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While speaking to The Express Tribune from Algeria on Friday, alJazairi said: “It is preposterous to call me a British agent.” All our conversations were recorded when I was interrogated in Guantanamo; I challenge the authenticity of the cable to prove what I am blamed for, he added.

The Algerian national was captured in Peshawar in June 2003 and transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2004.

According to files released by WikiLeaks, the detainee was involved in a plot to attack the US consulate in Peshawar and was possibly the leader of an extremist cell that carried out a string of bombing attacks against civilian targets in 2002.

The cables said that according to a US assessment, alJazairi was actually Abu Adil, who Khalid Shaikh Mohammad had confessed to meeting in early 2002. According to Mohammad, Abu Adil was responsible for attacks on two churches in Islamabad and Sialkot, and possibly involved in the May 2002 attack on Karachi’s Sheraton Hotel in which 11 French engineers and three Pakistanis were killed.

However, alJazairi said he was neither involved in the Sheraton bombing in Karachi nor in the attack on the churches. “I have never been to Sialkot or Islamabad” he claimed.

Commenting on his links to al Qaeda and specifically to Khalid Shaikh Mohammad and Osama bin Laden, alJazairi said: “Some of the claims that the documents make are correct, but majority of the reports are fabricated.” He did not give further details on this.

“WikiLeaks tries to control the global political ethos with issues that are dead,” said an infuriated alJazairi, who is still under surveillance. “In reality, the cables are nothing  more than another chaos-creating, money-making scam,” he said.

Claiming his innocence, alJazairi professed that he had fought in Afghanistan. He said he was in Kunar and Jalalabad, but refused to accept his links with either the Hizb-e-Islami or any other intelligence group.

The former prisoner said he was rigorously interrogated, but was later released when a court found him less influential amongst the terrorist ranks. “I was released upon the intervention of the Algerian government, but my passport and other travelling documents have been confiscated,” he said, while adding that he wanted to meet his family, with whom he is in contact.

The cable released by WikiLeaks puts alJazairi in the category of “high risk” and a part of Osama bin Laden’s umbrella organisation. The cable shows that he admitted working for the Taliban’s foreign ministry and intelligence services and was involved in a 1995 attempt to “transfer allegedly stolen nuclear material to al Qaeda and the governments of Iraq and Sudan”.

AlJazairi was married in Peshawar to a woman named Ayesha, with whom he has three children.

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

Speaking at the briefing during the Pentagon’s release of a six-month report on the situation in Afghanistan, the official said he was “100 per cent” in agreement with Admiral Mike Mullen’s assessment that elements in the directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) have links with the Haqqani network. He also claimed that both the Haqqani network and Afghan Taliban leaderships were located primarily either in the south or in the north around Peshawar.

About the US expectations from Pakistan, he said that “what we’re looking for is continued, increased cooperation with the Pakistanis on the border.”

Though the official admitted that considerable cooperation existed between Washington and Islamabad in several areas, he said there are “other areas that we’re seeking much more improvement”. “And that’s something we’ll continue to look at very closely. It’s certainly an area of strategic risk.”

The Pentagon official said the reintegration of Taliban fighters who were in Pakistan before could mitigate against a risk of those existing safe havens.

“The fact that there are people who are coming in to reintegrate and the fact that there are people — some of those people who are coming in to reintegrate are people who were in Pakistan before.” “But it’s still going to be a huge challenge,” he said.

The US is encouraging Pakistan to do everything possible to deal with safe havens for terrorists in the country, US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan  Marc Grossman was quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying.

“We are encouraging Pakistan to do everything possible to deal with the safe havens…..which will also play a big role in bringing peace to Afghanistan,” Grossman told reporters after his meeting with Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao Rao.

Asked about the recent remarks of chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen accusing the ISI of backing the Haqqani network, he said, “I have nothing to add or to subtract to whatever Mullen has already said. We do a huge amount of work with Pakistan in countering terrorism and extremism and that’s what we will continue doing.”

After India, Grossman also plans to visit Kabul, Islamabad and Riyadh.

The latest Pentagon report noted that a surge of foreign troops into Afghanistan had dealt a blow to the Taliban insurgency but total violence had risen since last fall.

The increase in overall security incidents, which includes roadside bombs, direct fire and other violent acts, was due in part to the surge of foreign troops, stepped up targeting of insurgent safe havens, and mild winter weather.

