Chronology of Pakistan
March 2003 (Continued II)
63 Indian army officers had ISI links: Fernandes
March 13: Sixty-three former and serving army officers have been found to have links with Pakistani secret service agents over the past three years, Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes said in New Delhi. In a written reply to a question in the Lower House of parliament, the minister said cases had been registered against the officers alleged to have links with the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan's intelligence agency.
FBI believed Hekmatyar, Osama were in Chitral: report
March 13: Much before the arrest of Shaikh Khalid Mohammad and the recent controversy originated from the first ever briefing of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) regarding the physical presence of Osama bin Laden in the country, the US agents reportedly conducted an intelligence-gathering exercise in Chitral to locate the venue of a scheduled meeting between Osama Bin Laden and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, The News reported.
Rabbani named PPPP leader in Senate
March 13: The Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians appointed Mian Raza Rabbani as parliamentary leader of the party in the Senate.
Democracy-related sanctions waived
March 15: President George Bush has waived democracy-related sanctions on Pakistan, paving the way for the country to receive about $250m of economic aid already approved by Congress this year. The measures were imposed after the 1999 coup which brought Gen Pervez Musharraf into power.
Another Al Qaeda man held in Lahore
March 15: Officials from the FBI and Pakistan intelligence agencies reportedly arrested a suspected Al Qaeda member in Lahore. Sources said a raid was carried out on a house on Shahbaz Road, Bhagatpura, which resulted in the arrest of Yasser-al-Jazeeri, a Moroccan national.
Wasim named PML-Q Senate leader
March 15: The Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam) nominated veteran parliamentarian Wasim Sajjad leader of the house in the Senate. An official announcement of Mr Sajjad's appointment came after a meeting between Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali, PML-Q President and parliamentary party leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mr Sajjad.
Violence continues in Orangi Town, Karachi
March 15: Tension prevailed in Orangi Town, Sector 10-L area, for the third consecutive day as unidentified persons set the furniture of three locked houses and one house on fire within the precinct of Mominabad police station.
Pakistanis' exodus to Canada accelerates
March 16: An exodus of Pakistanis seeking to leave the United States has overwhelmed Canadian immigration authorities and swamped shelters, mosques, churches and aid agencies along the US-Canada border. The surge of Pakistanis seeking safe haven in Canada came as the deadline for their registration with the US Immigration authorities ends on March 21.
Amended constitution 'acceptable' to MQM
March 17: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad says the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has put "in abeyance" its demand for a new Constitution replacing the 1973's after the amendments made by President Musharraf to reform it. The 1973 Constitution, as amended by President Pervez Musharraf, must be adhered to. However, a dialogue should be held to evolve national consensus on controversial issues, he said while talking to a group of reporters at the new Lahore airport.
President's election by parliament 'necessary'
March 17: Election of the president was necessary within 30 days after Senate polls, Advocate A.K. Dogar argued before a division bench of the Lahore High Court. He appeared for the Pakistan Lawyers Forum before Justices Tassadaq Husain Jilani and Raja Muhammad Sabir in an intra-court appeal, challenging dismissal of a petition against the Legal Framework Order.
Shariah Council finalises recommendation for Islamization
March 17: Nifaz-e-Shariah Council has finalized its report and would hand over it to the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal government in Peshawar for implementation of Islamic system in the North West Frontier province.
President cannot overrule two-third majority: LHC ruling
March 18: The Lahore High Court (LHC) ruled that under the 1973 Constitution, the president was bound to sign every bill passed by a two-third majority of the Parliament. Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jilani, senior member of the division bench, while hearing Pakistan Lawyers Forum's intra-court appeal against the LFO, refuted the petitioner's argument that President Pervez Musharraf had the authority to reject a bill of the Parliament that disapproved of his presidency and the LFO. The court observed that the president could only send a bill back to the Parliament for review. The bill would become a law even if he refused to sign it for the second time.
PM's anti-land reforms statement flayed
March 18: Farmers have termed the prime minister's recent remarks that no more land reforms would be introduced in future, a reflection of feudal mentality and an attempt to block social justice. "This is unfortunate that the prime minister has categorically declared his anti-reform intentions in his first policy speech since assuming power," said a member of the Kissan Board Pakistan. Three per cent of landlords own more than 13 per cent of land in the country. These feudal lords are also given huge chunks of government land. One wonders how the prime minister could have claimed that there were neither big landlords nor big land holdings.
Musharraf has escaped serious consequences: US think-tank
March 18: The withdrawal of US-UK-backed resolution from the United Nations Security Council has proved to be a blessing in disguise for President General Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf luckily escaped a tough decision and inevitable repercussions because of the withdrawal of the draft resolution from the Security Council, US-based intelligence think-tank Stratfor said in a report made available to The News.
