Benghazi attacks were preventable: US Senate report

The attacks that killed four Americans in Libya including ambassador Christopher Stevens could have been prevented by rectifying “known security shortfalls” at the US mission in Benghazi, a Senate report concluded Wednesday. Senate Intelligence Committee investigators conducted dozens of hearings and interviews with survivors of the double attack targeting the US diplomatic facility and the nearby CIA annex in the eastern city of Benghazi on September 11, 2012. The deadly attack triggered a political scandal in the United States, with Republican lawmakers accusing President Barack Obama’s administration of trying to conceal the nature of the attacks and blaming them on militants motivated by an anti-Islamic film posted online. The glaring failures that saw attackers breach the security cordon also shocked Republicans, who held a year-long string of contentious congressional hearings featuring scores of administration officials. The report, which issued several findings regarding the assaults, said the State Department failed to heed warnings to boost security at the sites despite the rapidly deteriorating security environment in Libya. And it blamed intelligence agencies for not notifying US military officials in the US Africa command that a CIA annex even existed near the Benghazi diplomatic mission. “The committee found the attacks were preventable, based on extensive intelligence reporting on the terrorist activity in Libya — to include prior threats and attacks against Western targets — and given the known security shortfalls at the US mission,” the panel said in a statement. “The State Department should have increased its security posture more significantly in Benghazi based on the deteriorating security situation on the ground and IC (intelligence community) threat reporting.” The 85-page report also attempts to clarify the confusion surrounding the Obama administration’s initial statements about the attacks, when they “inaccurately” referred to a protest at the US mission prior to the assault “without sufficient intelligence or eyewitness statements to corroborate that assertion.” Intelligence leaders then took “too long to correct these erroneous reports,” adding to public confusion about what happened. The report also makes the grim assessment that the FBI probe into the attacks has been stymied in Benghazi, where “as many as 15 individuals supporting the investigation or otherwise helpful to the United States have been killed” since the attacks. The report is bound to fuel controversy over the responsibility of the State Department, headed by then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton, and more broadly the Obama administration, which has identified several individuals responsible for the attacks but has failed to bring them to justice.

Hacked or not?: Shashi Tharoor's Twitter fiasco

NEW DELHI: “We are distressed by the unseemly controversy that has arisen about some unauthorised tweets from our Twitter accounts,” stated Indian minister Shashi Tharoor and his wife Sundana Pushkar Tharoor in a joint statement on Thursday. The statement was released soon after curious messages were seen on the Twitter account of the suave thrice-married human resources minister on Wednesday evening. The tweets revealed private exchanges allegedly between 57-year-old Tharoor and Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar, 45, in which she professed her love for him and he explained that his wife had discovered his adultery. Soon after, Tharoor said his account (@shashitharoor) had been hacked but tweets from Sunanda Tharoor’s account stated that she was the one posting from his account. “Our accounts have not been hacked and I have been sending out these tweets. I cannot tolerate this. This is a Pakistani woman who is an ISI (Inter Services Intelligence) agent, and she is stalking my husband,” she was also quoted as saying in The Economic Times. However, in the vaguely-phrased joint statement issued on Thursday, the two emphasised that ‘unauthorised’ tweets had been sent from their account and that Sundana’s statements to the press were being distorted. The statement also revealed that Sundana has been ill and will be hospitalised this week. Sunanda had also been quoted in Indian Express as saying that she would be seeking a divorce, but then appeared to have relented as she later wrote on her Twitter account (@sptvrock) that “Shashi an& I are very happy together”. Mehr Tarar (@mehrtarar) has denied having an affair with Tharoor in a series of messages. Tharoor on Twitter Tharoor, a famed author who was once in the running to be secretary general of the United Nations, is the most active user of Twitter in the Indian government and he has been instrumental in encouraging colleagues.

JUI-F finally decides to join federal government

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has decided to join the federal government, seven months after elections in May, Express News reported on Wednesday. At least two JUI-F members, Abbas Afridi and Akram Durrani will be taking oath as federal ministers at the Aiwan-e-Saddar on Thursday. Express News correspondent Khalid Mehmood reported that JUI-F had been in negotiations with the government in centre ever since the elections last May. Akram Khan Durrani had been nominated once as a federal minister but an official notification for his appointment was never issued. Following further negotiations, it is expected that now been decided that Durrani will be appointed as a Federal Minister while Maulana Ghafoor Haideri (who hails from Balochistan) is expected to assume charge as a Minister of State. There was no announcement of the portfolios they will be accorded. Khurram Dastagir, the incumbent Minister of State for Commerce and Textile Industry, is expected to take oath as a Federal Minister. Long-drawn negotiations JUI-F and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have been inching closer to each other for some time now. Maulana Fazlur Rehman has more than once offered his services to the ruling party in the way of negotiating with Taliban. A month after the general elections of 2013, Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s party decided to support Nawaz Sharif in his election as Prime Minister. The Maulana had said then: “We are closer to PML-N ideologically. As a goodwill gesture we have decided to support PM-designate Nawaz Sharif in the vote of confidence.” A couple of months later, the then president Asif Ali Zardari’s nomination of Akram Durrani as federal minister hinted at a possible alignment with PML-N. Fazl had laid down his conditions for becoming an ally of the PML-N government, but strongly dispelled the impression that his party was joining the PML-N led government for the sake of attaining ministries and privileges. “These matters are not important for us,” he had said.

Fabricated allegations: Dhedi’s involvement in Ogra scam denied

KARACHI: Nessar Ahmad, the man certain media reports claimed was witness to a Rs160 million graft payment by a stock market tycoon to the ex-chairman of Ogra, has said the whole story was fabricated. Ahmad denied the allegations published in a section of the press that he had testified before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) that Aqeel Karim Dhedi paid Rs160 million to Tauqeer Sadiq in front of him in a café in order to tamper with the gas loss rules set by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra). In a letter to the NAB chairman he said, “I never made any statement or allegation regarding the involvement of Aqeel Dhedi in anything relating to unaccounted-for gas… no such thing ever happened.” In the letter, Ahmad said his clarification was necessary since news reports mentioned that the Executive Board of NAB was due to consider the filing of a reference relating to the Ogra scam. “It was absolutely essential that the board not be misled or swayed by such works of fiction the likes of which have been appearing with regularity in a certain a part of the press.” Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2014.

Iran-Pakistan pipeline: Foreign Office calls meeting to decide project’s fate

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has stepped in to clear the air about the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and called a high-level meeting among different ministries today in an effort to set policy guidelines. The move comes in the backdrop of the US refusal to give assurances that the pipeline would be exempt from sanctions and subsequent reluctance of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to press ahead with the project. The meeting, which will draw representatives of the Ministry of Petroleum, Law, Defence and Finance, will decide the fate of the gas pipeline keeping in view the threat of embargo. It will also consider a way out in an attempt to avoid penalties if the government abandons the project, for which Iran has almost completed its part of the pipeline. After the deliberations, a Pakistani delegation is expected to visit Iran by the end of current month to discuss an array of issues including the penalty, extending the deadline and renegotiating the agreed gas price. Both sides will also discuss a strategy to implement the project keeping in view the plan to be finalised at the Foreign Office. Earlier in July 2013, the Foreign Office had held an inter-ministerial meeting, which suggested that the US should be approached to keep the project out of the sanctions regime. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, during his visit to the US, also sought exemption, but Washington refused. In a follow-up meeting held in Washington in November, which was also attended by Water and Power Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the same issue was taken up, but the US authorities dismissed the suggestion. According to sources, legal experts have suggested the government to convert the project into a bilateral treaty as US sanctions will not apply in this case. This option will also be discussed in Thursday’s deliberations. Sources point out that Pakistan could face a penalty of $3 million per day if it fails to receive first flow of gas in December 2014. In the meeting, views will also be sought from legal experts to determine how the government could avoid the penalty if the project does not go through. A senior government official told The Express Tribune that Interstate Gas Systems, a state-run company dealing with gas import projects, could face sanctions if it pushed ahead with the Iran-Pakistan project and even it would not be possible to import compressors. Germany-based Siemens and US-based General Electric have expertise in manufacturing compressors, but both companies will not export to Pakistan in the face of western sanctions. Now, the petroleum ministry has approached the Foreign Office, seeking its guidance whether the ministry should pursue the project. Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2014.

