Punjab CM issued orders for firing, must resign: Qadri

 

LAHORE: Dr Tahirul Qadri, the chief of Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT), while rejecting the removal of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and terming it an eyewash, said that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had ordered the police to open firing at the Minhajul Quran Secretariat in Model Town, Lahore, and he should tender his resignation.
He was addressing a press conference on Friday via video link as many opposition leaders were also present on the occasion. All the opposition parties gathered at the Minhajul QuranInternational (MQI) Secretariat on Friday to reiterate the demand that top ruling personalities including the prime minister, Punjab chief minister, some federal and provincial ministers, senior bureaucrats and entire team in Lahore operation should resign by accepting responsibility for the killing of its 11 workers.

On the other hand, Dr Tahirul Qadri said his workers had exercised restraint; otherwise, they would have set the whole country ablaze.

MQI Federal Council Chairman Hasan Mohiuddin Qadri – the eldest son of Qadri - addressed a press conference along with senior leaders of PPP, PML-Q, MQM, PTI, MWM, MYC, SIC and religious personalities. They demanded that a three-member judicial commission of impartial Supreme Court judges should hold inquiry with the help of unbiased officials of ISI, Military Intelligence and Intelligence Bureau to fix responsibility.

They termed the anti-encroachment operation at MQI secretariat state terrorism and slaughter of MQI workers to deter Qadri from returning to the country for launching anti-government movement.

The senior opposition leaders present on the occasion — PPP Secretary General Jahangir Badr, PPP Punjab President Manzoor Wattoo, PML-Q’s Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, MQM’s Rasheed Godale, PTI Punjab President Ijaz Chaudhry, Imtiaz Naqvi of MWM - stressed that they would stand by Qadri in his movement for restoration genuine democracy, electoral reforms, elimination of corruption and realisation of the fundamental rights of the people.

Hasan, who read out the demands, said the meeting of opposition leaders decided that the FIR registered by police should be discarded and all the arrested be released, as he also called for recovering the missing workers.

He thanked all the opposition parties for expressing solidarity with the MQI and said justice could be provided only through Qisas. He said Qisas for the martyred workers was the destination of revolution which was clear in the sight.

Later, Qadri addressed the press conference and said his workers had exercised restraint after the Model Town tragedy; otherwise, they would have set the whole country ablaze. He reiterated that the barricades around the MQI Secretariat and his house were not erected by his party but by the police on the orders of Lahore High Court (LHC) and if police wanted to remove them the issue could have been resolved amicably.

He rejected the reports that people of the area had lodged complaints against him for closing down several roads. He said if there were complaints, why the government did not address them earlier and why it removed the barricades when he was about to launch the anti-government movement.

Qadri alleged that the PML-N leadership had gone mad on the thought of him launching a movement to re-establish rule of law in the country and eliminate corruption, bad governance, and plunder of public wealth.

He alleged that the Punjab chief minister was actually (Qatil-e-Ala) who had written a historic chapter of brutality and barbarism by attacking MQI Secretariat and his house.

On the reports of removal of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and CM’s Principal Secretary Dr Tauqeer Shah, he said it was the victory of his stance that the provincial government had committed a gross injustice. He, however, said removal of one or two persons was just eyewash and demanded that entire team involved in the operation, including the prime minister and chief minister, must be removed.

Qadri opined that Rana Sanaullah was not actually removed but sent on ‘honeymoon’, so that he could be brought back any time. He said by Sana’s removal, Shahbaz Sharif had changed the earlier stance of his government and vindicated MQI’s position.

Earlier, the meeting of opposition leaders also passed a resolution on the murder of MQM MNA Tahira Asif and demanded an inquiry to identify the culprits. Manzoor Wattoo, Zaheeruddin, Rasheed Godale, SIC leader Sahibzada Hasan Raza, Ijaz Chaudhry and others also spoke on the occasion.

Obama: US will help but Iraq must mend divisions

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said Friday that he is examining options short of sending ground troops to help Iraq counter a extremist offensive, but warned the country must heal its own divisions.

"We will not be sending US troops back into combat in Iraq, but I have asked my national security team to prepare a range of other options that could help support Iraqi security forces," Obama said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki´s government has asked the United States to provide military assistance to counter a stunning advance by ISIL, an extremist movement.

But, in brief remarks to reporters at the White House, Obama warned the Baghdad government that it had brought disaster on itself by failing to heal the divides between Sunni and Shiite camps in the country.

"The United States will not involve itself in military action in the absence of a political plan by the Iraqis that gives us some assurance that they´re prepared to work together," he said.

"We won´t allow ourselves to be dragged back into a situation in which while we´re there we´re keeping a lid on things and, after enormous sacrifices by us, as soon as we´re not there, suddenly people end up acting in ways that are not conducive to the long-term stability of the country.

