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Year 2  Issue 17  Thursday, 08.11.12

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A Second Term Mitt Romney lost because hardline Republicans betrayed him Republican concedes as America’s women, young and minorities back President – and he heralds victory via Twitter

President John F. Kennedy said that “victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan” — though President Obama and his aides cited a

single reason for their re-election success.

Turnout. Getting Obama loyalists into voting booths helped the president overcome anxiety

over the economy and well-funded Republican challenger Mitt Romney on his way to a second term in the White House. Continued on page 08 >>

Protest Quran burning in Ireland

New Insult to Islam Anti Muslims burned Quran 6:34 sec video uploaded on Irland Gardai (Police) hunt Irish racists who burned the Quran The Quran -burning has so far amassed just a few hundred hits on YouTube.

But cops fear it is only a matter of time before the recording goes viral. Now gardai are probing the six-minute clip of racists burning the Quran.

The “nationalist” nuts are anti-Muslim, antiJew, anti-gay and want to end all immigration into Ireland.

The video begins with a declaration that the

Nazi-style book-burning is a protest against Islam — which it warns is not welcome in Ireland. The video also showed a local IRISH Examiner newspaper of the date 27th October 2012 when the culprits burned the Quran.

And the clip, which appears to have been shot in a fireplace, is blacked out in places to protect the identity of the cowards who made it. The video was Published on Oct 28, 2012 by some one named as Johnson Wake Continued on page 02 >>

NEWS

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

Netanyahu says he doesn’t need permission to strike Iran

Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday granted a pre-election interview to Channel 2 in which he spoke more tough than ever on Iran, and firmly positioned himself as the “security” candidate ahead of the January 22 poll.

Asked about Israel’s perceived reluctance to take military action against Iran’s defiant nuclear program without American consent, Netanyahu made clear that he was prepared to act without anyone’s permission.

“When former Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel, was it with the consent of the Americans? When former Prime Minister Menachem Begin 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

bombed the Iraqi nuclear reactor, was that with the consent of the

Americans?” asked Netanyahu.

Netanyahu insisted that the

Jewish nation’s days of pleading for its survival were over. “When we didn’t have a state, when we didn’t have an army, and when someone threatened to destroy us and then actually annihilated us, we went and pleaded with others. Today we don’t plead, we prepare.”

The interviewer pressed Netanyahu on whether or not he was endangering Israel by going down such a dangerous path, a line of thinking that has characterized the election campaign of his political opponents.

Swiss team visits Arafat grave ahead of probe

French investigators to exhume Arafat’s body Nov. 26 over poison report

The body of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is set to be exhumed on Nov. 26, eight years after his death, as part of an investigation to see if he was murdered, a diplomat said on Monday.

Two senior Swiss forensic experts are already in the West Bank to discuss plans for the exhumation, which is complicated on a technical, legal and political level. Swiss laboratory team has made a brief visit to the West Bank city of Ramallah to prepare for the exhumation of the late President Yasser Arafat, a Palestinian official has said.

A French court in August opened a murder inquiry into Arafat’s death after a Swiss institute said it had discovered high levels of radioactive polonium on the Palestinian leader’s clothing, which was supplied by his widow, Suha.

Allegations of foul play have long surrounded Arafat’s demise. French doctors who treated him in his final days said they could not establish the Continued from page 01 >>

cause of death.

Suha has said she believes he was poisoned and has requested the exhumation so that samples can

Two senior employees of Switzerland’s Lausanne University Hospital have traveled to Ramallah and are working closely with the Palestinian Authority

be taken from Arafat’s body to see whether polonium is present.

A European diplomat said French magistrates were due to travel to the Israeli-occupied West Bank later this month, with Nov. 26 seen as the likely date for the body to be removed from its limestone mausoleum.

and French judicial authorities, said hospital spokesman Darcy Christen.

“We have sent our best experts for final consultations,” Christen told Reuters.

“Scientifically it would still be a viable operation if carried out before the end of November.”

Eight years is considered a limit

Art Department UK Ali Ansar (Art Director) Mohammad Reazul Islam

to detect any traces of the deadly radioactive substance, according to the Swiss Institute of Radiation Physics, which is part of the public hospital.

The two experts are Patrice Mangin, chief forensic scientist at the hospital, and Francois Bochud, head of the institute.

“Their on-site mission is in order to have final consultations so that we can all take a final decision,” Christen said.

“It is to do the fine-tuning. Things are going rather well.”

It is still not clear if other members of Arafat’s family have given their approval for an exhumation and, with time running out, there is widespread skepticism in the West Bank as to whether his body will ever be removed from the mausoleum.

No autopsy was carried out when Arafat died, aged 75, in keeping with his widow’s original request. He had been effectively confined by Israel to his compound for two and a half years before flying to France for emergency medical care.

Protest Quran burning in Ireland

FYI Tribune team Adrian Fellar Misbah Khan Reema Shah Rohma Khan Keziah-Ann Abakah Marketing & Sales Andrew Klugman (Manager)

Netanyahu responded by reiterating what he and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have been saying for months - that launching a preemptive strike against a non-nuclear Iran will be far less dangerous than dealing with a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic.

“We can’t afford to put our heads in the sand,” said the prime minister. “There is no doubt about Iran’s intention to destroy Israel. It’s not a bluff. If there is no other way to stop Iran, Israel is prepared to act.”

Deplores hatred ... Dr Selim A TOP Muslim has appealed for calm after a vile hate video was posted online by racist bigots in GALWAY.

Islamic Cultural Centre spokesman Dr Ali Selim appealed to Irish Muslims not to demonstrate against the vid. He said: “We vehemently deplore these actions.

“It is incitement to hatred and I call upon the Gardai

to take immediate actions.

“It is very stupid behaviour. The Quran is in the heart of millions of Muslims and they try to live their lives according to it.” But he added: “I appeal to Muslims in Ireland not to protest. Take the legal channels.

“These people are worthless. They want a reaction to cause controversy.”

How to Complain ti Youtube : go to http://www. youtube.com/reportabuse and register your reaction and the name to insert http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=5hh64bjOceU&feature=yo utube_gdata Uploaded by Johnson Wake

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

NEWS

Amanda Lowe: No prison for violent racist attack on Asian man

A violent racist mother - Amanda Lowe - left her 4-month old child in pram, along with her 8 year old sibling to attack a man, including stamping on his head, for no other reason than the colour of skin. Lowe screamed racist abuse as she attacked Khuram Nisar who was walking home from work. The CCTV footage shows Lowe, from Rochdale Road, Blackley, Manchester (an area predominately populated by council housing) calling the victim, Khuram Nisar, a ‘F****** Paki’ and a ‘Terrorist’ .Amanda Lowe, 26, was caught on camera stamping on Khuram Nisar’s head. The father of their child Wesley Earls and friend Daniel Wray joined Lowe in the frenzied attack that could have easily

killed Nisar.

After the attack mother of two Lowe is seen on CCTV camera

showing her eight year old daughter how she stamped on Nisar’s head.

For reasons best known to Judge Lindsey Kushne, Lowe was spared jailed for this unprovoked

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shocking attack. It is not as though this violent incident was a one of aberration. Lowe and her boyfriend have a string of convictions for violent disorder.

Earls and Wray also got a 12month sentence, suspended for two years, on the basis that it is unfair to give them a harsher sentence when Lowe was the main attacker.

Whether it’s racist jokes, abuse or extreme violence, it seems our criminal justice system only brings these cases to court when it is blindingly obvious there is a case to be answered, and even then convictions are not guaranteed. Worse still when a conviction is found, like in this case the violent perpetrator is spared a custodial sentence.

Britain to slash its 280 million H1N1 outbreak reported in Saudi Arabia pound India aid by half: Report Britain is set to unveil plans this week to slash its 280 million pounds per annum aid to India by half, amid criticism that its overseas assistance was not justified at a time of cut backs at home, a media report said on Sunday.

Justine Greening, Britain’s International Development Secretary, will this week unveil plans to slash Britain’s controversial 280 million poundsa-year aid budget to India.

Greening, who is due to visit India shortly, will outline how the payments could be reduced amid claims that India is too rich to need handouts.

Quoting sources, The Sunday Telegraph reported that Greening may cut the subsidies by up to half.

The move comes amid mounting criticism that Britain’s overseas aid programme, which is set to reach more than 12 billion pounds by 2014, cannot be justified at a time of spending cuts back home.

However, the Daily Mail today reported that Greening will merely divert money sent to India to poorer countries, not cut the overall aid budget.

Britain sends about 280 million pounds per annum to India even though the country has its own space programme and its leaders claim it does not need the cash

from the UK. The rapidly industrialising country, whose economy is ranked tenth in the world on one measure, recently earmarked 52 million pounds to send a probe to Mars.

The Daily Mail has also revealed how the UK spent tens of millions of pounds on an army of consultants to tell India how to spend the cash.

The Department for International Development has defended the subsidies, saying India is still home to a third of the world’s poor who survive on less than 80 pence a day.

Greening, a former accountant who only took on the international aid brief only two months ago, revealed last month that she was in talks with India over turning off the aid tap.

She told last month’s Tory conference: “We should recognise that as countries get richer, we need to be responsible about how we transition in our relationship with them from aid to trade.”

“Those are the discussions that I am having with the Indian government at the moment,” she said.

Greening also promised a ‘new approach’ to ensure every pound of British aid spent around the world had the ‘biggest impact’.

Although she has backed David Cameron’s controversial pledge to increase UK overseas aid to 0.7 per cent of the nation’s GDP, the former Transport Minister was portrayed as sceptical of the initiative when she was appointed International Development Secretary last month.

Saudi health authorities reported Sunday at least eight cases of H1N1 infections at the Al-Amal mental hospital in Riyadh. The infected people were given Tamiflu vaccine while 27 other people, including four nurses, suspected of having the influenza virus were quarantined.

Staff of the hospital also took precautionary measures, including wearing masks when dealing with patients, and cancelling an party celebrating the Eid al-Adha Muslim festival. The latest H1N1 outbreak

in the kingdom was discovered 18 days ago but was not disclosed to avoid panic among haj pilgrims, according to spokesman of Health Affairs Directorate in Riyadh Saad Al Qahtani. The virus first reached Saudi Arabia in 2009 brought by an infected Filipino nurse working at King Faisal Specialized Hospital.

Last month, a Saudi boy vacationing with his family in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the virus but recovered.

In September, a 60-year-old Saudi man died from the virus and a 49-year-old Qatari man was infected with it after traveling to the kingdom. The Qatari man has recovered after being treated in a hospital in London.

NEWS

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EDITORIAL

Obama: After winning re-election President Obama’s re-election ensures continuity in US foreign policy, he now faces the governments of Iran, Syria.

A tweet from one of Saudi Arabia’s most influential clerics summed up the Middle East’s response. “Obama isn’t good,” tweeted Salman al-Oudah, “But he is the lesser evil.”

2013 Decisive on Iran?

Martin Indyk, vice president of foreign policy studies at the Brookings Institution think tank, said 2013 could be a decisive year on Iran and suggested Obama’s wider commitment to nonproliferation could produce a “focused and assertive” policy.

“It’s going to be very high on the agenda,” Indyk said.

“Preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons is a critical imperative for bolstering the nonproliferation regime.”

The United States and Israel, which regards a nucleararmed Iran as a threat to its existence, have also hinted at the possibility of military strikes against Iran.

James Dobbins, director of the RAND International Security and Defense Policy Center, said he thought Obama might be forced by events to intervene to some degree in Syria, possibly by supplying arms, but was unlikely to strike Iran.

The Washington Post reported that the Iranian regime is nonetheless likely relieved that Mitt Romney lost the election, citing his hawkish tone against Iran and strong support of Israel.

Iran says US shouldn’t expect talks The US president has not changed and neither has the complex and fragmented world he faces looking out from Washington: a Middle East in crisis; an Asia alarmed, or at the very least, ambivalent about China’s rise; and old powers like Europe less confident about their place in the international system.

Because of the Afghanistan withdrawal, relations with Pakistan will remain crucial for Washington. Over recent years, US-Pakistan ties have oscillated between bad and worse. But this remains in many ways the key relationship in what used to be called Washington’s “war on terror”.

Any change in Pakistan’s caustic relationship with the U.S. in the next four years is likely to be viewed through the prism of Afghanistan and Pakistan’s tribal region -two war-ravaged places where Washington and Islamabad desperately want lasting stability but disagree sharply about how to achieve it.

Look out for US efforts to strengthen its links with India, a bilateral relationship which, for all the talk over recent years, has not developed into quite the strategic partnership that many in Washington once wished for.

With an Israeli strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities delayed, the outgoing Obama administration won an additional period for economic sanctions to take effect.

These are now having some impact, though the jury is out as to how far Iran’s economic woes are caused by sanctions and how much by their own government’s mismanagement.

Ahead of the presidential election there were tantalising hints that Iran was eager to pursue direct talks with the United States. Might this offer a genuine breakthrough, or would this simply be another way for Tehran to try to spin out the process and potentially divide the coalition of countries backing sanctions?

Head of Iranian judiciary Larijani condemns “unprecedented” US sanctions; indicates newly re-elected President Barack Obama should not expect Iran to come to negotiating table, says relations “not possible overnight.”

Iran reacted coolly to Barack Obama’s re-election on Wednesday, as the head of its judiciary condemned the “crimes” of US sanctions and indicated the president

should not expect rapid new negotiations with Tehran.

“After all this pressure and crimes against the people of Iran, relations with America cannot be possible overnight and Americans should not think they can hold our nation to ransom by coming to the negotiating table,” Sadeq Larijani was quoted as saying by IRNA news agency.

Larijani recalled disappointment in Tehran after Obama first took office in 2008: “Four years ago, Obama ... announced he would extend the hand of cooperation to Iran,” he said. “But he pursued a different path and imposed unprecedented sanctions and it is natural the Iranian people will never forget such crimes.”

Other Iranian leaders had yet to comment.

While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly denied showing a preference and was quick to offer his congratulations to President Barack Obama after his victory, his critics claimed that he too had shown favouritism for the Republican candidate during the election campaign - breaking traditional protocols.

Mr Romney had worked with Mr Netanyahu as a young man and was ideologically close to him. It was also felt that he would have taken a more robust line on Iran. iVoteIsrael, in a press conference today, announced that 85% of the ballots cast by American citizens residing in Israel for the US elections went to Republican Mitt Romney. There were reportedly 80,000 votes cast from Israel in the US Presidential election. 14.3% of the vote went to President Obama, and the remaining .6% to writein candidates.

Israel has issued a stern warning to Syria that a military response would be triggered if Syrian fighter aircraft or tanks enter the the Golan demilitarized zones on land or in the air, military sources report. The warning was relayed through the UN Disengagement Observer Force in an effort to deter spillover of the Syrian civil war across Israel’s border.

SYRIA UN leader Ban Ki-moon urged President Barack Obama Wednesday to act quickly on ending the war in Syria and reviving the Middle East peace process as he congratulated the US leader on his re-election.

According to The New york Times United States military has secretly sent a task force of more than 150 planners and other specialists to Jordan to help the armed forces there handle a flood of Syrian refugees, prepare for the possibility that Syria will lose control of its chemical weapons and be positioned should the turmoil in Syria expand into a wider conflict.

President Barack Obama has signed a secret order authorizing U.S. support for rebels seeking to depose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government, U.S. sources familiar with the matter said.

Obama’s order, approved earlier this year and known as an intelligence “finding,” broadly permits the CIA and other U.S. agencies to provide support that could help the rebels oust Assad.

Syrian opposition groups are receiving American-made weapons from abroad, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated. Lavrov also sharply denied reports that Moscow is supplying the Assad government with weapon of mass destruction.

At the same time, Jeffrey Feltman, the UN’s top political affairs official, says there are “credible reports of the use of cluster bombs by [Syria’s] government forces.” This is according to AFP, who quoted diplomats who attended a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council Tuesday.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

Suspect’s sister ‘sorry’ for shooting of Malala

Woman condemns brother’s actions and hopes Pakistani girl makes swift recovery The sister of a man suspected of being involved in the shooting of the Pakistani

In an interview with a television channel conducted in the Swat Valley, Rehana Haleem said that the teenager who had fought for the right of young girls to be educated was like a “sister” to her. Her brother, 23-year-old Attah Ullah Khan, is one of three people police

she recovers soon and returns to a happy and normal life as soon as possible.”

Ms Haleem told CNN that security forces searched the family home a day after the attack and that the family was detained. She was pregnant and was subsequently released but her husband and other relatives remain in custody.

Speaking from Warhi Mast Malik Abad, a village on the outskirts of the city of Mingora, where the attack on Malala took place, she said she had little doubt that her brother was involved in the shooting.

“If he was innocent, he would have come back and claimed he was innocent,” she said. “His behaviour is that of a guilty man. How could he abandon us?” Police said last month that they had arrested six men in connection with the shooting but were still searching for Mr Khan.

After the couple were released, they returned to the house, where

have indicated they are looking for in connection with the attack.

“Please convey a message to Malala, that I apologise for what my brother did to her,” Ms Haleem told CNN. “He has brought shame on our family.”

The young woman added: “What he did was intolerable. Malala is just like my sister. I’d like to express my concern for Malala on behalf of my whole family; I hope

she gave birth to a daughter, she said.

Five days later, the army again raided the house, this time taking away only her husband.

Haleem said her husband, her aged mother, her uncle and another brother remain in custody. After the shooting, the Taliban issued a statement online saying that, if Malala were to survive, they would attack her again.

teenage activist Malala Yousafzai has apologised for the attack, saying her brother has brought shame upon the family.

US Ambassador says Susan Rice may become next Secretary of State

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice is a likely candidate to the post of the Secretary of State in the next Administration of the reelected President Barack Obama, Michael McFaul, the U.S. ambassador to Moscow said Wednesday in an interview with the Echo of Moscow Radio. He said he could not tell for sure but rumors about Rice’s forthcoming appointment were circulating.

The incumbent Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said earlier she will leave the office in 2013 no matter who wins the presidential election.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

NEWS

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Flood warnings in place after Snow And Heavy Rain Sweep Across UK Parts of England and Wales at risk as heavy rain falls on already waterlogged ground

SURPRISE snow and heavy rainfall over the weekend have led to flash flooding in some areas of southern England, and large patches of the country remain on flood alert.

As many as three inches of snow fell in some southern counties, but torrential rain caused the most

disruption. Dorset, Devon, Somerset and Wiltshire were among the worst hit by flash flooding after the weekend deluge, with Bournemouth receiving 30mm of rain in only 24 hours nearly a third of the total rainfall that would normally be expected for the whole of November.

Many mortgages still interest-only

More than half of outstanding mortgages on homes in London, the southeast and southwest of England are so-called interest only mortgages, a form of lending considered risky enough for regulators to set restrictions on new sales of this product.

