State institutions should act as per law: Mamnoon

 

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Monday said that the state institutions must work within the parameters laid down in law and the Constitution as political likes and dislikes should be made a yardstick in the discharge of respective responsibilities.
He said that the spirit of democracy is reconciliation, forgiveness, tolerance and mutual cooperation and not confrontation, conflict and revenge.“With our experience and observations, we have realised that democracy is not the name of confrontation, conflict, opposition for the sake of opposition or revenge but the spirit of democracy is reconciliation, forgiveness, tolerance and mutual cooperation,” said President Mamnoon Hussain in his maiden address to the joint sitting of the two houses of parliament at the start of the new parliamentary year.

The three services chiefs, chairman joint chiefs of staff committee, chief ministers of Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh and foreign envoys also heard the speech of the president from the visitors galleries.

He maintained that it was the peak of democracy to respect the opinion of majority, to give precedence to national institutions over individuals, and national interests should be given priority over the interests of the respective parties.

The president pointed out that the government did not believe in any restrictions on the media, however, it also expected of the media to formulate a code of conduct for itself and implement it in letter and spirit. This would enhance national honour and people would consider the media as true representative of their hopes and aspirations.He said that the media in Pakistan was also playing a role as a watchdog and in monitoring and no doubt it was free and its example was an example for many countries.

President Mamnoon Hussain observed that cooperation and understanding among the state institutions was critically needed at this juncture of time. “At a time when our enemies are actively working to create conflict and discord among us, we need to maintain unity and confidence among our lives,” he said.

Mamnoon especially accosted the state institutions saying that they should perform their duties according to the country’s laws and they should not make political likes and dislikes as their standard. “In the eyes of law and the Constitution, people of all areas are equal as their language, race, political inclination and family connections have secondary importance,” he said.

He said, “Every citizen of sacred homeland is Pakistani first and any secondary identity comes later. The lesson of equality taught by Islam is universal and the eternal message should be practically visible in Pakistan,” he said.

The president said in Pakistan, supremacy of Constitution and progress of democracy had become inter-dependent and solution to all the problems had to be sought while remaining within the established constitutional framework and that it was the Constitution which allocated the role for all the parliamentary and political forces. “This is the constitutional framework through which Federation and all federal constituents have to collectively find solution to their problems and have to work together for the people’s progress and prosperity,” he said.

He said it was a matter of satisfaction that all the state institutions were performing their duties with consummate harmony and devotion.

He said the armed forces were defending and protecting borders of the country very proficiently and other defence institutions were working diligently day and night while the whole nation was proud of them.

He said the armed forces were not only protecting the frontiers but they now were also performing important functions to ensure internal security. “They rendered matchless sacrifices for securing our future and we honour their sacrifices,” he said.

He also paid tribute to the sacrifices given by the people especially of Fata who had always been in the forefront for the defence of the country.

The president said the supremacy of the Constitution had become inter-dependent and solution to all the problems had to be sought while remaining within the established constitutional framework.

He said democratic transition and sustainability was not only a national requirement, but also important for national security, dignity and political identity. He stressed further promotion of reconciliatory approach to move the country forward.

The president lauded the vibrant role of civil society and called upon it to give consideration to the law of the country, national tradition, temperament of society and feelings of the masses while performing their role.

He said it was a matter of satisfaction that minorities were enjoying equal rights in Pakistan and they were not facing any discriminatory attitude, observing the role of minorities in the development and construction of the country was really laudable.

Mamnoon Hussain lauded the efforts of the government in strengthening the national economy and its efforts to overcome the energy crisis. He hoped that the government would be successful in overcoming these challenges soon.

The president said the government also took a bold initiative and launched a dialogue with the Taliban to bring peace and hoped this process would lead the country to the logical end.

Referring to Pakistan’s relations with other countries, the president said that they wanted brotherly and friendly relations with all the neighbours on the principle of sovereignty and equality. He said the visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to New Delhi was also a step forward to normalise relations with the neighbour to bring peace and stability in the region.

The president said Pakistan wanted a negotiated settlement of Kashmir dispute according to the UN Security Council resolutions and aspirations of the people of Kashmir.

