Chronology of Pakistan
February 2004 (Continued IV)
Pakistan, India to be included in Nato PFP
Feb 22: Western defense allies have agreed to include India and Pakistan in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Partnership for Peace (Nato PFP) after concerted persuasion by the US. The arrangement would allow the nuclear rivals to consult the alliance of 19 Western states (Nato) in the event of direct threat to their internal and external security, a credible defense source in Brussels told The News.
Dastarbandi of Liaquat Jatoi
Feb 22: The ‘Dastar Bandi’ of Liaquat Ali Khan Jatoi, federal minister for industries and production, was held in Beetu Jatoi, Dadu. The custom of Dastar Bandi was performed by former caretaker prime minister Ghulam Mustafa Khan Jatoi, Senate Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro, Dadu Nazim Malik Asad Sikandar, MNA Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah followed by many other notables, chiefs of various communities and tribes. Liaquat Jatoi succeeds his father Abdul Hameed Jatoi who passed away in January.
LHC dismisses pleas in KRL officials case
Feb 23: The Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench, dismissed the habeas corpus petitions challenging the detention of six KRL officials and scientists. A division bench of the LHC, Rawalpindi bench, comprising Justice Maulvi Anwarul Haq and Justice Mansoor Ahmad, had reserved the judgment on Feb. 20. Today, the bench announced its short order. The relatives of six KRL officials had approached the court to declare their detention as illegal, and set them at liberty. The government had taken the position that the officials were detained under the Security of Pakistan Act 1952 as they had been engaged in nuclear proliferation and were responsible for, inter alia, directly and indirectly passing on to foreign countries and individuals secret codes, nuclear materials, substances, machinery, equipment components, information, documents, sketches, plans, models, articles and notes entrusted to them in their official capacity.
Foreign suspects among 20 held in Wana operation
Feb 24: At least 20 suspected terrorists, including some foreign nationals, were arrested during a day-long operation conducted jointly by the army and paramilitary troops in South Waziristan Agency, sources told Dawn. They said troops backed by over a dozen helicopter gunships and artillery, also destroyed three houses in the remote border area where Al Qaeda militants and possibly Osama bin Laden, were believed to be hiding.
US wants religious freedom improved in India, Pakistan
Feb 24: An official US body has recommended that 11 countries, including India and Pakistan, be designated as "countries of particular concern" for committing serious violations of religious freedom. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom, which is funded by the US government, has sent the recommendation to Secretary of State Colin Powell for further action. The 11 countries the commission wants in the designated category are: Myanmar, North Korea, Eritrea, India, Iran, Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam.
Election tribunals' different verdicts stir controversy
Feb 24: Two different decisions by Election Tribunals, one in Sindh and the other in Punjab, on identical grounds of possessing fake degrees , has generated a new controversy that the application of the same federal law varies from province to province. The Election Tribunal of Sindh, disqualified Mohammad Khan Junejo, a PML(F) MNA, Sanghar on the complaint of PPP candidate Fida Hussain Dero, for allegedly possessing a fake BA degree. His request for declaring him as MNA in place of Mohammad Khan Junejo was turned down. On February 16, 2004 the Election Tribunal Punjab accepted the petition of Haroon Akhtar Khan, PML(QA) candidate and declared him winner in place of PML(N) MPA Sheikh Amjad Aziz whose degree was declared as bogus. Haroon Akhtar Khan is the brother of federal minister Humayun Akhtar Khan, and son of late General Akhtar Abdur Rehman, ISI chief.
Oman gives $3.6m to 2 varsities
Feb 24: Oman has provided a grant of Rs231.41 million ($3.6 million) to set up Sultan Qaboos IT chairs at two leading engineering universities of the country. Oman's ambassador to Pakistan Salim Muhammad Ali Wahaibi presented a cheque in this regard to the vice chancellors of the two varsities at a ceremony held in Islamabad. The amount will be divided, Rs115.707 million each, among the vice chancellors of the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, and NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi.
