Shankaracharya, Muslim
leaders emphasise communal harmony
Indonesian Islamists rally over Internet
porn
Pakistan ranks 10th among ‘failed state
Nepal bans school book after Muslim outcry
12 NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan
Israeli Official: Iranian Nuclear Expert Requests Asylum in
Israel
U.S. Indirectly Funding Afghan Warlords: House
Report
Hudaibiya is set to become a cultural dialogue
center
Burqa-clad German man arrested
Australia names first Muslim player in Test
squad
Fearing attack, Mumbai school denies admission to 26/11
witness
Sufiya a witness against Madani
Working to Help a Haven for Afghan Women
Blossom
150,000 marooned by Bangladesh floods
Satire Gets a Tough Reception in Pakistan
White House Summons Top U.S. Afghanistan
General
Pakistani Taliban Want Exchange Of
Prisoners
Saudi Gold Reserves Double Than Thought
Pak PM ignores US warning on Iran gas deal, to go ahead with gas
import
Kalmadi thanks Pakistan for support during CWG
bid
Kyrgyz Forces Clash With Uzbeks In Osh
Ukrainian woman lodges cruelty case against Indian
husband
Holbrooke’s plane lands in Afghanistan despite small arms
fire
PACE report warns of rising Islamophobia in European
nations
Ethnic Uzbeks Find Calm but Fear for Those Still
Behind
Fox News: Sharia Law Is Invading The United
States!
Rescuing Kyrgyzstan could well save Central
Asia
Mideast conflict threatens NATO
Three dead in bomb attack in Istanbul
Israel revives East Jerusalem housing plan
Philippines’ Arroyo leaving behind economic
problems
Israel rejects compensation plea to Palestinian
martyr
Afghanistan in focus for top UN diplomats
20 Taliban suspects freed after jirga peace
deal
Turkish troops hunt down Kurdish rebels
EP Pakistanis felicitate well-known
educationist
Indian lawyer suggests way out for Muslims
US lawmakers unveil Iran sanctions bill
Key Taliban commander arrested from Karachi
Zardari vows to foil plots against democracy
Three troops among 13 killed in Orakzai
Nato’s deadliest days in Afghanistan
Pakistan allocates Rs130 billion for war on
terror
Pakistan fighting war not for US but for its own survival:
PM
Musharraf will lead Pakistan against ‘tsunami of
corruption’
The Queen Baton’s Relay at Wagah Border
Man arrested for throwing acid on wife
Allawi fears assassination plot: report
Benazir was a symbol of democracy: Bijarani
New Qaida video warns snake-like Obama of
attacks
NYC bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad pleads guilty, calls it
'war'
Ban pushes for international inquiry into flotilla
raid
CRPF man killed in Liberia attack, weapon traced to Pak
officer
Uzbeks say Kyrgyz police beat them up, killed
two
Pak violates ceasefire again
Pakistan to release 17 Indian prisoners on June 23
Compiled by Asit kumar
Photo: Shankaracharya with Muslim leaders
----------
Lack of priests holds off rites in Multan temples
Biswajeet Banerjee
June 22, 2010
Rituals in many Hindu temples in Pakistan, including famous Prahlad
temple and Sun temple in Multan, have been suspended.
Visiting Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Hamid Saeed
Kazmi has said since all the important Hindu temples were facing an acute
shortage of priests, the Government had no option but to suspend religious
functions in Multan temples.
Kazmi was in UP to visit his ancestral village in Amroha, around 300
km south-west of Lucknow. His father Syed Ahmad Saeed Kazmi belonged to Amroha.
The family migrated to Multan in 1935.
The international wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which provides
Hindu priests to the overseas temples, said it can supply priests if the
Pakistan Government was ready to give visas and security to them.
Apart from Prahlad and Sun temples, some shrines in the Sindhu valley
are also hit by the priest crunch. Prahlad temple is an important religious
place for Hindus because it is believed that the festival of Holi started
here.
“The Pakistan Govern-ment tried to restore religious rituals in these
temples because the local Hindu population is missing their religious
traditions,” he said, but added that Hindu population has declined in the
region. He, however, refused to give reasons for this decline.
The United Nations had offered to adopt Sun temple and Sindhu valley
temples as World Heritage sites but the Pakistan Government had rejected the
proposal, Kazmi said.
In-charge of international affairs of VHP Swami Vigyananand told The
Pioneer: “Everyone knows the state of Hindus in Pakistan. The VHP needs
assurance from the Pakistan Government before it sends priests to the
neighbouring country.”
The Swami said that VHP sends purohits overseas only on requests
either from the Government or from the community. “The VHP is concerned about
the plight of Hindus in Pakistan and would want to do everything for them,” he
said.
It is not the first time that voice has been raised to protect Hindu
identity in Pakistan. Earlier this year, Baluchistan’s provincial Assembly,
having two Hindu law makers, passed a resolution against construction of a dam
that would have inundated Hinglas Mata temple. The VHP had also voiced anguish
over the construction of the dam and had given a memorandum to Pakistan High
Commission in New Delhi. The Federal Government of Pakistan had later shelved
the proposal to construct the dam.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/264287/Lack-of-priests-holds-off-rites-in-Multan-temples.html
----------
Sankaracharya, Muslim leaders emphasise communal
harmony
Mahim Pratap Singh
June 22, 2010
‘Hindus, Muslims are like brothers and should stand
united'
Bhopal: “All problems faced by this country today are political and
not communal,” said Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, Sankaracharya of the Kanchi
Kamakoti Peetam, at a function held here on Sunday.
The function, organised by the All-India Tanzeem-i-Imam Masjid, was
held to emphasise communal harmony among the Hindus and Muslims.
It was attended by prominent Muslim religious leaders like the
chairman of the Masjid Umer Ahmed Illyasi and Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind leader Mufti
Abdur Razzaq Khan.
Against divide
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kailash Joshi, who was also present, said
that the BJP did not believe in communal divide.
Speaking at the Samanvay Bhawan here, the Acharya said: “Hindus and
Muslims are not different from each other. Just like Ram and Lakshman, who were
sons of different mothers and yet could never be separated, Hindus and Muslims
too are like brothers and should stand united.”
The Acharya also expressed concern at honorarium for Imams not being
disbursed on time and said he would take up the matter with the
government.
Mr. Illyasi said, “The Sankaracharya is respected not just by the
Hindus, but by Muslims too.”
Expressing apprehension at the decline in the quality of life, the
Acharya said the “usefulness of our life should be established, and only then
the welfare of society could be ensured.”
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/06/21/stories/2010062162582200.htm
----------
Indonesian Islamists rally over Internet porn22 Jun. 10
JAKARTA — Hundreds of Indonesian Islamists rallied in central Jakarta
on Tuesday to demand the stoning to death and public caning of celebrities who
allegedly appear in homemade sex videos circulating online.
About 1,000 protesters led by radical group Hizbut Tahrir shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greater) and brandished black flags and banners with slogans such as "Arrest those who commit promiscuous sex".
