South Asia Tribune

Tribune

South Asia

to kill Why Pakistani Taliban wants id Mir? pro Osama bin Laden Ham See page 14

Year 2  Issue 20  Thursday, 29.11.12



www.satribune.co.uk

FREE

Hundreds to evacuate their homes as flooding brings chaos to Britain Evacuations come with more than 500 flood warnings in place across the country, with a total of 1,400 homes already reported as flooded More than 200,000 households in high risk flood areas to become ‘uninsurable’ as funding talks between Government and industry fail Emergency services work flat out to rescue families in North Wales as torrential rain brings more severe

Two hundred thousand homes at high risk of flooding could be left without insurance cover because of a row between the Government and insurers.

More than 900 homes, mainly in

the South West, have been deluged by flooding since last Wednesday in addition to around 3,000 homes flooded during heavy rains over the summer.

Ministers and the insurance

George Galloway with Yvonne Ridley (Yvonne Ridley 4 Rotherham) & Lee Jasper (Lee Jasper 4 Croydon North) the Respect candidates for the by-elections in respectively Rotherham and Croydon North this Thursday 29 November 2012

industry have so far failed to reach an agreement over how to provide affordable cover to vulnerable homes, despite negotiating for two years. Environment Secretary Owen Continued on page 30 >>

By-elections could mean new boost for Respect

Three by-elections in Middlebrough, Croydon North and Rotherham. Friday’s real story looks set to be further advances for smaller, newer non-establishment parties – especially George Galloway’s Respect.

The leader of the UK Independence party has rejected the idea of an electoral pact with the Conservatives, after a Tory campaign chief suggested David Cameron could need to strike a deal with Ukip to win key marginal seats in the general election.

Continued on page 30 >>

Brutal Attack On Teen Muslim Girl in Hijab

Attack Suspect Michael Ayoade Charged

Thug, 34, admits punching 16-yearold girl unconscious in shocking random street attack which was caught on CCTV • Michael Ayoade, 34, ran up behind Tasneem Kabir as she walked to college and smacked her around the head

• Ayoade jogged away as the 16year-old lay unconscious on the ground in Plaistow, East London

• When arrested Ayoade told police he was intimidated by the petite teen and that ‘she started it’, Thames Magistrates’ Court was told The 16-year-old victim Tasneem Kabir of a brutal street attack said last night that she hoped to be the last victim of the stranger Continued on page 21 >>

NEWS

2

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

Welsh Muslims report widespread racist abuse

The Institute of Race Relations draws our attention to a Wales Online report on a new study of racism and race equality in Wales

by Professor Heaven Crawley that was commissioned by Race Council Cymru.

It found people from minority ethnic backgrounds in Wales are still experiencing racism in health, education and housing services, as well as in employment. And in many cases when racism occurs, it found victims are not reporting or challenging it, but instead changing their behaviours, language and clothing to “fit in”.

The report contains the following section on the experiences of Welsh Muslims: Many Muslim respondents also reported verbal abuse directed at them because of their religious Publisher Salah Bu Khamas (UAE) Sabha Khan (UK)

identity. One young girl described walking home from school and another child singing “Oompa Loompa, do-ba-dee-doo, I’ve got a bomb to strap around you”. Others reported being called a “terrorist” or a member of Al Qaeda or the Taliban. One young boy described how older men make racist

comments whilst he is gaming online: “They say ‘you are training for the Taliban, all you Asians are bombers’”. Such incidents of verbal abuse often increase around the anniversaries of the 9/11 and 7/7 attacks in New York and London: “I was accosted on the street and [they] shouted racist abusive words at me on the anniversary of the July bombings in London.”

“We have so many experiences at trouble at certain times of the year especially the anniversary of 9/11.”

For women and girls, the intersection of race, religion and gender is associated with particular forms of racism and discrimination, most notably being called names and having headscarves (hejab / hijab) pulled or even removed.

Several respondents suggested that anti-Islamic attitudes are as much,

if not more, of a problem as racist attitudes: “The girls are reporting more and more Islamophobia scarf pulling, being called a terrorist.

It’s focused on the fact that they are Muslim. There has been a big change from racism to religious discrimination.”

“Its normal for your mum or sister to have their headscarves pulled off and be called names. Racism is more targeted towards Muslims.”

Some women explained that they do not wear the hejab / hijab in public places to avoid attracting attention and possibly negative attitudes and behaviours. Others said that they felt comfortable wearing hejab or other traditional dress and had never experienced any problems or difficulties. One woman who is Welsh and White described how

Saudi opens interreligious centre in Austria

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

she was treated after converting to Islam and deciding to wear a hejab.

She described being called a “Paki” and being asked “aren’t you hot in there”: “They look at you as if you have two heads but you are still an auntie, a mum, a friend. I often get asked where I come from but I’m from Wales. I never realised how racist people can be just by the way you dress.”

Respondents in Llanelli described several incidents in which youths stood outside the mosque swearing and shouting, broke a window and urinated on the doorstop. They also threw beer cans. This incident was dealt with by the police who installed a CCTV camera and organise police patrols. In Wrexham a swastika was painted on the door of the mosque.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, left, and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Saud alFaisal, right, pose with the certificate of incorporation of the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, KAICIID, during the inauguration ceremony in Vienna, Austria, Monday, Nov. 26, 2012.

Saudi King Using Zionist Rabbi as Advisor Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has appointed an orthodox rabbi who serves as an advisor for Israel’s Chief Rabbinate as his own advisor and as a member of the board of directors of a Saudi-backed center in Austria report Fars News.

International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural

Center inaugurated in Vienna to be managed by board with religious scholars from Iran, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia – and Israel. Rabbi David Rosen engages in conversation about Torah with King Abdullah

Dialogue (KAICIID) began work in Vienna, Austria, on Monday

by bringing hundreds of religious activists together.

According to a report by Israeli daily Ynet news website, named after Saudi King Abdullah, the center is claimed to be tasked with building a bridge between faiths while Saudi Arabia bans nonMuslim religious practice.

The surprise of the evening was unquestionably the appointment of Rabbi David Rosen from Israel as a member of the center’s board of directors, the report added.

Rosen, an Orthodox rabbi from Jerusalem, serves as the international director of interreligious affairs of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and as an advisor on interreligious affairs to Israel’s Chief Rabbinate.

His selection is surprising in light of the extreme sensitivity in appointing an Israeli personality to a Saudi-initiated and sponsored center.

The appointment was part of a secret move devised over several years, which reached its peak about three weeks ago in a meeting between the Saudi king and the Israeli rabbi at Abdullah’s summer residence in Casablanca, Morocco, Ynet said.

UK work programme finds jobs for only 3.5%

Private companies running a flagship government employment scheme have put only 3.5% of clients into sustainable jobs, statistics published on Tuesday showed.

The British coalition government’s Work Programme, launched in June 2011 to help the long-term

unemployed find work, divides the country into regions, with each comprising a range of private, public and voluntary sector organisations.

The government is looking to roll out the model of payment-byresults across other parts of the public sector, including prisons.

The statistics were expected to be poor after various leaks showed the programme slowly “descending into chaos” as one source put it.

Unemployment is now slowly falling despite a stagnation in GDP, a phenomenon that has become known as the “productivity puzzle”.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

NEWS

3

“The Brotherhood stole the country” new Banner

No amendments to Morsi decree after meeting with top judges

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has met with the country’s top judges to reassure them that last Thursday’s decree granting him sweeping powers is “temporary” and limited only to “sovereignty-related issues.”

According to a presidential spokesman, no amendments were made to the decree after the meeting, Al-Ahram newspaper reported. The talks with the Supreme Judicial Council (SNJ) come as demonstrators in Cairo continue a week-long sitin protesting the Morsi’s move to grant himself near-absolute powers, including immunity from judicial oversight.

Meanwhile the ruling Muslim Brotherhood party has announced

does not completely reject the decree.

However, an earlier statement from the council took a harsher tone, calling the decree “an unprecedented attack on the independence of the judiciary and its rulings.”

The fact that Morsi said his decree

political structure.

Egyptian people flooded to the capital Cairo’s central Tahrir Square on Tuesday to join a onemillion-man rally rejecting the new constitutional declaration issued by President Mohammad Mursi last Thursday.

People’s Assembly.

Describing Mursi’s decisions as “revolutionary,” presidential spokesman Yasser Ali said that no judicial body is entitled to dissolving the Shura Council (upper house) or the Constituent Assembly which is tasked with drafting a new

A new banner declaring: “The Brotherhood stole the country” has been erected in Tahrir Square, and opposition figures have vowed to continue the protests until Mr Morsi reverses the decree.

The president’s supporters cancelled a massive rally they had planned for

that it has canceled a massive proMorsi rally to avoid “public tension.”

The president told the judges that he acted within his rights when issuing the decree, and that the declaration did not “infringe” on the judiciary, according to Morsi’s spokesperson, Yasser Ali. On Sunday, the SNJ said the declaration – which shields Morsi’s decisions from judicial review – must only be applied to “sovereign matters,” suggesting that the council

will be limited only to “sovereigntyrelated issues” should not be seen as a concession to the judiciary, says Eric Draitser, geopolitical analyst for StopImperialism.com.

“This is mainly to placate the people who are angry and are in the streets,” he told RT, stressing that despite the Muslim Brotherhood’s victory in the election last year, many elements within Egypt are very much dissatisfied with the new rulers – and would prefer changes to the country’s

The demonstrations are arranged by civil and liberal forces, including the April 6 movement, Revolutionary Youth Coalition, Free Egyptians Party, Wafd Party and Kefaya movement, along with other liberal and leftist groups.

The new constitutional declaration ruled that all laws, decrees and constitutional declarations issued by the president are final and unchallengeable by anybody, while it will not lead to reinstating the

constitution.

Meanwhile, clashes erupted between protestors and security forces early Tuesday in Omar Makram street and the American Embassy area in downtown Cairo, with protestors throwing stones and police firing tear gas.

Recent clashes between supporters and opponents of Muslim Brotherhood-backed President Mursi have killed two and injured at least 444 people earlier this week.

Tuesday, citing the need to “defuse tension”.

But a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood said demonstrations supporting the president could go ahead outside the capital and that supporters would form human chains in some provinces to protect Brotherhood offices.

Mr Morsi’s supporters say more than a dozen of their offices have been ransacked or set ablaze since Friday.

Daily Mail’s Daft Portrayal of Ashura It is a well-known fact that on the 10th Muharram, the beloved grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), named Husein bin Ali was martyred along with many others, in what is known as the tragedy of Kerbala. This tragedy is and should be taught and acknowledged regardless of whether one is Sunni or Shia.

To commemorate this day, many who distinguish themselves as Shia flagellate themselves and this practice has been happening for a long time. Why then have the Islamophobes in the Daily Mail suddenly felt the desire to report it, as if this is some sort of new phenomenon? There are many issues affecting us, which could be reported on but why

have they chosen to focus on Shia during Ashura?

If they want to show that flagellation is abhorrent, why do they not talk about other groups that flagellate? Why not talk about Opus Dei or the flagellation that occurs in processions at Guardia Sanframondi and in Holy Week in the Philippines?

If the Daily Mail did any serious journalism, they should focus on issues that matter instead of trying to demonise the Muslim community.

Even though the article mentioned Shias, it is a fact that Islamophobes see all Muslims as one entity regardless of whether or not we self-flagellate or are Sunni or Shia. The Daily Mail’s article fuels Islamophobia.

NEWS

4

EDITORIAL

Palestine: A step closer to statehood?

A major defeat for Israel ?

“We fear Abbas is heading for a dangerous Pyrrhic victory,” said a senior European diplomat. “If the Palestinians believe it will push the Israelis into a negotiation, we don’t believe that. It might backfire for Abbas.”

The Palestinians expressed satisfaction on Wednesday over the international support to their bid to the United Nations to demand a recognition of a non-member observer state, despite the strong opposition from Israel and the United States. The draft resolution to be put for a vote Thursday “decides

to accord to Palestine Non-member Observer State status in the United Nations.”

The current bid is gaining a majority of support among the Palestinians, contrary to last year, when Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas failed to convince the UN Security Council to recognize the state of Palestine as a full member in the global organization.

Last year, the Palestinians were not able to gain a full international consensus when the bid was presented for voting, where they failed to gain the support of nine Security Council members out of 15, while the United States was also insisting to veto the bid.

Majority is guaranteed But this time, the Palestinians decided bypass the Security Council and directly ask the UN General Assembly to vote for the bid, which will be to recognize a non-member observer state instead of a full member. The Palestinians are certain that this time they will harvest overwhelming majority.

The recognition of Palestinian statehood would signal the birth of a peace process that would positively affect not just Israel and Palestine, but also the dynamics of the entire region.

“A Palestinian state was established on Netanyahu and Lieberman’s reign of terror. It will be inscribed forever in the name of Netanyahu and Lieberman,” a senior Israeli official said Wednesday..

The entire political establishment agrees that the Palestinian bid, which is expected to pass, constitutes a major defeat for Israel. On Wednesday several Western European countries announced they would support the Palestinian bid for a diplomatic upgrade at the United

Nations. Even Australia, a close ally of Israel, is expected to abstain from the vote on the Palestinian bid. Palestine only requires a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly, or 129 votes, to be admitted as the 194th member of the United Nations. As a state seeking admission to the UN, Palestine is not hindered by a past resolution prohibiting its membership. This coupled with the fact that Palestine presently enjoys observer’s status, could help achieve its goal of attaining UN membership.

Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev dismissed the UN quest as futile,

saying only negotiations with Israel can bring about a Palestinian state.

“They can get pieces of paper from the UN, but they are not going to move peace forward, they are not going to make a Palestinian statehood more real,” he said.

“They boycott Israel. They refuse to talk to us. Who do they plan to make peace with?” he said.

However, it is not impossible that any of the permanent members could veto the decision, particularly the United States.

The support of France, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is the most significant boost to date for the Palestinians’ hopes to be granted nonmember observer status and thus greater international recognition.

Russia and China, two other permanent members, have also thrown their support behind the Palestinian bid. The

two other permanent members of the Security Council are the United States and Britain.

In a statement last week, the British foreign secretary, William Hague, said the Palestinian bid jeopardized the Mideast peace process. ‘‘While there is any chance of achieving

a return to talks in the coming months,’’ he said, ‘‘we continue to advise President Abbas against attempts to win Palestinian observer state status at the United Nations through a vote in the UN General Assembly. We judge that this would make it harder to secure a return to negotiations, and could have very serious consequences for the Palestinian Authority.’’

George Galloway MP commented on facebook “William Hague - representing the British government - authors through the Balfour Declaration of the entire Palestinian tragedy- is to abstain on Palestinian membership of the UN. What a wretched pathetic shameless betrayal of the victims of perfidious Albion and the criminal enterprise known as the British Empire...

The recognition of Palestine will signal the birth of a peace process that would positively affect not just Israel and Palestine, but also the dynamics of the entire region. The U.S., Israel, Canada and a few others are opposed. Israel appeared to be backing away from plans to immediately punish the Palestinians for going to the UN. Instead, an Israeli government official said Israel would wait to see whether the Palestinians would use the world body’s expected approval to hurt Israel.

The Palestinians plan to seek membership or access to a number of international and UN agencies, including the International Criminal Court, once their statehood bid is approved.

Although the vote would not confer the status of a full-fledged member, it could pave the way for admission in other international organizations, including the International Criminal Court, that do not require parties to be full-fledged members of the United Nations.

Mansour said that the Palestinians don’t have an immediate plan to pursue international prosecution of Israelis, but that they want to keep the option open.

Rami Nasser Allah, Director of International Peace and Cooperation,

a Palestinian think-tank says it will be difficult to predict the number of those European nations that will support the bid, he said he doesn’t expect the number to exceed 5.

“There is a confusion,” he said. “At the end, it is an American agenda, and the Europeans endorse it.”

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

New York puts Sandy’s losses at $32bn

Top political leaders in New York put their heads together Monday on big requests for federal disaster aid as Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that Superstorm Sandy ran up a bill of $32 billion in the state and the nation’s largest city.

The cost is for repairs and restoration and does not include an additional accounting of over $9 billion to head off damage in the next disastrous storm, including steps to protect the power grid and cellphone

including measures to protect the power grid and mobile phone network.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, meanwhile, had announced earlier on Monday that the superstorm inflicted USD19 billion in damages on New York City, a substantial portion of the $32 billion assessment declared by Cuomo.

Moreover, Cuomo insisted that New York taxpayers cannot incur the massive bill.

“It would incapacitate the state. ... Tax

network.

“It’s common sense; it’s intelligent,” Cuomo said. “Why don’t you spend some money now to save money in the

increases are always a last, last, last resort,” he said.

The development comes as New York state and city governments were already

future? And that’s what prevention and mitigation is.”

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg had announced earlier in the day that Sandy

struggling to deal with huge deficits of over $1 billion prior to being struck by Sandy in late October.

State tax receipts, according to local

caused $19 billion in losses in New York City - part of the $32 billion estimate Cuomo used.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has officially announced that Hurricane Sandy inflicted damage of $32 billion on the northeastern state.

The Monday announcement came as top political leaders in the heavily populated state converged to come up with a huge request for federal disaster assistance.

The announced figure reportedly covers damage repairs and restoration and does not include an additional amount of more than $9 billion the state says it has spent to prevent further losses in the next major storm that hit the state a week later,

press reports, have also fallen short of projections, indicating a continued slow recovery from a recession that could hit taxpayers in the governments’ budgets next spring. Additionally, there is the upcoming threat of the so-called fiscal cliff, the combination of expiring federal tax cuts and major spending cuts that could shock the US economy.

Meanwhile, other northeastern US states are also seeking federal assistance.

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has already paid out nearly $250 million in the state of New Jersey, where Governor Chris Christie says the preliminary damage estimate is $29.4 billion, which may increase.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

The UK’s favourite cuisine once again honoured as the eighth annual British Curry Awards took place on 26th November 2012, at a glittering gala event at Battersea Evolution in London. The event was co-hosted by BBC presenter Jenny Bond and celebrity impersonator Rory Bremner.

Judging Criteria was based on menu choice, wine list, exterior and interior decor and plate presentation. In total there were over 270,000 public nominations from diners across the UK. The Winners • Best Delivery Restaurant/Takeaway by Justeat.com – MUSHTAQS (Hamilton, Lanarkshire) • Best Restaurant Scotland - TAJ INDIAN (Prestwick) • Best Restaurant North East AAGRAH (Leeds) • Best Spice Restaurant North West - INDIAN OCEAN (Ashtonu-Lyne) • Best Spice Restaurant Midlands – ITIHAAS (Birmingham) • Best Newcomer Restaurant Midlands - FIVE RIVERS A LA CARTE (Walsall) • Best Restaurant Wales - RASOI INDIAN KITCHEN (Swansea) • Best Restaurant South East HAWELI INDIAN RESTAURANT (Twyford, Berkshire) • Best Newcomer Restaurant South East - SHAMPAN 4 - THE SPINNING WHEEL (Westerham,

Kent) • Best Restaurant South West SPICE LODGE (Cheltenham) • Best Restaurant South West - THE MINT ROOM (Yeovil, Somerset) • Best Restaurant Central London & City - BOMBAY PALACE (Paddington)

• Best Newcomer Restaurant Central London & City – CHAKRA (Notting Hill) • Best Restaurant London Suburbs - CHAK 89 (Surrey) • Best in Casual Dining - THE CHILLI PICKLE (Brighton, East Sussex) • Special Inspiration Award - Dipna Anand of Brilliant Restaurant Female Chef With the UK curry industry boasting 10,000 restaurants and 80,000 employees, the awards have become a highlight on the UK social calendar, and each year showcases

UK govt deports 78 Pakistanis

The British Immigration officials have deported 78 Pakistani nationals over violation of immigration rules and regulations.

All the deportees were reached Islamabad on Wednesday through special charter plane. The British Immigration Authorities at the Benazir International Airport handed over the 78 Pakistanis to

the Anti-Human Trafficking cell of FIA. Later on, the deportees were shifted to the Passport Cell for further investigation and verification.

It is worth mentioning here that most of the deportees are said to belonging from the provinces of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

NEWS

the vast allure of the £3.6bn a year curry industry. The curry industry is not only a lucrative mainstay of the economy but also an integral part

5

of the nation’s social and culinary fabric.

A pioneer in the UK catering and hospitality sector, the British Curry Awards has been lauded as a pivotal UK institution, with Prime Minister David Cameron calling the awards ‘the curry Oscars’. He went on to say: “The British Curry Awards is an uplifting and inspiring evening.”

