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India-Pakistan
Musharraf says India 'cannot dare cast an evil eye' on Pak
2008-12-26
Amid heightened tensions between the neighbours in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, former President Pervez Musharraf on Friday said India "cannot dare cast an evil eye" on Pakistan as long as the armed forces are there to defend the country.

Musharraf, who resigned in August to avoid an impeachment, threw his weight behind the government, saying the country had a democratically elected president and prime minister who would take steps for its security.
Perv has to toe the party line right now or risk being whacked ...
As long as the Pakistani armed forces are there, the country is in safe hands, Musharraf told the media at a reception here to mark the wedding of the son of former Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri.

He said the armed forces are fully capable of defending the country against India. As long as the Pakistani military is there, India can not "cast an evil eye" on the country, he said.
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India-Pakistan
Liberal parties rout mullahs in NWFP : All the King's men, gone!
2008-02-19
President Pervez Musharraf’s political allies, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), appear to have lost their grip over the country’s parliament, with the Pakistan People’s Party-Parliamentarians (PPPP) and the PML-Nawaz (PML-N) overtaking the “bicycle” in the election race.

Lion roars again: The PML-N swept Punjab despite low voter turnout in all 35 districts of the province. PML-Q’s Sheikh Rashid lost to PML-N’s Makhdoom Javed Hashmi in NA-55. He also lost to PML-N’s Muhammad Hanif Abbasi in NA-56, according to unofficial results.

Shujaat lost to PPPP’s Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar in his hometown of Gujrat and was lagging behind PML-N’s Rana Abdus Sattar in Sialkot. PPPP’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi also won his seat. PPPP’s Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan beat out PML-Q’s Chaudhry Amir Hussain. PML-Q Punjab President Pervaiz Elahi was losing on two NA seats but won a third in Attock. PML-Q’s Chaudhry Shahbaz Hussain, former population welfare minister, lost his seat for NA-62.

Other PML-Q bigwigs that lost include Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Sher Afgan Niazi, Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, Nasir Khan, Hamid Nasir Chattha, Humayun Akhtar Khan, Chaudhry Amir Hussain, Ijazul Haq, Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Daniyal Aziz.

Meanwhile, showing that the PML-Q was not completely out, Faisal Saleh Hayat of the party beat PPPP’s Abida Hussain in NA-88.

PPPP comes home: The PPPP, based on early results, appears to have overtaken the PML-N and the MQM in Sindh, establishing the party as a force to be reckoned with in its home state. PPPP’s Amin Fahim was one of the big winners in the province.

ANP kicks in: The Awami National Party (ANP) took the maximum number of seats based on early poll results, leaving the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal in the dust. PML-Q NWFP President Amir Muqam and Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, both ‘King’s men’, won the seats in their respective constituencies. According to unofficial results, Jamiat Ulema-e-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman won in NA-26, but lost NA-24 to Faisal Karim Kundi.

Business as usual: Balochistan witnessed a historic low turnout in the parliamentary elections and the early poll results did not show a clear winner in the province, although the PML-Q appeared to be leading.
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India-Pakistan
World should pressurise India to accept 4-point formula:Kasuri
2007-12-26
Islamabad, Dec 26 The world community should pressurise India to agree to the four-point proposal given by President Pervez Musharraf to resolve the "core issue" of Kashmir, Pakistan's former Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said today.
And make Indians give him a pony

Lasting peace in South Asia, a goal desirable for both India and Pakistan, can be achieved only by resolving the Kashmir issue and Musharraf's proposal is the "most viable and effective solution to the long-standing" issue, he said.
And make Perv give him his job back

Musharraf's proposal envisaged the de-militarisation of Kashmir and joint control of the area by India and Pakistan.
and a pony

Kasuri, who is contesting the upcoming general election as a candidate of the ruling PML-Q, told a press conference in his native city of Kasur in Punjab province that it is essential to have friendly relations with neighbouring countries in the current environment of globalisation.

