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Maoists invited to form govt in Nepal
Zardari unveils plan to drive out Mush
Pak foreign and law ministers to meet UN Secy-Gen
Bugti released from jail
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Maoists invited to form govt in Nepal
Nepal’s Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Sunday formally called on the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist that emerged as the largest party in the constituent assembly elections to form the new government.
According to Nepali Congress vice-president and minister for peace and reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel, during a meeting of the leaders of the Maoists, the Congress and the CPN-UML at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwater this morning, Koirala called on Maoist chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal, alias Prachanda, to take initiative to form the new “consensus” government in accordance with the constitutional provision. At a time, when the Maoist leaders, including Prachanda himself, were urging Koirala to step down immediately and pave the way for the new government under the Maoist leadership as it was the largest party, Koirala hinted that he was ready to hand over power to the Maoists at the first meeting of the constituent assembly. Poudel also said that Prachanda was expected to present his concept paper regarding the formation of the new government at the next meeting of the Maoists, the Congress and the UML slated for Monday morning. Surprisingly, the former rebels, who had joined the mainstream politics signing the Comprehensive Peace Accord in November 2006, had become the largest party in the April 10 election by securing 220 seats out of the 575-member elected in the assembly. The parties are set to declare abolition of monarchy and declare Nepal a federal democratic republic on May 28, the date set for the first meeting of the constituent assembly.
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Zardari unveils plan to drive out Mush
The Constitution Reform Package being introduced by the PPP will transfer key powers of the President to the Prime Minister, including appointment of services chiefs and governors besides annulling the authority to dismiss the assembly, PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari told a news conference here on Saturday.
Zardari talked to reporters after the PPP central executive committee (CEC) deliberated and endorsed the package and authorize Zardari to discuss it with other coalition parties before introducing it in the Parliament. Responding to a question on impeachment of President Musharraf, Zardari said: “We do not accept him as a constitutionally elected president but would like to walk him out instead of impeaching.” He conceded that Musharraf was hatching conspiracies against the democratic order through the ISI. He said the agency was constitutionally under the Prime Minister cannot be allowed to indulge in activities against the government. The 62-point package covers a wide spectrum of constitutional issues including powers of the president, the judiciary, punishing any adventurer who subverts the constitution or the judges who validate that, allowing objective criticism of the army or the judiciary, ending restriction on two time prime ministers to seek a third term, redefining qualifications for contesting presidential or assembly elections and appointment of chief election commissioner. Zardari evaded a question about curtailment of tenure of chief justices to three years that would ease out the deposed chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry in June. He also avoided direct response to the suggestion that the PPP is imposing the Dogar court that has validated every illegal and unconstitutional action of Musharraf. He, however, said the PPP has no difference with the lawyers on the restoration of deposed judges but wants it through legal and constitutional means. Law minister Farooq Naek kept a discreet silence on the point the package proposes amendments in the document that includes all the amendments made by Musharraf in the constitution after imposition of emergency on November 3 last. President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and prominent PPP leader Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan also attended the meeting and expressed his reservations regarding amendments on the judiciary. When a questioner pointed out that the coalition does not enjoy requisite majority in the Senate for adoption of the packet, Zardari said every effort would be made to enlist support of opposition senators as well.
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Pak foreign and law ministers to meet UN Secy-Gen
Foreign minister Shah Mehmud Qureshi and law minister Farooq H Naek would go to New York next month to meet the UN Secretary-General and formally ask him to establish an international commission to probe into the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. “We want the truth to come forward. The ministries of law, foreign affairs and interior have outlined a draft and the formal request is now finalised. We will also take our friends at the UN and those in the Security Council into confidence over the matter so that they can advise us how to unmask the murders,” Qureshi told a media briefing at the Foreign Office together with Farooq Naek. To a volley of questions, while the law minister did manage to successfully confuse the issue as far as the terms of reference were concerned, the foreign minister held out an assurance that in no way would Pakistan's interests, sovereignty and dignity be harmed. When asked if there were chances of conducting the post mortem of the body, Naek said this was not necessary. “There is an international element involved in this murder but we do not know who it is. What we would like to know is who is the murderer, the financier and the conspirator behind the killing.” “Asif Zardari had written to the UN for the formation of a commission but he was told that only a state could put forth such a request. However, caretaker prime minister Muhammadmian Soomro did not do so. Next month we would go to the UN and exchange ideas with permanent members of the Security Council, so a commission could be constituted,” explained Naek. He also pointed to the fact that Baitullah Mehsud, who has links with Al-Qaida, has also been named in the murder.
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Bugti released from jail
Shah Zain Bugti, the grandson of Nawab Akbar Bugti, was released from jail in Bolan district after the Balochistan government withdrew all cases against him.
The provincial chief minister Aslam Rasiani ordered release of Bugti as part of the PPP government’s pledge to end military operation in the province and release Baloch nationalist leaders and activists. Former chief minister Akhtar Mengal was freed from Karachi jail last week. Balochistan home minister Mir Zafar Zehri went to the Mach Central Jail to welcome him. Shahzain “disappeared” in May 2007 and it was announced in June that he had been detained. A procession of leaders and workers of the Jamhoori Watan Party brought him to the Bugti House in Quetta. Talking to newsmen, the home minister said the provincial government wanted to release all political detainees.
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Ex-ISI chief for probe into Kargil War UN head visits China Fishermen protest 
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