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Zardari appeals for security, passport
US arms sales to Pak after careful assessment,
says Karamat |
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No power-sharing with Musharraf, says PPP Suicide among Indians on the rise Israel Air Force likely to induct ‘Dhruv’ Saddam meets lawyer for first time |
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Zardari
appeals for security, passport
Islamabad, December 17 Mr Zardari, who was released from prison after eight years of imprisonment in connection with various criminal and corruption cases, has approached the court amidst strong objection from the government that he has been denied of holding a passport, media reports said. Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao said the government had not received any application from Mr Zardari. In his petition Mr Zardari asked the court to delete his name from the Exit Control List (ECL), a black list of persons barred from leaving the country. He also appealed to the court to direct the provincial government to provide him security and allow him to install tinted glass on his cars, local newspaper Daily Times said. Mr Zardari also told the court that during his eight years in jail he suffered from several serious ailments including chronic back problem. He said in the petition that he wanted to go abroad for treatment and to see his wife, whom he had not seen for the post eight years. Ms Bhutto, who heads the Pakistan Peoples Party, (PPP) lived abroad to avoid arrest in cases filed against her. Mr Zardari in his petition argued that he was not convicted in any case currently and keeping his name on the ECL was illegal and unconstitutional. In another petition, Mr Zardari alleged that the government had tried to kill him twice during his eight years in detention and on failure to do so, implicated him in false cases of attempting to commit suicide. However, the courts acquitted him of those charges. He said he had been continuously receiving threats of murder after his release. — PTI |
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US arms sales to Pak after careful assessment,
says Karamat
Islamabad, December 17 “In the assessment of the United States of America, whatever Pakistan gets is necessary for its defence requirements,” Pakistan’s new Ambassador to USA, Gen (Retd) Jahangir Karamat, told a press conference in Washington, the official media here reported today. He criticised India for its objection to the US weapons sales to Pakistan and said whatever Islamabad acquires in the defence field from the USA “is first carefully assessed” that it is in the vital interest of Pakistan’s security. Mr Karamat said the new arms package to Pakistan passed without any objections from the Congress showed bipartisan support for the US-Pakistan friendship. Asked about the USA offering F-16s to Pakistan, he said “Pakistan needs a high performance aircraft. If Pakistan gets F-16s, well and good; else, Pakistan would have to do something to find an alternative for it, for its defence requirements.” To a question as to why Pakistan needed Orions aircraft, he said Pakistan need ed the planes for maritime and coastline surveillance, he said. “Besides avionics, these have surveillance equipment”, he said.
— PTI |
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No power-sharing with Musharraf, says PPP Karachi, December 17 PPP’s Deputy Secretary General and leader of the opposition in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani, said that the ARD’s principled demand was the restoration of the 1973 constitution and the supremacy of parliament. He was speaking at a gathering of the radio journalists associated with the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Pakistan and other international radio networks which was held in connection with a workshop. “We are prepared for a dialogue with the government to facilitate the finalisation of the ambit for the next general elections, neutral caretaker government, independent election commission and the removal of person-specific laws allowing the return of Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif to contest poll,” he said. “We don’t believe in power-sharing between civil and military bureaucracy and the civil society. It is now time for the civil society to exert itself,” he said while making it clear that the release of Asif Ali Zardari was not the result of any deal with the government. Raza Rabbani said the government had abused judicial power to harass the opposition, and added that Mr Zardari’s release on bail was the result of a court order. Answering a question about Mr Zardari’s remarks about dialogue with all political forces, he said that it was not a departure from ARD’s stated position as long as it facilitated the exit strategy and remained within the ambit of the stated position.
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Suicide among Indians on the rise Dubai, December 17 Shelva Kumar (25) from Chennai, committed suicide on Tuesday and Thomas Anthony (30), an accountant, committed suicide a day later after being found suffering from depression. Shelva Kumar, who had been earning a regular salary of 700 dhiram per month, plus an overtime of four dhiram per hour, ended his life because of mounting debts backhome and the suicide of his sister, police sources told the Gulf News. Anthony, who came to Dubai about six months ago, wanted to return home after cancelling his visa. — UNI
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Israel Air Force likely to induct ‘Dhruv’
Jerusalem, December 17 “The Israel Air Force will induct one ALH to start with, which will need the certification of the Civil Aviation Authority, and then we expect the purchase of two more helicopters,” Israel Aircraft Industries Vice-President (Marketing) Josef Fishman said. The Israel Aircraft Industries has provided the avionics system and glass cockpit for the “international version” of the ALH and has an agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Limitedfor joint marketing.
— PTI |
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Saddam meets lawyer for first time Baghdad, December 17 “The interview lasted for more than four hours. The president seems in good health, much better compared to his first appearance before the court,” the Jordan-based legal team hired by Saddam’s exiled family said in a statement. — Reuters
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