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HC Ban on Sharif
Zardari for autonomous Kashmir
7 killed in Pak blast
UK daily pays tributes to Sam Bahadur
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US plan to launch military operations in Pak held up
Anwar leaves Turkish embassy
Madhesi parties block Prachanda’s bid to form govt
Smoking ban to save 40,000 lives over next 10 yrs
27 rebels, two soldiers killed in Lanka clashes
8 militants killed in Afghanistan
Common stakes in future guide ties with China
Boucher holds talks with Pak PM
‘Swear words can get you marks if spelt right’
‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ voted best British movie
Seven die as copters collide over Arizona
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HC Ban on Sharif
A three-member Bench of the Supreme Court today adjourned for two weeks the hearing in the petition against the Lahore High Court ruling disqualifying former Prime Minister and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif from contesting election.
The court responded to a request from Deputy Attorney-General Raja Abdul Rehman for a long adjournment provoking allegation by senior advocate Shaikh Akram, the counsel for the proposer of Nawaz Sharif, that the federal government was deliberately prolonging the issue. The court received a detailed rejoinder from the petitioner Khurram Shah on who request the high court had ruled against Sharif. Shah’s counsel Raza Qasuri objected to the petition filed by the federal government against the high court verdict. He said the federation could not become a party in the case of an individual. Raja Abdul Rehman said he had not received the rejoinder in advance. The court asked Qasuri as to how long would he allow the DAG to respond to his objections, he said it should not take more than 48 hours. But Raja Abdul Rehman said he would need about two weeks to examine these objections at which the court adjourned the case till July 14. Shaikh Akram, counsel for the proposer of Sharif, told reporters that he was intrigued by the long adjournment sought by the federal government. He said the people had protested against the high court’s verdict and wanted an early byelection. But the adjournment sought by Rehman gave an impression that the federal government wanted to drag the case indefinitely. Raja defended his position. He said he had tried to plead before the court that the Lahore High Court had no jurisdiction to hear an election petition before the polls. The case has already caused considerable strain between the two major coalition partners, the PML-N of Nawaz Sharif and the PPP of Asif Zardari. The PML-N believes that Asif’s refusal to honour the Bhurban accord on the reinstatement of deposed judges have created many complications and that Sharif’s disqualification was the outcome of this refusal. Though Zardari was quoted by PPP sources as having regretted the high court decision, he left the country for a weeklong foreign trip without even calling Sharif on telephone. Raja Rehman said he had impressed upon the Supreme Court to respect the popular sentiments that had resented the disqualification of
Sharif.
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Zardari for autonomous Kashmir
PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has called for viable peace in Kashmir and said India-Pakistan relations should be “creatively rediscovered”.
Zardari supported the proposal for an autonomous Kashmir running much of its own affairs and backed Indian premier Manmohan Singh’s concept in this context. The PPP co-chairman delivered a written speech at an international conference in London on “India and Pakistan-Designing a New Future” at an international conference in London. The text of the speech was released by the PPP central secretariat in Islamabad. Zardari’s stance on Kashmir was immediately repudiated by Jamaat-e-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed, who described it as a total U-turn on Pakistan’s traditional position on Kashmir. He said former Prime Minister Z.A. Bhutto was the architect of country’s principled policy that the people of Kashmir be given the right to determine their future. Asif Zardari welcomed the India-Pakistan dialogue undertaken some years ago to open borders, trade and travel. He said the PPP did not reject the peace process because “the future happiness of the people of South Asia was too important to be lost in an internal political battle in Pakistan”. “The coalition partners in Pakistan had signed a charter of democracy that commits both our parties to friendship and peace with India.” He said Pakistan and India had nearly come to war in 1999 in Siachen and there was a serious threat to peace from militants and terrorists. He said the PPP welcomed as a positive step forward the decision by India and Pakistan to cooperate in anti-terrorism efforts and to share information in this regard. He said the challenge was to deal with militants and extremists so that they could not hold foreign policies of the two countries hostage to their acts of terrorism. He said curbing terrorism in tribal areas was a priority for the people of Pakistan and the government. He said the PPP had been consistent in advocating that peace and stability was critical to the wellbeing of the over one billion people of the region.
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7 killed in Pak blast
Peshawar, June 30 But the cause of blast was not clear. A militant chief said he believed a missile caused the blast but a government official in the region said explosives stored at the house in the town of Bara went off accidentally. “There was no rocket attack, it’s not related to the ongoing operation. The blast was caused by explosives that were lying there,” said the senior political official, who declined to be identified. Security forces launched an offensive in Khyber, on the country’s northwestern border with Afghanistan, on Saturday to push back Taliban militants who have been moving towards Peshawar, raising fears for the city’s security. Troops backed by armoured vehicles and helicopters met virtually no resistance when they moved in and secured Bara, about 15 km southwest of Peshawar. Troops destroyed several militant compounds as well as an FM radio station and an interrogation centre, officials said. The offensive is the first major military action a new government has launched since it took power after February elections, and comes after growing alarm about the spread of militants in the northwest.
