ممبئی (آئی آئی پی) فلموں میں مشکل سے مشکل مرحلے کو آسانی سے طے کرنے والی بالی وڈ کی اداکارہ رانی مکھر جی کو ان دنوں جن مشکلات کا سامنا ہے ان سے گھبرا کر انہوں نے ایک دوست سے کہا کہ معلوم ہوتا ہے میں پاگل ہو جاﺅں گی۔ آج کل انہیں جو سب سے بڑا مرحلہ درپیش ہے وہ ان کے اپنے ذاتی مکان کی تعمیر ہے۔ دوسری طرف یہ باصلاحیت فنکارہ بیک وقت یش چوپڑا، سنجے بھنسالی اور کرن جوہر کی فلموں میں بھی بھانت بھانت کے کردار ادا کر رہی ہے مگر سب سے زیادہ وہ آئندہ ریلیز ہونے والی فلم �تھوڑا پیارتھوڑا میجک� کو مکمل کرانے میں مصروف ہے۔ ادھر انہوں نے مکان تعمیر کرنے والوں کو ڈیڈ لائن دیدی ہے کہ مکان کی تعمیر ہر حال میں اس کی یش راج فلمز کی نئی فلم شروع ہونے سے قبل مکمل ہو جانی چاہیے۔ واضح رہے کہ رانی کی شاہد کے ساتھ فلم جو یش راج کے بینر تلے بن رہی ہے کی شوٹنگ 18 جون سے شروع ہورہی ہے۔ گزشتہ دنوں رانی زیر تعمیر مکان میں سیڑھیوں سے پھسل کر زخمی ہو گئی تھیں جس سے ان کا انگوٹھا زخمی ہوا تھا، اس سے قبل وہ مکمل صحت یاب ہوتیں وہ فلم کے لئے کرکٹ کی پریکٹس میں مصروف ہوگئیں جس کے باعث انگوٹھے کا زخم بگڑ گیا، مکان کی تعمیر کے دوران ہی رانی اپنے خوابوں کے محل میں منتقل ہو چکی ہیں جہاں انہیں دھول مٹی گرمی اور انگوٹھے کے زخم کو برداشت کرنا پڑرہا ہے مکان کے کھولنے کی رسم قریبی دوست کرن جوہر اور بھنسالی نے ادا کی تھی۔
پاگل ہو جاﺅں گی، رانی مکھر جی کو مشکلات کا سامن
ممبئی (آئی آئی پی) فلموں میں مشکل سے مشکل مرحلے کو آسانی سے طے کرنے والی بالی وڈ کی اداکارہ رانی مکھر جی کو ان دنوں جن مشکلات کا سامنا ہے ان سے گھبرا کر انہوں نے ایک دوست سے کہا کہ معلوم ہوتا ہے میں پاگل ہو جاﺅں گی۔ آج کل انہیں جو سب سے بڑا مرحلہ درپیش ہے وہ ان کے اپنے ذاتی مکان کی تعمیر ہے۔ دوسری طرف یہ باصلاحیت فنکارہ بیک وقت یش چوپڑا، سنجے بھنسالی اور کرن جوہر کی فلموں میں بھی بھانت بھانت کے کردار ادا کر رہی ہے مگر سب سے زیادہ وہ آئندہ ریلیز ہونے والی فلم �تھوڑا پیارتھوڑا میجک� کو مکمل کرانے میں مصروف ہے۔ ادھر انہوں نے مکان تعمیر کرنے والوں کو ڈیڈ لائن دیدی ہے کہ مکان کی تعمیر ہر حال میں اس کی یش راج فلمز کی نئی فلم شروع ہونے سے قبل مکمل ہو جانی چاہیے۔ واضح رہے کہ رانی کی شاہد کے ساتھ فلم جو یش راج کے بینر تلے بن رہی ہے کی شوٹنگ 18 جون سے شروع ہورہی ہے۔ گزشتہ دنوں رانی زیر تعمیر مکان میں سیڑھیوں سے پھسل کر زخمی ہو گئی تھیں جس سے ان کا انگوٹھا زخمی ہوا تھا، اس سے قبل وہ مکمل صحت یاب ہوتیں وہ فلم کے لئے کرکٹ کی پریکٹس میں مصروف ہوگئیں جس کے باعث انگوٹھے کا زخم بگڑ گیا، مکان کی تعمیر کے دوران ہی رانی اپنے خوابوں کے محل میں منتقل ہو چکی ہیں جہاں انہیں دھول مٹی گرمی اور انگوٹھے کے زخم کو برداشت کرنا پڑرہا ہے مکان کے کھولنے کی رسم قریبی دوست کرن جوہر اور بھنسالی نے ادا کی تھی۔
Hydrogen fueled maiden commercial car production begins
Japanese car company Honda has started the production of maiden commercial car fueled by hydrogen, which would not be emitting any sort of gas.
This car with four seats named ‘FCX Clarity’ would be run by hydrogen gas and electricity and would be emitting water vapours only. Honda claimed that this new car would consume three times less fuel as compared to general cars run by petrol or diesel. Honda would initially be manufacturing 200 such cars, which would be available on lease in the next three years.
US actress Jimmy Le Curtis would be among those leading buyers of this car. Hydrogen cars would be available on lease for one month for $600 from July in California and in Japan by the end of the current year. Honda Company has expressed the hope that a few dozens of ‘FCX Clarity’ would be manufactured this year in US and Japan, while 200 of such cars in next three years.
Pakistani lawyers oPakistani lawyers organised judicial bus rally in NYrganised judicial bus rally in NY
The Pakistani lawyers’ organisation in the United States have organised a Judicial Bus Rally for the restoration of deposed judges.
According to a private TV channel, the rally went to the United Nation and protested in front of Pakistani consulate.
The speakers in their speeches have demanded the restoration of deposed judges at the earliest and vowed to continue their movement until the restoration of deposed judges in Pakistan.
Exhibition to display rare photographs of Benazir arranged
ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (APP): A two-day exhibition of photographs of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was organized here Wednesday, featuring different modes and styles of her life till December 27, 2007. Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman opened the exhibition in which some rare photographs of the great leader were put on display.
Pakistan Television organized the exhibition at its Headquarters in connection with the birth anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
Pakistan NewsN.Korean nuclear declaration coming soon: Rice
WASHINGTON: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said North Korea will soon produce its long-overdue declaration of its nuclear programs and activities.
Rice defended Bush administration policy on the North Korea nuclear issue in an address to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington research organization.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speaking at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, 18 Jun 2008
Rice did not cite reasons for her optimism, but said she expects the declaration to be handed over to the Chinese sponsors of the six-party talks soon, and that the United States will respond by moving to take North Korea off its list of state sponsors of terrorism and dropping related sanctions.
Mass rally for Pakistani judges
Thousands of protesters have gathered outside Pakistan's parliament to demand the government reinstate judges fired last year by President Musharraf.
The protesters' convoy of several hundred buses began earlier this week and finally rolled up to parliament at 0200 on Saturday (2000 GMT Friday).
The crowds milled close to the floodlit parliament building awaiting speeches by senior lawyers.
Mr Musharraf dismissed the judges in November when imposing emergency rule.
After they won elections in February, both the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League of Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) promised to restore the judges.
But they are split on the mechanics of how this should be done.
'Musharraf's last days'
Police expected the protest to swell to between 40,000 and 50,000 people.
Barricades have been set up around the presidency and parliament buildings and extra security forces brought into the capital.
The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the authorities are nervous about potential violence.
Parliament must now respect the sentiments of people, the people have spoken and they want the restoration of the judges
Lawyers' leader Aitzaz Ahsan
Voices from 'long march'
Q&A: Pakistan's judges
But neither side wants trouble and they have reached agreement on a designated route through the city, our correspondent says.
The convoy travelled from the city of Lahore on the last leg of the nationwide protest.
The "long march" - as it has been dubbed - has passed through different towns and cities on its way to the capital.
Several thousand lawyers have been joined in the capital by a much larger number of activists, most of them supporters of the PML-N.
Protesters were showered with rose petals as they passed through the city of Jhelum en route to Rawalpindi and the capital.
"These are Musharraf's last days," leading lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan told the crowd.
"We are out in the streets to save Pakistan."
Pakistan's deposed Chief Justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, and Nawaz Sharif are expected to address the protesters.
Parties split
President Musharraf dismissed dozens of judges, including the Supreme Court chief justice, in November when he imposed emergency rule. At the time he faced numerous legal challenges to his staying on for another term.
Protesting lawyers on their way to Islamabad from Karachi
The lawyers' convoy includes hundreds of buses and cars
The move further enraged lawyers and his political opponents, who were already infuriated over his attempts earlier in the year to sack Mr Chaudhry.
The PML-N now argues that the judges should be reappointed by an executive order from the prime minister.
But the PPP wants to link any reinstatement to a major package of constitutional reforms.
The differences led Mr Sharif to withdraw his ministers from the cabinet last month, although his party still supports the coalition government.
The two parties also appear to differ over how to deal with President Musharraf.
Mr Sharif has called for his removal and trial for treason, but the PPP appears wary of a confrontation with the president, who has insisted that he has no plans to resign.
Before the judges were sacked, the Supreme Court was also due to rule on the legality of an amnesty President Musharraf granted former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, then the PPP leader, and her husband Asif Ali Zardari.
Pakistan News
India, Pakistan to hold anti-terror talks next week
NEW DELHI (AFP) - Indian and Pakistan officials will meet next week in Islamabad to resume discussions by an anti-terror panel on intelligence sharing, the Indian foreign ministry said.
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It will be the third meeting since the panel was formed in 2006 after train bombings in India's financial capital Mumbai killed 186 people in July that year.
India alleged Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency had a role in the Mumbai attacks. Islamabad denied the claim.
The Indian delegation will be headed by Vivek Katju, a bureaucrat from the foreign ministry, while Masood Khalid, additional secretary (Asia-Pacific) will lead the Pakistani side, the ministry said in a statement.
It did not give details of what was likely to be discussed.
New Delhi accuses Islamabad-backed Islamic militants of waging an insurgency in disputed Kashmir and of triggering attacks in other parts of the country. Pakistan denies it arms or trains the militants.
The Kashmir dispute has been the trigger for two of the three wars between India and Pakistan since 1947.
Pakistan News
Pakistani sentenced to die for blasphemy
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - A Pakistani judge sentenced a Muslim man to death Wednesday on charges he insulted Islam's Prophet Muhammad, a court official said.
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Falk Sher, a court administrator, said Judge Shoaib Ahmad Roomi also sentenced the man, Shafeeq Latif, to life in prison and fined him $75,000 on a separate charge of desecrating pages of Islam's holy book, the Quran, in 2006.
Latif was accused of making derogatory remarks about Muhammad.
The trial was held in the eastern city of Sialkot after police arrested him in a nearby village.
Latif's lawyer was not immediately available for comment, but Sher said the defendant had the right to appeal.
Under Pakistan's blasphemy laws, anyone who insults Muhammad can be punished by death. Scores of people, including Muslims and minority Christians, are facing trial under the laws, which human rights groups have demanded be abolished.
New York-based Human Rights Watch urged the government on Tuesday to abolish the death penalty in a country where nearly a quarter of all inmates are on death row.
Pakistan News
Pakistani Muslim sentenced to death for blasphemy
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A Pakistani man was sentenced to death for blasphemy on Wednesday after he defiled the Muslim holy book and used derogatory language to refer to the Prophet Mohammad, a police official said.
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Convictions for blasphemy are fairly common in predominantly Muslim Pakistan, with most cases involving members of religious minorities, but death sentences have never been carried out usually because convictions are thrown out on a lack of evidence.
The convicted man, Mohammad Shafeeq, a Muslim in his early 20s, was arrested in 2006 in a village near the eastern city of Sialkot where the trial was held in the court of Justice Shoaib Ahmad Roomi.
"Judge Roomi sentenced him to death for defiling the Holy Koran and using derogatory language against the Prophet," said Shezada Hassan Ali, a senior official at the jail where Shafeeq has been kept.
"He can appeal the court decision."
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has long demanded he repeal of the blasphemy law which, it says, is misused against religious minorities such as Christians.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Watch group this week urged the abolition of the death penalty in Pakistan where nearly a quarter of 31,400 convicts in the country have been sentenced to death.
In 2007, 309 prisoners were sentenced to death and 134 were hanged, the group said, adding that most of those sentenced to death were poor and illiterate.
pakistan News
ICC gives Pakistan all-clear for Champions Trophy
LAHORE, Pakistan (AFP) - Pakistan will host the Champions Trophy in September provided there are no safety and security fears, a top official of the International Cricket Council said on Wednesday.
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ICC acting chief executive Dave Richardson was speaking ahead of the launching ceremony of the biennial event which Pakistan hosts from September 11-28.
"At this point in time we are comfortable with the decision that Pakistan has the ability to host the Champions Trophy but we will continue to monitor security as it is fluid like anywhere in the world," Richardson said.
The top eight Test playing countries -- Australia, South Africa, England, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and the West Indies -- will compete in the Trophy, regarded as the second biggest event after the World Cup.
The ICC last month assessed security measures at the three cities -- Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi -- which will host the matches and a report will be put before its board meeting starting in Dubai on June 29.
"It is impossible to say that any country would be the final to host an event. Things can change and I think it is wrong to say that there is any question of a deadline but our board will take a decision on that," said Richardson.
Touring Pakistan has been a security concern for several foreign teams, especially Australia which postponed its March-April tour this year after a series of suicide bomb blasts.
