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India-Pakistan

ATC issues death warrants of two convicts

2014-12-25

[DAWN] An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday issued death warrants of two condemned prisoners convicted on terrorism charges. Presiding judge Muhammad Qasim issued the warrants on an application of superintendent of Faisalabad ...formerly known as Lyallpur, the third largest metropolis in Pakistain, the second largest in Punjab after Lahore. It is named after some Arab because the Paks didn't have anybody notable of their own to name it after... jail. The superintendent stated that condemned prisoner Faiz Ahmad was awarded death penalty in 2006 for killing Lance Naik Tariq Mahmood in Nankana Sahib. He said the appeal of the convict against the sentence was also dismissed by the superior courts. He said the second prisoner on death row, Muhammad Sharif, was convicted in 2000 for involvement in various terrorism activities. The jail chief pointed out that mercy petitions of the convicts had also been rejected by President. Therefore, he asked the court to issue death warrants of the convicts for their execution. The court allowed the application and issued the death warrants.

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India-Pakistan

One dead after blast derails Shalimar Express in Karachi

2014-02-05

[DAWN] KARACHI: A powerful blast on a railway track on the outskirts of the city near Ghagar Phatak led to the derailment of eight bogies of Shalimar Express, killing a six-year-old girl and injuring nine passengers. SHO Tariq Mahmood of Landhi Railway Police station confirmed the casualties. Along with seven passengers, a driver and fireman were also injured in the incident. The train was on its way to Lahore from Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... 's Cantt Statation when the blast took place around 8:30 pm. It resulted in bogies going off the track and also damaged the railway tracks extensively. Volunteers and authorities are assisting the injured passengers. The rescue operation is difficult due to the darkness and the area being difficult to access. Talking to DawnNews, eyewitness and train passengers said that the blast was very powerful. They also lambasted the delay in rescue and relief operation. One of the railway tracks will be opened within a period of time, while another has stopped indefinitely, an official said. Security in Lahore as been put on high alert in the aftermath of the Karachi incident and the attack in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. .

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India-Pakistan

Joseph Colony attack: Seven 'lead' arsonists revealed

2013-03-17

[Dawn] Police on Friday released to the media photographs of seven accused wanted in the Joseph Colony attack. "Round up the usual suspects, Sergeant Siddique." According to a press release, the Badami Bagh police had declared the seven main accused in a case lodged against attackers for burning the houses of Christians. The accused were identified as Bao Sajjad Husain, Haji Shabbir Ali, Mian Saleem, Tariq Mahmood, Usman Butt, and two unidentified men. Judicial remand An anti-terrorism court on Friday sent 13 accused to jail on judicial remand for Joseph Colony arson. The court acquitted one accused on the police report. The Badami Bagh police investigation officer produced the accused before the court under strict security arrangements and stated that the interrogation had been completed and no physical custody of the accused was required. He said the court could send the accused to jail on judicial remand. The officer also told the court that one of the accused, Mian Saleem, was found innocent in the preliminary investigation. He said the police arrested Saleem due to name similarity with the nominated accused, however, verification of the identity documents proved him innocent. The court acquitted Saleem and sent 13 to jail on judicial remand. They are: Riaz Gujjar, Amjad, Usman, Latif, Afzal, Imran, Khalil, Nadeem, Imran Ahmad, Muhammad Nazir, Imran Baig, Sheikh Abad and Rashid Ahmad. 50 houses complete Fifty houses in Joseph Colony have been repaired while work on 64 others is going on. A city district administration official said 50 families had been shifted to their rehabilitated houses. The houses were built by the Lahore Development Authority with the Communications and Works Department. Up to 280 families, including 661 children, living in 114 houses at Joseph Colony were displaced when a mob burnt their houses for the alleged blasphemy by a resident of the locality on March 9. The official said he expected the completion of the remaining houses in three to four days.

