Karachi News


DAWN/The News International, KARACHI	30 October 2004, Saturday, 15 Ramzan 1425

www.karachipage.com (click on underlined key-words/dates to get more details)
Altaf to be keynote speaker at Indian moot
6 vehicles torched after accident
Labourer shot dead; three die in accidents
LARKANA: 6 freed from illegal detention
Mumtaz Bhutto of SNF defends jirga system
Ordinance to legitimise jirgas moved
Government mulls over Panchayat system to end tribal feuds: Arbab
Prophet (SAW), caliphs held dual offices: Allama Abbas Komeli, uproar in Senate
Imran Khan looted, manhandled near Bani Gala
Soldier killed, 2 hurt in S Waziristan
US remarks on blast disputed
Altaf to be keynote speaker at Indian moot
KARACHI: The chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Hussain, will address as a keynote speaker on the second day of a two-day international conference, being organised by an Indian newspaper on November 05 in Delhi, said an official statement issued from the Muttahida headquarters in London on Friday.
The conference is titled ‘India and the World’, it said adding that Altaf Hussain would address the conference right after the speech of Indian external affairs minister Natwar Singh, while after the speech of Altaf Hussain, former US Secretary of State, Dr Henry Kissinger would address the concluding session of the conference.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, president of the ruling Indian Congress, Sonia Gandhi, former British prime minister, John Major, chief of the UN inspection commission to Iraq, Dr Hans Blix and other eminent personalities would also address the conference.
Meanwhile, people of all walks of life have hoped the visit would also help in improving Indo-Pak relations and ongoing peace process between the two countries.
6 vehicles torched after accident
KARACHI: At least six vehicles were torched when area residents turned violent following another deadly traffic accident in Liaquatabad vicinity, which claimed the life of a youth on Friday, police said.

Shahzaib Sabir, 25, resident of FC Area, was crushed to death when a recklessly driven hit-and-run vehicle ran over him, while he was crossing the road near Bakrapiri Liaquatabad within the Shareefabad police jurisdiction. His body was shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH).

In the evening when people were returning from the funeral of the deceased Shahzaib and they reached the spot of the accident where they observed several trucks being driven recklessly and turned violent.

The mob started hurling stones at the vehicular traffic and blocked the road. They set six vehicles including two trucks, a bus, a tanker and a Mazda truck loaded with bedsheets on fire. Sources in the fire brigade confirmed that they managed to extinguish the fire of the Mazda truck loaded with bedsheets.

Labourer shot dead; three die in accidents

KARACHI: A labourer was gunned down and three persons lost their lives in three separate traffic accidents on Friday, police said.

Shahid, 24, a labourer and resident of Brohi Muhallah Jinnah Road Shershah, was shot dead when some persons opened fire upon him, while he was sitting in the surroundings of his house.

Police suspected personal enmity as the cause of his murder.

BODY FOUND: A decomposed body of a 25-year-old man, clad in black pant and shirt was found near the shrine of Ajmairi Baba adjacent to the KMC Ground within the Pak Colony police jurisdiction.

People informed the police who shifted the body to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) and later placed it in the Edhi morgue.

ACCIDENT: Sher Ali and Muhammad Tufail, both in their mid-twenties and residents of Jinnah Road Shershah were seriously injured when a recklessly driven vehicle bumped into their motorcycle near the shrine of Sarmast Baba in Shershah.

The injured persons were rushed to the Civil Hospital where doctors pronounced Sher Ali dead and Tufail was admitted.

Ali Akbar, 60, resident of Machchar Colony was crushed to death when a recklessly driven vehicle knocked him down while he was going along the ICI Bridge within the Baghdadi police jurisdiction.

Abdul Majeed, 25, resident of Naseerabad Pipri, died and several others received minor injuries when a carelessly driven mini-bus turned turtle in Bin Qasim police jurisdiction.

INJURED: Sajid Razak, 35, and Abdul Waheed, 22, sustained bullet injuries when gunmen fired upon them in Federal B Area near Ayesha Manzil.

Asif Younus, 19, resident of Agra Taj Colony received 85 per cent burn injuries while he was working in the factory.

ARRESTS: The Korangi police have arrested two robbers in two separate incidents in Gulzaar Colony within their jurisdiction and claimed to have recovered arms and looted cash from their possession.

In another incident, Korangi police nabbed Muhammad Riaz, who was suspiciously present with a loaded TT pistol near Baloch Colony. Case has been registered against the accused person and further investigation was in progress.

Meanwhile, the city police arrested 27 accused persons from various parts of the city and claimed to have recovered 12 weapons, narcotics and other stolen goods from their possession.

VEHICLES: At least 21 vehicles including 13 motorcycles were hijacked from various city areas on Friday, police confirmed.

LARKANA: 6 freed from illegal detention

LARKANA, Oct 29: The district and sessions judge, Larkana, on Friday secured release of six people who were illegally detained at the Gaji Khuhawar police station. Those freed include Gulbahar, Gulzar, Nasarullah, Nawaz, Maula Bakhsh and Ali Gul Chandio.

