DAWN/The News International, KARACHI 26 March 2008, Wednesday, 17 Rabiul Awal 1429
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PM Gilani thanks Altaf
Sattar hints at talks with PPP
‘MQM also has reservations against PML-N’
2 MQM (H) activists shot dead
3 Gunned down
Victim in Mazar rape case fails to identify 2 accused (more)
Sabotage causes loss of 120 MW supply
Intermediate exams from May 13
JSM seeks autonomy for Sindh (more)
Hearing in Azam Tariq murder case adjourned (more)
Parliament to decide key issues, top US officials told (more)
Institutions must adhere to Constitution: PM Gilani (more)
Amin Fahim says he will be a backbencher in NA (more)
Pirzada, other advisers sacked (more)
Military Intelligence chief replaced (more)
Wanted militant held in Swat (more)
‘US spy’ shot dead (more)
Houses, shops destroyed in Kohat clashes (more)
PM Gilani thanks Altaf

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has thanked MQM chief Altaf Hussain for extending him unconditional support in his election as premier.Gilani rang up at London International Secretariat, saying the whole nation was thankful to you (Altaf) for extending unconditional support to PPP in the larger interest of the country and for creating peace and harmony. Altaf greeted Yousuf Raza Gilani, PPP Co-chairperson Asif Zardari as well as Bilawal Bhutto. He also congratulated the prime minister over the marriage of his son Yousuf Raza.

Sattar hints at talks with PPP

ISLAMABAD: Dr Farooq Sattar, Parliamentary Leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the National Assembly, on Tuesday hinted that the PPP-MQM talks on power-sharing in Sindh might start within a day or two.

"There are no formal talks between both the parties yet. However, it is hoped that the talks would start within a day or two," he said in an exclusive talk with the APP.

When asked whether there was any headway in the inclusion of the MQM in the federal government, the MQM leader said, "This decision lies with the PPP as we have extended unconditional support to Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani."

Asked whether or not the MQM would support the PPP for repealing the Article 58-2(b) from the Constitution, Farooq Sattar said any decision in this regard would be taken whenever the issue was discussed between both the sides.

When the MQM leader was asked whether his party would join hands with the PPP on bringing in unanimous resolutions for a probe by the United Nations (UN) into the assassination of PPP chairwoman Benazir Bhutto and seeking apology on judicial murder of PPP chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Sattar said his party had no reservations over these issues.

"You see, Quaid-e-Tehrik Altaf Hussain has already called for retrial of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

The MQM would also have no reservation if the PPP government goes for a UN probe on Benazir’s assassination," he said.

On the release of the deposed judges on the orders of the prime minister on Monday, Farooq Sattar said, "The MQM welcomes the release of the deposed judges."

‘MQM also has reservations against PML-N’

MQM has a lot of reservations against President PML (N) Nawaz Sharif and how can he (Nawaz) make statements about reservations against MQM as his party did not have a single seat in Sindh and only limited to Punjab.

This was stated by MQM MPA Faisal Sabzwari while reacting on the comments of President PML (N) Nawaz Sharif that he has reservations against Muttahida.

Sabzwari said MQM also has a lot of reservations against PML (N), as a number of extra-judicial killings were committed and MQM workers went missing during the tenure of Nawaz Sharif.

Sabzwari claimed that Nawaz government ditched two times in 1992 and 1998 and threw away the elected government by imposing governor rule.

He asked Nawaz Sharif to be careful before issuing such statements.

When asked as to whether MQM would sit in opposition in Sindh Assembly or join hands with PPP to become a part of coalition government, he said: “Politics is the art of exploring possibilities and when the bridge will come we will cross it”.

2 MQM (H) activists shot dead

Naeem alias Macheera, 35, was shot dead in the Brigade police limits on Tuesday. The police said that on information received that a dead body was lying in Jutt Lane area. The police shifted the body to the hospital which was identified as Naeem, a resident of the area. He had received a bullet wound in his head.

The deceased was an activist of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (H) who was running a Daboo Shop in the area and also working at a petrol pump as operator.

Mohammed Nadeem, 25, a labourer by profession, was shot dead in Korangi-5 1/2 by unidentified men. The police said that they just had the information that the deceased was a rickshaw driver and belonged to MQM (H) and was killed in front of his house, while the search of the deceased’s family is underway.

Shakir, 20, was shot dead in the Jamshed Quarters police limits. He was a student of Second Year and was working in a rent-a-car shop.

