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UP, down, sideways

2012-02-06T05:52:00.000-08:00

THE famous speaker draws a hefty crowd, but little enthusiasm. Farmers and residents of Gorakhpur, a scruffy, fast-growing market town in eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP), have waited for hours in a wintry wind to hear him, weather-beaten old men huddling for warmth at the front. “I have no expectation,” says one of these. “I’ve only come to see.”

Rahul Gandhi’s stump speech (brief and earnest) earns few cheers. The heir both to the Gandhi-Nehru dynasty and the ruling Congress Party pledges a state government for UP of all castes and tribes. Rolling up his sleeves and jabbing a finger in the air, he talks of fighting corruption. He gets a single chuckle by telling of an elephant that chomps government money meant for the poor—a blunt reference to Mayawati, the charismatic teacher-turned-chief minister, whose wealth has attracted as-yet unproven accusations of massive graft.

It is hard-going for any politician in this fly-blown corner notorious for organised crime, smugglers and tense Hindu-Muslim relations. Gorakhpur made headlines late last year for an outbreak of encephalitis that killed over 640 people, mostly children. Alongside signs of new prosperity—the temptations along its clogged streets include the “He Man Hair Parlour”—abject poverty persists.

Mr Gandhi hurtles through three other rallies, then four the next day farther south, and so on. He has campaigned in UP for much of the past year, promising more welfare and land rights for the rural poor and talking up “Mission 2012”: reversing Congress’s meagre fortunes in India’s most populous state, with 200m residents. An election for the state assembly rolls out over the coming four weeks.

Congress had largely floundered in UP since the rise in recent decades of Ms Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party, which appeals to low-caste dalits and (for a time) upper-castebrahmins feeling squeezed. Today Congress wants to repeat its performance in the 2009 general election, when it nabbed 18% of votes in UP, a decent share given fragmented voting in the state, partly by talk of dishing out rural welfare. This time round, such a result would probably return Congress to state government, after 22 years away, as a needed junior partner to the Samajwadi Party (SP).

Led by Mulayam Singh Yadav, a political gadfly and former defence minister, the SP (backed by lower castes, but not the lowest) might then return the favour by allying with Congress at a national level. A tempting cabinet post in Delhi would sweeten the deal. It would give the government of the prime minister, Manmohan Singh, desperately needed legislative clout, and fresh sway over some troublesome allies. Just possibly, it might cause some long-stalled policy reforms to flow.

If that sounds optimistic, consider that at least one political figure, not in Congress, expects the party to spring an even greater surprise in UP. On this analysis, Mr Gandhi’s dogged campaigning, especially among young, first-time voters, will win the party a notably higher share of votes than before. In that event, calls will only grow for Mr Gandhi to take on a bigger job, such as Mr Singh’s.

Much is uncertain. The main national opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), seems to be making little impact. Its member of parliament in Gorakhpur, Yogi Adityanath, a surly man in woolly hat and saffron robes, prefers to talk about the desperation of his own party (for accepting a corrupt defector from Ms Mayawati’s camp) rather than bash his opponents.

Nor is it clear how far Ms Mayawati’s star has fallen since her clear victory in 2007. Educated, high-caste types relish her setbacks. The Electoral Commission told her to shroud many of the statues of elephants (her party symbol) and of herself that dot the state. On the eve of the polls, she sacked several ministers as officials exposed a shameful $1.2 billion scandal in a rural health scheme. Tens of millions of people remain stuck in a sink of feudalism, repression and hunger.

She can point to some gains, nonetheless. Her biographer, Ajoy Bose, says that dalits, whom he suggests are “prone to totemism”, feel their dignity lifted by the many statues of dalit symbols. Violent crime and communal tension are down sharply since the early 2000s, when hoodlums of the then-ruling Samajwadi Party took over police stations. A man from western UP, now working in Delhi, says Ms Mayawati has brought electricity to his village and has done more than anyone for the “depressed and suppressed”.

The state economy has also done pretty well, growing by some 7% a year recently, roughly India’s average (though gains per person lag behind). Public finances are improving, and Ms Mayawati has overseen the building of 200,000 homes for the poor, free bicycles for schoolgirls, extra power stations and the construction of India’s Formula 1 racetrack.

Shifting sands

Though the chief minister may have lost sway among brahmins, she can still probably expect loyalty from her core dalit backers, a fifth of the state. That is despite efforts by Mr Gandhi, who likes to be seen eating with the low-caste and who tries to break off sub-castes among them with targeted promises—for example, by offering to set up special institutes for boatmen, fishermen and carpenters.

Uttar Pradesh is only one of five states—though by far the biggest—holding assembly elections. Turnout of over 80% was reported as Manipur (in the north-east) and Punjab and Uttarakhand (both in the north) voted early this week. It suggests Indians are far from tired of electoral democracy, despite some excited commentary in the aftermath of street protests last year against corruption. Tiny Goa will also vote on March 3rd, with all results due on March 6th.

These results in turn will feed other big elections. In April a new clutch of 58 members of the upper house of the national parliament, the Rajya Sabha, will be elected (by the state assemblies). Then in July, both houses of parliament, plus all the state assemblies, must elect someone as India’s president, with a five-year term.

Some speculate that Mr Singh might also step down as prime minister before long, leaving the way clear for a younger leader to battle for Congress as campaigning looms for the next general election, in 2014. Just maybe, somewhere between all the campaigning, there will be time for some governing too

No blind support to govt: PML-N

2010-09-20T01:24:00.011-07:00

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Sunday vowed to continue supporting democracy but said it would not extend blind support to the government, whom it accused of committing mismanagement and irregularities, reported a private TV channel.

A meeting held under the chairmanship of party chief Nawaz Sharif at his Raiwind residence, discussed the political situation, flood devastation, petrol crisis and NA-61 by-polls. The PML-N chief said there were no personal differences with the federal government. He said he would defend democracy and reiterated his support for the democratic system.

Nawaz, however, made clear that adherence to and support for democracy would not force the party to give cover to the government’s “mismanagement and irregularities”. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, National Assembly opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar, members of National Assembly Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Ayaz Ameer and several others participated in the meeting. A widening rift between the PML-N and the ruling Pakistan People’s Party also came under discussion. A strategy was also devised for the National Assembly and Senate sessions. The meeting also analysed Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s speeches which he made in Lahore.

Taliban bomb another school in Peshawar

2010-09-20T01:24:00.009-07:00

PESHAWAR: The Taliban bombed another school in the provincial metropolis on Sunday night, creating a shockwave of fear and panic among students and parents in the city, police said.

According to Lateef Khan, a guard at the Government Middle School targeted by the Taliban, an improvised bomb destroyed the school building when it exploded with a big bang at 2:10am.

“A thick black smoke engulfed the area soon after the blast and I also heard gun fire,” he said, adding that a major part of the building had been razed to the ground.

