DAWN/The News International, KARACHI 16 November 2008, Sunday, 15 Ziqaad 1429
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MQM slates ST leader’s killing
ST ready for dialogue with MQM: Qadri
7 killed in separate incidents
Another accused acquitted: Nizam murder case
DHA earmarks Rs9 billion for development projects
Railway track blown up (more)
Chaudhry brothers’ final shut up call to Musharraf (more)
JUI-F wants troops out of Swat (more)
Suicide bomber perishes in rocket blitz (more)
9 militants killed in Swat (more)
Nato supplies road closed (more)
Iran detains 10 spies with cash (more)
MQM slates ST leader’s killing

The MQM has strongly condemned the killing of local Sunni Tehrik leader Mohammed Afzal Qadri. The committee expressed deep anguish over the brutal murder last night and prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul eternal peace and give courage to be bereaved family to bear the loss. The MQM has pledged that both the parties will foil all such conspiracies which could wreck peace in the city.

ST ready for dialogue with MQM: Qadri

Sunni Tehreek (ST) chief Mohammed Sarwat Ejaz Qadri has decided to reciprocate the willingness of Muttahida Qaumi Movement(MQM)chief Altaf Hussain to hold dialogue, and has expressed his willingness to go ahead with a proposed meeting between the two. Terming the statement of the MQM chief a positive step towards peace in the city, he said, “Even though we have buried several of our leaders, all doors for dialogue remain open in the best national interests”.

Qadri was addressing a hurriedly arranged press conference at the secretariat of ST on Saturday evening. ST cabinet members Shakil Qadri and Shahid Ghori were also present in the press conference.

Welcoming the MQM chief’s statement, Qadri said that maintaining harmony and tranquility in the city was not the sole responsibility of the ST and the MQM, and other political and religious parties must also play their due roles. He further said that the intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies are equally responsible for maintaining peace in the city. The ST chief was, however, critical of the situation that another ST worker was gunned down even after Hussain issued the statement from London. Qadri urged MQM chief Altaf Hussain to ask MQM Rabita Committee members to make any decisions taken in the proposed meeting binding, both in letter and in spirit.

Qadri stated that no date has been formally announced by both parties to sit around the negotiation table, as the parties had not met directly. In fact, it was the Ulema board, under the supervision of Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, that met with both parties separately.

Qadri appealed to all concerned quarters to shun their differences in the best interests of the city.

7 killed in separate incidents

An aged couple were shot dead in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, while three persons, including a police constable, were shot dead in various incidents reported on Saturday.

Mohammed Yar, 65, and his wife, Saleh Khatoon, were shot dead in Gulistan-i-Jauhar police limits. The police said that the incident was reported in Bakhtawar Goth area on Saturday morning and a case was lodged on the complaint of the deceased couple’s son, Junaid Javed.

Javed said that on Saturday morning he was sleeping in his room on the rooftop of the house, while his parents were sleeping at the ground floor.

He maintained that during night he heard shouts from the ground floor and the shouts were of his sister and parents. He immediately ran downstairs and found his father and mother were lying dead and the criminal escaped. The criminals also taken away his two cell phones which he had put under his pillow.

The daughter of the deceased couple, a teacher by profession, was getting ready for school when she heard shrieks from her parents room and she shouted, “whose there” and suddenly the criminals opened fire killing her parents. They then fled.

The Station House Officer (SHO), Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Barakullah Khan, said that they had recorded the statements of both the children of the deceased couple. They expressed their own apprehensions over the incident. The SHO said he had also inspected the house and the walls of the house bore marks of the hand and footprints as if some.

The deceased couple leaves behind seven sons and three daughters. Two of the daughters are married, while the third, (S) is unmarried. In a separate case, Tabish, 22, was killed, having got embroiled in a family dispute of a police constable in Shah Faisal Colony police limits. According to the residents of Al-Falah Society, Shah Faisal Colony police limits, they heard shouts from the house of Constable Arshad.

They immediately ran towards the house of PC Arshad and locked the house from outside. A couple who had broken open the door were trying to escape on a motorbike when suddenly a young boy Tabish, working in a rent-a-car shop situated in front of the house of PC Arshad tried to overpower the boy riding the motorcycle. The motorcycle rider opened fire, which directly hit Tabish in the chest and the accused couple fled. They immediately shifted Tabish to the hospital but he succumbed to his injuries.

The SHO, Shah Faisal Colony, Atif Iqbal, said that PC Arshad was posted at Gulshan-i-Iqbal police station, and he had a dispute running with his in-laws as his in-laws didn’t approve of their daughter’s marriage to him.

