------------------------------------------------------------------- DAWN WIRE SERVICE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Ending : 10 November 2001 Issue : 07/45 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Contents | National News | Business & Economy | Editorials & Features | Sports
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CONTENTS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS + Osama claims he has nukes + Taliban fighters taking shelter in refugee camps: UNHCR + Unprovoked shelling by India, says Pakistan + KANUPP design life extended for 20 years + Pakistan N-arms in safe hands: Rumsfeld + Pakistan exercising maximum restraint: FO refutes Indian claim + PPP, govt 'very close' to finalizing deal + PPP rejects govt contention on Benazir's return + 'Benazir will have to face court' + President holds talks with PPP leaders + Benazir's plea seeking adjournment rejected + Benazir postpones return to Pakistan + PPP denies accounts report + Swiss govt to release Benazir's bank papers + Three die as protesters, police clash + No question of instability in Pakistan: Musharraf + Crackdown on ADC activists launched + Sedition cases will be pursued, says Moin + Qazi accuses president of 'sedition' + Qazi suffers mild heart attack + Qazi files amended petition against detention + Jamaat chief challenges house arrest in PHC + Jamaat chief charged with sedition + Taliban claim opposition commander's defection + Taliban asked to close Karachi consulate + Freezing of Lashkar accounts condemned + FO denies Indian claim of military build-up + War forces change in economic strategy + Another 800 volunteers enter Kunar for Jihad + Rocket explodes in Quetta + Edhi says 4m lives at stake in Afghanistan + 26 die in two Punjab road accidents + Quetta airport guard shot dead + Farooquis surrender Rs265m to state + Councillor, cop among 3 shot dead in Karachi + India accuses Pakistan of harassing its diplomats + New Delhi diplomat expelled + Amanullah Husain passes away + Adnan seeks son's custody + British journalists expelled --------------------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMY + ADB to provide $950 million + $275m trade deficit recorded + UAE will provide $265m for 6 projects + PTCL jeopardizes survival of 19 ISPs + Govt to provide guarantee for loan obtained by KESC --------------------------------------- EDITORIALS & FEATURES + The Great Game continues Ardeshir Cowasjee + Who developed anthrax? Eric S. Margolis + War on terror - my cow Ayaz Amir + Enough is enough Irfan Husain ----------- SPORTS + PIA sacks sporting legends + Jahangir, Jansher, Zaheer sent on retirement? + Sharjah not my destiny, says Waqar + Hockey: Pakistan draw with Netherlands + Double joy for Waqar + Australia outclass Pakistan 3-1 + PCB not cooperating, says Malik's lawyer + Shoaib reported again + PCB takes ICC head-on + Board wages cola war over contracts
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS 20011110 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Osama claims he has nukes ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Hamid Mir KABUL, Nov 9: Osama bin Laden has said that "we have chemical and nuclear weapons as a deterrent and if America used them against us we reserve the right to use them". He said this in a special interview with Hamid Mir, the editor of Ausaf, for Dawn and Ausaf, at an undisclosed location near Kabul. This was the first interview given by Osama to any journalist after the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington. The correspondent was taken blind folded in a jeep from Kabul on the night of Nov 7 to a place where it was extremely cold and one could hear the sound of anti-aircraft guns firing away. After a wait of some time , Osama arrived with about a dozen bodyguards and Dr Ayman Al-Zuwahiri and answered questions. Hamid Mir: After American bombing on Afghanistan on Oct 7, you told the Al-Jazeera TV that the Sept 11 attacks had been carried out by some Muslims. How did you know they were Muslims ? Osama bin Laden: The Americans themselves released a list of the suspects of the Sept 11 attacks, saying that the persons named were involved in the attacks. They were all Muslims, of whom 15 belonged to Saudi Arabia, two were from the UAE and one from Egypt. According to the information I have, they were all passengers. Fateha was held for them in their homes. But America said they were hijackers. HM: In your statement of Oct 7, you expressed satisfaction over the Sept 11 attacks, although a large number of innocent people perished in them, hundreds among them were Muslims. Can you justify the killing of innocent men in the light of Islamic teachings ? OBL: This is a major point in jurisprudence. In my view, if an enemy occupies a Muslim territory and uses common people as human shield, then it is permitted to attack that enemy. For instance, if bandits barge into a home and hold a child hostage, then the child's father can attack the bandits and in that attack even the child may get hurt. America and its allies are massacring us in Palestine, Chechenya, Kashmir and Iraq. The Muslims have the right to attack America in reprisal. The Islamic Shariat says Muslims should not live in the land of the infidel for long. The Sept 11 attacks were not targeted at women and children. The real targets were America's icons of military and economic power. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was against killing women and children. When he saw a dead woman during a war, he asked why was she killed ? If a child is above 13 and wields a weapon against Muslims, then it is permitted to kill him. The American people should remember that they pay taxes to their government, they elect their president, their government manufactures arms and gives them to Israel and Israel uses them to massacre Palestinians. The American Congress endorses all government measures and this proves that the entire America is responsible for the atrocities perpetrated against Muslims. The entire America, because they elect the Congress. I ask the American people to force their government to give up anti-Muslim policies. The American people had risen against their government's war in Vietnam. They must do the same today. The American people should stop the massacre of Muslims by their government. HM: Can it be said that you are against the American government, not the American people ? OSB: Yes! We are carrying on the mission of our Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him). The mission is to spread the word of God, not to indulge massacring people. We ourselves are the target of killings, destruction and atrocities. We are only defending ourselves. This is defensive Jihad. We want to defend our people and our land. That is why I say that if we don't get security, the Americans, too would not get security. This is a simple formula that even an American child can understand. This is the formula of live and let live. HM: The head of Egypt's Jamia Al-Azhar has issued a fatwa (edict) against you, saying that the views and beliefs of Osama bin Laden have nothing to do with Islam. What do you have to say about that ? OSB: The fatwa of any official Aalim has no value for me. History is full of such Ulema who justify Riba, who justify the occupation of Palestine by the Jews, who justify the presence of American troops around Harmain Sharifain. These people support the infidels for their personal gain. The true Ulema support the Jihad against America. Tell me if Indian forces invaded Pakistan what would you do? The Israeli forces occupy our land and the American troops are on our territory. We have no other option but to launch Jihad. HM: Some Western media claim that you are trying to acquire chemical and nuclear weapons. How much truth is there in such reports? OSB: I heard the speech of American President Bush yesterday (Oct 7). He was scaring the European countries that Osama wanted to attack with weapons of mass destruction. I wish to declare that if America used chemical or nuclear weapons against us, then we may retort with chemical and nuclear weapons. We have the weapons as deterrent. HM: Where did you get these weapons from ? OSB: Go to the next question. HM: Demonstrations are being held in many European countries against American attacks on Afghanistan. Thousands of the protesters were non-Muslims. What is your opinion about those non- Muslim protesters ? OSB: There are many innocent and good-hearted people in the West. American media instigates them against Muslims. However, some good- hearted people are protesting against American attacks because human nature abhors injustice. The Muslims were massacred under the UN patronage in Bosnia. I am ware that some officers of the State Department had resigned in protest. Many years ago the US ambassador in Egypt had resigned in protest against the policies of President Jimmy Carter. Nice and civilized are everywhere. The Jewish lobby has taken America and the West hostage. HM: Some people say that war is no solution to any issue. Do you think that some political formula could be found to stop the present war ? OSB: You should put this question to those who have started this war. We are only defending ourselves. HM: If America got out of Saudi Arabia and the Al-Aqsa mosque was liberated, would you then present yourself for trial in some Muslim country ? OSB: Only Afghanistan is an Islamic country. Pakistan follows the English law. I don't consider Saudi Arabia an Islamic country. If the Americans have charges against me, we too have a charge sheet against them. HM: Pakistan government decided to cooperate with America after Sept 11, which you don't consider right. What do you think Pakistan should have done but to cooperate with America ? OSB: The government of Pakistan should have the wishes of the people in view. It should not have surrendered to the unjustified demands of America. America does not have solid proof against us. It just has some surmises. It is unjust to start bombing on the basis of those surmises. HM: Had America decided to attack Pakistan with the help of India and Israel, what would have we done ? OSB: What has America achieved by attacking Afghanistan ? We will not leave the Pakistani people and the Pakistani territory at anybody's mercy. We will defend Pakistan. But we have been disappointed by Gen Pervez Musharraf. He says that the majority is with him. I say the majority is against him. Bush has used the word crusade. This is a crusade declared by Bush. It is no wisdom to barter off blood of Afghan brethren to improve Pakistan's economy. He will be punished by the Pakistani people and Allah. Right now a great war of Islamic history is being fought in Afghanistan. All the big powers are united against Muslims. It is ' sawab ' to participate in this war. HM: A French newspaper has claimed that you had kidney problem and had secretly gone to Dubai for treatment last year. Is that correct ? OSB: My kidneys are all right. I did not go to Dubai last year. One British newspaper has published an imaginary interview with Islamabad dateline with one of my sons who lives in Saudi Arabia. All this is false. HM: Is it correct that a daughter of Mulla Omar is your wife or your daughter is Mulla Omar's wife ? OSB: (Laughs). All my wives are Arabs ( and all my daughters are married to Arab Mujahideen). I have spiritual relationship with Mulla Omar. He is a great and brave Muslim of this age. He does not fear anyone but Allah. He is not under any personal relationship or obligation to me. He is only discharging his religious duty. I, too, have not chosen this life out of any personal consideration. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011108 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Taliban fighters taking shelter in refugee camps: UNHCR ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Nov 7: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees claimed that armed elements are taking shelter in refugee camps near the borders making the delivery of humanitarian assistance difficult. A UNHCR press release said that civilians were mixed up with Taliban fighters in all the refugee camps near the borders making it extremely difficult for them to receive international assistance without unintentionally feeding the war effort. The UNHCR said that concerns about the safety of the Makaki site, both for its inhabitants and for aid workers, have been reinforced by repeated witness accounts of Taliban military presence inside Makaki, as well as other military positions nearby. "These accounts, which include photographic evidence, describe not only the presence of armed Taliban soldiers inside the camp, but also the presence of heavy machine-guns and multiple rocket launchers," the UNHCR said. The statement said that the UNHCR had frequently stressed that the two camps in western Afghanistan, one in a Taliban-held area, and the other in an area controlled by the Northern Alliance, in addition to another camp in Spin Boldak, near the border with Pakistan, and the two sites on the Pyanj river on the border with Tajikistan, were extremely vulnerable to abuse by the warring factions. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011107 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Unprovoked shelling by India, says Pakistan ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: Pakistan accused India of launching a heavy artillery and mortar barrage at civilian targets across the Kashmir border. The barrage in the Neelum Valley region was accompanied by small-arms fire in which one civilian was shot dead by an Indian sniper, said DG ISPR Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi. Another civilian suffered serious injuries from mortar splinters, Gen Qureshi said, adding that Pakistani artillery units had returned fire. In New Delhi, an Indian defence ministry spokesman rejected the allegations as "absolutely untrue". "There is nothing unusual except for the routine firing that occurs all the time at our borders and this allegation is absolutely untrue," the spokesman said. "It is also a routine Pakistani allegation," the official added.-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011108 ------------------------------------------------------------------- KANUPP design life extended for 20 years ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Nov 7: Special Advisor to the President on strategic studies Dr Ishfaq Ahmad said that the design life of the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP) was extended for another 20 years through indigenous efforts. "Nuclear power plants never retires as the continuous running of these plants is always advisable since its decommissioning is hazardous environmentally," the former chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) observed. The nuclear technology has the ability to contribute in a significant manner to address all issues of sustainable development, he said adding that it was essential in the Pakistani perspective for increasing electricity demand for the development, existing infrastructure and manpower. He also suggested to look for new designs of the nuclear power plants which were safer than the old designs. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011106 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan N-arms in safe hands: Rumsfeld ------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW DELHI, Nov 5: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld brushed aside fears about Pakistan's nuclear arsenal after talks in India at the end of a five-nation trip. Mr Rumsfeld said Washington was not worried about Islamabad's nuclear weapons getting into the wrong hands. "I do not personally believe that there is a risk with respect to countries that have nuclear weapons," Rumsfeld said at a news conference with Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes. "The countries that have nuclear weapons have a healthy respect of the power and lethality of these weapons and they take steps to manage their safe handling," Rumsfeld said in response to a question about Pakistan. Rumsfeld said he and Fernandes "talked about terrorism in the broader sense, which has affected both our countries". "The effort against terrorism is a global one and involves terrorists wherever they are. This is much bigger than Afghanistan," he said. Afghanistan only "happens to be the first problem. The president (George W. Bush) has been unambiguous that we will tackle terrorism wherever it is," he added.-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011106 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan exercising maximum restraint: FO refutes Indian claim ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Hasan Akhtar ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: The spokesman, director-general of ISPR Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi, while speaking at the daily press briefing at foreign office along with foreign office spokesman, said that the discussions with the US defence secretary focused on defence- related matters. Responding to questions, foreign office spokesman Aziz Khan rejected Indian charge of creating war-hysteria and affirmed that Islamabad continued to exercise maximum restraint, eschew war- hysteria and responded with maturity while pressing with its policy to seek settlement of the central issue (Kashmir) and all other outstanding issues with India. However, he said Pakistan was ready and prepared to meet any eventuality should that arise from the other side. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011110 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Three die as protesters, police clash ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Nadeem Saeed and Tariq Birmani DERA GHAZI KHAN, Nov 9: At least three people were killed and several others injured in a clash between protesters and personnel of law enforcement agencies near Dera Ghazi Khan on the eve of country-wide wheel-jam strike called by the religious organizations to condemn US-led attacks on Afghanistan. Madressa students and their supporters, stopped the 21-Up Chiltan Express near Shahdan Lond Railway Station, by placing boulders on the railway track. Kala police reached the troubled spot after calling for reinforcement to combat the situation in Shahdan-Lond. The police along with area union council Nazim Sardar Javed Lond stared negotiations with the protesters to get removed the hurdles to normalize the railway traffic. When the negotiations failed, the protesters reportedly started pelting stones on police. At this, the police resorted to shelling teargas to disperse the protesters. But the violent mob was not inclined to yield. As the reinforcement had yet to reach the spot, the policemen combating the protesters at that time opened fire. Later, the mob went on a rampage spree and reportedly set ablaze a number of official vehicles. The violent protesters also 'kidnapped' some police officials who were sitting at the rooftop of the house of Seth Abdul Majeed after giving them a sound thrashing on the spot. The number of kidnapped police officials could not be ascertained exactly as the area people put it at two while the DIG Dera Range, Anwar Pasha, told Dawn that four police officials had been kidnapped. The kidnapped officials could not be rescued till the time of filing this report. Similarly, some protesters blocked the railway traffic near Kot Addu railway station by placing hurdles on the track on a railway crossing. Consequently, at least four passenger trains were standing at various spots of Kot Addu section. Chiltan was stopped at Shahdan Lond, Khushal Express at Taunsa Barrage, 189-Up at Sinawa and 1890-Down at Daira Din Panah. Earlier reportedly the madressa students blocked the inter- provincial Indus highway in protest. During this time a prisoners- carrying van was coming from Taunsa Sharif carrying religious leaders arrested during the midnight crackdown ahead of the strike. On seeing the students at the road the arrested leaders started chanting slogans. At this, the protesters went further violent and tried to get released their leaders. It is learnt that they succeeded in setting free a number of arrested ulema and thereafter set the van on fire. DIG Anwar Pasha though confirmed that the prisoners-van was intercepted and later on set ablaze by the protesters but denied that they managed to get released the arrested ulema. He said the van was being escorted by two police mobiles which were later used to take back the ulema to Taunsa. Both railway traffic on Kot Addu section and vehicular traffic on Indus highway could not be restored till evening. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011109 ------------------------------------------------------------------- No question of instability in Pakistan: Musharraf ------------------------------------------------------------------- LONDON, Nov 8: President General Pervez Musharraf dismissed talk of any instability and said vast majority of Pakistanis supported his decision to back the international coalition in the fight against terrorism. Addressing Pakistani community here soon after his arrival, General Musharraf said Pakistan had to play a significant role and "we should have conviction in our stand" to side with the world in its campaign against terrorism. He said there was "no problem, no instability" at home or any danger to his government otherwise "I will not be sitting here." "Our Army is extremely disciplined Army. The Army is with me and they will always remain behind me. I am the leader and they will follow me," said President General Pervez Musharraf. The president said he had issued an ordinance to check spread of hatred against any sect and the law enforcement agencies would take strict action against those trying to do so. There is a very small religious extremist minority which had brought the people onto the streets and they were joined by Afghans living in Pakistan.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011109 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Crackdown on ADC activists launched ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dawn Report ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: The administrations of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have launched crackdown on religious groups and arrested several frontline leaders and activists from different parts of the twin cities ahead of countrywide strike, sources told Dawn. The call to observe countrywide wheeljam strike has been given by the Afghan Defence Council (ADC), an alliance of religious parties, protesting against the government's decision to support the US in the fight against terrorism. The sources said many activists of religious groups and political parties, who had been criticizing the government's policies during the protests for the past several days, were arrested under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO-16). It has been learnt that more arrests would be made during the night. However, the Islamabad police confirmed the arrest of only Sajid Abbasi, an active member of Muslim Students Federation (MSF). He has been detained by the Industrial Area police. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011110 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sedition cases will be pursued, says Moin ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Nov 9: The government will pursue sedition cases against the interned chiefs of Jamaat-i-Islami and Jamiat-i-Ulema Pakistan, said interior minister Moinuddin Haider. Anyone challenging the writ of the government, working against the national interest and trying to incite the armed forces would be dealt with sternly, said Mr Haider at a news conference. Sedition cases have, so far, been instituted against the JI chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed and the JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman. Mr Haider did not say when the government would move the court. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011107 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Qazi accuses president of 'sedition' ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report PESHAWAR, Nov 6: Chief of Jamaat-i-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that it was General Musharraf who must be charged with sedition for suspending the Constitution. "The basic question is, is Gen Musharraf the sole custodian of the national interest? "His is an illegal and unconstitutional government�. He is the one who has committed sedition", he told Dawn on telephone from his house in Palosai, Peshawar. "In a national crisis, a national consensus government is formed. Here we have an acute national crisis but unfortunately a single man is the incharge of the destiny of the nation." He said that he had been charged with sedition before as well but no government had ever dared brought the case to the courts. "Let the government bring the case to the court and we will see it." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011109 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Qazi suffers mild heart attack ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent KOHAT, Nov 8: Qazi Hussain Ahmed, chief of Jamaat-i-Islami who is under house arrest in the Tanda Dam Rest House of Kohat suffered a mild heart attack on Thursday afternoon, reliable sources told Dawn. The administration soon after getting report about the deteriorating health of the JI chief dispatched a medical team headed by Saeed Ahmad Paracha, a heart specialist of KDA hospital to the rest house which has been declared as sub-jail. After a thorough check up and ECG Mr Qazi was put on medicines and his condition was stated to be improving. The doctors said that Qazi's bad health was the result of tension accompanied by seclusion because he was not being allowed to meet anybody and even make calls to his family and friends. Qazi Hussain Ahmed is an old patient of heart and blood pressure and was already under treatment when put under house arrest three days back. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011109 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Qazi files amended petition against detention ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report PESHAWAR, Nov 8: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad filed an amended writ petition in the Peshawar High Court after his shifting to Thanda Dam rest house by the government. The earlier writ petition, challenging the JI chief's house arrest by the provincial government, was withdrawn as the nature of the case had changed after shifting him to the rest house from his residence. A division bench comprising Justice Nasirul Mulk and Justice Shahjehan Khan Yousafzai took up for preliminary hearing the earlier writ petition. However, a panel of lawyers representing Qazi Hussain Ahmad, including Arif Khan, Arbab Usman and others, informed the bench that they had decided to withdraw the petition and they should be allowed to file an amended writ petition. The court allowed them to withdraw the petition with the permission to file an amended petition. Later, another petition was filed on behalf of JI's chief. Through the amended petition, Qazi Hussain Ahmad prayed to the court that the impugned order issued by the provincial government of keeping him in the Thanda Dam Rest House be declared as illegal and against the law. The JI chief stated that on Nov 3 the Secretary of Home Department had served a notice on him wherein he had been directed not to reside, remain or enter any part of the Bajaur Agency. Subsequently, he added, the provincial government issued another order bearing No. 13/5-SOS-I(HD) 2001 on Nov 5, putting him under house arrest. Later, the petitioner stated he was shifted to the rest house from his house. He said that he got no other remedy except to invoke the extraordinary jurisdiction of the high court for redressal of his grievances. He contended that the impugned order was mala fide as the activities of the petitioner were not prejudicial to the public peace and tranquillity. The respondents in the petition are Government of NWFP, Secretary to Government of NWFP, Home and Tribal Affairs Department, district coordinating officer, Peshawar, district Nazim, Peshawar, Inspector-general of Police, NWFP, deputy inspector-general of police, Peshawar, and senior superintendent of police, Peshawar. A sedition case was also registered against Qazi Hussain Ahmad in Mardan for addressing a public meeting on Nov 2, in which he was accused of having urged the people to rise in revolt against the state. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011107 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Jamaat chief challenges house arrest in PHC ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report PESHAWAR, Nov 6: Chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, has challenged his house arrest by the NWFP government here in the Peshawar High Court. A division bench of the court will take up the writ petition filed by the JI's chief for preliminary hearing on Nov 8. Through the petition, Qazi Hussain Ahmad has prayed the court that the impugned order issued by the provincial government under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance be declared as illegal and against the law. Qazi Hussain Ahmad has stated that on Nov 3 the Secretary Home Department served a notice on him wherein he was directed not to reside, remain or enter any part of Bajaur Agency. Subsequently, he added, the provincial government issued another order bearing No. 13/5-SOS-I(HD) 2001 on Nov 5 wherein the petitioner was confined to house arrest. The petitioner stated that he got no other remedy except to invoke the extra ordinary jurisdiction of the high court for redressal of his grievances. He contended that the impugned order was based on malafide and the activities of the petitioner were not prejudicial to the public peace and tranquillity. The respondents in the petition are Government of NWFP, Secretary to Government of NWFP Home and Tribal Affairs Department, district coordinating officer, Peshawar, district Nazim Peshawar, Inspector General of Police, NWFP, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Peshawar and Senior Superintendent of Police, Peshawar. Mr Ahmad has claimed that he was organising the public opinion in the supreme interest of this country and according to the constitution. He added he had supported and led the public opinion in accordance with prevalent rules and law and no law of the land had been violated by him. Meanwhile, about the sedition case registered against Qazi Hussain Ahmad in Mardan district, his counsel told Dawn that they had been trying to acquire a copy of the FIR registered there. He claimed that it was yet not clear whether the government had shown his arrest in that case or not. "After confirming his arrest in that case we will file his bail petition in the sessions court at Mardan," he informed. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011106 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Jamaat chief charged with sedition ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report PESHAWAR, Nov 5: Mardan police has booked Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad, charging him with sedition for making a provocative speech against the government, a senior police officer said. The case against Qazi was registered at Police Station, 'A' Division for his speech in Mardan under section 124-A, 153, 153-A of the Criminal Procedure Code. The sedition charge carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. "Qazi has been charged with inciting the public against the government and President Gen Pervez Musharraf," the officer told Dawn. A government official, however, clarified that Qazi's house detention had nothing to do with the case. Earlier on Monday, the NWFP government issued an order placing Qazi Hussain Ahmad under house arrest for one month. The detention has come under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO-3). The Jamaat-i-Islami has vowed to challenge the detention in the Peshawar High Court and has constituted a panel of lawyers to file the writ petition. The official clarified that prior to the latest order placing Qazi under house arrest, the JI leader had merely been restrained from proceeding to Bajaur Agency to address a public rally in the federally administered tribal area. The JI provincial secretary information Faqeerullah told Dawn that the NWFP Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs issued Qazi's house arrest order this morning and deployed police force outside his residence at Palosay near University of Peshawar. Qazi Hussain Ahmad was to address an anti-America rally in Liaqat Bagh, Rawalpindi on Nov 9. Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Defence Council held a meeting at Almarkaz-i-Islami Peshawar to discuss the arrangements for a countrywide strike. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011109 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PPP, govt 'very close' to finalizing deal ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Rafaqat Ali ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: The government and PPP are reportedly "very close" to finalizing a deal under which Ms Benazir Bhutto will be able to come back to the country without any fear of going to jail and Asif Ali Zardari, imprisoned since 1996, will come out of jail, Dawn has learnt from reliable sources. Negotiations are still going on to finalize the deal. After PPP team's meeting with President Pervez Musharraf on Monday, PPP leaders sounded very "optimistic." According to an insider dealing with legal affairs of the party, it has been agreed that Ms Bhutto would not be arrested on her return. She would file an application in the Accountability Court, Rawalpindi, demanding that her conviction on the charges of non- appearance in the court should be recalled. The government, the sources said, had given an assurance that the application would be accepted and conviction order passed under section 31 of the NAB Ordinance recalled. Ms Bhutto, facing four corruption cases, was convicted in April 1999 by an Ehtesab Bench headed by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum on the charges of awarding pre-shipment contract to a Swiss firm for personal considerations. The conviction was not only set aside but also the judge who had handed down the judgment, had to leave the judicial institution after being declared "biased" by the SC on the appeals of Ms Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari. Mr Zardari, behind the bar since 1996, is carrying no conviction so far. His conviction in pre-shipment case in 1999, was set aside by the Supreme Court and matter was remanded to the competent court. The accountability court, however, has taken up the case but it is still at "notice stage". There are a total of 12 cases against Mr Zardari. Six pertain to his alleged corruption and six others are criminal cases, including four murder cases. He has been granted bail by courts in 10 cases so far and the bail application in the 11th case will be taken up on Nov 23. The chances of his getting bail from the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench, in the 11th case, (Polo ground reference), are also bright. The other case in which Mr Zardari has not been granted bail is about Narcotics, which is pending in the sessions court, Lahore. The bail application is pending for one year in the case and if the deal is struck Mr Zardari would be given bail in that case also. In murder cases, Mr Zardari was granted bail in Justice Nizam, Murtaza Bhutto and secretary Alam Baloch's cases. He is also facing a case of suicide. Soon after the PPP leaders' meeting with President Pervez Musharraf, Hakim Ali Zardari, father of Asif Ali Zardari, was shifted to his house. The other beneficiaries of the deal would be Naveed Qamar, former chairman of Privatisation Commission, and Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, former Speaker of the National Assembly. Mr Qamar is behind the bar for the last two years, but his case is still nowhere and he would be out of the jail on bail. Similarly, Mr Yousaf Raza Gillani, who held a very important constitutional post, is being prosecuted for misuse of official telephone facility. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011108 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PPP rejects govt contention on Benazir's return ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Nov 7: Acting secretary-general of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Mian Raza Rabbani has rejected the contention of Maj- Gen Rashed Qureshi that Benazir Bhutto's return to the country depended on the courts. In a statement issued Mr Rabbani said though the PPP respected the judiciary, it was against setting up of special courts. He said the party also opposed the special laws that were being introduced by the government for political purposes. The PPP leader said NAB, by misusing the accountability law and manipulating special courts, had turned itself into a state institution of kidnapping for ransom. "That is why the PPP believes that the issue of Ms Benazir's safe return still needed to be addressed by the government rather than by the courts. He recalled that the regime released former prime minister Nawaz Sharif despite the fact that he was convicted by court. Mr Rabbani said if the regime could remove judges, it could also give assurances of Benazir Bhutto's safe return. He said the divergence in opinion between the regime and the PPP on the assurance issue was just one of the many differences between the PPP and the military regime. He said dialogue was held on several occasions for redressal of grievances, and though there had been some confidence building, there was still a big gap which needed to be filled. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011107 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Benazir will have to face court' ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Hasan Akhtar ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi, spokesman for president, said that there was no government ban on the return of People's Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto to Pakistan but said she would have to face legal procedure and face the court and "that is something which is between her and the court". Gen Qureshi said that the president's meeting with the PPP delegation was one of similar meetings held with leaders of various other parties as well, most of whom expressed support to Gen Musharraf and his government for the decision taken to support coalition forces. Gen Qureshi further said that no one should read too much in such meetings as there were no specific purposes. The idea was to interact with political leaders and exchange views on national and other issues and updating (on the situation) by the government on the Afghanistan situation. The president's spokesman seemed to suggest that Gen Musharraf had offered no quid pro quo to the PPP for its support to the president's policy on the Afghanistan operation by the United States. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011106 ------------------------------------------------------------------- President holds talks with PPP leaders ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Faraz Hashmi ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: A four-member delegation of Pakistan People's Party led by Senior Vice Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim called on President Gen Pervez Musharraf and demanded safe return of party's Chairperson Benazir Bhutto. The government and PPP central secretariat issued separate statements on the hour-long meeting of the President with the PPP leaders, in which former senator Qaim Ali Shah, Punjab PPP Chief Qasim Zia and PPP Frontier Chief Khawaja Muhammad Khan Hoti were also included. The government and the PPP statements had very little in common. The latter focused on the demands made by it at the meeting while the former highlighted President's assertions. However, an inside party source said there was a strong view in the party that it should not go to the extent that it would be seen as an ally of the military government. "There was convergence of views between the party and government over the issue of supporting international coalition in its fight against terrorism," the source said. However, the source said, a sizeable number of PPP leaders wanted that the party should preserve and maintain its distinction of opposing non-democratic regimes. A PPP source termed the meeting with the President positive, saying it was held in a very cordial atmosphere. The President seemed quite receptive towards the demands made by the party leaders, the source asserted. He was quite optimistic about the release of some of the PPP leaders languishing in jails on charges of corruption. The party was expecting release of Hakim Ali Zardari and Naveed Qamar shortly. On the issue of Ms Bhutto's return to the country, nothing was officially said from both sides. The party claimed that it also sought an end to what it termed one- sided accountability solely directed against the political leadership of the country, stressing that the ongoing accountability was politically-motivated. It also demanded release of former senator Asif Ali Zardari, Vice Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani, Secretary-General Jehangir Badr, former chairman of privatization commission Naveed Qamar and all other PPP leaders detained on politically-motivated charges and also the withdrawal of the politically-motivated cases. President's spokesman Gen Rashid Qureshi quoted the President as saying that it was essential for all Pakistanis, irrespective of their political and party affiliations, to rise to the occasion and play a positive role for safeguarding national integrity, unity and solidarity at this critical juncture in the history of the country. He said during the meeting with political leaders, the President exchanged views on a number of issues of national importance as well as the prevailing situation in the region with special reference to Afghanistan. He said all the decisions and necessary steps taken by the government were in the supreme national interest. The president, he said, apprised them of his meetings and telephonic conversations with various world leaders including those of the Muslim Ummah. The President also reaffirmed his commitment of holding elections in Oct 2002 as directed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The PPP leaders said that the party had noted the assurances of the military regime that the elections would be fair, free and impartial. In this connection, the PPP sought some steps to be taken by the government to substantiate its declaration. The steps were: first, the minorities should be allowed the right to vote in every single electoral precinct through joint electorate; two, multi-identity should be introduced; three, the decentralized district returning electoral count system should be adhered to; and four, there should be a mechanism acceptable to political parties for the transfer of officials, against whom charges of election interference have been made. The PPP also demanded that economic relief be provided to the common citizen, including the reversal of the plan to remove assistant commissioners recruited in Sindh during 1988-90 and 1993- 96. The party leaders said the party was against terrorism in any form and voiced support for the objective of a broad-based government in Afghanistan. They called upon President Musharraf to open a dialogue with political parties to broaden the political base of the country at a time of grave national and international crisis. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011108 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Benazir's plea seeking adjournment rejected ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Tahir Siddiqui KARACHI, Nov 7: An Accountability court dismissed an application of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, seeking suspension of proceedings of a corruption reference against her till her return to the country. The reference against Benazir Bhutto pertained to 1,393 illegal appointments and promotions in different cadres and postings abroad in violation of rules during her last tenure as prime minister. Saying that the request for adjournment for an indefinite period could not be granted, Judge Muhammed Jawaid Alam fixed Nov 16 for recording the statement of the accused persons in the case and ordered that Benazir Bhutto should either record her statement before the court herself or through her counsel. The others, charged with corruption with the former prime minister, were Air Vice Marshal (retd) Umer Farooq, former PIA chief; Naheed Khan, Ghulam Hussain Kazi, Ghulam Qadir Shah Jamote, Siraj Shamsuddin and Najamul Hasan. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011104 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Benazir postpones return to Pakistan ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Sarfaraz Ahmed KARACHI, Nov 3: Benazir Bhutto has postponed her return to Pakistan indefinitely due to the fear of being killed by the Taliban or Al- Qaeda networks. According to well-placed intelligence sources, the Pakistan People's Party chairperson, who has been denied an additional passport book or more leaves for the travel document for unspecified reasons since last month, had formerly decided to return sometime in November. The sources said she had been given assurances by the present government that some kind of deal or deals that had been discussed in the past could come under discussion again. Such a proposition, the sources said, was subject to her presence in the country with her wholehearted support to the government's internal and external policies with regard to the Afghanistan crisis. However, the sources added, Benazir had to change her decision following receipt of information that she might be target of an assassination attack if she returned to the country. The sources said her statements against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda networks following the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were taken by extremist elements in Pakistan and Afghanistan seriously. They said Benazir had received incriminating evidence suggesting an attack or attacks on her life if she entered Pakistan after her three years absence. When the acting secretary-general of the PPP, Mian Raza Rabbani, was contacted, he rejected the impression that Benazir was afraid of the Taliban or the Al-Qaeda. "The timeframe of her return will be decided by the central executive committee of the party alone," he told by telephone from Islamabad. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011108 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PPP denies accounts report ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent ISLAMABAD, Nov 7: Swiss Law firm Messers Poncet and Associates representing the three Swiss companies under investigation has denied that the frozen bank accounts belonged to Ms Benazir Bhutto, a PPP press release claimed. The press release said Messers Poncet and Associates were defence lawyers to the three Swiss companies whose bank accounts had been frozen, which the government of Pakistan had alleged were tied to Ms Bhutto. "To the best of my knowledge these accounts do not concern her (Benazir Bhutto)," the press release quoted the legal firm as saying in response to a query. Ms Bhutto has repeatedly denied that she had anything to do with the companies or their accounts. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011106 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Swiss govt to release Benazir's bank papers ------------------------------------------------------------------- LAUSANNE, Nov 5: Switzerland's high court has decided to let Pakistan have Swiss bank documents tied to former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and two family members, a Swiss justice ministry spokesman said. "The highest court decided the evidence can be released to Pakistan," said spokesman Folco Galli, adding the documents should be sent off soon. The Swiss Federal Court in Lausanne published its ruling on the Internet showing it had rejected pleas by three unnamed companies which had sought to bar release of the information to Pakistani authorities. The documents pertain to accounts held in Geneva in a subsidiary of Barclays Bank and at UBS AG, the court said. In 1997 Swiss legal authorities seized documents and froze around 20 million francs in bank accounts belonging to Benazir Bhutto, husband Asif Zardari, and her mother. Geneva's justice authorities also are conducting a separate legal proceeding against Ms Bhutto.-Reuters DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011109 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Taliban asked to close Karachi consulate ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: The government asked the Afghan embassy to close down its Karachi consulate and immediately withdraw all its staff stationed there. "We have asked the Afghanistan embassy to withdraw all the personnel from its Karachi consulate except the caretakers," FO Spokesman Aziz Khan said at the daily briefing. The Afghan embassy in Islamabad and its consulates in Quetta and Peshawar would function normally, Mr Khan said. The foreign office gave no reason for the decision to close down the consulate in Karachi, however an official said that it might have been done because of violent anti-US demonstrations recently held in Karachi. To a question whether the decisions to stop Afghan Ambassador Mulla Mohammad Zaeef from holding press conferences and to close down consulate in Karachi had been taken under the US pressures, Mr Khan said that the Afghan ambassador was reminded of the third country rule and was asked to a observe diplomatic norms. He said that Afghan ambassador had not been barred from holding press conferences. "He has been asked to observe third country rules," he said. On the reports that the US embassy was also indulging in propaganda against the Taliban, the spokesman said that the third country rule was equally applicable to the US embassy. "At present we have no information of the Americans in Pakistan misusing their diplomatic privilege by indulging in anti-Taliban propaganda." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011105 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Taliban claim opposition commander's defection ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Nov 4: Afghanistan's ruling Taliban claimed that an opposition commander defected to the Islamic militia along with his 40 fighters in Takhar province, the Afghan Islamic Press reported. "An important opposition commander, Mohammad Hanif, and 40 of his men with their weapons joined us in Ishkamish," Taliban intelligence chief, Qari Ahmadullah, claimed to AIP. Iskhamish is a strategic frontline location in Takhar. Ahmedullah told AIP the commander would now fight the war against the "infidel," a reference to America whose warplanes are hitting the radical militia for harbouring terrorists. - dpa DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011105 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Freezing of Lashkar accounts condemned ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent MUZAFFARABAD, Nov 4: Mutahidda Jihad Council (MJC), an alliance of Mujahideen groups battling the Indian rule over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, condemned the US for freezing the accounts of another freedom-fighters' group. The MJC said that the US decision to freeze the accounts of Lashkar-i-Taiba was "unrealistic, unwise and biased, providing a base to strengthen India's unending repression in Kashmir." The Bush administration had imposed stringent financial sanctions on the Harkatul Mujahideen organization, fighting Indian rule in Kashmir. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011104 ------------------------------------------------------------------- FO denies Indian claim of military build-up ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: Foreign Office denied Indian allegation about Pakistan's military build-up in the Sir Creek areas and termed these charges baseless and a figment of imagination. In an official handout the Foreign Office said the dispute in Sir Creek area stemmed from India's refusal to demarcate the land boundary in accordance with the Resolution Map-44 of 1914 which had been accepted as "the most authentic Map," by the Ran of Kutch arbitration Tribunal in 1968-69. The spokesman pointed out that demarcation of land boundary in Sir Creek area was also crucial for determining the land terminus for the delimitation of the maritime boundary as well as the determination of the exclusive economic zones of the two countries. He urged India to agree on the demarcation of the land boundary in Sir Creek area on the basis of the resolution Map of 1914 and desist from making unfounded and preposterous allegations against Pakistan. In another statement the government condemns the attempt on the life of senior APHC Abdul Ghani Lone on the night of November 1. Mr Lone's residence in Rawalpura, on the outskirts of Srinagar, was attacked by unknown gunmen. The circumstances surrounding this reprehensible incident strongly point to the involvement of Indian agencies. "The attack on Mr Lone is a part of the larger Indian policy to weaken the freedom struggle by eliminating its leaders and by spreading terror among the people of occupied Kashmir. The government reminds that India will held responsible for any harm to the APHC leaders." it added. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011104 ------------------------------------------------------------------- War forces change in economic strategy ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: President General Pervez Musharraf has directed the officials of the Ministry of Finance and Planning Commission to change the whole economic and development strategy of the country to minimize serious effects on the economy being experienced in the wake of September 11 terror attacks on America. Official sources said the president told the federal cabinet that in the absence of much needed fiscal space, the government was left with no option but to "make drastic re-adjustments" in its economic and development strategy. The president directed the concerned officials to urgently finalise a new strategy to meet the new situation as only financial pledges and commitments have been made by different countries but nothing has actually come in the kitty. Sources said that as per the directive of the president, the work on a number of mega development projects has been halted. "Initially we have decided to pull out roughly Rs 12 billion from National Drainage Program, Flood Control project and Islamabad- Peshawar motorway project", an official said. When contacted, he said that Rs 12 billion will be used for covering up revenues losses being experienced due to 30 per cent reduction in exports. If the current situation continued to persist, sources said, the government will have to slash its Rs 120 billion Public Sector Development Program (PSDP). President Pervez Musharraf told the cabinet that he has been receiving firm assurances from US led coalition for generous financial support both in the shape of grants and soft loans along with market access. However, he said that unless that support materialises, he has no alternative but to ask the federal planners to make drastic re-adjustments. Official sources confirmed that US government has informed them that "it could take several months" to finalise any greater economic and financial package for Pakistan by Washington and other International Financial Institutions (IFIs). "We have been told that there is a genuine difficulty of getting everything cleared from US Congress and other institutions", another official said hoping that US and its allies would come for the timely financial support of Pakistan. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011105 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Another 800 volunteers enter Kunar for Jihad ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent KHAAR, Nov 4: Another 800 volunteers of the Tehrik-i-Nefaz-i- Shariat Muhammadi entered Afghanistan's Kunar province from the Bajaur Agency through the Ghaani Pass. Armed with sophisticated weapons, they were led by local TNSM Amir Ismail Khan. Later, Ismail Khan returned to the Bajaur Agency, leaving the volunteers in Assadabad, the headquarters of Kunar. Another 12,000 TNSM workers hailing from various parts of the Malakand Division have been camping near the Pakistan-Afghan border for one week to cross into Afghanistan to take part in Jihad against Americans. Ever since the launch of US air strikes on Oct 7, some 5,000 volunteer fighters have entered Afghanistan. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011105 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Rocket explodes in Quetta ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent QUETTA, Nov 4: Quetta was rocked by a rocket explosion in an open field near Killi Deeba. However, no loss of life or property was reported in the incident, police said. The rocket, fired from the city's south, landed in a field and exploded, sources said. A piece of exploded rocket also hit the roof of a house but hurt no one. Police and local administration officials rushed to the scene and started investigation into the occurrence. In another explosion in Loralai, one person was seriously injured. Mohammad Ayub was on his way home when he found a hand grenade. As he picked it out of curiosity, it exploded, injuring him seriously, police said and added they were investigating the matter. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011109 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Edhi says 4m lives at stake in Afghanistan ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Nov 8: Over four million Afghans have been affected by the bombings of the US-led coalition and with the on set of chilling winter they were threatened with annihilation due to starvation, lack of food, medical aid and other supplies. This was stated by Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi who visited Afghanistan to monitor relief work being carried out by Edhi Foundation. He feared that if the current situation persisted, number of such people would swell to unmanageable level. Maulana Edhi appreciated the sentiments of American people and the government following Sept 11 tragedy, and plight of the Afghan people and appealed to the United States to show restraint to ensure that innocent Afghans were not made targets during air strikes. Innocent people should not be killed in the war against Taliban, he said. Mr Edhi called for practical measures to help the needy Afghans, who could die if warm clothing, food, medicines and other essential items were not provided to them in time. He appealed to the people around the globe to come forward and make generous donations to save millions from being perished. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011105 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 26 die in two Punjab road accidents ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dawn Report MULTAN, Nov 4: Twenty-six people, including 10 members of Tableeghi Jamaat, were killed and 50 injured in two road accidents in Muzaffargarh and Faisalabad districts. In the Muzaffargarh crash, 16 passengers died and 27 were injured when a speeding bus collided head on with a coaster at Chowk Munda 100km off Multan on Sunday morning. According to reports 11 passengers died on the spot and five expired in different hospitals. The 18 of the injured were brought to Nishtar Hospital, Multan. The rest were admitted to Muzaffargarh DHQ and Chowk Munda hospitals. FAISALABAD: Ten people were killed and 23 injured when a bus collided with a trailer near Roshan Jhal on Samundri Road on Sunday night. The bus carrying Tableeghi Jamaat members was going to Dera Ghazi Khan from Raiwind after the conclusion of the annual moot there earlier in the day. The injured were admitted to Allied Hospital, Faisalabad. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011107 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Quetta airport guard shot dead ------------------------------------------------------------------- QUETTA, Nov 6: Armed men killed a constable of Airport Security Force, Airport Police Station officials said. Constable Binyamin was on night duty near the airport Haj car parking. At 12:05am some unknown men reached there and started firing. The constable returned the fire, however, a bullet hit him resulting in his death.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011107 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Farooquis surrender Rs265m to state ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, Nov 6: A plea-bargain case in the Accountability Court against former chairman of Pakistan Steels Mills Usman Farooqui, his wife and daughter was settled when they surrendered Rs265.05062 million in favour of the state in a case in reference 49/200. According to the National Accountability Bureau here, the surrendered amount was acquired through corruption. The accused has also been barred from holding any public office for a period of 10 years and disqualified from obtaining any financial facility from any bank for the same period. Usman Farooqi, his wife and daughter were charged with the accumulation of assets beyond their legitimate means of income. Usman Farooqi was involve in misusing his official position before and after becoming chairman of Pakistan Steel Mills from 1981 to 1996. There were four court references against him - 3/2000, 49/2000, 50/2000 and 52/2000. He was convicted in two references, 50/2000 and 52/2000, for corruption to a seven-year rigorous imprisonment. He was also disqualified to hold any public office for 21 years. The accused was charged with causing a loss of Rs40 million to the national exchequer in the purchase of computers for Pakistan Steel Mills . He obtained pecuniary benefits for his family and himself through corrupt practices. In reference 3/2000, the accused opted plea-bargain to settle his case. The amount surrendered in the present case by the accused includes Special Savings Certificates worth Rs185.80 million on their face value (their current value is worth Rs253.836 million) which were recovered from various banks, two residential plots in Karachi's Defence Housing Authority each worth about Rs1.6 million, jewelry worth Rs 4.67853 million, cash Rs2.324 million from the safe deposit lockers of two banks, 11,003 pounds sterling (about Rs1,0122 million) in account 21827162 in Midland Bank, Baker Street, London, and 12 gold watches, whose value could not be assessed locally. In April this year, the accused his wife and daughter had surrendered in favour of the state Rs39.5 million in the shape of National Savings Certificates held by them in reference 3/2000. These are also acquired through corruption and corrupt practices.- APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011107 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Councillor, cop among 3 shot dead in Karachi ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Nov 6: Three people, including a councilor and a policeman, were killed when unidentified motorcyclists opened fire at a union council office in North Karachi. According to the police and eyewitnesses, a meeting was under way at the union council office to solve a dispute between two groups of people when some unidentified men riding on a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire with automatic weapons. The dead and wounded were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The condition of the head constable was stated to be serious. A senior police official said the incident appeared to be a terrorist act but it could also be the outcome of political or personal rivalry as the area councilors were holding a meeting as arbitrator to solve a dispute. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011110 ------------------------------------------------------------------- India accuses Pakistan of harassing its diplomats ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jawed Naqvi NEW DELHI, Nov 9: India accused Pakistan of harassing its diplomats in Islamabad, saying two of its officials were illegally roughed up and searched by Pakistani intelligence officials. According to a statement by the Indian foreign ministry, Pakistan's High Commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi was summoned to the ministry where he was handed a strong protest about two separate incidents. The statement said Qazi was summoned by a senior foreign ministry official and told of the "Government of India's strong protest about two very serious incidents of intimidation and harassment, involving officials based at the Indian High Commission at Islamabad. "In the first incident, an official traveling by bus to Lahore en route to the Indian border at Wagah-Attari, with his wife and son, was accosted by an individual who introduced himself as an ISI officer," the statement said. When the bus arrived at Lahore, the person demanded to see the contents of the bag being carried by the Indian official. Upon his refusal to do so, the ISI official forcibly opened the bag. He also sought to confiscate money but returned it when the Indian official threatened to report the incident to the police. Thereafter, the statement said, "the ISI official threatened the Indian official with dire consequences if he returned to Pakistan. The Indian official lodged an FIR at the Gulberg Police Station in Lahore." Indian High Commissioner Vijay Nambiar also personally raised this incident with the Pakistan Foreign Secretary on Thursday evening, the statement said. The second incident involving another staff member took place at Islamabad later in the evening at around 9:00pm. "The staff member accompanied by his wife was returning by taxi from a public shopping area of Islamabad when they were intercepted by at least eight Pakistani intelligence operatives driving in a Landcruiser. The intelligence operatives dragged out both the staff member and his wife," the Indian statement said. It added that the wife was gagged and manhandled by an operative while being dragged to one side. "In the process, she sustained scratch injuries to her face." The Indian staff member was then pulled into the Landcruiser and driven away to an unknown destination. He was released the following morning, in the early hours, in a badly beaten and bruised state. An FIR has been lodged with the Kohsar Police Station in Islamabad. "Shri R.S. Kalha, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, conveyed Government of India's strong condemnation of these reprehensible incidents, involving the forcible abduction, harassment and assault of High Commission officials and their family members," the foreign ministry statement said. "He also conveyed the government's protest in the strongest possible terms at the crude and uncivilized behaviour of Pakistan's intelligence operatives that included the assault on the wife of one of the staff members. The Pakistan High Commissioner was also reminded of Pakistan's obligations under the Vienna Convention of 1960 and the 1992 Bilateral Code of Conduct for Treatment of Diplomatic/Consular Personnel in India and Pakistan. Kalha also demanded that appropriate action be taken by the authorities in Pakistan against those responsible for the above incidents. The fact that the second incident took place soon after the Indian High Commissioner had personally brought the first incident to the attention of the Pakistan Foreign Secretary, "naturally raises obvious questions," the statement said. "These high-handed actions are in complete violation of the Vienna Convention and the Bilateral Code of Conduct for the Treatment of Diplomatic/Consular Personnel that has been agreed to by India and Pakistan. Pakistan's regular and repeated transgressions of its obligations in this manner form a consistent pattern and raise serious questions about its attitude and approach to its commitments under international and bilateral agreements," the Indian statement said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011108 ------------------------------------------------------------------- New Delhi diplomat expelled ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Nov 7: The government of Pakistan asked the government of India to withdraw Mr Devendra Kumar Gupta, an official of the High Commission of India in Islamabad, within seven days. Mr Gupta has been found involved in activities incompatible with his official status as defined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011110 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Amanullah Husain passes away ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Nov 9: Mohammed Amanullah Husain, a former chief editor of the Morning News, died here on Friday. He was 71. He leaves behind his wife, three sons and two daughters. Born in 1928 at Chennai, India, Mr Husain migrated to Pakistan in August 1947. Shortly after coming over to Pakistan, he started his journalistic career with a local magazine, besides continuing his education. He joined Morning News in 1952 and remained associated with it till 1992 when it was closed down. He had remained editor and chief editor of the newspaper for 11 years. Later, he worked for Business Recorder in a senior position for about one year. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011109 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Adnan seeks son's custody ------------------------------------------------------------------- By A Reporter ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: Civil Judge Islamabad, Mohammad Jehangir Mir of the Islamabad family court adjourned, hearing of a petition filed on behalf of Adnan Sami Khan for the custody of his son from his ex-wife Zeba Bakhtiyar. Mr Khan has sought the custody of his seven-year-old son, Azan. Ms Bakhtiar had obtained the custody of the child after a legal battle. The pop singer took the child to Dubai and then Canada after the divorce. The Supreme Court had directed the foreign and interior ministries to ensure the delivery of the child to the mother. In his petition, Mr Khan contended that the child had attained the prescribed age and that it was in the best interest of the child to be given to his father. Mr Khan's father Arshad Sami Khan, a former ambassador, had also filed a damage suit of Rs5 million against Zeba and her father, the former attorney-general, Yahya Bakhtiyar. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011110 ------------------------------------------------------------------- British journalists expelled ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent QUETTA, Nov 9: Balochistan government has expelled a female British journalist, Kristina Lamb, and her photographer Justin from Balochistan for their alleged involvement in undesirable activities. She and photographer were sent in a PIA flight to Islamabad, official sources confirmed. According to sources the official concerned served a notice on Ms Lamb and her photographer Justin on Thursday night asking them to leave Quetta immediately. After serving notice, authorities deployed police on the hotel where she was staying and later in the morning police took her and photographer into custody and shifted them to a rest house for few hours. Later she was sent to Islamabad. Kristina Lamb and Mr Justin who were working for British newspaper Sunday Time had arrived in Quetta's Serena Hotel on Nov 7 from Karachi. Sources said that the other day she visited Chaman and on her arrival from Chaman she was asked to leave Quetta immediately. When a government official was contacted, he said that officials in Islamabad had directed that Ms Lamb and photographer Justin should be asked to leave Quetta immediately. Kristina Lamb and Photographer Mr. Justin also came to Quetta last month and during their stay in the hotel she tried to book a PIA ticket in the name of Osama Bin Laden. However, the booking clerk informed the authorities about it. The government had taken serious notice of her act and asked her to leave the country. She went back to London and a few days later returned to Karachi where she denied that she wanted to obtain a PIA ticket in the name of Osama.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY 20011106 ------------------------------------------------------------------- ADB to provide $950 million ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: The Asian Development Bank has increased its assistance from $626 million to $950 million for the calendar year 2001 to help reduce Pakistan's economic and financial difficulties. "We will be providing additional $324 million this year and this assistance will be on a fast track basis to help Pakistan at this crucial juncture," said Tadao Chino, President of the ADB. Speaking at a joint news conference along with Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, Mr Chino said that out of $950 million, $350 million would be a concessional loan while the rest of the funding would be disbursed under Ordinary Capital Resources program. The ADB has so far disbursed $350 million during 2001, out of $626 million which were earlier approved. An official of the bank later said that the ADB would extend about one billion dollar for this year. It had committed $707 million for the year 2000. The ADB chief said that he had held wide-ranging discussions with finance minister, governor State Bank, commerce minister, minister for Kashmir affairs and KESC managing director and discussed with them increased cooperation in various fields. But mainly, he pointed out, discussions were focussed on ADB's future assistance for poverty reduction, financial sector reform, judicial reform, devolution plan and environmental protection programs. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011106 ------------------------------------------------------------------- $275m trade deficit recorded ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Khaleeq Kiani ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: Trade deficit recorded during first four months (July-October 2001) of the current fiscal year stood at $275 million. According to provisional figures available with Dawn total exports during the four months amounted to $3.025 billion against $2.96 billion in the same period last year showing an improvement of 19 per cent. Imports during the first four months amounted to $3.3 billion this year against $3.71 billion last year showing a negative growth of around 11 per cent in imports. On monthly basis, exports during October 2001 amounted to $761 million against $744 million of the same month last year showing an improvement of around 2.2 per cent. Imports during October stood at $842 million against $979 million of October last year showing a decline of 14 per cent. In this way, trade deficit during October amounted to $81 million this year. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011107 ------------------------------------------------------------------- UAE will provide $265m for 6 projects ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: The United Arab Emirates will offer $265 million co-financing to Pakistan to help undertake six development projects in the energy and water sectors. "We will be offered these funds on a concessional two per cent interest rate and 15 years repayment period with additional grace period of five years," said Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz. Speaking at a news conference, he said that six agreements had been signed with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development for co-financing six development projects. Giving details, he said he had held detailed talks with a visiting UAE delegation led by Information Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid al-Nehayan and Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development Saeed Khalfan M. al-Romaithi. The purpose of talks, he said, was to manage resources for some of the mega development projects announced by President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Aug 14. "And I am happy to announce that necessary funds have been arranged from the UAE for six projects." He said that out of $265 million, $50 million would be spent on Gomal Zam dam, $40 million on Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme, $55 million on Daber Khwar hydro power project, $40 million on Khan Hydro power project, $60 million on Alai hydro power project and $20 million on Water Supply Scheme for Quetta. "We have managed funds for initiating the first phase of these projects and we will be further negotiating to seek more funds for these projects," the minister said. Mr Aziz said that negotiations with various bilateral and multilateral donors were currently being held to get financial support following the lifting of international sanctions against Pakistan. "We are seeking new aid. We are seeking export credit and export insurance, market access and extensive debt relief," he said, adding that a greater economic package for Pakistan was likely to be finalized in the second week of December at Paris. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011106 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PTCL jeopardizes survival of 19 ISPs ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Bahzad Alam Khan KARACHI, Nov 5: Out of the 34 internet service providers operating in the city, the survival of 19 ISPs, dealing with about 200,000 subscribers, has been endangered owing to lack of coordination between the two departments of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company, Dawn learnt. The PTCL senior accounts officer of the international telecommunication department, based in Islamabad, did not notify the Karachi-based value-added services department, authorized to issue demand notes to new ISPs in the city, that monthly charges for digital cross connect (DXX) network for ISPs using shared bandwidth, ranging between 192 kilobits per second and two megabits per second, are not Rs55,000 as announced by the minister for science and technology, Prof Attaur Rehman. At a press conference in Islamabad on April 22, 2000, Prof Attaur Rehman had announced that "the DXX charges, which were previously Rs219,000 per month, will now be charged at a flat rate of Rs55,000 per month for data rates of 192 kilobits per second and above". He added that the new tariff would come into effect from May 1, 2000. The Islamabad-based senior accounts officer of the international telecommunication department did not inform the Karachi-based value-added services department that the DXX charges were not applicable to the ISPs employing shared bandwidth. As a result, the value-added services department not only continued to issue new demand notes at the previous rates but also did not intimate the ISPs using shared bandwidth that DXX charges were not Rs55,000 per month. The senior accounts officer of the international telecommunication department made matters worse by not issuing a bill to the 19 ISPs using shared bandwidth for the past 18 months. Insiders said the following 19 ISPs had been affected by the PTCL's lack of coordination: Compunet On Line, Crestar International, Cubexs, Dancom Pakistan, Gem Internet Services, Netsol Connect, Gerry's Information Tech, Humdard University, NED University of Engineering, Net 2000 Communication, PICL Global Net, Robonet Interaction, Sattech, South Asia Media Wise, Super Net PDS, Web Net Comm Service, Pak Free, World Tel Meca (on I.I. Chundrigar Road) and World Tel Meca (Dr Ziauddin Road). DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011107 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Govt to provide guarantee for loan obtained by KESC ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: The Government will provide unconditional and irrevocable financial guarantee for Rs6 billion loan obtained by Karachi Electricity Supply Company (KESC) from various commercial banks. This was decided by the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) held under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz. To clear the backlog of auctionable cargo at the seaport, the ECC also decided to appoint a five-member committee comprising collector appraisement nominees of Karachi Port Trust, Port Qasim, Intelligence Cell of Ministry of Communications and Special Monitoring Team to conduct examination of actionable cargo to undertake assessment, fix reserve prices and accept or reject the bids. The finance minister urged the Committee to expedite clearance of auctionable cargoes at the Karachi Port. According to a handout issued after the meeting, the ECC also decided to approve Model Petroleum Concession Agreement to cut delays in seeking approval for each concession agreement from the ministries concerned. The Model Petroleum Concession Agreement reflects a number of fiscal and operational incentives to the investors to attract investment in the petroleum exploration and production sector as enshrined in the new Onshore Petroleum Exploration and Petroleum Policy 2001 approved by the Cabinet in May 2001. On the energy sector intercorporate circular debt, the ECC approved several measures to clear the backlog by netting out payments by various government entities. This will solve old issues and improve the balance-sheet of state-owned companies. The ECC reviewed sensitive price indicator (SPI) and noted that by and large the prices of consumer items had remained stable. However, as a precaution, the meeting decided to direct the provincial governments to ensure price stability during Ramazan. It was also decided to ensure consumer quality items in the utility stores. The ECC noted with satisfaction the increase in foreign exchange reserves, balance of payment position and volume of the exports. The oil, wheat, fertilizer and sugar stock positions were also reviewed and the meeting expressed its satisfaction over the availability of sufficient stocks.Back to the top
EDITORIALS & FEATURES
20011104
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The Great Game continues
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By Ardeshir Cowasjee
Poor Afghanistan. The Persian rule in Ashvagan ('land of horses')
as the area was then known, was overthrown in 1747 and a monarchy
established in the land thereafter to be known as Afghanistan. The
Shahs and Amirs ruled until 1973 when the country became a
republic. In 1994 the Taliban converted the republic into an
emirate.
The landlocked 251,824 square miles of territory has within in it
over 2,000 mountain peaks and over 8,000 caves. It has always been
fair game for any world power. First came the Greeks, to be
followed down the years by many, many others, and the latest game
is now in the throes of being played by the mighty US. No matter
who has ruled over it, from conqueror to king to Taliban, the
people of Afghanistan have forever suffered, forever been deprived,
forever kept ignorant, forever been hungry, forever been miserably
poor. Who has bothered to educate them in any sense of the word?
A look at the list of those who have held sway since 1747 shows how
easy it has been to take over, to depose, to usurp, to assassinate
or to murder:
Shahs of the Durrani dynasty: Ahmad Khan - assumed the title of
Shah and the epithet Durr-i-Durran (1747-73); Timur - son (1773-
93); Zaman Mirza - son (1793-deposed 1800); Mahmud 1st - brother
(1800-deposed 1803); Shuja-ul-Mulk 1st - brother (1803-deposed
1809); Mahmud 2nd (1809-18).
Anarchy and confusion (1818-26).
Amirs of the Barakzay dynasty: Dost Mohammed 1st - assumed the
title of Amir (1826 - abdicated 1838); Shuja-ul-Mulk - restored
(1838-42); Dost Mohammed - restored (1842 - killed May 1863); Sher
Ali Khan - son (May 1863 - deposed May 1866); Afzal Khan - brother
(May 1866 - Oct 1867); Azam Khan - brother (Oct 1867 - deposed
March 1868); Sher Ali Khan - restored (March 1868 - Feb 1879);
Yakub Khan - son Feb 1879 - abdicated Dec 1879); Musa Khan - son
(Dec 1879 - March 1880); Ayub Khan - uncle (March 1880 - Oct 1881);
Abdur Rahman - son of Afzal Khan (Oct 1881 - Oct 1901); Habibullah
Khan - son (Oct 1901 - assassinated Feb 1919); Nasrullah Khan -
brother (Feb 1919 deposed).
Shahs of Afghanistan: Amanullah Khan - son of Habibullah (Feb 1919
- abdicated Jan 1929); Inayatullah Khan - brother (Jan 1929
deposed); Habibullah Ghazi (Bacha Saqao) - usurper (Jan 1929 -
deposed and executed Oct 1929); Muhammad Nadir - great-grandnephew
of Dost Mohammad (1929 - assassinated 1933); Muhammad Zahir - son
(1933 - deposed 1973).
