 |
| Friday, March 24, 2000, Chandigarh, India   |
Kashmir
crucial to Pak survival: Tarar General
election in Pak next year |
|
|
USA
‘kept mum’ on M-11 delivery to Pak
Putin
‘unstoppable’ on presidency Serial
child killer moves high court |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senator gets 10 yrs’ jail for
fraud TOKYO, March 23 — An ageing Japanese Senator was today sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for a massive fund-management fraud which has allegedly duped 2,500 persons. US envoy meets Chen Shui-Bian ‘Water’
may be held up till Sept Spurned
lover opens fire, kills self
|
Kashmir crucial to Pak survival: Tarar ISLAMABAD, March 23 (PTI) — Pakistan today said Kashmir was crucial to its survival and warned India that the Pakistani army was prepared to defend country’s integrity and sovereignty. “It (Kashmir) is an issue of survival for Pakistan,” President Rafiq Tarar said in an address after reviewing the Pakistan National Day parade here. “Our armed forces are fully prepared to give a crushing blow to any aggressor,” he added. Tarar, however, said Pakistan desired a peaceful settlement to the Kashmir issue as it did not want an arms race in the region. Praising the military after the parade, during which tanks and missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads were displayed, he said “the army was ready to give every sacrifice to defend the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan”. The parade was attended by chief executive Gen Pervez Musharraf, top military commanders and senior officials. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar has said that developments between the USA and India has caused no concern in Pakistan, according to UNI. Mr Sattar told the Voice of America in an interview last night that his government was not worried about the USA’s relations with any other country. He made this statement after President Clinton’s speech to Parliament in New Delhi vowing to fight terrorism along with India. Mr Sattar said Gen Pervez Musharraf’s government would impress upon Mr Clinton when he makes a stopover in Pakistan on Saturday that without the resolution of the Kashmir problem there could be no peace in the region. BEIJING: Pakistan is for improved Sino-Indian relations which would enable China to play an even greater role in stabilising the situation in South Asia, a senior Pakistani diplomat has said. “As a sincere and old friend of China, Pakistan would like to see Beijing have good relations with all the countries in the world, including India,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Riaz Khokhar told the official Xinhua news agency here, a PTI report said. In a separate interview to the official China Daily newspaper, he said Islamabad faced an important task of settling the Kashmir dispute with India. He said the only way to
resolve the differences between the two sides was to have
serious dialogues. |
General election in Pak next year ISLAMABAD, March 23 (PTI) — Pakistan’s military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf today announced the holding of local bodies elections in the country from December this year to be followed by the general election next year. The announcement on the Pakistan Day comes barely two days ahead of Pakistan visit by US President Bill Clinton who has been insisting that the country return to democracy after the October 12, 1999, military coup. General Musharraf told a
press conference here that elections, to be conducted on
non-party basis, would be held to the Union Council and
District Assemblies in phases from December this year in
the first step towards democracy. |
USA ‘kept mum’ on M-11 delivery to Pak WASHINGTON, March 23 (PTI) — The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reported to the Clinton administration the delivery of Chinese M-11 missiles to Pakistan several years ago but the government chose not to admit it publicly for political reasons, CIA Director George Tenet has said. Mr Tenet was testifying yesterday at an extended three-day hearing on intelligence issues before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee along with John E. McLaughlin, CIA’s Deputy Director for Intelligence, and John A. Lauder, its Special Assistant for non-proliferation. During the hearing, Senator Kerry of the committee said, “When China, with the M-11, was engaged in its transfer (to Pakistan) and we knew pretty well that it was, we didn’t really do anything... and many people would argue that’s because of our policy of engagement (with the People’s Republic of China).” “Indeed, in that case our job was to detect the transfer of those M-11’s back in the early 1990s, and we did that and reported it. Then it becomes a matter of how you (the administration which has to certify the transfer) pursue a policy toward China,” Mr Tenet replied. He said there had been a robust counter-proliferation dialogue with China over the years as a result of which there had been some improvement in China’s proliferation behaviour. Mr Tenet also told the committee that not only Russia “but China too can now strike anywhere in the USA”. Hitherto, a Chinese arsenal of 20 nuclear warheads atop intercontinental ballistic warheads was considered a danger only to parts of the mainland, like the West Coast. Mr Tenet told the