Nehal Khan Bughti, 60, was gunned down in Memon Goth police limits. The police said that the deceased’s body was found from Dhumba Goth. He was killed by three nominated accused over some enmity and a case was lodged on complaint of the deceased’s son, Deen Mohammed.

Deen Mohammed said that he along with his father was residing in Thadoo Nadi area and his father was a labourer by profession. A few years back due to enmity they came from Balochistan and settled in Gadap area.

On Tuesday evening his father went out for some work when accused Panjal Bughti, Mangal Bughti and Tamroo Bughti who hailed from Balochistan came to Karachi and shot and killed his father over enmity. A case was registered at the police station and interrogation is underway.

STABBED TO DEATH: Mohammed Shahid, 28, was stabbed to death by a shop owner for not paying the dues in New Karachi Industrial Area police limits. The deceased was stabbed by Yaqoob, a General Store owner.

3 Gunned down

Asif was shot dead while his three friends, Shani, Shahid and Nasir were critically injured when four unidentified armed motorcyclists sprayed bullets on them in the Korangi police limits. The police said that they recovered a bottle of liquor and mineral water bottle from the spot. Later, Shani and Shahid expired. SHO Korangi, Asad said that the four friends were sitting in a ground situated in Sector-32/2, Korangi when the incident took place.

Victim in Mazar rape case fails to identify 2 accused

Two employees of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s Mausoleum, who were arrested by the Brigade police station in connection with the gang-rape of an 18-year-old girl, were produced Tuesday in front of Judicial Magistrate Javed Hussain for an identification parade. They were then released on a personal bond of Rs0.1 million each, because the rape survivor did not identify them.

Earlier, as assistant manager of security at the mausoleum, Khadim Hussain, was arrested by the police. He was subsequently identified by the rape survivor and was remanded to police custody till March 26.

Among the two suspects produced for identification on Tuesday, one was a canteen supervisor, while the other was a security guard at the mausoleum. On Wednesday, the statement of the rape survivor will be recorded under Section 164, and the accused will be produced before the court.

The two men were arrested because Hussain told the police that both of them had the keys to the room in the mausoleum where the teenager was gang-raped after being kidnapped on March 15.

She was found in an unstable condition at the gate of the mausoleum in the early hours of March 17. Subsequently, the police registered a case under Section 365-B of the Pakistan Penal Code. The section was inserted in the PPC through the Protection of Women Act 2006.

The survivor had stated that she was raped by five men in a room situation beneath the staircase leading to the museum.

Sabotage causes loss of 120 MW supply

Prolonged and unscheduled load-shedding has once again disrupted the lives of the citizens of the city as the power supply system has yet again been hit with technical failures.

The city suffered a shortfall of at least 500 Megawatts (MW) while the average deficit was 300MW on Tuesday, said a spokesperson of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation when contacted by The News.

He added that some miscreants had destroyed a high tension wire located at tower number 35 at the Hub-Baldia centre last night. This, he said, had caused an additional loss of of 120 MW to the city’s power supply.

According to him, one circuit was repaired on Monday evening while work was in progress till the filing of this report.

Moreover, the spokesperson said that at least three to four days are required in order to complete the repair work.

He added that there was another fault at the National Grid which lasted for at least four hours in the morning.

The fault also affected the power supply from the Bin Qasim generation unit and the KESC’s supply system also bore an additional load due to the fault.

Meanwhile, the faults at the Korangi Power Plant and Bin Qasim Generation Unit have created pathetic conditions for both domestic and commercial users.

Almost every area is facing at least four to five spells of load-shedding - each two to three hours in duration.

The News learnt from sources in the KESC that the feeders at Korangi and Bin Qasim units have begun to trip, as per usual, with the increase in the mercury level. According to him, these days, the total demand is 2,200 Megawatts (MW) and it will be over 2,500 MW during the peak season. Moreover, residential areas are facing a shortfall of 500 to 600 MW on a regular basis.

Intermediate exams from May 13

KARACHI, March 25: The Board of Intermediate Education Karachi has announced that intermediate annual examination of both parts will commence from May 13.

