Aqeel released on bail

The man accused of Rs 6 billion scam of land  released on bail by the coour:-

Land scam accused and runaway MNA of PML-N has been released from jail here in Rawalpindi as the court on Saturday reissued release order of Anjum Aqeel Khan. The Anti terrorist court granted bail to Anjum Aqeel and his 30 other companions in runaway case on Tuesday but he was still facing charges in other cases. The court then issued release order of PML-N MNA after granting him bail in all cases registered against him. It is pertinent to mention here that PML-N MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan along with some former Islamabad police officers has been facing law suit in Rs 6 billion scam of land of National Police Foundation

Shahbaz Sharif says PPP threatening him

Punjab Chief :-

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday alleged that he was getting threats from President Asif Ali Zardari. Shahbaz said he would expose “the corruption perpetrated” by President Zardari even if he had to sacrifice his life in the process. Speaking to a gathering in Bahawalpur, he said: “Life and death are in Allah’s hands…I know where the threats are coming from…they cannot scare me from acting against the corruption perpetrated by the leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).” Shahbaz went on to add that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was in favour of creating new provinces. “However, new provinces should be created on a national level and the issue should not be Punjab-centric,” he said

Iraqi Leader Backs Syria, With a Nudge From Iran

BAGHDAD — As leaders in the Arab world and other countries condemn President Bashar al-Assad’s violent crackdown on demonstrators in Syria, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq has struck a far friendlier tone, urging the protesters not to “sabotage” the state and hosting an official Syrian delegation.

Iraqi Prime Minister Office/Handout/European Pressphoto Agency

A Syrian ally: Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq.

Related

• Security Forces Kill at Least 15 People in Cities Around Syria (August 13, 2011)

• Times Topics: Nuri Kamal al-Maliki | Iraq | Bashar Al-Assad | Syria — Protests (2011)

Mr. Maliki’s support for Mr. Assad has illustrated how much Iraq’s position in the Middle East has shifted toward an axis led by Iran. And it has also aggravated the fault line between Iraq’s Shiite majority, whose leaders have accepted Mr. Assad’s account that Al Qaeda is behind the uprising, and the Sunni minority, whose leaders have condemned the Syrian crackdown.
“The unrest in Syria has exacerbated the old sectarian divides in Iraq because the Shiite leaders have grown close to Assad and the Sunnis identify with the people,” said Joost Hiltermann, the International Crisis Group’s deputy program director for the Middle East.
He added: “Maliki is very reliant on Iran for his power and Iran is backing Syria all the way. The Iranians and the Syrians were all critical to bringing him to power a year ago and keeping him in power so he finds himself in a difficult position.”
Iraq and Syria have not had close relations for years, long before the American invasion. During the sectarian violence here that broke out after the invasion, Iraqi leaders blamed Syria for allowing suicide bombers and other militants to enter the country.
But Syria and Iran have had close ties, a factor in the recalibration of relations between Syria and Iraq. Last year, Iran pressured Mr. Assad into supporting Mr. Maliki for prime minister, which eventually helped him gain a second term. Since then, Mr. Maliki and Mr. Assad have strengthened relations, signing trade deals and increasing Syrian investment in Iraq.
But the speaker of Parliament, Osama al-Najafi, a Sunni, said this week that the Assad government was suppressing the freedoms of the Syrian people and that it was unacceptable for it to use violence to halt protests.
“For the sake of the Syrian people we demand the government, out of its responsibility to safeguard the lives of its people and their property, take the bold and courageous steps to stop the bleeding,” Mr. Najafi said. 
For months, Mr. Assad has faced a protest movement that has spread through much of the country. His response has been to use the police and the military against the protesters, killing about 2,000 people so far, activists say. Thousands more have been arrested. At first, Arab leaders were largely silent, concerned that the collapse of the government would add another layer of chaos to a region reeling from uprisings. But recently some have begun to speak out, condemning the killings.
Syria’s allies in Turkey have also called for an end to the bloodshed, as have leaders in Western capitals.
But Mr. Maliki last month hosted a delegation of Syrian government officials and businessmen to discuss closer economic ties, including the construction of a gas pipeline that would run from Iran through Iraq to Syria. A month earlier, Syria’s foreign minister visited Baghdad.
In a television interview this week, Mr. Maliki said that the protesters should use the democratic process, not riots, to voice their displeasure, though Syria does not allow competitive, free elections.
He put most of the blame on the protesters and said little about the government’s ending the bloodshed. This contrasted with a position his alliance took against the Sunni monarchy in Bahrain when it stifled a pro-democracy movement among the Shiite majority there.
To protest the crackdown in Bahrain, members of Mr. Maliki’s alliance walked out of a session of Parliament, sent a ship with supplies to the protesters and called on the government to step down.
Before the Syrian uprising, Shiite and Sunni leaders in Iraq were beginning to work together again after months of paralysis that had undermined the functioning of the government. That cooperation has not yet been derailed, but the conflict over Syria threatens to strain relations.
Shaker Darraji, a member of Mr. Maliki’s State of Law bloc, said the Syrian protesters were members of Al Qaeda and that the Israelis and the Arab Persian Gulf states were behind the demonstrations. If the Assad government is overthrown, he said, it will be replaced by members of Al Qaeda, who will use Syria as a base to launch attacks in Iraq and the region.
The agenda of Israel and the Arab gulf states “is to use the sectarian differences between the Shiite ruling family in Syria and the Sunni majority” to their own advantage, Mr. Darraji said.
But Jaber al-Jabri, a member of the Sunni-dominated Iraqiya bloc, objected to that assessment.