Kaleem Saadat appointed air chief
March 19: Air Marshal Kaleem Saadat has been appointed chief of Air Staff with immediate effect, says an ISPR statement. He has also been promoted to the rank of air chief marshal.
Polls not held under LFO, says SCBA
March 19: Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Hamid Khan said that parliament had been formed by virtue of Supreme Court judgment and elections were held under the Conduct of General Elections Order and not the Legal Framework Order.
Army deployed in Jacobabad
March 20: Jacobabad was handed over to Pakistan Army in view to any possible public reaction against US attack on Iraq.
'Punishment of stripes for drinking not Islamic'
March 20: A 15-member committee, constituted by the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), has overwhelmingly agreed that the prescribed punishment of 80 stripes for drinking is not part of Quran and Sunnah. A majority of the members were also of the view that Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order, 1979, was the brain child of late Gen Ziaul Haq, and that it lacked justification.
22,000 Pakistanis register with INS
March 21: The deadline for registration of Pakistani nationals with the US immigration department expired today; almost 22,000 reported for registration.
Country-wide rallies, partial strike on MMA's call
March 21: Demonstrations and partial to complete strike were observed in various cities of the country and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), on the call of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) against the US attack on Iraq. A number of rallies were taken out in Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi. Demonstrators set fire to tyres at some places, and carried a coffin draped with the US flag.
NWFP govt approves bill to enforce Shariah
March 21: MMA government in NWFP directed all the government officers to offer prayers and take their subordinates with them without wasting extra time and appealed to the traders' community to close their business for prayers. All the trade centres and hotel managers have also been asked to make special arrangements for prayers. The NWFP Chief Minister, Akram Khan Durrani, announced this after discussing the recommendations of Nifaze-e-Shariat Council, at a nine-hour long cabinet meeting. In a three page long statement, the chief minister also announced to move Shariat Act in NWFP Assembly to establish accountability institution, appoint Muhtasib at provincial and district levels to take suo moto action and ensure cheap justice.
HRCP condemns war against Iraq, LFO
March 23: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned the US-led invasion of Iraq, rejected the Legal Framework Order, expressed concern over persisting tensions between India and Pakistan , efforts to enforce Shariah in some parts of the country as well as the construction of the Thal canal. These views were expressed in a statement issued by the HRCP after the concluding session of its annual general meeting held in Hyderabad.
Mumtaz, Altaf discuss situation
March 23: Sindh National Front Chief Mumtaz Ali Bhutto called on Muttahida Qaumi Movement head Altaf Hussain at MQM's International Secretariat in London. Both the leaders, while exchanging views on the international scenario in relation to Iraq, problems faced by Pakistan and the overall political situation in the country, emphasized on the unity between the rural and urban people in Sindh and resolved to make joint efforts to bring these people closer.
Million march flays rulers for supporting US
March 22: MMA's million march appealed to the people to boycott US products and throw out military rulers who have been playing as their agents and collaborating with them to annihilate Muslims. Leading one of the biggest rallies in Lahore taken out to support Iraq and condemn US-led forces, the MMA leaders urged the people to throw out the coward and opportunist rulers and declare that Pakistan was no more a US ally.
China to help set up nuclear power plant
March 24: China has agreed to help set up another 300-megawatt nuclear power plant at Chashma. In this connection, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Beijing in the presence of Pakistan's Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Two other MoUs were signed under which China will help develop Pakistan railways system. Beijing is to extend a soft-term credit of $500 million for the purpose.
60,000 die of TB in Pakistan annually
March 24: Tuberculosis (TB) is responsible for the deaths of 60,000 people out of 250,000 new patients registered in the country every year. These figures were disclosed at a seminar, organized by the National TB Control Programme on the occasion of World TB Day. According to Federal health minister Nasir Khan Pakistan ranked 8th among the 22 high burden tuberculosis-affected countries in the world.
Warrants for Altaf, others issued
March 25: The second additional district judge Hyderabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain , senior deputy convener Aftab Ahmad Shaikh, Imran Farooq, Nasreen Jalil, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz leader Shafi Karnani and others. Two separate cases were registered against the accused on June 13, 2001, after the Muttahida and the JSQM had jointly given a call for strike to protest incidents of firing and baton-charge of their activists. The activists had staged a rally against water shortage in the province.
LHC stays presidential order
March 25: The Lahore High Court (LHC), in a major development, has stayed a presidential order regarding recovery of $48,000 from a professor of Multan university, and has summoned the Education Ministry officials for deliberately concealing facts from the President Secretariat regarding a decision of the Ombudsman to settle personal scores with the petitioner.