Moody’s Investors Service looked at the loans associated with mortgage-backed securities to assess the effect tougher mortgage rules would have on outstanding loans. It found that 52.6 per cent of existing loans in London were to borrowers who were not making any repayments of principal. In the southwest and southeast, the proportion of outstanding loans of this type were 51.2 per cent and 52.4 per cent respectively.

Moody’s has estimated that an interest-only mortgage is about 1.5 times more likely to fall into arrears than a loan where the principal is being repaid.

The Financial Services Authority,

which regulates the mortgage market, has calculated that more than 40 per cent of the nation’s outstanding home loans are interest only. It estimates that as many as 75 per cent of loans made when house prices reached their peak in 2007 had no repayment vehicle except the planned sale of the home to enable the borrower to make good on the debt.

From 2014, new FSA rules require all lenders to determine how borrowers seeking new interestonly mortgages will repay their debts and will not allow them to simply assume that house prices will rise sufficiently to repay their loans by selling the property.

Several lenders, including Nationwide Building Society, have said they will no longer offer the product.

HSBC’S LOAN RISE HSBC increased lending to mortgage borrowers by over a fifth, while lending to first-time buyers is up a third.

It approved £15.6billion of mortgage loans between January and September, a 22% rise on last year.

HSBC’s Antonio Simoes said: “We’re already well on our way to surpassing our year commitments.”

On Monday morning 16 flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected and immediate action needed – were in place: six in the south-west of England, five in the Anglian region and three in the Midlands.

In addition, the Environment Agency

published more than 70 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, almost half of them in the south-east of England.

Last week, the agency said the unusually wet summer could lead to flooding this winter. Rivers remain full and the ground saturated so that

only relatively small amounts of rain put homes and businesses at risk.

On Sunday, up to 25mm of rain fell in many areas with Bournemouth suffering the heaviest downpour – a very soggy 34mm. A Met Office spokesman said cold air from the north-east “dug into” the low pressure, causing snow to fall not just on the hills but on lower ground.

Around 3cm of snow fell in parts of the south-west, triggering a couple of hours of sledging and cars slipssliding on untreated roads.

Meanwhile, forecasters are advising people to wrap up warm if they are going to Bonfire Night fireworks displays.

Nationwide temperatures on Monday are set to drop to between 6-9C and by mid-evening they will fall to around 4-5C.

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NEWS

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Nuclear Iran could trigger arms race, Cameron says

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

Iran developing nuclear weapons would not only be a “desperately bad development for our world” but could also “trigger a nuclear arms race across the whole of the region”, David Cameron has said.

A nuclear Iran would not only be a “desperately bad development for the world” but could also trigger a nuclear arms race across the whole of

basing of RAF warplanes if conflict erupts with Iran, British Prime Minister David Cameron met British exporters

the region, David Cameron warned today on a visit to the Gulf. Speaking on a trade and diplomatic mission to the United Arab Emirates, the Prime Minister said that the international community should do “everything we can to stop it happening.” But he said that the world could live with a civilian nuclear programme. The prime minister is hoping to increase defence co-operation with the United Arab Emirates, including contingency plans for the possible

and exhibitors at the Big 5 Show, praising them for their latest innovations and new products that are expected to help the region’s construction industry. A number of RAF Typhoons are already in the UAE for a joint training session.

The prime minister is expected to push for the UAE to buy 60 of BAE’s Typhoon jets in a deal worth £3bn, which would secure thousands of jobs in the UK. The Gulf region’s economies have

Sheikh Mohammed greets David Cameron

been growing much more strongly than the UK’s and other European countries, and the Foreign Office wants the UK to be “the Gulf’s commercial partner of choice”.

“It is not just about trade and investment,” the prime minister said.

“We are also partners in defence and security, we worked together in Libya and Afghanistan and we will be talking about all the key regional and global issues.”

The UAE air force is shopping around for new planes to replace its ageing fleet of F-16s and Mirages

and the Typhoon is up against the Rafale, made by the French company Dassault.

“It’s such a pleasure to be here and I am happy to lead a trade mission to take forward the conversations that will deepen the understanding and existing relations between the two countries and governments,” Cameron told the media during his 15-minute whirlwind tour of the pavilion .

During the tour, he spoke to the exhibitors, enquired about their products and businesses. He is scheduled to join British and UAE officials at a signing ceremony of agreements between the UAE and the UK at Meydan Hotel.

Cameron will oversee the signing of a number of agreements that is expected to strengthen the bilateral relations between the UAE and the United Kingdom. Bilateral trade between the UAE and UK surged to more than 8.6 billion pounds, that is expected to cross 12 billion pounds by 2015, according to Abdul Rahman G. Al Muttawee, UAE’s ambassador to the United Kingdom.

David Cameron on a visit to Zayed University in the capital The British Prime Minister takes part in a debate with Emirati students

David Cameron has pledged to raise human rights as he arrived in the Gulf on a trip to strengthen the UK’s defence, security and commercial ties.

David Cameron has urged the Emirati students to join the UK universities to further strengthen mutual cooperation between the two countries.

“With nearly 100,000 Britons residing in the UAE, I am here today to encourage Emirati students as well to join universities in UK with no limits on number. Our country is

extra open for welcoming education, industry, and investment,” Cameron said while speaking at the Zayed University in Abu Dhabi as part of his tour to the UAE. Camaron visited the Zayed University campus along with Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and President of ZU, and interacted with students.

Speaking about the university, Cameron said, “It is a fantastic university where different cultures

and experience can meet to build intellectuals.

“The main point of the university is to encourage and face fresh ideas and challenges as we are now living in a very competitive globe. By education, individuals will be able to speak out loud and make their own decisions,” he added.

Cameron, who will be visiting Jordan next Wednesday as part of his overseas trips, shared his views on the Arab Spring with Emirati students.

Continued on page 7 >>

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

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NEWS

David Cameron would ‘do anything’ to get Assad out of Syria in bid to end bloodshed

In interview with Al Arabiya television, the British premier adds that he would not offer Assad exile; Cameron also insists U.K. would not consider providing weapons to Syria’s fractured opposition.

In an interview with Al Arabiya television, Cameron said the international community should consider anything “to get that man out of the country and to have a safe transition in Syria.”

“I am certainly not offering him an exit plan to Britain, but if he wants to leave, he could leave, that could be arranged,” Cameron said, speaking in Abu Dhabi on the second day of a three-day tour of the Gulf and Middle East.

Asked what he would say if Assad asked for a safe exit, Cameron told Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television: “Done. Anything, anything to get that man out of the country and to have a safe transition in Syria.”

“Of course, I would favour

him facing the full force of international law and justice

for what he’s done,” he said, according to a transcript of the

interview made available to the press.

“I am certainly not offering him an exit plan to Britain but if wants to leave, he could leave, that could be arranged,” he added.

Cameron who is on a tour of the Middle East, arrived Tuesday in Saudi Arabia after concluding a two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates.

“I am very frustrated that we can’t do more,” Cameron said.

“This is an appalling slaughter that is taking place in our world today -- 40,000 lives lost already and you can see, on your television screens, night after night, helicopters, airplanes belonging to the Assad regime pounding his own country and murdering his own people,” he said.

David Cameron on a visit to Zayed University in the capital Continued from page 6 >> He said that the United Nations (UN) has failed in Syria and that there must be a resolution condemning atrocities against the Syrian people.

“The UN must help countries and peoples in order to get rid of dictator regimes,” Cameron said.

He hailed the historical and deeprooted relations between the UK and the UAE, and said that his visit is aimed at developing the relations in the best interests of both nations and people..

“I totally support the Arab Spring in a great movement towards freedom and more open societies. And Libya is an example of a country that needed an essential change in order to remove its dictatorship, eliminate extremism and make democratic steps following

continued mass killings,” Cameron said. “Ups and downs will not cease to exist in the path of the Arab Spring; however, it considers the great awakening step,” he added.

The British prime minister also pointed out that students at ZU have enormous activities and opportunities to be an extraordinary

individuals.

Cameron also insisted on raising and addressing different concerns related to human rights saying that, “I strongly believe that given jobs and voices to people within any country, can create better societies.

“We have a relationship of respect and we should discuss easy and

difficult issues,” he added.

Speaking about the mission of the United Nations, Cameron said that, “UN has always played a vital role in laying down rules and resolution; yet it has failed to do so in the case of Syria. “We have to push for tougher laws and solutions against Syria dictatorship, as thousands are dying every day,” he added.

When asked about sustaining energy and seeking alternative sources, he answered saying that, “Electricity demands grow every day and we should make sure that we can meet such demands by seeking and providing alternative renewable sources such as, nuclear energy.”

Commenting on the European financial crisis that has resulted from euro-zone, the prime minister

said that, “All countries will be affected by the euro-zone whether they are a euro users or not.

“Additionally, the financial crisis will take time to resolve simply because if you put 17 diverse countries with their different cultures in the same currency, it will generate more tension, pressure and problems,” he added.

“I hope we have the chance to freely express and address our opinions,” Shereena Aref Al Zaabi, a 22-yearold senior students at ZU, told Gulf News.

“The British Prime Minister was very clear and straight to the point. He was really honest in answering many UAE and global related questions,” Al Zaabi, who is majoring in International Affairs, told Gulf News.

8 << Continued from page 1 Taking key battleground states, US president defeats Republican challenger Mitt Romney to win second term; ‘Best is yet to come,’ Obama says in victory speech.

In a victory speech on Wednesday, Obama said the American people have “picked ourselves up” and fought back during tough economic times, declaring after that the “best is yet to come.” Obama said he wants to meet with Republican rival Mitt Romney to discuss how they can work together. He says they may have “battled fiercely, but it’s only because we love this country deeply.”

Romney called Obama to concede after the president’s victories in the crucial state of Ohio and heavily contested swing states of Virginia, Nevada, Iowa and Colorado carried the Democrat past the 270 electoral votes needed for victory. The president won at least 303 electoral votes, CNN reported. “This is a time of great challenge for our nation,” Romney told disappointed supporters gathered at a Boston convention center. “I pray that the president will be successful in guiding our nation.” He warned against partisan bickering and urged politicians on both sides to “put the people before the politics. Four years ago Obama made history my becoming America’s first black president.

Today he has defied it by getting re-elected when the unemployment rate was above 7.5 per cent. That hasn’t happened since World War Two. “ Obama, America’s first black president, won by convincing voters to stick with him as he tries to reignite strong economic growth and recover from the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. An uneven recovery has been showing some signs of strength but the country’s 7.9% jobless rate remains stubbornly high.

Obama’s victory in the hotly contested swing state of Ohio – as projected by TV networks – was a major step in the fight for the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the White House and ended Romney’s hopes of pulling off a string of swing-state upsets. Obama did better than expected with white voters, while accumulating massive support (60%) among Latinos. Many were apparently attracted by his decision to allow some young illegal immigrants the right to stay without fear of being deported – another Republican trigger issue that backfired.

At least 120 million American voters had been expected to cast votes in the race between the Democratic incumbent and Romney after a campaign that was focused on how to repair the ailing US economy.

The same problems that dogged Obama in his first term are still there to confront him again.

He faces a difficult task of tackling $1 trillion annual deficits, reducing a $16 trillion national debt, overhauling expensive social programs and dealing with a gridlocked US Congress that kept the same partisan makeup.

Obama’s Democrats held their Senate majority, while Romney’s Republicans retained House of Representatives control.

Final estimates show the election was the most expensive in US history, with Obama

NEWS

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

A Second Term

having raised close to $1bn and Romney more than $800m. When figures for spending by supporters – mainly by the Super Pacs – are included, the total is well over $2bn.

World leaders hail Obama’s victory, pledge cooperation World leaders reacted positively to the reelection of President Barack Obama on Wednesday, amid relief in many governments that the US would not be adopting a more adversarial approach towards the Middle East, Russia and China.But behind the scenes in many governments – especially in Europe – there will be relief that Mr Obama has prevailed over Mr Romney, who had spoken of adopting policies on Iran,

Syria, China and Russia that were far more confrontational.

Congratulations poured in from across the world, including fellow UN Security Council members Britain, China, France and Russia as well as its staunch Middle East ally Israel and Obama’s ancestral home in Kenya.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, who himself is handing over power at a Communist Party congress starting this week, noted “positive progress” in Sino-US relations over the past

four years despite tensions over issues such as trade and territorial disputes involving US allies.

China will “look to the future and make continuous efforts for fresh and greater progress in the building of the China-US

cooperative partnership,” foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters.

Barack Obama is popular in India, especially since he visited two years ago and declared the country had arrived as a world power.

The President, Pranab Mukherjee, and Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, sent congratulations, a spokesman said. Keen to harness that goodwill, US policy towards India is not likely to change much over a second Obama term.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai congratulated Obama, saying he hoped his re-election would lead to “further-expanded” relations, although reaction on the streets of the war-torn nation was muted.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said he was confident relations with the United States would “continue to prosper”.

Pakistan is a key ally in the US “war on terror” but relations over the past two years have grown fraught, especially after last year’s US killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan and botched air strikes.

Barack Obama’s first term not great for

Pakistan: Imran Khan Pakistani cricketer turned politician Imran Khan said on Wednesday he hoped President Barack Obama would “give peace a chance” and stop US drone attacks now he had been re-elected.

David Cameron congratulates Barack Obama on election victory The Prime Minister has said he is keen to continue to work closely with the US President who has been elected for a second term.

David Cameron sent his congratulations to Barack Obama, saying: “I think he’s a very successful US president and I look forward to working with him in the future.”

Speaking during a tour of the Middle East, the Prime Minister said: “I would like to congratulate Barack Obama on his reelection. I have really enjoyed working with him over the last few years and I look forward to working with him again over the next four years.”

President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Barack Obama on his reelection, while Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev expressed relief that Russia wouldn’t have to deal with Mitt Romney.

Other Russian politicians cheered Obama’s victory as a sign that relations between the two countries would continue to improve under a “reset” started by Obama during his first term.

Putin sent a congratulatory telegram to Obama and plans to call him by phone in the near future to offer his personal best wishes, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

“In general, the Kremlin greets the information about Barack Obama’s election victory very positively,” Peskov said, according to Interfax.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party and a Duma deputy speaker, said Obama would not be able to accomplish much and warned of four years of stagnation. Under Obama and the current U.S. system, Zhirinovsky said, “America is doomed to stagnation.”

British Member parliament George Galloway wrot eon his Facebook : Of course I’m hoping for an Obama victory today. Sadly, only because the other guy is worse. It’s Tweedledee and Tweedle dumber I’m afraid.

President Obama had it all; brains, looks, eloquence, wonderful family huge mandate, the goodwill of most of the world. He blew it all. That’s why he, and the rest of us, are sweating anxiously today. One consolation is that his second term can’t be as bad as his first. Can it?

GG Obama win - a blow for Israeli PM Israeli government officials belonging to the ruling right-wing parties had a difficult time hiding their disappointment over Barack Obama’s victory in the US presidential election, but remained determined to keep Israel-US ties tight and secure.

Deputy Knesset Speaker Danny Danon, a rising start in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, offered his congratulations to Obama, but said it was important to remember the incumbent American president had not been good to Israel during his first term.

Knesset Member Arieh Eldad of the National Union Party insisted Obama was “the most hostile president to Israel in recent decades” and cautioned that his reelection would not bode well for the Jewish state.

Netanyahu himself only thinly veiled his

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

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09

Lee Jasper is Respect’s candidate in Croydon North

The former policy adviser to the London Mayor is Respect’s candidate for the Croydon North by-election. reducing crime, supporting the victims of the riots in their quest for compensation and tackling the strained relations between young people and the police are just some of our priorities.

‘I will be a minority of those articulating that there is another

The former policy adviser to the London Mayor is Respect’s candidate for the Croydon North by-election.

‘If I could have composed the perfect candidate to fight this seat then it would be Lee Jasper,’ said George Galloway, the Respect MP. ‘Lee has a stellar track record in activism and community involvement. As well as being a crucial member of Ken Livingstone’s team in governing London, as Director for Policing and Equalities. His record of public service is unequalled.’

‘I’m delighted to be the Respect candidate,’ said Lee Jasper.

‘Following George’s amazing victory in Bradford West I welcome the opportunity to offer the people of << Continued from page 8 preference for challenger Mitt Romney to win the election in the months leading up to the poll.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday congratulated Barack Obama on his victory, saying that the strategic alliance between Israel and the United States is stronger than ever. “I will continue to work with President Obama to ensure the vital security interests of the United States and Israel,” promised Netanyahu, whose relations with the U.S. president are notoriously strained. srael’s Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak, quoted by the Army Radio said, for his part, he felt no doubt that President Obama will continue his policy which is based on support for Israel. “I am confident in the possibility of overcoming the differences in the positions of both countries if they appear,” said Barak.

Deputy Prime Minister of Israel Silvan Shalom also told public radio that all U.S. administrations are in favor of Israel’s political, security or economic interests because “we

Croydon North a viable alternative to the tired and failed politics of the mainstream political parties.

The responsibility for the economic crisis lies with banks and not the people of Croydon North and yet they are seeing their services cut and the welfare reforms are causing real hardship and acute distress.’

Jasper said that the focus of his campaign will be to speak out for the poor, the elderly, the vulnerable, highlight and challenge the shared consensus on cuts and the austerity agenda, supported by Conservatives, Lib Dems and Labour. ‘There has to be a strong argument in defence of the unemployed and the working poor and in favour of creating jobs and opportunities. We need fresh and dynamic approach to

way. I will be arguing against the austerity programme and for investment in public services and jobs. I am looking forward to taking these argument to the voters of Croydon North.’

The Croydon North byelection is likely to take place on 29 November.

George Galloway: ‘Respect will target votes

A Second Term

share common values.”

He added: “Barack Obama has been with us in sensitive times.

Those who say it will be hard and there will be confrontations during the second term of Barack Obama are wrong,” said Shalom said. He, however, admitted that there was a gap between the two countries on the calendar on how to manage the Iranian nuclear issue.

Meanwhile, Labour MP Avishay Braverman, has, however, criticized Netanyahu, accusing him of having committed for three years the mistake of supporting extreme right-wing Republican candidate Mitt Romney over Barack Obama.

Observers expect Israeli Prime Minister might “pay the price” of his support for Mitt Romney.

Morsi congratulates Obama Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi Wednesday congratulated his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama for his re-election, hoping to strengthen the friendship between Egypt and the United States. Mr. Morsi said

he hopes to strengthen “friendly relations between the two countries to serve their common objectives, namely justice, liberty and peace,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel wrote to Obama saying she looked forward to continuing cooperation

“so both our countries can continue to stand side-by-side to contend with the important foreign policy and economic challenges that we

from black and Muslim people

and old, pledged themselves to four weeks hard work to change politics in Croydon for good.

