------------------------------------------------------------------- DAWN WIRE SERVICE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Ending : 25 May 2002 Issue : 08/21 -------------------------------------------------------------------
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 + Pakistan successfully test fires Hatf V (Ghauri) missile + Pakistan to test missiles + Musharraf hopes sanity will prevail + Parties reject army role in future + Qazi demands full-time COAS + Troops shifted from Afghan border: US + US not asked to vacate bases: Nisar + Troops being recalled from Sierra Leone, says Memon + Contingency plan for Capital prepared: Border tension + Pakistan asks UN to intervene: War-like situation + Pakistan prepared to match attack + Warships move as Vajpayee warns of 'decisive fight' + Pakistan, India close to war, says Musharraf + Government warns of war if India strikes + Sufficient armaments available: Gen Qayum + Musharraf invites political leaders + Pakistan hopes India will resume talks + New Delhi goes on warpath: Fresh attack on army in Kashmir + Artillery shelling matched: ISPR + 8,000 troops deployed along tribal belt + Restrictions on movement in border areas + Mly ready to meet any challenge: ISPR + Islamabad recalls HC from Delhi + APC warns India against aggression + Prosecution drops main witness: Daniel Pearl case + Prosecution drops 13 witnesses in Pearl case + Pearl case: samples being sent to Lahore + Phone record was tampered with, claims defence: Pearl case + APHC leader Lone gunned down + SHC restores Bhopal House to owners + National govt demanded + PPP alleges Benazir denied right to defence + Judgment on SGS appeal reserved + Benazir declared PO in SGS case + PPP to oppose constitutional amendments, says Asif + Gool Minwalla passes away + One killed following attack on procession: 40 vehicles torched --------------------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMY + Pakistan loses $100 million in Investment Protection Treaties + Growth rate decline propels poverty: Shaukat + MoU signed for promotion of IT industry + Over Rs10,000 RTCs banned + HBL sell-off to complete by October + What Pakistan should seek: trade or aid? + KSE index up 135 points on massive buying + Trading suspended on KSE + Stocks slump by 71 points as war fear mounts + Stocks crash on war fear: Index loses 132.5 points --------------------------------------- EDITORIALS & FEATURES + Truth about Bhopal House Ardeshir Cowasjee + Rising peril, stricken leadership Ayaz Amir + Mideast peace prospects Henry A. Kissinger ----------- SPORTS + PHF guilty of hockey's downfall in Pakistan + Waqar be named captain for World Cup + Ahmad explains decision to return + Isolation of Pakistan unjustified
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS 20020525 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan successfully test fires Hatf V (Ghauri) missile ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, May 25: "Pakistan today carried out a successful test fire of its indigenously developed medium range surface to surface ballistic missile Hatf V (Ghauri)," said an official statement. This was the third test of Ghauri missile system. According to the data collected from the test all the design parameters have been successfully validated. "The Ghauri can carry warheads with great accuracy," the statement said. President Pervez Musharraf "has congratulated the scientists, engineers and all others involved with the program on their outstanding success which is a source of pride for the nation. The series of tests are a part of the research and development of Pakistan's indigenous missile program, which is an essential element of Pakistan's policy of maintaining minimum deterrence in the interest of our security."It demonstrates Pakistan's determination to defend itself, strengthen national security and consolidate strategic balance in the region." The missile was fired in northern Pakistan, a security officer said, adding: "Hatf-V can be tipped with any warhead. Any ballistic missile can carry a nuclear warhead." He said the missiles had a range of between 1,500 and 2,000 kilometres (about 900 and 1,200 miles).-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020525 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan to test missiles ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, May 24: Pakistan has notified India that it will conduct missile tests from this weekend, officials said. "Yes, Pakistan has notified a number of countries about this, including India, Iran and the United States, as is the practice," a government spokesman said. "It has nothing to do with the current situation. We have not undertaken tests, while India has been taking such tests." The spokesman did not say when the tests would be carried out, but an official source told AFP they would be done from 25th to 28th of May. India confirmed it had been informed by Pakistan that it planned to conduct "routine" short- and medium-range missile tests. "We have been informed by Pakistan that it plans to carry out a series of missile tests comprising short- and medium-range missiles, and that appropriate notifications have been issued for these tests, which are scheduled for May 25 and 28," a statement by the Indian external affairs ministry said. "This is routine and not central to the current situation," the statement added.- AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020525 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Musharraf hopes sanity will prevail ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, May 24: President Gen Pervez Musharraf described the current standoff between India and Pakistan as "dangerous," but hoped good sense would prevail on both sides to defuse tension. "But, certainly, the tensions are high and it's dangerous because India has massed its troops on the border - army, navy and air force. So, they have the capability of undertaking any adventurous act," he said, vowing to defend every inch of the motherland, if attacked. The president said this responding to a question about chances of all-out war breaking out by Riz Khan in BBC World's 'HARDtalk Pakistan,' aired in the evening. Musharraf hoped war would not break out. "Nobody - no sane person would like to go to war." Asked how far he was willing to take the fighting, he declared in categorical terms: "If we are attacked, we'll certainly defend all the way, with all our might. We certainly would defend every inch of Pakistan." Responding to a question about the success of diplomatic means to defuse tension, Musharraf said: "We hope that first of all good sense prevails on both sides between India and Pakistan." Moreover, he said, the United States is playing a role and "all that I would like to say is that we would like to cooperate, certainly, because we don't want war." But, the president warned, "let war not be thrust on us, then we will defend." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020525 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Parties reject army role in future ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter LAHORE, May 24: Representatives of various political parties and civil society organizations have reached a consensus on a minimum 18-point agenda on future democratic process in the country with a pledge that they would not accept constitutional amendments nor the national security council contemplated by President Pervez Musharraf. The consensus was reached at a one-day consultation on "Democratic values and obligations of political parties" arranged by the Human Right Commission of Pakistan at its Aiwan-i-Jamhoor, with the HRCP chairman Afrasiab Khattak in the chair. Former HRCP chairperson Asma Jahangir was also present. The agreed minimum agenda will be now approved by the central executive committees of the political parties. The political parties represented at the consultation included Pakistan People's Party, PPP(SB), Pakistan Muslim League (N), Awami National Party, National Workers Party, Balochistan National Movement, Labour Party of Pakistan, Seraiki National Party, Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party. After a day-long discussion the meeting issued the following agreed minimum agenda; 1. Political parties will not accept any constitutional formula or amendments presented by Musharraf government to give the armed forces any 'stake holding' role in the future political setup and they would reject the national security council. 2. They will not directly or indirectly invite the military to take over power from an elected government. 3. Each party will appoint an "inter-party coordinator" for dialogue with other parties. 4. They will play their role in next parliament and legislate on independence of judiciary. 5. They will set up sub-committee in the parliament to issue a white paper on the interference and the role of intelligence agencies in politics and make them accountable to the parliament. They also demanded dissolution of the present election commission and appointment of an independent commission and accountability commission. 6. They will take measures to eliminate terrorism, sectarianism, violence and gunpoint culture. They will also bring enlightened changes in education curricula to raise a new generation inspired by humanism, peace, tolerance and honest inquiry.7. They demanded an interim caretaker government for conducting the elections. 8. They will ensure maximum provincial autonomy and redress grievances of federating units, dispensing with the concurrent list of subjects in the Constitution. 9. They will give legal protection to the institution of local bodies, the elections of which will be held on joint electorate and party basis by the federating units. 10. They will ensure parliament's approval of all public expenditure including defence expenditure, all treaties, agreements, financial or otherwise, negotiated with foreign parties. 11. They will ensure enforcement of freedom of information law, amendments in the National Archives Act and all other laws restricting the freedom of expression, the press and electronic media. 12. They will check the misuse of exit control list (ECL) and repeal arbitrary laws of detention like the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance. 13. They will ensure freedom of religion and oppose religious persecutions. 14. They wail repeal all laws discriminating against women, children, working people, minorities and special days would be reserved in the parliament to address their problems. 15. They will promote a culture of tolerance, free debate, respect for difference of opinion and consensus building on major issues in public interest. 16. They will encourage the state to create a fund for the proper functioning of political parties and education of their cadres. 17. They will take steps to eradicate crimes committed with impunity against women, minorities or religious sects and other marginalised sections of society. 18. They will take steps to de-politicise the bureaucracy and armed forces to make them truly professional. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020524 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Qazi demands full-time COAS ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, May 23: Chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, said that talks with the government are only possible if President Gen Pervez Musharraf appoints a full-time chief of army staff (COAS) and takes the nation into confidence to face a possible break out of war with India. In a statement issued here, Qazi Hussain said that if it was the duty of the religious parties to produce patriotism and national spirit among the people, it was the duty of the government to create an atmosphere conducive for talks and take measures that could help in creating harmony and solidarity in the society. He asserted that if India could adopt an aggressive policy of crushing Kashmir's freedom movement with its military might and declare Kashmir its integral part, why couldn't the government announce its unequivocal support to Kashmiris' right to self- determination. The JI chief observed that the whole world had recognized Kashmir as a disputed territory and that its future could only be decided on the basis of the United Nations Security Council resolutions which promised the people of Kashmir their right to self- determination through a plebiscite. Qazi said, Indian stand of declaring Kashmir as its integral part and its continued repression in occupied Kashmir had prolonged the issue for more than five decades and they were the real concerns for the people in the region. He asked Gen Musharraf to take the public into confidence, send the army officials to their respective units from civil departments, and categorically announce that the general elections would be held in October. He also demanded dismissal of the chief election commissioner and appointment of a non-controversial person to replace him. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020525 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Troops shifted from Afghan border: US ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent WASHINGTON, May 24: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld confirmed here that Pakistan has moved some troops away from its border with Afghanistan to its border with India since the escalation of tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad. Addressing a briefing at the Pentagon, Mr Rumsfeld said the current crisis in the subcontinent had already altered the number of Pakistan troops on the western border. The chief of Central Command, Gen Tommy Franks, who is in overall charge of the coalition operations in Afghanistan, was aware of that development. Appropriate steps would be taken "if and when" additional Pakistani troops left the western theatre, Mr Rumsfeld said. There were contingency plans on the shelf, and the US was ready to respond to any development. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020524 ------------------------------------------------------------------- US not asked to vacate bases: Nisar ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, May 23: Pakistan is not asking the United States to vacate military bases due to increasing threats of war with India, said Minister for Information Nisar Memon. "Pakistan is fully cooperating with the United States against terrorism and we have not asked the Americans to vacate our military bases", he further stated. Briefing reporters he however, said that Pakistan has decided to call back its one brigade of peace-keeping forces from Sierra Leone due to increasing threats of war and hostile statements of the Indian leaders. Responding to a question, he said that Pakistan might remove its troops from the western borders, "but it will affect our coalition partners who are engaged in fighting against terrorism". DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020524 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Troops being recalled from Sierra Leone, says Memon ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent SIALKOT, May 23: Pakistan was calling back its troops sent for UN peace mission in Sierra Leone in the wake of aggressive statements of war by the Indian leadership. This was stated by Federal Information Minister Nisar Memon while talking to newsmen. He said that Gen Pervez Musharraf had formally requested UN Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan in this regard. "We are facing threats from within and outside the country and are in immediate need to call back our troops from the UN peace mission to defend our boundaries," he added. Talking to newsmen at the local Press Club later, he said Pakistan wanted peace and de-escalation in the region, but ready to go all out if India attacked. He voiced his concern over threatening and aggressive statements by Indian leadership that it was time for a 'decisive war'. All differences between Pakistan and India, including Kashmir, should be resolved through bilateral talks and other peaceful means as provided in the UN charter. He asked the international community to "impress upon India the dangers inherent in the explosive situation created as a result of Indian belligerence." Replying to a question, the minister reiterated the government stance that no organization in Pakistan would be allowed to indulge in terrorism in the name of Kashmir. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020524 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Contingency plan for Capital prepared: Border tension ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Syed Irfan Raza ISLAMABAD, May 23: A master contingency plan for the federal capital has been prepared to meet any emergency situation in view of the heightened tension between India and Pakistan, a source told Dawn. All the departments working under the Islamabad Capital Territory administration have been directed to update their plans to cope with any emergency if war between India-Pakistan starts. These directives were given by the deputy commissioner, Tariq Mahmood Khan, who is also controller of the Civil Defence Organization, after attending a high-level meeting. The source said in view of emergency, special passes would be issued to the residents of Islamabad and stickers would be given for their vehicles so that they could move in the city without any hindrance. Screening and search of every person and vehicle would be started and no vehicle without stickers will be allowed to ply on roads. The plan said the entire capital city could be sealed and nobody would be allowed to enter the city. The meeting, which was attended by assistant commissioners and heads of various public service departments, was informed that many departments have already updated their contingency plans. Mr Khan directed the assistant commissioners and magistrates to check the operational preparedness of the departments. The source said various public utility departments, like Civil Defence Organization, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco), Capital Development Authority, government hospitals, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), educational institutions, PTV, Radio, have been asked to present their plans at a meeting scheduled for May 27. The district food department has been directed to make effective measures to maintain sufficient stock of consumer items so that in case of war, smooth supply of food essential items to the people could be ensured. Similarly, the concerned authority has been asked to ensure availability of petrol and other fuels. A committee, headed by Assistant Commissioner Tariq Javed Malik, has been assigned to ensure supply of food and fuel. The administrations of three major hospitals - Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Federal Government Services Hospital (FGSH) and Capital Hospital (CH) - have been asked to prepare their contingency plans, arrange extra beds and adequate medicines and blood. The district health officer, Dr Zafar Lodhi, has started coordination with all hospitals of the city to update their plans. The assistant commissioner, rural, has been asked to coordinate with all concerned departments to ensure the availability of vehicles for special duty. A control room has been established in the office of the additional deputy commissioner (general) to liaison with and coordinate among different departments. It was decided at the meeting that schools and colleges will be closed in case of war and relief camps would be established in various institutions. It was also decided that no official of the ICT administration will go on leave without the permission of the CDO controller. The meeting was informed that the civil defence department has made an elaborate arrangements for holding fire fighting demonstrations at various public places. All volunteers of the department have been activated both in urban and rural areas of the capital. Rehearsal of first aid and rescue operations will also be held to educate citizens about protective measures. The meeting was informed that refresher courses of civil defence was being organized in educational institutions and hospitals. Under the plan III-Brigade will take over the federal capital in case of emergency and extra police force would also be called out in the city from other areas. Similarly, all police personnel now deputed on the security of diplomats, government officials and other important persons would called back and deployed in the city. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020524 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan asks UN to intervene: War-like situation ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, May 23: Pakistan sought the United Nations intervention for restraining India from warpath and bringing it to the negotiating table for defusing the present volcanic situation in the region. In a letter written by Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, the UN General Assembly and the Security Council have been asked to intervene to avert an imminent armed conflict between two nuclear- armed neighbours. The letter draws the attention of the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council to the explosive situation resulting from the massive Indian deployment along the international border with Pakistan, the working boundary and the Line of Control in Kashmir. In the letter, the foreign minister says: "For the past five months, dangerous tensions have been whipped up in South Asia. India has moved forward and deployed nearly one million troops in battle position along the international border with Pakistan, the Working Boundary and the Line of Control in Kashmir. "Despite the hundreds of thousands of troops it has stationed and the sophisticated devices it has deployed along the Line of Control, India accuses Pakistan of infiltration across the LoC. In making uncorroborated charges, India refuses to submit its allegations to monitoring by UNMOGIP or impartial surveillance and investigating. "It disallows free access to international media and international human rights organizations in the occupied Kashmir that can independently assess the real situation in the territory. India also asserts that it will know when the alleged infiltration ceases, thus, arrogating to itself the role of the accuser and the judge." The foreign minister further says that the Indian leadership routinely blames Pakistan for every violent incident inside India and in occupied Kashmir. "Some ruling BJP leaders have been accusing Pakistan even of the carnage in Gujarat, even though the Indian political opposition as well as local and international human rights groups placed the responsibility squarely on Hindu fanatics belonging to extremist organizations like the RSS - the parent body of the ruling BJP - VHP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena." The letter says the same attitude has been adopted by the Indian government on the incidents of violence inside occupied Kashmir. Whether it was the Chitisingpura incident in March 2000, or the Amaranth Yatra killings later in the year, the Indian authorities always put the blame on Pakistan. "Such false accusations malign the Kashmiri freedom struggle and are part of a propaganda strategy to perpetuate Indian occupation of the state. According to All Parties Hurriyat Conference over 75,000 Kashmiris have been massacred by Indian military, paramilitary and police forces," says the foreign minister. "India not only refused impartial international inquiries into these and other similar cases but also abandoned its own investigations when it began to appear that these murders may actually have been staged by Indian forces. The case of tampering with the DNA tests of innocent Kashmiris, killed as terrorists responsible for the Chitisingpura massacre, is too well-known to bear repetition," says the letter. In the letter, the foreign minister emphasizes the need for the United Nations and international community to advise India to choose the path of negotiations, adding that Pakistan is ready to cooperate with the United Nations or the international community for reducing tension, preserving peace and promoting dialogue between the two countries. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020523 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan prepared to match attack ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, May 22: Government said it was prepared to defend itself against any Indian attack, but called for negotiations and vowed to maintain a crackdown on terrorism. A joint meeting of the cabinet and the National Security Council expressed deep concern over the danger posed to the regional and international peace by the Indian deployment of troops on Pakistan's borders and the Line of Control as well as threatening and aggressive statements by the Indian leadership. The meeting underlined the need for de-escalation of tension and pullback of troops on both sides to their peace time locations. It, however, expressed the determination of the people of Pakistan to defend the country against any aggression or misadventure by India. According to an official announcement, the ministers and members of the NSC supported the government's policy to work for defusing tension with India while remaining fully prepared and vigilant to meet any contingency resolutely and with full force. The meeting called on the international community to impress on New Delhi the dangers inherent in the explosive situation created as a result of Indian belligerence and obduracy. The meeting decided that the government would not allow the territory of Pakistan, or any territory whose defence was the responsibility of Pakistan, to be used for any terrorist activity anywhere in the world. It reiterated that no organization in Pakistan would be allowed to indulge in terrorism in the name of Kashmir. The cabinet and the NSC agreed that all the differences between Pakistan and India, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, should be resolved through bilateral negotiations or other peaceful means as provided in the UN Charter. In this context, they stressed the need for comprehensive dialogue between the two countries. However, the meeting declared that Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the legitimate struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realization of their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN resolutions. The meeting discussed the government's campaign against extremism and terrorism. It recalled the president's landmark address to the nation on Jan 12 and reaffirmed the policy decisions announced by him. The meeting expressed shock and sorrow over the assassination of Abdul Gani Lone, a veteran leader of the Kashmiri freedom struggle. It condemned this heinous act of terrorism against the leadership of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. It called for an impartial inquiry into the murder. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020523 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Warships move as Vajpayee warns of 'decisive fight' ------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW DELHI, May 22: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee told Indian soldiers confronting Pakistani forces across the Line of Control (LoC) that the time had come for a 'decisive fight'. Although he did not spell out who the fight would be against, he said his visit to frontline troops at a time of high tension with Pakistan should be seen as a signal. "Whether our neighbour understands this signal or not, whether the world takes account of it or not, history will be witness to this. We shall write a new chapter of victory," he told soldiers in Kupwara, in occupied Kashmir. "Let's work for victory. Be prepared for sacrifices. But our aim should be victory. Because it's now time for a decisive fight." WARSHIPS MOVE: Meanwhile, a defence official said India's navy is reinforcing its western fleet in the Arabian Sea with five warships from the eastern fleet. "The warships have been moved to increase the level of preparedness on the western sector, keeping in view the nation's security concerns and the operational situation," a navy spokesman said. The spokesman said the ships - a destroyer, a frigate and three missile corvettes - would reach the west within a week. The western fleet is based in Mumbai and its operational area covers the Arabian Sea and the rest of the Indian Ocean. The navy has a total of 140 ships. Pakistani and Indian troops sides have exchanged heavy mortar and machinegun fire across the LoC since Friday, forcing hundreds of villagers to move to safety. - Reuters DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020523 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan, India close to war, says Musharraf ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Aamer Ahmed Khan ISLAMABAD, May 22: Describing the situation on Pakistan's eastern borders as "grim," President Gen Pervez Musharraf said that Pakistan and India were closer to war than they had been at any time since the Dec 13 attack on the Indian parliament. The aggressive Indian rhetoric, said the president, had come in the wake of complete operational capability on the part of India which was why it could no longer be dismissed as mere rhetoric. However, he added, Pakistan armed forces were fully prepared to meet any threat and were capable of matching all forms of Indian aggression. President Musharraf was speaking at a meeting with editors and senior journalists in the morning. Soon after the meeting, he went into a closed door joint session of his cabinet and the National Security Council. Moving on to the national political scene, he said it was because of the tense border situation that he had decided to invite all political parties for a consultative meeting. He said he was dismayed by the refusal of the ARD (Alliance for Restoration of Democracy) and the MMA (Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal) to attend the all parties meeting he had called because it was a genuine initiative given that he was least interested in retaining power after the October elections. "In fact," he said, "I now want to shed power. I wish there was an elected prime minister to take the crucial decisions that need to be taken at this juncture." Explaining his concept of power, he said he wanted to shed the powers of the chief executive which ought to rest entirely with the prime minister. Musharraf said he was least interested in a figurehead prime minister and wanted a premier who wielded complete power to govern. However, he added, the setup he wanted to create would revolve around a system of checks and balances in which no one - the Prime Minister, the President or the Chief of Army Staff - could act arbitrarily. This, he said, was possible only if the powers vested with each of these individuals were "diluted through an institutional mechanism such as the National Security Council." The president said his government was confident that it would finalise the required constitutional amendments for the purpose within one month at the most. However, he added, the basic character of the Constitution would remain the same. Musharraf said the intense diplomatic activity currently under way was evidence of the world's desire to prevent a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in the subcontinent. Dismissing suggestions that the US was not entirely happy with the efforts made by his government, he replied that such reservations were limited to the western media and were not shared by the western governments. If there was any difference, it was only on emphasis, he added. Explaining, the president said Pakistan was more concerned with the local sectarian terror networks than by Al Qaeda or what India refers to as "cross-border terrorism." The West, on the other hand, was focussed entirely on the latter. Despite this difference in perception, Musharraf said, western governments were completely satisfied with Pakistani cooperation. SECURITY OFFICIALS: As part of the background to the presidential briefing, top security officials told newsmen that a two-kilometre strip all along the Line of Control (LoC) had been under intense Indian firing since May 17. Over 16,000 light and medium artillery shells had been fired by the Indian forces in the past five days, resulting in 20 deaths and 129 injuries. Pakistani military casualties currently stood at five dead and 30 injured. Meanwhile, the security officials said India had taken its military build-up in the Indian held Kashmir to unprecedented levels by completing the deployment of two more mountain divisions in the valley. The latest deployment raises the number of Indian military and paramilitary forces in the valley to over 700,000. Security officials said India was quite likely to carry out air strikes in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, possibly backed by a limited ground offensive. However, President Musharraf warned, even in the case of a limited offensive, the situation could quickly spiral out of control. Security officials further said Pakistan was ready to pull back its forces from the western front if required and was even prepared to recall its troops currently serving in places such as Sierra Leone. They said Pakistan's western allies in the US-led war on terror had been informed of the possibility. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020522 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Government warns of war if India strikes ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, May 21: Pakistan warned that any cross-border action by India would provoke retaliation, and analysts predicted that it could trigger a wider conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Military spokesman Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi told AFP: "Any incursions into Pakistani territory or Azad Kashmir will be responded to and met with full force." Analysts say signals from New Delhi indicate the Indian government is determined to launch limited strikes on alleged militant camps in Azad Kashmir. "If that happens it will definitely provoke a retaliation by Pakistan and the situation can spin out of control," political commentator Khalid Mahmood of the Institute of Regional Studies told AFP. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020522 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sufficient armaments available: Gen Qayum ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD May 21: Lt Gen Abdul Qayum, Chairman of Pakistan Ordnance Factories reassured the nation that sufficient stocks of conventional arms and ammunition would be available in the event of a full-scale war with India. In an informal chat with newsmen at the National Assembly premises Gen Qayyum, however, made it clear that Pakistan, being a civilised state, would like that reason prevailed on part of India and expressed the hope that it will shun the war-mongering posture. He expressed his confidence that there would be no full-scale war for India was also aware that it would be equally disastrous for New Delhi if it launched offensive against Pakistan. "When Pakistan pleads for peace it does not mean it is doing it because of weakness but it is a norm which is internationally recognised." So far as the preparedness of the armed forces in terms of conventional arms supplies was concerned, he said such preparedness was made during peace times which had been achieved already. Replying to a question he said sufficient amount of arms and ammunition as required by formation commanders was available on various fronts and sectors and pace of production had naturally been accelerated according to the growing demand. He opined that India, in the first place, would not resort to make any adventure and would try to make incursion inside some vulnerable parts of Azad Kashmir in hot pursuit, but it would have assessed by now that there was no dearth of courage as far as armed forces or the people living on bordering areas was concerned. Gen Qayum said that the incident which took place in Jammu on the basis of which India was creating a war hysteria, was an indigenous one which could not have masterminded by Pakistan since its fallout was going against its own interests. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020521 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Musharraf invites political leaders ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Faraz Hashmi ISLAMABAD, May 20: President Gen Pervez Musharraf decided to consult a cross-section of people, particularly political leaders, to take the nation into confidence about the situation arising out of unprovoked Indian shelling along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary. Dawn officially learnt that apart from a meeting with politicians, a joint meeting of the cabinet and the National Security Council, and a consultative session with the editors of national dailies had also been lined up by the president's secretariat for Wednesday. "Invitations are being extended to all the political parties and groups," said Information Secretary Anwer Mehmood when asked about the parties and political leaders being invited for consultation. There would be no exception, said Mr Mehmood when asked whether any party would be left out. On all previous occasions, including the president's pre-Agra summit interaction with political leaders and other people, the PML(N) has not been invited, apparently to deny any official recognition to the former ruling party. All other parties, including the ARD, have received the official invitation. But, till late Monday, the PML(N) had received no invitation from the government. PML(N) chairman Raja Zafrul Haq said that the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy had decided to take a collective decision on the issue of accepting the invitation. ARD leader Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan has established contacts with other ARD leaders and the Jamaat-i-Islami chief, and reached an understanding with them to take a joint decision whether to accept or reject the invitation. At its last meeting, the ARD had imposed a discipline on all the component parties not to accept individual invitations of meetings with the president. JI chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed was approached personally by the Principal Secretary to the President, Tariq Aziz, for extending invitation to him, a political source said. Tehrik-i-Insaaf leader Imran Khan, Millat Party chief Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari and pro-government faction of PML (Quaid-i-Azam group) were included in the list of invitees. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020521 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan hopes India will resume talks ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Hasan Akhtar ISLAMABAD, May 20: Pakistan said that the international community, despite some setbacks in its recent efforts, was working for de- escalation of tension with greater vigour and pressing both sides to come to the negotiating table. Foreign ministry spokesman Aziz Ahmad Khan averred that the international community was fully cognizant of the seriousness of the heightening tension. Owing to the international diplomacy coupled with the reinforced efforts by the United Nations, he said Islamabad hoped that Delhi would see reason and resume dialogue on all contentious issues and disputes. In reply to suggestions from reporters to "press" the United States to compel India for reducing tension and withdrawing troops from borders, the spokesman pointed out that the recent visit by Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca was basically aimed at securing de-escalation in tension and gradual withdrawal of forces from borders. The spokesman further said that Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage would also visit the region soon for the same purpose. He said that Pakistani ambassador in the United Nations had been keeping the world body and its secretary-general as well as the president of the Security Council abreast of the developments in the worsening South Asian scenario. The spokesman advised the reporters to refer their questions about the war-like situation on the Line of Control to the ISPR, but he confirmed that heavy guns were exchanging fire for the last few days. In reply to a question whether troop engagement on borders with Afghanistan at the time of the heightened activity on the eastern border was desirable, the spokesman said the government was fully alive to the security requirements and emphasized that the defence forces were capable of meeting any eventuality. Pakistan, he said, would continue to play its role in the fight against terrorism on the Afghanistan front. Referring to Indian allegations of cross-border movement between the divided parts of Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesman recalled that Pakistan had offered deployment of independent international monitors on both sides of the Line of Control to confirm the Indian allegations but, he added, New Delhi had declined to accept the offer. As regards a recent statement of Chris Patten, European Union's external affairs chairman, suggesting that referendum was a deviation from the road-map given out for Pakistan's return to democracy, the spokesman said that Mr Patten was perhaps not fully briefed on the referendum issue. In fact, he asserted, referendum had reinforced the president's resolve to restore democracy. Asked for comments on an APC's call for the installation of an interim setup composed of all parties to meet the mounting Indian challenge, the spokesman said it was not for the foreign ministry to respond to internal issues. He, however, added that the present government had been functioning "very well and properly" and was cognizant of what is required of it. He hoped that political parties would extend "solid support" to the government in this hour of national crisis. The spokesman said that as of now he was not aware of any change in the scheduled meeting of the Indus basin commissioners of Pakistan and India on May 29. However, he said, in case the meeting could not be held as stipulated once every year, the Indus Basin Treaty provided means to redress. He pointed out that the treaty was a bilateral agreement and guaranteed by international guarantors. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020520 ------------------------------------------------------------------- New Delhi goes on warpath: Fresh attack on army in Kashmir ------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW DELHI, May 19: The Indian government went on the warpath following a second attack on an army camp in occupied Kashmir in less than a week, announcing an increased mobilization and warning that it would match Pakistani firepower. Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh also announced, at the end of a meeting between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his security advisers, that India was reconsidering Pakistan's Most Favoured Nation status. Under the increased mobilization, India's paramilitary forces operating in occupied Kashmir will be transferred from the command of the interior ministry to the army, and the coast guard will be placed under the command of the navy. Military experts said the move would add muscle to India's million- plus army as well as crank up the country's war machine for rapid response in case of conflict with Pakistan. "If any artillery fire comes on our forces from across the border then they will be immediately retaliated," Singh said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020520 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Artillery shelling matched: ISPR ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Arshad Sharif ISLAMABAD, May 19: Pakistan has repulsed the use of heavy artillery by the Indians along the LoC and the working boundary during the past two days, director general ISPR, Major General Rashid Qureshi told Dawn. The Indians have escalated the tensions by using heavy artillery and directly attacking Pakistan along the working boundary, resulting in civilian casualties, the president's military spokesperson said. He said Pakistan retaliated the fire on Indian military targets and, unlike the enemy's act, did not target the civilians. He said India was directly and indirectly sabotaging the global war on terrorism by engaging Pakistan on the eastern borders. He said India deliberately chose to escalate the border tensions, knowing full well that Pakistan, in league with the US-led coalition forces, was fighting the war on terrorism. He said the global powers must question India on its recent actions which amounted to distracting an important coalition partner in the global war against terrorism. The Indian actions, he said, amounted to supporting the terrorists indirectly. Pakistan does not want war, the DG ISPR said, adding the Kashmir struggle was indigenous against the brutalities of the Indian forces. Blaming Pakistan for their own ills would not solve the Indians' problems, he said. Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi said Pakistan was fully prepared to thwart any Indian designs against the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan, adding the armed forces stood alert to defend each and every inch of the country. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020520 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 8,000 troops deployed along tribal belt ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Qudssia Akhlaque ISLAMABAD, May 19: More than 8,000 Pakistani army troops have been deployed in the tribal belt of Waziristan to check infiltration of Taliban and Al Qaeda men and to capture those who may have taken refuge there, sources told Dawn on Saturday. Pakistani authorities won their right to patrol the 'no-go areas' of Waziristan in their biggest US anti-terror operation within Pakistan on the condition that Americans will not be directly involved in the ground attacks and that the government will immediately undertake billion-rupee development projects, these sources maintained. Intelligence sources in Islamabad said more than 8,000 Pakistani troops were stationed last week in the North and South Waziristan agencies. Their mandate is to seal the porous border with Afghanistan which according to Pakistani authorities has 46 major crossing points including Torkham and Chamman. The unfrequented routes run in hundreds. Informed sources disclosed these troops will conduct raids and ground attacks on targets identified by the American Central Command (CENTCOM) operations from Tampa (Florida) and cleared by the Pakistani military authorities. The CENTCOM is providing technical intelligence to direct this operation. "The tribal leaders have not only permitted access to Pakistan army personnel but have also assured Islamabad of help in tracking down Al Qaeda and Taliban members who found refuge there," these sources said. Dawn also learned from officials involved in the operation that the tribal elders have given the government their commitment "that no one in the area would host any Al Qaeda or Taliban fighters." The tribal leaders have stipulated a fine of Rs500,000 against any one affording refuge to Al Qaeda or Taliban suspects and have also informed all tribals that any house used to shelter Al Qaeda or Taliban suspects will be put on fire. Another intelligence source said that the numbers of Pakistani troops assigned the task was growing and that additional posts had been established only the other day for the additional Frontier Constabulary (FC) men called in to seal the border North and South of Waziristan. The troops operating from inside Waziristan comprise a 3000-strong brigade with equal number of FC personnel, some 2000 army engineers and 100 commandos from the Special Services Group (SSG). Members of the army engineering corps will have the dual task of carrying out development work in the area and apprehending fleeing Al Qaeda and Taliban men. The massive mobilization of troops in the area last week was on the insistence of Americans who believe suspected Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters are now re-grouping in the area, sources said on Saturday. All operations are planned and coordinated by the Joint Staff Headquarters (JSH) in Rawalpindi with CENTCOM, the US Central command. The CENTCOM has been providing information with satellite maps and sketches of some suspected Al Qaeda and Taliban militants to concerned agencies in Pakistan based on its intelligence- gathering network. Based in Florida, CENTCOM is the United States security command for South, Central and South West Asia. A CENTCOM representative based in Islamabad provides lists of targets with maps in daily meetings at the JSH. The list is then forwarded to the concerned agencies who whet and verify information before it is relayed to the operational heads for combined covert action in pockets of tribal area. When queried about the level and nature of the US involvement in the Waziristan operations, the US embassy spokesman said a couple of days back that he was not in a position to comment. Instead he gave the CENTCOM contact number in Florida saying that since they were handling these operations it was best to talk to them. Federal government sources say that the US authorities had requested Pakistan that their commandos be allowed to take part in the search and raid operations in the tribal belt and that American air power be deployed in the area but President Musharraf turned down the request. These sources said that it was agreed between the Pakistan and US authorities that American presence will remain on the margins of tribal area and their role confined largely to technical intelligence, intelligence sharing and communications levels. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020519 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Restrictions on movement in border areas ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent SUKKUR, May 18: The military authorities have restricted the movement of residents in the border towns of Ghotki and Mirpur Mathelo due to alarming situation and tension between India and Pakistan. The decision was taken to stop the people from frequent movement in the border areas specially the residents were asked by the civil and military officials not to move frequently in the night time. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020519 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mly ready to meet any challenge: ISPR ------------------------------------------------------------------- By I.H. Raashed LAHORE, May 18: Pakistan has made "full military preparations to the extent required" to meet any war imposed by India. This was stated by ISPR Director-General Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi while briefing senior journalists and columnists. He said that India would think a hundred times before launching a full-scale war against Pakistan. "I think India will not launch a full-scale war, but there is a danger of Indian attack on Azad Kashmir and the Working Boundary," he added. He said that artillery fire which had stopped during the past one year or so had been resumed by India at the Line of Control and it was now hitting the civilian population. Gen Qureshi, however, explained that he was not ruling out the possibility and probability of a full-scale war and "we are prepared to meet any threat." He said that India had started medium artillery fire at about 8am on Saturday targeting the civilian population. There was intense shelling on Friday, and on Saturday India asked Pakistan to withdraw its High Commissioner from New Delhi though the diplomatic relations were still intact. All these events indicated that India wanted to aggravate the situation, he said, but warned "India must remember that Pakistan is not Palestine which can be easily attacked". He said that any attempt of hot pursuit by India across Azad Kashmir might also lead to a war. However, he pointed out, due to difficult terrain and mountainous region India was not in a position to make a thrust into Azad Kashmir where aircraft and tanks could not be used like occupied Palestine where Israelis were freely using such weapons. Referring to the Jammu incident, Gen Qureshi debunked the Indian propaganda that Pakistan was involved in it. He asked why Pakistan should commit an action which would cause harm to it and benefit India? He said that India had no proof of Pakistanis' involvement. Recovery of mere chocolate wraps bearing "made in Pakistan" words could not be a valid proof. How could terrorists carry with them their identity symbols? he asked. Why would they fire on a passenger bus when they were on a mission to attack a military camp and why would they kill women and children? Gen Qureshi was of the view that the bus had been hit by the firing of the Indian troops. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020519 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Islamabad recalls HC from Delhi ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Hasan Akhtar ISLAMABAD, May 18: The Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi, Ashraf Jahangir Qazi, was recalled by the government on the demand of the Indian government. The Indian demand came only a day after its parliament adopted a unanimous resolution, criticizing Pakistan for its support to alleged cross-border militancy which Islamabad has consistently denied. A foreign ministry press release said that Pakistan had noted with disappointment the decision of the Indian government and added that Islamabad had accordingly decided to recall the high commissioner. India had already recalled its high commissioner from Islamabad following an attack on the parliament house in New Delhi in December by five attackers who were killed in a shootout with security guards. India had blamed Pakistan for the attack which Islamabad had vehemently denied. Pakistan had avoided taking any tit-for-tat step against the Indian decision and retained its high commissioner to continue to act though the government of India had virtually ceased to recognize his diplomatic representation and he was accused of maintaining questionable links with so-called Kashmiri separatists. The press release said that despite the Indian demand for the recall of the Pakistan high commissioner, "the government of Pakistan will continue to work for complete normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries". Ashraf Jehangir Qazi is expected to leave his post in Delhi during this week, after having been in office for about four years. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020520 ------------------------------------------------------------------- APC warns India against aggression ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ashraf Mumtaz LAHORE, May 19: An All Parties Conference on Sunday warned India to desist from committing any aggression against Pakistan as the democratic and patriotic forces were united like a rock to defend their country. Leaders of over two dozen political and religious parties and some professional organizations said that in the interest of peace and stability of South Asia and to safeguard the future of the people of entire region, India should adopt the course of negotiations to settle all disputes with Pakistan on the basis of the principles of international law and the charter of the United Nations. The APC, however, did not soften its resolve to pull down the military regime through a sustained struggle despite a tense situation on borders. Through a resolution and a joint declaration adopted at the APC, fifth since the military takeover in October 1999, the participants said that the nation had completely rejected the stage-managed April 30 presidential referendum after which Gen Pervez Musharaf should immediately resign from all his "de facto" positions and hand over power to a neutral caretaker government which should unite the nation, face challenge posed by India and hold fair and free elections. They called for the appointment of a full-time Chief of the Army Staff who could devote his attention to the country's defence and meet the threat to national security and territorial integrity. ARD President Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan presided over the conference held at the Lahore Press Club. Parties in the ARD and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Aml were the major participants. Leaders of all the parties expressed their views before the finalization of the resolution and the declaration. The ARD chief sidelined as hypothetical a question whether the APC leaders would participate in an APC the government is expected to hold in Islamabad on May 27 in view of the situation on the border. Same was his response when questioned if opposition parties would be prepared to hold talks with the government. So far, the Nawabzada complained, Gen Musharraf had been taking all important decisions on his own and he had been inviting political leaders subsequently only to inform them. When a reporter asked if demand for Gen Musharraf's resignation at such a critical juncture would not endanger the country's defence, the senior leader answered in the negative. There could be nothing better in the national interest, he argued. He said nobody was indispensable for the country and even Chamberlain had been replaced with Churchill right when the war was going on. Maintaining that the threat of war loomed large and the country needed complete unity and a strong leadership, a resolution adopted by the APC said that having been rejected in the referendum by the people of Pakistan as well as the national and international intelligentsia, Gen Musharraf "stands discredited and lacks the stature and moral authority to deal with the current threat to national security and territorial integrity of Pakistan". It said while India was poised to wage war on the eastern front of Pakistan, Gen Musharraf was using Pakistani troops to seal the western border with Afghanistan and conduct operations in tribal areas. The resolution said that the Chief Election Commissioner, his colleagues who betrayed the nation, by becoming a party to the rigging of the referendum, must be removed and an independent and impartial new Election Commission should be appointed consisting of men of proven integrity. It may be pointed out that the PPP was the only party which had welcomed the appointment of Justice (retd) Irshad Hasan as the CEC on the grounds that he had brought with him a treasure of experience. The resolution sought an end to the ban on political activities. All political parties have the right to choose their own leadership and no party should be deprived of its leaders. "All leaders should be allowed to freely take part in political activities to galvanize the nation to face the Indian challenge because wars cannot be fought unless the nation backs its armed forces", the resolution said in a clear reference to former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif. Appreciating the people for boycotting the presidential referendum, the APC also praised the Commonwealth, the European Union and the USA for not supporting the farcical exercise. A truth commission will be set up to look into the instances of misuse of public funds by the local government functionaries to ensure the success of Gen Musharraf in the referendum. The APC called upon the people of federating units from all walks of life to join hands for the revival of their sovereign will and the right to freely choose their elected representatives, restoration of human and social rights and jointly face the threats from internal and external dangers to people's life and national existence either by terrorism or foreign subjugation. It demanded a clear election schedule, immediate revival of all political activities and human rights, level playing field for all political parties and their respective leaders, holding of free and fair elections under a neutral, autonomous, credible and powerful Election Commission formed with the approval of all political parties in place of the incumbents who must immediately resign for having violated their oath by "becoming an instrument of a rigged referendum". The APC rejected any arbitrary changes in the 1973 Constitution, mutilation of international democratic standards of elections, distortion of electoral laws, prohibitive changes in the Political Parties Act and restrictions on the parties and their leaders. "We expect from the international community, the international human rights bodies and the UN agencies to uphold the aspirations of the people of Pakistan for the restoration of democracy, fundamental human rights, the constitutional order through free and fair elections and transfer of power to the genuinely elected representatives of the people, who alone can ensure Pakistan's credible participation in international affairs as a responsible and civilized nation," the APC declaration said. The participants expressed solidarity with the freedom movement in Kashmir and the struggle of the Palestinian people for their rights. They also supported the demand for the implementation of the Wage Board Award for the newspapers employees. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020523 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Prosecution drops main witness: Daniel Pearl case ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent HYDERABAD, May 22: The prosecution side dropped an important witness, Arshad Noor Khan, former presiding judge of the Daniel Pearl kidnapping-cum-murder case, at the eleventh hour on the ground that the Sindh High Court did not grant him permission to depose before the court in the case of a US journalist. Advocate General Sindh Raja Qureshi, however, produced the Resident Security Officer (RSO) at the US Consulate, Karachi, Roland Banett who claimed that the office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the USA was located in Islamabad. The case was adjourned till May 27 as the Lahore-based defence counsel, Rai Basheer Ahmed would be busy before the Supreme Court during the next couple of days. The Attorney General Sindh was quick to blame the defence side for resorting to extreme delaying tactics given the fact that it was earlier mutually decided between the prosecution and defence that the case proceedings would be held on a daily basis but the defence had once again reneged from its commitment. Former presiding judge of the case, Arshad Noor, did appear before the trial court but did not record his evidence in the absence of permission from the Sindh High Court which was mandatory under article 4 of the Qanoon-e-Shahadat. Briefing journalists after the court proceedings at the Central Prison, the Attorney General said, "Arshad Noor Khan was requested by this court to appear and he did appear but the requirements of article 4 of Qanoon-e-Shahadat mandated that he has to obtain prior permission from the superior court to appear before this court which is a sub-ordinate court. The permission was not available with Arshad Noor Khan and in view of the fact that two witnesses had been examined on the same point and to avoid legal complications, the prosecution gives this witness up." He, however, refused to comment as to how and why the Anti- Terrorism Court judge turned up before the court when there was no permission from the Sindh High Court. The AG clarified, "The absence of an Anti-Terrorism Court judge being a witness in the case will neither benefit nor harm the prosecution case." The appearance of the judge was sought by prosecution through a written application on the ground that the principal accused, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, had made a confessional statement. The Attorney General disclosed that Roland Banett told the court that he coordinated between the officials of the FBI and local investigating officials, and whatever information he had been provided by the FBI had been forwarded to local investigators. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020522 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Prosecution drops 13 witnesses in Pearl case ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent HYDERABAD, May 21: The prosecution, in the Daniel Pearl kidnapping- cum- murder case, has dropped 13 out of 38 witnesses telling the court that sufficient material had been placed on record and nearly all the important PWs had already been produced. The Advocate General Sindh, Raja Qureshi, the chief prosecutor in the case, informed the court that 13 witnesses dropped needed not to be produced and that only five more PWs would now be produced to prove the case. The five PWs are Arshad Noor Khan (Anti-Terrorism Court-III Judge), Marianne Pearl (wife of the slain US journalist Daniel Pearl), Ronald Banett (the RSO at US consulate, Karachi), Hameedullah Memon and Rao Aslam (inspectors). Those dropped are Athar Waqar Azeem (General Manager PTV), Manzoor Qureshi (programme manager PTV), Agha Tajamul (SSP), Malik Asghar Usman (DSP), Noor Muhammad (ASI), Ashiq Ali and Ali Nawaz (head constables), Chaudhry Nazar Hussain, Faisal Afridi (taxi driver), Mubarak Ali Shah, Sami Qureshi, Abdul Majeed and Haroon Sheikh. Two more prosecution witnesses, Muhammad Ali (the assistant director, Anti-Car Lifting Cell, Karachi) and Zaheer Ahmed, an independent Musheer of the arrested accused - Fahad Naseem and Salman Saqib - were produced before the court on Tuesday bringing the total number of witnesses examined and cross-examined so far to 20. All the accused were also present in the court. Meanwhile, Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), headed by Syed Ali Ashraf Shah, would record deposition of ATC-III Judge Arshad Noor Khan, former presiding judge in the case. The latter has been requested to be called as court witness by prosecution with the permission of the Sindh High Court (SHC). Deposition of Mr Ronald Banett, an official of the US consulate, would also be recorded. Mr Banett's name was disclosed by a special agent of the FBI. The application about appointment of commission to record the statement of Marianne Pearl remained undecided as Barrister Jameel, her counsel, apprised the court that he would consult with her about whether she was willing or not and would inform the court on Friday. The court allowed a defence plea of Rai Basheer Ahmed, who had sought permission to allow him and his clients to examine a CD on their own computer. The CD was brought on record by PW, Sheikh Naeem, the sub-server operator Webnet, managed by Mehmood Iqbal Hashmi. The CD contained data of e-mails, claimed to have been sent by the accused to different organizations and newspapers, about Daniel Pearl and their demands. The counsel did not accede to the request of prosecution that it would also like to see the CD along with the defence and accused. He maintained that since he had to prepare for cross-examination, he had reservations and could not oblige the prosecution. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020520 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pearl case: samples being sent to Lahore ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, May 19: Authorities launched DNA tests on samples taken from a dismembered body which they believe are the remains of murdered US reporter Daniel Pearl. "We are sending samples to Lahore for DNA testing today," a police investigator told newsmen, adding that they included teeth, hair, bones and samples of blood stains taken from the hut where Pearl was believed to have been killed. "The opinion of the experts who will conduct the DNA tests will be final for us," said the investigator, adding that the laboratory in Lahore specializes in the high-tech procedure. Authorities found the decapitated body on Friday buried on a vacant plot of land near the blood-stained hut where he was apparently murdered after being abducted on January 23. The investigator said police had questioned a man who used to own the desolate plot, in an area notorious as a criminal haunt. The owner, Maulana Tayyab, said he had sold the property some eight years ago but did not recall the name of the buyer. He promised to provide police with papers relating to the sale, the investigator said.-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020519 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Phone record was tampered with, claims defence: Pearl case ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent HYDERABAD, May 18: Defence counsels in Daniel Pearl kidnapping-cum- murder case contested the validity of print-outs of cellular phone connections saying that all these documents were tampered with by the prosecution and police in order to establish that the connections were used by the accused. They claimed that in the print-outs, produced by the manager of a cellular phone company, Col (rtd) Usman, the telephone connections were not shown in the name of the present accused. The court adjourned the matter for Tuesday (May 21) when it would hear the viewpoint of Barrister Jameel on the application of appointment of a commission to record the statement of Marine Pearl, wife of the slain Wall Street Journal reporter. Advocate General Sindh, Raja Qureshi, told newsmen that the court would not work on Monday as the defence counsels were busy in Lahore in connection with their cases. The AG, who is also the chief prosecutor, raised objection on this as well. He produced another witness Mahmood Iqbal Hashmi of the Webnet, a Karachi-based internet service provider. Mr Hashmi produced six attachments along with his statements saying that he provides internet facilities to different sub-servers through internal servers in order to facilitate them to send their electronic mails worldwide. He claimed that the US consulate at Karachi had requested him to find out as to from where such e-mails were transmitted. Mr Hashmi added that he found that the e-mails in question were sent through the sub-server - Sheikh Naeem, another prosecution witness who has already been examined by the court. Mr Hashmi said that he had handed over one copy of the data to the US consulate and anther to the investigating police officials while yet another copy was being submitted with court for record. His cross- examination was still reserved by the defence lawyers. The AG said that as per Sheikh Naeem's statement, he provided e- mails facility to 60-70 users and the e-mails which were verified by Mehmood Iqbal Sheikh were transmitted from line No: 66. He deposed that the line was being used from telephone number and laptop of accused Fahad Naseem. Referring to Salman Saqib who, the AG said, complained of medical problems every now and then a medical board conducted his examination and according to its report he was perfectly alright. During cross-examination of Col (rtd) Usman, AG pointed out that according to the print-outs it was proved that the accused used the facility of cellular phone on a different time, date and duration and in complicity with others committed an offence for which they were being prosecuted. He, however, clarified that the manager of the phone company could not establish that they were actual users of cellular phone connections because the mobile phones could by used by anyone. He said that these phones could be obtained in the name of any other person on submission of photo copy of NIC. The AG said that on May 22 the ATC-3 Judge Arshad Noor Khan, former presiding judge of the Daniel Pearl case, would be examined and cross-examined alone. To a query whether Sindh High Court had allowed the judge to appear before the court, he said a written application had been addressed to the Registrar of the SHC and added that such applications were always allowed because it involved fair and transparent dispensation of justice in the case. A junior defence lawyer, Mohsin Imam, told newsmen that Col (rtd) Usman agreed that from his office record, he could not establish as to who spoke to whom. The defence counsels sought the certified copy of a CD which was earlier produced by Sheikh Naeem. The court directed the reader of the court and the SSP of CIA, Manzoor Mughal, to ensure the provision of CD to defence lawyers after getting it copied from an internet service provider. The counsels maintained that this witness had no solid proof of the cellular phone connections having been obtained by the accused and that they were using them. A Lahore-based defence counsel, Rai Basheer Ahmed, informed newsmen that print-outs of 17 telephone connections, which were in fact details of incoming and out-going calls of these connections, were tampered with because these print-outs were computerised and issued in English. He said that he confronted these print-outs with prosecution witness in order to prove that the witness did not tamper them. He insisted that the prosecution and police had tampered with the report. For instance, he said, the connection of Shamim Ahmed had been shown as Shamim Ahmed alias Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh whereas the connection of Shafi Muhammad Pathan, a resident of Mardan, was shown to be one being used by the slain journalist Daniel Pearl. He pointed out that names of Daniel Pearl and Ahmed Omar were written in Urdu. The lawyer said that the cellular phone company did not fix the responsibility on the users for the misuse of phones and added that accused had nothing to do with these connections. He maintained that the prosecution tried to establish that the connections were issued in the name of different people but the accused were their real users. He claimed that Col (rtd) Usman admitted that he had no record that present accused had obtained these 17 connections and that he was also unable to prove that accused were their real users. He pleaded that all these persons in whose names the connections were issued had not been joined in the investigation by police. Rai Basheer raised objection when PW, Mahmood Iqbal Hashmi, produced the copy of data of e-mails to the court. The counsel said that police did not include this data in the case-file thus it could not be made part of the case now. The court said it would decide this point at the time of final arguments. It allowed brother of Fahad Naseem to meet the detainee. Other relatives of the accused would be allowed an interview with him during the course of break of court. This order was passed on an application filed by Rai Basheer Ahmed. He also expressed dissatisfaction over reports of medical board that examined Salman Saqib. He claimed that he had authentic reports of Agha Khan Hospital and requested the court to get the accused re-examined and obtain tests from the laboratories of the same hospital. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020522 ------------------------------------------------------------------- APHC leader Lone gunned down ------------------------------------------------------------------- SRINAGAR, May 21: Abdul Gani Lone, leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, was shot dead in a killing likely to undermine efforts to bring peace to occupied Kashmir. Witnesses said Lone was shot dead by two unidentified men while he was attending a function to mark the 12th death anniversary of Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq, who was killed by unidentified gunmen in his house on May 21, 1990. On that day more than 50 people were killed when Indian police opened fire on mourners carrying the body of Maulvi Farooq. The gunmen who shot Lone also lobbed a grenade, but it failed to explode, the witnesses said. One of his bodyguards was also killed and another was injured in the attack. "He (Lone) fell down and started reciting Quranic verses. When the gunmen realized that he was still alive they fired again and he died there," Lone's driver, Abdul Rashid, said. Wailing mourners, many beating their chests and pulling their hair, surrounded Lone's bullet-ridden body at his residence. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020522 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SHC restores Bhopal House to owners ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, May 21: The Sindh High Court ordered restoration of possession of Bhopal House to Shaharyar M. Khan, legal heir to the late Begum Abida Sultaan, after the contemners offered unconditional apology for forcibly dispossessing the plaintiff of the property. Justice Zahid Kurban Alavi passed the order when the contempt application of the late Begum Abida Sultaan came up for consideration. In the light of the court's order Shaharyar M. Khan was handed over possession of Bhopal House in the afternoon. When the matter came up before the court, surprisingly Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan stood up on behalf of the alleged contemners, Muhammad Mushtaq, executive engineer, and Iftekhar Ahmed, assistant executive engineer, and pleaded that "due to certain misunderstanding a wrong was done." Mr Ahsan submitted that in order to rectify the wrong the contemners, who were present in the court, were prepared to immediately restore and hand over the possession back to the plaintiff's son, Shaharyar M. Khan. He also submitted that this was being done without conceding on the plaintiff's claim to the title of the property. It was also submitted that the evidence should be recorded and completed at the earliest so that the long- outstanding matter could be resolved and disposed of. On May 14, a day before the Qul of the late Begum Abida Sultaan of Bhopal, the occupants of Bhopal House in Clifton were evicted by force at the behest of the Intelligence Bureau. On May 15, Muhammad Mushtaq, Executive Engineer, PWD, the defendant No 3, had submitted before Justice Alavi that he had received instructions from the federal ministries of law and housing and works. The contemner had further submitted that he was fully aware that there might be a possible contempt to which he was given assurance by the competent authority to defend him. It was the case of the plaintiff that the house was the property of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, Nawab of Bhopal, where the IB had set up its office in the annexe. The plaintiff had shown various documents to disprove the claims of the federal government's agency. The ministry of housing and works had claimed that the said property was "purchased by the Government of Pakistan from the Nawab of Bhopal for a consideration of Rs450,000 in 1958." But a message faxed by the Press Information Department had stated that the "building had been in possession of the Government of Pakistan as an evacuee property since 1947, without any objection from the claimant or anyone on his behalf uptil 1992." Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, counsel for the plaintiff, briefly narrated the facts leading to the unfortunate incident. According to him, in spite of orders passed by this court an action had been taken which was contrary to the statement and undertaking given by the defendants that no action should be taken against the plaintiff, but only through due process of law. Deploring the action of the contemners, Mr Pirzada advocated for prosecuting them. When Mr Ahsan offered unconditional apology to the court on behalf of the contemners, Justice Alavi asked for Mr Shaharyar Khan's views. As Mr Khan magnanimously expressed his satisfaction with the unconditional apology given by the contemners, Justice Alavi accepted the unconditional apology. He also ordered restoration of possession of Bhopal House to the plaintiff's son, in the course of the day, and also told the plaintiff to move amended title of the plaint so as to bring the legal heirs on record. Thereafter, the matter which was already pending before Abdul Aziz Memon, advocate/ commissioner, for recording of evidence, should be sent back to him and evidence be recorded and completed within one month, Justice Alavi ordered. Mr Khan later said: "I am deeply gratified at the decision of the court." He said a close relation of his, with his family, was staying in Bhopal House before it was sealed. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020520 ------------------------------------------------------------------- National govt demanded ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, May 19: The Pakistan People's Party's acting secretary- general, Mian Raza Rabbani, has said the external threat facing the country needed the setting up of a national government immediately so that the country could meet the internal and external challenges collectively. He was speaking at press conference on Sunday here in Bilawal House, where a former MNA from Nawabshah, Syed Bashir Ahmed Shah, expressed his confidence in the leadership of Benazir Bhutto and announced his decision to join the PPP. In reply to a question, Mr Rabbani said whenever there had been dictatorship in the country, tension had risen on the borders, and now also India got the advantage of an unelected government in Pakistan. Answering another question, the PPP leader said if there was a move by the government to hold an all-parties conference to take political parties into confidence on the situation, his party would take a decision after consultation with the ARD. He claimed that in the present trying circumstances only a towering international personality and calibre of Benazir Bhutto could steer the country out of the crisis. "Declaring Benazir Bhutto absconder during heightening tension on the borders is an insult to the dignity of the country which would result in causing further despondency among the nation," he maintained. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020525 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PPP alleges Benazir denied right to defence ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, May 24: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has urged the Commonwealth to take note and examine the conduct of the trial on May 17 in which what it called the due process and right to defence were denied to Benazir Bhutto. "It is feared that Judge Mansoor Ali Khan is acting under pressure," PPP acting secretary-general Raza Rabbani said in a letter addressed to the secretary-general of the Commonwealth, Donald McKinnon, expressing concern over denial of due process and a fair trial to Ms Bhutto by the military regime in the SGS case. The letter also drew attention of the Commonwealth to how Ms Bhutto was declared as proclaimed offender by the court despite being represented by her counsel. Regrettably, since the overthrow of the PPP government in 1996, military hard-liners formed a front organization for political purposes under the disguise of anti-corruption, the letter said. Mr Rabbani said a former prosecutor had written of NAB pressuring the courts by telling them to behave. Special salaries and perks were offered as a financial incentives to judges serving in the trial courts, he alleged. "It is widely known that the proceedings are watched by intelligence officials to ensure that all goes according to script. Ms Bhutto fears that the judge is acting under pressure in the presence of such individuals in a country where half of the Supreme Court was sacked by the military dictator." The PPP leader said that the Supreme Court had already set aside the conviction of Ms Bhutto in the SGS case after tape-recorded conversations revealed that the course of justice was perverted by the then regime in collusion with the trial judge. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020522 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Judgment on SGS appeal reserved ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, May 21: The Supreme Court reserved its judgment on the appeal of a Swiss company, Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS), seeking wrap up of arbitration proceedings in Pakistan. A SC bench, comprising Justice Munir A. Sheikh, Justice Qazi Mohammad Farooq and Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, reserved its judgement after conducting proceedings for about five days. The SGS approached the apex court against the order of a civil court of the appointment of an arbitrator to settle the dispute that arose after the termination of the contract. Justice (retd) Khalilur Rehman Khan has been appointed arbitrator by the civil judge. After preliminary hearing, the apex court granted leave to appeal to consider three questions: i) whether the arbitration agreement between Pakistan and the SGS continued to remain valid after the Pak-Swiss treaty? ii) whether the SGS was an "investor" within the meaning of the Pak-Swiss treaty? iii) whether the SGS had waived its right to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes' (ICSID) arbitration in view of its conduct in pursing its claims before the Swiss courts and filing a counter claim before the civil judge, Islamabad. The Swiss company stated that it had approached the ICSID for getting compensation from the Pakistan government for the termination of the pre-shipment inspection contract, and demanded that the arbitration proceedings, initiated in Pakistan, be stopped. The firm maintained that Pakistan and Switzerland had signed a bilateral investment treaty in May 1996, and any dispute arising out of any agreement would be decided by the ICSID, a forum provided in the investment treaty. After the SC had set aside the judgement convicting Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari on the charges of getting commission from the SGS, the company filed a counter claim against the government in a Pakistani court. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020519 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Benazir declared PO in SGS case ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, May 18: PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto was declared proclaimed offender for her failure to appear in the accountability court in connection with the SGS case. This is the second time when an accountability court has declared the former prime minister proclaimed offender for the same offence. Earlier, Benazir Bhutto was also sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment on the same charge by another accountability court. The SGS case was remanded to the accountability court by a seven- member bench of the Supreme Court for a retrial. Ms Bhutto and spouse Asif Ali Zardari are facing the charge of awarding a preshipment inspection contract to the SGS, a Swiss company, in consideration of 6 per cent commission of the total amount received by the company from the government of Pakistan. The commission, according to the prosecution, was paid to an offshore company, Bomer Finance Inc., allegedly owned by Asif Zardari while Jens Schlegelmilch acted as his fiduciary agent. The ultimate beneficiaries of the commission were Asif Zardari and Benazir Bhutto, the prosecution alleged. On Friday, while separating the case of Asif Zardari and former Central Board of Revenue chairman A.R. Siddiqui from the main reference in the SGS case, the court declared the nine co-accused in the reference as POs and adjourned the hearing to May 30. In addition to Jens Schlegelmilch, the other eight directors of the Swiss firm are: Colin Robey, then vice-president; Oliver De Breakeleer, then managing director; Michael Lysewycs, executive manager; Michael Worrow, operation manager; David Murray, operation manager; William Boyd, technical manager; R. Rijken, manager; and Andrea Ralph, manager. The court, which had earlier issued arrest warrants against the former CBR chairman because of his constant absence, on Friday directed the co-accused to submit an undertaking with a bank guarantee of Rs1 million to ensure his appearance before the court. Lawyers Tariq Aziz and Raheel Malik represented the National Accountability Bureau before Judge Mansoor Ali Khan and informed the court that proceedings under section 87 of the Criminal Procedure Code had already been completed which empowered the court to issue the proclamation order. Earlier the process server, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Riyasat Ali of Boat Basin Police Station, informed the court that he had affixed the court's proclamation orders at the Bilawal House, the Karachi residence of Benazir Bhutto and at other important public places. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020519 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PPP to oppose constitutional amendments, says Asif ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report PESHAWAR, May 18: Castigating the government plans to bar election of a person as a prime minister for third stint, central leader of Pakistan People's Party, Asif Ali Zardari said that the proposed constitutional amendments were against the norms of democracy and the party would fully agitate against it. "It is the will of the people which shall prevail and the army generals have no authority to play with the destiny of the people," he told newsmen in the premises of Attock Fort, where he was brought in connection with hearing in asset case. Asif Zardari claimed that his spouse Benazir Bhutto would definitely return to Pakistan before October elections. He criticized Gen Musharraf for issuing statements that Ms Bhutto would not be allowed to contest polls, stating that the general had no authority to issue directives as only the courts and election commission authorities were empowered to stop any person from contesting polls. "Even Ziaul Haq had issued same statement that he would not allow the PPP to form government, but time proved that the masses were with PPP," Mr Zardari said. He added that the recent statement of Commonwealth was encouraging as it had expressed concern over deviation of Gen Musharraf from the prescribed roadmap. Answering a question regarding tension between India and Pakistan, he said that there was a general perception that the present regime wanted to divert attention of the masses from the referendum fiasco and other pressing domestic issues due to which it had been staging dramas. He added that Gen Musharraf had given first post-referendum gift to the nation in the shape of enhancement in prices of petroleum products. About entering into alliance with other political parties for the coming elections, he said that alliances were part of political process and the PPP would definitely like to enter into alliance with like-minded parties. Asif Zardari was apprehensive about fair and impartial polls in the country, stating that under the present regime they had not been expecting fair polls. When asked did he expect that he might be convicted in any of the cases pending against him to bar him from contesting polls, the PPP leader expressed the hope that the presiding officers of concerned courts would have learnt lesson from the chapter of Justice Qayyum and they would not convict him on the directives of the government. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020522 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Gool Minwalla passes away ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Bhagwandas KARACHI, May 21: One of the pioneers in social work, a women's rights activist and educationist, Gool Khurshed Minwalla died at her Bath Island home. She was 89. She leaves three sons, a daughter and several grandchildren. Gool Minwalla was one of the few leading women social workers who joined hands with Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan when she established the All-Pakistan Women's Association (APWA) for the welfare of the women soon after partition. Born on May 1, 1913, Gool was one of her parents' six children - three girls and three boys. She studied at Mama Parsi Girls School and after doing her matriculation, she joined the school as a teacher. She took a teachers' training course at Adyar, Madras (now Chennai), conducted by Maria Montessori, in 1939, and gained an international diploma for education of children aged between 2- 1/2 and 6 years. On her return, she established the first montessori school in Karachi, which is still operational. It was accredited by the Association of Montessori International (AMI) in Amsterdam. Gool also established the Pakistan Montessori Association, which started conducting International Diploma in Montessori Method. Dr Maria Montessori also came to Pakistan to see the working of the montessori schools. So far, over 3,500 montessori teachers have obtained training from her organization. She was also appointed external examiner by the AMI to assess students all over the USA, Europe, India, Sri Lanka and Japan. The government recognized her services in the field of social welfare work and she was awarded Tamgha-i-Quaid-i-Azam in 1958. At different times she had served various social welfare organizations such as the Poor Patients' Welfare Society; Poor Families Welfare Society; Karachi Children's Welfare Society; the Ida Rieu Poor Welfare Association; etc. She also helped establish many organizations like Social Services Coordinating Council; the Pakistan Council of Social Work; Karachi Social Services Group; the Karachi Tuberculosis Association; and the National Federation of Welfare of the Blind; the Pakistan United Nations Association; etc. She had also served as the chairperson of the National Council of Social Welfare and served on the KDA, Radio Pakistan and the Remand Home. Ms Minwalla had represented the country at various forums, including the United Nations International Congress at Geneva on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders. She was also the initiator of the American Field Service Program in Pakistan that is providing assistance to the youth. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020522 ------------------------------------------------------------------- One killed following attack on procession: 40 vehicles torched ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, May 21: One person was killed and over a dozen others injured when some miscreants pelted a religious procession passing through Nishtar Road with stones. Afterwards young processionists set fire to at least 40 vehicles. One of the injured said that one of the participants of the procession snatched the gun of a policeman and started firing at the miscreants who had been hurling stones. As a result, Imran, 21, and Nauzad Khan, 30, got injured. Nauzad was pronounced dead at the Civil Hospital. Two petrol pumps on Nishtar Road, between Lasbella and Teen Hatti, were destroyed by the mob. A truck and tankers parked in a private compound on the road were also set ablaze by youths. Meanwhile, enraged youths set on fire the parked vehicles on the blocked track of Nishtar Road. Over a dozen rickshaws, minibuses, buses of 7-C route, taxis, and motorcycles were set on fire. An oil tanker was torched which fuelled the fire to other vehicles.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY 20020520 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan loses $100 million in Investment Protection Treaties ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Rafaqat Ali ISLAMABAD, May 19: Pakistan has been robbed of US$100 million, and three claims totalling approximately US$970 million are pending with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The situation is so grim that Pakistan's foreign assets, including its reserves with the Reserve Bank of America, PIA's fleet, ships of PNSC, and its embassies, are at risk of being forfeited on the orders of the ICSID. At present Pakistan has investment protection treaties with 43 countries of the world, the majority of which were signed in the nineties, without properly defining the term "investment". Even, a company which was hired to provide pre-shipment inspection "services", has filed a claim for US$120 millions with the ICSID. Unlike other countries, Pakistan has never protected its foreign assets. If a suit was decreed by the ICSID, the other party could ask for the execution of the treaty by identifying Pakistan's assets. In the case of a French firm, which was contracted to build the Jinnah terminal at Karachi Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority had first joined the ICSID proceeding in Singapore, but backed out later, saying that it was too expensive. The ICSID issued an ex- parte decree directing Pakistan to pay US$100 to the company. The suit, however, was set aside by the Sindh High Court. But when the French government threatened that Pakistan's foreign assets could be confiscated to realize the claim, Pakistan, in total disregard to the SHC order, signed a loan agreement for US$100 million with the French government to pay the entire amount to the company. At present three claims worth US$970 million are pending before the ICSID. The Italian company, Impreglio, working at Ghazi Brotha project had approached the ICSID after developing disputes with Pakistan. Efforts are afoot to reach a settlement. The Swiss Company, SGS, which had been contracted to provide pre- shipment inspection services, has also approached the ICSID, with a claim of US$120 million. Similarly, Turkish company Bayinder, which was contracted to build the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway, has filed a claim for US$400 million. The official sources say that irrespective of what would be the outcome of the claims with the ICSID, participation in the proceeding was so expensive that countries like Pakistan usually avoid appearing. When a complaint is registered with the ICSID, both the parties are required to deposit US$100,000 as fee apart from engaging foreign lawyers who specialize in the ICSID proceeding, mostly held in foreign countries. Those dealing with the issue feel that Pakistan can protect its interest by properly defining the term "investment" and that any decree would be executed through Pakistani courts. They further suggest that a definition of the word "investment" provided in the Foreign Investment Act 1977 should be made applicable. According to that only that money which was brought in for establishing any factory, or for use in the exploration activity in Pakistan, would be called "investment". The official sources confirmed that when it comes to the rectification of an investment treaty with any country the cabinet hardly takes two to three minutes to do that. The present government too has singed five investment protection treaties; of which three disputable claims are with the ICSID awaiting settlement. The counties with which Pakistan has investment treaties are Germany, Romania, Sweden, Kuwait, France, South Korea, the Netherlands, China, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Spain, Turkmenistan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Turkey, Portugal, Malaysia, Switzerland, Kyrgyz Republic, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, UAE, Iran, Indonesia, Tunisia, Syria, Denmark, Belarus, Mauritius, Italy, Oman, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, Belgium, Qatar, the Philippine, Yemen Arab Republic, Egypt, Opec Fund, Lebanon, Morocco, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020521 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Growth rate decline propels poverty: Shaukat ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, May 20: Minister for Finance Shaukat Aziz said that Pakistan has been experiencing declining growth rate for the last several years due to which poverty has been increasing in the country. This was stated by Minister for Finance Shaukat Aziz. He said Pakistan had been experiencing an increase in the incidence of poverty, which was a consequence of declining economic growth rate over the past several years. The Government of Pakistan has, therefore, taken a conscious decision to prioritize poverty alleviation in the overall framework of economic policy-making, an approach evident through the government's comprehensive Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. Aziz pointed out that as a part of new strategy, a higher resource allocation had been ensured for poverty alleviation programs such as the integrated small works program, which was aimed at generating direct employment, ensuring enhanced access to basic education, health and nutrition, strengthening the Zakat system and the provision of safety nets such as the food support program. The strategy also focused on ensuring access to sustainable micro finance services to the poor to enhance their income-generating capacity since there existed a direct nexus between poverty and micro finance, he said. In Pakistan, among the nearly 6.5 million poor households, less than five per cent had access to affordable micro finance services from institutional sources. The poor thus have to turn to informal credit suppliers where the terms and conditions were such that they perpetuated rather than ameliorated poverty, he observed. The government, therefore, has decided to pro-actively address the underlying issues that had restricted the flow of micro finance services to the poor and designed a comprehensive micro finance development strategy for Pakistan. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020523 ------------------------------------------------------------------- MoU signed for promotion of IT industry ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, May 22: The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Pakistan Software Houses Association (Pasha) signed a memorandum of understanding to help the industry build a better IT-enabled Pakistan. Pasha President Hamza Matin and the UNIDO Representative in Pakistan, Dr Carlos Chanduvi-Suarez signed the document at a ceremony held at the UN Information Centre on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, Hamza Matin said, the agreement would open doors for the foreign investors to come and do business in Pakistan. Dr Suarez hoped for greater cooperation with the umbrella organization of the software houses. Pasha is an umbrella organization of over 200 software houses in the country. As per the memorandum, Pasha would play a lead role with the assistance of UNIDO in the growth of the software-driven IT industry in Pakistan. It also aims at maintaining close interaction with federal, provincial and local governments on IT sector development and facilitation. Both UNIDO and Pasha would play a vital role in development of vision, strategy and policy framework for the IT sector besides liaising with the government bodies for participation in international exhibitions and conferences for business development. They would also work together in developing a liaison with all the IT sector interest groups specially telecommunications, infrastructure and education to align them with the industry requirements. The two bodies agreed to promote standardization and adherence to established quality standards in IT companies besides creating awareness about benefits and facilitation in protection of intellectual property rights in Pakistan to encourage alliances and investments. It would exploit and promote relationships and linkages with overseas Pakistanis, international bodies and investors to become a catalyst for use of information technology for government, business and the social sector in the country. Both the organizations would train software houses for participation in the industrial development of Pakistan. To realize the objectives, Hamza Matin said, "Pasha would have to expand beyond the boundaries within which it currently operates and a significant amount of capacity building would be required." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020524 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Over Rs10,000 RTCs banned ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, May 23: The State Bank stopped banks from issuing rupee traveller cheques (RTCs) of more than Rs10,000 denomination. The SBP said in a statement it has directed all the banks to immediately recall all un-issued or unsold RTCs of more than Rs10,000 denomination and intimate the position to SBP's Banking Policy Department. The central bank said the guideline issued on Thursday aims at preventing the use of RTCs for settlement of undocumented transactions "which may also facilitate money-laundering." The SBP has asked the banks to issue public notices directing RTC holders to either encash or return the unused RTCs of more than Rs10,000 denomination for change into lower denomination or refund. This exercise should be completed within six months. It has also asked them to ensure that at the time of issuance of RTCs for cumulative amount higher than Rs10,000 proper identification of the purchase should be obtained and placed on record. National tax number and national identity card number may establish somebody's proper identification. The State Bank has also asked the banks to immediately report to its Banking Policy Department the name of the persons to whom rupee travellers cheques totalling Rs500,000 and above have been issued in sequential order. The SBP has advised the banks that they should accept for payment only those rupee traveller cheques, which bear the signature of the purchaser and are countersigned by the holder. The central bank has also asked the banks to report to it their outstanding RTCs in the footnote to their weekly statements. "The State Bank encourages the use of rupee traveller cheques for the traveling public (only) and has, therefore, directed the banks that while advertising the rupee traveller cheques...they should emphasize its utility only for travel or travel related purposes." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020524 ------------------------------------------------------------------- HBL sell-off to complete by October ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, May 23: State Bank Governor Dr. Ishrat Hussain said that after the privatisation of United Bank Limited next month, the sell-off of the Habib Bank Limited would complete by October. He said the process of privatisation of all the government-owned banks would be over by the year-end and till such time there was no possibility of reduction in interest rates. The SBP Governor said that high cost of running government owned banks did not leave any room for reducing interest rates. He said the non-performing loans to the tune of Rs300 billion of the government owned banks would be transferred to the Corporate and Industrial Restructuring Corporation (CIRC) so that these banks could start their new life with a clean slate. "When these banks will be in the private sector and there will be competition only then one could expect the reduction in interest rates," Dr. Ishrat responded to a demand raised by PHMA chairman Shahzad Azam in his address of welcome. The SBP chief said the banking sector could not improve its working and efficiency without under going a major surgery and the time had come to act in this direction if "we want to see interest rates lower to meet the business community's outstanding demand". He expressed the hope that in the new budget there would be further cut in corporate taxes, which had been reduced from 58 per cent to 50 per cent in the past. The export refinance rates, he said, had been linked with the T- bills and the SBP had directed the banks not to charge more than 1.5 per cent from exporters, which was equal to what the government is paying. There was a time when the economy was under the grip of dollarization but the same had been reverted to the rupee. However, he said account holders had been allowed only to keep 20 per cent of their deposit amount in dollar accounts. Nevertheless, he said exporters had been exempted from this condition. Like long-term rupee finance being provided under Pakistan Investment Bonds, he said, there was a need for having long-term dollar finance as well. Very soon, Dr. Ishrat said, there would be such facility as the SBP was under negotiation with the Exim Bank of Japan and other banks for providing such service, which was stopped under sanctions. Initially, he said such facility would be available for import of machinery as some European banks had also been approached for providing long-term dollar financing to "our industry". DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020520 ------------------------------------------------------------------- What Pakistan should seek: trade or aid? ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Anwar Ali Shah It is generally believed that the foreign economic assistance which Pakistan received from time to time is a heavy constraint on the process of development because every year the country has to set aside a huge amount of money for the repayment of the foreign loans. Debt-servicing has become the largest item of expenditure in the national budget and most of the loans that Pakistan is receiving help only to repay the old ones. There is, therefore, a persistent demand in Pakistan to get rid of aid because it not only shackles the economy, it also puts a heavy premium on the freedom of action in the foreign affairs of the country. It, however, cannot be denied that foreign aid has played a crucial role in the economic development of Pakistan, particularly in the expansion of industrial sector. Being a poor country, Pakistan could not accumulate surplus capital through mobilization of domestic resources. There were, therefore, heavy shortages of capital for investment purposes and to finance the import of essential industrial raw material, capital goods and machinery. The need of the industrial sector have been met by getting foreign assistance. Foreign aid includes loans, credits and grants. The ratio of these foreign resources to one another depends upon the nature of political relationship between the donor and recipient country. Loans as compared to grants, carry high interest rates which lead to the accumulation of debts. During the last 30 years, Pakistan has accumulated an enormously large foreign debt without having developed the socio-economic infrastructure necessary to sustain a growth process which can help the country to reduce its dependence on foreign aid. In another area, i.e. foreign trade, Pakistan is unable to finance its import bill through the mobilization of domestic resources or through earning foreign exchange on exports. It is because our imports far exceed our exports. Under these circumstances, Pakistan has no other option but to need foreign aid in the form of medium or long term loans because such an inflow of external financial resources help narrowing down both a saving-investment gap and an import-export imbalance. Unfortunately, Pakistan cannot establish heavy industries due to financial constraints. Small industries cannot prosper in the absence of heavy industries, because heavy industry is the primary consumer of products of small industries. Medium size industries in Pakistan are faced with tough competition in the world market. All the developing countries of the world are processing only medium size industries due to lack of financial resources and it causes tough competition. Besides, Pakistan's exports are highly concentrated in few items/groups namely cotton, fish, leather, rice, synthetic textiles, wool, carpets and sports goods. Cotton group alone contributed an average 60.3 per cent to total exports. A poor cotton crop can seriously affect total export proceeds as it has been observed several times during the decade. The government has taken a number of steps to expand exports. With a view to encouraging the exports, the government has provided a number of export incentives to the industrial sector; but in spite of these incentives, the exports are not picking up due to a number of factors. These include low productivity of the work force, lack of physical infrastructure and an environment marked by political instability. The promotion of foreign investment for exports in technology based industries where Pakistan lagged needs to be aggressively pursued. A much-targeted approach. both in terms of industries and countries of origin may be helpful. Specifically, Pakistan needs to look to East Asian countries like Korea which have had enormous success in developing new exports but are now facing rising wages and are interested in establishing production bases abroad. It is not possible for public sector to these objectives and goals without active participation of private sector. Fortunately, there is a clear consensus within the government that the private sector is pivotal for development because the state sector is seriously over extended financially, has become increasingly inefficient, and cannot provide effective leadership for modernizing the economy. While increased public investment in physical infrastructure and human capital will be needed, it is private sector investment (both domestic and foreign) which will be the engine of growth. In short term to medium term, the private and public sector need to work jointly on defining and agreeing on policy goals and strategies in areas such as export development, modernization of agriculture and industry, skills development, legal and regulatory framework, an effective and elastic tax system and development of financial sector and capital markets. The common ingredient of the higher growth is the innovations and new technology. It is obvious that dynamic researches are required for innovations. If we want to achieve the higher growth targets, we will have to create the links between the research organizations and industries. The technological innovations and new ideas in the field of economics have always played the significant role in the world economies. It happened in Germany, it is the secret of US economic growth, and it is the policy of Japanese economy. The industrial growth with the utilization of domestic labour and raw material is the common path of development. Similarly, the innovation is a path of industrial development. What is selling in the world trade market is 'technology'. The share of technological innovations in the global trade is 72 per cent whereas in the case of Pakistan, high technology exports as a percentage of manufacture exports is only 3 per cent. It would be worthwhile to mention here high technology exports as a percentage of manufactures exports in respect of a few countries: Japan: 39 pc, Israel: 30 pc, USA: 44 pc, Germany: 25 pc, UK: 40 pc, India: 10 pc, Pakistan: 3 pc. Under these circumstances, it is extremely difficult for Pakistan to get its due share in the global trade market without technological advancement. We all know that South Korea followed Pakistan's development plan, succeeded in building industrial infrastructure and appeared on the world economic map as Asian Tiger. It is perhaps high time we follow economic role model of South Korea which is as under: (a) establishment of large trading companies; (b) import substitutions; (c) fiscal and credit policy; (d) liaison between public and private sectors; (e) industrial concentration; (f) large national projects; (g) reliance on multinational corporations for technological imports. I am positive that Pakistan has capacity and capability to enter the world trade market in a big way. We have already wasted much time and cannot do any more. The government should go all out to create the links between the research organizations and industries to achieve the higher growth targets. Besides, the government should make every possible effort to attract the multinational companies to invest in agriculture, oil and gas, small and medium enterprises, and IT sectors with a view to increasing production. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020525 ------------------------------------------------------------------- KSE index up 135 points on massive buying ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, May 24: The KSE 100-share index soared by about nine per cent on massive buying. It ended the day at around 1,663.22 points as compared to the previous close of 1,527.58, up 135.64 points or nine per cent, reflecting the strength of leading base shares, notably PSO, PTCL and Hub-Power. The market capitalization soared by Rs30.564bn to Rs388.168bn. Top gainers were led by Nestle MilkPak, PSO, Shell Pakistan, Wyeth Pakistan and Lever Brothers, which recovered Rs9.10 to 54. Other good gainers included Central Insurance, Pakistan Oilfields, Siemens Pakistan, Packages, BOC Pakistan, Security Papers, Fauji Fertiliser, Engro Chemical, Millat Tractors and several others, rising by Rs3.00 to Rs8.15. Losers were led by some second-liners, notably Aventis Pharma, Javed Omer, falling by one rupee to Rs1.10. Trading volume was modest as investors were not inclined to sell in anticipation of a further rise in prices, falling to 102m shares from the previous 141m shares. Gainers forced a strong lead over the losers at 235 to 22, with 26 shares remaining unchanged. The KESC topped the list of most actives, up Rs1.50 at Rs5.50 on 25m shares, PTCL, higher also by the same amount at Rs15.35 on 16m shares, Hub-Power, higher by Rs1.50 at Rs21.25 on 11m shares, FFC- Jordan Fertiliser, up by Rs1.50 at Rs6.50 on 9m shares and PSO, up Rs9.25 at Rs133.10 on 6m shares. Other actives were led by Pak PTA, higher by Rs150 on 5m shares, Japan Power, up 90 paisa also on 5m shares, Sui Northern, higher by Rs1.50 on 4m shares and Dewan Salman, up Rs1.50 on 2m shares. FUTURE CONTRACTS: Forward counter also showed bullish trend on strong support and leading shares, notably ICI Pakistan, FFC-Jordan Fertiliser, Engro Chemical and PSO posted gains ranging from Rs2.50 to Rs9.30 at Rs35.90, Rs6.00, Rs54.65 and Rs113.40 respectively on modest volumes. But the largest turnover was recorded in Hub-Power, up Rs1.50 at Rs21.40 on 3.947m shares followed by PTCL, also higher by the same amount at Rs15.45 on 2.396m shares. DEFAULTER COMPANIES: Shares of a dozen companies came in for trading on this counter but most active among them was Mehran Jute, up 65 paisa at Rs0.65 on 0.161m shares, followed by Ravirayon, unchanged at Rs5.00 on 79,000 shares and Suzuki Motorcycle, up Rs1.35 at Rs5.30 on 61,000 shares. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020524 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Trading suspended on KSE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, May 23: Trading on the Karachi Stock Exchange could not be resumed as the authorities were not inclined to test the vulnerability of a market signalling distress signals and a possible crash in the backdrop of last three sessions' massive price erosions caused by fears of war with India. It is a timely decision to give a temporary relief to the investing public, although the market has a room for a further technical correction after having risen by 45 per cent during the last two months from 1,200 to 1,900 point index level, brokers said. "Investors are now after the US dollar and the gold after having sold their stake in shares", says a broker adding "massive amounts have already outflowed in both since the panic selling in shares started". The dollar was quoted at Rs61.10 and Rs61.20 for buying and selling by the Forex Association of Pakistan, while the gold soared to 10-year peak level of Rs6,267 per 10 grams. The closure apparently followed after a massive rescue operation launched by the institutional traders and the financial institutions at the lower levels failed to produce the desired results as disturbing news from the borders followed in quick succession, sending signals that the war has begun and the consequent fresh panic liquidation. An idea of nervous and panic selling may well be had from the fact that corrective steps taken by the KSE to forestall further decline lost their relevance as most of the leading shares, notably PSO, Shell Pakistan and Nestle MilkPak finished around their circuit breakers. "The market has lost over 16 per cent, eroding about Rs54 billion from the market capitalization during the last three sessions after the war hysteria gripped it, greater part of which is contributed by the rumour-mongers and where the end will come is not clear", stock analysts said. "Investors are opting for gold and dollar after unloading long positions in stocks as both are considered safe havens in the war- like situations", they said adding the "outflow is massive running into billion of rupees". All roads may still not lead to a possible Indo-Pak war, there is no immediate possibility of easing of the prevailing tension on the borders, they said adding the "series of successive negative developments including the killing of a moderate Kashmiri leader continue to add fuel to the fire". "I don't think the market sentiment could be boosted at least for the near-term after injecting massive amounts to reverse trend", says a leading broker "investors have already gone to an undeclared war and may take quite sometime to be back in the market". DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020523 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Stocks slump by 71 points as war fear mounts ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, May 22: The KSE 100-share index again received massive battering and plunged by another 4.4 per cent or 71 points at 1,527.58 on heavy selling at the fag-end of the session triggered by rumours of shooting down of an aircraft and Indian Prime Minister's statement about a possible war. The market leaders again led the decline on heavy selling and fell like ninepins under the lead of PSO, Shell Pakistan, Nestle MilkPak, Wyeth Pakistan and Lever Brothers, falling by Rs6.50 to Rs36. Other prominent losers were led by Shafiq Textiles, Pakistan Oilfields, Siemens Pakistan, Glaxo-Wellcome, BOC Pakistan, Dawood Hercules, which suffered fall ranging from Rs3 to Rs5.75. Some of the shares managed to look up under the lead of Millat Tractors, Gatron Industries, Ismail Industries, Lakson Tobacco and IGI Insurance, which rose fractionally, up by 50 paisa to Rs2.85. Trading volume fell to 141m shares from the previous 171m shares as losers maintained a strong lead over the gainers at 215 to 32, with 29 shares holding on to the last levels. Hub-Power again topped the list of most actives, off one rupee at Rs19.75m on 53m shares followed by PTCL also down by the same amount at Rs13.85 on 34m shares, Dewan Salman, lower 60 paisa at Rs11.50 on 11m shares, FFC-Jordan Fertiliser, down by 45 paisa at Rs5 on 7m shares and Pakistan State Oil (PSO), off Rs6.50 at Rs123.85. Sui Northern led the list of other actives, off 70 paisa on 6m shares, KESC, easy five paisa on 4m shares, Fauji fertiliser, lower 65 paisa on 2m shares, Engro Chemical, off Rs2.60 on 1.771m shares and Telecard, easy 90 paisa on 1.497m shares. FUTURE CONTRACTS: PSO also received massive battering on the forward counter also, off Rs6.50 at Rs124.10 on 3.331m shares followed by ICI Pakistan and Engro Chemical, lower Rs1.75 and Rs2.65 at Rs33.40 and Rs50.85, respectively, on modest turnover. Hub-Power came in for heavy liquidation, off one rupee at Rs19.90 on 13.503m shares followed by PTCL, also down by the same amount at Rs13.95 on 4.641m shares and FFC-Jordan Fertiliser, lower 60 paisa at Rs5 on 1.411m shares. DEFAULTER COMPANIES: Allied Motors came in for renewed selling and was marked down by one rupee at Rs8.75 on 0.140m shares followed by Ravi Rayon, unchanged at Rs5 on 66,700 shares, and Suzuki Motorcycles, easy 50 paisa at Rs3.95 on 27,000 shares. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020521 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Stocks crash on war fear: Index loses 132.5 points ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, May 20: Stocks on Monday crashed under the weight of mounting panic unloadings as fears of an imminent Indian attack gripped the market followed by free-for-all, which pushed the KSE 100-share index down by a massive 7.5 per cent or an erosion of Rs29 billion from the market capital. The index at one stage was down by 150 points. However, it was not a largest single-session index fall as it had declined by 170 points on May 30, 2000 after the default of a leading KSE member and 8.46 per cent or 129 points on July 10, 1998 when India tested its nuclear bomb. But the successive breach of the circuit breakers on the blue chip counters both on the ready and forward counters did worry leading analysts. The KSE 100-share index finally finished at 1,647.19 down 132.57 points as compared to 1,779.76 at the last weekend as only nine shares rose fractionally, while 257 fell in a total volume of 71m shares, reflecting the absence of bulls. At one stage it touched the lowest level of well over 150 points. Big losers were led by Pakistan Oilfields, PSO, Shell Pakistan, Wyeth Pakistan and Lever Brothers, which suffered fall ranging from Rs9.60 to Rs16, the largest decline of Rs41.50 being in Wyeth Pakistan. PSO, Shell Pakistan, Pakistan Oilfields, Attock Refinery, National Refinery, Al-Ghazi Tractors, Millat Tractors, BOC Pakistan, Glaxo- Wellcome also fell by Rs4.50 to Rs11.10. Some of the secondliners, including Clover Pakistan, Wah Noble Chemicals, Goodluck Industries and PEL Appliances managed to finish modestly higher. Trading volume fell to 71m shares as bulls kept to the sidelines as compared to 139m shares at the last weekend. Hub-Power led the list of actives, off Rs1.75 at Rs21.80 on 20m shares followed by PTCL, sharply lower by Rs1.50 at Rs15.85 on 13m shares, KESC, lower 50 paisa at Rs3.90 on 8m shares, Sui Northern, off Rs1.50 at Rs12.10 on 6m shares and FFC-Jordan Fertilizer, lower Rs1.25 at Rs5.40 on 5m shares. PSO led the other actives, off Rs11.10 on 4m shares followed by Pak PTA, lower 95 paisa on 3m shares, and Fauji Fertilizer, off Rs3.30 on 1m shares. FUTURE CONTRACTS: ICI Pakistan, Engro Chemical and PSO passed through successive downward clearing after having broken the successive circuit breakers, falling by Rs3, Rs4.55 and Rs11.10 respectively at Rs37, Rs56.30 and Rs137.45. Others also sustained losses of varied degrees. Hub-Power, fell by Rs1.75 at Rs21.85 on 9m shares followed by PTCL, off Rs1.50 at Rs15.90 on 3m shares. DEFAULTER COMPANIES: Easier conditions also prevailed on this counter as prices of actives fell under the lead of Suzuki Motorcycles, off 95 paisa at Rs4.25 on 20,500 shares. Ravi Rayon was traded unchanged at Rs5 on 73,800 shares.Back to the top
