectly contributed to destabilizing or undermining the democratic government. Because people really make fun of the democratic government – when you pass a resolution against drone attacks in the parliament, and nothing happens. The Americans don’t listen to you, and they continue to violate your territory.’

The army too risks being seen as impotent, he warns the United States.

‘Please don’t embarrass us by violating our territory because people question why the hell we have such a huge standing army, where we spend so much on our national defence budget, when we can’t defend ourselves?’

But he accepts that Pakistan has little power to stop the strikes other than through public opinion: ‘We cannot take on the only superpower, which is all-powerful in the world at the moment. You can’t take them on.

We are a small country, we are illequipped.’

‘I would have killed bin Laden myself’ The High Commissioner’s comments appear part of a major public relations offensive by a Pakistani government keen to see an end to the unpopular drone strikes.

On Friday Sherry Rehman, Islamabad’s ambassador to the United States, said that ‘We will seek an end to drone strikes and there will be no compromise on that.’ The heads of Pakistan’s army and ISI spy service are also lobbying Washington to allow Pakistani forces to carry out any actual strikes against terrorists based on US intelligence.

The reason, according to Ambassador Hasan, is that anti-US sentiment is reaching dangerously high levels in Pakistan because of the drones: ‘Even those who were supporting us in the border areas have now become our enemies. They say that we are partners in these crimes against the people. So they hate us as well. They hate the Americans more. If you look at the Pakistan-US relationship, we have received a lot of money from the Americans, and yet they’re the most hated country in Pakistan among the people. By and large you will hardly find anybody who will say a word in support for the United States, because of these drone attacks.’

We cannot take on the only superpower, which is all-powerful in the world at the moment. You can’t take them on. We are a small country, we are ill-equipped.’

The High Commissioner insists that his country remains committed to the war against al Qaeda and extremism, noting the thousands of Pakistani civilians and soldiers who have died in terrorist attacks since 9/11.

‘We’re not opposed to eliminating these al Qaeda chaps. We were not opposed to eliminating Osama bin Laden, because he was declared an international terrorist. If I were there

I would have killed him myself.’

The issue, he insists, is the continued violation of Pakistan’s national sovereignty by US drones: ‘This is a violation of the UN Charter, it is a clear violation of our territorial sovereignty and national integrity. These drone violations have been taking place since 2004. And the attacks have killed 2,500 to 3,000 people.’

Those numbers chime with the Bureau’s own published findings, although the High Commissioner believes that a low count of at least 482 civilians killed by the CIA is likely a conservative figure. And he rejects US claims that it has killed few civilians at all in recent years: ‘What if my neighbour got killed in a drone attack, who had nothing to do with the Taliban or al Qaeda? You can imagine how angry I must be. Because it could be me next time. So that’s the sort of reaction we have. We have got everybody, irrespective of who they are – whether liberal, progressive, secular or religious extremists or radical people – they feel like this when civilians are killed.’

‘They talk in miles but move in inches’ Mr Hasan was also scathing about what he sees as the US’s weak commitment towards democracy in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He also implies there are those in the US government who would still prefer to be dealing with a dictator:

The drones are a violation of the UN Charter, a clear violation of our territorial sovereignty and national integrity.’

‘They talk in miles in support of democracy, but they move in inches.

They say, “We are fully for democracy, we want democracy, we support the Arab Spring, we are opposed to military interference in Egypt.” All of these things are very good. They are music to my ears. But when it comes to real politics they are different. [US Secretary of State] Hillary Clinton has really supported democracy. But she is one person. There are so many pillars of power in the United States, and they act differently. ‘ ‘The United States if you look at Pakistan’s 65 year history has always preferred to deal with one man rather than with institutions. They would never like a matter to go to the parliament, to be debated there, for issues to be accountable to the parliament and the people, they don’t want that, they want one man. ‘ The High Commissioner also questioned what America has achieved in ten years of war in Afghanistan – and what it might leave behind in 2014.

‘How long have NATO troops been there in Afghanistan? Nine, ten years? And they’ve spent trillions of dollars there, but have they succeeded to clear one particular area of Taliban or al Qaeda operatives? Not a single

case.’

And he added: ‘Ten years down the road you have not even allowed democratic parties to be active, you are not allowing political parties to exist in Afghanistan. How can you have democracy if you don’t have political parties?

‘Drone strikes won’t end the violence’ The High Commissioner argues that Pakistan can still play a key role in negotiating peace with the Taliban – but that the US has shown little interest in offers of aid: How long have NATO troops been there in Afghanistan? Nine, ten years? And they’ve spent trillions of dollars there, but have they succeeded to clear one particular area of Taliban or al Qaeda operatives? Not a single case.’

‘When we have been telling them that you must have a dialogue with the Taliban, good or bad, they never listen to us. Now they have started back-door diplomacy and all these backtracks through the Saudis and others. But again they’re forgetting one thing.

‘Pakistan has been one of the major players in the region, ever since the Soviets occupied Afghanistan.

We have had the best relationship with those Afghans, the Taliban or whatever in the past. Couldn’t we be a better option for them to deal with those people? No – they never bothered.‘ With the US and NATO intending to withdraw from Afghanistan by 2014, Ambassador Hasan insists that Pakistan will continue the fight against Al Qaeda – but that it cannot accept US drone strikes.

‘Bush’s State Department said a fortnight before 9/11 that they were opposed to targeted killing [in Israel] because they don’t end the violence.

And drone strikes won’t end the violence, they won’t end extremism, they won’t end the Taliban and won’t end al Qaeda. How do you fight a faceless enemy?

‘What you have to do is win the hearts and minds of the people, to solve the local problem there in Afghanistan, to stop the drone attacks in Pakistan so the people can see that yes, they have been stopped. Now let’s build a relationship, yes let’s try to resolve this terrible issue. Let’s fight terrorism.

And we are a very resilient people, we can fight it.’

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism is described as “a notfor-profit organisation” based at City University, London, which “bolsters original journalism by producing high-quality investigations for press and broadcast media with the aim of educating the public and the media on both the realities of today’s world and the value of honest reporting”.

Saarc international I Thursday 09 August 2012

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Standard Chartered heads down, down and down Iran claims wipe £6bn off value Faces N.Y. Suspension Standard Chartered may lose New York license over Iran ties

The market value of Britain’s second largest bank fell by almost quarter today after it was accused

by US regulators of laundering $250bn from Iran and behaving like a “rogue institution”.

In the latest blow to the reputation of the City of London Standard Chartered was accused by regulators in New York of leaving the US financial system “vulnerable to terrorists, weapons dealers, drug kingpins and corrupt regimes” through its “flagrantly deceptive actions” between 2001 and 2010.

The bank, which is second only to HSBC in market capitalisation and has extensive operations across the globe, lost 23 per cent of its value in trading this

morning. This was on top of a fall of six per cent in the final minutes of trading yesterday when the news broke.

‘Strongly Rejects’ The bank said in a statement that 99.9 percent of its transactions

with Iran complied with U.S. Treasury regulations, and that the total value of transactions that weren’t in compliance was less than $14 million.

The lender said it “strongly rejects the position and portrayal of

facts” made by the state regulator, run by Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky.

U.S. Penalties The loss of its banking license in New York would have a big impact on Standard Chartered’s ability to process dollar payments, said Royal Bank of Canada analysts including Patrick Lee in London, who has an outperform rating on the stock.

Iran Office Standard Chartered handled transactions involving Iranian entities such as the Central Bank of Iran, Bank Saderat and Bank Melli, according to the regulator’s order. Lawsky’s agency is also investigating similar transactions between Standard Chartered and

entities in other U.S.-sanctioned countries, including Libya, Myanmar and Sudan, according to the filing.

The scandal may cost the bank as much as $5.5 billion in fines, lost revenue and reduction in share price, said Cormac Leech, an analyst at London-based Liberum Capital Ltd. who has a buy rating on the stock.

Standard Chartered opened its Iran office in 1993. Ten years later, the lender said “crossborder trade flows with markets like Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran appear to be growing and offer potential to us.”

The bank stopped all new business in Iran in May 2007 and pulled out completely in May 2012.

Sarah Attar makes Pakistan allows National Bank of Pakistan Olympic track debut & United Bank to open branches in India for Saudi women Following India’s move to allow investments from the neighbouring country, Pakistan’s central bank has allowed two banks to open branches in India as part of efforts to normalise economic and trade relations between the two countries.

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)

US-resident college athlete finishes a distant last in 800m heat but

attracts standing ovation as she crosses finish line Sarah Attar became the first Saudi woman to compete in Olympic track and field, wearing a headscarf

and finishing last in her 800-meter heat on Wednesday.

Sarah Attar finished last and more than a half-minute slower than her nearest competitor in a women’s 800m heat in the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday, yet hundreds of spectators rose to give her a standing ovation as she crossed the finish line.

Attar smiled broadly and waved at the crowd as her name was announced. Three minutes later, wearing a white headscarf, green longsleeve shirt and black leggings despite the 19-degree Celsius (66degree Fahrenheit) temperature, she drew a huge roar of approval from the crowd of about 80,000 as she strode down the home stretch.

Her time of 2 minutes, 44.95 seconds was well behind Janeth Jepkosgei’s heat-winning 2:01.04, but that didn’t matter. She left her mark on the London Games.

Governor Yasin Anwar told the media that the National Bank of Pakistan and the United Bank Ltd had been given the “green signal” to operate in India.

Anwar’s remarks came in the wake of India’s decision to allow investments by Pakistanis in all sectors except defence, space and

atomic energy. He said the Reserve Bank of India had been informed of SBP’s decision of allowing the Pakistani banks to explore opportunities in India.

India’s move to allow Pakistani investments has been welcomed by businessmen on both sides of the border. Trade between India and Pakistan is worth a little more than $2 billion and the two sides have agreed to increase it to $6 billion by 2014. Earlier this year, Pakistan switched over to a negative list regime for trade with India, paving the way for giving the Most Favoured Nation-status to the country.

India, Lanka companies look for boosting trade ties

Indian and Sri Lankan business leaders have identified sectors where they could forge stronger ties for mutual benefit, the leading trade chamber, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said.

The Indian and Lankan business CEOs forum was held here on Saturday on the sidelines of the three day ‘India Show’ aimed at boosting trade ties.

Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma participated in the event. The opportunities in the apparel, tourism, power and energy, education have been identified as potential sectors, the chamber said.

The promotion of tourism through increasing air links between the two countries was also discussed, it said adding more frequent flights would be beneficial.

The CEOs from the Indian side pointed out on the need to streamline investment procedures.

It was felt the Indian side was more keen in the mid-segment tourist hotels in Sri Lanka than undetaking investments in the luxury hotels sector.

India would also invest in hotel training schools in Sri Lanka to help the Island nation meet manpower requirement for over 35,000 additional hotel rooms in the Island nation.

Discussions were also held on tapping Sri Lanka’s potential for generating 40,000 MW of wind power.

The potential to export power to India during the off peak hours was looked into, the chamber said.

The possibility of Indian investment in the proposed under sea transmission linkages in Sri Lanka was discussed on the occasion.

Indian education institutes are being encouraged to set up business in Sri Lanka.

Both sides underscored the importance of a flexible visa regime and relaxing some of the existing conditions.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

Pakistan crash out of Olympics after humiliating defeat

Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the men’s hockey tournament at the London Olympics after a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of world champions Australia.

Australia started the attack as soon as the first half started and scored the opening goal in the fourth minute as Liam Young scored through a rebound off a penalty corner. One minute later, Mark Knowles doubled the score from a penalty corner.

Pakistan seemed to make an effort after the first five minutes but could not create any concrete chances.

Goalkeeper Imran Shah was kept busy as Australia netted their third and fourth goals in the first half through Christopher Ciriello – one coming through a penalty corner.

The second half saw an even more listless performance from the Greenshirts which Australia took full advantage of. Russel Ford, Jamie Dwyer and Glenn Turner scored a goal each to complete the

7-0 rout and confirmed their top spot in Pool A along with a semifinal berth.

Pakistan held Spain to a 1-1 draw followed by a 2-0 win against Argentina, a 4-1 loss against Great Britain and edged past South Africa 5-4.

India crash to fifth successive defeat at London Olympics India lose to Belgium 0-3 Belgium struck thrice to hand India their fifth consecutive defeat

Silver medallist Vijay Kumar returns to rousing Army welcome

he had threatened to quit the services.

“It is a really fantastic reception and I am really touched by it. This is the first time I am getting such a welcome,” Kumar said after his arrival at the IGI from where he was

driven to the Army headquarters on an open Gypsy.

A part of terminal 3 here went green as the Army personnel turned up in full force to receive the shooter who has done the country proud by clinching a silver in the 25-m rapid fire pistol event, the lone white metal

winner so far.

The place resonated not just with the sounds of drums and the traditional nagaras, the national anthem was also played at the background once the man of the moment’s Lufthansa 762 flight touched down early in the morning.

Soon after the shooter won his medal, Kumar had made it clear in London that he was unhappy that he had not got a single promotion in the last six years, despite some major sporting achievements at the national and international level.

Sports Minister Ajay Maken has taken up the shooter’s cause and has written to Defence Minister A.K. Antony, seeking special consideration for the athlete who has done India proud.

Things seem to be sorted out for the time-being as the shooter is all set to

receive a cash prize of Rs 30 lakh by the Army.

According to the Army officials, the shooter is all set to get all his dues as the Army is proud of the shooter and his achievements.

Meanwhile, the defence ministry has also planned to make separate announcements about the cash award.

The reaction of Army officials comes in the wake of Vijay Kumar’s decision to quit the Army if there were no promotions at his work place, following his achievements in the last few years.

Vijay Kumar, a Subedar with 16 Dogra Regiment, the shooter has not received a promotion since 6 years, despite his good performance at national and international events.

Himachal Pradesh government has announced a cash award of Rs 1 crore for his achievement but the shooter is not happy as his state government has not recognised the achievement yet.

in the preliminary league of the Olympic men’s hockey competition on Tuesday.

Goals by veteran Jerome Dekeyser (15th), Gautier Boccard (47th) and Tom Boon (67th) set up Belgium’s second win which lifted them to third position in the group with seven points while a winless India finished sixth without a point and will play for 9-12 positions, their worst-ever finish in the Olympics.

India’s league campaign thus ended on a sad note as the team

failed to show any improvement even against a team that was considered the weakest of the six in the group, but Belgium showed that under Aussie legend Colin Batch’s coaching, they are a side making good progress.

For the fifth time in a row, India failed to display any kind of plan or panache to give hopes of a victory as they came up against a Belgian outfit that was better organised in the defence and very fast on the break.

Olympics: Saina Nehwal wins bronze after rival concedes tie due to injury

Ace shuttler Saina Nehwal earned India its third medal at the London Games, clinching a bronze under fortuitous circumstances as her opponent and world number two Xin Wang of China conceded the third-place play off match due to a knee injury after winning the first game.

