------------------------------------------------------------------- DAWN WIRE SERVICE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Ending : 15 September 2001 Issue : 07/37 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Contents | National News | Business & Economy | Editorials & Features | Sports
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CONTENTS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS + Decision on US demands: Cabinet-NSC joint session summoned + 'Pakistan to back action if US has UN mandate' + Pakistan gets US list of demands: Powell talks to Musharraf + US seeks full help from Pakistan: Hunting down suspects + Religious, political parties opposed to US action + India-Pakistan distrust main issue, says Vajpayee + India seeks thorough probe into PoW issue + Kashmir at heart of all disputes, UNSC chief told + Sanctions on Pakistan, India may go soon + Shaukat says govt steps established credibility + Govt tells WB not to interfere in Ehtesab + NRB to establish link between NFC, PFCs + PPP wants Benazir's presence for fair polls + Benazir's plea for acquittal dismissed + Asif denies govt-PPP deal + Asif's cases be placed before one bench: SC + Supplementary reference filed in asset case + Surrey Palace: PPP denies govt claim + 'Asif bought assets from drug money' + UK papers produced in Asif drug case + Nawaz Sharif withdraws appeal from SC + Turkish court moved for $70m bank guarantee + Affected families refuse relocation + Army troops deployed at all airports + Crackdown on Jaish activists condemned + Dr Farooq Sattar's conviction set aside + Ex-BEL chief convicted in another case + Senior PTCL official shot dead in Karachi + Pace reduced to ashes --------------------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMY + Eight banks sign agreement: Political risk guarantee facility + Offshore firm paid $1.06m by Hubco for unspecified job + ADB promises $500m loan annually + ADB to provide $250m for agriculture + SBP appoints two new directors + KSE-index sheds 50 points --------------------------------------- EDITORIALS & FEATURES + Justice-III Ardeshir Cowasjee + Israel hell-bent: US inaction Eric S. Margolis + The fury of despair Ayaz Amir + Troubled waters Irfan Husain ----------- SPORTS + New Zealand cancels Pakistan tour + Tight security for SAF Games: Indians keen to participate + PCB cancels four-nation one-day tournament + 'Six-million man' axed again + Sarfraz criticizes foreign coaches
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS 20010915 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Decision on US demands: Cabinet-NSC joint session summoned ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Faraz Hashmi ISLAMABAD, Sept 14: The federal cabinet and the National Security Council will hold a joint meeting to formulate a response to a list of demands that the US expects Pakistan to meet in connection with steps being contemplated against those it believes are responsible for terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon. The federal cabinet and the National Security Council will take the decision in the light of recommendations made by the military top brass after a day-long deliberations on Friday. No details of these recommendations have been made public, however, an official press release issued after the meeting said that these recommendations would be considered at a joint meeting of the NSC and federal cabinet. A government source said the list of demands that reportedly includes sharing of intelligence information and use of Pakistani air-space, has already been handed over by Washington to Islamabad. The source further disclosed that the list contained 18 different requests. He said that details of these measures were being kept secret by both the governments for obvious reasons. It is expected that these would come to light only after Islamabad's response to these as to how far it could go in meeting these demands. The list was conveyed to Pakistan by the US Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, through Pakistan Ambassador Dr Maleeha Lodhi and ISI chief Lt-Gen Mehmood who is in Washington. AIRPORT SHUT: Islamabad airport was closed for almost six hours early Friday, police said. They said the airport was closed from 3am to 8:45am but gave no reason, adds AFP/dpa. Islamabad airport was apparently used for planes bringing in equipment to prepare for retaliatory strikes against Osama bin Laden. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010915 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Pakistan to back action if US has UN mandate' ------------------------------------------------------------------- Monitoring Desk MOSCOW, Sept 14: Expressing doubts over the involvement of Osama bin Laden in terrorist strikes in US, Pakistan has said it will back US actions against him only if they have a UN mandate, PTI website reported. Islamabad was doubtful about Bin Laden's role in the strikes, Pakistan ambassador to Russia Iftikhar Murshed was quoted on Friday as saying by Vremya Novostyel. "When we receive absolute proof of the guilt of an individual or a group of individuals, Pakistan would cooperate with the US, NATO, international community, with every one to punish these people," he said. Stating that Pakistan had always opposed unilateral operations against someone, he said Islamabad would back the US retributions only if they had UN mandate. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010914 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan gets US list of demands: Powell talks to Musharraf ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Tahir Mirza WASHINGTON, Sept 13: In fast-moving developments relating to Pakistan, Secretary of State Colin Powell talked to Gen Musharraf on the telephone and Washington provided Pakistan with a list of "concrete actions" that it expects Islamabad to take in connection with the action being contemplated against those it believes are responsible for attacks on New York and the Pentagon. Details of the Powell-Musharraf conversation were not available, but CNN was reporting that they had received a message from Islamabad that Pakistan would extend all resources to fight against terrorism so as to accomplish the objectives laid down in the list of contemplated actions. The list of what is expected of Pakistan was handed over to Pakistani ambassador Maleeha Lodhi at the State Department by Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010913 ------------------------------------------------------------------- US seeks full help from Pakistan: Hunting down suspects ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Syed Talat Hussain ISLAMABAD, Sept 12: The United States is seeking full and practical cooperation from Pakistan to hunt down the suspects involved in the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon, diplomatic sources said. "The expectation of Washington, that has been made clear to Islamabad, is that all those countries that stand with the United States in this hour of grief will assist the Bush administration in finding out who has perpetrated this heinous crime," said the sources. Although Washington has not put forth a specific set of demands for such an assistance, the diplomatic sources say the US is looking for any shred of evidence that may prove that anyone or any group from this region is associated with the attacks. The primary focus of Washington is on determining the possibilities of the involvement of Osama bin Laden in the attacks, the sources said. The response of the Pakistan government is not yet known. Diplomatic sources said the biggest dilemma facing Pakistan is to be prepared for a Washington-led attack against Osama bin Laden and the Taliban in the coming days, which will require Islamabad to render all assistance, including perhaps the use of its air-space and territory. Because the retaliation is likely to be with the full support of the international community, with the possibility also of the participation of Nato forces, Pakistan would be hard put to keep an equal distance from the Taliban and the forces carrying out the attacks. It will have to take sides, the sources said. Pakistani military officials say that so far there is no indication that any such attack is imminent. They, however, admit that Washington's retaliation is a foregone conclusion. "It will be massive and indiscriminate. It is only a question of when and against whom. So far the only name that we are hearing is Osama bin Laden and with him the Taliban," said one senior officer. Meanwhile, the diplomatic sources said Pakistan has contacted the Taliban authorities through its embassy in Kabul conveying the urgency of finding a quick solution to the Osama bin Laden problem. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010915 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Religious, political parties opposed to US action ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Sept 14: Various religious and political parties of the country share opinion on the possible US military action against the Taliban regime and use of Pakistani soil. Maulana Samiul Haq, chief of JUI, however gave a word of caution to the US and its European allies not to make the mistake of attacking Afghanistan from the soil of Pakistan. He also advised Islamabad to take the political and religious forces into confidence before allowing entry to US military or air defence system on its bases. He said "we strongly condemn the terrorist attacks on nerve centres of US and call for an end to all sorts of terrorism." He however was cautious while commenting on provision of Pakistan's air space or soil to launch such an attack. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010911 ------------------------------------------------------------------- India-Pakistan distrust main issue, says Vajpayee ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jawed Naqvi NEW DELHI, Sept 10: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has described lingering distrust between India and Pakistan as the main problem between the two countries, an issue he expects to thrash out with President Pervez Musharraf beginning with their meeting in New York later this month, the Indian Express reported. The newspaper quoted Vajpayee as revealing in an exclusive interview that he had declined an invitation by then US President Bill Clinton to fly down to Washington for a trilateral meeting in 1999 involving the two and former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, to end the Kargil standoff. General Pervez Musharraf was present in Washington with the Pakistani premier. The interviewer, Express editor Shekhar Gupta, was regarded as a close friend of the Sharif government and was instrumental in starting the Lahore bus diplomacy when he first quoted Sharif as saying "Why go to Amritsar via Bhatinda?" The idea was later picked up by Vajpayee. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010911 ------------------------------------------------------------------- India seeks thorough probe into PoW issue ------------------------------------------------------------------- Monitoring Desk NEW DELHI, Sept 10: India demanded a thorough investigation into the reported whereabouts of 54 missing Indian prisoners of war (PoWs) allegedly lodged in Pakistani jails even as Islamabad formally communicated its offer to facilitate a visit Pakistan by relatives of the PoWs. "We would like a thorough inquiry that will address the issue fully, comprehensively and satisfactorily," an external affairs ministry spokesperson told reporters, adding the concerns of relatives of PoWs needed to be satisfactorily addressed. These relatives should be given all facilities to establish the whereabouts of the PoWs, she said. The formal communication was handed over to India's deputy high commissioner in Islamabad, Sudhir Vyas, when he met Rashed Salim Khan, director-general of South Asia, in the Pakistan foreign office on Saturday, she said in response to questions. "The next step is to work out feasible and practical modalities for the visit," she said. New Delhi would get back to Pakistan with its proposals for the visit, the spokesperson said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010910 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Kashmir at heart of all disputes, UNSC chief told ------------------------------------------------------------------- UNITED NATIONS, Sept 9: As part of preparations for President Pervez Musharraf's visit to the UN later this month, Shamshad Ahmed, Pakistan's permanent UN representative, held a detailed meeting with the president of the Security Council, Ambassador Jean-David Levitte of France, to brief him on Pakistan's perspective on the regional situation. Shamshad Ahmed said Pakistan had always sought good neighborly and tension-free relations with India on the basis of a settlement of the Kashmir dispute, which remained at the heart of all problems and conflicts in South Asia. He recalled Pakistan's consistent efforts for a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue with India, while emphasising that a just and honorable settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir would usher in an era of lasting peace and stability in the region. The Pakistani envoy briefed the SC president about relations between Pakistan and India after the Agra summit while outlining the prospects of the forthcoming meeting in New York between the Pakistan president and the prime minister of India. He expressed the hope that the international community would encourage and support the dialogue process between the two neighbours. Levitte described the Agra Summit as a positive development and welcomed the decision of the leaders to meet again in New York to carry forward the process. He also expressed the hope that the high-level dialogue process would culminate in durable peace between Pakistan and India. Shamshad also briefed the council president on the situation in Afghanistan. Reaffirming Pakistan's commitment to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions, he emphasized the need for the international community to evolve a fresh and constructive approach towards dealing with the Afghan situation in all its aspects rather than relying on punitive measures.