Pakistan History

Arfa Karim, the Little Pakistani Genius

2012-01-19T13:21:00.000Z

Born in Faisalabad, Pakistan, the little Arfa Karim was only 5 when she first came across these strange white “boxes” in her school which later she knew were computers. “When you push a button, something magically appears on the box” said Arfa.

After she persuaded her father to buy her one, Amjad Karim –who serves with a U.N. peace making force in Africa, began to notice his young daughter’s extraordinary “technical” talent, that’s when he convinced APTECH –an advanced computer institute near their home- to enroll her as a student for she was still too young to apply.

In 2005, the people at the institute amazed with her unique aptitude, informed her father that Arfa might actually be in a position to seek Microsoft certification; and after only four months of hard work and dedicated study –over summer- the little girl genius passed the exam for developing Windows applications! A process that would’ve normally taken a year to accomplish.
Being the youngest person to ever obtain this certification –Arfa was certified at only 9 years of age- she got the chance to fly to the USA and meet Mr. Gates himself.

Arfa took the Microsoft people there by surprise with her wit, intelligence, and even audacity.

During her one-on-one with Bill Gates, she talked about lots of things, asked him many questions, such as why there weren’t much women working at the company, she thought the number of male and female employees should be equaled , she also asked him why they wouldn’t hire someone her age. She also made no secret she was surprised with the dress code there as she thought they’d all be in suits, and dropped the bare truth that meeting Gates fallen only second to Disneyland on her list of the things she wanted to see in America.

Following that encounter, Arfa was regarded as a celebrity in Pakistan and was held as an icon and a role model! Pakistanis celebrated her everywhere, and took pride of her.

Arfa expressed her dream of going to Harvard University or MIT to complete her studies in order to become a developer or a satellite engineer.

Unfortunately, the little genius won’t be able to fulfill her dream, for Arfa Karim, Pakistan’s pride, died at the tender age of 16 after an epileptic seizure that left her in a coma back in December, and eventually led to a cardiac arrest in early January that sent her soul to heavens.

Arfa karim may be gone, but never forgotten. May god rest her soul!

Pakistan PM Gilani stands firm in contempt battle

2012-01-19T11:10:00.000Z

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has appeared before the country's Supreme Court in contempt proceedings, to defend his record.

The court initiated the hearing over Mr Gilani's refusal to ask Swiss officials to reopen a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari.

If found guilty of contempt he could be banned from holding public office.

A stand-off between the government, the judiciary and the military threatens to topple Mr Gilani's government.

After a hearing lasting little more than an hour the case was adjourned until 1 February.

Mr Gilani smiled and waved as he arrived at the Supreme Court, accompanied by his legal team and senior cabinet ministers.

In a lengthy opening statement to the seven judges, he spoke of his respect for the court and the Pakistani constitution.

He said he had not intended to defy the court but that he believed Mr Zardari had presidential immunity from prosecution.

The BBC's Aleem Maqbool looks at the mounting tensions in Pakistan

"I have discussed this with my friends and experts, and they all agree that he has got complete immunity," Mr Gilani said.

"It will not give a good message to proceed against a president who is elected by a two-thirds majority."

He said it would not be good idea to throw the president to the "wolves".

Regardless of the outcome, one of the judges said, ''it was a great day for Pakistan, that the chief executive had bowed before the majesty of the law.".

Mr Gilani's embattled government is currently embroiled in disputes with the judiciary and also with Pakistan's powerful armed forces.

The prime minister sounded conciliatory at the hearing but his appearance was intended to be a show of strength for the government, says the BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Islamabad.

'No harm'

Mr Gilani has long refused to request the Swiss authorities to reopen the corruption case against President Zardari, as the Supreme Court has demanded.

But his lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan, indicated on Wednesday that the prime minister might reverse that stance.

"There is no harm in writing a letter to the Swiss authorities," he said.

"The president has complete immunity against criminal procedures in the courts."

He added: "I don't think the prime minister has committed contempt of court by not writing the letter. Through my arguments I will try to convince the court that the prime minister is not guilty of contempt."

If convicted, Mr Gilani would face a prison term and be disqualified from office, potentially forcing early elections.

Meanwhile, former President Pervez Musharraf has indicated he intends to stick to a promise to return in late January from self-imposed exile to run in elections, which are due by 2013.

He told the BBC he wanted to seek "the mandate of the people", despite facing arrest on his return to face accusations that he did not provide adequate security for former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto when she was assassinated in late 2007.

On Wednesday, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Gen Musharraf would be arrested if he returned to the country.

Money laundering

Mr Zardari and his late wife, Benazir Bhutto, were found guilty in absentia by a Swiss court in 2003 of laundering millions of dollars in kickbacks from Swiss firms while they were in government.

They appealed and Swiss officials dropped the case in 2008 at the request of the Pakistani government.

The case was one of thousands dropped as a result of an amnesty that allowed Ms Bhutto to return from self-imposed exile and run for election in 2008. She was assassinated shortly after returning.

However, in 2009 Pakistan's Supreme Court declared the amnesty unconstitutional, leaving those covered by it open to prosecution.

The government is also engaged in a dispute with the military over an anonymous memo asking for US help to avert a possible army coup in Pakistan. The memo was sent in the wake of the killing of Osama Bin Laden in a US raid in May 2011.

US officials have acknowledged receiving the memo but say they took no action over it.

Both disputes have overshadowed Pakistan's deteriorating relationship with Washington following US air strikes that accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November.