However February's national elections and formation of a new government have improved the security situation which prompted Australia to reschedule the tour into two visits, with the five-match one-day series in 2009 and Tests in 2010.
Richardson, a former South African wicket-keeper batsman, agreed there may still be security concerns in Pakistan.
"I think that it is safe to say that there may be some players, organisations and member countries who might express some concerns from time to time over the safety situation in Pakistan," he said.
"It must be remembered that safety and security of players, teams, official and spectators is always the concern of the ICC. This one is no exception, the ICC will take no chance on safety and security of those stakeholders."
The Federation of International Cricketers' Association chief executive Tim May on Tuesday criticised the decision to hold the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, given the security situation in the country.
Richardson said Pakistan had the responsibility to host the event in a safe environment.
"The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and ICC have put together a process that is able to deal with the security situation and would enable us to monitor the situation on daily basis from now and until to the conclusion of the event," said Richardson.
PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said Pakistan would ensure a successful Trophy.
"The Pakistan government has promised foolproof security arrangements, so we are up to it and since people are passionate about cricket, the event will be well attended and successful," said Naghmi.
Pakistan News
Pakistan government pays salaries to ousted judges
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan's new government has paid the salaries of the Supreme Court justices ousted by President Pervez Musharraf last year, a move the governing coalition says highlights its commitment to reinstating the judges, officials said Tuesday.
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Restoring the judges to the bench, a key demand of protesting lawyers, could endanger Musharraf's presidency. The stalwart U.S. ally ousted them in November before they could rule on the legality of his re-election a month earlier.
Athar Minallah, a close aide to ousted Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, said Tuesday the judges had received their salaries, which proved they retained their positions.
"They are judges, legitimate judges, who were illegally and unconstitutionally removed," Minallah told Dawn News TV.
Minallah urged the government to restore the judges and to prosecute Musharraf for his actions against them.
Musharraf accused Chaudhry of corruption and of conspiring against efforts to guide Pakistan back to democracy after eight years of military rule.
The move deepened Musharraf's unpopularity and helped his opponents triumph in February parliamentary elections.
However, they have failed to meet a pledge to quickly restore the judges amid stubborn differences over how to do it.
Asif Ali Zardari, who leads the main ruling party, has sought to link the return of the judges to constitutional reforms that could take months to pass.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who is from Zardari's party, vowed Tuesday that the judges would be restored through a decision by Parliament. However, he did not specify a time frame.
"The judges would be restored and that would be according to the constitution of Pakistan and we will have the mandate of the Parliament," Gilani said at a seminar in Islamabad.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, head of the second largest party in the ruling coalition, argues that the government could immediately restore the judges and has pulled his ministers from the Cabinet in protest.
Sharif's party joined the lawyers movement for a huge rally last week in the capital. Gilani said his government had also backed the lawyers' rally in Islamabad.
A senior Sharif aide welcomed the payment of the judges' salaries and said his party was "hopeful" that Zardari's party would resolve the issue.
Business
U.S. auditors bash Air Force over refueling tanker
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. auditors urged the Air Force Wednesday to rerun its competition for a $35 billion refueling-aircraft order, upholding a protest by losing bidder Boeing Co (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and breathing life into a Pentagon fiasco.
The Government Accountability Office found the Air Force made "a number of significant errors that could have affected the outcome of what was a close competition."
The contract was awarded on February 29 to a team made up of Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Europe's EADS (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research), corporate parent of Boeing's passenger-jet maker rival Airbus.
GAO, a nonpartisan arm of Congress that reviews federal contract bidding disputes, faulted the Air Force for seven specific reasons, including "misleading and unequal discussions with Boeing."
The GAO's ruling is a recommendation to the Air Force, which has 60 days to respond. It was an uncommonly harsh rebuke to the service, which lists the tanker as its top acquisition priority.
Sue Payton, the Air Force's top weapons buyer, said the service was reviewing the decision and would spell out its response as soon as possible.
"The Air Force will do everything we can to rapidly move forward so America receives this urgently needed capability," she said in a statement. "The Air Force will select the best value tanker for our nation's defense, while being good stewards of the taxpayer dollar."
World News
A 6th human foot found on Canada's Pacific coast
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Another human foot was found Wednesday on a British Columbia shoreline, the second this week and the sixth within a year in a bizarre mystery that has confounded police.
Like most of the others, it was a right foot encased in a running shoe, said Sgt. Mike Tresoor of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He said a citizen spotted it on a beach and no other remains were found.
The latest find and most of the others were recovered within a few miles of each other along island shorelines in the Strait of Georgia, which lies to the south and west of the provincial capital of Vancouver.
Authorities say they haven't reached any conclusions about the origin of the feet but are working to determine if there are any links to any other partial remains recovered in the province.
"Too my knowledge, we have not encountered anything like this," RCMP spokeswoman Annie Linteau told The Associated Press Wednesday evening. She declined to speculate if foul play was involved.
She did suggest that the latest find could be from the body of a missing fishermen or a plane crash victim, but she didn't provide any specifics.
"In the first four cases, we did not find any evidence the feet were severed," she said. "It's too early to say if this foot was severed."
She said the fifth case was being handled by local police and was not under RCMP jurisdiction.
Terry Smith, the chief coroner of British Columbia, said this week that DNA profiles from the first three feet have not helped to determine identities because they have not matched any existing samples.
Smith and others have suggested that the feet didn't sink but floated to shore because they were encased in buoyant running shoes.
The first three feet washed ashore about 40 miles southwest of Vancouver on islands in the Strait of Georgia. The first foot was discovered last summer by beachcombers. Days later, a foot was found inside a man's Reebok sneaker. The remains of a third right foot were found Feb 8.
The fourth foot was found May 22 on Kirkland Island in the Fraser River, about 15 miles south of Vancouver. About a mile away, the fifth foot — and only left foot, was discovered Monday morning floating in water off Westham Island.
Local speculation has been rife with some reports claiming they belonged to victims of violent crimes or a plane crash.
Tresoor said major crime investigators from the Campbell River detachment, along with staff from the coroner's office, were investigating at the scene.
"The object will ultimately be examined by a forensic pathologist in attempts to determine the source of the foot and if it is related to other feet recently found," Tresoor said in a statement.
World News
Taliban Are Getting Weaker, U.S. Says, as NATO Mounts Offensive
June 19 (Bloomberg) -- The Taliban are becoming weaker after losing leaders and territory in the past year, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan said, as NATO and local forces mounted an offensive against insurgents in the country's south.
``The Taliban can raise a lot of dust at any given moment,'' Ambassador William Wood told reporters in Washington yesterday, adding the rebels fail to hold captured areas. ``They've lost the loyalty of the people, they've lost leaders, they've lost fighters.''
Coalition troops are trying to clear rebels from the Arghandab valley after hundreds of militants broke out of prison in Kandahar last week and massed in outlying villages. At least 35 Taliban fighters were killed yesterday as alliance helicopter gun ships and artillery targeted their positions, Agence France- Presse reported.
Taliban rebels, seeking to overthrow President Hamid Karzai's government, stepped up their insurgency in southern and eastern provinces and increasingly targeted the capital, Kabul, with suicide bombings in recent months.
The Islamist movement was driven from power by a U.S.-led coalition in late 2001 after refusing to hand over al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden following the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
While acknowledging the jail break and fighting posed difficulties, Wood said the international community wouldn't allow the district to fall to the insurgents.
``Our unified assessment in Kabul is that the Taliban is weaker in 2008 than it was at the beginning of the fighting season in 2007,'' Wood said.
Islamist Fighters
The Islamist fighters last year lost districts, including Musa Qala in the southern province of Helmand, and the U.S. has intelligence of ``some dissatisfaction among the rank and file of the Taliban with their focus on terrorism against innocent civilians,'' he said, according to a State Department transcript.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization leads a force of more than 53,000 soldiers battling the Taliban.
The alliance this week sent reinforcements to Kandahar city and Arghandab to help hunt for rebels who escaped from Sarposa Prison and support an offensive by the Afghan National Army. Forces yesterday patrolled the western banks of the Arghandab River, NATO said in a statement.
``This is a show of force undertaken by the Afghan army to show they are in control,'' General Carlos Branco, a spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force, said in a telephone interview from Kabul yesterday. He didn't have reports of casualties.
NATO and the U.S. say al-Qaeda is helping finance and direct the insurgency from camps in Pakistan's tribal region, where gunmen train, rearm and plan attacks.
Cooperation Strained
Cooperation in tackling the militants has been strained in recent days. Karzai threatened to send troops across the border to raid rebel camps, and Pakistan denounced a U.S. strike along the frontier, saying it destroyed a military post and killed 11 of its soldiers. The Pentagon said it was targeting militants and that no structure was hit.
Pakistan's military is threatening to postpone or cancel a U.S. program to train a paramilitary force in counterinsurgency because of the strike, the New York Times reported, citing two government officials in Islamabad it didn't identify.
A stone hut and nine bunkers at a Frontier Corps post at Gora Parai, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of the town of Ghalanai, were destroyed in the June 10 incident, the newspaper reported, citing the officials.
The coordinates of the post were known to NATO and American forces, and the strike was too accurate and too intense to have been an accident, it cited an official as saying.
World News
New Challenges for European Union’s Next Presidency After the Defeat in Ireland
European leaders meet on Thursday in Brussels for summit talks that were intended to focus on the next six months. Now they will spend their time analyzing last week’s Irish debacle and deciding what, if anything, they can do about it.
The Irish refusal last week to support a new organizational treaty for the 27-member European Union has thrown the bloc into confusion, shocked its bureaucratic elite and done significant damage to France’s plans for its six-month presidency, which begins in less than two weeks.
The solid Irish “no” is another sign of the distance many Europeans feel from their bureaucratic European institutions, which operate with little real democratic oversight. But European leaders are mostly trying to figure out how to maneuver around the Irish rejection of what is known as the Lisbon Treaty, or somehow to overturn it.
No one wants to declare the treaty dead, since there is no alternative. Another Irish vote is almost inevitable, but it is very risky and could not take place for many months. And no one is sure how to prevent the Irish rejection from spreading to other skeptical countries, like the Czech Republic and Poland, whose presidents oppose the treaty.
In the meantime, the Irish “no” will have other ripple effects, including a deadening impact on France’s presidency.
For President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose popularity ratings in France’s opinion polls remain low, the French presidency of the European Union is considered an important opportunity to show his seriousness, resolve and capacity to a skeptical French public. But now, with the Irish “no,” the French presidency will be haunted by the need to revisit old debates, rather than concentrate on new initiatives.
Jean-Pierre Jouyet, the French minister for European Affairs, said that the best response to the Irish vote was “to take on board the preoccupations just expressed.” Europe must be made to work better for its citizens, “with concrete programs that provide concrete results for individuals,” he said in an interview.
“Europe won’t stop because of June 13,” he added, a little plaintively, speaking of French plans to improve the union’s policies on immigration and political asylum, to cut taxes on gasoline and diesel, to accelerate the move toward a credible European defense force and to create a new Union of the Mediterranean, intended to link countries like Israel, Egypt, Syria and Turkey into regional projects.
France also wants to negotiate new agreements on the environment and agriculture. But with institutional reform blocked, progress will be more difficult — in part to ensure that the Irish, if they vote again, will not find new reasons to vote no.
Negotiation, of course, can proceed. But without the Lisbon Treaty, implementation is going to be much more difficult.
In a news conference, Mr. Sarkozy himself shrugged and said, “If you like easy jobs, you should resign right away.” He talked of the “duty to be more effective and look at what the daily lives of our fellow citizens look like,” and to use Europe to bring positive changes to people, like cheaper roaming rates for cellphones.
A senior French official, acknowledging that it would be difficult for Ireland to vote again anytime soon and almost inconceivable to start again and rewrite the treaty, said simply, “The French presidency is essentially dead.”
So far the French line, in coordination with Germany, has been that the rest of the members should continue to ratify the treaty, which was supposed to go into effect Jan. 1. So far, 19 countries have approved it, all by legislative votes. Only Ireland used a referendum, and only because the Irish Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution demanded it, even on a complicated treaty that few experts claimed to understand fully.
The European Union’s efforts at institutional reform have been stalled before by referendums, including by the Irish, who blocked the Nice Treaty in 2001, got some concessions, and voted yes in 2002. In 2005, the French and Dutch blocked a so-called European constitution. The revised effort was the Lisbon Treaty.
While Mr. Sarkozy and Mr. Jouyet hope that ratification by all remaining countries will isolate the Irish and lead to another referendum, there is little more that the European Union can promise them. There can be new assurances about the union’s respect for Ireland’s neutrality and traditions, like burning peat. But more than 50 percent of Irish voters turned out for the referendum, and 53.4 percent of them voted against the treaty, which will not be rewritten. So a reversal is not guaranteed.
In the meantime, without Lisbon and its removal of national vetoes on all policies, it will be very hard to make an enlarged Europe function more efficiently.
European leaders meet on Thursday in Brussels for summit talks that were intended to focus on the next six months. Now they will spend their time analyzing last week’s Irish debacle and deciding what, if anything, they can do about it.
The Irish refusal last week to support a new organizational treaty for the 27-member European Union has thrown the bloc into confusion, shocked its bureaucratic elite and done significant damage to France’s plans for its six-month presidency, which begins in less than two weeks.
The solid Irish “no” is another sign of the distance many Europeans feel from their bureaucratic European institutions, which operate with little real democratic oversight. But European leaders are mostly trying to figure out how to maneuver around the Irish rejection of what is known as the Lisbon Treaty, or somehow to overturn it.