They were recovered by a court official, Pir Bakhsh Khokhar, during a raid on the police station on Thursday. SHO Asghar Brohi failed to produce any document for their detention and said they were handed over to him by Shahdadkot SHO Hakeem Bullo.

A petition in this connection was submitted in the court by Qamar Chandio stating that the villagers were picked up by police from Gulan-ji-Wandh village on Sept 8. Since then the police were hiding them at different police stations. Sanjar Bhatti police SHO Fida Hussain Gopang had asked for Rs100,000 for their release. The court adjourned petition till the next hearing.

Mumtaz Bhutto of SNF defends jirga system

KARACHI, Oct 29: Sindh National Front Chairman Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto said in a statement on Friday that it was ineffectiveness of the administration and judiciary that was responsible for the conflicts and tribal clashes in Sindh. "People do not have trust in these institutions," he observed.

Defending the jirga system in Sindh, he argued that neither administration nor judiciary could be able to resolve Kehar-Junejo, Maher-Jatoi, Solangi-Jagirani and other such conflicts.

Criticizing the role of executives and judiciary in this regard, he observed that people resorted to taking up arms to settle their disputes with rivals only when they lost trust in administration and judicial system.

He claimed that people reposed and kept trust in their respective tribal chiefs because the latter come out with the help these people sought to resolve their disputes with rivals. "If the jirga system is eliminated, Sindh may face fierce bloodshed," he warned. -PPI

Ordinance to legitimise jirgas moved

KARACHI: The provincial government has taken yet another step towards incorporating feudal practices into the structure of government. This is an attempt to create a parallel system of justice, which goes against women and common man. Now in a bolder move, an ordinance is to be promulgated which legitimises jirgas in Sindh. In an unprecedented move the ‘Sindh Amicable Settlement of Disputes Ordinance 2004’ declares all jirgas to be legal. Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad must not promulgate this ordinance, as it goes against his past promises and stated intentions. The federal government too must take notice of the state of affairs in Sindh.

Government mulls over Panchayat system to end tribal feuds: Arbab

SUKKUR: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim said on Friday the Sindh government was considering to introduce the Panchayat system so that the community and tribal disputes were resolved quickly.

A massive anti-dacoits operation launched in the Shah Belo forest about four months back, had yielded positive results, he said at a press conference at the Sukkur airport before his departure for Karachi. "Dozens of dacoits and kidnappers were either killed or arrested not only in the forests of Shah Belo, but also in the adjoining areas of Sukkur, Shikarpur and Larkana districts," Arbab said

He referred to the recovery of Santosh Kumar in Larkana, killing of a notorious dacoit Omar Jatoi responsible for his kidnapping, and several other recoveries of hostages, which, he observed, had raised the morale of the police force. The chief minister said zero crime rate was achieved in the jurisdiction of Feroz Abad Police Station of Karachi due to the coordinated efforts of the police and the community.

He said the Sindhis must laud the efforts of President Pervez Musharraf for taking keen interest in saving the backbone of Sindh’s economy — the Sukkur Barrage.

Prophet (SAW), caliphs held dual offices: Allama Abbas Komeli, uproar in Senate

ISLAMABAD: The Senate witnessed uproar on Friday when a ruling Pakistan Muslim League senator said the Prophet (SAW) and the four caliphs were military commanders and the heads of state at the same time.

Taking part in the debate on the dual office bill in the Upper House, Allama Abbas Komeli said it was in line with the Islamic teaching for President Pervez Musharraf to keep the two offices. "The opposition should avoid hue and cry over the issue of uniform," he said.

The opposition senators rose from the seats and asked him not to make any such comparisons. The chairman asked the opposition not to disturb the speech. Amid a brief protest of the opposition, Komeli completed his speech.

Komeli said the uniform was a must to protect the country. "The continuation with both offices was a must for country in the present national and international situation," he added. The quorum syndrome hit the Senate during the debate, which led to its adjournment.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan was winding up the debate when opposition senators, Dr Safdar Abbassi and Raza Rabbani, pointed out the quorum. Leader of the House Wasim Sajjad conceded that the House is not in order and asked the chairman to adjourn it. The chairman adjourned the House till today (Saturday).

PPPP Senator Abdullah Riar strongly criticised the dual office bill and urged the treasury benches to reject it for the supremacy of parliament. He said when the 15th constitutional amendment was passed by the National Assembly, the senators from the treasury benches also opposed the amendment and then government failed to bring this amendment in the upper house for approval.

He said Musharraf has politicised the institution of army and the serving and retired generals have been inducted in the civilian institutions. He said Musharraf used the accountability as a political tool to break the alliances and the political parties.

He said Musharraf being a president has a sweeping power to dismiss the cabinet and National Assembly and even have a power in the shape of national Security Council. He said being the president, he should initiate the grand reconciliation and must extend invitations to the genuine political leaders to play their role to strengthen democracy.

