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Zulfikar Ali Bhutto 33rd death anniversary

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Year 1  Issue 38  Thursday, 05.04.12



George

The Victorious

As Respect party targets Bradford Council, Muslims Should Ensure Ken Livingstone is elected Mayor Full report on page 4 >>

Full report on page 8 >>

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Price: 90p

UK government’s provoked panic-buying to rise fuel by 10p The price of fuel in Britain is expected to rise by 10 pence this week as petrol pumps continue to run dry following a week of fuel panic-buying triggered by the government. Some garages are reportedly taking the advantage of the crisis, as they increased the prices to make most of high demand and low supplies. Some garages will not expect any topups until Friday, when people will leave the cities to make use of the Easter weekend.

around the UK. “Motorists are paying a significant premium because the wholesalers know they are on to a good thing. It’s the law of supply and demand,” he said.

The RAC Route Planner, a motoring organization, warned that several people have decided to stay at home as they might not be able to find enough petrol for their Easter vacations.

The AA Route Planer also said that 54 per cent of the people

The head of Retail Motor Industry Petrol, Brian Madderson, stressed that petrol crisis would be intensified as he believed garages would increase the prices to 10 pence a liter in some regions, with climbs of four to six pence turning out

anticipated to take a road trip during the long Easter holidays, but that three-quarters of the drivers would not make a long distance journey following rising concerns over fuel costs.

A possible strike is also expected, Continued on page 2 >>

BRITAIN FACING WEEK OF SNOW

Strong winds will add to the chill, especially in the north and Scotland, before warmer and drier Easter weekend • Temperatures plummet to between 8C and 10C across the country later this week • Severe weather warning issued for north of Scotland on Monday • Rain predicted for the Midlands and Pennines by Tuesday AN Arctic blast will bring sub- zero

temperatures and up to eight inches of snow for Easter.

After a fortnight of blue skies and temperatures as high as 73F (23C), forecasters warn the big freeze could last all week.

Cold air from Norway will bring a blanket of snow to Scotland and northern England over the next 24 hours and even the South is expected to be hit by midweek.

Sharp frosts will see overnight

temperatures fall as low as -11C. MeteoGroup forecast falls of up to 10cm in the hills of Scotland from Monday, with wintry weather moving south to the Pennines and reaching Derbyshire and Staffordshire by Wednesday. Lower areas may get a lighter covering of snow or sleet and the cold will be at its most severe on Tuesday night and Wednesday.

The senior forecaster Paul Mott said: “It Continued on page 2 >>

2

NEWS

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

Russia rejects deadline for Annan’s Syria peace plan

Russia has rejected Arab and Western calls for a deadline to be forced on the Syrian government for the implementation of a peace plan proposed by the joint UN and Arab League special envoy, Kofi Annan. “Ultimatums and artificial deadlines rarely help matters,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday. Lavrov also said that any restrictions on the Syrian government’s compliance with the peace plan must be set by the UN Security Council. “Annan has

a Security Council mandate and it is up to the UN Security Council to decide who is complying with this plan and how,” Lavrov said.

Annan’s six-point plan calls, inter alia, for an end to violence in Syria, a two-hour humanitarian ceasefire every day, media access to the troubled spots, and political dialogue between the government and the opposition.

Foreign ministers from about 70 Western and Arab countries attending the so-called “Friends of Syria” meeting in Istanbul

on Sunday, agreed to ask the UN to give Assad a deadline to cooperate with Annan’s proposal.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011 and many people, including security forces, have lost their lives in the violence. The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing the protesters. But Damascus blames ‘’outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups’’ for the unrest, stating that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

UK forced marriage victims much younger than previously thought Publisher Salah Bu Khamas (UAE) Sabha Khan (UK) UK Office 10 Courtenay Road, Wembley, Middlesex, HA9 7ND UK Phone: +44 20 8904 0619 Fax: +44 20 8181 7575 info@satribune.co.uk India Office Satya Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. C/O Satya Group.

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

Foreign Office reveals cases from Italy, Holland, Australia, Indonesia and Nigeria, with one in five victims a man, and ages ranging from five to 87.

Britain’s forced marriage victims are being coerced to marry in more far flung places and at a much younger age than previously thought.

Last year more than half of the 1,500 cases the Foreign Office dealt with were connected to families in Pakistan, but cases also came from Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Italy, Holland, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Nigeria and Iraq. One in five victims was a man. Ages ranged from five to 87.

Children make up nearly a third of cases dealt with by the Home Office organisation. Its head, Amy Cumming, said: ‘The youngest of these was actually five years old, so there are children involved in the practice across the school age range.’

The latest figures show the number of cases has dropped slightly in the past year.

There were over 1,500 cases in 2011, she said. This compares with 1,618 in 2008, 1,682 in 2009 and 1,735 in 2010.

However official research has

suggested that they are likely to be between 5,000 and 8,000 cases in England each year.

Cases frequently involve a girl or young woman being taken abroad, usually on the pretext of a holiday, then forced to marry a man they have never met in accordance with an arrangement reached by the two families.

The involvement of children in forced marriage was confirmed by independent groups.

In each case of forced marriage,

there are often several perpetrators. Yet almost no one is prosecuted in the UK. There is general agreement that forcing a person to marry against their will is a human rights abuse and that the authorities should do everything possible to protect victims from forced marriage.

But that’s where the consensus ends. The UK Government is considering whether to make forced marriage a new criminal offence and opinions are divided

Continued from page 01 >>

UK government’s provoked panic-buying to rise fuel by 10p

after thousands of tanker drivers said they would go on strike and blockade refineries and gridlock motorways if the Unite union called for a tanker strike. However, despite a week of triggering panic by ministers, Foreign Secretary William Hague insisted that ministers, including Francis Maude who called on people to fill up their jerry cans and keep them at homes, had done “absolutely the right thing.”

Coalition government has come under fire after

ministers warned people to store fuel at home to tackle the possible impacts of the threatened tanker strike.

The warning led to a disaster after a woman from York suffered serious burns to her body when she was transferring petrol between canisters in her kitchen.

The Labour opposition party claimed that the government had played “political games” in handling of the strike, and deliberately provoked petrol panic to distract attentions from anti-Tory headlines over the cash-for-access scandal.

about the potential risks and benefits. Others vehemently believe that criminalisation would send a powerful message that forced marriage is not tolerated in Britain, and would act as a deterrent to families who condone such coercion. France, Germany, Belgium, Norway and Denmark have all now brought in specific laws making forced marriage a criminal offence and the early reports are broadly favourable.

Britain facing week

has certainly got colder and there is more unsettled weather on the way. I think we will be waiting quite a long time until we get another decent spell of the sort of warm weather we have seen in the last 10 days.” The Met Office said: “It is likely to continue to feel cool, if not fairly chilly, particularly compared to the recent very warm spell, with temperatures quite widely around or just below the seasonal average. Sunshine amounts are likely to be highly variable in this unsettled regime.”

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

NEWS

3

Met hit by new racism allegation

Man uses mobile phone to record tirade of alleged abuse from officer while he was held in back of van “These are serious allegations; any use of racist language or excessive use of force is not acceptable.”

Crown Prosecution Service reviews decision not to charge officers heard boasting of strangling 21-year-old black man reported The Guardian.

The Guardian reported that Scotland Yard is facing a racism scandal after a black man used his mobile phone to record police officers subjecting him to a tirade of abuse in which he was told: “The problem with you is you will always be a nigger”.

The recording, obtained by the Guardian, was made by the 21-yearold after he was stopped in his car, arrested and placed in a police van the day after last summer’s riots.

The man, from Beckton, east London, said he was made to feel “like an animal” by police. He has also accused one officer of kneeling on his chest and strangling him.

In the recording, a police officer can be heard admitting he strangled the man because he was “a cunt”. Moments later, another officer – identified by investigators as PC Alex MacFarlane – subjects the man to a succession of racist insults and adds: “You’ll always have black skin.

Don’t hide behind your colour.”

The Independent Police Complaints Commission referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service on the basis that three officers, including MacFarlane, may have committed criminal offences.

The CPS initially decided no charges should be brought against any of the police officers. However on Thursday, the service said it would review the file after lawyers for the man threatened to challenge the decision in a high court judicial review. MacFarlane has been suspended.

The inquiry began after the victim handed his mobile phone to a custody desk in Forest Gate police station and told officers he had been abused.

Earlier, he had been driving through Beckton with a friend when he was stopped by a van containing eight police officers from Newham borough.

London’s streets were flooded with police who had been drafted in to contain the rioting.

The officers arrested the man on

UK police officer suspended for racial abuse

suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and told him he was being taken to a police station to be searched. After being taken into the van, the man was also arrested for missing a previous magistrates court appearance. No further action is to be taken in relation to the suspected driving offence.

It was once inside the van

and handcuffed that the man said he was assaulted by police. He described having his head pushed against the van window and said one officer placed his knees on his chest and began strangling him. “I couldn’t breathe and I felt that I was going to die,” he said.

The man said he decided to turn on the recording facility of his phone after MacFarlane allegedly made sexually explicit references about his mother and telling him he would be “dead in five years”.

In the recording, the man sounds agitated; he raises his voice to complain about his treatment and in places insults the arresting officers.

The verbal exchange lasts several minutes.

When the man tells an officer: “you

tried to strangle me”, the officer replies: “No, I did strangle you.” The officer adds that he strangled him “’cos you’re a cunt” and that the man had been “kicking out”. In relation to the strangling, the officer says: “Stopped you though, didn’t it?”

Minutes later MacFarlane, who is white, begins abusing the man. After a period of silence, he can be heard telling him: “The problem with you is you will always be a nigger, yeah?

That’s your problem, yeah.”

The man reads out MacFarlane’s badge number and complains that he had subjected him to racist comments: “I’ll always be a nigger – that’s what you said, yeah?”

MacFarlane replies: “You’ll always have black skin colour. Don’t hide behind your colour, yeah.” He adds: “Be proud. Be proud of who you are, yeah. Don’t hide behind your black skin.”

Shortly before the recording ends, the man can be heard saying: “I get this all the time.” He then tells the officer: “We’ll definitely speak again about this … It’s gonna go all the way, it’s gonna go all the way – remember.”

The man’s lawyer, Michael Oswald, said: “By his own efforts our client has put before the CPS exceptionally strong evidence and we share his astonishment that the CPS have reached a decision that no police officer should be prosecuted on the basis of that evidence. We do welcome their agreement to review that decision and we now await the outcome of that review.”

The CPS initially said charges should not be brought against MacFarlane because the remarks did not cause the man harassment, distress or alarm.

Grace Ononiwu, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London, said: “Lawyers for [the complainant] have written to the CPS and asked us to

review our decision. I have considered the matter personally and directed that all the evidence should be reconsidered and a fresh decision taken by a senior lawyer with no previous involvement in this matter.”

Speaking to the Guardian, the 21-yearold was visibly shaken when recounting the ordeal. “It’s hard to explain, but it makes you feel like a piece of shit – it

makes you feel not even human,” he said.

“I was glad that I had it on the recording. I knew that if I had it saved I could show that I had been abused.

“It’s not right. We’ve just got different skin colour – underneath it we’re all the same.”

The Metropolitan police confirmed in a statement that it received a complaint on 11 August about alleged “racial” remarks and oppressive conduct.

“These are serious allegations; any use of racist language or excessive use of force is not acceptable.”

The force said it had referred the case to the IPCC and that one officer had been suspended.

MacFarlane’s solicitor, Colin Reynolds, said: “The officer has been the subject of an investigation, has co-operated in that and been advised he is not to be the subject of criminal proceedings.”

Estelle du Boulay, director of the Newham Monitoring Project, said: “Sadly, the shocking treatment of this young man at the hands of police officers – both the physical brutality he describes and the racial abuse he claims he suffered – are by no means unusual; it compares to other reports we have received. What makes this case different is the victim had the foresight and courage to turn on a recording device on his mobile phone.”

She compared the incident to the case of Liam Stacey, a student who was jailed for 56 days for posting offensive comments on Twitter after the on-pitch collapse of the Bolton Wanderers footballer Fabrice Muamba.

On Friday Swansea crown court rejected an appeal from Stacey, who used racist terms against other Twitter users.

When the student was sentenced in a magistrates court on Tuesday a senior lawyer at the CPS, Jim Brisbane, said: “Racist language is inappropriate in any setting and through any media. We hope this case will serve as a warning to anyone who may think that comments made online are somehow beyond the law.”

NEWS

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EDITORIAL

Is George Galloway a Muslim?

Soon Ken Livingstone ‘will send the Israelites into a tailspin’ “All praise to Allah!” the new Respect party MP George Galloway gratefully proclaimed, via loudspeaker, to his supporters on Saturday.

Earlier during campaign “God KNOWS who is a Muslim,” said a leaflet sent out to voters. “And he KNOWS who is not.

Instinctively, so do you...

George Galloway crushed Labour’s hapless candidate Imran Hussain in the Bradford West Bye Election . The message a loud strong anti war one.

establishment after they voted for a white male (George Galloway) ahead of a Muslim (Imran Hussain) and still got accused of being sectarian.

A few days ago just before the Bradford elections, in a BBC interview Labour Muslim Candidate Imran Hussain made a fool of himself and speaking the narrative of the Neo Cons and Pro Israel War hawks with his constant reference to eradicating “extremism”.

Galloway’s eloquent retort was the biggest extremists were Bush and Blair which Hussain had no answer for.

However, tellingly Galloway an old expert at politicking made the crucial point during the television debate that Imran Hussain’s encouragement for Muslims to join the British Army in order to kill fellow Muslims in Afghanistan was “political suicide” and how right he was.

George Galloway won last week by-election with 52.83 per cent of the votes, sweeping Respect from fifth place at the 2010 general election to victory with a swing of 36.59 per cent against Labour.

The Labour candidate was Muslim. Who started a smear campaign , allegedly telling Bradford’s Muslims not to vote for Galloway because he was a sharabi (“drunk”). And to reply also Hussain seems to have been out-Muslimed

by Galloway. “God KNOWS who is a Muslim,” said a leaflet sent out to voters.

“And he KNOWS who is not. Instinctively, so do you ... I, George Galloway, do not drink alcohol and never have. Ask yourself if you believe the other candidate in this election can say that truthfully.”

Bradford Muslims sent shockwaves through the British political

What do George Galloway and Ken Livingstone have in Common? a sympathy towards the grievances that Muslims have in terms of foreign wars and the systematic destruction of civil liberties. In addition, they have a loathing for the occupation of Palestine and a contempt for the Israel Lobby that has hijacked all main established political parties in this country.

When you examine the visceral hatred and hostility from our mainstream pro Israeli corporate media towards Galloway only then can you begin to establish the fear and loathing those pro war Neo Con Hawks have towards anyone who challenges their twisted New World Order.

Bradford Muslims have shown how if you have the right policies with the right candidate you can activate the Muslim base to come out in huge numbers.

Muslim community should understand now that their vote is the ultimate weapon.

Bradford is the template which perfectly exemplifies how non sectarian Muslims are by voting for a Non Muslim ahead of a Muslim thus illustrating the need for Politicians to address their concerns or face political oblivion.

While Jews in London have sent warnings to Ken Livingstone to change his pro Muslim views it is Bradford Muslims and now London Muslims will fire the ultimate warning and send the pro Israelites into a tailspin.

As far as is George Galloway a Muslim, I personally know him since 1994 (when we were doing a radio show in London ) and my answer is yes George is a better Muslim then those brown sahib who have Muslim names but no values and GG stands up for what he believes in “Truth is on the side of the oppressed.”

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

Petrol farce turns to tragedy

Minister urged to resign as woman is badly burnt in jerry can accident.

Industry chief blames ‘self-inflicted insanity’ as panic-buying continues A senior cabinet minister who urged drivers to stock fuel in jerry cans faced calls to resign last night after a mother of two children set herself alight as she decanted petrol in her kitchen.

Diane Hill, 46, suffered 40 per cent burns when she apparently tried to pour petrol from a can into a jug to refuel her daughter’s car. Ms Hill’s gas cooker was on at the time and the petrol caught fire.

David Cameron described the incident as “desperately sad” but Labour rounded on Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office minister, and suggested that his advice for motorists to keep a stock of fuel in jerry cans – in breach of fire guidelines – may have inadvertently led to the accident.

The mass panic-buying of petrol instigated by the Government went on yesterday – despite no strike having been called by tanker drivers. People were paying a “very, very heavy price” for ministers’ “political intervention”, the shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls, claimed.

Labour MP John Mann went further and called for Mr Maude to quit.

“This is precisely what the fire

brigade warned against and [it] is a direct result of Francis Maude’s rash and foolish reaction,” Mr Mann said. “[He] should now be considering the consequences of his actions and do the decent thing and resign.”

The Cabinet Office and No 10 ruled out Mr Maude’s resignation but a Downing Street official privately admitted its message on the shortage threat got “out of control”.

Tory party chairman Baroness Warsi said it was “frankly sickening” that the Labour Party is seeking to make “political points out of this personal tragedy”.

The Government has now changed its advice to drivers after unions ruled out a strike over Easter and says there is no longer any need to queue on petrol forecourts.

Iran will protect Syria “Iran strongly rejects any U.S. plan in respect to Syria”

The Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced on Thursday that his country outrightly rejects any U.S. plan on Syria.

During a meeting held with the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his accompanying delegation, in the city of Mashhad (on northeastern Iranian territory), the supreme leader said Iran will defend Syria because the Arab country supports the line of Resistance to the Israeli regime, saying that Tehran strongly rejects any foreign intervention in the internal affairs of Syria.

According to Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran will continue to support reforms in Syria and declared that the reform process started in this country must take its course.

Iran’s Supreme Leader stressed the need to deepen cooperation between Iran and Turkey and said that whenever the two countries jointly have supported something in various fields, they have benefited themselves and the Islamic world.

The Supreme Leader referred to the immense capacity to develop partnerships, especially in the oil and gas sector, and noted that Iran is considered a

rich country, worldwide, for its extensive oil and gas resources.

He also addressed the sensitive conditions of the region and emphasized that, thank God, the events in the area have been in favor of Islam and Muslims, and will remain this way.

“In this circumstance, the most important issue is that independent countries make right decisions,” he added.

Ayatollah Khamenei, referring to the instrumental use of the countries of the region by the world powers, especially the U.S., said that Americans do not

accept the independence of any people, and have this attitude with all countries, therefore it is necessary to bear in mind the benefits of Islamic nations when making decisions.

On the other hand, he referred to the political power of the trends towards Islam in Turkey, and said that these conditions are not pleasant in any way to the West, especially the U.S., and while they are upset by this situation, the Islamic Republic of Iran is satisfied with the presence of their Muslim brothers in the power elite of Turkey.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

NEWS

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Azerbaijan Denies Giving Israel Air-Base Access

White House source tells Israeli reporters DC had nothing to do with leaking information alleging Baku granted IAF access to its airbases in case of strike on Iran.

A top White House official denied Saturday that the US Administration was responsible for leaking information, alleging that Israel has secured access to airfields in Azerbaijan ahead of a possible strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, to the press. According to the report, three diplomatic source confirmed to the magazine that Baku has granted Jerusalem permission to use four abandoned, Soviet-era airfields, should the need arise.