Overseas Pakistanis may win postal voting right

2012-01-18T11:45:00.000Z

ISLAMABAD:
Overseas Pakistanis will now be allowed to cast their vote in the upcoming parliamentary elections through postal ballots, sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune.

The decision has been taken by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which will now approach the ministry of law to seek necessary amendments in the relevant election laws, the sources revealed.

“All overseas Pakistanis above 18 years of age, having national identity cards for overseas Pakistanis would be eligible to cast their votes for the candidates in their native constituencies from next election,” an official of the ECP disclosed.

Responding to a query, he said those having dual nationalities will also be eligible to exercise their right to franchise in the next elections. According to the official, the current law only bars dual nationality holders from contesting polls but it does not stop them from voting.

“Various proposals were discussed during recent meetings of the commission regarding the procedure for polling of these voters but the most viable option we have found so far is voting through postal ballots,” the official associated with this project disclosed requesting anonymity.

The right to vote for overseas Pakistanis had been a long-standing demand of different political parties — once implemented, this would have significant impact on the election results in constituencies from where a large number of Pakistanis have migrated to other countries.

The ECP official said since Pakistanis live in over 52 countries across the world, it would not be feasible to establish polling stations for them in their current place of residence.

“The decision has been taken on our part. Now it will be up to the law ministry and parliament when they ratify this,” he said.

To take political parties on board, the commission has called a meeting of all stakeholders including political parties, civil society and the media on January 23. ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan’s office confirmed the details of the meeting.

An official statement said that during the day-long meeting “detailed presentations will be given to participants with a view to sharing vital tasks to be completed before the next general elections and to elicit their valuable views on some developments taking place so that all the stakeholders are on board”.

The key points on the agenda of the meeting include the following:

Permanent polling stations:

The commission will apprise the participants about its decision to allocate permanent polling stations, a list of which would be displayed on their website for public information.

LG guidelines:

Among other items, the commission will ask participants to give their suggestions for local bodies which are virtually redundant since the 2002 district government ordinance lapsed in 2009.

Election symbols:

The commission is now short of election symbols due to the registration of many new parties and deletion of ‘derogatory’ symbols from its list. The meeting would consult participants on the newly-proposed symbols.

Law enforcing agencies under DRO:

The commission has also decided that in the next elections district election security committees would be established in every district which would be headed by the district returning officer. He would either be an employee of the ECP or a government servant of grade 19. This according to the ECP would minimise the chances of misuse of local police by influential candidates.

Code of conduct and political finance:

Preparation of a code of conduct for political parties, candidates, media and other stakeholders will be deliberated in the meeting. The meeting will also discuss different options to control or at least regulate election expenses.

UK Barrister Urges Shari`ah Tribunals

2012-01-16T13:52:00.002Z

London: A leading British barrister at Harvard Law School called for UK to become more Shari`ah-literate, confirming that the Islamic laws are compatible with the human rights legislations that can serve the whole community.
“It's very important that they be acknowledged and allowed to exist,” Sadakat Kadri, a barrister and contemporary of Barack Obama at Harvard Law School, told The Guardian on Monday, January 16.
“So long as they're voluntary, which is crucial, it's in everyone's interests these things be transparent and publicly accessible.
“If you don't have open tribunals, they're going to happen anyway, but behind closed doors,” he added.Kadri confirmed that the 1400-year-old Islamic law is compatible with the human rights legislations.
The Harvard professor added that "shari`ah courts", such as the Muslim arbitration tribunal, could serve "the community as a whole."
This aim could be reached by putting Shari`ah laws on a transparent, public footing to be more widely accessible to those who want to use or know about these laws.
Making his point clear, Kadri sets out the history of Shari`ah in a new book, Heaven and earth, to be published next week.
The book describes the slow development of Shari`ah law, which is derived directly from the Qur'an and Prophet Muhammad (PBHU) Sunnah, in the centuries after the death of Prophet Muhammad.
"I'm not a theologian," said Kadri.
"But this is my interpretation of Islamic history. There's a mistaken belief that Islamic law is a vast unchanging body of rules – 1,400 years of Muslim history shows that little could be further from the truth.
"It's really important that the Muslim community engage with its actual history, as well as idealized traditions. If that's to take root, critical engagement with the past among young Muslims will be crucially important."
In Islam, Shari`ah governs all issues in Muslims’ lives from daily prayers to fasting and from, marriage and inheritance to financial disputes.
The Islamic rulings, however, do not apply on non-Muslims, even if in a dispute with non-Muslims.
Misconceptions
The leading British barrister confirmed that misconceptions about Islam and Muslims after 7/7 attacks spread rumors about a claimed violent nature of Islamic law.
"After 7/7 people were saying the shari`ah is all about violence, it's all about chopping people's hands off, it's all about stoning adulterers to death. Others said it's nothing to do with that, Islam is a religion of peace,” Kadri said.
“Clearly both of those things were true at a certain level, but very early on I just realized no one had a clue what shari`ah said about this or that."
Britain is home to a sizable Muslim minority of nearly 2 million who have taken full brunt of anti-terror laws since the 7/7 attacks.
They have repeatedly complained of maltreatment by police for no apparent reason other than being Muslim.
Kadri calls reiterated comments made by Rowan Williams, archbishop of Canterbury, in 2008 when he suggested that shari`ah law should be more widely adopted.
Under the Arbitration Act 1996, the rulings of religious bodies, including the Muslim arbitration tribunal, already have legal force in disputes involving matters such as inheritance and divorce.
Barrister Kadri confirmed that many of the punishments associated in people's minds with shari`ah law have only been applied very recently.
"I try to show how it's only really in the last 40 years, since Colonel Gaddafi in Libya, but more especially since the Iranian revolution in 1979 that the idea of enforcing Islamic rules through national laws has come to the fore,” he said.
“Before 1973, it was only Saudi Arabia which actually did that.”

