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Thursday, 26.01.12

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Jay Leno is clearly racist Sikhs furious at Jay Leno’s temple gag

Leno, NBC sued over Golden Temple remark ‘Freedom does not mean hurting the sentiments of others... This is not acceptable to us and we take a very strong objection for such a display.’

India objects to US TV host’s joke saying Golden Temple is summer home for US presidential candidate Mitt Romney US chat show host Jay Leno is facing a furious backlash from the Sikh community after using an image of the Golden Temple for a political joke.

The Leno gag showed the temple as the summer home of US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Romney has faced taxation questions over his huge wealth and many Sikhs are angry the temple has been depicted as a

place for the rich.

India’s embassy in Washington has contacted US assistant secretary of state Robert Blake to protest a gag by late night TV host Jay Leno involving Sikh ‘s holiest shrine, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday.

Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi told reporters: ‘It is quite unfortunate and quite objectionable that such a comment has been made after showing the Golden Temple.’

Mr Ravi said the Indian embassy would take up the matter with the US state department, the Press Trust of India reported.

He said: ‘The Golden Temple is the Sikh community’s most sacred place...

The American government should also look Continued on page 6 >>

Iran ‘definitely’ closing Atlanta judge orders Obama to Strait of Hormuz over court to counter ‘birther’ claim EU oil embargo President Barack Obama Birth Certificate issued in Kenya

ATLANTA - After nearly a fullterm in office, numerous pieces of proof, and a publicly displayed birth certificate, you’d think that President Barack Obama would not have to continue to have his

American citizenship challenged.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case as yet another “birther” claims that the President’s birth certificate is not enough proof that he is a natural born citizen, and an Atlanta

judge has order the president to appear in court.

“I know the White House has posted President Obama’s birth Continued on page 8 >>

Tensions in the Gulf could reach a breaking point as a senior Iranian official said Iran would “definitely” close the Strait of Hormuz if an EU oil embargo disrupted the export of crude oil, the semi-official Fars news agency reports.

‘Iran will make world unsafe for US’ Foreign ministers’ deal in Brussels could lead to soaring fuel prices and Continued on page 2 >>

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

Britain bans Iran’s Press TV

B

ritain’s governmentcontrolled broadcast regulatory body, Ofcom, has decided to ban Press TV’s broadcast in an effort to silence the alternative voice in the UK. The move comes a year after a leaked US Embassy cable highlighted for the first time London and Washington’s concerted effort to block Press TV in Britain.

Many observers have noted that the British government’s campaign against Press TV has its roots in the channel’s extensive coverage of the multiple crises created by London’s domestic and foreign policies.

Ofcom, the UK regulator, took this decision after Press TV repeatedly broke the broadcasting code.

In 2009, the channel showed an interview with Maziar Bahari, a “Newsweek” journalist, who had been jailed in Tehran while covering mass protests against a disputed presidential election.

Mr Bahari said this interview 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 Phone +91 2632 222209 / 222211 Fax: +91 2632 222212 Post Box No. 98 /108 United Arab Emirates Office S.K. Group of Companies P.O. Box 9021, Karama Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 4 2659970, 3359929; Fax: +971 4 2659971, 3341609 www.sk-groupofcompanies.com Managing Editor & CEO Mohammad Shahid Khan Group Editorial Managers Gulzar Khan (India) Abdul Khalique (Pakistan) Editorial Board UK Frances Brunner FYI Tribune team Adrian Fellar Misbah Khan Reema Shah Rohma Khan Keziah-Ann Abakah Art Department UK Ali Ansar (Art Director) Md. Reazul Islam

had been conducted under duress and his captors had threatened him with execution unless he gave the answers he wanted. Last year, Ofcom imposed a fine of £100,000 on Press TV, reversing an earlier decision to revoke the channel’s licence.

As part of the investigation into this incident, Ofcom found that editorial decisions governing the channel were taken in Tehran.

It wanted Press TV to be under the editorial control of the same company in London that held the broadcasting licence. Alternatively, the licence could have been transferred to Tehran.

An Ofcom spokesman said that Press TV failed to agree to these proposals, and that consequently its licence had been revoked. This decision was “not taken lightly,” he added, and only a handful of licences had been taken away in the eight-year history of Ofcom.

Press TV International has released the following statement: The British government’s media regulatory body, Ofcom, has banned Press TV’s broadcast in the UK and removed the channel from the Sky platform without responding to a letter sent from Press TV’s CEO to Ofcom’s chief executive earlier this month.

This after Ofcom fined Press TV Limited in London a hundred thousand pounds for the channel’s airing of a 10-second news clip.

At the same time, Ofcom made moves to revoke the license of Press TV Limited in the UK for what it called Press TV Limited’s lack of control over the channel’s broadcast.

We asked Ofcom, if Press TV Limited did not have control over the broadcast, why was it getting fined; if it did have control, why would the license be revoked? “[Press TV has] built an audience for the station very quickly and very widely over the last couple of years, precisely because of the

shortcomings of other channels,” George Galloway said in an interview with Press TV. “The British government likes to dress up in the clothes of liberty, but in truth it is far from a friend of liberty and they have demonstrated it in the course of their action against Press TV throughout the last few months and again today.”

Galloway added that Ofcom’s decision to close down Press TV to the British public was a greater blow to the UK government than to the news channel as it revealed London’s “hypocritical stance of being in favor of freedom of expression, freedom of speech.”

Iran ‘definitely’ closing Strait of Hormuz

Continued from page 01 >> Iran closing the strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile an Iranian lawmaker says in the event of US “military adventurism” in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will respond in the shortest possible time by making the entire world unsafe for Americans.

Mohammad Kowsari said on Monday that Iran will “definitely” close the Strait of Hormuz, if there is a disruption in the sales of the country’s crude, stressing that the “US and its allies will not be able to reopen the strategic waterway.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has rejected unilateral sanctions against Iran, saying such sanctions would be counterproductive.

“Unilateral sanctions do not help matters,” Lavrov said on Monday. “We will restrain everyone from making harsh moves. We will seek the resumption of negotiations.”

The long-running standoff between Iran and the west over Tehran’s nuclear programme has shifted into a more unpredictable phase after Europe decided to impose an oil embargo on the Islamic republic.

The decision by EU foreign ministers at a meeting in Brussels raised the stakes dramatically in the war of wits between Iran and the west.

The EU decided no further oil contracts could be struck between the member states and Iran while existing oil delivery deals would be allowed to run until July.

The EU currently buys about 20% of Iran’s oil exports.

Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s nuclear watchdog has confirmed it is sending a team to Iran between 29 and 31 January “to resolve all outstanding substantive issues”.

Last November the IAEA said in a report that it had information suggesting Iran had carried out tests “relevant to the development of a nuclear

explosive device” - sparking the decision by the US and EU to issue tougher sanctions.

Earlier on Monday, the Pentagon said the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, as well as a British Royal Navy frigate and a French warship, have passed through the Straits of Hormuz at the entrance to the Gulf without incident in the wake of Iranian threats to block the trade route.

‘Substantial impact’ Under the new deal, EU governments are expected to stop signing new contracts with Iran when the ban comes into place - which could be as soon as this week, Reuters news agency reports.

All existing contracts will have to be phased out by 1 July.

Additional restrictions on Iran’s central bank are also expected to be agreed by EU ministers, although no further details have been given.

Iit is one of the toughest steps the EU has ever taken.

Ahead of Monday’s meeting, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said that the EU had “no other choice than resorting to new sanctions that will dry out the financial sources for the atomic program.”

Sabers Rattle in Iran Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said that sanctions alone are not the only solution, but added they were necessary to encourage diplomatic negotiations. Both Bildt and Hague said they were convinced Iran would not try to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz. In recent days Tehran has signaled that tensions might be easing despite the US military’s increased presence in the region.

In what was reportedly a routine operation, the US Navy sailed an aircraft carrier through the strait and into the Persian Gulf on Monday without incident. Meanwhile, a top Iranian official reiterated the country’s threats to close the waterway, through which about one-third of the

world’s oil is transported.

“If any disruption happens regarding the sale of Iranian oil, the Strait of Hormuz will definitely be closed,” deputy head of parliament’s foreign affairs and national security committee, Mohammad Kossari, told the Fars news agency.

Another senior Iranian politician and former intelligence minister, Ali Fallahian, said Iran should halt crude oil exports to Europe instead, causing price increases and complicating their plans to find new supply sources. “The best way is to stop exporting oil ourselves before the end of this six months and before the implementation of the plan,” Fallahian told Fars.

Isareli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday welcomed the EU’s decision earlier in the day to step up sanctions against Iran, calling the moves a “step in the right direction.” Speaking at a Likud faction meeting, Netanyahu said that while it was too early to tell what the effect of the sanctions would be, “strong, quick pressure” on Iran was needed. China’s crude-oil imports from Iran last year were up 30% from 2010, to 27.76 million metric tons, China’s General Administration of Customs reported Saturday. That works out to about 557,000 barrels a day.

China’s overall crude imports were up just 6.1%.

Beijing has steadfastly defended its relationship with Iran, the No. 3 supplier of crude to its energy-hungry economy, as the U.S. and Europe try to increase pressure on Iran over its nuclear activities.

China’s imports from Iran could decline in the months ahead due to a dispute over commercial issues between China International United Petroleum & Chemicals Co., known as Unipec, and National Iranian Oil Co. Unipec has skipped imports of about 220,000 barrels a day from Iran in January and further delays could affect February orders as well./

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

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Time for action against Iran was now: Netanyahu US army chief holds ‘Iran talks’ in Israel Binyamin Netanyahu advised visiting Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey Friday, Jan.20 that the time for action against Iran was now, for two reasons: First, the conviction that Iran has passed the point of no return for developing a nuclear weapon; and second, the diminishing prospects for a US-led embargo on Iranian oil to catch on before it is too late.

The Obama administration disputes the Israeli prime minister on both points, insisting there is still time for tough sanctions to incapacitate the Iranian economy and stop Tehran before it reaches the point of no return in its drive for a nuke. Israel insists that this pivotal point was reached four years ago in 2008.

Gen. Dempsey was exhaustively briefed on the Israeli position during his whirlwind interviews Friday with President Shimon

Peres, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and three conversations with Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, one with key General Staff officers.

It was not by chance that Maj. Gen. (ret.) Asher Yadlin, until last year Israel chief of military intelligence, maintained in a detailed article in the Tel Aviv daily Maariv: “If Iranian leaders were to convene tonight and decide to go ahead with the secret production of a

nuclear bomb, they already possess the resources and components for doing so. This [capability] was once defined as the point of no return.

[As matters stand] now, Iran’s nuclear timeline no longer hinges on the calendar; it rests entirely on a decision in Tehran.”

The former intelligence chief was saying that for four years, the US and Israeli governments colluded in propagating the false assumption

that Iran had not reached a nuclear weapon capability. Presenting a highly problematic oil embargo in 2012 as capable of putting Iran off its nuclear stride is equally illusory.

Yadlin’s disclosure provided backing for Netanyahu who Thursday, Jan. 19, at the end of a visit to Holland, asserted for the first time: “Iran has decided to become a nuclear state” and called for “action now to stop Iran

before it’s too late.”

Some of Israel’s cabinet ministers tried to soften the impact of the prime minister’s words by suggesting that his bluntness aimed at pushing President Barack Obama into implementing the sanctions he signed into law on Dec. 30 targeting Iran’s central bank and oil sales, and giving him an extra lever for bringing the European Union and Asian powers aboard.

UAE warns against China Buys Stake In Thames Water fueling anti-Iran bids

UAE’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan The United Arab Emirates has He added, “What matters to us is warned against mounting tensions that stability prevails in the region. over Iran’s civilian nuclear program We don’t want anything to damage and underscored the need for peace stability in the region and there is an effort from all to work towards and stability in the Middle East.

“It’s important to get far away from stability.” any escalation and we stress the Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar stability of the region. I welcome Salehi said last Thursday that the comments of my colleague, the regional “peace and stability” was Iranian foreign minister, to create in everyone’s interest. He stated distance from any escalation,” UAE that regional security should be Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah ensured through collective strength, bin Zayed al-Nahayan was quoted dismissing US and British meddling as saying by state-run WAM news in the matter.

Salehi highlighted that Washington agency on Friday.

is carrying out certain activities to “find allies in the region.” Iran, however, recommends regional states not to put themselves in a “dangerous position” by aligning themselves too closely with the United States.

The United States, the Israeli regime, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear program without offering any evidence in support of such allegations. Washington and Tel Aviv have also threatened Tehran with the “option” of a military strike against its civilian nuclear facilities.

Iran argues that as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has every right to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

The IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence indicating that Tehran’s civilian nuclear program has been diverted towards nuclear weapons production.

China has made the first of an expected flurry of investments in Britain’s ailing infrastructure, buying nearly 10 per cent of Thames Water, the UK’s largest water and sewage company.

The estimated £500m deal follows talks in Beijing this week with Chancellor George Osborne, who

is looking for overseas investors to finance a massive reconstruction of the UK’s infrastructure with

the added benefit of boosting the economy.

“It is a vote of confidence in Britain as a place to do business,” Mr Osborne said. “This investment is good news for both the British and Chinese economies.”

In December Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, acquired about 9.9 per cent of Thames Water from a consortium of investors led by Australian investment bank Macquarie.

The deal, financed by the giant CIC state investment fund, marks the next phase of China’s quest for global economic dominance. It is expected to unleash a series of infrastructure investments in the UK and across Europe – with the HS2 high-speed rail link planned between London and Birmingham thought to be on its wish list.

Dominic Nash, an analyst at Liberum Capital, said: “The Chinese have got a mandate to expand in utilities and infrastructure and they’re not going to go away. We have a massive need for capital that we can’t finance ourselves and the Chinese have the money and want to sell products and services all over the world.”

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EDITORIAL Another Blow To Media Freedom: British Regulators Pull Press TV For the first time, British government censors have banned a 24-hour news channel from British viewers. As of the afternoon, UK-time, 20th January 2012.

Ofcom is banning the station on spurious grounds, and this move will only serve to increase anti-western sentiment in Iran.

Ofcom, which regulates broadcasting media in the UK, has revoked the licence of Press TV, whose UK operation is based at studios in west London but whose editorial control is – so Ofcom argued – located in Tehran. Ofcom had given Press TV a choice: either move editorial control to London or transfer its UK broadcasting licence to Iran. Press TV apparently ignored this ultimatum. So now it is off the air.

I believe this action by Ofcom to be thoroughly deplorable as well as palpably cynical. The suppression of any media outlet anywhere in the world is an affront to freedom of expression and appalling to contemplate. That a British agency should be responsible for such an act of repression is scarcely credible.

I entirely agree that there have been occasions on which Press TV has shown very poor judgment: for example its decision in 2009 to broadcast an interview with Maziar Bahari which Bahari (a Newsweek journalist) claimed had been obtained under duress, while he was held in a Tehran jail. But I challenge you to name any UK-based TV channel that has not made a bad error of broadcasting judgment.

Whatever one thinks of Press TV’s output, it expressed a certain viewpoint that it is important for us to have access to, even if we find it at times repugnant. Its UK licence should be speedily restored.

RT reported that journalist Yvonne Ridley said “Through Wikileaks we discovered that the American government was putting pressure on the British government to pull the plug on Press TV. They’ve obviously passed that pressure on to Ofcom, and today Press TV was pulled off the Sky satellite platform.”

Forbes points out that the state has in this instance interfered with the freedom of the press, as the decision to continue to allow Press TV to broadcast was not taken

by Sky, but by a U.K. regulatory agency.

As readers know, there is already a war on Iran and this British decision is another front. Let’s hope that at least some of OFCOM’s board – you know who you are, Colette Bowe, Lord Blackwell, Dame Lynne Brindley, Tim Gardam, Dame Patricia Hodgson, Stuart McIntosh, Mike McTighe and Jill Ainscough – will realise that the purpose of the regulator was not to infringe on press freedom. In the meantime, still legal channels such as Russia Today are so far tolerated and give British viewers a view of the world different to the sanitised Orwellian fictions available on terrestrial television in the United Kingdom. And soon, as British viewers continue to switch off their television sets and boot up their computers, UK governments may realise that it is powerless to ban information getting to the masses.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

Majority of UK against Scottish independence

THE majority of people across the UK do not want to see a separate Scotland, according to the latest opinion poll.

But while the strong majority are pro-UK, even in Scotland, there are wide differences in opinion over whether Scotland alone should decide the future of the UK or if

the whole of Britain should have its say.

A new Guardian/ICM poll, shows that around 68 per cent of respondents across Britain say “the UK is stronger together”, as against just 24 per cent who believe England and Scotland “are proud nations in their own right”, which

British Bangladeshi Power 100 list launches The Bangladeshi community have made a valuable contribution to life in Britain since their migration to these shores in the 1950s.

From the world of politics and business to the media and sports, British Bangladeshis have made their mark in society.

Today sees the launch of the British Bangladeshi Power 100 list at Portcullis House, London. The list represents 100 people, according to co-founders Abdal Ullah and Ayesha Qureshi MBE, whose ideas, example, talent, success or discoveries influence or positively highlight the British Bangladeshi community or have helped improve the world that we live in.

The list has been broken down into 10 categories covering business, catering, education, community and voluntary organisations, media, politics and as well as the women who have made a mark.

Each category has 10 positions which are listed in rank order. The rankings have been determined by an advisory committee of leading Bangladeshi UK based newspaper editors headed by chief advisor, Mohammed Nobab Uddin, Editor, Janomot Bengali Newsweekly, the oldest ethnic newspaper. The list has also been consulted on widely amongst a selected group of leading figures in the community.

Abdal Ullah – Founder said, “As we celebrate 40 years of Bangladeshi independence, it is time to recognise and celebrate the success of the Bangladeshi community in the UK. I strongly believe we have amongst us individuals and organisations

could thrive on their own.

The unionist balance of opinion is evident across England, as well as Scotland and Wales. The proUK majority exceeds two to one in every case, even among Scots who back the union on this question by a 63 -30 per cent margin.

The Scotland-only results

necessarily rely on a much smaller sample, but are in line with the findings of other recent polls in suggesting Mr Salmond has a battle on his hands to win public support.

A recent YouGov survey for Channel 4 News of Scottish voters pointed to a 61-39 per cent referendum defeat for independence.

Across Britain, only 28 per cent deem that “it is for the Scottish government to manage Scotland’s referendum” as against 61 per cent who judge London is right to want “a say on the ground rules” because “independence would affect the whole UK”.

Even among Scottish respondents, a majority, 56 per cent, take the latter position, against just 39 per cent who think the plebiscite is Scotland’s to manage alone.

Iran rebuffs European pressure Sarkozy calls for ‘much stronger sanctions’ against the Islamic republic, promises that France would ‘do everything to avoid a military intervention.’

with real influence that are making a difference to how the community is viewed by the wider public. This will be an annual publication and I will be seeking to build on its success year by year. My plan is that each person named on the list will have earned their place on merit and after we have had a confidential, impartial and thorough debate to ensure the list is respected and valued as a resource by the community.”

Nobab Uddin – Chief Advisor said, “There is a small representation of British Bangladeshis in business and also local government politics, including nationally within the major political parties. But I must say that the Bangladeshi community is growing rapidly in the UK, and both third and fourth generation British Bangladeshis are contributing significantly in various sectors and professions.”

As the community continues to grow, the publishers of the BBL100 list believe it islong overdue and now is the time to praise the achievement and share this with the Bangladeshi community living in the UK and around world and the wider British public.

F

rench President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Jan. 20 that France will do everything to avoid a military intervention in Iran and he appealed to China and Russia to support new sanctions to force Tehran to negotiate over its uranium enrichment programme.

France has led international efforts for tougher measures to increase pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear program. “Time is running out. France will do everything to avoid a military intervention,” Sarkozy told French ambassadors gathered in Paris. “A military intervention will not solve the problem, but it will unleash war and chaos in the Middle East.”

Sarkozy urged Russia and China to back the tougher sanctions.

The two emerging powers, which have also blocked efforts at the EU Security Council on Syria,

have shown their unwillingness to back further oil sanctions on Iran, creating a rift in the international community. “We need stronger, more decisive sanctions that stop the purchase of Iranian oil and freeze the assets of the central bank, and those who don’t want that will be responsible for the risks of a military conflict,” Sarkozy said. “Help us guarantee peace in the world. We really need you,” Sarkozy said, in a direct appeal to Moscow and Beijing.

Iran, in response, charged that Sarkozy’s comments were off the mark, Iranian state television network IRIB reported yesterday.

“The nature of Iran’s nuclear programs are peaceful, and all activities are transparent and in constant cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said.

However, most European Union countries are, like Sarkozy, unconvinced.

Their foreign ministers meet on Monday to discuss extra sanctions, and are expected to agree on an oil embargo as well as other financial sanctions, such as freezing the assets of the Iran Central Bank.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

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Blame men for the world’s problems? Oxford study says ‘male warrior’ behavior is root of conflicts

A

Males have evolved to be fighters and guard borders, which leads to wars and discrimination but yields mates and status to winners

Gun bomb force Niger Kano in a m stree

The violence of the world boils down to just one thing — the male sex drive, according to a group of scientists in Oxford.