Pakistan test-fires Abdali missile
March 26: Pakistan successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable short-range Abdali missile in an apparent tit-for-tat move after India tested its similar Prithvi missile. The surface-to-surface Abdali missile, first test-fired last year, has a range of less than 200km and can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, military sources said. The surface-to-surface Prithvi missile test-fired by India today has a range of 150km.
Kidnapped HRCP activist freed after four days
March 26: Akhtar Baloch, journalist and member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan's Core Group in Hyderabad, who was picked up by unidentified persons was set free after four days. Sources close to Mr Baloch told Dawn said he was whisked away by personnel of an intelligence agency and kept blindfolded at some place where he was grilled for three days about his personal background, activities and contacts in India.
Free education in NWFP to benefit 0.7m
March 26: The NWFP government's decision to provide free education up to metric will benefit above 0.7 million students enrolled in different government schools in the province. The package would cost the government approximately Rs 70 million annually as according to available figures presently 7,34,665 students are studying in government schools in the province, 5,34,137 male and 2,02,946 female. The annual admission fee from class 6th to 10th is just Rs 8 while tuition fee for class 6th to 8th is Rs 72 and class 9th and 10th Rs 96 per year. There is already no fee at
Teachers protest against Model University Ordinance
March 26: The teaching staff of three public sector universities staged a protest demo against the Model University Ordinance in front of Chief Minister's House in Peshawar. They said the Model University Ordinance was against 7,000 university teachers and millions of students and it would deprive 98 per cent students of middle and lower middle classes of university education.
Senate resonates with anti-LFO debate
March 27: The combined opposition in the Senate vowed to continue and put up a strong opposition to the controversial Legal Framework Order (LFO) from becoming part of the 1973 Constitution. It declared: "Except for the ongoing debate on most tragic situation of Iraq, no normal parliamentary functions will be allowed on floor of the house till the said piece of legislation is withdrawn and sent to the parliament's scrutiny and assent".
Musharraf firm on LFO, NSC
March 27: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said the Legal Framework Order (LFO) is a system of checks and balances, which is extremely important for Pakistan. Informed sources told Dawn that the president had ruled out the possibility of any change in the LFO as being demanded by the opposition. He has also conveyed to Prime Minister Mir Zafaruallh Jamali and other senior Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) leaders that there is no question of scraping the National Security Council (NSC).
Election on special seats un-Islamic: CII
March 27: The Council of Islamic Ideology has recommended to the government that the present system of election for women and minorities on special seats, was not in line with Islamic provisions. The Islamic Council of Ideology, a constitutional body mandated to recommend to the legislature to make laws in conformity with the Islamic provisions, has recommended to the present government that the election of minorities and women on special seats was contrary to merit and was "kind of a quota system."
Over 35pc rural population lives below poverty line
March 27: About 35 to 40 per cent rural population of Pakistan depending on agriculture and natural resources is living below the poverty line and it suffers disproportionately when its access to these resources is denied or limited. This was observed in a study presented at the one-day national policy forum "mainstreaming environment in Pakistan's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper" in Islamabad.
Balochistan cabinet levies property tax in tribal areas
March 27: The Balochistan cabinet granted approval for levying property tax in the tribal areas, authorizing the district governments to determine the rate of the tax.The provincial cabinet, which met with Chief Minister Jam Muhammad Yousuf in the chair, decided that the property tax would be levied on those who have more than one house in the tribal areas of Balochistan.
Punjab releases 400 on special remission
March 27: The Punjab Prisons Department released 400 convicts after granting special remissions in sentences announced by President General Pervez Musharraf on the occasion of Pakistan Day.
Japan reschedules $4.5bn debt
March 28: Japan rescheduled its consolidated $4.5 billion debt owed by Pakistan for 38 years on a lower interest rate. Secretary for Economic Affairs Division (EAD) Dr Waqar Masood Khan and Charge d'Affaires of Japan Embassy in Islamabad Tamotsu Shinotsuka signed the agreement. This was the 16th bilateral agreement which was signed in pursuance of the Agreed Minute of the Paris Club signed on December 13, 2001, covering a total debt relief of $12.5 billion.
NAPP expels party chief, Ajmal Khattak
March 28: The NWFP chapter of the National Awami Party Pakistan has expelled its central president, Ajmal Khan Khattak, for bringing a shameful defeat to the party during the October elections and showing a disinterest in other organizational affairs.
PM gets powers of NEC chief
March 29: President Pervez Musharraf reconstituted the National Economic Council and transferred powers of the NEC chairman to Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali.
