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Extremists suspected in Defence bomb blast
62 file papers for NA, PA by-elections
Muttahida, others irked at PAC chief's election
Cradles on side walks save many babies
8 tribesmen die over land dispute
ANP blames MMA for 'imposition' of NSC
Yadokhels refuse to help trace al-Qaeda, Taliban men
No reduction in US visas for Pak students: Adward
Bush was forewarned of hijackings
Extremists suspected in Defence bomb blast
KARACHI, April 11: Police suspect involvement of religious extremists in the Saturday's bomb explosion near the Golf Club in Defence, where an Indian singer was in concert.
Sources said that the sketch of a suspect was prepared with the help of the owner of the car, which was snatched at gunpoint and later used in the blast. There was a similarity in the sketch and the sketches of those involved in snatching the car used in the attack on Gulistan-i-Jauhar police station.
There was a strong possibility of the involvement of the same group in the Saturday's blast, they added. "It was not a suicide attack as the driver of the car fled well before it had exploded," chief investigator Manzoor Mughal told Dawn on Sunday.
He said that the car was snatched at gunpoint an hour before the blast around 9:30pm from Abdur Rasheed in Block-16 of Gulshan-i-Iqbal. The same car exploded 1.5 kilometres from the place of concert where Sonu Nigam performed.
Farrukh Zareen, 20, died in the blast, who was going to join the concert. Farrukh was the son of a serving sub-inspector. He said that six others were injured in the incident.
According to the police spokesman, an FIR No.83/04 was registered against unknown men at Darakhshan police station. Besides, another FIR 92/04 about the snatching of the car was registered at Aziz Bhatti police station.
62 file papers for NA, PA by-elections
KARACHI, April 11: By Saturday, 43 candidates filed their nomination papers for four vacant seats of the National Assembly in the province and 19 for two Sindh Assembly seats for the by-elections scheduled for May 12.
Saturday was the last day for the filing of the nominations. National Assembly seats, NA-240, Karachi II; NA-243, Karachi V; and NA-246, Karachi VIII, fell vacant after resignations by MNAs Sarkaruddin advocate, Sultan Ahmad Khan and Haji Azizullah Brohi, of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement while NA-236 fell vacant after Mohammad Khan Junejo of the Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) was unseated for want of educational qualification.
Provincial assembly seat PS-31, Khairpur, was declared vacant after the unseating of Bashir Ahmad Bhanbhan of the PML-F as he did not posses the required educational qualification and PS-127, Karachi XXXIX, fell vacant after the murder of Abdullah Murad of the People's Party Parliamentarians.
The scrutiny of nomination papers will be held from Monday till April 13 and appeals can be filed against their acceptance or rejection by April 16. The appeals will be decided by April 19.
The candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by April 20, the final list of the candidates will be announced on April 21 and the poling will be held on May 12 from 8am to 5pm. A number of candidates from the main political parties have filed nomination papers but the party tickets will be issued after the scrutiny of the papers.
CANDIDATES: NA-240 (Pak Colony and Baldia Town): Tasleem Farooqui, Minhaj Qazi, Arshad Qureshi and Abid Ali Umang from the MQM, Qari Dr Naseeruddin, Qari Mohammad Usman, Shireen Mohammad and Maulana Zainuddin from the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Sathi Ishaque and Mohammad Bux Lashari from the PPP, Mian Ejaz Shafi and Wazeer Naz Afridi from the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and Quadir Khan Mandokhel from the PML (Quaid-i-Azam).
NA-243 (Surjani Town and New Karachi): Abdul Waseem, Adil Khan, Waheed Ahmad, S.A. Nasar, Tasleem Farooqui and Minhaj Qazi from the MQM, Hafiz Mohammad Taqi and Anwar Ahmad Khan from the MMA and Dr Saleem from the PML-N.
NA-246 (Azizabad and F.B. Area): Ashfaq Ahmad Mangi, Nisar Panhwar and Yusuf Munir Shaikh from the MQM, Rashid Naseem, Intikhab Alam Soori, Syed Rashid Ahmad and Nusratullah from the MMA, Sohail Ansari from the PPP and Zahid Sultan from the PML-N.
