------------------------------------------------------------------- DAWN WIRE SERVICE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Ending : 08 June 2002 Issue : 08/23 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Contents | National News | Business & Economy | Editorials & Features | Sports
The DAWN Wire Service (DWS) is a free weekly news-service from 
Pakistan's largest English language newspaper, the daily DAWN. DWS 
offers news, analysis and features of particular interest to the 
Pakistani Community on the Internet.

Extracts, not exceeding 50 lines, can be used provided that this 
entire header is included at the beginning of each extract. 

We encourage comments & suggestions. We can be reached at: 

     e-mail        dws-owner@dawn.com
     WWW           http://dawn.com/
     fax           +92(21) 568-3188 & 568-3801 
     mail         DAWN Group of Newspapers 
                   Haroon House, Karachi 74200, Pakistan 

Please send all Editorials and Letters to the Editor at
                   
                   letters@dawn.com


(c) Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., Pakistan - 2002

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 


CONTENTS ===================================================================
NATIONAL NEWS + US assured Pakistan will not begin war: Musharraf + Proposal be formally conveyed: Pakistan + S. Asia paying heavy price for standoff: Musharraf + Indian official says attack plan ready: Defence ministry + Nuclear war unthinkable: Musharraf + All resources to be used if attacked, says Aziz + Pakistan not to strike first: ISPR + Envoys off to explain policy on Kashmir + Pakistan condemns staffer's abduction + US forces launch search operation + Troops redeployed in Kurram Agency + All parties conference opposes change in Kashmir policy + PPP leaders advise govt to contact Benazir Bhutto + ARD's white paper on referendum + ATC bars defence from showing video: Pearl case + Order reserved in Pearl video case + Mariane Pearl dropped as prosecution witness + New lady comes in focus Daniel Pearl case + Delegates for Loya Jirga elected + Lone's son inducted into APHC body + FSC acquits Zafran of adultery + NWFP govt to oppose Zafran Bibi's death sentence in FSC + Sherpao, ex-senator record statements: Ring Road case hearing + Sherpao released on bail + US proposes new rules for visitors + PML-QA not to join NA, says Pervez + 43 die as bus falls into ravine near Jhelum --------------------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMY + Defence budget to go up + Maleeha tipped as next FM + Sattar wants to quit as FM: Health grounds cited + Union Bank to take over Emirates branches + Border concerns turn equities into volatile temper + Stocks end weekend session on subdued note --------------------------------------- EDITORIALS & FEATURES + For what do we fight? Ardeshir Cowasjee + Pakistan's crisis of destiny Ayaz Amir + Halting the slide toward war Henry A. Kissinger + The view from London Irfan Husain ----------- SPORTS + Mudassar hopes Australia will tour Pakistan

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 
=================================================================== 
NATIONAL NEWS
20020607
-------------------------------------------------------------------
US assured Pakistan will not begin war: Musharraf
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Hasan Akhtar

ISLAMABAD, June 6: US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage 
said that although the situation was quite complicated and 
volatile, President Gen Pervez Musharraf had assured him he would 
avoid war with India.

After having talks with the president, Mr Armitage told reporters: 
"Well, of course, the situation is quite complicated and volatile 
but I am very heartened to hear President Musharraf's desire to 
have war avoidance".

The US envoy said he (the president) was very articulate on his 
hopes and aspirations for the people of Pakistan - pointing to the 
future. The president made "it clear that nothing is happening 
across the Line of Control," he said.

Some of the excerpts from Mr Armitage's press talk:

Q: Have you discussed with the president the diversion of troops 
from western border to the Kashmir area?

A: We did have a short discussion on that. Of course, on CNN this 
past weekend, I noticed the president discussed it very openly and 
said that some elements had moved. But the main activities on the 
western border seem to be unaffected from my point of view.

Q: Do you feel closer than or further than the kind of scenario 
people were talking about one week ago about a conventional 
engagement between India and Pakistan that might escalate beyond 
that?

A: I don't know that I can characterize it. I said that President 
Musharraf has made it very clear that he is searching for peace; 
that he won't be the one who would initiate a war and I will be 
looking hopefully for the same type of assurances tomorrow in 
Delhi.

Q: When President Musharraf came back from Almaty he had said he 
thought tensions had been reduced over the past few days or week. 
Did he convey that assessment to you?

A: We discussed the actual situation. He is doing what he feels he 
can to reduce tensions and I have noticed in newspaper accounts 
both here and in India, an apparent lessening of tensions. But I'll 
just leave it at that.

Q: Do you think that in the presence of such a large number of 
troops infiltrations from Pakistan is possible, and what is your 
opinion about the UN monitors along the LoC?

A: Well, the president has made it very clear that nothing is 
happening across the Line of Control. We are looking for that to 
hold over the longer run. On the question of UN observers, it seems 
to be something that the Indians have dismissed off hand. We are 
discussing all sorts of monitoring mechanisms without any 
prejudices to one way or the other.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020606
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposal be formally conveyed: Pakistan
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, June 5: Pakistan, in a cautious response to the Indian 
proposal of joint monitoring of the Line of Control, has reiterated 
its willingness to discuss all such proposals as part of a 
comprehensive dialogue.

Responding to Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's 
suggestion of joint patrolling of the Line of Control, a foreign 
office spokesman observed that given the level of confidence 
between the two countries such a mechanism was unlikely to work. 
However, he said if the proposal was in right earnest it should be 
formally conveyed to Pakistan.

"If India is serious in making such proposals, it should convey 
these formally to Pakistan," he said.

The spokesman further said the proposal of joint patrolling was not 
new. "Similar proposals had previously been tabled with regard to 
the international boundary by India," he said. The Indian and 
Pakistani forces are monitoring and patrolling their respective 
sides of the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, he added.

He pointed out that UNMOGIP already had a mandate to monitor the 
Line of Control. "It may be expanded to perform this role more 
effectively." Pakistan, he maintained, had already expressed its 
willingness to accept neutral monitoring of the LoC.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020605
-------------------------------------------------------------------
S. Asia paying heavy price for standoff: Musharraf
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ALMATY, June 4: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said the people of 
South Asia were paying the price for what he termed India's 
unwillingness to end the standoff over disputed Kashmir.

"The people of South Asia continue to pay a very heavy price by the 
refusal of India to resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with 
the relevant UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people," 
Musharraf told the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-
building Measures in Asia (CICA) here.

"For the past several months, tension along our borders with India 
and the Line of Control is high, stirring deep fears in South Asia 
and around the world over the real possibility of conflict," the 
president said.

"We do not want war. We will not initiate a war. But if war is 
imposed on us, we will defend ourselves with the utmost resolution 
and determination," he said.

"We have stated repeatedly that instead of accusations, threats and 
dangerous escalation, India should return to the path of dialogue 
and negotiations, which is the only sane option, especially in the 
dangerous environment of South Asia."

In his address Musharraf said state oppression could lead to 
terrorism.

"We cannot allow individual or group terrorism on any pretext. 
Similarly, we cannot condone for any reason the rapacious policies 
of certain states that forcibly occupy territories and deny freedom 
to peoples for decades on end," he said.

"Global peace has remained hostage to the expansionist ambitions of 
such states and their ruthless campaigns to suppress, through 
brutal use of force, the legitimate struggles of people to gain 
their internationally recognized fundamental right to freedom and 
self-determination. "Terrorism by states, apart from inflicting 
massive suffering on occupied people, spawns a spiral of violence 
and terrorism."

He said that "denial of freedom, and the resulting desperation and 
humiliation, are the breeding grounds for extremism." To eradicate 
terrorism, he said "we must address the root causes by eliminating 
injustice and honouring the commitments consecrated in the Charter 
principles."

Global peace, he said, has remained "hostage to the expansionist 
ambitions of such states" and their ruthless campaigns to suppress, 
through brutal use of force, the legitimate struggles of peoples to 
gain their internationally recognized fundamental right to freedom 
and self-determination.

Pakistan notes with satisfaction, he said, that the Almaty Act to 
be adopted by the CICA summit had reaffirmed the core principles of 
the UN Charter, namely: respect for sovereign equality and 
territorial integrity of states; respect for the right of self-
determination of peoples under occupation and colonial domination; 
peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and international 
intercession and mediation; and mutually beneficial cooperation.

Gen Musharraf said: "Our faith in the validity of these principles 
has been reinforced by the unfortunate history of South Asia."

President Musharraf said he travelled to Agra nearly a year ago in 
the hope of setting into motion a dialogue process to address 
Kashmir and all other outstanding issues with India. Regrettably, 
he said, the summit remained inconclusive.

The president said the end of the Cold War and the elimination of 
the danger of global annihilation, heightened prospects for global 
peace. Ten years later, he said "that optimism has been tempered by 
unfortunate events and trends."

"New threats and new prejudices darken the horizon," he warned. In 
these circumstances, he said, interaction, dialogue and confidence-
building have assumed greater urgency "for the revival of a fading 
promise."

"We must ask ourselves whether the present situation has been 
brought about because of a sudden eruption of violence and 
terrorism by misguided individuals and desperate groups that 
threaten to destabilize the international community. Or is there a 
deeper malaise and terrorism is a symptom of this malaise."

September 11 brought home to the world "the horror of terrorism and 
galvanized inter-national resolve to fight and eliminate this 
modern day scourge."

"Targeting of innocent people cannot be justified under any 
circumstances. We do and we must reject terrorism in all its forms 
and manifestations." However, as we wage war on terrorism, there 
also is the need for introspection. "Violence in the world is not 
because of terrorism alone." -Agencies

Text of president's speech at Almaty conference:

ISLAMABAD, June 4: The following is the text of the speech by 
President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday to the 16-nation Conference 
on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia (CICA) in 
Almaty, Kazakhstan.

I congratulate you, Mr President on the fruition of your vision 
embodied in the initiative for the Conference on Interaction and 
Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

We admire your sustained guidance that helped to identify the 
principles for cooperation among our countries for peace and a 
better future. The culmination, your initiative at this summit 
meeting in the beautiful city of Almaty, located at the very centre 
of Asia is needed auspicious for the Asian continent.

Mr Chairman, you had initiated this noble venture nearly 10 years 
ago at a time of great hope and promise arising from a momentous 
upsurge for freedom witnessed around the globe.

The end of the Cold War and the elimination of the danger of global 
annihilation, heightened prospects for global peace.

Ten years later, that optimism has been tempered by unfortunate 
events and trends. New threats and new prejudices darken the 
horizon. In these circumstances, interaction, dialogue and 
confidence building have assumed greater urgency for the revival of 
a fading promise.

We must ask ourselves whether the present situation has been 
brought about because of a sudden eruption of violence and 
terrorism by misguided individuals and desperate groups that 
threaten to destabilize the international community. Or is there a 
deeper malaise and terrorism is a symptom of that malaise.

September 11 brought home to the world the horror of terrorism and 
galvanised international resolve to fight and eliminate this modern 
day scourge. Targeting of innocent people cannot be justified under 
any circumstances. We do and we must reject terrorism in all its 
forms and manifestations. However, as we wage war on terrorism, 
there is also the need for introspection. Violence in the world is 
not because of terrorism alone. The international community had 
identified the root causes of violence more than five decades ago 
and had enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the 
principles and the framework for global peace.

Disregard of these principles constitutes the main source of 
violence and suffering in the world and lies many a time at the 
door of member states themselves.

We cannot condone individual or group terrorism on any pretext. 
Similarly, we cannot condone for any reason the rapacious policies 
of certain states that forcibly occupy territories and deny freedom 
to peoples for decade on end, with total disdain for Charter 
principles and decisions of the United Nations.

"Global peace has remained hostage to the expansionist ambitions of 
such states and their ruthless campaigns to suppress, through 
brutal use of force, the legitimate struggles of peoples' to gain 
their internationally recognised right to freedom and self-
determination. Terrorism by states, apart from inflicting massive 
suffering on occupied people, spawns a spiral of violence and 
terrorism.

Denial of freedom and the resulting desperation and humiliation are 
the breeding grounds for extremism.

To eradicate terrorism, we must address the root causes by 
eliminating injustice and honouring the commitments consecrated in 
the Charter principles.

Mr chairman, 

we note with satisfaction that the Almaty Act to be adopted by the 
Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia 
has reaffirmed the core principles of the UN Charter namely:

* respect for sovereign equality and territorial integrity of 
states,

* respect for the right of self-determination of peoples' under 
occupation and colonial domination,

* peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and 
international intercession and mediation, and

* mutually beneficial cooperation.

Our faith in the validity of these principles has been reinforced 
by the unfortunate history of South Asia. The people of South Asia 
continue to pay a heavy price for the refusal by India to resolve 
the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant U.N. 
resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

I travelled to Agra (India) nearly a year ago in the hope of 
setting into motion a dialogue process to address Kashmir and all 
other outstanding issues with India. Regrettably, the summit 
remained inconclusive.

For the past several months, tension along our borders with India 
and the Line of Control is high, stirring deep fears in South Asia 
and around the world over the real possibility of a conflict. We do 
not want war. We will not initiate a war. But if war is imposed on 
us, we will defend ourselves with the utmost resolution and 
determination.

