Chronology of Pakistan
April 2004 (Continued III)
Senate panel criticizes deletions from textbooks
May 18: The Senate Standing Committee on education observed that the issue of deletion of material related to the ideology of Pakistan and Islam from the textbooks published by the Punjab Textbook Board was very crucial and the persons responsible must be taken to task.
Debt bondage persists in mining sector, says report
May 18: Bonded labor exists in the mining sector of Pakistan as an instituted system of recruitment in conformity with its 'classic' mode of debt bondage, a research study conducted by Ahmed Salim, a renowned scholar. The mediaeval practices of extraction of mineral resources continue uninterrupted based on the stark exploitation of human misery without any serious effort to mitigate it ever since the foreign rulers enacted the Mines Act 1923.
PPP files resolution against Hudood Ordinance in Senate
May 18: The Pakistan People’s Party-Parliamentarians (PPPP) has submitted a resolution in the Senate for declaring the punishments under the Hudood Ordinance as un-Islamic. The resolution, submitted by Farhatullah Babar, says: "This House expresses the opinion that whereas Islam prescribes Hadd punishments for certain offences, the punishments under The Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance 1979 are un-Islamic."
Police torture boy for bribe
May 18: A police officer in Lahore chained an 11-year-old boy to his bed after the boy’s parents allegedly failed to pay a bribe over fake charges of stealing a motorbike, state media reported. A court bailiff recovered the boy, Mohammad Arsalan, from the residence of police officer Javed Iqbal after his father asked the Lahore High Court to help rescue him, the official Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. The boy’s father told Judge Rustam Ali Malik that Iqbal had rounded up five adolescent boys last week on concocted charges of stealing a motorbike, releasing four of them after receiving a bribe of 8,000 rupees (140 dollars) each, the news agency said.
SC dismisses IPPs pleas
May 18: The Supreme Court of Pakistan turned down seven pleas by four Independent Power Producers challenging imposition of tax by the government of Pakistan. The IPPs - Gener Tech, Maple Leaf Electric Company, Kohinoor Energy Limited and DG Khan Electric Company - had filed petitions against the imposition of income tax as "the government had exempted them from any such deduction."
US supports Musharraf’s vision of moderate Islamic state
May 18: The 2003-2004 US report on "Supporting Human Rights and Democracy" declared that "the United States supports President Musharraf’s vision of a moderate Islamic democracy, including the government’s ongoing efforts to improve human rights through public debate, legislative proposals and other initiatives".
Lahore lawyers-judges tussle resolved
May 18: The lawyers-judges tussle ended after successful talks between the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court and lawyers community. The LHC chief Justice, Justice Iftikhar Hussain, accepted lawyers’ demands following which the lawyer community withdrew their call for strike. Addressing a press conference, lawyers said that they had tabled two demands: transfer of District and Sessions Judge Khalil Ch and withdrawal of cases registered against lawyers.
Three-party NA merges with PML
May 19: The three-party National Alliance led by Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari lost its separate identity today as it merged in the unified Pakistan Muslim League. The three parties, National People's Party of former caretaker prime minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Millat Party of Mr Leghari and the Sindh Democratic Alliance of Arbab Ghulam Rahim had set up the alliance with three other parties (which later parted ways) in 2002 and jointly contested the election and won 56 seats in the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan.
Five foreign militants arrested in Peshawar: German held in Fata
May 19: Intelligence agencies arrested from Sultan Colony in Peshawar five foreign militants who had escaped during the Pakistan Army operation in the South Waziristan tribal area. Members of intelligence agencies, accompanied by Crimes Investigation Department personnel, raided a house in Sultan Colony, Dalazak Road, at 2am and arrested two Arabs, two ethnic Uzbeks and an Afghan and recovered detonators and timers from their possession, sources in security agencies told Dawn.
‘Musharraf can hold two offices beyond 2005’
May 19: Pervez Musharraf can remain president and the chief of army staff simultaneously beyond December 31, 2004, because of the 17th constitutional amendment, said MNA Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi while talking to The News. The 17th amendment came into force with the help of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA). Afgan said, "By the passage of 17th amendment with two-third majority in both Houses in December 2003, the president is given exemption from the vacation of office of the chief of army staff by amending Article 41 clause (3) and replacing it with clauses (8) and (9) which have been acted upon in the form of vote of confidence".