During a video posted online, which begins with Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a dream” speech, Mr Galloway claimed a Respect victory in Croydon North would surpass

“I had the privilege of serving in Parliament for many years with the late Bernie Grant MP - known to all as the People’s Champion” said

his shock victory in Bradford West in March. “We will be targeting the 10,000 Muslim voters on the issues which matter greatly to them, most important of which is the ceaseless bombardment from the ruling class and the media to try and poison the British public against Muslims and Islam.”

Activists from all over London and the South East, black and white men and women, Muslims Christians Sikhs Hindus, young

George Galloway MP, the campaign organiser.

“I believe Lee Jasper is the true heir to that accolade. He can be Croydon People’s Champion” said Galloway.

“Lee stands for Justice, Peace and Equality. He stands for Respect”.

Respect Yourself. Respect Croydon.

Vote Lee Jasper. That was the message from the meeting. The battle for Croydon North has begun.

face as friends and allies”.

Her message was echoed by European Union President Herman Van Rompuy, Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and French President Francois Hollande.

Hollande said Obama’s re-election is a “clear choice for an open, united America that is totally engaged on the international scene”.

American public.”

“I believe you have been re-elected now in recognition of that effort,” the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader said.

South African President Jacob Zuma urged the US to continue playing a positive role in Africa, saying “we value our relations with the United States and look forward to strengthening bilateral cooperation in the years to come.”

Egypt’s Islamist President Mohamed Morsi also hailed the win, saying he hoped it would strengthen the “friendship between the two countries”.

In Muslim majority Malaysia, Prime Minister Najib Razak urged Obama to continue to foster understanding and respect between the United States and Muslims worldwide.

And Turkish President Abdullah Gul said the bonds between Turkey and the United States were strengthened during Obama’s first term.

“We are determined to maintain the positive atmosphere in our relationship and our model partnership in every sphere,” Gul said.

The Dalai Lama wrote to Obama, saying the president had worked hard “to to live up to that great hope and trust placed in you by the

NEWS

10

Zarina Wajid for Supporting Education and Economic Uplift of Pakistani Women Malala’s Cause Highlighted at Pakistan Stall in Commonwealth International Fair

Pakistan High Commission London and members of APWA –UK organized exhibitions of Pakistani handicrafts at the annual international fair of Commonwealth Countries League, held at Kensington Town Hall.

Led by Begum Zarina Wajid Hasan wife of Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK , who is also chairperson of All Pakistan Women’s Association APWAUK, ladies of Pakistan High Commission introduced to the visitors, handicrafts made by Pakistani women particularly embroidered items from Swat valley from where Malala Yusufzai belongs to.

A message of endorsement for Malala’s cause was also kept on the stall and was signed by a large number of visitors.

Begum Zarina Wajid Hasan while speaking on the occasion said that the Pakistani handicrafts always attract huge amount of attention due to their unique designs and high quality of craftsmanship.

She said that the best way of supporting Pakistani women was to invest in their educational and economic opportunities uplift by creating. She said that promotion of products made by women actually adds towards their economic empowerment which ultimately helps in improving their social status. She said it was imperative to raise level of support for the education of girls in backward areas, specially the ones struck by terrorism like Swat valley.

Besides Mrs. Zarina Wajid Hasan , wives of officers who actively participated in

the fair were Mrs. Farzana Shabbir, Mrs. Laila Gardezi, Mrs. Erum Aftab Hasan, Mrs. Nadia Umar, Mrs. Fareeda Khalid, Mrs. Madeeha Shozeb, Mrs. Laila Mustafa and Mrs. Shahida Khan of APWA The Pakistan High Commission’s and APWA’s stalls put on display a large variety of hand embroidered shawls, bags, cushion covers, throws , caps and silk coats. Visitors showed great deal of interest in Pakistani products and they expressed deep concern about Malala and support to her worthy cause. They also showed interest in the tourist maps of Swat which were kept on the stalls to give people an idea of Malala Yusufzai’s home town.

The Commonwealth Countries League it may be mentioned organizes this international fair every year to support education of deserving girls within Commonwealth countries. The CCL sponsors education of about 400 girls in several countries including Pakistan.

This year being the Diamond Jubilee of the Queen Elizabeth, the Fair also followed the same theme. The messages of support sent to the Fair included those from British Prime Minister David Cameron, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina , Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar , Secretary General Commonwealth Mr. Kamlesh Sharma, Baroness Boothroyd and Baroness Flather besides President Commonwealth Countries League Louisa Service.

British based Pakistan, Star Malik seen standing with his vehicle as he prepares for his Peace Drive through 21 countries and 65 cities which will start on December 12, 2012 from London and will end in Mumbai, India. To highlight the issues faced by Pakistan and India, Star Malik is undertaking this marathon trip via Europe and Middle East countries, who achieved independence about the same time as Pakistan and India and he will try to look how these countries developed relationships with their neighboring countries with whom they had been engaged in conflicts up to 1945 and they now live in a peaceful co-operation.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

British Pakistani student saved in shooting describes despair at losing his brother

In a pioneering surgery in Britain, a bullet has been removed from a Pakistani’s face through his nose.

British student Ummad Farooq was shot while attending a wedding in Pakistan with his family.

His newlywed brother died and his father remains in intensive care in Pakistan.

He claims they were targeted by terrorists who oppose their peaceful Muslim beliefs The 22-year-old Ummad Farooq was shot in the forehead during an ambush at his brother’s wedding in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi. Local surgeons told him that the surgery

to remove bullet was too risky. He was brought to Birmingham Oct 27.

Farooq underwent an hour-long operation Sunday at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Edgbaston potentially saving his sight, Daily Mail reported.

Leading ear nose and throat consultant Shahzada Ahmed removed the bullet using a Cyclops, a new instrument that enables the surgeon to see better and carry out operations quicker.

Ahmed said: “I have never used the Cyclops in this way and it is quite unique to remove a bullet through a patient’s nose.

“However, leaving the bullet inside Ummad, meant there was a possibility that he could have gone blind, or that the area would have become infected.”

Farooq, who was studying at Sunderland University, is now recovering at the privately-run BMI Edgbaston Hospital.

“I’m very grateful for what Mr Ahmed has done.

“When I came here the bullet was still lodged just under my right eye causing double vision. But after surgery on Sunday I am seeing things much clearer now,” said Farooq.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

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Syrian tanks enter demilitarized Israeli frontier

Suicide bomb kills 50 Syrian troops in Hama, fighting rages A Syrian activist group said on Monday that a suicide car bomber has killed more than 50 Syrian soldiers and pro-government gunmen. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack in the village of Ziyara in the central province of Hama was carried out by Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda-inspired militant group.

The death toll could not be independently verified. Staterun news agency SANA said the blast occurred outside a staterun development agency. It said Monday’s blast caused deaths but gave no figure A suicide car bombing killed at least 50 members of the Syrian security forces and gunmen loyal to Assad on Monday in Hama province, the

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

“A fighter from the [al-Qaeda inspired) Nusra Front blew himself

up ... in the Hama countryside. At least 50 were killed,” said Rami

Abdelrahman, the head of the observatory.

Meanwhile, at least 20 Syrian opposition fighters were killed in an air strike in the northwest province of Idlib on Monday, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Observatory said in a statement that a rebel commander was also probably killed in the air strike on the town of Haram. An activist named the commander as Basil Eissa, head of the Idlib Martyrs’ Brigade.

In the meantime, opposition and government troops backed by fighters from a Palestinian radical group fought in the capital Damascus on Monday in some of the most intense fighting in the city in nearly three months, activists said.

Syrian tanks enter Golan, Israel on high alert Three Syrian tanks entered the demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights on Saturday, Israel said, raising concerns violence from Syria’s civil war could heat up a long-quiet frontier that has not seen such an incursion in nearly 40 years.

Israeli forces in the north of the country were placed on high

alert over the weekend after three Syrian tanks briefly cross into the demilitarized zone that separates Syria from the Golan Heights.

Israel lodged a complaint with the UN observer force that patrols the demilitarized zone, but on a visit to the area on Sunday, Israeli army chief Lt.-

Gen. Benny Gantz warned that “the Syrian affair could turn into our affair.”

The IDF division stationed in the northern Golan “is ready for any moment in which the shooting will change direction and will be turned on us,” an Israeli army spokesman was quoted as saying

by The Jerusalem Post.

Around 150,000 Saudis visit Dubai for Eid Saudis totaled 9.6% visitors to Dubai in 2011

Saudi Arabia said 150,000 visitors from the Gulf Kingdom would flock to Dubai during the Eid Al Adha holidays.

Figures by the Saudi information and tourism research centre, a government establishment, showed nearly 58,000 Saudis visited Dubai during Eid Al Adha in 2010 and around 75,000 during

the same holiday in 2011.

A similar event held during the Eid Al Fitr festival their number peaked at around 874,000 through 2011, nearly 68 per cent over the previous year while it was estimated at around 540,000 in the first half of 2012.

The Centre’s director Mohammed Al Ahmed told the Saudi

Aleqtisadiah newspaper: “We issue data on the number of Saudi tourists to Dubai every year based on information gathered from border points, the Ministry of Interior and government institutions in Dubai……so far, around 80,000 Saudis arrived in Dubai for this Eid holiday and the figure could reach 150,000…our

data is compatible with that issued

by Dubai.”

His figures, based on Dubai government statistics, showed the number of Saudi visitors to Dubai, the region’s business and tourism hub, soared by nearly 40 per cent in

the first half of this year compared to the same period of last year.

Al Ahmed said the number of Saudis who visited Dubai in 2011 accounted for nearly 9.6 per cent of the total visitors to the emirate during that year.

12

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

How Arab and Muslim Americans vote in the U.S. elections

For Arab Americans, the presidential election between the democratic incumbent Barack Obama and his republican challenger Mitt Romney is less pivotal than the one in 2008.

Then Senator Obama stood in to restore hope to Americans and to right the course of America after 8 years of war and economic disasters. Arab and Muslim Americans are not one issue voters; they are as diverse in their political leanings as any other ethnic or religious group in the country. But the one single issue unites both Arab and Muslim Americans is how the president of the United States deals with the Arab Israeli conflict and whether he can or cannot implement the U.S. policy position of having a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine.

Although there are no accurate figures about the numbers of Arabs and Muslims Americans, there are estimates that put their numbers between 2 million to as high as 8 million. Upon the election of Barack Obama four years ago, Arab and Muslim American voters saw in him a rare hope that America can finally be this mythical “fair broker” in the Middle East and act more justly toward the Palestinians, as well as end its historic support for the Arab world murderous dictators and finally stand on the side of Arab citizens as opposed to siding with their tormentors. As an ethnic and immigrant group, many Arab and Muslim voters think that Obama’s economic policies are better for the country while distrust Romney’s probig business policies as well as his stance on the Middle East.

Romney reluctance to formulate a U.S. policy on the Middle East other than letting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dictate what the US Middle Policy should look like to suite the Israeli interests is disquieting for

many Arab American leaders I spoke with on this issue. Romney’s advisors such as

South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) and Asian American Federation

Dan Senor, his senior foreign policy advisor, meanwhile tend to come from the right wing of the Republican Party and when it comes it Israel they support the extreme Israeli right wing policies.

(AAF) reveled that more than 1.15 million Indian- Americans are eligible to vote this year. In 2000 it was 576,000.

At the same time, Pakistani-American voters increased to 161,000. It was 52,755 in 2000. In percentage is has seen an increase of 205%.

According to a TOI report, after Chinese Americans and Filipinos, Indian-Americans, numbering 3.2 million, is the third largest

US elections: IndianAmerican candidates look to create history

A report released by the two American NGOs

Asian American community in America.

The Asian population increased more than four times faster than the US population, growing by 43%from 10.2 million to 14.7 million. However, the US population grew by 9.7%, from 281.4 million in 2000 to 308.7 million in 2010.

The top five metropolitan areas for Indian-Americans are New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. For Pakistanis it is New York, Houston, Chicago, Washington DC, and Dallas.

Five Indian-Americans, four Democrats and one Republican, are seeking election to the US Congress. with the latest polls and

mainstream media saying that three of them have bright chances of winning. Dr Ami Bera, the Democratic Party candidate from California’s seventh Congressional District, is said to have the best chances to win the Congressional elections. So far only two Indian-Americans have been elected to the US Congress.

Dalip Singh Saund was the first IndianAmerican elected to the House of Representatives in 1950s, while Bobby Jindal, now the Louisiana Governor, was the second one.

Bera is followed by Republican young gun Ricky Gill, in the neighbouring California’s ninth Congressional District.

Gill who barely managed to turn 25 to file his nomination papers is trying to unseat threeterm incumbent Democrat Jerry McNerney.

He too has outraised his opponent by around half a million dollars.

Roll Coll, Cook Political and Real Clear Politics have declared Gill’s seat as a “Toss Up”, while Continued on page 13 >>

Saarc international I Thursday 08 November 2012

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Continued from page 12 >>

Speaker. His seat has been determined as “Lean Republican”

by Real Clear politics.

Jack Uppal, the Democratic Party

American candidates in fray.

According to OpenSecrets.Com, Uppal has raised just USD 51,000 against more than a USD 1 million by his Republican rival Tom McClintock.

“We feel very confident and proud of our campaign. We ran a positive campaign contrasting the substantial differences between my positions and those of my opponent.

We were able to get our message out across all of our 10-county long district through all forms of media,” Uppal told reporters.

Contesting for the second

candidate from California’s fourth Congressional District, is probably the weakest of the six Indian-

consecutive time from Pennsylvania’s Sixth Congressional District, Iraq war veteran Dr Manan

according to The New York Times, The Washington Post and Center for Politics, the Ninth Congressional District of California is “leaned” towards his Democratic opponent.

Last month Roll Coll had said that Gill is all set to create an upset victory.

While Bera has the endorsement of charismatic Bill Clinton, who has campaigned for him twice, Gill has the endorsement of top Republican leaders, including Jebb Bush, the former Governor of Florida, and two Republican Governors Nikki Haley from South Carolina and Chris Christie from New Jersey.

A weak Republican candidate in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District has brightened the chances of Democratic Dr Syed Taj, who hails from Bihar and is the younger brother of Syed Shahbuddin. A doctor by profession who has

practiced in India and England, before migrating to the United States, Taj has his Republican rival Kerry Bentivoli to contend with.

This past Saturday, his fundraising crossed the USD 700,000 mark.

Contesting for the second consecutive time from Pennsylvania’s Sixth Congressional District, Iraq war veteran Dr Manan Trivedi of the Democratic Party has been given a “Lean Republican” status by The New York Times and Center for Politics and “Likely Republican” by Cook Politics and Real Clear Politics.

Democratic Upendra Chivukula, whose election campaign has been hit by the Hurricane Sandy that devastated his State of New Jersey, where he is the Deputy Assembly

13 Trivedi of the Democratic Party has been given a “Lean Republican” status by The New York Times and Center for Politics and “Likely Republican” by Cook Politics and Real Clear Politics.

Democratic Upendra Chivukula, whose election campaign has been hit by the Hurricane Sandy that devastated his State of New Jersey, where he is the Deputy Assembly Speaker. His seat has been determined as “Lean Republican”

by Real Clear politics.

Jack Uppal, the Democratic Party candidate from California’s fourth Congressional District, is probably the weakest of the six IndianAmerican candidates in fray.

According to OpenSecrets.Com, Uppal has raised just USD 51,000 against more than a USD 1 million by his Republican rival Tom McClintock.

“We feel very confident and proud of our campaign. We ran a positive campaign contrasting the substantial differences between my positions and those of my opponent.

We were able to get our message out across all of our 10-county long district through all forms of media,” Uppal told

Most Pakistani-Americans ‘support Obama’

After the prayers at one of the largest Eid gatherings in the Washington metro area, about a dozen young men got up and started distributing pamphlets supporting US President Barack Obama’s re-election bid.

While the voting pattern of PakistaniAmericans remains largely unstudied, one can discover a complex array of political beliefs held amongst this group. The lack of uniformity is partly due to the varying socioeconomic status of Pakistani-Americans but also relates to the absence of institutions that are formally engaged in political campaigns.

However, for the 2012 presidential race, it seems that Pakistani-Americans are poised to replay the 2008 election, by supporting Barack Obama over his stance on domestic issues.

The results of a recent BBC poll indicate that while there has been overwhelming support for Obama’s re-election worldwide, some Pakistanis favour Romney, probably over the president’s unpopular drone policy and the Abbottabad raid to kill Osama bin Laden. Despite his militaristic rhetoric with respect to Pakistan, Obama has enjoyed overwhelming support from PakistaniAmericans, The increased focus on domestic issues is perhaps best exemplified through anecdotes from members of Pakistan Tehriki-Insaf (PTI)’s American chapter, some of whom are mulling voting for Obama despite Imran Khan’s absolute rejection of his drone program.

Most people quietly accepted the pamphlets.

Some even put the Obama-Biden badge on their coats. Then one bearded man got up and threw away the pamphlet and the badge given to him.

“I am a Republican,” he declared in Urdu and

then repeated himself in English, although less than 25% people in this large crowd were non-Pakistanis.

“My values do not allow me to support Democrats because they back gay rights,” he said.

Some teenagers made a ring around him and started making fun of the only vocal Republican in the crowd. The man got so annoyed that he stood on a raised pavement and roared: “Remember, we are Muslims.

We cannot support liberal values. We do not want our children to go astray.”

A few years ago, an emotive speech like this would have gathered a crowd around him, particularly in a mosque or an Eidgah.

But the times have changed. Now most Muslims, Pakistanis included, seem more concerned about their immediate problems, jobs, immigration reforms and acceptance in the larger society.

Although there have been no exclusive poll of Pakistani-Americans, recent surveys of Muslims living in America show that a vast majority of them supports Democrats. They believe that Democrats are more likely than Republicans to bring in the reforms they need.

And this is also obvious in the Pakistani

community. Since the election campaign began early this year, about a dozen Pakistani-American organisations are actively campaigning for President Obama.

“Do not forget to register,” was the common message from groups like Pakistani-American Congress in the early stages of the campaign when most people believed President Obama would have an easy victory.

It changed to frantic appeals for votes for Obama as the race tightened. “I believe most Pakistanis like President Obama but fear that like previous years, they may not come to vote,” says Syed Fayyaz Hassan, a Pakistani community leader in Houston, who is also a member of the Texas Muslim Democratic Caucus.

Syed, however, acknowledges that this year their effort to register Pakistani-American voters has been very successful.

“People are excited. There is a growing realisation that they need to participate in American, rather than Pakistani politics.”

Khalid Tanvir, a northern Virginia resident, noted that unlike Pakistan, where only 11% respondents to a recent poll supported President Obama, most Pakistani-Americans want him re-elected on November 6.

Shahid Ali, a Chicago resident who watched

all three presidential debates at the city’s famous Devon Avenue, said this year many Pakistanis also watched the debate.