EDITORIALS & FEATURES 20020519 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Truth about Bhopal House ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ardeshir Cowasjee As rightly wrote John Donne, one is often diminished by the death of a friend. The first time I saw the Princess was in the early 1950s. A friend took me to meet her and as we approached her house, we saw her driving out in her red MG Midget, its hood down. She stopped her car, leapt out without opening the door, and greeted us. She was wearing a silk shirt and a pair of slacks. We were welcomed and entertained. She was immensely vivacious, full of fun and a most refreshing character. Later, over the years, she became my mentor on Islam. Whenever I had a problem understanding this great religion as preached by our mullas I would consult her, as I recognized in her a practitioner of true Islam with a profound knowledge of the history and true tenets of her religion. Abida's grandfather, the Nawab, was the first male to rule Bhopal after four successive Begums, and had partition not come upon the subcontinent, Abida would have eventually become the fifth Begum to rule the state - and a most worthy ruler she would have made. Always correct to the point of perfection, in her bearing and manners she had few, if any, peers in Pakistan. I last met her about ten days before she died. I, and many other friends of hers, will sorely miss having her around. We now go back in time, to the middle of last century. On July 1, 1947, Hameedullah Khan, Nawab of Bhopal, purchased what is now known as Bhopal House, at Clifton, Karachi, from Seth Girdharilal Moolchand Mohatta, merchant and landlord of Karachi (one of the two properties, the other at 19, Kutchery Road, bought by the Nawab in anticipation of his move to Pakistan) for the princely sum of Rs185,000. A sale deed was drawn up and the title deed for Bhopal House was duly registered and the mutation recorded in the sub-registrar's office of Karachi district. On July 6 1947, the "collector and chairman of the Pakistan Government Accommodation Committee," one Mr N A Faruqui, addressed a letter to the private secretary of the Nawab of Bhopal at the Qasr-i-Sultani, Bhopal: "As you must already be aware, the Pakistan government has selected Karachi as the temporary capital. Their stay in Karachi is at present expected to last from five to ten years. Superior accommodation is immediately required for the honourable ministers of the Pakistan government. I am therefore to request you to place this letter before His Highness and request him to permit his bungalow at Clifton, Karachi, to be used for this purpose. I request the favour of a very urgent reply. "Your obedient servant......" On July 12, the Nawab of Bhopal addressed a letter to Mr M A Jinnah: "I have recently bought two houses at Karachi - one for certain offices which will have to be opened there when I have received your final instructions, and the other I wish to retain and equip for my personal use. I may have to be in Karachi quite often and I must have a place in Pakistan where my womenfolk may take shelter should things begin to get really hot here. I am, therefore, not replying at once to Mr Faruqui's letter (copy enclosed) and will only do so after I have received your orders. "Needless to add that if you instruct I should place both the houses or one of them at the disposal of Pakistan, I shall do so with pleasure. I shall await your urgent instructions as I do not want the letter of Mr Faruqui to remain unacknowledged for a day longer than it is necessary. "The bearer of this letter can bring back your reply if it is convenient to you to write me a line about it. "With respects....." Mr Jinnah received the emissary, requested him to return home and express to the Nawab his regrets for the manner in which a member of the yet to be established Pakistan government had addressed him, and tell the Nawab that he should do with his houses as he pleased. Both properties were subsequently handed over by the Nawab to the government for its use. The house at 19 Kutchery Road was occupied by Chaudhri Khaliquzzaman, one of the 'honourable ministers' of sorts, who later claimed it as evacuee property. Bhopal House, as of 1948, was occupied by the Foreign Office under an agreement reached between the government and the Nawab, who did not wish to leave the house unoccupied for fear that it also would be claimed by one of the local luminaries as evacuee property - in those early years there being much grabbing of properties whether abandoned by those who had fled to India or occupied by their rightful owners resident in Karachi. Nawab Hameedullah Khan never came to Pakistan. He died in Bhopal in 1960. But in 1950, when the princes of India handed over their states to the Indian government, his eldest daughter, and his heir, Princess Abida Sultaan, came to Karachi, bought land in the then quiet, peaceful and green Malir, built herself a house and settled down to live her life in Pakistan. Bhopal House was handed over by the government to the Intelligence Bureau when the Foreign Office moved to the new capital of Islamabad in 1962, and was used as a residence by officers of the IB. Some years later, Princess Abida claimed back her property. The government was unhappy, and the matter of who should or should not have it has been in court for a good few years. This year the Princess's health declined rapidly. Whilst she was in hospital, literally on her death bed, on May 6 the government in the form of the Public Works Department served her with an eviction notice (her relatives were resident in Bhopal House). Naturally, her lawyer replied to the notice, informing the PWD on May 9 that the Princess was terminally ill. She died on May 11 and news of her death was prominently displayed in our press. Rather than staying their hand, the matter being in court and it having been agreed between Shaharyar Khan, her son and heir, and the chief of the IB that no action would be taken until the court had come up with a decision, on May 14, one day before her soyem was to be held, PWD men accompanied by a police force invaded Bhopal House, forcibly entered and evicted the occupants, not allowing them to remove their belongings, and then sealed the premises which also contained furniture, fittings and personal belongings of the Princess, her son, and his family. The sole official of any government to ring Shaharyar to condole with him on the death of his mother was not a representative of the government of Pakistan, which both Abida and her son had served as diplomats, but Digvijay Singh, chief minister of Madhya Pradesh in which Indian state Bhopal is situated. This of course can neither shock nor surprise nor anger any of us citizens of Pakistan who are so inured to the strange vagaries of our governments and the men who run them. Decency and decorum do not sit easily with officials of Pakistan to whom they are, in fact, foreign substances. Does this government even know what it is talking about? In one of its rambling clarifications on its disgraceful behaviour, its spokesperson has stated that "the facts are that Bhopal House was an evacuee property by operation of law since March 1, 1947." How come? Girdharilal Moolchand Mohatta sold the house to the Nawab of Bhopal on July 1 of that year, the sale having been legally and duly registered. And, then Faruqi addressed the Nawab on July 6, 1947, on the subject "his bungalow at Clifton, Karachi." The Pakistani mind does not boggle. Be it as it may, whoever be right or wrong, my deepest sympathies are with Shaharyar and his family and knowing fully well how the courts in Pakistan operate, my advice to him is that in his own interest he should arrange for his son and heir, Faiz Mohammad Khan of Bhopal, who is now 42 years of age, to have all the legal documentation completed in the name of his son and heir as the rightful claimant. "The first observation that I would like to make is this: you will no doubt agree with me that the first duty of a government is to maintain law and order, so that the life, property and religious beliefs of its subjects are fully protected by the state." (Mohammad Ali Jinnah, in his address to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, August 11, 1947.) Is it possible for his soul to rest in peace? DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020524 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Rising peril, stricken leadership ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ayaz Amir If war is too serious a business to be left to generals, what would Clemenceau (the originator of this timeless phrase) have said about part-time generals? The situation on our borders is grim and could well spiral out of control. But more alarming than Indian intentions is the sense of drift at home. This is a time for national unity, for subordinating self-interest to the national good. But the military government with its divisive policies is ill-suited to deliver this goal. The results are there for all to see: a ruling coterie enclosed in a capsule, cut off from public sentiment and opinion. The television pictures of the three meetings Gen Musharraf held on Wednesday with media persons, his cabinet and a clutch of leaders of B-grade or Tonga Parties said it all. In all these pictures the only person shown talking was the Generalissimo. This has been one of the problems with this dispensation. Even if Musharraf was a Demosthenes or a Cicero there is such a thing as too much talking. He has been talking virtually non-stop since the time he seized power. And look what a soup the country is in. It's high time he did some listening. At this juncture when only a fool would totally rule out the possibility of war, the last luxury Pakistan can afford is part- timism. Gen Musharraf owes it to the nation to shed his uniform, install the best available general - which means no loyal Musa Khan - as army chief and himself concentrate on his presidential duties. Contrary to what he may fear - yes, the Generalissimo is known to entertain fears - this step will be applauded by all Pakistanis and will strengthen him more than a dozen spurious referendums. The next thing the General must do is to swallow his prejudices and open lines of communication with the two political leaders who still matter the most as far as popular sentiment is concerned - Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Far from destroying them, the military government by its sorry record has rebuilt their standing and credibility. This is the reality on the ground and wisdom lies in accepting it. Indeed, getting these two leaders and their parties on board is more important at this juncture than relying on hopes resting on American intercession. As for corruption charges against the two leaders, the military government having not been an impartial referee is hardly in a position to talk of justice and fair play. Let it concentrate on repairing internal fissures and manning the nation's defences. Other considerations can take a backseat for the moment. And, please, an end once for all to reconstruction theories. If anything deserves a kick into oblivion at this time it is the National Reconstruction Bureau with its half-baked ideas of reform. The Constitution too needs to be protected from further mangling, no one having the mandate to touch it regardless of the supposed indulgence granted by the Supreme Court. Which Supreme Court? That headed by Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan who, in his later incarnation as chief election commissioner, has certified the referendum to be objective, impartial and transparent? Enough of these games. Musharraf should look to the crisis the country is in and desist from wasting time on non- essential issues. The Constitution in any case is not his to play around with. Above all, Musharraf should take political parties which matter, rather than Tonga Parties, into confidence and make a categorical announcement about party-based elections in October minus the constitutional amendments he has spent so much time talking about. Leading to those elections the country needs a government of national unity with representatives from the PPP and the PML-N sitting in it. The corps commanders must not be distracted from their professional duties. In times of war, or impending war, the spirit of a nation counts far more than hardware. The best tanks, the latest warplanes are important but of no use when spirit and morale are lacking. We at any rate being a poor country do not have the best equipment. Our greatest strength has to lie in the morale of our fighting men and the fervour of our people. But these feelings will not be aroused by a military regime which, considering itself infallible and self- sufficient, is rowing upstream all by itself. There is no call for false drum-beating on this score. Unless we are to fall victims to our own propaganda, we must recognize facts for what they are and take urgent measures to overcome our weaknesses. The public needs to be aroused out of its torpor, not through the meaningless rhetoric to which it has been treated these past two and a half years but through sincere attempts at national unity. There was no shortage of people who expected a great deal from Gen Musharraf when he arrived on the national scene. Now the same people feel betrayed as they see the drift engendered by his policies. At this hour of national peril, however, Gen Musharraf has another chance, probably his last, to do well by his country. But only if he can bring himself to sacrifice personal ambition at the altar of the national good. Then see what happens. Stirred to its depths, this nation will be in a position to break the teeth of any Indian aggression. The incessant chatter of using nuclear weapons as an option of last resort is a sign of defeatism for it implies that we are bound to lose a conventional war. Since when has this become the accepted wisdom? We have an army large enough, and hopefully strong enough, to foil any aggression. Nuclear weapons are for Armageddon. God forbid that that moment should have arrived for Pakistan. All that our armed forces need is the unreserved backing of the nation. This they will get when the army command breaks out of its isolation and Gen Musharraf draws a line not between his supporters and opponents, as he did so disastrously during his ill-starred referendum, but between self-interest and the national interest. The moment this happens, the moment Gen Musharraf steps aside as army chief and appoints a full-time successor, and the moment he announces his willingness to reach out to Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, this crisis will abate and the war clouds around the Himalayas disappear. India is taking advantage of our weakness and of the isolation of the military regime. The moment it sees national unity at work it will have to think twice about engaging Pakistan in war, limited or otherwise. Indeed it is fair to say we wouldn't have faced this crisis if a political leadership had been in power. Far from making Pakistan strong, military rule has made it impotent. Never was national honour so low, or national humiliation so near. We didn't even show gumption enough to ask for the right wages for providing loyal service in Afghanistan. We thought we had outsmarted India but now face an Indian threat more grave than at any time since 1971. Our military godfathers also thought siding with the US would protect our Kashmir policy. They failed to realize that Afghanistan and Kashmir were part of the same thinking and that ditching the Taliban also necessarily implied ditching the notion of jihad in Kashmir. That being the case, we should have readjusted Kashmir policy in line with the new realities ourselves instead of having to beat a steady retreat, step by step, under external pressure. These are harsh things to say and maybe difficult to swallow for many people. Our notion of patriotism has meant supporting the official line no matter how disastrous its consequences. The nation rallied behind Ayub Khan even when he blundered into the 1965 war. West Pakistan rallied behind Yahya Khan even when he led the nation into the humiliation of the 1971 war. The questions that should have been asked were not asked when the army command under Gen Musharraf blundered into the ill-fated Kargil adventure in 1999. The stakes are much higher this time if only because to the periodic war-mongering, which seems to be the dismal fate of the subcontinent, there now has been added a nuclear dimension. Two monkeys slashing the air with nuclear razors: the prospect is frightening. It is obvious Pakistan can afford no misstep or miscalculation. But more importantly, it cannot afford anything that induces or reinforces national weakness. It needs a full-time army chief for whom military manoeuvring takes precedence over political manoeuvring. And it needs a political compromise (call it historic, if you will) that heals the nation's internal wounds and in this hour of peril forges national unity. To politicking and the pursuit of narrow self-interest we can return when this crisis is over. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020523 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mideast peace prospects ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Henry A. Kissinger At long intervals, the cauldron of the Middle East generates an opportunity for a possible breakthrough. It usually occurs after an explosion that brings home to the parties their necessities as well as their limits and permits a balancing of concessions with the help of interested bystanders. The Middle East conference called by US secretary of state Colin Powell may relate occasion to opportunity. But for this to happen, it is important to be clear not only about the opportunity but also about its limits. A broad-based Middle East conference is not the most appropriate forum for achieving a comprehensive solution, and the United States has generally avoided them. For the composition of such conferences tends to isolate America. The vast majority of the potential participants in the proposed conference - the European Union, the United Nations, Russia, moderate Arab states and Israel - will, in the quest for a comprehensive solution, endorse variations of the Saudi plan: a return by Israel to the 1967 borders, a partition of Jerusalem, elimination of Israeli settlements, in exchange for "normalization," "recognition" and security guarantees, none of which has been defined. I have known Israeli prime ministers and chiefs of staff for 40 years; none has ever considered these lines defensible. Demarcations that leave a corridor of only eight miles between Tel Aviv and Haifa and the road to Jerusalem within hundreds of yards of Arab outposts have not gained attractiveness after 18 months of intifada and suicide bombings. For its part, the United States has supported the phraseology of UN Security Council resolutions calling for "secure borders," not necessarily those of 1967. The quest for a comprehensive solution thus sets up precisely the US- and-Israel-versus-the-world equation, which jihadists seek to promote. Nor is a general conference the best forum to induce compromise regarding a comprehensive agreement. In the face of broad-based opposition, Israel will dig in reflexively. Under pressure from radical colleagues, the moderate Arab participants will not modify their position. This is why the United States saw to it that previous general conferences were token. The Geneva conference of the 1970s met only once in a plenary session, after which the negotiations for two disengagement and two political agreements, culminating in a peace agreement with Egypt, were conducted in separate forums. And the Madrid conference of 1991 led to the PLO- Israeli agreement negotiated in Oslo under Norwegian aegis without reference to the original meeting. If the proposed conference pursues a comprehensive solution, deadlock is certain. And that will sooner or later generate demands to impose the terms on Israel. But if imposition is the aim, a conference is unnecessary; the United States could do that on its own. The 1967 lines in Palestine have never been international borders; they were the armistice lines of the 1948 war. No Arab state accepted them even when they were the official demarcation line or before the Beirut summit in 2002. None of the Beirut summit states except Egypt and Jordan have, to this writing, recognized Israel. While Prince Abdullah deserves credit for stating a willingness to accept Israel under some conditions, the substance of the Saudi plan is inherently one-sided. Israel is asked to cede territory - a tangible and irrevocable act; the Arab states in return offer normalization and recognition, which are psychological and revocable. And the content of normalization has never been defined. Israel was established by a UN resolution in 1948. No other members of the United Nations have been asked to pay a premium for recognition, the refusal of which implies a right to extinguish a state's legal, if not physical, existence. Nor are Palestinian leaders in a position to make a general agreement. No Palestinian leader has been willing to renounce the right to return even when he acquiesces into it de facto. This implies an option to overwhelm Israel demographically. A fashionable argument is to invoke the Camp David talks of 2000, during which Israel proposed giving up 94 per cent of the West Bank, and the subsequent Taba talks, which raised that percentage to 96 per cent, as proof that the Saudi plan is not so far from reality. But the Taba "agreement" is a strange concoction. Negotiated in the last weeks of the Clinton presidency and while Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak was heading for an overwhelming electoral defeat, no written record of the agreement seems to exist; no map reflecting what the percentages represent has ever been published. The Israeli proposal - which, it must be remembered, was a minority position within Israel and was rejected by Arafat - was based on the assumption that major territorial concessions would change the psychological framework and result in genuine coexistence. It cannot be resurrected after months of suicide bombings; it could come about, if ever, only at the end of an extended period of coexistence. Should the United States or an international consensus pursue a comprehensive agreement nevertheless if only, as some claim, to save Israel from a strategy that is multiplying its enemies and eroding America's position in Islam? Imposition of the Saudi plan would not reconcile the Arab world, however. Whether the United States garners credit in the Islamic world for diplomatic initiatives will depend on the perception of the choices available to us. An imposition viewed as having been extorted by Islamic militancy would encourage the jihad groups around the world, that would demand the destruction of Israel next. It would not even