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Sunday,
April 7, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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C’wealth
unimpressed by Pervez referendum plan
Karzai’s
term to be extended Strike
hits life in B’desh, 100 injured Vatican
plan to end church standoff
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The crown of the Queen Mother with the Kohinoor diamond on top of her coffin which was taken in procession on Friday.
— Reuters photo USA
‘eyes’ Qatar as alternative base
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C’wealth unimpressed by Pervez referendum plan
London, April 6 “The roadmap did not include provision for such a referendum,” said McKinnon in a statement released in London, referring to a plan Musharraf announced past year outlining a path to restoring democracy. “While we are awaiting further details, the holding of a referendum on the extension of General Musharraf’s term in office will not appear to be in keeping with the roadmap announced by him,” McKinnon said. McKinnon said: “I have seen reports on General Pervez Musharraf’s address to the nation today announcing the decision to hold a referendum in Pakistan in the first week of May 2002 on the question of extending his term as President”. ISLAMABAD: Terming as illegal, unconstitutional and immoral President Pervez Musharraf’s decision to have a national referendum next month on his continuation in office, mainstream political parties wanted to know to whom he would hand over power if he failed to get the ‘yes’ votes. Former Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and some religious parties reacted to Musharraf’s decision by saying it was “political blackmail” of the nation and reflected his guilty conscience born out of his lust for power. Musharraf, while announcing his decision last night to hold the referendum in the first week of May, also declared that Bhutto and Sharif would not be allowed to play any role in Pakistan’s politics as they had plundered the country. Slamming the referendum move, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Qazi Hussain Ahmad said it was unfortunate that the country was being led by a person who wanted to remain in power by all available unconstitutional and unlawful means. Jamait Ulama-e-Islam leader Maulana Fazalur Rehman said Musharraf’s speech was aimed at “confusing the masses through jugglery of words.” Support for the move came from smaller political parties like the PML (Quidi Azam), a pro-government faction, which termed his approach “realistic”. The Pakistan Awami Tehreek said the performance of the military government was far better than that of the preceding democratic governments.
AFP, PTI |
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Karzai’s term to be extended Islamabad, April 6 Wahdat daily reported that allies of the Afghan interim authority had decided to extend the tenure of the Karzai Government for another six months after its current tenure, as finding a replacement would be difficult under the present circumstances. “The USA believes that Karzai can carry on affairs in a better way than any other person and that’s the reason it wants to extend his tenure,” said the paper, quoting unnamed diplomatic sources at the UN office in Pakistan. The Pushtu-language paper said the delay in the return of former Afghan King Zahir Shah to Afghanistan was another reason for granting extension to the interim authority. Quoting sources, the paper said the Rome-based former king has declined to go back to the war-battered country until “peace to some extent” returns there. Though the interim authority has been claiming he will return this month, it is almost an impossible task, said the paper. The king was initially scheduled to go back to Afghanistan on March 23. The date was later changed to March 28, “but he could not due to uncertain circumstances,” said the paper. An official at the Afghanistan embassy in Islamabad told IANS the king’s arrival could happen any day and “most probably it would be unannounced.” Another report in Peshawar-based Statesman daily said Karzai’s supporters would stand in as members of the Loya Jirga (Grand Council of Elders) to pave the way for re-election of the chairman of the interim authority. Quoting unnamed officials, the paper said lists of the chairman’s supporters were being prepared across the country. “After finalising the lists, they would be brought to Kabul to get guidelines from the leaders of the interim authority,” said the paper. It said Pakistan would also be given a role in helping extend Karzai’s tenure. The paper, quoting a US official based in Islamabad, said the security situation in many Afghan provinces was not satisfactory, forcing the USA and other powers to extend the Afghan interim authority. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister, Abdullah Abdullah said former king Zahir Shah would return home from exile in Italy by mid-April despite a thwarted plot to destabilise the country’s interim government. “He has promised to come. For the time being it is mid-April,” Dr Abdullah told a news conference. “There were some concerns about his security on the part of the Italian government and the USA,” he said. The 87-year-old king was due to put an end to nearly 30 years of exile last month, but delayed his homecoming because of security fears. There was concern he would again postpone his return after the interim government this week said it had foiled a plot against the ex-king as well as interim leader Hamid Karzai. “These activities which have now been revealed about suspects involved in a plot against prominent personalities or the interim government as a whole, might have been one of the reasons for the past concerns,” Abdullah said. Dr Abdullah said despite this week’s roundup of nearly 160 people for alleged links to the coup plot, threats remained to the interim government. The government had “undeniable evidence” against the suspects. Dr Abdullah said the suspects were followers of the Hezb-i-Islami party of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a fundamentalist warlord who has voiced his opposition to the king and the presence of U.S. and other coalition forces. Afghan officials suspect Hekmatyar may now be in Herat province near the Afghan-Iran border. Hezb-i-Islami party spokesmen have denied the group was linked to the plot.