Ishaq Dar calls for public shaming of tax evaders

KARACHI: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday urged the country’s business community to stop opposing the publication of a tax directory. Flatly refusing one of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (KCCI) major demands, Dar said, “You all should accept it with an open mind and let tax thieves get embarrassed.” In his address to KCCI members in Karachi, the minister also said that the tax directory of parliamentarians and the directory of businessmen were due to be published by January 31 and February 15, respectively. “The world community mocks Pakistan for non-transparent collection of taxes from businessmen and parliamentarians, so let’s do something transparent once and for all,” Dar said, adding that it was the government’s responsibility to identify tax defaulters. “The government must make public a list that identifies those who are not even in the tax net of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR),” the minister urged. However, he said the directory will only contain the names and National Tax Numbers (NTN) of the businessmen and not the details of their assets. Ailing economy The minister praised the performance of his government during the six-month period on the economic front and said, “We will perform a major surgery of the country’s economy,” which he cautioned, was going to hurt the nation and the business community in the short run. “This surgery will be painful because the structural problems of the country cannot be treated with aspirin,” the minister stressed. Defending the government’s move to approach the IMF, Dar said, “Taking loans for development is not bad, taking loans just for the sake of expenditures is bad.” He also assured the business community that the government would keep its word on building $20 billion foreign reserves in three years, expanding the tax net, reducing budget deficit, and providing an enabling environment for the business community. On the Thar Coal project, he said the federal government wanted to support the Sindh government and that the prime minister will soon convene a meeting of all important stakeholders to increase the pace of development work on the project. Appreciating KCCI’s idea of setting up special economic zones, Dar said the federal government was ready to support the initiative to make most of the GSP-Plus status, recently granted by the European Union (EU). Karachi Operation to continue The minister assured businessmen that the centre will continue to support the provincial government on all security issues, including the ongoing Karachi operation. The KCCI leadership had sought assurance from the federal government on the continuation of the Karachi operation, which was reportedly being discontinued for an unannounced period. Sindh Rangers and top businessmen have recently opposed any expected reshuffle in Sindh police after the killing of SP Chaudhry Aslam. Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2014.

Unveiling the Taliban: A western journalist’s perspective

ISLAMABAD: For Canadian journalist Kathy Gannon, who has spent much of her career in the dusty, volatile folds of Afghanistan, western narrative pouring in from the region about its bearded safe guarders and burqa-dotted landscape was not quite as nuanced as her own experience. While the post-9/11 world may have been quick to label the Afghan Taliban as part of the axis of all evil, Gannon’s almost two-decade-long affair with the country was rich with revelations of the subtleties of a tribal group defined through circumstance. Her book ‘I for Infidel’ attempts to communicate this. At a book review organised by the Asian Study Group (ASG) on Tuesday, Gannon’s account of Afghanistan as one of the longest-serving western journalists in the region left the audience with divergent impressions of the country. She factored geography and history in the larger picture as determinants of the stigma of evil and aggression that has come to mar the nation. “I was in Afghanistan in 1986 when the Mujahedin were fighting the Soviets, and I knew people then who are now part of the government,” Gannon expressed to a keen audience of mostly ASG members and journalism students. She explained how Afghanistan, and inherently the Taliban, who rose to power in response to bitter, feuding warlords came into focus after 2001, and much of the history and struggle of the region before this period was whitewashed in order to justify the American invasion. “The Taliban were simple, tribal men who had not studied Islam.” To validate this, the veteran journalist revealed personal exchanges on the frontlines with these men, who sometimes joked about her stubbornness and resilience in evoking matters of women’s empowerment and education, saying: “You know what we call women like you? Men!” Gannon related that while certain incidents such as the beheading of a woman during her public trial had come to define the Afghan persecution of women in general, the problem extended to its South Asian borders and was not as much a Taliban attitude but rather a general misinterpretation of religion. “When Holbrooke visited in 1999, capturing Osama bin Laden or building schools and bringing women within the charter of negotiation were not on his agenda,” she explained, adding that the West was to blame for not identifying and weakening such forces within Afghanistan when it was opportune. To date, the West upheld a hypocritical alliance within Afghanistan, befriending some networks within a certain region and reprimanding them elsewhere, she added. According to Gannon, the Taliban would have weakened by 2003 at the latest, because once poppy production was halted, the economy was hanging by a fragile thread. With the US and NATO drawdown making lip service globally, the Canadian journalist suggested that the Afghan climate was ripe with fear of ethnic persecution amid the various groups. “There were 42 countries involved and billions of eyes watching in 2001, and the Afghans were hopeful about the money that was trickling in,” she shared, explaining that instead of lifting the Afghan spirit and finding a way to assimilate its ethno-religious groups including Pashtuns, Hazaras, Tajiks, Uzbeks and Arabs, the tension was further exacerbated and all accusatory fingers were pointed towards Hamid Karzai. Satiating the audience’s questions about the Pakistani Taliban, Gannon expressed that while Pakistan wanted to have a strong ally in Afghanistan, it would suffer greatly at the hands of an emboldened Taliban within Pakistan in case of a takeover across the border. Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2014.

Special court orders formation of medical board to review Musharraf’s health

ISLAMABAD: The special court on Thursday ordered that a medical board should be constituted to review former president Pervez Musharraf’s health condition, Express News reported. The court had reserved this order after a letter from Musharraf’s US-based doctor was presented before the court. The letter stated that the former president should be immediately sent abroad for medical treatment. The three-member bench stated that the medical board of Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) senior doctors should inform the court about how serious is Musharraf’s condition, does he need to undergo a surgery and how long will he remain in the hospital. The medical board will have to send its response to the court on January 24. Treatment abroad The US-based doctor – after reviewing Musharraf’s medical reports – recommended that the former military ruler should be immediately sent abroad for treatment. Dr Arjumand Hashmi had treated Musharraf in the past. He expressed concern over Musharraf’s heart condition and said the former ruler should be sent to his hospital in Texas, US for treatment. Hashmi made this recommendation in a letter to Musharraf’s lawyers. His assessment was based on the medical reports of the former president. Anwar Maqsood – who is representing Musharraf in the treason case – presented this letter before the special court. The letter was written on January 9. Musharraf was ordered to appear before the special court for the treason case today. The former president faces treason charges under Article 6 for suspending, subverting and abrogating the Constitution, imposing an emergency in the country in November 2007 and detaining judges of the superior courts. The 70-year-old was taken ill and rushed to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi on January 2 as he was being transported under heavy guard to the special court. The special court reserved its decision and will announce it at 3pm today. The hearing of the case was adjourned to January 17. The Islamabad High Court also dismissed a petition seeking exemption for Musharraf from appearing in person. Ahmed Raza Kasuri Musharraf’s lawyer Ahmed Raza Kasuri, while talking to the media in Islamabad, stated that the special court bench formed to hear the treason case is unconstitutional. “It was formed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and not the federal government,” Kasuri added, further stating that Nawaz is taking revenge from the former military ruler. When questioned by a reporter about Musharraf’s current medical status, Kasuri got emotional and stated that the journalist “must be a paid Indian reporter.” Judges detention case Musharraf did not appear before an anti-terrorism court hearing the judges detention case. Earlier today, the former president was ordered to appear before the court at 12pm even if he had to come in an ambulance. Judge Attiqur Rehman said that Musharraf should appear before the court under any circumstances. The hearing was adjourned to January 27. On July 14, a special team of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), probing into the charges of detaining senior judges on November 3, 2007 against the former military ruler, had decided to record the statements of superior court judges in an effort to make a strong case against the former president. Musharraf was indicted by an anti-terrorism court judge in the case on June 15, 2013. The case is based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered against Musharraf on August 11, 2009 by the Secretariat police for detaining over 60 judges including the now former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. On June 11 last year, the Islamabad High Court had granted the former president pre-arrest bail against surety bonds worth Rs 500,000. Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had rejected Musharraf’s bail application on April 18, 2013 and the former president was arrested. Later Musharraf was shifted to his farmhouse, which was declared a sub-jail at that time.

