Corps Commanders concerned about Karachi violence

Top military generals:

Top military generals Monday expressed concerns over the law and order situation in the port city of Karachi and its ramifications and implications on the country's economy.

The Corps Commanders' Conference, held at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi with Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in the chair, discussed the security situation in the country in general and Karachi in particular, said a statement issued by ISPR.

The statement said that the army commanders expected that the measures recently undertaken by the government would help redress the situation in the city.

According to the statement, the participants of the conference were also briefed in detail regarding the ongoing law enforcement operations against the militants in the tribal regions of Kurram and Mohmand within the perspective of evolving security dynamic.

Local watchers said that it is very rare in Pakistan when army commanders make statements on the country's law and order situation, but the recent wave of killings in Karachi, also the commercial hub of Pakistan, has prompted the army commanders' statement.

In July alone, over 300 people were reportedly killed in Karachi as the result of ethnic and political violence. Nearly 100 vehicles were also torched in different parts of the city over the past few weeks.

To quench the violence in the city, the Pakistani government has taken a series of measures including deployment of additional security forces in the city and making concessions to the demands raised by some of the parties based in Karachi

PakSat-IR symbol of Pak-China cooperation in space science & technology: Masood Khan

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Masood Khan:

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Masood Khan has said that Pakistan’s new communication satellite -- PakSat-1R, is a symbol of Pakistan-China cooperation in the area of space science and technology.“It is a symbol of Pakistan-China cooperation in the area of space science and technology. It is the first of the kind to be launched by China and Pakistan. Therefore it establishes a new platform, and it marks a new beginning” said Ambassador Khan in an interview with China News Agency on the occasion of launch of PakSat-1R from China.The use of satellite will bring direct benefits to Pakistan’s economy, Khan said adding that it will refine and expand our capabilities for the use of broadband Internet, digital broadcasting, mobile telephony, and disaster prevention and management. All these capabilities will enable us to focus more sharply on social development, especially on education and health sectors, he added.The Pakistan Communication Satellite – PakSat-1R is due to be launched in space from Chinese satellite launching site located at Xichang city during the second week of current month, depending on weather conditions. It will replace Paksat-1.Ambassador Khan said that as we accomplished this goal of launching PakSat-1R, we will swiftly move on to expand our collaboration with China in related fields of space science and technology.The launching of the satellite, he said coincides with the celebrations of 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.Masood Khan said Pakistan and China “are moving into the higher stages of aerospace cooperation. Remote sensing satellite is one such area. This satellite will cover crop monitoring, weather forecasting, urban planning, disaster preparedness and response, earth observation, and oceanography. These applications will have a direct impact on our agriculture, industry and services – three vital sectors for Pakistan’s economy.”Last year, Ambassador Khan said that Pakistan was hit by massive floods which caused large scale devastation across the country. It was at that time that we fully realized the importance of a remote sensing satellite.In the long term, he said we also want to cooperate with China on satellite designs to develop Pakistan’s indigenous capability.He expressed Pakistan’s desire to participate in China’s Manned Space as well Deep Space Exploration programmes.He, however regarded it as something for the future. It is our desire that the first non-Chinese astronaut to travel on board a Chinese spaceflight is a Pakistani.Referring to the advancement made by China in space technology, Ambassador Khan said that China is constantly forging ahead at a brisk pace. It has made extraordinary strides into space science and technology as well as aerospace industry.Ambassador Khan said China's space technology industrial base is expanding. Shenzhou 7, the third manned spaceflight has established a new threshold for China.He, however said that “China is not sitting on its laurels. It is constantly moving forward. It has already planned Shenzhou 8 which will be docked with Tiangong 1 space module. Tiangong-1 will place the first portion of China's planned space laboratory in orbit. This will be a breakthrough. The docking of Shenzhou 8 and Tiangong 1 is expected to be followed by Shenzhou 9. The Beidou is yet another technological achievement as China can launch and operate complex systems in space. These are all new frontiers that China is conquering” he remarked.

The people of Pakistan, Ambassador Khan said, are proud of these scientific achievements of China.

MQM chief Altaf welcomes restoration of LG system in Sindh

(MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain:

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain has welcomed restoration of Local Government system (LGS) 2001 across the Sindh province.