"The United States withdrew the last of its occupation forces from Iraq in 2011, eight years after they overthrew the then dictator Saddam Hussein, but Obama said he was studying options to increase ongoing support for the Iraqi military.

He added, however, that "any action that we may take to provide assistance to Iraqi security forces has to be joined by a serious and sincere effort by Iraq´s leaders to set aside sectarian differences.

"Nobody has an interest in seeing terrorists gain a foothold inside of Iraq and nobody is going to benefit from seeing Iraq descend into chaos," he said.
"So the United States will do our part, but understand that ultimately it´s up to the Iraqis as a sovereign nation to solve their problems."

Obama: US will help but Iraq must mend divisions

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said Friday that he is examining options short of sending ground troops to help Iraq counter a extremist offensive, but warned the country must heal its own divisions.

"We will not be sending US troops back into combat in Iraq, but I have asked my national security team to prepare a range of other options that could help support Iraqi security forces," Obama said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki´s government has asked the United States to provide military assistance to counter a stunning advance by ISIL, an extremist movement.

But, in brief remarks to reporters at the White House, Obama warned the Baghdad government that it had brought disaster on itself by failing to heal the divides between Sunni and Shiite camps in the country.

"The United States will not involve itself in military action in the absence of a political plan by the Iraqis that gives us some assurance that they´re prepared to work together," he said.

"We won´t allow ourselves to be dragged back into a situation in which while we´re there we´re keeping a lid on things and, after enormous sacrifices by us, as soon as we´re not there, suddenly people end up acting in ways that are not conducive to the long-term stability of the country.

"The United States withdrew the last of its occupation forces from Iraq in 2011, eight years after they overthrew the then dictator Saddam Hussein, but Obama said he was studying options to increase ongoing support for the Iraqi military.

He added, however, that "any action that we may take to provide assistance to Iraqi security forces has to be joined by a serious and sincere effort by Iraq´s leaders to set aside sectarian differences.

"Nobody has an interest in seeing terrorists gain a foothold inside of Iraq and nobody is going to benefit from seeing Iraq descend into chaos," he said.
"So the United States will do our part, but understand that ultimately it´s up to the Iraqis as a sovereign nation to solve their problems."

This issue must end now

ISLAMABAD: A six-word tweet — “Pemra action: ISI ruling, Govt retreating!” — by one Dr Nadia Khan on Friday said it all.

Geo’s suspension for 15 days and Rs10 million fine by the government-backed Pemra is an extreme step that the civilian leadership has been compelled to take after the military establishment was not ready for anything less than the closure of the Geo Network.

Rightly or wrongly, the rank and file of the Pakistan Army were badly hurt by the controversial April 19 telecast of Geo and more so by the consequent stoking of the fire by the anti-Jang Group vultures in the media. The Geo’s apology did not work which has now taken all of us to the present suspension of the Geo News for 15 days by Pemra.

The matter must end now. We all now need to move forward for the sake of Pakistan, its institutions and the rule of law. If Geo did something wrong on April 19, the subsequent days and weeks witnessed the repeated wrongs and flexing of muscles by the other side. If the DG ISI was unfairly treated by Geo on April 19, the whole world knows that all channels of Geo network were also illegally blocked, copies of Jang and The News were set on fire, Jang-Geo’s properties were destroyed, its employees were beaten and harassed.

To this day, I could not understand how the coverage relating to DG ISI became an attack on Pakistan Army but the reality is it was made to look like so. We the media people could not think of fighting against any of our institutions, what to talk of the Pakistan Army, which is already faced with serious challenges, including the Musharraf-gifted terrorism. But still it was made a Geo-Pak Army/ISI fight.

The ISI is undoubtedly our first line of defence and is critically important for the national security of the country. We the media will defend and protect our freedom but cannot think of doing anything aimed at demolishing any of our state institutions, including the army and the ISI. However, mistakes and wrong editorial judgments should not be taken as conspiracies unless proven. The media does make mistakes and so do other institutions, including the Pakistan Army and the ISI. If Geo wrongly handled the post-Hamid Mir attack situation, there are too serious and too many blunders that were made by our defence institutions in the past. If the media crosses the limits or the red lines, it should be proceeded against as per the law of the land. But being a watchdog of the society, it is the prime responsibility of the media to highlight the wrongs of the state institutions, governments, rulers and the mighty ones to safeguard the interest of the people and to uphold the rule of law and constitutionalism.

Geo had made a public apology and has now even been penalised for its mistake. Whether we like it or not, Pemra, despite being a controversial and toothless body, has given a judgment against Geo, which has the right to challenge it in the court of law but Pemra’s decision should be implemented in letter and spirit.

The other side, particularly the ISI, also needs to review its grey areas like the controversial role that it had played during the recent weeks. We love our ISI for what it does for the security and defence of Pakistan, including its double games against the enemy states.