Amazing Pakistan

View of Kunhar River Pakistan

Anso Lake in Kaghan Valley Pakistan

Sun Light on Banjosa Lake Pakistan

The Attabad Lake Pakistan

Shehla Raza Member Sindh Assembly Speech WORTH TO LISTEN

Post by 72jafry.

Hamza Sharif warns Taliban of action

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Sharif on Wednesday said that appropriate action would be taken against those Taliban groups who were not willing to talk. He said that as many as 56 factions of the Pakistani Taliban were operating in the country and doors to talks were open for all the groups. ”We will cope with the Taliban groups not willing to talk” He was talking to media after inauguration of an interchange at the Azadi Chowk. Sharif said that politicians and common people alike were on militants’ target. He said that the nation would be taken into confidence regarding talks with the militants. He said that the project would be completed with the cost of Rs4 billion in four months.

Parties supporting Taliban talks backtracked: Imran

KHUSHAB: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan Wednesday lamented that the parties which had agreed to the idea of holding peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban have backtracked. “All the political parties of the country had unanimously endorsed the proposed dialogue with the Taliban but now they have stepped back from their stance,” he complained while addressing a public rally here. He said all the parties with the exception of PTI ‘have turned a somersault’ at the idea of peace talks with the Taliban. Criticising the performance of State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali, Imran said he (the minister) should tender resignation over his failure to rein in electricity theft. He reiterated his party’s demand that the administrative control of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) be handed over to the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunwa government. “The person who is hurling accusations of electricity theft should tell us who enjoys the control over PESCO,” Imran asked without taking any name, adding, ‘since Abid Sher Ali failed to put a curb on electricity theft he is himself responsible for the problem and he should resign’.

Musharraf has become headache for government: US newspaper

ISLAMABAD: Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf’s presence in Pakistan has become a headache for the political government in Islamabad, the Los Angeles Times reported. General (retd) Musharraf’s days in Pakistan appear to be numbered now that the former strongman has spent nearly a week in a military hospital complaining of health problems while avoiding a court appearance on treason charges, the US newspaper report said. Musharraf’s wife, who lives in Dubai, has asked the Interior Ministry for permission for him to travel abroad for medical treatment, and officials close to the country’s security services said he could depart within days. “It is good for everybody — including Musharraf — that he would go out of the country,” said a senior security official in Islamabad, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. While his possible destination remained unknown, analysts said the former president and army chief’s presence in Pakistan has become a political headache for the six-month-old civilian government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. By attempting for the first time to prosecute a former senior military figure, Sharif’s government has ignited tensions with an all-powerful army establishment that is loath to see a former leader humiliated in a civilian court, experts say. Army leaders were said to be frustrated with Musharraf’s decision to return to Pakistan last year, but last week he was swiftly admitted to the military hospital in Rawalpindi complaining of chest pains. Musharraf had been due to appear in court on the treason charges that day after missing two earlier appearances due to what his lawyers termed security threats. The timing of his hospitalisation, after he had appeared to be in good health in media appearances, fuelled widespread speculation that the military was determined not to let Musharraf stand trial. Sharif “wants to use him as a bargaining chip to get more leverage against the military, but things could go worse if he keeps on going tough on Musharraf,” said Raza Rumi, a political analyst in Islamabad. Analysts said that Musharraf’s departure for medical reasons increasingly seemed to be the only way to resolve the standoff between the government and the army over his fate.“Musharraf’s safety is part of the army’s core interests, while with every passing day it would become tougher for the government not to try him,” said Ayesha Siddiqa, a security and political analyst. “The political temperature would keep on rising as long as his case remained pending.”

If Musharraf convicted, next dictator to stay for 20 years: Asma

LAHORE: Supreme Court Bar Association’s former president Asma Jehangir has said people who claimed to be closest to Musharraf are now raising a hue and cry for his trial. Talking to the media at Lahore Bar Saturday, Asma said once Musharraf was punished, the nation should remember that the next dictator would come and remain in power for at least 20 years. She said she was also offered to become the lawyer of Pervez Musharraf, but she refused it. The lawyers’ leader on the occasion also said there was a dire need for increasing the number of judges in the higher and lower judiciary. She added the Punjab government didn’t have any advocate general. She also said the lawyers are united over the issue that the appointment of judges is not being done on merit and added that judges should also avoid taking up selected cases.

Hollande vows to deal with affair fallout in private

PARIS: French President Francois Hollande vowed Tuesday to deal with the fallout from his affair with an actress in private, defiantly batting away questions over the future of Valerie Treirweiler. Looking stiff and stressed at a packed press conference, the Socialist leader admitted the couple were going through "painful moments" and indicated that the status of his long-term girlfriend would be clarified before a scheduled trip to the United States next month. Trierweiler, France's de facto First Lady, has been invited to accompany Hollande on an official visit including an overnight stay at the White House. She has been in hospital since Friday with stress linked to last week's revelation that Hollande, 59, has been having a secret liason with Julie Gayet, 41. Asked directly if Trierweiler was still France's First Lady, Hollande insisted on the troubled couple's right to privacy. "I understand your question and I'm sure you will understand my response," he said. "Everyone in their personal lives can go through tough times. That is the case (for me). These are painful moments. "But I have one principle: these private affairs are dealt with in private. This is neither the time nor the place to do it so I will not be responding to any questions about my private life." The instruction did the trick and Hollande visibly relaxed as it became apparent he was not going be given the kind of grilling a leader in Britain or the United States could have expected in similar circumstances. After the opening question, Hollande was not asked directly about Trierweiler until questioned on her state of health nearly two hours later. "She's resting and I have no further comment to make," he replied. Trierweiler, 48, was admitted to hospital hours after glossy magazine Closer published a series of photos showing Hollande and Gayet arriving separately for trysts at a flat close to the presidential Elysee Palace. Media reports claimed the former journalist was suffering from low blood pressure, exhaustion and a "severe case of the blues". She had initially been expected to be discharged after three nights but aides announced on Monday that she had been advised to extend her stay, saying "doctors believe she needs more rest". Hollande reiterated his "total indignation" over Closer's intrusion into his private life but said he would not be taking legal action over a report he has not denied. Friends and political allies of Hollande had urged him to move quickly to clarify the situation by stating clearly whether he is still in a relationship with Trierweiler. Instead, he opted to put off a public announcement of any decision the couple have made about their future. Friends of Trierweiler have been quoted in French media as saying she is willing to forgive Hollande if he ends things with Gayet. As well as the position of Trierweiler, who has a staff of five funded by the taxpayers, the affair has raised questions about whether Hollande risked his own safety by visiting the actress at a borrowed flat close to the Elysee. Sebastien Valiela, the photographer who took the incriminating pictures, said it was obvious that Hollande was inadequately protected. But the president insisted his security had never been compromised. "No one needs to have any worries about that," he said. Having put her career as a journalist for Paris Match on hold after Hollande's 2012 election, Trierweiler has previously accompanied him on overseas visits to China, Japan and India, her glamorous looks and chic style often ensuring that she generated more headlines than her partner. Hollande, whose approval ratings were already the lowest of any president of recent times, appears to have avoided any significant political damage from the scandal. Polls suggest just over three in four voters believe Hollande's love life is his own business and one survey even showed a slight upturn in support for the beleaguered leader. Twice-divorced Trierweiler has officially been Hollande's partner since 2007, when he left Segolene Royal, a fellow heavyweight in the Socialist Party with whom he has four children. Dressed in a sombre navy blue suit and matching tie, the 59-year-old Socialist leader made no mention of the turmoil in his private life during an opening 45 minutes dedicated to outlining a new pro-business economic policy aimed at spurring growth and creating jobs. A centrepiece of the plan is a 30 billion euro ($40 billion) cut in payroll taxes by 2017 through the abolition of so-called family contributions paid by companies and independent workers. Hollande vowed that the reduction in company taxation would not be balanced by a corresponding increase in taxes on households. (AFP)