The protest came hours after the rock star suspected of making the videos of himself having sex with two celebrity girlfriends surrendered to police.
Hizbut Tahrir spokesman Mohammed Ismail Yusanto said the Internet was a threat to Islamic values in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country.
He said Islamic or sharia law should be applied across the archipelago of some 240 million people, including the stoning to death of adulterers.
"The widespread circulation of the celebrity sex videos shows the bad side of uncontrolled information technology, which will surely become one of the most terrible destroyers of morality," he said in a statement.
"Based on sharia law... those who are married should be stoned to death and the unmarried should be caned 100 times in public.
"With that kind of punishment it is guaranteed promiscuous sex won't spread wildly like it is now."
Radical groups like Hizbut Tahrir have little popular support in Indonesia, which is constitutionally secular and culturally moderate.
But sharia bylaws are in place in many local jurisdictions and Islamist vigilante groups have repeatedly attacked minorities and liberals, often under the noses of police.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has backed calls for tighter controls on the Internet in response to the sex video furore. Last week he warned that the nation risked being "crushed" by the information technology "frenzy".
Singer Nazril Ariel, 28, surrendered to police early Tuesday and faces charges relating to the videos, which appear to show him having sex with television celebrities Luna Maya, 26, and Cut Tari, 32.
The celebrities deny uploading the clips but could still face up to 12 years in jail under a controversial 2008 anti-pornography law.
Tari is married and also could face up to nine months in prison for adultery.
Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia coordinator Fadilah Karimah, 32, said she would like to see adulterers buried up to their necks in public places and pelted with stones until dead.
"Those people who have sex before marriage should be caned with a stick 100 times in public. Adulterers should be half-buried and stoned to death," she told AFP at the rally.
"This is appropriate punishment as what they did was dirty, shameful and despicable. They should be prepared for such a punishment if they want to earn a place in heaven.
"The more people who see it the better."
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hLTfgbKG9JbLUopEJ_zVM5UDbX3Q
About 1,000 protesters led by radical group Hizbut Tahrir shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greater) and brandished black flags and banners with slogans such as "Arrest those who commit promiscuous sex".
The protest came hours after the rock star suspected of making the videos of himself having sex with two celebrity girlfriends surrendered to police.
Hizbut Tahrir spokesman Mohammed Ismail Yusanto said the Internet was a threat to Islamic values in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country.
He said Islamic or sharia law should be applied across the archipelago of some 240 million people, including the stoning to death of adulterers.
"The widespread circulation of the celebrity sex videos shows the bad side of uncontrolled information technology, which will surely become one of the most terrible destroyers of morality," he said in a statement.
"Based on sharia law... those who are married should be stoned to death and the unmarried should be caned 100 times in public.
"With that kind of punishment it is guaranteed promiscuous sex won't spread wildly like it is now."
Radical groups like Hizbut Tahrir have little popular support in Indonesia, which is constitutionally secular and culturally moderate.
But sharia bylaws are in place in many local jurisdictions and Islamist vigilante groups have repeatedly attacked minorities and liberals, often under the noses of police.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has backed calls for tighter controls on the Internet in response to the sex video furore. Last week he warned that the nation risked being "crushed" by the information technology "frenzy".
Singer Nazril Ariel, 28, surrendered to police early Tuesday and faces charges relating to the videos, which appear to show him having sex with television celebrities Luna Maya, 26, and Cut Tari, 32.
The celebrities deny uploading the clips but could still face up to 12 years in jail under a controversial 2008 anti-pornography law.
Tari is married and also could face up to nine months in prison for adultery.
Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia coordinator Fadilah Karimah, 32, said she would like to see adulterers buried up to their necks in public places and pelted with stones until dead.
"Those people who have sex before marriage should be caned with a stick 100 times in public. Adulterers should be half-buried and stoned to death," she told AFP at the rally.
"This is appropriate punishment as what they did was dirty, shameful and despicable. They should be prepared for such a punishment if they want to earn a place in heaven.
"The more people who see it the better."
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hLTfgbKG9JbLUopEJ_zVM5UDbX3Q
----------
Pakistan ranks 10th among ‘failed states’
June 22, 2010
WASHINGTON: Pakistan was ranked the 10th most failed state in the
world, just three places below Afghanistan, in a US survey released on
Monday.
Somalia tops the 2010 Failed States Index followed by Zimbabwe,
Sudan, and Chad.
The index issued by the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine and the
Fund for Peace, a Washington-NGO, ranks India 87th in a list of 177
countries.
Burma has been placed at 13. Sri Lanka is ranked 22 and Nepal 25.
China is at 57th place.
Norway is ranked the world’s most stable country and is at the bottom
of the list.The Untied States is ranked 158 but is not among the 10 most stable
countries.
The report notes that Pakistan has more than once been described as
the world’s most dangerous country. Its wild northern reaches remain host to
various branches of the Pakistani Taliban and Al Qaeda.
More than three million Pakistani civilians were displaced by
“counterinsurgency” operations in 2009 — the largest single movement of people
since the Rwandan genocide.
“President Asif Ali Zardari’s democratically elected government looks
hapless — unable to gain any measure of civilian control over a nuclear-armed
military … or an intelligence service that stands accused of abetting the Afghan
Taliban,” observes the Foreign Policy magazine.
Social Indicators
Pakistan is the world’s seventh-most populous country, with a
population density of over 226 people per kilometre. The country has a moderate
youth bulge; the average age is 21 and over 37 per cent of Pakistanis are under
15 years of age.
Pakistan has historically been home to vicious political battles
between rival parties, as well as consistent conflicts within the tribal regions
and in Balochistan. Pakistan suffers from a significant brain
drain.
The instability of the country has pressured many students to seek
education abroad; many scientists, doctors, and businesspeople who can afford to
leave the country altogether.
Economic Indicators
The poorest 10 per cent of Pakistanis account for four per cent of
the national income, while the richest 10 per cent account for over 26 per cent
of the income.
“Billionaire President Asif Ali Zardari is one of Pakistan’s
wealthiest men.”
The official unemployment rate is 7.4 per cent but it could be
higher.
The country had a trade deficit of nearly $15 billion in 2008 and has
an inflation rate of 20.8 per cent. The inflation rate increased dramatically
due to devaluation of the Pakistani rupee under Pervez Musharraf and the rising
costs of production stemming from social and political
instability.
Political/Military Indicators
While presidential elections in Pakistan are indirect, President
Zardari’s election nevertheless represents a shift towards legitimate democratic
governance.
The continuing violence in Pakistan’s poorest and most remote regions
makes it extremely difficult for food and medical supplies to reach the areas
that need it most. Many parts of the country go without electricity and clean
water; conditions are notoriously poor in the refugee camps in northern
Pakistan.
The human rights situation has improved significantly since
2008.
The security apparatus indicator has also improved. In Pakhtunkhwa
and Balochistan local militias exercise significant control over their
communities. In the tribal areas, the government’s authority is barely
recognized.
