WASHINGTON: A US State Department cable declassified this week shows that in May 2000 the Musharraf government was willing to “low-key” UN resolutions on Kashmir to improve relations with India.

A passage about this is included in a secret cable the US Embassy in Pakistan sent to Washington after a two-hour long, one-to-one meeting between then Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar and US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Pickering in Islamabad on May 27, 2000.

“Sattar is beginning to think ahead on Kashmir and understands the immediate need to reduce violence along the LOC and inside Kashmir, down the road,” says the cable.

“He (Mr Sattar) noted that Pakistan would deliberately low-key the UN resolutions of the 1940s, as emphasising them would not be helpful,” the cable adds.

Another cable, sent on May 29, includes details of Mr Pickering’s meeting with then Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf who told the US official that “Pakistan supported a case, de-escalation of the violence in Kashmir and a return to dialogue.”

Mr Musharraf promised to “do what he could to deescalate the violence”.

Running into several pages, the cables — released under Freedom of Information Act — shows that the US policy on Kashmir has not changed since 2000, i.e. it is an issue India and Pakistan need to resolve bilaterally.

Mr Pickering told Gen Musharraf that there were five serious issues in US-Pakistan relations: Kashmir, Afghanistan, non-proliferation, democracy and economics.

He said he intended to focus on the first three Mr Pickering warned that “Kashmir, in particular, was the issue most likely to produce a catastrophe in the near term.

As long as the line of control was out of control, the situation was a danger to the entire region.”

Mr Pickering said he wanted to stress once again the point then US President Clinton had made during his visit.

“There was no military solution to the Kashmir problem.

The only way to move the issue towards resolution was through dialogue.”

The US official informed Gen Musharraf that the Indians had already taken a first step in this direction by releasing a number of imprisoned all parties Hurriyat conference leaders and offering to hold talks with them.

“While we understood that the offer for talks placed Pakistan at a tactical disadvantage, in that Islamabad would not be included, it presented a strategic opportunity if the government of Pakistan chose to seize it. If Pakistan was prepared to take reciprocal steps, by reducing firing along the line of control or decreasing jihadist infiltration into Kashmir, the US would be in a position to press India for a return to dialogue.”

The cable on the Sattar-Pickering meeting says that Mr Sattar reacted positively to the idea of involving Kashmiris in the dialogue.

“He said he had personally convinced the government to go along with Hurriyat leaders talking to the Indians without a Pakistani presence,” the cable said.

“Sattar said that consulting Kashmiris does not eliminate Pakistan’s interest in the settlement and reacted with interest to the idea that a settlement needed to be developed in a way to bring Pakistan and India closer together through more open trade and economic relations,” the cable said.

In the cable, Sattar says that the Kashmiri leaders themselves said in 1991 that the first step would be to emphasise their participation and they could postpone final status of territorial questions for a later time.

“He (Sattar) thought that focusing on people, their self-government, etc., first would make more sense and territorial issues could be left until later,” the cable said.

In another meeting with Maleeha Lodhi, then ambassador in Washington, Mr Pickering said that Pakistan’s policy of using non-state actors was threatening US interest.

The meeting was in the immediate aftermath of the hijacking of Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar.

Mr Pickering warned that “hijacking constitutes an extreme violation of US law and should be treated as such”.

He told Ms Lodhi that Pakistan’s policy on Kashmir “have not been adept and will not gain Pakistan the support” of the international community.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015

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We may not have known her name until two weeks ago, when she took over our Facebook timelines, but we've definitely seen her work.

Laraib Atta, who happens to be the daughter of renowned folk singer Attaullah Khan Esakhailvi, has been quietly making her way in Hollywood as a visual effects artist. Sweeney Todd, Godzilla and Gravity are just some of the famous titles she has to her credit, and at 28, she's only getting started.

Dawn.com caught up with this young, dynamic artist to talk about working in the VFX industry and growing up the daughter of Attaullah Khan Esakhailvi.

Dawn.com: Could you tell me about your childhood in Pakistan? Where did you live and study, and what were your interests growing up as a child?

Laraib Atta: I was born and raised in Lahore, where I studied at the Beaconhouse School, Liberty Campus. Although we were based in Lahore, most of my childhood was spent in Esakhel, a town in the Mianwali District. Most of our vacations – Ramadan, Eid and many weekends – were spent there. It is my father’s hometown and he absolutely adores spending his time there.

I literally grew up in Esakhel, a place where a woman can’t leave the house without being fully covered in a burqa, including the face. I was the quiet one in my family, so much so that people used to tease me by calling me a 'mute'. But that is how I carried myself. Apart from spending most of our family time in Esakhel, we also managed to travel a lot across the world for my father’s concerts.

From as long as I can remember, drawing has been my passion. As a child, while people around me spent time talking, I would sit in a quiet corner and draw. I always knew that I wanted to do something related to art when I was growing up.

Dawn.com: When and why did you move abroad?

Laraib: My elder brother Sanwal decided to move to the UK for his O-levels, which eventually convinced us as a family to move there after two years. I was 14 at the time. It was a decision made as a family for our future and to look for better opportunities.

Dawn.com: You belong to such a musical background. How did the power of the image lure you away?

Laraib: Not only do I belong to a musical background, but my mother, Bazgha Atta, was a renowned actress. She has worked with popular artists such as Nadeem Baig, Babra Sharif, Mohammed Ali, Shabnam, Sultan Rahi and Rangeela. She starred in hit movies like Amanat, Saima, Tina and many more.

My elder brother, Sanwal Esakhailvi, trained under the tutelage of my father from the tender age of 4. Alongside my father, he had the chance to spend time with Mehdi Hassan Khan Sahib, Madam Noor Jahan and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Sahib. He is a vocalist and he recently worked on the album called Inner Sanctum as a vocalist with Spanish guitarist, Tony Calvo (produced by Jonathan that involves different musicians from around the world). It will be released in November. He has also recently released some singles, which will be available on Soundcloud and will be working on some videos. He is also specialized in sound designing for 5.1-surround system for movies.

My younger brother, Bilawal Atta, has been acting and making films since he was 6 years old. He has been part of modeling agencies in the UK and has also acted in various roles at the London theatres. He also appeared in some commercials and was invited by David Beckham for a shoot with him.

