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Israel may withdraw forces from Palestine
Mahmoud survives
bid on life
Two killed in Wana firing, stampede
‘Only key facts to make Indian troop reduction significant’
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Israel may withdraw forces from Palestine
New York, November 14 However, Israel is willing to think about the idea under certain conditions, including if Palestinian forces could be mobilised in the Israelis' place, an official close to discussions told the New York Times. "When it comes to implementing the decision to have elections in 60 days, the question arises of what you do with the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces)," Times said quoting him. "You want the freedom of movement for the Palestinians, but you have to make sure that nothing is done that costs Israeli lives." The US officials are questioning the extensive presence of Israeli troops in the Palestinian areas if the planned elections are to succeed, the paper said. "How do you conduct elections in 60 days if the Israelis are still all over Gaza and the areas of the West Bank?" Times said quoting a US official said. "That's been a question we've started to have to think about," he added. Lately, the USA has been quietly urging Israel to take steps to bolster the Palestinian moderates and gain backing for its plan to withdraw settlers and forces from Gaza, Times said. Last weekend, Israel released $40 million in frozen tax funds to the Palestinian authority, after long resisting the move, the Times said.
— PTI |
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Mahmoud survives bid on life Jerusalem, November 14 Gunmen, suspected to be belonging to radical PLO outfit Fatah’s armed wing, opened fire when, Mr Abbas and former Security Minister Muhammad Dahlan arrived at a tent in Gaza city to receive condolences for Arafat at the late leader’s headquarters in Gaza City. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Mr Abbas, was rescued from the scene unhurt. — AP
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Two killed in Wana firing, stampede
Wana, November 14 Witnesses in Wana said security forces opened fire on people in the Wana bazaar at around noon after three soldiers were injured in a landmine explosion on the Wana bypass road. In the ensuing stampede and hail of bullets, two people were killed and three wounded. Among the dead was Muhammad Javed Mughalkhel, a second-year student of the Cadet College, Razmak, who had come home to celebrate Id. The other deceased has been identified as an Afghan refugee residing in Wana. ISPR’s Director-General Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan offered no comments on the incidents. Last night, militants fired two missiles on the Scouts Camp in Wana but failed to cause any damage. Security forces responded by firing mortars and artillery on suspected hideouts. There also reports of engagements between militants and security forces elsewhere in the Mehsud area of Waziristan. “This is the handiwork of those who want to sabotage and derail peace in the region,” head of security of tribal regions, Brig Mehmood Shah, charged at a press briefing here. Brig Shah said the agreement, which bound the tribes to ensure that the area remained peaceful and it was not used for attacks against security forces and government installations both inside Pakistan and Afghanistan, would create an atmosphere of trust and confidence. The tribes had also furnished cash guarantees pledging to evict foreign militants from their region, refuse them sanctuary and ensure future good conduct of the five most wanted militants who appeared before the authorities on Friday before being allowed to go home as part of the agreement. Those who presented themselves to the authorities included Haji Sharif and his brother Haji Mohammad Omar, Javed Karmazkhel, Maulvi Abbas and Maulvi Abdul Aziz. Haji Omar had taken over from Nek Muhammad who was killed in a missile attack in July this year. The 49-year-old militant told Dawn on phone that they had agreed to the terms of the agreement following government assurances that the army would pull out of the tribal region, those who had suffered during the military operations would be compensated and those arrested would be released. He acknowledged that they had given undertakings to the government not to attack security forces and government installations in the tribal region. “These people have pledged to abide by the agreement,” Mehmood Shah said. “These are our own people. If there were misunderstandings, they have been removed,” he said. “The militants are now descending from mountains and returning home,” he claimed. The five-point agreement also provides for tough punishment to any tribe whose clansmen were found, ‘dead or alive’, to have been involved in any subversive activities anywhere in the country. The punishment entails heavy fines as well as confiscation of movable and immovable property of the tribe concerned. Brig Shah said that the government had agreed to release 31 militants arrested from the Shakai area early this year and could consider releasing Eida Khan and Dawar, two tribesmen accused of harbouring foreign militants in Shakai. “They have not committed any serious crime,” he maintained.
— By arrangement with the Dawn, Karachi. |
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‘Only key facts to make Indian troop reduction significant’
Islamabad, November 14 There are strong indications that New Delhi may not divulge any details. When Dawn asked a senior Indian diplomat about this on Friday, he made it quite clear that details would not be made public. His argument was that it was an internal issue and as a matter of principle operational details were never disclosed. The diplomat did not want to be named. The Indian diplomat was non-committal when asked if the decision on troop reduction was taken as a confidence-building measure on Kashmir. He merely referred to the official statement and emphasised that it was based on a review of the internal security situation, downplaying its bilateral dimension. The Kashmiris who are bearing the brunt of the presence of Indian forces have given a mixed reaction to the Indian premier’s announcement that came ahead of his planned visit to the disputed region. Some have welcomed it, while others have rejected it as an eyewash. Meanwhile, it is not yet clear if this announcement means that India has decided to abandon the idea of raising a special force for Kashmir, a proposal reportedly made by Indian corps commanders recently. Also, it is to be seen if the temporary division created by the Indian Army for the protection of Amarnath Yatris two years ago will stay. The Indian Prime Minister’s statement that the troops reduction decision will remain under constant review given alleged infiltration attempts from across the LoC, is seen by analysts here as an attempt to blunt domestic criticism of the move. The timing of the announcement is significant. It comes less than two weeks before Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s first meeting with his Indian counterpart in New Delhi and the second round of talks between India and Pakistan. Also, it follows President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s call last month for demilitarisation of the disputed region and US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's visit to the region earlier this week. The decision also comes amid outrage and protests in occupied Kashmir at the rape of a 10-year-old Kashmiri girl and her mother by an Indian Army Major. Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has threatened to boycott talks with the Indian government if human rights violations do not stop. He has demanded that India send all its forces back to the barracks to create a conducive environment for the peace process. Despite the ongoing peace process between Pakistan and India, killings and violence have spiralled in held Kashmir. Human rights abuses by Indian security forces, including rape, torture, abductions, and summary executions are frequently reported. According to data compiled by the research section of the Kashmir Media Service, 108 Kashmiris were killed last month by Indian troops. A violence update by the APHC in September showed that since 1989, around 90,000 Kashmiris have been killed by Indian security Indian forces, more than 106,166 have been orphaned, and more than 9,000 women have been sexually abused and 22,145
widowed. — By arrangement with the Dawn, Karachi |
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