Pakistan, Russia to jointly counter terrorism
Feb 24: Pakistan and Russia have worked out the modalities for general coordination to understand each other's perspectives on strategic security, defense and counter-terrorism measures, official sources said in Islamabad. The understanding was reached during formal talks of the second session of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group on Terrorism held at the foreign office when the 13-member Russian delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoly Safonov, began the two-day talks with Pakistani officials on strategic security and counter-terrorism issues, officials said.
RAW helped ISI foil attempt on Musharraf’s life
Feb 24: A timely tip-off by Indian intelligence agency RAW helped foil a third assassination plot against President General Pervez Musharraf, reported Times of India. In January, when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was leaving Islamabad after the Saarc summit, he called President Musharraf and said, "Aap apni hifazat kariyega (Please take care)." The intelligence agencies clearly picked up the cue and their leaders’ concern. In the first week of February, RAW came upon communication intercepts between Jihadis opposed to Musharraf planning to make a third attempt on the general’s life. The intercepts were passed on by RAW chief C D Sahay to his ISI counterpart Ehsan-ul-Haq, enabling the latter to foil the plot.
PONM to launch country-wide protest drive
Feb 24: The top leadership of the Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM) announced to launch a country-wide campaign to press their demand for the autonomous federating units for the five "oppressed nationalities" of Pakistan. Addressing a press conference at the end of two days general council meeting in Islamabad, the nationalists leaders categorically denied passing slanderous remarks against the Quaid-i-Azam in their Sunday’s seminar, marred by police action. They also condemned cases against 25 nationalists, including three former chief ministers and six parliamentarians. The PONM leaders again demanded immediate making of five federating units for Seraikis, Punjabis, Sindhis, Balochs and Pakhtoons, who are "the real sons of the soil" and had the "right to own their own lands and resources". PONM chairman Sardar Attaullah Mengal and Vice-President Mahmood Achakzai addressed the press conference, which was also attended by Sardar Akthar Mengal, Abdul Rahim Mandokehl, Senator Raza Khan Raza, Sanaullah Baloch, Dr Qadir Magsi, Ubaidullah Bhutto, Abdul Majeed Kanju, Hameed Asghar Shaheen, Manzoor Ahmed Bohar, Karimullah Korai, Mansoor Qadir Junejo, Tahir Bizenjo, Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch, Habib Jalib, MAN Rauf Mengal and others.
Ijaz Shah appointed new IB chief
Feb 25: Intelligence Bureau director-general Col Bashir Wali (Rtd) has been replaced by ex-ISI officer Brig Ijaz Shah (Rtd). Dawn reported that Ijaz Shah, said to be a trusted friend of President Gen Musharraf, has an experience of tackling the threat posed by militant organizations. The US has been persuading the government to crackdown on the right wing religious groups suspected of having links with Al-Qaeda. Mr Ijaz is expected to deliver quick results.
80 Al-Zarrar tanks handed over to army
Feb 26: President Pervez Musharraf handed over 80 indigenously modernized and upgraded Al-Zarrar tanks to the Pakistan Army and 25 armoured personnel carriers (APC) to the police. A high mobility all-weather tank with an "image stabilized fire control system" and capable of day and night operations, Al-Zarrar is an upgraded version of the T-59 tanks of Chinese origin.
S. Waziristan operation successful: ISPR
Feb 26: The Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan, said the recently ended operation in South Waziristan Agency was completely successful and its objectives were achieved. Giving the background of the operation, the DG said on Oct 12 last year an operation was conducted in Angoor Adda on confirmed reports that some terrorists were taking shelter in the area. In the operation, he added, eight terrorists were killed and 18 others arrested.
Al-Qaeda on the run after offensive in tribal areas
Feb 26: The recent operation in the tribal areas Taliban and al-Qaeda fugitives appeared to have failed to yield any major terror suspects but had forced some militants to flee across the border in Afghanistan, where US troops operate, intelligence officials told The Associated Press. "The goal was to force them to leave our areas or to capture them," a senior Pakistani security official told AP on condition of anonymity.
