Chronology of Pakistan
December 2003 (Continued II)
Irsa rejects Sindh's claim on water release
Dec 7: The Indus River System Authority has rejected the Sindh government's assertion regarding disproportionate depletion of Mangla and Tarbela dam in contravention of a decision by the IRSA's advisory committee. In a letter, the IRSA asked the Sindh government to justify its claim with facts and figures and submit its water requirement plan. The Sindh government had conveyed its reservations in this regard, fearing a shortage of irrigation water in the province during March-April because of excess water release from Tarbela Dam, damaging its wheat crop.
Haass voices concern over Pakistan's political state
Dec 7: The former director of policy planning in the Bush administration, Richard Haass, has expressed deep apprehension over a potential breakdown in political order in Pakistan and fears that the nuclear weapons could possibly be compromised as a consequence.
In an interview with the New York Times writer for the ten page expose on Pakistan - in paper's Sunday magazine section - in the backdrop of the ongoing global war on terrorism, Mr Haass notes, "Sure to be a nightmare is a breakdown in order.
Rockets fired at Scouts HQ in Miranshah
Dec 7: Unknown persons fired four rockets towards the headquarters of Tochi Scouts in Miranshah, North Waziristan Agency. However, no loss of life was caused as the rockets landed a few yards away from the fort housing personnel of the Tochi Scouts. Officials in Miranshah presumed the attack could be a reaction to the recent arrest of noted Afghan warlord Badshah Khan Zadran. The law enforcing agencies took Zadran into custody on December 1 when he came to his home in Dandey Darpakhel to celebrate Eid with his family. Zadran, a loyalist of former Afghan monarch Zahir Shah and self-proclaimed governor of Khost, has been engaged in guerrilla attacks on the Karzai-led administration.
Murder, rape and kidnapping is the tale of 2003
Dec 7: Crime, crime and crime is the tale of year 2003 that shows an increase in offences against persons and property and those registered under Pakistan Penal Code, The News said. Serious crimes like murder, rape, kidnapping, attempt to murder, dacoity, theft etc generally show an increase as compare to the last year’s crime figures though there has been a decrease in cases registered under Arms Act, Prohibition Order and Local and Special Laws.Country’s comparative overall crime figures of the first 10 months (Jan to Oct) of 2002 and 2003 prepared by the Interior Ministry show an increase of 12,022 cases falling under PPC during 2003. However, there has been a conspicuous decrease in cases registered under special laws like Arms Act, Local and Special Laws and Prohibition Order also.
Kuwait stops issuing visas to Pakistanis
Dec 8: Kuwait has stopped issuance of visit visas to Pakistanis, Jordanians, Syrians, Iranians and Iraqis till the end of this month. Arabic daily Al Anba, quoting sources in the immigration department said the ban on issuance of visit visas was to be implemented immediately and would be lifted by the beginning of 2004.
Hashmi granted A-class in jail
Dec 8: District and sessions judge Rawalpindi granted A-class to the acting president of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, in the Adyala jail. Initiating the proceedings in the mutiny case against Mr Hashmi, the court directed the government to provide the copies of the charge-sheet submitted by the prosecution, the FIR, the letter which he distributed in a press conference, the statements of the witnesses and all relevant documents. The PML-N leader, who was presented in the court amidst tight security after the expiry of his 14-day remand, told the judge that he had been housed in a place worst than C-class, with inmates who were released recently from Guantanamo Bay. The place had no medical facilities, he said.
Pakistan, Russia sign MoU to combat corruption
Dec 8: Pakistan and the Russian Federation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for eradication of corruption and other financial irregularities, Chairman National Accountability Bureau Lt-Gen Munir Hafiez told reporters at a press conference in Islamabad at the NAB headquarters. Under the MoU the two sides will exchange technical staff for training and formulate joint plans for eradication of corruption, he said.
