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7 CPN-UML ministers quit coalition govt
Mush must address parliament: Gilani
Fighting terror remains Musharraf’s priority
Pak announces bypoll schedule
Bilawal may be on Time’s list of influential people
Scarlett Murder Case
Kids from world meet in Antalya
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Gandhi’s statue to be installed in Leicester
Gurkhas protest as UK tribunal decides fate
Boy called Islam banned from French TV show
Diana investigation costs £12.5 m
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7 CPN-UML ministers quit coalition govt
After receiving serious and unexpected blow of humiliating defeat in the Constituent Assembly election, the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist and Leninist (CPN-UML), a major constituent in the ruling seven-party alliance, today pulled out of the coalition government.
In the afternoon, all seven UML members, five ministers and two ministers of state, in the coalition government tendered their resignations to the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. In their joint resignation letter, the UML leaders have said they quit the government as their party decided to honour the fresh mandate of the people that the CPN-Maoists should lead the new government. Foreign affairs minister Shahana Pradhan reached the Prime Minister's Office and handed the resignation letter signed by minister for tourism and civil aviation Prithvi Subba Gurung, minister for agriculture and cooperatives Chhabilal Biswakarma, minister for general administration Ram Chandra Yadav, minister of education and sports Pradeep Nepal, state ministers Mohan Singh Rathour and Nagendra Prasad Chaudhary, including herself. Meanwhile, Maoist leader Mohan Baidhya ‘Kiran’ said his party would lead the government. Speaking at a press meeting, he said, “People have mandated us to lead the government and there is no question to continue under Koirala’s leadership.” Earlier this morning, CPN-UML leaders, Madhav Kumar Nepal and acting general secretary Amrit Kumar Bohora, whose party has already decided to quit the coalition government, had met the Prime Minister and Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala to discuss about the further strategy. According to a UML leader, the duo leaders informed Koirala that their party would quit the government. During the meeting, both party leaders reached a decision that they would wait and see whether to join the new government to be led by the Maoists only after assessing the latter's behaviour. With the Maoists securing 117 seats, close to the simple majority, out of 240 constituencies under the first-past-the-post-system, the former rebels, Maoists, are in a leading position in the 601-seat Constituent Assembly that will formulate new government and new constitution of the country by abolishing 240-year-old monarchy. Another lawbreaker is lawmaker
Nepalese people gave another surprise result by electing a person as member of Constituent Assembly, who has been facing a murder case against him at the district court. Om Prakash Yadav (Guljari), a member of Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF), a Terai-based party, has been elected from Rupandehi constituency number 2 by defeating his nearest rival Nepali Congress leader Ram Krishna Tamrakar with a wide margin. Guljari has been blamed for his alleged involvement in the murder of Jitendra and Seshmani, two district level Young Communist League (YCL) leaders, last year, a media report said. Baban Singh, who was allegedly involved in Kathmandu bomb blast in September, has already been elected as member of the assembly.
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Mush must address parliament: Gilani
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that President Pervez Musharraf must address parliament as it is a constitutional obligation.
