THATTA: Chairman Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) Bashir Qureshi has announced that the second round of protest against police crack-down on party workers and labourers of a local sugar mill will start from January 1. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, he said JSQM would start another round of protest demonstration from January 1, if their demands for release of all arrested workers, withdrawal of cases and reinstatement of sacked labourers were not met. To a question, Qureshi said that Sindhis were deprived of their just rights of employment and livelihood, but Nawaz Sharif was released and allowed to go out of the country despite conviction by courts. Senior vice-chairman Shafi Karnani, Dr Niaz Kalani, Faqir Razak Unar and Sarmad Mirani were also present on the occasion.

LAHORE: Against the backdrop of intelligence reports fearing a series of terrorist attacks, Pakistan will push Afghanistan's Taliban government hard to hand over 23 terrorists involved in sectarian killings, The News has learnt. "We have told the federal government that sectarian terrorists wanted in Pakistan are operating from Afghanistan and we will be in a no win position if we don't get them," Inspector General police, Punjab, Malik Asif Hayat told The News on Tuesday.

Official sources said Interior minister Moinuddin Haider was expected to travel to Afghanistan in the first week of next month for talks with the Taliban who have so far shrugged off the Pakistani demand. The visit will be first at this level to Kabul since General Pervez Musharraf assumed power in October last year.

Earlier this year Musharraf had announced his intention to visit Afghanistan but the plan did not materalise. "The issue of the terrorists hiding in Afghanistan will be on top of the agenda during the minister's visit," a source said. The names of the 23 sectarian terrorists had already been communicated to the Taliban around six months ago. The suspects carry a total head money of 15 million rupees.

The decision to press hard for the extradition of these terrorists came after police and intelligence reports informed the government that the underground Lashkar-e-Jhangvi outfit had set up its base in Afghanistan. To the surprise of the authorities in Pakistan, the Taliban, however, denied the presence of LJ and its members on their territory.

The list of the 23 terrorists was prepared after thorough investigations and sent to the Taliban government. Authorities claim some of the listed terrorists have since been apprehended or killed by the police. They believe it is imperative to end the Afghan connection of terrorist outfits. "Only then can we win the battle against religious terrorism," IG Hayat said.

"Top LJ leadership, including Riaz Basra, are hiding in Afghanistan," Hayat said, adding the police knew his exact whereabouts in Kabul. He said the police were ready to lay their lives in the fight against sectarian terrorism and were determined to protect the life of the citizens. "It is our job to do it whatever may be the challenges are," Hayat said.

Besides the 38-year-old mastermind, Riaz Basra, who heads Lashkar-Jhnagvi and carries a head money of Rs 5 million, the list of other terrorists wanted by the police in Pakistan includes:

- Zaki Ullah of Pindi Das, Sheikhupura who was convicted for the killing of an Iranian diplomat, Aqai Sadiq Gunji case, in Feburary 1992 to life imprisonment. He, however, escaped from Dera Ghazi Khan in 1997 and carries a head money of Rs 2 million. Married to a Persian girl Zaki is a roomate of Basra in Kabul but police sources say he was not very active these days.

- Mohammad Ajmal alias Akram Lahori, another key member of LJ who has assumed the all important position of Salar-e-Ala (chief of the Force) since the arrest of Malik Ishaq in Faisalabad a couple of years ago. He is considered the brain behind most of LJ operations and is number two on the list of most wanted people in Pakistan. He migrated from Mirpur Khas and studied in Lahore, his wife and Basra's wife are sisters and carries a head money of Rs 2 million. The authorities have recommended a raise in his head money.

- Ustaad Saad of Sargodha is basically an instructor in Afghanistan and he is a great motivator for finding suitable people for LJ. He selects the warriors from Pakistan and then hands them over to Basra.

- Mufti Sagheer, also from Sargodha heads another camp. He is credited with establishing LJ in Pakistan because he is very close to Taliban. He has convincedl the Taliban to believe that people he recruits from Pakistan will fight for Taliban and Pakistani police were lying about their involvement in terrorism. He coordinates between Taliban and LJ people.

- Ustad Akram is incharge of a training camp in Afghanistan and is a close associates of Basra. He has never been involved in violence but his job is to find motivated people for LJ.

- Ustad Ghazali is also a trainer from DG Khan.

- Babar of Pakpattan.

- Maulvi Akhtar Moavia.

- Shakeel Anwar, who carries a head money of Rs. one million and hails from Haroonabad, Bahwalnagar. Anwar recently fell apart from Basra and joined the Qari Asad camp.

- Tanveer alias Tanni Khan from Kabirwala. He carries a head money Rs one million. He is also currently in anti Basra camp.

- Fayyaz Tarar.

- Jawed Commando.

- Abdul Majed alias Bilal.

- Anees ur Rehman from Vehari is a proclaimed offender in Pakistan wanted in several murder cases.

- Rashid Satti is also in Afghanistan. He carries Rs 5 million head money and was involved in the murder of Irani cadets in Rawalpindi.

Police said Qari Umar Hayat, Shabbir Ahmed alias Sultan alias Shabbira Arain and Aslam Moavia have been arrested in recent months when they came to Pakistan for carrying out acts of terrorism.

NEW YORK: Some changes in the US immigration laws have raised hopes of re-unification of thousand of those families, who have lived apart in the US and Pakistan while waiting for their Immigration. The proposed changes, soon to become a law, have also injected a new life in those applicants for the legalisation, who left the US in utter frustration as they had lost their hope.

The new bill called 'Life Act' provides a new 'V' category visa which allows the spouses and minors of lawful Immigrants "who have been waiting more than three years for a green card, to join their spouses in the US, would be granted visa and permission to work. The bill is likely to be signed by President Bill Clinton before the end of this week.

According to its provisions and its interpretations, those who had applied for legalisation under the amnesty laws in 1988 and waited for years and returned to their native country without legalisation of status, they can re-apply at the US Embassy in their home country for legalisation under the new rules.

Their fate is tied up with the class action cases popularly known as "CSS Vs. Meese, LULAC Vs. Reno and INS Vs. Zambrano" cases filed in the US courts pending judgments. Applicants in these categories have also been favored by the new provisions that instead of applying for temporary resident status, now they will be eligible to apply for the permanent Resident status.

Those engaged to be married will be eligible to take the advantage of coming to the US to get married in certain situations. In this regard 'K' visa will be stamped for such applicants outside the US. Anyone with 'K' visa will be be allowed to work in the US while they wait for their permanent residence.