KHI 18-05-2012_Layout 1 5/18/2012 1:06 AM Page 6
06 News
Friday, 18 May, 2012
Pakistan preparing to open supply route: US commander WASHINGTON
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onLIne
A K I S T A N is preparing to open the crucial NATO supply route to Afghanistan, a top US commander based in Afghanistan has said, noting that there were signs of improvement in bilateral ties. “There have been in the last several days, some very important signals coming out of Islamabad that there is a consideration to re-open the ground lines of communication, and we, frankly, would welcome that, we would applaud that decision,” General John Allen, commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said. “It would, in fact, be helpful to us if the ground lines of communication were opened, not just because of what could flow into Afghanistan but what could flow out of Afghanistan,” Allen said in his address by video conference to the sixth annual 2012 Joint Warfighting Conference, in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Allen acknowledged that the relationship between US and Pakistan had been hit after the November 26 incident in which 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a cross border fire, following which Islamabad closed the crucial NATO supply route. “I will tell you the effect of the closure of that route on the campaign has not slowed us at all. The air bridge into Afghanistan and the flow of materiel across the Northern Distribution Network were modulated in a way that continued to support the campaign in every operational respect,” Allen said. The top US Commander said that there has been a general review by the Pakistani Parliament of relations with the United States and some very hopeful signs. “I would say that over the next several months, we may well see, between ISAF and the Afghan national security forces and the Pakistani military, an ability to work very closely to ensure that we can coordinate operations along the border,” Allen said.
In his remarks, Gen Allen said many of the nations that are helping support the Afghan people in their fight against the Taliban will continue to help the country long after their active combat has ended. He described how most ISAF nations are establishing their own bilateral agreements to assist the Afghan government beyond the fighting. “We will keep our commitment to the Afghan national forces beyond 2014,” Allen said of the planned end of ISAF combat operations. The bilateral relationships will ensure continued training, advising and mentoring of the Afghan force. Ultimately, the goal is to have the Afghan army carry out all counterinsurgency operations and allow the police to focus on traditional police issues, the general offered. “The police should be able to move from being the trailing edge of counterinsurgency to being the leading edge of law enforcement and justice,” he stated.
PeSHAWAR: A police officer inspects the site of a bombing at a market on Kohat Road on Thursday. iNP
Militants blow up women’s college in Jamrud JAMRUD: Unidentified militants blew up the building of a government degree college for women with a remote-controlled device in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency, officials said on Thursday. However, no casualty was reported. According to the political administration, the improvised explosive devices (IED) were planted on the outer wall of the college by militants. Political Tehsildar Asmat Wazir visited the site of explosion and registered a case against the unknown assailants. APP
ATC indicts Madhyana, six associates in teacher torture case SARGODHA: An anti-terrorism court of Sargodha indicted a former MPA of the PPP, Aslam Madhyana and six of his associates in a teacher-torture case on Thursday. During the hearing, the court summoned witnesses for further proceedings. The court had also indicted the former Punjab Assembly member on March 29. The court had upheld all the sections of the Terrorism Act against the accused. However, Madhyana denied all charges. Madhyana was booked in a case for breaking legs of an aged school teacher, Akhtar Lodhi, who had been raising voice against the alleged crimes of the former lawmaker in his hometown. InP
Haqqani’s boycott of memo proceedings makes the probe controversial
ISLAMABAD PReSS ReLeASe
The boycott of the memo Commission by Husain Haqqani and his legal team for not allowing Husain Haqqani to record his statement via videolink has made its findings controversial as the commission unusually concluded his findings first and later on ordered forensic investigation on Blackberry handset of Mansoor Ijaz. Haqqani’s legal team seem perturbed on turning down his request of recording his statement via video link from abroad and failing to make any effort to get statements from other potential witnesses such as US General James Jones, who transmitted Ijaz’s memo, and Admiral Michael Mullen Husain Haqqani citing various discretionary measures has already withdrawn from the proceedings. He says the commission went out of the way to facilitate Ijaz’s claim and recorded his statement via video link and agreed for a forensic examination of his blackberry set according to his own terms and conditions whereas he had been denied the same facility despite repeated requests made through Haqqani’s counsel. Haqqani maintains Commission has deviated from its mandate and for the unknown reasons taking steps one after the other that end up facilitating Mansoor Ijaz and his side of the story. Haqqani’s close circle say the fact finding would have been possible only if all witnesses were allowed to record his statement with same ease as they enabled Mansoor Ijaz without much ado. However, the Commission is unlikely to stop its proceedings and accommodate the concerns of Haqqani but the outcome will be controversial for all purposes. It may be recalled here Haqqani has been requesting the Commission to record his statement in the same way as Mansoor Ijaz but the refusal of the Commission compelled him to withdraw from the deliberations. The nature of the Commission is not more than fact finding body and Haqqani has not been formally charged of any crime or conspiracy.
‘Australia keen to see positive development in strained US, Pakistan relations’ ISLAMABAD
STAFF RePoRT
Pakistan is key player in the war on terror and Australia is keen to see some positive development in strained relations between Islamabad and Washington over reopening of NATO supply routes issues, Australian High Commissioner Tim George said on Thursday. Addressing a press conference, he said, “It is very good development that President Asif Ali Zardari has been invited to attend Chicago conference – while Islamabad is also considering reopening NATO supply routes.” George, whose three-year term comes to an end shortly, said, “We do understand the feeling of people over the Salala checkpost incident.” However, he said now both countries had almost settled the issue. The ambassador also praised Pakistan’s role in war on terror. He said he was privileged to serve as high commissioner during a period of strong growth in Australia’s relationship with Pakistan. The ambassador said, “I particularly welcome the deepening of our engagement, which is based on a productive, friendly and mutually beneficial partnership. Areas I would highlight include development cooper-
ation, defence cooperation, collaboration in tackling transnational crime, education and other people-to-people links, and closer collaboration in the trade and investment sphere. We see Pakistan as a valuable long-term partner. We also wish to support Pakistan in facing its significant challenges.” George said he was very pleased at the ex-
pansion of high-level links and dialogue between the two countries. He welcomed Pakistan’s valuable participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth in 2011, the revival of senior officials’ talks between foreign ministries and of the joint trade committee, and good progress towards cementing much closer parliamentary ties. Australia’s development assistance to Pakistan has expanded significantly in the recent years to an estimated A$96 million in 2012-13. The signing of the Australia Pakistan Development Partnership (APDP) was an important milestone, providing a positive framework for our long term bilateral development cooperation. Australia has also been a major contributor of humanitarian assistance in time of crisis. Cooperation between Australia and Pakistan in combating terrorism and transnational organised crime has expanded substantially. A landmark development has been the establishment in 2010 of the highlevel Pakistan-Australia Joint Working Group (JWG) on Border Management and Transnational Crime, which meets annually. George said he appreciated deeply Pakistan’s excellent cooperation on these issues.