— Reuters
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UK daily pays tributes to Sam Bahadur
London, June 30 In an obituary, The Guardian said Manekshaw’s first battle was to withstand the political pressure to launch his forces “that spring, as around 10 million refugees poured across the border”. “He held his ground until he had created conditions for almost a certain victory. Inspired by example of Israel’s pre-emptive air strike on its Arab neighbours in the six-day war of 1967, on December 3, 1971, Pakistan attacked airfields in north-west India, hoping that if it could make inroads in the west, then it would be able to relieve pressure in the east. “But these sorties, carried out with just 50 planes, caused only temporary damage, and India made inroads into West Pakistan and launched a coordinated assault by land, sea and air on West Pakistani forces in East Pakistan.” The report said the lightning speed of the operations in the east led to the fall of Dhaka and Lt-Gen A.A.K. Niazi’s surrender on December 16, with 93,000 soldiers taken prisoner. Under intense US and UN pressure, India agreed to a ceasefire the following day. Gandhi asked Manekshaw to go to Dhaka, the capital of the new nation, to accept the surrender of the Pakistani forces, but he declined the honour, which he said belonged to the eastern army commander, Lt- Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora. It was the sort of gesture that marked him out as a great leader, respected by all, who served under or came into contact with him, notably the Indian Army’s Gurkhas, of whom he remarked: “If anyone tells you he is never afraid, he is a liar or he is a Gurkha.” A colourful figure, Manekshaw was known by the nickname ‘Sam Bahadur’. He was forthright in his personal dealings. When Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister inquired about his state of preparedness for the 1971 war, he is reported to have replied, “I'm always ready, sweetie,” his boldness disarming any possible reproach. Once that conflict was over, Gandhi reportedly confronted him with rumours that he was planning a coup against her. He is said to have replied, “Don't you think I would be a worthy replacement for you, Madam Prime Minister? You have a long nose. So have I. But I don’t poke my nose into other people’s affairs.” The report said his rakish charm and razor sharp wit could have landed him in trouble on several occasions, but no one ever doubted that he would uphold the oath that he had taken on being commissioned. He died on June 27 at the age of 94.
— PTI
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US plan to launch military operations in Pak held up
New York, June 30 Intelligence reports for more than a year had been streaming in about Osama bin Laden's network rebuilding in the Pakistani tribal areas, a problem that, the report said, had been exacerbated by years of wrong steps in Washington and Islamabad, sharp policy disagreements, and turf battles between American counter-terrorism agencies. The plan, outlined in a highly classified Pentagon order, was intended to eliminate some of those battles, the New York Times claimed. The plan was meant to pave a smoother path into the tribal areas for the American commandos, who for years have bristled at what they see as Washington's risk-averse attitude towards Special Operations missions inside Pakistan. They also argue that catching Bin Laden will come only by capturing some of his senior associates alive. But more than six months later, the Special Operations forces are still waiting for the green light. The story of how the Al-Qaida, has gained a new haven is in part a story of American accommodation to President Prevez Musharraf whose advisers, the paper says, played down the terrorist threat. It is also a story of how the White House shifted its sights from counter-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan to preparations for the war in Iraq.
— PTI
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Anwar leaves Turkish embassy
Kuala Lumpur, June 30 Anwar (60) had sought refuge in the Turkish Embassy yesterday to evade arrest after an aide identified as Saiful Bukhari Azlan lodged a police report against him alleging that he had been sodomised. Anwar later moved to the envoy’s residence claiming that his life was in danger. However, the People’s Justice Party leader, who was once a part of the powerful ruling coalition, emerged from the ambassador's house today saying the Abdullah Badawi government had guaranteed his personal safety. The development came hours after Anwar filed a defamation suit in the Kuala Lumpur High Court seeking compensation from Saiful. Anwar was sacked from the Cabinet by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad for allegedly sodomising his driver in 1998. The charges were overturned in 2004 and he was freed but Anwar claimed that he was framed to stop him from challenging Mahathir's leadership. Early today, Malaysian foreign minister Rais Yatim met the Turkish ambassador to convey “the government’s concern over the matter and told him that the laws of the land must be abided”. Rais told reporters that the diplomat had clarified that Anwar had gone there on his own accord. He was neither invited to the Turkish diplomat's home nor had he sought political asylum. Claiming that the new charges against him were “fabricated”, Anwar said in a statement on his blog yesterday that he would make public new evidence showing “IGP Musa Hassan and Attorney General Gani Patail engaged in criminal acts of fabricating evidence in cases launched” against him in 1998. — PTI
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Madhesi parties block Prachanda’s bid to form govt
Kathmandu, June 30 Parliament needs to pass an amendment allowing the formation of government with a simple majority instead of the current two-thirds required to pave the way for Maoists to come into power. Madhesi Constituent Assembly members raised slogans and surrounded the rostrum to disrupt proceedings, prompting chairman K.B. Gurung to adjourn the House till Tuesday, said Rajendra Mahato, president of the Sadbhavana Party. The Madhesi People’s Rights Forum, Terai Madhesh Lokatantrik Party and Sadbhavana Party, the three pro-Madhesi organisations which form the fourth biggest group in the 601-member Assembly, are demanding that the constitution be amended to create a single autonomous region in the Terai plains. The Madhesi demand has been outrightly rejected by the country’s three main parties — Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist) and the CPN (UML). “Unless the government agrees to incorporate in the constitution our demands of declaring Madhes as an autonomous region and group inclusion of Madhesis in the national army, we will not allow the amendment of the statute to facilitate the formation of the Maoist led government,” Mahato, a Madhesi leader, said. The Maoists, led by Prachanda, have just 220 seats in the Constituent Assembly. The three main parties had failed to agree on power sharing despite protracted negotiations dampening hopes of formation of a unity government. — PTI
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Smoking ban to save 40,000 lives over next 10 yrs
The nationwide smoking ban has triggered the biggest fall in smoking ever seen in England, a report said today. Researchers say the ban will prevent 40,000 deaths over the next 10 years.