Lashkar completes hunt in Azam Warsak
May 19: The Ahmadzai tribal Lashkar completed its hunt for foreigners in the Azam Warsak area and set ablaze a house of an al-Qaeda sympathiser in Shulam, some seven kilometres from Wana. Action against Muhammad Khan was taken due to his sympathies for the ousted Taliban and al-Qaeda men, whom he calls "holy warriors". He also opposed the use of force against them.
Pakistan and India N-states: Powell
May 20: US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that there is no doubt about both India and Pakistan being nuclear states and hoped that they would continue the peace process began in January. "They both are nuclear (powers) and there is no question about that. They both have nuclear capability," Mr Powell told reporters outside his office in Washington after meeting Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri.
Petition against Musharraf's election returned
May 20: The Lahore High Court registrar office returned Punjab Assembly opposition leader Qasim Zia's petition against the election of Gen Pervez Musharraf as president, raising an objection that it was not fit for hearing.
Resolution on Kargil war rejected by Senate chief
May 20: Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro has staved off another resolution and identical motion on the Kargil war from being discussed in the Senate saying, "it is likely to generate a discussion on a matter which is detrimental to public interest".
New cadre of bearers to be inducted in Army
May 20: Pakistan Army would induct a new cadre of Non-Combatant Bearers (NCBs) at a cost of over Rs2 billion annually to act as servants of the officers. The decision to induct the NCBs as servants for the officers, Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and Khateebs, would be in the form of a "new non regular short service cadre."
Pakistan gets bipartisan support from US: Kasuri
May 20: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri held meetings in Washington with key legislators belonging to both Republican and Democratic parties, and told newsmen at a press conference later that the clear message received was there is a "bipartisan support" for Pakistan due to its importance and its committed role in the ongoing war on terror.
Qazi’s entry into Europe banned
May 20: As a number of Zionist organizations in Europe dub him as a "terrorist" and "Pakistani Bin Laden", Belgium and the Netherlands have banned the entry of Jamaat-e-Islami chief Qazi Hussan Ahmed, who was scheduled to arrive in Europe, The News reported from Brussels. Qazi was invited to visit Brussels and The Hague by the Arab European League (AEL), a popular Muslim organization in Europe. He had to deliver lectures arranged by the AEL to be attended by top Muslim scholars living across Europe.
Lashkar fails to nab any foreigner in Shakai area
May 20: The tribal Lashkar of Ahmadzai Wazir continued search for suspected foreign militants in Shakai area of South Waziristan Agency, but failed to nab any non-Pakistani despite hectic efforts.
ECC okays Rs 61.8bn equity for Wapda
May 20: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved Rs 61.8 billion debt-for-equity swap for the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda). The budget would take a direct hit of over Rs 41 billion in one go, as the government would provide taxpayers’ money to improve the cash flow of Wapda. The remaining amount of more than Rs 20 billion relates to regularization of a similar relief offered during the last fiscal year, according to the Ministry of Finance.
US troops target Pak tribesman’s house
May 20: The US troops and their Afghan allies reportedly targeted the house of a Pakistani tribesman with heavy weapons at Lawara in North Waziristan Agency causing slight damage to the building, The News reports.
6 rockets fired near Gwadar airport
May 21: At least six rockets were fired and heavy gun fire heard near Gwadar airport in the early hours today, police said. No causality or damage to the airport was reported , however a truck driver was injured as the windscreen of his vehicle was smashed when it was hit by a stray bullet in the area.
Lashkar ends search, says no foreign militant found
May 21: A tribal lashkar ended its hunt saying it found no evidence of any foreign militant in the South Waziristan tribal region and has formed a 30-member committee to continue search in the remaining villages. The commander of the 1,200 armed tribal volunteers, Allagai Wazir, made the announcement at a jirga at Wana bazaar, telling his fellow tribesmen of their three days of search for foreign militants in Azam Warsak, Shakai, Raghzai and Zha Ghundai yielded nothing.