From the football field to the front lines, scientists are blaming conflict on what they call the “male warrior” behavior, a natural instinct that causes men to be aggressive to “outsiders.”

According to the new psychological study, evolution shapes men to be fighters, while women have historically resolved conflicts peacefully.

“Our review of the academic literature suggests that the human mind is shaped in a way that

A

tends to perpetuate conflict with ‘outsiders,’ ” said professor and study author Mark van Vugt,

males continuously monitor the borders of their territory. If a female from another group comes

is likely to be brutally beaten and possibly killed.”

Intergroup conflict, the main

according to the Telegraph.

“We see similar behavior in chimpanzees. For example, the

along, she may be persuaded to emigrate to his group. When a male strays too far, however, he

focus of the study, can span from “wars between countries, terrorism, racial and ethnic

discrimination, and conflict among political parties” to smaller-scale conflict involving “competition, antagonism and aggression among rival sport teams, gangs and high school cliques.”

According to the researchers, males are programmed to pursue intergroup conflict because it has historically led to “mates, territory and increased status.”

The study, which was published in the latest issue of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, also notes that while the “male warrior” phenomenon still exists today, it might “not be functional in modern times and [is\] often counterproductive.”

Iran quake casualties up to 228 Moderate earthquake rattles northeastern Iran- strongest in 10 years Storm brings snow to Sahara Desert

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he number of those injured in an earthquake that hit northeastern Iran on Thursday has risen up to 228.

The epicenter of the earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale was 10 kilometers outside the city of Neyshabur, some 70 kilometers from the city of Mashhad.

Eight villages and towns were affected by the quake, Iran’s official news agency IRNA, reported on Friday.

At least 85 aftershocks have hit the area since then, it said, adding that of the injured, 190 have been discharged from hospital, while the remaining 38 are still hospitalized.

Some buildings had been damaged

and windows shattered in villages near Neyshabur. The quake lasted seven seconds and was the strongest felt in the region in 10 years.

Many parts of Iran are prone to earthquakes. At least seven people were killed in a 6.5-magnitude quake that jolted the southeast in 2010, the same region where a huge tremor killed some 31,000 people in the city of Bam in 2003.

Algeria - Snow fell Tuesday in the Sahara Desert in western Algeria. A 24-hour cold spell brought snow and rain to the region. Strong wind blew the snow across roads and buildings in the province of Bechar.

Meteorologists predicted a return of good weather Wednesday. People who live in the region said the snow was good for the palm trees because it killed parasites.

Bechar is located in the northern Sahara, about 36 miles south of the Moroccan border. Giant freak lightning storms rumble across Western Australia Four people have been struck by lightning and thousands are without power as dangerous weather sweeps Perth and the outer metropolitan coast.

The State Emergency Service has warned people to stay safe as the storm sweeps through Perth and the coast from Lancelin to Mandurah. A man was hit by lightning in Mandurah at 4am and St John Ambulance confirmed later today that a man was

struck by lightning in Baldivis and was taken to Rockingham Hospital. Another person was struck by lightning in Wels hpool. None of the lightning victims have lifethreatening injuries. A St John Spokeswoman said that they had received a call for a fourth person struck by lightning in Myaree but that the ambulance was cancelled. Homes have been damaged, floods are causing concern on the roads and domestic and international flights have been delayed. The storm has left at least 22,000 homes without power, mainly in the south metropolitan region, and also caused delays on the Mandurah to Perth railway line as bad weather hampered repairs. Train services were back to normal by lunchtime.

Western Power is attending to the blackouts and SES volunteers have responded to at least 75 calls for help, mostly for flooding. Damage has been reported from Swan to Armadale to Rockingham and Mandurah, but most of the calls have come from Rockingham and Mandurah. More dangerous weather is coming between Minilya, Mount Augustus, Paynes Find, Corrigin, Narrogin, Mandurah, along the coast to Dongara and inland to Minilya, including the Perth metropolitan area. “If you live between Minilya, Mount Augustus, Paynes Find, Corrigin, Narrogin, Mandurah, along the coast to Dongara and inland to Minilya, including the Perth metropolitan area, you should take action with more dangerous weather to come,” FESA said.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

Aafia Siddiqui contracts cancer in US jail The Justice for Aafia Coalition are issuing the following clarification in light of recent statements circulating in the Pakistani media that Dr. Aafia Siddiqui has contracted cancer and is pregnant, as a result of sexual abuse whilst in custody.

In early November 2011, Aafia’s family received disturbing reports that Dr. Siddiqui had become pregnant whilst imprisoned in FMC Carswell and that she had undergone a forced abortion and was subsequently haemorrhaging profusely.

It now appears that according to information provided by the Pakistan Consul General in Houston that Aafia is not pregnant.

However there is sufficient evidence to suggest she has cancer.

After informing Aafia’s family of a letter from the prison regarding her condition, former Pakistan ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani was recalled to Pakistan.

Since then the embassy has neither confirmed nor denied the reports.

Whilst a request has been made by the Pakistan Consul General

Aqil Nadeem to the governor of FMC Carswell to provide medical facilities to Dr Aafia, it provides

little guarantee that Dr Siddiqui will receive adequate treatment, given the prison’s notoriety in its treatment

of detainees. Over a hundred inmates have reportedly died under ‘questionable circumstances’ at the facility, with numerous cases of sexual abuse and rape perpetrated by prison staff - amongst them, the guards, chaplains and physicians.

Gross medical negligence has been noted particularly with reference to several cancer patients in the past; one of whom died after being left untreated for a year.

We join Aafia’s family in their call for an independent and impartial medical team to be allowed full and immediate access to Dr Aafia Siddiqui in FMC Carswell to evaluate her condition.

Further guidance for campaigners will be published in due course. http://freedetainees.org/10869

Jay Leno is clearly racist >> Continued from page 1

at this kind of thing.

‘Freedom does not mean hurting the sentiments of others... This is not acceptable to us and we take a very strong objection for such a display.’

In response the members of the US Sikh community have now launched an online petition, called ‘Stop defaming Sikhs and using derogatory remarks against the Sikh shrines.’

Over 3,700 people have added their names to support the cause.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Indian government “contacted us” and Blake responded along the lines of an earlier State Department position, which affirmed US constitutional rights to free speech.

A lawsuit has been filed in California suing US comedian Jay Leno for what it calls “racist” comments on the Sikh shrine, the Golden Temple of Amritsar.

Indian-American Randeep Dhillon says Leno “hurt the sentiments of all Sikh people in addition to the plaintiff”.

A recent Leno skit showed the shrine as the summer home of Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

Mr Romney has faced questions over his wealth and Sikhs are angry the temple was shown as a place for the rich.

An Indian minister called Leno’s comments “objectionable” and said “freedom does not mean hurting the sentiments of others”.

But US state department

spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the US Constitution strictly protected freedom of speech.

‘Exposed to ridicule’ Mr Dhillon filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, seeking unspecified damages.

Earlier, a US Sikh group launched an online petition over Leno’s comment, also accusing the comedian of making previous derogatory remarks about Sikhs.

Some Sikhs also demanded action against the NBC channel for airing the “racist and derogatory” depiction of the Golden Temple.

Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi joined the protest, saying: “It is quite unfortunate and quite objectionable that such a comment has been made

after showing the Golden Temple.”

But Ms Nuland said: “I hope [Leno will] be appreciative if we make the point that his comments are constitutionally protected in the United States under free speech and, frankly, they appeared to be satirical in nature.”

She said the US had “absolute respect” for all Indians, including Sikhs, and that President Barack Obama was the first president to celebrate the birthday of the religion’s founder, Guru Nanak, at the White House.”

The issue has turned into a worldwide matter, with overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi saying, “It is quite unfortunate and quite objectionable that such a

comment has been made after showing the Golden temple.

(It) is Sikh community’s most sacred place. Even our Prime Minister went there for praying in the New Year. I believe that (Jay Leno) is not that ignorant. The American Government should also look at this kind of thing.”

But US state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the US Constitution strictly protected freedom of speech.

She said, “I hope [Leno will] be appreciative if we make the point that his comments are constitutionally protected in the United States under free speech and, frankly, they appeared to be satirical in nature.”

Leno has so far failed to issue a statement on the issue.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

NEWS

7

Israeli and Saudi hackers wage cyber war against each other

The Israeli Defense Ministry is to establish a special cyber warfare administration, the Israel Defense website is reporting.

The new administration will coordinate the efforts of security agencies and the Israeli defense industry in developing advanced systems to deal with cyber warfare, the report said.

The decision to establish the new administration was made even before the recent exposure by hackers of credit card details of Israelis, and details about it were published in the printed version of

Israel Defense last week.

Minister: Israel is an Internet Superpower Minister of Public Diplomacy Yuli Edelstein says Israel is an online power that has nothing to fear as the era of cyberwarfare takes hold.

Israel’s top public relations official, on Thursday, told Israelis not to worry about the Arab-Israeli Hacker War that has erupted in recent weeks, saying Israel is “an Internet Superpower.” In remarks on Israel Radio Edelstein

Atlanta Jewish newspaper calls for Obama assassination Later issued an apology

‘Atlanta Jewish News’ owner apologizes for column suggesting Netanyahu deploy Mossad agents to assassinate US president.

Israel should send Mossad agents to assassinate President Barack Obama because of his anti-Israel policies, the owner of a US Jewish newspaper wrote in an article that drew widespread condemnation on Friday.

Andrew Adler, the p u b l i s h e r of The Atlanta Jewish Times, wrote a column that appeared in his newspaper on January 13 in which he argued killing the president might be justified because he posed a threat to the Jewish state.

“Order a hit on a president in order to preserve Israel’s existence,” Adler wrote.

The piece, described as “outrageous and beyond the pale” by the Anti-Defamation League, appeared in the newspaper’s opinion section on January 13. The US Secret Service is now investigating it.

“Think about it. If I have thought of this Tom Clancy-type scenario, don’t you think that this almost unfathomable idea has been discussed in Israel’s most inner circles?...

How far would you go to save a nation comprised of seven million lives...Jews, Christians and Arabs alike?

You have got to believe, like I do, that all options are on the table.”

The story, which appeared in print only, was uploaded to the Internet by Gawker, a gossip news website, on Friday and immediately picked up by media outlets in the US and around the world.

Adler expressed contrition to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in the aftermath of the uproar, saying “I very much regret it, I wish I hadn’t made reference to it at all.”

He said he would run a full apology in his newspaper’s next edition.

dismissed both Arab and Israeli hackers as foolish, saying “they do stupid things.” Well-funded state actors, however, were of greater concern for Edelstein.

“Israel is known as a super-power in this whole field of information security, Internet, high-tech. I’m sure our hack-warriors will be able to make our lives here secure,” Edelstein said.

Earlier this month, an Israeli credit card company was hacked with as many as 20,000 cards details compromised. This was done by a Saudi hacker, called 0xOmar

who claimed at the time that he has posted details of 400,000 credit cards on the Internet. After this a war began to brew between the hackers of Israel and Saudi Arabia. A few days ago, Arab hackers hacked into the servers of Israel’s Anti Drug Authority and redirected viewers to a site that featured Palestinian gunman along with words in Hebrew, which stated ‘death to Israel’ along with Arabic messages, such as ‘Gaza hackers were here’ , a report

by International Business Times states.

Following this online attack on the Anti Drug Authority, Israeli hackers retaliated by hacking the websites of two major Arab banks.

The banks affected by this cyber war are the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates and Arab Bank. Websites of both banks were offline after it had been attacked.

The Israeli hacker group, IDF claims responsibility for the hacks on the Saudi banks and in a post on Paste bin, they state that the time limit for the attacks will continue so long as the attacks from the Saudi hackers continue. Saudi bank officials have denied that any attack had taken place on the stock exchange. Reportedly, hacking of the website of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, El Al Airlines along with three other Israeli banks triggered the recent hacks of banks in Saudi Arabia. Hacker 0xOmar said that he and a group of hackers called Nightmare are going to continue hacking Israeli websites until the Israeli government apologized for their ‘genocide in Palestine and Gaza.’

Three Found Guilty Over ‘Gay Hate’ Leaflets Three Muslim men have been found guilty of stirring up hatred by handing out leaflets that said Islam “punished” homosexuals with the death penalty.

Ihjaz Ali, Kabir Ahmed and Razwan Javed handed out the pamphlet, called The Death Penalty?, which showed an image of a mannequin hanging from a noose and quoted Islamic texts that said capital punishment was the only way to rid society of homosexuality.

They were convicted at Derby Crown Court of distributing threatening written material intending to stir up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation.

It is the first prosecution of its kind since legislation came into force in March 2010.

Mehboob Hussain and Umar Javed, who were also charged with the same offence, were found not guilty by the jury.

The leaflets were given to people outside a mosque and posted through letterboxes in the Normanton area of Derby.

The men admitted distributing the flyers but denied they were “threatening” or designed to cause trouble for homosexuals.

Bobbie Cheema, prosecuting, said that “many people” had complained to police about receiving the leaflets, which were distributed in the run-up to a gay pride event in the city in July 2010. During the trial the court heard that one gay man was so frightened by the leaflets that he left his home for a week.

Another man, who wished to remain anonymous, told Sky News: “I’m still looking when I’m walking down the street to see if someone is following me or when I

go to bed I think, ‘is someone going to do something to my letterbox?’

It’s just a nightmare. You can’t sleep at night, it’s a big worry.”

Taxi driver Ali, of Fairfax Road, who the prosecution said was believed to be the main organiser and supplier of the leaflets, was found guilty of four counts of distribution on July 2 and July 4.

Ahmed, who is married with a nine-month-old daughter and lives in Madeley Street, and Razwan Javed, of Wilfred Street, were convicted of distribution in the area of the mosque on July 2.

Judge John Burgess, Honorary Recorder of Derby, adjourned sentencing until February 10.

NEWS

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

Iran Unveils Islamic Doll, Hijab Software, And Islamic Tie

Iran wages war on Barbie “About three weeks ago they (the morality police) came to our shop, asking us to remove all the Barbies,” said a shopkeeper in a toy shop in northern Tehran.

Iran’s religious rulers first declared Barbie, made by U.S. company Mattel Inc, un-Islamic in 1996, citing its “destructive cultural and social consequences.” Despite the ban, the doll has until recently been openly on sale in Tehran shops.

Fatima Ismalic Doll Islamic tie The tie, which is shaped like the sword of Imam Ali (cousin and sonin-law of the Prophet Muhammad who is considered by Shi’a as his rightful successor) and decorated with an Islamic hadith (a saying attributed to Muhammad), has been registered in the Islamic republic

by inventor Hemat Komeili.

Komeili has been quoted as saying that his tie has been approved by some of the sources of emulation.

He says it appears beautiful like a tie in addition to being based on Islamic values.

Ties came under attack in Iran following the 1979 revolution as one of the symbols of “decadent” Western cultures. It was reported that men with ties were detained in the early days of the revolution and according to unconfirmed reports

in some cases their ties were cut off.

Some Iranian men still wear ties

country’s leaders and clerics.

Meanwhile an Iranian company says it has created the first Islamic

dolls, “Sara” and “Dara,” which were to counter Barbie and Ken but reportedly were not very popular.

in public even though it is generally condemned and disapproved by the

doll.

Iran had in the past created two

The new doll, which is branded Islamic and not Iranian, has the

Atlanta judge orders Obama >> Continued from page 1 certificate on its website, but that’s not enough,” said David Farrar of Cedartown, Ga., a retired court reporter. “We should be demanding independent evidence.”

Farrar, who admitted to NBC affiliate WXIA that he has a lot of time on his hands, is the next in a long line of “birthers” who rampantly insist that President Obama was not born in the United States. He made the complaint, which is intended to keep Obama’s name off the state’s ballot in the March presidential primary -- the president is running unopposed on the Democratic side.

Deputy Chief Judge Michael Malihi ordered the hearing on Monday and it is set for Thursday before an administrative judge. Last Friday, the judge denied a motion by the president’s lawyer to squash a subpoena that requires Obama to show up.

Farrar is demanding to see Obama’s Hawaiian hospital records, which are confidential under federal law, or his mother’s OB/GYN records from when she was carrying Obama. Those are also confidential under federal privacy laws.

“I just need to prove that he’s met his qualifications,” Farrar said. Well-known “birther” and California attorney Orly Taitz has filed numerous unsuccessful lawsuits against Obama’s

presidency for the last three years. She insists that it is apart of a larger conspiracy to keep Obama in office.

“This will be 100 times bigger than Watergate,” Taitz told the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer last Saturday. “There are high ranking judges and federal officials who are involved in this cover up.

The ramifications of this trial will be enormous.”

Taitz previously represented two soldiers in U.S. District Court in Columbus who argued that since Obama wasn’t the commander-in-chief because he wasn’t eligible to be president, they should not have to take orders from him to be deployed.

Federal Judge Clay Land threw the suit out, warned Taitz against filing frivolous suits, and fined her $20,000 after he denied the second claim.

As for Farrar, he insists that he is not a right-

Arabic name “Fatima.”

Hossein Homay Seresht, of the company Fam that created Fatima, says the doll is meant to fight the “enemies’ cultural invasion” of the Islamic republic.

Seresht says that Iran’s enemies are increasingly targeting 3-yearold kids.

TOY shops are being shut down in Iran — for selling BARBIE DOLLS. “The Westerners, by creating Barbie and marketing it, are encouraging bad veiling and not wearing the hijab; all of these factors led us to take it as our duty to present Islamic dolls to the market,” he said.

Government forces have waged war on the leggy plastic toys, which have been deemed immoral for their revealing outfits.

It is part of the Islamic nation’s latest crackdown on Western culture.

In Iran, women must wear headscarves in public and men and women are forbidden from swimming together.

Barbie dolls are sold wearing swimsuits, miniskirts and hotpants.

The Iranian judiciary has warned against the “destructive” cultural and social consequences and “danger” of importing Barbie dolls and other Western toys.

The company has also produced the “Hijab Forbidden” software, which despite its name is designed to promote the Islamic hijab, or veiling.

Seresht says the software includes video clips of Islamic fashion, speeches about the hijab and a “Hijab Messenger,” an instant messaging service that he said is based on the same model as Yahoo messenger but that chat can only take place with “people who are defined within the system.”

He provides no further details and does not say whether it means that only people who are wearing the hijab or those who support the hijab can use it.

winger. He also plans on challenging Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s citizenship.

“If Mitt Romney is the nominee and he signs the piece of paper that Obama signed saying that he meets his presidential qualifications I will be filing suit,” Farrar said. “I’m not convinced Romney has the correct credentials to run.”

Farrar’s complain about Mitt Romney: His father George was born in Mexico. It should be noted that both of George Romney’s parents were Americanborn citizens, and Mitt was born in Detroit on March 12, 1947.

There is no word on whether the President, who is set to give his annual State of the Union Address tonight, will actually appear in court on Thursday.

President Obama is set to speak at the University of Michigan on Friday.

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Saarc international I Thursday 26 January 2012

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international

Thursday, 26.01.12

Pakistan Heart Drug Scare

Killer drugs’ claimed nearly 100 lives, confirms CM

Officials in Punjab province have arrested the owners of pharmaceutical companies making cardiac drugs suspected to contain heavy-metal contaminants.

The Punjab government on Wednesday withdrew a batch of 200,000 aspirin tablets from the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) after they were found to be contaminated.

Lahore High Court to hear petition seeking judicial inquiry into deaths As the death toll mounts among patients taking cardiac medications in Pakistan, government officials there have taken steps to stem the fatalities.

Details coming out of Lahore, a metropolis at the epicenter of the trouble, are still sketchy, but dozens of patients have reportedly died from taking what are suspected to be heavy metal-laced heart drugs, and thousands more may be at risk.

Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif has confirmed that nearly 100 people have died after using PIC medicines.

Reform carefully, our institutions not flawless: President Pratibha Patil India’s president has said the country must be cautious on reform, amid the ongoing anti-corruption movement.

Pratibha Patil said in her traditional address on the eve of Republic Day that in “shaking the tree to remove the bad fruit, we do not bring down the tree”.

A government anti-corruption bill that envisages setting up an independent ombudsman has stalled in parliament.

Leading anti-corruption activist

Anna Hazare says the bill is weak and should be withdrawn.

Continued on page 10 >>

Pakistan, India report progress on key pipeline

Talking to the media, the chief minister said that samples of the medicines in question have been sent to European laboratories -- in France and the UK. The chief minister, who also has portfolio of health ministry, said that he is deeply saddened that the poor people have been given such medicines that they lost their lives. Shahbaz said that the officials Continued on page 13 >>

India and Pakistan said Wednesday they were closer to an agreement on a pipeline to import gas from Turkmenistan that would signal a further warming of economic ties between the traditional rivals.

Turkmenistan has the world’s

fourth-largest gas reserves and energy-hungry India and Pakistan are both eager to tap this source through the pipeline that would run through the Central Asian nation’s eastern neighbour, Afghanistan.