“The surge in forces and an increased operational tempo have enabled (the Nato-led force in Afghanistan) to disrupt and degrade the insurgency’s capabilities, contributing to a loss of Taliban influence in key areas,” the report said.

As US President Barack Obama sent an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, violence hit its highest level in 2010 since the war began almost a decade ago.

The Pentagon warned that “hard fighting” was likely ahead in 2011 as the Taliban, adapting its techniques to match intensified attacks from foreign adversaries, would try to regain areas of south Afghanistan that they had lost in 2010. They said recent intelligence reporting indicated that the attacks planned by the Taliban, supported by the al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network and other insurgents, would include suicide bombings.

Petraeus: commander in three wars?

A report in The Washington Post said that General David Petraeus, the freshly nominated CIA director, has served as commander in two wars launched by the US after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks. If confirmed as the next CIA director, the paper said Petraeus would effectively take command of a third in Pakistan.

Petraeus’s nomination comes at a time when the CIA functions, more than ever in its history, as an extension of the nation’s lethal military force.

The CIA is in the midst of what amounts to a sustained bombing campaign over Pakistan using unmanned Predator and Reaper drones.

Since Obama took office there have been at least 192 drone missile strikes. Petraeus is seen as a staunch supporter of the drone campaign.

With input from wire services and the desk

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

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs on Friday asked banks across the country to stop accepting Hajj applications as the government had received more than the required number.

The government has received more than 90,000 applications to date, while more than 82,000 applications have to be accommodated through the government scheme.

The collection of Hajj applications had commenced on April 15 on a first come, first serve basis.

Political workers, journalists and even government officials were required to pay the Hajj fee in advance. An increase of 20,000 pilgrims has been registered in the country’s Hajj quota, and no one will be allowed to perform Hajj for free.

The pilgrims who submitted their applications first are expected to be given accommodation near the Masjid-al-Haram.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Labour and Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah had said a total number of 179,000 Pakistanis will be performing the Hajj pilgrimage this year.

LONDON: The fairytale wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton captured the imagination of the world Friday, with millions sharing in the celebration of the royal nuptials at parties across the globe.

An estimated two billion people were expected to have watched on TV when William and Kate exchange vows at Westminster Abbey, and even in the home to the Hollywood stars royal glamour shined strong.

“We have movie stars, but they’re not as good,” said Paula Haifley, 30, as she arrived at the Cat and Fiddle British pub on Sunset Boulevard.

Decked out with Union Jack flags and cut-out Kate and Wills models at the entrance, some 300 royal party-goers packed into the bar for the all-night bash to watch the wedding service that started at 3:00 am in LA.

“We came to celebrate. It gave us the opportunity to dress like girls, and celebrate the pomp and circumstance that we don’t necessarily get over here,” said Katie Christiansen, 24.

On nearby Hollywood Boulevard, waxwork museum Madame Tussauds set up a huge screen to show the royal wedding live, just along the road from the world-famous Graumann’s Chinese Theater.

“It’s a Cinderella story to make Hollywood drool,” Andrew Rule from London commented in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph tabloid.

“Today the world will see the wedding that proves that fairytales can, and do, happen,” he wrote in the newspaper which reserved its first five pages for the wedding.

The red carpet and floral decorations were in place at the Westminster Abbey venue as Britons across the country prepared to toast the occasion with champagne breakfasts and around 6,000 street parties.

Over a quarter of the world’s population was expected to watch the moment Kate became a princess after William placed the wedding ring on her finger in the church which held the funeral for his late mother Diana.

On the eve of the wedding, thousands of campers had transformed The Mall, the wide boulevard leading to Buckingham Palace, into a multicoloured sea of flags and eccentric headgear as they prepared to cheer on the newly weds.

Some of them were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of William when he made an impromptu evening visit to shake hands with well-wishers, before retiring to spend his last night as a single man with his family.

The 28-year-old prince was heard telling his fans: “All I’ve got to do is get the lines right”.

Campers trying to get a good night’s sleep were rudely awoken in Friday’s early hours as fireworks lit up London’s night sky.

The first glimpse the waiting world will have of the bride, and her much-talked about gown, will be at around 11:00 am (1000 GMT) when she steps out of the Rolls-Royce Phantom car which will transport her to the abbey.

The Order of Service revealed that Kate will not promise to obey her husband in her marriage vows, following in the footsteps of Diana, who later divorced William’s father Prince Charles and died in a Paris car crash in 1997.