No one wants to declare the treaty dead, since there is no alternative. Another Irish vote is almost inevitable, but it is very risky and could not take place for many months. And no one is sure how to prevent the Irish rejection from spreading to other skeptical countries, like the Czech Republic and Poland, whose presidents oppose the treaty.
In the meantime, the Irish “no” will have other ripple effects, including a deadening impact on France’s presidency.
For President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose popularity ratings in France’s opinion polls remain low, the French presidency of the European Union is considered an important opportunity to show his seriousness, resolve and capacity to a skeptical French public. But now, with the Irish “no,” the French presidency will be haunted by the need to revisit old debates, rather than concentrate on new initiatives.
Jean-Pierre Jouyet, the French minister for European Affairs, said that the best response to the Irish vote was “to take on board the preoccupations just expressed.” Europe must be made to work better for its citizens, “with concrete programs that provide concrete results for individuals,” he said in an interview.
“Europe won’t stop because of June 13,” he added, a little plaintively, speaking of French plans to improve the union’s policies on immigration and political asylum, to cut taxes on gasoline and diesel, to accelerate the move toward a credible European defense force and to create a new Union of the Mediterranean, intended to link countries like Israel, Egypt, Syria and Turkey into regional projects.
France also wants to negotiate new agreements on the environment and agriculture. But with institutional reform blocked, progress will be more difficult — in part to ensure that the Irish, if they vote again, will not find new reasons to vote no.
Negotiation, of course, can proceed. But without the Lisbon Treaty, implementation is going to be much more difficult.
In a news conference, Mr. Sarkozy himself shrugged and said, “If you like easy jobs, you should resign right away.” He talked of the “duty to be more effective and look at what the daily lives of our fellow citizens look like,” and to use Europe to bring positive changes to people, like cheaper roaming rates for cellphones.
A senior French official, acknowledging that it would be difficult for Ireland to vote again anytime soon and almost inconceivable to start again and rewrite the treaty, said simply, “The French presidency is essentially dead.”
So far the French line, in coordination with Germany, has been that the rest of the members should continue to ratify the treaty, which was supposed to go into effect Jan. 1. So far, 19 countries have approved it, all by legislative votes. Only Ireland used a referendum, and only because the Irish Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution demanded it, even on a complicated treaty that few experts claimed to understand fully.
The European Union’s efforts at institutional reform have been stalled before by referendums, including by the Irish, who blocked the Nice Treaty in 2001, got some concessions, and voted yes in 2002. In 2005, the French and Dutch blocked a so-called European constitution. The revised effort was the Lisbon Treaty.
While Mr. Sarkozy and Mr. Jouyet hope that ratification by all remaining countries will isolate the Irish and lead to another referendum, there is little more that the European Union can promise them. There can be new assurances about the union’s respect for Ireland’s neutrality and traditions, like burning peat. But more than 50 percent of Irish voters turned out for the referendum, and 53.4 percent of them voted against the treaty, which will not be rewritten. So a reversal is not guaranteed.
In the meantime, without Lisbon and its removal of national vetoes on all policies, it will be very hard to make an enlarged Europe function more efficiently.
Israel and Hamas ceasefire begins
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has begun, despite a last minute flurry of cross-border attacks.
Under the terms of the truce, Israel will ease its blockade on Gaza and talks to release an Israeli soldier held by Hamas are expected to resume.
Israeli PM, Ehud Olmert, has warned that the truce, which started at 0600 (0300 GMT), will be fragile.
At least 40 rockets and mortars were fired from Gaza at Israel on Wednesday and Israel carried out air strikes.
Another militant group, Islamic Jihad, who lost several members to Israeli air strikes in recent days, claimed responsibility for some of the attacks.
Key questions
Just an hour before the truce came into effect, an Israeli missile strike killed one Palestinian gunman and wounded another three near Gaza's border fence.
The key questions, says the BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Gaza, are:
* Will Hamas be able to keep control over all of the disparate militant groups that fire rocket over the border?
* Will those groups be able to show restraint should there be any Palestinian deaths in the West Bank - where this ceasefire does not apply?
A senior Islamic Jihad leader has told the BBC his group would not violate the ceasefire.
"We will respect the truce but if the Israeli side violates the truce at any time Islamic Jihad resolves the right to respond at any time," said Khaled Batsh.
But he added that if an Islamic Jihad militant was killed in the West Bank the group would respond. That, our correspondent suggests, would entail rocket fire from Gaza.
Hamas isolated
Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which controls Gaza, said it was confident all militants would abide by the Egypt-brokered truce, which is supposed to last six months.
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Correspondents said the eve-of-truce cross-border attacks underlined how fragile the agreement could be.
The most recent Gaza ceasefire, in November 2006, quickly unravelled.
Hamas seized control of Gaza in June 2007, driving out forces loyal to Fatah, the political faction led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Since then, Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the international community have sought to isolate Hamas.
Mr Olmert has said the truce will be fragile and could be short-lived. He said Israel would abide by the ceasefire but its armed forces were ready to act if cross-border rocket attacks continued.
"We should not have illusions. The terror organisations, and Hamas among them, have not changed their goals."
The Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, said: "The calm is going to bring stability to Israel if they commit themselves to it."
According to a breakdown of the truce released by Hamas, Israel will ease restrictions on the trade of certain goods between Gaza and Israel on Friday morning, and open up the crossings for all commercial goods next week.
After two weeks, talks will start involving Israel, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority and the EU on reopening the Rafah crossing into Egypt.
And negotiations on the return of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, captured by militants in Gaza in June 2006, are supposed to resume within a few days, say Israeli security sources.
Idea of Offshore Drilling Seems to Be Spreading
MIAMI — Gov. Charlie Crist stepped on the third rail of Florida politics this week when he abandoned his opposition to drilling offshore for oil and natural gas. But surprise, surprise, he did not die.
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His call for cautious reconsideration, in fact, is spreading.
In the Capitol and along the coast here minds once closed to offshore drilling have been cracked open by the prospects of safer drilling technology and an awareness that dependency on foreign oil has heavy costs.
“It’s something we need to do because of the bigger picture,” said State Senator Burt L. Saunders, chairman of the Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee. “We need more energy independence.”
Governor Crist’s position appears to line up with Senator John McCain’s call for an end to the federal moratorium that prevents coastal drilling. With President Bush now in support, Democrats say the proposal is a gimmick that will blow back against the Republicans.
But the public debate over drilling suggests that the political landscape has changed.
Several elected and appointed Florida Republicans have publicly shifted their positions in the past week. Senator Mel Martinez said Tuesday that he would consider drilling as long as it is at least 50 miles off the coast. Nicki Grossman, vice chairwoman of the Florida Tourism Commission, said Wednesday that the high price of gasoline might be more of a threat than drilling.
Mr. Saunders, a Republican from Naples, said his opinion started to change after oil rigs near Louisiana survived Hurricane Katrina without major spills that reached the shore.
He did not mention that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita did cause 124 smaller spills that released more than 700,000 gallons of petroleum products, according to Coast Guard estimates.
But, he said, the cost-benefit analysis has changed because current proposals would push drilling up to 150 miles offshore.
“Initially, we were talking about drilling very close to the Florida coastline and we were talking about technology that had not necessarily been proven,” he said. “Not anymore.”
Most of the discussion about Florida drilling has centered on the Gulf Coast. The National Petroleum Council estimates that beneath the Gulf of Mexico’s eastern edge, there might be 36.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 5.2 billion barrels of oil — numbers that would require extensive exploration to verify.
In the area’s beach communities, opposition to drilling has been a constant. Environmentalists have long predicted a catastrophe, with ruined beaches and marine ecosystems.
But some people wonder whether the conventional wisdom has become outdated. Dan Rowe, president of the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors bureau, said, “You can no longer just dismiss it out of hand” because gasoline prices and drilling technology have changed.
In Mexico City Beach, a three-mile strip of sand and water with about 1,200 residents, some were unsure. “Before, it didn’t seem like the way to go,” said Jason Adams, 38, the owner of Marquardt’s Marina. “Now I have to think about it a little bit more.”
Mr. Adams said he knew it would take years for drilling to produce results.
A 2007 Department of Energy study found that access to coastal energy deposits would not add to domestic crude oil and natural gas production before 2030 and that the impact on prices would be “insignificant.”
But Mr. Adams said he was studying the issue because when it comes to energy “we need to be more independent.”
Similar views could be heard in California, where 33 offshore oil operations are part of the daily vista for residents of the south and south-central coast.
“I work at the beach, I wouldn’t want anything to jeopardize that,” said Pat Kennedy, 23, a lifeguard on the Buena Ventura State Beach south of Santa Barbara. But, he said, “we probably need to drill here to be less dependent on foreign countries.”
The shifting opinions may reset if oil prices drop. Ms. Grossman at the Florida Tourism Commission said many business owners still fear that drilling will ruin the state’s beaches. “Now, the only possible mitigating factor is that we’re also afraid of losing business because of gas prices,” she said.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and some other Republicans opposed to drilling have also held their ground. Ray Sansom, who is in line to become speaker of the Florida House, representing the coastal town of Destin, said Wednesday that he still opposes drilling. And former Gov. Jeb Bush, in an e-mail message, said that while he supported Mr. Bush’s efforts to develop domestic energy sources, “this does not diminish the long-term need to conserve and develop alternative sources of energy.”
Democrats, meanwhile, have pounced. The Florida Democratic Party said Tuesday that Governor Crist switched sides because he is “desperate to be Mr. McCain’s running mate.”
Then on Wednesday the state’s Democratic delegation in Congress released a statement accusing Republicans of pandering to the public’s frustration with gasoline prices and selling out to “big oil.”
Representative Kathy Castor, a Democrat from Tampa, said drilling could become a reality because the Republicans are breaking ranks.
“It used to be a unified front,” she said. “What’s particularly frustrating is there is now a crack in the armor.”
4 killed in blast outside DIK Shia mosque
A bomb blast inside a Shia mosque killed at least four people and wounded two others on Monday, police said.
Local police officer Asghar told the news source over the telephone that the bomb went off inside Imambargah Hazrat Ali in Mohallah Roshan Chirgah as worshippers were coming out of the mosque after offering evening prayers.
Timed device: District police chief Abdul Ghaffar Qaiserani told AFP that it was a time-controlled device as police found a number of battery cells from the rubble, which indicated the bomb, planted near the main entrance, was on a timer.
Qaiserani declined to say if it was a sectarian attack, but similar bombings and gun attacks have taken place between the supporters of Shia and Sunni extremist groups active in Dera Ismail Khan, which borders the Tribal Areas.
No one claimed responsibility for the attack.
The blast shattered the mosque’s front wall and damaged its dome. A crater was also caused near the front wall, AFP reported.
Twisted fans hung from the ceiling inside the mosque and prayer mats were scattered across the bloodstained floor.
The police cordoned off the area as people sifted debris looking for survivors.
Witnesses said that nearby markets were shut down immediately after the incident to curb possible protests.
Last month, gunmen opened fire on a car, killing four Shias in Dera Ismail Khan. Hours later, a Sunni Muslim was shot dead elsewhere in the city.
PEMRA issued licences to 6 TV channels
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Monday approved the awarding of licences to six new television channels which include Business Plus, Wikkid, Geo English News, ARY Shopping Channel, Aruj TV and Asset Plus. Government College University, Faisalabad, was granted a non-commercial FM Radio license. PEMRA also approved the issuance of 81 cable TV licences. The decision was made in PEMRA’s 49th Authority meeting held here to decide on various issues regarding the promotion of private electronic media in Pakistan. PEMRA, while examining the current status of electronic media in Pakistan, reiterated its commitment to promote and expand private electronic media in Pakistan.
