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Thursday, 05.07.12

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British security officials on alert for Olympic terror threats Qaida plot to bomb US jet during Olympics?

Government officials from Washington to London insist that there are no known specific or credible terror threats tied to next month’s Olympic games in London.

Nonetheless, authorities on both sides of the Atlantic are urging vigilance.

President Barack Obama met last week with his national security team to talk about preparations for the Olympic games as well as this week’s Fourth of July holiday. After the meeting, the White House issued a statement saying that “The president directed all to ensure we are doing everything possible to keep the American people safe and to continue close cooperation on the Olympics with our British counterparts,” according to National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor.

In a speech just last week, the head of Britain’s MI5 domestic security service talked a little more specifically about the current threat environment. Jonathan Evans told the audience at a defense and security lecture that “the games present

an attractive target for our enemies and they will be at the center of the world’s attention in a month or so. No doubt some terrorist networks have thought

Karachi Gate Affair:

Sarkozy - in trouble with the law?

France’s former President Nicolas Sarkozy may face criminal charges for taking bribes on military contracts and

for illegal campaign funding. He risks going to jail for five years if found guilty. Sarkozy, whose Continued on page 2 >>

about whether they could pull off an attack. but the games are not an easy target and the fact that we have disrupted multiple terrorist plots here and abroad

in recent years demonstrates that the UK as a whole is not an easy target for terrorism.”

Evans says that the current threat level in the UK is at “substantial,” meaning an attack is a strong possibility.

“A lot of hard work still ahead and there is no such thing as guaranteed security,” said Evans.

British media cited anonymous sources over the weekend saying a Norwegian man had been recruited by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula in a possible plot targeting a U.S.-bound airliner.

Al-Qaeda intended to use a trained Norwegian Islamic convert to attack US planes in the build-up to the Games, the UK Sunday Times quoted intelligence sources as saying.

“The Norwegian recruit goes under the name of Muslim Abu Abdurrahman. He is understood to be in his thirties and a ‘clean skin’, with no previous criminal record,” the newspaper said.

Continued on page 3 >>

Arafat ‘poisoned by polonium’ The Palestinian Authority has called for an international probe into the death of its leader Yasser Arafat.

The late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat may have been assassinated with a lethal dose of the radioactive substance polonium, scientists have claimed.

Test performed by a laboratory in Switzerland found significant traces of polonium-210 on Arafat’s clothes and personal belongings.

The same substance was used to kill former Russian KGB agent turned dissident Alexander Litvinenko, who died in 2006 in London after drinking tea laced with the radioactive substance.

Claims that Arafat was assassinated surfaced soon after his death, Continued on page 2 >>

2 Continued from page 01 >> with many pointing the finger at Israel’s spy agency Mossad. Israel has denied involvement in Arafat’s death and the head of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) at the time, Avi Dichter, on Wednesday said the onus was on the Palestinians.

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres is “convinced” that deputy army chief General Moshe Yahalon wants to kill Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, the daily Yediot Aharonot reported in 2001.

A nine-month investigation conducted by Al-Jazeera has concluded that Arafat’s personal belongings contained abnormally high levels of polonium, a rare and highly radioactive element.

The items, including his clothing, his toothbrush, and even his iconic kaffiyeh, were supplied to Al-Jazeera by his widow, Suha Arafat. They were then analyzed at the Institut de Radiophysique in Lausanne, Switzerland.

“I can confirm to you that we measured an unexplained, elevated amount of unsupported (unnatural) polonium-210 in the belongings of Mr. Arafat that Publisher Salah Bu Khamas (UAE) Sabha Khan (UK) UK Office 10 Courtenay Road, Wembley, Middlesex, HA9 7ND UK Phone: +44 20 8904 0619 Fax: +44 20 8181 7575 info@satribune.co.uk India Office Satya Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. C/O Satya Group.

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

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

Arafat ‘poisoned by polonium’

contained stains of biological fluids,” said Dr. Francois Bochud, the director of the institute.

Scientists found that the amount of polonium on some of Arafat’s belongings was ten

“There was no liver cirrhosis, apparently no traces of cancer, no leukemia,” Dr. Patrice Mangin, the head of the Institute of Legal Medicine at the Lausanne University, stated to Al-Jazeera.

Suha Arafat, the wife of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, wants her late husband’s body exhumed to reveal the truth behind his death. The Palestinian Authority has already agreed to give

times higher than that on control subjects. For example, his urinestained underwear contained 180 millibecquerels (mBq) of polonium, compared to a control subject’s count of 6.7 mBq. Arafat’s toothbrushes also had an elevated polonium level of 54 mBq. The uncovered traces of polonium, however, are mere fractions of what could have been the cause of Arafat’s death. The polonium-210 isotope has a half-life of 138 days, meaning half of the substance decays every four and half months.

Given that Arafat died almost eight years ago, the current amount of polonium present would be less than one two-millionth of the original amount.

Additional tests indicate that most of the polonium in Arafat’s belongings was “unsupported,” meaning it came from unnatural sources.

Arafat’s death was “not natural” Doctors in Lausanne also ruled out other possible causes of Arafat’s death. At one time or another, there were claims he had died from leukemia, cirrhosis of the liver, and even AIDS.

“Concerning HIV, AIDS – there was no sign, and the symptomology was not suggesting these things.”

The conclusions were based

its permission to the procedure, saying it will cooperate with anyone interested in establishing the cause of death. The Israeli

on documentation, rather than firsthand examination of bodily fluid samples. Scientists in Lausanne hoped to study samples of blood and urine taken from Arafat at the Percy Military Hospital in France shortly before his death, but the hospital stated that it had destroyed them.

“I was not satisfied with that answer,” Suha Arafat said.

“Usually a very important person, like Yasser, they would keep traces – maybe they don’t want to be involved in it?”

Several of the doctors that treated Arafat also refused to discuss his case, saying it was considered a “military secret.”

government also has to give its formal permission to take bone samples out of the West Bank.

Nevertheless, Suha Arafat is satisfied that at least some light on what killed her husband has been shed.

“We got into this very, very painful conclusion, but at least this removes this great burden on me, on my chest,” she explained.

“At least I’ve done something to explain to the Palestinian people, to the Arab and Muslim generation all over the world, that it was not a natural death, it was a crime.”

Israelis made little secret of their desire to see Arafat dead. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon

expressed regret in a newspaper interview on Feb. 1, 2002 that he hadn’t killed Arafat decades earlier when he had had the chance. Sharon told Israeli newspaper Maariv that he should have “eliminated” Arafat during the invasion of Lebanon in 1982. “Do you regret it (not killing Arafat)?” he was asked. “Certainly, yes,” he replied.

On the day of Arafat’s death, BBC news carried comments by then Israeli opposition leader Shimon Peres, saying it is “good that the world is rid of him...

Bassam Abu Sharif: Israeli Mossad Poisoned Arafat Through His Medications The Al Dostour Jordanian newspaper reported in July 2009 that Bassam Abu Sharif, the former advisor of the late President, Yasser Arafat, revealed that the poison was administered to Arafat through his medications, and added that the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, replaced Arafat’s medications with similar poisoned medications manufactured in Israel.

He added that while Arafat was besieged by the Israeli army in his Ramallah headquarters, all medications that he took, and the food and drinks were brought to him by a Palestinian ambulance, and that the army forcefully held the driver away from the vehicle for at least 30 minutes while the soldiers searched it.

Abu Sharif then stated that this incident facilitated Israel’s plot to replace Arafat’s medications with poisoned ones.

Sarkozy - in trouble with the law?

Continued from page 01 >> presidential immunity expires this week, denies wrongdoing. But there are at least two cases in which the ex-president will have to testify. One involves Liliane Bettencourt, France’s richest woman and heiress of the L’Oreal cosmetics giant. In 2007, she allegedly transferred large sums to Swiss banks in a suspected tax evasion plot. Later, part of that money ended up on Sarkozy’s campaign accounts.

Karachi Gate Affair: bribes, bloodshed and the buried truth Another case is the so-called Karachi-gate. In the middle of the 90s, France supplied two Agosta submarines to Pakistan and allegedly paid generous commissions to Pakistani middlemen. Part of those commissions were kicked back to fund former French Prime Minister Eduard Balladur’s election campaign with Nicolas Sarkozy, budget minister at the time, as chief of Balladur’s campaign staff. Balladur lost to Chirac, who banned commission payments to arms dealers. Later, 11 French engineers were killed in a bomb blast

in Karachi during the construction of those same submarines. Even though there is almost no evidence of Sarkozy’s direct involvement in their deaths, the chances of his being summoned to court in this episode at least as a witness are fairly high, says Yuri Rubinsky, a senior analyst at the Institute for European Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

In the so-called “Karachi Affair”, judges are trying to unravel dealings by middlemen and possible kickbacks linked to France’s sale of Agosta class submarines to Pakistan.

Investigators are looking into whether the sale was the source of illegal party financing during the 1995 presidential campaign. They are also investigating whether a 2002 bomb blast in Karachi that killed 11 French nationals was a reprisal for Paris’ decision to stop paying commissions on the sale. A lawyer for the victims filed the complaint, accused Mr Sarkozy and his aides of illegally gaining access to elements of the inquiry, compromising investigators’ independence.

“There is no direct evidence in either of the cases. So far, the ex-president has been

summoned as a witness, not as a defendant.

The example of Chirac, who received a two-year suspended prison term, is quite illustrative in this regard. It shows that the justice department keeps an eye on the head of state. Once his immunity expires, he is an ordinary citizen. As for Sarkozy, I don’t think that this will be an attempt to take revenge or prevent his political comeback, rather it will be hearings on the merits.”

Kira Zuyeva of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations believes that Sarkozy will escape prosecution as did Chirac.

“It seems to be more about condemnation than about conviction. Despite the gravity of the charges against him, one can hardly expect Sarkozy to be sent to prison. He is a shrewd politician and will find a way of exonerating himself. Things won’t go beyond discussions and condemnations.”

Meanwhile, Sarkozy may potentially be brought to justice in two more cases: for accepting campaign donations from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2007 and for misuse of public funds in 2010-2012.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

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EU Condemns Racist, Anti-Semitic Remarks

By Iranian Leader At UN Conference UK condemns Iranian vice president for anti-semitic remarks

Britain has condemned antisemitic remarks made by the Iranian vice president during a speech this week at a conference in Tehran. Responding to the comments, the British foreign minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, said: “We condemn utterly the baseless comments from Iran’s vice president Rahimi about the Talmud and the Jewish faith, made at a United Nations drugs control event in Tehran this week.”

He added: “Racism and antisemitism are unacceptable in any circumstance, let alone at an event sponsored by the United Nations.

We call upon Iran to correct this scandalous statement, and to ensure that its officials respect

the proper international norms and standards in the future.”

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton has condemned “unreservedly” racist and anti-Semitic statements made by Iranian

First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi at a global U.N. conference this week.

In a statement on Thursday, her spokesperson said Ashton was “deeply disturbed” by the comments made by the Iranian

Pakistan route cut-off costs billions: US

The Pentagon has asked Congress to shift billions of dollars in the defense budget to pay for added fuel costs to ferry supplies to Afghanistan after Pakistan closed its border to NATO convoys, US officials said Monday.

In a letter to congressional defence committees, the Pentagon requested “reprogramming” $8.2 billion in funds previously approved to finance more urgent priorities, officials said.

There were “some unanticipated costs that we just didn’t foresee,”spokesman Captain John Kirby told reporters.

It remained unclear what programs in the defense budget would receive less funding as a result.

A large portion of the request was

due to the costs “associated with the extended closure of the ground lines of communication” in Pakistan, Kirby said.

In November, Pakistan shut its border to Nato supply convoys bound for Afghanistan after a US air strike accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

The Pentagon reportedly estimates an alternative network of northern supply routes through Central Asia has generated $2.1 billion in additional fuel costs compared to the shorter Pakistani route.

The request to shift funds was also needed to cover the cost of deploying an additional aircraft carrier to the Gulf region.

“Earlier this year, we did increase the carrier presence there,” said Kirby, with the US Navy moving from one to two aircraft carriers present in the area at all times.

The expanded naval deployment came amid rising tensions with Iran, which in December and January threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz in response to increased international pressure over its nuclear program.

The US Air Force also had to pay for more “flying hours” partly related to the closure of the Pakistan routes, as the military has had to rely more on cargo aircraft to ferry in supplies to the US-led force in Afghanistan, officials said.

leader at the “International Day against Drug Abuse” conference in Tehran on Tuesday.

She said such statements were unacceptable and should not be tolerated. The High Representative reiterated the

European Union’s “absolute commitment to combating racism and anti-Semitism.”

The Iranian comment also evoked condemnation from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who urged Tehran to refrain from anti-Semitic statements.

Rahimi reportedly said the Talmud, or canon of Jewish religious law, “teaches them how to destroy non-Jews so as to protect an embryo in the womb of a Jewish mother.”

He accused “Zionists,” a term used by the Iranian government generalizing Israelis and their Jewish supporters abroad, of inciting drug trafficking. “You cannot find a single addict among the Zionists,” he added.

Olympic terror threats << Continued from page 1 “There is terrorist plotting going on irrespective of the Olympics. The only thing that connects this to the Olympics is the fact that they are about to happen,” a Whitehall official told the paper.

“If you are blowing up aeroplanes you are likely to be killing Brits or having a big impact on the European or British economy. [So it] would in effect be an attack against Britain,” a Whitehall official told the Sunday Times.

The reporting followed an earlier story by The Associated Press that intelligence officials were concerned about a Norwegian man who was awaiting instructions.

Government and intelligence officials have been concerned for quite some time about the threat posed by “clean skins.” They are potential recruits who hold either a European or U.S. passport and have no prior criminal record. Government officials have said that “clean skins” are being actively recruited by al-Qaida because they are thought to have the ability to operate under the intelligence radar and not raise the suspicions of European and U.S. security officials.

This past May, AQAP was planning

to use difficult-to-detect explosives to bring down an airliner in a plot that was thwarted. Officials were able to seize an explosive device that is similar to ones previously used by alQaida, according to officials.

That plot was discovered before airliners were put at risk, White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan said in May. Authorities recovered a nonmetallic explosive device like the one used in the failed attempt to bomb a Detroit-bound jet in 2009. That same year, three men in the UK were found guilty of plotting to use liquid explosives to blow up airplanes flying between Britain and North America.

In the U.S., ahead of the Fourth of July holiday this week, the Department of Homeland Security is urging Americans to be attentive to their surroundings. A DHS official told CNN on Sunday that “our security posture includes a number of measures both seen and unseen and we will continue to respond appropriately to protect the American people. Homeland security is a shared responsibility, and we are asking that everyone remain vigilant as we all much play an important role in helping to keep our communities safe and secure.”

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EDITORIAL

The ‘Olympic terror plot’ that wasn’t Last week the right-wing press made a big splash over the arrest of two Muslims who had been reported to the police for “acting suspiciously” while sailing a dinghy on the River Lea at Waltham Abbey in Hertfordshire, near to the Olympic canoeing venue.

While articles in the Guardian and the Evening Standard were quite measured, the Daily Telegraph reported this under the shock-horror headline “London 2012: Two Muslim converts arrested over Olympic terror plot”.

The Daily Mail did at least refer to the plot in inverted commas (“Muslim converts who ‘plotted to attack Olympic canoeing venue’ arrested after police see them acting suspiciously in a dinghy”), but as you can see, the Telegraph didn’t even bother with that formality. In any case, the two individuals had been arrested on suspicion and had not been charged with an offence. So, in the absence of

of terrorist violence would you really draw attention to yourself by posing for the papers like this?

Then again, some former supporters of Mi6 Asset Anjem Choudary were sentenced earlier this year for their part in a laughably inept plan to infiltrate the London Stock Exchange disguised as stockbrokers, plant an incendiary device in the toilets, burn down the building and thus bring about the economic ruin of the nation.

As the BBC reported: “There were obvious flaws with the plan – not least the probable role of sprinklers and the London Fire Brigade. The surveillance indicated the men wanted to plant the device on Christmas Eve. The building would have been shut.”

So, while it appeared unlikely, the possibility that a follower of Mi6 Asset Anjem Choudary might have been become frustrated with his leader’s stupid stunts and hatched some similarly deluded plan to

actual evidence, talk of any kind of plot was premature to say the least.

This didn’t prevent the “counterjihad” movement seizing on the arrests as further evidence of Islamic perfidy.

The English Defence League posted a link to the Telegraph report, provoking the usual hate-filled comments about Muslims. Over in the US, Robert Spencer went with “Two converts to Islam arrested for misunderstanding their peaceful religion, plotting jihad terror attacks”, while Pamela Geller, taking her cue from the revelation that one of the suspects, Jamal ud-Din, was a supporter of the tiny gang of provocateurs once known as Islam4UK, reported the arrests under the heading “Olympic bomber a follower of devout imam Anjem Choudary”.

My scepticism about the so-called plot was reinforced precisely by the fact that one of the arrested men was a follower of Mi6 Asset Anjem Choudary , who heads a group of publicityseeking clowns that poses no actual threat of terrorism. I mean, if you were seriously intending to engage in acts

target the Olympic canoeing venue couldn’t be entirely excluded. Anjem Choudary came to public attention in 1999, when the Sunday Telegraph identified him as playing an instrumental role in the recruitment of Muslim trainees leaving Britain to fight abroad. He told the newspaper “before they go abroad to fight, the volunteers are trained in Britain.

Some of the training does involve guns and live ammunition” Ok so why isnt he in Bellmarsh?

However, earlier this week the Associated Press reported: “Two British Muslim converts arrested following a canoeing trip near the Olympic site have been released without charge. Scotland Yard says an 18-year-old and a 32-year-old arrested at separate addresses in east London last week have been freed ‘with no further action’.”

So far, this report hasn’t aroused the slightest interest from the Telegraph or the Mail, still less from Geller, Spencer or their thuggish friends in the EDL.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

‘Black boxes’ to monitor all internet and phone data

Internet and phone firms are preparing to install “black boxes” to monitor UK internet and phone traffic, and decode encrypted messages - including Facebook and GMail messages.

As part of the Home Office’s communications data bill, internet service providers (ISPs) and mobile phone companies will be obliged to collect communications records and keep them for a year, writes Channel 4 News Technology Producer Geoff White.

The government has insisted that the actual content of messages won’t be stored, but until now it has not been clear how communications companies will be able to separate content from “header data”, such as the sender and recipient of a message, and the date it was sent.

It has now emerged that the Home Office has held meetings with the UK’s largest ISPs and mobile network operators, and has given them information about the hardware which companies will have to use to monitor traffic flowing through their systems.

When an individual uses a webmail service such as Gmail, for example, the entire webpage is encrypted before it is sent. This makes it impossible for ISPs to distinguish the content of the message. Under the Home Office proposals, once the Gmail is sent, the ISPs would have to route the data via a government-approved “black box” which will decrypt the message, separate the content from the “header data”, and pass the latter back to the ISP for storage.

Dominic Raab, a Conservative MP who has criticised the bill, said: “The use of data

mining and black boxes to monitor everyone’s phone, email and web-based communications is a sobering thought that would give Britain the most intrusive surveillance regime in the west. But, many technical experts are raising equally serious doubts about its feasibility and vulnerability to hacking and other abuse.”

A representative of the ISPs Association said: “We understand that government wants to move with the times, and we want to work with them on that. But this is a massive project. We’d rather they told us what they want to achieve, then sit down with us to work out how.”

“Our other main concern with this is speed.

If you’re having to route all traffic through one box, it’s going to cut down on connection speeds. The hardware can only look at a certain amount of traffic per second - if lots of streams from the BBC iPlayer are going through it, for example, how is it going to handle the traffic?”

A Home Office spokesman said “We have not issued any hardware or software specifications.

“The communications data bill is designed to allow the police to maintain their capability to catch criminals and protect the public as technology changes and people use more modern communications. Under this programme the emphasis is to work with industry to determine the best way to achieve this.

“The legislation is currently being scrutinised by parliament. Once it has been passed will we work with companies on how to best collect and store communications data, but not the content.”

QE2 will become 300-room floating hotel for Dubai

The Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship will become a 300 room floating hotel, according to its Dubai based owners.

Istithmar, an investment company owned by the Government of Dubai, bought the QE2 for US$100 million (Dh367.2m) from Cunard in June 2007.

The original plan to refurbish it and install it on The Palm, an artificial island off Dubai, was abandoned in 2011 due to financial constraints and limited water

depths around The Palm.