William will be dressed in the world-famous scarlet colours of the British army, but will not be wearing a wedding ring at any point in the service in keeping with his grandfather Prince Philip’s preference.

Kate’s wedding ring was fashioned by Welsh jewellers Wartski from a piece of Welsh gold given to Prince William by his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.

“Happiest days of our lives”

Earlier, the pair said they had been “incredibly moved” by the affection shown to them since they announced their engagement in November.

In a message in their official wedding programme, William and Kate thanked “everyone most sincerely for their kindness” as they prepare for “one of the happiest days of our lives”.

Inside the church — which has been decorated with English Field Maple trees and plants including blossoms, azaleas and rhododendron — will be an eclectic mix of dignitaries, celebrities and politicians.

Around 40 foreign royals were expected to be in attendance along with footballer David Beckham, singer Elton John and Prime Minister David Cameron.

In a diplomatic row that threatened to overshadow the good mood, Britain abruptly withdrew the Syrian ambassador’s invitation, saying the regime’s crackdown on protesters made it unacceptable for him to attend.

Kate, 29, spent her last night as a commoner at the upmarket Goring Hotel, close to Buckingham Palace.

Earlier, a woman sporting a distinctive belt often worn by Alexander McQueen designer Sarah Burton was seen entering the hotel, fuelling wedding dress rumours.

Later Thursday, Camilla and Charles attended a reception along with the queen being given for British and foreign royals attending the wedding at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in central London.

As final security checks were carried out, police said they had arrested 20 people across London after warning they would act to prevent anyone causing trouble during the wedding.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) refused to take the Punjab governorship which was offered to it by President Asif Ali Zardari, Express 24/7 reported on Friday.

According to sources, PML-Q rejected the offer saying it did not want to be the part of the failed government of Punjab as their party will also have to shoulder the blame.

There are also reports that PML-Q wants to avoid any form of direct confrontation with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

PML-Q is expected to get five ministries according to the power-sharing formula and the federal secretaries are also expected to be appointed by the party.

Moreover, reports indicate that PML-Q leader Mushahid Hussain is in the run for being the next foreign minister. Hina Rabbani Khar is currently the acting foreign minister.

Advocate Anees Gillani said that a private member’s bill allows parliament to stop child labour in any sector — the key is political will to execute the powers of the bill. He said this while appearing on last night’s Express 24/7 show Witness with Quatrina Hosain.

Hosain, who started her show with the grim narrative of a six year old child-maid who was murdered by her employers earlier this week in Lahore, only because she urinated on the floor.

Hosain hosted Farah Naz Ispahani, an MNA with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and a member of the Standing Committee on Human Rights, Foreign Affairs, Information and Broad. She was joined by Bushra Gohar, an MPA with the ANP in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. The third guest was Adv. Anees Gillani.

Gillani pointed out that while there was no outright law that banned child labour in Pakistan, there was a private member’s bill that was passed in 1991 that allowed parliament to include sectors in which child labour would be illegal. The bill in question was proposed by Sartaj Aziz and has a simple working. If there is any sector in which one wants child labour to be stopped, the sector needs only to be added to the schedule of the bill via a gazetted notification which would make it compulsory for inspectors to monitor and protect children from labour.  The missing ingredient was political will.

Gohar said that KP was the first provincial government in the country to legislate against child labour and were currently working towards legislation regarding education.

She was in agreement with Gillani in the fact that the government had never considered children, their safety and education as a priority. Today, however there were now separate ministries overseeing primary and higher education in KP.

Ispahani pointed out the economic disparity that this country was plagued with kept children in “slave labour”. If people paid their taxes, the government would have the money to invest in education and health sectors.

Gillani pointed out that along with a lack of implementation of law, the biggest challenge the country faced in stopping child labour and child abuse was mindset. The perception of child safety and child rights, though in consideration in some form by almost everyone, may in fact be diametrically different due to the upbringing and education one would have had. If a man grew up being beaten by his father, he would continue the same tradition with his children.

Gohar suggested that if people would only do enough to bring rag picking children, sit with them, even teach them, they would help in reducing the abuse children in our society faced.

Implementation of law, Gillani said, would act as a deterrent. Alternatively if people had child servants at home they should help educate these children.

Ispahani, who also serves as a media advisor to the President said that while the English press in the country raised such issues with impunity, need of the hour was to raise these very questions in the decidedly more Zia-esque conservative Urdu press in the country which had a wider reach and readership.