NA-236 (Sanghar-III): Dr Ayub Shaikh, Omar Qureshi and Nooruddin Chandio from the MQM, Abdul Rehman Thaim and Mohammad Ali Shaikh from the PPP, Muhammad Hanif Khoso from the MMA and independents Fida Hussain Dero, Mukhtar Ali, Mushtaq Ahmad Adil, Liaquat Ali Marri, Hussain Bux Khaskheli and Shakeel Ahmad.
PS-91 (Khairpur-III): Syed Irshad Raza from the MQM, Zafar Hussain and Shaukat Ali from the PPP, Syed Mehtabuddin Shah, Dr Mohammad Rafique and Mohammad Nawaz from the PML-F and Syed Attaullah Shah Jilani, independent.
PS-127 (Karachi): Yousuf Munir Shaikh, Abdul Waseem, Iqbal Gulrez, Salahuddin, Shahbaz Hussain and Ashfaq Mangi from the MQM, Mohammad Omar Jat, Mohammad Arif Mithani, Abdul Waheed and Ghulam Akbar from the PPP, Mufti Mohammad Hanif of the MMA and Mohammad Ashraf Samon, independent.
RETURNING OFFICERS: For NA-236, Sanghar District and Sessions Judge Nabi Bakhsh H. Talpur will be district returning officer, Tando Adam Additional District and Sessions Judge Zulfiqar Ali Shah will be the returning officer and Tando Adam Senior Civil Judge Shafi Mohammad Pirzada and the civil judge and judicial magistrate No-I, Shahdadpur, will be assistant returning officers.
NA-240: Karachi West District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Jawaid Alam will be the DRO, Additional District and Sessions Judge-III Saad Qureshi the RO and Senior Civil judge-II Ghulam Rasool Samoo and Judicial Magistrate and Civil Judge-III, Mumtaz Solangi the AROs.
NA-243: Karachi Central District and Sessions Judge Syed Pir Ali Shah will be the DRO, Additional District and Sessions Judge Naseem Mansoor the RO and , civil judges and judicial magistrates Farzana Mushtaq and Nadeem Hussain the AROs.
NA-246: Karachi Central District and Sessions Judge Syed Pir Ali Shah will be the DRO, the second senior civil judge the RO and civil judges and judicial magistrates Mohammad Afzal Khan and Farooq Ahmed Abbasi the AROs.
PS-31: Khairpur District and Sessions Judge Nisar Mohammad Shaikh will be the DRO, Mirwah assistant sessions judge the RO and the first civil judge and judicial magistrate the ARO.
PS-127: Malir District and Sessions Judge Agha Rafiq Ahmed Khan will be the DRO, the first additional district and sessions judge the RO and the second civil judge and judicial magistrate the.
Muttahida, others irked at PAC chief's election
ISLAMABAD: The election of Malik Allah Yar from Attock as
chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has come as a big shock for a
number of powerful aspirants who were promised the post.
The boycott of election for the chairmanship of PAC
Saturday by Muttahida MNA Kunwar Khalid Younis is being termed as an
indication that all was not well within the coalition government of Jamali.
It is believed that had opposition members of the
Committee actively participated in election, the powerful constitutional post
could have been won by a joint candidate of the MMA, PPPP, Tehirek-e-Insaf
and PML-Nawaz. Majority of the opposition members abstained from the voting.
Malik Allah Yar’s election is considered as a victory
for the prime minister camp. He had given a tough fight to brother-in-law of
Shujaat and Pervaiz Elahi, Major Tahir, at the time of election of district
Nazim Attock and lost for a few votes.
Allaha Yar had got fame by making fiery speeches in favour
of infamous referendum of General Ziaul Haq in 1984. He was very close to
General Zia in those days but he always had deep differences with Nawaz
Sharif.
