 |
|
|
Taliban allow ‘love marriages’
Pak is in danger: Musharraf
‘Video of girl being flogged fake’
UK school to foot £200,000 bill
3,000 civilians move to safe areas in Lanka
|
|
|
US to boycott UN conference on racism
UK foreign minister to interview Amartya Sen
Unidentified mutilated bodies found in Baloch
|
|
Taliban allow ‘love marriages’
The Taliban are reputed for their archaic views and beliefs, particularly in case of treatment of women, but those of Swat are trying to project a softer image as well.
They have set up a bureau named ‘Shuba-e-Aroosat’ for arranging love marriages of couples who are denied the marriage of choice by their families for one reason or the other. Already the Swat Taliban have won support among women by enforcing their right to property inherited from parents or spouses. Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said the marriage bureau headed by Taliban Commander Abu Ammad arranged 11 ‘love marriages’ in the last nine days while 300 girls and boys are waiting for their turn. “The love marriage aspirants contact the bureau on a fixed telephone number. The Taliban collect their particulars and then contact their familites to arrange these choice marriages,” he said, adding that Islam allows every adult to get marry according to his or her own choice. He said, “Most of the girls, or their families, who contacted us wish to marry ‘militant’ Taliban.” Critics of the Taliban, however are not impressed. They believe that the Taliban are paving the way for themselves to marry the girls of their choice. “It is really strange that on one hand they flog couples for moving together while on the other hand allow young couples to marry according to their choice,” says one prominent opponent of Swat Taliban. “Also the question arises how is it possible for a boy or girl to propose while they have not seen each other,” he added.
|
|
Pak is in danger: Musharraf
Islamabad, April 19 ”The country is in danger and if we get bogged down in minor and old issues, there will be problems,” Musharraf told reporters at the airport here before he embarked on a visit to Saudi Arabia. “The issue is very serious. Everyone in the world is seeing the seriousness of the issue in Pakistan. Everyone is trying to chart a course of action,” he said. At the same time, he said, Pakistan must chart its own course of action to steer the country out of the problems it is facing. Asked whether he thought the peace deal with the Taliban in northwestern Swat valley would usher in peace and end suicide attacks, Musharraf said, “Nothing can be said (as of now). If the agreement is only for ensuring speedy and cheap justice within the Pakistani legal structure and system, then it is alright.” “But if (the deal was inked) from a position of weakness, if they (Taliban) want to challenge the writ of government, the deal is dangerous and should not be allowed,” Musharraf said, adding that he believed the army and the administration are thinking about this issue and will take the correct steps. President Asif Ali Zardari recently approved a controversial law to enforce Shariah or Islamic law in Swat to quell a nearly two-year-old Taliban insurgency in the region located just 160 kms from Islamabad. Musharraf had launched a military campaign against the Taliban in Swat in late 2007. Musharraf said no conditions should be attached to the financial aid provided to Pakistan. “We should not be happy about just getting money. There is interest on it, we are not getting it for free,” he said, referring to the US aid pledged to Pakistan at a donors' conference in Tokyo on Friday. The former military ruler was irked when asked if he would be willing to appear before any commission that could be set up to probe the 2007 military operation against radical elements holed up in the Lal Masjid in Islamabad. “It is time to end the lies. Those who say women and children were killed and several hundreds died in the Lal Masjid operation are telling white lies. Only 94 people were killed and all of them were terrorists and extremists. Not a single woman or child was killed,” he said. Musharraf said he would meet King Abdullah during his stay in Saudi Arabia. He said he would also visit London and Prague for interviews and delivering lectures. —
PTI
|
|
‘Video of girl being flogged fake’
Islamabad, April 19 The probe team, formed after the Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry took suo moto notice of the issue, has “completed its investigation and handed over a report to me,” federal Interior Secretary Kamal Shah was quoted as saying by ‘Dawn’ newspaper. The video footage, which surfaced two weeks ago, was “false and fake,” he said at Saidu Sharief in Swat, citing the probe report. Pakistani political leaders and rights activists had condemned the “flogging” of Chand Bibi after the emergence of the shocking two-minute mobile phone video. A large crowd of men watched the flogging, which reportedly occurred in the Matta area of Swat some weeks ago after the girl was allegedly seen with a man other than her husband. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had ordered an inquiry into the matter and Chief Justice Chaudhry sought fortnightly reports from the government on its inquiry. The report of the probe team, headed by a senior police official, will be handed over to an eight-member bench of the apex court, Shah said. —
PTI
|
|
Sikh Student Row
London, April 19 The high court has ordered the Aberdare Girls' School in Wales to pay the student damages believed to be at least five figures, leading British newspaper The Sunday Express reported. The legal bill also includes an invoice from human rights group Liberty, who actually brought the case on behalf of 15-year-old Sarika Watkins-Singh. The incident dates back to early last year when Singh was excluded from school for her refusal to stop wearing the bangle, which she claimed was fundamental to her religious belief. Though the school denied any racial discrimination, Singh spent nine weeks being taught in isolation as the bangle was against its uniform policy. She won the case last June, in which her exclusion was ruled to be “unlawful”. Critics have slammed the massive cost of the case as “a waste of taxpayers’ money” and claimed pupils will “suffer” as a result. —
PTI
|
|
3,000 civilians move to safe areas in Lanka