However, the ISI is badly required to make corrections for those wrongs which make it controversial at home and in the eyes of its own people. The ISI needs to learn that it should never use its muscles against its own people, institutions and governments. Like any other institution, the ISI should also ensure that all its officials do not go or act beyond legal and constitutional limits. The Geo-ISI/army tiff must end now because furthering it would destroy and damage all of us.

Imran must be tried under Article 6, says Abid

 

FAISALABAD: Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali on Sunday said that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan must be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution for treason with the nation.
He said that Imran Khan was trying to create a rift between the government and the army.Addressing a press conference here, Abid Sher Ali said the PTI was using protests to reverse the development process in the country.

The minister criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Pervaiz Elahi, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, Awami Muslim League (AML) Chairman Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan for hatching conspiracies against the governemnt. The minister said Khan was using the defence institutions for coming into power.

Abid Sher Ali said no one would be allowed to sabotage the progress, prosperity and peace in the country. He said the government would do whatever was needed to strengthen the domestic security.

He said the PML-N government had launched numerous projects to overcome the energy crisis. Criticising the political parties protesting against the government, the minister said Pervaiz Elahi was a conspirator and he was the root cause of the problem. Shaikh Rashid could not gather people at his residence, how could he launch a train march? he questioned.

The minister said these parties wanted to destabilise democracy and the country. “No one will be allowed to play the Sindh, Balochistan and KP cards and mislead the people,” he added.He said that record investment was now being made in the country.

US must lead globally but show restraint: Obama

WEST POINT: President Barack Obama says the United States must lead on the world stage, but also show restraint before rushing into military operations overseas.

Obama is outlining his foreign policy vision for his final two years during a commencement address at the US Military Academy.

Obama says the US is emerging from a long period of war. But he says isolationism isn´t an option in the 21st century.

He says the US will use force when necessary, but is stronger when it doesn´t act alone.

Obama also says he plans to work with Congress to increase support for the Syrian opposition.

The speech comes a day after Obama offered a blueprint for ending the US military engagement in Afghanistan. (AP)

Imran Khan must preach what he practices

ISLAMABAD: As the PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Friday waged a war against Geo TV and the Jang Group that are already under fire from the ‘patriotic’ forces, the argument he advanced to justify the boycott does not hold any ground and rather cast doubts on his integrity.
His flip-flop in the post-Hamid Mir attack testifies that he has either been surrounded by confusion or by the ‘angels’, thus vindicating his friend Ch Nisar who had credited now-former ISI chief Lt Gen (retd) Pasha for the sudden rise of the PTI in 2011.

Initially, Imran demanded apology from Geo TV for ‘its baseless vilification of the Pakistan Army and ISI.” A new reality dawned on him later on. He found out the network’s involvement in the election rigging while admitting he did not have any evidence; nevertheless, asked for apology on this ground and his party would boycott unless the needful was done.

He was wrong before; he is wrong again. I have a few questions for him followed by the answers.Does he really believe that alleging a spy chief for a murderous attempt is tantamount to the vilification of the entire agency? If the answer is in affirmative then the PTI chief had set this precedent in 2007 and must tender apology for doing so before demanding from others.

On June 15, 2007, the PTI Secretary General, Air Marshal (R) Zulfiqar held a press conference (details can still be accessed at PTI’s official website). “Intelligence agencies have devised a plan to kill Imran Khan,” he told media and said that the FIR would be registered against the agencies’ chiefs together with President Pervez Musharraf and MQM chief Altaf Hussain “in case of any attack.”

One wonders that if the PTI chief had different standard for himself and anybody else feeling threatened from the agencies? He should have publicly submitted apology before advising demanding this from others.

Likewise, he misquoted former Army Chief Gen (R) Ashfaq Parvez Kayani about the briefing he gave during All Parties Conference (APC) meeting about terrorism and military operation in Federally Administered Tribal Area (Fata). It was a breach of trust to publicise (correctly or incorrectly) a secret shared with top leaders during an in camera briefing to begin with. Also the fact remains that the government termed it wrong attribution to the former army chief, clarifying what Kayani had exactly said. The Senate also demanded of the PTI chief to take back his words, but he remained adamant. He did not admit his mistake at any point; however, he never spared a chance to preach others.

His allegations of rigging don’t make any sense either. While indicting Geo TV on this ground and announcing boycott till the apology is tendered, the PTI chairman admitted that he did not have any proof to state about its involvement.

The foundation of his argument about rigging rested on the airing of victory speech of Mian Nawaz Sharif by Geo TV. This ‘offered’ him strong evidence about its involvement. Regardless the merit of his allegations, this established the fact that he is an avid watcher of Geo TV. Had he been watching other channels by that time, he would have found out that this speech was not exclusively being run by Geo TV.

Supposing that he was watching Geo TV only, why did he fail to notice the appearance of his top lieutenant, Asad Umar, in Kamran Khan Show short after the PML-N leader’s victory speech? Not only he had congratulated Sharif brothers on the victory; he had also disclosed PTI’s win in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Going by Imran Khan’s logic, did PTI rig the elections in KP? If not, how did the party’s top campaign manager Asad Umar come to know about the victory in KP?

