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Senior Civilian Representative for Nato in Afghanistan Mark Sedwill said that Pakistani attitudes were hardening towards guerrilla groups that had previously been supported by the state.

“In the past, they had relations with various groups,” he told the Asia Society think-tank in New York, but now “I think there has been a shift.”

“People sometimes say the Pakistanis must do more … (but) actually they have lost an awful lot of soldiers fighting the groups that target them,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

This law comes about after amendments to the Electoral Rolls Act 1974 and the Representation of the People Act 1976. Following these amendments, the chief election commissioner (CEC) will have no discretionary powers and all major decisions would have to be approved by the entire election commission, which includes four members from each province and a CEC.

Old identity cards provided under the National Registration Act of 1973 will no longer be considered valid proof of identity for voting.

Under a new amendment in section 30 of the Representation of Peoples Act 1976, any employee of the election commission will be punishable with imprisonment if he is found to be in breach of the security or integrity of information contained in the electoral rolls database or publishes the information without being authorised by the commission. Such an employee could be imprisoned for up to five years or slapped a fine of up to a million rupees.

The Election Tribunal has been authorised to appoint a local commission for recording evidence for speedy trial in cases related to polls.

After its adoption by the Senate, the bill will be sent to the National Assembly for approval before the president signs it into law.

In Tuesday’s session, some Opposition Senators raised the issue of not filling vacancies in the election commission which they called a hurdle in the smooth functioning of the commission. Responding to points of orders by members, Law Minister Babar Awan said that the government has constituted a parliamentary committee for establishment of the election commission and the National Assembly Secretariat has been requested in writing to arrange its meeting.

Minister for Interprovincial Coordination Raza Rabbani said that parliamentary committee members have to elect their chairman first. “The speaker should call a meeting for electing a chairman for the parliamentary committee so that it can start functioning,” he said.

Professor Khurshid said that names of commission members are to be initiated by the prime minister in consultation with the opposition leader. He said that the election commission should be prepared at all times as midterm polls could be announced at any time.

But Awan ruled out the possibility of early elections and said that general elections will be held in 2013.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

Late on Monday night it was reported that 14 people had been killed in Bara area of Khyber Agency in a militant ambush on a security forces’ convoy.

But at the funeral prayers of the slain soldiers in Peshawar, Malik told reporters that 13 soldiers, including two senior officers, died when a mortar shell fired as the cover missed its target and landed where the troops were located.

General Malik said that the mortar cover was asked for by the troops themselves, after they came under attack from militants. “When our soldiers came under fire, the commanding officer called mortar fire twice. The second mortar missed its target and hit our own soldiers,” Malik said.

“There is a possibility of error in mortar fire when troops are themselves under fire,” he said.

“Troops were conducting a routine search and cordon operation in the area on information that militants who were threatening Peshawar’s security had gathered in the area,” he said.

He said that there were deaths and arrests of militants during this operation but offered no details. WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AFP

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

The foreign ministry has conveyed to the Swiss mission in Islamabad its reservations on the move by Nawabzada Brahamdagh Bugti, who also heads the Balochistan Republican Party, a splinter group of the Jamhoori Wattan Party (JWP), official sources said.

Islamabad has also asked its ambassador in Berne to take up the issue with the Swiss authorities.

On a formal request from the Balochistan government, the interior ministry had asked the foreign ministry to oppose the request by Brahamdagh, a grandson of the slain Bugti chieftain Nawab Akbar Bugti.

The Swiss authorities have been informed that the secessionist leader was wanted on charges of anti-state activities in Pakistan.

Brahamdagh, who secretly flew to Switzerland from Kabul along with his family and two associates last year, had submitted the application for political asylum early this year.

“Apparently Islamabad is opposed to Brahamdagh’s plea, but at the same time it is satisfied that he will not be able to stoke the Baloch insurgency from Switzerland,” a government source told The Express Tribune. “For this reason we are not demanding his extradition,” he added.