Arshad’s mother-in-law and brother-in-law came and had a dispute when the latter opened fire and Tabish was killed. A case was reported at the police station.

In yet another incident, a constable along with a woman was killed over a land dispute in Quaidabad police limits. The police said that, PC Abdul Jalil had a dispute on a possession of land in Bilal Colony area with Ghairat Khan.

In this regard, a Jirga was held in the area, when some unidentified persons opened fire, as a result of which PC Abdul Jalil and a lady Izaat Begum, wife of Ghairat Khan, were killed, while the criminals escaped. The deceased constable was posted in Railway Police and was married. The deceased leaves behind five children. A case was lodged on complaint of deceased’s brother Abdul Ghaffoor.

In a separate case, unidentified persons killed Arshad in Jamshed Quarters police limits. The police said that the incident was reported near Jail Chowrangi.

According to Arshad’s family members they were the residents of New Karachi and deceased Arshad was currently jobless. Couple of months earlier, he was working at a bakery in the vicinity.

On Saturday around noon, he went for some work in Jamshed Quarters area, when some unidentified persons killed him. The deceased leaves behind two minor daughters. A case was reported at the police station.

An unidentified man, around 60, was shot dead by bandits in Peerabad police limits. According to the eyewitnesses, four armed bandits were robbing the pedestrians and passerby in Qasba Colony area. In the meantime, the public gathered to catch the bandits, whereupon they opened indiscriminate fire in which an aged man sitting across the Qasba Road was killed. The bandits also decamped with cash and dozen of cell phones with them.

After the incident, the Peerabad police refused to lodge an FIR of the dacoity incidents and afterwards, the Manghopir police lodged a case in this regard.

Another accused acquitted: Nizam murder case

KARACHI, Nov 15: A district and sessions judge acquitted on Thursday an accused in the Justice Nizam murder case.

The judge allowed the acquittal application of Bilal Shaikh and observed that the prosecution did not produce ample evidence to link him with the alleged offence and there was no probability of conviction.

However, the court rejected the acquittal application of another accused, Babar Sindhu.

Justice Nizam Ahmed of the Sindh High Court and his son, Nadeem Ahmed, a lawyer, were shot dead in an attack on June 10, 1996 in front of their PECHS residence.

Akhtar Javed Pirzada, Bilal Shaikh and Babar Sindhu were facing charges of killing the father and the son.

District and sessions judge Zaheeruddin S. Leghari pronounced the verdict after recording final arguments from both sides.

Bilal Shaikh and Babar Sindhu, through their counsel, had moved applications under Section 249-A of the Criminal Procedure Code to the court arguing that the prosecution had failed to produce any solid evidence against them over the past 12 years, and pleaded for their acquittal.

The special public prosecutor, Naimat Ali Randhawa, did not oppose the application.

The complainant, retired Group Captain Sikandar, brother-in-law of Justice Nizam Ahmed, had lodged an FIR (357/96) at the Ferozabad police station under Section 302/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The killings were attributed to a dispute over a prized plot near Awami Markaz.

DHA earmarks Rs9 billion for development projects

KARACHI, Nov 15: The Defence Housing Authority has planned to chalk out a master plan early next year for a new housing project to be developed on a piece of land astride the Super Highway.

The first balloting for the allotment of land is scheduled for November next year as the process of survey and demarcation of land acquired by the DHA astride the Super Highway from the Sindh government has gained momentum after vacation of stay by the High Court of Sindh.

A briefing on the project was given to the DHA governing body during its annual meeting, presided over by Defence Secretary Lieutenant-General (retired) Syed Athar Ali who is also chairman of the body, on Saturday.

Besides reviewing the development projects and policy matters, the governing body also approved annual budget of the DHA for the fiscal year 2008-2009. A record sum of Rs9 billion has been earmarked in the budget for various development projects this year.

Last year, an amount of Rs2.2 billion was spent on laying a new storm water drainage system in developed phases of DHA. Officials concerned were directed to complete the rehabilitation of roads damaged due to drainage works in the area on a priority basis.

The administrator assured the meeting that reconstruction work would be completed in a phased manner on a fast-track basis.

The meeting was informed that 12 blocks of the Creek Vista apartments, the country’s biggest high-rise complex located in Defence Phase-VIII would be handed over to the allottees according to a scheduled programme till May 2009.

Lt-Gen (retd) Athar Ali directed the housing authority to address all the grey areas, including security, garbage collection and cleanliness in Defence, with a reinvigorated approach.

