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Mush to stay army chief if not elected: Attorney-Gen
President Gen Pervez Musharraf has reaffirmed that he would fulfill his pledge made to the Supreme Court that he would quit army post if elected for another term. Musharraf’s assurance came at a special meeting in his camp office amid dire warnings by the government leaders if he was disqualified.

Annul EC notice, says Imran
With judges in the larger bench of the Supreme Court questioning the validity of the Election Commission's notification exempting President Gen Musharraf from constitutional disqualifications to contest elections, Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Wednesday filed a petition seeking its annulment.

8-party Nepal leaders swear by unity
Just a day after the communist party of Nepal-Maoist quit the eight-party coalition government, top-brass leaders of seven-party alliance and Maoist on Wednesday agreed to continue their unity to avoid further political crisis.


EARLIER STORIES


A man and his daughter row a boat on a flooded street after a powerful typhoon hit Wenling, east China's Zhejiang province
A man and his daughter row a boat on a flooded street after a powerful typhoon hit Wenling, east China's Zhejiang province, on Wednesday. The storm toppled hundreds of homes and knocked out power and water supplies as it swept in from the sea some 650 km south of the country's financial hub — Reuters

Thai plane crash victims to get $130,000
Bangkok, September 19
Relatives of each of the 89 people who died when a Thai passenger jet crashed in Phuket will receive at least $ 130,000 in compensation, the transport ministry said today.

UK woman to divorce Laden’s son
London, September 19
A British woman, married to the son of Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, is filing for divorce as she is worried about the safety of her husband who has received death threats, a media report said today.

Cartoonist arrested
The government here on Tuesday arrested a cartoonist of a popular newspaper here for “hurting religious sentiments” by using a joke centred on the name Muhammad, which is shared by Islam's most revered prophet.





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Mush to stay army chief if not elected: Attorney-Gen
Afzal Khan writes from Islamabad

President Gen Pervez Musharraf has reaffirmed that he would fulfill his pledge made to the Supreme Court that he would quit army post if elected for another term.

Musharraf’s assurance came at a special meeting in his camp office amid dire warnings by the government leaders if he was disqualified.

The meeting with political and legal aides was held to assess the reaction to the statement and the progress of proceedings in the court challenging his eligibility. PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, PML secretary-general Mushahid Hussain Sayed and legal aides of the president, including Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, attended the meeting. Earlier, he had lengthy session with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

The meeting was part of the ongoing consultation process that was being held on daily basis to formulate the government’s strategy for smooth sailing in the presidential election. Sources said the issue of APDM threat to resign from the assemblies also came under discussion to formulate the government strategy to counter it.

Shujaat while talking to newsmen on Wednesday said the government would honour the verdict of the Supreme Court but warned that the National Assembly as well as Provincial Assemblies would be dissolved if the President Musharraf could not be re-elected.

He said the opposition had adopted a highly negative attitude although it should display more responsible behaviour in larger national interests.

He said the PML and its allied parties have enough votes to re-elect President Musharraf in the incumbent assemblies.

Attorney-General Qayyum Malik said the president’s commitment made to the Supreme Court did not contain any threat but acknowledged that General Musharraf would stay as army chief if the present assemblies do not elect him.

Former Chief Justice Saeeduzzama Siddiqui said Musharraf had given himself an indefinite extension “till further orders” as army chief.

Eminent jurists and treasury senator S. M. Zafar said that President Pervez Musharraf’s disqualification as a candidate might spark anarchy in Pakistan. He said the Supreme Court might declare the Election Commission’s amendments null and void, but added that such a decision would not be easy for the court to take.

Zafar, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, further said the imposition of martial law was “not conceivable” in the prevalent political scenario but could not be ruled out either. He said the Supreme Court might ask Musharraf to resign as army chief before the election.

Railways minister said the situation was becoming very grave due to court battles and deadlock in dialogue with PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto because rigid position taken by some elements in the ruling coalition.