Different powerful players of the game were earlier
promised by relevant quarters that they would get the post of PAC chief. Some
political parties allied with the government even approached the presidency
to influence the prime minister and other decision makers in the government
to get the chairmanship.
The election of Mr Malik has come as a big shock
particularly for the top leadership of the Muttahida as its MNA Kunwar Khalid
Younis told journalists in private meetings that he was given a go ahead by
the powers that matter. The Muttahida was busy pushing the government to give
it chairmanship of at least four standing Committees including the PAC.
Cradles on side walks save many babies
KARACHI, April 11: The row of baby's cradles lined up on the pavement outside a welfare organization's office are empty. The sign above reads: "Do not murder, lay them here." It is a plea against infanticide.
"We've installed the cradles to motivate parents who might choose to kill their babies because they're born out of wedlock or for other reasons," explains Anwar Kazmi of the Edhi Foundation.
In February alone, 20 babies were found dead and discarded among garbage dumps and sewerage drains in Karachi. They ranged in age from one day to six months. Edhi workers buried the nameless children.
Now they are trying to give an alternative to parents who cave in to societal and religious condemnation of illegitimate births. Compulsive socio-religious pressure is so frightening that it turns a mother, frequently an underprivileged woman who has been raped, into a marauder, forcing her to brutally kill the infant and leave no trace of her identity, Kazmi said.
Two of the 20 babies whose bodies were found in February had been strangled. There are tales of babies left alive but abandoned. The cradles have won the attention of some mothers.
On average 26 babies each month are found in the 32 cradles outside Edhi's Karachi office. They are taken in and cared for by a cell of the foundation, which has been looking after abandoned babies for 40 years.
The children are later passed into the care of foster parents. "We have settled over 15,000 children by giving them to those married couples whose chances of bearing a child are weak. We ensure that they can care for the child," Kazmi said.
"Our main concern is the children's wellbeing before we entrust them to the couples." While the children are cared for, there are few steps to stop the practice of infanticide due to social pressure.
Abortion is prohibited in Pakistan, except when the mother's life is at risk from her pregnancy. Senior gynaecologist Sher Shah believes legalisation of abortion would help stem the killing of newborns, and save mothers from potentially fatal back-street terminations.
"Prohibition of induced abortion is one of the major causes (of the problem) as well as the mortality rate among the pregnant mothers in Pakistan," Shah said. Some religious scholars deem the cradles to be as haram as abortion, perceiving them as indirectly encouraging adultery.
"It is na-jaiz (illegitimate)," said Asfandyar Khan, scholar and head of an Islamic organization. "Such births and deaths can only be prevented by imposing Sharia in letter and spirit, which guarantees all kind of social, economic and personal justice." - AFP
8 tribesmen die over land dispute
KHAIRPUR: Seven people and an assailant were killed when
12 armed men attacked a rival group of tribesmen, harvesting wheat crop in
the field early Sunday morning in the jurisdiction of Ranipur police station
in Khairpur over a land dispute.
Reports said the raiders armed with modern weapons
resorted to indiscriminate fire on a group of Watrio tribesmen in Lal Watrio
village.
Seven people identified as Mukhtiar s/o Sadaro, Illahi
Bakhsh s/o Nisar, Shahid s/o Muhkamuddin, Tariq s/o Muhammad Qasim, Amjad s/o
Ghulam Rasool, Washed s/o Haji Nazal were killed on the spot while one
attacker, Abdul Kadir Junejo died and his associate Muhammad Malooque was
injured when a section of the farmers returned the fire. Growers Naveed and
Lalo s/o Shah Bakhsh Watrio were also injured.
The injured and the bodies were shifted to Gambat and
Ranipur hospitals.
Reports said police reached the scene after one hour and
collected the bodies.
An armed clash had occurred between the groups of Sarwar
Watrio and Fateh Muhammad Watrio two months ago over a piece of land, which
claimed one life from each side.
On Sunday supporters of the Fateh Watrio attacked men of
the Sarwar Watrio group.
Tension and scare has gripped Ranipur and its adjacent
areas. DSP Gambat Imdad Solangi said the situation is under control and a
police post has been established in the village. He said the attackers and
the dead were relatives.