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad on Friday assured the families of Pakistanis abducted by the Somali pirates that he will assist in negotiating their release.

The families escorted by social activist Ansar Burney met the Governor at the Governor House in Karachi. Dr Ebad assured the families that all possible efforts will be initiated on humanitarian grounds.

Speaking to media after the meeting, Ansar Burney revealed that $1.6 million have been arranged for the ransom.

The pirates have demanded a ransom of $2.1 million for the  abducted Pakistanis.

Captain Wasi’s daughter Laila Wasi thanked the governor for his support.

Earlier, the pirates extended the deadline for the ransom to fifteen days from the previous two days. The shipping company, which employs the four Pakistanis, had offered $1 million, while an international NGO announced $500,000 for the release.

WASHINGTON: While political Washington is cheering General David Petraeus’ nomination to head the CIA, the mood at the agency’s headquarters and in Pakistan’s intelligence service is less celebratory.

Petraeus, the architect of the current US strategy in Afghanistan, is expected as CIA director to embrace the campaign of drone strikes in Pakistan, a nominally covert CIA operation that has fueled anti-American sentiment but put heavy pressure on militant safe havens.

Continuing or stepping up drone attacks is likely to further strain relations between the CIA and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence directorate (ISI) and, according to some experts, possibly exacerbate the awkward personal chemistry between Petraeus and top Pakistani officials.

Petraeus, nominated by President Barack Obama on Thursday to replace CIA director Leon Panetta, has a reputation for brainpower and political savvy, which he used to help salvage the US campaign in Iraq. Petraeus is not expected to take up his new post until September.

Relations with ISI

Because he helped to craft US policy and has publicly defended it against critics, some officials wonder how open Petraeus will be in his new role to critiquing his own work.

They wonder if he will faithfully represent to the White House a CIA view of Afghanistan and Pakistan that is more pessimistic than that of Pentagon brass. Paul Pillar, formerly the CIA’s top analyst on the region, said future CIA assessments of Afghanistan will cover developments since Petraeus’ departure as US commander.

But Pillar noted “any such assessments inevitably would reflect well or poorly on the military strategy that had been pursued there for several years. Petraeus would continue to have a strong vested interest in how that strategy is perceived.”

Besides Afghanistan, perhaps the biggest issue on Petraeus’s agenda at the CIA will be the agency’s relations with Pakistan’s ISI, which over the last six months have suffered a series of grave setbacks. “I think it is going to be a very strained and difficult relationship,” said Bruce Riedel, a former adviser to President Barack Obama on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Riedel characterised the relationship between Petraeus and Pakistani leaders as “mutual distrust.” Petraeus’ relationship with Pakistan’s military chief, General Ashfaq Kayani, is publicly perceived to be less than friendly and has become a topic of discussion on Pakistani TV talk shows.

Kayani last month issued a rare public condemnation of a US missile strike in a Pakistani region near the Afghan border that killed more than 40 tribesmen.

Last week, he said the drone strikes undermined Pakistan’s own war on militants. Still, US officials told Reuters the drone program would move ahead regardless of Pakistani objections.

As commander in Afghanistan, Petraeus increased the use of air strikes but also took steps to limit civilian casualties. But in a move unlikely to win him new friends in Islamabad, Petraeus as CIA chief is expected to renew US demands that the ISI sever ties with anti-Western insurgents attacking American forces in Afghanistan – accusations reflecting continuing deep mistrust between uneasy allies.

Controversial Afghanistan policy

Current and former US national security officials say there is concern among some veteran spies about Petraeus’ advocacy of controversial military policies, particularly his expansion of counterinsurgency in Afghanistan.

One of the CIA’s principal roles, the officials say, is to provide the president and his top advisors with objective, non-politicized advice about world events and the effectiveness of American foreign policy in responding them. But in his role as US military commander in Afghanistan, Petraeus has been a developer of the counterinsurgency strategy whose results are incomplete as the Obama administration plans to begin a withdrawal of US soldiers this summer.

KARACHI: Rangers have detained 300 suspected criminals from Baldia Town, Friday on reports that they are responsible for criminal activities in Karachi.

Heavy contingents of Rangers combed the city and searched houses in different areas.

After the flush out, the arrested people were shifted to  an undisclosed location where they are being interrogated.

Rangers have also seized weapons during the raid and will determine if the arms are licensed.

