Even as the MQM chief Altaf Hussain appealed to PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to stay in the ruling coalition, a senior leader of the party has said it could join the government to fill the vacuum if needed.

“We can be coalition partners at the Centre,” Haider Abbas Rizvi was quoted by Daily Times as telling the paper. But he hastened to add that his party did not want the PML-N to part ways with the PPP.

Altaf Hussain, while talking to a private TV channel from London, said the PML-N should continuously engage in dialogue to ensure a resolution of the judges’ issue in a democratic way. He was confident that the matter could be resolved in a spirit of give and take on both sides. He said the country was facing a number of internal and external threats and a visionary approach was required.

Altaf had a lengthy session with PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari in London last week in which both resolved to cooperate for strengthening democratic process in the country. Media reports had speculated that Zardari might try to persuade Nawaz Sharif to meet Altaf.

The MQM chief had earlier stated he was prepared to reach out to Sharif for reconciliation but the meeting did not materialise. Sharif had opposed MQM joining the coalition at the Centre holding it responsible for May 12 massacre in Karachi and consistent support to President Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorial policies.

The All-Parties Conference in its declaration in London last July had pledged not to enter into any coalition with the MQM until it leaves its violent methods. The PPP had also signed the declaration.

Asif Zardari told a private TV last night that there was no decision as yet to affiliate the MQM in the federal cabinet and referred to Sharif’s opposition as hitherto a major obstacle in that. But he did not rule out a review of that position in the changed circumstances.

But another coalition partner, the Awami National Party (ANP), again vehemently opposed MQM’s entry into the federal cabinet. Sen. Haji Adeel, a senior leader of the party, said on Tuesday that it had accepted MQM’s association in Sindh government despite serious reservations. However, its admission in the coalition at the Centre was unacceptable, he added.

Nine PML-N ministers on Tuesday submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, but PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari has asked the Prime Minister not to accept them.

However, a resignation by a federal minister is sent to the President for approval, but the PML-N does not have any direct communication with President Musharraf, as it recognises him as an illegally elected President.

The Prime Minister can also forward these resignations to the President for approval.

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif announced on Monday that the central committee and parliamentary party of the PML-N had decided to quit the Gilani government, but vowed not to sit in the opposition “for the time being”.

He said the PML-N would extend support to the government on issue-by-issue basis and did nothing to destabilise the democratic process.

Nawaz cited continued deadlock in talks with Zardari on the question of restoration of judges and vowed to support the movement by lawyers and civil society.

According to political observers, it would put him in confrontational mode with the PPP government, spelling a period of uncertainty and turmoil in the country.

Zardari said his differences with Nawaz Sharif were not of serious nature. But, he said, Nawaz Sharif wanted to oust Musharraf through impeachment for which the requisite two-third majority was not available to the coalition. The move at this time would lead to confrontation and he wanted to avoid it till Parliament was strengthened.

Talking to a private TV channel, Zardari said he would call a party meeting after his return from London and would persuade the PML-N to resume talks. Geo News reported him as saying that the PPP would not bring new ministers in place of the resigning PML-N ministers and would wait for them to return to the Cabinet.

But, Zardari said he would announce a new finance minister tomorrow because of the looming budget.

He welcomed Sharif’s announcement of contesting the byelection to the National Assembly set for June 26. He said the PPP would not field a candidate against Sharif.

He added that his party would not form a coalition government with the PML-Q and the PML-N government in Punjab would not be destabilised.

PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Zardari was expected to return from London on Wednesday.

Babar said Zardari met British foreign secretary Milliband on Monday and discussed “matters of mutual interest”, but could not confirm that the collapse of the coalition also figured. 

Bangladesh will hold its stalled elections in the third week of December after being ruled for nearly two years by a military-backed government, the country's interim head said on Monday.

In a nationally televised address late on Monday night, the interim government's head, chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, laid out plans to hold elections in December and start talks with political parties by May 22.