Meanwhile, District Nazim Nafisa Shah Jillani has said she
will hold a meeting with the elite of Khairpur and take all necessary steps
to prevent a recurrence of the incident.
She appealed to the tribal chiefs as well as Pirs of
Khairpur to make all-out efforts for a patch-up between the two rival groups
of the Watrio tribe.
ANP blames MMA for 'imposition' of NSC
ISLAMABAD April 11: The Awami National Party has criticised the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal for resorting to what it termed politics of convenience, accusing it of indemnifying Gen Pervez Musharraf's actions by passing the 17th Amendment
, which ultimately led to the imposition of the National Security Council.
ANP's information secretary Zahid Khan told journalists at a news conference here at a local hotel on Sunday that the MMA was afforded what he called last opportunity to prove its worth as a political entity but the alliance had failed to fare well and had lost support even in NWFP.
About his party's joining of ARD, he said his party had constituted a committee for working out details with the alliance but no progress had been made on that account so far.
He said the ANP did not recognize Gen Pervez Musharraf as being the country's legitimate president as he was not elected in accordance with the provisions of the 1973 constitution.
The ANP, he said, favoured allowing all top leaders to return to the country, adding it would extend support if PML-N's president Shahbaz Sharif returned from abroad in the light of the Supreme Court judgment.
He said the ANP was convinced from the beginning that the MMA was involved in supporting Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, whom it had abandoned after their downfall was imminent.
He said the alliance, which was voted to power by the people in the name of Islam, had forgotten its real goal of Islamisation. The proof of its ignoring Islam could be gleaned from the fact that it never mentioned its name in its year-long talks with the central government and ultimately giving in to the military junta by passing the 17th Amendment.
Criticising MMA's secretary-general Maulana Fazlur Rehman's allegations suggesting the ANP's support to martial laws, he said it was the Maulana who had made compromises for the release of his two associates from NAB custody in Balochistan and one in the NWFP.
He reminded the journalists that Maulana Samiul Haq, leader of one of the MMA's component parties, had levelled serious allegations against the two top MMA leaders, Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Maulana Fazlur Rahman for using the alliance's name for their personal gains.
Mr Khan accused these leaders of securing huge financial benefits for supporting the government on issues, including the Legal Framework Order and the passing of the 17th Amendment.
He said the ANP was against military interventions in the national politics, adding it had opposed Gen Musharraf's referendum and was opposed to the very idea of setting up of the NSC, which he qualified as being nothing more than a mean for perpetuating military's interference in the civilian set up.
He, however, did not give a satisfactory answer when journalists reminded him the ANP chief, Senator Asfandyar Wali Khan from the Senate session in which the NSC bill had been moved and a debate was due on it. He said the party chief's visit to Balochistan was pre-arranged and the party would be represented during the session by Senator Ilyas Bilour.
Yadokhels refuse to help trace al-Qaeda, Taliban men
WANA: The tribal elders Sunday held talks with the
Zalikhel leaders during a jirga called to convince the sub-tribes of Zalikhel
to hand over the wanted local harbourers of al-Qaeda and Taliban suspects
hiding in the area under their control.
The elders of one sub-tribe, Yadokhel, refused to extend
their cooperation in locating Nek Muhammad, Muhammad Sharif, Abdul Aziz and
Gul Islam, government-wanted sympathizers of suspected militants and their
consequent handover to the political administration, saying they are unable
to do something in this regard.
During the jirga, the leaders of Usmankhel, Kakakhel,
Sheikh Wazirkhel and Yadokhel tribes apprised the jirga about their replies
to the government requests about cooperation in dislodging al-Qaeda and
Taliban suspects allegedly hiding in the Afghan-bordering areas controlled by
them.
Sardar Malik Behar Khan, the chief of Kakakhel tribe, said
the government wants one man of his tribe for providing sanctuary to the
suspected militants. He held out an assurance to the jirga that the wanted
man will be handed over to the political administration shortly. He said all
the demands and conditions of the administration will also be effectively met
in the future.