Target killings claim 6 lives

Six people have been killed during firing incidents in different areas of Karachi.

Sources said that a body was found in Azizabad, while two others in the Sarjani town area.

Two brothers were also killed in a firing incident in Mehmudabad while one man was killed in the Maripur area.

Meanwhile, a sessions court has indicted Ajmal alias Pahari on charges of target killings.

Ajmal denied the charges, and the court summoned witnesses on May 12 to record their statements against him.

Pakistan conducted a successful flight test of the indigenously developed air launched cruise missile, Hatf-8 on Friday.

The nuclear-capable missile test was conducted as part of the continuous process of improving the technical parameters of the weapon system. The Ra’ad missile, with a range of over 350 km, has been developed exclusively for launch from aerial platforms.

This missile system has enabled Pakistan to achieve a greater strategic stand-off capability on land and at sea. ‘Cruise technology’ is extremely complex and has been developed by only a few countries in the world.

The state of the art Ra’ad cruise missile with stealth capabilities is a low  altitude, terrain-hugging missile with high maneuverability, and can deliver nuclear and conventional warheads with great pinpoint accuracy.

The successful launch has been appreciated by the president and prime minister of Pakistan, and chairman joint chiefs of staff committee who have congratulated the scientists and engineers on their outstanding achievement.

Earlier this month, Pakistan successfully conducted the first flight test of the newly developed short range surface to surface multi-tube ballistic missile Hatf-9 (NASR).

MUZAFFARABAD: One soldier was killed and five were wounded in an explosion at an army camp in a Pakistani administered area of Kashmir early Friday, officials said.

The blast took place around midnight (1900 GMT) and triggered fire in Gulpar camp in Kotli district near the UN monitored line of control that divides the disputed Himalayan region between India and Pakistan, local police chief Malik Khalid told AFP by telephone.

“One body has been recovered and five soldiers injured in the incident have been admitted to hospital,” he said.

Local administration chief Fareed Ahmed confirmed the incident. “We are investigating if the explosion was accidentally caused by an electrical short circuit or if it was an act of terrorism,” he said.

Overall militant violence in the region has declined since India and Pakistan began a peace process in 2004. Since then, there have been sporadic small clashes with both sides accusing the other of violating the ceasefire.

Defence counsel Chaudhry Mushtaq filed the application challenging the April 14 decision of Special Court FIA Rawalpindi wherein Kazmi’s bail application for bail was dismissed. The defence lawyer contended that his client has been in jail for the last one month while the FIA has failed to prove any evidence against him.

He informed the court that according to the inquiry of the National Assembly review committee, former director general Hajj Rao Shakeel was held responsible for being involved in the Hajj scam and Kazmi was wrongly implicated in this case.

Mushtaq requested the court to grant Kazmi post arrest-bail while Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi directed the FIA and the federation to submit their replies.

A trial court on Wednesday extended Kazmi’s judicial remand by eight days and directed the FIA to produce him before the court on May 5.

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

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia was designed to mediate between the two countries. Strained relations between them touched their lowest ebb after Riyadh accused Tehran of instigating demonstrations in Bahrain and interfering in Arab countries’ internal affairs.

The Saudi foreign minister expressed support for Pakistan’s efforts in promoting peace and stability in the region during his talks with Khar, media reports said. However, Saudi Arabia did ask Pakistan to use its influence over Iran to persuade it to avoid interfering in Arab countries’ affairs.

Riyadh’s positive response came after Khar had extensive discussions with key Saudi leaders including Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal, Secretary-General of the National Security Council Prince Bandar Bin Sultan and Saudi Interior Minister Mohammad Bin Naif.

Islamabad took the initiative after Tehran expressed its desire to improve relations with Saudi Arabia that have worsened after Riyadh sent troops to Bahrain to help Manama curb bloody demonstrations.

Iran’s stance was communicated to Pakistan on April 20 when Interior Minister Rehman Malik had a meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi. Malik, who went to Tehran as a special envoy of President Asif Ali Zardari, also met Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and delivered President Zardari’s message.

Last month, Prince Bandar had also visited Islamabad as a special emissary of King Abdullah to seek Pakistan’s help in overcoming the violent situation in Bahrain. His visit to Islamabad was followed by trips of delegates from Bahrain and the UAE.

Pakistan has assured Riyadh and Tehran that it will continue to contribute to the normalisation of their ties.