This will promote trade and ensure peace in the region. "During my tenure, I successfully promoted better relations with China and India, negotiated the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project and helped to raise the image of Pakistan among the comity of nations," he said.
and ponies... don't forget about the ponies

He also said the governments of India and Pakistan had agreed with his proposal that it would be better to use the Ganda Singh Wala land border rather than Wagah for trade. (Agencies)
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Afghanistan
Pakistan-Afghan Peace Jirga after Elections: Kasuri
2007-10-21
Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri has said that the next Pak-Afghan peace jirga will be held in Pakistan after the general elections. He was talking to Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a meeting with him in Herat, Afghanistan on Saturday. Kasuri attended the ECO Council of Ministers conference in the Afghan western city. Both expressed satisfaction over the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Peace Jirga held in Kabul, which had not only reinforced the resolve of the two countries to fight against terrorism and extremism but also improved the atmosphere between them.

During the meeting they exchanged views on the follow-up steps to the decisions taken at the joint peace Jirga. President Karzai said that terrorism and extremism is the common enemy of the two countries and in the fight against it, Afghanistan can be the best asset and partner of Pakistan. He condemned the dastardly act of terrorism in Karachi on October 18 and spoke about his telephone conversation with President Pervez Musharraf. He condoled the loss of innocent lives in the blasts. The two also exchanged views on matters of bilateral interest.
Yeah. That's the word I was looking for. "Dastardly."
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India-Pakistan
Troop withdrawal from Waziristan will tick off NATO: Kasuri
2007-10-18
Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said on Wednesday that the NATO troops of 37 countries present in Afghanistan would not stay silent if Pakistani troops were called back from Waziristan and the surrounding areas, Geo News reported. He also told journalists at a function that the clash in Wazirstan had been instigated after militants in the area had conducted a series of criminal acts, and not on American directives, Online reported.

He said after the abduction of a group of South Korean aid workers in Afghanistan, the South Korean prime minister had called him to warn him of possible relocation of the group responsible for the abduction into Pakistan’s territory, since it might cause NATO troops to invade Pakistan.
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India-Pakistan
Kasuri rejects allegations of Al Qaeda 'safe havens' in Pakistan
2007-08-16
Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said on Wednesday that Pakistan was doing enough to counter terrorism and had lost 700 soldiers while playing its role in the "war on terror," and complained that the Western media was not portraying Pakistan's role or sacrifices fairly.

In an interview on BBC's 'Hard Talk' programme, Kasuri said: "I completely and emphatically reject that Pakistan has 'safe heavens' for Al Qaeda." Pakistan is facing problems but these problems have to be viewed in the right context. "The problem we have in the tribal areas goes back to its origin in the 80s when the West glorified jihad. We are reaping the consequences of that."

"We should see what happened to the intelligence estimates regarding the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq," said Kasuri, adding that The Washington Post itself had said those estimates were doctored. The situation in Afghanistan deteriorated after the West shifted its focus from Afghanistan to Iraq, the minister said. It is inappropriate to hold Pakistan responsible for the poor law and order situation in Afghanistan. He said those who make such allegations are not taking account of the actual situation on the ground.

Kasuri said statements such as the one calling for attacks on Mecca and Medina had immense potential to damage Pak-US relations and he asked the US leadership to be careful in this regard. "We value our relations with the US but our people think the US dictates terms to us, but we will not take any dictation." He said he faced tremendous difficulty in wrapping up the debate as a foreign minister on this issue in the National Assembly.

Responding to a question, the minister said no foreign elements could warn President Musharraf. "It's totally rubbish that the US secretary of state warned him against imposing emergency."

Kasuri said a false impression has been created that the events of the last few months with reference to the chief justice case had made the Supreme Court hostile to the government. "I don't think that is the case at all. We are happy that the judiciary is independent, as is the press, and I don't see why it should be considered that two pillars of the state?the executive and the judiciary?should be considered hostile to each other."
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India-Pakistan
Strategic depth balance in region to be maintained, says Kasuri
2007-08-10
Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, referring to the Indo-US nuclear deal, on Thursday said that Pakistan was a nuclear state and would take every step to maintain strategic balance in the region. "Let me assure the House that we'll continue developing our nuclear programme and will not allow shift in the balance of power in South Asia," said Kasuri while winding up speech on the country's foreign policy with special focus on the Pak-US relations.

He strongly condemned the statements of US presidential hopefuls on bombing Muslims' declaring them imprudent. "These are insane and foolish remarks. I have conveyed to our counterparts in the US Congress and the administration as well that these remarks and the bill linking US aid to Pakistan with its anti-terror performance will prove counterproductive," he said.