Now Istithmar plans to keep it at Port Rashid, where Dubai already runs a thriving cruise ship terminal, said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, the chairman of DP World and the head of Istithmar said in Dubai today.

The fit-out will be completed in 18 months and the ship will be part of a new development at the port which will also include a maritime museum.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

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Reading the Riots study reveals police fears over further unrest Research finds considerable concern that police ability to deal with any future riots may be affected by scale of budget cuts Police expect a repeat of the riots that spread across England last summer and are concerned about whether they will have the resources to cope with more unrest on that scale, according to the findings of the most indepth research conducted into the disorder.

Officers interviewed as part of the study said further disorder was likely, with many citing worsening social and economic conditions as the potential cause.

There is considerable concern among police that their ability to deal with any future riots may be

affected by the scale of the budget cuts currently affecting forces.

This blunt assessment of the country’s preparedness for disorder comes from interviews with 130 police officers of all ranks

who took part in the second part of Reading the Riots, a joint study by the Guardian and London School of Economics.

The interviews, which are mostly anonymous accounts of the riots

in five English cities, give an unprecedented insight into what thousands of officers – both on the frontline and in control rooms – experienced during the most serious bout of civil disorder in a generation.

The study comes at a time when the police service is engaged in a bitter dispute with the home secretary, Theresa May, over proposed budget cuts and her controversial appointment of a new chief inspector of constabulary, Tom Winsor.

On Monday parliament will receive a report from the current chief inspector on the impact of policing cuts on forces across England and Wales. Meanwhile, police are preparing for this month’s

Olympic Games, the biggest peacetime policing operation in modern British history.

Police forces gave unprecedented access to their staff for Reading the Riots, which is the largest academic study into the causes and consequences of England’s summer of disorder. The first part of the study, published in December, was based on confidential interviews with 270 rioters.

Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation, urged the government to take “urgent stock” of the Reading the Riots study, saying he believed police would struggle to cope with further disorder if budget cuts went ahead.

Scottish lecturer may be ‘grandfather of all Britons’

Presentation on Islam to US Army includes a so-called photo of the Prophet Muhammad & blasphemous comments

They were so surprised by the results that they phoned Kinnaird, a widower who lives in the far north of Scotland, and told him that his mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which passed through the female line, was 30,000 years old and only two genetic mutations removed from the first woman.

Most men have a genome with around 200 mutations since the earliest humans.

“It is an astonishing result and means he could have been in the ‘Garden of Eden’,” said Alistair Moffat of St Andrews University and co-founder of the DNA project ‘Britain’s DNA’.

“It’s further proof that even white AngloSaxon Protestants are descended from a black Eve,” Moffat was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.

The tests also showed that Kinnaird’s ‘fatherline’ is Scandinavian and he carries a YDNA marker which is found in a quarter of Norwegian men. The DNA project has now tested 2,000 people across the UK and most have markers that trace their ancestry back up to 3,500 years.

These defined them as descendants of various groups including the earliest Britons, the Ancient Irish, Vikings, hunter gatherers and cave painters.

The project aims to map Britain’s ‘family tree’ and has previously found that the actor Tom Conti shared an ancestor with Napoleon Bonaparte.

Speaking of the findings, Kinnaird, who taught at the North Highland College in Thurso, said he was interested in history but had no particular expectations when he paid 200 pounds for the test.

“I have led an unremarkable life until now but my computer has been red hot since I was told. This is a real gobsmacker,” he said.

to tell lies when Islam’s interests are in question.

“In western civilization, honesty is a moral absolute. It is the gold standard for character evaluation and the primary indicator of trustworthiness.

There is no Judeo-Christian ethical equivalent of the Ten Commandments in the Quran. When interacting with non-Muslims, Muslims are obligated to lie when they feel doing so will further the ends of Islam,” it says in the presentation.

The last part of the presentation talks about the state of non-Muslims in a Muslim country who continue to live there by paying jizya, a per-capita tax levied on an Islamic state’s non-Muslim citizens, who meet certain criteria, to the state. A picture from the popular movie “The Godfather,” showing a man kissing the hand of Vito Corleone, the main character, is used to depict the situation of non-Muslims in a Muslim country.

• Ian Kinnaird, 72, discovered he is effectively the ‘grandfather of everyone in Britain’ after he paid £200 to take the test to trace his ancestry • Results showed that Mr Kinnaird, has a genetic marker, L1B1, that can be followed back all the way to an ancient African lineage • The complete test results suggest 32% of British men are descended from the original Britons, 12% from ancient Germanic lines, 11% are hunter gatherers and 7% are ancient Irish Meet the grandfather of all Britons: Ian Kinnaird, a 72-year-old retired lecturer of Scotland is directly descended from the first woman on Earth, who lived some 190,000 years ago, researchers claim.

Kinnaird, who undertook a DNA test to find out where his ancestors came from, was stunned when it was found that he inherits a genetic marker from his mother that traces his ancestry to an African lineage that has not been found before in Western Europe.

Researchers, who carried out the tests, said in genetic terms, the result meant that Kinnaird was a ‘thoroughbred’, and could be described as the ‘grandson of Eve, or the grandfather of everyone in Britain’.

A presentation on Islam allegedly made to members of the US Army included some blasphemous comments and distorted facts about Islam.

The 13-page presentation was prepared

by Michael Margulies, an expert on Arabic language and literature, and was posted on the “Public Intelligence” website.

The presentation, titled “Muslim Morality and Jihadi ethics,” includes a so-called photo of the Prophet Muhammad in addition to general information on the Muslim holy book, the Quran.

In the presentation, Islam is introduced as a religion which encourages people

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

US Army to smite enemies with Tesla-like lightning bolts?

A laser induced plasma channel guides the lightning bolt until it reaches the target

In the era of remote-controlled drones, invisible planes and

change aim simply by retargeting the laser beam.

microwave guns, no military innovation should come as a surprise. But among the array of new weapons none are more satisfying than a cannon that allows you to unleash bolts of lightning.

The Laser-Induced Plasma Channel (LIPC) cannon is currently being tested at Picatinny Arsenal, a key US Army research complex in New Jersey.

“We never got tired of the lightning bolts zapping our simulated targets,” says George Fischer, who heads the research team.

The charge is created by emitting a laser pulse that charges the air, and forms a hugely destructive bolt of lighting.

“If a laser puts out a pulse with modest energy, but the time is incredibly tiny, the power can be huge,” says Fischer. “During the duration of the laser pulse, it can be putting out more power than a large city needs, but the pulse only lasts for two-trillionths of a second.”

But the laser isn’t just the source of energy, it is the aiming mechanism as well. Lightning travels down the path of least resistance, and the laser forms just such a channel.

This means that the operator can

But taming it was not easy.

“If the light focuses in air, there is certainly the danger that it will focus in a glass lens, or in other parts of the laser amplifier system, destroying it,” says Fischer.

Now that the beam is working correctly, the biggest questions surround the combat situations in which the Tesla-like weapon could prove useful.

Theoretically, it can be used to take out a specific object in its entirety – an enemy SUV or a plane – without having to destroy everything around it.

The charge is most powerful when the target is a high-conductivity object – a metal tank – stationed on a lower conductivity surface: land. This cannot always be guaranteed, and limits the number of things that can be targeted by LIPC. It is also likely to be significantly more expensive than conventional charges.

Engineers are now working on turning the prototype into a mobile cannon that can be mounted on aircraft and trucks, but the US Army has not yet ordered any devices.

It is possible that despite the intimidation factor and its design

elegance, the man-made lightning bolt will remain a prototype – at least for now.

As the news emerged, public opinion became split as to how much of Nicola Tesla’s scientific legacy underlay the project.

To some, the weapon closely resembled a Tesla coil, a 1891 patent invention, which produces high-voltage, low-current, high frequency alternating-current electricity. Others argue the Tesla coils produce a different type of electricity from LIPC and generally “fire” randomly. Tesla coils can be seen nowadays at educational displays and in entertainment.

air, this factor is positive, so light slows down by a tiny fraction when the light is more intense.”

If a laser puts out a pulse with modest energy, but the time is incredibly tiny, the power can be huge. During the duration of the laser pulse, it can be putting out more power than a large city needs, but the pulse only lasts for two-trillionths of a second.”

For very powerful and high intensity laser pulses, the air can act like a lens, keeping the light in a small-diameter filament. We use an ultra-short-pulse laser of modest energy to make a laser beam so intense that it focuses on itself in air and stays focused

The plasma channel conducts electricity way better than unionized air, so if we set up the laser so that the filament comes near a high voltage source, the electrical energy will travel down the filament.

Since enemy vehicles and munitions tend to be more conductive than the ground they sit on, they create voltage drop that channels the lightning out of the beam and into the target.

Unexploded munitions will detonate.

The high voltage laser requires precise synchronization. One wrong move could lead it to destroy itself. Describes Fischer,

Tesla coil (Image from tesladownunder.com)

in a filament.

The optical amplifier outputs 50 billion watts of optical power -- about the equivalent of 500 million household incandescent light bulbs. The focused beam in turn creates a plasma channel, which electricity can be directed along to create manmade, targeted lightning. Describes Fischer: If a laser beam is intense enough, its electro-magnetic field is strong enough to rip electrons off of air molecules, creating plasma.

This plasma is located along the path of the laser beam, so we can direct it wherever we want by moving a mirror.

Air is composed of neutral molecules and is an insulator.

When lightning from a thunderstorm leaps from cloud to ground, it behaves just as any other sources of electrical energy and follows the path of least resistance.

“If the light focuses in air, there is certainly the danger that it will focus in a glass lens, or in other parts of the laser amplifier system, destroying it. We needed to lower the intensity in the optical amplifier and keep it low until we wanted the light to selffocus in air.”

LIPC hits a car with a lightning bolt, during a test. [Image Source: U.S. Army] The new twist on the laser weapon may soon join high-power direct laser weapons and devastating rail guns on the battlefield.

Early tests in January 2012 proved quite successful, according to the researcher. He says much work still remains in ruggedizing the prototype for operational environments, and enabling it to take multiple shots.

But he adds, “We never got tired of the lightning bolts zapping our simulated (targets).”

Source: U.S. Army

science Army Aims to Smite Enemies With Wild Lightning Bolt Weapon A laser induced plasma channel guides the lightning bolt until it reaches the target LIPC stands for The LaserInduced Plasma Channel, but for all intents and purposes, it might as well stand for “lightning gun”.

The project combines two of the coolest things known to man -lightning and lasers -- and turns them into one mean superweapon, which could soon be capable of unleashing devastating damage at mid-range to close-quarters.

George Fischer, U.S. Army Picatinny Arsenal lead scientist is heading the project.

He describes: Light travels more slowly in gases and solids than it does in a vacuum. We typically think of the speed of light in each material as constant. There is, however, a very small additional intensitydependent factor to its speed. In

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

Russia denies it endorsed call for Assad to leave

Russia on Thursday said it would not endorse a call for Syrian President Bashar Assad to give up power and criticized as inappropriate US comments that it had agreed to plans for a new national unity government in Syria that could include the opposition.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov insisted that major powers meeting Saturday in Geneva for talks on Syria must concentrate on convincing opposition groups to soften their demands. He also denied a claim by a senior US official that Russia was among the backers of a plan for a new government to oversee the drafting of a new constitution and eventual elections.

“We are not supporting and will not support any external meddling,” he said.

“External players must not dictate ... to Syrians, but, first of all, must commit to influencing all the sides in Syria to stop the violence.”

Diplomatic hopes have rested on Russia - Syria’s most important ally, protector and supplier of arms - to agree to a plan that would end the Assad family dynasty,

which has ruled Syria for more than four decades. But the country- one of the five permanent Security Council members along with Britain, China, France and the US - has warned it would firmly oppose any document urging Assad to step down.

Moscow also has rejected efforts by outside forces to end the country’s bloody conflict or any plan to force regime change in Damascus, insisting that any plans for

the future rest entirely with Syria.

It was not clear, however, that Moscow has rejected Annan’s plan altogether or has simply not agreed to its final form yet.

“First of all, no agreed-upon projects exist, the work on the possible final document is going on, including a meeting of experts in Geneva,” Lavrov told reporters. “I think that the fact that certain formulas, certain ideas proposed for the possible

final document by certain countries are leaked to the media manifests an improper approach to diplomacy.”

A senior US diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss diplomatic negotiations, had said international envoy Kofi Annan assured the United States that world powers gathering in Geneva had endorsed the plan and that Russia was among its backers.

Lavrov said that diplomatic efforts should focus on urging the opposition groups to “refuse from their uncompromising approaches and, in accordance with the Kofi Annan plan, sit down for negotiations with the government.”

Lavrov also criticized the exclusion of major regional player Iran from Saturday’s high-level meeting of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council in Geneva.

“Iran is undoubtedly a powerful player in the whole situation,” Lavrov said. “Leaving it out of the loop of the Geneva meeting is a mistake.”

DVK Group Flying High as it Pioneers Aviation Deal

Global commodity trading and finance boutique company DVK Group is turning its attention to the skies, as it puts in place a plan for its most ambitious business venture to date within the key emerging markets of the African, the CIS region, India, China and other Far East Aviation sectors.

The pioneering project will comprise of the establishment, supply and financing of a fleet of state-of-the-art air ambulances and corporate helicopters, with a key focus area for the organisation also being the private jet and cargo sectors.

DVK Group is continuously gearing resources to meet the growing demand in emerging markets such as Africa, as well as strategic geographic regions, which includes China, Hong Kong, India and the CIS region.

Within the last quarter DVK has acquired an AOC license for operating rights in Nairobi, Kenya to manage requirements in East Africa. In addition, an AOC license for the Russian aviation company that DVK has invested in has the necessary rights to cater for the CIS region.

In May 2012, DVK established DVK Aviation, which will be headed by Jack Raymond, who

DVK Group is its Founder and Chairman Deepak Kuntawala 3rd from the left

has over 25 years experience in private aviation, flying high profile dignitaries from the corporate world as well as

government heads. Prior to his work with DVK Aviation, Jack also established and managed cargo fleets for other organisations.

Having already launched the first DVK Group private jet flight from its headquarters at London Luton Airport in April 2012, the UKbased company is now focused on furthering its stronghold on the aviation sectors within Africa and the Far East. The venture would require DVK Group to provide the finance and expertise to successfully establish and manage the infrastructural needs of the operations in Africa, the CIS region, China and other Asian markets.

7

Some of the unique initiatives DVK Group is currently spearheading include: negotiating with key African (MENA Regions) and Far East heads to offer services to the Cargo sector; structuring a Private Equity transaction to take a major stake in an aviation company in the CIS region; and in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, DVK is in negotiations to take over an organisation with licenses already in place.

The driving force behind DVK Group is its Founder and Chairman Deepak Kuntawala.

The renowned company traces its roots back to the 1900s and has been built on a solid

foundation of 100 years of international trading experience combined with revolutionary financial and investment knowhow. DVK Group encompasses various business interests, including commodity trading, structured trade and commodity finance, commodity trading, private equity, venture capital, real estate, infrastructure, and its newest venture DVK Aviation, which is set to revolutionise the private corporate and hospitality air travel sector.

Some of the Group’s other areas of business include a Hong Kong based trade and commodities finance business which successfully executes around $1m USD worth of deal flow per day on average, as well as an Africa focused Agricultural Hedge Fund, which manages assets of $150mn USD. Speaking about the company’s aviation plans, Deepak Kuntawala said: “We will be providing a truly first-class aviation service to our customers, who demand only the best. Aviation, both private and commercial, is very much a professional and intensely licensed industry, and we are keen to continue this, in a similar fashion.”

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8

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

No more oil imports from Iran: Asim

Contrary to the statement of Hillary, Pakistan will not be affected with the legislation in the Capitol Hill on Iran sanctions, as the country had stopped importing Iranian crude oil following the US and UN sanctions on the neighbouring country.

Advisor for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain while talking to reporters on Saturday declared that Pakistan would not be affected by strict US sanctions on Iran which came into force Thursday, as it was not importing oil from neighbouring country.

He said due to the US and UN sanctions on Iran, Pakistani banks had not opened Letter of Credit (LC) for importing crude oil from Iran. He also made it clear that following the refusal of banks to open LCs, crude oil imports from Iran had been stopped.

However, sources in Foreign Office and Finance Ministry were of the view that the US law was very complicated, therefore, it was not easy to ascertain that either Pakistani banks would bear the brunt of the US sanctions or not.

They also shared their fear given the fact that New York was the financial hub and all international transactions processed there, the United States might hit Pakistani financial institutions as a punishment over the transaction made with Iran’s central bank on account of any subject other than purchase of Iranian oil.

The US administration has exempted all major buyers of Iranian oil. The list of 20 countries, which were given the waiver, was announced in three phases, the last two of them being China and Singapore.

In addition, Belgium, Britain, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, India, Malaysia, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Turkey have been exempted so far. Reportedly, Clinton in a statement ruled that China and Singapore had ‘significantly reduced’ their crude oil purchases from Iran, granting them exemptions on the final day before sanctions came into effect.

Under a law aimed at pressing Iran over its nuclear programme, the United States will bar financial institutions that buy oil from Iran, essentially forcing them to choose between Tehran and the world’s largest economy.

Pakistan had been buying 65,000 tonnes

crude oil a month from Iran to meet the domestic demand, but reliance on crude oil imports from other countries

was enhanced after the UN restrictions.

Furthermore, Pakistan is now even considering importing petroleum products from India.

It is worth mentioning that the Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) was the only facility in the country, which had been refining the heavy Iranian crude oil.

The Iranian crude is no longer compatible with oil available in Pakistan even it is no longer relevant in country’s overall oil imports.

Former Sri Lankan naval officer ‘complicit’ in war crimes: Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board

One of Sri Lanka’s top naval officers has fled to Canada but federal officials are refusing to accept his refugee claim on the grounds he was complicit in war crimes the national post reported.

Nadarajah Kuruparan was Commodore of the Sri Lanka Navy, third in rank behind the Admiral, when he retired in June 2009 — just weeks after his forces helped defeat the separatist Tamil Tigers in a conflict that left untold civilians dead.

On Aug. 4, 2009, he arrived at the Canadian border with his wife and two children and made a refugee claim, a development that has only now emerged with the release of a court ruling on his case. He has apparently lived in Toronto since then.

One of only five ethnic Tamil officers in the navy, he said he feared the government,

pro-government militias and rebels but the Immigration and Refugee Board ruled he was not a genuine refugee because he was complicit in crimes against humanity.

His appeal to the Federal Court of Canada was dismissed on June 13, and he and his family now face deportation to Sri Lanka.

The court ruling was significant because it upheld the finding that the Sri Lankan military committed atrocities.

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Thursday, 05.07.12

Top diplomats from India, Pakistan hold peace

India and Pakistan’s foreign secretaries were to meet Wednesday to bolster a fragile peace dialogue undermined by political flux in Pakistan and fresh tensions over the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

A senior Indian government official

said the talks in New Delhi between Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai and his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani had the sole aim of keeping the “dialogue process on track.”

Their meeting was to have taken place at the end of last month, but

was postponed in the uncertainty that followed the Pakistani Supreme Court’s dismissal of Yousuf Raza Gilani as prime minister.

Analysts said the upheaval in Islamabad had taken some of the momentum out of the peace dialogue

Govt to introduce dual nationality, contempt of court amendment bills

Federal cabinet on Wednesday approved the bill which will allow the dual nationals of the country to participate in the next general elections and will also protect current dual-national lawmakers from the disqualification, report.

Draft of the dual nationality bill 2012 was presented in the

federal cabinet meeting, headed

by Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

The bill was approved with mutual consensus of the cabinet

ministers; Now it will be presented in the National Assembly before it could become a law.

The Supreme Court while hearing the case relating to legislators holding dual nationality on Wednesday suspended the national and provincial assembly memberships of two members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

The National Assembly membership of Farhat Mahmood and the Sindh Assembly membership of Nadia Gabol were suspended by the apex court during Wednesday’s hearing of the dual nationality case.

The Cabinet also approved the draft of Contempt of Court Bill 2012 during Wednesday’s session.

between the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals, who have fought three wars since the sub-continent was partitioned in 1947.

Moreover, the atmosphere has been soured by India’s arrest of a man suspected of being a key handler for the 10 Pakistan-based militants who carried out the 2008 Mumbai attacks, killing 166 people.

India says the suspect has admitted helping to coordinate the deadly assault from a command post in Karachi, and his testimony has renewed Indian accusations that “state elements” in Pakistan were involved.

