------------------------------------------------------------------- DAWN WIRE SERVICE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Ending : 10 August 2002 Issue : 08/32 -------------------------------------------------------------------
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CONTENTS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS + Pakistan signs anti-terrorism conventions + Observers welcome, not supervisors: CEC + Serious error found in Political Parties Order + Politicians' views on package to be considered: Musharraf + EC invites parties to apply for symbols + Govt persisting with no-election offers: Benazir + No deal with Benazir, Shahbaz, says Nisar + Over 30 political parties submit papers to EC + PPP Parliamentarians set up to contest polls + Ministers must quit before polls: CEC + Consultations on packages from today + SJC not to be reconstituted + Shahbaz Sharif's return ruled out: Nisar + Shahbaz co-accused in 2 cases, says NAB + Sharifs among registered voters + Pre-poll rigging plan 'exposed' + PPP leaders claim pre-polls rigging + Govt accused of pre-poll rigging + Benazir vows to contest polls + Benazir firm to return: report + Nawaz to guide PML-N + Shahbaz elected PML-N president + Mian Azhar re-elected PML-QA president + Framework for transfer of convicts spelt out + State appeal in Pearl case being prepared + Pearl case: govt fears retrial if 4 suspects' name made public + Pearl case convicts seek transfer to Karachi + Gang-rape accused plead not guilty + Defence cross-examines Jatoi SDPO, ex-SHO: Meerwala gang-rape + Defence counsel cross-examine gang-rape victim + Chief juror also guilty, says gang-rape victim + Inquiry begins into banned groups' finances + Mansur's one deal cost $50m to exchequer + Three nurses killed in Taxila chapel attack + 3 suspects in school attack kill themselves + Six killed in attack on Murree school + Consulate reopening linked to security + US consulate in Karachi closed + Wattoo still not eligible to contest elections: Acquittal by LHC + Wattoo acquitted in two references --------------------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMY + Bullish activity pushes index higher by 14 points + SECP, KSE row keeps market under siege --------------------------------------- EDITORIALS & FEATURES + We never learn from history-2 Ardeshir Cowasjee + Creative anarchy Pakistani style Ayaz Amir + The murder of Haji Qadir Eric S. Margolis ----------- SPORTS + PCB chief backs down on threat to Australia + Dalmiya reacts cautiously
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS 20020808 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan signs anti-terrorism conventions ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Our Correspondent WASHINGTON, Aug 7: Pakistan has decided to sign two international conventions on combating terrorism that will further increase its commitment to fight global terror, the Pakistan embassy in Washington announced. Relevant documents, signed by President Musharraf, have been sent to its mission in New York for signing the International Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings of Jan 12, 1998. Similar documents were also sent to the Pakistan mission in Jeddah for signing the OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism. Pakistan has taken another step towards expediting its fight against terrorism, says Mohammad Sadiq, the deputy chief of mission who is looking after the embassy in the absence of an ambassador. We stand by the international community in fighting this menace. Observers say that by signing the two conventions, Pakistan has further committed itself to curbing cross-border militant attacks in the disputed Kashmir region. It will now be bound to act against any group that uses bombing as a strategy to promote its political or religious goals and will also have to catch those who use other violent tactics for this purpose. Since several Kashmiri groups use such tactics, they will automatically become outlaws, the observers said. The documents containing Pakistan's willingness to join the international convention against terrorist bombings will be deposited with the UN Secretary-General and those concerning OIC will be submitted at the General Secretariat of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Jeddah. With this decision, Pakistan is now a party to 10 out of the 12 international instruments and the OIC convention on terrorism. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020808 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Observers welcome, not supervisors: CEC ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Rafaqat Ali ISLAMABAD, Aug 7: Chief Election Commissioner Irshad Hasan Khan made it abundantly clear to a delegation of observers from the European Union that they would be welcome to observe but not supervise the forthcoming general elections. "Their (observers') function is not to supervise but to observe the process as a whole and to form their judgement accordingly," the CEC told John Cushnahan, Chief Observer, European Union Electoral Mission to Pakistan. The CEC said that because a large number of observers would be streaming in, it would not be possible for the government to provide any special and individual security and protocol to them, as the whole government machinery would be busy performing election duties. The Election Commission, however, will be "very happy" to provide them free access to witness the election process. The Election Commission of Pakistan was committed to acting with neutrality, objectivity and independence at every stage of the electoral process, the CEC said. He said that electoral rolls were verified through house to house enumeration by a staff of more than 94,000. He said with the lowering of age limit for eligible voters from 21 years to 18 years, the Commission had to undertake the exercise of registering voters between 18 and 21 years of age afresh. He said the electoral rolls had already been published and made available in every area from August 5. The CEC said that an Allocation of Symbols Order had been finalized after seeking proposals for amendments from the political parties and general public. The CEC said that EC would soon formulate a Code of Conduct for the government-controlled electronic media - the PTV and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation - to ensure that the election coverage was not biased in favour of any particular political party, candidate or leader. The proposed code, he said, would also ensure that the coverage on television was balanced and fair and no political party or leader was discriminated against. The Election Commission, he said, was of the view that the incumbent governors and ministers, desirous of contesting elections, should leave the office before filing their nomination papers. The observers for elections to the parliament and the provincial assemblies were normally required to pay three visits to the constituencies. The observers, the CEC said, had a crucial role at the time of counting of votes. The observers shall be in a position to effectively determine, in their own independent judgement, whether the elections were free, fair and transparent, and whether the results reflected the wishes of the people. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020808 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Serious error found in Political Parties Order ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Arshad Sharif ISLAMABAD, Aug 7: A serious "typo" in the Political Parties Order(PPO), which was discovered only recently, is causing a lot of embarrassment to the government, and the "affected" parties seem to be sharpening their legal knives to turn the PPO on its head. The Chief Executive Order No 18 2002 issued by President Gen Pervez Musharraf under the PCO 1 on June 28, 2002 says: "Whereas it is expedient to provide for deformation and regulation of political parties....the Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is pleased to make the following (Political Parties Order, 2002) order." The order, which was drafted by the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB), bears the president's signatures. When contacted, senior NRB officials said the use of the word "deformation" was a typographical error, and the entire spirit of the order to reform the political system should be kept in mind while going through it. They did not say what was the word they had wanted to use in place of "deformation". Two of the senior officials who said it was a typographical error requested not to be named. The glaring "typo" in the Political Parties Order 2002, was missed even by the law ministry while vetting the NRB draft and then by the president secretariat. (New Webster's Dictionary of the English Language Deluxe Encyclopaedic Edition defines deformation as a change in form, especially one for the worse!) The Political Parties Order 2002, has hit the two major political parties for the worse. PML-N was forced to elect brother of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as head of the party. As a consequence of the same order, the PPP formed the PPP Parliamentary Group with Makhdoom Amin Fahim as its head, and the self-exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto continues as PPP chairperson. Both the parties changed their party leaders to avoid en bloc disqualification from the October elections under the same order. When contacted, senior vice-president PML-N and advocate of Supreme Court, Syed Zafar Ali Shah told Dawn that the use of the word "deformation" in the order to revise, consolidate and re-enact the law relating to political parties amounts to an admission of pre- election rigging in a Presidential Order and spells out the government's intent in very clear words. Project Coordinator of a German donor NGO doing political advocacy in Pakistan, Friedrich Naumman Stiftung, Zafarullah Khan, questioned if the word "deformation" in the Order is a Freudian Slip or a confession of reality by the government. "I don't think it's a Freudian Slip. It is a confession of reality," he said. An advocate of Supreme Court and Pakistan Peoples Party leader, Dr Babar Awan said an idea of the extent of the government's pre-poll rigging could be gathered from the targeted legislation which he added was aimed at hunting down specific political parties and their leaders, as also from the massive transfers in Punjab and Sindh. Dr Awan said, unfortunately, the Supreme Court has not taken note of this. He said the government by doing retrospective legislation has violated the Constitution and the fundamental rights enshrined in it, according to which any law, usage, custom or tradition abridging or offending it is "void ab initio" and ultra- constitutional. Dr Awan said the government was adopting measures of temporary legislation to oust the popular leadership and to bring its own cronies into power. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020807 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Politicians' views on package to be considered: Musharraf ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said the views of constitutional experts, intelligentsia and political leaders will be given due consideration before proposed amendments are finalized. However, according to informed sources, the president told a joint meeting of the cabinet and the National Security Council here on Tuesday that major proposals like the restoration of Article 58(2)(b) and the creation of the NSC, would not be withdrawn. The president said he would make sure that political and economic reforms agenda that had been carried out during the last two-and-a- half years was not undone by the future government. National Reconstruction Bureau Chairman Tanvir Naqvi gave a briefing to the meeting about the package in the context of views, comments and suggestions received from various segments of society. The meeting lasted more than six hours during which participants also asked questions both from the president and the NRB chairman. The participants were of the view that bare minimum amendments should be incorporated in the Constitution. It was said that the government would withdraw many of the proposed amendments, including those empowering the president to appoint the prime minister and reducing the terms of the National Assembly and the Senate. The president commended the NRB authorities for formulating the proposals and said that without amending the Constitution, there was no hope of strengthening democratic institutions. Sources said the government had not rejected the idea of including ministers for interior, foreign affairs and defence in the National Security Council. "Since many people are talking about it, it could be considered to have the three ministers in the NSC," a source said. The president is expected to announce the finalization of the amendments shortly. The joint meeting was attended by members of the NSC, particularly the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the three services chiefs, provincial governors, special adviser to the president, Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, and the attorney-general. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020807 ------------------------------------------------------------------- EC invites parties to apply for symbols ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Rafaqat Ali ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: The Election Commission on Tuesday asked the political parties to apply for allocation of symbols till August 12. An announcement by the EC said the political parties, which have held intra-party elections in accordance with the provisions of the PPO, are invited to make applications for the allocation of one of the symbols prescribed under Rule 9 of the Representation of the People (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 1977. The applications shall be signed by the party leader, and they must reach the Secretary, EC, on or before August 12, 2002, the EC release said. The application shall contain information whether the political party has conducted the intra-party elections as required under Article 12 of the PPO, 2002, and such other particulars or information from the party as the commission might deem necessary. The incomplete applications or telegraphic requests would not be entertained. The EC stated that all those parties which had sent applications for allotment of symbols earlier would have to do so again. The EC made it clear that applications received after August 12, 2002, would not be entertained. The EC said it had finalised the Allocation of Symbols Order, 2002, after soliciting opinion from the political parties. It has been published in the official gazette on August 5. It said the applications for allocation of symbols shall contain the following information: (i) The list of symbols applied for in order of preference; (ii) symbol or symbols, if any, allocated to the political party during the previous elections. Every such application shall be signed by the party leader, by whatever name designated, address of the head office of the political party, the name of its president, secretary-general and other office-bearers of the CEC, the numerical strength of its members, a copy of election manifesto, and a copy of the party constitution. The application shall also contain the information whether the party was represented by a member or members in the national assembly or a provincial assembly in the past. If so, the name and other particulars of such member(s). DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020808 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Govt persisting with no-election offers: Benazir ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ashraf Mumtaz LAHORE, Aug 7: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto says the military regime is still in contact with her and pressing the proposal that she should stay away from elections. She insisted, however, that her leadership was necessary for peace within and peace without. "I have the experience and the team, as well as the popular support [needed] to build a prosperous and progressive Pakistan." In an e-mail interview with Dawn, she said there had been "many contacts, same offer: I should stay out of the electoral contest." She was asked if the government had contacted her recently and whether there had been a new offer. "This is the one objective they are seeking to achieve through legal changes and new decrees. It is making a mockery of the promise of fair elections by [Gen Pervez] Musharraf. More importantly, it is increasing the miseries of ordinary Pakistanis. Utility prices keep going up. Inflation is hurting the middle classes and unemployment is harming the youth. Democracy and development go together." Ms Bhutto was asked what would be the fate of the PPP founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto after the formation of the PPP- Parliamentarians. She said the PPP founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto continued to exist as a non-PPO party of which she remained the chairperson. Its role, she said, would remain the same as before: to build a federal, democratic and egalitarian Pakistan. The four Ps, she said, derived power from the three Ps which would support the former in the general elections. The PPP, she said, had done its best to qualify for registration but the regime had kept changing the laws. How can you contest the election for the office of the president, she was asked, as you are reportedly aspiring if you are not allowed to become prime minister for a third term, not even to become member of the National Assembly or Senate, the PPP chairperson was asked. "I am qualified under Pakistan's laws," she answered. "The Musharraf laws seeking my disqualification are violative of Pakistan's constitution." Asked how could an election for the office of the president be held when there was no vacancy since the general had already got himself another five years, she said: "Let the issue of the parliament be settled first. Then, I will answer this question." When it was pointed out that only recently she was reported to have said in an interview that she would be ready to share power with Gen Musharraf, and that her candidacy for the office of president seemed to be in conflict with that position, the PPP chairperson said: "I am asked questions by journalists and I answer them. My answers are consistent although the context can be different." What, in your opinion, will be the impact on the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy of Shahbaz Sharif's election as president of the PML? How will the development affect the PPP's relationship with the party? she was asked. Ms Bhutto said: "The [Sharif] family has taken a decision which the party has supported. We are working with the PML in the ARD and would continue to do so." About the future of the ARD, she said the alliance had been formed to restore the democratic process in the country and would continue to work towards that end. Asked who would be the PPPP's allies and rivals in the elections, Ms Bhutto said the military hardliners who had created the Al- Qaeda, the Jaish-i-Muhammad and other such groups were the ones who had destabilized her government and would be her rivals in the elections. "They choose different persons and parties as a front at different times. Let's see who they choose now. As far as the army and its chiefs are concerned, I had good relations with them and continue to do so. It's some of the intelligence operatives and political class which worked with Gen Zia during the Afghan Jihad that oppose my leadership." Replying to a question, she said the regime had stated it would hold elections and unless they stated otherwise, she would expect them to hold the polls on schedule. When do you plan to return to Pakistan? she was asked, your critics say you will not return without a deal with the military regime. Ms Bhutto said: "My critics have their point of view. I have another. I plan to contest the elections and return irrespective of what the regime has to say." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020807 ------------------------------------------------------------------- No deal with Benazir, Shahbaz, says Nisar ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: Information Minister Nisar A. Memon rejected outright reports of any deal with Benazir Bhutto and Shahbaz Sharif and dismissed the impression that the government had any "favourites" for the October 10 polls. "The government of President Musharraf does not believe in any deals," the minister stated while talking to reporters at a book launching ceremony here. "The government has not made any deal with Benazir Bhutto or Shahbaz Sharif," he said. Memon said Benazir Bhutto and Shahbaz Sharif could return any time they wanted as they were citizens of this country. He, however, pointed out that government did not force Benazir Bhutto to leave the country, she went into exile on her own will. Similarly, the minister said, corruption cases against her were registered during the previous regime. The information minister made it clear that Ms Bhutto would have to face cases registered against her, when she returns. "Law will take its own course". About Shahbaz Sharif, the minister said he was sent abroad under an 'arrangement' and hinted that government would take action if he violates that arrangement. The minister observed that "everyone was allowed to return but the rule of law remains supreme and no one was above it." He also dispelled the impression that government had any "favourites" for the upcoming elections. The minister said those holding such views might be referring to people who were supporting the government's policies. He said supporting or opposing government's policies was part of any political system. To a question he said the special joint meeting of the Cabinet and National Security Council, presided over by the president, was held to review the feedback on the proposed constitutional amendments. The meeting, he said, took stock of the views that have emerged after the consultative meetings the president held with political parties, intellectuals, academia, and others. These proposed amendments would now be reviewed and finalized in the light of the feedback; the president himself would announce the decision. Answering a question, the minister said the political process continued during the three-years of the present government.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020806 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Over 30 political parties submit papers to EC ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Rafaqat Ali ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: The Election Commission received documents from more than 30 political parties for registration. The parties were informed by the Election Commission officials that under the rules, they could submit the required documents, including certificates of intra-party polls, amended party constitutions in the light of the Political Parties Order 2002, and audited reports, showing their expenses, by August 12. Secretary Election Commission, Hasan Muhammad, received the documents from party office-holders. The EC, under the rules framed recently after the promulgation of Political Parties Order, has to be satisfied whether the certificates submitted by the parties, fulfilled the requirement of Articles 11, and 12 of the PPO. The documents would be published in the official gazette. The Election Commission, under the rules, is empowered to return the documents if found not in conformity with the PPO's provisions. As the office of Election Commission opened on Monday, a large number of office-holders of the political parties began pouring in to submit their party documents. It is for the first time that the Election Commission was conducting such an exercise to get complete information about the political parties. General Ziaul Haq had attempted to register the political parties, but failed. The attempt was thwarted by Pakistan People's Party with the help of Supreme Court. The apex court on the constitutional petition of Benazir Bhutto had held that asking a political party to get itself registered was violative of the fundamental rights of the people who were ultimate judge to accept or reject any party. The parties which submitted papers on Monday, included Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). The documents were submitted to the Secretary Election Commission by Aftab Sheikh, Deputy Convenor MQM, and Shoaib Bukhari, also deputy convenor. Aftab Sheikh told Dawn that MQM had already submitted the amended party constitution, and on Monday they handed in audited report of its finances and intra-party polls. Dr Imran Farooq, who is in London, said he was the head of MQM. (Under the PPO, an absconder or convict could be an office bearer of any party). Pakistan Muslim League (N) submitted documents, sans intra-party polls certificate, through Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal, and Ahsan Iqbal. They informed the reporters outside the Election Commission House that intra-party polls certificate would be submitted sometime before August 12. The other parties, which submitted documents for registration, are Pakistan Awami Tehrik-i-Inqilab, Pakistan Progressive Party, Mohajir Ittehad Tehrik Pakistan, Progressive Democratic Party Balochistan, Sindh National Front, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Pakistan Pashthoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, Pakistan Ittehad Tehreek, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Pakistan, Balochistan National Party, Punjab National Front, Jamhoori Watan Party, Sunni Tehreek, Pakistan Muslim League (Qayyum Group), Pakistan Peoples Party (Shaheed Bhutto), Afghan National Party, Pakistan Worker Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Nazriyat Group), Jamiat-i- Ulema Pakistan (Niazi Group), Pakistan Muslim League (Qasim), Pakistan Jamhoori Aman Party, Pakistan Gharib Party, Balochistan National Democratic Party, Awami Hamayat Tehreek Pakistan, Tehreek-i-Jamhoriat Pakistan, Pakistan Workers Party, Pakistan Mazdoor Kisan Party, Pakistan Saraiki Party, and Musawat Party headed by film actress Musarrat Shaheen. The Election Commission official was receiving the papers from the parties until 9 pm. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020806 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PPP Parliamentarians set up to contest polls ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: Pakistan People's Party formed a new political entity, PPP Parliamentarians, in a bid to avert the imminent threat of losing the chance for contesting election. The new group, which vowed to continue to seek guidance from Benazir Bhutto, would be headed by Makhdoom Amin Fahim. A relatively junior PPP member, Raja Pervez Ashraf, was elected PPPP's secretary-general. The decision, which came like a bolt from the blue even for most of the party members, was taken at an informal meeting of some selected party leaders here at the PPP's central secretariat after receiving an e-mail message from Dubai, party sources said. Those of the PPP leaders who were gathered here to submit a certificate of intra-party polls to the Election Commission were unaware of the move contemplated at Dubai till it was communicated to them at 12 noon, a source said. It is a tactical move to avoid PPP's disqualification to contest elections on one symbol since the existing legal dispensation does not allow PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto to hold any party office. A party member said that the PPPP would submit the certificate of intra-party elections and accounts to the Election Commission before Aug 12, the last date for submitting those details. The requirement of holding elections within the party has already been fulfilled, he added. Though a PPP statement reiterated Ms Bhutto's resolve to return to the country and contest the elections, the move cast a pall of doubt over her comeback in near future. "The problem is not Benazir's return to the country, but Gen Musharraf's exit from politics," Information Secretary Taj Haider told Dawn. Another party leader who was visibly dejected over the decision, said the PPP cadres were quite mature and they would accept the decision. Requesting anonymity, he said the party would continue legal fight to alter the status quo. A party insider said that Mian Raza Rabbani, the secretary-general, had conveyed his inability to participate in elections. Some other party leaders, including Raja Shahid Zafar, who held the production ministry's portfolio after 1988 elections, was also not interested in contesting elections. "The Pakistan People's Party has formed a separate entity called the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians to meet the requirements of the new decree passed by the military dictatorship. This is being done to meet the requirements of the new decree passed 48 hours before PPP unanimously elected former premier Benazir Bhutto as head of PPP on July 28, 2002." The party claimed that Gen Pervez Musharraf at a corps commanders' meeting in April had admitted that Ms Bhutto would sweep the elections and that the referendum was held to avoid asking her for presidency. It stated that the regime had passed a number of Benazir- specific laws to prevent her from contesting the elections. Without mentioning whether she would return and when, it said "PPP and Mohtarma are determined that she will contest the forthcoming elections". The party alleged that since the chief justice and half of the Supreme Court were sacked, judiciary in Pakistan had been operating in a "climate of coercion and terror". The PPP said: "The Musharraf regime passed a second Benazir law asking all parties to register before the Election Commission in the hope that a new leadership could come up in the PPP. The PPP workers bravely resisted this move in a show of unity and solidarity unanimously re-elected key central office-bearers. The PPP was thus eligible to be registered for election purposes with Election Commission. "The Musharraf regime passed a third law on Aug 2, after PPP concluded its elections on Aug 2. Under this law, the regime said that it would not register the PPP because of its head was a leader against whom its first absentee law was passed even if the party had under existing laws passed hurdle of the second decree ordering registration. "The People's Party will challenge this new law before the high court as violative of the Constitution and the Supreme Court order. "A group of leaders met in Islamabad today to form the PPP Parliamentarians. The aim of PPP Parliamentarians is to build a progressive and democratic society in accordance with the principles, philosophies and politics of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Quaid-i-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Quaid-i-Jamhooriyat Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto will the political guide of this new grouping although she will not hold an elective office in it." Under section 5 of the Political Parties Order 2002, Ms Bhutto is not eligible for holding office of any political party. The relevant section reads: "Provided that a person shall not be appointed or serve as an office-bearer of a political party if he or she is not qualified to be, or is disqualified from being elected or chosen as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) under Article 63 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan or under any other law for the time being in force." Ms Bhutto was convicted under section 31 of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance twice on the charge that she had failed to appear before the accountability court, where four corruption cases are pending. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020806 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ministers must quit before polls: CEC ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: Chief Election Commissioner, Irshad Hasan Khan, reiterated that the sitting ministers desiring to contest the upcoming general elections must relinquish their offices before they file nomination papers. "The principle of neutrality and impartiality demands that incumbent ministers seeking to contest forthcoming elections should relinquish their offices or they be asked to resign by the president well before the election day," the CEC said. The CEC had first asked the sitting ministers to resign from the cabinet on July 10, after the statement of federal law minister Dr Khalid Ranjha that incumbent ministers aspiring to contest polls, were not required to resign from cabinet. The CEC repeated the same on Monday. The Election Commissioner said that an incumbent minister contesting election would enjoy "inherent advantages" which would not be fair to the opposing candidate. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020805 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Consultations on packages from today ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 4: President Gen Pervez Musharraf will begin consultations with his legal aides on Monday to take final decision about the proposed constitutional amendments. The indications are that except for proposals about discretionary powers to dissolve the parliament, appoint the services chiefs and establishment of the National Security Council, majority of the remaining proposals would be left for the next parliament to decide. Official sources told Dawn that the president would meet his legal aides, led by Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, and discuss the proposed amendments prepared by the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB). It is learnt that upper hierarchy of the government was having second thoughts after receiving the reaction on the proposed amendments, which was least expected by it. The government, sources said, had been advised by its top legal advisers, Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada and Attorney-General Makhdoom Ali Khan, that it should go for minimum possible amendments and should not attempt to rewrite the Constitution. The government was also advised that the whole NRB plan of strengthening the federation was a flawed one, and it could not be attained by tampering with the consensus document. It was pointed out that 1973 Constitution was valued not for its provisions, but for being a consensus document on which all the federating units agreed. "The 1973 constitution has attained the value of a covenant between the federating units," the source said. The official sources, however, ruled out the possibility of the idea of the National Security Council being dropped as the president believes that by formalising the role of military, sustainable democracy could be achieved. The proposals to change Senate's character have already been taken back as the old electoral college has been revived. The sources said except for the revival of 58(2)(B), powers to appoint services chiefs, formation of the National Security Council, increase in the number of seats in the national and provincial assemblies, increase in the number of seats in the Senate, reserved seats for women and minorities to be part of joint electorate and some minor changes to improve the working of existing constitutional bodies like the Council of Common Interest, the National Economic Council, the remaining proposed amendments would be left for the next parliament. The government was soft on the minimum educational qualification, a brainchild of the NRB chief Lt-Gen Tanvir Naqvi (retired), was in quandary as the Supreme Court had given a decision approving it. The government, sources said, would not like to embarrass the Supreme Court by taking it back, which delivered the verdict on "merits" and not on "technical grounds." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020805 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SJC not to be reconstituted ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 4: The government has decided to drop the proposal for the reconstitution of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) with all the chief justices of the high courts as its members, but would stick to the proposal allowing suo motu powers to the council to initiate proceedings against any judge, Dawn learnt from judicial sources. The government in its second constitutional package had proposed that article 209 of the Constitution dealing with the SJC be amended to provide that instead of the two most senior chief justices of high courts the chief justices of all high courts be members of the council. The proposal, however, was not well received by the judiciary at highest level, arguing that if the proposed amendment in article 209 was carried the balance of the SJC will tilt in favour of the high court and the apex court would be outnumbered. The SJC's existing Constitution is that it is headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, two senior most judges of the Supreme Court and also two senior most chief justices of high courts as its members. The proposal for empowering the SJC, to inquire into any matter relating to corruption or incapacity of a judge to perform his functions properly, at its own accord, were welcomed by all the relevant quarters, including the judiciary, the source said. The third proposal that the SJC's recommendations be binding for action by the president was also received well. The SJC has been part of every Constitution of Pakistan, but only four cases have been referred to it in the last 55 years. These are of Justice Shaukat Ali of Lahore High Court, Justice Ikhlaq of LHC, Justice Fazale Ghani and Justice Safdar Shah of the Supreme Court. Those who have seen the judiciary closely, are of the view that the exception of Justice Shaukat Ali, who was accused of holding two offices of profit, all the remaining cases were clearly motivated and the purpose was not to take to clean the institution of the sullen faces but to target the uncompromising judges which were not liked by those on the helm of affairs. The Supreme Court, in its number of judgments, held that the president "alone," on the advice of prime minister or the cabinet, could refer a case of a judge to the Supreme Judicial Council for holding an inquiry against him. The Supreme Court, repeatedly turned down the requests to interpret article 209, which says that the president on information received from the "Supreme Judicial Council or from any other source," shall direct the SJC to inquire into the matter. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020809 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Shahbaz Sharif's return ruled out: Nisar ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, July 8: Information and Media Development Minister Nisar Memon has ruled out the possibility of Shahbaz Sharif's return to the country. "He has gone to Saudi Arabia along with about 25 other members of the Sharif family under an arrangement made on their request for a period of 10 years. "Therefore, the question of anybody's return from that country simply does not arise," he said. The minister observed that in case Shahbaz Sharif chose to return in violation of the arrangement, he would not be allowed to enter the country. He recalled that sometime back Shahbaz Sharif's wife had come to Pakistan but she had been immediately sent back to Saudi Arabia. He said there were two cases of money laundering and loan default against the Sharif family and added that in one case alone, involving Rs1.7 billion default, Shahbaz Sharif was a co-accused. The minister said that political activities were not allowed in Saudi Arabia and recent statements by Shahbaz Sharif were indicative of the fact that he was violating the Saudi law of which the Saudi government would take notice. These statements, he said, were apparently made in desperation to secure political survival. The minister hoped that the announcement would put to rest all speculations about Shahbaz Sharif's return to the country. Benazir Bhutto, the minister pointed out, had gone abroad in self- exile and thus could return home any time. "She went out with the permission of the court but subsequently, (she) did not appear in the court proceedings despite summons, and thus has been declared convicted by the court," he maintained. The minister made it clear that in case Ms Bhutto opted to return, she would be arrested and proceeded against in accordance with the law of land. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020807 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Shahbaz co-accused in 2 cases, says NAB ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: The newly elected president of Pakistan Muslim League (N) Mian Shahbaz Sharif is co-accused in two cases of money laundering and bank default of over Rs two billion, National Accountability Bureau said on Tuesday. In these two references pending at the accountability court, Attock, Mian Nawaz Sharif is the principal accused and all the directors of Hudabiya Sugar Mills and Ittefaq Foundry are co- accused, Prosecutor General Raja Bashir told a press conference. In the case of Hudabiya Sugar Mills, the charge is of money laundering to the tune of over Rs600 million whereas in the case against Ittefaq Foundry, the directors are accused of bank loans default involving a total sum of Rs1.6 billion. "The law will take its course," Prosecutor General Raja Bashir said on a question about fate of Shabaz Sharif if he returned. A key legal functionary of the government expressed his complete ignorance about the agreement which the government claims it had signed with the Sharif family for allowing them to leave the country. "I have no knowledge about the agreement," he said on a question whether he was privy to the deal reportedly signed between the Sharif family and the government. Raja Bashir did not rule out the possibility of Shahbaz Sharif being arrested in case he returned for contesting the elections. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had left the country along with 18 other family members in December, 2000, after striking a deal with the military government. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020806 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sharifs among registered voters ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ashraf Mumtaz LAHORE, Aug 5: Can someone duly enrolled with the Election Commission of Pakistan be prevented from exercising his right to vote in the elections? In normal circumstances the answer to this question is in the negative. But the answer is quite different when the voters in question are members of the former ruling family, of which Mian Muhammad Sharif is the head. Deposed prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, brothers Shahbaz Sharif and Abbas Sharif, wife Kulsoom Nawaz, sons Husain and Hasan and father Mian Sharif were not enrolled in the draft lists. However, they were registered as voters by the revising authority. But as they are in exile, and the government has repeatedly stated they will not be allowed to come back before the completion of a term of 10 years, they will not be able to cast their votes in the Oct 10 elections. And since the government has already decided not to allow the overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes in the elections, the Sharifs will not be able to use their right even from Saudi Arabia. As many as 18 members of the family were banished to the kingdom in December 2000 and a majority of them are eligible voters. According to lists displayed by the Election Commission, people mentioned above plus Nusrat Shahbaz and capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar are registered voters. But the names of the mother and daughters of the deposed prime minister could not be traced from the lists. Assistant Election Commissioner Khaleequr Rehman says the lists were put on display at various places on Monday and they could be seen for a week. There are over 72 million eligible voters in the country. Of them more than 5.2 million were registered after the government lowered the voter age from 20 years to 18. In various elections held in the past, the turnout has been varying between 34 and 52 per cent. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020810 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pre-poll rigging plan 'exposed' ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter LAHORE, Aug 9: Munir Ahmad Khan of the Pakistan Peoples Party wrote a letter to the chief election commissioner, exposing what he called a pre-poll rigging plan. In the Punjab, the Musharraf government had planned to support the king's party and provincial ministers had been allocated 34 districts, the letter said. Copies of the letter had also been sent to the Common Wealth secretary-general and chief election observer of the European Union at Islamabad. The ministers had been assigned different duties to ensure the success of government-sponsored candidates and the Punjab chief secretary would monitor the whole operation. The district Nazimeen and district coordination officers had been directed to obey the directions of the ministers and the chief secretary. The letter also detailed district-wise allocation and maintained that education minister Akhtar Saeed had been told to look after Multan, Muzaffargarh, Khanewal and Rajanpur districts. Similarly, local government minister Hamid Saeed Akhtar would be overseeing Gujranawala, Sialkot, Narowal and Mandi Bahauddin districts. Auqaf minister Mufti Ghulam Sarwar had been given Lahore, Kasur and Vehari districts. Agriculture minister Khurshid Zaman Qureshi had been assigned Lodhran, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur. C&W minister Mohammad Tariq would be overseeing Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan. Revenue minister Malik Mohammad Aslam had been told to ensure results in Sargodha, Mianwali, Bhakkar and Khushab whereas social welfare minister Shaheen Attiqur Rehman would visit Jhelum, Chakwal and Attock for results. Health minister Dr Mahmood Ahmad would go to Toba Tek Singh, Faisalabad and Jhang. Law minister Rana Ejaz Ahmad would ensure results in Gujrat, Sheikhupura and Hafizabad and finance minister Tariq Hameed would work in Layyah, D G Khan and Rawalpindi districts. These ministers had been assigned the duties to support candidates of the king's party, pressure strong candidates to join the party, ensure the use of development funds through the government- sponsored candidates, ensure the working of police in the area for these candidates and to withdraw candidates in favour of official candidates. The letter further alleged that the Punjab chief secretary was presiding over meetings of political people in all the districts and pressuring district Nazimeen to join or cooperate with these candidates. One example was the Sargodha district Nazim who refused to cooperate and was summoned by the chief secretary in Islamabad. The chief secretary was so involved that he directed his family to publicly announce joining the PML-Q. In the light of the above submissions, the ARD felt that the dream of fair elections would not come true if the ministers and the chief secretary were not stopped. It was, therefore, requested that directions be issued to them to stop political activities. The chief secretary may be suspended to ensure fair elections and the ministers be asked to resign if they were interested in political activities. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020809 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PPP leaders claim pre-polls rigging ------------------------------------------------------------------- staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 8: The European Union electoral observation mission, headed by John Cushnahan, called on PPP acting secretary-general Mian Raza Rabbani and the party's finance secretary, Ehsanul Haq Paracha, at the PPP central secretariat. The PPP delegation apprised the EU mission on its apprehension that the forthcoming elections will not be free, fair and transparent, says a party press release. In this regard, they stated that the process of pre-poll rigging can be categorised into three categories: rigging through politics, rigging through law and rigging through administration. They cited the specific examples like rigging through politics, they said repeated statements of the president that Benazir Bhutto will not be allowed in politics, creation of the SDA, creation of the National Alliance, support to the PML(Q) particularly in the Punjab, appointment of ministers in the Sindh cabinet belonging to political parties, sending of non-entities as envoys of the regime, sitting governors and ministers contesting polls. The PPP leaders said application of the NAB law to the mainstream political party, PPP, promulgation of Benazir Bhutto-specific laws, to prevent her from taking part in politics are examples of rigging through law. They said the following Benazir-specific laws have been promulgated: (a) Amendment to Section 31 of NAB Ordinance whereby non- appearance before a court has been made a convictable offence. (b) Conviction by Special Courts for her non-appearance, although her attorney was present. (c) The qualification to Hold Public Office Order, 2002, restricting any person from becoming the prime minister more than two times. (d) Amend to the Representation of Peoples Act, 1976, wherein conviction for non-appearance in a Court has been much a disqualification for contesting elections. (e) The promulgation of the Political Parties Order, 2002. Proposed Constitutional Amendments to Article 63 that a person convicted for non-appearance in court cannot contest the elections. They said that the returning officers have been empowered to reject candidate papers; and voter lists are being made by Nadra and not by the Election Commission. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Govt accused of pre-poll rigging ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Aug 3: A former deputy-speaker of the National Assembly and Pakistan People's Party leader from Naushehro Feroz accused the government of indulging in pre-election rigging to marginalize the PPP. Speaking at a news conference, Syed Zafar Ali Shah said he did not expect the forthcoming elections to be fair and transparent because the government was indulging in pre-election rigging by setting up polling stations in the far-flung areas and away from the voters. "It reflects the mala fide intentions of the regime and amounts to doctoring election results, even before they are held," he maintained. He alleged that despite ban on transfers and postings of government officials by the chief election commissioner, the practice was continuing. He said the government's package and other actions were focused on keeping two persons - Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif - out of political dispensation. He said attempt to prevent Benazir Bhutto from taking part in the elections because of her conviction for being absent from court proceedings was unfair and a mockery when Sherpao and Liaquat Jatoi have been allowed to take part in elections. Same is the case with SDA and NDA, he alleged. He said the intention of the regime was evident from the fact that a person who had been disqualified for seven years has now been made a minister in the Sindh cabinet. Asked if he had lost hope to win the upcoming elections, he said the PPP, which has the backing of the people, will not be deterred by such tactics and it will not leave the field open for the regime to subvert the will of the masses. Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah of Merhabpur said the regime has shifted polling stations in remote and the far-flung areas. In some cases, he added, polling station for one Deh has been set up for another. Polling stations for women and men for the same deh have been located in different places, which would result in keeping the voters away on the polling day. He said polling stations have been set up outside the populous areas with the same intentions. He also alleged that delimitation of constituencies was also being used to facilitate the government proxies and to keep the PPP out. But he said the regime's efforts would not be successful. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020807 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Benazir vows to contest polls ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: The former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto said she would defy a ban on her participation and contest Pakistan's general elections in October - even if it meant doing so from a prison cell. In a telephone interview from self-imposed exile in London, the 49- year-old told Reuters: "I am returning to contest the next election." "I would like to contend. My party wants me to contend. The people want me to contend. But I am being stopped by a general who seized power in a coup who happens to be a key ally to the West." President Pervez Musharraf has decreed that prime ministers who have served twice cannot run for a third term, a move that excludes both ex-premiers from resuming power. They are also both disqualified under a rule banning people convicted of crimes. Ms Bhutto argues that the charges of corruption against her are pending, and that a third hurdle - banning anyone who failed to turn up in court to face charges as she did earlier this year - was also illegal, as she was represented by her lawyer. "He promised a fair election and he's done everything in his power to ensure a pre-determined result." The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of which Ms Bhutto is head, formed a new group called PPP Parliamentarians on Monday, just in time to meet the deadline by which parties had to complete internal elections to qualify for the parliamentary polls. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020805 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Benazir firm to return: report ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent NEW YORK, Aug 4: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has reaffirmed her determination to return to Pakistan and participate in the October elections even if she is jailed by "the country's military dictator." In a telephonic interview with the New York Times on Sunday, she said she did not think of losing in the elections, asserting: "I only think of winning." Bhutto, who first revealed her decision to return earlier this year in an interview with Dawn, has caught the attention of international media, many of whose members have sought to travel with her to Pakistan when she returns. The Pakistan People's Party Chairperson told the NYT that she did not fear returning to the country and would go back in the next few weeks. "Under the Constitution I can contest the election, and I plan to go back and contest it," she said. "He is trying to ban my participation in the election because most analysts say my party will win the new elections," she added, referring to President Gen Musharraf. As a matter of fact many Pakistani experts and writers believe that Bhutto's party will get a comfortable majority to head some sort of coalition government in Pakistan. While she has said time and again that she was willing to share power with military strongman Musharraf, her overtures have been spurned by him. Besides Bhutto's convictions in Pakistani courts in absentia, the government has promulgated ordinances which bar anyone for holding prime minister's office for more than two terms. While noting noted that Bhutto might simply be bluffing, the NYT, however, said: "But if she does return, her arrival could put General Musharraf and the United States in an awkward position. Her Pakistan People's Party has been emerging as the most powerful opposition force in the coming elections." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020805 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Nawaz to guide PML-N ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 4: Shahbaz Sharif, talking to the party leaders on Sunday here by telephone, has expressed his determination to work under the guidance of his elder brother Nawaz Sharif together with the workers of the PML-N for the safeguard and glory of Pakistan. Shahbaz, the newly-elected party chief, told PML-N Coordinator Ahsan Iqbal and Secretary Information Siddiqul Farooq that the presidentship of the party was the custody of Nawaz Sharif, and he would continue to take guidance from him in running the party affairs and would hand this office back as soon as things turn conducive. Referring to the reports of Captain Safdar along with his spouse Maryam Nawaz's arrival in London from Jeddah en-route Pakistan, the sources said they were not political leaders but members of the family who could go anywhere and return home at their will. So far as any plan of their accompanying Shahbaz Sharif to Pakistan was concerned, the sources said it was "premature" to comment on. However, Shahbaz Sharif during his conversation assured the leaders that the "nation should be ready for good news in the near future". The party sources said the replacement of Nawaz Sharif was merely a formality to fulfil the requirement of the Political Parties Act 2002 which the party was doing as a protest. Information Secretary Siddiqul Farooq said the party had decided not to leave election arena for the rivals, and thus it took steps to fit for the registration and taking party symbol. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Shahbaz elected PML-N president ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: Pakistan Muslim League (N) on Saturday elected Mian Shahbaz Sharif new party president and elevated his elder brother and former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif to a ceremonial position of "Quaid-i-Muslim League". Contrary to the announcement made by the party's central working committee on Friday, Mian Shahbaz Sharif was elected unopposed at the general council meeting held at a farm house in a remote corner of the federal capital. In the sweltering heat and humidity party members gathered from all over the country only to endorse the move planned by the party leaders in complete secrecy. The overnight change in the decision of the central working committee is being viewed with keen interest by the political circles here who suspect behind-the-scene "hobnobbing," by party leaders with powers that be. "Technically speaking, the position of Quaid-i-Muslim League is a ceremonial one, but it has much political significance," Syed Zafar Ali Shah told Dawn after the ballot. Through this move the PML(N) has given a clear message to the military government that Nawaz Sharif and his family are still relevant in our politics, he said. The forces that had been enacting black laws to eliminate PML(N) and Sharif family from the political arena would get the message loud and clear that every move aimed at ousting Nawaz Sharif or Sharif family from the national politics was bound to fail, he added. The message given to the government and other political forces was that the PML(N) was fully united under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif to contest the elections, he added. Zafar Ali Shah said that provincial organizations of the party and the CWC expressed their full faith and confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif and gave him the mandate to nominate anyone from amongst the party new president. Raja Zafarul Haq proposed the name of Shahbaz Sharif for the post of president, while Saranjam Khan seconded the proposal. No other member submitted papers for the post hence Shahbaz Sharif was elected unopposed. Earlier, Syed Zafar Ali Shah placed a number of amendments, including the creation of the post of Quaid-i-Muslim League, before the general council, which were unanimously approved by the house. The party constitution has been amended with a view to bringing it in line with the Political Parties Order, 2002, Mr Shah said. The general council also retained Raja Zafarul Haq, Saranjam Khan and Javed Hashmi as the chairman, secretary-general and senior vice-president respectively. They were also elected unopposed. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mian Azhar re-elected PML-QA president ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: Mian Azhar was re-elected as PML-QA president with an overwhelming majority in the intra-party elections marred by the allegations of irregularities in the preparation of general council members' list. Ijazul Haq, the only challenger, did not turn up at the polling venue nor any of his supporters came to attend the event. When asked about boycott from Ijazul Haq, party Chief Election Commissioner Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said: "He had promised in his conversation by telephone to reach by 11am, but he never came for unknown reasons". Against the backdrop of controversy emerging on Ijazul Haq's candidature and fears of disruption or disorder, the polling went smooth as no untoward incident took place. There were complaints of irregularities in the list of voters as many of those present in the PML House were allowed to cast their votes irrespective of his name on the list, eye witnesses said. Chaudhry Shujaat said Azhar polled 493 votes as against his arch rival Ijazul Haq's 17 votes out of 523 total polled from a list of 706 members of the general council with 13 having been rejected. The new entrant Iftikhar Gilani was elected senior vice-president along with Majeed Malik. The party also elected Zafarullah Jamali unopposed from Blochistan as party secretary-general with 29 vice- presidents and 21 joint secretaries while Syeda Abida Hussain retained the office of information secretary. Tariq Badruddin Banday was elected as the finance secretary, Azeem Chaudhry as organising secretary, Sikandar Hayat Malhi as secretary overseas with an 80-member central executive committee. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Framework for transfer of convicts spelt out ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Faraz Hashmi ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: The government promulgated an ordinance laying a legal framework for repatriation of foreign nationals convicted in Pakistan and Pakistani citizens convicted abroad. The ordinance issued laid down a procedure for filing of a request by foreign convicts imprisoned in Pakistan and Pakistani citizens serving sentences in other countries, which have an agreement with Pakistan for the mutual transfer of offenders. The new law would facilitate transfer of several hundred foreign citizens recently taken into custody while entering Pakistan from Afghanistan in the wake of US-led operations against terrorism. Pakistan's border security agencies have reportedly arrested over 300 foreign nationals mainly from Pakistan-Afghanistan border since the launching of war against terrorism. Under the new law, a competent authority which would be secretary interior can make a request for the repatriation of foreign convicts to their respective governments. The foreigners imprisoned in Pakistani jails can also make a request through the competent authority for their transfer to their respective country. Before the transfer of any foreign criminal back to his country of origin, the government would inform him in writing, in his own language or a language he understands of the effects and consequences of such transfer. The competent authority after completing the procedure would issue a warrant to the respective provincial inspector general of prisons for handing over the offender to the person authorized to receive and deliver him to the specified country. The ordinance provides that any Pakistani citizen convicted abroad on his transfer would have to complete his term as imposed on him by the court of the country where he had committed the crime. The law has not limited the powers of the president to grant pardon or remission of sentence to any offender under Article 45 of the Constitution or by any other authority under any law of Pakistan. However, the offender of Pakistani citizenship on his return cannot file any appeal or revision against the sentence awarded to him in the foreign court. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020806 ------------------------------------------------------------------- State appeal in Pearl case being prepared ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Aug 5: The Advocate-General Sindh, Raja Qureshi, said on Monday that "at the appellate stage we have a good case to defend against conviction of Ahmed Omar Shaikh and in favour of enhancement of sentence of his three accomplices" in the Daniel Pearl case. He said: "Despite attempts to nullify what the prosecution achieved at the trial stage, as a chief law officer of the province, I am back on the opening day of the High Court to prepare for the appeals which are fixed for pre- admission hearing on Aug 13." He said being aggrieved and dissatisfied with the judgment pronounced by the ATC judge at Hyderabad in Special Case No 26/02, the state had filed the appeal in the Sindh High Court for enhancement of sentence of Fahad Naseem, Syed Salman Saqib and Shaikh Muhammad Adil, who were convicted and sentenced under section 7 of the Anti-terrorism Act of 1997 to suffer imprisonment for life. Mr Qureshi claims that "overwhelming incriminating evidence has actually come on record" in respect of the above-mentioned three persons who have been awarded a lesser punishment than what is prescribed by law being normal punishment. It is the case of the state that the case set up by the prosecution against the four accused was and is based on conspiracy, in furtherance of which separate acts were committed by all the four accused with the common intention as well as the meeting of minds, falling within the concept of criminal conspiracy. "Hence the accused would not in any manner deserve a punishment lesser to what has been awarded to the principal accused, Ahmed Omer Saeed Shaikh," the advocate-general said. He contended that "there is evidence which establishes criminal conspiracy, there is evidence to establish murder in furtherance of the said criminal conspiracy obtained through modern devices and is admissible under the provisions of article 164 of the Qanoon-i- Shahadat." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020805 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pearl case: govt fears retrial if 4 suspects' name made public ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Anwar Iqbal WASHINGTON, Aug 4: Authorities in Pakistan are reluctant to announce the arrest of four suspects who they believe killed American journalist Daniel Pearl because they fear the disclosure at this stage may force the retrial of an earlier case in which four others have already been convicted, Pakistani security officials told Dawn. They said all four suspects belong to the Akram Lahori group of a sectarian organization, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi. Their leader, Akram Lahori, was also arrested last month from Karachi. "We know that they killed Pearl but we do not want to say so yet. We do not want a retrial of the earlier case," said a senior security official. On July 15, an anti-terrorism court in Hyderabad convicted four men for kidnapping and murdering Pearl. Chief suspect Ahmad Omar Saeed Shaikh, better known as Shaikh Omar, was sentenced to death while three others were sent to jail for life. According to the Pakistani anti-terrorism laws, kidnapping, helping kidnappers or involvement in similar terrorist activities is also punishable with death or life imprisonment. "That's why we do not believe that the conviction of Omar and his three accomplices is unjust," another security official said. "But a major disclosure, like the arrest of four suspects for the murder, is bound to cause a retrial and we want to avoid this," he said. "The trial was already a nightmare. Throughout the trial the suspects kept on threatening our officers. We do not want to go through this again." He said the police have collected enough evidence to prove that the four new suspects are responsible for killing Pearl while Omar and his gang carried out the abduction. The officials described Omar and another convict, Shaikh Adil, as "hardened militants" but said that the two others - Salman Saquib and Fahad Nasim - got involved because they were related to Adil. Now the police believe that Omar masterminded and carried out the abduction while Lahori and another accomplice Ataur Rahman - who is also in police custody now - carried out the assassination. Police officials in Pakistan say that Lahori and his gang, which is also blamed for scores of targeted sectarian killings, have been linked to the Taliban and Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda network. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020805 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pearl case convicts seek transfer to Karachi ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent HYDERABAD, Aug 4: The four convicts of the Daniel Pearl kidnapping- cum- murder case have appealed the Sindh Home Department to shift them to the Karachi Central Prison. The DIG, Prisons, Nawaz Hussain, confirmed that the appeals were received from Ahmed Omar Saeed Shaikh, Syed Salman Saqib, Fahad Naseem and Sheikh Adil and sent to the IG, Prisons, Sindh, Nisar Mahar. Shaikh, Naseem and Adil have requested for their shifting on the ground that their appeals were in the Sindh High Court and their relatives had to come to Hyderabad from Karachi to see them. Saqib stated that he was a patient of hepatitis and was, earlier, being treated at the Agha Khan Hospital, Karachi. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020810 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Gang-rape accused plead not guilty ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent MULTAN, Aug 9: The defence in Meerwala gang-rape case will submit a list of people to whom it wants to call as witnesses before the DG Khan anti-terrorism court. On the completion of statements of the prosecution witnesses (PWs), the judge, Malik Zulfiqar Ali, asked the defence counsel to present the list of witnesses if they wanted to produce them before court. Senior defence counsel Malik Saleem requested court to give them (the defence) time to finalize the list. At this, the judge adjourned proceedings for Saturday. Earlier, special public prosecutor Ramzan Khalid Joiya formally informed court that the prosecution had presented its case with the conclusion of the statement of Dr Fazal Hussain, SMO, Jatoi RHC, on Friday. This was his second appearance. Earlier, he appeared as PW1 to verify his report regarding the potency of the four alleged rapists. However, he was recalled by court on the request of prosecution to testify his medical examination report regarding the Shakoor sodomy case. Dr Fazal stated that on July 3 last he medically examined Shakoor at about 11:15 am at the RHC. He said though the behaviour of the victim was normal, there were marks of external violence on his body. He said signs and symptoms from external and internal examination of the body parts revealed that Shakoor was subjected to sodomy. He told court that the chemical examiner's report on this account (sodomy) was also positive. When the prosecution completed its witnesses, the judge posed questions to the accused under section 342 CrPC, including why they were accused by the complainants and that why the PWs deposed against them. Ten of the 14 accused, including chief juror Faiz Muhammad, pleaded not guilty in their replies saying they were named by the complainant only because they were from the Mastoi clan. Among rest of the accused, Fayyaz Hussain said he was arrested wrongly instead of the actual Fayyaz Hussain accused by the complainant who was a cousin of accused Abdul Khaliq. Accused Ghulam Farid also took the same plea while claiming not guilty. He said he had been implicated in the case instead of actual accused Ghulam Farid (s/o Mehmood Mastoi) because Maulvi Abdul Razzaq (PW) had personal enmity with him. Accused Ramzan Pachaar (arbitrator) said he was entrapped by Maulvi Razzaq whom he (Pachaar) had got expelled from the 'imamat' (leadership) of an area mosque for his links with the banned Sipah- i-Sahaba Pakistan. The main accused, Abdul Khaliq, told court in his defence through his counsel that after a settlement between his Mastoi family and Shakoor's Gujjar, his sharae nikah was solemnized with Mukhtaran Mai while the hand of his sister Salma had to be given to Shakoor. But when they (Mastois) backed out from the agreement, the Gujjar family lodged cases of gang-rape and sodomy against them. Meanwhile, the judge allowed the prosecution to exhibit the July 23 last issue of a local Urdu daily in its file. The request of the defence to recall Jatoi area magistrate Rana Muhammad Ashfaq was, however, turned down by court. The magistrate had earlier appeared in the court as PW7. On the other hand, six of the seven officials of the subordinate staff of the judge applied for two-day leave on Friday and did not come to their place of duty. The judge carried out most of court work on Friday on his own with the assistance of a stenographer provided by the DCO office. It may be mentioned that the staff of the judge had announced a strike for an indefinite period against what they claimed the 'rude' attitude of the judge. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020808 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Defence cross-examines Jatoi SDPO, ex-SHO: Meerwala gang-rape ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Nadeem Saeed MULTAN, Aug 7: Replying to defence queries, former Jatoi SHO, suspended inspector Nazir Babber (PW16) said he had remained unaware of the 'Meerwala gang-rape incident' till June 30 last when he came across with Mukhtaran Mai, her father Ghulam Fareed and others at the Jhugiwala Chowk when they were on way to the police station to lodge the FIR. He said on June 22 last, the day of the incident, he had appeared before a court in Jampur tehsil of the Rajanpur district and returned to Jatoi police station at about 11pm. He claimed that though he had inquired about the events of the day from his sub- ordinates, none brought to his knowledge the matter of Abdul Shakoor (that he was in the police station at that time). He said ASI Iqbal was not present at the police station at the time of his arrival from Jampur. He said though beat incharge of Meerwala area SI Imam Bakhsh had paid visit to the area as part of his anti-dacoity patrolling, even he did not bring to his (PW16) notice the matter. He said the victim had herself pointed out names of the accused persons to him while recording her statement. He said when he read out to her the statement she had recorded, Mukhtaran Mai admitted it correct. She only pointed out that the father name of accused Ghulam Farid (juror-rapist) had been recorded incorrect as Mehmood instead of Allah Bakhsh. He said, however, the objection raised by Mukhtaran Mai regarding the father's name of accused Ghulam Farid was not recorded in 'police karwai' (case documentation). He said he did not disclose the names of the persons accused by the victim to the PWs. The PW16 gave out that Muktharan Mai had revealed that Abdul Khaliq, the accused, was armed with pistol but he missed to record this fact. But, later on he duly recorded the fact in the police report. The cross-examination of the statement of PW16 was under way when judge Malik Zulfiqar Ali put off the proceedings till Thursday (today). Earlier, Jatoi SDPO Muhammad Saeed Awan deposed his statement before court as PW15. He said he was appointed as the investigation officer of the Meerwala gang-rape case on July 3 by the Dera Range DIG. However, later on the investigation was handed over to Muzaffargarh City DSP Shaukat Murtaza Malhi. Replying to defence queries, he also claimed that no body had informed him about the Meerwala incident till June 30, the day when the case was lodged by Mukhtaran Mai after eight days of the incident. He said along with the gang-rape incident he had also come to know about the occurrence of sodomy with Shakoor on the same date of June 30. He said he had directed the SHO to register a case to this effect (sodomy) also. He said he admitted that the sodomy was a heinous crime which was cognizable and non-bailable offence. He said when he visited the Jatoi police station on July 1, the SHO had yet to register the sodomy case. He said he did not bring the matter of the non-compliance of his orders to the notice of his seniors. He admitted that the address of accused Fayyaz Hussain (alleged rapists) was recorded by police as 'resident of Meerwala'. He said he did not know that whether accused Fayyaz was a resident of Meerwala or Rampur. He denied that the complainant had raised voice through press that the police had arrested an innocent person for having the same name. He said it was correct that the government and the apex court had given the police a deadline to arrest the accused in Meerwala case. But, he said, it was incorrect to suggest that to comply with the deadline police rounded up people having identical names with the accused persons. It may be mentioned that at the start of the Meerwala gang-rape case hearing, the prosecution had announced a list of 27 witnesses. However, later on the prosecution on two different occasions requested court to drop some 11 PWs from the list of witnesses. The judge gave up six PWs, including victim's father, but the remaining five witnesses including Muzaffargarh district Nazim Sultan Hinjra could not be allowed to be dropped and instead their statements were recorded and cross-examined as court witnesses. Meanwhile, defence lawyers - Malik Saleem, Yaqoob Khan and Yasir Khosa - had filed an application under Section 540 CrPC for the re- examination of area magistrate Rana Ashfaq who recorded statements of the complainants under section 164 CrPC. The judge will decide the matter on Thursday (today). The ATC judge also issued bailable warrants of the Jatoi police station incharge, inspector Abdul Lateef Chandia, on Wednesday for his absence from court despite being directed to remain present during the proceedings. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020806 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Defence counsel cross-examine gang-rape victim ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Nadeem Saeed DERA GHAZI KHAN, Aug 5: The defence in the Meerwala gang-rape cross-examined the victim at the DG Khan anti-terrorism court. Mukhtaran Mai, the victim, had recorded her brief statement with the court on Saturday. Replying to defence counsel, she said that she did not say to the police that arbitrators of both sides had unanimously decided to settle the matter between her Gujjar family and the Mastois through 'exchange marriages'. She said she told the police that arbitrators from her side (Gujjars) had proposed 'exchange marriages'. She denied telling police that it was the 'akath' (gathering) representing both sides. She said in fact it was the 'akath' of Mastois where the arbitrators from her (Gujjar) side had gone to propose the 'exchange marriages'. Here defence counsel Malik Muhammad Saleem urged court to take on record the word 'akath'. The judge, Malik Zulfiqar Ali, observed that the FIR was the basis of the case and that importance of each sentence would be discussed clearly. The defence counsel argued that the FIR was not a substantive piece of evidence and had no evidentiary value in itself except confrontations, contradictions and omissions. Mukhtaran Mai maintained that Abdul Khaliq, Ramzan Pachaar and Ghulam Farid had cast away the proposal of 'exchange marriages' and demanded 'a rape for a rape'. She said she did not tell the police that the rest of 'akath's participants had opposed the demand of 'a rape for a rape'. She said there was no truth in it that she did not mention before the area magistrate (while recording her statement under section 164 of CrPC) the 'siasi' (political) and 'duniavi' (ostentatious) attitude of Faiz Muhammad (the chief juror). Mukhtaran said she informed the police that Ramzan Pachaar (arbitrator), Faiz Mastoi and her uncle Sabir Hussain had brought her brother Shakoor back from the police station. She said her brother Shakoor was 11 or 12-year-old while her one sister was one-and-a-half-year older than him (Shakoor) and the remaining two were younger than him. She said on June 22 afternoon, hues of Shakoor had emanated from the house of Abdul Khaliq. At this, she along with her mother and other womenfolk of her family rushed out. In the street, they came across five or six Mastois who alleged they had caught Shakoor red-handed committing 'ziadti' (rape) with Salma. Mukhtaran Mai said later on she and her mother had brought 'Quran Pak' from their house and proceeded to the house of Abdul Khaliq. She said Khaliq along with 15/20 people was present outside his house. She said they begged mercy for Shakoor for the sake of the holy book but instead Khaliq and others hurled abuses and threats at them. She said Khaliq and others did not try to either drag or take her to his house when she and her mother were begging for Shakoor. She said she had not asked Khaliq and others to let them meet Shakoor to ascertain veracity of the allegation. She said, however, when they called their men she asked her uncle Sabir to inquire from Shakoor that whether he had committed 'ziadti'. But, the uncle told her that the police had taken Shakoor to the police station. At this, her mother insisted for the release of Shakoor, but, the uncle said he was trying to first settle the matter with the Mastois. At this point, the judge put off the proceedings for Tuesday (today). Earlier, the defence counsel raised the issue of whether Fayyaz Hussain (alleged rapist) was the actual accused the complainant had alleged for the crime. The defence counsel told court that the complainant family had reportedly told the Punjab governor during his visit to Meerwala on July 13 last that the police had arrested an innocent (Fayyaz Hussain) instead of the actual accused who was the first cousin of accused Abdul Khaliq. But Mukhtaran Mai refuted that neither she nor any of her family member had ever complained to the governor or to the press on this account. The judge had summoned Jatoi SDPO Saeed Awan and its former SHO Nazeer Baber to appear before court on Tuesday (today). The two police officials are on the list of prosecution witnesses. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Chief juror also guilty, says gang-rape victim ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Nadeem Saeed DERA GHAZI KHAN, Aug 3: Mukhtaran Mai, the Meerwala gang-rape victim, on Saturday told the anti-terrorism court that the conduct of the Panchayat chief was 'siasi' and 'duniavi'. Deposing as PW14, she was referring to the reported remarks of Faiz Muhammad Mastoi alias Faiza, the chief juror, which he made when she approached the Panchayat to seek pardon for the act of her brother. She said their neighbours Abdul Khaliq and brothers suspected that her younger brother Abdul Shakoor had illicit relations with their sister, Salma. On June 22, Jamil, Punnu and Manzoor abducted Shakoor at noon when he was asleep under a shady tree just outside their house. They took him to a nearby sugar cane field and sodomized him. She said her family started searching him on finding him missing. Soon they came to know that the Mastois had confined him in a room of their house along with Salma in a bid to cover their crime of sodomy. The matter was reported to the police who took Shakoor to the Jatoi police station without registering any case. On the same day, the Mastois called a Panchayat. Maulvi Razzaq and Manzoor Jatoi were representing her Gujjar family while Faiza Mastoi, Ramzan Pachaar and Ghulam Farid were the arbitrators from the other side. Her elders, she said, proposed that if Shakoor had committed 'ziadti' (rape) then he be married to Salma and in exchange her hand be given to Abdul Khaliq. She said Abdul Khaliq, Ramzan Pachaar and Ghulam Farid did not agree to the proposal and instead they demanded 'a rape for a rape'. At this, arbitrators from her family side left the 'akath' (Panchayat). Soon after, Ramzan Pachaar and Ghulam Farid came to the small gathering of her family in a mosque. They said that Fiaza Mastoi wanted that if Shakoor's sister came to the Panchayat to seek apology from the Mastois for the act of her brother the Gujjars would be pardoned. On this assurance, her maternal uncle Sabir Hussain, father Ghulam Farid, Ghulam Nabi and Haji Altaf escorted her to the Panchayat. On her arrival, Abdul Khaliq caught her hand which she got released with a jerk. Here, Faiza Mastoi stated that the girl had come and now should be forgiven. But his statement was 'siasi' (political) and 'duniavi' (ostentatious). Thereafter, Abdul Khaliq, Allah Ditta, Fayyaz Hussain and Ghulam Farid (all Mastois) dragged her to a room of accused Khaliq's house situated nearby and raped her in turns. She said she cried for help and made entreaties to her tormentors but neither anyone from the 'akath' had come to her rescue nor the perpetrators showed any mercy. She was later thrown out of the house half-naked with only a tore shirt on her body. The perpetrators later threw her remaining clothes on her. The outlaws hurled threats that if anyone tried to report the case he would be murdered and due to this her family could not lodge the case till June 30. She said there were about 200 to 250 people present in the Panchayat (of Mastois). She said accused Aslam, Allah Ditta, Ghulam Rasool, Hazoor Bakhsh, Qasim, Khalil, Nazar Hussain and Ghulam Hussain were also present in the Panchayat. Aslam and others were arrested by the police for being part of the Mastois' Panchayat. But in the challan the police placed them in column two 'for want of evidence' against them. They along with the main accused were present in court on Saturday and the victim identified them. When she completed her statement, the defence counsel - Malik Saleem, Yaqoob Khan and Yasser Ali Khosa - sought adjournment. The judge, therefore, adjourned the proceedings for Aug 5. The defence is likely to cross-examine her statement on the next date of hearing. Earlier, when court assembled to restart hearing of the Meerwala case at about 10.30am, the defence resumed cross-examination of Sabir Hussain (PW13), maternal uncle of the victim. The PW13 said his father Ghulam Fareed and brother Hazoor Bakhsh had expressed no objection to the Mastois' demand that any of their women should come to the Panchayat to seek apology for the act of Shakoor. He said he did not disclose to Mukhtaran Mai that (some of the) Mastois were also demanding 'a rape for a rape'. He said she was a purdah-observing lady but she was not supposed to be clad in 'burqa' before the Panchayat because she was seeking pardon (this reflects the helplessness of a family seeking pardon according to the Balochi custom). He said when he and Mukhtaran appeared before the Panchayat he pronounced that here she was to seek pardon from the Mastois. He said when the perpetrators were dragging her they (males of her family) could not rescue her because accused Abdul Khaliq was hurling threats with a pistol in his hand that any body tried to follow them would be killed. He said even then they tried to rescue her, but the gathering of 200 to 250 people had held them back. He said he had stated this fact to the police and the area magistrate. He admitted that he preferred his life to his honour. The security arrangement in and outside the ATC court were beefed up from Saturday as the Meerwala case entered its crucial stage with the recording of the statement of Mukhtaran Mai. It is learnt that all the security personnel had been replaced. The judge put off the decision till Monday on the prosecution request to drop three more witnesses - Ghulam Farid (father of the victim), Ghulam Nabi and Haji Manzoor - from the list of PWs. The prosecution had moved the application on Friday last. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020805 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Inquiry begins into banned groups' finances ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Tahir Siddiqui KARACHI, Aug 4: The Federal Investigation Agency is learnt to have initiated a thorough investigation into the financial affairs of all banned organisations and the Taliban across the country. Sources in the interior ministry told Dawn that while other intelligence agencies were already gathering the details of bank accounts of the banned sectarian and Jihadi organisations, the FIA was assigned to locate and identify the financiers and donors of these organisations. They said the FIA had started gathering details of the accounts maintained by Lashkar-i-Taiba, Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, Harkatul Mujahideen, Al-Rashid Trust, Al-Badar, Saif-ul-Mujahideen, Tehreek- i-Jafferia Pakistan and Jaish Mohammed. The sources said each proscribed organisation had been maintaining several local and foreign currencies accounts with different nationalised and commercial banks, including Habib Bank, National Bank, Allied Bank, Muslim Commercial Bank and Faysal Bank. The sources said the new assignment to the FIA, reportedly given on the insistence of the Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI) of the United States, was also aimed at cross-checking the data so far collected by other intelligence agencies in this regard. An official of the interior ministry said the FIA was the only agency which had trained expert investigators to detect the financial and economic crime. The FIA detectives are well-versed in the entire local and foreign banking procedures and are capable to gather the micro details of the financial transactions, he said. The official said the commercial banks circles of the FIA, which mainly deal with the offences in the banks and financial institutions, had been assigned to gather the details of the accounts, maintained by the proscribed outfits. Meanwhile, the sources in the FIA said the letters, seeking information about the accounts, had already been dispatched to the concerned banks and the investigators were still waiting for the banks' replies. They said the investigators had sought from the banks the information on the account opening forms along with the specimen signature cards of those operating these accounts on behalf of their respective organisations during a period between Feb 2000 and June 2002. The sources said the photocopies of all bank instruments, such as checks, pay orders, demand draft and telex transfer, were also sought from the banks to detect the funds generating sources of the banned sectarian and Jihadi organisations. Meanwhile, banking sources told Dawn some sensitive agencies had already obtained the information on the financial transactions of the banned organisations through the top officials of the concerned banks. At that time, the banks were told by the authorities that it was a policy matter and they must release the information. They said now the banks would be reluctant to provide the required information to the FIA investigators, who would eventually have no legal cover for seeking such information from the banks. The investigation officer can issue such order requiring production of any document or other thing which is in the custody of a bank or banker as defined in the Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 1891, and relates, or might disclose any information which relates to the bank account of any person only for the purpose of investigating an offence under sections 403, 406, 408 and 409 and section 421 to 424 and section 465 to 477-A of the PPC either with prior permission in writing of a sessions court or a high court. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020807 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mansur's one deal cost $50m to exchequer ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Faraz Hashmi ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: Mansur-ul-Haq, who has been stripped of his rank of admiral in a single deal of purchase of three cargo ships for the Shipping Corporation of Pakistan caused a loss of over $50 million to the government exchequer. These ships, which were purchased at a total cost of $47.14 million, higher by at least $19 million of their market value never came to Pakistan and scrapped, NAB officials said on Tuesday. NAB has so far not traced the money received by Mansur-ul- Haq and two other officials Javaid Ali and Mirza Ashfaq Beg of Pakistan Navy. "Who received what, we are still investigating," he said. The investigations were still going on but NAB had concrete evidence of kickbacks and commissions in this purchase, Prosecutor General Raja Bashir told a press conference. Mr Bashir said that there was no evidence of Benazir Bhutto's involvement who was the prime minister at that time in the ship purchase case. Apart from the loss sustained by the government through the purchase of obsolete ships, the PNSC had to spend huge amounts on their repairs subsequently, he said. In the purchase of Apolonia, which was later renamed as Sawat, the total estimated loss was of Rs690 million. Similarly, in the purchase of Ora Bhum renamed as Shalamar, the loss was of Rs677m and in Independent Voyager renamed as Lalazar the country suffered a loss of Rs483m. He said the investigation revealed that in 1994 principal accused Mansur-ul-Haq, as chairman PNSC manipulated approval for the purchase of three ships for the corporation. Subsequently on his appointment as chief of Naval Staff he continued supervision of the purchase process of said ships and got appointed Javid Ali as the acting chairman of PNSC and Mirza Ashfaq Beg as director ship management. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020810 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Three nurses killed in Taxila chapel attack ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Mohammad Asghar RAWALPINDI, Aug 9: Three nurses - and an attacker - were killed while 25 others injured in a terrorist attack on a chapel in the Taxila Christian Hospital, police and eyewitnesses said. Some 70 to 80 worshippers, including the families of the Christian Hospital staff, were coming out of the chapel after taking part in the prayer services when two of the terrorists threw hand-grenades on them at 7:45am, police said. Quoting eyewitnesses, the police said three unidentified persons, clad in Shalwar and Kameez and carrying handbags, were stopped by the security guard at the gate of the hospital. The three men were allowed to go in after they convinced the guard that they wanted to see their "patient" admitted in the hospital. Once they had a look inside the wards, they came out and started moving towards the chapel. On seeing this, the guard intercepted them, but he was overpowered and held hostage at gunpoint by one of the attackers. "One of the assailants stumbled while throwing the hand-grenades and was killed on the spot. His two accomplices made good their escape," District Nazim Raja Tariq Kiani told newsmen at the scene of attack. Kiani said the worshippers, including women nurses, were stepping out of the chapel after the prayer services when the terrorists struck. The body parts of those killed were scattered all over the place. The attack also caused considerable damage to the chapel building, with its as well as that of hospital building's windowpanes shattered. Aghast at hearing the grenades explode, the people from the surrounding areas rushed to the scene. The atmosphere was tense as some people, who were anxious about the welfare of their near and dear ones admitted to the hospital, exchanged hot words with the police, eyewitnesses said. No one has so far claimed responsibility for the ghastly strike. A police source said that one live hand-grenade, Rs20 and a packet of Naswar had been recovered from the body of the suspected terrorist. The police said it assumed that the terrorist was killed due to the firing by his accomplices when they were fleeing. It is too early to say who was behind the attack, the police said. Security in the twin cities has been tightened after the attack. It was the second terrorist attack on Christian community in a week and the fourth on a place of worship in Pakistan since the Sept 11 terror blitz in the US. The police have started a manhunt to catch the culprits. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020807 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 suspects in school attack kill themselves ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Tariq Naqash & Zia Abbasi MUZAFFARABAD/MURREE, Aug 6: Three persons, whom the officials suspected could be involved in Murree terrorist attack, blew themselves up with grenades in an Azad Jammu and Kashmir village on Tuesday after being intercepted by the locals and the police because of their "suspicious movements," official sources said. The three persons, who were stated to be in late twenties or early thirties, were walking on the road near a small village, Khapadar, located along the River Jhelum, some 12kms ahead of Kohala and 50kms south of the AJK capital, at about 2pm, the sources said. Khapadar faces the town of Phagwari in Murree hills on the other side of the river. A suspension bridge over the river links the two sides with each other. The village has a small police post, where four constables and a head constable are posted. Alarmed in the wake of Monday's terrorist attack in their neighbouring area, residents of the village asked the suspects to identify themselves, the sources told Dawn. But, they added, instead of doing so, the suspects ran towards the river and went several feet inside the water where they positioned themselves on a rock. In the meanwhile, two policemen also arrived at the scene after being informed of the happening by the villagers. The suspects, speaking Urdu, had earlier been asking the villagers to let them go towards Muzaffarabad. But as the police arrived, they got panicky and suddenly took out hand-grenades from their pockets and blew themselves up. Two of them were swept away by the river while the body of the third was recovered by a local, the sources said. However, a police officer claimed that the three suspects were first intercepted by two constables near the post who also recovered a hand-grenade from one of them following which they ran towards the river and blew themselves up there with the remaining devices in their possession. According to DIG, Muzzafarababd police, Tahir Qayyum, the villagers of Khabader saw the three in suspicious condition and surrounded them. The villagers quoted the terrorists as saying that they had hand-grenades with them and that they had already accomplished an operation in Murree Christian School (MCS) and if they were hindered they will kill them also. The villagers approached a nearby police checkpoint and narrowed their circle around the suspects. On sensing the danger, the three fastened the grenades on their bodies and blew themselves up, the DIG said. The body of the third suspect was brought to Dhirkot hospital at 9pm and a source at the hospital told this correspondent that the clean-shaven man was wearing a shirt, tracksuit pyjamas and joggers, but his face had been badly mutilated. Senior police officials were of the view that these men could have connection with the terrorist attack on the Christian school in Murree, but avoided giving any statement without completing the investigations. Our Islamabad Correspondent adds: Police have taken into custody five persons - one of them a suspected Al Qaeda member - in connection with Monday's terrorist attack on Murree Christian School which left six persons dead and four others injured, an official source said. Iftikhar Ahmed, a spokesman for Interior Ministry, when contacted, disclosed that the Rawalpindi police have taken five persons into custody from Pirwadhi in connection with the missionary school attack and they are being questioned. The spokesman said: "None of the arrested persons are Arab nationals. However, one of them is a suspected Al Qaeda member." A joint army and police team aided by sniffer dogs and helicopters continued combing the green woods of Murree Hills on Tuesday to track down the terrorists who disappeared after the attack on the school. The spokesman said they had not asked any foreign agency to help the local law enforcement agencies in the case so far and added that the killing of three "terrorists" in an AJK village has apparently no link with Monday's terrorist attack in Murree. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020806 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Six killed in attack on Murree school ------------------------------------------------------------------- JHIKA GALI, Aug 5: Six people were killed and at least three wounded on Monday when masked men burst into the compound of a Christian missionary school in Murree and opened fire. The Australian principal of Murree Christian School, Russell Morton, told Reuters two security guards, a cook and a carpenter were among the dead. A receptionist, who was badly wounded in the crossfire, may also have died of his wounds, he said, adding that a Filipino woman, who was visiting her children, had been hit in the hand. "This is a disaster for the foreign missionary community," he said in Jhika Gali, where the school is located just outside Murree. "They wanted to hit at the missionary community. What better way than to hit at their kids?" THIRD STRIKE: Police said it was too soon to say who was behind the shooting, but it was at least the third fatal strike against a Christian minority target since the country began supporting the US-led war on terror after the Sept 11 attacks. Reverend Saeed Javed, a pastor and father of one of the victims and the uncle of another, blamed terrorists. "Personally, I think this is a terrorist attack," he told Reuters. "Good Muslims could not do this." Khurseed Abbassi, the Mayor of Murree, told Reuters that six Pakistanis died - two of them Christians and four Muslims. Blood stains could be seen in the sentry box just outside the school compound and around the church within its walls. Three guards exchanged fire for 10-15 minutes with the three intruders before they escaped apparently unharmed. The assailants fired indiscriminately, hitting an empty boarding house, but according to witnesses, had walked past the school building where children were in class. Around 150 missionary children aged six to 18 study there, including about 30 Americans. CRISIS MEETING: Morton said the school was holding a crisis meeting to decide whether to continue classes or close down temporarily. The children have all been sent home. Dozens of heavily armed soldiers milled around the scene of the incident and an army helicopter hovered overhead. The gunmen opened fire just after the children had returned to classes after a morning break at 11.00am, Morton said. "It is my opinion that this attack was designed to cause trouble for the Pakistan authorities," he said. "The school has been operating for 46 years and we have never had any problems with the local community in the past." President Musharraf's support for the US-led campaign against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan has angered militant groups, who have been blamed for a string of attacks on foreign targets in recent months. The violence has also targeted the Christian community. A grenade attack in March killed five people in a church in Islamabad mainly used by foreign nationals.-Reuters DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020810 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Consulate reopening linked to security ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Faraz Hashmi ISLAMABAD, Aug 9: The United States consulate general in Karachi will not reopen until a "mutually agreeable" settlement on the consulate's security is reached. "The US consulate general in Karachi is closed until the consulate and Sindh government can arrive at a mutually agreeable way to address the consulate's security needs without causing inconvenience to Karachi motorists," the secretary for cultural affairs, Linda Cheatham, told Dawn. The US authorities had closed down the consulate on Monday, following a decision of the Sindh government to allow traffic on the Abdullah Haroon Road which had been partially closed after a car-bomb attack near the consulate on June 14. The issue came up at the State Department's briefing in Washington on Monday. The deputy spokesperson of the State Department, Philip Reeker, had said that the consulate closure was linked to the opening of two- way traffic on the Abdullah Haroon Road. Mr Reeker had said that the northbound lanes of that road had been closed following the June 14 car-bomb attack that had wounded many consulate employees and killed many innocent Pakistani bystanders. He had also said that talks with the Sindh government had been going on but the consulate would remain closed until a mutually accepted agreement could be reached with the provincial government to provide security measures that would be sufficient for the consulate. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020806 ------------------------------------------------------------------- US consulate in Karachi closed ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Qudssia Akhlaque ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: In a sudden move the US authorities announced the closure of their Consulate-General in Karachi. "The US Consulate-General in Karachi has been closed due to security reasons," said Linda Cheatham, the US Acting Public Affairs Officer, when contacted by Dawn. She did not indicate if it had been closed for an indefinite period. When asked if the decision was linked to the incident in Murree she said: "I can't tell you more at this point." She gave a similar response to a question whether the instructions to shut down the consulate had been received from Washington. Interestingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was unaware of the closure till Monday afternoon. At the weekly news briefing the Foreign office spokesman, Aziz Ahmed Khan, when asked about it, said the Ministry had not been informed about it yet. Well-placed diplomatic sources maintained that the decision to close the Consulate had been taken prior to the Murree incident and it had been prompted by some threatening calls. "We got the news of the consulate closure before we heard of the Murree incident," a US embassy official told Dawn. The US Consulate, sources said, had opened as usual in the morning and staff reported to work. A little later, the staff was abruptly asked to leave and told not to return until further instructions, they added. Meanwhile, the US embassy in Islamabad and the US Consulates in Lahore and Peshawar would function normally, a senior embassy official told Dawn. The consulate in Karachi was earlier closed in June after a car bomb exploded just outside it. However, it re-opened after a few days. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020810 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Wattoo still not eligible to contest elections: Acquittal by LHC ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter LAHORE, Aug 9: The acquittal of Mian Manzoor Wattoo by the Lahore High Court in two references does not enable him to contest October elections. The former chief minister had opted for plea bargain in May last in three references pertaining to the misuse of Baitul Maal funds to the tune of Rs10.07 million. Allowing the bargain, the court had imposed a 10-year disqualification on him and his five accomplices under section 15 of NAB Ordinance for contesting elections for a public office. Wattoo's appeal against his disqualification is still pending for adjudication with the LHC. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020809 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Wattoo acquitted in two references ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter LAHORE, Aug 8: A division bench of the Lahore High Court set aside two judgments of accountability courts convicting Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo on corruption charges. Comprising Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jilani and Mian Saqib Nisar, the bench ordered the release of former Punjab chief minister forthwith if he was not required in any other case. It observed the prosecution had failed in establishing charges in the two references filed under Ehtesab Act, 1997. The first reference pertained to violation of chief minister's discretionary grant rules while second is related to illegal allotment of 110 plots. In the first reference decided by accountability court judge Mahmood Akhtar Siddiqui on Jan 6, 2001, Wattoo was awarded three years RI and fined Rs10 million for having misused his authority as chief minister. He was charged with having provided financial assistance of Rs1,061,125 to a commercial enterprise, Design Tex, out of the chief minister's discretionary grant without any legal authority against pecuniary advantage. According to the prosecution the amount was drawn through a PLA cheque in March 1995 for furnishing 90 Shahra-i-Quaid-e-Azam. As alleged by the prosecution, chief minister's discretionary grant rules 1988 did not provide for any such sanction. The trial court had convicted Wattoo also on the grounds that ordered furniture was never supplied and had been misappropriated. The bench while deciding the appeal filed against the conviction in this reference, observed that charges of obtaining pecuniary advantage against the accused had not been established by the prosecution and he could not be convicted under section 3 (1) (d) of Ehtesab Act 1997 in this regard. It was further observed that trial court had travelled beyond its jurisdiction by ordering for the collection of additional evidence against accused. In the last portion of the judgment, the LHC observed that the decision of Manzoor Wattoo for the renovation and furnishing of 90- Shahrah-i-Quaid-e-Azam was not based on dishonesty and intention of misappropriation. In the second reference, Wattoo had been sentenced to four years RI and fined Rs four million by AC judge Sheikh Rafique Goreja on April 4, 2000, for allotting state owned to 110 people in different schemes of LDA on the last date of his tenure as Punjab chief minister. As alleged by the prosecution, 63 of the plots in question were allotted by the accused without obtaining any formal applications. The LHC bench ruled that Wattoo as CM had the discretionary quota under a policy which was valid and in force when the allotments were made by him.