Libya unrest: Pakistan ramps up efforts to evacuate citizen

Libyans shout slogans against Libyan leader Moamer Qaddafi while holding a cartoon depicting Qaddafi being hit with a hammer. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Monday said that progress has been made for the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis with the help of friendly governments.
A chartered flight is set to bring back 180 Pakistanis from Libya to Pakistan tonight.
Pakistan has around 18,000 of its nationals in Libya.
“Our Missions in the region have clear instructions from the Foreign Ministry to facilitate early and safe repatriation of Pakistani expatriates to Pakistan,” a statement from the Foreign Office spokesperson said.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, taking note of the problems of the stranded Pakistanis in Libya directed the Foreign Office Sunday to take immediate measures for safety of Pakistani expatriates.
Pakistan embassy officials are working with local authorities in Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Turkey to ensure the repatriation, especially of those Pakistanis who were without proper documentation and passports, the statement said.
The Foreign Office said embassy officials have been sent to the Libyan border to receive arriving Pakistanis. It said that arrangements were being made for the arrival of a group of Pakistanis by sea to Turkey from where they will be evacuated by air.
The Foreign Ministry has contacted Turkey, China, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and other countries for the evacuation of Pakistani expatriates through all possible routes.
‘Free of cost documents for stranded Pakistanis’
Interior minister Rehman Malik today ordered the DG passport to provide Pakistanis stranded in Libya with the required traveling documents at no cost.
Malik also advised to set up separate counters at airports where the concerned Pakistanis can register their data in order to streamline the procedure for their return, a report on a local television channel said.
The interior minister has also called for a meeting of related officials on Wednesday.

Future of US-Pakistan relations:choice is our

Ten years down the road we have to realize that Pakistan’s ‘partnership’ in the US war against terror has cost us dearly. During Musharraf regime it was a one sided affair, still Americans were pressurizing for “Do More” which ultimately resulted in Lal Masjid episode and bulldozing the constitution by imposing emergency as Army Chief to topple the Chief Justice of Pakistan unlawfully. One wonders if CIA operatives like Raymond Davis had any role in creating chaotic conditions. The country is at the fringe of economic collapse and the military action of the Pakistani army in Fata, Balochistan and elsewhere have resulted partly in spreading terrorist attacks and violence throughout the country and may be some of these CIA contractors also have a hand in worsening our domestic political situation and creating hopelessness, now that missing link to US support to TTP has come to surface, we should be rather bold in dealing with US and those who want to compromise will meet their doom soon, we should say no to North Waziristan operation, which will create unrest in our internal administration. In the wake of this war against our own population millions of citizens have been dislocated and are suffering a miserable life in camps and as displaced guests in the homes of their relatives. The partnership in the war on terror had been a lonely decision made by the former military dictator Musharraf who had pledged unconditional support to the US war in Afghanistan. This decision had not been popular at that time and it is becoming even more unpopular these days. Nevertheless, this false and unpopular decision has been upheld by the current PPP government during the recent three years of their rule for their own, selfish reasons: without US help and launching of an infamous NRO they would not be ruling Pakistan today. That is why they are bound by their pledges to the US and are upholding their acceptance for US drone attacks on Pakistani territory killing hundreds or even thousands of Pakistanis in the tribal areas. Ruthless mercenaries of the PPP regime like Hussain Haqqani have opened a new chapter in this ‘partnership’ by issuing hundreds of Pakistani visas to American CIA agents and security personal with unclear and doubtful agenda so much so that today our Foreign Office has no clue as to who is moving around in Pakistan and doing what. The most recent expression of this situation is the Davis affair where one of those CIA agents went on rampage in Lahore in broad daylight killing two Pakistanis. That he was a CIA agent was visible from day one on account of the amount of equipment which was found in his car comprising of cameras containing pictures of sensitive places, a whole weapon arsenal with ammunition for a small war and satellite GPS communication system. The fact of Davis CIA belonging and his assignments has been since confirmed by western media and the CIA itself. Now the interesting part of the discussion is that still the US is claiming diplomatic status for a CIA agent of theirs. Has this become a diplomatic mission these days? Should Pakistani envoys abroad be equipped from now onwards like Mr. Davis has been equipped? The question is in the court and we will hear the verdict soon. However a lot of pressure is being used on the families of the victims to get Davis out of Pakistan short circuits the process of law. Even a maternal uncle of victim Fahims wife Shumaila Kanwal, who died by committing suicide two weeks later, her uncle Mohammad Sarwer pursuing this case in court was first threatened of dire consequences if he continues to follow it, that news has appeared about some people forcing entry in his house late in the night and administered heavy dose of poisoned pills to kill Mr. Sarwer. He was rushed to local hospital where stomach wash was carried out to save his life. A question arises government is busy for nearly last one month in finding an excuse for Murderer Davis to be sent back while no effort is visible to save and protect the life & property of its citizen. It has further been reported that Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s mother’s house in Gulshan-e-Iqbal was broken in by unidentified men looking for Dr. Aafia’s Pakistani passport, which her mother had revealed to be in her custody few days earlier in TV programme capital talk, when the police guards posted for security of the house were conspicuously missing on that night. That does not mean that the Pakistani public is going to accept a verdict conceding diplomatic status to Davis. As Suleman Taseer affair has shown religious emotions awakened through the war on terror are running high and any such manipulated decision to facilitate Raymond Davis may trigger a public uprising and violence of unprecedented order. And that would not only be the religious parties and organizations but the broad public who will merge their other economic and personal problems with the one against the US and go wild. That is how and why the US-Pakistani relations have hit an all-time low and peace in this country has become fragile in the wake of this crisis. Therefore, the court verdict will have a distinct political dimension. It appears that the Zardari-led PPP is still trying to defend and rescue their government by supporting the US demand for diplomatic immunity the number of defecting sections of Pakistanis is growing. Even in their own PPP rows people with a consciousness intact are defecting like Foreign Minister Qureshi did. Another defecting section is the ISI whose relations with the US and CIA are anyway strained and this affair will surely not bring any relaxation. The Pakistani army who are taking the brunt of the war against terror in our country will surely also be thinking about their stand, while they have traditionally good relations with the US and depend for weapon supplies on them they also have a heightened realization of Pakistan’s national interest which is clearly at stake in this case, Remains the so-called ‘civil society’ of Pakistan, the two per cent westernized Pakistanis who throw their lot with the US where they park their money also and whose passport they might be carrying. The curse of this strategic partnership, which has not only heavily burdened us financially because of war on terror but has resulted in squeezing the purchasing power of the lower income groups who are also forced to commit suicides. This is a rather thin basis for the strategic partnership and even that might break any time. Therefore, it is time to review this strategic partnership. Yes, economically it is said that we are depending on the US and US dominated agencies like IMF, WB and others. But this dependency is anyway rather a curse and should not be perpetuated and we must work our plans ourselves and try to stand on our own two legs commanding some respect in the comity of nations. That means the future of US-Pakistani relations is rather bleak and the sooner we realize it and draw the consequences the better it would be for Pakistan. Pakistan has many other options but the problem is that we have visionless leaders, if we had leaders like the team working in foreign office under Shah Mahmud Qureshi our foreign allies would not dare to poke their nose in our domestic affairs. Our economic and financial managers also would not have dared to torn the national fabric to suit their foreign masters and multiply the number of people living below poverty line because of their borrowed plans. Our only survival lies in strengthening ties with China and Iran but as a student of history and International relations I feel that time is running against us on that option also, as our these time tested friends own national interest might demand otherwise. So why delay any further and why not come out with a crystal clear policy to change our alignment with our immediate neighbours, who may also need us at this point in time. Strengthen relations with Shanghai Cooperation Council things will certainly change for better and we can live and enjoy respect as an Independent country and not as a banana republic. Choice is ours.