The fourth seeded Indian had saved four game points in a dramatic fightback and was 18-20 when left-handed Xin twisted her knee while going for an acrobatic smash from the baseline and took on-court treatment for the injury.

However, she was back on the court after wrapping her left knee in bandage and immediately attacked Saina’s serve to win the

point and the game to be 1-0 up.

But after winning the first point in the second game, Xin could not continue and was wincing in pain before shaking hands with Saina to concede the match and the bronze medal to the 22-year-old Indian ace.

Saina thus became the first Indian badminton player to win a medal at the Olympic Games. She had reached the quarterfinals in Beijing Games four years ago and lost in the semifinals yesterday to gain a chance to play for the bronze today at the Wembley Arena.

This was the second day running that India have won a medal, following pistol shooter Vijay Kumar’s silver medal yesterday.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

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London Olympics an ‘economic failure’: Roubini

Famously bearish economist Nouriel Roubini has branded the Olympics an “economic failure”, saying Londoners have left the city and tourists have stayed away following “excess warnings”.

Deserted London 2012: Shops, theatres and businesses all empty as visitor levels fall by a THIRD over fears of Games travel chaos • Games have pulled 100,000 foreign tourists into the capital, much lower than the 300,000 expected in a typical summer • Leading London attractions see visitor numbers fall by 35 per cent • Hotel bookings in London ‘very substantially down’ • Businesses near sailing venues in Weymouth and Portland say this year’s summer tourist season is the worst in half a century

merchandise as they went.

Some of the shopping centre’s shops have seen more than 50% more customers since the Olympics began, a spokeswoman for consumer

predicted visitor numbers for the whole of 2012 for the two centres, which house around 600 shops and 130 food outlets, at between 50 and 60 million, with estimated

losses at its other mall.

It also declined to give any estimates of total receipts or visitors.

A statement issued by the company today said that numbers were up at

Economist Nouriel Roubini, dubbed “Dr Doom” for anticipating the 2008 financial crisis, claims the Olympics is not doing London businesses any favours.

“The Olympics are an economic failure,” he wrote on Twitter. “London is totally empty, a zombie city.”

behaviour analyst Experian said.

“In our wildest dreams we had no idea it was going to be this busy,” said Ruth Sharvona, general manager at the Stratford City branch of John Lewis department store. A company spokesman estimated around 10,000 customers were visiting per day.

“The first day of the Games there was suddenly a massive, double, triplefold level of footfall and sales. What

sales around 2 billion pounds ($3.1 billion). Westfield Stratford City will be closed to ordinary shoppers at 8pm on Sunday, to cope with the tens of thousands of ticket holders, athletes and officials making their way through the centre for the Closing Ceremony for the Olympic Games. For most people who can’t afford Olympic tickets, a trip to the shopping malls in Wesfield is in itself a fun trip. Though

both malls from the previous week, however.

Westfield london not alone Retailers across the city had been fearful that the Games would deliver nothing but transport chaos and massive crowds yet were hopeful they might also bring an Olympic bounce needed in the middle of a recession.

The government had promised the Games would bring 13 billion

It has been the best of times and the worst of times for two shopping malls on opposite sides of London.

At the new Westfield Stratford City bordering the Olympic Park in east London, business has boomed during the 2012 Games, so much so it had to limit access at the weekend.

But across town at Westfield in west London, poor sales and a lack of shoppers reflect many areas of the capital not connected to the Olympics where there are worries they will not benefit from the July 27-August 12 Games and may even be hurt by them.

Not at Stratford City. The new mall of Australia’s Westfield Group closed to non-Olympic ticket holders on Friday and Saturday when organisers said 450,000 people flocked to the Games, most of them moving through the mall to the main entrance of the park, buying food, sportswear and

we took in a week last year we now take in half an hour,” she added.

“We’re selling about 500 burgers a day. Normal would be about 100,” said Vikram Marla, general manager at Exceptional Sausages in the mall’s food hall.

The picture could not have been more different 12 miles west on the other side of town. At Britain’s number one shopping centre Westfield London, some shop floors were almost deserted.

“It’s dead, it’s completely dead,” said a sales assistant at one high-end retail outlet stocking glamorous designer clothing. “From 2,000 people a day we’re now getting about 600 or 700.”

“The whole place seems quieter,” said Kevin Speck, 30, who works at a hairdressing salon on an outside walkway that normally teems with bag-laden shoppers.

A Westfield Group spokeswoman

there are public announcements not to enter the Olympic Park if there are no tickets, people don’t care.

pounds of economic benefits, hoping to assuage critics who saw the 9.3 billion pound ($14.55 billion) cost as too expensive given Britain’s strained finances.

Last week, Experian figures showed footfall in the capital’s usually thronging West End, full of shops, restaurants, bars and theatres, was down 4.5% from the same time last year.

Fearing that London’s already creaking system of buses, and underground and overground trains would buckle under the strain of record passenger numbers, transport bosses had originally asked Londoners to stay away from the city centre.

When it became clear that the system was coping after the first business day of the Games, Prime Minister David Cameron encouraged Londoners back.

“London’s working well, it’s open for

That compares with total British retail sales in 2011 of 303 billion pounds, British Retail Consortium figures showed.

Both malls had extended their opening hours by up to 30% in anticipation of a large influx of Games visitors, but only at the 1.45 billion-pound Stratford City, Europe’s largest urban shopping centre, has that paid off.

“When the Olympics began, we were expecting our sales to go up or even double, but we didn’t even meet our target sales,” said a sales assistant at a store at Westfield London selling skin and hair products.

Westfield refused to estimate just how big a windfall it had received at Stratford City, or to say whether the increase was enough to offset any

business, come back into the capital, come and shop, come and eat in London’s restaurants and let’s make sure that all of London’s economy benefits from this,” Cameron told Sky television last Friday.

But many Londoners had already booked holidays or made plans to work from home - or stay at home to watch the Games.

The latest Experian data suggests customers may be slowly returning to central districts, however, thanks both to the success of the Games and that of the British team, which increased its total medal haul to 48, including 22 golds, its best performance since 1908.

“Clear messages that the city is dealing effectively with the Olympic crowds and relaxed Sunday trading laws (longer hours) have together made an impact and certain retailers and particular sites witnessed a significant increase in shopper numbers,” Experian said today.

Chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce, Colin Stanbridge, was hopeful the upturn would continue.

“If this Olympics follows the pattern of others, then we will start to see

more and more people in the centre of the city and its shops in the second week,” he told Reuters.

“The real benefit will come in the months and years after the Games when we see increased visitors coming to London to visit and to shop.”

London Olympics, an economic letdown for UK? “That’s what politicians do. They want to look good”, said Oxford Professor Bent Flyvbjerg after British Prime Minister David Cameron spoke of the London Olympics: “It’s on-time, it’s on budget, all the building’s being done.”

In 2005, the original budget bid for the London Olympics was estimated at around 2.4 billion pounds. But, what does really happen when, as mentioned by Oxford researchers, “of the thousands of people engaged to Continued on page 31 >>

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

Assam: fresh violence; toll rises to 73

After a calm of ten days fresh violence broke out in parts of lower Assam claiming five lives and pushing the overall toll to 61 on Sunday.

Three bodies bearing bullet wounds were found in Chirang and two from Kokrajhar district, where one person is reported missing, police said.

Chirang Superintendent of Police Kumar Sanjiv Krishna said the three - father and his two sons - had left the camp for displaced persons at Kawatika village of Chirang district in the afternoon yesterday and their bodies were found today.

“They left the camp without informing anybody and without any security. Since then they were untraced. Today we found their bodies at Borlangshu village at Chirang district,” he said.

Tension prevails in Chirang districts following recovery of the bodies and there are reports of minority community protesting on the streets against the death of the three men.

Inspector General of Police (Bodoland Territorial Areas District) S N Singh said that two more bodies have been recovered from Kokrajhar, while one person was reported missing.

Additional reinforcements of police and para military forces have been rushed to the affected areas, where forces are already deployed since the outbreak of Bodo-Muslim clashes in July, Singh said.

Night curfew continues in Kokrajhar and Chirang, which are part of Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts, and Dhubri, which is outside it.

“Ninety Per Cent Of Those Killed Are Muslims” Assam’s tallest Muslim leader on the casualties and the efficacy of relief operations Badruddin Ajmal is Assam’s tallest Muslim leader. S.N.M. Abdi talks to the Dhubri MP and president of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), the state’s principal

dead or missing will take a very long time.

Any idea of the Bodo/Muslim break-up of casualties?

Ninety per cent of those killed are Muslims. If I even attempt an estimate of the factual toll, I’ll be accused of making provocative statements and obstructing the return of normalcy.

So I don’t want to go public with the information collected by

my party. But I’ll open my mouth after the government comes up with its final death toll.

Your party has accused the state of turning a blind eye to the massacre of Muslims. It’s a very serious charge.

Tarun Gogoi has betrayed those he is constitutionally bound to protect. He is not only the CM but also the home minister.

So he has no excuses. It’s now as clear as daylight that the CM had advance information of preparations to kill Muslims. But he did not act. Now he is transferring DCs, SPs, SDOs, SDPOs and officers-in-charge. FIRs should be immediately filed against the guilty officials and they must be tried. If the CM has a conscience, he should resign. He’s solely responsible.

no sooner than they were aired. Anyone propagating that Bangladeshis infiltrated India and ignited trouble is insulting our armed forces guarding the country’s international border.

These are patently anti-national theories to shield the guilty; they have nothing to do with reality.

Assam violence: Mushawarat holds BTC, state government responsible New Delhi: All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat (AIMMM) has held Assam Government and Bodo Territorial Council (BTC) for the current violence in the state which left scores dead and rendered around four lakh people homeless.

However, it categorically said Assam riot 2012 is not Gujarat riot 2002.

“There was a clear failure on the part of BTC and state government in anticipation and control of the situation” which has resulted in over three lakh refugees in around 300 refugee

opposition party, about casualties and the efficacy of relief operations.

The official death toll is 56. What is your figure?

There are hundreds of corpses rotting in remote areas where well-planned cleansing drives were executed with the blessings of the administration. A proper headcount of the

Why demand a CBI inquiry?

Because Muslims have no faith in the state government.

The PM is an MP from Assam. He must order an impartial, independent investigation instead of being misguided and misinformed by the CM who has much to hide.

Are you satisfied with the pace of relief and rehabilitation

camps in BTC areas and Dhubri, said AIMMM leaders at a press conference on 4th August after returning from a 4-day fact-finding mission of violence-hit areas of Assam. They said most of the refugees are Muslims.

Mushawarat leaders holding press conference in Delhi on 4th August on their fact-finding mission to Assam

measures?

The whole exercise is a farce. Even the victims of the 1993 violence are yet to be rehabilitated. India has no idea of what’s going on in Assam.

There are reports that infiltrating Bangladeshis instigated the current flare-up.

These are cock-and-bull stories spun by the BJP. R.K. Singh, the union home secretary, shot down these conspiracy theories

AIMMM president Dr Zafarul Islam Khan ruled out migration as the reason of the recent violence. Whoever the Mushawarat delegation met, Dr Khan said, denied immigration is the reason of the violence. He condemned BJP and RSS for trying to turn it an issue of illegal immigrants.

“Sections of media and chauvinist circles, especially BJP and its ilk, are trying to turn this carnage into an issue of illegal immigrants which is not correct or fair. No one we met in

by police.

The delegation met Chief Minister Mr Tarun Gagoi who explained the practical problems in providing security in a state suffering from various armed movements and insurgencies, and said that arms are flooding into Assam from China and Nagaland. He assured the delegation that he is keen to secure an early repatriation of the displaced people to their homes and said that he has designated 15 August at the deadline for achieving this aim. He said that security will be provided, permanent CRPF pickets will be placed at sensitive places within days as troops are being recalled from the neighbouring states of Manipur, Nagaland and Bihar for this purpose. Mr Gogoi emphatically denied that there are “foreigners” in Assam and stressed that the present crisis is a local one triggered by local issues. He told the delegation that about a hundred culprits have already been arrested.

Addressing the press, Dr Tasleem Rahmani, member of the delegation and president, Muslim Political Council of India said BTC and state government of Congress are trying to throw blame on each other for the violence. He said BTC wants more power and they are facilitating such violence only to pressure on the government.

Muhammad Rafiq Qasmi, both national secretaries of Jamaat-e Islami Hind, Mr Navaid Hamid, General Secretary of Movemenf for Empowerment of Muslim Indians, Dr Taslim Rahmani, President of Muslim Political Council and Hafiz Rashid Chowdhry, Vice President of AIMMM. The delegation interacted with many people and groups in Guwahati, BTC areas and Dhubri, visited a number of camps in Cherang and Dhubri areas and met representatives of BTC and Bodos as well as the Chief Minister Mr Tarun Gagoi and Mr Abdul Muhib Mazumder, chairman of Assam State Commission for Minorities.

“Using some criminal incidents in which both Muslims and Bodo were killed, Bodo armed gangs systematically attacked Muslim villages, indulged in at random killings and firings which precipated flight of Muslim villagers who are not armed

Bodo individuals and gangs while Muslims in particular are not known to keep illegal arms.”

State government is providing some ration while a lot of other needs, especially heigine, are neglected. Inmates in camps told the delegation that they are eager to return to their villages provided security is provided to them. A former MLA of the affected area told the delegation that it is “a sin to be born Muslim in Assam”. The delegation saw that even the camps are without security and found that one of the camps it visited is not getting even ration aid. The delegation was told that one person had died in Tilwara camp due to hunger.

Mushawarat president Dr Zafarul Islam Khan and NIC member Navaid Hamid talking to Bodo leader Biswajit Daimarym (MP, Rajya Sabha) at Kokrajhar on 2 August 2012 The delegation met Bodo and BTC leadership and was able

Mushawarat leaders meeting Assam chief minister Tarun Godoi in his office in Guwahati on 3rd August/b> The delegation of Mushawarat visited Assam during 31 July-3 August 2012 to study and assess the situation in the

unlike other ethnic groups in the area,” said Mushawarat.

Talking to pressmen, Dr. Khan said the main reason of this and previous violence in Bodo areas is the power or lack of it to Bodo Territorial Council which consists 30% Bodos and 70% non-Bodos. Bodos and their armed groups want to push out non-Bodos from the BTC areas. He informed that about 10 petitions are pending in the High Court regarding authority

to meet in Kokrajhar town Bodo MP (Rajya Sabha) Biswajit Daimary and Daneswar Goyori, member of the legislative assembly of BTC. They put the blame squarely at the door of armed gangs which the BTC is not able to control because home department and Police are controlled by the state government and not by the BTC, they said. They stressed the tradition of good relations between Muslims and Bodos and said that

country have been regularly visiting the areas but did little for both religious and modern education of the people.

Navaid Hamid, member, National Integration Council, who was also member of the delegation, categorically said the violence was not an accident, rather it was a planned one. “In three days and four nights, over four lakh people are rendered homeless, this cannot be accident but through a planned conspiracy. He held Bodo leaders and state government

Bodo Territorial Council (BTC) and adjoining areas where over three lakh persons have been displaced, over 50 killed and over a hundred are reported missing as a result of ethnic cleansing aimed at uprooting Muslims from BTC areas.