As you can see, I belong to a very multi-talented family, and it is my parents’ support that has led us as siblings to pursue our own individual passions without any pressure to restrict ourselves to any one field. However, the most defining role for me after them has been of my brother Sanwal who guided me and encouraged me to enroll [to study] Visual Effects (VFX).

Laraib at a company event at Glassworks Barcelona, where she last worked — Photograph courtesy Laraib Atta

Dawn.com: How'd you get your big break in Hollywood?

Laraib: It was my brother's vision for me to get into the VFX industry, as he was aware of my passion for the arts. After my A-levels, I took a gap year as I had just gotten a place at a university to study Civil and Architectural Engineering. I wanted to take some time off and decide what I wanted to do in the future. It was then that my brother came up with this idea and asked me to look into studying Visual Effects.

I started searching for courses and applied for a Visual Effects diploma. After finishing the diploma, I went back to university to study engineering and at the same time I was being offered jobs for small projects as a visual effects (VFX) artist.

At that time there was a demand for VFX artists and I was lucky to be offered to work right after I finished studying VFX. I took those jobs and studied Engineering at the same time. I turned down a few big projects, as I could not manage between studying and full-time work. But one day I asked myself if engineering was what I really wanted to pursue my career in. For me, it was an easy decision. I wanted to be a full-time VFX artist and work on those big projects. I then decided to drop out of university and started working.

My mother has always taught me to be an independent woman. From a very young age, I was determined to do something. At the age of 19, I studied VFX and started to work as a VFX artist.

Dawn.com: What are some of the main projects you've worked on since then?

Laraib: I have been part of commercials, TV series, music videos and feature films. The Nike football commercial and Olympics promotions were some of the main commercial projects I’ve had the chance to work on. I have also been part of Disney commercials.

Then there are a few TV series I worked on for British Television like BBC, Sky and ITV. Some of the feature films I have been part of were Sweeney Todd, 10,000 BC, The Chronicles of Narnia:The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Godzilla, X-Men: Days of Future Past and Gravity.

Dawn.com: Have you ever had the opportunity to bring your expertise to Pakistan and work on a project here?

Laraib: Due to the volume of projects being offered to me from UK, USA and Canada, I have unfortunately not been able to get a chance to work on a project of that level in Pakistan. But this is only the beginning and I would hope to work on some good projects in Pakistan in the future when the opportunity arises.

Dawn.com: Tell me about your desi emoji project? It sounds like so much fun.

Laraib: This idea was conceived by my friend Jassem Khan, who is based in Washington DC. His idea was to design desi emoticons representing all four provinces of Pakistan. Jassem approached me with the idea and so in my free time I started drawing characters, which really appealed to him. Then he got another friend on board, a very talented iOS developer, Karim Abdul, also based in the USA. He helped us build and launch it on iOS. Jassem dealt with the marketing and copyright side and I designed the emoticons. It is right now available on iOS but soon we will launch it on Android.

Laraib at the 080 Barcelona Fashion Week — Photograph courtesy Laraib Atta

Dawn.com: Have you had the chance to see Pakistani films like Waar? What do you think about the quality of the visual effects in those films?

Laraib: I think our film industry is doing a marvelous job and evolving at a steady pace. There is a definite lack of good virtual effects institutes in Pakistan; otherwise, there are so many talented people who are looking for opportunities.

Dawn.com: Is visual effects a male-dominated field, and is it difficult to break into it, not just because you're a woman, but also as a foreigner?

Laraib: It is certainly a male-dominated field. Even in Europe and the USA, there are not enough women working as VFX artists. When I first started, I was the youngest and the only girl studying visual effects in the institute. But this industry is all about creative individuals. It does not matter who you are or where you’re from. What matters is that you’re skillful, creative and passionate.

Dawn.com: How big a part does music play in your life now?

Laraib: Our parents are the best role models for us three siblings to follow and they have set for us an example that anything is achievable if you work hard. It has given me the ability to think outside the box and be creative.

While we wait for Na Maloom Afraad's stars to get their next projects lined up, they're still milking their debut film for all its worth.

NMA released in cinemas in the UAE yesterday, nearly a year after its release in Pakistan and a month after its DVD release.

But the producer Fizza Ali Meerza is confident that the film will still do well in UAE box office because it is "made for a cinematic experience," she said to Khaleej Times.

Saying that the the industry wasn't ready for a simultaneous international release back in 2014, she added, "Not many have seen the pirated prints online or the DVD, but the word of mouth will help bring movie-goers to the cinema."

The director Nabeel Qureshi hopes that "this film will help create a recall factor - for us as filmmakers - in the audiences' minds and we are aiming for a simultaneous international release for our next film."

However, NMA will not be crossing the border to India, Meerza disclosed. India is a big market but releasing [Pakistani] movies there is very difficult, mainly due to the problems between the two countries. I expect Indians and Pakistanis, living in other countries, to watch and enjoy the movie. As of now there were no plans to release the movie in India," she added.

Talking about the sequel, Meerza said they were working on the film's synopsis and will reveal more details in due time, including the location and plot details, "But as of now we aren't working in the film, it might take us two more films to get to NMA's sequel," she added.

RAWALPINDI: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) hearing the Benazir Bhutto murder case may discard the statement of US lobbyist Mark Seigel, a key witness against former president and retired General Pervez Musharraf, because Mr Seigel has indicated that he wanted to change the time and venue of his testimony again.

“If the Foreign Ministry cannot procure his attendance, I will close [the] evidence of Mark Seigel,” ATC Judge Rai Ayub Marth said during the open court hearing of the case on Wednesday.

Legal experts say that Mr Seigel’s testimony would be important evidence against Gen Musharraf. Senior lawyer Dr Tariq Hassan told Dawn that Mr Seigel would corroborate the allegations levelled against the former military ruler by the late Benazir Bhutto, who was the victim in this case.

“It would be substantial evidence, since the victim herself conversed with [Mr Seigel] and told her what Musharraf said to her,” he said, adding, “it can be proven by obtaining call records from the relevant service providers”. In his opinion, excluding Mr Seigel would weaken the prosecution’s case.

Lobbyist’s repeated requests to reschedule irk ATC judge; experts say losing Seigel’s testimony would be bad for the case

During the hearing, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Special Prosecutor Mohammad Azhar Chaudhry informed the Judge about the latest email received from Mr Seigel.