committee yesterday that both Russia and China had
capabilities to strike at military and other targets
throughout the USA. |
Window on Pakistan AMERICAN bashing is on short leave these days in Pakistan. The hysterical cleric, Masood Azhar, the one whom India had to free to get the hostages released, is back at his home in Bahawalpur. He has been told to be quiet till the Clinton visit is over. Some rabid anti-American groups like Harkat-ul-Mujahideen have been told to keep quiet. Pakistan’s new military ruler is aware of the last bomb attacks aimed at US establishments and the kind of damage these did to the U.S.- Pakistan relationship. The army which has taken over the security of the US President has assured a visit without protests. It has banned any demonstration much to the chagrin of those who still believed that the democratic right of the people meant free assembly and protest. But nothing beyond this. On the vital question of arresting and handing over Osama-bin Laden whom the CIA has declared its enemy No 1, Pakistan has washed its hands off and told the Americans that it has no control over the Taliban Government in Afghanistan. “Taliban have their own reasons for giving him sanctuary. If anyone thinks, we can order the Taliban around, he is wrong”, Gen Musharraf declared. He understands that the USA spent $ 6 billion in supporting the regime of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in Afghanistan and was party to what has come to stay in that war ravaged country. Rightly he needs not worry and take the Americans burden. What exactly does the Pakistani establishment expect from the visit? Some points emerge from the commentaries in the newspapers and on PTV. It would be a tacit recognition to the military rule whatever President Bill Clinton might say contrary to that. Second, active involvement of the US Government in Kashmir affairs and some respite on the economic front. Gen Musharraf would have some success is also clear from what the US officials have been saying. President Clinton had justified his visit on the ground that he must talk to the new rulers and ensure peace in the region and democracy in Pakistan. In fact, in his interview to Peters Jennings of the NBC, Mr Clinton made it clear what he is going to talk. “One, there are elements within the Pakistan government that have supported those who are engaged in the violence in Kashmir”. Second, respect the Line of Control and find a peaceful solution”, he stated. Some plain speaking in this interview is there as far as the tangled issue of Kashmir is concerned. Some points for both sides to ponder are: The USA has worked for years with Pakistan, but now it has developed some stake in India’s future. Hence both sides should reduce tensions and start talking. Since India does not want any third party mediation, hence no such offer at the moment. Pakistan has been seeking US involvement for years and had some degree of success. Mr Clinton summed up his thinking on Kashmir clearly: “First respect LoC, second , do not promote violence by third parties in Kashmir, third, negotiate; and fourth with respect to India, there can be no military solution to the Kashmir problem by India either — that the Kashmiris deserve to have their own concerns addressed on merit”. What flows from this is that LoC should be recognised as the de facto international border. Pakistan stops cross border terrorism. India withdraws its armed forces and respects the wishes of the Kashmiri people. There could be a plebiscite and then a final solution, may be an independent Kashmir. Clearly, the USA as President Clinton said,” supports some process by which Kashmiris’ legitimate grievances are addressed and US supports the LoC and I think Indians and Pakistanis have some way of talking about it... I oppose violence by third parties within Kashmir...” India would keenly watch and see how the US President unfolds his concept of third party violence. India could understand this as violence perpetrated by Pakistan and the terrorists. In the same way Pakistan could interpret it as Indian security agencies. What marvellous ambiguity and what marvellous diplomacy! Gen Musharraf, like his counterpart in India would like to understand this. — Gobind
Thukral |