We have stated repeatedly that instead of accusations, threats and 
dangerous escalation, India should return to the path of dialogue 
and negotiations, which is the only sane option, especially in the 
dangerous environment of South Asia.

Mr chairman, the continent of Asia is a cradle of diverse 
civilisations, cultures, religions and traditions. Confidence-
building, understanding and peace in Asia can transform the world.

Imagine the change in global environment, if all the participants 
of this conference were to resolve their differences and conflicts 
on the basis of equity, justice, international law and the 
principles of the U.N. Charter. Imagine the creative energy that 
would be released and the development and progress that would 
result in the new scenario for the deprived people of Asia and the 
blessings it can bring to the entire world.

This objective should define the CICA undertaking and our common 
efforts to promote it. We, therefore, welcome the principles and 
the mechanism elaborated in the Almaty Act. We believe that this 
mechanism supplements and reinforces the commitment of the member 
states to the purposes and principles of the United Nations 
Charter.

In this age of information, when we can instantaneously share the 
pain and joy of our fellow beings anywhere in the world, it is 
vital to promote understanding among peoples and cultures through a 
sustained effort.

"We, therefore, fully endorse the positive elements of the 
"Declaration on Eliminating Terrorism and Promoting Dialogue among 
Civilisations", which are inspired by the idea of greater 
interaction and cooperation among civilisations.

We reject the flawed and dangerous postulate of an unavoidable 
clash of civilisations, which can only resurrect medieval 
prejudices and fears and lead the world on a dark and dangerous 
path of confrontation and conflict.

I conclude, by expressing sincere gratitude and appreciation for 
the warm hospitality and courtesies extended to me and my 
delegation since our arrival in this beautiful city of Almaty.

I Thank you Mr Chairman.-Reuters

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020604
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Indian official says attack plan ready: Defence ministry
-------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW DELHI, June 3: The India military categorically ruled out the 
use of nuclear weapons in case of war with Pakistan.

"The government makes it clear that India does not believe in the 
use of nuclear weapons. Neither does it visualise that it will be 
used by any other country," the defence ministry said in a 
statement in New Delhi.

The hastily-issued statement appeared to be a damage-control 
exercise following comments from Indian Defence Secretary Yogendra 
Narain saying that India would retaliate with nuclear weapons if 
Pakistan used its atomic arsenal, and that both countries must be 
prepared for "mutual destruction."

Narain, the country's most senior defence ministry bureaucrat, also 
said in an interview with Outlook magazine that India's command-
and-control, or the nuclear button, was in place and ready.

"Everything is finalized. It is in the hands of the civilian 
government and we don't expect any delay in issuing orders," he 
told the news weekly. It was the first such public comment by a 
senior bureaucrat on the country's nuclear command structure.

In his interview, Yogendra Narain had said that the Indian army had 
a "moral and legal right " to launch a punitive attack on Pakistan, 
adding ominously: "We can strike at three hours' notice." In an 
interview likely to further dismay the international community, 
Narain said the Indian government was actively considering 
"surgical strikes" against its nuclear rival.

He revealed that New Delhi had originally planned to attack 
Pakistan in the wake of an raid by militants on India's parliament 
building last December. But it changed its mind after Gen Pervez 
Musharraf promised to clamp down on militant groups. He hinted that 
the plan had now been revived.

Although nothing has been ruled out, New Delhi is believed to 
favour a symbolic punitive attack on "terrorist" training camps 
inside Azad Kashmir.

Narain told the magazine that India was entitled to cross into 
Pakistani territory and attack militant training camps. The 
government was prepared for the possibility that any confrontation 
with Pakistan might turn nuclear, he said.

"Pakistan is not a democratic country and we don't know their 
nuclear threshold. We will retaliate and must be prepared for 
mutual destruction on both sides," he added.

India's Hindu nationalist-led coalition government appears to be 
considering two main options: a short, swift special forces raid on 
training camps or precision air strikes on the camps and their 
infrastructure. Supporters of this strategy point out that the 
militant bases are located close to the line of control and say a 
plane could hit the target and return to Indian territory in five 
or six minutes. But both plans have several flaws. In previous 
conflicts the Pakistanis have picked off India's warplanes. There 
are also doubts whether Indian intelligence is up to the job of 
correctly identifying militant training camps, many of which are 
little more than ramshackle structures. There are also grave 
uncertainties that how Pakistan would respond.

Last week Gen Musharraf promised to take the battle "into Indian 
territory" if attacked - in effect, opening up a new theatre of war 
somewhere else. The other unknown factor is how Gen Musharraf - who 
last week carried out three tests of nuclear-capable ballistic 
missiles - would respond if Pakistan's conventional army crumbles.

It is this uncertainty, more than any pressure from the 
international community, that has so far prevented New Delhi from 
acting. Narain admitted that "surgical strikes" would probably take 
place if diplomacy failed. "We know that there will be retaliation 
on other parts of the border from Pakistan. It will escalate and 
will not be confined to one region," he predicted.

Highly-placed military sources said Narain's comments have sent 
alarm bells ringing in India's civilian establishment.-AFP/ 
Guardian News Service 

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020602
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Nuclear war unthinkable: Musharraf
-------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON, June 1: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said that a 
nuclear war between Pakistan and India was all but unthinkable, the 
CNN reported. "I don't think either side is that irresponsible to 
go to that limit," Gen Musharraf told CNN in an exclusive 
interview, a preview of which was shown on PTV.

"I would even go to the extent of saying one shouldn't even be 
discussing these things, because any sane individual cannot even 
think of going into this unconventional war, whatever the 
pressures," CNN online quoted the president as saying.

The president dismissed as "absolutely baseless" charges that 
Pakistan had moved nuclear missiles towards the border with India. 
"That Pakistan ever moved any nuclear asset or deployed its 
missiles is baseless, absolutely baseless," Gen Musharraf said in 
reply to a question. He added: It was an absolutely baseless 
accusation that Pakistan ever moved nuclear weapons or deployed 
nuclear assets, and that holds good even now.

If India has moved their missiles this is extremely dangerous and a 
very serious escalation, an extremely serious escalation. The 
international community must take note of this because you can't 
distinguish what is conventional and what is unconventional. "Let 
us hope good sense prevails (and) this does not lead to escalation. 
It has not because we are restraining ourselves, and let Indians 
not test our patience and restraint because it will be very 
dangerous."

The president said: "We've called for a no-war pact (with India), 
that there shouldn't be any war. We've called for denuclearization 
of South Asia, so we've called for reduction of forces."

Gen Musharraf said he was willing to meet Indian Prime Minister 
Atal Behari Vajpayee on the sidelines of a regional summit next 
week. He said he was willing to talk to Mr Vajpayee in Kazakhstan, 
where both leaders would attend an Asian summit from June 4.

"It depends more on Prime Minister Vajpayee," President Musharraf 
said. "I have no problem with meeting him, I have been saying that 
all along so that question must be put to him."

Musharraf said that his country is "against militancy" and "will 
fight militancy in any form." But, the president said, Kashmiri 
separatists are engaged in "a genuine freedom struggle" to force 
the implementation of a UN resolution calling for the right of 
self-determination.

Musharraf insisted that "nothing is happening across the Line of 
Control," but noted that "it should not end there. There has to be 
some movement forward," he said. "And the movement forward is 
certainly the issue of addressing, initiating the process of 
dialogue, and squarely addressing the dispute of Kashmir."-Agencies

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020602
-------------------------------------------------------------------
All resources to be used if attacked, says Aziz
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ISLAMABAD, June 1: Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Abdul Aziz 
Mirza has warned that if war is thrust on Pakistan, all resources 
would be utilized to safeguard the sea flank of the country.

"Pakistan Navy is fully alert and alive to the present situation. 
It will protect the motherland against any threat from the seaward 
and will respond with full force," he said.

He observed that though the nuclear capability and missile 
technology had provided the navy with parity with India, the need 
for a credible defence in the conventional field still existed.

India should not be allowed to bully Pakistan under the garb of 
cross-border terrorism, for the latter had repeatedly condemned 
terrorism in all its manifestations and had provided full support 
to eradicate that menace at the international level, he added.-APP

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020602
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan not to strike first: ISPR
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, June 1: Pakistan reiterated its position that it will 
not be the first to initiate a war against India but if one was 
thrust upon Pakistan it will respond with full might.

"Nobody should have any illusions or miscalculations about it," 
said President Pervez Musharraf's spokesman and DG ISPR Maj-Gen 
Rashid Qureshi.

Talking to Dawn, he said Pakistan had made it amply clear to India 
and the world that "if our territory or airspace is violated we 
will defend and respond."

The President's spokesman stated this in response to a report in 
the daily Christian Science Monitor Thursday that India was 
planning a 10-day "limited assault in Kashmir if infiltration does 
not significantly drop." According to a senior Indian military 
official quoted in the report, the limited military operation would 
be undertaken to capture territory and dismantle the militants' 
infrastructure.

Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi categorically dismissed the report as 
deserving of contempt and termed it "an utterly ridiculous 
assertion."

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020603
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Envoys off to explain policy on Kashmir
-------------------------------------------------------------------
KARACHI, June 2: The government has dispatched special envoys to 
many countries who will explain Pakistan's policy vis-a-vis the 
Kashmir issue, which has been a major cause of dispute between 
Pakistan and India.

The former chief of the army staff, Jehangir Karamat, said the 
world should know that the Kashmir issue was the main cause of 
dispute between Pakistan and India.

Talking to APP at Karachi Airport before his departure to Rome, 
Italy, the former army chief said that he was going as special 
emissary of President General Pervez Musharraf to tell the European 
countries about Pakistan's point-of-view in the present tense 
situation between India and Pakistan.

"I will inform the governments of these European countries that 
since long Pakistan has been offering mediation to solve the 
Kashmir issue," he said, adding that he would also brief the world 
leaders why the solution of the Kashmir problem was essential to 
ease tension in South Asia.

He said that some kind of mediation process had already been 
initiated and many high-level officials from the UK and the USA had 
been visiting both the countries. He said the US defence secretary 
was also expected to visit Pakistan and India next week.

Mr Karamat said that besides Italy, he would visit Paris, Madrid 
and Denmark and meet the heads of governments and states there. He 
said the main purpose of his visit as special envoy of the 
president was to deliver special letters to the heads of 
governments. He said Pakistani missions in these countries had 
already been informing their host states about the just stand of 
Pakistan, but he would personally meet the heads of governments to 
deliver the president's message.

Another special envoy of the president of Pakistan, Najamuddin 
Shaikh, left here late Saturday night for Bangkok on his way to 
Singapore. He will also visit Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan where 
he will deliver special messages from President General Pervez 
Musharraf to the heads of government and state of these countries.

Talking to APP prior to his departure, Mr Shaikh said that as he 
would be trying to meet opinion leaders in all these countries in 
addition to delivering letters to their 'higher destinations,' he 
would be away from Pakistan for about 20 days.

"I have been directed by the president to visit Singapore, 
Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan to deliver as a special envoy the 
letters that he has addressed to the heads of government of these 
countries with regard to the current situation in South Asia," he 
added.

"I think that there is an understanding in the world that peaceful 
negotiations particularly in South Asia with large armies on both 
sides is the only way in which a catastrophic situation can be 
avoided," he said.

The former chairman of Senate, Wasim Sajjad, has said that war is 
not a solution of problems bet countries.

Talking to APP at Karachi Airport before his departure to Damascus 
as special envoy of President General Pervez Musharraf, the former 
chairman of Senate said that he would tell the leaders of Muslims 
countries that India had initiated war-like situation and gathered 
its forces along Pakistan borders.

Mr Sajjad said that besides Syria he would also visit Jordan, 
Turkey and Lebanon and meet heads of these countries to inform them 
about Pakistan's stand. "I will request the leadership of these 
countries to use their influence to defuse tension in the South 
Asian region," he said, adding that as special emissary, he would 
deliver special messages of President General Musharraf to the 
heads of these countries.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020602
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan condemns staffer's abduction
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Hasan Akhtar

ISLAMABAD, June 1: The Pakistan government condemned the abduction, 
unlawful detention and torture of an official of its high 
commission in New Delhi, Amir Shabbir, by the Indian intelligence 
operatives, said a foreign office statement.

It said the government had lodged a strong protest with the Indian 
government over "the reprehensible action" against Mr Shabbir.

Islamabad called upon New Delhi to take appropriate action against 
those responsible for the abduction and torture of the official.

Meanwhile, New Delhi has also made a similar charge against 
Islamabad for alleged unlawful abduction and temporary detention of 
its mission's official in Islamabad, Kulwant Singh.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020603
-------------------------------------------------------------------
US forces launch search operation 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ISLAMABAD, June 2: Hundreds of US troops launched an operation in 
the mountains of eastern Afghanistan to hunt down Al Qaeda and 
Taliban fighters, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported.

It said the operation had been mounted in Nangarhar province, 
across the Torkham crossing on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The operation is focused on the mountainous terrain of Shamshad 
south of Torkham, the Pakistan-based private news service said.

US troops blocked all routes leading to Shamshad, and occupied the 
pedestrian trails from Pakistan to Afghanistan. They also 
barricaded the popular Sasobi track which is used daily by 
thousands of Afghans to cross into Pakistan, it said.