سرحد حکومت سے روابط منقطع:طالبان
طالبان نے صوبہ سرحد کی حکومت کے ساتھ ہر قسم کے روابط منقطع کرنے کا اعلان کرتے ہوئے الزام لگایا ہے کہ فوج اور بعض دیگر عناصر امن معاہدے کی کامیابی میں رکاوٹ ڈالنے کی کوششیں کر رہے ہیں۔
سوات طالبان کے ترجمان مسلم خان نے بی بی سی کو بتایا حکومت کے ساتھ روابط منقطع کرنے کا فیصلہ پیر کے روز طالبان کی اعلٰی قیادت کی سربراہی میں ہونے والے شوریٰ کے ایک اجلاس میں کیا گیا ہے۔
ان کے بقول شوریٰ نے معاہدے کے مطابق علاقے سے فوج کی واپسی، چیک پوسٹوں کے خاتمےاور قیدیوں کی رہائی کے سلسلے میں صوبائی حکومت کی کارکردگی پر عدم اطمینان کا اظہار کرتے ہوئے مذاکراتی کمیٹی کو ہدایت کی ہے کہ وہ ایک ہفتے تک حکومت کے ساتھ کسی قسم کا کوئی رابطہ نہ رکھیں اور اگر اس دوران بھی کوئی پیشرفت نہ ہوسکی تو اگلے اجلاس میں معاہدے کے برقرار رکھنے یا نہ رکھنے کا فیصلہ کیا جائے گا۔
مسلم خان کا مزید کہنا تھا کہ معاہدے پر عملدآمد کے حوالے سے انہیں صوبائی حکومت اور ضلعی انتظامیہ کے خلوص پر کوئی شبہ نہیں البتہ ان کے بقول’فوج اور بعض دیگر عناصر معاہدے کو ناکام بنانے کی کوششوں مصروف ہیں جبکہ صوبائی حکومت ان کے سامنے بے بس نظر آ رہی ہے‘۔
ان کے مطابق معاہدے میں ان سے وعدہ کیا گیا تھا کہ طالبان قیدیوں کو پندرہ دن میں رہا کر دیا جائے گا مگر پچیس دن گزرنے کے باوجود ابھی تک صرف اٹھارہ افراد کو رہا کیا گیا ہے۔
ان کا مزید کہنا تھا کہ ’طالبان اس بات کو اچھی طرح سمجھ رہے ہیں کہ فوج کی بیدخلی، چیک پوسٹوں کے خاتمے اور شریعت کا نفاذ ایک وقت طلب کام ہے تاہم حکومت کو کم از کم تمام قیدیوں کو جلد سے جلد رہا کردینا چاہیے‘۔
فائر فوکس کے نئے ورژن کا افتتاح
مشہور فائر فوکس ویب کے تیسرے ورژن کے براؤزر کا افتتاح سترہ جون کو ہو رہا ہے۔
اس انٹرنیٹ براؤزر کی تشہیر سے فائر فوکس کو ایجاد کرنے والی کمپنی موزیلا چوبیس گھنٹے میں سب سے زیادہ ڈاؤن لوڈ کرنے کا ریکارڈ قائم کرنے کی کوشش کر رہی ہے۔ موزیلا کے پال کِم نے کہا ’یہ تاریخ رقم کرنے کی ایک عالمی کوشش ہے۔‘
انہوں نے کہا کہ ایک دن میں سب سے زیادہ سافٹ ویئر ڈاؤن لوڈ کرنے کا کوئی ریکارڈ موجود نہیں ہے۔ انہوں نے مزید کہا کہ ان کے ذہن میں کوئی تعداد نہیں ہے لیکن اگر پانچ ملین سافٹ ویئر ڈاؤن لوڈ ہو جائیں تو یہ ایک شاندار بات ہو گی۔
فائر فوکس کے پرانے سافٹ ویئر کے سولہ لاکھ استعمال کنندہ تھے جبکہ تیرہ لاکھ نئی طرز کا فائر فوکس ڈاؤن لوڈ کریں گے۔
فائر فوکس سنہ دو ہزار چار میں مارکیٹ میں آیا تھا اور اس نے مائیکروسافٹ کو سخت چیلنج دیا ہے۔ کہا جاتا ہے کہ فائر فوکس کو پندرہ سے سترہ انٹرنیٹ استعمال کنندہ استعمال کرتے ہیں۔
فائر فوکس انٹرنیٹ براؤزر کی دنیا میں آہستہ آہستہ اپنی جگہ بنا رہا ہے۔
شعیب اختر سے خصوصی ملاقا
بی بی سی ہندی سروس کے پرگرام ’ایک ملاقات‘ میں سنجیو سریواستو نے اس بار پاکستان کے تیز گيند باز شعیب اختر سے بات چيت کی ہے۔ پیش ہے ان سے بات چيت کا خلاصہ۔
سوال:شعیب یہ بتائیں کہ اتنے دنوں تک انڈین پریمیئر لیگ کا ہنگامہ رہا اور اب جبکہ آئی پی ایل کا سیزن ختم ہوچکاہے تو آپ پاکستان لوٹ رہے ہیں، اب آپ کا اگلا ایجنڈا کیا ہے؟
جواب: اگلا دور میرے اوپر لگی پابندی کی انکوائری کا ہے۔ واپس جاکر ٹیسٹ اور ایک روزہ کرکٹ کی پریکٹس پر فوکس کرونگا۔ اوپر والے سے دعا کروں گا کہ مجھ پر سے پابندی ہٹ جائے اور میں کرکٹ کھیل سکوں۔ باقی منصوبے اس کے بعد ہی ہوسکیں گے۔
سوال:اچھا یہ بتائیں کہ کیا آپ کو اندازہ تھا کہ آئی پی ایل میں آپ کی ٹیم کولکتہ نائٹ رائڈرز اور کرکٹ شائقین آپ کو اس طرح پلکوں پر بٹھائیں گے؟
جواب: حقیقت میں مجھے اندازہ نہیں تھا کہ لوگ مجھے اس قدر پیار اور عزت دیں گے، حالانکہ مجھے پتہ ہے کہ بھارتی لوگ اور خاص طور پر بنگال کے لوگ کرکٹ کے بےحد شوقین ہیں۔ اس کے علاوہ میری ٹیم اور مینجمنٹ کے ساتھ شاہ رخ خان نے مجھے بہت سپورٹ کیا۔ میرے برے وقت میں انہوں نے ساتھ دیا اور میرا حوصلہ بڑھایا۔ ہمیں امید ہے کہ اگلی بار ہم ضرور آئی پی ایل میں کامیاب ہوں گے۔
سوال:شعیب اپنی پسند کا کوئی گانا بتائیں؟
جلگ پہچان کا عزم
میرا شروع سے ماننا تھا کہ ایسا کام کیا جائے جس سے دوسروں سے الگ پہچان بناؤں، حالانکہ میں کئی سارے ایسے کام کرتا ہوں جو سب سے الگ ہوجاتے ہیں۔ مجھے لگتا تھا کہ میں وسیم اکر اور وقار یونس سے تیز گیند باز بن سکتا ہوں۔ میں نے سوچ رکھا تھا کہ 1999 کے ورلڈ کپ میں سب سے تیز گیند بازی کروں گا۔
شعیب اختر
جواب: مجھے کئی گانے پسند ہیں لیکن نصرت فتح علی خان کے گیت اور غزلیں مجھے بہت پسند ہیں۔ اس کے علاوہ نئے فلمی گانوں میں ’دردِ ڈسکو‘ اچھا لگتا ہے۔
سوال:شاہ رخ ایک سٹار ہیں لیکن شعیب کوئی کم سٹار نہیں۔ اس کے علاوہ ٹیم کے کپتان سورو گنگولی ایک بڑے کھلاڑی ہیں، تو ٹیم میں توازن کیسے بنتا تھا کیونکہ آپ دونوں مخالف ٹیم کے رکن رہ چکے ہیں؟
جواب: حقیقت میں یہ تعجب کی بات تھی لیکن سچ یہ بھی ہے کہ ہم ایک ٹیم کی طرح کھیل رہے تھے۔ گنگولی نے مجھے بڑا سپورٹ کیا اور خیال رکھا۔ وہ میدان میں اور میدان کے بار بھی ایک اچھے کپتان ہیں۔ وہ ہمیں میچ ونر کی طرح دیکھتے تھے اور اللہ کا شکر ہے کہ میں نےگیند بازی کی بدولت ایک میچ میں جیت دلا دی، حالانکہ پاکستان سے میں جن حالات میں آیا تھا تو میں اتنا تیار نہیں تھا۔
سوال:یہ تو سچ ہے لیکن حیرانی کی بات یہ ہے کہ للت مودی سے لےکر شاہ رخ خان تک سبھی لوگ بے صبری سے آپ کا انتظار کر رہے تھے۔ ایسا ماحول تھا جیسے شادی میں دولہے کا انتظار ہوتا ہے۔
جواب: بس کیا کہہ سکتا ہوں اوپر والے کی دعائیں ہیں۔
سوال:اچھا یہ بتائیں کہ آپ کے نام کے ساتھ دنیا کے ایک تیز گیند باز کا جو ٹیگ لگا ہے اس کے پیچھے کتنی محنت رہی ہے آپ کی؟
جواب: دیکھیے یہاں میں تھوڑا سا آپ کو درست کرنا چاہوں گا کیونکہ مجھے لگتا ہے کہ میں دنیا کا سب سے تیز گیند باز ہوں۔
تیز بالر کے پیچھے لڑکیاں
سچ ہے ، میں نے بھی دیکھا ہے کہ لڑکیاں ان سبھی کے پیچھے رہتی تھیں۔ انگلینڈ میں نے دیکھا کہ وقار یونس اور وسیم اکرم کے لیے لڑکیوں میں لڑائی ہوگئی تھی۔ عمران خان پر تو آج بھی لڑکیاں مرتی ہیں۔ لیکن میرے پیچھے تو مرنے والی تو صرف میری بیوی ہی ہو گي۔
سوال:ٹھیک ہے آپ واقعی سب سے تیز گیند باز ہیں ۔ یہ بتائیے کہ آپ نے کب سوچا تھا کہ سب سے تیز گیند باز بننا ہے؟
جواب: میرا شروع سے ماننا تھا کہ ایسا کام کیا جائے جس سے دوسروں سے الگ پہچان بناؤں، حالانکہ میں کئی سارے ایسے کام کرتا ہوں جو سب سے الگ ہوجاتے ہیں۔ مجھے لگتا تھا کہ میں وسیم اکر اور وقار یونس سے تیز گیند باز بن سکتا ہوں۔ میں نے سوچ رکھا تھا کہ 1999 میں کے ورلڈ کپ میں سب سے تیز گیند بازی کروں گا۔
سوال:کیا واقعی آپ نے 1999 سے پہلے سوچ رکھا تھا کہ سب سے تیز گیند باز بنیں گے۔ اس کے پیچھے کیا موٹیویشن تھا؟
جواب: یہ سچ ہے میں 1997 میں ہی سوچ لیا تھا کہ سب سے تیز گيند باز بننا ہے۔ حالانکہ مجھے امید نہیں تھی کہ 1999 کے ورلڈ کپ میں مجھے کھلایا جاسکتا ہے۔ اسی طرح یہاں آنے سےپہلے سوچ لیا تھا کہ کولکتہ آکر اپنی ٹیم کو جتانا ہے۔
سوال:یہ سب کب سوچا تھا کہ کرکٹر ہی بننا ہے؟
جواب: 1995 میں جب میں نے پاکستان ایئر لائنز کو چھوڑا تبھی سوچ لیا تھا کہ کسی بھی طرح پاکستان ٹیم کے لیے کھیلنا ہے۔ اس کی وجہ یہ تھی کا پی آئی اے مجھے کھلاتا ہی نہیں تھا بس یہ ایک ضد تھی۔
سوال:مانا جاتا ہے کہ جس طرح بھارت میں اچھے سپنر ہوتے ہیں اسی طرح پاکستان اپنے تیز سوئنگ گیند بازوں کے لیے جانا جاتا ہے۔ آپ کا کوئی پسندیدہ کھلاڑی؟
جواب: یہ اسی طرح ہے کہ کسی کان سے آپ کتنے ہیرے نکال سکتے ہیں۔ مجھے پہلے تو عمران خان، وسیم اکرم اور وقار یونس کے ساتھ ساتھ کئی عظیم گیند باز آئے، مجھے لگتا ہے کہ میرے بعد کوئی نیچرل تیزگیند باز نہیں دکھ رہا ہے۔
سوال:اچھا پاکستانی گیند بازوں کے ساتھ یہ خوبی دیکھی جاتی رہی ہے کہ وہ بہت سمارٹ اور خوبصورت ہوتے ہیں۔ لڑکیاں ان کے پیچھے پاگل رہتی ہیں تو آپ کے ساتھ بھی کچھ ایسا ہے کیا؟
برائن لارا
برائن لارا۔ کیا شاندار کرکٹر ہے لارا، بہت ہی عمدہ کھلاڑی ہے وہ۔ میں نے اپنے کرکٹ کریئر میں صرف چار گیندیں پھینکی ہیں لارا کو۔ پچھلے دس سالوں میں تین چار سیریز ہوئیں ہمارے درمیان لیکن میں انہیں بالنگ ہی نہیں کر سکا
جواب: سچ ہے ، میں نے بھی دیکھا ہے کہ لڑکیاں ان سبھی کے پیچھے رہتی تھیں۔ انگلینڈ میں نے دیکھا کہ وقار یونس اور وسیم اکرم کے لیے لڑکیوں میں لڑائی ہوگئی تھی۔ عمران خان پر تو آج بھی لڑکیاں مرتی ہیں۔ لیکن میرے پیچھے تو مرنے والی تو صرف میری بیوی ہی ہو گي۔
سوال:تو اچھا شادی کرنے کا ارادہ ہے۔ کس سے ہورہی ہے؟
جواب: ابھی کوئی لڑکی نہیں دیکھی ہے لیکن دو تین مہینوں میں شادی کر لینے کا منصوبہ ہے۔ مجھے لگ رہا ہے کہ آدمی کی زندگی میں اس کی بیوی کااہم رول ہوتا ہے۔
سوال:پتہ نہیں کیوں آپ سے مجھے اس سوال کا صحیح جواب نہیں مل رہا ہے، کیونکہ وہ پاکستانی لڑکی ہے لیکن کوئی بات نہیں یہ آپ کا ذاتی معاملہ ہے؟
جواب:فی الحال اس بارے میں مجھے کوئی کامینٹ نہیں کرنا ہے۔
سوال:شعیب آپ اپنے بچپن کے بارے میں بتائیں، کس طرح کے بچے تھے آپ؟
جواب: میں شیطان تو تھا۔ لیکن کہہ لیجیے کہ اچھا شیطان تھا۔ لیکن میں نے تب یا آج تک کبھی کسی کو تکلیف یا نقصان نہیں پہنچایا۔
سوال:آپ کی جس طرح کی امیج ہے اس کے مطابق جب ہم آپ کا انٹرویو کرنے آرہے تھے تو لگ رہا تھا کہ شعیب ایک غصے والے یا گھمنڈی قسم کے انسان ہوں گے۔ لیکن ایسا کچھ لگ نہیں رہا ہے۔ تو پھر یہ حال میں آئی تبدیلی ہے یا آپ ہمیشہ سے ہی ایسے رہے ہیں؟