“Its often said that curry is Britain’s national dish and it’s easy to see why.

It’s not just the flavour served up in the thousands of the curry restaurants across the country, it is the welcome too. Those who work in the curry industry enliven

Britain’s high streets, boost local economies and contribute to local communities.”

This year’s event once again saw a plethora of high-profile guests in attendance, and will include celebrities, dignitaries, politicians, business leaders, and of course, top names from the culinary industry in the UK. The gala dinner will also feature quality entertainment amidst a gourmet banquet. This year’s event will also celebrate a Best of British theme as it reflects on the UK’s remarkable achievements during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The British Curry Awards was established by British entrepreneur Enam Ali MBE who the founded the event in 2005.

He has been tirelessly promoting the British curry industry globally for the past 30 years. In speaking about the event, he says: “The British Curry Awards recognise and honour the integral contribution made by the UK’s Asian restaurants and take-away outlets to the social and cultural fabric of the United Kingdom.

The city of Dubai is built on foundations that are steeped in history and tradition. From the evocative Dubai Museum to the spectacular Jumeirah Mosque, and from the breathtaking Bastakiya to the imperious Heritage Village.

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

DEFINITELYDUBAI.COM

6

NEWS

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

UK marchers pledge solidarity with Gaza

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters have held a demonstration in central London to vent their anger at the Zionist regime of Israel and their supporters in the British government.

Between 10,000 to 15,000 protesters

was not dampened by the ceasefire called two days ago,” said Lindsey German, convener of the Stop the War Coalition, which organized the event.

“The demonstrators were united in their determination not just to protest at this latest outrage by Israel but to call for an end to the

Israel State Terrorism”, “We Will Not Forget You Gaza”, “End Israel’s attacks on Gaza” and “End the Siege on Gaza, Free Palestine.”

The National Demonstration in Solidarity with Gaza was held despite bad weather conditions and incessant rain in London.

The Stop the War Coalition further

is but another step in the path to freedom for Palestine. Campaigning will go on -- for a boycott of Israeli goods and against any future wars in the Middle East,” German said.

Her comments follow revelations

by Jews for Justice for Palestinians, which also participated in the Saturday protest march, that

It is difficult to square that with the recorded pattern of attacks or with the resulting deaths and injuries, and impossible to square it with the first-hand account of cease-fire negotiations,” the group wrote in a letter to British Foreign Secretary William Hague.

“The statistics provided by OCHA

marched from the British prime minister’s office on Downing Street to the Israeli embassy to show their solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip and condemn the recent Israeli onslaught on the coastal area which killed more than 160 Palestinians and injured some 1,200 others.

“After eight days of brutal bombardment, which left 160 Palestinians dead, around 40 of them children -- our commitment to show Gaza that it was not alone

siege of Gaza and to see the day -after 65 years of occupation and brutal repression -- when justice will be achieved for all Palestinians,” she added.

The protesters who were carrying anti-Israel placards and Palestinian flags also condemned the distorted media coverage, especially by the BBC which tried to pass the Israeli bloodshed in Gaza as an act of selfdefense.

Some of the placards read “Stop

said they seek to let everyone know that “the green light they [the British government] give to Israel’s crimes is not in our name.”

The campaign group also pledged to continue to fight for “freedom for Palestine” as the Israeli regime is not expected to stick to the current ceasefire, which it accepted under international pressure, for long.

“There is no such thing as an Israeli ceasefire where Gaza or the West Bank are concerned. Our campaign

the Israeli regime keeps killing Palestinians under the cover of western media blackout, dismissing officials’ remarks that Israel has been committed to a ceasefire and has launched the onslaught only to revenge Palestinians’ sporadic rocket fire.

“We write to express our astonishment at your statement of 15th November, when you said that Hamas bears principal responsibility for the current crisis.

(the UN Office for the Protection of Civilians) is the most authoritative record of the intensification of the conflict. They show a pattern of mutual attacks during the year to the end of October 2012, with 73 Palestinians being killed while no Israelis were killed. Israeli forces also carried out incursions into Gaza together with destruction of crops and the targeting of fishermen within Gaza’s Oslo-recognized maritime exclusion zone,” it added.

No winner selected for Iran’s most lucrative literary awards this year

The 5th Jalal Al-e Ahmad Literary Awards selected no winner this year.

The award, which is named after the prominent Iranian writer Jalal Al-e Ahmad (1923-1969), is Iran’s most lucrative literary award. Each winner in the four categories of fiction, biography, memoir, and literary review receives 110 Bahar Azadi gold coins worth over 121 million rials (over $43,000).

This year, only four books received honorable mention during a

ceremony at the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR) Study Center in Tehran on Wednesday evening.

“Rumi-Like on the Silent Secrets”

by Ali Mohammadi Asiabadi and “Crimson Wisdom” by Taqi Purnamdarian received honorable mention in the literary review section.

The honorable mention in the memoirs section went to “Nureddin, Son of Iran” by Masumeh Sepehri.

The book contains the memories of

war veteran Nureddin Afi from the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.

“The Biography”, which tells the life story of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah

Seyyed Ali Khamenei, received an honorable mention in the biography section. This book was compiled by Hedayatollah Behbudi.

“Hafez Seven”, a novel on the

journey of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei to Fars Province in 2009, received an honorable mention in the fiction section.

Each honoree was presented only with 25 Bahar Azadi gold coins.

Within a year, the price of Bahr Azadi gold coins has doubled.

The secretary of the 5th Jalal Al-e Ahmad Literary Awards, Majid Hamidzadeh, said that the increase in the price of the gold coin had not influenced the jury’s decision.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

7

NEWS

Sydney’s beaches turn blood red as swimmers forced to stay out of water

Some of Sydney’s most famous beaches have been forced to close after the water turned blood red.

Bondi and Clovelly beaches close as red algae moves in A thick algal bloom known as noctiluca scintillans – the “red tide” or “fire in the sea” – began washing up on beaches during early morning.

The bloom is capable of causing skin rash and eye irritations and Bondi and Clovelly beaches were the first to close but some reopened later.

It is understood the natural phenomenon was caused by high

A spokesman for the NSW Office of Water said testing was being

One cause, he said was an upwelling of colder nutrient-rich water.

temperatures and more movement in sea currents.

done to discover what caused the bloom.

He said algal blooms, sometime referred to as “red tides’’, are

more common around spring and autumn when there are higher water temperatures and greater movements in ocean currents.

The NSW Office of Water expects the test results some time on this afternoon but could not confirm the beaches would be opened by the end of the day.

It comes after toxic algal bloom was detected in Botany Bay, south of Bondi on Friday.

That particular species of algae produced paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins, the NSW Department of Primary Industries said.

The NSW Office of Water spokesman said the two blooms were “probably not related’’, but were unable to confirm further details until test results on the algae at Bondi became available.

While many locals have been deterred by the phenomenon, many people - believed to be tourists - are still swimming in the water.

UN climate talks turn tense as delegates debate extending Kyoto Protocol The last three United Nations climate change summit meetings have been disorderly affairs, marked by brinkmanship, breakdowns and a weary sense that there has to be a better way to address the intensifying challenge of a simmering planet.

The first signs of tensions emerged at the U.N. climate talks on Tuesday as delegates from island and African nations chided rich countries for refusing to offer up new emissions cuts over the next eight years which could help stem global warming.

Qatar has shrugged off criticism of its record-busting carbon emissions and instead extolled the virtues of its key export, natural gas, as it opened a major U.N. conference on climate change.

At the start of the annual U.N. talks, Qatar’s deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Bin Hamad al-Attiyah sought to deflect attention from his country’s reputation as the world’s biggest per-capita emitter of greenhouse gases.

The debate mostly swirled around the Kyoto Protocol — a legally-binding emissions cap that expires this year and remains the most significant international achievement in the fight against global warming. Countries are hoping to negotiate an extension to the pact that runs until at least 2020 but several nations like Japan and Canada have said they won’t be party to a new one.

Marlene Moses, chairwoman of a coalition of island countries, said she was “gravely disappointed” with rich nations,

saying they have failed to act or offer up any new emissions cuts for the near term.

The United States, for example, which is not a signatory of Kyoto, has said it would not increase earlier commitments to cut emissions by 17 per cent below

huge minefields there.”

Despite the occasional chaos at Copenhagen, Cancun and Durban, negotiators achieved a number of significant steps, including pledges by most major countries to reduce their

2005 levels by 2020.

“In our view, these actions are an abdication of responsibility to the most vulnerable among us,” Moses said.

The session, taking place in Doha, Qatar, under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), includes representatives from nearly 200 countries.

While there is always the potential for a diplomatic disaster at any negotiation involving 194 countries, the agenda for the two-week Doha convention includes an array of highly technical matters but nothing that is likely to bring the process to a screaming halt.

“There’s pretty broad agreement that after three very high-key meetings, this is a far lower-intensity summit,” said Michael Levi, senior fellow for energy and the environment at the Council on Foreign Relations. “There’ll be all kinds of haggling, but there are no particularly

emissions of climate-altering gases, a promise by rich nations to mobilize $100 billion a year by 2020 to help more vulnerable states adapt to climate change, a system for verifying emissions cuts and programmes to help slow deforestation.

Concrete means The delegates in Doha hope to firm up these promises and create the concrete means to fulfill them. “We hope that in Doha we will conclude the design phase of all these institutional arrangements and catapult them into implementation,” said Christiana Figueres, the Costa Rican diplomat who serves as executive secretary of the UN climate convention.

“It is high time, because we are so far behind our targets in every single report.

The international response has not been enough.”

Last week, the UN Environment Programme said the world was unlikely to meet the United Nations’ stated goal

of keeping global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit).

The group said the current pledges were too weak and the rise in heat-trapping emissions was so fast that the world risked falling further behind without swift and ambitious new action.

In Durban last year, delegates affirmed the two degree Fahrenheit target and, after a contentious marathon negotiating session, signed a pledge to conclude a new global climate change treaty by 2015 to take effect starting in 2020. Whether that accord can be reached remains an open question.

The Copenhagen summit meeting three years ago, with more than 100 heads of government on hand, dissolved into failure on the final night. Delegates this time have three years’ planning time to fashion a new treaty, but the hugely difficult issues of national sovereignty, compliance verification and equity between rich and poor nations will not easily be resolved, no matter how much time is available.

Jennifer Morgan, director of the climate and energy programme at the World Resources Institute, said the success of the talks would hinge on the approach of the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas emitters and most vibrant economies, the United States and China.

China has led the world in adoption of low-carbon energy sources, but also consumes growing quantities of dirty-burning coal every year. Its new leadership has given few signals on how it intends to approach the UN climate

process, Ms. Morgan noted, but previous Chinese leaders have resisted any international regime that they perceive as limiting China’s economic growth.

As for the United States, Morgan said she hoped that the re-elected Obama administration would commit to a new international regime with a renewed strategy and a commitment to take domestic action consistent with its international pledges and its support of the two degree target.“There’s no reason not to press the reset button,” she said. “There are expectations by other countries that, now they’re through the election, they’ll change the narrative, change their strategy and come with a more progressive, can-do mentality.

Todd D Stern, the US state department’s special envoy for climate change, has been the government’s chief negotiator at these talks since 2009. He said the Doha meeting marked the beginning of a new chapter in international climate change negotiations, leaving behind a two-track process that had been in place for nearly a decade and beginning work on a comprehensive treaty for the future.

“Our interest now is to close that chapter, those earlier negotiating tracks, and turn our focus on the new one and deal with the Durban Platform track in a way that is conducive to positive momentum,” he said during an interview. “This year was understood as a year of conceptual thinking about what the shape of the 2020s ought to be.”

NEWS

8

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

Twin suicide bombings kill 11 at Nigerian army church 30 others injured, vehicles destroyed

IT was presumed an unlikely victim of bombing. It was supposed to be a security hub that is immune to the recurrent violence outside it.

Yet suicide bombers Sunday penetrated the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji in Kaduna and attacked the St. Andrews Military Protestant Church.

The two suicide bombers who sneaked into the church detonated bombs that claimed their own lives and those of over 11 people.

The violence sparked confusion within the military formation and armed soldiers immediately condoned off the premises and barred those who were trying to gain entrance.

The authorities of the AFCSC confirmed that 11 people were killed in the twin suicide bombings on the St. Andrew Military Protestant Church in the barracks while 30 others were injured. Public Relations Officer of the AFCSC, Col. Mohammed Dole, said in a telephone interview that 11 people were killed, including the church members and commercial

motorcyclists who were around the church to pick passengers.

Military authorities also confirmed the development last night.

He did not, however, say how many of the dead were from the church and how many were motorcyclists. Dole said further that eight vehicles and

the church service was over and the congregation had dispersed, leaving only the elders of the church who were deliberating on next Sunday harvest celebration and other issues.

The first car was said to have exploded without any casualty and many people had gathered to see the wreckage of the

those who are injured, I am not very sure they will survive it.

The Police Commissioner, Mr. Femi Adenaike, said on telephone that the police could not give details of what happened and directed the reporter to speak with the army authorities.

The Director Army Public Relations,

about six motorcycles were destroyed.

He said no student of the college was killed or injured.

He said those injured were taken to 44 Army Hospital, NAF Base Hospital in Kaduna and ABU Teaching Hospital, Shika, near Zaria.

According to sources, the incident occurred at about 12:15 p.m. when

car when the second suicide bomber arrived and detonated his bomb. An eyewitness within the command said: “Many people were killed, I am not in a position to say how many people are dead, but they are many. I saw many dead bodies. I think the people that died may be in the region of 40 or 50.

I cannot say precisely. Even some of

Brig.-Gen. Bola Koleoso, who confirmed the incident through a text message, said there were twin suicide bombings in the church few minutes after the Sunday service.

According to him, “There were twin suicide bombings today at the St. Andrew Military Protestant Church, Jaji Military Cantonment at 1205hrs

and 1215hrs.

“A bus first ran into the church and exploded about five minutes after service while a Toyota Camry parked outside the church detonated 10 minutes later.

“Figures of casualties are not yet clear but the injured are receiving treatment at military hospitals both in Jaji and Kaduna.

“Investigation into the bombings has commenced and the area already cordoned off.”

Residents said the victims were Christians on their way to church for the Sunday service.

Last month, at least 10 people were killed and 145 wounded in a suicide church bombing and reprisal violence in Kaduna.

Suicide bombings at three churches in Kaduna state in June that were claimed by Boko Haram sparked reprisal violence by Christian mobs who killed dozens of their Muslim neighbours, burning some of their victims’ bodies.

Muslim groups also formed mobs and killed several Christians.

Violence linked to Boko Haram’s insurgency in northern and central Nigeria is believed to have left some 3 000 people dead since 2009, including killings by the security forces.

It has claimed to be seeking an Islamic state in Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer.

However, its demands have repeatedly shifted and it is believed to include various factions with differing aims, in addition to imitators and criminal gangs that carry out violence under the guise of the group.

Israel-Hamas talks to begin in Cairo

Israeli, Hamas representatives to discuss implementation of ceasefire terms; Egyptian officials to mediate

According to reports by the Londonbased Asharq Alawsat newspaper, the negotiations will be conducted indirectly, mediated by Egyptian General Intelligence Service officials.

Talks are set to resume Monday in Cairo between Israeli and Egyptian officials to further discuss the details of the Hamas-Israeli cease-fire, which began to take hold last week, Hamas said in a statement. Representatives of the Egyptian intelligence will meet

with each side separately and then shuttle between both delegations to deliver responses to draft agreements, the newspaper said.

Gaza deputy foreign minister Ghazi Hamad was quoted by al-Sharq alAwsat saying that opening the border crossings will be a major issue on the agenda.

Discussions will include topics such as opening border crossings and easing Israel’s economic blockade in Gaza, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh’s office said.

A high-level delegation from Gaza arrived in Egypt ahead of the talks “to complete arrangements,” according to

the prime minister’s office.

The ongoing talks come as Palestinian Authority leaders plan to renew their bid for statehood before the United

Nations this week.

A member of Hamas’ politburo, Izzat a-Rishak, published the details of the agreement between Israel and the

Palestinian organizations on Facebook: “Israel will stop all its anti-Gaza sea, land and air activities including invasions and targeted killings. “The Palestinian organizations will stop their Gaza-based activities against Israel, including rocket-launches and border attacks.

“Gaza land crossings will be open and easements granted for the passage of people and goods. This step will be effective 24 hours after the agreement is put into effect. Talks on the additional topics will be held if so requested.” A vote on the Palestinian status is expected at the United Nations on Thursday.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

NEWS

09

Arafat’s Grave Opened, Samples Taken To Be Tested For Poison Palestinians will go to The Hague if he was poisoned

Tawfiq Tirawi, head of the Palestinian commission investigating Arafat’s death, said: “If it is proved that Arafat was poisoned, we will go to the international court.”

His remarks were made at a press conference which took place several hours after the veteran leader’s remains were exhumed for testing by a team of international experts.

The removal of the samples was conducted by a Palestinian doctor in the presence of experts from Switzerland, Russia and France.

Members of the Palestinian Presidential Guard moved the coffin from the tomb to a nearby mosque in the Palestinian presidency’s Ramallah headquarters.

The remains were put on a plastic stretcher at the mosque where the samples will be taken, the source said.

Tawfiq Tirawi, head of the Palestinian committee investigating Arafat’s death, was

present during the digging along with investigators and experts from Switzerland, France and

Russia, the source added.

The Palestinian senior Mufti, the secretary-general of the Palestinian

presidency and the attorney general attended the exhumation.

A military reburial ceremony

will be held soon. Tight security measures were taken to ensure the secrecy of the process, news agencies reported.

The investigation aims to find out if Arafat’s 2004 death in a French hospital resulted from poisoning.

The Palestinians suspect that the Zionist entity poisoned Arafat when he was besieged in his Ramallah headquarters before falling ill.

Al-Jazeera Channel, the Dohabased Arab news network, aired a report citing the Institute of Radiation Physics as saying that traces of radioactive polonium-210 were found on Arafat’s underwear and toothbrush.

Earlier this year, Swiss experts tested Arafat’s personal belongings after Arafat’s widow, Suha, filed a civil lawsuit at a French hospital asking for a murder investigation into her husband’s death. The Palestinian leadership also decided to bring in the Russians for a more credible inquiry.

Drop neutron bomb on Afghanistan- France to support Pakistan border says Lord Gilbert Palestinian ‘statehood’

In a bizzare suggestion to crack down on terrorism, a former British Labour defence minister has suggested to drop a neutron bomb on the Pak-Afghan border for creating an impassible barrier between the two countries.

Speaking in the House of Lords, John Gilbert said Britain could use the radiation warheads “to create cordons sanitaire along various borders where people are causing trouble”.

“Your Lordships may say that this is impractical, but nobody lives up in the mountains on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan except for a few goats and a

handful of people herding them,” he said last week.

“If you told them that some ERRB (Enhanced Radiation Reduced Blast) warheads were going to be dropped there and that it would be a very unpleasant place to go, they would not go there.

“You would greatly reduce your problem of protecting those borders from infiltration from one side or another.

“These things are not talked about, but they should be, because there are great possibilities for deterrence in using the weapons that we already have in that respect.”

Neutron bombs are a type of thermonuclear weapon designed to kill people while leaving physical structures such as buildings intact.

Responding for the government Jim Wallace said the coalition did not share the “rumbustious views” of Gilbert.

Gilbert, who served Tony Blair in the late 1990s as a defence minister and was a member Intelligence and Security Committee while he was an MP, said he did not favour a nuclear-free world.

“I am absolutely delighted that nuclear weapons were invented when they were and I am delighted that, with our help, it was the Americans who invented them,” he explained. “If we think of a world in which they had not been invented, it is very easy indeed to see world war three starting on many occasions after 1945.”

French will vote in favour of Ramallah’s bid for recognition as a non-member observer state at UN, minister says.

France will vote in favour of Palestinian “non-member status” at the United Nations.

“This Thursday or Friday, when the question is asked, France will vote yes,” Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced in the lower house of parliament.

The move recognises efforts made

by Palestinian officials to establish a statehood bid for the occupied territory.

With Tuesday’s announcement, France

- a permanent member of the Security Council - becomes the first major European country to come out in favour of potential Palestinian statehood.

The Palestinians say the assembly is likely to vote on Thursday on a resolution raising their status at the United Nations from an observer to a non-member observer “state”, a move they believe is an important step toward a two-state solution with Israel.

