WENCHUAN - The death toll from China's massive earthquake could soar to more than 50,000, state media reported on Thursday, as rescuers struggled to help survivors and hope faded for the thousands buried under rubble.
Already some 20,000 are confirmed dead as a result of Monday's 7.9 magnitude quake and 25,000 remained buried in areas rescuers have struggled to reach, battling landslides, buckled roads, collapsed bridges and wet weather.
The Communist Party leadership told officials to "ensure social stability" in rescue efforts, as the quake spawned rumours of chemical spills, fears of dam bursts and scenes of collective desperation.
Rescuers in the city of Dujiangyan, in the worst-hit province of Sichuan, wrapped corpses dragged from the rubble in tarpaulins and sped them to morgues.
They were so busy that a notice outside one collapsed school asked parents to search for missing children in shifts.
About 130,000 army and paramilitary troops assisted the search and rescue effort in Sichuan, sifting through dozens of towns turned to rubble.
But three days after the quake, hopes of pulling survivors from the ruins dimmed and the waves of rescuers appear to be hampered by lack of specialised equipment.
Still, there were moments of joy and relief. "Thank you, thank you," one 22-year-old said after she was eventually pulled to safety, covering her face against the light in Dujiangyan. She had been trapped, unable to move, under the ruins of a hospital.
Food and water
The strains from tens of thousands of homeless were also growing.
"There is enough food but not enough water. We have only had bottled mineral water the past few days, nothing to cook with," said Wang Yujie, a teacher whose school withstood the quake.
More aid was arriving and efforts at coordination were also improving, with Sichuan setting up a hotline for victims and ambulances with Beijing licence plates on the roads.
More than 12.5 tonnes of relief goods had been airdropped and scores of helicopters were flying in rescuers and aid.
Official said quilts, tents, food and satellite phones were needed most. The Health Ministry's Gao Qiang said medical needs ranged from basics like bandages and antibiotics to sophisticated equipment such as ventilators and kidney dialysis machines.
In some villages near the badly hit area of Beichuan, angry residents complained they had had little to eat and were forced to drink contaminated water.
Many are sleeping outside or in makeshift shelters where the lack of water and blocked toilets has raised fears of disease, but Gao said there had been no reports of epidemics.
But new threats emerged from damaged dams.
Minister for Water Resources, Chen Lei, said such damage was widespread and sounded far from assured in comments put on the ministry Web site (www.mwr.gov.cn) on Thursday.
"... Damage from the quake is extensive and the hazards are unclear," Chen said in the speech to officials.
And the minister blamed more than nature for the dangers.
"Because the management systems of hydro-power stations are not smooth and information channels are blocked, the extent of their damage is unclear," Chen said.
Triumphs amid disaster
Premier Wen Jiabao, a geologist himself, has made emotional appeals from the disaster zone urging on workers and comforting orphaned children. On Thursday visited Qingchuan, where landslides had blocked the flow of two rivers.
The disaster area is also home to China's chief nuclear weapons research lab in Mianyang, as well as several secretive atomic sites, but no nuclear power stations.
The China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Corp reported that several of its facilities in Sichuan were damaged.
The report on its website (www.cnecc.com) did not mention any radiation leaks. A Western expert with knowledge of the Mianyang lab said it was not likely the facilities were at serious risk.
Amid the devastation, there were still small triumphs.
Rescuers reached a 62-year-old man after an all-night search, prompting a round of applause from onlookers, who took pictures with their mobile phones.
A teenage girl was freed from the rubble of her school, but at the cost of both her legs which doctors had to amputate.
Thirty-three tourists from Britain, the United States and France were airlifted out of a panda reserve, but Xinhua said 893 foreign tourists remained trapped. One German was among the victims, the Foreign Ministry said.
Offers of help were pouring in.
Chinese rushed to blood banks in Beijing, with at least 3,300 people in the capital donating blood in a single day.
China also welcomed supply flights from rival Taiwan and a relief team from Japan to help rebuild after the quake that is the worst to hit China since 1976 when up to 300,000 died.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Indian police probe bombing leads, no arrests
JAIPUR, India - Indian police probed on Thursday whether Indian Islamist groups or Bangladeshi infiltrators were behind bombings in a popular Indian tourist city that killed 61 people this week, but made no major arrests.
Eight bombs, many strapped to bicycles, ripped through a crowded shopping area in the western city of Jaipur on Tuesday evening and injured another 216 people.
Police said the attack bore some hallmarks of the Bangladeshi militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad al Islami (HuJI), and released a sketch of a man in his mid-20s seen near the scene of one bombing speaking Bengali, the main language of Bangladesh.
An email to local media, from a group calling itself the Indian Mujahideen, declared open war on India and threatened more attacks on tourists. The email also included a video of a bicycle with a bag strapped to it, with the bike's serial number.
"We are looking at various angles, verifying every claim and questioning lots of people," Pankaj Singh, a senior police officer in Jaipur, said. He added that no arrests had been made.
Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, said she doubted the authenticity of the video, echoing comments from other police officials.
"The email was sent to mislead us and the investigation," Raje told reporters.
India has suffered a wave of bombings in recent years, with targets ranging from mosques and Hindu temples to trains. But it is unusual for any group to claim responsibility for attacks.
Islamist militant groups in Pakistan and Bangladesh intent on fanning hatred between Muslims and Hindus in India, and damaging a fragile peace process between New Delhi and Islamabad, are often blamed for bomb attacks in India.
In Jaipur, dozens of Bangladeshi migrant labourers were taken in for questioning. HuJI was blamed for blasts in Uttar Pradesh and Hyderabad last year that killed scores of people.
Bangladesh High Commissioner Liaquat Ali Choudhury told local television on Thursday that he would not make any comments about allegations that HuJI was involved.
Deserted streets
The streets inside the walled-city of Jaipur were deserted on Thursday as authorities imposed a curfew for a second consecutive day in some areas.
Many people inside the old city, also known as the pink city because of the colour of buildings, said they were having sleepless nights.
"The sight of human flesh and my injured teenage son lying in a pool of blood still gives me nightmares," Sahid Akhtar, a shop owner in the main square, told Reuters.
In the past few years, bomb blasts in Indian cities have killed hundreds of people. The deadliest was in July 2006, when seven bombs on Mumbai's rail network killed more than 180 people.
Eight bombs, many strapped to bicycles, ripped through a crowded shopping area in the western city of Jaipur on Tuesday evening and injured another 216 people.
Police said the attack bore some hallmarks of the Bangladeshi militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad al Islami (HuJI), and released a sketch of a man in his mid-20s seen near the scene of one bombing speaking Bengali, the main language of Bangladesh.
An email to local media, from a group calling itself the Indian Mujahideen, declared open war on India and threatened more attacks on tourists. The email also included a video of a bicycle with a bag strapped to it, with the bike's serial number.
"We are looking at various angles, verifying every claim and questioning lots of people," Pankaj Singh, a senior police officer in Jaipur, said. He added that no arrests had been made.
Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, said she doubted the authenticity of the video, echoing comments from other police officials.
"The email was sent to mislead us and the investigation," Raje told reporters.
India has suffered a wave of bombings in recent years, with targets ranging from mosques and Hindu temples to trains. But it is unusual for any group to claim responsibility for attacks.
Islamist militant groups in Pakistan and Bangladesh intent on fanning hatred between Muslims and Hindus in India, and damaging a fragile peace process between New Delhi and Islamabad, are often blamed for bomb attacks in India.
In Jaipur, dozens of Bangladeshi migrant labourers were taken in for questioning. HuJI was blamed for blasts in Uttar Pradesh and Hyderabad last year that killed scores of people.
Bangladesh High Commissioner Liaquat Ali Choudhury told local television on Thursday that he would not make any comments about allegations that HuJI was involved.
Deserted streets
The streets inside the walled-city of Jaipur were deserted on Thursday as authorities imposed a curfew for a second consecutive day in some areas.
Many people inside the old city, also known as the pink city because of the colour of buildings, said they were having sleepless nights.
"The sight of human flesh and my injured teenage son lying in a pool of blood still gives me nightmares," Sahid Akhtar, a shop owner in the main square, told Reuters.
In the past few years, bomb blasts in Indian cities have killed hundreds of people. The deadliest was in July 2006, when seven bombs on Mumbai's rail network killed more than 180 people.
More must be done to avoid Afghan deaths
KABUL - Afghan forces, international troops and Taliban insurgents need to do more to avoid civilian casualties or many more innocents will be killed in the ongoing conflict, a U.N. rights expert said on Thursday.
U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Philip Alston said the level of complacency over civilian killings was "staggeringly" high and a great many deaths could be avoided.
"The bottom line of my report is that there are many killings which are avoidable," he told a news conference at the end of a 12-day visit to Afghanistan.
Some 200 civilians have been killed by international and Afghan forces so far this year, he said, while Taliban insurgents have killed around 300 in the same period.
Alston called for more accountability from the more than 50,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, who together with Afghan government troops are engaged in daily battles with a resurgent Taliban mainly in the south and east of the country.
While he said he had found no evidence of intentional killing by foreign troops and particular cases were investigated at considerable length, no international force was able or willing to provide information on numbers of civilians killed, the results of investigations or whether anyone had been punished.
"At the very least what the international forces have on their hands is a public relations disaster," he said.
"They have not taken the steps which are necessary at the political level to ensure a degree of transparency and accountability in relation to the casualties."
"This is a very major political issue because the support of both the people of Afghanistan and the international community is dependant upon a sense that the international forces are doing what they think the people of Afghanistan should be doing; being held to account," Alston said.
Engage the Taliban?
The problem of accountability, he said, was exacerbated by the operations of forces who were not accountable to any military but appeared to be controlled by foreign intelligence services.
Alston said the Afghan police should be better trained, equipped, and monitored and called for an end to corruption within the force and the impunity that the police generally enjoy after they have been accused of killing civilians.
The police force is often the only arm of the Afghan state in many isolated outposts strung out across the rugged mountainous country, but is renowned for fleeing in the face of Taliban attacks and fleecing the populace for bribes.
"In many provinces the only face of the government is the police. If they are corrupt and thugs, the people think the government is terrible. If they are efficient and do what they should do, in terms of providing security, the people see the benefits of a functioning government," he said.
Corruption was also rife in the judicial process, Alston said, calling for a moratorium on the death penalty: "The judicial process is not of a sufficient standard to ensure that any of those executed have been afforded due process."
Some 95 percent of those killed by the Taliban were innocent civilians, Alston said, but while this was a "disaster", rights activists should seek to engage the insurgents.