Arshad Khan, a spokesman of the Tehkal police, told Daily Times that the blast destroyed several rooms of the three-storey school, while the school guard remained unhurt.

According to school officials, at least 10,000 boys had been enrolled in the school, including 800 in the middle and 200 in primary sections.

Taliban had earlier blown up a private school in the outskirts of Peshawar on Saturday night.

Police said the Taliban had targeted Rozatul Atfaal Academy in Charkhakhel village at around 1:40am and destroyed it while a girls’ school was blown up in Landi Arbab area of the city on September 6.

According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, more than 1,000 schools had been destroyed in Taliban bombing while floods damaged 900 schools. Repair and reconstruction of the school will cost the government Rs 5 billion, it said.

On August 22, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain warned that terrorists were regrouping outside Peshawar and had demanded both federal and provincial governments to launch an immediate operation against them in Darra Adam Khel, Khyber and Mohmand agencies bordering Peshawar.

Daily Times Monitor

2010-09-20T01:24:00.007-07:00

LAHORE: The Scotland Yard, investigating into Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq’s murder, and police are likely to question senior party leaders in the coming days, a private TV cannel reported on Sunday.

According to the British press reports, which cited security sources, the murder inquiry had been taken over by the Scotland Yard’s Counter-Terrorism Command, which investigates political assassinations. The MI5 is also likely to be called in to help with the hunt for the killers, the channel said.

Detectives in London have not ruled out the possibility that Dr Farooq was killed in a robbery bid, but no evidence has been found in this respect. The eyewitnesses said the killer was an Asian, the channel reported.

Turn upon turn on the LHC CJ assassination plot

2010-09-20T01:24:00.003-07:00

LAHORE: The fiasco about hatching a plot to assassinate Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif takes a new turn every day and so far no one has been able to predict how the outcome of this battle will affect politics.

Reports about the inquiry of this conspiracy proved that this is a war between titans and it seems that this clash will definitely ruin the lower government functionaries, who were used like a tissue paper by some provincial-level hidden, but influential hands.

This bewilderment started on September 11 when the Punjab CM’s secretary, Syed Tauqeer Shah, deliberately publicised a ‘secret report’ about a plot being hatched to assassinate the LHC CJ, which in itself is a crime and violation of the Official Secrets Act.

Col (r) Ehsanur Rehman, the Special Branch additional IG at that time and currently the Punjab Civil Defence director general, had sent this report to the CM, which was in a sealed envelope, and on the top of the envelope were written the words, ‘For Eyes Only’ and ‘Urgent, Confidential and Secret’.

Following the release of the abovementioned Special Branch report, the federal government directed the ISI, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the FIA to investigate the alleged plot.

The Interior Ministry then assigned the task of probing the issue to FIA Punjab Director Zafar Ahmed Qureshi and to submit a report in coordination with the Punjab Police inspector general.

The inquiry is ongoing and on Saturday, it took yet another turn when Ehsanur Rehman contradicted his own statement during the inquiry being held by police. According to a published report, Ehsan earlier during an FIA inquiry had admitted about the existence of the secret report, which he sent to the CM, and the FIA’s inquiry officers had also recorded his statement. Later, on Saturday during an inquiry by police, Ehsan denied and deviated from his earlier stance on which the inquiry officer reminded him about his previous statement before the FIA officers.

How strange is it that a senior-most officer of the Punjab Police Department is continuously changing his statements about a very sensitive issue in which he is directly involved. However, on the other hand, according to the contents of the abovementioned secret report, suspects Iqbal Mir, Nadeem Chohan, Babar Chaudhry, Khawaja Farooq, Malik Ehsan, Babar Sandhoo, Riaz Gujjar, Mian Kashif, Khurram Gujjar and Samiullah alias Rana Pomi hatched the plot to assassinate the LHC CJ.

The report further disclosed that some of the suspects were to attack the LHC CJ at his native home during a religious ceremony. The report claimed that the accused, including Sandhoo, would then escape and take refuge in Lambray village near Muridke at the farm of Riaz Gujjar, where the alleged plot was first hatched.

Amazingly, local police has said that there is no such farmhouse near Muridke and Riaz is a local schoolteacher. The secret report also claimed that the alleged plotters were seen at venues such as the Governor’s House and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Punjab headquarters at Chamba House.

The Punjab Police arrested suspects and kept them at the CIA Centre Iqbal Town under tight security. They were interrogated by intelligence agency officials as well as the FIA inquiry officer. However, after a week of interrogation, no solid proof about the alleged plot has been uncovered.

There is speculation among senior officers of law enforcement and intelligence agencies that the author of the aforementioned secret report, Ehsanur Rehman, withdrew an amount of Rs 1.7 million from a secret fund in August before relieving his charge and joining the Civil Defence Department. In order to justify this amount and to obtain the favour by the Punjab CM by maligning the top Pakistan People’s Party leadership, Ehsan came up with the idea of concocting an intelligence memo about a fake plot against the LHC CJ.

Further interesting facts were also disclosed in the interim report of the inquiry officer, FIA Director Zafar Qureshi. The interim report disclosed that the six detainees did not know each other before their arrest. The report said that Ehsan had prepared the intelligence memo and sent it to the Punjab CM. The interim report further disclosed that Dr Syed Tauqeer Shah had leaked the secret report.

The report stated that Iqbal Mir, a suspect in the case, had a detailed criminal record. He was the prime suspect in the murder case of former Punjab additional advocate general Arif Bhinder and was released on May 15. Bhinder had been assassinated along with others due to his old enmity with Zahid alias Zahdo.

Other suspects Nadeem Chohan, Babar Chaudhry and Khawaja Farooq were released by the LHC in the murder case of former inspector Naveed Saeed. Sources said that allegedly all three suspects had strong links with PPP high-ups and the murdered inspector Naveed Saeed was a close relative of Rana Maqbool.

However, the fifth suspect Malik Ehsan is already wanted by the Lahore police due to his alleged involvement in the murder of Arif Ameer alias Tippu Truckanwala (relative of another influential personality of the Punjab government) and according to sources he is currently residing in Dubai. Sources disclosed that Malik Ehsan had directly opposed the PML-N during the previous election and now one of the close relatives of Shahbaz Sharif is allegedly interfering in the investigation of the murder case of Arif Hamid. The sixth suspect Babur Sandhoo had been released earlier from the murder case of Justice Nizam and his son.

The reports confirmed that all suspects had rifts with the PML-N or its leadership during different times and now they were declared suspects for hatching a plot to assassinate the LHC CJ.

So far all efforts, investigations and inquiries of this fiasco have proved that the Punjab government or its functionaries tried to settle old scores through this special report, but failed. It is also proved that even after more than one and a half century, the Punjab Police is still just a tool for influential personalities.

Of prices, price controlling and social behaviours

2010-09-20T01:23:00.007-07:00

LAHORE: Be it vegetables or chicken, beef or mutton, dry milk or liquid milk, grams or gram flour, fruits or any other food items – the retail price usually remains high in the city’s markets compared to the production cost.