Raymond Davis trial under way in Pakistan

The trial of Raymond Davis, the CIA agent facing charges of double murder in Pakistan, has started amid tight security and some secrecy in a Lahore jail.
The press and public have excluded from the trial in Kot Lakhpat jail, where Davis has been held since he shot dead two men on a busy Lahore street on 27 January.
Raymond Davis. Photograph: Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images US embassy spokeswoman Courtney Beale confirmed that a sessions court hearing was taking place on Friday but said the full trial would not start until Pakistani prosecutors pressed formal charges.
The US consul general in Lahore, Carmela Conroy, was present at the hearing.
The Davis case has sparked a crisis between Pakistan and the US, prompting meetings between top intelligence and military leaders in both countries in recent days.
On Tuesday Pakistan's top brass, led by army chief General Ashfaq Kayani, met a delegation of American generals led by Admiral Mike Mullen at a luxury resort in Oman to discuss the matter.
The US side stressed that it "did not want the US-Pakistan relationship to go into a freefall under media and domestic pressures", according to an account of the meeting obtained by Foreign Policy magazine.
Pakistan's intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has made judicious media leaks to help stir public anger towards Davis. They have included the release of documents this week that made unprecedented criticism of the CIA, suggesting the relationship is near breaking point.
US intelligence has also exerted pressure, claiming that Davis is in mortal danger at Kot Lakhpat jail and restarting the campaign of CIA drone strikes in the tribal belt that had stopped on 23 January.
There have been almost daily drone strikes since Monday – the CIA's way of "showing who's in charge", admitted one senior Pakistani official. At the Oman meeting Mullen told Kayani he could apply "other levers" if a solution to the case was not found, the official said.
The backroom manoeuvring takes place against a backdrop of public outrage in Pakistan, where militant and religious groups have launched noisy street protests calling for the hanging of Davis, a 36-year-old former special forces soldier.
The anger is driven by outrage that an armed American could open fire in the country's second-largest city, killing two people with 10 bullets. American claims that Davis has diplomatic immunity are legally contested and enjoy little public sympathy.
Religious groups and some political parties are putting pressure on the families of the two men Davis killed not to accept compensation from the US government – a solution that US officials quietly favour.
The papers have been filled with lurid accounts of Davis's activities in Pakistan, with some alleging he was linked to the Taliban or served as the acting head of the CIA in Pakistan – unlikely tales apparently designed to step up pressure on the Americans.
There has been little focus, however, on the activities of the two men Davis killed, variously described as robbers or intelligence operatives. A senior ISI official has told the Guardian that the agency suspects Davis knew the men.
In a separate case to decide the issue of diplomatic immunity, the government is due to present its report on Davis's diplomatic status to the Lahore high court on 14 March.
A senior retired state department lawyer told the Guardian and Slate.com that the US argument for immunity appeared to be weak in Davis's case.

Raymond Davis ends hunger strike: Sources

LAHORE: Raymond Davis, held in jail for the alleged murder of two Pakistanis in Lahore reportedly ended his hunger strike on Wednesday.
Davis, whose menu includes boiled rice and chicken four days a week, went on a hunger strike on Tuesday to protest prison conditions, sources informed Express 24/7. However, a US embassy spokesperson denied reports of the hunger strike, terming them baseless.
Members of banned organisations who were earlier kept with Davis in the high security zone, have reportedly been shifted out leaving Davis alone in the compound. Only police officers who have special permission from authorities are allowed to enter the high security compound.
It has also been learned by Express 24/7 that the US consulate staff visits Davis on a daily basis. The consulate has requested transferring Davis from the Kot Lakhpat Jail to Rawalpindi’s Adiyala jail.