The AIP said the US forces have taken up positions along the route, 
with cover from helicopters flying overhead.-AFP

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020607
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Troops redeployed in Kurram Agency
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Zulfiqar Ali

PESHAWAR, June 6: Pakistan army troops took over charge of some 
checkpoints on the Kohat-Parachinar road after the personnel were 
redeployed in the Kurram tribal agency to reinforce search for 
suspects and check illegal crossing of the border from the 
Afghanistan side.

Reports reaching here said the army troops moved into the area and 
assumed charge of Chapari and Alizai checkpoints in the Lower 
Kurram Agency, close to the Khost province, where coalition forces 
have launched a fresh operation against fugitive Taliban and Al 
Qaeda elements.

Besides, the troops were also deputed on various checkpoints in 
Kohat, Hangu and Thall to check vehicles coming from the tribal 
areas. The personnel of the Frontier Corps and Thall scouts are 
also assisting the troops in the area.

The troops, earlier deployed in different parts of the tribal 
territory, including both North and South Waziristan Agencies, had 
been withdrawn from a number of checkpoints in the Kurram Agency 
and the settled areas due to the ongoing stand-off between Pakistan 
and India.

Last week, president Gen Pervez Musharraf stated that Islamabad 
might pull out its troops from tribal areas, deployed along the 
western border to check the infiltration of Al-Qaeda suspects and 
Taliban from the war-battered Afghanistan.

The statement worried many a stockholder, including Washington, 
that the troops withdrawal from the western borders would affect 
the coalition forces' operation against the fleeing Al-Qaeda men 
and Taliban.

The coalition forces also moved into Afghanistan's eastern 
Nangarhar province to flush out the hiding fighters of Al-Qaeda and 
Taliban. Eyewitnesses claimed that the US troops operating in 
Gorako and Dor Baba areas, close to the Pakistan border, blew up 
many caves.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020603
-------------------------------------------------------------------
All parties conference opposes change in Kashmir policy
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, June 2: An All Parties Conference of some 30 Kashmiri 
parties unanimously demanded that the government should resist 
pressure to change its Kashmir policy because no solution but one 
based on the right of self-determination would be acceptable to the 
people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The APC, convened by AJK Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan 
at Kashmir House, deliberated on the wave of Indian repression and 
use of force to curb Kashmiri's demand for self-determination and 
the situation arising out of the Indian aggression against 
civilians.

Prominent among the participants were AJK President Sardar Mohammad 
Anwar, AJK Muslim Conference President Sardar Attiq Ahmed Khan, 
Ghulam Mohammad Safi and Syed Yusuf Naseem of All Parties Hurriyet 
Conference, Abdur Rashid Turabi of AJK Jamaat-i-Islami, Sahibzada 
Atiqur Rahman Faizpuri, Maulana Nazir Farooqi, Amanullah Khan, 
Abdul Majeed, Mohammad Hayat Khan and Prof Mohammad Ashraf Sarraf. 
No leader from PPP AJK turned up.

It unanimously adopted the following declaration:

"All Parties Kashmir Conference pays rich tributes to the valour 
and determination of the people of Indian occupied J&K who infused 
a new life into the Kashmir issue which remained dormant and have 
thus shattered Indian hopes of bringing the Indo-Pakistan border to 
the Jhelum/Neelum river.

"The conference deems it necessary to reaffirm its pledge that 
notwithstanding the level and volume of Pakistan's support, the 
Kashmiri people in any case will continue with their struggle for 
the liberation of Kashmir.

"The conference salutes the courage and grit of the men, women and 
children of AJ&K who were braving severe Indian hostilities on the 
Line of Control and were standing like a solid rock between Indian 
armed forces and the territories of Pakistan.

"The conference holds India responsible for disturbing peace and 
tranquillity in the region and for creating an unprecedented 
tension when the armies of both nuclear powers face each other 
eyeball to eyeball. It becomes imperative to make it known that in 
case of any eventuality the people of J&K, particularly hundreds of 
thousands of Mujahideen and ex-servicemen, will stand firmly along 
with Pakistan army to defend every inch of AJK and Pakistan.

"The conference pays glowing tributes to the leadership of Indian 
occupied Kashmir and assure them that the people of AJK as well as 
the kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan were determined to play a 
full blooded role in the resistance movement. They well know that 
the sanctity accorded to the ceasefire line by the United Nations 
resolution was applicable to the armed forces of India and Pakistan 
and not to the people of J&K and they were free to move anywhere in 
their own state.

"The APC of Kashmiri parties reaffirms that the ongoing resistance 
movement in occupied J&K was in conformity with the canons of UN 
Charter and thus just and legitimate and the Indian occupation 
force and their secret agencies themselves carry out acts of 
terrorism to malign the just struggle of the people.

"It reiterates that no war can ever bring a lasting solution to a 
dispute like Kashmir, it can only be achieved through peaceful 
means for which negotiations and across the table talks were a pre-
requisite.''

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020604
-------------------------------------------------------------------
PPP leaders advise govt to contact Benazir Bhutto
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter

LAHORE, June 3: Pakistan People's Party leaders said that the 
policies pursued by the military regime had failed to solve the 
thorny problems facing the country. There was, therefore, a dire 
need for the restoration of democratic system.

They said the regime should establish contact with Ms Benazir 
Bhutto before the situation slipped out of control and the masses 
took to the streets to hold the rulers accountable.

The warning shots came at a ceremony at which some important 
Pakistan Muslim League leaders from Gujranwala joined the PPP.

PPP's Punjab president Qasim Zia, who presided over the meeting, 
cautioned the government against any move to 'deform' the 
constitution which was a consensus document, enjoying support of 
all political parties.

Time had come, the player-turned-politician said, for all political 
and religious forces to join hands. "Pakistan stands isolated at 
the international level. The foreign policy has failed. The country 
needs a popular leadership. The farce of referendum has established 
that the conglomerate of the puppet parties has failed to produce 
the results desired by the regime."

Underlining the need for immediate fresh elections, Mr Zia said a 
representative government would be in a better position to steer 
the country out of the crises.

Former PPP secretary-general, Ahmad Mukhtar, said all policies of 
the military rulers had backfired and claims that foreign 
investment was streaming in were misleading. In his opinion, a 
political system needed to be restored without delay so that the 
armed forces could focus on their primary duty - the defence of the 
country.

PPP federal council secretary-general Khalid Kharal said the 
government should evolve national consensus by establishing contact 
with the political leadership. Using derogatory language against 
former president Farooq Leghari, he strongly criticised the regime 
for sending such a person as Pakistan's emissary to various 
countries to present the country's point of view on the standoff 
between the two nuclear armed neighbours.

Khwaja Muhammad Saleh, Noman Butt, Farooq Ansari, Mian Muhammad 
Iqbal Ansari, Chaudhry Muhammad Anwar Kamboh from Gujranwala and 
Mian Zahid Aslam Butt from Faisalabad formally joined the PPP. Some 
of the speakers claimed that the PPP would now be in a position to 
sweep the general elections in Gujranwala division.

Provincial information secretary Naveed Chaudhry and media incharge 
Iqbal Sialvi also spoke on the occasion.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020604
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ARD's white paper on referendum
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter

LAHORE, June 3: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy issued a 
white paper which questions the validity of the April 30 referendum 
on constitutional, factual and political grounds.

The paper, released by the alliance's deputy information secretary 
Munir Ahmad Khan, alleged that the turnout claimed by the Election 
Commission was highly exaggerated and at some places the votes 
polled had outnumbered the registered voters. The instances of 
misuse of the public money have also been highlighted in the 
document.

This is the third white paper on the subject. The earlier two had 
been released by the PML(N) and the Jamaat-i-Islami.

All parties are of the view that Chief Election Commissioner 
Justice Irshad Hasan Khan had failed to hold an impartial and fair 
referendum and thus must be removed without delay to ensure free 
and fair general elections.

The ARD white papers says that no sane person will believe in the 
fiction presented as facts: "No less amazing is the turnout in 
Lahore where 1.9 million electorates out of a population of 4.0 
million came out to vote in the referendum, regardless of the gross 
under-reporting of true facts by many a biased and characterless 
hacks. It means that the people of Lahore had come out on the 
streets to vote in more than double the reception Imam Khomeini got 
in Tehran in 1979 or two-time greater than the mob that came to 
receive Ms Benazir Bhutto in 1986. Under the leadership of district 
Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood the Lahorites have broken, at least, two 
records.

Similar is the story of Karachi where the MQM, the PPP, the PML(N) 
and the Jamaat boycotted the referendum, but the Naib Nazim set 
even much healthier record. Can any sane man believe in these 
figures?

In Muzaffargarh district, when the people were forced to cast their 
votes, some people cast their votes and mentioned the name of 
Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, Mian Nawaz Sharif, Pir Pagara, Makhdoom 
Amin Fahim, Nawab Akbar Bugti, Wali Khan, Qazi Husain Ahmad, 
Maulana Fazlur Rahman and other leaders. On the other hand, the 
women of this area cast their votes and mentioned the name of Ms 
Benazir Bhutto, Naheed Khan and other women.

A chapter on "Drop Scene of referendum on April 30" says: There 
were 60 million ballot papers for 87,074 polling stations, 163,641 
polling booths, and over 0.4 million staff who carried out 
referendum to facilitate voters above the age of 18 years.

"More than 3,000 unconventional polling stations were set up in 
parks, government offices, factories, railway stations, bus stands, 
petrol pumps, hotels and offices of political parties. Referendum 
day proved bleak for the government machinery, which tried its 
level best to bring the people out of their homes for casting 
ballots in favour of Gen Musharraf. 

On April 30, polling stations were giving deserted look and the 
polling staff was seen sitting outside polling stations or playing 
cards, due to lack of voters.

The administration filled ballot boxes with stamped ballots on the 
eve of the referendum and sent them to different polling stations. 
Seeing terribly low turnout, Nazims and councillors forced people 
to cast their vote. But after failing in getting them to polling 
stations, they used another method. They visited different polling 
stations with several groups of 25 sweepers and gardeners and cast 
their votes at least for eight times.

In the afternoon, police officials were directed to visit different 
polling stations and cast multiple votes and wherever polling 
officers resisted them, they thrashed them and forcibly cast votes.

Police deployed at railway stations and bus stands forced commuters 
to cast their votes at every station and stop. Interestingly, 
district coordination officers and SPs were responsible for 
boosting the turnout. In this regard, they kept on getting 
directions from chief secretaries and inspectors general of their 
respective provinces.

In various polling stations, small children and foreigners also 
cast vote and nobody stopped them. In different government 
departments, ballot papers were released before April 30 and the 
employees were forced to cast their votes with a threat of being 
fired from their jobs.

Pakistan Television kept on broadcasting old films of elections 
because they could not capture even a single crowded polling 
station throughout the country. Administration kept on taking 
groups of people to the polling stations which were to be visited 
by Gen Musharraf, governors and the Chief Election Commissioner, in 
order to show them activity there.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020607
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ATC bars defence from showing video: Pearl case
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent

HYDERABAD, June 6: Judge of the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Syed Ali 
Ashraf Shah restrained the defence counsel, Rai Basheer Ahmed, from 
displaying or exhibiting the video CD (VCD) containing images of 
the gruesome murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl.

The order was passed on an application filed by the advocate 
general, Sindh, Raja Qureshi, seeking an order of restraint against 
the accused, their agents, or all those who were acting on their 
behalf.

The trial of the case has come to a standstill till June 10 because 
a division bench of the Sindh High Court, Karachi, did not announce 
the order on criminal revision application of the advocate general, 
Sindh, today.

The order has been reserved by the bench after hearing the 
prosecution and defence counsels.

The advocate general told journalists that in case the order was 
not announced on Monday, then the hearing would resume immediately 
on the next day if the Sindh High Court announced the order.

The examination-in-chief of the investigating officer (IO), 
Hameedullah Memon, has been completed and his cross examination has 
been reserved till Monday by the defence.

Defence Counsel Rai Basheer Ahmed claimed that in case the high 
court rejected criminal revision application of the advocate 
general, Sindh, then he and Abdul Waheed Katpar would need two days 
to prepare themselves for cross examination of the investigating 
officer after viewing the VCD with the experts.

By way of his application, the advocate general, Sindh, has 
requested a division bench of the Sindh High Court to set aside the 
order, passed on May 28 by the anti-terrorism court, Hyderabad, 
ordering the release of the VCD.

The advocate general, Sindh, informed journalists that the trial 
had come to a standstill because the trial court would have to 
await the order of the SHC which could be announced any day.

He claimed that he filed the application seeking order of restrain 
against defence on the basis of newspaper reports that the defence 
counsel wanted to show the VCD at the press club on Wednesday.

He said that the defence counsel denied that he had shown the VCD 
on Wednesday and undertook not to do so in future as well.

He claimed that the application was filed because section 8(c) of 
the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 declared the conveying or exhibition 
or displaying of movies or visual images with sound which conveys 
terrorism to be schedule offence.

To a query that whether the same applied to journalists, he said 
that if the video, obtained by way of unauthorised means, contained 
images, which spread terrorism, it fell within the mischief of the 
ATA, and added that the video had some images of terrorism in 
theshape of the slaughtering of the American journalist. However, 
if the video was obtained through lawful means and from the court 
of law, then it would mean lawful acquisition, he clarified.

