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Sunday,
June 15, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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WINDOW ON PAKISTAN London, June 14 Well-known Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor and educationist Sushantha Kumar Bhattacharyya, Director, Warwick Manufacturing Group, Warwick University are among 13 prominent NRIs getting a place in the Queen’s Birthday Honours this year. Saddam threatens foreigners in Iraq
 Blair
has lost public’s trust: pollLondon, June 14 A third of the UK voters appear to have lost confidence in Tony Blair over his handling of the war on Iraq and the issue of weapons of mass destruction, according to a poll published today. |
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Greetings of ‘Sat Sri Akal’ Most Pakistani officials greeted the Indian Sikh Jatha with `Sat Sri Akal’ on the Pakistan side and were appreciative of the fact that the Sikhs had made it to Pakistan despite all odds.
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WINDOW ON
PAKISTAN As Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf prepares for his crucial US visit later this month, he seems to be concentrating mainly on two aspects. One, the world community (read the US) should believe that there is no threat to his pre-eminent position in the political power structure he has created. Two, he should be seen as a ruler who will do all he can to discredit the pro-Taliban forces even in the areas of their influence. The second factor, it is perceived, will also serve as an argument to project the general as a great fighter against terrorism despite his unimpressive track record so far. His efforts are, however, basically aimed at ensuring his political survival. That is possible only if he remains in the good books of the Americans and keeps his army uniform intact. This explains why he had declared during his recent visit to a Frontier town that he would continue to be the Chief of Army Staff, besides being the President, irrespective of the political opposition he has been faced with. The Lahore High Court ruling in his favour is very much on the expected lines. It further strengthens General Musharraf’s position. His justification is that his dual role is unavoidable in the interest of stability in the
country. There could be no better argument to mislead the gullible public. Indirectly, he has also admitted that he will be toppled if he ceases to be the army chief. Will the Opposition accept the new development as a fait accompli? That will be known in the days to come. But before making the stunning declaration the general had unsuccessfully tried all the methods possible to clinch a deal with the principal political parties. He resorted to the divide and rule policy. When there was no encouraging response from the non-religious groups, he began to woo the powerful coalition of religious parties, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, which runs the government in the NWFP and shares power with other parties in neighbouring Baluchistan. Political parties like Benazir Bhutto’s PPP and Nawaz Sharif’s Muslim League have been adamant that the general should resign as President because the referendum he had held did not have the sanction of the constitution. The constitution has it that a government servant has to wait for at least two years after relinquishing office to contest an election for a political post. The Opposition minus the MMA, therefore, insisted that the general should resign as army chief immediately and contest a fresh presidential election. The MMA’s stand was different. It wanted the President to dissociate himself from General Headquarters, Rawalpindi, within a year. General Musharraf was insisting on a two-year period for the purpose. His calculation was that by that time the senior generals who could threaten his position would have retired. The deal being negotiated with the MMA had it that he would allow it many concessions in return for the religious conglomerate’s much-needed support to the general on the LFO (Legal Framework Order) issue. These included implementation of certain Islamic laws at the federal level and keeping quiet over the Shariat Bill passed by the NWFP Assembly recently. The offer was too tempting for the MMA to reject. This had, in fact, created a rift in the alliance with the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) opposing any move for compromise on the President’s dual role. However, the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) was veering round to the view that the general should be allowed to have his way for the present because of the
compromises he was prepared to make. The MMA’s collective leadership, perhaps, upheld the JI
viewpoint. That meant a Musharraf-MMA deal was not possible if the President did not agree to resign as army chief within one year. Or maybe, there was some signal from Uncle Sam. Yet he is not as harsh in dealing with the MMA as expected. General Musharraf has disapproved of the MMA regime’s efforts to implement Taliban-type laws in the NWFP, but has not threatened to sack the provincial government and dissolve the Assembly. He has the power to take such action, but may never do that. Indulging in rhetoric that Pakistan needs an Islam that does not come in the way of progress and not the one represented by the former Taliban regime of Afghanistan serves his purpose. He does not want to lose the option of a patch-up with the powerful religious alliance. That will be politically incorrect. Taking the MMA head on does not suit his American mentors too. The US would have disguisedly supported the deal which the general failed to strike with the MMA. This would have forced the MMA leaders to avoid anti-America speeches at every available occasion as is their
wont.This could lead to a significant change in the masses’ attitude towards the US. What else will the Americans want? So, it will be interesting to watch for General Musharraf’s next move on the MMA front. |
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13 NRIs get Queen’s Birthday Honours London, June 14 Kapoor is made the Commander of British Empire (CBE) for his services to arts, while Prof Bhattacharyya is made Knights Bachelor, a higher honour, for his contribution to services in higher education and industry. England soccer captain fashion icon and global marketing phenomenon David Beckham gets an OBE. Among the NRIs who find a place in the honours list are Mr Jagtar Singh, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Mr Sarabjeet Singh Soar for services to small business in the West Midlands, and Mr Jhalman Singh Uppal, Chairman, Punjabi Culture Society, for community relations in Telford and Wrekin (all Order of British Empire).
