Centre, KP resolve outstanding issues
Australia warns of ‘advanced’ Indonesia terror threat SYDENY—Australia on Thursday warned that terrorists might be in the “advanced stages of preparing attacks” in Indonesia and advised travellers to take precautions, just days after a similar warning about neighbouring Malaysia. “Recent indications suggest that terrorists may be in the advanced stages of preparing attacks in Indonesia,” the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said in an updated travel advisory. “We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Bali and Lombok, due to the high threat of terrorist attack.” The advisory did not raise the overall threat level, which is at “exercise a high degree of caution”, and noted that the department continued to “receive information that indicates that terrorists may be planning attacks in Indonesia, which could take place anywhere at any time”. It said travellers should be particularly careful when in places that have low levels of security and while at possible known terrorist targets, listing previous attack sites such as nightclubs, bars, cafes, restaurants, international hotels, airports and places of worship.—AFP
Punjab govt forms JIT to probe Pathankot attack STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—The Punjab government has constituted a joint investigation team to probe the case registered against January 2 attack on India’s Pathankot airbase. The move comes a day after India said it was still awaiting details of investigations in Pakistan and a visit by the probe team. The five-member team is led by Additional IG Counter Terrorism Department Punjab Rai Tahir. Other members include Intelligence Bureau’s Additional Director Lahore Continued on Page 7
Sri Lanka beat spirited UAE DHAKA—Sri Lanka beat qualifiers the UAE by 14 runs in their first match in the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament in Dhaka on Thursday. A spirited UAE attack restricted Sri Lanka to a
Province to receive arrears of Rs70b in four years STAFF REPORTER
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Mohammad Asif and Chief Minister KP Pervez Khattak shake hands after signing MoU resolving outstanding issues between Federal and KP governments.
PM inaugurates National Health Programme in AJK STAFF REPORTER MUZAFFARABAD—Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said Health-care programme was part of the manifesto of Pakistan Muslim League-N and the launch of National Health Programme was aimed to fulfill that promise. The programme, he said, was initially launched in Islamabad and now in Muzaffarabad and Kotli districts. It would be spread to the whole of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, GilgitBaltistan and Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Addressing the launching ceremony of National Health Scheme here, he said due to financial problems the people suffering from chronic diseases could not get treatment for years. He said one could think of the pain of parents whose young children died for want of treatment which they could not afford because of financial constraints. The people had to sell property to pay the bills for treatment of their loved ones suffering from deadly diseases. Under this programme, such poor patients would be able to avail treatment facilities free of charge. He said how people could avail medical facilities when they could not feed their children
due to their meager sources. Launch of such a programme, under which the people would get medical facilities in a dignified way was an honour for the government, he added. He recalled that the deserving patients were getting free treatment facilities at Attefaq Hospital and Sharif Medical City. He said the government had launched educational reforms in the country as it wanted elimination of poverty, ignorance and unemployment from the country. On the health issue, he said the PML-N and the Pakistan People’s Party were on the same page as both wanted provision of health facilities to the poor and impoverished people. The Prime Minsiter Muhammad said he regarded serving the masses a sacred duty and the objective of his government was only to ensure welfare of the people. The Prime Minister said the programme initially has been implemented in 23 districts of Pakistan and said it would be extended to other areas in phases. “We believe politics is meant only to serve the masses, and we are doing it as a sacred duty,” the prime minister said. He said a lot of work has been put in
Continued on Page 7
US, China agree on new North Korea sanctions US to present UN draft resolution UNITED NATIONS—The
United States was to formally present to the UN Security Council on Thursday a draft resolution toughening sanctions on North Korea, a US spokesman said. US Ambassador Samantha Power “intends to submit for consideration by the Security Council a draft sanctions resolution in response to the DPRK’s recent nuclear test and subsequent proscribed ballistic missile launch,” US spokesman Kurtis Cooper said. “We look forward to working with the Council on a strong and comprehensive response to the DPRK’s latest series of tests aimed at advancing their nuclear weapons program.” The United States said on Wednesday that
it had reached agreement with China on the text following six weeks of tough negotiations. The 15-member council will meet at 1900 GMT to discuss the draft, but it remained unclear when a vote on the measure would take place. UN diplomats have said a vote could happen in the coming days. North Korea carried out its fourth nuclear test on January 6, claiming it had successfully developed a thermonuclear device, and test-fired a rocket on February 7. Both tests were in violation of a series of resolutions barring North Korea from developing a nuclear and ballistic missile programme.—AFP
Resolve to maintain minimum N-deterrence…
................................................ …PAEC sets laudable goal for N-energy ................................................ Let’s join last phase of Zarb-e-Azb
See Page 04
STAFF REPORTER K ARACHI — National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a corruption reference against former state minister for petroleum Dr Asim Hussain in the Accountability Court of Karachi. The court has accepted the reference for hearing. NAB has framed charges of money laundering, unjustified distribution of gas quota, kick backs, land grabbing and misuse of trust land against Dr Asim, close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari.