The delegation, led by Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan, President, AIMMM, included Mr Mujtaba Farooq, President of Welfare Party of India, Mr Muhammad Shafi Madni and Maulana

and power of BTC. Another big reason of the violence, he pointed out, is the illegal arms available with Bodos and tribal groups except minorities.

“The delegation feels that the current violence is clearly a continuation of Bodo chauvinist attempts to expel the nonBodo majority from the “Bodoland”. This is made possible by vast amouts of illegal arms in the hands of Bodo and non-

the area depends on Muslim workers and labour, hence its progress will suffer badly if Muslims do not return quickly to their homes. They agreed that displaced people should be able to return quickly to their homes but stressed that security must be provided to make this possible, permanent police pickets should be placed at sensitive areas and numbers of police stations must be increased as the area is undercovered

responsible for the attacks on Muslims in the state.

He demanded the central government to rehabilitate the victims through central schemes of NREGA and IAY. On relief package he said: “The centre should ask the state government to accept Sikh riot package as a benchmark and provide same relief measures to the victims of current violence.”

Continued on page 30 >>

Assam from Government to Bodo to Muslim victims made or supported this claim,” he said.

In the context of large scale violence which made lakhs of people homeless in just three days, when Dr Khan asked if Assam riot 2012 is Gujarat riot 2002, he refused to draw parallels between the two. “For Gujarat riot, state government of Modi was directly responsible. It allowed dead bodies of kar sevaks from Godhra to be brought to Ahmedabad. State government allowed bandh and Modi asked police to let Hindus vent their anger,” said Dr Khan adding nothing like that happened in Assam.

Mushawarat leaders meeting riot victims in Assam Going one step ahead, he challenged the Bodo accord of 1993 which created BTC. “On whose mandate this accord was signed,” he asked and indirectly held the accord and BTC responsible for the regular violence against minorities in Assam.

Maulana Rafique Qasmi, secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, stressed on the educational empowerment of the local Muslims. He said that while Muslim religious leaders of the

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ENTERTAINMENT

Saarc international I Thursday 09 August 2012

“Ek Tha Tiger is one notch higher than what I’ve done before” - Salman Khan

Ek Tha Tiger is a genre so rare that you’ve hardly tapped into?

Ek Tha Tiger isn’t any different genre for me. It’s the same genre.

It’s got love story, it’s got action, it’s got humour, it’s about how much a guy can do for his love and for his country. Out here, we’ve pushed it to a different level. Your last film has to be a better than your previous one.

For me, Ek Tha Tiger is one notch higher than what I’ve done before.

So, tell me more about the Tiger…

Tiger is the most loyal man you can meet. He is to be trusted. Tiger is more like a chameleon, I should say because he keeps on changing his colours. Sometimes he becomes a writer, sometimes a fighter or sometimes a lover. And with so much you know about Tiger, he still remains unpredictable.

You’ve got the biggest opening in the form of Bodyguard. With movies now becoming business, what are your hopes from Ek Tha Tiger?

The fact that the theatres are growing, the business is growing, the audiences are growing, and the fact that we are still not able to break the record of 3 Idiots is not a good sign my friend. Records have to be broken. I will break it or let Aamir break it, who cares but since three years, no film has surpassed that film. It’s shameful.

What was your first interaction with Kabir Khan like?

A friend of mine introduced me to Kabir Khan. He came with a DVD of some portions of a shoot he had done in Afghanistan. Then Adi Chopra sent him to me with Ek Tha

Tiger. I have not seen Kabul Express and New York but after seeing what he had shown me from that DVD I could tell that this man can make a kick-a** film. Kabir is a mature human being, sensible and cultured with a great sense of humour and a bit naughty. I heard so many things about Kabir from the sources that he makes logical films, I got a bit uncomfortable at times hearing that but the more time I spent with him, I got to know he was a cool guy.

You make your debut with YRF. That came late, didn’t it?

Yes, it did but it came at the right time. Ek Tha Tiger is written with a positive mind and there was no chauvinism. It’s a movie without any political statements and we aren’t getting into countries and are heading towards a simple and spicy love story. How much a trained man can do is what this movie is showing you. Ek Tha Tiger is in that real space and every frame will make it look believable. Such is the work put in by Kabir Khan. Things have turned out right for this film. Me and Yash Raj coming together, Kabir directing it, Katrina being my leading lady. Adi has given his best in Ek Tha Tiger. I should say that Kabir’s whole career is riding on this film. Everyone is enthusiastic.

Your father’s been associated with YRF films before.

Yes he has. When I signed this film, my father told me that he has had a great working relationship with YRF and when I finish shooting Ek Tha Tiger, they will feel the same. Aditya Chopra has a very commercial mind.

He doesn’t think larger than life. He keeps it normal. Kabir’s thinking, Aditya’s thinking and my thinking

comes together in making Ek Tha Tiger. I feel Adi is a mix of both of us - Me and Kabir.

Your penchant for writing films, what’s happening with that?

Yes, I want to write films but not right now. I know Veer didn’t work at the box office but as of now I am happy doing all the love-action genre.

I am enjoying myself and I am at my career’s highest point. Writing will happen eventually. I like the action genre and it’s difficult to do action, trust me.

You love kicking a** isn’t it?

What kind of films do we expect from you next?

All action, that’s it! That’s what you expect from Salman Khan. There has to be so much safety and out here we really don’t care. I would love to

do something like The Expendables in India. Make an action film with the top action heroes - Sanjay Dutt, Suneil Shetty, Ajay Devgn and me, of course (laughs). You can tell one thing from the new Expendables 2 that’s coming out that these guys had a blast. I rather do such kind of films.

I am not here to prove a point.

You and Katrina Kaif. Again. It’s difficult to frame a question.

Oh is it? Ok, I will make it simple for you. Katrina is the hardest working person I’ve known in the industry.

As far as her diction is concerned, from her first film to her last, she has worked hard on it. She speaks with a bit of accent but I guess everyone in India too puts on a fake accent nowa-days (laughs). Anyway, she speaks Hindi fluently now.

‘Mashallah’ is the new chartbuster track. Shaking a leg is easy for you it seems.

Someone said that Salman Khan looks stiff in the song. Boss, I’ve made a stiff style for Tiger. He dances like that.

He is different. Ab jaise crumping hai....thumping bhi toh hai! Tough men don’t dance but Tiger does it. He does it in style and with easy steps so that the entire nation can follow him.

I don’t spin on my head because no one will be able to copy that. Salman Khan will reportedly shoot for Shirish Kunder’s Kick after wrapping brother Sohail Khan’s Sher Khan.

According to sources close to the film, Sajid Nadiadwala and Shirish will start pre-production work in November. Filming will start in early 2013.

Originally, Kick filming was to start in November and Shirish had also confirmed it to sawfnews.com.

However, Salman gave a surprise even to younger bro Sohail by announcing in July that he will be doing Sher Khan first.

Salman said in a recent interview that from now on he will only do action genre films.

“All action, that’s it! That’s what you expect from Salman Khan. There has to be so much safety and out here we really don’t care. I would love to do something like The Expendables in India. Make an action film with the top action heroes - Sanjay Dutt, Suneil Shetty, Ajay Devgn and me, of course (laughs). You can tell one thing from the new Expendables 2 that’s coming out that these guys had a blast. I rather do such kind of films. I am not here to prove a point,” Salman told reporters.

Salman in rough and tough roles, now that’s something his fans are going to love!

Osama bin Laden film trailer debuts online

Trailer for Kathryn Bigelow’s forthcoming film about the killing of Osama bin Laden, Zero Dark Thirty, is released online Zero Dark Thirty will be an unusual film in that the climax of the story is already widely known and it’s the set-up that remains mysterious. Bin Laden was killed on May 2, 2011 by the U.S. Navy’s elite SEAL Team Six, but what remains largely unknown is the true backstory behind the raid, and how intelligence agencies and the military connected the dots that eventually brought them to that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

“I’m fascinated by people who dedicate themselves to really difficult and dangerous things for the greater good,” Boal said in a phone interview.

“I think they’re heroic and I’m intrigued by them. I’m fascinated by

the world they inhabit. I personally want to know how they caught bin Laden. All I can do is hope that it interests other people.”

The trailer is highly stylized, emphasizing the secrecy of the story with its use of the kind of bars used to black out information on redacted classified documents. In an email interview, Bigelow explains the significance of the title: “It’s a military term for 30 minutes after midnight, and it refers also to the darkness and secrecy that cloaked

the entire decade long mission.”

The teaser also suggests a grittier, more deadly, boots-on-the-ground pursuit of information, rather than

a drama about decisions made at the top in Washington.

This has been the primary source of controversy: Opponents of President Barack Obama have been eager for the public to avoid any reminders this election year that the Commanderin-Chief gave that order authorizing the raid that finally took down the terrorist mastermind.

The makers of Zero Dark Thirty insist their film is a study of the

unsung heroes who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to take down bin Laden, not a celebration of Obama’s decision. When they made the Iraq War drama The Hurt Locker in 2008, which won them Oscars for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Picture, Bigelow and Boal were praised (and sometimes slammed) for leaving politics out of the film. They say they’re doing the same thing this time.

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Saarc international I Thursday 09 August 2012

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Thursday, 09.08.12

international

Assam is like a volcano: Tarun Gogoi

Fresh violence in India’s Assam state

Fresh clashes rock Kokrajhar, curfew clamped

The number of people killed in violence in India’s Assam state has risen to 73 people with the deaths of three more people in recent violence.

The police said the three were killed in Kokrajhar district late on Monday.

The state government on Tuesday approached the CBI to probe the ethnic clashes in the state and find out whether “external forces” were behind the violence, which resumed after an 11-day lull, following the killing of three people in Kokrajhar and recovery of a body in Chirang in the last 24 hours.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi said the toll reached 73 with reports of fresh killings and the recovery of more bodies in the past one week. “We still have more missing persons,” he said. Apart from the deaths in violence, 15 people, includ-

ing seven children, have died due to ill-health at relief camps. The chief minister has empowered the chief secretary to take major decisions. Gogoi said, “I have empowered the chief secretary to take major actions and decisions and only in case of policy decision I have asked him to take my consent.” Gogoi said that only genuine Indian citizens will be rehabilitated. “During the rehabilitation, records and other details will be checked.

Assam is like volcano.”

The fresh killings took place in Kokrajhar, hours after an all-party meeting was held at Kokrajhar DC’s office on Monday to bring back peace in the district. Three persons were killed and two injured when miscreants opened fire on Muslims at Ranighuli, along the Kokrajhar-Dhubri district border, on Monday morning.

More news on page 16 >>

Contempt law case

Govt files appeal in SC to review verdict

The government on Wednesday filed an appeal in the Supreme Court to review its recent verdict scrapping the newly passed contempt of court law, report .

In the appeal, the government’s counsel, Abdul Shakoor Paracha, stated that the law was only passed following proper legislative procedures practised by the parliament and that the parliament had the authority to legislate.

On Aug 4, the apex court had thrown out the hurriedly prepared and enacted Contempt of Court Act (COCA) 2012 designed to save the new prime minister from the ire of the judiciary.

“Thus, having been left with no constitutional option, COCA 2012 is declared unconstitutional, void and non est, as a consequence whereof, following the dictum laid down in Attorney General for Alberta v. Attorney General for Canada, it is declared that the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003 shall be deemed to have revived with effect from July 12 the day when COCA 2012 was enforced, with all consequences,” the court’s verdict of Aug 4 stated, thus resurrecting the old

ordinance under which Yousuf Raza Gilani was convicted and later disqualified.

The filing of the appeal comes in the backdrop of the issuing of a show-cause notice for contempt of court to Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf over his failure to implement the court’s directive of writing a letter to Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Pakistan People’s Party’s frontline leaders met and “expressed determination to resist within the bounds of law and the Constitution the emergence of new centres of legislative power other than the elected parliament”.

“Lawmaking is the sacred responsibility of legislature which will not be abandoned at any cost,” the president’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said on Tuesday.

Political and legal observers believe the government-judiciary tussle would intensify in the days to come as they expect that Prime Minister Ashraf could also be ousted like his predecessor was removed for contempt of court.

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Top Afghan security ministers to keep jobs for now

Afghanistan’s president responded Sunday to parliament’s dismissal of his defense and interior ministers by retaining them as caretakers, keeping his security team intact for now but infuriating lawmakers who suspect he may delay replacing them indefinitel The possible removal of both the heads of the military and the police complicates the U.S. effort to gradually turn over more security responsibility to Afghan forces before most international troops leave Afghanistan or move into support roles by the end of 2014.

Legislators voted to disqualify Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and Interior Minister Bismullah Khan Mohammadi on Saturday after questioning the two on what they said was a weak government response to cross-border attacks that Afghans blame on the Pakistani military, as well as allegations of corruption in their ministries.

President Hamid Karzai met with the National Security Council the next day, and his office issued a statement saying that the council “respects parliament’s constitutional decision” in passing a no-confidence vote, but also that the president instructed the ministers “to continue in office until replacements are introduced within the provisions of law.”

That language drew immediate condemnation from lawmakers, who said the president is overriding the parliament’s authority by keeping on the ministers even temporarily.

“This decision of President Karzai is completely against the law. He doesn’t have the authority to keep a minister that has gotten a no-confidence vote of the parliament. He should have immediately have introduced new nominees,” said Gul Pacha Mujedi, a lawmaker from the eastern province of Paktia.

Karzai could still quickly name replacements for Wardak and Mohammadi, but in past noconfidence votes, he has simply kept other ministers in their jobs in an acting capacity and then dragged out the replacement process, effectively nullifying the parliamentary action.

Lawmakers suspect he is using the same technique to avoid changes to his Cabinet at a time when his government struggles to project an image of a slowly improving military and police force that will be capable of keeping the Taliban insurgents from regaining ground once most international troops leave.

Wardak is one of the Afghan officials most trusted by Washington. He studied in the U.S. and has been defense minister since late 2004. He has overseen massive growth of the army - now 185,125-strong.

As interior minister, Mohammadi has been tasked with professionalizing the various Afghan police units. He is an ethnic Tajik who fought in the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance in the 1990s. He served as chief of staff for the Afghan National Army from 2002 to 2010.

Shinkay Zahin Karokhil, a lawmaker from Kabul, said the president’s statement raised worries. If Karzai truly respected the no-confidence vote, she said, “he could have appointed a deputy minister as caretaker.”

“If the president wants to keep these two, I think it will not help Afghanistan,” she warned, adding that lawmakers would likely discuss Karzai’s response in meetings Monday.

Saarc international I Thursday 09 August 2012

PM contempt: Asma Jahangir terms August 8 as ‘black day in judicial history’

Former president Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Asma Jahangir termed Wednesday as yet another ‘black day’ in the judicial history of the country after the Supreme Court issued show-cause notices to Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case.

