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Maoists mull no-trust motion against Koirala
Iranian President not allowed to visit
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Oppn won’t let Musharraf get elected unopposed New Pak Army chief likely
on October 7 Osama declares ‘war’ on Pak Indian, IAEA officials ‘meet’
Honour killing
Verses from Gita, Koran at bishop’s funeral
Husain’s painting tops Sotheby’s sale
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Maoists mull no-trust motion against Koirala
Kathmandu, September 20 The central committee meeting of the CPN (Maoist), that discussed the political crisis in the country after it walked out of the government, has decided to call a special session of Parliament. According to Maoist leader C.P Gajurel, a proposal will soon be registered at the Parliament secretariat demanding the special session, apparently to push for declaring Nepal a republic. Gajurel said the party would possibly table a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Koirala, the report said. As per the constitution, one-fourths of lawmakers can call a special session of the national legislature. The Maoists have 83 lawmakers in the 330-seat interim Parliament. Gajurel said the CPN (Maoist) would abide by the peace accord despite waging street agitations. Nepal’s ruling coalition yesterday failed to persuade the Maoist leadership to rejoin the government as the former rebels launched a campaign against the November constituent assembly polls that threaten to derail the landmark peace process in the country. The central committee meeting held at the party’s central office here endorsed the decision to quit the government and decided to stick to its 22-point demands, including the immediate abolition of the monarchy and holding the constituent assembly elections on the basis of proportional representation. — PTI
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Iranian President not allowed to visit Ground Zero
New York, September 20 The US also has denied a visa to Iran’s United Nations ambassador in Geneva to attend next week’s General Assembly meeting because he was involved in the 1979 US hostage crisis, a UN official said. Ahmadinejad, who is arriving on Sunday to address the United Nations’ General Assembly, had asked this month for permission to visit the site of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, police spokesman Paul Browne said. The request to enter the fenced-in site was rejected because of ongoing construction there, Browne said. “Requests for the Iranian President to visit the immediate area would also be opposed by the NYPD on security grounds,” Browne said. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, told reporters on Wednesday that the United States would not support Iran’s attempt to use the site for a “photo op.” “Iran can demonstrate its seriousness about concern with regard to terrorism by taking concrete actions,” such as dropping support for Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and suspending their uranium enrichment program, Khalilzad said. Browne said Ahmadinejad had asked permission from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, US Secret Service and police department. The police and the Secret Service provide security to visiting heads of state. The Port Authority, which owns the trade centre site and is the only agency that could grant permission to go inside, said it attended a meeting with police regarding dignitary visits, not specifically about Ahmadinejad. At that meeting, it was determined that no dignitaries would be allowed inside the site due to ongoing construction, said Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman.
— IANS
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Oppn won’t let Musharraf get elected unopposed President Musharraf is favourably placed to win the presidential election due on October 6 but may face strong resistance from the opposition and other democratic forces during the next 16 days. The opposition plans to resign from the assemblies and launch street agitation but tactically will not let Musharraf be elected unopposed. Information minister Durrani said the ruling coalition would put up covering candidates one each from four provinces but categorically denied that the First Lady Sehba Musharraf would also stand in for her spouse in case he loses court battle. The All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) has called a meeting of top leadership on Sunday to finalise strategy for resignations, dissolution of NWFP and Balochistan assemblies and galvanising public opinion during the run-up to the polls. It has also challenged Musharraf's eligibility to contest election while holding two offices of president and army chief but the Election Commission preempted the court verdict by announcing the schedule without waiting for court ruling and by amending the rules exempting Musharraf from the disqualifications he suffers as government employee. Lawyers have also opposed the schedule and called for a strike on the nomination day on September 27 and surrounding of the Election Commission office on the day of scrutiny on September 29. They have also vowed to take to streets. The PPP caused a major dent in the unity of the opposition by opening a secret dialogue with Musharraf during which it agreed to abstain instead of resigning from assemblies. Because of obstacles in clinching the deal, it has now adopted an ambivalent stance promising to consider option of resignation if Musharraf insisted on contesting in uniform and refused to concede it two other demands for general amnesty on corruption cases and removal of ban on two-time prime ministers to seek a third term. Musharraf will be the first army chief in history to contest an election while in uniform in this country. Critics say he is setting a dangerous precedence for his successors and will further undermine image of the military by directly involving it in electoral exercise. A law passed by parliament in 2004 allowed him to keep both offices till the end of this year. He has promised to doff the uniform if elected "soon after the poll and before taking oath of office on November 16". Attorney General Qayyum Malik says Musharraf will lose legal cover to contest if he quits the army post and would have to wait for two years for that purpose.