Geo TV had also been alleged of giving more projection to the PML-N during election campaign. This was in contrast with the complaint lodged by Ishaq Dar of the PML-N to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the unfair coverage of Geo TV that, the PML-N thought, was heavily biased in favour of PTI. Even many journalists affiliated with the eJang Group noticed disproportionate coverage to the PTI by Geo TV. The PTI instead of being thankful has turned against the same network.

As the election campaign was in the full swing, different TV anchors were predicting the win of PTI. As a journalist, I was curious as to why those anchors were so convinced about the likely victory of the PTI. Upon inquiry, a couple of them said that Imran Khan had given in writing to many anchors that PTI would grab 125 national assembly seats. One wonders how did the PTI chief know and what made him so confident? I would also be grateful to the anchors who were receiving calls from the angels updating them about the election situation and that PTI was going to win with huge margin. As they would use different code names for different politicians, one of them was ‘doctor’. Will any anchor let the public know who was named as ‘doctor’?

Pak govt must defend media freedom: US, UK, EU

ISLAMABAD: The United States, the United Kingdom and Delegation of the European Union on Friday called upon the Government of Pakistan to resolutely defend the media freedom in the country, adding that gags on the media and attacks on journalists were not acceptable.
While marking the World Press Freedom Day today, May 3, and supporting freedom of expression, they have also made mention of the recent assassination bid on Geo’s top anchor Hamid Mir and called upon the government to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The European Union Delegation, in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission in Pakistan, expressed in a statement its deep concern over the steadily deteriorating environment for media freedom in Pakistan.

“The recent attacks on well-known journalists Raza Rumi and Hamid Mir are only the latest in a large number of incidents. Since 2008, thirty-four members of the media have been killed, making Pakistan one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists,” says the EU, while underlining that freedom of expression is a fundamental principle in a democratic society given its essential role for the realisation of other human rights. The EU Delegation and EU Member States Missions, while welcoming the commitment of the Government of Pakistan to investigate the case of Hamid Mir, expects that similar attention will be paid to all other cases. They note that in many cases the offenders have not been brought to trial.

“The EU Delegation and EU Member States Missions therefore call upon the Government of Pakistan to ensure that all abuses committed against journalists are duly investigated and that appropriate action is taken against perpetrators while the public is provided with information on the outcome of enquiries,” adds the statement.

A strong appeal was also made to the government to resolutely defend the media freedom, this being an important component of freedom of expression as defined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Pakistan is party and has already made a strong commitment to uphold as part of the GSP Plus scheme.

“The EU Delegation and EU Member States Missions reiterate their call on the Government of Pakistan to create an environment where the media can work freely, effectively and without fear. The Delegation and Member States Missions stand ready to assist Pakistan in developing the necessary conditions for this,” adds the statement.

The US Embassy, which earlier gave two statements in support of Hamid Mir, on Friday while marking the World Press Freedom Day, said it recognises, honours and underscores the essential role of independent media in fostering and protecting freedom of expression and democratic principles.

“The United States values freedom of the press as a key component of democratic governance. Democratic societies are not infallible, but they are accountable, and the exchange of ideas is the foundation for accountable governance. In the United States and in many places around the world, the press fosters active debate, provides investigative reporting, and serves as a forum to express different points of view, particularly on behalf of those who are marginalised in society,” said the statement.

British High Commissioner in Pakistan Philip Barton, in a hard hitting statement, said: “It is hard to escape the fact that 2014 has so far been a particularly bloody year for journalism in Pakistan. A range of media houses from across the political spectrum have been attacked. Journalists and their support staff have been targeted and in some cases, tragically, killed.”

Saying that Pakistan remains one of the world’s most dangerous places to be a journalist, the high commissioner adds: “Since my arrival in Pakistan at the beginning of the year, I have been struck by the vibrancy of the country’s media. This breadth and diversity is striking and is proof of how far the industry has come since 2008’s deregulatory reforms.”

Calling on “all” in Pakistan to support a free and fair press, where journalists can go about their vital work without fear, intimidation or harassment, the high commissioner noted: “Journalists, bloggers, media organisations and individuals must be allowed to operate and to express themselves freely and safely in line with international standards. The recent surge in violence against journalists in Pakistan highlights the need for action in this area.”

Pakistani journalists, he added, have played a central role in embedding public support for democratic values – “witnessed so clearly in last year’s historic elections”. Freedom of expression, he says, is fundamental to a strong democracy.

“An open and effective press serves to improve the environment for long-term social, political and economic stability. Journalists are crucial to this work,” he adds.