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY 20020810 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bullish activity pushes index higher by 14 points ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Aug 9: The KSE 100-share index managed to finish with an extended gain of 14.29 points at 1,815.76 as most of the leading base shares rose further. Leading gainers were led by Noon Sugar, Treet Corporation, Anwar Textiles, Shell Pakistan and Wyeth Pakistan Shell Pakistan, which rose by Rs2.75 to Rs20. The largest rise of Rs8.10 and Rs20 being in Shell Pakistan and Wyeth Pakistan. They were followed by 4th ICP, Paramount Spinning, Crescent Textiles, Noon Sugar, Babri Cotton, PSO, Hilal Flour mills, Al- Ghazi and Millat Tractors, Noon Pakistan and Elite Publishers, up Rs1.20 to Rs3.70. Losers included Wah-Noble Chemicals, Glaxo-Wellcome Pakistan and Dawood Hercules, off Rs1.25 to Rs1.60, while others fell fractionally. Trading volume rose to 95m shares from the previous 74m shares as gainers maintained a strong lead over the losers at 134 to 87, with 70 shares holding on to the last levels. Hub-Power topped the list of actives, up 45 paisa at Rs25.20 on 39m shares followed by PSO, higher by Rs2.30 at Rs142.80 on 13m shares, PTCL, firm by 15 paisa at Rs18.25 on 11m shares, Sui Northern Gas, up 20 paisa at Rs14.60 on 6m shares and MCB, higher 30 paisa at Rs24.90 on 6m shares. Other actives were led by ICI Pakistan, lower 15 paisa on 4m shares, Engro Chemical, up 30 paisa on 2m shares, Adamjee Insurance, firm by 10 paisa on 1.624m shares, National Bank, unchanged on 1.434m shares and FFC-Jordan Fertilizer, steady by 15 paisa on 1.356m shares. CLEARED LIST: Sharp rise of Rs2.45 in PSO featured the trading on this counter where other leading shares also rose. It finished at Rs143.25 on 3.826m shares. Hub-Power rose by 45 paisa at Rs25.35 on 8.948m shares followed by PTCL, up 20 paisa at Rs18.30 on 2.510m shares, while all others were modestly traded. DEFAULTER COMPANIES: Allied Motors came in for active profit- selling and finished with a modest fall of 15 paisa at Rs11.25 on 16,000 shares. Mehran Jute fell by 10 paisa at Rs0.65 on 5,00 shares and Suzuki Motorcycle suffered a decline of 15 paisa at Rs3.40 on 2,000 shares. All others lacked normal trading interest. BOARD MEETINGS: United Insurance on Aug 12, Century Insurance on Aug 13, New Jubilee Insurance and Meezan Bank of Aug 15 and Commercial Union Assurance Pakistan on Aug 16. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020805 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SECP, KSE row keeps market under siege ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Muhammad Aslam The KSE 100-share index moved within a narrow groove of nine points, touching the highest at 1,788 and the lowest at 1,779 points as the leading base shares, including the PTCL and the Hub- Power known for their large daily volumes, failed to lure the investors back into the market, even at lower levels. The interesting feature was the dividend-related buying in some of the pivotals, - including 30 per cent second interim dividend by the Fauji Fertiliser, 20 per cent interim by the Engro Chemical, and a final 55 per cent by the Sitara Chemical, and 40 per cent by the Security Papers, all of which failed in generating fresh buying owing to late selling.The market is performing in an atmosphere of uncertainty caused apparently by the fears about the general elections to be held amid a terrible political polarization, and fears of a showdown bid. However, the chief reason behind the dullness continues to be slack demand, most dealers believe. Floor brokers said there are reasons to believe that the protracted bearish spell, and the sluggishness appears beyond the market's technical demand and mandate, but the cash-heavy institutional traders are watching the situation and appear in no mood to reverse the trend. "Staying out of the arena for such a long period demonstrate that big ones are out to browbeat the immediate contenders of power", says a leading stock analyst, "but what about the small investors". Except in the war-like conditions, the market has never been so sluggish and cheerless as it has been since the beginning of the new fiscal and the extended bearish spell worries everyone. "I fear the market has been terribly politicized by the moneyed people having strong links with major political parties", he fears. "In similar conditions as the prevailing financial institutions play their assigned role to support the market". But some others say the current reported tussle between the stock exchanges and their apex body, on some procedural matters, has driven the investors out of the market, or perhaps they prefer to keep to the sidelines awaiting some favourable decision. Much worried ought to be the brokerage houses as low volumes signal a sharp decline in their daily margins, they say. "The continued absence of the notorious big ones for weeks together speaks of planned move", says a leading analyst "the apex body must find the reasons behind the captive market, a virtual hostage to the whims of a few". Prominent gainers were led by the Security Papers, Dawood Hercules, Mehmood Textiles, Fauji Fertiliser after the announcement of second interim at the rate of 30 per cent, Lever Brothers, Bannu Woollen, Island Textiles, Noon Sugar, Clariant Pakistan, the BOC Pakistan, International Industries and several others. Losers were led by the Bhanero Textiles, Shafiq Textiles, Shell Gas, Colgate Pakistan, Pak Reinsurance, Spencers Pakistan, Wyeth Pakistan Tri-Pack Films, and the Shell Pakistan. Trading volume fell to 163 million shares from the previous 291 million as the volume leaders failed to make bigger showing in the absence of strong demand from any quarter. The PTCL, the Hub-Power, the PSO, the ICI Pakistan, Southern Electric, Dewan Salman, Sui Northern, Engro Chemical, the MCB, National Bank, the KESC, Pak PTA, Chakwal Cement and the ICP SEMF and some others led the list of most actives. FORWARD COUNTER: Speculative issues on cleared list also followed the lead of their counterparts in the ready section and the on- balance finished lower under the lead of the PSO and the Engro Chemical, which fell sharply. The latter on selling after the announcement of below market interim dividend of 20 per cent.Back to the top
EDITORIALS & FEATURES 20020804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- We never learn from history-2 ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ardeshir Cowasjee Now, as we approach the promised October elections, our press carries many a story about how the intelligence agencies are transferring and 'placing' officials all over the country, and how the agencies are harassing certain individuals for not toeing the official line. We also read reports about how the 'placed' aspiring legislators and their 'supporters', all renowned as shady characters, are even managing to 'influence' men in uniform to gain support. On July 3, the governor of Sindh, Mohammadmian Soomro (my 'nephew' - he very respectuflly addresses me as 'uncle'), transformed his learned and efficient education minister, Professor Anita Ghulam Ali, into an 'adviser' and also sent home his irrigation minister, Ali Mir Shah. He then swore in Syed Ejaz Ali Shah Shirazi as irrigation minister and Sardar Muqeem Khan Khoso as agriculture minister (water tap and land ownership/transfer controllers), Khan Mohammad Dahri as education minister (organizing teachers at polling stations), Mian Abdul Baqi as auqaf minister (money to spend and distribute), and Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim as minister of local government (the works). My 'nephew' could not explain who chose these 'fixers', who ordered him to swear them in, and who is their 'godfather'. Nothing new. On April 25, 1994, this newspaper carried an editorial entitled 'Our secret godfathers', which opened up : "Two basic points emerge from General Aslam Beg's admission that in 1990 he took Rs 14 crores from the banker Younus Habib and that part of this money was spent by the ISI during the elections that year . . . . . ". And closed, saying ". . . it is time now for some sort of check on the rogue political activities of our intelligence agencies . . .". It was not time, and apparently it is still not time. In 1996, Air Marshal Asghar Khan filed a human rights petition in the Supreme Court against General Mirza Aslam Beg, former chief of army staff, Lt General Asad Durrani, former chief of the Inter- Services Intelligence, and Younus Habib of Habib Bank and then Mehran Bank, concerning the criminal distribution of the people's money for political purposes (HRC 19/96). In this case, Lt General Naseerullah Babar filed an affidavit in court supported by copies of various documents and a photocopy of a letter dated June 7, 1994, addressed by Durrani to the then prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, who, during her second term in office, appointed him as her ambassador to Germany, which reads: "My dear Prime Minister," A few points I could not include in my 'confessional statement' handed over to the director, FIA. These could be embarrassing or sensitive. (a) The recipients included Khar 2 million, Hafeez Pirzada 3 million, Sarwar Cheema 0.5 million and Mairaj Khalid 0.2 million. The last . . . . . . . [illegible] someone's soft corner that benefited them. (b) The remaining 80 million were either deposited in the ISI's 'K' fund (60 m) or given to director external intelligence for special operations (perhaps the saving grace of this disgraceful exercise. But it is delicate information.) [Noted in the margin of this paragraph, by the writer in his own hand: "This is false. The amount was pocketed by Beg (Friends)"] "The operation not only had the 'blessings' of the president [Ghulam Ishaq Khan] and the wholehearted participation of the caretaker PM [Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi], but was also in the knowledge of the army high command. The last mentioned will be the defence of many of us, including Gen Beg (who took his colleagues into 'confidence' but that is the name that we have to protect). "The point that I have 'wargamed' in my mind very often is : what is the object of this exercise? (a) If it is to target the opposition, it might be their legitimate right to take donations, especially if they come through 'secret channels'. Some embarrassment is possible, but a few millions are peanuts nowadays. (b) If the idea is to put Gen Beg on the mat : he was merely providing 'logistic support' to donations made by a community 'under instructions' from the government and with the 'consent' of the military high command. In any case; I understand he is implicated in some other deals in the same case. (c) GIK will pretend ignorance, as indeed he never involved himself directly. (d) Of course, one has to meet the genuine ends of law. In that case let us take care of the sensitivities like special operations and possibly that of the army. "It was for these reasons that I desperately wanted to see you before leaving. I also wanted to talk about my farewell meeting with the COAS [General Waheed Kakar]. In the meantime you must have met often enough and worked out what is in the best interest of the country. I keep praying that all these natural and man-made calamities are only to strengthen us in our resolve and not in any way reflective of our collective sins. With best regards and respects Yours sincerely, Asad" Filed also in the court is a note, attached to Durrani's letter written in his own hand, reading: "YH TT Peshawar A/C Sherpao For Election 5,00,000; Anwar Saifullah for MBL deposit 15,00,000; Farooq Leghari PO Issued 1,50,00,000. Another 1,50,00,000 paid through Bank. There are a host of other political figures who received funds like Liaquat Jatoi, Imtiaz Sheikh." Naseerullah Babar also filed in court a copy of a bank account sheet headed "G/L Account. Activity Report. Account 12110101 G. Baig (sic.)" The column heads read "Transaction, Date, Particulars, Debit, Credit." The numbered transactions took place between October 23, 1991, and December 12, 1993. The first transaction listed was "Cash-P.O. Karachi Bar Association A/C Gen. Baig (sic.), debit, 5,05,680" (advocate Mirza Adil Beg, Aslam Beg's nephew, the then president of the KBA, confirms that the KBA received the money). In January 1992 USD 20,000 was sold @ 26.50 and 5,30,000 was credited to the account. Thereafter all debits: "Arshi c/o Gen. Baig (sic.) 2,90,000; Cash paid to Gen. Shab 2,40,000 ; Cash Friends 1,00,000 [Aslam Beg's organization, FRIENDS, Foundation for Research on National Development and Security] ; Cash TT to Yamin to pay Gen. Shab 3,00,000 ; Cash TT to Yamin Habib 12,00,000 ; Cash Friends 1,00,000 ; Cash Friends 1,00,000 ; Cash paid through YH 10,00,000 ; Cash Friends TT to Salim Khan 2,00,000 ; Cash 1,00,000 ; Cash Towards Friends 5,00,000 ; Cash Asif Shah for Benglow 35,000 ; Cash Friends 1,00,000 ; Cash Friends 1,00,000 ; Cash TT through Yamin for Friends 1,00.000 ; Cash paid to Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim 2,00,000 [he confirms having received the money from General Beg as fees and expenses for defending him in the contempt of court charge brought against him - PLD 1993 SC310] ; Cash paid through TT to Yamin for Friends ; Cash paid to Fakhruddin G Ebrahim 1,28,640 [he confirms receipt for fees/expenses for contempt case] ; Cash Guards at 11-A 10,500 ; Cash TT for USD 240,000 Fav. Riaz Malik to City Bank (sic.) New York 68,76,000 ; Cash Friends 1,00,000; Cash Guards at 11-A 10,500 ; Cash Mjr. Kiyani 10,000; Cash mobile phone for Col. Mashadi 28,911 ; Cash TT fav. Qazi Iqbal and M Guddul 3,00,000 ; Cash Mjr. Kiyani 10,000 ; Cash TT to Peshawar 3,00,000 ; Cash deposited at Karachi A/C EC [Election Commission] 3,00,000 ; Cash Guards 24,000 ; Cash TT to Quetta 7,00,000 ; Cash mobile bill of Col. Mashadi 3,237 ; Cash TT to Peshawar Br. 4,00,000 ; Cash deposited at Karachi Br. 4,00,000 ; Cash Guards 11,520 ; Cash TT to Peshawar for EC 2,00,000 ; Cash TT to Quetta for EC 2,00,000 ; Cash Guards 5,760 ; Cash Mjr. Kiyani 5,000 ; Cash A/C Guards 8,640 ; Cash th. YH 2,00,000 ; Cash A/C Guards 5,760 ; Cash TT to Salim Khan 1,00,000." The "host of other political figures who received funds" from an ISI account were revealed in the Supreme Court when Air Marshal Asghar Khan's petition was being heard. Inter alia, Nawaz Sharif received (in rupees) 3.5 million, Lt General Rafaqat [GIK's election cell] 5.6 million, Mir Afzal 10 million, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi 5 million, Jam Sadiq Ali 5 million, Mohammed Khan Junejo 2.5 million, Pir Pagaro 2 million, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada 3 million, Yusuf Haroon 5 million [he confirms having received this for Altaf Hussain of the MQM], Muzaffar Hussain Shah 0.3 million, Abida Hussain 1 million, Humayun Marri 5.4 million. During the hearing of the case, Aslam Beg, under oath, revealed the existence of a political cell within the ISI, whilst clarifying that though he was aware of the distribution of funds he was never personally involved. These documents and many others, filed in the Supreme Court, are a matter of public record. In this regard, reference should be made to paragraph 111, 'Corruption', of the judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on the Proclamation of Emergency dated 14th, October, 1999 (approved for reporting), delivered by Chief Justice Irshad Hassan Khan and his eleven Brothers, sanctifying General Pervez Musharraf's takeover. It is a list presented by Attorney- General Aziz Munshi listing cases of corruption, some dating back to 1990, the lists of ISI payments, Babar's and Durrani's affidavits being amongst them. Should not all these corrupt, bribed political people who shamelessly accepted the people's money for their own political ends, and who have never denied having received such payoffs, not stand disqualified for life? Air Marshal Asghar Khan is still waiting to have his petition challenging the corrupt and clandestine use of public funds (pending since 1996) heard by the Supreme Court, as is also General Naseerullah Babar. They both have much to reveal. They are prepared to face the judiciary. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020809 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Creative anarchy Pakistani style ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ayaz Amir When we shed tears over our history - and let's not forget we remain among the world's most accomplished mourners - many of us forget how far we have come in many things. The openness of the press and even the gradual opening up of that ancient concubine, state television, is taken for granted nowadays. This too in a military government. But only a few years ago this would have been unthinkable. True, General Musharraf stretches a point when he says he is a military man who rules democratically. Even so, it is hard not to admit that compared to what we've had in the past this has been a tolerant dispensation. Perhaps the tolerance owes less to conscious design than to domestic exigency and international pressure. Perhaps this is globalization at work, a world where the dissemination of information is harder to control. So what? In everyday life facts are more important than their underlying causes. Forget the press, the political parties too over the last three years have been free to do as they please except hold rallies in the open. If they have sat on their butts and not organized themselves properly who is to blame? The military government may have had dubious motives in making the political parties go through the farce of internal elections. But at least it made them do something they would never have done on their own. Horace Walpole said he would love England if it were not for the people in it. Pakistani democracy can trigger much the same emotion. I am all for democracy but its practitioners put me off. Ten minutes in their company and I find myself turning into a rabid Jacobin. General Musharraf's greatest service to Pakistan has been to demystify the military. The armed forces still sit on the bulk of national resources but their holy cow status which made them immune from criticism has come to an end. Thanks to the army being pushed into doing things it had no business touching, the halo round its head has gone. The intelligence agencies also stand demystified. During the Zia years the words ISI and MI were spoken in hushed tones. Not any more. The ISI and MI continue to play their political games, a subject on which Mian Azhar and Chaudry Shujaat of the Q League are more qualified to speak. But the old dread of these agencies has disappeared. The iron curtain around them has fallen. The young of today are scarcely aware of the repressive atmosphere of the Zia regime. For open dissent a harsh price had to be paid which many people, to their lasting honour, did. But it's a measure of the distance we have travelled that it all seems such a long time ago. I think sufficient credit has not been given to Gen Musharraf or the army for this transformation. Which doesn't mean Gen Musharraf hasn't done silly or unnecessary things. Only that all said and done he has presided over an easy regime. The argument often trotted out by politicos and journalists that the tolerance of the regime is dictated by international necessity is at best half true. In a country where ordinary thanedars can get away with the most blatant excesses, the army's secret agencies, whose reach and power should not be underestimated, can get away with a great deal more. If they have desisted from doing so, it is another sign that our political culture is improving. Which is not to say we should close our eyes to the follies or political excesses of the present order. On the frozen body of the 1973 Constitution open-heart surgery is being performed. This is a fact. But the new openness in which criticizing the military government is no longer considered an act of heresy is also a fact. While drawing up a balance sheet of the present both these facts should be kept in mind. The live political discussion on TV is something no government, military or political, ever risked. It has become a regular feature these days, which means another taboo has been broken. Democracy best evolves not merely through strictures or governmental commandments but through an accumulation of such small things, quite often unintended or inadvertent. No Pakistani leader has risked being interviewed live on television. Granted that Musharraf's TV interviewers have always been carefully chosen for their patriotic credentials. And on one or two occasions, I suspect, for their looks which of course bespeaks an aesthetic approach to such things. But the fact remains that in a live interview, however carefully managed, anything can go wrong. If Musharraf has taken the risk, he has set a precedent for others to follow. It is another matter that the generalissimo is often forgetful of Polonius's advice about brevity being the soul of wit. He has a great facility for the long answer, at times the excruciatingly long answer. Polonius was a bore but had some useful advice for his son. Perhaps a reading of his famous speech could be arranged in the presidency. Another thing to be celebrated is the demise of the CSP or DMG, surely not consciously willed by anyone in general headquarters but an inadvertent consequence of General Naqvi's devolution plan. In its heyday the old civil service had its strengths and uses but by the time Naqvi's cruel axe fell on it, it was of no use to man or beast. The passing of the village chowkidar is still mourned among sections of the rural populace. The demise of the commissioner and deputy commissioner, and the meltdown of the once-vaunted steel- frame of the empire, has gone unnoticed and unwept. The ISI and MI are justly blamed for installing and dislodging civilian prime ministers in the nineties. What is often forgotten is that as much to blame are the mandarins of the civil service surrounding those two princes of presidential ineptitude, Ghulam Ishaq Khan and Farooq Leghari. Their role was as dark and sinister as that of any interfering general. The mandarinate had tempted fate for a long time. Who could have foreseen that its nemesis would come stalking in the shape of Gen Naqvi? Not that bureaucratic incompetence has been replaced by military efficiency. To the sum of national inefficiency the army is making its own distinctive contribution. What's more, by turning the district nazims into ready instruments of its ambition, the government has already managed to give devolution a bad name. But this is how progress takes place: one set of incompetents being replaced by another until something more solid and good emerges from the resulting chaos. British democracy was not created overnight. Its beginnings can be traced to the struggle between king and parliament - the latter representing not the people, as political myth would have it, but the aristocratic land owning class. From the balance thus created came civil liberties and the supremacy of parliament. This process took a couple of centuries. Not that we have the same luxury of time but it helps to keep things in perspective. Consider two more things worth celebrating: the abandonment of the Taliban and the change of heart over Kashmir. The Taliban were a millstone round our neck, jihad in Kashmir a concept which had outlived its utility. On our own we wouldn't have had the sense to reverse these policies. It was the post-September 11 world which knocked the stuffing from our most cherished illusions. We were left with no choice except to quickly get in step with the new realities. Musharraf must be credited with some deft footwork here. Possibly he could have held out for a higher price for services rendered to the American cause. But this is quarrelling over tactics not strategy. His general approach was correct. So while there is much wrong with his political tinkering, some good has also accrued from his rule. We are now embarked upon a new journey. Even if the army tries every trick in the book, it can't manage everything about the coming elections. Once electioneering is underway and a new parliament comes into being a new dynamic will be in place. And from it, such being life, a new synthesis will emerge. So why lose heart? We are not reliving the past. A pale version of the past is contending with the future. We have already shed many of our skins and cast aside many shibboleths. This is a good enough basis to step into the future with hope and promise. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020805 ------------------------------------------------------------------- The murder of Haji Qadir ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Eric S. Margolis AFGHANISTAN's deputy president, Haji Abdul Qadir, was gunned down recently by unknown assailants in the centre of supposedly secure Kabul. After recovering from the shock of losing an old friend and benefactor, I vividly recalled Abdul Qadir warning me a decade ago: 'Never travel without two jeeps with guards, one behind you and one in front. That's the only way to prevent an ambush.' In the early 1990s, civil war was raging across Afghanistan following the Soviet pullout. I had just come from a fierce battle against communist Afghan forces at Jalalabad. Haji Qadir, one of southern Afghanistan's most important warlord, gave me the hospitality of his large, walled tribal compound near Jalalabad. I stayed with him as an honoured guest and joined him in audiences with tribal elders and mujihadin fighters. As governor of one of the nation's richest provinces - thanks to legal and illegal trade - Qadir commanded great influence and large numbers of tribal fighters. To protect me during my forays in the countryside, which was completely lawless and afflicted by roving bands of communists, mujihadin, bandits, smugglers and heroin traders, Qadir sent two jeeps filled with heavily armed gunmen to accompany the Land Cruiser in which I was travelling through the war zone. Thanks to his timely aid, I survived unscathed. Ironically, when Qadir was assassinated in Kabul, he appears to have been either riding alone in his trademark Toyota Land Cruiser - the vehicle of choice of all Third World warriors - or with only a single vehicle carrying bodyguards. Qadir's murder, staged in the very midst of western troops protecting the US-installed Kabul regime, underlined Afghanistan's continuing instability and lethal internal politics. Haji Qadir was a leading figure in the anti-Soviet struggle during the 1980s and a close ally of both Pakistan's ISI and the CIA. Qadir and his younger brother, Abdul Haq, an old comrade of mine from Peshawar and the anti-Soviet jihad, were both renowned Pakhtun warriors. Abdul Qadir was quiet, thoughtful, and dignified; his younger brother was hot-blooded and a born fighter. Both aspired to become leader of Afghanistan. Abdul Haq was captured and killed last fall by Taliban in the course of an abortive CIA-mounted mission. When Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 1996, Haji Qadir joined the Northern Alliance, which is armed, financed, and directed by Russia's intelligence services. Qadir was considered a turncoat by fellow Pakhtuns, who detest the Northern Alliance. He was a foe of Al Qaeda. The US had considered making Qadir leader of the post-Taliban regime it installed in Kabul, but chose Hamid Karzai, another Pakhtun, because the latter spoke far better English than Qadir, an essential quality in the media war for foreign public opinion. But Qadir remained a threat to Karzai and the Northern Alliance. Among the many suspects in Qadir's murder must be counted drug runners. According to the UN's drug office, the Taliban managed to almost totally suppress cultivation of opium poppies, Afghanistan's premier cash crop, except in areas controlled by the Northern Alliance. Since the overthrow of the Taliban, the US and Russian- backed Northern Alliance revived and now controls most of the drug trade, which provides 65 per cent of Europe's heroin and a growing share of America's imports. Drug money has become the fuel on which Afghanistan now runs. America's Drug Enforcement Agency has been ordered to shut its eyes and freeze activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan so as not to interfere with the drug business of Washington's local allies. President George Bush's War Against Drugs collided head-on with his War Against Terrorism - and the drug crusade has lost. Washington's complicity with drug dealers brings back nasty memories of Central America and Vietnam, where the US allied itself with Saigon river pirates and drug-dealing army officers, even providing air service to opium-morphine-heroin gangs. Like Indochina and Central America, drugs are the real currency in Afghanistan. Getting involved in narcotics seems an inevitable byproduct of politics and covert operations in such nations. Haji Qadir's murder is a heavy blow to the Karzai regime and its American protectors. His death came soon after a US C-130 gunship massacred at least 44 people and wounded 150 - mostly women and children - at an Afghan wedding. The attack, shrugged off as a 'tragic mistake' by US officials, was another example of the Pentagon's shoot-first, look later policy in Afghanistan, in which crushing air power is used to intimidate or terrorize into submission anyone who dares resist - including, lately, tribesmen and politicians who do not cooperate with the Karzai regime.
SPORTS 20020804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PCB chief backs down on threat to Australia ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Reporter KARACHI, Aug 3: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made a U-turn on its stand on Australia's refusal to tour this October but maintained that it had various options available which it could exercise. The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Lt Gen Tauqir Zia told a news conference that he never intended to directly threaten a boycott of the Australian Cricket Board (ACB). "I continue to enjoy excellent relations with the ACB ever- since I took over as PCB chairman. All I meant was that we have options available to exercise," he said. Tauqir earlier this week threatened that he might reconsider the decision to send his team to Australia in 2004 if Australian Cricket Board (ACB) refuses to tour inspite of President Gen Pervez Musharraf's guarantees of players security. He had said he would activate and motivate the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) which passed a resolution in April at Sharjah that all the members would boycott the country that refuses to tour the coalition partner. "Activating and enforcing are two different things. I never said I would pursue the enforcement of the resolution. But prior to going to ACC, I will contact the International Cricket Council (ICC) to brief them and take their advice," he said. He said that if ACB refused to send its team for three Tests, he would take fresh guidance from President Musharraf. "Now that the President is directly involved, it is no more a matter between the two boards. If ACB refuses to come, I will inform the President and seek his advice. Whatever he says will be implemented. "If he says go and play at a neutral venue so that cricket is not suffered, I will go ahead. He has returned Friday from foreign tour and I will talk to him shortly," he said. Tauqir said he hasn't talked to the ACB or ICC officials yet but promised to get in touch with them in the coming week. "ACB chairman Bob Merriman tried to contact me but because of line disturbance, I couldn't talk to him. I will soon make a return call," he said. Tauqir called for a quick solution to the tour and repeated that Australian boycott remained one of the several options. "I would like to put the pressure on the Australian through the ICC which is the supreme body. I would like Malcolm Gray to intervene and persuade Australia to tour Pakistan," he said. Asked if Australia doesn't tour Pakistan what would be the fate of the Future Tours Programme, the general said it was already a dead issue. He said most of the countries have not signed on the FTP but still cricket was being played. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dalmiya reacts cautiously ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Samiul Hasan KARACHI, Aug 3: Indian cricket supremo, Jaghmohan Dalmiya, reacted cautiously in case Australia refuses to tour Pakistan this October. The president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Jaghmohan Dalmiya, told Dawn from Kolkata that he would refrain from issuing any hard-hitting statement and would instead prefer to follow the wait-and-see policy. "We are not afraid of pleading our case but we should refrain from issuing any statement that may aggravate the situation," Dalmiya said. "We should not jump to conclusions and let the time take its course. There is still enough time to talk," the former chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and now regarded as the most powerful individual in world of cricket. "The prime objective is that cricket should not suffer," he added. India and Pakistan, along with Sri Lanka and India, have signed a resolution on the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) platform that all the members would boycott the countries that refuses to tour the ACC member countries. India, during that meeting in February at Sharjah, had threatened to cancel this year's tour to New Zealand if the Kiwis didn't tour Pakistan later that month. The warning had an immediate impact when New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed the tour that was later curtailed because of May 8 bomb blast just outside the team hotel that left more than a dozen Frenchmen killed. In return, the ACC as well as Pakistan helped India to force suspension of the referees commission that was set-up by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to probe into the penalties imposed on six Indian cricketers by Englishman Mike Denness during a tour to South Africa late last year. When informed that Australian Prime Minister John Howard has said in Sydney that he would not impose his decision on the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) to tour Pakistan, Dalmiya said: "Now the ball is now back in the court of the ACB. Let's wait patiently and see how things unfold." India's cautious and carefully worded statement might increase anxiety in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), particularly after Lt Gen Tauqir Zia was questioned if BCCI could be trusted, if required. "India has signed a resolution and is definitely part of the agreement," the PCB chairman told reporters at the National Stadium. But when told India didn't support Pakistan's compensation case, Tauqir played down the issue, saying: "Probably because every (ICC) member country would have ended up paying to the affected board from its World Cup profits." Pakistan suffered more than $25million losses last year, around $15million alone from India's withdrawal to cross borders for a three-Test and five-match one-day series. Australia, by not touring Pakistan, might find itself on tricky wicket if the ACC stands united and determined to honour its Sharjah pledge. That is because it is upto host Sri Lanka later this year in the tri-nation one-day series that starts Dec 13 and also involves England besides the host nation. Sri Lanka, it is an open secret, has emerged as the most trusted partner by showing shown admiration and support towards Pakistan in difficult times. It was Sri Lanka who broke the ice and became the first team to visit Pakistan earlier this year after New Zealand and the West Indies had stayed away because of security concerns arising from Sept 11 terrorists attack on the United States. Prior to that, Sri Lanka had also offered to send its team for a five-match one-day series in October in an effort to help the PCB, in response to the support Pakistan had shown during the 1996 World Cup after Australia and the West Indies refused to play league matches in Colombo citing players safety. Sri Lanka is again available when required when it agreed to send its `A' team to Pakistan for a full tour next month. According to ICC's Future Tours Program, India's tour to Australia is scheduled in December-January 2003-2004 while Australia's return visit is in Sept 2004. Pakistan has already indicated that it would take a decision to send its team to Australia in 200 after the ACB confirms its tour scheduled between Oct 1 and 24. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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