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India-Pakistan

'Air base attackers trained in Waziristan'

2012-08-18

Oh? And what are the attackees, aka the Mighty Pak Army, going to do about it? [Dawn] Interior Minister Rehman Malik Pak politician, Interior Minister under the Gilani government. Malik is a former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) intelligence officer who rose to head the FIA during Benazir Bhutto's second tenure. Malik was tossed from his FIA job in 1998 after documenting the breath-taking corruption of the Sharif family. By unhappy coincidence Nawaz Sharif became PM at just that moment and Malik moved to London one step ahead of the button men. He had to give up the interior ministry job because he held dual Brit citizenship. claimed on Friday that because of an advance warning about a possible attack on PAF installations terrorists' attempt to harm Kamra assets on Thursday was foiled and all the attackers were killed. Addressing a presser, Mr Malik said four of the assailants had been identified. They had received training in Wazoo and the raid, he said, could be traced back to North and South Waziristan. He said the Taliban were harbouring criminals from all over the country and stressed the need for finding out the criminal mastermind who had sent bully boyz to Kamra. Mr Malik praised the Commander of Karma airbase who led the operation to safeguard the facility and was injured while fighting the attackers. Answering a question, he said no decision had yet been taken about launching an operation in North Waziristan, adding that such a decision would not be taken under foreign pressure. In other words, nothing will be done. How mighty of you. Rejecting western media reports, he said the defence of the country and its nuclear assets were in safe hands. "When we can develop nuclear assets we also know how to protect them." About the Babusar Top attack, he said the bully boyz had killed innocent people. He appealed to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan to demonstrate patience and foil attempts to destabilise the country. He said the government would soon announce a compensation package for families whose loved ones were killed in the sectarian attack. Mr Malik said an amount of Rs100 million had been allocated to ensure safety on Sharah-e-Karakoram. He said there was no US national on the premises of Police Lines Headquarters in Islamabad, but conceded that some foreign trainers, including from Australia, were there fro training police personnel. The interior minister said law-enforcement agencies and police department had been directed to maintain security on Eid. Yaqoob Malik adds from Attock: Ten suspects were picked up during a search in various areas around the Kamra cantonment on Friday and they are being interrogated. A large number of Afghan refugees have been living in different parts of Kamra district for years and there is no record about them with the authorities concerned. Meanwhile, ...back at the shouting match, a new, even louder, voice was to be heard... a team has been set up to investigate the incident and identify the bad boys. The post-mortem on the bad boys' bodies was conducted late on Thursday night at the mortuary of DHQ hospital under the supervision of Dr Khalid Mehmood Khan amid tight security. During the autopsy, law-enforcement personnel collected fingerprints which would be sent to the National Database and Registration Authority to establish the identities of the attackers. That assumes barbarians from the tribal territories have their fingerprints on file, of course. Meanwhile, ...back at the alley, Slats Chumbaloni was staring into a hole that was just .45 inch in diameter and was less than three feet from his face ... a security man who was injured during the fighting with the attackers died on Friday. PAF front man Group Captain Tariq Mahmood said that Mohammad Iqbal's funeral prayers were held at the PAF base in Minhas. Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt visited the base on Friday.

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India-Pakistan

Taliban assault on Kamra airbase foiled

2012-08-17

ISLAMABAD: Nine terrorists were killed when security forces foiled their attack on PAF base Minhas in Kamra early on Thursday. A security official was also killed and a plane damaged in the pre-dawn assault claimed by the Taliban. No doubt Uncle Sugar will be asked to provide a replacement for the plane... PAF said nine attackers dressed in military uniforms and armed with rocket propelled-grenades and suicide vests targeted the base and adjacent Pakistan Aeronautical Complex at 2am. The adjacent complex assembles Mirage and, with Chinese help, JF-17 fighter jets. "Eight terrorists miscreants were killed inside the Minhas base boundary wall and one splodydope miscreant exploded himself outside the perimeters where he was hiding," the air force announced. It said there had been a shootout "for more than two hours", and 10 hours after the assault began, spokesman Tariq Mahmood confirmed the base was "totally safe". The Taliban said planes at the base were being used to kill their fighters. Nah, the Pak air force doesn't do that. They're all dedicated to fighting the evil Hindoooz... That's Hinjoooz, my dear. The J must be pronounced with the glee of a vandal. Their spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan dedicated the attack to late al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden Now serving as shark food... and claimed four Taliban fighters were killed after destroying three aircraft and killing a dozen soldiers. A PAF spokesman said Base Commander Air Commodore Muhammad Azam, who was leading the operation against the terrorists, also received a bullet injury. An air force statement said Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt had appointed a four-member board of inquiry headed by Air Marshal Syed Athar Hussain Bukhari. Witnesses said the attackers came from the back, scaling the wall and exploiting the holiest night of Ramazan to remain undetected as long as possible. "Most of the male residents (from the village at the back) were in mosques for special prayers," local resident Athar Abbas told a TV channel. "I heard three or four explosions, there was heavy gunfire also," he said, adding, "It appears that the militants arrived using a village track and climbed over the wall." Great perimeter security, guys...

