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This is a dastardly attack, the guilty will not go unpunished. —Indian PM Manmohan Singh tweets after Hyderabad bombings
NEWS Friday, 22 February, 2013
Drones not only killing ‘particular people’ but rescuers as well: LHC LHC CJ SAYS INNOCENT CHILDREN AND WOMEN ARE BEING KILLED IN DRONE ATTACKS LAHORE ONLINE
lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial on Thursday said the drone attacks were not only being conducted on “particular people” but the Us is also attacking those who come to rescue the victims. He said this during the hearing against drone attacks. The application was submitted by Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz saeed. The lHC CJ said that innocent children and women were being killed in these attacks, which was a sheer vio-
lation of human rights. The court asked AK Dogar, the lawyer of the applicant, that it may be told to the court with reference to Un charter, international and the country’s law that the court could issue what kind of instructions to the government within the ambit of constitution and law. To which, Dogar said that when human rights were violated on a large scale then the court could instruct the government to protect its citizens. He said the drone attacks were being conducted with the permission of the
LAWYER SAYS DRONE ATTACKS ARE SPREADING MAYHEM AND CHAOS IN PAKISTAN government. He said the Us had started an undeclared war against pakistan and around 3,000 people have been killed in drone attacks in pakistan, somalia and Yemen. The lawyer said that the drone attacks were spreading mayhem and chaos in pakistan. FATA is the part and parcel of the country, he added. The former officials of Us state Department were saying that although drone attacks were illegal but the pakistani government was not performing its duties in a befitting manner in this regard, he said. On which,
the CJ asked Dogar that the federal government had raised objection that the drone attacks were related to the defence and security of the country, which did not fall under the court’s jurisdiction. On which the lawyer said that the government could not get rid of its responsibilities about killing of innocent people in drone attacks by terming it a security matter. He said that a report revealed that approximately 500 companies in the Us were making drone crafts and shells, adding that it had become one of the largest industries in the Us.
3 British Muslims guilty of plotting biggest attack in uK LONDON AGENCIES
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HRee British Muslim men were found guilty on Thursday of planning a string of bombings that prosecutors said could have been deadlier than the July 7, 2005, attacks on london’s transport network. irfan naseer, 31, irfan Khalid, 27, and Ashik Ali, 27, were convicted of being “central figures” in an extremist plot to set off eight rucksack
Court orders arrest of former MNA, 2 Punjab MPAs LAHORE ONLINE
The Additional District and sessions Court here has issued arrest warrants for one former member of the national Assembly and two former members of the punjab Assembly for holding dual nationalities. When the lahore district and sessions judge started hearing the case, he was informed on behalf of the election Commission of pakistan that former MnA shehnaz sheikh, and former MpAs Amna Battar and Rana Asif had enjoyed luxuries during their tenure. The eCp requested the court to order withdrawal of their facilities as they had been disqualified for holding dual nationalities. The judge had summoned the parliamentarians numerous times but they failed to even make a single appearance. Therefore, the judge ordered that the three be arrested by February 25.
‘uK won’t return Koh-e-Noor’ NEW DELHI ONLINE
British prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday said a giant diamond his country forced india to hand over in the colonial era that was set in the late Queen elizabeth i’s crown will not be returned. pakistan also claimed the ownership of the most precious diamond in the world as it was picked up from lahore before partition and the British army gifted it to the Royal family. speaking on the third and final day of a visit to india aimed at drumming up trade and investment, Cameron ruled out handing back the 105-carat Koh-e-noor diamond, now on display in the Tower of london. One of the world’s largest diamonds, some indians – including independence leader Mahatma gandhi’s grandson – have demanded its return to atone for Britain’s colonial past.
bombs and possibly other timed devices in crowded areas. The three men, all from Birmingham, central england, had denied charges of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts during their trial at Woolwich Crown Court in london. Despite a series of bungles by the conspirators, police said it was the most significant terror plan uncovered in Britain since the 2006 plot to blow up transatlantic airliners using bombs in drinks bottles.
Two of the men – naseer and Khalid – traveled to pakistan for terror training while naseer also helped others to travel to the country for the same purpose, the court heard. The group was heavilyinfluenced by the teachings of American-born al Qaeda preacher Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed by a drone strike in Yemen in september 2011, police said. naseer was found guilty of five charges, Khalid four, and Ali three, all between December 25, 2010 and september 19, 2011.
Zardari urges alternative to drone attacks ISLAMABAD NNI
president Asif Ali Zardari has once again urged the United states to revisit its policy of drone attacks in pakistan’s tribal areas. Talking to a delegation of Us senate Foreign Relations Committee headed by its chairman senator Robert Menendez on Thursday, he termed drone attack as “counterproductive”, which were causing great damage at popular level, stressing the need to find a way out. The president said the sacrifices offered by pakistan in the fight against militancy must be acknowledged and appreciated. He said pakistan’s armed forces were doing a heroic job despite all odds, but stretched as they were in the tribal areas‚ they needed to be assisted with resources for long term and sustained counter-terrorism operations. About pakistan-Us rela-
tions‚ Zardari said that ties between the two countries were multifaceted, and it would not be proper to see them through one prism only‚ be that Afghanistan or any other. Reiterating that pakistan looked forward to increased trade through market access instead of aid, the president said that pakistan also wanted increased Us investment in pakistan in energy‚ agriculture and livestock sectors. Referring to pakistanindia relations‚ the president said that pakistan had liberalised trade with india and wished to establish friendly‚ cooperative and good neighbourly relations with it and peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes. Menendez praised the role played by pakistan and the sacrifices offered by its armed forces‚ security agencies and the people in the fight against militancy. The president also hosted a lunch for the delegation.
haj gets expensive due to dollar hike ISLAMABAD: Haj this year would cost approximately Rs 63,000 more as compared to last year due to increase in the rupee-dollar parity and enhanced air fares. Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah, during a pres conference said, depending on the distance from Haram Sharif in Makkah‚ there would be three categories of accommodation; White‚ Green and Blue. He said Haj expenses for the White category would be Rs 285,000 from south, including Karachi‚ Sukkur and Quetta and Rs 295,000 the north. ONLINE