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US denies covering up
N-deal details
McCain accepts nomination
‘US attack a shameful act’
Zardari set to become Prez
Three deposed judges take fresh oath
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No date finalised for Nepal PM’s visit to India
2 Dawood aides held in Nepal
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US denies covering up
N-deal details
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is under fire for purportedly misleading Parliament over the US-India nuclear deal. The Bush administration on Thursday denied it had tried to cover up details of the agreement in order to protect the Prime Minister.
State department deputy spokesman Robert Wood said, “India’s obligations under the 123 agreement are very clear.” He said the US expected India to adhere to that commitment. The release of the January 16 correspondence between the state department and Tom Lantos, the late chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, created a stir in India after contents of the document showed the US maintains its right to cut off nuclear commerce with India in the event of a nuclear test. Wood pointed out there was nothing new in our response. He added, “It was basically a reiteration of the US non-proliferation policy.” “Noting India has a moratorium on testing”, he said, “they wanted to see that moratorium continue, and that was our view with regard to that. The Indians understood what our views were with regard to nuclear testing. We had made them clear, and they understood those”. The Washington Post had reported that the Bush administration had asked members of Congress not to reveal the contents of the letter, so Manmohan Singh could not come under pressure from the Opposition in New Delhi. House Foreign Affairs Committee spokeswoman Lynne Weil said the Bush administration was well aware of Berman’s intention to reveal the contents of the nuclear
correspondence. It always knew that this material would be made public prior to the Congress considering the US-Indo civilian nuclear agreement, she said, adding that the release of the information should come as no surprise to the administration. Once the deal is approved by the NSG, which acts on consensus, it will be sent to the Congress for an up or down vote. Wood insisted that they were not trying to keep anything under wraps. He said Bush administration officials had discussions with various members of the Congress about this agreement.
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McCain accepts nomination
Eight years after being denied a shot at the White House by George W. Bush, Senator John McCain on Thursday formally accepted the Republican Party's presidential nomination promising Americans that “change is coming.”
The Republican National Convention wrapped up in Minnestota after a formal contest between McCain and Senator Barack Obama, who accepted the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in Denver last week. The November 4 election promises to be a historic one regardless of which candidate wins. If elected, 72-year-old McCain would be the oldest president of the US and his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin would be the first female vice- president of the USA. Should Obama win, he would be the first black president. McCain emphasised his “maverick” credentials, noting this was sometimes meant as a compliment and at others times not. “I've fought corruption, and it didn't matter if culprits were Democrats or Republicans”. McCain, who has admitted voting 90 per cent of the time with president Bush, did not mention the unpopular leader by name and resorted to a veiled attack saying, “We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us. We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption”. On audience response, McCain’s speech paled in comparison to Palin’s pointed rhetoric delivered on Wednesday. He emphasised the need to drill in the Arctic reserves to create energy independence, saying, ”We must use all resources and develop technologies necessary to rescue our economy from the damage caused by rising oil prices and to restore health of our planet.” In a sign that he will continue the Bush administration’s foreign policy, McCain warned “Al- Qaida will strike us again if they can. Iran remains the chief state sponsor of terrorism and on the path to acquiring nuclear weapons.” McCain said as president he would work to establish good relations with Russia “so we need not fear a return of the Cold War. But we can't turn a blind eye to aggression and International lawlessness that threatens the peace and stability of the world and the security of the Americans.”
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‘US attack a shameful act’
Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday slammed coalition forces' attack in South Waziristan as “shameful, appalling and regretful act”.
“It was clear violation of international border and Pakistan's sovereignty, which is unacceptable,” Qureshi said in the National Assembly, which adopted a resolution condemning in strong terms the attack by the US-led Allied commandos on the Pakistani village about a mile inside its border with Afghanistan. This was the first ground attack by the US-led coalition forces inside Pakistan territory ever since its operation in Afghanistan. At least 20 persons, most of them women and children, were killed in the assault. After initial denial, the Pentagon admitted its fault. The foreign minister said that government would not compromise on the interests and sovereignty of Pakistan and NATO forces needed to review their policy in the region. |
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Zardari set to become Prez
Asif Ali Zardari is set to win the triangular presidential contest on Saturday to become Pakistan’s ninth civilian head of state in its chequered history dominated mostly by military rulers.
