Ex-ISI chief slams Pak
on CTBT
ISLAMABAD, Sept 13 — Former ISI chief Hamid Gul has slammed the Nawaz Sharif government for taking the CTBT issue to Parliament, saying the present House is not mandated to decide on it.

Swraj Paul to be honoured
LONDON, Sept 13 — In recognition of his business achievements, Lord Swraj Paul, an NRI industrialist who made Britain his home 30 years ago, is to be conferred honorary doctorate by the University of Central England.

Floods in Mexico claim 112 lives
MEXICO CITY, Sept 13 — Heavy rain and flooding in southern Mexico over the past week have killed 112 and displaced at least 500,000 persons, government officials reported here today.

Taliban ‘capture’ Bamiyan

KABUL, Sept 13 (Reuters) — Taliban fighters today captured the central town of Bamiyan, the last major stronghold of Opposition forces in Afghanistan, Taliban sources said.

The sources said they overran the town at around 10.30 a.m. IST and freed dozens of jailed Taliban fighters. There was no independent confirmation of the report.

But a Taliban spokesman accused the Shia Hezb-i-Wahdat forces of killing jailed Taliban fighters before fleeing the town.

Bamiyan has a Shia population of around 10,000 and fears of reprisal killings by the Sunni militia have been voiced by Iran, which has tens of thousands of troops on the border. Further details were not immediately available.

The movement’s supreme ruler Mullah Mohammad Omar has called on the militia to treat prisoners of war in Bamiyan with respect and in accordance with Islamic principles.

Meanwhile, a senior Taliban official called for international help to ease tensions with Iran but said the killers of nine Iranian diplomats would not be handed over even if they were arrested.

Deputy Information Minister Mawlawi Abdur Rahman Hotak said a full-scale war seemed unlikely but warned that Afghanistan was a “pool of glue” from which Iran would be unable to extricate itself.

Mr Hotak told reporters the United Nations had done little as tension escalated. Iran says it would deploy 200,000 troops along its borders with Afghanistan following the murder of nine of its diplomats there.

He said the Taliban militia would welcome efforts “by any peace-loving country” to settle the problem between the two Muslim countries but added that all-out war seemed unlikely.

Mr Hotak said Iran would “use wisdom” and keep an eye on what he called international conspiracies being hatched against Islam. “God forbid, such a problem may not occur.”

He said the Taliban authorities attached importance to fostering friendly relations with Muslim countries like Iran.

Relations between Shia Iran and the radical Sunni Taliban took a dangerous twist last month when soldiers described as “renegades” killed nine diplomats seized from the Iranian consulate at Mazar-i-Sharif.

ISLAMABAD (ANI): The Taliban movement said Iran was trying to “interfere” in the internal affairs of afghanistan under the pretext of killing of diplomats in the country.

“Under the garb of killing diplomats, Iran is trying to interfere in Afghanistan,” Mullah Mohammad Omar, Taliban supreemo said.

Omar said the Teheran was not “upset” with the death of nine Iranian diplomats “but is only condemning it to seek a way to interfere in Afghanistan.”

He made his remarks as Iran’s top security body, the National Security Council, said it could take “every appropriate action” to ensure peace and security in the region following the killing of Iranian diplomats by Talsban militia. Iran said some 200,000 troops would now hold exercises on the Afghan border.

Omar said that if the Taliban managed to find those responsible for the deaths of the Iranian diplomats, “and if we know their killers, we will punish them”. He admitted that his men killed the Iranians but were not acting on orders.

Omar said it would be hard to find the killers since there were thousands of Taliban fighters at Mazar-i-Sharif when the movement overran the city last month.

TEHERAN (Reuters): Iran’s top security body has said the country would take “every appropriate action” to ensure peace and security in the region following the killing of nine Iranian diplomats by Afghanistan’s Taliban militia.

A National Security Council official quoted by the state-run IRNA news agency said, “Iran is consistently entitled to every appropriate action, and the country would proceed with arrangements for establishing peace and security in the region.”

The council, Iran’s top policy-making body for security affairs, was chaired by President Mohammed Khatami.

“The council commissioned all relevant authorities in Iran to consider every possible channel for protecting Iran’s national interests and maintaining regional peace and security and to adopt appropriate measures for ensuring those purposes,” IRNA said.

The official quoted by the agency said the council had decided to maintain Iranian troops currently deployed at the border with Afghanistan “to protect Iran’s territorial integrity and prevent any possible challenge” by the Taliban.

Bangladesh flood toll 950, waters recede

DHAKA, Sept 13 (ANI) — Floodwaters across Bangladesh receded today even as the death toll crossed 950.