Continued on page 10 >>

13/7 case cracked: Police Arrests have exposed ‘Bihar connection’

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) named Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Ahmed Zarar Siddibappa alias Yasin Bhatkal as the main conspirator in the July 13, 2011 bombings that killed 27 people and injured 107 in Mumbai.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray launched a fresh attack on north Indians, singling out the arrest of terrorists from Bihar, in the 13/7 serial blasts case.

Originally hailing from Darbhanga in Bihar, Naquee Ahmed Sheikh

and Nadeem Akhtar Ashfq Sheikh stole the scooters used in planting the bombs in crowded Mumbai

streets and ferried the explosives and detonators used in the attacks from New Delhi, Additional

Director-General of Police Rakesh Maria told journalists in Mumbai on Monday.

However, Mr. Maria said three critical perpetrators — two he identified only as suspect A and B, as well as Indian Mujahideen commander Muhammad Ahmad Zarar Siddibapa — remained fugitive. The police had also traced the course of Rs.10 lakh used in the attack, he said, including at least Rs.1.5 lakh paid by Siddibapa Continued on page 13 >>

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Saarc international I Thursday 26 January 2012

Try Musharraf for treason, says Senate

T

he Senate passed a unanimous resolution on Monday asking the government to arrest former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf on his return from abroad and try him for committing treason.

Senator Mian Raza Rabbani moved the resolution towards the end of Monday’s proceedings on behalf of seven other senators.

Other movers were: Raja Zafarul Haq (PML-N), Prof Khurshid Ahmad (Jamaat-i-Islami), Dr Khalid Somroo (JUI-F), Abdul Rahim Khan Mandokhel (Pakhtun Khawa Milli Awami Party), Humayun Khan Mandokhel (Independent), Afrasiab Khattak (ANP) and Dr Abdul Malik Baloch (National Party).

The PML-Q and MQM chose not to get their names included in the list of movers.

The resolution was virtually a charge-sheet against the former military ruler who had announced his return to Pakistan by the end this month.

The Senate, through the resolution, said that Gen Musharraf held the Constitution in abeyance twice and brought the judiciary into disrepute.

It said that Gen Musharraf removed, ridiculed and arrested

judges of the superior judiciary.

The resolution also stated that the former president aided, and was allegedly an accomplice, in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and

had led to loss of innocent lives and “sponsored disappearance” of people.

The resolution said that Gen Musharraf compromised vital

disparity between the rich and the poor, created monopolies, promoted cartels and gave rise to crony capitalism, the resolution noted.

It accused Gen Musharraf of

Nawab Akbar Bugti.

The senators said the former army chief had committed acts of criminal nature against the people of Pakistan and that his policies and the use of state force in Balochistan

national security interests through clandestine deals and unwritten agreements with foreign governments.

Economic policies pursued by the former army general widened

destroying the federal structure, reducing the share of provinces in the NFC Award and giving rise to horizontal and vertical polarisation.

Earlier, the house suspended its routine business and allowed Mr

President Pratibha Patil Continued from page 9 >>

Known as the Lokpal bill, it was passed by parliament’s lower house last month but stalled in the upper house.

It will now have to be taken up again in the next session of parliament.

Parade On the eve of 63rd Republic Day, Ms Patil said: “While bringing about reforms and improving institutions, we have to be cautious that while shaking the tree to remove the bad fruit, we do not bring down the tree itself.”

Without referring directly to Mr Hazare, she said that although there were “short-term pressures”, India could take pride in its democratic record.

She added: “All issues, therefore, must be resolved through dialogue and there can be no place for violence.

Negativity and rejection cannot be the path for a vibrant country that is moving to seek its destiny.”

Mr Hazare has vowed to keep up his campaign for a strong Lokpal bill. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this week, Mr Hazare said: “Show some courage to bring Lokpal to fight corruption.”

His 12-day anti-corruption hunger strike in August in Delhi became the focus of a national campaign and put pressure on the government to act on the issue.

In her address, Ms Patil also marked the “growing aspirations of the people, coupled with their expectations of immediate solutions”.

She said: “There is also a growing quest for materialism.

There are persistent questions about how growth and resources will be shared in a more equitable manner.”

Tight security is in place in Delhi ahead of Thursday’s Republic Day celebrations.

Ms Patil will raise the tricolour and take the salute of the parade. More than 25,000 security personnel are being deployed, with additional security in Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa and north-eastern states.

Rabbani to move the resolution.

Members of the house spoke against Gen Pervez Musharraf and voiced concern over his reported attempts to secure help from the US to ensure that his name was not put on the Exit Control List when he arrived in Pakistan.

They also asked the federal government to register a treason case against the former army chief under Article 6 of the Constitution.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik had agreed to register the case, but said that the PML-N, being a party directly aggrieved by the general, should file a complaint on the basis

of which the government was ready to register a case.

He had also suggested that the house should pass a resolution seeking registration of a case against Gen Musharraf.

US ‘opens talks with Hizb-iIslami insurgent group’ Senior US military and civilian representatives in Afghanistan have opened talks with an insurgent group led by a man considered to be a terrorist by Washington, according to his key lieutenant and son-inlaw.

THE United States is said to have opened talks with an Afghan insurgent group whose leader is designated as a terrorist by Washington.

Ghairat Baheer, the son-in-law of Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, said he had held two sets of exploratory talks with General David Petraeus, the former commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan and now CIA director, and with Ryan Crocker, US ambassador to Kabul.

Hekmatyar’s Hizb-i-Islami is considered one of the three most dangerous insurgent groups fighting international forces in Afghanistan, alongside the Taleban and the Haqqani network.

It is the first time details of meetings with such senior US officials have emerged and it illustrates the intensity of American attempts to foster a political settlement. “The first meetings were a success, ice-breaking sessions that let us feel each other’s pulses,” Dr Baheer said yesterday in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, where he lives.

He said the first meeting was held in July with Gen Petraeus in Kabul, weeks before he took over as director of the CIA. The second, also in Kabul, was on 30 December.

He added that he had been encouraged by Mr Crocker’s message that they had support and a role to play in Afghan society.

“He was very specific that their role is as a facilitator and that the main discussion should be taking place between Hizb-i-Islami and the Afghan government,” he added.

General John Allen, the current commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan, was present at both meetings, according to Dr Baheer, who was held at Bagram air base by US forces for more than six years until 2008.

A spokesman for the US embassy in Kabul

declined to confirm or deny the meetings had taken place but said: “We have a broad range of contacts across Afghanistan and the region to support Afghan reconciliation efforts.”

Hekmatyar rose to fame in the 1980s. He received millions of dollars in CIA cash and weapons channelled through Pakistan’s intelligence agencies when he was one of the main Mujahideen commanders fighting Soviet occupation.

In the early 1990s, his fundamentalist Islamist forces opposed the government of the then president Burhanuddin Rabbani and took part in fighting in Kabul that claimed the lives of tens of thousands.

However, he later entered a power-sharing agreement with Mr Rabbani and served as prime minister before being forced out by the rise of the Taleban in 1996.

In the past decade, he has rebuilt his power in the east of the country and in 2003 was designated a terrorist by the US state department.

Saarc international I Thursday 26 January 2012

SAARC

11

WEEKLY REVIEW OF AFGHANISTAN NEWS

Envoy: Rumors of plan to divide Afghanistan ‘dishonor’ sacrifice of 1,800 US troops The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan on Tuesday condemned rumors that the United States is planning to divide the war-torn country, saying the suggestions were “lies that dishonor the sacrifice of more than 1,800 American service members who have died in the cause of a unified Afghanistan.”

Ambassador Ryan Crocker said in a statement that a “free and independent media plays a vital role in any democracy” and that Afghanistan’s media and the Afghan government spokespersons were “important elements in our close

bilateral relationship.”

But he then went on to say that, “rumors that the United States

has a plan to divide Afghanistan or change its form of government are, frankly speaking, lies that

dishonor the sacrifice of more than 1,800 American service members who have died in the cause of a unified Afghanistan, governed by its Constitution.”

And he added that the idea “that the United States is seeking a

secret deal with the Taliban at the expense of the Afghan government and people” was “another false and absurd rumor.”

‘Democratic and unified’ Crocker stressed that the United States was “committed to supporting the efforts of the central government, to build a strong, secure, democratic, and unified Afghanistan.”

“We have no other aim or goal,” he added, pointing out that American taxpayers had provided billions of dollars over the past decade to support “the government and people of Afghanistan.”

Afghan government hints at Taliban talks The Afghan government of Hamid Karzai signaled willingness to join in with an American-led drive towards peace talks, according to a top official, removing a potential hurdle blocking US efforts to push a peace process forward in the unstable country.

“Peace is our highest top priority and we support every effort that would lead to peace,” Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin said, indicating that Kabul backs a plan for the Taliban establish an office in Qatar to facilitate talks.

His public statement, alongside the American architect of the peace initiative, the U.S. special

representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman, also removed most doubts that the Afghan government might not fully support the peace U.S. initiative as it had not been involved in it from the very beginning.

Karzai’s government also signaled it would not stand in the way of the release of prisoners from the American detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as the Taliban are demanding.

“If the United States decides to transfer these detainees to Qatar to the extent that these people will be reunited with their families, the Afghan government will support

that,” Ludin said.

Marc Grossman, the U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said Sunday that “no decisions have been made” about releasing

detainees.

And he said the Taliban needed to make “a clear statement ... against international terrorism and in support of a peace process to end the

armed conflict in Afghanistan” before it could open an office in Qatar, the Gulf state playing an increasing role in international diplomacy.

Grossman is due to travel to Qatar on Monday.

He met Karzai on Sunday for a second day of talks on how to end bloodshed and achieve a peaceful resolution to Afghanistan’s conflict.

In one of the first open and detailed statements Grossman and Afghan officials have made on a peace process that he has been secretly marshaling for months, he said he hoped soon to meet President Karzai in Rome to discuss the process further.

Drugs and explosives US for reviving trilateral seized in Baghlan dialogue on Afghanistan

Afghan Intelligence Department, National Directorate for Security in northern Baghlan province on Wednesday announced, Afghan security forces discovered and seized various weapons, ammunitions and drugs in this province.

According to a press release issued by Afghan National Directorate for Security, Afghan intelligence forces seized at least 188 rounds of heavy machine gun ammos, 5 grenade launcher missiles, 1 artillery rocket, 5 rounds of mortar rockets, 5 76mm artillery rockets and 16 other types of ammunitions including 60 kgs of drugs.

Afghan Intelligence officials said, the drugs and weapons were seized during the past 24 hours from various regions of northern Baghlan province.

The source further added, the weapons and ammunitions were seized from Jelga and Khenjan districts of northern Baghlan province while drugs were seized from central Baghlan district.

According to provincial intelligence officials, Afghan security forces have not detained any suspect behind the weapons and drugs caches that were discovered in this province.

Seeking to downplay Pakistan’s refusal to allow him to visit the country, US Special Representative for the Afghanistan-Pakistan region Marc Grossman Friday said he will wait till Islamabad re-evaluates its relationship with Washington.

Grossman’s comments came on a day Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said relations with the US remain on hold following the NATO attack in November that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

“The Pakistan government has sought time to re-evaluate its relationship with the US. I respect that. I would be ready for talks when Pakistan is ready to have a conversation. I’m ready at any time, at any place,” Grossman told reporters after meeting Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai here. “What I would say is that of course we follow issues in Pakistan carefully. Relationship between Pakistan and US is very important,” he said.

The envoy said the US would continue to reinforce its conversation with Pakistan on the situation in Afghanistan and called for reviving a trilateral dialogue.

“What happens between Afghanistan and Pakistan is extremely important.

We encourage dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan. We’d like again to get into the meeting of the Core Group - Afghanistan, Pakistan and the US - because I think a conversation about all these things is really necessary,” he said.

Besides Mathai, Grossman held talks with National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and India’s AfPak envoy Satinder K. Lambah. The talks focused on the situation in Pakistan

and Afghanistan, with Grossman pitching for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led reconciliation process.

“We reviewed the situation in Afghanistan and I appreciated his desire to continue this conversation between the US and India on this important subject,” he said after talks with Mathai.

Amidst the ongoing political turmoil in Pakistan, Grossman stressed that the US backed the civilian government and democracy there.

“We support the civilian government in Pakistan and democracy in Pakistan,” he said.

SAARC

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Saarc international I Thursday 26 January 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF BANGLADESH NEWS

Internet beckons rural Bangladesh

Govt to take the technology to union level by Dec; moves to turn post offices into e-centres A new project of the government seeks to connect the country’s vast rural areas with a high-speed Internet connection by December 2013.

The government will invest Tk 719 crore across Bangladesh to link 1,006 unions to the Internet.

The unions, located in strategic places in the seven divisions, will relay the network facilities to adjacent unions and villages and give the rural people access to high-speed Internet connection.

Meanwhile, a related project that seeks to revive postal services will convert all 8,500 post offices in Bangladesh into electronic post offices by June 2015.

The “post e-centres” will provide postal services, money transfer facilities and a variety of information technologybased services.

The Optical Fibre Cable Network Development Project at the Union Parishads and the Post e-centre for Rural Community Project were approved at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) yesterday

chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

After the Ecnec meeting, Planning Minister AK Khandker told journalists that both projects would be implemented with government’s own resources.

He said the Tk 541-crore e-post project would “infuse new life into the neardead traditional postal services”.

The optical fibre project will have 1,006

unions across 64 districts connected to the 11,060-kilometre network spread throughout the country.

There are about 4,500 unions in the country.

Currently, the rural people can connect to Internet only through wireless networks of telecom companies. The wireless Internet is often erratic, slow and unavailable in many remote areas.

The initiative will link the rural areas to the network, which will offer uninterrupted and high-speed Internet services.

The project proposal says that the government has already given directives to Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Ltd (BTCL) to bring all unions of the country under optical fibre network within three years.

The minister said when the e-centres come into operation, expatriate Bangladeshis will be able to contact and send money from anywhere in the world to their relatives within seconds.

The relatives will have to open account at the e-centres to get this service.

Khaleda asked to appear in court Feb 14

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and three others have been asked to appear before A Dhaka court on February 14 in connection with Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

After scrutinising the case docket and other relevant documents on Sunday, Judge Mohammad Zohurul Haque of the Senior Special Judge’s Court in Dhaka set the date.

The court will give its decision the same day on whether the charges levelled at them will be taken into cognisance.

The three other accused are Abul Harris Chowdhury, political secretary to the then prime minister Khaleda; his assistant personal secretary (APS) Ziaul Islam Munna; and Monirul

Islam Khan, APS to former Dhaka City Corporation mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

Of them, Khaleda, Munna and Monirul had obtained bail from the High Court on different dates while Harris Chowdhury has been absconding since the case was filed against him and he has been shown fugitive in the charge sheet. The investigation officer of the case also prayed for issuance of an arrest warrant against him.

Earlier on January 16 this year, the Anti-Corruption Commission pressed charges against Khaleda and three others, accusing them of abusing power in collusion with each other for setting up a charitable trust named after late president Ziaur Rahman.

Bangladesh authorities vow to hunt coup plotters Hizb ut-Tahrir conspiracy against Bangladesh government Bangladesh Army says it foiled a coup via Facebook Intelligence sources say the Bangladesh coup attempt last month was fueled by retired officers campaigning to introduce sharia law. The news raises concern about political instability in the region.

A senior minister in Bangladesh has vowed to bring to justice those responsible for plotting a coup.

On Thursday the Bangladesh army said it had foiled a conspiracy against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.

Army intelligence discovered that Major Ziaul Haque had fled the barracks and was contacting fellow officers and ex-officers through Facebook and by cellphone to encourage them to join the plot, Brigadier General Muhammad Masud Razzaq said.

“Specific information has been unearthed that some officers in military service have been involved in the conspiracy to topple the system of democratic governance,” he told reporters.

Police on Sunday arrested a leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir Bangladesh and seized a large number of books, posters and leaflets of the outlawed group from his residence at the capital’s Sabujbagh.

Detained Md Anisuzzaman, 39, who taught at two colleges in the capital, is a resident Titas Upazila in Comilla.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested five members of Hizb ut-

of Military Intelligence.

Reading out a statement, Mashud said the army had unearthed specific information about some serving officers’ involvement in the

Tahrir from the city yesterday, a day after the army said it had foiled a coup allegedly plotted by Maj Syed Mohammad Ziaul Huq, said to have links with the banned Islamist outfit.

“Anyone who attempts to overthrow the democratic system will be traced... none will be spared,” minister Syed Ashraful Islam told reporters.

Spokesman says a group of ‘fanatical’ serving, retired officials behind plot; 2 ex-officers arrested; 2 top ranking officers face interrogation; court of enquiry formed The army has foiled a “coup attempt to overthrow the present democratic government”, an army spokesman said yesterday.

A band of religious fanatics,

comprising mid-ranking officers and their retired colleagues, was involved in the failed putsch.

At the instigation of some nonresident Bangladeshis, they sought to “disrupt democracy by creating anarchy in the army, cashing in on the fanaticism of others”.

Brigadier General Muhammad Mashud Razzaq, director of Personnel Services Directorate, disclosed the information at an unprecedented press briefing at the Army Officers Club in Dhaka cantonment. He was accompanied on the dais by Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Sazzad Siddique, acting judge advocate general of the army.

Also present were Lt Gen Md Mainul Islam, chief of general staff, and Brig Gen Ridwan-Al-Mahmud, director

conspiracy.

“This evil plot has been resisted thanks to sincere efforts by the welldisciplined members of the force,” he said adding that some serving and retired officials had already admitted their involvement.

Replying to a query, Brig Gen Mashud said around 14 to 16 midlevel officers were believed to have

been involved in the bid.

Two retired officers -- Lieutenant Colonel Ehsan Yusuf and Major Zakir -- have been arrested in connection with the plot and they are now being interrogated. Another plotter, a serving major named Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque alias Major Zia, has been on the run.

Some undisciplined and disgruntled officers had been involved in the attempt to execute the scheme by staying in contact with Major Zia by email and mobile phone.

To unearth details about the scheme, a court of inquiry was set up on December 28 last year. That court is still in operation, Mashud said, adding that stern action would be taken against the plotters once the investigation was complete.

In the past few weeks, rumours ran rife about tension in the army. This apart, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia told a rally in Chittagong on January 9 that army officers had been disappearing.

Meanwhile, army sources at the press briefing said two senior officers have been kept confined at Dhaka cantonment log area for interrogation.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF BHUTAN NEWS

Will not allow any anti-India groups: Bhutan PM Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley Sunday said the Himalayan nation would not allow any Indian militant groups to once again set up bases in the country.

“We shall not allow nor tolerate any Indian extremist groups to set up bases and create problem in Assam or other parts of India from Bhutan,” he told journalists here.

Thinley was in Guwahati en route to Pemagetshel in Samdrup Jhonkhar district

of Bhutan. Several districts of Bhutan could only be traversed from capital Thimphu by crossing stretches in adjoining Assam.

Two of Assam’s influential militant groups, the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), besides the Kamatapur Liberation Organization (KLO) of West Bengal had well entrenched bases in Bhutan for close to a decade.

Bhutan in 2003 launched “Operation All Clear” – an offensive carried out to evict over 3,000 rebels belonging Assam and West Bengal from the Himalayan nation.

Asked to comment on reports of the presence of Maoist rebels in Bhutan, the prime minister said there were no such reports.

“We don’t have any Maoist elements in Bhutan,” Thinley said.

Australia reaffirms support to Meet on Indo-Bhutan Friendship held endorse Bhutan to UNSC

Australian delegates will also talk with its universities to waive off IELTS requirements for Bhutanese students With the signing of the memorandum of understanding yesterday, Bhutan and Australia took another step forward for an increased interaction and cooperation in the future.

The memorandum was signed between foreign secretary Daw Penjo and Australian Ambassador to Bhutan Peter Varghese at the convention

centre in Thimphu.

Australian assistance dates back to early 1960’s in areas of human resource development and animal husbandry programs.

It was, however, formalised in 2002, its focus, again mainly to assist human resource development in Bhutan.

Assistance in renewable natural resources sector, ACIAR fruit fly project, forest fire management and park twining arrangements were the

Bhutan-Assam border reopens after 10 yrs A grand Fair and Craft Bazar at Subankhata in Assam, which is 25km away from Samdrupjongkhar town marked the opening of the BhutanAssam border that had remained sealed for almost a decade.

Before the border was sealed, farmers from Yurung gewog traded their farm produces such as vegetables, dry chillies, oranges, cardamom in the border town.

There are six Bhutanese stalls that sell garments and traditional food at the seven day fair which is also the second Indo-Bhutan friendship fair.

The border gate, Chawki is about six hours walk from Yurung gewog and around 35 km away from Samdrupjongkhar town towards Nanglam.

A 45-seater bus is arranged to ferry Bhutanese visitors to the fair for free.

One of the villagers Sergay Lhadon a mother of two recalled the days when they used to come with their products

some of the focus areas.

Daw Penjo, during the first bilateral consultation between the two countries yesterday said the country given its limited base for internal resources faced challenges exploring financial resources within the country while at the same time faced a declining grant assistance.