The 2008 parliamentary elections brought tensions within the
political elite to a peak. However, the conclusion of the elections and the
restoration of civilian government have since eased
tensions.
The indicator for external intervention has worsened since 2008.
Pakistan is the second-largest recipient of US foreign aid. The US is also using
drone aircraft to attack Taliban and Al Qaeda sites within
Pakistan.
Dawn, Pakistan
----------
Nepal bans school book after Muslim outcry
June 22, 2010
The Nepal government on Monday banned a school textbook after growing
outcry by Muslims over an "objectionable" illustration depicting Prophet
Mohammed as a woman-like figure and containing "erroneous interpretations" of
Islam.
This is the first time in Nepal, which has enjoyed religious harmony
despite being a Hindu kingdom till 2006, that the government has banned a book
after protests by Muslims.
The education ministry issued a statement asking schools not to teach
from the controversial textbook - "A modern approach to social studies" -
brought out by New Nepal Publication.
Full report at:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Nepal-bans-school-book-after-Muslim-outcry/Article1-561062.aspx
----------
12 NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan
Jun 22 2010
Kabul: Six Western troops including three Australians were killed in
a helicopter crash and roadside bombings in Afghanistan, officials said on
Monday.
Three Australians and a NATO soldier were killed in the helicopter
crash in the southern province of Kandahar on Monday, said the
officials.
Ten of the soldiers on board were Australians, and the crash was an
accident, said Australia's Defence Force in a statement.
The surviving seven Australians were all injured. Two were “very
seriously” hurt and one was in intensive care, it said.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), to which
Australia contributes troops, said four soldiers were killed, without giving
their nationalities or other details.
Full report at:
http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/22/stories/2010062253801300.htm
----------
Israeli Official: Iranian Nuclear Expert Requests Asylum in
Israel
June 22, 2010
Israel says a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its existence
because Iranian leaders have called for Israel's destruction. Israel is widely
believed to be the only nuclear-armed nation in the region, but it refuses to
confirm or deny possession of a nuclear arsenal.
An Israeli official says an Iranian academic with ties to Iran's
nuclear program has requested asylum in Israel.
Israeli Deputy Minister Ayoub
Kara said Saturday the Iranian academic is awaiting a decision on the asylum
request in a country "friendly" to Israel.
Full report at:
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Israeli-Official-Iranian-Nuclear-Expert-Requests-Asylum-in-Israel-92043594.html
----------
U.S. Indirectly Funding Afghan Warlords: House Report
June 22, 2010
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is indirectly paying tens of
millions of dollars in protection money to Afghan warlords, and potentially to
the Taliban, to secure convoys carrying supplies to U.S. troops in Afghanistan,
congressional investigators said in a report.
The Pentagon's system of outsourcing to private companies the task of
moving supplies in Afghanistan, and leaving it up to them to provide their own
security, frees U.S. troops to focus on counterinsurgency.
But its unintended consequences undermine U.S. efforts to curtail
corruption and build an effective Afghan government, according to the report to
be reviewed at a congressional hearing on Tuesday.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/06/22/news/news-us-afghanistan-contract-warlords.html?_r=1&hp
----------
Hudaibiya is set to become a cultural dialogue center
By P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR
June 22, 2010
JEDDAH: Efforts are under way to establish a major center for
cultural dialogue in the historic location of Hudaibiya, near Makkah. The center
will be named after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who is a
strong advocate of cultural dialogue.
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal held a meeting on Monday with
Prince Saud bin Abdullah, chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu,
and Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Bar to discuss the project named “King Abdullah Oasis
for Cultural Dialogue.”
Prince Khaled said Hudaibiya, which witnessed the historic peace
treaty between Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Quraish, would be
developed to become a social and intellectual meeting place outside Makkah. The
Hudaibiya Treaty, which was signed in 628AD, set the stage for Islam’s expansion
in the world.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article70605.ece
----------
Burqa-clad German man arrested
22 Jun, 2010
BANNU, June 21: Police arrested on Monday a German man wearing a
burqa and another man also disguised as a woman. They were coming from North
Waziristan.
Police cordoned off the Bannu-Miramshah Road after receiving
information that some militants might use the route to sneak into Islamabad or
another area in Punjab.
Station House Officer of Cantonment Police Ghulam Fareed said they
intercepted a car and arrested the two veiled men.
They were identified as Mackenzie (German), son of Bashir Mackenzie,
and Sher Maula Dawar, who was with his seven-year-old daughter Nadira. Police
also arrested the car’s driver.
“Women police searched them and the two turned out to be Mackenzie
and Sher Maula Dawar,” the SHO said.
They were handed over to an interrogation team.
According to AFP, the arrested German man was carrying a
pistol.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/burqaclad-german-man-arrested-260
----------
Australia names first Muslim player in Test squad
June 22, 2010
SYDNEY: Batsman Usman Khawaja became the first Muslim named in an
Australian Test squad Tuesday as selectors announced a 14-strong party for the
two-match series against Pakistan, the country of his birth.
Left-handed Khawaja, 23, admitted feeling "shocked" after being
brought in for the July Tests in England, which were moved from Pakistan over
security problems including last year's extremist attack on the Sri Lankan team
bus.
"I was a bit shocked, I had a feeling I was close but that could mean
absolutely nothing," he said. "The feeling didn't really sink in straight away
but I've told my family and they're really excited."
Full report at:
http://thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=107111
----------
Fearing attack, Mumbai school denies admission to 26/11
witness
Jun 22 2010
Mumbai: An 11-year-old girl, the youngest witness to depose before
the court in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case, was denied admission in a
private school which fears that it would become a terror target if she was
admitted.
My daughter (Devika Rotwan) has been denied admission in New English
High School at suburban Bandra. School authorities say they may face a terror
threat as my daughter had deposed as a witness in the 26/11 case, her father
Natwarlal Rotwan, a businessman, said.
The minor girl was injured in firing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
(CST) on the night of November 26, 2008. She had identified Ajmal Kasab who went
on a firing spree at the railway station, in the court.
Full report at: Times of India
----------
Sufiya a witness against Madani
Jun 22 2010
Even as the anticipatory bail application of Islamist leader Abdul
Nasser Madani, 31st accused in the Bangalore bombings case, is to be taken up by
the court on Tuesday, reports from the Karnataka capital say that the police
have listed his wife Sufiya as a witness against him.
Judge Srikanth Vadavatti of Fast Track Court (5), Bangalore had on
Saturday deferred Madani’s bail plea, filed on June 16, to Tuesday after public
prosecutor Rudra Swamy requested for more time for submitting the police’s
counter-affidavit. At the same time, Madani’s political party, PDP, has been
able to garner support of several Muslim organisations and rights outfits for
him.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/264097/Sufiya-a-witness-against-Madani.html
---------
Working to Help a Haven for Afghan Women Blossom
By ROD NORDLAND
Jun 22 2010
KABUL, Afghanistan — There was in the city an old garden, and in that
garden there were trees, and under the trees there were women.
