 |
Wednesday,
October 9, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
|
Pakistan army to hand over power on October 22
PPP vows to confine army to barracks Pak panel questions poll credibility
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bush asks Saddam to disarm or face war India calls for end to
N-weapons Heavy fighting in Afghan province Five captured for attacking Christians Deuba not to join new govt Atlantis blasts
off on mission
|
|
Pakistan army to hand over power on October 22 Islamabad, October 8 A meeting of the Corps Commanders of the Pakistan army, which was presided by General Musharraf yesterday at the army headquarters at Rawalpindi, decided to transfer power to an elected government on October 22, soon after the constitution of the new National Assembly, a media report said today. “The meeting decided that the transition of authority from military to civilian after the elections should take place within a week of the official announcement of poll results,” ‘Daily Times’ quoted sources as saying. General Musharraf also told a meeting of the foreign poll observers last night that the new Parliament would have powers to amend the constitution “as per existing constitutional provisions”, the official APP newsagency reported today. His comments followed the decision of a full Bench of the Supreme Court yesterday to dismiss a petition questioning the constitutional validity of the Legal Framework Order-2002 promulgated by President Musharraf, stipulating stiff rules for the candidates to contest elections. During his interaction with the foreign observers, General Musharraf defended his decision to acquire powers to dismiss parliament as well as constitution of a National Security Council, with chiefs of the army, navy and air force as its members, saying it was necessary for sustaining future democracy in Pakistan. According to the Pakistan Election Commission, around 200 observers representing six major international organisations and over 50 countries would monitor the October 10 general elections. Electioneering for the elections saw a sudden spurt of zeal among political parties and the people on the eve of its last day yesterday. All four provinces resounded with election speeches and messages in songs on film tunes at public meetings and small processions, although processions were banned. Big posters and banners were also banned, but the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Pakistan People’s Party made up for that by extensively displaying pictures of their exiled leaders. Despite restrictions on the qualification of candidates, close to 4,000 had filed their nominations for the 332-member National Assembly. The number of candidates for the 728 seats of the four provincial Assemblies was a little less than 10,000. This time, the voting age has been lowered from 21 years to 18 years. This has added 5.5 lakh new voters to the voters’ list and the total number of registered voters has gone up to 7.2 crore. Various surveys conducted in recent weeks had predicted that the Pakistan Peoples Party would emerge as the largest single group in the National Assembly after the elections, but the military would not allow it to choose its own Prime Minister. The party continued to be popular in interior Sindh, while in Karachi and Hyderabad, known as the stronghold of the Mutteheda Quami Movement, it had pockets of
influence. PTI, UNI |
|
PPP vows to confine army to barracks Islamabad, October 8 “The PPP will ensure an end to military’s intervention in Pakistan’s political affairs,” Ms Bhutto, who lives in exile in London and Dubai, told IANS in an e-mail interview. “If needed, the PPP will amend the Army Act to stop army generals from continuing with their adventurism, destroying the federation of Pakistan. We want the army at the fronts, not in Islamabad.” Ms Bhutto, who has been twice Prime Minister, said she would see to it that the army introduces “military reforms” to protect democracy from military assaults. Ms Bhutto, who has been barred from contesting the elections but whose party is widely expected to emerge as the single largest entity in Parliament, insisted that President Pervez Mushrraf’s regime was determined to rig the polls. “(But) despite the massive rigging plans by the regime, my party would be the largest party in the next Parliament,” she said. Asked how a PPP regime would cohabit with General Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in October 1999, Ms Bhutto said it would be up to the President to “respect the sanctity of ballot paper, verdict of people and transfers power to the elected party or not. The ball is in his court.” She accused President Musharraf and “his likes (of wanting) to keep the internal uncertainty and external chaos brewing so that they could stay in power, but the PPP would work for bringing back peace at borders and at home. “Our people want a dignified life, education, health and employment. They abhor terrorism and war. They want to live in peace, but the ruling class is opposed to it.” Ms Bhutto also accused the authorities of patronising one political group. “My candidates are harassed, their (election) campaigns are disrupted and they (authorities) have planned to harass PPP voters on October 10,” said Ms Bhutto, who was Prime Minister first in 1988-90 and then in 1993-1996. Pakistani Presidents sacked both her governments on charges of corruption, malpractices and incompetence. Under a new law introduced by General Musharraf, no person can occupy a Prime Minister’s office for a third time. “These laws are PPP specific laws, and the general (Musharraf) can go to any extent to block its rule,” she said. Ms Bhutto’s party is contesting elections under the new nomenclature of PPP Parliamentarian to overcome obstacles put up by the military regime.