Zardari invites Japanese investors to rejuvenate Pakistan’s economy

TOKYO, Feb. 22 (APP): Seeking cooperation of Japanese investors to explore enormous possibilities of strengthening and expanding business relations with Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday invited the Japanese Business Community to rejuvenate Pakistan’s economy through their individual contribution, joint venture or consortia and help Pakistan. Commenting on investment-friendly environment established by the present government, the President said,” Pakistan is a natural route for trade and energy corridors for central Asia and west Asia and the government has designated a 2000-acre Special Economic Zone (SEZ) exclusively for the Japanese investors near the port city of Karachi.”

The President was addressing a luncheon meeting with Japan Pakistan Business Cooperation  Committee (JPBCC) here on the second day of his three-day visit to Japan.
He said that a Japan-Pakistan Special Task Force has been set up to fast-track interaction in trade, economy and investment and to cut through the usual red tape.
“Pakistan has steadfastly pursued liberalization and de-regulation of economy, continued with liberal and friendly policies for foreign investors and the privatization process. There is no upper limit of foreign equity and no restriction on repatriation of capital, profits and dividends,” the President maintained.
Among other leading companies, the luncheon meeting was also participated by the chief executives of Sharp Corporation, Toyota Tsusno Corporation, Mitsubishi, Toyota Motors, Jetro, Marubeni Corporation, JCCI, AEON Ltd, Mitsui and Co Ltd, Suzuki Motors Corporation, Meiji Gakuin University, ORIX Corporation, Honda Motors Company Ltd and Panasonic.
President Zardari said that Pakistan was strategically located in the neighbourhood of the mega markets of China, India, energy rich Central Asia, West Asia and the affluent Gulf region and it could act as a hub for exports to these regions with its own 170 million consumers, backed up by availability of abundant raw material, cheap and skilled labour.
He said that with an attractive package of tax incentives, investments in Pakistan were given comprehensive legal protection.
The President said that Pakistan was an energy deficient country and its deficiency was an opportunity for the foreign investments. Pakistan had coal deposits of 180 billion metric tones in southeast of the country and similarly the southern coast provided tremendous potential of wind energy. Other key sectors offering profitable ventures were agriculture, infrastructure development and mining.
President Zardari said that Pakistan and Japan have  enjoyed decades of cordial, political and economic relations but the potential existing in trade and economic sectors between the two countries is yet to be fully realized.
Pakistan with its continued economic growth has attracted more than US$24 billion in Foreign Direct Investments in the last ten years where an inflow of US$6.6 billion has been witnessed during the tenure of the present government, he said.
The major investments, the President said, were made in telecom, oil and gas, financial businesses and power sectors besides textiles, construction, chemicals, trade and transport.
The exports witnessed a growth of 10 per cent in the fiscal year 2010 and are projecting a very healthy outlook for the current fiscal year, the President said, adding, foreign exchange reserves were well over $ 17 billion today against $10.8 billion, when the government came into power.
The government has effectively controlled depreciation in the value of its currency, which is now stable and trading at an appreciated level compared to 2008-09, he added.
The Karachi Stock Exchange Index , which serves a nerve centre for the state of economy is trading well over 12000 points today as compared to 550-0 in December 2008, he said.
“The government is bringing structural reforms for fiscal discipline, transparency, improved tax  governance and widening the tax net, he said, adding, “it is also eliminating subsidies, containing fiscal deficit and inflation and has embarked upon a massive drive against poverty by introducing  Benazir Income Support Programme to support millions of poverty ridden households at their doorsteps and economic support to jobless youth.”
He said the government was committed to support the agriculture sector, patronage of industry and trade, human resource and skill development, integrated energy programme, public-private partnership.
On the political side, the President said, the government had a chosen conciliatory path with all the political forces against the history of confrontation which had helped it to resolve issues of national interest and bring landmark constitutional changes with consensus.
President Zardari said that a strong economy was the key of winning the war against terrorists and their outfits, adding, the people with steady employment and prospects of a better future for them and their children were less likely to turn towards violence and terrorism.
About Pakistan economy, the President said that it had faced massive challenges and setbacks in the past few years. The devastating earthquake in 2005, worst floods of Pakistan history in July, last, the colossal impact of our role as the front-line state against terrorism, supplemented by global recession are all enough to flatten any economy of the world, he said, adding, “the strength of Pakistan’s economy is evident from its continuous positive growth despite these catastrophic odds”.
The President said that the present government inherited a crisis ridden economy  and despite its resilience the economy was under severe stress due to fiscal chaos and shortsightedness of the previous dictatorial regime. The present democratic government, he said, moved immediately to address the most immediate risks and entered into a macro-economic stabilization programme and reforms with IMF assistance, he added.
The fiscal year 2009-2010, which was only the second of the government, witnessed a growth of 4.1 percent in GDP against 1.2 percent in the previous year, he said, adding, the major turnaround was in the manufacturing sector, where a negative growth of -3.7 percent in 2008-09, turned into positive 5.2 percent in 2009-10.
The President said that the GDP in current fiscal year was expected to grow by 2.3 percent despite the fact that unprecedented floods in 2010, damaged crops on millions of hectares, livestock, agro based industry, infrastructure, disrupted manufacturing and trading activities besides displacing more than 20 million people.
President of the Marubeni Corporation and Chairman of the Japan Pakistan
Businesses Cooperation Committee (JPBCC) Teruo Asada told reporters after the meeting that they were going to invest in agriculture, communication, railways, mines and infrastructure development in Pakistan. He said that trade volume between Japan and Pakistan had reached to $100 million and Japan wanted to further boost its trade ties with Pakistan.
Chief Executive of Trade Development of Pakistan Tariq Puri said that President Zardari’s visit would fetch more investment in Pakistan and boost value added exports to Japan and other countries.
He said, Japan was one of the big importers of textile with a total volume of $90 billion with 85 per cent from China. He said that Pakistan had a good opportunity to expedite its exports to Japan as Japanese companies, already working in Pakistan, could outsource Pakistani products to Japan.
He said that Pakistan would start export of mangoes to Japan on test basis and  its full fledged exports would start very soon, which would fetch a reasonable foreign exchange.
President of Rice Exporters Corporation Ishaq Ahmed Sheikh said that Japan would provide technology and capital to manufacture rice products. He said that cooking oil made from rice was most suitable for cardio vascular  patients, which was highly popular in Japan.