That, he said, compelled the country to increasingly opt for credit financing from global and regional financial institutions for its development plans.

An international seminar on “Indo-Bhutan Friendship & Co-Operation” was organised at the Ishan Institute of Management and Technology, Greater Noida on Tuesday. On the occasion, Bhutan’s Ambassador Major General Vestop Namgyel was the chief guest. Her highness Dwa Zau was also the special guest. Namgyel said Bhutan will not allow terrorists from Assam to enter the border of Bhutan at any cost. He also added that in next two years, Bhutan will be the biggest electricity producing country in the world and 10,000 megawatt of additional electricity would be produced.

Continued from page 09 >>

13/7 case cracked: Police

to Naquee Sheikh.

Siddibapa was in Mumbai in July last at the time of 13/7 bombings — making it less than clear why he asked Sheikh to transport explosives to the city on his behalf, Mr. Maria claimed.

Haroon Rashid Naik, who the anti-terrorism squad says is involved in the bombing, was arrested in August, 2011 on charges relating to money-laundering, but has never before been accused of having a role in the 13/7 attacks, in which three bombs went off within minutes of one another in the Zaveri Bazar jewellery market, the Opera House business district, and the bustling neighbourhood of Dadar.

Family protests Meanwhile, Naquee Sheikh’s family met senior Delhi Police officials to lodge a formal protest against his treatment. Last week, The Hindu revealed that Naquee Sheikh had cooperated with the IB and the Delhi Police after his detention on December 9.

Police sources told The Hindu that Naquee Sheikh had admitted

to having helped suspects A and B — whom he knew by the aliases ‘Waqas’ and ‘Tabrez’ — rent a home in Mumbai. The two men, he said, were introduced to him by an old friend, Gayur Ahmad Jamali. Jamali, in turn, had known Siddibapa since 2008. Naquee Sheikh also told the police that he accompanied the two terrorists to a gym and helped them find work at a construction site. He also identified ‘Waqas’ from closed-circuit camera footage taken outside a store at Jhaveri Bazaar.

His questioning ended by January 7 — when the Delhi Police travelled with him to Mumbai, in a last-ditch attempt to apprehend ‘Waqas’ and ‘Tabrez.’ There, under circumstances which are yet to be fully explained, he was detained by the Mumbai Police. “The Delhi Police stand on this [is] clear,” a senior official told The Hindu, “if we are asked to testify in a future bail application by Naquee Sheikh, we will put on record that he cooperated with us.” Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs said they were “baffled” by the decision to arrest Naquee Sheikh, but declined on-record comment.

Pakistan Heart Drug Scare

to Assam and stay overnight at the homes of their Assamese friends.

They returned home with rice, oil salt.

“We were scared to cross border after the problems,” she said. “Now that it has re-opened I’m glad that my farm produces at least have a market.”

Bhutan India Friendship Association’s (BIFA) youth secretary of Assam Anil Daimary assured that security personnel are deployed during the fair for the safety of the Bhutanese people.

BIFA’s secretary Norbu Wangdi said the fair is organised to revive the friendship between Bhutan and Assam.

found involved in criminal negligence would be dealt with sternly and justice would be done.

The Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) gives free medicines in its outdoor service to the needy patients, but some of these medicines proved fatal for the hapless users.

He said today he held a detailed meeting and collected statistics of the people who lost their lives due to these medicines. He said over 70 people died in hospitals while 17 people died out of hospitals, in Lahore and other areas. A report earlier said that about twenty-five thousand patients were given these medicines.

On Monday (January 23) Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency arrested the owners of two local pharmaceutical companies that were supplying at least four different cardiac drugs—Cardiovestin (simvastatin), Alfagril (clopidogrel), Concort (amlodipine) and Soloprin (aspirin), according to NewsPakistan—to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), which allegedly administered the medications to patients free of cost. Officials have also reportedly

sealed off at least one pharmaceutical factory suspected of producing the contaminated drugs.

According to the Daily Times, Punjab provincial Health Secretary Jahanzeb Khan told a news conference on Monday that the PIC had given potentially tainted drugs to 46,000 patients, all of whom would be contacted and advised in the next few days regarding the possible danger to their health. At the same conference, the Daily Times reported, Parliamentary Secretary for Health Saeed Elahi announced that samples of the suspect drugs would be sent to laboratories outside of Pakistan for testing, as the country has no facilities capable of the analyses.

If heavy metals are indeed to blame for the deaths of cardiac patients, it’s likely that the contaminants have gotten into their bone marrow and compromised their immune systems or led to dangerous drops in platelet counts, which could result in uncontrolled bleeding. Heavy bleeding was indeed reported in some of the Pakistani victims,

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Pentagon rejects Pakistan army claim on Nato blunder The United States rejected Monday the findings of a Pakistani probe into Nato air strikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in late November, saying the investigation ignored the fact that “mistakes” were made on both sides.

At a press briefing, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the Pakistani army had officially delivered during the weekend a copy of the report conducted by Islamabad on the November 26 strikes against a Pakistani border post.

“The statement that this was an unprovoked attack by US forces is simply false,” said Navy Captain Kirby. “It was not an unprovoked attack,” he said. “There were errors made by both sides here.”

Underscoring its criticism of the Nato force in Afghanistan, the Pakistani military rejected Monday US efforts to apportion some of the

blame to Pakistan as “unwarranted and unacceptable.”

Kirby said the Pentagon was “100 percent” behind the findings of the investigation report released last month by the US military.

That report, while acknowledging some responsibility in the bombing

26/11: Pakistan panel to visit India on February 3

A Pakistani judicial commission will visit India during February 3-6 to interview officials who were involved in the investigation of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Friday.

Mr. Malik announced the dates for the commission’s visit during a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal at the Interior Ministry this afternoon, official sources said.

India had earlier suggested to Pakistan that the judicial commission should visit during the first half of February.

Mr. Malik announced the date for the visit after the completion of various technical formalities, including the selection of the officials who would be included in the panel, the sources said.

During their meeting, Mr. Malik and

of one or two Pakistani border posts, argued that Nato troops had fired in “self-defense” after being shot at by “heavy weapons and mortar” from an “unidentified” source in a remote area infiltrated by Taliban organizations.

Captain Kirby regretted that

Islamabad refused to participate in the investigation initiated by the US military. He called on Pakistan to reopen supply routes for Nato troops in Afghanistan, which were closed after the bombing.

“We want to get past all this and we want to build a good cooperative

relationship with the Pakistani military,” he said.

The crisis in US-Pakistani relations has been overshadowed by a standoff between the courts and the civilian government that analysts believe could force early elections in Pakistan within months.

Pakistan to Re-Open Border for NATO

Unite States has denies reports regarding tariff imposition on NATO supply route for Afghanistan, adding that US had not contacted to Pakistan in this regard.

The US State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland during the briefing to media on Friday said that the civil assistance to Pakistan is continued and this series would also continue in future.

It has not heard or received any information from Pakistan on imposing tariff on the NATO supply

Pakistan announced Thursday that it plans to reopen supply routes to NATO forces in Afghanistan, but will impose tariffs.

Islamabad closed its borders to NATO after a cross-border air raid killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on November 26.

US officials described the incident as “regrettable” and having resulted

the dangerous border region where the attack took place “the world’s most dangerous place.”

No date was given for reopening the supply routes.

The move comes as exploratory peace talks between the home-grown Taliban – which is close to Al Qaida – and Islamabad have entered a impasse

route for Afghanistan, moving through its territory.

Victoria Nuland, said that “We have not, as of this moment, had any official communication from the government of Pakistan on this subject.”

She was responding to questions in news reports appearing in the Pakistan media that Pakistan has agreed to open the crucial NATO supply route but are applying tariff on the movement of goods.

We have seen the same media reports that you have seen,” she said. “It is, as you know, part of their ongoing parliamentary review. So from where we are standing at the moment, we do not have anything new,” Nuland said and refused to comment on the tariff proposal.

Meanwhile according western media reports Six weeks after closing its border with Afghanistan to NATO in protest of a friendly-fire incident, Pakistan will re-open it – for a price.

from “the fog of war.”

The NATO attack plunged relations between troubled allies Pakistan and the US to their lowest point in years.

The tariffs are said to be designed to both express continued anger over the November attack and raise funds for Pakistan to fight homegrown Taliban terrorists plaguing both Islamabad and Kabul.

US President Barack Obama has called

dashing hopes Pakistan could remove a serious domestic security problem from its agenda.

Analysts say officials in Islamabad likely used the November attack and subsequent row with the West as a means of furthering their dialogue with the Taliban. Now that those talks have stalled, they say, Pakistan is looking for a way to save face while reversing course.

the Indian envoy discussed progress in the probe into the Mumbai attacks, including the trial of seven Pakistani suspects charged with involvement in the incident, and other aspects of bilateral relations.

Pakistani officials have said that

the judicial commission’s visit to India is imperative to take forward the prosecution of the seven suspects, including Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, whose trial has virtually stalled for the past year.

Defence lawyers have raised questions about the admissibility of the confession of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving attacker, in a Pakistani court.

Kasab’s confessional statement, recorded by an Indian magistrate, is a key piece of evidence for the Pakistani prosecutors.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF INDIA NEWS

Supreme Court dismisses PIL on Army Chief age row The Supreme Court dismissed a PIL seeking a direction to the government to restore the Army Chief Gen. V.K. Singh’s date of birth as May 10, 1951 saying it was not maintainable in law.

“In our view, the writ petition filed at the behest of an association is not maintainable.

The writ petition is dismissed as not maintainable,” a bench headed by Chief

Peace in Pakistan stabilizes South Asia: India

India’s External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna says that developments in Pakistan are of ‘deep concern’ from the point of stability in South Asia. Krishna expressed the confidence that things would get back to normal. Speaking to journalists in Sira taluk in Tumkur district of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, Mr. Krishna said he was hopeful that the crisis in Pakistan would blow over.

There was need for political stability in Pakistan for peace in South Asia.

“Peace prevailing in Pakistan brings some kind of stability in South Asia,” he told reporters at the taluka headquarters town of Sira in Tumkur district of Karnataka. “In that background, the current situation is a matter of deep concern.”

But Mr Krishna expressed the confidence that things would get back to normal, saying the Pakistani government was working towards that end.

Kerala temple treasure: Trial documentation on Feb 9 A joint-sitting of Supreme Courtappointed committees on Sunday decided on a Feb 9 trial run of documenting the treasure unearthed at the famed Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple.

“On Feb 15, we are planning to submit a report to the Supreme Court on the trial run and we expect to begin the official documentation process either on Feb 17 or 18,” said M.V.Nair, who was earlier this month appointed chairman of the Supreme Court-appointed expert panel to evaluate the treasure found in the temple vaults.

Nair replaced former chairman C.V. Ananda Bose, who has retired from service and Sunday’s meeting was the first after Nair took over.

Sunday’s meeting took place after the Kerala government had sanctioned

Rs. 2.50 crore for the documentation process.

State public sector firm Keltron has obtained the state-of-the-art equipment required for the speedy examination and documentation of the priceless treasure that was unearthed last year.

Justice S.H. Kapadia said.

“This is purely a service matter,” the court said.

The bench was furious that the PIL filed

by The Grenadiers Association (Rohtak Chapter) annexed the opinions of former Chief Justices of India in the petition on the age row of Army Chief when they themselves said it is not for being putting

up before the court.

He directed the Supreme Court registry not to accept any writ petitions in cases where opinions of former Chief Justices are annexed.

Gen. Singh himself has filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the government that his date of birth be treated as 10.5.1951 and not 1950.

Indian Premier Tries to Revive Fortunes Amid Hurdles

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, after taking a political shellacking in 2011, has embarked on initiatives that include greater investment by state-owned firms in an effort to shore up economic growth and reassure industry.

Yet the 79-year-old leader, who has been in power since 2004, faces substantial obstacles in delivering on his plans. The crisis in the euro zone is exacerbating the anticipated deceleration of India’s economic engine, making it difficult for unilateral government measures here to boost expansion. Moreover, Mr. Singh runs a coalition government that has seen major economic initiatives scotched by nettlesome allies.

Most spectacularly, a government executive decision to allow foreign retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Tesco PLC to own 51% of Indian joint ventures (now they are barred from Indian retail) was reversed because of the objections of the Trinamool Congress, a coalition ally, which felt the move would harm Indian mom-and-pop shopkeepers.

Still, Mr. Singh is seeking to foster an appearance of new resolve. “We must not be too downcast,” he said in a Jan. 1 speech to the nation. “We must remember that downturns are followed by upturns. Indeed, they are often a test of our ability to respond to new challenges.”

On Wednesday, Mr. Singh led a highly publicized meeting of 20 power-industry executives and several government officials to try to find ways to relieve a chronic shortage of affordable coal as well as clear other hurdles—such as lengthy environmental clearances for plant construction—that are crippling the power sector. Industrialists have complained for months that the bureaucratic and policy-making apparatus has been paralyzed as the government dealt with a series of

political crises. In the meeting, Mr. Singh sought to assure the executives that government supported them.

“All of you are wealth creators and are worthy of our respect,” Mr. Singh said, according to two attendees. And he named his principal secretary, Pulok Chatterji, as head of a committee that will study how to remove roadblocks to power infrastructure and review progress in 90 days.

Ashok Khurana, director-general of the Association of Power Producers, who was at the meeting, said the normally soft-spoken prime minister promised the group that “no power asset will lie idle in the country.” Mr. Khurana said Mr. Singh’s demeanor in previous meetings has been to listen and respond “I’ve heard you.” Of Wednesday’s meeting, he said, “I have never seen him more assertive.”

Separately, on Jan. 3, Mr. Chatterji headed up a meeting of state-owned companies in which he urged those with significant cash piles to draw up “credible investment programs” and “implement them with vigor” to help boost economic growth, according to a government summary

of the meeting. Coal India Ltd., for instance, the government-run monopoly coal supplier, is sitting on cash and bank balances of around $8 billion, according to the summary.

But it has plans to invest only $855 million in the year ending March 31, 2013, with the possibility of further spending of $1.2 billion on overseas assets.

Mr. Chatterji asked the company to step up investments that may be planned for future years and to look into expansion in other industries such as roads, railways, waterways and the power sector. In all, the government identified $35.2 billion in potential investment by the companies in the year that begins April 1, according to the summary.

Coal India didn’t respond to requests to comment.

An official in the prime minister’s office said Thursday that Mr. Singh plans to try to reintroduce the expansion in foreign direct investment in retail after a series of state legislative elections that will conclude in early March. The official said May or June is a likely time frame.

India’s civil aviation ministry this week also said it will prepare a note for the federal cabinet to consider allowing up to 49% investment by foreign carriers in Indian local airlines in a bid to provide muchneeded relief to an industry marred by high jet-fuel costs and mounting losses.

The official in the prime minister’s office said Mr. Singh has yet to take a view on that issue.How Mr. Singh handles the next several months will help define his legacy after eight years in office. India has seen years of unprecedented economic growth in that time but the prime minister’s recent tenure has been tainted by corruption scandals and by the inept handling of allies and the political opposition.

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HRW World Report 2012: Disappointing Year For Human Rights In India The Indian government during 2011 failed to hold rights violators accountable or to carry out effective policies to protect vulnerable communities, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in its World Report 2012.

The government took no action to repeal the widely discredited Armed Forces Special Powers Act, disregarding the recommendations of political leaders and advisers, the New York-based rights watchdog said in the report released on Monday.

It also accused the Indian government of ignoring the urgent need for police reform despite widespread complaints of torture and unlawful killings as well as deplorable working conditions for police personnel.

“The Indian government took few steps to prosecute abusive soldiers, undertake needed police reforms, or bring an end to torture,” said HRW Asia Director Brad Adams.

“Internationally, India missed opportunities to be a leader at the United Nations Security Council and Human Rights Council in protecting the rights of vulnerable people abroad,” he added.

In its World Report 2012, HRW assessed progress on human rights during the past year in more than 90 countries, including popular uprisings in the Arab world that few would have imagined. Given the violent forces resisting the “Arab Spring,” the international community has an important role to play in assisting the birth of rights-respecting democracies in the region, HRW said in the report.

In India, violence in Jammu and Kashmir State dropped significantly during 2011. The State human rights commission’s investigation of 38 sites in north Kashmir and the discovery of 2,730 unmarked graves was a good first step for providing justice to the victims, the HRW said. While the government maintains that most of the bodies are those of unidentified Pakistani militants, many Kashmiris believe that victims of fake “encounter killings” or enforced disappearances may also have been buried in those graves.

The government belatedly addressed the epidemic of killings on the Indo-Bangladesh border by the Border Security Force (BSF). Although the government ordered restraint and provided rubber bullets to reduce casualties, there were continued reports of torture leading to deaths and other abuses by BSF soldiers. No BSF soldiers have been prosecuted for the unlawful killings of over 900 Indians and Bangladeshis over the past decade.

“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s call for ‘zero tolerance’ of abuses by the armed forces has been undercut by the near zero progress in holding the abusers responsible,” Adams said. He called on the Indian government not to “allow the Army to hide behind claims about troop morale or operational needs as an excuse for impunity.”

Residents of areas facing a Maoist insurgency, which in 2011 was active in nearly 80 districts across 11 Indian States, complained of being squeezed between state security forces and Maoist rebels. Security agencies carried out numerous arbitrary arrests and were accused of many instances of torture. The Maoists frequently demanded shelter and information from villagers, who were then punished by security forces for collaborating with the rebels.

“While the government agrees that the Maoist movement is rooted in failed government policies and speaks of winning hearts and minds, it allows the security forces to commit abuses with impunity,” Adams said. “At the same time, the Maoists claim to speak for the marginalized

Pakistan: Rights Suffer Under Army Power Grab Upsurge in Attacks on Civilians, Torture, Targeted Killings

(New York) – Pakistan’s fledgling democratic government, under increasing pressure from the military, appeased extremist groups, ignored army abuses, and failed to hold those responsible for serious abuses accountable in 2011, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2012. Targeted killings and other attacks on civilians by the Taliban and sectarian and ethnic militant groups, as well as killings of journalists, were commonplace during the year.

military undermined democratic institutions. From Karachi to Quetta, Pakistan is teetering on the edge of becoming a military-run Potemkin democracy.”

In its 676-page report,Human Rights Watch assessed progress on human rights during the past year in more than 90 countries, including popular uprisings in the Arab world that few would have imagined.

Given the violent forces resisting the “Arab Spring,” the international

extremists accountable. Taseer’s self-confessed killer, Mumtaz Qadri, was convicted of murder, but the presiding judge had to flee the country amid fears for his safety.

Extremist groups exploited the government’s passivity by intimidating minorities and with an upsurge in blasphemy allegations and cases, Human Rights Watch said. Religious minorities, Muslims, children, and mentally disabled people have all been charged under the blasphemy

Security deteriorated dramatically throughout the country as the result of suicide bombings by the Taliban and affiliated groups, which targeted civilians and public spaces, including marketplaces and religious processions. There was a dramatic increase in targeted killings in the southwestern province of Balochistan, while 800 people were killed in often politically motivated violence in Karachi. Law enforcement authorities made little attempt to resolve enforced disappearances of terrorism suspects and opponents of the military.

“The past year was disastrous for human rights in Pakistan,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Bombs killed hundreds of civilians, advocates of religious tolerance were assassinated, and the

community has an important role to play in assisting the formation of rights-respecting democracies in the region, Human Rights Watch said in the report.

In Pakistan, persecution and discrimination under cover of law against religious minorities and other vulnerable groups reached a zenith in 2011, Human Rights Watch said. Freedom of belief and expression came under severe threat as Islamist militant groups murdered Punjab’s governor, Salmaan Taseer, and the federal minorities’ minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, over their public support for amending the country’s often abused blasphemy law. The government notably failed to provide protection to people threatened by extremists or hold the

law, which violates the right to freedom of conscience and religion under international law.

“Government appeasement of extremist groups who fomented Taseer and Bhatti’s murders has led to a rash of blasphemy allegations and well-justified fear for those who question the use of the blasphemy law,” Adams said. “The Pakistan government needs to summon the courage to stand up to extremists and hold those responsible for violence and threats to account.”

Journalists, particularly those covering counterterrorism issues or who are perceived to be taking public positions against the military, faced unprecedented threats. At least ten journalists were killed in Pakistan

yet punish anyone who might disagree with their violent methods.”

The government adopted long overdue measures to compensate rape victims and revised its medico-legal protocols to exclude the humiliating “finger” test to investigate rape cases, the HRW report said.

Yet the government did little to address the widespread problems of “honor killings,” dowry deaths, and sexual violence. A further decline in India’s sex ratio because of sex selective abortion and other abuses against girls and women points to the economic and social disparities that lead families to prefer sons over daughters, and the government’s need to expand educational and economic opportunities for women. The failure to extend maternal health care programs to all mothers below the age 19 or with more than two live births also reflected poorly on the government’s commitment to protect women.

The Medical Council of India took an important step in 2011 by recognizing palliative care as a medical specialty.

But more than half of government-supported regional cancer centers still do not offer palliative care or pain management, even though more than 70 percent of their patients need it.

