Chronology of Pakistan
August 2003 (Continued III)
Violence erupts as doctor killed in Karachi
Aug 16: Violence broke out in various areas of Malir after a doctor was shot dead by assailants . During the violence, an elderly man was also gunned down. Following the doctor's killing, agitating people blocked the National Highway for vehicular traffic and staged a sit-in on the railway track, where the train traffic remained suspended till late evening.
Blasts damage main railway track in Nawabshah, Thatta
Aug 16: Two powerful bombs exploded on the main railway line in Nawabshah and Thatta districts, damaging both sides of the track and halting trains between Karachi and rest of the country. The two devices went off with an interval of 15 minutes.The blasts were heard far and wide and created panic in Nawabshah, Kotri and adjoining areas. However, no loss of life was reported.
Canada urged to reject envoy's asylum plea
Aug 16: Pakistan government does not want the Canadian authorities to entertain the asylum application of its vice-consul, Mr Naeem Ahmad, in Toronto who was recently transferred back to the headquarters in Islamabad for financial impropriety, Dawn reported. Mr Naeem Ahmad is reportedly asking for asylum claiming that he is an Ahmadi.
Pakistani's film wins top prize in Switzerland
Aug 16: Pakistani filmmaker Sabiha Sumar won the top prize at Switzerland's principal film festival with her story of a woman whose son becomes an extremist. The Golden Leopard was awarded to "Khamosh Pani" (Silent Waters), a study in the relationship between a widow and her son as the young man veers into religious extremism after 1979. Nineteen movies from 16 countries were competing this year for the Golden Leopard award at the 56th Locarno film festival.-
Pakistan a major factor in Indian polls: study
Aug 16: Pakistan is going to be a major factor in the forthcoming general elections in India whether the current move to improve relations between the two nuclear neighbors succeeds or fails, says a recent report released in Washington. The report - Indian elections 2004: an early preview - was prepared by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies and covers various aspects of electoral politics in India. While discussing the Pakistan factor in Indian politics, the report points out that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee hopes that the prospect of improved relations with Pakistan will aid the Bharatiya Janata Party's electoral prospects. He also has indicated that this will be his final attempt at peace.
Pakistan facing terrorist attack
Aug 17: Pakistan ranks third on the list of countries most likely of 186 countries to be the target of a terrorist attack within next three months followed by the United States , said the New York Times quoting a research company report. Only Colombia and Israel are ahead on the list of terrorist attacks, the London-based World Market Research Center (WMRC) which compiled a World Terrorism Index said.
Fast food outlet ransacked, vehicles torched in Karachi
Aug 17: The participants of the funeral procession of Dr Ibne Hasan turned violent and miscreants torched six vehicles, a traffic police kiosk and ransacked three petrol pumps, a foreign fast food outlet and dozens of vehicles in North Nazimabad, Karachi police said. Dr Ibne Hasan was shot dead by unidentified assailants near his clinic in Malir yesterday. Violence had erupted in the area after his killing and continued for more than 10 hours. It also resulted in killing of another person.
NAB spends Rs 5m on upkeep of 165 vehicles
Aug 17: The NAB has informed the Jamali Government that it has 165 vehicles, including 22 luxury Toyota cars, for the use of its staff members and that a sum of Rs 5 millions is being spent on their maintenance per year. It further informed the government that it has bought 54 new vehicles at a cost of Rs 50 millions during the last three years.
Punjab jails overcrowded
Aug 17: All the 30 jails in Punjab are overcrowded, forcing the prisoners to live in miserable conditions. According to jail department sources, the total number of inmates in all the jails of the province is 52,431 against the authorized accommodation capacity of 17,637 prisoners. Of these as many as 34,920 are under trails, 11,703 convicts and 5,808 condemned prisoners.
US to give $115m for healthcare
Aug 18: Pakistan and the United States signed an agreement for $115.7 million grant-in-aid support to the National Health and Population Strategy and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). Nancy J. Powell, US Ambassador, Mark S. Ward director Pakistan USAID, and Dr Waqar Masood Khan secretary economic affairs division signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides. US ambassador Nancy Powell later told reporters that the disbursement of the $3 billion economic package to Pakistan would commence from Oct 2004 at the rate of $600 million annually after congressional approval. This would include $300 million each for defence and economic support.
Government trying to control Madaris, says report
Aug 18: Through a new $255 million reform package, the Pakistan government is trying to take control of the country's 8,000 Madaris from the religious parties, says a report published in the Washington Times. President Gen Pervez Musharraf, the report says, has pledged to increase the tolerance level in the country. Previous attempts to curb the extremists have failed, but the government hopes it will succeed, the report adds.
Musharraf firm on uniform issue
Aug 18: President General Pervez Musharraf has categorically declined to give any timeframe or a specific date for leaving the office of the Chief of Army Staff. "If I give any date for becoming non-uniformed president, some people would start countdown ... it would lead to destabilization," said the president while addressing a 40-member delegation of the ruling coalition comprising ministers, senators and MNAs at Aiwan-e-Sadr. President Musharraf also said that there would no compromise on Article 58 (2b), which is about the discretionary powers of the president, as it is a "safety valve". He, however, said the National Security Council could be put under parliament. "The LFO is no more an issue, and the issue of uniform should be left to me for a final decision," said the president.