“I never saw so many Pakistanis watching the debate before,” he said while pointing out that “Devon is the nerve centre” of the Pakistani community in Chicago, and “Devon is for President Obama”.

Devon has hundreds of Pakistani and Indian shops and restaurants where many people watched the debates.

But Republicans have their supporters among the Pakistanis too.

Recently, BBC recorded a family discussion at the residence of Zulfikar Kazmi, a known Democrat in Woodbridge, Virginia. He expected it to be a smooth endorsement for Obama as he believed that because he was a Democrat, his family was too. He was wrong.

As the debate began, his wife spoke out: “No, I am not. You never cared for my political views but I have my views too,” she said.

“I believe Republicans are good for Pakistan, so I will vote for Mitt Romney.”

Romney won over some Pakistanis in the last presidential debate on foreign policy. He described Pakistan as an important country and stressed the need for staying engaged with it.

Although Romney also endorsed President Obama’s drone policy and pledged to continue the attacks if re-elected; his rhetoric reminded some Pakistanis of the Reagan and Bush days when Republican administrations strongly backed Pakistan.

“It is right though, is it not?” asked Zahid Khawja, a Baltimore, Maryland, resident after watching the third debate. “Republicans are good for Pakistan. I will vote for Romney.”

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

Pakistan has spent $80b fighting militants: President Zardari President urges SAARC Parliaments to play role for forging better bilateral relations

Indian Parliamentary delegation in Pakistan for SAARC meet President Asif Ali Zardari has called upon the SAARC parliaments to play their role for forging better bilateral relations and addressing interstate issues.

Opening the three day Conference of the Association of SAARC speakers and parliamentarians here on Sunday, the President said the region should adopt a collective approach to face the common challenges and explore the opportunities for the benefit of our peoples. He said the SAARC parliaments should plan and lead efforts for solving complex issues. By protecting political liberties, human freedoms and the rule of law, the parliaments can promote regional peace and security.

The President said Pakistan is committed to the Charter of SAARC and believes that durable peace in the region is in the interest of all.

President Zardari urged the regional countries to join hands to fight the menace of extremism and terrorism. He said no country has suffered so much from the menace as Pakistan. He said we have lost more than forty thousand innocent lives in addition to eighty billion rupees in economic terms.

He said there is a need to address the issue of illegal drug trafficking which is serving as a financial source for militancy.

Emphasizing upon greater people to people contacts between the regional countries, the President said dialogue among the SAARC parliamentarians will have long lasting and positive impact on the situation in the region and help achieve the ideals of peace and stability. He pointed out that the SAARC has a population of 1.6 billion and the SAARC parliaments should come up with a strategy to ensure food security for the region.

Referring to democratic transition in South Asia, the President said democracy is a prerequisite for economic development and political stability. Strong parliaments play a crucial role in ushering in reforms and ensuring efficiency and transparency of the governing structures.

He said the government in Pakistan has taken bold decisions to empower the parliament.

He said a democratically elected government is nearing the completion of its term and soon we will achieve a peaceful democratic transition. He said we are well on our way to realizing democracyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dividends.

President Zardari said cultural affinity and shared history are a great assets and we must exploit these assets for further developing the bonds of friendships. In her welcome address, Chairperson of the Conference and Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza highlighted the themes of the Sixth Conference of the association. She

President Asif Ali Zardari in a meeting with Speaker of Indian Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

said the conference will deliberate upon the themes of participatory democracy and food security.

She said women have an important role to strengthen democratic norms and

of daunting challenges.

She said we need to protect and uphold the democratic institutions and hoped the conference will come up with concrete suggestions for protection of parliamentary

President Asif Ali Zardari during informal meeting with Speakers of the SAARC countries before the inauguration of the 6th Conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

women parliamentarians during a meeting today have agreed to establish a regional network for empowerment of women. She emphasized the need for expanding the scope of the Association of SAARC speakers and parliamentarians to address the daunting

democracy in the region. Ms Meira Kumar appreciated the steps taken by President Asif Ali Zardari for promotion of democracy in the country.

In his remarks, Speaker Bangladesh Abdul Wahid said democracy is pre-requisite for

President Asif Ali Zardari in a group photo with Speakers of SAARC countries during the inauguration of the 6th Conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

issues of poverty, unemployment, food security, terrorism and shrinking economic opportunities. She said SAARC parliament should be formed to build consensus on multiple challenges faced by the region.

Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Ms Meira Kumar said that being representatives of the people, the parliamentarians should play proactive role to meet the expectations of our people.

She said increased interaction amongst the member countries will help us learn from each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experiences and find solutions

peace and development in the region and hoped the current session of the association will go a long way in further strengthening democracy in the region.

Speaker of Bhuttan said the three day deliberations will provide an excellent opportunity to the member countries to share their success stories and knowledge about parliamentary democracy.

Speaker of Maldives Abdullah Shahid said democracy needs to be strengthened to address the problems of the people. He said

cooperation amongst the member countries of SAARC is imperative to address the economic as well as other challenges.

Deputy Speaker of Sri Lanka emphasized the need for empowerment of youth and women to achieve the true dividends of democracy.

Earlier, the speakers of the SAARC countries held a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari and discussed ways and means to further enhance people to people contacts among the regional countries.

Delegations from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Afghanistan and Bhutan arrived in the Pakistani capital today to attend the sixth conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians that will focus on issues like meaningful participatory democracy and food security in South Asia.

The Indian delegation is being led by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who had made a considerable impact on Pakistani politicians during a bilateral visit to Islamabad in February.

Speakers and Parliamentarians of the region will discuss a host of issues related to regional cooperation, promotion of democratic values and good governance.

The conference supports the work of SAARC and promotes knowledge of its principles and activities among parliamentarians of South Asia.

The first conference of the SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians was held in New Delhi in 1995.

The current conference is being hosted by National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza, who led the Pakistani delegation to the last meet held in New Delhi in July 2011.

To advertise call 020 8904 0619

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

NEWS

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Pakistani embassy reaching out to ‘Sandy affected’ Pakistanis

Pakistan’s top diplomat in New York visited the Pakistani-Americans affected by last week’s Sandy storm as part of continued efforts to inquire about their well being and coordinate relief work in accordance with instructions of Ambassador Sherry Rehman.

Consul General in New York, Faqir Syed Asif Hussain, visited the Bay Side shelter, which has been set up in a Coney Island school.

The shelter is temporarily housing over 200 Pakistanis who had to evacuate their homes and move to safer locations.

He stayed with them for more than an hour. The diplomat appreciated the efforts of community leaders and organizations, particularly the American Council of Minority Women, for their humanitarian work.

The Consul General is coordinating with local community leaders for food and other necessities to affected Pakistanis. Earlier, the Consul General also visited some areas of Bronx and Queens Boroughs.

Meanwhile, Pakistani-American leaders have appreciated the embassy’s reaching out to members of the community affected in the massive storm, that battered the US east coast last week, killing sores and leaving millions without

power.

“This outreach represents a very important gesture that the

Pakistani government cares about the expatriates and is ready to help them, when needed,” Dr

Nisar Chaudhry, head of PakistanAmerican League, said.

Other community leaders

including Irfan Malik, a businessman and Moeed Yousaf, a think tank analyst, taking part in a TV program, also expressed appreciation for the embassy’s efforts.

As the US administration continues its restoration efforts, the Pakistan Embassy in DC and the Consulate in New York, under the guidance of Charge’ Affairs Dr. Asad M. Khan, remain dedicated to facilitating Pakistani expatriates, the embassy said.

In this regard, the emergency hotline set up last week in the Consulate and notified to the public to help Pakistanis get in touch with their relatives impacted by the hurricane is still in place and active.

The numbers for the two lines are 212-472-6807 and 212-472-4345.

Scores of calls and emails have been received and responded to by the Embassy and the Consulate and the concerned officers in New York continue to do so, the embassy said.

Hajji Aamir Khan is back from Hajj

Aamir Khan returned from his pilgrimage after fulfilling the promise he made to his mother.

Aamir Khan the leading Indian film actor, director and producer left for hajj with his mother Zeenat Hussain on the 19th of October. The actor had promised her mother to take her to the holy land. He spent time with his mother at the holy place and at the same time was concerned about her health. They left for Mina to perform the Tawaf-e-Ziarat on the 26th of October and then departed to Medinah on the 29th of the same month and then boarded the flight to Mumbai at the end of the pilgrimage.

At his arrival Aamir was crowded by his fans, followers and the media at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai. It was on Thursday night when he landed on Mumbai.

He was accompanied by his mother and eight other pilgrims (his relatives). Aamir made sure that he took out time from his

hectic schedule to take his mother to the pilgrimage thus keeping his promise.

Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi

gathering.

They also met Maulana Tariq Jamil, who enlightened them on the virtues of Hajj.

latest movie ‘Talaash’.

The actor was dressed in a white robe while he left and returned refreshed and donned in casuals.

smiling and waving at his fans while he interacted and spoke to his fellow hajjis at the airport.

As per a source close to Aamir, the once Chocolate boy was very concerned about his mother during the trip. The source says, “Aamir was concerned about his mother’s health all through the journey. He has returned satisfied.” He was seen pushing his mother’s wheel chair dutifully throughout the trip.

Aamir’s next release is ‘Talaash’, which is directed by Reema Kagti and stars Kareena Kapoor Khan

and Junaid Jamshaid met Aamir Khan in Mecca.

Aamir, who was with his mother, met the all-rounder during a

The star returned from a shooting of the movie Dhoom 3 in Chicago to go for the Hajj. He left just after the release of the music of his

Aamir was content and happy after his pilgrimage and was seen

and Rani Mukerji as his leading ladies.

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Saarc international I Thursday 08 November 2012

Pretrial Hearing Starts for US soldier Robert Bales in court over Afghan massacre

A military prosecutor on Monday laid out a chillingly flat recitation of the government’s case against Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, the Army officer who is accused of murdering 16 civilians this year in Afghanistan, as a pretrial hearing began in one of the nation’s worst war crimes cases in decades.

Local families in a poor area with no electricity, Colonel Morse said, awoke early on March 11 to find a figure cloaked in darkness inside their homes, firing a weapon with apparent intent to kill. Children were shot through the thighs or in the head, he said. In one place, 11 bodies — mostly women and children, the prosecutor said — were “put in a pile and put on fire.”

Sergeant Bales, 39, an 11-year-military veteran, could face the death penalty if found guilty of the most serious charges, and the decision is specifically made to advance the case as a capital crime.

The hearing that began Monday, at the base where Sergeant Bales was stationed, about an hour south of Seattle, was the first step in the military justice process. An Article 32 Investigation, as it is called, is roughly the equivalent of a grand jury inquiry in civilian law, aimed at determining whether sufficient evidence exists to continue to a full courtmartial.

At least 35 witnesses are expected to testify, some through live video uplink from

Afghanistan, over the investigation, which could last two weeks or more. The presiding officer, Col. Lee Deneke, will then make his recommendation to superiors as to the next steps, including the question of whether the death penalty should be considered, as the prosecution has requested.

The hearing will determine if there is enough evidence for a court martial.

Sergeant Bales’s defense lawyers on Monday reserved their opening comment for later.

One of the first witnesses, for example, Cpl. David Godwin, testifying under immunity from prosecution, told the court he had violated Army rules on the night of the killings by drinking alcohol with Sergeant Bales and another soldier.

Under direct examination by prosecutors, Corporal Godwin said the three had a couple of drinks — Jack Daniel’s, concealed in a water bottle — in one of the soldier’s rooms while watching a movie, “Man on Fire,” about a former intelligence operative who seeks violent revenge after a girl’s kidnapping. Using a word that Colonel Morse had used in outlining the case, Corporal Godwin repeatedly said that Sergeant Bales was “coherent,” and that neither Sergeant Bales nor the other soldier, as far as Corporal Godwin could tell, was intoxicated.

He is the only known suspect in the killings despite repeated Afghan assertions that more than one American was involved.

Mohammed Wazir, who lost six children in the massacre, wants to see Bales hang.

Mohammad Wazir of Balandi/Najiban, Panjwai district, Kandahar province, southeastern Afghanistan, speaking in late March, 2012 to

members of the same family. Six others were wounded, and some of the bodies were set afire. Bales faces 16 counts of premeditated murder, plus other charges of attempted murder, assault and using steroids.

Under the cover of darkness in the early hours of Sunday, March 11, 2012, around 2:30 a.m., a man approached the house where Wazir lived with his family, in the village of

SBS-TV correspondent Yalda Hakim about the horrifying scene he found on March 11, 2012 The US soldier accused of carrying out one of the worst atrocities of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars was appearing in a military courtroom Monday, where prosecutors will lay out their case that he killed 16 people, including

Najiban in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, a place of endless war. The man, according to prosecutors, is Robert Bales, 39, US Army staff sergeant with the 3rd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

In the house were six of Wazir’s children, as well as his wife, mother, brother, sister-in-law

children, during a predawn raid on two villages in the Taliban’s heartland.

Robert Bales, a staff sergeant and married father of two, is accused of slipping away from a remote outpost in southern Afghanistan early on March 11 with an M-4 rifle outfitted with a grenade launcher to attack the villages of Balandi and Alkozai in Panjwai district of Kandahar province.

Nine of the dead were children, and 11 were

and nephew. Wazir wasn’t home, having taken his youngest son to visit relatives.

“Why didn’t the murderer wait for me?” he asks. “Why did he kill my children but not wait for me?”

The world soon learned what happened that night at Wazir’s home and in two other houses in the villages of Najiban and Alkozai.

The crime, now known as the “Kandahar Massacre,” is already considered to be perhaps

the gravest war crime of this most recent conflict in Afghanistan. There was Haditha in Iraq, My Lai in Vietnam. And now the 16 dead in these villages near Camp Belambay, an American military base in the district of Panjwai in Kandahar Province. The victims’ family members use the term “Ghamgina Wraz,” or “sad day” to refer to March 11, 2012 8-year-old girl Noorbinak was recovering from a bullet wound to the leg said she saw several Americans in her house.” Noorbinak watched her father being shot and killed by American soldier(s) on March 11, 2012, as her father defended her mother in their home in Panjwai district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

As Wazir describes his murdered children, he counts them off on his fingers. “Esmatullah was my oldest son. He was about 15. He went to the Koran school at the mosque. He could read and write. We were planning a wedding for him. Faizullah was about 11. He liked to ride his bicycle. He brought us tea when we worked in the fields. Masooma was nine. Her name means ‘innocence.’ She made little dolls and

sewed faces for them. Farida was seven. She helped her mother. Nabia was perhaps four.

Palwasha was still very little.” Mohammed Wazir, not surprisingly, sees things differently.

“We want to see this man hang,” he says. “I won’t speak his name, I don’t want to dirty my mouth. I would like to hang him myself. I’ll go to America to the Mahkama, to the great court, to see him hang. Then my heart will be calm.” The men accompanying him nod in agreement.

In Fort Leavenworth, Browne says he doubts there are witnesses who can identify his client, since “it was pitch black night.” He will fly to Kandahar for the hearing this month, then travel by armored vehicle to an army base where he will question the survivors, all of it simultaneously translated and transmitted live to Seattle. However, many witnesses -“especially the women,” Browne says -- will refuse to testify at all. This is fact that can presumably only act in his favor. If a trial does result, which seems a certainty, Browne believes it is not just Robert Bales who will be in the dock, but the entire leadership of the US Army, the entire war. “Why would you send a man who is suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, who lost part of his foot in an Continued on page 17 >>

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Saarc international I Thursday 08 November 2012

Fakhra Yunus case: SHC reissues notice to Bilal Khar

The Sindh High Court reissued notice to Bilal Mustafa Khar, prime suspect in the Fakhra Yunus acid attack case on Tuesday.

Bilal, son of PPP stalwart Ghulam Mustafa Khar, has been directed to file comments before December 6.

Seven months after the victim had committed suicide in Italy, where she had undergone multiple face reconstruction surgeries, three nongovernment organisations (NGOs) have challenged acquittal of the suspect in the high court.

The NGOs have also sought effective implementation of the newly enacted criminal laws regarding investigation of crimes against women, especially acid attacks.

Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research, Shirkat Gah and Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum filed a petition through Advocate Faisal Siddiqui.

They have named the Sindh Home Secretary, Law Secretary and Bilal as respondents.

Siddiqui said there were four eyewitnesses to Bilal’s crime, including the victim’s own son.

But the suspect was acquitted by the Sessions Judge, South, Karachi because the four eyewitnesses refused to identify him in the court of law, allegedly due to his influence, the NGOs’ advocate added.

Siddiqui contended that the trial court had also failed to consider the evidence available on record, as the same was sufficient to convict the accused.

The lawyer pointed out that the government had enacted the Criminal Law (Second Amendment) Act 2011, through which necessary amendments were made to the law to control crimes against women.

Hence Yunus’s case should be reinvestigated under the guidelines of the new law.

The lawyer prayed to the court to get the entire record of the Yunus’s case from the trial court, examine it and then remand back to the concerned

They both got married after a six month relationship. This was Bilal’s third marriage, while Yunus had a three year old son from an earlier liaison.

Little did Yunus know, that this was not meant to be her fairytale marriage,

watched. The attack left her severely burned, particularly her face. She, however, survived the attack but not before spending three months in intensive care.

Khar used his political influence to evade arrest and absconded, while

court for retrial.

since shortly after the marriage, she faced both physical and mental abuse

by Khar, which lasted for three years before she eventually escaped and moved in with her mother.

An infuriated Khar allegedly took ‘revenge’ by pouring acid over her on May 14, 2000, as her five year old son

Yunus’s family faced difficulty in registering an FIR against him.

On October 31, 2002, Khar was eventually arrested, but released in 2003 on Rs 200,000 bail.

In Yunus’ time of despair, social activist Tehmina Durrani came to the forefront to assist her. Durrani,

The case

In 1998, Yunus was an 18 year old resident of Napier Road’s Bulbul Bazar, Karachi’s red light district, when she met the then Muzaffargarh MPA Bilal Khar.

ironically, was once married to Ghulam Mustafa Khar.

After the then government showed reluctance in helping Yunus, Durrani convinced the Italian government to help her, by not only providing asylum but also sponsoring her treatment there. Khar, leveraging his influence, had vehemently tried to stop her exit from Pakistan, but failed.

After over a decade of undergoing treatment in Italy, an emotionally scarred Fakhra, lost hope and committed suicide by jumping out of her sixth floor residence. Fahkra’s burial took place at a graveyard in the Defence area of Karachi. ,the body of Fakhra Yunus was brought to Karachi from Italy amid demands of action against the perpetrators of the crime.

In her last message before committing suicide, Fakhra had written that she was committing suicide over the silence of law on the atrocities and insensitivity of Pakistani rulers.

Khar currently resides in his ancestral home in Kot Addu.

Pretrial Hearing Starts for US soldier Robert Bales in court over Afghan massacre

Continued from page 16 >> accident in Iraq, to war a fourth time?”