Pakistan had repeatedly said that Brahamdagh was hiding in Kabul from where he had been spearheading the Baloch insurgency. And the matter was taken up with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, when he visited Islamabad last time. He had reportedly promised to look into the matter.

“Under mounting pressure from the Pakistan government, Brahamdagh was forced by the Afghan government to leave the country,” the source said.

However, Brahamdagh’s supporters in Quetta claim that he left Afghanistan following reports that Pakistani agencies had hired an Afghan journalist to assassinate him in Kabul.

Another official source claimed that Brahamdagh possesses Indian, Afghan and Pakistani passports. “He was being funded by Indian spy agencies through Arjun Das Bugti, a close aide of the late Nawab Akbar Bugti,” the source added.

Nawab Akbar Bugti had awarded the tribal name of Bugti to local Hindus and supported Arjun Das for the office of deputy speaker of the Balochistan Assembly from the JWP platform.

Arjun had migrated to India a few years ago where he was granted Indian nationality.

If the Swiss government accepts his plea, Brahamdagh would be the third Baloch nationalist leader to get political asylum in Europe.

Earlier Britain had granted asylum to Baloch leader Hyrbyair Marri. And another Baloch nationalist, Prince Salman of Qalat, was also granted asylum in Britain where he had set up ‘Government of Balochistan in exile.’

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

Police said that a suicide jacket, four Kalashnikovs, eight hand grenades and 1,000 bullets were recovered from their possession.

Addressing a press conference, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore Muhammad Aslam Tareen said that after investigating Muhammad Zubair alias Naeek Muhammad and Abdul Wahab – two men already in custody in the case – and with the help of camera footage, it had emerged that the attackers used Tauheed hostel at Wahdat Road and rented houses in Madina Colony near Cavalry Ground and Gujjar Colony, Shahdara, to plot the attack. He said that a day before the attack, the accused vacated a rented house in Gujjar Colony.

Tareen said that the police were tipped off about a meeting of the six TTP members by a source, who raided Jahangir’s tomb in Shahdara Town and arrested the alleged attackers.

The arrested men told interrogators that they belonged to the TTP and were given physical training in Kamalia by one Aslam alias Usama. They said they came to Lahore from Waziristan in December 2008 along with their commanders Abdur Haleem Masood and Aslam Yaseen. They also revealed that their plan was to kidnap the Sri Lankan cricket team and use them to pressure authorities into releasing other arrested TTP members. The alleged attackers said they brought the ammunition and suicide jackets from Toba Tek Singh.

According to the police, they gathered at Jamia Ashrafia after morning prayers on March 3, 2009, and arrived at City Tower near Liberty Chowk in two cars and two rickshaws.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

The announcement shattered all hopes of the HEC, which has started lobbying to control the finances of higher education. Rabbani announced that its functions, except maintaining standards of higher education, would be transferred to the provinces by re-drafting its Ordinance.

He said that the federal cabinet has given approval for devolving of five more ministries in the second phase of the devolution plan. These include Education, Social Welfare and Special Education, Tourism, Livestock and Dairy, Rural Development and Culture.

“We are going to end the financial ‘chaudhrahat’ (monopoly) of the HEC once and for all as it has always acted beyond its purview,” said Rabbani. He said that all functions including curriculum, planning, centres for excellence and implementation were on the concurrent list and it was necessary to be devolved to the provinces under the new amendment.

Commenting on the objection raised by some quarters including former HEC chief Dr Attaur-Rehman over the move, Rabani commented, “Who is Attaur-Rehman? He was the part of that school of thought which had always labelled those who spoke for provincial autonomy and democracy in the country as traitors.”

Rabbani said that the government has decided to establish a separate division to handle all departments related to Islamabad Capital Territory, which would be supervised by the cabinet division. He said that the division would supervise functions of the capital city departments including education, health, social welfare, tourism, culture and so on.

He said that the HEC Ordinance had been thoroughly reviewed and clauses which did not clash with the 18th amendment would remain untouched. Rabbani added that the Ordinance would be redrafted soon.