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010909 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sanctions on Pakistan, India may go soon ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent NEW YORK, Sept 8: The US sanctions against Pakistan and India imposed following the nuclear tests in 1998 can be lifted simultaneously before President George W. Bush's meetings with President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session later this month. A New York-based Indian weekly credits the new development to the "concerted" efforts of the pro-Pakistan lobby led by Pakistan Ambassador to Washington, Maleeha Lodhi. The Indian weekly report quoted a senior administration official as having said: "It is clear if sanctions are lifted against India for the nuclear tests conducted in May 1998, it will also be appropriate to lift nuclear sanctions on Pakistan. This does not mean (that) the status of sanctions imposed on Pakistan as a result of the military takeover in October 1999 would change." It quotes Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca as having said that the concept of the "zero sum- game" towards South Asia had been totally eliminated from Washington's foreign policy lexicon. "India and Pakistan are important to the United States, separately and for different reasons," she said. The weekly says that leading the charge for the simultaneous lifting of sanctions against both countries is Senator Sam Brownback, ranking Republican on the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee and author of the Brownback Amendment which gives the president permanent authority to waive the sanctions against New Delhi and Islamabad. Pakistani American groups have invited Mr Brownback and other influential senators to political parleys and had hosted fund- raising receptions to convince them that lifting the sanctions against India alone would be deemed "discriminatory" in Pakistan and would further alienate the US there. At most of these events, the warm-up act has been by Ms Lodhi: "We have emphasized that once the sanctions review is completed, removal or waiver of sanctions against Pakistan and India should be done concurrently." At the same time, she urged the Pakistani American community to strongly "convey to administration as well as members of Congress that all nuclear-related sanctions against Pakistan must be removed or waived keeping in mind the principles of fairness and non-discrimination." Pakistan, the paper said, is deftly playing another card by arguing that if the US is to be discriminatory in lifting sanctions, it will complicate the rapprochement Islamabad seeks with New Delhi. There is no denying that Congress and the administration have been listening. Mr Brownback said that sanctions against the two countries should be lifted simultaneously for distinct and separate reasons. "Otherwise, you are going to build mistrust," he added. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher echoed these sentiments: "Pakistan is a friend of long standing. It is an important regional Islamic power. And we are committed to working through the difficult political, economic and social challenges with Pakistan." A senior Pentagon official, Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs Peter Rodman, went even further, taking a swipe at India in the process. He said during a media roundtable at the Pentagon: "The relationship with India is different. But Pakistan has been an ally over many decades. We, as a great power, shouldn't be dispensing with allies when, you know, we think conditions have changed." Although the Indian paper expounds eloquently on the efforts of Pakistani lobby lead which it says is prodded by Ms Lodhi, it failed to mention the efforts of the huge Indian lobby on the Capitol Hill which is led by Indian diplomats. The powerful Indian lobby enlisted help mostly from the democrats on the Hill led by Senator Joe Biden, who has become chairman of the US Senate's foreign relations committee. In fact, the Indian lobby has been suggesting to the US lawmakers to keep Pakistani sanctions in place. However, its efforts have not paid off for now. Senator Biden left the door open for the lifting of sanctions against Pakistan as he urged the removal of sanctions against India. In his letter to President Bush, he said: "Economic sanctions on India serve to stigmatize rather than stabilize. If we show our goodwill by removing this irritant, India will respond with reciprocal acts of goodwill in nonproliferation and other areas. (Then) Congress will be more likely to look with favour on the repeal (rather than the mere waiver) of the 1998 sanctions." At the same time, he inserted a caveat by informing President Bush: "I would want to discuss with you the issue of missile proliferation from China to Pakistan, before recommending the lifting of sanctions." Analysts here say that while the latest US action of imposing sanctions against Chinese arms company on one hand complicated the case for lifting sanctions against Pakistan, on the other it could have helped by removing one hurdle. Now that those sanctions are in place, there's no reason not to deal with both countries with an even hand. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010910 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Shaukat says govt steps established credibility ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent QUETTA, Sept 9: The federal minister for finance Shaukat Aziz speaking at a day-seminar on Pakistan's Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (IPRSP) said that Balochistan would get a large share in the 10-year development program. He said that mega projects have been initiated in the province to make up for the neglect. He gave examples of the Gawadar deep-sea port, a special project for Gawadar town being implemented with Omanese government's assistance, the Makran coastal highway, work on which is already in progress, and the president only recently inaugurated work on the road from Gawadar. Besides, the Saudi government is providing financial help for the construction of Mirani dam and many other projects. Referring to the theme of the seminar, the finance minister said that no country could be called a developed nation without the prosperity of its people. That is why the present government is emphasizing on poverty reduction programs. He said, "the federal government wants to have consultations with the provinces in order to devise an effective strategy for poverty alleviation program." The minister said that the measures taken by the government for economic revival has re-established the country's creditability abroad and won the confidence of donor agencies. He informed that the IPRSP will be finalized with the IMF in November. "Spending under the IPRSP would be made on poverty alleviation measures. The donors are helping us beyond this programme also," he remarked. Stressing the need for public-private participation on the program, he said, "We should not rely only on government funding and should motivate the private sector to contribute in these efforts". In this connection, the minister also mentioned the role of the NGOs. He asked the provincial government to involve Nazims and other district-level stakeholders in the process. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010909 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Govt tells WB not to interfere in Ehtesab ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Khaleeq Kiani ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: Pakistan has asked the World Bank not to interfere in its internal accountability process which the government believed was transparent and based on ground realities. This came in the background of appeals to the World Bank written by a couple of government officials and private people arrested by the National Accountability Bureau on charges of alleged corruption in land acquisition for $2.5 billion Ghazi Barotha Hydro Power Project (GBHP). Official sources told Dawn that a World Bank energy sector mission currently in Pakistan raised the issue at the introductory meeting with senior officials of the ministry of water and power last week. The mission was told in unequivocal words by the secretary water and power Mirza Hamid Hassan that broad policy guidelines from the World Bank relating to acquisition of land on market rates was adhered to but this did not give blanket powers to any one to inflate prices more than 100 times in a matter of days. The mission was told that even if NAB had arrested someone under suspicion his innocence would be automatically proved during the course of further investigations and the court proceedings. The guidelines for procedure of land acquisition on market rate as agreed to with the World Bank were never violated and the Bank should also stay away from domestic corruption issues. The secretary told the energy sector mission that NAB had arrested the culprits only after it got undeniable evidence that fake orchards were shown and land price was inflated in a planned manner through stamp papers. In some cases, the land available at Rs1,000 was sold at Rs100,000 within one week time which meant that artificial and inflated market rates were created by land mafia in connivance with the government officials. The accused in GBHP, these sources said, had written letters to the World Bank in Washington that they had acquired land for GBHP on market rates strictly under the land acquisition guidelines of the World Bank but have been subjected to victimization. They had sought Bank's intervention in the matter, sources said. On a reference from WAPDA and then District Monitoring Team Attock, the NAB had last month arrested some functionaries to expand investigations into the land-acquisition scam. Around 85,000 kanal were acquired for the project and amount so involved in the corruption deals stood at around Rs1.37 billion, these sources said. The officials have now been given in the judicial remand for further investigations. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010912 ------------------------------------------------------------------- NRB to establish link between NFC, PFCs ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report PESHAWAR, Sept 11: The National Reconstruction Bureau, which was recently involved in the formulation of the National Finance Commission award, wants to establish link between the next NFC award and the Provincial Finance Commissions (PFCs) awards to ensure ample financial support to the district governments, provincial government sources told Dawn. The NRB's involvement in the NFC award's formulation, at a stage when the NFC has already held two meetings, has been described in line with its efforts to draw linkage between the NFC and the provincial finance commissions, set up in all the four provinces. The federal government's decision to include NRB in the NFC's proceedings has caused authorities of the provincial government to believe that the country's apex policy-making body is likely to play a decisive role in the formulation of the next NFC award. Sources said the NRB wanted to prepare the new plan of resource distribution among the federal and provincial governments on such lines that it should ensure substantial flow of funds to the district governments helping the new administrative setup to sustain. In this respect, added the sources, the NRB was studying the type of financial system the country needed to have in the wake of distortions and complications the current system underwent due to the devolution plan and the financial support and authority the district governments needed to grow up. The NRB, said the sources, was expected to come up with its set of recommendations for the new NFC award during the next meeting in line with the four provincial governments which have apprised the federal government of their apprehensions, constraints and recommendations for the new NFC award. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010910 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PPP wants Benazir's presence for fair polls ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Sept 9: Criticizing the elements within the military regime creating misunderstanding between the army rulers and the Pakistan People's Party, a party spokesperson asked the military regime to ensure fair and free elections to enable the people to elect leader of their choice. The spokesperson alleged that "the regime wanted to stop Benazir Bhutto from contesting next elections because of her popular support and if it so happens it will shatter the promise of Gen Musharraf of holding fair elections". He said Benazir's presence in Pakistan would be the biggest endorsement that the elections were fair and free. The PPP spokesperson said that although Gen Musharraf had promised fair elections, the recent investigative article by a newspaper indicated that the intelligence agencies were asked to stop the return of the PPP's certain high officials. "Certain high officials (of the regime) also stated in their private conversations that they would stop front runner Benazir Bhutto from contesting the next elections", he stated. According to the said report, three of the serving generals and one retired general disliked Benazir Bhutto and wanted that she should be stopped from contesting the elections. The spokesperson feared that the promise of fair elections could be broken because of individual likes and dislikes as concluded in the article. Asked to comment on the revelations, the spokesperson said that it was true that as Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had wrote to the then COAS Gen Jehangir Karamat about the reports she received of attempts to destabilize her government headed by the then MI chief. The spokesperson maintained that so far as Gen Musharraf was concerned, the reports of a stand off between former PM and the president over Kargil were incorrect. Nor did the then premier make any mark against the promotion file although she was entitled to do so had she any question marks in her mind. However, a discussion did take place where former PM disagreed with one of the conclusions that were presented to her in a GHQ briefing. Subsequent events through Kargil vindicated the vision of the former PM on that occasion. The PPP leader said the GHQ could present views and the PM was to take decisions in the national interest being answerable to the parliament. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010912 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Benazir's plea for acquittal dismissed ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Sept 11: Judge Mohammed Jawaid Alam dismissed the application for the acquittal of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in a reference pertaining to illegal appointments in the Pakistan International Airlines. Defence counsel Abdul Hafiz Lakho had on Aug 11 filed the application for Benazir's acquittal of the charge of appointing and promoting 1,393 people in the national carrier in violation of rules during her last tenure as prime minister. Mr Lakho had prayed the court to acquit the former prime minister in the case as there had been no documentary evidence available on the record against her. The other accused persons in the reference are Air Vice Marshal (retd) Umer Farooq, former PIA chief, Naheed Khan, Ghulam Qadir Shah Jamote, Siraj Shamsuddin and Najamul Hasan. The reference was initially filed against the former principal secretary to Benazir Bhutto, Ahmed Sadiq, and other accused persons on May 15, 1997. However, later Ahmed Sadiq was excluded from the investigation and he was made a prosecution witness following his statement before the investigators. He stated that he had only acted upon the orders of the former prime minister. Following his statement the prosecution agency submitted a supplementary charge against Benazir Bhutto and other accused before the then Ehtesab Bench of the Sindh High Court. Later, the case was transferred to the accountability court, which recorded the statements of the remaining prosecution witnesses. The judge adjourned the hearing of the reference till Sept 29. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010913 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Asif denies govt-PPP deal ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent NOWSHERA, Sept 12: Asif Ali Zardari has said that rumors about a government-PPP deal were part of a campaign launched by anti- People's Party forces to malign the party. "If we had to strike a deal with the government, why we should have faced trials in courts for five years," said Mr Zardari while talking to Dawn at the Attock Fort. Mr Zardari said that though the government had tortured him, it had failed to prove a single charge against him. He said Farooq Leghari's wrong decisions had brought the country to the brink of collapse. He hoped that the PPP would sweep the general election. He advised party workers to prepare for it. Mr Zardari said Ms Bhutto would soon come back and run for premiership for the third time. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010912 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Asif's cases be placed before one bench: SC ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Sept 11: The bench, comprising Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and Justice Hamid Ali Mirza, directed the SC office to place all the pending cases of Asif Zardari before the Chief Justice for placing those before the bench. Asif Zardari has filed a number of petitions in the Supreme Court, including the one seeking transfer of all his cases to courts working in Sindh. Barrister Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, Farooq H. Naik and Raja Shafqat Abbasi appeared on behalf of Asif Zardari. When the petition seeking transfer of Asif Zardari's cases was taken up, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada stated that the SC had passed an order that Asif Zardari would be kept in Rawalpindi for three months and if his cases could not be completed in this period, he would be shifted to Sindh for three months. The counsel said three month's period expired on Aug 16, but his client was not shifted to Karachi for appearing in cases pending in courts in Sindh. Raja Bashir, Prosecutor General Accountability, stated that a review petition against the Supreme Court order of transferring Asif Zardari to Karachi after three months, was pending in the court. He said the cases could not be decided due to delaying tactics employed by the defence. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010913 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Supplementary reference filed in asset case ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Rafaqat Ali ISLAMABAD, Sept 12:The National Accountability Bureau submitted third supplementary reference in the asset case of Asif Zardari, pending before the accountability court at Attock, stating that it wanted to produce some artefects which it acquired from a British company, as evidence to prove that Rockwood House was owned by the accused. It is third supplementary reference which the NAB and its predecessor, Ehtesab Bureau has submitted after the filing of case against Asif Zardari on February 2,1998, alleging that he owned properties, in and outside Pakistan, disproportionate to his declared source of income. The first supplementary reference was filed on June 28, 1998, second on August 19, 1998. In the third supplementary reference before the Accountability Court at Attock, the NAB chairman, Lt. General Khalid Maqbool stated that during investigation it came to light that Asif Zardari through his front companies engaged a British company to repair and restore Rockwood House. The NAB chairman stated that Managing Director and Secretary of the Grant Bridge Company handed over certain items which it wanted to place on the record of the court. The NAB would produce five Friezes, one plate, one family photograph, two swords (bayonets), silver tea set (three pieces) and two antique rifles, in the court as evidence to show that Asif Zardari was the owner of Rockwood House. The NAB chairman stated that evidence established that substantial part of the funds paid by sugar dealers of five sugar mills owned by Asif Zardari through his front men, were not deposited in the company accounts of the sugar mills but were deposited in Benami accounts maintained by other directors of the sugar mills. Out of the funds deposited in the Benami accounts, the agreed share was paid to Asif Ali Zardari through his servants, aides and other officials of the mills. The NAB chairman stated that the evidence collected regarding the ownership of Asif Ali Zardari over the sugar mills and Rockwood House was essential for the just decision of the case. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010911 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Surrey Palace: PPP denies govt claim ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, Sept 10: Pakistan People's Party denied that former senator Asif Ali Zardari had been handed over the documents establishing his ownership of the Surrey Palace. In a statement issued by the party's media centre here, a PPP spokesman termed the government claim that the Surrey Palace had been bought by Ms Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari through the drug money, a part of vilification campaign. "We are yet to see any documents regarding the ownership of Surrey as claimed in the regime's press release," the spokesman said. "We saw lots of disinformation and to our knowledge there is no ownership," he said and alleged that regime committed perversion of justice when it tortured Arif Baloch and Shorang Khan into giving perjured statements. "They are committing perjury once again by alleging the PPP leadership was involved in narcotics or corruption. In fact, the law-enforcers broke the law by perverting justice and should be tried," he said. "Sometimes the regime alleges that Asif Zardari has purchased the property through corrupt practices and means and sometimes the regime alleges that the same property has been acquired through drug money," he said. It showed explicitly the fabrication and concoction in the allegation of the regime, he added. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010910 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Asif bought assets from drug money' ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter LAHORE, Sept 9: The special prosecutor in the narcotics case against former federal minister Asif Ali Zardari told a press conference that drug money had paid for UK assets of Mr Zardari. Malik Muhammad Iqbal Bhatti, the special prosecutor, also released to the press the documents which he claimed proved that Mr Zardari, his wife Benazir Bhutto and their children were the 'beneficiaries' of three properties in London. He said the properties - Rockwood House, Winkford Farm and Parsonage Farm - were valued at 2.25 million pounds, 375,000 pounds and 150,000 pounds, respectively. The documents, which he said had been obtained from the Home Department, were submitted to the court comprising the Lahore district and sessions judge, Mian Muhammad Jehangir. The lawyer said the documents were filed in the court of a Bow Street magistrate entrusted the job of tracing the assets of Mr Zardari and Ms Bhutto on an official request by the Attorney General of Pakistan. The Attorney General had made the request in 1997. Mr Bhatti said the magistrate had examined many witnesses and thousands of documents had been filed and exhibited in his court. Eventually, Mr Zardari's appeals for a judicial review were dismissed by a UK court. As a result, the depositions and 22,000 documents were recently handed over to the Attorney General. The lawyer said the examination of these documents established that Mr Zardari had acquired Rockwood House, Winkford Farm and Parsonage Farm in the Surrey county of England, 30 miles from London through the device of incorporating companies and trusts in the Isle of Man. He said he had requested the court to summon as witnesses Home Department under-secretary Malik Masood Ahmad and FIA deputy director Abdul Jalil Khan, who possessed the original documents to prove that the property was acquired using drug money. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010909 ------------------------------------------------------------------- UK papers produced in Asif drug case ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter LAHORE, Sept 8: Former federal minister Asif Ali Zardari was brought to Lahore from Islamabad and produced before the district and sessions judge in the Kot Lakhpat jail in connection with a narcotics case. Documents comprising about 20,000 pages, obtained from UK to substantiate charges against Mr Zardari, were submitted before the court and copies provided to the accused. Details of the documents are expected to be released at a news conference on Sunday. The accused was also provided with a list of 31 witnesses against him. The court would take up the case on Sept 26 when the prosecution and the defence would give their points of view about the status of the documents. Raja Muhammad Anwar, Sardar Latif Khosa and Mian Hanif Tahir appeared on Mr Zardari's behalf. Sardar Khosa requested that the hearing be adjourned till the third week of October as he was busy in connection with the Supreme Court Bar Association elections. The court granted the request and decided to record statements of important witnesses after Oct 20. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010914 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Nawaz Sharif withdraws appeal from SC ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Sept 13: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif withdrew his appeal from Supreme Court in which it was maintained that trial of his cases in Attock court was illegal. The counsel for Nawaz Sharif submitted before the court that he had received instructions from his client that since he had proceeded to Saudi Arabia, the appeal had become infructuous and thus allowed to be withdrawn.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010909 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Turkish court moved for $70m bank guarantee ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: Pakistan has approached a Turkish Commercial Court for vacation of its order, on whose basis Turkish Banks have refused to enchash $70 million bank guarantee to Pakistan. Federal Minister for Communication Javed Ashraf Qazi said that when Pakistan approached the Turkish bank's consortium for encasement of guarantee as Bayinder had been expelled from the site for its failure to complete the project, the request was turned down on the grounds that a local court had issued prohibition order. Pakistan has now hired a Turkish lawyer who would present Pakistan's case. The minister is hopeful that Pakistan would be able to encash the bank guarantee. The minister said if the bank guarantee was encashed, the government would clear the dues of local contractors who were hired by the Turkish contractors for working on Islamabad-Peshawar motorway project. The bank guarantee extended by a consortium of seven Turkish banks was invoked after the National Highway Authority "expelled" the Turkish contractor, Bayinder, for its failure to complete two sections of the motorway on schedule. The contractor has taken the position before the court that the bank guarantee could not be invoked till the dispute was finally resolved through arbitration. The contractor was expelled from the site under clause 69.1 of the contract, according to which the work would be completed at the risk and cost of the contractor. The NHA is of the view that it had paid Rs15 billion to the contractor and would recover Rs6 billion which were paid to it in the form of mobilisation advance. The government of Pakistan had also signed a loan agreement for US$100 million with Exim Bank of Turkey for the construction of Peshawar-Islamabad motorway at the interest rate of 10 percent (4.5 per cent above LIBOR). The total loan was not utilised. After the utilisation of US$54 million, the government of Pakistan cancelled the credit line. Under the original contract terms, the contractor was required to arrange foreign loan worth US$322 million. The loan obtained from Exim Bank of Turkey is to be paid within a period of three years. Unlike the loan agreements signed for the construction of Islamabad-Lahore section of motorway, this loan agreement had no grace period. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010910 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Affected families refuse relocation ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Khaleeq Kiani ISLAMABAD, Sept 9: Around 1,144 people affected by Tarbela Dam have refused to settle in the Sindh province despite an offer by the provincial government under the World Bank conditionality of their resettlement to qualify release of funds for the US$2.5 billion Ghazi Barotha Power Project (GBHP). The World Bank had included the clause of the resettlement of Tarbela Dam affected people in the GBHP loan agreement, though the government now felt the two projects should not have been inter- linked, official sources told Dawn . Now that GBHP is almost 80 per cent complete, the remaining funding of around Rs35 billion was required to take the project to the production level. Of this amount, the donor agencies led by the World Bank had set a condition that WAPDA would have to generate around Rs17 billion from its own resources for the release of matching foreign funding. WAPDA has recently sold its fresh bonds worth Rs5 billion and plans to float another Rs1 billion bonds shortly to meet its financing requirement during the current fiscal year. The visiting energy-sector mission of the World Bank has told the government that funding for the GBHP would not be available until it was satisfied with the resettlement of Tarbela Dam affected people. On repeated communications from the World Bank, the government invited applications from the displaced people and received over 5,000 applications. After scrutiny, it was, however, found that only 1,144 genuine applicants, including 40 who were already paid compensation but could not get the land. Recently, the government had asked all the provinces to help resolve the issue and settle these displaced people, but Punjab and the NWFP refused to oblige. The Punjab government said that it had already provided around 90,000 acres in 1970's and was not in a position to accommodate more people. The Sindh government, however, agreed to provide land but the applicants refused to shift because most of them have already set up businesses in Punjab and the NWFP. Sources in the power ministry said that since Punjab was the main beneficiary of the Ghazi Barotha Hydro Power Project (GBHP) besides WAPDA, it would be asked to accommodate major portion of the affected people. The ministry has also told the president about the situation and the World Bank's tough stand on the issue, sources said. The energy-sector mission is currently holding review meetings with the power sector and oil and gas companies, and would leave on September 22 after the wrap-up meeting. The mission's report would finally determine whether the WB is going to release funds for the project that has already been delayed by over one year primarily because of continued shortage of funds and the land acquisition process. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010915 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Army troops deployed at all airports ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Sept 14: The military spokesman and Director of Inter- Services Public Relations, Brig Saulat Raza, has said army contingents have been deployed at all the international airports of the country over the last couple of days as a part of security measures but no airport has been closed at all. To a question, the military spokesman said national and international flights were operating as per schedule and so far no flight had been delayed. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010910 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Crackdown on Jaish activists condemned ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent GUJRANWALA, Sept 9: Leaders and ulema of various religious parties have strongly protested against the administration and police for arresting Jaish-i-Muhammad leaders and activists and demanded their immediate release. At an emergent meeting held in Sheranwala Bagh Jamia Masjid, Pakistan Shariat Council secretary-general Maulana Zahidul Rashadi said the police had arrested his party leaders and activists without any justification. Similarly, he said SSP president Maulana Muhammad Nawaz Baloch, JUI's Qari Muhammad Ikram and Jamiat Ahl-i- Sunnat's Hafiz Muhammad Arshed were also arrested on baseless charges. He held administration and police responsible for creating law and order situation during a peaceful religious moot on Aug 7. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010914 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr Farooq Sattar's conviction set aside ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter LAHORE, Sept 13: Dr Farooq Sattar, former mayor of Karachi and senior minister of Sindh, was acquitted of the charge of misuse of authority by a Lahore High Court appellate bench. Accepting the MQM leader's appeal and setting aside his conviction and sentence handed down by the Attock accountability court, the bench comprising Justice Mian Nazir Akhtar and Justice Mian Najamuzzaman, held that no case has been made out by the National Accountability Bureau to show that appellant made wrongful gain or caused wrongful loss to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation as minister in-charge of local bodies. Farooq Sattar was sentenced to undergo 14 years rigorous imprisonment, pay a fine of Rs50 million and suffer disqualification from holding any public office for 21 years. Co-accused Anzar Hussain Zaidi, former KMC administrator, who was jailed for 10 years, fined Rs5 million and disqualified for 21 years, was also acquitted in appeal. Six co-accused, including five partners of the octroi firm alleged to have been favoured by Dr Sattar and a former additional chief secretary of Sindh are absconding. As the bench announced acceptance of appeal, Dr Abdul Basit, the appellant's counsel, pressed for payment of Rs100 million as compensation for baseless prosecution and the torture caused by it to his client. The plea was refused. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010911 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ex-BEL chief convicted in another case ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Sept 10: Former chief of the Bankers' Equity Ltd (BEL), Rauf B. Qadri, was convicted in another corruption reference by an accountability court, which sentenced him to two terms of rigorous imprisonment, totaling 12 years. Judge Dr Qamaruddin Bohra of AC-1 handed down to the former banker a seven-year term for committing criminal breach of trust under section 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code. A fine of Rs1 million was also imposed on Mr Qadri, who would have to suffer an additional two-year RI in case of default on the payment. The former BEL chief was prosecuted for fake transactions of purchase of shares using BEL funds. He manipulated fake vouchers in the name of a stock broker, Sadiq Ali Fida Hussain, and transferred Rs1.675 million into his personal account. The judge sentenced the accused to suffer five-year RI and pay a fine of Rs100,000 for falsification of accounts, under section 477- A of the PPC. Mr Qadri will have to undergo an additional one-year term in case of default on the payment. This was the third reference in which the former BEL chief was convicted. Two more corruption references are still pending before the accountability court. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010911 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Senior PTCL official shot dead in Karachi ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Sept 10: A senior official of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited was shot dead by unidentified motorcyclists. Syed Altaf Hussain Bangash, was on his way to office at Pak Capital Telephone Exchange, when he was intercepted by three armed men near his office off University Road. The armed men targeted Altaf Hussain, sitting on the rear seat and sprayed him with bullets. The driver, Azfar Ali, who remained unhurt in the attack, took Altaf Hussain to a private hospital where doctors pronounced him dead. The body was later taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for autopsy. District police chief Rehmat Khan Mehsood said: "The incident appeared to be sectarian motivated but other aspects could not be ruled out as the victim hailed from the NWFP and he could have some personal enmity." He said Safar Ali Bangash and Rajab Ali Bangash, father-in-law and brother-in-law respectively of Altaf Hussain had been shot dead some two years ago in old Haji camp area. He said driver Azfar Ali helped the police draw sketch of one of the assassins. The police had started investigations to find a clue to the suspects. Altaf Hussain was posted as divisional engineer, Pak Capital Exchange, in January 2000. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010914 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pace reduced to ashes ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Asif Shahzad LAHORE, Sept 13: Four-storeyed departmental store Pace on the Gulberg's Main Boulevard was burnt to ashes. However, the extent of the damaged caused is yet to be determined. Built by former cricketer Imran Khan and other share-holders, the building and its assets are stated to be worth Rs800 million. Pace constituted some 202 shops, a super market and a food court at four floors of the building. Some 440 people were employed at the departmental store besides 182 staffers working in the administration. Eyewitnesses told Dawn that the fire broke out at around 9:30am at first floor of the building. The blaze spread all over the building in minutes, they said. Four people are stated to be in critical condition. The Pace Traders Union alleged that the incident was planned. Union president Nazir Chohan told reporters that the building and its assets were insured and the administration was in a debt of Rs30 million. He alleged that the administration had not taken care of the maintenance of the building since its construction. Denying the allegations, one Mumtaz Syed, who introduced himself as a spokesman for the Pace administration, told a press conference at the Lahore Press Club: "I am so far unable to say anything about a cause or motive behind the fire." He said the administration had initiated an inquiry to find the cause of fire. He admitted that the building and its assets were insured for Rs200 million with Shaheen Insurance and its debts amounted to some Rs30 million. "That does not mean that we did it to protect our interests," he said.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY 20010911 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Eight banks sign agreement: Political risk guarantee facility ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Sept 10: Following the improvement in Pakistan's international credibility, the "confirmation of short term below 90 days letter of credit is readily available and charges are falling," disclosed the Resident Representative of Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Pakistan Marshuk Ali Shah. He attributed the improvement in Pakistan's international credibility to "good progress in implementing an ambitious reform agenda." However, confirmation of import letters of credit with longer maturities beyond 180 days remain problematic and exporters often find it expensive to obtain confirmation of these LCs. While ADB is the sponsor of this 150 million dollar trade financing facility, Standard Chartered Bank is the 'Facility Agent'. There are seven other international banks which will provide credit risk guarantee on letters of credit for import to be established by Pakistan's small and medium enterprises. These international banks are Credit Agricole Indosuez, Duetsche Bank, H.S.B.C. Holding Company, Ing Bank, Societe Generale, Sumitomo Mitusi Banking Corporation and Wels Forgp Bank NA. "We have enlarged the tool box of financing available to the exporters," the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan Dr Ishrat Hussain remarked on the occasion. Marshuk Ali Shah in his speech elaborated on the facilities being offered by his Bank to Pakistan under trade, export promotion and industry program (TEPI), and under small and medium enterprises enhancement finance project (SMETEF). He said the SMETEF was conceived and approved with the Pakistan government last December under a 150 million dollar financial package. The Political Risk Guarantee, launched, is one of the key components. Other components of the program are the setting up of Pakistan Export Finance Guarantee Agency (PEFGA), which was launched in July last. He elaborated on the Foreign Currency Export Facility of 150 million dollars announced by the State Bank in April with re- funding from ADB. Under this facility, the financing is offered to the exporters at 2 per cent plus LIBOR. "With recent drop in US rates, this funding will now become available to the exporters at 6 per cent," he said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010913 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Offshore firm paid $1.06m by Hubco for unspecified job ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Khaleeq Kiani ISLAMABAD, Sept 12: The Hub Power Company made a payment of $1.06 million to an un-addressed offshore company for an "unspecified job" that completed in just three days, an investigative report of the company revealed. The report, compiled by Klynyeld Peat Marwick and Goerdeler (KPMG), an international accounting and consulting firm, on the directive of former Hubco chief in Pakistan Mike Woodroffe, has questioned the role of a senior executive of formerly ANZ Bank, who later became Hubco's finance director and an offshore one-man company Xaninvest for dealings on behalf of Al-Rajhi, one of the financiers of Hubco. The disclosure of the report, now made available to WAPDA and Dawn, resulted in dismissal of Mike Woodroffe in the heat of WAPDA-IPPs controversy because dealings with fake offshore companies was disclosed for the first time through a comprehensive report. Former Ehtesab Bureau Chief Saifur Rehman had pursued the report almost all over the world but failed to get hold of it. The report revealed that Al-Rajhi funding known as Istisna-I was initially for $92 million but was subsequently increased to $106 million under Istisna-II (an Islamic mode of financing). Istisna-I comprised a sale and repurchase agreement whereby Hubco sold specified assets to Al-Rajhi with an obligation to repurchase the same assets at a contracted price by a specified date. The repurchase price was predetermined to allow Al-Rajhi a margin. This was effectively a financing cost to Hubco. Under Istisna-II, Al-Rajhi advanced $92 million to Hubco on Dec 2, 1992, in three accounts. Hubco was required to repay the three amounts grossed up to include Al-Rajhi's margin on Sept 2, 1993. Due to movements in the dollar exchange rates between the two dates Hubco had to bear in addition to their financing cost up to disbursement of Istisna-II of some $7.4 million, a foreign exchange loss of around $6.5 million due to the fact that foreign exchange risk had not been hedged. The report said that Raziur Rehman, an employee of the ANZ Bank, was heavily involved in the arrangement of Istisna-I and later appointed a finance director of Hubco on a substantial tax-free salary. The ANZ bank was, however, not paid any fee or service charges for arranging the amount that led to detailed investigations. Xaninvest owned by a former clerk of a bank in Bahrain was paid an amount of $1.06 million by Hubco for services provided for and on behalf of Hubco in arranging effective bridge finance and roll-over of Istisna-I into II but no formal contract was signed. Interestingly, this amount of $1.06 million was paid to Xaninvest by the first-ever chief executive of Hubco and finance director purely for work performed between August 29 and September 16, 1993. The report has recorded interesting conversations between Razi Khan, Xaninvest and some other players that showed that Xaninvest had no address, account numbers, or registration of the company but its owner was in contact with the then authorities in Pakistan, ANZ Bank and Islamic investors. The board of directors were not provided with the details of services performed by Xaninvest and KPMG noted that in the absence of a prior trading history and nothing more than an "awareness" of a prior "association" with ANZ, Khan's purported authorization of Xaninvest, in the absence of any tendering process, appeared irregular as all the works had already completed by that time. The KPMG in its final report said that (i) beneficial ownership of Xaninvest at all material time could not be established; (ii) It appeared that Allawi (owner of Xaninvest) involvement in Istisna-1 was on behalf of Al-Rajhi but it was unclear whether he worked for Al-Rajhi on Istisna-II or had any other conflict of interest. The report said it was difficult to accept that a one man operation run from a personal address in the UK without its own bank account should be appointed for a job generating a fee of $1.06 million for work which it appears was conducted over a three-day period. The board minutes of Aug 29 and Oct 2, 1993, did not specifically authorize any payment to Xaninvest and there were conflicting accounts of what transpired on both these occasions. There was no correspondence to the fact that what was the level of fee, either it was one per cent or one and a half per cent. The report recommended a full explanation of all invoices and details of the work done for approval of the amount by the board of directors. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010909 ------------------------------------------------------------------- ADB promises $500m loan annually ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter LAHORE, Sept 8: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided $250 million loan for the development of Pakistan's capital markets, said resident representative of ADB Marshuk Ali Shah. He said the Pakistan Export Finance Guarantee Agency (PEFGA) was also instituted with the help of the ADB under its private sector strategy. He said the bank would extend $500 million financial assistance per annum to Pakistan in the coming years. Last year, the bank had provided $700 million aid to the country which was more than the ADB's average aid level. The ADB had so far provided a total of $10 billion financial assistance to Pakistan, he added. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010909 ------------------------------------------------------------------- ADB to provide $250m for agriculture ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: The Asian Development Bank will spend $250 million on Pakistani agriculture in the current financial year. This was stated by ADB programs manager S. H. Rehman during a meeting with Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Kher Mohammad Junejo. Mr Rehman, who had called on the minister at his office, said the ADB would continue to assist Pakistan as long as it was required to do so. Terming the activities in the local private sector as encouraging, he said the ADB was looking for more venues to assist and strengthen the private sector. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010909 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SBP appoints two new directors ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, Sept 8: As part of its ongoing restructuring and institutional capacity building process, the State Bank has acquired the services of two professional and experienced Management and Chartered Accountants to head its Accounts and Audit departments, says an SBP press release. Muhammed Saleem Rehmani, a management accountant, has been appointed as Director of Accounts Department. He brings to his new assignment 16 years' experience in the field of Cost and Management Accountancy. Earlier, he has been associated with various multinational companies. Noman Ahmed Qureshi, a Chartered Accountant, has been appointed as Director of Audit Department. He has to his credit 21 years' experience in the field of Auditing & Financial Accountancy. Prior to joining the SBP, he has been associated with various development finance institutions of the country. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010915 ------------------------------------------------------------------- KSE-index sheds 50 points ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Sept 14: The KSE 100-share index suffered a fresh sharp fall of four per cent or 50.27 points at 1,139.64, making the total losses in the post-US attacks to 100 points or about 10 per cent. At one stage it was down by 68 points eroding about Rs.14bn from the market capitalization. Minus signs dominated the list as only 14 shares rose, while 145 fell, with 25 holding on to the last levels. Adamjee Insurance, Sapphire Textiles, Dewan Salman, PSO, Sitara Chemical, Cherat Paper, Engro Chemical and Tri-Pack Films were the leading among the other prominent losers. Al-Ghazi Tractors, Ismail Industries, Liberty Mills, Thal Industries and Fazal Textiles were leading among the gainers, up one rupee to Rs.5.00. Trading volume fell to 73m shares as compared to 78m shares a day earlier as losers maintained a strong lead over the gainers. PTCL led the list of actives, off 45 paisa at Rs.13.85 on 28m shares followed by Hubco, easy 95 paisa at Rs.14.15 on 23 shares, PSO, off Rs.1.70 at Rs.118.45 on 9m shares, Sui Northern, down 85 paisa at Rs.7.65 on 2m shares and WorldCall Payphone, off Rs.1.80 at Rs.11.00 on 1m shares. Other actives were led by Adamjee Insurance, off Rs.3.55 on 1.066m shares, FFC-Jordan Fertiliser, easy 15 paisa on 0.931m shares, Engro Chemical, off Rs.3.25 on 0.888m shares, Nishat Mills, lower Rs.1.50 on 0.792m shares and Dewan Salman, off Rs.1.85 on 0.637m shares. FORWARD COUNTER: Bear onslaught continued on the speculative issues as leading among them came in for renewed selling under the lead of Engro Chemical, which was marked down by Rs.2.90 at Rs.47.10 on 0.184m shares followed by Fauji Fertiliser, easy Rs.1.65 at Rs.31.00 on 18,500 shares. Among the most actives, Hubco was leading, off Rs.1.10 at Rs.14.05 on 0.639m shares followed by PTCL, lower 55 paisa at Rs.13.80 on 0.268m shares, and PSO, easy 60 paisa at Rs.119.50 on 0.173m shares. DIVIDEND: Indus Motor Company, cash 15 per cent for the year ended June 30, 2001.Back to the top
