DAWN/The News International, KARACHI
31 January 2005, Monday, 20 Zilhaj 1425
www.karachipage.com
(click on
underlined
key-words/dates to get more details)
Karachi depicts overall situation of country: Ebad
Banned SSP leader shot dead in Karachi
Wedding firing kills one, injures four others
Ponam opposes cantonments in Balochistan
Powerful blast rocks Quetta
Tribesmen warned of military operation in North Waziristan
Pak, Afghan troops exchange fire at Angoor Adda
Pakistan urges Iran to end N-dispute
Karachi depicts overall situation of country: Ebad
KARACHI: Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad has said that Karachi depicts the overall situation of the country if the situation particularly law & order is better in Karachi the whole country sounds peaceful and if the cosmopolitan city incurs some problems it leaves adverse effects on the whole country. He was talking to the delegation of National Defence College War Course that called on him at the governor house. Talking to the delegation the governor presented the comparison of current circumstances and those of decade of 90. He said that the issues were inappropriately dealt in the past that affected the city particularly business activities that affected the entire country. But now as the issues were properly dealt which improved the situation of Karachi that left pleasant influence on the country. He said today Karachi is the emerging hub of the region and foreign as well as local investors were expressing practical interest. Some time in the past industrialists and investors were thinking of contract and even of winding up the business but now multi-nationals and other known groups were expanding their operation in Karachi and in the province alike. Responding to a question he said that Muttahida was a major party that was the part of provincial government, however, he said that being the governor of Sindh he had no affiliation with any party and he was serving the province indiscriminately. He said that Muttahida since 1986 had been a major party of the province that it had proved in various local, provincial and general elections, he clarified the stance of Muttahida over Two-Nation Theory, Quaid-e-Azam, Unjab and other provinces to the delegation. Ebad observed that negative propaganda had been often practiced against Muttahida. He said that the core of the philosophy of Muttahida was the elimination of feudal system and added that countries that got rid of this system made remarkable developments. He clarified that Muttahida was not against Punjab-Punjabi speaking or any other province or their residents. To another question the governor said that Muttahida was an ally in national and provincial governments, it participated in the election from all parts of the country with the cooperation of locals and also secured votes. Talking of Balochistan issue he said that protection of sensitive installations was necessary along with the peaceful dialogue to solve the issue. Governor Sindh apprised the visitors about development schemes underway in various sectors along with the measures to improve the living standard of common man. He said that federal institutions were working on various projects along with Tameer-e-Karachi
Programme to equip the city with moderate facilities.
Banned SSP leader shot dead in Karachi
KARACHI: Media and Legal Adviser to the Millat-e-Islamia, Maulana Muhammad Haroon Qasmi and his police guard were gunned down near Madarsa-e-Tarteel-ul-Qura’an at Allama Iqbal Road in the jurisdiction of Ferozabad police station on Sunday, police said. Meanwhile, the Maulana’s assassination sparked violence at Tariq Road and adjoining localities as angry protesters set ablaze a police kiosk and stoned the vehicular traffic. The protesters turned more violent after police tear-gassed them. Maulana Qasmi, after leading the Zuhr prayers at Mamoor Mosque, left for home, which is situated at a walking distance from the mosque. The Maulana, escorted by his police guard, was walking towards his home when three gunmen opened fire on them. Some area residents, who were also returning from the mosque, rushed the pair to a private clinic, where doctors pronounced them dead on arrival. Later, the bodies were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). Hundreds of Millat-e-Islamia workers reached the JPMC and took away the Maulana’s body without completion of legal formalities. Terming the assassination "an incident of target killing", DIG (Operations) Mustaq Shah told The News that they have constituted a special team to investigate the killings. "The killers would be apprehended soon," he hoped. The Town Police Officer (TPO), Jamshed Town, Dr Kamran Fazal, said Maulana Qasmi, escorted by his police guard, was heading towards his home when three armed men, riding a motorbike, appeared on the scene. "The attackers first shot dead Police Constable Aqeel, snatched his official gun and then opened fire on the Maulana," he added. The assassins shot Maulana Qasmi, who was also a leader of defunct Sepah-e-Sahaba (SSP), and his police guard in the head, killing them on the spot, the TPO said. The official gun of deceased policemen was later found lying at a distance of 50 yards from the scene of the killing. Family sources said Maulana Muhammad Ishaq, the father of deceased Maulana Haroon, who was also a SSP leader, had been assassinated in the jurisdiction of the same police station. Maulana Qasmi had survived the attack, the sources said. The Maulana had been given the police guard since the attack. Maulana Qasmi, who had married a widow two years ago, had an eight-month-old baby, the sources said. After the incident activists of the Millat-e-Islamia gathered in front of the Maulana’s house and shouted slogans against the government. They forced the shopkeepers to shutter their shops and hurled stones at the vehicular traffic. They also fired in the air, which created panic in the locality. Police rushed to the area and lobbed dozens of teargas shells at the protesters, which turned them more violent and they mobbed the police kiosk at the Liberty Chowk and set it on fire. Later, police requested the medico legal experts to complete the legal formalities, which were fulfilled at the house of the deceased Maulana. The funeral prayers for the Maulana were offered at the Mamoor mosque after Maghrib prayers and he was laid to rest in Sakhi Hassan graveyard.