Internationally, although India served on both the U.N. Security Council and Human Rights Council, it let opportunities pass to support independent, international investigations into conflict-related abuses in Sri Lanka and Myanmar. The report blames India for remaining silent on even the gravest abuses instead of using these memberships to show leadership to protect human rights abroad.

“India is now watched closely for signs of responsible global leadership,” Adams said, adding that “its silence on human rights violations by abusive regimes because of its reluctance to interfere in the so-called ‘internal affairs’ of other countries sits uncomfortably alongside its international human rights commitments and its self image as a rights-respecting nation.”

Govt increasingly intolerant to criticism: HRW Says no justice for victims of rights abuses by security forces

The Bangladesh government has taken no significant steps to investigate and prosecute torture in custody and extra-judicial killings during 2011 and showed an increasing intolerance for criticism, says Human Rights Watch.

The government also missed the chance to ensure trials that meet international standards for the country’s

security agencies have replaced one form of abuse with another, the HR report observed.

Attempts by civil society during the year to document or denounce human rights violations at times resulted in harassment or torture, the HRW said.

Odhikar, a Dhaka-based human rights organisation, has come under increased surveillance and its employees have

leaders remained under severe pressure and at risk of arbitrary arrests. The non-governmental organisation bureau in the prime minister’s office held up grants to groups critical of the government, the report said.

“In 2011 the government appeared to hunker down and assume dark motives when human rights concerns were raised, demonising critics instead of carefully considering

independence-era atrocities, the New York-based rights watchdog said in its World Report 2012.

The 676-page report said the HRW found that there was a sharp increase in enforced disappearances though the number of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) killings has dropped following domestic and international criticism.

The enforced disappearances led to concerns that

been harassed. The Asian Human Rights Commission said that its representative, William Gomez, was abducted by plainclothes security personnel in May and tortured and verbally abused during an interrogation.

Supporters of high profile figures such as the Nobel Prize Laureate Mohammad Yunus were threatened and intimidated and, in one case, beaten up. Trade union

their concerns,” Adams said, HRW’s Asia director.

“In a democracy all points of view should be welcome and activities like human rights monitoring by domestic organisations should be encouraged, not disparaged,” he added.

Charges have been filed against seven people accused of war crimes during the 1971 war for independence. The

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‘Defence of Pakistan’ rally: Govt warned against NATO route restoration M

erely a kilometre away from the military headquarters in Rawalpindi, thousands of people gathered to ‘show’ their strength against, what they called, antiPakistan forces.

Hosted by Sheikh Rashid Ahmed of his one-man Awami Muslim League, many leaders from religious, sectarian, and jihadi outfits; previously banned and now operating under different names, charged the jam-packed Liaqat Bagh with their religiously motivated speeches.

“Al-Jihad, Al-Jihad” (the holy war, the holy war) slogans rose from the crowd in response to every fiery claim by orators who warned against the ‘grand conspiracies’ being hatched by the ‘enemies of Pakistan’.

A majority of the participants in the rally were holding Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) flags, led by Hafiz Saeed, whose 17-minute speech, consistently referring to Indian-American aggression against Muslims, resonated with the crowd of over 50,000.

“The current standoff between state institutions is the result of a sin that we committed 10 years ago by allowing our territory to be used against Afghan Muslims, and until we repent for that grave mistake, we will never be able to overcome these

issues,” Saeed said.

“This is America’s war and we only want to fight Pakistan’s war.”

Saeed said that India is a greater threat to Pakistan than the US. “The current government is conspiring with the US to give in to Indian supremacy in the region. Granting Most Favoured Nation status is part

of that plan. We must practically oppose this.”

He said that the Defence of Pakistan Council (DPC) is working to unite all political and religious parties to thwart these conspiracies and tackle the difficulties that Pakistan is embroiled in.

Speaking later, former Inter-

Current situation retribution for allowing our soil’s use against Afghans: Hafiz Saeed

The current clash of institutions is the result of a sin that we committed 10 years ago by allowing our territory to be used against Afghan Muslims, Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed has said.

“Until we repent for that grave mistake, we will never be able to overcome these issues,” he told a rally in Rawalpindi on Sunday, organised under the aegis of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council, which is an alliance of 40 religious and political parties.

The rally, which managed to pull

as many as 20,000 people to the well-known Liaqat Bagh, was also attended by Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami chief Maulana Samiul Haq, former Inter-Services Intelligence chief Hamid Gul, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Munawar Hasan and Ahmed Ludhianvi, Pakistan Muslim League-Zia’s Ijazul Haq and former army chief General (retd) Mirza Aslam Baig.

Saeed, whose organisation is banned by the United Nations but continues to operate as a charity

in Pakistan, said that closing Nato supply routes is not enough and Pakistan must re-evaluate its entire defence policy.

He said he had told Prime Minister Gilani that he will ask him a question in the Rawalpindi rally. The question, he said, is when will he announce the date that Pakistan will severe all its ties with the United States. “This is America’s war and we only want to fight Pakistan’s war.”

Saeed, whose JuD is believed to be linked to anti-India militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, said that India is a greater threat to Pakistan than even the US. “The current government is conspiring with the US to give in to Indian supremacy [in the region]. Granting the Most Favoured Nation status is part of that plan. We must practically oppose this.”

He said that the Difa-i-Pakistan Council is working to agglomerate all political and religious parties to fight these conspiracies and tackle the difficulties that Pakistan is embroiled in.

Services Intelligence (ISI) chief General (retd) Hamid Gul warned that he would besiege the federal capital with over 2.5 million retired army personnel if the government restores Nato’s supply routes.

People were brought from different corners of the country in buses and vans. There were white shalwar kurta-clad, turbaned and bearded JuD activists from Azad Kashmir, some people from Peshawar, parts of Punjab and from Rawalpindi and Islamabad, but JuD members dominated the crowd.

The rally brought back memories of the leaders of once banned sectarian outfits in the shape of posters of Maulana Azam Tariq, the slain leader of Millat-e-Islami, a faction of Sipahe-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Haq Nawaz Jhangvi of SSP and others. The posters were distributed by the activists of Ahl-e-Sunnat-wal Jammat, who came in large numbers to listen to their leader, Maulana Ahmed Ludhianvi.

Activists of the participating religious outfits freely distributed hate material, including jihadi pamphlets, books, CDs and posters inciting sectarian hatred and urging jihad.

Liaquat Road was the main distribution point for these items.

“We were against these people

for spreading sectarian hate among Muslims, but they are now using public rallies and conferences for the purpose,” a JuD leader said while talking to The Express Tribune.

More than 2,000 JuD volunteers were responsible for administrative and security matters. Dozens of Falahe-Insaniyat Foundation ambulances, a charity wing of JuD, including mobile operation theatres remained stationed at the venue the whole day.

Murree Road was closed for traffic, which compounded the problems of commuters who were diverted to link roads, causing long traffic jams at multiple points.

Ijazul Haq of Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z) and Sheikh Rasheed, both cabinet members during the Musharraf era, asked religious parties for a grand alliance and jihad to stop US and Indian aggression against Pakistan.

They also opposed the government’s intentions to give MFN status to India.

The rally was also attended by Maulana Samiul Haq, Chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam of his own faction, Jamaat-i-Islami’s Munawar Hasan and Ahmed Ludhianvi, and former army chief General (retd) Mirza Aslam Baig.

Pakistani officer laid to rest as Turkish pilot’s body found

A military funeral was held for Maj. Massoud Hussein Chhachhar, 35, who was killed in a training flight off Turkey’s Aegean coast Jun. 16, in the Pakistani city of Lahore today.

Chhachhar was training Turkish pilot Lt. Serkan Sağır on a D-137 plane when it crashed into the Aegean Sea near the western province of İzmir, killing both pilots.

The funeral was attended by Gen. Recep Yüksel of Turkey’s Air Training Command, Turkish Ambassador to Islamabad Babür Hızlan, Punjab Provincial Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and ranking officers from the Pakistani air force. Turkish President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent laurels to

the funeral.

Chhachhar has been training Turkish pilots for the past two years as part of a military cooperation agreement between Turkey and Pakistan. He had the most flight hours among servicemen in his rank and Turkish officials had requested to extend his tour of duty for another year due to “outstanding service,” the report said.

Chhachhar’s coffin, wrapped in both the Turkish and Pakistani flags, was flown to his home village for burial after the ceremony. He has been married for three years.

Search and rescue teams have spotted the dead body of Turkish Lt. Sağır who died in the crash at around noon today.

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PTI will be more successful in rural Pakistan: Imran

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan appears determined to respond to every criticism of his newly-popular party.

“They say that PTI is a party popular only in urban Pakistan. But you tell me, has there ever been this big a rally in Bhalwal?” Imran confidently asked thousands of party supporters who gathered in the small town in Sargodha on Sunday, who responded with a cheer of ‘no’.

“Do the rural people not want justice?

They do. Injustice in Pakistan’s rural areas is worse than that in urban areas,” he said. “This PTI tsunami will be even more successful in rural areas because it is the harbinger of change, of Pakistan’s transformation.”

Speaking about how his party prioritises rural farmers as those who need justice the most, he said that because of a mafia, a poor farmer who produces sugarcane is paid 30 per cent less than he deserves for his labour and production. “Why does Indian Punjab produce double than Pakistani Punjab? They have the same weather and land conditions.

Because the Indian government supports them by providing them with seeds, fertiliser and free electricity.”

This, he said, is his party’s vision for the farmers of Punjab. “We can earn an additional 300 billion rupees.

And PTI will make all this available for farmers. Our primary concern

will be the weak.”

Two-party system The greater part of Imran’s speech was focused on criticising the two parties that have hogged civilian rule in Pakistan – the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

“The reason these parties cannot bring about any change is because they are part of the problem, not the solution,” Imran said. “Their time is up and the days of their rule are gone.”

Picking on PML-N, who Imran has categorically refused to ally with, he said that Punjab is their responsibility

where they are governing for the fifth time but they have failed so miserably that they couldn’t even administer proper examinations for students. “Is Punjab doing any better than the rest of the provinces? No, it isn’t. Look at your tenure from 25 years ago and compare it with the current situation.

You have destroyed Punjab.”

He said that he saw right through PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s stance on the government’s refusal to write to Swiss authorities under the Supreme Court’s National Reconciliation Ordinance order.

“Mian sb, tell me one thing: how did you suddenly realise that the amount

in Swiss banks is looted from the people of Pakistan? Three years, you were ruling together [with the PPP].

You were brothers. Was this not looted money then?” he questioned.

Imran then drove his point home by quoting former US President Abraham Lincoln’s famous lines: “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time”.

Addressing the prime minister, Imran said that he criticises PTI for not having an agenda.

“First of all, Mr prime minister, I would like to tell you that even if

we don’t have an agenda right now, it will be better than yours. Even if we fail to deliver on our promises, we will end up doing a better job than you,” he said.

These parties, he said, say that Pakistan’s problems cannot be solved. “But I say they can be easily resolved. We are a well-endowed country. There are so many bright and competent Pakistanis who must be appointed at the right places.

They should head Wapda, PIA and Pakistan Railways. All appointments must be made on merit.” Justice, he said, is when merit is given priority over all else.

Fatima Bhutto Blasts Imran Khan

There was a short-lived rumor last month that Fatima Bhutto was flirting with the idea of joining Imran Khan’s opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

Speaking at the Jaipur Literature Festival on Sunday, she made it clear this was unlikely to happen. Ever.

More In Jaipur Literature Festival

“He has an incredible coziness not with the military but with dictatorship,” Ms. Bhutto said of Mr. Khan, a cricket legend-turned-politician who has been billing himself as the face of change in Pakistan.

Ms. Bhutto accused Mr. Khan of defending the legacy of former dictator Gen. Zia-ul-Haq, who came to power in the late 1970s after overthrowing Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Fatima’s grandfather and the founder of the country’s ruling Pakistan People’s Party.

She also mentioned Mr. Khan’s support for a 2002 referendum allowing Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who had come to power with a coup a few years earlier, to extend his term.

That’s not where it ended. In what appeared to be a well-rehearsed argument to debunk the political credibility of the former cricket captain, Ms. Bhutto went

on to list more reasons why she opposed his political foray.

“As a woman I worry very much about Imran’s politics,” said Ms. Bhutto. She spoke of his opposition to amending a 2006 woman’s bill in favor of victims of rape. She also questioned Mr. Khan’s commitment to secularism and to defending minorities.

“Is he a savior? No, I don’t think so,” said Ms. Bhutto during a Pakistan-focused session at the literary festival.

“Well, that’s the end of Imran Khan,” said news anchor Karan Thapar, who moderated the panel.

Mr. Khan’s political weight, long dismissed as irrelevant, started to gain new relevance in recent months.

Although he started his party more than 15 years ago, only now is it starting to gain traction. On Christmas Day, over 100,000 people turned up to his rally in

Karachi, where he vowed to stand up to the U.S. and to fight corruption.

In October, he drew an even larger crowd

in Lahore, leaving some wondering whether the next general elections, slated for 2013, may “mark the moment that PTI went from being ridiculous to respectable in the mainstream,” as an article in The Caravan magazine recently noted.

At the literary festival, where Ms. Bhutto shared a stage with the PakistaniAmerican historian Ayesha Jalal, the tone was one of disillusionment with Pakistan’s political class. Ms. Bhutto spoke of the “gulf” that exists between the people in power and the rest of the

country, saying that food scarcity – not squabbles between institutions – is the bigger worry for most people.

Despite her political lineage (another former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, was her aunt), Ms. Bhutto has long eschewed direct involvement in national politics. Best known as a writer and a journalist, Ms. Bhutto hasn’t spared members of her family in her political critiques. Her “Songs of Blood and Swords,” a 2010 memoir centered on the Bhutto dynasty, exposed feuding in her family and was damning of her late aunt.

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Saarc international I Thursday 26 January 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF PAKISTAN NEWS

US-Pak intelligence cooperation continues T

he death of a senior Al Qaeda leader in a US drone strike in Pakistan’s tribal areas, the first strike in almost two months, signalled that the USPakistan intelligence partnership is still in operation despite political tensions.

The Jan 10 strike — and its follow-up two days later — were joint operations, a Pakistani security source based in the tribal areas said.

They made use of Pakistani “spotters” on the ground and demonstrated a level of coordination that both sides have sought to downplay since tensions first erupted in January 2011 with the killing of two Pakistanis by a CIA contractor in Lahore.

“Our working relationship is a bit different from our political relationship,” the source said. “It’s more productive.”

Pakistani and US sources said the target of the Jan 10 attack was Aslam Awan, a Pakistani national from Abbottabad, the town where Osama bin Laden was killed last May by a US commando team.

They said he was targeted in a strike by a US-operated drone directed at what news reports said was a compound near the town of Miramshah in the border tribal agency of North Waziristan.

That strike broke an undeclared

eight-week hiatus in attacks by the armed, unmanned drones that patrol the tribal areas and are a key weapon in President Barack Obama’s counter-terrorism strategy.

The sources described Awan, also known by the nom-deguerre Abdullah Khorasani, as a significant figure in the remaining core leadership of Al Qaeda, which US officials say has been sharply reduced by the drone campaign.

Most of the drone attacks are conducted as part of a clandestine CIA operation.

The Pakistani source, who helped target Awan, could not confirm that he was killed, but the US official said he was.

European officials said Awan had spent time in London and had ties to British extremists before returning to Pakistan.

The source, who says he runs a network of spotters primarily

in North and South Waziristan, described for the first time how US-Pakistani cooperation on strikes works, with his Pakistani agents keeping close tabs on suspected militants and building a pattern of their movements and associations.

“We run a network of human intelligence sources,” he said.

“Separately, we monitor their cell and satellite phones.

“Thirdly, we run joint monitoring operations with our US and UK friends,” he added, noting that cooperation with British intelligence was also extensive.

Pakistani and US intelligence officers, using their own sources, hash out a joint “priority of targets lists” in regular face-to-face meetings, he said.

“Al Qaeda is our top priority,” he said.

He declined to say where the

meetings take place.

Once a target is identified and “marked”, his network coordinates with drone operators on the US side. He said the United States bases drones outside Kabul, likely at Bagram airfield about 40km north of the capital.

From spotting to firing a missile “hardly takes about two to three hours”, he said.

It was impossible to verify the source’s claims and American experts, who decline to discuss the drone program, say the Pakistanis’ cooperation has been less helpful in the past.

US officials have complained that when information on drone strikes was shared with the Pakistanis beforehand, the targets were often tipped off, allowing them to escape.

The security source said very few innocent people had been killed in the strikes. When a militant takes

shelter in a house or compound which is then bombed, “the ones who are harbouring him, they are equally responsible”, he said.

“When they stay at a host house, they (the hosts) obviously have sympathies for these guys.” He denied that Pakistan helped target civilians.

“If … others say innocents have been targeted, it’s not true,” he said. “We never target civilians or innocents.”

The New America Foundation policy institute says that of the 283 reported strikes from 2004 to Nov 16, 2011, between 1,717 and 2,680 people were killed. Between 293 and 471 were thought to be civilians — approximately 17 per cent of those killed.

The Brookings Institution, however, says civilian deaths are high, reporting in 2009 that “for every militant killed, 10 or more civilians also died.”

Electoral lists to be finalised Target killings: SC will monitor by end of May: ECP govt, Sindh CJ warned on violence

Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Hamid Ali Mirza on Monday said the electoral lists would be finalised by the end of May and suggested political parties not to interfere in its proceedings, DawnNews reported.

Speaking at a meeting organised to consult with political parties for the preparation of new electoral lists, Mirza said the Election Cmmission of Pakistan (ECP) was a free and independent institution and hindering its proceedings would be unconstitutional.

Mirza said that complete voters’ lists could not be prepared by Feb 23 — the deadline given by the Supreme Court.

The ECP, political parties, civil society and media held a consultative session today to discuss key issues for ensuring credible and transparent elections in the country.

Mirza said all institutions should operate within their boundaries.

The chief election commissioner said that the lists could not be finalised before the end of May. “And before that there would be no constitutional value of the lists,” he added.

PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Mushahid Hussain Syed, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra of the PML-N, Nayyar Bukhari of PPP, Liaquat Baloch of Jamaat-i-Islami, Hashim Babar of ANP and MQM’s leader Iqbal Qadri attended the meeting.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has warned that he would not tolerate any violation of the orders of the apex court. “Any violation of the orders of Supreme Court would be taken seriously and would entail strict action.”

Taking notice of the killings of lawyers and other citizens in Sindh, CJ Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry assured the people of Karachi and Sindh that the judiciary would not leave them alone and would monitor the actions of the state apparatus.

Addressing members of the bar and bench after administering oath to the newly elected office bearers of the Karachi Bar Association here on Saturday, the chief justice especially referred to the target killing of lawyers in Karachi and said this was “really very frustrating.”

It is unfortunate if these incidents are ignored by the police. “Read our judgement in the suo motu proceedings on Karachi’s law and order situation, we have ordered

Sindh’s administration to protect the lives of citizens at all costs,” he said.

He asked the chief justice of the Sindh High Court to summon the chief secretary, Sindh IG, Rangers DG and other officials in his chambers in the presence of members of the bar and look into the issue.

Terming the strength of the judges at Sindh High Court as “meagre”, the CJP asked the chief justice of the SHC to “initiate the process of appointment in consultation with the senior-most judges.”

He said that although SHC CJ Mushir Alam was cautious about appointing judges on merit and the ‘best of the

best’, he should still move on with the process.

“Confer responsibility on a person, he will certainly respond by bringing [his] best,” he advised, citing an example while he was serving as the CJ of the Balochistan High Court.

“Select them from among the lawyers and district and sessions judges. A jewel shines only when it is crafted and becomes valuable,” he said.

He told the audience that he had a meeting with senior judges of the Supreme Court and Sindh High Court on the issue and hoped that in the next 15 to 20 days, the shortage of judges would end.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF MALDIVE NEWS

Cultural tradition and religious values at heart of “fresh, expanded nationhood”: President Mohamed Nasheed

In honor of the Maldives’ 69th National Day President Mohamed Nasheed has advised that Maldivian nationhood be rooted in universal values as taught by Islam and centuries-old tradition.

National Day remembers the heroic efforts of 16th century Maldivian leader Mohammed Thakurufaanu.

Speaking today, the President identified “conviction, beauty, humility, kindness, equality, justice, and caring” as the main bases of Maldivian nationhood. He advocated for “a fresh, expanded nationhood” in alignment with Islam and national tradition.

The question of the Maldive’s status as a 100 percent Muslim country was recently debated during protests in late December, when opposition

parties and religious NGOs called for stronger Islamic policies.

The government’s all-or-nothing response included a shut-down of all spas and a proposed nation-wide ban on pork and alcohol–moves which drew anxious attention from international media and tourism officials.

Although asked to rule on the Islamic value of allowing the sale of pork and alcohol in resorts, the Supreme Court dismissed the case but said it found no reason why those items should be prohibited according to constitutional regulations on tourism goods and services.

