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China’s first lunar probe launched
‘Musharraf should accept SC verdict’
Bhutto writes to Mush, names four suspects |
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PML rejects Bhutto nominee as interim PM Head of Bhutto suicide attack probe removed
Police raid on Bhutto aide’s house
Pak poll panel approves code of conduct
India for ‘zero-tolerance’ towards terrorism LTTE can contest elections under new legislation Australia imposes sanctions on Myanmar leaders
Sanctions on Myanmar opposed
Nepal poll by mid-April, says minister
Golden Koran sold for £ 1.1 m
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China’s first lunar probe launched
Xichang (China), October 24 The Chang’e One orbiter lifted off from the southwestern province of Sichuan at 10.05 am GMT. Barring technical failure, it will reach its lunar orbit on November 5 and spend more than a year scanning the lunar surface in preparation for an unmanned moon vehicle planned for 2012 and a manned landing in future decades. Chinese television broadcast the event more or less live, and senior leaders were present to witness
the country’s latest feat in space. A Beijing control centre called the launch a “complete success”, the Xinhua news agency reported. A torrent of state media reports has celebrated Chang’e One, named after a mythical Chinese goddess who flew to the moon, as visible proof of the country’s growing strength. “Without a doubt, the launch of the Chang’e One will again show the world that Chinese people have the willpower, confidence and ability to constantly scale the heights of
science and technology,” said a commentator on the Sina Web site. The patriotic swell was echoed by thousands of space enthusiasts, tourists and reporters from across the country who crowded slopes and viewing platforms near the small city to watch the launch, cheering as the rocket disappeared into the clouds leaving a ribbon of smoke. “China will not be involved in a moon race with any other country and in any form”, the chief commander of the orbiter project, Luan Enjie, told Xinhua news agency on Wednesday. But officials have also left little doubt they want to show the world that their country’s capacity for developing homegrown technology is rising along with its economy. — Reuters
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‘Musharraf should accept SC verdict’
Expressing serious concern over statements by senior government officials, the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged President Gen. Musharraf to make an unambiguous declaration that he would accept the Supreme Court verdict on petitions challenging legality of his election on October 6.
The Pakistani government should end attempts to intimidate the country’s Supreme Court as it hears legal challenges to General Pervez Musharraf’s controversial October 6 re-election, HRW said in a statement also released here. “Musharraf seems to be giving the Pakistani people an impossible choice: ‘democracy’ if he succeeds in his bid to stay in power or martial law if the judiciary tries to prevent him from remaining in office. After eight years of military rule, Pakistan needs legitimate parliamentary and presidential elections to get back on the path to genuine democratic rule” the statement said It noted that the government ministers have repeatedly said should the Supreme Court rule Musharraf’s election illegal, the military could suspend the constitution, impose martial law and fire the judges. On October 16, a day before the Supreme Court resumed hearings into the case, parliamentary affairs minister Sher Afgan Khan Niazi stated, “The imposition of martial law can’t be ruled out if the Supreme Court decides that President Musharraf’s re-election is invalid.” “Musharraf should publicly state that he will accept the decision of the Supreme Court and withdraw the threat of martial law,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The government is attempting to frighten the judiciary into submission and is holding Pakistan, its constitution and its people hostage to Musharraf’s desire to cling to power.” Under the Pakistani constitution, a candidate for president cannot run for office until two years after retirement from a military position. Musharraf is presently the head of Pakistan’s army.