 

Raymond Davis’ security: Punjab govt refuses to remove surveillance cameras

LAHORE: Refusing to accept a request by the US Consulate in Lahore, the Punjab government on Saturday said it will not remove surveillance cameras in the high security cell where double murder accused Raymond Davis is confined.

The consulate had earlier made a verbal request to remove the cameras. After refusal by the Punjab government, the consulate expressed displeasure over non-cooperation, said a home department official requesting anonymity.
The US official reportedly has access to a refrigerator, mobile phone and an antenna used for satellite communication, which is a violation of the Punjab Prisons Rules of 2010.
Davis is being kept in a high-security cell at the Central Jail Kot Lakhpat in Lahore. The jail department, on the instructions of the home department, has installed surveillance cameras in all high security cells in various jails. Special security guards are also deployed to prevent any untoward incident.
Earlier, inmates of a defunct organisation had been confined to 22 cells at the same jail, but they were shifted to various other jails for security reasons. Currently, 21 cells are empty.
According to the ruling of the apex court and prison rules, the home secretary cannot allow any inmate charged or convicted in heinous crimes, including murder, a home department official said. Such facilities are not even allowed to ordinary prisoners under the direction of the apex court, he added.
Mobile phone use has been declared a crime by the home department, but in Davis’ case it was provided without authorisation, a jail department official said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2011.

Scenarios: Shooting case tests U.S.-Pakistan relations

(Reuters) - The arrest of an American man for killing two Pakistanis has created the worst crisis in years between uneasy allies in Washington and Islamabad, threatening the war in Afghanistan and the stability of the Pakistani government.
U.S. officials are putting heavy pressure on Pakistan's fragile government to secure the release of Raymond Davis, a former special forces soldier who they say is a U.S. consular employee with diplomatic immunity.
Davis, whose precise connection to the U.S. government has not been officially confirmed, shot two men on a Lahore street last month during what he said was a robbery attempt.
President Asif Ali Zardari's government is reluctant to add fuel to a fiery anti-American mood in Pakistan and has said local courts must decide. With Islamist militants seeking to capitalize on the Davis case, Washington must be careful not to undermine Zardari as it seeks a swift resolution.
"The stakes here are huge. Pakistan is key to the war with al Qaeda and the war in Afghanistan," said Bruce Riedel, a former senior CIA analyst who led President Barack Obama's review of U.S. policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2009.
Here are several scenarios for how the Davis case could unfold and effect U.S.-Pakistan ties:
DAVIS FREED BUT AT WHAT PRICE FOR PAKISTAN?
Analysts in the United States see little chance that Davis will be convicted and kept in Pakistani custody, saying a solution eventually will be found.
Islamabad has good reason to want the problem to go away.
A major recipient of U.S. military aid, Pakistan needs the help to equip soldiers fighting militants who have waged war against the government since 2001. Pakistan also has relied on U.S. aid to help it recover from natural disasters and to battle widespread poverty.
With that in mind, the Zardari government may lean hard on Pakistan's Foreign Ministry to certify that Davis does have diplomatic immunity from prosecution in local courts.
The Lahore High Court, which has said it will follow the Foreign Ministry's guidance, would then declare that Davis can be released, ending a threat to multibillion-dollar U.S. aid.
But the government, already facing public anger for tacitly backing U.S. drone strikes on militants in tribal areas, could pay a heavy price if it is seen caving in to U.S. pressure over the Davis case.
"If this happens then there will be a storm, everybody will be involved ... but the most effective response will come from the Taliban and al Qaeda," said Pakistani political analyst Khalid Ahmed. "This is a very good opportunity for them to increase their acceptance among the people."
On Friday, protesters in Lahore and other cities demanded Davis be tried in Pakistan. Some of the demonstrators burned U.S. flags.
One U.S. official said the Pakistani government's reaction had been colored by the anti-government protests sweeping the Middle East and the fear that they could spread to Pakistan.

Pak Supreme Court directs sitting PCO judges 'not to issue any judicial orders

Pakistan's Supreme Court has directed the sitting judges who took oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) not to issue any judicial orders.
The concerned judges are facing contempt charges for taking oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) in defiance of a restraining order issued by a seven-judge bench on November 3, 2007, moments after the proclamation of emergency by the then Pakistan ruler Pervez Musharraf.
During a hearing of the PCO judges' case on Friday, the apex court ruled that any orders issued by these judges would have no constitutional standing, the Dawn reports.
The Supreme Court said in its ruling that it would take all necessary steps to safeguard the country's judicial system.
The ruling further stated that the concerned judges would be formally indicted for contempt of court on February 21.

Pak Supreme Court directs sitting PCO judges 'not to issue any judicial orders

Pakistan's Supreme Court has directed the sitting judges who took oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) not to issue any judicial orders.
The concerned judges are facing contempt charges for taking oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) in defiance of a restraining order issued by a seven-judge bench on November 3, 2007, moments after the proclamation of emergency by the then Pakistan ruler Pervez Musharraf.
During a hearing of the PCO judges' case on Friday, the apex court ruled that any orders issued by these judges would have no constitutional standing, the Dawn reports.
The Supreme Court said in its ruling that it would take all necessary steps to safeguard the country's judicial system.
The ruling further stated that the concerned judges would be formally indicted for contempt of court on February 21.

Q&A: Lahore shootings - unanswered questions

A court in Pakistan has delayed a hearing to decide whether an American who shot dead two men in Lahore last month has diplomatic immunity. The arrest of Raymond Davis has severely damaged relations between the countries. Much of the detail in the case remains unclear - the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan looks at some of the unanswered questions.