Zardari ‘biggest thief’, govt sabotaging courts to hide inefficiencies: Imran Khan

2012-01-16T12:25:00.000Z

Calling President Asif Ali Zardari the “biggest thief”, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan said that the government is sabotaging the courts in order to hide its “thefts”.

Talking to the media at Sukkur airport, Khan said the government came into power through NRO and tried to hide its theft of billions of rupees. “The Supreme Court has issued contempt of court notice to the prime minister, because he did not fulfill his responsibilities.”

Khan stated that only the Constitution is supreme and not the parliament. “If the parliament starts providing justice, then the courts should be shut down… Parliament has its own responsibilities, the courts have their own,” he said.

Reiterating his party’s support for the judiciary, Khan said that PTI is standing with the chief justice and the Supreme Court.

Khan also dispelled rumours about forming an alliance with former dictator Pervaiz Musharraf’s party All Pakistan Muslim League (APML). “We are not ready for any alliances,” he stated.

The party chairman also said that the only way to bring the country out of the “quicksand” was by holding early elections.

Pakistan PM Gilani faces Supreme Court contempt order

2012-01-16T11:47:00.001Z

Pakistan's Supreme Court has issued a contempt order against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, raising the prospect of his prosecution.

The court has been considering what to do about the government's refusal to reopen corruption cases against the president and other political figures.

Mr Gilani has been ordered to appear in person at the court on 19 January.

It comes on a day of several crucial challenges for the government amid ongoing tensions with the army.

A key vote of confidence in Pakistan's political leadership is scheduled to be held later in parliament.

And another court hearing into a controversial anonymous memo which asked for US help to avert an army coup in Pakistan, in the wake of the killing of Osama Bin Laden in May 2011, has also resumed.

Correspondents say that Mr Gilani can continue as prime minister while court proceedings take place. If contempt proceedings go ahead and he is found guilty, he could be automatically disqualified from holding public office.

Intense uncertainty

At the heart of the court's complaint is the government's refusal to act on a court order quashing a controversial amnesty, which had protected the country's senior politicians from corruption prosecutions.

One of the cases at stake is against Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari - the government insists he has immunity from prosecution as president.

But the deadline for the government to reopen the corruption cases expired on Monday and government representatives were summoned to court to explain what they planned to do.

"The Supreme Court has issued a contempt of court notice to the prime minister for not complying with its orders," AFP news agency reported judge Nasir-ul-Mulk as telling the court.

The order comes at a time of intense political uncertainty, with the government at loggerheads with country's powerful military as well as the judiciary.

The government's stand-off with the military escalated sharply last week when the army publicly rebuked Mr Gilani warning of "potentially grievous consequences" after he criticised army leaders in a media interview and sacked his defence secretary.

Pakistan has suffered three military coups since independence in 1947 but analysts believe the army has little appetite for a coup in this instance.

Correspondents say things appeared to have calmed down after talks between civilian and military elites over the weekend when Mr Gilani described the armed forces as "a pillar of the nation's resilience and strength".

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan says the army is throwing its weight behind the judiciary as it pursues its cases against the government.

'Memogate' inquiry

The other court hearing being considered today concerns the so-called "memogate" scandal - the anonymous memo apparently seeking help from the US to avert a possible military coup.

It is not clear who wrote the memo or conveyed it to Washington. US officials say they received the memo but took no action.

The scandal has already cost Pakistan's former ambassador to Washington, Husain Haqqani, his job. He denies any role in the memo, as does Pakistan's President Zardari.

The commission, set up last month, is expected to question government officials to try to establish whether they endorsed the memo, and if so, whether the cabinet can remain in power.

The findings of the investigation are due to be announced later this month.

At the close of a testing day for the government, Mr Gilani's government will face a vote in parliament on the country's political leadership and in the democratic system.

Correspondents say the prime minister is likely to win backing, and that the lawmakers' seal of approval may strengthen his hand.

IT media city to be called Arfa Karim IT Media City Project

2012-01-16T11:41:00.000Z

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information Technology Mohammad Raza Haroon has announced to dedicate the IT Media City, Karachi to the Microsoft Expert Arfa Karim, on the guideline of MQM chief Altaf Hussain.The City shall be referred to as Arfa Karim IT Media City, Karachi, said a statement issued here on Sunday.It may be noted that the IT Media City is a project of Sindh IT Department being implemented to develop a modern/ world class media city in Karachi on 200 acres of land near Super Highway at Link Road between Super Highway and National Highway.Arfa Karim Randhawa (1995 to January 14, 2012), was a Pakistani student and computer prodigy, who in 2004 at the age of nine years became the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional (MCPs) in the world, a title she kept until 2008. (APP)

Q&A: Renewed instability in Pakistan

2012-01-12T21:55:00.000Z

A deepening political row between the Pakistani government and its army and judiciary has led to renewed concerns over the stability of the country, which has a history of military coups. At stake is the survival of President Asif Ali Zardari's democratically elected - though weak and unpopular- government.

Why have the military and the government fallen out?

The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of President Zardari has never enjoyed particularly close relations with the army.

The latest manifestation of this ongoing row reignited spectacularly in October 2011 through what has become known as the "memogate" scandal. This arose in the wake of an anonymous memo unearthed in Washington that sought US help to avert a possible military coup in Pakistan following the killing by US forces of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in May.

