------------------------------------------------------------------- DAWN WIRE SERVICE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Ending : 15 December 2001 Issue : 07/50 -------------------------------------------------------------------
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CONTENTS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS + Pakistan forces put on high alert: Storming of parliament + Delhi blames Lashkar for attack: India wants militants' arrest + Pakistan agrees to extended US troops presence + US might allow India to attack Pakistan: JI + Satellite Badar-II launched + Pakistan will send report to UN: Anti-terrorism steps + Federal minister resigns + Amnesty flays killings by Indian forces + Osama tape verified scientifically, says envoy + Osama has no weapons of mass destruction + Osama's hand in terror attacks confirmed: Keith + Osama & Omar may be handed over to US: Meeting soon: Agha's aide + Military action against Al Qaeda to go on, says coalition + Over 140 Pakistanis detained in Mazar + US seeks use of secret evidence: Illegal immigrants + Refugees influx effectively blocked, says official + Extra security steps taken on border + Chaman checkpoint moved 1km forward + Three rockets explode in Quetta + Washington cracks down on Muslim students + Asif not arrested in polo ground case: NAB + Court allows Asif to talk to family on phone + PPP to unite Kashmiris across border: Benazir + NAB softens settlement terms in Wattoo case + Restoration of 1973 Constitution a top agenda: APC by month-end + Mian Azhar rules out patch-up with PML-N + Pakistan Steel GM jailed for 7 years --------------------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMY + Paris Club provides $12bn relief package + Rs51.8bn budget approved for PIA + ADB approves $350m agriculture loan + ADB to extend $1 billion for civil reforms + Germany gives $22m to fight poverty + Public debt swells to Rs3,000 billion + NBP in US not accepting cash for remittance + US imposes curbs on Pakistan banks: Day-to-day cash transactions --------------------------------------- EDITORIALS & FEATURES + Resurrection! Ardeshir Cowasjee + The logic of the mighty Ayaz Amir + Who is gaining more? Eric Margolis + Illusion of Muslim unity Irfan Hussain ----------- SPORTS + PIA accused of destroying an 'institution' in sports + Mudassar appointed coach until World Cup + PCB decides to take ICC head-on + Miandad expressed suspicion: witness
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS 20011215 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan forces put on high alert: Storming of parliament ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ihtasham ul Haque ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: Pakistan put its armed forces on high alert following threatening statements by Indian leaders in the wake of an armed attack on parliament in New Delhi. President Gen Pervez Musharraf presided over a meeting, which decided to keep vigil to meet any eventuality. The chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the three service chiefs and vice chief of the army staff attended the meeting at the GHQ in Rawalpindi. Official sources told Dawn the meeting had regretted that without having inquired and investigated the attack on parliament, the Indian leaders had started pointing the finger at Pakistan. The meeting reviewed the situation and decided to take "all necessary steps" to counter any threat coming from across the border. Pakistan, the president told the meeting, had condemned the attack and sympathized with the Indian Prime Minister over the issue. However, he added, it had become a routine for India to implicate Pakistan in every matter without giving any proof. Referring to Islamabad's relations with Delhi, the president said that Pakistan was continuously making sincere efforts to normalize relations with India despite provocations. "Why have the Indians rejected the US government's offer to send an FBI team to investigate the attack on parliament?" asked a senior official. India, he said, was facing internal problems and had failed to manage its affairs. That's why, he maintained, it was putting the blame for every thing on Pakistan. "How did the suicide bomber enter the parliament premises and was it not a big security lapse for which its own people needed to be held responsible?" asked the official, privy to the GHQ meeting. He said that failure in getting its Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance passed by parliament, and Coffins' Scandal were, in fact, the issues worrying the Indian government. He said the whole incident was a propaganda stunt by India itself. "The attack on parliament is a drama staged by Indian intelligence agencies to defame the freedom struggle in occupied Kashmir," he said. "It has never been our policy to attack civilian targets. Lashkar and other Jihadi organizations are not involved in the recent attack. "Those (Indians) who can kill thousands of defenceless people in Kashmir can resort to such tactics to gain international sympathy. We demand the international community probe this attack independently to know the truth." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011215 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Delhi blames Lashkar for attack: India wants militants' arrest ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jawed Naqvi NEW DELHI, Dec 14: A day after suspected Muslim militants launched a blistering attack on India's well protected Parliament House, New Delhi accused Pakistan of harboring the masterminds and said that Islamabad must arrest the leaders and freeze their accounts. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee led a mourning meeting of the two houses of parliament and later said that the objective of the five armed men who attacked the building from outside before being killed, was to take some 700 members of parliament gathered in the British-built legislature hostage to press for unspecified demands. "Their intention was to indulge in large-scale killing and/or take hostages to make demands," Vajpayee said at a function to commemorate 10 years of the revamped Pioneer newspaper. "It was a well-thought-out plan, perhaps planned for months. Otherwise the attack on a soft target like parliament with such deep awareness of the place would not be possible." He denied opposition charges that the attack resulted from a serious security failure. "Had it been a security failure we would not be sitting here today," Vajpayee said. "We are being mean with praise for the security men who saved our lives, fought for democracy." Home Minister Lal Krishan Advani, present at the function, put the blame on Pakistan although he did not directly name it. "In a way, a neighbouring country is responsible for the attack, in so far as that is where the (militants) were trained." The foreign ministry was more explicit although there were reports that the cabinet itself was divided over Advani's apparent demand to go for a "hot pursuit" of the militants who India says are armed and trained across the border. The foreign ministry blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-i-Taiba for Thursday's terrorist attack on Parliament, asserting it has "credible evidence." New Delhi has also formally asked Islamabad to arrest Lashkar and Jaish-i-Mohammad men and freeze the assets of both organisations. Foreign Secretary Chokila Iyer summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi and made out a demarche, setting out three demands. Qazi told Dawn that Pakistan had not been directly blamed for the attack which has been condemned by President Pervez Musharraf. "It was a polite request to look into the various issues raised by the Indian government." External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, coming out of a meeting with the visiting Afghan counterpart, Abdullah Abdullah, told reporters that "India has technical evidence that Thursday's terrorist attacks on not only the symbol but also the seat of Indian democracy and sovereignty was the handiwork of a terrorist organisation based in Pakistan - the Lashkar-i-Taiba." Declining to go into the "credible evidence" the government has on the outfit's involvement, Singh said there were "obvious difficulties" in making it public as government agencies had many means of obtaining intelligence. "This is technical intelligence, entirely credible," he said. Qazi was summoned by Foreign Secretary Chokila Iyer and a demarche was made to him. Singh told reporters that the demarche had set out three demands - arrest of the leadership of Lashkar and Jaish-i- Mohammed, stopping their activities and freezing their assets. Speaking from Islamabad, the Lashkar denied any role in Thursday's attack. The President's spokesman, Rashid Qureshi addressing a question on whether India would pass on evidence to Pakistan if it is sought, he said: "It really is a decision that will have to be weighed against the requirements and the interest of the agencies that collect technical intelligence. I don't think any country reveals the methodology unless the intelligence collected has no further use there. That is the standard procedure." Asked whether India would consider military retaliation, Singh said New Delhi's position was outlined in a Cabinet resolution and "it is not open for me to speculate." On whether New Delhi has received any response from Pakistan to its demands, Singh said the demarche had been made out only on Friday evening. About reports that Pakistan has put its troops on high alert, he said: "We have no reports on this," adding that he has been in regular touch with the Defence Minister and the service headquarters. Asked if India had any evidence of Islamabad's involvement in any manner in Thursday's attack, he said one had to reflect on the origins of LT, its funding and patronage of both the LT and JM. Asked what would be the next step if Islamabad chose to ignore the demarche, he said a diplomatic demarche cannot be ignored. "Pakistan asserts that it is with the rest of the international community in its fight against terrorism. That it does not promote or encourage terrorism. It is our expectation that it will certainly abide by what it says itself," he said. Later, asked about the response of the Pakistani High Commissioner after the demarche was made out to him, an external affairs ministry spokesperson told reporters that Qazi said he would refer its contents to his government. To a question whether the Indian government had set a deadline for Islamabad to act on the demarche, she said, "We have not set a deadline but we expect them to act early." Asked whether any US team had come to Delhi in connection with Thursday's attack, she said: "No FBI team has come." India is in touch with a number of countries on the terrorist attack, she said, when asked about the support from various nations on the issue. Authoritative home ministry sources have reaffirmed that LT and JM terrorists carried out a joint operation in attacking Parliament on Thursday morning. The sources noted that while initial investigation had pointed towards the involvement of LT alone, as External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said earlier on Friday, subsequent evidence indicated that the JM too had participated in the operation. Security personnel had gunned down five militants, who had stormed into the Parliament complex in a white Ambassador car, after a prolonged exchange of fire on Thursday morning. The identities of these militants are yet to be established. The sources noted that since each of the militants was carrying three to four identity cards each, the police was finding it difficult to establish their true identity. One of these identity cards belonged to the man who had bought the car used in the operation. The sources quoted one of the injured security personnel as saying that the militants talked to each other in Urdu. In the meanwhile, the Delhi Police is on the lookout for the "sixth" militant who went missing after the operation. The closed- circuit TVs installed in Parliament clearly showed six people getting down from the car which carried the militants inside the complex. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011215 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan agrees to extended US troops presence ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, Dec 14: In a sign of the increasingly close security ties between the United States and Pakistan, President Gen Pervez Musharraf, has accepted a US request for a long-term presence at Jacobabad air base, Pakistani security sources said. US officials have requested 40,000 metric tons of concrete to renovate the base in Jacobabad, according to an aviation source. US officials have asked that a wall surrounding the base be raised four feet, and they want to construct air-conditioned barracks for US troops in time for summer. "In the foreseeable future, Jacobabad air base would continue to serve as a key facility for the US military's peacekeeping or counter terrorism operation in Afghanistan," said a Pakistani military official familiar with discussions on the subject. US officials have asked that all but a few Pakistani liaison officers be withdrawn from the base, the aviation source said. - Dawn/LAT-WP News Service (c) The Washington Post DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011215 ------------------------------------------------------------------- US might allow India to attack Pakistan: JI ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter LAHORE, Dec 14: Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan acting amir Syed Munawwar Hasan feared that the attack on Indian parliament could be used by the United States as a justification to allow "revenge attacks" against Pakistan the way Israel had been allowed to attack Palestine. Speaking at a meeting organized by the Pak-Afghan Defense Council at the Minar-i-Pakistan compound he said, he doubted the authenticity of the Osama bin Laden video released by the United States. Mr Hasan alleged that the attack on Indian parliament had been orchestrated by the Vajpayee government to divert the attention of the international coalition against terrorism towards the freedom struggle in Kashmir. He said it was aimed at labelling the freedom movement as terrorism. In the aftermath of the staged attack, he said, the US could allow India to launch an offensive in 'self-defense' like Israel. In view of the threat, he said, the US forces should be asked to immediately leave Pakistani territory. He feared that the United States would ask Pakistan to freeze its nuclear programme, withdraw its support for the Kashmir freedom movement and impose restrictions on religious leaders and parties. Should the demands be accepted, he said, the reason for Pakistan's existence would be eliminated. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011211 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Badar-II launched ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: Pakistan's second satellite, Badar-II, was successfully injected into the earth orbit at 10:30pm (PST) on Monday from Russian Cosmodrome at Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The satellite was launched with main Russian meteorological satellite, Meteor3-M on board Zenith-II launch vehicle, in collaboration with the Russian aviation and space agency. It is orbiting the earth in a near circular sun- Synchronous orbit, according to official sources here. The satellite has been designed and fabricated by Suparco engineers. The successful launch of Badar-II has once again demonstrated Pakistani engineers' capability in the field of space technology, the sources said, adding that the satellite is in its early operation and system checkout phase. According to ISPR, a high-level delegation of Pakistan headed by Major-General Raza Hussain, chairman, Suparco, was in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, to witness the launch of Badar-II. -APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011213 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan will send report to UN: Anti-terrorism steps ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Nasir Malick ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: Pakistan will report, within a fortnight, to the United Nations on the implementation of "mandatory anti- terrorism measures" suggested by the world body, a government official told Dawn. The source said that a meeting will be held in the foreign office to prepare a draft of the report that has to be submitted before Dec 27. A UN committee on counter-terrorism on Sept 28 had sent a set of concrete steps to member states, which they were required to implement, to counter terrorist activities. The mandatory steps included freezing of bank accounts of individuals and organizations suspected of being involved in terrorist activities, arresting individuals and banning such organizations, and free flow of information between member states. The official source said that Thursday's meeting would review measures taken so far and prepare a draft report, which after finalization, would be submitted to the United Nations committee on counter-terrorism. The meeting will be attended by officials of the National Accountability Bureau, State Bank of Pakistan, ministries of law and finance, and Inter-Services Intelligence. The source said that a complete list of individuals and organizations, whose bank accounts have been frozen because of their suspected involvement in terrorism, would also be placed before the meeting. It would also consider implementing the "remaining" mandatory steps which have not been carried out so far, the source added. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011212 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Federal minister resigns ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Faraz Hashmi ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: Federal minister for labour, manpower and overseas Pakistanis, Omar Asghar Khan, resigned from the federal cabinet amidst reports that he was planing to launch a new political party. The request made by Mr Khan to President Gen Pervez Musharraf to relieve him of his ministerial responsibilities has been accepted, said a press release issued on Tuesday evening. The president has asked Mr Khan to continue as a member of the federal cabinet until after Eid, it added. Mr Khan reportedly told reporters that he had resigned for contesting the next elections. Sources close to him divulged that he was also planning to launch his own political party. However, the official announcement said that Mr Khan had made the request to this effect citing personal reasons to pursue his political career and his social services. It maintained that the president lauded the services of Mr Khan for fostering a healthy relationship between the workers and the government, highlighting environmental issues, motivating overseas Pakistanis for a much-needed active role in the nation building activities. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011213 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Amnesty flays killings by Indian forces ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The Amnesty International (AI) has flayed the unlawful killings of 10 civilians and injuring of up to 40 others by Indian forces following an attack on an army convoy on Dec 8 at Baramulla. This incident at Baramulla was just one in a series which had led to deaths of many civilians in Jammu and Kashmir in recent weeks, the AI said. It said that according to local observers, security forces had fired both from moving convoy vehicles and bunkers on passers-by and passing vehicles in retaliation to the ambush. There were reports that a nearby border security force patrol also joined in the firing, the AI said. The world body pointed out that it was not the first time that security forces had turned on the civilian population after coming under attack. According to reports, the members of Kashmir Light Infantry had killed six labourers unlawfully after the attack on an army convoy at Baramulla in July 2001, it added. The world body has urged all sides in the conflict to respect international humanitarian law that prohibits deliberate or indiscriminate attacks on civilians and those not taking part in hostilities. Acknowledging that the Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered an inquiry into the incident at Baramulla, the AI said that previous probe into human rights abuses in the region had failed to punish the culprits. Refugees protection: Supporter states for the 'war against terrorism' have failed in dealing with its results and sharing the responsibility of protecting the Afghan displaced persons (DPs), the Amnesty International stated in a press release on Tuesday. The world body said: "For 50 years, since the adoption of Refugee Convention, states have failed to effectively address the source of refugee flow, primarily the human rights violations, including violations during armed conflict." They had not taken steps which would ensure the effective monitoring of their treaty obligations, it added. The AI said the ministerial meeting on the Refugee Convention in Geneva was an unprecedented opportunity for the international community for strengthening international refugee protection. "In the face of challenges such as people trafficking and tight security after the Sept 11 attacks, governments must re-affirm their commitment to the Refugee Convention and ensure that protection is not compromised," the world body said. In the aftermath of Sept 11, many governments have neglected the human rights of refugees and asylum-seekers by imposing security laws, which inevitably target non-nationals. The Amnesty International said it had received reports that UK immigration officials at Prague airport singled out travellers from the Roma minority for detailed questioning and many had been refused permission to board their flights to the UK. The Australian government was diverting boats loads of asylum-seekers to Pacific island nations - which amounts to 'burden-shifting' rather than 'burden-sharing', it said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011215 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Osama tape verified scientifically, says envoy ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: The United States has scientifically verified the videotape recovered from Jalalabad showing Osama bin Laden in glory after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks, Ambassador Kenton Keith of the US-led coalition said. "The US government has taken extraordinary steps to try and verify the authenticity of the tape," the spokesman said at the regular briefing. "The release of the tape took some time because we wanted to be absolutely sure about the correct translation," he said, adding that independent translators had been employed to translate Osama's hour-long conversation with his companions. The quality, he said, was very poor which made the job of translators a bit difficult. The spokesman said that the voice and images of Osama in the tape were compared with his earlier video and audio recordings to establish its authenticity. In reply to questions about who had made the tape, and how and from where had it been recovered, Mr Keith said they did not know who had made the tape, adding it was "acquired at a house in Jalalabad in late November". The question whether the videotape was a valid evidence in the US judicial system was avoided by the spokesman. "I am not in a position to discuss the legal details," he added. The spokesman said that the US authorities had shared the videotape with many Muslim and Arab countries and their views had been sought on it. In reply to a question whether the US-coalition enjoyed Arab countries support, he said the absence of Arab world troops in coalition forces did not mean that they had no support from them. There support was quite encouraging, he added. He pointed out that many countries in the Middle East had already imposed restrictions on the funds channeled to Al Qaeda. He refuted reports that Osama had escaped Tora Bora, saying that to the best of their knowledge Osama was still in the same area. He said there was no evidence that significant groups of Al Qaeda members had been able to escape through mountainous passes into Pakistan. Pakistan, he said, had taken effective measures. "The situation could have been worrying if the government of Pakistan had not taken these measures," he added. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011212 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Osama has no weapons of mass destruction ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: The US-led coalition has not found any evidence that Osama bin Laden or Al Qaeda had acquired or produced weapons of mass destruction, spokesman Kenton Keith said. Although no evidence has been found, some documents have been recovered which were specifically on the subject of various kinds of weapons of mass destruction, Mr Keith told a daily news briefing. "What they wanted to achieve from these documents is not clear," he said, adding that in their judgement Osama and Al Qaeda were not able to acquire or produce any kind of weapon of mass destruction. The spokesman reiterated that Pakistan and the United States had been cooperating against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and international terrorism, and added that it would not be fair to assume that some Pakistani scientists, who were under detention, had been involved in proliferation of such weapons. Mr Keith denied reports that Pakistani troops were fighting in Afghanistan. He avoided a direct reply to the question whether the US authorities were involved in interrogation of Pakistani scientists. "We are cooperating with the Pakistan government and will continue to do so" was all what Mr Keith said about the US involvement in interrogation of nuclear scientists Bashiruddin Mehmood and Hameed Chaudhry. "It would not be a fair conclusion that we are interested in these people for a specific thing," he added. In reply to a question whether the US had been providing technical help to the border security force of Pakistan, he replied in affirmative but had no details about the equipment given by the US. Commenting on a statement by a Saudi prince that it was not Osama but some mysterious figure behind the Al Qaeda network, the spokesman said they were clear about what Osama was guilty of. About a statement by interim interior Afghan minister Younus Qanooni that the role of peacekeeping force would be limited, Mr Keith said it was too early to say anything definitively about the role of peacekeepers. He said the United Nations had not yet called for peacekeeping force. Referring to the capture of Tora Bora, he said advances had been made in that area but he could not say definitively whether the whole range had been brought under control by the opposition forces. "Obviously situation is still fluid and fighting continuing." Asked whether Al Qaeda members had offered talks for surrender to eastern commanders, the spokesman said he had heard no announcement but it would certainly be welcomed if such an offer was made. In reply to a question about Osama's association with the CIA during the war against Soviet Union, he said: "I do not think that Osama was not a card-carrying member of CIA." Regarding the American involvement in training and support of Mujahideen, he said they had no apologies to make about supporting war against Soviet Union. He said it would be far too stretched to say that it was the fault of the US to train Osama and that Osama had turned against the US for furthering his political gains. He ruled out any possibility of retaliation from Osama, saying he was on the run and had no means of communication. About detention and interrogation of Pakistanis expatriates in the US, the spokesman confirmed that some Pakistanis had been detained but added that expatriates from many other countries too had been detained for violating some regulations. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011211 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Osama's hand in terror attacks confirmed: Keith ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: The US-led coalition said that Washington and Islamabad were cooperating on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Asked whether the US authorities had requested the Pakistan government to question two of its nuclear scientists as had been reported by the New York Times, Kenton Keith, spokesman for the coalition information service, said Pakistan and the US shared the concern on the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Answering a question about a recent visit by CIA chief George J. Tenet to Pakistan, he said the cooperation between the two countries was going on at various levels. As regards videotape recovered from Kandahar, the spokesman said they were considering it making public. "The tape ties him (Osama) to the Sept 11 incidents." Mr Kenton maintained that they had no doubts about Osama's involvement in the terrorist attacks and the tape "ties it down completely." The video showed him in glory over the Sept 11 atrocities, he added. The spokesman dismissed reports about Osama's arrest by British troops as highly speculative. A foreign correspondent asked whether the British troops had refused to hand over Osama to the US forces without a guarantee that he would not be awarded death penalty. The spokesman said that British troops were not operating independently. He said the campaign to arrest Osama was going on and the coalition had made considerable progress to tighten its noose around the target. He said they did not have confirmed sighting of Osama but they believed that he was still in Afghanistan. Both Osama and Mulla Omar were in Afghanistan and they had no credible report that they had left the country. About Kandahar he said it was the first challenge for interim Prime Minister Hamid Karzai to restore law and order in the city. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011211 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Osama & Omar may be handed over to US: Meeting soon: Agha's aide ------------------------------------------------------------------- KABUL, Dec 10: The newly-restored governor of Kandahar province has called a meeting of tribal elders to decide whether Mullah Mohammad Omar and Osama bin Laden should be tried by a tribal court or handed over to the United States. Gul Lali, an aide to governor Gul Agha, said Agha planned to hold a meeting as soon as possible of tribal elders and commanders to discuss how to bring Omar and Osama bin Laden to justice. Omar, who was based in Kandahar throughout his time as supreme leader, has left the province, according to a Taliban official. But the US said over the weekend it is sure Omar and Osama were still in Afghanistan. Osama is thought to be hiding in mountains in the east of the country. "Now he (Agha) has complete control of Kandahar he will call a meeting of tribal and religious leaders," Lali said. "In the meeting, we will decide what is the decision of the Afghan people for Mullah Omar and Osama. They will be tried in a tribal court or they will be tried as the Americans say. "They are terrorists and must be treated like terrorists." Omar, who was based in Kandahar throughout his time as supreme leader, has left the province, according to a Taliban official. But the US said over the weekend it is sure Omar and Osama were still in Afghanistan. Osama is thought to be hiding in mountains in the east of the country. Agha began work in the governor's residence in Kandahar amid unconfirmed reports that a US military convoy was heading towards the city. He assumed power on Sunday after talks between Afghanistan's leader-in-waiting Hamid Karzai and Mullah Naqibullah, the man who was handed control of the province after the surrender of the Taliban last week.-AFP War to go on KABUL: US Vice President Dick Cheney said in a TV interview that even if Osama was captured or killed soon, the war on terror would go on.-Reuters DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011213 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Military action against Al Qaeda to go on, says coalition ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: Coalition military action against Al Qaeda will not end in Afghanistan and it will continue to wipe out its cells operating elsewhere in the world, Spokesman Kenton Keith said. "Once Al Qaeda is defeated in Afghanistan that certainly will not mean the end of action against the network," Mr Keith said at the daily briefing. Al Qaeda cells, the spokesman said, existed in many places beyond Afghanistan and the surrender of Tora Bora would not mean an end of action against the organization. He said there were thousands of caves in Tora Bora range and it would have to be decided whether this complex be rendered useless for military purposes. Commenting on a report carried by The Washington Post that the second phase of Al Qaeda terrorist attacks, involving biological weapons, would commence after Ramazan, he said there was no indication that the story was based on facts. The Post had based the report on the interrogation of John Walker, an American Taliban fighter who was arrested at Mazar-i-Sharif. Mr Keith said that John Walker was still in Afghanistan and his future was being sorted out. He maintained that American authorities were not only interrogating John Walker but other people as well to get as much information on Al Qaeda plans as possible. He said it was not clear as to what was John Walker's standing in the Al Qaeda hierarchy. Regarding reports on surrender, he said: "Pressure continues in the Tora Bora area. Al Qaeda fighters have not yet surrendered. As long as they refuse to do so, anti-Taliban forces on the ground, backed by the coalition, will continue the military campaign." Negotiations, he said, had been intermittent but there had been no agreement. Some of the fighters, he added, were making their way to higher grounds. Border along Pakistan had been reinforced and it would be tough for them to escape, he said. Some Al Qaeda fighters might have fled the area but it would not be possible for them to come out from Tora Bora as a body, he said. Mr Keith said that they had crushed the Taliban as an organized military and political force. APP adds: US Attorney General John Aschroft is visiting London on the first leg of a European tour to discuss legal steps the countries are taking to dismantle the mechanisms of international terrorism, he said. More than 20 countries are now implementing or considering new legislation to tackle terrorism, he added. The spokesman said the Coalition was committed to mine clearance in Afghanistan. "The Halo Trust - a non-governmental organization specializing in the removal of the debris of war - believes that Afghanistan is the most heavily mined country in the world with an estimated 640,000 mines laid since 1979," Keith said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011214 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Over 140 Pakistanis detained in Mazar ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent MINGORA, Dec 13: The workers of the Red Cross delivered letters of those languishing in different prisons of the warlords in Afghanistan to their relatives. The workers did not like to be escorted by the police and avoided talking to the press. They were accompanied only by the local volunteers. A prisoner, Fazal Rahim, hailing from the Sharingal Valley of upper Dir, has said in his letter that some 144 people of the Malakand division, who were arrested on Nov 10 soon after the fall of Mazar- i-Sharif to the forces of Abdur Rasheed Dostum, have been imprisoned in Mazar-i-Sharif. According to another letter, most of the prisoners are in a serious condition and are crying for bread and medicines. They are seriously wounded and are in need of immediate treatment. A local leader of the Tehrik-i-Nefaz-i-Shariah Muhammadi, Malakand division, told Dawn that at least 900 TNSM workers were still missing in Afghanistan and efforts to trace them had failed. Some of them, he added, were reportedly trying to return via the Chaman border, but the authorities were not allowing them suspecting their association with the al-Qaeda. TNSM spokesman Muhammad Abdullah described as baseless reports indicating association of TNSM workers with the al-Qaeda net work. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011211 ------------------------------------------------------------------- US seeks use of secret evidence: Illegal immigrants ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Abdus Sattar Ghazali SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 10: The Justice Department has asked a federal appeals court for a broad ruling to authorize the use of secret evidence in cases in which it is trying to detain or deport immigrants it contends are in the country illegally, it was reported. For national security reasons, the government argues that it should share secret evidence with only immigration judges and not with the immigrants and their lawyers, the daily Chronicle said. Legal experts say that the request and other actions since Sept 11 attacks on New York and Washington DC indicate that the government is moving toward the renewed use of secret evidence in immigration cases, one of the most criticized of the Justice Department's tactics in recent years. In the 1990's, immigrants' groups and other critics of the secret evidence gained legal and political ground in their assertions that it relegates immigrants to a legal netherworld, having to disprove accusations like whether they have connections to terrorists without knowing specifically what the accusations are. In a debate during presidential election last year, George Bush sided with the critics of secret evidence. "Arab-Americans are racially profiled on what's called secret evidence," Mr Bush said, adding that the government should "do something about that." Some immigration lawyers say they have already detected that they are arguing against evidence that they are not allowed to see, the Chronicle reported. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011213 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Refugees influx effectively blocked, says official ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ahmad Hassan ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The Pakistan government has effectively checked the much-feared influx of Afghan refugees, by deployment of troops, surveillance, and patrolling along the Afghan border, informed official sources told Dawn. In the aftermath of the Bonn accord and the reported surrender by Taliban in Kandahar the authorities feared an extraordinary movement of Afghans. But the Pakistan government didn't let this happen. Instead of the influx of refugees, there are reports of thousands of Afghan refugees returning home in the hope of stability after Hamid Karzai's nomination as the future head of government in Kabul. Around 70,000 refugees are reported to have returned to Afghanistan last month; the main reason being the timely supply of food inside Afghanistan. The WFP was doing Herculean job by transporting 52,000 tons od wheat inside Afghanistan every month, officials said. Interestingly, the government, in order have humanitarian assistance discontinued in 1995, has asked for extra funds. It may be recalled that the government had retrenched almost 80 per cent staff of the Afghan refugees commissionerates in Peshawar and Quetta after 1995 when the flow of international funding dried up. The office of the chief commissionerate Afghan refugees, earlier wound up, was revived and the reorganization of the refugee management structure launched. Not only that the establishment expenditures would now be borne by the international community, material support to the old refugees would also be continued. Revival of the chief commissioner's office, though technically untenable and unviable, the authorities decided in its favour to extract maximum resources to create employment opportunities, the sources said. Another achievement of the government in refugee management was that it convinced the UN bodies to shift major chunks of refugees from concentrations in settled areas to the bordering areas with Afghanistan. This strategy is believed to serve multifaceted objectives, a) the refugees, mostly from Pakhtoon background, will be better off with predominantly Pakhtoon population; and b) majority of them would perforce plan repatriation to their homeland after finding no place for permanent settlement in the urban population. Defying the Pakistan government and the UN agencies, including the UNHCR estimation of over two million refugees influx, no more then 0.2 million refugees have crossed the borders in three months, sources maintained. An official said that the government had ensured that its policy of complete closure of borders was implemented in letter and spirit, and hence, sporadic exodus was noted from unfrequented routes. Their number is small and they do not become a burden for the relief agencies, since they get absorbed in local population, official said. Also, the shifting of Afghan refugees from Jallozai camp in Peshawar to newly-established camp in Bajaur agency in the NWFP, and from Faizu killi to Roghani camps across the border, is progressing well, besides migration of non-Pakhtoon refugees to Parachinar in Kurram agency, the officials said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011209 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Extra security steps taken on border ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Dec 8: The government has deployed additional troops backed up by helicopters along the border with Afghanistan to monitor movement and prevent Osama bin Laden and the Taliban leaders from entering the country. Speaking at a Press briefing here at the foreign office, Director- General ISPR Gen Rashid Qureshi said: "We have increased border patrols and beefed up security along the border area, particularly in areas close to the Tora Bora mountains and near Chaman." However, Gen Qureshi avoided to give exact number of troops deployed on the borders saying, "they were substantial in number... enough to do the job." He said: "I cannot tell you the exact number of troops or their location of deployment, however, I can tell you that the security has been beefed up specially in areas close to the Tora Bora mountains and other exit points." "There is greatly increased surveillance from the air and from the ground... We are utilizing all assets, which means vehicular, manpower as well as helicopter assets. "All that's needed to be done has been done. There are even armed helicopters that will be surveying the area." Qureshi said anyone found entering Pakistan illegally would be "taken into custody, investigations and interrogations will be held and (if needed) action will be taken under the law." To a question, he said he didn't have latest information about the two nuclear scientists held by the agencies. He said that five or six more members of the governing body of the NGO headed by these two scientists were being interrogated. Gen Qureshi rejected a report appeared in New York Times that ISI supplied arms to the Taliban militia and said that the Soviet forces had left huge dumps of arms in Afghanistan. Hence the Afghans whether they were Taliban or Northern Alliance forces did not need arms from anywhere, he commented. He said some western newspaper reporters had independently inspected many trucks loaded with humanitarian assistance entering Afghanistan and failed to find any trace of arms or ammunition in it. Gen Qureshi also rejected speculation that Osama bin Laden had already entered Pakistan's tribal border areas. "There have been people who have speculated - it's unfortunate," he said, adding that the government had allowed total freedom to the press but it was regrettable that some reports in the local and foreign press were misleading and creating misunderstanding. So far reports about Osama's entering Pakistan were concerned all these reports were imaginary and based on suppositions and hence not credible, he added. Replying to a question about the attempt by a British journal to obtain PIA ticket on fake name, he said had the effort not foiled at that time Pakistan would have been involved in a big trouble. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011209 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Chaman checkpoint moved 1km forward ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Saleem Shahid CHAMAN, Dec 8: Pakistan has moved its Chaman border checkpoint one kilometre ahead towards Spin Boldak, nearer to the Durand Line, following Taliban's surrender in Kandahar. The Pakistani border security forces have established their new checkpoint, reducing the existing over two-kilometer no man's land between Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Official sources, while confirming the move, told Dawn that negotiations were under way with Taliban authorities on this issue who had agreed to allow Pakistan establish militia checkpoint in the no man's land, close to Wiesh, the big trading town. "We have established a new checkpoint close to Wiesh," a senior border security official said, adding that personnel of Frontier Corps (civil armed force) and levies (rural police) were deployed in the area. In view of the situation emerging after the fall of Kandahar and taking over of Spin Boldak and Wiesh, Pakistani authorities decided to take this measure. The Immigration checkpoint would also be established there pretty soon. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011211 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Three rockets explode in Quetta ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Saleem Shahid QUETTA, Dec 10: The provincial capital, Quetta, was rocked by three rockets, which exploded, one after another in the heart of the city, police said. "All three rockets were 107 MM Russian-made, and were fired by some unknown person from the northwest of the city," the director civil defense told Dawn. The first rocket landed and exploded on the top floor of Dr Ayub Shah Sherani's bungalow, behind Civil Hospital, damaging the water tank and the children's bedroom. The two children sleeping in the bedroom were unhurt. The second rocket exploded on the main road near Chaman railway crossing. According to the police the third rocket also hit a house in Christian Colony at Kansi Road. Again no one was hurt. The explosions caused widespread panic in the city. Within no time senior military and police officials rushed to the explosion sites. The police have registered a case against unknown persons. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011214 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Washington cracks down on Muslim students ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Fakhr Ahmad LOS ANGELES, Dec 13: Ten people - all born in the Middle East - were taken into federal custody in Southern California as authorities began rounding up people suspected of violating their student visas - the first crackdown of its kind in the nation. Immigration officials were seeking a total of 50 people with expired visas who were born in Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Pakistan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Yemen, and who live in the San Diego area. None of those arrested is suspected of involvement in the Sept 11 terrorist attacks. One case will be referred to the US Attorney's office, which will decide whether to file criminal charges. The rest of those detained face possible deportation. Officials at two of the area's biggest universities, the University of California, San Diego, and San Diego State University, said the INS had asked them to check the records of selected students. UC San Diego received a list of 36 names, all of whom were of Middle Eastern descent. None of those students was arrested. University officials said targeting a particular group of students was "inappropriate." San Diego State was asked to check on about 200 names, but a school spokesman declined to comment on the investigation. San Diego's Muslim community has drawn scrutiny from federal investigators since authorities discovered that at least two of the Sept 11 hijackers lived in the area last year. The FBI arrested two students at San Diego-area colleges 10 days after the attacks. The two were detained as material witnesses and indicted by grand juries. They remain in custody. The Immigration and Naturalization Service plans to expand the programme to cover holders of expired student visas from other regions - not just the Middle East - in other areas of the country, agency officials said. But the roundup angered many San Diego residents with Middle Eastern roots. "This type of activity, people defaulting on their visas, is not particular to the Arab community," said Mohammed Nasser, the director of the San Diego chapter of the Muslim-American Society. Randall Hamud, an Arab-American attorney representing two San Diego residents arrested as material witnesses in the terror probe, called it a case of "prosecutorial authority that has become persecutorial license." "Why are they just selecting Middle Easterners?" Hamud said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011214 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Asif not arrested in polo ground case: NAB ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Dec 13: The National Accountability Bureau stated before the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench, that Asif Ali Zardari had not been arrested in polo ground case, clearing the second-last hurdle in his release after spending over five years in jail. Asif, who was arrested in November 1996, is facing 13 cases, of which he has already been granted bail in 11. After the Thursday's decision he requires only one bail to walk out of jail. The remaining bail application in narcotics case is slated to be taken up on Saturday (Dec 15) in Lahore. If the bail, which is pending before the session judge, Lahore, for over a year, is accepted, Asif Zardari can celebrate Eid as a free man. After the statement of Raja Bashir, PGA, that Asif Zardari had not been arrested in polo ground reference case, the counsels for Asif Zardari, demanded that he would not be arrested without permission of "this" court. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011212 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Court allows Asif to talk to family on phone ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Nasir Iqbal ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: An accountability court allowed Asif Ali Zardari, to talk to his family on a cellular phone and meet blood relatives during Eid holidays. Mr Zardari, who has been admitted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), has submitted separate applications before the accountability court seeking permission to talk to his family members through a mobile phone on Eid and to meet his three sisters and their three daughters living in Karachi. Abu Baker Zardari advocate, while representing Mr Zardari before the accountability court No I argued that the sessions court in Karachi had allowed Mr Zardari to meet his sisters for four hours each day during the Eid holidays when he was detained at Karachi. The accountability court No I earlier had permitted Mr Zardari to talk to his family including his spouse Benazir Bhutto, son Master Bakhtawar, daughters Miss Bilawal and Miss Asefa, sister-in-law Sanam Bhutto and mother-in-law Nusrat Bhutto on a mobile phone once a week on his own expenses. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011209 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PPP to unite Kashmiris across border: Benazir ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ashraf Mumtaz LAHORE, Dec 8: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto said that her Pakistan People's Party hoped to increase regional trade in South Asia and to unite the Kashmiri people through safe and open borders 'without prejudice to the United Nations Security Council resolutions'. In a wide-ranging email interview with Dawn organized by the PPP's Lahore media office, she also said: "We oppose the Kargil-like incidents and seek to defuse tensions in South Asia." The answers were received more than a week after the submission of the questionnaire. Ms Bhutto's statements during her recent visit to India had triggered a controversy in political circles in Pakistan. Undaunted, Ms Bhutto, twice elected Prime Minister and dismissed on corruption charges, refused to budge. Her views on Kashmir and Afghanistan are not acceptable even to Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, chairman of parliament's Kashmir committee during her second term who visited a large number of countries to highlight the decades old dispute and seek international support for Pakistan's principled stand on the issue. The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy chief, however, would say nothing on record, fearing that this might lead to the disintegration of the alliance. The PPP chairperson also said despite several rounds of talks the party senior vice-chairman, Makhdoom Amin Faheem, had held with President Gen Pervez Musharraf, there was a wide gap in the positions of her party and the military ruler. She said her party was continuing the talks to establish that it had done its best to find a political solution. Although the PPP leaders have been urging party workers to be prepared to accord a rousing welcome to their chairperson, Ms Bhutto parried question regarding her return to Pakistan and her reluctance to face the cases instituted against her by the government of Nawaz Sharif who, like her, is in exile. Excerpts: QUESTION: Some 75,000 Kashmiri people are estimated to have laid down their lives in their liberation struggle, but India is not ready to budge from its position. How can New Delhi then be expected to resolve the dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people if, according to your suggestion, Pakistan agrees to promote trade first and place the dispute on the back burner? Does not your suggestion amount to undermining the freedom movement? How do you view the condemnation of your idea by the All Parties Hurriyet Conference leaders? ANSWER: Kashmir is very much a part of the agenda of the Indo- Pakistan talks. The differences in the positions of the two countries during the last fifty years led to wars, break-ups and unilateral withdrawals. Now the time has come for India and Pakistan to accept that they have different views on the Kashmir issue. Both countries need to manage the conflict to prevent war, which the two nuclear capable states can ill afford. Confidence- building steps are necessary on this issue and the PPP has welcomed New Delhi's freeing some Kashmiri political prisoners, agreeing to a cease-fire as well as agreeing to talk to the Kashmiri leaders. Q: You had suggested not very long ago that Pakistan and India should have the single president and the same currency. Now you are for putting the Kashmir dispute on the back burner. How do you justify then the visits to several countries undertaken by Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan as chairman of the parliament's Kashmir committee during your second term to highlight Pakistan's point of view on the issue and seek world support for it? A: It is incorrect that I said India and Pakistan should have the same president and the same currency. I had said that the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation should emulate the European Union in creating bigger markets through open borders and increased trade through a common trading currency. This is different from a common currency. One fourth of humanity's poorest people are housed in South Asia which is four per cent of the world's territory. Nearly half the population lives on less than a dollar a day. Important negotiations are taking place world-wide, especially at the World Trade Organization. South Asia needs a coordinated approach to make an impact when seeking conditions that facilitate regional trade. The world is dividing into regional blocs like the European Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the ASEAN. I would like to see the SAARC be the structure that enables South Asia to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century world of regional economic alignments. We live in a time of great changes and we intend to bring a change in the life of our people. Q: You recently said your government's support for the Taliban had been a mistake. Now you have taken a U-turn on the Kashmir issue. Earlier, you had abandoned the idea of district governments although it had been part of your election manifesto. Would it be fair, given the record, to say that your thinking on various issues lacks clarity and you conveniently sacrifice policies and principles at the altar of expediency? A: The PPP and I speak clearly and what we say turns out to be correct. We did support the Taliban in 1996 when they promised to build a broad-based government. We stopped supporting them in 1998 when they were hijacked by the Al-Qaeda and decided to go it alone in Afghanistan. Our policy on Kashmir is also consistent. As Pakistan's Prime Minister, I ensured that non-Kashmiri groups did not try and seize the Kashmir movement from the Kashmiris. My party and I are criticizing attempts by the private militias to infiltrate into Kashmir. As for devolution, we support it and our manifesto speaks of the social contract. However, contrary to the plan for devolution, the present dispensation is highly centralized. Each Nazim is answerable to the Centre. We are opposed to such centralization. Q: If you do not feel the urgency about getting the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination, despite their laying down their lives for liberation from India, how do you justify the ARD's demand for 'immediate elections' on the ground that the people have the right to choose their own government? A: The Kashmiris have indeed laid down their lives for the right to self-determination. My party and I support the Kashmiri people. We oppose Kargil-like incidents and seek to defuse tensions in South Asia. Without prejudice to the Security Council resolutions, we hope to unite the Kashmiri people through safe and open borders. We also plan to build trade in South Asia. Societies which fail to democratize decay. Pakistan is witnessing a sad decay of institutions due to repeated military interventions. We need democracy in Pakistan. Q: Will the PPP, if it returns to power, follow the policy toward India which you have enunciated? A: Yes, we believe in speaking in the same voice in public and in private. Q: What will be the impact of the Afghanistan problem on the Kashmir issue? What should Pakistan do to avoid a fallout? A: There will be an adverse impact on Kashmir due to the Afghanistan problem. The world will be less tolerant of Afghans, Arabs, and other foreigners going off to join the fight in Kashmir. On the other hand, there will be a positive impact. These armed private militias will be on the defensive. The sectarian violence in the country may come down. Q: What should be four top priorities of the present government in the prevailing situation? A: The military regime should reach accommodation with the democratic political forces in and out of the ARD. Political prisoners should be unilaterally released, politically motivated cases withdrawn, exiles permitted back and an attempt made at national reconciliation. We should secure our relationship with our neighbours Afghanistan, Iran and India with whom we presently enjoy relations, which could be improved. We should pass the economic dividend down to the downtrodden people of Pakistan. We should have an election process that is acceptable to the political parties. For example, political parties like the PPP want elections with joint electorate, multi-identity cards, announcement of results by returning officers, a mechanism for filing complaints and getting action against military and civil officers interfering in the election process as they did in the local elections and an end to control and command centres that are used to electronically enter every precinct and fill in the virtual booths with fraudulent ballots thereby changing the results. Q: Makhdoom Amin Faheem, a leader of your party, has held some meetings with Gen Musharraf during the past few months. What has been the outcome? How do you see Gen Musharraf's recent statement that the government will arrest you the moment you return to Pakistan? Are you planning to move a court to seek a pre-arrest bail? If Mr Asif Zardari can face cases, why can't you? When do you plan to come back? A: Senior vice-chairman Makhdoom Amin Faheem met General Musharraf several times. So far, there is a wide gap between the general and the PPP. However, the PPP is continuing with the efforts so that everyone can see that we did our best to find a political solution. Q: Do the consultations between Gen Musharraf and political leaders on the issue of Afghanistan not justify the establishment of some institution, like the National Security Council, where the army and politicians could hold discussions on important matters facing the country? Why? A: The PPP is opposed to a National Security Council and believes that the Defence Committee of the Cabinet is sufficient forum for security discussions. However, if the military regime wishes to change our minds then they should bring us a proposal. We would like to know what the powers and responsibilities of the National Security Council are meant to be that are still to be incorporated in the DCC. In Turkey, there is an NSC for ridding the army and intelligence of politically-motivated officers of any rank. Is this what the generals want? If so, we can incorporate it in the DCC. If otherwise, they need to spell out what they desire so that there is a public debate on the matter. Q: Do you think that the present government will hold elections on its own or will the political parties have to launch a movement? Can a movement be launched while you and Pakistan Muslim League president Nawaz Sharif are out of the country? A: The military regime will hold elections. Right now they are publicly admitting that these will be sham elections. Many candidates are being approached by civil and military officials. They are being asked to join Hum Khayal or Shaikh group in Sindh. They are being promised that the army-backed party will win. This is wrong and we have taken up the issue at different fora. Q: Many people believe that it is time for political parties to prepare for the elections from their respective platforms. They also think that the ARD has outlived its utility and should be disbanded. Your comment? A: The PPP thinks that the ARD still has a utility. It brings different political parties together. I am sure that political parties have already begun the research for elections. Q: How is Begum Nusrat Bhutto Sahiba? Is she improving as a result of the treatment she is getting. How does she spend most of her time? A: Begum Sahiba is physically well by the grace of Allah. During the Zia years, she was baton-charged at Qadhafi Stadium in 1977. She was then arrested and stopped from going abroad for treatment. Denied proper treatment, she developed some atrophy around the scar line of her head injury. As such she has problems with memory. Under medication, her condition is stable. Begum Sahiba enjoys walks, watching television, playing with her grandchildren. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011215 ------------------------------------------------------------------- NAB softens settlement terms in Wattoo case ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter LAHORE, Dec 14: The National Accountability Bureau, Punjab, softened its terms for a settlement with former chief minister Manzoor Wattoo and others bringing down to 15 per cent the rate of mark-up to be charged on the Baitul Maal amount they are accused of having misappropriated. The NAB had filed references against Mr Wattoo and six others for releasing and receiving Baitul Maal funds without lawful authority. The beneficiaries have since returned the principal amount. The NAB, however, has demanded payment of mark-up for a full settlement. The prosecutor informed the court on Friday that the NAB was prepared to bring down the mark-up. The mark-up amount is Rs1,605 million. The court deferred the hearing till Dec 22 for further arguments. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011210 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Restoration of 1973 Constitution a top agenda: APC by month-end ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter LAHORE, Dec 9: The restoration of the 1973 Constitution would be on top of the agenda of the all parties conference (APC) being convened by ARD president Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan in the last week of the current month in Lahore. Talking to reporters at the residence of ARD's deputy information secretary Munir Ahmad Khan, the Nawabzada said the APC would also discuss the reported amendments to the Constitution by the army government, establishment of an independent Election Commission and a caretaker setup to hold fair and free polls. All political and religious parties, Pakistan Bar Council and high courts bars, trade unions of journalists, labours and other professions were also being invited to the APC to build a "real national consensus" on the four issues, he said. "I am glad that response from most of the parties contacted for the purpose was positive and the APC agenda was acceptable to all." He said he wanted to convene the meeting during Ramadan keeping in view the importance of the issues but on the insistence of some parties had to delay it till December-end. However, he would not give the exact date of the meeting. Referring to the recent election results and transfer of power in two SAARC countries Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, he said "we want the tradition to take root in our country too." He said it was unfortunate that free and fair polls were never held in the country. An election commission whose integrity was relied upon by the whole nation was the need of the hour, he added. The Nawabzada said there was also need to set up a broad-based interim government in the country so that no party could hijack the election results with the connivance of the administration and the results were acceptable to all and sundry. He hoped that the world forums like the UN and the EU would extend moral support to their struggle for the revival of democracy in the country as the assembly of representatives of 140 million people of Pakistan would have its effect on international level. He said a democratic government, however bad it is, was better than dictatorship for it had to respect the public opinion, while the dictators considered themselves as the absolutely wise. The Nawabzada said there had never been two opinions on the question of integrity of the country in other democratic states but Pakistan was unfortunate in this regard that not only parties but alliances did not believe in the integrity of the country. "A political leadership is the need of the hour to unite the nation divided by dictators on the basis of region, race, language, creed and biradri," he said. If the politicians were cornered, then the task of uniting the nation and preparing it for rendering sacrifices in the present crisis-like situation on borders would be impossible. He expressed his apprehensions over the future policy of the new Afghan government and criticism by Tehran Radio of Pakistan's Afghan policy during the Iranian foreign minister's visit to Islamabad. He said the army government had failed on internal as well as external fronts and it could not fulfil even a single point of its much-propagated agenda. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011210 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mian Azhar rules out patch-up with PML-N ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, Dec 9: The President of the Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid- i-Azam), Mian Azhar, said that his party was ready to talk on election alliance with every political party, except the PML (Nawaz) and the Pakistan People's Party. Talking to newsmen after an Iftar party, hosted in his honour by the PML Sindh President, Ghaus Bux Mahar, here, Mian Azhar said he held detailed discussion with veteran Muslim League leader Pir Pagara on political issues. "We held discussion on political issues," he said adding that he had been holding meetings with all factions of the Muslim League. He said that his party was ready to participate in the forthcoming elections. Alliance with other parties could not be ruled out, he added. Replying to a question, Main Azhar said he did not see any reason for postponement of the October 2002 election, which had been announced by the government on the directives of the Supreme Court. The government was sincere about holding election as it had already fulfilled its commitment by holding local government elections. Answering a question, he said there was no possibility of early elections as had been demanded by certain political parties. He claimed that the PML was a natural ally of the Jamaat-i-Islami, and his party would also consider election alliance in the future with this party. The party had alliance with the Jamaat in the local government elections and it won many seats with the help of the Jamaat, including those in Karachi.