He said he had wanted to talk to representatives of the Taliban but the Afghan government had said there should be no dialogue with the rebels over human rights issues.
"I consider this to be a mistake," he said. "I reject the claim that such discussions legitimise the Taliban. The Taliban exist, they are engaged in widespread killing and we have an obligation ... to seek to diminish the civilian casualties and killings," he said.
U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Philip Alston said the level of complacency over civilian killings was "staggeringly" high and a great many deaths could be avoided.
"The bottom line of my report is that there are many killings which are avoidable," he told a news conference at the end of a 12-day visit to Afghanistan.
Some 200 civilians have been killed by international and Afghan forces so far this year, he said, while Taliban insurgents have killed around 300 in the same period.
Alston called for more accountability from the more than 50,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, who together with Afghan government troops are engaged in daily battles with a resurgent Taliban mainly in the south and east of the country.
While he said he had found no evidence of intentional killing by foreign troops and particular cases were investigated at considerable length, no international force was able or willing to provide information on numbers of civilians killed, the results of investigations or whether anyone had been punished.
"At the very least what the international forces have on their hands is a public relations disaster," he said.
"They have not taken the steps which are necessary at the political level to ensure a degree of transparency and accountability in relation to the casualties."
"This is a very major political issue because the support of both the people of Afghanistan and the international community is dependant upon a sense that the international forces are doing what they think the people of Afghanistan should be doing; being held to account," Alston said.
Engage the Taliban?
The problem of accountability, he said, was exacerbated by the operations of forces who were not accountable to any military but appeared to be controlled by foreign intelligence services.
Alston said the Afghan police should be better trained, equipped, and monitored and called for an end to corruption within the force and the impunity that the police generally enjoy after they have been accused of killing civilians.
The police force is often the only arm of the Afghan state in many isolated outposts strung out across the rugged mountainous country, but is renowned for fleeing in the face of Taliban attacks and fleecing the populace for bribes.
"In many provinces the only face of the government is the police. If they are corrupt and thugs, the people think the government is terrible. If they are efficient and do what they should do, in terms of providing security, the people see the benefits of a functioning government," he said.
Corruption was also rife in the judicial process, Alston said, calling for a moratorium on the death penalty: "The judicial process is not of a sufficient standard to ensure that any of those executed have been afforded due process."
Some 95 percent of those killed by the Taliban were innocent civilians, Alston said, but while this was a "disaster", rights activists should seek to engage the insurgents.
He said he had wanted to talk to representatives of the Taliban but the Afghan government had said there should be no dialogue with the rebels over human rights issues.
"I consider this to be a mistake," he said. "I reject the claim that such discussions legitimise the Taliban. The Taliban exist, they are engaged in widespread killing and we have an obligation ... to seek to diminish the civilian casualties and killings," he said.
Myanmar asks India to send doctors
NEW DELHI - Cyclone-hit Myanmar has asked neighbour India to send its army medical teams to assist relief operations in the junta-ruled country, an Indian official said Thursday.
An Indian Air Force transport aircraft is set to fly to Yangon on Saturday carrying a team of doctors and medical supplies, said the official who did not want to be identified.
Since Cyclone Nargis struck the southwest delta region on May 2 and 3, leaving up to 66,000 dead or missing, Myanmar's reclusive military rulers have accepted foreign aid but largely rejected international relief workers.
Foreign aid agencies say they are battling to provide vital food, shelter and water through the country's dilapidated infrastructure, but the junta has refused to budge on access, despite mounting international pressure.
So far, two Indian navy ships and five aircraft have delivered food, clothing, medicines and tents to Myanmar.
New Delhi has forged a close relationship with Myanmar's junta in recent years to tackle insurgent groups along their border, opposing calls for economic sanctions against the military-ruled nation.
On why the Myanmar regime opted for Indian army medical teams, the Indian official said, "the response of the Indian army to disasters is time-tested and found to be very reliable, very dependable."
An Indian Air Force transport aircraft is set to fly to Yangon on Saturday carrying a team of doctors and medical supplies, said the official who did not want to be identified.
Since Cyclone Nargis struck the southwest delta region on May 2 and 3, leaving up to 66,000 dead or missing, Myanmar's reclusive military rulers have accepted foreign aid but largely rejected international relief workers.
Foreign aid agencies say they are battling to provide vital food, shelter and water through the country's dilapidated infrastructure, but the junta has refused to budge on access, despite mounting international pressure.
So far, two Indian navy ships and five aircraft have delivered food, clothing, medicines and tents to Myanmar.
New Delhi has forged a close relationship with Myanmar's junta in recent years to tackle insurgent groups along their border, opposing calls for economic sanctions against the military-ruled nation.
On why the Myanmar regime opted for Indian army medical teams, the Indian official said, "the response of the Indian army to disasters is time-tested and found to be very reliable, very dependable."
Suicide bomber kills 16 Afghans, wounds 28
Kabul - A suicide bomber attacked a convoy of police vehicles in south-western Afghanistan Thursday, killing 16 people, including a police commander, and wounding 28, provincial official said.
‘The bomber, who was wearing women's clothes, killed four policemen and 12 civilians,’ said Mohammad Younus Rasouli, deputy governor of Farah province.
The attack took place in the main market of Farah's Del Aram district, close to the border with Iran.
Rasouli said a police commander was among the four police dead.
Officials in the provincial hospital gave the number of wounded as 28 with most being civilians. Rasouli said 22 people were wounded in the attack.
Taleban militants claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on their website.
The statement said the dead police commander was the target, adding that one of their male fighters by the name of Khalid carried out the attack.
Ali Khan Hussainzada, chief of the criminal department of police forces in western Afghanistan, said, however, that the bombing was carried out by a woman wearing a burqa.
In another development in the south-eastern province of Khost, police shot dead a would-be suicide bomber as he tried to enter the provincial capital, Wazir Padshah, a spokesman for the provincial police chief said.
The bomber was shot on Wednesday near a checkpoint in Khost city, he said.
The Taleban, Afghanistan's former Islamic fundamentalist ruler, has carried out hundreds of such attacks since its ouster in late 2001 in a US-led invasion. The group carried out more than 140 suicide attacks in the country last year, a record year since it lost power.
‘The bomber, who was wearing women's clothes, killed four policemen and 12 civilians,’ said Mohammad Younus Rasouli, deputy governor of Farah province.
The attack took place in the main market of Farah's Del Aram district, close to the border with Iran.
Rasouli said a police commander was among the four police dead.
Officials in the provincial hospital gave the number of wounded as 28 with most being civilians. Rasouli said 22 people were wounded in the attack.
Taleban militants claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on their website.
The statement said the dead police commander was the target, adding that one of their male fighters by the name of Khalid carried out the attack.
Ali Khan Hussainzada, chief of the criminal department of police forces in western Afghanistan, said, however, that the bombing was carried out by a woman wearing a burqa.
In another development in the south-eastern province of Khost, police shot dead a would-be suicide bomber as he tried to enter the provincial capital, Wazir Padshah, a spokesman for the provincial police chief said.
The bomber was shot on Wednesday near a checkpoint in Khost city, he said.
The Taleban, Afghanistan's former Islamic fundamentalist ruler, has carried out hundreds of such attacks since its ouster in late 2001 in a US-led invasion. The group carried out more than 140 suicide attacks in the country last year, a record year since it lost power.
Death toll from sinking of Bangladeshi ferry rises to 46
DHAKA - The death toll from the sinking of a storm-battered ferry in central Bangladesh climbed to 46 when four more bodies were pulled from the swirling water overnight, officials and survivors said on Thursday.
Forty-six bodies were salvaged from the Ghorautra river since the rescue and search operation was launched early Tuesday, said assistant police commissioner Asad uz Zaman.
Fire Department divers said chances of finding any more survivors were slim after bodies of four children popped up in the river late Wednesday.
Earlier reports said a river ferry with an estimated 200 farm workers on board began sinking after it was caught in a tropical whirlwind.
Some 50 passengers went missing in the mishap which occurred near the town of Kishoreganj, 230 kilometres east of the capital Dhaka.
Many passengers managed to swim to shore on their own while several other were picked up by passing boatmen, survivor Sohrab Hussain said.
Zaman said police rescuers backed by local civilian volunteers plucked the bodies of the victims from the water. Hospital sources said the death toll from the ferry tragedy could rise further.
‘Residents of a nearby village rushed in to help with rescue operations,’ Zaman said.
Rescuers said a search operation was going on amid fears that many bodies were washed away by the river current.
A probe team has blamed the ferry disaster on alleged faulty design of the vessel, which used the hull of an old fishing trawler.
Forty-six bodies were salvaged from the Ghorautra river since the rescue and search operation was launched early Tuesday, said assistant police commissioner Asad uz Zaman.
Fire Department divers said chances of finding any more survivors were slim after bodies of four children popped up in the river late Wednesday.
Earlier reports said a river ferry with an estimated 200 farm workers on board began sinking after it was caught in a tropical whirlwind.
Some 50 passengers went missing in the mishap which occurred near the town of Kishoreganj, 230 kilometres east of the capital Dhaka.
Many passengers managed to swim to shore on their own while several other were picked up by passing boatmen, survivor Sohrab Hussain said.
Zaman said police rescuers backed by local civilian volunteers plucked the bodies of the victims from the water. Hospital sources said the death toll from the ferry tragedy could rise further.
‘Residents of a nearby village rushed in to help with rescue operations,’ Zaman said.
Rescuers said a search operation was going on amid fears that many bodies were washed away by the river current.
A probe team has blamed the ferry disaster on alleged faulty design of the vessel, which used the hull of an old fishing trawler.
Suicide blast kills 18 Afghan police, civilians
HERAT, Afghaistan - A suicide blast killed 18 police and civilians on Thursday in Afghanistan's western province of Farah, officials said.
The incident occurred in a bazaar near a police station in Del Aram district of Farah, they said.
‘So far, 18 people, including police and civilians, have been killed,’ Farah's governor Rohul Amin told Reuters by phone.
The incident occurred in a bazaar near a police station in Del Aram district of Farah, they said.
‘So far, 18 people, including police and civilians, have been killed,’ Farah's governor Rohul Amin told Reuters by phone.
Anger, blood, at scene of missile hit in Pakistan
DAMADOLA, Pakistan - Angry residents of a Pakistani village on the Afghan border stopped government officials on Thursday from approaching the ruins of a house struck by missiles suspected to have been fired by a US drone.