He said that he did not know whether the video of the American 
journalist was available on the internet. Responding to another 
question, the advocate general said that reality is reality, and a 
movie, showing scenes of terrorism and violence, is after all a 
movie.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020605
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Order reserved in Pearl video case
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter

KARACHI, June 4: The anti-terrorism appellate bench of the Sindh 
High Court reserved order on the prosecution's application for 
setting aside the trial court's order for providing the video 
cassette showing Daniel Pearl's murder, to the accused, but at the 
same time held that the impugned order would remain suspended.

Besides the principal accused, Ahmed Umer Saeed Sheikh, Sheikh 
Mohammad Adil, Syed Salman Saqib and Fahad Nasim, who are facing 
trial in Hyderabad Central Jail, are respondents in the 
application.

While the prosecution's line of argument was that providing the 
tape to the accused at this stage would be inexpedient in the 
public interest, counsel for the accused maintained that it was the 
case property and being used as an evidence against them. Therefore 
they must have it to defend their clients. It was all the more 
necessary because some international websites had put the video for 
viewing.

When the matter came up, Raja Qureshi, the Advocate-General, Sindh, 
read out the order of the trial court on earlier two applications 
in this regard. He tried to convince the court to first watch the 
video and then decide whether to hand over the recording to the 
accused. At this point Justice Siddiqui asked the AG to first argue 
on whether the accused were entitled or not to be provided the 
video tape.

Mr Qureshi submitted that the said "video is not a document but a 
crime article and therefore it cannot be given to the accused." He 
then referred to section 2( b) of the Qanoon-i-Shahadat and section 
29 of PPC to define what was document. He also referred to section 
8 (1) (c) of the Anti-terrorism Act of 1997, which was also one of 
the sections under which the charge had been framed against the 
accused.

It was his contention that the above section of the AT Act made the 
video to be crime article as it contained a recording of visual 
images and sound which was threatening and creating a sense of fear 
and insecurity. It was likely to stir sectarian hatred. "It is a 
crime article because it conveys through modern devices the 
commission of crime and promotes terrorism," he submitted.

The AG submitted that the said video was delivered at the US 
consulate two days before Eidul Azha, perhaps to send the message 
to the world how Muslims treated Jews. That could have generated a 
backlash against Muslims. Justice Siddiqui intervened, saying this 
line of argument did not seem to be convincing, perhaps as the 
video was reportedly on international websites.

The AG argued that the original video tape was displayed through an 
FBI agent, John Moligan, on May 14 and he was cross-examined on May 
16. Both the original and copy were watched by the accused, defence 
team and prosecution team in the presence of the presiding judge on 
May 14. Such request had not been made then. What was the purpose 
of making such a demand when the last prosecution witness, ie, the 
investigation officer, is to be examined on Wednesday. What would 
be the justification of providing copy of the crime article which 
had been returned and taken away by the FBI agent to Washington DC, 
with the permission of the trial court, he argued.

He also invoked articles 40 and 5 of the constitution. Article 5 
deals with loyalty to the state and obedience to the constitution 
and the law. Article 40 deals with strengthening of bonds with the 
Muslim world and strengthening international peace.

"The viewing of the video reflecting the slaughtering of an 
American Jew, Daniel Pearl, would be an instrument of advancing 
acts of terrorism internationally, and therefore if it is released 
it could occasion massacre of Muslims and religious sects 
nationally and internationally," the AG has contended in the 
application.

He was also opposed to providing the video to the defence because 
it was "likely to incite hatred and contempt on religious, 
sectarian, or ethnic basis to stir up violence, or is likely to 
affect the external affairs of Pakistan."

When the AG referred to the risk of disclosure to the public at 
large, nationally and internationally and sectarian hatred, Justice 
Siddiqui observed that sect is a subdivision of a religion. Jews 
are not a sect. 

"If it is perceived to be between the followers of the two 
religions, will it fall under sectarian hatred clause (section 2 
(h)," he asked. Mr Qureshi referred to the definition of sectarian 
hatred under the AT Act.

Counsel for the accused Abdul Waheed Katpar believed it was a faked 
video, and said during the cross-examination, the FBI agent had 
said that science had developed to such a level that such things 
could be faked.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020606
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Mariane Pearl dropped as prosecution witness
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent

HYDERABAD, June 5: The prosecution in the Daniel Pearl kidnapping-
cum-murder case dropped Mariane Pearl as its witness following a 
written statement filed in the Anti-terrorism Court on her behalf 
stating that she was unable to travel to Pakistan or London for an 
indefinite period.

Barrister M. Jamil, counsel for the slain journalist's wife, filed 
the statement.

She is the 15th witness dropped by the prosecution another one 
being the former presiding officer of the case, Arshad Noor Khan 
who, earlier, had not been allowed by the Sindh High Court to 
depose in the case.

The prosecution has so far produced 23 witnesses including two FBI 
agents and a US consulate official.

The prosecution's application seeking appointment of a commission 
to record Mariane Pearl's statement in London has been rendered 
infructuous after the filing of her fresh statement by her counsel.

The cross-examination of an investigation officer, Rao Aslam, was 
completed whereas examination-in-chief of another investigation 
officer, Hameedullah Memon, was started.

Later, the Chief Prosecutor and AG Sindh, Raja Qureshi, told 
newsmen that he had no choice but to drop Mariane Pearl as PW as 
she was unable to travel. However, he added, her non-examination 
would neither harm nor help the prosecution case at this point of 
the time because she was not an eyewitness to the kidnapping or 
murder. He said that she was an important PW because the FIR was 
lodged by her and that she had produced some e-mails before the 
court which were now the case properties. He said that the 
proceedings had to be completed within a stipulated time and the 
court could not wait for her appearance for an indefinite period as 
her statement pointed out.

Regarding appointment of commission to record Mariane Pearl's 
statement in France, Mr Qureshi acknowledged that the application 
was rendered infructuous because Pakistan and France had no treaty 
to allow such a commission in that country.

The Defence Counsel, Rai Basheer Ahmed, told newsmen that Mariane 
Pearl's withdrawal from the PW list had demolished the foundation 
of entire case. He said that there was no one left now to endorse 
the testimony of PW, Nasir Abbas, a taxi driver. Rai Basheer 
recalled that Mariane Pearl had claimed that her husband had gone 
in the taxi in her presence.

Meanwhile, the ATC Judge, Syed Ali Ashraf Shah, made the cross-
examination of the IO, Hameedullah Memon, subject to the 
announcement of an order by a division bench of the Sindh High 
Court, Karachi, on a criminal revision application filed by the 
Advocate General Sindh otherwise the trial would come to a 
standstill.

Partly allowing the application of the Defence Counsel, Rai Basheer 
Ahmed, about the suspension of proceedings till that announcement, 
the judge adjourned the matter till Thursday.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020602
-------------------------------------------------------------------
New lady comes in focus Daniel Pearl case
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent

HYDERABAD, June 1: The Anti-terrorism Court, Hyderabad, examined 
Rao Aslam, the first investigating officer of the Daniel Pearl's 
kidnapping-cum-murder case.

During his cross-examination, which continued till the court 
adjourned the hearing till June 5, Rao Aslam deposed that 'for 
security reasons' he avoided making any entry at the Rawalpindi 
police station or calling police help in connection with his visit 
to Akbar Hotel where Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh had stayed. He 
admitted that he did not prepare map of the hotel and the room 
where Omar Sheikh stayed.

Cross-examination of another prosecution witness Mehmood Iqbal 
Hashmi, administrator of an internet service provider's office, has 
been completed by defence counsels.

The court did not pass any order on the application of the Chief 
Prosecutor and AG Sindh, Raja Qureshi who had sought appointment of 
a commission to record statement of Mariane Pearl, wife of the 
slain journalist. She has given birth to a baby boy two days back 
in France.

Raja Qureshi opposed the long adjournment on the ground that the 
proceedings were being on a day-to-day basis as mandated by law.

On June 4, the prosecution and defence lawyers would be busy 
attending Sindh High Court, Karachi, in connection with hearing of 
criminal revision application, filed by the AG Sindh. The AG has 
prayed to the court to set aside an order of the ATC Hyderabad 
calling for the release of a video cassette containing material 
related to the murder of Daniel Pearl. Meanwhile, the ATC has 
allowed meeting of veil-observing female relatives of accused in 
presence of a female warden inside the jail.

Raja Qureshi told newsmen that Barrister Jamil did not furnish any 
fresh communication on behalf of his client, Mariane Pearl, and 
added that her arrival from France depended on her doctors' 
permission.

He said that Rao Aslam produced before the court the documents 
related to e-mails and other recoveries made in the case. The e-
mails, the AG stated, contained photographs and messages concerning 
Daniel Pearl and were sent to Miss Asra Nomani, the host of Daniel 
Pearl, though the actual addressee appeared to be Mariane Pearl.

Giving details of cross-examination of Mehmood Iqbal Hashmi and Rao 
Aslam, the defence counsel, Rai Basheer Ahmed, said that Hashmi 
admitted that he had no record of e-mails which could prove that 
these were sent by the accused. He said that the e-mails were sent 
to Miss Nomani, who claimed to be a freelance journalist. He 
pointed out that Miss Nomani, a Pakistani, had dual nationality of 
USA and Pakistan.

The counsel said that there was no mention of Miss Nomani in the 
entire prosecution case in spite of the fact that she had stayed 
with Daniel Pearl and accompanied him to a village restaurant when 
he was abducted.

Owner of the Zamzama Street residence at Clifton, Rai Basheer 
claimed, the same lady was also involved in correspondence/ 
negotiations with kidnappers through e-mails. He further informed 
the newsmen that the US immigration authorities had twice refused 
visa to the lady to travel to Pakistan but she got the same with 
Daniel Pearl's favour.

About examination-in-chief and cross-examination of Rao Aslam, the 
defence counsel said that the IO admitted he did not secure any 
rent agreement of Mariane Pearl's house but categorically denied 
having come across Miss Nomani.

The counsel pointed out to the IO that the lady could be the main 
accused or a witness in the case had she been included in the 
investigation.

According to Rai Basheer, the IO told the court that he did not 
collect any evidence proving that Amir Afzal was an employee of 
Akbar International Hotel and also did not record the hotel 
manager's statement.

The counsel pointed out that the IO did not include Arif in the 
investigation although the person was referred by one of the 
friends of Asif Mehfooz Farooqui. The counsel argued that Arif had 
taken Asif Farooqui and Daniel Pearl to the hotel for a meeting 
with Pir Mubarak Ali Shah Gillani whose statement was recorded by 
the IO in Lahore.

The counsel said that Asif Farooqui did not disclose the identity 
of his friend who sent Arif to him although he could be the main 
accused.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020603
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Delegates for Loya Jirga elected
-------------------------------------------------------------------
KANDAHAR, June 2: Elections to select delegates to the Loya Jirga 
were held here, with many candidates declaring they would back 
former Afghan king Mohammed Zahir Shah and his ally Hamid Karzai at 
the traditional assembly.

Karzai should be appointed prime minister with Zahir Shah named 
head of state at the Loya Jirga which will select a new 
transitional government, they said.

"We want the Loya Jirga to bring security and to determine the 
destiny of the country. We will elect somebody who is well known 
and who has proved he will serve the country," said Amanullah from 
Zabul.

"Zahir Shah is acceptable for the country. Zahir Shah should be the 
leader and Karzai should be the prime minister," he said.-AFP

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020604
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Lone's son inducted into APHC body
-------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW DELHI, June 3: All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) formally 
inducted Bilal Lone, son of assassinated Hurriyat leader Abdul 
Ghani Lone, into the group's seven-member executive council. Bilal 
is the eldest son of the late leader.

In an obvious show of unity, all the major leaders of the group 
attended the meeting, Star news reported.

After his father's death on May 21, Bilal was elected the President 
of the Supreme Council of the People's Conference, his father's 
political party.

After the ceremony in Srinagar, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, regarded as a 
moderate voice within the pro-freedom alliance, said that the group 
planned to write letters to the leaders of India and Pakistan, 
appealing for peace and a dialogue process to resume between the 
two.

"I have made a suggestion to the Hurriyat that we should write 
separate letters to both Prime Minister Vajpayee and General 
Musharraf to resume the dialogue process. We are aware that the 
situation along the borders is causing the loss of innocent lives 
on both sides. War is no solution to this crisis," the Mirwaiz 
said.-J.N.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020607
-------------------------------------------------------------------
FSC acquits Zafran of adultery
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, June 6: A three-member Federal Shariat Court bench 
acquitted Zafran Bibi, who had been awarded stoning to death 
punishment by the district and sessions judge, Kohat, for having 
committed adultery.

Leaders of human rights organisations had approached high 
government officials, including federal and provincial ministers, 
seeking repeal of the Hudood laws which, they said, were based on 
"misinterpretations of the injunctions of Islam."

The prosecution while instituting the case had alleged that Zafran 
Bibi had committed adultery with the brother of her husband as a 
result of which she gave birth to a child when her husband was in 
jail on murder charge.

The district and sessions judge, Kohat, had found the woman guilty 
of the offence and had sentenced her to death by stoning.