Syrian army retakes town on road to Aleppo from IS
Fake currency seized in millions STAFF REPORTER LAHORE—Police on Thursday arrested seven people and seized a huge amount of fake currency, including US dollars and UAE Dirhams during a raid on a factory near Sagyan Bridge, Lahore. The fake currency, which also included Pakistani rupee and foreign notes was worth millions of US dollars, said
SSP Umar Virk. “Immediately it is difficult to estimate the exact amount because it is huge quantity of fake currency,” Virk said. Lahore police recovered machines, equipment, chemicals and a large amount of other material used to print fake currency. Officers had been searching for the facility for some time and had recently raided a number of
houses, Virk said. Police and the Federal Investigation Agency have arrested dozens of criminal gangs involved in the production of fake currency in the past but the recovery of such a huge quantity of local and foreign currency is rare.Virk said investigations were underway and police were questioning the gang to arrest “other members of the group”.
B EIRUT —The Syrian army retook a strategic town from the Islamic State group on Thursday, paving the way for the reopening of its sole supply route to main northern city Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said troops still needed to clear the jihadists from hills overlooking the key highway before it could be fully secured. The road through the town of Khanasser is the sole link between government-held areas in and around Aleppo and those in the rest of the country. The army’s counteroffensive was backed by Russian air strikes which killed 20 IS fighters, said the Observatory, a Britain-based monitoring group. It is not the first time that the government’s supply route to Aleppo has been cut. Rebels severed it in 2013 and IS also did so last year before being pushed back.—AFP LAHORE: Police showing printed sheets of fake currency to media after raid on the factory.
Iran goes to polls today after lifting of curbs TEHRAN—President Hassan disqualification of moderate
below-par 129-8 but their batsmen found the Sri Lankan bowlers too hot to handle before they were finally reduced to 115-9.—Agencies
NAB files case against Dr Asim
ISLAMABAD—Federal government and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) here on Thursday resolved all old outstanding issues amicably. In this connection Federal Minister for Finance Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting on outstanding issues of KP in which Federal Minister for Water and Power, Khwaja Mohammad Asif, Chief Minster KP, Pervez Khattak, other senior leaders and officials from KP attended the meeting and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed. Later talking to media Mohammad Ishaq Dar said that the all old pending issues between Federal government and KP had been resolved amicably. The Finance Minister said that he discussed all old issues with the Chief Minister of KP and his team in the presence of Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Mohammad Asif who also held meetings with provincial government regarding water and electricity issues. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that under the mutually agreed MoU, the KP government would get net hydel profit arreares of Rs 70 billion to be paid by the federal government in next four years. He added that KP would also get Rs956 million would be paid by March 31. Finance Minister said that under the agreement the KP government would get 100MMFT gas for power generation in the province. He said that this amount of gas could be used through the KP government itself or through its Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB).
