In a move to wrest political initiative after a retreat on the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has told the National Assembly his government would seek early restoration of parliament's powers, tackle people's pressing problems and launch an austerity drive.

Gilani said he had asked the chairman of a joint parliamentary committee to expedite recommendations for key constitutional amendments, including curtailment of presidential powers, and called an emergency meeting of his cabinet and provincial chief ministers to discuss ways to deal with problems like the prevailing sugar crisis, power cuts and falling paddy prices. The Prime Minister also promised to seek passage of a resolution by the house to call for provision of jobs on merit, but did not say when nor elaborate on the necessity of such a move.

The prime minister's speech was cheered by desk-thumping from all sections of the house, only a day after the opposition was up in arms over the NRO before an overnight leadership meeting of the ruling coalition, chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari, decided not to seek parliamentary approval for former president Pervez Musharraf's decree, which was seen by critics as vehicle to legitimise corruption.

Several opposition members came to Gilani's desk to congratulate or thank him for his latest moves, in sharp contrast to previous tense atmosphere when the opposition had walked out without listening to him. "On NRO, we have decided not to bring it to the house," he said about a Bill approved by a house standing committee last week that the government had planned to introduce for parliamentary approval of the ordinance.

"Let the courts decide. Whatever the decision we will accept," he said about possible legal challenges to the beneficiaries of the October 5, 2007, ordinance, who include Zardari vis-à-vis disputed corruption charges brought against him in the 1990s, though legal experts say he remains immune from prosecution so long he holds the office of president.

He said his Pakistan People's Party was sincere to implement pledges made in the Charter of Democracy signed by its assassinated leader Benazir Bhutto and Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif in 2006, including the repeal of the controversial Seventeenth Amendment that legitimised General Musharraf's military rule and his assumption of the usually prime ministerial powers to dissolve the National Assembly and appoint armed forces' chiefs, provincial governors and the chief election commissioner.

"Even today I asked the chairman of the parliamentary committee (Mian Raza Rabbani) to put (its job) on a fast track," Gilani said and promised to seek restoration of what he called a "balance between the powers of the presidency and parliament" by getting the 17th Amendment and Article 58(2)b relating to the dissolution of the lower house repealed. "We will protect all institutions and make … (them) strong." 

Washington, November 4
Fearing that the Obama administration wants Pakistan army to be brought under effective civilian control, the military generals are conspiring to dislodge President Asif Ali Zardari through democratic means and political channels.

The fear, among the generals, who have ruled Pakistan for majority of years after independence, is that Zardari with his enhanced powers of presidency might appoint generals of his choice, when the army's present top hierarchy comes up for retirement in October next year, according to a leading US intelligence think tank.

The Pakistan military, the think tank Stratfor said the alignment of the Obama administration with Zardari appeared as further undermining its position at a time when its power within the country had weakened because of the rise of civilian forces and a raging Taliban insurgency.

Noting that both this domestic situation and pressure from Washington have placed considerable limits on the ability of the military to dislodge the civilian government, Stratfor said the military was now using its influence to help align forces against the President, to force him out of office with a veneer of legality.

“The goal is thus not to unseat the current government, but to get rid of Zardari in such a way that looks like the byproduct of a constitutional process rather than of a coup — a return to the times when the military dismissed four different governments between 1985 and 1999,” Stratfor said. — PTI

Washington, November 4
Voicing their commitment to preserving and strengthening the authority and integrity of NPT, the US and EU have asked India and other non-signatories to join the treaty, a pact New Delhi considers discriminatory.

“We are committed to preserving and strengthening the authority and integrity of the NPT,” they said in a joint declaration at the conclusion of the US-EU 2009 Summit yesterday. The US and European Union urged NPT non-signatories, including India, to accede as non-nuclear weapon states to achieve universality. India has refused to sign the NPT, maintaining that the treaty is discriminatory in nature.

Expressing support for entry into force of Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) at an early date and in the meantime continued observance of moratoria on nuclear tests, the joint statement sought immediate start of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT), including verification provisions, on the basis of consensus agreement on a programme of work reached in May 2009.

“In the meantime, we call on all states concerned to declare and uphold a moratorium on the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices,” the US-EU statement said. It welcomed the commitment of the US and Russia to the further reduction and limitation of their strategic offensive arms and to concluding, at an early date, a new legally binding agreement to replace the current Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).

Expressing full support for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its work in the field of nuclear safeguards, nuclear safety and security, the US and EU endorsed the Additional Protocol and comprehensive safeguards as the standard for NPT verification. —PTI  

Melbourne, November 4
In yet another attack on Indians here, an engineering student from the community was racially abused by a group of Australians, including a woman, who also punched him in his left eye.

Amrit Goyal, 36, pursuing automotive engineering from the Australian Industrial System Institute here, was attacked in Laverton area, Amit Meghnani, president of Federation of Indian Students of Australia (FISA), said.

Goyal was attacked yesterday outside his house when a group of two men and a woman hurled racial abuses at him and also physically assaulted him.

"I was standing outside my home when two men and one woman approached me. They were shouting abuses at me... I asked them to calm down but they punched me in my left eye. I called the police but they came after an hour and a half. They said they were busy, and would come when they have the time. They have recorded my statement and will ask detectives to probe," Goyal told an Indian news channel.

He said the group also threw a stone at him and kept on saying he should go back to India. He said he has given the descriptions of the attackers to police.

The latest attack came 10 days after a 22-year-old Sikh was punched in his head by a group of Australians, who also removed his turban while he was sleeping at a bus stop here.

Around 30 Indian students were attacked in various Australian cities from June to August. — PTI