The draft seeking the status upgrade also calls on the UN Security Council to “consider favourably” the Palestinian request for full membership made one year ago. The US has been blocking that move at the 15-nation council.

NEWS

10

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

Hijab first in British parliament

Sumaiya Karim a 16-year-old girl became the first person in the House of Commons’ 700 year history to appear in the Muslim head covering.

According to British daily newspaper, The Times, Miss Karim took to the box as part of Britain’s Youth Parliament’s annual session in the Commons. Having been voted in to represent the views of young people in her home borough of Wokingham, west of London, Karim addressed over 300 fellow members in a debate on the national curriculum while wearing the Muslim headscarf.

The headstrong teenager was quick

to shatter any speculation about her choice of dress, saying: “Wearing the hijab was my own choice.”

Her appearance might have sent shock waves through the dusty British political system but for Karim it’s back to school as usual on Monday. As she concentrates on studying for her A-levels, the ambitious student says she plans to become a surgeon before embarking on a career in politics later in life.

Sumaiya Karim, from Wokingham, was speaking during a debate on whether children should be given a greater say over the contents of the national curriculum, as the Youth

Parliament held its annual session in the Commons.

Speaking out for a radical overhaul of the system, which would give youngsters greater life skills, Sumaiya is thought to have made a small piece of history as she appeared at the despatch box in the Muslim headscarf.

She said: “If it’s true then it’s amazing. Wearing the hijab was

She added: “Today was a once-ina-lifetime experience. Our national curriculum is such an important issue. We live in such a diverse society and it’s important that we are more culturally aware.”

In her speech, she called on ministers to allow a committee of young people to review the national curriculum, which she said should include a greater focus on political

“What’s parliament? How do I get through uni? What’s a cash ISA? And more importantly why does my favourite chocolate bar as a kid go from 10p, to 15p, to 17p, and now ridiculously 20p?”

In a vote, the youngsters chose to make national curriculum reform their campaign for the coming year. Only 23 members voted to keep public transport as the issue

my own choice. It’s a choice that I made a few years ago when I found the hijab.”

Sumaiya, studying biology, chemistry, maths and history at A-level, wants to become a surgeon before embarking on a political career later in life.

education, as well as sex and relationship advice.

She told more than 300 members of the Youth Parliament: “What does it mean when I say that I am dating someone? What’s commitment?

What impact does having a baby have on my life?

for the youth parliament, while 154 voted in favour of making the national curriculum the campaign for the year.

At 16 years old, it looks like Britain will have to wait some time before Karim becomes a Member of Parliament for real.

Gujarat riots case: Zakiya Jafri loses right to file petition against SIT’s closure report An Ahmedabad court has ruled that 2002 Gujarat riots victim Zakiya Jafri has lost the right to petition against a closure report filed by a Special Investigation Team that gave a clean chit to Chief Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year.

The court observed today that Ms Jafri - wife of Congress leader Ehsaan Jafri, who was burnt alive by a riotous mob in February 2002 - had failed to file the petition despite repeated extensions being granted.

Ms Jafri’s lawyer has contended that she had informed the court earlier that she had sought some clarification from the Supreme Court and needed time to file her petition. He said

they would challenge today’s order in the Supreme Court.

Ms Jafri’s case relates to the killing of her husband and 68 people on February 28, 2002 at the Gulberg Housing Society in Ahmedabad where the

Jafris lived. Ms Jafri alleges that Mr Modi and several senior ministers and officials did nothing to prevent the killings, despite several frantic calls made by Mr Jafri to the police and even to the Chief

Minister’s office, for help as a mob attacked the housing complex.

The Supreme Court had set up the SIT to look into Ms Jafri’s case and other cases.

In February this year, the SIT

gave a clean chit to Mr Modi, saying it has found no evidence against him and 61 other accused in the case. The SIT filed a closure report on which the Ahmedabad court has been conducting a hearing.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

NEWS

11

Malala sixth on ‘global thinkers’ list

Pakistan’s teenaged rights activist Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban for standing up against

Microsoft founder Bill Gates is ranked fifth, while US President Barack Obama is seventh. The list

The 15-year-old Malala has been encouraging fellow Pakistanis to stand up to the Taliban, who

the terror outfit and pushing for education for girls, has been ranked sixth by Foreign Policy magazine in its top 100 global thinkers list.

Aung San Suu Kyi, who continues her struggle for democracy in Myanmar, is ranked first on the list which also features former US president Bill Clinton and secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

comprises people who have strived for excellence in their respective fields, Geo News reported.

Apart from Malala, former Pakistani ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani, his wife Farahnaz Ispahani and blogger Sana Saleem, a well-known campaigner for women’s rights in Pakistan, also feature on the list.

have been trying to push girls out of classrooms. She was shot at in

October but has since recovered.

Malala was going to school in a van in the Swat Valley in Pakistan’s northwest when Taliban rebels stopped the vehicle and asked other girls to identify who Malala was.

After shooting two other classmates girls, they fired at Malala, striking her in the head and neck. Malala was flown to Birmingham where she was treated at a hospital.

The Indians in the list include Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who features way below at the 77th place.

Somalia, and Mississippi, India’s Bihar state has been called many unflattering names; it’s often referred to as the country’s ‘bleakest state’ and the ‘jungle Raj’ for its colonial levels of poverty and corruption.”

“Many viewed it as one of the most dysfunctional corners of a country world famous for government dysfunction. Much of that began to change, however, when a low-key bureaucrat from a local centre-left party, Nitish Kumar, won the 2005 election and set out to clean up a wasteland where 100

Describing Nitish Kumar, the magazine says: “Like Haiti,

million people are squeezed into a territory smaller than Arkansas.”

Other people of Indian origin in the list include Raj Chetty, a Harvard University economist, noted author Salman Rushdie, novelist Pankaj Mishra, Canadian Ricken Patel of the civic organization Avaaz, and entrepreneur Vivek Wadhwa.

Cyril Smith should have faced abuse charge - CPS Crown Prosecution Service says changes in law and attitudes would mean late Liberal MP would now be likely to face charges

The late MP Cyril Smith should have been charged with sexually abusing young boys more than 40 years ago, the Crown Prosecution Service said today.

Smith, who died two years ago, represented Rochdale for 20 years as a Liberal and a Liberal Democrat and became known not just for his immense girth but for his direct speech.

In the wake of the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal, he was accused in the Commons earlier this month of having administered indecent punishment to vulnerable children in his care.

The Crown Prosecution Service has said that a decision in 1970 not to prosecute the MP Cyril Smith over multiple allegations of child sexual assault would not have been made today.

Citing changes in the law and attitudes, the announcement is the first official recognition that Smith, a former Liberal MP, went to his grave without having to answer for his alleged crimes.

The CPS said: “The decision made in 1970 would not be made by the CPS today.”

The announcement comes amid renewed recent interest in Smith’s conduct and allegations of a cover-up.

In a long statement, the CPS said that in 1970 prosecutors were passed a file by police containing allegations from eight men that Smith had sexually assaulted them as teenagers.

Despite the allegation being similar and the indecent assaults being “allegedly conducted on the pretexts of either a medical examination or punishment for misbehaviour”, a decision was made not to prosecute.

The boys all lived at “Cambridge House children’s home in Rochdale (six of them), or were dependent on Cyril Smith for either employment, financial support or some sort of guardianship”, the CPS said.

The decision in 1970 by the then director of public prosecutions (DPP) was not to prosecute because of what was judged to be a lack of corroboration and because “the characters of some of these young men would be likely to render their evidence suspect”.

Simon Danczuk, the Labour MP for Rochdale who first raised allegations against Smith on the floor of the House of Commons, said the CPS has serious questions

to answer over its failure to act in the past.

“What has become clear today is that Cyril Smith should have been prosecuted for sexual abuse,” Danczuk said.

“We now know that the CPS failed to act on police officers’ recommendations on three occasions.

“In the last week I have met with senior police officers

from both Lancashire and Greater Manchester police, who told me they had seen the files I had requested at [prime minister’s questions].

Sources close to the current Greater Manchester police (GMP) inquiry into the Smith investigations said the CPS’s statement had been released as a face-saving exercise because of intense pressure from former detectives who worked on the cases.

Former detectives had dug out damning evidence of abuse, as well as testimony from officers recommending prosecution, sources said. GMP officers are believed to have held meetings with CPS officials last week about how best to handle the case, with GMP officers keen to release the files as soon as possible.

Sir Cyril, a lifelong bachelor who once said he was ‘married to politics’, served as Rochdale’s MP from 1972, when he secured a huge swing from Labour, until his retirement in 1992 after a by-election victory that saw him become only the seventh Liberal MP at the time.

He was famously outspoken and changed parties three times during his career. He was made an MBE for public services in 1966 and knighted in 1988.

Nick Clegg in those days described him as ‘one of the most recognisable and likeable politicians of his day’.

He said: “Everybody in Rochdale knew him not only as their MP but also as a friend. He was a true Liberal.

NEWS

12

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

Nasrallah says Hezbollah will hit Tel Aviv if there is another war

Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Sunday that the Lebanese Islamic resistance movement would fire thousands of rockets into Israel in any future war and would target cities in Israel’s heartland.

Nasrallah’s comments came days after an eight-day Israeli offensive against Gaza ended with a truce.

The Hezbollah secretary general said Gaza resistance fighters had won “a clear victory” against Israel with their rocket bombardment, The Associated Press reported.

Nasrallah said in a speech in Beirut that the Fajr-5 attacks “shook Israel.” He asked: “How is it (Israel) going to stand thousands of rockets that will fall on Tel Aviv and other areas if it launches an aggression against Lebanon?”

He spoke via a video link from a secret location to tens of thousands of supporters in Beirut who gathered to mark Ashoura, the annual Shia commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson.

“The battle with us is going to be all over occupied Palestine,” Nasrallah said. “From the border with Lebanon to the frontier with

Jordan to the Red Sea.” “The Israelis should listen well to me. From Kiryat Shemona to Eilat,” Nasrallah said referring to a northern Israeli town near the border with Lebanon to the southern resort town of Eilat on the Red Sea. On Friday, the Hezbollah secretary general congratulated all the Muslims on the Palestinian resistance fighters’ victory over Israel and said that Tel Aviv failed to achieve its goals in its weeklong offensive in the Gaza Strip.

“Once again blood had triumphed over the sword,” Nasrallah said.

Israeli airstrikes, shelling, and artillery fire left at least 160 Palestinians, including many women and children, dead and over 1200 others injured from November 14 to November 21.

An Egypt-mediated ceasefire agreement, which took effect at 1900 GMT on Wednesday, ended the eight-day Israeli onslaught on Gaza.

The Hezbollah chief stated that Israel failed to achieve any of

its goals, saying, “(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu did not set high goals for this war; he set low goals so that he would achieve them and announce his victory, but even these he failed to achieve.”

Nasrallah pointed out that “the first goal was to destroy the Palestinian resistance’s leadership. He failed in this respect. The second goal was to destroy the resistance’s missile system. He also failed (to achieve this goal). The third goal was to reinforce Israel’s deterrence

power. The (Gaza) war rather weakened this power.”

He went on to say that the assassination of Hamas commander Ahmed al-Jabari is a big loss, but the resistance movements no longer depend on individuals.

The Hezbollah chief said Palestinian fighters managed to fire as many as 200 rockets a day from Gaza into Israel during the war.

The Israeli military frequently bombs the Gaza Strip, saying the actions are being conducted for defensive purposes. However, disproportionate force is always used, in violation of international law, and civilians are often killed or injured.

Gaza has been blockaded since 2007, a situation that has caused a decline in the standard of living, unprecedented levels of unemployment, and unrelenting poverty.

The apartheid regime of Israel denies about 1.7 million people in Gaza their basic rights, such as freedom of movement, jobs that pay proper wages, and adequate healthcare and education.

Saudi Shares Rise on Bets Drop Amid King Health Concern Overdone Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index, the Arab world’s biggest, rose from a 10-month low on bets selling this month prompted by concern about the king’s health was overdone given the country’s economic prospects.

Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), the world’s largest petrochemical maker known as Sabic, gained 0.9 percent. Food producer Savola Group rose the most since Oct. 17. The Tadawul All-Share Index (SASEIDX) climbed 0.4 percent to 6,547.19 at the close in Riyadh after earlier tumbling as much as 1.5 percent. The gain was the second in 13 trading days.

Today’s advance trimmed the index’s decline this month to 3.6 percent, selling triggered in part by concern about the king’s health after he underwent back surgery. The drops didn’t reflect “the fundamentals of

the country and in particular of the banks and consumer companies,” said Oliver Bell, who manages $312 million in Africa & Middle East Funds at T. Rowe Price. The fund is “buying

month. The largest Arab economy is set to grow 5.1 percent in 2012, the second-fastest pace in the Gulf Cooperation Council after Qatar, according to the median forecast of 15

Riyadh Governor Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud (L) and other family members carry the body of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, who died in America on Saturday October 20, 2011, at Turki bin Abdullah Mosque after the funeral prayer in Riyadh October 25, 2011.

into this weakness,” he said.

King Abdullah’s surgery was successful, the government said this

economists compiled by Bloomberg.

Mohammed bin Nayef was appointed as Saudi Arabia’s interior minister

earlier this month, bringing into focus a younger generation of Saudi royalty as the monarch lines up his potential successors. Mohammed’s father, Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz, was interior minister for three decades until his death in June.

“The succession, when it happens, will be a lot smoother than many expect,” Bell said.

Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, was reassured about the health of King Abdullah during a visit to the King Abdul Aziz Medical City in Riyadh yesterday. Commander of the National Guard Prince Miteb bin Abdullah and Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah received the crown prince at the hospital.

Former Lebanese Premier Saad Hariri and a number of princes, ministers and scholars also visited the hospital to inquire about the health of the king who is recovering after a surgery. In another development, the crown prince received a Saudi citizen, Dhiyab Al-Otaibi, who pardoned his son’s murderer to mark the successful operation of the king.

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

NEWS

13

544th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak 4000 Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan to celebrate

Over 2,500 Indian Sikh yatrees reached Gurdwara Janamasthan by three special trains to participate in the celebrations of the 544th birthday of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Jee in Lahore on Sunday.

More than 4000 pilgrims will participate in Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary celebrations at his native place Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. While 2,208 pilgrims boarded two special trains from Attari international railway station to travel to Lahore, another 178 crossed over through the WagahAttari road check-post.

In the list of those who left by train are 899 people, who are part of the jatha of Shriomani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which is being led by member Jang Bahadur Singh Rai. Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh guru, was born on the full moon day in the month of Kartik as per the Hindu calendar. Hence, his birthday is celebrated as Guru Nanak Jayanti.

Besides Nankana Sahib, the jatha will also pay obeisance at Panja Sahib and Dera Sahib in Lahore among other shrines, before returning home on December 4.

“We are on a pilgrimage to the place where Guru Nanak was born; God

whenever a jatha went to Pakistan there was talk of a threat. “But with God’s blessings nothing has happened so far and this time too nothing will happen.”

Referring to the threats by terrorist outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistani Taliban about avenging Kasab’s hanging, Jaswinder Kaur, said: “It is the duty of the Pakistan government to rein in such groups.

Our security is the responsibility of

While boarding the second train, Kuldip Singh put the security onus on the Pakistani government. “If any untoward incident were to occur, it will have a bearing on the relations between the two nations,” he added.

SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar has already written to the Indian and Pakistan governments about the safety of the pilgrims after Pakistani terror groups threatened

will look after us,” said Jaswinder Singh, a pilgrim as he boarded the

the Pakistani government.”

They said they had no security fears

to target Indians.

first train from here.

The same feeling was echoed by Devinder Singh, who boarded the train with his family. He said

while leaving for Pakistan. They said the Sikh community respected Interior Minister Rehman Malik for declaring Nankana a sacred city.

Confusion prevails trains arrive late

trains, which were supposed to take them to Attari and then to Pakistan, arrived late at the Amritsar railway station.

Left with no option, they boarded taxis, autorickshaws and any other vehicle to make their way to Attari.

Even at Attari they had to wait for hours before the first train arrived at 2pm. The second train from Pakistan also got delayed due to the late arrival of the first one here.

The first train crossed over at 4pm; the second, two hours later. A third train arrived later, but by then all the pilgrims had left for Lahore.

“The delay was due to a communication gap between the Indian Railways and the Pakistan Railways,” a railway official at Attari said. “However, everything was sorted out later and Pakistan Railways sent its trains.”

According to procedure, pilgrims board the trains from Amritsar and come to Attari where customs and immigration clearance take place.

Thereafter they leave for across the

as border.

Pilgrims had a harrowing time as

For the 178 pilgrims, who left by buses, there was no hitch in reaching Pakistan.

French minister ‘does not want Mittal in France’ Arnaud Montebourg does not want steel giant ArcelorMittal in France anymore and is looking for an industrial partner with which to take the group’s operations there over on a temporary basis, he said today in an interview.

“We do not want Mittal in France any longer because they do not respect France,” Montebourg told the French financial daily Les Echos.

“Mittal’s lies since 2006 are damning,” the French minister said, adding that the company “has never honoured its commitments” to the country.

ArcelorMittal has shut down blast furnaces in Florange, eastern France, but wants to maintain its other activities there, in what has become a showdown with the new Socialist government in France.

Montebourg told Les Echos he was working on a “transitory nationalisation” project for the site. The newspaper said that “the idea would be to associate an industrial operator with a minority capital stake for as long as it

takes to stabilise activity” at the plant.

On October 1, ArcelorMittal said it would shut down the furnaces for good and gave the French government two months to find a buyer.

With the Saturday deadline

approaching rapidly, tension between the steel giant and France has risen sharply because the government says it has two offers, but only for the entire site.

After Mittal refused to sell the entire operation, Montebourg raised the threat of a temporary nationalisation in a hearing before French senators last week.

That was followed by Mittal warning that a sale of the entire Florange site would threaten the viability of the rest of ArcelorMittal’s activities in France, where the group says it employs 20,000 workers.

NEWS

14

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

“We will make a similar attempt again,” TTP

Why Pakistani Taliban wants to kill pro Osama bin Laden Hamid Mir? Taliban claim bid to kill Hamdi Mir

Pakistan’s umbrella Taliban faction claimed responsibility on Tuesday for planting a bomb under the car of Hamid Mir a prominent journalist and TV anchorman and threatened a second assassination bid.

Mir is known for his previous contacts with Pakistan army’s various intelligence agencies as well as with the top leadership of Taliban, Al Qaeda and Sipah-e-Sahaba.

However, in recent years, Mir has started highlighting Pakistan Army’s brutalities in Balochistan and has also spoken against the duplicity of the “Deep State” (Pakistan Army) in dealing with Deobandi militants (Taliban, ASWJ etc) in FATA and Afghanistan.

Hamid Mir who incurred the Taliban’s wrath by criticising it for trying to assassinate the schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai vowed on Monday to continue “speaking the truth” after a bomb was found planted under his car.

Mr. Hamid, despite his recent pretensions was a product of the establishment and a product of the ISI and Pakistani Army. As a journalist he had deep links, and was rewarded by allowing him to interview Osama Bin Laden. In his recent role, he has been very critical of the Army, the ISI, and the Talibs. At the height of the Bombay crisis, Mr. Mir challenged the government’s story and tried to show that the Indians were right and the Pakistanis were wrong.

He made a lot of enemies that day.

Hamid Mir Says Osama Bin Laden Still Alive. Hamid the sole journalist to have interviewed Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks as he claimed. He has been called the media face of the Taliban, a CIA agent and more.

Ryan Mauro is the national security analyst of RadicalIslam.org, the founder of WorldThreats.com and a frequent guest on Fox News Channel.

On May 25 2006, Hamid Mir gave an interview to Ryan Mauro titled ‘Al-Qaeda’s Hidden Arsenal and Sponsors‘. Regarding a book Hamid Mir claimed he is writing he said I am going to write about how 9/11 was planned and implemented by Osama Bin Laden. What happened to Osama Bin Laden after 9/11? How did he escape from Tora Bora? These words have been forgotten by the press today. Hamid Mir was bent on “proving” Osama bin Laden was responsible for the 9/11 attacks whereas top US government insider Dr. Steve Pieczenik already mentioned in 2002 and recently in 2011 that Osama was killed in 2001 and that 9/11 was an inside job.

When Ryan Mauro asked Hamid Mir How many nuclear weapons does AlQaeda possess?