Curbs on KRL unjustified: FO
March 29: Pakistan termed the US decision to impose a two-year trade sanction on the Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL) as unjustified and said it would not deter Pakistan's resolve to pursue its indigenous missile program. In a statement the foreign office spokesman made it clear that the US decision had no material impact either on KRL, which was never dependent on foreign aid, or on Pakistan's determination to pursue its indigenous missile program.
Pakistan has the bomb since 1984: Qadeer
March 29: Pakistan had made the atomic bomb as early as 1984 but it continued to deny its existence till May 1998 when the testing of its nuclear device by India forced Pakistan to follow suit. This was revealed by Dr A.Q. Khan, special adviser to the prime minister on strategic programs, at the 11th anniversary of the Defense Residents' Society (DRS) in Karachi. Credited with building Pakistan's nuclear arsenal from scratch, Dr Khan said Pakistan had enough atomic bombs to destroy major Indian cities three times over.
FBI issues alert for Pakistani woman
March 29: The FBI has issued a worldwide search notice for a woman of Pakistani origin for her alleged connections with the Al Qaeda network. Aafia Siddiqui is the first woman suspected of being an Al Qaeda operative in the United States, agency officials told Dawn in Washington.
Balochistan senators give deadline to govt
March 29: All the 22 senators from Balochistan have urged the federal government to accept their demands relating to the rights of their province within six months otherwise they would resort to protest. The senators met in Islamabad and demanded increased royalty on gas, 40 per cent quota in Pakistan army personnel for Balochistan, federal jobs in proportion to their provincial share, release of water according to the provincial share and provincial autonomy as prescribed in the 1973 Constitution. The senators belonged to all the parliamentary parties including the ruling PML-QA, having representation in the upper house from Balochistan. The 22 Senators from Balochistan, representing different national and regional parties, decided to close ranks and form a "Balochistan Senators Forum." Senator Mir Naseer Khan Mengal of Pakistan Muslim League (Q) was chosen as coordinator and Senator Dr Ismail Buledi of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal as deputy coordinator.
FBI-wanted woman held in Karachi
March 30: A Pakistani woman, who was on FBI's list of having suspected links to Al-Qaeda network, has been taken into custody by the sleuths of a sensitive agency here, sources told The News. Sources said Dr Aafia Siddiqui -- a PhD doctor -- was picked up from a house in Gulshan-e-Iqbal area in Karachi. Recently, the FBI placed the photograph of Dr Aafia Siddiqui at its website stating: "Although the FBI has no information indicating this individual is connected to specific terrorist activities, the FBI would like to locate and question this individual."
Pakistan imported Korean missiles: US
March 31: The United States has imposed commercial sanctions on the Khan Research Laboratories because it arranged a transfer of North Korean missiles to Pakistan, a US official alleged. A senior State Department official said KRL had imported missiles from the North Korean's state-owned Changgwang Sinyong Corp, which has been under the same sanctions since August.
Khwajas taken into custody again
March 31: The State has brought espionage charges against Dr Ahmad Javed Khwaja and Ahmad Naveed Khwaja, who, after the lapse of their three-month detention, have once again been detained for two months. The State has brought new charges against the two brothers in the fresh detention order after the Supreme Court's ruling that Al Qaeda was not a declared "terrorist" organization under the 1973 Constitution or any anti-terrorism law of the country. The two Khwajas were detained on Dec 30, 2002, with three other family members for three months on allegations of harbouring Al Qaeda activists in their house in the Manawan area. However, the other three - Dr Umar Karar, Dr Khizar Ali and Muhammad Usman - were ordered to be released by the Lahore High Court on Feb 17.
Article 58(2)b necessary to block army, says Leghari
March 31: Former president and chief of Millat Party, Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari has urged the government and the opposition to resolve the issue of Legal Framework Order through dialogue. The 58 -2 (b), a part of Legal Framework Order, should be retained to check the performance of the government and block military intervention in extreme situations, Mr Leghari said at a Meet the Press program in Kohat.
Bengalis to get citizenship, says Nazim
March 31: Nazim Karachi Naimatullah Khan said that the federal government has decided, in principle, that Bengalis living in Pakistan prior to 1971 would be given citizenship because they are Pakistanis.
14 gunned down in Kashmore
March 31: Fourteen people, including two women, were killed, 30 others injured and seven kidnapped when armed tribesmen from Balochistan attacked Kashmore town.The armed men believed to be Bugti tribesmen in three double-cabin vehicles launched the attack on the town at around 8:20 am and completed their bloody operation in 30 minutes.