Zafran Bibi had filed an appeal with the Federal Shariat Court 
which had summoned both the convict and her husband.

The three-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Fazal Elahi Khan, 
Justice Fida Mohammad and Justice Ejaz Yousaf, was told by Zafran 
and her husband that the allegation was totally ill-founded.

They submitted that the child in question was their daughter, and 
that the defence counsel distorted the case. The court in its order 
observed that since Zafran Bibi and her husband have denied the 
commission of the offence the question doesn't arise of their 
conviction.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020603
-------------------------------------------------------------------
NWFP govt to oppose Zafran Bibi's death sentence in FSC
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Waseem Ahmad Shah

PESHAWAR, June 2: The NWFP government has decided to oppose the 
sentence of death by stoning in public slapped on Zafran Bibi by a 
trial court in Kohat, before the Federal Shariat Court, which has 
fixed June 5 for hearing the case in Islamabad.

"We will definitely oppose the sentence purely on legal grounds," 
NWFP Advocate-General Barrister Jehanzeb Raheem told Dawn here. He 
said the government believed that in the instant case the sentence 
should not be awarded under Hadd.

The principal law officer of the province said in the present 
circumstances the government could not support the controversial 
verdict at any cost.

The provincial government would be represented before the shariat 
court by the provincial advocate-general and Additional Advocate-
General Mussarat Hillali. 

In the legal circles Mr Raheem, a former president of the Peshawar 
High Court Bar Association, is considered a progressive lawyer, 
whereas Ms Hillali is a known human rights activist who had also 
served as vice-chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Sources in the law department told Dawn that the legal brains of 
the government believed that the verdict of the additional district 
and sessions judge, Kohat, was suffering from various lacunas and 
even the requirements given in the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of 
Hudood) Ordinance 1979 were not fulfilled before awarding such a 
harsh sentence. It was due to the same reason that the spouse of 
the NWFP Governor, Ms Iftikhar Hussain Shah, provincial Law 
Minister Athar Minallah and Ms Hillali, visited Kohat prison and 
met Zafran Bibi there, a government official said.

Moreover, he stated, under the ordinance there were two conditions 
which had to be fulfilled before awarding a sentence under Hudood: 
confession by an accused; or evidence of four truthful male Muslim 
witnesses.

The shariat court in two of its judgments (PLD 1986 FSC 274 and PLD 
1988 FSC 42) had placed certain restrictions on recording 
confessional statement of an accused for awarding a sentence under 
Hadd and in the present case those restrictions were not followed 
by the trial court while recording the statement of the condemned 
female, he claimed.

It is worth mentioning that a three-member bench of the Federal 
Shariat Court, which will be headed by Chief Justice Fazal Illahi 
Khan, will hear on June 5 the appeal of Zafran Bibi and reference 
of the Kohat sessions court for confirmation of the sentence. Malik 
Fakhre Azam and Zafarullah Khan will represent the female.

The appellant's counsel claimed that she had never recorded any 
confessional statement.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020607
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Sherpao, ex-senator record statements: Ring Road case hearing
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report

PESHAWAR, June 6: A former chief minister, Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, and 
former senator Haji Gul Sher recorded their statements before an 
accountability court in the Ring Road land acquisition case.

The statements were recorded under section 342 of the Criminal 
Procedure Code by presiding officer Said Maroof Khan before the 
case was adjourned to June 13.

In his written statement, Mr Sherpao said he had been falsely 
implicated in the case. He stated that he was not in office when 
the compensation for the land acquired for the project was fixed.

Mr Sherpao said the only allegation against him was that he had not 
given approval to a summary that sought to file an appeal against 
the fixation of compensation at inflated rates. He added that when 
the summary was moved the appeal was time-barred.

Haji Gul Sher said he had no relations with the mutations of the 
land produced by the prosecution. He added that the land acquired 
for the project belonged to his brothers and not him. He said the 
compensation was not fixed at exorbitant rates as the lands 
acquired by the government were commercial land, and therefore its 
rates were high.

Mr Sherpao has already been granted bail in the instant case by the 
Peshawar High Court.

Five of the co-accused - former provincial minister Habibullah 
Kundi, Haji Khatam Gul, Jam Sher and Juma Sher, and former land 
acquisition collector Syed Ayub Shah - have been absconding in the 
case. They were earlier sentenced in absentia to three years 
rigorous imprisonment.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020605
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Sherpao released on bail 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report

PESHAWAR, June 4: The former chief minister of NWFP, Aftab Ahmad 
Khan Sherpao, who was released from central jail, Peshawar has 
called for a dialogue between the government and political parties 
to fight uncertainty in the country.

Addressing party-workers outside central jail, Sherpao said: "The 
country's interests should come first. He urged the politicians to 
focus on national issue and not on petty differences."

A single bench of Peshawar High Court allowed bail to Sherpao in 
the Ring Road Peshawar land acquisition scandal. 

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested Sherpao on 
his return from Britain on Jan 6, 2002. He was acquitted in two of 
the accountability cases pending against him and his three years' 
sentence in absentia was also set aside by the court. The only case 
pending against him is the Ring Road land acquisition scam in which 
he was granted bail.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020607
-------------------------------------------------------------------
US proposes new rules for visitors
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Masood Haider

NEW YORK, June 6: Thousands of visitors from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia 
and some other Middle-Eastern countries would have to register with 
the US government and be fingerprinted according to new rules being 
proposed by the US Justice Department, the New York Times said 
quoting Bush administration officials.

The paper says that the initiative, the subject of intense debate 
within the administration, is designed for "individuals from 
countries who pose the highest risk to our security," including 
most visa holders from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and many other Muslim 
nations.

More than 100,000 foreigners, including students, workers, 
researchers and tourists, all foreigners from designated countries 
who do not hold green cards, would probably be covered by the plan, 
the Bush administration officials said.

New arrivals from the designated countries would be fingerprinted 
at airports or seaports, and be required to register with the 
Immigration and Naturalization Service after a 30-day stay in the 
country, officials said.

Violators could be fined, refused re-entry into the United States 
or possibly deported, officials said.

The plan will be published in the Federal Register. After a comment 
period, it will become a Justice Department regulation.

The Times said that the proposal ignited a raging debate in the 
Bush administration. White House officials supported the proposal, 
but the State Department lodged objections, fearing diplomatic 
repercussions with allies in the war on terror.

The civil liberties and Arab-American groups expressed outrage at 
the proposed requirements, arguing that such a policy was a blatant 
example of racial and ethnic profiling.

"What's the logic of this?" Jeanne Butterfield, executive director 
of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, was quoted as 
saying by the Times. "Anyone who's truly dangerous is not going to 
show up to be registered."

James J. Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, a policy 
organization, said the registration plan would be "an overtly 
discriminatory, inefficient and ineffective way to deal with the 
problem".

The authority for proposing the new registration requirements rests 
with a long-dormant provision in the Immigration and Nationality 
Act of 1952, administration officials said.

A section of that law requires all foreign visa holders to register 
with the government if they remain in the United States for 30 days 
or longer. The law also required the fingerprinting of virtually 
all foreigners who were not permanent residents, except for 
diplomats.

The law remained on the books, but enforcement fell off in the 
early 1980's when the volume of visa holders climbed rapidly and 
the immigration service's budget and staffing dropped.

In 1979, the year when Iranian hostage crisis occurred, Iranian 
students were required to register with the government. After the 
attacks last year, most visa holders from Iran, Iraq, Sudan and 
Libya were fingerprinted as they entered the United States. But the 
terrorist attacks had given fresh impetus to a much broader 
program. One administration official told the paper that the new 
registration proposal would help the government in identifying the 
highest-risk foreign visitors now living in the United States.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020607
-------------------------------------------------------------------
PML-QA not to join NA, says Pervez
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter

LAHORE, June 6: The Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam) will not 
join hands with the National Alliance headed by former caretaker 
prime minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Chuadhry Pervez Elahi, the 
party's Punjab president, announced.

In a statement issued here, he said the party had taken the 
decision after due consultation.

On account of their pro-government positions, the PML-QA and the 
National Alliance had been expected to form an alliance to 
challenge the Pakistan People's Party and the PML(N) in the October 
general elections.

About cooperation with other PML factions, Mr Elahi said his party 
was willing to give party offices to those merging their factions 
with the PML-QA. But, he said, the party would not yield the 
offices held by its senior leaders. 

Instead of forming any alliance, he said the party would make 
adjustments with the Jamaat-i-Islami, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam and 
other parties having a similar ideology. He said the next election 
would be contested primarily between parties which had created 
Pakistan and the one which, according to him, was responsible for 
its dismemberment.

He was critical of Ms Benazir Bhutto's statements during her visit 
to India. These statements, he alleged, showed that interests of 
other countries were darers to the former prime minister than her 
own country.

The PML-QA leader said Ms Bhutto had confined her politics to the 
"Sindh card."

Meanwhile, the PML-QA has called a meeting on June 12 at the 
residence of Chaudhry Shujaat Husain in connection with the 
consultations for the elections.

Mian Azhar will preside over the meeting.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020603
-------------------------------------------------------------------
43 die as bus falls into ravine near Jhelum
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Hamid Asghar

GUJAR KHAN, June 2: At least 43 people were killed and 10 others 
injured when a bus fell into a ravine near Dina, Sunday morning. 
Sources said that when the Rawalpindi-bound luxury coach reached 
Bakrala Bridge, it hit the fence and fell into ravine.

According to Superintendent of Police, Jhelum, Saleem Bhatti, there 
were 53 passengers in the bus. He said 40 passengers died on the 
spot, while three more died on way to hospital.

The area people with the help of cranes and dumpers straightened 
the twisted bus and removed bodies from the wreckage. The bodies 
and the injured were shifted to the DHQ hospital, Jhelum.

The district police officer told Dawn that passengers belonged to 
different areas of Punjab, including Gujranwala, Khushab and 
Lahore.  He said so far 32 bodies had been identified, while 
efforts were being made to ascertain the identity of the remaining 
bodies. He said out of eleven unidentified bodies, six had been 
handed over to Mayo Hospital and four to Services Hospital.

Three of the injured have been referred to the DHQ Hospital 
Rawalpindi, six have been admitted to DHQ Hospital Jhelum, while an 
injured armyman has been shifted to Combined Military Hospital 
Mangla, the district police officer added.

Governor Khalid Maqbool also telephoned the DCO Jhelum and 
expressed shock over loss of lives. He directed the district 
administration to extend full cooperation to the victims of the 
accident.


BUSINESS & ECONOMY
20020607
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Defence budget to go up
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Ihtasham ul Haque

ISLAMABAD, June 6: The federal budget, which is being presented on 
June 15, will have an increased allocation for defence spending for 
the first time in three years.

"Our defence budget, in actual terms, has been static for the last 
three years but now we need to offer certain increase in it in the 
budget for 2002-2003, said Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz.

Talking to Dawn here on Thursday he, however, declined to give any 
figure or percentage about the increase in the defence budget. "We 
are carefully examining the issue as we cannot ignore issues 
relating to our security," he added.

India had increased its defence budget by 28 per cent, 14 per cent 
and 8 per cent in 2000-2001, 2001-2002 and 2002-2003, respectively. 
"We have to look after the defence requirements of all the three 
services, keeping in view the fast changing security environment in 
the region," the finance minister said.

A decision has been taken to introduce a 100 per cent self-
assessment scheme from July 1, he said, adding that the purpose 
behind this move was to build confidence between the taxpayers and 
tax collectors. "But self-assessment scheme does not mean that you 
start paying tax less than what you paid previously," he said, 
adding that some more relief could be offered to the public in the 
next budget by ensuring that inflation remained under control.

A number of irritants that were blocking new investment will also 
be removed in the next budget on the recommendations of the Cabinet 
Committee on Deregulation. In this behalf, he said, hurdles created 
by the labour and social security departments will be eliminated to 
help the business community.

Responding to a question, he said the government will achieve 3.3 
per cent GDP growth rate as agreed with the International Monetary 
Fund (IMF) for the current financial year. This growth rate, he 
said, could even touch 3.5 per cent as manufacturing and 
agriculture sectors have performed well.

He said India had envisaged a GDP growth target of 5.7 per cent but 
it had hardly managed 4 per cent growth and, as such, "our position 
is better than India's". Similarly, exports have picked up and the 
CBR has started receiving considerable import duties, which 
otherwise had been declining due to the Sept 11 events, he said.

To a question, he said the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) was 
making all-out efforts to achieve the revised Rs414 billion revenue 
collection target for the outgoing year.

During June, he said, CBR has to collect roughly Rs50 billion to 
Rs55 billion. "We are also having a lot of non-tax revenues from 
petroleum levies, dividends, provinces and Wapda, which will help 
in the collection of adequate revenues by June 30 this year," he 
added.

The finance minister said that revenue collection target for 2002-
2003 could be in the vicinity of Rs445 billion to Rs450 billion. He 
said that the National Economic Council (NEC) - the highest body on 
economic decision-making - will be meeting on June 8 to approve 
various budgetary proposals, including the size of new Public 
Sector Development Programme.

The Annul Plan Coordination Committee had approved last month Rs140 
billion PSDP for the next financial year. When asked whether the 
NEC, to be presided over by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, will 
increase the size of the new PSDP, he said it all depended on 
resources.