In the email, the US-based lobbyist expressed his inability to reach the Pakistani embassy in Washington DC, the pre-decided venue where he would record his statement through video link

In 2012, the ATC had summoned Mark Seigel to record his statement in the Benazir murder case, but he cited security concerns and declined to come to Pakistan.

In 2015, the court summoned Mr Seigel again and the summons was delivered through the Pakistani embassy in Washington DC. In response, Mr Seigel agreed to record his statement via video link.

Subsequently, the ATC fixed Aug 26 and 27 as the dates where he would record his statement and arrangements in this regard were made in the Rawalpindi commissioner office.

On Aug 25, the commissioner’s office informed the ATC that Mr Seigel was suffering from kidney issues and was undergoing surgery, but would be available on Oct 1 and 2 at the embassy. The court assented to this request the next day.

At Wednesday’s hearing, the prosecutor told the court that in his latest email, Mr Seigel asked to reschedule once again, for medical reasons, and expressing his inability to testify from Washington DC, offered to be available on Sept 29 from New York City.

Malik Rafique, the defence counsel, pointed out that neither the prosecution, nor Mr Seigel had submitted any evidence related to his medical condition thus far.

This prompted ATC Judge Marth to remark: “If the witness does not come to testify, I would give up his evidence.”

The prosecution has cited four witnesses against Gen Musharraf and Mr Seigel is one of them.

The ATC has, so far, recorded the statements of former interior secretary Kamal Shah and former National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) director general, retired Brigadier Javed Iqbal Cheema. Both witnesses, in their testimony, did not link Gen Musharraf with Ms Bhutto’s assassination. The name of another witness, former Intelligence Bureau director general Ejaz Shah, was withdrawn by the prosecution.

As a result, prosecutors in the case believe Mr Seigel is the only one whose testimony can link Gen Musharraf to Benazir’s death.

According to the prosecution, Mr Siegel claimed that on September 25, 2007, in his presence at the office of Congressman Tom Lantos in Washington, Ms Bhutto received a telephone call, which she later described as “a very bad call” from Gen Musharraf.

The statement said that the former military ruler had warned Ms Bhutto that “her safety depends on the state of their (Musharraf and Benazir’s) relationship.”

According to Mr Siegel, Ms Bhutto sent him an email on October 26, 2007, in which she expressed her sense of insecurity. She also said that if something happened to her, she would hold the military ruler responsible, apart from the individuals mentioned in her letter to Gen Musharraf on Oct 16, 2007.

In the letter, Ms Bhutto had named retired Brigadier Ejaz Shah, retired Lt-Gen Hameed Gul and former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

According to the prosecution, another witness, former interior minister Rehman Malik, may also be called to testify before the ATC, to corroborate Mr Seigel’s statement.

Advocate Khawaja Imtiaz, the special prosecutor in the Benazir murder case, told Dawn that the ATC may close Mr Seigel’s evidence, but that would be the final option.

“In case there is no option left to record a witness’ statement, the court may give up the witness,” he said adding that in such a case, any statement of the same witness recorded earlier by the investigation agency would be treated as cancelled.

He said that the prosecution could file an application under Section 503 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), whereby the ATC can constitute a commission consisting of defence counsels and prosecutors to record Mr Seigel’s statement in the US.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015

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Film star Resham’s much-talked-about comeback filmSwaarangi has been cleared by the Punjab Censor Board and is scheduled to release on September 11, as earlier announced.

Last week, the film was banned by the Central Board of Film Certification. All cinemas in Islamabad and cantonments across the country follow the central board, while provincial boards decide a film’s fate for the rest of the country.

“It’s been censored in Punjab with zero cuts and we have issued a certificate,” secretary of the Punjab Censor Board, Muhammad Haseeb, told Dawn.com.

Talking exclusively to Dawn.com, producer Mazhar Abbas also confirmed that the Punjab Censor Board had cleared Swaarangi.

About the ban by the central board, he said, “Their notification said it was not recommended to be screened in its present form. I see this as their opinion and not a reason to ban the film. We told them they could edit whatever they deemed objectionable or offensive, but they chose to ban all of it. Punjab, on the other hand, had no objections and okayed it completely.”

Haseeb claimed the central board thought it was promoting drug addiction, so did not allow its release.

“The Punjab board found nothing objectionable in the film. Here we follow the same law that they do but with slight amendments -- Punjab Motion Pictures Amendment Act 2012,” he added. “It came for censor last month and has been cleared now.”

Talking about members of various censor boards, Abbas said the Lahore and Karachi boards comprised artists from the industry, while he had no idea which fields the Islamabad board members belonged to, what was their background, yet they decided if a film should be screened or not.

“A censor board should comprise people who understand a film, which is an art. There are messages between the lines that not everyone can understand. Every frame has a message. I don’t know what is their criteria. It is probably the first Pakistani film to be banned. Anyway, we have challenged the decision of the central board with the Information Ministry and requested them to clear the film, so we could release it countrywide on the 11th.”

Besides Resham, Swaarangi also stars Ayub Khoso and has been directed by Fida Hussain, while the background score has been composed by Sahir Ali Bagga. Revolving around a drug addict's family, Swaarangi is based on real-life events and has been shot in rural areas of Punjab near Kalabagh.

Earlier, the film was slated for release on August 28 but was delayed to September 11 to allow the currently running local films a longer stay in the few cinemas in the country.

A press release had quoted producer Mazhar Abbas as saying: “As a gesture to support revival of Pakistani cinema, we are delaying the release of our movie by two weeks. This will help all movies being made in Pakistan to perform at a high level at the box office. This is in the spirit of supporting Pakistani cinema.”

The film will now be released on September 11 along with the biopic Manto.

ISLAMABAD: When Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz travels to Kabul on Friday for attending a regional conference, he will try on the sidelines to explore if the Afghan leadership is interested in reviving the peace dialogue with Taliban that was suspended weeks ago following the revelation about Mullah Omar’s death.

During his day-long visit, Mr Aziz will attend the ministerial meeting of sixth edition of Regional Economic Conference on Afghanistan and meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other leaders.

Pakistan will take a decision on its future line of action regarding ties with Afghanistan and the reconciliation process after Mr Aziz’s return.