And there were no scarves on the heads of the women who sat under the
trees in the old Kabul Women’s Garden.
That was all something remarkable once upon a time, as it is even
now. Screened from male scrutiny by the leafy canopies of almond or apricot
trees, women could go outside as they pleased, dare to wriggle naked toes in
fountain water or just gossip without the veil.
Now this oasis of freedom for women, surrounded by the misogynist
desert of the capital city, is undergoing a rebirth.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/world/asia/21kabul.html?src=me&ref=world
---------
150,000 marooned by Bangladesh floods
Jun 22, 2010
DHAKA: At least 150,000 people have been marooned and thousands of
hectares of crops destroyed by floods after weeks of heavy rain in Bangladesh's
northeast, an official said on Tuesday.
Five weeks of heavy rain caused rivers to burst their banks and flood
large areas of countryside and villages, Sylhet district chief Sazzad Hossain
told AFP.
"At least 36,000 families -- around 150,000 people -- have been
marooned by the floods in my district," he said.
The water level was still rising, causing major damage to crops and
cutting off communication with many areas, he added.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/150000-marooned-by-Bangladesh-floods/articleshow/6077870.cms
---------
Satire Gets a Tough Reception in Pakistan
By ADAM B. ELLICK
Jun 22, 2010
“Burqavaganza” is a love story in the time of jihad. A young couple
struggle to form a relationship as societal forces try to keep them
apart.
The satirical play, which was recently banned by the Pakistani
government, doesn’t sidestep any of the country’s problems: a creeping
radicalization, terrorism, government corruption, and interference by Western
nations, especially the United States.
Everyone in the play, both men and women, wears a burqa. In the
drama, the veil is a metaphor for hypocrisy in a “hidden nation.” But the script
also mocks the burqa, a sacred symbol in Pakistan.
The theater group putting on the play, Ajoka, has earned a reputation
for its radically anti-establishment works in the last two decades, and its
willingness to provoke.
Full report at:
http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/satire-gets-a-tough-reception-in-pakistan/
---------
White House Summons Top U.S. Afghanistan General
June 22, 2010
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House has summoned the top U.S.
general in Afghanistan to Washington to explain controversial remarks critical
of the Obama administration, U.S. military and Obama administration officials
said on Tuesday.
The move comes a day after General Stanley McChrystal, the commander
of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, apologized for comments by his aides
insulting some of President Barack Obama's closest advisers in an article to be
published in Rolling Stone magazine.
The controversy comes at an inopportune time for Obama, who already
is dealing with huge BP Plc oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, trying to get
financial industry reform legislation through Congress and hoping to prevent
Republicans from taking back control of Congress in November
elections.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/06/22/world/international-uk-usa-afghanistan-mcchrystal.html
---------
Pakistani Taliban Want Exchange Of Prisoners
June 22, 2010
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - The Pakistani Taliban on Tuesday
threatened to kill 33 soldiers they say have been captured in the country's
lawless northwest unless the government releases detained Taliban
fighters.
A Taliban spokesman told Reuters by telephone that the soldiers had
been seized during various raids.
"We want our men back and if they don't free them, they'll lose their
soldiers," spokesman Ikramullah Mohmand said.
About 40 paramilitary soldiers went missing after the Taliban overran
their post near the Afghan border last week. Fourteen were found later in
Afghanistan and flown home.
It was not clear if the missing soldiers were the ones in Taliban
custody.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/06/22/world/international-uk-pakistan-security.html
---------
Saudi Gold Reserves Double Than Thought
Jun 22nd, 2010
Saudi Arabia’s central bank holds more than twice the amount of gold
previously estimated, a shift that analysts said reflected more of an accounting
adjustment than an indication the oil rich nation was veering away from its
conservative reserve policy.
A June report by the World Gold Council, an industry group that
tracks gold bullion holdings by nations the world over, showed the Saudi Arabian
Monetary Agency’s gold reserve figure climbed to 322.9 tonnes compared to 143
tonnes reported in March.
The council said its gold data was “modified from the first quarter
2008 as a result of the adjustment of the SAMA’s gold accounts.”
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/international/saudi-gold-reserves-double-thought-602
---------
Pak PM ignores US warning on Iran gas deal, to go ahead with gas
import
Jun 22, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Defying a warning from Washington, Pakistan's prime
minister promised Tuesday to go ahead with a plan to import natural gas from
Iran even if the U.S. levies additional sanctions against the Mideast
country.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's comments came two days after the
U.S. special envoy to Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, cautioned Pakistan not to
``overcommit'' itself to the deal because it could run afoul of new sanctions
against Iran being finalized by Congress.
The deal has been a constant source of tension between the two
countries, with Pakistan arguing that it is vital to its ability to cope with an
energy crisis and the U.S. stressing that it would undercut international
pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Pakistan/Pak-PM-ignores-US-warning-on-Iran-gas-deal-to-go-ahead-with-gas-import/articleshow/6078853.cms
---------
Kalmadi thanks Pakistan for support during CWG bid
Jun 22, 2010
NEW DELHI: IOA President Suresh Kalmadi on Tuesday appreciated
Pakistan's role in India's successful bid for organising the 2010 Commonwealth
Games.
"Pakistan supported us to the hilt to get the Commonwealth Games to
India. We can never forget their support. We and Canada were locked in a two-way
battle for getting the hosting rights and Pakistan supported us in our bid,"
Kalmadi said while announcing the India schedule of Queen's Baton
Relay.
The relay will arrive in the country through Wagah border on June 25
after finishing its Pakistan leg.
"The Baton will arrive in India on June 25 and proceed to Amritsar
via road on the same day in the evening. During its 100-day-long programme, the
Baton will pass through all the states and union territories before finally
arriving in Delhi on September 30, three days prior to the start of the
Games.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sports/Events-Tournaments/Commonwealth-Games/Kalmadi-thanks-Pakistan-for-support-during-CWG-bid/articleshow/6078765.cms
Kyrgyz Forces Clash With Uzbeks In Osh
Jun 22nd, 2010
Kyrgyz security forces clashed with ethnic Uzbeks near the troubled
southern city of Osh on Monday and at least two people were killed, officials
and human rights groups said.
Kyrgyzstan’s south has been volatile since an outbreak of ethnic
violence on June 10 killed up to 2,000 people, set off a wave of refugees and
destroyed entire Uzbek neighbourhoods.
Russia and the United States both operate military bases in the
former Soviet Central Asian republic and are concerned about the threat of
regional instability.
Ole Solvang, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, told Reuters from
a hospital in Osh that clashes broke out again on Monday when government forces
went on patrol in the Uzbek neighbourhood of Nariman on the outskirts of
Osh.
Full report at:
http://www.asianage.com/international/kyrgyz-forces-clash-uzbeks-osh-619
----------
Ukrainian woman lodges cruelty case against Indian
husband
Kapil Datta
Jun 22nd, 2010
On the complaint of a Ukrainian woman on Monday, the Noida Police
registered a case of cruelty against her Indian husband and his par- ents. The
accused were absconding till late evening.