He said any move for impeachment of Musharraf would be decided through mutual consultation by allies in the coalition but said the coalition would not act in haste on this matter. "The President has not addressed parliament for many years though the Constitution says that it is a must for the President to do so," Gilani said in an interview to The News, his first since assuming office. He said all concerned must operate within parameters of the Constitution. "We just want to follow the Constitution in letter and spirit," he said. Gilani said the relations between the two neighbouring South Asian countries were good during the Z. A. Bhutto's time and progress was achieved during the times of Benazir Bhutto (Shahaeed) and Nawaz Sharif. Rajiv Gandhi visited Pakistan in 1988 and Vajpayee came to Pakistan in early 1999 during the Nawaz Sharif's government and he visited Minar-e-Pakistan and signed a declaration for the resolution of the core Kashmir issue through peaceful means. "We would hold dialogue with India on the basis of equality, mutual respect and honour for living as good neighbouring nations," said Gilani, adding, "the core Kashmir issue must be resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions and in line with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir." On the question of releasing nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, he said no doubt A Q Khan is a national hero who successfully carried out Pakistan's nuclear programme launched by ZAB. He, however, said that the question of releasing A Q Khan should be put to those who had arrested him. Gilani said the people of Pakistan would soon hear the "good news" in the context of judges, as the restoration of the judges or independent judiciary are the issues for which the PPP has struggled as much as any other party or community. He commended barrister Aitzaz Ahsan for leading the campaign for the restoration of the judges and proudly claimed that Ahsan belonged to the PPP. He himself was put in police lock-up for three days after a rally in Multan. Gilani said the present government believes that every body should be answerable to parliament, be it the president, the prime minister, the cabinet ministers or the bureaucracy. "The committee system would be strengthened and its proceedings would be witnessed by the media as a watchdog," he added. Gilani referred to conspiracies which are continuing against the newly elected government and noted that violent riots over power outage were instigated in his home town in Multan on Monday even though this problem is being faced in the entire country due to wrong policies of the previous government. PM for balancing power equation in govt
The coalition government wants to redress the present imbalance in powers of the Prime Minister and the President, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said. A constitutional package to remove the distortions in the basic document and the power equation among various organs of state would be introduced in parliament, Gilani told a 41-member delegation of the All-Pakistan Newspapers Society which met him here at the Prime Minister House. He said the government is committed to the independence of judiciary, media freedom, supremacy of parliament and rule of law. He said independence of the election commission would be ensured. It reflect a national humiliation when the world expresses doubts that the country is not capable of holding free, fair and transparent elections. He dispelled the impression that there is any reluctance to reinstate deposed judges. Gilani recalled that he ordered the immediate release of detained judges which reflected the intentions of the present government. The Prime Minister said despite the fact that the general elections resulted in a split mandate, four major winners decided to form a coalition representing unity of the democratic forces dedicated to fulfilling the aspirations and will of the people. Besides repealing draconian measures against electronic media, the government would also remove restrictions on the print media. The press has an important role to play in the national affairs with responsibility and commitment. He asked the All-Pakistan Newspapers Society to extend cooperation, support and guidance to the government as well as the people to face the challenges, with courage and patience.
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Fighting terror remains Musharraf’s priority
In an indication that he would continue to play a central role in national affairs in the post-election dispensation, President Pervez Musharraf has said that fighting terrorism, developing the economy and maintaining political stability are the priorities in his new term of presidency.
"The basic responsibility of any government is the security of the nation, progress and development, welfare and well-being of its people,” Musharraf, who is currently visiting China, told the China Daily in an interview. The official APP news agency quoted Musharraf as assaying that he is happy over the cooperation with China in the fight against terrorism. "Fighting terrorism has more to do with acquisition of intelligence than with action. Action is easier than acquiring the knowledge and intelligence of where the terrorist is, who the terrorist is," said the Pakistani President. He also called for strengthening communication infrastructure between China and Pakistan to bring the two neighbours closer on the economic front. He proposed that China be part of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project that will offer a short cut for China's energy supplies from the Gulf, which are now shipped along India and through the Malacca Straits. He said he suggested during his talks with Chinese president Hu Jintao in Sanya that a railway line along the Karakoram highway linking Gwadar Port with China be built. "If we can supplement this (the Karakoram highway) with a rail link, and also may be an oil and gas pipeline link; and then you take the central Asian republics with that, the whole area will open out through Pakistan to rest of the world," he said. "So my thoughts are that we should now be thinking bigger, beyond bilateral or the region." He condemned attempts to undermine the Beijing Olympics and opposed the West's "superimposition" of democratic values and human rights on China. "We condemn any attempt by anyone to undermine the process of Olympic preparations, especially the Olympic torch (relay)," he said. Musharraf, lamented attempts by some Western politicians and media to politicise the Olympics by smearing China's Tibet policy and human rights situation.
