Pakistan Views

A missile destroyed a militant hideout in Miranshah, killing 12 militants inside.

According to US news agency, security forces carried out missile attack after midnight in Khushali Torikhel, a village in Miranshah, capital of North Waziristan in which 12 miscreants were killed. However, there is no official confirmation of the incident.

An inter-provincial meeting discusses law and order situation in the country; besides security situation in Sawat and Waziristan
Held in Islamabad today and chaired by caretaker Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz Khan, the meeting also deliberated upon security arrangements for the upcoming general elections
Parts of the country have been divided into three categories with regard to elections. These include: most sensitive; sensitive and normal. The province of Sindh has been categorized as the most-sensitive part
According to sources, the meeting, attended by secretary interior Said Kamal Shah, provincial home secretaries and top police and security officials, also discussed security threats to political leaders.
The meeting also deliberated upon strengthening and boosting of the police and paramilitary forces.

Pakistan Foreign Office has taken serious notice of Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi’s manhandling in US and has strongly urged the US Embassy to let Mr Edhi go. Hectic Efforts are being made to resolve the situation.
In a move that has shocked Pakistanis, famous social worker Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi’s passport and green card have been confiscated by US immigration authorities.
The man known as Pakistan’s “Mother Teresa” has been instructed not to exit New York — after U-S immigration officials held him at JKF airport for 8-12 hours. A spokesman for the Edhi Foundation told Geo News that Mr Edhi was questioned at John F Kennedy airport for not residing in the U-S as required by green card holders.

President Pervez Musharraf returned here Tuesday morning at the conclusion of his four-nation visit to European countries: Belgium, France, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
The President was received at PAF Base Chaklala by caretaker Prime Minister Muhammadmian Soomro, National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain, caretaker Minister for Information Nisar Memon and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani besides other senior civil and military officers.
Talking to reporters in London prior to flying back home, President Musharraf termed his visit helpful in consolidating political and economic ties at bilateral and regional levels.
The President expressed satisfaction over his meeting with the leadership of the two countries, interaction with media, talks with business executives and members of Pakistani community.
President Musharraf assured the world community that the country was moving on the right track, stemming out militancy in some tribal areas and maintaining economic sustainability besides commitment to hold free, fair and transparent elections in peaceful atmosphere on Feb 18.
Regarding his participation in the World Economic Forum at Davos, President Musharraf said he availed the opportunities with top multinational companies for bringing more investment in Pakistan.
President Musharraf said he assured the leaders of the friendly countries, media and business representatives that the efforts to destabilize the country would never succeed as Pakistan’s armed forces and security agencies were strong enough to protect their homeland.
He said all institutions of the country were functioning smoothly and there would be no problem in completing the process of democratic transition on the scheduled date.
The President expressed the confidence that a moderate and stable government would come into power on February 18, and certainly executive powers would be handed over to majority party.
He emphatically said that absolutely there would be no difficulty for him to work with any government in total harmony, keeping high the country’s larger interest.

Ministry of Interior (MoI) has claimed that suicide bomber Bilal blew himself up and his accomplice Ikram shot Benazir Bhutto on Dec 27.
Secretary Interior Said Kamalshah told journalists that there was two-minute gap between shooting and explosion.
Twenty-two out of twenty-three dead victims of the Dec 27 blast have been identified, he said.
It is believed the unidentified head is of the suicide bomber Bilal. Kamal Shah said that suspect Ikram who fired on Benazir Bhutto fled the scene
The secretary said that revelations by suspect Aitizaz Shah confirm that he is trained suicide bomber, having met with Bilal and Ikram and Baitullah Mahsood.

President Pervez Musharraf on the final day of his UK visit on Monday urged the West to understand the challenges and problems facing Pakistan and said the country needs to be encouraged and supported in overcoming these obstacles and difficulties.

Addressing senior members of the British media at Hotel Dorchester this morning, the President said his country’s success in meeting these challenges will make the world more peaceful and tranquil.

The President gave an overview of the various challenges confronting Pakistan and how his Government has mapped out strategies to deal with each of these issues.

The President at the onset declared that his government was a strong believer in independent media and will continue to encourage its growth and free expression.

The President spoke about Pakistan’s centrality to the peace in the world saying, “Pakistan’s success in meeting these challenges and defeating terror and extremism will contribute to peace and saving the world.”

President Musharraf attributed the menace of terrorism and extremism in Pakistan to the fallout of Soviet Union’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and the failure of USA and the West to support and assist both Pakistan and Afghanistan in dealing with the post 1989 period and leaving the two countries in a lurch.

The President also touched upon the judicial crisis and blamed the former Chief Justice for politicising the legal issue and disturbing national peace and demoralising the people. He defended his November 3 action and termed them as necessary to put democracy back on the rail.

Musharraf also reiterated that the upcoming February 18 parliamentary elections would be fair, free, peaceful and transparent and all the possible loopholes have been plugged to ensure the credibility of the polls.

