Islamabad, April 27
In an apparent move to appease pro-Taliban clerics threatening to impose Shariah law here, the Pakistan government has banned a progressive theatre group from staging a satirical play depicting ‘burqa’ as a metaphor for double standards and cover-ups in the society.

Viewed as a Taliban-style ruling, the Pakistan government yesterday bowed to demands of the Islamic alliance Muttahida Majlis-e Amal (MMA) members and banned Lahore-based Ajoka Theatre from staging the play called ‘Burqavaganza’ until further orders.

Culture minister Ghazi Ghulam Jamal told the National Assembly yesterday that the Punjab provincial government had been directed “not to allow any more shows (of the drama) until it is decided if its contents were objectionable on religious or cultural grounds or not.”

Local daily ‘Dawn’ reported that the government has “bowed to demands from burqa-clad members of religious parties who said the production made in Lahore was contrary to Quranic injunctions.”

Jamal’s announcement was greeted with both protests and cheers in the House yesterday.

The ban came amid reports that the government has accepted demands of the radical clerics of the Lal Masjid here and their burqa-clad militant students to impose Sharia law in the capital.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) President, Sujaat Hussain, who negotiated with the clerics, said he saw nothing wrong in their demand. — PTI

Islamabad, April 27
Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry has submitted a fresh petition requesting the Supreme Court to constitute a full court for hearing from next Monday in his constitutional petition challenging the President Pervez Musharraf's move to file a reference against him on a day-to-day basis.

The lead attorney defending the President, Sharifuddin Pirzada, however, opposed the petition saying he would not be available before May 7 because of his plans for foreign travel. Justice Chaudhry's prime counsel Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan contested Pirzada's excuse and said the Supreme Judicial Council had refused to accept his plea for deferring the case to a few days because he has an important engagement in London.

The fresh application by the Chief Justice stated that several important constitutional questions concerning the independence of judiciary, access to justice and very existence of the apex court itself had been raised in the main petition.

When the petition was taken up by a three-member Supreme Court bench early this week, one of its members had declined to head the bench for being a signatory to the Supreme Judicial Council's endorsement of the presidential reference and had requested Acting Chief Justice Rana Bhagwandas to constitute a full court to hear a number of identical petitions filed on the issue.

"It has been a long standing practice of this court to constitute full court for the consideration of important constitutional issues," the petitioner said in his application.

"Needless to say that his petition is one of its kinds never undertaken by this court in fact the constitutional issues and questions involved in the petition are unprecedented," the application said.

Nineteen different cases from Pakistan's judicial history right from the 1972 Asma Jillani case to 2006 Munir A. Malik case have been cited by the applicant to underline that all these cases were heard by a full court or larger benches. 

New Delhi, April 27
Breaking his silence following the outcry over the kissing controversy involving Shilpa Shetty, Hollywood star Richard Gere today offered to apologise if he had “offended” anyone.

“What is most important to me is that my intentions as an HIV/AIDS advocate be made clear and that my friends in India understand that it has never been nor could it ever be my intention to offend you. If that had happened, of course it is easy for me to offer a sincere apology,” he said in a statement.

Gere’s comments came a day after a Jaipur court issued an arrest warrant against him for planting a kiss on Shilpa’s cheeks in public during an AIDS awareness programme in Delhi a fortnight back.

In his statement addressed to “My dear Indian friends” and released to the Press, Gere said, “To be honest, this recent media storm has taken me by surprise”. Gere also said he felt sorry that Shilpa had to carry the burden following the controversy for no fault of hers.

“What we thought was a very successful HIV/AIDS event has taken a sad turn. Lauding Shetty, Gere said, “Shilpa Shetty is a courageous and wonderful woman who deserves high praise and support for her singular leadership against HIV/AIDS”.

“I assure you, I have utmost respect for her, and she knows this. Of course, I’ve felt terrible that she should carry a burden that is no fault of hers. The burden is mine and no one else’s,” he said.

Gere hoped that after his statement, the media would end the controversy.

In an apparent dig at the media, Gere said, “I would hope that the media could now end the circus around this episode and dedicate its positive resources and expertise to the eradication of HIV/AIDS and other preventable diseases.

That’s what’s really important here. My prayers are with you”. Describing the way he kissed Shetty, he said the step was a copy from his movie “Shall We Dance”. — PTI

Bangkok, April 27
Environmental group Greenpeace yesterday urged developing Asian nations to power their growing economies with renewable energy rather than polluting fossil fuels.

The group released its proposal, which it says can avert disastrous climate change without affecting Asia’s economic growth, ahead of a meeting of the UN’s top climate change scientists in Bangkok next week.

“We have to ensure that the developing countries protect their economic development interests without exacerbating the problems of climate change,” said Sven Taske, Greenpeace International’s energy expert.

A report by Greenpeace and the European Renewable Energy Council said Asia can be weaned from dirty energy without sparking an economic downturn. If the guidelines in the report are followed, emissions of carbon dioxide would be cut by 50 per cent by 2050, and renewable sources would deliver half the world’s energy by the same date, he said.

Carbon dioxide, released when fossil fuels are burned, is one of the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. — AFP

Washington, April 27
A top Al-Qaida commander who led operations in Afghanistan and plotted the assassination of Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf has been taken into US custody, a Pentagon spokesman said today.

Abd al Hadi al-Iraqi, who was taken to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba within the past week, was intercepted as he was trying to reach Iraq to manage Al-Qaeda operations and possibly plot attacks against western targets outside Iraq, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

Whitman said al-Iraqi “was one of Al-Qaeda’s highest ranking and senior operatives at the time of his detention.”

Al-Iraqi was held by the CIA before being turned over to US military authorities, said Whitman.

The Pentagon spokesman declined to comment on when and where al-Iraqi was captured or whether US forces were directly involved in the
capture. — AFP