“The blame game has started again and the secretaries’ meeting comes Continued on page 10 >>

Pak Cabinet gives nod to Nato supply restoration

Pakistan’s federal cabinet on Wednesday gave a nod to its defence committee’s decision of restoring ground routes to Nato supplies — seven months after the country blocked its border to the Afghan-bound convoys.

A formal approval for Tuesday’s decision by the Defence

Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) was given during a meeting of the federal cabinet held here today under Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf’s chairmanship at the PM Secretariat.

“The meeting of Pakistan’s defence committee (DCC) of the Continued on page 10 >>

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SAARC

Saarc international I Thursday 05 July 2012

SAARC officials to review trade measures next month

Trade secretaries of SAARC member states will sit together next month to oversee implementation of specific measures, policies and programmes to strengthen and enhance intra-regional cooperation in the field of trade and economic relations.

Trade secretaries of SAARC member states will sit together next month to oversee implementation of specific measures, policies and programmes to strengthen and enhance intra-regional cooperation in the field of trade and economic relations, sources said.

The meeting, under the banner of Committee on Economic Cooperation (CEC), will be held in the Maldives, the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional

Cooperation) chair country.

Commerce Secretary M Ghulam Hossain will lead a Bangladeshi delegation comprising representatives from ministries of finance, foreign affairs and Bangladesh Trade Commission.

The meeting of the CEC is taking place after three years though, according to the terms of reference, the secretaries are to sit once a year, preferably before the inter-summit session of the Council of Ministers. The last meeting of the CEC took place in 2009, a trade official said.

The committee will assess the potential for intra-regional cooperation in the trade and economic spheres. It will also analyse inter-regional and global developments which have implications for intra-regional cooperation in these spheres.

The committee is also entitled to recommend policies and measures for promoting intra-regional trade, joint ventures, industrial complementation, investments, marketing cooperation and transfer technologies.

A commerce ministry official told the FE Friday that non-tariff barriers are still the main reason behind lesser volume of trade among the SAARC countries.

He said the intra-regional trade is likely to increase in the near future as India has offered dutyfree access of 25 but all goods of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).

“Our export to India is also increasing following the facility offered by the giant neighbour though import is also increasing,” he said.

“The problem is that the goods

Pakistan opens Nato routes after US apology

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that Pakistan was reopening its supply lines into Afghanistan, after the US belatedly issued an apology for the November killing of 24 Pakistani troops in a Nato airstrike.

Clinton expressed her condolences for the deaths in a telephone conversation with Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.

The incident badly damaged already strained relations between the two countries and forced the US and its allies to send supplies via costlier northern routes into Afghanistan. ”We are sorry for the losses suffered by the Pakistani military,” Clinton said in a statement,

recounting her discussion with Khar. ”I offered our sincere condolences to the families of the Pakistani soldiers who lost their lives. Foreign Minister Khar and I acknowledged the mistakes that resulted in the loss of Pakistani military lives,” she added.

It is the first time any US official has formally apologized for the deaths, a step hotly debated within the Obama administration and one demanded by Pakistan while its supply routes remained closed for seven months.

It came as key Pakistani civilian and military leaders were meeting on Tuesday evening in Islamabad to discuss whether to reopen Nato supply routes.

Clinton said a decision had been

reached. ”I am pleased that Foreign Minister Khar has informed me that the ground supply lines into Afghanistan are opening,” Clinton said. She said Pakistan won’t charge any transit fee, the subject of an earlier negotiation, and that the reopening would help the US draw down its war in Afghanistan ”at a much lower cost.” ”This is a tangible demonstration of Pakistan’s support for a secure, peaceful, and prosperous Afghanistan and our shared objectives in the region,” she said, calling the agreement ”critically important to the men and women who are fighting terrorism and extremism in Afghanistan.”

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta also welcomed Pakistan’s decision. ”As I have made clear, we remain committed to improving our partnership with Pakistan and to working closely together as our two nations confront common security challenges in the region,” he said.

of our export interest are still in the negative list of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Though Bhutan has opened its market for the LDCs, it (the market) is very tiny,” said the trade official.

Statistics show that until February last year the intra-SAARC trade under SAFTA accord was worth US$ 1.1 billion. Bangladesh’s export between 2007 and 2010 among the SAARC countries was worth $ 399.60 million, India’s export during the same period was worth $ 604.95 million and Sri Lanka’s export worth $ 1.18 million.

Trade officials have said that reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers may help augment trade among the SAARC member countries.

Since January this year Bangladesh has 987 products on

Pak Cabinet gives nod to Nato supply restoration Continued from page 9 >> cabinet has decided to reopen the Nato supplies,” information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira had told reporters on Tuesday.

An official statement from the prime minister’s office had said: “The DCC also decided that no lethal cargo will go into Afghanistan except equipment for Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), essential for ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan.”

“The DCC reconfirmed that Pakistan will continue not to charge any transit fee but the issue in the first place was not of financial gains but of the principle of sovereignty,” added the statement.

The decision to reopen the routes was taken after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was sorry for the loss of life in a

Top diplomats from India, Pakistan hold peace Continued from page 9 >> at a crucial juncture,” said Wilson John, a foreign policy analyst at the Observer Research Foundation, an independent think tank in New Delhi.

“Too much heat and dust has been stirred up at various levels.”

Pakistan has indicted seven people for their alleged role in the Mumbai attacks but their trial, which began in 2009, has been beset by delays.

India suspended a four-year peace process

with Pakistan after the attacks and talks only resumed in February last year.

With both sides still deadlocked on their core dispute over the divided Himalayan territory of Kashmir, they have sought to make progress in less contentious subjects like bilateral trade.

They have also agreed to enhance cooperation on terrorism, human trafficking, narcotics, counterfeit currency and cyber crime.

The foreign secretaries are expected to lay the the ground for another round of talks

the sensitive list for LDCs and 993 for non-LDCs meaning that entry of these products is subject to tariff payment.

Like the other members Bangladesh is also considering further reduction of the sensitive list of products under the SAFTA accord.

According to the latest statistics Afghanistan’s sensitive list comprises 858 products for both the LDCs and non-LDCs, Bhutan has 150 items in the list, the Maldives has 152, Pakistan has 936, Nepal has 998 for the LDCs and 1,036 for the non-LDCs, and Sri Lanka has 845 for LDCs and 906 for non-LDCs. A MoC official said the Maldives is insisting on a 100 per cent reduction of the sensitive list by 2012 to make the regional bloc a free trade area.

between their respective foreign ministers -- originally scheduled for July 18 but also postponed with a new date yet to be announced.

“No one should expect any substantive outcome from this diplomatic meeting,” G. Parthasarthy, former Indian envoy to Pakistan told AFP. “Who is the real leader in Pakistan and whom should India be talking to? The only significance of the meeting is: Yes, we met and we will continue to meet.

US air raid last year.

“We are sorry for the losses suffered by the Pakistani military. We are committed to working closely with Pakistan and Afghanistan to prevent this from ever happening again,” said Clinton.

Pakistan had closed its borders to Nato supply lines after US airstrikes killed 24 of its soldiers at a checkpost in Salala on Nov 26. The seven-month blockage of the key supply lines were costing the US and Nato forces billions of dollars in added fuel costs as it ferried containers through an alternative network of northern supply routes through Central Asia.

The routes are vital for the US and its Nato allies as it prepares to withdraw troops and equipment from war-torn Afghanistan ahead of a 2014 deadline.

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 July 2012

SAARC

11

WEEKLY REVIEW OF AFGHANISTAN NEWS

Afghanistan, Pakistan clash over border violence

Afghan policeman kills three British soldiers Pakistani officials accused up to 60 Afghan soldiers on Monday of crossing into Pakistani territory and sparking clashes that killed two tribesman.

It was the latest in a series of escalating cross-border attacks reported in Afghanistan and Pakistan that are inflaming tensions along the porous border as NATO prepares to end its combat mission against the Taliban in 2014.

In Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal belt, security officials said two tribesmen were killed in Upper Kurram district in clashes with 60 Afghan army soldiers.

Another tribesman was also wounded “after they traded fire with Afghan army soldiers on seeing them inside Pakistani

territory,” a senior official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The clashes lasted for more than 90 minutes after which security forces were sent to the area on the Afghan border, he said.

Local residents said the Afghans

were pursuing attackers fleeing Shehar-e-Nau village in Paktia province.

Afghan defence officials denied the alleged incursion.

British soldiers were killed

by Afghan ‘policeman’ Three British soldiers have been killed by a policeman in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.

Two served with the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and one with the Royal Corps of Signals. Next of kin have been told.

The MoD said the soldiers were shot and fatally wounded on Sunday as they left a checkpoint in Helmand province. The gunman was injured and later detained.

More than 20 foreign personnel have been killed in rogue shootings in Afghanistan this year.

Afghans face mass deportation Hundreds of thousands of Afghans face the threat of deportation back to their wartorn country from Pakistan once a deadline expires Saturday, but Kabul is crying foul over the move.

Pakistan is home to 1.7 million refugees and hundreds of thousands more unregistered migrants from its neighbour, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

But Islamabad says it cannot be expected to tolerate illegal migrants, and 400,000 undocumented Afghans in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the bulk of the Afghan community live, face the imminent prospect of removal.

The UNHCR describes the situation of Afghans in Pakistan as the “largest and most protracted refugee crisis in the world” and warned that the question of how to deal with it was becoming “increasingly politicised”.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s information minister, said law enforcement agencies have been told to compile lists of illegal Afghans and once the June 30 deadline passes, orders will be issued for their arrest, appearance in court and subsequent deportation to Afghanistan.

“No country allows illegal immigrants, how it is possible to legalise something which is illegal?” Hussain said.

“We have been accommodating Afghan immigrants for 32 years. The provincial government cannot take their burden any more. They should go back to their country.”

But Afghans are nervous about welcoming home so many jobless, impoverished people to a country where returnees have in the past struggled to find work and roofs over their heads. The government in Kabul denied the

expulsions would take place. Afghan refugee ministry spokesman Islamuddin Jurat conceded there was a “small problem” in Khyber Pakhtu-nkhwa, but said the two sides had agreed to solve the issue and give the Afghans “some legal status to stay there”.

The Afghan-Pakistani border is notoriously porous and even if the deportations were to go into effect there would be little to stop returnees going back to Pakistan.Pakistan, where the economy is also depressed, says it cannot be expected to tolerate illegal migrants.

Hussain claimed that illegal Afghans were involved in crime, although experts have dismissed such accusations as an excuse to rid the country of the immigrants.At the

heart of the problem is deep distrust between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Each country blames the other for violence, with both sides accusing the other of sheltering Taliban insurgents on either side of the border.

Pakistan has already carried out some deportations, albeit on a much smaller scale.

Between December 2010 and February 2011, some 1,400 Afghan families were sent home from Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal belt, according to the International Organisation for Migration. It said Afghan and Pakistani officials had agreed to offer “safe and dignified repatriation” to 7,200 families, or around 50,000 people, from Pakistan, if funding can be found.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, in Kabul this month for a conference on Afghanistan’s future, stressed that Pakistan favoured voluntary returns of refugees.

“At the Chicago summit, we heard how the situation is improving in Afghanistan. If that is the case, then voluntary return should be natural,” said Khar.

But the prospects for Afghans returning home are grim. Apart from the 10-year Taliban insurgency, they face trying to support themselves in a weak economy that is likely to suffer further when NATO forces leave by the end of 2014.

“Afghanistan doesn’t have the capacity to absorb so many people. It doesn’t have the resources in terms of schools, clinics and especially jobs,” said IOM spokeswoman Aanchal Khuranaa.

Since the US-led invasion in 2001, around 5.7 million Afghan refugees have returned to their home country, many living in destitution. Afghanistan remains the world’s biggest producer of refugees, the UNHCR said last week, putting their number at 2.7 million.

“The gradual return of an estimated 2.4 million undocumented Afghans from Iran and Pakistan will pose serious challenges,” said IOM Afghanistan country director Marco Boasso.

The UNHCR’s strategy for Afghan refugees in 2002 was the biggest mistake the organisation ever made, Peter Nicolaus, the body’s head in Afghanistan admitted in December.

He said the international community had failed to help returnees find a means of earning a living and therefore reintegrating into society.

SAARC

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 July 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF BANGLADESH NEWS

Bangladesh loan cut-off correct

The World Bank’s decision to cancel a $1.2 billion loan to Bangladesh on corruption allegations was “appropriate,” the new chief of the bank said on Monday, his first day on the job.

New president Jim Yong Kim inherited the controversy, which has angered officials in Dhaka expecting the money to help fund a $3 billion bridge, from his predecessor Robert Zoellick -- the bank announced the cancellation on Friday, Zoellick’s final day.

But Kim stuck behind the move, which critics say will punish Bangladesh’s poor for the corrupt actions of the few.

“I think it was appropriate,” Kim said of the decision in his first meeting with journalists.

“We are very concerned about the well-being of the poorest people in Bangladesh.

“But what I must stress is that, the bank’s position is that it does not tolerate corruption.”

On Friday the bank cancelled its $1.2 billion

new World Bank chief

financing for the $3 billion Padma bridge project, saying the government had not cooperated in investigating “high-level” corruption in the project.

“The World Bank cannot, should not, and will not turn a blind eye to evidence of corruption,” it said, announcing the loan was being cancelled immediately.

The proposed 6.2-kilometer (3.8-mile) bridge over the Padma river -- the local name for the Ganges -- will connect the capital Dhaka to the country’s coastal districts.

The $3 billion bridge, designed to carry a highway and rail line, is aimed at transforming the country’s impoverished south; traffic currently moves across the river by slow ferries.

Bangladesh’s Communications Minister Obaidul Quader called the decision “unfortunate, regrettable -- and mysterious,” adding that it does “not necessarily mean that corruption charges have been confirmed.”

But the bank said it had provided evidence into the bridge corruption case to Bangladesh’s prime minister, minister of finance and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman in September 2011 and April 2012.

“We urged the authorities of Bangladesh to investigate this matter fully and, where justified, prosecute those responsible for corruption.” “The response has been

Flooding worsens in north

Flooding in the north worsened with several hundred villages being inundated, marooning tens of thousands of people whilst flooding in the north-east improved slightly.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said the flood situation in the north-east was likely to improve while the flood situation in the Brahmaputra and the Jamuna river basin might deteriorate in the next 24 hours with the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, the Ganges-Padma and the Meghna river systems rising.

The flood forecasting centre also said that the river systems might continue to swell in the next 48 hours.

The height of 34 out of the 73 rivers the flood forecasting centre monitors kept increasing on Saturday while the height declined in 37 rivers whereas.

The height of 43 out of the 73 rivers increased on Friday, 26 rivers falling.

Tens of thousands of people in the flood-hit areas were, meanwhile, living in makeshift shelters and on roads and embankments amidst untold miseries with scarcity of foods, medicines and drinking water.

The daily bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said the the Brahmaputra at Noonkhawa was flowing 29cm above danger mark and at Chilmari 28cm above, the Dharla at Kurigram 20cm above, the Jamuna at Bahadurabad 83cm above and at Sirajganj 10cm above and the Ghagat at Gaibandha 45cm above at 6:00am on Saturday.

The Surma at Kanaighat was flowing 147cm above danger mark and at Sylhet 61cm above, and at Sunamganj

55cm above, the Kushiyara at Amlashid 194cm above, at Sheola 95cm above and at Sherpur 15cm abovve and the Kangsa at Jariajanjail was flowing 32cm above danger mark at 6:00am, the flood forecasting centre said.

The New Age correspondent in Kurigram reported that all of the 16 rivers in district swelled on Saturday, worsening the flooding, with fresh areas being inundated.

Twenty more villages of Mohongani at Rajibpur were inundated in the past 24 hours. Most of the roads were damaged, snapping road communications with the upazila headquarters.

The Roumari upazila food controller, Samsul Alam, said that the RoumariRajibpur Road was damaged, suspending vehicle movement to Dhaka. Flood water entered the compounds of the upazila council and other government offices as the embankment was damaged.

The flood-hit people were faced with shortage of drinking water, fuel and fodder for their cattle. Several

hundred houses, river landing points, shops and mosques were damaged by flood water in the past few days.

The correspondent in Lalmonirhat said that the flooding in eight villages of three unions in the Lalmonirhat district headquarters worsened although the flooding in 35 other villages improved.

The flood hits people are facing acute shortage of food and water in the affected villages.

The correspondent in Sirajganj reported that about 60,000 people of at least 50 villages by the flood control embankment in the district headquarters, Shahzadpur, Chouhali and Kazipur had been marooned for the past three days, with the flooding in the district worsening.

A 90m stretch of the newly constructed Chouhali flood control embankment breached on Saturday morning.

Erosion also began in some areas to the west of the Bangabandhu Bridge Guide Embankment.

Aarmy personnel were deployed along with the Bangladesh Water Development Board officials at the Sirajganj Town Protection Embankment as the hard point of the Sirajganj town protection embankment in the River Jamuna stood threatened.

The correspondent in Sylhet said that flooding that marooned several lakh people in the district had slightly improved with the height of the Surma and the Kushiyara river declining by 14cm to 81cm in the past 24 hours although the rivers were still flowing 31cm to 124cm above danger mark.

unsatisfactory,” it said.

“We only finance a project when we have adequate assurances that we can do so in a clean and transparent way,” the bank said.

Two ex-officials of Canadian infrastructure builder SNC-Lavalin are under investigation as well for their alleged role in the case, after a year-long investigation using evidence supplied by the World Bank.

The Bangladesh chapter of the Berlinbased global graft watchdog Transparency International said the decision was “embarrassing and disappointing” for the government.

But it asked the bank to reconsider, saying the bridge is much needed to reduce crushing poverty in Bangladesh’s south.

“Neither the World Bank, nor the government, can punish the people of the country for an alleged crime of a handful of people,” the chapter’s head Iftekharuzzaman said in a statement.

Bangladesh Fires Back At World Bank Over Bridge

First, the World Bank cancels a $1.2 billion loan to Bangladesh to build a bridge, citing corruption. Now, Bangladesh’s finance minister is blaming the World Bank itself for irregularities in the project. The World Bank said in a statement Friday that it had “credible evidence” of “a high-level corruption conspiracy” among Bangladeshi officials to misuse money related to the $2.9 billion Padma bridge project.

The bank first aired its suspicions a year ago that a Canadian firm, SNC-Lavallin, had offered improper payments to senior government officials to win a contract related to the bridge. Canadian police have launched an investigation and SNCLavallin says it is cooperating with the probe.

The World Bank suspended the loan in October. On cancelling it Friday, the bank said the Bangladesh government had failed to take action since the suspension to address the graft concerns.

On Sunday, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, the country’s finance minister, denied all corruption and fired back with his own accusations.

It was the World Bank, he claimed,

that had put pressure on Bangladesh to select a Chinese contractor that Bangladesh had earlier disqualified in the pre-qualification process following “fraud by its Bangladesh representative.”

He went on: “Ever since, we felt that the World Bank commenced delaying tactics and our suffering of the last nine months began.”

Officials at the Bangladesh country office of the World Bank were not immediately available for comment.

Mr. Muhith said Bangladesh had reassigned a government minister who oversaw the project only to please the World Bank, not because of concerns over corruption.

If the bank was hoping to spur Bangladesh into some kind of action by pulling the plug on the loan for the Padma bridge, it doesn’t seem to be working.

For Bangladesh, the current strategy is risky. As Mr. Muhith himself notes, the poor country has spent $180 million of its own money on the bridge, some of which was supposed to be refunded by donor money.

On Monday, the Asian Development Bank said it also was pulling funding from the bridge, making it unlikely the project can move ahead soon.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF BHUTAN NEWS

Reopened shed opens market for local vegetables town. “We faced a lot of problems because every weekend we had to hire a taxi and the hot weather rots vegetables very soon,” she said. “Now we are happy to have our own vegetable market.”

Farmer Ugyen from Tsenzabi village said that there was a vegetable market in the area before but customers preferred to buy imported vegetables that were cheaper.

“So farmers didn’t work much since the cheap imported vegetables had left no market for the local produce,” he said. “ The reopening had come at the

right time because the town’s population is increasing and there’s no dearth of buyers, Ap Tshewang from Thridangbi village said. District agriculture officer Khampa, said the vegetable shed was reopened to boost sale of local products which would serve as a platform for farmers to meet their buyers.

Farmers are bringing spinach, beans, peas, radish and bitter gourd to the market and looking forward to a good business.

“It was a good sale,” Ap Tshewang said, looking at his pocket. “I earned around Nu 700 today.”