help Arab moderate leaders. For to the extent that militant Islam gains momentum, the position of moderate Arab leaders is progressively undermined. And it would gravely weaken America's war on terrorism. Imposition would break Israel's psychological back. For Israel to end the period of the intifada with borders considered insecure, abandonment of all settlements and the partition of Jerusalem would transform it into a client state of America, totally dependent on our military support in every crisis by means of a defence agreement (useless against suicide bombers); it would surely lead to an upheaval in Israeli society, wrecking its morale and its faith in the future. This in turn would tempt those in the Arab world who would treat an agreement as an interim stage in the destruction of Israel. American influence - and if they understand their interest, that of our European allies as well - is enhanced to the degree that our diplomatic initiatives are perceived as resulting from free choice and not either from terrorism or other pressures, such as oil boycotts. The American strategy should be to help bring about a change in the calculations that have produced the current impasse and not a paper plan reconfiguring conventional wisdom. America must urge a strategy reflecting the fundamental reality: that progress toward a settlement can come only by stages, and that the quest for a comprehensive peace in the abstract will guarantee another explosion. At this stage of the Middle East crisis, the fundamental challenge is to establish a framework for coexistence for the two sides. Only then is it possible to address the long-term issues of peace realistically. America's special position obliges it to act as mediator but also to define the limits of its mediation. The moderate Arab nations must understand that the United States is not able to obtain their maximum program for them but will do its utmost to achieve more than they can hope for without American mediation. And Israel must accept that the status quo is not sustainable. The quest for an overall settlement is equivalent to an extended stalemate, in the course of which a desperate Israel may seek to weaken its neighbours to a point where the terms in dispute become irrelevant. Thus Arab countries should have an interest in an interim outcome, for a continuation of the present crisis threatens the future of moderate Arab regimes. Thus, while keeping open an ultimate comprehensive agreement, the only feasible strategy for the United States at this point is to strive for peaceful coexistence; comprehensive peace should then be the next stage after a specified interval, during which new conditions have been created on both sides of the dividing line. In outline, such an interim agreement would bring about a Palestinian state on territories substantially larger than those controlled by the present Palestinian Authority - though short of the 1967 borders - with a contiguous territory ending the many Israeli checkpoints. It would end new Israeli settlement and leave those outlying settlements that choose to remain the option of being evacuated or living under Palestinian rule. This is the maximum Israel can concede under present conditions and a great step forward for the Palestinians. Whether the area between the borders of the Palestinian state and the 1967 borders could be constituted as a buffer zone with a special status deserves exploration. In return, the Palestinians would need to stop hostile propaganda, abandon terrorist bases and end terrorist attacks on Israeli territory. To accomplish this, the Palestinian Authority would need to reconstitute itself in a way that generates confidence in its ability to honour its obligations and to establish a functioning state on democratic and representative foundations. Such an interim agreement is the only conceivable outcome that has any chance of being negotiated relatively rapidly and of lasting for some period. It contains an equilibrium of concessions; it provides a framework within which coexistence can be tested and from which a comprehensive agreement can emerge. Thus, the proposed conference can play a useful role if it adopts a division of labor: (a) The United States would play the principal mediating role in the negotiation of an interim agreement, buttressed by a general statement of objectives for the overall goals, providing a link between an interim and a comprehensive settlement. Our European allies could contribute by suspending the flood of plans by which they seek to improve their position in the Arab world but in reality radicalize it by raising unfulfillable expectations. (b) Because the distrust between the parties is so great, Israel will not accept the word of the existing Palestinian Authority. But since it is inappropriate for Israel to designate the leaders with whom it is prepared to negotiate, the Arab states participating in the conference should guarantee the Palestinian Authority's commitments and facilitate the negotiations. (c) Europe and the United Nations, backed by the United States, could generate an international commitment to assist in the creation of a viable Palestinian entity, at first under an interim agreement and later on when a permanent settlement is reached. That commitment would imply a level of assistance that could be effective only in the context of a new set of institutions, in the creation of which the conference - or a relevant subgroup - could play a major role. The criteria for attracting international support must seek to provide what the Palestinian Authority lacks now: a legislature responsible for the designation of the executive, an administrative structure beyond corruption and a system of laws. In this manner, the conference could help bring about a reconstituted Palestinian Authority, more predictable and capable of a genuine cooperative relationship. In this manner, the conference could provide an interval that makes it likely that the final step toward an overall agreement will be taken in conditions less shadowed by hatred and bloodshed and by leaders on both sides less encumbered by the battles of the past. - Copyright Los Angeles Times Syndicate International
SPORTS 20020524 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PHF guilty of hockey's downfall in Pakistan ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ali Kabir KARACHI: Hockey which was and is still our national game is in doldrums because Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has lost direction, and is being run by people who have little or no background of the game. The President of (PHF) Gen Mohammad Aziz Khan who holds one of the most important posts in our defence establishment cannot devote himself full time for the promotion of the game. He can at best provide the guidelines and help the PHF Secretariat run the day to day affairs. To expect anything more than that from the general will be asking too much. It is an irony that he picked Brig Musarratullah Khan as secretary who for all practical purposes is the executive head. He has failed so far in every department except that he is too willing to accompany the team on foreign tours. His act of taking over as manager of the team just about a week before the Sydney Olympics was nothing but sheer folly. Musarratullah did not know what is the importance of a manager at the world level competition. The PHF after the Sydney debacle made some changes in the setup bringing in new selection committee and new coaches to prepare the team for the Kuala Lumpur World Cup. One of the coaches, Shahbaz Ahmad, manipulated to become a member of the playing team. This was a history created by the PHF as never before a coach had donned the national colour. The result was a foregone conclusion and everybody in the PHF showed full faith in the team which finished a dismal fifth. Every country as a matter of principle works out a plan for the next Olympics or the World Cup by infusing new blood. Nothing of the sort was done by the PHF as it recalled all the team members of the Kuala Lumpur World Cup. As if it was not enough it recalled even those players who were not selected for Kuala Lumpur in preparation for the Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held at Manchester (UK). The PHF appointed a new selection committee headed by the minister for sports Col (Retd) S.K. Tressler with Abdul Rashid Jr and Islahuddin former Pakistan captains. I can bet that the selectors cannot recognize the players that they have called for the camp. Rashid Jr was away from the country and therefore has no following at present. Islahuddin is perhaps the only selector who has some background of the players. The PHF perhaps is bent upon creating history. It has appointed Tahir Zaman as the coach of the team. First of all what is the qualification of Tahir Zaman. According to Pakistan Hockey Federation he is a qualified FIH coach. It may be a sacred thing for the PHF but the fact is that it has no credentials. Nobody knows what is Tahir Zaman's ranking if at all it is taken into consideration. His only achievement as a coach is that he was coach of the junior team which failed to qualify for the Junior World Cup. The so-called FIH certified coaches has four categories - Trainer, Coach, Coach Grade I and Master Coach. The coaching certificates are awarded by the FIH after every two years following a seminar which hardly last three days. Is just three days training at a seminar good enough to train a national team? Another flaw in the appointment of Tahir Zaman as coach is that about half a dozen players have been his team-mates which is bound to create disciplinary problems. The PHF set up should know it that though Pakistan dominated world squash for decades it never got the recognition of national game. It was hockey and will remain so unless it remains in the hands of people like Brig Musarratullah and Brig Khalid Sajjad Khokhar who appears as the king pin of every sport. One day Khokar becomes manager of the hockey team and the next day he takes over the management of boxing and then becomes a senior office-bearer of tennis federation. Former secretary of the PHF and vice-president of the FIH Brig (Retd) M.H. Atif played a major role in the decline of Pakistan hockey when he took over the reins in late 70's after the Buenos Aires World Cup. He gradually reduced the Pakistan hockey to camp training. The entire structure of the game was gradually destroyed and as a result of non serious domestic competition, the talent of Pakistan hockey was reduced to at the most 36 players. This situation is continuing now for almost a decade. Unless some one picks up the courage and has farsightedness and plan, the state of Pakistan hockey will never improve. In fact it is declining day by day and one cannot see any ray of hope with the present PHF set up. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020519 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Waqar be named captain for World Cup ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Salahuddin Sallu Before going through the review below, I would like to draw the attention of the readers to the following two factors. Firstly, when the Pakistan cricket team was on its way, the bomb blast incident at Karachi arrested the winning momentum. Secondly, my suggestion to the cricket authorities is to concentrate on facing the best cricket playing countries on international standard wickets. Only such tough assignments will equip the team for the formidable challenge like the World Cup 2003 in South Africa. Pakistan's cricket team is on a triumphant track these days which augurs well for the future. The credit for this largely goes to Waqar Younis who has shaped the team into a well-knit unit. It is time, I think, Waqar should be appointed as captain for the World Cup. Unless he has full confidence of the PCB he will not be able to wield the necessary authority. We have the example of Imran Khan before us who was unconditionally vested with all powers as a result of which the players were disciplined and performed to the best of their abilities. But Imran never abused his authority and never preferred his personal choice over national interest. Hence the consequential march to memorable victories. Let me in passing mention that Imran didn't have the team that Intikhab Alam had with Majid Khan, Sadiq Mohammad, Zaheer Abbas, Mushtaq Mohammad, Asif Iqbal, Wasim Bari, Imran Khan and Sarfraz Nawaz etc. What made the difference was the degree of confidence generated by the leadership. Waqar has definitely emerged as a competent and capable leader notwithstanding the mistake of dropping Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq in the Asian Test Championship for which the selectors were also to blame. His bowling, field placing and above all confidence building so convincingly displayed in the case of Inzamam-ul-Haq when he was passing through a lean patch and was under great pressure, showed the calibre of the man. Waqar actually nursed Inzi upto the stage when he came into his own and played a memorable innings. Equally reassuring was Shoaib Akhtar's resurgence as a match winner for which Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Lt-Gen Tauqir Zia deserves praise. The PCB boss went all the way to overcome a series of crises and took a commendable and courageous stand, not only for the paceman's survival but his stunning success at last. What the PCB Chief did to save this valuable asset outmatched Sri Lanka's sustained effort to shield Muttiah Muralitharan. As I have pointed out earlier every player of the Pakistan team is showing his full form whether openers or middle order batsman, Inzamam, Yousuf Youhana and Younis Khan and in bowling the greatest of them all Wasim Akram, Waqar, Shoaib Akhtar and Saqlain are all doing their best. This is the mark of a good team. I was, however, struck by the statement of the coach, Mudassar Nazar, who seems intoxicated with victory. Without denying credit to him or the players such premature claims against Australia at this stage were not in good taste. He should not challenge the critics, leaving this task to the PCB officials and concentrate on the enormous responsibility in his hands. Let us not forget that the series we have so far wonin Bangladesh, Sharjah and Pakistan were all played on low bounce wickets and against modest oppositions. Moreover, New Zealand played minus their top eight players including stars like Chris Cairns and Shane Bond just to fulfill their commitment for which we should be grateful to them. They could as well have trotted out on lame excuses like India. At the moment the team is at it's peak and with the return of Saeed Anwar it will be further strengthened specially in batting department. If we look around at the history of our cricket we have most often been let down by our batsmen. Whenever they gave their bowlers a reasonable chance and a sizeable score to proceed they came up with success. When batsmen and bowlers are both delivering the prospects are definitely bright. The vagaries of weather do not matter for professional cricketers. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020520 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahmad explains decision to return ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Reporter KARACHI, May 19: Recalled goalkeeper, Ahmad Alam, said he had opted to come out of retirement as he now felt he could serve the sport for at least another couple of years. The former captain had hung his kickers last August after his team's poor showing at Azlan Shah Cup in Kuala Lumpur, citing a dip in his form. Pakistan finished fourth and Ahmad conceded 25 goals. He was, however, named the best goalkeeper of the four-nation tournament in Hamburg, Germany, just weeks before the event in the Malaysian capital. Ahmad was among the 31 probables who were invited by the Pakistan Hockey Federation to attend second phase of the camp for the tour to Spain and Manchester Commonwealth Games in July. Ahmad is the second present day player to reverse his decision and make himself available. Shahbaz Ahmad also made a comeback last year before once again announcing his retirement earlier this month. Although the veteran keeper has earned the selectors nod after remaining out of international hockey for almost nine months, he will have to prove more worthy than Mohammad Qasim and Salman Akbar. However, given the fact that both Qasim and Salman are injured, Ahmad may sneak into the final 16-man squad for the trip to Spain and Manchester. "I will certainly join the camp. It was just a bad patch that I experienced last year. Now since I have regained my form and have maintained my fitness, I have decided to resume international hockey again," Ahmad said. Ahmad was a member of the PIA hockey team that retained the national title at Lahore last month. "Although it depends on form, physical fitness and reflexes of a goalkeeper, I think I still have two or three years of hockey left," said Ahmad, who skippered the team for 18 months from 2000 to 2001. The 30-year-old custodian, who made his international debut at a six-nation tournament in France in 1990, however, did not regret it was a hasty step he took last year. "It was a perfect decision. My performance during last year was at its lowest ebb. I think it was right what I did in those circumstances," the goalkeeper, who has earned 146 caps during his 12-year-long career, said. Another reason to call it a day was to pave way for younger players. But now Ahmad felt he was ready to face any challenge and would like to make room after going through all the rigours of training and competing with others. "I will not ask a guaranteed place in the team. Instead I like to compete along with other goalkeepers and then play for the national side which will be an honour for me," he said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20020521 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Isolation of Pakistan unjustified ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Reporter ISLAMABAD, May 20: Pakistan cricket chief Lt. Gen Tauqir Zia said that terrorism was a global problem and any attempt to isolate Pakistan's cricket because of it was not right. "No country is safe from terrorism but that does not mean cricket should suffer," he told a news conference. "The law and order situation in India is bad and there has been violence in Sri Lanka, however cricket has never been hampered." Speaking 10 days after New Zealand aborted their tour of Pakistan following an attack by a suicide car bomber outside the team hotel in Karachi that killed 14 people on the morning of the second Test Tauqir said no one had an answer to such attacks. With a question mark now also hanging over this fall's tour of Pakistan by Australia, Tauqir said he has had no negotiations with the Australian Cricket Board in this connection. "I don't think we need to request anybody to play us, if any country does not fulfil its commitment we have to take up the matter with the ICC (International Cricket Council)." Some of the top Australian players including Shane Warne and Mark Waugh have already made up their minds not to tour Pakistan and have said their lives were more important than cricket. But Tauqir said that security to all visiting teams would be provided but still if they do not tour then it is the ICC that has to settle the matter. "We will approach the ICC and seek compensation and will also not sign the 10-year program." Asked if he was considering playing Australia on a neutral venue, he remarked: "With the World Cup coming up, my priority is cricket and I have spoken to Malcolm Gray (ICC chairman) who is of the view that tours should continue." Tauqir pointed out that there was no money advantage playing on a neutral ground while the "home advantage" was identical for both sides. Pakistan earlier this year played the West Indies in Sharjah, after the Caribbeans refused to come down here for a Test series. The general said that the PCB would consider any request from Australia for a choice of venues. "I wouldn't say Karachi would be omitted because of the recent bomb blast, as it is a big centre." Tauqir said that he would want paceman Shoaib Akhtar to take five wickets at the speed of 90 miles an hour rather than watching him end up with no wicket at all at 100mph. Shoaib unofficially broke the 100-mile speed barrier during the third one-day International against New Zealand last month, in a match in which he took no wicket. "I want to see him take wickets at whatever speed," he said. Asked why the PCB had not made any attempt to have Shoaib's record recognized officially, Tauqir said that it was a petty matter for which a fight couldn't be put up with the International Cricket Council (ICC) The General said the PCB was considering insuring future series at home in the wake of the aborted New Zealand tour this month. He said no series in the past had been insured but now this aspect was being given serious consideration. "I think it will be good if we do it, however we have to look at what we have to give and what we get in return." Although Tauqir said that profit and loss from the New Zealand tour was still being worked out, he felt that the PCB had earned a marginal profit. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 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:
.