Danish woman gang-raped in Indian capital: police

NEW DELHI: A Danish woman was gang-raped in the Indian capital after getting lost and asking a group of men for directions, police and reports said Wednesday, the latest high-profile case of sexual assault against women in the country. The 51-year-old woman was attacked late Tuesday at knife-point by the group of more than six men after losing her way to her hotel in a popular backpacker area of New Delhi, according to local media reports. "She lost her way when this incident happened. Currently, the concerned police team has identified suspects and is interrogating them. The investigation is on," Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat told AFP. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told her friend about the attack when she eventually reached her hotel in Paharganj near the city´s central Connaught Place, Bhagat said. The woman had approached the group for directions near the New Delhi Railway Station after visiting a city museum, but they took her to a secluded spot before raping her at knifepoint, the Press Trust of India news agency reported citing unnamed police sources. The Danish embassy did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. According to The Times of India newspaper, the women had been in India for about a week, travelling first to Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal, before arriving in New Delhi on Tuesday. The case comes weeks after a Polish woman was allegedly drugged and raped by a taxi driver while travelling with her two-year-old daughter to New Delhi. Last month India marked the first anniversary of the death of a student who was gang-raped on a moving Delhi bus in an attack that sent shockwaves across the nation. The gang-rape triggered massive protests over the levels of violence against women, but in the last 12 months reported cases of local and foreign women being attacked have shot up significantly. A judge last month sentenced three Nepalese men to 20 years in jail for the gang-rape of a US tourist in June in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh. Six men were sentenced to life in prison last July for the gang-rape and robbery of a 39-year-old Swiss woman cyclist who had been holidaying in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.

India's Rahul Gandhi to be named as PM candidate

NEW DELHI: India´s ruling Congress party is expected to name the unproven 43-year-old Rahul Gandhi as its prime ministerial candidate on Friday as it turns once again to the country´s top political dynasty to revive its fortunes. The Nehru-Gandhi family have dominated India´s post-independence history and Rahul´s mother Sonia, current party president, is credited with engineering a surprise victory in 2004. But after two terms in power and with Prime Minister Manmohan Sihgh retiring, Congress is widely forecast to promote Rahul in the hope that he can help avoid a looming defeat for the party in national elections due by May. The elevation would cement Rahul´s faltering rise to the top of the party, answering questions about his appetite for power but still leaving doubts about his ability and instincts. Asked whether the decision would be announced at a meeting of top Congress leaders in New Delhi on Friday, Information Minister Manish Tewari declined to answer but gave his backing to Rahul. "Sentiments (of support for Rahul) have been expressed and I am sure, as our party president has already indicated, a decision would be taken at the right time," Tewari told AFP. But analysts and media reports see the party as readying an announcement on Rahul, who gave a rare interview this week in which he indicated that he was finally prepared to bow to the wishes of his colleagues. "I will take up whatever responsibility is given to me by my party in the future and do it diligently to the best of my abilities," Gandhi told the Hindi-language Dainik Bhaskar newspaper on Tuesday. Rasheed Kidwai, who has written two books on Congress including a biography of party president Sonia, says the party has been "more or less pushed" to make an announcement, given its prospects. It had initially said it would not reveal its candidate for premier, but then U-turned in the face of gains by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and its popular leader, hardline Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi. "On January 16 and January 17 there will be a concerted effort (within the party) to have Rahul Gandhi accept his nomination as a PM candidate," Kidwai told AFP. Rahul, whose father, grandmother and great-grandfather were prime ministers, is widely portrayed as a reluctant leader whose refusal of the political spotlight has frustrated colleagues. In January, as he accepted a promotion to party vice-president, he talked about power as "poison." As an elected MP, he has maintained a low profile inside and outside parliament and his track record as a figurehead for the Congress party in state elections is poor. The Economic Times sounded a note of caution Wednesday with a report citing unnamed Congress sources that said a decision might yet be delayed. One survey published last week in The Times of India newspaper found that only 14 percent of voters believed Rahul Gandhi would make the best prime minister for India. A total of 58 percent of respondents wanted Modi while 25 percent opted for Arvind Kejriwal, the head of a new anti-corruption party which secured a spectacular victory in Delhi state elections in December. Kay Benedict, a veteran Delhi-based political commentator who follows the Congress party closely, said that "a decision was likely." "An overwhelming section of the Congress leadership feels that he should be projected as the party needs a face," Benedict said. "The BJP have Modi and newly formed anti-corruption party, Aam Aadmi (common people´s) party have Arvind Kejriwal," Benedict said. "Even though everyone knows that they will sit in opposition, the decision is likely as many think that Rahul is untainted by the baggage of Congress-led government and even personally enjoys a clean image," she added.

Jewish extremists vandalise West Bank mosque

DEIR ISTIYA: Suspected Jewish extremists torched the entrance to a mosque in the West Bank early on Wednesday, in an apparent revenge attack for Palestinians beating and detaining Israeli settlers last week. The attackers scrawled "Arabs out" and "Revenge for blood spilled in Qusra" in Hebrew on the walls of the mosque in Deir Istiya village, which lies next to the sprawling Ariel settlement in the northern West Bank, an AFP correspondent said. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said in a statement the attacks were "nationalistically" motivated. Palestinians beat and detained around a dozen settlers last week in the village of Qusra, near the northern city of Nablus, and released them after negotiating with Israeli soldiers. Seven of the settlers were arrested on suspicion of provoking the violence when they entered Qusra from Esh Kodesh, an illegal settlement outpost nearby. The January 7 incident in Qusra has already sparked other revenge attacks, when suspected Jewish extremists torched two cars near Nablus and cut down trees belonging to Palestinians in an Arab-Israeli town east of Tel Aviv. Palestinian property is often targeted by Jewish extremists who carry out so-called "price tag" attacks, usually for state moves against unauthorised settlement activity in the West Bank. Perpetrators of the attacks have also targeted Muslim and Christian sites, as well as Arab property in Israel.

Operation Bluestar: RAW facilitated Britain’s SAS officer’s India visit

LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron has asked his cabinet secretary to inquire into newly released documents suggesting Margaret Thatcher government facilitated the Indian government in 1984 to plan Operation Bluestar against separatist Sikh militants hiding inside the Golden Temple. The Network of Sikh Organisations, headed by Lord Indarjit Singh, said the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has accepted Indrajit’s offer to aid the investigation. Expressing “shock” over the revelation, secretary general of Sikh Council UK Gurmel Singh said, “I am disappointed there could have been any involvement of the UK government and armed forces in planning the attack on the Golden Temple Complex.” While claiming he will raise the issue in the House of Commons, Watson said, “In the year when Sikhs commemorate their role in the centenary of World War I and mourn for loved ones lost in the events of 1984, this latest revelation will be deeply felt.” Virendra Sharma, a labour MP from Southall in West London, home to a large population of Sikhs, said the people in his constituency were angry over the revelations. “People are angry because it was not publicly known that Margaret Thatcher was helping the Indian government. It was wrong in principle to help other governments in such actions,” Sharma said. The Operation Bluestar left around 600 people dead and deeply hurt the sentiments of the community. Five months after the operation, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. Her assassination triggered an anti-Sikh pogrom, leaving more than 4,000 Sikhs dead. Reacting to the controversy, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Avtar Singh Makkar said the UK's alleged involvement was condemnable and asked both British and Indian governments to offer an unconditional apology to Sikhs. Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said it was time the government of India decided "to tell us the truth as to what the real facts were”. “This would enable the people of India to conclude whether ‘Operation Blue Star’ was a strategic miscalculation,” he said in a Facebook post. The latest revelations have called into question the claims made by then government that the army was called in May, 1984 only after the talks with the militants had failed. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee president Manjit Singh GK said the revelations have left no doubt that the “Congress created these conditions to marginalise Sikhs”. Dr Pritpal Singh, coordinator of American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has asked the government of India to clear its stand on the issue. Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa has written a letter to Cameron, expressing its “pain, concern and anguish over the revelations" and urged the British government to make a “clear statement” on the issue.