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India-Pakistan

Pakistan’s top court targets army

2012-03-11

I'd be careful about the use of the word 'targeting' around the Pak military, especially the generals connected with the ISI. They know a thing or two about targeting that the average lawyer doesn't... ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s powerful military establishment is under rare scrutiny from the country’s top court, which after a gap of 16 years has opened an investigation into allegations the army funneled money to politicians to influence elections. The case has showcased the emerging power of the Supreme Court, which is also hearing a contempt case against the prime minister that could see him imprisoned. The court’s activism has led to some uncomfortable headlines for politicians and pierced the perception of the generals’ invulnerability. But it’s unclear who, if anyone, will be held accountable. I'll go out on a limb and say 'no one'. My second guess is they'll make some dead guy accountable; if they don't have a conveniently dead guy they'll make one... Indeed, some critics say by moving against the generals now, the court is just seeking to deflect criticism that it focuses solely on the alleged misdeeds of the elected civilian government and wants to dislodge President Ali Zardari, with the supposed nod from the military itself. Iftikhar Chaudry would like to get rid of both Zardari and the ISI, so this works for him. The court is also demanding answers from the army and spy agencies over the fate of hundreds of “missing” Pakistanis: suspected militants or separatists picked up and held by military authorities for months and years in secret detentions. They can't tell you; it's a secret. Analysts say the developments are part of jostling between the army, the court and the government, with each wanting to stake a claim on its sphere of influence. There seems to be a balance among them so far, with no side willing or strong enough to strike a decisive blow against another. Speculation of a military coup or the imminent ousting of the government, frequently raised in the media just a few months ago, has receded. The court is acting on a petition filed in 1996 by former Air Vice Marshal Asghar Khan, demanding it investigate what he claimed were payments to right-wing politicians made by the army-run Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency, known as the ISI. The money was to be used to ensure that the Pakistan People’s Party — currently in power — would not win the 1990 general elections. Without explaining why, ...other than it was time to make their move to grab power... the court began hearing the case last month. Testimony this week has shone a light on longtime allegations that the ISI has tried to influence elections. On Thursday, Yunus Habib, a 90-year-old banker from the state-owned Mehran Bank, testified that he doled out the equivalent of $1.5 million in bank funds to politicians and ISI officers on the orders of then army chief Gen. Aslam Beg and President Ghulam Ishaq Khan, who was considered close to the army. Some of the politicians who allegedly took the funds remain powerful political players, including opposition leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He has denied taking any money. "Lies! All lies!" On Friday, former ISI chief Lt. Gen. Asad Durrani testified that he was directed by Beg to distribute the money among politicians from the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad, a right-wing political alliance allegedly set up by the military establishment to counter the PPP. He said Beg told him the money had been collected from the business community in Karachi. The alleged bribes didn’t give the alliance victory, however. It won 53 seats in the National Assembly, 49 less than the PPP that went on to form the government. Khan’s lawyer Salman Raja said he wanted criminal cases brought against all those who distributed and received the money. That would roil the political scene and likely be opposed by the army. Moreover, the nature of the evidence against them is unclear. Retired justice Tariq Mahmood said the case was a “morale booster” for the current government, but that it was unlikely anyone would be put on trial. “The government now has a chance to bring the intelligence agencies ... under its control,” he said. Political analyst Moeed Pirzada said the case put both the military and Nawaz Sharif on the defensive, which benefits the current PPP government, but would likely remain inconclusive. He said the court saw the case as “an opportunity to assert itself” following criticism by some over its pursuit of President Asif Ali Zardari. Supreme Court justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudry has been accused of pursuing a vendetta against Zardari’s PPP government. Zardari opposed Chaudry’s reinstatement to the job in March 2009. The court has ordered Prime Minister Yusaf Raza Gilani to reopen a corruption probe against Zardari. Gilani has refused, arguing that Zardari has immunity from prosecution so long as he remains president. If found guilty of contempt for ignoring the order, Gilani could be imprisoned for six months and lose his job.