Colombo, April 19 As a record number of civilians fled the war zone yesterday, a top defence official today said the development was in contrast to the lull witnessed during the 48-hour pause period that ended on Tuesday. It was clear that the Tiger rebels had prevented the civilians from leaving the areas under their control during the official no-firing period, the official said, adding the latest exodus was a clear evidence of the will of the people. The civilians had started arriving in large groups since last afternoon using the safe routes opened for them, the defence ministry said. “The rebels try to score a point by not allowing any IDPs if any truce offer is made. How do you explain a movement of around 3,000 Tamil civilians just days after the futile truce period," he asked. The two-day truce observed by troops in the light of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year saw only 815 IDPs move out, the official said. "It should be realised that any international demand for ceasefire would act against the interest of the besieged Tamil civilians," he said. Another ceasefire will only delay the exodus of the people, the
official said. Over 72,000 civilians have crossed over from LTTE-held areas since January this year, according to the government. Meanwhile, advancing Sri Lankan troops killed at least 17 LTTE cadres in their offensive to flush out the Tigers from the last few pockets held by them, amid reports that the rebels may still possess a Czezh made light aircraft. —
PTI
|
|
US to boycott UN conference on racism
Washington, April 19 “Unfortunately, it now seems certain these remaining concerns will not be addressed in the document to be adopted by the conference next week. Therefore, with regret, the US will not join the review conference,” the State Department Acting Spokesman, Robert Wood, said in a statement yesterday. At the same time, the US said it remains fully committed to upholding the human rights of all individuals and to fighting racial discrimination of every form in every context. “We will continue to work assiduously in all United Nations fora and with all nations to combat bigotry and end discrimination,” Wood said. Reaffirming its commitment to end racism and racial discrimination, Wood said the US will work with all people and nations to build greater resolve and enduring political will to halt racism and discrimination wherever it occurs. The US said the proposed document to be adopted at the conference is much improved version than earlier, and appreciated the efforts in this regard by several countries including Russia as chair. “We applaud the progress that has been made. The current document is significantly improved compared with prior versions, which is an accomplishment for all who aim to build a world free of every form of discrimination,” he said. “However, the text still contains language that reaffirms in toto the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA) from 2001, which the United States has long said it is unable to support,” Wood said. “Its inclusion in the review conference document has the same effect as inserting that original text into the current document and re-adopting it. The DDPA singles out one particular conflict and prejudges key issues that can only be resolved in negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians," he said. The US also has serious concerns with relatively new additions to the text regarding “incitement”, that run counter to the US commitment to unfettered free speech, the statement said. — PTI
|
|
UK foreign minister to interview Amartya Sen
London, April 19 More than 50 journalists from 26 countries have signed up for the Monday morning event that would mark the launch of the London Book Fair. Coming from countries as diverse as Croatia, China, Russia, America, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Iran, the journalists have been told only that British Foreign Minister David Miliband would be “interviewing”
Sen, a leading international economist. “We don't know what they'll be talking about… could be the economy,” a foreign office spokesman guessed. A spokeswoman for the London Book Fair thought the conversation — or interview — could be about “books”. Miliband, who left his Indian hosts mildly miffed by referring to Kashmir in a January speech, said in a short statement that he was “delighted to be taking part in this conversation with Amartya Sen”. Sen, the Lamont University Professor of economics and philosophy at Harvard University, flies in from the US, where he has been speaking to packed audiences about 'Capitalism and Confusion'. Sen said: “I am looking forward to the conversation with David
Miliband, and later in the day with (writers) Vikram Seth, Nandan Nilekani and Ramachandra
Guha.” Alistair Burtenshaw, group exhibition director, The London Book Fair, said he was confident that Sen would be “greatly impressed by the diversity and range of publishing innovation being showcased in London”. Sen will also give the London Book Fair's keynote speech at the prestigious Chairman's Breakfast, entitled 'India in the Modern World'. Some 50 leading writers, translators, critics and academics as well as 90 publishers working in 15 Indian languages are set to attend the April 20-22 fair - the largest ever festival of Indian writing in Britain. The writers include Javed
Akhtar, Amit Chaudhuri, Namdeo Dhasal, Ramachandra Guha, Jaishree Misra, Daljit
Nagra, Anita Nair, Bhalchandra Nemade, Nandan Nilekani, K Satchidanandan,
Shankar, Vikram Seth, Pavan Varma and Sunil Gangopadhyay. — IANS
|
|
|
Unidentified mutilated bodies found in Baloch
The authorities found decomposed bodies of three people in Dem Bugti area of the troubled Balochistan province on Saturday night.
According to a report received here, local people informed security officials about the presence of the bodies.
Earlier this month, mutilated bodies of three top Baloch nationalist leaders were recovered that sparked several days of rioting in the province. The security personnel removed the bodies to Sui hospital. The victims had wounds made by knife all over their bodies. The victims could not be identified, but sources said they belonged to the Bugti tribe. Investigation was still in progress.
|
|
|
|
|
Prince Harry’s in trouble
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Islamabad, April 19