Govt, media, army must work together for country: Nawaz

 

LONDON: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that the government, media and army must work together for the country to take Pakistan out of the multifarious and serious crises facing the motherland.
Answering a question from ‘The News’ after addressing a conference of investors here, the premier said that all the institutions, including the media and security institutions, had a vital role to play. “We all have to join hands to move forward. Be it the media or Pakistan’s armed forces, the government or the security institutions, we all will have to work together. Pakistan is surrounded by crises and we have tried to put it back on track since coming to power,” he said.

The prime minister was asked about the Jang and Geo appeal to him and the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani. It was feared that justice, fairplay and impartiality could not be expected from a dysfunctional and weak body like Pemra and that the allegations levelled by the Ministry of Defence were so defamatory, scandalous and serious that an independent Supreme Court Commission should be formed to inquire into these allegations.

The premier said that the Judicial Commission was set up by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on his request to look into various aspects of the attack on senior anchor Hamid Mir. “A commission comprising three judges has been formed; let the commission complete its work to find out the facts.”

Nawaz Sharif appealed to all sides to focus their efforts on Pakistan’s betterment. He said that Pakistan’s industry had halted but now it was running two to three shifts and production was increasing.“I believe that we have to resolve these matters. We should make matters easy and resolve issues amicably. Pakistan is at such a stage where it faces many difficulties,” the premier said.

He said that it was due to his economic policies that Pakistan would get more than $30 billion of investment in the next a few years. “This is unprecedented investment, mainly from Chinese and also Pakistani investors. This will boost Pakistan’s energy sector. Pakistan will become a corridor for investment and growth in the region. We have to understand that almost 3 billion people live in this region. There is so much we can gain and our nation can benefit through our policies,” he said adding that the future of the world lay in this region.

He stressed: “We should not entangle ourselves in these issues. We shall not be distracted.”Speaking to ‘The News’, senior Foreign Office Minister Baroness Sayeeda Warsi said that Britain believed in the freedom of speech and held these values in high esteem. She said that Pakistan faced tough circumstances and it was important that all the institutions should work together to find a way out. “I want to take this opportunity to say that our thoughts and prayers are with Hamid Mir. He is a respected journalist. The whole world is waiting for his recovery and we fully support freedom of press.”

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, while speaking to ‘The News’, said that Pakistan’s independent media had asserted itself through sacrifices and a long struggle for its rights. He said that freedom of independent media could not be questioned because it had been obtained through a lot of sacrifices. But, Shahbaz Sharif urged all media channels to adhere to journalistic principles and always present all sides of the story. “It should not be one sided. I am talking about all media. It is important that moderation is adopted in current circumstances.”

Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik said that his party’s position was very clear on the current standoff. “We are for freedom of speech. We have worked to get this much freedom for media. I am completely in favour of media freedom. Our policy is crystal clear about it. We will not support anyone who suppresses freedom of speech.

Balochistan chief minister added: “Pakistan faces tough circumstances. It is the responsibility of media and all other institutions to work together to make Pakistan a progressive society.”APP/INP add: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif appreciated UK strong support for grant of GSP Plus status to Pakistan by the European Union (EU) and continued development assistance provided through Department for International Development (DFID) particularly in health and education sectors.

The Prime Minister was talking to British Foreign Secretary William Hague who called on him here. He is currently in London on an official visit to review and further strengthen the strategic relations between the two countries.

Speaking about his government’s priorities, the prime minister said his government was committed to enhancing the welfare and security of its people by reviving the economy, overcoming energy shortage, eradicating extremism and promoting human rights and good governance.

Secretary Hague appreciated the economic reforms agenda of the government and offered UK’s assistance and cooperation in its implementation. He also offered support to Pakistan in meeting its obligations under the GSP Plus regime.

The post election situation in Afghanistan including security environment in the post 2014 withdrawal scenario was also discussed.Secretary Hague welcomed the Pakistan government’s efforts to establish cordial and cooperative relations with India.

Meanwhile, British Defence Secretary Philip Hammond called on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in London and discussed at length the existing level of defence and security cooperation between Pakistan and the UK.

The prime minister appreciated UK’s offer of assistance in the areas of training and capacity building of Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies especially in the field of countering Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Prime Minister hoped that this relationship could be further strengthened and taken to a higher level where both the sides could undertake joint defence production ventures.

It was agreed that defence and security cooperation between the two countries had assumed increased significance in view of the forthcoming withdrawal of Nato forces from Afghanistan later this year. The two sides expressed satisfaction with the bilateral cooperation under the framework of Enhanced Strategic Dialogue (ESD) and hoped that the targets set under the framework would be achieved within the given timeframe. Both the sides also agreed that the Defence Equipment Cooperation MoU signed in 2005 needed to be renewed and revitalised under the Defence Cooperation Forum.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik, Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi and acting High Commissioner Muhammad Imran Mirza also attended the meeting.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif lauded the British government’s ongoing cooperation and assistance to Pakistan in spheres of security and counter terrorism.

