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Pak SC notices on Sharif brothers
Pak not to allow US action
Reliance Project
British peer held for ‘racially’ abusing |
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UK police probing charges against
Endeavour blasts off with
Two held in Jessie James murder case
Two killed in chopper crash
6 killed in Lanka violence
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Pak SC notices on Sharif brothers
The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday issued notices to the federal and provincial governments for August 16 during the hearing of the petitions filed for return of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif.
The SC bench comprising Chief Justice Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and Justice M Javed Buttar heard the petitions. The hearing had triggered speculations in the country that President Gen Pervez Musharraf is contemplating the imposition of emergency to prevent the court from taking up the petition. The court issued notices to federal and provincial governments to file their response and adjourned the hearing till August 16. In his argument, Sharif brothers’ counsel Fakharuddin G Ibrahim referred to Articles 15, 17 and 109 of the constitution and said his clients were citizens of Pakistan and had every right to return to their country. He also presented reference of a previous court judgment related to Shahbaz Sharif. The court wanted to know the reason for filing the petition at this stage and asked if the government had prevented any of the two from entering Pakistan. The counsel said despite an SC order, Shahbaz Sharif was sent back to Jeddah from Lahore airport two years ago. He said a petition filed in the high court had yet not been heard by the court. The SC directive had also not been implemented, he added. Ibrahim also referred to several public statements by the President stating that Nawaz Sharif would not be allowed to come back. His ministers had been claming that the former PM had gone abroad for 10 years under a contract underwritten by the Saudi government. The counsel claimed that the government had never made this contract public. He sought orders from the court directing the federal and provincial governments to refrain from “obstructing, hampering or resisting the return” of the exiled petitioners and their family. Meanwhile ‘The News’ quoted the media relations section of the Saudi Embassy as stating that it was unaware of the presence of any “accord” between Islamabad and Riyadh that barred the Sharif brothers from entering Pakistan for 10 years.
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Pak not to allow US action
Pakistan will not allow the US-India nuclear deal to undermine its efforts to maintain strategic balance, foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri told the National Assembly on Thursday. He also categorically stated that Pakistan would not accept any US action inside its territory. He, however, urged his compatriots to appreciate the sensitive nature of relations with the US. “We should neither be overawed by fears of world’s only superpower nor should we be sentimental to ignore global realities,” he said while winding up a four-day debate on foreign policy during which the US came under severe attack for its recent hostile statements and adoption of a law by Congress imposing draconian preconditions on US aid to Pakistan. Most speakers from both sides of the political divide called for a review of the country’s cooperation in the US-led war on terror and resist its pressure for launching military operations in tribal areas which may plunge the country into civil war. Kasuri refuted that Pakistan was a safe haven for terrorists, saying that they were on the run and in hiding. “Any US action inside Pakistani territory is unacceptable,” he said, adding that counter terrorism measures inside Pakistani territory would be carried out by Pakistani troops who were capable of dealing with any untoward situation. Commenting on the US-India nuclear deal, the foreign minister reiterated Pakistan’s position of a criteria-based approach. He said the deal would have implications on strategic balance in the region as it would enable India to produce significant quantity of fissile material from un-guarded nuclear reactors. “It will not be helpful to the shared objectives of stability in South Asia and the global non-proliferation regime,” he said. Kasuri said Pakistan would not accept any discriminatory treatment by Nuclear Suppliers Group member states to take account of Pakistan’s growing energy needs. “We will take every step to maintain nuclear parity in South Asia through our indigenous human and material infrastructure.
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Nepal PMO denies Sonia’s call
Kathmandu, August 9 An article recently published in the weekly ‘Nepal’ alleged that Sonia made a phone call to the PM two weeks ago and requested a positive outlook towards Reliance Energy Limited. “No phone conversation between PM Koirala and Sonia has taken place on this or any other issue in recent times,” the PMO said in a press release issued today. The allegation was made in the context of the tenders recently floated by the Nepalese government for hydropower projects, it added, terming the article as constituting a “motivated, irresponsible and deplorable attempt to drag in controversy, an eminent public figure of a friendly neighbouring country and the Prime Minister of this country.” It urged the media “to report objectively and responsibly, especially, at this critical transition time for Nepal.” — UNI
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British peer held for ‘racially’ abusing Sikh cabbie
London, August 9 The Marquess of Blandford, James Spencer-Churchill, was arrested following a complaint by a Sikh cabbie, Davinder Singh, who had driven to pick him up from his farmhouse for an appearance at a court. “When I saw the Marquess of Blandford on the order, I was thinking he would be a polite gentleman but he is just a racist and there is no excuse for that,” said the 46-year-old taxi driver. “It was just unbelievable. I can put up with rudeness but not racism. I was having trouble finding his house, so I called him up. He not only abused me on the phone but also called me a Hindu when I arrived,” he alleged. According to Singh, the 51-year-old son of the 11th Duke of Marlborough also told him that he should remember that he was a guest in the United Kingdom and not a British. “I was completely shocked. I replied that I was a British.” Singh, who has been a taxi driver for over 25 years, said it was then that he turned down the 120 pounds fare and drove off. “I would not take it. Even if it was the Prime Minister, I would not take it if he spoke to me like that.” The cabbie also claimed that the peer had threatened him and that he might launch a claim for damages in the court. However, Spencer-Churchill’s solicitor refused to comment on the allegations. — PTI
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UK police probing charges against MQM chief
Islamabad, August 9 Daniel told reporters at the Sukkur Chamber of Commerce and Industries that Hussain did not enjoy immunity in the UK and, if necessary, would be prosecuted. Meanwhile, Imran Khan sounded confident that Altaf Hussain would be arrested in September. Talking to newsmen here, Imran said he had provided volumes of evidence on Altaf’s involvement and sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan. A more lethal charge was of money- laundering, which was being investigated by Scotland Yard, he said. Imran said Altaf had stacked tonnes of money in London, all routed through Pakistan and earned through graft and extortion.
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Endeavour blasts off with teacher aboard
Cape Canaveral, August 9 Endeavour and its crew of seven rose from the seaside pad at 6.36 pm (04.06 IST), and pierced a solidly blue sky. They were expected to reach the international space station on Friday. Once Endeavour was safely past the 73-second mark of the flight, the moment when Challenger exploded shortly after the call “Go at throttle up,” the mission control exclaimed, “Morgan racing toward space on the wings of a legacy.” Immediately after the shuttle reached the orbit,the mission control announced, “For Barbara Morgan and her crewmates, class is in session.” — AP
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Two held in Jessie James murder case
London, August 9 The arrests come after a dramatic halt in the inquest into the death of James on Wednesday when police announced they would be making the arrests. Greater Manchester Police said a witness had come forward and provided a statement, which inspired the arrests after being reassured by special measures, which were introduced at the inquest, to ensure anonymity. They urged other witnesses to come forward. James (15) was shot dead on his bicycle in Moss Side, an inner city area with a reputation for gang-related violence, last September. The coroner took the unusual step of holding the inquest in a criminal court to protect witnesses afraid of reprisals. The special measures include giving evidence anonymously behind screens and via video link and with their voices distorted.
— Reuters
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Two killed in chopper crash
London, August 9 The Royal Air Force (RAF) helicopter was carrying three RAF crew members and nine army personnel when it crashed in a wooded area west of the Catterick Garrison military base in North Yorkshire yesterday. “Two fatalities have been confirmed at the scene,” a North Yorkshire police spokesman said.
— Reuters
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6 killed in Lanka violence
Colombo, August 9 The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam said they killed the four special task force commandos at Kanchkudichchiaru in Ampara district yesterday.
— PTI
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