Pakistan's ambassador to the US at the time, Husain Haqqani, was alleged to have drafted it at the behest of President Zardari, who is alleged to have offered to replace his country's military leadership and sever all ties with militant groups in exchange for US help against the army. The memo was delivered to the then US Joint Chiefs Chairman, Michael Mullen. He admitted receiving it, but insisted that it was not acted upon. The row has already cost Mr Haqqani his job. He denies any role in drafting the memo - as does President Zardari. But the president could be forced to quit if the trail is found to lead to his door.

In January the military publicly rebuked Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, warning of "serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences" after he criticised military leaders in a media interview.

Why have the judiciary and the government fallen out?

If the PPP's relations with the military have traditionally not been warm, the same can also be said of its relations with the judiciary. The Supreme Court is conducting its own investigation into the "memogate" affair which is separate from a parliamentary inquiry. Petitioners in the case are demanding that Mr Haqqani and President Zardari should be tried on charges of treason.

The judiciary is also pursuing the government over the thorny issue of corruption. In January the Supreme Court warned that PM Gilani could be disqualified from office for not reopening corruption cases against top politicians - a panel of judges even went so far as to accuse him of violating his oaths and not being an honest man. Another sign of tense relations came in in 2009, when the court overturned an amnesty protecting President Zardari and hundreds of other politicians from being prosecuted for corruption.

Is there likely to be a coup?

Most analysts believe this is highly unlikely, chiefly because there appears to be a rare consensus among Pakistan's political classes that any attempt to stage a military take-over would be universally resisted. There is little that the current army leadership can offer to the rest of the world that would persuade it to support military intervention. Furthermore the military's credibility - both in Pakistan and abroad - is at a historic low following the killing of Osama Bin Laden.

Most analysts agree that the most likely scenario is that President Zardari will continue his "play safe" approach and not attempt to replace the leadership of either the ISI intelligence service or the army. But the government is likely to come under increasing pressure from the opposition to call early elections. Its tenure officially comes to an end in February 2013 but it may be pressured into going to the polls well before then. However it will not want to call an election before March, when it hopes to use the provincial legislatures to win a majority in the national senate.

How secure is President Zardari?

After three years in office plagued by misrule and allegations of corruption, no-one is betting at the moment on President Zardari or his government completing their terms of office. The days of a military coup may be gone in Pakistan, many analysts say, but things are about to get a lot tougher for the government.

Perhaps one of the most serious threats to the president comes from the cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan. The leader of the Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice) party is seemingly being propped up as a "third force" to the traditional two major parties, President Zardari's PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League of former PM Nawaz Sharif. Some are genuinely drawn to Mr Khan because he is a political novice with a corruption-free past. Others are flocking to him convinced that he is the military's preferred choice and will therefore offer a dose of urgently needed stability.

Encouraged by the prospect of change and political realignment, former President Pervez Musharraf has also decided to return to the fray - pledging to go back to Pakistan at the earliest opportunity. In the event of early elections, some analysts are predicting an alliance between Mr Khan, Mr Musharraf, the Sindh-based MQM party and a variety of army-backed politicians. Whoever ends up running Pakistan faces a daunting challenge - the economy is in the doldrums, insurgents are active in many parts of the country and relations with the US are the worst in a decade.

Are there any grounds for optimism?

It depends. The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that Pakistan appears to be heading into a period of massive confusion which many believe could translate either into a stronger parliamentary democracy or a total collapse of the system.

Successive military regimes - or governments controlled by the military - have promoted a militarised society where overall conditions are akin to a "war economy". But against this our correspondent points out that the present democratic administration has survived longer than any other in Pakistani history - which probably explains why the confrontation between the institutions has assumed such alarming proportions.

Pakistan army warns PM Gilani over criticisms

2012-01-11T15:45:00.000Z

Pakistan's military has publicly rebuked Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani over an escalating row.

The army warned of "serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences" after the PM criticised military leaders in a media interview.

Meanwhile, Mr Gilani has sacked his defence secretary, who is seen as having close ties to the military.

Tensions have been rising in recent months between Pakistan's civilian government and military leaders.

The latest row is a serious source of instability in Pakistan, where the military has ruled for more than half the country's history after seizing power in a series of coups.

'Unconstitutional'

On Monday Mr Gilani was quoted telling China's People's Daily Online that Pakistan's army chief and head of intelligence acted unconstitutionally by making submissions to a Supreme Court inquiry which has been rocking the government.

The interview was broadcast as Pakistan's army chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani was visiting China.

On Wednesday, the military hit back with an unusually strongly-worded statement.

"There can be no allegation more serious than what the honourable prime minister has levelled.

"This has very serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences for the country," the statement said, without specifying what these might be.

It said the prime minister had accused the army chief and the head of Inter-Services Intelligence of violating the constitution. The army said Gen Kayani had "followed the book".

"Allegiance to state and the constitution is and will always remain [his] prime consideration."

The sacking of the defence secretary, retired general Naeem Khalid Lodhi, is likely to heighten frictions with military leaders.

A senior official told AFP news agency that Gen Lodhi had been removed from his post for gross misconduct.

Gen Lodhi recently wrote to the Supreme Court saying the government had administrative, but not operational, control of the army. State media said he lost his job "for creating misunderstanding between state institutions".

Last month Mr Gilani said conspirators were plotting to bring down his government, without specifically blaming the military. That prompted Gen Kayani to dismiss coup rumours.

'Memogate'

Relations between the government and the military have seriously deteriorated in recent weeks.

The Supreme Court is investigating an anonymous memo which sought US help to avert a possible military coup in Pakistan following the killing by US forces of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in May.