He said Pakistan gave priority to its relations with China and realised that friendship between two countries was not merely a traditional diplomatic bond but in present times it had become a live metaphor of exemplary and eternal relationship. In reality, the whole global community realised that Pakistan and China were like two bodies and one soul in the real sense.

He said Pakistan was grateful to the European Union for providing it access to their markets.

President Mamnoon Hussain said realistic and pragmatic policies of the government for the development and prosperity of the country had enhanced the country’s esteem and respect in the international community. “Owing to these policies, statesmen from various countries besides representatives of international organisations and investors from all over the world are expressing their desire to work with Pakistan and invest here in various sectors,” he mentioned.

President Mamnoon said today observers and analysts from all over the civilised world were looking to Pakistan because, for the first time in 66 years of history, one democratic government completed its constitutional term and now another democratic government had completed its one year successfully.

He highlighted various schemes and projects launched by the government to generate employment for the youth. He appreciated the government for launching various schemes to help the youth and educate them which would help improve their skills and ultimately would benefit the country.

He said during the last one year, the government’s achievements were extremely impressive which included an increase in gross national production, continuous decrease in budget deficit, successful launch of Euro Bond, European Union grant of GSP Plus status to Pakistan, increase in remittances and increase in export of textile products.

The president said to continue the economic growth and development, ending of loadshedding was inevitable and lauded the steps taken by the government to solve this issue.

12 killed in Damascus mortar fire: state media

DAMASCUS: Mortar shells slammed into central Damascus on Tuesday, hitting a technical institute in a barrage that killed 12 people and wounded 50, state media reported.

"Twelve citizens were killed and 50 others wounded by terrorists who targeted the Shaghour neighbourhood in Damascus with four mortar shells," the SANA news agency said, adding that two shells hit the Badr al-Din al-Hussein technical institute.

The Syrian government and media use the term "terrorists" for all those seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad´s government. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the mortar attack, saying at least eight people were dead and dozens injured and the toll was expected to rise.

Rebel forces arrayed in positions on the outskirts of the capital regularly fire mortar shells and rockets into the heart of Damascus, often killing civilians.

Shaghour is a district in the Old City of Damascus, which has been hit by rebel fire frequently.

Threats were from state, non-state actors: Hamid Mir

KARACHI: Geo News senior anchor Hamid Mir has said that he stands for national sovereignty, supremacy of rule of law, democracy and freedom of expression, and his voice could not be silenced.

Hamir Mir issued his first official statement on Thursday after regaining consciousness. In his statement, Hamid Mir thanked the Pakistani people and said it was due to their prayers and the grace of Allah that he has gotten a new life.

He said that he had informed the Geo management, his family and close friends of threats he was facing prior to the April 19 attack. Hamid Mir said he had identified the elements from whom he was facing threats and they were identified by his brother Amir Mir following the attack.

According to Hamid Mir, he had informed close associates, apart from Amir Mir, about who would be held responsible if he was attacked. Hamid Mir said he had threats from state and non-state actors but in the recent past such events had taken place which led him to inform his colleagues about the elements who could be involved in conspiracies to kill him.

Hamid Mir said that a few days ago, some members of intelligence agencies came to his house and informed him that his name, along with that of other journalists, was on a hit-list.

Despite being asked, these people did not provide any details pertaining to who had made the hit-list. After this meeting, Hamid Mir informed officials at concerned departments that in the past he had threats from state and non-state actors because usually state actors use the name of non-state actors to threaten journalists so they can be stopped from telling the truth.

According to Hamid Mir, he had informed the intelligence personnel who came to his house that he felt threatened the most by the ISI and they should convey this to their officers. Hamid Mir further said that the ISI was upset with him because of a ‘Capital Talk’ programme which covered the long march of Mama Qadir Baloch. Hamid Mir added that he was aware of the ISI being upset over his criticism of the role of intelligence agencies in politics.

Hamid Mir said that if officials had reports of threats he was facing why was he not informed in writing. He questioned why those who had planted a bomb underneath his car in November 2012 were not exposed despite the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claiming responsibility for it?