“What is happening in Syria is not because of a terrorist group, as some say, that is not accurate,” he said. “There are whole towns rising up to demonstrate against the regime. We call on the Syrian government to listen to the people’s demands and to stop violence against their people.”

Five killed, six injured in Karachi gun attacks

At least five people were killed and six injured in the incidents of gun attack in various areas in metropolis on Saturday, meanwhile, police launched house operations in separate areas.

According to details, unidentified miscreants left two dead bodies in a car parked at Shah Nawaz Bhutto Chowke in Pak Colony and fled away. Subsequently, police escorted the bodies to Jinnah Hospital. In another incident of firing, miscreants shot dead two men in Nazimabad number II who remained unidentified.

Moreover, a man was killed and four others injured as miscreants threw a hand grenade at a house in Nazimabad. The string of firing was reportedly continued near Nadia Hotel during the Sehri hours. Meanwhile, police have kicked off search operation in different areas of the city including Malir Halt, Safora Goth, Gulistan-e-Johr, Nazimabad, Sachal and others. No arrest has been made so far, police officials told media

NA forms all-party probe committee

ISLAMABAD:-

                           The National Assembly on Friday unanimously adopted a motion to form an all-party House committee to review law and order situation in Karachi and Balochistan.

The committee members would visit Karachi and Quetta to review the causes of unrest there and would present their report to the speaker in two months. The motion for the committee, which will have representation from all parties in the assembly, was moved by Sheikh Aftab Ahmad of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N).

Earlier, while commenting on the motion, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman proposed that parliamentary leaders of all political parties should directly interact with people in Karachi to understand their problems. MQM MNA Haider Abbas Rizvi also stressed that a committee of senior members of all political parties should visit Karachi and meet people belonging to all walks of life. He also sought all resources for the committee to enable its members to come up with meaningful findings.

ANP’s Bushra Gohar, though espoused the committee, however she questioned as to why the exiting Committee on National Security could not be asked for action in this respect. She argued it would be quicker if the Committee on National Security is given this task, but ANP chief whip Khurshid Shah said a separate committee would be more efficient. Engineer Shaukatullah called for a separate committee for Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), and hoped it would improve the situation there.

Interior Minister Rehman expressed his satisfaction over the unanimity of views of the parliamentarians. He requested to have an in-camera session of the House as he intended to reveal some startling facts about unrest in Balochistan, where foreign interference was evident. The minister said proscribed organisations and Taliban had formed a nexus in Balochistan. People belonging to Hazara, Punjab and Pushtun background are being targeted on ethnic and sectarian lines under a well-planned scheme, he added. Referring to the lacunae in the laws, he said the House should approve the Anti-Terrorist Act immediately to award exemplary punishment to the culprits of violence.

However, the minister told the House that due to effective measures taken by the government, incidents of target killings have been controlled to a great extent in Karachi. Winding up the debate, he said that 90 target killers were arrested during this year from different areas of the city. He said that deployment of Rangers as well as intelligence setup has been increased in the provincial metropolis. Moreover, the Frontier Constabulary is also at the disposal of provincial government.

Malik said responsibility rests with the all the political parties to find a permanent political solution of the situation in Karachi. He said the government on its part has set up a Crisis Management Cell to check activities of extortionists. The law enforcers have arrested 56 extortionists from the city, besides 29 organisations involved in illegal activities have been banned to control the sectarianism violence and terrorism. He said that an Anti-Terrorist Cell of FIA has also been shifted to Karachi to identify the hotspots there. Similarly, SUPARCO is providing services for aerial surveillance of the city.