The prime minister said this while talking to British Home Secretary Theresa May who called on him. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to fight extremism and militancy and pointed out the unprecedented sacrifices rendered by the country in terms of human lives and economic losses. He updated Secretary May on the National Internal Security Policy (NISP) and the dialogue process with the Taliban.

The prime minister shared his government’s plans to improve the working of counter terrorism organisations at the federal level and creation of similar organisations at the provincial level. He also underlined the need for enhanced cooperation between the two countries in all spheres. The Home Secretary said the British government recognised Pakistan’s commitment and sacrifices in the global war on terror. She said the United Kingdom would extend all possible help to strengthen Pakistan’s capacity in dealing with extremism and terrorism.Both sides expressed their resolve to continue benefiting from each other’s expertise in relevant areas.

Nawaz must end clash among institutions: Altaf

LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif must come forward and play his role in ending clash among the institutions.

He said that if there were any harm to democracy, they all would be responsible for this.Altaf made an appeal to the prime minister to play a constructive role in steering Pakistan out of crises.

“Mian Nawaz Sharif holds an important post. Pakistan is facing internal and external challenges. The situation demands that he should not waste time and take into confidence the lawmakers in the National Assembly and Senate to build a consensus to tackle internal challenges being faced by the nation. He can also convene an all parties’ conference for this purpose”, Altaf said in a statement released from London.

“In this crisis, the prime minister should not desert the nation. He must come forward and lead the nation. We have got this democracy after rendering enormous sacrifices”, he said.Altaf added that he had made this appeal because Pakistan’s security and survival was at stake.

“Mian Nawaz Sharif is the prime minister of Pakistan. The person who holds this post must be responsible and generous,” the MQM chief added.“Our country is economically weak and needs foreign aids for its survival. We need national solidarity, unity and harmony among people and good relations among the institutions,” he said.Altaf said that prime minister and colleagues should pay attention to his recommendations.

COAS must act to end retaliatory steps from various segments: APNS

KARACHI: Hameed Haroon, the President of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), appealed to Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif to rein in the knee-jerk retaliatory measures that had been initiated by various segments of the armed forces.

“This will lessen any public misperceptions with respect to what the security establishment sees as its principled stand in the matter. It is grossly unfair that Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam or any other member of the security establishment be presumed guilty unless the substance of such guilt can be irrefutably proved in a commission of enquiry. If he is found innocent, the media group found guilty of publishing and broadcasting such allegations against him must tender an unqualified apology as per the valid international norms that govern such situations.”

He expressed concern that “the freedom of the press envisioned in Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan is now facing the gravest threat it has encountered in the past decade, and if press freedoms are allowed to deteriorate further, irreversible damage will be

inflicted on Pakistan’s democracy and the constitutionally stipulated freedoms associated with it”.

According to a press release, he emphasised that apart from the dangers of targeting the lives of journalists by extremist elements in the country, a dangerous drift towards anarchy has reared its ugly head in the past week where the unbridled behaviour on the part of certain sections of the security establishment and the media, coupled with confused signals emanating from the government, have resulted in damaging the freedom of expression and the freedom of press enshrined in the Constitution.

“The signs on the horizon are clear. The fundamental problem appears to be that every one of the principal players involved in this crisis is responsible for a saddening deterioration of public affairs. The apparent undue haste with which the Independent Media Corporation and the Independent Newspaper Corporation, the twin media firms controlling the Geo-Jang group, pointed an accusatory finger at the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) as being complicit in what can only be described as a murderous attack upon television anchor and columnist Hamid Mir, is only one part of the problem. The promptness with which the ISI through its Deputy Director General responded with a complaint through the Defence Ministry to Pemra to seek revocation of the broadcasting licences and the declarations of the GEO-Jang group, has clearly demonstrated that the institution of the armed forces has acted in haste and has not critically examined the validity of their positions nor of subsequent actions that have stemmed from a misconceived interpretation of press laws.”

“At first the government appeared to be dealing wisely with the new threat to press freedoms posed by the murderous attacks on Raza Rumi in Lahore and Hamid Mir in Karachi. The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Nawaz Sharif, speedily acted to form a judicial commission to investigate the attempt on Mir’s life at the highest level. One would have thought with an appropriate high-level commission of enquiry, composed of the superior judiciary, any investigation of the incident of the attempt on Hamid Mir’s life appeared to be in capable hands.

“However, within a day of the prime minister’s announcement, the ISI through the Defence Ministry called for the revocation of the licenses and declarations of the GEO-Jang group, with Pemra officials making suitably supportive statements. Thus despite a wise move by the prime minister to constitute a commission immediately, the guilt of the offending party had been prejudged, well in advance of the verdict.”

“Clearly the need of the hour is to immediately force a cooling down of tempers in all sections of the state and security apparatus as well as, critically, within the media itself. If we are to speak of ensuring the ‘preservation of the sovereignty, security and integrity of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’ then the imperative is for all contending parties to exercise restraint.”