EDITORIALS & FEATURES 20010909 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Justice-III ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ardeshir Cowasjee What has to be said again and again for as long as what remains of Jinnah's Pakistan exists, and what must bear repetition ad infinitum, is one well known sentence from Mohammad Ali Jinnah's momentous speech delivered on August 11, 1947: "The first duty of a government is to maintain law and order so that the life, property and religious beliefs of its subjects are fully protected by the state." Lesser known is what he told the people of Australia in his broadcast of February 19, 1948: "The great majority of us are Muslims. We follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, we are members of the brotherhood of Islam in which all are equal in rights, dignity and self-respect. Consequently we have a special and very deep sense of unity. But make no mistake, Pakistan is not a theocracy, or anything like it. Islam demands from us the tolerance of other creeds and we welcome in closest association with us all those who, of whatever creed, are themselves willing and ready to play their part as true and loyal citizens of Pakistan." That month he also spoke on the radio to the people of the United States when he told them much the same thing: "Islam and its idealism have taught us democracy. It has taught equality of man, justice and fair play to everybody. We are the inheritors of these glorious traditions and are fully alive to our responsibilities and obligations as framers of the future constitution of Pakistan. In any case, Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic state - to be ruled by priests with a divine mission. We have non-Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Parsis - but they are all Pakistanis. They will enjoy the same rights and privileges as any other citizen and play their rightful part in the affairs of Pakistan." He said all this with faith in his legacy. Since my last column, yet another citizen of Pakistan has been gunned down in Karachi merely because he was a member of the Shia sect of Islam. The Shias of Karachi and those who support the fundamental freedoms guaranteed to them by the Constitution of the Islamic Republic led a protest march two days ago. The result: stone throwing, broken windscreens, much disorder. According to yesterday's Dawn report on the incident, "the law- enforcing agencies said that 'It is still a blind murder and no major breakthrough has been achieved'.... five leaders are in custody and police have arrested ten more protesters and booked them for damaging public property." The oblique message of the law enforcement agencies to the Shias: we are unable to protect you from being killed and if you protest we will arrest you. The Shias are naturally angry and we can look forward to more protests and more arrests. In various areas of Pakistan, over one hundred members of the Ahmadi community are under trial, charged and accused under the blasphemy laws operative in this country, some in custody, some not. Again and again they are called to appear before our courts only to be told that their cases have been adjourned for one good or bad reason. The strife continues. One publication of our press did us a good turn on August 26 2001. A columnist of a national newspaper published from Lahore has traced the history of these blasphemy laws. It makes sad reading. I quote: Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code dates back to 1860. It stipulates: "Whoever destroys, damages or defiles any place of worship, or any object held sacred by any class of persons with the intention of thereby insulting the religion of any class of persons or with the knowledge that any class of persons is likely to consider such destruction, damage or defilement as an insult to their religion, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both." In 1927, following the agitation involving the famous Rangila Rasul case, through the Criminal Law Amendment Act XXV, Section 295(A) was added. "Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of citizens, by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations insults the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both." (By the Second Amendment Act XVI of 1991 the term of imprisonment was extended to ten years.) In 1982, under the PPC (Amendment Ordinance 1), Section 295(B) was added: "Whoever wilfully defiles, damages or desecrates a copy of the Holy Qur'an or of any extract therefrom or uses it in any derogatory manner or for any unlawful purpose shall be punishable with imprisonment for life." In 1986, the Criminal Law (Amendment Act, III) was passed by the hand-picked pious members of champion of Islam General Zia-ul-Haq's Majlis-e-Shoora headed by Mohammed Khan Junejo and it added Section 295(C), a weapon designed to be used for personal vengeance, a weapon with which scores can be settled, a weapon even to be employed for personal gain. It reads: "Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace by upon him) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall be liable to fine." Around 1991, a person by the name of Ismail Qureshi, inspired by piety and holiness, petitioned the Shariat Court. In the name of the tolerant religion of Islam it was prayed that Section 295(C) prescribe only the death penalty with no option of life imprisonment. The Shariat Court, in its infinite wisdom, allowed the petition, and the decision was later upheld by the Shariat Appellate Court of the Supreme Court. During the second round of Nawaz Sharif the suggestion was made that Section 295 be further amended so as to provide that anyone making a false accusation of blasphemy would himself be liable to the death penalty. It was shot down. Come our second Ataturk, known to be a strong man with good intentions. In April 2000, he instructed member of his national Security Council Attiya Inayatullah to organize a seminar on human rights. Very correctly he made a reference to the blasphemy laws, and realizing the criminal abuse they arouse and in an effort to prevent such abuse he announced his intention of amending the laws so that prior to the registration of an FIR, a deputy commissioner would be required to make investigations as to the veracity of the charge - a mere token change in the law but nevertheless a step in the right direction approved by the external world and by the sane and balanced internally. Later, for no good reason other than fear, he retreated and told the nation that such an amendment was not possible. A pity indeed. Of course, had the amendment gone through, now it would not longer be the DCs who would investigate, but the Nazims installed by the general and his wise men. Do we know if the institution of the Nazims is a step up or a step down from the institution of the DCs? In what way do the Nazims and DCs differ in their mindset, educational qualities and abilities? Only time will tell. So, for the time being, and heaven knows for how long, we do not have a law amender. We will have perforce to depend on the law dispensers. Is it possible that one day we may have a judge who has enough confidence in his faith and in himself so that when delivering a judgment he is able to say: I have heard what has been alleged and my faith in my religion tells me that even if the accused, as alleged, has by word spoken or written, by physical representation, by imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, done what he is accused of having done, which has not even been substantiated by sufficient evidence, he is not guilty of blasphemy. He is free to go. Considering the intelligence endowed unto the vast majority, a tall order. But we can hope. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010910 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Israel hell-bent: US inaction ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Eric S. Margolis Pre-election concerns that George W. Bush had a weak grasp of world affairs have been confirmed by a succession of ideology-driven blunders and amateurish fumbles made by his administration that have damaged America's interests and image around the globe. To whit, trying to rush the anti-missile defence project when there was no need for haste; the tactless rejection of the Kyoto environment accords; Washington's crude enlistment of India in a new anti-Chinese alliance; boycotting the just concluded UN racism conference at Durban: and, most disturbingly, fiddling while Palestine burns. Who, one wonders, is running US foreign policy? Certainly not the nearly invisible 'stealth' Secretary of State Colin Powell. America's first black secretary of state was not allowed to go to an African-oriented conference in Durban because Israel was being accused of racism. Recently, Bush berated PLO chief Yasser Arafat for failing to end 'Palestinian violence.' Soon after, Israel assassinated Mustafa Zibri, a senior Palestinian political leader, by firing Maverick missiles from Apache helicopter gunships into his office. The next day, Israeli M-60 tanks and M-113 armoured personnel carriers occupied the Palestinian Christian town of Beit Jala. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Israel is using the M494 105mm APERS-T tank round against Palestinians. This deadly round, designed for use against enemy anti-tank missile crews, disperses a conical spray of 5,000 tiny, razor-sharp darts known as flechettes. In the past, Israel has also used anti-personnel cluster bombs against Palestinian refugee camps. All of the above-noted weapons were supplied to Israel by the United States. Israel is also using an arsenal of other US-supplied weapons, from F-16 fighters to M-16 rifles, against Palestinians. Israeli-designed Merkava tanks 'pacifying' rebellious Palestinians were built with US military aid. Israel is the largest ever recipient of US foreign aid - at least $91 billion since 1949, a sum that could have bought four complete aircraft carrier battle groups ( about 80 ships) for the US Navy. Each year, Israel gets $3-5 billion in US aid. The 1998 Wye River 'peace' accords negotiated by President Clinton gave Israel an extra $380 million for Apache helicopter gunships and armoured vehicles - both currently being used against Palestinians. Just before leaving office, Clinton quietly sent Congress a request for an additional $800 million in military aid for Israel, a gift no doubt aimed at securing his future in publishing and Hollywood. Soon after, in a startling coincidence, Clinton received a book contract for $12 million. Many American conservatives and Jewish Americans are praising Bush for giving Israel's right-wing government carte blanche to crush the Palestinian uprising and assassinate its leadership. Vice- President Dick Cheney has repeatedly accused Palestinian of 'terrorism' while praising Israel's 'restraint.' Israel brushes aside occasional tut-tuts from the US state department, and ignores charges its American-supplied weapons are being used in direct violation of the US Arms Export Control Act, which forbids recipients' use of American arms except for national self-defence in wartime. The White House and US Congress, fearful of antagonizing the mighty Israeli lobby, have refused to address this issue. Ironically, it was left to Gush Shalom, the courageous Israeli peace movement, to protest to Bush against the clearly illegal use of American arms against Palestinians. It is increasingly clear that unless the mayhem in Palestine is ended, the entire Mideast could careen towards an explosion. Ariel Sharon, Israel's right-wing prime minister, has painted himself into a corner by vowing to crush the 'intifada' and never allow a viable Palestinian state. Having provoked the current uprising, and vowed to break its