WASHINGTON: Egypt’’s President Hosni Mubarak and his generals have viewed generous US military aid as an “untouchable” reward for keeping peace with Israel, according to leaked US documents posted by WikiLeaks. The secret diplomatic cable from 2009 underscored the deep ties between the two countries and Washington’’s difficult position as a week of massive street protests threatened to bring down Mubarak’’s regime. In a cable dated March 31, 2009, the US ambassador in Cairo writes that the annual $1.3 billion in arms provided to Mubarak’’s government has proved a success over the years, preserving peace between Egypt and Israel while ensuring access for US forces. “President Mubarak and military leaders view our military assistance program as the cornerstone of our mil-mil relationship and consider the USD 1.3 billion in annual FMF (foreign military finance) as ”untouchable compensation” for making and maintaining peace with Israel,” said the cable disclosed by the WikiLeaks website and first reported by the British daily The Guardian. “The tangible benefits to our mil-mil relationship are clear: Egypt remains at peace with Israel, and the US military enjoys priority access to the Suez Canal and Egyptian airspace,” it said. But the cable added that the military relationship could be more productive if Egyptian military leaders heed US advice and took more steps to address “emerging threats,” including border security, counter terrorism and peacekeeping. American efforts to persuade a fresh approach by the Egyptian defense ministry, including helping to train Iraqi security forces, had only “met with limited success,” it said. The cable added that during the long tenure of the defense minister, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, “the tactical and operational readiness of the Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF) has degraded.” The memo offered a pessimistic view of Cairo’’s attitude towards political reform, saying “Egyptian democracy and human rights efforts, however, are being stymied.” It added that that Egypt was “skeptical” of US support for pro-democracy groups. Described as a “scene setter” for a 2009 visit by the chief of the US Air Force, four-star General Norton Schwartz, the memo praised Egyptian security forces for improving counter-smuggling efforts along the Gaza border.
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KARACHI: A special task force will be set up with representation of political parties to look into cases of extortion in Karachi, said Interior Minister Rehman Malik here on Monday. “Task force will comprise police, rangers, FIA, ISI and two representatives each of PPP, MQM and ANP,” he said while addressing a press conference at Chief Minister House after presiding over a meeting on law and order situation along with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah. He said Karachi was the economic hub of the country and it was duty of the government to protect the life and property of the business community here. The Minister said that after checking the target killings in the metropolis, the government will fully concentrate on cases of extortion. “I extend stern warning to the extortionists to desist from such activities as it was now their turn,” the Minister said with full determination. Rehman Malik said that during a meeting with the high ups of police, rangers and other concerned authorities along with Sindh Chief Minister, the law and order situation in the province was reviewed in detail. He appreciated the role of police and rangers in curbing the target killings and other related crimes in the city. “There were 37 target killings and 88 murders in Karachi during January 2011,” he pointed out while referring to the statistics of the Police Department. He urged the media to differentiate between the cases of murders and target killings. He said during the first month of the year, 29 accused have been arrested while 30 cases were detected. The accused arrested in killing of doctors during the year 2010 were 13 who had affiliations with various religious groups. About the performance of Capital City Police, Karachi, he said that during the year 2010, over 1956 encounters took place, 692 gangs busted, 90 dacoits killed while 2332 dacoits and other criminals were arrested. At least 5956 cases were registered against persons involved in possession of illicit weapons while 5,861 were arrested and 5267pistols were recovered besides other illicit arms, he added. Rehman Malik said that his Ministry will continue to extend a helping hand to the provincial government by sharing intelligence information etc. to control the law and order situation in the commercial hub. He said that his ministry has made several proposals to the government to bring changes in the Arms Act with strict penalties to check proliferation of illicit arms in the country. He also ruled out any change in the Blasphemy Law. Talking on the occasion, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that personnel of police were being duly rewarded for their outstanding performance while plots were being given to the families of those who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. “Law and order cannot be controlled without the help of the political parties,” he observed.
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Pakistan 's place as the country posing the greatest threat to Britain's security, intelligence analysts said today.Political turmoil in a state western counter-terrorism agencies have …
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LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain Monday said that ‘Generals’ instead of doing service in return for their motherland, have become burden on its population, Geo News reported. Addressing via telephone a luncheon hosted in honour of journalists here at Lal Qila Ground near MQM Headquarters, Altaf Hussain said if his death could bring revolution in the country, it would be an honour for him. He called upon what he said literate, honest and disciplined people from poor and middle classes to come forward and salvage the country from the current crisis. “It was establishment and its paid writers who mislead and incited innocent people against MQM,” he said, adding, now ‘Generals’ have not only joined hands with capitalists and feudals but also made family relations with them. The MQM Chief said: “I am a Jatt (a crude man) who utters whatever comes to his mind.”
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RAWALPINDI: General David H. Petreaus, Commander International Security Assistance Force called on Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Monday here at General Headquarters. According to ISPR, the visiting dignitary remained with him for some time and discussed the matters of professional interest.
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Twin bombings targeting the police in the northwest Pakistani city of Peshawar killed five people, including a senior police officer. In the first attack, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rasheed …
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KARACHI: Pakistan?s football chiefs are looking to end the country?s sporting isolation by hosting two international teams in Karachi and Lahore in March this …
KARACHI: In spite of a few hiccups on their current tour of New Zealand, Pakistan believe they are shaping up nicely for World Cup 2011 which begins in Bangladesh on Feb. …
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US Demands Release of Diplomat in Pakistan Pakistan's president says Pakistani courts should rule on the case of a U.S. diplomat, detained in connection with a shooting incident last week. …
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CAIRO: A new Egyptian cabinet promised by embattled President Hosni Mubarak was unveiled on Monday, comprising a largely unchanged lineup but without widely hated interior minister Habib al-Adly or any businessmen. State television showed images of the new ministers being sworn in and shaking hands with Mubarak. Absent were Adly and the finance and culture ministers of the previous cabinet. Adly’’s axing was one of the demands of protesters who have for a week demanded the ouster of Mubarak and his regime. They have also called for an end to corruption and oppression. The fact that tycoons close to the regime play an important role in politics is seen in Egypt as a sign of corruption.
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