The woman, Olena, con- tacted the police after she couldn't reach her
husband on the cellphone despite repeat- ed calls. She said she was thrown out
of her husband's house in Udyog Vihar Sector- 82 six months ago. She has also
approached the National Commission for Women for help.
Station House officer at Noida Phase II police station Deepak Sharma
said Olena stated in her complaint that her husband physically abused her and
her parents-in-law did- n't help her.
Full report at: Hindustan Times
----------
Holbrooke’s plane lands in Afghanistan despite small arms
fire
Jun 22nd, 2010
The U.S. special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard
Holbrooke, landed Monday in Afghanistan’s contested Marjah region despite
small-arms fire on the ground, U.S. officials said.
P.J. Crowley, spokesman for the U.S. State Department, dismissed
reports that Mr. Holbrooke’s Osprey aircraft was fired on by
insurgents.
He said it belonged in the category of “first reports are usually
wrong.” Crowley said Holbrooke was airborne, and his plane was not affected or
hit by enemy fire.
“While they were airborne, they were aware of small-arms fire below
in the general vicinity of Marjah, but it did not affect the airplane itself,”
Mr. Crowley said.
Full report at:
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/international/article478755.ece?homepage=true
----------
PACE report warns of rising Islamophobia in European
nations
Jun 22nd, 2010
Europe’s largest intergovernmental human rights watchdog has warned
that intolerance toward Islam and Muslims in Europe has been increasing in
recent years and urged immediate action to stem violence against
Muslims.
In a report titled “Islam, Islamism and Islamophobia in Europe,” the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) noted with deep concern
that in many of the Council of Europe’s 47 member states, Muslims feel socially
excluded, stigmatized and discriminated against, stressing that they become
victims of stereotypes, social marginalization and political extremism because
of their different religious and cultural traditions.
Full report at:
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-213829-100-pace-report-warns-of-rising-islamophobia-in-european-nations.html
----------
Ethnic Uzbeks Find Calm but Fear for Those Still Behind
By CLIFFORD J. LEVY
Jun 22nd, 2010
KARASU, Uzbekistan — “I have three children — 9, 7 and 4 years old —
and they are just in shock,” a woman named Ursanoy Mamadaliyeva said on Monday.
“My youngest said to me, ‘Mama, if we return to Kyrgyzstan, then you have to buy
me an automatic weapon.’
“Do you think that that is normal?” she asked. “The child is 4 years
old. And he says, ‘I am also going to shoot.’ Is that normal?”
Tears welled in her eyes.
“I don’t want my children to live like this,” she said.
Roughly 80,000 ethnic Uzbeks like Ms. Mamadaliyeva, 30, have fled
ethnic rioting this month in Kyrgyzstan and crossed the border into this part of
Uzbekistan, often arriving with nothing but awful memories, after their homes
were ransacked and set ablaze.
Full report at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/22/world/asia/22uzbek.html?hp
----------
Fox News: Sharia Law Is Invading The United States!
June 22, 2010
Fox News has teamed up with Oklahoma State Rep. Rex Duncan, an
Islamophobic extremist, to scaremonger that the United States Constitution and
its judicial system are in danger of being sabotaged by Sharia law. As TPM
LiveWire recently reported, Duncan has said that Sharia law in the United States
is “not just a danger. It’s a reality,” even though he admits it has not yet
occurred. Because Duncan is worried that “liberal judges” citing international
law “want to undermine those founding principles” of America, he has sponsored a
state ballot in Oklahoma that forbids judges from considering international law
in their rulings. Not only has this wingnut received at least two warm welcomes
on Fox, Brian Kilmeade, on Fox & Friends, agrees that Sharia law is on the
way. So, it seems, does Sean Hannity. Apparently taking a cue from the Arizona
immigration law, Duncan announced, “It’s time that the state legislatures step
up and do what the federal government has willfully refused to do.”
Full report at:
http://www.newshounds.us/2010/06/21/fox_news_sharia_law_is_invading_the_united_states.php
----------
Rescuing Kyrgyzstan could well save Central Asia
Paul Quinn-Judge
22 June 2010
A major crisis is taking place in Central Asia, but much of the world
— and most governments — would prefer not to think about it. Kyrgyzstan has lost
control of a significant part of its country.
Initial violence has caused many hundreds of deaths and, as of the
latest count, over 400,000 refugees. This from a population of five million. The
calm that has come over the area is temporary combat fatigue. Kyrgyzstan’s new
provisional government is looking increasingly incapable of taking any measures
to restore homes, livelihoods, destroyed infrastructure or trust. It can barely
impose order. Yet world leaders are looking elsewhere.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=/data/opinion/2010/June/opinion_June129.xml§ion=opinion
----------
Mideast conflict threatens NATO
Claude Salhani
22 June 2010
When US President Barack Obama said that solving the Middle East
crisis was in the national interest of the United States he was only partially
correct.
Solving the Middle East crisis concerns not only the national
interest of the US, but also Western Europe, and by default all countries in the
world that rely on US and/or EU assistance, protection and so on. Furthermore,
the US president is correct to feel a sense of urgency regarding this matter
because the longer it is allowed to continue the more complex it
becomes. Just over 10 years ago the conflict was largely confined to the
borders of the Middle East, except for the occasional terrorist strike in
Europe. Today however, there are two new (non-Arab) players in the debacle, a
position that is redrawing the map of the Middle East; those are ?Turkey and
Iran.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=/data/opinion/2010/June/opinion_June130.xml§ion=opinion
----------
Three dead in bomb attack in Istanbul
22 June 2010
ISTANBUL - Three people were killed and six others wounded on
Tuesday in a bomb attack on a coach transporting soldiers in Istanbul, Turkish
television reported.
The bomb apparently exploded around 0445 GMT when the vehicle was
passing through the Halkali district, a suburb on the European side of the city,
according to TV channels NTV and CNN-Turk, which broadcast images of the heavily
damaged coach.
There were also family members of the soldiers on board the coach,
including children, the TV stations reported.
Several ambulances were rushed to the scene which has been cordoned
off by police.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
The rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) threatened at the weekend to
launch attacks in all Turkish cities.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/June/middleeast_June592.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
----------
Israel revives East Jerusalem housing plan
22 June 2010
JERUSALEM - Israeli municipal authorities moved ahead on Monday with
a plan to raze some 20 Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, risking more
U.S.-Israeli friction over a building project seen by Palestinians as settlement
expansion.
The Jerusalem city planning board ratified a proposal that could
renew diplomatic pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a day after he
bowed to world calls to ease a Gaza blockade following Israel’s deadly raid on
an aid flotilla.
Citing concern over Israel’s international image, Netanyahu had
persuaded Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat to put the King’s Garden project on hold in
March, at a time when Washington was struggling to revive Israeli-Palestinian
peace talks.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2010/June/middleeast_June589.xml§ion=middleeast
----------
Philippines’ Arroyo leaving behind economic problems
22 June 2010
MANILA - Philippine President Gloria Arroyo will step down next week
after overseeing nine years of economic growth, but analysts say the poor masses
have missed out and her successor will inherit major problems.