Addressing the media after the hearing, Jahangir said that the judges of the apex court are themselves undermining the institution implying that democracy will not flourish in the country.

“The hearing could have been fixed after Eid. What was the haste?” questioned Jahangir and said that the prime minister was not running out of the country.

Strongly reacting on the court’s orders, Jahangir remarked that when the court gives rulings based on political bias and strategy instead of law, the common man loses confidence in the courts.

“During the last hearing, the court had hinted a middle way out but today’s attitude of the court was contrary to the previous. It reflects a strategised and planned ruling,” maintained Jahangir, adding that the attitude of the judges can lead to irrecoverable loss if they are planning or are part of a planning against the government.

She further maintained that the court should see Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s son Arsalan Iftikhar and Prime Minister Ashraf with the same eye of justice. “We want a strong judiciary, not a powerful one.”

Jahangir added that she does not support the new contempt of court law as many of its sections are against the spirit of the Constitution but restrictions cannot be imposed on the parliament taking away

its right of legislation.

She further said that she has nothing to do with the issue of writing letter to the Swiss authorities but wants the judiciary to give its verdicts in line with the Constitution.

She added that she had fought and would continue to fight for the independence and supremacy of judiciary “but keeping in view the conduct of the Supreme Court, it seems democracy will not work”.

Attorney General Irfan Qadir, speaking to the media, also expressed his concern over the court orders and said that he was not expecting the court to summon the prime minister.

“I am hopeful that the court will observe restrain, and hopefully a middle way out will be adopted,” said Qadir. “I, being the mediator, will try to find a peaceful resolution of the issue instead of a confrontation.”

Lawyer protests Jahangir said that the Pakistan Bar Association is a professional body of lawyers and it should not go on strike if a matter is sub judice before the court.

“If the bar expresses jubilation about a sub judice matter, there will remain no difference between a lawyer and a politician,” she maintained.

‘Baseless allegations’: Imran Khan to take Khwaja Asif to court While shunning Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif’s allegations as “baseless”, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan declared on Tuesday that he will take Asif to courts and requested that the Chief Justice of Pakistan hear the case “at the earliest” so that the truth is brought before the public.

Asif welcomed Khan’s decision to challenge his allegations in the court.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Khan said, “Since the elections are nearing, they are going to target Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital (SKMH) and Sita White in their campaigns to malign my name.

If he is truthful, then the case should be dealt by the Supreme Court so that the situation is made clear to the masses.”

Addressing to the chief justice, he said he was not building “factories” with the donation money, but was building institutions for the people of Pakistan.

He said that the biggest responsibility

of a politician is to secure public money and to spend it wisely.

Asif had blamed Khan of speculating in Dubai real estate with the donations he had collected for his charity hospital for cancer patients.

He had said that Khan had transferred Rs4.50 billion outside the country from Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital accounts.

The PTI chief said that the allegations have caused damage to the fund collection for “Pakistan’s biggest

charity hospital” and that if this continues, thousands of patients will be affected.

Khan said that Asif knew that donations and funds are collected mainly in the month of Ramazan and that making such allegations during this time will affect the process.

“Where will we get the money from if the donations are frozen? What will happen to the poor patients who are given treatment for free?”

“Back in 1997, they ran the same

campaign against me and I had travelled abroad to collect funds.

Only I know how I had saved the hospital in a state of declining funds.”

He said that the SKMH underwent a huge crisis due to the allegations leveled against Khan. “The Nation ran a news story on their front page that our hospital is going to stop operating due to lack of funds. The donation slumped massively.”

He said that if his hospital fails to provide free treatment to the patients, the PML-N leader will accuse him of not providing the treatment despite asking for funds.

The PTI chief said that every year Rs2 billion is spent on treating the patients admitted at the SKMH. “We have to actually vacate our hospital time-totime in order to accommodate new patients, because the hospital has a huge turnover of patients.”

‘Hampering process’ Khan said that the hospital management was planning on open two more hospitals – in Karachi and

Peshawar – and alleging that I misuse the money will hamper that, too.

“My friends tell me why I am even trying to dispel Asif’s claims. I tell them I am only doing this because I am a public figure and being a politician I owe this to them.”

He said that PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi had also alleged that the officials working at the SKMH were receiving Rs200,000 as their salaries, a claim which Khan said was “also bogus”.

Khan further said that he had produced the tax statements of last 30 years to verify that all the money he had spent was not stolen from the accounts of SKMH. The PTI chief said that Namal College is Pakistan’s first private sector institute in a rural area which is built on international standards.

“A University of Bradford degree is given to the students who have no money to pay for their education.”

He said that if donations are stopped, then it will affect the institute as well.

Saarc international I Thursday 09 August 2012

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF AFGHANISTAN NEWS

Afghan finance minister faces corruption investigation

Afghanistan’s top anti-corruption chief said on Thursday the finance minister’s business affairs will be investigated after accusations aired on Afghan television that he stashed away more than $1 million in overseas banks.

Hazarat Omar Zakhilwal, championed by international donors for his integrity in a country mired in graft, over the past five years had transferred the money to accounts in Canada, according Afghanistan’s largest commercial TV channel, Tolo TV. Tolo showed what it said were his private bank statements on one of its programmes.

Zakhilwal, in an interview with the station late on Wednesday, denied any wrongdoing and said there was nothing untoward in the transfers, which were the result of legitimate work and business interests before entering government.

“Before I came back to Afghanistan, I was a lecturer of economics in Canada and (as a consultant) I had good sources of income too worth $1,500 per day,” Zakhilwal, also President Hamid Karzai’s top economics counsellor, told Tolo.

Zakhilwal, who moved back to Afghanistan from Canada, became Finance Minister in February 2009 and was former head of the country’s investment support agency. He has also been a consultant to the World Bank and United Nations.

Afghanistan’s High Office of Oversight and Anti-corruption chief, Dr. Azizullah Ludin, told Reuters that he was not convinced by the denials and an investigation would begin into Zakhilwal’s business affairs on Saturday.

The team looking into the transfers would include officials from Ludin’s office, as well as intelligence officials from the National Directorate of Security and the Attorney-General’s office.

“The minister of finance says this money is from his business, but I asked him “what sort of business do you have?’,” Ludin said. “We will investigate this seriously.”

Afghanistan is regularly ranked as one of the world’s most corrupt countries, with more than $16 billion pledged in future aid at an international donor’s conference in Tokyo tied to a serious effort to crack down on graft.

FOURTH CAR “WORTH $160,000” Afghanistan’s Western backers have repeatedly called for more action to counter rampant skimming and kickbacks paid from the more than $50 billion in reconstruction money that has flooded into the country since 2001.

Karzai last month issued a decree ordering all ministries to take steps to cut down on nepotism and corruption, while directing

US senate confirms new US ambassador to Afghanistan

The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed James Cunningham as new ambassador to Afghanistan, replacing Ryan Crocker.

Cunningham has been serving as deputy ambassador in Kabul (KAH’bool) for more than a year. Before that, he was the U.S. ambassador to Israel.

He has also served as U.S. consul general in Hong Kong and as deputy envoy to the United Nations. He was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday.

The US embassy in Kabul is among the largest in the world, with more than 1,100 US staff, and the envoy will oversee the US transition process as NATO countries, led by the United States, withdraw the remaining 130,000 troops after more than 10 years of war.

All foreign combat forces are due to have left by the end of 2014, and the United States faces the challenge of helping build up the capability of Afghan security forces ahead of the handover of security operations.

Cunningham’s confirmation was among a long list of envoys confirmed by the Senate before lawmakers began a fiveweek summer break. Crocker stepped down in May after running embassies in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as Pakistan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Syria.

the Supreme Court to accelerate investigations already under way.

The directive, while less than Western backers had hoped, also pointed to a growing realisation within the government that corruption must be addressed and senior figures prosecuted, diplomats said.

Ludin said his office had already confirmed that, from 2007 until 2011, $1,080,000 was transferred to

Zakhilwal’s personal accounts held with Standard Chartered STANB. UL and Alfalah banks, including $200,000 from a private company in 2009.

Tolo said that amounts of between $50,000 and $100,000 were transferred from 2007 onwards, including $100,000 transferred in July 2007 to a bank in Canada to buy a house.

A payment of $70,000 was sent to his sister, Malalai Zakhilwal, the station said.

The monthly salary of an Afghan minister was $2,000 with $1,400 in food allowances, Ludin said, and yet Zakhilwal had recently bought a car worth $160,000.

“We should investigate this because he already has three cars belonging to the government,” Ludin said.

Zakilwal’s spokesman said the money mostly came from business dealings prior to 2007 and said the investigation should instead focus

on “how government and private secrets were disclosed”.

Zakhilwal as finance minister oversees government revenue from taxation, as well as customs, the department most frequently accused of corruption and bribery demands.

Ludin said there were serious problems in the finance ministry, with “extreme fraud cases” already uncovered involving customs officials at the Torkham border post alongside Pakistan and the Hiratan customs outpost near Uzbekistan, in the north.

More than $60 million had gone missing over the years in Hiratan alone, he said.

Asked by Tolo about the transfers, Zakhilwal said he had been “happier when I was working in roles outside of the government, because there were less conspiracies surrounding me”.

(Additional reporting by Mirwais Haroooni, Editing by Michael Georgy and Nick Macfie).

Afghanistan’s Karzai accepts dismissal of top security ministers

Afghan President Hamid Karzai accepted on Sunday a vote by the country’s parliament to dismiss his two top security ministers, but ordered both to remain in their jobs pending replacement, a move aimed at safeguarding fragile stability.

The fractious parliament voted on Saturday to remove Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and Interior Minister Bismillah Mohammadi after recent insurgent assassinations of senior officials, as well as crossborder fire incidents blamed on Pakistan, an inflammatory issue for many Afghans.

While the ministers remain in place for now, the uncertainty could complicate NATO plans to hand security responsibilities to Afghan forces before the end of 2014, as both positions are crucial to the 11-year war against insurgents as

Western countries draw down their military presence.

Karzai, who chaired a Sunday

and as he previously has done after parliamentary votes to reject his choices.

meeting of Afghanistan’s National Security Council, issued a statement thanking the pair for “their hard work and dedication”, and saying replacements would be brought in according to the law.

Karzai can keep both ministers in their jobs for months if he chooses,

Those moves may have alienated lawmakers whose cooperation he needs if he is to crack down on widespread corruption within his unpopular government in order to help guarantee up to $16 billion worth of aid promised by his Western backers.

Afghanistan mosque bomb wounds 19: official A bomb hidden inside a mosque tore through dozens of worshippers during Friday prayers in eastern Afghanistan, wounding at least 19 including the imam, officials said.

The attack in Chaparhar town in Nangarhar province came just days after a provincial judge was killed and four civilians were wounded in a mosque bombing in southern Uruzgan province.

“The bomb went off close to the imam as he was offering the Friday

prayer,” provincial spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai told AFP. “Nineteen people have been injured, among them the imam who is in a critical condition,” he said, blaming Taliban insurgents for the bombing.

A spokesman for the militants denied responsibility for the attack.

A member of the provincial council, who declined to give his name for security reasons, suggested the imam might have been targeted after agreeing to offer prayers for a man

killed by the Taliban for working with US-led Nato forces.

The Taliban, whose hardline regime was overthrown in a US-led invasion in 2001, warned at the start of their annual summer offensive this year that they would target Afghans working for foreign organisations.

Large numbers of local people work for Western civilian and military projects in Afghanistan, where Nato has 130,000 troops helping the Kabul government fight the insurgents.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF BANGLADESH NEWS

Hasina’s peace model goes to next UN session

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s peace model will be presented at the next UN General Assembly session for endorsement in October this year, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said yesterday.

The model that speaks not only of economic development, but also of people’s empowerment and “social inclusion of all segments of people” has been widely appreciated, she said.

Once adopted by the UN, it would be used as a global model for peace and sustainable development, Dipu Moni said at a press briefing on conclusion of a two-day international conference in Dhaka on “People’s Empowerment and Development”.

Representatives from the UN and 62 member-countries, and civil society members attended conference organised by the foreign ministry, and held at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel.

Hasina had put forward the model

at the UN General Assembly session last year. It addresses seven issues -- eradicating poverty and hunger; reducing inequality; mitigating deprivation; creating jobs for all; inclusion of excluded people; accelerating human development and fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Lauding the model at the global meet in Dhaka, Indian Minister for Rural Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation Jairam Ramesh said it is something that speaks of sustainable development.

It is “inclusive and applicable to all countries” whereas Millennium Development Goals that originated in the West is meant only for the developing countries, he said.

Ramesh called for distribution of economic benefits and incorporating all segments of people in the mainstream.

“Otherwise, highly educated people

including doctors and engineers could become terrorists. Ending terrorism is not possible only by cutting poverty…sense of inclusion should be there.”

He emphasised withdrawing restrictions on movement of people as there is an imbalance due to an increase of ageing population in the developed countries and young population in the developing ones.

The Indian minister asked all to

make accountable those responsible for climate change affecting the developing countries.

UN-Habitat Under Secretary General Joan Clos said “inclusive and sustainable development model is a need of the day for social cohesion.”

He asked all to think of the huge population and urbanisation problems, and ways of addressing those.

The Maldives Deputy Foreign

Minister Ali Hameed suggested modifying the UN system to include the countries still excluded from its membership as a shift in global development paradigm.

G-77 Chair and Algeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN Murad Benhehdi said the international community must put people at the centre of all development policies.

Sri Lanka Foreign Minister GI Peiris said the governments should keep vigilance on smuggling, piracy for terrorism funding and proliferation of small arms.

“Saarc countries can share intelligence…because no country can fight terrorism in isolation,” he said.

He also emphasised cutting people’s deprivation and inequalities.

Bhutan’s Works and Human Settlement Minister Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba and Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes were also present at the press meet.

Padma bridge proposal Khaleda rejects small cabinet offer in 3 weeks: Quader

Malaysia will submit a final proposal to Bangladesh regarding the construction of Padma bridge in three weeks.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader told reporters after a meeting with a six-member Malaysian delegation at Secretariat on Sunday.

Dato Seri S Samy Velu, Malaysian prime minister’s special envoy to India and South Asia, led the six-member delegation during the meeting at Secretariat.

During the meeting, the delegation submitted a proposal on concession agreement regarding the construction of 6.15-kilometre bridge to the communications ministry.

“We cannot disclose the details (of the meeting) before the submission of the final proposal,” the communications minister said.

Before signing the agreement, the draft of the proposal will be sent to law ministry for vetting and then it will be placed before the cabinet, the minister said.

Asked whether the government cancelled loan agreements with the other donors, Quader said, “We did

not cancel any loan agreement. Rather, anyone can come with proposal for Padma multipurpose bridge.”

Even, the government can form a consortium with the international donor agencies for building the bridge, he said.

Emerging from the meeting with the communications minister, the team held a half-an-hour discussion with Finance Minister AMA Muhith at Secretariat.

But both the minister and the Malaysian team leader declined to make any comments when the meeting ended around 1:30pm.