He asked the DHA to take pragmatic measures to ensure that the stalled waterfront projects take off quickly thus giving impetus to the economic activity in the country.

 Railway track blown up

QUETTA, Nov 15: Quetta’s rail link with other parts of the country was cut off on Saturday night after a part of the main railway line was blown up near the Musa Colony on Saturday.

Police said the explosive device was planted under the track.

Railway officials said a two-foot-long portion of the track was damaged.

Sources said the repair work would start after security clearance on Sunday.

Railway traffic will remain suspended and all Quetta-bound trains coming from Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will be stopped at Sibi and other stations.

 Chaudhry brothers’ final shut up call to Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: Top PML-Q leaders have warned former president Pervez Musharraf not to push them to a point where they have to join those demanding his open trial for abrogating the Constitution.

“Some key political forces, particularly the PML-N, are repeatedly stressing that you should be tried for high treason; conspiracies against us should not go to an extent where we too join them,” the Chaudhrys of Gujrat and some other PML-Q leaders, who recently met Musharraf, told him in plain words.

“It is better for you to keep mum and live a peaceful life, otherwise, you will face problems that will find too hot to handle,” they said in an ominous manner, according to one of them.

The senior PML-Q leader said Musharraf told them that he was not interested in politics, but political stalwarts kept urging him that he should not sit at home idle and take part in politics in a big way. “Masses want you to play your due role,” is what these people said to him.

They told him that since the PPP-led ruling coalition failed miserably to deliver and would not last long as people were already fed up with them, it was the proper time to join politics and take reins of the PML-Q.

These people have explained to Musharraf that as the PML-Q under the Chaudhrys of Gujrat was unable to become a popular party and would be decimated in the next elections, he should not take too long to make up his mind to formally become its head.

The PML-Q leader said that Musharraf told the Chaudhrys and other party stalwarts that he was not interested in politics, but was being advised by several PML-Q heavyweights that he should take a plunge and make their party a political entity worth the name.

Hamid Nasir Chattha, Humayun Akhtar, Muhammad Ali Durrani, Sumera Malik, Kashmala Tariq and some others are spearheading a campaign in the PML-Q to dislodge the Chaudhrys. Their efforts are actually directed to block Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi from becoming the next president of the PML-Q in 2009, when the party elections are due. However, the Chaudhrys have refused to budge and are determined to fight for the top slots again.

This has virtually divided the PML-Q into two factions, which has been an unbreakable tradition with all the Muslim Leagues. Vain efforts have been made for a patch-up.

A major charge of the dissidents against the Chaudhrys is that the PML-Q has not been an effective political force under the present leadership, which needs to be replaced. But, interestingly, none of the “rebels” has ever been known to be a leading campaigner of the PML-Q while it was in the government or has been out of power except for the present interlude. However, Durrani is still working in the background that it chose to adopt after the PML-Q lost the February elections.

The Chaudhrys have no doubt that these dissidents have been launched by Musharraf, but suspect that the government is also winking at them. According to them, the former president keeps calling these dissidents for instructions to proceed further. They allege that the “rebels” also have sufficient funds to run their campaign against them. They refer to the purchase of new palatial houses by some of the dissidents in posh sectors of the federal capital. One of the premises is famous for serving Thai food to guests.

However, a dissident said his group was genuinely concerned about the constant downslide of the PML-Q and it wanted to check it, which was possible only if the present party leadership was replaced. He said that they would not allow the PML-Q to be made a personal property or hereditary party of one family. Chattha has openly declared that they would oppose Pervaiz Elahi’s bid to become the next PML-Q president.

 JUI-F wants troops out of Swat

SWAT: Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI-F) while holding the ANP-led government responsible for breaching Swat Peace Agreement Saturday demanded troops pull out from there and halt on-going military operation. Addressing a crowded press conference here at Mingora Press Club, Amir JUI-F NWFP Senator Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan and Senator Maulana Rahat Hussain termed the demands of Taliban justified and demanded of the government to release arrested Taliban and drop all cases against them. Senator Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan underscored that the provincial government of NWFP struck an agreement in Swat and all demands of Taliban were accepted but the government later did not implement the agreement practically.

 Suicide bomber perishes in rocket blitz

PESHAWAR/GHALLANAI: A soldier of the army was killed and another injured when suspected militants attacked a security checkpoint in Shabqadar as more hideouts of criminals were destroyed during shelling by gunship helicopters and tanks in Michni, Shabqadar and nearby towns.