Presidents of the Republic of Afghanistan: Sardar Muhammad Daoud -
Zahir Shah's cousin (July 1973 - deposed and assassinated April
1978); Noor Muhammad Taraki (April 1978 - deposed and executed
September 1979); Hafizullah Amin (September 1979 - deposed and
assassinated December 1979); Babrak Karmal (December 1979 - deposed
May 1986); Muhammad Najibullah (May 1986 - deposed March 1992,
later hanged by the Taliban 1996); Sibgatullah Mujaddedi (March
1992 - deposed June 1992); Burhanuddin Rabbani (June 1992 - ).
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: Amirul Momineen Mulla Muhammad Omar
(1996 - ).
In this present round of warring in Afghanistan, who is fighting
whom and for what?
The emirate has an embassy in Islamabad, on Street 90, off Attaturk
Avenue, presided over by Ambassador Mulla Abdul Salam Zaeef, who is
assisted linguistically by his translator, Ahmed Ratib,
distinguished by the black patch he wears over one eye.
Street 90, since September 11, has been jam-packed with journalists
and cameramen of the world's press corps who hang around waiting
for news to break from minute to minute or for a statement from
Mulla Zaeef. Last Monday, I happened to be in Islamabad, staying in
the house next door to the embassy, and strolled over for one of
the almost daily press conferences. It was attended by some 150
journalists with 50-plus cameramen from countries stretching from
Canada and Japan to South Africa and the Antipodes.
Mulla Zaeef rebuffed reports that Osama bin Laden, supposedly still
in Afghanistan, is in possession of nuclear weapons, he confirmed
that US commandos had entered his country, he denied that any
foreigners had been killed in the air strikes, he was unaware of
any forthcoming ground invasion, he denied rumours of any split
among the Taliban, and he requested that all the jihadis of
Pakistan who wished to join in the tangled tussle wait to cross the
border until the ground battle begins. His statement and the few
questions and vague answers took about fifteen minutes.
At a cost accountant's estimate, taking the time spent by the 200-
odd waiting for the conference to get going, those fifteen minutes
were worth $ 12,000. A lot of money that could perhaps be better
spent, but such is the cost of news so eagerly awaited around the
world.
The consulate-general of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in
Karachi is situated next to the Bagh-i-Rustom in Clifton. It is
well-staffed, with a consul-general, a first secretary-cum-vice-
consul, a second secretary and a commercial attache. Consul-General
Maulvi Rahmatullah Kakazada, now in his 35th year, is a native of
Ghazni, he can speak, write and read Pashto, Persian and Arabic,
and can understand English. He was manager of a freight forwarding
company from 1996 to 1998 and since then has been CG at Karachi. He
has only one wife who has presented him with four children.
First Secretary Vice Consul Mufti Muhammad Aleem is 28 years old, a
graduate of our Dar al-Ulum Haqqania at Akora Khattak where he
specialized in the study of fiqh, and is the proud holder of a
certificate which entitles him to call himself 'Mufti'. He is
proficient in Pashto and Persian, and can speak and understand some
Urdu. He also has only one wife and so far only one child.
Second Secretary Muhammad Daoud Shah Niazi, born in 1973, is from
the village of Niazi in Khost Paktia. He studied at a madrassah in
Kohat and then at Jamshoro from where he graduated in 1997.
Commercial Attache Gul Ahmad Hakimi was born in 1964 in Ghazni and
is a graduate of a madrassah at Quetta. Before being posted to
Karachi in 1996, he was the director-general of the secondary
education department of his country's ministry of education at
Kabul.
These seemingly fierce men, bearded and turbaned, are all amiable
people and they do have a sense of humour. To understand what they
want from life is difficult. They are convinced that the
demolishment of New York's Twin Towers and the attack on
Washington's Pentagon was achieved by the Israelis. They say the
Americans have no proof that Osama or his associates were involved.
They are, of course, imbued with religiosity. They have no fear of
death and are absolutely ready and willing to kill in the name of
their particular brand of religion. They were unable to tell me,
when I asked, what or who is a 'moderate' Taliban - this was beyond
them. They say the Taliban are not willing to be represented in a
'broad-based' government with the Northern Alliance and King Zahir
Shah and his men. "Where was Zahir Shah when the Afghans were being
massacred by the Russians?" they asked.
They are convinced that UN Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi
is an American agent. When asked how they feel about their Foreign
Minister Ahmad Muttawakils suggestion that instead of bombing
Afghanistan, Bush and Blair settle the matter in a kalashnikov duel
with Mulla Omar, they said the Mulla is waiting!
They told me that shrapnel from the countless bombs dropped by the
Americans on Afghanistan is collected and sold as scrap in the
bazaars of Afghanistan and Peshawar for whatever it can fetch. So
at least someone is gaining some advantage from the bombardments.
They do not want war, they would far prefer peace. When asked then,
in that case, why do the Taliban not hand over Osama to Bush, they
say that, firstly, he is a Muslim and, secondly he has helped them
fight the Russians, and, thirdly, he is their guest.
As far as the men of the consulate-general are concerned, what is
known to us as terrorism is their manner of fighting a war. Their
concept is very much the same as that of Prince Hasan of Jordan
who, when introducing Tony Blair at the Al-Khoei Foundation
conference in North London last week, reportedly said that
terrorism stands to win by not losing; and the West stands to lose
by not winning.
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20011108
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Who developed anthrax?
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By Eric S. Margolis
As our world continues to spin out of control, two horrible events
last week had special resonance for me: the spreading anthrax
terror, and the death of my old Afghan comrade-in-arms, Abdul Haq.
First, anthrax. In late 1990, after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, I
was in Baghdad, covering the impending Gulf War. In a futile effort
to prevent threatened US air attacks, Saddam Hussein rounded up
foreigners and held them hostage in Baghdad hotels. This brutish
act - which provoked outrage around the world - was a typical
example of Saddam's uncanny knack for negative, self-defeating,
public relations.
Among the hostages, I discovered three British scientists who had
been employed at Iraq's top secret Salman Pak chemical and
biowarfare plant. Two of the Britons confided to me they had been
working to develop a weaponized form of anthrax for Iraq's army.
At the time, no one yet knew that Iraq was trying to use anthrax as
a weapon. My dispatches from Baghdad were the first indication that
Iraq had progressed beyond crude, World War I - style chemical
weapons. The Iraqis threatened to hang me as a spy.
What made this news so fascinating was: 1) the British scientists
told me they were part of a large technical team secretly organized
and 'seconded' to Iraq in the mid-1980s by the British government
and Secret Intelligence Service, MI6; 2) the feed stocks for all of
the germ weapons being developed by Iraq came from an American
laboratory in Maryland. Iraq received full approval from the US
government to buy anthrax, plague, botulism, and other pathogens.
Here is a prime case of what spooks call 'blowback.'
Why did Britain and the US covertly help Iraq to develop biological
weapons? When an Islamic revolution overthrew the US-backed Shah of
Iran in 1979, the US and Britain decided to overthrow the new
regime in Tehran, which was seen as a threat to their Mideast oil
interests. Washington and London urged Saddam Hussein to invade
Iran in 1980 and march on Tehran. US and British money, arms, and
military assistance flowed secretly to Baghdad.
But by 1983, Iraq was on the defensive and near to losing the war.
Iran, with nearly four times Iraq's population, was fighting back
ferociously, swamping Iraqi defences with human wave attacks. In
desperation, Iraq, America and Britain began a crash development
programme to produce chemical and biological weapons to break
Iran's attacks and offset its numerical superiority. Iraq's
chemical arsenal savaged Iran's infantry and helped Baghdad win the
war by 1988. Over 500,000 soldiers died in the conflict.
In the Anglo-American view, chemical and biological weapons were
fine - so long as they were used to kill or maim Iranian Muslims
who opposed western interests. Such monstrous weapons, it seems,
are only associated with terrorism when used against westerners. My
view: what goes around, comes around, as the old song goes.
Second, Abdul Haq. A leading mujihideen leader during the great
jihad, or holy struggle, of the 1980s against the Soviet occupation
of Afghanistan, Haq was a burly, colourful, intense man, one of the
most charismatic Pakhtoon leaders and a CIA favourite. I was with
Abdul Haq and his men both in Peshawar and inside Afghanistan. Haq,
and his brother, Haji Kadir, gave me the hospitality of their home
and their badly needed protection during the important battle for
Jalalabad.
When the Afghan communist regime offered $50,000 to Afridi
tribesmen around the Khyber Pass to capture me, two jeeploads of
Haq's warriors ensured I was not kidnapped and sent to be tortured
and executed in Kabul.
After September 11, CIA resumed contacts with its old ally Abdul
Haq that were broken off in 1989. When it became clear in recent
weeks that the Russian-created Northern Alliance would be unable to
take over Afghanistan from the Pakhtoon Taliban, CIA sought an
anti-Taliban Pakhtoon leader, and naturally called the renowned
Abdul Haq.
Last week, CIA sent Haq and a handful of supporters into
Afghanistan with bags of dollars to bribe Pakhtoon tribal leaders
away from the Taliban. Haq, who was headstrong and impulsive,
foolishly went along with CIA's hasty, poorly concocted scheme.
Like CIA's unbroken record of bloody fiascos in Iraq, this
amateurish venture also failed disastrously. Forewarned by
sympathizers in Peshawar, the Taliban surrounded Haq's party. Haq,
who had lost a foot to a Soviet mine, tried to flee on horseback.
CIA bungled an attempt to rescue him, though two of its agents with
Haq managed to escape on US helicopters. My old friend was captured
and summarily executed by the Taliban as a warning to any potential
defectors.
The life of one of the heroes of the great jihad against Soviet
oppression was thus thrown away in a botched, amateurish mission in
an unnecessary war. Another CIA 'expendable asset' had been
expended.
Ten days before his fatal mission, Abdul Haq had urged the US not
to bomb Afghanistan, warning that doing so would only rally Afghans
to the Taliban, inflict massive new suffering on an already
tortured nation, and plunge Afghanistan into disintegration and
chaos. No one in war-fevered Washington listened to Abdul Haq.-
Copyright Eric S. Margolis 2001
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20011109
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War on terror - my cow
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By Ayaz Amir
Brute force bereft of reason falls by its own weight. Power with
counsel temper'd even the gods make greater; but might which in its
soul is bent on all impiety, they hate. -Horace
If this was a war on terror then it should have begun from Israel,
the dagger of terror planted in the heart of the Arab world and
held in place by help from the United States.
But since it is nothing of the kind and from New York's Twin
Towers, or rather their rubble, has leapfrogged straight to
Afghanistan - on a body of circumstantial evidence that would fail
to convince even a drinking judge of a county court - it becomes
valid to question America's strident, and increasingly tiresome,
rhetoric and the half-truths it is expecting the rest of the world
to swallow.
If this was a war on terror what about the US's own record in this
field?
What a shining list of scumbags the US has supported in Asia,
Africa and Latin America, all in the name of freedom and the fight
against communism. The Trujillos, Somozas and Batistas signified
the kind of ruler the US was happiest with. No matter how corrupt
and tyrannical, they were kosher, and high in American esteem, so
long as they played lackey to US interests. The word banana
republic comes from the Caribbean and denotes the kind of dependent
and compliant state the US favoured.
What was Fidel Castro's great crime? Cuba was no threat to the US.
The very idea is laughable. The US just could not tolerate a regime
90 miles off its coastline that had the temerity to stand up to it.
Havana was a playland and a brothel for America's rich. Castro put
an end to that and took Cuba out of the American orbit, an act of
audacity for which the US has never forgiven him. He wasn't even a
communist to begin with, but became one as a response to American
hostility.
What was the Bay of Pigs except an exercise in naked terror? It was
an invasion of Cuba by an army of Cuban exiles armed and funded by
the CIA. The Reagan administration broke American laws to provide
funds and arms to the Contra rebels (or terrorists) it helped put
up against the Sandinista government in Nicaragua.
This list can go on and on. The overthrow of Mosssadegh in Iran,
Lumumba's killing in the Congo, the brutalization and naked terror
practised by the US in Vietnam, the totally pointless war foisted
on Cambodia (from which that country has yet to recover), and
training and funding the same Arabs and Muslim fundamentalists in
Afghanistan during the eighties whom the US is now attempting to
destroy.
Those idealists who consider the US as the land of hope and liberty
should consider the US record in Latin America and the Third World
before getting wet-eyed on this score. Now we are witnessing
another exercise in muscle-flexing in the name of freedom - this
time Enduring Freedom. The irony surrounding this venture is
thicker than the bombs falling on Afghanistan.