Smoking was outlawed in all enclosed public spaces in England, including pubs and restaurants on 1 July 2007, after a prolonged political battle that split the government and inflamed critics of Britain as a nanny state. But longer-term opposition to the ban never materialised. More than three out of four persons support the law, and compliance has been virtually 100 per cent. Similar bans were introduced in Scotland on 26 March 2006, and in Wales on 2 April, 2007. Doctors said the numbers quitting astonished them. Robert West, director of tobacco studies at the Health Behaviour Research Unit, University College London, who carried out the study, said, “These figures show the largest fall in the number of smokers on record. The effect has been as large in all social groups. I never expected such a dramatic impact.” There was no guarantee that smoking rates would not start to rise again, after falling, and it was crucial to maintain the downward pressure, West said. Currently around 22 per cent of the adult population smoke in Britain. “If the Department of Health can keep up the momentum this has created, there is a realistic prospect of achieving a target of less than 15 per cent of the population smoking within 10 years,” he said. The survey of 32,000 persons in England interviewed before and after the ban took effect found the decline in smoking had accelerated. Researchers estimate that 400,000 persons quit smoking as a result of the ban. The findings are to be presented at the UK National Smoking Cessation Conference in Birmingham tomorrow. The study, by the Cancer Research UK and its partners, is the first in the world to examine the impact of a smoking ban in isolation from other tobacco control measures. Jake Shepherd, the marketing director at Neilson, said smoking had been hit by a triple whammy, which accounted for the dramatic effect. “In addition to the smoking ban, sales have been hit by the outlawing of the sale of tobacco to under-18 and the increase of duty on tobacco, which is pricing cash-strapped smokers out of the market,” he said. Pubs have also suffered from the ban, with 175 million fewer pints sold in the nine months from July to last April as smokers have been driven outside. The anti-smoking pressure group, ASH said further action was necessary to curb smoking by young people. Deborah Arnott, the director of ASH, said, “The smoke-free legislation has been a fantastic success and is very popular. But what it also shows is a hunger for more action. “There is still much more that needs to be done. The government should focus on measures to shield children from tobacco industry marketing while parents and carers can do much more to protect children from exposure to second-hand smoke.” A survey of 1,000 persons with lung conditions by the British Lung Foundation found more than half said they had suffered fewer attacks of breathlessness from exposure to smokers in pubs and restaurants, and more than a third said it had helped keep them out of hospital. Dame Helena Shovelton, the foundation's chief executive, said, “The smoking ban has helped to save the lives of people with breathing problems by cutting down their exposure to passive smoke. Those with smoking-related lung conditions know how devastating it is to be struggling for breath. A smoke-free atmosphere gives our lungs a new lease of
life.” In arrangement with The Independent
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27 rebels, two soldiers killed in Lanka clashes
Colombo, June 30 Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets raided an LTTE special weapon maintenance and training facility located in the Cheddikulam jungle area in northern Sri Lanka this afternoon. “The target was taken effectively though the exact damage caused is yet to be known,” the defence ministry said quoting sources. While one LTTE cadre was killed in Muhamale in Jaffna this morning, four rebels were killed in the region yesterday, the army said. Separately, the army killed four tiger rebels in Pandiyankulam, Palamoddai and Periyamadu in Vavuniya yesterday, the military said. Intense fighting erupted the same day in north of Navuvi in Vavuniya as troop confronted with tiger rebels, the army said, adding six LTTE cadres were killed in the incident. While one soldier also lost his life in the incident, three others sustained injuries. In fierce clashes in north-east Welioya, troops killed at least ten tiger rebels in Kiriibbanwewa and Janakapura yesterday, the military said. One soldier also lost his life in the incident in Janakapura, it said, adding seven other security forces personnel suffered injuries.