Wedding firing kills one, injures four others
KARACHI: A labourer lost his life and four other persons sustained bullet injuries during aerial firing at two wedding ceremonies in Pirabad and Eidgah police jurisdictions, respectively, while two persons died in different incidents across the metropolis on Sunday, police said. According to details, Abdul Hakeem, 55, a labourer and resident of Orangi Town No 4, received bullet injuries from the aerial firing of a wedding ceremony nearby, when he was working in an under-construction house. Area police told The News that Hakeem was working in Sector 4-E, where he received injuries by a stray bullet and was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where he breathed his last. Separately, Jamila Barkat, 35, Shakil, Azeem and Farhan, all in their teens, sustained bullet injuries during another wedding party in street No 7, Jinnahabad vicinity along the Siddique Wahab Road within Eidgah police jurisdiction. The injured were shifted to the Civil Hospital where they were admitted for treatment in critical condition. SHOT DEAD: Kalamuddin, 22, a resident of Sohrab Goth, was gunned down during a dispute with Jahangir late Saturday night in Sachchal police jurisdiction. Area police told The News that both of the persons, dealing in dumping and lifting of sand, handcuffed each other during a monetary dispute. When Kalam asked Jahangir to return his outstanding money, the latter turned violent and opened fire, killing Kalam on the spot. Police have registered a case against Jahangir and others on the complaint of Safar Khan, brother of the deceased. VEHICLES: Twelve 12 vehicles, including eight motorcycles, were hijacked from various city areas, police confirmed on Sunday. A car and a motorcycle were snatched at gunpoint from Jamshed Quarters and Baghdadi police limits, while three cars and seven motorcycles were stolen from different city parts. Police claimed to have recovered seven vehicles, including four motorcycles and a rickshaw.
Ponam opposes cantonments in Balochistan
SUKKUR, Jan 30: Speakers at a public meeting held under the auspices of the Pakistan Oppressed Nations' Movement on Sunday called upon the government to immediately withdraw troops from Balochistan and stop construction of cantonments in the province. The central leader of the Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Mr Mehmood Khan Achakzai, said the country was virtually under martial law and provinces were being run by corps commanders. He said the main cause of disharmony in the country was the government's spending of income of small provinces on Punjab. He demanded that resources be distributed judiciously among all provinces. Sindh National Front chief Mumtaz Bhutto described the federal system as the source of all ills and called for a change of basic nature in the system. He said that democracy and solidarity required every person to get his rights. He said the army rule was being nurtured through the so-called democracy in the country. He also said that cantonments were not needed in the country. He said he feared that after Wana and Balochistan, an operation would be launched in Sindh and Rangers had already been deployed in Shikarpur, Garhi Yasin, Jacobabad and other towns of the province. He alleged that Sindh police officials kept in touch with outlaws on mobile phones. He said almost half of the armed forces and personnel of other agencies were being used to provide security for two VVIPs while the common people had been left at the mercy of bandits. Mr Mumtaz Bhutto said the two major parties of the country, the PPP and the Muslim League always joined hands with the establishment. Qadir Magsi called upon all the oppressed nationalities to join hands to get rid of the army rule. He said the oppressed people could not get their rights till the army rule was ended. He said all hostels of the Sindh University had been vacated on the eve of Gen Musharraf's visit to Jamshoro. Zain Shah, Qamar Bhatti, Maulana Azizullah Bohio, Azhar Jatoi and Majeed Kanjoo also spoke on the occasion.