Iran foreign minister arrives in Damascus: diplomatic source

DAMASCUS: The foreign minister of Iran, a key ally of the Syrian regime, arrived in Damascus on Wednesday to meet President Bashar al-Assad, a diplomatic source said. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived from Jordan, where he had been as part of a regional tour ahead of a peace conference aimed at ending the Syrian conflict slated to take place in Switzerland on January 22.

Syria´s Assad slams Saudi ideology as ´threat to world´

DAMASCUS: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad warned during a meeting in Damascus on Wednesday with Iran´s foreign minister that Saudi Arabia´s political and religious ideology is "a threat to the world," state television reported. "President Assad warns during his meeting with Iran´s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of the threat posed by Wahhabi thinking to all the world, not just to the region," the report said. "The Syrian people and some peoples in the region know how serious the threat posed by Wahhabism is, and everyone must contribute to the confrontation against it and to eradicating it from the root," said Assad. The comments came amid ongoing tensions between Syria and Saudi Arabia, which are fiercely opposed to each other. Assad´s meeting with Zarif, top diplomat of Syria´s chief regional ally Iran, comes less than a week before the so-called Geneva II peace conference, which is aimed at ending the conflict in Syria that has killed 130,000 people in nearly three years. State news agency SANA had earlier quoted Zarif as saying the purpose of his visit "was to help ensure that the international Geneva II conference on Syria brings about results that are in the interests of the Syrian people. "Zarif, on a regional tour that has included Jordan and Lebanon, said he would "work to coordinate a position... that would restore calm and security to Syria". He urged "all parties to battle extremism and terrorism, which are threats to us all".Zarif had said in Beirut on Monday that countries seeking to keep Iran away from the Geneva II peace conference would "regret" his country´s absence. US Secretary of State John Kerry has said Tehran could participate in talks only if it agrees to the principles set out at the creation of a transitional government. During his visit to Lebanon on Monday, Zarif met President Michel Sleiman as well as Hassan Nasrallah, the chief of the Hezbollah, a Tehran ally that has sent thousands of men to fight alongside Syrian government forces. Syria´s opposition has issued several calls in recent weeks demanding Iran´s exclusion from the Geneva talks, citing Tehran´s alleged military and political support to the regime in Damascus.

Spate of Iraq bombings kill 39

BAGHDAD: Attacks in and north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, including a suicide bombing at a funeral and seven car bombs, killed at least 39 people on Wednesday, officials said. The suicide attack hit the funeral of an anti-Al-Qaeda militiaman in restive Diyala province while the car bombs targeted civilians in and around the capital, according to security and medical officials. Dozens more were wounded in the violence, which was mostly concentrated in Baghdad. At least seven car bombs went off minutes apart in majority-Shia or confessionally-mixed neighbourhoods across the capital, killing 23 people, officials said. A suicide bomb targeting the funeral of an anti-Qaeda militiaman in Buhruz, north of Baghdad, meanwhile killed 16 more people. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bloodshed, but Sunni militants linked to Al-Qaeda frequently carry out coordinated attacks on civilians and often target anti-Al-Qaeda militiamen, whom they regard as traitors.

Dar says Karachi operation will continue without any compromise

KARACHI: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said the government would not compromise on the operation being carried out against terrorists in Karachi. Speaking at a ceremony, the senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader said that it was incumbent upon the government to protect lives and properties of citizens. He said that the Karachi operation would continue without any compromise.

Asfandyar opposes treason charges against Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: Awami National Party (ANP) chief, Asfandyar Wali Khan on Wednesday said that Pervez Musharraf should not be accused of high treason instead he should be tried for violating the Constitution. In an interview with Hamid Mir on 'Capital Talk,' Khan said the case against the former military ruler should be initiated from his October 1999 coup instead of November 2007 emergency. He also rejected interior minister’s claim that talks were underway with some Taliban groups. The ANP chief said that the federal and Khyber Pakhutunkhwa governments were confused over Taliban issue.

Gang rape of Mukhtar Mai inspires New York opera

Pakistani gang rape victim Mukhtar Mai, who gained prominence for her outspoken stance on the oppression of women. PHOTO: AFP NEW YORK: To those who complain that opera is an elitist indulgence served up to snobs in dinner jackets, New York’s latest world premiere may come as something of a shock. Inspired by the horrific gang rape of illiterate Pakistani woman Mukhtar Mai on orders of a village council, “Thumbprint” is a $150,000 production currently having an eight-night run in a basement theater in Manhattan. One of the most infamous sex crimes against women in South Asia, Mai’s 2002 rape, survival and metamorphosis into an international rights icon is as far removed from opera-house pomp as possible. It may have earned a less-than-glowing review from The New York Times – “muted,” “not quite enough” – but the score is an alluring blend of South Asian and Western music, and the production starkly innovative. With a simple backcloth doubling up as a film projection screen, a few chairs and charpoys, the simple but powerful staging evokes the heat, the dust and the traditions of a Pakistani village. Mai, now in her 40s, was raped to avenge her 12-year-old brother’s alleged impropriety with a woman from a rival clan. Six men were sentenced to death for her rape in a landmark ruling. But five were later acquitted and the main culprit had his sentence reduced to life imprisonment: facts the opera omits. Mai’s story has fresh resonance since the brutal gang rape of a student on a New Delhi bus and her death a little over a year ago sparked international outrage about the levels of violence against women in India. “It’s inspiring,” said the opera’s Indian-American composer Kamala Sankaram, who also sings the lead role. “This is a person who was completely illiterate and knew nothing of her rights and the laws of her country and yet she had the courage to step out,” she told AFP. There is no staged recreation of the rape, which is instead portrayed by muffled shrieks of terror interspersed with a knife slashing open bags of sand. Sankaram worked to recreate Mai’s world by combining Hindustani music, Western composition, qawwali and Bollywood. “I am a sitar player as well as being a Western musician so I wanted to bring in elements of traditional culture but still keep it something acceptable to Western listeners,” she said. Pakistan may be thousands of miles from New York but playwright and novelist Susan Yankowitz, who wrote the libretto, says the opera is about courage and universal vulnerability of women. “The main question that is repeated throughout the opera is where did you find your courage… In a dry season, someone must be the first drop of rain,” Yankowitz told AFP. “The courage is to be the first drop of rain and that’s what I hope people will take away from it and inspire people to take some action they would otherwise not have the courage to do.” Compared to the majesty of New York’s Metropolitan Opera House a couple of miles up the road, “Thumbprint” is a tiny production with a six-person chamber orchestra and cast of just six singers. Shown as part of a small chamber music opera festival in its second year, tickets cost just $25 for the 90-minute production, which organisers hope will eventually tour India and Pakistan. Unable to find a suitable sarangi player, Sankaram’s score has been written for flute, violin, viola, piano (with harmonium on the side), and a brilliant double bass and percussionist. Most of the singers perform more than one part and the Baruch Performing Arts Center seats just 170 people. The run ends Saturday, but it’s unclear what Mai makes of it all. Since the attack, she has set up a school for girls and won prominence in the West for her outspoken stance on the oppression of women. Manu Narayan, the Broadway star who has won rave reviews as an all-too-realistic unrepentant rapist, welcomed the opera and the Prototype opera festival as a vital platform for young composers. Bankruptcy forced New York City Opera to close last year. Some artists and musicians complain that original culture in New York City is being priced out of the metropolis by big business. “I think the music’s spectacular,” Narayan told AFP. “This festival is so wonderful. It really creates a very focused platform for new works and great stories that need to be told, and the story of Mukhtar Mai is one of the prime examples.”