Advocating democracy and human rights as elements critical to the Maldives, President Nasheed said a refreshed sense of nationhood should

provide for “a just judiciary, freedom of expression, and other human rights; and an economic system that provides for a prosperous, clean livelihood for all citizens.”

Recently, the government instituted universal health insurance program Aasandhaa, providing free medical coverage for all Maldivian citizens

for the first time in the nation’s history.

“For the sake of development and the prosperity of all citizens… the Maldives has already seen tremendous changes to the system of governance,” said the President.

However, the government has wrestled with freedom of expression. In late

2011, controversial blogger Ismail ‘Khilath’ Rasheed’s blog was swiftly shut down on the exclusive order of the Islamic Minister. He was also arrested and held for extended periods of detention after participating in a peaceful protest for religious tolerance on International Human Rights Day, during which he was beaten.

Rasheed’s arrest and detention were scrunitised and condemned

by Amnesty International and Reporters without Borders (RSF).

Recognising the ongoing political unrest in Male’ since Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed was arrested on January 16 by military forces, President Nasheed said separation of powers and “a judiciary free from all undue influence,” are essential for future progress and growth.

Maldives appeals to UN Foreign Minister Welcomes Submission to the ICC in row over judge The Maldives has asked the UN to help resolve what it calls a “judicial crisis”, one week after the detention of a senior criminal court judge.

Last week the army arrested Judge Abdulla Mohamed for alleged corruption and political bias, a move which promoted street protests.

The government says Judge Mohamed’s judicial decisions were dictated by his political

and street protests, or correspondent says.

The government has confirmed it has asked the UN to send a team of senior foreign jurists to come and help resolve what it called a “systemic failure” in the Maldives judicial system.

The government says the judicial system in the Maldives is in crisis because it is unable to regulate itself.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Mr. Ahmed Naseem Tuesday welcomed the submission, by a group of local lawyers, of a case alleging human rights violations to the International Criminal Court (ICC). When questioned by MNBC One, local television channel, on the submission, the Foreign Minister noted that “becoming a member of the ICC was one of the main priorities of this administration and it was this administration which submitted the matter of accession to the Rome Statute to the Parliament”. “Our aim is for

all Maldivians to have access to the highest court in the international criminal legal system so as to achieve remedy and redress for grave crimes against humanity”, stated Minister Naseem.

Pakistan, India report progress on key pipeline

and personal affiliations.

Opposition activists say the government is undermining democracy.

The spokesman for ex-President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who was voted out of office in 2008 after a 30-year tenure, accused it of “terrorising” the judiciary.

Judge Mohamed appears to have made no public comment so far.

The political crisis has seen bitter rhetoric

It argues that a judicial commission, mandated by the constitution to investigate complaints and take disciplinary action against judges, has failed to probe complaints against Judge Mohamed. As a result, the government says, it was compelled to act and detained the judge last week.

It says the dispute with the judge is not an isolated incident but indicative of a more deep-rooted problem with the Maldives judicial system and the checks and balances it has to ensure it stays independent.

Reports say it is unclear exactly how the UN could help in this situation. The UN has yet to make a comment.

The supreme court and the prosecutor general’s office have demanded the judge’s release, calling his arrest illegal.

Continued from page 09 >> “There has been considerable progress in our talks,” said Indian oil minister S. Jaipal Reddy after a meeting in New Delhi with his Pakistani counterpart, Asim Hussain, on energy cooperation.

The 1,700-kilometre (1,050-mile) TAPI pipeline, aims to transport over 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually from the Dauletabad gas fields in southeast Turkmenistan.

“The issue of transit fees is being discussed with Afghanistan. A joint strategy is being evolved between India and Pakistan,” Hussain said.

“Whatever deal we reach will apply to both countries,” Reddy added.

Reddy said Pakistan would also consider a proposal to import Indian petroleum products and cited the savings in freight costs for Pakistan as several Indian refineries are located near the border.

Deepening economic engagement between the neighbours is seen as crucial to lasting peace in the South Asian region.

The Asian Development Bank estimated the cost of the TAPI pipeline in 2008 when the four countries signed a framework agreement at $7.6 billion.

Reddy said conflict-racked Afghanistan, which also desperately requires gas, was “very keen on the project” and had pledged security for the pipeline.

But energy experts have said instability in the region could yet scuttle the plan.

“We consider it a pipeline of peace,” Reddy added. “Everyone needs gas.”The minister indicated that an earlier plan for a pipeline to carry gas from Iran to Pakistan and then India was now on the backburner.

“We do what is more easily possible,” Reddy said, referring to the Turkmenistan project.

Washington, which has spearheaded sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, favours the TAPI pipeline and has pressured both India and Pakistan to hold off on a pipeline deal with Tehran.

Reddy said New Delhi was continuing to import oil from Iran and was not bound by new sanctions imposed by the European Union on the Islamic Republic earlier this week.

“We, as a member of the UN, are obliged to follow UN sanctions. Other sanctions imposed by big blocs of countries —we can have some freedom there,”Reddy said.

Iran is India’s second-largest oil supplier after Saudi Arabia.

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Saarc international I Thursday 26 January 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF NEPAL NEWS

Nepal-India railway service agreement revision in offing N

epal has proposed the last week of February for the review of Railway Service Agreement with India.

“We have proposed last week of February for the review of railway service agreement with India,” joint secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies Naindra Prasad Upadhyaya said, adding that they have a series of programmes for this year, which has delayed the review meeting till February end.

According to the railway service agreement between Nepal and India, it should have been reviewed every five years.

Inter-governmental committee secretarial level meeting in New Delhi, both the countries agreed to develop and resolve the problems and issues at the Kolkata port.

Apart from railway service agreement, the ministry is also But Nepal-India railway service agreement done in May 2004 failed to be reviewed in 2009 due to various circumstances.

“This week the ministry is preparing for informal meetings with the representatives of our counterpart to finalise a final

date for the railway service agreement,” Upadhyaya added.

The railway service agreement revision will be beneficial to build railway link of Birgunj dry port with Bangladesh through Rohanpur – Singhdabad route.

During the Nepal and India

Nepal seeks review of 1950 treaty with India Seeking strengthening of Indo-Nepal ties, top political leaders in Kathmandu on Wednesday underlined the need for reviewing the 1950 peace and friendship treaty with India in order to make it relevant in the present global scenario.

Participating in an interaction in the Nepalese capital on the eve of India’s Republic Day, Nepali Congress leader Narayan Khadka said that Nepal should adopt appropriate policies to get benefit from the two rising economies of Asia in its neighbourhood, India and China.

India is among the top economic powers in the world with its current GDP crossing 7.5 per cent, he noted and highlighted the need to get rid of the “inferior mentality” in Kathmandu while dealing with the

planning for South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) ministerial meeting in the third week of February and Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) second joint council meeting with the US in March.

Nepal police arrest American man, say criminal gang sent drugs to US in Buddhist prayer wheels Police in Nepal have arrested a U.S. man who allegedly was in a ring that smuggled illegal drugs into the United States by concealing them in Buddhist prayer wheels and metal bowls and sending them via Federal Express.

Police narcotics official Navraj Silwal says Kristian Peter Stiegler, 45, was detained while trying to send 2.5 pounds (1.14 kilograms) of hashish and 2 pounds (900 grams) of suspected opium. If tests confirm the opium, Stiegler could face up to 20 years in prison.

However, Silwal says Stiegler will likely get a lighter sentence because he is cooperating in the investigation into the alleged drug ring.

southern neighbour.

He said that Nepal needs support and cooperation from its neighbours, especially India, in order to conclude its peace process and promulgate the new Constitution.

65 Tibetans detained in Nepal

Kathmandu: Nepalese authorities on Monday detained some 65 Tibetans, including 32 women, who were travelling from India to the capital, police said.

The Buddhist monks and nuns, who were travelling in a bus, were detained at Nagdhunga on the outskirts of the capital as they failed to produce valid identification and

travel documents, police said.

The police released 62 of them after preliminary investigation, a senior security official said, adding that three monks were arrested as they failed to produce valid travel document.

They had managed to dodge the immigration office along the porous Indo-Nepal border while

entering the country and several security posts along the route to the capital.

Ahead of the landmark visit of Chinese premier Wen Jiabao on January 14, over 150 Tibetan exiles were arrested in Kathmandu to prevent anti-Beijing protests.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai had underlined his government’s “one-China policy” that views Tibet as an integral part of China during his meeting with premier Wen. He made it clear that Nepal would not allow any activity directed against his giant northern neighbour on its soil.

Nepal is home to around 20,000 Tibetans and the exiled community has carried out anti-China protests here in the last few years, amid stepped up pressure on the government from Beijing to halt such activities.

Every year some 2,500 Tibetans illegally enter Nepal, crossing Tibetan border on their way to Dharamshala to meet their spiritual leader Dalai Lama.

Enjoy the sneak peak Curtain Raiser and Red Carpet free on Zing, Sky 789 and the main extravaganza on Zee TV, Sky 788: Curtain Raiser – 4th Feb @ 7pm on Zing Red Carpet – 5th Feb @ 7pm on Zing & Zee TV Main Event – 5th Feb @ 7:30pm on Zee TV

Saarc international I Thursday 26 January 2012

SAARC

23

WEEKLY REVIEW OF SRILANKA NEWS

New type of Sri Lanka in the making- Kalam A new type of Sri Lanka is in the making, and a land of unity and prosperity is taking shape, former President of India and renowned Professor of Aerospace Engineering Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam told the media at the Taj Samudra hotel yesterday. He explained that these were some of the main impressions he is taking back to India following his recent visit to Sri Lanka on the invitation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He said that his main task in Sri Lanka was to participate in the launch of the 10-year National Action Plan and declaring of 2012 as the Year of Trilingual Sri Lanka, which is a brain-child of the President.

He said he had extensive interaction with a tight crosssection of the Sri Lankan public

including the State in the course of which he exchanged views about the development process and connected matters in Sri Lanka.

The focus of Prof Abdul Kalam’s discussion in the area of development was his ‘PURA’ concept which is being tried out in India and which is an acronym for ‘Provide Urban Amenities to Rural Areas’.

Answering to a question he said that he had suggested to the Sri Lankan President a formula of enabling three days of fishing entirely for Sri Lankan fishermen and three days of fishing entirely for Indian fishermen during the week as a way out of the issues which have arisen in the fisheries sector between India and Sri Lanka. Elaborating on the issue, Prof Kalam said that the fish is

nutritious for the people and that fishermen are drawn to the areas where fish flourish most. Citing the case of Iceland, he said that a fisherman in Ice land earns approximately 40,000 USD per month from his livelihood.

He expressed that the Icelandic fishermen store, pack and sell

their goods in the high seas itself to buyers and thereby earn a substantial income. He also said that he had discussed the 13th Amendment and connected matters with the Sri Lankan President and that he had suggested that the North and East be empowered constitutionally as an approach to resolving the issues in the area.

He said that youth affairs is one of his favourite areas. He told the youth of Sri Lanka that their intent should be to supremely self-confident and that Sri Lankan youth were just that. Speaking on the question of poverty alleviation, Prof Kalam said that the Sarvodaya methodology needed to be considered by the State and suggested that it works along with the Sarvodaya.

Speaking on the issues with related

to the plantation community, Prof Kalam said that trilingualism has the potential to empower this community. Once the language barriers are overcome through the adoption of bilingualism the communities of Sri Lanka could work together towards the national well being,? he noted. He said that the plantation community should be constitutionally empowered to play a significant role in Sri Lanka.

Commenting on the advisability of setting up private universities, he said that universities should face competition and that setting up private universities of the type of foreign universities could serve this end. The value of a university is judged by its research and not by teaching alone. ‘The competition in the research field will benefit universities,’ he remarked.

Sri Lanka journalists Sri Lanka ‘expels 161 foreign Muslim preachers’ (Tablighi Jamaat) demand probes of attacks

Sri Lankan journalists staged a “Black January” protest Wednesday to demand the government punish the culprits responsible for killing and attacking journalists and media institutions.

Journalists protested and demanded Sri Lanka’s government disclose information Tuesday on the disappearance of a journalist who supported the challenger in this year’s presidential election.

Prageeth Ekneligoda, a political columnist and cartoonist with Lankaenews.com, is believed to have been abducted while on his way home from work on Jan. 24 — two days before the vote.

“Now 200 days have passed since his abduction, but there is no any information about him. We urge the government to release the reports on this investigation,” said Gnanasiri Kottigoda, president of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association.

He said the government should make public about what happened to Ekneligoda — “whether he is alive or not.”

Nearly 150 journalists, rights activists and opposition lawmakers staged a sitin and a protest march in the capital,

Colombo, urging the government to expedite investigations into his whereabouts.

Police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody told The Associated Press on Tuesday that investigations were still continuing and no one has been arrested.

Opposition candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka lost to the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the January vote and afterward was arrested on accusations he planned his political career while still in the army — a crime in Sri Lanka. Lankaenews.com has said Ekneligoda’s criticism of Rajapaksa may have been the reason for his alleged abduction. Some government officials have claimed the journalist staged his disappearance to embarrass the government before the election.

Media rights groups say Sri Lanka is among the most dangerous places for journalists. Amnesty International says at least 14 Sri Lankan media workers have been killed since the beginning of 2006. They blame the government for failing to properly investigate several other attacks on media and arrest the culprits.

Sri Lanka has reportedly ordered 161 foreign Muslim preachers to leave the country for flouting visa regulations.

A senior immigration official was quoted as saying that the clerics had no right to preach in mosques because they had arrived on tourist visas.

He also said that some local Muslims had complained that the visitors were not teaching a moderate form of Islam.

The preachers - from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, the Maldives and Arab nations - must now leave by 31 January.

‘Laughable idea’ “They have violated immigration laws.

A tourist visa is to have a holiday or

visit friends and family, and not to preach Islam,” Sri Lanka’s immigration head Chulananda Perera told the AFP news agency. Mr Perera said the group belonged to Tablighi Jamaat an international Islamic movement popular in Sri Lanka and the region.

According to the report, Muslim members of Sri Lanka’s government have expressed concern at the mass expulsion, and are expected to meet other officials to try to delay the move.

The news has also created consternation in the Muslim community in Sri Lanka, the third largest ethnic group in the country after Sinhalese and Tamils.

Muslim members of Sri Lanka’s government have expressed concern at the mass expulsion, and are expected to meet other officials later on Monday to try to delay the move.

The news has also created consternation in the Muslim community in Sri Lanka, the third largest ethnic group in the country after Sinhalese and Tamils, the BBC’s Charles Haviland in Colombo reports.

During the long civil war the community was often caught between the two warring parties and it has a reputation for moderation, our correspondent adds.

Sri Lankan guards open fire on rioting prisoners Prison guards opened fire on rioting inmates at Sri Lanka’s main remand prison in the capital Colombo on Tuesday, wounding nearly 20 inmates, officials said.

Inmates clashed with administrative staff of the Magazine prison prompting guards to open fire, a police official at the scene said.

“So far 19 inmates have been brought out with injuries and taken to hospital,” the police official said. “There could be more injured.”

The inmates, who were protesting over poor quality of food and overcrowding, also set fire to some buildings.

In 2010, more than 50 police and prison guards were wounded in a

clash with inmates of the same facility when the authorities tried to seize cell phones illegally used by prisoners.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Saarc international I Thursday 26 January 2012

Zee Cine Awards 2012

The World’s Biggest Viewers’ Choice Award takes Macau by storm Enjoy the sneak peak Curtain Raiser and Red Carpet free on Zing, Sky 789 and the main extravaganza on Zee TV, Sky 788: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL), India’s leading television, media and entertainment conglomerate hosted the World’s Biggest Viewers’ Choice Award – Zee Cine Awards 2012 at Asia’s leading destination for business, leisure and entertainment, The Venetian® Macao-ResortHotel on 21 January. Since its inception in 1998, Zee Cine Awards has emerged as the biggest tribute paid to the world’s largest film industry and has attracted renowned stalwarts of both Indian and international cinema. Besides the local citizens of Macau and several others flying in from overseas to especially attend the glitzy ceremony, the awards will attract over 600 million viewers worldwide. In the UK and Europe, it will be telecast on Sunday, February 5 on Zee TV at 7pm.

Mr. Punit Goenka, Managing Director & CEO, ZEEL said, “With each edition of Zee Cine Awards, it has been our earnest endeavor to take Indian cinema in all its glory and splendour beyond national frontiers and leave a memorable footprint at an exciting new global destination each year. The response from Macau has been overwhelming to say the least.

This is the second year where we are working with the Sands group. After our successful association at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore last year, we are extremely happy to now associate with The Venetian® Macao as our hospitality partner as the property lends itself beautifully to hosting an awards show of the stature of Zee Cine Awards. I would also like to thank the Macau Government Tourist Office for extending exemplary assistance and facilities for the successful hosting of the awards.”

“Zee TV’s new positioning is “Umeed Se Saje Zindagi”. It reflects the idea of looking into the future with hope. It depicts a

platform. We also have in our midst today the new members of our popular shows, Krishna from Afsar Bitiya, Indira from Hitler

Didi and Purvi from Pavitra Rishta. Add to that, we’ve roped in Shah Rukh and Priyanka to host the ceremony with Ranbir

more dynamic and spirited outlook. Our content makes the common man its superstar and tonight at the Zee Cine Awards, we are happy to present superlative talent from our most popular dance reality show, Dance India Dance alongside the best of Bollywood on this performing for the first time only in Zee Cine Awards,” he adds.

With the glitterati of Indian cinema set

to descend on the Red Carpet at the awards ceremony, there was an enormous crowd building up right outside the venue to catch a glimpse of their favourite movie stars. Prominent amongst the celebrities walking the Red Carpet were Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Vidya Balan, Rishi and Neetu Kapoor, Rana Daggubati, Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh and Genelia D’souza among many others.

Catch all the excitement on your TV screen. The most exciting acts of the evening includ Ranbir Kapoor dancing at an awards ceremony for the very first time. Besides his performance, the young Kapoor will pay homage to his late grand-uncle Shammi Kapoor with a medley of his most popular dance hits and Shahid Kapoor will rock the stage with his moves as he raises a toast to the evergreen spirit of the late Dev Anand. Vidya Balan will pay a scintillating tribute to the sirens from the South amongst the other highlights of the evening. Adding to the festivities, The Venetian Macao will present a lion dance, laser drumming, singing gondoliers, and acrobatic Shaolin monks.

It will be evening of glitz, glamour and appreciation that all Bollywood fans across the globe have been waiting for. With millions of votes pouring in every year from across the globe, Zee Cine Awards 2012 is the most definitive measure of viewers’ choice in movie awards.

Saarc international I Thursday 26 January 2012

ENTERTAINMENT

25

OMG! Can you recognise her?

Actress Manisha Koirala was recently spotted in a very unpleasant state at a party hosted by Rohit Roy to launch his new movie SHAUKEEN. The actress, who was known for her good looks, looked haggard and disheveled at the affair.

The actress looked unrecognisable. It seems she has just let herself go after the buzz about trouble in her marriage and an impending divorce.

Manisha Koirala grabbed

headlines and generated quite a lot of curiosity right a few months after her marriage, when she created a flutter on a social networking site about seekiing divorce from her husband. The news spread like a forest fire, followed by reports claiming that the actress has filed a divorce and plans to settle down in Mumbai. However, now Manisha is trying to seek solace in spirituality.

The actress is going through a rough journey, but Manisha is still trying to save her marriage and personal life.

According to sources, Manisha enrolled herself in a university which helped her find her inner self. She spent more than 20 days and maintained

all the rules by the university.

Manisha married businessman Samrat Dahal in June 2010.

Now, after the spiritual journey, she has seen many changes in her approach towards issues in life.

So, let’s hope that the actress finds peace and gets back to a normal life very soon.

Bollywood loves Agneepath!

Here’s what your favourite movie stars are tweeting.

Bollywood stars, who attended the special screening of Karan Johar’s remake of 1990 cult film Agneepath, loved it and tweeted their appreciation for the film.

Dino Morea tweeted: ‘Just saw

Agneepath, brilliant. Full on entertainer.

Performances awesome. WoW. Fab job karan malhotra, for a 1st time director, top class. @iHrithik , @priyankachopra , kancha, karan Malhotra @kjohar25 , and everyone else involved. Take a bow.

Brilliant. Ohhh and watching the lovely “Chikni” on a big screen, ufffff, those moves, stunning.’

Hrithik Roshan’s sister-in-law Farah Khan Ali wrote: ‘Moved beyond

words. Cannot even begin to describe the feeling u leave the movie with.

Agneepath Agneepath Agneepath. @ iHrithik @kjohar25 Lastly but not in the least Katrina in the Chikni Chameli song is faaab. My new year resolution is to get her abs. Ha ha.’

Arjun Rampal loved the film too. ‘Just saw Agneepath superbly entertaining, @iHrithik is fab as usual, Sanju is bloody scary, Rishi Kapoor is unreal, priyanka fab, dir is a star. The whole cast and crew can start chilling the bubbly its another feather in the cap of @kjohar25 and Dharma, well done guys.chikni chamali,’ he updated.