LoC fencing violation of Indo-Pak accords: FO
Dec 8: Pakistan sent a strong message to India that its new fencing along Line of Control (LoC) and the working boundary was in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions and the bilateral agreements reached between the two countries.
US seeks new bases in Pakistan, India
Dec 8: As part of its ‘ambitious plan’ of relocating US troops, posted around the globe, to the regions closer to ‘areas of instability and trouble spots’, the US administration intends to negotiate new military bases in Pakistan, India and several other countries across the globe, a source closely linked to the Nato defense ministers’ deliberations in Brussels told The News.
US accepts Pak position on Iraq deployment
Dec 8: The US authorities are not interested in immediate deployment of Pakistan’s troops in Iraq as Washington has silently accepted Islamabad’s position on the question. The News has learnt from highly placed diplomatic channels that the US and Pakistan will remain in touch with each other on it since Pakistan has not categorically denied the dispatch of its troops to Iraq, but put certain conditions for the same.
Released Pakistanis threaten to sue Canadian govt
Dec 9: Five Pakistani immigrants who were recently deported from Canada after being dubbed as Al Qaeda sleepers expressed their resolve to clear their names by suing the Canadian government for damages. Twenty two young Pakistani immigrants were picked up on Aug 14, 2003, from Toronto (Canada) and their names were splashed all across the world with headlines linking them to Al Qaeda and alleging that they had access to nuclear gauges. Later, however, the charges were withdrawn.
'US pursued India, Pakistan talks'
Dec 9: The United States played a key role in encouraging India and Pakistan to talk to each other but did not apply any direct pressure on them to do so, official and diplomatic sources said in Washington. Throughout the process, that led to the Indian announcement that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will attend the Saarc Summit in Islamabad, US Secretary of State Colin Powell remained personally engaged with both Indian and Pakistani officials, sources said.
US gives list of 15 Al Qaeda men to Pakistan
Dec 9: After the recent suicide attacks in Turkey, the United States has asked the Government of Pakistan to add names of 15 more people to the consolidated list of people and entities belonging to Taliban and al-Qaeda, Dawn has learnt. The source said the government had been provided with the list endorsed by the United Nations and asked to freeze the assets of the people included in it, seal their offices and prevent their entry or transit. The 15 people to be added in the list are Al-Ayashi Radiabdul Al-Sami (Egypt), Cabullah (Somalia), Hamid M Tahir (Iraq), Mustafa Muhammad Amin (Iraq), M Daki (Morocco), Al-Sadi Furgh Hassan (Libya), Sadi Nasir (Tunisia), Ben Abdul Hakim (Tunisia), Reham Lutfi (Tunisia), Bouyahia Hamadi (Morocco), Rown lazher Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmed (Tunisia), Zarkavi Imed Bin Maki (Tunisia), Murad Trablsi (Tunisia), Kamal Bin Mauldi (Tunisia) and Nauriddi Drissi (Tunisia).
Implementation of Freedom of Information Ord demanded
ISLAMABAD, Dec 9: The Freedom of Information Ordinance (FOI) 2002, which had been enacted to ensure transparency and good governance in government departments, has still not been implemented in letter and spirit despite passage of more than a year. This was stated in a joint press statement issued by the Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP) and Centre for Civic Education Pakistan (CCE) on the eve of International Human Rights Day. Both the organizations maintained that without promulgating the rules of business, the government's commitment towards FOI was nothing less than lip service.
EU seeks legal opinion on Indian fence along LoC
Dec 9: The European Union has asked European jurists and experts of international law to adjudge the legal status of the so-called security fence being constructed by India along the Line of Control (LOC) in order to evaluate the merit of Pakistan’s claim that the Indian initiative was a clear violation of the UN Charter and breach of ceasefire agreement between the two countries, a European source in Brussels told The News. The source said that Brussels had received messages from its mission in Islamabad and through direct communication with the Pak Foreign Office, conveying Pakistan’s concern on construction of he security fence on the Indian side of the LoC. Pakistan insisted that "neither of the sides can bring any change whatsoever it could be, in the LoC and Indian initiative to construct a security fence tantamount to be an attempt to violate this point".