Officials of the flood forecasting and warning centre (FFWC) here said water levels of all major rivers had dropped by about eight centimetres. Officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board also said the crucial embankment on the eastern side of the Bangladesh capital was out of danger with water levels of the Buriganga and Shitalakhya rivers dropping this morning.

On Saturday, at least 30 people drowned in the Buriganga river after a boat carrying them from Keraniganj to Dhaka capsized in a whirlpool. Another 70 people were also reported killed in a boating accident on the Punarbhaba river in Chapainawabganj district.

The tackling of the floods apart, exporters here have said that they have lost close to $ 300 million because of delayed shipment of their orders abroad.

The USA and Japan have sent planes of relief goods, including plastic sheeting, blankets, water purifying units and medicine.

Meanwhile flood-affected Bangladeshis may have run out of staple food and potable drinking water, but as far the much-sought-after Hilsa fish is concerned, they are getting it at throwaway prices.

The silvery fish now accounts for 80 per cent of the total fish produce arriving in various markets across the country, and they are each being sold at less than $ 4.

Abdur Rahim, a labourer affected by the floods, says he is not bothered by the havoc caused by the floods so long as he can get the much desired Hilsa fish for his family and himself.

2 murders affect Zardari case

ISLAMABAD, Sept 13 (PTI) — The Sharif government’s plan to start corruption proceedings against Benazir Bhutto’s husband Asif Ali Zardari in an alleged financial scam has suffered a serious setback following killings of a key witness and a public prosecutor within the past four days.

Sajjad Hussain, former chairman of the Karachi-based Pakistan Steel Mills and a crucial witness in the case against Zardari, was shot dead in Karachi on Friday evening by unidentified assailants.

His killing comes close on the heels of the murder of Raja Sardar Khan, the public prosecutor in the same steel mills case. Khan was shot dead last Monday.

Hussain was killed only three days before his scheduled appearance before an Accountability Bench tomorrow to record his statement in the case pertaining to the alleged bungling of Pakistani Rs 33.7 million during premiership of Benazir Bhutto when Zardari was a minister.

Earlier, Hussain’s statement was recorded by officials of the accountability bureau in which he admitted personally handing over foreign exchange bearer certificates worth Rs 30 million to Zardari at the Prime Minister’s house in Islamabad.

The bureau had claimed that the remaining amount of Rs 3.7 million was later recovered from Hussain’s residence.

Media reports said officials of the Accountability Bureau suspect the killing of both Hussain and Khan was not part of the terrorism activities in strife-torn Karachi, but a case of targeted acts.

The officials were quoted as saying that Hussain was a main link to the steel mills corruption case and had admitted that Zardari had received commission against a contract of the mill and expressed confidence in fighting the case.

Two killings within four days is definitely a cause of concern for the bureau, the officials said, adding that the killing of both Hussain and Khan would have a serious impact on the corruption case against Zardari.

Zardari, who is already in jail facing a murder trial for his alleged involvement in the killing of Benazir’s brother Murtaza Bhutto, has alleged the killing of Hussain had been the handiwork of intelligence agencies as the crucial witness had refused to collaborate with the prosecution against him.

"Hussain was killed because he refused to play in the hands of the rulers," Zardari told reporters in Rawalpindi.

He also appealed to the Chief Justice to take suo moto notice of the killings and appoint a judge to probe the murders.

In another development, Zardari’s private secretary Ismail Dahri has been arrested though charges against him have not been made known till now, The Muslim newspaper said.

Ex-ISI chief slams Pak on CTBT

ISLAMABAD, Sept 13 (PTI) — A former ISI chief, Gen Hamid Gul, has slammed the Nawaz Sharif government for taking the CTBT issue to Parliament, saying that the present House was not mandated to decide on it, and demanded a referendum on the matter of “great national importance”.

Claiming that the general masses are against Pakistan signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) which would “bound the country” and “expose its nuclear installations for an international inspection”, General Gul asked the people to take to the streets to oppose the move to sign it.

“The issue should be taken to the masses for seeking their verdict by holding a referendum,” he told a local daily adding that the present Parliament had no mandate to hold a discussion on its signing as it was never included in the election manifestos of the political parties.

“Therefore, the issue having great national importance could only be resolved through referendum,” he said.

He further said Pakistan became a nuclear power after spending huge savings and making tremendous efforts for the past many decades, and warned that signing of the treaty would demoralise the nation.

Therefore, “the final decision whether to ratify it should be in accordance with the aspirations of the nation”, he said.

General Gul, who was heading the ISI when the Kashmir problem was at its peak in the early 1990s, warned that signing of the CTBT by Pakistan would be “harmful for the Kashmir cause”.

He urged religious scholars to come forward to demonstrate that they did not want the ratification of the treaty under any pressure.