Putin ‘unstoppable’ on presidency MOSCOW, March 23 (Reuters) — Two bomb blasts in Moscow apartment buildings marked the start of what has since become Vladimir Putin’s virtually unstoppable effort to become the Russian President. Many Muscovites on their way past crosses at the ruins this week were resolved to back Mr Putin in Sunday’s election. “You see what the terrorists did here. They destroyed everything,’’ Galina Lyovina (60), said as she strolled with two grandchildren. “The children are still afraid to sleep,’’ he said. Mr Putin blamed the blasts — five in all in Russian cities — on Chechen “terrorists’’ and dismisses as immoral suggestions the bombs might even have been planted by Russian security services to provide a pretext to wage war in Chechnya and raise his profile. No one has produced evidence to support such suspicions. Chechen separatists said they had nothing to do with the blasts, in which 300 persons have died. Polls suggest victories in Chechnya will help bring former KGB agent Putin a landslide first-round victory. “I’m voting for Mr Putin, of course,’’ said Lyovina near a mound topped by a small monument where 118 died during the worst September bomb attack. “Mr Putin is a good man to have driven out the terrorists in Chechnya. He’s not involved in any nonsense, he’s orderly and he’s honest.’’ Meanwhile, with little hope of a serious challenge to Mr Vladimir Putin in the Presidential elections, it is down to the fringe candidates to add some zest to what some observers are already billing as a non-event. Evidently content with his predicted 60 per cent of the vote, acting President Putin says he will not demean himself by plugging his candidacy in television debates and adverts like “tampax or snickers bars’’. But other less than likely presidents among the 12 official candidates have no such reservations, and although unlikely to net more than 1 per cent have made sure the campaign posters are up and the TV spots are rolling for a few precious days in the limelight. In Moscow, piercing eyes
and the word “President’’ bore into
passersby from scores of glossy billboards as businessman
Umar Dzhabrailov tries to overcome his unfortunate
reputation as a Chechen mafioso. |
Serial child killer moves high court LAHORE, March 23 (ANI) — Convicted serial killer Javed Iqbal moved the Lahore High Court on Wednesday against the death penalty on 98 counts in 100 children’s killing case. Javed’s counsel Najeeb Faisal Chaudhry filed the appeal under Section 410, CrPC, which gives the accused a right to move the high court in appeal. The counsel said that according to Javed’s statement, recorded by the Judicial Magistrate and later relied upon by the trial Judge, the victims had been molested and, therefore, the case fell under the jurisdiction of the Anti-Terrorism Court. The counsel said
Additional Sessions Judge Allah Buksh Ranjha had
completely relied upon the appellant’s confessional
statement recorded by the Judicial Magistrate. According
to the confessional statement, the counsel added, the
appellant molested the children and used noxious to kill
them. Such an act fell within the definition of child
molestation, which was exclusively triable by an ATC, the
counsel maintained. |
Senator gets 10 yrs’ jail for fraud TOKYO, March 23 (AFP) — An ageing Japanese Senator was today sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for a massive fund-management fraud which has allegedly duped 2,500 persons. But Tatsuo Tomobe (71), who has already spent three years in jail since his arrest and refused to give up his seat in the House of Councillors and privileges as a lawmaker, plans to go in appeal. “His criminal responsibility is serious as he has spread the extent of damage by abusing public confidence in members of Parliament”, Presiding Judge Masazo Ogura told a Tokyo district court. Tomobe’s wife, Mikiko 64, also received a five-year prison term for her role in managing a mutual-aid society, at the centre of the fraud, which the couple founded in 1988. Their eldest son has also been on trial in the case. The verdict only
recognised that Tomobe and his wife swindled $ 6.2
million out of 35 persons with fictitious fund-management
offers from 1994 to 1996. |
US envoy meets Chen Shui-Bian TAIPEI, March 23 (Reuters) — US envoy Lee Hamilton met Taiwan President-elect Chen Shui-Bian on Thursday as a top US official said there were encouraging signs that tension between Taiwan and Beijing over Mr Chen’s election victory were easing. Former Democrat Congressman Hamilton met Mr Chen for more than an hour but both sides declined to comment on the talks. Mr Hamilton was also scheduled to meet standing President Lee Teng-Hui today. Nationalist officials
earlier announced President Lee would resign as Chairman
of Taiwan’s Nationalist Party tomorrow. |
‘Water’ may be held up till Sept LONDON, March 23 (PTI) — Shooting of Deepa Mehta’s controversial film ‘Water’ is unlikely to start for another six months, its leading actress Shabana Azmi has said. ‘‘I can’t see ‘Water’ being filmed before September,’’ she told newspersons here on Monday. Azmi was speaking after
receiving a coveted trophy from Mahinder Kaul on
completing 25 years in the film industry and winning the
national award for best actress for God Mother at the
Chor Bizarre restaurant. |
Spurned lover opens fire, kills self PASADENA, (Texas), March 23 (AP) — A man apparently spurned by a love interest opened fire in a church, wounding the woman and three other persons before he shot and killed himself, the police said. Police spokesman J.M.
Baird said the man walked into the Iglesia Cristiana
Espoa Del Cordero last night, found the 18-year-old woman
and professed his love for her. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | In Spotlight | 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 119 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
