With the prospect of an emergency receding, the country is now facing the threat of a fourth martial law, analysts here say.

A few days ago, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain contacted Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Tehran and informed him that due to extraordinary circumstances, the authorities are pondering three options-- emergency, martial law and an extension in the tenure of the current assemblies. Shujaat actually preferred the third but sought the consent of the MMA. However, Maulana Fazlur Rehman clearly told him that he wanted only fair and free elections on time.

Immediately, after talking to Shujaat, Fazl called NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani and instructed him to see Chaudhry the PML chief and convey him a message: “If there is an emergency we will dissolve the provincial assembly and if you are thinking of any other option, we will resist it on the streets.” Akram Durrani conveyed the message through Senator Maulana Gul Nasib to Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

On return Fazlur Rehman participated the opposition public meeting in Rawalpindi on August 14 which gave a clear message: the opposition will not accept Musharraf as President in uniform and the general cannot survive just by engaging Benazir Bhutto, as the rest of the opposition parties are ready to resist. The day after the public meeting, Maulana Fazlur Rehman was told that if the opposition parties were determined to push the government to the wall, then they must be ready for martial law.

Former premier Nawaz Sharif has emerged as the real winner of Musharraf-Benazir meeting. He has also formed a broad-based opposition alliance against Musharraf without Benazir Bhutto. He is planning to come back next month with the blessings of the Supreme Court.

Musharraf knows that Nawaz Sharif will create a lot of political problems for him because he is the most popular leader of the largest province of Punjab. A political agitation led by Nawaz Sharif may well lead to another martial law in the country. That is why so many senior government officials are talking about the possibility of martial law these days.

Some top advisers of Musharraf are also aware that another martial law is not a good solution to the current political crisis. As a new strategy, they are trying now to convince both Benazir Bhutto and Maulana Fazlur Rehman to forget their differences and once again cooperate with each other like they did during 1993-96. This time, the USA seems to have no objection to engaging Maulana Fazlur Rehman. US undersecretary of state for South Asia Richard Boucher met Ghafoor Haideri, a close aide of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a few days ago in Islamabad. Hitherto the Americans, unlike the British, had kept Fazl at bay since the Iraq evasion because of his threat that no American would be safe if Iraq was invaded.

Musharraf’s advisers want Maulana to say goodbye to Qazi Hussain Ahmad and make a new alliance with the ANP to work towards normalising the situation in the tribal areas, but Fazl is not ready to break his ties with Qazi, and wants him on board. He believes that if there is no understanding between the government and the opposition, then the Pakistani nation may face another martial law followed by a bloody civil war.

London, August 20
A British newspaper reported that detectives investigating the attempted car bombing of the Glasgow airport have recovered a ''claim of responsibility'', written by Kafeel Ahmed, who died from burns he suffered in the attack.

Evidence recovered showing his involvement in London and Glasgow attacks, including an e-mail message sent just before the attempted bombing, talking of martyrdom; a CCTV footage from one of the failed car bombings in London showing a man who, relatives say, was Ahmed, running away; evidence from a computer he used, showing visits to bomb-making websites; and his mobile phone from the smouldering jeep.

The report claimed that those who have seen the e-mail regarded it as Ahmed claiming responsibility for the attempted attacks on London. According to a source, Ahmed said his actions were carried out in the name of Allah. Ahmed wrote that his relative would be shocked to read what he was about to tell him about his involvement in terrorism, praised God, and said he wanted martyrdom.

According to The Guardian, initial evidence points to the relative opening the e-mail at 4:50 pm on the Saturday, 90 minutes after Ahmed had rammed the airport. From the e-mail, the source said, it was clear he was expecting to die.

The flames that engulfed the vehicle were quickly put out, allowing Ahmed's mobile to be recovered. He is believed to have used the mobile to send either the text message or the e-mail to his relative. — UNI

The Nepal government formed a five-member high-level committee on Monday to nationalise the property of late King Birendra, his family members and King Gyanendra.

A cabinet meeting held at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s official residence this afternoon, decided to form the committee led by home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula inducting other four ministers to carry out the responsibility.

According to Giriraj Mani Pokharel, minister for health, committee has been given 15 days to complete its task of nationalising the King’s property and set up a trust to take care of the property owned by King Gyanendra and the land registered in the name of the late King Birendra and his family members.

It is said thousands of ropanis land, several castles and forests across the country have been registered in the name of King Gyanendra and royal family members.

While making a historic proclamation on May 18, 2006, the then House of Representatives had directed the government to nationalise the property of the late King Birendra, his family members and King Gyanendra.

It may be recalled that the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), a major constituent in the interim government, has been putting forward a pre-condition of nationalising the property owned by Gyanendra and royal family members before going for November 22 Constituent Assembly poll.

Meanwhile, the cabinet meeting has also decided to withdraw cases filed against 59 top Maoist leaders, including Chairman Prachanda and his deputy Dr Baburam Bhattarai a few years back.

New York/Toronto, August 20
Over 1 lakh Indian Americans spilled into the streets of the Big Apple and Chicago over the weekend to celebrate the country's Independence Day with colourful parades where astronaut Sunita Williams was the toast of the crowd. The Canadian city of Toronto also played host to its first ever parade to mark India’s Independence Day yesterday.

Williams was in both Chicago on Saturday and New York yesterday. Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra was the grand marshal at the parade in New York.

Bollywood actor Mousumi Chatterji and former cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin led the parade in Chicago, which was attended by 40,000 people.

Slogans like 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' rent the air.The parade had forty floats in it.

While Williams, who spent a record 195 days in space, wore the traditional Indian salwar and kameez in Chicago, she appeared in her astronaut suit in New York, which evoked great interest.— PTI