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New Pak Army chief likely
on October 7 The election schedule, announced by the Election Commission today, addresses an abiding concern of President Pervez Musharraf on some crucial changes in the army’s top hierarchy before he sheds his uniform. Defence analysts, while underlining the significance of October 6 as the polling date, speculated that Musharraf would get elected on October 6 and immediately name the new army chief and chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Musharraf’s counsel Sharifuddin Pirzada filed a statement before the Supreme Court on Tuesday that if elected, the President would quit as army chief soon after election and before taking fresh oath of office for second term as President on November 16. “The appointment of the new army chief will coincide with the declaration, most likely on October 7, that he is relinquishing the charge of army chief,” according to a senior retired general, who preferred not to be named. The two four-star generals - chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJSC) General Ehsanul Haq and vice-chief of Army Staff Ahsan Saleem Hayat - are due for retirement on October 8. If Hayat is confirmed as army chief or moved up as chairman, he gets a fresh tenure of three years. However, both have begun the traditional dining out exercise by visiting army units across the country. Three other lieutenant generals - Ashfaque Kiani, Tariq Majid and Mohammad Sabir - would quit in December.
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Dubai, September 20 Intel Center said the video or audio message, entitled “Come to Jihad,” was expected to be released in the next 72 hours. In another video released by Al-Qaida’s media arm, Al-Sahab, Bin Laden’s deputy Ayman Al-Zawahiri also warned that Musharraf would be “punished” for the killing of a Pakistani cleric in the storming of the Red Mosque in Islamabad in July. In the latest Al-Qaida video released, Zawahiri and others taunted the USA over alleged Islamic victories in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere and called for Muslim allies of Washington to be driven from power. The 81-minute video is a compilation of old TV news clips mixed with new comments from Zawahiri, and details of it were made public today by SITE Intelligence Group. — AFP
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Indian, IAEA officials ‘meet’
Vienna, September 20 “There was a bilateral meeting between agency officials and the Indians. It was the normal sort of meeting that member states would have” within the context of the general conference, a diplomat said on condition of anonymity. He could not confirm, however, if the International Atomic Energy Agency’s director general, Mohamed ElBaradei, had taken part in the meeting which took place on Wednesday. India must begin key negotiations with the IAEA if a nuclear deal that New Dehli recently signed with United States is to go ahead. The agreement will allow India to buy atomic fuel, technology and plants from the US even though it is not party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. However, there appears to be no sign of progress just yet. An IAEA spokesman said that there no new developments in the situation between the agency and India, specifically in terms of nuclear safeguards. “There is still no approach from India about safeguards,” the spokesman said.
— AFP
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Honour killing
London, September 20 Surjit Athwal, was killed in a plot masterminded by her mother-in-law while on a trip to India in 1998 allegedly by Bachan Athwal, the 70-year-old mother-in-law, and Sukhdave (43) Surjit's husband. Both have been sentenced to life terms in jail for ordering the killing in a sensational 'saas-bahu' tragedy in Britain. Surjit, 27, hailed from Coventry. After the sentences were pronounced, Jagdeesh said his family suffered a “lonely and tortuous struggle” as the Foreign Office, Metropolitan Police and Indian authorities allegedly failed for years to apprehend Surjit's killers. He said his sister's husband and in-laws had “venomous anger” against her and claimed that she was trapped in an oppressive marriage. Surjit's body was never found, while Bachan boasted that she had arranged for the woman to be strangled because Surjit had sought divorce which, Bachan believed, would bring dishonour to the family. Jagdeesh said in the victim impact statement, “Surjit was punished by the Athwals for standing up to their suffocating control and being assertive. We battled with the incompetence and disinterest of the Indian police, the apathy of the Foreign Office and slow initial movement of the Metropolitan Police.” The victim’s brother praised detectives for eventually breaking through the “lies and official lapses”, and added that the case exposed “serious inadequacies” in policing and government policy.
— IANS
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Verses from Gita, Koran at bishop’s funeral
New York, September 20 Noted Hindu Chaplain Rajan Zed recited Gayatri Mantra and other verses ending with Om Shanti at the funeral of head bishop of International Community of Christ Douglas Eugene Savoy yesterday. Besides the inspirational reading from Bhagvad Gita, the service included Arabic recitation from Holy Koran by Tunay Durmaz of Sierra Foundation and Buddhist prayer by William Bartlett of Reno Buddhist Church. Clair Earl, Stake President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints, quoted from Book of Mormon. Savoy also served as the Rector of the Cathedral Church of the America and President of the Jamilian University of the Ordained. His publications included about 50 theological and religious texts and over 400-recorded lectures and he contributed to the better understanding of the Dead Sea literature. He was also a world class explorer, lecturer and producer, and respected theologian and educator.
— PTI
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Husain’s painting tops Sotheby’s sale
New York, September 20 Four works by M.F. Husain were included in the top 10 and of these Husain’s ‘Pagan Mother’ achieved the second highest price by the artist at an auction. ‘Pagan Mother’ is a work done in tones of turquoise and Prussian blue in 1956. Husain, who is in exile in London, turned 92 on September 17.
— IANS
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