A third of the nation’s 92 million people remain in deep poverty, a
figure that has barely changed since she took office in 2001, while corruption
has flourished and the rich have mainly enjoyed the benefits of the boom, they
say.
“The things that really matter to our daily lives like food security,
poverty, health and education have really deteriorated over the last six to 10
years,” Manila-based economist Arsenio Balisacan told AFP.
Arroyo will leave office on June 30 with the unenviable reputation of
being one of the country’s most unpopular leaders, but she has repeatedly
insisted that her economic record is a source of pride.
Full report at:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/June/international_June933.xml§ion=international&col=
----------
Israel rejects compensation plea to Palestinian martyr
By MOHAMMED MAR'I
June 22, 2010
RAMALLAH: An Israeli court has rejected a petition to pay
compensation to the family of a Palestinian photojournalist who was shot dead by
Israeli soldiers in 2003, said the International Solidarity Foundation for Human
Rights on Monday.
In a press statement, the foundation said Haifa District Court
rejected a request by the family of Palestinian photojournalist Nazih Darwazih
who was shot dead by Israeli soldiers while covering clashes between Palestinian
demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city of Nablus in
2003.
The foundation said that Darwazih's family filed the petition in
2004. The family is calling for compensation for the "material and moral damage”
experienced by Darwazih’s family consisting of his wife and children —Sameh, 18,
Razan, 16, Sami, 14, Hosam, 9, and Amjad, 7.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article70502.ece
----------
Afghanistan in focus for top UN diplomats
By DAVID FOX
June 22, 2010
KABUL: Senior UN diplomats were on their way to the Afghan capital on
Monday, and the US special envoy was also in the country, on a day when the
death of nine foreign troops added to a bloody month in the nine-year-old
insurgency.
The government also announced the release of 14 suspected Taleban
fighters — including two would-be suicide bombers — a promise it made after a
national peace meeting endorsed the president's plan to make overtures to the
insurgents.
The UN ambassadors are on a fact-finding mission ahead of a debate at
the world body's headquarters later this month, while US envoy Richard Holbrooke
was visiting to see progress on an operation that takes on the Taleban in their
spiritual heartland.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/world/article70513.ece
----------
20 Taliban suspects freed after jirga peace deal
Jun 22 2010
Twenty Taliban suspects have been freed from jails in Afghanistan as
part of efforts to persuade Islamist insurgents to make peace,an Afghan official
said on Monday.The decision to review the cases came after a peace jirga,or
gathering,of Afghan tribal leaders and other notables earlier this month
approved a plan by President Hamid Karzai to seek a peace deal with moderate
elements of the Taliban.
Times of India
----------
Turkish troops hunt down Kurdish rebels
June 22, 2010
ANKARA: Elite commando units rappelled down from helicopters and
mechanized infantry units blocked escape routes of Kurdish rebels in a major
operation along the Iraqi border on Monday. Turkey's military chief did not rule
out a cross-border offensive against rebel hideouts in northern
Iraq.
"It is our duty to find and eliminate terrorists wherever they are,"
Gen. Ilker Basbug, head of the military, said in response to a question about
the possibility of a major incursion. He said the military has been using
drones, bought from Israel, over northern Iraq to monitor rebel positions over
the past 10 days.
Turkish warplanes often have bombed Kurdish rebel hideouts there, and
troops have crossed the border to hunt the rebels down. The last major ground
incursion into Iraq was in February 2008, but the rebels made a comeback after
the troops withdrew.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article70573.ece
----------
EP Pakistanis felicitate well-known educationist
By SIRAJ WAHAB
June 22, 2010
ALKHOBAR: The Pakistani community in the Eastern Province had a rare
opportunity this week to interact with one of their country’s most eminent and
popular educationists.
Karachi-based Hashmatullah Lodi, who migrated to Pakistan from
Lucknow in 1951 and then went on to hold prestigious positions in the Sindh
government’s department of education, is currently visiting Saudi Arabia. He was
honored by a group of Pakistani expatriates, led by Rizwan Ahmad, for his
excellent services to the Pakistani nation.
A prolific writer, sports enthusiast and stylish radio broadcaster,
81-year-old Lodi has written more than a dozen books on science, education and
sports. He has also authored dozens of school textbooks in a career spanning
four decades. His latest publication — an autobiography entitled “Aata Hai Yaad
Mujhko” — is being recognized as a valuable contribution.
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article70485.ece
----------
Indian lawyer suggests way out for Muslims
By SIRAJ WAHAB
June 22, 2010
ALKHOBAR: A visiting lawyer from the south Indian state of Andhra
Pradesh has called on Muslims to set up their own arbitration councils to
resolve family disputes.
Speaking to a select group of expatriates in the Kingdom on Sunday,
Mohammed Osman Shaheed, the additional public prosecutor at Andhra Pradesh High
Court, said high courts and Supreme Court were no longer delivering judgments in
the light of Muslim Personal Law.
“This law has been confined only to legal books ... it is no longer
in application. The majority of All-Indian Muslim Personal Law Board officials,
too, have accepted this stark fact,” he said.
Elaborating his point, Osman Shaheed said: “For example, if you take
a case of divorce to the High Court or the Supreme Court, they will clearly tell
you that where there is a conflict between the Muslim Personal Law and the law
of the land, then the law of the land will prevail. And in almost all cases
since independence, the judgments have been delivered in contravention of the
Muslim Personal Law.”
Full report at:
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article70475.ece
----------
US lawmakers unveil Iran sanctions bill
22 Jun, 2010
WASHINGTON: Top US lawmakers crafting Iran sanctions legislation
announced Monday they had reached a deal on a series of punitive measures aimed
at piling pressure on Tehran over its suspect nuclear program.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd and House Foreign
Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman said they were circulating their draft
bill to colleagues, and sources said the US Congress could approve the measure
as early as this week.
Berman and Dodd said their blueprint, which aims to tighten existing
US sanctions on the Islamic republic, would give President Barack Obama “a full
range of tools to deal with the threats posed by Iran.” “If applied forcefully
by the president, this act will bring strong new pressure to bear on Tehran in
order to combat its proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, support for
international terrorism and gross human rights abuses,” they said in a joint
statement.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/19-us-lawmakers-unveil-iran-sanctions-bill-hh-02
----------
Key Taliban commander arrested from Karachi
June 22, 2010
KARACHI: Police have arrested the key commander of Tehrik-i-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) Asmat Ullah Mehsud during a raid in the SITE area of
Karachi.
Sources said that Mehsud was planning attacks on CID officers with
his group.
The arrested commander was involved in providing financial support to
the TTP campaign and was providing safe hideouts and medical treatment to
injured militants in the city, sources added.
Mehsud, who is the brother of Commander Abdul Wahab Mehsud, had also
facilitated militants involved in the Karsaz incident and the failed terror
attack on the Kimari oil terminal.