Two missiles, which hit a house in the village of Damadola in the Bajaur tribal region, where Islamist militants have been known to operate, killed eight people including three children and a woman on Wednesday evening, residents said.
‘It's barbaric,’ said villager Rehmatullah Khan.
‘They were innocent people,’ he said, referring to the dead.
Maulvi Omar, a spokesman for Taleban militants based in Pakistan, said four of those killed were Taleban fighters and all the dead were Pakistani.
A security official in the area said between six and eight people were killed and he did not rule out the possibility some of them were foreign militants. There were not believed to be any prominent militants among the dead.
The strike was the first since a new Pakistani government was formed about six weeks ago.
In January, 2006, a CIA-operated drone Predator aircraft fired missiles at a house in Damadola in the belief Al Qaeda leader bin Laden's deputy, Ayman Al Zawahri, was visiting.
He was not there and at least 18 people died in the strike, several of them believed to have been Al Qaeda members.
Earlier this year U.S.-controlled Predator aircraft struck at least three sites used by Al Qaeda operatives in northwest Pakistan, killing dozens of suspected militants.
In Wednesday's strike, the house, which residents said belonged to an ethnic Pashtun tribesman, and an adjoining mosque were almost completely destroyed. All that was left standing were badly damaged parts of some walls.
Crowds gathered at the scene and a district government official said angry villagers had stopped and turned away his men who had tried to approach.
Villagers showed a reporter scraps of metal that they said came from a missile and blood stains.
‘They don't want peace’
A Pakistani military spokesman said there had been a blast but the military had not determined what caused it. A government spokesman said he had no information.
Neither US nor Pakistani authorities officially confirm US missile attacks on Pakistani territory, which would be an infringement of Pakistani sovereignty and unpopular with many Pakistanis who oppose the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism.
Allies of staunch US ally President Pervez Musharraf were defeated in a February election and the new government has begun negotiating with the aim of getting Pakistani militants to end a wave of attacks.
Taleban spokesman Omar said the US missile strike was aimed at scuppering the peace talks with the government.
‘They don't want peace in Pakistan and that's why they are doing it but we'll continue the talks,’ Omar said.
Pakistan's Western allies say previous peace pacts have merely gave the militants a free hand to regroup and plot violence in Afghanistan and beyond.
The Washington Post reported in March that the United States had escalated air strikes against Al Qaeda fighters operating in Pakistan's tribal areas fearing that support from Islamabad may slip away as Musharraf's power ebbed.
Many Al Qaeda members, including Uzbeks and Arabs, and Taleban militants took refuge in North and South Waziristan, as well as in other areas on the Pakistani side of the border after U.S.-led forces ousted the Taleban in Afghanistan in 2001.
Bin Laden is believed to be hiding somewhere along the border.
Two missiles, which hit a house in the village of Damadola in the Bajaur tribal region, where Islamist militants have been known to operate, killed eight people including three children and a woman on Wednesday evening, residents said.
‘It's barbaric,’ said villager Rehmatullah Khan.
‘They were innocent people,’ he said, referring to the dead.
Maulvi Omar, a spokesman for Taleban militants based in Pakistan, said four of those killed were Taleban fighters and all the dead were Pakistani.
A security official in the area said between six and eight people were killed and he did not rule out the possibility some of them were foreign militants. There were not believed to be any prominent militants among the dead.
The strike was the first since a new Pakistani government was formed about six weeks ago.
In January, 2006, a CIA-operated drone Predator aircraft fired missiles at a house in Damadola in the belief Al Qaeda leader bin Laden's deputy, Ayman Al Zawahri, was visiting.
He was not there and at least 18 people died in the strike, several of them believed to have been Al Qaeda members.
Earlier this year U.S.-controlled Predator aircraft struck at least three sites used by Al Qaeda operatives in northwest Pakistan, killing dozens of suspected militants.
In Wednesday's strike, the house, which residents said belonged to an ethnic Pashtun tribesman, and an adjoining mosque were almost completely destroyed. All that was left standing were badly damaged parts of some walls.
Crowds gathered at the scene and a district government official said angry villagers had stopped and turned away his men who had tried to approach.
Villagers showed a reporter scraps of metal that they said came from a missile and blood stains.
‘They don't want peace’
A Pakistani military spokesman said there had been a blast but the military had not determined what caused it. A government spokesman said he had no information.
Neither US nor Pakistani authorities officially confirm US missile attacks on Pakistani territory, which would be an infringement of Pakistani sovereignty and unpopular with many Pakistanis who oppose the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism.
Allies of staunch US ally President Pervez Musharraf were defeated in a February election and the new government has begun negotiating with the aim of getting Pakistani militants to end a wave of attacks.
Taleban spokesman Omar said the US missile strike was aimed at scuppering the peace talks with the government.
‘They don't want peace in Pakistan and that's why they are doing it but we'll continue the talks,’ Omar said.
Pakistan's Western allies say previous peace pacts have merely gave the militants a free hand to regroup and plot violence in Afghanistan and beyond.
The Washington Post reported in March that the United States had escalated air strikes against Al Qaeda fighters operating in Pakistan's tribal areas fearing that support from Islamabad may slip away as Musharraf's power ebbed.
Many Al Qaeda members, including Uzbeks and Arabs, and Taleban militants took refuge in North and South Waziristan, as well as in other areas on the Pakistani side of the border after U.S.-led forces ousted the Taleban in Afghanistan in 2001.
Bin Laden is believed to be hiding somewhere along the border.
Arab mediators broker Lebanon deal
BEIRUT - Arab League mediators brokered a deal on Thursday to end Lebanon's worst internal fighting since the civil war, political sources said, after the U.S.-supported government backed down in its conflict with Hezbollah. The sources said the head of an Arab League delegation, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani, would announce the deal at a news conference in Beirut shortly.
Sheikh Hamad will also invite the government and Hezbollah-led opposition to Qatar for talks to resolve Lebanon's broader political conflict which has paralysed the country for 18 months, the sources said.
The deal, brokered after two days of talks, includes the lifting of a Hezbollah-led blockade on Beirut's sea and air ports, the end of armed presence in the streets and a pledge not use weapons to settle domestic political differences, they said.
At least 81 people were killed in the fighting, triggered by government decisions last week to ban the Iranian-backed Hezbollah's communications network and sack Beirut's airport security chief, who is close to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah said those moves were a declaration of war and briefly seized control of Muslim areas of the capital, dealing a severe blow to Washington's allies in the ruling coalition.
On Wednesday the cabinet of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora cancelled the two measures, meeting one of Hezbollah's demands and easing tensions in the Lebanese capital. Hezbollah said the government's climbdown was a 'natural way out' of the crisis.
'We want to return to a settlement which leads, in the end, to there being neither victor nor vanquished,' Sheikh Naim Kassem, Hezbollah's deputy leader, said after meeting the Arab League delegation.
Talks in Qatar
Hezbollah had also demanded the ruling coalition agree to political talks as a condition for ending its civil disobedience campaign.
The talks will tackle how to share power in the cabinet and the details of a new parliamentary election law. The row has paralysed much of government and left Lebanon with no president since November.
Any deal would result in army commander General Michel Suleiman being elected president.
As well as highlighting U.S.-Iranian tensions, Lebanon's rivalries are also seen as part of a regional tussle for influence between Saudi Arabia which supports the ruling coalition, and Syria, which backs the government. The United States has blamed the instability on Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, a political movement with a guerrilla army. Iran blames the United States for the violence.
The ruling coalition accuses the opposition of trying to restore Syrian control of Lebanon and secure a stronger foothold for Iran in the country.
Syria dominated Lebanon until 2005, when the assassination of statesman Rafik al-Hariri triggered international pressure that forced it to end its military presence after nearly three decades and plunged Lebanon into crisis.
Sheikh Hamad will also invite the government and Hezbollah-led opposition to Qatar for talks to resolve Lebanon's broader political conflict which has paralysed the country for 18 months, the sources said.
The deal, brokered after two days of talks, includes the lifting of a Hezbollah-led blockade on Beirut's sea and air ports, the end of armed presence in the streets and a pledge not use weapons to settle domestic political differences, they said.
At least 81 people were killed in the fighting, triggered by government decisions last week to ban the Iranian-backed Hezbollah's communications network and sack Beirut's airport security chief, who is close to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah said those moves were a declaration of war and briefly seized control of Muslim areas of the capital, dealing a severe blow to Washington's allies in the ruling coalition.
On Wednesday the cabinet of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora cancelled the two measures, meeting one of Hezbollah's demands and easing tensions in the Lebanese capital. Hezbollah said the government's climbdown was a 'natural way out' of the crisis.
'We want to return to a settlement which leads, in the end, to there being neither victor nor vanquished,' Sheikh Naim Kassem, Hezbollah's deputy leader, said after meeting the Arab League delegation.
Talks in Qatar
Hezbollah had also demanded the ruling coalition agree to political talks as a condition for ending its civil disobedience campaign.
The talks will tackle how to share power in the cabinet and the details of a new parliamentary election law. The row has paralysed much of government and left Lebanon with no president since November.
Any deal would result in army commander General Michel Suleiman being elected president.
As well as highlighting U.S.-Iranian tensions, Lebanon's rivalries are also seen as part of a regional tussle for influence between Saudi Arabia which supports the ruling coalition, and Syria, which backs the government. The United States has blamed the instability on Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, a political movement with a guerrilla army. Iran blames the United States for the violence.
The ruling coalition accuses the opposition of trying to restore Syrian control of Lebanon and secure a stronger foothold for Iran in the country.
Syria dominated Lebanon until 2005, when the assassination of statesman Rafik al-Hariri triggered international pressure that forced it to end its military presence after nearly three decades and plunged Lebanon into crisis.
چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری کو بحال نہ کرنے کا فیصلہ کر لیاگیا
اسلام آباد۔ ایوان صدر نے 3 نومبر 2007 کو معزول کئے گئے ججوں کی از سر نو تقرری کی تجاویز کو حتمی شکل دے دی۔ چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری کو بحال نہ کرنے کا فیصلہ کر لیاگیا ہے۔ایک نجی ٹی وی چینل نے اپنے ذرائع کے حوالے سے بتایا ہے کہ صدر پرویز مشرف نے آج ایوان صدر میں ججوں کی از سر نو تقرری کے حوالے سے معاملات کو حتمی شکل دی۔ وہاں موجودہ سپریم کورٹ کے چیف جسٹس عبدالحمید ڈوگر، جسٹس فقیر محمد کھوکھر، شریف الدین پیرزادہ، اٹارنی جنرل ملک قیوم موجود تھے۔ صدر مشرف نے ان شرکاء کی مشاورت سے معاملات طے کئے۔ ذرائع کے مطابق نیشنل سیکورٹی کونسل کے سیکریٹری طارق عزیز اور گورنر سندھ ڈاکٹر عشرت العباد بھی وہاں موجود تھے۔ٹی وی چینل نے اپنی رپورٹ میں مزید بتایا ہے کہ ایوان صدر کے ترجمان سے بارہا رابطہ کیا لیکن ان کی جانب سے کوئی جواب نہیں دیا گیا۔ سپریم کورٹ کے رجسٹرار نے اس کے بارے میں لاعلمی کا اظہار کیا اور چیف جسٹس کے سیکریٹری کا کہنا تھا کہ رجسٹرار کے بیان پر اکتفا کیا جائے۔
جماعت اسلامی نے باجوڑ ڈمہ ڈولہ میں امریکی حملے کے خلاف احتجاجی مظاہرے کا اعلان کر دیا
پشاور۔ جماعت اسلامی نے باجوڑ ایجنسی ڈمہ ڈولہ میں امریکی حملے کے خلاف کل پشاور سمیت صوبہ سرحد میں احتجاجی مظاہروں اور ہڑتال کا اعلان کر تے ہوئے حکومت سے مطالبہ کیا ہے کہ امریکی سفیر کو فی الفور ملک سے نکالا جائے اور امریکہ کے ساتھ خارجہ پالیسی پر نظرثانی کی جائے ۔یہ اعلان گزشتہ روز پشاور پریس کلب میں جماعت اسلامی کے صوبائی امیر سراج الحق نے ایک ہنگامی پریس کانفرنس میں کیا ۔انہوں نے کہا کہ جماعت اسلامی صوبہ سرحد اور پاکستانی عوام کی جانب سے باجوڑ حملے کی بھر پور مذمت کرتی ہے ۔انہوں نے کہا کہ یہ باجوڑ پر امریکہ کا تیسرا حملہ ہے اور تیسرے حملے میں مولانا عبید اللہ کے گھر پر حملہ کر کے مسلمانوں کا قتل عام کیاگیا ۔انہوں نے کہا کہ حکمران امریکہ سے باجوڑ حملے کے خلاف احتجاج کریں اور خون کے ایک ایک قطرے کا حساب لیا جائے ۔انہوں نے کہا کہ حکمران طبقہ خود بلٹ پروف گاڑیوں میں سفر کرتا ہے اور ان کو سیکورٹی کی تمام تر سہولیات مہیا ہیں لیکن بے گناہ عوام کا کوئی تحفظ نہیں ہے دوسری جانب بازاروں میں آٹا دستیاب نہیں ،لوڈ شیڈنگ کا بحران ہے اور مجموعی طور پر قوم ایک عذاب میں مبتلا ہو چکی ہے ۔سراج الحق نے کہا کہ ہماری حکومت کے پاس گیارہ لاکھ فوج موجود ہے اور ایٹمی طاقت بھی ہے لیکن یہ سب ہمارے کس وقت کام آئیں گے ۔انہوں نے کہا کہ پچھلے حملے میں 83بچے شہید ہوئے تھے جس پر میں نے اور صاحبزادہ ہارون الرشید نے استعفیٰ دیا تھا اور صاحبزادہ ہارون الرشید نے ان بے گناہ بچوں کے قتل عام کے خلاف عدالت میں کیس جمع کئے لیکن آج تک ہماری غلام عدلیہ نے جواب نہیںد یا ۔سراج الحق نے کہا کہ سیاسی جماعتوں کو چاہیے کہ وہ قوم کے اندر جہاد کا جذبہ پیدا کریں کیونکہ حکمران عوام کا تحفظ نہیں کر سکتے اور عوام اپنے تحفظ کے لئے اٹھ کھڑے ہوں۔انہوں نے کہا کہ باجوڑ پر امریکہ کا حملہ اسلام آباد پر حملہ تصور کیا جائے گا اور حکمرانوں کو بحرانوں سے نکلنے کے لئے ایک واضح لائحہ عمل اختیار کرنا چاہیے اور اگر حکمرانوں کے پاس مسائل کا حل نہیں تو وہ مستعفی ہو جائیں ۔اس موقع پر سراج الحق کے ساتھ پاٹا جماعت اسلامی کے نائب امیر اور باجوڑ ایجنسی کے سابق ایم این اے ہارون الرشید اور پشاور سے سابق ایم این اے صابر حسین اعوان بھی موجود تھے ۔اس موقع پر صحافیوں کی جانب سے سراج الحق کے والد کی تعزیت کے لئے دعا کی گئی اور بعد ازاں سراج الحق نے گزشتہ روز ڈمہ ڈولہ میں امریکی حملے میں جاں بحق ہونے والوں کی روح کے ایصال ثواب کے لئے دعا کی ۔
ضمنی انتخابات میں حصہ لینے یا نہ لینے کا فیصلہ ١٧ مئی کو لاہور میں آل لائرز ری پریذنٹڈ فورم میں ہو گا۔اعتزاز احسن
لاہور ۔ سپریم کورٹ بار ایسوسی ایشن کے صدر چوہدری اعتزا ز احسن نے کہا ہے کہ ان کے ضمنی انتخابات میں حصہ لینے یا نہ لینے کا فیصلہ 17مئی کو لاہور میں آل لائرز ری پریذنٹڈ فورم میں ہو گا کانفرنس کے کسی بھی فیصلے کا پابند رہوں گا انتخابات میں حصہ لیا تو پیپلزپارٹی ہی کے ٹکٹ سے حصہ لوں گا۔ وکلاء تحریک کی ترجمانی کرنے کی ذمہ داری لی ہے اس سے سبکدوش نہیں ہوں گا ۔ چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری سمیت تمام ججوں کی بحالی کیلئے تمام ججوں کی بحالی کیلئے پر عزم ہوں تحریک اس وقت تک جاری رہے گی جب تک تمام جج بحال نہیں ہوتے اختلافات ضرورہیں لیکن پیپلزپارٹی کا کارکن سونے کی مانند ہے اسے کبھی نہیں چھوڑوں گا ۔ وکلاء کی تحریک میں کسی بیرونی ملک کا جھنڈا نہیں جلنا چاہیے ۔ان خیالات کا اظہار انہوں نے جمعرات کلو لاہور میں ایک پرہجوم پریس کانفرنس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے کیا ۔ اعتزاز احسن نے کہاکہ افتخار محمد چوہدری کے بغیر آزاد عدلیہ کا وجود نا ممکن ہے نہ ہی عدلیہ کو آزاد وخود مختار تصور کیا جاسکتا ہے ۔ صدر پرویز مشرف کے تین نومبر کے اقدامات قطعی غیر قانونی و غیر آئینی تھے کسی ایک شخص کو یہ حق نہیں پہنچتا کہ وہ عدلیہ کے امور میں مداخلت کر ے کہ چیف جسٹس کو محبوس کرے اسے حراست میں رکھے ۔ یہ پرویز مشرف کے یہ تمام مجرمانہ اقدامات تھے ان کے خلاف وکلاء نے اپنی تحریک جاری رکھی ہے اس تحریک کا پہلا مرحلہ 9مارچ20جولائی 2007 تک تھا جس میں کامیابی ہوئی جس میں 7ججوں کے پینل نے چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری کے حق میں فیصلہ دیا ۔ تحریک کا دوسرا مرحلہ بھی کامیاب رہا۔ وکلاء نے اس تحریک میں اپنے سرتڑوائے18فروری کو صدر پرویز مشرف کو عوام نے مسترد کر دیا اس مرحلے میں صدر پرویز مشرف کو 270کے ایوان سے صرف 40سیٹیں ملیں۔ اب ہم تیسری کامیابی کی طرف گامزن ہیں اس تیسرے سفر پر بھوربن کا معاہدہ ہماری کامیابی تھی جس میں عدلیہ کی بحالی کا وعدہ کیا تاہم بدقسمتی سے یہ پورا نہ ہو سکا جس میں پارلیمانی قرار داد سے ججز کو بحال ہونا تھا وکلاء کی کمیٹی نے 24 اپریل کو متفقہ طور پر مجھے کہا کہ میں ضمنی انتخاب میں حصہ لوں یہ میرے دوستوں ، ساتھیوں کی خواہش تھی راولپنڈی بار نے بھی قرار داد منظور کی کہ میں الیکشن میں حصہ لوں اور وہ میری سپورٹ کریں گے دیگر بار نے بھی میری حمایت کی ۔ میں نے پہلے بھی کہا کہ میں نے الیکشن میں حصہ لیا تو پیپلز پارٹی کے پلیٹ فارم سے لوں گا ۔ نواز شریف کا بھی شکر گزار ہوں کہ انہوں نے مجھے یہ سیٹ فراہم کی میری کلاء کے ساتھ وابستگی اٹل اور کسی قسم کی لچک کے بغیر رہے گی اس میں کوئی مصلحت دخل انداز نہیں ہو گی وکلاء کی تحریک میں شامل ہونا بھی پڑا تو الیکشن کی وجہ سے فرصت لے کر تحریک میں پہنچوں گا میں شرم الیشخ جانا تھا مجھے اس میں ذاتی حیثیت سے مجھے بلایا گیا تھا پاکستان میں سرکاری حیثیت سے بلایا گیا تھا لیکن سترہ تاریخ کی ’’ لائرز کانفرنس‘‘ کی وجہ سے شرم الشیخ نہیں جارہا کیونکہ یہ اہم کانفرنس ہے بنکاک میں مجھے اورمنیر اے ملک کو ایوارڈ دیا گیا ہے وہ بھی لینے کیلئے نہیں جارہا۔وکلاء اور ججوں کی بحالی کے حوالے سے وکلاء کے ساتھ میری وابستگتی مکمل رہے گی انتخابات کے ساتھ ساتھ وکلاء تحریک بھی میرے لئے نہات اہم ہے عدلیہ کی بحالی سے متعلق میرے خیالات و وابستگی واضح ہے ۔9مارچ 2007ء کے بعد میں اس تحریک کے ساتھ ہوں ۔وکلاء کی تحریک اور چیف جسٹس آف پاکستان افتخار محمد چوہدری کی بحالی لئے پر عزم ہوں ۔ اس وقت تک یہ تحریک جاری رہے گی جب تک ججز بحال نہیں ہوتے میرے انتخابات لڑنے یا نہ لڑنے کافیصلہ 17 مئی کی آل لائئرز ری پریذینٹڈ فورم میں ہو گا میں اس کانفرنس کے کسی بھی فیصلے کا پابند ہوں گا۔ مجھ پر وکلاء کی ترجمانی کرنے کی ذمہ داری ہے جس سے کسی صورت سبکدوش نہیں ہوں گا یہاں ججوں کی بحالی کے کاز کا حلف اٹھا کر الیکشن میں حصہ لوں گا ۔ ایک سوال کے جواب میں انہوں نے کہاکہ پارٹی سے چالیس سال سے وابستگی ہے اسے نہیں چھوڑوں گااختلاف ضرور ہیں لیکن پارٹی کے کارکنوں کے ساتھ زمین پر سویا ہوں ، لاٹھیاں کھائی ہیں ، جیلو ںمیں قید رہا ہوں ، رضا ربانی کے ساتھ ڈنڈے کھائے ہیں پیپلز پارٹی کا کارکن سونے کے مانندہے ان کارکنوں کو نہیں چھوڑ گا آج تک حلقہ 124کے وکروں کا احسان نہیں بھول سکا اب حلقہ 55سے الیکشن میں حصہ لے رہا ہوں وفادار رہوں گا۔9مارچ اور تیرہ مارچ کو جب چیف جسٹس کے ساتھ چلا تھا اس وقت بھی پیپلز پارٹی کا کارکن تھا جب 88گھنٹے چیف جسٹس کیس کی سماعت میں حصہ لیا اس وقت بھی پیپلز پارٹی کا کارکن تھا جب پرویز مشرف کی طرف سے مائنس ون کے فارمولے کی آفر آتی رہیں اس وقت بھی پیپلز پارٹی کا کارکن تھا انہوں نے کہاکہ وکلاء کوئی پارٹی نہیں ہیں جماعت سے تعلق رکھتے ہیں ۔ پیپلز پارٹی مسلم لیگ (ن) سے بھی تعلق رکھتے ہیں ۔ ایک سوال کے جواب میں چوہدری اعتزاز احسن نے کہاکہ امریکن سول سوسائٹی نے چیف جسٹس کا بھرپور ساتھ دیا ہے دس امریکن یونیورسٹیوں نے چیف جسٹس کو اعزازی ڈگری دی ہے جبکہ امریکن بار ایسوسی ایشن نے سپریم کورٹ بار ایسوسی ایشن کے وکلاء سمیت ججز کو ایوارڈ دئیے ہیں ۔انہوں نے کہا کہ بار ایسوسی ایشن اور وکلاء کی تحریک میں کسی بھی بیرونی ملک کا جھنڈا نہیں جلنا چاہیے تمام بیرونی ممالک نے ہماری تحریک کا ساتھ دیا ہے امریکہ کی عوام ہمارے ساتھ ہے تاہم صدر بش انتظامیہ ہمارے خلاف ہے کیونکہ یہ پرویز مشرف کی حمایتی ہے یورپ کے 7لاکھ وکلاء نے چیف جسٹس کے ساتھ اظہار ہمدردی کیلئے عدالتوں کا بائیکاٹ کیا میڈیا نے ہماری تحریک کا بھرپور ساتھ دیا اس حوالے سے امریکن سوسائٹی اور وکلاء کو خراج تحسین پیش کرتے ہیں ۔میری استدعا ہے کہ ججز کی بحالی کے حوالے سے وکلاء کی تحریک میں کسی بھی بیرونی ملک کا پرچم نہیں جلنا چاہیے۔
میاں نواز شریف ، میاں شہبازشریف کے کاغذات نامزدگی منظور کرلئے گئے
لاہور ۔ پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کے قائد میاں محمد نواز شریف اور ان کے بھتیجے و میاں شہباز شریف کے صاحبزادے حمزہ شہباز کے قومی اسمبلی کے حلقہ 123 سے ضمنی الیکشن لڑنے کیلئے کاغذات نامزدگی منظور کرلئے گئے ہیں جبکہ ریٹرننگ آفیسر بدر الدین چوہدری نے مسلم لیگ (ق) کے امیدوار اخلاق گڈو اور ایک آزاد امیدوار نور الہی سمیت مخالفین کے تمام اعتراضات کو عدم ثبوت کی بناء پر مسترد کردیا ۔ تفصیلات کے مطابق این اے 123 سے پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کے قائد میاں نواز شریف ، میاں شہباز شریف کے صاحبزادہ حمزہ شہباز اور میاں نواز شریف کے داماد کیپٹن (ر) صفدر نے کاغذات نامزدگی جمع کروائے تھے جبکہ ان کے مقابلہ میں مسلم لیگ (ق) کے امیدوار اخلاق گڈو ، پیپلز پارٹی کے امیدوار عزیز الرحمن چن او ر آزاد امیدوار نور الہی نے کاغذات نامزدگی جمع کروائے تھے ۔ عدالت نے ان تمام امیدواران کے کاغذات منظور کرلئے اور اپنے فیصلے میں لکھا کہ میاں نواز شریف اور حمزہ شہباز کے خلاف لگائے گئے الزامات ثابت نہیں ہو سکے اس لئے وہ آزادانہ طور پر انتخابات میں حصہ لے سکتے ہیں ۔ واضح رہے کہ مسلم لیگ (ق) کے امیدوار اخلاق گڈو کی جانب سے اعتراض داخل کیا گیا تھا کہ میاں نواز شریف طیارہ سازش کیس میں سزا یافتہ ہیں جبکہ وہ مختلف بینکوں کے نا دہندہ ہونے کے ساتھ ساتھ اپنی پریس کانفرنسوں میں توہین عدالت کے مرتکب بھی ہوتے رہے ہیں جبکہ سپریم کورٹ حملہ کیس میں بھی وہ ملوث تھے کیونکہ جب یہ حملہ کروایا گیا تو یہ ایک ذمہ دار عہدے پر فائز تھے ۔ تاہم عدالت نے ان تمام اعتراضات کو مسترد کردیا ۔ عدالت بدھ کے روز میاں نواز شریف اور حمزہ شہباز شریف کے خلاف اعتراضات کی سماعت مکمل کر چکی تھی تاہم فیصلہ محفوظ کرلیا گیا تھا جو آج سہ پہر ڈیڑھ بجے کے قریب سنایا گیا ۔ میاں نواز شریف کی جانب سے ان کے وکیل اشتر اوصاف نے پیروی کی ۔ اس موقع پر عدالت کے اندر اور باہر مسلم لیگ (ن) کے کارکن بہت بڑی تعداد میں موجود تھے جیسے ہی میاں نواز شریف کے کاغذات منظور کرنے کا اعلان کیا گیا کمرہ عدالت اور عدالت کا احاطہ وزیراعظم نواز شریف کے نعروں سے گونج اٹھا ۔ مسلم لیگی کارکن دیر تک بھنگڑے ڈالتے اور نعرہ بازی کرتے رہے جبکہ اس موقع پر کارکنوں میں مٹھائی بھی تقسیم کی گئی ۔ اس موقع پر مسلم لیگ (ن) لائیرز ونگ کے رہنما نصیر احمد بھٹہ نے صحافیوں سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ مخالفین نے جو الزامات لگائے تھے بدنیتی پر مبنی اور جھوٹے تھے جسے ریٹرننگ آفیسر نے مسترد کردیا ۔ عدالت کا یہ فیصلہ تاریخی اہمیت کا حامل ہے ۔ ایک سوال کے جواب میں انہوں نے کہا کہ اگر مخالف امیدوار وں نے کاغذات نامزدگی منظور ہونے کے خلاف ہائیکورٹ میں اپیل کی تو ہم اس کا دفاع کریں گے ۔ این اے 123 سے حالیہ انتخابات میں مسلم لیگ (ن) کے سینئر نائب صدر مخدوم جاوید ہاشمی کامیاب ہوئے تھے جنہوں نے یہ نشست خالی کردی تھی ۔
۔ ۔ میاں شہبازشریف کے پی پی ١٥٤ سے کاغذات نامزدگی منظور کرلئے گئے
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کے صدر میاں شہبازشریف کے صوبائی اسمبلی کے حلقہ 154سے ضمنی الیکشن لڑنے کیلئے کاغذات نامزدگی منظور کرلئے گئے۔ ریٹرننگ آفیسر ابراہیم اصغر نے مخالف امیدواروں کے تمام اعتراضات مسترد کرتے ہوئے میاں شہبازشریف کو الیکشن لڑنے کا اہل قرار دے دیا۔ تفصیلات کے مطابق میاں شہبازشریف جو وزیراعلی پنجاب کے بھی امیدوار ہیں کے پی پی 154سے کاغذات نامزدگر پر مسلم لیگ (ق) کے اخلاق گڈو اور نور الہی نے اعتراضات داخل کئے تھے اور الزام لگایا تھا کہ میاں شہبازشریف بینک نادہندہ ہیں۔ سپریم کورٹ حملہ کیس میں ملوث ہونے کے علاوہ وہ 14اپریل کو رائے ونڈ میں پریس کانفرنس میں بھی توہین عدالت کے مرتکب ہوئے جس کی ویڈیو عدالت کو فراہم کی گئی لیکن عدالت نے یہ تمام الزامات مسترد کرتے ہوئے محفوظ کیا گیا اپنا فیصلہ سنایا اور میاں شہبازشریف کو الیکشن لڑنے کا اہل قرار دیدیا۔
سلمان تاثیرگورنر پنجاب مقرر ، کل حلف اٹھائیں گے
اسلام آباد۔ گورنر پنجاب خالد مقبول کی جگہ سلمان تاثیر کو نیا گورنر مقرر کر دیاگیا ہے ۔ذرائع کے مطابق گورنر پنجاب خالد مقبول کی جگہ سلمان تاثیر کے نام کی منظوری آصف زرداری نے ایک اعلیٰ سطح کے اجلاس میں دی ہے اور وہ جمعے کے روز اپنے اس عہدے کا حلف اٹھائیں گے۔ اس تبدیلی کی وجہ پنجاب کی سیاست میں پیپلز پارٹی کے کردار کو بہتر بنانا بتایا جا رہا ہے۔ واضح رہے کہ صوبوں میں گورنرز کی تبدیلی کا اختیار صرف وفاق کو حاصل ہے۔ جنرل ( ر ) خالد مقبول نے آج جمعرات کے روز اپنا استعفیٰ صدر جنرل پرویز مشرف کو پہنچا دیا پنجاب کے نئے گورنر سلمان تاثیر ہفتے کی صبح حلف اٹھائیں گے
سلمان تاثیر متنازع شخص ہے ، بطور گورنر اس کی تعیناتی پنجاب حکومت کو ہارس ٹریڈنگ کے ذریعے غیر مستحکم اور پیپلز پارٹی اور مسلم لیگ (ن) میں دوریاں پیدا ک
لاہور۔ پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کے رہنما وسینئر وفاقی وزیر چودھری نثار علی خان نے سلمان تاثیر کی بطور گورنر پنجاب تعیناتی پر تشویش کا اظہار کرتے ہوئے اسے پنجاب حکومت کو ہارس ٹرینگ کے ذریعے غیر مستحکم کرنے کی سازش قرار دیا ہے اور اپنی اتحادی جماعت پیپلز پارٹی سے استفسار کیا ہے کہ وہ بتائے کہ اس تقرری میں اس کی کس حد تک رضامندی شامل ہے۔ انہوں نے یہ بھی مطالبہ کیا کہ مسلم لیگ (ن) کے جن وفاقی وزراء نے استعفے دیئے ہیں وزیراعظم ان پر کاروائی کرتے ہوئے آگے فارورڈ کریں تاکہ ان کو منطقی انجام تک پہنچایا جاسکے۔ ان خیالات کا اظہار انہوں نے میاں نوازشریف کی ماڈل ٹاؤن رہائش گاہ پر پریس کانفرنس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے کیا۔ ا س موقع پر پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کے میڈیا ایڈوائزر پرویز رشید، رکن قومی اسمبلی ایاز صادق اور دیگر رہنما بھی موجود تھے۔ چودھری نثار علی خان نے کہا کہ جنرل (ر) پرویز مشرف کی آمریت کا مسلم لیگ (ن) آٹھ سال سے مقابلہ کررہی ہے۔ انہوں نے بار بار کہا کہ میاں نوازشریف اور محترمہ بے نظیر بھٹو وطن واپس نہیں آسکتے وہ انہیں واپس آنے سے تو نہ روک سکے لیکن 18فروری کو دیئے جانے والے عوامی مینڈیٹ کے خلاف سازشوں میں مصروف ہیں۔ انہوں نے کہاکہ فی الحال سلمان تاثیر کی بطور گورنر تقرری کا مقصد یہاں گورنر راج قائم کرنا نظر نہیں آرہا تاہم پنجاب حکومت کو غیر مستحکم کرنے کی سازش ضرور ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) پیپلز پارٹی کی اتحادی ہے لیکن ہمیں اس تعیناتی میں اعتماد میں نہیں لیا گیا جس پر نہ صرف ہم احتجاج کرتے ہیں بلکہ پیپلز پارٹی سے وضاحت بھی چاہتے ہیں۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ مسلم لیگ (ن) اس قدر کمزور نہیں ہے کہ ایک متنازع شخص گورنر بن کر سب سے بڑے صوبے پنجاب کے عوام کے مینڈیٹ کو روند سکے ۔ ہم اس کا بھرپور مقابلہ کریں گے اور ہمارے نزدیک سلمان تاثیر کا بھی وہی سٹیٹس ہوگا جو اس کے پیش رو کا تھا۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ ایسے اقدامات پر مسلم لیگ (ن) اشتعال میں نہیں آئے گی کیونکہ ہم ملک میں غیر یقینی کیفیت پیدا نہیں کرنا چاہتے اور چھوٹی چھوٹی باتوں کو اتحاد کے ٹوٹنے کی وجہ نہیں بنائیں گے۔ اس سوال پر کہ پیپلز پارٹی کے شریک چیئرمین معزول ججوں کو پارلیمنٹ کے مشترکہ اجلاس میں قرار داد پیش کرکے بحال کرنے کی بات کررہے ہیں کیا یہ مسلم لیگ (ن) کیلئے قابل قبول ہوگا انہوں نے کہا کہ جب یہ بات ٹیبل پر آئے گی تو دیکھیں گے اور گورنر پنجاب کی تعیناتی سے متعلق بھی پیپلز پارٹی کا موقف سامنے آنے کے بعد اپنے موقف کی مزید وضاحت کریں گے۔ انہوں نے کہاکہ اگر پیپلز پارٹی سمیت اتحادی جماعتوں کے تحفظات دور ہوجائیں جنرل (ر) پرویز مشرف ایک دن کیلئے بھی صدر نہیں رہ سکتے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ 18فروری کو مشرف کے خلاف عوامی مینڈیٹ کے باوجود ابھی تک 18فروری سے پہلے والی پالیسیاں ہی جاری ہیں۔ باجوڑ اور وزیرستان پر اسی طرح بمباری ہورہی ہے۔ گمشدہ افراد، ڈاکٹر قدیر خان کے حوالے سے بھی وہی پالیسی موجود ہے۔ جس پر مسلم لیگ (ن) کا واضح موقف ہے جس سے سب آگاہ ہیں۔ جنرل (ر) پرویز مشرف کی رخصتی کے بغیر پاکستان میں استحکام پیدا نہیں ہوسکتا اور نہ ہی غیر ملکی دباؤ میں کمی آسکتی ہے۔ ایک سوال کے جواب میں انہوں نے کہا کہ پرویز مشرف سلمان تاثیر جیسے متنازع شخص کو جو کسی بھی بڑے عہدے پر فائز ہونے کا اہل نہیں ہے کو گورنر پنجاب بنا کر ایک تیر سے دو شکار کرنا چاہتے ہیں۔ ایک جانب وہ پنجاب حکومت کو غیر مستحکم کرنا چاہتے ہیں تو دوسری طرف پیپلز پارٹی اور مسلم لیگ (ن) کے درمیان دوریاں پیدا کرنا چاہتے ہیں لیکن مسلم لیگ (ن) اشتعال میں نہیں آئے گی اور اتحاد میں رہتے ہوئے ججوں کی بحالی کیلئے تحریک بھی چلائے گی اور ملکی اداروں اور وفاقی حکومت کو غیر مستحکم بھی نہیں ہونے دے گی۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ پرویز مشرف ایک بار پھر سر اٹھانے لگے ہیں اور ق لیگ کی قیادت تبدیل کرکے نئے منصوبے بنا رہے ہیں جنہیں کامیاب نہیں ہونے دیا جائے گا۔
ڈمہ ڈولا حملے کی تحقیقات کی جا رہی ہیں پاکستانی حدود میں پاکستان کی سیکورٹی فورسز ہی کسی بھی کارروائی کی مجاز ہیں ۔ترجمان دفترخارجہ
اسلام آباد۔ پاکستان نے کہا ہے کہ کشمیر کی تقسیم پر پاکستان اوربھارت کے درمیان کوئی مذاکرات نہیں ہو رہے امید ہے پاک بھارت جامع مذاکرات کے آئندہ دور میں مسئلہ کشمیر سمیت دیگرمتنازعہ امور پر مثبت پیش رفت ہو گی ۔ ڈمہ ڈولا میں ہونے والے حملے کی تحقیقات کی جا رہی ہیں پاکستانی حدود میں پاکستان کی سیکورٹی فورسز ہی کسی بھی کارروائی کی مجاز ہیں ۔وزیراعظم یوسف رضاگیلانی ورلڈ اکنامک فورم کے اجلاس میںشرکت کے لیے 17 سے 20 مئی تک مصر کا دورہ کریں گے جہاں وہ امریکی صدر بش سمیت دیگر عالمی راہنماؤں سے ملاقاتیں بھی کریں گے۔ ان خیالات کا اظہار دفترخارجہ کے ترجمان محمد صادق نے جمعرات کو اپنی ہفتہ وار پریس بریفنگ سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے کیا ۔ترجمان دفتر خارجہ نے بتایا کہ وزیراعظم سید یوسف رضا گیلانی مصری وزیراعظم احمد نزیف کی دعوت پر مشرق وسطی پر ورلڈاکنامک فورم کے اجلاس میںشرکت کے لیے 17 سے 20 مئی تک مصر کا دورہ کریںگے۔انہوں نے بتایا کہ اجلاس میںشرکت کے علاوہ وزیراعظم امریکی صدر بش ، مصری صدر حسنی مبارک، افغان صدر حامد کرزئی ، مصری وزیراعظم احمد نزیف اورفلسطینی اتھارٹی کے وزیراعظم سلام فیاض سے بھی ملاقات کریںگے۔ ترجمان نے ایک سوال کے جواب میں بتایا کہ گزشتہ روز ڈمہ ڈولا پر ہونے والے حملے کی تحقیقات کی جا رہی ہیں ابھی تک یہ معلوم نہیں ہو سکا کہ یہ میزائل حملہ تھا، راکٹ حملہ تھا یا گھر میں موجود بارودی دھماکے کے نتیجے میں واقعہ پیش آیا ۔انہوں نے کہا کہ سرحد پار سے کسی بھی حملے کے حوالے سے پاکستان کی پالیسی بہت واضح ہے کہ پاکستان کے علاقے میں کسی بھی قسم کی کارروائی کی ذمہ اری پاکستان سیکورٹی فورسز کی ہے اور اگر کوئی سرحدی خلاف ورزی کا مرتکب ہوتا ہے تو اس پر احتجاج کے لیے ایک طریقہ کار موجود ہے جبکہ اعلی سطح پر بھی احتجاج کیا جاتا ہے ۔ا نہوں نے کہا کہ ڈمہ ڈولا میں حملے کی تحقیقات مکمل ہونے پر ہی ردعمل ظاہر کریںگے ایک اور سوال پر ترجمان نے کہا کہ پاکستان بھارت اورکشمیری عوام مسئلہ کشمیر کے تین فریق ہیں۔ انہوں نے اس تاثر کی نفی کی کشمیر کی تقسیم سے متعلق پاکستان اوربھارت کے درمیان کسی قسم کے مذاکرات ہو رہے ہیں پاک بھارت جامع مذاکرات کے حوالے سے ترجمان نے بتایا کہ پاک بھارت وزراء خارجہ مذاکرات 21 مئی کو اسلام آباد میں منعقد ہوں گے ۔ جبکہ سیکرٹری خارجہ سطح پر مذاکرات 20 مئی کو ہوںگے۔ انہوں نے بتایا کہ ان مذاکرات کے ایجنڈے میں امن وسلامتی ،جموںو کشمیر ، سیاچن ، سرکریک ، وولر بیراج، دہشت گردی اور انسدادمنشیات ، معاشی تعاون اور دوستانہ وفود کے تبادلوں کا فروغ شامل ہے ۔انہوں نے کہا کہ پاکستان بھارت کے ساتھ دوستانہ اور اچھے تعلقات کا خواہش مند ہے ۔ انہوں نے کہاکہ پاکستان امن عمل کے لیے پرعزم ہے اور جموںو کشمیر سمیت تمام متنازعہ امور کا پرامن حل چاہتا ہے ۔ ایک سوال پرترجمان نے کہا کہ ہم نے میڈیا میں رپورٹس دیکھی ہیں لیکن بھارتی حکومت کی طرف سے کسی نے جے پور دھماکوں کا الزام پر پاکستان پر عائد نہیں کیا ۔ ہم نے ان دھماکوںکی مذمت کی تھی اور ہم دنیا میں کسی بھی جگہ دہشت گردی کی کارروائیوں کی مذمت کرتے ہیں ۔پاکستان جے پور دھماکوں میں ہلاک و زخمی ہونے والے افرادکے لواحقین سے اظہار ہمدردی کرتا ہے ۔ ڈاکٹر شیریں مزاری کی برطرفی کے حوالے سے ترجمان نے بتایا کہ ان کو تبدیل کرنے کی کوئی خاص وجہ نہیں انہوں نے انسٹیٹیوٹ آف سٹریجک سٹڈیز کی طویل مدت تک سربراہی کی اور ان کی خدمات قابل تعریف ہیں
جعلسازی کے ذریعے قائم کی گئی اسرائیلی ریاست کو نیست و نابود کر دیں گے ، ایرانی صدر
تہران ۔ ایران کے صدر محمود احمدی نژاد نے کہا ہے کہ اسرائیل دم توڑ رہا ہے اور یہ کہ مغربی ایشیاء کے عوام اگر موقع ملے تواسے تباہ کر دیں گے ۔ احمدی نژاد کا یہ بیان ایسے وقت میں سامنے آیا ہے جب کہ امریکا کے صدر جارج ڈبلیو بش اسرائیل کی ساٹھویں سالگرہ کے جشن میں حصہ لینے کے لیے مغربی ایشیاء کے دورے پر آج ہی تل ابیب پہنچے ہیں ۔ احمدی نژاد نے ایران کے شمالی شہر گورگن میں کہاکہ صیہونی حکومت دم توڑ رہی ہے ۔ انہوںنے اسرائیل کا حوالہ دیتے ہوئے کہا مجرمین یہ تصور کر رہے ہیں کہ جشن کی تقاریب منعقد کرتے ہوئے وہ صیہونی حکومت کو وہ موت سے بچا سکتے ہیں ۔ انہیں ( صیہونیوں کو ) یہ جان لینا چاہیے کہ علاقہ کے ممالک اس جعلی اور مجرم حکومت سے نفرت کرتے ہیں اور اگر انہیں چھوٹے سے چھوٹا اور مختصر ترین موقع دے دیا جائے تو علاقہ کے یہ ممالک اسے نیست و نابود کر دیں گے۔دریں اثناء ایرانی صدر نے ایک انٹرویو میں کہا کہ اسرائیل جعل سازی کے ذریعے قائم کی گئی ریاست ہے اس کو یہ بات جان لینی چاہیے کہ خطے کے ممالک اس سے نفرت کرتے ہیں ۔ اگر تھوڑا سا بھی موقع ملا تو یہ ممالک اسرائیل کا وجود جڑ سے ختم کر دیں گے۔ ایرانی صدر کا کہنا تھا کہ یہودی ریاست موت کے دہانے پر پہنچ چکی ہے اور اس کے قیام کی ساٹھویں سالگرہ منانا ایسے ہی ہے جیسے کسی مردہ شخص کی سالگرہ منائی جائے۔
مہاراجہ نیپال کو شاہی محل خالی کرنے کا الٹی میٹم دیدیا گیا