Besides, all the international agreements and donation related matters have been given to the Economic Affairs Division (EAD), he said.

“We are not going to interpret the 18th amendment and our mandate is only to implement the law,” Rabbani maintained. In future, he said that the arising issues between provinces and federation would be settled in the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

Moreover, Rabbani said that the government would sit with the provincial government and will design educational programs in collaboration with the CCI and the Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee.

He said that all the ongoing scholarships for the Pakistani students studying in foreign universities will continue till the completion of their education.

Rabbani said that the employees of the devolving ministries would not be fired, neither sent to a divisible pool. There are total 17, 440 employees, who are working in these five ministries and of them 1,180 are civil servants, who would be adjusted in other ministries.

There are 12,000 teachers of federal government schools and colleges out of a total 14,390 working in the educational department in Islamabad. The status of these teachers will also remain the same.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

The judiciary is reaching for powers that belong to parliament, Jahangir told reporters on Tuesday. Referring to the removal of Deedar Hussain Shah as NAB chairman, she said the SC had ruled that the chief justice must be consulted on the appointment.

“That means absolute authority to make the appointment will go the CJP, not the the parliament, which is a serious matter,” she said.

Jahangir said she agreed that the appointment should be made after consultations, but questioned how Shah could be disqualified from being reappointed to the post. “Procedural flaws in an appointment do not disqualify a person,” she said.

She said the SC decision on the extension of six additional judges rejected by the parliamentary committee on the appointment of judges had made the committee redundant.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

“Pakistan is deeply concerned over the situation developing in North Africa, Middle East and other parts of the Arab world which could be extremely detrimental to the overall interests of stability, order and peace of the Ummah,” said Gilani during a meeting with visiting Bahrain Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al-Khalifa.

“Pakistan’s position on these matters is based on the universally recognised principles of respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states as well as non-intervention and non-interference.”

Gilani’s comments were resonated by President Asif Ali Zardari at a separate meeting with the top diplomat of the Arab country.

“Pakistan desires peace, security and stability in Bahrain and indeed in the whole of the Middle East,” President Zardari told the visiting minister.

“Pakistan believes that it will be dangerous for regional peace and stability if the system was destabilised one way or the other,” he said.

The president said that it was important that restraint was exercised by all and violence avoided.

He expressed hope that the government and people of Bahrain would soon be able to overcome all difficulties.

Pakistan also welcomed the steps being taken for reconciliation in Bahrain.

Later Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar at a separate meeting with her Bahranian counterpart expressed confidence that Bahrain would be able to overcome the present difficulties in the spirit of security, peace and reconciliation.

Pakistan has welcomed the initiative of King of Bahrain for an inclusive dialogue with all segments of the society to promote harmony and reconciliation.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

During the course of the two-day talks in Delhi, Pakistani authorities provided detailed updates on the ongoing trial and investigation of the Mumbai terror attacks in their country.

“In principle, Pakistan has conveyed its readiness to entertain a commission from India on the Mumbai terror attack investigations,” the interior secretaries of Pakistan and India said in a joint statement after their meeting. “The modalities and composition in this connection will be worked out through diplomatic channels.”

The Indian home affairs ministry had earlier sent a request to Pakistani authorities asking for permission to send a commission to Islamabad and question the alleged conspirators of the 26/11 strike on Mumbai.

Islamabad had apparently not responded before to Delhi’s request to quiz seven people who are suspected to be involved in the attack.

Pakistan, too, will send a judicial commission to India in connection with the trial of the Mumbai attacks and the Indian authorities will provide dates for the visit within four to six weeks. Interior Secretary Qamar Zaman Chaudhry has invited his Indian counterpart GK Pillai for the next round of talks in Pakistan. Pillai has accepted the invitation.

In response to Pakistan’s gesture of allowing an inquiry commission, the Indian authorities also provided information about the Samjhauta Express blast probe. New Delhi has also assured that after the filing of the report in court, updated information would be shared with the authorities in Pakistan.