Joining hands with Bhutan Partners

A thoroughly raindisrupted dzongkhag

The reduction in the import of vegetables has resulted in the reopening of an unused vegetable shed for local produce in Lingmithang, Mongar.

About 70 farmers from nearby villages of the town, Thridangbi, Tsenzabi, Saling, Jangdung and Masangdaza brought in more than 15 different local farm produce on June 30 at the shed’s reopening.

A 26-year-old resident, Dawa said that without a proper vegetable market in the town, they had to go to Gyalpozhing, which is eight kilometers away or to Mongar

The Bhutan innovation and technology centre (BITC) signed a strategic partnership agreement with a business matchmaking company called Bhutan Partners that will connect local and European companies last week.

Strategic Partnership Agreement: BITC is one component of the IT Park or Thimphu Techpark, designed as a hub for supporting and promoting entrepreneurial activities in the country. It is made up of three segments: a business incubation centre, a shared technology centre, and a data centre.

According to a press release, the partnership is expected to support BITC in expanding its linkages and network, by connecting it to various partners, especially in the Netherlands.

It is also expected to help in

identifying and securing capital funds for its business incubation centre.

Besides providing office space for Bhutan Partners, BITC will assist the company to connect with Bhutanese companies.

Bhutan Partners has also been a production company for films, books, events, and programs.

According to the press release, the partnership is already benefitting two companies being incubated at BITC. For instance, Thunder Motors, the electric car company, has already been connected with a company producing solar LED lamps.

BITC was represented by its chief operating officer Tshering Cigay Dorji and Bhutan Partners was represented by its director, Henk de Jong.

To advertise call 020 8904 0619

Despite clearing most of the blockages along the highway, a massive one, some 52km from Samdrupjongkhar, continues to prevent vehicles from plying to and from Trashigang for the fourth day.

Other than landslides and roadblocks, there are swollen rivers and artificial lakes to contend with.

Trashigang-Samdrupjongkhar Highway: “It’s a very huge block and a dangerous one too,” captain Minhaj, with DANTAK in Samdrupjongkhar, said. “There are chances of shooting stones hitting our workers anytime, and we don’t want to risk anybody’s life.”

He said huge boulders have fallen from a steep cliff and covered the road completely, making it difficult to use explosives and risky for excavators to work on.

“We’re taking more time to clear it, because we need to be extra careful,” captain Minhaj said.

Save that one, most of the blockages, at about 30 points or so along the highway, which occurred on June 25 because of continuous rainfall on previous days, have been cleared.

Meanwhile, Samdrupchholing dungkhag, previously known as Bhangtar, about 49km from Dewathang, continues to be cut off for the fourth day. The dungkhag is also deprived of electricity and mobile network.

The road connecting Samdrupchholing and Dewathang is blocked at about 12 points.

Some of the major blockages are at

about 22km from Samdrupchholing towards Dewathang, and another one at Demola, about 24km away, at which the whole of a hillock has eroded. It used to be a coal deposit area, and the slippery mud easily engulfs vehicle tyres.

A team of three gups, dungkhag officials and some contractors, who were headed to Samdrupjongkhar for the financial closing, had to spend a night in their vehicle after it was stuck between the two major blocks.

“A two-hour journey is now taking two days to cover,” one of the gups said. “This year’s rainfall and road blocks are major and scary too.”

Within the dungkhag, three gewogs, Pemathang, Samrang and Martshala are cut off from the dungkhag centre, with swollen streams and washed away farm roads at various points.

Pemathang gup, Madukhar Subba, said an artificial lake has been formed at a distance of a four-hour walk from the gewog centre, after Deklai river changed course, owing

to a major landslide that blocked its original course.

“If that artificial lake bursts, two of my villages, Metothang and Dungkarling, will be washed away,” he said. “Some 140 households live in the two villages.”

Ngaraamachu, flowing through Phuntshothang’s small town, has also swollen above the maximum flow level (MFL) marked on the bridge piers. The bridge was once washed away in 2004 .

“The horrifying roar of the river keeps us awake all night,” one ofvv the residents, Keshav, said.

Meanwhile, BPC officials, in Samdrupchholing dungkhag yesterday, were unable to trace the problem that caused power outage for last four days.

“Because of roadblocks everywhere, and without telephone line connection, we aren’t able to communicate with our conterparts to find out if electricity poles have fallen, or whether lines are broken, and where it has happened,” technician Sangay Tshering said.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF INDIA NEWS

Mumbai: India presses Pakistan, Islamabad offers help Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram calls on Pakistan to acknowledge that an arrested suspect in the 2008 Mumbai attacks had helped coordinate the assault from a command post in Karachi.

Sayed Zabiuddin, an Indian-born alleged member of the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, was detained at Delhi international airport on June 21 when he arrived from the Middle East.

Indian police say Zabiuddin, who also goes under the names Abu Hamza and Abu Jundal, has confessed to being a key handler for the 10 militants who attacked India’s financial capital in 2008, killing 166 people.

According to police, he admitted being present in the “control room” in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi from where the attack was monitored and coordinated.

Mohammed Kasab, the lone surviving gunman from the attack, is currently on death row in a Mumbai prison.

Zabiuddin “had found a very safe haven in Pakistan,” Chidambaram told reporters.

“Pakistan should admit that (he) did go to Pakistan, that he was part of the group which prepared Kasab and nine others, that (he) was in the control room among one of the handlers and masterminds of the attack.

“Just as we admit facts, Pakistan should also admit facts,” the minister said.

Pakistan has asked India to share information on Zabiuddin and urged New Delhi to refrain from blaming Islamabad.

“India should supply details… enabling us to take action,” Pakistan’s advisor on interior affairs, Rehman Malik, said Wednesday.

“Let us end the blame game… We have to fight terrorism together,” Malik added.

Pakistan Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik on Friday called on India to provide more details about 26/11 key handler Abu Jundal and said criminals using “fake” passports

cannot be Pakistani.

“Pakistan expects to receive a copy of the statement of (Jundal). I expect to have original passport claimed to have been allegedly given by (Pakistan),” Malik wrote in a message posted on Twitter late Friday night.

Indian authorities have said that Ansari alias Abu Jundal, who is an Indian citizen, had travelled to Saudi Arabia on a Pakistani passport.

In recent interactions with the

media, Mr Malik has questioned whether the passport used by Ansari was genuine.

In another message posted on Twitter, Mr Malik noted that “India had claimed earlier that (Jundal) had a Pakistani passport”.

He said criminals using “fake” passports “cannot be Pakistani”.

In yet another message, Mr Malik said Pakistan “will continue to fully cooperate (with) India in the investigation of (Mumbai) terrorist attack. Pak and India need to identify their real enemy.”

The two countries “need to know their real common enemy”, he said.

He also raised questions about Pakistan-American terror suspect David Headley, asking “who funded him to produce movies of locations” in Mumbai.

On Wednesday, Mr Malik had launched a stunning tirade against India’s investigation of recent terror attacks and claimed Jundal could have been behind a “sting operation” to launch the Mumbai attacks from Pakistani soil.

He dismissed assertions by Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram that Pakistani state and non-state actors were involved in the Mumbai attacks and stoutly defended the InterServices Intelligence as an “elite agency”.

He said: “We are proud of our ISI, which is defending Pakistan.”

Indian officials have told the media that Jundal was present in a control room in Karachi that was used by top Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders to guide the attackers in Mumbai who killed 166 people in November 2008.

Manmohan sanctions Rs. 500 cr. for Assam Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday announced an ad hoc support of Rs. 500-crore for floodhit Assam.

The Centre would decide on the exact financial support for the State after the Central team, which has reached the State to make an assessment of the damage, submitted its report, he told journalists here.

Dr. Singh earlier made an aerial inspection of the flood-affected areas in Jorhat, Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts along with United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for over an hour and reviewed the overall situation in a meeting with Mr. Gogoi and his Cabinet colleagues at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi international airport here.

“For the next two days, our focus will be on rescuing people marooned in flood waters and on extending relief to those who have been forced to leave their homes,” the Prime Minister said. He noted that the State government had distributed 10,000 quintals of food items among the flood-affected. If required, the Centre would quickly move additional quantities of essential commodities to the State.

“The people of Assam are facing one of the worst floods in recent times. These floods have led to loss of lives and have inflicted

considerable damage to crops, embankments, roads, and other infrastructure,” he said.

Once rescue operations were over, the focus would shift to the restoration of the damaged infrastructure.

“Once the immediate relief work has taken place, we will pay more adequate attention through medium and long-term problems of flood relief, of flood control, control of erosion and related problems,” he said in a statement before returning to New Delhi.

Ms. Gandhi and Mr. Gogoi were present when Dr. Singh was reading out his statement.

The Centre would extend a system for reconstruction of the damaged assets and flood control works. It was working closely with the State government and doing everything

possible to provide relief to the affected people.

The National Disaster Response Force had deployed 16 teams, comprising 640 men along with 71 boats and flood rescue equipment.

The Army had deployed 752 personnel for rescue and relief operations. Over 4,000 people have been rescued, 400 personnel transported and 20 tonnes of relief material delivered by the Air Force, he said.

The death toll in floods and landslips in the State has gone up to 81, including 36 children, while 11 persons — including four children — are missing in eight districts. Over 19.92 lakh people in over 2000 villages of 27 districts have been affected. Over 4.39 lakh people are sheltered in 622 camps, says an Assam Disaster Report.

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Pakistani media faces renewed threat

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Being a journalist in Pakistan is not an easy job

Global rights organisations have rated the country as one of the most dangerous for journalists and an increasing number of reporters being killed in the last two years has made it the deadliest in the world.

It is not uncommon for a Pakistani journalist, or their family, to live under a constant cloud of fear and intimidation. Reporters working in the field have been allegedly threatened, abducted, tortured and killed by armed political groups as well as state and non-state actors.

Time and again, reporters covering topics deemed sensitive have been individually targeted in Pakistan.

Saleem Shahzad – a Pakistani journalist who had complained of receiving threats from the state’s spy agency – was abducted, tortured and then murdered last May. Wali Khan Babar, a Geo News reporter, was allegedly killed in Karachi by a political party’s armed wing in January 2011.

“Journalists are being targeted with impunity and the government has failed miserably to check this dangerous trend,” the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) had said in a statement following Babar’s murder last year.

While authorities have yet to unmask the culprits behind Shahzad and Babar’s murders, the voices of dissent in the Pakistani press continue to be silenced. Earlier this year, the bulletriddled body of another reporter, Razzaq Gul, was recovered from Turbat in the troubled province of Balochistan.

A new dilemma While journalists have always been under threat on the field, they now face a new challenge back at their news organisations’ headquarters.

On the night of June 25, 2012, four gunmen on motorcycles attacked the offices of a Karachi-based news

channel, Aaj TV, located in one of the busiest parts of the city. With just two people wounded, this was neither the deadliest attack on media-men, nor the first time that the Aaj TV office had been hit by armed assailants.

The channel had faced a similar assault five years ago, but this fresh attack was different in nature as it unveiled a new

The warning leaves media organisations caught between a rock and a hard place as they cover Pakistan’s war against militancy.

An ordinance issued by Pemra, the government’s media regulatory body, prohibits news channels from accommodating the insurgents’ viewpoint, forbidding them from

by militant groups – particularly Al Qaeda and Taliban affiliates.

However, the attack on Aaj TV is the first organised targeting of an entire media group with a view to coercing the industry into providing coverage more to the liking of the TTP. This is a direct attack on media freedom and is a chilling indication of how

dilemma for the media.

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for last week’s shooting on the office, claiming they had hit the channel for not giving full coverage to the Jihadi movement, and threatening further attacks on other media outlets that did not air the Taliban point of view.

broadcasting “statements and pronouncements of militants and extremist elements.”

Ali Dayan Hasan, Director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) in Pakistan, calls the threat a “direct attack on media freedom.”

“We have seen repeated attacks on and threats to individual journalists

vulnerable journalists are not just in the field but now even in their offices and studios.”

Though the government was quick to condemn the incident, with the newly-elected prime minister issuing a statement the same night, some think the response was inadequate considering the attack was carried out against the industry and not just one organisation.

“There are two police vehicles now placed permanently outside our office, with Rangers personnel doing the rounds for further security,” says Rafiq Azad, a reporter for Aaj TV. “But, given this was an act of aggression not just against us but other news channels as well, this is not enough.”

“This was a sign of panic…an old tactic being reused by the terrorists to instill fear into the hearts and minds of the journalism community,” Information Minister Qamar Zaman Zaman Kaira told Dawn.com. “We condemn this and any such acts of terrorism. We have been in contact with some journalists’ bodies and

Girl poisons father, brother to death for marriage INDIA: A young girl who fell in love with a man from a neighbouring village took the extreme step of killing her father and brother in order to get married with a man of her choice.

The couple had tried to elope a few months back but were caught by villagers. The man was thrashed by the girl’s family and other villagers and warned not to show up in the vicinity, reports The Times of India.

However, after a gap of few months, the duo started meeting on the sly in the village. The man convinced the girl to kill her family members so the two could get married. He got a packet of

poison and instructed the girl to add it to food and feed it to her family.

The girl mixed the poison in the food she cooked for dinner the same night.

The girl’s 35-year-old father and 12year-old brother died after consuming the food. Only the girl’s mother

survived as she did not have dinner.

The girl was arrested on charges of murdering her father and brother in cold blood. The boyfriend and his family members disappeared into thin air even as the police officials went looking for them.

associations, and the Pakistani government is willing to provide any sort of protection to the press.”

However, the response from journalists’ unions and associations was rather weak.

The attack also received little airplay on local media, compared to the media’s coverage of the incident. A popular talk show aired the next day also focused on the same aspect.

“Unfortunately, what we saw was a backlash from other channels when reporting this incident. A few who did report [it] refrained from naming us or the Taliban, with some headlines calling it an ‘incident of firing at Gurumandir,’” complains reporter Rafiq Azad.

“Many elements of the media already present a Taliban-apologist narrative, as do many politicians, not just out of political sympathy but out of a desire for self-preservation,” says Hasan, the HRW’s country director. “[However], it is difficult to say whether the muted reaction to the attack on Aaj TV was a function of fear, incomprehension and indifference or a combination of all.”

“What is clear is that if the state allows recurrence of such attacks, it will have dangerous repercussions not just for the media but broader society as well,” says Hasan, who has also worked as a journalist in the past. “Unless addressed, this event is likely to have very serious consequences for both the security of media personnel and also media ethics. Unless journalists feel secure enough to report freely on the TTP, a level of self-censorship born of fear will be the very least of the issues that will arise.”

“Obviously, we are human beings… we are also part of the same society.

We have families too. We, too, fear for our security,” says Azad. “But this is our job, this is what we do.”

Sajjad Haider The author is a multimedia journalist at Dawn.com.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

As James says, “…Money’s great - but it’s what you do with it that really counts.”

A journey of Nazim Khan to become James Caan One of the UK’s most successful and dynamic British-Pakistani entrepreneurs.

I was called Nazim Khan, and it suddenly struck me that I could spell my surname in a different way.”

Nazim Khan became James Caan, and what started as a joke with friends soon proved to be a very handy gimmick in his business dealings.

“Presenting myself as James Caan was a great opener with potential clients, so I used it all the time, eventually changing my name by deed poll some years later, much to my father’s disapproval.”

At 19 James had moved from recruitment into financial services, and the MG had been replaced with a Mercedes. This was to prove a very significant point in his life, as it was during

Born, in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan is an entrepreneur and television personality. He is best known as a presenter of the BBC television programme Dragons’ Den, in which he was one of the panel of judges from 2007 to 2010.

and dynamic entrepreneurs

this time that James met Aisha, the young lady who would become his wife.

The couple first met when Aisha attended an interview at James’s office. Although her application was successful, Aisha eventually declined to accept the job she was offered, deciding instead to open a boutique of her own.

Aisha had made quite an impression on James and, in his desperation to stay in touch, he offered to invest in the business she was planning. The

James is the founder and CEO of Hamilton Bradshaw, based in Mayfair, London. The company was founded in 2004 and specialises in buyouts, venture capital, turnarounds, and real estate investment in the UK. James knew from a young age that he wanted to run his own business. His father was probably his biggest influence: he owned a successful leather goods manufacturing business and hoped James would one day takeover. James decided not to pursue a career in the family

147 offices in 30 countries. He subsequently sold both businesses in 1999.

In 2007, James was invited to join the panel of the highly popular BBC TV show Dragons’ Den. During his time on the show, James invested in a diverse range of businesses and as a result increased his profile in the media.

James has always believed that the UK is an excellent platform for British entrepreneurs, and that advances in technology provide today’s entrepreneurs with many more opportunities than when he started out. He is passionate about the SME sector and understands their challenges James has worked on a number of projects to support the British entrepreneur. He is currently working with Business Secretary Vince Cable as a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum to help and advise government on the new business policies.

Currently James Caan is looking to break into the City’s lucrative deal-making market with a new firm aimed at revolutionising the way companies plan for a sale.

Mr Caan has teamed up with Paul Herman, a former leading partner at Cavendish Corporate Finance, to set up Bluebox. Also this month

Business Secrets, is available to download. With so much focus this year on SMEs and re-building the economy, James felt it was the perfect times to bring together all his experience on one dynamic platform, and launched his first-ever business app.

As an expert businessman, James knows what challenges business owners face on a day-today basis, and Business Secrets offers tangible advice and tips to help aspiring entrepreneurs.

James shares his insights on eight categories including Hiring, Expanding Overseas, Marketing, Leadership and Exiting.

Over 160,000 users have now downloaded the app proving that there is a huge appetite for credible business advice.

Government

challenging issues facing SME’s in the UK such as raising finance, reducing regulation and other barriers to market.

“Ultimately people should feel empowered to start their own business not that they should seek permission. Government can play a key role in ensuring that everyone in business is given every opportunity to turn their ideas and aspirations into successful ventures. The focus is clear for Britain to emerge from this downturn a strong, bold and confident country, ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

‘Build a Village’ appeal to provide more tangible assistance, helping families get their lives back on track.

As part of his ongoing support to Entrepreneurship in the UK, James worked closely with Global Entrepreneurship Week in 2009 and 2010. He delivered the parliamentary reception opening speech and worked with the “Flying Start Rally” to mentor young entrepreneurs.

to study for a business degree. In recent years James has been delighted by being awarded a variety of honorary doctorates from Leeds Met, UEL and York St Johns.

Charity James is a keen supporter of many charities and set up The JCF in 2006 predominantly to help underprivileged children get access to education.

Entrepreneurship, education and equal opportunities are three key areas that James specifically supports. Initiatives like the Prince’s Trust and vinspired are platforms through which

UK Foreign secretary William Hague and British Pakistan Foundation’s first chair James Caan at the launch event.

Prime Minister David Cameron with James Caan business and instead followed his own path to become an entrepreneur. At sixteen he left school with no qualifications. Despite this in the mid 1980′s, he began a successful career in recruitment. Just a few years later James only complication was that in order to deliver the investment he had promised, James had to borrow £30,000 - a fact he did not share with Aisha at the time.

The business grew slowly, and at the age of 21, James proposed to Aisha. They married two years later.

With the boutique’s eventual success came another transport upgrade. James acquired a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit… and the belief that it was time to develop a business of his own.

One of the UK’s most successful

founded Alexander Mann, a UK recruitment business which he successfully grew to £130m turnover with 30 offices worldwide. During the same period, James was keen to explore the international market and launched Humana International, a franchising model, establishing

Midlands firm Knights Solicitors has taken a cash injection from high-profile entrepreneur and former Dragons’ Den investor James Caan’s private equity house in a bid to grow the business into a top-100 UK practice in three years.

This month Insynergy Investment Management, chaired by James Caan, is set to close after roughly four years in business.

Small business agony uncle James Caan gives tips on how to grow a business James Caan’s new book, Start Your Business in 7 Days, is out now. His free app, James Caan

James Caan has spent the past twenty years building and selling businesses in the UK. Because of his extensive experience he has been approached by the British Government to work on a number of initiatives to support UK businesses.

More recently James has been working closely with Business Secretary Vince Cable as a

James can influence and make a difference to young people in the UK. There are also a large number of charities that James endorses and provides strategic guidance to where he can combine his business acumen with his philanthropic goals.

Since the floods hit Pakistan in July 2010, James has been passionate about helping the families there. Together with UNICEF, he helped raise

member of the Entrepreneurs Forum. The Group was formed to help and advise Government on new business policies. They debate particularly

£100,000 to deliver emergency aid on the ground and save the lives of 1,000 people. Feeling this was insufficient, James and The JCF began the

Awards James has had some impressive career highlights, however he didn’t finish his education, choosing instead to leave school at 16 with no qualifications.