Pakistan and India rank 97th in food index

A family in Badin, Pakistan eating food. PHOTO: AFP NEW YORK: According to a new ranking released by Oxfam, Pakistan ranked 97th in a list of 125 countries with regard to availability, quality and affordability of food and dietary health. The listing means Pakistan is one of the countries with the most unhealthy and scarce food. Oxfam is an international relief and development organization that looks for practical and innovative ways to raise people out of poverty and blossom. The index looked at the percentage of underweight children, food diversity and access to clean water, as well as negative health outcomes such as obesity and diabetes. India got the same rank as Pakistan. African nations, along with Laos (112), Bangladesh (102), were predominant in the bottom 30 countries. Chad came in last on the list, behind Ethiopia and Angola, in the food index. Burundi (119), Yemen (121), Madagascar (122) and India have the worst rates of nutrition and the most underweight children, according to Oxfam. The Netherlands nudged past France and Switzerland as the country with the most nutritious, plentiful and healthy food, while the United States and Japan failed to make it into the top 20. “The Netherlands have created a good market that enables people to get enough to eat. Prices are relatively low and stable and the type of food people are eating is balanced,” Deborah Hardoon, a senior researcher at Oxfam who compiled the results, said in an interview. “They’ve got the fundamentals right and in a way that is better than most other countries all over the world.” European countries dominated the top of the ranking but Australia squeezed into the top 12, tying with Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Luxembourg at No. 8. The United Kingdom failed to make the top 10, tying for the 13th spot, because of the volatility of its food prices compared to other goods, which Oxfam said is on a level with Peru (51), Malta (33) and Kyrgyzstan (65). Although the United States has the most affordable and good quality food, high levels of obesity and diabetes pushed the nation into 21st place in the ranking, tying with Japan, which scored poorly on the relative price of food compared to other goods. The Netherlands got top marks for its low food prices and diabetes levels, while Chad had the worst score for the cost of food in the country and the number of underweight children – 34 percent. The only countries where food is more expensive are Guinea and the Gambia, which were both at the lower end of the ranking. People going hungry Oxfam said the latest figures show 840 million people go hungry every day, despite there being enough food for the hungry. It called for changes in the way food is produced and distributed around the world. The causes of hunger, it added, include a lack of investment in infrastructure in developing nations and in small-scale agriculture, security, prohibitive trading agreements, biofuel targets that divert crops from food to fuel and the impact of climate change. Research suggests that climate change could raise the number of people at risk of hunger by 20 to 50 percent by 2050, according to the group. “This index quite clearly indicates that despite the fact of there being enough food in the world we are still not able to feed everybody in all the countries around the world,” said Hardoon. “If we had a more equal distribution of wealth and resources, and particularly food, this wouldn’t be a problem,” she added. Oxfam compiled the data between October and December 2013 using the latest information from the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Foundation, the International Labour Organisation and other international organisations. The index provides a snapshot based on the relative differences in various countries based on the number of factors. But Hardoon said it is not the comprehensive picture of any one nation.

Indian diplomat seeks dismissal of US criminal case

Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade (C) leaves with her father Uttam Khobragade (L) from the Maharashtra Sadan state guesthouse to meet India's Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid in New Delhi January 11, 2014. PHOTO: REUTERS NEW YORK: A lawyer for Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade on Tuesday asked a US judge to throw out immigration and employment charges against her that led to a major diplomatic spat between the United States and India. The lawyer, Daniel Arshack, argued that Khobragade’s diplomatic status, granted by the State Department last week as part of a deal allowing her to leave the country, gave her absolute immunity from prosecution, even for incidents that allegedly occurred before her accreditation. The US Attorney’s office in Manhattan, which indicted Khobragade on Thursday, did not immediately comment on the filing. Khobragade, a US-based consular official, was arrested on December 12 and accused of underpaying her housekeeper. News of her arrest and a subsequent strip search provoked protests in India and strained ties between the two countries. She was accredited as a member of India’s mission to the United Nations on Wednesday, one day before she was indicted and asked to leave the country. In his motion on Tuesday, Arshack said the State Department’s own guidance for law enforcement agencies states that immunity extends to incidents that occurred prior to the granting of that immunity. Thus, he said, the case against Khobragade is a “nullity” and should be dismissed. If Judge Shira Scheindlin dismisses the indictment, that would presumably permit Khobragade, whose husband and children are US citizens, to travel freely to the United States. Prosecutors had said last week charges would remain pending against Khobragade until such time as she can be brought to court to face them. State Department officials have said they do not believe her immunity is retroactive. In a press briefing on Friday, spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Khobragade would face prosecution if she returned to the United States. “Her accreditation in this case to the UN does not remove existing charges,” Psaki said. “In addition, now that she has left the United States, she no longer enjoys immunity.” The case is US vs Khobragade, US District Court for the Southern District of New York, No 14-cr-00008.

Pakistan's Devil's Advocate says he's just doing his job

ISLAMABAD: For more than half a century, Pakistani lawyer Sharifuddin Pirzada has provided the legal cover for the country’s succession of military rulers — but don’t accuse him of supporting dictators. He was secretary to Pakistan’s founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the 1940s, has been attorney general and foreign minister, and authored orders that gave legal weight to two coups d’etat. Now aged 90, the dapper figure who is reviled by many pro-democracy activists finds himself in the limelight once again as the head of Pervez Musharraf’s defence team, a role that could be his swansong. Musharraf, the most recent of Pakistan’s four military rulers, who was in power from 1999 to 2008, is facing treason charges relating to his imposition of a state of emergency in 2007. Pirzada himself wrote the legal order for Musharraf’s emergency rule, updating a similar one he prepared for General Zia-ul-Haq after his 1977 coup. He rarely grants interviews, but spoke to AFP after a hearing in Musharraf’s treason case. He scoffed at the idea that he is the lawyer of choice for autocrats. “Certainly not,” said the advocate. “I’m a professional lawyer and appear in cases and do my best.” He points to his key role in a 1972 Supreme Court verdict that declared Yahya Khan, Pakistan’s second military ruler, a “usurper”. This came despite the fact that Pirzada had been attorney general for both Yahya and his predecessor Ayub Khan, Pakistan’s first military ruler, whom he also served as foreign minister. Later, he wrote oaths for judges sworn in by Zia and Musharraf that omitted the commitment to protect the constitution, and drew up documents based on the so-called “doctrine of necessity” to legalise both rulers’ coups. Regimes led to progress He draws a clear distinction between political support and the exercise of legal expertise, and beams with professional pride when talking about the Supreme Court judgement that validated Zia’s rule. “That was a very nice judgement and has been appreciated elsewhere,” he said, adding: “Not that I supported (Zia) or anything like that. I supported the legal position.” Zia went on to hang the man he ousted, former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and began Islamist reforms that some analysts say contributed to the violent religious extremism the country faces today. On Musharraf, Pirzada is reluctant to get into the details of the ongoing case, but insists his client is an “excellent man” and defends the record of the four generals who seized power. “They are called dictators but these were administrators. The progress the country made was through some of these regimes. Some of the politicians were equally good — (Zulfiqar Ali) Bhutto was good — but both sides counted mistakes,” he said. Manipulating the judiciary Pirzada began his legal career in the Bombay High Court before moving to the newly created Pakistan. Now advanced in years and slightly built, he no longer cuts the same figure in the courtroom but maintains a godfatherly background role, murmuring guidance to junior lawyers. Always turned out in an immaculate black suit, he usually sports the “Jinnah cap” favoured by the country’s founder but now out of fashion, as he surveys proceedings with an even gaze. Observers such as Ayaz Amir, a leading newspaper columnist, see his handiwork in the “broad outlines” of the Musharraf case. Asma Jahangir, a top human rights lawyer and leading light among Pakistani liberals, decries the anti-democratic causes to which Pirzada has lent his support. “He’s a very skilful lawyer and we have no better authority on constitutional law. People could have been very good architects but built something for Hitler,” she said. Amir says the fact that Pirzada has achieved such sustained success “has not been so much in propounding brilliant or outstanding legal theories as in his knowledge of manipulating the judiciary”. Today, Pakistan’s judiciary is seen as less pliant than in the past, energised by the successful lawyers’ protest movement that reinstated judges sacked by Musharraf. The country achieved its first ever democratic transfer of power at last year’s general election, and another military coup is seen as a distant prospect these days. But in a country ruled for more than half its life by the armed forces, the threat remains, however remote — and in such a scenario the wily Pirzada could be called upon once again. He certainly sees no reason to step down just yet. “There are QCs (senior lawyers) and attorney generals who work till 98. I keep a normal life and am very in control of my timings,” he said.