The sources said that the White House had “no interest” in leaks of this kind, adding that the administration would “gladly prosecute” the people behind it – if they knew who they were.

Many analysts stress that even formal cooperation between Israel and Azerbaijan is booming. Israel is the second largest consumer of the Azerbaijani oil while Baku actively purchases Israeli drones and missiledefense systems. At the same time, relations between Azerbaijan and

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev and Shimon Peres

Iran are rapidly deteriorating.

Israel, as well as pro-Israel elements in the United States, blamed the White House for the leak, but according to the official, the US is “crawling with thousands of intelligence and former intelligence officials,” and the White House has no way of stopping them from offering information to the media as anonymous sources.

Azerbaijan’s government has denied

a report saying that Baku has granted Israel access to Azerbaijani bases that could be used in potential air strikes by Israel against nuclear targets in Azerbaijan’s neighbor Iran. The article in “Foreign Policy” magazine, titled “Israel’s Secret Staging Ground,” quotes unnamed

directed against Iran Dr Brenda Shaffer, Israel’s foremost expert on Azerbaijan, suggests it is highly unlikely that Israel’s sale of drones and anti-aircraft missile defence systems to Azerbaijan in a $1.6bln arms deal points to a bilateral defence pact against Iran.

If Azerbaijan is bolstering its defence systems, this is more likely to be a display of strength intended for Armenia, which currently occupies 20 per cent of it territory, the expert

itself to take a step that might seen as aggressive,” Shaffer suggests.

‘NATO missile defense system is not threat to Tehran’ rime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave assurances to neighboring Iran that a US radar deployed in Turkey as part of a NATO missile defense system is not a threat to Tehran, Today’s Zaman reported.

Erdogan, speaking to Iran’s state television during a visit to Tehran on Thursday, said the radar could be dismantled if conditions Turkey had put forward to host the radar are not respected.

Turkey agreed to host the radar after lengthy negotiations with the US during which it insisted that no country be named as a source of threat and that data to be collected by radar not be shared with Israel, Iran’s enemy. “If NATO does not comply with Turkey’s conditions, we can ask them to dismantle the

told The Guardian on Friday.

“Azerbaijan is bordered by Russia, Iran and Turkey. Its economy is dependent on the safe export of oil, which requires regional stability,” Shaffer said.

More than 30 per cent of the Iranian population are ethnic Azeris, the expert said and added that Azerbaijan tries to maintain friendly relations with Iran as it does Israel.

“It would be very wary of allowing

system,” Erdogan said, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency.

NATO does not mention any country as a threat to be countered by its nascent missile defense system but US officials did name Iran as a threat on numerous occasions. The Turkish decision to host the radar has strained Ankara’s ties with Iran, prompting angry statements from some Iranian officials threatening to hit the radar if Iran is targeted.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev and Ahmed Nijad

U.S. government sources as saying Azerbaijan is providing Israeli fighter planes with access to airfields near the Iranian border.

A spokesman for the Azerbaijani president’s office, Ali Hasanov, rejected the report on March 29, saying outside forces were trying to foment trouble between Iran and Azerbaijan.

Iranian-Azerbaijani relations have

been strained since reports last month said Azerbaijan had purchased some $1.6 billion of weapons from Israel.

Israel, which views a potential Iranian nuclear bomb as a threat to its existence, says military strikes on Iran remain an option.

Azerbaijan-Israel arm deal not

‘Galloway’s triumph, end to Thatcherism’

An internationally celebrated political commentator has said that George Galloway’s victory in the Bradford West by-election challenges British politics which “has been governed by Thatcherism for decades.”

Writing for the Guardian, Tariq Ali, a British Pakistani political commentator and analyst, said Galloway’s triumph would challenge the status quo in Britain and would force British people to “rethink” their passive role in the UK politics which has been governed by Thatcherism.

Ali maintained that the UK politics has been characterized by the basic tenets of Thatcherism, named after

former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who took the reins of the country from 1979 to 1990.

“Those [tenets] were the roots of the extreme centre, which encompasses both centre-left and centre-right and exercises power, promoting austerity measures that privilege the wealthy, and backing wars and occupations abroad,” said Ali. Furthermore, Galloway, who won a sensational victory in the Bradford West by-election defeating the Labour Party by over 10,000 votes, said his victory was like a “revolution.”

“Like the Arab revolutions, this is a movement, above all, of the young,”

said Galloway.

Prior to Galloway’s victory, the British media tried hard to treat his Respect campaign “as a loony fringe show.” However, his victory showed that British people are fed

up with “the bland untruths that are mouthed every day by government and opposition politicians,” as described by Ali. Known for hosting Press TV’s the Real Deal and Comment

shows, Galloway is an outspoken critic of the British government’s warmongering policies.

In 2003, Galloway was expelled from the Labour Party after expressing his opposition to invading Iraq. Following his expulsion from Labour, Galloway became a founding member of the left-wing Respect Party.

“Respect is different. It puts forward a leftist social-democratic programme that challenges the status quo and is loud in its condemnation of imperial misdeeds. In other words, it is not frightened by politics. Its triumph in Bradford should force some to rethink their passivity,” said Ali.

NEWS

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

Bin Laden ‘changed 5 villas, fathered 4 kids’ while in hiding

It appears former Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden moved from one safe villa to another and fathered four children while being hunted by the US after the 9/11 attacks.

His youngest widow’s testimony strangely portrays a “typical family man’s life.” It might seem that while George W Bush was trying to “smoke terrorists out of their holes,” his major enemy waged a safe and sound marital life in a series of comfortable homes during his nine year stint on

years in prison. In her testimony, she claimed the mysterious man enjoyed a happy life during his final six years, and was even able to build a permanent family home.

Abdul Fateh says the family only felt like they were in danger once – when US helicopters flew over their compound in October 2005. The aircraft were on their way to deliver aid after a deadly earthquake struck northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 73,000 people.

the run. The woman behind the story is Amal Ahmad Abdul Fateh, a 30year-old from Yemen who allegedly married Bin Laden in 2000 and gave him four children. She was arrested after the US raid on his compound in the Pakistani capital in 2011. Along

Doubted story, doubted death The woman confessed that following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, the family clan separated, but soon after she was able to join her husband in the large Pakistani city

focused its terrorist hunt. After that, the family allegedly lived in a rented house just 80 miles from the capital Islamabad, before moving once again.

The place that the woman described as a house where Osama’s family

questioned by many experts as no photo or video footage has been released yet proving Bin Laden was actually killed.

Moreover, there are claims he died long before the raid. In 2005, the Iranian Intelligence Minister

officially announced he was killed.

“I knew Bin Laden’s Chechen guards very well,” Berkan Yashar, himself an ethnic Chechen, told the Russian TV station, Channel One. And just recently, WikiLeaks revealed his body was not buried at sea – according to

with Osama’s other widows, she is accused by the Pakistani police of illegally entering the country and was therefore interrogated by investigators. While Islamabad was going to deport her and her fellow widows, they now face up to five

of Peshawar.

spent the last six years of his life was a compound in Abbottabad, just minutes away from Pakistan’s elite military academy where he was shot dead by US Navy SEAL commandos in May 2011.

The operation to seize him was extremely controversial and is still

Heydar Moslehi stated that Osama died from an illness before the US raid and that Iran has documents to prove it.

A former CIA agent currently living in Turkey also said Bin Laden cheated the gallows by dying five years before US security forces

leaked emails of intelligence firm Stratfor. Stratfor’s vice-president for intelligence, Fred Burton, believed the body was “bound for Dover, [Delaware] on [a] CIA plane” and then “onward to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Bethesda [Maryland],” an email says.

Subsequently, she says the Bin Laden really only had to hide out in the mountains once, moving to North-West Pakistan, but not the tribal belt where the United States

George Galloway’s Respect party targets Bradford Council The Respect Party will have candidates in every ward at Bradford’s local council elections following George Galloway’s by-election win, it says.

Speaking to more than 2,000

people at a rally in the city’s Infirmary Fields on Sunday, Mr Galloway described his victory as the “Bradford Spring”.

He said “the political weather in the city of Bradford” had changed.

The three major parties said Mr Galloway’s win was a oneoff. The local elections will take place on 3 May. Voters will choose one councillor in each of the metropolitan district council’s 30 wards.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

NEWS

Dewani stays put - for now

Britain’s high court on Friday temporarily halted the extradition of businessman Shrien Dewani to South Africa where he is wanted in connection with the murder of his wife on their honeymoon in 2010.

The ruling was made on mental health grounds after Dewani’s lawyers said the 31-year-old was suffering from severe posttraumatic stress disorder and depression, and argued his life could be at risk if he extradited.

After his wife’s murder, the 31year-old told the media that they were hijacked as they entered Khayelitsha with their shuttle bus driver Zola Tonga.

Dewani was pushed out of the car but his wife was later found dead.

He returned to the UK but the National Prosecuting Authority has subsequently applied for his extradition back to South Africa as the fourth accused in the case.

Life at risk Dewani lodged an appeal to Britain’s high court after Theresa May, the country’s interior minister, signed an order for his extradition following a judge’s ruling in August that he should be sent to stand trial.

At December’s hearing, Dewani’s lawyers argued that their client’s health and life would be at risk if he were to be extradited and that

he was a serious suicide risk.

The other two people believed to be implicated in the murder are Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni.

The Dewani family said the allegations against him were “deeply flawed”.

Determined to clear his name In a statement released on Thursday night, the family said Dewani was determined to return to South Africa to clear his name and seek justice for his wife.

The correct place to demonstrate his innocence was in a court of law, the statement said, adding: “This can only be done when he is well enough and when his personal safety can be guaranteed.

“The family remain hopeful that the British High Court will block any attempt to extradite Shrien until he has fully recovered and it is safe for

him to stand trial, if charged.”

The Dewani family’s lawyer, Charlotte Harris, of Mishcon de Reya, said in a statement: “Shrien is innocent and has always maintained his commitment to clearing his name of all the false allegations and slurs against him.

“He remains determined to fight for justice for his wife, Anni.”

Dewani’s mental health must be assessed quickly – NPA Aspects of Britain’s High Court ruling to temporarily halt the extradition of businessman Shrien Dewani to South Africa were welcomed by the NPA on Friday.

“We are particularly pleased by the ruling that... the conditions in South African prisons would not violate Mr Dewani’s human rights and that it is in the interests of justice that Mr Dewani stand trial in South Africa as soon as he is fit

Arson attack at a mosque in Bury Park Luton

AN investigation is underway after an arson attack at a mosque in Bury Park in the early hours of Monday morning (April 2).

Fire crews were called to the Bury Park Jamie Masjid in Bury Park Road at 4.30am, after two large metal bins were pushed up against a door and set alight. The scene has been cordoned off by

police while a fire investigation takes place. Det Con Colin Knight, investigating the incident, said: “We’re keeping an open mind and appealing for witnesses. We don’t know at this stage what the motive was.” Anwar Hussain, the mosque’s cultural secretary, said its leaders were angry about what had happened. “People are going

to be very upset when they come for prayers,” he said. “But we will tell them to remain calm. “The investigation is ongoing but my opinion is that it was deliberate.

“The police response has been very good, they will be checking CCTV footage from the cameras in the street, and we hope they will catch the culprits.”

to be tried,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said in a statement.

“It is also important to note that the Dewani defence team did not contend that he would not receive a fair trial in South Africa.” the ruling was made on Friday after Dewani’s lawyers said he was suffering from severe posttraumatic stress disorder and severe depression.

High Court Judges John Thomas and Duncan Ouseley said it would be “unjust and oppressive” to order the removal of Dewani, who is currently being treated in a mental health hospital in his home town of Bristol, western England.

However, they said it was in the interests of justice that he be extradited to face trial in South Africa “as soon as he is fit”.

Mhaga said it was important to assess Dewani’s mental health

7

quickly.

“It is in the interest of justice to facilitate his recovery so that the trial can proceed sooner rather than later,” he said.

The extradition hearing will be enrolled before British Chief Magistrate Judge Riddle within 28 days.

Mhaga said Riddle would manage the further conduct of the proceedings, including additional reports on Dewani’s mental health.

“Upon receipt of these reports [and] any other material he deems appropriate, he will be called upon to decide whether Mr Dewani is fit to stand trial and be extradited to South Africa.”

Dewani has strongly denied arranging the contract killing of his 28-year-old wife Anni, who was shot in an apparent hijacking in Cape Town in November 2010.

Their taxi driver, Zola Tongo, who was jailed for 18 years for his part in the crime, claimed in a plea bargain with prosecutors that the businessman ordered the hijacking and paid for a hit on his wife.

Dewani was arrested in Britain on December 7, 2010 following an extradition request from South Africa.

A British judge approved his extradition in August but Dewani’s lawyers appealed.

The Sun’s Dewani tape is handed to cops

A TAPE of a dramatic UK daily Sun interview with honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani has been handed to police.

Reported the Sun. He has given only one detailed account of his wife Anni’s final hours — to us, eight days after her brutal carjacking death.

South African cops have now asked for the 90-minute recording to investigate inconsistencies in his story.

Care home boss Dewani, 32, told The Sun two gun-toting robbers PUSHED him out of the rear passenger window in Cape Town before driving off.

But police say the VW Sharan taxi had child-proof windows which

open only 13 inches. They say he told them he was PULLED out of the car.

In The Sun’s recording he said: “He (one gunman) eventually just forced me out of the window — it was the back passenger window.”

A source close to the case said the small window gap “would seriously impede anyone getting through”.

Dewani, from Westbury-onTrym, Bristol, has always denied plotting Anni’s murder. On Friday High Court judges halted his extradition to South Africa because of his mental state. A taxi driver claims Dewani paid him for the “hit”.

Two accused gunmen await trial.

8

NEWS

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

“The most sensational victory in British political history”

Mr Galloway after winning said : “It is a very comprehensive defeat for New Labour, it is a pathetic performance by the Government parties.”The big three political parties have had a very salutary, unkind lesson this evening and I hope that they all take note.”The people of Bradford have spoken this evening for people in inner cities everywhere in the United Kingdom.”

My opponent, who disastrously played the religious card, is a Pakistani Muslim and deputy leader of the discredited council. He refused to appear on hustings with me. And he stormed from the platform as I was making my acceptance speech. His name is Imran. From now on known as I-Ran. This was a victory for Bradford’s young people, who rejected the politically corrupt and tribal local Labour leadership. I’ve never experienced anything like it – the enthusiasm, the dynamism and the sheer guts they displayed. When I arrived at the count, it was clear from the dumbstruck faces above the red rosettes that I’d won handsomely.

“George is the only one who tells the truth – the rest of them are all liars” was a frequent refrain on the streets of Bradford. Many Galloway voters said they had never bothered to vote before. Not many middle-aged politicians can draw dozens of fans to a latenight election count, but Galloway is far from ordinary .The Bradford spring. No matter how seemingly powerful, no corrupted, outof-touch elite can last forever. The people of Bradford West have spoken, and politics in the city and in this country will never be the same again. Galloway got the biggest cheer at his 3am victory street party when he shouted: “Long Live Palestine!” Many of his most loyal supporters in Bradford have joined him on his

Viva Palestina aid convoys to Gaza. Anyone who took part in this historic campaign, or who observed it dispassionately, knew by last weekend that something spectacular was going to take place. Mr Galloway said the win meant “the world” to him.And he promised to provide his constituency with “a strong voice and a change”.Mr Galloway said voters wanted someone who would follow through on their promises.

Bradford West by-election full results George Galloway (Respect) 18,341 (55.89%, +52.83%)

“Long Live Palestine!”

Galloway as always far from ordinary Galloway won more votes than all the other candidates put together.

George Galloway: I knew I’d won by-election when I saw dumbstruck Labour faces

constituents’ wishes and hopes — only in their own advancement.

The consequence is reflected in a YouGov poll months ago, which shows public contempt for our politicians at rock bottom. Just 24 per cent of respondents believe MPs are capable of ‘debating issues of public concern in a sensible and considered way’.

Worse, only 15 per cent see Parliament as ‘representing the interests and wishes of people like me’. Barely one-tenth of voters (12 per cent) think our politicians capable of understanding their own daily lives. They

Imran Hussain (Lab) 8,201 (24.99%, -20.36%) Jackie Whiteley (C) 2,746 (8.37%, -22.78%)

Jeanette Sunderland (LD) 1,505 (4.59%, -7.08%) Sonja McNally (UKIP) 1,085 (3.31%, +1.31%) Dawud Islam (Green) 481 (1.47%, -0.85%) Neil Craig (D Nats) 344 (1.05%) Howling Laud Hope (Loony) 111 (0.34%) A 5,000 Labour majority was transformed into a 10,000 majority for Respect – the same total vote for me as the outgoing MP had in a general election – winning across every ward in the constituency. It was the most spectacular by-election result in British political history.

In his victory speech, the maverick former

Labour MP - who was expelled from the party in 2003 for his outspoken criticism of the Iraq War - drew a direct comparison with the uprisings in the Arab world.Labour chiefs claimed that local issues and lingering antiIraq War sentiment in a constituency with a large Pakistani Muslim population were to blame while some activists complained that the campaign was marred by dirty tricks.

Thousands of young people infected with apathy, contempt, despair and a disgust with mainstream politics were dynamised by the Respect campaign. Galloway is tireless on these occasions. Nobody else in the political

field comes even close to competing with him.

According to Ladbrokes, Mr Galloway’s victory has sparked the biggest ever bookies’ byelection payout in history, with some punters cashing in bets of £100,000 after beating odds of 33/1.

The word revolution was on many lips in this deprived and hitherto disenfranchised city well before Friday morning’s result. And, like the Arab revolutions, this is a movement, above all, of the young. Bradford has a young population. By 2020 half the population will

be under 25. They have grown up in the years when Tony Blair and his successors murdered the real Labour tradition, taking for granted the loyalty of working people – nowhere more so than in this city.

There is a collapse of trust in those in charge, and especially in our politicians, which should thoroughly alarm all who care about democracy.

Voters look at Westminster, and see government in the hands of people who seem to care nothing about their opinions, their troubles, their hopes and fears. They are wholly uninterested in representing their

believe the Commons fails to hold ministers to account.

The chief reason Cameron’s Downing Street is not today collapsing into panic is that its occupants know that voters would rather trust George Galloway to run the country than Ed Miliband.

There is no hope for our political system until our MPs of all parties acknowledge the depth of the country’s sense of betrayal at their hands.

Until they can learn to tell the truth — whether

about pensions, donations, energy policy or pasties, the compact between the rulers and ruled will never be repaired.

This week’s West Bradford by-election result should be a wake-up call to every MP in the Commons. But it is hard be optimistic it will prove so.

Mr Galloway said Respect had taken many traditional Labour votes. “If Labour doesn’t go back to being a Labour Party again, it will never command the support – let alone the enthusiasm – of the kind of people who supported it for at least 100 years,” he said.