Before the NEC, Aziz said, Economic Advisory Board (EAB) will meet 
on June 7 to discuss the state of the economy and offer various 
proposals to further improve it.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020608
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Maleeha tipped as next FM
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, June 7: Pakistan's ambassador in Washington, Dr Maleeha 
Lodhi, declined to comment on reports in a section of the press 
that she was likely to replace Mr Abdul Sattar as foreign minister.

The reports said Mr Sattar had submitted his resignation to Gen 
Pervez Musharraf, saying he wanted to leave office due to health 
reasons. 

Dr Lodhi's name was mentioned among those likely to succeed Mr 
Sattar. The other names mentioned were those of the present foreign 
secretary, Mr Inamul Haq, and former foreign secretary Najmuddin 
Shaikh.

Mr Sattar had been keeping a low profile for the past several 
months, and senior US administration officials (like Secretary of 
State Colin Powell) who wanted to get through to the military 
leadership would talk directly to Gen Musharraf.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020606
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Sattar wants to quit as FM: Health grounds cited
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD, June 5: Foreign Minister Abdus Sattar, who underwent a 
three-hour long complicated surgery requiring endoscopy has 
requested the president to relieve him of his cabinet duties at the 
latter's earliest convenience.

The surgery, though having cured Sattar's chronic nasal 
complication following successful removal of the nasal polyps, is 
said to have left the foreign minister too weak due to the three-
hour long anaesthesia and the strong medication he is being 
administered for recovery and recuperation. This is said to have 
made it very difficult for Sattar to do justice to his onerous 
tasks as the foreign minister at this critical juncture in the 
country's history and, therefore, sources added, he has asked to be 
relieved.

Appreciating Sattar's difficulties, the president is said to have 
been deeply disturbed at the prospect of losing a highly capable 
member of his team at this very crucial time. However, the 
president is said to have taken no decision one way or the other, 
so far.

Meanwhile, sources said, the president has started looking at a 
short list of names to choose the right person from, in case he is 
left with no option but to finally accept Sattar's request.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020608
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Union Bank to take over Emirates branches
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Dilawar Hussain

KARACHI, June 7: Union Bank Limited - a private sector listed 
commercial bank - proposes to take over all 10 branches of Emirates 
Bank in Pakistan at an 'amalgamation price' of $18 million.

Union Bank was understood to have entered into an agreement with 
Emirates Bank International PJSC (EBI), a banking company 
incorporated under the laws of the United Arab Emirates, for 
amalgamation of Pakistan branches of EBI located at Karachi (at 
I.I.Chundrigar Road and Clifton); Lahore (at Edgerton Road and 
Gulberg); Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot and 
Peshawar.

Union Bank confirmed that the State Bank of Pakistan had given its 
'approval in principle' on June 6. An extraordinary general meeting 
of shareholders in Union Bank has been called for June 29 at the 
bank's registered office in Faisalabad. The meeting would be asked 
to approve increase in bank's authorized capital from Rs1.5 to 
Rs2.5 billion and to endorse the 'draft scheme of amalgamation' of 
the Emirates Bank Pakistan branches into the Union Bank. A similar 
consent would be sought from the majority of members of Emirates 
Bank, after which the scheme would be presented to SBP for its 
sanction.

Union Bank expects the effective date of amalgamation of two banks 
to fall on June 30.

The news of proposed takeover of Pakistan branches of Emirates Bank 
comes just as Union Bank prepares for the upcoming privatization of 
United Bank Limited. Union Bank and associates is one of the three 
parties who have been pre-qualified to bid for 51 per cent shares 
and management control of UBL. The bidding is set to take place 
next June 10.

Union Bank did not say on Friday how it proposes to raise the 
purchase price of $18 million- equivalent to a billion rupees. Its 
attempt last year to ask shareholders for cash in right issue was 
greeted with a cool response; the bank receiving just Rs157 million 
in subscription against offer of Rs540 million, for shares in the 
ratio of two for three. But at the end of December last year, the 
Bank held cash & cash equivalents in the sum of Rs4.60 billion 
including Rs1.35 billion being balance on deposit accounts with 
banks outside Pakistan. Total assets of the bank stood at Rs 30 
billion. Deposits were Rs21 billion and advances Rs14 billion.

In the three years, 1999 through 2001, the bank has concentrated on 
cleaning up the balance sheet, which resulted in aggregate 
provisioning of Rs421 million against non-performing loans, 
including Rs200 million provided last year. The bank earned 
operating profit of Rs207 million and after-tax profit of Rs31 
million in the year ended December 2001.

Union Bank has 32 branches in 17 cities and employs 858 people. It 
is to be seen if jobs-in either of the banks- would be axed, as a 
result of the merger. But the hard-nosed chairman of the bank, 
Shaukat Tarin is reputed for effectively applying his right-sizing 
model at the country's largest bank-Habib Bank Limited- in times of 
its greatest financial distress.

At the last count on end-December 2001, institutional investment in 
the Union Bank equity was nominal and nearly 90 per cent of the 
interest in the bank was vested in 8,870 individuals. But of those, 
one individual was noted to hold 47.8 million shares, equivalent to 
59 per cent of the bank's capital. Dr. Abdullah Mohammad Abdullah 
Basodan, a member of the Supreme Economic Council of the Kingdom of 
Saudi Arabia, has been identified by the Bank as the 'sponsor'.  He 
sits as a director on the eight-member board of Union Bank.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020603
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Border concerns turn equities into volatile temper
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Muhammad Aslam

The KSE 100-share index earlier in the week did rise by about 15 
per cent on the hopes of a peace being brokered by the US and 
Russia, later it reacted on the negative news. The end was subdued 
as an abortive effort to breach through the psychological barrier 
of 1,700 points failed. It ended the week around the previous level 
of 1,663.3, off only 0.13 points.

The market capitalization also suffered a modest decline of Rs1.008 
billion at Rs387.160 billion.

The big gainers were led by the Engro Chemical, the PSO, the Shell 
Pakistan, the Wyeth Pakistan and the BOC Pakistan. These were 
followed by the Kohinoor Weaving, the Security Papers, the Wyeth 
Pakistan, the Mari Gas, the Tri-Pack Films, the Noon Sugar, the 
Siemens Pakistan, Dawood Hercules and some others. Later selling, 
however, allowed them to finish with clipped gains.

Losses on the other hand were fractional barring the Treet 
Corporation, the BOC Pakistan, the Ferozsons Lab, Shafiq Textiles, 
the Packages and many others.

Trading volume showed a modest rise at 570 million shares as 
compared to 486 million shares a week earlier, bulk of which went 
to the credit of the current favourites such as the Hub-Power and 
the PTCL followed by the PSO, the MCB, the Sui Northern, the KESC 
and the FFC-Jordan Fertiliser.

Other actives were led by the Engro Chemical, the ICI Pakistan, the 
Pak PTA, the National Bank, the Japan Power, the World Call, Dewan 
Salman and several others.

FORWARD COUNTER: Speculative issues on the forward counter also 
followed the lead of their counterparts in the ready section, 
although on-balance closing was mixed barring the PSO, which came 
in for heavy selling but on the other hand the Engro Chemical and 
some others managed to finish with good gains on strong buying.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020608
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Stocks end weekend session on subdued note
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter

KARACHI, June 7: The KSE index suffered a fresh setback of 23.56 
points at 1,691.29 amid low volume.

Leading losers were led by National Refinery, Pakistan Oilfields, 
Shell Pakistan, PSO and Wyeth Pakistan, falling by Rs.1.35 to 
12.65, followed by Central Insurance, National Refinery, Abbott 
Lab, Engro Chemical and Tri-Pack Films, which fell by one rupee to 
Rs.1.35.

Barring Dawood Hercules Lever Brothers, which rose by one rupee 
each, gains were mostly fractional and confined to below one rupee.

Turnover figure shrank to 79m shares from the previous 160m shares 
as leading investors held on to their positions rather than 
following the lead of bears. Losers led gainers by 175 to 55, with 
39 shares holding on to the last levels.

Hub-Power led the list of actives, off 55 paisa at Rs.23.10 on 27m 
shares followed by PTCL, easy 30 paisa at Rs.16.05 on 15m shares, 
National Bank, unchanged at Rs.18.55 on 6m shares, FCC-Jordan 
Fertilizer, lower 20 paisa at Rs.6.55 on 5m shares and Pak PTA, up 
15 paisa at Rs.5.50 on 4m shares.

Other actives included Adamjee Insurance, up 25 paisa on 3.514m 
shares, MCB, lower 60 paisa on 2.656m shares, Bank of Punjab, off 
45 paisa on 2.543m shares, Sui Northern Gas, easy 30 paisa on 
2.007m shares and Engro Chemical, off Rs.1.15 on 1.974m shares.

FUTURE CONTRACTS: Speculative issues on the forward counter also 
followed the lead of their counterparts in the ready section and 
fell, major losers among them being Engro Chemical and PSO, falling 
by Rs.1.20 and 2.65 at Rs.59.05 and 130 respectively. PSO was 
traded for 1.915m shares.

Hub-Power again came in for active selling, off 50 paisa at 
Rs.23.30 on 14.240m shares followed by PTCL, easy 35 paisa at 
Rs.16.35 on 3.389m shares and FFC-Jordan Fertilizer, lower 15 paisa 
at Rs.6.65 on 1.002m shares.

DEFAULTER COMPANIES: Crescent Board came in for active selling and 
fell by 50 paisa at Rs.3.80 on 16,000 shares followed by Mehran 
Jute, unchanged at Re.1 on 12,000 shares. Others were traded 
modestly.

Back to the top
EDITORIALS & FEATURES
20020602
-------------------------------------------------------------------
For what do we fight?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Ardeshir Cowasjee

Reacting to my column of last week in which I quoted Albert 
Einstein's (probably apocryphal) remark after he had seen the 
effects of the atom bomb on Japan about wishing he had been a 
shoemaker rather than a scientist, a reader responded saying that 
it should be clockmaker.

However, one observation of Einstein's which is not apocryphal, but 
a recorded fact is: "If relativity is proved right, the Germans 
will call me a German, the Swiss will call me a Swiss citizen, and 
the French will call me a great scientist. If relativity is proved 
wrong, the French will call me a Swiss, the Swiss will call me a 
German, and the Germans will call me a Jew."

This calls to mind our physicist, the Ahmadi, Professor Abdus 
Salam, my contemporary. When he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 
1979, he was recognized and lauded as a Pakistani and a Muslim, 
although the 1973 Constitution did not admit to the latter. When I 
met him in the mid-1980s, I asked him whether he was still 
considered to be a Pakistani and a Muslim. He held my hand, smiled, 
and replied, "Does it matter?" But, then, I was talking to a 
profoundly educated human being.

Another reader has forwarded to me a paper published in 1999 by 
Russell D. Hoffman on 'The Effects of Nuclear Weapons'. It sets it 
all out very neatly. This paper has been checked by our present 
nuclear physicist, Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, who confirms its contents to 
be reasonably accurate, qualifying at the same time that the 
effects described therein are for a 1,000 kiloton bomb and that 
Pakistan and India profess to only possess bombs ranging from 20 to 
25 kilotons.

Let us remember how, during the latter half of May 1998, there was 
much joyful dancing in the streets of both India and Pakistan. Why? 
Because, in all probability, nine out of ten of the people of both 
countries had no idea of the effects of a nuclear blast. They still 
do not know, because the leaders of both countries, irresponsible 
and self-serving, have not bothered to tell them. They do not know 
there is nothing to dance about in either the possession or the use 
of nuclear weapons - they are not known as weapons of mass 
destruction without valid reason.

The US, the sole world superpower and the sole possible 
intermediary in the dangerous game now being played on the 
subcontinent, knows well that as many as nine out of ten who die 
from a nuclear blast do not die in the explosion itself - they are 
not simply and neatly instantly vaporized.

The State Department is now considering the evacuation of some 
63,000 of its citizens (amongst whom are my three lovable Jack 
Russell terriers of Virginian origin) who now reside in South Asia. 
There is, naturally, no reason why any foreigner, and for that 
matter any Pakistani or Indian, should be vaporized merely because 
of the shenanigans of stupid men.

Current estimates are that 12 million will be killed outright in a 
nuclear exchange between the two warring countries, and countless 
more millions will linger on, dying slowly, painfully, horribly.

Taking Hoffman's 1,000 kiloton blast as an example, those within a 
radius of, say, six square miles will be killed by the gamma rays 
emitted by the blast. They will be the lucky ones. They will have 
no warning, no idea as to what it was that cooked them. Outside the 
circle, for another ten miles or so, every living thing, human or 
animal, will be instantly blinded by the bright light from the 
explosion, many times hotter than the sun, whether their eyes be 
open or closed. And from fifty miles away from the epicentre, those 
who happen to be looking towards the detonation will lose their 
sight.