Into the Night

Najiban, 3 a.m. on March 11, 2012, the 21st day of the 12th month of the year 1390. The murderer was finished at Mohammed Wazir’s house and no one was left alive. He even shot the dog, and the songbird that Mohammed’s wife Zarah kept in a cage died in the smoke from the burning bodies. But the killer’s rage wasn’t spent. He pounded and kicked at other doors in the village at random, and the door to Mohammed Dawood’s house happened to open.

Ten-year-old Hikmatullah, who watched as his father was shot, tells what happened here in the last minutes of the soldier’s rampage.

Shouting the word “Taliban” over and over, the killer trampled over the sleeping children, waking Mohammed Dawood and his wife, their two daughters and four sons. The youngest, Hasratullah, less than a year old, lay in a crib.

The mother screamed, everyone screamed, the father pled for mercy. The intruder dispatched him with a shot to the head.

The murderer could have continued, shooting more children, more women. He approached the crib and placed the muzzle of his gun in the infant’s mouth.

The last time Robert Bales saw his son Bobby before leaving for Afghanistan for the endless war, the boy was about the age of this child.

The killer stopped and disappeared back into the night.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Saarc international I Thursday 08 November 2012

Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif Anupam Kher to romance again in ‘Kick’? named among five Salman Khan in costliest-ever Bollywood movie best actors in Asia

‘Kick’ is slated to have a whopping £14 million budget “Kick is a about a guy who lives life only for his kicks, a powerful concept and a perfect recipe for a Salman-Nadiadwala blockbuster,”

While Hindi movie buffs have been riveted with Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’, which is all set for release next week, here comes Salman Khan firing his salvo in style.

The most expensive movie in Bollywood will have the macho khan in the lead!

Reports are doing frenzied rounds as cinema lovers are eager for any bit of news about the already much-hyped film in the making.

If reports in the Indian media are to be believed, the film is titled ‘Kick’ and will be directed by Sajid Nadiadwala.

It is this man’s high ambitions for the venture, that will see the project be made at a whopping Rs125crore (£14million) – making it the costliest movie ever produced in Bollywood hitherto.

Director Nadiadwala is leaving no stone unturned to make it larger than life in every sphere so much so he has roped in Rajat Arora to pen the dialogues.

The movie, which is an adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s book ‘2 States’ will also have the screenplay by the author.

Court orders police to lodge case against Shah Rukh, Karan Johar

A still from the film Student of the Year A court in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district on Monday directed the police to lodge a case against actor Shah Rukh Khan, his wife Gauri Khan, director Karan Johar and others for allegedly hurting Hindu religious sentiments by depicting deity Radha in an inappropriate manner in the film Student of the Year.

Chief Judicial Magistrate SP Singh passed the order on a complaint filed by an advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha.

In the order, the court directed for registration of a case against the accused persons at Sadar police station and investigation in the matter.

In the complaint filed under sections

294 (Obscene acts and songs to the annoyance of others), 295 (deliberate and malicious act intended to hurt religious feelings and 295A (injuring or defiling place of worship intent to insult the religion) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Ojha alleged Hindu deity Radha was obscenely presented in a song in the movie.

The film’s actors Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and Siddharth Malhotra and the Dharma Production, which produced the film in partnership with Khan’s production company - M/S Red Chillies Entertainment, have also been made parties in the case.

Veteran actor Anupam Kher has been regarded as one of the best five actors in Asia by international magazine The Hollywood Reporter.

The 57-year-old actor, who has appeared in many international film projects in his three-decade old career, shares the honour with actors like Li BingBing, Lee ByungHun, Iko Uwais and Aaron Kwok.

“Happy to share. Hollywood Reporter in its latest issue has listed me among the Five Best Actors in Asia. I am the only Indian. Jai Ho. “Other four actors are Li BingBing (China), Lee Byung-Hun (South Korea), Iko Uwais (Thailand) and Aaron Kwok (Hong Kong),” he

posted on Twitter.

The two time National Award winning actor started his career in 1982 with “Aagman” but he became popular with Mahesh Bhatt’s “Saaransh” after two years.

Apart from doing lead roles, Kher was also appreciated for his supporting roles in films like “Karma”, “Daddy” and many more.

He made his foray in the international films with “Bend It Like Beckham” in 2002, followed by “Bride and Prejudice”, TV show “ER”, “Lust, Caution”, “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger” and the recent “The Silver Linings Playbook”.

aarc S

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Saarc international I Thursday 08 November 2012

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international

Thursday, 08.11.12

Obama win opens historic chance for peace, progress: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday congratulated US President Barack Obama on his reelection and personally committed to a “rewarding”

to work for both the American people and for global peace and progress at “an admittedly difficult juncture” for the US and the world at large.

“It gives me great pleasure

association to build further on the global strategic partnership the two nations have built over the last four years, and for world peace and progress.

The prime minister, in a message, said the mandate for Obama to lead the US for four more years gave him a historic opportunity to continue

to convey to you my warmest congratulations on your re-election as the president of the US,” he said in the message.

“Your mandate gives you a historic opportunity to continue to work for the welfare of the American people as also for global peace and progress at an admittedly difficult juncture, not just for the US, but

indeed for the world at large,” Manmohan Singh said.

The prime minister said: “The renewed confidence that the people of your great country have reposed in you is as much a tribute to your qualities of head and heart as it is an indication of the faith that the American people have in your leadership.”

He said over the last four years, consistent with the vision of a global strategic partnership between India and the US, the ties between the two democracies have seen sustained growth.

“We have not only advanced cooperation across the full spectrum of our bilateral relationship, but also deepened our engagement in the pursuit of global peace, stability and prosperity,” the prime minister said.

Expressing his “personally valued” friendship with Obama, Manmohan Continued on page 29 >>

NRO implementation case: Letter sent to Swiss authorities

The much-discussed letter in relation to the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case has been dispatched to authorities in Switzerland, DawnNews quoted the Pakistan Television as saying.

The Foreign Office had dispatched the letter, which was written in accordance with an order of the Supreme Court, on Nov 5.

The draft of the letter — seeking to reopen a graft case against President Asif Ali Zardari — constitutes the points upon which both the Supreme Court and Law Minister Farooq H Naek had reached a consensus.

The writing and sending of the letter would lead to an ease in the tensions between the state’s two prime institutions.

Earlier, the government had contended that the letter could not be written as under the Constitution the president enjoyed immunity from prosecution.

On Oct 10, after more than 30 months into the NRO saga, the Supreme Court had approved the law ministry’s draft of the letter aimed at reopening the graft case against President Zardari.

Closed Swiss cases

cannot be revived, even if Pakistan asks for it’ ases against President Asif Ali Zardari cannot be reopened in Swiss court, even if Pakistani authorities write a letter to the Swiss authorities, concerned quarters said while talking to The Express Tribune.

Swiss attorney general who claimed in April 2010 that the cases could not be revived, even if Pakistan asked, due to lack of incriminating evidence and immunity enjoyed by President Zardari under international law.

Factitious documents The Swiss cases were born during Nawaz Sharif’s second term, sources in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said on condition of anonymity.

The then-chairman Ethesab Bureau, Saifur Rehman, prepared factitious documents and presented them before Pakistani and Swiss courts, sources added.

Benazir and Zardari challenged the documents before the accountability bench of the Lahore High Court Continued on page 29 >>

Continued on page 20 >>

SAARC

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Saarc international I Thursday 08 November 2012

Pakistan & Maldives elected Chairperson, ViceChairperson for SAARC Speakers’ Conference

The SAARC Council of Speakers on Sunday approved the agenda for the 6th SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians Conference, elected Dr Fehmida Mirza as chairperson for the conference and decided the venue for the 7th SAARC Speakers Conference.

Speaker of People’s Majlis of Republic of the Maldives, Abdullah Shahid has been appointed as vice President of the Association.

Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar chaired the meeting of the SAARC Council of Speakers in the Parliament House. She proposed the name of National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza for the chairpersonship of current Speakers Conference, which was unanimously approved by all the members of the council.

The outgoing chairperson, Meira Kumar, congratulated Dr Fehmida Mirza on her election and thanked all the members of the council for the cooperation they extended to her during her chairpersonship.

She was of the view that under the leadership of Dr Fehmida Mirza,

the SAARC Speaker’s Forum would flourish and enhance parliamentary cooperation between SAARC

countries. After assuming the chair of the Council of Speakers, Dr Fehmida Mirza thanked her

SAARC counterparts for reposing confidence in her. She expressed special gratitude to Meira Kumar

for her efforts due to which the SAARC parliamentarians’ forum witnessed continued progress saying it be a guiding principle for her during her tenure as chairperson.

Dr Fehmida regretted that Nepal and Afghanistan could not attend the conference due to the dissolution of National Assembly in Nepal and Afghanistan’s preoccupation with its domestic affairs. However, she wished them good luck and hoped that they would participate in the next conferences. Later, the council unanimously approved the agenda of the 6th Conference of the SAARC Speakers and parliamentarians’ meeting besides approving the names of Maldives for vice chair and panel of chairpersons for the 6th Conference of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians Conference.

The council also decided that the next Conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians will be held in Maldives in last quarter of year 2013.

Two Bohra community men Hina arrives shot dead in Hyderabad Dhaka Friday

Two men belonging to the Dawoodi Bohra community, both cousins, were gunned down and another was injured in two incidents of target killings – first ever in the city as far as the community is concerned – on Saturday night.

SHO of Cantonment police station Razaq confirmed that Shabbir and his cousin, Murtaza, died, while Murtaza’s brother Hatim received

bullet wounds near former Rahat cinema in separate attacks.

“They were fired in their faces by the assailants and died instantly,” said Ali Asghar, maternal nephew of Shabbir. He said that Hatim, who was fired upon in the remit of City police station, was being operated upon.

Murtaza was a snack seller and ran his business at main Saddar

Bazaar, near Askari Bank, in the jurisdiction of Cantonment police station.

“They (assailants) came on motorcycles from Saddar Bazaar side and fled towards Hajji Shah mazar chowk,” said a dry fruit seller, who sold his goods near the stall of Murtaza.

But Hyderabad police denied that these were target killings.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar will arrives Dahak on Friday morning as a Special Envoy of the President of Pakistan to invite Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the D-8 summit to be held in Islamabad on November 22.

This would be the first highest-level visit by any Pakistani official since the Awami League-led grand alliance came to power about four years ago.

According to Foreign Ministry officials, Hina during his 12-hour visit, will call on the Prime Minister and extended an invitation to attend the Summit of the Developing-8, an organization of eight Muslim countries namely Bangladesh, Iran, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan and.

She will also have a meeting with her Bangladesh counterpart Dipu Moni, officials said The Pakistan Foreign Minister was originally scheduled to come Dhaka on October 25, but it was postponed.

Diplomatic sources said Sheikh Hasina’s attendance is important since she played an important role in forming the D-8 grouping, and she led it for two years (1999-2000).

Foreign Ministry sources said in case the Hasina is not visiting Pakistan, she may send Foreign Minister Dipu Moni to attend the summit.

Representatives of any head of state or government can attend it.

Dhaka hosted D-8 Summit on March 1-2, 1999. As the D-8 chair rotates, it is now the turn of Islamabad to host the Summit.

Dhaka-Islamabad bilateral engagement in the last four years has been limited to the visits of Bangladesh’s education and commerce ministers to Islamabad and the foreign secretary-level official consultation in November, 2010.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF AFGHANISTAN NEWS

audi Arabia Sets Its Sights on Afghanistan As U.S. troops leave, Riyadh is positioning itself for the a future role in the country

Saudi Arabia’s support for Afghanistan has been steady but inconspicuous over the years. But that is about to change.

The powerful Sunni-majority kingdom is embarking on a very public effort to carve out a bigger role in Afghanistan, pitting the oil-rich Gulf state directly against Shi’ite rival Iran in the race for influence as foreign forces leave. This became clear on October 29, when the Afghan government announced that Riyadh would build a multimilliondollar Islamic complex in Kabul, marking its largest and most expensive foray into post-9/11 Afghanistan.

The project, which is expected to cost between $45 million and $100 million, was agreed between the two countries in Jeddah. Construction is expected to begin next year. The Islamic complex will cover 24 hectares on Maranjan Hill in central Kabul. It will feature a university, a hospital, a sports hall, and a mosque capable of holding around 15,000 worshippers at a time. When completed, it will become a rival to the massive Iranian-built Khatam alNabyeen Islamic University in western Kabul. The Shi’ite religious school, which was opened in 2006, was built at a cost of some $17 million by one of Afghanistan’s most Iran-leaning clerics. The campus has a mosque, classrooms, and dormitories for its 1,000 Afghan students.

Late on the Scene Thomas Ruttig, a former UN and European diplomat and director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, an independent research organization in Kabul, sees the Saudi move as part of the intensified competition for influence as U.S. and NATO troops look to draw down by 2014. Riyadh’s chief motivation is clearly to counter the significant sway of archrival Iran.

But Ruttig says that Riyadh has its work cut out for it, considering its late arrival.

Iran, in contrast, has had a highly visible

presence for the past decade. Iran has built on its lingual and cultural links

a major player in the competition for influence in Afghanistan: Riyadh was a key financier of the Afghan resistance to the Soviet occupation in the 1980s; it helped fund and arm the Taliban in the 1990s; and it has in recent years sought to broker behind-the-scenes peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

But those efforts were always behind the scenes, and other than the provision of food and relief supplies and the occasional business venture, there were few obvious examples of Saudi involvement in Afghanistan.

Adel Darwish, a British journalist and

to enter peace negotiations and to encourage Pakistan to cut its ties with the militant group.

That leverage comes in part because of Riyadh’s close ties to regional powerhouse Pakistan, which has long supported the Afghan Taliban, and the kingdom’s role as a spiritual authority in the Muslim world as the guardian of Islam’s two holiest shrines. Riyadh was also a staunch backer of the Taliban in the 1990s, when it was one of only three countries -- along with Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates -- to recognize the group during its rule in Afghanistan from 1996-2001. Darwish says although

A view of Maranjan Hill in central Kabul where a multimillion-dollar Islamic complex is being built by Riyadh. with Afghanistan by spending millions on infrastructure, including roads, power grids, and railway projects.

Tehran also leaves its mark through its export of cultural and political views via its strong media presence and funding of religious schools.

Now the scene is set for an aggressive competition between Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia, which promotes the extremist Wahabbi sect of Islam, and Shi’ite-majority Iran. This raises the potential, Ruttig says, for sectarian tension in Afghanistan, whose population is estimated to be about 85 percent Sunni and 15 percent Shi’ite.

“There are very strained relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Both those countries will be competing for influence in Afghanistan, with the sectarian differences between both sides in the background,” Ruttig says.

“So far, Sunni-Shi’ite relations in Afghanistan have been quite stable, but that can be undermined if both sides are much more aggressive than before in vying for influence in what they might perceive as a post-2014 [political] vacuum.”

Seeking Leverage The possibility of increased sectarian tension in Afghanistan would be cause for alarm in Central Asia and China, whose governments are wary of growing religious extremism. It could be argued that Saudi Arabia was always

political commentator who specializes in Middle Eastern politics, says Saudi Arabia is poised to make an important

Riyadh severed ties with the Taliban after 2001 when the militant group failed to handover Osama bin Laden,

Students crowded the garden of the Tawhid private school during a break in Herat province.

The school was temporarily shut down by Afghan authorities because pro-Iranian leaflets were circulating among the students and many believe that it is supported by Iran.

contribution. He says the Saudis can convince the Taliban leadership

who was a Saudi national at the time, the kingdom still has considerable

leverage over the militant group.

Both Kabul and Washington have endorsed an expanded Saudi role in Afghanistan. Earlier this year, Afghan President Hamid Karzai reiterated that Saudi Arabia was “an important player” in Afghanistan and “has facilitated talks [with the Taliban] in the past and now.” U.S. President Barack Obama, meanwhile, has said Riyadh’s involvement in Afghanistan could shape the success of the NATOled mission.

Broken Broker?

Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar, the foreign-relations adviser for the Afghan High Peace Council, the presidentially appointed body tasked with negotiating with insurgents, says the Saudis have shown a genuine willingness to broker reconciliation talks. “We welcome the promises of Saudi Arabia and we hope that this friendly cooperation will lead to an effective outcome,” Qasimyar says. “We hope that we will witness these promises coming to fruition.”

Others, however, note that the Saudis have been active in behind-thescenes peace negotiations between members of the Taliban and the Afghan government in the past. But those talks, which took place in recent years, have yielded no breakthroughs.

Wahid Muzhda, a political analyst and former Taliban spokesman, is among the skeptics. He says many Taliban feel betrayed by Riyadh after Saudi authorities arrested and jailed a former Taliban representative, Mawlawi Shabir Ahmad. Ahmad was jailed with his four sons in Riyadh in 2001. He was released in 2011. “The Taliban say that Saudi Arabia has acted as an enemy toward us,” Muzdha says, suggesting the Saudis have taken the side of the West. “They have not been neutral. The Taliban doesn’t recognize Saudi Arabia as a [peace] broker.”

US military deaths in Afghanistan at 2,021

As of Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at least 2,021 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.

The AP count is one less than the Defense Department’s tally, last updated Tuesday at 10 a.m. EDT. At least 1,686 military service members have died in Afghanistan as a result of hostile action, according to the military’s numbers.

Outside of Afghanistan, the department reports at least 118 more members of the U.S. military died in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Of those, 11 were the result of hostile action.

The AP count of total OEF casualties outside of Afghanistan is four more than the department’s tally.

The Defense Department also counts three military civilian deaths.

Since the start of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, 17,939 U.S.

service members have been wounded in hostile action, according to the Defense Department.

The latest identifications reported by the military: —Pfc. Brandon L. Buttry, 19, of Shenandoah, Iowa, died Nov. 5, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan; assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF BANGLADESH NEWS

Jamaat men clash with cops in Rangpur

50 hurt, locals torch Rangpur Jamaat office, Jamaat-Shibir men hurl cocktails

At least 50 people, including policemen, were injured as the leaders and activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami clashed with law enforcers at Jahajcompany

brought out a procession at Shapla Chattar protesting Monday’s countrywide clash with law enforcers and ‘police action’ on them, said Rangpur Rab-5 commander

release of Jamaat leaders, including the nine arrested on war crimes charges.

CHITTAGONG The Jamaat and Shibir activists on

Noakhali correspondent reports.

Police also arrested 28, out of 46 activists whose names were mentioned in the case, from different parts of the district.

least 24 Jamaat and Shibir activists were held during a drive at different areas of the district on Monday night.

The arrestees are sent to jail on Tuesday

intersection in Rangpur city on Tuesday.

Locals first looted the Jamaat office before torching it at the Shapla Chattar intersection following the clash, reports our Rangpur correspondent.

The Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir men also hurled several cocktails during the clash, forcing the law enforcers to fire several rounds of rubber bullets to bring the situation under control.

The law enforcers also lobbed several teargas shells to quell the clash.

Altaf Hossain, the officer-in-charge of Rangpur Kotwali Police Station, was rushed to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital with severe injuries when the Jamaat and Shibir men hurled cocktails at the police.

The clash ensued around 11:00 in the morning when the Jamaat-Shibir men

Salauddin Alamgir.

When the procession reached near Jahajcompany intersection from a kilometre away, police tried to disperse the unruly procession, triggering the clash that continued for nearly 30 minutes.

The incident of chase and counter-chase also took place during the clash when Jamaat men set fire to a motorbike.

At one stage, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control, the Rab official added.

At least 260 people, 54 of them policemen, were injured as Jamaat-Shibir men fought pitched battles with law enforcers in Dhaka and 10 other districts in the country on Monday.

The clashes began as police intercepted the processions that the Jamaat and Shibir activists brought out in the capital and elsewhere, demanding the immediate

Tuesday vandalised and torched several vehicles at Kazir Dewri intersection in Chittagong following a clash with law enforcers.

The Jamaat-Shibir men at first gathered at the area coming in small groups and later brought out a procession around 1:00pm, reports our Chittagong correspondent.

The clash ensued soon after the procession started as law enforcers tried to disperse them.

At one stage the unruly activists set fire to several vehicles.

There was no immediate report of any detention or casualty.

NOAKHALI Police filed a case against 46 persons by name and 360 unidentified people on Tuesday on charge of attacking on law enforcers and obstructing them from discharging their duties on Monday, our

Jamaat and Shibir members on Monday clashed with police at the district’s Pourbazar area when the law enforcers intercepted their processions NATORE Police picked up 10 Jamat-Shibir men including local Ameer of Jamaat town unit Atikur Rahman Russel from separate places of the district Monday night, reports our Natore correspondent.

Eight of them were arrested in Sadar upazila while one each from Shingra and Naldanga upazilas.

Saifuzzaman Faruki, assistant superintendent of police in Natore, said police arrested the Jamaat-Shibir men fearing that they might commit subversive activities.

PABNA Our Pabna correspondent reports: At

morning, police said.

Pabna Police Superintendent Jahangir Hossain Matobbar told The Daily Star that they were arrested as the pert of country wide operation.

They were held on suspicion of creating violence, police sources added.

CHAPAINAWABGANJ Police early Tuesday arrested 19 Jamaat-Shibir activists at five upazilas in Chapainawabganj for their alleged involvement with carrying out destructive activities, our Chapainawabganj correspondent reports.

Ariful Haque, additional superintendent of police said, police arrested six at Sadar upazila and same number at Gomostapur upazila, four at Shibganj upazila, two at Nachole upazila and one from Bholahat upazila.

The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday gave Jamaat-e Islami a month to amend its constitution as the party failed to do so within four years of its registration with the commission.

The deadline was given in a letter addressed to the Secretary General of the party.

The commission had no alternatives but to give Jamaat the deadline as its three earlier notices went unheard.

An ‘amended constitution’ has to be submitted by Dec 5 by changing six sub-sections in its current constitution and a section of its special note, said the letter from the commission’s senior Assistant Secretary Mahfuza Akter.

EC is entitled to cancel the party’s registration if its current constitution, that contradicts the Constitution and The Representation of the People Order, are not amended.

The sub-sections asked to be amended

are 5 of Section 2, 3 of Section 5, 4 of Section 6, 1 to 4 of Section 7, 2 of Section 11 and 4 (Cha) of Section 18.

The party did not reply to any of the three notices served by the commission in this regard.

The letter also asked the party to change 3 no point of the 64-page special note to the party’s constitution.

According to EC officials, Jamaat and 37 other parties were asked to amend their constitutions.

The list of other parties includes Islami Oikyajote, Jomiyote Ulamaye Islam, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon and Jatiya Party.

These parties were also given a month’s deadline to amend their constitutions.

Bachchu Razakar goes on trial

The second war crimes tribunal of Bangladesh on Sunday ordered the start of the trial against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abul Kalam Azad, better known as ‘Bachchu Razakar’, on eight charges of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War in 1971.

The three-judge International Crimes Tribunal–2 led by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir framed charges against Azad and set Nov 14 for witness deposition to start.

The court also threw away a plea by Azad’s counsels seeking his acquittal.

The prosecution on Sept 2 had submitted former charges linking him to crimes against humanity including genocide, murder, rape, arson, loot, abduction, deportation and persecution.

Prosecutor Shahidur Rahman had said the Pakistan Army entered Faridpur on Apr 21, 1971. On that day, Azad along with the Pakistan troops murdered eight people at Faridpur’s well-known Jagatbandhu Ashram and later killed Kolaron village Zamindar (landlord) Sudhanshu Mohon Roy and his son Monimoy Roy, he added.

‘Bachchu Razakar’ is said to have been an accomplice of Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed in Faridpur district during the war.

He was a member of Jamaat’s student wing Islami

Chhatra Sangha when he was a student of Rajendra College in Faridpur in 1971.

After Mar 25, 1971, Azad formed a group of his own which committed crimes against humanity in different places in Faridpur during the war.

The ICT-2 on Sept 9 accepted charges and ordered his arrest and production by Sept 23.

The arrest warrant for him was issued in April, police failed to find him after raids on his office and residence.

He is believed to have fled to Pakistan.

The tribunal on Oct 7 decided to continue trial in Azad’s absentia as he did not turn up even after public notice was issued for his appearance.

EC deadline to Jamaat on to amend constitution

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF BHUTAN NEWS

Bhutan , Taiwan sign agreement on trade cooperation

Taiwan’s main trade promotion body and Bhutan’s largest business group signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Friday to work more closely together on bilateral trade promotion.

The MOU will serve as the basis for trade promotion and business exchanges between the two sides, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) said in a statement Friday.

Topgyal Dorji, president of the

Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), signed the MOU on behalf of his country’s business delegation, while Chao

Yuen-chuan signed on behalf of TAITRA in his capacity as the council’s secretary-general.

Through visits, seminars and

Bhutan foundation to support monks, nuns

A religious organisation has been established here in a novel initiative to sustain 43 religious centres, training over 1,000 monks and nuns in different parts of Bhutan.

The Pedling Choeki Gatshel Foundation drew an overwhelming response from its members on the very first night of its launch Thursday, as it raised 2.8 Bhutanese Ngultrum

($52,000) as contributions from them, Kuensel media reported.

According to the ninth Gantey Trulku, Kunzang Rigzin Pema Namgyel, who heads this foundation, children of the economically deprived families usually become monks as they find it beyond their means to attend schools.

“The foundation’s fund would

go a long way in making these students stand on their own feet,” Kuenselonline quoted him as saying.

He believes the rich Buddhist religious culture could be promoted through two ways --imparting knowledge and spreading Buddhism.

The foundation’s fund would be used to renovate and construct lhakhangs (temples) in various parts of the country.

While Gantey Trulku will be the permanent chairperson of the foundation, four other board members have been appointed. In future, the four members are to be elected.

The foundation aims to raise a fund of $50 mn.

Monks completing the ninth standard in a shedra, or the place of learning will be given a masters degree certificate in Buddhist studies.

Music brings together Bhutan and France

Mirabel Pitte and RAPA lecturer Pema Samdrup rehearse their fusion notes yesterday

To promote the art of music, French and Bhutanese musicians will perform a free musical concert at the Royal Academy for Performing Arts hall today.

The concert, which begins at 6 pm, will showcase western classical music pieces from German and French composers played by a notable French pianist, Mirabel Pitte with the grand pianoforte. Bhutanese musicians will then play the traditional dramnyen followed by a fusion between the two.

Running her slender fingers through the piano, creating a fast soothing music at the convention hall yesterday was Mirabel Pitte practicing for the concert.

“Music is a great medium to bring people together,” she said. “Both the musicians play it differently and in their own way.”

The collections she will play, she said, are modern as well as classical. “I hope the audience will enjoy the music as much as I enjoy playing,” she said.

Standing there overlooking the rehearsal was the director general of the department of culture, Dorji Tshering.

trade fairs, Taiwan and Bhutan can form closer bilateral trade ties, Chao was quoted as saying.

The Himalayan kingdom has allowed increasing tourism in recent years and has great development potential, Chao said, describing TaiwanBhutan cooperation as mutually beneficial.

Although Bhutan has a tiny population, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation member now has

one of the highest per capita incomes in South Asia at US$1,321, according to Bhutan’s official tourism website.

As Bhutan has no manufacturing industry and relies on imported products, there are business opportunities for Taiwanese entrepreneurs, according to TAITRA. The BCCI, which has around 200 business community members, serves as the country’s trade development facilitator.

Bangladesh’s Summit eyes Bhutan power production Bangladesh’s leading privately held electricity provider, the Summit Group of Companies, plans to build a power plant in Bhutan, Chairman Muhammad Aziz Khan said on Sunday.

“At the moment we are surveying to identify the bottlenecks and potentials to set up a power plant

implementation of the Bibiyana 341 MW combined cycle power project,” Khan said.

The Bibiyana combined cycle power project will generate 341 MW of electricity by June 2014 at the lowest tariff of 1.90 taka per KW hour, Khan said.

Bibiyana is located at Sylhet, 278

in Bhutan with 500 megawatts capacity,” Khan told Reuters in an interview.

He said that Bhutan was a potentially rich source of hydro power and added: “If we could reap the potentials, then Bangladesh would be able to meet up its much needed electricity requirements.”

Summit plans to produce an additional 750 megawatts of electricity with imported liquefied natural gas over the next three to four years, and produce another 676 megawatts (MW) of electricity by the year 2014.

“We have already signed a deal with Chinese firm First Northeast Electric Power Engineering Company (NEPC) on Engineering, Procurement & Construction for about $220 million for

kilometres (174 miles) northeast from the capital city of Dhaka.

The project’s gas turbine will be supplied by U.S. firm General Electric (GE.N).

Earlier Summit signed two separate deals with GE and NEPC to install a duel fuel power plant of 335 MW at Meghnaghat, near Dhaka.

Khan said the two the projects would have a combined generating capacity of 676 MW by 2014.

“These will greatly help alleviate the electricity shortage,” Khan said.

Summit has invested more than $1 billion in the power sector and is supplying 600 MW of electricity to the national power grid.

Bangladesh suffers from chronic power shortages of up to 1,000 MW per day, which constrains growth and discourages investors.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF INDIA NEWS

Anna Hazare to announce coordination panel by Nov 10

Anna Hazare is likely to announce a coordination panel by Saturday to take his apolitical anti-corruption movement forward.

Hazare, who arrived here this afternoon, said he will hold a series of discussions with his associates in the next two days and visit a couple of places which have been shortlisted to house the movement’s office in Delhi.

The anti-graft crusader said he has decided to set up a coordination panel consisting of around a dozen associates.

“We will add more people to the panel after a screening,” he said, adding by November

10, a coordination panel will be in place.

Asked about Gen(retd) V K Singh sharing stage with former Haryana Chief Minister and INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala, Hazare said he was not aware of it and that the former Army chief has assured him earlier that he will not join politics.

Hazare had earlier decided to expand his core team by inviting prominent citizens like the ex-Army Chief besides considering formation of anti-corruption centres at district level.

Hazare wants to have a more inclusive core

group having members with experience in a variety of fields including policy making, activism, corporates, judiciary, police and electoral reforms, his aides said.

Besides Gen Singh, those who are being approached by Hazare to join the movement include activists P V Rajagopal and Rajender Singh, former IPS officer Prakash Singh and media personality Minhas Merchant.

Former Team Anna members like Justice Santosh Hegde and agriculture expert Devender Sharma, who have not taken a political plunge, are also being approached.

India boosts relations Army chief to visit Sri Lanka next month with 48-nation ASEM India Friday intensified its relations with the Asia-Europe Meeting, a 48member grouping, as a meeting of a key ASEM institution ended with the unveiling of 18 cross-cutting projects that will scale up linkages between the two continents in diverse areas.

The 29th board meeting of the AsiaEurope Foundation (ASEF), the

on human rights.

India’s High Commissioner to Singapore T.C.A. Raghavan represented India at the meeting.

Sanjay Singh, secretary (east) in India’s external affairs ministry, hosted a dinner in honour of the board members Thursday night.

The meeting took place ahead of External Affairs Minister S.M.

institutional arm and intellectual platform of the ASEM, concluded with senior officials of member countries pledging financial contributions that will finance 18 projects over the next year.

These projects encompass diverse areas, including economy, energy, sustainable development, public health, education, art and culture, Michael Filhol, executive director of the ASEF, told reporters here Friday. The ASEF translates the political dialogue of the ASEM into more people-to-people cooperation between Asia and Europe and help improve mutual understanding between the two continents, he said.

These projects include, among others, the Asia-Europe Economic Forum, ASEF Public Health Network, Asia-Europe Dialogue on Cultures and an informal seminar

Krishna’s visit to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, to attend the 9th ASEM summit Nov 5.

India’s growing stakes in the ASEM, since it joined the grouping in 2007, will be in spotlight when it hosts the meeting of the foreign ministers of ASEM countries in November next year.

India is among top contributors to the ASEF after Japan and the EU. Ahead of the foreign ministers’ meeting, New Delhi will host a meeting of journalists and a seminar on green economy, energy and sustainable development.

“India has been an active member and supported ASEF’s activities.

Nine ASEF projects have been completed in India,” said Roland van Remoortele, ASEF governor for Belgium and current chair of ASEF. He will take over as chairman of the board next year.

Army Chief General Bikram Singh will travel to Sri Lanka next month to discuss ways to further strengthen military ties between the two countries at a time when political parties in Tamil Nadu are up in arms against any kind of defence cooperation with Colombo.

Gen. Bikram Singh is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in the third week of December and dates are being finalised by the officials of the two sides, Army sources said here.

During the visit, the Army Chief is expected to discuss ways of enhancing cooperation between the two armies in terms of training, military hardware and joint exercises. He is also likely to discuss the Sri Lankan experience in controlling one of the world’s deadliest insurgencies and terrorist organisation LTTE. Indian and Sri Lankan armies are

also expected to hold a joint army exercise next year and details of cooperation were discussed at the defence talks held late last month between Sri Lankan defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa with National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and defence secretary Shashikant Sharma.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu have been protesting against having any defence ties with Sri Lanka.

Chief minister J Jayalalithaa had also written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to immediately halt the training of Sri Lankan officers in Tamil Nadu and send them back.

In July, nine Sri Lankan defence personnel were removed from a training institution in Tambaram to Bangalore after opposition from political parties in the state.

However, despite the opposition from Tamil Nadu political parties, the defence ministry has decided that it will continue to train Sri Lankan defence personnel at its facilities and have military ties with it.

The two countries have also decided to hold joint naval exercises next year but to address the sensitivities of the southern states, defence minister A K Antony has asked the drills to be held away from there.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF PAKISTAN NEWS

Supreme Court orders ‘operation’ in Karachi

* Sindh govt told to take action against all armed groups, including Taliban * Under-trial prisoners released on parole be arrested without possibility of bails KARACHI: A five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court on Saturday ordered to immediately arrest all criminals who had been released on parole while there cases were in courts and they were awaiting trial. The bench ordered this in an interim order in the Karachi unrest case.

The bench headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and comprising Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani, Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Gulzar Ahmed was hearing the Karachi unrest implementation case at the court’s Karachi registry.

The bench said in its written order that a report submitted by the Sindh government had disclosed the matter of release on parole of under-trial prisoners. It said these prisoners awaiting trial yet released on parole should be arrested immediately and presented before relevant trial courts.

The relevant courts were instructed to issue non-bailable warrants against such criminals. The SC also instructed the Sindh Home Department, including inspector general (IG), “to arrest those prisoners who were

released on parole and to present them in the courts”.

All authorities concerned will present a detailed report regarding this issue before the larger bench of the SCP

reports of around 6,000 and 7,000 Taliban having entered the city. The court had then directed Sindh police chief Fayyaz Leghari to submit a detailed report in this regard.

computerised licences be cancelled, the order added.

The bench said monthly fitness report of public transport with details be filed with the court, adding

on the next hearing, order stated further. “Action against unregistered vehicles and vehicles having fancy and foreign number plates, including non-custom paid vehicles running on the roads of the metropolis, should be initiated,” stated the order.

The court also ordered the Sindh government to take immediate action against all armed groups in Karachi, including the Taliban and take serious notice of their presence in the city. In an earlier hearing in the same case, Justice Jamali had said there were

The matter of foreign nationals also be given serious consideration, entries of foreign nationals be recorded correctly, it added. The court also ordered police and other authorities to take action against illegal foreign nationals in Karachi. Licences of firearms should be computerised within three months and subsequently all un-

that vehicles running on Dubai or other foreign number plates be impounded.

The court said in its order the provincial government presented report on target killings following the announcement of verdict in the Karachi law and order case. It seemed from the report as if the situation had further deteriorated. Rangers

have been present in the city for a long time and it is restricted only to arrest criminals, the report added.

The court ordered the Rangers DG that the force work more diligently to establish peace. It should apprehend criminals and hand them over to police forthwith.

The court also ordered that the process of appointment in police be made transparent, adding that out of turn promotions were made on political basis. This way the deserving candidates were deprived of promotions. Police system be revamped so that citizens of Karachi could get rid of target killings and extortionists, the order added.

Earlier during the hearing, the bench also instructed the authorities of Excise and Taxation Department to set up their office at Karachi port so that no vehicle could enter the city without registration, as unregistered vehicles were being used in criminal activities and officials are not taking any notice.

Dozens killed in Pakistan road crash Tuesday, 13th November, 2012 Cultural Activities Centre (C.A.C), International Islamic University Malaysia

At least 26 people killed, including three children, as a passenger van and a truck collide near city of Bahawalpur.

A Pakistani police official says 26 people have been killed when after a passenger van and a truck collided near the central city of Bahawalpur.

Local media reported that of those killed, seven were women and three were children.

Rescue workers pulled bodies and 10 injured from the crash, sending them to the local hospital. All of the injured were in a serious condition.

Suhail Tajik, the police chief of Bahawalpur, said Tuesday’s

accident took place on a section of the highway outside the city.

He said the passenger van was overtaking another vehicle when it slammed into an oncoming truck.

The van was completely destroyed.

Pakistan has a well-developed highway system but drivers often ignore basic safety rules and fatal road accidents are common.

Many public transport drivers are often not properly trained and often work long hours.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF MALDIVE NEWS

President inaugurates the ‘November 3rd’ book President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has launched the book ‘November 3rd’ on the occasion of the Victory Day. The book is about the attempted coup d’état by a handful of Maldivian assisted by armed mercenaries of People’s Liberation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) on the 3rd November 1988. The book was launched at the ceremony held to unveil the ‘Novermber 3rd Memorial’.