Security forces claimed to have killed an alleged suicide bomber by hitting his vehicle with rockets, before he could ram his explosive-laden car into a security post in Noorano Killay.

A few locals were killed and others injured when mortar shells landed in their houses.

Subedar Lal Khan was killed and sepoy Khizar Hayat injured when miscreants attacked a makeshift camp of the security forces in the disputed 25 villages.

More troops were seen moving into the area on Saturday with tanks and armoured personnel carriers.

A police constable, Ilyas, was killed and his wife and a minor son sustained injuries when a mortar shell landed in their house in Haryana. The locals put his body on the main Charsadda Road to protest his killing.

A schoolteacher Nasrullah, who had sustained injuries in a mortar attack, expired at hospital. Two young sons of Sadiq Muhammad were among those injured in the mortar shelling in the area. There were reports that several others were also injured in the firing.

Houses of three alleged militant commanders were torched in Ayshakor, while other hideouts were attacked in Badi Koroona, Shnogundai, Juma Khan Koroona, Dub Koroona and other areas. Hideouts of several militant commanders were destroyed in Shnogundai, Juma Khan Koroona, Rashakai, Qila Shah Beg, Dub Koroona and other areas.

Cops Saturday made announcements on loudspeakers in Shabqadar bazaar, directing the traders to shut down their shops. They were directed to remain inside their houses as curfew had been clamped on the entire area. Thousands of villages in towns of Peshawar, Charsadda and Mohmand Agency have been suffering for the past five days owing to curfew in the area. Nobody is even allowed to shift their families to safer places.

The Peshawar-Ghandhab Road was opened for traffic only for one hour after locals demanded relaxation of curfew so they could move to safer places. At least 20 militants were killed and 15 others wounded during the ongoing operation on Friday.

Security forces had launched operation in the areas after the law and order situation in the provincial capital took an ugly turn. It was believed that people from Michni, Mathra, Matani and Badhber were creating law and order problem for the security forces.

 9 militants killed in Swat

MINGORA: Security forces claimed to have killed nine militants and injured 15 others, while miscreants torched three more snooker clubs and a video centre in various parts of Swat Valley on Saturday. Sources said the security forces continued operation against the militants in parts of Kabal tehsil where seven militants were killed and 11 others injured in a gunbattle. Ali Rehman, a militant commander of Dherai area, was also killed. “Security forces also killed two militants and injured four others in Sambat area of Matta tehsil,” a press release of Mingora Media Centre claimed, adding that security forces targeted suspected hideouts of militants in Peochar and Manja areas. However, the TTP rejected the security forces’ claim and said that neither their associates had been killed nor injured in the Saturday operation.

 Nato supplies road closed

Authorities closed the road used by trucks carrying supplies for Nato forces in Afghanistan in the wake of attacks on vehicles over the past week, television reports quoted a political agent as saying on Saturday.

 Iran detains 10 spies with cash

TEHRAN, Nov 15: Iran detained 10 spies carrying $500,000 in cash who had entered the country illegally from Pakistan, state television said on Saturday.

Modern espionage cameras and maps of sensitive regions in Iran were found when the group was detained in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province bordering Pakistan, the report said.

Television did not give any details on their nationality or say when they were detained.

Sistan-Baluchestan is a volatile province known for frequent clashes between security forces and well-armed drug smugglers.

Iran has in the past accused the US and Britain of trying to destabilise the country by supporting ethnic minority rebels operating in sensitive border areas.

YESTERDAY'S NEWS
Ex-MQM activist shot dead; labourer killed in crossfire
MQM, ST vow to foil ‘conspiracies’
Mirza condemns targeted killings
9 Nadra staffers sent to jail
Suspected militants loot Rs4m from bank
Garment factory owner killed
Karachi a pollution hotspot: UN report (more)
Importance of Urdu highlighted (more)
Shakaib Qureshi acquitted in Murtaza Bhutto case (more)
Mumtaz Bhutto condemns Qadirpur gas field sell-off (more)
8 peasants recovered from illegal captivity (more)
Imran hits out at JUI for maligning journalist (more)
Foreign journalists hurt in failed kidnapping bid (more)
9 Arabs among 13 killed in drone attack (more)
20 militants killed in Shabqadar action (more)
4 snooker clubs torched, woman killed in Swat (more)
Blasts destroy video shops in Dera (more)
Every major terror threat involves Pakistan: CIA (more)

TODAY'S NEWS, BUT 10 YEARS OLD

© DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2008
© JANG Group, 2008

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