However, he said for approval in this regard the KP government would submit a summary to Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC). Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that under the agreement it had also been agreed that Chashma Right Bank Canal, whose PC-1 was prepared in 2008 and it was pending for the last seven years. He added it has been decided that Chashma Right Bank Canal would be initiated to irrigate 0.3 million acres of land in KPA and benefit a large number of people in the area. The Finance Minister said that Federal government would bear 65 per cent cost of the project while the KP would contribute 35 per cent in the project. He further said that pending issues of KP workers welfare fund and relevant federal secretaries would resolve the issue. Speaking on the occasion, Khawaja Mohammad Asif said that negotiations between Wapda and KP were progressing for the last one and half year and thanked Finance Minister for his contribution in resolving the pending issues and signing of the agreement. Khawaja Asif said that in the past 10 to 15 years there were same parties or coalition governments in the federation and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but the pending problems were not resolved by them. The Minister said that despite having an opposition party government in KP, the federal government resolved the old all outstanding issues of the provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. He said that issues could only be solved by the politicians if there was will to do it.
Rouhani, a pragmatist trying to open Iran after years of sanctions, and his allies carry the hopes of many Iranians for greater freedoms today when the country holds elections for parliament and the Assembly of Experts. Rouhani is expected to win re-election to the assembly, the body that chooses the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader. On the same day, his allies are seeking to wrest control of parliament from hardliners bent on blocking an increase in Western influence after a 2015 nuclear deal Rouhani orchestrated with major powers. The contests have proven testy, with bad-tempered accusations traded and the mass
candidates by a hardline-controlled vetting body. Hardliners close to conservative Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have accused moderates of being under Western influence, a charge Rouhani has said insults the intelligence of Iranians who, he argues, are just hungry for economic development. “Verbal abuse, accusations and insults are beneath the dignity of the Iranian nation and the country. It is not worth it to undermine the Islamic Republic and the government for a seat in the parliament. Instead of making insults and accusations, we have to pursue higher goals,” Rouhani was quoted as saying by his website on Wednesday.
The former nuclear negotiator has a track record as a conciliator: In his 2013 election, he secured the vote of pro-
President Hassan Rouhani reform Iranians politically muzzled for years but also drew
support from some in Khamenei’s circle thanks to his impeccable background in Iran’s clerical establishment. He hopes to repeat something of the same on Friday (today), bolstered by the deal with world powers under which Iran curbed activities that might have been applied to developing nuclear bombs and secured a lifting of economic sanctions in return. Rouhani has insulated himself from hardline critics of the talks by keeping the support of Khamenei, who backed Rouhani’s efforts, although in Khamenei’s view this was purely to improve the parlous state of Iran’s economy and not to mend fences with the West. To prevent Rouhani’s allies from being rewarded at the bal-
lot box, however, hardline watchdog body the Guardian Council has blocked thousands of mostly moderate candidates from running in the two elections. The assembly elected will sit for eight years and may choose the successor to Khamenei, who is 76 and rumored to be in ill health. The supreme leader wields immense power, controlling the judiciary, the security forces, public broadcasters and foundations that own much of the economy. Rouhani, 67, has an unblemished background in Iran’s clerical establishment. Khamenei praised Rouhani’s election in 2013 as the “selection of a worthy individual who has more than three decades of
service to the system of the Islamic Republic”. He went into exile with the late founder of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei, before the revolution and was appointed representative to the Supreme National Security Council shortly after Khamenei took power in 1989. In that role, he presided over the talks with Britain, France and Germany that led to Iran’s suspension of uranium enrichment-related work in 2003, and resigned after hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office in 2005. Some analysts and officials say any success for the moderates’ in Friday’s vote could be seen as a challenge to Khamenei’s authority.
“Hardliners are worried about Rouhani’s popularity and the support he gets from moderates and people. A powerful Rouhani might harm the delicate balance of power in Iran’s political system,” said a former senior Iranian official. On the other hand, he said, “if hardliners win more seats in the votes, they will put more pressure on Rouhani and his government to make him a lame-duck president.” Influential former president Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is also running for an 0assembly seat, and the grandson of Khomeini, Hassan, who was barred from entering the race, are close allies of Rouhani.— Reuters