Kalabagh, Bhasha dams will be built, says Musharraf
Aug 19: President General Pervez Musharraf announced the construction of Kalabagh and Bhasha dams on the River Indus in the next couple of years. "Kalabagh dam will be constructed and Bhasha dam will also be constructed. There should be no doubt about it," said the president, adding that both projects were imperative for the national economy. Inaugurating the first unit of the 1,450MW Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project, he said it would be decided after June next which of the two projects should be started first.
Bhandari opts for extension under LFO: Bar expresses disappointment
Aug 19: Justice Karamat Nazir Bhandari, a judge of the Supreme Court working on an ad hoc basis, has availed himself of three-year extension offered under the Legal Framework Order. His extension period began on Aug 18. In case Justice Bhandari is confirmed as the SC judge, he will get another three years service under the LFO because the retirement age for the SC judges has been extended to 68 years. He is the seventh judge of the superior courts to avail himself of the extension after Sheikh Riaz Ahmad, the chief justice of Pakistan, Justice Munir A Sheikh and Justice Qazi Muhammad Farooq (SC), Justice Raja Muhammad Sabir (LHC), Justice Ashraf Leghari (Sindh High Court) and Justice Abdur Rauf Khan (Peshawar High Court). Meanwhile, office-bearers of the Pakistan Bar Council, Supreme Court Bar Association, Lahore High Court Bar Association and Bar associations of other provinces wrote a letter to Justice Bhandari, reminding him that he had "retired" on Aug 17.
Mianwali should be merged into NWFP: MNA
Aug 20: People's Party Patriots MNA Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi has supported the construction of Kalabagh dam and proposed merger of Mianwali into the NWFP to remove apprehensions of the people of the province. Talking to Dawn, the MNA said the people of Mianwali were ready to sacrifice their district for the national cause.
Indian court orders release of Pakistanis
Aug 21: India's Supreme Court ordered federal authorities to free incarcerated Pakistani nationals who have already served their full term in prison. The order of judges Ruma Pal and P.V. Reddi came on the back of an appeal filed to India's highest court by 14 Pakistani nationals held in various Indian prisons. The court said that while some of the prisoners were still serving out their sentences, others had complained that they have completed their terms as far back as 1992.
Arrest of Pakistani in US defended
Aug 21: US Attorney General John Aschcroft said that Uzair Paracha was arrested because he tried to facilitate the arrival of an Al Qaeda operative in the United States. FBI agents arrested Paracha, a 23-year old Pakistani, from his New York apartment in March. Mr Ashcroft said that Paracha allegedly met the operative overseas and agreed to procure US immigration documents for him. He also agreed to deposit money in a US bank account and set up a post office box, all allegedly to facilitate the operative's clandestine arrival in this country, said Mr Ashcroft.
NWFP PA's effectiveness undermined: 65 resolutions yet to take effect
Aug 22: The NWFP assembly's 65 resolutions adopted unanimously since its creation remained unattended on the part of the federal and provincial governments undermining the effectiveness of the provincial legislature, a Dawn report said.
Indian court frees six Pakistani boys
Aug 22: A juvenile court in Gujarat, India, ordered the release of six Pakistani boys who were arrested for illegally entering the country almost a year ago. The six, all natives of Nangarparkar area, district Tharparkar, were arrested on August 19 from Mavsari and Suigam areas. They were booked under the Foreigners Act among other acts and were sent to judicial custody, Indian police officials said.
Seven SHC judges made permanent
Aug 23: President Pervez Musharraf has appointed seven judges of the High Court of Sindh to be permanent judges of the court with effect from the date their present term expires. The judges are Justice Mohammad Sadiq Leghari, Justice Azizullah M. Memon, Justice Rehmat Hussain Jaffery, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Amir Hani Muslim, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, and Justice Maqbool Baqer.
MQM minister replaced
Aug 23: Muttahida Qaumi Movement's Mr Mohammad Hussain, who held the portfolio of minister for local government, became the first casualty of the ongoing conflict between the city and the provincial governments and lost his job as a provincial minister. In his place, another nominee of the MQM, Mr Wasim Akhtar, who in the past had held the same portfolio, was made the local government advisor, with the status of the minister. Mr Hussain's exit came amid mounting rift between the city government and his ministry. The City Nazim had accused the local government ministry of obstructing development work in the metropolis.
Afghan forces continue shelling
Aug 23: The Afghan militia continued shelling on a Pakistan security post on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Mohmand Agency with light weapons on the second consecutive day. The Afghan militia has been making attacks on the border since June, the day Pakistan security forces were deployed on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to check sneaking of terrorists into Pakistan.