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India-Pakistan

SC orders arrest of police officials in Sialkot case

2010-09-03

[Pak Daily Times] The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday ordered the arrest of police officials involved in the Sialkot incident. The SC expressed dissatisfaction over police's performance for not nabbing the four absconding police officials involved in the execution of two brothers in Sialkot last month and directed that the accused officials be arrested by next Sunday. "Why is police so helpless in nabbing the culprits involved in the gruesome murder of two brothers," Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry questioned while hearing a suo motu case initiated over media reports of lynching of two brothers in Sialkot by a mob with the patronage of police on August 15. The court directed police to ensure the arrest of the four absconding police officials, including SHO Rana Muhammad Ilyas, constables Mubarik Ali, Tariq Mahmood and ASI Waris Ali, who had been involved in the brutal killing of brothers Mughees and Muneeb. Punjab Advocate General Khawaja Haris, Punjab Additional Advocate General Khadim Hussain Qaisar and newly-appointed Sialkot DPO Bilal Siddique Kamyana appeared in the court on Thursday. Haris placed on record a report prepared by the DIG (Investigation) about the killing of another victim Bilal and injuring of two others on the same day the two brothers had been executed. He said that FIR number 427 had been registered in this regard.

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India-Pakistan

Boycotts bring Pakistan's judiciary to a halt

2010-03-28

[Al Arabiya Latest] Pakistani judiciary, engaged in a do-or-die battle for gaining independence from the executive and legislature, received another jolt this week as both judges and lawyers took positions against each other to boycott the courts and stage protests after a lawyer slapped and manhandled a judge while he was holding the court. The incident happened on March 22 in Faisalabad, the industrial hub of Punjab province also dubbed as Manchester of Pakistan for its vast industrial base, about 300 kilometers south of Islamabad but it soon spread across the largest province, Punjab, as the courts reopened on March 24 following the holiday of Pakistan Day. Reacting to the aggressive attack, the judges belonging to subordinate judiciary stopped the work demanding immediate and stern action against the lawyer Liaqat Javed who slapped the Civil Judge Tariq Mahmood, terming it extremely outrageous and devastating for the prestige of judiciary. The judges led by the Sessions Judge of the District, not only shut down courts for few hours as token boycott but also wore black armbands as mark of protest, pressing for their demands of exemplary legal action against the lawyer and cancellation of his license. With another day passed the judges began tendering resignations as close to one hundred of them submitted their resignations in different cities of Punjab. This forced the Lahore High Court to take suo moto notice of the situation by ordering registration of contempt of court case against the lawyer. However, the lawyer could not be arrested as he fled from home. Authorities feared a possible clash between the judges and lawyers, the two arms of the judiciary, as lawyers boycotted the courts and staged protests demanding the withdrawal of contempt of court case against the accused lawyer. The lawyers' defiant posture against the judges has brought the institution of judiciary at crossroads again where it is faced with an enemy from within, the lawyers community. The judiciary had regained much of its independence as a result of a glorious mass movement over past few years which saw the exit of former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf and restoration of judges whom he had illegally sacked, The anti-Musharraf mass movement for judges' restoration is believed to have emboldened certain elements among the lawyers community. There have reports of repeated attacks from lawyers on the media men, police officials, and their repeated attempts to pressure a court to release on bail a lawyer leader accused of torturing to death a minor-aged housemaid. "Such incidents not only brought bad name to legal fraternity but also posed a serious question mark on the future of judiciary's independence since these lawyers rise to become judges," said a former vice chairman of Punjab Bar Council Hamid Khan. He expressed sorrow over the rising incidents of the hooliganism by lawyers saying it was most unfortunate for the judiciary with which the poor masses have pinned fresh hopes following its revival against the iron hands of military and civil establishment. A senior official requesting anonymity said the incident of slapping the judge was "totally outrageous and uncalled for" since the judge, hearing a loan default case, refused to release the accused on bail as requested by the lawyer who insisted that the amount had already been deposited. The judge ruled against the request observing that the case record had no mention of such payment. This flared the lawyer up and he started abusing the judge, and suddenly rushed to the rostrum and reportedly slapped the judge repeatedly. The judge was rescued by court officials and lawyers. As the reports of judges resignations keep pouring in from all major cities of the province with every passing day, the situation seems to be going from bad to worse as the accused lawyer was still at large despite that four days past issuing arrest warrants against him. The Lahore High Court has ordered the police to arrest the lawyer [Liaqat Javed ] till March 30, the day when the court is scheduled to resume the suo moto proceedings against him.