کٹھٹمندو۔ کمیونسٹ پارٹی نیپال ( ماؤ نواز) کے صدر پراچندا نے مہارجاہ نیپال گیانندرا کو دستور ساز اسمبلی کی پہلی میٹنگ سے ایک دن قبل یعنی 27 مئی تک نارائن ہتی محل چھوڑ دینے کا الٹی میٹم دیاہے۔ذرائع ابلاغ کی ایک اطلاع میں یہ بات بتائی گئی ۔ سیاسی جماعتوں نے قانون ساز اسمبلی کے 28 مئی کے پہلے ہی اجلاس میں نیپال سے بادشاہت ختم کرنے اور نیپال کو ایک وفاقی جمہوری ملک میں تبدیل کرنے کا اعلان کرنے سے اتفاق کرلیا ہے۔ نیپال کے ایک خبررساں ادارہ نے پراچندا کے حوالہ سے بتایا کہ اگر مہاراجہ بخوسی محل سے تخلیہ نہیں کرتے ہیں تو پھر انہیں بزور طاقت محل چھوڑنے پر مجبور کیا جائے گا ۔ پراچندا نے وضاحت کردی ہے کہ ان کی پارٹی بادشاہت کی کسی بھی عمل کو کسی بھی حالت میں قبول نہیں کرے گی ۔ انہوں نے مزید کہا کہ اگر مہاراجہ سیاسی عملک و آگے بڑھانے میں تعاون کرتے ہیں تو پھر انہیں ان تمام حقوق سے استفادہ کرنے کا موقع دیا جائے گا۔ جو ایک عام شہری کو حاصل ہوتے ہیں واضح رہے کہ پچھلے ماہ منعقدہ دستور ساز اسمبلی کے انتخابات میں بادشاہت کی حمایت کرنے والا ایک بھی نمائندہ کامیاب نہیں ہوا۔ ماؤ نواز چیئرمین پرچنڈا نے نیپال کے شاہ گیانندر کو 27 مئی تک محل چھوڑنے کا الٹی میٹم دیا ہے چونکہ 28 مئی کو آئین ساز ساز اسمبلی کی پہلی میٹنگ ہونی ہے اس لیے وہ چاہتے ہیں کہ ایک روز قبل شاہ نارائن ہیتی محل چھوڑدیں ۔اجلاس کے پہلے ہی دن بادشاہت کو ختم کرکے نیپال کو وفاقی جمہوریہ قرار دینے پر آمادگی ہو چکی ہے ۔ نیپال نیوز کے مطابق پرچنڈا نے کہا اگر بادشاہ رضا کارانہ طورسے محل نہیں چھوڑتے تو پھر انہیں زبرستی وہاں سے نکالا جائے گا۔ انہوں نے یہ واضح کردیا کہ ان کی پارٹی بادشاہت کو کسی بھی شکل میں برداشت نہیں کر ے گی مگر بادشاہ سیاسی عمل میں تعاون کرتا ہے تو اسے عام شہریوں جیسے حقوق دئیے جائیں گے ۔ بادشاہت حامی ایک بھی نمائند ہ پچھلے ماہ کے الیکشن میں نہیں جیتا ہے ۔
Pakistan stands by China in difficult times: PM
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday expressed grief over the loss of lives in China due to massive earthquake, and said Pakistan stands by its brotherly country in this difficult hour.
“The loss of human lives in China is also considered a loss for Pakistan. I assure you that at this odd hour, we are with you and stand by you,” the Prime Minister said during his visit to Chinese embassy to offer condolence with the ambassador on quake tragedy.
The Prime Minister expressed sorrow over the colossal loss of lives and property in Sichuan province in the wake of 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the region, killing more than 15,000 people.
In his comments in the visitors’ book placed at the embassy, the Prime Minister wrote, “In these moments of grief for the Chinese people, the whole Pakistani nation join me in extending the families of the deceased most profound condolences.”
The Prime Minister said he also conveyed his condolence to the Premier of the State Council and assured solidarity with the people of China.
“We hope that the great Chinese nation will overcome the tragic phase at the soonest,” he said.
Later in a separate meeting with the Ambassador of China Luo Zhaohui, the President expressed sorrow over the tragic incident that claimed thousands of lives.
Gilani said Pakistan enjoys excellent relations with China, which stands as a cornerstone of its foreign policy.
He recalled his visits to China and expressed the confidence that the time-tested Pakistan-China friendship would continue to flourish in the times to come.
The Ambassador thanked the government of Pakistan for its assistance in the hour of need.
“A friend in need is a friend indeed, and we appreciate that Pakistan stands by us in this hour.”
Secretary Foreign Affairs Salman Bashir and senior officials also attended the meeting.
Govt pursuing amendments in laws to promote media freedom: Sherry
Ch.Ahsan Premee
Staff writer,APS
ISLAMABAD : Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman Thursday said taking all stakeholders on board the government was working to amend laws in order to promote freedom of expression. Speaking at a Media Stakeholders Conference, she said PEMRA laws against media have already been withdrawn and more amendments are in the pipeline to ensure freedom of media.A large number of senior journalists, representatives of civil society and office-bearers of newspaper workers’ organizations attended the conference.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and its allies are committed to bringing openness, transparency and accountability in government working, she said.
The government always considers the working community as its strength and would take all possible steps to ensure their welfare, she added.
The Minister stressed that now the Information Ministry would become a facilitator to the media.
Sherry Rehman asked the participants of the conference to give their proposals on how to restructure the existing laws to ensure freedom of expression in the country.
The government would take all possible steps to provide safety to the working journalists including cameramen who perform their duty under risk, she said.
She said a summary for creation of a Fund for Victim Journalists has been sent to the Prime Minister and after his approval it would become operational.
“The Fund is being created to compensate the families of those journalists who lose their lives in the line of duty,” she added.
She assured that all the amendments made in Press and Publication Ordinance last year at the time of imposition of emergency would be removed.
The Minister said the Pakistan People’s Party has always supported the cause of freedom of expression and has fought for it along with the civil society.
The representatives of Columnist of Pakistan(CAP) Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation (APNEC) urged the government to take steps for early constitution of 8th Wage Board Award.
They also called for linking of official advertisements with implementation of Wage Board Award.
ISLAMABAD : Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman Thursday said taking all stakeholders on board the government was working to amend laws in order to promote freedom of expression. Speaking at a Media Stakeholders Conference, she said PEMRA laws against media have already been withdrawn and more amendments are in the pipeline to ensure freedom of media.A large number of senior journalists, representatives of civil society and office-bearers of newspaper workers’ organizations attended the conference.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and its allies are committed to bringing openness, transparency and accountability in government working, she said.
The government always considers the working community as its strength and would take all possible steps to ensure their welfare, she added.
The Minister stressed that now the Information Ministry would become a facilitator to the media.