Director Tarun Mansukhani tweeted: ‘Agneepath simply put is the finest film to come from Dharma! @ihrithik @ priyankachopra, Rishi kapoor sir and Sanju Sir are all outstanding!! Karan Malhotra is one of the finest directors ever. Such a learning experience watching his film!!’

As for Priyanka Chopra, she had a fun time. ‘Amazing screening for #agneepath last night with the cast n crew.. karan malhotra take a bow! Kaali Aali re aali!!!’ she wrote.

Bipasha Basu:

Bipasha Basu and John Abraham defined the term ‘super couple’ in Bollywood much before Saifeena arrived.

Eight years of love and a much hyped break-up later, both Bipasha and John had moved on and found new partners.

While Bipasha was rumoured to be dating South star Rana Daggubati, John was supposedly involved with Asin and most recently, an investment banker from the U.S. But now, both of them are ‘officially single’ and enjoying it.

Her eight-year relationship with actor John Abraham is over, but actress Bipasha Basu is far from disillusioned and for her love is still the biggest priority in life and feels one should be honest in a relationship.

“I can teach the language of love very well. For me, love is very important. The biggest priority in life is love...When you talk of love, it is not only about manwoman love but love for family, friends... love for costars. As it is my priority... I can teach a few lessons on love,” Bipasha told reporters in Mumbai at the music launch of her forthcoming film “Jodi Breakers” on Friday night.

According to the Bengali screen scorcher, one has to

In love with love

be honest in love. “When you love...just love with your heart. I feel one should be truthful, honest to the one you love and do everything for the one you love from your heart.”

Her eight-year relationship with Abraham ended last year, following which she has been linked with numerous co-stars like Rana Dagubatti, Shahid Kapoor and Josh Harnett.

COMMENT

26

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

WILL AN ISRAELI ATTACK ON IRAN PROVOKE THE EMERGENCE OF ANOTHER FALSE MAHDI?

Prophet Muhammad prophesied the advent of an Imām who would emerge by Divine decree to lead the world of Islam at that time when the true Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary (peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon them all), was about to return. The Prophet declared of that end-time Imām that he would arise from within the ranks of the Muslims: “How would you be”, he said, “when the son of Mary descends amongst you and your Imām would be from your own ranks!” (Sahīh Bukhāri).

An Imām in the religion of Islam is both a religious as well as a political leader; hence the office of the Imām is synonymous with that of Amīr or Khalīfa (Caliph). The Hadīth therefore prophesied that one (Islamic) government would eventually rule over the entire world of Islam, and that the Imām would be both the political as well as the religious head of that government.

This prophecy anticipated the present sorry status quo in which the Islamic Khilāfah (Caliphate) has been replaced by republican so-called Islamic States based on petty tribal nationalisms – Egyptian, Saudi, Pakistani, Arab, Malay, Punjabi, Bengali, Persian (Iranian) etc.

African-American Muslims have even embraced Louis Farrakhan’s ‘black Muslim nationalism’. Some of them, such as Turkey and Bangladesh have even imposed secular constitutional bans preventing Islam from playing any political role in the affairs of the State.

In addition, these so-called Islamic republican States are all required to be members of international organizations such as the United Nations Organization, and to submit to the authority of those (non-Muslims) who control power in these organizations. Hence Muslims now live in a state of submission to non-Muslim authority. The political authority which ultimately controls the affairs of Muslims is no longer located within their own ranks. Rather, that political authority is located in secular governments which themselves are subservient to the authority of the Security Council of the UN and the governing board of the IMF, etc. But the prophecy also gave the assurance of an end-time restoration of that Islamic Khilāfah (Caliphate). This is a matter of supreme importance for contemporary international affairs since the Islamic Khilāfah (Caliphate) represents Islam’s conception of a State which recognizes Allah’s Sovereignty, in contrast to Europe’s secular model of a State which recognizes (blasphemously so) the people to be sovereign. The Islamic Khilāfah is also located at the very heart of Islam’s conception of an international order which respects religious freedom and recognizes

Shiekh Imran Hossein

Tribune Comment tribal diversity while tolerating no oppression on Allah’s earth. The present European system of secular nation-States based on territorial sovereignty, national citizenship, etc.

which has effectively destroyed the unity of the Muslim world, would therefore have to come to an end and Dār al-Islām would have to be restored with the advent of Imām alMahdi.

It is far-fetched to presume that such a momentous transformation of the world of Islam which would extricate Muslims from the paralyzing grip of the United Nations Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, etc., and which would restore the Gold Dinār and silver Dirham as money, can be achieved without an armed struggle for liberation. That armed struggle is confirmed in a Hadīth narrated by Ali (radiallahu ‘anhu) in which the Prophet declared that the Imām, who would be his descendent, and hence an Arab, would emerge not only to restore the Islamic Khilāfah but also to restore peace and justice to a world that would at that time be filled with injustice and oppression.

He would therefore defeat all the forces of injustice and oppression prevalent in the world at that time: “Even if only a day remains for Qiyāmah to come, yet Allah will surely send a man from my family who will fill this world with such justice and fairness, just as it initially was filled with oppression.”

(Abu Dawud) The advent of Imām al-Mahdi will herald the restoration of the Islamic Khilāfah (Caliphate) and a Pax Islamica in which power in the world would rest on foundations of

faith (in Islam) and would be used to punish the oppressor and come to the aid of the oppressed. The sunlight of freedom and justice, peace and happiness will therefore reach the Holy Land, as well as Kashmir, Singapura, Haiti, and elsewhere. It would also herald a new dawn in which the entire world of Islam would have to submit to the rule of an Arab who would be a resident of the city of Madinah in Arabia where Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) is buried and where Jesus would eventually be buried (next to him).

Even though Jesus has not as yet returned, and indeed cannot return until Dajjāl the false Messiah or Anti-

Christ has completed his mission of impersonation of the true Messiah, there have already been several claimants to the office of Imām alMahdi. The last of these false Mahdis made his appearance in Sudan, and prior to that in Qadian in India, more than 100 years ago. The false Qadiani Mahdi went on to make the ludicrous claim that he fulfilled in his person the prophecy concerning the return of the true Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary. Mirza Ghulam Ahmed Qadiyani established a mysterious sect known as the Ahmadiyyah Movement which has consistently found favor with those who have been waging war of Islam ever since a European Pope launched the European Crusades.

This essay suggests that an Israeli attack on Iran (and Pakistan), expected at any time now, is likely to provoke the emergence of yet another such person who would claim to be the Imām al-Mahdi.

This is a matter of much more than passing importance for the followers of Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) since the advent of Imām al-Mahdi occupies a position of supreme importance in Islamic eschatology – both Shia as well as Sunni.

Since the mysterious emergence from within Europe’s bosom of Pax Britanica, and its successor Pax Americana, the world has experienced unprecedented political economic cultural racial and military oppression and injustice. While Muslims have

always remained the primary target of these awesomely powerful forces of oppression, they have not been their exclusive target. The primitive peoples of the world, resident in particular in such “ethnicallycleansed” lands as USA, Canada, many parts of South and Central America, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere have been literally wiped out like cockroaches. Muslims are now preparing themselves for the greatest oppression of all which they expect from the Pax Judaica that is about to replace Pax Americana. Indeed this writer recognizes Israel’s Pax Judaica to be the Daabatul Ard (or beast of the land) which is one of the major Signs of the Last Day prophesied by Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu ‘alahi wa sallam).

This writer is of the view that anyone who claims at this time to be the Imām al-Mahdi, would have made a false claim, and this essay attempts to explain why this is so. The Imām al-Mahdi will emerge only at that time, and not a moment before, when Allah Most High ordains that he emerge. And so the question we need to answer is, when will Allah Most High ordain that the Imām should emerge? The advent of the Imām cannot occur randomly but rather, must fit into a Divine plan. What can be that plan?

Since Allah Most High created Dajjāl the false Messiah or Anti-Christ and programmed him to impersonate the true Messiah, it follows that Dajjāl would not successfully complete his mission of impersonation until he rules the world in person from Jerusalem. It is only at that time when he has successfully completed his mission of impersonation that he can make a declaration to the effect that he is the true Messiah, and only then can he hope that members of the Zionist Judeo-Christian alliance would accept his fraudulent claim. It is only at that time - and not a moment before - that Jesus will return. And since Prophet Muhammad has informed us that that the advent of Imam al-Mahdi will be contemporaneous with the return of Jesus it follows that the Imam can emerge only shortly before the return of Jesus.

(For an explanation of this subject readers should kindly see my book entitled Jerusalem in the Qur’an, available on my website).

In addition, the members of the Zionist Judeo-Christian alliance are well aware about the prophecy concerning Imām al-Mahdi. Hence if the Imām were to emerge before Dajjāl makes his claim to be the true Messiah, the implication would be that such Jews and Christians could experience such a crisis of faith as could deter them from embracing Dajjāl as the true Messiah.

It follows therefore that the Divine

wisdom would ordain the advent of the Imām only at that time when such an event would not jeopardize Dajjāl’s effort to successfully complete his mission.

Those like the present Iranian President who expect the Imām’s imminent emergence should know that he cannot emerge until Dajjāl has established his rule (from Jerusalem) over the world, and has declared himself the true Messiah. The fact is that Dajjāl has not as yet even emerged as ruler of Israel, and that Pax Judaica has not as yet replaced Pax Americana. The world may still have to wait for another two or three decades for these events to occur.

When Israel does launch an attack on Iran’s and Pakistan’s nuclear plants, it is certain that the JudeoChristian Zionists would respond by placing unbearable pressure on USA, UK and NATO to join in the war in support of Israel. That war, as well as other possible wars to follow, would ultimately realize for Israel the status of ruling state in the world. Israel will then attempt to impose Pax Judaica upon mankind. Only when that has been achieved - and it does seem possible that it can be achieved, can we expect Dajjāl to appear in person in our world of space and time.

This essay warns of the possible loss of faith by many Muslims if and when Israel does launch an attack on Iran and Pakistan, and either Sunnis or Shia are subsequently deceived into embracing a false Imām al-Mahdi.

That traumatic loss of faith can occur when the false Imām is eventually killed or assassinated, or he becomes a willing client (Saudi-style) of those now waging war on Islam.

Post Script: When Imam al-Mahdi does emerge, and proclaims himself to be the Mahdi, Muslims would be required to pledge their allegiance to him (Baiyah) and join him even if they have to crawl over ice to do so.

A refusal to pledge allegiance to the Imam would entail dire consequences in this world as well as the next. But Muslims have to beware that that do not pledge their allegiance to a false Mahdi since the consequences of such a mistake will also be severe.

Note: The terms Pax Britanica, Pax Americana and Pax Judaica refer to world orders over which Britain, USA and Israel ruled.Pax Islamica on the other hand is comprised of Dar alIslam or the world which submits to Allah’s sovereignty and which is ruled in accordance with Allah final law as revealed in the Qur’an. It is also comprised of Dar al-Ahd or the world which lives in a state of contractual peace and non-aggression with Dar al-Islam, and Dar al-Harb or the world of injustice and oppression which must eventually be liberated from oppression.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

COMMENT

The alternative leveson inquiry:

27

Strongest radiation storm seen in 7 years erupts from the Sun

The practise of reporting muslim & islamic affairs

Aurora Borealis lights up UK skies

A powerful solar eruption is expected to blast a stream of charged particles toward Earth tomorrow (Jan. 24), as the strongest radiation storm since 2005 rages on the sun. Early this morning (0359 GMT Jan. 23, which corresponds to late Sunday, Jan. 22 at 10:59 p.m. EST),

and the Stereo spacecraft observed the massive sun storm. A barrage of charged particles triggered by this morning’s solar flare is expected to hit Earth tomorrow at around 9 a.m. EST (1400 GMT), according to experts at the Space Weather Prediction Center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. According to NOAA, this is the strongest solar radiation storm since May 2005, and as a precaution, polar flights on Earth are expected to be re-routed within the next few hours, Kathy Sullivan, deputy administrator of NOAA, said today at the 92nd annual American Meteorological

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory caught an extreme ultraviolet flash from a huge eruption on the sun, according to the skywatching website Spaceweather. com. The solar flare spewed from sunspot 1402, a region of the sun that has become increasingly active lately.

Several NASA satellites, including the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO),

Society meeting in New Orleans, La. On Sunday night, rays of shimmering green and red lights were seen in the skies as far south as Yorkshire and Ireland, with reports of purples, yellows, oranges and even neon green also filling the sky.

2012 is predicted to be one of the best years yet to view the Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, due to the peak in solar activity.

We need an inquiry into anti-Islam press

Over the past decade, a number of academic studies have indicated a worrying and disproportionate trend towards negative, distorted and even fabricated reports in media coverage of the Muslim community. Recent research at Cambridge University concludes that “a wider set of representations of Islam would signify a welcome change to reporting practices. Muslims deserve a better press than they have been given in the past decade.” And according to a recent ComRes poll, one in three people in Britain today believe that the media is responsible for “whipping up a climate of fear of Islam in the UK”.

The Leveson inquiry has so far failed to adequately address unfair media coverage as it relates to less prominent cases, including those relating to Muslims and Islam, focusing as it does on the impact of phone hacking on celebrities and other high-profile individuals.

An alternative inquiry is necessary to investigate what many regard as widespread and systematic discriminatory practices in reporting on Muslims and Islam in the British media. Victims – whether prominent or not – of alleged discriminatory media

coverage have a right to have their testimonies catalogued and examined thoroughly by credible, independent assessors. Recommendations can then be made to improve ethical standards in the reporting of not solely the Muslim community but of all sections of society.

Imran KhanHuman rights solicitor Bianca JaggerChair, Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation Michael RosenWriter Jeremy Corbyn MP Jemima Khan Navnit Dholakia Deputy leader, Liberal Democrats, House of Lords Mohamed Ali Harrath Islam Channel Hajj Ahmad Thomson Barrister Jenny Jones Assembly member (Green), London Assembly Andrew Boff Assembly member (Conservative), London Assembly Rabbi Janet Burden Walter Wolfgang Hugh Lanning Chair, Palestine Solidarity Campaign Sanum Ghafoor, blogger Jean Lambert, MEP, London Peter MurrayFormer president, NUJ Dr Muhammad Abdul BariChair, East London Mosque

Dr Omer El-Hamdoon Muslim Association of Britain Massoud ShadjarehIslamic Human Rights Commission Sunny HundalLiberal Conspiracy Ahmed J Versi The Muslim News John Rees Counterfire Vivien Lichtenstein Anas Altikriti Cordoba Foundation Miriam Margolyes Farooq Murad Muslim Council of Britain Sarah Colborne Director, Palestine Solidarity Campaign Dr Daud Abdullah Middle East Monitor Moazzam Begg Cageprisoners Phil Rees Out of Office Films Nabil Ahmed Federation of Student Islamic Societies Abdullah Faliq Islamic Forum of Europe Rabbi Jeffrey Newman Cllr Larry Sanders Oxfordshire county council Diana Neslen Shemiza RashidDirector, The Creative Muslim Network Na’ima B Roberts Editor, Sisters Magazine Asa WinstanleyThe Electronic Intifada

Pakistan: Rights Suffer Under Army Power Grab Continued from page 16 >> regularly threatened media outlets over their coverage.

Saleeem Shahzad, a reporter for the Hong Kongbased Asia Times Online and for Adnkronos International, the Italian news agency, disappeared from central Islamabad on the evening of May 29.

He had received repeated and direct threats from the military’s abusive Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. Shahzad’s body, bearing visible signs of torture, was discovered two days later near Mandi Bahauddin, 130 kilometers southeast of the capital.

Following an international and domestic furor caused by the killing, a judicial commission was formed within days to investigate allegations of ISI complicity. In August, Human Rights Watch testified before the commission. The commission released its findings in January 2012, but failed to identify the perpetrators or exhaustively investigate the role of the ISI, which remains the principal suspect.

Despite widespread allegations of ISI and military involvement in coercion, abduction, torture, and killings of perceived opponents, including journalists, no military personnel have ever been held accountable for such abuses.

“Unless Shahzad’s murderers are identified and held accountable, media freedoms will decline even further in Pakistan as journalists operate in fear for their lives,” Adams said. “The government needs to bring charges wherever the trail leads, including to the ISI.”

The southern port city of Karachi experienced an exceptionally high level of violence during the year, with 800 people killed, Human Rights Watch said. The killings were carried out by armed groups backed by all the political parties with a presence in the city. The Muttaheda Qaumi Movement (MQM), Karachi’s largest political party, with heavily armed cadres and a well-documented history of human rights abuse and political violence, was widely viewed as the major perpetrator of targeted

Pakistan; Pakistan’s alleged support for militants from the “Haqqani network,” a group that US officials accused of targeting the US Embassy and NATO troops in Afghanistan; the alleged harboring by Pakistan of Osama bin Laden and his killing by the US; and the November 26 killing during military operations of 24 Pakistani troops on the Afghan border by NATO forces.

The United States carried out about 75 aerial drone strikes during 2011 on suspected al Qaeda

In November, Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, was forced by the Pakistani military to resign his position after allegations that he was responsible for a secret memo delivered to senior US military officials seeking support for Pakistani civilian control of national security policy. Haqqani is now blocked from leaving Pakistan and has publicly expressed fear for his life. His lawyer, the prominent human rights defender and former UN human rights envoy

killings. The Awami National Party and ruling Pakistan People’s Party-backed Aman (Peace) Committee killed MQM activists.

Relations between Pakistan and the United States, long Pakistan’s most significant ally and its largest donor of humanitarian and military assistance, deteriorated markedly in 2011. Factors fueling the diplomatic crisis included the killing of two men by a CIA contractor at a Lahore traffic junction; the withholding of US$800 million in military aid to

and Taliban members near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan. These strikes resulted in claims of large numbers of civilian casualties, but lack of access to the conflict areas has prevented independent verification.

“Little is known about who is killed in CIA drone strikes in Pakistan and under what circumstances,” Adams said. “So long as the US resists public accountability for CIA drone strikes, the agency should not be conducting targeted killings.”

Asma Jahangir, has expressed similar concerns and raised serious reservations about a lack of due process in the legal proceedings against Haqqani.

“The military has gained increasing control of state institutions to the detriment of the rights of the Pakistani people,” Adams said. “Civilian officials are now afraid to oppose the military on any key issues, making it increasingly difficult for the government tackle past and present rights violations by the military.”

COMMENT

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

The Extinction Protocol book “The planet’s survival has become so uncertain that any effort, any thought that presupposes an assured future amounts to a mad gamble.” -Elias Canetti Our planet is dying and this is no mere rendezvous with a date on a Mayan calendar in 2012. It’s the mass termination of life on planet Earth. Nature is under a scientific directive. It is irreversible. It is the extinction protocol. In 2010, the planet was ravaged by the worst flooding seen in 1000 years, Pakistan, Colombia, and Australia.

Profound earth-changes have already devastated the planet and even more catastrophic change is yet to come. We are entering a period of extreme volcanism.

Chaitén (Chile) erupted after being dormant for 9500 years,

Eyjafjallajökull (Iceland) erupted after 187 years, and Sinabung

volcano (Indonesia) erupted after 400 years. Planetary tremors have begun shaking the globe. They will intensify. Earth’s magnetic field is faltering and moving towards a polarity reversal as we approach the solar maximum (20122013). The energy unleashed in earthquakes is rising and the planet’s climate is becoming increasingly inhospitable and will be soon pushed to the brink of collapse. Tornado cluster outbreaks are increasing in intensity and ferocity. Our marine environments are dying as more and more dead aquatic animals wash ashore. Our food production is in growing peril. Civilization is poised on the precipice of the most stupendous crisis in Earth’s history and we are running

out of time to save what remains left of the human race. -The Extinction Protocol “Almost all tectonic movement can be linked to magnetic reversals. Seafloor spreading, sea level changes, mountain growth,

earthquakes, and volcanism all seem to speed up whenever the frequency of reversals speeds up.” -Peter Vogt, U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office

Blurring the boundaries

By Sher Khan The UK-based bhangra band Sahara has epitomised Punjabifusion music since late 90s with their popular mehndi and club songs like “Billo Ni Tera Laal Ghagra” and “Soniye Ni Soniye”.

While visiting Lahore for a series of concerts hosted by local schools, the band members spoke about their universal vision, upcoming album and collaboration with Pakistani pop artist Abrarul Haq. “People in Pakistan appreciate UK bhangra music; the crowds are highly energised and we always get a great response,” says Harvinder Sahara, the lead vocalist who is also known as Herbie Sahara. “We try to perform at a high tempo and the bounce from the music transcends into the crowd.”

The band is currently composed of Herbie, his brother Gurps (also a vocalist) and Dav(on the dhol).

Herbie, Gurps and their other brother, Kully, started playing music at an early age, mostly singing at Sikh temples and later became part of the local band “Nachda Punjab”. Then in 1993, Herbie and Kully formed the band Sahara and released an album Intemptation which exceeded their expectations and shot them to national fame.

Then came the albums Let Loose and Blue Print, but it wasn’t until 2001 when Sahara released Access All Areas that they were internationally recognised. The album sales were phenomenal and the song “Soniye Ni Soniye” became the best selling song of the year.