Earlier on April 11, Bangladesh penned a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysia on cooperation in the construction of the Padma bridge.

The government in April last year signed a $1.2 billion loan agreement with the World Bank to construct the bridge. Besides, the Asian Development Bank was to provide $615 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency $400 million and Islamic Development Bank $140 million more for the scheme.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday formally turned down the prime minister’s small cabinet proposal saying the offer was given to ensure Sheikh Hasina’s return to power.

“We don’t accept the proposal…the prime minister made the offer so that she can remain in power and ensure the return of her party to power. We reject the proposal,” she said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a recent interview with the BBC Bangla Service proposed an interim government with the opposition to oversee the next general elections.

The opposition leader was addressing an Iftar party hosted by Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) at the National Press Club.

In her brief address prior to Iftar,

Khaleda once again demanded that the next election be held under a non-party caretaker government.

“No election will be allowed to be held under any party government.

We want the next election under a non-party administration. The government will have to amend the constitution to reinstate the

caretaker government.”

Threatening that the opposition’s movement will continue until the CG is restored, the former premier said they will establish a democratic government and the rule of law in the country unseating the present government through a strong movement.

US Senator unhappy with govt action on over Grameen Bank

Expressing deep disappointment over government’s efforts to establish control over Grameen Bank, US Senator Barbara Boxer has called on the Bangladeshi government to stop interfering in the management of the bank.

“I am deeply disappointed in the Bangladeshi government’s efforts to exert control over Grameen Bank,” Senator Boxer said in a statement issued in Washington DC on August 3.

“This move threatens the ability of millions of Bangladeshi women to find a path out of poverty. Critical decisions

regarding the Grameen Bank’s leadership should be left to the Board of Directors so that the bank can continue its vital work helping Bangladeshis start businesses and provide for their

families,” she added.

Boxer said Grameen Bank is an important institution that provides loans and other assistance to 8.3 million borrowers, mostly women and asked the government to stop interfering, so the borrowers can gain financial independence and help support their families.

The cabinet on August 2 with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair approved a proposal for amending an ordinance to give more powers to the Grameen Bank chairman to choose the managing director of the microlender.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF BHUTAN NEWS

Bhutan Bets Organic Agriculture Is The Road To Happiness

The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan drew international attention a few years back for saying gross national happiness should trump gross domestic product when measuring a nation’s progress. If you’re going to prioritize happiness, the Bhutanese thinking goes, you’d better include the environment and spiritual and mental well-being in your calculations. (Not everyone in Bhutan is happy, and many leave as refugees, as Human Rights Watch and others have noted.)

But Bhutan, which has only 700,000 people — most of whom are farmers — has another shot at international fame if it can make good on a recent pledge to become the first country in the world to convert to a 100 percent organic agricultural system.

Last month at the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development, Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley said his government is developing a National Organic Policy because the country’s farmers are increasingly convinced that “by working in harmony with nature, they can help sustain the flow of nature’s bounties.”

Going all-out organic is a lofty goal for any country given that many farmers — and poor farmers in particular — covet

chemical fertilizers and pesticides to enrich their soil, boost production and keep diseases and pests at bay.

But Andre Leu, an Australian adviser to the Bhutanese government and the president of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, says it’s very doable.

“I don’t think it’s going to be that difficult given that the majority of the agricultural land is already organic by default,” Leu tells The Salt.

Indeed, the synthetic chemicals and fertilizers that are used so widely in countries like the U.S. are only available and affordable to a few of Bhutan’s farmers who are widely dispersed across the rugged and mountainous terrain sandwiched between India and China. But very few

of the organic-by-default farmers have been certified as such by third-party institutions. (Certified organic food, by the way, makes up less than 1 percent of the world’s calories, and is mostly available to wealthy consumers.)

According to the World Food Program, Bhutanese farmers mainly grow rice and corn, as well as some fruits and vegetables, including potatoes and oranges. But as demand for food has grown in recent years, the country has been forced to import rice and other foods from India, and today Bhutan is a net food importer.

One of the few products Bhutan exports to the U.S. is red rice; Lotus Foods sells it to chains like Whole Foods. Bhutanese red rice is more nutritious and tastes nuttier than

Bhutan rules female fowls can’t be caged

Female fowls in the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan can no longer be kept in cages, under a government order issued on Thursday.

“Confining these birds in restrictive cages and using the eggs laid by them goes against our Buddhist philosophy,” Tashi Dorji, chief livestock officer in the agriculture ministry, said over telephone.

The move was also aimed at restricting large-scale poultry farming, which went against the equitable social and economic development model followed in the country, Dorji added.

About 59% of Bhutan’s estimated population of 738,267 depends on agriculture and livestock breeding for a livelihood.

The free-range decision was taken in early July but announced on Thursday, which is an auspicious day in the Bhutanese calender, the 13th day of the sixth Buddhist month, Dorji said.

The executive order says any female domesticated chicken, turkey, duck, goose or guinea fowl kept for egg production should not be confined to cages that prevent them from fully stretching their limbs or expressing

important natural behaviour.

“Typically, egg factory farms around the world cram billions of egg-laying hens into barren cages so small that the birds cannot even spread their wings,” animal rights group Humane Society International said in a statement.

“Such extreme confinement prevents them from expressing important natural behaviours including perching, nesting or dust bathing,” it said, adding that the Bhutan government’s order set high standards for others to emulate.

Bhutan is one of the world’s least-

developed nations, but has won acclaim for transforming a small economy based on agriculture and tourism into a dynamic one that grew more than 6% in 2011.

The country has supplanted the traditional benchmark measure of national wellbeing, gross national product, with what it calls gross national happiness (GNH).

In calculating GNH, Bhutan weighs factors such as psychological wellbeing, health, education, cultural diversity and resilience, community vitality, living standards and good governance.

white rice, its boosters say, and is well-suited to pilaf, as Monica Bhide reported for NPR’s Kitchen Window earlier this year. The rice does not have organic certification, but Lotus Foods says it been grown without the use of pesticides or other chemical inputs for centuries.

The Ministry of Agriculture says the organic program, launched in 2007, is not just about protecting the environment. It will also train farmers in new methods that will help them grow more food and move the country closer to self-sufficiency. The ministry is now training extension workers in organic methods and giving farmers who go organic priority for government assistance.

Not everyone is so sure that a 100 percent organic Bhutan is a great idea.

Leu says he’s found some resistance among researchers at the Ministry of Agriculture who’ve been trained in conventional farming techniques abroad.

And an article last year in the Bhutan Observer notes that many farmers who grow export crops like apple, Mandarin orange, and potato already rely heavily on chemical fertilizers and could be reluctant to give them up.

Still, Leu is optimistic that Bhutan’s burgeoning organic agriculture research centers will eventually be able to come up with organic methods to boost yields and manage the problems of these crops.

The Power Ministry has asked the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to fast-track clearances for 2,690 MW of hydro projects to be set up in Bhutan in joint venture with Indian companies.

This followed the grid failure on July 30 and 31 that had resulted in the Government seeking power from the neighbour.

Detailed project report “The detailed project report (DPR) for five projects with Bhutan are under advance stage of examination at CEA and the Central Water Commission (CWC).

“The projects would be finalised by December, after which it would go for Cabinet nod. All these five units must be finalised in 2012-13,” a Power Ministry official told Business Line.

The new projects would be set up as joint venture between Indian companies and Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC).

The Indian Government will not offer complete grants for the new units unlike the previous ones.

The projects would be funded in 30 per cent equity and the joint venture company will seek loans for remaining funds. At present, 1,416 MW capacities are operational and another 2,940

MW are under construction in Bhutan. These are expected to be commissioned by 2016-17.

Funding “Of the 30 per cent equity, 15 per cent would be by the Indian players and remaining 15 would come from DGPC. However, DGPC would get grants from Indian Government to pay its share. The joint venture company will have to mop up remaining debt,” the official said.

In this pattern, the Indian Government will bring down its share of grants for setting up hydro projects in Bhutan.

Also, public sector companies would get an opportunity to diversify into Bhutan, he added.

Imports during peak hours Currently, India imports about 1,300 MW of electricity from Bhutan during peak hours. These were set up on grants from the Indian Government.

“The Government has provided Rs 3,400 crore of cash grant to Bhutan for setting up these projects. The remaining funds for the units are under loans with interest rate of around 10 per cent,” said the official.

Easy to operate Hydro power proved to be the major rescue when half of India suffered a blackout last week.

Speed up approval for hydel projects in Bhutan, CEA told

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Saarc international I Thursday 09 August 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF INDIA NEWS

Team Anna fast ends, politics begins India abstains from

Charging the govt with “stonewalling” their demand for an effective Lokpal, team Anna called off their fast here on Friday with a call for public support to take India anti-corruption movement.”

Announcing the decision to take its plunge into electoral politics, Team Anna said it was a logical culmination of its struggle. Mr. Hazare, however, made it clear that he would not launch a party or contest elections.

On the tenth day of his fast, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal gave a call for Sampoorna Kranti (total revolution).

“It would not be a party but an ‘andolan’ [movement] without a high command.

People will select the candidates. We will go the farmers, to the youth and the unemployed, go around the country

asking people about issues plaguing them and their solutions. They will decide the manifesto.’’

Admitting that at this stage what the India Against Corruption planned to do was “no more than a broad vision,” Mr. Kejriwal said their aim was not to just win elections but to challenge all political parties. “We will put all the donations received and expenses on the website and challenge other parties to do the same.”

Reacting to the move, Congress, however, said Team Anna’s decision was a face saver to end the fast as the issues raised by the activists were “completely hollow” in substance. “This move is not about capturing power but about changing the nature of State power,”

Team Anna said in a declaration.

“Our objective is to provide a political alternative that will be realised through an electoral revolution to democratise and decentralise power and make power structures transparent and accountable to people.”

Buoyed by what they called an overwhelming public response in favour of their decision, Team Anna members said having exhausted all options they chose the path of electoral politics.

They would be happy to change their decision if before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections Parliament passes the Jan Lokpal Bill and laws on the Right to Reject and Recall and empowers Gram Sabhas under the Panchayati Raj Act. Justifying the move, Mr. Hazare said, “Those who are now questioning our intentions had earlier asked us to first get elected to the Lok Sabha if we wanted to raise these issues. Now why they are raising questions?......it was when General (retired) V.K. Singh and other eminent citizens appealed to us to break our fast and provide an alternative that we decided to drop the ‘anshan’.”

Mr. Hazare said he would travel across the country to awaken the people on the plan to give a political alternative.

UN’s Syria resolution

Striking a balance between its Arab world compulsions and longheld position on regime-change, India abstained from a UN general assembly resolution that called for political transition in Syria.

Indian objections to the resolution included reference to an Arab League resolution that openly called for President Assad to step down from power, official sources explained.

The resolution condemned the “use by the Syrian authorities of heavy weapons, including indiscriminate shelling from tanks and helicopters,

India, Bangladesh agreement on easy travel soon

The travel time from Kolkata to Agartala will soon become a lot shorter with India and Bangladesh poised to sign an agreement which will allow Indian vehicles to use a road link via the neighbouring country.

The road transport and highways ministry will soon sign the pact with Bangladesh.

Now, vehicles take a long route to reach Tripura from West Bengal.

“Once the agreement is signed, Indian vehicles can use roads via Dhaka, which will drastically reduce the travel time. Besides, it will provide connectivity to the TransAsian highway,” an official said.

Highways secretary A K Upadhyaya said modalities were being worked out to allow vehicles registered in Bangladesh to run on Indian roads

as part of the pact. “Bangladesh is working on the protocol on the transit points and how to deal with the situation in case there is an accident,” he added.

India and Bangladesh will hold a technical-level meeting to address remaining issues. “We have shared the draft agreement with our Bangladeshi counterpart,” Upadhyaya said.

This move is part of the bilateral trade

Indian scientist wins biggest science prize Indian college professor, Dr. Ashoke Sen won the biggest jackpot in the world of science, the three million dollar Fundamental Physics Prize, for his work in theoretical physics.

It’s been four days and the sweets still haven’t stopped. The proud scientist says, “The prize is for my work in String Theory. It is an attempt to unify quantum theory and gravity.”

A former Padma Bhushan and Infosys

Prize awardee, Dr Sen won the international award that was started

by Russian billionaire Yuri Milner this year. Dr Sen is also the only Indian in a group of nine winners.

agreement signed between India and Bangladesh in March 2006.

As per the proposed draft agreement, passenger, cargo and personal vehicles will be allowed to ply across the border only through authorized operators on reciprocal basis.

“A vehicle of one country after entering into the other country shall return immediately to exit the latter country after unloading and/or loading cargo or disembarkation of passengers,” a ministry note said.

in population centres and the failure to withdraw its troops and the heavy weapons to their barracks.”

It also condemned violence by both sides and urged them to implement Security Council resolutions and end violence.

India had no problem with this part of the resolution.

In his explanation of vote on the resolution, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Puri said the resolution made specific reference to the July 22 resolution of the League of Arab States, which “openly called for President Assad to step down from power and for other UN members to severe diplomatic relations and contacts with Syria”.

“It is unfortunate that this element of the present resolution was not removed and hence we have abstained from the resolution,” Puri said.

The resolution found support of 133 members and 31 countries abstained from it. Russia, China, Iran and Cuba were among the dozen countries that voted against the resolution.

India has also taken due note of Arab League getting divided on Syria.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF PAKISTAN NEWS

Government to file review petition against SC contempt law decision Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s strategy will be in the wake of the Supreme Court striking down the contentious Contempt of Court Act

The government has decided to file a review petition against the Supreme Court’s decision that struck down the contentious Contempt of Court Act 2012 (COCA), Express News reported on Sunday.

after he refused to follow court orders regarding writing a letter to Swiss authorities – and a similar fate hangs over Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, who has also thus far demurred from writing the letter to the Swiss authorities.

On August 3, a five-member bench, led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, declared COCA null and void– a clear declaration that the court has the right to hold anyone in contempt, regardless of their office.

In response to the decision, President Asif Ali Zardari met his legal experts last night to discuss various options to save his second prime minster from being dismissed, as there is no legal cover for him once the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case is resumed on August 8.

Zardari also met Law Minister Farooq H Naek and held a detailed discussion with him.

The government has already seen one of its premiers sent packing on contempt charges

No immunity for PM: Zardari to gather legal eagles to prepare for Aug 8 With no legal cover for the prime minister when the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case resumes on August 8, the ruling party has a number of questions before it – which will be posed in a meeting of its legal eagles with President Asif Ali Zardari.

The meeting will determine what the ruling

2012 – a law that had controversially provided immunity from contempt charges to top office holders, including, most importantly, the prime minister.

The government has already seen one of its premiers sent packing on contempt charges after he refused to follow court orders regarding writing a letter to Swiss authorities – and a similar fate hangs over the head of the new prime minister, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, who has also thus far demurred from writing the letter, which will go against the incumbent president, who is also the chief of the ruling PPP. “The president will be meeting his legal aides. Only after this meeting will I be in a position to disclose what our strategy will be,” Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira told The Express Tribune. Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the meeting could take place “any day soon.”