BIEK Chairman Anwar Ahm-ed Zai said the exams of preengineering and pre-medical groups would be conducted from May 13. About 100,000 candidates would appear in these exams at some 110 centres in the metropolis. He said the exams of arts and commerce groups would be conducted in June.—APP

JSM seeks autonomy for Sindh

HYDERABAD, March 25: The Jeay Sindh Mahaz has pledged to continue struggle for a ‘sovereign and autonomous’ Sindh, saying: “Pakistan came into being on the basis of 1940’s Pakistan Resolution which envisaged autonomous federating units but the state has violated the agreement.”

A statement faxed to Dawn after a meeting of JSM ad-hoc committee in Karachi said: “In view of the treatment meted out to Sindh over the past 60 years, the Sindhi nation should be asked to make a fresh decision.”

It said: “The state of Pakistan has violated the 1940 resolution and, therefore, has forfeited its political, legal and moral rights to rule over Sindhis.”

It said that time had come when under the internationally recognised principles, the Sindhis be given an opportunity to decide about their destiny.

 Hearing in Azam Tariq murder case adjourned

RAWALPINDI, March 25: Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) No. 1 Special Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman here on Tuesday put off the hearing in Azam Tariq murder case till April 16 as lawyers from both sides were not present to pursue the case.

The court was to record the statements of prosecution witnesses, but no one appeared before the judge.

The trial of two accused — Mudassir Ali and Mohammad Ali — is being carried out in the central jail at Adiala due to sectarian nature of the case. They are being tried for killing Maulana Azam Tariq, the head of defunct Sipah-i-Sahaba.

He was killed by gunmen in Islamabad on October 6, 2003, at a toll plaza. The arrested men were booked by the Golra police on the charges of murder, attempted murder, planning a murder, damaging vehicles and terrorism.

Three persons had already been acquitted in the case by the ATC. They were Sajid Naqvi, Amanullah Sial and Nasir.

 Parliament to decide key issues, top US officials told

ISLAMABAD, March 25: The Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-N have refused to give any assurance to the United States about the future of President Pervez Musharraf, saying that every matter would now be debated in parliament.

In separate meetings with US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher on Tuesday, leaders of the two parties said they wanted to make parliament a sovereign institution and all policy issues, including the ‘war on terror’, would now be discussed there.

The US officials met PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ishaq Dar and Ahsan Iqbal at Punjab House.

Later, a PPP delegation comprising chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Rehman Malik visited the US embassy to meet the two officials.

Mr Negroponte also called on President Pervez Musharraf in the evening.

Political analysts said the US officials’ visit was aimed at defusing a possible confrontation between the new parliament and the presidency.

Another purpose of the visit, they said, was to seek commitment from the new coalition government about Pakistan’s role in the war on terror.

Anne W. Patterson, the US ambassador, was conspicuous by her absence from the meetings.

 Institutions must adhere to Constitution: Gilani

ISLAMABAD, March 25: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani took oath of office here on Tuesday at a ceremony characterised more by seriousness than any joy usually witnessed at such events.

Most political bigwigs, including heads of the coalition parties which elected Mr Gilani to the top executive office, stayed away, apparently owing to the grudge they hold against President Pervez Musharraf who administered the oath. But the absence of leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Q, known as the ‘King’s party’ because of its hitherto unqualified loyalty to the president, was quite intriguing.

Prime Minister Gilani tried to infuse some life into the dull deliberations by declaring immediately after taking the oath that if all the institutions of the state followed the Constitution there would be no clash among them.

“We will have to strengthen parliament and ensure its supremacy (and) parliament comprises the president, the National Assembly and the Senate,” he told journalists.

The prime minister said that “if the army, parliament, the judiciary, the bureaucracy and the media play their defined roles the country will come out of the difficulties it is facing today”.

Answering a question, he said he would announce the programme for his government’s first 100 days on the floor of the National Assembly after taking a vote of confidence from the house. “We will live for Pakistan and die for it,” he said.

Mr Gilani said the nation had given a split mandate and, therefore, all political forces would have to unite on one platform to take the country forward and cope with the challenges.

“We will have to take the country out of all crises and for this purpose my government will need the support of all.” He said he had learnt during his parliamentary career that the institutions of the country should be strengthened.

In reply to a question, Mr Gilani said his government would look forward to getting cooperation from everyone, including the president. He said the country was passing through a sensitive phase and everyone’s support was needed to overcome the challenges.

He said he would take along all the allied parties and would evolve a unanimous strategy.

The prime minister said the nation had pinned high hopes on the new government. If the government was not able to deliver it would disappoint the nation. He said he would claim success only after coming up to the nation’s expectation.