“The meeting was extremely positive. It has moved forward in reducing the trust deficit significantly,” Pillai told reporters after the meeting.

The two countries have also agreed that both sides would remain engaged on outstanding issues and the home secretary- and interior secretary-level dialogue would be organised bi-annually. The top bureaucrats of the two countries have also decided to set up a hotline between them to share real time information on terrorist threats.

“Both sides agreed to set up a hotline between the home secretary of India and the interior secretary of Pakistan to facilitate real-time information sharing with respect to terrorist threats,” the two men said in the joint statement.

The two sides also agreed to free fishermen kept in Indian and Pakistani jails. Coast guard often detain fishermen who stray into the waters of the other country.

Sources close to the union government confirmed that Pakistani authorities were hopeful that the high court could allow Islamabad to share with Indian investigators voice samples of terrorists who were allegedly involved in the Mumbai attacks. A lower court in Pakistan had rejected the case initially.

Strategic analyst Brahma Chellaney labelled the new hotline as a “public relations” stunt. “A line already exists between director-general of military operations of the two countries and this new line does not change the dynamics of India, Pakistan relations,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Twitter-savvy Interior Minister Rehman Malik has thanked Indian home minister ‘brother’ P Chidambaram for the successful talks between the home secretaries of the two countries.

“The meeting between the home secretaries of Pak and India has gone very well. Congratulation to both the teams… It is their first meeting after my meeting with H.E Mr. Chidambaram. Congratulation to brother Chidambaram,” Malik posted a message on the social networking website Twitter.

With additional input from wires

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Javed Iqbal directed all four provincial chiefs of police to submit reports on the recovery of missing persons. The bench also directed that FIRs be registered against missing persons in custody involved in criminal activities otherwise the court will exercise its powers and register cases against officials for not complying with its orders.

Additional Attorney General KK Agha assured the bench that intelligence agencies have been directed to stop the abduction of citizens. The two-member commission constituted for missing persons is  formulating both short term and long term strategies for their recovery.

The commission will submit its report before the court within 45 days of the conclusion of the joint investigation of the commission and investigation and intelligence agencies. The provincial task force is due to finalise its report within 15 days.

In reply to a question by Justice Javed Iqbal on whether any organisation can detain a person for more than 60 days, Agha replied that the Army Act authorises 6o days’ detention.

Why is the government silent over the dead bodies surfacing in Balochistan, Swat, Fata and other areas, Justice Javed Iqbal demanded. Advocate General Balochistan submitted that six people were recovered three days ago.

Parliament is independent and its dignity should be ensured. “Instead of politicising the issue of missing persons, efforts should be made for their recovery,” remarked Justice Javed Iqbal. The Supreme Court does not have the jurisdiction to direct parliament, the legislature is well aware of the issue.

Chairperson Defence of Human Rights submitted its latest report documenting 38 missing persons. The apex court observed that it will conduct the hearing of the Lal Masjid case from next week as it is a separate issue. The court adjourned the case for two weeks and reiterated that it would like to conclude the case as soon as possible.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday announced a half working day for the Pakistan and India semi-final clash on March 30 (Wednesday).

Interior Minister Rehman Malik made the announcement on behalf of Gilani and said that all government offices and institutions will close at 12pm.

The Sindh chief minister in consultation with the governor has announced a public holiday for tomorrow, sources at the Sindh Governor House said. All government offices, schools, colleges and universities will remain shut.

Director General Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) has announced that there will be no load-shedding during the match.

Speaking to the media in Lahore, Muhammad Khalid said if power cuts are observed in any area of the country during the match, the concerned authorities will be suspended.

Gilani, accompanied by several politicians and federal ministers, will watch the match Mohali on the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

According to a media release from the Prime Minister House, Gilani has invited heads of parliamentary parties to accompany him to watch the semi-final match at Mohali.

These include Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PMl-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Farooq Sattar, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam’s (JUI) Laeeq Ahmad Khan and Parliamentary leader for FATA Munir Orakzai.

