Pakistan’s anti-corruption agency today revived cases against thousands of people, including politicians, which were scrapped under a law struck down by the Supreme Court, as authorities barred 248 persons, including Interior Minister Rehman Malik from travelling abroad.

Offices of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) across Pakistan reopened cases closed under National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), a controversial law issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf that was declared void by the Supreme Court yesterday.

The NAB directed its officials to resume the prosecution of revived cases. The NAB asked the interior ministry to place the names of all beneficiaries of NRO on the “Exit Control List”, a move that will bar them from travelling out of Pakistan.

A NAB spokesman said 248 persons had been included in the ECL so far but did not name them. However, TV news channels reported the interior ministry had included Rehman Malik, whose conviction was quashed under the NRO, in the ECL. They also reported that Zardari’s name was not on the ECL.

Arrest warrants were issued for NRO beneficiaries who were earlier declared “proclaimed offenders”. Bank accounts and properties of people whose convictions were quashed under the NRO had been sealed, officials said.

Meanwhile, the verdict has put a question mark on President Asif Zardari’s political future. He enjoys immunity from being prosecuted or summoned by any court so long as he occupies the office. His name does not find a mention, direct or indirect, in the brief order of the court.

Yet the court ruling has dealt a blow to his image and political or moral authority. All corruption cases against him within and Swiss courts lay reopened. The wide publicity at home and abroad to his enormous ill-gotten wealth estimated to be around $1.78 billion massively beyond any known means of earning, has made his continuation in office as untenable.

Amid calls for resignation, President Zardari has convened meeting of central committee of the Pakistan People’s Party on Saturday to discuss the implication of the judgment. His spokesman Farhatullah Babar responded immediately to the judgment last night saying the President respects the court ruling and would decide about future strategy when the court releases detailed judgment.

Babar on Thursday ruled out the possibility of resignation of President Zardari saying he would wait for detailed judgment to appropriate respond.

Zardari also talked to his main ally and chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on telephone in London. Both exchanged their assessment of the implications of the court ruling. The MQM has also been badly affected by the verdict that reopens criminal cases of heinous nature against nearly 8,000 of part activists including the top leadership- Altaf Hussain, governor Sindh Ishratul Ebad, Dr. Farooq Sattar, federal minister Babar Ghauri and others.

A statement issued from London headquarter of the MQM said the party respects the judgment and is willing to face courts to defend what it described as political motivated charges. Cases against MQM leaders and activists were disposed of even before the expiration of the NRO on February 3, 2008 by review boards set up under the NRO. But a legal lacuna has brought them back to courtroom, the review boards had no authority to withdraw the cases without a notification from the Sindh government which was never issued.

The two frontrunners for the post of Sri Lanka’s next President filed their nomination papers before the Election Commissioner on Thursday as the formal period of campaigning for the January 26 poll got underway.

One-time allies in fighting the LTTE but now bitter rivals, incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka briefly put aside their animosity to shake hands and exchange pleasantries before the cameras after filing their nominations.

Rajapaksa told reporters that he had devoted his first four years in office to eradicating terrorism and would dedicate the second term to developing the country. However, his administration is under fire for rampant corruption and nepotism while Fonseka is campaigning on an anti-corruption platform.

While Rajapaksa is ruling United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) nominee, his rival Fonseka is being backed by a alliance of opposition parties led by United National Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

The Nepal government, Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (UCPN-M) and United Nations have reached an agreement to start the protracted process of discharging and rehabilitating Maoists combatants, including minors, from December 27.

Signing a tripartite understanding, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Rakam Chemjong said the process would be completed within 40 days.

“This is the third attempt in regards to discharging the disqualified combatants. With this, I hope the process will be completed this time,” Chemjong said, who had already failed to enforce his decision twice earlier.

The discharge process was stalled after the Maoists differed on the rehabilitation package offered by the UN and the government, demanding cash support for the combatants.

“But there will be no cash hand out in lump sum (as rehabilitation packages),” said Robert Piper, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nepal.

The government, with the help international community, has developed a phase-wise plan comprising discharge, verification and monitoring and rehabilitation.

Washington, December 17
The United States and its allies are offering cash and jobs to Taliban fighters as part of a stepped up negotiations with representatives of Mullah Omar and other insurgents to persuade them to lay down their arms, a news report said today.

The renewed efforts to negotiate a deal with the Taliban comes amid the surge in troops for Afghanistan announced by President Barack Obama in a bid to weaken the insurgency and promote a negotiated end to the region's violence.

"The strategy is to peel away so many fighters from the insurgent chiefs that they will be left like ‘floating icebergs’ and have no one left to command," said Kenneth Katzman, an Afghanistan specialist at the Congressional Research Service. Several Pakistani, Middle Eastern and US officials said in interviews that Saudi and Pakistani officials, acting with tacit American encouragement, were talking with "second tier" Taliban leaders connected with Mullah Omar, the Washington Times reported. — PTI

Washington, December 17
Weeks before a socialite couple gatecrashed the White House state dinner for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, another uninvited couple attended a lavish breakfast there and met President Barack Obama and the first lady.

But the White House is simply calling it a "nice gesture" and has been explaining how this incident is nothing like the breach of security that took place when Tareq and Michaele Salahi crashed the November 24 state dinner.

The Georgia couple, Harvey and Paula Darden, who arrived at the White House on Veterans Day, a day early for a tour that was booked by their Congressman, and were led into a lavish invitation-only breakfast after being screened by the Secret Service called it "dumb luck". The White House says it put the Dardens through the appropriate screenings and criminal background checks before allowing them to breakfast because there were no tours scheduled that day.

CNN quoted Harvey Darden (67) as saying he was standing outside the White House security booth with his 62-year-old wife when he heard: "Mr and Mrs Darden, you are cleared to come in." They were led directly to the grand East Room where there was a buffet and a crowd of people, some in military uniforms, some in suits. — IANS