According to Hamid Mir, phone numbers of those who had issued him death threats were provided to the Islamabad Police, but why did the police not take action against them? He said that despite a police report, action was not taken against those who had attacked his children in Islamabad.

Hamid Mir said that he would provide further details of these incidents when the time comes. He said his life was in the hands of Allah and he was answerable before the Almighty.

Hamid Mir said his fight was the same as that of his father Professor Waris Mir. This was a fight for Pakistan’s survival, safety and to strengthen the country. His fight was for democracy, elimination of terrorism, supremacy of law, protection of freedom of expression, rights of small province and to be the voice of the poor. He added that this voice could not be silenced.

Hamid Mir said that he was working alongside the media, civil society, and political parties in this fight. The senior Geo News anchor said that he would continue to wage this fight till his last breath. He added that no institution or individual in Pakistan was above the law or constitution.

Hamid Mir said after being shot multiple times he now understands the gravity of the sacrifices rendered by the jawans of the Pakistan Amry and security forces better than someone who has not been through the same ordeal.

Mir said this does not mean that he should remain silent on the unconstitutional role of the intelligence agencies in politics in the name of being patriotic.Hamid Mir strongly condemned the government and state enforced shutdown of Geo transmission, adding that in the past Geo News had stood firm when it was banned during the dictatorship of General (R) Musharraf. With the support of the people and God willing, Hamid Mir said the Geo team would once again overcome such measures.

Hamid Mir expressed fear over the security of his brother Amir Mir and other family members and said if they were harmed the responsibility would be on state elements and the government. Hamid Mir said that Allah had saved his life which proved that the Almighty was more powerful than those who had attacked him.Hamid Mir appealed to people to continue their prayers for his health and complete recovery.

High state of preparedness required to face threats, says COAS

 

RAWALPINDI: The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Raheel Sharif, has said that the multidimensional security threats faced by the country require a high state of preparedness at all times.
General Raheel was interacting with the troops during his visit to the Sonmiani Ranges on Friday where he witnessed air defence firing exercises, says a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations.

The full range of air defence weapons, including guns and surface to air missiles, were used in the exercise. The COAS greatly appreciated the professionalism of participating units and standards achieved in engaging aerial targets.

Gen Raheel emphasised that the highest standard of training and professionalism must remain our hallmark to accomplish the mission.Earlier, on arrival at the Range, the COAS was received by Commander Army Air Defence Command Lieutenant General Muhammad Zahid Latif Mirza.

‘US state machineries involved in suppressing civil rights’

DALLAS: The Executive Director of Bill of Rights Defense Committee and a prominent civil rights and human rights activist Shahid Buttar has claimed that US State machineries including secret agencies, CIA, NSA and administration are involved in suppression of civil rights in the country.

“As US citizens we should stay engaged with our representatives, Congressmen and Senators to remind them to act in public interest and to protect our civil liberties and human rights.”

Shahid Buttar was talking to attendees of a meeting of several Dallas Fort Worth Human Rights activists, at the residence of American Muslim Democratic Caucus Co-Chairman Syed Fayyaz Hassan.

Buttar said that CIA and NSA senior officials mislead and lie to Congress. The recent episode where CIA officials lied to Senate Intelligence Committee in investigations of spying on civilians is one in a chain of deception and manipulation which is going on for a long time.

He said a number of stories have come out over time which later were proven to be correct. Even Obama administration is kept in dark over some issues and even top level reports don't include their activities, he claimed.

“Senator Feinstein was correctly been annoyed from CIA's impeding her committee's investigations into civilian's spying programs.”

He said these actions are truly violations of constitution and Bill of Rights.

A local civil liberties activist and President of "Mothers against Police Brutalities (MAPD)" Mrs. Collette Flanagan also addressed the meeting where she said that that recent trends in Dallas Fort Worth are taking the society into a police state.

She said that a large number of Police officers need psychological attention as their behaviors are not conducive to our society. She informed the group on procedures of police retention does not require any drug testing. So an officer goes through drug testing only during hiring which is beyond logic.

