Pakistan Views

Three-day Indo-Pakistan negotiations started today on various issues including the controversial water projects of Baglihar Dam and Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project.Earlier on Friday, an eleven- member Indian delegation of Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) arrived in the city.The Indian Indus Water Treaty Commissioner, G Aranga Nathan is leading the India delegation comprising some technical experts of the water sector in the annual meeting.The meetings would be held in Nespak early in the morning.Talking to the media at Allama Iqbal International Airport, G Aranga Nathan said no discussion is needed on Baglihar Dam as it had already been decided and India is complying with World Bank decision in this regard.Talking to media, Pakistani Commissioner of PIC Syed Jamaat Ali Shah said the commission would finalize the annual reports to be submitted to the respective governments.The issues of Kishanganga and Ori-II would also be discussed in the talks, he said, adding the Pakistani side would also ask the Indian delegation to set an intermediate meeting between the two countries’ PICs during the year. Meanwhile, sources said, besides the routine agenda, the Pakistani side would also put up the controversial issues, particularly Kishanganga and Baglihar hydropower India on the Chenab River. However, Ori-II abd Kishanganga would be the focus of talks, they added. The sources said the Pakistani team would emphasise the Indian delegation to announce an exact date for the inspection of the Baglihar project in order to determine whether the work was in accordance with the decision by the World Bank’s neutral expert, or not. The PIC is the only permanent body that exists between Pakistan and India since 1960 Waters Treaty was signed by the two countries with the World Bank playing a role of a facilitator. Pakistan’s major concern of the day is to ensure, on the spot, inspection of the Baglihar Dam as early as possible after the World Bank’s neutral expert had determined “differences” and allowed its construction with some important modifications. Pakistan has been urging India for the meetings of Baglihar and Kishangana in the last six months but received a cold response as New Delhi may start commissioning of Baglihar project on the Chenab River within next two to three months.

Atleast 15 passengers feared killed Thursday when a van plunged in deep ditch in the vicinity of Hunza.
According to sources police relief teams have reached to the spot of the incident but facing problems in relief work due to difficult mountainous terrain.
The authorities have declared emergency in local hospital in Hunza.

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani held an extremely important meeting with President Pervez Musharraf at the Army House Rawalpindi late on Wednesday.The meeting continued till after midnight lasting more than three-and-a-half hours. This was their longest one-on-one encounter.The meeting, which was significant in view of the current political and security situation in the country, gained further importance as it took place after day-long consultations of the Army chief with his important commanders. Brigadier Faheem Rao has taken over the command of the Triple-One Brigade in place of the president’s loyal commander Brigadier Aasim Bajwa. The commando unit looking after the security of the Presidency has been changed with another unit.Highly placed sources said late on Wednesday evening that President Pervez Musharraf has made up his mind to call it a day and he can make an announcement in this regard any time. His closest aides are of the view that after losing all hope of survival in power the president has made up his mind to lead a retired life. Sources said though the president’s official spokesman denied this impression, Musharraf has no option left but to quit. The president has already been asked by ‘important officials’ not to think about any step that may further aggravate the already fragile political situation in the country. Musharraf has consented to leave the Army House immediately and he may move to the President House within 48 hours before calling it a day.”There is no question of any extra-constitutional step by him or on his behalf. The president has lost the capacity to invoke constitutional provisions like 58-2 (b), dissolving the assembly and the government. The question of introducing an impeachment motion would not come as the president will leave office and get a safe passage. The drop scene of the drama that started on March 9 last year is bound to appear any time soon,” the sources said.Meanwhile, Brigadier Aasim Salim Bajwa, who served President Pervez Musharraf as his military secretary in his initial days and was considered to be the most loyal Army officer of the president, was made commander of the Triple-One Brigade, which is responsible for the security of the president, federal capital and Rawalpindi, by President Pervez Musharraf before relinquishing the office of the Army chief. This Brigade has always played a main role in staging coups in the past. Brigadier Bajwa also provided Musharraf admirable assistance in tabulation of his book ‘In the Line of Fire’. He was due to take part in war-course in August this year but is now proceeding for another course to the United States next week. Brigadier Faheem Rao has been appointed Commander Triple-One Brigade. He has already taken over the charge of the Brigade, the sources said.

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani held a meeting with President Pervez Musharraf at the Army House here late on Wednesday ISPR spokesman confirmed it on Thursday. According to press release issued by DG ISPR Athar Abbas it was a routine meeting and issue relating to country’s security situation at Pak-Afghan border, Pak support to US war on terrorism were discussed.COAS and president also shared their views on current political situation of the country.With regards to the news of posting of 111 Brigade Commander, the spokesman said that the subject posting was part of a bulk posting order that included 478 officers ( Brigadiers/Colonels) due for regular posting and the same was issued a month earlier by General Headquarters. Brigadier Asim Bajwa, having completed his command tenure is proceeding for a professional course and there is no abrupt change in it.He also contradicted the news that commandos deputed on security duties with the president are being replaced. Not a single commando has been removed from its present assignment, he said. Similarly, the relief and rotation of Army unit detailed for the guard duties with the President is a routine matter which is planned atleast six month in advance.
Meanwhile talking to private tv said that reports regarding president’s resignation are baseless and President Musharraf has not decided to quit the office.