Hamid Mir answered As far as I know, they smuggled three suitcase nukes from

month in the wake of the shooting of teenage activist Malala Yousafzai.

Only a few days ago, terrorists tried to kill Qazi Hussain Ahmed (former Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami). In a video message, Hakeemullah Mehsud very strongly criticized Qazi Hussain because of Qazi’s pro-Sunni-Shia unity stance. Hakimullah described Shias as Kafir (infidel) and declared that Qazi and all others who treat Shias as friends will be treated as Kafir and Wajib-ul-Qatl (worthy to be killed). Hamid Mir could easily fall into that category because of his recent interview with Iranian President and also in view of the fact that he invites Shia Muslim scholars to his TV program Capital Talk and seeks to promote Sunni Shia unity.

“Life and death is in the hands of Allah.

Allah saved his life but we will make a similar attempt again,” Tehreek-e-

was later executed. Pakistan’s Jang media group has formed a committee to ascertain whether well-known TV anchor Hamid Mir had been taped speaking with a Taliban operative even as media reports said intelligence agencies had confirmed the authenticity of the recording.

2010 telephone conversation between Hamid Mir and a Punjabi Talib “Usman Punjabi” took place days before Khalid Khwaja, an ISI operative, was killed by his kidnappers, the Punjabi Taliban. It is pertinent to mention that the audio conversation presented in this post appears to be an intentional leak by the Punjabi Taliban or the ISI (first posted on the ISI fan page on facebook). While the exact intentions of this leak are yet not known.

Mir has been at the centre of a controversy after several websites uploaded a 13-minute audio conversation he

Russia to Europe. They smuggled many kilos of enriched uranium inside America for their dirty bomb projects. They said in 1999 that they must have material for more than six dirty bombs in America.

They tested at least one dirty bomb in the Kunar province of Afghanistan in 2000.

Then how can Hamid Mir “prove” otherwise? Who is he serving? He died at Tora Bora as reported in the Pakistan Observer in 2002 and in an Egyptian newspaper in Arabic that he was buried at Tora Bora. If Hamid was telling the interviewer back then “I am going to write about… How did he escape from Tora Bora?”, he was laying the seeds of disinformation back then which has taken form today as the ultimate hoax that fooled the world: Osama was “killed in Abbottabad”.

Hamid Mir, who hosts prime-time show Capital Talk on Geo television and writes a column for the biggest-selling newspaper Jang, was criticised by the Taliban last

Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said by telephone from an unknown location.

“Hamid Mir earlier shot into prominence for working in the interest of Islam and Muslims. We targeted him because now he is working against Islam and Muslims,” he said.

Police said the device -- half a kilogram of explosives fitted with a detonator -- was found stuck under his car in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Monday.

Mir’s status as a hate figure for militants is a marked change from an earlier period in his career when he had a good working relationship with both Pakistan’s military establishment and militant groups, becoming one of the few journalists to interview Osama bin Laden.

But in 2010 a tape recording of a conversation believed to be between Mir and a Taliban spokesman showed the journalist apparently urging the movement not to release a hostage who

purportedly had with a Taliban operative.

In the tape, Mir and the militant discuss the activities of former Inter-Services Intelligence officer Khalid Khwaja, who was recently abducted and killed by the Asian Tigers, a group of Punjabi Taliban. Mir, who “disowned the voice (said to be his) and termed the audiotape fabricated,” . However, several TV news channels quoted sources as saying that three intelligence agencies had confirmed the authenticity of the recording after a detailed investigation. The Daily Times newspaper, which first reported on the tape, has said that information passed on by Mir to the Taliban “could have led to the execution” of former ISI official Khalid Khwaja.

Osama Khalid, the son of Khwaja, has said that he will take legal action and register an FIR against Mir for “playing an instigative role in his father’s murder.”

“Hamid Mir Number 1 Enemy Of

Pakistan” Says Son Of Khalid Khawaja in an interview on Samaa TV he also claimed Hamid Mir was involved in the killing of his father. Khalid rejected Mir’s claims that the recording was doctored, saying the tape was original and he would prove it in court.

We will defeat terrorism, Malala tells Hamid Mir “We will defeat terrorism,” teen peace activist Malala Yousufzai, currently recuperating in a British hospital after she was shot at by the Taliban, told journalist Hamid Mir after he escaped an attempt on his life on Monday.

Malala, who is in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, made her first telephone call to Mir, Geo News reported on Tuesday.

“Malala Yousafzai and her father just called me from UK and expressed their solidarity. Malala said that Insha Allah we will defeat terrorists,” Mir tweeted.

From a critical angle, it should be noted that the bomb planted beneath Mir’s car was perhaps not intended to kill him.

Deobandis are neither short of suicide bombers nor do they usually fail in killing their intended targets Deaths of thousands of Shias, hundreds of Sunni , and dozens of political and religious leaders are an evidence of that.

Thus, the intention was only to terrorize Hamid Mir, or perhaps making him aware of possible consequence if he does not refrain from criticizing Pakistan army and its sponsored Deobandi militants.

We also note that a few details are strange from the news reports. For example, why the device was so visible in a beg planted beneath the car? And according to Hamid Mir he suspect the bomb was planted in a secure area.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

NEWS

15

Action after Facebook arrests: Two police officers suspended

Two policemen have been suspended for arresting two young women in Palghar, near Mumbai, for an anti-bandh post on Facebook on the Sunday that Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray’s funeral shut Mumbai down. As the Maharashtra government cracked the whip, it also admitted that its policemen do not know much about laws that govern the use of Information Technology and that they need to be trained.

One woman had posted , “Everyday 1000s of people die but still the world moves on. Just due to one political leaders death... everyone just goes bonkers. They should know we are resilient by force, not by choice. Respect is earned, not given and definitely not forced.

Today Mumbai shuts down due to fear and not due to respect.”

Her friend “liked” it. A case was registered on a Shiv Sena leader’s complaint and both the women were arrested that evening. The two cops suspended today - Superintendent of Police Ravindra Sengaonkar and Inspector Shrikant Pingale - were advised by seniors that they did not need to arrest the women, but they did so regardless, said Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil today. A third Palghar cop, an Additional Superintendent of Police, has been issued a letter of displeasure.

The father of one of the victims, however, said all he wants is that the charges against her daughter should be dropped. “My main interest is

dropping the charge so that my child is free. As far as suspensions are concerned, these are not really of any interest to me. I don’t have any enmity towards anyone. Their treatment was OK, they did not harass us in any way. However, this is a happier news,” he said.

He also recollected that the day before the arrest, when they were entering the police station, huge crowd had gathered outside and as they were walking towards the building, two women slapped his daughter several times. He said he doesn’t know if the women were members of the Shiv Sena.

Earlier today, the Bombay High Court transferred the judge who sent the two 21-year-old women to

judicial custody after their arrest, and then granted them bail on a bond of Rs. 15,000 each. First class judicial magistrate Ramchandra Bagade was transferred to Jalgaon from Palghar with immediate effect this morning, a week after he gave judgment in the Facebook arrests case.

Today’s action against the policemen is based on recommendations made in an inquiry report submitted

by Inspector General (Konkan Range) Sukhwinder Singh. Mr Singh has also reportedly said in his confidential that sections applied in the case were not justified. Mr Patil promised to look into this. Action in the case is being supervised at the highest level; the home minister said

he had met Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan early this morning to discuss the matter.

The women were arrested under Section 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and Section 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the IT Act. A clinic owned by one of the victim’s uncle was also ransacked by a group of alleged Shiv Sena workers. Ten people were arrested for the attack, but were all released on bail of Rs. 7,500 each as surety. Half the amount the women had to pay.

Palestinians Predict Historic UN Vote on Statehood Palestinians say UN bid is last-ditch peace effort Britain and Australia to abstain from UN vote on Palestinians the United States and Israel strongly oppose.

U.N. member states will vote Nov. 29 on a resolution to grant “non-member observer state status” to Palestine.

Abbas plans to submit Palestine’s second bid to upgrade its status at the United Nations on Thursday. The new bid is watered down compared to a full membership proposal that Abbas presented in September last year. This time he aims to ask the 193-member General Assembly to change Palestine’s status to a non-member state.

A bid for U.N. recognition of a state of Palestine is a last-ditch attempt to rescue troubled Mideast peace efforts, a Palestinian spokeswoman said, rejecting Israel’s charge that it is an attempt to bypass negotiations.

Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, urged the U.S. to drop its opposition to the bid, dismissing Washington’s stance as “pathetic” and harmful to American interests in the region. The Palestinians have come under intense pressure from the U.S., Britain and others to modify the bid but “have not

succumbed,” she said.

On Thursday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas plans to ask the U.N. General Assembly to recognize Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, areas Israel captured in the 1967

Mideast war. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, but still controls most access.

The Palestinians expect some two-thirds of the General Assembly’s 193 members will accept Palestine as a non-member observer state. The U.S., Israel, Canada and a few others are opposed.

The vote will not change the situation on the ground, yet the Palestinians still say it is significant.

Abbas has said U.N. recognition is not meant to replace negotiations with Israel, but to improve Palestinian leverage and secure the pre-1967 war frontiers as the baseline for future border talks - an idea Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected.

This does not mean the U.N. vote will pave the way for a quick resumption of talks, which broke down four years ago.

Abbas has said he will not negotiate as long as Israel keeps expanding settlements on war-won land. Half a million Israelis now live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, blurring the 1967 lines. Abbas aides have said they expect key European countries to support the U.N. bid at the last minute in an attempt to strengthen Abbas.

On Tuesday, France announced its support, followed on Wednesday by similar pledges from Spain, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland. Germany said it would not support the initiative. Russia and China, two other permanent members, have also thrown their support behind the Palestinian bid.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has suggested the UK is likely to abstain in a key vote on upgraded diplomatic status at the UN for Palestinians. He said the UK would not oppose moves to recognise the Palestinians as a “non-member observer

state”.Germany will not back a Palestinian bid for a diplomatic upgrade at the United Nations, the government spokesman said on Wednesday.

Australia will abstain from a U.N. General Assembly vote on Palestinians becoming a nonmember observer state in a decision that has divided its government and been condemned by the opposition party. The US and Israel oppose the move, citing concerns that the Palestinians are trying to seek full statehood via the UN, rather than through negotiation as set out in the 1993 Oslo peace accords under which the Palestinian Authority was established.

The Palestinians plan to seek membership or access to a number of international and U.N. agencies, including the International Criminal Court, once their statehood bid is approved.

Israel would respond “forcefully” if the Palestinians try to pursue war crimes charges against Israel at the ICC, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss policy considerations. If the Palestinians use their upgraded international status “as a tool to confront Israel in the international arena, there will be a response.”

Until then, he said, Israel will be bound by its obligations to the Palestinians under existing peace agreements, but won’t necessarily go beyond them.

Earlier there was talk of Israel’s retaliating by canceling the partial peace accords.

NEWS

16

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

Despite Threats, Imam Hussein Followers around World Renew Allegiance

MILLIONS of Shiites flooded the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala on Sunday for the peak of Ashura rituals, which have been largely spared the attacks that struck pilgrims in past years.

Millions of mourners from inside and outside Iraq visited the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (as) in Karbala on the tenth day of Muharram to revive the memory of Ashura, when Imam Hussein, his household, and friends were martyred by the army of Yazid in an inequitable war.

Around four million people visited the holy shrines of Imam Hussein and his brother Abulfadel Al-Abbas (as), chanting slogans of allegiance to Imam Hussein, and support to Islamic unity.

The commemorators also expressed rejection to any kind of oppression and to the offences against Muslims and their sanctities, specifically those against the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).

Ashura ceremonies took place amid strict security measures, as the

slogans like “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”, in reference to the lesson learned from Karbala battle, which calls on people in all ages to confront tyranny and arrogant regimes.

Yemen also witnessed Ashura

Similarly, Afghanis from different sects and backgrounds mourned Imam Hussein in different Afghani cities amid intense security measures.

In Pakistan, a bomb attack targeted Ashura commemorators killing five

operations were adopted by Taliban.

commemorations, as a massive procession was organized in the northern city of Saada, in which participants renewed their adherence to the path of Imam Hussein (as) against oppressors.

For its part, the Alliance of Yemeni

of them and wonder over 80 others in the northwestern city of Dera Ismail Khan.

A bomb had also exploded Saturday in Dera Ismail Khan in a mourning gathering killing eight people and wounding tens others, and another

religious solemnity and in a befitting manner.

The day is being observed in the Muslim world as a symbol of “sacrifice and mourning” recalling the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain Ibn Ali (RA), a grandson of

Iraqi security forces implemented checkpoints to ensure visitors’ safety, and Helicopters flew over the city for surveillance.

Other cities in Iraq, such as Baghdad, Najaf, Koufa, and others also witnessed massive Ashura processions.

In parallel, commemorators revived the memory of Ashura in several Arab and Islamic countries.

In Iran, masses took to the streets to hit their chests and mourn, chanting

Tribes condemned bomb attack that targeted a Ashura procession in the capital Sanaa killing four people and wounding 13 others, and considered that this “is a serious attempt to stir sectarian tension”.

A number of processions was organized in Sanaa, where people chanted against America and Israel, and called for supporting the resistances in Palestine and Lebanon, condemning the Israeli violence in Gaza.

one in Rawalpindi killing 23 people and wounding 62 others. Both

Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), in the battle of Karbala on the 10th of

Ashura observed

The Muslims in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world observed the holy Ashura on Sunday marking the 10th day of Muharram with due

Muharram 1329 years ago.

In the historic battle, Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) along with his 72 followers were martyred by the soldiers of Yazid at Karbala in Hijri 61 while fighting for establishing truth in the society.

The word Ashura means simply “tenth” in Arabic, and therefore the name of the remembrance, literally translated, means “the tenth day”.

Shia Muslims brought out the largest procession known as Tazia in the city from Imam Bara at Hosenee Dalan of old part of Dhaka.

Besides, several processions were brought out from the city’s different areas including Mirpur, Mohammadpur and Purana Paltan.

In the processions, the Shia Muslims expressed mourning and grief by flagellating themselves on the back with chains, beating their heads intending to connect them with Imam Hussain’s (RA) sufferings.

Other programmes of the day includes Quran Khwani, Milad Mahfil, fasting

and feeding the destitute.

Different religious organisations, including Islamic Foundation, organised various programmes to observe the day, a public holiday in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and other private TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes, while newspapers published special articles highlighting the significance of the day.

Continued on page 17 >>

Continued on page 17 >>

Thousands take part in Ashura rituals in south Lebanon

Thousands marched through the

streets of Nabatieh, south Lebanon, Sunday as part of Ashura Day amid tightened security measures.

Security forces, on a heightened state of alert after reports of a possible attack on mourners, prevented vehicles from entering the city, where throngs of Shiite worshipers took part in Ashoura rituals.

With blood streaming down their faces, men, some women and children, listened intently as a preacher known by his first name as Ahmad recounted the story of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammad, who tradition holds was killed in 680 AD by the armies of the Caliph Yazid.

Millions of Shiite pilgrims flocked Sunday to Karbala, Iraq, where the revered imam is buried.

Prior to the march that began at 7 a.m., all eyes were turned to a stage set up in Nabatieh where performers reenacted Imam Hussein’s battle and his final hours.

The worshipers were keen to dispel any misinterpretation of the rituals, some of which include lacerations to

the head.

“The media portrays us as criminals but we want to clarify that this mourning we do is for the love of the community,” said worshiper Khalil

Some women also lacerate themselves as part of the rituals.

Seen as a religious duty by some, others in the city discourage the practice and urge that the event

On the sidelines, some women distribute juices to bleeding men while medical staff keep a close eye out for any medical emergency.

Other similar marches took place

Myanmar.

A young Shia muslim boy pounds his chest alongside his father as they mark the day of Ashura on November 25, 2012 in Yangon, Myanmar. The

Hammoush while carrying his crying son who also had an incision to the head.

Shallow cuts to the forehead are often undergone as a sign of mourning for

serve instead as an opportunity for blood donations, something that Hezbollah has encouraged over the years.

Among the crowds, members of the

Sunday in Beirut’s southern suburbs as well as in Tyre and Bint Jbeil, south Lebanon, most of which were organized by Hezbollah.

Shia muslims mark the Day of

Imam Hussein.

Khodr Kamal, known in the city as “the cutter” and who has taken part in the annual ritual for over 30 years, said he took all the precautions to make sure the incisions he made didn’t lead to infections.

“I always use alcohol to clean the sword after each person and I am especially careful when it comes to young mourners,” he said.

“I am extremely gentle with the children,” he added.

Hezbollah’s Health Committee dot back and forth to draw blood from volunteers for hospitals.

Ashura, striking themselves till they are bloody with razors and chains on November 25, 2012 in Yangon,

day of Ashura is a national holiday held on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar, with men beating themselves as they mourn the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. There are approximately 20,000 Shia muslims in Myanmar.

Female Shia muslims pray inside a local mosque to mark the Day of Ashura on November 24, 2012 in Yangon, Myanmar. The day of Ashura is a national holiday held on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar, with men beating themselves as they mourn the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. There are approximately 20,000 Shia muslims in Myanmar.

A Shiite Muslim self-flagellates during a religious procession marking Ashura on November 25, 2012 in New Delhi, India.

Iranians are covered with mud during a ritual ceremony called Kharrah Mali in Bijar, located in Kurdistan Province,

Millions of Iranians held mourning ceremonies of Ashura nationwide on Sunday.

Ashura is the mourning day

17

COMMENT

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

Ashura Mourning in Kaduna, Nigeria

Iran on November 25 , 2012. Shiite Muslims all over the world celebrate Ashura to mourn the slaying of Prophet

among Shiite Muslims to mark the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammed, who was killed and buried in Iraqi city of

Mohammad’s grandson Imam Hussein, in the battle of Karbala in the year 680 A.D.

Iranians mourn in Ashura

Karbala in 680 AD. Mourners from Iran and some other countries generally clad in black took to the streets or gather

in mosques to commemorate the day. In Tehran, the mourners marched in the streets, weeping and chanting religious anthems.

Some others, out of their homes or standing by the sides of the streets, distributed food, sweets and drinks to the crowd.

Similar ceremonies were held in other Iranian cities and villages where people also stopped business and economic activities and participated in public processions for ceremonial chest beating as a display of their devotion to Imam Hussein.

18

ENTERTAINMENT

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM Rajesh Khanna grabbed kissed me when I was COMPANY LIMITED IN CINEMAS and 13, claims Anita Advani 20th DECEMBER IN 3D & 2D forget.

LIFE OF PI stars newcomer Suraj Sharma as Pi, Gerard Depardieu (Cyrano de Bergerac), Rafe Spall (Prometheus), Irrfan Khan (Slumdog Millionaire) and Tabu (The Namesake).

Twentieth Century Fox are delighted to announce the theatrical release of LIFE OF PI in 3D and 2D on December 20th in UK and Ireland.

Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) directs LIFE OF PI, based upon Yann Martel’s beloved book, which went on to become one of the biggest publishing events of the past decade. An epic adventure of magical realism, LIFE OF PI follows the story of a young man’s incredible survival at sea against almost impossible odds.

A remarkable breakthrough in

the use of 3D technology, PI will take audiences on an emotionally

captivating journey that will inspire, touch and transport them to a place of discovery they will be unable to

tomorrow.

On October 25, Mr Jindal had released a video recording of meetings with executives of Zee TV and claimed this to be proof that they were trying to extort money from him. Mr Jindal said the news channel told his company’s executives that if they did not spend Rs. 100 crore on advertising, the channel would run negative stories on allocation of coal fields to his firm.

Mr Jindal said the “extortion attempt” was caught on a hidden camera; he released CDs of this footage to reporters. The ‘reverse

here in never-before-seen pictures of her and Rajesh Khanna, the superstar of romance.

“Rajesh Khanna had suddenly grabbed and kissed the complainant (Anita). She was too young to understand as she was still a minor

Bhatia (Twinkle Khanna), Rinki Saran (Rinki Khanna), and Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia (Akshay Kumar) as respondents.

According to the complaint, Rajesh Khanna was the one to make overtures to the 13-year-old Anita at the time they were introduced.

She went from being an unknown entity to a headline maker overnight.

Anita Advani who claims to be the late actor Rajesh Khanna’s live-in partner for eight years, is featured

and in awe of Rajesh Khanna,” Mid Day quoted the complaint, adding that Khanna later, sexually assaulted her.

