German, French ministers visit Moldova, Georgia

The German and French foreign ministers are making a joint visit to Moldova and Georgia, former Soviet republics that have breakaway regions with Russian-speaking populations, as tensions simmer over Russia’s intentions in Ukraine.

Germany’s Frank-Walter Steinmeier and France’s Laurent Fabius were heading on Wednesday for the Moldovan capital, Chisinau. The trip which also will take them to Tunisia, one of the European Union’s southern neighbours was conceived at the beginning of the year as part of an effort to reinvigorate foreign-policy ties between Berlin and Paris.

Mr. Steinmeier says Germany and France “take very seriously the deep anxiety” with which their eastern partners view the situation in Ukraine.

The EU is pushing ahead with association agreements with Moldova and Georgia.

MQM joins Sindh govt, ministers take oath

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Tuesday joined the Sindh Government with two MPA's being sworn in as ministers at the Sindh Governor House.

Rauf Siddiqui and Dr. Sagheer Ahmed were sworn in as provincial ministers at the ceremony held at the Governor House.

Sources add that two MQM members will be appointed as 'Advisor to the Sindh Chief Minister' while one member will be appointed as a Special Advisor,.

MQM joins Sindh govt, ministers to take oath today

KARACHI: Sindh Governor House spokesman has confirmed the news of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) joining the provincial government, Geo news reported.

According to the spokesman, MQM members of the assembly will be sworn in as ministers later this evening at the Governor House.

Faisal Subzwari will be sworn in as Minister for Youth affairs, Rauf Siddiqui will get the Commerce ministry and Dr. Sagheer Ahmed will be given the health ministry, the spokesman said.

Adil Siddiqui and Abdul Haseeb would be appointed as advisor to the chief minister, he added.

Ministers believe in dignity of army

ISLAMABAD: Despite the fact that a few in media are trying to link a sentence of ISPR statement with recent statements of federal ministers Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Khawaja Asif, both ministers always hold institution of army in high esteem and their recent remarks were specifically pointed towards person of Musharraf, chief of political party APML.

Khawaja Saad Rafiq, federal minister for railways, while talking to The News said that he endorses statement of army chief that dignity of institution of army must be preserved adding that it is not the duty of army chief only rather it is the duty of the whole nation to protect respect, prestige and pride of the institution of armed forces of Pakistan. He said that in fact Musharraf is a person who has brought disrepute to the institution of army more than anyone else.

Saad said that only those are negatively linking his statements with the ISPR’s who want save the Musharraf. He said Musharraf is a politician and heads political party APML and his party workers, mostly lawyers, are playing dirty games to make institution of army controversial by making such linkages in their bid to save Musharraf.

Saad Rafiq said that his present point of view about Musharraf is same as it was in 2000, in 2002 or in 2008 and it will always remain same. He alleged that Musharraf has brought a bad name to the institution of army and had defamed the institution. Saad said that in his statement he only discussed Musharraf and criticized his negative role of acting against the constitution of the country and institution of armed forces.

Saad said that the government and armed forces are on the same page on every issue and this specific issue of Musharraf has no link whatsoever with the institution of army or the government. He added that the link of the government with Musharraf’s issue is limited to ECL. He said that PML-N government considers that Musharraf’s name could not be excluded from the ECL as he is facing the allegations of treason, the most heinous crime described in the basic book of the country.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif always hold institution of army in highest esteem in his recent interviews and never gave any remarks which could be considered negative towards the institution of army in any way. The sentence under discussion in ISPR press release was specific to the institution of army. During many of his recent interviews in Geo News famous programme Capital Talk, Khawaja Asif praised countless sacrifices being rendered by the army jawans and officials and spoke about the dignity and prestige of the institution of army. However, at the same time he held that Musharraf brought a bad name for the institution of army and tried to devalue great sacrifices of army officials.

Khawaja’s statements also always praise army’s role in countering terrorism and he and many others consider that army and government must be on the same page on all crucial national issues for which acting against Musharraf by strictly following the constitution and law of the land is mandatory. While the ISPR press release is being misinterpreted by some, as a matter of fact, all the top sensible official of Pakistan Army as well as ISI want strict implementation of law and constitution in treason case against Musharraf so that distance between army and people could be minimised and the image of institution could be made much better which was disturbed because of some negative people like Musharraf.

Nawaz snubs ministers for being harsh on Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has conveyed to his two outspoken ministers — Khawaja Asif and Khawaja Saad Rafique in particular — and other cabinet members in general not to cross the limits of decency in their criticism of General (retd) Musharraf.

Disapproving the recent statements of both the Khawajas, who recently used harsh language while referring to the Musharraf case, the prime minister conveyed to his ministers to maintain decency and said they must not say anything that in any manner is interpreted as targeting the institution of the Pakistan Army.

According to a cabinet source, the prime minister’s eyebrows were raised by the tone and tenor adopted by Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Khawaja Asif in their recent onslaught against General (retd) Musharraf.

The source said that the prime minister believed that Musharraf’s high treason case was in a court of law and there was no reason for government ministers’ to become judgmental and aggressive. “Let the courts do their work,” the ministerial source quoted the prime minister as saying.

The sources said that the prime minister was warned that statements like those of the defence minister and the railways minister might also create bad feelings within the military establishment. Such statements, the ministerial source said, could also be used to create a misunderstanding between the civilian and military leadership.

Meanwhile, some top leaders in the PML-N are also pressing on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to focus on the accountability of those who have looted and plundered national wealth worth billions and billions of rupees during the last several years, particularly during the last tenure of the PPP.

Within the PML-N, there is a great disappointment vis-a-vis the accountability system being run under the Nawaz Sharif government. It is said while General (retd) Musharraf’s case is pursued there is no attention being paid by the government or NAB to bring to justice those who had done massive corruption but remained untouched.

Such policies of the government, it is said, provide impetus to those who propagate that Musharraf is being ‘victimised’ by the prime minister.

Like several independent observers, there are now many voices within the PML-N who raise the question as to why Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif forgot his election promise of getting back the public money looted and plundered during the last PPP government.

It is said that the NAB performance during the PML-N regime is not much different from what NAB has been doing during the PPP’s regime. According to one key PML-N leader, the top leadership of the PPP is being greatly favoured by NAB in corruption cases. It is also said that some key businessmen, who were made to cough up billions following the orders of the apex court, have been cleared by NAB in the major power-related scandals.