Sources said that the meeting will take place

Brig Ali Khan, four army officers convicted over Hizbut Tahrir links

The court martial proceedings of Brigadier Ali Khan, Major Inayat Aziz, Major Iftikhar, Major Sohail Akbar and Major Jawad Baseer, who were facing charges of having links with a banned outfit, were completed on Friday.

All four accused have been convicted in the case, ISPR statement said.

The Field General Court Marshal (FGCM) has awarded a sentence of five years Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) to Brigadier Ali Khan.

Major Sohail Akbar was awarded three years RI while Major Jawad Baseer was sentenced

to two years RI, whereas Major Inayat Aziz and Major Iftikhar have been awarded one year six months RI each.

All four convicts posses the right to appeal against their conviction before the Army court of appeals according to Pakistan Army Act, ISPR statement added.

It is the first time that senior army officers have been convicted and jailed over associations with banned organisations in the country on the frontline of the US-led war on al Qaeda and fighting its own Taliban insurgency.

The army did not name the organisation in

a statement announcing the sentences, but officials have in the past identified it as Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Khan was detained days after US Navy SEALs found and killed Osama bin Laden in the military town of Abbottabad on May 2, 2011, reviving disturbing questions about ignorance or complicity within Pakistan’s powerful military.

Brigadier Khan was also accused of being involved in a conspiring to topple the government, trying to instigate a mutiny within the army and planning an attack on the GHQ. The court martial’s proceedings against Ali started last year in December.

Khan was arrested a year ago and faced charges of conspiring with four other officers and a British member of the Hizbut Tahrir to recruit officers to the group including the commander of the army’s 111 Brigade, which covers the capital and has been historically linked to army coups.

today (Sunday).

Several options were already discussed on Friday night – most controversial of which was the option of re-introducing another contempt law that is similar in nature to the one struck down by the SC. However, given the time frame and reported reluctance on the part of PPP’s allies, the ruling party is left with only one option should they opt for this route: a presidential ordinance.

Sources said that the law ministry has already sent a draft of the proposed ordinance to the Presidency where Sunday’s meeting of PPP’s legal brains will discuss it.

The government, though, is not ready to disclose its cards just yet, saying that a final decision will be taken after President Zardari holds the meeting with his legal aides.

On the other hand, PPP’s allies did not appear to be committing any unconditional support just yet. “If the new bill is in accordance with the consultation of the allies, we will support it. But if it violates the Constitution, then we will express our reservations,” Wasay Jalil of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) told The Express Tribune. He clarified that his party accepted the apex court’s decision. Jalil stated that, “We [MQM] will try to convince our coalition partners to remove defects [from the proposed bill].”

The stance of another ally, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), was not much different from that of the MQM. “We will decide after looking at the [draft of the new bill],” said Senator Kamil Ali Agha of the PML-Q. Responding to a question if the party had given its word of support to the PPP during Friday’s meeting, Agha added that “nothing was finalised during that meeting … the government discussed four or five options it had to deal with the situation and we will decide our strategy after knowing which option [they] are going to choose.”

However, Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel from the Awami National Party (ANP), another one of PPP’s allies, said his party would support parliament. “We will support the new bill if it agrees with our policy, irrespective of the fact that if Supreme Court strikes it down once again,” Haji Adeel told The Express Tribune. While explaining his point of view, the senator was adamant it was parliament’s duty to legislate and the court’s to interpret.

But, he added, the court had taken up the responsibility of striking legislation down.

Responding to a question regarding the best option available to the government, Adeel said that the “issuance of an ordinance would be the best … it would remain in the field for 120 days, otherwise it would lapse if it is not endorsed by parliament.” A legal expert opined that, in case the government issued an ordinance, it would be challenged in the court immediately. “It is likely that a decision will also come in a day or two because the court would say that it has already decided the legal points related to the issue,” Salman Akram Raja stated.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF MALDIVE NEWS

Police arrest No benefit from democracy a Sultan Park due to Nasheed’s bombing suspect insincerity: Thasmeen

A man who had been flagged on the red list by the Interpol following

the Sultan Park Bombing of 2007 has been arrested at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).

Police revealed that Abdul Latheef Ibrahim 29 of Love Side, Thundi ward of Laamu Atoll Gan was arrested on his arrival from Pakistan last Sunday.

Total 61 people had been charged with terrorism over the bombing of Sultan Park which left many tourists injured and three of the men have been proven guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Maldives commission supports police handling of demonstrations by antigovernment protesters

Pro-government Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has said that the lack of sincerity shown by former President Mohamed Nasheed was the reason why the country could not reap the benefits of democracy.

Speaking during a ceremony last night Thasmeen who is also the Kendhoo constituency MP stressed that the hope for contemporary democratic principles has been left unrealized.

“The primary reason why democratic principles could not be established is because the first democratically elected President under the new constitution did not make a sincere attempt.

Also the democratic system was violated and abused to serve the government’s agenda,” he said.

Thasmeen further alleged that MDP has always adopted a culture

to deceive for political gain, while pledging that his DRP would never resort to such tactics.

He further pointed out that all political parties must strive to strengthen the democratic system in the country. Thasmeen alleged that the refusal to accept the decision of the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) set up to probe the circumstances surrounding the transfer of power

on February 7 is a display of insincerity.

“CNI has been sanctioned by the pro-government parties.

Also the Commission has been reconstituted to obtain the confidence of international partners. So if we were to say that we would not accept the findings of the Commission unless it is favorable, it is really hypocritical,” he said.

Raajje TV broken into, cables severed

An independent government commission in Maldives has concluded that police used “unacceptable language” but otherwise behaved properly while breaking up July demonstrations by supporters of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

The Police Integrity Commission said in a statement issued Tuesday by the U.N. mission of Maldives in Geneva that police did not use “undue” force when arresting or dispersing protesters and no officers were drunk, as Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party had claimed during the protests.

Nasheed, a pro-democracy political prisoner, became president of the Muslim country of 300,000 people after its first multiparty elections in 2008, ending 30 years of autocratic rule. He was ousted after being charged with illegally ordering a senior judge’s arrest and was succeeded by President Mohammed Waheed Hassan in February.

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Opposition television station Raajje TV transmission has been interrupted throughout the Maldives after its control room was broken into and cables severed.

Deputy CEO of Raajje TV Abdulla Yamin said that it is believed that the perpetrators had entered the control room after forcing the electronic locking system of the building. The damage inflicted on the cables has suspended the station’s programs.

“The severed cables also include ones that aren’t even available in the Maldives,” Yamin said.

It is also believed that perpetrators were well familiarized with the building as the power had been cut from the Raajje TV floor prior to the break in, according to Yamin.

Broadcasting Commission condemns attack on RajjeTV Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) has strongly condemned the cutoff of Raajje TV cables after breaking into its control room today.

In a press statement the commission on Tuesday stated “the attack on Raajje TV is a

premeditated cowardly act to suppress the freedom expression and the freedom of the media.”

“MBC strictly condemns the break-in and damage of Raajje TV broadcasting equipment.

The commission sees this as a premeditated cowardly act to suppress the freedom expression and the freedom of the media.”

MBC statement said.

MBC also called on the police to expedite the investigation in to the case and to bring those responsible to justice. MBC also urged the

police to withdraw their decision not to co-operate with Raajje TV and to treat all broadcasters in the same manner.

Deputy CEO of Raajje TV Abdulla Yamin said that it is believed that the perpetrators had entered the control room after forcing the electronic locking system of the building. The damage inflicted on the cables has suspended the station’s programs.

“The severed cables also include ones that aren’t even available in the Maldives,” Yamin said.

Saarc international I Thursday 09 August 2012

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF NEPAL NEWS

Nepal election commission rules out November polls Assembly, which had failed in its main task of drawing up a new constitution following a 10-year civil war that ended in 2006.

Maoist Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai had called for the polls in November, but the commission insisted that the lack of a workable constitution meant there were no legal provisions for holding an election.

Trital said the commission had written to the caretaker government saying it needed to reach a consensus with other political parties to provide the legal framework for a national ballot.

“We reminded (the government) several times but there hasn’t been

Nepal’s Election Commission said Monday it lacked a legal framework to hold elections promised for November -- threatening a long delay that could push the country deeper into political turmoil.

“In a situation of constitutional and legal ambiguity, it will be difficult for us to proceed,” commission spokesman Sharada Prasad Trital said in a statement.

“Therefore, we have decided to inform the government that it is not possible to hold elections... on November 22,” Trital said.

Nepal has been run by a caretaker Maoist government since the collapse in May of an interim parliament, or Constituent

any concrete progress,” he said.

The commission needs 120 days to prepare for elections which cannot be held once winter sets in.

Observers say any lengthy delay would mean postponing the ballot until April next year.

An estimated 16,000 people died in the 1996-2006 “people’s war” fought by the Maoists against the state before the rebels turned to politics and swept to power in elections two years later.

Political infighting, which included a split in the ruling Maoist party last month, has confounded efforts to implement a post-conflict peace plan.

Nepal President parleys Nepal bans schools from with top leaders to build using western names

Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav on Sunday met top leaders of all the 27 political parties from the dissolved Constituent Assembly for the first time and asked them to forge consensus at the earliest to end the present political impasse.

“The President has asked the top leaders of all political parties to forge consensus without wasting time and help to rescue the country from the current stalemate,” the president’s press advisor Rajendra

Dahal told a news agency.

Top leaders of 27 political parties including UCPN-Maoist chief Prachanda, Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal and senior Madhesi leaders attended the meeting convened at Rastrapati Bhawan at Sheetal Niwas this morning.

The ongoing peace process, constitution drafting and formation of a national government were mainly featured during the meeting, Nepali Congress sources

Monsoon menace: 200 houses inundated in Bardiya

Some 200 houses have been inundated in Bardiya district due to flood triggered by incessant rains for the past two days.

Villages of Bhimmapura VDC of Bhauratappu surrounded by Karnali and Geruwa rivers, Guptipur village of Daulatur VDC, Rajapur village of Rajapur VDC, and Gulariya village of Gulariya municipality and Lalpur Dudhawa village in Mohammadpur VDC have been inundated.

Life has been troublesome because of the inundation.

No human loss has been reported so far because of high alert of the Disaster Relief Committee, said CDO Yagyaraj Bohara.

said.

On the occasion, opposition leaders mainly those from Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have asked the president to initiate the process forming a consensus government to end the current political crisis, said the sources.

“We have asked the president to take initiative to form a consensus government as per the five point deal by dissolving the caretaker government led by prime minister Bhattarai,” said Nepali Congress vice-chairman Ramchandra Poudel.

Under the five point agreement reached among the major political parties some six months ago, Nepali Congress should get the chance to lead the national government, he added.

Nepal is passing through a serious constitutional crisis as the country failed to promulgate a constitution and there is no elected body after the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly towards May end.

The Election Commission has already expressed its inability to conduct the new election on November 22 as announced by the prime minister in absence of supporting rules and regulations.

The opposition parties have been exerting pressure on the prime minister to step down saying that the caretaker government has no authority to make major decisions including conducting the new election.

This is for the first time that all the 27 political parties representing the dissolved Constituent Assembly came together and held serious consultation to end the ongoing political crisis after the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly.

Announcement follows series of protests by student and youth groups

KATHMANDU: Nepal said on Monday it was banning secondary schools from using names like “Oxbridge”, “White House” and “NASA” over fears that the education system is losing its Nepali culture.

The announcement follows a series of protests by student and youth groups - sometimes violent outside schools across the country which have chosen foreign names.

“We have informed the schools to change their name to Nepali.

This is clearly written in the laws but several schools were found violating them,” education ministry spokesman Janardan Nepal told AFP. “They will be given enough time to change the names. But it should not take long,” Nepal said, without specifying a deadline.

Nepal depends on foreign governments and aid agencies for around 25 percent of its 65-billion-

rupee ($715 million) education budget and cash-strapped schools often try to attract funding and pupils with “prestigious” western names.

An estimated 250 secondary schools in Kathmandu are named after European and US historical figures, institutions and places, such as “Einstein Academy” and “Pentagon College.”

Last month the United Nations voiced “deep concern” over escalating violence against schools in Nepal by militants it said were endangering children’s lives and jeopardising their right to education.

Local media have blamed student wings of various political factions for destroying computers in a Kathmandu college and torching school buses in the capital, the southern district of Chitwan and the eastern city of Dharan.

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Saarc international I Thursday 09 August 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF SRILANKA NEWS

President focuses on preventing deforestation and reconstructing reservoirs

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today instructed the relevant authorities to take immediate measures to prevent deforestation of the forest sustaining natural water bodies and construct reservoirs for agriculture in the hill country.

Participating in the Badulla district development committee meeting today in Badulla, the President has advised the relevant officials to take stern action against those destroy the natural forest by engaging in timber smuggling and wild animal hunting.

He was referring to the deforestation in Namunukula Mountains which feeds the natural water body of Dunhinda falls in Badulla district.

The President called on the police, Department of Forest Conservation and Department of Wild Life to act jointly to achieve the objectives of forest conservation. Preventing

forest fires was another objective that needs attention, the President added.

Addressing the meeting, President Rajapaksa revealed that the government plans to allocate nearly 70 billion rupees for the development of the Badulla district within the next four years.

He has directed the District Secretary to compile a report on the water resources of the district and declare water feeding areas as environmentally sensitive zones.

The government has spent 270 million rupees for the development of irrigation projects in the district during the last two years.

Among the items discussed in the meeting were plans to build reservoirs in Thalpitiya and Moneragala to irrigate cultivation in 28,000 acres of land, expedite construction of the

Sri Lanka made indisputable progress: Top defence official Asserting that Sri Lanka has made remarkable progress since the end of the war with the LTTE, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said reconciliation remains the only issue on which the government can be criticised. “Considering the indisputable progress that has been achieved on demining, reconstruction,

resettlement, rehabilitation and reintegration, reconciliation has become the only issue on which those who wish to criticise Sri Lanka can dwell”, Gotabhaya said. Gotabhaya was making the keynote address at a three-day international defence seminar which got underway today.

Over 100 delegates from 43 countries including India, US, UK and China are taking part. Since the conflict ended, Sri Lanka has come under increasing international focus for lack of progress in achieving reconciliation with the Tamil minority. Last March, the island faced a US moved, India backed resolution which urged the Rajapaksa administration to expedite the reconciliation process. Commenting on the progress with regard to the near 300,000 internally displaced

people housed in government welfare camps since the end to the armed conflict, Gotabhaya said that only 5,424 individuals from 1,597 families remain in the last functioning Welfare Village. “These IDPs are from areas that have the highest concentration of mines, which have taken a little longer than expected to render safe. The Government intends to complete the resettlement of all IDPs by the middle of this month. “Resettling nearly 300,000 internally displaced people in just three years is a very significant accomplishment”, he said. Responding to criticism of excessive military presence in the former conflict zones, Gotabhaya said the number of troops deployed and the number of camps remaining in the North and East has also been reduced to a bare minimum.