In a statement issued from London, he paid tribute to the President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Sindh Governor Dr. Ishraturl Ebad and Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah over restoration of local government system.

Altaf Hussain said that this measure would strengthen democracy besides improving the atmosphere of brotherhood in the province, adding that it would have positive impacts on the common man.

He also felicitated people of Sindh saying that this decision would prove as a milestone in flourishing democracy.

He also thanked the president and Prime Minister for successful negotiations between Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan and the federal government to restore the LGS in Sindh province.

Terrorist safe haven in Pak cannot be allowed to continue: McCain

John McCain:

US Senator John McCain has said that continuation of terrorist safe haven in that country would make it tough for America to succeed in the war against terrorism."We have to have a realization that the present sanctuary situation in Pakistan cannot continue. Otherwise, it places enormous burdens on our ability to succeed," McCain told NBC.McCain said continuation of terrorist sanctuary now in Pakistan with the Haqqani network, the ISI cooperation with other groups including Taliban, is a major problem in this war against terrorism.

"I believe we've made significant successes. Our prayers and thoughts go out to the families of those brave, brave, elite of our elite that have sacrificed," he said.

"But, at the same time, we're going to have to address this sanctuary situation, and we're going to have to address the problem that the President has created, and that is that out there, there is the perception Afghanistan and other parts of that part of the world that America is withdrawing that can't be good," McCain said.

"There is no doubt that we have had significant success, particularly in the Southern part of Afghanistan. The reason why I worry a lot is I'm not sure we have a sufficient number of troops for another fighting season so we can gain control in the Eastern side of the country," he said.

"We all know that Taliban cooperated with an assisted al- Qaida initially, which is the reason why we went to Afghanistan as the result of 9/11. So there is no doubt in my mind that we would have al-Qaeda presence and influence in Afghanistan and even a return to a base for attacks on the United States of America," he added.

Stolen vehicle identification system launched

ISLAMABAD:

Islamabad Police have introduced a service at Rescue 15 through which one can know about status of vehicle whether it is genuine or stolen by simply sending an SMS to Rescue 15 with details of vehicle. According to newly launched service of Rescue 15 Islamabad, the citizens can, now, check either the used car, they are buying, is stolen or genuine and they can do it by sending registration & chassis number of vehicle to Rescue 15 by Short Messaging Service (SMS) to 8521 and they would get details in 20 second. Inspector General of Police formally inaugurated the service on Saturday here at Rescue 15. The IGP said that Islamabad Police has signed an agreement with Digital Seal Pvt. Ltd. Highlighting the salient features of this service to be called Stolen Vehicles Identification System, the IGP Bani Amin Khan said that persons anywhere in Pakistan will write down simply an engine no or chassis number of the vehicle and send it to 8521. Within less than 20 seconds all out details about the vehicle will be displayed on his mobile, the IGP said and hoped for curbing car theft incidents through this way.It is pertinent to mention here that a sizeable number of citizens purchase second hand cars and very often get trapped in the deal of a stolen car and eventually lose both the car and their money. To avoid this malady the Rescue 15 has already briefed the second hand car dealers to get the said cars checked through police computer record and the Forensic Science Laboratory. Meanwhile it has launched a service to provide speedy info about the vehicles to facilitate the citizen. Islamabad police, said the police officials, believe that the primary responsibility of securing the vehicle rests with the owner as he has invested huge amount of money in the purchase of a car therefore, he should make a genuine deal by getting the car cleared from police computer record and forensic science laboratory where after, he should protect it by installing a security device.According to higher police authorities, the Excise and Taxation Officer, has been apprised of the impending danger of re-registration of stolen cars.It is pertinent to mention here that the dealers can play a very important role in this regard. In this connection police can assist and coordinate with these dealers who could supply the quality gadgets at economical and affordable prices.

It is pertinent to mention here that Islamabad police are taking measures to curb car-lifting practices in the city and several receivers of stolen vehicles have been apprehended due to the coordination of Islamabad police with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police.