It is not clear who wrote the memo or conveyed it to the Americans. They say they received it but took no action.

Pakistan's military - deeply humiliated by the discovery of Bin Laden on Pakistani soil and the secret US operation to kill him - has been incensed by the affair.

The scandal has already cost Pakistan's former ambassador to Washington, Husain Haqqani, his job. He denies any role in the memo, as does President Asif Ali Zardari.

He could be forced to quit if the trail is found to lead to his door. The Supreme Court investigation aims to get to the bottom of the scandal.

Mr Zardari's government is also on a collision course with the judiciary, which wants to reopen old corruption cases in which the president argues he is innocent.

Pakistan Supreme Court warns PM Yousuf Raza Gilani

2012-01-11T15:39:00.000Z

Pakistan's prime minister could be disqualified from office for not reopening corruption cases against top politicians, the Supreme Court says.

A panel of senior judges suggested Yousuf Raza Gilani was not an honest man and had violated his oath.

Relations between Pakistan's civilian government and the judiciary are tense.

In 2009 the Supreme Court overturned an amnesty protecting President Zardari and hundreds of other politicians from being prosecuted for corruption.

There are still court cases pending in Pakistan against Mr Zardari, who spent years in jail after being indicted for corruption, charges he says were politically motivated. His office currently provides him with immunity from prosecution.

Former President Pervez Musharraf brought in the amnesty by decree in 2007. It was aimed at a possible power-sharing deal with Mr Zardari's late wife, Benazir Bhutto.

She returned to Pakistan from abroad after the so-called National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was signed into law, but was assassinated soon after. Subsequent elections swept her Pakistan People's Party to power.

PM 'not honest'

Critics of the amnesty say it is illegal to help so many politicians and officials to escape prosecution for alleged wrongdoing.

The Supreme Court said the government had failed to implement its ruling.

"The government is not taking interest to observe the order for the last two years," it said. "The court has taken an oath to defend the constitution. The prime minister respected the party over the constitution.

"Prima facie... he may not be an honest person on account of his not being honest to the oath of his office."

The government has resisted re-opening the cases covered under the amnesty, insisting that as far as they are concerned, it is a closed chapter.

The BBC's Shahzeb Jillani says the strongly-worded remarks by senior judges have confirmed what many in Pakistan have been fearing for some time: that the civilian government and Pakistan's top court are on a collision course.

The stand-off comes amid a growing rift between civilian and military leaders.

Many in Pakistan feel the pressure on President Zardari's government could leave him with no choice in the end but to call an early election, our correspondent says.

The next general election is due by early 2013. Mr Zardari's term runs out later that year.

Bill Gates contacts Arfa s father for treatment

2012-01-09T11:56:00.000Z

LAHORE: Chairman of Microsoft, billionaire Bill Gates has made a contact with the parents of world s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional Arfa Karim for her treatment, Geo News reported.According to father of Arfa, Amjab Karim Randhawa, Bill Gates telephoned him and expressed his wish about Arfa s treatment in the US.Gates has also directed his doctors to adopt every kind of measure for the treatment of young genius Microsoft professional.Gates doctors contacted Arfa s Pakistani doctors and received details about the illness through internet.Meanwhile, Pakistani doctors are of view that Arfa is on ventilator, therefore, it will be hard to shift her into any other hospital.

China warns US on Asia military strategy

2012-01-06T13:07:00.000Z

China's state media have warned the US against "flexing its muscles" after Washington unveiled a defence review switching focus to the Asia-Pacific.

In an editorial, official news agency Xinhua said President Barack Obama's move to increase US presence in the region could come as a welcome boost to stability and prosperity.

But it said any US militarism could create ill will and "endanger peace".

Mr Obama also plans $450bn (£290bn) in cuts to create a "leaner" military.

Thousands of troops are expected to be axed over the next decade under the far-reaching defence review.

The defence budget could also lose another $500bn at the end of this year after Congress failed to agree on deficit reduction following a debt-ceiling deal in August 2011.

Mr Obama said the "tide of war was receding" in Afghanistan and that the US must renew its economic power.Regional disputes

However, he told reporters at the Pentagon: "We'll be strengthening our presence in the Asia-Pacific, and budget reductions will not come at the expense of this critical region."

Xinhua said the US role could be good for China in helping to secure the "peaceful environment" it needed to continue its economic development.

But it added: "While boosting its military presence in the Asia-Pacific, the United States should abstain from flexing its muscles, as this won't help solve regional disputes.

"If the United States indiscreetly applies militarism in the region, it will be like a bull in a china shop, and endanger peace instead of enhancing regional stability."

BBC Asia analyst Charles Scanlon said the US decision to focus on Asia would have come as no surprise to China's leaders. However, to some in Beijing, it would look like a containment strategy designed to curtail China's growing power.

Beijing officials have yet to comment.

However, the Communist Party's Global Times newspaper said Washington could not stop the rise of China and called on Beijing to develop more long-range strike weapons to deter the US navy.

'Flexible and ready'

The US strategy shifts the Pentagon away from its long-standing doctrine of being able to wage two wars simultaneously.

However, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta emphasised the military would retain its ability to confront more than one threat at a time, and would be more flexible and adaptable than in the past.

Mr Obama said: "The world must know - the United States is going to maintain our military superiority with armed forces that are agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats."

No specific cuts to troop numbers or weapons programmes were announced on Thursday - those are to be presented as part of the federal budget next month.