Macedonia apologises to Pakistan
May 21: Macedonia has offered apologies and assured full justice to families of six innocent Pakistanis who were killed in a fake encounter in Macedonian capital in March 2002. The Pakistanis were shot dead by Macedonian security forces in Rastankski Lozja in March 2002 to win US favor and to show Washington that Macedonian government was its ally in the war against terror. The then Macedonian government made a false claim that the Pakistanis were members of Al Qaeda and were planning a terrorist attack. An official inquiry by the Macedonian government had established that the former Interior Minister of Macedonia Ljube Boskovski and other senior police officials were involved in the brutal murder.
IPakistani sentenced to death in India
May 21: A New Delhi court awarded death to a Pakistani for killing an Indian soldier, saying that such extreme punishment was necessary to "castrate" terrorism. Maqsood Ahmed of Mianwali was also ordered to pay a fine for joining a group of Islamic militants accused of attacking a paramilitary camp near New Delhi in 2001.
Pakistan protests border violation by US troops
May 21: US troops entered Pakistani tribal territory bordering Afghanistan for the second time this month, sparking an official protest from Islamabad. The incursion occurred yesterday in North Waziristan tribal area when they crossed the border during a search operation in a village parts of which are on both sides of the border, foreign office spokesman Masood Khan said.
ncursion a mistake, says Pentagon
May 21: The Pentagon said that the latest US incursion into North Waziristan was a mistake and the result of a misunderstanding. A defense department official told reporters in Washington that the troops had crossed into the Pakistani territory 'inadvertently'.
C'wealth restores Pakistan's membership: Group to monitor progress
May 22: Pakistan, suspended from the Commonwealth after the 1999 military takeover that brought General Pervez Musharraf to power, was welcomed back into the 53-nation body with a hope that it will stick firmly on the road to true democracy. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) - a nine-nation committee of foreign ministers that enforces the Commonwealth's core political principles - found that Pakistan has been making good on pledges to restore democratic government. "However, CMAG noted continuing concern in regard to the strengthening of the democratic process in Pakistan," said Commonwealth secretary-general Don McKinnon, reading a statement to reporters after a two-day meeting in London.
Conventional arms sought from US
May 22: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, who concluded his three-day visit to Washington, has urged the United States to help boost Pakistan's conventional defense capabilities. Mr Kasuri said he has delivered "a shopping list" for military hardware to US officials that he brought from Islamabad.
Ponam vows to resist mega plans in Balochistan
May 22: Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (Ponam) chief Sardar Ataullah Khan Mengal has said Balochs were struggling to foil the designs of occupation forces that wanted to turn their majority into minority by launching the so-called mega projects in Balochistan. Speaking in the Hal-o-Ahwal program of the press club Quetta, the veteran Baloch nationalist leader categorically declared that Balochs had a self-defense right to resist the unconstitutional and illegal methods of the usurpers.
Sui gas pipeline damaged by rocket fire
May 22: Over 40 unknown outlaws damaged the gas and water supply pipelines in Sui last night. Reports said more than 40 outlaws launched an attack with rockets and other automatic weapons on well No 45 in Sui, as a result of which eight-inch diameter Sui gas pipeline burst with a huge explosion, while 12-inch diameter pipeline, supplying water to Sui city was also damaged.
Majority of lawyers do not tell truth to their clients about cases: CJ
May 22: Chief Justice of Supreme Court Nazim Hussain Siddiqui said the majority of the lawyers do not tell truth to their clients about the cases. Addressing a seminar on "access to justice and alternative dispute resolution" organized by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in Islamabad, he said it is unfortunate that only few lawyers have courage to tell truth to their clients, adding all the components of the judiciary should work diligently for easy access to justice.
Musharraf, Jamali greet Singh
May 22: President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister, Zafarullah Jamali, congratulated India’s new prime minister Manmohan Singh on his swearing-in and welcomed his commitment to pursuing peace between the nuclear giants. The expressed hope that under Singh’s leadership bilateral relations will continue to develop and the process of composite dialogue for the resolution of all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir will be productive.
Pakistan, India to continue peace process
May 23: President Pervez Musharraf called new Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on telephone when both leaders vowed to carry on dialogue to settle all issues between the two countries, including the Kashmir dispute, a foreign office spokesman said. The 20-minute call, which spokesman Masood Khan said, was the first top-level contact between the leadership of two nuclear neighbors since Mr Singh was sworn in as the Indian prime minister on Saturday following the surprise election victory of his Congress party.