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India-Pakistan

PAF defends charges but a probe is needed

2009-06-12

Defence deals of the Pakistan Air Force in recent years, worth billions of US dollars, need a public scrutiny amid growing reports of kickbacks, procedural violations and compromise on technology. While a former air chief, Saadat Kaleem, has already accused General Pervez Musharraf of ruining the PAFís $1.2 billion Saab Surveillance System deal by adding the Chinese technology with the Swedish for possible kickbacks, producing a mismatch, some insiders insist that the situation is worse than what the former air chief has hinted at. A credible source said that the PAFís Air Board had been bypassed in quite a few defence deals during the recent years owing to pressures both from within and outside the force. The PAF spokesman, however, insists that the contracting of various items is the prime responsibility of the concerned branch of the Air Headquarters and is not required to be discussed and approved by the Air Board. Before the last major PAF deal worth $1 billion for the first consignment of JF-17 aircraft, an influential Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) pilot having close association with a key ruler in Islamabad was seen visiting the top offices at the Air Headquarters in Islamabad. Following these visits towards the end of January 2009, the $1 billion deal on JF-17 moved on a fast track. The same PIA employee interestingly travelled to China, along with President Asif Ali Zardari, in February this year to obtain a one billion dollar loan. PAF spokesman Group Captain Tariq Mehmood, however, did not respond to the question about the strange visits of strangers to the Air Headquarters before the loan contract was signed. Mehmood said that the JF-17 serial production contract was being negotiated since December 2006 and was almost finalised in June 2008 but could not be concluded due to non-release of funds by the government. This delay, he said, was adversely affecting the operational capability of the PAF and the work at the PAC Kamra. ìSince then, efforts are being made for the arrangement of funds,î the PAF spokesman said in a note that he gave to this correspondent in response to a number of queries e-mailed to him. For quite some time, the spokesman was hesitant to respond to The News queries but later came up with his response on selected questions, still requesting to delay the story by a few weeks. A source disclosed that the March deal of $1 billion was not presented before the JF-17 projectís Board of Directors for approval, but the PAF spokesman said: ìThe JF-17 Board of Directors was regularly updated on the status of the JF-17 Serial Production (SP) contract.î He said that in January 2009, a presentation was given to the president, the prime minister and other cabinet members following which the federal government directed the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance to take up the matter with the Chinese authorities for concessional credit. ìSubsequently, with the efforts of Pakistanís ambassador to China and the PAF, the seller (CATIC) offered a sellerís credit facility for the SP Contract.î The spokesman said that on the instructions of the prime minister, the offer was subsequently negotiated by a joint team of the PAF, JF-17 project representative, the Ministry of Finance and the Pakistan Embassy. He said that the case was finally put up for the governmentís approval, which was later approved. An agreement was then signed for a credit of about $1 billion to be payable over seven years at a cost of around $100 million (approximately at the rate of 1.4 per cent per year). The PAF spokesman did not clearly respond if the JF-17 BoD and the PAFís Air Board approved the proposal too. He dispelled the impression that the loan had been obtained at an extraordinary mark-up. Sources said the prevalent rate in the world was less than one per cent. ìThis is the most economical credit facility ever negotiated,î said the spokesman, adding after the formal approval of the government, the contract was signed by the JF-17 PMO and the PAC Kamra on March 7. ìAll principal staff officers at the Air Headquarters and the Chinese ambassador witnessed the signing ceremony.î Tariq Mahmood said that the JF-17 contract was signed on highly favourable terms that included transfer of technology for airframe manufacturing immediately and avionics package next year. The contract, he said, heralds the realisation and commitment of both Pakistan and China to turn their cherished dream of co-producing a modern fighter into a reality and beginning of a new era of aviation industry in Pakistan. According to a source, besides the latest deal, the PAF Air Board was also ignored in a few other deals worth $800 million struck with Brazil, South Africa, Russia and Italy in the last few years for purchase of different technologies for the PAF. Tariq Mehmood, however, explained every case was not supposed to go to the Air Board for approval. He said the vice chief of the air staff, who manages the PAF budget, allocates funds for all such contracts and hence is always in the loop for such authorisations by the Air Headquarters. He said once the proposal was approved by the Air Headquarters, the ministries of defence and finance do further scrutiny, hold negotiations and finalise contracts. ìThe process is totally transparent and above board. The Air Board is periodically apprised of all these issues,î he claimed. The sources said in the coming few years, defence deals worth $8-10 billion were expected for which the government should evolve a mechanism so that right purchases were made for the countryís air force without any chance of kickbacks.