جواب: نہیں۔ میں کبھی نہیں بدلا۔ ہمیشہ سے میں ایسا ہی تھا۔ ہاں یہ ضرور ہے کہ میرے سیکھنے اور زندگی کے تجربات بدلتے رہے ہیں۔ میں نے کسی سے غلط مدد نہیں مانگی ، ہاں لوگوں کی مدد کی ضرور ہے۔
سوال:آپ کو بھارت میں کون سے جگہ بہت پسند ہے؟
جواب: دِلی پسند ہے لیکن ممبئی بہت تیز شہر ہے۔
سوال:اور دِلی کیوں پسند ہے؟
جواب: یہ ایک تاریخی شہر ہے۔ آپ کو لگتا ہے کہ ہر ساتویں قدم پر کسی بادشاہ کہ سر زمین دوز ہے۔
میں بھی انسان
میں یہ تو کہتا نہیں کہ میں فرشتہ ہوں۔ میں بھی انسانی فطرت کی طرح کوشش کرتا ہوں کہ اپنے گناہوں کو چھپاؤں۔ میں اپنی زندگی کو انجوائے کرنا چاہتا ہوں دوسروں کی پرواہ نہیں کرتا
سوال: اچھا آپ کی ایک امیج لیڈی کلر کی بھی ہے۔ لڑکیاں آپ کے پیچھے پاگل رہتی ہیں، تو اس کا کیا راز ہے؟
جواب: میں یہ تو کہتا نہیں کہ میں فرشتہ ہوں۔ میں بھی انسانی فطرت کی طرح کوشش کرتا ہوں کہ اپنے گناہوں کو چھپاؤں۔ میں اپنی زندگی کو انجوائے کرنا چاہتا ہوں دوسروں کی پرواہ نہیں کرتا۔
سوال:آپ کی ڈریم وومن، خوابوں کی شہزادی کیسی ہوگي؟
جواب: وہ سادہ، پڑھی لکھی اور اچھے سلوک والی ہونی چاہیے۔ خوبصورت ہو، بس اور کیا۔ اگر لمبی ہو تو اچھا ہوگا۔
سوال:آپ کا پسندیدہ ہیرو کون ہے؟
جواب: ریتیک روشن مجھے بہت پسند ہے۔ حقیقت میں اس میں بہت ڈسپلن ہے جبکہ میں ویسا ہر گز نہیں ہو سکتا۔
سوال:اچھا اخبار میں ہمیں ایک بار پرھنے کو ملا کہ تھا کہ آپ نے سلمان خان کے ساتھ ایک بار ممبئی کے بس سٹینڈ میں شرٹ اتار کر دوڑ لگائی تھی۔ کیا یہ صحیح ہے؟
جواب: یہ بالکل غلط ہے۔ سلمان ایک بہترین انسان ہیں۔ کوئی بھلا ایسے کیسے اخبار میں لکھ سکتا ہے۔ ہم دونوں میں ایک چیز کامن ہے کہ تنازعات دونوں کا پیچھا نہیں چھوڑتے ہیں۔ شاید اسی لیے اخبار نے لکھ دیا ہوگا۔
سوال: آپ کی پسندیدہ ہیروئین کون ہے؟
جواب: میناکشی اور مدھوبالا۔ اس کے علاوہ مادھوری دیکشت مجھے بہت پسند ہیں۔
سوال: آپ کی فیورٹ بالی وڈ فلمیں؟
جواب: تین ہیں۔ دل والے دلہنیاں لے جائیں گے، ہم آپ کے ہیں کون اور دل چاہتا ہے۔
سوال: آپ کا فیورٹ کرکٹر؟
جواب: برائن لارا۔ کیا شاندار کرکٹر ہے لارا، بہت ہی عمدہ کھلاڑی ہے وہ۔ میں نے اپنے کرکٹ کریئر میں صرف چار گیندیں پھینکی ہیں لارا کو۔ پچھلے دس سالوں میں تین چار سیریز ہوئیں ہمارے درمیان لیکن میں انہیں بالنگ ہی نہیں کر سکا۔
سوال: اگر آپ کو اتھارٹی دی جائے کہ پاکستانی کرکٹ ٹیم میں اپنی مرضی کی تبدیلیاں کر سکتے ہیں تو کیا ہوگا؟
جواب: کرکٹ میں پیسہ لاؤں گا اور پاکستان کرکٹ کو چلانے والے سسٹم میں بھی تبدیلیاں کرنا ضروری ہوگا۔
سوال: اور اگر آپ کو یہ موقع ملے کہ آپ اپنی کسی بھی پسندیدہ شخصیت سے مل سکتے ہیں تو کس سے ملنا پسند کریں گے؟
جواب: آپ یقین نہیں کریں گے لیکن میں نے محمد علی جناح اور مہاتما گاندھی کے بارے کافی پڑھا ہے ان سے مل کر میں یہی جاننے کی کوشش کروں گا کہ ان کی پرکشش شخصیت راز کیا تھا۔
سمیع اللہ سلیکشن کمیٹی سے مستعفی
آصف باجوہ کو سکریٹری بنائے جانے پر سابق اولمپئن سمیع اللہ نے پاکستان ہاکی فیڈریشن کی سلیکشن کمیٹی سے استعفی دے دیا ہے۔
ان کا استعفی ایسے وقت سامنے آیا ہے جب جونیئر ایشیا کپ کے لیے پاکستانی جونیئر ہاکی ٹیم کے ٹرائلز ہونے والے ہیں لیکن سمیع اللہ پاکستان ہاکی فیڈریشن کے معاملات میں حکومتی مداخلت سے خوش نہیں۔
سمیع اللہ نے بی بی سی سے بات کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ وہ ایک انتہائی جونیئر کھلاڑی کے ماتحت کام کرنا مناسب نہیں سمجھتے اور ان کا خیال ہے کہ آصف باجوہ کو موقع ملنا چاہیے کہ اگر وہ سیٹ اپ میں اپنی مرضی کی تبدیلی کرنا چاہتے ہیں وہ کریں۔
سمیع اللہ نے کہا کہ پاکستان ہاکی فیڈریشن ایک آزاد ادارہ ہے جس کے معاملات آئین کے مطابق چلتے ہیں ایسے میں وزارت کھیل کی جانب سے اس میں مداخلت اور سکریٹری کی تبدیلی اپنی نوعیت کی پہلی مثال ہے۔ حالانکہ اس معاملے کو زیادہ بہتر طریقے سے سلجھایا جاسکتا تھا۔
سمیع اللہ نے نوجوان کھلاڑیوں کو مشورہ دیا کہ وہ تحمل کا مظاہرہ کریں اور جذباتی ہوکر سسٹم کو خراب نہ کریں کیونکہ وزیراعظم ہاکی فیڈریشن کے پیٹرن انچیف ہیں اور کچھ عرصے بعد بھی اس طرح کے احکامات صادر ہوسکتے تھے۔
سمیع اللہ نے کہا کہ انہوں نے میرظفراللہ جمالی یا ساتھی سلیکٹرز سے اپنے استعفی کی بابت کوئی بات نہیں کی ہے کیونکہ وہ جو بھی فیصلہ کرتے ہیں سوچ سمجھ کر کرتے ہیں اور اصولی موقف پر یقین رکھتے ہیں۔
سمیع اللہ اپنے زمانے کے مشہور فارورڈ تھے جو ریٹائرمنٹ کے بعد منیجر، کوچ اور سلیکٹر کی ذمہ داریاں بھی نبھاتے رہے ہیں۔
مالاکنڈ میں تعلیمی سرگرمیاں بری طرح متاث
مالاکنڈ ڈویژن میں گرلز سکولوں میں بم دھماکوں کا آغاز سب سے پہلے شورش زدہ ضلع سوات میں ہوا۔
صوبہ سرحد کے اضلاع دیر پائین اور دیر بالا میں لڑکیوں کے تعلیمی اداروں کو بم دھماکوں میں نشانہ بنانے کے واقعات سے علاقے میں خواتین کی تعلیمی سرگرمیاں بری طرح متاثر ہوئی ہیں جبکہ مقامی لوگ ان واقعات کو علاقے میں طالبانئزیشن کی شروعات قرار دے رہے ہیں۔
ویسے تو مالاکنڈ ڈویژن میں گرلز سکولوں میں بم دھماکوں کا آغاز سب سے پہلے شورش زدہ ضلع سوات میں ہوا تاہم وہاں صوبہ سرحد کی حکومت اور مقامی طالبان کے مابین امن معاہدہ طے پانے کے بعد یہ سلسلہ فوری طورپر تو رک گیا ہے لیکن اب یہ کاروائیاں سوات سے ملحق دیر کے دو اضلاع میں منتقل ہوگئی ہیں۔
دیر کے دونوں اضلاع میں گزشتہ دو ہفتوں کے دوران پانچ مختلف بم دھماکے ہوچکے ہیں جن میں سے پہلے دو واقعات پہاڑی ضلع دیر بالا میں لڑکیوں کے سرکاری سکولوں میں ہوئے جبکہ دیگر تین وارداتیں دیر پائین میں پیش آئیں۔ ان میں آخری بم دھماکہ چار دن قبل ایجوکیٹر نامی ایک نجی مخلوط تعلیمی ادارے میں پیش آیا جو تیمرگرہ میں واقع ہے۔ یہ سکول پاکستان میں نجی سکول سسٹم کا مشہور ادارہ بیکن ہاؤس کا ایک منصوبہ ہے۔
ایجوکیٹر پبلک سکول کے پرنسپل ثناء الحق قاضی نے بی بی سی کو بتایا کہ دھماکے سے سکول کی عمارت مکمل طورپر ناکارہ ہوگئی ہے اور جس سے تقریباً ایک کروڑ روپے کا نقصان بھی ہوا ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ یہ تاثر غلط ہے کہ ہمارا مخلوط تعلیمی ادارہ تھا اسی وجہ سے اسے نشانہ بنایا گیا بلکہ یہاں تو طلبہ وطالبات کے کئی ایسے ادارے ہیں جہاں لڑکے لڑکیاں اکھٹے پڑھتے ہیں۔
ان کے بقول ’ یہ تو ملک میں شدت پسندی کی ایک لہر چل پڑی ہے جس کا اثر ہمارے صوبے میں زیادہ ہے اور ہم بھی اسی چیز کا شکار ہوئے ہیں۔‘
طالبان کی طرف سے مسجدوں پمفلٹ تقسیم کئے گئے جس میں کہا گیاکہ یہ حملے علاقے میں مبینہ ’ فحاشی اور عریانی’ کو روکنے کےلئے کئے جارہے ہیں۔
ایجوکیٹر سکول میں بم دھماکے کے بعد علاقے میں سخت خوف وہراس اور بے یقینی کی کیفیت ہے۔ لوئر دیر میں تقریباًً تمام نجی تعلیمی ادارے غیر اعلانیہ اور غیر معینہ مدت تک بند ہوگئے ہیں جبکہ سکولوں کا سٹاف بھی گھروں کو چلے گئے ہیں۔
لوئر دیر میں ایک نجی سکول کے استاد کلیم اللہ کاکہنا ہے کہ سکولوں پر حملوں سے تعلیمی سرگرمیاں بری طرح متاثر ہوئی ہیں جبکہ دوسری طرف حکومتی ادارے اور قانون نافذ کرنے اہلکار بھی خاموش تماشائی بنے ہوئے ہیں۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ ’ اب تک پانچ سکولوں کو نشانہ بنایا گیا ہے لیکن نہ تو یہ معلوم کیاجا سکا کہ یہ حملے کون لوگ کر رہے ہیں اور نہ کوئی حملہ آوار تاحال پکڑا گیا ہے ، بظاہر تو ایسا لگتا ہے کہ جیسے ہمیں زبردستی پستی کی طرف دھکیلا جارہا ہو۔‘
کلیم اللہ کے مطابق ’ یہ اصل میں دیر میں طالبانئزیشن کا آغاز ہے۔اس سے پہلے یہاں اس قسم کا کوئی واقعہ پیش نہیں آیا تھا لیکن ہم بھی میدان چھوڑنے والے نہیں۔ ہم نہ تو سکول بند کرینگے اور نہ لڑکیوں کو سکول بھیجنا بند کرینگے۔‘
دیر بالا میں ہونے والے دو دھماکوں کی ذمہ داری تحریک طالبان پاکستان نے مبینہ طورپر قبول کرلی تھی ۔ چند دن پہلے تحریک کی طرف سے مسجدوں پمفلٹ تقسیم کئے گئے تھے جس میں کہا گیا تھا کہ یہ حملے علاقے میں مبینہ ’ فحاشی اور عریانی’ کو روکنے کےلئے کئے جارہے ہیں۔
پمفلٹ کے مطابق جو کوئی انتظامی افسر، خان ملک یا کوئی اور بااثر شخص اس کی مزاحمت کرے گا تو پھر وہ اللہ اور طالبان کے دوشمنی کےلئے تیار ہوجائے۔
دیر کے ایک مقامی صحافی سید امجد علی شاہ نے بتایا کہ دو روز قبل دیر میں مقامی مشران کا ایک جرگہ بھی منعقد ہوا تھا لیکن بدقسمتی سے اس میں کوئی فیصلہ نہیں ہوسکا۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ مقامی انتظامیہ کی طرح علاقے کے مشران بھی سکولوں پر حملوں کوروکنے اوراس مسلے کے حل میں بظاہر کوئی دلچسپی نہیں رکھتے۔
تاہم دیر کے ضلعی پولیس افسر سید فدا حسین شاہ کہتے ہیں کہ ان دھماکوں میں مقامی عسکریت پسند ملوث نہیں بلکہ یہ کام ان لوگوں کا ہوسکتا ہے جو مالاکنڈ ڈویژن میں جاری امن کے عمل کو سبو تاژ کرنا چاہتے ہیں۔ انہوں نے ان کی واقعات کی تحقیقات کی جارہی ہے جبکہ مزید حملوں کے روک تھام کےلئے بھی سکیورٹی کے اقدامات کئے گئے ہیں۔
دیر میں لڑکیوں کی شرح تعلیم پہلے ہی نہ ہونے کے برابر ہے جبکہ تعلیمی اداروں میں حالیہ بم دھماکوں سے خواتین کی شرح تعلیم میں مزید کمی کے خدشات ظاہر کئے جارہے ہیں۔
’برطانیہ میں ستّر فیصد بھارتی ڈی وی ڈیز جعلی‘
دنیا بھر میں مقبول بھارتی فلموں کو اس وقت جس بڑے مسئلے کا سامنا ہے وہ ہے نقالی یا ’پائریسی‘۔
برٹش فونوگرافک انڈسٹری کے اندازوں کے مطابق برطانوی بازاروں اور سٹالز پر فروخت کی جانے والی بھارتی فلموں کی ستّر فیصد ڈی وی ڈیز جعلی ہوتی ہیں جبکہ ہالی وڈ کی فلموں میں یہ شرح صرف پانچ فیصد کے قریب ہے۔
مغربی لندن کا علاقہ ساؤتھ آل ایک ایسی جگہ ہے جہاں خوشبو دار کھانوں اور خوشنما ساڑیوں کی دکانوں کے علاوہ بالی وڈ فلموں اور گانوں کی ڈی وی ڈیز اور سی ڈیز بھی بڑی تعداد میں دستیاب ہوں۔