Besides party leaders, several federal ministers will also be part of the delegation. They include Federal Minister for Sports and SAFRON Engineer Shaukat Ullah, Information Minister Firdaus Ashiq Awan, Religious Affairs Minister Khurshid Shah, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and former ministers, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Sherry Rehman.

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka advanced to the World Cup final for the third time on Tuesday after stopping New Zealand from pulling off their second upset of the tournament.

Sri Lanka, set a modest 218 to win, were cruising at 160 for one but lost four quick wickets before recovering to win by five wickets with 13 balls to spare.

The 1996 champions will play the winners of Wednesday’s semi-final between Pakistan and India in Mumbai on Saturday.

New Zealand, who defeated South Africa in a similar situation in the quarter-finals, have now reached the semi-finals six times without advancing further.

Tillakaratne Dilshan’s dismissal for 73 started a mini-collapse with Mahela Jayawardene (1) and captain Kumar Sangakkara (54) falling in quick succession.

Angelo Mathews, batting with a runner after a thigh strain, relieved the tension with a huge six as Sri Lanka thankfully crossed the finishing line.

Scott Styris anchored New Zealand’s 217 from 48.5 overs with a dogged 57 from 77 balls, before he was lbw to the last ball of Muttiah Muralitharan’s final match on home soil.

Muralitharan, 38, the world record holder for test and one-day wickets, will retire after the tournament.

LAHORE: Thousands of Pakistanis are to take part in mass prayer sessions on Wednesday, asking God to guide them to victory against India in the hotly anticipated World Cup cricket semi-final.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has promised each team member 25 acres of land if they beat India at Mohali.

“The Punjab government will give 25 acres of fertile land to each member of the team as a prize if they beat India,” Sharif told journalists.

Pakistan have not beaten India in any of their four previous World Cup matches dating back to 1992.

Sharif said the whole nation will pray for Pakistan’s win.

“Our team deserves appreciation from the nation for displaying outstanding performance in different matches of the World Cup and the whole nation will be praying for its success,” said Sharif, an avid follower of the game.

Various organisations have announced special prayers for the team in the cities of Lahore, Karachi and Quetta, with thousands of people expected to attend.

NEW DEHLI: India and Pakistan have agreed to set up a “hotline” to share information about militants, a joint statement said on Tuesday after talks between their home secretaries in New Delhi.

“Both sides agreed to set up a hotline between the home secretary of India and the interior secretary of Pakistan to facilitate real-time information sharing with respect to terrorist threats,” said the statement.

“Both sides reiterated their commitment to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirm the need to bring those responsible for such crimes to justice,” it added.

The home secretaries from the two nations met in New Delhi on Monday and Tuesday to discuss counter-terrorism, the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the drugs trade in talks that are part of a formal peace process re-starting between the neighbours.

India on Monday hailed the talks as “extremely positive” with both countries looking to build on a recent warming in relations brought on by some successful “cricket diplomacy”.

The two countries also, for the first time officially, shared material on the Samjhota Express attacks and the Mumbai attacks.

The information shared included court proceedings and investigations conducted by law enforcement agencies of both countries.

Pakistan also agreed to allow a visit by Indian investigators as part of their probe into the Mumbai attacks.

India has long sought permission to have its investigators visit Pakistan to help their inquiries into the attacks.

A joint statement did not elaborate when the visit to Pakistan would take place. Dates for a visit of a Pakistani delegation to India in connection with the Mumbai attacks would be decided within 4-6 weeks, according to the statement.

Both the secretaries also agreed to cooperate on maritime issues and to stop the cross-border movement of narcotics.

Foreign office press release on Pak-India talks

1.       The India-Pakistan Home/Interior Secretary level Talks were held in New Delhi on March 28-29, 2011. The Indian delegation was led by Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Home Secretary of India, while the Pakistan delegation was headed by Mr. Qamar Zaman Chaudhary, Interior Secretary of Pakistan.

2.       The meeting was held in pursuance of the decision taken in Thimphu (Bhutan) in February 2011 by the Governments of Pakistan and India, to resume the dialogue process and in the backdrop of Bilateral meeting between the Home Minister of India and the Interior Minister of Pakistan held in Islamabad on June 25-26, 2010.