According to a senior official, Pakistan is fully convinced that the way forward lay in an ‘intra-Afghan dialogue’, but would ask the Afghan leaders to make a choice between the reconciliation route and fighting the insurgents.

The visit takes place amid heightened tensions between the two countries over allegations that terrorist groups involved in violence in Afghanistan continue to have sanctuaries in Pakistani territory. High profile attacks in Kabul last month had derailed the efforts started after the change of government in Kabul for normalisation of ties.

The official said in a background briefing that Pakistan had agreed to facilitate dialogue between the Afghan government and Taliban at the request of President Ghani.

The first round of talks was held on July 7 and another was planned for July 31 when the process was suspended after the Afghan intelligence agency released the information about Taliban chief Mullah Omar’s death.

The official claimed that the Afghan government and Taliban were close to a deal on lowering of hostilities ahead of the cancelled second round. He said eight members of the Taliban shura were in Islamabad when the July 31 meeting was called off.

“A real opportunity was then lost,” he regretted and put the blame of breakdown of the process on spoilers whom he identified as the Afghan agency NDS and former president Hamid Karzai as well as error of judgment on part of the Ghani administration.

The official said the Afghans wanted Pakistan to fight their war on its soil – a reference to Kabul’s demand for a crackdown on the Haqqani network and other militant groups that it alleges to be based in Pakistan.

The Afghan presidency, while highlighting the point of friction between the two countries, had previously said: “There is credible evidence that the leadership, command and control centre, support infrastructure and sanctuaries of the Haqqani network and other terrorist groups are inside the Pakistani territory. The government of Afghanistan has time and again provided ample evidence to the government of Pakistan about the presence of terrorist networks in Pakistan so that it takes action against these groups.”

Responding to the statement, the Pakistani official said: “How can we fight someone else’s war on our own soil and bear the fallout. …We may, however, help in peace efforts if Afghan leaders desired that we play such a role again.”

He said that if the Afghans remained adamant on a military solution to the problem then a consultation involving China and the US would be required because this course would have serious implications.

During his meetings with Afghan leaders, Mr Aziz would additionally emphasise on lowering the anti-Pakistan rhetoric.

The official said Afghan government’s statements against Pakistan were undermining bilateral trust, besides inflaming public sentiments.

Pakistan was genuinely interested in a rapprochement with Afghanistan and helping it restore peace, the official said, adding that the Afghans needed to realise that.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday and discussed measures taken to provide effective security coverage to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Matters related to the internal security of the country were also discussed at the meeting between the two.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also met the premier and discussed the current security situation of the country.

Read: Ground offensive in Shawal; Zarb-i-Azb enters final phase

The interior minister also apprised the prime minister about his meeting with British leadership during his recent trip to the United Kingdom.

The final phase of operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan got under way late last month as troops launched a ground offensive in Shawal Valley, one of the last strongholds of militants in the region.

The Zarb-i-Azb operation began in June last year and the army says it has cleared most of North Waziristan. Shawal Valley and a pocket to its northwest are the remaining areas that need to be cleared.

The terrorists, except for those who have fled to Afghanistan, are said to be holed up in Shawal. One of the reasons the fleeing militants chose Shawal as their refuge was a perception that Shawal was inaccessible.

The area is considered to be a stronghold of Gul Bahadur, a warlord once considered to be pro-government, and an Al Qaeda sanctuary. Presence of Haqqani network militants was also reported from the valley when a US drone strike on June 6 killed nine Haqqani men there. Shawal has been the focus of US drone attacks this year.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has so far spent $1.9billion from its own resources on operation Zarb-i-Azb and return of Temporary Displaced Persons (TDPs), according to a statement issued by Foreign office spokesperson Syed Qazi Khalilullah on Friday.

Elaborating on the expenses incurred during the fight against terrorism, the FO spokesperson said that Coalition Support Fund (CSF) is reimbursement of the expenditures Pakistan incurred before the start of Operation Zarb-i-Azb, according to a report published on the Radio Pakistan website.

Qazi Khalilullah further said talks with the US authorities for the release of CSF are underway. He also laid stress upon the fact that Operation Zarb-i-Azb, Pakistan's anti-terror offensive has been successful, indiscriminate and effective against terrorists of all kind.

Meanwhile the Foreign Office spokesperson also confirmed that the meeting between top commanders of Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force this month will take place as per schedule.

Responding to a question, Khalilullah said that matters relating to trade, energy, defence, security and counter-terrorism strategy were discussed during the US National Security Advisor Susan Rice’s visit to Pakistan.

Pakistan committed to promote peace in Afghanistan

Addressing the Foreign Office's weekly news briefing held in Islamabad, Qazi Khalilullah reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment and will for facilitating peace process in Afghanistan led and owned by the Afghan leadership.

The FO spokesperson said that Pakistan is ready to facilitate, in whatever way possible, an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

"Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz who is in Kabul to attend the 6th Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan will also meet Afghan leadership to reassure them regarding Pakistan's commitment to peace process while discussing matters of bilateral interest," said the spokesman.

Read Aziz to explore if Afghans are interested in reviving reconciliation process

Khalilullah maintained that Aziz will also raise Pakistan's concerns over Aghan leadership's recent anti-Pakistan statements and the resulting security threat Pakistan embassy staff faces in Afghanistan.

Related Afghan president slams Pakistan over recent Kabul attacks

Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz traveled to Kabul on Friday for attending a regional conference, he will try on the sidelines to explore if the Afghan leadership is interested in reviving the peace dialogue with Taliban that was suspended weeks ago following the revelation about Mullah Omar’s death.

During his day-long visit, Mr Aziz will attend the ministerial meeting of sixth edition of Regional Economic Conference on Afghanistan and meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other leaders.

Pakistan will take a decision on its future line of action regarding ties with Afghanistan and the reconciliation process after Mr Aziz’s return.

According to a senior official, Pakistan is fully convinced that the way forward lay in an ‘intra-Afghan dialogue’, but would ask the Afghan leaders to make a choice between the reconciliation route and fighting the insurgents.

Pakistan had hosted a meeting was hosted between the Afghan Government and Afghan Taliban representatives in Murree on 7 July 2015 along with the representatives from China and USA.

The participants were duly mandated by their respective leadership and expressed their collective desire to bring peace to Afghanistan and the region.