The complaint also revealed that the veteran actor, who passed away this year, had asked Advani to keep their relationship secret, who in turn, agreed. Years later, when she demanded an explanation for his behviour back then, he was apologetic and even got into a relationship with her.

According to Mid-Day, the complaint also claimed that the couple was seen hugging and kissing at a party in 2000 and that the actor even promised to make his relationship with Advani public.

Advani also claims to be in possession of pictures and videos of “very private moments” at Aashirwad.

The case is slated to come up for hearing at the Metropolitan Court on Tuesday.

Yann Martel’s novel has been adapted into a screen play by David Magee (Finding Neverland), produced by Ang Lee, Gil Netter (Water for Elephants), David Womark (Stardust), co-produced

by David Lee. Cinematography

by Claudio Miranda (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), editing

by Tim Squyres (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). Production

Design by David Gropman (Date Night), music by Mychael Danna (Little Miss Sunshine).

Naveen Jindal vs Zee: Senior journalists arrested over alleged extortion

Two senior journalists of Zee News have been arrested in Delhi in connection with a sting operation that was carried out by steel tycoon and Congress MP Naveen Jindal who accused the channel of extortion.

Sudhir Chaudhary, the head of Zee News, and Samir Ahluwalia, the head of Zee Business, were arrested on charges of trying to extort Rs. 100 crore from Mr Jindals’ company in exchange for not airing unfavourable stories linking him and his group to the coal scam. Both of them will be produced in a court in Saket

Some shocking details of Rajesh Khanna and Anita Advani’s relationship have emerged in a domestic violence complaint that the latter filed in the Magistrate’s Court at Bandra. The complaint names Dimple Kapadia, Twinkle Rajiv

sting’ was carried out between September 13 and 19 over four meetings in different locations in Delhi. Mr Jindal’s company had also filed a police case with the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch against Zee, which is promoted by Subhash Chandra.

But Mr Chaudhary had rubbished the allegations as “fabrication” and described it as “pressure tactics” to prevent the channel from doing such stories.

“We have done a series of stories on coal scam based on official papers.

This is a retaliation to our relentless campaign against corruption,” he had said. The channel had also cited the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report that has named Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) as one of the beneficiaries of the allocation that was done bypassing auctions.

The media group also sent a Rs. 150-crore defamation notice to Mr Jindal, alleging that latter had wrongly accused it of blackmailing and extortion.

Satyamev Jayate: Khap critic shot dead; Aamir Khan asks for Police protection for victim’s family Abdul Hakim’s murder saddens Aamir Khan

The show had so far brought positive changes in the society; but in a shocking incident, a man who had appeared on Aamir Khan’s popular show ‘Satyamev Jayate’ few months back and spoken about the evils of Khap Panchayat was shot dead in his village in Bulandshahar, UP on November 22. Aamir Khan is saddened by the murder of labourer Abdul

Hakim, who spoke against khap panchayats on the superstar’s show Satyamev Jayate earlier this year. Hakim’s wife Mahvish on Monday alleged that her family was behind the murder of her husband, who was killed late Saturday in Bulandshahr. Hakim had married Mahvish despite resistance from their families.

Mahvish claimed that ever since the couple married in court two years ago, their families had been baying for the couple’s blood. The couple had appeared Aamir’s show Satyamev Jayate and spoke against “honour killings”.

aarc S

19

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

Work displayed in saarc int. are a review of southasianmedia.net.

The information on this page is for information purposes only.

The South Asia Tribune and SAARC International Ltd. assume no liability for any inaccurate, delayed, or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

The full story can be viewed at www.southasianmedia.net

international

Thursday, 29.11.12

TTP threaten to kill eight Gomal Zam Dam employees by Dec 3 if ‘demands’ not met

The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, on Tuesday, threatened to kill eight kidnapped employees of the Gomal Zam Dam project by December 3, if the government fails to meet their ‘demands.’

A video, which shows the kidnapped men seeking the government’s help and relaying the militants’ message, was released on Tuesday by the TTP – giving the government six days to react.

One of the kidnapped engineers, Shahid Ali Khan is seen speaking in the video, which has the TTP’s name written in the background, as well as gun-toting men whose faces cannot be seen.

The eight officials were kidnapped from Tank-Wana road as they were on their way from Gomal Zam Dam to Dera Ismail Khan for Eid-ul-Fitr holidays on August 15.

Besides Sub-Divisional Officer Shahid Ali Khan, a resident of Swat, and Sub-Engineer Sanaullah the abducted men also include four security personnel and two other staffers.

The 46-minute video shows Khan narrating his ordeal in Urdu and the militants’ demands

for their release, however, the nature of their demands remains unknown.

In the video, he says: “Assalam-o-Alaikum, my parents and friends, I am Shahid Ali Khan, we are recording this video on November 23, 2012 and December 3 2012 is our deadline.

If the government of Pakistan does not accept the demands, we will be killed. I am requesting the government, specially the Continued on page 20 >>

Pakistan tests N-capable Hatf-V missile

The missile has a range of 1,300 km and could hit targets deep inside India

Pakistan on Wednesday successfully test-fired the nuclearcapable Hatf-V ballistic missile with a range of 1,300 km that could hit targets deep inside India, with the military saying the launch was aimed at strengthening the Continued on page 29 >>

Court dismissed bail plea of Zee editors, Zardari qualified to become next prime minister: Kaira remanded to 2-day Police Custody * Kaira says if Gilani, Raja can become prime ministers, why can’t Zardari * No bar can be imposed on political activities of president

The bail pleas of two senior editors of Zee News accused of attempting to extort Rs. 100 crore from Congress MP Naveen Jindal’s company was on Wednesday rejected by a Delhi court, which remanded them in two-day police

custody.

Sudhir Chaudhary, head of Zee News, and Samir Ahluwalia, Editor of Zee Business, who were arrested for allegedly trying to extort money from Mr. Jindal’s group for not broadcasting news reports on

coal scam linking his firm, were produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha, who accepted police’s plea for their custodial interrogation.

Police told the court that Subhash Continued on page 20 >>

Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that the country had democracy because the Presidency was housing a political president, not a conspirator.

Addressing luncheon hosted for the editors, columnists and senior journalists from print and electronic media, he said that no bar could be imposed on political activities of President Asif Zardari as he is an elected president.

Kaira said President Zardari always use the Presidency for political reconciliation, and not for hatching conspiracies or evolving conflicts. He said that in the past, Continued on page 20 >>

SAARC

20

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

D8 agrees Afghan stability important for region’s development: FO

* Foreign secy says D8 Summit acknowledgement of member states’ close ties with Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani on Thursday said that D8 countries agreed that peace and stability in Afghanistan was important for development in the region.

Replying to queries of newsmen during his briefing in Islamabad, he said that Afghanistan was discussed in the statements of some leaders.

He said everybody agreed that peace and stability in Afghanistan would bring peace and stability in the region. Jilani said that the leaders of D8 were also briefed about the visit of the Afghan High Peace Council to Pakistan.

The foreign secretary said that the D8 Summit was the acknowledgement of the member

states’ close ties with Pakistan. He said that it was a very wonderful and successful summit held after eight years of any big event like SAARC Summit. The foreign

not. However, he said, the Egyptian president conveyed good wishes for the people of Pakistan.

“It was an important gathering of Islamic, developing and

secretary said Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi was supposed to come, but due to important developments in Gaza, he could

democratic countries,” he noted.

Jilani said that the president in his speech floated the idea of establishment of development and

Continued from page 19 >>

TTP threaten to kill eight Gomal

Wapda high officials and the political agents South Waziristan Agency to take measures for our release and accept the demands of Therik-iTaliban Pakistan because we have been living the most difficult days of lives here. Thank you.”

Security forces had managed to recover the vehicle of the kidnapped workers from Neeli Kach area of South Waziristan.

Local political administration have also held a number of jirgas (tribal council) of Mehsud tribesmen to discuss the means for the safe recovery of the eight men.

While no concrete demands have been put forth in this video from the militants, sources said that the TTP include release of prisoners and ransom money of more than Rs.100 million.

Court dismissed bail plea of Zee editors

Chandra, Chairman of Zee News, and Punit Goenka, MD of the channel, are also accused in the case.

It said Chandra was complicit in the demand of money. Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha remanded Sudhir Chaudhary, the head of Zee News, and Samir Ahluwalia, head of Zee Business, to police custody till November 30.

The police had sought three days custody of both the accused with Additional Public Prosecutor Rajiv Mohan arguing that their sustained interrogation was necessary to unearth the conspiracy in the case.

The police also said the two editors are accused of demanding Rs 100 crore from Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) in the form of advertisments to the channel.

JSPL is among the companies named in the CAG report as one of the beneficiaries of the controversial coal block allocations.

Police told the court that Subhash Chandra, Chairman of Zee News, and Punit Goenka, MD of the channel, are also accused in the case.

It said Chandra was complicit in the demand of money. Both the journalists have been booked under section 384 (extortion), 420 (cheating), 120

trade banks, encouraging barter trade and currency swap among the D8 member states. He said that the president also emphasised increased interaction between parliaments, media and civil society of the member countries.

The foreign secretary said that operationalisation of Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) was an important issue emphasised in the meeting. He said the next summit will be held in Turkey and stated that three important documents emerged from the summit that include Charter of the Organisation; Global Vision containing elements strengthening of democracy, rule of law, good governance and sustainable development, and

B (criminal conspiracy) and 511 (punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with

Islamabad Declaration.

He said on the sidelines of the summit, the leaders also discussed the situation in Gaza. He said everybody wants to have a ceasefire and urgent attention paid to the situation and also resolution of the Palestinian issue. The leaders also discussed the Syrian situation and exchanged views about what steps D8 can take to help resolve the situation. Replying to a question, the foreign secretary said the D8 leaders deeply appreciated the economic reforms process undertaken by Pakistan and also appreciated the fact that despite difficulties on the front of terrorism, the economy has been growing at a reasonable pace.

imprisonment for life or other imprisonment) of the IPC.

Zardari qualified to become next prime minister: Kaira the Presidency had been used to attack democratically elected governments.

He added that parliament would be incomplete without the head of state that was a part of it.

Kaira said that the president was in the Presidency to stop conspiracies. He said if Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf could become prime minister then why could not Asif Ali Zardari be the premier of the country while he had the complete authority to do so. The minister also said that while the people are the strength of political parties, all parties were forming alliances against the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Weak institutions, according to the minister, disintegrate society, rob people of their mandate and weaken ties between the state and the public.

The information minister said that if anybody thinks that keeping Nawaz Sharif out of the election process would be a national service then he is living in a fool’s paradise. He said separating Nawaz from politics is a wrong thinking. Dispelling the impression that elections could be postponed, the information minister said there is no possibility of delay in elections.

Regarding the formation of a caretaker setup in the country, the information minister said the caretaker setup would be announced after consultation with the opposition to ensure fair elections under an independent ECP. He said the caretaker prime minister would be a consensus candidate of the government and the opposition.

Dispelling the impression that the president could influence the upcoming general election, Kaira said President Asif Ali Zardari had already surrendered all his powers to parliament. Kaira said the caretaker government would hold general elections in collaboration with the ECP. Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Daily

Times Editor Rashed Rahman said that the decision in the Asghar Khan case had come 16 years late and this late decision would not be very effective. He said that army must realise that it should play its due role only, and that this would be beneficial not only for them but also for the country. He said that the country’s existence mainly depends not only on democracy but also on the civil-military relationship. Rahman said that the present government has a comparatively good track record as it had no political prisoners and has not resorted to political victimisation as was done by previous regimes.

Rashed Rahman said if Nawaz Sharif is talking like a statesman now it is the result of 10-year exile. He said that political rivalry should not reach a point where a third force takes benefit of the situation. Observing that freedoms have been granted and attained, he said now the nation is getting familiar with these freedoms. He said that terrorism is the main problem of the country these days, but as it is said that establishment has stopped patronising it, the menace would certainly be eliminated soon.

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

SAARC

21

WEEKLY REVIEW OF AFGHANISTAN NEWS

India, US to focus on development to stabilise Afghanistan The discussions saw a meeting of minds and congruence of perspectives on Afghanistan.

“There was a discussion of developments in Afghanistan, including the road map to the transition envisaged in 2014,” said official sources here Tuesday.

“Both sides agreed that economic development needs to be focused on in Afghanistan,” said the sources.

With the Asia-Pacific region emerging as a new arena of regional competition, Sherman explained the US’ rebalancing towards Asia, called the Asia pivot strategy in diplomatic circles.

The situation in West Asia in light of developments in Syria

With power games intensifying in the wake of the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan in 2014, India and the US have decided to develop an economic development-focused agenda to stabilise the country. The volatile situation in Afghanistan and the prospects of cooperation figured prominently during the talks between foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai and visiting US under secretary of state for political affairs Wendy Sherman on Monday.

The two diplomats discussed a cluster of bilateral issues, including ongoing efforts to implement the landmark India-US civil nuclear deal, counter-terrorism and defence cooperation.

10000 US troops to stay in Afghanistan past 2014 deadline

US may use ‘military means’ to defend Afghanistan until 2024 Ten thousand US troops will stay in Afghanistan past 2014, senior officials say, despite earlier demands from President Barack Obama to end the war during the second year of his upcoming term.

Most of the 66,000 or so troops currently positioned in Afghanistan will be removed by President Obama’s predetermined deadline, sources say, but a substantial amount of Americans will be asked to remain indefinitely to conduct training and counterterrorism operations after allied North Atlantic Treaty Organization troops are expunged in late 2014.

The long-waited withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan may be not as “full” as had been expected. The US will help defend the country militarily for at least a decade after Afghans take control of their security, a National Security Adviser said.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Gen. John Allen, the top US commander overseeing the war in Afghanistan, proposed that anywhere from 6,000 to 15,000 troops remain overseas following the end of the current NATO operation occurring there. A number closer to 10,000 was established after top Obama administration officials reached a compromise with the Pentagon, the paper reports.

However, the claims have not been confirmed by the Obama administration,

with White House spokesman Jay Carney telling reporters Monday that the president was still reviewing the proposal.

“He will evaluate proposals from the Pentagon and elsewhere on what we might negotiate with the Afghan government on a future presence in Afghanistan,” after the 2014 deadline, Carney told the press, adding that “that presence would be very limited in scope.”

If the Obama administration does approve the plan, Afghan President Hamid Karzai will have to give his blessing before any number of residual troops is made official. The Journal reports that such an agreement is likely,

pending Washington’s willingness to agree to Kabul’s key demands, including an all but certain provision stipulating that US troops be tried in Afghan courts for any future mishaps while in the country. Only after a deal is struck between presidents Obama and Karzai will the final number be cemented.

Just last month, though, the Pentagon official expected to soon take over for Gen. Allen’s role as top commander in Afghanistan announced that he was planning on leaving Americans in Afghanistan as long as necessary. .

In May of this year, Pres. Obama said, “As our coalition agreed, by the end of 2014 the Afghans will be fully responsible for the security of their country.”

and violence in Gaza also figured during the discussions.

Mathai underscored India’s interest in importing LNG from the US. Besides Mathai, Sherman also met external affairs minister Salman Khurshid and national security adviser Shivshankar Menon. During his discussions with Sherman, Khurshid indicated that he looked forward to engaging with the Obama Administration to take our relationship forward.

US President Barack Obama met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Cambodia last week and underlined that “India is big part of my plan”.

Brutal Attack On Teen caught Muslim Girl in Hijab so he can’t do it again to another Continued from page 1 >>

who knocked her unconscious. The attack occurred in Plaistow, east London, last Tuesday around 12:30 p.m., the Daily Mail reported in a story headlined: “Is this the most brutal thug in Britain?”

The teenage student, who collapsed to the pavement after one powerful punch in Plaistow, east London, explained she wanted the thug to be caught so that he could not injure anybody else.

She said she had “no idea” what was about to happen when he ran up behind her in broad daylight as she walked to college and viciously swung at her. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the teenager said that “the next thing she knew”, she was waking up in an ambulance taking her to hospital.

“It was really bad,” she told ITV’s London Tonight, dressed conservatively in a black belted coat and headscarf. “I had a migraine, my chin was grazed and sore, my teeth were hurting because they were chipped and I couldn’t talk. I hope he does get caught so he doesn’t do it again to another person. I hope I am his last victim.”

The girl said she had seen a man looking at her when she had briefly gone back into her house to get the mobile phone she had left behind. It appears that he then followed her down Plaistow High Street and savagely attacked her just 500m from her home, outside the Black Lion pub.

“It was really bad. I had a migraine, my chin was grazed so it was sore. My teeth were hurting because they were chipped, and I couldn’t talk. I hope he does get

person.”

She admitted she is scared to walk down the street alone since the vicious beating last Tuesday.

The shocking CCTV footage was circulated by police yesterday in an effort to find the man responsible, with the girl’s face blurred to protect her identity.

Police received an anonymous phone call informing them of Ayoade’s address.

Prosecutor Bandana Batra told Thames Magistrates Court that Ayoade admitted to doing it, it was a misunderstanding on his part. He had had too much to drink and smoke that day.’

‘He said he was going about his business and was intimidated by her look, she looked like she wanted a fight. She looked about 19 or 20. He did not approve of the way she looked so he went back and punched her....He said “Nah, that hurt, I can’t go further in my day taking an insult from a little person like that”.’

‘He thought to himself “No, no I am not taking this”,’ the lawyer said.

‘He never spoke to her, just punched her.’

Marianna Christou, defending, said that Ayoade had come to the UK from Nigeria when he was just three years old, and had to fend from himself from young age.

He was said to have no contact with his family.

Michael Ayoade, of Greengate Street, Plaistow, has pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Thames Magistrates Court. Ayoade, of Greengate Street, Plaistow, remains in custody and will appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court, a police statement said.

SAARC

22

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF BANGLADESH NEWS

Garment fire planned arson: PM

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Monday said the incidents of fire in garment factories, including Tazreen Fashions in Ashulia and at Dakkhin Khan in the city, were not ‘accidents’ rather ‘planned arson’ and it was time to identify the evil forces behind such crimes.

The prime minister concluding an unscheduled discussion on a condolence motion for the dead in the Ashulia fire and girder collapse in Chittagong said they were not isolated incidents rather linked to the same string.

She led parliament in condoling the death of innocent people in the fire accidents in two garment factories in Dhaka and the girder collapse in Chittagong.

Hasina in this context referred to the incident in which a woman garment factory worker was caught after attempting to set fire to the factory

of Debonair Fashions in Ashulia on Sunday and her confession that someone had paid her Tk 20,000 for it.

‘Two employees, Sumi and Zakir, have been arrested along with the one who provided the money. I have seen the video footage [of the incident] recorded by the CCTV at the factory that showed she was setting fire to an empty room,’ Hasina said. She said it was not a simple matter rather a powerful nexus was behind it and it was time to identify them.

‘It [Tazreen Fashions blaze] was not an accident rather a planned arson.

It was done at a time when buyers come and sign contracts,’ she said. ‘I do not know when such games over people’s lives will end.’

It all began with the sectarian violence at Ramu, then police became the target and now they have targeted garment factories which

are the main source of the country’s foreign exchange earnings, the prime minister said.

‘At first the police [became the target), now it is garment factories and we have to see what becomes the next target,’ Hasina said without referring to the anti-liberation forces.

Some other lawmakers hinted at Jamaat-Shibir links to the incidents.

Activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-eIslami and its student front Islami Chhatra Shibir recently launched a series of attacks on the police across the country.

‘After independence, jute warehouses were set on fire as jute was the main source of the country’s earning at that time. Now they have targeted garment factories,’ she said.

She also urged the factory owners and workers to guard against such plots and nab saboteurs.

Hasina also alleged that some

Nation to mourn Ashulia-Ctg tragedy Tuesday

HC to form body to probe Ashulia fire

The government has announced national mourning day for Tuesday in memory of the people killed in garment factory fire in Ashulia and flyover collapse in Chittagong.

It also announced a one-day vacation at all ready-made garment factories across the country for Tuesday.

The decision came at the weekly cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The High Court on Monday decided to form an independent committee to probe the fire that killed 111 people at a garment factory in Ashulia on the outskirts of the capital.

In response to a writ petition, the court

ordered Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association (Bela) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to suggest names for the committee within 10 days.

Four rights organisations -- Ain O Salish Kendra, Blast, Nijera Kori and Brac -- jointly filed the writ seeking High Court directives. The Dhaka district administration on Monday decided to wait one more day to bury the 58 unclaimed bodies of garment workers burned alive in the worstever factory fire at Ashulia. The bodies were set to be buried at Jurain graveyard once their DNA samples were preserved at Dhaka Medical

College and Hospital on Monday.

