Pakistan Views

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said in an interview with a US newspaper that no proofs were available for alleged links between Taliban and a local intelligence agency.

He termed economic stability and promotion of education the best way to tackle al-Qaeda and Taliban. He said that the terrorists are using the common men for their interests by providing them shelter and other incentives.

PM said the Pakistan wants more intelligence information from NATO and Afghanistan on any suspected activity in Fata and in its other remote areas.

He urged the need to trust more on Pakistan security forces, adding that Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaque Pervez Kynai is a supporter of democracy.

Meanwhile, the PM arrived in Manchester, England here Thursday on a brief stop over on his way back home from United States.

He was received at the Manchester airport by Pakistan’s High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan and senior officials of the High commission.

The Prime Minister was on a four-day official visit to the United States where he held meeting with US President George W. Bush and other US administration officials.

A National Accountability Court (NAC) has adjourned the hearing of 3 corruption references filed against the Sharif brothers and 7 other members of their family. The hearing is set to resume on the 21st of August.

During today’s hearing, Deputy Prosecutor general –Zulfikar Bhutta submitted applications in 3 references, including the Ittefaq Foundaries, Hudabia Paper Mills and the Raiwind Assets references.

The court also asked the deputy prosecutor general to submit applications for summoning the Sharif brothers to the court. The court then adjourned the hearing till the end of August.

Seven people have been killed when a mortar shell fell at a house in tehsil Kabal whereas 10 Taliban have been killed during operation.

According to sources, a pesh imam, his wife and five children were killed when a mortar shell hit his house in Dulai area in Kabal tehsil.

Miscreants torched a girls school in Khawazakhel areas.

Security forces targeted Taliban hideouts with mortar shells in Sarbanda, Barmaba Khela, Peochar, Numl and Gutshor areas in tehsil Matta.

Sources said that 10 Taliban were killed and several injured during the operation. Taliban attacked Kabal police station and Wanai check post. They were managed to flee after joint retaliatory action by police and security forces. Fresh contingents of FC have reached in Matta and Kabal areas.

According to ISPR, curfew has been relaxed from 10:00 am to 12: noon in the district.

Pakistan’s Minister of Defence, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Wednesday said that US President George W. Bush had expressed concerns over the role of Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, the ISI.

In an exclusive interview with Geo News, Mukhtar said President Bush had expressed reservations on the role of “elements at some level in the ISI.”

Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar said a number of significant matters came under discussion during the meeting with President Bush.

“President Bush had complained that actionable intelligence shared with Pakistan got leaked much before its due time,” he said adding that President Bush also questioned as to “who is in control of ISI.”

The Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman has welcomed the approval of the Biden Lugar Bill by the US Foreign Relations Committee.
The Information Minister was talking to a private channel after Pakistan’s delegation, led by the Prime Minister, held a meeting with the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Including Senator Chuck Hagel and Senator John Kerry “It was a frank and productive discussion, and we discussed a wide range of issues concerning Pakistan.

“We extended Pakistan’s gratitude to the Senators for their interest in the development of the country,” the Minister informed.

The Bill that would be presented in the House commits a development assistance of 15 billion dollars to Pakistan over the next decade. The non- military aid signals a major shift in the focus of the US assistance towards Pakistan.

Describing the unanimous approval of the proposed legislation by the US Foreign Relations Committee, a huge success for Pakistan’s new democratic set up, Rehman said that the Bill reflects deep commitment of the US government to support the agenda of development in Pakistan. “The 15 billion dollar assistance committed by the Bill would go a long way in aiding the new democratic government to build solid foundations for the social and economic development of the country.

The people-centric focus of the Bill is a success for the people of Pakistan. It is a clear indication that the US government wants to work directly with our people and respects their February 18 mandate for a democratic order.”

The Federal Information Minister applauded Senators Biden, Lugar, Kerry and Hagel for leading the efforts to expand the scope of US-Pakistan relations.

“The Pakistan-US relations have long been seen in the backdrop of the ongoing war on terror. The PPP government believes that the bilateral relations between the two countries must be based on mutual interest and shared values, and the Biden Lugar legislation endorses our stand. This Bill would go a long way in highlighting the positive aspects of the ties between the two countries.”

On the special instructions of Regional Police Officer Nasir Khan Durrani city police arrested 39 shopkeepers belonging to Jhelum, Attock and Chakwal who were involved to sell SIM with out proper identification and verification.

Police registered cases against them and asked shopkeepers to maintain the record of SIM.

According to details, mobile SIMS are being sold with out verification and it was noticed that SIMS are being used by the terrorists and criminals for their nefarious designs.

Police failed to trace out such elements who were involved in mischievous activities and this illegal business was in full swing.

Schedule of the Samjhota Express, running between Pakistan and India, has been changed. As per the new schedule, the train will go to India on Monday and Thursday and return to Pakistan the same day.