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Annul EC notice, says Imran
Afzal Khan writes from Islamabad

With judges in the larger bench of the Supreme Court questioning the validity of the Election Commission's notification exempting President Gen Musharraf from constitutional disqualifications to contest elections, Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Wednesday filed a petition seeking its annulment.

Khan maintained that the commission had no authority to frame rules by amending the constitutional provisions under which Musharraf is not eligible to contest for being in the service of the government as army chief. He said Gen Musharraf himself changed and approved the rules to benefit only himself. The Chief Election Commissioner seriously compromised his independence by putting a stamp on the notification drafted in the presidency.

He also noted that the notification was kept a secret until a daily leaked the story after six days. The announcement was then made by federal minister Dr Sher Afgan and not the commission itself.

Khan's counsel Hamid Khan continued his arguments in the eligibility petition before the Supreme Court on Wednesday rose for the day. Presiding judge Rana Bhagwandas observed during the hearing that the Election Commission's notice can always be challenged in the country.

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8-party Nepal leaders swear by unity
Bishnu Budhathoki writes from Kathmandu

Just a day after the communist party of Nepal-Maoist quit the eight-party coalition government, top-brass leaders of seven-party alliance and Maoist on Wednesday agreed to continue their unity to avoid further political crisis.

After holding a high-level meeting of eight-party alliance at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's residence in Baluwatar this evening, the leaders agreed to resolve all the existing disputes on the basis of political consensus.

According to Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of CPN-UML, PM Koirala underlined the need of concrete unity among the eight-party alliance as the political situation of the country was serious.

“If the eight parties remain divided than the regressive elements will stand to benefit,” he quoted Koirala as saying. Maoist chairman Prachanda also underscored the need to keep the eight-party unity in tact.

Nepal also informed that the leaders have agreed to meet soon for detailed discussion on the reasons that led the Maoists quit the government.

Four Maoist ministers tendered a joint resignation deciding to quit the government and launch a fresh nationwide street protest to declare the country a republic.

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Thai plane crash victims to get $130,000

Bangkok, September 19
Relatives of each of the 89 people who died when a Thai passenger jet crashed in Phuket will receive at least $ 130,000 in compensation, the transport ministry said today.

One-Two-Go, operators of the jet which crashed in bad weather Sunday, has insurance worth $ 300 million with Lloyd’s of London, the airline and the transport ministry said.

“The transport ministry will try its best to ensure that the airline will fully compensate crash dead and survivors,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Initially, the insurance company will pay $ 130,000 for dead victims.” One-Two-Go is in the process of negotiating with the insurance company to find out if the compensation figure can be raised with talks expected to conclude within a few days. — AFP

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UK woman to divorce Laden’s son

London, September 19
A British woman, married to the son of Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, is filing for divorce as she is worried about the safety of her husband who has received death threats, a media report said today.

Jane Felix-Browne, a 51-year-old grandmother and parish councillor from Cheshire, said she has asked Omar Osama bin Laden, 27, for divorce, adding they hoped to remarry next spring, the report said.

Felix-Browne, who uses the Islamic name Zaina Mohamad, claimed that they married in an Islamic ceremony in April after she met Bin Laden’s son in Egypt in September last year. — PTI

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Cartoonist arrested
Ashfaq Wares Khan writes from Dhaka

The government here on Tuesday arrested a cartoonist of a popular newspaper here for “hurting religious sentiments” by using a joke centred on the name Muhammad, which is shared by Islam's most revered prophet.

Meanwhile, Islamists in the Muslim-majority country called on the government to ban the newspaper and arrest its editor and publisher, known for its secular and impartial policy. The detective branch of the Dhaka police arrested the “freelance cartoonist”, Arifur Rahman, who illustrated a joke for the satirical weekly supplement of the largest Bengali newspaper - the daily Prothom Alo.

The police has also confiscated and banned that particular issue of the supplement.

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