The Rawalpindi Accountability Court today acquitted Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in the last of the seven criminal and graft cases registered against him even as the PPP said it would announce of the prime ministerial candidate on March 17.

Judge Khalid Mahmud quashed the BMW case and acquitted Zardari of the charges that he imported BMW car without paying full duties. The court said the charge had not been proved. Zardari’s counsel Faroog Naek told mediapersons that his client was acquitted on merit as the BMW cases was not covered by the amnesty granted under the National Reconciliation Ordinance promulgated in October last year.

Naek said a money laundering case was still under investigation by a Swiss magistrate. He added that like other cases, this too was politically motivated.

Meanwhile, PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar told newsmen here today that the PPP would announce the names of its candidate for the office of Prime Minister on March 17. Babar said the PPP would earlier in the morning divulge the name of the candidate at the joint parliamentary parties’ meeting in which lawmakers of all coalition partners, including the PPP, the PML-N, the ANP and the JUI, would attend. The meeting has been convened shortly ahead of the inaugural session of the newly elected National Assembly.

Babar’s statement came amid intense lobbying by PPP vice-chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim to secure party's nomination. He faces strong opposition within the party while serious reservations have been voiced by the coalition partners, in particular the PML-N of Nawaz Sharif because of his close links with President Musharraf.

His detractors had accused him of attempting a schism within the party at the behest of Pervez Musharraf, who had promised to invite him to form the government with the help of PPP renegades, the PML-Q, the MQM and independents. Fahim had denied the allegations.

Fahim had met Zardari twice during the past three days but conducted a concerted media campaign complaining that his party had not defended him in the media campaign vilifying him. He said he was a strong candidate and deserved to be invited as president of the parliamentary party of the PPP under which the party was registered and contested elections.

Today, Fahim tried to meet ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, apparently to enlist support of other coalition partners. Khan regretted because of his preoccupation. Later, Fahim met JUI chief Maulana Fazlurf Rehman, who secured a prior approval from Zardari for the meeting. Afterwards talking to reporters, Fazl said his party would not interfere in international affairs of the PPP and accept whosoever it names as Prime Minister.

“We will not be party to any attempt at dividing the PPP which would be disastrous under existing circumstances,” he said. Fahim said he was not seeking a division within the PPP. He said he was the strongest candidate for the Prime Minister’s slot but would withdraw in favour of Asif Zardari if he offers himself for the job.

Beijing, March 14
Several shops and vehicles were set on fire and an unspecified number of people injured in violence in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, which has witnessed days of protest by Buddhist monks against the Chinese rule.

Quoting witnesses, China’s official Xinhua news agency said several shops along the two main streets and around Jokhang Temple, Ramogia Monastery and Chomsigkang Market were set ablaze.

An unspecified number of people were injured in the violence and they had been hospitalised, it said. Several vehicles were also torched.

All shops in the vicinity of the Jokhang Temple and Ramogia Monastery shut down business, the report said. Lhasa has been witnessing protests by the Tibetan monks, which erupted on the 49th anniversary of a failed uprising against Beijing’s rule.

Chinese foreign ministry yesterday said situation in Lhasa had stabilised after attempts by some monks to create disturbances. China has accused the “Dalai (Lama) group” of attempting to sow unrest in Tibet. — PTI

Silicon Valley, March 14
In one of the largest personal injury verdicts in the US, an Indian-American man has been awarded a whopping $40.1 million (Rs 160 crore) as compensation after a malfunctioning machine burnt his heart, forcing him to go for a transplant.

Lawyers for Paramjit Singh (54) had asked for up to $38 million in damages.

Paramjit Singh had checked into Providence Everett Medical Centre in October 2004 for cardiac surgery. However, a monitor malfunctioned, causing a catheter to overheat and burn his heart, his lawyer said in a statement.

Edwards Lifesciences, which manufactured the monitor, blamed Providence for using a damaged cable.

The jury ordered Edwards to pay 99.99 per cent of the damages to Paramjit Singh and his family while Providence would pay the remaining.

The decision came after five weeks of testimony and argument.

He was suffering from other health problems as a result of the injury and was forced to take anti-rejection drugs after the heart transplant, lawyers were quoted as saying by Heraldnet.com.

The award included $8.35 million in punitive damages. Edwards Lifesciences claimed that the award of punitive damages would not withstand the scrutiny of the higher court. Edwards also was ordered to pay Providence $310,000 for breach of contract and fraud.— PTI

Washington, March 14
The Indian owner of an international electronics company today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to illegally export restricted components from the US to Indian government entities involved in space programme and production of missiles and fighter jets.

Parthasarathy Sudarsan (47) CEO of Cirrus Electronics, entered his guilty plea in US District Court, Columbia, to the felony charge of conspiracy to violate various laws.

A resident of South Carolina, Sudarshan supplied microprocessors and other electronic components to Indian agencies including the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and Bharat Dynamics Ltd., which was involved in development and production of ballistic missiles, between 2002 and 2006, the US Department of Justice claimed. — PTI