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 April 2012

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Thursday, 05.04.12

international

U.S. offers $10 million for capture of suspect in Mumbai attacks ‘US basing decisions on wrong information provided by India’: Saeed

India hails US$ 10m bounty on Hafiz Saeed head The United States is offering as much as $10 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, a Pakstani man accused of masterminding the 2008 terrorist assault on Mumbai that killed 166 people.

India welcomed the announcement saying it would send a strong signal to the Pakistanbased chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) that had masterminded the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and its patrons.

The “wanted” notice announcing the large bounty for Saeed, 62, was posted on the website of the U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice program late Monday.

After the announcement of the bounty, Saeed lashed out at the US saying Washington was ‘frustrated’ with him for his countrywide protests against the resumption of NATO supplies and drone strikes.

“We are not hiding in caves for bounties to be

set on finding us. I think the US is frustrated because we are taking out countrywide protests against the resumption of NATO supplies and drone strikes,” he was quoted as saying by Al-Jazeera news channel He added, “I believe either the US has very little knowledge and is basing its decisions on wrong information being provided by India or they are just frustrated”.

The amount is one of the highest offered by the program, on par with the sum pinned on the Taliban leader Mullah Omar, but

below the $25 million on offer for al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

The notice describes Saeed as a former professor of Arabic and engineering who helped found Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a radical Islamist organization that aims to bring

In a rare interview in 2010, Saeed told The Independent newspaper that Lashkar-eTayyiba was not involved in the attacks, despite substantial evidence to the contrary.

The Indian government has issued a notice

in combating terrorism.”

Muhammad Yahya Mujahid, the spokesman for Jamaat-ud-Dawa, said the bounty was yet another “attack” on Islam and Muslims.

“The only thing these American actions

about Islamist rule over areas of India and Pakistan. The United States and the United Nations have declared it a terrorist organization.

Jamaat-ud-Dawa’s military wing Lashkare-Tayyiba (LeT) -- labeled a “foreign terrorist organization” by the United States in December 2001 -- is suspected of carrying out several high-profile attacks in India.

In November 2008, terrorists stormed locations throughout Mumbai, killing scores of people and taking hostages. Six American citizens were killed in the carnage.

with Interpol against Saeed in relation to his alleged role in the Mumbai attacks.

On Tuesday, India welcomes the reward notice.

“It reflects the commitment of India and the United States to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attack to justice and continuing efforts to combat terrorism,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. “It also sends a strong signal to LeT and also its members and patrons that the international community remains united

will do is create a more passionate hate for American in the hearts of Muslims,” he said.

Saeed, the spokesman said, has not been “hiding in mountains and caves” but living openly in Pakistan. Saeed operates openly in the country, giving public speeches and appearing on TV talk shows.

The US also offered up to $2 million for Lashkar-e-Taiba’s deputy leader, Hafiz Abdul Rahman Makki. He is scheduled to address a rally Tuesday in Abbotabad, Mujahid said.

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 April 2012

Burma election victory: Aung San Suu Kyi says win marks ‘new era’

AUNG San Suu Kyi said Monday that she hoped yesterday’s election would mark the beginning of a new era for Burma.

Suu Kyi spoke to thousands of cheering supporters who gathered outside her opposition party headquarters a day after her party declared she had won a parliamentary seat in the vote.

The Election Commission has not yet confirmed the results, but government officials have commented on Suu Kyi’s victory and the people of Myanmar have reacted with jubilation.

“The success we are having is the success of the people,” Suu Kyi said, as a sea of supporters chanted her name and thrust their hands into the air to flash “V” for victory signs.

“It is not so much our triumph as a triumph of the people who have decided that they have to be involved in the political process in this country,” she said. “We hope this will be the beginning of a new era.”

If confirmed, Suu Kyi will take public office for the first time and lead a small bloc of lawmakers from her opposition National League for Democracy in Myanmar’s military-

dominated Parliament.

The victory would mark a major milestone in the Southeast Asian nation, which is emerging from a ruthless era of military rule, and also an astonishing reversal of fortune

for a woman who became one of the world’s most prominent prisoners of conscience.

Nay Zin Latt, an adviser to President Thein Sein, said he was “not really surprised that the NLD had won a

majority of seats” in the by-election.

Asked if Suu might be given a Cabinet post, he said: “Everything is possible. She could be given any position of responsibility because of her capacity.”

Dr Rahul Nanda 1. What is your global vision for TOPSGRUP?

take more predominance as compared to any other attributes that I may have.

My long-term goal for Topsgrup is to embark on a global leadership mission with a vision to become the number one brand in the global security space and to be a $10 billion security group by 2020. As a company, we would like to continue being innovative and pioneer new avenues within security, for example technology and high-end consultancy. Most importantly we want to change people’s perspective towards security services. It’s not about dreaming big that drives me, it’s knowing how to do things differently. TOPSGRUP has been the industry trendsetter in the Indian security scenario. Some of our innovations include the introduction of private equity into the industry; the first Indian security company to go global with a UK acquisition of The Shield Guarding Group; emergency response units to deal with the aftermath of terrorist attacks in Indian cities; and training and security consultancy services

3. What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs wanting to start up a business or work in business?

2. How much of your personal leadership style is reflected in your company’s image?

I am a committed, ethical, aggressive and innovative leader, which are all traits

that are reflected in Topsgrup and my employees. As a company, I believe we must stay optimistic and see the positives in any negative situation. I do not take no for an answer and have a belief in breaking through barriers and going right through it rather than going around it.

For me, execution of strategies and ideas

To be a successful entrepreneur, you have to learn to trust your gut instinct and be able to take risks to get to the top. It is important not to listen too closely to what consultants have to say, as their safe and cautious approach to business could hinder you from reaching the top and being able to make your own mistakes. I have seldom listened to any advisors and always listened to what my heart says and what my team members believe. If you make mistakes and lose, you need to be able to have the resilience to pick yourself up again and carry on. I feel like that people who cannot repeatedly get up after falling down, should choose an alternative career path to becoming an entrepreneur.

4. Are you looking forward to the forthcoming Olympic Games 2012?

London is going to be an exciting place to be in this summer; I think it is a great honour for Great Britain to have been chosen to host the 2012 Olympics Games.

Unofficial counts continued to trickle in yesterday’s from poll watchers within Suu Kyi’s party, and spokesman Han Than said the opposition had won at least 43 of the 44 parliament seats it had contested.

Those included all four seats up for grabs in the capital, Naypyitaw, which is populated by civil servants and would be an embarrassing sign of defeat for the government.

An official from the Election Commission said its regional office for Yangon had confirmed that Suu Kyi’s party had won all six constituencies contested in Yangon and that full results from remote areas were expected by midweek.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to the media.

The former junta had kept Suu Kyi imprisoned in her lakeside home for the better part of two decades. When she was finally released in late 2010, just after a general election that was deemed by most as neither free nor fair, few could have imagined she would so quickly make the leap from democracy advocate to elected official - opening the way for a potential presidential run in 2015.

My advice to ensure you stay safe during such a busy time is to pay attention to the advice that you will be issued with by the authorities. Also, particular attention should be given to transport and travel restrictions. I think everything will run smoothly, as a lot of planning and preparation has gone into making 2012 the most spectacular Olympics to date.

My family and I are really looking forward to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

5. Proudest business moment In beginning of 2008, when TOPSGRUP acquired Britain’s leading and most reputed security group called The Shield Guarding Company Limited and I became the Chairman of the group.

That was one of the happiest moments of my entrepreneurial life as it made me realise that I have it in me to leave the safe shores of my country India where I was born and bred and take our business and our brand seamlessly out of India. A very big moment for all our thousands of employees who were looking upto the successful closure of this deal with dollops of hope.

6. Who is your Business mentor My business mentors have been my competitors because from their mistakes I have learnt what not to do and from their achievements , I have learnt what I need to do and how I need to do it better.

If you carefully observe your competitors, you do not need any tutors or mentors.

Saarc international I Thursday 05 April 2012

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF AFGHANISTAN NEWS

Weaker Taliban ‘will increase bombings in Afghanistan’

THE Taliban will mount a campaign this year that is increasingly reliant on suicide bombings and improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan’s south and east, says one of International Security Assistance Force’s most senior officers.

It would also continue to attempt mass casualty attacks in Kabul both campaigns being responses to the Taliban’s weakening grip across the country. ‘’The insurgency has not given up.

We know they’re going to remount their attacks,’’ the ISAF’s deputy operations officer, Australian Brigadier Roger Noble, told the reporters.

Regarding Oruzgan, he said: ‘’It’s an important province in [Afghanistan’s] layout, and you’re going to see attempts by

the insurgents to reinsert and to influence it.’’

His comments come after one of the most disheartening periods in the decade-long war, with the Afghan winter seeing a series of Coalition soldiers killed by the Afghan National Army soldiers they were working with; the burning by US forces at Bagram air base of copies of the Koran; images of soldiers urinating on Taliban corpses shown around the world; and the massacre of civilians in Kandahar by an unhinged US marine.

With the deadline for the end of Coalition combat operations December 2014 - drawing closer, the incidents have obscured what the ISAF generals would say is a steadily improving security situation as a result of a push by an increased number of Coalition

troops in 2011. ‘’For the first time, we saw the momentum of the insurgency reversed,’’ the deputy commander of ISAF forces in Afghanistan, the British Lieutenant-General Adrian Bradshaw, said.

And while the incidents such as

Afghan policeman kills nine fellow officers at village post

An Afghan policeman shot dead nine of his fellow officers as they slept in a village in aTaliban stronghold on Friday, police said.

The gunman opened fire with his assault rifle after waking up at 3am apparently to take over guard duty at a small command post in Paktika province, killing everyone inside, including the commander. He then took their weapons, piled them in a pickup truck and sped away.

The incident is latest among a number of attacks by Afghan security forces against their own people or against international troops in Afghanistan in recent years, some the result of arguments and others by infiltrators.

Provincial police chief Dawlat Khan Zadran said the incident took place in Yayakhil town of Yayakhil district.

Bowal Khan, chief of Yayakhil district, identified the gunman as Asadullah.

Khan said his own brother was among those killed, along with the commander of the post, identified as Mohammad Ramazan, and two of the commander’s sons.

The motive for the killing was not known, but police in the area blamed the Taliban for the attack. Paktika is a stronghold of the Haqqani network, a Pakistan-based group with ties to the Taliban and al-Qaida. Although

they mostly attack US-led coalition forces, they have often carried out assaults and bombings against the Afghan army and police.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack and said the shooter was a member of an insurgent group. He said the dead police officers weapons were handed over to the Taliban.

Khan and Zadran said the killer’s two brothers were being held for questioning.

The increasing number of attacks by Afghan police and soldiers has cast doubt on the readiness of Afghan forces to take over their own security as the US prepares to end its combat mission by the end of 2014.

So far this year, 16 Nato soldiers have been killed by Afghan soldiers and policemen or militants disguised in their uniforms. That equals 18%

percent of the foreign troops killed this year in Afghanistan.

There has also been an increase in Afghans killing their own comrades.

A member of a village-level force that provides security in areas where the Afghan army and police cannot was accused of involvement in the killing of nine members of his unit in March in southern Uruzgan province. They also were shot dead while asleep at their post in the village of Oshi in the province’s Charchino district.

The village units known as Afghan Village Police or ALP, are trained by the US but run by the Afghan government and police.

Taliban infiltration of the ALP is considered more difficult as all their members are recruited locally and vetted by village elders before joining.

the Koran burning had caused much angst, they had not affected the underlying strength of the relationship between the Coalition and Afghan forces. ‘’[The incidents] come as much of a surprise to us as they have the Afghans, and clearly those that

are within our gift to do anything about, we’ve worked extremely hard to make sure they can’t be repeated,’’ General Bradshaw said. ‘’But the Afghans are being equally pragmatic about this. They know that [the Koran burning] was not intentionally directed at insulting their religion or culture. They take it to be a grievous error of ignorance, and they’ve accepted that.’’

The situation in Afghanistan is particularly precipitous at the moment, as the days tick down to next month’s NATO conference in Chicago, where the size of the international community’s 10 year post-2014 commitment to the wartorn nation will be decided.

Brigadier Noble also discussed the so-called ‘’green on blue’’ attacks Afghan soldiers or police targeting Coalition troops.

Afghanistan names general to run US prison

Afghanistan named a three star general to take over Bagram prison from the US military and with him, final say over which prisoners are released, an issue with the potential to open another rift in relations between Washington and Kabul.

The issue of the release of any of the 3,200 people held in the prison at the sprawling American base, north of Kabul, is sensitive to both countries as Afghanistan assumes full security responsibilities ahead of departure of most NATO combat forces in 2014.

Washington fears the prisoners, most of whom it says are mid to high level members of the Taliban, might return to the battlefield as has happened in the past, citing the case of a Taliban commander transferred from Guantanamo Bay to Afghan custody in 2007 who ended up fighting coalition forces again.

“They (the United States) can have a consultative role, but not a veto,” said Aimal Faizi, chief spokesman of President Hamid Karzai.

“What’s the point of the transfer if we don’t have full control,” he said, in remarks that have become increasingly assertive following a string of incidents that have strained US-Afghan ties, notably the killing of 17 villagers blamed on a US soldier and the burning of Korans at the Bagram base.

Afghan General Ghulam Farooq Barekzai - formerly in charge of

policy at the defence ministry - has been named to take over the Bagram detention centre, a palace statement on Saturday said.

It was the first step toward handing over control of the prison to Afghan authorities and another move to transferring complete security responsibility to the volatile country before the planned pullout of most Western forces.

Afghanistan, which has long sought control of Bagram prison, says no sovereign country can allow thousands of its people to be held indefinitely under foreign guard and that it alone has the powers to determine what to do with them.

The two sides reached an agreement in March to shift the prison to Afghan control after months of wrangling and a key element of the pact was that Afghanistan would consult with the United States before freeing any of the men incarcerated there.

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 April 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF BANGLADESH NEWS

U.S energy firm eyes offshore gas blocks in Bangladesh Bangladesh authorities have received an offer from United States energy company ConocoPhillips to explore six deepwater gas blocks in the Bay of Bengal.

Chairman Hussain Monsur of Petrobangla, a state agency for exploration of gas and oil, said on Sunday that the American firm was selected as the best bidder in 2008 but had not been able to work the sites because of a legal wrangle.

For more that a decade, Bangladesh was tied up in an international dispute on the demarcation of sea boundaries with

neighbors Burma and India. On March 14, the United Nations’s International

No Yunus

Muhith rules out Nobel hero-led search committee for Grameen Bank MD

The government yesterday dismissed the proposition of making Prof Muhammad Yunus the head of a committee to find the managing director for Grameen Bank.

“Some members [of the Grameen Bank board] proposed appointment of Dr Yunus as the chairman of the search committee. But we cannot accept this as a previous MD should not have any role in selecting his successor,” said Finance Minister AMA Muhith.

He was talking to journalists at his secretariat office after a meeting with US Ambassador Dan W Mozena.

The post of the MD fell vacant after Prof Yunus, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Grameen Bank, was unceremoniously relieved of his duties at the microfinance institution in March last year. In May, he stepped down from the post in order to avert disruption in the Grameen Bank activities.

Mohammad Shahjahan is now serving as the acting MD of the bank.

“Delay has already been made regarding the appointment issue.

There has been an election to the Grameen Bank board and it will now nominate the search committee,” said the finance minister.

The United States had been showing interest in Grameen Bank for long, particularly on the issue of appointing its MD, said Muhith.

“Prof Yunus is a famous name. He has done a lot of things in America and won a number of awards there. The US wants a good search committee and an amicable settlement of the appointment issue,” he said.

Muhith claimed he had tried to settle the issue amicably from the very beginning but Prof Yunus did not give the government the opportunity.

“If he gives us the chance now it can be done in a satisfactory manner.”

Emerging from the meeting with the finance minister, US Ambassador Mozena said the Grameen Bank issue was on the US-Bangladesh agenda. “I am encouraged that all parties want a strong effective Grameen Bank.”

Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) rejected the Burmese territorial claim.

Last week ConocoPhillips send an official letter to Petrobangla seeking exploration rights of the blocks.

Among the six deepwater blocks ConocoPhillips is now vying for are four blocks previously claimed by Burma. The other two blocks are disputed by India and will be heard by the Hamburg-based ITLOS in 2014.

State-owned Petrobangla is not yet sure the ITLOS verdict clears the disputed blocks with Myanmar. Bangladesh has yet to receive an official copy of the verdict.

Two teachers arrested over blasphemy

Police in Bangladesh said yesterday they had arrested two school teachers on suspicion of staging a drama containing blasphemous remarks about the Prophet Muhammad.

The school’s Muslim headmaster and a female Hindu teacher were detained on Friday as thousands protested the play following weekly prayers at Kaliganj, 250km (155 miles) southwest of the capital Dhaka, police chief Farid Uddin said.

The protesters alleged that the play, entitled Huzur Qibla, which was staged by pupils on Tuesday contained derogatory remarks about the prophet.

“The drama contained blasphemous remarks about the Prophet, which angered Muslim villagers,” the local police official told AFP, He

said the teachers had been accused of “hurting religious sentiment” for helping organise the drama at their school.

At least 3,000 demonstrators barricaded a key road and held noisy protests in front of the school and in other towns in the district on Friday.

Violence also erupted yesterday as up to 7,000 Muslims shouted slogans and set ablaze the house of the drama’s director, who has fled the remote area, another senior police official Zaiadul Haq told AFP. “The situation is still volatile,” he

said. Some 90% of Bangladesh’s 150mn people are Muslim and Islam is country’s state religion.

The country’s secular government has dealt harshly with any event or publications seen as potentially upsetting religious feelings out of concern they could trigger protests by ultra-conservative Islamist outfits.

Earlier in March, a court in Muslimmajority Bangladesh ordered the government to immediately block pages of websites with content deemed to hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims.

The high court issued the order after two university teachers filed a petition seeking action against the publication of offensive material on a few Facebook pages and another website, which they said was disparaging of the Prophet and Islam.

BNP settles for 2-day agitation The BNP-led four-party alliance yesterday announced a two-day programme instead of a fresh date for its postponed March 29 hartal.

The opposition will organise processions and rallies in all upazilas, districts and cities on April 11 and 25 to protest the increase in electricity prices, the government’s “failure to address water and gas crises” and the incidents of “forced disappearances.”

“We planned our programmes for April keeping people’s interest in mind. Since the HSC examinations will be held in April, we announced a two-day

programme so that people do not suffer,” acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told a four-party alliance rally in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan office in Dhaka.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at a grand rally on March 12 in the capital declared a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for March 29 to protest the government’s “obstructions” to holding the rally.

The opposition on Sunday called it off as the hartal day coincided with “Astami Snan,” a religious observance of the Hindus.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF BHUTAN NEWS

Govt forms committee to prepare guidelines for select investors The Cabinet has approved formation of a high-level committee, as recommended

by Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW), to prepare guidelines for selecting investors for KathmanduTarai Fast Track, a national priority project.

Ministry, which was entrusted to open the six-lane 76 km road linking Kathmandu and Nijghad, had recommended the cabinet to form a six-member high level committee to prepare basic documents needed for inviting bids and selecting investors few weeks back.