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India-Pakistan

Kasuri's face sprayed black

2007-09-25

Lawyer Ahmed Raza Kasuri was sprayed in the face with black ink on Monday as he arrived at the Supreme Court to defend the government against petitions challenging the president’s two offices. When the hearing of the petitions began, Kasuri complained to the bench about the incident that he said occurred on Supreme Court premises. He said the attackers were shouting slogans in favour of Aitzaz Ahsan and Munir A Malik. The court said it would take notice if the incident had occurred on the premises of the SC. The court directed Kasuri to fulfil legal procedures and file a complaint in writing. Kasuri later lodged an FIR at Secretariat police station against Ahsan, Malik and Ali Ahmed Kurd, alleging that they masterminded the attack in an attempt to render him blind with a “dangerous chemical”. He alleged that the person who sprayed him was Khurshid Khan advocate, former assistant advocate general of Nort Western Frontier Province. He said his eyes remained safe because he was wearing glasses. In an earlier application shown to the press, Kasuri alleged that the attack was pre-planned by Ahsan, Malik, Kurd, Justice (r) Tariq Mahmood and others in revenge for Kasuri’s comments criticising Malik and Tariq Mahmood on a television programme, and for raising an objection in court to the appointment of Ahsan as amicus curiae. Khurshid Khan told reporters after the incident “that people who have a black heart and tongue should also have their faces painted black”, Online reported. Kasuri said lawyers were now “becoming terrorists”.

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India-Pakistan

Pakistani ‘Chief justice got his comeuppance’

2007-03-10

The removal of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary on Friday received mixed reactions in his home province of Balochistan. Justice Iftikhar was the first person from Balochistan to hold this office. “It is a very sad development and a brutal assault on the judiciary. But the judiciary itself is equally responsible. Had it not accepted dictations from the military from day one, it would not have had to face this day,” Tariq Mahmood, former Balochistan High Court judge, told Daily Times. Sucks to be ruled by overlords, doesn't it. Mahmood, who resigned as a high court judge in protest against Musharraf’s Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), said the until the judiciary asserted its independence, “we will see such dark days again and again”. Tahir Mohammad Khan, a Supreme Court advocate, said the allegations against the chief justice should have been investigated before he was removed. “The unsubstantiated allegations against the CJP have hugely damaged the credibility of the judiciary. But the president has also acted very irresponsibly. If the allegations are false then it (the suspension) is very unreasonable. The Supreme Judicial Council should have been asked to conduct a probe and then it should have recommended punitive measures against the CJP,” said Khan. Amanullah Kanrani, vice chairman of the Balochistan Bar Council, said Friday’s events were the “expected culmination of the military-judiciary nexus”. “The CJP was bound to meet such a humiliating fate given the fact that he agreed to act under a president who violated the Constitution. If the former CJP did not protest against the violation of the Constitution by Musharraf, why should one protest against his dismissal? The people of Balochistan are not bothered about this move,” he said. Hadi Shakil, president of the Balochistan High Court Association, said the decision was politically motivated. Given that general elections are expected this year, the president wanted to bring the judiciary under his full control. “A message has been conveyed to all the judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts that they should blindly support each step taken by the military regime. Otherwise, they will meet the same fate as the CJP,” he said. Senator Kamran Murtaza, a member of the Bar Council, said it was a day of mourning for the lawyers in Pakistan. “It is an unimaginable attack on the judiciary. The president has crossed all limits,” he said, adding that Justice Iftikhar was being punished for his ruling against the government in the Pakistan Steel Mills case. Advocate Kachkol Baloch, Balochistan’s leader of the opposition, said that even a “Punjabi Baloch” was no longer acceptable to the rulers in Islamabad. “The government does not trust anyone from Balochistan and it views every Baloch suspiciously. The military has hijacked every state institution. For how long will we tolerate this?”