The book is meant to honor the martyrs of November 3rd and to portray the actions of valor by the soldiers in confronting

Maldives to build hotels on 14 virgin islands The Maldives is to build hotels on 14 uninhabited islands in order to satisfy rising demand from new markets, including China, within the next two years.

At least four of the larger islands

will be leased for three and fourstar developments targeted at the UK market.

Tourism minister Ahmed Adheeb Abdhul Gafoor admitted business from Europe, especially the UK and Italy, has been hit by the recession, but he said traffic from China had risen 200% since 2004.

However, the UK remains an important market, accounting for one in 10 visitors to the Maldives.

“The UK is a loyal market and we are hopeful it will turn out good,” he said. The tourist board will launch an outdoor poster campaign in the UK in the second quarter of next year.

Already there are 60 new resorts under construction in the Maldives, but deputy tourism minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal said the government would like to see tourism spread from the islands closest to the capital of Male to other regions of the country, including the south, which currently don’t benefit from tourism. A new domestic airport to

serve the southern islands opened earlier this year, with twice- daily flights from the capital Male.

The Maldives has more than 1,200 islands of which fewer than 200 have hotels and a further 200 are

inhabited.

The government has yet to open the bidding process for the 14 islands, but Jamal said hoteliers were “queuing up to get into the islands”.

In 2011, there was a 17.6% increase in visitors and in the first quarter of 2012 numbers were up a further 3.3%. Minister admitted there was a drop immediately after a political coup rocked the island earlier this year, but he said arrivals were now “back on track”.

“The forecast is looking good.”

Speaking at World Travel Market on Tuesday, minister Gafoor pledged to protect the Maldives’ hotel spas, which had been threatened with closure by the previous government. “Spas will remain an integral part of Maldives tourism,” he said. “This government will never do such a thing to damage tourism to the Maldives.”

As a show of its determination to maintain spas on the island, the Maldives was offering free massages on its stand at WTM.

the adversaries and the greatsacrifices they made for the nation. The book will also describe the plans made by the mercenaries and the events of that day to clarify and depict the incident.

The book which has been brought to life after numerous researches which included, going through the 450 peoples account of that day and the write up of their actions by the soldiers, all material which were gathered by the November 3rd Investigation Committee and the book ‘November 3rd Udhuvaanee

Hamalaa’ released by the Office of the President.

The book also includes a never before released image of one of the martyr’s which has been achieved with the help of forensic art and information by the family members. Also drawings of various scenes which depict the area have been published in the book.

This book will be an invaluable resource to students and persons who wish to further research the November 3rd incident.

My name will be on the ballot paper – Nasheed

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has said that his name will be on the ballot paper of the Presidential Election to be held next year. He said this at the rally of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) held at Usfasgandu last night.

Nasheed said that the state has no proof and evidence to prosecute him and a court and judges with no legitimate authority cannot issue verdicts against him. Some analysts say that despite this, Nasheed will face a court sentence which will annul is candidacy for the upcoming election.

Some countries have called to give Nasheed a free and fair trial.

In view of the GMR issue, Nasheed said that the current government is pulling the wool over the eyes of the public.

He urged the people to reach the truth regarding the matter by seeking the reality of the issue. He said that the partners of the government coalition’s views on the GMR issue is

contradictory and very irresponsible.

Nasheed said that the airport was leased to GMR to develop the airport and that it is saddening that the government is trying to reclaim the airport by using such irresponsible arguments. He said that there is no good and benefit in challenging the neighboring India. He said that MDP will not ever want to take part in these dangerous and harmful doings. He said that MDP wants to develop the airport and develop the tourism industry by way of the airport.

Higher court halts hearing against Maldives expresident amid challenge to court’s legitimacy

A higher court in the Maldives on Sunday ordered the suspension of a legal hearing on charges against the country’s former president.

Ex-leader Mohamed Nasheed is accused of illegally ordering the detention of a senior judge, a move that led to his ouster from power earlier this year.

Public Prosecutor Aishath Sazna Ahmed said the country’s High Court on Sunday ordered the suspension of a hearing against Nasheed after he challenged the legitimacy of the lower court that heard his case.

Nasheed was to appear in court for a second time Sunday, nearly a month after he was arrested for ignoring summons twice and breaching an order prohibiting him from leaving capital, Male. He was released after

the first hearing.

Nasheed stepped down as president of this India Ocean archipelago in February after months of protests and later losing the support of police and the military following the judge’s arrest.

He has said he was forced out in

a military coup. An independent commission of inquiry later ruled that Nasheed’s ouster was legal and that he had not been forced to step down at gunpoint as he had claimed. Nasheed said he would accept the commission report with reservations.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF NEPAL NEWS

SC issues stay order against distributing 5.7-magnitude quake money to ‘disqualified’ combatants rocks Kathmandu Valley

The Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday issued an interim

order directing the government to not implement its decision to dole out Rs 200,000 each to the UNMIN verified disqualified PLA combatants. A division bench of SC Justice Girish Chandra Lal gave the directive to remain effect until November 11. However, the SC has said discussions would be held on the same day on whether or not to give continuity to the interim order.

Democratic Lawers Association had lodged a writ on Thursday at the SC demanding that the government’s decision be scrapped, arguing that the decision to give Rs 200,000 each to 3,000 UNMIN verified PLA combatants was against the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2063 B.S.

Ex-king Gyanendra to inaugurate Nawalparasi temple

Ex-king Gyanendra Shah is leaving for Gopalpur of Haripur Gaun, Nawalparasi to inaugurate the newly constructed temple of Mahayogi Guru Gorachhyanath on

Tuesday. Shah the last king of Shah Dynasty was specially invited by the World Hindu Association of India chapter, according to the establishment committee Harpur informed. Supporters have constructed welcome gates in various parts from Parasi to Gopalpur in the district which honours monarchy.Former king Gyanendra is set to leave on Monday and scheduled to stay at Nirmana Hotel of Bhairahawa. According to sources, he will return Kathmandu on Wednesday.

A moderate earthquake, which the National Seismological Centre said was 5.7 on the Richter scale, hit the Kathmandu Valley at 6:52 pm on Monday evening, sending people out of their homes.

Dr Soma Nath Sapkota, chief of National Seismological Centre in Kathmandu, told a television station that the preliminary information suggested that the epicentre was in Tibet bordering Sindhupalchowk district of Nepal, 136 km north-east of the Kathmandu Valley.

Television channels reported that tremors were felt in eastern Nepal also.

According to Thakur Prasad Kandel, seismologist at the Surkhet-based Seismological Centre, some people in Rukum reported that they felt the tremors in the western district also.

No casualties have been reported yet .Meanwhile, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the quake as 4.6 on the Richter scale.

The USGS showed the epicentre was 36km northeast of Chongdui, Tibet, with its location 28.411°N 86.200°E depth=65.6km (40.7mi).

On September 18, 2011 an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale had rocked the eastern part of Nepal, including the Kathmandu Valley. At least 63 people were killed in India, Nepal and Tibet.

Leopard suspected of eating 15 people in Nepal A ferocious leopard may have killed 15 people in Nepal in a 15-month span, its latest victim a 4-year-old boy that the creature dragged away into the jungle to eat.

The head of boy was found in the forest a kilometer from his home Saturday morning, said Kamal Prasad Kharel, the police chief of the Baitadi district, an area about 600 kilometers (373 miles) west of Kathmandu.

The grisly discovery, which came after teams of people searched for the child, marks the 15th victim in the past 15 months in that remote district in western Nepal.

The police chief suspects that a single man-eating leopard is responsible for the deaths. If not, there are at most two of the man-eating creatures around, he believes.

Maheshwor Dhakal, an ecologist at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation in Kathmandu, agreed that it is unusual to find more than one or two man-eating animals in one area. Most leopards live on wild prey.

More human victims could also be expected if there were more than one

or two man-eaters around, he said.

“Since human blood has more salt than animal blood, once wild animals get the taste of salty blood they do not like other animals like deer,” Dhakal said.

Kharel said he feared the actual number of people killed by the leopard could be higher than 15, because others have lost their life to leopard attacks in Uttarkhand state in northern India, which borders Baitadi district.

“It could be the same leopard,” he said.

Of the 15 victims in Nepal so far, twothirds are children below the age of 10. The others are older children and

a 29-year-old woman who had gone to collect fodder for domestic animals in the nearby forest, a common practice in Nepal.

“No adult male has been killed,” Kharel said.

All the victims are from villages bordering the dense forests in the

eat.

“In the case of the children it just leaves behind the head, eating everything, but some parts of the adult body are left behind because it cannot finish it,” Kharel added.

The district administration has announced a Rs. 25,000 (about $300)

raise public awareness of the dangers of going alone into nearby forests and has mobilized the police, armed police force and local people who have licensed guns to hunt for the animal.

Controlling this particular leopard has been a challenge for the wildlife officials in Kathmandu.

district, he said.

After killing its victim, the leopard takes the body away into the forest to

reward to anyone who captures or kills the leopard.

The local administration has sought to

“We are sending a veterinary doctor to the district to understand the situation,” Dhakal, the ecologist, said.

“There is no alternative but to kill the leopard.”

The chief district administrator has granted permission for this particular leopard to be killed. Normally, it is illegal to kill wild animals.

Leopards are common in the low mountain areas, as compared to the high Himalayas, across the country.

While cases of leopards killing domestic animals are common, and there are sometimes instances of leopards killing people in Nepal, this case is “extreme,” Dhakal said.

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Saarc international I Thursday 11 September 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF SRILANKA NEWS

Opposition political parties of Sri Lanka to defend the independence of the judiciary A group of Sri Lanka’s opposition political parties have vowed to fight for the independence of the judiciary.

Nine opposition political parties including the main opposition United National Party (UNP) have said today they would support the actions of the Judges Association and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka to protect the independence of the judiciary.

Issuing a statement, the parties have vowed to defend the independence of judiciary and protest against any witch-hunt of members of the judiciary for political reasons.

The party leaders have noted that the impeachment motion against the

Chief Justice needed to be addressed according to the charges leveled and not to political reasons.

The nine opposition political parties have called for the reintroduction

of the 17th Amendment and the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe of the UNP, R.

Sampanthan of Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Siritunga Jayasuriya of United Socialist Party, Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne of Nawa Samasamaja Party, Mano

Ganeshan of Democratic People’s Party, Sarath Manamendra of Nawa Sihala Urumaya, Hemakumara Nanayakkara of Mavubima Janatha Front, Aruna Soysa of Ruhunu Janatha Party and Sirimasiri Hapuarachchi of Eksath Janatha Peramuna have signed the statement.

Meanwhile the UNP Spokesperson, parliamentarian Gayantha Karunathilaka told a news conference that the government after ignoring certain directives by the Supreme Court was trying to influence the judiciary and abusing its powers.

He accused the government of trying to influence the judiciary through the controversial Divi Neguma Bill.

Independence of judiciary must Impeachment motion against Sri be ensured in Sri Lanka: US Lanka Chief Justice draws protests * Urges colombo to avoid any action that will impede efficacy

Expressing concern over the move to impeach Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, the US has urged the Sri Lankan Government to avoid any action that would impede the efficacy and independence of country’s judiciary.

“The US is concerned by actions taken to impeach Sri Lankan Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. We urge the Government of Sri Lanka to avoid any action that would impede the efficacy and independence of Sri Lanka’s judiciary,” State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said yesterday.

The US officials have also noted with concern the recent threats to Sri Lankan judicial officials, including the assault last month on a judge who had publicly criticised government pressure on members of the judiciary, she said.

“The US, along with its partners in the international community, continues to

urge Sri Lanka to address outstanding issues of the rule of law, democratic governance, accountability and reconciliation,” Nuland said.

The US official, however, refrained from going into specifics of the concerns.

“We are concerned about interference with the judiciary. Beyond that, I think it’s probably not productive to go, but what we are saying publicly in that statement is not any different than what we’ve been saying to the Sri Lankan Government for some time,” she said.

The US has always raised concerns every time the judiciary was “not allowed to be conducted impartially” in any country, and it will do the same in Sri Lanka also, Nuland asserted. She, however, said the broader relations with Sri Lanka remained on track. On November 1, the Sri Lankan government had set in motion the process to impeach the woman Chief Justice charging her with “improper conduct” and “over-stepping” limits in an escalating conflict between the Judiciary and the Executive. Bandaranayake, 54, was appointed the country’s first woman chief justice last year and has another 11 years in office unless removed by the impeachment motion. Agencies.

The motion by ruling party legislators of Sri Lanka to impeach the country’s first female Chief Justice has drawn fire from many corners of the society and thousands of Sri Lankans took to the streets to protest the move.

Waving placards and shouting slogans thousands of people including lawyers, opposition legislators and activists marched in the capital Colombo on Monday demanding the government to halt the impeachment proceedings against the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake.

The protesters, members of a right group called People’s Movement of Democracy, demanded the government to end intimidating the judiciary and assure its independence. Some of the placards read “End of Justice End of fair play” and “Hands off the judiciary” The impeachment motion signed by 117 ruling party legislators was handed over to the Speaker of Sri Lanka’s parliament on Thursday November 01. The motion alleges that the Chief Justice has overstepped her role and requests the Speaker to appoint a Select Committee to remove the Chief Justice.

Meanwhile, a constituent party of the ruling alliance, Lanka Samasamaja Party (LSSP) has decided to revoke its support to the impeachment motion while the country’s Buddhist Chief Prelates urged the government to reconsider its attempt to impeach the Chief Justice.

The impeachment motion is brought against the highest judge after months of simmering between the executive and the judiciary.

Last month the Speaker warned the country’s apex court for disregarding his authority in the parliament when the court sent its ruling on the controversial Divineguma bill to the Secretary General of Parliament instead of the Speaker.

The High Court judge and the Secretary of the

Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Manjula Tilakaratne was attacked after he was threatened due to a statement he issued on September 18 stating that the Judiciary Services Commission has come under interference from the executive.

Sri Lanka President dismissed the allegation that the judiciary is unduly influenced by the executive and asserted that there is no political interference of any kind on the country’s judiciary.

Both the United States and the European Union have expressed concern over the legislature’s measure to impeach Dr. Bandaranayake. The U.S. urged the government to avoid any action that would impede the efficacy and independence of the country’s judiciary.

At the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva yesterday the U.S. called on the Sri Lankan government to strengthen judicial independence by ending government interference with the judicial process, protect members of the judiciary from attacks and restore a fair, independent, and transparent mechanism to oversee judicial appointments.

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Pervez Musharraf Meets Sultan Ul Awliya Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Al Haqqani.

Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf Visits Shaykh Nazim, Confirmed as a Sayyid, Takes Baiah on the 18th of Dhul Hijjah President Musharraf visits Mawlana Shaykh Nazim at his house in Cyprus with his family, and takes baiah with him on the Day of the Ghadir Declaration by the Prophet (S) wherein ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (rad) was declared the Master of Believers.

Excerpts from Mawlana’s advice to President Musharraf: “You are an honorable person, and related to the Prophet (S). I am sorry I could not come downstairs to welcome

you to my home, you are from the children of the Prophet (S), so please forgive me for that… Honor the honorable ones (Hadith)….

Honor the honorable ones (Hadith), the Prophet (S) said this, therefore as much as possible, offer respect, and our love to honorable ones. I am under the feet of Ahlul Bayt, Ahlul Bayt…Allahu Akbar!

Wa lillahil hamd. It is in the very near future, inshallah (the victory promised for the Ahlul Bayt under

Sayyidina Mahdi (as)). Our Sayyid here (President Musharraf) should not take any responsibility, nor ask for any responsibility until you are granted it from Sayyidina Mahdi (as) … I am someone who is weak and poor, but my heart is full with love of the Seal of the Prophets (S), love of his Ahlul Bayt, love of Mahdi (alaihi salam). My heart is full, I am waiting for him. Sayyidina Mahdi will come and defeat the anti-Christ and his illusions”…

Continued from page 32 >> Obama win opens historic Pybus quits as Bangladesh coach chance for peace, progress: PM hisRichard support he received from the board position untenable.

Continued from page 19 >> Singh said he looked forward to continuing the rewarding association in order to build further on the enduring foundations of the shared values and the accomplishments of the past four years.

“I have no doubt that there is much more we can do together to further strengthen the India-US partnership and thereby advance peace and stability, expand mutual

economic opportunities, harness the potential of science and technology, innovation and higher education, and empower our people to address global challenges,” he added.

Manmohan Singh said his wife Gurcharan Kaur joined him in wishing Obama and Michelle, as well as their daughters Malia and Sasha, “good health, success and happiness as you prepare for a new term in office.”

Continued from page 19 >> (LHC). On their application, the bench directed then-registrar of LHC, Moazzam Hayat, to visit Switzerland and meet with Daniel Devaud, the then-Examining Magistrate in Geneva to verify the authenticity of the documents.

When the registrar requested the Swiss magistrate to attest the copies of documents presented to LHC, assuming that the original documents were presented in the Swiss Court, the magistrate refused, saying no original documents were submitted in the Swiss courts either.

Sources said the then-accountability chairman had hired ‘special services’ of Hasan Waseem Afzal to design the cases, who managed it through the services of a High Court judge, Malik Qayyum. On the basis of non-original documents, however, Devaud awarded a sentence of up to six months to Benazir and Zardari in July 2003.

Benazir subsequently appealed, and the conviction was set aside by a Geneva tribunal on November 4, 2003.

Earlier January 2012 in an interview Daniel Zappelli, Geneva’s chief prosecutor, said he had no evidence to bring Zardari to trial. He declined to say exactly who owned the accounts holding the $60 million, citing confidentiality.

Zardari’s lawyer, Saverio Lembo, had welcomed Zappelli’s decision to shelve the long-running case. “It confirms what my client has pleaded since 1997. In the SGS/Cotecna case, no funds belonging to Benazir Bhutto were found,” Zappelli said.

Cannot be reopened The alleged money-laundering case against President Zardari could not be reopened in Swiss courts, Swiss attorney general Daniel Zappelli said in an interview in April 2010.

Since the president enjoyed immunity under international law, Swiss courts could not entertain any request to reopen the cases against him, even if the Swiss authorities received a proper request from Pakistan with all the required stances through an official channel, Zappelli was quoted as saying.

NRO implementation case

The main reason for his decision was the difference between the terms he agreed with the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the terms that were in his contract.

Pybus said the BCB wanted him to spend 320 days a year with the Bangladesh team, a commitment he was not ready to make because of family reasons.

“The board approached me earlier this year on three occasions to become head coach. I turned them down twice, as I couldn’t commit to the amount of time they wanted me to be with the team and in Bangladesh, which was 320 days a year,” Pybus told ESPNcricinfo. “I explained that I had family responsibilities that stop me from being away for this amount of time. The third time they approached me, I explained again, in detail, what the issues were.