“The Cabinet endorsed our proposal last week. The committee will start its function immediately,” Hariom Srivastav, joint secretary at MoPPW told Republica.

The government´s plan is to build the fast track under build-own-operate-and-

transfer (BOOT) mechanism.

The high-level committee, which is assigned to prepare the guidelines for selection of investors, is led by

by Birendra Bahadur Deuja, former director general of the Department of Road (DoR).

“Ram Ayodhya and Hari Prasad Dhakal, both are former division engineers of DoR, Dinkar Shamara, director general of the DoR and representatives from MoPPW and Ministry of Finance (MoF) are other members of the committee,” said Srivastav.

Bhutan shares happiness in new york

According to Srivastav, the ministry has provided three months to prepare the guideline“. “Ministry will proceed to get expression of interests from different investors after the committee finalizes the guidelines,” he said. However, the committee won´t have any authority to screen the final investors.

Ministry has allocated Rs 1.9 million for the committe. “The money will be used as remuneration for members of the committee,” Srivastav shared. According to Asian Development Bank´s 2008 estimate, the project will cost Rs 67 billion.

Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track is one of the prioritized projects of the government.

Track opening works on 51 km of the 76-km expressway has already been completed.

Maoist union shuts down Golchha-owned companies

Be happy, not just rich, says UN chief Ban Ki-moon

All eyes on Bhutan as the country is set to host happiness conference at the United Nations More than 600 high profile participants including presidents, heads of government, nobel laureates, academic and spiritual leaders will attend the happiness conference at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York on April 2.

The high level meet will discuss new ways to measure development and national prosperity that incorporate happiness, wellbeing and environmental sustainability.

Speaking at a press conference at the UN, Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley said Bhutan planned to host only a panel discussion but given the interest that many countries, individuals, institutions, across the world showed, it became necessary

for Bhutan to hold the event as a high level meeting.

Among the confirmed list of participants are the UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, president Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica, a country which was ranked the greenest country in the world, and Nobel laureates like economist Joseph Stiglitz.

“We are deeply heartened by the response that we received,” said Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley, adding that Bhutan came to the UN to offer the world a chance to discuss ways to create a holistic sustainable development paradigm.

The prime minister said a report on the outcome (ideas and the recommendation emerging from the event) will be submitted to the UN secretary general for circulation among the member states.

“We also expect a set of recommendations for voluntary application or implementation by member states in advancing an economic model that is sustainable and that leads to human wellbeing and happiness,” said the Prime Minister.

The prime minister said he hopes that a task force would be appointed to help guide governments and policy makers in developing institutional arrangements or relevant legislations.

He said the event is being held in April so that the discussions and recommendations might contribute to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) to be held in Brazil from June 2022.

“We would like the outcome of this event to make some contribution for the presentation at the Rio+20 summit for its considerations,” said the prime minister.

The event comprises three different segments. The first segment, the inaugural session, will see an inaugural address by the UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, a keynote address by the president of Costa Rica followed by a speech by the representative of Prime Minister David Cameron on the United Kingdom’s pursuit of policies promoting wellbeing.

A Maoist affiliated trade union has shut down Golchha-owned Go Auto Care and Go Automobiles, workshop and showroom of the authorized dealer of Ford vehicles for Nepal, demanding salary hike and other allowances.

All Nepal Auto Mechanic Workers´ Union shut down two workshops of the company located in Swoyambhu and Thapathali and a showroom situated in Thapathali two weeks ago putting forth 21-point demand.

The demands include 100 percent hike in salary of workers, distribution of housing, transportation, education and lunch allowances and accident insurance coverage of 500,000-rupee for every worker.

Other demands include distribution of amount collected from sales of scrap vehicle parts and used engine oil among employees, provision of 10 percent bonus every year and allotment of Dashain allowance based on gross salary and not on basic salary of workers.

However, the management said

almost half of the demands placed by the union were pointless as those benefits are being provided by the company.

“For instance, we have already covered each of our employees with accident insurance of Rs 300,000 to Rs 500,000. We also provided 10 percent bonus from profits generated by the company and are giving away 10 percent of monthly salary as allowance to employees,” an official of the Go Automobiles told Republica on condition of anonymity. “Besides amount generated from sales of scrap vehicle parts and used engine oil also go into workers´ pockets.”

The two companies, which were registered in October 2010 and employs around 65 people, had previously signed an agreement with workers in February last year.

However, at that time there was no presence of trade unions in the units.

“The union which was formed recently has called the previous agreement void and is creating pressure on us to sign a new one,” the official said.

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 April 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF INDIA NEWS

Britain slams India over Vodafone case, Dawood in India’s says tax plan may hurt investment neighbourhood: Interpol British finance minister George Osborne on Monday criticised an Indian plan to retroactively tax business deals, saying it could damage foreign investment in the fast-developing country.

A proposal to allow Indian authorities to make retroactive tax claims is widely seen as targeting British mobile phone giant Vodafone, which has been battling the New Delhi government over alleged unpaid taxes.

The company in January won a Supreme Court case against the government’s bid to tax the firm over its Rs. 55,000 crore takeover in 2007 of Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa’s Indian unit.

But finance minister Pranab Mukherjee then announced a move to bypass the court ruling, adding to growing wariness among foreign investors about putting their money in Asia’s third-largest economy.

“We are concerned about the proposed budget measure,” Osborne said after talks in New Delhi.

“Not just because of its impact on one company, Vodafone, but because we think it might damage the overall

climate for investment in India.”

“I was quite candid about that with my Indian counterpart,” he told reporters. “What India needs, like all countries, is a stable and predictable tax system to encourage investment.”

Vodafone CEO Vottorio Colao has also written to the Prime Minister and Mr Mukherjee, describing the proposed tax changes as “arbitrary,” “unprecedented” and “punitive.”

New Delhi’s planned change to the Income Tax Act would be retroactive to 1962 and would oblige domestic

India should scrap army immunity in Kashmir: UN

India should scrap the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) which gives security forces, battling militancy in the troubled regions of Kashmir and the northeast, sweeping powers to search, arrest or shoot people, the United Nations said on Friday.

Human rights groups say the AFSPA is a draconian law which the military arbitrarily uses to violate civilians’ rights.

The authorities and the army deny those charges, and say the legislation is essential to root out insurgents. Kashmir, the country’s only majority-Muslim region, has been the trigger for two out of three wars between India and its neighbour Pakistan.

After a 12-day visit to India, the U.N.’s Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns, urged New Delhi to repeal the law, saying it was “a symbol of excessive state power” that “clearly violates international law.” “A law such as AFSPA has no role to play in a democracy and should be scrapped,” Heyns told reporters.

A defense ministry spokesman declined on Friday to comment on Heyns’ remarks.

Heyns, who will submit a report of his findings to the U.N. Human Rights Council next year, said he heard numerous testimonies from families of victims who had reportedly been killed in arbitrary executions carried out by security forces.

Among other powers, the AFSPA allows security forces to fire upon, or use force against, an assembly of five or more people, or anyone in possession of a deadly weapon. It gives legal immunity to the officials, so they can be neither sued nor prosecuted.

In 2010, over 100 people were killed by government forces in protests against the AFSPA in Kashmir. Local authorities in some areas have said they will stop using the law, but this has been blocked by the Indian army.

“The position may have improved in some respects, but has not been resolved, and the legacy of the past is bound to continue into the future,” Heyns said.

and foreign firms to pay tax on any overseas transaction involving an Indian asset.

Osborne’s visit coincided with seven global industry bodies, ranging from the United States to Japan, saying the tax threat was “prompting a widespread reconsideration of the costs and benefits of investing in India.”

“Would have been caught if the neighbourign country had cooperated”

Dawood Ibrahim, India’s most wanted terrorist, has been living somewhere in India’s neighbourhood, according to Interpol, but he has managed to escape the global organisation as the country of his current residence is not cooperating.

Dawood, an underworld don from Mumbai who is the main accused behind the 1993 Mumbai serial bombing case, lives in a neighbouring country of India, Interpol secretary general Ronald K Noble told Governance Now. He has been living in one of the south and west Asian countries, most probably Pakistan, UAE, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, he said, adding that some of India’s neighbours are not

cooperating in the investigations.

Still, Noble said, Interpol was looking forward to arrest Dawood Ibrahim very soon. The global body with 190 member nations has already issued several notices on the terror mastermind including a red corner notice.

Noble was in the capital to deliver the 13th DP Kohli memorial lecture organised by the central bureau of investigation (CBI) last week.

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BUSINESS

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UK economy shrank by more than expected

Britain’s economy shrank by more than was previously estimated during the closing months of 2011 as household income came under further pressure, according to official data released today.

The UK’s gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.3 per cent between October and December, compared with analysts’ expectations for a revision to a 0.2 per cent fall.

The latest revision from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)

meant that Britain’s economy grew by just 0.5 per cent in 2011, compared with City forecasts of 0.7 per cent.

Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said: “The sharper than previously reported drop in GDP in the fourth quarter of 2011 is obviously disappointing but it does not fundamentally change the story of an economy that saw fitful and muted overall growth in 2011, with a relapse in activity at the end of the year.

“And attention is now firmly focused on whether the economy has returned to growth in the first quarter; and, if it has, can it build on this in still difficult conditions?”

Archer added: “One new piece of information was that real household disposable income fell by 0.2 per cent quarter-onquarter in the fourth quarter of 2011 and by 1.2 per cent over the year as a whole, thereby highlighting the pressure that consumer are under.”

India, Pakistan to plan Bangladesh Bank warns against fraud import duty cut

India and Pakistan will soon begin discussions on a preferential trading arrangement to lower import duties on an array of goods.

Trade experts feel that both sides could benefit from Safta with the dismantling of barriers.

The talks will be held under the ambit of Safta, the free trade agreement signed eight years ago between member-states of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, a senior Indian official said.

“Our commerce ministers had agreed earlier this year that when Pakistan notifies its negative list (for trade with India), we will start discussions on reducing the sensitive lists under Safta,” the official told ET on condition of anonymity.

“Since Pakistan has already delivered its side of the bargain, the preferential trading discussions would begin soon.”

India has not given significant benefits to Pakistan under Safta, which mandates members to bring down tariffs by up to 5%,

as its neighbour continued to ban import of most Indian products. It has not provided any preferential access to as many as 865 items from Pakistan included in a sensitive list. For least developed countries, the sensitive list consists about 25 items, while for Sri Lanka it has around 400.

“India’s sensitive list for Pakistan includes almost all items of interest to the country like textiles, surgical instruments and farm products,” a Pakistani official told ET. “The Safta, therefore, does not offer Pakistani business any significant access to Indian markets.”

Since Pakistan allowed just 1,967 items from India and banned more than 4,000 products, it automatically did not have to extend tariff preferences to the country under Safta.

India had promised that it would consider lowering tariffs for Pakistan on about 30% of items in the sensitive list within four months of implementation of the negative list, the official said. “We

have to start work on that now so that further liberalisation of trade under Safta for both countries can take place once Pakistan allows free flow of imports from India by dismantling the negative list by the year-end,” the Indian official added.

Last week, Pakistan decided to end its discriminatory trade regime with India by giving up its positive list of imports for the country in favour of a negative list, which allows imports of all products except those included in the list.

This would lead to an almost three-fold increase in India’s exportable items immediately and by the end of the year, when the negative list is phased out, all 7,000 items will be allowed.

“This should logically mean that more products from India would not only get access to the Pakistani markets but would get it at preferential terms under the Safta. The details have to be discussed with the Pakistani side now,” the official said.

Trade experts feel that both sides could benefit from Safta with the dismantling of barriers. “There is a scope for India to bring down its sensitive list for Pakistan to about 57 items under Safta. It could be brought down further, depending upon the response from the other country, if India is ready to exclude all textile items from the list,” said Nisha Taneja, professor at Icrier, a Delhi-based economic think tank. India exported goods worth $2.33 billion to Pakistan last year, while imports from there stood at $330 million.

Within hours of a parliamentary standing committee proposing formulation of a law to regulate multilevel marketing (MLM) business, the central bank on Sunday warned people against investing in unapproved banking institutions.

In a media statement signed by managing director AFM Asaduzzaman, Bangladesh Bank cautioned investors not to be swayed by abnormally higher rates of interest offered by ‘some institutions’.

“It is to notify all that some institutions under different names are operating like banks in various districts across the country. They are collecting money from people by promising an abnormally higher rate of interest and profit,” read the statement.

“As making investments in those institutions not approved by appropriate authorities increases the possibility of being deceived, people are being requested to abstain from going for any financial transaction with those institutions,” the statement added.

Indian economy to grow 7.6% this fiscal: Dun & Bradstreet Indian economy is expected to expand by 7.6 per cent in the current fiscal on robust services sector, research firm Dun & Bradstreet said today.

Overall growth is expected to gain some traction during the second half of the current fiscal on account of gradual easing of inflationary pressures and some improvement in the investment activity, among others, it said.

Noting that the Indian economy is expected to expand 7.6 per cent in 2012-13, D&B said the uptick in GDP is anticipated to be driven by a robust services sector growth. The services segment is projected to grow 9.2 per cent during the same period.

In his Budget speech, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that he expects national economy would grow 7.6 per cent in 2012-13.

“Given any further deterioration in the global economic condition, rise in global crude oil prices and increase in inflationary pressures could derail the growth process, the challenge before the Government would be to provide the necessary boost to the economy as its finances remain constrained,” D&B India’s Senior Economist Arun Singh said.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

Land Day, which began in 1976, marks the day Israeli forces killed six Palestinians during a protest against Israeli occupation of what Palestinians consider to be their land. Palestinians around the world will commemorate Land Day with protests and demonstrations.

Hundreds of British people have gathered outside the Israeli regime’s embassy in London to mark the Palestinian Land Day as Israeli forces killed one Palestinian and injured over 300 others in Palestine.

Over two thousand British campaigners and human rights activists rallied outside the Israeli embassy in London to express solidarity with Palestinians on Friday, 30 March. The international solidarity act, entitled the “Global March to Jerusalem (al-Quds)” was planned to mark the Palestinian Land Daywhich took place in about

80 cities around the world.

The rally was organised by the Palestinian Forum in Britain, the Association of the Palestinian Community in the UK, the Muslim Association of Britain, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Islamic Forum of Europe, British Muslim Initiative, Viva Palestina and Friends of Al-Aqsa.

Many other organisations supported the demonstration.

Speakers at the rally emphasised the dangers engulfing Jerusalem in terms of ethnically cleansing the holy city of its indigenous population and trying to obliterate its character. They also talked of Jerusalem as being central to the Palestinian cause.

People of different faiths, different political persuasions and different ethnicities participated in the demonstration and called for an end to occupation of Jerusalem and

other Palestinian lands. Participants chanted “free, free Palestine”, “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, “1,2,3,4 occupation no more..

5,6,7,8 Israel is a terrorist state”, “Zionism .. Terrorism”.

Participant raised Palestinian flags and placards supporting Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause and called for boycotting Israeli goods as a way of supporting the Palestinian cause.

About two dozen Zionists, probably embassy employees, raising large Israeli flags mounted a counter demonstration for about an hour.

Meanwhile, in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israeli regime’s forces killed one Palestinian and injured over 300 others as they attacked protesters marking the Palestinian Land Day. Israel killed a Young Man: Shaheed Mohammed Zaqout, 20 years old Israeli regime’s forces attacking protesters in Palestine

NEWS

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 April 2012

RATIONALFX CELEBRATE SEVEN YEARS IN STYLE WITH A BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA RationalFX, one of the world’s fastest growing and most competitively priced independent foreign exchange companies, celebrated its seventh birthday in style last week at The London Mayfair Hotel. The carnivalthemed celebration featured RationalFX’s very own All-Star Jazz Band, Escala, the gorgeous electric string quartet who caused a sensation in the final of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent and an exotic Brazilian Samba troupe, Brazilian Fantasy, who dazzled guests with a vibrant and entertaining performance. The event was hosted by renowned journalist, news presenter and TV host, Tasmin Lucia-Khan.

The event was a celebration of RationalFX’s significant accomplishments in the global Foreign Exchange sector and provided an opportunity for the company’s Founders Rajesh Agrawal and Paresh Davdra to announce the next phase of their exciting journey amidst a distinguished audience spanning respected clients, friends and VIPs. Guests were welcomed with a Champagne and Canapé reception before an exclusive ‘in conversation with’ session hosted

by Tasmin Lucia-Khan, where Rajesh Agrawal and Paresh Davdra, answered questions about their professional achievements as well as about

the continued growth and success of RationalFX. Chief Guest Chris Hughton, Manager of Birmingham City Football Club, of which RationalFX is the

team’s shirt sponsor, was also called to the stage for a candid Q&A session with Tasmin LuciaKhan, where he shared with the audience background about

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto 33rd death anniversary to be observed

The 33rd death anniversary of PPP founder late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto will be observed on 4th April (Wednesday). Quran Khawani will be held at Jinnah Park (old Jail) and Dua will be offered for the departed soul here.

Talking to APP, Member Central Excutive Committee (CEC) Qazi Sultan Mehmood said that all the arrangements have been finalised to observe the anniversary of Z.A Bhutto, with a pledge to continue his mission and strengthen the democracy norms in the country.

Paying tributes to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on his death anniversary, he urged the party workers to promote his philosophy and utilize their all available resources for the promotion of democratic culture in the country.

He said that Z.A Bhutto wanted

to strengthen democracy in the country and accepted gallows in the struggle for the rights

of the downtrodden classes of the society adding that Bhutto declined to bow before the military dictator.

He said that due to these reasons once again a PPP government has been established in Pakistan under the able leadership of the co-chairman, President, Asif Ali Zardari and the graph of popularity of the party is on rise.

Various programmes including seminars and workers convention will be organised in different parts of the country to pay tribute to the PPP founder.

Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television have also made arrangements for special transmission.

The special transmission will highlight life, struggle, services and revolutionary achievements of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

his career as a player and as a manager and the differences between the two as well as his thoughts on being one of the very few UK football managers of Ethnic origin.

Alongside the exciting party entertainment, guests were treated to sumptuous Pan-Asian cuisine, before a large Birthday cake was wheeled out, much to the delight of guests and the RationalFX team. The night’s celebrations then continued in full with guests being invited to take to the dance floor.

The event was a huge success in marking Rajesh Agrawal as a gifted entrepreneur, responsible

for creating a multi-million pound commercial foreign exchange and international payments business. As a brand extension to RationalFX, Rajesh also announced the positive response the company has received with the launch of Xendpay.com, a leading global payments and money remittance online platform, helping individuals to save money when sending payments to almost any country in the world quickly, safely, and easily.

Speaking at the event, Rajesh Agrawal said: “I can’t believe it has been seven years already.

It has been an overwhelming journey and running a business is like being in the eye of a storm. It is crazy and busy, and I wouldn’t have made it this far without Paresh and the rest of the team. We had a great time celebrating our successes at the birthday event and would like to thank everybody who made it down to join us. RationalFX is growing every single day and we have some major plans for the future of the company.

My advice to everyone out there wanting to start a business would be to explore the world and go out there and experience everything for yourself, first-hand. More importantly the only person that can stop you in achieving fulfilling your ambitions is yourself.”