Is Raymond Davis a diplomat?

If you are thinking of a suavely dressed man in a three-piece suit who holds meetings with local officials to further or broaden his country's agenda, you would be wrong. Mr Davis was definitely not employed for his diplomatic skills - he is more a "hands-on" person, working in what the US embassy says is its "administrative and technical affairs section". Reports from the US say he is a former special forces soldier who left the military in 2003 and is working for the US embassy in Pakistan. As such, the US insists he is covered by the Vienna Convention which guarantees immunity from prosecution for all diplomatic staff.

Could he be a spy?

Many Pakistanis believe he is - there seem few other credible explanations as to why he was going around Lahore with a Glock pistol in a car with local number plates without informing local authorities. It is a requirement for embassy staff - especially those from Western embassies - to inform local police of their movements, simply because they are prime targets for militants in Pakistan. Mr Davis's department in the US embassy is widely seen in Pakistan as a cover for Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operations. Mr Davis himself said he was a consultant employed by the US government. Researchers in the US say that since leaving the military, Mr Davis worked for a security firm called Hyperion LLC. But subsequent investigations by the US media have now shown that Hyperion exists only as a website. The offices that the company says it has in Orlando have been vacant for several years and the numbers on its website are unlisted.

Can Mr Davis be convicted for the murders?

Maybe. It all depends on how eager the Pakistani authorities are to punish him. The fact that he is possibly a spy does not mean he is not covered by diplomatic immunity. It is common practice for intelligence services across the world to send operatives under the cover of assignments to embassies. Both Pakistani and US "diplomats" have been caught in such situations - and every time have been asked to leave the host country immediately with no possibility of a return. That is the maximum punishment that has been levied in the overwhelming majority of cases in countries which have signed the Vienna Convention. However, in some countries there are exceptions for serious offences committed, such as murder. Pakistan is one of those countries. The matter is now in the hands of the judiciary. But it is important to remember that Mr Davis has been charged with murder - the maximum sentence here is the death penalty.

Should Mr Davis have been carrying a gun?

Legally speaking, only Pakistani citizens with licences issued by the interior ministry are allowed to carry arms. No foreigner is allowed to carry arms, except soldiers or guards within the premises of an embassy. Both Pakistani nationals and foreigners caught carrying arms can be charged under a Pakistani criminal law which stipulates a jail term of six months to two years in addition to a fine. Mr Davis has also been charged under this law.

Was he acting in self-defence?

That was the initial plea made by Mr Davis and the US embassy. However, subsequent investigations by the police, forensic labs and the local and international media suggest that the two men were driving away from Mr Davis when they were shot. In February Lahore's police chief said that Mr Davis was guilty of "cold-blooded murder" - he said that no fingerprints had been uncovered on the triggers of the pistols found on the bodies of the two men. Furthermore he said that tests had shown that the bullets remained in the magazines of their guns, not the chambers, suggesting they weren't about to shoot him. On the face of it, this leaves Mr Davis's claim that they were robbers - with one even apparently cocking a gun at his head - looking very thin. In addition, police say ballistics evidence shows that the pair were shot in the back - which again suggests they were moving away from Mr Davis, rather than about to attack him.

Who were the Pakistanis that Mr Davis shot?

In his initial statement, Mr Davis said they were robbers who were trying to steal his valuables. He and the US embassy have maintained this story. However, the men have no criminal records as such. Both have been identified as residents of Lahore by the police. The pair were carrying licensed pistols - a fact which led many to believe they might indeed have been robbers. However, security sources in Lahore say that they were part-time or low-level operatives for the local intelligence services. Although reports are sketchy about what they were doing in relation to Mr Davis, security officials believe it could be the case of a surveillance operation gone horribly wrong. Pakistani intelligence services routinely tail and monitor all embassy staff, Western or otherwise.

What about the second car and its victim?

A side event to the main drama concerning Mr Davis was the fact a third man was also killed during the incident. He was an innocent bystander run over by a US embassy vehicle, which was initially said to have arrived to rescue Mr Davis. The fact that an embassy vehicle was able to get to the spot so quickly was a source of astonishment to anyone who is even vaguely aware of the geography of Lahore. Given the incident was over within minutes, it seems incredible that anyone could negotiate the 12km (7.4-mile) 40-minute drive in peak traffic in less than five minutes. But subsequent investigations have now shown that the second car - a Toyota Landcruiser - was with Mr Davis at the time of the incident. In fact, according to eyewitnesses, Mr Davis was leading and clearing the way for the Toyota when the incident took place. In the light of what happened afterwards, it seems Mr Davis was in "protective mode" and opened fire to "secure" whoever or whatever was in the Toyota - the interior of this vehicle was not visible as its windows were tinted. It is evident in local TV footage that the second vehicle is going away from Mr Davis at the time of the incident. As it disappears into the dust, Mr Davis calmly pulls over and gives himself up. Pakistani authorities have asked for the Landcruiser and its driver to be handed over - a request with which the US has yet to comply.

What about behind-the-scenes negotiations?