MoU signed to boost trade: Pakistani team in India
Feb 26: Pakistan and India's chambers of commerce and industry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in New Delhi to strengthen trade, technological and industrial cooperation between the two countries. The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) said in a press release that the MoU was signed by the leader of a visiting 40-member business delegation from Pakistan, Mr Siraj Kassam Teli, who is also President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), and his Indian counterpart Mahendra K. Sanghi.
Key allies violated human rights: US - Pakistan, S. Arabia criticized
Feb 26: Some key allies in the "war on terrorism" made glaring human rights violations last year, says an annual US State Department report sent to Congress. Saudi Arabia is criticized in the report for its continued refusal to allow its citizens to elect a government. Pakistan is reprimanded for "extra-judicial killings" and sectarian violence. Egypt is censured for retaining emergency laws that allow the government to jail, and even execute, citizens without proper judicial proceedings.
Powell seeks $700 million for Pakistan
Feb 26: US Secretary of State Colin Powell presented before the Senate a $31.5 billion budget proposal for United States' foreign engagements, which includes a $700 million request for Pakistan. While seeking funds for Pakistan, Mr Powell told the Senate that Pakistan was a key US ally in the war against terrorism and had arrested more than 500 Al Qaeda terrorists and members of the Taliban militia. This, he said, had been possible only "through the leadership of President Pervez Musharraf, stronger border security measures and law enforcement cooperation throughout the country."
Dr Qadeer cooperating with full disclosures, says Powell
Feb 26: US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Dr AQ Khan was seen as a national hero in Pakistan and was "cooperating with full and open disclosures" pertaining to the network, which was involved in global leakage of nuclear know-how. In response to a question, while appearing before the Senate Budget Committee on the International Affairs’ budget for 2005, Powell said: "Dr Khan cooperated with President Musharraf and with the Pakistani investigators who were pulling all this up — with assistance from us, because we had quite a bit of information we could provide to them. So we’re getting a lot of information out of Khan’s openness now, and I expect we’ll get a lot more as well." About the amnesty granted to AQ Khan by President Pervez Musharraf, Powell said: "It was conditional.”
PPPP launches ‘remove Musharraf’ movement
Feb 26: The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Punjab announced the launching of ‘remove Musharraf and bring Benazir back to the country’ movement in Lahore at a convention attended by the members of Central Executive Committee, Federal Council, Punjab Executive, district office-bearers and party ticket holders.
Sharif rejected Beg's N-transfer idea: PML-N senator
Feb 27: PML-N Senator and former finance minister Ishaq Dar told the Senate that former army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beg had "rudely" and vainly tried in the early 1990s to persuade the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif to sell nuclear technology to Iran. Speaking during a debate on President Musharraf's address to parliament last month, Mr Dar, however, said if an individual scientist was involved in proliferation, as admitted by Dr A.Q. Khan, the same could have been done by an army individual.
Bush certifies Pakistan for aid
Feb 27: President George W. Bush has cleared the way for US aid to Pakistan by certifying that Islamabad is cooperating in the war on terrorism. The certification, received at the Congress, is required under a restriction imposed last year under the influence of Indian lobbies. The restriction binds the president to certify every year that Pakistan is cooperating in the war on terror.
Another MPA unseated
Feb 27: The Supreme Court disqualified another MPA of Sindh, Bashir Ahmed Bhabhan of the PML-F, for possessing a fake Bachelor's degree. A Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui, Justice Javed Iqbal and Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, dismissed the appeal of Bashir Ahmad Bhabhan against the judgment of Sindh Election Tribunal and upheld his disqualification for submitting the fake degree to the Election Commission at the time of elections. The lawmaker belongs to Khairpur district.
‘KRL displayed N-wares at arms fair’
Feb 27: Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan was able to display sensitive equipment and brochures for atom bomb technology at an arms fair in the country, Jane’s Defence Weekly has reported. Jane’s said in its recent edition that the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) had run a stall at the international arms trade fair in Karachi in November, 2000, and displayed components used in the production of weapons-grade uranium.