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Pak announces bypoll schedule
Islamabad, April 16 Qazi said nomination papers would be available from April 16 for the byelections and the same could be submitted till April 21. The scrutiny of papers would be conducted between April 22 and 28 while the final list of candidates was expected to be out by May 12. He said the election campaign by candidates would end on June 1. Qazi Farooq praised political parties for extending cooperation in holding the general elections in a peaceful and orderly manner. Apart from six National Assembly and 32 provincial seats that were at stake, election to five Senate seats would also be held on May 6. The president of the pro-Musharraf PML-Q, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, has announced that his party would put up candidates on all vacant seats. One of the high profile contest would be in Punjab, possibly Lahore, where PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif would be a candidate. Shahbaz has been designated as the ultimate choice of the party as Chief Minister once he crosses the hurdle and becomes an elected member of the Assembly to qualify for the coveted post. Dost Mohammad Khosa was sworn in last week as Chief Minister to stand in for Shahbaz.
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Bilawal may be on Time’s list of influential people
Islamabad, April 16 Bilawal, so far, has secured 7,875 votes and is figuring high at the 20th position on the list of top influential figures. The magazine has invited its readers to vote for personalities, including leaders, artistes, entrepreneurs and thinkers, who influence the world and deserve to be on its list that still has 207 finalists.
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Swedish experts term autopsies illegal
Stockholm, April 16 Scarlette’s bruised and semi-naked body was found on Goa’s Anjuna beach just before dawn on February 18. Initially, Goa police said the 15-year-old had drowned. However, Scarlette’s mother Fiona MacKeown accused the Goa police of malpractice and campaigned for a second post-mortem, which concluded that Scarlett had more than 50 bruises and that she had been given ecstasy, cocaine and LSD on the night she died. Police then announced she had been raped and murdered. Swedish autopsy expert Per Arne Schedin told IANS: “It is not just incredible, but absolutely illegal, the way they (Indian officials) have proceeded in their ‘modus operandi’ of obducing the poor girl’s body. During my service I have carried out more than a 100,000 autopsies in Sweden and other countries. The standard procedure is, from the most initial incision, to speak into a recorder every detail resorted to and most minutely observed. “Where electronic recording is not available, an assistant takes notes during the process, dictated by the obducent. This protocol is the vital part of the eventual investigation and its accuracy cannot be exaggerated,” said Schedin, a 35-year veteran at Sweden’s world-renowned Karolinska Hospital’s Ratts Forensiska Avdelningen (judicial forensic department). “What the Indian pathologists claim is most confounding. With present forensic advances, easily available in India, that they should find it so difficult to determine the results with greater accuracy is simply incredible. “I confine myself to the professionalism in the case and do not wish to comment on the oversight of exterior signs of violence on the body that was reported from day one of this death,” Schedin added. The Daily Mail reported on Monday that Scarlette’s mother, who had taken her body back to Britain, said some internal organs were missing. MacKeown was furious because nobody in India had sought her permission to remove Scarlette’s organs. The missing organs, said to include kidneys, uterus and stomach, were reported after British forensic scientists conducted a third autopsy on the body. Authorities in Goa said taking parts of the body for tests was a part of the post-mortem procedure, the paper reported. Schedin said: “When removal of organs is involved, if prior permission is neither possible nor feasible, those we are responsible to, mostly the police authorities, are duly informed. And any organ extracted for purposes of forensic investigation is meticulously restored into the body or, as and when required, otherwise preserved. “We followed this procedure strictly in Thailand after the horrendous tsunami. I carried out over a thousand autopsies. Even in cases in a far state of decomposition, all organs and matter extracted was duly restored or returned with the corpse.” A colleague of Schedin, who did not wish to be identified, said: “In the face of grave reports of illegal organ transactions in some countries, we are concerned that highly coveted organs of young, healthy people who have succumbed to tragedies may command tempting lures. There have been cases of Swedish deaths in India. Their mutilated bodies have been returned after apparently nonchalant autopsies. Even cases of distinct unnatural deaths have been certified as natural ones. Swedish authorities have been duly notified in every case. What steps they have then taken we do not know,” he added. — IANS
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Kids from world meet in Antalya