IANS |
|
Pak panel questions poll credibility Islamabad, October 8 “The Commission has been concerned at the number of reports and allegations received of tampering with the electoral process by the government”, Commission Chairman Afasiab Khattak and human rights activist Asma Jehangir said addressing a press conference here. Mr Khatak said the Commission had received complaints from individuals, political parties, members of the administration and candidates, which were subsequently investigated by Commission. “With regret, the Commission notes that manipulation is manifest on record. The incidents reported by us are only the tip of the iceberg,” Mr Khattak said adding that “the blatant manner in which the electoral process is being vulgarised and the will of the people mocked is extremely worrying”. “It is going to undermine the credibility of elections”. “It is clear that the scheme being implemented will have grave implications for the state and will create unimaginable hardship for the people,” they said. Stating that pre-poll rigging has to a considerable extent been completed by putting in place constitutional amendments, it said the “chief aim of these reforms appears to deprive the new parliament of power and instead concentrate decision-making authority chiefly in the hands of an un-elected President”. He said most political parties in the country have strongly rejected the constitutional amendments and questioned Gen Musharraf’s right to make such changes. PTI |
|
|
Bush asks Saddam to disarm or face war Washington, October 8 “The time for denying, deceiving and delaying has come to an end. Saddam Hussein must disarm himself or, for the sake of peace, we will lead a coalition to disarm him,” Bush said in a speech in Cincinnati last night. He called upon the UN Security Council to pass a resolution requiring, among other things, the Iraqi “regime” to reveal and destroy, under UN supervision, all existing weapons of mass destruction. “To ensure that we learn the truth, the regime must allow witnesses to its illegal activities to be interviewed outside the country — and these witnesses must be free to bring their families with them so they all (will be) beyond the reach of Saddam Hussein’s terror and murder,” he said. Besides, Inspectors must have access to any site, at any time, without pre-clearance, without delay, without exceptions, Bush demanded. “In addition, Iraq must cease the persecution of its civilian population. It must stop all illicit trade outside the Oil for Food programme. It must release or account for all Gulf war personnel, including an American pilot, whose fate is still unknown,” he said. TOKYO: US President George W. Bush’s call for increased pressure on Iraq won guarded support in initial reactions from Asia and Australia on Tuesday. But his strongly worded attack on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein appeared to deepen concern over the possibility of war. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Bush’s speech renewed pressure on Saddam to disarm or face military strikes. Japan, meanwhile, has vowed to do all it can diplomatically. But Tokyo has been more reserved on the use of force. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s spokeswoman, Misako Kaji, said Tokyo welcomed Bush’s confirmation in the speech that it remains important to pursue a UN Security Council resolution. “From that perspective, we welcome it,” she said.
PTI, AP |
|
India calls for end to N-weapons United Nations, October 8 “Despite being compelled to exercise our nuclear option in order to preserve our strategic autonomy, India remains committed to the goal of global nuclear disarmament,” India’s permanent representative to the Conference of Disarmament, Mr Rakesh Sood, said. He said India planned to move a resolution in the UN Disarmament and International Security Committee shortly, asking Secretary-General of the world body to undertake a study on issues related to “terrorism and weapons of mass destruction” with the help of a panel of government experts and submit the report to the General Assembly next year.
PTI |
|
Heavy fighting in Afghan province
Islamabad, October 8 Intense clashes are continuing in an area just 7 km west of
Khost, the Pakistan-based private news service said quoting residents. “Fighting is heavy but so far our forces have made no advance. But we will capture
Khost,” a spokesman for the rebel tribal leader told the AIP. The spokesman gave no casualty figure. The AIP said an atmosphere of fear had gripped the town, which is just a few kilometres from the Pakistan border, and markets were partially shut. “Fighting is near the town. People can hear thuds of guns and heavy weapons fire,” a resident was quoted as telling the
AIP. AFP |
|
Five captured for attacking Christians Peshawar, October 8 The men — three Afghans and two Pakistanis — were captured in a pre-dawn raid on the Shamshatoo refugee camp, 35 km east of the Peshawar, the police said. The men were being interrogated by a team of police and FBI agents, the police said.
AP |
Deuba not to join new govt Kathmandu, October 8 “I conveyed to the King that our party will not be joining the new council of ministers,’’ Mr Deuba was quoted as saying that by The Kathmandu Post today. His reaction came after his meeting with the King yesterday. He said the party had not withdrawn from the earlier stance that removal of the Prime Minister by the king was ‘unconstitutional’. The King sacked Mr Deuba after it was recommended that the elections should be postponed for one year due to the deteriorating law and order situation in the country. The six major political parties have stressed the need to form an all-party government.
UNI |
|
Atlantis blasts
off on mission Cape Canaveral (USA), October 8 The mission is the first by a space shuttle in four months, after the US space agency NASA suspended space flights because cracks were found in the shuttle fleet’s propulsion
system. AFP |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Washington, October 8
