Journalists across the country on Sunday staged rallies in protest against Saturday’s police brutality which left 29 mediapersons were injured. At least one of the injured, Naeem Khan, a TV reporter, is still in coma and struggling for his life.

A huge rally, joined by writers, academics, human rights activists politicians and civil society organisations, marched from the Islamabad Press Club to the Parliament House. The participants raised anti-government slogans. Secretary-general of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Mazhar Abbas and other leaders, addressing the gathering, vowed to uphold freedom of Press at any cost.

Similar rallies were staged in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and other major towns. The journalists announced they would continue to boycott all official functions and receptions till action was taken against the police and security officials responsible for attacking journalists.

Abbas announced that the PFUJ would prepare a “chargesheet” of violation of Press freedom and brutalities.

Dhaka, September 30
The Bangladesh High Court today ordered the release of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on bail more than three weeks after she was arrested along with her younger son on graft charges.

A Bench comprising Justices Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Zubayer Rahman issued the order on a writ filed by lawyers of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief three days ago.

The court also asked the military-backed interim government to explain why its move to try Zia, 62, under tough emergency powers rules (EPR) should not be declared illegal and ordered the suspension of her prosecution under the law in question.

It, however, declined to grant bail to her son, Arafat Rahman Koko, who, along with, his mother challenged in the High Court the legality of their trial under tough emergency powers rules.

Zia and Koko were arrested on September 3 from their Dhaka Cantonment residence under the government's massive anti-graft drive after the powerful Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a graft case under the emergency rules that also barred their release on bail.

Zia's arch rival ex-premier, Sheikh Hasina, has also been detained on several corruption charges since July and the two leaders have been lodged in the makeshift jail in the Parliament complex.

The Awami League chief had obtained a similar order for bail but it was subsequently stayed by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on a government petition.

A High Court Bench is expected to give a decision on Hasina's petition next week. — PTI

Just 10 minutes before starting to collect the closed lists of candidates from the political parties for 240 seats allocated for the proportional electoral system of the forthcoming constituent assembly election, Nepal’s Election Commission on Sunday decided to postpone the procedure by five days as the seven-party alliance requested it to do so.

Following this decision uncertainty looms over the November 22 Constituent Assembly polls in Nepal.

As the Maoist leaders in the alliance remained adamant on their preconditions to opt full proportional electoral system, top leaders of the seven parties met at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s official residence at Baluwatar this morning and sent a request letter to the commission to postpone the nominations’ deadline.

Maoist chairman Prachanda had proposed to postpone the election programme by five days in a bid to find a consensus by then. Other leaders agreed to his proposal so that the looming crisis could be averted and the seven-party unity and peace process could go on.

Now, for the proportional electoral system, the Election Commission has reviewed its schedule in which the parties can file a list of their candidates by October 5.

As per the earlier schedule, today was the last day for filing the nominations. Similarly, the deadline for the submission of a closed list of candidates for the first-past-the-post system has been extended to October 8.

Responding to the request letter by the seven parties, chief election commissioner Bhojraj Pokhrel said considering the current political scenario and to ensure the ongoing peace process moved ahead smoothly, the commission had decided to extend the deadline for the submission of the nominations.

“But everything has its own limitation of flexibility,” he said. He further added, “It is the final point of the Election Commission to review its election schedule to make the November 22 election a success.”

He also warned that if the government and political parties failed to meet their commitment against the commissioners would decide on whether to stay on the post or not.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has decided to seal boder with Nepal a day before the elections slated for November 22.

Beijing, September 30
China's ruling Communist Party has said it has nothing to do with Left parties' opposition to the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal and that it is an internal matter of India.

"No not at all.The Indo-US civilian nuclear deal is an internal affair of India and we will not use our party-to-party relations with the CPI or the CPM to oppose that," a senior leader of Communist Party of China (CPC) Ai Ping told PTI. He was asked about the perception in some quarters in India that the Left's opposition to the civil nuclear agreement was influenced by the CPC.

Quoting a key principle taught by ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, "What you do not want done to yourself, do not do unto others," Ai, who is Director-General of the International Department of the CPC's Central Committee, said that China cherished its sovereignty and independence.

"So, we must respect other people's sovereignty and independence," he said. "In conducting party-to-party relations,we have four principles: independence, complete equality, mutual respect and non-interference.

"By non-interference, we mean that we will not intervene in the internal affairs of other political parties and certainly, we will not use our party-to-party relations to interfere with the internal affairs of other countries," Ai said. — PTI

Beijing, September 30
The envoys to the latest round of six-party talks have drafted a detailed roadmap to denuclearise North Korea’s nuclear facilities before the end of the year.

The envoys decided to take a break for two days, saying that they would reconvene after getting approval about the draft blueprint from their respective governments.

The second phase of the sixth round of the talks would recess for two days, host of the six-way talks and the head of the Chinese delegation, Wu Dawei announced after four days of intensive diplomacy.

Wu said the reason for the two-day recess was that a joint document had been drawn out and still needs the approval of the governments of the six delegations. Moreover, China will celebrate its 58th National Day tomorrow.

Efforts would be made to publicise the document as soon as possible, Wu, also Chinese vice foreign minister, noted.

Before the announcement of the recess, a meeting of the chief delegates was held.

Wu, also chairman of the talks, said the current session, which focused on discussing and drawing out an action plan for the second-phase implementation of the February 13 joint statement, was an important one in the whole process of the six-party talks.

During the session, the delegations heard the reports of the five working groups, conducted thorough and meaningful discussions about the action plan in the next stage, and reached important consensus, he said.

“With the joint efforts of all the parties, we have drawn out a joint document that could be reported to the governments of respective delegations,” Wu said. — PTI

Sydney, September 30
Actress Lois Maxwell (80), known to millions of fans as Miss Moneypenny in many Bond movies, has died in Australia.

“She died yesterday,” a spokeswoman for Fremantle Hospital in western Australia said. The Canadian-born actress had been living in Australia for several years.

She first played the character, with whom 007 constantly flirted, along side Sean Connery in “Dr No” in 1962.