He said he was ready to work with any party winning two-majority and able to form the Government. The President said the Government affairs would be run by the Prime Minister whose party has a majority in the Parliament.

He said Pakistan needs more excess to the European markets, more investments and trade exchanges to develop and widen its industrial base and provide job opportunities for its people in order to alleviate poverty and develop the country.

The President asked the West to judge the third world countries through the performance of its government in social and economic fields and the steps taken for the welfare of the people and nothing else.

Responding to a question, the President said through US aid, Pakistan will shortly receive the first part of US $ 150 million for utilising on various public welfare projects in FATA.

He ruled out possibility of Taliban leadership living in Afghan refugee’s camp in Balochistan and said Pakistan has asked the UNHCR take these people back to Afghanistan as early as possible.

The President, in reply to another question, said those responsible for July 2005 bombing in London, were the home grown British residents and it was the responsibility of the British Government to find out reasons why these young men resorted to such deadly acts.

“Perhaps, it was the feeling of alienation or the failure to assimilate with British society,” the President wondered. He also noted that Hizbul Tehrir is banned in Pakistan yet this organisation is very much active in UK.

A foreign news agency Monday reported that President Pervez Musharraf has held a meeting with Israel’s defense minister in a Paris hotel last week. Presidential spokesman however, has denied meeting between President Musharraf and Israeli defence minister.
In Islamabad, Foreign Ministry spokesman said Musharraf had a “chance” meeting with Israeli minister in Paris hotel.
A foreign news agency citing Israeli sources reported President Musharraf and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak met by chance at the a Paris hotel, where they both were staying. They then held a scheduled one-hour meeting the following day, the officials said. Israeli defence minister and President Musharraf discussed the Iran nuclear issue, the report said.
However, Musharraf and former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon had shook hands on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2005.
In Islamabad, Foreign Ministry spokesman said Musharraf had a chance meeting with Barak in Paris.
“The president was leaving and the defense minister of Israel entered the hotel lobby and it was a chance meeting,’’ “I am not aware of any second meeting.”
Presidential spokesman however, denying the report of meeting between President Musharraf and Israeli defence minister said no such meeting took place.

A group of armed men, who took over a school in Karak with about 70 school children and teachers whom they were holding hostage in Bannu district of NWFP, have on Monday released every hostage unharmed.
According to sources, that the outlaws kidnapped DHO Health Karak Dr. Syed Hussain Jan. The Karak police chased the militants and instantly informed the Bannu police which held blockade on their way. The militants instead of surrendering captured the nearby school and made hostage dozens of children, police added. In the meantime, the DHO Syed Hussain was released.
The security forces, after the jirga, decided to end siege of the school building. Later on, the armed men leveraged the darkness of night and escaped by releasing the school hostages to the local jirga, sources added.

The Commonwealth could review Pakistan’s suspension after the country’s parliamentary elections next month, the 53-nation group’s secretary general, Don McKinnon, said here on Monday.

An evaluation on the return of democratic government and the rule of law in Pakistan will be made by a Commonwealth ministerial team invited to the country after the February 18 elections, he said.

“The fact that they are inviting us to come back after the elections is a very strong point,” Don McKinnon told AFP in an interview in Washington.

Pakistan was suspended for the second time from the federation of mostly ex-British colonies in November after President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency, sacked top judges, detained lawyers, rights activists and opposition members and curbed press freedom.

Islamabad had called the suspension “unreasonable and unjustified” and threatened to pull out from the organisation, as Zimbabwe has done.

“I am satisfied they want to continue their relationship with the Commonwealth,” McKinnon said.

During their trip to Pakistan, representatives of the Malaysia-led Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, which decide on membership suspension issues, would “want to see what has happened” since the suspension, “and things like rebuilding the confidence of the judiciary, freedom of the press will be very much part of that.

“The ministers will come back clearly with their findings, that may necessitate bringing the whole ministerial action group back together” to discuss the issue, he said.

McKinnon, on annual visit to meet US officials to discuss issues such as reforms in Pakistan, said the Commonwealth “do remain concerned” over the fate of the upcoming elections and the need for them to be free and fair.

On demands by Pakistan opposition leaders for the reinstatement of the deposed chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad, who is under house arrest, McKinnon said “there must be a lot of commitments attached to rebuilding the independence of the judicary.

“One of my greatest criticisms on President Musharraf is you cannot just fire the judiciary. If you’ve got judges who are inadequate you should go through an impeachment procedure. An independent judiciary is a very strong tenet of the Commonwealth,” he said.

There is no suggestion of foul play in the death of a US diplomat who was found shot at his home in Islamabad on Monday, the State Department said.

Spokesman Sean McCormack identified the diplomat as Keith Ryan, an attache from the Department of Homeland Security working on immigration and customs enforcement at the Islamabad embassy.

“It’s a sad, sad event,” McCormack told reporters, expressing condolences to Ryan’s family.

Investigations were continuing, he said, “but we have no indication at this point that it involves foul play.” No further details were available on Ryan, who Pakistani police said had apparently shot himself in the head.