Students reject extremism in all manifestations
May 23: Intellectuals and students from public and private sector universities along with select number of ‘madaris’ from all over the country agreed that extremism was neither legitimised by religion nor served any purpose of humanity. This was stated in the first Student Convention 2004 in Islamabad, held under the auspices of the Higher Education Commission.
Fazl opposes changes in blasphemy, Hudood laws
May 23: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, opposed proposed changes in the Blasphemy and Hudood laws and asked the government to refrain from, what he called, ‘working against Islam’.
Azhar demands provincial autonomy under Constitution
May 23: PML-QA former president Mian Mohammad Azhar apprehended if provincial autonomy under the constitution is not ensured, it will give rise to hatred between the provinces.
Musharraf criticizes Mckinnon's remarks
May 24: President Pervez Musharraf said that Pakistan was not bound by any Commonwealth conditions to save its membership and that it would be guided by its own national interests. He was responding to Commonwealth secretary-general Don McKinnon’s comments – while announcing the restoration of Pakistan's membership - that Islamabad had to implement amendments to the constitution in letter and in spirit, including "the issue of the separation of the offices of the president and the chief of army staff".
US denies incursion into North Waziristan
May 24: The US military denied the allegation that its troops had crossed into Pakistani territory in North Waziristan last week. A statement issued by the US command for Afghanistan said they had checked Pakistan's complaint and had concluded that no US troops had entered the Pakistani territory since May 2.
Poisonous water: three more die
May 24: The death toll from diseases caused by consumption of poisonous water in Hyderabad and adjoining areas increased as three children died during the last two days.
Dialogue with Pakistan to continue, says Natwar
May 24: Newly-inducted Indian Foreign Minister Kunwar Natwar Singh has said that the dialogue for friendship and good-neighborliness with Pakistan will continue and will be intensified in all areas and differences will be ironed out through negotiations.
Pakistan foils US bid to recruit security men for Iraq
May 24: Pakistan has closed down two illegal recruitment facilities in Lahore and Rawalpindi allegedly being used by some US civil and military contractors to recruit Pakistani ex-servicemen for non-combatant security operations in Iraq, senior Pakistani officials told The News on condition of anonymity.
14 LEA men hurt in Quetta bomb blast
May 24: At least 15 people, including 14 personnel of law-enforcement agencies, were wounded in a bomb explosion in the outskirts of Quetta.
‘Violence against Hindus bid to sabotage Indo-Pak peace process’
May 24: Mukesh Kumar, PPP MPA in the Sindh Assembly, expressing grave concern over the growing incidents of attacks on the worship places of Hindus, said that these attacks were being engineered by elements who were against India-Pakistan rapprochement, a goal that was ultimately being realized after six decades of strenuous efforts, saying that it was they who were trying to sabotage the process. He warned that if this wave of violence continued, Hindus would be forced to migrate en masse to India.
Rs 276.58bn accrued from Mangla, Tarbela till 2002-03
May 24: The nation in its march towards achieving self-sufficiency in food and fiber and accelerating the pace of economic development, has accrued Rs. 276.58 billion till the last fiscal in terms of direct benefits regarding water releases and power generation from Mangla and Tarbela Dam projects, commissioned way back in 1967 and 1975 respectively with a total capital of Rs. 25.08 billion. These benefits stand at more than 10 times of the cost of these two mega projects, The News reported.
Fazl named leader of opposition: ARD rejects decision
May 25: MMA Secretary-General Maulana Fazlur Rehman was appointed the leader of opposition in the National Assembly by Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain, a move denounced by the other contender, ARD chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim. The notification makes the maulana a member of the 13-man National Security Council. The speaker announced the appointment by using his discretionary powers. His decision was based on the number of votes the maulana had secured at the time of the prime minister's election in November.
Musharraf invites Sonia
May 25: President Pervez Musharraf made a telephone call o to Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi and invited her to visit Islamabad. The president congratulated Ms Gandhi on her party's election victory and sought her support for peace talks between the two countries, an Indian foreign ministry spokesman said.
Powerful blast damages gas pipeline
May 25: A powerful blast damaged Sui Southern Gas Company's 16-inch diameter Indus Right Bank Pipeline (IRBP). The incident took place at about 38km upstream of Nawabshah at Veho Wah canal crossing.