As well as public pressure, US officials have also privately warned Pakistan's government of far-reaching and severe consequences if Mr Davis is convicted. Unnamed US officials have also used the media to issue veiled warnings to Pakistan that diplomatic ties could be cut and all aid stopped. Despite Islamabad's public stance on Mr Davis, Pakistani officials are said to have privately assured Washington that he will eventually be released. However, public pressure means that at the moment this could lead to a massive anti-government backlash. Pakistan's Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, has hinted that blood money could be paid to the families of the two men Mr Davis admits shooting, which could enable his release. There is speculation that US officials may try to establish contacts with the families in this regard. However, it is not clear that Mr Davis has been charged under laws which would allow blood money to be paid.

colourful celebrations of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi

LAHORE: At the Kashmiri Bazaar in the old city, last minute preparations were underway on Tuesday night for one of the most colourful celebrations of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi in the city.
People put up lights on buildings and finished large-scale dioramas of the mountains where the Holy Prophet (pbuh) received his revelations from Allah. Naats filled the air and langar stalls were set up. Thousands were expected to visit the area overnight for the Eid-e-Milad festival.
“It will be a sea of people, in a family environment,” said Ali Jehangir, a local shopkeeper in the Mochi Gate area. “They start coming after 11pm and keep coming till around 3-4 am.”
The festival has been organised for the last 15 years by Muhammad Rafi, known locally as Baba Rafi, with the aid of donations from local shopkeepers and residents.
The better displays include an elaborate mountain diorama, complete with water fountains powered by electric motors; a large model of Chauburji; and an eight-foot tall, five-foot thick copy of the Holy Quran written by hand.
Rafi voiced concern though that space in the area was running out for the festival. “We have been working every night after 10 pm to set up these decorations, because the streets are always full of people and we have to wait till they empty out a little,” he said.
He said that there was also a popular Taj Mahal diorama that could not be put on display for lack of space. “It’s become an issue because of the construction of new plazas,” he said.
“We cannot have as many big displays.
Three plots where we used to put up displays are now occupied by new buildings made within the last year,” said Mohammed Siddique, a local shopkeeper.
Muhammed Imran, a third-year Punjab University student from Mohalla Kakkay Zayyan, said every neighbourhood and street in the area shared responsibility for the event. His family had organised a small get-together and a band this year, as well as food. He said that Baba Rafi ensured cohesion in the displays.
Malik Zeeshan Shabbir, a journalist and local resident, said the biggest Eid-e-Milad procession would start at around 2 pm from Masjid Kashmiri and pass through Milad Chowk near Bhati Gate, where it would be joined by neighbouring processions before ending at Data Darbar. Many of the participants are from Barelvi parties like Dawat-i-Islami, he said.
On Tuesday, the Milad committee also organised a procession that started at Data Darbar after Maghreb and ended at Regal Chowk. It included religious scholars, lawyers, traders and students. Syed Mukhtar Ashraf Rizvi, Raghib Naeemi and Syed Mustafa Qadri gave speeches before the start of the procession.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2011.

Taliban Threatens to Target Pakistan If They Hand Over U.S. Murder Suspect

The Pakistani Taliban is threatening to target its country's rulers if they hand over U.S. murder suspect Raymond Davis, according to Reuters.

"If (Pakistani) rulers hand him over to America then we will target these rulers. If Pakistani courts cannot punish Davis, then they should hand him over to us," a spokesman for the Al Qaeda-linked Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan told Reuters.

The U.S. consulate employee has been jailed for shooting two men last month. Davis claims he shot them in self-defense, and that his detention is illegal because he has diplomatic immunity.

Pakistani government officials have avoided taking a definitive stand on Davis' legal status in the face of popular anger over the shootout. Thousands have rallied against Davis, demanding he be hanged.

"We will give exemplary punishment to the killer Davis," the Taliban spokesman told Reuters.

Police say their investigation found Davis committed a "cold-blooded murder" and that that's the charge they'll pursue in court. It hasn't helped that the government of Punjab province, where any trial would be held, is run by a party that is a rival to the one running the federal government.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is expected to arrive in Pakistan Tuesday to discuss the case with senior Pakistani officials.

He is expected to issue a statement of regret over the incident, though American officials would not confirm that. The embassy described Kerry's visit as a way for the U.S. to remind Pakistan of the strategic importance of their relationship.

U.S. officials have threatened to withhold billions of dollars in aid to Pakistan to get Davis freed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pakistan ruling party softens over US gunman

KARACHI — A spokeswoman for Pakistan's main ruling party on Monday moved to dilute anger over a US official accused of murdering two Pakistanis, saying diplomats have immunity and that he had an official visa.
Pakistan's ties with the United States have gone into crisis since police arrested Raymond Davis, who confessed to killing two men in self-defence on a busy street in the eastern city of Lahore on January 27.
Washington supports his claim and says he is a diplomat who should be released immediately in keeping with international law.
But the weak coalition Pakistani government is under enormous pressure to see Davis put on trial in a country awash with anti-American sentiment.
A court last Friday remanded him in custody for an extra two weeks and police accused him of cold-blooded murder.
"We have always abided by international laws and conventions," Pakistan People's Party (PPP) spokeswoman Fauzia Wahab told reporters in Karachi.
"Davis has an official business visa, so why argue and why we are risking our overall good reputation before the rest of the world?"
The US State Department on Saturday postponed a round of high-level talks with Afghanistan and Pakistan following failed attempts to get Pakistan to release Davis.
US lawmakers have threatened to cut payments to Pakistan, the beneficiary of $7.5 billion dollars of aid and $2 billion in military aid, and Washington has warned that high-level dialogue is at risk unless Davis is freed.
"America is the largest market for Pakistan, with whom we earn four billion dollars. Most Pakistanis who live in the United States send bulk of remittances to us to support our economy," said Wahab.
Hundreds of Pakistanis have taken to the streets demanding that Davis be hanged over the killings. A third Pakistani man was run over and killed by a US consulate vehicle that made a failed attempt to recover Davis.
The Pakistani Taliban, which is waging an insurgency in the northwest, has demanded that the government execute Davis or hand him over to the militia.

Masood Kausar sworn-in as KP Governor

Barrister Syed Masood Kausar took oath as Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday in an oath-taking ceremony administered by Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Justice Ijaz Afzal in the Governor House Peshawar. Masood is the 28th Governor of the province. He replaced Owais Ahmad Ghani after completion of his 3-year period. Masood Kausar, the brother of noted Urdu poet Ahmad Faraz, is a veteran PPP leader and has served on important positions in the party.