It seems that wholesalers and retailers have been given a free hand to fix the rates of various commodities at their own whim because the government has failed to implement and monitor prices of daily-use edible items. A recent example in this regard was the tussle between the poultry association, chicken retail shops and the city district government. Despite all claims and the constitution of monitoring committees and price control magistrates, the city district government failed to implement the Rs 170 per kilogramme price of chicken meat. Almost all chicken shops across the city are selling meat for Rs 220-250 per kilogramme.

There are various factors behind the government’s failure to establish its writ in the retail market. Firstly, the government’s focus has been towards politics and the whole state machinery is being used for political face-saving and number-scoring. The issues of consumer rights and price control are perhaps in the least preference list of the government. The government seems in a compromising position on all important issues. Also, on the poultry price issue, the government compromised with the association regarding the establishment of 100 standard price chicken shops, which are practically nowhere in the city. Another example may be the prices of beef and mutton, which the government has fixed at Rs 175 and Rs 250 respectively, but these are available in the city market for Rs 240 and Rs 460, flouting the government orders.

The government, during its two-and-a-half-year tenure has failed to ensure the implementation of meat prices for even a single day.

The second factor is the half-hearted action on part of the price controlling authorities and the taking of bribes from wholesalers and retailers after discovering any violation of the price lists. Thirdly, there is no concept of citizen community groups and consumer rights associations in Lahore. Everyone is bearing the brunt of inflation, dearness and price list violations, but there is no collective voice of consumer rights in society. The profiteers are taking the advantage of a lack of unity among community groups. In the US, China, Europe and other parts of the world, consumers are well aware of their rights and powers in the social economic systems. They do not bear any price increase and boycott the sale of any products if any surge in prices in witnessed.

Recently, such a practice has been reported in India where consumer rights groups have been activated.

Fourthly, in our cities, people start storing commodities in case of any report of shortage or price increase. Such practices increase the demand of a particular commodity in the market, triggering a price hike. There is a dire need to change this kind of behaviour by sensitising citizens on this important social issue because educated citizens are equally involved in practice of unnecessary storage of commodities.

Mostly, those who have high purchase power are responsible for disturbing the supply and demand balance of a commodity. The city district government has failed to control the prices of daily-use vegetable items, including onions, potatoes, tomatoes, ginger and garlic in the city’s markets as wholesalers and retailers are charging higher prices on Sunday.

During a survey of various vegetable shops on Sunday, Daily Times discovered that onions were being sold at Rs 60-80 per kilogramme, potatoes for Rs 40-60, tomatoes for Rs 50-60, green chilies for Rs 100-140, lemons for Rs 100 to Rs 120, ginger for Rs 200 to Rs 250 and garlic for Rs 250 to Rs 300.

Most vegetable retailers had not bothered to display government rate lists and those who did, failed to implement the rates.

Maria Zaheer, a housewife, said it had become very difficult for her to run her kitchen because of high prices of daily-use vegetable items. “I have started using yogurt in place of tomatoes, but it too is costly, however there are no replacements for ginger, onions and potatoes,” she said.

Haji Nazir, a vegetable retailer asked how he could sell vegetables on government rates when he himself was getting these items on increased rates from the vegetable market. “I have to pay for transportation besides paying the rent of my shops… if the government really wants to control the rates it should establish its writ in the vegetable markets first,” he said.

Ghulam Murtaza, a consumer rights activist in Gulberg, told Daily Times that he had convinced the people of his area to stop purchasing vegetables, fruits and meat on increased rates. “We have sensitised many people in our areas to always demand the rate list before purchasing anything and not to store food items,” he said.

‘White Elephant’ bringing down drug industry

2010-09-20T01:23:00.005-07:00

LAHORE: The city’s drug industry has been hit by an imbalance as a new ‘player’ in town is selling one of the most expensive drugs – cocaine – on lower rates, sources told Daily Times.

Sources said the new dealer had bent the existing drug community on its knees by selling cocaine on cheaper rates.

The presence of ‘White Elephant’, a drug pusher that has stocked up cocaine in the city and has been selling it on lesser rates, has forced other drug-dealers to lower their rates, thus causing problems for established drug peddlers.

Cocaine, which is brought from countries like Columbia, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru to Pakistan, is being sold on cheaper rates as an unidentified drug-dealer has stocked a huge quantity and is using the local chain of drug-pushers to sell it. The rate for one gramme of cocaine in the city was Rs 10,000, but the new rate is Rs 5,000 to Rs 5,500 in different areas of the city. The powder is directly snorted in the nose, injected in the blood or is even used by firing it up and inhaling its fumes.

The sources said that usually the flights coming from Amsterdam are checked thoroughly because it’s the place from where a lot of connecting flights are scheduled to different parts of the world. They said that law enforcers were unable to stop the import of cocaine unless they have prior information about the suspected person as checking the baggage of every passenger was not possible.

Normally, liquor and hashish are in great demand on chand raat and Eid, but this year cocaine was sold throughout the city on cheaper rates, making it hard for the existing cocaine suppliers to sell their merchandice.

A cocaine dealer told Daily Times that the cocaine, which is being sold at half its original rate, is being supplied from a single supplier who has piled up the powder and is subletting it to the local network of drug pushers. “The powder is the same as I have sold 180 grammes of it and didn’t receive any complain from my customers. The boys were really happy when I told them about the new rates because they got twice the quantity in the same amount”, he said.

The new rates damaged the business of the existing drug-dealers who had been selling it for Rs 10,000 per gramme. The new cocaine lord of the city is only known by the name of ‘White Elephant’ as he has proven himself to be calm, reasonable and waited for two months before entering the drug market, sources say. They said that the person could have sold the powder on the same rates but he decided to give ‘relief’ to the cocaine users by selling it on half of rates.

The areas in which the cocaine-sellers are active, include Samanabad, Bund Road, Saddar, Gulbahar Colony, Defence, Model Town and Muslim Town. Customers of this drug are mostly youngsters from rich backgrounds that have enough money to waste.

The deputy director of the Anti-Narcotics Force admitted that the flow of cocaine has risen in the past days and said that its import has also been increased. He said that in the past week, ANF intelligence arrested a man at the Allama Iqbal International Airport who was attempting to bring in 1.5 kilogrammes of cocaine. “First the smugglers brought only a few grammes of the powder but now they are taking risks and bringing in large quantities because it’s the most expensive drug being sold in the country these days”, the deputy said.

Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug. The powdered hydrochloride salt form of cocaine can be snorted or dissolved in water and then injected. Crack is the street name given to the form of cocaine that has been processed to make a rock crystal, which, when heated, produces vapours that are smoked. The term “crack” refers to the crackling sound produced by the rock as it is heated.

