ISLAMABAD: The leader of PML-N Ishaq Dar said that constitutional reforms committee’s recommendation bill will be unveil within coming few days. In his address in the Senate, Ishaq Dar said that we never gave any time frame and Babar Awan has announced the date of joint session without consultation. He urged to end politics of blames.
ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said he is fully aware of the fact that innocent people were also killed during operation against terrorism. Addressing in the Senate, interior minister said that terrorists of different countries skidding into Pakistan through Afghanistan’s Kunar. Malik said 823 terrorists were killed in operation ‘Rah-e-Nijat’ in North Waziristan and 1,950 suspected persons were arrested in Swat who is under investigations. He made it clear that government will take action if anyone challenges the writ of government.
ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms (PCCR) will again meet today after Friday prayers to resolve the differences over judges” appointment and renaming of NWFP, and the signing ceremony might be held, if it succeeded in its attempt. The signing ceremony of the final report of the PCCR was postponed on Thursday due to reservations of the PML-N over the constitutional amendments. With the delay in the finalisation of the recommendations of the Rabbani committee, the presentation of the report in both the houses of parliament, due today, was put on hold. Federal Minister Dr Babar Awan had announced on Wednesday that the government was summoning the joint session of parliament on Friday in which the 18th Amendment would be tabled following the address of President Asif Ali Zardari to the joint session. However, the signing ceremony was postponed, as the PCCR in its ”last” meeting, held here on Thursday, failed to reach a consensus on the renaming of the NWFP – the only contentious issue on which the ANP and the PML-N have locked their horns. The PCCR held two meetings here on Thursday, with Senator Raza Rabbani in the chair, to discuss the issue. However, the differences between the ANP and the PML-N remained unresolved, compelling the government to postpone the draft-signing ceremony by the committee members. Consequently, the joint sitting of parliament and the president’’s address to the joint session would also not be held today.
NEW DELHI: India will buy spy drones from Israel. According to Indian media reports, in a contract inked with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) a few days ago, India has ordered a few more `Heron” MALE (medium-altitude, long endurance) drones, ground control systems and data terminals for around Rs 700 crore, defence ministry sources said. Under the latest deal, Indian Navy will now get two more Herons to add to its UAV fleet of eight Searcher-II and four Herons, which are being used for maritime surveillance up to 200 nautical miles. There is also the ongoing Rs 1,163 crore joint IAI-DRDO project for NRUAVs (naval rotary UAVs) or unmanned helicopters operating from warship decks for advanced ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions. Indian Army is also going in for two more `troops” (8 birds each) of advanced Heron UAVs for Rs 1,118 crore after the Defence Acquisitions Council approved it in February 2009.
WASHINGTON: Pakistan’’s hopes for civil nuclear cooperation have been a non-starter in Washington, but experts say the United States can use it as a dangling carrot as it seeks influence in Islamabad. The two nations Thursday wrapped up a first-of-a-kind “strategic dialogue,” which the United States hopes will show Pakistan’’s widely anti-American public that it cares about the country beyond seeking help against Islamic extremists. US officials stayed carefully on message, pledging respect for Pakistan and never explicitly saying no to its requests — a refusal that would have been sure to steal the headlines. Pakistan is seeking a civilian nuclear deal along the lines of a landmark agreement that the United States struck with India in 2008. The South Asian rivals stunned the world in 1998 by carrying out nuclear tests. Asked about the Pakistani request, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States would listen to “whatever issues the delegation raises” and highlighted a 125-million-dollar US package to boost Pakistan’’s energy sector. A nuclear deal could help ease the developing country’’s chronic energy shortages. But it would also amount to US recognition of Pakistan as the Islamic world’’s only nuclear power, a point of pride for many Pakistanis. “At the moment this looks like a non-starter, but it shouldn”t be,” said Marvin Weinbaum, a scholar at the Middle East Institute and former State Department official. “There is no reason why we couldn”t use this as a bargaining tool to get more cooperation, to say, ”This may not be something we can deliver now, but we would like to work something out with you,”” he said. “It could have a very positive impact both with the Pakistani elite and public.” But the United States has longstanding concerns about proliferation from Pakistan — and policymakers are said to have quietly drafted a crisis plan in case the nuclear arsenal risk falling out of government control. The father of Pakistan’’s bomb, Abdul Qadeer Khan, has admitted leaking nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea, although he later retracted his remarks. The level of separation between Pakistan’’s military and civilian nuclear programs also remains a matter of dispute. Pakistan returned to civilian rule in 2008 and President Asif Ali Zardari a year later handed over control of the nuclear program to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. “I think it’’s extremely premature to be talking about any civil nuclear cooperation between the US and Pakistan at this stage,” said Lisa Curtis, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation think-tank. “It would be more appropriate and important to be talking about conventional military cooperation, economic support and breaking down trade barriers,” said Curtis, who served in the State Department in former president George W. Bush’’s administration. Bush championed the nuclear deal with India, the signature part of his drive to build an alliance between the world’’s two largest democracies. The agreement faced criticism from some members of President Barack Obama’’s Democratic Party, who argued that it sent the wrong message as India, like Pakistan and Israel, refuses to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. “One of the reasons the US was able to move forward in Congress was because of India’’s solid record against proliferation and Pakistan doesn”t have that,” Curtis said. Some critics who believe the Bush agreement was too easy on India said that Pakistan’’s requests confirmed their fears. “I think the fact that we gave India such a sweetheart deal set a very dangerous precedent and it’’s no surprise that Pakistan wants a similar deal,” said Leonor Tomero of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. She also said that Pakistan’’s request was “odd” coming so close to Obama’’s April 12-13 nuclear security summit in Washington and the Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference a month later.