The government had announced a Rs.10 million bounty on Abdul Wahab
Mehsud.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/metropolitan/16-key+taliban+commander+arrested+from+karachi-hs-05
----------
Zardari vows to foil plots against democracy
22 Jun, 2010
NAUDERO, June 21: President Asif Ali Zardari vowed on Monday to fight
“anti-democracy elements” and strengthen Pakistan by following the path of
political reconciliation and taking along all political forces.
“We are standing before enemies like mountains. It is not easy to
defeat us. We have introduced such a political formula that even if we suffer a
loss, we will be the ultimate winners,” President Zardari said at a large
gathering of party workers here on the 57th birth anniversary of the late
Benazir Bhutto.
The president expressed his determination to resist anti-democracy
elements, saying: “We will stop their way from all directions.”
He said the government of the Pakistan People’s Party and its allies
was working hard to strengthen the country and under a democratic structure it
was stronger than before. “They (the enemies) will have to confront
democracy.”
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/zardari-vows-to-foil-plots-against-democracy-260
----------
Three troops among 13 killed in Orakzai
22 Jun, 2010
KALAYA, June 21: Three security personnel were killed and four
injured when militants ambushed their vehicle in Orakzai tribal region on
Monday. In a clash which followed the attack, troops killed 10 militants and
injured five.
According to sources, security personnel were going from Kalaya to an
area in Kohat when their vehicle was hit with rockets in Undkhel area of lower
tehsil.
The deceased were identified as Havaldar Naseeb, sepoy Gul Jamal and
sepoy Lal Karim. Capt Qasim, Naik Liaquat, sepoy Tufail, Lance Naik Yousaf and a
passerby, Adil, suffered injuries.
Troops, meanwhile, raided a suspected house in Chapari Naryab area of
Hangu district. Militant leader, identified as Farooq, was killed during an
exchange of fire.
Security forces detained a man who had recently returned from
abroad.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/three-troops-among-13-killed-in-orakzai-260
----------
Nato’s deadliest days in Afghanistan
22 Jun, 2010
KABUL: Some of the deadliest days of the war in Afghanistan since the
US-led ouster of the Taliban regime in 2001.
According to a report 281 foreign soldiers have been killed in
Afghanistan this year. Last year was the deadliest yet, with 520
killed.
—2005
— June 28: 16 US military personnel died when a Taliban
rocket-propelled grenade hit their Chinook helicopter in Kunar
province.
—2007
— April 8: Six Canadian soldiers were killed when a bomb exploded
near their vehicle.
— May 31: Seven soldiers, five of them Americans, were killed when a
military transport helicopter crashes in Helmand province after a rocket
attack.
— July 4: Six Canadian soldiers and their Afghan interpreter were
killed when a booby-trapped device hits their vehicle in the south.
Full report at:
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/international/natos-deadliest-days-in-afghanistan-260
----------
Pakistan allocates Rs130 billion for war on terror
June 22, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan government has allocated Rs130 billion for the
ongoing war on terror for fiscal year 2010-11.
According to sources of Finance Ministry, government has made a
separate allocation of Rs130 billion to finance the ongoing war on
terrorism.
The sources further said that the government will require Rs130
billion from the allied partners of war on terror to help eliminate
terrorism.
http://www.thenews.jang.com.pk/6-21-2010/67093.htm
----------
Pakistan fighting war not for US but for its own survival:
PM
June 22, 2010
GARHI KHUDA BUX: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Monday said
Pakistan is fighting not the US battle but a war for its own survival and that
no dictation whatsoever is required from outside in this regard.
Talking to newsmen Monday at Garhi Khuda Bux after offering fateha at
grave of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto on her 57th birthday, he said ``we are fighting
war of people for the country's integrity.''
He said killers of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto will be apprehended and the
government was moving forward in investigation in light of UN
report.
Regarding sanctions on Iran, the Premier said if the US put in place
any restriction on Iran the same would be reviewed in the light of international
laws.
Replying to a question, he said three provinces have rejected
Kalabagh Dam and ``we respect their decision.''
Full report at:
http://www.thenews.jang.com.pk/6-21-2010/67092.htm
----------
Musharraf will lead Pakistan against ‘tsunami of
corruption’
By Murtaza Ali Shah
June 22, 2010
LONDON: A key aide of former president Pervez Musharraf has said that
the masses across the length and breadth of Pakistan have welcomed the launch of
All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) and the party’s membership drive had received
a tremendous response.
In an interview with Jang/The News here, General (R) Rashid Qureshi,
who is Musharraf’s spokesperson and a key strategist, revealed that
parliamentarians from all parties including Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan
Muslim League (N) had welcomed the launch of Pervez Musharraf’s party and had
assured of their support. Qureshi said that APML is not just another addition to
the long list of political parties. “Our agenda is crystal clear. We want to
serve Pakistan, not our personal interests.” After the formal launch of AMPL in
London, where Pervez Musharraf is living in self-exile after leaving Pakistan,
Qureshi said that Musharraf decided to go ahead with the party launch after he
was inundated with messages of support from his supporters, especially the
youth, who can clearly differentiate now that Pakistan was on the upward move
under the rule of Musharraf, but going downhill since the election into power of
Pakistan People’s Party.
Full report at:
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=246459
----------
The Queen Baton’s Relay at Wagah Border
June 22, 2010
TOBA TEK SINGH: A chain of handkerchiefs, written by students from
India and Pakistan, will be formed under Aman Ki Asha, an initiative launched by
the Jang Group and The Times of India to promote peace in the region, at the
Wagah Border on June 25.
The Pakistan Olympic Association will hand over the Commonwealth
Games torch to India during the Queen Baton’s Relay.
The event will be celebrated on both sides of the Indo-Pak border. A
campaign was launched in the schools of both countries under a programme, titled
‘Aman Mein Mera Hissa’ (my contribution to peace), sometime back.
Full report at:
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=246464
----------
Man arrested for throwing acid on wife
June 22, 2010
KARACHI: The Shah Faisal police arrested a man Monday for allegedly
throwing acid on his 35-year-old wife. According to details, Irshad Mushtaq
threw acid on his wife Sultana, mother of five, on May 27 at their house in Shah
Faisal Colony, injuring her face and partially affecting their minor children.
Sultana was rushed to the Burns Ward of the Civil Hospital Karachi by her
in-laws who allegedly asked her to keep her mouth shut about the incident.
Police have registered first information report No 363/10 against Mushtaq and
arrested him. The accused man told the police that he suspected his wife of
having a bad character. The victim is currently under treatment and one of her
eyes has been permanently damaged.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\06\22\story_22-6-2010_pg12_5
----------
Allawi fears assassination plot: report
June 22, 2010
LONDON: Former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi, who is locked in a
struggle to form a new government after inconclusive polls, said in an interview
Monday he had been warned of plots to assassinate him.
Allawi, who won the most seats in March elections but not enough to
form a government on his own, told Britain’s The Times newspaper that he had
received warnings from American generals and Iraqi officials about plans to kill
him.
