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Pak PM wants powerful Parliament
Apollo 11 astronauts call for trip to Mars
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Lanka not to prosecute child LTTE soldiers
Anti-apartheid activists oppose demolition of Indian Market
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Pak PM wants powerful Parliament
Voicing exasperation at continuously living under the shadow of an overbearing President, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has vowed he would work for making Parliament and the Cabinet ‘active, effective and powerful”. “I will make history to ensure the transition of power to Parliament (from the Presidency), “ Gilani said in an interview with TV anchor Hamid Mir. “Enough is enough, merit must define governance and all the decisions should be taken in accordance with the rules,” he said, adding that he had decided to reshuffle the Cabinet “only on merit”, and not according to “somebody’s liking or disliking”, in an apparent reference to the intrusive Presidency. Apparently exuding confidence and defiance stemming from a widely acclaimed “diplomatic success” in meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Sharm el-Shaikh last week and a perceived strong support from the military establishment, Prime Minister Gilani hinted he would not accept interference in the “day-to-day” affairs of the government. As a mark of his defiance, Gilani shot down on return from Sharm el-Shaikh a highly controversial nomination as ambassador to France of a favourite bureaucrat by President Asif Zardari. The nomination reportedly was conveyed on telephone to the Foreign Office from the Presidency bypassing the Prime Minister who took it as a challenge to his authority and prerogative as chief executive. “It was a strong message from the Prime Minister that he would act as his own man instead of being a titular premier,” says an analyst. Mir disclosed that the Prime Minister has also finalised some surprising changes in the Federal Cabinet. He is determined to remove at least three close buddies of President Zardari who are holding lucrative cabinet posts. “Having made my assessment, I have to make some changes according to merit, not according to somebody’s liking and disliking because I am responsible for running a country of more than 170 million people”, he said. Gilani did not hide his well-known aversion to the shenanigans of interior minister Rehman Malik who is reputed to be very close to the President. He said a recent virtual censorship announced by Malik on SMS and email messages would not be permitted. “I am not bothered about any e-mail or SMS because nobody is sending anything against me,” Gilani said, obliquely referring to widely-held believe that the restriction has been imposed to check the spate of e-mails, SMS and other barbs, insults and derogatory jokes being exchanged against President Zardari. Gilani’s aides have made an extensive assessment of his parliamentary support in a house of 342 in case President Zardari decided to oust him. They believe that at least 90 MPs from the PPP would support Gilani who also enjoys strong backing from Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N with 91 MPs, PML-Q’s 54, independent 16 and 13 members of the ANP. The MQM and JUI-Fazal are certain to go along with Zardari. The PM has evidence about involvement of some close aides of the president in “character assassination”. He also shared some of his future plans with the interviewer. “I want a powerful Parliament. I need an active and effective cabinet. I want to make history. I will re-open the trial of late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and that is my promise.”
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Apollo 11 astronauts call for trip to Mars
Washington, July 20 Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins, both 78, and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, 79, went to the National Air and Space Museum yesterday and used the rare appearance together to press calls to head for new frontiers in space. Armstrong paid tribute to US physicist Robbert Goddard, who developed the liquid-fuel rocket engine in the 1920s. He said that the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 was part of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, as rival powers sought to establish themselves in outer space. But he said the rivalry served a valuable purpose. "It was the ultimate peaceful competition: USA versus USSR. It was intense," he recalled. "It did allow both sides to take the high road, with the objectives of science and learning and exploration." Aldrin urged Congress and the American people to use the memory of Apollo 11 as inspiration to prepare for a space journey to Mars. "Apollo 11 was a symbol of what a great nation and a great people can do if we work hard and work together," he said. "America, do you still dream a great dream? Do you still believe in yourself?" he asked. "I call on the next generation and our political leaders to give this answer: Yes We Can!" President Barack Obama will meet with the Apollo 11 crew today to commemorate the Moon landing and possibly discuss the future of space exploration. — AFP
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Lanka not to prosecute child LTTE soldiers
Colombo, July 20 The gesture was announced by President Mahinda Rajapaksa who said: “Our hearts are not vicious. We will not prosecute children who are 12, 13 and 14 years of age and were forced to take up arms”. “We need to integrate them into the society after rehabilitation,” he said.
The President pointed out that the LTTE denied education to young children in the North and East by recruiting them as combatants to fight a “useless” war. Rajapaksa was speaking at the holy town of Mahiyangana in Badulla District in the Uva Province on Saturday and he recalled that when the children in the South studied, the LTTE made the young in the North carry T-56 weapons. He said the government had released all persons of 60 years of age and above in the IDP camps. The remaining 40,000 refugees were children.
— PTI
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Anti-apartheid activists oppose demolition
Durban, July 20 The activists have asked the municipality not to demolish the Early Morning Market known as Indian Market in order to construct a mall in its place. The municipality, which is controlled by the ruling ANC, has announced that the traders, both Indian-origin and local black Africans, will be shifted to a temporary shelter from the end of July. “But we are not going to allow this to happen,” Roy Chetty, chairman of the Early Morning Support Committee, said today. “This market is of historical value to descendants of indentured labourers. Our forefathers started the market to eke out a living and we have continued with the market for generations. “We cannot understand why the city council wants to destroy this market and wipe out the history of Indian-origin people,” he said. Chetty said they were not opposed to the development and upgrading of the area around the market but were totally opposed to the destruction of market. “Why can the municipality not upgrade the area without destroying our heritage?” he asked. Chetty said that they were working with all the concerned people to save the market. They had currently lodged an application to the Durban High Court to stop its demolition. “What really is of concern to us is that the municipality is using racism to achieve its objectives. City manager Mike Sutcliffe has already said that there are too many white and Indian business people and therefore they need to demolish the market and build a mall. But their plans will not help the poor and marginalised. Only the elite will gain from the development of the multi-million rand mall. They want to divide the Indian traders from the African traders.” Paul Devadas David, a former leader of the now defunct Natal Indian Congress and the United Democratic Front, said they had no objection to the development but had made it clear that such developments should take place without the demolition of the historical market. — PTI
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