But Dhaka district’s Executive Magistrate Abdullah Al Mamun said they would wait another day for relatives to identify the bodies.

“The bodies will be kept at the morgue (DMHC) until 10am on Tuesday on humanitarian grounds following a government order. Bodies will be shown to those coming in search of their loved ones,” said Mamun.

He said a man named Abdus Sattar identified his wife’s body after DNA sample was taken around 4pm.

Sattar was then handed the body of ‘Morzina’.

Of the 60 bodies kept at DMCH on being retrieved from Tazreen Fashions on Sunday, relatives took the body of another worker named ‘Munni’ on Sunday night, said Dhaka district’s Additional District Commissioner Abul Fazal Meer.

DNA sampling of the rest 59 bodies began at 1pm on Monday.

quarters were trying to fish in troubled waters after the incidents of fire and girder collapse. ‘Many tried to trigger trouble and obstructed rescue operation instead of extending helping hands to the victims. Similar things happened in Ramu and it was again seen at Bahaddarhat,’ she said.

Tofail Ahmed said the Jamaat-Shibir might have been involved in the arson attacks on garment factories that killed 109 workers. Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon said fire incidents were taking place in garment factories as errant owners could escape responsibility for such tragedies.

Mosharraf Hossain said, ‘Only adopting a condolence motion is not enough.’

Ruhul Amin Howlader demanded a judicial inquiry into the incidents of fire.

Primary and mass education minister Afsarul Amin and Shahriar Alam also spoke in the unscheduled discussion on the RMG fire incidents.

The prime minister, earlier on the day, at a regular cabinet meeting asked the law enforcement agencies and garment factory owners to remain alert against ‘possible acts of sabotage’ throughout the country.

She expressed the apprehension that some quarters might be engaged in sabotage to destablise the country as her government was left with one year to complete its five-year tenure.

‘The prime minister has ordered the law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant against possible acts of sabotage in apparel factories.

She also asked the factory owners to strengthen their own security arrangements to prevent the recurrence of such incidents,’ a minister told New Age quoting her.

Dhaka-WB ink $70million deal

Bangladesh signed a financing agreement worth $ 70 million with World Bank on Monday for a project on use of information and communication technology (ICT) for economic growth and employment.

Economic Relations Division (ERD)’s Senior Secretary Iqbal Mahmood and World Bank Bangladesh’s Country Director Ellen Goldstein signed the agreement at ERD office in Dhaka, aiming to create an estimated 30,000 jobs in IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) sectors.

The project styled “Leveraging ICT for Growth, Employment and Governance” will require a cost of $ 71 million, of which Bangladesh will inject $ 1 million.

The rest will be financed by the

International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank, which includes 0.75 percent service charge on the discharged amount.

The repayment period of the credit is 40 years including a grace period of 10 years.

The Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under the Ministry of ICT will implement the project by Dec 31, 2017.

“The project will meaningfully leverage ICT for development and will allow Bangladesh to tap the tremendous potentials of the global ICT industry,” the ERD Senior Secretary said.

Goldstein said the project would directly benefit 30,000 youths who would gain marketable and globally-recognised ICT skills. “Of them, 9,000 will be women,” she said.

According to World Bank’s media release, apart from direct job creation, the project has the potentials to create up to 120,000 indirect jobs. It expects to increase the ICT industry revenue by over $ 200 million by the end of the initiative in Dec 2017.

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

SAARC

23

WEEKLY REVIEW OF BHUTAN NEWS

Australians intend to end child hunger in Bhutan

Australians will learn about the importance of ending hunger and nutrition among children. This will be made possible after a video produced

by Yum Australia, who are visiting WFP school meal programmes in Bhutan. The video will be screened across supermarkets, restaurants and other places in Australia and New Zealand.

A team of ambassadors and fund raisers representing Yum Australia (a combination of three worldfamous brands KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell) are in Bhutan to evaluate school feeding system. They will take videos at five WFP beneficiary schools — two schools from Thinleygang in Thimphu, Punakha Higher Secondary School and Goenshari School in Punakha, and Drukgyel Higher Secondary School in Paro.

The video will be screened in

Australia and New Zealand to raise fund as part of World Hunger Relief Australia Campaign. The entire fund raised will be donated to United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Then the money will be divided among the needy countries.

Because not many Australians knew where Bhutan is, it was difficult to raise fund, said Marie Hatcher, a team member. She said that once they have the video, it will be easier to convince the donors about the needs. People didn’t know the problems faced by Bhutanese students. Their visit, she said, will help communicate to the donors and raise as much money as possible.

Satbinder Singh of Yum Australia said their interaction with the officials of Ministry of Education was helpful.

He said the team learned that school feeding programme not just fed the children but also encouraged them to

go to school.

Yum Australia has been supporting school feeding system in Bhutan through WFP since 2009. Until now, the organisation has contributed USD 285,633 to WFP Bhutan.

According to WFP Bhutan, there are 37,096 planned beneficiaries that needed 3,215 metric tonnes of food which worked out to USD 3,227,731.

WFP’s activities in Bhutan, according to their website, support the nationwide trends of increased enrolment and attendance rates and reduced dropout rates. The school feeding system has also improved the nutritional status of school-going children.

According to Yum Australia, hunger and malnutrition are the number one risk to health worldwide – greater than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Among the key causes of hunger are natural disaster, conflict, poverty, poor agricultural infrastructure and over-exploitation of the environment.

Each year, WFP’s school meal programme provides daily meals to over 22 million school children in 60 countries. It costs only 25 US cents to feed a child for a day, and only USD 50 to feed a child in school for a year.

These meals encourage poor children, particularly girls, to come to school and allow students to concentrate better on their studies, giving them hope for a brighter future.

Bhutan Observes International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was held in the compound of RENEW yesterday, November 25, 2012.

The day was to offer greatest privilege and honor to hail and applaud Your Majesty Gyalyum Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck and the RENEW for being the beacon of hope and liberation for many helpless women and young girls in and around the country. It is also to end the pernicious pandemic of VOILENCE AGAINST WOMEN both locally and globally.

Bhutan establishes relations with Republic of Kazakhstan

Kingdom of Bhutan and the Republic of Kazakhstan have established diplomatic relations with effect from

Bhutan gives cold shoulder to Nepal

In an apparent snub, Bhutan has not responded to a long overdue proposal of Nepal to open its mission in Thimphu.

during their sideline meeting at the 16th SAARC Summit in Thimphu on April 28-29, 2010.

By forwarding a formal letter to

This is despite the fact that the then prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal had himself formally proposed the offer to his Bhutanese counterpart Jigme Y Thinley

Thinley, prime minister Nepal also assured that Nepal would be happy if Bhutan reciprocates by opening its mission in Kathmandu.

“Two and a half years passed since

then, but we have not received any response from the Bhutanese side,” a top official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) told The Himalayan Times.

A report prepared by the MoFA early this year has proposed to open up a residential mission in Thimphu at the soonest, referring to the multiple benefits of bilateral relations and possible areas of cooperation between the two Himalayan neighbours.

Diplomatic relations between the two South Asian landlocked Himalayan neighbours have been mostly lukewarm due to the Bhutanese refugee problems since late 1980s, when ethnic Nepali speaking people of Bhutan were forced to leave their motherland for Nepal seeking refuge.

“Now, we have to find out new

avenues to our ties, beyond the limits of the refugee problems,” Nepal told the media then in Thimphu, adding, “We can develop good relationship and better cooperation in areas of tourism, investment in infrastructure development and hydro-electricity, and share our experiences in forest conservation.”

He, however, went on to say that on normal circumstances any country should have got permission from the host country to open their embassy in another country, no matter how long they are enjoying good diplomatic relations.

The agreement of establishing diplomatic ties between Nepal and Bhutan was signed on June 3, 1983. Nevertheless, both countries have no residential mission in each other’s capitals.

November 20, 2012.

The Joint Communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations was signed between Lhatu Wangchuk, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bhutan to the United Nations, and Mrs. Byrganym Aitimova, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan in New York.

At the signing ceremony, the two Ambassadors expressed the interest of their governments to cooperate closely in the bilateral and multilateral fields. In particular, they expressed the desire to further deepen the present level of cooperation between the two countries at the United Nations and at other multilateral forums.

The two Ambassadors also discussed the possibility of exchange of bilateral visits at all levels as well as the exploration of trade relations including tourism between the two countries Kazakhstan is the 47th country with which Bhutan has established diplomatic relations.

SAARC

24

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF INDIA NEWS

India: Teacher parades schoolgirl, 13, naked for ‘stealing’

The girl was forced to remove her clothes by a female teacher at a school in north-west Delhi after being accused of stealing money and a mobile phone from a classmate.

She returned home after school and jumped off the balcony of her fourstorey block of flats. Her relatives said she had been distraught by her public humiliation.

Her case emerged amid a series of reports of brutal attacks on children by teachers throughout India. A four year old boy was forced to drink his own urine by his nursery teacher in Andhra Pradesh to punish him for wetting himself. A five year old boy in the same state was beaten up by a grammar school principal, while a seven year old Dalit girl was thrashed by her mathematics teacher for

failing to solve a problem. A teacher was arrested in Madhya Pradesh for partially scalping an eight year old girl .

Back in 2011 A six year-old Indian Muslim girl from the Islamic School in Shahpur Mill Compound was allegedly paraded naked by her class teacher because her handwriting was not good enough. She was later locked

up in a washroom and made to clean the toilet bowls.

2010, A class three student was paraded naked on her school premises after her family failed to pay the school fees, in Faridabad, Haryana.

Colin Gonsolves, director of India’s Human Rights Law Network, said while corporal punishment in schools is illegal it remains widespread.

“In practice we are still beating our children in our schools It doesn’t just include beating the child, we have witnessed cases of sexual abuse, mental harassment and long term psychological traumas in many children. As far as the schooling system is concerned we are still living in dark ages and acting as an uncivilised and backward society,” he

said.

The problem continues, he said, because many parents and police officers do not consider it wrong for a teacher to beat a child. “they think its been done for the betterment of the child.” he said.

“We need to launch massive campaigns in schools to educate children about their rights,” he added.

No consensus at all- 4 years after 26/11, Mumbai still unsafe party meet on FDI

An all-party meeting Monday failed to break the parliament logjam over foreign investment in multi-brand retail with opposition MPs adamant on the demand for a debate under voting rules, rejecting the government’s appeal to reconsider their views.

Consensus eluded an all-party meeting called on FDI issue on Monday even as Samajwadi Party and BSP provided comfort to the government by not insisting on voting and Trinamool Congress sprang a surprise by speaking in a similar tone.

However, UPA ally DMK kept the suspense over its position on voting while conveying its concerns over allowing 51 per cent FDI in multibrand retail.

Opposition parties, including NDA, AIADMK, BJD, Left parties, TDP and JD(S) insisted on a discussion under rules entailing voting, making it clear that trouble will continue in Parliament which failed to transact any business for the third straight day today over the issue.

“There will be no compromise on

(discussion under Rule) 184 (which entails voting),” said Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj after the two-and-a-half hour-long meeting.

Asked if the BJP would not allow Parliament to function, she replied, “no compromise at all...

When I said no compromise, it means something.”

Highlighting the fact that there was no meeting ground between the government and opposition over voting issue, Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete said, “There was a discussion but no decision.”

The government got comfort as its outside supporters SP and BSP made it clear that they would be willing for discussion under any rule. They did not press for voting and left the decision to the Presiding Officers of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Trinamool Congress, which only last week moved a No-Confidence Motion over the FDI issue, sprang a surprise as it also did not insist on voting and said the Chair should decide the rule under which discussion could take place.

As Mumbai marks the fourth anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks on Monday, days after the hanging of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the sole surviving terrorist who struck the city, the government has failed to deliver on the critical issue of coastal security, leaving the city as vulnerable as it was four years ago to an attack from the sea.

Mumbai police commissioner Satyapal Singh admitted on Sunday there are still unresolved “issues” relating to the ambitious coastal security plan, saying the police top brass was still trying to address problems regarding men, machinery and logistics of the coastal security setup.

The loopholes in coastal security of the nation’s financial capital were exposed in the mock drill conducted by the police in October, in which “terrorists” managed to breach coastal security in three places and enter the city. The policemen who posed as “terrorists” managed to reach the Gateway of India without being intercepted, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, a vital installation, as well as Marine Drive. “There are also a few problems with recently-acquired patrol boats, which include maintenance and technical issues.,” said Singh. While accepting problems in the coastal security, Mr Singh also expressed

confidence that the police is fully prepared to face any eventuality.

However, the ground realities are different. The four amphibious ‘Sea-Legs’ patrol boats were purchased by the Mumbai police in 2009 have seen regular breakdowns owing to maintenance issues.

Two of the boats were out of action for several months between 2010 to 2012 for deficiency in maintenance. The much-touted coastal security plan included setting up of coastal police stations, buying boats to patrol the coastline and a renewed effort of coordinating with the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. However, so only a temporary Sagari police station is functional.

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

SAARC

25

WEEKLY REVIEW OF PAKISTAN NEWS

19 killed by ‘toxic cough syrup’ in Pakistan 20 victims aged 15 to 45 had been admitted after drinking the syrup and most had a history of addiction, said a local hospital official.

At least 19 people have died after drinking a toxic cough syrup in Lahore, forcing authorities to close three pharmacies and a medicine factory, officials said Monday.

The deaths occurred in the low-income Shahdra Town neighbourhood between Friday and Sunday with the victims mostly drug addicts who took the syrup to get high, said local police station chief Atif Zulfiqar.

The scandal comes after around

100 heart patients died in January in Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city, after taking faulty medicine made locally.

“At least 16 people, mostly drug addicts, have died after taking the toxic syrup,” Zulfiqar told AFP,

updating an earlier death toll of 13.

“Some of the victims were found dead in a graveyard where addicts used to take different kinds of drugs,” he said. Seven others died in hospital.

Three pharmacies have been shut down and their owners arrested, he

added.

The health adviser for Punjab province, Khawaja Salman Rafiq, said the syrup would be confiscated from all pharmacies.

He said inspectors had shut down a drugs factory and sent samples to a

laboratory for detailed analysis.

“Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered an inquiry and a report will be submitted to him within 72 hours,” Rafiq said.

Doctor Tahir Khalil at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital said 20 victims aged 15 to 45 had been admitted after drinking the syrup and most had a history of addiction.

“One of the victims who was in critical condition died today and the total deaths in hospital are seven,” Khalil said.

“Six people were saved and were discharged after treatment, while seven others were still admitted to hospital,” he added.

Imran Khan turned 60 on 25th November decided not Ardeshir Cowasjee passes away to celebrate his birthday this year on account of Ashura

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, a leader

who has gained massive popularity among the youth for his vows to bring change in Pakistan, turned 60 today.

His ardent followers on Twitter made the trend #HappyBirthdayImranKhan the top trend of the day in Pakistan.

Although, Khan decided not to celebrate his birthday this year on account of Ashura.

He was born on Nov.25, 1952 into a wealthy family in Lahore, educated at Pakistan’s top schools, and later attended Oxford University.

He became a top cricketer he is regarded as one of the best allrounders in cricketing history and his crowning moment was Pakistan’s World Cup of Cricket

win in 1992 when he was captain of the team.

He founded the PTI, described as a centrist party, in 1996. His party was slow to gain ground.

Top tweets Haroon Rasheed #HappyBirthdayImranKhan You are a legend. Be it cricket or politics you’re the mann!! :D @ ImranKhanPTI Fasih Durrani

#HappyBirthdayImranKhan We will celebrate your next Birthday as Prime Minister of Pakistan. #PTI #PAKISTAN Yasir #HappyBirthdayImranKhan with you in power, Independence will come for Pakistan, and freedom for its people in true sense !!

Sana #HappyBirthdayImranKhan May you lead us to a new Pakistan. Be

#HappyBirthdayImranKhan I believe you can change the politics of Pakistan. Live long and keep your promises. @ImranKhanPTI Abdul Aziz Imran Khan celebrating his 60th

it cricket, social work or politics, YOU have given everything a new dimension Abdul Wahab #HappyBirthdayImranKhan because believing that there is a

Birthday.. my bro jst textd me this pic.#HappyBirthdayImranKhan pic.twitter.com/zuzozBn2 Kapt Slim

change that people can only bring. we hope to see the pakistan that Jinnah founded.

Well-known for his outspoken stand against corruption, and various social & political issues, Ardeshir Cowasjee, a senior columnist, writer, intellectual and philanthropist passed away at a local hospital here on Saturday. Cowasjee was suffering from chest illness and had been admitted in a Karachi hospital’s Intensive Care Unit for the past 12 days.

Diehard Bhutto hater Once ally of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Cowasjee turned his critic after he was jailed by the then Bhutto regime in 1976. Cowasjee came from a well-off Zoroastrian family.

Based in Karachi, he was still managing his family business when, in 1972, Prime Minster Zulfikar Ali Bhutto appointed him as the Managing Director of the Pakistan Tourism Development Board (PTDB) – a body formed to accommodate and further attract Western tourists who had begun to come in droves from the late 1960s onwards.

Despite the fact that Cowasjee turned out to be an asset for the board, three years later in 1976, Bhutto suddenly got him arrested. Cowasjee spent days behind bars, where he continued writing letters to Bhutto asking him why he was put in jail. Bhutto never answered, even though he finally ordered his release after 72 days.

Many believe that Cowasjee faced Bhutto’s wrath because he had begun to criticise the Bhutto regime’s growing authoritarianism, in spite of it coming into power through the democratic process.

After Bhutto was toppled by General Ziaul

Haq in a military coup in 1977, Cowasjee began writing letters to Dawn’s ‘Letters to the Editor’ section castigating the fallen Bhutto regime. After taking Bhutto to task, his letters turned their attention towards the draconian doings of the Ziaul Haq dictatorship and its so-called ‘Islamisation’ project.

Cowasjee did this by simply stating over and over again that the Jinnah (founder of Pakistan) he had met and followed as a young man did not conceptualise Pakistan the way the country’s politicians and military generals were doing.

This argument of his struck a nerve with a number of Dawn readers and soon Cowasjee was invited by the newspaper’s editor, Ahmed Ali Khan, to write a regular column for what was and still is one of Pakistan’s largest English dailies.

In his columns of the mid and late 1980s he continued to bemoan how both Bhutto and Zia had gone about shattering Jinnah’s dream. After Zia’s demise in 1988, Cowasjee became even more pointed against the civilian governments that followed Zia, accusing them of corruption and nepotism.

Also, by the early 1990s, he had slowly been moving away from his old rhetorical style and towards putting on paper hard facts and figures as he went about like a man on a one-way mission putting parties like the PPP, PML-N and the MQM to sword.

Once during a Q/A session, a young man asked him for advice, hoping to get a rousing, patriotic response. Cowasjee said, “Get out of Pakistan while you can.” The fellow asked a counter question, “What if we can’t get out?”

Cowasjee said, “Then suffer”! The next day, a bunch of Indian newspapers were crowing about the fact that Pakistan is a failed state because one of its leading columnists advised Pakistanis to leave their country.

SAARC

26

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF MALDIVE NEWS

Maldives decides to scrap GMR contract, India reacts sharply

In a sudden and unilateral action, Maldives on Tuesday decided to scrap the $500 million contract given to GMR Group for developing Male Airport, evoking a sharp reaction from India which said it sends a “very negative signal” to foreign investors.

The Maldives Cabinet in a meeting on Tuesday decided to terminate the contract, Maldivian President’s press secretary Masood Imad said from Male.

In a statement, the Maldivian government said the decision to terminate the Concession Agreement signed on June 28, 2010, between GMR-MAHB consortium, Maldives Airports Company Ltd and the government was based on a paper presented by the Attorney General’s office prepared after a “thorough research done for the past nine months by a Cabinet Committee”.

The paper is based on “technical, fiscal and economic issues” and also includes the legal advice of lawyers from the UK and Singapore regarding the agreement which was “legally invalid, and impossible to further continue”.

The attorney general’s office will initiate arbitration proceedings against GMR Male International Airport Ltd (GMIAL), the Cabinet

decided, the statement said.

The $500-million project was hanging in balance ever since the regime change in Maldives earlier this year. The GMR group had won the contract during the regime of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Some coalition partners of the current regime headed by Mohamed Waheed had also held a rally against GMR on November 3.

The airport contract was awarded to GMR through a 10-month long global competitive

bidding process run by the then Maldivian government headed by Nasheed.

