Pakistan

Islamabad, July 30: As Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf defied summons and failed to show up before the country’s highest court for the second day on Thursday, Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhary has observed that the ex-President can be tried for “high treason” by Parliament.

The Chief Justice also observed that the Parliament can also annul all ordinances issued post-emergency imposed by Musharraf.

But, Chaudhary, who himself was the victim of more than 60 Judges sacked by the former army chief, however, turned down a plea to launch a treason case against Musharraf.

Islamabad, July 30: The United Nations said Thursday it has scaled back operations in Baluchistan province after a threat made by separatists who kidnapped an American aid worker earlier this year — adding to Pakistan’s security woes.

Baluch separatists have been waging a low-level insurgency in the impoverished but oil-rich southwest of Pakistan for decades. But the insurgency had not been known to target foreigners until this year, when a group kidnapped the head of the U.N. refugee agency’s operations in the region, John Solecki, and held him for two months.

Islamabad, July 30: Thousands of weapons of prohibited bore, including sub-machine guns, have been issued in Pakistan in an irregular manner and in violation of rules, which has run the Pakistan government into trouble.

Islamabad, already facing a mounting insurgency in the form of number of armed militant groups and its army trying to quell a violent Taliban insurgents in the restive NWFP, has now been rocked by the scam of thousands of weapons finding their way to people illegally.

Islamabad, July 30: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has declared that the court’s responsibility is to remain “neutral” and to trial Musharraf for his alleged rebellion against the state is the job of another “forum”

The CJ was commenting on the stance of former president Supreme Court Bar Association Hamid Khan who continued his arguments in the case of ad hoc judges’ appointment in Sindh High Court here Thursday.

Islamabad, July 30: Reciprocating the “sentiments for peace” expressed by his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said dialogue is the only way forward for the two countries.

Gilani’s remark came just after Singh’s address to the Lok Sabha on India-Pakistan relations on Wednesday.

Gilani said the two leaders “had useful talks and a good meeting of minds” during their talks on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement summit at Sharm el-Sheikh on July 16.

Islamabad, July 30: A British lawmaker of Pakistani origin has talked of the possibility of former President Pervez Musharraf being put on trial in the UK as he failed to respond to summons from the top court in Islamabad over his controversial decisions to impose emergency and fire judges two years ago.

Musharraf, who is now in London as part of his extensive lecture tour, snubbed summons to appear before a 14-member bench headed by Pakistan Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhary, who had himself been a victim of the military dictator.

Washington, July 30: Richard Holbrooke, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, today said that Pakistan did mentioned India’s involvement in trouble-hit Balochistan but gave no credible evidence in this regard.

Holbrooke said that Pakistan leadership raised the issue during his last week’s visit to the country.

“I would be misleading, if I said Balochistan issue didn’t come up,” Holbrooke told newsmen.

Islamabad, July 30: In a startling revelation that exposes Pakistan’s ‘commitment’ to bringing the perpetrators of 26/11 to justice, a leading Pak daily has said key Lashker-e-Toiba operatives Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Zarar Shah are “believed to have confessed” to their involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks but Pakistani authorities are yet to make it public.

Islamabad, July 29: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Wednesday paid a surprise visit to National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) centre here and directed the staff on duty to increase the number of counters to entertain maximum number of applicants at a time.

In his visit to the Nadra centre at Sector G-8/4, the Prime Minister inquired the people standing in long queues about the problems they faced in applying for the Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs).

Lahore, July 29: JuD chief and LeT founder Hafiz Mohd Saeed cannot be prosecuted for involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks without “concrete evidence” against him, Pakistan’s top law official said on Wednesday.

Stop questioning; prosecute Saeed: PC to Pak”The government has the evidence provided by the UN Security Council that can only keep Saeed behind bars for a certain period of time under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law,” said Attorney General Latif Khosa, an aide of President Asif Ali Zardari.

Islamabad, July 29: A powerful bomb planted in a car ripped through the parking lot of a district court in Pakistan’s troubled northwest today, killing two men guarding a Shia lawyer and injuring several others.

The blast triggered by a remote control took place in Dera Ismail Khan city, which over the past few months has been hit by clashes between Shias and Sunnis and Taliban-related violence.

Two men, who were guarding a Shia lawyer were, killed in the blast, police said.

Islamabad, July 29: Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, whose grim rule in Pakistan’s tribal district of South Waziristan is marked by suicide bombings and throat-slitting, has contacted the government through mediators for peace talks, official and tribal sources say.

The pleading might have come partly from a near perfect stranglehold the security forces have on him and partly because his fellow Taliban leaders are advising him to be on good terms with the Pakistani government and avoid spoiling their game plan in Afghanistan.

Islamabad, July 29: Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday snubbed a summons from Pakistan’s top court to explain his decision to impose a state of emergency and controversially sack judges two years ago.

A 14-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, issued notice to Musharraf to appear in person or through counsel on July 29.