Upon her return, Khar said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to work towards harnessing harmony and unity in the Muslim world while Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani directed the ministry of foreign affairs to ensure a detailed follow-up on the understanding reached between Islamabad and Riyadh.

Khar told the prime minister that during her meetings with Saudi officials, it was agreed that an institutional mechanism will be established to promote cooperation and collaboration between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the fields of investment, finance, trade, defence and export of manpower from Pakistan.

Khar also met Saudi Finance Minister Dr Hamad bin Sulaiman and discussed cooperation in economic areas and means of bolstering economic ties.

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

The clusters of powerful tornadoes – more than 160 in total – combined with storms to cut a swath of destruction heading from west to east over several days. In some areas, whole neighborhoods were flattened, cars flipped over and trees and power lines felled, leaving mounds of tangled wreckage.

At least 162 people died in Alabama, the worst-hit state which suffered “massive destruction of property,” Governor Robert Bentley said on Thursday.

The mile-wide monster twister that on Wednesday tore through the town of Tuscaloosa, home to the University of Alabama, may have been the biggest ever to hit the state, meteorologist Josh Nagelberg said on the AccuWeather.com website.

Many people told tales of narrow misses. “I made it. I got in a closet, put a pillow over my face and held on for dear life because it started sucking me up,” said Angela Smith of Tuscaloosa, whose neighbor was killed.

President Barack Obama will visit Alabama on Friday to view damage and meet the governor, the White House said.

In preliminary estimates, other state officials reported 32 killed in Mississippi, 30 in Tennessee, 11 in Arkansas, 14 in Georgia, eight in Virginia and two in Louisiana.

The Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in Alabama was expected to be shut for days, possibly weeks, as workers repaired damaged transmission lines.

But the backup systems worked as intended to prevent a partial meltdown like the nuclear disaster in Japan.

“The reactors will remain shut until we have restored the reliability of the transmission system,” said Ray Golden, spokesman for the Tennessee Valley Authority, which owns the 3,274-megawatt plant. Up to one million people in Alabama were left without power.

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

The acquitted men of the Mastoi clan returned to Moza Ram village, some 18 kilometres from here, after spending almost nine years in jail. Family and friends were ecstatic on the release and distributed traditional sweets in the area.

Mai, now 40, was gang raped in June 2002 in Meerwala town of Punjab as punishment after her younger brother was wrongly accused of having illicit relations with a woman from a rival clan. The boy was 12-years-old at the time.

The men accused by Mai said though they had been acquitted, they fear of being implicated in another fabricated case on the whims of Mai, who has become “a powerful and influential woman of international fame”.

Some journalists, who also sided with the Mastoi men, said the former accused had been trapped for vested interests, but the decision of the apex court had dismantled all “conspiracies.”

While some members of the family and the guests offered special prayers of thanks for the release, some old women cursed Mai for her “bad deeds”.

“Mai and some other selfish NGOs are openly committing contempt of court,” said Faiz Muhammad acquitted by the courts of the gang rape.

Faiz Muhammad Mastoi, Allah Ditta Mastoi, Muhammad Saleem and Faiz Baksh – among those released – said that God is their evidence and they did not commit such a crime. “What wrong have we and our poor children done to the organisations who claim to be the champions of human rights,” they said.

“We should complain about being pushed behind bars without any reason. Our women and children had to do without all the worldly needs.  Meanwhile, Mukhtaran Mai, who not only defamed Pakistan, but also our religion, Islam, became a millionaire,” Faiz Muhammad claimed.

Meanwhile, in a visit to Quetta, US Ambassador Cameron Munter expressed disappointment over the acquittal of the accused in Mukhtaran Mai’s gang rape case.

“The government should ensure the security of Mukhtaran Mai as the Supreme Court said that violating the sanctity and chastity of a woman is a sordid , despicable and squalid act which is considered abhorrent in any civilised society” Munter said in a statement issued by the US embassy.

“I admire her courage for speaking up about the crime,” he said.

Munter also appreciated Mai’s commitment to her work, inspiring and educating Pakistani women about their fundamental rights.

The US ambassador also earlier called on the Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly, Muhammad Aslam Bhotani in Quetta. The leaders of the parliamentary parties in the Balochistan Assembly were also present on the occasion. Various matters including the political situation of Balochistan came under discussion during the meeting.

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

The bench headed by Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry reserved judgment on the petition of Imtiaz Rasheed Qureshi, media coordinator of Save Judicial Committee. The petitioner had requested the court to set aside the president’s order and to restore the sentence. He stated that Malik had not filed any mercy petition and the purported pardon was a violation of the due process concept.