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Terror Networks

Human Rights Watch's list of "ghost prisoners"

2005-12-02

Take a good, long look at the people on this list and you can decide for yourself whether or not you have any problems with this. I sure don't. 1. Ibn Al-Shaykh al-Libi Reportedly arrested on November 11, 2001, Pakistan. Libyan, suspected commander at al-Qaeda training camp. 2. Abu Faisal Reportedly arrested on December 12, 2001 3. Abdul Aziz Reportedly arrested on December 14, 2001 Nationality unknown. In early January 2002, Kenton Keith, a spokesman at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, produced a chart with the names of senior al-Qaeda members listed as killed in action, detained, or on the run. Faisal and Aziz were listed as detained on Dec. 12 and 14, 2001. 4. Abu Zubaydah (also known as Zain al-Abidin Muhahhad Husain) Reportedly arrested in March 2002, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Palestinian (born in Saudi Arabia), suspected senior al-Qaeda operational planner. 5. Abdul Rahim al-Sharqawi (aka Riyadh the facilitator) Reportedly arrested in January 2002 Possibly Yemeni, suspected al-Qaeda member (possibly transferred to Guantanamo). 6. Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi Reportedly arrested in January 2002 Nationality unknown, presumably Iraqi, suspected commander of al-Qaeda training camp. U.S. officials told Associated Press on January 8, 2002 and March 30, 2002, of al-Iraqi's capture. This is a different Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi who was placed in command of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan yesterday (who had previously been in command of Brigade 055 rather than a training camp), for those keeping score. 7. Muhammed al-Darbi Reportedly arrested in August 2002 Yemeni, suspected al-Qaeda member. The Washington Post reported on October 18, 2002: "U.S. officials learned from interviews with Muhammad Darbi, an al Qaeda member captured in Yemen in August, that a Yemen cell was planning an attack on a Western oil tanker, sources said." On December 26, 2002, citing "U.S. intelligence and national security officials," the Washington Post reports that al-Darbi, as well as Ramzi Binalshibh [see below], Omar al-Faruq [reportedly escaped from U.S. custody in July 2005], and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri [see below] all "remain under CIA control." 8. Ramzi bin al-Shibh Reportedly arrested on September 13, 2002 Yemeni, suspected al-Qaeda conspirator in Sept. 11 attacks (former roommate of one of the hijackers). 9. Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri (or Abdulrahim Mohammad Abda al-Nasheri, aka Abu Bilal al-Makki or Mullah Ahmad Belal) Reportedly arrested in November 2002, United Arab Emirates. Saudi or Yemeni, suspected al-Qaeda chief of operations in the Persian Gulf, and suspected planner of the USS Cole bombing, and attack on the French oil tanker, Limburg. 10. Mohammed Omar Abdel-Rahman (aka Asadullah) Reportedly arrested in February 2003, Quetta, Pakistan. Egyptian, son of the Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, who was convicted in the United States of involvement in terrorist plots in New York. See Agence France Presse, March 4, 2003: "Pakistani and US agents captured the son of blind Egyptian cleric Omar Abdel Rahman. . . a US official said Tuesday. Muhamad Abdel Rahman was arrested in Quetta, Pakistan, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity." David Johnston, New York Times, March 4, 2003: "On Feb. 13, when Pakistani authorities raided an apartment in Quetta, they got the break they needed. They had hoped to find Mr. [Khalid Sheikh] Mohammed, but he had fled the apartment, eluding the authorities, as he had on numerous occasions. Instead, they found and arrested Muhammad Abdel Rahman, a son of Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, the blind Egyptian cleric. . ." 11. Mustafa al-Hawsawi (aka al-Hisawi) Reportedly arrested on March 1, 2003 (together with Khalid Sheikh Mohammad), Pakistan. Saudi, suspected al-Qaeda financier. 12. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Reportedly arrested on March 1, 2003, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Kuwaiti (Pakistani parents), suspected al-Qaeda, alleged to have "masterminded" Sept. 11 attacks, killing of Daniel Pearl, and USS Cole attack in 2000. 