The brothers have played alongside

great artists; Kuldeep Manak, Surinder Shinda, RDB, Surjit Bhindrakhia, Hans Raj Hans and Himesh Reshmmiya to name a few.

Fusion music gains popularity When asked how this relatively new genre became popular, Herbie replies, “The UK has always had a lot of variety when it comes to music, however, it was in the 80s that the concept of fusing Punjabi music with western beats became popular.” He further adds, “This trend has now developed more, and there is now a global taste for this kind of music.”

The band claims that through fusion music, they are able to

connect to people belonging to different cultures and regions. “I try to keep it as simple as possible so that people from diverse markets and cultures are able to relate to

Latest venture Sahara is now working on an upcoming album – which is yet to be titled – through its own record company. The album, set to be

... their aim is to contribute to promoting goodwill by collaborating with various artists around the world. our songs – even people who don’t know Punjabi can sing along to our songs,” says Herbie, who is also the lyricist of Sahara’s songs.

released in April this year, will have several collaborations including a track with Pakistani bhangra maestro Abrarul Haq. The album’s

sound, Herbie states, will stick to the heavy Punjabi melody but will be contemporised according to latest trends in music.

“In the latest album, we are thinking of doing something outof-the-box, so it will include a lot of different scales and beats.”

Meanwhile, Gurps explains that the album will have a variety of songs including Punjabi fusion, romantic songs and party music.

“We won’t just cater to the youth, it will be appealing to the whole family,” says Gurps.

Meanwhile, when asked how much they had to alter their own musical style due to the changing global trends – a shift away from heavy rhythm and beat music to more dance-oriented music – Gurps feels that fusion music is flexible and can adapt to the changing culture. “That’s the beauty of fusion music; It relates to people with different tastes. So we can take traditional bhangra music and combine it with any genre.”

Concluding the tete-a-tete with the bhangra band, we asked if they would ever consider tackling socio-political issues in their songs and Herbie replies with a stern “no”. However, he adds that their aim is to contribute to promoting goodwill by collaborating with various artists around the world.

“We have done concerts to raise funds for the tsunami in Japan and have collaborated with artists from all over the world, including Pakistan. We hope to continue doing that,” concludes Herbie.

Published in The Express Tribune

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

NEWS

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Drugs: Afghanistan NO1 Supplier – Analysis Afghan opium profits up 133% in 2011, U.N. says

Afghanistan provides about 90 percent of the world’s opium, the raw ingredient for heroin. The U.N. and the Afghan government have long tried to wean the country off the lucrative crop.

The UN estimates the annual earnings of the Afghan drug lords at $1.4bn, half of which goes to fuel the insurgent activity of the Taliban. Afghanistan Revenue from opium production in Afghanistan soared by 133 percent last year to about $1.4 billion, or about one-tenth of the country’s GDP, according to a United Nations report. The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime said the price rise was due to a plant disease that wiped out much of the opium crop in 2010. Although yields returned to pre-blight levels in 2011, the prices have remained high, the survey said. The survey showed that 6,400 tons of opium were produced last year, in comparison with 4,000 tons in 2010.

It said rising opium prices drove Afghan farmers to increase cultivation of the illicit opium poppy plants by 7 percent in 2011, despite a major push by the Afghan government and international allies.

Most of the opium from landlocked Afghanistan is shipped through Iran and Pakistan. Russia, which has around 2 million opium and heroin addicts, is also a principal route for drugs headed for Europe.

Source: UNODC

The Artery of Organized Crime The organized crime networks use the addictive characteristics of the drugs, be it heroin or cocaine, for their own benefits. Drug trafficking is one of the major concerns worldwide. It is seen as a highly profitable and relatively low-risk business (compared to human or arms trafficking). To be more concrete, out of many containers that carry narcotics, only 2% of them were inspected in 2010.

Source: UNODC To be able to understand why I call drug trafficking as the artery of organized crime, one can make a simple calculation: One gram of pure heroin costs $4 in production countries such as Afghanistan.

The value of the same amount can reach up to $ 400 in destination countries: the further they are, the more expensive the substance costs.

Apart from being very expensive—which results in illegal dealers and buyers—and having fatal consequences for the users, drug production and trafficking affect security on all levels from individuals to the system. It has now become one of the major problems in South and Central Asian security. Since the organized crime groups have strong links with criminals within the countries and this business is ever so lucrative, no one wants to leave this web and therefore the level of corruption rises.

The harmful effects of drug trafficking are quite clear when we look at the consumption levels by region. According to the 2011 World Drug Report which was published last October by the United

Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), there are approximately 12 to 21 million opiate users in the world. [1] Among all the opiates, heroin is the most commonly consumed one by an estimated one-third of all opiate users worldwide.

especially in the southern parts of the country where the poppy fields stretch as far as the eye can see and are located in the porous AfghanPakistani border. These are the most insecure and unstable regions because it is through the

drugs provide, corruption, money laundering and arms trafficking follow one another. Organized crime poses the biggest threat to the region in which security is already very loose. With the $7 billion net revenue opiate trafficking has made for

In 2009, out of 480 tonnes of pure heroin, 375 tonnes were consumed and the rest were seized.

The East and Southeast Asia region, which is one of the main hubs of opium cultivation and heroin production, leads heroin consumption with some 81 tonnes. East Europe follows with 73 tonnes.

In Europe, heroin is the mostly consumed opiate. Scotland is the leading country in the consumption of the substance by some 1.5 tonnes and it is followed by Estonia, England and Wales.

According to the report of the UNODC, despite the stabilizing heroin consumption levels the health and social problems which stem from the heroin usage do not diminish. “The highest opioid use prevalence rates in West and Central Europe were reported from the United Kingdom (± 350,000 users), Italy (± 216,000 users) and France (± 190,000 users).”

Afghanistan: The Main Supplier Afghanistan continues to remain the number one supplier of the heroin consumed globally. Drug production and the financial flow from it make the war-ridden country even more dependent and unstable. The poorer the country gets, the more people will want to cultivate opium, which was exactly the case for 2010: the opium cultivation has skyrocketed and three provinces have lost their “poppy-free” status, therefore the prices have risen.

The opium poppy continues to be the highest yielding product for Afghan farmers and for the country in general. The total farm-gate value of the opium production constitutes 9% of the country’s GDP, while the total expenditure on health in Afghanistan was 7.4% of the total GDP. Moreover, with a GDP per capita of $515, an Afghan farmer can make more money just by selling fresh or dry opium from $130-170 per gram. These numbers show how profitable the business is both for the farmers and the buyers.

Plus, there is no product that can compensate for the opium poppy in Afghanistan or the fast liquidity the drug money provides.

As the data suggests, opium production is without a doubt one of Afghanistan’s main concerns,

border where the heaviest trafficking occurs.

This leads illegal groups to become more deeply involved in organized crime. With the money the

organized crime groups in one year, it does not seem likely this criminal fairy tale will end in the foreseeable future.

Continued from page 32 >>

Rimla Akhtar :Asian Woman in Football the solutions. Now the current Chair, Rimla has also represented the MWSF at international futsal competitions. She has worked in the FA and footballing community through consultancy and holds a number of positions including on the National Race Equality Advisory Group, the Asian and Muslim Women and Girls Working Group and the Referees Diversity Action Group.

This has been critical to the development of women’s sport for the BME community. Her loyalty, passion and dedication to her work has been rewarded yet again as Rimla won and was

presented with the Asian Woman in Football Award 2012.

Rimla Akhtar, said: “Over the past eleven years the Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation (MWSF) has worked to increase the accessibility of sports facilities and opportunities to play and compete for those who are severely under-represented across all aspects of sport. We have always used sport as a powerful means of uniting people and overcoming prejudices, particularly those against minority communities.”

Pakistan pegged back by England spinners series following their comprehensive 10-wicket win in Dubai last week.

Panesar is playing his first Test since 2009 and replaced paceman Chris Tremlett, who has a back injury and will be flying back home.

Pakistan also made one change from the side that won the first Test, with fast bowler Aizaz Cheema making way for young paceman Junaid Khan.

Misbah ready for England fightback in Abu Dhabi Feels disciplined batting and bowling hold the key to success

Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq feels the absence of a spinner-friendly pitch here in Abu Dhabi will now put the onus on a disciplined batting and bowling performance and said he was ready for England’s fightback.

“I think there is no doubt that England is world number one team so they will try to put up their 100 per cent and stage a strong comeback. We are ready for them and will try to improve our performance, and be more focused and do our basics well in all three departments,” Misbah said during yesterday’s media briefing.

‘Bad luck’ to blame for Indian game for one after a rising ball from Ben Hilfenhaus deflected off the batsman’s elbow onto his stumps.

It was the sixth time ‘The Wall’ had been dismissed bowled in seven innings in the series.

While the pitch holds few terrors for batsmen, Australia can set themselves up for a big firstinnings lead against the weary tourists if the `Little Master’ Tendulkar departs early on

Thursday. “It was probably more about the runs, to be honest, trying to get to 600,” Clarke said on the timing of his declaration.

“We still had plenty of time left in the day as we scored quite quickly in our innings and to take those two key wickets is a really good start for us but there’s a lot of work still to be done.” Clarke was bowled by India paceman Umesh Yadav (1-136) in the first over after lunch.

NEWS

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

Wasim slams British press for questioning Ajmal’s action Pace-bowling legend Wasim Akram is exasperated with the way British press has been harping about the bowling action of Pakistan’s off-spinner Saeed Ajmal and termed British media’s pressure tactics as “stale”.

Ajmal took a 10-wicket haul in the Pakistan’s impressive 10-wicket win over world number one Test team England in the Dubai Test.

“Instead of praising him (Saeed Ajmal) for he is someone special, instead of admitting their team didn’t do well and Pakistan played better cricket, they are after him,” said Akram who’s commentating on the final Test between India and Australia here.

“It’s not funny anymore, it’s boring, stale and old.”

Former England players raised a question-mark about Ajmal’s bowling action after the stunning defeat and the British media hasn’t stopped carping on it since then.

“Whenever they lose, they talk negative. It’s the English batsmen who played bad shots, sweeping across the line to an off-spinner. It’s no rocket

science that you can’t play across the line. But probably they don’t know.

It’s the job of umpires and ICC, not British media, to question the bowling action of a player.”

“The permissible limit is 15 degrees and he’s been tested and tried for bowling well below it. He’s been around for 7-8 years. Why suddenly pick on him?”

said an agitated Akram.

“I have been reading for the last 3-4 days in British media. We all know what goes through media usually goes through players. Ajmal doesn’t turn the ball. He’s just quicker. On a placid track, where there was no swing, no spin, no reverse swing, just lust green outfield, he got them playing across

the line.”

Akram sees a trend through all this noise. He believes England has a habit of picking holes through opposition whenever their team doesn’t do well.

“The noise now is because it has happened against the mighty England, the number one Test team of the world.

On the tour of 1992, we got them out

in every game. Then they accused us of ball-tampering. Then I got a seven in the very next game. We then played county cricket and taught every bowler for 10 years how to reverse swing the ball.”

“Instead of saying their team didn’t do well and Pakistan played better cricket, they are targeting a special talent. Why it always happens against a sub-continent team.”

Akram doesn’t feel it would affect Pakistan in the remaining two Tests and might just backfire on the England team.

“I don’t think it would affect them.

Indeed, it would create a positive impact on them. It would motivate them. Instead of pushing them on the back-foot, it would help their cause.”

Pakistan has shown an upward graph in recent times and has done particularly well under the leadership of Misbah-ul-Haq, winning seven of their last 13 Tests.

“Misbah is doing a great job as a skipper. Pakistan’s confidence is sky high. It’s a good sign,” Akram said.

Asian Football Awards

the winners Grass Roots Hero Bal Singh – KFA

IT WAS a great night at the first ever Asian Football Awards at Wembley Stadium Tuesday night.

A packed hall, full of individuals and organisations from the Asian community doing the business in the beautiful game.

The Asian Football Awards (AFA) has been launched to recognise the outstanding contribution to both the professional game and grassroots initiatives by individuals and groups across the UK with South Asian heritage.

The Awards, supported by The FA and Kick It Out, held at the home of English football, Wembley Stadium on 24th January 2012.

A number of exceptional UK Asians and those from the South Asian diaspora honoured at the first ever Asian Football Awards. This high profile event attracted an exceptional list of guests to gather, support and celebrate Asians in football.

The awards will ensure that those working or investing in the professional game or community

sport have the opportunity to receive acclaim for their achievements in developing Asians in Football.

Here’s a quick rundown of all the winners of each category:

Foundation of the Year Osmani Trust

Nas Bashir – Hayes & Yeading Asian Community Club of the Year London Tigers Behind the Scenes Administration Raj Athwal – Watford

Player of the Year Michael Chopra – Ipswich Town

–

Inspiration Awards Permi Jhooti

Asian Woman in Football Rimla Akhtar – Muslim Women’s Sports Foundation Football Development Project of the Year Diversity Academy – Nottingham Lifetime Achievement Award

Behind the Scenes – Medical Dr Zaf Iqbal – Liverpool Young Player of the Year Danny Batth – Sheffield Wednesday/Wolves Coach of the Year

Investors in Football Tony Fernandes and Lakshmi Mittal – QPR

Football Media of the Year Manish Bhasin – BBC

Jarnail Singh

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

SPECIAL FEATURE

31

Govt increasingly intolerant to criticism: HRW began in September against Delawar Hussein Sayedee.

Some important amendments were made in June to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Rules of Procedure, which included ensuring the right to a presumption of innocence, the right to a fair and public trial, the right

opposition.”

The report also pointed to Bangladesh parliament that took long overdue action in November to provide for returning property seized from the minority Hindu community.

The action amended a 1965 law, passed when Bangladesh was still part of Pakistan, which allowed the appropriation of property of Hindus,

said Adams. “But too often it makes announcements and nothing changes for women on the ground.” Despite pledges, the government took no action against Rab personnel for human rights violations. In fact, the government has refused to acknowledge violations and prosecute those responsible despite criticism from the National Human Rights Commission, the

from Human Rights Watch.

Bangladeshi human rights groups have documented nearly 1,600 extrajudicial killings since 2004. Many were disguised by law enforcement institutions as “crossfire killings.”

The main unit responsible is the Rab, although that same culture of violations and impunity is infecting other security forces as members rotate back to their

against double jeopardy, and the right to counsel of the accused’s choice.

However, these amendments did not address other important shortcomings in the rules, such as the denial of interlocutory appeals, the need to establish a defense office, and the need to repeal article 47(A) of the constitution, which denies fundamental rights under the constitution to individuals accused under the ICT Act. The provision even bars claims that article 47(A) is unconstitutional.

The proceedings in Sayedee’s case raise serious concerns about the impartiality of the bench and the rights of the accused to a fair trial, Human Rights Watch said. The accused has been denied access to foreign counsel of his choice, and the defense teams contend that defence witnesses and investigators have been harassed.

“Bangladesh promised to meet international standards in these landmark trials, but it still has a long way to go to meet this commitment,” Adams said. “Bangladesh could have set the standard for other nations that have suffered from unspeakable abuses, but problems with the law and the conduct of the first trial are throwing away this opportunity,” he said.

The report also accused the government of violating the right to a fair trial of the accused of 2009 Pilkhana mutiny and carnage.

“It (the government) staged mass trials for thousands being held for the 2009 massacre of army officers by troops in the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR). Human rights organisations, journalists, trade unions, and civil society activists remained at risk, with some suffering attacks,” the report added.

“The government of Sheikh Hasina has made repeated promises to end abuses and ensure justice and accountability, yet the security forces remain above the law,” said Brad Adams.

“In the past year the government has moved from saying it would take action against abusive forces to denying abuses or defending the actions of the same abusive security forces that it complained about when it was in

who were suspected of supporting enemy India. The HRW however cautioned that the government should ensure that the new law is not used to target its political enemies.

Belatedly, the government also took the positive step in bilateral meetings of protesting the killing of hundreds of Bangladeshi nationals by India’s Border Security Force over the past 10 years.

The report also criticised the Awami League government that continues with decades-long discrimination against women under personal status laws and fails to take adequate measures to protect women and girls from violence despite its steps to promote women’s rights, making commendable progress in reducing infant and maternal mortality rates.

The government introduced a policy to advance women’s rights in 2011, which among other things guarantees women an equal share and opportunity in employment and full control over their earnings, the report said.

The government has also committed to developing a national strategy for social security, a positive step that could help reduce the high poverty levels among female-headed households, but violence against women is rampant, with religious leaders or village elders imposing illegal punishments under the garb of “fatwas.”

These include orders to whip girls, blacken their faces, or otherwise humiliate them publicly for “immoral behaviour.” In some cases, village elders illegally accused girls who reported rape or sexual abuse of having an affair and ordered them punished, the HR report added.

The Bangladesh High Court division ordered the government to take action against such extrajudicial punishments, but the government did not carry out court orders, it said.

The parliament passed a law in 2010 against domestic violence but has yet to introduce any rules for its implementation.

“The government has taken some important steps on women’s rights,”

findings of independent home ministry investigations, and lengthy reports

parent units in the police or intelligence departments, said HRW.

Continued from page 16 >>

“Despite clear and voluminous evidence of Rab responsibility, the government has not held anyone in Rab accountable for the large numbers of extra-judicial killings,” Adams said.

“While the government talks proudly of its democratic credentials, it seems to forget that a key component of a democracy is ensuring the safety of its citizens from state sponsored violence,” he added.

Many of the 6,000 members of the BDR charged for the 2009 mutiny which led to a massacre of dozens of army officers have faced serious fair trial violations, Human Rights Watch said.

Of those charged, 850 face criminal charges under the Bangladesh penal code, which allows for capital punishment. Military courts convicted close to 1,000 in mass trials during 2011 without providing individualized evidence. Many accused did not have legal counsel or, if they did, lawyers did not have sufficient time or resources to provide an adequate defence.

The city of Dubai is built on foundations that are steeped in history and tradition. From the evocative Dubai Museum to the spectacular Jumeirah Mosque, and from the breathtaking Bastakiya to the imperious Heritage Village. There are many mysteries waiting to be unravelled. Explore Dubai at your pace and relive great traditions from day gone by.

DEFINITELYDUBAI.COM

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 26 January 2012

Rimla Akhtar :Asian Woman in Football 2012, the year of the Olympics in London and sport fever has certainly gripped North West London where the Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation was nominated for the Football Foundation of the Year at the first ever Asian Football Awards held at Wembley stadium.

The Asian Football Awards ceremony was

established with the help of Kick It Out and the Football Association and took place on Tuesday 24th January.

Rimla Akhtar was part of the futsal team when the Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation was set up. It aims to raise awareness of the issues facing Muslim women in sport as well as directly producing and implementing Continued on page 29 >>

SAT

Sports

Pakistan pegged back

by England spinners Pakistan v England: Monty Panesar welcomes Test return

Pakistan openers Taufeeq Umar and Mohammad Hafeez saw off the new ball bowlers and put on 51, Misbah resists for Pakistan with 83 not out.

Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann each took three wickets as England limited Pakistan to 256-7 on day one of the second Test in Abu Dhabi.

Broad’s double strike in early afternoon reduced Pakistan to 103-4 before Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq put together a century stand for the fifth wicket to rescue

their side.

Shafiq fell to Swann for 58 in the evening session and England’s day improved further after taking the second new ball, Broad (3-52) and Swann (3-52) striking a further blow apiece.

Pakistan skipper Misbah remained unbeaten at the close on 83, finishing the day off in some style with a pair of sixes in the final over, taking his tally of maximums to four.

A wicket each for spinners Graeme Swann and the recalled Monty Panesar gave England a boost going into the lunch break in the second Test against Pakistan at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Pakistan openers Taufeeq Umar and Mohammad Hafeez saw off the new ball bowlers and put on 51, but Umar was on his way for 16 when he left a straight one from Swann and saw his off stump uprooted.

Hafeez also went before the break for 31 when - one ball after he was given a life as Panesar spilled a caught and bowled chance - he was also bowled.

Pakistan, who reached lunch on 73 for two, won the toss and chose to bat as they bid to secure the three-match Continued on page 29 >>

‘Bad luck’ to blame for Indian game Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke made double centuries before Australia claimed two late wickets to take control of day two of the fourth Test against India.

Australia declared their first innings closed at 7-604 shortly after tea on Wednesday on a lifeless Adelaide Oval pitch.

Ponting made 221 and skipper Clarke hit 210. Their 386-run partnership in 380 minutes is the fourth-highest by an Australian pair for any wicket in Tests.

Pup & Punter v India, Adelaide 2012 Partnership: 386 runs, 94.4 overs, RR: 4.07 (Ponting 162, Clarke 210) In reply India reached 2-61 at stumps with Sachin Tendulkar 12 not out and opener Gautam Gambhir on 30. India need another 343 to make Australia bat again.

Virender Sehwag crunched 18 off 18 deliveries before chipping a full toss back to paceman Peter Siddle who took a one-handed catch with

a leap to his right, striking with his first delivery of the match.

Rahul Dravid, aged 39, was out Continued on page 29 >>

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