The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Pakistan to hold general election on May 11
Afzal Khan in Islamabad

Pakistan's next general election, which will mark the first ever transfer of power from an elected government to another in the country's chequered democratic history, will be held on May 11.

After receiving a formal proposal from Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf for setting a date for the general election, President Asif Ali Zardari announced today afternoon that the polls would be held on May 11.

"The President announced the date as soon as the (proposal) was received from the Prime Minister a short while ago," said presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar.

Poll schedule

President Asif Ali Zardari announced on Wednesday that the polls would be held on May 11

The Election Commission announced the election schedule beginning with filing of nomination papers from March 25 and announcement of final list of candidates on April 19, leaving them 21 days for campaigning

A parliamentary committee tasked with choosing a caretaker Prime Minister to oversee the polls held its first meeting on Wednesday

The Election Commission announced the election schedule beginning with filing of nomination papers from March 25 and announcement of final list of candidates on April 19, leaving them 21 days for campaigning.

The National Assembly or lower house of Parliament was dissolved after it completed its five-year term on March 16 and, under the rules, polls must be held within 60 days.

Pakistan's current government is the country's first civilian administration since independence to complete its full term. Since its founding in 1947, Pakistan has spent several decades under military rule (1958-1971, 1977-1988, 1999-2008).

Babar said the Prime Minister had advised the President to announce a suitable date for the elections to the National Assembly under the provisions of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act of 1976.

In a related development, an eight-member parliamentary committee tasked with choosing a caretaker Prime Minister to oversee the polls held its first meeting today afternoon.

The panel must choose a candidate by March 22, failing which the matter will be sent to the Election Commission.

The Election Commission has set March 25-31 as the time frame for the collection of nomination papers for the general elections. Scrutiny of papers will take seven days from 23 March till April 6.

From April 7, appeals against objections raised on nomination papers would be filed, while candidates can withdraw the papers till April 18.

On April 19, the final list of candidates would be issued, which would be 22 days prior to the polling date.

(With PTI inputs)

Ready to promote Korean dialogue: Chinese Prez

Beijing/Moscow, March 20
China is willing to promote dialogue between North and South Korea as stability on the Korean peninsula is also in China's interests, President Xi Jinping told his South Korean counterpart on Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry said.

A US official said Washington hopes that Xi, who is to visit Moscow this week on his first trip abroad as president, will discuss implementation of sanctions on North Korea with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

China-India ties
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday unveiled a five-point formula to improve ties with India, proposing accommodation of each other's core concerns and proper handling of differences while seeking peace on the border as a resolution of the dispute "won't be easy".

Beijing is Pyongyang's sole diplomatic and economic ally, but relations have been strained by North Korea's bellicose actions, including carrying out a third nuclear test last month.

"Peace and stability on the Korean peninsula is in the vital interests of the people of the peninsula and also of the Chinese people," Xi told President Park Geun-hye in a telephone call, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"China is committed to maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula and realising the peninsula's denuclearisation, and upholds resolving the issue through dialogue and consultation," Xi added.

"China is willing to provide necessary help to promote reconciliation and cooperation," he said. — Reuters

Obama arrives in Israel, vows undying support

Jerusalem, March 20
Making his first official visit to Israel, US President Barack Obama pledged today unwavering commitment to the security of the Jewish state where concern over a nuclear-armed Iran has clouded bilateral relations.

Obama also stressed the need for Middle East peace at the start of a three-day trip aimed at resetting fraught relations with both the Israelis and Palestinians. But US officials have said Obama had come to listen and had no new initiatives to offer.

Descending from Air Force One in bright Spring sunshine, Obama briefly embraced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he has notoriously testy ties, before offering smiles and handshakes to waiting ranks of ministers.

"I see this visit as an opportunity to reaffirm the unbreakable bond between our nations, to restate America's unwavering commitment to Israel's security and to speak directly to the people of Israel and to your neighbours," Obama said at a red-carpet welcoming ceremony at Tel Aviv airport.

"I am confident in declaring that our alliance is eternal, is forever," he said, adding the Hebrew word for forever -- "Lanetzach" -- to emphasise the upbeat message.

Obama faces strong doubts among Israelis over his pledge to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran and concerns that the civil war in neighbouring Syria might spill over the border.

In his own welcoming remarks, Netanyahu cited an Israeli right to self-defence, which he said Obama supported. "Thank you for unequivocally affirming Israel's sovereign right to defend itself by itself against any threat," he said. — Reuters

Contemporary Indian art shines at Sotheby’s
Sale rakes in $6.6 million, Gaitonde tops auction

New York, March 20
Abstract artist Vasudeo S Gaitonde topped the first international evening sale of modern and contemporary Indian art here by Sotheby's, which amassed over $6 million, just shy of its pre-sale high estimate of $7 million and set record prices for four artists.

The 1962 oil-on-canvas untitled work by Gaitonde was bought by an Indian collector for $9,65,000 last evening in the auction, a part of Sotheby's Asia Week sales and which also marks the first single owner sale conducted by the auction house in over past 10 years.

Strong prices were also achieved for Syed Haider Raza's "Rajasthan I" from 1983, which fetched $8,09,000, while multiple bidders drove FN Souza's "The Crucifixion" to achieve $5,57,000 much above the estimated price of $200,000 to $300,000.

Additional highlights included Manjit Bawa's "The Black Devi", which sold for $3,89,000, and Bhupen Khakhar's "Satsang"(1988), which fetched $3,41,000 - both above their pre-sale high estimates.