He said not even a single individual of the 1.25 billion Muslim population could tolerate such irresponsiblestatements and threats issued by Tom Tancredo and Barrack Obama. "Let me also make it clear that the defence of our sacred places is not only the responsibility of the Saudi Arabia. Muslim living across the world will get united if anybody tries to cast an evil eye on our holy places," he warned. He called for legislation at international level to safeguard religious sentiments of all communities in the world.

He said that he had already made it clear to the US administration that their elections should not be held at the cost of Pakistan. The foreign minister strongly refuted US claims of Pakistan's tribal areas being safe havens for Al-Qaeda terrorists and ruled out the possibility of unilateral action by the US or NATO inside Pakistan. "Let me state it categorically that there is no safe haven for terrorists in Pakistan. There could be some individuals hiding in tribal areas and we're taking action against them. We're ready to take action against anyone if provided with any credible information," he said.

Declaring any US military action inside Pakistan would be unacceptable, Kasuri said that Pakistan was a sovereign state and would not allow any unilateral action on its soil, as its own forces were capable enough to deal with any challenge.

He said he had conveyed it to the US administration that linking Pakistan's aid with its performance in anti-terror war was also disappointing and could prove counterproductive in war on terrorism. Defending the country's foreign policy, Kasuri said that Pakistan had decided to join the war on terror in the best national interests and not on US dictates. "Terrorism is a great concern not only for the US but also for our friends like China and Saudi Arabia," he said.

Rejecting the opposition's claims of Pakistan following the US diktat, the foreign minister said that the government had opposed the US stand on several international issues. To support his point, Kasuri referred to Iraq war, nuclear issue of Iran, Iran-India-Gas Pipeline, UNSC's resolution on weapons of mass destruction, nuclear proliferation by non-state actors and comprehensive convention against terrorism. "We have also successfully halted the entry of some states in the UNSC during its reforms against the US policy," he further said.

Responding to some MNAs' call for halting ties with the US and some other countries, Kasuri said that Pakistan could not afford isolation at a time when the world had turned into a global village. "Our policies are based on two principles, national economy and defence. We're trying to get free access of our products and services to the US and the EU markets so that our economy could grow. We've achieved some success too," he said.

He said Pakistan's policy was not US-centred as it enjoyed exemplary relations with China, Muslim world, Europe and East Asia. "We're also members of all effective regional and
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India-Pakistan
No martial law, says Kasuri
2007-06-22
Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri has ruled out chances of martial law being imposed in Pakistan while conceding that the government “underestimated” public reaction to the reference against the chief justice. “Martial law is unconstitutional. When Gen Musharraf has repeatedly said he will work within the confines of the Constitution, I have no reason to doubt that,” he said in an interview with PBS’ News Hour on Wednesday.

Asked about the sacking of the CJP and if it was a mistake, Kasuri said, “The government put up a case which it finds pretty strong, but... the issue is public reaction. The government probably underestimated public reaction because it thought it was acting according to the Constitution.” Kasuri indicated Musharraf would shed his uniform by the end of the year. “The Constitution allows the president to wear his uniform until the end of 2007 and he has said on many occasions he will abide by the Constitution.” Kasuri said the US had “full faith” in Musharraf’s leadership. “They have told me repeatedly that they believe him when he says he is leading to a transition to civil democracy.”
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India-Pakistan
India not sharing information on Samjhota blast, says Kasuri
2007-05-25
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Thursday said India had not so far shared intelligence with Pakistan on Samjhota Express blasts despite repeated requests. He was talking to reporters at the Parliament House.

“Anti-Terrorism Mechanism (ATM) was signed between the two governments for intelligence sharing but India is not cooperating,” he said. He said he was unaware of India’s objections to Muzaffarabad-Sri Nagar bus service, adding both countries had ‘liberalised’ visa policy and issued more visas at present compared with the past. He said it was unfair to say that Pakistan was not doing enough in the war on terror. “We have deputed 80,000 troops on our western borders and have suffered hundreds of casualties. We have done more than any other country in the war on terror,” he said. He said Pakistan also proposed fencing and mining to stop cross-border terrorism. He said efforts were being made at diplomatic level to make necessary amendments in Emma Nicholson report on Kashmir.