Man dies as parcel-bomb goes off at KPT
May 25: One laborer was killed and three others were injured when a parcel bomb exploded on the premises of the Karachi Port Trust. The parcel, placed on a pavement, exploded with a bang, leaving the four men injured.
15 killed in Balochistan coal-mine explosion
May 25: Fifteen people died in a methane gas explosion in a coal-mine in Sinjidi area, some 45 kilometres from Quetta, Chief Mines Inspector said.
Dr Farooq appointed special ambassador for World Family Alliance
May 25: Dr Farooq Hassan, distinguished international legal authority, political adviser, and attorney, has been appointed by the World Family Alliance as its Special UN Ambassador for the Family. The US-based World Family Alliance is a coalition of organizations and individuals from diverse countries, cultures and religions, united in the belief that the family is the fundamental unit of society, that marriage is and should remain exclusively between a man and a woman, and that human life, including that of unborn children, is sacred.
Mushahid named secretary-general
May 26: Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain named office-bearers of the newly unified PML after a meeting with President Pervez Musharraf, with the key secretary-general's office going to former information minister Mushahid Hussain Syed. Other office-bearers named at a news conference in the evening included seven senior vice-presidents who were heads of parties which have merged into the PML or their representatives. They are: Religious Affairs Minister Ijazul Haq (of PML-Z), Information Technology Minister Awais Leghari (son of defunct National Alliance leader and former president Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari), Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi (NPP), Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Imtiaz Sheikh (both former chiefs of their own factions of Sindh Democratic Alliance), Mian Manzoor Wattoo (PML-Jinnah) and Sultan Mehmood Khan (PML-F).
Bomb blasts: US says its diplomat not targeted
May 26: The US State Department said that the US consul-general was not the target of two car-bomb blasts in Karachi that killed a policeman and injured over 30 people. Both the blasts occurred about 150 yards from the official residence of the US consul-general in the city. A State Department official told reporters in Washington that the Pak-American Cultural Centre (PACC), the apparent target of the blasts, was a privately run English language school and had no links to the US government.
Karachi rocked by two car bombs: Guard killed, mediamen among 33 injured
May 26: A police guard was killed and at least 33 people, including police personnel and media men, were wounded when two car bombs exploded in succession near the Pak-American Cultural Centre and the residence of the US consul-general in Karachi. Both the cars were parked along the Fatima Jinnah Road and the bombs exploded at an interval of about 30 minutes, police said.
Five local newspapers banned
May 26: The Sindh government has banned five Karachi newspapers for 30 days for allegedly publishing obscene photographs and vulgar stories. The newspapers banned are the daily Morning Special, the daily Evening Special, the daily Mid Special, the daily Zamana and the daily Special. A government spokesman said the pattern adopted by the newspapers not only tarnished the image of the local press but also promoted "vulgarity and immorality in society".
Pakistan slams firing at shrine of Hazrat Ali (RA)
May 26: Pakistan has condemned the incident of firing at the holy shrine of Hazrat Ali (RA) and the damage to the mausoleum. A statement released by the Foreign Office, calling for an end to actions that violate the sanctity of the holy places, said, "desecration of the holy places in Iraq deeply hurts sensitivities of Muslims all over the world".
Musharraf says military men tried to kill him
May 27: President General Pervez Musharraf has disclosed that some junior officials of Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force have been arrested for their alleged involvement in an assassination attempt on him in Rawalpindi in December last year. In an interview to a private TV news channel, President Musharraf said that these armed forces personnel would soon be tried. He also said the mastermind, who had planned these attacks, was a Pakistani and he was absconding.
Al Qaeda link in blasts suspected
May 27: Authorities said they suspected a network of religious militants, possibly aided by Al Qaeda, were behind a double car bomb attack near a US consul's residence in which a policeman was killed and over 30 people were injured.
Australia stops issuing visas
May 27: The Australian High Commission in Islamabad has temporarily stopped issuing visas, apparently in reaction to the rejection of wheat shipment by Pakistan, informed sources told Dawn.
Talks held with US over border incursions
May 27: Senior Pakistani and US military officials met at a border checkpoint in the North Waziristan tribal region to discuss recent incursions by American troops into the tribal area, official sources said in Miranshah.