IANS, Reuters |
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Strike hits life in B’desh, 100 injured
Dhaka, April 6 The police beat up around 20 persons near the central office of the party and arrested several others, witnesses said. Private Ekushe Television reported that a bomb blast took place in Chowkbazar, injuring two. Another report said the police made fresh raids in the house of Awami League leader Haji Selim. Raids were carried out early yesterday in the houses of some top opposition leaders and the police rounded up several opposition activists in overnight raids. Massive security arrangements were put in place after clashes between ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Awami League supporters left 50 injured yesterday while 20 were injured when police teargassed and lathicharged demonstrators. The strike was called on March 24 to protest against the ‘repressive measures’ of the government, especially against the minorities, and plans to remove portraits of founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from government offices and other public institutions. Shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed today and goverment offices recorded less attendance. A skeletal transport system was operating on roads while train and air services were not hit.
PTI |
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Vatican
plan to end church standoff
Vatican City, April 6 One source, which spoke on condition of anonymity, said the proposal had been made after the standoff began five days ago and has been renewed regularly. According to a church source, the proposal calls for the Palestinians to leave their weapons inside the church complex and for the Israeli army to pull back from the immediate environs for a few hours to let them out. Father David Jaeger, spokesman for the Franciscan custodians of Roman Catholic sites in the Holy Land, told Reuters in Rome the plan was formed by Vatican diplomats and was being “reproposed constantly” because the situation had become “graver by the hour”. Some 200 Palestinian gunmen and civilians took refuge in the church five days ago and have remained holed up inside along with 40 Franciscan monks and four nuns. Israeli troops ring the complex. NABLUS: Heavy fighting rocked Nablus overnight, as Israeli helicopter gunships blasted the West Bank city with missiles, causing an unknown number of casualties, local officials said today. “We have 10 seriously wounded persons in three different parts of the city, particularly in the historic center,” Mr Annan Attira, spokesman for the local government and coordinator of medical assistance there, said. “The number of dead is uncertain, it is at least 10, but the problem is that the telephone network was cut and we are really out of touch with the families of the victims,” he
said. Reuters AFP  |
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The gem
that divides rulers, ruled London, April 6 Friday was the first time the Kohinoor saw the light of day in this fashion. In its long and troubled history it has never had a chance to dazzle viewers on the streets before. But such is the power of the Kohinoor that few failed to look out for a glimpse of the Kohinoor. And there lay the division. But at the same time it was noted that the long queues paying their respects to Britain’s Queen Mother were almost all white. The Kohinoor crown was placed above the coffin because the Queen Mother had willed it. She had overseen plans for her funeral several times over, down to minute details. But through the funeral procession, and as the body lies in state at the Abbey, the Kohinoor on the crown above the coffin stands as a shining symbol of a divide. The little stone brought alive what was forgotten history to most. Feelings seemed to be particularly strong among the Sikhs. The Kohinoor was 19th century Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s property. Lord Dalhousie took it to England after the British annexation of Punjab. “The diamond must be returned to Punjab,” Hardeesh Kaur, who works in a bank, said passionately. But had she always thought that? “Not really, but seeing it now like this made me think it should be returned.”