Democracy and the rule of law at home should not be confused with
unprincipled conduct abroad. European colonialists abided by rules
at home which they discarded as soon as they left their shores. So
it has been always: one law for Rome, another for the barbarians
vanquished by Rome. So it is with the new imperium: a different
light shining from the Statue of Liberty, a different morality
beamed at the outside world.
After 50 years of supporting the politics of terrorism in the
Middle East, and of exporting CIA-led terror elsewhere across the
globe, the US is alight with uncontrolled indignation because the
unimaginable has occurred and it too has been struck by terrorism.
Like the Cyclops Polyphemus whose eye was taken out by Odysseus,
the US is going about like a wounded giant and will not be appeased
unless it has had its revenge. But revenge on whom? The trail
leading from the Twin Towers to bin Laden is unclear but has been
seized upon by the US because it is the only one available. And
because bin Laden and the Taliban are easy targets to demonize.
One does not have to be a Taliban supporter to point out the
iniquity of what the US is doing. At issue is not what the Taliban
stand for or what their attitude to women is but the death and
destruction raining down on the hapless people of Afghanistan.
Nothing in the world can justify this and those bleeding hearts who
underscore the retrogressive nature of the Taliban's policies are
only confusing the issue.
No such confusion exists in the minds of ordinary Pakistanis. They
may have no truck with the Taliban but they do not like the brutal
bombing of Afghanistan. They also do not like Pakistan's soil being
used as a launching pad for what is increasingly perceived as an
unholy war.
Is it not plain to see what is happening in Afghanistan? A
humanitarian catastrophe is looming on the horizon but the
'civilized world' whose way of life came under threat on September
11 views different objects through different spectacles.
Afghanistan is not part of the civilized world, or at least of none
that a US president who looks smaller than the cosmic role he is
trying to play would readily recognize. So it is all right to apply
different standards there.
The UN has been a US mistress since the Gulf War. So it is foolish
expecting comfort from that quarter. But even the UNHCR and its
risible chief, Luubers of the Netherlands, are playing politics
with the plight of the Afghans.
If the suffering is in Afghanistan, then the relief aid should go
there. But Luubers and his entourage think that that would somehow
work in the Taliban's favour. So instead of taking aid to the
refugees, they are asking Pakistan to open its borders, so that the
problem caused by American bombing adds to the refugee burden of
Pakistan. With friends like these, who needs enemies?
Even so, Pakistan's role is the strangest in this dance of death
over the skies of Afghanistan. Even if the doubtful proposition is
accepted that we had no choice except to bow to American wishes,
what necessity of circumstance or loss of shame drives us to be
more loyal than the king?
While standing by Donald Rumsfeld's side (at the press conference
both addressed in Islamabad), Pakistan's foreign minister Abdul
Sattar was not content to observe diplomatic niceties. He had to
outreach himself and say that never in human history was so much
care taken to avoid human casualties as the Americans were taking
in Afghanistan. The cadence of Churchillian rhetoric - 'never in
the field of human conflict...', etc, - employed to what dubious
purpose.
Remember also the haste with which Pakistan said that the evidence
provided by the US was enough to indict Osama bin Laden in a court
of law. The American bombing came after this bit of judicial
activism from Pakistan. Whom were we trying to satisfy? The world
or our own scruples?
In a similar category falls General Musharraf's assertion that the
Taliban's days were numbered. Granted that we have no freedom of
action. Or, rather, that we have seen to it that we are divested of
all freedom of action. Still, why must our behaviour exceed the
limits of necessity?
But, surely, an image that will linger long in the mind is that of
Pakistan's proud military chiefs standing in line with beaming
faces to greet Rumsfeld, while General Musharraf is seen laughing a
step or two behind. Necessity or weakness may be behind the
position we have taken in this crisis. But with the people of
Afghanistan being subjected to brutal aggression, what need, in
public at least, for such bonhomie? For form's sake, if nothing
else, we could be more guarded in our displays of affection when
American warlords come calling.
Now General Musharraf is on his way to New York to be feted by
President Bush on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
We can only keep our fingers crossed. It doesn't take much for a
Pakistani leader to be swept off his feet. A bit of extra cosseting
and someone who in his native setting looks every inch a stern
defender of the national interest is changed instantly into a plate
of pudding. It is the nation which ends up paying the bill for this
transformation.
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20011110
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Enough is enough
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By Irfan Husain
Among the legacies of the Vietnam war was 'collateral damage', a
nasty, cold-blooded term meant to camouflage the reality of
civilian casualties behind its bland, bureaucratic facade.
In the so-called war against terror, the American pounding of
Afghanistan is inevitably spreading death and destruction among the
civilian population. And just as inevitably, collateral damage is
being inflicted on Pakistan as well: with each report of an errant
bomb or missile killing innocent men, women and children in
Afghanistan, the support for General Musharraf slips a little.
Another kind of collateral damage we are suffering from is the
steady inflow of Afghan refugees fleeing the carpet-bombing of
their battered nation.
Indeed, if the aid agencies had their way, this inflow would turn
into a flood. From Oxfam to the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees, they are all demanding that Pakistan open its borders
to the unfortunate Afghans who are desperate for food, shelter and
medical assistance at our doorsteps. All these well-intentioned
relief agency officials want to avert a looming humanitarian
disaster as winter approaches, food stocks in Afghanistan run low
and American bombing makes distribution of supplies impossible.
At the risk of sounding hard-hearted and callous, may I suggest
that those demanding that Pakistan allow these poor Afghans in
should seriously consider flying them to their own countries and
caring for them there. I make this suggestion in all seriousness.
As the country with the biggest population of refugees in the world
already on its soil, Pakistan is now being asked to take possibly
millions more. And yet, a boatload of Afghans seeking to reach
Australia is refused entry and causes a major incident.
Somehow this entire arm-twisting exercise reeks of hypocrisy. We
already have anywhere between two and three million Afghans living
here, courtesy the Soviet invasion and the subsequent civil war
there. Hundreds of thousands of these were born in Pakistan, have
never been to Afghanistan, and possibly never will. Their fathers
and brothers have been engaged in all manner of trade and
professions, ranging from transport and mining to gun-running and
drug smuggling. Their presence has placed a huge burden on the
environment and the government exchequer.Despite all this, bleeding
hearts across the world want us to take in another couple of
millions. I would suggest they put their land where their mouth is
and offer the Afghans the hospitality they want us to provide.
Sure, they are offering to put up the refugee camps and pay for the
food and the medicine for now. But what happens when the current
campaign in Afghanistan ends and the glare of the media shifts to
whatever fresh target the Pentagon has in its sights? This happened
when the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan a decade ago, and most
of the three million refugees sensibly refused to return to a
country where a civil war produced more carnage in Kabul than the
Soviets did.
This time it is American bombs that are producing the fear and
uncertainty, driving more and more Afghans towards our borders. In
both cases, we ended up as the victims of geography and the agendas
of superpowers that were too far away to have to bear the full
consequence of their actions. And although in both instances, there
are initially an inflow of aid to cope with the situation, donor
fatigue soon set in during the late nineties, with the result that
Pakistan's weak economy was left to bear the burden. There is no
guarantee that this will not happen again.
But more than the money required for the upkeep of the refugees,
there are other kinds of price. Firstly, the devastation caused to
the environment of the Frontier province is long-term as a result
of trees chopped down for fuel. During Zia's days, police were not
allowed to apply the laws of the land to our Afghan population.
Then they have entered a range of professions and trades, depriving
locals of employment opportunities since they are willing to work
for lower wages.
It is estimated that 50,000 Afghans are working in Quetta alone.
Their involvement in crimes of all kinds is aggravating an already
grim law and order situation. And their presence in large numbers
provides the foot soldiers for the extremist religious groups and
the jihadi outfits that have virtually established a state within a
state. In fact, many of the bearded faces seen on BBC and CNN
belong to Afghans who have settled in major cities from Karachi to
Islamabad.
Given all these hidden as well as quantifiable costs of playing
host to the existing population of refugees, it is amazing that the
aid community is now applying pressure on Pakistan to accept yet
more Afghans. They are trying to reassure us by saying that the
camps would be located in 'remote' parts of the country. But we
know only too well that many Afghans do not stay where they are
supposed to. Indeed, an unknown number of them have Pakistani
identity cards and avail themselves of the educational and medical
facilities intended for Pakistani citizens. Thousands have also got
Pakistani passports.
When the first flood of our neighbours arrived in the eighties,
there was much official talk of 'welcoming our Afghan brethren.' No
longer. Even their Pakistani Pashtun cousins and tribesmen are fed
up. Although they may be demonstrating against American bombing,
they would not like the present influx of refugees to stay on as
the previous one did.
When a few thousand asylum-seekers are admitted to Britain and do
not return, there is loud and angry criticism of the government.
The other Europeans are very tough with their illegal immigrants,
fearing an erosion of their cultural values. The Americans do their
best to halt the flow of economic refugees who risk their lives and
pay fortunes to unscrupulous agents. The Australians are willing to
let shiploads of asylum seekers sink rather than allow them to land
on their under-populated shores. And yet we are being pressed to
take in millions of more Afghans over and above the two million-
plus who are already here.
"Let the polluter pay" is an established principle in determining
who pays to clean up after an environmental disaster. Here, I would
suggest we amend this to read: "Let the bomber pay." Having joined
the American-led coalition, we should not be penalized by having an
additional burden imposed on us. At some point, we have to say
enough is enough, and that point has been reached.