Powerful blast rocks Quetta
QUETTA, Jan 30: A powerful bomb exploded near the Askari Park, without causing any casualty or damage to property. However, a second blast partially damaged an oil tanker in the Kuchlak suburb of the city. The bomb disposal squad defused a third bomb planted inside the Askari Park. Capital City Police Officer Pervaiz Bhatti confirmed the incidents, saying that unidentified persons had planted the bomb near the park which exploded at 3am. Another one, weighing 3kg, was planted inside the park which was defused. About the Kuchlak blast, the police official claimed that a small bomb partially damaged the oil tanker but said it was not a subversive act. He said two private companies had a dispute with each other, and one of them had filed an FIR against the other for the incident. When asked why blast incidents were on the rise despite tight security measures, he said a key saboteur had been arrested two days ago while 24 suspects had also been taken into custody. "We are investigating the matter from different angles," he said. About the arrests of suspected Taliban three days ago, Mr Bhatti said that investigators were quizzing six senior Taliban while 11 others had been sent to jail. The CCPO said that if the detained persons, including Maulana Khushdil, Maulana Ibrahim, Mufti Razzak, Mufti Rehmatullah, Maulana Nabi, and Maulana Agha Muhammad, were found to be having no links with Al Qaeda then they would be handed over to the Afghan government. He said that 17 Afghans were arrested on charges of entering Pakistan without legal documents. Upon completion of the interrogation process, the detained people would be sent back to Afghanistan. He acknowledged that six activists of Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI-F), who had been held during raids to apprehend the Afghans, had been released the next day.
Tribesmen warned of military operation in North Waziristan
PESHAWAR: Secretary Security of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) Brig (retd) Mahmud Shah on Sunday visited North Waziristan tribal agency and warned of likely military operation there, following failure of the tribesmen and religious people to expel "foreign terrorists" who according to him had taken shelter on their soil. The visit was kept secret. Even local religious leaders and tribal chieftains who were supposed to meet Brig Shah were unaware as to whom they were going to meet. It also generated speculations about another round of military operation in the tribal region. "He conveyed a strong message of NWFP Governor Lt-Gen (retd) Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah in which the religious people and tribal elders were warned of dire consequences, if they failed to expel foreign terrorists from their region," an official, who was present in two rounds of meetings, told The News from Miranshah, headquarters of North Waziristan tribal region. Brig Shah first held talks with leaders of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal group) and later called on a jirga of noted tribal elders. The JUI-F North Waziristan Secretary-General, Maulana Abdur Rahman, led his party delegation, while chief of Waziristan Malik Nasrullah Khan represented the tribal chieftains during talks with the Fata security chief. The lone beardless legislator of JUI-F, Senator Mateen Shah, was also present during talks. According to sources, Brig Mahmud Shah told both the Jirgas that foreign terrorists had been granted sanctuary on their soil. He said the months long military operations by the Pakistan Army and paramilitary forces of the Frontier Corps forced foreign terrorists to leave South Waziristan for North Waziristan where the local tribesmen had welcomed them. He reportedly told the Jirgas that the government wanted the tribal people to take the initiative and expel "terrorists" from their soil before their presence put them in trouble. The sources said there was no immediate breakthrough in lengthy discussion between the governor’s representative and tribal Jirgas. Maulana Abdur Rahman denied presence of foreign militants in the agency and said the government must take them into confidence before carrying out military operation on their soil. Though the Maulana assured Brig Mahmud Shah of all possible help, he said the government before launching any military campaign would be required to point out the locality where it suspects foreign militants. "The tribesmen cannot even think of providing refuge to foreign terrorists on their soil therefore the government must be careful before taking any decision about military operation in North Waziristan agency," Maulana Rahman said. Similarly, Malik Nasrullah Khan, chief of Waziristan, said they made it clear on Shah that since there was no foreign terrorist on their soil, the government should produce solid proofs if it suspects so. Talking to The News by telephone from his Sara-e-Naurang residence, Malik Nasrullah Khan said he told Brig Mahmud Shah the government would be responsible for the damage if it conducted military action in the agency. "Since we announced a heavy fine of Rs 5,000,000 including demolition of house and deportation from the agency premises if someone found sheltering foreign nationals in his house, therefore there is no question that our people would give shelter to anyone," chief of Waziristan argued. When contacted, Brig Mahmud Shah told The News it was routine meeting in which he held talks with religious and tribal people about certain important issues relating to the agency. "We will continue the way of dialogue with them and would like the people themselves to expel foreign terrorists from their land. "Their number is not as large as existed in South Waziristan, but still we wanted the locals to release their responsibility," Brig Shah said. "We would never like to launch military operation there but let see how the tribesmen react to our message," he said.