3.       The meeting was held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere.

4.       Both sides exchanged views on the decisions taken in the last round of Talks held in Islamabad in 2008. It was agreed that it was important for both sides to remain engaged on outstanding issues and henceforth the Home/Interior Secretary level Talks would be held bi-annually.

5.       Both sides agreed to set up a Hotline between Home Secretary of India and Interior Secretary of Pakistan to facilitate real time information sharing with respect to terrorist threats.

6.       Both sides reiterated their commitment to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirmed the need to bring those responsible for such crimes to justice.

7.       Pakistani side provided updates on the ongoing trial and investigation in Pakistan on the Mumbai Terror Attacks. Pakistan conveyed its readiness, in principle, based upon the principle of comity and reciprocity, to entertain a Commission from India with respect to Mumbai Terror Attack investigations. Modalities and composition in this connection will be worked out through diplomatic channels. Dates for the visit of the Judicial Commission from Pakistan in connection with Mumbai attack trial will be conveyed by India within four-six weeks. NIA and FIA will continue to cooperate in the Mumbai Terror Attack investigations.

8.       India provided information on the on-going Samjhautha Express blast case investigation. It was also agreed that after filing of report in the court, updated information will be shared with the concerned Pakistan authorities.

9.       Both sides noted and welcomed the release of prisoners and fishermen by each other since the last round of Talks. It was agreed that both sides would release by April 15, 2011 those civilian prisoners/fishermen who have completed their sentence, whose nationality status has been confirmed by the respective Governments and whose travel documents have been received. Complete list of prisoners in each others’ custody will be exchanged by both sides on July 1, 2011.

10.     Both sides agreed that the problem and issues of the inadvertent crossers should be viewed sympathetically, and in a focused and sensitive manner. Accordingly, both sides also agreed to task the Coast Guard of India and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency to work on setting up a mechanism for release of inadvertent crossers (fishermen) and their boats on the same lines as the inadvertent crossers on land. The Group will submit its report to the Home/Interior Secretaries before the next round of Talks.

11.     Both sides commended the work done by the Judicial Committee on Prisoners for the release, repatriation and humane treatment of prisoners and agreed on the need for its continuation. The next meeting of the Judicial Committee would be held from April 19-23, 2011 in Pakistan.

12.     Both sides shared the concern of the growing menace of Narcotics/Drugs and agreed that cooperation between NCB of India and ANF of Pakistan should be enhanced to ensure an effective control on drug trafficking. It was further agreed that Talks between DG, NCB and DG, ANF would be held annually. Indian side accepted the invitation for DG NCB to visit Pakistan in May 2011 for talks with DG, ANF.

13.     The ‘MoU on Drug Demand Reduction and Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotics Drugs/Psychotropic Substances and Precursor Chemicals and related matters’ as finalized will be formally signed at the next DG level meeting of NCB-ANF in May 2011.

14.     It was decided that CBI and FIA will schedule a meeting to work out the technical details of moving forward on issues of, human trafficking, counterfeit currency, cyber crimes and Red Corner Notices (RCNs).

15.     Both sides agreed to set up a Joint Working Group to examine the modalities for streamlining the visa procedure/modalities and for giving a final shape to revision of the Bilateral Visa Agreement.

16.     The Interior Secretary of Pakistan invited the Home Secretary of India for the next Home/Interior Secretary level Talks in Pakistan. The invitation was accepted.

17.     Both sides agreed that the visit of the Interior Minister of Pakistan to India will take place on mutually convenient dates, to be decided through diplomatic channels.

LAHORE: Pakistan will open its Gaddafi stadium to thousands of fans to watch Wednesday’s high-voltage World Cup semi-final between Pakistan and India on big screens for free.

India and Pakistan, the arch rivals whose peace process collapsed after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, will face off in Mohali, sparking a frenzy on both sides of the border with both prime ministers set to attend the match.