The initial gamma burst will be followed, a tenth of a second 
later, by a multi-spectral heat blast, followed over the next few 
seconds by a pressure wave which will cause all living things in 
its way to bleed from every orifice of their bodies. The wave will 
be accompanied by high-velocity winds, as great as 70 miles per 
hour as far away as six miles from the epicentre, which winds, 
carrying dangerous debris, will cause multiple wounds and injuries. 
The wave and the winds will cause the death of many, and those that 
survive, over perhaps an area of a hundred square miles, will later 
suffer from vomiting, skin rashes, and an unquenchable thirst. 
Their hair (dyed or natural) will fall out in clumps, their skin 
will peel off.

After all this, there is more to come. The next immediate threat is 
a firestorm of intense heat and hurricane force, that can, in the 
case of a one megaton blast, cover a hundred square miles, driving 
towards the centre where the mushroom-shaped cloud is rising, miles 
up into the skies, reaching out to cover an area of almost ten 
miles across. The cloud will dissipate within an hour, and then 
comes the invisible untrackable spread of death and disease. The 
cloud's drift will carry a deadly cargo for thousands of miles, 
over international borders into countries which have no involvement 
in the India-Pakistan dispute.

More fun to come. Further death and destruction, and no dancing in 
the streets in which the asphalt is melting and burning as burning 
people try to run along them. Those on fire who can find water in 
which to jump will catch fire again when they surface. Survivors of 
the initial blast who have lived through all these subsequent 
horrors will die over the next few weeks as their bodies begin to 
break down internally, at the molecular level, life ebbing away 
painfully as they slowly bleed to death from each and every orifice 
and pore. Other deaths will occur much later from the widespread 
release of radioactive materials into the environment. Cancer, 
leukemia and other genetic damage will strike generations to come.

For the first day or so after the blast, visible pieces of fallout 
will appear, some like great chunks of marble. Later, and 
continuing on and on, the fallout will be invisible and trackable 
only with geiger counters carried by men in moonsuits which, under 
the circumstances, would be unobtainable.

The final manifestation is the Electro-Magnetic Pulse caused by the 
nuclear blast, which can be as large as the subcontinent and as 
deadly. It can electrify metallic structures in such a way that an 
entire country can seem to have been struck by lightning in one 
fell swoop. To cite just a few of the happenings, pacemakers will 
cease to work, aircraft will fall from the skies, train tracks and 
telephone wiring will carry the charge, and whatever does not 
explode will cease to function.

There are no benefits, none at all, to be had either from the 
possession of, or from the use of, nuclear weapons of mass 
destruction. Our jihadis may console themselves, and fool others, 
by propagating that so far the Indian nuclear arsenal is far 
inferior to ours.

Nuclear physicist, Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy (hoodbhoy@Ins.mit.edu), has 
prepared a 35-minute video documentary film which takes a critical 
look at what the bomb has done for the two countries. He has 
suggested to our moribund PTV that it show this film so that the 
people know what is what when it comes to their precious nuclear 
arsenal, but typically PTV has refused. Obviously, its useless 
mandarins are too afraid. Should anyone, prior to their impending 
possible vaporization, wish to see this video they may obtain a 
copy from Pervez.

All going well, I should be writing again next week.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020607
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan's crisis of destiny
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Ayaz Amir

"You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. 
Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, 
go." - Cromwell to the Long Parliament when he thought it was no 
longer fit to conduct the affairs of the nation. 

Terrible words which fitted the gravity of the hour. The same words 
were thrown at Neville Chamberlain, Britain's prime minister, in 
the House of Commons soon after the outbreak of the Second World 
War. They were said to have shattered him but he held on to office. 
It took the fall of France to make him finally hand over the seals 
of office to Churchill.

We need to get the dialectics of our present predicament right. We 
don't face the threat of war. Not when one side has decided to 
suffer every provocation without taking offence or offering any 
resistance. Fears of the subcontinent being vapourized are 
therefore a bit premature.

What we do face is a Chamberlain situation: a weak and bumbling 
leadership whose very weakness is inviting Indian belligerence and 
foreign pressure. First the capitulation to American threats. Now 
the helplessness before Indian threats.

It is a measure of our diplomatic ineptitude that no one believes 
us. We are being painted as liars and supporters of terrorism while 
India, which has yet to live down the infamy of the communal 
carnage in its state of Gujarat, is coming off as the aggrieved 
party in Kashmir.

The bankruptcy of the line we've been following since September is 
thus complete. Helping America in its war on Afghanistan was 
supposed to furnish us with ironclad guarantees for our security. 
Used and abandoned by the Americans before, we were told it would 
be different this time.

It has been different this time in the sense that after having been 
used we are now being pummelled by a combination of American 
pressure and Indian threats. As India mounts the moral high horse, 
everyone, from Bush downwards, is hectoring us.

In any defensive battle the Pakistan army is more than a match for 
the Indian army. What do the textbooks say? That, in order to gain 
a decisive victory, an attacking force should have a 3-to-1 
superiority over the enemy (at least at the point of attack). With 
the scales about evenly matched along our eastern frontier, India 
does not have this kind of advantage. So why is Pakistan so fearful 
of a conventional war?

Saying the above does not amount to beating the drums of war. 
Pakistan has already lost the propaganda battle so completely that 
even within the country any reference to military statistics is 
read as evidence of jingoism and of disregard for the consequences 
of a nuclear war. Who is talking of a nuclear exchange and why 
should things come to that pass?

Some of us are confusing the issue and thereby becoming the 
apostles of appeasement. Appeasement does not pave the way to 
peace. It encourages more bullying as is happening these days. When 
the uprising in Kashmir was at its peak India never made an issue 
of "cross-border infiltration". Why is it doing so now? Because of 
Pakistan's weakness and its susceptibility to external pressure. 
But we have to realize one thing. Even if we accept all of India's 
demands, even if we accept Mr Vajpayee's proposal of joint Indo-
Pakistan patrols along the LoC, more demands will follow.

Which doesn't mean both states should live in a state of perpetual 
hostility, pursuing an arms race which mocks the poverty of their 
people. It only means that for an enduring peace between two 
hostile neighbors there has to be an element of give-and-take. At 
the moment, given the weakness and bumbling of the military rulers, 
that element is missing. India wants all the take while giving 
nothing in return.

So what should Pakistan be focusing on? On the symptoms or the root 
causes of the present crisis? The tension with India is a symptom 
of our weakness, not the cause of it. The cause lies in the nature 
of our present leadership. As long as this fundamental problem is 
not addressed, confusion followed by humiliation is destined to be 
our reward.

Without the military easing its stranglehold on power and politics 
there is no way of getting out of this mess. It is perhaps fair to 
say that the army as an institution has lost any appetite for 
further mismanaging the nation's affairs. Unless it is more thick-
skinned than it is generally supposed to be, it is also perhaps 
cognizant of the loss of prestige it has suffered because of over-
involvement in civilian affairs.

But against institutional sentiment we must balance the weight of 
individual ambition. Even when institutional advantage lies in one 
direction, vested interests can often pull in the other. This is 
the problem we face today: the country made hostage to the whims 
or, more charitably, the limited vision of a few individuals.

Seen in this light, the referendum was a gift from the gods for the 
people of Pakistan for it achieved the impossible: reducing the 
level of arrogance and cockiness flying about in Islamabad. 
Referendum say pehlay (before the referendum) and referendum kay 
baad (after the referendum) are two different stories.

Who could have imagined a military overture to the political 
parties before the referendum? Now as former heresy becomes present 
necessity, a certain desperation is perceptible in the invitation 
to the political parties to come to Islamabad.

So what is to be done? The political parties must reach out to the 
men now in control for the sake of national unity. But the military 
rulers must also reach out to the political parties for the same 
purpose. Ruling in isolation, as we have all too vividly seen, has 
been a prescription for disaster and a source of sustained 
embarrassment for the Pakistani nation. We were beggars always. But 
today, insulted from all sides, our cup of humiliation is full.

None of the above means we should have been on the side of the 
Taliban or exported 'jihad' across the LoC. These policies should 
have been re-examined a long time ago, much before September caught 
up with our delusions. But failing to do the needful on our own, we 
have been arm-twisted and pushed into falling in line.

We thought in September, soon after receiving Powell's famous 
telephone call, that by becoming an American satellite for the 
duration of America's onslaught on Afghanistan, we were putting 
India in its place. As events have shown, this turned out to be our 
biggest fallacy.

By delivering a defiant speech on May 27 Gen Musharraf seemed to be 
giving the impression that he had finally drawn a line in the sand 
beyond which there would be no more retreating. But events since 
have dispelled this impression. The very defiance of the speech was 
a smokescreen behind which Pakistan continues to receive insults 
and lectures from other countries.

With such a record of failure any dispensation would lose the 
Mandate of Heaven. This is what has happened with the Musharraf 
regime whose ability to govern stands impaired with the conjoining 
of two fatal circumstances: (1) the folly of the referendum and (2) 
the perception of weakness in the face of Indian threats.

But we have to be mindful of realities. No one surrenders power 
voluntarily and Gen Musharraf is not about to set an example in 
this regard. Taking Pakistan into safer waters has to be a joint 
undertaking. Reaching out to each other, the military and the 
political parties must cover common ground in preparation for the 
October elections.

Let the people choose whom they will for the task of running the 
country while all concerned can agree to keep Gen Musharraf as 
president: safely out of harm's way in the vast spaces of the 
presidency and in no position to do more harm to the country.

God knows Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were epic disasters in 
their own right, blowing their chances and ruining the prospects of 
democratic rule. But if the truth be told, their excesses pale 
before the achievements of military rule. The military then should 
not be reinforcing failure, a cardinal violation of military 
strategy. "They also serve who only stand and wait..." said Milton. 
In like manner, often the highest patriotism is to know when to 
quit.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020606
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Halting the slide toward war
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Henry A. Kissinger

US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld's visit to the Indian 
subcontinent to help arrest the slide toward war is one of the most 
complex assignments undertaken by an American official in recent 
years. For the conflict between India and Pakistan takes place on 
many levels: the passions of both sides override traditional 
calculations of self-interest; the two countries possess nuclear 
weapons and delivery systems and have threatened to use them; 
important interests of major powers are involved. Nevertheless, no 
country - not even the world's only remaining superpower - is in a 
position to impose a solution.

The Kashmir issue is one of the residues of the settlements of the 
period immediately following World War II. The subcontinent had had 
a high degree of geographic, cultural and religious cohesion but no 
unified political framework prior to British rule. Britain brought 
about political structures based on western political values and 
institutions. These values raised the issue of the coexistence of 
the Muslim and Hindu religions in a country where Hindus formed the 
vast majority. Britain tried to solve the problem by partition: 
regions with a Muslim majority (more or less) were formed into the 
state of Pakistan; the rest of the territory became contemporary 
India.

All this was accomplished amid unspeakable massacres carried out by 
both sides. But the borders could not be drawn unambiguously; 
today's India retains a population of 150 million Muslims, making 
it the second most populous Muslim country in the world after 
Indonesia. In 1971, East Pakistan seceded, aided in no small part 
by an Indian military invasion, forming the present state of 
Bangladesh.

The current crisis in Kashmir goes back to the bloody days of 
partition. In 1947, hesitation by the Hindu ruler of the 
predominantly Muslim population in Kashmir precipitated 
interventions by both Indian and Pakistani troops and eventual 
accession of the ruler to India. The conflict ended, to the 
satisfaction of neither party, essentially along the existing line 
of demarcation - the so-called Line of Control - leaving the 
largest part of the population and the most important territory on 
the Indian side. In 1948, a UN resolution called for a plebiscite 
to determine the will of the population. That vote has never taken 
place.

In the half-century since, the issue of Kashmir has become embedded 
in the fabric of how the two nations justify their existence. For 
Pakistan, Kashmir symbolizes its claim to governing those parts of 
the Indian subcontinent where Muslims are in a majority. For India 
- which today has a larger Muslim population than Pakistan - the 
future of Kashmir is a test of its national cohesion. For, were the 
Pakistani claim sustained, the political future of the 150 million 
Muslims in India might be in play.

No wonder there have been three wars over the future of Kashmir. 
And, inevitably, the issue of Kashmir has proved unsuitable for 
mediation; there is no compromise foreseeable between the clashing 
passions. Pakistan calls for American mediation to add pressure to 
its claim for a change in the Line of Control. India rejects any 
mediation and, indeed, any outside role because it will not grant 
the principle of the Pakistani claims. Neither the United States 
nor Russia - or any other group of countries - has been able to do 
more than ameliorate the impasse.

Matters have once again reached the boiling point because, for at 
least a decade, Pakistan has been supporting guerilla activity in 
Kashmir by tolerating infiltrators crossing the Line of Control, 
frequently with the support of Pakistani intelligence services. 
Since the Line of Control runs along mountain ridges, many of them 
above 10,000 feet in elevation, support camps have been established 
to facilitate these border crossings.

Paradoxically, this state of affairs, however painful, was 
tolerable to India so long as Pakistan was isolated. And for 
several decades, Pakistan was governed by civilians who mismanaged 
its economy and finances and, since October 1999, by an unelected 
military government headed by Gen. Pervez Musharraf. These 
governments sought to sustain themselves by appeals to Islamic 
fundamentalism. But the attacks of Sept. 11 brought home to 
Musharraf the vulnerability of Pakistan's position. He overcame 
diplomatic isolation by turning full circle. He abandoned the 
Taliban in Afghanistan, turned on fundamentalists in his own 
country and opened Pakistani territory to American operations 
against Al Qaeda.