“Additionally, the damage in this potentially explosive powder-keg needs to be contained. The Judicial Commission of Enquiry should begin work immediately and avail of the services of Hamid Mir, among others, to reach a satisfactory conclusion as to which persons were responsible for engineering this attempt. Only when the findings are made public can it be determined whether the management and journalists of the newspaper (who have both been alleged as complicit in a slander campaign according to the ISI complaint to the Defence Ministry), were justified in levelling their early allegations. Nor would it be just to proceed with any retaliatory actions against this media group, awaiting the results of the high-level judicial enquiry that has been instituted. Such a travesty of justice is not becoming for any credible democracy.”

“In the meantime I also appeal to all sections of the media to exercise credible restraint and desist from publishing or broadcasting any statement which might be considered prima facie as defamatory or slanderous either against the ISI chief or against the media group.

“Concurrently it is imperative for the prime minister and the federal minister for information to immediately commence a formal dialogue with all the major national bodies - the APNS, the CPNE, the PBA and the PFUJ - to attempt to provide a meaningful framework in which journalists can tell the truth and be protected from life-threats while doing so. This alone will ensure the ordered functioning of a nascent democracy and encourage the government to clamp down with unbridled severity on the spiralling incidents of violence against the media.”

New criteria must for suo moto notice: SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday said that the new criteria should be specified for the power to take suo moto notice.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali heard the petition of Ghulam Sarwar Khan. The bench withdrew its decision of July 18, 2013.The apex court restored Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member of the National Assembly Ghulam Sarwar Khan.

The Supreme Court had suspended the membership of Ghulam Sarwar Khan in the fake degree case but the Lahore High Court (LHC) had given the decision in his favour.The SC bench in its ruling said that the LHC had given the decision in favour of Ghulam Sarwar Khan regarding his degree and there was no justification in depriving voters of NA-53 of their representative, so this bench restored his membership of the National Assembly.

Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamli in his remarks said that the hearing should be conducted on the authority of matters brought before the Supreme Court through suo moto.He said an MP would face the cases throughout his tenure if any voter was allowed to appear directly in the court. Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali forwarded the matter to Chief Justice to form a larger bench for hearing.

It is to be mentioned here that the Supreme Court suspended the National Assembly membership of Ghulam Sarwar Khan for allegedly holding fake degree on July 18, 2013.The academic credentials of Ghulam Sarwar Khan were challenged in the Supreme Court by the petitioner, Raja Qamar.

A three-member SC bench headed by the then chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, took the decision during its hearing of petitions pertaining to fake degrees of parliamentarians after the Higher Education Commission (HEC) submitted a report on reported cases.

The apex court suspended membership of Ghulam Sarwar Khan, who had defeated Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan from NA-53 Rawalpindi on May 11.During the proceedings, the bench was informed by the HEC that the syndicate of Bahawalpur University had delayed issuance of decision over the status of Ghulam Sarwar’s degree.

The HEC report showed that the syndicate had claimed in its initial report that Ghulam Sarwar’s degree was bogus because it had been issued on the basis of a diploma issued by the Lyallpur Technical Institute.

Nevertheless, according to record, the diploma was issued to a Ghulam Sarwar, son of Hamidullah, whereas the parliamentarian’s name is Ghulam Sarwar, son of Hayat Khan.

Salman Akram Raja, the counsel for Ghulam Sarwar, had argued at that time that there was a problem in the record of the institute because the original diploma had been received from the Rawalpindi Technical Institute and had been later on merged with Lyallpur Technical Institute.

World cooperation must to ensure nuclear security: Nawaz

 

THE HAGUE: Emphasising that Pakistan’s peaceful nuclear programme posed no threat to any country, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday underlined the need for constant vigilance and preparedness at the national level as well as international cooperation to strengthen the nuclear security.
“Let me clarify that there is no such thing as ‘nuclear security fatigue’. Nuclear security is a continuous national responsibility,” the prime minister said in his opening remarks at the ‘Informal Plenary on the future of the Nuclear Security Summit’.

He suggested that in the years to come, the states should maintain political will and high level focus to advance the agenda of nuclear security.“In future, while implementing our decisions, we have to strike a balance between confidentiality and openness and steer away from both alarmism and complacency. Nuclear security must not fade off the leaders’ radar screens,” he maintained.

The prime minister expressed the pleasure that US President Barack Obama would be hosting the next nuclear security summit (NSS) in 2016. “It is only fitting that this process, which was launched in the United States, is also concluded there. We know we cannot hold the summits in perpetuity,” he added.

He said in the past four years, three summits had made progress and the next summit would cover a fresh ground. “We have to look beyond the present process and the 2016.”

He also stressed the need for broadening participation in this process to widen its ownership to enhance its legitimacy.