The stadium is named after the Libyan leader, an international pariah whose military is being targeted by Western air strikes as an armed insurrection in the east poses the most potent threat to his 42-year rule.

“As per the directive of the government of Pakistan, we will be setting up digital screens under flood lights at the Gaddafi stadium to facilitate cricket fans in Lahore to witness the semi-final,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.

Entry to the stadium will be free, it added, and thousands of fans are expected take up the invitation.

The 30,000-capacity ground, formerly known as the Lahore Stadium, was renamed in 1974 after the Libyan leader who was close to then prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

Pakistan was one of the original hosts of the World Cup 2011 but was stripped of its matches after gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team en route to the Gaddafi stadium on March 3, 2009.

The unprecedented attack on a sport that is a national obsession in Pakistan killed eight people, and wounded seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach.

Besides the PCB arrangements at Gaddafi in the eastern city of Lahore, fans will be able to watch the match on big screens in Karachi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Quetta.

PESHAWAR: Friendly fire killed 13 Pakistani soldiers whose deaths were initially blamed on militants in the area of Khyber, part of Pakistan’s tribal belt that Washington has branded a global headquarters of al Qaeda , a commander said Tuesday.

Security officials at first said 14 soldiers were killed during fighting with militants on Monday. But northwest military commander Lieutenant General Asif Yasin Malik told reporters on Tuesday that 13 soldiers died due to mortar fire called in by the commanding officer after his troops came under attack.

“When our soldiers came under fire, the commanding officer called mortar fire twice. The second mortar missed its target and hit our own soldiers,” Malik said in the northwestern capital of Peshawar.

“Two officers and 11 soldiers were martyred,” he said, adding that misfire was always a risk with mortars.

“There is a possibility of error in mortar fire when troops are themselves under fire,” he said. “Several militants were killed and arrested,” the general said, but gave no figures.

Khyber, home to Taliban and extremist group Lashkar-e-Islam led by local warlord Mangal Bagh, lies on the main NATO land supply route into Afghanistan, where foreign forces are battling to reverse a nine-year Taliban insurgency.

Taliban and al Qaeda-linked militants have been blamed for bomb attacks across Pakistan which have killed more than 4,000 people since July 2007.

US officials consider northwest Pakistan a haven for al Qaeda and Taliban militants who fled the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan to regroup and launch attacks on foreign troops across the border.

Under US pressure, Pakistan has stepped up military operations against largely homegrown militants in much of the tribal belt, including Khyber.

But American officials would also like Pakistan to launch a major offensive in the tribal region of North Waziristan, considered the ultimate fortress of Taliban groups fighting US-led troops in Afghanistan.

Washington says eliminating the threat is key to winning the war in Afghanistan, but Pakistan says its troops are too overstretched.

On Monday, Nato’s civilian representative to Afghanistan said Pakistan was so preoccupied with its own fight against militancy that it could do little more to help Nato forces in Afghanistan.

“People sometimes say the Pakistanis must do more…. (but) actually they have lost an awful lot of soldiers fighting the groups that target them,” said Mark Sedwill. “They have their hands full.”

NEW YORK: Pakistan is so busy fighting its own militants that it can do little more to help Nato forces battling in neighbouring Afghanistan, Nato’s top civilian there said Monday.

Mark Sedwill, senior civilian representative for the Western military alliance in Afghanistan, said Pakistani attitudes were hardening toward guerrilla groups that had previously been supported by the state.

“In the past, they had relations with various groups,” he told the Asia Society think tank in New York, but now “I think there has been a shift.”

However, there are limits on what Pakistan can do to stem the flow of militants entering Afghanistan to fight Nato troops.

“To be honest, the Pakistanis are preoccupied with those domestic threats. This is out of hand,” Sedwill said. “People sometimes say the Pakistanis must do more…. (but) actually they have lost an awful lot of soldiers fighting the groups that target them,” he said. “They have their hands full.”