When he sold his recruitment companies in 1999 he decided to go to Harvard Business School

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 July 2012

Manmohan, Sonia to visit flood-hit Assam

At least 77 people have been killed and nearly two million affected by heavy monsoon rains that caused floods in India’s northeastern Assam state, in what the prime minister on Monday called one of the worst such disasters to strike recently.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi are scheduled to visit the affected areas Monday.

An official today said that 61 people died in floods and 16 in landslides, while six persons were reported missing.

Reports from Assam said all the 27 districts have been affected by floods while landslides have occurred in three districts. The Brahmaputra and the Kapili rivers were flowing above danger level at various places.

Dr. Singh and Ms. Gandhi are expected to reach Jorhat by a special flight and conduct an aerial survey of Majuli island, which has suffered serious damage in the flood.

From there, they will come to Guwahati and hold talks with ministers and senior State government officials, before returning to Delhi.

The government report said 2,166 villages across 113 revenue circles in the State were hit and 19.37 lakh people affected.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed in 16 areas and rescue operations are on in nine districts.

Besides, seven teams of army personnel have been deployed in Barpeta, Dhemaji, DimaHasao, Sibsagar, Sonitpur and Tinsukia districts.

Large segments of the Kaziranga National Park remained under water. In Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, 80 per cent of the area inhabited by

rhinos is under water.

Flood situation improves in Arunachal Meanwhile, the flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh is limping back to normalcy as majority

clock in coordination with the Indian Army and Air Force to carry out rescue and relief operations,” Mr. Tuki said.

Torrential rains have caused havoc in most parts of the state. Poor and rural people in interior parts are the worst affected. Even the state capital, Itanagar was cut off from rest of the world for the last few days.

The CM in the memorandum also said, heavy rains since about a week triggered the first incidents of landslides and flash floods on June 24 causing extensive damages of road communication and inundation of villages in Changlang, Lohit, Dibang Valley, East Siang and East Kameng districts.

and Yingkiong-Pasighat road bore the brunt of nature’s fury,” Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Panyang said.

He said on Yingkiong-Tuting road, several stretches of road pavements, bridges and culverts in between Mingging and Tuting and other areas were eroded and washed away by flood water and heavy landslides causing breaches and blockage of road at numerous points.

Some stretches of Yingkiong-MariyangPasighat road were completely washed away at 2 points near Lagru steel suspension bridge and major landslides occurred at many points causing blockage of the road in Silli-Padu and

of the rivers in this land-locked state showed a receding trend over the past two days.

Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on Saturday appealed to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram to send an official team to the state to assess the prevailing situation and the damages caused, thereby enabling the state government to ably tackle the situation.

“The state machinery is working round the

Hundreds of villagers have been rendered homeless and marooned in various pockets of these districts. A report from Upper Siang district on sunday said that the district remained cut off from rest of the state in the past several days following flash floods and landslides triggered by incessant rains.

“All the major roads including YingkiongTuting road, Yingkiong-Aalo-Pasighat road

other areas.

The road from Yingkiong to Dite-Dime via Geku has also been blocked by heavy landslides and soil erosion.

One foot suspension bridge over river Yamne connecting Dalbing village was damaged by flood water and two houses were damaged by landslide at Damro village under Mariyang sub-division, he said.

India to launch $75m mission to forecast rains

India is launching a $75m (£48m) research project using computer models to understand the southwest monsoon and forecast the rains more accurately, officials say.

India receives 80% of its annual rainfall during the summer monsoon between June and September.

A major shortfall in rain can trigger drought, which is potentially ruinous for India’s 235 million farmers.

There have been reports that this year’s monsoon has been poor.

“Understanding the monsoon will be a major priority of the government for the next five years,”

says Shailesh Nayak, a senior official in the ministry of earth sciences.

He said the “mosoon mission” will try to understand the rains using computer models developed by the UK and the US and by gathering fresh data.

Forecasting the monsoon is a tricky task, as India’s meteorologists have discovered time and again.

Last year they predicted a bad monsoon, but in the end the rains turned out to be in excess of what was forecast.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) admitted later

that it was “not very accurate” in its forecasts.

In its 137-year history the IMD has never been able to predict a drought or a flood - the two extremes of a monsoon season - successfully.

Experts say scientists all over the world struggle to forecast weather patterns.

They say the IMD does a “commendable job, putting its reputation on the block” by making monsoon forecasts every year.

Monsoon watchers like Prof J Srinivasan from the Indian Institute of Science says seasonal forecasts for drought and floods are relatively accurate for the Sub-Saharan region in Africa, but no agency in the world has ever been able to predict a drought or flood for the Indian region.

The US weather office also struggles to predict droughts for North America but there have been occasions where they have been able to make seasonal drought forecasts, experts say.

World Bank predicts 4.9 percent growth in Afghan economy

World Bank officials on Sunday announced the economy of Afghanistan is expected to grow by 4.9% annually between now and 2025. The officials further added the growth could further be boosted to 6.7 percent annually subject to a good management.

According to reports more than a third of the population of Afghanistan is living in below the poverty line, being one of the poorest and insurgency and corruption affected country.

This comes as there are fears of economic crisis in Afghanistan beyond 2014 when a majority of the NATO troops are to

withdraw from Afghanistan.

The World Bank officials said even with sustained growth of six percent a year, it will take a generation to double Afghanistan’s GDP per capita — currently a meagre $528.

World Bank country director Bob Saum quoted by AFP said, the coming decade offered “high hopes, expectations and great opportunities” for Afghanistan ahead of a major international conference in Tokyo on Afghanistan’s economic future. Bob Saum further added, proper management of agriculture and the resource sector could boost growth from the current forecast of 4.9 percent average annual rate to 6.7 percent. Saum warned that more work was needed to reassure donors their money would be put to proper use.

“To give the people of Afghanistan and the international community confidence in the way development funds are spent and results are achieved, the government must continue to address the challenges of security… governance including corruption and macroeconomic management,” he told reporters.

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SAARC

Indian, Pakistani border guards start dialogue

Talks beween the Indian Border Security Force (BSF)and Pakistan Rangers began here Monday where issues like cross-border firing, smuggling of arms, drugs and fake currency as well as infiltration will be discussed. An 18-member delegation of Pakistan Rangers, led by Director General of Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Rizwan Akhtar, was received by BSF Director General U.K. Bansal as they landed in Delhi for the bi-annual meeting with BSF. “This is the first time that the dialogue between the two border guarding forces is being held in the capital,”

said a BSF statement.

“The four-day meet began at the BSF headquarters here today (Monday) after a ceremonial guard of honour was accorded by the Indian border guards to the visiting delegation”.

The bi-annual event has earler been held at Amritsar, Chandigarh and Jalandhar.

The 22-member Indian delegation to the talks includes senior officials from BSF, the Ministry of Home Affairs, PWD officials of the Punjab government, sleuths of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and officials from the Survey of India.

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“Key issues to be discussed in the talks include unprovoked firing in Jammu and Sialkot sectors, smuggling of arms and drugs, illegal entry of Pakistanis in India, arrests of Indian fishermen by Pakistani forces and military construction close to the border,” the statement said.

“Some of the visiting officials are also accompanied by their wives. They will be taken to Taj Mahal in Agra and Jaipur today (Monday) evening in BSF aircraft,” a senior official told IANS. A joint record of discussions will be signed on July 5, when the talks are due to conclude.

Myanmar arrests 30 over killing of 10 Muslims in Rakhine state last month

Police in Myanmar have arrested 30 people in connection with the vigilante killing of 10 Muslims that helped spark days of sectarian violence in Rakhine state last month in which at least 80 people were killed and tens of thousands were displaced.

The 30 suspects were in detention and “action is being taken against them according to the laws,” the New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Monday, referring to the incident on June 3, when the Muslims were hauled off a bus, beaten and killed.

The riots and killings underline the big challenges facing Myanmar's first civilian government since the end of five decades of authoritarian military rule.

The 15-month-old administration says it wants to forge peace and unity among the many ethnic groups and religions in Myanmar. Northwestern Rakhine state in particular is fraught with longstanding communal tension.

The lynching of the Muslims was apparently retribution for the gang rape and murder of a Buddhist woman six days earlier, an attack they had no connection with.

Three Muslim youths were found guilty of murdering the woman. One committed suicide and the other two were sentenced to death on June 18.

The two incidents and the subsequent riots in Rakhine have drawn attention to the bad blood between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims.

Many of the latter have lived in the state for generations but are not recognized as citizens of Myanmar.

Thousands of Rakhines and Rohingyas fled the violence. Some of the Rohingyas, who are Muslims of South Asian descent, tried to escape by boat to neighboring Bangladesh,

but most were turned away.

Bangladesh also refuses to recognize them as citizens.

President Asif Ali Zardari met Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, leader of Dawoodi Bohras community.

During the meeting, the President enquired about his health and appreciated his services for the people of Pakistan. The President also invited him to visit Pakistan.

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 July 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF PAKISTAN NEWS

New PM won’t write Swiss letter

* Raja says his govt ‘will not let first-class president surrender to a third-class magistrate, as constitution stands against it’ * Zardari enjoys immunity * Institutions should work within their ambit and let people decide about future of democratically elected govt.

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Saturday his government would not let its “first-class president” to surrender to a “third-class magistrate” because “we believes in supremacy of the constitution and law”.

“He (Asif Ali Zardari) is the democratically elected president of Pakistan and as per law he enjoys the immunity as long as he holds the office,” the prime minister told reporters. About the Supreme Court’s directive to write to Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against the president, the prime minister said he would announce his decision on July 12, the next date of hearing at the court.

Raja said there would be no problem if all the institutions function within their constitutional limits and domains.

“The institutions should work within their constitutional ambit and let the people decide about the future of the democratically elected government,”

he said during a meeting with senior columnists and editors at the Governor’s House.

Raja urged all the stakeholders to respect the constitution and work within the constitutional parameters in order to avoid instability in the country. The prime minister said he was willing to talk to the PML-N over the appointment of chief election commissioner (CEC), adding that he was optimistic that the opposition party would respond positively on the issue.

“I respect the PML-N leadership and mandate of the Punjab government,” he said.

He said that although his statements in the past about ending load shedding were still hounding him, it was fact that the government had been doing its best to end this menace “as soon as possible”.

He said that due to high prices of oil in the international market, the cost of electricity had been increased in Pakistan.

Act against corrupt ex-generals: Dawn

A probe into a financial scandal in an army-run organisation is a test case, said a leading Pakistani daily that wondered whether “high-profile targets – now retired generals – are the reason for the slow pace of the investigation”.

An editorial in the Dawn, an influential daily, Monday said the financial scandal at the army-run National Logistics Cell which caused a loss of nearly Rs.1.8 billion through illegal investments between 2004 and 2008 was back in the news.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairperson Fasih Bokhari said the three generals implicated in the scam could be court-martialled by the army – if the army’s separate investigation produced evidence of serious wrongdoing.

“This is simply not good enough,” said that daily.

The army’s investigation was

announced in November 2010.

“November 2010 to July 2012 is long enough to have determined who in the army-run NLC was responsible for the losses suffered by the organisation and what criminal prosecution they should face – there being virtually no doubt that some financial malfeasance was involved,” it added.

The editorial wondered: “Are the highprofile targets – now retired generals – the reason for the slow pace of the investigation?

“Very likely, yes.”

“But it’s not just the army that may be trying to shield several of its own,” it said, adding NAB too seems to “drag its feet when it comes to investigating corruption and misdeeds committed by men in uniform – leading to a suspicion that the many men who once served in uniform and now serve at NAB may be protecting their own kind”.

About the law and order situation in Karachi, the prime minister said that it was a provincial matter but his government would extend help to the province if it asks for it.

The prime minister said the PPP had not stepped back from its stance on the creation of a separate province for the people of southern Punjab.

Later, talking to PPP Punjab’s parliamentary party, Raja advised party members to start preparations for the next general elections because “they are soon to be held”. He said his government would hold elections in a free and fair manner.

Petition filed in SC to set up commission to write letter ISLAMABAD: A petition was filed in the Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday, requesting the court to form a commission to write a letter to Swiss authorities for

reopening graft cases against the president if the prime minister does not compose the document. Ashraf Gujjar, the petitioner, said in his application that the stance taken by the ruling PPP, government and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf with regards to writing to Swiss authorities is “malicious and contemptuous”. Gujjar said the prime minister was obliged to comply with SC’s directions under the constitution. He requested the court to summon Raja and order him to write a letter to reopen cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. staff report

Gilani says he quit in respect for judiciary

Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Saturday he quit his office in respect for the judiciary and was the only premier who was still in the country after leaving premiership.

Addressing a seminar ‘The Conflicts of Institutions and Sustainability of Democracy’, he said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) restored 1973 constitution in its real form because it respected institutions. He termed it a “victory” as parliament had not disqualified him following his conviction by the Supreme Court.

The seminar was held at a local hotel under the auspices of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA).

Wasim Akhtar of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Ehsaan Wayen of the Awami National Party, and senior journalists Hussain Naqi, Ziauddin Ahmad and Khalid Ahmad were also present on the occasion.

The former premier said that even Socrates had accepted a poisonfilled bowl over a judicial verdict. “I am asked why I did not protest. Did Socrates protest? I didn’t protest to prove that we respect the judiciary,”

he added.

“Had I refused to accept the court decision, the people would have not accepted court orders in the future,” he said.

“I presented a resolution to authorise the party co-chairperson to pick up a new prime minister,” Gilani added. The former prime minister was of the view that democracy in the country would become stable if two democratic governments would complete their tenures. Emphasising the need for political stability, he said that economic stability could not be maintained without political stability. He said the party had always taken democracy forward... and after

becoming prime minister... he never hesitated from any sacrifice.

Referring to the recent developments... Gilani said Article 248 of the constitution needed no interpretation by anybody, and what he did was according to the constitution. The PPP government had restored the 1973 constitution in its true form although the party was blamed for not respecting the state institutions, he said.

“The PPP leaders and workers were imprisoned for many years.

PPP believes in the politics of reconciliation, therefore, there was no political prisoner during his government” the former PM said.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF MALDIVE NEWS

World supports our initiative to solve matters patiently: President President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has said that there country was not drawn into a political turmoil after the transfer of power on February 7 this year because of the initiative of the government to solve matters patiently.

He added that the international community supports the present government for taking these initiatives to resolve the issues patiently.

Speaking to the press at the Koimala lounge of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport after arriving back from his visit to Rio de Janeiro, to attend the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, President Dr. Waheed said that he got the opportunity to meet many of leaders of world countries during the trip.

“In this regard, I got the

opportunity to meet leaders of the Asian countries such as the leaders of Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and India. In addition to this I met many other world leaders such as the leaders of Tanzania, Barbados, United Kingdom, Denmark,” he said.

The President said that the leaders he met asked about the situation in Maldives. He said that they were content to know that the country is

Decision must be made on death penalty: Home Minister

Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed while expressing concern with the recent hike in stabbing murders in the Maldives, has stressed that the relevant authorities must expedite a decision on implementing the death penalty.

Speaking to reporters today to express concern for the remorseless murder of famed lawyer Ahmed Najeeb last night, Home Minister claimed that the relevant authorities now needed to contemplate whether the present penal code delivered the most just punishment for criminal offences.

Minister added that the life sentence for murder at present meant 25 years in prison and hence the sentence needed to be revised to life imprisonment.

During the press conference Minister had spoken in support of enforcing the death penalty in the Maldives.

Jameel assured that the Home Ministry would not hesitate to impose the death penalty if the relevant authorities came to a consensus over its implementation.

Minister further detailed that the death penalty was not new and many countries in Asia currently adopt capital punishment for drug related offences in addition to murder.

“We need to debate on if implementing the death penalty is the most appropriate punishment and declare penalties to ensure a safe and secure environment for the people. Given the increase in murders we need to offer protection for the society,” Jameel added.

“It is not something new. It is practiced in Islamic Shariah and common law.”

Home Minister said that the time had come for the relevant authorities to take lead on enforcing capital punishment. He stressed that the people needs to be assured that justice would prevail and criminals would not escape due punishment for their crimes.

Jameel also highlighted the negative effects of regime changes on implementing proper punishment for criminals. Noting that the suspect arrested over Najeeb’s murder last night had earlier been released under the ‘second chance’ program, Home Minister claimed that it was a matter of grave concern.

Home Minister stressed that the imposing apt punishment for criminal offences must not be affected by changes to the government.

now stable and peace is restored.

“If such an incident occurs in another the country, it is very likely that the country will drawn into chaos and strife. However, with Allah help, with our patience and our work to reach for a peaceful resolution has protected our nation from chaos. Many world leaders expressed their happiness that peace still prevails in the country,” he said.

PPM be the biggest political party by the end of 2012: Gayoom

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has said that the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) will become the biggest and strongest political party in the Maldives by the end of the current year.

Speaking to the PPM members from Addu City at a dinner held for the members in Ghiyasuddeen School yesterday, Former President Gayoom said that it is expected that the party will gain many members and the total membership count will reach 30000 by the end of 2012.

Gayoom said that the party has accelerated its different programmes in the islands and many people have been signing their membership with the party.

He said that there are many islanders who want to join PPM and are waiting for us to arrive to their respected islands to provide them membership forms.

Gayoom announced that the party is planning a trip to Addu City next week to gain membership from Addu.

Quran is the manifesto of Maldivians- Sheikh M. Didi State Minister of Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Mohamed Didi has said that the Quran is the manifesto of the people of Maldives and those who despise this fact are the enemies of Islam.

State Minister Sheikh Mohamed Didi said that the former President Mohamed Nasheed expressed concern over this matter during his recent trip to the United States. He said that this exposes the reality of Nasheed and shows to the world that he is an enemy of Islam and Muslims.

Sheikh Mohamed Didi said that what should be of concern today is what new plot the former President Nasheed is hatching to destroy the Islamic unity of Maldives. He said that those who are behind Nasheed fear to speak up regarding his hatred towards Islam because of he is a dictator and will not hesitate to destroy any person who stands against him.

Sheikh Mohamed Didi said that no matter how much Nasheed and his ilk hate the Civil Society Coalition, it will remain true to its aim and will

strive to achieve it. He noted that the Civil Society Coalition has achieved many successes in this endeavour to reach its goals.

“Stopping Nasheed’s administration from establishing ties with the Jewish State. Stopping the changes that were being brought to the curriculum. Stopping the government from making Islamic studies and Dhivehi as optional subjects and other such success,” he said.

Sheikh Mohamed further said that the Civil Society Coalition did not come out to the streets in desire of seeking authority over the country but rather they came out to bring an end to all anti Islamic schemes hatched by the former government.

“Maldives can become South Asia’s number one” Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives D.M Mulay has stressed that despite the rather infant democracy, Maldives can become the leading nation in S. Asia if the country could set aside differences of opinion and learn to work together for a common goal.

Speaking during a meeting held to relay his first hand experience in the significance of democracy with police officers yesterday, Mulay noted that

British, several States was formed within the South Asian giant.

However, the Indian High Commissioner highlighted that the people in-spite of their divergences in views and beliefs had worked in harmony for the best interest of the nation.

While taking Japan as a model, Mulay stated that Japan had displayed fine examples of true democracy evident from the

Maldives being blessed with the abundance of natural beauty, high literacy rate and established as one of the leading destinations for tourists could improve its economy if the country’s revenue is retained within the nation.

A Police statement issued based on Mulay’s speech detailed that after India gained independence from the

progress achieved in the country today. High Commissioner stressed that Japan had worked together to rise above the devastation of the Tsunami.

Police detailed that Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz and Deputy Commissioner Hussain Waheed had also participated in the ceremony.

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 July 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF NEPAL NEWS

Nepal attempts to lure Indian investors at Kolkota conference

In an effort to lure more Indian investment to Nepal, a crucial conference between Nepali business community and over five dozen big Indian investors is being organized in Kolkata Thursday.

Nepal is marking the year 2012/13 as the Nepal Investment Year to bring in increased foreign direct investment (FDI).

Chandra Ghimire, Nepali consul general in Kolkata said the conference aims to invite increased investment in Nepal from renowned Indian business houses including those involved in hydropower, tea, coffee and herbs processing, andtourism as well as iron and steel production sectors.

“This event, which is bringing together eminent figures from business community from both India and Nepal, will provide a platform to us to inform to the big Indian investors about potential investment sectors in Nepal and

ongoing efforts made to create favorable investment climate in Nepal,” said Ghimire.