“Troops will remain in strategic locations for security purposes, but their presence will be non-intrusive.

The day-to-day maintenance of law and order has already been handed over to the Police”. To restore normalcy as quickly as possible disarming the armed groups that had stood against the LTTE in these areas during the war was very important, he said. Members of groups such as the EPDP, EPRLF, PLOTE and TMVP had carried arms for self-protection against LTTE attacks.

He said various restrictions that used to be in place on travel to the North, including restrictions on foreigners, media personnel and both foreign and local non governmental organisations, have been removed.

Uma Oya multipurpose project and reconstruction of the Willuwa Weva, and complete the upper Uva water conservation project without delay.

Measures are afoot to provide drinking water to 88 percent of the residents of Badulla district by year 2016, officials said.

Sri Lanka recently received a US$ 64.9 million loan from the Export-

Import Bank of the United States to finance the design and construction of the Badulla, Hali Ela and Ella Integrated Water Supply System.

The representatives of potato farmers in the district have pointed out that the potato harvest will reach the market in the next few days and requested the President to re-impose taxes on imported potatoes.

Irrigation & Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera, Governor of Uva Province Nanda Mathew, Chief Minister Sashendra Rajapaksa, and senior district officials participated in the committee meeting.

The President also declared open the new District Secretariat of Badulla constructed a t a cost of 3.3 billion rupees. The seven-story building complex is equipped with all modern facilities.

Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Badulla district parliamentarians and senior government officials were present at the opening ceremony.

The President is scheduled to chair the Moneragala district development committee meeting tomorrow.

Sri Lanka tells troops to remain alert

The Sri Lankan government has urged its security forces to remain vigilant of groups both within and outside the country who may attempt to destabilise the peace, following 30 years of civil war.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that even though the 30-year-

long war has ended, it was the primary duty of all military personnel to ensure continued security and stability of the country, Xinhua reported, citing the defence ministry.

He said that although the military will not be engaging in any offensive operations, it was essential that the

duties they perform in a passive role prevent regrouping of terrorists as well as the emergence of new threats.

“We know that there are remnants of the LTTE still operating outside Sri Lanka, and there are others even within Sri Lanka who may try to destabilise the peace. It is very important that we remain vigilant about such threats,” Rajapaksa said.

“We must ensure that peace and stability continues, enabling us to build a better future for all Sri Lankans,” he said.

Rajapaksa, brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said that since the end of the war in 2009, the government has done a great deal of work to bring back peace and stability in the island nation.

He said that a difficult task of removing land mines in the war battered northern region has almost been completed.

By July, around 300,000 war displaced people who were in temporary camps have been resettled.

Wild fire destroys acres of protected forest

Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Center says that a fire in the protected forest in the central hill country has been extinguished with the assistance of the Air Force, Army and the police.

Around 1000 acres of forest rich with indigenous fauna and flora have been destroyed due to the fire, the DMC said.

The fire broke out Thursday night in a forest reserve between Ohia and Pattipola railway stations in the Nuwara Eliya district.

The Air Force had deployed a Bell 212 helicopter with a Bambi bucket from the Hingurakkgoda base early Friday to douse the raging fire. The helicopter

has dropped seven Bambi bucket loads of water on the fire helping to control it from spreading.

Deputy Media Director of the DMC Sarath Lal Kumara has said that the fire had been extinguished completely

by Friday afternoon.

Two trains on the upcountry track were also delayed for several hours due to the fire.

Haputale police are conducting investigations to determine the cause of the fire.

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Khawaja Asif says Imran used, lost charity money in dubious businesses; Imran rejects all allegations Khawaja Asif, a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N), alleged that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan lost a huge amount of money which was donated to his social welfare hospital, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, in a real estate gamble.

Meanwhile PTI Chairman Imran Kahn while addressing a press conference rejected the allegations of Khawaja Asif and said PML-N leaders should have to see the balance sheet of Shoukat Khanum first, adding PML-N should not harm Shoukat Khanum hospital for playing politics because it is a national asset.

He said that the Nawaz Sharif, Chaudhry Nisar and Khawaja Asif should level allegations against him he would take them in courts, adding that such allegations were leveled by Hanif Abbassi and PTI had filed suit against but the case is still pending in the court. He said that I ask the judiciary to decide such case as soon as possible.

He alleged that the PML-N is ready to every thing for gaining the power, adding that he levels allegation of money laundering against Nawaz Sharif, he should take me in courts.

He said that the purpose of endowment fund is to invest the money, adding that Shoukat Khanum has $ 3 million granted money, adding that Imran is not included in endowment board.

Khawaja Asif, accompanied by Senators Mushahidullah Khan and Parvez Rashid, held a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday and handed out hard copies of “evidence” against Khan’s investments.

The leader said that a total of $4.5 million were invested abroad, which

was “in fact the money gained from sadqaat, fitrana and zakat… This was the money of the Pakistani nation which went abroad.”

“In British Virgin Islands, a shell company was first registered. That company transferred money into a company, HBG in Dubai, then HBG bought shares of Sugarland company worth $3 million. During 2009-2010, Sugarland declared losses and in the coming two years, it faced 64% losses. Here, the money of Shaukat Khanum invested by Imran Khan also faced a loss but it was not shown,” Asif said while referring to the documents he had distributed.

The leader mentioned the Double Shah scam and said that Double Shah would at least ask for investments and not for donations, and his business was more transparent than this one. “Imran Khan doesn’t get tired of unleashing allegations against the entire world, but he should first look at himself too.”

Asif questioned Khan that if the investment was so safe and profitable, then why did he not put in his own money rather than that of Shaukat Khanum. “This is not a scandal of the PTI, this was a play of Shaukat Khanum’s money…

Shaukat Khanum has not published

its balance sheets, the last one available is from 2010, which we have provided to you.

“Imran Khan should reply himself or someone from the trust should reply. Who knows what game Imran Khan is playing with the people’s money and where he’s investing the donations,” he added.‘Shaukat Khanum workers are Khan’s friends or family’.

Asif also alleged that those working at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital are either Khan’s friends or family members. “Another important person is Imtiaz Haideri.

He is a member of Imran Khan’s trust, is a chief executive in Dubai and a chief executive in British Virgin Islands too.”

“In this party (PTI), they are all real estate businessmen or are involved in collecting donations. There is this singer as well, who also collects donations. The whole leadership is involved in the real estate business, they are all gamblers,” said Asif adding that he is providing proof from Shaukat Khanum’s own papers.

“We are not speculating or assuming this. We have handed you all the balance sheets too on which all the investments are stated.”

“During a Public Accounts Committee

meeting, I asked NAB without mentioning any name that if a social welfare organisation is involved in such gambling investment, does your law allow them to catch them.

They told me yes, they would take action… When the time comes, we will also go to the court.”

“We know it hurts the credibility of leaders before the elections, but we are trying to show the real face (of Imran Khan) on how he is managing the donations,” Asif added.

“Imran Khan took some wrong decisions and the trust should not bear the losses. The loss should come on his personal balance sheet.”PML-N leader Khawaja Asif said Wednesday that donations given in the form of Zakat and Sadqah to the Shaukhat Khanum Trust were sent abroad to be invested in various offshore real estate markets.

Asif claimed that Zakat funds given to the Shaukhat Khanum Hospital were used in the real estate market and other companies. Asif said there were several members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) who were involved in this.

The PML-N leader also accused PTI chairman Imran Khan of investing $20 million in failed real estate ventures, adding that the PML-N was ready to face Khan in court over

these allegations.

PML-N Khawaja Asif alleges Imran wasted money collected in the name of poor in secret business.

He said PTI chief had invested this money in unnamed offshore companies and the Imran’s front man Imtiaz Haideri transferred the amount.

However, he said that it was imperative to expose chairman PTI Imran Khan’s corrupt practices in the guise of so-called charity missions.

He said, “We are saying this with complete evidence with us.”

Khwaja said even Double Shah’s business was more transparent and candid than Imran Khan’s secret deals.

The Muslim League N leader termed notorious fraudster Double Shah’s modus of cheating much more transparent than that of Imran Khan’s.

Khawaja Asif said that Shaukat Khanum Hospital which is a welfare institute and PML (N) does not want to cause any harm to it.

Ends-SANA-ZS http://www.sananews.net/ english/khawaja-asif-saysimran-used-lost-charitymoney-in-dubious-businessesimran-rejects-all-allegations/

Imran Khan challenges PML-N

PTI chairman Imran Khan, responding to PML-N accusations against him, posed 11 questions for party chief Nawaz Sharif and challenged him to answer them live on TV. “Nawaz Sharif, instead of sending your ‘minions’ who are not politicians… come in front of the public and answer my questions like I am answering now,” said Khan as he began declaring his assets.

Responding to Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s allegations that he has not paid any taxes, Khan presented his tax returns of 1981-82 and said that he paid taxes worth Rs36,000. “Yousuf Islam is my tax dealer, and all information about my taxes is available with him. Anyone can contact him for details.”

He further clarified that he had bought land worth Rs40 million after selling his London

flat in 2003 for around Rs70 million. “All my assets have been declared and they will also go up on my website. All of my properties are on my name, they are not on anyone else’s name.”

Khan added that he earned the remaining money during the World Cup in India. “In every World Cup, they invite me to do commentary and match analysis and they pay me for it. I am presenting to you the contract of the game plan. The registered company will tell you how much I earned through it.”

After declaring his assets, Khan posed 11 questions to Sharif about his assets and his properties. The questions were: 1. Raymond Baker, an international renowned author, wrote in his book that Nawaz Sharif did corruption worth $417 million. The book says

that Nawaz Sharif took a commission of $160 million from Daewoo for the motorway which was recently made. If Baker had made a false allegation, then why did you not initiate a case against him?

2. You bought four apartments in Mayfair worth more than Rs1 billion. Now their value has gone up to Rs4.5 billion. Where did you get the money from?

3. In 1994, you stated your income as Rs150,000 and you gave a tax of Rs14,000. If this is your income, then how did you buy a property in Mayfair?

4. You took a loan from Al Taufiq Bank worth $30 million and then you defaulted it. They took you to court and attached your property.

From where did you get the money to pay back those $30 million?

5. Ishaq Dar gave an affidavit saying that Nawaz Sharif did money laundering by opening a fictitious account by the name of Qazi family in London. The BBC did a film on that too.

Continued on page 30 >>

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Saarc international I Thursday 09 August 2012

Woman judge completes full bench of five Bhutan’s first-ever female justice makes up the numbers in the highest court

The Supreme Court now has all five justices, with the appointment of Tashi Chhozom as the country’s first woman justice in the country’s highest appellate authority.

On the recommendation of the national judicial commission, His Majesty the King on August 3 appointed high court’s justice Tashi Chhozom as an SC justice, in accordance with article 21 of the Constitution.

At 42 years, justice Tashi Chhozom is the youngest among the SC justices.

Supreme Court chief justice Sonam Tobgye, who became the first chief justice on February 21, 2010 is 62 years; while, among the three other associate justices, Dasho Rinzin Gyaltshen is also 62, whereas Tshering Wangchuk and Rinzin Penjor are both 48. They were administered the oath of office and secrecy on the same day.

According to the Constitution, the term of office of the chief justice of Bhutan is five years, or until

attaining the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier. The associate justices will serve for ten years, or until attaining the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier.

“I’m humbled to be elevated to such a post at such a young age,” justice Tashi Chhozom, who joined the judiciary in 1995, said. “I will live up to the trust and faith reposed in me by the Bhutanese system.”

According to the Constitution, the justices of the Supreme Court shall be appointed from among

Tashi Chhozom

Gyalpo in consultation with the National Judicial Commission.

According to the Constitution, the justices of the Supreme Court shall be appointed from among the drangpons of high court, or from eminent jurists, by the Druk Gyalpo in consultation with the National Judicial Commission. the drangpons of high court, or from eminent jurists, by the Druk

The chief justice of Bhutan, the senior most drangpon of the

Supreme Court, the chairperson of the legislative committee of the National Assembly, and the attorney general comprise the national judicial commission.

The Supreme Court is the highest appellate authority to entertain appeals against the judgments, orders, or decisions of the high court in all matters, which has the power to review its judgments and orders. At present, the Supreme Court is temporarily housed in the Kuengachholing state guest house. Its new structure is under construction at Hejo.

The high court, meanwhile, is short of five justices, and could remain like that for the next two years.

This is because, according to a member of the national judicial commission, the serving district court judges, who are supposed to be elevated to the high court from lower courts, must have served at least 20 years in the judiciary. “That means high court will have to function with

Imran Khan challenges PML-N Continued from page 29 >> 6. You took a loan worth Rs6 billion from Pakistani banks and you had them defaulted.

Did you return back the loan?

7. You have a 1,700 acre land in Raiwind.

Where did you get the money from to buy that land?

8. Where did the people’s tax money go?

How much of the tax money was put into Raiwind?

9. Your whole family has properties in London. You want to do government in Pakistan but your children’s properties are lying abroad. You should own it like I owned it right now.

10. You planted a steel mill in Jeddah of $150 million. Your tax return does not show that you have enough income to plant a mill.

11. You froze your foreign accounts in 1998, but tell us, how much money did you transfer abroad the night before?

Khan further clarified the accusations against Shaukat Khanum Hospital and said that whatever investment was done did not face any loss. “Bluechip company guaranteed us that they will bear the loss and we will get the profit. Our party’s senior leader will read out the email to you.”

He added that all his assets as well as of his senior party leaders will be made public on his website within a few days. He also promised to expose Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

Correction: In an earlier version of the story, Rs70 million and Rs40 million were incorrectly written as £70 million and £40 million. The error is regretted.

Leader of opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Thursday challenged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) chief Imran Khan, inviting him to prove allegations against his party’s chief Nawaz Sharif in a court of law in “two to three days”.

Otherwise, he said that he would make public something very ‘serious’ against him.

“Enough is enough...prove all allegations you have levelled against PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and his family members by taking the party’s leadership to any court in the country or abroad,” Nisar challenged Imran. He said that he was staying within “limits” and was not revealing any of Imran’s internal family matters despite his 40-year-long association with him.

Nisar also distributed some tax returns submitted by Imran and accused him of tax evasion. He said that according to the tax returns, Imran had assets worth Rs 73 million and two bank accounts in 2004, but he did not mention any cash in the accounts.

While in 2005, Nisar said that Imran owned assets amounting to Rs 81.5 million, but he did not mention his 300-kanal land that was transferred in his name the same year.

In 2006, he said that Imran’s assets drastically decreased to Rs 34.5 million, besides mentioning three accounts in foreign banks, but again he did not mention any cash amount in the accounts, which he said was a violation of the rules. Whereas in 2007, total assets remained the same, but there was an addition of another bank account with cash in euros (amount not mentioned) and other foreign account with cash of $125,000, he said.

He wondered whether this money belonged to the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital.