Mr Gilani appealed to all political parties and the president to cooperate for steering the country out of the crisis it was facing. He thanked the nation for the trust it had reposed in the political parties.

The prime minister said he was grateful to the nation and proud of his country and its people.

President Musharraf described the oath-taking of Prime Minister Gilani as a “historic day” and said the country had entered the final phase of transition to civilian rule which would be soon completed with the formation of provincial governments.

He said fair, free, transparent and peaceful elections had been held. He congratulated Mr Gilani on his election as prime minister with a huge majority. He expressed the hope that the prime minister would work for the socio-economic uplift of the people and said Mr Gilani would always have his support in this regard.

Replying to a question, the president said he would like to contribute to the process of unifying all political forces for the good of the country.

He said there were many challenges facing the country, including the fight against terrorism and economic issues.

The president underlined the need for a balanced approach by the new government to overcome the challenges and said the prime minister would have a central role in this regard.

The politicians who did not attend the ceremony despite having been formally invited included PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League-N leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, and PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Hamid Nasir Chattha.

Among the politicians who attended the ceremony were Pakistan People’s Party’s secretary-general Jehangir Badar, PPP finance secretary Babar Awan, Rehman Malik and Farooq Naek, MQM’s parliamentary leader Farooq Sattar, MNA Khushbakht Shujaat, Karachi nazim Mustafa Kamal and MNA Manzoor Wattoo.

National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, outgoing caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro, governors of the four provinces, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Tariq Majid, Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M. Tahir and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tanveer Mahmood also attended the ceremony.

 Amin Fahim says he will be a backbencher in NA

ISLAMABAD: PPPP backbencher President Makhdoom Amin Fahim has revealed that he was advised by some of his close party friends to stage a coup against Asif Ali Zardari but he never thought of quitting the party of which he was the founder member and had offered it his sweat and blood for 39 years.

Fahim said it was true that some friends in the PPP like MNA Nawab Yousuf Talpur were not in favour of any such move, although, he never thought of leaving the party or creating any rift in its ranks.

Talking to The News, Amin Fahim said he had never thought of quitting the party or making his own political group unlike the general perception in the media and political circles. "No doubt, I have been telling the media that I would disclose my own strategy about my future course of action only when the name of the prime minister was announced. But this necessarily did not mean that I had planned to quit the party for which I have given my blood," he said.

Giving his first interview after the oath-taking ceremony of Yousuf Raza Gilani, Fahim said he had joined the race of the prime minister because of two reasons. First, Asif Zardari himself had announced in Naudero that he would be the candidate for the slot of the PM. Second, MAF said, according to his own understanding, martyred Benazir Bhutto had always wished that he should become the prime minister in her absence.

MAF claimed that even Asif knew very well that Benazir wanted him (MAF) to become the prime minister. He said he was not saying all these things now because Benazir Bhutto was not alive so she could not deny or confirm it.

Fahim said none other than Asif himself knew for sure whom she wanted to make the prime minister in case she was not going to make it to the Prime Minister House.

Asked why he had given the impression in his interviews and statements that he might part ways with Asif Zardari on the issue of prime minister, Fahim replied he never said that he would quit the party if he was not made the prime minister. But Fahim frankly admitted that he always talked about the roadmap which he had in his mind in case he was not made the prime minister. He had decided from the day one that if he was not made the PM, then he would not accept any portfolio or any position in the government and sit in the lower house on the backbenches to play his own role as a parliamentarian.

He said this impression was not correct that he was about to stage a revolt as Yousuf Raza Gilani was his personal friend and he was happy over this elevation as the prime minister of Pakistan.

When asked why the name of Zardari was missing from his speech made on the floor of the House on Monday, Fahim asked then what should he have said on the floor of the National Assembly and what not. He said when he talked about Asif Zardari on the day of the election of Dr Fehmida Mirza as speaker, many objected that he did not mention the name of Benazir Bhutto. But when he mentioned Benazir Bhutto on the day of election of Yousuf Raza, then a new objection surfaced that he had missed Zardari.

Fahim said actually he was about to mention Zardari in his speech but in the middle of his speech came the Azaan and he had to sit down, which disturbed his chain of thoughts and he forgot Zardariís name. Fahim said another reason for not mentioning Zardariís name was that he had met him and his son Bilawal shortly before his speech, so for him the name of Benazir Bhutto was important.

But Fahim said it did not mean that he did not value or regard Asif and his son. Fahim said he would continue to play his role in parliament as people had given him the mandate to sit in parliament.