The second round of the talks, which was scheduled to be held in Pakistan on 31 July 2015 was postponed in view of the reports regarding the death of Mulla Omar and the leadership crisis among Taliban.

KARACHI: Sindh Rangers conducted a surgical action in Gulshan-i-Maymar area late Thursday night and arrested two alleged target killers having reported ties with a political party, Rangers spokesperson said on Friday.

Giving details, spokesperson for the paramilitary force said that the arrested suspects were involved in numerous incidents of targeted killings in the metropolis.

A cache of weapons was also recovered from the possession of alleged political workers dubbed target killers by Sindh Rangers.

The spokesman then went on to give details of the arrested suspects. Mirza Zeeshan Baig alias Shani has been arrested over charges of involvement in 12 cases of targeted killings, including killing of Rangers personnel.

Tanvir Ahmed alias Babwa Bihari, has been arrested over his alleged involvement in targeted killing of three persons, extortion and arson during strikes, said the statement issued by Rangers.

Rangers produced both the accused before the anti-terrorism court where the court handed over the arrested suspects to Rangers in 90-day preventive detention.

Also read: ‘Karachi operation apolitical, indiscriminate’

Karachi Corps Commander Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar has reiterated his trust in Rangers and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) leading the ‘Karachi operation’, which he said, was “apolitical, indiscriminate and free of any compromise” aimed at bringing the violence-hit city back to normality.

“Karachi operation is apolitical. It is indiscriminate and free of any compromise and pressure. Terrorists, their aides and facilitators are targets of the operation. We will not leave any stone unturned to achieve these targets,” he had said.

SUKKUR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan while speaking to the press on Friday said that Karachi could not become a separate province.

The PTI chairman said that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement supremo Altaf Hussain and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari had "divided the province among themselves and pitted Urdu-speaking and Sindhi people against each other," receiving votes on the basis of this hatred.

"After getting the votes, they both collaborated in money laundering and now have money in foreign countries," he said.

"How else is Altaf Hussain surviving abroad for so long?" he questioned. "Who will catch him? Zardari's money is lying abroad. And now Nawaz Sharif can't say anything to Zardari because his own money is lying abroad."

The PTI leader was of the opinion that the "collusion for common interests occurred in the name of democracy."

He said that all the top politicians have corruption cases against them, adding, "The top two politicians who take turns in Sindh ─ one in London, the other spends his time between London and Dubai ─ have property in billions and large bank balances. How can they spend so much time in London? Ask me. I have lived there and played professional cricket in England for 18 years ... Where does the money come from? It is Sindh's money, it is Pakistan's money," he said.

He said 70 per cent of the nation's gas and revenue comes from the province, and yet the Rs900 billion spent on 'development' in the last five years of governance was nowhere to be seen.

He lamented his absence from the province earlier, saying, "Sindh is in greatest need of change," and recounted an earlier visit to the province. "The poverty I saw in Sindh, there has been no improvement from when I last saw it 19 years ago. The biggest reason for this is corruption."

"Who is paying the price of corruption?" he asked, adding, "The people of Sindh."

"Where there should be progress, there is none ─ and the biggest reason for this is corruption. Corruption exists because there is no law. There is no law because the powerful don't want there to be any law ─ he holds himself above the law. The powerful are unjust towards the common man. That is why there is a need for a campaign for justice," Khan explained.

He spoke of the need to ally with the common man. "In 1988, all the big leaders were on one side and the common man on the other. They helped Benazir Bhutto win. That's why the people of Sindh can be confident that the PTI has come to do what Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto did at one time by standing up for people's rights."

Khan was optimistic that once they were given reason for this confidence, the people would stand with the PTI.

He gave instances in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where power was devolved to the people by means of local governments, and spoke of a safety commission to overlook police operations to avoid exploitation of the common man by means of the police.

"Why is the state of roads [in Sindh] this way? Because the people at the top get money and it never reaches the bottom. It goes straight to Dubai," he said.

"The people of Sindh are like slaves ─ they have no authority. If they are looted, they have nowhere to turn. We will provide a system with an unbiased police force. We will strengthen institutions and empower the people ... We will give those rights to Sindh that the rulers of Sindh have not given," he said.

He said the people of Sindh faced problems similar to those of KP. "What do the people of Sindh want? That the centre does operate against their interests, that their water is not stolen. This is also an issue of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. KP doesn't get it's full share of water, power or gas. In KP, they can't get their allocation of water because a stream ─ which has been in the pipeline for over 20 years now ─ has yet to be constructed, so all their water goes elsewhere."

Speaking about the police force in Sindh, the PTI leader said the force had deteriorated because it had not been left apolitical. "Whatever wrongdoings they need done, they do them through the police."

"People had hopes [from the PPP], but Zardari did what a military dictator could not do ─ he harmed the PPP in ways others could not achieve," he said.

Speaking of the need to rid the province of corruption, Khan said "The country will reach a point where it will no longer be viable ─ in a sea of poverty, there will be an island of rich people. Corruption is a tax on the poor and the common man. Money is stolen from the common man ─ money that should be spent on schools, hospitals and roads. This money goes into the hands of a few, and then it goes to Dubai," he said.

"Why are people in Sindh happy with the Rangers? Because there is peace, target killing has been reduced and for the first time, someone is going after big corrupt personalities," the PTI Chairman said, adding "But this is what politicians should be doing."

"Now that Nawaz Sharif is coming after Zardari in corruption cases through Dr Asim, Zardari is making a noise," he said.

When asked about who the party will be campaigning with in Sindh, Imran Khan said "We will pick those who want to make a change with us, not those who will become a hindrance. It is the first time an Ehtesaab Commission arrested its own sitting minister ─ people who are corrupt will be afraid of siding with us."

"The people of Sindh have been watching [the party in KP], they know what is happening. Corruption has decreased, the Ehtesaab cell is working, police is apolitical, powers have been devolved to the local governments, schools are being fixed ... now we are fixing hospitals. There has been change."

ISLAMABAD: Following the arrest of several opposition political leaders on charges of corruption, the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is under considerable pressure to turn the torch of accountability onto itself.

Successive statements from PPP leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Yousuf Raza Gilani, denouncing the PML-N for what they call political victimisation in recent days, seem to have caught the PML-N off-guard.

ANP leader Asfandyar Wali, as well as members of the embattled MQM, have all echoed concerns that the ruling party seems to be the only one immune in the latest spate of accountability.