Protest demonstration held against feudalism

2010-09-20T01:23:00.003-07:00

LAHORE: The Human Liberation Commission of Pakistan and Masiha Millat Party staged a protest demonstration against feudalism, torture and illegal detention of labourers.

Central president of the party, Aslam Sahotra, and HLCP Senior Vice Chairman Javed Michael led the protest. A large number of workers, including women, participated in the demonstration outside the Lahore Press Club. The participants were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans for their demands.

Addressing the protesters, speakers demanded the government immediately register bonded labourers under social security and provide facilities to them and their children. They also demanded Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal to ensure minimum wages. app

Steps taken to check unnecessary expenditure: health secretary

LAHORE: Punjab Health Secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad has said the Health Department has taken austerity measures for controlling unnecessary expenditure, besides utilising funds allocated in the budget efficiently.

He said the steps would help save Rs 810 million, which would be spent to provide medical facilities to flood affectees. He said the austerity drive in the Health Department would not affect treatment facilities to patients in government hospitals, the provision of free medicines to indoor patients and free dialysis.

He said that medical colleges and autonomous hospitals also had their own resources and they were authorised to spend their resources according to their needs.

He said that controlling non-developmental and unnecessary expenditures was a priority of the government, adding that autonomous hospitals could repair and maintain their emergency equipment but they would have to seek approval of the Health Department for purchasing new equipment. app

CM seeks PM's help in petrol crisis

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has expressed concern over a petrol crisis in Punjab and demanded the federal government resolve it without delay.

In a press statement issued on Sunday, he said people were facing difficulties in performance of their jobs and business activities, adding that life had come to a halt.

He has also written a letter to Prime Minster Yousaf Raza Gilani in which he protested the shortage of petrol in the province and demanded an inquiry into the issue. app

500 Indian Sikh yatrees to arrive today

LAHORE: As many as 500 Sikh yatrees from India will arrive at the Wahga Railway Station by the Samjotha Express today (Monday). The yatrees are visiting Pakistan to observe the death anniversary (Joti Jot) of Guru Nanak Dev Jee.

The main function will be held at Kirtarpur district, Narowal, sources said.

Shrine Additional Secretary Zahid Bokhari, members of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and other officials will receive the Sikh yatrees.

Evacuee Trust Property Board Chairman Syed Asif Hashmi has finalised the security arrangements and accommodation for the yatrees. app

Another 35 killed in tribal fighting in Kurram Agency

2010-09-20T01:23:00.001-07:00

Death toll in 16 days of fighting reaches 138

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: The death toll of fierce clashes between two rival tribes in Kurram Agency has risen to 35, a private TV channel reported on Sunday.

According to a spokesman of the political administration, at least 16 people were killed and 20 injured when government gunship fired shells at bunkers of the two tribes to stop them from fighting. “We are trying our best to cease hostilities between Mangal and Toori tribes which killed 19 people on Sunday,” he said.

According to sources, at least 138 people had been killed and 180 injured in clashes over water dispute for the last 16 days in the Shalozan area of Upper Kurram Agency.

'Sindh card' invalid, Pir Pagara possesses trump card: Ch Shujaat

2010-09-20T01:22:00.005-07:00

KARACHI: The rulers should not play the 'Sindh card' as the floods and the merger of the two factions of Pakistan Muslim League (PML) had rendered it invalid, and Pir Pagara possesses the trump card now, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday.
"The modalities of the merger would be sorted out soon. And we shall not leave Pagara under any circumstances," he said.
Change through democratic process under constitutional limits would be supported, he added.
"Pervez Musharraf made three major mistakes - the Lal Mosque operation, the sacking of chief justice of Pakistan and the Balochistan operation that lead to the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti," he said.
Earlier, PML-Quaid Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Syed said the natural catastrophe had converted into a major human disaster and the government had failed to address this situation.
After a span of six weeks, no concrete plan or development was made for the relief and rehabilitation of the people in the flood-affected areas, he said.
"We have proposed a three-point agenda for dealing with the catastrophe. Firstly, we have asked the government and other parties to declare a 'political ceasefire' until the flood affectees get settled. Secondly, a complete plan should be devised for rescue and relief operation across the country. Thirdly, the government should discuss about the waiver of foreign debts," he added.

Shia man, MQM activist murdered

* Bookie gunned down * Computer operator shot dead * Infant's body found * Man falls victim to hit-and-run incident * Man electrocuted * Four labourers injured

Staff Report

KARACHI: A member of the Shia community was murdered in the Rizvia police precincts on Sunday night.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sultan Khan said the victim, identified as 37-year-old Tanveer Abbas, was at Old Golimar Chowrangi when two unidentified culprits arrived on a motorcycle and shot him once before escaping.
The victim was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where the doctors pronounced him dead, he added.
Following the murder, tension engulfed various Shia-dominated localities, including Rizvia, Ancholi and Malir.
Various Shia organisations, including the Jaffaria Alliance and the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, condemned the incident.

MQM activist: A Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist was murdered in the Yousuf Plaza police precincts.
Sources said the victim, identified as Farhan Ghayaz, 32, was at his mobile phone shop in Abdullah Centre where unidentified motorcyclists arrived and shot him dead.
Police said the victim was affiliated with MQM unit No 146.

Gunned down: A bookie was gunned down in the Liaquatabad area.
Station House Officer (SHO) Abid Shah said the victim, identified as Asif Memon, 42, was at the Waheed Pan House situated in Bantwa Nagar where two men arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire on him.
The victim sustained multiple bullets wounds and succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital, he added.
Many criminal cases had been registered against Memon since he was a bookie for horse racing and cricket, the SHO said.
The body was handed over to the heirs after completing legal formalities, he added.

Shot dead: A computer operator was accidentally shot dead at a general store in the Paposh Nagar police chowki precincts.
Police said the victim, identified as Salman Zahoor, 22, was working at the Abbasi General Store situated in Sector 5-A of Paposh Nagar where the incident took place.
The store owner's son Muneeb Basharat, 14, who was present at the shop, was handing over a loaded gun to the security guard Muhammad Haroon when a single bullet was accidentally fired, killing Zahoor on the spot, they added.
The teenager was detained for questioning, while the victim's body was shifted to the hospital and later handed over to the heirs, the police said.

Body found: An infant's body was found in the Korangi 100 Quarter area.
A welfare association said the locals informed them about the body in the wee hours, following which the association's volunteers rushed to the spot and recovered the body.
The body was buried at the Mewashah graveyard, he added.

Hit-and-run: A man fell victim to a hit-and-run incident near the Qayyumabad bridge, the Korangi Industrial Area police said.
The victim, identified as 35-year-old Khaleel, was crossing the road when a speeding vehicle hit and killed him, they added.
The body was shifted to the hospital from where the victim's family took it away without completing any legal formalities, the police said.