 Pirzada, other advisers sacked

ISLAMABAD: Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, the legal architect of almost every PCO which repeatedly subverted the Constitution, has been finally removed from his job along with other advisers and special assistants of the past military regime.

The outgoing cabinet secretary, SM Alam Rizvi, told The News on Tuesday that the Cabinet Division had issued a notification to bring to an end the long innings of Mr Pirzada, who joined President Musharraf on Oct 12, 1999.

All through these past years, the country saw four prime ministers under Musharraf but no one dared to relieve Pirzada, though a few of them were not very fond of him. On paper, Pirzada was senior adviser to the prime minister on foreign affairs, law justice and human rights, but for all practical purposes he remained the top legal aide to President Musharraf.

With Pirzada's exit, President Musharraf is left with only one key aide outside the presidency – Attorney-General Malik Muhammad Qayyum, who too would be replaced within a few days time.

Musharraf's buddies, including IB Chief Brigadier Ejaz Shah and Information Secretary Anwar Mehmud, opted to resign before the coming into power of the new regime. President Musharraf is now left with only two aides – Tariq Aziz, Secretary National Security Council, and Maj-Gen (retd) Rashid Qureshi, media adviser to the president. Outside the presidency, the world has changed altogether for the president.

Though, a few loyalists are still hanging on, amongst them Punjab Governor Lt-Gen (retd) Khalid Maqbool, their future too is in limbo. According to the cabinet secretary, Prof Dr Attaur Rehman has also been removed from the office of adviser to the prime minister. Dr Atta, however, would continue as chairman of the Higher Education Commission. His fate would be decided by the new prime minister.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf, who is also the chairman of the National Commission on Human Development, is also likely to be removed by the new prime minister. Four special assistants to the prime minister have also been removed by the Cabinet Division. These include Commander Khalilur Rehman, Dr Samar Mubarik, Dr Ashfaq Ahmad, Amar Lal and Yasin Malik.

 Military Intelligence chief replaced

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff Gen Pervaiz Ashfaq Kayani has replaced Maj-Gen Mian Nadeem Ejaz with Maj-Gen Mohammad Asif as Director-General of the Military Intelligence (MI). Maj-Gen Mohammad Asif has already assumed charge of his office.

Maj-Gen Mian Nadeem Ejaz is being posted either as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Corps-5 (Reserve) in Karachi or at 26 Mechanized Division in Bahawalpur. The last assignment of Maj-Gen Asif was in Russia where he served as the defence attachÈ.

Maj-Gen Nadeem Ejaz has close family relations with President Pervez Musharraf, and was appointed to the position almost two years ago. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Maj-Gen Athar Abbas, however, refused to offer any comments.

 Wanted militant held in Swat

MINGORA: The security forces on Tuesday arrested a wanted militant at the Fiza Gat checkpoint. According to the Swat Media Centre, the militant identified as Muhammad Yousaf, a resident of Charbagh, was a close accomplice of Qari Mushtaq, a commander of the militants. The security forces also recovered Rs 60,000 from him. Meanwhile, the security forces set free 10 suspects detained earlier on charges of anti-social activities.

 ‘US spy’ shot dead

MIRAMSHAH, March 25: An Afghan national was shot dead here on Monday night for alleged spying, officials said.

They said that bullet-riddled body of Abdullah Jan was found near Ahmad Khel village along with a chit saying that he was spying for America.

Local people said that unidentified persons abducted the Afghan national from Miramshah three days ago.

Reports said that masked men dragged the alleged spy from a vehicle and shot him to death. The body was dispatched to his native town in Paktia province, Afghanistan.

 Houses, shops destroyed in Kohat clashes

KOHAT, March 25: Mortar shells and missiles fired from Hangu district and Orakzai Agency on Tuesday destroyed dozens of houses and shops in Kachai town of Kohat district, besides injuring a security official.

The injured official, identified as Sakhi Marjan, was provided treatment inside the Frontier Constabulary fort in the area.

The fighting among the residents of Kachai area of Kohat, Shahu area of Hangu and Misthi tribe of Orakzai Agency continued on the second consecutive day without any break. Though a 14-member peace jirga, headed by former chief justice of Peshawar High Court, was constituted to stop the ongoing fighting, yet it was not given clearance to enter Orakzai Agency to negotiate a peace deal with Misthi tribesmen.

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