Out of the 43 works on offer in the "Amaya" collection assembled by collector and author Amrita Jhaveri, 40 were sold fetching a grand total of $6,694,876, according to the auction house. The collection comprised works produced during the second half of the 20th century through to the early 21st, many of of which have been published and exhibited globally.

"With 60 per cent of the lots achieving prices above their high estimates, there is no question that collectors are committed to pursuing works of the highest quality. I am delighted to have been a part of this landmark sale which was my first at Sotheby's," said Yamini Mehta, Senior Director, Sotheby's International Head of Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, London and New York.

During this sale, Sotheby's set four artist records at auction including ones for KG Subramanyan, whose "Mask, Icon, Mount, Mascot" sold for $1,85,000, well above the previous record for the artist at auctions.

Anant Joshi, whose mixed media piece, "May Look Closer Than They Appear - 3" fetched $60,000; Ranbir Singh Kaleka, whose "Untitled (Twisted Rope)" achieved $32,500, above its estimate; and Rina Banerjee, whose "The Strain of Fruit Eaten Twice Produced More and More" brought $27,500.

"We have been especially pleased and encouraged to see a number of new buyers enter the market this season. The resurgence of interest in contemporary works is particularly exciting for this market, with records set tonight for artists, including Banerjee and Joshi," said Priyanka Mathew, head of sales, Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art.

"Bidding was truly global, with equal participation coming from Asia, North America and Europe, demonstrating strength in the Indian market," she said. — PTI

Kabul, US ‘broker deal’ on pullout of forces

Kabul, March 20
The United States and Kabul appeared to reach an agreement on the pullout of coalition forces from a strategic province today, nearly a month after an ultimatum from Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Karzai on February 24 gave American special forces two weeks to leave Wardak, a hotbed of Taliban activity on the doorstep of Kabul, accusing Afghans they work with the forces to torture and murder that has incited local hatred.

The issue has been a source of rising tensions between Kabul and the United States with a series of astonishing outbursts against the international coalition from Karzai's palace in recent weeks.

Just hours before the agreement was announced by the US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the presidency branded the NATO-led military operation in the country "aimless and unwise".

"I am pleased to announce that following a very constructive series of talks, we have come to an agreement on a plan for Wardak," said General Joseph Dunford, the US commander of ISAF, following talks with Karzai.

ISAF said Afghan forces would "soon" move into the district of Nerkh, which "will preclude" the need for Afghan local police and coalition forces to remain in the area. Nerkh is one of eight districts in Wardak. The statement said the "remainder of the province will transition over time" but no dates were announced. — AFP

IMF chief’s Paris home raided

Paris, March 20
The French police today carried out a raid on the Paris home of IMF chief Christine Lagarde in connection with a probe into her handling of a high-profile scandal when she was a minister.

The investigation concerns Lagarde's 2007 decision to order a panel of judges to arbitrate on the fallout from a dispute between disgraced tycoon Bernard Tapie and the collapsed bank Credit Lyonnais. The arbitration resulted in Tapie being awarded around 400 million euros.

Lagarde's lawyer Yves Repiquet said his client was cooperating with the investigation.

"Lagarde has nothing to hide," he said. Lagarde herself has defended the controversial decision to send the Tapie case to arbitration, describing it as "the best solution at the time".

The judges agreed to award Tapie 285 million euros (400 million euros once interest was added on) in compensation linked to his 1993 sale of the sports group Adidas. — AFP

Bangladesh President dies in Singapore at 85

Dhaka, March 20
Bangladesh President Mohammad Zillur Rahman, a close aide of the country's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, died today at a Singapore hospital where he was being treated for kidney and respiratory problems, officials said. He was 85.

"He breathed his last at the Mount Elisabeth Hospital," a Presidential spokesman said.

Bangladesh ambassador to Singapore said doctors proclaimed him dead at 6.47 pm (local time) when his only son, daughters and close relatives were present. Rahman was admitted to the facility on March 10 as he was flown to Singapore by an air ambulance for critical lung infection, a day after he was rushed to the Combined Military Hospital at Dhaka cantonment.

Rahman, a veteran politician, who celebrated his 85th birthday earlier this month was installed as the ceremonial head of the state in 2009 after the Awami League was elected in the December 2008 general elections. — PTI

French hostage killed, claims Al-Qaida

Nouakchott, March 20
A Mauritanian-based website said that the Al-Qaida's North African branch has executed a French hostage in retaliation for France's military intervention in northern Mali.

In Paris, a French Foreign Ministry official said the government is aware of the report and is investigating. The hostage's father said he has not received confirmation of the death.

The Noukachott Information Agency, or ANI, posted the report yesterday. The ANI website is frequently used by the Al-Qaida's North African chapter to post messages. It was not possible to independently verify the execution claim.

The ANI quoted a man who identified himself as Ghairawani, a spokesman for Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, as saying the group's fighters had executed a French hostage, Philippe Verdon, on March 10. — AP

Nigeria’s suicide blast toll rises to 70

Abuja, March 20
At least 70 persons have been killed in a suicide attack that struck a bus station in Nigeria's northern city of Kano, though official records show a much lower toll.

A local television station, Channels, quoted Tobias Idika, the president of ethnic Ibo organisation in the city, Ohanaeze, and an eyewitness as saying that 70 persons have been confirmed dead in yesterday's attack.

"Five buses were fully loaded with passengers ready to take off when a Volkswagen golf car laden with explosives drove into the park and exploded.

At this moment, 70 persons are confirmed dead, most of them travellers," Idika said. — PTI