Nawaz, Kayani submit affidavits in memogate case

ISLAMABD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and seven petitioners of PML-N including its chief Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday submitted their statements on oath (affidavit) for the hearing of memogate case in Supreme Court, FTNews reported.

Reiterating his stand on the issue, Kayani wrote in his affidavit that memo was a reality and should be investigated thoroughly.

The COAS further wrote that the issue has affected the national sovereignty.

Sharif, in his affidavit, also wrote that the issue should be investigated because whatever said and written on the issue was all correct. The PML-N chief further said that he did not file the petition in SC under any political agenda.

On the other hand, initiating the formal investigation on the issue, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security demanded copies of statements submitted by the COAS Kayani, DG ISI Gen. Shuja Pasha, US gen. James Jones, Hussain Haqqani, Mansoor Ijaz and the Federation in the apex court.

Briefing the media representatives after the meeting, chairman of the committee Senator Raza Rabbani said that the committee was entitled to call anyone it presumes necessary.

He said that the committee will continue probing the issue even after the hearing of the case in SC was completed.

Read more »

Posted in: NATIONAL

Gilani stresses on new rules of Pak-US engagement

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said Pakistan wanted new rules of engagement with the Untied States with a guarantee to respect the country’s sovereignty and assurance of “no Abbottabad-like unilateral action in future.”

The prime minister said in case any credible and actionable information was available, it must be shared with Pakistan for necessary action.

He stressed that the drone attacks must be stopped, which were causing collateral damage and were grossly detrimental to the government’s efforts to isolate terrorists from local population.

The prime minister was addressing the meeting of Afghan and Pakistani parliamentary delegations held under the auspicious of Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) at the PM House.

Pakistan cut off Nato supplies, got Shamsi airbase vacated, and boycotted the Bonn Conference in the aftermath of the Nato attack on Pakistani Army checkpost on November 26.

He said Pakistan wanted sovereign, independent, prosperous and stable Afghanistan, which was in its interest.

“Pakistan is a part of the solution and not part of the problem,” said the prime minister.

Gilani said the assassination of Burhanuddin Rabbani, Head of the Afghan High Peace Council, was a severe setback to the peace and reconciliation efforts as he was a great supporter of friendship between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He accepted the suggestion of one of the co-chairmen of the delegation to inaugurate the Engineering University being built in Balkh, Afghanistan with the assistance of Pakistan with a cost of US$ 10 million.

Gilani said Pakistan believed that political process also needed to be underpinned by economic development and therefore was carrying out reconstruction work in Afghanistan out of the US$330 million pledged money.

He said Pakistan plans to build a new block at Mazar Sharif Hospital and a 50-bed eye hospital at Gardez.

He said Pakistan had additionally pledged construction of 50 primary schools and 50 basic health units across Afghanistan.

Initially, these primary schools will be built in Herat, Baghlan and other provinces, he added.

Gilani said Pakistan was offering 2000 fully funded scholarships to Afghan students. Around six thousand Afghan students are enrolled in Pakistani universities and colleges while about 500,000 Afghan refugee children attend government or other
schools in Pakistan.

He said the new Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement had been in force since June 12 this year.

Most of the implementation related issues were sorted out during Afghan Commerce minister’s visit to Islamabad in September last, he added.

The prime minister said bilaterally, Pakistan and Afghanistan had US$2 billion trade annually and the target was to enhance it to US$45 billion by 2015.

He said regional economic integration would help both Afghanistan and Pakistan alike. He said projects like TAPI, CASA- 1000 as well as rail and road connections could change the region.

He said Pakistan still hosting about 3 million Afghan refugees and said: “We want return of Afghan refugees to their country with honour, dignity and self-respect.”

The prime minister asked the Afghan parliamentarians to express his best wishes to his brother President Hamid Karzai.

Earlier, Co-chairman of the Afghan Parliamentary delegation and member of Wolesi Jirga Abdul Latif Pedram thanked the prime minister for inviting the delegation at the PM House.

He said Pakistan was very important for Afghanistan. He also thanked the government of Pakistan for financial and technical assistance in the fields of infrastructure, education and health.

Senator Besmellah Afghanmal, member of Meshrano Jirga and co- chairman of delegation, extended the best wishes to the prime minister on behalf of President Hamid Karzai.

He recalled the statement of President Karzai that if Pakistan was attacked either by the US or India, his country would stand by Pakistan. He underlined the need of facilitating the transit trade between Karachi and Kabul.

He expressed the hope that relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan would be strengthened with the passage of time.

Apart from various projects in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan is also assisting in reconstruction in north Afghanistan.

Read more »

Posted in: NATIONAL

Clash kills 25 militants in Orakzai

PESHAWAR: Twenty-five militants were killed and 17 security officials, including a major, were injured in a clash in northwest Pakistan’s Orakzai tribal area, FTNews reported on Wednesday.

Government sources said militants attacked three security check posts in Orakzai’s Dabori area, injuring 17 security personnel.

In retaliatory action, security forces attacked militant hideouts using gunship helicopters. Five insurgent hideouts were destroyed in the action which also resulted in the killing of 25 militants.