The PPP co-chairman has garnered huge support from almost all political groups and independents in the 702-member electoral college, except his erstwhile ally Nawaz Sharif’s faction of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and the pro-Musharraf PML-Q whose mentor was ousted on August 18 under threat of impeachment. Former Chief Justice Saeeduzzaman has been fielded by the PML-N while PML-Q secretary-general Mushahid Hussain Sayed is the third candidate. The PPP hopes to poll between 450 to 500 votes and even more. Efforts were continuing till late Friday night to persuade Nawaz Sharif to withdraw his candidate. Deprived of support from main coalition partner, the PML-N, Zardari had to work his way through smaller groups after making behind the scene deals. Meanwhile, PTI chief Imran Khan led an anti-Zardari rally in the capital outside Parliament House on Friday afternoon calling upon Zardari to pull out of the contest and get himself cleared of corruption charges and concerns about his mental health from an independent court. He said Zardari is set to become more powerful president than even Musharraf by grabbing all key offices, retaining a pliant Supreme Court and becoming a ready tool of US-led war in Pakistan’s tribal areas.
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Three deposed judges take fresh oath
Three deposed judges of the Supreme Court on Friday took fresh oath here, dealing a body blow to lawyers' valiant movement for independence of judiciary through restoration of judges sacked by Gen Pervez Musharraf in November last.
Incumbent Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar administered oath to the three judges--Shakirullah Jan, Tassadaq Gilani and Jamshed Ali. Justice Ali is due to retire on September 30. The three judges were among 13 of the 17-member court that was demolished by Musharraf and had refused to take fresh oath of allegiance to the military ruler under the Provisional Constitution Order which he used to purge the superior judiciary of 60 independent judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. Leaders of lawyers movement described the latest twist in the movement as a "sad" development. They praised the judges for their fortitude in resisting pressure of a military dictator but regretted that they have caved in to a civilian government at a time when the struggle waged by lawyers and civil society was nearing its logicial conclusion. Justice Tasaddaq Gilani who enjoys great reputation for integrity and professionalism, briefly talked to newsmen prior to taking oath. He said he too was wrestling with several awkward questions about the method of his reappointment but had agreed to return to the court, hoping to save the institution of the judiciary. Law minister Farooq Nake , after the oath-taking ceremony, said Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry could also take oath but insisted that Dogar was the legitimate Chief Justice because he had taken oath under the Constitution. In Peshawar, Justice Tariq Pervaiz Khan, a deposed chief justice of Peshawar High Court (PHC) also took oath to resume office.
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No date finalised for Nepal PM’s visit to India
Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday held meeting with Indian ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood and discussed on his proposed India visit.
Gopal Baglay, the spokesperson at the Indian Embassy in Nepal, said, “Ambassador Sood went to Dahal’s official residence in Baluwatar and discussed on bilateral issues and possible upcoming visit of the Prime Minister to India.” However, a reliable source informed that during the half-an-hour meeting, the duo failed to fix the date for Dahal’s first political visit after assuming the post.
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2 Dawood aides held in Nepal
Kathmandu, September 5 Acting on a tip-off, ther police yesterday arrested Riyaz Khatri and Salim Abdul Ghani Ghazi, alias Salim Ghazi, the "most wanted," to whom the Interpol had issued a Red-Corner notice in connection with the Mumbai blast in 1993. SSPolice Upendra Kant Aryal, said the duo had been staying in Kathmandu disguised as handicraft businessmen and manpower agents. The Indian police has dubbed Riyaz as one of the most dreaded terrorist after Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon, and was said to double as Dawood's driver.
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Poor English helps Indian escape rape charge 
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