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011211 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan Steel GM jailed for 7 years ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Dec 10: An accountability court sentenced a general manager of the Pakistan Steel Mills to seven years' imprisonment with a fine of Rs10 million for causing huge losses to the national exchequer. Judge Rahmat Husain Jafferi of the AC-3, who is also the administrative judge of all the ACs in Karachi, also ordered that Qaiser Raza would have to undergo an additional 30 months' imprisonment if he failed to pay the fine. Former chairman of the Pakistan Steel, Dr Mohammed Usman Farooqui, his wife Aneesa Farooqui and their daughter Sharmila Farooqui were earlier ordered to be released in this reference after the approval of his plea for bargaining. The Farooquis surrendered assets of more than Rs330 million, acquired through illegal means. The case pertained to the purchase of "iron slabs" and "pig iron" at exorbitant prices for the PSM in 1996, and it caused a loss of more than Rs1.3 billion to the national exchequer. The judge, however, acquitted deputy GM Syed Iqtidar Rasool of the charges for want of incriminating evidence. The accused were charged with purchasing 150,000 metric tons of slabs at the rate of 304.90 US dollars a metric ton and 100,000 metric ton pig iron at the rate of 199.5 US dollars a metric ton, while the market prices of the items at the time were 190 and 148 US dollars, respectively. The dubious deal was struck through the local representative of the Cyprus- based suppliers, Mahboob and Sons, owned by Mahmoodul Hasan, who had been declared an absconding accused in the case. According to the investigators, an amount of more than 22.385m US dollars or more than Rs1.3bn was devoured by the accused in this deal.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY 20011214 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Paris Club provides $12bn relief package ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ihtasham ul Haque ISLAMABAD, Dec 13: The Paris Club offered a $12 billion "stock re- profiling" of loans for 38 years under which Pakistan would have to pay nothing in debt servicing during the first 15 years. "Pakistan is the fourth country after Egypt, Poland and Yugoslavia to get this unprecedented package from the Paris Club," Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz told Dawn by telephone from Paris. He described the offer as "beyond expectations" and "something amazing and incredible". He said that since Pakistan was implementing its economic reform programme, the Paris Club decided to favour it in a big way to help lessen its debt. "This all happened due to restoration of our credibility". "The stock re-profiling of debt for 38 years will eventually provide us 30 per cent debt write-off," the minister said, adding the agreement included $0.5 billion loans write-off and debt swap by Canada, UK, Italy and Germany. "Now our cash flow will greatly improve which will provide us an opportunity to look after our neglected social sectors adequately," he pointed out. According to a finance ministry announcement, the total stock of debt affected by this arrangement is in excess of $12 billion. Two- thirds of this debt relate to concessional lending, and will be rescheduled over 38 years, including a 15-year grace period. The remaining involves guaranteed commercial debt, and will be rescheduled over 23 years, including a 5-year grace period. "This reorganization differs from Pakistan's previous rescheduling agreements not only in that it treats the entire stock of eligible debt, inclusive of previously rescheduled debt, but also in that the repayment terms for concessional loans are nearly twice as favourable as in previous arrangements". Cash flow savings during the life of the recently approved 3-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility are estimated at $2.7 billion, with significant savings during the subsequent decade, thereby removing the spike in debt service commitments. The agreement is seen as a major milestone for the government's economic reform agenda. The delegation, led by Mr Aziz, made a strong plea before bilateral creditors that Pakistan's request for debt relief should be seen in the light of President Pervez Musharraf's commitment for economic reforms and the policies pursued by his government over the last two years. The representatives of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and UNCTAD gave their independent views of Pakistan's economic situation before they came out with support for the government's request. Commenting on the results of the meeting, the minister said, "this agreement is unique, not only for Pakistan, but also in terms of the Paris Club... and it further testifies to changing attitudes of the international community towards Pakistan. "We consider today's agreement as providing Pakistan with a credible exit from its external debt problem and with sustainability". He said the donors had showed flexibility and understanding of Pakistan's debt burden by not strictly following the conventional terms of the Club. This understanding resulted in a stock treatment of virtually all of Pakistan's outstanding bilateral debt which would provide the much needed fiscal space for poverty alleviation and enhanced allocations for the social sector. The minister said that the reform process would continue unabated. The arrangement is an umbrella multilateral agreement under which bilateral negotiations with different creditors will soon be undertaken. It is anticipated that reflecting the downward trend in international interest rates, the conditions of these bilateral agreements will further enhance the relief provided by the Club. The Club meeting was presided over by its chairman, Jean Pierre Jouyet, head of the French Treasury, and was attended by the representatives of the IMF, the World Bank, the AOB, UNCTAD, and delegations from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011213 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Paris Club considering $4bn debt rescheduling plea ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ihtasham ul Haque ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The Paris Club creditors, now meeting in Paris, are considering sympathetically Pakistan's request for rescheduling $4 billion debt, part of which also includes debt re-profiling. "The Paris Club is in session since Tuesday and we are getting very encouraging reports about Pakistan's request for debt rescheduling," said Dr Waqar Masood Khan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Finance. Dr Khan, who is also the ministry's spokesman, told Dawn here on Wednesday that Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz was already in Paris to attend the meeting as well as to hold bilateral talks with the members of the club. "The representatives of the World Bank and the IMF have issued positive statements in favour of Pakistan during the meeting and we are very hopeful about the outcome of the Paris Club session," the additional secretary of the finance ministry said. He also clarified DAWN's story, which appeared in Wednesday's issue, in which it was said that Pakistan's total external debt amounted to 43 billion dollar. He said 43 billion-dollar also included over 11 billion dollar private foreign currency deposits in 1998. He also clarified DAWN's story, appearing in Wednesday's issue, in which it was stated that Pakistan's total external debt amounted to $43 billion. He said this amount also included over $11 billion private foreign currency deposits in 1988. Therefore, the actual foreign debt stands at $38 billion and not $43 billion, he added. WB ADVICE: The World Bank has called upon the Paris Club to adequately restructure Pakistan's debt to not only help address its immediate cash flow needs but also bring its debt to sustainable level. The World Bank representative, in his address to the Paris Club meeting on Tuesday, said that Pakistan's challenge of growth and poverty reduction was of a global significance. "To this end we believe the support of all Pakistan's creditors is critical to strengthen the hands of reformers and to address the severe balance of payments needs," he added. According to a text of the speech, released by the ministry of finance, although Pakistan remains a blend of IBRD/IDA country, the World Bank expects to provide only highly concessional IDA credits over the next three years. However, Pakistan's growth and poverty reduction prospects are severely constrained by the high level of indebtedness and the very poor social indicators, he said. "A key issue over the medium term is how to bring Pakistan to a sustainable position." Pakistan's human development indicators are abysmal and lag behind those countries with similar income level. Only 43 per cent Pakistanis are literate and the gap between male and female is wide. Only 27 per cent of all Pakistani women over the age of 15 are literate, the World Bank representative noted. The full impact of the Sept 11 events on Pakistan is still to be measured. Governance is a key component of the overall reform program. Emphasis has been on improving tax policy, including widening of the tax net and eliminating exemptions. Public financial management has been strengthened through the appointment of Public Account Committees and enhanced fiscal transparency, he said. The President of Pakistan has approved a medium term program that aims at effective tax administration that will facilitate and improve governance with tax laws, the World Bank representative said. The support from the World Bank is designed to complement the reform program through a series of structural adjustments and investment credits. These include the Structural Adjustment Credit that is already in place, a Banking Restructuring and Privatisation Project and investment projects focussed on improving basic service delivery, he said. Talking about the private sector, he said that tariffs had been lowered significantly to a maximum of 30 per cent and the tariff bands reduced from five to four. Three nationalised banks had been restructured, ineffective branches closed and prudential regulations strengthened. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011213 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Rs51.8bn budget approved for PIA ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter RAWALPINDI, Dec 12: The Pakistan International Airlines' Board of Directors approved Rs51.811 billion budget for the national flag carrier for the fiscal 2002. Managing Director PIA Ahmed Saeed while presenting the budget before the meeting projected a profit of Rs2.427bn during the next year. According to the provisional figures presented before the Board the airline sustained Rs2.085bn losses during the year ending December 2001. The budget projections for the year 2002, he said, reaffirms management's resolve to put the airline on the path of sustainable profitability and growth. The profit target of Rs2.427bn would be realized through revenue enhancement with a "restricted" increase in expenditure. The next year's target, the MD said, will be achieved through product improvement, better service, fleet renewal, manpower rationalization and image restoration. The profit expectation is after absorption of interest cost of Rs2.3bn on Term Finance Certificates (TFCs) and short-term loans. The revenue generation under the budget projections is expected to increase by Rs4.703bn from last year's Rs47.108bn to Rs51.811bn, whereas the expenditure would go up by Rs191 million from Rs49.193bn last year to Rs49.384bn. The projected revenue increase over the last year is 10 per cent, while expenditure would rise by 0.4 per cent. The seat factor has been projected to increase to 72.1 per cent against last year's 67.3 per cent. According to the break up of the revenue sources, the PIA expects to earn Rs41.403bn from scheduled flights; Rs2.260bn from Hajj operations; Rs190 million through mail handling; Rs5.258bn as freight charges; Rs1.198bn from excess baggage and non-transport services to fetch Rs1.502bn. The expenditure head of the budget has been divided into direct operating cost Rs36.814bn and indirect fixed cost of Rs12.570bn. During the first half of year 2001, the national flag carrier sustained an operating loss of Rs2.285bn, whereas after the introduction of the business plan it is being expected that an operating profit of Rs200 million would have been earned. The meeting was informed that the past six months, particularly after Sept 11 events had been very difficult for PIA because of the huge insurance cost. The government bailed out PIA by indemnifying the National Insurance Corporation. Besides there was decrease in the outbound number of passengers by almost 20 per cent because of the visa restrictions introduced by different countries and the hostile working environment for Pakistanis in overseas countries. The operating cost increased after the beginning of allied forces attacks against Afghanistan as planes flying to and from Europe and the United Stated had to fly an extra hour to avoid Afghan airspace. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011214 ------------------------------------------------------------------- ADB approves $350m agriculture loan ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ihtashamul Haque ISLAMABAD, Dec 13: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved US$350 million soft loan for the development of five-year agriculture sector program in Pakistan. The first tranche of $125 million will be disbursed after taking compliance measures. According to an announcement made by the local ADB office, the primary objective of the "Agriculture Sector Program Loan" will be to improve agriculture productivity and profitability. It included special reform measures to promote efficient markets for major commodities including wheat, cotton, rice sugar, fertilizer, and seed. The purpose is also to strengthen support services in small farmer extension and training, research and regulation, to improve quality. The program will promote pro-poor reforms to expand the role of the private sector through deregulation, liberalization, and privatization affecting many public input, supply, and output marketing enterprises that now operate in the agriculture sector. The resultant sectoral efficiency would minimize, and eventually eliminate the drag on the country's fiscal resources. A technical assistance loan will also be provided to assist the government in policy advice, program coordination, improving efficiency of commodity markets, small farmer extension, research and safety nets, and reorganization and restructuring of relevant state-owned enterprises. While the ADB has approved a major agriculture loan program, a number of its ongoing development projects with a cost of $450 million in Sindh are experiencing delays in the implementation due to unfamiliarity with the Bank's procedures. The officials of the Bank have said that the delay was also caused due to government's approval formalities and decisions on procurement matters. The Bank wanted to streamline various procedures so that unnecessary delays in completing ongoing development projects in Sindh could be avoided. For this purpose the ADB was organizing workshops to familiarize the project directors/project mangers and relevant government officials with its guidelines and procedures on project management and related matters. The concerned resource persons of the Bank will deliberate on the important aspects of project implementation, covering specifically, ADB project cycle, guidelines on procurement, guidelines on consultant selection, disbursement procedures, and financial management matters. The ADB portfolio in Sindh consists of 15 loans, comprising three in agriculture and rural development sector, two in physical infrastructure, two in energy sector, seven in social infrastructure and one emergency assistance for drought. The ADB will hold similar workshops in the NWFP and Balochistan during the later part of December 2001. The Bank held similar workshop in Lahore and Karachi last month. According to the ADB Annual Report for 2000, although Pakistan has a good disbursement record, project implementation continued to be delayed. The government and the ADB agreed on comprehensive action plan - updated at each country portfolio review - that addresses policy and governance-related covenants in loan agreements. Difficulties in complying with covenants were attributed to lack of ownership, an unclear definition of responsibilities, inadequate follow up, and resource and capacity constraints. As a result of slowed project implementation, some loan-closing dates had to be extended. Since joining the ADB in 1966, Pakistan has received 192 loans, which included 20 private-sector loans without government guarantee, of which 51 were active at the end of 2000, bringing the cumulative loan figure to $7.5 billion. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011215 ------------------------------------------------------------------- ADB to extend $1 billion for civil reforms ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: The Asian Development Bank will provide approximately one billion dollars in 2002 for carrying out civil reforms, improving provincial resource management and developing capital market in Pakistan. "Pakistan government's response to the Sept 11 event, and its role as a front-line state in the war against international terrorism has demonstrated its commitment to promoting Pakistan's economic and social development and establishing it as a modern, progressive state," said an ADB representative. "ADB has strongly supported the government in its reform efforts and will continue to do so to achieve the shared objectives of poverty reduction and economic development," he stated. The ADB, he pointed out, was in the process of preparing a three- year new Country Strategy and Program (2002-2004) for Pakistan, which will be the basis of its operation in the future. He said that ADB operations had been guided by its Country Operational Framework, which had the following, three principal objectives: improving economic efficiency and export competitiveness, human and social development, and governance and institutional strengthening. Constant to that, he said, the ADB provided $707 million in 2000. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011212 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Germany gives $22m to fight poverty ------------------------------------------------------------------- BERLIN, Dec 11: Germany has given Pakistan 50 million marks ($22.8 million) in additional aid to fight poverty, improve education and health care and support Afghan refugees, the overseas development ministry said. Berlin said the aid package was intended in part to recognize Pakistan's anti-terrorism efforts and in particular its acceptance of thousands of Afghan refugees since the US-led war began. "The German government has taken into consideration the role Pakistan has played in the war on terrorism as well as the additional burden placed on it by the influx of refugees from Afghanistan," the ministry said in a statement. The funds will go mainly to projects in the north and northwest of the country, such as schools for Afghan refugees living in camps in Pakistan and the development of renewable energy. Germany will also support projects targeted specifically at women and girls, the ministry said. -AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011212 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Public debt swells to Rs3,000 billion ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: Pakistan's increased fiscal and current account deficits have resulted in an explosive accumulation of Rs3,000 billion public debt and over $43 billion external debt. According to latest official projections firmed up and shared with the World Bank, IMF and the Paris Club creditors, it was increasingly becoming difficult to have any meaningful debt management, keeping in view the massive public and foreign debt that especially accumulated during the last 8 to 10 years. The government, therefore, was seeking substantial debt relief, both from the bilateral creditors and International Financial Institutions (IFIs), to cope with what was termed an "alarming debt situation", according to official sources. Sources said the new staff report prepared by the IMF was favorable to help reduce the country's debt, especially the most expensive and short-term one. "We owe about little over $2 billion most expensive and short-term foreign debt for which we are very seriously taking the issue with the international lenders concerned," a top official said. When contacted, he disagreed with the suggestion that this most expensive and short-term loan amounted to $8 billion, out of the total $43 billion debt. "If you do not believe us then wait for the release of IMF staff report to be shortly made public and have the correct figure," he added. The Paris Club creditors were meeting in Paris on Wednesday (Dec 12) to consider both debt rescheduling and debt re-profiling for Pakistan. After the approval of $1.3 billion Poverty Reduction Growth Facility by the Executive Board of the IMF last week, the Fund officials were reportedly inclined to offer debt re-profiling for Pakistan. This meant the writing off of loans to some considerable extent in order to help Pakistan improve its balance of payment position and help reduce the payment of debt servicing. For 2001-2002, the debt servicing payment amounted to Rs329.2 billion, out of the total budgetary outlay of Rs751.7 billion. The government has sought $6 billion exceptional assistance from IFIs and about $4 billion debt rescheduling from the Paris Club that also included certain debt re-profiling. The assistance of $6 billion has been sought to return Pakistan's $24 billion short-term loans during the next four-year period, sources said. Officials conceded that a proposed Debt Policy Coordination office had not been set up in the ministry of finance to deal with the serious issue of both public and foreign debt. The Debt Reduction and Management Committee headed by Dr Pervez Hasan had proposed the establishment of the Coordination office. Dr Pervez Committee believed that the stagnation in government revenues and exports during the last few years and the rising cost of government borrowing, both domestic and foreign, resulted during 1996-1999 in fastest growth in public debt burden in the country's history. It said the small reduction in foreign exchange obligations was achieved only through freezing of individual foreign currency accounts. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011211 ------------------------------------------------------------------- NBP in US not accepting cash for remittance ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent NEW YORK, Dec 10: The National Bank of Pakistan has clarified that it does not accept any cash for remittances to Pakistan as a self- imposed restriction. Rafiq Bengali, general manager of the NBP on Wall Street, told Dawn that in the aftermath of Sept 11 terror attacks and subsequent guidelines issued by the US government "our legal and our compliance people identified that cash transactions are a high risk area, and since cash transactions are less than 10 per cent of our remittance volume, so we decided to limit the exposure of the bank" by not accepting cash for remittances. However, "we accept cashiers cheques or certified cheques for such remittances," Mr Bengali said. The NBP has pasted notices outside its branches informing its customers that it does not accept cash for remittances abroad. Officials at other Pakistani banks said no direct instructions had been issued by the US Federal Reserve to stop cash transactions but strict guidelines had been issued under rules of the Foreign Assets Control Act to identify individuals or organizations making any cash remittances. Mr Bengali said: "We have imposed such restrictions following the new guidelines from the US authorities which require detailed information about the persons sending money to Pakistan. The information we cannot readily provide if we accept cash from Pakistanis walking in to the branches." These instructions were issued following Sept 11 attacks on the US in a bid to stop any flow of money to the organizations which are on the US list of funding terror activities. Mr Bengali said that "we have informed the Pakistan consulate and embassy about the changes. "We are not a licensed commercial bank, we only have permission to remit money to Pakistan." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011210 ------------------------------------------------------------------- US imposes curbs on Pakistan banks: Day-to-day cash transactions ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Masood Haider NEW YORK, Dec 9: All Pakistani banks operating in the United States have been asked to stop day to day financial transactions in accordance with new laws enacted by the United States following Sept 11 attacks which endeavor to stop flow of money to the terrorist organizations. Besides Pakistan many banks of other Muslim countries have been asked to suspend their daily cash transactions. The orders came into effect as of Dec 1. The banks are now allowed to issue certified cheques, money orders or personal cheques only. All cash money transactions are banned. Also include prohibiting transactions in foreign exchange, transfers of credits to foreign banks and importing and exporting currency or securities. Pakistan's major banks - National Bank, Habib Bank, United Bank, Habib Bank AG Zurich have received orders from the US Federal Reserve Bank to stop cash transactions. National Bank of Pakistan's major branch at one UN Plaza has stopped functioning and has been merged with its Regional head office situated at Wall Street New York. According to the new law the US Secretary of the Treasury Paul Neil now has sweeping powers to close the door to the United States to foreign financial institutions and nations that serve as conduits or depositories of terrorist funds or do not cut off the money flow to terrorist groups. In consultation with the State Department and Justice Department, the Treasury Department is authorized "to employ all powers granted to the President" under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The powers include prohibiting transactions in foreign exchange, transfers of credits to foreign banks and importing and exporting currency or securities. The New Law stipulates that US Treasury department has existing power to require cash, suspicious activity reports from aviation schools, crop dusters, many other high-risk businesses. Money Laundering Alert provides specific actions that Congress and all US agencies need to take to build permanent reforms to stop the financial nourishment of terrorists. One of the primary actions needed is an overhaul of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. The MLA provides key analysis of the US money laundering law as it relates to terrorists. The law lists 176 "specified unlawful activities." Three of them deal with terrorism, including one that deals with "providing material support to terrorists" (Title 18, USC Sec. 2339A). All Pakistani banks operating in New York had signs posted outside the branches telling customers it could no longer provide them any services. Pakistani bank managers say that it is not clear how long they would be able to function in the United States if they are not allowed to open doors to general public. They have sought intervention from the Pakistan government.Back to the top
EDITORIALS & FEATURES 20011209 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Resurrection! ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ardeshir Cowasjee THE bad news of the day is that in Pakistan nine babies are born every minute. The good news is that after two years in power we have a man at the helm of affairs who does not think or say that he has the divine right to rule, or that he hears voices from on high, or that he wishes to be an Amir-ul-Momineen. President General Pervez Musharraf is what is generally accepted as a 'normal' man, who wishes to lead a 'normal' life, and who has unequivocally declared, without fudging or feinting, that he will remain the president of this country. He heads the most disciplined and organized party of the land which gives him its unrestrained backing. So far, he has his feet on the ground and has taken the correct actions. He has realized that our extremists, the bigots amongst the people, must be restrained, which has been accorded approval by our international backers. Unless fate in a violent form intervenes he should be with us for many years. Allah be praised, after fifty-four years we are now in the process of resurrection. Musharraf was a toddler when Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the maker and builder of Pakistan, intended to be a progressively modern state, stated on February 19, 1948: "But make no mistake: Pakistan is not a theocracy or anything like it .... "Later that month, he reiterated: "In any case, Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic state to be ruled by priests with a divine mission .....". On March 7, 1949, Musharraf was still a toddler when the Objectives Resolution was moved and adopted on the first day of the fifth session of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, meeting in the Assembly chambers at Karachi, at four of the clock in the evening. The official report for that day's debates records: "The Honourable Mr Liaquat Ali Khan (East Bengal, Muslim) : Mr President, Sir, I beg to move the following Objectives Resolution embodying the main principles on which the Constitution of Pakistan is to be based. "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; "Whereas sovereignty over the entire universe belongs to God Almighty alone and the authority which He has delegated to the state of Pakistan through its people for being exercised within the limit prescribed by Him is a sacred trust;"This Constituent Assembly, representing the people of Pakistan, resolves to frame a constitution for the sovereign independent State of Pakistan; "Wherein the state shall exercise its powers and authority through the chosen representatives of the people; "Wherein the principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice, as enunciated by Islam, shall be fully observed; "Wherein the Muslims shall be enabled to order their lives in the individual and collective spheres in accord with the teachings and requirements of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah; "Wherein adequate provisions shall be made for the minorities freely to profess and practise their religions and develop their cultures; "Wherein the territories now included in or in accession with Pakistan and such other territories as may hereafter be included in or accede to Pakistan shall form a federation wherein the units will be autonomous with such boundaries and limitations on their powers and authority as may be prescribed; "Wherein shall be guaranteed fundamental rights, including equality of status, of opportunity and before law, social economic and political justice, and freedom of thought, expression, belief, faith, worship and association, subject to the law and public morality; "Wherein adequate provision shall be made to safeguard the legitimate interests of minorities and backward and depressed classes; "Wherein the independence of the judiciary shall be fully secured; "Wherein the integrity of the territories of the Federation, its independence and all its rights, including its sovereign rights on land, sea and air, will be safeguarded; "So that the people of Pakistan may prosper and attain their rightful and honoured place amongst the nations of the world and make their full contribution towards international peace and progress and happiness of humanity." Now to quote from Liaquat's subsequent address to the President, the Honourable Mr Tamizuddin Khan, a quotation which must bear constant and frequent repetition: "...the people are the real recipients of power. This naturally eliminates any danger of the establishment of a theocracy .... In the technical sense, theocracy has come to mean a government by ordained priests, who wield authority as being specially appointed by those who claim to derive their rights from their sacerdotal position. I cannot overemphasize the fact that such an idea is absolutely foreign to Islam. Islam does not recognize either priesthood or any sacerdotal authority; and, therefore, the question of a theocracy simply does not arise in Islam. If there are any who still use the word theocracy in the same breath as the polity of Pakistan, they are either labouring under a grave misapprehension or indulging in mischievous propaganda. "..... Therefore, there should be no misconception in the mind of any sect which may be a minority in Pakistan about the intentions of the state. The state will seek to create an Islamic society free from dissensions, but this does not mean that it would curb the freedom of any section of the Muslims in the matter of their beliefs. No sects, whether the majority or a minority, will be permitted to dictate to the others and, in their own internal matters and sectional beliefs, all sects shall be given the fullest possible latitude and freedom. Actually, we hope the various sects will act in accordance with the desire of the Prophet who said that the differences of opinion amongst his followers are a blessing. It is for us to make our differences a source of strength to Islam and to Pakistan and not to exploit them for our own interests which will weaken both Pakistan and Islam. ".... We believe that no shackles can be put on thought and, therefore, we do not intend to hinder any person from the expression of his views." Now, in 2001, we address the first in the line of succession after the president, the honourable chief justice of Pakistan, Irshad Hassan Khan, who, all going well, will retire on January 6, 2002. The new Supreme Court of Pakistan building designed by Kenzo Tange was consecrated in March 1993 by the prime minister of the day, Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, the same Sharif who in November 1997 desecrated the building and the institution of the judiciary by masterminding the storming of the court so as to save himself from being convicted of contempt of court by a stubborn shortsighted chief justice. It is a matter of eternal shame that our judicial system, despite the cold hard evidence on record, found itself unable to convict Sharif and his co-accused for their contemptible crime. At the consecration of the building, Sharif declared that not only had the text of the Objectives Resolution been affixed in gilded lettering on the walls of the highest court of the land, both in English and Urdu, but that it was imprinted in the hearts of every loyal Pakistani. But, whereas the Urdu version was an accurate translation of the original English version, the English version had one glaring omission from the original. In the paragraph dealing with minority rights, the original version as recorded in the annals of the Constituent Assembly read: "Wherein adequate provision shall be made for the minorities freely to profess and practise their religions and develop their cultures;" On the walls of the honourable Supreme Court the word "freely" was deliberately omitted from this paragraph. A crime, would one not say? Chief Justice Afzal Zullah, during whose term the building was inaugurated, was informed of this omission and asked to have it rectified. He did not do so. Then came our one chief justice who possessed a great sense of humour, Nasim Hassan Shah, who was also reminded on more than one occasion to have this criminal ommission rectified. He also chose to ignore it. Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah followed; he had both plaques removed. They remained removed throughout the terms of Chief Justices Ajmal Mian and Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, and they remain so now during the term of Irshad Hassan Khan. During the month left to him, will our bold chief justice, whose words and records of his deeds have been spread over three continents, have the decency and good judgment to order that the engraving on the English version of the Resolution be corrected so that the word "freely" is inserted where it should be, and then have both plaques reaffixed on the walls of the entrance hall of our Supreme Court. No tall order, this! DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011214 ------------------------------------------------------------------- The logic of the mighty ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ayaz Amir "Contemporary global politics is the age of Muslim wars." - Huntington "The Islamic world differs from other world cultures today in one important respect. In recent years it alone has repeatedly produced significant radical Islamist movements that reject not just western politics, but the most basic principle of modernity itself, that of religious tolerance." - Fukuyama A short history lesson is in order. The very Islamist movements that the West denounces today were once the greatest favourites of the United States. Why? Because all of them had two things in common: anti-nationalism (believing as they did in a single, overriding Ummah) and anti-communism. Today western scholars are preaching the virtues of secularism in the Muslim world and saying that unless Muslim countries learn to separate politics from religion there will be no progress for them. The irony couldn't be thicker for it was not long ago that the West's principal enemies in the world of Islam were those very nationalist regimes--like Nasser's Egypt and the Baathist regimes in Iraq and Syria--which looked to secularism and the appropriation of national resources (from western hands) as the keys to national resurgence. Two other disturbing qualities characterised these nationalist regimes: considering the Soviet Union as the great champion of anti-colonialism, they looked to it for support and also denounced the conservative Arab regimes like that of Saudi Arabia as pawns in Western hands. With the cold war on, and a global competition for influence raging between East and West, the US viewed pro-Sovietism with loathing for obvious reasons. But it was no less suspicious of the second tendency because Saudi Arabia and the other Arab monarchies and sheikhdoms were America's staunchest allies in the region, underpinning America's growing hold on the Middle East. In short, conservative Islam was pro-American while nationalist or secular Islam was anti-American. The US was comfortable with kings and sheikhs and uncomfortable with the upstart army officers who had triggered coups in Egypt, Iraq, Syria and, somewhat later, Libya and challenged American interests once they had come to power. Opposing these nationalist regimes were such Islamist organizations as the Ikhwan and Jamaa-I-Islamiya in Egypt which, for this very reason, found sympathy and covert backing from the US. Islamism now a bugbear for the US, was very much in tune with American sentiments at the time. The heady days of Arab nationalism came to an abrupt end with the comprehensive Arab defeat in the 1967 war. Among other consequences, this defeat brought home to the Arabs their weakness in relation to Israel--and its distant godfather, the US--and led to a change in thinking which culminated in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war and Sadat's eventual turning to the US. The Arab nationalism of the old kind was confined to countries like Syria, Iraq and Libya while the rest of the Arab world, from Morocco to Saudi Arabia, fell under varying degrees of American influence and tutelage. The Iranian revolution of 1979 far from disturbing this alignment only strengthened it because Iran's neighbours were afraid of catching the revolutionary virus. Together with the US they looked at Iran through the same spectacles. At this point came the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. To counter it, the US fashioned a coalition whose leading Muslim members were Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. From across the Muslim world shady fundamentalist organisations, most of them living a semi- secret existence, responded to the call for 'jihad'. In Pakistan the ultra-conservative military regime of General Ziaul Haq provided crucial backing for the American effort, just as another military regime in Pakistan, 20 years later, has provided crucial backing for another American enterprise in Afghanistan. The more things change... What is the point of this retrospective? To show that in the eighties in the cauldron of Afghanistan Osama bin Laden and Al- Qaeda were born. When the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan, these battle-hardened warriors, strengthened in their belief that it was their faith rather than American help which had proved decisive in the fight against the Soviets, turned their attention to the other Great Satan, the US, the partisans of yesterday thus becoming the enemies of today. None of this means the US should not have reacted to the September 11 attacks. But in doing so it should not forget recent history or try to find in Islam the causes that more legitimately and justly rest in its own policies. For instance, the Wahabism dominant in Saudi Arabia that American scholars now point suspiciously at has been an arm of American policy in the Middle East since the end of the Second World War. It is a bit tough that now it should be seen in altogether different colours. Or consider even the present line-up in the Muslim world. The three Arab countries, which approximate to the secular ideal are Syria, Iraq and Libya, all on America's hit-list of enemies. In none of these countries is 'radical Islam'--the kind which feeds on American fears--a domestic threat. By any yardstick, Malaysia is a liberal country in social terms and one of the few Muslim countries to have done well economically. But the US doesn't like Mahathir Muhammad. Iran is outside the US orbit of influence but not because of its adherence to the Shiite brand of Islam. The common thread in all these cases is something else. Secular or religious, a republic or a half-way house to democracy, any country that has stood up to the US, and questioned its double-standards in the Middle East, has come on the list of its enemies. If the US is so concerned about 'radical Islam' and 'illiberal' governments then it should be calling for democracy throughout the Muslim world. But that is none of its concerns. The kings and sheikhs of the region suit it fine because its primary interests in the Middle East, as it takes no clairvoyant to see, are oil and the Israeli connection. Everything else, including the wishes of the House of Saud, is subordinate to these twin considerations. Nor should any illusions be on offer about the future direction of American policy. September 11 has led to no passion for introspection on America's part. If anything, it has triggered a militant mood accompanied with cries of retribution for the attacks. The devastating effect of American firepower, leading to the collapse of the Taliban, has merely reinforced the belief in American omnipotence, that nothing is beyond the reach of American power. It's not that some of us overestimated the courage and fortitude of the Taliban. When the enemy was visible they fought bravely. Many of us got the new face of war wrong--a war as radical in its impact on the future as the invention of gunpowder, the rifle or the tank- - in the words of the London Observer, "... a war where men--or women--seated thousands of miles away can track the enemy's every move and then destroy them with a few strokes of a keyboard. It is a war where a whole country can be put under intense surveillance without being occupied..." The meaning of guerrilla war has changed in this conflict. The Tora Bora Mountains and caves were said to be unreachable and therefore impregnable. After the American air strikes on them, who will say the same again? This is no setting for humility. After savouring the fruits of revenge in Afghanistan, the US wants to extend this same hi-tech war to other places. Iraq promises to be the next target. After that, who knows? But this triumphalism is no endorsement of justice. As the West adopts a patronizing attitude to the Muslim world and preaches the virtues of secularism, let us remember that over the past 60 years the greatest threat to secularism in the Muslim world has come from the West. Of course we should not have accepted this state of affairs. But that's a different story. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011213 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Who is gaining more? ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Eric Margolis What has the US achieved after waging war for the past two months in Afghanistan? Afghanistan's de facto government, Taliban, with about 30,000 armed supporters, has been overthrown and scattered. After holding out for five weeks under massive US bombardments, its leader, Mulla Omar, ordered his men to retreat to the mountains. Omar, who may be shortly captured or killed, claimed he ordered the retreat to spare civilians in Taliban-ruled areas from US bombing. Kandahar, the last Taliban stronghold, was shattered by intensive US bombing. To date, the US has dropped over 10,000 bombs on Afghanistan, killing sizable numbers of civilians - perhaps in the range of 2,000, according to Afghan sources. US bombing of cities, towns and villages has driven over 160,000 people into refugee camps. On December 3, 2000 - one year ago - this writer warned that overthrowing Taliban would 'pave the way for a second Russian occupation of Afghanistan.' This has now happened. The Northern Alliance, armed and funded by Russia, directed by the Afghan Communist Party, and under the overall command of the Chief of the Russian General Staff, Marshall Viktor Kvashnin, deputy KGB director Viktor Komogorov, and a cadre of Russian advisers, seized Kabul and all of northern Afghanistan, likely with the aid of troops from Uzbekistan and/or Iran. Last week's much ballyhooed Afghan 'unity' conference in Germany produced a sham 'coalition' government run by the Northern Alliance. One of CIA's Pakhtun 'assets,' Hamid Karzai, who represents no one but himself, was named prime minister. There was no other real Pakhtun representation, though they comprise half the population. Of thirty cabinet seats, two thirds went to Northern Alliance Tajiks, notably the power ministries: defence, interior, and foreign affairs. Two women were added to please the West. The 87-year old deposed Afghan king, Zahir Shah, widely blamed for allowing the communists to infiltrate Afghanistan in the 1970s, was invited back as a figurehead monarch. In short, a communist- dominated regime, ruled by a king, whose strings are pulled by Moscow. Quite a bizarre creation. The very next day, feuding broke among Alliance members. Old communist stalwart Rashid Dostam, who had just finished massacring hundreds of Taliban prisoners with American and British help, threatened war if his Uzbeks did not get more spoils. The Alliance's figurehead president, Prof. Rabbani, a respected Islamic scholar, was shoved aside by young communists. The Bush Administration was apparently too preoccupied chasing Osama bin Laden to notice its new best friend, Russia, had broken its agreement to wait for formation of a pro-US, pro-Pakistani regime, and seized half of Afghanistan. Marshall Kvashnin rushed his men into Kabul, just as he outfoxed the Americans in 1999 in a similar coup de main in Kosovo. The hunt for Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda continues. A few senior figures have been killed, likely including Dr Ayman al- Zawahiri, leader of Egypt's Islamic Jihad. The net is closing around Osama's possible hiding places. Unless he has escaped Afghanistan, his capture or death appear imminent. This will be welcome news for the Bush administration. If he somehow escapes, or his body never found, Bush will be accused of blowing apart Afghanistan, killing large numbers of civilians, and allowing the Russians to grab back the country, all for nothing. The late Pakhtun leader Abdul Haq, whom I knew from my Peshawar days, warned the US before his death that bombing of Afghanistan was unnecessary and a grave mistake. Taliban control could be broken, where needed, by financing tribal uprisings - the standard form of Afghan warfare - without foreign intervention. Otherwise, he warned, the Northern Alliance would take over and bring in the Russians. He pleaded with Washington for restraint, but to no avail. Haq was captured by Taliban during a bungled CIA operation and hanged. But Haq was right. US forces could have hunted Osama in southern Afghanistan with relative impunity, as they are now doing, without having to launch a total war against Taliban. US air power totally dominates barren Afghanistan. Taliban forces could not move or communicate. There were only a small number of Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan where Osama was hiding. Bombing Afghan civilian centres was absolutely unnecessary. The only real military targets offered by Taliban were its entrenched troops facing the Alliance. It was remarkable that Taliban managed to withstand five weeks of carpet bombing by US B-52s. The US could have hunted Osama without allowing the Russians to recapture half of Afghanistan, a severe geopolitical defeat for American ambitions to use that nation as a gateway to Central Asian oil and gas. And without blasting to rubble what little remained of demolished Afghanistan, and without driving 160,000 civilians into terrified flight. So, after eight weeks of war, Taliban is out; the Communists are in power in Kabul. The south is in chaos. Pakistan is isolated and unloved by all. The war has cost Washington US$60 billion to date. Afghanistan is a bloody mess. And Vladimir Putin is smiling.- Copyright Eric Margolis 2001. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011215 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Illusion of Muslim unity ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Irfan Husain RECENTLY, General Musharraf was quoted as having said that the present weakness in the Muslim world was due to disunity, and that once Muslims were united, they would become strong again. How wrong he is. The mantra of Muslim unity has been a rallying cry for generations of pan-Islamists over the centuries that have witnessed the growing power of the West and the simultaneous decline of the Islamic world. Many thinkers and politicians have urged the Ummah or nation of Islam to join together and confront the perceived enemy. For them, the lost glories of resurgent Islam would be restored if only Muslims would unite. It is one thing for ignorant mullahs to preach this sermon after Friday prayers; quite another for responsible leaders to take it seriously. Charismatic leaders like Nasser and Qadhafi have attempted to forge mergers with neighbouring countries time and again, only to have their dreams of Muslim unity dashed on the reefs of reality. I may be mistaken, but I think it was Suharwardy who famously dismissed one of these attempts at the time of the Suez crisis in the mid- fifties by proclaiming: "Zero plus zero plus zero is equal to zero". This blunt formulation may not have won him many friends in the Middle East, but it did reflect the stark truth. There is a feeble-minded, romantic notion that if the Muslim world was to pool its resources and its talents, it would become a significant power. Let us look at the facts: we are net importers of technology, and we will continue to buy the products of western minds for the foreseeable future. There is no research worth the name going on in any of the forty plus countries with Muslim majorities. So even if we could miraculously form an economic union, our economies would not benefit much from a union as they are not complementary. Basically, we only export primary products and low-tech goods. In brief, there has been very little value- addition in the realm of ideas. Then there is the notion that closer ties among Muslim countries would result in greater political strength. Closer scrutiny does nothing to support this thesis. For instance, the tin-pot dictators and monarchs who blight the Islamic landscape are so focused on preserving their unpopular rule that they have little interest in rocking the boat by espousing causes like Palestine. While they will pay lip-service to keep their streets quiet, they will certainly not use up their political capital for anything other than self-preservation. We have the examples of Bosnia and Chechnya before us: these were nations that suffered terribly without Muslim leaders lifting a finger. It was the United States that finally ended the genocide in Bosnia while the killings in Chechnya continue. If General Musharraf is really interested in the subject, he should analyze the real causes of weakness and decadence in the Muslim world. He could begin at home where, until the mid-seventies, Pakistan seemed to have all the ingredients for economic take-off: a solid agricultural base; reasonably good infrastructure for a developing country; a hard-working workforce; and a relatively effective bureaucracy. So what went wrong? People often lay the entire onus of our painful decline at Bhutto's door. It is true that his disastrous nationalization of key industries and educational institutions set us back by years. But the qualitative change in our approach to progress and development took place under Zia when faith, earlier a largely personal aspect of life, was elevated to a public expression of belief. For instance, two columns were introduced in the annual performance evaluation report for civil servants that required a reporting officer to comment on his subordinate's "attitude towards Islam" and "knowledge of Islam". These columns still exist, by the way, and negative entries have ruined careers. This example should serve to illustrate the extent to which religion was pushed into every aspect of our lives under Zia. Schoolchildren are required to learn Arabic in addition to compulsory courses in Islamiat. This obviously cuts into the time they have for other subjects. And this emphasis on religiosity continues well into the university. The whole country comes to a grinding halt in Ramazan. Indeed, the public exhibition and expression of religious belief is now virtually mandatory. This sea change has altered our political and economic landscape beyond recognition, and perhaps beyond salvation. Our bankrupt Afghan policy is just one result of a single-point agenda. The face of the Taliban is our face too. The dangerous sectarian militias that are determined to drag us back to the medieval era are Zia's political offspring. Who else is responsible for declaring interest rates un-Islamic, thus driving away whatever little foreign investment that might otherwise come to Pakistan? While most of these problems are peculiar to Pakistan, the fact is that worldwide, there is a conflict between the perceived dictates of our faith and the demands of modernization and rationality. For centuries, Muslim rulers have been unwilling to provide the space and freedom needed for free thought to flourish, exercising tight control over intellectuals and teachers. This is why there is such little creative activity in the Muslim world. We have stifled ourselves with rigid rules about what is prohibited: instead of leaving it to the Maker to deal with transgressions in the next world, our leaders and mullahs insist on doing His job in this world according to their narrow, joyless interpretation of the faith. One logical outcome of this system is that it has marginalized half the population of the Muslim world. Despite liberal scholars who insist that Islam does not require women to be locked up, the reality is that in most Muslim countries, the role of women in public life is very limited. The enrolment figures for school-age girls are low, and job opportunities for women are generally limited as compared to those available for men. Low literacy figures among women are eventually reflected in poorly educated children, lack of hygiene, high population growth and a backward society. There was a recent survey of university graduates among different communities in Britain. Interestingly, over 20% of all Indians are graduates whereas the figure for both Pakistanis and Bangladeshis is 11%. Another study looked at family income levels in various ethnic groups, and it was found that the figure for Indians was much higher than for Pakistani families because in the former, both husbands and wives worked while among Pakistanis, the wives tended to stay at home. With a higher disposable income, Indian parents can afford to give their children a better education and a better start. Although many of these facts and arguments have been taken at random, they would make a good starting point for General Musharraf if he really wants to study the reasons for the weakness he sees in the Muslims world today.
SPORTS 20011213 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PIA accused of destroying an 'institution' in sports ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, Dec 12: The controversy surrounding the termination of the services of Pakistan's leading sports trio-former squash stars Jahangir and Jansher Khan, and ex cricketer Zaheer Abbas - intensified as the former chief of Pakistan International Airlines Arif Abbasi Tuesday accused the administration of destroying an institution in sports. "How can you destroy an institution like Jahangir Khan? There are other sportsmen as well but Jahangir Khan is an institution by himself and a world renowned figure," said Abbasi, also a former Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive. The services of the three were terminated last month by PIA that said it would be laying off more staff following a financial crunch. Fearing that PIA was abandoning its patronage of sports in the country, he rejected the view that this should have to take place owing to an economic crisis. "Sportsmen can bring in a lot of money through proper projection. Jahangir has done that," he reflected. "People should rally round and appeal to the high-ups that Jahangir's services should be revived, he doesn't need to appeal." He lamented that "Jahangir was elected as one of five athletes of the millennium and here we don't need his services." It's a dramatic irony that rather than correcting other aspects of the airline they are sacking sportsmen," Abbasi said. Khan won a world record of ten British Open titles during his illustrious career and remained undefeated for five and a half years - another world record. "PIA can use this institution and through Jahangir can earn the sort of publicity that no advertising can match," he said. "Once we sent Jahangir to France and PIA earned so much attention that we had to extend his stay," he said. -SADA DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011211 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mudassar appointed coach until World Cup ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Samiul Hasan KARACHI, Dec 10: Mudassar Nazar officially appointed as Pakistan coach until the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, a top cricket board official said. "The understanding has been reached. Only the terms and references of the contract have to be finalized," Pakistan Cricket Board director Brig Munawwar Rana told Dawn from Lahore. The PCB spokesman said he expected that Mudassar will formally sign the agreement before the Pakistan team embarks on the Bangladesh tour on Jan 2. "Mudassar has good credentials for the job. Hopefully he will make a strong plan to prepare a good team for the World Cup," Rana said. "With the team as talented as Pakistan is, the expectations are certainly high. Mudassar and the PCB chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia had very productive meetings spanning over two days in which both exchanged views and put on table what was expected from each other." Mudassar, who also coached the Pakistan team on the 1993 tour to the West Indies, was last Friday given an extension until the home series against the West Indies in March. The former Test opener had expressed mixed reactions over the news but minced no words in saying that he was only interested in a long-term contract, ideally until the World Cup. Nevertheless, he was a satisfied man and was straightforward in spelling out his ambitions and priorities. "Top of my priority list is to change things around at home. We have had poor four last home series' and I have set myself a challenge to end the victory drought," Mudassar said from Lahore. Pakistan, since 1998, have lost to Zimbabwe, Australia, Sri Lanka and England while their last home series victory was against the West Indies when Wasim Akram's men handed a 3-0 white-wash to Courtney Walsh's squad. "World Cup is definitely important but before that a lot of cricket has to be played. I am not driving head-on for the World Cup only. I sincerely hope the West Indies and New Zealand come to Pakistan. That would help me shortlist me World Cup probables to 20, barring a one or two changes," he said. Mudassar said he would go step-by-step and series-by-series but admitted that despite being given the job until the World Cup, he had fears in the back of his mind that he might be sacked prematurely if he failed to deliver. "I don't mind being sacked if I don't deliver. But then the team's performance will depend how much the players keep themselves fit and keep themselves motivated. "After having seen what has been going on lately, I feel the pressure and fear of losing the contract. But I am not keen to surrender. I intend to become the longest serving coach after Inti (Intikhab Alam)." Earlier, the PCB had appointed Javed Miandad and Moin Khan until the World Cup. But both met their Waterloo after the New Zealand tour and were sacked for different reasons. Mudassar said he would not detach himself from academy. "I know I have to concentrate on the Pakistan team but then I have an emotional attachment with the academy as I was the first coach. Who knows maybe after four five years I return only as academy coach." With the PCB taking the right decision in appointing Mudassar till the World Cup and giving him the cushion of confidence and support, it would not be a bad idea if same is done to Waqar Younis. The paceman has been appointed till March with his future depending on his fitness and form. Waqar has been training extremely hard and his performance has been an inspiration for his boys. By extending Waqar's contract until the World Cup, the two team officials will be able to think on a broader vision and chalk out their strategies according to their priorities. Needless to say that almost all the frontline teams have a established captain, coach combination until the World Cup. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011210 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PCB decides to take ICC head-on ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, Dec 9: The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to take the International Cricket Council (ICC) head-on over express pacer Shoaib Akhtar's bowling action which was questioned last month, sources said. "The PCB sent a strong-worded letter to the ICC Saturday in which it argued that since Shoaib has been cleared medically by the Western Australian University, he should be handled as special case," the sources said. The PCB has asked the ICC to consider the medical report or invoke Stage 3 in Shoaib Akhtar's case directly, as calling in Michael Holding for the Stage 2 would be of no use, the sources said. "The PCB has also requested the ICC to set up a medical board during the Stage 3 and re-examine Shoaib on the basis of his abnormality in the right arm," the sources said. Shoaib's bowling action was questioned for the third time since 1999 when the umpires suspected his bowling action during the three-nation tournament in Sharjah this October. The ICC directed the PCB to invite former West Indian Michael Holding as part of Stage 2 of its process on dealing bowlers with illegal action. However, if ICC invoked Stage 3 and Shoaib is reported after that, he would be barred from playing international cricket for 12 months. "Akhtar has a very genuine case of physical abnormality, his case should be treated as such and on the pattern of Muttiah Muralitharan who was also cleared by the WA University," the letter demands. "Experts from the WA University have cleared Akhtar on medical grounds, just like they did with Muralitharan. Since Muralitharan is treated, we want Akhtar to be treated accordingly," the letter said. "We have no objection in inviting Holding to invoke Stage 2, but his presence will hardly make any difference. It would just be a waste of time and money if we invite him at this stage." The ICC had rejected the PCB's claims that Shoaib should be treated as a special case last month and had set Feb 22 as the deadline to complete Stage 2. The fast bowler is currently playing club cricket in Sydney. -SADA DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011209 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Miandad expressed suspicion: witness ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Reporter LAHORE, Dec 8: A cricket correspondent has confirmed to Justice Karamat Bhandari that former coach Javed Miandad had expressed suspicion prior to the World Cup that Pakistan would lose league matches to either Scotland or Bangladesh. A lady correspondent of a national daily has made the revelations in an affidavit, a copy of which was exclusively acquired by Dawn. The correspondent had been asked to testify in the background that she was the first reporter who had claimed that Pakistan would lose a World Cup match to either Scotland or Bangladesh. Justice Karamat Bhandari is investigating allegations that Pakistan deliberately threw matches to Bangladesh and India. Proceedings were held in-camera by the one-man judicial commission of Justice Karamat Nazir Bhandari probing into the match-fixing allegations against Pakistan for losing two World Cup-1999 matches, deliberately, one against Bangladesh and the other against India. Two former Test cricketers, Basit Ali and Aamir Sohail who were summoned by the commission to record their statement did not attend the proceedings because the summons could not be delivered to them. Justice Karamat Nazir Bhandari called three persons including Pakistan Cricket Board's lawyer Hyder Asghar, former Test cricketer Abdul Qadir who is assisting the commission and a former international player Saleem Pervez to his chambers and held in- camera proceedings for a half hour. A letter from Karachi-based lady journalist was received by the commission as she could not appear before the commission due to domestic reasons. In her letter, the lady journalist said that the match against Bangladesh was fixed and the cricket legend Javed Miandad had told her about the result of the match. She said that a colleague also quoted Miandad's allegation in his story. She said that in fact, the Pakistani players by losing to Bangladesh tried to compensate the bookies who had suffered heavy losses when Pakistan lost to England in Sharjah Cup held months before the World Cup. After the Sharjah Cup, the letter added, Miandad was sacked as coach because he had developed difference with the team members on match fixing. Miandad and Moin Khan also exchanged hot words, the contents of the letter revealed. Saleem Pervez who played a one-day match against West Indies in 1980, repeated his statement which he had already submitted before Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum. He alleged that one Aftab Butt had given $ 1,00,000 to some Pakistani players for losing triangular series match in Australia against Sri Lanka. However, he said that he had no information about the World Cup-1999 matches. The commission ordered to again serve summons to Sohail and Basit. The commission has also agreed in principle to sent the registrar Kazim Ali Malik to Karachi to record the statements of two journalists there. A PCB representative in England Ihsan Mani again failed to reach Pakistan from England to record his statement. His lawyer Raza Kazam, however, explained to the commission about non-presence of his client. 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