LGs set to return in entire Sindh

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD:

After scathing criticism for running two different systems in Sindh, the provincial government has decided to restore the Local Governments System 2001 (LGS) in whole of the province.Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon announced Sunday night that Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has taken the decision to extend the LGS to all parts of the province. He said a draft to this effect had been sent to Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad. Till the filing of this report, the chief minister was in a meeting at the Governor’s House and an ordinance to this affect was likely to be signed anytime. President Asif Ali Zardari also phoned Ebad and talked about the new measure. Meanwhile, President Zardari has invited senior leaders of the party to meet at Awian-e-Sadr today (Monday) to discuss the issue. Sources said that senior PPP leaders including the Sindh chief minister have expressed their support to the idea.The PPP-led government, which had reintroduced the old commissionerate system in the province last month, restored the local governments system in Karachi and Hyderabad on the instance of MQM, but kept it in rest of the Sindh. The government was facing immense pressure from the Sindh nationalists and its ally Awami National Part to adopt a uniform system. Though both these forces favoured commisionerate system, but the government under pressure from MQM decided that if it has to adopt a unitary system, it would be the LGS.The nationalists have given a strike call in Sindh today (Monday) over the issue of adoption of two different systems in the province.On the other hand, strongly reacting to reverting back to district government system in Karachi and Hyderabad, the ANP called its parliamentary party meeting today (Monday) at the Parliament House to discuss the matter.ANP Central Information Secretary Zahid Khan said that the meeting has been called by Senior Vice-President Bushra Gohar to review the changes made in the administrative setup in Sindh. He said that PPP has not taken them on board while taking the decision of withdrawal of the commissionerate system following their negotiations with the MQM on Saturday.Sources aware of the developments taking place on this front informed The Nation that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had phoned PML-Functional chief Pir Pagara Saturday night to take him into confidence regarding their new deal with the MQM to bring normalcy and peace to the port city of Karachi. Sources further said that Pir Pagara in his conversation with Gilani highlighted the significance and utility of the commissionerate system and did not approve the measure.Zahid Khan commenting on the situation questioned as to how a province could function under two separate local bodies system, adding that restoration of the district governments system in Karachi and Hyderabad was tantamount to accepting their status as a separate province. He demanded of the PPP to address the reservations of the ANP.Bushra Gohar said that the situation in Karachi was so critical and the government should have taken all the stakeholders on board while taking any decision about the city

PML-N wants govt to prepare formula for new provinces

ISLAMABAD:

The opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N is likely to finalise on Monday its plan on the issue of making new provinces in the country.

A meeting of the party to be presided over by its president Nawaz Sharif will devise a strategy to deal with rising demands for creation of new provinces in the light of recommendations prepared by a 15-member committee it had set up last week.
The committee, headed by Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, will present its report to the party on Monday.
According to sources, the committee has suggested that the party should ask the government to first devise a formula on the basis of which a new province should be created and that formula should be applicable to all parts of the country and not only to areas where the demands for new provinces are being raised.
It says that the formula should be based on population, area, resources, sources of income and other important factors to resolve the issue on a permanent basis.
The PML-N, the sources said, wanted the government to initiate a consultative process to develop a broad-based consensus among all the political parties inside and outside parliament before taking any practical step towards creating a new province.
They said there was a feeling within the party ranks that the Pakistan People`s Party (PPP) was only exploiting the issue to gain political mileage against the PML-N. The PML-N believes the government cannot take any step for the division of Punjab without its support.
The sources said that the PML-N would not allow anyone to dictate his terms on the issue.
The PML-N had constituted the special committee in the light of a policy statement given by Mr Sharif after his election as the party president last month.
Giving up the party`s traditional resistance against demands for new provinces, Mr Sharif had said that Muslim League was not against new provinces but they should be made on administrative grounds.
Mr Sharif had said that he was in favour of creating new provinces when and where they were necessary. He, however, had warned that if new provinces were made on linguistic, racial or group basis, then it would damage the country`s security and integrity.
The PML-N committee comprised Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Zulfiqar Khosa, Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Mamnoon Hussain, Yaqoob Khan Nasir, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Salahuddin Tirmizi, Tehmina Daultana, Arshad Khan Leghari and Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal.
Javed Hashmi is the only member of the committee who has been openly supporting the demand for new provinces.
Speaking in the National Assembly last week, the veteran leader from Multan said he wanted his party to take the lead and announce “creation of three to four new provinces” in Punjab. He said that with increase in population new provinces had become the need of the hour.

|In April while taking part in the debate in the assembly on the presidential address to parliament, Mr Hashmi had proposed splitting up the four provinces into up to 16 for good administration