India, which is the largest investor with more than 45 percent of total FDI in Nepal, has jointventure investments in mainly banking, manufacturing, tourism, hydropower, agriculture, among other sectors.

Nepal had signed Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) and Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (BIPPA) with the southern neighbor last year to create favorable environment for promoting trade and investment between two countries.

Nepalese Consul General´s Office in Kolkata and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) -- an umbrella body of Indian business sector -- and Nepalese Embassy in New Delhi are jointly organizing the one-day conference.

According to Ghimire, the meeting will target Indian investors mainly

based in Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal state of India.

“We will inform the investors about viable and potential projects showing Nepal as one of the vibrant investment destinations,” Ghimire said.

On the occasion, Nepali business community will inform the conference about the potentiality of hydropower in Nepal, Nepal Investment

Board (NIB) -- a government´s focal agency that oversees and coordinates investment in Nepal -- representative will make a presentation about the government´s priority projects for foreign investment while Indian investors will inform about their interests of investment in Nepal.

FNCCI President Vaidhya is making a presentation on the investment scenario in Nepal

whereas NIB will present a paper on “Investment Potential and Recent Policy Initiatives in Nepal”. “Indian investors are presenting the success stories of different sectors of investment on the occasion,” he said.

Suraj Vaidhya, president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), representative from NIB and acting Nepali ambassador to India, Khaga Nath Adhikari are among the Nepali participants in the event.

“Besides Nepali participants, around 60 big investors from India will take part in the event,” he said.

Vaidhya also said Nepali delegates will inform Indian investors about the potentiality of hydropower, herbal, manufacturing, agro-processing industries for tea, coffee, ginger, cardamom and tourism, education, engineering related service sectors in Nepal.

Govt distributing financial assistance, Married at 13, mother at 14 against election code of conduct

In blatant violation of the code of conduct set by EC, the caretaker government led by Baburam Bhattarai is found to have been distributing financial assistance to individuals close to the UCPN. Sources close to Prime Minister´s Office said a cabinet meeting held on June 15 decided to provide Rs 500,000 to four Maoist cadres purportedly for medical treatment.

As per the decision the four will receive the money through the Ministry of Health. Sources said the cabinet decided to provide Rs 200,000 to Nawaraj Budhathoki from Chaukhabang of Rukum. Likewise, Mahesh Kumar Mahara a.k.a. Sudhir from Alitaal of Dadelhdura district, Bam Bahadur Thapa from Babarkot of Dadeldhura, and Amrit Thapa Magar from Chainpur of Chitwan district will receive Rs 100,000 each for medical treatment.

The decision of the Prime Minister´s Office comes against the election code of conduct as CA elections have already been announced for November 22.

Clause 12 of the code of conduct, which was issued on June 6, bars the government from providing financial assistance, donation and grant of any sorts to individuals or institutions.

Talking to Republica, Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav, who also heads the code of conduct monitoring committee, said the EC is not aware about the government´s disbursement of financial assistance. “We will take necessary action if we receive complaint” he said.

The caretaker government breaching its jurisdiction has been involved in transferring and promoting security personnel and making appointments in various

government offices drawing concerns from political parties outside the government.

Earlier, the EC had directed the government to scrap its decisions to transfer five AIGs and 19 DIGs. The commission also sought clarifications from the Ministry of Information and Communications over its decision to demote Acting General Manager of stateowned Nepal Television Dipak Mani Dhital.

Prime Minister Bhattarai was highly acclaimed from various quarters as he announced various austerity measures including ban on distributing money from state coffers in the name of financial assistance shortly after assuming his office in last August.

But the austerity measures he introduced by riding a Nepalassembled Mustang Max vehicle proved to be a hollow promise after he decided to form a 49member cabinet, the largest ever in the history of Nepal, and failed to check corruption in different ministries under his cabinet.

She just turned 14. But Binakumari BK of Jang VDC - 9 in eastern Rukum district has already become a mother. And this has already taken serious toll on her health and education.

“I did not get proper care during pregnancy and post delivery. So my while body aches now,” said a visibly lean and weak Binakumari carrying her six-month-old baby girl.

“I hardly had any idea that I would be a mom. It took me months to realize that I had become pregnant.

Now my daughter has already become six months old, but I still find it hard to believe,” she added.

Binakumari was married to Sandesh BK one-and-a-half years ago.

And that changed her life for the worse. Not only did she stop going to school but she had to forgo her usual dresses for traditional attires though she still loved wearing her school dress. “I used to wear my school dress even after marriage.

But later I started wearing gunyau cholo. That is what daughter-inlaws are supposed to wear,” she sounded nostalgic.

According to Binakumari, girls of her age in her village are now in grade nine while her husband is in the 10th grade. But she stopped going to school after studying till the

sixth grade. “I will never be allowed to go to school now. Everything has changed. My friends go to school and I go to fields carrying doko (wicker basket) to cut grass for cattle,” she compared.

Though the legal marriageable age for women is 18, early marriage is prevalent across the country.

According to UNICEF, 51 percent of Nepali girls marry before they reach 18. This places Nepal in the second position among 10 countries with the highest child marriage prevalence rate.

Meanwhile, Dr Yudhisthir Khada of the district hospital, Rukum said girls who give birth to babies in very early age face the risk of health complications like fistula and urinary prolapse. “On the other hand, such mothers are not capable of taking proper care of their babies,” he added.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF SRILANKA NEWS

US-Sri Lanka relations to new heights United States closes GSP Worker Rights review of Sri Lanka without any change to Sri Lanka’s GSP trade benefits. This significant achievement is a clear testimony to indicate Sri Lanka’s commitment to ensure improved worker rights.

United States Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk revealed this afternoon that USTR has closed the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) country practice review on worker rights in Sri Lanka without any change to Sri Lanka’s GSP trade benefits.

Ambassador Kirk said, “The closure of the GSP country practice review of Sri Lanka was based on the Sri Lankan government’s noteworthy efforts

Ambassador Wickramasuriya

over the past few years to address the worker rights issues outlined in the GSP petition.

This significant achievement is a clear testimony to indicate Sri Lanka’s commitment to ensure improved worker rights.

US GSP programme allows duty free entry to US market for over 4800 products from 128 developing countries. Duty

free access under the US GSP programme remains very vital for Sri Lankan exporters. Sri Lankan s exports have grown by 22 % in 2011 to US $ 2.1 Billion. During the first three months of 2012, US imports from Sri Lankan has increased by nearly 30 % compared to the corresponding period of 2011. The total value of Sri Lankan exports to US under

Waves of Sri Lankan asylum seekers arriving A SURGE in the number of Sri Lankan asylum seekers reaching Australia by boat over the past three weeks treble the number that arrived over all of last year - has lifted arrival numbers above those in 2009, when the

country was gripped by brutal civil war.

Already, over the first half of 2012, 1346 asylum seekers claiming to have come from Sri Lanka have arrived in Australian territory, more than six times the 211 ''irregular maritime arrivals'' in all of last year.

And nearly half of all this year's arrivals have come in the past three weeks. Department of Immigration figures provided to The Age on June 12 showed the number of Sri Lankan asylum seekers for the calendar

year was 708.

Previously, the number of Sri Lankans seeking asylum in Australia by boat peaked at 736 in 2009, the year government forces ended the country's 27-year civil war in a ferocious crackdown. In 2010, 536 Sri Lankans arrived by boat.

Most of the Sri Lankan arrivals are Tamils, an ethnic minority concentrated in the north of the country.

The majority leave from Sri Lanka, but an increasing number are coming via southern India, where tens of thousands of Tamils live in refugee camps, and an established network of people smugglers operates.

The rush of asylum seekers attempting the dangerous crossing of the Indian Ocean shows no sign of abating.

Three more groups of Sri Lankan asylum seekers have been arrested over the past four days trying to flee the country for Australia.

Before dawn yesterday six people were arrested in Kalkudah, on Sri Lanka's west coast. They were waiting to board a boat bound for Australia.

A day earlier, five men, mostly from the north of Sri Lanka, were arrested by police in Kataragama. Police were tipped off that the group was staying at a local hostel while they waited for a promised boat.

Legal action against nearly 800 violators Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) filed court cases against nearly 800 persons who failed to maintain clean surroundings paving the way for dengue mosquito breeding, during raids throughout the country in the past week.

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena announced June 25 to July 25 as the National Dengue Control Month after meeting the Presidential Task Force on Dengue. According to a special circular issued by Health Ministry

Secretary Dr Ravindra Ruberu, PHIs were tasked to monitor dengue eradication programmes implemented islandwide.

Following this, PHIs inspected 133,406 residences and establishments and legal action has been instituted against 766 individuals, a spokesman for the Sri Lanka Association of Public Health Inspectors said.

Those found to have violated the guidelines of the Mosquito Control Act will be subjected to

fines ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000. Violators could also face a prison sentence up to six months.

The spokesman said Rs 2,898,000 was earned from fines.

Meanwhile, a Health Ministry spokesman said unoccupied houses and neglected bare lands have also become a stumbling block in the fight against dengue.

The spokesman said the Police Environment Unit implemented a programme to identify bare lands and inform owners to maintain them.

GSP programme amounted US $ 135 Million in 2011.

Ambassador Wickramasuriya said this vital announcement comes at a time when Sri Lanka and the US have embarked on a journey to further consolidate our multifaceted relationship. He thanked the US officials for their understanding and cooperation particularly the officials of the

office of USTR. Similarly, he acknowledged the contribution made by relevant line Ministries in Sri Lanka including Ministry of Labour , Industry and Commerce and External Affairs , Department of Commerce and the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka.

Both countries will continue to work very closely under the newly formed Labour Affairs Committee under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement between the US and Sri Lanka.

Ambassador Wickramasuriya further stated that this welcoming news will generate enormous goodwill between the two countries and create new opportunities for trade and investment especially for US Companies in Sri Lanka.

Loans taken by govt boosting country’s development- President

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said the loans taken by the government are not meant to only feed the people, but are invested in various development projects in the country.

The President said these development projects, including airports, harbours and expressways, would increase in value day by day, while being added to the assets of the country.

He made these observations at a ceremony at President’s House to grant 3,000 teaching appointments to Information Technology graduates and College of Education diplomates under the 1,000 schools development project.

He said newly appointed teachers had a major responsibility in bringing the country’s IT literacy rate to 70 percent which is between 35 percent and 40 percent at present.

He added, however, the rate was five percent in 2005.

The President said 672 IT Nanasalas and Ruwanpura College of Education were of great service to elevate the literacy.

The President said the youth are

so skilled that an IT institute in Sri Lanka in which around 600 youth are employed had won the bid to handle the Stock Exchange in England.

He added the youth even in the remotest of villages should be equipped with the required IT knowledge which they need to go forward with the development phase of the world in fields, such as, law, accounts and other areas as well.

President Rajapaksa further said the government under his rule had granted over 55,000 teaching appointments and around 3,000 are granted their appointments today. He added at the moment, more than 1.3 million are employed in the public service. The Treasury works very hard to pay their salaries, advances and pensions of the retired public servants.

The President added that however the public servants should know the extent that the government had placed its faith in them.

The President further said that he would perform his responsibility of building the country and requested the newly appointed IT teachers to perform their duty properly.

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena, Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake, Education Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Jayaratne, Prof. Theexana Suraweera and Southern Province Provincial Education Minister Chandima Rasaputhra also spoke at the ceremony.

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 July 2012

Eurozone crisis should not impede South Asia: India

We have not been ambitious enough in working towards building a united South Asia, where each of our countries seeks its economic and social salvation through cooperative development within the region,” Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says.

“India stands fully committed to building SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) as a strong and effective instrument for regional cooperation,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here on Friday.

“We need to cooperate more closely to critically understand issues relating to food, energy and water security, disaster management and health and address them from a holistic and regional perspective. Connectivity is also still lagging far behind where it should be,” he said, dedicating the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institute of South Asia Regional Cooperation (UMISARC) for promotion of peace and cooperation among SAARC countries.

There was a “genuine desire” among South Asian leaders to write a new chapter in the history of

the organisation and important initiatives that symbolised the idea of South Asia were taking shape, the Prime Minister said.

“The financial and economic crisis that has gripped Europe has many important lessons and implications for us,” he said.

“The events in the Euro zone should not cast a shadow over our own efforts at building unity and, eventually, a South Asian Union.

If anything, we have not been ambitious enough in working towards building a united South Asia, where each of our countries seeks its economic and social salvation through cooperative development within the region and by leveraging each other’s strengths,” he said.

“We have many men and women of talent and creativity among us. They should pool their wisdom and work to remove the mental and other roadblocks that are preventing the people of South Asia from realising their true destiny,” he said.

“Whenever I meet South Asians from different walks of life, they always speak of their desire to see our countries live together in peace and work together for our common progress. I was in Myanmar recently and was impressed by the enthusiasm and interest of the Myanmar people to strengthen and promote links with South Asia,” he said.

Speaking of the initiatives taken towards building a united SAARC, Dr. Singh said the South Asia University had started and would soon have its own full-fledged campus outside Delhi.

Bangladesh, India to extend river trade protocol

Bangladesh and India have agreed to extend Inland Water Transit and Trade (IWTT) protocol for two years for smooth bilateral and transit trade through water.

“The protocol is expected to be signed by next week and it would be valid till March 31, 2014,” said Shipping Secretary Mohammad Abdul Mannan Howlader at a joint press briefing with his Indian counterpart PK Sinha at Sonargaon hotel Tuesday.

He, however, said the protocol would be amended after scrutinizing reports by a standing committee after three months.

India agreed to pay Tk 100 million up from Tk 55 million every year for maintaining two river routes – DoikhawaSirajganj and Zakiganj-Sherpur routes.

Howlader said they agreed to study a major amendment related to customs bank guarantee and service charge.

The two South Asian neighbours in 1972 signed the protocol under which over one million tonnes of inter-country cargoes and about 10,000 tonnes of transit cargoes shipped every year.

Customs Service Bangladesh Customs has asked for a bank guarantee for transit cargoes and a charge to provide service, which India opposed.

“We told them (Indian side) that it is the responsibility of the Customs to look after the transit cargoes while it is in Bangladesh territory and they should charge an amount for providing the service,” Howlader said.

“It would open a window to generate revenue but it should be fixed in a fair manner.”

Bangladesh has asked service charge at $8 dollar per tonne and a guarantee from the bank that if the transit cargoes released in Bangladesh, the local agent would pay duties applicable to the products.

Revenue authorities of both the countries would decide on the issues after studying the proposals related to service charge, bank guarantee and route selection and they would submit their report in the next three months, Howlader said. The Bangladesh customs said trans-shipment route should be Ashuganj-Akhaura-Agartala, not any land ports in Bangladesh as demanded by Indian side.

Coastal vessels ar rangement Bangladesh proposed for coastal shipping arrangement between the countries and the meeting decided to form a committee to examine its potentiality, Howlader said.

Coastal ships are not ocean-going vessels but operate within the 50 kilometres of the coast.

“We welcome the suggestion. But before that we have to identify cargoes and movement of vessels,” said Indian Shipping Secretary Sinha.

If the coastal vessels arrangement takes place, Indians can use Chittagong and Mongla ports with one third costs, officials said.

Also, the SAARC Development Fund had become operational and started implementing projects under its social window.

Commending Pondicherry University for hosting a centre that focusses on South Asia studies, he said, “It is ironic that many universities in the West have chairs or centres that focus on South Asia, but here in our own region we have so few of them.”

The citizens of South Asia have to start communicating and understanding each other through direct contact rather than through western academic prisms or constructs, he said.

Chairperson of South Asia Foundation Mani Shankar Aiyar urged the Prime Minister to make Pakistan-India student exchange easier.

He also welcomed any financial assistance towards the South Asia Federation.

Speaking on behalf of founder of the South Asia Federation, Madanjeet Singh, trustee of SAF France Marquet announced that students from Pakistan would be able to attend SAF institutions in India this year.

Afghan govt yet to pay Passco $619,249 to Pakistan Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has revealed that Passco supplied 48,094.561 MT wheat to Afghanistan government against contracted quantity and Kabul paid much fewer amounts with the difference of $619,249 against the billed amount.

The Passco supplied 48,094.561 metric ton wheat to Afghanistan against contracted quantity of 50,000 metric ton during year 200809, while Afghan government paid $13,183,980 to Passco against billed amount of $13,803,139, according to the audit report 2012-12, available with TheNation. The audit noted the balance amount of $619,249 equal to Rs 54,184,288 was not paid by Afghan government despite repeated requests by corporation. According to the details, the management of Passco vide its letter of February, 2011 informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad that Passco had paid a huge amount of Rs 29,811,250 as additional interest charges to banks up to February 2011 on this unpaid amount due to delay in release of balance amount.

Audit was of the view that chances of release of this amount seemed to be remote because Passco neither took any performance guarantee nor any penalty clause for delayed payment in agreement.

Realising sensitivity of matter the issue was reported to management on Nov 18, 2011, and the management in its reply stated that penalty clause regarding delayed payment was not included being government to government transaction.

The recoverable is reconciled amount and matter has already been taken at government level. However, the reply was not considered convincing because Passco should had been made

agreement at standard terms and conditions of the contractor agreement.

The DAC in its meeting held on January 27, 2012 and directed the management to pursue the case through Ministry of Foreign Affairs for recovery. The progress towards recovery was awaited till the finalisation of this report.

The audit report further said that according to contract dated 9th day of June 2008 signed between government of Pakistan and government of Afghanistan, the Passco will supply 50,000 metric ton of wheat at the rate of $287 per metric ton to government of Afghanistan.

As per clause 9 of the said agreement, the cost of wheat will be paid by the government of Afghanistan immediately on receipt of each consignment. The Afghan Ministry of Commerce will deposit the cost of consignment received in the account of Passco and confirm through Afghan embassy at Islamabad.

Saarc international I Thursday 05 July 2012

ENTERTAINMENT

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Aamir Khan more concerned about viewership than TRPs Pind De Munde

Isher Singh Ft. Daljit Mattu Isher Singh (Desi Vibes) is back after a 5 year hiatus with a brand new single titled “Pind De Munde” featuring renowned singer Daljit Mattu. Isher Singh first broke onto the scene under the name of Desi Vibes, who released their debut album “2 da point” in 2005. The album spawned the massive single ‘Baba Veh’, which saw huge airplay

across all media spectrums.

After a long break, Isher Singh is back with ‘Pind De Munde’, whilst teaming up with one of the most iconic voices in Bhangra, Daljit Mattu. Best known for the global anthem ‘Captain Bhangra Da’ ‘Pind De Munde’ sees Daljit Mattu return in a similar high tempo vain, with a hard hitting beat and captivating lyrics.

Few would disagree that they have not been moved by Aamir Khan’s new TV show ‘Satyamev Jayate’.

Soon after the show’s debut on May 6 this year, people have been raving about the brilliant concept that the ‘perfectionist’ Khan came up with, in order to bring about a much needed positive change in the society. SJ practically revolutionized TV viewership with millions thronging in front of their TV sets every Sunday morning thereby taking the ratings of the show to astounding levels.

However, when Aamir was asked about the game of TRPs, the actor seemed least concerned. At a press meet recently, Aamir said he is

Madhuri Dixit to turn producer!

She is already in talks with several filmmakers for new projects. Now we know. When Madhuri Dixit Nene returned to India in 2010, it was with much bigger plans than just being a judge on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 4. The actor with the dazzling smile is ready to turn producer.

She has already bought a 3,000 square foot office space in Andheri, a suburb of Mumbai, and has begun talks with several directors.

From what we’ve heard, she wants the shooting of her first venture to

begin early next year. We wonder if one of those filmmakers is Karan Johar, considering how well they

are bonding on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5. Karan has admitted several times that he is a huge fan of Mads.

Won’t it be great if they come together for a film?

Meanwhile, all those rumour mongers who were busy speculating on the strength of her marriage can now shut up. Madhuri is getting the strongest support in her new venture from her husband Sriram Nene. The two are thinking up names for the production house together and will take a mutual decision soon. Isn’t that sweet?

also not bothered by the Television Rating Points (TRPs), seen as a yardstick for any TV programme.

“I am very clear that our viewership is the highest ever. I don`t know what the advertisers do but I will tell you one thing. The reason I am not bothered about TRPs is because TRP number is given by just 7,000 boxes. And how is 7000 boxes going to tell me what India is watching. TRP is very different

from viewership. And I am bothered about viewership, I am concerned about it, not the TRPs,“ he said.