گزشتہ برس کے دوران پولیس اور متعلقہ حکام نے ساؤتھ آل کے علاقے میں بالی وڈ کی نقلی فلموں کا کاروبار کرنے والی کم از کم سات دکانوں کو بند کیا ہے اور ان گوداموں پر چھاپے مارے ہیں جہاں ان فلموں کی نقل بنائی جاتی تھی۔ تاہم ان کارروائیوں کے باوجود فلموں کی نقلی سی ڈیز اور ڈی وی ڈیز کا کاروبار ختم نہیں کیا جا سکا ہے۔
لندن کی ایلنگ کونسل کے سینئر ٹریڈنگ آفیسر محمد طارق کا کہنا ہے کہ ’جعلی سی ڈیز اور ڈی وی ڈیز بنانے والے لوگ ہی اس منظم جرم کے اصل گرگے ہیں‘۔
ساؤتھ آل میں فلموں کے ایک سٹال سے تین سو سے زائد نقلی سی ڈیز اور ڈی وی ڈیز برآمد کرنے والی ٹیم کے رکن پولیس سارجنٹ شاہد ملک کے مطابق ایک جعلی سی ڈی پر سٹال ہولڈرز کی لاگت ستّر سے اسّی پنس آتی ہے جبکہ وہ اسے کئی گنا منافع پر بیچتے ہیں‘۔ ان کے مطابق’ہم نے کئی جعلی ڈی وی ڈیز دیکھی ہیں اور ان کی کوالٹی اتنی بھی بری نہیں تھی‘۔
امریکی فوج پر سینیٹ کمیٹی کی تنقید
امریکی سینیٹ کی ایک کمیٹی نے گوانتانامو بے میں قیدیوں سے تفتیش کے لئے اختیار کرنے والے طریقہ کار کے عمل پر امریکی فوج پر تنقید کی ہے۔
اس سے پہلے پینٹا گون کے وکلا نے سینیٹ کی آرمڈ سروسز کمیٹی کو بتایا کہ انسانی حسات کو محروم رکھنا اور پانی میں ڈبونے کا احساس دلانا یا واٹر بورڈنگ جیسے طریقہ کار امریکی فوجیوں کو دی جانے والی تربیت سے حاصل ہونے والے تجربے کی بنیاد پر اختیار کئے گئے تھے۔
کمیٹی کے چئیرمین کارل لیون نے کہا ہے کہ امریکی فوج نے ضوابط کو مروڑ کر اس قانونی شکل دینے کی کوشش کی۔
ان وکلا کا کہنا ہے کہ انہوں نے ایسے طریقوں کی قانونی حیثیت کے بارے میں سن دو ہزار دو میں ہی تشویش کا اظہار کردیا تھا۔
وائٹ ہاؤس نے ان بیانات کے رد عمل میں کہا ہے کہ امریکہ نے تمام قیدیوں کو سے انسانی سلوک روا رکھا ہے۔ وائٹ ہاؤس کے ترجمان ٹونی فراٹو کا کہنا ہے کہ ’قیدیوں کے ساتھ بد سلوکی کرنا کبھی بھی امریکی حکومت کی پالیسی نہیں رہی ہے۔‘
انہوں نے کہا ’اس حکومت کی پالیسی رہی ہے کہ قیدیوں کے ساتھ تفتیش کی جائے اور اس ملک کو محفوظ رکھنے کے لئے ان سے معلومات حاصل کی جائیں۔‘
امریکی فوج کے وکلا کے یہ بیانات اس رپورٹ کے ابتدائی حصے کے طور پر جاری کئے گئے ہیں جو سینیٹ کی آرمڈ سروسز کمیٹی تیار کررہی ہے۔
تفتیش کے ان طریقہ کار کو، جن میں سے کچھ کی فہرست وکلا کو امریکی فوج کے ماہرین نے مہیا کی تھیں، اس وقت امریکہ کے وزیر دفاع ڈونالڈ رمزفیلڈ نے ان وکلا کی طرف سے اعتراض کے باوجود منظور کیا تھا۔
سینیٹ کی آرمڈ سروسز کمیٹی کے چئیرمین سینیٹر کارل لیون نے کہا ہے کہ ان طریقہ کار کی مسٹر رمزفیلڈ کی طرف سے منظوری سے ’ایک ایسا وائرس پھیل گیا جس نے عراق اور افغانستان میں امریکی تفتیشی مراکز کو متاثر کیا ہے۔‘
معزول چیف جسٹس کو تنخواہ مل گئی
حکومت نے پی سی او کے تحت حلف نہ اُٹھانے والے سپریم کورٹ کے معزول چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری سمیت سپریم کورٹ کے گیارہ معزول ججوں کو سات ماہ کی تنخواہ ادا کر دی ہے۔
معزول چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری کے گھر کے باہر میڈیا کے نمائندوں سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے ان کے وکیل اطہر من اللہ نے کہا کہ جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری کو چیف جسٹس کی تنخواہ کا چیک دیا گیا ہے۔
ان کا کہنا تھا ججوں کو دیے جانے والے چیک پر جج صاحبان کے ناموں سے پہلے جسٹس لگایا گیا ہے جو کہ صدر جنرل ریٹائرڈ پرویز مشرف کے اس بیان کی نفی کرتا ہے کہ تین نومبر کو پی سی او کے تحت حلف نہ اُٹھانے والے جج اب جج نہیں رہے۔
دوسری طرف فنانس بل کے ذریعے ججوں کی تعداد بڑھانے کے اقدام کو اسلام آباد ہائی کورٹ میں چیلنج کیا گیا ہے اور اس سلسلے میں دائر کی جانے والی درخواست کے قابلِ سماعت ہونے کے بارے میں سماعت اسلام آباد ہائی کورٹ کے چیف جسٹس سردار محمد اسلم کل یعنی بدھ کو کر رہے ہیں۔
انہوں نے کہا کہ ان معزول ججوں میں شامل جسٹس جاوید اقبال کو تنخواہ کا چیک نہیں دیا گیا کیونکہ انہوں نے پاکستان پریس کونسل کے چئرمین کا عہدہ سنبھال لیا تھا۔
واضح رہے کہ جسٹس جاوید اقبال کی پاکستان پریس کونسل میں تعیناتی چودہ نومبر دو ہزار سات کو ہوئی تھی اور انہوں نے اس عہدے سے اکتیس مارچ کو استعفیٰ دے دیا تھا۔ ان کا چیک بعد میں دیا جائے گا۔
سیکرٹری قانون آغا رفیق نے منگل کو ججز کالونی جا کر معزول چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری، جسٹس سردار رضا خان اور جسٹس ناصرالملک کو تنخواہ کے چیک دیے جبکہ سپریم کورٹ کے وہ معزول جج صاحبان جو ججز کالونی میں رہائش پذیر نہیں یا بیرون ملک ہیں، اُن کے چیک افتخار محمد چوہدری کے حوالے کر دیے گئے۔
ججوں کو دیے جانے والے چیک پر جج صاحبان کے ناموں سے پہلے جسٹس لگایا گیا ہے جو کہ صدر جنرل ریٹائرڈ پرویز مشرف کے اس بیان کی نفی کرتا ہے کہ تین نومبر کو پی سی او کے تحت حلف نہ اُٹھانے والے جج اب جج نہیں رہے۔
اطہر من اللہ
سپریم کورٹ کے معزول جسٹس خلیل الرحمن رمدے اور جسٹس میاں شاکر اللہ جان برطانیہ کے دورے پر ہیں جبکہ باقی چھ جج صاحبان اپنے آْبائی گھروں میں رہائش پذیر ہیں۔
واضح رہے کہ پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے چیئرمین آصف علی زرداری کی ہدایت پر وزیراعظم سید یوسف رضا گیلانی نے پی سی او کے تحت حلف نہ اُٹھانے والے اعلٰی عدالتوں کے ساٹھ ججوں کو تنخواہیں ادا کرنے کے احکامات جاری کیے تھے۔
سپریم کورٹ کے معزول جسٹس سردار رضا خان، جنہوں نے تنخواہ کا چیک وصول کیا ہے، نے کہا ہے کہ انہیں یہ چیک اُس اکاونٹ سے نہیں دیے گئے جہاں سے اُن کی تنخواہیں آتی تھیں۔
بی بی سی سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے انہوں نے کہا کہ سیکرٹری لاء نے انہیں وہ دستاویز بھی دکھائی ہیں جس کے تحت انہیں تنخواہوں کے چیک دیے گئے ہیں۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ جب سپریم کورٹ کے جج صاحبان بحال ہوں گے تو یہ رقم اُن کی تنخواہوں کی مد میں ایڈجسٹ کر لی جائے گی۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ یہ چیک وزیراعظم کے صوابدیدی فنڈز سے بھی نہیں دیے گئے۔
انہوں نے کہا کہ اس تنخواہوں کے چیک میں معزول ججوں کے زیر استعمال گاڑیوں کا پیٹرول شامل نہیں ہے۔ سردار رضا نے کہا کہ تین نومبر سے پہلے ان جج صاحبان کو چار سو لیٹر ماہانہ پیٹرول ملتا تھا جو اب بڑھا کر چھ سو لیٹر کر دیا گیا ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ سپریم کورٹ کے جو معزول جج صاحبان اپنے آبائی گھروں میں رہ رہے ہیں اُن کے گھر ابھی بھی ججز کالونی میں ہیں۔
واضح رہے کہ صدر جنرل ریٹائرڈ پرویز مشرف نے تین نومبر سنہ دو ہزار سات میں ملک میں ایمرجنسی کے نفاذ کے بعد سپریم کورٹ اور ہائی کورٹ کے ساٹھ ججوں کو معزول کرنے کے بعد انہیں گھروں میں نظر بند
’مشاورت سے نیا صدر لائیں گے
پیپلزپارٹی کے شریک چئر پرسن آصف علی زرداری نے کہا ہے کہ ’جس ادارے نے ہم سے بے نظیر بھٹو کو چھین لیا ہم چاہتے ہیں کہ وہ ادارہ برقرار رہے ورنہ پاکستان میں بھی وار لارڈز ہونگے۔جیسے افغانستان میں فوج نہیں رہی تو ایک ایک پہاڑی پر کئی کئی جنگجو سردار چڑھ کر بیٹھ گئے‘۔وہ لاہور کے گورنر ہاؤس میں سنئیر صحافیوں کے ایک گروپ سے گفتگو کررہے تھے۔
انہوں نے کہا کہ کسی کا نام لیے بغیر کہا کہ ’وہ جس ادارے کو کمزور کرنے جارہے ہیں اس کے سب سے زیادہ ڈسے ہوئے ہم ہیں۔ہم سے اس ادارے نے قربانیاں لی ہیں لیکن پھر بھی ہم اسے مضبوط دیکھنا چاہتے ہیں‘۔
آصف زرداری نے کہا کہ ڈر اس بات سے ہے کہ جیسا افغانستان کے ساتھ ہوا وہ پاکستان کے ساتھ نہ ہوجائے۔ ’انقلاب ایران کے بعد ان کے عوام کا کیا بنا۔ ہم تو اٹھارہ کروڑ کا ملک ہیں ہم کہاں جائیں گے۔‘
انہوں نے کہا کہ ’میں نہیں سمجھتا کہ ملک ٹوٹنے کے بعد مجھے کہیں زمین کا ایک ٹکڑا بھی ملےگا۔شاہ ایران کو بھی دربدر ہوکر مصر میں دفن ہونے کی جگہ ملی۔ ہمیں افغانستان،انڈیا نہ ایران پناہ دے گا۔ہمیں تو یہیں رہنا ہوگا اور خود کو سنبھالنا ہوگا‘۔
Musharraf’s picture removed from Governor’s House
LAHORE: President Pervez Musharraf’s portrait was removed from Governor House on Tuesday, a private television channel reported. According to Aaj TV, lawyers from the People’s Lawyers Forum, during a meeting with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in the Darbar Hall of Governor House, saw Musharraf’s picture hanging alongside the portrait of Quaid-e-Azam and demanded its removal, the channel said. The portrait, which had been hanging on the wall for eight years, was thus removed, it said. daily times monitor
I will decide when judges will be reinstated: Zardari
* PPP co-chairman says Benazir sacrificed her life for democracy, not to make Chaudhry the CJP
* Coalition parties will be consulted regarding nomination of future president
* NRO has no importance
I will decide when judges will be reinstated: Zardari
* PPP co-chairman says Benazir sacrificed her life for democracy, not to make Chaudhry the CJP
* Coalition parties will be consulted regarding nomination of future president
* NRO has no importance
LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that he would decide when the judges sacked on November 3, 2007 would be reinstated, Dawn News reported.