Pak, Afghan troops exchange fire at Angoor Adda
TANK: Pakistani and Afghan security forces exchanged fire for more than 15 minutes on their Durand Line border near the Angoor Adda, a border village in South Waziristan tribal agency, in the wee hours of Sunday. Tribal sources in Angoor Adda, sited just inside Pakistani territory, said one Afghan soldier was killed and another injured in the firing at 3am on Sunday. They claimed the Pakistani border guards belonging to the paramilitary Frontier Corps did not suffer any casualties. It was not possible to reach the Afghan authorities across the border in Paktika province to confirm the reports about casualties suffered by their forces. The Afghan version of events that triggered the clash was also not known. The tribal sources in Angoor Adda said the clash took place when Afghan troops intruded about 50 metres into Pakistani territory near the Zeb One Picket. They said the Afghan soldiers refused to step back despite warnings by Pakistani militiamen that they must vacate Pakistan’s territory. Some afterwards exchange of fire erupted as both sides argued loudly. The sources said the troops using light arms fired at each other for almost 20 minutes. It is not known as to why the Afghan troops tried to enter Pakistani territory. Border clashes between Afghan and Pakistani troops have taken place in the past also. On most occasions, the poorly defined border has led to clashes. Not long ago, a Pakistani soldier from the Frontier Corps was killed and two of his colleagues were wounded when fired at by Afghan forces near the border in Saidgai village in North Waziristan.
Pakistan urges Iran to end N-dispute
DAVOS, Jan 30: Pakistan is exerting behind the scenes pressure on Iran to compromise in its dispute with Europe and the United States over its nuclear programme, Pakistani diplomatic sources say. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri passed on their concerns during a meeting at the weekend with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi. Mr Kasuri, for his part, said Pakistan supported negotiations led by Britain, France and Germany, to reach a lasting deal that would allay US charges that Iran is covertly developing nuclear weapons. "We feel the role the (EU three) are playing is positive, because we feel that a peaceful resolution to this dispute is highly desirable," Mr Kasuri told AFP on the margins of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "Being their neighbours, and already with the Iraq situation being what it is, we wouldn't want another turmoil on our border," he said. "We paid a big price" in Afghanistan. "We don't want a similar destabilisation on our border again, so we have a vested interest in a peaceful resolution of this dispute." Pakistan is worried about a spike in tensions on its western border, after becoming embroiled in the conflict in Afghanistan on its eastern side. The sources said the ministers "tried to convey the European position" to Kharazi during Friday's meeting. Pakistani officials say that Tehran has been warned "bluntly, bordering on rudeness," of their concerns and urged "not to make the mistake" of ignoring the Europeans. "We have not minced our words," a diplomatic source said. The UN atomic energy agency has been investigating Iran for two years. US President George W. Bush warned earlier this month that he would not rule out using military action if European diplomacy fails to secure Iran's agreement not to seek nuclear weapons. Iran has suspended uranium enrichment, the key process that makes fuel for nuclear reactors but also the explosive core of atomic bombs, under an accord clinched by the EU three in November.
YESTERDAY'S NEWS
© DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2005
© JANG Group, 2005
Go Back to Karachi Page