Addressing the group, she said that she has lost her son to police brutality where his 25-year-old son was brutally killed by police officers without any reason. Her son was unarmed and was not resisting any officer. She said that she has formed the group so that no mother looses her child against the brutality of armed policemen.

Among present on this event were Muslim Democratic Caucus Texas President Aftab Siddiqui, South Asia Democracy Watch Directors, Raja Zahid Khanzada, Raja Muzaffar Kashmiri, Asif Effendi, Siraj Butt, Ghulam Nabi, Muslim Community Center's Chairman Dr. Basheer Ahmad, local leader Mr. Lateef and Shahnaz Lateef, and Dallas Peace Center's Hadi Jawwad, who introduced Mr. Buttar and Mrs. Flanagan.

 

State Bank gives warning signals

 

KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan has issued some warning signals and praised the economy as well. Its second quarterly report issued on Friday shows Pakistan’s short-term debt is on an upward spiral and is bringing under a cloud the government’s ability to repay this debt.
And headline inflation has increased to 8.9 percent in the first half of FY14, up from 8.3 percent in the comparable period in the last fiscal year.The report comes after a delay of over three months. While critics of the government have been articulating fears that this delay was used to fudge the national growth figures, the SBP has chosen to maintain a stoic silence over this charge.

The SBP report predictably parrots off the government’s usual expectations regarding potential inflows – the release of Coalition Support Fund monies and the materialization of proceeds from the auction of 3G/4G licences before July 2014. Accordingly, says the central bank, an easing up of the fiscal account and a fall off in domestic bank borrowing and debt stock can be expected.

The SBP is advocating the deployment of the February-March 2014 inflows for public sector development programme and thinks this may ease the government’s current financing constraint. However, even so, the SBP is urging extreme caution on the issue of government borrowing.

Ukraine’s Crimea seeks to become an independent state

crowd chanting "Rossiya! Rossiya!" and waving the Russian tricolour.

The Crimean parliament voted on Tuesday that the Black Sea peninsula will declare itself an independent state if its residents agree to split off from Ukraine and join Russia in a referendum. Crimea’s regional legislature today adopted a “declaration of independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.” The document specified that Crimea will become an independent state if its residents vote on Sunday in favour of joining Russia in the referendum.
Western nations have said they will not recognise the vote as legitimate. But the move might be used as an attempt to ease tensions with Crimea existing as a self-proclaimed state without Russia moving quickly to incorporate it into its territory.
After a brief war between Russia and Georgia in 2008, some leaders sin Georgia’s breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia also asked to join Russia, but their request was never granted. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s acting president today called for the formation of a national guard and for the mobilisation of reserves and volunteers into the country’s armed forces.
Oleksandr Turchynov asked the national parliament to approve turning the country’s Interior Ministry troops into a National Guard “to defend the country and citizens against any criminals, against external and internal aggression.” Turchynov said that the mobilisation will include those who have previously served in the army and volunteers. Russian forces have strengthened their control over Ukraine’s Crimea region in the run-up to a referendum set for Sunday on whether to split off and become part of Russia.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who will fly to Washington to meet with Barack Obama tomorrow, called on Western nations to defend Ukraine against a nation “that is armed to the teeth and that has nuclear weapons.”