Abida Saif of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement said the opposition was resisting the bill, as their vested interests are not being served. She said Musharraf had given the nation gift of democracy and started mega projects for the welfare of the people.

Professor Muhammad Ibrahim of the MMA said the law and order had further deteriorated and the government had failed to save life and property of the people. He said one should not be above the law and constitution. Sajjad Hussain Bukahri of the PPPP invited the treasury benches to make history by rejecting the bill.

Imran Khan looted, manhandled near Bani Gala

ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, chief of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf and member of National Assembly, was manhandled and looted at gunpoint by two armed men a few hundred yards away from his under construction house in Banni Gala on Friday evening.

Imran Khan was accompanied by his two young sons and their British governess. Imran Khan has termed the incident as total collapse of law and order in the federal capital. Two muggers riding a Suzuki pick-up intercepted Imran’s vehicle some 200 yards from main Murree Road and deprived him of cash, mobile phone set, credit cards, camera after mishandling him.

They also snatched the purse from the British governess who had accompanied Suleman and Qasim. After looting Imran Khan the criminals escaped towards Murree Road. The police claimed that both the culprits involved in looting, have been arrested from the outskirt of Banni Gala. They have been identified as Shakil and Javaid, both residents of a nearby village.

Soldier killed, 2 hurt in S Waziristan

TANK: A Pakistan Army soldier was killed and two others sustained injuries in a clash with militants in the volatile Karwan Manza mountainous area in South Waziristan on Friday.

Tribal sources told The News that soldier Muhammad Azam’s body was brought in an ambulance to the Frontier Corps Fort in Laddah. The two injured soldiers were also shifted there before they and Sepoy Azam’s body were flown in a military helicopter to Peshawar. The losses suffered by the militants were not known. The militants normally take away bodies of their fallen colleagues.

The clash began at 10 am and continued intermittently for some time. The exchange of fire was fierce and targeted. Karwan Manza has witnessed fighting for the last one and half months with the military gradually pushing the militants toward the fringes of the mountains. Artillery batteries and mortar guns deployed at nearby army camp at Asman Manza were used again Friday to pound the militants’ positions.

Meanwhile, a land-mine was defused just in time at Tawda Cheena near Makeen to prevent an explosion aimed at passing military vehicles. Witnesses said the land-mine was planted on the Makeen-Razmak road. Frontier Corps’ bomb disposal experts defused the mine. The place where the mine was planted was not far from Widhun, where two improvised explosive devices triggered by remote control recently killed and wounded Frontier Corps personnel.

Unknown persons cut down the underground telephone cable in Jandola, where the Pakistan Army and paramilitary Frontier Corps troops are headquartered, in a bid to disrupt communication links. Telephone connections in the area were disconnected for a while but the Pakistan Telecommunication Company’s technicians were able to repair the damaged cable to restore communication facility.

In nearby Spinkai Raghzai area and in Tank, a major effort was underway to satisfy the families of the 15 tribesmen, including some tribal elders, who were killed by mortars shells allegedly fired by the military in Shaikh Ziarat near Kotki village. Another six tribesmen were injured in the incident, which angered the Mahsud tribe and led to suspension of the house-to-house search by the military in Spinkai Raghzai area to nab militants and recover arms. The tribesmen, who were earlier cooperating with the military, were reluctant to assist in the search operations and their spokesmen declared their neutrality in the ongoing crisis in the area.

However, government officials and tribal elders said the tribesmen in Spinkai Raghzai were now willing to cooperate again with the military to carry out the search operations. Tribal elders Haji Mohammad, Azizullah Ishangi and Janan Nazarkhel played an important role in breaking the stalemate. To clinch the deal, Mahsud tribal elders and government functionaries led by assistant political agent Arshad Naveed would today present 15 sheep at the doorsteps of the 15 victims of the mortar shell attack as a mark of respect for the dead men. Compensation cheques of Rs 700,000 for each victim, including Rs 200,000 announced the other day by Corps Commander Peshawar Lt-Gen Safdar Hussain, would be paid on the occasion to their heirs. The six injured tribesmen would be paid Rs 200,000 each.

Our Miranshah, Kohat correspondents add: Three Army soldiers were injured while one of the military vehicle was destroyed when a remote controlled bomb exploded on the Razmak-Isha road in North Waziristan Agency on Friday.

The incident occurred at about 11.40 am when a military convoy passing through the road was targeted by unidentified miscreants, official as well as local sources said. The personnel of the security forces opened fire after the blast, which resulted in the killing of a local grazing his cattle in the nearby mountain and caused injury to a small girl when some bullets hit a passenger vehicle on the road, eyewitnesses said. The area is some 15 kilometres south of Miranshah.

In Kohat, a bomb blast took place in cantonment area outside a temple near the PAF Cinema, causing no loss of life or property, said police. The blast occurred at 7:15 pm when people were preparing for Isha prayers and Taraweeh. It sent waves of shock among the locals.

US remarks on blast disputed