13. Majid Khan Reportedly arrested on March-April 2003, Pakistan. Pakistani, alleged link to Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, alleged involvement in plot to blow up gas stations in the United States. Details about Khan's arrest were revealed in several media reports, especially in Newsweek: Evan Thomas, "Al Qaeda in America: The Enemy Within," Newsweek, June 23, 2003. U.S. prosecutors provided evidence that Majid Khan was in U.S. custody during the trial of 24-year-old Uzair Paracha, who was convicted in November 2005 of conspiracy charges, and of providing material support to terrorist organizations. 14. Yassir al-Jazeeri (aka al-Jaziri) Reportedly arrested on March 15, 2003, Pakistan. Possibly Moroccan, Algerian, or Palestinian, suspected al-Qaeda member, linked to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. 15. Ali Abdul Aziz Ali (aka Ammar al Baluchi) Reportedly arrested on April 29, 2003, Karachi, Pakistan. A Pakistani, he is alleged to have funneled money to September 11 hijackers, and alleged to have been involved with the Jakarta Marriot bombing and in handling Jose Padilla's travel to the United States. U.S. Judge Sidney Stein ruled that defense attorneys for Uzair Paracha could introduce statements Baluchi made to U.S. interrogators, proving that he was in U.S. custody. Former Deputy Attorney General James Comey also mentioned Baluchi during remarks to the media about the case of Jose Padilla on June 1, 2004 16. Waleed Mohammed bin Attash (aka Tawfiq bin Attash or Tawfiq Attash Khallad) Reportedly arrested on April 29, 2003, Karachi, Pakistan. Saudi (of Yemeni descent), suspected of involvement in the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, and the Sept. 11 attacks. See Afzal Nadeem, "Pakistan Arrests Six Terror Suspects, including Planner of Sept. 11 and USS Cole Bombing," Associated Press, April 30, 2003. His brother, Hassan Bin Attash, is currently held in Guantanamo. 17. Adil al-Jazeeri Reportedly arrested on June 17, 2003 outside Peshawar, Pakistan. Algerian, suspected al-Qaeda and longtime resident of Afghanistan, alleged "leading member" and "longtime aide to bin Laden." (Possibly transferred to Guantanamo.) 18. Hambali (aka Riduan Isamuddin) Reportedly arrested on August 11, 2003, Thailand. Indonesian, involved in Jemaah Islamiyah and al-Qaeda, alleged involvement in organizing and financing the Bali nightclub bombings, the Jakarta Marriot Hotel bombing, and preparations for the September 11 attacks. 19. Mohamad Nazir bin Lep (aka Lillie, or Li-Li) Reportedly arrested in August 2003, Bangkok, Thailand. Malaysian, alleged link to Hambali. 20. Mohamad Farik Amin (aka Zubair) Reportedly arrested in June 2003, Thailand. Malaysian, alleged link to Hambali. 21. Tariq Mahmood Reportedly arrested in October 2003, Islamabad, Pakistan. Dual British and Pakistani nationality, alleged to have ties to al-Qaeda. 22. Hassan Ghul Reportedly arrested on January 23, 2004, in Kurdish highlands, Iraq. Pakistani, alleged to be Zarqawi's courier to bin Laden; alleged ties to Khalid Sheikh Mohammad. 23. Musaad Aruchi (aka Musab al-Baluchi, al-Balochi, al-Baloshi) Reportedly arrested in Karachi on June 12, 2004, in a "CIA-supervised operation." Presumably Pakistani. Pakistani intelligence officials told journalists Aruchi was held by Pakistani authorities at an airbase for three days, before being handed over to the U.S., and then flown in an unmarked CIA plane to an undisclosed location. 24. Mohammed Naeem Noor Khan (aka Abu Talaha) Reportedly arrested on July 13, 2004, Pakistan. Pakistani, computer engineer, was held by Pakistani authorities, and likely transferred to U.S. custody. (Possibly in joint U.S.-Pakistani custody.) 25. Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani Reportedly arrested on July 24, 2004, Pakistan Tanzanian, reportedly indicted in the United States for 1998 embassy bombings. U.S. and Pakistani intelligence officials told UPI that Ghailani was transferred to "CIA custody" in early August. 26. Abu Faraj al-Libi Reportedly arrested on May 4, 2005, North Western Frontier Province, Pakistan. Libyan, suspected al-Qaeda leader of operations, alleged mastermind of two assassination attempts on Musharraf. Col. James Yonts, a U.S. military spokesman in Afghanistan, "said in an email to The Associated Press that al-Libbi was taken directly from Pakistan to the U.S. and was not brought to Afghanistan."

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