These measures were widely welcomed in America. In India, they 
raised the spectre of a Pakistan modernizing with western help and 
investment, re-linked to the United States by cooperative ties, but 
continuing to support terrorism against India, thereby giving the 
open wound in Kashmir a sub-continental scope and turning Pakistan 
into a permanent thorn in India's side. The Dec. 13, 2001, 
terrorist attack on the Indian parliament provided a pretext to 
settle the Kashmir issue, and perhaps the challenge of Pakistan 
itself, conclusively.

The temptation is great to turn the issue of global terrorism 
against Pakistan and to reduce Pakistan's capacity to serve as a 
symbol for India's Muslim population. And precisely because 
Pakistan's leaders view India's motives in a similar manner, they 
are making nuclear threats that have a certain plausibility.

In this manner, the issue of Kashmir merges with some of the basic 
principles of Indian foreign and security policy. These are naval 
supremacy in the Indian Ocean, friendly regimes on India's borders 
and pre-eminence in the entire arc from Singapore to Aden. The 
single-minded pursuit of this policy has provided occasions for 
most of India's neighbours to experience India's considerable 
military prowess. This confluence of motives has brought about a 
situation dangerously close to developing its own momentum.

In terms of the war against global terrorism, the United States 
opposes the violation of demarcation lines by terrorist groups and 
the use of terrorism against civilian populations. This is why the 
Bush administration has used its influence in Pakistan to press 
ever more insistently on an end to infiltration and the closing of 
the camps near the Line of Control facilitating it. The United 
States also has a major geopolitical interest in cooperative 
relations with India, the world's largest democracy. A position of 
major influence for India in the region between Singapore and Aden 
is - or can be made to be - compatible with America's strategic 
interests in both the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

But the dynamics of the situation are far from clear-cut. The Al 
Qaeda terrorists are on Pakistan's side in the war in Kashmir. But 
they despise Musharraf for siding with the United States in 
Afghanistan. They would celebrate his downfall either because he 
appears weak vis-a-vis India or because he loses a war. Thus, even 
while Musharraf says (and probably sincerely) that he is trying to 
control cross-border actions, he may lack the ability to enforce 
it. And many elements of the Al Qaeda (and perhaps some in the 
Pakistani intelligence services) have a vested interest in 
Musharraf's downfall by ignoring his orders and starting a war.

This danger confronts America with a grave dilemma. Even though the 
Pakistani regime has serious flaws, Musharraf has been a staunch 
ally in the battle against the Taliban, Al Qaeda and Islamic 
fundamentalism since Sept. 11. In January, Musharraf separated 
Islam from cross-border violence and began a process of controlling 
the Islamic schools teaching global jihad. Were the most moderate 
Islamic regime in the region to collapse while America looks on, 
the consequences for Afghanistan and the entire region could be 
serious.

Radicals would gloat about the precariousness of friendship with 
the United States and the unreliability of American security 
assurances. Our military forces in Afghanistan would lose their 
rear area; Al Qaeda might rediscover a base territory. Osama bin 
Laden in Kabul is one thing; Osama in Islamabad would be 
devastating.

The situation could easily get out of hand if India would feel 
obliged to respond to terrorist attacks by elements not controlled 
from Islamabad (and even more so to deliberate provocations). Even 
if its intentions are limited, India may misjudge the Pakistani 
"red line" at which the war escalates, perhaps into the nuclear 
field. For Pakistan is in a position vis-a-vis India analogous to 
which the United States perceived itself to be in Europe during the 
cold war. In the face of the superiority of the Indian conventional 
army, Pakistan treats nuclear arms as the indispensable balancer. 
Hence its threshold for nuclear use is lower, and renouncing 
nuclear weapons may, in fact, make a war more likely.

But the major nations have no reason to accept the counsel of 
despair that the momentum of events is beyond control, especially 
on an issue where their interests are so congruent and so engaged. 
Indeed, the tensions along the Line of Control are an almost a 
unique case of crisis calling for multilateral diplomacy. Russia 
will not look lightly on a radicalization of the Islamic world - 
this is why Russian President Vladimir Putin has been personally so 
active. China has a relationship with Pakistan stretching over a 
decade - partly as a counterweight in the Sino-Indian border 
disputes. Europe - especially Great Britain - has a historic 
interest in a peaceful evolution of the area.

All these countries - whatever their other differences - seem to 
agree with the parameters outlined earlier: opposition to terrorist 
infiltrations, opposition to the weakening of Pakistan. In these 
conditions, the United States cannot confine itself to 
exhortations; it must instead take the lead in crystallizing these 
general interests into a more precise calculus of incentives. 
American policy must help chart the narrow path that presses 
Musharraf to prevent infiltration across the Line of Control, while 
making clear to India that a war would seriously weaken India's 
vital interests, including the cooperative Indian-American 
relationship that has been making such significant progress.

Finally, there is the issue of the use of nuclear weapons. The 
world has listened to the reciprocal threats of both sides with 
amazing equanimity - almost as if nuclear war were a natural 
disaster like the weather, beyond human control. But nuclear war on 
the Indian subcontinent would cross a dividing line heretofore 
resistant to all passions, in all wars of the nuclear age. The 
other nuclear powers - especially Russia and the United States - 
should not accept that nuclear weapons become conventional. All 
aspirations to nonproliferation will disappear if the risks of 
nuclear use are not made to exceed those generating resort to them.

At least Moscow and Washington - possessing the largest nuclear 
capabilities - should convey to the parties their insistence on 
this dividing line and begin urgent studies on specific measures to 
give effect to these warnings. But these measures can work only if 
there is a de-escalation of the military buildups along the Line of 
Control side by side with the end of infiltration.-Copyright 2002, 
Los Angeles Times Syndicate International.

DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
20020608
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The view from London
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Irfan Husain

After witnessing the colorful pageantry and the tumultuous 
celebrations that took place in London to mark Queen Elizabeth's 
Golden Jubilee, it is difficult to imagine that India and Pakistan 
are still eyeball-to-eyeball in the summer heat of the 
subcontinent.

My wife drove me straight to Buckingham Palace from Heathrow in the 
evening to participate in the proceedings. The Palace grounds were 
full, as were the adjoining parks, so we walked to Hyde Park's 
Speakers' Corner where a couple of giant screens had been set up to 
view the pop concert. Tens of thousands of people sat around, stood 
or danced to the music. Many picnicked or swigged from cans of 
beer. The atmosphere was relaxed and laid back: there was no sign 
of anger or aggression as the multi-ethnic crowd milled amiably in 
every direction.

The next day, we went to the St Bartholomew fair where a number of 
brass bands played in an area of London that dates back to the 
early part of the 12th century and now houses Smithfield, an old 
food market. Appropriately, the festival celebrated food with 
farmers and butchers from all over the country selling everything 
from arrays of cheese to cooked sausages. Again, the festival was 
inclusive, with people of every skin tone imaginable eating and 
shopping side by side.

That afternoon, we watched the final carnival and flypast before 
Buckingham Palace on television before I finally succumbed to jet-
lag. But nowhere in the entire proceedings was there any discord or 
unpleasantness as the entire nation celebrated the Queen's 50th 
year as monarch of the British Isles.

The next morning I went through the newspapers and saw there had 
been no breakthrough at Almaty, and both Vajpayee and Musharraf had 
stuck to their public postures without attempting to reach any kind 
of reconciliation. To be fair, the Pakistani leader did repeat his 
open offer to talk to the Indians 'at any time and at any place'. 
However, the Indians continued to insist on preconditions. If the 
Pakistan army cannot or will not put an end to the infiltration 
that is supposed to be taking place, why can't the Indians, with 
over half a million men in uniform in Kashmir, intercept the 
intruders?

One only wishes the leaders of both countries could see how 
ridiculous they seem to people across the world. Today's Daily 
Telegraph likened the animosity between the countries to a 'Punch 
and Judy show', referring to the popular puppet show in which the 
two leading characters belabor each other with sticks to the 
merriment of their infantile audience. The only reason the world is 
paying any attention to the current tension on the subcontinent is 
that both protagonists are now nuclear powers.

I remember how indignant I used to get years ago when the West 
attempted to prevent us from developing a nuclear capability, 
considering this an expression of the lingering imperialist and 
racist mindset that still held sway in western capitals. But I now 
realize that neither India nor Pakistan is mature enough to handle 
the responsibility that comes with this kind of power. The current 
stand-off reminds me of an old joke: what do you say to a gorilla 
with a machine gun? You say 'sir!'

Just before leaving Karachi, I read in the newspapers that General 
Musharraf had dispatched a number of envoys around the world to 
brief leaders and opinion-makers about the Kashmir issue. Now this 
might come as a bit of a surprise to our president, but this is 
precisely what our ambassadors have been doing for the last five 
decades. In fact, the mileage racked up by the special envoys sent 
from Islamabad over the years to brief the world on Kashmir would 
have filled the large gap in our budget had they been kept home. I 
don't think we have any idea of the profound boredom the mere 
mention of the word 'Kashmir' inspires in the chanceries of world 
capitals.

I can understand Musharraf's dilemma and can even sympathize with 
him: having dumped the Taliban under American pressure, he is 
having a hard time doing the same thing to the Kashmiri mujahideen 
because the Indians are demanding it. Having supported both 
extremist groupings (or rather, different manifestations of the 
same phenomenon) for years, the army is now loath to ditch them. 
And on their part, the Indians are offering no quid pro quo, thus 
making it even harder for Musharraf to break away from the policy 
he inherited and has carried forward during his tenure.

But tough times call for tough decisions, and that's what 
leadership is about. Given the tension on our borders and the very 
real danger of war with all its imponderable consequences, somebody 
has to blink first. Musharraf has said in his otherwise 
uncompromising speech last week that Pakistan would not export 
extremism or militancy. If he can deliver on this pledge, we should 
welcome his statement of intent. There has been some talk of joint 
patrols to ensure that border crossings in Kashmir are halted. If 
this can be implemented, it could be the first step towards de-
escalation. Perhaps secret talks on neutral territory with third 
party facilitation would help both countries pull back from the 
brink.

On the plane, I read a long account in The Observer about panicky 
scenes at New Delhi airport as thousands of foreigners scrambled to 
leave, heeding the warnings emanating from London and Washington. 
Conventional wisdom has it that India can afford the present stand-
off much better than Pakistan. While this is true, it is also a 
fact that tourism is much more important for India than it is for 
Pakistan, and the threat of a nuclear holocaust is not the best 
inducement for foreigners planning a vacation. Both countries have 
a strong motivation to stand down their forces and regain some kind 
of normality.

But normality in the context of the subcontinent does not translate 
into normal, friendly relations between two neighbors. Far from it. 
Travel remains an ordeal; there are virtually no business 
relations; and propaganda fills the airwaves. The cricket teams of 
the two nations can't even play against each other, thanks to a 
bizarre edict from New Delhi. If we have come so far only to revert 
to the usual prickly and poisonous relationship that has obtained 
for years, we might as well give up on the entire region. Surely in 
this era of globalization and international cooperation, why can't 
our leaders show some sign of maturity and statesmanship?


SPORTS
20020607
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Mudassar hopes Australia will tour Pakistan
-------------------------------------------------------------------
MELBOURNE, June 6: Pakistan coach Mudassar Nazar is hoping 
Australia will proceed with their tour of Pakistan later this year 
in spite of security fears.

"We're hoping it will go ahead. We anticipate the Australians 
coming to Pakistan, for the time being," Mudassar told reporters at 
Melbourne's Docklands Stadium.

"It is my earnest desire that the Australians come to Pakistan," he 
added. "Yes, I can easily understand their reluctance. But if it 
doesn't take place in Pakistan then hopefully it will take place 
somewhere else."

New Zealand cut short their tour of Pakistan in May after a suicide 
bombing outside the team's hotel in Karachi killed 14 people.

As President Bush tries to calm tensions between neighbours India 
and Pakistan in the dispute over Kashmir, Australia are pursuing 
the possibility of shifting the series in Pakistan to a neutral 
venue such as Morocco or Sharjah in September and October.

Pakistan will play South Africa and Sri Lanka in a triangular one-
day series in Morocco in August, pending approval of the venue by 
an International Cricket Council inspection party later this month.

"I suppose that (Morocco) could be one of the options," Pakistan 
team manager Yawar Saeed told reporters. Yawar said details of 
Australia's proposed tour were being handled by the two controlling 
boards. He said he had heard the Moroccan facilities were far 
superior to those of Sharjah. "However, we are all very keen that 
they should come to Pakistan, and whatever discussions that are 
required will be done by me at this level," he said.

"But the real decision-makers are the two boards. We have had a 
Test series (in Sharjah this year) at a neutral venue against the 
West Indies."

Australia will play hosts to Pakistan for a three-match limited 
overs series starting next week.

The first two games will be played indoors at the Docklands Stadium 
on June 12 and 15, with the third game in Brisbane on June 19.

The Pakistan team flew into Melbourne Thursday and inspected the 
drop-in wicket at the Docklands.-Reuters

------------------------------------------------------------------- 
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.

Dawn page

Webbed by Philip McEldowney
Last update: .