In hard-hitting statements issued on consecutive days, all three parties have called for across-the-board accountability all over the country, including the federal government.

To counter this political resentment, sources close to the PML-N leadership say that the party has been discussing the possibility of activating both the FIA and NAB in Punjab.

“Top leaders have discussed this issue with the PM in closed-door meetings over the past few days,” a well-connected party official told Dawn on condition of anonymity.

Know more: Dr Asim Hussain reportedly detained by security personnel in Karachi

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar – who is also considered the PM’s “right-hand man” – confirmed that the “ongoing drive against corruption and corrupt practices can’t be selective and has to be [carried out] across-the-board, whether somebody belongs to the government or opposition parties”.

Senator Dar also rejected the impression that the federal government had to do anything with the selection of targets for law-enforcement agencies. “The PML-N government, from day one, has unequivocally espoused across-the-board accountability and offers itself for open scrutiny at any forum.”

However, arrest of Dr Asim Hussain last week and the issuance of warrants for former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Makhdoom Amin Fahim do not corroborate the claims. Subsequently, the PPP hit back, saying that the ruling party was not going after PML-N’s ministers in Punjab Rana Mashood and Rana Sanaullah, who were known to have accepted bribes or had been implicated in cases.

“[Self-accountability] is the only way to effectively counter the pressure being exercised by opposition parties,” said a PML-N office-bearer privy to such discussions. “Under the prevailing circumstances, if the anti-corruption watchdogs arrest a couple of politicians or somebody else connected to the PML-N, it will go a long way in allaying the impression that we are somehow immune to this much-hyped countrywide campaign against corruption.”

After Mr Zardari’s accusations, where he directly accused the PM of engaging in a witch-hunt and settling political vendetta, the PML-N leadership is hard-pressed to come up with an adequate response, the office-bearer said.

ANP leader Asfandyar Wali too accused the government on Tuesday of defaming those parties who had paid the most in the fight against terrorism, an obvious reference to his own ANP, the PPP and MQM.

The PML-N is no stranger to such tactics. A similar situation arose in June last year in Punjab, which prompted Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to remove Rana Sanaullah and suspend his trusted personal secretary Dr Touqir Shah, though, both later returned to their positions.

Noted political analyst Dr Hassan Askari-Rizvi agreed with the perception that law-enforcement agencies were merely targeting three provinces and said this had to be rectified to avoid negative political fallout. “In Lahore, it is only Qasim Zia of the PPP who is being investigated, a fact which makes people wonder why only him, why not others as well,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: The United States has taken Pakistan into confidence over a new US military alliance to fight the growing global presence of the self-styled Islamic State (IS), sources told DawnNews on Friday.

The new alliance, called ‘Sahel to South Asia’ is expected to be announced soon by the White House.

“Pakistan has been consulted by the US at the highest level,” according to a top government official.

Pakistan will take a formal decision after conducting consultations with all domestic stakeholders over joining the alliance, added the official.

“IS has presence in Afghanistan, and they maintain close collaboration with militant organisations, and if not tackled they can pose a threat to Pakistan’s security,” the government official further said.

More details are expected to be worked out through a high-level meeting between the military leadership of both countries, once the alliance is officially announced and made public by the US.

Read: US NSA appreciates Pakistan Army’s role in war on terror

The development comes after US National Security Adviser (NSA) Susan Rice called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif at the General Headquarters (GHQ) last week, where she “appreciated and acknowledged Pakistan Army’s sincere efforts and sacrifices in the war against terrorism.”

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest – including the security situation in the region – were discussed.

Rice's visit was preceded by the visit of General Lloyd J. Austin, Commander US Central Command (Centcom) in which called on General Raheel Sharif at the GHQ in Rawalpindi.

General Lloyd Austin acknowledged the role played by the armed forces of Pakistan in fighting the menace of terrorism.

In February this year, the foreign office had broken its silence regarding the IS activities inside Pakistan, admitting that the radical Islamist group posed a "serious threat" to the country.

Earlier this year, leaflets calling for support for IS were seen in parts of Northwest Pakistan, while pro-IS slogans had also appeared on walls in several cities.

Security forces had also arrested a man in January, whom they believed was the commander of IS in the country involved in recruiting and sending fighters to Syria.

Intelligence sources, said the man, Yousaf al-Salafi, was arrested in Lahore and confessed during interrogation that he represented IS.

Rifts among the Taliban and disputes about the future of the insurgency have contributed to the rise of IS's popularity but security sources believe there are no operational links yet between IS and South Asia.

Disgruntled former Taliban commanders have formed the so-called Khorasan chapter — an umbrella IS group covering Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and other South Asian countries — in recent months but have not been involved in any fighting.

Also read: Islamic State a serious threat to Pakistan, Foreign secretary admits

Their leader, Hafiz Saeed Khan Orakzai, a former Pakistani Taliban commander, appeared in a video address in February urging people in the region to join the group.

Led by Abubakar al-Baghdadi and based in Iraq and Syria, IS has taken over large swathes of territory in the two countries. It is accused of killing thousands of Muslims and some American and British citizens, including journalists and aid workers.

ISLAMABAD: The abrupt cancellation of talks by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has taken the government by surprise, leaving it in dark about the party’s next move.

With both sides set to sign an agreement for the setting up of a grievances committee on Thursday evening to pave the way for party’s return to parliament, the MQM delegation led by Dr Farooq Sattar announced in the morning that it was pulling out of the talks and flew back to Karachi.

Know more: MQM opts out of dialogue again, says resignations final

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar told Dawn that “until Wednesday night everything was moving smoothly. Both sides agreed to meet on Thursday evening to decide the composition of the committee followed by a press conference”. But “to everybody’s surprise, the MQM leadership left for Karachi early morning”, he added.

According to the minister, even JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who was working as a mediator between the government and the MQM, was surprised by the development.

Answering a question, Mr Dar said there was a concurrence that the committee would comprise non-political personalities nominated by both sides. However, he was still hopeful of bringing the MQM back to the negotiating table.

JUI-F spokesman Jan Achakzai said that Maulana Fazl wasn’t scheduled to meet anyone from the two sides till Monday.