About the overwhelming response that his show has garnered in just a matter of months, Aamir said, “I have to say this that it is like a dream response that we are having to the show and this is the kind of response we wanted to have. This is the kind of impact we wanted to have. This is the kind of debate we had hoped to generate and discussions among people across, you know, the country – whether it is small towns, villages or cities, across economic groups. And that is exactly what is happening and me and my entire team is really happy about that.” Aamir emphasized that he didn’t intend to raise the conscience of the political class in particular, but the change has to come from each one us. “There has to be a change in our attitude. We need to question ourselves. We are looking to provoke people to look inward, rather than outward.”

Accident during Salman Khan’s Dabangg 2 shoot Bollywood star Salman Khan has been busy shooting for the the sequel of the blockbuster Dabangg in Mumbai recently.

Do not associate ‘Barfi’ with disability, says Ranbir

In their forthcoming film, Barfi actors Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra play deaf-and-mute and autistic characters respectively, but they insist that the film is not about disability.

The romantic comedy directed by Anurag Basu, revolves around a boy named Murphy (Ranbir), whom everyone calls Barfee. Always ready with a prank up his sleeve, he is quite the charmer even though he can neither speak nor listen. While Jhilmil (Priyanka) plays an autistic character in the film. The film also stars Tollywood actress Ileana D’Cruz.

“I would say that one should not

associate this film with disability... this film is not about disability. It is a coincidence that these two characters are deaf, mute and one is autistic. But one will not feel that it is a disability film. Its about enjoying life, giving happiness, feeling love. Its a love story,” Ranbir told reporters here last night at the first look of Bareei.

point that they have a dark, sorrowful life we feel bad for them, it is not a film about that. There are people who smile, laugh, fall in love, enjoy..its that side of their life. So it is not about disability.”

“I don’t think after a point of time you will remember that these two characters have disabilities. The world created between these three characters

“If you see Ileana’s character you will see eternal romance, if you see the love story between Priyanka and my character...its heartwarming. You will not feel that the film is about disability film or mentally challenged kind of..its not that,” he said.

On similar lines, Priyanka said, “When we meet differently-abled people, or people who are special, we have a view

(Ranbir, Priyanka and Illena) is just something we haven’t seen before.

Ranbir’s character is adorable and sweet in the film,” she said.

Talking about his character, Ranbir says, “the film is set in 70s..its a romantic-comedy. The name of the character is Barfee, he is deaf and mute.

He is happy go lucky person. He has a big heart and his only purpose in life

is to make people happy. Even in his sorrows, you will see a sense of comedy and happiness. His motive is to make people happy.”

Ranbir described the character of Priyanka in the film as a cute puppy dog.

“We are normal characters...Priyanka is an autistic girl but she is like a puppy dog...who you would fall in love with...a beautiful puppy dog...a cute puppy,” he said.

Ileana, who makes her debut in Bollywood, is full praises for the director and her co-stars.

“Its been surreal. Its been amazing.

Amidst all the chaos and tons of hard work, it was emotional and loads of fun. Anurag is one of the best directors I have worked with. He got one of the most honest performances of me,”Ileana said.

“I want to thank everyone associated with the film. Priyanka and Ranbir have been terrific co-stars. Its been lovely working with them,” she said.

When asked about the kissing scene between her and Ranbir in the film, Ileana says, “It was not the kiss that I was nervous about...its the emotion behind the kiss, which was the key element in the scene that I was nervous about. The kiss came out pretty well.”

While he was shooting for a fight scene in Bandra, three crew members who were involved in the fighting sequence got hurt, reports The Times of India.

Salman Khan, who was not shooting at the time of the accident but was present in the vicinity, lived up to his charitable organisation’s name, Being Human, and immediately ferried the injured unit members to the hospital. As news of the accident spread like wildfire, Salman Khan told those gathered outside the hospital: “Everything is fine. It is just that it took us time to reach the hospital because of a traffic jam between Mehboob Studio and Lilavati Hospital.”

The accident occurred when a car jump was being shot. The vehicle had to jump and land at a distance of 50 feet. Instead it went further and landed in front of the still photographer who got hurt along with two other people. The injured are in ICU but stable. Salman Khan has promised to pay the hospital bill and also pay compensation to those injured on the sets of his home production.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

Yitzhak Shamir, 7th Israeli prime minister, laid to rest in Jerusalem Sometimes terrible people live long lives.

Such is the case with Icchak Yezernitsky, a Russian-born racist, terrorist and eager ethnic cleanser who is better known to the world as former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir.

Shamir died Saturday, June 30, 2012, at a Tel Aviv nursing home from Alzheimer’s Disease at the ripe old age of 96. One can only wonder if he had forgotten all the war crimes he had committed.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir has been buried at Israel’s national cemetery.

Shamir was Israel’s seventh prime minister, serving for seven years, from 1983-84 and 1986-92.

Yitzhak Shamir’s Criminal Legacy

by Stephen Lendman Shamir reflected the worst of what Joel Kovel calls “imperialist expansion and militarism (with) signs of the fascist malignancy.”

In his book “Overcoming Zionism,” he called Israel “a machine for the manufacture of human rights abuses.”

Terrorists like Shamir ran it. They still do. They defend indefensible Zionism. It’s corrosive, destructive, racist, extremist, undemocratic and hateful.

It claims Jewish supremacy, specialness and uniqueness as God’s “chosen people.” It espouses violence, not peaceful coexistence. It chooses confrontation over diplomacy.

It believes in strength through militarism, intimidation, and naked aggression.

It spurns fundamental ethical and moral principles. It’s a cancer that’s consuming its host and humanity.

Shamir represented its dark side.

Palestine Police Force Wanted Poster

offering rewards for the capture of Stern Gang members,including (at center) Yitzhak Yezernitzky On June 30, he died at age 96.

Hillary Clinton said he “work(ed) for Israel’s independence....strengthened (its) security, and advanced the partnership between the United States and Israel.”

Shimon Peres hailed him as “a brave warrior....a great patriot and lover of Israel who served his country with integrity.”

Netanyahu said he “fought for the freedom of the Jewish people in its

advocated violent confrontations.

Jews had to build “an iron wall of (superior) military force,” he believed.

At issue was using Jewish might to remove, slaughter, and/or subjugate them.

“I was (there) when the Jews attacked....(They) closed on the village amid exchanges of fire with us.

Once they entered the village, fighting became very heavy in the eastern side and later it spread to other parts, to

bombs exploding and a mother being killed with her husband, son and brother. A nurse was shot dead as well as the daughter of a friend and her baby.

“Whoever tried to run away was shot

land.” He “belonged to the generation of giants who founded the State of Israel and fought for the freedom of the Jewish people.”

They didn’t explain how. They omitted his criminal legacy. More on that below.

Irgun and Lehi were responsible for the 1946 King David Hotel attack. It massacred 92 Brits, Arabs and Jews.

Dozens of others were wounded.

David Ben-Gurion approved it. Begin led it. Shamir was directly involved.

In 1940, he joined Avraham Stern’s

the quarry, to the village center until it reached the western edge.”

“The Jews used all sorts of automatic weapons, tanks, missiles, cannons.

They enter(ed) houses and kill(ed) women and children indiscriminately.

The (village) youths....fought

dead.” It was cold-blooded murder.

After the battle, “the Jews took elderly men and women and youths, including four of my cousins and a nephew. They took them all.”

“Women who had on them gold and money, were stripped of (it). After

Born Yitzhak Yezernitzky in Ruzinoy, Poland, he left Warsaw for Palestine in 1935. In 1937, he joined the terrorist Irgun gang. Former Prime Minister Menachem Begin led it. It followed hardline Ze’ev Jabotinsky’s “Revisionist Zionism.”

He argued that peaceful coexistence with Arabs was untenable. He

Lehi. It was more extremist than Irgun. After British forces killed Stern in 1942, he, Nathan Friedman-Yellin and Israel Sheib comprised its troika leadership.

Jointly with Irgun in April 1948, it committed the Deir Yassin massacre.

An eyewitness described the horror, saying:

bravely.”

“We had no aid or support....They took about 40 prisoners....After the battle was over, they took them to the quarry where they shot them dead and threw their bodies in the quarry....

They took (other) prisoners and killed them....They killed the youths.”

Other accounts spoke of shootings,

the Jews removed their dead and wounded, they took the men to the quarry and sprayed them all with bullets.”

One woman watched her son shot to death. “They later poured kerosene on his body and” burned it.

Deir Yassin and dozens of other Continued on page 27 >>

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

Fajr is Calling You since 1433 yrs

27

Early risers much happier than couch potatoes: New Research

Researchers from the University of Toronto in Canada believe that the people, who are not accustomed to sleeping up late, are happier than those who go to bed and get up late. This is manifested especially sharply with age: the earlier an elderly person gets up, the more optimism he or she has as compared to younger people, who sleep till noon, The Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper said.

The Canadian researchers conducted the study among 735 volunteers: 435 people aged 1738 years and 300 people aged 59-79. It turned out that night people feel worse than morning people.

The main reason for early risers’ happiness, as scientists believe, is that such people live in the usual rhythm. For night people, it is difficult to adapt to the standard rhythm of life. A common 8-hour workday is a problem for them. Because of this, they develop depression, and very often become dissatisfied with themselves and others.

In addition to psychological factors, the researchers pointed out the physiological one: early risers’ immune system functions better. But scientists from the University of Roehampton, UK, added that morning couch potatoes gain weight much easier.

This is what the new research says but on the other hand Muslims

are praying early morning known as Fajr Salat check out the benefits and importance and then compare the latest research for early risers.

Why Muslims Become Early Risers One of the biggest advantages to early riser is getting that quiet extra time for Fajr prayer, exercise, office and especially to devote some time to family. Not only in morning, they also enjoy precious moments in evening with their friends and family because of leaving there desk at a reasonable time.

Benefits and Importance of Fajr Salah The Fajr prayer is mentioned by name in the Qur’an at sura 24 (An-Nur) ayah.[1] Inspired by

the tafsir of the two hadiths that were transmitted on behalf of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the worth of the Fajr daily prayer is explained as being God’s mostfavoured prayer since others are asleep. This has made the Fajr daily prayer the most essential and obligatory congregational prayer to be held by Muslims together in groups in mosques.

“The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrites are salaat al’isha’ and salaat al-fajr, but if they only knew what they contain, they would come even if they had to crawl.”

(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, al-Musnad, 2/424; Saheeh alJaami’, 133).

“Whoever prays the dawn prayer in congregation,

it is as if he had prayed the whole night long.”

(Muslim, p. 454, no. 656; alTirmidhi, 221).

Muslims place a lot of importance on performing any prayer as it brings them closer to Allah.

The Fajr Salah is a prayer that is recited every morning.

Performing this prayer regularly will ensure that angels tell Allah that you are doing a good thing.

As such, Allah will offer more sustenance as a reward and will also forgive your sins. Here are other benefits.

1. Wake up before time The Fajr Salah ought to be performed very early and thus you require waking up before your normal time. This means that you will begin your day quite early. It will therefore be simple

Yitzhak Shamir’s Criminal Legacy

Continued from page 26 >>

massacres removed Palestinians for Jews. Israelis call it their “War of Independence.”

Palestinians commemorate the Nakba. Words can’t explain the horror.

Shamir was instrumental in its worst atrocities. He’s lauded as an Israeli hero.

During the British Mandate period, he was arrested twice. In 1947, after escaping custody, France granted him asylum. In 1948, he returned to Palestine. He co-led Lehi in dozens of terror attacks until it was disbanded after Israel’s creation.

In the early 1940s, he was involved in negotiations with Nazi Germany. In return for supporting a Jewish state in Palestine, he and other Lehi leaders offered to help Hitler wage war on Britain.

Their proposal was rejected.

Shamir openly endorsed terrorism. In 1943 he said “neither Jewish morality nor Jewish tradition can be used to disallow terror as a means of war....” “(T)error is for us a part of the political war appropriate for the circumstances of today.”

In its obituary, The New York Times noted his “muscular Zionism and expansive settlement” policy. It called him “(s)tubborn and laconic,” an “unlikely political leader,” a Lehi principal responsible for “terror, assassinating top British military and government officers, often gunning them down in the street.”

He masterminded a failed attempt to murder British high commissioner Harold MacMichael. He succeeded in killing UK Middle East minister of state Lord Moyne in Cairo and Swedish

diplomat Count Folke Bernadotte. At the time, he served as UN mediator in Palestine.

Shamir authorized the assassinations. At issue was removing perceived obstacles to Zionist dominance.

In 1955, he joined Mossad. He worked covertly for 10 years. He targeted Israel’s enemies. He served in several posts including top agent in France.

In 1969, he joined the Herut party. At the time, Menachem Begin led it. In 1973, he was elected a parliamentary Likud MK. In 1977, he became Knesset Speaker.

He deplored peace and calm. He opposed the Camp David and Oslo Accords. As foreign minister in 1982, he explained why Israel attacked Lebanon. A “terrible danger” existed, he said, “not so much a military one as a political one.”

So a pretext was invented to attack when no threat existed. It took 18,000 lives, mostly civilians. They included thousands massacred in Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. Robert Fisk described what happened as “one of the most shocking war crimes of the 20th century.”

The aggression inspired Hezbollah’s creation. South Lebanon remained occupied until Israel’s Defense Forces withdrew in May 2000. Israel still holds Shebba Farms illegally. It’s a 25 square km territory on the Syrian/Lebanese border.

As UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan justified it, saying: “There seems to be no official record of an international boundary agreement between Lebanon and Syria that could easily establish the line for purposes of confirming the withdrawal.”

Lebanon disputes it. So does Syria. It recognizes Shebba Farms

to accomplish a lot more during the day.

2. Start your day spiritually The Fajr Salah also offers the advantage of offering great spiritual guidance. Your mind and body will be placed in a great spiritual state that will last you all through the day. You will be able to deal better with your regular situations because of guidance from Allah.

3. Increases overall health Additionally, waking up at dawn to pray enhances your blood flow.

This keeps you healthy during the day you will probably not get sick. Actually, the Fajr Salah offers an alternative to Yoga and other kinds of meditative workouts. You can effortlessly recite this prayer and you will remain healthy.

4. Develops patience You will develop patience if you read Fajr Salah regularly and then incorporated it into your life. This pray should be recited in a focused and patient way. As such, through beginning your day patiently with the Fajr Salah, it is now possible for you to begin becoming patient early on. This provides you the best way of dealing with the daily issues and avoiding conflict while placing minimal stress on the body.

There are countless other benefits of reciting Fajr Salah, which means you should start reciting it more often.

as Lebanese territory.

From October 1983 to September 1984, Shamir served as prime minister. He returned as Israel’s leader from October 1986 to July 1992.

In late 1987, the first Intifada erupted. What began in Gaza spread throughout the Territories. Stone-throwing symbolized resistance. At issue was decades of repression. Sharmir reflected its barbarism. He confronted protesters ruthlessly.

Hundreds of homes were demolished. Schools and universities were closed. From December 1987 - December 1988, hundreds were killed. Many others were wounded and/or arrested.

Hundreds more were deported. Shamir promised to crush resistance “like grasshoppers.” He blockaded Gaza and the West Bank. He said: “Anyone who wants to damage (Israel) will have his head smashed against (its) boulders and walls.” True to his legacy, he committed cold-blooded murder and atrocities. His criminal record can’t be expunged.

Haaretz called him “the prime minister who opposed compromise.”

He was Israel’s second longest serving leader after Ben-Gurion.

In 1992 elections, Yitzhak Rabin soundly defeated him. He served in the Knesset until 1996. He then retired from all political activity. Honest observers called him a pariah. He remained critical of peace and reconciliation.

He stayed hardline to the end. Living his last years in a Tel Aviv nursing home, he died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

He likely didn’t remember his criminal legacy. Family members of victims he harmed won’t ever forget it.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

Sikh Yatrees (pilgrims) at Gurdwara Siri Punja Sahib Hassanabdal

As many as 400 Indian Sikh Yatrees (pilgrims) have arrived at Gurdwara Siri Punja Sahib Hassanabdal to participate in the 173rd death anniversary of raja Ranjeet Singh. Deputy secretary Shrines Syed Faraz Abbas who is accompanying the yatrees said this while talking to newsman Attock. he said that the Sikh yatrees had started the anniversary of the Ranjeet Singh with the ritual Akhand Paat and will be concluded with the ritual “Bhog” on 26th June.he said that all the visiting Indian Sikh Yates have been provided with boarding, messing, health and better security cover facilities.

Party Leader of Sikh Pilgrims which include Former MLA Indar Itwal Singh, Deputy party leader

Sardar Baldev Singh ,Sardar Santok Singh and Sardar Balber Singh while talking to newsman expressed their entire satisfaction over the arrangements made for them by Govt of Paskistan. They specially lauded the efforts of Chairman Pakistan Evacuee Trust Board Asif Hashmi for keeping the gurdwars in better condition by

spending million of rupees.

They said the people of Pakistan and specially of Hassanabdal are loving, caring and because of this all the yatrees are feeling like at their own homes. On the other hand Attock police has made elaborate security arrangements to cover the event. The 406th martyrdom day celebrations of

spiritual leader and fifth Guru of Sikh religion Arjan Dev will be concluded on Saturday at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore.

Chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Syed Asif Hashmi, Vice Chairman Ch. Riaz, Additional Joint Secretary Syed Zahid Hashmi, members Pakistan Gurdwara Parbhandak

Committee and others will attend the event. Caretaker Gurdwara Dera Sahib Azhar Abbas told Pakistan Observer that ceremony would start at 8.00 am with the recitation of holy book Granth Sahib of Sikh religion and celebrations would be rounded off later in the afternoon. After attending the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, some 350 Sikh Yatrees left for India through Wahga border here on Saturday.

Pakistan Railways has arranged a special train for Yatrees.

Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Deputy Secretary Faraz Abbas, Azhar Sulehri and other officials see off the Indian guests. The Sikh Yatrees praised the security, food, medical and transportation arrangements during their visit.

Muslims are well-integrated in Britain – but no one seems to believe it

Dr Leon Moosavi

is a sociologist of race and religion based at the University of Leicester.

He specialises in Muslim communities in Britain, Islamophobia and conversion to Islam More than half (55%) of Britons would be concerned if a mosque was built in their area.’

British Muslims often express a stronger sense of belonging than other citizens, so why are they still seen as outsiders?

In Britain today there is a mismatch between how non-Muslims often perceive Muslims and how Muslims typically perceive themselves. This disconnect is down to a tendency by non-Muslims to assume that Muslims struggle with their British identity and divided loyalties. These concerns were challenged a few days ago,in a report by the University of Essex that found Muslims actually identify with Britishness more than any other Britons.

This study is just one of several recent studies that have consistently found that Muslims in Britain express a stronger sense of belonging in Britain than their compatriots. Consider the following examples: • 83% of Muslims are proud to be a British citizen, compared to 79% of the general public.

• 77% of Muslims strongly identify with Britain while only 50% of the wider population do.

• 86.4% of Muslims feel they belong in Britain, slightly more than the 85.9% of Christians.

• 82% of Muslims want to live in diverse and mixed neighbourhoods compared to 63% of non-Muslim Britons.

• 90% of Pakistanis feel a strong sense of belonging in Britain compared to 84% of white people.

Those who work closely with Muslim communities will attest to the integrated position of British Muslims and that despite frequent exoticisation, British Muslim lives are much the same as any other citizen’s. British Muslims also appreciate their ability to practise their religion in Britain without the type of subjugation that fellow Muslims are subjected to under despotic regimes in several Muslimmajority countries. Even though negative depictions may encourage

people to imagine Muslims as similar to the 7/7 bombers who struck seven years ago this week, your average British Muslim is much more likely to be similar to a confident Amir Khan, a bubbly Konnie Huq or a hardworking James Caan.

There is, quite frankly, no major issue of Muslims not wanting to be a part of British society. But there is an issue with the common but

unspoken xenophobia pervasive in British society that casts Muslims as outsiders. That is why despite Muslims repeatedly pledging their dedication to Britain, a consistent spattering of polls show that many non-Muslim Britons still view Muslims as a potential enemy within.

Consider the following examples: • 47% of Britons see Muslims as a threat.

• Only 28% of Britons believe Muslims want to integrate into British society.

• 52% of Britons believe that Muslims create problems.

• 45% of Britons admit that they think there are too many Muslims in Britain.

• 55% of Britons would be concerned if a mosque was built in their area.

• 58% of Britons associate Islam with extremism.