Sardar Malik Behar said no suspected militant will be left
in the area under their control and the tribal people will extend maximum
possible support and cooperation to the government in flushing out militants
from the area.
Elders of the Usmankhel tribe also came up with the same
standpoint against al-Qaeda and Taliban suspects and their local
sympathizers. However, Yadokhel tribe refused to extend their cooperation in
handing over Nek Muhammad, Muhammad Sharif, Abdul Aziz and Gul Islam, who are
accused of harbouring suspects in the area. They expressed their helplessness
in the matter, saying they were unable to arrest them.
The elders sought help of another tribe, Ahmedzai Wazir,
in the fight against militants allegedly hiding in the troubled area, where
the military forces carried out strong crackdown against alleged al-Qaeda and
Taliban suspects recently.
Meanwhile, the jirga decided that another meeting will be
held in Wana today (Monday) to settle the dispute with South Waziristan
administration. People are anticipating a big military offensive in the area
if the tribal jirga fails to sort out the imbroglio.
No reduction in US visas for Pak students: Adward
KARACHI: US councillor in Pakistan, Bernard Adward, has
said there was no reduction in US visa quota for Pakistani students after
9/11 tragedy.
He was addressing a seminar, held on the occasion of 14th
International Career Counselling Exhibition at Expo Centre Karachi organised
by World Learning Bureau (WLB) and British Council (BC).
He further claimed there were more than eight thousand
Pakistani students, while negating the impression that issuance of American
visas to Pakistani students was difficult.
Regarding conditions for
getting student visas, he assured that further relaxation would be given to
Pakistani students, but its issuance would remain conditioned to return home
after completion of studies.
He also appreciated the organisation of such exhibitions
and said this would help students in getting information regarding higher
education throughout the world.
WLB Director Rahid ul Haq, Jamal Uddin, Athar Javed, Zehra
Raza of British University, Rubina Dehai of Australian University and
representatives of other institutions also spoke on the occasion.
Bush was forewarned of hijackings
WASHINGTON, April 11: At least a month before the Sept 11, 2001, attacks, the FBI sent a memo to President Bush warning him that terrorists might hijack planes and carry out terrorist attacks in the United States.
The information was included in a written briefing sent to Mr Bush on Aug 6, 2001, which the White House declassified here on Saturday night in response to a request from the independent commission probing the Sept 11 attacks.
The title of the memo 'Bin Laden Determined To Strike in US,' was alarming enough to make the American president have a closer look at it but somehow he did not pay much attention to the information.
The memo also informed Mr. Bush that the FBI had received enough information about Al Qaeda's activities in the US to have ordered "70 full field investigations."
In May 2001, a caller warned the US Embassy in the UAE that a group of Bin Laden's men was in the US, planning attacks with explosives, Bush was warned. The Aug 6, 2001 memo also cited a report from a foreign intelligence service, saying Bin Laden wanted his followers to "retaliate in Washington" for 1998 US missile attacks on his "base in Afghanistan". The foreign intelligence service was not identified.
The FBI informed Mr Bush that a group of Bin Laden's men were seen surveying federal buildings in New York. The White House initially resisted declaring the contents of the Aug 6 memo, stating that it had little current information on which the president could have acted.
But the memo released Saturday night by the White House showed that President Bush was clearly warned that al-Qaeda was actively preparing for an attack in the United States.
The FBI had picked up "patterns of suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hijackings or other types of attacks," the memo warned. Two White House officials, who briefed reporters about the memo, said they would not divulge Mr Bush's response to the Aug 6, 2001 memo as it was "confidential."
These officials said the memo was "based largely on background information" and there was nothing in the memo to link it to the 9/11 attacks. The declassified memo, however, indicated that the Bush administration knew about widespread Al Qaeda activity in the US and that the group apparently maintained "a support structure that could aid attacks."
The declassified document cites "Bin Laden implied in US television interviews in 1997 and 1998 that his followers would follow the example of World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and 'bring the fighting to America'".