PPPP resubmits high treason bill
Dec 9: The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians resubmitted the high treason bill-2003 in the Senate after its deletion by Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro yesterday. The bill lays down that those found guilty of high treason and all the collaborators shall be immediately dispossessed of the coercive apparatus of the state.
Pak-India commanders hold flag meeting
Dec 9: The commanders of Chenab Rangers and Indian BSF held "flag meeting" at the Sialkot working boundary and expressed the hope that the cease-fire would be permanent.
Airlines owe Rs5.2bn to CAA: Senate told
Dec 10: Different companies and airlines, including PIA, owe Rs5.28 billion to the Civil Aviation Authority, the Senate was told. PIA, the Senate was told, was yet to pay Rs2.5 billion (Rs1.1 billion aeronautical and Rs1.38 non-aeronautical charges) to the CAA. The national carrier, Senate was informed, had already paid Rs550 million to the CAA during the past few months after becoming a viable company. Similarly Aero Asia owed Rs380 million, Shaheen Air International Rs431 million, Bhoja Airline Rs73 million, Hajvairy Airline Rs40 million, Safe Airline Rs10 million in arrears while and foreign airlines were yet to pay Rs344 million.
Nuclear scientist arrest echoes in Senate
Dec 10: The detention of a nuclear scientist of KRL on suspicion of transfer of technology to Iran echoed in the Senate proceedings. As session started, opposition Senator Sajid Mir stood up on a point of order and blasted the government over reports of arrest of a nuclear scientist. He lamented that those who had made the country’s defense strong were now picked up to please some foreign countries. He said the KRL, which was considered a solid guarantee to national defense, was finally opened to foreigners to arrest Pakistani scientists.
Maulana Qasmi passes away
Dec 10: Eminent religious scholar Allama Ghulam Mustafa Qasmi breathed his last in the wee hours at the Civil Hospital in Karachi. He was 98. Allama Qasmi was the author of about 40 books in Sindhi, Urdu, Arabic, Persian and English. He had served as chairman of the Sindhi Adabi Board, Institute of Sindhology, and other educational institutions of the province. He had also served as the chairman of Central Ruet Hillal Committee, Academy Adabiat, Islamiat and Urdu Academy Karachi.
NRB unveils formula Equal distribution of funds proposed
Dec 11: The National Reconstruction Bureau proposed to the 6th National Finance Commission to consider distributing resources from the divisible pool on a 50-50 basis.
Announcing what he called the "50-50 Formula", NRB chairman Daniyal Aziz said the proposal would ensure provincial autonomy and better relations between the centre and provincial governments. Under the formula, he said, 50 per cent from the divisible pool would be transferred to provinces and the rest would be kept with the federal government.
Intelligence agencies interrogate KRL officers
Dec 11: Intelligence agencies were interrogating senior officials of the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) to know who leaked the news about two missing senior nuclear scientists of the KRL to press , informed sources told Dawn. They said the officials being interrogated included those who had closely worked with KRL founder Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. They said intelligence personnel have also requested KRL officials for a meeting with Dr Khan. KRL Director-General Dr Yasin Chohan and Director of Laboratories Dr Farooq have been reported missing for the last one week. When contacted, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior expressed his ignorance about the whereabouts of the two scientists.
Maulana Noorani passes away
Dec 11: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) president senator Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani died in Islamabad after suffering a heart attack. He was 78. He leaves behind his wife, two daughters and two sons to mourn his death. Maulana Noorani, who was also the president of the Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP), suffered a massive heart attack when he was preparing to leave his residence situated in F-8/4 sector for the Parliament House to address a press conference along with other opposition leaders at 12 noon. A family source told Dawn that Maulana Noorani was a heart patient and had a bypass surgery in 1984.