IHC restores Zaka Ashraf as PCB chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) restored Zaka Ashraf as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) chairman on Wednesday, Express News reported. The decision to reinstate Ashraf was taken by a two-member division bench consisting of Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi and Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan. The court accepted the intra-court appeal against the decision by a single-member bench of IHC comprising of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui. While speaking to the media, Ashraf said he never mixed politics with cricketing matters. “I want to maintain good working relations with all the stakeholders,” he said, adding that he will work according to the system and will not interfere in matters that fall outside his domain. “Our focus should be on working together to improve the standard of cricket in the country,” he said. Appointment declared ‘illegal’ On July 19, 2013, the Islamabad High Court had declared appointment of Ashraf “illegal” and directed the acting PCB chief Najam Sethi to hold elections within 90 days. In a 30-page detailed judgment, Justice Siddiqui had pointed out that Ashraf was not appointed on the basis of his career as a cricketer, but because he was Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited’s (ZTBL) president. While declaring illegal sections 28, 29, 30 and 31 of the PCB charter, the court had observed that these sections were unconstitutional and against democratic values. On May 28, 2013, the court had declared illegal his appointment in its short order after it was challenged by former coach of the army cricket team, Major (retd) Ahmed Nadeem, citing mala fide intentions in the PCB election. Ashraf, 60, had been PCB chairman since October 2011. On May 8, 2013 Ashraf had become the elected head of the sport body, after winning a four-year term under a new constitution approved earlier last year. Ashraf was accused of corruption. There had been complaints against the ex-chairman for wasting the board’s money by appointing 68 employees on lucrative packages on the basis of favouritism and nepotism. He had also come under the radar for appointing army officials, who had retired or were close to retirement. Ashraf rebuffs accusations Ashraf had refuted the accusations, claiming that a group of people were trying to tarnish his image. “I’ve enjoyed a clean reputation whether being at PCB or ZTBL,” he had said. “Those who have filed cases against me are the ones who were terminated on corruption charges at ZTBL. “In my leadership, ZTBL had posted a profit of Rs12 billion, the highest by any bank in 50 years. I also tried to take the PCB to new heights by appointing professionals.” He had added that out of 68 appointees in his tenure most were ground staff while others were vigilance officials who were the need of the hour.

18 school children killed in van-truck collision in Nawabshah

NAWABSHAH: Twenty-one people including 18 school children died while at least 13 others sustained injuries in a road accident in Nawabshah, Express News reported on Wednesday. The school children were in a van which collided with a truck on Qazi Ahmed Road. The driver of the truck was arrested after the accident. “It was a head-on collision when the truck slammed into the school van on a single track dirt road. Apparently, speeding and recklessness resulted in the accident,” Abdul Rahim Gopang, a police officer, said over the phone to Reuters. “All our dreams have been shattered. How can I live without my child,” a weeping Muhammad Akram, who lost his only son in the accident, said by telephone from the hospital.
Nawab shah accident by TheExpressNews The injured were shifted to PMC hospital where emergency was declared after the incident. The hospital administration has requested for blood donation. Three of the children are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and, according to the hospital staff, if their condition does not approve they will be taken to Karachi for treatment. The total number of students on board is not known as yet. According to initial details, the students were leaving Nawabshah to attend a sports competition in another city. The children were 10 to 15 years old. A few injured students are reportedly in critical condition. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairperson Imran Khan and Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain expressed grief over the loss of lives. Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan has asked for a report into the accident from IG Sindh.
18 school children killed in van-truck... by TheExpressNews Multan In a separate traffic accident in Multan, a collision between a truck and rickshaw left 13 schoolchildren injured. Six of these children, as well as the rickshaw driver, are critically injured. The driver of the truck has absconded.

Maiden visit: Nukes central to our defence strategy, says army chief

ISLAMABAD: Army chief General Raheel Sharif said on Friday that Pakistan’s nuclear programme occupies a ‘central place’ for the country’s defence. During his visit to the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), which controls Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programme, Gen Raheel expressed satisfaction over the safety and security of the nuclear assets. This was his first visit to the SPD since he assumed the office of the Chief of Army Staff in November last year. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Gen Raheel was given a detailed briefing by SPD Director General Lt Gen (retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai on the strategic programme. The army chief expressed his satisfaction over the robust nuclear command and control structure and all the security controls related to the strategic assets of the country. Gen Raheel’s remarks come after a report by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) appreciated the steps Pakistan had taken to safeguard its nuclear programme. The study indicated that Pakistan had shown the most improvement recently among nine nuclear-armed states through a series of steps to update nuclear security regulations and to implement best practices. NTI’s 2014 Nuclear Materials Security Index ranked Pakistan 22nd in terms of nuclear safety, one rank above India. The latter is 23rd out of 25 countries with weapons-usable nuclear materials in the world while China is placed 20th on the index. The NTI study predicts further improvement in Pakistan’s regulations for protection and threat prevention. In the 2014 NTI Index, the scores of the nine nuclear-armed states remained mostly static, with some states’ scores increasing or decreasing by a single point. “Pakistan was a notable exception, with its score increasing by three points,” the NTI Index acknowledged in its latest assessment. “Pakistan, which improved its score by three points compared with 2012, demonstrated the largest improvement of any nuclear-armed state.” Published in The Express Tribune, January 11th, 2014.

2014 report: Pakistan 'most improved' in nuclear security, India not so

A US study released on January 9, 2014, on worldwide nuclear material security described Pakistan as the ‘most improved’ country among nine nuclear-armed states, and a state better at safeguarding its nuclear materials than arch-rivals India after having boosted physical protection of nuclear material and weapons. Among 25 countries with weapons-grade nuclear materials, Pakistan was ranked 22 (46 points out of 100) where as India ranked 23 (41 points out of 100). “Pakistan, which improved its score by three points compared with 2012,” the NTI report says, “demonstrated the largest improvement of any nuclear-armed state. Pakistan is taking steps to update its nuclear security regulations and to implement nuclear security best practices.” The country’s score benefited primarily from increased physical protection and stringent regulation of licences and on-site security reviews. India registered an improvement of one point since 2012. Army chief satisfied with nuke defence On Friday, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif visited the Strategic Planning Division and was briefed on the strategic programme of the country. According to an Inter-services Public Relations release, Gen Sharif said that Pakistan’s nuclear programme was of central importance to the country’s defence programme. He expressed satisfaction over the robust nuclear command and control structure and security controls guarding the nation’s strategic assets. Nuclear Materials Security Index — Methodology The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) — founded by US Senator Sam Nunn and CNN founder Ted Turnder — describes itself as “a non-profit, non-partisan organisation with a mission to strengthen global security by reducing the risk of use and preventing the spread of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.” “The 2014 Nuclear Threat Initiative Nuclear Materials Security Index is the second edition of a unique public assessment of nuclear materials security conditions around the world.” “It assesses states in five categories: (a) Quantities and Sites, (b) Security and Control Measures, (c) Global Norms, (d) Domestic Commitments and Capacity, and (e) Risk Environment.” Global rankings The report highlighted positive developments in a host in terms of (a) decreasing quantities of materials; (b) strengthening physical protection measures; and (c) passing new domestic laws and regulations aimed at better securing materials at facilities and during transport. The overall rankings for security of weapons-usable materials put Australia at the top (same as in 2012); United States and United Kingdom tied on the 11th; Russia on 18th, and China, Israel, Pakistan and India stacked together near the bottom, where sat North Korea (same as in 2012).