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Bhutto writes to Mush, names four suspects Islamabad, October 24 In the letter written on October 16, two days before she returned to Pakistan from eight years in self-exile, Bhutto said she feared there was a threat to her life from Elahi, Gul, Hassan Waseem Afzal, the former Deputy Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and Intelligence Bureau chief Brig (Retd) Ijaz Shah, Geo TV reported. At a press conference held hours after the suicide attack on her motorcade in Karachi on Thursday night that left nearly 140 people dead, Bhutto had, however, said she had named three persons in the letter. She had indicated that there were also other officials who posed a threat to her life as, she claimed, they were abusing their powers and positions. Bhutto, who also referred to three persons posing a threat to her life in a complaint she submitted to police in Karachi, has so far not publicly named these persons. In her complaint, Bhutto only said that police should take action against “those whose names were given to Musharraf”. The government has so far been silent on her allegations though Musharraf’s spokesman defended the IB chief’s integrity and reputation and said there was no move to sack Shah. Some media reports had earlier suggested that Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim was also named in Bhutto’s letter. Afzal, who played a key role in probing graft charges against Bhutto and was removed from his post in the NAB due to pressure from her PPP party, is currently serving as Secretary to Punjab Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Khalid Maqbool. — PTI
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PML rejects Bhutto nominee as interim PM In a startling statement the ruling PML chief said today that his party was willing to align with Nawaz Sharif faction of the PML (PML-N) to frustrate Benazir Bhutto’s bid to become prime minister. Talking to reporters after presiding over a top level meeting of the party on the occasion of receipt of application for party tickets here, Shujaat also questioned the validity of current parleys by Bhutto aides with the Presidency and intelligence agencies for the establishment of interim government. He said the PML will not accept a Bhutto nominee as interim prime minister. “All political parties must be consulted in the formation of the interim government to ensure free, fair and transparent elections, "Shujaat said adding, “The secret agencies have no business to discuss composition of caretaker government with PPP team because they are not going to determine the issue,” he said apparently alluding to yesterday’s meeting between Bhutto’s close aide Rehman Malik with Inter Services Intelligence (v) chief, Gen Nadim Taj. Malik confirmed to the media that talks with the Presidency on caretaker government had progressed to a decisive level. An announcement may be made any time, he added amid media reports that names of PPP’s Makhdoom Amin Fahim, former State Bank governor Dr Ishrat Hussain and Musharraf’s national security adviser and main trouble shooter are in the race for the post of interim premier. The PML-N today rejected these names and said all political parties must be consulted for a consensus name. The PML president said Bhutto has vitiated atmosphere of political reconciliation initiated by President Musharraf with full cooperation by the ruling coalition. She has started a vilification campaign against Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi by falsely implicating him and others in the Karachi blasts.
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Head of Bhutto suicide attack probe removed
Islamabad, October 24 DIG (investigation) Manzoor Mughal has applied for leave and will no longer be handling the probe, Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema told a news briefing here today. Bhutto and PPP had been demanding that Mughal be removed alleging he was present when the former Prime Minister’s husband Asif Ali Zardari was tortured in police custody in 1999 after being arrested on graft charges. Cheema also said the probe into the blasts was proceeding in the right direction and several clues had been uncovered by investigators. He did not give details. The PPP, however, was not placated by the government's move and threatened it would approach the courts if the government did not order an “independent and impartial” investigation and rope in foreign experts.
— PTI
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Police raid on Bhutto aide’s house
Karachi, October 24 Zulfiqar Mirza, a close friend of Bhutto's husband Asif Ali
Zardari, accompanied the former Prime Minister on her return from eight years of self-imposed exile last week, and has been involved in
co-ordinating her security. Bhutto's movements have been restricted in the aftermath of a suicide attack on her last Friday. While Bhutto and President Pervez Musharraf have begun a rapprochement as part of a planned transition to civilian-led democracy, the opposition leader has plenty of enemies among Musharraf's political allies. Pakistan People's Party officials said the police action was politically motivated. ''The police is victimising those in charge of Benazir Bhutto's security, so that they go underground and can't protect her, and thereby restrict her movement,'' Jameel
Soomro, the party's media coordinator, said. — Reuters
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Pak poll panel approves code of conduct
Islamabad, October 24 The Election Commission took up a draft of the code prepared by the government in the wake of the suicide attack on former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s homecoming procession in Karachi on Thursday night that killed nearly 140 people and injured hundreds more. The code of conduct will now be circulated among political parties to obtain their views, Dawn News channel quoted officials as saying. Asked about reports that a ban on rallies was likely to have been part of the code, Election Commission secretary Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad told newsmen that “this is up to the political parties. They should suggest and then the EC will decide on their suggestions.” The ruling PML-Q is in favour of a ban on rallies and holding of public meetings only at the specified places. The general election in Pakistan is scheduled in the first half of January next year.