Sherry Rehman asked the participants of the conference to give their proposals on how to restructure the existing laws to ensure freedom of expression in the country.
The government would take all possible steps to provide safety to the working journalists including cameramen who perform their duty under risk, she said.
She said a summary for creation of a Fund for Victim Journalists has been sent to the Prime Minister and after his approval it would become operational.
“The Fund is being created to compensate the families of those journalists who lose their lives in the line of duty,” she added.
She assured that all the amendments made in Press and Publication Ordinance last year at the time of imposition of emergency would be removed.
The Minister said the Pakistan People’s Party has always supported the cause of freedom of expression and has fought for it along with the civil society.
The representatives of Columnist of Pakistan(CAP) Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation (APNEC) urged the government to take steps for early constitution of 8th Wage Board Award.
They also called for linking of official advertisements with implementation of Wage Board Award.
Pakistan, Turkey ties to further strengthened: Musharraf
RAWALPINDI: President Pervez Musharraf, lauding Turkey’s help to Pakistan in the aftermath of the devastating Oct 8 earthquake, said Thursday that the strong ties between the two countries would continue to deepen in the times ahead. Talking to Engin Yilmaz, Chairman Lighthouse Association, a Turkish NGO, the President appreciated the efficiency and quality of their work in construction of educational institutions in Azad Kashmir’s quake-battered areas.
The organization has built 14 schools and one teacher training institution in Azad Kashmir, including Hazara University, which will be completed by 2009.
The President said he had personally seen the buildings and particularly noted the high quality of construction.
Engin Yilmaz thanked the President for his personal interest in the completion of the educational institutions built by his NGO.
“We are happy to help Pakistan because of our love for you, Pakistan and its people,” he said.
He said it was difficult to work in other countries, but Pakistan was an exception because people here loved and fully cooperated with their Turkish brothers.
He said his organization was working in 40 countries, but one-fifth of the organization’s budget of US$ 20 million has been set aside for building educational institutions in Pakistan.
PM to visit Sharm El-Sheikh from May 17-20 to attend WEF on Middle East
ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani will visit Egypt from May 17 to 20 on the invitation of Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif to attend the World Economic Forum on Middle East.
“Besides addressing special session entitled ‘Global leader in the spotlight’ Prime Minister Gilani is expected to meet President Bush on the sidelines of the meeting,” said the Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Sadiq in his weekly briefing.
The spokesman said Pakistan has been regular participant in the Forums’s activities at the highest level and the Prime Minister will also address the Arab Business Council on May 19.
The Forum will provide an opportunity for interaction with region’s key political and economic leaders, and presentation of Pakistan’s perspective on the political and economic issues.
The spokesman said Prime Minister Gilani is also expected to meet other leaders on the sidelines of the meeting including Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Prime Minister of Palestinian Authority Salam Fayyad.
The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
The Prime Minister will return on May 20, the spokesman said.
Sherry for ensuring countrywide seismic-resistant schools, hospitals
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman Thursday called for further strengthening government and civil society partnership in ensuring the safer construction and building for schools as well as hospitals in the country. “There is a scope to improve as long as we can all forge partnerships and work together. It is also our mandate to provide shelter to the people and we now add the new terminology of safer shelters or safer buildings,” she said while addressing a two-day international conference on School Safety. Sherry Rehman said in the years to come we will see smiles in the eyes of the children going to school, a sense of security and confidence in their future, as their future is the future of Pakistan.
The Conference was organized by Agha Khan Planning and Building Service,Pakistan in collaboration with Focus Humanitarian Assistance and Agha Khan Development Network (AKDN) against the backdrop of October 2005 earthquake that claimed lives of 17,000 school children due to destruction of school buildings in affected areas.
She said the building of a hospital or a school where there is a larger congregation of people, precise information historical data on intensity of earthquakes that have occurred within a radius of 300 km has to be collected.
In developed countries, this is a normal practice, she said and added but in this part of the globe, safety of school buildings and hospitals is perhaps the last priority.
“We need to take concrete steps to ensure this does not happen again, our children are safe in the school and our rural women are safe in their homes,” Sherry Rehman said.
Emphasizing the importance of a massive awareness drive, Sherry Rehman said it is required to enlighten the masses across the country.
“It is high time that big builders are brought under a confederation which keeps updating their knowledge about the advantages of earthquake resistant buildings,” she added.
Regarding the conference, the Minister said it is indeed a momentous occasion to see so many people gathered here to share best practices and advocate the concept of ‘School Safety’ for the future generations of Pakistan and the region.
She said no one knows exactly how many people died in the earthquake that rocked the nation in the morning on October 8, 2005.
However, estimates show that many of the 70,000 or more who were killed were women at home and children in school and it is estimated that at least 17,000 school children died when 6,700 schools were destroyed in NWFP and 1,300 in Azad Kashmir while millions were left homeless.
She said soon after the earthquake, teams after teams of experts visited the affected areas, adding that each expert had his own notions of safety and plans for future safety. The government accepted some recommendations and did implement some of them. However, the masses remained deprived of the provisions made by the government, because there is hardly any awareness amongst them.
The Minister said people of NWFP and Azad Kashmir have become quite aware about the significance of earthquake-resistant construction of houses.
She also commended AKDN for its efforts undertaken on the subject of school safety and a safely-built environment.
She expressed the hope the consolidation of best practices and knowledge will result in a firm set of recommendations for the government, private sector and other stakeholders.
In his introductory remarks, President of Agha Khan National Council for Pakistan, Iqbal Walji highlighted the objectives of the conference and said it would provide an opportunity for collaboration between important stakeholders to develop a proactive approach in designing integral policies for safer, seismic-resistant schools.
Punjab Governor resigns
LAHORE : Punjab Governor Lt Gen (retd) Khalid Maqbool resigned on Thursday. A spokesman of Governor’s House said here that the outgoing Governor has sent his resignation to President Pervez Musharraf.
He said the new Governor, Salman Taseer will take oath tomorrow , Friday at 6 pm at Governor House.
Khalid Maqsool was appointed Governor of the province way back on October 28,2001 and he remained in the office for six and a half years, the longest ever stay by any Governor in the history of the Province.
Nawaz vows to stand by government
ISLAMABAD : Pakistan Muslim League (N) Quaid Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Thursday vowed to continue his unflinching support to the government for the cause of strengthening democracy and thwarting designs of undemocratic forces.
Talking to Geo News channel, he said conspiracies were being hatched against the democratic system and he would do his utmost to foil such attempts against the PPP government.
He urged political forces to abolish the 17th amendment, ensure reforms in judiciary and reinstate deposed judges to pre-Nov 3, 2007 position.
Nawaz Sharif said PML-N would support political parties and lawyers in their struggle to reinstate independent judiciary and urged people to join the movement.
He said he would prefer quitting politics rather than accepting the unlawful sacking of judges. He said a judge of superior courts could be removed only through the procedure laid down in article 209.
Nawaz Sharif said restoration of judges was an obligation of all political forces and vowed that the objective would be achieved.
4 rockets land in Badabair, no casualty reported: SSP Operations
PESHAWAR: Four rockets believed to be fired from adjoining Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency hit Badaber area on Peshawar-Kohat road, damaging police a post, SSP Operations, Syed Imtiaz Ali Shah said on Thursday.
“No casualty has been reported,” Shah told news agency by phone. He said that one of the rockets hit the police post Sephan in the precinct of Badaber police station while another three landed in the nearby fields. He said that police post was badly damaged as result of explosion. Meanwhile, the blast rocked the area, which terrorized the local people. The bang of explosion was heard in long distance. Police has started investigations. The rocket was believed to be of Russian origin.
Resolution to be presented in joint session of parliament to reinstate judges: Asif Zardari
AHSAN PREMEE
ISLAMABAD : Co-Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Asif Ali Zardari has said that a resolution is being prepared and will be presented in joint session of the parliament for the reinstatement of deposed judges. “We are preparing a resolution to bring it in a joint house”, he said this while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman, Minster for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Jehangir Badar and Raza Rabbani were also present on this occasion.
He said that dialogue process was still underway with PLM-N and Nawaz Sharif.
“I am not ready to leave Nawaz Sharif”, he said, adding this might be a major issue for media, but not in his viewpoint.
Asif Zardari said that Nawaz Sharif wanted reinstatement of the judges through a notification, but his legal team was of view that any notification and de-notification would lead to constitutional crisis which they want to avoid.
He said that sitting judges might issue stay order against any notification which would create new constitutional crisis.
He said that JUI-F, MQM, ANP and PML-N held their own opinion about judges’ issue, adding they have disagreemt with PLM-N on one point.
Asif Zardari said that movement for reinstatement of judges was started by PPP and party’s workers sacrifice their lives for the cause.
He said that PPP wanted to get revenge of martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto in the shape of bringing about a change in the system. “Democracy is the best revenge” , he repeated the words of Benazir Bhutto. He said that reconciliation process was continuing with all political parties and even with those who cut his tongue and put him behind the bars for several years.
Asif Zardari said that there was no threat to Punjab government and ‘minus Nawaz Sharif formula’ was not acceptable to him.
He said that he would soon hold a meeting with Prime Minister to explore further position in this connection.
Replying to a question, he said that US officials had been holing talks with Pakistan leadership because they were very much concerned about war on terror, adding they support democracy in Pakistan.
Re-entry into C’wealth to give new impetus to Pakistan govt: Speaker
Staff writer,Ahsan Premee
ISLAMABAD : Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza said on Wednesday that Pakistan’s re-entry into the Commonwealth was evidence of the trust and confidence of the World Community it has reposed in the new elected government and restoration of true democracy in the country.
While welcoming the Commonwealth decision the Speaker said that it was earnest desire of the world democracies that Pakistan returns to democracy and the sovereignty of Parliament established.
After the February 18 elections the country has returned to democracy and the process was started and transition of power to the elected government has been completed.
The Speaker said that the re-entry of Pakistan into Commonwealth will give new impetus to the newly elected government, strengthening the Parliament and democratic institutions in Pakistan.
She said that during IPU conference at Cape Town,South Africa,she raised the issue of Pakistan entry into Commonwealth with the Parliamentarians of the member countries.She said she had ensured the world leaders that true democracy was restored in Pakistan and the Parliament was completed and sovereign.
She said that the Parliamentarians of the member countries were fully convinced that Pakistan’s membership needed to be restored and this restoration would strengthen democratic process in Pakistan.
Lauding the Commonwealth decision to allow Pakistan’s re-entry,the Speaker said that the step would boot the Pakistan’s new government and will go a long way in strengthening the democratic process in the country.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