His growing fear of being killed led him to request extra security
measures from the Americans, who put up more concrete barriers around his house.
“I got a letter from the Americans saying that there is a plot against me,” he
said.
“Then some other friends in high positions also told me the same
thing. These are evil people’s designs.”
Full report at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\06\22\story_22-6-2010_pg4_4
----------
Benazir was a symbol of democracy: Bijarani
Bushra Makhdoom
June 22, 2010
ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister for Industries and Production Mir Hazar
Khan Bijarani has said that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was a cherished off-spring
of the Indus and a symbol of democracy.
Mohtarma was a democratic institution for the students of politics
throughout the world. She was the only internationally renowned and recognized
Muslim leader who was awarded more than 26 International Awards and Degrees. He
said this in his message on the 57th Birth Anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto.
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was the first lady to be
democratically elected as the Prime Minister in any Muslim Country. She was a
source of hope and happiness to the hopeless and downtrodden people of
Pakistan.
Full report at:
http://dailymailnews.com/0610/22/CityPage/index.php?id=8
----------
New Qaida video warns snake-like Obama of attacks
Jun 22 2010
Washington: Al-Qaida has posted a new video on Islamist websites
where a spokesman of the militant outfit calls US President Barack Obama
snakelike and a treacherous,bloodthirsty and narrow-minded American war
president.
In the video,American-origin al-Qaida spokesman Adam Gadahn
criticises Americas aggression and interference in Afghanistan,Pakistan,Yemen
and Somalia,the CNN reported.Gadahn speaks in English and the video features
Arabic subtitles.
Addressing Obama,Gadahn says,I know that as you slither snake-like
into the second year of your reign as a purported president of change.You are
fighting,your hands full,with running the affairs of a declining and besieged
empire,and in the process proving yourself to be nothing more than another
treacherous,bloodthirsty and narrow-minded American war president.
Full report at: Times of India
----------
NYC bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad pleads guilty, calls it
'war'
Jun 22, 2010
NEW YORK: Calling himself a Muslim soldier, a defiant Pakistan-born
US citizen pleaded guilty on Monday to carrying out the failed Times Square car
bombing and left a sinister warning that unless the US leaves Muslim lands
alone, ''we will be attacking US''.
Faisal Shahzad entered the plea in US District Court in Manhattan
just days after a federal grand jury indicted him on 10 terrorism and weapons
counts, some of which carry mandatory life sentences. He pleaded guilty to them
all.
Widely circulated snapshots of Shahzad -- a US-trained financial
analyst and married father of two -- show him with a neatly trimmed beard, all
smiles and looking carefree behind sunglasses or with his American wife. When
led into court Monday, he had on a white skull cap and prisoner's uniform, his
beard shaggy and his demeanour serious.
Full report at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/NYC-bomb-suspect-Faisal-Shahzad-pleads-guilty-calls-it-war/articleshow/6077107.cms
----------
Ban pushes for international inquiry into flotilla raid
Jun 22 2010
United Nations : Not satisfied with the presence of two foreign
observers in Israelis internal inquiry, UN chief Ban-Ki moon is pushing for an
international probe into the May 31 raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship that killed
nine activists.
Israel set up a government-appointed commission called the
Independent Public Commission, which includes two foreigners - Lord David
Trimble, a Nobel Peace laureate from Northern Ireland, and Brig Gen Ken Watkin,
former judge advocate general of the Canadian Forces.
"I know that there are going to be two international observers. But
what I have heard from most of the countries is that it is not sufficient enough
to have international credibility," Ban said.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ban-pushes-for-international-inquiry-into-flotilla-raid/636527/
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CRPF man killed in Liberia attack, weapon traced to Pak
officer
Neeraj Chauhan
Jun 22 2010
New Delhi : A CRPF constable was killed and another injured in firing
in their camp in Zwedru in Liberia where they are deployed as part of UNMIL (UN
Mission in Liberia). A weapon used in the attack and later found at the spot has
been traced to a Lt Murad, posted with a Pakistani contingent.
Confirming the incident, CRPF Director General Vikram Srivastava told
The Indian Express: “One of our boys expired in the unfortunate incident in
which a Pakistani officer posted there was involved. All details of the incident
which we got from the Liberia office have been sent in a report to Joint
Secretary (UN) in the Ministry of External Affairs.”
The incident occurred at 4.45 am on June 8 when constables Jeet Singh
and Kaptan Singh were on duty at their posts at the CRPF camp. According to
reports, an “unidentified” man in fatigues entered the Indian camp and began
firing indiscriminately.
Full report at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/crpf-man-killed-in-liberia-attack-weapon-traced-to-pak-officer/636891/
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Uzbeks say Kyrgyz police beat them up, killed two
Jun 22 2010
Nariman : Kyrgyz government forces swept into an ethnic Uzbek village
on Monday, beating men and women with rifle butts in an assault that left at
least two dead and more than 20 wounded, witnesses said.
The allegations were among the strongest Uzbek claims of official
collusion in ethnic rampages that killed as many as 2,000 people last week and
forced nearly half of the region’s Uzbeks to flee.
Kyrgyz authorities said they conducted the sweep in Nariman to track
down suspected criminals that had taken refuge in the village. They said seven
people were detained on suspicion of involvement in the killing of the head of
the local police precinct a week ago.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/uzbeks-say-kyrgyz-police-beat-them-up-killed-two/636807/
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Pak violates ceasefire again
Mohit Kandhari
Jun 22 2010
Before diplomats from India and Pakistan could begin the much-awaited
round of talks in Islamabad on June 24, aimed at reducing the existing level of
trust deficit, Pakistani Rangers early on Monday morning once again violated the
ceasefire agreement with India, for the second time in less than 24
hours.
Two porters had been killed in a similar firing incident from across
the Line of Control in Macchil sector of frontier Kupwara district of North
Kashmir on Sunday.
Turning the ‘barrel of their guns’ towards the Abdullian border
outpost in RS Pura sector of Jammu, Pakistani Rangers targeted civilian
population in the area, which falls in the direct line of fire, around 4 am.
This is for the first time that civilian areas have been targeted from across
the border ever since the ceasefire agreement has been reached in November
2003.
Full report at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/264108/Pak-violates-ceasefire-again.html
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Pakistan to release 17 Indian prisoners on June 23
Jun 22nd, 2010
Pakistan will release 17 Indian prisoners as a goodwill gesture on
June 23, official sources said on Monday.
The prisoners will be released through the Wagah land border ahead of
the meeting between Foreign Secretaries of the two countries on June 24, the
source told PTI.
Further details about prisoners to be released could not immediately
be ascertained.
Humanitarian issues, including prisoners being held in jails in India
and Pakistan, are expected to figure in the talks between the two sides on June
24.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will hold talks with her Pakistani
counterpart Salman Bashir to find ways to bridge the trust deficit between the
two countries and prepare ground for meeting of Foreign Ministers on July
15.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/international/article477821.ece
10:28 PM
Sultan Shahin
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