IANS |
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WINDOW ON PAKISTAN There will be no respite for the Pakistanis from army rule for another five years. General Pervez Musharraf has decided to hold a referendum in the first week of May to continue to occupy the post of Pakistan President, and he is almost certain to get the people’s verdict in his favour. He is not bothered about the opposition to his controversial plan expressed by almost every important political and religious party besides most newspaper commentators. Anyone who watched his televised address on PTV on Friday evening would have noticed enough confidence on the General’s face. This is because of two primary reasons. One, a recent secret survey by his intelligence network has indicated that the people in general are in favour of President Musharraf remaining at the helm of affairs. This also means that he has succeeded in getting the traditional politicians—— particularly Mr Nawaz Sharif of the PML (N) and Ms Benazir Bhutto of the PPP, both former Prime Ministers ——- discredited in the eyes of the public. However, an officially organised survey is unbelievable as it might have been managed to mislead the public and others Two, the recently elected district rulers——the Nazims ——-will ensure that the referendum result is on expected lines. The Nazims have become part of the power structure as a result of General Musharraf’s “devolution plan” to “strengthen democracy” at the grassroots level and hence their vested interest in his continuance as President. General Musharraf has clothed his desire to perpetuate his rule in the argument that the measures he has initiated to infuse a new life into Pakistan’s economy, improve the quality of governance and bring about political stability may not bear fruit if he leaves the scene at this stage. The cunningly crafted argument is basically aimed at warding off trouble for him in the event of power passing into the hands of those opposed to his rule. He is an expert in camouflaging his own interest into that of his country. He has also announced to hold the general election in October, in accordance with the directive of the Pakistan Supreme Court. But before that exercise he is going to amend the constitution to make himself ——which means the President——as all powerful. In his Saturday speech, lasting one hour and 45 minutes, he claimed to have got the apex court’s authorisation to change the constitution according his whims and fancies. He may do anything he wishes because he is in a commanding position today. The Americans too are giving him sufficient support as he suits their scheme of things in the South Asian region. But as reports and opinion pieces published in different newspapers suggest, there is no provision in the Pakistan constitution for the election of President through a referendum. Dawn of Karachi carried a report on April 3 quoting PML (N)’s Senior Vice-President Akram Zaki as saying that a “referendum cannot be legally and constitutionally used to elect the President although Article 48(6) provides that ‘any matter of national importance’ may be referred to a referendum. This provision does not apply to the election of the President.” The PML leader has clarified that there is a clear-cut procedure laid down for the purpose. It requires the constitution of an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of parliament and members of the provincial assemblies. Thus, in his opinion, the referendum as announced by General Musharraf is an extraconstitutional exercise and hence unacceptable. Another PML (N) leader, Mr Ahsan Iqbal, says that it is a strange situation as General Musharraf and his Governors would be free to campaign for the referendum without any political party allowed to launch a drive against it. In an article carried in The News, Senator Iqbal Haidar traced the history of referendums held by military rulers like Ayub Khan and Zia-ul-Haq basically in search of legitimacy for their rule. But can a referendum provide the necessary legitimacy? In the opinion of the Senator, “legitimacy of the takeover (of power) in the eyes of the people can only be acquired through the support of the elected representatives of the people in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the constitution.” Such views are meaningless for General Musharraf. Why should he wait for support from the people’s representatives when he knows how to become a super representative himself? The established rules and procedures are not meant for dictators! Syed Nooruzzaman |
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USA ‘eyes’ Qatar as alternative base Washington, April 6 Citing unidentified defence officials, the Post said the contingency plan to move the base was intended as a precaution, but did not reflect any decision to abandon the Saudi base.
Reuters |
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IIFA best picture award for ‘Lagaan’ Genting Highlands (Malaysia), April 6 Best picture: “Lagaan”; best direction: Ashutosh Gowarikar (“Lagaan”); best actor: Aamir Khan (“Lagaan”); best actress: Tabu (“Chandni Bar”); best supporting actor: Saif Ali Khan (“Dil Chahta Hai”); best supporting actress: Jaya Bachchan (“Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham”); best performance in a comic role: Govinda (“Jodi No 1”). Best performance in a negative role: Akshay Kumar (“Ajnabee”); best music director: A.R. Rehman (“Lagaan”); best lyrics: Javed Akhtar (“Lagaan”); best male playback singer: Sonu Nigam (“You Are My Soniya” in “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham”); best female playback singer: Asha Bhosle (“Radha Kaise na Jale” in “Lagaan”).
AFP |
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In video: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told Israel it should
withdraw military forces from Palestinian areas "without
delay". 