Pakistan, US deny Osama's capture
Feb 28: Pakistan and United States denied reports on state-run Iranian media that Al Qaeda terror network chief Osama bin Laden had been arrested in Pakistan.
Bomber dies in suicide attack on imambargah
Feb 28: A suicide bomber was killed and four worshippers were injured in an attack on an imambargah in Rawalpindi. According to an eyewitness, Syed Ejaz Hussain, a young man in his mid-20s with short beard came to imambargah Yadgar-i-Hussaini in Satellite Town during Maghrib prayers and joined the congregation. In the second Rakat, the attacker detonated the bomb wrapped around his body. There were more than 40 worshippers in the imambargah at the time of the attack. However, fortunately enough there were neither major casualties nor any damage was caused to the imambargah's building.
Pakistani national in Indian jail for 25 years
Feb 28: A Pakistani national is languishing in an Indian jail for the last 26 years, Dawn reported. Dilawar, the son of the prisoner, Sadiq Rajar, resident of Chotiariyoon village, Sanghar taluka, said his father was arrested on May 31, 1978, and awarded life imprisonment by the Jodhpur additional district and sessions judge on Sept 24, 1979. He said his father had served the imprisonment term at the Jaipur central jail but was not released due to the apathy of the officials concerned. He said he had sent applications to Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhra Rajese, human rights organizations as well as the Pakistan government but to no avail.
SC seeks early end to OSD phenomenon
Feb 28: The continuing saga of OSD-ship (officer on special duty) has yet again invited the attention of the superior judiciary towards this subtle means of victimizing senior bureaucrats with the Supreme Court of Pakistan observing that this is a pathetic state of affairs. Disposing of a petition filed by Saleemullah Khan, a BS-20 OSD belonging to the Police Service of Pakistan, the court has directed the federal government to immediately undertake an exercise to review the cases of all the OSDs for the purpose of their posting.
11 killed as troops fire on pickups near Wana
Feb 28: Eleven people were killed and six wounded when troops opened fire on passenger pickups in the South Waziristan tribal region mistaking them for militants, sources told Dawn. They said the incident, which took place at around 8am near Wana, followed a late night mortar attack by suspected militants on an army brigade camp at Zeray Noor.
US senators laud Pakistan’s role as frontline state
Feb 28: Three prominent US senators have lauded Pakistan’s role as a frontline state in the international war against terrorism. Senator Tom Harkins, Senator Jon Corzine and Senator Charles Schummer were speaking at a reception hosted by the members of the Pakistan community in New York. Recalling longstanding bonds of deep friendship between the United States and Pakistan, Senator Harkins said Pakistan has always stood with the United States in some crucial and anxious moments of international history. He said that we as citizens of the US greatly owe to Pakistan for its supportive role in various phases.
Discoveries in Libya led to Dr Khan's link: Powell
WASHINGTON, Feb 28: US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that discoveries in Libya led American and British investigators to Dr A.Q. Khan's network of nuclear proliferators. In an ongoing testimony in Congress, Mr Powell said that Col Qadhafi's decision to open Libya's nuclear program for inspection allowed experts from the United States and Britain to learn about Dr Khan's network.
Beg denies involvement in N-tech transfer
Feb 28: Former chief of the army staff Gen Mirza Aslam Beg (retired) has refuted the contents of a report appearing in New York Times alleging that he was involved in transfer of nuclear technology to Iran in 1990. In a statement, the former chief said the then deputy secretary of defense Henry Rowen had made the revelation that he (Mr Beg) had told him that in the event the US stopped giving arms to Pakistan, Islamabad would be compelled to transfer nuclear technology to Iran. Mr Beg termed this claim a "blatant lie and a figment of imagination". He said similar allegation was made by former US ambassador to Pakistan Robert Oakley, a reverberation of which was in the statement made by PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar in the Senate session yesterday. In the Senate session, he said, Mr Dar had once again reiterated Mr Rowen's statement, which indeed was surprising as to "what precisely was the complicity between the US establishment and Mr Dar?"