The minority of Muslims in Britain who do view Britain with contempt – as indeed, we must recognise there are some – frequently explain their disaffection as a result of being labelled as outsiders and told they do not belong. Thus, the inability to appreciate British Muslims as typical citizens can actually create the very atypical citizens that are feared in the first place. Muslims want to be part of British society but their marginalisation may lead to some retreating to the margins.

If the myth that Muslims in Britain will not integrate is allowed to be propagated, it will only lead to the continuation of a harmful cycle whereby greater distrust and animosity is sown. The results of this can be devastating. Last Sunday marked the three-year anniversary of the Islamophobic murder of Marwa El-Sherbini by a far-right attacker, a

crude example of an inability to accept that Muslims are at home in Europe.

This intense rejection of Muslims is increasing across Europe, which is especially disturbing considering that a significant number of the far right would consider armed conflict against Muslims, as the case of Anders Breivik revealed. In Britain, we have seen several far-right plots that seek to undermine the presence of Muslims in British society, such as a recent arson attack on a mosque in Stoke-on-Trent. Clearly, there are weighty consequences to the dismissal of Muslims as fellow British citizens.

While politicians may claim that multiculturalism has failed, there is a strong case to be made that it operates successfully every day when Britons of different faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds convivially cooperate alongside each other to make the nation what it is today. Muslims are integrated, feel at home in Britain and are quite simply as British as the next person, even though this does not quite match the sensationalised cynicism that some enjoy indulging in. This rather unexciting conclusion is actually rather exciting as it lays to bed many of the unwarranted concerns that are held about British Muslims.

Published in Guardian 3 Jul 2012

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

NEWS

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General J.J. Singh’s ‘A Soldier’s General’: an inspiring read Indians and people of the Indian diaspora, but the world at large.

She stated that he had made an investment for the future of mankind.

The vote of thanks was given by the youngest son of Shaheed Nanak Singh Dr. Rami Ranger MBE who described his father as a visionary who could foretell the consequences of religious intolerance at the time of the breakup of India in 1947. He had warned the then leaders never to use race or religion to the

The Shaheed Nanak Singh Foundation and Mr Paul Uppal MP hosted the launch of ‘A Soldier’s General’ an autobiography of H.E. General J.J. Singh, Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, India and former Chief of the Indian Army at The Waldorf Hilton, Aldwych, London on Monday 25th June 2012.

The launch was attended by members of the British society and over 300 prominent

detriment of fellow Indians for temporary gains which would result in a permanent loss for the nation. He was glad that his father had left a legacy for him to continue of “Honouring those who honour Mother India” India’s unity must come first, always and every time.

Speeches were followed by a book signing event where guests had a chance to greet, meet and speak to the author.

This book launch was followed by a delicious meal courtesy of Laguna banqueting.

United Kingdom, Lady Olga Maitland, Mr Henry Dallal, Mr Ranjit Singh, President the Sikh Forum Intl, Mr. Richard Noble, the former holder of the ground speed record.

Lord Sheikh of Cornhill patron of the Shaheed Nanak Singh Foundation, spoke about the aims and objectives of the Foundation and the vision of Shaheed Nanak Singh, that the unity of India was paramount if India was to progress in the world as a nation.

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members of the Indian diaspora in the United Kingdom. The Guest of honour was H.E. Dr Jaimini Bhagwati, Indian High Commissioner. Other guests included Members from both the Houses of Parliament including Colonel John Douglas Slim, 2nd Viscount Slim OBE, DL, FRGS; Lord Sheikh of Cornhill; Lord Tarsem King of West Bromwich; The Rt. Hon. Dominic Grieve QC MP, Attorney General for England and Wales; Mr Stephen Pound MP, Member of Parliament for Ealing North; Mr Richard Harrington MP, Member of Parliament for Watford; Mrs Seema Malhotra, Member of Parliament for Heston and Feltham; Mr. SS Sidhu, Minister Coordination, Mr Samant Goel, Minister Consular at the High Commission of India to the

He said that the ideals of the Shaheed of promoting religious tolerance have become even more important in our fractured world today. We either live in harmony or consume ourselves in hatred, simply in the name of religion.

Lord Sheikh then praised the General for making India proud through his work and life.

This was followed by H.E. General J.J. Singh being presented with the ‘Soul of India’ Award for his services to Mother India by The Rt. Hon. Dominic Grieve QC MP, Attorney General for England and Wales, on behalf of the Shaheed Nanak Singh Foundation.

Ms Seema Malhotra MP, Member of Parliament for Heston and Feltham, thanked General J.J. Singh for writing such a unique and emotional story that was a matter of pride for not only

30

SPECIAL FEATURE

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

Pakistan to press for details on Abu Hamza

Pakistan will push India to share details of the recent arrest of a man allegedly linked with the 2008 Mumbai attacks when foreign secretaries of the two archrivals meet in New Delhi this week.

Indian national Sayeed Zabiuddin Ansari, who also uses the nom de guerre of Abu Hamza and Abu Jindal, was arrested by Indian authorities last month after reportedly being deported from Saudi Arabia.

He has been described as the ‘handler’ of the 10 gunmen who had carried out the assault on Mumbai’s landmarks on November 26, 2008, killing over 160 people.

Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram claimed that Abu Hamza had provided information

of the investigations into the Mumbai attacks.

“When a Pakistani judicial commission visited India to collect evidence, it was stopped from crossexamining the witnesses,” he said.

The official maintained that Pakistan could take ‘decisive action’ if it was provided with details of the investigations. “We cannot act on hearsay.”

On the other hand, Indian authorities described the arrest of Abu Hamza as a major breakthrough.

The foreign secretaries in their two-day discussions are unlikely to discuss any new proposals related to the longstanding Kashmir dispute.

‘Hamza is Indian, why blame Pakistan?’

is your citizen. That means your agencies failed to control their citizen. Please have a look at your system as well, “ said Malik.

confirming Pakistani ‘state support’ for the assault.

The two-day talks between foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India, beginning on July 4 in New Delhi, are expected to be dominated Abu Hamza’s arrest and subsequent claims by Indian authorities.

However, one Foreign Office official pointed out that Pakistan would ask India to share details of his arrest and investigations.

“India has yet not shared anything with us about this arrest,” the official said, adding that Pakistan had been saying from day one that the Mumbai attacks would not have been possible without help from Indian nationals.

“Our information is that there were at least 40 Indian nationals who helped the attackers,” he added. “We want India to come clean on this.”

The official also said that Indian authorities had always been reluctant to give ‘us the full picture’

Rubbishing India’s claim of the role of ISI in the 26/11 attacks, Pakistan Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said he was proud of its spy agency

Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit for his alleged involvement in the 2007 Samjhauta train blast case.

He also dismissed allegations of the Pakistani intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) being involved in aiding the non-state actors who had participated in the terror strikes in India “We are proud of our ISI. It is defending our country and is giving information to the country and outside the country…

ISI is the best and they are working for the country. All those hostile agencies in the world will try to bring down the ISI,” he said.

Saying that he greatly respected the views of Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram, Malik said that Pakistani authorities would need to see the investigation report in the case of Zabiuddin.

“Please send us the details and we will send the details back,” Malik said. He said that they had found no evidence

Pakistan Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik yesterday told India to give Pakistan the investigation report in the case of Syed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jindal before making allegations that state factors from Pakistan were involved in the November 2008 terror strikes in Mumbai.

Stop blaming us: Pakistan’s Rehman Malik defended the ISI and blamed P Chidambaram of ‘unnecessarily targeting ISI’ and claimed that whenever India accused ISI of being behind attacks, they were later proved to be wrong “Zabiuddin is Indian, he was caught in India, he did everything in India.

Why are you blaming Pakistan? He

Malik pointed out that Indian authorities had a history of making allegations about Pakistan in the case of most terror attacks. Malik also pointed out that India had never apologised for erroneously blaming Pakistani elements for being involved in the attacks.

He also claimed that Hindu extremism had been spreading rapidly in India and he wished Indian law enforcement agencies all the best in dealing with it.

Malik said that the Pakistani authorities would like to get the custody of Indian army official

to prove Indian investigators, claims that Zabiuddin had entered Pakistan for training or to help orchestrate the terror strikes in India.

“He has never entered Pakistan through frequent routes. He has travelled through the border, he has used infrequent routes,” Malik said.

He also said there was no evidence of two other accused in the 2008 attacks of Mumbai, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, crossing the border for training in how to use weapons at camps run by terror groups.

“What is his (Zabiuddin) exact role with Sabauddin and Faheem Ansari should be told to us,” he said. “If the three people can come to Pakistan they can mix up with the people here.

They can generate the resources and

then they go back and the Mumbai (attacks) happen.

So any reasonable investigator will be forced to think,” the minister said. Malik said that Pakistan had been aiding India in its battle against terrorism in the past. “Let us finish the blame game. Let us fight terrorism with cooperation,” he said.

Ansari stonewalls queries on ISI role Despite about 10 days of intense questioning, Syed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, who was reportedly present in the Karachi control room directing the 26/11 attacks, has not yet said a word about ISI’s precise role or identified any of their officials to amplify the Pakistan state’s direct role.

He has flatly denied knowledge about Major Sameer Ali or Major

Iqbal, the two ISI officials named

by David Coleman Headley during his interrogation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). These men were crucial to the execution of the whole plan and were the ones handling Headley.

Ansari has maintained that he neither knew nor heard about these ISI or military officials. Sources familiar with the questioning said he does, at times, nod in agreement when pressed about ISI’s role in promoting jehad against India, but refuses to get into specifics.

The other issue that has perplexed investigators is that Ansari claims to have no knowledge about terrorist attacks after 26/11 — from the 2010 German Bakery attack in Pune to the blasts in Mumbai’s Zaveri Bazaar and Opera House last year.

Intelligence agencies are of the view that Ansari definitely knows more because he was in touch with the likes of Adil alias Ajmal, who was nabbed in connection with the attack on foreign tourists near Jama Masjid during the Commonwealth Games. When pressed with repeated questions on the Bhatkal brothers and other Indian terrorists in Pakistan, he gets evasive and, at times, stays silent.

However, on the Mumbai attacks, Ansari speaks at great length without letting out “fresh information” of the kind investigators are looking for.

According to sources, some officials feel that Ansari is waiting to be moved out of police remand and put under judicial custody.

Meanwhile, investigators are confident that Ansari knows much more about the Pakistan state’s direct role and, in due course, interrogators will get him to divulge these details. Until then, it’s long hours of questioning interspersed with a fair amount of ideological sermonising from the accused.

I will be safe, Jundal had told his father before disappearing Our DNA test was never done, says Abu Jundal’s mother The arrest of Zabiuddin Sayed

Continued on page 31 >>

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

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The former England wicketkeeper Paul Nixon was offered £5m to fix T20 match Former England wicket-keeper Paul Nixon has given his account of a meeting with an Indian businessman which led to an offer of #5 million ($8 million) to fix one of Leicestershire’s Twenty20 matches.

In an extract from his autobiography ‘Keeping Quiet’, published in the Mail on Sunday, Nixon said he was offered the “absurd” amount of money in 2010 and also accepted a valuable gift from the businessman, named only as ‘K’, before he realised his true intent.

And in an echo of other cricket fixing scams, Nixon — who retired last year after Leicestershire won their third English domestic Twenty20 trophy — said ‘K’ had wormed his way into a position of friendship following a mutual interest in property.

“Over a period of months, always in London but in different hotels, K’s interest never faded – and a friendly, working rapport was established,” Nixon wrote.

“It was that October, while driving with my wife, Jen, to London, the first surprise was sprung.

“K called my mobile and declared he had an “anniversary gift” to give us. ‘Don’t be daft, you don’t need to do that,’ I replied. ‘Please, I insist. I am in India, but my brother has it.

He will give you a call.”’

The gift was a set of champagne flutes.

But it was only later, prior to a meeting at a Leicester hotel in May 2010, that Nixon realised K’s purpose.

“A lot of people have made a lot of money in India,” Nixon was told.

“And you could make a lot of money in England also.”

Continued from page 32 >>

Sehwag, Zaheer return; in Dhaka in March, is the world’s leading run-getter in both Test (15,470) and one-day (18,426) cricket.

Tendulkar, who does not play in international Twenty20 games, has dismissed talk of retirement but has chosen to play in only some of India’s ODIs in recent years.

India one-day and T20 squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virat Kohli (vice-capt), Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Zaheer Khan, Umesh Yadav, Ashok Dinda, Vinay Kumar, Ajinkya Rahane, Manoj Tiwari, Rahul

Colombo Test: Rain-hit second Test ends in tame draw Pakistan dominate runs were added to the score 30.2 overs.

Just 10 wickets have fallen so far in the match which depicts the pathetic nature of the pitch. If ICC is serious in keeping the Test match alive, they need to compel each and every country to make sporting pitches. And they should start with Sri Lanka as the Island nation is often found guilty of making such unproductive tracks.

But nothing stopped Sangakkara from plundering runs at will. He looked very assured against all the Pakistan bowlers and punished them whenever they erred in line and length.

He was ably supported by all-rounder Angelo Mathews (46*), who came into bat yesterday when Sri Lankan were suddenly were looking down the barrel after losing three of their batsmen for ducks in quick succession.

They put on an unbeaten 89-run stand and ensured that Sri Lanka did not lose the match and maintain the 1-0 lead in the series.

Sri Lanka resume on Day 5 with draw being the only possible result of the match, Sri Lanka resumed the final day at 278/5. Kumar Sangakkara, who was unbeaten on 144 when Day 4 stumps were drawn, would like to complete another double century of his Test career.

Earlier on Day 4, Dilshan and Sangakkara added 225 runs for the second wicket. After the double century partnership, Pakistan came back into the game as they scalped Mahela Jayawardene, Samarweera and Ranid for three ducks.

Pakistan declared their first innings at 551/6 but their chance of drawing the series level was hit by rains throughout the entire Day 3 and some times on Day 4.

K identified a televised match against Durham.

“He made it plain that if I could help things go a certain way in that game, I could make myself very wealthy,” Nixon wrote.

Nixon kept listening but, he insisted, only to learn more, and not to take ‘K’ up on his offer.

“I thought: what am I doing here? I want

out of this hotel. This isn’t for me. But I stayed.

I wanted to know more. Who, exactly, was K? What were his connections? I was shocked by his offer but addicted to its detail.”

Nixon reported the incident to his county coach Tim Boon, the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption and security unit and the Professional Cricketers’ Association — but not before he had given an equivocal answer to K about whether he was prepared to speak to his Leicestershire team-mates about the possibility of fixing the match.

“I knew with 100 per cent certainty I wasn’t going to accept the offer, but kept bouncing the possibilities around in my head during the drive home,” Nixon added.

It was not until two weeks before the match, which out-of-form Leicestershire lost, that Nixon, who played 19 one-day internationals for England, told K he would not be taking up his offer, at which point his contact with the businessman ceased.

Pakistan to press for details on Abu Hamza

Continued from page 30 >>

Zakiuddin Ansari, or Abu Jundal, at New Delhi’s IGI Airport is a significant step towards closure in the Mumbai attack case of 2008. Ansari is alleged to have coordinated the strike from a “control room” in Karachi and is wanted by the police in India in a number of cases, including the May 2006 Aurangabad arms haul and the February 2010 German Bakery blast in Pune. Ansari had moved to Saudi Arabia from Pakistan, where he had fled in 2006. Behind his arrest lies a story of cooperation between Saudi and Indian authorities.

Of course, netting Ansari required some persuasion and a DNA test from India. But the fact that he has been handed over is a mark of how much has changed in the IndiaSaudi Arabia relationship that was, for long, one of the least explored and exploited. That began changing with King Abdullah’s visit to India in 2006 and the signing of the Delhi Declaration, followed by the Riyadh Declaration during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s return visit in 2010.

The mother of Abu Jundal or Zabiuddin Ansari - who was deported from Saudi Arabia after India furnished a DNA test as proof of his identity - has said no DNA samples were taken from his family. Rehana Begum claims her son is innocent, a “simple hardworking boy”. “He is not involved in any terrorist activity,” she said, adding that if a thorough probe found him guilty, her son should be punished. “If given a chance, we will meet him. We have great faith in the judiciary,” she said.

Rehana Begum of Beed says neither Ansari’s father nor she has been administered a DNA test.

“Dont worry about me, I will be safe. I will come home after a while,” were the last words that Lashkar terrorist Syed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Hamza, alias Abu Jundal had spoken to his father Zakiuddin Ansari. It was on the same day in May 2006 that the Aurangabad rural police and the state anti-terrorism squad seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition from Ellora Ghat. Jundal was allegedly involved in the gun-running case and managed to escape from the police.

“On that day, the policemen came to our home and told me that my son was involved in an arms transportation case,” the 70-year-old Zakiuddin told TOI on Wednesday.

“I didn’t have the faintest idea of his activities. He was

attending to some work at his shop when I called him on the phone. After waiting for him for about an hour, I went to the place where he was working. People there said that Zabi had just left for home, saying he would be back soon.”

Zakiuddin said that since then they had no news of him, except the newspaper reports attributing “negative” things to him and suggesting that he was a terrorist. “I wonder where he got the time to indulge in all these activities. He used to get up early and go to work, as my earnings were too little to meet the household expenses. He was very hardworking and honest. So people would give him work.”

After his son disappeared, some people with whom he had worked paid the amount they owed him but some others refused to pay, Zakiuddin said. Some of them started threatening him with dire consequences if he demanded his money, he said.

“Three days ago, I was going to the insurance office when a friend called me and said that my son has been arrested in Delhi. I felt like I was going to faint. I took an autorickshaw and went back home. By that time, my wife had also got the news,” Zakiuddin said.

After the news broke, media persons began arriving at his house, wanting to speak to the family. He said he and his wife had to be admitted to hospital twice because of high blood pressure. They are now staying at a relative’s house.

On Tuesday, a senior police officer visited him and said he was there to ensure that they were not harassed, Zakiuddin said. The officer advised him to shift residence temporarily to escape media attention.

Zakiuddin said that Zabiuddin had got associated with the Ahle-Hadees sect. “We didn’t know that this association would cause so much trouble in our lives. We had a tough time. People avoided giving me insurance work. Still I managed to earn between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 per month and my daughters helped me by sewing clothes in our mohalla. Fortunately, all my daughters are married. I still have to visit the insurance office in search of work to earn a living,” he said.

Zakiuddin said that if his son is a traitor and a terrorist, he should be hanged. “Now that he is arrested, we hope the police and the media will spare us. We had enough trouble and stress in our lives. We want to spend our remaining days in peace,” he said.

32

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 July 2012

Sehwag, Zaheer return;

Tendulkar opts out of Sri Lanka ODIs

Indian batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar will skip the upcoming series of limited-overs matches in Sri Lanka, it was announced on Wednesday.

India will play five one-day internationals, starting in Hambantota on July 21, plus a one-off Twenty20 match on August 7.

The 39-year-old Tendulkar, who completed an unprecedented century of centuries during the Asia Cup Continued on page 31 >>

SAT

Sports

Colombo Test: Rain-hit second Test ends in tame draw Pakistan dominate Sri Lanka appeared disinterested in chasing the tough target of 261 in 37 overs and were 86-2 in 22 overs when the match was called off. cricket.

Day 5, Lunch: Former skipper Kumar Sangakkara (187*) was all set to score yet another double century as Sri Lanka made 367/5 at lunch of the fifth and final day of the second cricket Test.

Sri Lanka did not lose any wicket

Sri Lanka managed to score 86 runs as they lost the wickets of Paranavitana and Dilshan.

Interesting move by Pakistan.

They have declared after scoring 100 runs in the second innings.

Which means now Sri Lanka will have to chase 260 runs in 37

deserved double ton as Sri Lanka were dramatically bowled out for 391 during the post-lunch session on Day 5. From 370/5, they were suddenly found themselves at 391 all out.

Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman came up with a spirited

overs!

Hafeez and Abdur Rehman were the two Pakistan batsmen who were dismissed while Taufeeq Umar (42*) remained unbeaten with Adnan Akmal (0).

Sri Lankan bowled out: Kumar Sangakkara missed a well-

performance as he sent four Lankan batsmen to the pavilion, helping Pakistan to take a lead of 160 runs.

Left-arm paceman Junaid Khan, who took four wickets yesterday, took one more to complete his maiden five-wicket haul in Test

in the entire morning session as Pakistan bowlers continued to struggle to take wickets on a docile SSC wicket. With match heading towards a dull draw, people have rightly decided not to throng the stadium. Only 69

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