— PTI
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India for ‘zero-tolerance’ towards terrorism
Harbin (China), October 24 "Under no circumstances Taliban should be allowed to take control in any area," external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters at a joint press conference at the end of the third trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of India, China and Russia here in north-east China. He said the meeting dwelt on the Afghanistan issue and noted that the peace process in Afghanistan should be expedited and all stakeholders should be engaged. Mukherjee said they discussed and reached agreement that there should be a comprehensive mechanism to tackle the problem of terrorism. "Terrorism is a regular agenda item in our meetings," the minister said. He said the international community should exercise "zero-tolerance" towards any terrorist actions. The three foreign ministers reiterated their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. "No act of terrorism can be compartmentalised, and there can be no justification for terrorism on any ground," Mukherjee, Yang and Lavrov said in a joint communique. "It is imperative for the international community to come together to combat terrorism in a long-term, sustained and comprehensive manner," it said. — PTI
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LTTE can contest elections under new legislation Colombo, October 24 The Local Government (Special Provisions) Act incorporating an amendment to this effect was passed by a huge majority yesterday with 66 voting in favour and 12 against the law. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister for Highways and Road Development, speaking on the debate, stated that nominations for elections for over 30 local government institutions forwarded had to be cancelled and provision made for those displaced to cast their votes at some other polling booths. By cancelling the existing nominations, the Election Commissioner gets an opportunity to register new parties. By this the Karuna faction or the LTTE or any other party can seek registration and contest elections, the official Sri Lankan government website said, adding they can enter the democratic process. The Supreme Court has given its nod to the act as it is in keeping with the constitution of Sri Lanka, it said. Since this provision was not in the earlier Act, an amendment had become necessary. The eastern region, faced with similar circumstances, was now ready for the local government election, the website said. — PTI
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Australia imposes sanctions on Myanmar leaders Canberra, October 24 Foreign minister Alexander Downer said the measures, in response to last month’s bloody crackdown on the biggest democracy protests in two decades, would hit 418 persons, including junta leader Senior General Than Shwe. “These new measures are designed to put further pressure on the regime and its supporters while avoiding harm to the people of Burma,” Downer said in a statement. Mirroring tough restrictions imposed by the USA, the sanctions are a rare example of a government in Asia taking concrete action against the junta, which has so far only come under verbal pressure from its regional neighbours. However, the marking of 12 cumulative years in custody for Nobel laureate Suu Kyi gave an added twist to street protests against the generals as UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari started the Chinese leg of a regional tour. Twelve white-robed protesters in Suu Kyi masks stood outside the Chinese embassy in Bangkok, trying to force Beijing in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics to nudge its wayward southern neighbour and friend towards reform. Protests at 12 noon local time were planned for 12 cities - London, Paris, Berlin, Dublin, Vienna, Sydney, Washington, Toronto, New York, Brasilia, Bangkok and Cape Town. Suu Kyi, 62, won the Nobel Peace Prize while under house arrest in 1991, a year after her National League for Democracy (NLD) won an election landslide only to be denied power by the army that has ruled unchecked since a 1962 coup. Six female fellow peace laureates called on the world not to ease up on the junta after its crackdown on huge pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist monks. State media said 10 persons died, although Western governments say the toll is probably far higher. — Reuters
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Sanctions on Myanmar opposed
Harbin (China), October 24 “We believe that the initiative taken by the UN Secretary General (Ban-Ki Moon) to open dialogue amongst the various stakeholders in Myanmar should be encouraged,” external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee said at a joint press conference after the end of the third stand alone meeting of Foreign Ministers of India, China and Russia here. Mukherjee said India has also suggested that the process of political reform and national reconciliation should be expedited on a broad base and equally among all stakeholders. Ultimately, the issue of Myanmar should be resolved by the Myanmarese government and the country's people, Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi said. “We support the efforts of the UN Secretary General and his special envoy as well as the constructive role of ASEAN countries in this regard,” Yang
said. — PTI
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Nepal poll by mid-April, says minister
Kathmandu, October 24 Peace and reconstruction minister Ram Chandra Poudel said the Maoists were trying to hold the country hostage by putting up hurdles at a time when the objective of a federal democratic republic was near, adding that their threat to break the seven-party alliance would not benefit the party. “This is not the time to threaten and take the matters as a game. Maoists should take matters seriously,” Poudel said.
— UNI
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London, October 24 The volume, which is signed Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Umar, set a world record for the sale of a Koran and for an Islamic manuscript. “Written in 1203 AD entirely in gold, with marginal notes in silver, it is the earliest known complete, dated Koran, written in gold in the world,” a spokesman for Christie’s, where the sale took place, said. The holy book, which had been expected to fetch between £ 250,000 and £ 350,000, was sold as part of an auction of art from the Islamic and Indian world that fetched a total of £ 5.9 million. — PTI
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