In New Delhi, the external affairs ministry came out with a strong reaction saying the decision was taken without due consultations.

India also asked Maldives to ensure Indian interests and security of Indian nationals in the Indian Ocean island country are “fully protected”.

“The decision to terminate the contract with GMR without due consultation with the company or efforts at arbitration provided for under the agreement sends a very negative signal to foreign investors and the international community”, MEA spokesperson said.

India, he said, expected that Maldives “would fulfil all legal processes and requirements in accordance with the relevant contracts and agreement it has concluded with GMR in this regard”.

The government of India would continue to remain engaged with the government of Maldives on this issue, he added.

The GMR Group termed the Maldivian government’s decision as “unilateral and completely irrational”.

Majlis call to hang Nasheed Envoy Zaki

MPs of the People’s Majlis have called to hang Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, former SAARC Secretary General and Special Envoy of former President Mohamed Nasheed in a sudden motion proposed to the meeting held yesterday by PPM’s Thimarafushee MP Ahmed Shareef.

Speaking on the motion some MPs expressed outrage over the remarks Zaki made to media during his recent visit to New Delhi that if MDP were in the government they would have Indian military to protect GMR. MP for Fares Maathoda Ibrahim Muththalib demanded Zaki should be arrested immediately on his return and hanged to death after investigation. MPs who are supporting the Government also said that those traitors who betray their nation are sentenced to death in other countries expressing their support to hang Zaki. MPs also condemned Zaki accusing him as one of the biggest traitors of the country. They also demanded the national honour conferred on Zaki also must be revoked.

MPs of main opposition MDP of former President Nasheed

defended Zaki saying that Zaki was appointed to the cabinet of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in very key ministries after the 3 November terrorist attack on the country.

They said this is ample reason to believe he was not involved in the aggression. MDP Mps also opposed to the motion voicing their disapproval for taking up such a motion against a state dignitary on whom a national honor was conferred.

During Zaki’s visit to India last week, he met senior Indian officials of the Indian Government

including External Affairs MinisterSalman Khurashid, National Security Adviser Shiv Shanker Menon and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai.

In India he advocated the need for seeking military help from India to defuse the current situation in the Maldives. When he was asked whether Maldives should seek military help from India, he said if we were in the Government, we definitely would have done it by now. If Islamic fundamentalists take over the country, my best friend India has to be on the ground.

Zaki accused Adaalath party, a key stake holder in President Waheed’s government is leading the protest demanding to terminate the lease of the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport which Nasheed government has signed with GMR. Adaalath party is the most extremist fundamentalist party in the Maldives, and they pose a big threat to our country, he told media in New Delhi.

Defence Ministry and political parties have condemned Zaki’s remarks warning that action will be taken against him.

“In a unilateral and completely irrational move the Government of Maldives has today issued a notice to the GMR Male International Airport Ltd (GMIAL) intending to take over the possession and control of the Ibrahim Nassir International Airport (INIA) under the pretext that the agreement is void,” it said in a statement.

“This unlawful and premature notice on the pretext that the Concession Agreement is void is completely devoid of any locus standi and is therefore being challenged by the company before the competent forums,” it said.

The company said it disputes the contention that the Concession Agreement is void, and added that it has taken all measures to continue operations at the INIA. “We are therefore taking all measures to ensure the safety of our employees and safeguard our assets. We are confident that the stand of the company will be vindicated in every way,” the statement said.

Nearly eight months after the regime change in Maldives, some Indian companies present there, including GMR, are blaming political interference for creating “undue challenges” for them.

Zaki accuses Govt of plotting Dr. Afraasheem’s murder

Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, former SAARC Secretary General and Special Envoy of former President Nasheed has accused that the Government has murdered renowned Islamic scholar MP for Ugoofaaru Dr. Afraasheem Ali. Afraasheem was brutally murdered on 1 October . Speaking to Raajje TV from India, Zaki who had been strongly condemned by some MPs in yesterday’s meeting of the People’s Majlis as a traitor deserving death penalty, said various sources in the government are pointing fingers to MDP accusing for the murder.

While the outcome of the investigations into the murder has not been revealed, he had a feeling of strong suspicion that the Government is involved in the murder of the MP, Zaki said.

Zaki, who held key portfolios in former President Gayoom’s Government stated that Dr. Afrasheem is a highly educated religious scholar of rational thinking and principles. He believes in moderation, the middle path which is the way the larger majority of the country believe. Dr. Afrasheem has great support and respect from the people.

The 67 year old MDP senior politician mentioned that Sheikh Imran Abdulla and Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem of Adalath party are well known for their extremist fundamentalist ideals and thinking and said they don’t want a popular and respected

scholar of Dr. Afrasheem’s calibre to be an obstruction to their hopes to achieve their wider political ambitions. Implicating the top leaders of Adaalath party in the killing, Zaki said it is very logical to come to the conclusion that such obstructions will be removed to clear the way.

Zaki has earlier this week speaking to media in New Delhi warned that Adaalath party is the biggest religious extremist group in the Maldives accusing them as a very serious threat to the country. He also expressed concern for the warnings and protests Adaalath party is continuing in a bid to take over Ibrahim Nasir International Airport from India’s GMR Infrastructure. He said if his party MDP was in the Government, MDP would have invited Indian military to protect GMR from the threat of extremist fundamentalist taking over the country.

Responding to Zaki’s remarks, Sheikh Imran has lashed out at Zaki calling him traitor.

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

SAARC

27

WEEKLY REVIEW OF NEPAL NEWS

Nepal’s population rises to 26‚494‚505 Women outnumber men‚ literacy rate up by 11.8 per cent

Nepal’s population has risen to 26,494,505 over the past 10 years — an increase by 3,34,3081, according to a new census, with the annual growth rate of 1.35 per cent.

Women in the country outnumber men by almost 80 lakh, with female population counted at 13,645,463 (51.5 per cent) against male population of 12,849,041 (48.5 per cent), according to the census.

The census conducted from June 17 to June 27 last year also marked hundred years of population counting in Nepal and a preliminary report was published on September 27 last year.

The census data show that more than half of the population, about 55 per cent, is below 25 years of age.

The total number of households has increased to 5,427,302 from 4,253,220 in 2001. However, the average household size (average number of family members) has gone down to 4.88 from 5.44 in 2001.

One in every four households (25.42 per cent) reported that at least one member of their household is absent or is living out of country.

The highest proportion (44.81 per cent) of absent population

is youth aged between 15 and 24 years. Gulmi, Arghakhanchi and Pyuthan districts have the highest proportion of their population being absent (or staying abroad).

There are some remarkable strides the country has made over the decade in terms of literacy, people’s access to electricity, telephone/ mobile phone, electronic items like radio, television and refrigerator, and cooking gas.

Overall literacy rate (for population aged five years and above) has increased to 65.9 per cent (from 54.1 per cent in 2001) with male and female literacy rates at 75.1 per cent and 57.4 per cent, respectively. The highest literacy rate is in Kathmandu (86.3 per cent) and lowest in Rautahat (41.7 per cent).

The sex ratio (number of males per 100 females) at the national level has come down to 94.2 from 99.8 in 2001 with highest sex ratio in Manang (127) and lowest in Gulmi (76).

While Tarai constitutes 50.27 per cent (13,318,705) of the total population, hill and mountain regions make up to 43 per cent (11,394,007) and 6.73 per cent (1,781,792), respectively.

Kathmandu has the highest number of population (1,744,240, an increase by 61.23 per cent from 2001) while Manang district has only 6,538 people residing there.

The urban population too has increased to 17.7 per cent from 14.2 per cent in 2001.

The census data show that the biggest chunk of total population

still get married between the age of 15 and 19 (48.9 per cent).

The census shows 11.5 per cent of population is married under the age of 14. More households in Nepal use mobile phones than toilets, according to the census, with 64.63 per cent of families having penetration to cell phones and only 61.83 households having toilets of their own.

At a glance • Population: 26,494,505 • Households: 5,427,302 • Average household size: 4.88 • Sex ratio (number of males per 100 females): 94.2 • Urban population: 17.7 per cent • Highest population: Kathmandu (1,744,240) • Lowest population: Manang

(6,538) Fascinating figures • The biggest chunk of total population still get married between the age of 15 and 19 (48.9 per cent) • Marriage under the age of 14 is still prevalent (11.5 per cent) • More households in Nepal use mobile phones than toilets, with 64.63 per cent of families having penetration to cell phones and only 61.83 households having toilets of their own • One in every four households (25.42 per cent) or at least one member of their household is absent or is living out of country • The highest proportion (44.81 per cent) of absent population is youth aged between 15 and 24 years

Maoist chief offers Nepal Consensus govt possible: Rayamajhi opposition top jobs

The leader of Nepal’s Maoists proposed a new unity government Tuesday, offering political rivals the pick of the top cabinet posts in a bid to end the deadlock crippling the restive Himalayan nation.

Maoist party chairman Pushpa

Kamal Dahal told reporters that he would let his rivals in the two largest opposition parties choose their ministries if they agreed to unite behind a Maoist premier in a crossparty administration.

“We are willing to allow Nepali

Congress to choose the ministries.

Factions within both the Nepali Congress and the Unified Marxist Leninists are positive about this,” Dahal said in a rare interview at his Kathmandu mansion.

The deal would provide hope of lasting consensus among Nepal’s warring political factions, who have been ordered by the president to form a new unity government by Thursday and end months of uncertainty in the impoverished country.

Dahal, better known as Prachanda from his time as leader of a decadelong Maoist insurgency, even entertained the possibility of one of the opposition groups leading a new government.

But he added that this would be unlikely to work with the parties still squabbling over the wording of a new peace-time constitution.

Minister for Peace and Reconstruction, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, said formation of national consensus government within the time given by the President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has the least possibility.

Talking to media persons in Chitwan district today, he said political consensus was a must but expressed his doubt that the consensus efforts might be disturbed due to the

President’s move of specifying time limit for consensus.

He was of the view that the political crisis could be resolved if the political parties forged consensus to transform the current government into a national consensus government.

He claimed that his party, the UCPN-Maoist and the government, has observed maximum flexibility to take initiative for consensus.

SAARC

28

Saarc international I Thursday 11 September 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF SRILANKA NEWS

Bar Association of Sri Lanka files a FR petition against the impeachment of Chief Justice

The Chairman of Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Wijedasa Rajapakse and three others filed a petition in the Supreme Court today citing that the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranaike had violated their fundamental rights.

The petitioners cited that the impeachment was unconstitutional and the attempt to impeach the Chief Justice may have an impact on the judiciary decisions on the government and on the entire judiciary system as well.

The Speaker of the parliament, the eleven representatives of the parliamentary select committee (PSC) and the Attorney General are the respondents of the petition.

The petitioners also cite that a bias occurs in the parliamentary select committee process that probes the

14 counts of charges against the Chief Justice.

The 11-member parliamentary select committee headed by Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa comprises 7 government members and 4 opposition members.

Sri Lanka Supreme Court last Thursday requested the PSC to suspend its proceedings until the

petitions filed against the PSC are heard. However, the PSC held its first session on Friday as scheduled Dr. Bandaranayake appeared before PSC with her legal counsels.

The PSC has asked her to submit additional materials on her answers to the 14 charges brought against her through the impeachment motion before the next session scheduled for

4th December.

The charges against Dr. Bandaranayake include among others, not declaring over 20 bank accounts in declaration of assets and liabilities, not declaring Rs 34 million foreign currency deposits, conduct unbecoming of a Chief Justice, misuse of power, and taking over cases, which involves her, from

other benches.

The Bar Council of Sri Lanka, the policy making body of the country’s lawyers and is made up of 78 representatives from Colombo and branch organizations, also adopted a resolution Saturday to call on the PSC to postpone sittings by two months.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission head and lawyer Dr. Prathibha Mahanamahewa has said that it is unconstitutional to take different actions at a time when the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice is before a parliamentary select committee.

Only judiciary actions or actions in complying with the Constitution should be taken in this connection and holding demonstrations and protest marches are illegal, he has pointed out.

Sri Lanka to lay a new petroleum pipeline Sri Lankan nationalist movement urges from Colombo port to Kolonnawa storage government to listen to Peoples’ Voice

Sri Lanka’s state owned petroleum distributor Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals (CPST) has started a joint venture with the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) to lay a new pipe line from the Colombo Harbor to the Kolonnawa storage terminal to transport oil.

The 14.5 kilometer long, 18-inch diameter pipeline is

expected to help unload tankers fast and minimize the maintenance costs and hazards.

Chairman of CPST, Major General M R W De Zoysa has said that currently a ship takes around four to five days to unload fuel due to the thinner diameter of the pump and the old pipelines also leak.

With the new wider pipeline the expected time to unload a tanker would be two days, the Chairman has said adding that it would save US$ 8 million per year.

CPST has already called for international tenders for the pipeline and the process of awarding the US$ 45 million contract to a bidder on a PAT basis is underway. The LIOC has 33 % stake in the venture.

Chairman of CPST, Major General M R W De Zoysa has said that currently a ship takes around four to five days to unload fuel due to the thinner diameter of the pump and the old pipelines also leak. Relaying the line will begin in early 2013 and it is expected to be finished within a year.

Colombo Kachcheri: Pristine glory in flames ...

Centuries old historic building that housed the traditional Kachcheri in Colombo from colonial times went up

in flames on Monday(26) night bringing tears to the eyes of many in the historic Hultsdorp Hill. The cause of the fire is

yet to be established.History went into ashes within hours as another historical building in the city caught fire.

A nationalist movement in Sri Lanka says that People have the supremacy and every government has to and would listen to the Peoples’ Voice.

Chief incumbent of the Naga Vihara in Kotte and Convener of the National Movement for Social Justice, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero says the movement plans to make a firm point to the government through the people of the issues that needs to be urgently addressed.

“It would be the people who would call on the government to take action against issues,” he said.

He explained that the 1978 constitution by the then president J. R. Jayewardene has created many unfair situations in the country.

“The main issue is the executive presidency that holds unlimited powers.

There are also other issues that need to be addressed as well,” he noted.

He observed that apart from the executive presidency, people also

oppose the preferential voting system.

“Candidates also have to spend a large amount of money to contest elections.

They then get pushed towards corruption by accepting bribes due to this reason. However, some areas with regard to the preferential voting system have been amended. The adverse areas in this system have now come out into the open,” the Thero said.

According to Ven. Sobitha Thero, the solution to all these issues is not another amendment, but a complete change in the entire Constitution.

Speaking of the issues faced by the judiciary, Ven. Sobitha Thero said the movement would also take up the issue.

“There was an independent Judicial Services Commission; the President now makes appointments to this commission. The President appoints even Supreme Court judges. There’s no independence in the judiciary then,” he pointed out.

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

SAARC

29

Missiles, Education, Poverty Pakistan successfully test-fired a nuclearcapable ballistic missile on Wednesday that can hit targets up to 1,300 km. Pakistan is conducting nuclear missile tests and reportedly plans to increase its nuclear weapons arsenal. While it develops these armaments poverty and food relief efforts for its own people remain low on funding.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is urgently seeking 15 million dollars as it tries to feed flood victims. It’s part of a larger relief operation to help the hungry in Pakistan who are suffering from conflict, natural disasters and poverty.

The Education for All Global Monitoring Report shows that Pakistan’s progress in getting poor girls into schools is less than half that of India’s and Nepal’s and a quarter of Bangladesh’s.

The report released by UNESCO Oct 2012 revealed that though Pakistan has the second largest number of out-of-school girls in the world, yet it has reduced the amount it spends on education to less than 2.3 per cent of GNP. A two-thirds of the out-of-school children in Pakistan are girls; only 16 countries have a worse rate.

Pakistan has the second highest number of out-of-school children in the world – five million. The country’s progress in reducing the number of poor girls being denied a chance of education has been too slow. The percentage of poorest girls out of school has fallen from 78 per cent to 62 per cent, a much smaller drop than in India (from 66 per cent to 30 per cent), Nepal (52 per cent to 22 per cent) and Bangladesh (91 per cent to 44 per cent). According to the report, although the number of Pakistani children denied education is surpassed only by Nigeria, the country has reduced spending on education from 2.6 per cent of GNP in 1999 to 2.3 per cent today.

In India’s case, the perceived threat is China. For Pakistan, the presumed enemy is India. Paranoia is driving the acceleration of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.

The two countries have fought three wars since partition in 1947 and today Islamabad knows that its conventional forces would be swamped by those across the border.

Unable to match India’s defense expenditure, economy and population, Islamabad has, since the 1970s, relied on nuclear technology to provide a deterrent.

Pakistan is spending $2.5 billion each year on nuclear arms operations. A March assessment by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons said the South Asian state last year spent $2.2 billion on its deterrent. Reaching Critical Will launched its latest publication,reports “Pakistan has been rapidly developing and expanding its nuclear arsenal, increasing its capacity to produce plutonium, and testing and deploying a diverse array of nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles,”.

Pakistan has been ranked at 13th place in a recent failed state index among 178 countries. A Washington-based

organisation called Fund for Peace, annually compiles a list of countries in terms of their vulnerability. Pakistan has been called a failed state numerous times and marked under the red flagged category. While in 2009 and 2010 Pakistan ranked at 10th place, in 2011 it marginally improved its rank to 12th position. But in 2012 its rank to 13th, next to Nigeria.

Bangladesh 29th and Nepal 27th. Whereas India on 78th .

The rising poverty in Pakistan is a result of deepening societal apathy towards poverty

in a few years. By this count, Pakistan’s arsenal may have already exceeded India’s, and will soon rival Britain’s. A report from the Nuclear Disarmament group Global Zero says, “Pakistan does not officially reveal the cost of its secret nuclear program. In 2009, a credible assessment by an investigative journalist with expertise in the subject provided information on which we can calculate the overall nuclear program budget (weapons and missile delivery systems) to be approximately $781 million - $300

and poor. It is indeed, a spectacular failure on part of so many people therein – voters, politicians and development experts and workers – that poverty exists and persists.

However, those who are really responsible, would not even want to talk about it. In Pakistan Low economic growth, relocating of industry, high food inflation and rising joblessness have together made the life of urban poor more painful and uglier, Nearly one third of Pakistan’s population is poor as the incidence of poverty hovers around 33 per cent , according to a report published In absolute numbers, 58.7 million people are living below the poverty line in Pakistan out of the total population of estimated 180 million.

It amazes me how our poverty calculators, and indeed people like you and I who buy these figures without a wince, are isolated from reality and how little an idea do they have about poor, poverty or even how to count them. Whatever poverty figures the government economists may tell, I know when poverty is on the rise. There is more poverty when there is increased beggary, deprivation, suicides and lawlessness in the society.

Pakistan has a nuclear weapons stockpile of 90-110 nuclear warheads, an increase from the estimated 70-90 warheads in 2009. If the expansion continues, Pakistan’s stockpile could reach 150-200

million for the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and $481 million for the strategic missile delivery system. “ Pakistan’s nuclear expenditures would easily pay for the cost of WFP’s 2013-2015 Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation, which is meant to feed some 7.3 million people in Pakistan at a cost of US $514 million dollars.

Pakistan’s position is that it needs to produce still more bombs — and hence more bomb materials — because of India.

According to Pakistani analysts, Pakistan’s rush for more bombs has as much to do with its changing relationship with the United States , as with Indian military modernisation. This racing reflects a paradigm shift within Pakistan’s military establishment, where feelings against the US have steadily hardened over many years. Post-bin Laden, the change is starkly visible.

In the military’s mind, the Americans are now a threat, equal to or larger than India. They are also considered more of an adversary than even the TTP jihadists who have killed thousands of Pakistani troops and civilians.

In 2011 Air Marshal (r) Asghar Khan again revealed it was Pakistan that attacked India four times since 1947, whereas the neighbouring country did not do so even a single time. “In the last over 60 years,

India has never attacked Pakistan, as it can’t afford it. Indians know well, if Pakistan is destroyed, they will be the next target,” He also said, “It was made our problem that one day India would invade us. But we did so four times and the first attack was on Kashmir, where Maharaja was not prepared to accede to India for he wanted to join Pakistan and waited for this for 21 days,” he recalled. He was asked that in school and college syllabi, students are always taught that it was India that mounted attacks on Pakistan and Pakistan only defended itself. In a reminiscent mood, Asghar Khan said in 1965, again, Pakistan quietly sent tanks to Jammu and when at function, he asked General Ayub Khan about it and warned that by doing so, Pakistan was asking for trouble, he expressed his complete ignorance about this development. But three days after he had met the general, India made incursions into Punjab. He also claimed East Pakistan tragedy happened because of inflexible attitude of some top influential politicians and the armed forces.