Talking to senior journalists and columnists at Punjab Governor’s House, he said the judicial crisis was one of the major problems Pakistan was facing and that no one could assess the situation better than he could.
“[Benazir Bhutto] did not sacrifice her life to make Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry the chief justice, but for democracy,” he said, adding that the freedom of judiciary involved the entire system and not just one man. “We know better the importance of strengthening the institutions.”
He said his party had some differences with its coalition partners at the centre and in the provinces, but added that the PPP wanted to “take the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) along”.
Political differences were “routine matter”, he said, adding: “We have yet to sort out some difference with the MQM for which a dialogue process is under way.”
According to the state-run APP news agency, Zardari said President Pervez Musharraf was an “unconstitutional president” and the PPP did not accept his November 3, 2007 measure as legal. But he said the ruling coalition parties lacked the required parliamentary strength to impeach Musharraf and added that the Awami National Party (ANP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had reservations in this regard.
Future president: “All ruling coalition parties will be consulted regarding the nomination of future president,” he added. Dawn News said he denied that he wanted to be the president. He said no other party was as experienced as the PPP in the politics of agitation, but added that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had won Pakistan’s independence through dialogue.
“I was arrested from this Governor’s House in 1996 and I addressed a large public meeting yesterday (Monday) at this very place, and I believe in this way of political revenge,” he said.
The PPP co-chairman said Benazir used to say ‘democracy is the best revenge’. “We will follow her and take revenge from anti-democratic forces through democracy.”
NRO: Zardari said the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) had not benefited only the PPP, but “thousands of other people”, and that it had no importance. Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was also present on the occasion. daily times monitor/app
BB made Musharraf quit army: Asif
LAHORE, June 17: Pakistan People’s Party’s co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that the PPP had never recognised President Pervez Musharraf as a constitutional head of state and it continued to hold the view.
“When I was in jail, and Mr Nawaz Sharif was in jail, we had the option of joining Gen Musharraf. But we didn’t. We chose to extend a hand of friendship towards Mr Sharif,” Mr Zardari told newspaper editors and senior journalists at the Governor’s House. Punjab Governor Salman Taseer was also present.
“We have suffered immensely and languished behind bars for years under Gen Musharraf’s rule. But we never supported him. (Even when Gen Musharraf extended an offer to the PPP to form its government after the 2002 elections) we told his emissary that he had to doff his uniform,” Mr Zardari said.
He said Benazir Bhutto had never accepted Gen Musharraf as the constitutional president of the country and it was she who had actually forced him to hang his uniform.
“Now if someone else tries to take the credit for this and our other achievements, it is not fair,” the PPP leader said.
Mr Zardari said the ruling coalition would last for five years in spite of a difference of opinion between him and Mr Sharif on different issues, including the deposed judges and immediate impeachment of the president.
“You don’t find 100 per cent agreement on every issue even in a family. In Sindh and the NWFP, we have difference of opinion on certain issues with our coalition partners. Even our chief minister in Balochistan has reservations on the appointment of the provincial IG (of police) and matters relating to the (provincial) budget. Yet such differences are not unusual in a coalition setup. It is just that we do not have a history of coalitions except for a brief experiment in Sindh,” he said.
“They (the PML-N) have taken a certain position (on the restoration of the pre-Nov 3, 2007, judiciary), which they consider politically advantageous for them. There is another position that we have taken. After all, both the parties have to go into the election tomorrow. This is about politics. So, in my opinion, both the coalition governments (in the centre and Punjab) and the differences would continue to co-exist,” he said.
Mr Zardari said he also wanted reinstatement of the deposed judges. “But it will happen at a time of our choosing. Ms Bhutto did not lay down her life for the reinstatement of Mr Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry as chief justice. She gave her life for democracy,” he said in reply to a question.
The PPP leader laid emphasis on reconciliation to steer the country out of the present political and economic quagmire.
He rebutted a suggestion that he was not agreeing with Mr Sharif on the restoration of the judiciary and impeachment of the president because he wanted to reciprocate Gen (retd) Musharraf’s gesture of quashing all cases against him under the National Reconciliation Ordinance. “Let me tell you that thousands of people have benefited from the NRO, not just me alone. Further, the NRO was issued after the government failed to prove any charge against me and after Gen Musharraf’s cabinet accepted that all the cases against us were politically motivated.”
Mr Zardari said the PPP did not believe in revenge. “We have a political way of seeking revenge. When Ms Bhutto was given oath as prime minister in 1988, she said she had taken revenge from her tormenters. She also insisted on my being sworn in (by president Ghulam Ishaq Khan) as a minister (in 1993). That vindicated our politics.”
He said the country was passing through a dangerous situation with insurgency going on in Balochistan, militants armed with sophisticated weapons daring the state and the military in the NWFP, and Nato increasing its presence in Afghanistan. He said Sindh had not forgotten the killing of Ms Bhutto.
He said there was a method in the ‘madness’ of those who wanted to weaken the institution (of the military) and encourage ‘baradari-ism’.
“I myself am a victim of the army; our party is a victim of the army. But if it is weakened the country will be captured by warlords. And if baradari-ism is allowed to prevail it will eat into the very foundations of the nation. That is why I keep saying that the country is facing a grave danger.”
In reply to a question, he said free judiciary did not mean reinstatement of the deposed judges. “It is about building the capacity of this institution and purging it of incompetent and corrupt elements. It is a huge issue.”
He said people were more concerned about rising food prices, water shortage, power cuts, hunger, disease and their deteriorating economic conditions. He said the government was trying to overcome those problems but that would take time.
“It can be your opinion, not mine,” he shot back when a questioner urged him to reinstate the deposed judges first and stop insisting too much on his policy of reconciliation.
A.Q. Khan denies selling N-weapon blueprints
ISLAMABAD, June 17: Top nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan on Tuesday denied selling blueprints for an advanced nuclear weapon to Iran or North Korea, telling AFP that western countries were to blame.
Mr Khan’s comments came a day after a former arms inspector said in a report that the United States and the UN atomic watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency must be allowed to question Mr Khan to learn if he sold the plans.
“This is all a lie there is no truth in this. It is total bullshit,” Khan told AFP by telephone from his Islamabad villa. “It’s pure lies and nonsense. It’s part of America’s campaign to pressure Pakistan,” Khan told Reuters by telephone.
“The Western countries are suppliers of the technology, they sold it and they are the proliferators.... Why don’t they publish juicy stories about Israel?
There is not a single word about Israel on the nuclear issue,” he added.
Former UN arms inspector David Albright said on Monday, after details of his draft report appeared in US newspapers, that there was a danger that Mr Khan might be released without having to answer questions about the sensitive blueprints.
The plans show how to build a warhead compact enough to fit on a ballistic missile.
“Khan may be released from house arrest. And we may never get to the bottom of this,” Albright told CNN television. “So I think it’s very important that we start to put pressure on the governments involved in this to find a way to get to the bottom of it.”
Mr Khan was pardoned by President Pervez Musharraf in 2004 after making a televised statement admitting to passing nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya but has not been allowed out in public.
However, after Musharraf’s allies lost general elections in February, Mr Khan retracted the confession and said that it was forced, while asserting he merely gave Tehran and Tripoli advice on where to get atomic know-how.
The new government has recently relaxed restrictions on Mr Khan, including allowing him to meet friends at a scientific institute and take phone calls, although he remains effectively confined to his house.
“The statement is just aimed at putting pressure on (the) Pakistan government. The story came when there were talks about removing restrictions on me,” said Mr Khan, who was diagnosed with prostrate cancer two years ago.
“We never prepared (such blueprints), we are not the designer, we are not the proliferators,” Mr Khan said. But Albright said that files found on computers by Swiss authorities prosecuting three members of Mr Khan’s network contained information about the compact nuclear warheads.—Agencies
15pc petrol pumps stop selling diesel
LAHORE, June 17: Diesel supplies across the country have started dipping as the government and oil marketing companies (OMCs) get entangled in a vicious circle of default, forcing 15 per cent of the petrol pumps to stop selling the product.
According to the Petroleum Dealers’ Association (PDA), the NWFP has become the worst-hit province due to the huge smuggling of diesel to Afghanistan where oil prices are much higher than in Pakistan.
Sources said that some 15 per cent of the petrol stations had already stopped selling diesel because of the supply squeeze and more were going out of operation on a daily basis.
They said up to 50 per cent of the supplies had been hit in the last 15 days and the situation was worsening by the day.
Only the PSO was partially supplying diesel and even its supplies were dwindling fast.
PDA secretary-general Zakir Qureshi said that OMCs had simply stopped supplying diesel to petrol stations, without citing any reason. All petrol station owners pay money in advance.
He said that very few petrol stations were getting supplies even after advance payments. The companies are neither supplying oil nor giving a timeframe for restoring supplies.
Petrol stations are going out of operation on a daily basis and the country could see a crisis if the situation is not retrieved within a few days.
Explaining the situation, an official of the PSO said two factors were responsible for the crisis. Firstly, the government was not releasing petroleum development levy (PDL) to the OMCs, and the companies are defaulting to refineries, which in turn have been defaulting to importers.Thus, there is a crisis-like situation in the entire supply chain of oil. The government owes Rs65 billion to the PSO alone.There are three other big companies, Total, Caltex and Shell, which have also put the government on notice.
The multinational oil companies have also stopped selling diesel because it inflates the government default and puts these companies under increasing debt to their refineries.
The PSO is somehow managing diesel supplies but it may also not be able to sustain its operation if the government does not move in quickly to correct the situation.
He said that even the PSO had started rationing its stations.
The other reason is Iranian decision to put its border area with Pakistan and Afghanistan on oil quota and make border monitoring more stringent.
Smuggled oil from Afghanistan and Iran used to meet 30 to 35 per cent of oil demand in the country, especially bordering areas.
The Iranian decision has suddenly increased demand in the country, which has put extra pressure on refineries.
These refineries are finding it hard to refine such a huge quantity. They not only have to cope with additional domestic demand but have to supply it to Afghanistan also, which is equally badly hit by the Iranian decision.
That also explains where up-country is feeling the extra crunch because the major portion of supplies is being smuggled to Afghanistan.
Musharraf, Bush among least trusted leaders
WASHINGTON, June 17: US President George W. Bush is among the three least trusted leaders in the world, ranked slightly above his Iranian and Pakistani counterparts, a survey released on Monday showed.
The survey, carried out by the Washington-based World Public Opinion group in 20 countries, found that no world leader is popular across the globe. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has the highest confidence levels, at 35 per cent.
The survey describes President Pervez Musharraf as the most unpopular leader in the world today. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is second on the list. US President George W. Bush is third.
Sixteen of the 20 nations surveyed lack confidence in President Bush. Only President Musharraf is rated negatively in more nations. Just two countries -- Nigeria and India — give Mr Bush positive ratings while a third -- Thailand — is divided. Mr Bush also gets the highest average percentage of negative ratings, 67 per cent.
“While the worldwide mistrust of President George Bush has created a global leadership vacuum, no alternative leader has stepped into the breach,” said Steven Kull, director of WorldPublicOpinion.org. “Hu Jintao and Vladimir Putin are popular among some nations, but more mistrust them than trust them.”
Pakistan, India to hold anti-terror meeting next week
ISLAMABAD, June 17: Officials from Pakistan and India will meet next Tuesday to discuss counter-terrorism strategies and exchange vital information.
“The third meeting of the Pakistan-India Joint Anti-Terror Mechanism will be held in Islamabad on June 24,” a brief statement by the Foreign Office said on Tuesday.
The Pakistani delegation will be headed by Masood Khalid, additional secretary of the ministry of foreign affairs, and the Indian side will be led by Vivek Katju, additional secretary of the ministry of external affairs.
Besides resumption of the anti-terrorism cooperation between the two countries, the talks have assumed added significance because they are being held three days before Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s first visit to New Delhi on June 27, where he would underscore Pakistan’s commitment to take forward the peace process.
It is expected that the two sides would discuss, at the JATM meeting, the explosions in Jaipur, Ajmer and Hyderabad.
Pakistan is also likely to ask for sharing the findings of the Samjhauta Express bombing.
Sources said India would reiterate its demand for extradition of Dawood Ibrahim, accused by Delhi of masterminding the 1993 Mumbai blasts.
The JATM, set up in 2006 for exchange of information pertaining to terrorist acts and discuss counter-terrorism initiatives, was supposed to meet on quarterly basis, but in over two years of its existence it has met only twice.