Source: Ntiindex.org NTI’s Pakistan profile said “Pakistan’s score increased by three points compared to 2012.” “Pakistan’s improvement is primarily due to an increased score for on-site physical protection resulting from new laws and regulations requiring licensees to provide physical protection to nuclear sites and on-site reviews of security.” It added, however, that: “Pakistan’s nuclear materials security conditions also remain adversely affected due to political instability, high levels of corruption among public officials, and the presence and capability on its territory of criminal or terrorist groups interested in illicitly acquiring nuclear materials.” Making recommendations for further strengthening nuclear security, the NTI said: “In the future, Pakistan’s nuclear materials security conditions could be further improved by strengthening its laws and regulations for physical security of material during transport to reflect the latest IAEA nuclear security guidelines, and for mitigating the insider threat, particularly by requiring personnel to report suspicious behavior and requiring constant surveillance of areas of facilities where nuclear material is located.” Versus India Breaking down the scores, the report has India scoring higher than Pakistan on international legal commitments because of having adopted treaties which Pakistan has yet to ratify. Pakistan, however, scored higher in the following areas: existence of an independent regulatory agency; an invitation of peer review of its nuclear security arrangements; and having security and other personnel with access to nuclear materials subjected to additional vetting. In addition, the report favours Pakistan for having an operational Center of Excellence (COE), whereas the foundation of India’s Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership was only recently laid on January 3, 2014.

US envoy headed home after India 'revenge' expulsion

NEW DELHI: A US diplomat in New Delhi was headed for home Saturday after being expelled in a bitter row over an Indian envoy’s arrest that has seriously strained ties between the two countries. The US embassy official’s expulsion was splashed over newspaper front pages along with photos of the Indian diplomat, Devyani Khobragade, arriving in New Delhi late Friday, her palms pressed together in a traditional Indian greeting. “I am really thankful for all your support. My government will speak for me, my lawyers will speak for me,” Khobragade, 39, who has left her husband and two children behind in the United States, told reporters Saturday. The United States said late Friday it “deeply regrets” India’s expulsion of the US embassy official and wanted to mend a partnership that Washington hopes could be a bulwark against China’s growing might. However, India’s orders to the US diplomat to leave within 48 hours, just as the row appeared to be cooling, suggested New Delhi was still not in a forgiving mood. With general elections due by May, politicians have pounced on US actions calling them a violation of national sovereignty and saying the United States should not be allowed to ride roughshod over Indian interests. “India hits back with diplomat expulsion,” said the Mail Today tabloid while the Indian Express newspaper said: “Delhi goes for revenge expulsion.” Ties have frayed since December 12 when Khobragade, India’s deputy consul-general in New York, was arrested on charges of visa fraud involving her domestic servant and lying about how much she paid her. She allegedly obtained a visa for her maid by promising to pay her $4,500 a month and then struck a secret deal to pay her 30,000 rupees a month, far below the US minimum wage. But shortly before her US grand jury indictment Thursday, Washington granted the Indian officer – who has denied all charges – full diplomatic immunity, allowing her to return. “Her head is held high. She knows she has done no wrong,” Khobragade’s lawyer Dan Arshack told AFP. As the diplomat was flying back to New Delhi, India announced it had asked Washington to withdraw an embassy official in a fresh retaliatory measure. “I can confirm a US official accredited to the mission in India will be leaving his post,” US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, said. The exact timing of his departure from India was unclear as the US embassy was not returning telephone calls. “We deeply regret the Indian government felt it was necessary to expel one of our diplomatic personnel,” Psaki said. “We’re looking to move our relationship forward. We’re looking to move past this challenging time.” At the same time, Psaki said Khobragade cannot return to the US unless she surrenders to the court. The US embassy would not identify the expelled official but Indian newspapers named him as Wayne May, who managed security staff and was the US side to the anti-terrorism aid programme. The expelled US diplomat was of “similar rank” to Khobragade and is suspected of having helped the maid’s family travel to United States. US prosecutors said the maid’s family were evacuated from India because of alleged intimidation attempts, accusations that also riled India. Khobragade’s arrest outside her children’s school and treatment in custody, where she was cavity searched, outraged India, which insisted she had diplomatic immunity. US prosecutors disputed this, contending she was not a ranking embassy official, and filed charges. India used bulldozers to remove security barriers at the US embassy in New Delhi and even stopped the mission importing duty-free alcohol. Washington views India as a key ally in countering China’s regional rise and has invested heavily in improving ties. In 2010, US President Barack Obama called relations with India “one of defining partnerships of the 21st century”. India has benefited from US backing to gain access to foreign nuclear energy technology. While Americans took the maid’s side, many affluent Indians who pay their servants far less than Khobragade was accused of paying hers, supported the diplomat and viewed her treatment as high-handed superpower behaviour. Even traditional US supporters were angered by Washington’s actions. “The US is so good at arm-twisting – India is just playing their game,” the national president of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, Chella Srinivasan, told AFP in a recent interview.

Khaleda Zia freed after two weeks

DHAKA: Authorities in Bangladesh on Saturday allowed opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia to leave her home to attend a meeting, in what her staff said was the first relaxation of a ‘virtual house arrest’ that has lasted more than two weeks. Supporters say Khaleda had been prevented from leaving her residence before and after a violence-plagued parliamentary election won by the ruling Awami League. Security forces were deployed around her residence from December 25. A spokesman for Khaleda’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party told reporters that she left her home for a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Lee Jung at her office in the city on Saturday. Osman Farruk, a senior leader of BNP told Reuters that until the government freed other party officials and stopped arrests and harassment “we cannot say it is a positive step.” The Awami League led government, however, has denied holding the BNP leader under ‘house arrest’. Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2014.

Former Miss Venezuela shot dead in robbery

Friends and family bid adieu to former beauty queen Mónica Spear Mootz and her ex-husband Thomas Henry Berry on January 10, after the two were shot and killed near Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. In what is considered to be a tragic symbol of Venezuela’s crime woes, the former couple’s bodies, along with their injured five-year-old daughter Maya, were found following an attempted robbery, reported The Guardian and dailymail.co.uk. In an emotional funeral service that took place in Caracas, Venezuela, the two were laid to rest together. Maya, who was shot in her right leg, had been expected to attend her parents’ funeral, but didn’t as family members decided it may be too traumatic for her. “She knows she has been injured and that her mom and dad have gone, but we have not gone into too much detail,” said her maternal grandfather Rafael Spear. Mónica, who won the title of Miss Venezuela in 2004, became a leading television presenter and telenovela (soap) actor after she gave up her crown. According to Thomas’ Facebook page, he was a travel company boss from London. The couple divorced in 2013, but remained on cordial terms and maintained close ties with Venezuela. Although they were not living together, family members said they were on the verge of reigniting their romance. The Venezuelan beauty had returned to the country from her new home in Miami for a working holiday. She shared in an earlier interview that she moved to the United States due to fears of crime in her hometown. Five adults have been arrested over the murders of Mónica and Thomas, and their mug shots have been released by police in Venezuela. Thousands of fans took to Twitter to express their condolences over the demise of the beauty queen, who endorses ‘peace and love’ in her Twitter profile bio. Rafael hopes that his daughter’s death lends impetus to change in a country that has one of the highest murder rates in the world. “Things have to change. We have to stop killing each other. I hope her death serves to eliminate this senseless violence,” he said. Descanse en paz, Mónica and Thomas. Published in The Express Tribune, January 13th, 2014.