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

“The IMF has a cordial and constructive dialogue with the government and central bank of Pakistan,” said a spokesperson for the Washington-based internal lender, in response to a written question about the state of relations between Islamabad and the IMF in light of recent revelations that suggest that IMF officials had a very low opinion of Pakistan’s ability to keep its promises on fiscal reform.

Dr Ehtisham Ahmad, Pakistan’s former representative in the IMF Board said on Monday that the IMF considered Pakistan economic managers cheats and liars who made false promises on tax reforms, particularly with regard to implementing a commitment on levying the value added tax.

Ahmad suggested that, due to Pakistan’s lack of credibility, the IMF would not extend a new loan programme without implementation of prior actions. Islamabad is seeking a second IMF loan to pay off the first one, whose repayments begin in 2012.

Ahmad had also alleged that the IMF only agreed to lend money to Pakistan in the first place after strong pressure from the United States, particularly the White House. The IMF has not denied this allegation.

“The November 2008 stand-by arrangement was decided in light of increased balance of payments risks for Pakistan,” said the IMF’s official spokesperson.

He said that decisions regarding lending requests are approved by the IMF’s 24-member executive board which is responsible for conducting the day-to-day business of the IMF. The directors are appointed by member countries and the IMF’s Managing Director, a position currently held by France’s Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, however, said that Ahmad had contacted him to disown the statements attributed to him in public. Nonetheless, the minister added “Pakistan is a free country and anyone can speak their mind.”

The statements by Dr Ehtisham Ahmad, however, were made at a seminar attended by over 60 people, including renowned economists, government officials and journalists.

Finance ministry officials admitted that relations between the IMF and Pakistan were strained in their negotiations revolving around the current and potential future loan programme. According to official familiar with the negotiations, the IMF is unlikely to release the next loan tranche without the implementation of prior commitments.

An IMF staff level mission is arriving in the first week of May to hold talks for the fifth review of Pakistan’s economy. They would set budget deliverables and again would come back in July to review progress on implementation.

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

Speakers at a general house meeting of the LHCBA strongly condemned rejection of names of many professional lawyers by the JC merely on reports of secret agencies, according to them.

The house also adopted a resolution unanimously in this regard and demanded of the JC to appoint professional lawyers instead of sessions judges to fill the vacant posts of LHC judges.

Addressing the house, SCBA president Asma Jahangir said the judicial commission should act in accordance with the law and within its constitutional jurisdiction. She slammed the commission for not recommending names of ‘competent’ lawyers only because of secret agencies’ reports.

She said, “Only bar members prove to be neutral and good judges while the judicial officers help get matters decided in a favourable and obedient manner.” Jahangir said that there is a huge backlog of cases related to ordinary people before higher and superior courts. She urged judiciary to also hear such cases along with important cases.

LHCBA president Asghar Ali Gill said the bar always raised voice against injustice and illegality at all levels. He questioned the members of the judicial commission as to why they did not object character assassination of lawyers in reports of secret agencies. He regretted that the government decision to elevate an Sindh MPA to minister even though he committed contempt of court.

Gill criticised the JC for not recommending any lawyer from Lahore for elevation and demanded to appoint professional and bold lawyers as judges immediately.

Pakistan bar council member Azam Nazir Tarar also spoke on the occasion and regretted that lawyers sacrificed their lives and families for judiciary restoration movement, but the now judicial officers were given preference on them. He said a judicial officer cannot be an independent judge of higher courts.

Besides LHCBA’s secretary Arshad Malik Awan, Liaqat Ali Qureshi, Muhammad Sharif Chohan, Ahmad Awais, Mian Muhammad Jahangir and Mian Muhammad Azam also addressed the house.

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

Petitioner Allah Baksh Gondal filed the application with the SC in pending presidential reference, through his counsel AK Dogar.

The petitioner submitted that the reference filed by the President under Article 186 of the Constitution was not maintainable and the SC has no jurisdiction to deliver an opinion on the issue.

He submitted that the judgment in the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case was a judicial verdict handed down in exercise of the adjudicatory power of this court. He said any opinion rendered by the Supreme Court in exercise of its advisory jurisdiction cannot over-ride the judgment. He said any opinion given by the SC would not be binding.

He pointed out that five questions of law referred by president to apex court could have been taken up in review petition but Bhutto had filed a review petition which was dismissed on March 24, 1979. And a second review is not permitted under the law, the said.