“It makes perfect sense that beyond 2016 the entire membership of the IAEA owns and upholds the decisions taken by the nuclear security summits,” he opined.“In close consultation with the IAEA membership, we should dispel the impression that the NSS process is imposing new mandates on the agency.”

“As we go forward, we will have to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort. We are not creating parallel mechanisms or a new treaty regime,” he said.He said in post-2016, the focus should be on synergy and coordination among various components of the nuclear security architecture — which comprises the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), the UN 1540 Committee, conventions on physical protection of nuclear material and the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism, and relevant international forums.

“The process, we envisage, could be supported by senior officials and experts. The exact cycle and scope of the follow-up process, led by the IAEA, could be discussed at the 2016 summit,” he added.

“By 2016, our four summits would have put substantial content on the table for follow-up and implementation, which are key for strengthened international cooperation,” he added.Meanwhile, talking to French President Francois Hollande on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit here, Nawaz said the economy of Pakistan had suffered heavily in the war against terrorism and the Friends of Pakistan must acknowledge its sacrifices in a tangible manner.

Nawaz said the international community should reciprocate Pakistan by helping and supporting its trade and economy. He said Pakistan attached special importance to its relations with France and expressed the hope that these relations would continue to improve in all fields of cooperation in future.

The prime minister told the French president that Pakistan was keen to normalise its relations with India and underlined the importance of solution to the Kashmir issue. Hollande said France acknowledged Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on terror and appreciated the economic reforms being undertaken by the government. He also appreciated Pakistan’s initiative to normalise its relations with India.

He said France was also looking towards improving relations with Pakistan in all fields, especially in trade and defence.Nawaz also met German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday and discussed with her matters of mutual interest, including the bilateral trade. He termed the meeting “productive”.

In an interaction with media persons following the meeting, the prime minister said he thanked the German chancellor for her country’s support to Pakistan to get the GSP Plus status.The prime minister said Pakistan’s relations with India and Afghanistan also came under discussion.

Meanwhile, 35 countries on Tuesday pledged to turn international guidelines on nuclear security into national laws — a move aimed at preventing terrorists from getting their hands onto nuclear material.

The Tuesday’s initiative also commits countries to open up their security procedures to independent review, marking a further step towards creating an international legal framework to thwart nuclear terrorism, said a joint statement from the Netherlands, the United States and South Korea.

TTP's Afghan sanctuaries must be eliminated

US Centcom commander General Lloyd J Austin's recent visit to Rawalpindi/Islamabad came at a time the US is in the process of troop drawdown from Afghanistan, and Pakistan is weighing military option to deal with the Taliban insurgents in the event of likely failure of the ongoing talks. Both sides need to work together with a sense of urgency. The Centcom chief was reminded by his civil and military interlocutors that the 23 FC personnel who were brutally beheaded a few days ago by a TTP faction were held in captivity on the Afghan soil since their capture in 2010. Presumably, it was also pointed out that the current head of the TTP, Mullah Fazlullah, since his ouster from Swat, has been operating from Afghanistan to launch attacks into Pakistan. These violent men are believed to have found safe havens in the neighbouring Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nuristan with the connivance of the Kabul government. For some inexplicable reason the Isaf forces on the other side of the border did little, either, all this while to eliminate these extremists.

Some of the TTP's ideologically driven factions with foreign fighters are linked to al Qaeda. Notably, before military action forced Mullah Fazlullah and his men out of Swat, he was being helped by foreign fighters in unleashing a reign of terror in the area. These men pose a long-term threat to US' own security interests. As things stand, the Karzai government continues to refuse to sign a bilateral security agreement the US has been seeking for a residual force to stay on for training and counterterrorism work after the combat troops leave the country at the year end. The US is looking for an alternative counterterrorism operations base in Central Asian countries. It also needs to support Pakistan's efforts to deal with its Taliban problem. The way negotiations with the Taliban are going, it seems the government will ultimately have to use force. If and when that happens, the TTP leaders, like before, are expected to escape across the border into Afghanistan. In such an eventuality, Pakistani and US forces must act like a hammer and anvil to deal with fleeing militants. Unless the two sides join hands, the extremists will survive to try and destabilise Pakistan, and plan acts of terrorism against the US.

For its part, Pakistan too has to open the Nato supply lines that the PTI has closed demanding the US stop drone strikes. Blocking the route is unhelpful at a time it is being used for withdrawal rather than to bring in supplies for the war efforts. Responding to Islamabad's requests earlier this month, President Barack Obama announced an informal stop to drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas except on al Qaeda operational leaders while Islamabad pursues peace talks with the Taliban. After that, it does not make sense for the PTI to continue blocking Nato's retrograde route. As the US wraps up its combat mission in Afghanistan, it is in the interest of all involved, especially Pakistan, to ensure a tidy end to the conflict. All political forces, including the PTI, must support the government in its efforts to finish off militancy, providing safe exit to Nato forces.