"Elections will be held in the third week of December and the dawn of the new year shall greet an elected government," said Ahmed, later adding, "this will dispel any misgivings among the political parties about the time- frame of the election."

Ahmed said political parties would also be allowed to meet indoors from Tuesday to finish their intra-party democratic reforms and start preparing for the upcoming elections. But they would not be allowed to hold any activities outdoors.

A political ban has been imposed since the government took over, backed by the military, on January 11 last year and declared a state of emergency.The interim administration has pushed for political reforms to facilitate the end of the control of the Sheikh and Zia families in the two major political parties - the Awami League and the BNP, respectively.

A day after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s call for the first meeting that will declare the country a republic state by abolishing monarchy, Maoist chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda on Tuesday revealed that he has sent a message to King Gyanendra to evacuate the Narayanhity Royal Palace by May 27.

Talking to journalists in Ilam district, in eastern Nepal, Prachanda, who has become the leader of largest party in 601-member Constituent Assembly, said he has sent such message to the king before the first meeting of the Assembly abolishes monarchy formally.

He also warned that the king could face forceful expulsion from the Palace if he refused to evacuate voluntarily.

“The first Assembly meeting will declare the country a republic by ending the 240-year-old monarchy that represents feudalism in Nepal,” he said. “If King Gyanendra cooperates with the political process he will be given the rights enjoyed by ordinary citizens,” he added.

On Monday, Kamal Thapa, former minister and chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal, a pro-palace party, had said while meeting with Prachanda and other political leaders he had suggested them to retain the monarchy unless the new constitution is formulated.

Thapa, who had served as home minister and played a key role to suppress the April Uprising in 2006 during the direct rule of King Gyanendra, also warned that the country would meet serious consequences if the political parties take hasty decision of abolishing centuries-old institution.

However, he did not elaborate on what kind of consequences that would be.

Meanwhile, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Maoist-second-in-command, sought resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala with immediate effect.

Speaking at a program in Pokhara in western Nepal, senior Maoist leader Bhattarai said Koirala should resign from the post and clear the way to form a new government under the Maoist leadership as per the mandate of the people expressed in April 10 polls.

He also added that his party would try to integrate all political parties in the new government to be formed under the Maoist leadership. “But if Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, the second and third largest parties in the Assembly that have already decided not to join the Maoist-led government, refuse to join the government, our party will form a single party government,” Bhattarai said.

Washington, May 13
Israeli President Shimon Peres said, in an interview published yesterday, that reaching a formal comprehensive peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians would be "extremely difficult" right now because of the "emotional" nature of unresolved disputes.

"In the political negotiations, the gaps are not very great, but they are highly emotional," Peres told The Washington Post."It will be extremely difficult to put them on paper because each party looks to its own audience and will be very careful not to appear as losers." The Israeli leader argued the unresolved issues were of varying complexity and suggested resolving them one by one rather than as part of an overall, all-encompassing deal.

"We cannot compare, for example, the issue of Jerusalem with the issue of borders," Peres said. "If we can agree on borders, let's agree. If we can agree on refugees, let's agree. It will take time." The comments came as US President George W Bush visits West Asia this week, where his efforts to forge Israeli-Palestinian peace face growing scepticism with less than nine months left in his term. — AFP

Melbourne, May 13
The Indian student working as a taxi driver, who was brutally stabbed and left bleeding on the roadside here, has made a "miraculous" recovery and was released from the hospital after being kept in induced comma for nearly a week.

The 23-year-old Jalvinder Singh was released yesterday from the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where he was being treated after being brutally stabbed and left to bleed on April 29.He was kept in an induced coma for nearly a week by the medical team which feared if left unconscious for several hours, his brain injuries would be too severe.

"On paper, he had no prospects of survival but not only has he survived, but also he will make a full and complete recovery. On Sunday, we reversed the sedation and he woke up normal. It's remarkable, so therein, I think, lies the miracle of what's happened," Cardiothoracic Surgeon Alistair Royse was quoted as saying in The Age today.