The last meeting was held in New Delhi on Oct 22 of last year.
The revival of the anti-terrorism mechanism was agreed upon by the two countries during the meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart Mr Pranab Mukherjee last month in Islamabad.
The two sides had on that occasion termed terrorism a scourge against humanity and had reaffirmed their commitment to fight it in all its forms and manifestations countries.
This was particularly evident from the striking absence of anti-Pakistan statements by Indian leadership after the Jaipur blasts.
Rather Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the blasts were the handiwork of elements trying to disrupt Pakistan-India peace process.
Moreover, both Mr Qureshi and Mr Mukherjee in their joint statement after the Islamabad talks, while announcing the revival of JATM, made a point to emphasise that both sides would refrain from hostile propaganda.
Iftikhar, other SC judges get salaries
ISLAMABAD, June 17: The government on Tuesday delivered paycheques for seven months to the deposed judges of the Supreme Court, including non-functional Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
“These salaries were paid under the Salaries Sanction Order, 2008,” claimed Athar Minallah, a spokesman for Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, while talking to Dawn. However, law ministry sources said the salary had been sanctioned from the prime minister’s discretionary funds.
Law Minister Farooq H. Naek recently informed the National Assembly that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had issued directives for the payment of salary to the deposed judges.
“Through an executive order these judges have been made non-functional, from deposed, and now all that is required is another such order to make them functional,” Mr Minallah said, adding that handing over of the payslips meant impliedly that the judges were no more deposed and stood reinstated.
He said if the judges were considered as deposed ones they would have received pension. They had not only been paid salary for seven months but also permissible allowances, which were given only to non-functional judges, he added.
Mr Minallah said the paycheques mentioned the word ‘justice’ before the names of each of the judges, which negated the statement of President Musharraf that the judges who did not take the oath under the PCO ceased to hold their respective offices.
President Musharraf as the army chief had on Nov 3 sent home about 60 judges who declined to take fresh oath under the emergency rule and kept them under detention in their houses for almost 143 days.
Law Secretary Agha Rafiq delivered the cheques to Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan, Justice Shakirullah Jan and Justice Nasirul Mulk at their houses in the Judges Colony. The cheques of Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, Justice Falak Sher, Justice Tasadduq Jillani, Justice Chaudhry Ijaz and Justice Jamshed have been sent to their respective residences.Meanwhile, Advocate Hashmat Habib, chairman of the Save Judiciary Movement, described the sanction of salary from the contingency funds as “an insult to the judges” and said that such funds were meant for the needy and not judges.
Iftikhar, other SC judges get salaries
ISLAMABAD, June 17: The government on Tuesday delivered paycheques for seven months to the deposed judges of the Supreme Court, including non-functional Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
“These salaries were paid under the Salaries Sanction Order, 2008,” claimed Athar Minallah, a spokesman for Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, while talking to Dawn. However, law ministry sources said the salary had been sanctioned from the prime minister’s discretionary funds.
Law Minister Farooq H. Naek recently informed the National Assembly that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had issued directives for the payment of salary to the deposed judges.
“Through an executive order these judges have been made non-functional, from deposed, and now all that is required is another such order to make them functional,” Mr Minallah said, adding that handing over of the payslips meant impliedly that the judges were no more deposed and stood reinstated.
He said if the judges were considered as deposed ones they would have received pension. They had not only been paid salary for seven months but also permissible allowances, which were given only to non-functional judges, he added.
Mr Minallah said the paycheques mentioned the word ‘justice’ before the names of each of the judges, which negated the statement of President Musharraf that the judges who did not take the oath under the PCO ceased to hold their respective offices.
President Musharraf as the army chief had on Nov 3 sent home about 60 judges who declined to take fresh oath under the emergency rule and kept them under detention in their houses for almost 143 days.
Law Secretary Agha Rafiq delivered the cheques to Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan, Justice Shakirullah Jan and Justice Nasirul Mulk at their houses in the Judges Colony. The cheques of Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, Justice Falak Sher, Justice Tasadduq Jillani, Justice Chaudhry Ijaz and Justice Jamshed have been sent to their respective residences.Meanwhile, Advocate Hashmat Habib, chairman of the Save Judiciary Movement, described the sanction of salary from the contingency funds as “an insult to the judges” and said that such funds were meant for the needy and not judges.
Parliament breaks taboo, debates defence budget
ISLAMABAD, June 17: For the first time in the country’s history, details of the defence budget for the current as well as the next financial year were placed before parliament amid applause from both treasury and opposition benches.
The Leader of the House in the Senate, Raza Rabbani, laid before the house the papers containing service-wise break-up of the Rs295.306 billion budget for the next financial year and Rs276.186 billion revised budget for the current year.
At the outset of the session, which started two hours late, Mr Rabbani termed the move a step towards sovereignty of parliament. He said that in the past “only one-line defence budget” was presented and the issue was never debated in parliament.
He said the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-N had agreed in the Charter of Democracy that the defence budget would be brought to parliament for debate.
Mr Rabbani admitted that complete details were still not being provided to the Senate, but expressed the hope that next time more details of defence expenditures would come before the house for discussion.
The defence budget details were put before the Senate on the last day of a general debate on the budget, which is expected to be passed by the National Assembly by June 26.
Senators were given only two hours for discussion on defence spending after which Finance Minister Naveed Qamar wrapped up the debate.
A total of Rs295.306 billion has been allocated for defence services, as against Rs276.186 billion for the current year. An amount of Rs99.09 billion has been allocated for employees-related expenses, Rs82.84 billion for operating expenses, including Rs12.08 billion for travel and transportation and Rs70.75 billion for general expenditures, Rs87.63 billion for physical assets and Rs25.73 billion for civil works.
According to the revised budget for the current year (2007-08), Rs95.74 billion had been allocated for employees-related expenses, Rs74.33 billion for operating expenses, including Rs12.54 billion for travel and transportation and Rs61.79 billion for general expenditures, Rs82.91 billion for physical assets and Rs23.20 billion for civil works.
The service-wise break-up for 2008-09 shows that Rs128.699 billion has been earmarked for the army, Rs71.006 billion for the air force, Rs29.133 billion for the navy and Rs66.467 billion for defence procurement (DP) establishment and other accounts organisations.
During the current year, the allocation for army was Rs123.290 billion, for air force Rs63.332 billion, for navy Rs26.454 billion and for DP establishment and other organisations Rs63.109 billion.
Of the Rs128.699 billion allocated to the army, Rs71.274 billion has been set aside for employees-related expenses, Rs22.337bn for operating expenses, including Rs4.682bn for travel and transportation, and Rs17.654bn for general expenditures, Rs21.527bn for physical assets and Rs13.560bn for civil works.
Of Rs71.006 billion allocated for air force, Rs10.706 billion has been kept for employees-related expenses, Rs16.463 billion for operating expenses, including Rs2.183 billion for travel and transportation, and Rs14.279 billion for general expenditures, Rs39.597 billion for physical assets and Rs4.239 billion for civil works.
Of the Rs29.133 billion proposed for the navy, Rs6.750 billion has been allocated for employees-related expenses, Rs3.910 billion for operating expenses, including Rs1.432 billion for travel and transportation and Rs2.477 billion for general expenditures, Rs15.712 billion for physical assets and Rs2.759 billion for civil works.
An amount of Rs66.467 billion has been proposed for DP establishment, ISOs and accounts organisations. Of the allocation, Rs10.359 billion has been set aside for employees-related expenses, Rs40.129 billion for operating expenses, including Rs3.786 billion for travel and transportation and Rs36.342 billion for general expenditures, Rs10.8 billion for physical assets and Rs5.176 billion for civil works.
While some members of the ruling coalition called for slashing the defence budget because of its interference in politics, opposition members suggested that the allocation should be increased because of the tense situation at the country’s border.
Treasury Senator Khalid Soomro criticised the army for carrying out operations in the tribal areas and Lal Masjid and suggested that the defence budget should be curtailed by 50 per cent.
At this, some of the opposition women senators protested over the criticism on the army by treasury members and threatened to stage a walkout. However, Opposition Leader in the Senate Kamil Ali Agha persuaded them not to do so.
Mr Rabbani said the PPP did not want confrontation with any institution, but one thing was clear: parliament was the supreme institution.
“Parliament is the supreme institution and all other institutions are accountable to it,” he maintained.
He said the PPP and the PML-N had also defined the role of intelligence agencies in the Charter of Democracy and that would be ensured in future.
Entertainment News
Naseem Vicky gets harsh as director
LAHORE: Stage actor Naseem Vicky as director has adopted a harsh attitude towards fellow actors working in his projects. Reportedly the actor-turned-director had achieved considerable success and want to excel further. Naseem Vicky was currently working on a stage play at a local theatre where he was said to have been quite offensive with the cast of the play and allowed no laziness.
LAHORE: Stage actor Naseem Vicky as director has adopted a harsh attitude towards fellow actors working in his projects. Reportedly the actor-turned-director had achieved considerable success and want to excel further. Naseem Vicky was currently working on a stage play at a local theatre where he was said to have been quite offensive with the cast of the play and allowed no laziness.
Entertainment News
Pakistan’s first Children’s Film Festival
LAHORE: Pakistan’s first-ever 9-day “Children’s Film Festival” started on Saturday at the Ali Auditorium, Ferozepur Road. The event is organised by the Children’s Film Foundation, a project of the Ali Institute of Education, which is a well-known and respected teacher training institute. Running from 14th to 22nd June 2008, each day the festival is screening movies made for and about children including Hollywood blockbuster animations made for kids like ‘Bee Movie’, ‘Ratatouille’, ‘The Incredibles’, ‘Finding Nemo’, ‘The Polar Express’, ‘Chicken Run’, ‘Ice Age’, ‘Monsters Inc.’ and ‘Madagascar’.
Businees News
TCP Bought 40,000 T Wheat: Traders
PARIS:TCP has bought an additional 40,000 tonnes of wheat at $399.45 per tonne, the same price as for the 100,000 tonnes purchase announced earlier on Tuesday, European traders said.
Traders had stressed that Pakistan was still discussing to buy more wheat as part of its 250,000 tonnes tender. Discussions are now closed, they said.
PARIS:TCP has bought an additional 40,000 tonnes of wheat at $399.45 per tonne, the same price as for the 100,000 tonnes purchase announced earlier on Tuesday, European traders said.
Traders had stressed that Pakistan was still discussing to buy more wheat as part of its 250,000 tonnes tender. Discussions are now closed, they said.
Indian News
Bengal not averse to tripartite talks with GJM: Buddhadeb
The West Bengal government on Tuesday (June 17) suggested that it was not averse to a tripartite meeting with Gorkha Janamukti Morcha, which is spearheading an agitation for a separate Gorkhaland, and the Centre on the Darjeeling issue and made an unconditional offer of talks with the Gorkha group.
An all-party meeting in Kolkata adopts resolution asking Gorkha Janamukti Morcha to withdraw its indefinite bandh in Darjeeling hills and hold talks with West Bengal government. Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee says it is a political problem which can be solved politically and that something will emerge in the next few days. He feels agitation and bandh in the hills will not solve the problem.
The West Bengal Chief Minister — Buddhadev Bhattacharjee — also said that the state governement is trying to resolve the issue in an amicable manner.
Asked if the government would be ready to discuss a separate Gorkhaland state as demanded by GJM, the Chief Minister told reporters in Kolkata after an all-party meeting that “in my earlier letter to GJM for talks, we did not set any condition. We still do not have any pre-condition.”
Bhattacharjee said he would inform the Centre about the outcome of today’s meeting and ask the political parties, which attended the meeting to make efforts in initiating dialogues with the GJM for a solution.
In reply to a question, Bhattacharjee said that he did not have any objection to a bipartite or triparite meeting with GJM.
”We want a solution to the problem, be it through a bipartite or tripartite meeting. But this requires preparation of the ground. For this, there is a greater need to exchange views with the Centre as also with the agitators,” the Chief Minister said.
Appealing to GJM to call off its indefinite bandh in Darjeeling Hills, he said “we will have to stand together and convince the leaders of GJM that bandhs will not solve any problem. What we need is a political dialogue.”
He said the meeting, attended by Congrees, BJP and Left Front partners, unanimously resolved to find a political solution to the impasse through dialogue “with patience and tolerance.”
Trinamool, GNLF skips all-party meeting on Darjeeling
Pushed to the corner by Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) on the issue of Gorkhaland, Gorkha National Liberation Front led by Subash Ghishing on Tuesday (June 17) skipped the all-party meeting called by West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee here today to discuss the Darjeeling issue.
Main opposition Trinamool Congress and SUCI also skipped the all-party meeting, arguing all parties, including GJM, should have been invited.
“Our party president (Ghishing) possibly got the invitation from the state government to attend the meeting. Since I have not got any instruction from my party president, I will not go,” Shanta Chhetri who is the party MLA from Kurseong, said.
Two other GNLF lesiglators Goulan Lepcha from Kalimpong and Pranay Rai from Darjeeling have already switched over to GJM.
They have already submitted their resignations from the party to Speaker H A Halim on Februry 29 and requested him to allot seats for them as they would not sit with GNLF legislator Chhetri.
Replying to a question, Chhetri said “all people in the Darjeeling hills want Gorkhaland. Even GNLF itself was formed to fight for Gorkhaland”. The GNLF has been accused by GJM of betraying the Gorkhaland cause and settling for a Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in 1988.
Ghishing resigned from DGHC caretaker administrator’s post on March 10 this year in the face of agitation by GJM.
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