The country’s military, which controls the nuclear arsenal, has suffered numerous embarrassing attacks on key bases in recent years. The UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, considers Pakistan’s nuclear program safe and secure.

The August 16th 2012 attack on Minhas air base that left nine suspected Islamic radicals and one Pakistani soldier dead.

Minhas air base, located just 40 kilometers west of Islamabad in the eastern Punjab Province, is considered a key military facility. It houses warplanes and some of Pakistan’s most advanced weapons systems -- possibly including nuclear warheads. In May 2011, at least two naval surveillance aircraft were destroyed and 10 people were killed when militants stored the Mehran naval bases in the southern seaport city of Karachi. In October 2009, Islamabad has received some $100 million in U.S. assistance since 9/11 to improve its nuclear safety.

Retired General Talat Masood says the real concern is the increasing frequency of high-profile attacks on military facilities.

The deteriorating situation in Pakistan is evident with continuous terror attacks which have caused life of several civilians and security personnel.

During last two years until August 12, fatalities of more than 10,000 took place during terrorist’s violence in Pakistan.

In 2011, a total of at least 6,142 persons, including of 2,797 militants, 2,580 civilians and 7,65 Security Forces (SFs) personnel reported killed. In 2012, until August 12, around 3,977 people killed which includes 1,732 civilians, 500 security force personnel and 1,745 terrorists.

Pakistan’s spending on the arms race in South Asia could be used to help the poor and suffering within its own borders.

Pakistan, as well as India and other states, have a responsibility to limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons and to fight hunger and poverty.

Pakistan tests N-capable Hatf-V missile

Continued from page 19 >> country’s deterrence capability.

A statement from the military described the test as a “training launch” conducted by a strategic missile group of the Army Strategic Force Command. The test of the medium-range ballistic missile, also known as the Ghauri, marked the culmination of a field training exercise aimed at testing the operational readiness of the Army Strategic Force Command. The Ghauri is a “liquid-fuel missile which can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads over a distance of 1,300 km,” the statement said.

“The test consolidates and strengthens Pakistan’s deterrence capability and national security,” it said. The statement did not say where the test was carried out. “The launch was monitored by the ‘National Command Centre through the medium of the National Command Authority’s fully automated strategic command and control support system”, the statement said. The National Command Authority controls Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. The military said the strategic command and control support system enables “robust command and control capability of all strategic assets with round the clock situational awareness in a digitised network centric environment” for decision makers at the National Command Centre.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf congratulated the Army Strategic Force Command on their training, which was “reflected in the proficient handling of the weapon system in the field and the accuracy of the training launch”. Pakistan has tested a wide range of nuclear-capable missiles, ranging from the Hatf-IX tactical missile with a range of 60 km to the Hatf-IV, this year as part of efforts to strengthen its nuclear arsenal to counter India’s conventional superiority.

NEWS (Continued from page 1 )

30

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

Hundreds to evacuate their homes as flooding brings chaos to Britain

Paterson attacked the insurance industry for causing flood victims “alarm” after 200,000 householders were warned they could lose their home cover.

Insurers have called on the Government to provide a temporary overdraft facility to pay claims for high-risk households in the event of serious flooding such as that seen in 2007.

Nick Starling, director of general insurance at the Association of British Insurers (ABI), accused ministers of rejecting its proposals.

“We want a solution even more now after the difficult events of the weekend,” he said.

However Mr Paterson criticised the ABI for airing its concerns at the height of the crisis.

Residents near parts of the Severn and Thames are warned that water levels will continue to rise.

David Cameron has said he is personally involved – through his minister Oliver Letwin – in

negotiations between the Department for Environment and the Association of British Insurers over cover for high-risk properties. Cameron, who was touring flood-hit areas in Devon, also defended his government’s cuts to flood defences. The body of an elderly woman was found in a flooded home in St Asaph, north Wales. She is the fourth person to die in the week’s flooding. Hundreds of homes were evacuated after the River Elwy burst its banks and caused severe flooding in the small city. The floods in St Asaph created the most dramatic pictures of the week’s awful weather. Two severe weather warnings are currently in place for the Elwy at St Asaph and on the A55 to Rhuddlan.

David Cameron was on Sky News, talking from Buckfastleigh about the flooding: It is obviously very traumatic when communities are hit by flooding like this but what I found are people are incredibly steadfast and

have behaved incredibly bravely at handling the flood and now we need to help them with the recovery.

We have got to make sure their insurance pays out, make sure the Environment Agency puts in place good flood defences, make sure there are better warning schemes.

There are always lessons to learn and I wanted to come here and hear it for myself.

Cameron visited recently-built flood defences on the River Dart. And he defended his government’s record on building flood defences.

Many travellers in Yorkshire have endured another miserable morning as floods continued to cause road and rail chaos.

Many train services were disrupted across the UK, with buses having to replace trains on some routes in the North East.

Numerous roads were still impassable, with Worcestershire, County Durham, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland among the most badly-affected areas.

Many roads in Yorkshire also had to be closed due to the floods. These included roads in Scarborough, Catterick, Stainton and Conisbrough.

Flooding also caused disruption to train services at Darlington in north east England, with Durham, York, Darlington and Doncaster among stations affected.

Elsewhere a pensioner was rescued from his car after becoming trapped in flood waters under a railway bridge.

Northamptonshire Police said officers found the car and rescued the man, who received medical treatment and was later arrested on suspicion of drink-driving.

Flooding led to road closures including the A1(M) northbound near Catterick Garrison and the A19 near Northallerton as well as train delays and cancellations around the region.

Wetherby Racecourse has postponed a meeting due to be held tomorrow after the rain left the track heavily

flooded.

Firefighters from North Yorkshire were called to a number of incidents, including removing vehicles from flood water and pumping out water in the Northallerton area and dealing with flooding at homes in Stokesley, Thirsk and Knaresborough.

Council bosses in the region were also investigating whether the strong winds and heavy rain had caused a school roof to collapse over the weekend.

Hull Council said the damage at St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School may have been caused by the weather.

Forecasters have predicted heavy deluges over the next 24 hours with up to 30mm expected with North Yorkshire one of the worst affected areas in the country.

Weather radar images last night showed Scarborough faced up to 5mm of rain an hour as storms swept in off the North Sea.

Rotherham By-Election - By-elections could mean new boost for Respect How will Muslims vote?

Or will they bother voting at all?

When it comes to elections, Britain’s Muslims are notorious for two things: firstly for not voting and secondly, for the small numbers that do vote, voting blindly for the Labour party mainly because of the ‘baradri’ system that has coloured all logic.

In 2010 we said to the Muslims of Rotherham “don’t vote for the Zionist Islamophobe Dennis MacShane” who ran for Labour. True to form Muslims stupidly made sure he was elected. Now that he has been forced to step down in shame Muslims have the chance to vote sensibly in the upcoming by elections on 29th November.

Agreed this constituency is a Labour faithful patch, but the other main parties do have candidates standing and so Rotherham’s voters still have

time to research what each of the candidates stand for, attend hustings to ask questions and directly contact the candidates to ask the questions that matter to them.

Questions worth asking prospective candidates include: • Will they seek to alter detention without charge?

• Will they seek to alter the onesided treaty that allows extradition of British citizens to America?

• How will they combat Islamophobia in their constituency?

• Will they seek to change Britain’s horrendous foreign policy?

• Local issues that affect residents of Rotherham are also good questions to aim at candidates.

Currently, an issue that needs to be raised and which will indicate the candidate’s stance on justice and foreign policy is what they are doing to raise their voice against the atrocities in Gaza.

Don’t waste your vote. Do your research and make your vote count.

Published online by MPACUK

Labour is running scared after failing to lead a fight in an area where the South Yorkshire Police’s cover-ups of the Hillsborough and Orgreave scandals still run deep. People vote Labour to keep the Tories out, but Miliband is not inspiring workers.

Respect’s Yvonne Ridley hopes to “do a Bradford” and Respect’s campaign has clearly opened up debate about voting Labour. But workers need a political alternative willing to stand and fight the government on a daily basis.

Sky’s current average of the national opinion polls shows Labour with a ten point lead over the Conservatives with the Liberal Democrats a very distant third. Now it has to defend three strongholds in Rotherham (2010 majority, 10,462), Croydon North (16,481) and Middlesbrough (8, 689) from threats posed by the so-called minor parties.

Labour is no stranger to by-election upsets this parliament.

Last March it watched as its 6,000 vote majority in Bradford West evaporated in favour of Respect’s George Galloway. It will be disaster for the Opposition if it loses another.

Yet, in Rotherham there are all the ingredients for lightning to strike twice; little wonder that the party is summoning all help to assist in late campaigning and in getting the vote out. Yvonne Ridley, has the lead over Labour.

The Croydon North by-election follows the death of Malcolm Wicks MP, who lost his battle with cancer in September. Lambeth Council leader Steve Reed beat Val Shawcross by three votes to win the Labour nomination. Charity worker Andy Stranack has been selected to run for the Conservative Party. Marisha Ray, a former Islington councillor, is the Liberal

Democrat candidate.

Shasha Khan’s policies include stopping the planned incinerator Shasha Khan, campaigning under the guise The Green Knight, has been selected to stand for the Green Party.

The fascist and racist National Front have picked Richard Edmonds to contest the seat Croydon North by-election.

Labour has panicked and launched a vicious and negative campaign of dirty tricks against Respect but this has been sidelined by respect positive campaign with the Respect battle bus, advertizing truck and campaign groups in every ward.

Labour are defending a 16,000 majority in Croydon North, Lee Jasper, Ken Livingstone’s former righthand man, has joined on the campaign trail by George Galloway. Polling conducted in the Croydon North by-election suggests that Lee Jasper, the Respect candidate, is now neck and neck with the Labour Party to win the constituency.

The Voice newspaper reported this week that Jaspers bid to become a south London MP moved up a notch yesterday (Nov 21) after bookies moved the Respect party candidate to second favourite behind Labour.

Lee Jasper In his manifesto, said he believed he could “truly make a difference” to the lives of people in the constituency and intended to “defend the poor from the ravages of austerity”.

UKIP is also a noisy presence in this South London constituency, which is home to Crystal Palace football club.

The voters go to the polls for both constituencies on Thursday this week. If Respect wins one of these constituencies, it will make headlines across the world.

Boy detained over ‘objectionable’ Facebook comment against Raj This time it’s from the other Sena. A teenager was detained at Palghar for posting “vulgar” comments against Raj Thackeray and the people of Maharashtra and the police say they do not want to repeat the same

mistakes. A teenager was detained for questioning on Wednesday at Palghar in Thane district for posting “vulgar” comments against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and the people of Maharashtra on Facebook, police said.

“We have received a complaint against a person that he posted some objectionable comments against Raj Thackeray on Facebook. We are

questioning him as we do not want to repeat the same mistakes committed a few days ago,” an officer at Palghar police station told PTI, speaking on condition of anonymity. The boy has not been charged and police have sought legal opinion, he said. Meanwhile, Kundan Sankhe, president of the Thane rural unit of the MNS, has claimed the boy had made “vulgar” comments about Raj

Thackeray, and the people of Maharashtra.

“Our Thane rural district MNS student wing president Bhavish complained to police and asked them to investigate the matter. Police are questioning that person,” he said.

Palghar observed a Shiv Sena-sponsored bandh on Wednesday over action taken against the police officers.

SAARC

Saarc international I Thursday 29 November 2012

31

Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki to return to Pakistan

Nearly four decades after his bouts with Pakistani hulks, renowned Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki is set to return to the country.

Preparations are underway for the arrival of the wrestler as part of goodwill celebrations of 60 years of Pak-Japanese diplomatic relations and he also met with Pakistan’s ambassador to Japan Noor Muhammad Jadmani recently.

In 1976, Inoki was challenged

by Pakistani wrestler Akram aka “Akki” and when he came to Pakistan for the encounter, he was

surprised to see nearly 50,000 spectators turn up for the spectacle at the National Stadium Karachi.

“The fight took place despite a difference in the styles and rules of wrestling between the two sides,” Inoki said, adding that the match became so intense that it turned into a battle for survival.

A Dawn file image shows an advertisement promoting Inoki’s fight in Pakistan. – Dawn file Reminiscing about the fight, Inoki said, “I still have marks on my wrist that Akki gave me when he wrenched at it with his teeth. I had

to poke my fingers in his eyes to get him away.” The Japanese maestro said he was never happy about

defeating Akki.

Later on, Inoki also went on to meet Akki’s nephew, Zubair aka Jhara, in the ring. The fight ended in a draw but Inoki said he held up Jhara’s hand to declare him the winner.

Speaking about his upcoming trip to Pakistan, Inoki said he had been wanting to visit Akki’s grave for a long time but never got the opportunity to do it earlier.

Inoki, who converted to Islam

in 1990, said that he decided to become a Muslim upon his visit to Karbala (the site of Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) grandson’s shrine) and the holy mosque.

“When I converted, people suggested that I change my name to Muhammad Ali but I turned down the idea as I had already fought against the great boxer Ali.” He then decided to go with Hussain, which was derived from the then Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

Continued from page 32 >>

Sachin Tendulkar wants selectors Pakistan turns to fast bowlers for victory over India and Twenty20 matches in to do the same thing again,” Hafeez told Pakistan captain, who himself bowls off to take a call on his future: Reports Internationals breaks and has been a force for the side in December and January, the arch rivals reporters.

who met on Tuesday to decide the team for the remaining two Tests in the ongoing series and is believed to have said that he will accept their decision.

The report added he also had a separate discussion with the Chairman of Selectors Sandeep Patil. Sachin reportedly told Patil that since he isn’t getting runs, he’d like to leave it in the hands of the selectors now to take a call on his playing for the Indian side.

The sources said the selectors asked him to continue playing.

Sachin Tendulkar will return to form soon, says a confident Navjot Singh Sidhu

“Sachin is not just a personality, he is an institution.

He is a ‘Kohinoor’ and can’t be turned into glass. “I am confident he will return to form in the next two Test

matches,” Navjot Singh Sidhu insisted.

Tendulkar has scored just 153 runs in the last 10 innings at an average of 15.3 and has also been a major disappointment in the last two Tests of the four-match series against England. Sidhu said that he feels sad whenever Tendulkar is criticised.

“Sachin is not just a personality, he is an institution. He is a ‘Kohinoor’ and can’t be turned into glass.

“I am confident he will return to form in the next two Test matches,” he insisted.

Sidhu, however, admitted that Tendulkar’s reflexes have gone down with age.

are all set to revive their bilateral cricket relations in an event that is likely to transcend sports.

Pakistan is due to tour India from December 22 to play three one-day internationals and two T20 matches.

Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez on Wednesday said that they would rely on their pace attack to win the upcoming One-day series in India.

Hafeez’s remarks come at a time when England crushed India by 10 wickets in the Mumbai Test with their spinners Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann sharing 19 wickets on a sharp turning track.

“Historically our pacers have always troubled the Indian batsmen in India and this time also we will be banking on them

Hafeez said they have quality spinners as well but they have not been very successful against Asian countries.

“There is no doubt that Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi are world class bowlers but against Asian teams they have not had the same degree of success as opposed to other sides.

“The reason for this is that batsmen belonging to Asian teams tend to play spinners well. That is one reason why teams touring India always try to outgun the Indian team through their pace attack. “ Hafeez said Pakistani pacers selected for the tour will also have to be at their best.

“If our pace bowlers bowl well and get wickets there is no reason why we can’t win the series in India,” he said. The

all three formats in recent times, said that Pakistan had always been well served by its pace battery.

“That is why we will rely on our pace bowlers to give us the wickets. We have some exciting talent in the pace department and it is now up to the selectors to select the best lot.”

The national selectors are said to be considering picking four to five pace bowlers for the India tour with a lot of focus on a 19-year old Ehsan Adil who has bowled outstandingly in the first class Presidents Trophy.

Left arm pacer Wahab Riaz, who took five wickets against India at Mohali in the 2011 World Cup semi-final, has also been in terrific form, taking 11 wickets in his last match.

New Zealand close on historic win in Sri Lanka

had Rangana Herath (5) brilliantly caught in the gully

by Kane Williamson.

Southee weighed in with the wicket of Nuwan Kulasekara (6), caught at first slip by Ross Taylor, to record his first five-wicket haul of the series.

That gave New Zealand a first-innings lead of 168 but when they slumped to 75 for five just after lunch, including the loss of three wickets in four balls, their dreams of levelling the series appeared on rocky ground.

They were rescued by Taylor, who followed up his first innings 142 with a patient 74 from 95 balls, including only two fours, the first of which he struck to bring up his half-century.

The captain found a willing ally in debutant Todd Astle,

who made a resourceful 35 as the pair added 97 for the sixth wicket.

Sri Lanka were left with an awkward period to negotiate before bad light set in and in that time Southee (two for 19) and Bracewell (two for five) created havoc.

Southee removed Paranivitana first ball, lbw to a swinging delivery, and had Dilshan driving airily and edging to wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk. Then Bracewell got in on the act as Sangakkara played on before Jayawardene pushed tamely at another Bracewell delivery to edge to Van Wyk. Samaraweera was unbeaten on one at the close with Angelo Mathews also on one and Sri Lanka needing a miracle to prevent a New Zealand victory.

32

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 29 November 2012

Sachin Tendulkar wants selectors to take a call on his future: Reports Sachin Tendulkar is reportedly concerned about his poor form and is believed to told Indian selectors that he would like them to decide on his playing on for the side. The Indian squad has been kept unchanged for the Kolkata Test against England beginning on December 5 despite the Mumbai drubbing.

Tendulkar, who is 39 years old, scored 8 in each of his two innings in the second Test at the Wankhede; India lost the match by 10 wickets. His average from all Test matches played this year is just above 22.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, he spoke Continued on page 31 >> to the selectors

SAT

Sports

New Zealand close on historic win in Sri Lanka SUPERB SPELLS The day began with superb spells

by Southee (five for 62) and Boult (four for 42) as New Zealand took the home side’s final four wickets for 19 runs after they had resumed at 225 for six.

The stubborn Thilan Samaraweera top-scored with 76 but he failed to

New Zealand were within sight of their first test victory in Sri Lanka in 14 years after 17 wickets fell on a thrilling penultimate day of the series on Wednesday.

The Black Caps set Mahela Jayawardene’s side 363 for victory after first bowling them out for 244 and making 194 for nine declared in their second innings.

By stumps Sri Lanka had slumped to 47 for four as New Zealand dismissed Tharanga Paranavitana (0), Tillakaratne Dilshan (14), Kumar Sangakkara (16) and

add to his overnight total before being caught at second slip by Martin Guptill off Boult to give the left-armer his 100th first-class wicket.

Boult also removed overnight batsman Suraj Randiv (39), lbw to an excellent inswinger, and claimed the final wicket when he Continued on page 31 >>

Jayawardene (5).

New Zealand went into the match on the back of five successive losses, their worst run in 57 years.

Their last win in Sri Lanka was in 1998 and they were thrashed in the first test of the series in Galle, losing by 10 wickets inside three days.

But thanks to fast bowlers Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell, along with captain Ross Taylor, they set up the chance of a rare win.

“We are well aware of the history,” coach Mike Hesson told reporters.

Pakistan turns to fast bowlers for victory over India

“If our pace bowlers bowl well and get wickets there is no reason why we can’t win the series in India,” he said. The Pakistan captain, Mohammad Hafeez, who himself bowls off breaks and has been a force for the side in all three formats in recent times, said that Pakistan had always been well served by its pace battery.

Now that the Indian Home Ministry has approved Pakistan’s tour of this country for a short series of One-Day Continued on page 31 >>

Dubai Airport Free Zone P.O. Box 293674 - Dubai, UAE T: +971 4 2533028 | F: +971 4 2533029

Airport Road Tong Ping P.O. Box 572 - Juba, South Sudan T: +211 99 9000 099 | F: +211 99 9000 098

info@questqualitas.com | www.questqualitas.com

Quest Qualitas is Atlas Copco and Dynapac Authorized Distributor in South Sudan

Published by Saarc International Ltd, Suite 101, 10 Courtenay Road, London HA9 7ND. UK Telephone:020 8904 0619 Fax: 020 8181 7575 E-mail: info@satribune.co.uk www.satribune.co.uk, www.saarc.co.uk. Printed at Mirror.