Many observers believe the MQM delegation’s sudden departure from Islamabad was linked to recent developments in London. A source close to the MQM said the party leadership in London had serious reservations over Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s recently concluded visit to the UK where he had held detailed meetings with his British counterpart and other important people.

NISAR-SHARIF MEETING: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday and briefed him on his UK visit, according to the Prime Minister Office.

It was a one-to-one meeting, but an interior ministry official told Dawn that with the Rangers-led operation going on in Karachi, the civilian government was not in a position to go soft on investigations against MQM chief Altaf Hussain in London, though it’s ready to listen to the party’s concerns which related only to developments in Karachi.

The official said that everybody knew that the MQM was controlled from London and it would be wrong to even think ‘Dr Farooq Sattar and Co’, who had especially travelled to the federal capital for talks, would decide things on their own.

Conversely, for Dr Sattar it was government’s refusal to consider his party’s simple grievances which forced it to terminate negotiations. “Yes, we agreed to hold talks unconditionally only with Maulana Fazlur Rehman when he earlier came to the party headquarters in Karachi. But our visit to Islamabad certainly carried conditions.”

Dr Sattar also told Dawn that the proposed grievances committee was meant to deliberate on serious issues such as extra-judicial killings and disappearances of MQM workers, whereas the party’s simple demands that the prime minister play his role in lifting a ban on its political, welfare and charity-related activities and telecast of Altaf Hussain’s speeches had not been accepted.

The MQM is even willing to get the recorded speeches of Mr Hussain cleared, although addressing party workers is a basic right under Article 19 of the Constitution.

“If the prime minister, or for that matter Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, cannot even guarantee this much, then the MQM is very much on the right to say that the real power lies somewhere else, and not in the hands of the civilian government,” Dr Sattar said.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015

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LAKKI MARWAT: Hundreds of lady health workers (LHWs) and lady health supervisors (LHSs) staged protest demonstrations in parts of Khyber Pakhunkhwa on Friday demanding release of their salaries, withheld for the last few months.

The protesters threatened to boycott the anti-polio drive scheduled to be launched in the current month of September. They said that they had not been paid salaries for the last three months.

“We cannot think about to educate our children in standard educational institutions nor we have a single penny to run our houses,” the protesters said.

LHWs hold rallies in different districts to demand regularisation, release of salaries

A lady health worker said that the government was using delaying tactics to implement the judgment of Supreme Court of Pakistan according to which the LHWs and LHSs had been given their due rights.

“Despite legislation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the provincial government has not yet given the status of regular employee to the female health workers,” said the protesters.

They demanded payment of pay scale-based salaries through accountant general office and asked the relevant quarters to prepare and complete service books of LHWs and LHSs.

In Lakki Marwat, over 100 lady health workers and lady health supervisors blocked the Lakki-Bannu road to press the government for acceptance of their demands.

The transporters and commuters faced hardships owing to closure of the busy road. However, traffic wardens rushed to the area and diverted traffic to alternate routes.

Later, district nazim Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Meenakhel and district health officer Dr Abdul Ghaffar Wazir held talks with the protesters and assured them that they would be paid salaries within the next couple of days.

In Karak, the LHSs and LHWs took to streets and set the deadline of September 9 for releasing their withheld salaries.

The protesters said that their salaries were stopped by the government for the last four months. They said that the case of regularising their service was pending since July 2012 but the government was making lame excuses to regularise them.

They said that they should be given the status of civil servants. They criticised the government for its indifferent attitude with the leady health staff.

In Mardan, scores of LHWs and LHSa, office staff and drivers held a protest demonstration and blocked the busy Shamsi road to traffic for several hours.

The protesters demanded implementation of the order of their regularisation, payment of arrears and release of their salaries.

They set 48 hours ultimatum for fulfillment of their demands and threatened to boycott the anti-polio campaign if their demands were not met.

In Bannu, LHWs and LHSs also staged a protest demonstration to seek regularisation and release of their salaries.

The protesters after passing through various roads gathered outside Women and Children Hospital where they blocked the road.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015

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KARACHI: With Pakistan just two days away from observing Defence Day and marking the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war, historian and political economist Dr S. Akbar Zaidi dispelled ‘the victory myth’, saying that there can be no a bigger lie, as Pakistan lost terribly.

People are unaware of this fact because the history that is taught in Pakistan is from an ideological viewpoint, said Dr Zaidi during his thought-provoking lecture titled ‘Questioning Pakistan’s history’. “Students are not taught the history of the people of Pakistan rather it is focused on the making of Pakistan,” he said.

The event was organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Karachi University.

Dr Zaidi who also teaches history at the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, began his lecture by raising a couple of questions: what is Pakistan’s history and is there a need to question Pakistan’s history. And when was Pakistan formed? Aug 14, 1947 or Aug 15, 1947? For him the fact we are still talking about historical events 68 years later that are apparently settled is interesting. “These events and questions have not been settled. They are constantly being reinterpreted, this is because history does not die, it keeps reliving by questioning facts and truths.”

Coming to the question when was Pakistan created, he said one obvious answer is it did so on Aug 14, 1947 but he read out an excerpt from a Pakistan Studies textbook in which it was claimed it came into being in 712AD when the Arabs came to Sindh and Multan. “This is utter rubbish!” he exclaimed, rejecting the textbook account. He said the first interaction with Muslims and Arabs occurred in Kerala in South India for trading purposes.

Some historians claim the genesis of Pakistan lie in the Delhi Sultanate or the Mughal Empire. He, however, reminded everyone that the India as we know today did not exist during the Mughal era. It was during the 19th century the concept of nation-state was formed. There are others who state Sir Syed Ahmed Khan laid the foundation for Pakistan. Dr Zaidi felt this statement was partially true, because Sir Syed always maintained that Muslims should get their rights but he had also said: “Hindus and Muslims are the two eyes of the beautiful bride that is Hindustan. Weakness of any of them will spoil the beauty of the bride.”

The 1940 Pakistan Resolution called for the recognition of Muslims within Hindustan and not for a separate entity, Dr Zaidi added.

Social history

He then led the debate towards the questions: “Is the history of Pakistan, a history of the people of Pakistan or is it the making of Pakistan?”As far as he knew everyone is taught a history that includes the Mughals, freedom movement, the Quaid-i-Azam leading the All India Muslim League etc but was completely unaware about the history of the Baloch and the Pakhtun. “I cannot understand Pakistan’s history without knowing the history of the Baloch, Pakhtun, Punjab, Shah Abdul Latif and his relationship with the land.”