Rehman Malik said that the situation in the tribal areas cannot be disconnected with the prevailing situation in Karachi. NADRA has blocked 20 million unverified SIMs and a decision has been taken to de-weaponise the entire country in phases, he said. In the first phase old arms licences will be replaced with computerised arms licenses, he added.

About Islamabad, the minister said that 11 terrorists planning suicide attacks in different areas of the city including those who wished to attack the father of the president have been arrested. Latter, NA Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza prorogued the 33rd session of the National Assembly

We don’t want to make a Shaheed out of PPP govt, says Nawaz

LAHORE:-

                    President Pakistan Muslim League-N Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has said that long march cannot be carried out on every issue while the present government has utterly failed to deliver, but the N-League will not make a martyr out of the PPP once more.

‘The bad governance of the PPP government has destroyed the image of democracy, and if the situation called for a long march, I will not resist doing so’, he vowed, while addressing a function to mark International Youth Day held here on Friday.

The function was attended by members of the Punjab Youth Council and a large number of male and female position-holders.

Deputy Secretary General of PML-N Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry, Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Muhammad Iqbal, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, MNAs Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Hamza Shahbaz Sharif were also present on the occasion.

Nawaz asserted that his party was playing a very effective role in the Parliament and given another chance, it would put the country on the right track.

Continuing his attack on the PPP-led government, the PML-N chief said it had put the country’s sovereignty at stake, and he knew well that the people wanted to get rid of this corrupt government, but he did not want to make a ‘Shaheed’ out of the PPP one more time and let it bag sympathy vote as it had done always.

Referring to the long march for the restoration of the judiciary, he stated that long marches could not be carried out on every issue.

Nawaz Sharif claimed that in 1999, before his government was toppled by Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s currency was the strongest among the SAARC countries.

‘There was no crisis and the country was on the march to development’, he added, while lamenting that the dictator overthrew the elected government that damaged the development process.

PML-N President said every Pakistani was worried about the country’s future due to wrong policies of the present government, and the PML-N had given the present government a 10-point agenda and if it had been implemented, the country would have been out of the crisis.

‘The younger generation must play its due role for the development of the country. In fact, it is the duty of the youth to lead the country. I will make the future of the country bright with the help of youth’, he pledged.

On the rise in terrorism incidents and militancy, Nawaz said if the country would have been progressing under democracy, then this would not have been the scenario.

He also said his partnership with youth was need of the hour for resolution of problems, and he was not disappointed with the future of Pakistan.

‘I faced torture of imprisonment and exile. Even I was not allowed to attend the funeral of my father, but I adhered to the principled politics. Despite this, if I have to do the politics of selfishness, greed and vested interests, then it is better to quit politics’, he maintained, while expressing his confidence that time would come when, like other sectors of the life, the discrimination of class-based education system would be eliminated and equal opportunities of progress would be available to everyone.

Mentioning the economic policies and other development projects of his previous tenure, Nawaz Sharif said at that time, India was following Pakistan’s policy for the restoration of economy.

‘Had our last two governments given opportunity to complete tenures and not toppled, Pakistan would have become an economic tiger today. Loadshedding, unemployment, price hike, terrorism and extremism are gifts of dictatorship which is not answerable to anyone. But the government came into power through elections also did not deliver. Bad governance is spoiling the image of democracy’, he maintained, while ,adding, that today some people were declaring Pakistan a failed and isolated state, sovereignty of Pakistan was being mutilated, decisions and orders of the Supreme Court were not being obeyed.

‘Long march for restoration of judiciary was not politics, but it was for the rule of law in the country. Zardari and Gilani were not ready to restore the judiciary, but it was due to the pressure of the people that judiciary was restored. If we had continued long march after restoration of judiciary, then it was politics’, he maintained.

Nawaz asserted that his party did not let the government of becoming ‘Shaheed’ but gave full opportunity so that it should be completely exposed.

He said the PML-N was playing its due role in the Assembly against the corruption and other anti-people policies of present government.

‘If need be, we will not hesitate to take any political step’, he said, while saying that if the youth were not satisfied with the present politics, then they should come forward and play their role.

‘The youth of 18 years has the right of vote and track record of all the parties is known to them. Their right decision can change the destiny of the country and the nation’, he added.