“We have a clear stance that we will not accept Israel without an independent Palestinian Authority,” he replied to a question.
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India-Pakistan
Nilofar unresigns
2007-05-24
Federal Minister for Tourism Nilofar Bakhtiar has decided to withdraw her resignation after directives from Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Pakistan Muslim League (PML) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and she will resume her duties at her office from today.

PML sources said that the party’s Central Executive Committee unanimously endorsed a resolution a couple of days ago rejecting Ms Bakhtiar’s resignation. The resolution, which was tabled by senior PML leader Kabir Ali Wasti and Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, demanded that the prime minister intervene in the matter, reject Ms Bakhtiar’s resignation and direct her to resume her duties. The sources also said that Hussain and PML Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed held a separate meeting with Ms Bakhtiar and asked her to withdraw her resignation from the office of tourism minister. Ms Bakhtiar finally agreed to withdraw the resignation, the sources added. Ms Bakhtiar also met President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday, who asked her to continue as tourism minister.
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India-Pakistan
Pakistanis won't accept Line of Control as permanent border: Fazl
2007-04-26
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal General Secretary Maulana Fazlur Rahman on Wednesday backed resolution of the Kashmir issue through dialogue, but said that Pakistani people were not yet ready to accept the Line of Control (LoC) as a permanent border. “There is no indication that we are close to a solution. No report has been presented in parliament. It hasn’t been discussed with us,” Rahman, also leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, told IANS in an interview. “It’s hard to say whether the talks are going on well or not. People of Pakistan are not ready to accept the LoC as a permanent border,” Rahman said in response to a question about Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri’s remarks that India and Pakistan were close to an agreement on Kashmir.

“Kashmir is one of the crucial issues. Some call it a big issue while others call it a core issue. Both (Pakistani and Indian) regimes are engaged in resolving this issue. We support this move,” said the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, a major component of the MMA. “Kashmir solution should be one acceptable to all parties including Kashmiris,” Rahman said, when asked what would be an ideal solution to the Kashmir dispute that has been the cause of two of the three major wars between India and Pakistan.

Rahman, who represents the influential conservative establishment in Pakistan, is, however, upbeat about the health of the three-year-old peace process between the two countries. “The peace process is going on well and has become strong regardless of who is in power. All parties are in favour of resolving the issue through dialogue. Issues should be resolved through dialogue,” he stressed. “The situation has improved over the last five years. The temperature has come down and the ice over old issues is thawing. The security situation is better,” he said, while pressing for a reduction of Indian troops in Kashmir. He welcomed development of a joint India-Pakistan anti-terror mechanism, but evaded a direct answer when asked about his views on cross-border terror.

Rahman came to India on Sunday night to take part in a seminar on eminent Muslim scholar and parliamentarian Maulana Asad Madani. He sounded vague about a reported deal between former prime minister Benazir Butto and President Pervez Musharraf that would see her return to Pakistan. “There are different kinds of reports. We don’t want to isolate Ms Bhutto. If she wants to isolate herself, that’s her choice. We want a grand opposition alliance,” said Rahman, sporting his trademark orange turban.

Rahman protested the move by President Musharraf to get himself re-elected through the incumbent parliament and assemblies. “It is unconditional. All opposition parties should be consulted,” he said. Suspecting President Musharraf’s claims regarding the restoration of democracy in Pakistan, Rahman said: “Political struggle is required for a real democracy in Pakistan.”
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India-Pakistan
An open letter to Kasuri
2007-02-24
Dear Mr Kasuri

I read with interest the following agency report, dated February 22, 2007, on some observations made by you regarding the need for co-operation between the intelligence agencies of India and Pakistan: 'Intelligence agencies of India and Pakistan will have to work together if South Asia is to live in a civilised manner,' Pakistan said on Thursday, emphasising that such a cooperation is possible if governments push it.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, while talking to some TV channels in New Delhi, hoped India will share the outcome of the probe into the Samjhauta Express blast before the March 6 meeting of the Joint Anti-Terror Mechanism so that 'meaningful contribution' can be made to the fight against terror. Asked whether the intelligence agencies of the two countries could work together, he said, 'They will have to if South Asia is to live in a civilised manner.' He added that if both the governments 'put their weight behind' such an endeavour, it will work.' 'After all, both countries have suffered. It's your territory but majority of them are from Pakistan,' Kasuri said, and asked, 'Why shouldn't it work?'
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