Electrocuted: A man was electrocuted near Gulbai Chowrangi, the Shershah police said.
An unidentified man was trying to steal electric cables when he received electric shocks and died on the spot, they added.
The body was shifted to the hospital and later moved to the morgue, the police said.

Injured: Four labourers were injured in Orangi Town when a concrete slab from the roof of an under-construction house fell on them.
SHO Raja Tariq said Imran, Kamran, Jibran and Arif were working at a house in Block-L of Sector 8 when a concrete slab fell on them.
The injured victims were taken to the hospital where the doctors initially termed Imran's condition serious; however, he is out of danger now, he added.
The rest of the injured men had received minor injuries and were discharged from the hospital after being treated, the SHO said.

Cops arrested for aiding criminals to escape

Staff Report

KARACHI: Two people charged with kidnapping for ransom and other criminal cases managed to escape allegedly with the help of police from the lockups of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) on Sunday.
The escapees Muhammad Shafiq and Muhammad Wasim were arrested by the Surjani police a week ago over criminal cases including kidnapping for ransom and possession of illegal weapons.
The men after their arrest were shifted to the SIU, Saddar for further investigation.
Following the incident, Saddar police have registered FIR No 395/10 and arrested the police officials and personnel for negligence.
The arrested officials and personnel include inspector Shabbir Hussain Gilgiti, assistant-sub inspector (ASI) Mashooq, ASI Shaukat and constables Mukhtiar, Anwar and Arif Zaman.
Sources said FIRs No 653/10, 654/10 and 655/10 were already registered against the escapees at the Surjani police station, and alleged that policemen helped the prisoners to escape after taking a heavy bribe.
While further investigation was in process, the officials of SIU confirmed the incident but did not disclose the details.

CDGK de-notifies one IDP camp in Orangi Town

By Irfan Aligi

KARACHI: The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has de-notified one major relief camp established for the internally displaced persons (IDP) in the city.
The camp, established in the Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Single Section High School, Orangi Town, accommodating 400 IDPs, was established on the behest of a private person.
The majority of the IDPs at the camp, who had moved to their relatives' place, or left for their hometowns did not receive the initial Rs 20,000 compensation money as the authorities were still in the registration phase, Daily Times learnt.
The closure of the relief camp was made after the authorities observed that local residents within the close vicinity had been exploiting food and facilities reserved for the IDPs.
The authorities shifted the remaining IDPs to another camp established in the defunct Karachi Transport Corporation's Bus depot in SITE.
As far as the funds were concerned, the provincial government had already released Rs 144 million to the CDGK City Administrator/District Coordination Officer's (DCO) account, which were further shifted to CDGK Revenue Department Executive District Officer Roshan Ali Shaikh.
The EDO revenue has been the authority to spend those funds against the expenses incurred on arrangements made for the IDPs.
The provincial government has also released Rs 30 million on Saturday to the CDGK DCO's account, which would be shifted to EDO revenue's account in the next couple of days.
On the other hand, the PDMA has been monitoring the IDPs as regards to their needs and requirement of the funds on behalf of the local managers such as the EDO Revenue.

Spread of dengue, malaria feared

2010-09-20T01:22:00.003-07:00

KARACHI: Malaria and dengue have emerged as the most widespread diseases in the province especially in the city.
There are 3,468 malaria patients of which at least 30 have been declared critical, while a dengue outbreak has also afflicted a large number of people in the province.
However, City District Government Karachi Health Group of Offices Executive District Officer (EDO) Dr Nasir Javed while talking to Daily Times, said a total of 3,557 cases have been reported so far while at least 19 malaria cases were treated during the last 24 hours.
The Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) had four malaria patients alone.
According to Sindh Secretary Public Health Captain (retd) Abdul Majid, there were 324 dengue cases registered in the province of which only one case was reported in Sukkur.
He said that the Sindh Health Department (SHD) in April had issued necessary guidelines to the CDGK EDO for carrying out fumigation.
Majid said that due to heavy rains a dengue outbreak on a larger scale was expected, and the floods had added to it significantly, and the SHD had sent a summary to the higher authorities for a grant of Rs 100 million to meet the incurring expenses in regards to a dengue outbreak.
SHD focal person on dengue, Deputy Secretary Health Dr Shakil Malik informed Daily Times that out of 324 dengue cases, 185 were positive, while 139 were clinically suspected.
The ASH medical superintendent Dr Hamid Zaheer said there were a large number of flood victims suffering from malaria, and the current situation combined with a lack of fumigation could trigger a dengue emergency in the city.
He added that the ASH was establishing a special 30-bed dengue ward and had already placed an order for procuring mosquito nets.

Vulnerability of working women:

Harassment laws ineffective?

Text and illustration by Andaleeb Rizvi

KARACHI: The harassment cases at Pakistani workplaces makes one question whether the Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill 2010 is sufficient or needs amendments to make it more effective and foolproof.
After studying the harassment bill and case studies, Daily Times learnt that most people do not regard talking about women in a sexually derogatory manner behind their back as harassment.
Nadia, who resigned from a job because she was being asked for sexual favours at her workplace, told this scribe that a co-worker had spread rumours about her being sexually available, causing everyone at work to harass her.
"When the harassment started, I was confused about my own behaviour, thinking that maybe I was doing something wrong. I tried to be more reserved, even though my moderate upbringing has taught me not to discriminate or distinguish while talking to men or women," she said.
However, a colleague informed Nadia about the person who was really responsible for the situation she was facing.
As is the case with most victims, Nadia's first reaction was guilt because she had previously declined a sexual proposition by the person now responsible for her aggravation.
"I regret not nipping the whole issue in the bud by complaining to the management at that time," Nadia said.
Advocate Atiqur Rehman told this scribe that such cases were difficult to address, but the law might cover this form of harassment as it can cause interference with the work performance or create an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
"In such cases, the evidence will be hearsay. Therefore, a significantly higher burden of proof will be required. Any weakness on the part of a complainant or witness can sabotage the case," he said, adding that harassment in absentia was a weak case, especially in Pakistan where the harassment law is not highly developed.
Moreover, women who work at factories or as domestic help are more vulnerable to harassment as they are easily replaceable.
Sania used to work as a packing girl at a factory, but was dismissed when she refused to provide a sexual favour to her supervisor.
She tried to lodge a complaint with the management about the issue, but she was not given any consideration as labour is cheap and readily available in the city.
However, domestic workers are not even registered with any organisation in most cases and are hired on a verbal contract.
Haseena, a maid of Bangladeshi origin, said, "I had been working at a house for over two years and I had no complaints. However, as soon as the lady of the house died, the widower started gesturing obscenities at me."
She did not take any risk and quit the job, although she had to suffer a loss of Rs 2,000, but her honour was more important to her than the money.
Hameeda, who was a part-time cook and maid at a bungalow in the North Nazimabad area, said, "The son of my employer started asking me for sexual favours. When I complained to his parents, I was accused of theft and asked to leave quietly or be handed over to the police. I left, of course."
Sohaila Atiq, MSc in Psychology, said the lower income women, mostly between 20 and 30 years old, are more vulnerable to harassment, although it may also depend on the personality type.
"During this age group, girls are exposed to the marriage debate not just within their homes, but outside as well, which heightens their awareness regarding sexual matters. This social pressure can, at times, make them a victim of predators at workplace," she said.
Anxiety, depression, personality disorders are only a few outcomes a victim of harassment may face, she added.