He also mentioned:‘Today over 70 per cent of Pakistanis are under age 35. Pakistani youth represents a youth boom that has the potential to transform Pakistani nation into a developed & a progressive nation of the world. Young Pakistani people are gifted with open minds and keen awareness of emerging trends; they are bringing their energy, ideas and courage to some of the most complex and important challenges facing Pakistan. Pakistani youth have strong will power and patience, they often understand better than older generations that we can transcend our religion, politics, and cultural differences in order to reach our shared goals. They are standing up for the rights of oppressed peoples, including those who suffer discrimination based on gender and race. They are confronting complex challenges and they are often the leading proponents of sustainability and green lifestyle’.

Nawaz said the PML-N was committed to working together with youth to expand horizons of opportunity for our young men and women, and answer their legitimate demand for dignity, development and decent work.

‘If we failed to invest in our youth, then we will fail to realise our true potential. Investing in our young people is the only guarantee for a prosperous future’, he said, while urging the youth to commit themselves for excellence in education and rise above divisions of ethnicity, language, and religion to create a peaceful, united, and developed Pakistan based on the vision of Quaid-i- Azam.

He lauded the efforts of the Chief Minister Punjab Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif with regard to setting up Daanish Schools and other reforms in education sector and ,added, that the budget allocated during his tenure was unprecedented.

He said beside Daanish Schools, attention should also be paid to the standard of other educational institutions.

Nawaz Sharif said he would ask Shahbaz Sharif to also pay attention to the educational problems of blind and other special children

Britain Turns to Former New York and Los Angeles Police Official for Help

William J. Bratton:

William J. Bratton, who was heralded as a crime-fighter after taming New York City’s rampant violence in the mid-1990s, has now been summoned to London to help salvage a British police force that has been bruised and maligned following days of rioting, deaths and arson fires.

In an interview on Friday, Mr. Bratton said Prime Minister David Cameron called him hours earlier to discuss working as a consultant on a policing strategy to respond to the violence that convulsed London and several other cities and that the police there had struggled to contain.

While the details of Mr. Bratton’s role, including what kind of authority he would have, are just beginning to be negotiated, Mr. Bratton offered an overview of the kind of tactics that might be employed to quell any further unrest and to rebuild the police force’s reputation, which has been badly damaged in the wake of the newspaper scandal over the hacking of cellphone messages.
A focus of Mr. Cameron’s interest in him, Mr. Bratton said, is addressing how to take aim at the street gangs that law enforcement officials and others believe are playing a critical role in fomenting or engaging in the violence that began in north London a week ago and has led to hundreds of arrests and several deaths.
“What they are looking for, from me, is the idea of, what has been the American experience in dealing with the gang problem and, what has worked for us and not worked for us and how that can be applied,” Mr. Bratton said.
Mr. Bratton, a leading figure in urban crime-fighting tactics, is an advocate of so-called community policing, an approach grounded in the idea of flooding streets with officers who are immersed in people’s daily lives rather than using them simply to react or respond to specific events.
“You can’t just arrest your way out of the problem,” he said. “It’s going to require a lot of intervention and prevention strategies and techniques.”
Mr. Bratton, 63, who lives in New York City and is the chairman of Kroll, an international private security firm, began his career as a Boston police officer and went on to lead several police agencies that faced issues of corruption or excessive use of force.
He was New York City’s police commissioner for 27 months, from 1994 to 1996, and was credited with achieving record declines in crime before being forced out in a dramatic clash with Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani.
Before that he had led Boston’s police force. Most recently, he was the chief of the Los Angeles police force, a position he held for nearly seven years, ending in November 2009.
Jeremy Travis, president of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a former director of the National Institute of Justice, said he was not surprised that Mr. Bratton had been tapped by British authorities.
“Bill Bratton is one of the leading figures in designing effective police responses to crime,” Mr. Travis said. “He is known for his successes in organizational turnaround and focusing organizations on their core mission of providing public safety and doing so in a way that protects the rights of the public.”
Mr. Bratton said he was reluctant to analyze the politics tied to the British turmoil or debate the performance of the law enforcement authorities in dealing with it. But the tension between a police force’s obligation to protect life and property, he said, and a society’s need to express itself freely is an inherent aspect of law enforcement.

What matters, he said, is legitimate and lawful policing, irrespective of the factors underlying any unrest. “The events of recent years have, in my mind, reinforced even more the importance of police in the society, to maintain order,” Mr. Bratton said, “whether against traditional crime or the new fears of terrorism or the fears of social disorder, like in London.”