Royse said he was amazed Singh survived the attack, in which a knife wound on his chest went through his breast bone but luckily missed his heart by a centimetre.

"Another went through his rib, penetrating his lung and causing five litres of blood to bleed into his chest making it difficult to breathe causing a loss of consciousness", he said.

When doctors opened up Singh's chest to assess his injuries, his heart stopped, forcing them to perform open heart massage for about 15 minutes and putting him in coma.

"I am very glad I was treated here by the doctors and staff who have given me a new lease of life," Singh said, adding he was looking forward to resuming his studies and had not ruled out driving taxis again.

Singh said he had spoken to his mother in India only once since the attack but told her he was fine. —PTI

London, May 13
All set on becoming Britain’s first Asian woman Lord Mayor in Leicester on May 15, Manjula Sood today said she was proud of her Indian identity and values.

Speaking to PTI, Sood, who was born and raised in Ludhiana, said it was a great honour for her to be selected for the position and would do her best to serve the multicultural city that had a large number of people of Indian origin.

She said she would wear a sari for the historic occasion.“I came here in 1970 and since then as a teacher and in other roles I have always taught people the Indian values of respect and understanding towards fellow human beings. I will be Lord Mayor for the whole city and will always respect all faiths,” she said.

As Leicester’s first citizen, the Lord Mayor has a high profile role in maintaining and promoting the interests of the city and its people. Her term in office at the Leicester City Council will be for one year. This year will mark the 800th anniversary of the Lord Mayor’s office in Leicester. — PTI

London, May 13
Canadian biochemist Joseph Hulse, who received the Padma Shri at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi last week, has been mugged in Manchester where he had stopped on way back home to attend a school anniversary dinner.

Hulse ( 85), one of the world's leading experts in biotechnology, had withdrawn £ 2,000 from a bank in Manchester's busy St Ann's Square when two men grabbed his jacket and fled with the cash.

Hulse, who was born in Manchester, was in the city to attend the 75th anniversary of his alma mater, the Audenshaw Grammar School.

A distraught Hulse told the local media that he went into St Ann's Church after withdrawing the cash from the bank.He had put the money in his jacket pocket.

As he walked out of the church two men claimed he had something on his jacket that needed cleaning, pulled it from his back, threw it on the floor and ran off. 
— PTI

BRIEFLY

US police deaths climb sharply: FBI
WASHINGTON: The number of US police officers killed criminally or accidentally last year climbed by around 20 per cent compared to the previous year, preliminary data released by the FBI showed.Fiftyseven police officers were killed feloniously in the line of duty in 2007, up from 48 the previous year, the report released on Monday said.Most of the officers were shot; two were killed with vehicles.Sixteen were ambushed, 16 died while arresting a suspect, and 11 were killed while handling a traffic incident. — AFP

Ahluwalia to get 'Doctor of Civil Law'
London: Deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia will be conferred the honorary degree of 'Doctor of Civil Law' at the University of Oxford. Ahluwalia, who is among six experts from various fields to be honoured by the university this year, will be conferred the degree on June 18.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who studied for a DPhil at Nuffied College, Oxford, was conferred the 'Doctor of Civil Law' by the university in July, 2005. — PTI

UK not to screen 'The Love Guru'
NEW YORK: The British Film Institute (BFI) has assured Hindu groups in the USA that it would not screen or release the upcoming Hollywood film, "The Love Guru," which allegedly hurt their religious sentiments.In response to a letter written by the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, the BFI said it would not screen the film until the necessary changes were made to its content, Hindu groups said. — PTI

6 killed in pile-up
ISLAMABAD: Around 25 speeding vehicles crashed in a row near the Sheikhupura interchange on the Islamabad-Lahore motorway, killing at least six persons and leaving over 30 injured. Punjab Governor’s sister and brother-in-law were also among the dead. — TNS