Water shortage - aftermath of floods

Text and photos by Amar Guriro

KARACHI: In the aftermath of history's worst floods that inundated several districts of Sindh and washed away crops and valuables due to mismanagement, several districts are facing acute water shortage and many are without drinking water.
During a visit to different towns of Sanghar district, this scribe discovered that the water supply ponds had dried up and filled up with algae due to the absence of freshwater.
Local residents of Khipro town told this scribe that with the start of the floods, the irrigation authorities had shut down the major canals that supply agricultural and drinking water to more than a dozen districts, due to which the people of these districts are protesting against water shortage.
They said the floods displaced 7 million people and most of them had to shift to these districts, but they were faced with acute water shortage, due to which they were forced to consume contaminated water that brought another disaster for them in the shape of waterborne diseases.
"It is strange that some parts of the province are still facing floods, but there is no water even for drinking in other districts like Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Badin," a Khipro town resident said.
Most residents said if authorities had not closed the canals, the effects of the floods would have reduced and other districts would not have faced acute water shortage.

Art world continues to donate for flood relief:

Expressing sufferings, grief and relationships of ordinary souls

Staff Report

KARACHI: I dedicate my works to the ordinary people of my country who suffer the most in every disaster, be it natural or manmade.
With this announcement, renowned artist Abdul Jabbar Gull recently opened the exhibition of his new works at the Canvas Gallery.
The show remains open until Thursday and a part of its proceeds will be donated for flood relief.
Gull's main sources of inspiration are politics, spiritual belief and human beings, especially ordinary people.
"I call them 'ordinary souls' and I am one of them. So, I endeavour to express their common sufferings, grief and relationships on individual and collective levels," he said.
Exploring different religions, he tried to understand spirituality and Sufism, while in politics, he has tried to address the local and global issues and the war of propaganda that has been misleading everyone.
The urge for self-expression motivates him to work because he feels and experiences the inner and outer worlds, the impressions of which he shares through his works.
"The more I try to explore the mysterious link of the corporeal world to the ethereal world, the more my thoughts fly on delicate wings of imagination. Searching for answers, I am confronted with even deeper, unresolved questions," he said.
Translated into the focus of his subject as three-dimensional, winged forms, he endeavours to discipline his thoughts and create order, but his thoughts fly hither and thither, leading him into unknown dimensions.
He finds wood and metal to be sympathetic mediums since they help him to enhance his quest and continue it.
"My carvings in wood set out to explore numerous questions arising from the changing circumstances of my life. I have no conclusions, so, my work speaks of the mysteries and ambiguities faced in this process," he said.
Gull was motivated to attempt calligraphy and make sketches in his schoolbooks after observing a sign painter, who worked in calligraphy and made portraits, in Mirpurkhas where Gull grew up.
"In sculpture, I found what I had been searching for all along. It helped me develop my senses and increased my awareness towards the world around me. I learnt to see and feel my surroundings in an entirely new way. I found my passion," he said.
The human form is the most important phenomenon of the Universe for him and it is a major source of inspiration in his work.
Gull completed his Bachelor in Fine Arts degree majoring in sculpture in 1996 from the National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore, where he also studied design, ceramics, photography and printmaking.
That same year, he was awarded by the faculty of the NCA for stage designing and he also received the Punjab Artist Association Award for sculpture.
He was selected for Fordsburg's residency programme in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2001.
Two years later, the Pakistan National Council of Arts conferred him with the 'National Excellence Award' for sculpture.
He is currently teaching sculpture at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture.
Besides displaying his works in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, his art has also been exhibited in India, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
His previous exhibition was in June this year in a group show titled 'On the brink' in Singapore.
His current exhibition includes artworks titled 'Butterfly', 'Clouds', 'Couple', 'Deceiving Self', 'Dream', 'Ordinary Souls', 'Salute' and 'The Aware'.

Young actors and directors shine at theatre festival

Staff Report

KARACHI: Urdu theatre is on its last legs in Pakistan, and 'Funkaar Junction' has tried to revive this genre of performance art, freelance filmmaker Ali Shaan Khemani said while talking to Daily Times.
A theatre festival titled 'Funkaar Junction' was organised by the Aga Khan Youth & Sports Board, and Khemani was volunteering his services as an acting coach for the budding actors and directors who took part in this competition.
"Through this contest, we have tried to exhibit our culture and its positive aspects. We had received numerous scripts from aspiring playwrights, but only 10 were shortlisted," Khemani said.
The six plays that made it into the finals, and were recently performed at the Arts Council, were titled 'Inqalaabi Chai'; 'Danda Hai, Jhanda Ghaayab'; 'Akbar-e-Azam Meets Shakespeare'; 'Pyaasa Samandar'; 'Laila Majnoo'; and 'Dracula'.

Inqalaabi Chai: A comedy directed by Isfand Mehboob, 'Inqalaabi Chai' reflects the activities of young men in the city.
The play shows the youth wasting time, discussing politics through the night over a cup of tea.

Danda Hai, Jhanda Ghaayab: A tragedy directed by Sehrish Suleman, 'Danda Hai, Jhanda Ghaayab' explores the troubles of women in our society.
All characters in the play live at a rehabilitation centre where they are fighting for women's rights.
This play won the second position in the competition, and Suleman won the best actor (female) award.

Akbar-e-Azam Meets Shakespeare: A comedy directed by Adil Azad Lalani, 'Akbar-e-Azam Meets Shakespeare' portrays the difference and conflict between the Western and Eastern mindsets.
To achieve this goal, the play makes use of the conversation between English poet/playwright William Shakespeare and Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar, also known as Shehanshah Akbar-e-Azam.
To make matters complicated, Shakespeare falls in love with Laila, while Akbar has a crush on Juliet.
This hilarious play won over the judges and stood first in the contest.

Pyaasa Samandar: Directed by Kashif Ali, 'Pyaasa Samandar' explores the role of a mother in our society.
The play depicts how the children treat and behave with their mother and leave her when she needs their support the most.

Laila Majnoo: A poetic act directed by Aman Vastani, 'Laila Majnoo' retells the original story of Laila and Majnoo.
This love story won the third position in the competition.

Dracula: A play directed by Alishan Makhani and adapted from the film by the same name, 'Dracula' brings to stage the same horror through different characters - father, son and doctor.
This play too earned the third position in the competition because of artistic direction and realistic acting.
Makhani, who also acted in the play, won the best actor (male) award.

