Pakistani Crucial Political Situation

Islamabad: Amidst a political showdown between the government and the Opposition, Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Wednesday met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and discussed the political and security situation in the country.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari, who is on a visit to Iran, is believed to have been asked not to return.

The two leaders met at a time when President Asif Ali Zardari is out of the country to attend a summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation in Tehran.

Pakistani authorities on Tuesday launched a crackdown on rights activists, lawyers and opposition party activists in Islamabad and Punjab province ahead of a “long march” by the lawyers’ movement to pressure the government to reinstate judges sacked during the 2007 emergency by former President Pervez Musharraf.

Hundreds of people have been detained or placed under house arrest by the authorities, who have banned protests and rallies across Punjab and Sindh provinces.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Mastermind of Lahore attack identified

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has zeroed in on the alleged mastermind of last week’s terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, a media report said on Monday.

“The Lahore police have named the mastermind as Mohammad Aqeel. A raid was conducted on his hideout but he managed to escape,” Geo TV said.

“His accomplice Talat has been arrested,” the channel added.

Eight Pakistanis, including six security personnel, were killed and six Sri Lankan players as well as the team’s assistant coach injured March 3 when the team bus was on its way to the Gaddafi Stadium for the third day’s play in the second cricket test. The tour was immediately called off and the Sri Lankan team was flown home the same evening.

Without naming India, Pakistan first saw a “foreign hand” in the attack but soon retracted, saying the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group could be involved.

Investigators have now been quoted as saying that the al-Qaida could be involved.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Pakistan Should Cooperate on 26/11: Musharraf

New Delhi: Pakistani government should cooperate in the Mumbai attacks case and those behind it should be punished, former President Pervez Musharraf has said even as he criticised India for “creating war hysteria” over the issue.

“It was most unfortunate. It was a terrorist act. Terrorists have no nationality,” Musharraf said at a seminar when asked for his comment on the Mumbai attacks which was different from earlier terror acts.

“Pakistan government should cooperate because a terrorist act has taken place and anyone who has done it should be punished,” the former military ruler said.

He, however, said he could not say whether the attack had originated from Pakistan as he was “not privy” to details furnished by India.

At the same time, he was critical of India for saying on the very next day of the attack that it had originated from Pakistan.

“Shall we say the same about Lahore (attack)? People here should give considered statements,” Musharraf said.

Accusing India of creating “war hysteria” amid suggestions for surgical strikes after the attacks, he said with a warning tone “These are serious situations. Pakistan also has armed forces.”

‘Change attitude towards Pak’

India and Pakistan must change the way they treat each other and bury a “dirty past” to tackle growing militancy in the region together, Musharraf said further.

“The past has been dirty, the past has been bad, but don’t put the blame on Pakistan,” Musharraf said. “You tried to do damage to us, we were not sitting idle, we tried to damage you.”

He said both countries were to be blamed for decades of mistrust and dispute, but now need to move ahead.

“There is a need for attitudinal change, more in India less in Pakistan,” the former Army General said, referring to India’s regular allegations that Pakistan’s spy agency, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), and the Pakistan Army were behind militant strikes in India.

Pakistan and India have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947 and came to the brink of a fourth after gunmen attacked the Indian Parliament in December 2001.

India also paused talks on a peace process between the two countries after it blamed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba for the Mumbai attacks last November in which nearly 170 people died.

India says its nuclear-armed rival has done little to clamp down on militant activity on its soil.

Musharraf asked India to stop what he described as “Pakistan bashing” and instead urged New Delhi to help the ISI and Pakistan’s Army fight militancy in the region.

“Help the Pakistan Army and the ISI to tackle them (militants) and please don’t malign them,” the former Army Chief said, adding that Pakistan’s Army and the ISI wanted peace with India.

The former President, who stepped down in August last year, said the Army and the ISI were the best bets to fight the growing influence of the Taliban and militancy in Pakistan.