Antalya (Turkey), April 16 Numerous children from 38 countries including India will attend the 'April 23rd International Children's Festival' to be held by the state-run Turkish Radio & Television Corporation (TRT). The festival will be held for the 30th time this year. The festival will start in Antalya on April 17 with the marching of nearly 1,600 children, 800 of whom are foreigners. On April 21, one guest from each participant country will travel to the Turkish capital, Ankara and will be received by President Abdullah Gul, Parliament speaker Koksal Toptan, Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and director-general of TRT Ibrahim Sahin. Guest children will perform their traditional folk dances in Aspendos Ancient Theatre of Antalya on April 23. They will return to their home countries on April 25. This year's festival will host guests from Germany, the USA, Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Morocco, Palestine, Georgia, Croatia, India, Iraq, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, TRNC, Lithuania, Hungary, Macedonia, Mexico, Egypt, Moldova, Nigeria, Romania, Russia, Sene gal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Venezuela. "April 23rd Children's Festival" is a festival that Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, bestowed to Turkish children and that has been celebrated internationally since 1979. Anadolu Ajansi. — PTI
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Gandhi’s statue to be installed in Leicester
London, April 16 The 3.8-metre statue will be sculpted in bronze in Kolkata and shipped to Leicester for unveiling at a major event. The council planning committee met yesterday evening and after a presentation by officials on all aspects of the issue, the approval was given unanimously. There was no debate at the meeting on the merits of having Gandhi's statue, Lucia Chaplin, a council spokesperson told PTI. She added that as per rules, the statue will need to be installed within three years of the approval. The statue is to be located off Belgrave Road, the nerve-centre of commercial and cultural activities of people of Gujarat origin. Leicester is predicted to be Britain's first white-minority city in 12 years. Speaking after the meeting, councillor Shofiqul Chowdhury said: "It will be a proud privilege for the city of Leicester to have a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi doesn't belong to any city — he belongs to all people at all times." Councillor Hussein Suleman said: "We are a unique city and we have lot of different cultures and religions living together. What Mahatma Gandhi advocated sends out a very strong message around the city and also to the Indian subcontinent." For several months, Gandhi was pitted against local heroes such as footballer Gary Lineker and DNA inventor Sir Alec Jeffreys, and supporters and opponents of Gandhi's statue debated its merits.
— PTI
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Gurkhas protest as UK tribunal decides fate
London, April 15 Around 15 Gurkhas demonstrated, some wearing their medals, and veterans pledged their allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II before a picture of the British sovereign. The test appeal of 15 soldiers and their families at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in central London will decide whether some 2,000 Gurkhas will be allowed to settle in Britain. Gurkhas currently serving are almost automatically allowed to remain in Britain once they complete their service. But those who retired before July 1, 1997 -- when the regiment moved from Hong Kong to Britain-face the discretion of a British Entry Clearance Officer to determine whether they can stay. All the Gurkha appellants have been refused entry to Britain on the grounds that they do not have the required “close ties” which would merit an exercise of discretion. The case, scheduled to last four days, was adjourned to July 21. The hearing, before a courtroom packed with Nepalese supporters, was held in the absence of the appellants who have been refused the right to settle.
— AFP
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Boy called Islam banned from French TV show
Paris, April 16 His mother, Farah Alaouchiche, told Le Parisien newspaper that the boy had been told in the offices of Angel Productions that his name “represented a religion that was not liked in France.” The comment was made after Islam went with his parents, who have Algerian nationality, to the company’s offices in February for the final stage in a selection process to take part in a youth programme called “In ze boite” (In the box). But he was told there that he could not use his name if he wanted to be in the programme because “being called Islam if you are a boy is like a girl wearing the (Islamic) veil,” his mother told Le Parisien. The casting agents suggested Islam use “another Arab name” such as Mohammed or Sofiane. But Farah Alaouchiche refused. The family left the premises to return to their home near Paris and never heard from the company again. Angel Productions told the newspaper that “if Islam wasn’t selected, it was not because of his name, but because there were more candidates than places
available.” — AFP
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Diana investigation costs £12.5 m
London, April 16 New figures show that the bill for the inquest alone stands at £4.5 million, but this is likely to increase as the final few days are not included in the tally. After the inquest ended last week, the metropolitan police said that it had spent £ 8 million on services arising from the inquest and the operation paget investigation from 2004 to 2006. The taxpayers paid £ 1.85 million for external legal services or lawyers fees. Running costs were £ 768,000, video conferencing and special visits totalled £ 703,000, the bill for IT was £ 677,000 and staffing cost £ 234,000.
— PTI
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Pak beauty queen wants to date Mush First-borns punished more 
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