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Sunday,
April 21, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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UN approves fact-finding mission for Jenin
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Benazir
Bhutto faces non-bailable warrant Islamabad, April 20 The Accountability Court in Rawalpindi has issued a non-bailable warrant for the arrest of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who is facing charges of corruption. Ms Bhutto, now in the USA, had a warrant issued against her a few months ago but that one could not be served.
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UN approves fact-finding mission for Jenin
United Nations, April 20 The mission, which will be appointed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, will try to establish facts in Jenin where Arabs allege massacres and wanton destruction by Israel. But Tel Aviv vehemently denies that and contends whatever happened there was the result of fight with terrorists and efforts todestroy the infrastructure they use. The fact-finding team would be appointed by Mr Annan and would not be a commission of inquiry acting under the mandate from the Security Council, which Tel Aviv views as politically biased against it. It expressed concern at the “dire humanitarian situation of the Palestinian civilian population” and stressed on the urgency of allowing medical and relief workers access to them. In the resolution as adopted, terms including “investigate” and “massacre” by Israel were removed. Arabs apparently went along as they concluded the fact-finding would be the best thing they can get without attracting American veto and might prove as good as an investigation team. It would bring out the facts, they argued. The new resolution, fourth on the Middle East in a month, also reaffirms earlier resolutions which had demanded an immediate Israeli withdrawal and negotiations to arrive at a comprehensive settlement. The Arab draft would have also called for an end to the siege at Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s headquarters as also at Church of Nativity in Bethlehem. Chief United Nations spokesman Fred Eckhard expressed hope that the fact-finding mission Mr Annan sends would have access to the entire West Bank and be not confined to Jenin. Palestinian envoy Naser al-Kidwa expressed the hope that the mission would carry out some effective investigation and establish some “clear cut” results. American United Nations Ambassador John Negroponte said the USA was not opposed to finding facts but that should not be done through a Security Council resolution. The USA decided to support the resolution in consultation with Israel, he said. Israeli Deputy UN Ambassador Aaron Jacob said his country was prepared to cooperate with any impartial effort to establish facts in Jenin which had become a centre of Palestinian terrorists.
PTI  |
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WINDOW ON PAKISTAN PAKISTAN ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf has been fighting his battle for survival on many fronts. His latest is against the Press. But before shedding light on this, it will be fruitful to have a brief look at his other fights. Ever since he grabbed power in a military coup in October, 1999, he has been trying to discredit the entire political class by exposing its involvement in corrupt practices. The Press also indirectly served his cause by joining him in denouncing the politicians and giving wide publicity to their unholy deeds. While the General was busy trouncing his political enemies came the September 11 terrorist attack on the USA, leading to the international action against Afghanistan's Taliban regime. He found himself pitted against fundamentalists when he took a u-turn on Pakistan's Afghan policy. He won the battle, though a difficult one, since the super power was on his side. Then he felt threatened by his own colleagues in the armed forces, the elements opposed to his new-look Afghan policy. General Musharraf broke their spines ruthlessly like a powerful wrestler. He did not spare even his once trusted men in uniform. Today he is pitted against the Press, and nurses the dream of taming it too. He has never trusted journalists, but allowed them considerable freedon so long as they served the General's interests wittingly or unwittingly. In fact, he has been expressing his strong dislike for the profession of pen-pushers at every available occasion. But he has been careful not to condemn the entire professional community, contrary to his attitude vis-a-vis the politicians. This has been part of his cunningly crafted strategy. When he humiliated and punished the courageous Nawa-e-Waqt reporter after the failed India-Pakistan Agra summit, General Musharraf saw to it that the matter ended there. Then came the famous case of The News Editor, Shaheen Sehbai, in the Daniel Pearl case. Shaheen's "crime" was that he did his duty honestly as Editor and published well-documented exhaustic reports based on the confessions of terrorist Omar Shaikh, revealing his involvement in the attack on the Indian Parliament. It was not Sehbai's problem