Indian peace activists arrive
Dec 11: Hoping for a lasting peace and friendlier relations between Pakistan and India, about 235 Indian peace and human rights activists reached Lahore via Wagah border to attend a three-day peace conference arranged by the Pak-India Peoples' Forum for Peace and Democracy. The Indian delegation, including a large number of women, left Lahore by train for Karachi in the evening to attend the peace moot starting tomorrow.
Anti-terror efforts endorsed
Dec 11: US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said he was "absolutely convinced" in Pakistan's sincerity in supporting the United States' anti- terrorism campaign. Mr Armitage made these remarks in an interview with the Financial Times, released by the State Department. It would be "unrealistic" to expect that people, who had spent years working with the Taliban, which received much of its backing from the Pakistani government and security services, would not develop personal and political ties with Taliban officials, he said.
ANP observes hunger strike
Dec 11: The Awami National Party organized hunger strike camps at all the district headquarters of the province and parts of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) to lodge protest against the government's failure to arrest increasing price hike across the country.
India rejects gas pipeline via Pakistan
Dec 11: India has no plans to import piped natural gas via Pakistan as it is concerned about the safety of the pipeline despite a thaw in bilateral relations, Indian Oil Minister Ram Naik told Reuters. A pipeline across Pakistan is the cheapest option to import gas into India, which produces only 65 million cubic metres or 2.3 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day, enough to meet barely half the domestic demand.
Indigenously built Agosta inducted
Dec 12: Gen Pervez Musharraf formally inducted the first indigenously built French origin Agosta 90B submarine "Saad" at a ceremony in Karachi. The submarine, which is the second of the three such platforms, for which Pakistan had entered into a $1 billion deal with France, was inducted into the PN fleet after undergoing intensive propulsion, depth and weapon system trials. The first submarine "Khalid" which was built completely in France, has already joined the PN fleet. "Saad" was built at the PN Dockyard under the supervision of French experts. The third Agosta 90 B "Hamza" which is expected to be delivered to the Pakistan Navy in 2004, is being constructed by Pakistani technicians in the country.
Maulana Noorani laid to rest
Dec 12: Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, the president of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, was laid to rest after Asr prayers on the premises of the shrine of Hazrat Abdullah Shah Ghazi in Karachi.
Senate offers Fateha for Noorani
Dec 12: The Senate adopted a resolution lauding the role played by late Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani in country’s politics for well over three decades. The upper House was adjourned till Dec 15 without conducting any business to show respect to the late MMA chief. The combined opposition in a separate resolution paid rich tributes to Mr Noorani for his untiring struggle against military dictatorship and his efforts for the restoration of real democracy in the country.
US embassy to fingerprint visa seekers
Dec 12: The United States government has announced that visa applicants will be fingerprinted at the US embassy in Islamabad. This was a new procedure, instituted in accordance with the US law, which mandated that biometric identifiers be collected from all visa applicants by Oct 26, 2004, a press release said.
'Missing' scientist of KRL returns
Dec 12: One of the missing nuclear scientists of Khan Research Laboratories, Dr Farooq returned home in Islamabad after a week-long "disappearance."
Peace convention can make a difference
Dec 12: The 6th three-day convention of the Pakistan-India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy opened in Karachi. Talking to PPI on the sidelines of the convention, the delegates expressed the hope that people-to-people contacts would bring both the countries close to each other and benefit the peoples of one of the most backward regions of the world.
Pakistan seeks budgetary support from US
Dec 12: The government has asked the United States to earmark one billion dollar, out of the $3 billion package, for budgetary support, instead of debt reduction. Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz discussed this issue with Andrew Natsios, Administrator US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Islamabad. The United States has offered Pakistan $3 billion five-year aid package. Exactly half of the $3 billion would go to Foreign Military Financing (FMF), including repairs of the remaining 32 F-16s, and other half would be under the Economic Support Fund (ESF).