SPORTS 20011108 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PIA sacks sporting legends ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Reporter KARACHI, Nov 7: Country's sporting legends Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan and Zaheer Abbas were officially handed over retirement letters by the national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The attitude of the establishment to the legends, who have been decorated with Pride of Performance awards, didn't end here. At least Jahangir Khan was told that he had only two days to remove his belongings from his office. There were reports that the PIA was planning to shut down the sports complex which, ironically, has been named after Jahangir. The complex is the hub of budding youngsters activities who sharpen their skills under the nose of Jahangir. The legendary trio has been asked to clear their dues and go home with two months advanced salary. The sudden change in PIA's attitude rings alarm bells for hundreds of sportsmen as the national carrier had been the biggest promoter and supporter of the sportsmen.. The debatable decision springs uncertainty amongst other PIA sportsmen who are presently appointed on contractual basis. Zaheer is a former Pakistan captain and was as run-scoring machine during his playing days. Jansher won the British Open six time and eight World Opens. But Jahangir is head and shoulders above everyone. Undoubtedly the greatest sportsman of the country, he has won a record 10 British Open titles, six World Open titles and remained unbeatable for little under six years. Jahangir is probably the only sportsman in whose honour Pakistan government released stamps which his picture on it. "Of course I am heart-broken. After having given my everything to the country and to PIA, I don't deserve this treatment," Jahangir said. "My pride and dignity has been hurt. Looking back at my career, I today regret why I rejected lucrative offers to settle down abroad. Today I am having a feeling that I don't belong to this system and culture," the humble Jahangir said. Jahangir, Jansher and Zaheer are Pakistan's pride and honour. They are country's hero who have raised the green flag wherever they played. And after doing wonders throughout their careers, if this is the treatment they deserve, well, then its better that sports should be banned in the country. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011106 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Jahangir, Jansher, Zaheer sent on retirement? ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI Nov 5: Squash legends Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan and former cricket captain Zaheer Abbas - were among the nine officials whose names have been struck off from the payrolls of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), sources said. PIA has decided to end the services of nine employees as per rules which allow for sending on retirement any employee with over 20 years of service or over 58 years of age. Sources said the PIA Board of Directors had entrusted the airline chief Ahmed Saeed with powers to enforce this rule in a meeting held earlier this year. Jahangir when contacted by SADA, showed ignorance over this development. "I am not in knowledge of this," he said. The former world champion working for the airline since 1978, is currently general manager PIA's sports division, while Jansher and Zaheer are also working on the same post. The sources denied reports that the airline's sports wing is teetering on the borders of closure. "PIA has already slashed its sports budget and many sportsmen are working in administration and other departments, but shutting down PIA sports is not on the cards," the sources added. Two former managing directors - Nawaz Tiwana and Shahid Islam - are also among the nine officials sent for retirement. Apart from cricketers, PIA also has star hockey players in its sports division, including Shahbaz Ahmad, Atif Bashir, Mohammad Usman, Shahid Ali Khan and Ahmad Alam etc. Shahbaz, Atif and Usman are still the part of the national team, while the remaining two former Pakistan goalkeepers have retired.-SADA DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011110 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sharjah not my destiny, says Waqar ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Reporter KARACHI, Nov 9: Pakistan captain Waqar Younis said he was delighted with his team's success in Sharjah but clarified that was not his destiny. "I am not taking away any credit from my boys who were excellent. But it is not what we are looking for. Our target is World Cup and that's what we are gunning for," the skipper said from Lahore. Waqar admitted that the victory has done good to the team. "It has lifted our spirits, our morale and most importantly helped us regain the confidence of our supporters. We also managed to break the jinx of choking in the finals. But our feet are still on the ground as we are aware that tougher tasks lie ahead. "For me, Sharjah is history now. I am looking forward to the home series' against the West Indies, Australia and away tour to South Africa. In between, I would like to pick every success because it is essential to keep the team motivated and fired-up," Waqar said. Waqar said the secret to success in Sharjah was team spirit, cohesion and support each player gave to his teammate. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011104 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hockey: Pakistan draw with Netherlands ------------------------------------------------------------------- ROTTERDAM, Nov 3: Pakistan drew 1-1 against Olympic champion and Grand Slam holder the Netherlands in the men's Champions Trophy field hockey tournament. Pakistan team manager Khalid Sajjed Khokhar said he was satisfied with the result. "I'm quite content that we are equal to Holland," he said. The match was a special one for Pakistan, featuring the return of one of its finest players ever. Starting in the line up, Shahbaz Ahmed returned to the field after retiring from international play three years ago. In the first half, Shabaz impressed with a few keen passes, but minutes before halftime he failed to score before open goal. "I can still improve a lot," the 35-year-old Ahmed said. "I can do more for my team. And I hope I will do that in the coming matches." With a smile on his face, Shahbaz said goalkeeper Qasim deserved "today's prize money," as he stopped a rash of Dutch attacks. Qasim conceded only one goal. After nine minutes of play, Taeke Taekema opened the scoring out of a penalty corner. About 20 minutes later, Pakistan's Sohail Abbas scored the last goal of the match. GERMANY BEAT AUSTRALIA: Germany came from behind to beat Australia 2-1 in the last match. It was Germany's fourth successive victory over the Olympic bronze medallists. -Agencies DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011105 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Double joy for Waqar ------------------------------------------------------------------- SHARJAH, Nov 4: Pace trio Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar and Waqar Younis shared eight wickets as Pakistan took the Khaleej Times Trophy with a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final. Pakistan dismissed Sri Lanka for 173 in 44.2 of their 50 overs. Captain Waqar captured three for 31, Shoaib took three for 33 and Wasim finished with two for 20. Pakistan survived a testing 10-over spell from off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who snapped up three for 22, as they eased to success at 177 for five in 43.4 overs. Waqar received the crystal trophy and a prize of $120,000 as well as being adjudged Man-of-the-Match while Sri Lanka were awarded $80,000. Zimbabwe, who lost all four of their round-robin matches, returned home with a cheque for $50,000. Sri Lanka, who were seeking to complete a hat-trick of titles at Sharjah, won the toss but were let down by their premier batsmen as they played loosely at deliveries leaving them. After slipping to 21 for two, skipper Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardena shared a stand 58 for the third wicket, but rash strokes undid all their hard work. Jayasuriya, who was shaping well, smashed five fours in his 58-ball 34 before slashing at a delivery from leg-spinner Shahid Afridi to be caught behind. Jayawardena, who hit Shoaib Akhtar for a six, fell in the same over, cutting a delivery way outside the off-stump straight to wicket-keeper Rashid Latif after making 43 off 60 balls, with seven fours and one six. Russel Arnold and Chamara Silva added 40 for the sixth wicket before Wasim trapped Arnold leg before for 47 off 51 balls, with four fours. The Sri Lanka innings folded with the dismissal of Arnold, the last five wickets tumbling for 21. Pakistan, facing a modest target, raced to 73 for two by the 15th over with the dashing Afridi setting the tone with 35 off 38 balls before falling to Muralitharan. Yousuf Youhana (40) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (28) put on 49 for the third wicket, and after they went and Younis Khan fell cheaply, Abdur Razzaq (14 not out) and Rashid Latif (23 not out) completed the task in 43.4 overs.-Reuters DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011107 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Australia outclass Pakistan 3-1 ------------------------------------------------------------------- ROTTERDAM, Nov 6: Two smartly taken goals by Jeremy Hiskins, a player dropped by Australia for the Sydney Olympics, gave his country a 3-1 victory over Pakistan in the first match on the third day of the Champions Trophy. Australia's second successive win took them into second place behind Germany. The game only came to life in the second-half after a lacklustre scoreless first 35 minutes with Hiskins putting Australia into a 2- 0 lead with two good goals. His first came from Australia's first corner in the 42nd minute following an intricate move, though he did well to steer it home with a reverse stick shot after the final pass went slightly behind him. However Pakistan came back strongly and had three good chances to level but Kashif Jawwad, who scored both goals in Pakistan's 2-0 win over Korea, missed two of them. Pakistan were still pressing when defender Bevan George picked out Hiskins with a 50 yard pass and Hiskins' neat deflection put his side 2-0 ahead. Pakistan continued to create chances but it was not until the 66th minute that Sohail Abbas flicked in their goal from his side's third corner. Pakistan desperately sought a late equaliser but it was Adam Commens who stole the last goal for Australia, hammering in a cross circle pass. Pakistan's legend Shahbaz Ahmad admitted afterwards that they were lacking cohesion among their forward line. "Pakistan's attack at the moment lacks the combinations enjoyed by other teams".-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011107 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PCB not cooperating, says Malik's lawyer ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, Nov 6: Former Pakistan captain Salim Malik's lawyer accused Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of non-cooperation and creating hurdles in the way of filing of his client's appeal against the life ban. "No one supported Malik after he was unjustifiably banned from cricket. Now the Pakistan Cricket Board is causing hurdles and has not given us the related documents needed to file a Civil Revision," Raja Jahanzeb Akhtar told SADA. "The Civil Revision against the ban will be filed next week before Lahore High Court judge Justice Karamat Bhandari." Middle-order batsman Malik, 38, was banned for life on match-fixing charges by a judicial commission in May last year. Lahore High Court judge Malik Mohammad Qayyum, who has resigned from the post, conducted the inquiry from Sept 1998 to Oct 1999. "There seems no justification in banning Malik because the inquiry was conducted by Justice Qayyum and not by the Lahore High Court itself. An inquiry cannot punish anybody," he said. "Cricket is his (Malik's) life and the decision has really made things worse for my client," he said. Although Malik was granted a stay against the ban by a civil court in Lahore in November last year, PCB instructed his employer Habib Bank Limited not to include him in their team for domestic competitions. "Pakistan has a good record under his captaincy and he should not have been treated like this without any proper evidence," Jahanzeb said. Match-fixing allegations were first levelled against Malik by Australian players Shane Warne, Mark Waugh and Tim May who accused the former Pakistan captain of offering them bribe to perform poorly in a Test in Karachi in 1994. "PCB has snatched cricket bat from Malik and that too without giving him any chance of appeal," Malik's lawyer said. "PCB has spoiled Malik's reputation who is a very simple man." -SADA DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011108 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Shoaib reported again ------------------------------------------------------------------- LONDON, Nov 7: Shoaib Akhtar has been again reported for a suspect action during the recent Sharjah Champions Trophy tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said. The report was filed to the game's governing body by South African match referee Denis Lindsay and umpires Rudi Koertzen of South Africa and George Sharp of England. Pakistan won the Sharjah tournament with a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final, a match in which 26-year-old Shoaib took three for 33. Shoaib, nicknamed the Rawalpindi Express and among the fastest bowlers in the world, must now work with a specialist ICC bowling advisor to analyse the concerns raised. The ICC said they would name the advisor imminently, and that an assessment of Shoaib's action would be submitted to the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board within three months. During this period Shoaib can continue to play international cricket, the ICC said. A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman said Shoaib would be provided with full support to get his action cleared again. "We will decide in the next few days to appoint someone to work further with him on his action," the spokesman said. "That is until he (is cleared)."-Reuters/AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011110 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PCB takes ICC head-on ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Reporter KARACHI, Nov 9: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took the International Cricket Council (ICC) head-on when it rejected the appointment of a specialist bowling adviser for Shoaib Akhtar. The PCB, known for going all the way in defence of its players, further said it would provide complete legal assistance to Shoaib if a stage came when he was banned by the ICC and decided to challenge his suspension in a court of law. "It is unfortunate that this stage came which should have been avoided particularly after Shoaib was twice cleared by the ICC. We will dispatch our reservations and protest to the ICC on the subject Saturday," chairman of the PCB Lt Gen Tauqir Zia said. The ICC Thursday appointed former West Indian fast bowler Michael Holding to help Shoaib. The two will work for three months to analyze concerns raised by South African match referee Denis Lindsay during the recent Sharjah Cup and undergo any recommended remodeling of his action. The progress report has to be submitted by Feb 7 to the ICC and the PCB. Shoaib, in the meantime, can continue to play in this period. However, if the pacer is reported again, he would be banned for a year. But the PCB supremo further said his establishment was not in a position to bear the expenses of Holding's three-month assignment. "The ICC will also be informed that we cannot host Michael (Holding) for such a long period. But the West Indian is more than welcome in this part of the world anytime for we all have highest regards for him and acknowledge his contributions to the game of cricket," Tauqir said. The cash-strapped PCB are facing financial crisis after it was denied the right to earn approximately $30million owing to cancellation of Indian and New Zealand tours this year for various reasons. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20011110 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Board wages cola war over contracts ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Reporter KARACHI, Nov 9: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) triggered a cola war when it said that its players have revoked their contracts with Coca-Cola and have signed up with Pepsi. "The current players have revoked their contracts with Coca-Cola and barring Yousuf Youhana and Saqlain Mushtaq who are playing in Karachi, the rest have signed up with Pepsi. The two will sign fresh contracts by next week," a PCB official said. The official further said the PCB was ready to face legal challenge if the players were dragged in the court of law. "Whether the suit is of millions or trillions, the PCB is ready to provide all the legal cover to its players. The board has gone through the contracts and have found out that it is a one-sided one and inadmissible in any court," the official said. Eight Pakistan players - Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, Yousuf Youhana, Mushtaq Ahmad, Saqlain Mushtaq, Moin Khan and Azhar Mahmood - signed a two-year contract with Coca-Cola through their agents Sports Unlimited. According to the contracts, which were to run between Jan 1, 2001 to Dec 31, 2002, the players were to make themselves available for products publicity campaigns. But the PCB got involved in the issue after their interests clashed with the players deal. The PCB has an annual $4.6million contract with Coca-Cola's rivals Pepsi. The PCB official said Coca-Cola have clarified that they have got nothing to do with the PCB or the players. "They have signed the players through Sports Unlimited and therefore, if they filed a suit, it would be against the players agent (Sports Unlimited). "The PCB enjoys excellent relationship with Coca-Cola and really appreciate their efforts to release our share of 75 per cent from the 1999 Asian Test Championship which was in limbo because of the follies of the PCB. "Another 20 per cent could have been released had the tri- series in Sharjah between 'A' teams from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India gone ahead as per schedule." The PCB spokesman clarified that the establishment was supportive of players contracts with multi-national companies but emphasised that it had informed the players and their agent that before entering into any agreement, prior permission from the PCB was necessary. "That procedure was not followed as the players directly got into contracts. When Sports Unlimited was inquired, it said it had signed the players with Coca-Cola after the cricketers confirmed their availability and conveyed that they had taken permission from the board." The PCB spokesman said Coca-Cola have been advised to stop payments from October. The eight players were to get final installment of their lucrative contracts along with bonus'. "The players new contract with Pepsi is even more attractive and they will earn more than what they would have got from the revoked contract." The spokesman said Sports Unlimited had informed the PCB not to ask the players to revoke contracts but create a situation where Coca- Cola would have been forced to cancel the contracts. "We were advised not to allow players until October next year which would have automatically resulted in cancellation of contracts by Coca-Cola and thus, the legal battle would have been avoided. "But we don't want any hanky panky. The contracts stand cancelled and we are ready to face any legal battle." ------------------------------------------------------------------- You can subscribe to DWS by sending an email to <subscribe.dws@dawn.com>, with the following text in the BODY of your message: subscribe dws To unsubscribe, send an email to <unsubscribe.dws@dawn.com>, with the following in the BODY of you message: unsubscribe dws ------------------------------------------------------------------- Back to the top.
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