PTI Moore awarded knighthood London, June 14 |
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Saddam threatens foreigners in Iraq Dubai, June 14 “We warn all foreign citizens and those who came with the cowardly occupiers ... to leave Iraq,” said the letter, a copy of which was made available to AFP. It said they should leave “before next June 17,” an indication of a possible mistake in the date, which is more likely to be July 17, anniversary of the 1968 coup that brought Saddam’s now deposed Baath Party to power, according to Al-Quds Al-Arabi Editor Abdul Bari Atwan.
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Blair has
lost public’s trust: poll London, June 14 The poll for The Times showed that 34 per cent of the voters were less likely to trust Blair on other issues in the future as a result of the controversy over Iraq’s banned weapons, a key reason he gave for joining the U.S.-led coalition to overthrow President Saddam Hussein, the newspaper said. The Populus poll of 1,003 adults conducted across the UK also showed that 58 per cent of the public think that the British and the U.S. governments consciously exaggerated evidence that Iraq had the weapons. More than half of the British public thought military action was justified, the poll showed — 58 per cent, down from 64 per cent in April.
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PAKISTAN DIARY Most Pakistani officials greeted the Indian Sikh Jatha with `Sat Sri Akal’ on the Pakistan side and were appreciative of the fact that the Sikhs had made it to Pakistan despite all odds. Global affair The jatha is no longer an affair between India and Pakistan. The media is bent on in making it a global issue. As if some international delegates were coming, mediapersons, of Pakistan and those representing Reuters and AP were in full strength not only to cover the event but also interview almost every group of five or 10 Sikh pilgrims. Jalil-Rehman of The News, Lahore and Khalid of AP was on hand, clicking endlessly. One thought it was all over at the Wagah side. No, as soon as the jatha reached Lahore’s Dera Sahib Gurdwara , a woman reporter along with photographer reached the scene and interviewed each and every woman member of the jatha. Before it could be known whom she represented , she disappeared with her bag and baggage as suddenly as she had appeared. The devout duo There may be devotees of all kinds, some more devoted than the others. However, there were two Sikhs from the Sindh — Ranjodh Singh and his companion — who came barefoot to welcome the Indian Sikh jatha all the way and to attend to their every whim and fancy. It was their way of earning the Guru’s grace. Bus journey To Lahore- 27 km, read a board on the Wagah side in Pakistan. The four buses took a little more than 30 minutes, winding their way through Lahore bazars, to reach the destination. Only Urdu As we approach Lahore, the first 10 km is dotted with kutcha houses with less of greenery in sharp contrast to the Amritsar-Attari road. All boards stare at you in Urdu — no other language at all. |
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As Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf prepares for his crucial US visit later this month, he seems to be concentrating mainly on two aspects. One, the world community (read the US) should believe that there is no threat to his pre-eminent position in the political power structure he has created. Two, he should be seen as a ruler who will do all he can to discredit the pro-Taliban forces even in the areas of their influence.