Orakzai is one of the most lawless areas in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region, which is made up of seven districts near the Afghan border.

Security forces launched a major operation in Orakzai in March last year after militants fled a sweeping offensive in the nearby tribal district of South Waziristan.

Read more »

Posted in: NATIONAL

Next general election on scheduled time: Kaira

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira on Wednesday said the government will complete its tenure and elections will be held according to the schedule.

Talking to media outside the Parliament House, he said, “The election will be held on time and it cannot be held only on the wishes.”

He said Pakistan Muslim League-N was ruling in one province and its President Mian Nawaz Sharif can also become Member of National Assembly by contesting the elections.

He was of the view that if Mian Nawaz Sharif opted for becoming a Member of National Assembly, it would be better.

However, he regretted that Mian Sahib was not showing interest to become Member of National Assembly.

To a question about US negotiation with Taliban, he said it is a welcome step and one should appreciate it. However, he said, negotiation without Pakistan would not ensure the desired results.

“It would be negation of the sacrifices offered by Pakistan in war against terrorism, if it is not included in the dialogue process with Taliban”, he said.

About Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf, he said, though people are joining it but PTI has no political basis or foundation. “How a party can bring revolution if it inducts rejected personalities”.

To another question, he said Shaheed Benazir Bhutto has brought all the political parties on one agenda through reconciliation.

He said Benazir Bhutto always talked about political tolerance to strengthen the institutions and democracy in the country.

He said Pakistan Peoples Party was taking all the political parties on board on important issues and “we are moving forward despite difference with other political parties”.

Read more »

Posted in: NATIONAL

Army needs to accept role of civilian govt: Nawaz

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the country’s military did not recognise its democratic forces, FTNews reported.

Speaking to FTNews in an exclusive interview, the PML-N chief said that the military needed to accept the role of the civilian government. Moreover, civilian institutions need to be strengthened and political forces can achieve this objective through mutual trust, he added.

Existing political conditions require immediate elections, he said, adding that the ballot box was the best way to gauge the public’s opinion.

Regardless of who wins the public’s vote, it is imperative that the country’s political forces work together, he added.

Answering a question on the ‘memogate’ scandal, Nawaz said he was unaware if such a memo was ever sent.

“I would not have taken the matter to the courts if the parliament was not dysfunctional,” he said.

Nawaz said the support of Attaullah Mengal had been gained to deal with the insurgency in Balochistan. He added that a ‘package’ was not enough and that Baloch leaders needed to be brought to the table for an effective solution.

Read more »

Posted in: NATIONAL

ISPR denies claims ISI chief met Arab rulers

KARACHI: The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Wednesday denied claims that Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence Ahmed Shuja Pasha held meetings with leaders of certain Arab states, FTNews reported.

A legal notice was also sent to British newspaper ‘The Independent’ for publishing a ‘baseless article’ against the ISI chief.

A spokesperson for the ISPR said that the DG ISI did not meet any Arab leaders from May 1 and May 9.

During his visits to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the ISI chief had only held meetings with his counterparts, the spokesperson said.

The visits focused on exchange of intelligence between the secret agencies of the stated countries.

Read more »

Posted in: NATIONAL

ECP report on voters lists unsatisfactory: SC

KARACHI: During a hearing of the case pertaining to voters’ lists at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) submitted a report of the ECP and the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) on the lists’ preparations, FTNews reported.

The case against delay in the lists’ preparation was heard by a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

During the hearing, Justice Tariq inquired that in case of incomplete lists, what would happen if the elections were to be conducted on March 15, 2012.

Chief Justice Iftikhar said the lists’ preparation was a matter of national integrity and the process of making the lists was critical for this very reason.

He further said that the Pakistan People’s Party’s former chief Benazir Bhutto had also contacted the apex court for correction in the lists before the 2008 elections were held.

The court moreover expressed its dissatisfaction over the commission’s report and said that if upcoming elections were held on the basis of bogus or inaccurate lists, then the country risked facing a state of turmoil.

Chief Justice Iftikhar also said that action could be taken against Secretary Election Commission.

Moreover, the court directed the ECP to complete the lists by February 23.

Read more »

Posted in: NATIONAL

PTI campaign a ‘defeated’ tsunami, says Sanaullah

ISLAMABAD: Calling Imran Khan’s political campaign a ‘defeated’ tsunami, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said the strings were being pulled by the country’s establishment, FTNews reported.

Speaking to media representatives outside the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday, the provincial minister said that the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) had disappointed the youth by inviting old faces from the Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) to their ‘movement for change.’

He added that the participants of Imran Khan and Khursheed Kasuri’s rally in Kasur were not PTI supporters.

Commenting on a question on the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz’s demand for early elections, Sanaullah said the sooner the elections took place the better.

Answering another question on the recent Defence of Pakistan Conference by the Difaa-i-Pakistan Council (PDC) in Lahore, Sanaullah said an inquiry report had already been requested from security agencies regarding the presence of flags of banned organisations.

Read more »

Posted in: NATIONAL