He said President Asif Ali Zardari is also holder of office of head of Pakistan People Party. So, the reference is a reference by party chief and not by president of Pakistan.

He submitted that historically Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a highly controversial figure and his sentence was welcomed by a large cross-section of society in Pakistan and even Babar Awan, the counsel for the president’s reference, distributed sweets among lawyers in Rawalpindi.

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

KARACHI: Pakistan Navy’s Commander in Karachi had advised over the internal wire that no large navy vehicles should be used for transporting personnel following the Tuesday’s twin bombings on the force’s buses.

Despite the precautionary advice, the buses were used on Thursday morning, sources within the navy say. And terror struck – for the third time in 48 hours. At least five people, including four sailors, were killed and seven suffered injuries in the latest attack on a navy bus on Thursday. The bus was getting onto Karachi’s major thoroughfare, Shahrae Faisal, from PNS Mehran Aviation base’s entry at just past 8 am when a remote-controlled bomb went off beside it.

“An investigation will be conducted into the violation,” a senior navy officer said. He added that all Bahria schools and colleges will remain closed for at least a week.

The officer, who is familiar with the investigations at the Pakistan Navy’s end, said that, as of yet, there have been no major breakthroughs. However, the navy has received an intelligence report that there could be another attack on the force on Friday (today). “Late evening, we got information that a green coloured jeep was on its way from Hub towards Karachi that is loaded with at least five or six improvised explosive devices (IEDs),” he said.

There were eleven passengers on board the ill-fated bus, including two officers. The bus was on its way to the Pakistan Naval Dockyard, but was struck by a bomb planted near a sealed water valve container as it barely travelled 20 yards away from the PNS Mehran Aviation base’s entry gate.

The blast occurred in a side lane next to Shahrae Faisal  near the Karsaz bridge was just metres away from the spot where the caravan of Pakistan Peoples Party slain chairperson Benazir Bhutto had come under attack on October 18, 2007.

The dead included one chief petty officer, two petty officers and one sailor. A civilian Naveed, 24, from North Karachi also died as he serviced an Alto car that broke down near the ill-fated bus.

CCPO Karachi Saud Mirza said the nature of the bomb was similar to the ones used in the Defence and Baldia attacks. SSP Investigation East Niaz Khosa said: “In the Baldia blast, the vehicle was speeding, which shows that only an expert could have targeted it.” The roadside bomb weighed at least 7kgs, he said, adding that the materials used in the bombs were all locally made.

He added that the navy was considered a soft target because its personnel had to travel through the city to reach the harbour as opposed to, for example, PAF staff that stays within its compound.

Bomb Disposal Unit inspectors at the site said high grade explosives were used in the attack, but they could not tell whether they were TNT or C4 type until the report comes back from their labs.

Who did it?

Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah was on his guard when he was asked to name the militant group behind the attacks given that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) had both claimed the Defence and Baldia bombings. “Some groups claim attacks in order to divert the attention of the investigators,” he said.

SSP Special Investigation Unit Raja Umer Khattab, who until two days ago, was ever ready to spin his theory that the planted bomb used in the motorcycle attack in Defence was similar to the one used in the Chehlum blast in the city a year ago, said: “All I can say at this point is that terrorists were involved in the attack.”

Navy officers investigating the attack admit that they too, like their police counterparts, were in the dark about the group involved. However, they said it was hard for them to digest that the TTP was involved since they could not find the misguided religious zeal usually associated with such terrorists who prefer to die in any of the attacks. They hinted that they were giving more credence to the claim from the Baloch rebels.

Khosa said the police were looking at the Taliban connection more closely since IED-type explosives are mostly used by them in Afghanistan and northern areas.

Analyst Ejaz Haider said it was possible that both claims of the TTP and BLF may not be mutually exclusive. He said there is increasing evidence that the BLF has strong links with the Sunni militant group Jundullah that is waging a battle against the Shia-state Iran. The Balochistan-based Jundullah is known to have strong links with the anti-Shia militant group Lashkar-e- Jhangvi, which Haider says in turn comes under the umbrella of the TTP. Other analysts and investigators disagree with Ejaz’s assertions calling them far-fetched.

Meanwhile, a navy press release said “Pakistan Navy has been attempted on by ill-minded elements whose nefarious motives aim at deterring the resolve of the nation to fight the menace of terrorism.”

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