“Please don’t create misunderstanding in the world against the ISI and the Army,” he said.

Pakistani authorities have been criticized after gunmen fired at the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore on Tuesday.

“Pakistan is critical under the present circumstances to fight terrorism and extremism, Pakistan is critical to bring peace in the region,” Musharraf said.

The former Army General said the solution to end militancy in the region lay in finding a peaceful solution for Kashmir.

‘Handing over Dawood won’t help’

“Even if he (Dawood Ibrahim) is handed over, relations (between India and Pakistan) will not improve. I challenge,” Musharraf stated at the event when asked whether Pakistan could hand over Dawood as a confidence building measure.

When suggested that it may be given a try, the retired General said “if we fail, you will hand him over back to us.”

Musharraf, while interacting at the conclave, earlier claimed that he did not “know at all if he (Dawood) is in Pakistan”.

He made the claim, which was received with disbelief by the audience, even while underlining that India and Pakistan must not harbour each other’s terrorists.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Taliban may take hostage of karachi

Karachi: Taliban have established secret hideouts in the southern financial hub of Karachi and its militants “could take the city hostage at any point”, according to Pakistani police.

The CID Special Branch of police has highlighted the presence of Taliban in Karachi in a report submitted to the Sindh government and the provincial police chief.

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The Taliban have “huge caches” of weapons and ammunition and “could take the city hostage at any point,” the report said.

The report provides details about secret Taliban hideouts and their presence in areas like Sohrab Goth and Quaidabad.

Besides living in small motels in these areas, the Taliban are hiding in the hills of Manghopir and Orangi town and in other low-income areas and slums, the Daily Times newspaper quoted the police report as saying.

The daily also quoted sources as saying that the deputy chief of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban, Hasan Mahmood, was hiding in Karachi.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement, which is part of the coalition government in Sindh province, has often warned authorities that the Taliban had established a presence in Karachi. The Daily Times said the Special Branch report had “terrified” police and security personnel. Recently, personnel of the Anti-Violent Crime Cell had raided a guesthouse in Sohrab Goth but the Taliban apprehended them instead.

The militants were trying to execute the policemen when another police party intervened.

Two policemen were killed in the operation while a SSP and 11 other policemen were seriously injured. Police also arrested eight men who were said to be pro-Taliban militants.

On the directives of the Sindh government, a survey has been conducted of guesthouses across Karachi and senior police officials have asked for surveillance of these facilities.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Pak’s Political Rift May Pose Test For Obama

NEW YORK: The intensifying political battle between the president and the main opposition leader is shaping up as a potential crisis for the Obama administration. The US tries to focus the government on fighting the Qaeda and Taliban insurgency here, New York Times commented on the political situation in Pakistan.

The domestic struggle will almost certainly deflect attention from that fight as President Asif Ali Zardari and his rival, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, duke it out and as street protests persist, politicians and analysts said.

It could also result in shifting political alliances, including new opportunities for the religious right that would be inimical to Washington’s interests, and even serve to make the Pakistani military restive for power again if the situation continued to worsen, they said.

The Obama administration, which this week hosted the Pakistani foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and the military chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, in Washington, has had little to say about the unfolding political drama.

“Washington was certainly surprised by the court move and very concerned, both in political and military circles,” said director of the South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council.

The United States has backed Mr. Zardari as president. But his reputation in Washington would be likely to suffer as a consequence of the moves against the Sharif brothers, said an analyst.

“He is deflecting the attention of the whole country to something that is so irrelevant.” “He is banking on the United States, but America will only support him up to a point.”

General Kayani has vowed to keep the army out of politics, and was serious about his pledge, Pakistani officials said. But there could come a point where political instability became so great, the army would feel to be compelled to step in, they said.

The size of the crowd during the lawyers’ protest from Lahore to Islamabad, and the composition of the march could be a defining moment in the contest between Mr. Zardari and the Sharif forces, citing politicians, the US daily said in its report.

Source: www.nhatky.in