back, Sharon now finds himself trapped in a cycle of violence, terror and counter-terror. Sharon's only answer so far is more of what he has done his entire career: blowing up houses, assassinations, martial law, collective punishments. Now Sharon's aides are hinting at attacks against Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and even Egypt. Israeli critics are warning that Sharon is running amok and must be reined in. Given Sharon's adamant refusal to halt Jewish colonization or allow a Palestinian state, Palestinians have no reason to halt their uprising. Only America has the power to push the two sides into an eventual peace agreement. Israel's brutal repression of the Palestinian 'intifada' is being telecast around the globe, producing rage against Israel and its patron, the United States, and a world-wide surge of anti-Semitism. America's strategic and economic interests across the Mideast and Muslim world are being threatened by the agony of Palestine, which inevitably invites terrorist attacks against US citizens and property. After 30 years of intense effort, the Israeli lobby has managed to dominate Congress, bend US foreign policy to its will, and transform America into what increasing numbers of Muslims see as the principal enemy of the Islamic world. Israel's control of Congress now strongly influences US policy towards Russia, India, and Pakistan, the latter of which is being demonized on orders from Israel as the latest 'Muslim menace.' President Bush needs to act urgently. He needs to help Sharon find a way out of the corner in which he is stuck. Sharon has left himself no line of political retreat - other than being seen to bow to irresistible American pressure. Bush and V.P. Dick Cheney should cease helping Israel's right-wing and its American media mouthpieces demonize Yasser Arafat, who, however guilty of condoning violence, is the man with whom Israel has to make peace. Being right-wing does not automatically make one right. Bush's vanishing act over the Mideast has handed the initiative by default to Arab and Israeli extremists. Unless the US forcefully intervenes, Hamas suicide bombers and Sharon's death squads will determine policy. The result will be a disaster for Jews and Arabs alike. Bush is being irresponsible and dishonest by pretending America has nothing to do with this horrible mess. America has everything to do with it and could stop the carnage overnight if the White House showed sufficient political will and courage. -Copyright Eric S. Margolis, 2001. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010914 ------------------------------------------------------------------- The fury of despair ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ayaz Amir Appalling as the loss of innocent lives is, the question has to be asked as to why the United States is so totally oblivious of the strong hatred it excites in so many despairing corners of the globe. The people who chose to carry out the suicide attacks on New York and Washington left horrendous death and destruction in their wake. But they also sacrificed their own lives into the bargain. For all their meticulous planning they would not have succeeded had they not been willing to die. What then was the pain and anger lying behind their actions? After all, passionate belief or dark despair foreshadows the readiness to embrace death. In all the saturation coverage of this disaster, the theme played upon the most has been the fight between good and evil. Only in passing, if at all, has anyone cared to mention the supreme motivation of the attackers. Callous though it is to say this, innocent lives lost in random or even calculated acts of violence can often be a great spur to hypocrisy because the feelings they evoke can never be the same for all people. Surely, the death of Palestinian children at the hands of Israeli soldiers will not arouse the same feelings in New York as they will in the Palestinian occupied territories. Are all people everywhere affected in the same measure by the plight of Iraqi children suffering the effects of sanctions imposed on their country? Has anyone at a distance foregone his supper for the massacres of innocent people in Burundi and Rwanda? The events in New York and Washington have plunged the United States into grief. Across parts of the Middle East and especially the Palestinian occupied territories they have led to completely different feelings. While no one publicly has condoned these acts, the Hamas leader, Sheikh Yassine, spoke for many people when he said that the United States was reaping what it had sown. It is not a failure of military intelligence, as much of the TV commentary would have it, which lies behind the devastation in New York and Washington but a failure of understanding. And, in equal measure, an excess of arrogance. For the US refuses to recognize that its stance in the Middle East - principally, its blind support of Israel - is what fuels anger across wide swathes of the Muslim world, giving a fillip to militancy. Sole superpower status has also lent an arrogant edge to American behaviour encouraging it to think it can get away with anything. This is not to say the US is an evil empire. Far from it. But in the Middle East its judgement and vision are distorted by its special relationship with Israel. Children killed by Israeli bullets are victims of "crossfire", one of the most misused words in the on-going intifida. Cold-blooded assassination becomes "targeted killing" as if that somehow is a more excusable form of murder. Seldom has the truth been twisted in so blatant or sophisticated a manner. Does not this selectivity give birth to resentment and, when resentment alone is unavailing, to despair? Unless the US realizes this it will keep catching the wrong end of the stick, stressing punitive action when it should be considering the causes of what it considers to be terrorism. Osama is not cause but consequence. If the US was at all inclined to look for causes it could take a closer look at the role of Ariel Sharon who has done more to harden common Arab attitudes than any other Israeli leader in recent years. Another dynamic is also at work. After the taming of Arafat, the destruction of Iraq and the restraint imposed on Qaddafi, the US thought it had licked the problem of Middle Eastern terrorism. But it was wrong. Three factors gave birth to a new militancy: the Iranian revolution, the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and the rise of the Amal and Hamas militias in Lebanon. In Lebanon the spirit of resistance against Israeli aggression was encouraged by Syria and influenced by Iran. In Afghanistan the brand of militancy which came into existence was totally different. More 'fundamentalist' in character, it was bolstered by Zia-ul- Haq's Pakistan and fuelled by Saudi and American money. In an ironic reversal of roles, it is this militancy, born in the crucible of the cold war and baptized in Afghanistan by the US itself, which the US now proclaims as its principal enemy. Osama, let us not forget, earned his jihad spurs fighting the Soviet army before he saw Satan's likeness in the shape of the US. Thus do demons come to haunt their own creators. As for Iraq, it served American interests by acting as a counterweight to Iran. It was only much later that Saddam Hussein was swept by delusions of grandeur when he invaded Kuwait. Had he not committed that blunder he would have remained in the good books of the US. But the mood in Washington is not introspective. It is angry and it is looking for quick villains. Even if hard evidence is yet to come by, fingers are already pointing at Osama bin Laden. This has direct implications for us as the road to Laden passes through Pakistan. Or so at least our American friends insist on thinking. We should therefore brace ourselves for more pressure, more direct than ever before, to help deliver Laden. Being in an angry mood, the US will not take kindly to our disclaimers that there is just so much influence we exercise with the Taliban (Osama's protectors) and no more. In any event, we must look to our dignity, or what after our perennial begging bowl is left of it. While there can be no question of Pakistan staying aloof from any concerted effort against 'global terrorism' - never mind the fact that apart from being the sole superpower the US is also the world's leading lexicographer, giving its own spin to words and their meaning - Pakistan should be allowing no one to walk over it. The manner in which we delivered Ramzi Yousef and Aimal Kansi to the US was less that of a sovereign country and more that of a vassal state doing the bidding of a distant godfather. What did we get for our pains? There are just so many blows our battered dignity can take. While doing the right thing we should take care not to be stampeded into ill-considered acquiescence. Far greater than anything physical or economic, the disaster that has struck the US is a blow to its pride. Such things happened to other countries, not the US. But Fortress America, as television commentators have not been slow to point out, has been breached with comparisons being drawn with Pearl Harbour. But Pearl Harbour was way out in the Pacific. These suicide attacks have penetrated to the heart of America: Wall Street and the Pentagon, the one a symbol of America's financial power, the other of its military might. Even so, it would not do to exaggerate the effects of what has happened. America is not only the military and economic superpower but also the most dynamic nation on the planet. The work of rehabilitation has already begun and before we know it the physical scars will heal. But some of the psychic impact will remain. This time terrorists struck with hijacked aircraft. What if they get hold of nuclear weapons? Pakistan, seen increasingly in alarmist literature as a power teetering on the brink of collapse, should brace itself also for a fresh round of nuclear fundamentalism. In American eyes the arc of crisis now visible across the skies stretches from Palestine to Afghanistan. More than any other country, Pakistan will feel the fallout of this perception. But what about civilization? From Bush and Powell to Blair, the events of the last few days have been likened to a war on civilization, with the twin gods of global information, CNN and BBC, picking up and reinforcing this refrain. Israeli bullets killing Palestinian children do not constitute an attack on civilization. The bombing of Vietnam and the invasion of Cambodia qualify for no such epithet, not even in historical retrospect. The plight of Iraqi children is not an affront to human feelings. But different standards rule when death and destruction strike at the heart of Manhattan and the Pentagon. To state the obvious, the loss of innocent lives is despicable and worthy of the strongest condemnation wherever it occurs. We could all do, however, with a little lowering of double standards. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010915 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Troubled waters ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Irfan Husain Out in Karachi's polluted harbour last week, I saw six or so dilapidated wooden boats at anchor. When I asked a friend whom they belonged to, he told me their owners were Indian fishermen who were in jail for straying into Pakistani waters. No doubt these unfortunate people and their boats have their Pakistani counterparts rotting in Indian ports and jails. But apart from contending with invisible international boundaries, our fishermen also have to face the depredations of large foreign trawlers poaching in our waters, as well as inimical government policies. Large vessels equipped with fish-tracking sonar and freezing plants fish off our coasts around the year, scooping up thousands of tons of marine life, much of which is dumped back into the sea after valuable species have been separated and put on ice. Naturally, the rejects are dead when they return to the water, causing an enormous amount of biological pollution. To make matters worse, they use fine-mesh nets that do not permit the smallest fish to escape in contravention of laws in most countries. Drawing a leaf from their book, the larger (Karachi-based) Pakistani trawlers use similar nets that are decimating marine life in our coastal waters to the long-term detriment of the industry. Although banned by the provincial government, these nets continue to be used with impunity. While these larger foreign and domestic operations represent business ventures of varying sizes and sophistication, they are very different from the small, owner-operated wooden boats that set out to sea from coastal villages in Sindh and Balochistan. For those who sail these fragile craft, the size of each catch determines how well their families will eat. And year after year, they have seen their catch