But a 10-15% reduction to the US Army and the Marine Corps is being considered over the next decade - amounting to tens of thousands of troops, Obama administration officials have told US media.

Initial Republican reaction to the review was negative. Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, California Representative Howard McKeon, said the new policy was a "retreat from the world in the guise of a new strategy".

"This is a lead-from-behind strategy for a left-behind America," he said in a statement.

Pakistan Taliban free 17 kidnapped youths from Bajaur

2012-01-06T12:54:00.001Z

The Taliban have freed 17 young men from north-west Pakistan who they seized four months ago, officials say.

About 30 youths were abducted in early September after they inadvertently strayed across the Afghan border.

Several managed to escape over the past few months. At least eight more are still being held by the militants, an official in Bajaur tribal area said.

The Taliban said they kidnapped members of the Mamund tribe because it supported the Pakistani government.

Over the past few years, influential members of the Mamund tribe have sided with the Pakistani military and raised private militias to fight the Taliban. The Pakistani government says the co-operation has helped clear the area of Taliban influence.

The youths, reportedly ranging in age from 10 to about 30 years old, were at a picnic to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid and had mistakenly crossed the border from Bajaur to take a bath in a spring, when the militants seized them.

At the time of the kidnap there were reports that the militants had demanded Taliban prisoners be released. But local administration officials told the AFP news agency that the 17 youths had been "freed unconditionally".

Two boys who escaped in October spoke extensively to the media about their ordeal.

Securing the long, porous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has long posed a major challenge to the authorities.

The Pakistani government says that many militants have based themselves across the border in Afghanistan's eastern province of Kunar, from where they are known to have carried out attacks in north-western Pakistan.

Pakistan charges Iranian border guards with murder

2012-01-03T23:30:00.000Z

TEHRAN: Pakistan police on Tuesday charged three Iranian border guards with the murder of a Pakistani man shot dead on Sunday in a cross-border attack in the country’s southwest.

The three guards were held late Sunday in southwestern Balochistan province along the Iranian border after they allegedly crossed the frontier and shot at a car, killing a Pakistani national.

Police said they had charged the Iranians following a written complaint from the father of the victim.

“We have registered a murder case against the three Iranians and will present them in court,” said Abdul Malik, officer in charge of the Mazan Sar Mashkail area, where the three were arrested.

A brother of the victim was also wounded by gunshots in the incident, police said.

The Iranians reached the area in Washuk district, three kilometres inside Pakistan, where they opened fire on a vehicle they were chasing, according to officials in the insurgent-hit province.

Pakistani officials said the Iranian guards were trying to take both Pakistani nationals back into Iran.

Malik said the three Iranians were in the custody of Pakistan paramilitary Frontier Corps and a request has been sent to hand them over to police.

Iran working to secure release of border guards

The Iranian Border Guards Commander Brigadier General Hossein Zolfaghari on Tuesday called on Pakistan to release three Iranian border guards who had “entered Pakistan by mistake while chasing armed drug smugglers.”

“Pakistan border guards should immediately release the three guards who were doing their job,” Zolfaghari told IRNA news agency adding that a second round of negotiations with the Pakistani border police will take place in coming hours to secure the release of the detainees.

“Three days ago border guards in Saravan, Sistan Baluchestan province, exchanged fire with a group of vandals and armed smugglers, killing two, injuring and arresting two others while the rest managed to escape into Pakistani territory. 500 kilograms of drugs were also seized,” he stated.

The Iranian Commander said that a group of Iranian border guards chased the smugglers at night at zero point of the border and “unintentionally crossed into Pakistan before being arrested by their Pakistani counterparts.” Zolfaghari also called on Pakistani border guards to stop cross border drug trafficking into Iranian soil, IRNA report said.

Iran guards ‘unintentionally’ crossed Pakistan border

Earlier, Iranian border guards accused of killing the Pakistani civilian “unintentionally” entered Pakistan in pursuit of drug traffickers, the commander of Iran’s police border guard said Tuesday.

“Three Iranian border guards pursued the drug traffickers and unintentionally and due to darkness entered Pakistani territory and were arrested by Pakistani forces,” Hossein Zolfaqari was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.

Zolfaqari denied any Pakistani civilian was killed in the incident.

Zolfaqari said a delegation of Iranian border guards had spoken with Pakistani officials asking for the release of their colleagues and that more talks were scheduled.

He noted that the border is poorly marked.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast, asked about the incident, told reporters on Tuesday: “We do not have precise details. Usually such incidents do occur in the borders but it will be solved with discussion by both sides.”

Iranian officials say 3,500 members of their security forces have been killed in clashes with traffickers over the past 30 years, mainly in areas bordering Afghanistan or Pakistan.

NATO wants relations with Pakistan back on track

2012-01-02T22:46:00.000Z

KABUL: Nato wants to get relations with Pakistan back on track “as quickly as possible” to reopen its key supply route for foreign troops fighting in Afghanistan, a coalition spokesman said Monday.

Pakistan closed Nato supply route to Afghanistan in November, choking supply line for the 130,000-strong US-led force, following a deadly air strike by the alliance force that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on the border.

Islamabad had rejected the coalition’s report that blamed the incident on mistakes by both sides and has not said when it will reopen the route.

“We have an interest…for Afghanistan that relations with Pakistan should normalise as quickly as possible,” said Brigadier General Carsten Jacobsen.

“We are aware that there are things that are not travelling to Afghanistan because they are stuck at border control points.

“It mainly affects the economy, wages and work for people who are in the transport business in Pakistan and Afghanistan.”

The spokesman for Nato’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) however sought to allay concerns among Afghans that the route blockage would force the coalition to buy locally and force a hike in the price of fuel and food.