According to a local TV Railway’s chief operating superintendent Javed Anwar said that the new schedule of the Samjhota Express would be implemented on August 7.

The train will now leave the Lahore Railway Station at 8:00 am on each Monday and Thursday and reach back at 4:45 pm the same day.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani has said that President Bush has strongly supported $15 billion of non-military development assistance to Pakistan, as the U S Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved the Biden-Lugar bill, committing foreign assistance of this huge amount during next ten years.

In an historical event during Gilani’s visit to USA, the US Foreign Relations Committee approved the Biden-Lugar bill to provide assistance of $15 billion to Pakistan over the next one decade.

Addressing the think-tank event jointly organised by the council on Foreign Relations and the Middle East Institute in Washington on last day, the Prime Minister said that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and all other agencies are fully under the control of the civilian government and the US should also provide civilian nuclear technology to Pakistan for meeting the demands of energy in the country.

The PM said that all of Pakistan was heartened by the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimous passage of the Biden-Lugar bipartisan $15 billion plan for ten years non-military commitment by the US to the people of Pakistan. This legislation also has the support of President Bush, who is eager for democracy to succeed in Pakistan.

The $2 billion FATA plan, to which the US has contributed $750 million over a five-year period, would help accelerate social sector development in the tribal areas, contributing to the efforts to rescue the tribal people from the clutches of ignorance, extremism and foreign terrorist.

He said that this extraordinary recognition of the need to broaden and strengthen the bilateral relationship beyond merely military relations to a genuine economic and social partnership to building a prosperous, just and democratic Pakistan, has riveted the attention of the people of Pakistan.

The Biden-Lugar Plan, the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones program, and the FATA social development plan, taken together, are a clear and bold signal to the people of Pakistan that not only is Pakistan back in business, but the US is standing with it in a long-term mature partnership.

He said that there are abundant business and investment opportunities in Pakistan. “We have established special economic with special incentives for foreign companies to invest. In the last PPP government, Pakistan was cited by the World Bank (WB) as one of the top ten emerging markets in the world. Foreign investment in Pakistan quadrupled, but we want to recreate the economic incentives for foreign investment and trade that will re-establish our nation as a leader in the emerging global economy.”

He said that one of the great tragedies of the modern era is that after achieving the liberation of Afghanistan, the world failed to reconstruct a post-war Afghanistan built on democratic principles of coalition, consensuses and compromise. “We failed to rebuild civil society and promote democratic institutions. The US thought short-term, but not long term, as far as reconstruction of a post-war Afghanistan is concerned.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s envoy to the United States, Husain Haqqani, said: “The government and the people of Pakistan are grateful to the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for their unanimous, bipartisan and broad vote in support of Pakistani democracy”.

He said: “Today’s action by the Committee heralds a new day in the bilateral relationship between the United States and Pakistan, a relationship that will be founded on mutual interest and mutual values, an economic partnership that transcends political and military relations and directly impacts the life of the people of Pakistan.

“We are especially grateful to the leadership and vision of Senators Biden, Lugar, Kerry and Hagel. The $15 billion commitment to the long-term development of a prosperous and stable Pakistan is a dramatic expression of the confidence and support of the United States Congress in the future of democracy in Pakistan.”

Tahrik-e-Islami Taliban Pakistan here at the Tehsil of Muzaffargarh notifying the owners of CDs centers, net-café and cable network ordered them to close their businesses within 15 days without fail, while the women have been threatened to wear ‘burqa’ or else their faces would be burnt by pouring acids.

The notices received by the CD centers, net café and cable network through post said that they should wind up their un-Islamic businesses within 15 days, as decreed by their Amir, Khalid Mahsood of Tahrik-e-Islami Taliban, District Muzaffargarh and added that the time allowed for doing so should not be taken as mere threat, as after the expiry of deadline the Mujahideen of Tahrik would start actions. It further said that if any woman after 5 days seen without veil, her face would be burnt by acid.

Muzaffargarh District Police Officer, Shahzad Sultan told Geo News that he was collecting details in this regard. This is the maiden warning of Taliban in southern Punjab.

Deposed Chief Justice, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that the independence of judiciary was inevitable for good governance and added that cases like Manno Bheel should be resolved, which would provide relief to the people.

Addressing Sindh High Court Bar here, deposed chief justice, justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said that the movement for the restoration of judges has geared up with the passage of time and it has further energized. He said he knew Imdad Ali for years and felt deeply shocked on his death, as he could never forget him. Deposed chief justice said that Imdad Ali was a key-player of the movement and the legal community was deeply grieved on his demise. He said we should also remember the bereaved family of Imdad Ali on this occasion.

Deposed chief justice further said that the media co-operated most with us. Sindh High Court Bar Hall has been named by Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, which was unveiled by him.