Sedwill said Western governments should resist seeking quick pressure against the Pakistani government. “If we just say we’ll either bestow or withdraw a favor, then they’ll turn to someone else. We’ve seen that in the past,” he warned.

Sources inside the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) say that the federal government is in the final stages of putting together an amnesty scheme that is largely directed towards tax evaders in the textile sector.

In return for registering with the FBR, the government is likely to not ask any questions from tax evaders about the sources of their income used to finance their start-up costs or the size of their past revenues. Several businessmen have been reluctant to register legitimate concerns with tax authorities for fear of having to explain the source of their initial investment, which can sometimes come from questionable means.

FBR officials expect to register at least another 70,000 entities as sales tax payers through the amnesty. The current number of businesses registered to pay sales tax is 131,000, of which 99,000 are active taxpayers. The sales tax amnesty comes against the backdrop of an FBR campaign to take action against over 700,000 people suspected of evading income taxes.

Amnesty schemes are often regarded as a “moral hazard,” rewarding people for bad behaviour by legitimising their illegal activities and taking away the incentive from law-abiding taxpayers to stay within the law.

Critics point out that the government had considered a similar scheme two months ago but dropped the idea after encountering opposition from a member of the Inland Revenue Service.

The government launched a tax amnesty scheme two years ago which yielded only Rs2 billion in revenues but had the effect of bringing in Rs50 billion in assets from the undocumented to the documented segment of the economy.

Proponents of the amnesty claim that the additional revenues from the scheme will offset the revenue losses that the government is likely to bear after lowering sales tax rates on the textile sector from 17 per cent to between four per cent and six per cent.

The textile sector had previously been exempt from sales taxes but was brought back into the tax net through a presidential ordinance 12 days ago. The lowering of the rates is seen as a major retreat by the government in the face of pressure from the textile lobby, widely regarded as one of the most powerful in the country.

FBR officials admit that the lowering of tax rates on the textile sector will cost the government about Rs6.5 billion.

Textile industry sources say that they have been assured by the government that tax rates will be six per cent on cotton yarn and lower-order goods and four per cent of further value-added textiles. FBR officials say that unregistered businesses will not be eligible to apply for tax refunds, in an attempt to incentivise registration.

Some former government officials were pessimistic about the government’s ability to levy the taxes, given the capacity constraints at the FBR and suggested that tax evasion would remain rampant.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2011.

Dr Khatumal Jeevan suggested that the senators, meeting for the first time since the minorities affairs minister was assassinated, observe one minute of silence as a mark of respect.

Senator Hafiz Rasheed Ahmed from Fata immediately responded that this would be “un-Islamic” as Sharia did not allow such things.

The puzzled Senate chairman turned to Leader of the House Nayyer Hussain Bokhari and sought his consent to Dr Jeevan’s demand. After Maulana Gul Naseeb led prayers for the late senator, the Senate chairman announced they would observe one minute of silence.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2011.

On a point of order, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s Senator Ishaq Dar pointed out that in the letter, Jones was referred to as a reverend when he was merely a pastor.

Secondly, he said that the letter mentioned a “holy book of the Prophet” (pbuh), whereas all holy books came from Allah and not from any prophet.

Dar also took issue with a statement in the letter that acts like the desecration of the Holy Quran would fuel extremism in the Muslim world, when it was the sentiments of all Muslims that had been hurt, he said.

“Whoever wrote this letter is either an idiot with little conscience or does not know English,” he said and demanded that the interior minister rewrite the letter.

Malik urged Senate Chairman Farooq H Naek to expunge the word “idiot” from the record, but the chair did not do so.

The minister said he too had been hurt by the American pastor’s action, and a follow-up letter, “more strongly worded”, had been sent to Interpol. He said that a separate letter would be sent to the US government demanding action against Jones and also that it prevent such blasphemous acts.

The chair expressed irritation at the interior minister for repeatedly stating that the Interpol secretary had told him that the international security agency did not entertain cases based on religion.

The chair asked the interior minister to send another letter “with the correct wording”. Malik invited Dar to draft the letter.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2011.