He said he was ashamed as a Karachiite that he had been unaware of Sindh’s history. It was important to know about indigenous histories because the “issues we are confronted with, we would have a better understanding in dealing with them”. He gave the example of East Pakistan to illustrate this point. “East Pakistan has been erased from memory. The Bengalis of East Pakistan have been reduced to they were traitors, India interfered and East Pakistan decided to separate. But what about Pakistan Army’s role in its separation?”

According to Dr Zaidi, history in Pakistan has been badly treated due to several reasons. Students are forced to study history or Pakistan Studies as a compulsory subject and hence the focus is just to pass the exam and get over with it. It is focused on rulers and generals and not on the social history. He highlighted another important reason for history getting a step-motherly treatment, citing that it is a subject that is taken when a student is unable to get admission in other departments in universities.

A robust question and answer session followed the talk during which students and teachers wanted to know why they were being taught distorted version of history, why the contribution of religious minorities to cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar was not mentioned in their textbooks, why does one have to wear separate identities and how can identification crisis be resolved to make Pakistan into one nation.

Dr Zaidi responded to these queries, explaining that Parsis and Hindus contributed hugely in the educational development of Karachi and in a similar manner the Sikhs in Punjab. “History in Pakistan is taught from an ideological viewpoint. Pakistan needs to be seen as a geographical entity.”

Referring to the distorted history, he said: “With the celebration of the victory in the 1965 war round the corner, there can be no bigger lie that Pakistan won the war. We lost terribly in the 1965 war.”

He appealed to the attendees to read Shuja Nawaz’s book Crossed Swords that exposed the reality of the war.

As for wearing separate identities, he replied there was no need to do so. “I can be a Sindhi, Hindu and Pakistani simultaneously.” He added that the diversity of nations should be acknowledged, since nationalities could not be imposed on people.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015

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LAHORE: Hundreds of kilo unhygienic meat was seized from the provincial capital as well as Gujranwala and Kasur on Friday, sparking a protest by butchers in Lahore.

A team of the City District Government of Lahore’s livestock wing seized about 450 kilo unwholesome meat from various localities.

According to official sources, the team, led by Livestock Department Deputy District Officer Dr Rahat Ali, raided various premises at Shalimar, Kahna, Liaqatabad and Green Town and seized unwholesome meat, including that of underage animals (calves).

“In all the four raids, we have seven butchers arrested and registered cases against them with the respective police stations,” Dr Ali told Dawn.

At Kahna, several butchers gathered and protested against the raiding team for declaring the seized meat as unhygienic.

They claimed they got the animals slaughtered from the government slaughterhouse in Cantonment area before bringing it to Kahna for sale. They said the officials’ action was unjustified.

“It is, in fact, the butchers’ protest that’s unjustified as it is aimed at only mounting pressure on us. They showed us photocopies of the animals’ slaughtering receipts but all of them proved fake,” Dr Ali claimed.

He said the quality of meat before being seized was assessed by a veterinary doctor who declared it as unhygienic. He said an illegal slaughterhouse was also sealed during Friday’s raids.

He pledged that raids on unhygienic meat would continue.

GUJRANWALA: The livestock teams seized 400kg unhealthy meat and arrested two butchers during a crackdown in the Alam Chowk area.

The butchers, identified as Muhammad Asif and Khurram Shahzad, were slaughtering sick animals at their houses when they were raided. The butchers were arrested while the meat was destroyed.

KASUR: Police seized 80kg substandard meat in the Mandi Usmanwala area, and arrested a butcher while his accomplice fled.

On a tip-off, police along with livestock officials raided the shop of Shafiq and recovered substandard meat. Police arrested Shafiq while his accomplice, Ashiq, managed his escape from the scene.

Mandi Usmanwala police registered a case on the complaint of Dr Muhammad Adeel of the livestock department.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015

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LAHORE: A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed bail petitions of two suspects involved in lynching of a Christian couple in Kot Radha Kishan.

Advocate Akram Qureshi, the counsel for Nisar and Akram, contended that his clients were passersby and were not involved in the lynching of the couple.

To support his claim, he cited a decision of LHC Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi who had granted bails to two accused Tajamul and Hanif on the ground of being passersby.

During the course of Friday’s hearing, the SC bench comprising Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry and Justice Umar Ata Bandial observed that it seemed that Justice Naqvi (of the LHC) did not know the ‘definition of passersby’ who himself declared two other suspects as ‘passersby’ and accepted their bail applications.

The bench remarked that decisions of the LHC on bail matters of co-accused were mostly flawed, therefore, ‘the SC has abandoned granting bails to other accused on the basis of bails granted to the ‘co-accused’.

Justice Chaudhry further remarked that a joint investigation team had written both Nisar and Akram as guilty and noted that they incited protesters to burn both husband and wife alive.

The bench observed that they should have stopped people from lynching couple rather than inciting people to committing this crime. The bench rejected their bail petitions.

A mob of around 400 people lynched Shahzad and Shama for their alleged role in desecrating the Holy Quran in last November. Both husband and wife were brick kiln workers from Chak-59 of Kot Radha Kishan, a town in Kasur district.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry met Chief Commissioner of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Datuk Mustafar Ali in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

During the meeting, the two discussed training of NAB officers on modern lines and matters of mutual interest, says a press release received here.

They agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between NAB and MACC after obtaining approval from their governments.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of 16th International Corruption Conference organised by the Malaysian government in collaboration with Transparency International in Kuala Lumpur. The two-day conference concluded on Friday.

The NAB chairman was invited as key participant to share Pakistan’s initiatives in curbing corruption.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015

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KARACHI: Two young football players were shot dead in the city’s Jehangir Road-I area on Friday evening.

According to the Jamshed Quarters police, armed men on a motorbike opened fire on people sitting in a football stadium.

SP Akhtar Farooq said that Manzoor, 30, and Samiullah, 25, suffered critical injuries and were taken to the Civil Hospital where doctors declared them dead.

“Both victims were football players,” said the SP.

Manzoor was a drill instructor in a school.

Police found nine spent bullets fired from a 0.9mm pistol from the crime scene. The motive for the murder could not be ascertained immediately, said the officer.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015

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