“The people of Afghanistan will not be challenged by Nato buying their fuel and their food. Nato’s stockpiles are more than sufficient,” he said.

A Pakistani official earlier said that Nato military vehicles and supplies were piling up at the docks, with truck drivers unable to drive them to the northwestern border to cross into Afghanistan.

“At present, a total of 3,676 military vehicles and 1,732 containers belonging to Nato forces are at the port,” a port official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

It was reported earlier, that the US has decided to export all its cargo, including military hardware and arms, out of Pakistan.

Sources told Express News that the break in supplies has frustrated US authorities to the point where they are now weighing various options to move around the cargo stranded at various locations in Pakistan.

The deadly incident heightened tensions in an already fragile relationship between the US and Pakistan, with Pakistani officials alleging deliberate US targeting of their troops at border posts.

Pakistan Wake-Up Now 3, Khari Baat Appeal to Everyone Dunya News

2011-12-31T22:55:00.000Z

Pakistan Wake-Up Now 2, Khari Baat Appeal to Everyone Dunya News

2011-12-31T22:54:00.001Z

Pakistan Wake-Up Now 1, Khari Baat Appeal to Everyone Dunya News

2011-12-31T22:54:00.000Z

Obama’s New Years gift: Signs bill freezing aid to Pakistan

2011-12-31T22:52:00.002Z

HONOLULU: President Barack Obama signed a sweeping US defense funding bill on Saturday which includes new sanctions on financial institutions dealing with Iran’s central bank, and curtailing up to $850 million in aid to Pakistan. The bill was signed despite concerns about sections that expand the US military’s authority over terrorism suspects and limit his powers in foreign affairs.

The massive defense bill Congress passed on earlier in December freezes 60 per cent of the $850 million aid, or $510 million, until the US defense secretary provides lawmakers with assurances that Pakistan is working to counter improvised explosive devices (IEDs). US lawmakers say that many Afghan bombs that kill US troops are made with fertiliser smuggled by militants across the border from Pakistan into Afghanistan.

“The fact that I support this bill as a whole does not mean I agree with everything in it,” Obama said in a statement, citing limits on transferring detainees from the US base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and requirements he notify Congress before sharing some defense missile information with Russia as problematic.

The bill, approved by Congress last week after its language was revised, aims with its Iran sanctions to reduce Tehran’s oil revenues but gives the US president powers to waive penalties as required. Senior US officials said Washington was engaging with its foreign partners to ensure the sanctions can work without harming global energy markets, and stressed the US strategy for engaging with Iran was unchanged by the bill.

The bill may also prove problematic for Pakistan in ways other than providing assurances of concrete steps to counter the manufacture of IEDs. The sanctions placed on dealing with Iran’s central banks may weigh on Pakistan’s plans for the Iran-Pakistan pipeline which aims to provide gas to Pakistan.

Pakistan needs the gas supplies from Iran to augment its own gas reserves which have been shrinking fast, leading to widespread gas shortages affecting its industry and daily life.

Azizi Mera Sona Pakistan Best Poetry Hasb e Haal

2011-12-30T23:29:00.000Z

Public’s interest in politics grows as PTI gets active

2011-12-30T22:05:00.002Z

LAHORE: The growing popularity of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) can be judged by the fact that the city’s bus stands, markets and shops are abuzz with discussions and speculations about the next political setup, which is a welcoming sign given that people have seldom been enthusiastic about politics.

Before the PTI became politically active, existing political parties were busy securing their contacts in the establishment for the next general elections. However, the scenario has changed dramatically with the unprecedented rise of the PTI, and the induction of established politicians into Imran Khan’s party. Though there are reservations about some of the new PTI members, given their long history in previous governments, people are still optimistic about prospect of the next government.

It is no secret that the country’s two major political parties are weary of the PTI’s increasing popularity and grass roots support. This is the first time since supporting Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, that the educated classes have attended political gatherings in such large numbers. Although all the political parties claim to have the “full support” of the public, their gatherings show that the reality is otherwise.

Imran Khan has proven that he has a certain charisma, which has encouraged students, women, schoolteachers, celebrities and people from other walks of life to participate in his rallies in Lahore and Karachi. These people were never forced to attend the conventions, a charge that is frequently directed at other parties, and instead did so because they felt that Imran could help eradicate the plague of corruption and bring lasting change.

His rallies portray the picture of a political gathering in which people from all walks of life are supposed to participate, not those who merely chant slogans in favour of their leaders.

It is intriguing to see political heavyweights trying to muster support from their former supporters, as their future outside the government looks bleak, since questions about their wealth and offshore accounts cannot be dodged forever.

“I sincerely hope that the coming elections are not rigged because that is the only way to defeat Imran Khan since people in the country and abroad are fully supporting him,” a fashion model that attended the PTI convention in Lahore told Daily Times.

“I postponed a photo shoot to attend Imran Khan’s Jalsa because I believe he could make a positive difference for our country, which will be home to my children when I am gone,” she added.

It will be a huge challenge for the cricketer-turned-politician to keep up with the hopes of the public, who consider him the best candidate for the future of the country. If the mainstream political parties want to win the 2013 elections, they will need to revamp their style and focus on engaging with more extensively with the public.

Microsoft’s youngest Certified Professional shows signs of life

2011-12-30T21:52:00.000Z

LAHORE:

Arifa Karim Randhawa, the child tech prodigy in critical condition, has shown some sign of life after she moved some of her fingers and her brain showed some activity, her Father Lt Col (Retd) Amjad Karim Randhawa told The Express Tribune on Friday.