Karachi mayhem: As violence toll soars, police contest figures Violence revisited Lyari as agitated residents took to streets and clashed with Police over what they described as ‘biased operation’ of law enforcement agencies against the residents of Lyari.

According to sources, PPP leader Hassan Soomro was also shot dead.

Soomro, vice president of the Pakistan People’s party Lyari wing, was killed by gunshot wounds near Aath Chowk Lyari when unidentified armed men opened fire on him Monday, Edhi ambulance

(PAC), Saqib Pathan on Sunday by the police officials of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) within the remit of Chakiwara police station triggered protests across Lyari.

The protesters demanded that police officials involved in the Lyari operation and Sundays encounter should be apprehended.

A heavy contingent of police and Rangers were deployed to control the protestors. According to a report, at

sources said.

Sources said the killing of an activist of the banned Peoples Aman Committee

least 381 people have lost their lives at the hands of violence and unrest in Karachi this year.

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Karachi: Unending violence

Over 6,000 targeted killings During PPP Govt.

Karachi mayhem: As violence toll soars, police contest figures

Karachi marked another day of mourning – the third in a week – on Saturday as the death toll from the violence since Tuesday soared to 33 – a figure that was contested though by police officials who attributed other reasons for some of the deaths.

Ten more people were gunned down in the city overnight, the death toll reached 20 in fresh wave to target killing in different parts of Karachi, officials said on Saturday.

Earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari has returned to Karachi from London. The President held a meeting with Sindh ChiefMinister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and both the leaders discussed Karachi situation, the chief minister briefed president about recent incidents of violence in the city.

The President also issued instructions to take stern action against miscreants involved in violence and restore law and order situation in Karachi.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Sindh High Court (SHC) Justice Mushir Alam Saturday took notice of the violence in the metropolis, which devoured many precious lives in the past several days. Over in Lahore, PML-N Nawaz Sharif expressed deep concern over the Karachi situation in a meeting with Sunni Tehreek chief Muhammad Sarwat Ejaz Qadri. Sources said that both parties discussed the possibility of a future alliance in Karachi and Hyderabad.

Nawaz demanded that the Sindh government implement recommendations of the Supreme Court regarding maintenance of law and order.

Calling for the establishment of an impartial interim setup to hold general elections in the country, Sindh National Front (SNF)

chief Mumtaz Bhutto blasted the “Zardari regime” on Saturday for failing to maintain peace in Karachi, where over 6,000 people have fallen victim to politicallymotivated targeted killings during President Asif Ali Zardari’s fouryear rule.

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Chief Muhammad Hussain Mehnti has strongly condemned the killing and arson incidents in the city that came as a reaction of the killings of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activists.

Mehnti said that the MQM took revenge from millions of people by killing innocent citizens and setting dozens of vehicles on fire. The armed militants of the MQM resorted to firing at people, shops and petrol pumps, holding the citizens hostage within their homes.

He said that the party compelled hundreds of thousands of daily wagers, labourers, and factory workers along with their families to face starvation. He said that the city was once again pushed back into horrendous situation where terror ruled the people.

Despite being in government, the MQM always avoids responsibility for keeping peace and tranquility in the city while the law enforcers stick to their ineffective policy because they know the links of the

MQM, he said.

Mehnti said that the MQM had converted the city of lights into a city of killings, arson, loot, extortion and injustice. The traders and businessmen were shifting their industrial units to other parts of the country while capital flight from the country was at its peak, he said.

In what has become an unfortunate pattern, the city of Karachi suffered through its third strike in six days with an average of about a dozen people being killed each day. On March 31, it was the MQM that called the strike, bringing the city to a standstill with all schools and businesses shut. A lot has been written about the political dimensions of this constant state of violence and fear but it also has

an immeasurable impact on the psychology of the city. Brave and hardy though the citizens of Karachi may be, knowing that death could just be a stray bullet away if they dare to venture out of their homes, takes a toll on the entire city. It can be hard, if not impossible, for a city to just go back to normal once the political parties decide that they have had enough.

Then there is the economic impact.

For the last week, the economic hub of the country has essentially been shut down. Our economic standing is simply not strong enough to allow such closures.

Citizens have to live without electricity as KESC maintenance workers are not allowed to carry out their jobs; since shops are shut people have to stock up on food and

water. Ultimately, the rivalry of the political parties, apart from the tremendous loss of life, will likely end up costing the city billions of rupees in lost productivity and revenue. Periodic halts in the life of the city undermine Karachi’s claim to be a centre of commerce.

None of this is conducive to the long-term health of an already struggling economy.

Partisans on all sides easily point to their opponents and blame them for the violence. But everyone is equally culpable.

What started with the murder of one political worker, quickly spiralled out of control because the political parties decided that is the way they want to operate in Karachi. It is time we realised that the politics of revenge dominates in the city and we should deny our vote to all the political parties that have contributed to it. The only pain we can make them feel is electoral. Until they lay down their guns, disband their armies and decide that the best way to sort out their issues is through negotiations, the political parties do not deserve our support. It is the only chance we have to make Karachi a functional city.

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 April 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF PAKISTAN NEWS

Curfew in Gilgit after 14 Pakistan to buy 1,100 MW of electricity die in sectarian violence from Iran: Gilani killed while more than 35 injured.

After the incident firing and attacks started in different localities of Gilgit that continued whole day. Unknown assailants drag 10 commuters out of passenger buses and killed them and burned some buses at Shakra-e-Karakoram. SP Diamir police was also shot injured in an clash with miscreants.

Law enforcement agencies failed to control the law and order whereas curfew was imposed to restore peace in the town.

Sectarian violence triggered here on Tuesday after a hand grenade attack on protestors gathered on Aath Chowk on the call of Tanzeem-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat here on Tuesday, killing two men and injuring 35 others.

At least 12 more people died and about four dozen others injured in the violence that followed the incident. As per details, some miscreants attacked protesters at Aath Chowk by hand grenades due to which two people were

Zardari likely to visit India on April 8 Plans are under way for President Asif Ali Zardari to make a brief visit to India in the coming week.

While the request is for a private visit to the Ajmer Dargah Sharif, the occasion provides an important opportunity for political interaction at the highest level between Pakistan and India.

The Pakistani request, which came earlier this week, spoke of a daylong visit, likely on April 8, during which Zardari would arrive at the nearest airport, visit the shrine and return the same day. However, the Indian government is learnt to be looking at the possibility of converting the trip into a state visit, a report in the Indian Express newspaper said Sunday.

While New Delhi may be open to adding political colour to the visit, signals from Islamabad have been to keep it less ceremonial and political. But both formal and informal channels are open and, as it happens often in the PakistanIndia relationship, many decisions are likely to be taken closer to the event.

Zardari last met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2009 on the margins of the SCO Summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia, months after the 26/11 attacks. Last year, Singh extended invitations to both Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf

Muhajirs demand separate province

Members of the Muhajir Province Movement protested and staged demonstrations in the Liaquatabad area of Karachi, demanding their own separate province, report .

According to the protesters, Muhajirs were not being given their rights and now had no choice but to ask for a separate province for themselves.

The protest included a telephonic address by the chairman of the Muhajir Province Movement.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has announced that Islamabad plans to purchase 1,100 megawatts (MW) more electricity from its western neighbor, Iran. The electricity supplied from Iran to the Pakistani Balochistan Province would prove especially helpful in overcoming the country’s energy shortage, Gilani said during a meeting with the Iranian Vice President Mohammad-Javad Mohammadizadeh in Boao, China. The Pakistani prime minister also expressed interest in buying oil, gas and electricity from Iran despite the US-led sanctions imposed against the Islamic Republic over Tehran’s nuclear energy program, Dawn News reported on Sunday. On February 26, 2012, Iran doubled its power supply to the Makran region of Pakistan from 35 MW per day to 70 MW after the enhancement of transmission lines. A spokesman for Pakistan’s Ministry of Water and Power told reporters that the daily 70 MW supply will meet the electricity demand of the Makran division for the next five years. Iran is currently exchanging electricity with Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Nakhichevan, Turkey and Turkmenistan. Iran’s total power generation capacity stands at 63,403 MW while the total length of the power grid exceeds 780,000 km. The Islamic Republic seeks to become a major regional exporter of electricity and has attracted more than USD 1.1 billion in investments to build three new power plants.

Infant mortality cases on the rise Raza Gilani to visit India for the World Cup match in Mohali.

Zardari’s trip will come against a favourable backdrop. India and Pakistan have put the dialogue process back on track and Pakistan has surprised India with some tough political decisions to improve economic ties. Recently, Pakistan allowed Indian wheat to pass through its territory to Afghanistan.

Islamabad has been pushing for political outcomes and, in this context, wanted the back-channel conversation to resume. Gilani made the request in Mohali, which was subsequently followed up by his foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar.

Zardari’s visit, if it works out, would come days after Gilani asked Singh in Seoul to visit Pakistan, and Singh said the two sides should work out “something solid” to make the visit substantive.

Report paints gloomy picture of deaths of children under the age of one Pakistan has seen a steady increase in the number of deaths of infants who are less than a year old, according to a report by a non-governmental organisation.

In December last year, an average of 56 infants died in each of 36 districts. An average of 51 infants died in November, the Daily Times said, citing a report by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen).

The figures were based on reported cases of diseases at government health offices in 79 districts. Of the monitored districts, 36 reported cases of infant mortality.

The maximum number of cases was reported in Sahiwal (225), followed by Gujrat (157) and Faisalabad (136).

Fifty-one children died before attaining the age of five while 124 mothers died due to pregnancy and deliveryrelated complications.

According to news reports, infant mortality in Pakistan is highest among South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) countries, which currently stands at 70 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to a report compiled by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc).

The report titled The State of Pakistan’s Children, 2006, said that children in Pakistan with low birth weight exceed 19 per cent, 38 per cent of the children under five years of age are victims of malnutrition and 13 per cent

are severely underweight. It said that a child dies every minute from EPI disease, diarrhoea and acute respiratory infection.

Saarc international I Thursday 05 April 2012

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF MALDIVE NEWS

“Democracy must be restored in the Maldives,” Nasheed tells US media

Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s promotional tour of the US media for the Island President continued over the weekend, including interviews with the Washington Post, Salon, and the Huffington Post, among others.

The interviews follow Nasheed’s appearance last week on the Late Show with David Letterman, and address to Colombia University. The recent political instability in the Maldives has been as much a topic in many of the interviews as the wider environmental threat highlighted in the Island President, and the media has been quick to draw parallels.

The first half of the film gives a political backdrop to Nasheed’s own political rise – and imprisonment.

“It is very important that democracy be restored in the Maldives, and we hope that friendly governments understand the necessity and the need for it,” Nasheed said, in a Q&A with Salon. “As we see it now, I’m afraid the government there is going to all sorts of places. Certainly it’s not going democratically, and we need to bring it back.”

Asked by Salon if he believed Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s government would pursue tackling climate change to the same degree, Nasheed said “They can’t. You must have a high moral authority to address climate change. Every time you start speaking, you know, you can’t be answering back to the skeletons in your own closet. So it’s not

going to be possible for them to articulate in the same manner as a democratic government. I don’t see it happening.”

There was, Nasheed told the magazine, no policies or political ideology behind Gayoom and the former opposition coalition. “[The] ideology is xenophobia and racism.

All the rhetoric against Israel and the West, calling everyone a heathen. It’s really narrow-minded and intolerant and nationalistic. This is an island mentality as well, but it’s possible to change that.

It’s not the people who have that mentality but the ruling elite, who want to suppress the people through that narrative, that rhetoric,” Nasheed explained.

Nasheed also met with the US State Department. Recounting the meeting to the Washington Post, Nasheed said: “the whole issue centred around the restoration of democracy in the Maldives, and how it was very important to get the country back on track, and how the US government may assist in doing that.”

“We were encouraged that the US government willing to listen and see how they may be of assistance to democratic progress in the Maldives,” Nasheed said, adding that the State Department had shown a willingness to reassess the situation as new information emerged.

“The US government was of the view that elections were necessary – they had reservations in the past, but main focus of conversation was that whatever their viewpoint in the past, they were willing to assess situation on the ground as it is now.”

Gayoom denies allegations Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has meanwhile brushed off the allegations made by his successor regarding his involvement in the coup.

Gayyoom in a press statement released yesterday after Nasheed had made remarks to the US media, stated that he

High Court upholds Civil Court injunction against investigation of Judge Abdulla by judicial watchdog The High Court today upheld a Civil Court injunction against the Judicial Services Commission (JSC)’s investigation of Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, Abdulla Mohamed.

Abdulla Mohamed was a central figure in the downfall of former President Mohamed Nasheed, following the military’s detention of the judge after the government accused him of political bias, obstructing police, stalling cases, links with organised crime and “taking the entire criminal justice system in his fist” to protect key figures of the former dictatorship from human rights and corruption cases.

Abdulla Mohamed obtained the Civil Court injunction against his investigation by the judicial watchdog in September 2011, after it produced a report stating that he had violated the Judge’s Code of Conduct by making a politically

biased statement in an interview he gave to private broadcaster DhiTV. The JSC appealed the injunction on January 24, claiming that the Civil Court had disregarded the commission’s constitutional mandate which allowed it to take action against judges, and argued that the court did not have the jurisdiction to overrule a decision of its own watchdog body.

The commission further argued the Judge Mohamed did not have

the authority to seek the injunction preemptively as the commission had not yet taken action against him.

The JSC had therefore requested the High Court to terminate the injunction, citing contradictions to legal and court procedures.

However presiding High Court Judge Dr Azmiralda Zahir contended that the commission had not provided the court “any reason to terminate the injunction”.

Zahir further observed that the High Court would be violating the court procedures if it decided on the injunction before the Civil Court had reached its own verdict in the case.

had not attempted nor took part in any type of attempts to unlawfully topple the government of Nasheed.

However he acknowledged that his party, the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), had participated with thousands of people who raised concerns over Nasheed’s unlawful and unconstitutional actions and his efforts to distance the Maldivian people from their Islamic faith.

“For that purpose, PPM had participated in the protests that were organised by several political parties and NGOs. That [protesting] is a legal and a democratic right for the people to ensure accountability of the president and senior officials of his government. It is also an obligation on the citizens as well,” Gayoom claimed.

Gayoom also expressed his confidence that the events that unfolded on February 7 was not a coup d’état: “Therefore I can confidently say that the allegations that Nasheed is making, regarding the transfer of power that took place on February 7 was a coup d’état or a revolution, and that I was involved in it, are completely absurd.”

Gayoom issued the press statement in particular response to Nasheed’s appearance on Letterman.

During the show, Nasheed said Dr Waheed’s regime, is the “old dictatorship that we voted out of office”.

“Gayyoom is back in the country, his children are in cabinet, he is in power. Dr Waheed is just a facade.” Nasheed said.

Chinese tourist arrivals drop 34.8% Chinese tourist arrivals dropped by 34.8 percent to 12,237 in February compared to the same point last year, according to Asian travel trade newspaper TTG. Around 6,500 fewer tourists arrived from China last month, largely due to the cancellation of charter flights, which are expected to resume in April.

Visitor numbers to the Maldives dropped by 4.7 percent year on year in February following the political crisis, the industry paper revealed. Arrivals fell from 87,392 to 83,252, after having grown by 13.4 percent when compared with the same period in 2010.

Arrivals from the UK also fell, while visitors from France and Germany rose by 4.9 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

Efforts including familiarisation trips arranged for the media and tour operators have been employed to reassure Chinese tour operators who appear to have been unnerved more than others by the upheavals following February 7.

The Chinese market makes up around a fifth of all tourist arrivals to the Maldives in a sector that indirectly contributes over 70 percent of the country’s GDP. George Weinmann, Chief Executive of Mega Maldives Airlines, which charters flights between Male’ and multiple Chinese destinations, told the New York Times this week the full schedule of flights was to resume on April 4.

He was confident that his business would continue to grow – its employee numbers have doubled in just over a year. The Maldives sent a group of 200 to the recent ITB trade fair in Berlin, representing 65 companies, to reassure the international markets that the Maldives remained a safe travel destination.

The need for this public relations exercise was reflected by the words of Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Lord Howell, who felt the need to defend the country‘s image during discussion of the Maldives’ situation in the House of Lords on March 22.

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Saarc international I Thursday 05 April 2012

WEEKLY REVIEW OF NEPAL NEWS

Nepal approves hydropower project

The government of Nepal has given the green light for China Three Gorges Corp.’s 1.6 billion hydropower project on the West Seti River.

The government of Nepal has given the green light for China Three Gorges Corp.’s $1.6 billion hydropower project on the West Seti River.

“We have decided that the project should go ahead after due corrections in the agreement between the government and the company,” said Shanta Chaudhary, head of Nepal’s parliamentary committee on natural resources on Monday, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The West Seti approval came after China Three Gorges, China’ largest hydropower development company and operator of China’s massive Three Gorges Dam, on March 16 threatened to pull out of the 750 megawatt project if it didn’t move forward.

That was because Chaudhary’s committee said it was investigating whether the government had followed proper procedures in granting the license to China Three Gorges on Feb. 29.

The committee said that Nepal’s government too hastily gave its approval to China Three Gorges, without inviting international competitive bidding as had been the general practice, said Chaudhary.

Under the Feb. 29 agreement, Nepal’s state power utility would have a 25 percent share in the project and China Three Gorges the rest.

Construction is to start in 2015, with electricity generation to begin starting in 2019.

Nepal aims to tap the huge hydroelectric potential from its swift-flowing Himalayan river system to provide electricity to its population, 60 percent of whom don’t have access to electricity.

Nepal Court rescues Indian JV from shut down A Nepalese court has rescued Surya Nepal, an Indian joint venture tobacco company from being shut down indefinitely by issuing a stay order against a strike by its pro-Maoist trade union, even as the fear of unrest still hangs on.

The Nepal Multinational Companies’ Workers Union (NMCWC), has threatened to shut down the tobacco company situated in Hetauda of southern Nepal for indefinite period to press for higher wages and perks for its labourers.

Although the Patan Appellate Court has issued the stay order against the pro-Maoist trade union against the strike, the fear of labour unrest still hangs on in the factory, as repeated attempts by the management for negotiation with the workers have failed so far.

Though, both the sides, the management and the trade union, have agreed to resume talks in an attempt to hammer out solutions.

The trade union is demanding Rs. 10,000 additional allowance to their monthly salary to meet the government’s criteria of minimum basic salary. However, the management claims that they have already met the criteria of minimum basic wages.

The Appellate Court has also summoned the

management representatives and trade union officials for hearing on April 5 to ascertain the rationale behind the strike.

The trade union had on Wednesday threatened to indefinitely shut down the industry from Monday if the company did not fulfill its 11point demands.

“We have deferred our strike for now,” said Beni Prasad Timilsina, president of NMCWC. He said that the trade union officials will appear before the court as per its order.

“We will take decision on our future course of action depending on what the Court says on the issue,” he added.

The trade union members said they are firm on their stance, though they maintained that the court’s decision will be honoured.