But neither the former head of state, who lost power last year and has been a vocal critic of the current Pakistani administration, nor a lawyer speaking on his behalf attended the session Wednesday, said an AFP reporter.

Islamabad, July 29: Pakistan Interior Advisor Rehman Malik has rebuked media reports that the government has entered into ‘secret negotiations’ with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud.

Malik denied that any negotiations with Mehsud were underway.

He said military offensive against Mehsud and other extremist groups would continue until their elimination.

“The operation against Baitullah Mehsud would continue until the total elimination of the militant commander’s network or his surrender,” The Daily Times quoted Malik, as saying.

Lahore, July 29: The World Bank (WB) has refused to grant a loan of 102 million dollars to Pakistan.

Sources said the refusal came after the government failed to meet certain requisite conditions necessary for disbursement of loan by the World Bank.

Accordingly, the amount was supposed to be spent for providing telecommunication services in rural areas across Pakistan.

After the refusal, the Universal Service Fund Committee has agreed to provide funds for the project.

The WB has also delayed the approval of a 100 million dollar loan for the Higher Education Commission until 2010.

Islamabad, July 29: A bombing outside a courthouse in north-western Pakistan Wednesday killed at least one person and wounded three, police said.

The explosion took place in a parking lot adjacent to courtrooms in Dera Ismail Khan, located close to Pakistan’s lawless tribal region near the Afghan border.

‘A police constable deployed in the parking bay was killed, and three civilians were injured,’ said Gul Afzal Khan Afridi, the district police chief. Several cars were damaged in the blast.

Islamabad, July 29: Though on the run from the major Pakistani offensive, the retreating Taliban militants have carried out a gruesome beheading of a captured police official.

The police found the decapitated body of a constable in a town in Swat valley, where for the last three months the Pakistan Army is carrying out a flushing operation against the Taliban, officials were quoted by TV channels as saying.

They said the police constable was kidnapped a week ago by militants. His corpse was found today with his head severed about four kilometres from Swat”s main town Mingora.

Islamabad, July 29: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi has said that Pakistan stands today at the most critical juncture of its history and a wave of violent acts in the form of suicide attacks, bomb blasts, sabotage activities, attacks on security personal and state installations is sweeping across the country.

He was addressing an international conference on “De-radicalization and Engagement of Youth in Pakistan “organized by Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) here today.

Islamabad, July 29: Though the three-month Swat offensive has failed to kill or capture the local Taliban leader, the government has given the army until September to kill or capture Baitullah Mehsud, the top Taliban leader and the country’s most-wanted man.

“The army has been assigned with the task to either kill or arrest Baitullah Mehsud by September 1 in order to break the backbone of militancy,” a senior official told Islamonline.net on Monday, July 27, requesting anonymity.

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Islamabad, July 28: Three security personnel were injured when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a check post in Pakistan”s restive North Waziristan tribal region today. The check post, located near Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan Agency, was destroyed in the attack.

Three security personnel deployed at the post were injured by the blast, TV news channels reported. There was no official word on the incident.

Islamabad, July 28: Pakistan has accused India of threatening peace in South Asia by expanding its military arsenal.

“Continued induction of new lethal weapon systems by India is detrimental to regional peace and stability,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late Monday.

The statement came a day after arch-rival India launched its first nuclear-powered submarine for sea trials.

Islamabad, July 28: Pakistan has said it cannot arrest outlawed Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, linked by India to the Mumbai terror attacks, since there is no proof of his involvement in the 26/11 assault.

Saeed will not be arrested merely on the basis of statements linking him to the attacks and the Indian government has been asked to provide proof of his involvement in any misdeeds, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said.

“We do not have any proof against Hafiz Saeed,” Malik told Geo News channel in an interview.

Islamabad, July 28: Pakistan hit out at India on Tuesday, branding its first nuclear-powered submarine “detrimental” to regional peace and vowing to take “appropriate steps” to maintain a “strategic balance”.

“Continued induction of new lethal weapon systems by India is detrimental to regional peace and stability,” the foreign ministry said.

Arch-rival India on Sunday launched the first of five planned submarines by naming the 6,000-tonne INS Arihant (Destroyer of Enemies), powered by an 85-megawatt nuclear reactor that can reach 44 kilometres an hour (24 knots).

Islamabad, July 28: A writ petition has been filed in Supreme Court of Pakistan against former President General (r) Pervez Musharraf, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and former Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar.

The trio has been charged of intentionally committing contempt of court by violating the verdict of 7-member bench on November 3, 2009, against proposed emergency.

The writ has been filed by the principle of a local college of the capital, it was reported.
–Agencies

Islamabad, July 28: Pakistan is prepared to work with sincerity to open a “new chapter in improving relations” with India and the two sides should share credible information to counter possible future terrorist threats, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Monday.

Briefing the cabinet on his recent meeting with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, Mr. Gilani said Pakistan is “ready to work with India with full commitment and sincerity towards opening of a new chapter in improving relations between the two countries”.