“I said I could prepare the team in

camps, tour with them and be there for all series, but I needed to get home between tours for my family.

If they were happy with that, then I could do the job for them. That was when they agreed that I would be able to go home between tours. Their agreement was never made explicit in the contract they presented to me in Dhaka so I refused to sign it. That is the heart of the matter.”

Another reason for his decision to quit, Pybus said, was the lack of

when he wanted to make certain changes and supplement his coaching with additional information.

“I asked for the mandate of authority and responsibility to run the national side without interference from board directors and was given that assurance by board president [Mustafa] Kamal. In reality that was never the case,” he added.

“My position was undermined consistently by interference from the board.

“I couldn’t even get the board to sign off on providing healthy sandwiches for the players after training. Players were going down with food poisoning during camps, so I wanted to offer them something better than a fried egg sandwich. I was told I couldn’t, because that was all the budget could afford.”

Pybus has also previously had two spells in charge of Pakistan.

Sachin Tendulkar receives Order of Australia honour Australians are fierce competitors but also shower you with praises when you play well. “They are fierce competitors and play well and hard. But they also shower you with praises when you come out and play well. In fact my favourite ground away from home is Sydney,” he said adding that his most memorable trip to Australia was when he met Sir Donald Bradman.

“When I asked him why a strike rate of 99.9, he replied: Son, it is not bad for a 90-year-old.”

Australian Prime Minister Julian Gillard had announced that the Order of Australia would be conferred on Tendulkar during her visit to India last month.

Gillard had described her decision as special and something rarely conferred to non-Australians.

“Cricket is of course a very great bond between Australia and India. We are both cricket mad nations.

So, I am also very pleased that we are going to confer on Sachin Tendulkar membership of the Order of Australia,” she had said. (Read: Sachin admired in Australia as he is in India, says Gillard) Established in 1975 by Elizabeth II to recognise achievements of Australian citizens, it is generally classified under general and military categories.

Tendulkar however is not the first cricketer and is now the third Indian to have received this honour.

West Indies’ Brian Lara was honoured in 2007 while Mother Teresa and former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee were the previous members from India.

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Saarc international I Thursday 08 November 2012

The Muslim Brotherhood – to Good Looking Jamaat Islami

Ikhwan - Taleban Khan Ikhwan :They seized power in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia following the notorious Arab Spring revolutions.

LIVINGSTONE wrote that “The founder of the Muslim Brotherhood was a Freemason, named Hassan al

They are determined to do the same in Syria and Jordan. They are the Muslim Brotherhood, the world’s most influential modern Islamist organization. But what do we actually know about them? Is their reach limited to the Middle East, and are they really a threat to Israel and Europe? Or Iran?

June 26th 2012 : After victory of Ikhwan Ul Muslimoon in Egypt this year Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan and the Ikhwanul Muslimoon (Muslim Brotherhood) have decided to make joint efforts to promote Islam and find solutions to issues faced by Muslims. A three member JI delegation led by party chief, Syed Munawar Hasan went for four-day visit to Egypt at the invitation of Ikhwanul Muslimoon chief Dr Muhammad Badei.

Syed Munawar Hasan congratulated the Ikhwanul Muslimoon leadership and Egyptian people on the successful revolution in their country. JI leader said that as Muslim Brotherhood had been victorious after they followed thought-provoking writings by Maulana Maudoodi, adding that JI was also stepping forward and taking all pains to spread public awareness because the party believed that revolution could only be realised with the public support and for that purpose, electoral politics was the best option.

In a book “Terrorism and the Illuminati ,A Three Thousand Year History” by DAVID

Banna, born in 1906, who developed from the influence of the three Salafi reformers, Afghani, Abduh and Rida. Banna’s father was as student of Abduh, while Banna himself was greatly influenced by Rashid Rida. By age twenty-one, Banna was introduced to the leadership of Al-Manar, founded by Rida, and, beginning in the early 1920s, would often meet and discuss with Rida.

Through Rida, Banna developed his opposition to Western influence in Egypt, in favor of “pure Islam”, meaning to the pernicious version of Wahhabism.” In 1928 the “Muslim Brotherhood” was founded by an Egyptian schoolteacher named Hasan al-Banna.

Dr. John Coleman alleges that it was created by “the great names of British Middle East intelligence...”, Stephen Dorril writes that the Brotherhood was linked to British Intelligence through dame Freya Stark prior to World War II, and the Shah’s regime in Iran considered it

to be a tool of British Freemasonry.

Some Muslims will find these claims hard to believe but they should not be rejected out of hand. Hasan alBanna was a devout Muslim who put Islam first but it should not be considered inconceivable that he was influenced by Britain’s Masonic Brotherhood, or that he accepted British aid to advance his movement, at least in the early stages. Islam was used effectively by the British outside of Egypt, so why would they not try to use it in Egypt as well?

The Brotherhood was a religious secret society known publicly for its emphasis on Islamic education and for its charitable activities.

Prior to World War II British Intelligence cultivated ties with the

Brotherhood through agent Freya Stark, the British adventurer and writer. These covert connections were used to keep track of the growing German presence in North Africa and to stay informed of the many different political movements that were springing up.

Dr. John Coleman, a former British Intelligence agent...states in his report on Iran’s Islamic Revolution that the Muslim Brotherhood was created by “the great names of British Middle East intelligence”... and that their mission was to “keep the Middle East backward so that its natural resource, oil, could continue to be looted...”

The Muslim Brotherhood is a London creation, forged as the standardbearer of an ancient, anti-religious (pagan) heresy that has plagued Islam since the establishment

of the Islamic community (umah) in the seventh century.

Representing organized Islamic fundamentalism, the organization called the Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan al-Muslimoon in Arabic) was officially founded in Egypt, in 1929, by the British agent Hasan al-Banna, a Sufi mystic. Today, the Muslim Brotherhood is the umbrella under which a host of fundamentalist Sufi, Sunni, and radical Shiite brotherhoods and societies flourish.

The Muslim Brotherhood is a tool by the British-based Globalists whose main objective is to overthrow the established world order and create a new one-world system of global governance.

Without the British, “radical Islam would have remained the illegitimate, repressive minority movement that it has always been, and the Middle East would have remained stable and prosperous.”

The real Muslim Brothers are...the secretive bankers and financiers who stand behind the curtain, the members of the old Arab, Turkish, or Persian families whose genealogy places them in the oligarchic elite, with smooth business and intelligence associations to the European black nobility and, especially, to the British oligarchy.

By fabricating a bogus war between Islamic fundamentalism and the West, the globalists are able to attack their real enemy, humanity.

Pulling the strings, they will ensure that both Western and Muslim states are degraded and finally completely subjugated to their odious rule.

The globalists have long been using wars to subvert, demoralize and destroy Western civilization.

They plan a new feudalism that will impoverish the middle classes, depopulate and enslave the masses, and leave only the rich served by a technocracy. The whole world will resemble a repressive third world country governed by the IMF, UN and World Bank.

The globalists are headquartered in London and centered on the Rothschild-dominated Bank of England, MI-6 and the secretive Round Table society, which spawned the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

“According to CIA agent Miles Copeland, the Americans began looking for a Muslim Billy Graham around 1955… When finding or creating a Muslim Billy Graham proved elusive, the CIA began

to cooperate with the Muslim Brotherhood, The Muslim Brotherhood spread throughout the Muslim world and has evolved into something like a Muslim equivalent of the West’s Masonic brotherhood. It became one of the first Islamic Fundamentalist terror organizations… The Muslim Brotherhood was an obvious ally against Nasser, because he had abolished it from Egypt after it was involved in a failed assassination attempt on his life in 1954.

The Brotherhood rejected Nasser’s policy that, for the most part, kept religion out of politics. Officially the Brotherhood was an outlawed organization, but it remained influential and active within Egypt working against the secular regime, often hand-in-hand with British Intelligence. In June of 1955 MI6 was already approaching the Brotherhood in Syria to agitate against the new government that showed strong left-wing tendencies and a desire to merge with Egypt (2). The Brotherhood became an even more important asset after Nasser announced the Egyptian takeover of the Suez…

In Syria, in 1982, there was a major conflict between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Syrian government at the city of Hamma that resulted in 20,000 casualties.

In the aftermath Syria’s President Asad revealed that the Muslim Brotherhood forces were armed with US-made equipment…

Khomeini and Brother Hood Founder fo Jamat e Islami Moulana Mawdudi was a close friend of Khomeini and was sympathetic to his course. In a book titled, ‘Two brothers - Maududi and Khomeini’ page 129, the following statement of Dr Ahmad Farouk Maududi (son of Abul-A’ala Maududi) was also published in Roz Naame, Lahore - 29 September 1979, “Allama Khomeini had a very old and close relationship with Abba Jaan (father). Aayaatullah Khomeini translated his (fathers) books in Farsi and included it as a subject in Qum. Allama Khomeini met my father in 1963 during Hajj and my father’s wish was to create a revolutionary in Pakistan similar to Iran. He was concerned about the success of the Iranian revolution till his last breath.’

In his report Dr. Coleman writes that in Iran, “At one time there was even a joke about the mullahs being Continued on page 31 >>

Saarc international I Thursday 08 November 2012 Continued from page 30 >> stamped ‘made in Britain.’”

When the Shah introduced his plan for modernization in 1963 the Ayatollah Khomeini emerged as the leader of the religious opposition. Up until his exile from Iran in 1964, Khomeini was based at the religious city of Qom. Dr. Coleman relates that Radio Free Iran claimed that while at Qom Khomeini received a “monthly stipend from the British, and he is in constant contact with his masters, the British.”

Khomeini was kicked out of Iran and settled in Iraq. He lived there for a number of years until he was arrested by the Iraqi government and deported in 1978. French President D’Estang was then pressured to offer Khomeini refuge in France to continue his “Islamic studies.” While in France he became a Western celebrity and the symbol of the anti-Shah Islamic revolution.

Coleman writes, “Once Khomeini was installed at the Chateau Neauphle, he began to receive a constant stream of visitors, many of them from the BBC, the CIA and British intelligence.”

The BBC then became the Ayatollah’s main promoter. Dr. Coleman writes, “It was the BBC, which prepared and distributed to the mullahs in Iran all of the cassette tapes of Khomeini’s speeches, which inflamed the peasants.

Bhutto and Brother Hood A radical spokesman of the Muslim Brotherhood had this to say several years later, “The Brotherhood has taken over in Iran and Pakistan. Bhutto stood for intrusion of the West into Islam. Bhutto was everything that Pakistan was not. That is why we killed him. And we will use his death as a warning to others.”

‘Good looking Jamaat-e-Islami’ After Zia-ul-Haq’s coup, the JI entered the corridors of power through the backdoor by having strong representation in his handpicked cabinet. It supported and campaigned for ‘yes’ vote in Zia’s infamous referendum of Dec, 1984. However, in the election of Feb, 1985 held on nonparty basis the members of JI contesting as individuals, once again bit the dust, this time at the hands of locally influential

SAARC

Ikhwan - Taleban Khan

politicians. Under Maududi and Mian Tufail Mohammad the JI maintained a very stringent and restricted procedure for qualifying as its member. It would not go after cheap popularity at the cost of its orthodoxy and inflexible principles. However, it all started changing after Qazi Hussain Ahmed was elected as JI Ameer (Chief) in 1987. Qazi wanted to shed off JI’s image as a party with limited appeal and circumscribed entry for general public.

He sought to become a leader of masses. Both Pakistan’s establishment and JI have been realizing the need of a front organization with a moderate semblance for quite some time now, which has the potential to win popularity in the masses. This desire is reflected in JI’s creation of Pasban in the early 1990s. Its name was changed to Shabab-e-Milli when Pasban was banned in 1995 after its involvement in violent acts by the then government of Nawaz Sharif.

In fact, London has turned into an important media hub for the Brotherhood, which operates the Arabic publication Risalat Al-Ikhwan and the satellite channel Al-Hiwar TV, boasting more than two million viewers, out of the British capital. Apart from broadcasting programs with Islamic themes and anti-Israeli propaganda and incitement, Al-Hiwar gives stage to various extremists (like Muhammad Sawalha, a Hamas operative) who use the media as a tool to spread their toxic messages. To arouse public enthusiasm, patriotic songs were played with music in Pasban’s rallies, which was against the traditional JI culture. Cricket world cup victory of 1992 was celebrated by Pasban all over Pakistan by holding Junaid Jamshaid’s PepsiPakistan music shows. Pasban was publicized in all possible ways. It, however, lacked a leader possessing magnetism necessary to attract the general public. Both the JI and Pakistan’s deep state were looking for a charismatic character like Jinnah and (Z.A) Bhutto, who had a glitz of the Western culture and a mindset of an Islamist. One senior JI member, who had previously been the Nazim (head) of IJT at the Punjab University namely Hafeez ullah Niazi effectively solved this problem by finding the right person for this job. He happened to be the brother-in-law of cricket’s super star, male sex symbol and Casanova of International repute, Imran Khan. It was easy for Hafeez Ullah to preach Maudaudi’s Islamic ideology to Imran,

who, after overly enjoying the best of this world was seeking the same for the other too.

Imran retired from cricket first time in 1987, after his team’s defeat in world cup’s semi final at Lahore, but reversed his decision at the insistence of General Zia ul Haq. After winning the world cup of 1992 as captain of Pakistan’s cricket team he attained the status of a national hero, after which he finally hung up his cricket shoes. A series of articles written by Imran from 1987 to 1992, in which he criticized the Western culture and British Empire and emphasized on promotion of one’s own Islamic-Nationalistic identity, reflected a deep influence of JI’s brainwashing. The JI got hold of Imran in the early stages of his reversion to his native culture.

31 near, the growing popularity of PTI will attract opportunists from all political backgrounds.

However, PTI will most likely retain its core group that has JI’s ideology deep seated in its heart and mind.

PTI connections with the Jihadists

Making of PTI under JI’s fostering There is little doubt about it that PTI is a hybrid of JI and the security establishment in general and its strong Jihadist segment in particular.

Imran’s links with the JI are too obvious.

Initially Qazi deployed expert campaign designers of JI, Mansoor Siddiqui (creator of

During 1995-1996, just before the launching of PTI, Imran had numerous meetings with General Hamid Gul. On one’s reviewing leading news papers of that time, one finds them full of speculations that Imran and Gul were jointly launching a party to provide alternative leadership to those fed up with bipartisan politics. It did not happen after all, probably to avoid exposure of Imran’s close links with former members of the security establishment who were still close to Jihadi outfits.

However, Lt. General Mujeeb-ul-Rehman, who had served as secretary information during Zia-ul-Haq’s regime and said to have close links with the security establishment and Gul Hameed, was one of the founding members of PTI who went on to become its secretary general. Presently one of the central PTI leaders, Ahmad Awais is Gul Hameed’s nephew

“Zalimo….” slogan for Qazi), Shams Raza Khan and Mohammad Ali Durrani along with two of the founding members of Pasban, Shabeer Sial and Mahmood ul Raheed (elected as member of the Punjab Assembly on JI/IJI ticket in 1988), to help Imran organize his campaign for 1997 election. The JI itself boycotted that election.

Shabeer Sial later served PTI as its president of Lahore, while Mahmood ul Rasheed presently holds this position.

Ejaz Chaudhry, Vice President and Incharge Youth Affairs of PTI, considered to be the closest adviser to Imran, is an ex-JI man and son-inlaw of Madudi’s immediate JI successor, Mian Tufail Muhammad. Another VP of PTI Abdul Hafeez Khan too is an ex-IJT Nazim (head) of Punjab University.

Since its inception till present day, the governing body of PTI has been overly populated by exmembers or sympathizers of the JI. Usually two parties develop rivalry, if members of one are snatched by the other. However, PTI and the JI are hand in hand together as JI members left the JI and joined PTI on the behest of JI, under an orchestrated infiltration of an up and coming party. As elections draw

(one who lost Supreme Court bar election to Asma Jahangir).

In 1997, soon after the launching of PTI, Imran Khan toured Chechnya where, for one week, he was the guest of Mujahideen rebel Leader Aslan Maskhadov, who would later in 1999 go on to institute full sharia law in Chechnya and who was at that time the President of Chechnya.

The soft or apologetic stance of PTI on the Taliban issue is also a well known fact. Imran has been opposing Military operations against the Taliban and trying to justify the Taliban movement as “Pushtoon nationalist resistance against occupation forces.” He is also on record defending Taliban’s way of ‘justice’ same as Jamaat e Islami. He has been one voice with Islamist parties on the issues of war on terror, drone attacks, Aafia Siddiqui, Raymod Davis etc.

Recently addressing a press conference in Peshawar after paying a visit to inquire after the health of Malala Yousafzai. Terming the ongoing war in Afghanistan a ‘jihad’, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan parried a question whether the war in Pakistan’s tribal belt could be labelled as terrorism.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 08 November 2012

Richard Pybus quits as Bangladesh coach

Bangladesh cricket is in the midst of controversy over the recent resignation of head coach Richard Pybus, who cited reasons of contractual disagreement with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for his decision. In the aftermath he alleged in an interview with ESPNCricinfo that the board had undermined his position as coach.

The 48-year-old, born in Newcastle, England, presided over the Tigers’ preparation for the World Twenty20 and the tournament itself, which they exited at the first group stage.

Pybus, who had an option to remain until the 2015 World Cup, felt the terms of his contract and the interference from Continued on page 29 >> administration had made

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Sports

Banned Pakistani stars to be heard next February guilty at Southwark Crown Court in November 2011, on charges of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments over deliberate no-balls bowled during the Lord’s Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010.

Mohammad Amir, the third player accused by the Crown Prosecution Service, had pleaded guilty to the

The Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) will hear, next February 2013, the appeals of banned Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif against the ICC’s bans for spot-fixing, reported ESPN cricinfo.

Asif’s case will be heard between

charges. Butt served seven months of a 30-month jail sentence, Asif six months of a year-long term, while Amir spent three months in a young offenders’ institute.

However, the three players had already been found guilty by an ICC tribunal on February 5, 2011, and were banned for various durations.

Butt’s ban was for 10 years and

Asif’s for seven. That punishment was announced a day after the CPS levied its charges against the players.

Butt had also wanted to lodge an appeal with the International Criminal Court, but decided against it due to the expense involved and the lengthy duration of the proceedings.

February 5-7, and Butt’s on the 8th, it was confirmed on Monday.

The CAS, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, is recognised as the world’s highest judicial body for sportsmen and cases involving sport.

Asif, along with Butt, was found

Sachin Tendulkar receives Order of Australia honour

Mr Tendulkar was the second Indian to receive the Australian honour, after former human rights advocate and Indian Attorney-General Soli Jehangir Sorabjee.

Legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar was conferred with the membership of Order of Australia

(AM), here on Tuesday. The cricketer was presented with the Order by Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government and Minister for the Arts - Simon Crean.

Thanking Crean, Tendulkar said Continued on page 29 >>

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