6 people murdered in Karachi

2010-09-20T01:22:00.001-07:00

3 ASWJ activists gunned down

Two MQM activists, Shia man also killed

Staff Report

KARACHI: Six people were gunned down in various incidents in different parts of the provincial capital on Sunday.

Three Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) activists were gunned down in the Sir Syed police precincts. Police said the victims were near Kashif Bakery, located in Sector 11-E of North Karachi, when three unidentified men on a motorcycle opened fire on them.

As a result, all three were critically injured and immediately taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors pronounced them dead.

The victims were identified as Aqeel, Noman and Nabeel, two of whom were brothers, police said. Station House Officer (SHO) Muhammad Nadeem said 9mm pistols were used in the killings. Separately on Sunday, a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist was killed in the Yousaf Plaza police precincts.

According to sources, the victim, identified as Farhan Ghayaz, 32, was at his mobile phone shop in Abdullah Centre, when unidentified motorcyclists shot him dead. Police said the victim was affiliated with MQM unit No 146.

Another MQM activist belonging to the Christian community was killed in Christian Para, the Zaman Town police said.

SHO Abdul Nabi Khokhar said the victim, identified as 22-year-old Dilawar Inayat Masih, was outside his house with some friends when unidentified men riding a motorcycle gunned him down.

The killers shot the victim in the forehead after confirming his affiliation, he added.

Also, a member of the Shia community was murdered in the Rizvia police precincts on Sunday.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sultan Khan said the victim, identified as 37-year-old Tanveer Abbas, was at Old Golimar Chowrangi when two unidentified men on a motorcycle shot him once before escaping.

The victim was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead, the DSP said.

Tension engulfed various parts of the city, following the murders.

Three more protesters killed in Indian-held Kashmir

2010-09-20T01:21:00.004-07:00

SRINAGAR: Three more protesters died on Sunday in Indian-held Kashmir, sparking a new cycle of demonstrations against the New Delhi’s rule and tactics of the security forces.

The protesters died in two separate hospitals after being injured last week in clashes with armed security forces in the disputed Himalayan region.

Hundreds poured onto the streets on Sunday, holding noisy anti-India and pro-independence demonstrations, according to residents reached by phone in Baramulla, Pulwama and Anantnag, the home districts of the latest victims.

The deaths come ahead of a visit by a high-level political delegation, headed by Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram, that is set to arrive in the region on Monday. AFP

Italian govt assures of support to flood victims: Shahbaz Bhatti

2010-09-20T01:21:00.002-07:00

Italian govt assures of support to flood victims: Shahbaz Bhatti
All European foreign ministers agree on open trade with Pakistan

Steps taken by govt for immediate relief to flood victims highlighted

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti on Sunday said that the Italian government, NGOs and religious leadership have assured Pakistan of their continued support to mitigate the sufferings of the flood-affected people.

He stated this while addressing a press conference regarding his recent visit to Italy. The minister said that Italian Foreign Minister Franco Franttini will announce 80 million euros, relief package for Pakistan during his formal visit to Pakistan in October.

Bhatti said that he briefed the Italian leadership on the situation, which resulted from unprecedented floods in Pakistan and thanked the Italian government for providing assistance.

He said that Italy commended the initiatives taken by Pakistan for inter-faith harmony and stated that these measures needed to be further highlighted. He said that during his meeting with ‘Pope Benedict XVI, he prayed for all those affected by the floods and said he would continue in supporting relief efforts made by the Vatican’. The Vatican appreciated Pakistan's role to promote interfaith dialogue, harmony and understanding.

He said that all European foreign ministers had agreed on the need to provide immediate

access to Pak goods to European markets.

Highlighting the steps taken by the government for relief of the flood victims, he stressed the need for provision of clean drinking water, food and health-related facilities to flood relief camps on urgent basis in order to save about six million children.

He said the shortage of clean drinking water and health facilities has exposed children to water-borne and stomach diseases.

The government will address the problems of shortage of clean drinking water and health facilities on priority and was in close contact with the provincial government and UN agencies in this regard, he added.

He said that he was visiting Khyber Pakthunkhwa's relief camps to review the situation on the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani.

The federal government despite limited resources is providing all the facilities to flood-hit people of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, he added.

The sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate will simultaneously be

2010-09-20T01:21:00.000-07:00

ISLAMABAD: The sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate will simultaneously be held today (Monday) at 5pm as President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned the sessions of the two houses of parliament.

This would be the 64th session of the Upper House while the Lower House would be holding its 25th session.

The first session of the Senate is likely to be adjourned soon after recitation of the holy Quran and offering fateha to mourn the demise of minister for local government and rural development senator Abdur Razzaq Taheem on September 1.

The houses would also offer fateha for the departed soul of Muttahida Qaumi Movement former parliamentarian Dr Imran Farooq, who was stabbed in London.

According to parliamentary sources, the houses would take up the situation in wake of the unprecedented floods, and the government’s as well as the international community’s role to cope with it.

The houses are also likely to take up the hot button issue of a change in the government as widespread speculations in this context have gripped the country.

Sources said the president and the prime minister have especially asked party ministers and other senior leaders at a recent Pakistan People’s Party meeting at the Presidency to rigorously defend the government and use tactics in and outside parliament to dispel the latest rumors.

The sources added that both the houses would pass condemnation resolutions against the ongoing state terrorism by Indian forces against Kashmiris in Indian-held Kashmir.

The Upper House might also discuss the statement of Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain in a telephonic address in which he had asked “patriotic military generals” to take action against corrupt politicians. APP

Taseer told judicial commission being formed

2010-09-20T01:20:00.005-07:00

LHC CJ murder plot inquiry

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Interior Ministry on Sunday said that Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer had been informed that the decision to constitute a judicial commission to investigate an alleged plot to murder the chief justice of the Lahore High Court had been taken last week.

The ministry was waiting for provincial registrars of high courts to nominate members of the commission. It hoped to get them by today (Monday). Interior Minister Rehman Malik had directed the interior secretary to ensure that a notification of formation of the commission was issued as soon as the nominations were received.

Earlier, the Supreme Court asked Governor Taseer to approach the federal government for formation of the commission, saying that under Section 3 of the Commission of Inquiries Act 1956, the federal government was empowered to constitute a commission to inquire into any matter of public importance. The court was replying to a written request by the governor to Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry asking him to set up the commission.

Saudi embassy in Islamabad and the Saudi Consulate

2010-09-20T01:20:00.003-07:00

ISLAMABAD: Saudi embassy in Islamabad and the Saudi Consulate General in Karachi decided to cancel the celebrations of the Saudi National Day on September 23, as a gesture of solidarity with the government of Pakistan for the flood-stricken people.

The embassy and the consulate decided to spend the funds of the celebrations for the care of orphans and affected children of the flood-hit areas.