General Gul’s comments come in the wake of reports that major religious parties and groups in the country have threatened to launch a nation-wide movement to block the government’s move to get the nod from the joint session of Parliament which started debate on the issue on Friday.

The Jamaat-e-Islami has threatened to gherao Parliament in protest against the government’s move to get clearance from Parliament where the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) enjoys a nearly two-third majority.

The Opposition led by Ms Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Khan Abdul Wali Khan’s Awami National Party, had demanded an all-party conference and sought 12 clarifications from the government on the issue of signing the treaty by Pakistan.

Swraj Paul to be honoured

LONDON, Sept 13 (PTI) — In recognition of his business achievements, Lord Swraj Paul, an NRI industrialist who made Britain his home 30 years ago, is to be conferred honorary doctorate by the University of Central England.

Lord Paul, Chairman of the $ 650 million Caparo Group of Industries, will be conferred the doctorate by the university which is based in Birmingham, according to an announcement by the university.

A recipient of several honorary degrees, the 66-year old India-born industrialist is to receive another honorary degree, Doctor of Science, from the University of Buckingham.

He was recently conferred the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy by the Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.

Floods in Mexico claim 112 lives

MEXICO CITY, Sept 13 (AFP) — Heavy rain and flooding in southern Mexico over the past week have killed 112 and displaced at least 500,000 persons, government officials reported here today.

In the southern border state of Chiapas, most heavily affected by the downpour, 102 persons have died and nearly 100 more are unaccounted for.

As the skies cleared yesterday, some residents dug through buildings covered by mudslides and pull out bodies.

After almost one week of non-stop rain, many areas throughout Chiapas were without drinking water or electricity. Gasoline was also scarce, said Civil Defence head Manuel Diaz Infante.

The heavy rain caused flooding and landslides that have swept away bridges and highways, slowing down rescue operations, Mr Infante said.@Government aid has reached some coastal areas, but dozens of rural communities — so isolated they can be reached only by air — remain without help.

Pride in foe
SEOUL: North Korea’s missile launch has sparked worldwide alarm over its weapons capability but some younger South Koreans have taken pride in the technological achievements of their Stalinist foe. And some of their parents even revealed secretly in watching the missile, or part of it, hurtle late last month over the territory of their former colonial master Japan, social analysts say. — AFP

China slams USA
BEIJING: China has criticised as “irrational” the new US packaging restrictions on Chinese exports aimed to prevent a destructive beetle from infesting trees in America. “The strict regulations by the US on Chinese wood packaging are irrational and severely hinder normal Sino-US trade and economic cooperation, especially China’s exports to the United States,” a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation said on Saturday. — PTI

Family violence
SINGAPORE: The first “World conference on family violence” ended in heated arguments and shouting, with some delegates walking out on the proceedings, a news report has said. The 400 delegates at the four-day, 40-country forum held here could not agree on the wording of a declaration as the conference closed on Friday, Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper said on Saturday. In a closing session aimed at approving the draft declaration, one participant stood up to ask whether lesbians, like herself, were included under the definition of the word “family”. — DPA

Peace rally
TEL AVIV: About 50,000 Israelis gathered in the square where Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated and have demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resign to save the faltering West Asia peace process from collapse. “We despise this man, who regards all of us as traitors and haters of Israel,” Mr Yossi Sarid, Leader of the Opposition Left-wing Meretz Party, told a cheering crowd on Saturday. — Reuters

Floating station
DHAKA: Bangladesh has commissioned a $ 103-million floating power station, the first in South Asia, to help meet its growing electricity needs. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed said at the commissioning ceremony in the southern Khulna district that two more such power stations would be develop. — AFP

Nidal in coma
BONN: Palestinian guerrilla chief Abu Nidal is in a coma and close to death in a Cairo clinic, according to an article to appear in the German magazine Focue Today that cites a leader of the group. Nidal has been in the clinic since mid-July, the unnamed leader of the Fatah Revolutionary Council told the weekly. The Eyptian authorities have categorically denied reports that Nidal was in Egypt. — AFP

Martian moon
WASHINGTON: Phobos, one of two Martian moons, is covered by dust deposited by a vast number of meteorites, the US space agency, NASA, has said. Measurements of Phobos surface temperatures indicate that the moon has a blanket of extremely fine particles at least one metre deep, the agency said on Friday. — AFP

Anti-crime drive
HONG KONG: As many as 2,90,000 crime suspects were rounded up in a three-month campaign in southern China’s Guangdong province, it was reported on Saturday. Wu Zhiqian, deputy head of Guangdong province Public Security Bureau, as cited by the Beijing-backed Wen Wei Po daily as saying that in the three-month campaign against crimes which ended in August, more than 6,000 crime syndicates, including 115 triads, were smashed with the arrests. — AFP