Appointing the State Bank governor

Despite the restructuring of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) over a decade ago, its autonomy question remains unresolved. During the PPP government, two governors resigned due to differences with the then executive. Salim Raza and Shahid Kardar both had to quietly resign rather than resist the temptation of the political executive to spend beyond the monetary policy parameters. The third governor, who recently resigned due to personal reasons, continues the trend.
There is a strong argument that elected governments have to deliver on their promises of patronage, given how the political system works. However, without generating sufficient revenues and reforming the taxation system, the expenditures emanate from reckless deficit financing, i.e., printing of notes. This is why Pakistan has witnessed some extraordinary bouts of inflation. Price levels have been rising since the present government took over and only recently they have stabilised. Whatever the finance minister may have said (e.g., hoarding causes price hikes), it is well known that fiscal improvidence and monetary expansion are contributing to inflation. One way to tackle this trend is to enhance the policy rate but this impacts the credit needs of the private sector.
Borrowing nearly Rs2 billion a day from the SBP cannot be a prudent or sustainable option. Of course, in the short term, raising revenues may not be possible but the government has to set limits. This is what the SBP has been prescribing. Pakistan’s recourse to the IMF in recent years has resulted in a situation where nearly 25 per cent of the annual budget is reserved for IMF debt repayments.
The erosion in the value of the rupee has further increased the value of foreign debt close to Rs500 billion. Each time the government intends to tighten the monetary policy, it increases its domestic debt burden as it happens to be one of the biggest borrowers from the central bank. There is no option but to pursue a tighter fiscal policy with a controlled monetary expansion. Therefore, a robust and an autonomous SBP is vital for economic management.
The departure of the SBP governor is not a good sign. There seems to be a regulatory void in the country as the key appointments in various regulatory authorities are vacant. Few are disputed in courts and the ‘loyalty’ test is being applied on potential candidates. It would be a travesty if the SBP is treated as just another government office, for it simply is not.
The SBP’s primary role is to issue notes, act as a regulator of the financial system, as the bankers’ bank and as banker to the government, as well as setting the monetary policy. It is also a key actor in managing public debt, foreign exchange and acts as policy adviser to the government on its economic relationships, especially that with international financial institutions. By no means is it a commercial bank as many — including those in the political elite — view it to be. The Musharraf government imported a good commercial banker as the finance minister. This betrays a limited understanding of the way economic policymaking works and why it is important to have professional and experienced economists who can think beyond the imperatives of balancing the books and marketing brands of their ‘success’. The Musharraf bubble burst even before it could be branded and today, many of our economic woes are directly linked to what happened during the period 1999-2007.
Dr Ishrat Husain, as a competent manager of the central bank, turned it around and its internal restructuring remains one of our recent success stories. By attracting good professionals and encouraging many to pursue higher education, the SBP has a good team available. This is why its next governor needs to be an economist, and not a financial wizard, to lead the institution and furnish pertinent advice on macroeconomic policy to the government. The SBP is not an attached wing of the finance ministry nor is it a platform to reward a loyalist. Its governor has to provide independent advice, as well as regulate the financial system’s operations. It is hoped that the government would resist the temptation to treat it as just another appointment.

Israel PM demands Palestinians recognize Jewish state

WASHINGTON: Israel Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday directly urged Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and to "abandon the fantasy" of flooding Israel with refugees.
But his remarks sparked a furious reaction from the Palestinians who denounced his demand and said it had effectively put the final nail in the coffin of the US-led peace talks.
Addressing delegates at the annual policy conference of AIPAC, Netanyahu said he was prepared to make an "historic peace," but not without a Palestinian acceptance of the Jewish state.
"It's time the Palestinians stopped denying history," he said, returning to a major point of disagreement in peace talks, which have struggled to make headway ahead of a looming April deadline.
"President Abbas: recognize the Jewish state and in doing so, you would be telling your people to abandon the fantasy of flooding Israel with refugees," he said.
"In recognizing the Jewish state you would make clear that you are truly prepared to end the conflict. No excuses, no delays, it's time."
But top Palestinian official Nabil Shaath told AFP that Netanyahu's demand for such recognition, and his insistence on keeping Israeli troops along the Jordan Valley in a future Palestinian state, were "totally rejected."
Speaking to AFP, he said Netanyahu's speech was tantamount to an "an official announcement of a unilateral end to negotiations."
Israel has repeatedly insisted there will be no peace deal without addressing the issue of recognition, but the Palestinians have rejected the demand, which they say will deny their historical narrative and compromise the right of return for their refugees.
Netanyahu also alluded to Israel's demand to retain a military presence along the Jordan Valley, which runs down the eastern flank of the West Bank, in any future deal saying he would not cede security to foreign peacekeepers.
"If we reach an agreement with the Palestinians, I don't delude myself. That peace will most certainly come under constant attack by Hezbollah, Hamas, Al Qaeda and others," he said
In an interview published Sunday, Obama warned that if peace talks were to fail and Israel continued building settlements, it would face an international backlash, referring to growing moves, particularly in Europe, to boycott the Jewish state.