Kashmir solution just a signature away: Kasuri, Islamic World News, NewAgeIslam.com

Islamic World News

Kashmir solution just a signature away: Kasuri

French woman fined for wearing veil

LAHORE: Former foreign minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri has said the solution to the Kashmir dispute is just a signature away once India and Pakistan decide to pull the file from the rack.

While addressing the concluding session of the two-day seminar — held as part of the ongoing Aman ki Asha campaign, launched by the Jang Group and Times of India — and later talking to The News and the Times of India here on Friday, the former foreign minister revealed the previous Musharraf government had completed almost 90 per cent of the spadework on the half-a-century old Kashmir dispute by 2007 as the whole exercise just needed the formal signature of all the three parties to the issue - Pakistan, India and representatives of Kashmir.

“All India and Pakistan now need is to defreeze the process. The entire paper-work has been done. The copies of related documents are safe with some friendly countries as well,” said Kasuri.

http://newageislam.com/kashmir-solution-just-a-signature-away--kasuri/islamic-world-news/d/2754

Pakistan: Illusions and delusions of democracy, Islam and Politics, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam and Politics

Pakistan: Illusions and delusions of democracy

Dr Rubina Saigol

Friday, September 19, 2008

So what is the common thread that ties these disparate events together? Briefly ruminating on these happenings one is led to the inevitable understanding that the common underlying problem is the absence of Rule of Law, which in turn signifies the absence of democracy and both democracy and Rule of Law are necessary conditions for the exercise of human rights. One might ask, why do we not have democracy given that national elections were held on February 18th and the people of Pakistan gave a verdict in favor of democracy and against dictatorship. Why is the unfolding script revealing the grand plan that was apparently put together prior to the elections through political wheeling and dealing? Musharraf had predicted that the MQM and the PML (Q), along with the PPP would form the new government. Some analysts have also pointed out that the victory of the ANP and defeat of the MMA were also a part of this grand design.

http://newageislam.com/pakistan---illusions-and-delusions-of-democracy-/islam-and-politics/d/751

Lal Masjid cleric threatens to rebuild Jamia Hafsa, Radical Islamism and Jihad, NewAgeIslam.com

Radical Islamism and Jihad

Lal Masjid cleric threatens to rebuild Jamia Hafsa

Amir Siddique, the mosque’s deputy chief cleric, issued this threat while speaking to around 200 seminary students who gathered outside the mosque to hold a protest.

The students shouted slogans against the US and President Pervez Musharraf. The police ringed the venue and the protest broke up peacefully. “The government needs to reconstruct Jamia Hafsa and reopen Jamia Faridai immediately otherwise we will do it on our own,” said Siddique.

He said protest would continue in front of Lal Masjid until their demands were met. He also demanded release of Maulna Abdul Aziz and unconditional withdrawal of all terrorism cases against him.

He alleged that the government was insincere to resolve the problems created by demolition of Jamia Hafsa and closure of Jamia Fareedia.

http://newageislam.com/lal-masjid-cleric-threatens-to-rebuild-jamia-hafsa/radical-islamism-and-jihad/d/396

Musharraf will be gone in days, but don't expect democracy to rush in: the military's habits die hard, Islam and Politics, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam and Politics

Musharraf will be gone in days, but don't expect democracy to rush in: the military's habits die hard

By Tariq Ali

Thursday August 14 2008

Washington followed suit. In Kayani they have a professional and loyal military leader, who they imagine will do their bidding. Earlier John Negroponte had wanted to retain Musharraf as long as Bush was in office, but they decided to let him go. Anne Patterson, the US ambassador, and a few British diplomats working under her, tried to negotiate a deal on behalf of Musharraf, but the politicians were no longer prepared to play ball. They insisted that he must leave the country. Sanctuaries in Manhattan, Texas and the Turkish island of Büyükada are being actively considered. The general would prefer a large estate in Pakistan, preferably near a golf course, but security considerations alone would make that unfeasible. There were three attempts on his life when he was in power and protecting him after he goes would require an expensive security presence. Had Musharraf departed peacefully when his constitutional term expired in November 2007 he would have won some respect. Instead he imposed a state of emergency and sacked the chief justice of the Supreme Court who was hearing a petition challenging Musharraf's position.

http://newageislam.com/musharraf-will-be-gone-in-days,-but-don-t-expect-democracy-to-rush-in--the-military-s-habits-die-hard/islam-and-politics/d/557

Pakistan, India and the flawed legacy of Musharraf, Current affairs, NewAgeIslam.com

Current affairs

Pakistan, India and the flawed legacy of Musharraf

By Siddharth Varadarajan

Endorsed by both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mr. Musharraf when he was president, the fate of this approach is surely under question today. Not only is Islamabad’s commitment to the formula uncertain in the post-Musharraf era, but recent events in J&K — and in particular the valley — have thrown into serious doubt the Indian government’s ability to use this approach towards the resolution of the state’s troubles.

In a sense, the architect of the new approach and the political terrain on which the approach was to be implemented have both disappeared at more or less the same time. The revival of a mass movement in Kashmir in favour of azadi and even accession to Pakistan will certainly reduce whatever appetite still remains within the Pakistani military establishment for the Musharraf formula. And given the heady sprit in the valley, how likely is it that people there will want to settle for soft borders within the territorial status quo when their leaders are once again dangling before them the prospect of self-determination?

http://newageislam.com/pakistan,-india-and-the-flawed-legacy-of-musharraf/current-affairs/d/610

L’affaire AQ Khan, the father of Pakistan’s ‘Islamic’ Bomb, Current affairs, NewAgeIslam.com

Current affairs

L’affaire AQ Khan, the father of Pakistan’s ‘Islamic’ Bomb

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

By Ijaz Hussain

Dr AQ Khan recently accused the army and Pervez Musharraf of supervising a shipment of centrifuges to North Korea in 2000. He also repudiated the confessional statement that he had made in 2004 in which he took upon himself the sole responsibility for nuclear proliferation. He claimed that he made the statement in question in the “national interest” but was now repudiating it because the government had failed to honour the promises that it made to him.

The DG, Strategic Plans Division, denied these allegations and claimed to possess irrefutable evidence to prove Khan’s involvement in nuclear proliferation. He also showed readiness to share the evidence with neutral people on camera.

What are the implications of Khan’s outburst?

To address the fallout issue, we need to first understand how the West looks at nuclear proliferation by Pakistan. There seems to a clear divide between western governments on the one hand and the western media and think tanks on the other.

http://newageislam.com/l%E2%80%99affaire-aq-khan,-the-father-of-pakistan%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98islamic%E2%80%99-bomb/current-affairs/d/244