The union has also refused to let go its demand that seek job guarantee to off springs of staff in case they die while working.

“These are our bottom line,” he stated, adding that the union has dropped its demands like raise in medical insurance and compulsory residential quarters for workers.

Some three-four months ago continued labour unrest had forced the Surya Nepal to shut down its garment unit which, produces John Players brand of clothes, as it was incurring a huge loss.

Nepal’s Independent Power Producers’ Association says that Nepal has approximately 40,000 megawatts of economically feasible hydropower potential, only about 600 megawatts of which is currently developed.

Nepal says the estimated $1.6 billion cost for West Seti will come from China Three Gorges as well as from a loan from China’s Exim Bank. It says the 3.33 billion units of energy the project is expected to supply is intended for domestic consumption.

The project license for West Seti was previously awarded in 1994 to Australia’s Snowy Mountains Engineering Corp. but was scrapped last July. Under the terms of that license, Nepal was to receive 10 percent of the project’s 750 megawatts of electricity along with a nominal royalty from SMEC’s profit from the project, with the remaining 90 percent of the power exported to India.

SMEC’s West Seti project called for the relocation of about 30,000 people from the highlands to the plains of the Terai in Kailali, home to the indigenous Tharu people.

The Asian Development Bank, along with the China National Machinery and Export Corp. and China Exim Bank were involved as cofinanciers but later pulled out of the project, International Rivers says.

April Fool’s Day bomb threat delays plane in Nepal

Police in Nepal are investigating whether a bomb threat that delayed a Dubai-bound flight at Nepal’s international airport was an April Fool’s hoax.

Katmandu airport police chief Narayan Prasad Bastakoti says the Nepal Airlines flight was grounded for more than three hours Sunday night as police dogs searched the plane, passengers and their luggage after authorities were warned that there was a bomb on the plane.

After no bomb was found, the plane took off and landed safely in Dubai.

Bastakoti said Monday that the call notifying Nepalese police of the bomb threat came from Malaysia, and that police were investigating to find out whether it was an April Fool’s hoax.

Earth Hour’ marked in Nepal Earth Hour marked with stress on wiser resource utilisation Earth Hour, the global campaign dedicated to sending a moral message to stop degradation of the Earth and promoting wiser use of resources to reduce the impact of climate change, was also marked in Nepal today.

To mark the day, the initiator of the campaign, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), organised two different programmes in Basantapur, Kathmandu, and Lumbini today. The Himalayan Times is the official media for the event.

“On Earth Hour this year, we take pride in having planted the first seedlings of a sustainable partnership with the corporate sector and the youth of Nepal both of whom are key actors in our mission to build a living planet,” said Anil Manandhar, Country Representative, WWF Nepal.

WWF has collaborated with five banks and youth organisations to plant one million trees by 2020.

Earth Hour’s website mentioned that millions of people in hundreds of cities worldwide have participated the campaign. As part of the event, organisers had invited one and all to put

out electricity for an hour at 8.30 pm local time. “The largest voluntary action for the environment has reached further than ever before. Earth Hour was celebrated in a record 150 countries and territories and 6,400 towns and cities to send the message that our combined efforts are needed to change our future to one that is sustainable,” mentioned the global campaign.

Buddhist monks from 20 different monasteries in Lumbini led a special prayer session, ‘A Prayer for Earth’, in Lumbini to mark the day earlier today. “Worldwide, Nepal is recognised because of Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. It is therefore our duty to protect and preserve this sacred site which, apart from being an important pilgrimage site, supports a rich and diverse natural ecosystem,” said Maitri Mahastavir, spiritual adviser to the Lumbini Development Trust.

“Through Earth Hour, we want to promote the message of conservation – starting with Lumbini and travelling beyond its borders – as the way of life for human beings across the world,” he added.

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WEEKLY REVIEW OF SRILANKA NEWS

Crucial IMF meeting on SL loan The Executive Board of Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meets tomorrow (Monday) for a crucial session to decide on the final tranche of a US$2.6 billion loan to Sri Lanka.

The board will be considering the seventh review of an IMF mission that visited Sri Lanka last month ahead of approving the final tranche of US$800 million which, if granted will be disbursed at a higher interest rate of 3.1 % against 1% for the earlier tranches.

Bankers say that if the IMF doesn’t approve the final tranche it could adversely affect an already-volatile foreign exchange market and erode public confidence. Central Bank (CB) officials including the Governor Ajit Nivard Cabraal were tightlipped on the meeting, declining to comment on its possible

outcome or on whether the CB was seeking the last tranche, except to say there has been an ‘exchange of letters’ between the CB and the IMF since the last mission visit. Economists said it was crucial that Sri Lanka receives the balance money to offset a high trade deficit and halt further foreign exchange volatility.

“There is no doubt we need this money to restore public confidence. Interest rates have risen, the balance of payments is weak and constant foreign exchange volatility reflects a lack of public confidence,” noted Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne, economist from the University of Colombo. “Importers are buying in advance fearing the dollar will rise further while exporters are holding onto their proceeds anticipating a further fall in the Rupee,” he added. The Rupee

Sri Lankan Army Chief Lt Gen Jagath Jayasuriya is on a six-day visit to Pakistan to enhance military ties between the two countries.

Jayasuriya is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

Besides meeting top Pakistani military brass, Jayasuriya will visit several other places of military and tourist interest.

Kayani, who visited Sri Lanka in January last year, had invited Jayasuriya to visit Pakistan as a gesture of goodwill and long-lasting relations that exist between the two armies, Sri Lankan Army said.

Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander Sri Lanka Army called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, on Monday.According to ISPR press release, discussions were

focused on bilateral relations with emphasis on security and defence aspects.Earlier, on arrival, the dignitary was presented a Guard of Honour by a smartly turned out contingent at Yadgar-e-Shuhada, GHQ.

stabilised this week to Rs 128 per $1, down by two rupees from Rs 130 last Friday, after some banks unloaded dollars in the market on Wednesday.

Last month, the CB brought in significant policy changes in the market while IMF mission officials were in Colombo and after they went back to Washington.

On February 3, Friday while the delegation was meeting the media, the CB announced a credit squeeze and raised interest rates aimed at curbing credit growth and non-essential imports. On February 15, the CB said it was withdrawing from intervening in the foreign exchange market which saw the dollar rising sharply from around Rs 108 to 128 this week.

At a recent public meeting, IMF Country Representative Koshy Mathai said the balance tranche of $800 million, if approved, will

be given in two installments of $400 million each.

The CB for two years intervened in the foreign exchange to prop up the Rupee at artificially high levels, until it pulled out last month. In September 2011, the IMF expressed concern over foreign reserves dwindling and called for a more flexible exchange rate policy, a call that was initially

rejected by the CB. Prof. Abeyratne said that there is no need to borrow or depend on others if a country’s policy reforms are on the right track with export growth and foreign exchange stability.

“Unfortunately this is not the case in Sri Lanka and we don’t have a choice but to seek external support and when that happens, it comes with conditions.

This is not because the IMF or World Bank wants it but because Sri Lanka needs it to improve financial stability and governance.” He said just before the IMF Standby Arrangement (loan) was approved in 2009, foreign investor confidence was low. It improved soon after the fund came in and bonds also drew investments at attractive rates. “If the IMF moves out at this time, this would hurt the confidence factor, he added.

Sri Lanka raises taxes on Motor vehicles, cigarette, and Liquor The Sri Lankan government has decided to raise the taxes levied on motor vehicles, cigarette, and Liquor with effective from today.

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance and Planning in a press release said that the government has decided to revise the customs Duty, Excise (Special Provision) and Excise Duty on motor vehicles, cigarette, and Liquor with effective from March 31, 2012.

However, there is no change in the levies imposed on tractors, buses and trucks.

The Ministry said in its statement that all vehicle imports, including cars, motorcycles and three wheelers, to the country rose 147% in 2011 compared to 2010 and from 2009 to 2010 the increase was 121%.

In 2011, Sri Lanka has imported 54, 285 cars up by 46% from the 37,134 imported in 2010.

Justifying the increase in levies, the Finance ministry said since 2009, the vehicle imports have been rising rapidly and with that the demand for fuel and expenses for fuel imports have also been rising.

The measure is expected to curtail the expenses the government incurring in importing fuel and reduce traffic congestion as well.

With the revisions that will be effective from today, the hybrid cars are slapped with a new production tax from 14 - 57% and a total tax of 65 - 125% while for regular petrol cars the final tax will range from 200 - 275% depending on the engine capacity.

The taxes for diesel cars have been raised from current 180% to 250% for a car under 1600cc and from a current 291% to 350% for a car over 2500 cc.

Taxes on petrol-driven vans have been raised from the current 103 - 172% to 125 - 200% depending on the number of passengers.

Taxes on diesel vans have been increased from a range of 112 - 291% to 125 - 350%.

Petrol and Diesel driven three wheelers are slapped with a 100% tax from the current 51% and 61% respectively while the tax on electric three wheelers has been increased from 27% to 50%.

Motorcycles have been slapped with a tax increase from the current 61% to 100%.

The government has also revised the taxes on imported liquors and cigarettes.

According to the revision, tax for a liter of imported beer has been increased by 50 rupees and for local beer by 5 rupees. Taxes for hard liquor have been increased by 60 rupees for a liter.

The price of a every kind of cigarette has been increased by one rupee.

The revised taxes on the alcohol and cigarettes are expected to bring in an income of 3 billion rupees to the government, the Ministry noted.

Following Sri Lanka’s move to reduce vehicle import taxes by 50 percent in June 2010, vehicle imports to the country rose sharply contributing to the ballooned trade deficit of US$ 9.74 billion in 2011.

Sri Lanka’s Central Bank implemented several policy measures in February to bring the import expenditure down while the government increased the fuel prices significantly as a measure to reduce the trade gap.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Saarc international I Thursday 05 April 2012

Flying Car Makes Successful Maiden Flight

The Dutch company PAL-V has successfully concluded test flights of its flying car, PAL-V (Personal Air and Land Vehicle). During the past two weeks, several test flights were conducted. The patented vehicle flies in the air like a gyrocopter with lift generated by an auto-rotating rotor and forward speed produced by a foldable push propeller on the back.

On the road it drives like a sports car.

No new infrastructure is required because it uses existing roads and airstrips.

Dutch Innovation A team of top engineers has been working on the first prototypes.

Renowned institutes such as the Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory and Delft University are involved in the development. The driving prototype was fully tested in 2009 and now the flying-driving prototype made its first flights. The PAL-V complies with existing regulations in all major markets, which means that the vehicle is allowed both in road traffic and in the air.

Robert Dingemanse, CEO and co-founder of PAL-V commented: “We are very proud to announce this successful maiden flight of the PAL-V and we now invite investors to create the future with us. We know there is a lot of interest for the PAL-V. Prior to announcing these test flights, we

were already approached on a daily basis by potential customers and dealers wanting to be part of this exciting project.”

Door-to-Door Mobility A PAL-V offers the choice of flying like a plane or driving like a car. This means fast door-to-door mobility for private individuals as well as professionals and organizations.

The flying range will be between 350 (220 miles) and 500 km (315 miles), depending on the type and pay load.

Driving, a PAL-V will have a range of about 1200 km (750 miles). It runs on gasoline and there will also be versions that use biodiesel or bio-ethanol.

It can reach speeds of up to 180 km/h (110 miles/h) both on land and in the air.

On the ground the aerodynamic, 3-wheeled vehicle combines the

comfort of a car with the agility of a motorcycle thanks to its patented, cutting-edge, ‘tilting’ system. Driving, a PAL-V accelerates like a sports car.

Flying, a PAL-V is like a standard gyrocopter. It is quieter than helicopters due to the slower rotation of the rotor. It takes off and lands with low speed, cannot stall, and is very easy to control. This makes

a PAL-V one of the safest types of aircraft. Obtaining a licence requires only 20 to 30 hours of training.

It is possible to land a PAL-V practically anywhere. For take-off, a strip of 165 meters (540 feet) is enough and it can be either paved or grass.

Governments are already preparing for increasing traffic with Personal Air Vehicles like the PAL-V. In the US and in Europe government-funded programs are determining the infrastructure of ‘digital freeways’ to provide safe corridors using GPS technology. The technology is available today to allow personal air traffic to grow safely.

PAL-V is determined to play a leading role in this market.

The Company The company management consists of a team of Dutch entrepreneurs with expertise in aviation, automotive, research, and marketing. PAL-V succeeded in gathering the best talent available. The company was initially funded by a group of informal investors and also received a loan from the Agentschap NL. Three Dutch ministries are supporting the project based on its technical innovation and economic potential.

Professionals and corporations

are investigating the efficiency and improved effectiveness a PAL-V will bring to their operations. Potential lead customers such as police, the military, and flying

doctors have expressed interest for surveillance, mobility, aid in postwar situations, and homeland security. Initial talks about specific requirements are underway.

Now that the final product development phase has been reached, PAL-V Europe will invite new investors to fund the development of the commercial product and the market launch.

A flying car has been a dream cherished for almost 100 years.

Now it has become reality. This will be a revolution in door-todoor transportation similar to the transition from horse-and-buggy to the automobile. Leave home and flydrive to almost any destination. Avoid traffic jams and cross lakes, fjords, rivers or mountain ranges like an eagle. Touch down on the other side and drive to your final destination.

The

PAL-V combines in one vehicle the freedom and excitement of flying like a bird in the sky with the choice of breathtaking driving performance on the roads and highways. It offers an unprecedented freedom in mobility.

More information and high res images can be found at http:// www.PAL-V.com

Continued from page 32 >>

British Universities side begins Pakistan tour The cricket-mad nation has not hosted an international match since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus during the Lahore Test in March 2009, killing eight people and injuring seven. The Universities team will play two 50-over games against a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Under-19 XI in Lahore on Wednesday and Friday, and the tourists’ captain Kamal Alam said he hoped the trip would encourage other sides to visit.

“One of the main things of the tour is not just cricket, but more to show that Pakistan really needs cricket because

cricket is the most important thing in the country and it keeps everyone going,” he said at a press conference. “It’s almost like taking the oxygen out of the country when you don’t have international cricket.” Alam said it was hard to judge the situation in Pakistan from media reports.

“There’s a lot of high propaganda either way, this is the second time we have come here in the last seven years from the British Universities and we are here as a charity team, and it’s also a goodwill gesture between Britain and Pakistan,” he said.

Jayawardene rescues Sri Lanka again

Dilshan to edge a catch to wicket-keeper Matt Prior after the previous two balls had been driven for boundaries. Kumar Sangakkara was dismissed first ball for the second match in a row when he was snapped up by Strauss in the slips, the England captain taking the catch at second attempt.

Jayawardene once again prevented a hat-trick, as he had done in Galle, and went on to master the England attack on a dry wicket that is expected to crumble in the later stages of the match.

Lahiru Thirimanne padded up to a straight ball from Anderson and was given out leg-before by umpire Bruce Oxenford, a decision upheld by the third umpire after the batsman asked for a review.

Steven Finn, who joined Anderson and Tim Bresnan in

a three-man seam attack, said England will be satisfied by the day’s play. “We have had a pretty good day,” said Finn, who turns 23 on Wednesday.

“It was a day of attrition. Jayawardene played really well and kept us at bay for a fair while, but it’s pretty even at the end of the day. “You have to wait for batsmen to make mistakes. I think every bowler did that. We’ve played the patient game and we have to do it again tomorrow.”

Finn said Anderson’s bowling stood out after a hard day’s work in the field.

“Jimmy is an exceptional bowler and he showed that again with three early wickets and being consistent throughout the day,” he said.

“He is someone that I’ve looked up to and hopefully I can keep learning from him.”

Saarc international I Thursday 05 April 2012

ENTERTAINMENT

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Ground breaking Futuristic Fantasy Film Alka Yagnik Teams Kochadaiyaan - The Legend, Combines State- Up With UK Artist!

Of-The-Art Super-Technology With Super-Stars Bollywood Dreams Rajnikanth and Oscar-Winning Composer AR Rahman

Set to be this year’s blockbuster film, Kochadaiyaan – The Legend, is set to rival such Hollywood masterpieces as Avatar and Tin Tin. Kochadiyaan stars South Indian film megastar Rajnikanth and features the musical talents of Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire composer AR Rahman. The film is produced

by British company Mediaone Global Entertainment Limited, and will be released worldwide

by Eros International.

The ground-breaking film, a first within the Indian realm of moviemaking, features for the first time the unique visual mastery of Performance Capturing with Photorealistic Technology.

This state-of-the-art advanced technology transcends the CGI capabilities utilised in Hollywood films such as Avatar, Tin Tin and Beo Wulf.

Screen legend Rajnikanth is cast

RDB to delight chandigarh fans at super fight league’s second fight!

Chandigarh will get a dose of their own Punjabi mundas grooving to their hit tracks on the 7th April when the internationally renowned urban BollywoodBhangra band, RDB, hits the town on SFL’s second fight night. SFL which concluded its inaugural event in Mumbai this month moves towards the north and keeping this in mind who better to set the energy soaring than RDB themselves?

A source close to SFL states, “RDB, Mehak Chahal and Malaika Arora Khan - are slated to perform in C’garh. It promises to live up to the concept of ‘Sportainment’, something that both Raj and

Sanju have emphasized upon.”

When quizzed on the nature of the performances, the source goes on to say, “RDB will perform to all their foot tapping tracks from Saadi Galli to Singh is Kinng – and their uplifting chart buster Shera Di Kaum.”

When RDB were contacted, a member of their band Surj confirmed the news, “Yes we are looking forward to perform at SFL Chandigarh and cannot wait to visit the city. Of late we have had quite a few visits to Chandigarh and the energy of the people there is just so unbelievable.

We just want to go there and have a blast with the crowds and see some real hard-core fights.”

as the archetypal superhero in the epic dramatisation of good versus evil. Also starring in the grandscale production are Bollywood A-listers Deepika Padukone, Jackie Shroff and South India’s leading stars R Sarathkumar, Aadhi and Shobana.

The British funded project, which has been shot exclusively at Pinewood Studios in the UK with a team of world-class technical experts, is directed by Soundarya, a talented and forward thinking filmmaker who is well versed with various trend setting techniques.

Providing the musical score is maestro and Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman, whose list of Award credits includes a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and two Academy Awards for his outstanding musical compilation for the multi-Oscar winning film Slumdog Millionaire.

With pioneering technology, a stellar cast and a winning storyline, Kochadaiyaan is set to transcend boundaries and break records, creating a market first in world cinema.

Iconic Bollywood playback star Alka Yagnik has teamed up with UK based Pakistani singer P M Raj to create a song that makes your heart melt. ‘Char Pal Ki Zindagi’ is a beautiful love song whose lilting m e l o d y and heartrending lyrics remind people to live life to the full.

‘Char Pal Ki Zindagi’ is the first track from Raj’s album ‘Pal – A Moment’ and although recorded in London, was created in true Bollywood filmi fashion with a live orchestra. Whilst the title track plays homage to the melodies and harmonies that have made Yagnik one of the leading lights in the music industry, there is also a contemporary re-mix produced by the extraordinary ‘Jackal’.