— PTI
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8 militants killed in Afghanistan
Kabul, June 30 The US-led coalition said its troops came under fire yesterday in the Khash Rod district of Nimroz province as they searched compounds for a Taliban leader suspected of involvement in suicide attacks. The troops killed “multiple militant groups” with small-arms fire, and air strikes killed two more groups of attackers, the coalition said. There were no coalition casualties, it said. While the coalition said only that “several” militants died, Nimroz Governor Ghulam Dastagir Azad said 28 rebels were killed. He said some of the victims were torn apart in the late-night bombing, making the body count difficult. Azad said local officials had told him that four civilians also died. Azad said the slain militants included three Taliban commanders, each of whom controlled a group of some 40-50 fighters. He said they were suspected of targeting road construction crews with bombs and planning attacks on food relief convoys. The UN reported yesterday that one of its relief convoys was attacked on its way to Nimroz and neighbouring Helmand provinces, and that several trucks were burned. Other convoys have been looted. More than 2,000 people have died in insurgency-related violence so far this year, according to a Associated Press tally based on reports by military and government officials. —
AP
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Common stakes in future guide ties with China
Beijing, June 30 Both countries shared many common stakes in the future such as developing their economies and grappling with environmental issues, Rao said at a reception hosted for a 100-member visiting Indian Youth delegation here. The changes in ties have been reflected among others things, in the surging trade volume between the two countries and stakeholders going beyond government-to-government level to cover scholars, cultural personalities, mediapersons and youth, she added. The delegation, a virtual mini-India with a sprinkling of youngsters from every part of the country, comprises "distinguished young persons" under diverse categories, including Chinese language and studies, the National Service Scheme, academics, panchayati raj, media, culture and sports. The group, third under the Indo-China youth exchange programme since 2005, is led by secretary, department of youth affairs, S K Arora, who said people-to-people contact was at the core of a "sustainable and lasting friendship" and youth exchanges would have a "ripple effect". He said that possibility of exchange of young entrepreneurs and civil society volunteers between the two sides was also being explored. — PTI
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Boucher holds talks with Pak PM
US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher arrived here on Monday morning on a three-day visit and had talks with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at the Prime Minister’s House soon after arrival. Both the leaders discussed the Pak-US relations, the anti- terror war, the regional situation, the Pak-Afghan relations and the operation under way in the tribal areas, according to an official news agency. The Prime Minster said that talks would be held only with those elements who were ready to lay down arms and not with the terrorists. Gilani said a multi-dimensional policy was being pursued to deal with terrorism and extremism. "Pakistan wants a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which is in the interest of the entire region", Gilani added. The Prime minister also asked the US to give more opportunities to Pakistani products to reach their markets.
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‘Swear words can get you marks if spelt right’
London, June 30 The Telegraph reports of some cases in an English paper for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). In one case, a pupil who wrote a two-word obscenity in answer to the question ‘Describe the room you’re sitting in’ on a 2006 GCSE paper was given two marks out of a possible 27 for the expletive. He would have scored more had he punctuated it with an exclamation mark, says Peter Buckroyd, chief examiner of English, Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) - an examination board. To gain minimum marks in English, students must demonstrate “some simple sequencing of ideas” and “some words in appropriate order”. The obscenity had achieved this, according to
Buckroyd. — IANS
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‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ voted best British movie
London, June 30 The 1994 film, which made a star of its leading actor Hugh Grant, bagged 22 per cent of the vote in the poll leaving behind Monty Python’s ‘Life of Brian’ by just 1 per cent. The poll also saw Sir Sean Connery and Sir Anthony Hopkins sharing the title of Britain’s favourite actor while Dame Judie Dench was named best actress. In ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, Grant played commitment-probe Charles who realises he is in love with Carrie played by Hollywood actress Andie MacDowell. Grant came fourth in the poll. ‘Life of Brian’ and ‘Train spotting’ came second and third respectively. ‘Casino Royale’, starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, made it into fourth place with 10 per cent and Guy Ritchie’s Gangster film ‘Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ came fifth with 8 per
cent. — PTI
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Seven die as copters collide over Arizona
Los Angeles, June 30 Three others were critically injured in the accident, he added. The crash of the two choppers triggered a wildfire in a heavily wooded area that was being brought under control, a Flagstaff Fire Department spokesman said.
— AFP
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Play on Indian courtesan tradition a hit in UK Child dies at Alabama air show Petrol dealers withdraw strike Indian scribe bags IAB award 4 dead in Sudan plane crash 
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