The Chinese government has issued a directive to the interior ministry to curb drug-smuggling from Pakistan to China. The Chinese government alleged that about 20 Pakistani officials were being interrogated on charges of drug smuggling from Pakistan to China and are in Chinese jails.The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) efforts to counter the cross border smuggling failed to produce any result and dented Pakistan’s image, the sources. Drug smugglers usually enter the European and Gulf countries by travelling in Thai and Korean airlines, they said. ANF machines installed on the airports failed to screen the narcotics smugglers. Moreover, with connivance of the Airport Security Force (ASF) and other law-enforcement agencies, the ministry and the ANF remained unable to arrest narcotics smuggling, they said. Moreover, narcotics smugglers death penalty in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They hire poor people and use them as carriers. About 12 Pakistanis were arrested in Saudi Arab as heroin was the reason of their conviction, they said.

Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran Masha Allah Shakeri on Wednesday called on the Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior A. Rehman Malik in the Ministry of Interior and discussed the matters of mutual interest. Malik said that Pakistan has good neighbourly relations with Iran which are deeply rooted in many commonalities of history, faith and culture. He said Pakistan attaches great importance to relations with Muslim brotherly country Iran. They agreed that two countries will facilitate each other in the matters of visa relaxation to promote education, business and tourism.

Leader of the opposition Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has voiced his deep concern over reports of discarding Kalabagh dam project.While addressing a well attended gathering here on Wednesday, Pervaiz Elahi said that at present, the country was in a grip of price hike and other problems, adding to minimize it the construction of water reservoirs is the need of hour.Senator Sardar Mehmood Khan, District Nazim Attock Tahir Sadiq, Tehsil Nazim Pindigheb Malik Liaquat Ali and notables of the area were also present on the occasion. He thanked the people of his constituency (NA-58) for electing him with honour.While highlighting the achievements of his era, Pervaiz Elahi said that number of projects was completed during his period, including construction of roads, provision of free text books, availability of doctors and medicines in hospitals, employment and upgradation of schools. He urged party leaders to have close contacts with the people to solve their problems at doorsteps.

Speaker Sindh Assembly, Nisar Khuhro has said that the decision of discarding the Kalabagh Dam project was taken with the consensus of all collation parties.He said that it was not the decision of any individual, but it was made with the consensus of all collation parties.This he said while addressing a ceremony organized by various NGOs, traders and growers at local hotel on Wednesday.He said that the atmosphere for investment was pleasant in Sindh, but government was trying all out efforts to restore the confidence of investors.Khuhro said that education, employment, law and order and health would be the priorities in the next budget.He said that Kalabagh Dam was not the only project to overcome energy crisis therefore the present government would concentrate on other options including Thar coal to overcome the electricity problem.Three provincial assemblies had rejected the Kalabagh Dam project and federal minister for water and power announced to shelve the project by taking PML-N, MQM, JUI-F, ANP into confident, he maintained.He said that Thar has huge reservoirs of coal and if we utilized it in an appropriate manner, the electricity crisis could be ended.He said that water problems could be overcome by bringing reforms in irrigation system.The Speaker said that Sindh has sent its recommendations regarding distribution of NFC Award and it will be approved through the consensus of all provinces. Next NFC Award would be fixed for three years tenure, he added.He assured that next budget would be as per to the aspirations of the people.He said that PPP government inherited most of problems including, judiciary crisis, inflation, poverty, unemployment, law and order, etc.
However, he said that we would overcome all these issues through national reconciliation spirit. He said that after meeting with business community of Hyderabad he has hoped that industrial area of the city would soon be developed. He said that new industrial units would be established in Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Sukkur and Larkana. Talking about electricity crisis, the Speakers said that if KT Bandar and other projects had been launched, country would not have been facing electricity crisis.

Ruling coalition has agreed to expel Pervez Musharraf from power, Nawaz said on Wednesday.Nawaz said Zardari, had agreed in talks on Tuesday to oust Musharraf.”I have spoken with Zardari that we should throw him out to respect the mandate of the people of Pakistan, and he agreed yesterday to do so,” Nawaz told a meeting marking the tenth anniversary of Pakistan’s first nuclear tests.”Musharraf did not fulfil his promise to quit the presidency if people did not vote for his party,” he told the charged crowd in Lahore.Nawaz comments come amid divisions in the coalition over how to deal with Musharraf and over the restoration of top judges deposed by the president.Zardari and Nawaz met in Islamabad on Tuesday to discuss a package of constitutional amendments to clip Musharraf’s wings, but both sides are still finalising details.”It is absolute nonsense, there is no such thing, there is no thing like this under any sort of consideration,” spokesman Rashid Qureshi told media.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) here on Wednesday adjourned hearing of a writ petition against alleged detention of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and the bail plea of Maulana Abdul Aziz. Both the cases were adjourned till date in office due to the ailing conditions of Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Aslam.On Tuesday, the same bench had directed the Deputy Attorney General to present relevant record about the alleged detention of nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.A habeas corpus writ petition was filed by advocate M Javed Iqbal Jafferi.The petitioner contended in his petition that Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan had been under detention for the last seven years and he was not allowed to meet his relatives.The writ petition was filed under Article 199 (21) and read with Section 4 (91).During the last hearing on May 19, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Aslam and Justice Raja Saeed Akram Khan had issued notice to Federation with direction to submit replies over the issue.Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, counsel for Maulana, had prayed for his release in a case in which he was accused for forcible occupation of Children’s library.Maulana Abdul Aziz had already been acquitted in 26 other cases out of 27 by the trial courts.