P M Raj, a former presenter for BBC Bristol has spent his life with music, and for him singing with one of India’s all time greats was not only

an honour, but also a dream come true. He comments: “This has been a long journey with hard work and patience. Throughout my life I have lucky enough to been have not only learned from the masters of music, but also to have performed with them. Working with Alka Yagnik has to be one of the highlights of my career.

She is a true professional and we had a great time recording the track.”

Award-winning singing sensation Yagnik, has recorded more than 20,000 songs during her career and has collaborated with some of the most respected names in the industry, from veterans Laxmikant Pyarelal and Javed Akhtar to AR Rahman and Himesh Reshammiya amongst a host of others.

‘Char Pal Ki Zindagi’ is OUT NOW via iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/ album/pal-a-moment/id507639627

Pakistan’s sweetheart’: Nazia Hassan’s 47th birthday On April 3, 1965, the ‘Sweetheart of Pakistan’ Nazia Hassan was born – a soon to be iconic figure of the Pakistani pop industry. If alive today, April 3, 2012 she would be celebrating her 47th birthday.

Nazia’s first hit was a pop song “Aap Jaisa Koi” which she sang for an Indian film titled Qurbani at the age of 15. She won a Filmfare award for this song and paved the way for her debut album, Disco Deewane.

The pop icon of the 70s soon became the striking beauty of the 80s and along with her brother produced audio and video hits, forever changing the Pakistani pop music industry.

Even during the conservative era of General Ziaul Haq, Nazia persevered, not faltering in her passion for music and became a celebrity. Among her biggest hits were “Ankhen

Milane Wale” and “Dum Dum Dede”.

In 1995 she got married and had her son Arez in 1997.

Sadly, Nazia passed away in 2000 after losing a battle with cancer. She however remains a celebrity in the hearts of the 80s’ generation and lives on through her fans and all those who showered her with their love.

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COMMENT

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto — symbol of democracy

The Pakistan Supreme Court was informed on 5th May 2011 that former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had been killed in custody before his execution and that no medical officer had been present in the prison at that time.

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979), the bravest and the most popular leader of Pakistan, was the symbol of democracy and voice against dictatorship. His political stature is matchless; his political sagacity and pragmatism gave Pakistan a political party-system (earlier, Ayub had crashed political parties), socio economic development, nuclear deterrence, economic independence, constitution of 1973, land reforms and a parliamentary system.

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was the 9th prime minister of Pakistan (1973 to 1977), and prior to that, the 4th

masses. He founded Pakistan People’s Party which turned to be the most popular party of Pakistan and won general elections in 70s. He believed in the agenda which aimed at the issues pertaining to common man and offered tangible solutions to these problems. He raised the slogan of “Roti, Kapra aur Makan”(food, clothing and shelter for the masses) which attracted millions of common people from all corners of the country .

Bhutto was noted for his progressive economic initiatives, industrialisation, education, foreign policy, and his intellectualism. In addition to national security issues, Bhutto promoted his policies on the nationalization, healthcare, and

weeks after the Indo-Pakistani 1971 war, Bhutto orchestrated, authorised, and administrated the scientific research on nuclear weapons; for this, he is known in the world as “Father of the Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence programme”. Bhutto selected Munir Ahmad Khan and Abdus Salam as the first and main basis of the programme.

Being a true believer in the supremacy of people’s rule, he relentlessly struggled for democracy in the country. He was the most acceptable popular leader of Pakistan, very popular man within the country and also in the international community.

Bhutto staunchly supported Beijing in the UN, and in the UNSC, while Bhutto continued to keep

president of Pakistan (1971 to 1973). Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) — the largest and the most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his shahaadat in 1979. His daughter, Benazir Bhutto, also served as prime minister later on. He was the youngest parliamentarian elected in 1957. He was one of the youngest foreign ministers, in Ayub Khan’s cabinet. Later on, he resigned and agitated against Ayub regime because Bhutto believed that Ayub’s rule was sowing the seeds of agitation, discontentment and deprivation amongst the general masses. He struggled for democracy and for the rule of people. Bhutto also agitated against Yayha Khan’s martial law and strived for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan with the support of masses. He was the leader of the

social reforms. Under his premiership, Pakistan’s parliament gave approval of and passed unanimously the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, a landmark in the political and constitutional history that provided a parliamentary system to Pakistan. During his regime, he strived for strengthening the relations among the Third World nations. Hosting the second summit of Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in 1974, where he invited leaders from the Muslim world to Lahore, was one of the most remarkable and brave initiatives he took for the formation of a united Muslim Ummah. In July 1972, Bhutto successfully negotiated the Shimla treaty, signed with Indira Gandhi of India, brought 93,000 prisoners of war back to Pakistan, and secured 5,000 sq mi held by India. On January 20, 1972,

building bridges with the United States. Bhutto was a strong advocate of developing ties with China. It will not be out of place to mention one of his speeches, which he made while addressing the nation in the backdrop of the separation of East Pakistan: “My dear countrymen, my dear friends, my dear students, labourers, peasants... those who fought for Pakistan... We are facing the worst crisis in our country’s life, a deadly crisis.

We have to pick up the pieces, very small pieces, but we will make a new Pakistan, a prosperous and progressive Pakistan, a Pakistan free of exploitation, a Pakistan envisaged by the Quaide-Azam.”

Bhutto is considered the main architect of the 1973 Constitution. One of the major achievements in Bhutto’s life was the drafting of Pakistan’s first

By A Z Kalhora

ever consensus constitution. The present regime of PPP has rightly claimed the credit for restoring the 1973 Constitution in its true spirit, after passage of the 18th Amendement.

Bhutto was a strong advocate of Afro-Asian solidarity and cemented ties with Afro-Asian and Islamic countries, and by 1976 had emerged as the leader of the Third World. Bhutto sought to improve Pakistan’s ties with the Arab world, and sided with them during the Arab-Israeli conflict.

He also strengthened relations with the western world, US and Russia.

General Ziaul Haq abrogated the 1973 Constitution and arrested ZA Bhutto and initiated a fake case against him. On April 4, 1979, the day when Bhutto was executed, The New York Times published its final report on chronological events surrounding Bhutto’s trial. “The way they did it, (Bhutto) is going to grow into a legend that will someday backfire,” The New York Times quoted.

Bhutto had the pain for his masses in his heart and he struggled for their welfare and betterment.

His political philosophy has survived through despite the agony and anguish of dictators. He still remains in the hearts of a great number of masses in all parts of the country. His legacy of democratic struggle and vision is being forwarded now by his grandchildren, and by the President of Pakistan, his son-in-law. Bhutto once said that “If things do not change, there will be nothing left to change. Either power must pass to the people or everything will perish.”

Bhutto was, undoubtedly, the champion of democracy and the rights of the poor in Pakistan.

He ignited the beacon of democracy and kept it on with the sacrifice of his life. He did not bow in front of dictatorship. He still lives and will continue to live in the hearts and minds of the public. His ideas would be cherished by them forever. The need of the hour, however, is to understand and follow the political philosophy of the most charismatic leader after the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-eAzam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The nation has rightly given him the title of Quaid-e-Awam.

Zulfiqar’s legacy squandered

Pakistanis must remember the price paid by the leader to uphold the country’s democratic values

By Farhan Bokhari The death anniversary of Pakistan’s former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on April 4 comes as a powerful reminder of one of the most tragic events in the country’s history.

Bhutto was deposed in a 1977 military coup and controversially hanged just two years later on charges of ordering the assassination of a political foe, which remains debatable to this day as a case of miscarriage of justice.

In light of the circumstances surrounding the way this case was put together, Bhutto has been widely considered innocent. But his political legacy continues to raise questions about the future of his ideas that inspired a generation or two of

Pakistanis.

Pakistan today under the rule of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), so ably founded and built

by Bhutto, is widely seen as being in the throes of a major battle of perception. Bhutto’s legacy of uniting Pakistan is tragically being seen widely to have been destroyed by the party he created, as the country faces one of the most difficult sets of challenges in its entire history.

There is no denying that Bhutto’s hanging during the tenure of the late General Zia-ul Haq remains one of the most shameful chapters in Pakistan’s political history. The coup which displaced Bhutto came just six years after the physical disintegration of Pakistan which led to the creation of Bangladesh.

The break-up of the country was probably the most devastating experience for Pakistanis,

comparable in its nature to the country’s creation amid bloodshed in 1947. Unlike the trauma of the creation of Pakistan which at least brought some hope for the inhabitants of a new homeland, events of 1971 only led to a loss of hope. To Bhutto’s credit, he revived the idea of Pakistan’s nationhood and gave reason to its citizens to try to move on.

Even after Bhutto’s tragic hanging in 1979, the PPP stood up for an important set of ideals which kept on reinforcing liberal values in Pakistani politics.

To the credit of Benazir Bhutto, the daughter and political heir, the party was widely seen as symbolising defiance against harsh military rule.

Benazir, tragically assassinated in a December Continued on page 29 >>

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

FILM

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Keith vaz to appear in international film Leicester East MP, Keith Vaz, has been given a role in an international film currently being filmed in his constituency. The movie Jadoo (Magic) is being shot on the Belgrave Road, in the heart of Mr Vaz’s constituency over the next four weeks.

Goodness Gracious Me. Mr Vaz will be filmed on Thursday 5th April, at the Peepul Centre. He will receive no fee for his appearance.

Keith Vaz said: “I am delighted that this significant international film is being shot in my constituency on the Belgrave Road,

The film is about two brothers, both chefs and the best of friends, who later fall out catastrophically and rip the family cook book in half – one brother gets the starters and the other gets the main courses. They set up rival restaurants on opposite sides of the Belgrave Road and spend the next twenty years trying to outdo each other.

Mr Vaz will appear alongside legendary

the best, busiest and biggest Asian shopping street in Europe.

I have had the pleasure of introducing a number of Bollywood’s stars to Leicester’s Belgrave Road, such as Amitabh Bachan, Shilpa Shetty and Sanjay Dutt. It is only right that this iconic shopping centre should be immortalised in Jadoo.

This year is my 25th year in Parliament and I am immensely

chef Madhur Jaffrey as a judge for a cooking competition between the brothers. The film is a case of life imitating art as Mr Vaz hosts the annual Tiffin Club competition in the Houses of Parliament to find the best South Asian restaurant in the UK. Jadoo will also star Harish Patel, who appeared in the British comedy Run Fatboy Run, and Kulvinder Ghir, who starred in the BBC comedy series

proud to represent the people of Leicester East. I have always wanted to play a part in a movie, however small that part may be, and I am thrilled about this opportunity to show off my constituency. My character will in many respects be similar to the real me, I, like the rest of Britain love to eat curry and we have the best curries in the world on the Belgrave Road!”

Delightful food and family comedy from Leicester born and raised writerdirector Amit Gupta, starring Amara Karan.

Story synopsis: Two brothers, both wonderful chefs, fall out catastrophically. At the climax of their dispute they rip the family recipe book in half – one brother gets the starters and the other gets the main courses.

They set up rival restaurants, on opposite sides of the same road, and spend the next twenty years trying to outdo each other. Neither brother will admit it but they both know they are not entirely successful in the ‘other half’ of the menu. It takes a daughter – a successful London lawyer, Shalini, marrying a man from a different ethnic background – to reunite them. She is planning her marriage and is determined that

wedding before the brothers finally start to unravel the secret behind a quarrel which has lasted

they will both attend. Can the men bury the hatchet without actually burying the kitchen knife?

Shalini returns home to Leicester for the Hindi festival of Holi to tell her father and her uncle that she’s getting married. But it takes a challenge from a sharp ambitious new restaurant owner who tries

two decades.

The Team The co-writer, director and producers of Resistance have now brought their expert team to Leicester to shoot Jadoo.

Amit Gupta directed and cowrote Resistance starring Andrea Riseborough and Michael Sheen.

to put them out of business and a threat from Shalini that she will not have a traditional Indian

His play The Nuclear Arms has just opened at The Tricycle Theatre. Amara Karan will play Shalini. Film credits include

Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited, and St Trinians. Oscarnominated cinematographer Roger Pratt who has been the director of photography for more than 35 films including; Batman, Frankenstein, 102 Dalmations, two Harry Potter movies, Troy, Inkheart and The Karate Kid is returning to his hometown to shoot the film. Eddie Hamilton will edit Jadoo. He recently cut X-Men First Class for 20th Century Fox and was the co-editor of Kick-Ass, the US number one commercial and critical hit. He has cut over 20 feature films.

Jadoo is currently looking for extras to star in our film from 5th March to 7th April 2012. If you are

18 years or older and interested in joining our team, please contact us: Rashi Lakhani t: 07811 335 944 e: rashi_84@hotmail.com Adam Barrington t: 07710 185 299 e: adambarrington@me.com

COMMENT

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

Pakistan declares bankruptcy

Hashim bin Rashid “Pakistan is declaring international bankruptcy and announce that it will default on all outstanding external debt,” President Asif Ali Zardari announced in an emergency address to a joint session of parliament on Sunday, 1 April, 2012.

Addressing the House in English, in an address also televised, the president spoke to a nervous assembly, “I know this appears like a difficult choice. But we have come to the conclusion that the path ofttaken is the path of greatest peril.”

Silence befell the assembly as Zardari continued, “Pakistan’s external debt has reached $62 billion. It is expected to rise to $72 billion by 2014-15. In 2010, we paid back $3.4 billion in debt servicing

to the IMF. In 2012, we must pay back $1.2 billion, $2.9 billion in 2013, $4.3 billion in 2014, $2.6 billion in 2015. Pakistan’s external debt will need to increase by $20 billion in the next five years to fulfill the IMF-set requirements.”

“Pakistan does not have the choice to take more loans,” Zardari said, “Pakistan is already bankrupt and short-term funds from the IMF and international donors are not the solution. More loans mean more interest; more interest means more loans. That is the cycle that has brought our economy to collapse.”

“Between 2000 and 2010, the Pakistan government paid its foreign lenders $45.6 billion.

Despite this, as the decade closed, overall debt increased by $20 billion,” Zardari said, “We expect the same to take place if the current policy continues. Pakistan can no longer afford to keep paying its loans. It is better to realise this today, rather than tomorrow.”

“The choice today is simple: to take another IMF tranche or declare bankruptcy. We choose the latter path,” Zardari told parliament members.

“Before we speak more, we must admit our errors. Pakistan joined the IMF in 1988. The ploy was set up by the military-backed

caretaker government a day before Benazir Bhutto took power. But it was she that rubberstamped the first IMF tranche to Pakistan,” Zardari said.

“But we must not forget that the history of external debt goes back further. Foreign debt grew with the greatest speed in the period of military dictators. In 1978, Pakistan’s total external debt stood at $7.8 billion. At the end of the 1980s, it increased to $22 billion.

At this stage, the total external debt was already 50 percent of the country’s GDP,” Zardari said.

“When the PPP government came in power in 2008, it inherited $52 billion in external debt. External debt increased by $20 billion in the Musharraf period. Our government also continued the mistake of raising the begging bowl,” Zardari said, “We took a $7.6 billion 23-month tranche from the IMF. We inherited a bankrupt economy and decided to go the route of the IMF bailout.

We were wrong.”

“To those that think the current decision has come out of nowhere, they are wrong. In November 2011, we rejected a $3.6 billion tranche from the IMF,” Zardari said, “The decision is merely the culmination of the earlier decision. A complete

break from our external debt is required to move forward.”

“We stand by the resolution of the UN commission on International Law 1980, which says, ‘A state cannot be expected to close its schools, hospitals and universities, abandon public services to point of chaos, simply to have money to repay its foreign debts,’” Zardari said.

“Over the past year, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has called the role of the IMF ‘superimposing’ and criticised the IMF-driven tax reforms,” Zardari said, “The current government has tried to follow the tax change agreement undertaken between the Musharraf dictatorship and the IMF and World Bank in 2004.

The reforms failed and the tax-toGDP ratio began to decline since.”

“The agreement does not make sense and the FBR will now formulate its own method to expand the tax base,” Zardari said, “Debt re-servicing has become the largest chunk of the national budget. More money is returned to our external lenders than comes in.”

“For the last 20 years, the Pakistan government has followed the IMF-driven policy of feeding its people a ‘bitter pill.’ The policy has

translated into increasing the cost of everyday items and utilities,” Zardari said, “The price-hike means the people of Pakistan have come on the streets against the government. In response, we have decided to take the path taken by Argentina in 2001.”

“The IMF’s pill has provided us no cure. The time has come for the people of Pakistan to swallow the more difficult pill, one that promises to treat the cancerous tumor eating at its roots,” Zardari said, “The people of Pakistan will now make the choice of declaring international bankruptcy and begin to tread on the difficult path to economic self-sustainability.”

Addressing the international community, Zardari asked, “We ask, why must the people of Pakistan pay for loans taken by usurpers? Why must the people of Pakistan be without bread to fill the coffers of the IMF?” “We will now begin to tread the path to economic self-reliance,” Zardari said, “We hope the people of Pakistan will stand by us.”

The writer is a member of the Workers Party Pakistan and researches at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. He blogs at voiceamidstsilence.blogspot. com

Truth behind 9/11 will annihilate Israel: Video

A US Marine Corps veteran and author asserts that Israel masterminded the 9/11 attacks, saying if Americans were informed of this, they would exterminate the Zionist regime.

“I have had long conversations over the past two weeks with contacts at the Army War College, at the Headquarters Marine Corps, and I have made it absolutely clear in both cases that it is 100 percent certain that 9/11 was a Mossad operation. Period,” Alan Sabrosky, writer and consultant specializing in national and international security affairs, said in a clip appearing on the public video-sharing website You Tube.

Sabrosky said his colleagues who are still serving in uniform initially react with

incredulity to his assertions but upon his explanations regarding the controlled demolition of the buildings their disbelief gives way to rage.

“First is disbelief, and what I show them immediately afterwards is an interview with a Danish demolitions expert named Danny Jowenko, and it shows the third building at the World Trade Center going down - WTC7.”

without any consideration for the costs involved.

“If Americans ever know that Israel did this, they are going to scrub them off the earth,” he said.

On September 11, 2001, a series of coordinated attacks were carried out in the United States, reportedly leaving nearly 3,000 people dead.

The US government claimed that 19

President Bush, invaded Afghanistan in 2001 after claiming that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by the members of alQaeda harbored by the then Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

The US also attacked Iraq in 2003, insisting that the oil-rich country was in possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

In his September 22, 2011 address to the UN General Assembly, Iranian President

“The thing that’s necessary is to tell people: three buildings went down; the third was not hit by a plane, it was wired for controlled demolition, therefore, all of them were wired for controlled demolition. And at that point the reaction is rage. First disbelief, and then rage,” he added.

Sabrosky said if the Americans were apprised of the truth behind the attacks, they would not hesitate to eliminate Israel

terrorists, allegedly affiliated with the shadowy, Afghanistan-based al-Qaeda group, had hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners to carry out the attacks.

The official US account of the September 11 events has, however, been widely challenged by various quarters in the US and worldwide.