India opposes sale of C-130 aircraft to Pakistan
Aug 23: India expressed concern at a decision by the United States to sell six C-130 Hercules planes to Pakistan, the largest military hardware deal between the two since the US lifted sanctions almost two years ago. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said the expansion of Pakistan's military strength was of direct concern to India. India's comments came three days after US envoy to Pakistan Nancy Powell announced the $75 million sale of six Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules aircraft.
US approached on Pakistani prisoners in Afghanistan
KARACHI, Aug 24: Pakistan has sought American consent for the transfer of its 643 nationals being held in Afghanistan jails since the fall of the Taliban, to Pakistani prisons. Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri told a news conference in Karachi Mr Kasuri said that the Afghan government had earlier agreed to release the Pakistanis but the decision could not be implemented because during their screening by the Americans. Referring to the operation in the Mohmand Agency, he said: "We went there directly on the invitation of the US."
Wapda, KESC fail to achieve targets despite Rs55bn help
Aug 24: The two power utilities - Wapda and KESC - have failed to achieve their performance targets on all major counts despite injections of around Rs55 billion during fiscal 2002-03. These targets had previously been agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under the revised improvement plans. According to data released by the finance ministry, line losses, cash shortfalls and financial losses of the two utilities have increased instead of going down. The government had secured a one-time waiver from the IMF on non-fulfilment of power sector performance targets and had signed a revised financial improvement plan (FIP) in May 2003. It has, however, once again failed to meet even the revised targets.
'Ban on Indian channels to stay'
Aug 24: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) refused to lift the ban on Indian TV channels despite the cable operators' move to suspend relaying of all national and international all across the country. According to a decision taken by the All-Pakistan Cable Operators Association (APCOA), cable operators suspended transmissions of popular television channels while some of them suspended their services altogether to protest against the government's decision of keeping the ban on various channels intact.
Punjab opposes setting up of CPLCs
Aug 24: The Punjab Home Department has opposed the establishment of Citizen Police Liaison Committees proposed by NRB in the Police Ordinance 2002. The Home Department authorities in a letter to NRB pleaded that there was no need of setting-up CPLC in the presence of District Public Safety Commissions. They were of the view that the functions of CPLC and DPSCs were identical, therefore, with the establishment of two alike bodies, these were feared to overlap the functions of each other, which would further complicate the affairs.
President's position controversial: ANP
Aug 24: The president has made his position controversial by raising the issue of the construction of Kalabagh dam despite the passing of unanimous resolutions by assemblies of three provinces, said president of the Awami National Party president Asfandyar Wali Khan. Urging President Gen Pervez Musharraf to refrain from promoting interests of a particular province at the cost of the smaller ones, he reminded the president that he was supposed to be the symbol of the unity of the federation. Questioning the rationale behind the president's move to raise the issue, which he went on to describe as being a dead horse, he said that he did not understand why the president was supporting the idea of the dam's construction when the NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan had opposed it, adding: "Or does he think Punjab alone is Pakistan?"
PONM opposes Kalabagh Dam, Gwadar Port construction
Aug 24: The Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM) opposed construction of Kalabagh Dam and Gwadar Port. Briefing newsmen after the conclusion of the two general council meetings of the alliance in Madyan, acting chief of PONM and chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Mahmood Khan Achakzai said construction of Kalabagh Dam was a conspiracy of the Punjab-dominated civil and military bureaucracy to get control of water resources of Pakhtunkhwa. The completion of the master plan for Gwadar Port would turn Balochis into Red Indians on their homeland, he added.
World Bank wants gas rates increased
Aug 25: The World Bank has started putting pressure on the government to bring gas tariff in the country on a par with international prices, both for domestic and commercial consumers. In a recent study of the Bank (Pakistan Oil and Gas Sector Review) it has resorted to the disingenuous argument that Pakistan was losing up to $375 million (Rs22.5 billion) annually as a result of gas supply curtailment to the industrial and power sector due to higher household demand in winter. Another Rs14 billion is lost, as the study put it, every year as subsidy to the fertiliser sector, which never reaches the farmer and is consumed by the fertiliser industry. Despite this subsidy, the fertiliser prices in Pakistan are at times higher than the international prices.
Rail fares increased by 10 percent
Aug 25: The railway administration increased rail fares by 10 per cent. The decision will affect the passengers who are travelling for 100 kms or more. Under another decision, charges for parcel service through mail and express trains have also been increased by 15 percent.
Call for decolonization of tribal areas
Aug 25: Pakistan and Afghanistan have more commonalities than those among the European countries, and there is no reason why in this age of globalization the two brotherly countries should not help in building up a close alliance in the region. Afrasyab Khattak, the Awami National Party leader and chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan stated this at a panel discussion on "Durand Line Agreement and cross border tension", organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute in Islamabad. He criticized those who are still ensconced in the cocoon of the Cold War era, and said that we should recognize the realities of post 9/11 Afghanistan and should stop talking of concepts like 'strategic depth' and 'military depth', which, according to him, have not benefited us.