Karim, who is still on life support, is still in a critical state and is being tended to the doctors, who had earlier lost hope of the child’s recovery.

Her father said that the family has received a flood of calls from all over the world inquiring after her health and praying for her recovery.

On December 22, Aarifa was admitted to Lahore’s CMH hospital after suffering cardiac arrest. On Thursday, doctors said there was no hope for her survival, and that her life support could be switched off ‘at any time’.

However, after this latest development, doctors and experts at Lahore’s Mayo hospital are working to save Arifa.

When Aarifa, now 16, was given the title of a Microsoft professional as a young child, she visited the company’s headquarters in the US. When she met Bill Gates himself, she had two questions: Why weren’t children allowed to work for Microsoft, and why such few women worked for the organisation.

Pakistan Rangers seize US military equipment

2011-12-30T21:50:00.001Z

KARACHI: Pakistan Rangers have seized sensitive military equipment belonging to the US and Nato on security grounds, Express News reported on Friday.

According to the Ranger officials, the equipment will remain under their control until further orders are received from the government.

The rangers, for the purpose of storing the military supplies, have rented a yard namely Mega6 at the Port Qasim.

So far, 250 containers have been offloaded at the Mega6 yard.

It was reported earlier that the US has decided to export all its cargo, including military hardware and arms, out of Pakistan.

Sources told Express News that the break in supplies has frustrated US authorities to the point where they are now weighing various options to move around the cargo stranded at various locations in Pakistan.

According to sources, US cargo, stranded in Pakistan, is worth millions of dollars and US authorities have serious concerns over the safety of the cargo as it includes Humvee vehicles, dumpers, anti-aircraft guns, special carriers of anti-aircraft guns, vehicles specially built to jam communications, cranes and sophisticated weapons.

Pakistan court orders 'memogate' inquiry

2011-12-30T21:48:00.000Z

Pakistan's Supreme Court has set up an inquiry into a controversial unsigned memo that asked for US help in curbing the powers of the military.

The court said a panel of four high court judges would conclude its findings within a month.

The "memogate" scandal concerns a note allegedly sent from Pakistan's political leadership to US Adm Mike Mullen, via a former ambassador.

President Asif Ali Zardari's aides deny any links with the document.

Pakistan's civilian leaders were allegedly worried that the army was about to launch a coup after US forces killed Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad in May.

They say any court inquiry into the affair would be unnecessary and politically motivated. The government argues that a parliamentary committee is already looking into memogate.

Correspondents say Friday's ruling will put additional pressure on the government and could even lead to President Zardari's fall from power if a link is established.

"I think that this is one of the darkest days in history for the judiciary," said a lawyer for Pakistan's former ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani - who denies any role in the affair.

"I said in the Supreme Court too that this is a very disappointing judgement. This is a judgement that places national security above fundamental rights," lawyer Asma Jahangir said.

Earlier this week President Zardari accused Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry of failing to investigate the murder of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

He was addressing party supporters on the anniversary of Ms Bhutto's killing.

He pointed to a hearing the Supreme Court opened over the leaked memo as proof the court has been inconsistent.

Pakistan journalists 'threatened by security' personnel

2011-12-29T19:18:00.000Z

Two senior Pakistani journalists say they have received threatening messages after raising questions over the military's role in their respective television shows.

Both suspect the threats have emanated from Pakistan's powerful security establishment and its premier intelligence service, the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).

The ISI was widely accused of killing a local journalist, Saleem Shehzad, in May 2011.

It vehemently denied the charge.

Journalists' organisations say at least 29 journalists have been killed in Pakistan during the last five years, many of them specifically for their work.Messages

A senior journalist, Najam Sethi, disclosed at a television talk show on Wednesday night that he had received "serious" threats from "both non-state and state actors".

He said if these threats did not cease, he would be "compelled to take names of the organisations and officials" who were behind them.

Without naming any intelligence service, he said its operatives were "in touch with and threatening several other senior journalists".

"If anything bad happens to me or my dear ones, the security establishment will be responsible” Hamid Mir Pakistani journalist

"We did not speak about this before because we did not want to destabilise things, but the time has come when all of them should come forward and speak about it publicly," he said, speaking in Urdu.

"This is not the age when the intelligence operatives should be threatening their own civilians. A state within the state is not acceptable," he said.

Mr Sethi is the main analyst at a late night news show on Pakistan's Geo TV in which he has been offering comments critical of the military's role.

His disclosure comes a week after another senior journalist, Hamid Mir, sent out an email to journalists' bodies around the world claiming that he had been receiving threatening messages from what he called "the security establishment".

Mr Mir is the host of Geo TV's popular talk show, Capital Talk.

Mr Mir wrote in his email that these threats have emerged following two talk shows he did which contained critical comments about the military.

"I am sure that the security establishment of Pakistan is once again angry with all those who raise questions about the political role of the army," he wrote.

He added: "If anything bad happens to me or my dear ones, the security establishment will be responsible."

A commission constituted to investigate the May 2011 killing of journalist Saleem Shehzad is investigating the role of the ISI, among others, as a possible suspect in the case.

Journalists working on security-related issues say they have always been threatened and intimidated by the intelligence agencies and have often been forced to under-report "sensitive" issues.

But in recent months, they have increasingly spoken out in public on the issue.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released the text of Mr Mir's email last week, which contains the text of an SMS message he had received.

According to Mr Mir, the SMS read, "I have not seen a real bastard than you. I wish somebody comes and strips you naked. I hope some army man has not done real dirty with your dear ones."