Syed Masood Kausar---- Home Phone: 0521,271405 Province: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Address: 11, Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Khan Road, Peshawar.

Details: A renowned jurist, a law practitioner, a constitutional expert Syed Masood Kausar was born in the district Kohat of the NWFP on 2 May, 1938. After earning a Bachelor's Degree from Islamia College Peshawar, he opted for education in law and jurisprudence and got his LLB degree from the Peshawar University as back as in 1960. He was called to the Bar in the year 1968 from the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, England. Syed Masood Kausar took keen interest in the extra-curricular activities at all the educational institutions he attended and was very popular among students and his colleagues. He has a rare distinction to his credit for having been elected as President of the Khyber Union of Islamia College Peshawar. He was the first elected General Secretary of the Peshawar University Students Union. During his stay in England, Syed Masood Kausar was again elected as the General Secretary of the Pakistan Students' Federation Great Britain. Syed Masood Kausar has also a very outstanding career in the law profession. He has appeared before the High Courts and the Supreme Court of Pakistan in different important cases of eminence. He was elected President of the Peshawar High Court Bar Association in 1984 and has also been an honorary visiting Professor of law at the University Law College Peshawar. Syed Masood Kausar has been a very active member of the Pakistan Peoples Party and presenlty is the member of its Central Executive Committee, the highest policy making body of the PPP. He has also been very active in sustaining struggle against the Military Rule in Pakistan and was imprisoned several times during the movement for the restoration of democracy. Barrister Masood Kausar was elected as a member of the Provincial Assemlby of the NWFP in 1988 and again in 1990. He was the Speaker of the NWFP Assembly from 1988 to 1990 and was Deputy Leader of the Opposition of the same Assembly from 1990 to 1993. Syed Masood Kausar has been to the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Egypt and a number of other countries of the world on academic and official missions and also as a member and leader of the Parliamentary delegations. Barrister Masood Kausar Was elected to the Senate of Pakistan in March, 1994 for a six year term. He is a member of the Senate Standing Committees on Petroleum and Natural Resources, Interior, Narcotics Control and States and Frontier Regions and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. He is also a member of the Functional Committee of the Senate on Less Developed Areas.

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Pakistan's Cabinet Resigns

Pakistan's federal ministers resigned Wednesday and the prime minister is expected to soon announce a smaller cabinet to help cut government expenditure in an effort to promote fiscal discipline to overcome mounting economic woes. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will forward the resignations to the president and is widely expected to announce a cabinet of less than 40 members as against the just-resigned team of 60 ministers and junior ministers.

The move follows the International Monetary Fund's stern warning in December against fiscal slippage as Pakistan's yawning budget deficit continued to widen amid higher government spending and weak tax revenue.
The government has raised its budget deficit forecast to 4.7% of gross domestic product for this fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, from its prior projection of 4.0%. Economists expect the fiscal deficit to widen to as much as 8.0% in the current fiscal year.
Confronted by weak economic growth and tax evasion by many residents, the government has struggled to raise revenues. The country, a U.S. ally, also continues to grapple with routine violence unleashed by Islamist militants.
The South Asian nation relies heavily on loans from the IMF as it battles to overcome massive damage to infrastructure from unprecedented floods last year.
The IMF, which urged Pakistan in December to tighten its fiscal belt, withheld $3.5 billion in 2010 from its total $11.3 billion loan package in a bid to pressure the country to take action.
The country called in the IMF in 2008 amid a balance-of-payments crisis. The fund's support was due to end on Dec. 31 but the IMF extended the loan by nine months to give Pakistan more time to implement reforms.
Last week, the main ruling Pakistan People's Party authorized Gilani to dissolve the cabinet after powerful opposition parties demanded a smaller team to tackle Pakistan's economic woes.
A reduction in the size of the cabinet is a legal requirement of the 18th amendment to the constitution, which stipulates it should be no larger than 11% of 442 members that make up the current parliament.
Standard & Poor's analyst Agost Benard said the resignations were a "novel" approach to fiscal consolidation, but its effects on Pakistan's credit fundamentals remained to be seen.
S&P rates Pakistan's sovereign credit "B-," six notches below investment grade, with a stable outlook.
This rating, which was affirmed by S&P in November, already factors in the country's volatile politics, Mr. Benard said.
"Nothing really has changed since then. It's just more of a disappointing delay with the implementation of reforms," he said
Pakistan's GDP rose 4.1% last fiscal year, and the central bank is forecasting growth to slow to between 2.0% and 3.0% this year.
The deepening crisis has forced the government to borrow heavily as it tries to speed up reconstruction work that could take years to complete and cost billions of dollars.
The increased borrowing is fueling consumer price inflation, which was at 14.19% in January.
Central bank governor Shahid Kardar warned last month that inflation may remain in double digits next fiscal year. The central bank also raised its estimate on average inflation this fiscal year to 15%-16%, compared with 13.5%-14.5% projected earlier.
The State Bank of Pakistan, in a surprise move, held its lending rate steady at 14% at its Jan. 29 monetary policy meeting, pausing after three consecutive rate increases since July.
The resignations are a symbolic move that reflects the government is ready to clean up the economy and start from its "own house," said Zafar Mueen Nasir, chief of research at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics. "The impact would not be more than few million dollars," in savings for fiscal coffers, he added.