The US, under the administration of former

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for an independent international probe into the 9/11 incident, saying the attacks provided the US with a convenient excuse to wage wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“The Zionists are playing this as truly an all-or-nothing exercise, because if they lose this one, if the American people ever realize what happened, they’re done,” Sabrosky concluded.

South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

RELIGION

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How to Make your Wife Happy

1. Beautiful Reception

or at night.* Take her with you if possible.

After returning from work, school, travel, or whatever has separated you:* begin with a good greeting.* Start with Assalamau ‘Aliaykum and a smile. Salam is a sunnah and adu’aa for her as well.* Shake her hand and leave bad news for later!

9. Financial Support * The husband needs to be generous within his financial

12. Guarding Privacy * Avoid disclosing private information such as bedroom secrets, herpersonal problems and other private matters.

2. Sweet Speech and Enchanting Invitations *

13. Aiding in the Obedience to Allah * Wake her up in the last third of the night to pray “Qiam-ul-Layl”(extra prayer done at night with long sujood and ruku’ua).* Teach her what you know of the Qur’an and its tafseer.* Teach her “Dhikr” (ways to remember Allah by the example of the prophet) in the morning and evening.* Encourage her to spend money for the sake of Allah such as in a charitysale.* Take her to Hajj and Umrah when you can afford to do so.

Choose words that are positive and avoid negative ones.* Give her your attention when you speak of she speaks.* Speak with clarity and repeat words if necessary until she understands.* Call her with the nice names that she likes, e.g. my sweet-heart,honey, saaliha, etc.

3. Friendliness and Recreation * Spend time talking together.* Spread to her goods news.* Remember your good memories together.

4. Games and Distractions * Joking around & having a sense of humor.* Playing and competing with each other in sports or whatever.* Taking her to watch permissible (halal) types of entertainment.* Avoiding prohibited (haram) things in your choices of entertainment.

5. Assistance in the Household *

may harm her such as putting pressure on her chest and blocking her breath, especially if you areheavy.* Choose suitable times for intercourse and be considerate as sometimes she maybe sick or exhausted.

capabilities. Heshould not be a miser with his money (nor wasteful).* He gets rewards for all what he spends on her sustenance even for asmall piece of bread that he feeds her by his hand (hadeith).* He is strongly encouraged to give to her before she asks him.

10. Smelling Good and Physical

14. Showing Respect for her Family and Friends * Take her to visit her family and relatives, especially her parents.* Invite them to visit her and welcome them.* Give them presents on special occasions.* Help them when needed with money, effort, etc..* Keep good relations with her family after her death if she dies first.Also in this case the husband is encouraged to follow

Doing what you as an individual can/like to do that helps out,especially if she is sick or tired.* The most important thing is making it obvious that he appreciates herhard work.

6. Consultation (Shurah) * Specifically in family matters.* Giving her the feeling that her opinion is important to you.* Studying her opinion carefully.* Be willing to change an opinion for hers if it is better.* Thanking her for helping him with her opinions.

7. Visiting Others * Choosing well raised people to build relations with. There is a greatreward in visiting relatives and pious people. (Not in wasting timewhile visiting!)* Pay attention to ensure Islamic manners during visits.* Not forcing her to visit whom she does not feel comfortable with.

8. Conduct During Travel * Offer a warm farewell and good advice. * Ask her to pray for him.* Ask pious relatives and friends to take care of the family in yourabsence.* Give her enough money for what she might need.* Try to stay in touch with her whether by phone, e-mail, letters, etc..* Return as soon as possible.* Bring her a gift!* Avoid returning at an unexpected time

Beautification * Following the Sunnah in removing hair from the groin and underarms.* Always being clean and neat.* Put on perfume for her.

11. Intercourse * It is obligatory to do it habitually if you have no excuse (sickness,etc.)* Start with “Bismillah” and the authentic du’a.* Enter into her in the proper place only (not the anus).* Begin with foreplay including words of love.* Continue until you have satisfied her desire.* Relax and joke around afterwards.* Avoid intercourse during the monthly period because it haram* Do what you can to avoid damaging her level of Hiyaa (shyness andmodesty) such as taking your clothes together instead of asking herto do it first while he is looking on.* Avoid positions during intercourse that

Continued from page 27 >> 2007 terrorist attack during a political rally in the city of Rawalpindi, just outside Islamabad, bravely led the party until her death. In spite of being aware of significant threats against her, Benazir made public appearances in complete disregard of the risks involved.

Current challenges But following Benazir’s departure and the arrival of Asif Ali Zardari, her husband, as the de facto head of the PPP, some of the party’s best values have just vanished. In sharp contrast to its image of caring for the downtrodden, the PPP’s four-year rule has become synonymous with some of the worst forms of financial corruption ever associated with a government in Pakistan’s history. To make matters worse, the

the sunnahand keep giving what she used to give in her life to her friends andfamily.

15. (Islamic) Training & Admonition This includes* The basics of Islam* Her duties and rights* Reading and writing * Encouraging her to attend lessons and halaqahs* Islamic rules (ahkam) related to women* Buying Islamic books and tapes for the home library 16. Admirable Jealousy * Ensure she is wearing proper hijab before leaving house.* Restrict free mixing with non-mahram men.* Avoiding excess jealousy. Examples of this are:1- Analyzing every word and sentence she says and overloading her speech by meanings that she did not mean2Preventing her from going out of the house when the reasons are just.3- Preventing her

party has simply not been able to provide even half credible answers to some of the worst challenges faced by ordinary Pakistanis.

Across Pakistan’s streets, many of the country’s ordinary citizens brave acute shortages of electricity and gas, which have only become worse in the past four years of the PPP’s rule. Furthermore, new investments have virtually dried up while the government’s management of the economy faces harsh criticism from experts.

Left without much by way of good news, Pakistanis are asking themselves if indeed the PPP which Bhutto created and his daughter so ably led, has a future in Pakistan. It is clear to many that the party and what it represents today is a sharp departure from the ideals put in place by its founding father.

On Wednesday, there is certain to be a government-backed

from answering the phone.

17. Patience and Mildness * Problems are expected in every marriage so this is normal. What iswrong is excessive responses and magnifying problems until a maritalbreakdown.* Anger should be shown when she exceeds the boundaries of Allah SWT, bydelaying prayers, backbiting, watching prohibited scenes on TV, etc..* Forgive the mistakes she does to you (See item 18).* How can you best correct her mistakes?1- First, implicit and explicit advice several times.2- Then by turning your back to her in bed (displaying your feelings).

Note that this does not include leaving the bedroom to another room,leaving the house to another place, or not talking with her.3The last solution is (when allowable) lightly hitting her. In thiscase, the husband should consider the following:- He should know that sunnah is to avoid beating as the Prophet.

PBUH never beat a woman or a servant.He should do it only in extreme cases of disobedience, e.g.refusing intercourse without cause frequently, constantly notpraying on time, leaving the house for long periods of timewithout permission nor refusing to tell him where she had been,etc..- It should not be done except after having turned from her bed anddiscussing the matter with her as mentioned in Qur’an .- He should not hit her hard injuring her, or hit her on her face oron sensitive parts of her body.- He should avoid shaming her such as by hitting her with a shoe,etc.

18. Pardoning and Appropriate Censure * Accounting her only for larger mistakes.* Forgive mistakes done to him but account her for mistakes done inAllah’s rights, e.g. delaying prayers, etc..* Remember all the good she does whenever she makes a mistake.* Remember that all humans err so try to find excuses for her such asmaybe she is tired, sad, having her monthly cycle or that hercommitment to Islam is growing.* Avoid attacking her for the bad cooking of the food as the Prophet PBUHnever blamed any of his wives for this. If he likes the food, he eatsand if he doesn’t then he does not eat and does not comment.* Before declaring her to be in error, try other indirect approaches thatare more subtle than direct accusations* Escape from using insults and words that may hurt her feelings.* When it becomes necessary to discuss a problem wait until you haveprivacy from others.* Waiting until the anger has subsided a bit can help to keep a controlon your words.

Next week How to make your Husband Happy.

commemoration of Bhutto’s death at his resting place outside the city of Larkana in the southern province of Sindh. There lies not just a memory of Bhutto’s own tragic and unfortunate fate but indeed also the sacrifices made by his immediate family members.

Two of Bhutto’s sons, Shahnawaz and Murtaza, who both died in tragic circumstances, rest not far from him, while Benazir and her mother Nusrat have also found space nearby. In acknowledging the sacrifices of this illustrious family, Pakistanis must remember the ultimate price they paid to uphold the country’s democratic values. Yet, if anyone must be held responsible for squandering those values, they are none other than the present leaders of the very PPP that these late leaders built.

Farhan Bokhari is a Pakistan-based commentator who writes on political and economic matters.

NEWS

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

Clinton: Assad must go

The US Secretary of State made her strongest statement yet on the future of Syria’s leader President Bashar al - Assad. She said it was time for the leader to leave the country and allow the people of Syria to elect their own leader. Her comments come as the opposition Syrian National Council announced it would pay salaries to soldiers who defect from the government’s army. A communique was issued today by a meeting of mainly Arab and Western governments in Istanbul giving full support to U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s peace mission while stressing that it cannot be open-ended.

The communique also recognized the legitimacy of steps taken by the Syrian people to defend themselves: report. Conference sources said Gulf Arab states were ready to funnel millions of dollars through the opposition Syrian National Council to pay recruits who defect from Assad’s forces to join the rebel Free Syrian Army.

Iran will protect Syria “Iran strongly rejects any U.S. plan in respect to Syria”

Earlier the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced on Thursday that his country outrightly rejects any U.S. plan on Syria. During a meeting held with the Turkish Prime Minister,

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his accompanying delegation, in the city of Mashhad (on northeastern Iranian territory), the supreme leader said Iran will defend Syria because the Arab country supports the line of Resistance

to the Israeli regime, saying that Tehran strongly rejects any foreign intervention in the internal affairs of Syria. According to Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran will continue to support reforms in Syria and declared that the reform process started in this country must take its course.

Iran’s Supreme Leader stressed the need to deepen cooperation between Iran and Turkey and said that whenever the two countries jointly have supported something in various fields, they have benefited themselves and the Islamic world. The Supreme Leader referred to the immense capacity to develop partnerships, especially in the oil and gas sector, and noted that Iran is considered a rich country, worldwide, for its

extensive oil and gas resources.

He also addressed the sensitive conditions of the region and emphasized that, thank God, the events in the area have been in favor of Islam and Muslims, and will remain this way. “In this circumstance, the most important issue is that independent countries make right decisions,” he added.

Ayatollah Khamenei, referring to the instrumental use of the countries of the region by the world powers, especially the U.S., said that Americans do not accept the independence of any people, and have this attitude with all countries, therefore it is necessary to bear in mind the benefits of Islamic nations when making decisions.

On the other hand, he referred to the political power of the trends towards Islam in Turkey, and said that these conditions are not pleasant in any way to the West, especially the U.S., and while they are upset by this situation, the Islamic Republic of Iran is satisfied with the presence of their Muslim brothers in the power elite of Turkey.

Iran’s Female Ninjas Peers: We need more minority File a Lawsuit: Not Every ethnic and female judges Iranian Is Out to Kill Us

Mar 29 - A group of female Iranian martial artists have taken legal action against Britain’s Reuters news agency for branding them as assassins, Press TV reports. Last month, Reuters showed a number of Iranian girls training martial arts in Karaj, a city near Tehran, claiming Iran was training more than 3,000 female ninjas to kill any possible foreign invaders.

The distorted Reuters report was picked up by other British media outlets. Following the strong reaction of Iranian media to the report, Reuters made changes to parts of the report but refused to apologize for slander.

The Iranian girls, accused by Reuters of being assassins, say the damage has already been done and they are now taking legal action against the agency for defamation of character.

The Reuters journalist who conducted the interview left Iran shortly before a court case was opened. Unconfirmed reports say that the Tehran office of the Reuters has already ceased work upon a request by the Iranian ministry for Islamic culture,

Peers have called for a more diverse judiciary, stating that targets may be needed to increase the number of ethnic minority and female judges.

The House of Lords Constitution Committee said that there may be a need to set targets if the judiciary did not better reflect society within five years.

Currently, only one in 20 judges is non-white and less than a quarter are women. The committee believe this has led to a lack of public confidence in the courts system.

Statistics show that of the 11 judges in the Supreme Court, just one is female while only 4.5 per cent of High Court judges are from a BME background.

Maintaining that judges should be picked on merit, the peers called on the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief justice to encourage diversity, identifying candidates and applying equality laws to senior court appointments.

The committee said, “It is necessary for judges to understand the wide array of concerns and experiences of those appearing before them. A

more diverse judiciary can bring different perspectives to bear on the development of the law and to the concept of justice itself.”

“Judges are independent of Parliament and the executive, but they should not stand apart from the society in which they adjudicate. The public must have confidence in the judges who make the decisions which affect their day-to-day lives.”

Committee chairwoman Baroness Jay said it was “vital that the public have confidence in our judiciary”.

“One aspect of ensuring that confidence is a more diverse judiciary that more fully reflects the wider population,” she said.

Image: Dame Linda Dobbs DBE, first non-white person to be appointed to the senior judiciary of England and Wales

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

NEWS

Save France from the CIA, MOSSAD and Al Qaeda!

By Olivia Kroth

One month before the presidential elections, France had its newest sensation, a western cowboy style film with the headline “greatest manhunt in history,” showing Nicolas Sarkozy’s tragically pale face with tightly shut lips and wrinkled forehead, worrying about the future of France.

His polls were down low lately because French voters judged his political performance as bad, worse, worst. So Sarkozy hung on to his cowboy film with the “greatest manhunt in history” script like a dead fly to the window grid. The blown-up story was his last hope of winning voters and augmenting his chance in the upcoming elections.

France is home to the largest Jewish community in Europe.

Around 700,000 Jews reside in the country. The story of the shooting at a Jewish school came in handy for Sarkozy, but many French people have their doubts.

The online media, Alterinfo, brought several articles, asking about the truth of the story.

There was a lot of bang-boom, patati and patata around the building, with a whole squadron of RAID police running around the block day and night, police cars with sirens screeching, colorful carnival fireworks, plenty of press people and dumbfounded lookers-on.

But were the three Jewish school children really shot dead? If so, then why did their bodies not undergo autopsy, as is required by criminal law in France? The official information given was that after Jewish ritual, the burials had to take place within 48 hours.

Some readers in their comments on Alterinfo mused about the absence of dead bodies. Could it be that those allegedly shot children were in reality whisked away to Israel? People know that Jews do not kill other Jews.

They believe that this “shooting” was a MOSSAD hoax to enhance their buddy Sarkozy’s chances in the election. It seems to be some sort of false flag operation, with dark forces trying to instill fear in French citizens.

If the alleged killer of the French Muslim parachutists in Montauban and the French Jewish children in Toulouse really belonged to the Al Qaeda network, then French voters have every right to ask Sarkozy

why he supports Al Qaeda terrorists in Libya and in Syria, where French secret services are

currently arming and training these terrorists to topple Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Sarkozy’s protection and support of Al Qaeda in Libya and Syria is like an invitation of Al Qaeda to France. The chickens always come home to roost.

The French people also asked why the “massive manhunt” was drawn-out so long, with endless reports, features, interviews and TV talk shows, before the young Frenchman of Algerian origin was finally liquidated by RAID policemen in his tiny apartment of 38 square metres.

Are the French police so incompetent that they are unable to capture a killer faster than that?

In Afghanistan, Libya and Syria, the French soldiers and secret service men work much faster, killing hundreds, even thousands of innocent people in the spur of a few minutes.

It was pathetic how Sarkozy’s wrinkled face was shown again and again, keeping “a minute of silence” for the victims in France, because he is the one who produces non-stop victims in Afghanistan, Libya and Syria by sending French killers to these Muslim countries in order to silently genocide their populations.

According to Gavin Hewitt of BBC, Mohammed Merah (23) was trained and handled by the French secret service DCRI. He had a passport with an entry stamp for Israel. What did this young Muslim do in Israel?

He also had the direct phone line number of a French secret service agent of DCRI, who probably was his personal handler and trainer.

What did they talk about on the telephone?

Mohammed Merah was obviously on best terms with the French secret services before

they decided to set him up and annihilate him.

Was he a sort of stupid little patsy, an Algerian sheep in the wool of a French wolf?

Formerly, he had allegedly received his training in the CIA base of Bagram in Afghanistan by the secret service organization DCHC. The Pentagon and the CIA are known to specialize in the creation of Al Qaeda terrorists for world-wide use.

Since the times of entry into NATO, France seems to have degenerated into some sort of banana republic, with growing state debt, unemployment and a president who is involved in

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shady business, to put it mildly.

The times of such noble patriots as General Charles de Gaulle are long gone, alas. Let’s hope that France will find a new president soon, one who truly has French blood and honor in his veins, one who does not resort to all kinds of crooked shenanigans and endangers his citizens’ lives in order to remain in power.

The French will not forget the latest coup d’état with which Sarkozy, together with his best friends from the CIA, MOSSAD and Al Qaeda, tried to pull the wool over his voters’ eyes.

It is high time for him to leave France in peace.

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South Asia Tribune I Thursday 05 April 2012

British Universities side begins Pakistan tour

A British Universities cricket team arrived in Pakistan on Monday for two one-day games, with their captain stressing the troubled country badly needs

international matches to return.

Pakistan a safe country for cricket: British Universities team captain Continued on page 24 >>

SAT

Sports

Jayawardene rescues Sri Lanka again Skipper Mahela Jayawardene cracked his second century in consecutive matches to pull Sri Lanka out of trouble in the second and final Test against England in Colombo on Tuesday.

Jayawardene followed his matchwinning 180 in the first Test in Galle with a classy 105 after seamer James Anderson had reduced the hosts to 30 for three within the first hour at P. Sara Oval.

Thilan Samaraweera (54) added 124 for the fourth wicket with his

captain as Sri Lanka recovered to post 238 for six by stumps on the opening day in a remarkable rerun of the Galle Test.

Sri Lanka had slumped to 15-3 in the first four overs of the match at Galle, before Jayawardene and Samaraweera rescued the hosts by putting on a half-century partnership.

A sell-out crowd of 5,000, mostly travelling English fans, applauded warmly when Jayawardene reached his 31st Test century with a single off left-arm spinner

Samit Patel after tea.

The 34-year-old struck 11 fours and a six in his eighth hundred against England before he was trapped leg-before by off-spinner Graeme Swann with a sharp, turning delivery.

England, whose 75-run defeat at Galle followed a 3-0 rout by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates earlier in the year, need a win to level the series and retain their number one ranking.

Andrew Strauss’ men will slip to second spot behind South Africa

if they lose or draw the match.

Angelo Mathews, returning to the side after missing the first Test with a calf injury, was unbeaten on 41 after adding 62 runs for the fifth wicket with his skipper.

Samaraweera said the sluggish pitch hampered shot-making.

“This is not a typical Oval wicket which had true bounce,” he said.

“This time the ball is not coming on to the bat, it’s not easy to score runs.

“We have probably lost one extra wicket, but hopefully we can get

to 300 and put England under pressure.”

Anderson struck in his third over when he forced Tillakaratne Continued on page 24 >>

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