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Iftikhar’s popularity
rises as verdict nears
6 charged with attempt to assassinate Mush
‘Gen may use Lal Masjid
to delay poll’
Pak politician detained
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Govt launches major offensive against Tigers
Security alert: 14 UK stores closed
Sexual Abuse Cases
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Iftikhar’s popularity
rises as verdict nears
Thousands greeted Iftikhar en route 12 km from the Lahore Airport to the district courts which indicated his popularity. Speaking at the end of another tumultuous welcome from ecstatic crowds during a 13-hour trek on streets in Lahore, country’s political nerve centre, suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, on Sunday warned that the country can survive under no system other than democracy.
“Only the restoration of the 1973 Constitution can guarantee independent functioning of all democratic institutions including the judiciary, “justice Chaudhry said while addressing the Lahore District Bar Association in the wee hours of this morning under heavy downpour. He said the four-month epic struggle of lawyers for independence of judiciary, rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution is soon coming to fruition. He said concentration of powers and utter disregard of authority of other state institutions would continue to deepen current crisis. He further observed that denial of justice to common people would lead to anarchy. It was CJ’s second trip to Lahore since his historic 26-hour journey from Islamabad on May 5-6, which triggered a bloody counter rally by Musharraf’s staunch ally, the MQM, on May 12 in Karachi to thwart his visit. Recent operation against Lal Masjid in Islamabad and devastating floods in Balochistan, Karachi and Sindh appeared to have overshadowed the judicial crisis and relegated a major gathering of opposition leaders in London to backburner. However, the swelling crowds in Lahore and the intensity of anti-Musharraf slogans was interpreted as an emphatic statement that CJ’s bandwagon and lawyers’ campaign has not lost its steam. The trip to Lahore came amid a declaration by the Supreme Court that it would conclude hearing in CJ’s petition against his removal by Friday. A short order by the court is expected the same day. CJ’s lead counsel, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, and others in their speeches at the Lahore meeting expressed confidence that Justice Iftikhar would be restored but made it clear that Lawyers’ campaign would continue until restoration of democracy.
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6 charged with attempt to assassinate Mush
Karachi, July 15 Judge Ghulam Ali A. Samtio read out the charges against the six on Saturday, including three office-bearers of the banned Harkat-ul-Mujahideen Al-Almi group and three others who were from the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers. The six were accused of an attempt to blow up the Musharraf's cavalcade on its way from the airport to army house in Karachi on April 26, 2002, the Daily Times reported Sunday. According to the prosecution, the accused parked a Suzuki vehicle laden with explosives but the remote-controlled device didn't detonate the explosives. — IANS
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‘Gen may use Lal Masjid
to delay poll’
London, July 15 She said "many people in Pakistan think that the militants were first propped up by some forces and then sacrificed by them. But I don't want to be cynical. I would rather say the regime had to act as there was no alternative left because we are talking about people who had admitted having suicide bombers in their midst."
— PTI
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Pak politician detained
Islamabad, July 15 Shah Abdul Aziz was picked up from the Parliamentary lodges this morning. He has been detained under the MPO, Munawar Hassan, a senior leader of the Jamat-e-Islami, one of the component parties of MMA
said. — PTI
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Govt launches major offensive against Tigers
Buoyed by the recent military successes in eastern Sri Lanka, government security forces began an offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels in northern part of the island on Saturday which left 10 soldiers dead and over 32 injured. The military claimed that in the fighting in Mannar district, about 240 km north of Colombo, it had inflicted heavy casualties on the Tigers and occupied some areas which were earlier held by the rebels. However, the Tigers, in the pro-LTTE website Tamil Net denied the military claims and said they had killed 16 soldiers wounded 45 others when they put up stiff resistance against a two-pronged offensive by the army. The new offensive comes just four days after the government said it had flushed out rebels form their last stronghold in the east at Toppigala thus routing them from the entire province. Elaborate plans have been made by the government to celebrate the take over of Toppigala on Thursday with the main celebrations in Colombo as well as celebrations akin to the country's independence day celebrations throughout the country. The government has also announced it plans to hold elections to local government bodies in the east shortly to restore civil administration in the area which has been lacking in several areas due to the presence of the Tamil Tigers. The Toppigala victory has given a much needed boost to President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government which has been under pressure at home due to the high cost of living and allegations of corruption within the government and internationally due to its poor human rights records.
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Osama praises martyrdom in new video
Cairo, July 15 The Laden clip, which lasted less than a minute, was undated and part of a 40-minute video featuring purported Al-Qaida fighters in Afghanistan paying tribute to fellow militants who have been killed in the country. Bin Laden glorified those who die in the name of jehad, or holy war, saying even the Prophet Mohammed "had been wishing to be a martyr." "The happy (man) is the one that God has chosen him to be a martyr," added Bin Laden, who appeared weary and was shown outdoors wearing army fatigues. — AP
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Security alert: 14 UK stores closed
London, July 15 The manager at a Tesco in Barrhead, near Glasgow, told Britain's Press Association that staff was sent home around 12:30 pm (7 pm IST yesterday) after a power failure. But an unidentified employee at a neighbouring shop said the police had told him there had been a bomb threat. A criminal investigation was being led by the police in Hertfordshire, where Britain's largest supermarket chain has its headquarters. The police said no one had been hurt and that the move was a precaution. It did not immediately give further details. "We have no reason to believe that the incidents are linked to extremism of any kind," Hertfordshire police said in a statement yesterday. Tesco confirmed there had been a number of incidents, but gave no details. "The police is investigating and so we are unable to comment further," she said on condition of anonymity in line with the company policy. "As always, at all times customer welfare is our priority." — AP
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Sexual Abuse Cases
New York, July 15 "Everything just fell into place," the lead plaintiff lawyer Raymond P. Boucher, who confirmed the deal, was quoted as saying by 'The New York Times' today. If approved, the deal will be by far the largest payout made by any single diocese since the sexual scandals involving the clergy first erupted in Boston in 2002. It will dwarf the $ 85 million paid for 552 claims by Archdiocese of Boston. The settlement would be announced tomorrow though any agreement would require a judge's approval, another lawyer for the plaintiffs said. "The archdiocese will be in court on Monday," the newspaper reported, quoting the director of Media Relations for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Tod M. Tamberg. The deal, which archdiocese officials have said would require the sale of church property, appeared to bring the drawn-out legal wrangling to a close. However, a lawyer for the archdiocese declined to comment. — PTI
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