Pakistani investigators name Musharraf accused in Benazir's murder case

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Investigators Monday requested an Anti-Terrorism Court to declare former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf absconder in the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, prosecutors said.
Benazir Bhutto, the two times Prime Minister of Pakistan, was killed in firing and suicide attack in the garrison city of Rawalpindi in Dec. 2007 when Musharraf was ruling the country.
The Musharraf government had blamed the then Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsood for Benazir's killing, a charge denied by Pakistani Taliban.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the killing of Benazir Bhutto.
The investigators Monday presented a report in the court in Rawalpindi, listing Musharraf as one of the accused in the case. The documents said that Pervez Musharraf had been issuing instructions to then two senior police officers, responsible for the security of Benazir Bhutto.
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar told the court that Musharraf had been named as an "absconding accused" as he has shown lack of cooperation.
A United Nation inquiry report said last year that the attack on Benazir Bhutto could be averted if tight security measures had been taken.
The anti-terrorism court is conducting the trial of five suspects, including members of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, who have been charged with planning and facilitating the assassination. All have denied any involvement.
A prosecutor for the FIA told the court that Musharraf had been called several times in connection with the investigation but he did not appear and he has been declared absconder.
The prosecutor requested the court to declare Musharraf as absconder until the next hearing on Feb. 12, and if he failed to appear at the court, he should be declared proclaimed offender.
The investigators also produced forensic report of Benazir Bhutto's BlackBerry phone, she had used on the day of her murder.
A spokesman for Musharraf dismissed the FIA report as a politically motivated move and said it is aimed at hiding the real causes of the murder of Benazir Bhutto.
Musharraf, who has been living in self-exile in Britain since April 2009, has said that he intended to return to Pakistan before the next general election in 2013. He formed a new party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, with an eye to the next polls.

photography competition

Ex-MQM man among seven killed in Karachi

Karachi- Seven people including an ex-activist of MQM were killed in the different incidents of violence here on Saturday.
According to details, a former activist of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was gunned down in Medina Colony within the limits of New Karachi Industrial Area Police Station. Zahid Ali, 35, was standing outside his house in Sector 5-G New Karachi, when unidentified shot him dead and managed to escape. Police shifted his body Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH).
In another incident, a man shot dead in Malir Kala Board over offering resistance during robbery attempt within the limits of Saudabad Police Station.
The incident took place near Khan Laboratory Malir Kala Board, where 24-year-old Mohammad Hussain was going on his motorcycle when two armed men tried to snatch his motorcycle and cash. Armed men shot him twice and managed to flee. Police shifted him to a private hospital where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. No case was registered till the filing of this report.
Separately, a man killed his wife in Gulshan-e-Latif, Korangi in the jurisdiction of Awami Colony. The incident took place in Sector 9 Gulshan-e-Latif where Sajid shot his wife Sajida dead and managed to flee. Police said family dispute was the cause behind the murder. The couple get married eight month before and reached Karachi couple of weeks ago. Police shifted her body to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and later handed it over to heirs.

Has Asif Zardari married to Tanveer Zamani?

Asif Zardari got married to Tanveer Zamani according to Muslim Shiyat Bylaws in Dubai last week. The ceremony has not been held. However the marriage religious vows, paper work and prenuptial have been confirmed. Nine black goats, 6 cows and 1 camel was sacrificed at this sacred occasion. This happened 3 years after the assassination of Slain Bhutto. She is a Mediterranean descent American resident, and she lives in Gramercy Park, Manhattan, New York. Zamani is a practicing physician and known to be a Bhutto party loyalist. She earned PhD degree in International Politics from UK. She owns estates in London, Dubai, Islamabad and Manhattan. Zamani is a known Democrat and supported Obama’s 2008 election campaign. She actively participated in Obama’s Health Care reform bill to make it a law. Recently, she has been prohibited to attend the public political meetings due to her security issues. Pres. Zardari in a meeting with Obama on 1/14/11 in DC, requested his help in acquiring security for Zamani.
Zardari is the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who twice served as Prime Minister of Pakistan. When his wife was assassinated in December 2007, he became the Chairman of the PPP. It has been claimed that Zardari is among the four richest men in Pakistan. In the 1988 elections, Bhutto became Prime Minister, and Zardari became a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. Zardari’s opponents began using the nickname, “Mr 10%”, in reference to the charges of corruption against him. This nickname referred to kickbacks he was alleged to have received during his wife’s premiership. He served in Jail from 1990 -1993 and 1997-2004.
It has been noticed that with the advent of Zamani in his life for the last 8 months, he has been changed a lot. A lot has been blogged about them on the web. He seemed to find refuge in trusting her loyalty to him more than the party. The couple might have faced many domestic, social and political issues before they decided to turn this long distance, under cover- relationship into a life time partnership. It is welcomed as a wise decision since it is according to their religious perquisites and he needs a loyal partner in his life who could support him spiritually, physically and financially at his worse times. To choose a life partner might be a difficult decision for him before meeting Zamani, but she made it an easy shot to play since she seems not someone who would marry him for his assets and power. Pres. Zardari made a good deal to marry an American citizen, since next time he would not go to a prison , he will be pulled out by her to Manhattan. It is presumed that the couple will be officially announced at the end of his political Presidency term. Obviously, not until after the next elections.
Will the party or Zardari loose a lot of popularity he cashed after the death of his ex- wife? Or Zamani will give him a new fame, name, and a life with the happiness that he never found in the last one. His children Bakhtawar , Bilawal and Aseefa must understand the needs of their father who after taking care of their mother’s party has already proven his Loyalty to Bhuttos. Now, its their turn to let him move on with Zamani and spend in Manhattan a life he deserves.
Many media analyst are still trying to find an evidence before they jump into this leak. They wonder what is behind this marriage; Love, political move or Wealth. The event was supposed to be an undisclosed sentinel secret, but it is released through a fashion designer company by a UAE news agency
The fact is none of the parties have denied this leaked news yet.
Article Source:
http://zardarizamani.blogspot.com/2011/01/zardari-zamani-where-bhuttoism-brings-z.html?spref=fb
http://alaiwah.wordpress.com/2011/02/01/has-zardari-married-tanveer-zamani/
http://www.doseofme.com/2011/02/02/breaking-news-asif-zardari-got-married-to-tanveer-zamani-in-dubai/