The decision had come to underline the deep relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and a manifestation of feelings towards the affected people in various parts of the country. The embassy reaffirms that the leadership and people of Saudi Arabia firmly stood by the affected people through its relief efforts.

Merger of all factions of PML still a dream

2010-09-20T01:20:00.001-07:00

PML-Q information secretary says merger of all PML fictions will make no considerable impact on national politics unless PML-N gives positive response to proposal

PML-N spokesman says party will agree to proposal, if Nawaz leads group

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The merger of all factions of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) is still a dream, as all factions are indecisive to come together under one umbrella.

The background interaction with different political leaders, particularly Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) revealed that they have not decided in principle to merge their fictions, rather it had been a proposal and endorsed by both the groups.

The merger of all PML fictions sans Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would make no considerable impact on the national politics. “I think it will not have meaningful results unless and until the largest fiction – the PML-N – gives a positive response to the proposal,” PML-Q Information Secretary Tariq Azim said while talking to Daily Times.

He said that unification of all groups was a long-outstanding issue and some of the factions had merged in 2003 due to the efforts of Mir ZafarUllah Khan Jamali, but at that time the PML-F was out of the merger.

Azim said the merger of PML-F and PML-Q had not yet been made, adding that efforts were underway to merge not only the two but all factions of the Muslim League.

He clarified that the PML-Q had not yet decided and it was a proposed merger suggested by PML-F chief Pir Pagara. “I think it needs clarification as the two parties have not yet merged properly, rather it is a proposal,” said Azim, adding there are still consultations going on inside the party.

The information secretary further clarified that the name “All Pakistan Muslim League” reported in the mainstream media, had not yet been finalised to the proposed merger, adding that Pagara wanted to name it the “United Pakistan Muslim League”.

To a question that who will lead if all the factions, including the PML-N, decided to merge on a single platform, the PML-Q leader said that it was a secondary issue and could be decided once all the groups and their members came together as to who will lead the proposed unified factions.

Reacting to the proposal, PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq said that the PML-N would think over the proposal if they consider Nawaz Sharif as the leader. “If they accept the leadership of Nawaz by heart, then we can think over the proposal,” Farooq said.

But, he clarified that the PML-N believed in democratic norms, rule of law and good governance and will not go for timely benefits. Farooq added that only those factions had announced to merge, who had supported the “undemocratic” government of Pervez Musharraf for nine years.

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid welcomed the proposal of the merger of all factions, saying that it would have a positive impact on national politics. He added that he had not yet decided to merge his party in the proposed amalgamation. Since his party had no representation in the National Assembly or Senate, he said that the merger of his party would not make a considerable impact.

‘Petrol crunch will ease today’

2010-09-20T01:19:00.009-07:00

Ministry claims no shortage of petroleum products in country

Ministry DG (Oil) says situation will improve, as PARCO refinery will resume full production today

By Zeeshan Javaid

ISLAMABAD: There is no shortage of petrol or petroleum products in the country, however the current crunch of petrol will ease today (Monday) with the availability of petrol and other petroleum products, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources said.

Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources Director General (Oil) Sabir Hussain told Daily Times that the ministry had taken serious notice on Sunday of the ongoing crunch of petroleum in the country, and ensured that the situation will improve from today (Monday).

He said that the situation will further improve as the Pak Arab Refinery (PARCO) had resumed operations already, and full production will be available to all citizens by Sunday evening and Monday morning, while the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) had also been directed to carry out surprise visits to petrol pumps to ensure the continuous supply of petrol.

Hussain added that due to the closure of roads, the supply chain of petroleum products from Karachi to other parts of the country had also been disrupted, however sufficient stocks of about 90,000 tonnes of petrol had been available, which was more than enough to cater for the public for at least 18 days.

In this context, the Ministry of Petroleum in consultation with the oil marketing companies is making arrangements to expedite the supplies from Karachi refineries and imports of Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

The DG said that PSO had resumed furnace oil supply to HUBCO and KAPCO after the Finance Ministry released Rs 12 billion to ease its financial affliction, while a commitment of another Rs 24 billion would be released by next week.

With reference to the shortage of petrol in Punjab especially in Lahore, Gujranwala and Multan, he said that due to the recent floods in the country, PARCO, which is meeting 20 to 25 percent of the country’s demand, had been closed down with effect from August 7, 2010, however now PARCO had started its production of petroleum products and a shipment of 2,000 tonnes of production was scheduled to reach on Sunday.

Govt complying with orders of Supreme Court: Awan

2010-09-20T01:19:00.007-07:00

Staff Report

RAWALPINDI: The government is fully complying with the orders of the Supreme Court and no wind is blowing for any kind of change. Parliament will also live up to the expectations of the people, Federal Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan said on Sunday.

He said this while talking to the media after a meeting of ex-nazims and naib nazims, at the residence of former union nazim Rana Rafaqat Ali Khan.

Awan said that if Nawaz Sharif was eager to play a role in the supremacy of parliament, he should do so through a constitutional way and contest the upcoming polls in the National Assembly. The minister added that Nawaz’s limitations under the Jeddah pact would be over in December and he wanted to contest the by-polls after that.

“We are not afraid of his presence in parliament and those who assume that they can bring change in parliament should express some moral courage,” he added.

Awan said that the authorised tenure of Punjab administrators had expired last month and they had been working illegally.

Car bombs in Baghdad kill 36, wound dozens

2010-09-20T01:19:00.005-07:00

Violence underlines challenges Iraqi forces face trying to stabilise Baghdad as US forces drawdown

In Fallujah, car bomber struck Iraqi army patrol in city's busy commercial district, killing soldier

BAGHDAD: Three car bombs tore through Baghdad and the former insurgent stronghold of Fallujah on Sunday, killing at least 36 people and breaking what had been a period of relative calm since the end Ramazan.

The blasts were the worst to strike the Iraqi capital since the number of American troops in the country dropped below 50,000 and the US declared a formal end to combat operations.

The violence underlines the challenges Iraqi security forces face trying to stabilise Baghdad as US forces drawdown and Iraq's police and military assume responsibility for protecting the capital.

Sunday's deadliest attack took place in north Baghdad's Kazimiyah neighbourhood when a car bomb detonated near a branch office of the National Security Ministry in Adan square, killing at least 21 people and wounding more than 70, police and hospital officials said.

"It was a big explosion and dust and smoke filled my house," said Abu Shahad, who lives about 200 metres from the blast site.

He said his cousin and her child were killed and another cousin was wounded in the blast. At least 10 people were killed in another car bombing in western Baghdad's affluent Mansour neighbourhood, said army Brigadier Gen Ali Fadhal, who is responsible for the western half of the city. Another 10 people were wounded in the attack.

Fallujah:

In Fallujah, a suicide attacker in a car struck an Iraqi army patrol in the city's busy commercial district, killing one Iraqi soldier and four civilians, according to police and hospital officials. At least 15 people were wounded in the attack. AP

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