WASHINGTON: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervaz Kayani Thursday said progress in Pakistan will no longer be subject to foreign aids as soon as the prevailing energy crisis gets addressed, Geo news reported. Addressing the Pakistani community, gathered here at Pakistani embassy in Washington, General Kayani said both Pakistani army and public are gallantly bent upon in wiping out terrorism from country. Joint efforts from army and public have helped government send in international community a better image of Pakistan, he added.
PESHAWAR: Foiling a bid to smuggle heavy cache of arms from Peshawar to Punjab, Peshawar police claimed arresting an accused involved in offense, Geo news reported. The arrested person, reportedly identified as Siraj, was hailing from a tribal area namely Dara Adam Khel, SSP Traffic Hammad Abid told a press conference while detailing on police action. Heavy amount of weapons were being smuggled to Punjab when during routine checking, police stopped a car to find a person bidding to carry his weapons-laden car into Punjab through Kohat Road near Civil Colony checkpoint, located on the border area of Peshawar province. The smuggler has been arrested and shifted to unidentified location for investigation, he added.
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari felicitated the nation, parliament and democratic forces over the completion of two year of the democratic government. In a message on the occasion, President Zardari said a number of achievements stand out as testimony to the strides taken by the democratic government. He said two year is not a long period of time, however, it goes to the credit of the democratic government to have made significant strides during this period in the service of people. He said these steps include the 7th NFC Award, Aghaz-i-Haqooq-i-Balochistan, political reforms in Gilgit-Baltistan and FATA, reconstitution of the Council of Common Interests, allocation of 120 billion rupees to Pakhtoonkhwa as net hydel profit, launching of Benazir Income Support Programme to alleviate poverty, increasing gas development surcharge for Balochistan, taking the militancy head on and lately the progress made in reforming the Constitution. “While these achievements are commendable we are also mindful of the fact that much more needs to be done. On this occasion I wish to state that we have a future that promises dividends of peace, prosperity and development provided we stand firm on the course of democracy,” he added. President Zardari said the spirit of participation, consultation and equal opportunity are the guiding principle for the formulation of government policy at strategic and implementation levels. He commended performance of the government, which is representing the broader political spectrum, for the achievements in a short span of two years. He expressed confidence that the PPP government will keep up this momentum and by the end of its five-year term, a stronger and prosperous Pakistan will emerge and it will be able to go to the court of the people with an impressive record of performance and achievements.
SIRTE: Arab foreign ministers on Thursday agreed to raise funds for Jerusalem Palestinians in a bid to counter Israel’’s settlement drive in the Holy City, at preparatory talks for a weekend summit. Their decision will be submitted to Arab leaders for final ratification when they gather on Saturday and Sunday in the Libyan Mediterranean city of Sirte for their annual conference. “Yes, they have agreed,” Arab League chief Mussa told reporters when asked if the fund had been approved by the ministers. The Palestinian Authority had asked for 500 million dollars (376 million euros) in Arab aid to help Jerusalem Palestinians cope as they are squeezed out by Israel’’s settlement drive. The weekend summit is set to be dominated by the Middle East peace process after Israel infuriated Palestinian and Arab leaders by announcing earlier this month plans to build 1,600 new homes for Jewish settlers in east Jerusalem. “We have asked for half a billion dollars,” Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki told media earlier on Thursday. “It is a modest amount compared to what Israel and the Jewish communities around the world spend on settlements in east Jerusalem and which amounts so far to more than 17.4 billion dollars,” Malki added.
PESHAWAR: Jamaat-e-Islami Naib Amir Siraj ul Haq said Thursday that the ongoing visit of high-level Pakistani delegation to the United States for holding strategic talks would be considered a failure if it failed to secure the honorable release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqi from the US detention. Addressing a press conference here, Haq said that Pakistani nation wants honorable return of Aafia, not the US aid. He said that Pakistani should push for resolution of Aafia’s issue during the visit. If they return empty-handed, the visit would be declared a failure, he commented. The JI leader said that national decisions were being made at the US embassy instead of Parliament due to US meddling and the weak government.