Nisar questioned the countrywide political campaign of the PTI chief and expenditure incurred on these meetings, saying masses should know that since Imran does not have a single source of income how millions of rupees were being spent on huge public meetings across the country.

About Imran’s 300-kanal piece of land in Islamabad, Nisar said that the PTI chief claimed to have purchased the land by selling

his London’s flat while a power-of-attorney, copies of which he distributed among media person, allegedly by his former wife Jemima Khan in which she maintained that the piece of land in question was gifted by her after separation.

He also distributed another document mentioning a piece of land measuring 78 kanals and 4 marlas which Imran owned in Ferozwala Tehsil in Sheikhpura District, which he said was not mentioned in his tax return. Accusing Imran of not paying taxes on his income, Nisar asked the PTI chief to make details of his assets public, besides disclosing the tax he had been paying on his income.

He also dubbed Imran a ‘liar’, saying that an American court also proved the same in a case filed by Sita White which he did not mention. “Why did you not appear before the US court and did not allow a DNA test if you were truthful?” he asked Imran Khan.

At the same time, Nisar challenged Imran to come up if he had even a “shred of evidence” of misappropriation against him (Chaudhry Nisar). He also defended the foreign assets of Nawaz Sharif’s sons.

He suggested that Imran should take the PML-N leadership to Supreme Court or any other court he in the country or the UK and Saudi Arabia. If not, he said that a commission comprising senior media persons should be constituted and both sides should present proofs.

Nisar, however, said that the country was facing serious internal and external challenges and the time was not right to enter in a blame game. Instead, he urged all national political forces to join hands against “the real danger”. “The real danger to this country is...Asif Ali Zardari and we all have to make united efforts to get rid of the incumbent regime,” he maintained.

only four justices, including the acting chief justice for the next two years or so,” he said.

The Entitlement and Service Conditions Act for holders, members and commissioners of constitutional offices, which Parliament passed in June 2010, states no person shall hold a constitutional office, unless the person is in the government or public service of 20 years for members and commissioners, and 25 years for heads of constitutional offices.

As of now, high court has two benches with two drangpons dealing with appeal cases, and an appellate division, larger bench, which is presided over by acing chief justice and four justices. With the appointment of Tashi Chhozom as the Supreme Court justice, one bench will have only one judge.

“We’ll have to re-schedule the hearing of cases,” acting chief justice Sangay Khandu said. “As of now, we have 173 pending cases.”

Assam: fresh violence; toll rises to 73 Continued from page 17 >> Welfare Party president Mujtaba Farooque with riot victims in Assam Mohd. Shafi Madani, another member of the delegation and secretary of Jamaat Islami stressed on Bodo-Muslim dialogues. “For the deteriorating situation, only Bodos cannot be made responsible. Muslims must come out to establish relations with Bodos,” said Madani and announced Jamaat will work on this front.

Mushawarat have demanded quick compensation and rehabilitation of the victims, setting up of a judicial commission to look into the causes of the violence and punish the culprits.

Demands --Adequate compensation to all affected, for lost lives, injuries and damage to houses to enable the victims to rebuild their homes and lives; --Quick rehabilitation of all displaced people by arranging their speedy return to their original places. Any delay will only mean that the displaced will never be able/allowed to return to their homes and lands. It is a known fact that victims of similar previous violence, e.g., in 1994, are still languishing in refugee camps while their lands and homes were usurped by Bodo chauvinists.

--Victims in the camps are ready to return to their homes and lands provided security is ensured. BTC representatives too said that they have no problem with the return of the displaced people provided their security is safeguarded.

Since this is the responsibility of the state government, it should ensure this at the earliest in addition to provision of more police stations and forces in the BTC areas.

--Illegal arms in the hands of private individuals and gangs is a big problem in BTC areas. Meticulous mopping by the army and security forces of the homes and other installations, offices and facilities in the BTC areas should be conducted at the earliest in order to seize all illegal arms because these illegal arms are being used freely by outlaws to inflict such savagery and pain on their neighbours.

--Institution of a high level judicial enquiry to find the causes of the violence leading to displacement and murder of such large number of people in BTC areas, and punishment of the guilty.

Saarc international I Thursday 09 August 2012

J&K flash floods: 24 more rescued from three districts

Altogether 24 persons trapped in flash floods were rescued safely by the police, Army and locals in Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts where dozens of houses and several acres of agricultural land are still inundated.

“Twenty-four people and cattles have been rescued from Ujhm Basantar and Tawi rivers in Samba, Jammu and Kathua,” officials said.

While eight persons have been rescued from Ujh river in Kathua, five are from Basantar river in Samba and 11 in Jammu, they said.

With the rescue of the 24 people, a total of 46 persons have been rescued since yesterday, they said.

Several houses in low lying areas of Jammu, Samba, Reasi and Udhampur district, besides acres of agricultural land have been flooded with water.

The Jammu district administration had sought the help of the Air Force

after three to four persons were stranded amid the swollen waters in Niki Tawi area.

An alert has been sounded in Jammu region, where intermittent overnight rains resulted in the flooding of rivers yesterday.

Water level in Chenab, Tawi, Ujh and Basantar rivers are flowing above the danger mark, they said, adding that people living in low-lying areas have been alerted and warned of flash floods and also asked to keep away from banks of the flooded rivers.

“The water-level of all the main rivers is being constantly monitored,” said an official of Irrigation and Flood Control Department.

“The rescue operations for the marooned people launched in all three districts were carried out under the overall supervision of Divisional Commissioner Jammu Pardeep Gupta”, he said.

SAARC

31

Stage set for candlelight bonhomie at Indo-Pak border A candlelight vigil would be held on August 14 on the Indo-Pak border at Wagah for promoting harmony between the two countries.

The peaceniks are active once again for the candle light bonhomie at Indo Pak international border at Attari (India) and Wagah (Pakistan) on the intervening night of August 14 and 15 to celebrate the Independence Day’s of Pakistan and India respectively while praying for shedding of differences and prevalence of permanent peace between two nations for a stronger South Asian region.

“Mumbai terror attack had derailed the peace process else by know we would have constructed our proposed Peace Park on international border” said Secretary General, South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) Imtiaz Alam while talking to TOI on Friday. Alam is in India to make arrangements for the Hind Pak Dosti Mela on August 14 and 15 and a seminar ‘In Pursuit of shared destiny” to be held in Lahore.

Elaborating about the proposed Peace Park he said the Park would be set up in 7 kilometer

stretch of Indo Pak border in Punjab where both Indian and Pakistani nationals could come without visa and carry out trade besides meeting each other. “It will be a place where Indians and Pakistani’s could taste delicacies of both sides, play matches , share sentiments “ he said .

He said all they wanted from both governments was approval to go ahead with the proposal and not any money. “We don’t want any monitory help , there are people and organizations on both sides who would bear all expenses and the Peace Park would be an example before world” he said. General Secretary, Hind Pak Dosti Manch Satnam Singh

Manak said allowing FDI from Pakistan by India was a welcome gesture which would prove to be a milestone in cementing ties between two nations.

“When trade will flourish peace will prevail” he said. He said their had been certain incidents which proved to be a deterrent in their mission yet he claimed that peaceniks efforts didn’t let people of both countries to raise a demand of waging a war against other. President of Folklore Research Academy Ramesh Yadav informed that about three dozen peaceniks including artists, journalists, politicians would arrive India to take part in the Dosti Mela.

London Olympics an ‘economic failure’: Roubini

Continued from page 15 >>

work on the program, few of them will ever have been on a Games committee in the past”?

The outcome is an announcement by the country’s Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt that the London Olympics was set to come in under its 9.3 billion pound budget, announced two years later in 2007.

But, does a budget estimate, even as large as almost four times its original bid, truly represent the costs?

Oxford University researcher Allison Steward says it can only “represent ‘politically acceptable’ costs” because the real costs can be known only after a comprehensive investigation following the Games.

A Sky Sports investigation revealed that the Olympic Games could cost British taxpayers up to 24 billion pounds taking into account costs including public transport upgrades and governmental operational spending.

Sky investigators calculated the costs using figures from freedom of information requests and public documents. But, several freedom of information requests were ignored, pending a possible thorough investigation into the London Olympics costs until after the Games.

Such reports come as the British economy has entered a double dip recession and British officials cannot stop instilling hope into British people as they repeatedly give out overwhelming news about the continuation of austerity measures.

Figures released by Britain’s Office for National Statistics show that the country’s Gross Domestic Product contracted by 0.3 percent during the first quarter of 2012, with Britain’s economic growth taking a 0.4 percent plunge during the last three months of 2011.

The latest figures also show that the British economy contracted by 0.7 percent in the second quarter of 2012.

The upbeat economic news heard every day in Britain is accompanied by warnings from the UK’s most senior civil servant, Sir Jeremy Heywood, that British people could face spending cuts until 2020.

Earlier in June, Heywood warned that the British people would have to grapple with the coalition government’s public spending cuts for a decade because only 25 percent of the necessary spending cuts were implemented by the time.

Moreover, a recent report published

by Britain’s Office for Budget Responsibility in July said the

country’s austerity program could be in place for the next fifty years The London Olympics, which researchers believe are the most over funded Olympic Games event since Atlanta in 1996, was supposed to be a triumph at least for East London around the Olympic Park.

contributed to the current financial woes of the Greek people.

“The Olympics are a great sporting event, but they don’t work in cities that are already on the world’s map,” said Mitchell Moss, New York University Professor of Urban Policy.

Moreover, the heavy security costs of

To this end, Britain’s Olympic Delivery Authority decided to work closely with the London Development Agency to clean and clear a previously neglected and contaminated area of East London to create an Olympic Park.

But, lessons could be learnt from the Greek economy and the Athens Olympics in 2004 at a time when the British government is severely cutting public spending to eliminate the country’s record peacetime structural budget deficit.

Facilities built up in Athens in 2004 are now decaying and their cost overrun of 60 percent significantly

the Athens Olympics in 2004, about 90,000 pounds per competitor, were another major contributor to Greece’s subsequent debt crisis.

Rises in the London Olympics’ security costs have already raised concerns among British MPs as the Commons Public Accounts Committee warned that the games must not become a white elephant.

With more than a two-fold increase in the number of guards tasked with securing the London Olympics from 10,000 to 23,700, the total cost to the Public Sector Funding Package of venue security nearly doubled from

282 million pounds in 2010 to 553 million pounds in December 2011.

Only 271 million pounds have been set aside for venue’s security with another 80 million pounds being dedicated to building an 11-mile, 5,000-volt electric fence for the Olympic Village to become partitioned off from the wider city.

Meanwhile, any increase in land values would come as a further blow to the British taxpayer as the Olympic Village was sold to the Qatari ruling family’s property company in 2011.

The Olympic Village was to be financed

by Australian developer Lend Lease, previously headed by David Higgins, the chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority until February 2011. However, after the 2008 financial crisis, private capital abandoned the project and Olympics organizers decided to fully nationalize the village.

Nevertheless, in 2011, London’s Olympic Village was sold to Qatar’s royal family in a deal that left British taxpayers 275 million pounds out of pocket.

With all their costs, the London Olympic Games are likely to leave ordinary Londoners, who are paying heavily for the events through council tax hikes, at a great loss while rounding up the funds for wealthy investors and financiers.

32

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 09 August 2012

Silver medallist Vijay Kumar returns to rousing Army welcome Ace shooter Vijay Kumar having threatened to quit his service following no promotion, Army is now thinking of giving him a promotion and a cash award of Rs 30 lakh for his incredible feat at Olympics 2012 as he bagged a silver medal in

25m Rapid Fire Pistol event.

Unhappy with the current scenario, Kumar had said being a sport person, he also had expectations and he had not received promotion Continued on page 14>> following which

SAT

Sports

India defeat Sri Lanka in T20 match

Sri Lanka came within winning distance of the only T20 game in the series with India, but did not have a single decent partnership to close it out. India won by 39 runs.

Set to score 156, India’s lowest total in a game in this format against Sri Lanka, the opening pair was separated in the first over, with Pathan’s swinging the ball through the defence of T.M.Dilshan (0).

Pathan, in fact, set the stage for the Indian comeback, trapping Mahela Jayawardene (26) in front, and inducing Upul Thranga (5) to nick off a nothing-ball: he claimed three top order wickets in his first, three-over spell. There was no real recovery from there. Ashwin made matters worse for Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne (20) missed a reverse sweep, and was bowled first ball of Ashwin’s spell.

Earlier, India’s in-form batsman Virat Kohli (68), and Ajinkya Rahane (21) put together 74, the

highest second wicket partnership against Sri Lanka in a T20 game, to steer the total to respectable155 for 3.

On his way to guiding India, Kohli, who scored his first T20 fifty, surpassed the highest score made by an Indian against Sri Lanka in T20 – 64 that Sehwag got in Mohali in 2009.

India got to a rather indifferent start, losing Gambhir (6) early

to the newly-capped Shaminda Eranga. Gambhir would have gone earlier, in the first over itself, if Eranga had caught Gambhir off Mathews in the fourth ball of the innings. Gambhir wanted to lift Mathews over mid-wicket, and ended up hitting the balls miles into the night sky.

Kohli and Rahane brought up the 50 for second wicket in 34 deliveries. Rahane perished in his anxiety to up the scoring – Mendis had tossed one up, and Rahane ended up hitting it back to the

bowler. Kohli, who was middling the ball, picked a slower one of Eranga to hoist over mid-wicket.

If Eranga had bowled at his normal pace, the delivery might have cleared the ropes, but the slower one ended up in the hands of Thirimanne at mid-wicket.

Earlier, having won the toss, Sri Lanka put India into bat, as a full house watched from the stands. I have never seen Pallekele stadium – built for the ICC ODI world cup this full during the world cup or later.

India’s Tintu Luka qualifies for 800 metres semifinals

India’s Tintu Luka qualified for the women’s 800m semifinals in the Olympic Games after finishing third in one of the heats on Wednesday.

Luka clocked 2:01.75secs to finish third in heat number two behind reigning world champion Mariya Savinova (2:01.56) of Russia and Alice Schmidt (2:01.65) of United States at the Olympic Stadium.

The top three in each of the six heats and the best six others advance to the semifinals to be held on Friday . Luka, who has a personal best of 1:59.17, clocked 13th best time in the heats, going into the semifinals, which will be competed by 24 runners out of which eight will make it to the final round.

India boxer Mary Kom set for semi-final Mary Kom, who for years kept her passion

for boxing a secret, has a chance on Wednesday to win a rare Olympic gold medal for India when she faces Nicola Adams of Britain. This ensures she will win at least a bronze medal at the London games.

Excitement is running high in India over the 29-year-old, five-time world champion boxer, who comes from the remote northeastern state of Manipur.

Mary Kom’s bronze will be India’s fourth medal at London 2012, which is higher than the previous best of three medals at the Beijing Games.

The mother of twin boys is tiny - just over 5ft with small shoulders - but her punch is lethal.

She is is fighting in a higher weight category than she is used to, which means most of her opponents are much bigger than her.

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