if the reports were embarrassing for the military regime. But the General saw to that he was removed from his coveted position. Sections of the Press in Pakistan expressed their displeasure over the episode and it all ended at that. He could not get as much support as his case deserved. It involved the fundamental duty of the Press. The General too has been claiming to have allowed more freedom to the newspapers than they enjoyed even when there were democratically elected governments. The claim was believed to be true by the international community as the Pakistani Press itself never contradicted it. But now the truth is getting revealed. General Musharraf is unlikely to allow a free Press after his referendum exercise is over. He gave a clear idea about the kind of newspapers he wanted during his televised address concerning the referendum. He stands for only a rosy picture of the state of affairs to be painted through the newspapers. This is contrary to the functioning of a free Press, but the General is right. He is after all an armyman who is concerned primarily with two things: either issuing an order or obeying an order. And it will be unfair to criticise him if he behaves the way he does after the referendum result goes in his favour! How can he change himself simply by donning the clothes of a civilian President? Don't we know that a leopard never changes its spots? He is a dictator and will remain so in future too. Thus, the beating up of 12 journalists at a recent Faisalabad (Punjab) rally in connection with his referendum campaign by his security men in plain clothes should surprise none. The journalists were "accused" of not writing on his rallies the way he wanted and hence the punishment. The public meetings the General adresses everyday are mostly stage-managed shows. There is not as much enthusiasm among the public about his referendum plan as he expected. One of the reasons may be that newspapers by and large are against his staying in power as all-powerful President and, therefore, doing everything they can to educate the public about what is in their long-term interest. As a sample, see what a headline in The News said the other day, "Winning referendum before it is held". The General, however, does not relish such words of wisdom. He wants to prove by hook or by crook that the people of Pakistan consider him indispensable at least for another five years. He has not declared an open war on the unhelpful newspapers but is giving them enough hints that he will not spare them when the appropriate time comes. But , as celebrated journalist Najam Sethi wrote in The Friday Times, "... he (the General) would do well to remember a couple of lessons of Pakistani history. First, the domestic Press has come of age by linking up with the free international Press. It won't be cowed down by anyone. Second, those rulers who are hated by the Press are fated to short political careers." Keep it up, Sethi sahib. |
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Benazir Bhutto faces non-bailable warrant Islamabad, April 20 Ms Bhutto, now in the USA, had a warrant issued against her a few months ago but that one could not be served. Hence, the court on Wednesday declared her a proclaimed offender and issued a non-bailable warrant for Ms Bhutto’s arrest. The former Prime Minister had faced trial by the Lahore Bench of the Accountability Court on charges of corruption. High Court Judge Abdul Qayyum, who had to later resign his post, had sentenced Ms Bhutto to five years’ imprisonment. She filed an appeal in the Supreme Court that upheld the same and ordered retrial. In the meantime, the court set her free on bail after which she left the country. Ms Bhutto has not responded to the warrants.
UNI |
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USA, Canada
to probe bombing of troops Ottawa, April 19 He said it was likely that both Canada and the USA would allow a senior officer from the other country to sit on their respective boards. Meanwhile, Canadian military investigators were already collecting evidence about the events that led to the tragedy, he said yesterday. The Canadians troops were involved in a live-fire exercise when a US F-16 dropped a 225-kg bomb onto what the US pilot mistakenly believed to be hostile fire from the ground, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Ray Henault said. Prime Minister Jean Chretien promised a full investigation into the incident, adding that he was assured by President George W. Bush that the USA would cooperate fully with the investigation.
AFP |
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Zahir Shah warned of death plot
Bagram air base, Afghanistan, April 20 British Royal Marines spokesman Lieut-Col Paul Harradine gave few details of the plot to reporters at Bagram air base, just outside Kabul, where Zahir Shah returned from 29 years exile in Italy, on Thursday. “There is a threat against the King,’’ Colonel Harradine said at the base where about 1,500 Royal commandos are located along with the US and other coalition forces. “They (assassins) could pose as media to get close enough to him to do it.’’
Reuters |
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