dwindle. Unable to sail very far from the coast, they cannot compete with the larger boats from foreign ports that are scouring our waters for species that are popular back home. Lacking facilities to freeze their small surpluses, they are forced to sell them to middlemen who transport them to the market and earn a large profit. The government has sold out the interests of these fishing folk for a few thousand dollars in fishing licences. Instead of building up our own fishing industry, powerful vested interests (including the embassies of Far Eastern nations whose boats are fishing in our waters) have caused Islamabad to lift the earlier ban on foreign trawlers. Although these well-equipped trawlers are not supposed to fish in our coastal waters, my fishermen friends insist they do so brazenly. The Maritime Security Agency (MSA) that is supposed to prevent such intrusions has been largely ineffective. Again, villagers allege that agents of these foreign vessels pay off local officials to turn a blind eye to their activities. Whatever the truth, it is a fact that unrestricted large-scale fishing using fine-mesh nets is playing havoc with our marine life, threatening the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of fishermen who inhabit Pakistan's coastline. My interest and concern is not just academic: for the last few years, I have been spending most of my weekends at the beach next to a fishing village. Apart from buying fresh fish, lobsters, crabs and oysters from the fishermen, I talk about the changes in the weather and how it is affecting their catch; the different kinds of fish they have caught; and the impact of the foreign fishing fleet on the local economy. They also bring me up to date with village politics. Open and relaxed, they are at peace with themselves and the world. Never servile or obsequious, they look me in the eye and when they sit in my porch, they do so as equals. But my special friend is Fateh who lives in the neighboring village and is my regular supplier of lobsters, fish and fishing lore. A figure from the sixties with his ponytail, jeans and pastel coloured kurtas, he is naturally courteous and over years of dealing with foreigners, has acquired more than a smattering of English. But despite appearances, Fateh is a deeply religious man without ever flaunting his beliefs. Indeed, the self-righteousness of our mullahs drives him to distraction: "Who are they to tell us how to follow our faith?" he demands indignantly. Over the years, I have observed that the closer people live to nature, the more tolerant they are; I suspect that fanaticism is a largely urban phenomenon. Of late, Fateh has run into financial difficulties. He, too, has been hit by falling catches caused by the indiscriminate destruction of fish in and out of season, together with the decimation of the mangroves where many species breed. But in the last fishing season, he lost his nets and his ancient boat engine gave up on him. The next season begins in a few weeks, and he does not have the capital to re-equip his small boat. Too proud to ask for help, he recently wondered if I would invest in a larger boat that would allow him to go deeper and further along the coast, thus increasing his catch. The figure he mentioned was too small to make sense, so I asked him to check the costs. The next weekend, he was very depressed as his total requirement is actually 700,000 rupees, a figure far beyond our combined reach. He then decided to try and raise a far more modest sum for new nets and a second-hand engine. I promised to help him as much as I could, especially as people like Fateh have no recourse to the banking system since he has no collateral and no contacts. Another reason I want to help is that Fateh is putting all four of his daughters through school, despite his financial problems. While swimming that day, I had the bright idea of exploring the possibility of getting some institutional help. In the past, the Besom Foundation, a London-based charity, had helped buy equipment for Darul Sukoon, LRBT and SIUT. I sent off an email, and much to my excitement, they have agreed to pay for the 30-foot wooden boat that will cost around 400,000 rupees. This leaves another 300,000 to pay for the nets, engine and ancillary equipment. I will happily kick in 10,000, and my son has promised 7,000. If enough readers contribute relatively small sums, we should have Fateh fully equipped for the fishing season. As a spin-off, he will take young boys along as apprentices if their own fathers cannot teach them the craft. In time, I hope to get him amateur fish-location sonar that is now available for a few hundred dollars. Anybody wishing to help Fateh can do so by contacting me at mazdak@cyber.net.pk I am really looking forward to Saturday when I break the good news to Fateh.
SPORTS 20010914 ------------------------------------------------------------------- New Zealand cancels Pakistan tour ------------------------------------------------------------------- AUCKLAND, Sept 13: New Zealand's cricket tour of Pakistan was cancelled because of security fears raised by the terrorist strikes in the United States. Snedden also announced that the New Zealand 'A' team had withdrawn from a tour of India. The New Zealand cricket tour is the first international event believed to have fallen victim to security fears in the wake of the kamikaze-style attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. "We have advised the Pakistan Cricket Board of our decision and PCB, we will re-visit possibily of some cricket during October, should we be satisfied that the situation has stabilised." Snedden said the decision was made after advice from experts around the world who warned of possible dangers linked to the US terrorist strikes. The advice from security consultants and various governments was that all travel to Pakistan should be cancelled for seven days, NZ Cricket said in a statement. The Pakistan Cricket Board had been advised of the decision but New Zealand could yet decide to go to Pakistan in October. "Pakistan is not in a position to guarantee the security of our players, it's a world-wide concern," he said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010914 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tight security for SAF Games: Indians keen to participate ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Imran Naeem Ahmad ISLAMABAD, Sept 13: Tight security arrangements have been made for next month's SAF Games, delegates of the 25th Executive Committee meeting of the South Asian Sports Federation were told. Brig Zaheerullah, Director of Security for the Oct 6 to 15 Games in Islamabad, briefed the visiting delegates of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives on the security aspect of the biennial event. He told the house that round the lock security would be provided to the athletes and officials during the Games. In this connection, a control centre would be set up at the Pakistan Sports Complex, which would be the hub of all activity. Brig. Zaheer said that the security would be such that no one would feel as if he was being followed. The privacy of the athletes would be respected and the security staff would be friendly. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010911 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PCB cancels four-nation one-day tournament ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Samiul Hasan KARACHI, Sept 10: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the cancellation of the quadrangular one-day tournament which was to be jointly held with India sometime in March next year. Besides the two traditional rivals, Zimbabwe and the West Indies were to be other participating teams. Both the countries were to host five matches each with the final slated in Pakistan. "The tournament stands cancelled after India announced the itinerary of Zimbabwe's tour that includes Tests and one-day internationals. In other words, they have announced their decision without announcing," director of the PCB Brig Munawar Rana said from Lahore. He added: "We had withheld the itinerary of West Indies tour just because we wanted to accommodate the four-nation cup." The PCB official was also diplomatic when asked if Pakistan would play India in a proposal tri-nation one-day tournament in Bangladesh in December. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010912 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Six-million man' axed again ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Reporter KARACHI, Sept 11: Pakistan cricket selectors left out eternally unfit "six-million Rupee man" Shoaib Akhtar from the 16-man squad for the three-match one-day internationals series against New Zealand. But in a comedy of errors, the selectors named Shoaib captain of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) XI which will test the muscles of New Zealand in a one-day warm-up match at the National Stadium. What is mind boggling in the scenario is that the man who was not considered fit to play limited overs games, has been not only included in the practice one-dayer but has been assigned to lead the team. If the selectors had any fitness doubts against Shoaib, they should have removed them by naming him in New Zealand's three- dayer at Rawalpindi between Sept 27 and 29 where he would have bowled long spells and stayed in the field for more than half the match. The selectors also left out Imran Nazir and Faisal Iqbal but named left-handed opener Taufiq Umer, paceman Shabbir Ahmad and uncapped Naved Latif and Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan. Saqlain Mushtaq and Shahid Afridi are also back in the side after completing their assignments for Surrey and Leicestershire in the English County Championships. Taufiq Umer's preference over Imran Nazir is somewhat surprising as the former has played just one Test in which he scored a century while the latter was recently considered for one-dayers only. Squad: Saeed Anwar, Taufiq Umer, Shahid Afridi, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Naved Latif, Rashid Latif (wicketkeeper), Azhar Mahmood, Abdur Razzaq, Rana Naveed-ul- Hasan, Waqar Younis (captain), Wasim Akram, Shabbir Ahmad, Saqlain Mushtaq and Shoaib Malik. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010912 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sarfraz criticizes foreign coaches ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Sep 11: Former Test cricketer Sarfraz Nawaz has called for an end to inquiries against players and has also pleaded for changing Pakistan's nominee for next President of International Cricket Council. Talking with APP Sarfraz also stressed that there should be only one cricket academy in the country and expressed reservations on the national team's preparations for the World Cup 2,003. "The chapter of inquires against players should now close", he said." Already, such probes in other countries have been wrapped up for good". He appealed to Patron-in-Chief of Pakistan Cricket Board to intervene in the matter and order a close-door probe to avert defamation of players. "The other countries have all held such inquiries against players behind close doors so that they are not defamed". "In other countries, the respective cricket authorities were now taking steps to prevent corruption in future and had stopped hounding players. Pakistan also now should look to the future and not look back. The Paul Condon and Sharjah too are now close". Looking to the future, Sarfraz said "Pakistan should now prepare for 2007 World Cup instead of 2003 event in South Africa". He said most of Pakistani players would already be out of the team by 2003 while those remaining would find it difficult even to field. "The new players will have insufficient experience at international level". Sarfraz also disagreed with the notion of setting up regional academies. "There should be 20-22 under-17 and as many under-19 players in just one national cricket academy". He said that gathering too many players affects the standards as is evident from Rawalpindi's defeat by lowly Kohat in the national under-19 match Monday though Rawalpindi had one of the five cricket academies in the country. He also criticized the coaching by foreigners. "The net effect of coaching by Englishman Geoffrey Boycott was that Pakistan was beaten in the Under-17 World Cup in Dhaka while Pakistan also was badly beaten in Under-19 tournament in Malaysia". He opined that Javed Miandad, being an outstanding player, was more qualified as coach than men like Mudassar Nazar. He said Pakistan should protest on suspension of Inzamamul Haq for two matches. "No action was taken against Aussies Michael Slater and Steve though they adopted more objection behavior on England tour".-APP ------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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