Bilawal hits out over Governor Taseer’s killing

LONDON: The son of slain Pakistani ex-leader Benazir Bhutto has condemned those who have praised the assassination of a provincial governor opposed to the country’s blasphemy laws.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari told mourners Monday at the Pakistan High Commission in London that people who have voiced support for the killer of Punjab provincial governor Salman Taseer were “the real blasphemers.”

“Because of you, the message of Islam is distorted in the eyes of the world,” said Bhutto Zardari, whose father is Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.

“Those who attack my religion, especially those who corrupt its peaceful message, you are what I call covert blasphemers and you will be defeated,” he continued. “This will be our jihad.” Bhutto Zardari further pledged to defend Christians and other minorities in the country.

“We will defend you. For those who wish to harm you for a crime you did not commit, they will have to go through me first,” he said.

Taseer was a member of the main ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of which Bhutto Zardari is co-chairman with his father.

The governor was shot dead by his bodyguard outside an Islamabad coffee shop on Tuesday last week, in the most high-profile assassination in Pakistan since ex-PPP prime minister Benazir Bhutto was killed in December 2007.

The gunman, police commando Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, has said he killed in the name of religion because of the governor’s stance on blasphemy laws.

More than 50,000 people from religious groups rallied in Karachi Sunday in support of Qadri, calling him a hero and demanding that any effort to reform the blasphemy law — recently used to sentence a Christian woman to death — be dropped.

Speaking at the memorial meeting late Monday, Bhutto Zardari compared the killing of Taseer with that of his mother three years ago, saying they both died defending the real message of Islam.

“My mother embraced martyrdom while defending our faith. She was martyred doing her jihad against those who had hijacked our religion,” said Bhutto.

“On January 4, Shaheed Salman Taseer was assassinated because he too refused to be silenced.

He too was assassinated in defence of our religion. “He died defending the message of Islam.”

Christmas being celebrated across the world today

Christians are celebrating Christmas across the world today including Pakistan with religious fervor.

Christian community illuminated their homes and churches while shopping remained at peak till Friday. Almost all the churches have been decorated with colourful lights and illuminated Christmas Trees. Special Dua would be offered for prosperity of the country. Different programs and ceremonies are being organized in the areas where Christians are living in majority. Cake cutting ceremonies are also being arranged by prominent political figures are participating in these ceremonies.

Meanwhile, Bishop of Lahore Dr Alexander John Malik felicitated the nation on the eve of Christmas on Friday. Christians have no monopoly on Christ. He belongs to all whether black or white, yellow or brown, young or old, men or women, he said in his Christmas message issued. He said the forces of evil and darkness could not extinguish the light that Christ had lighted in the world through His life and teachings. The bishop prayed for peace in the world and prosperity and solidarity of Pakistan.

President Asif Ali Zardari also felicitated the Christian community on this occasion.In his message he said, I wish to felicitate the Christians across the globe particularly our Christian brothers and sisters in Pakistan on the auspicious occasion of Christmas.The President said, Christmas is a time for festivity, celebration and rejoicing as well as a reminder to all of us of the message of Jesus Christ (May Allah be pleased with him) of love, forgiveness and brotherhood among the people.

Zulqarnain is still waiting for Political Asylum in England

The former wicket keeper of Pakistan cricket team Zulqarnain Haider is still waiting for the political asylum in United Kingdom. Retired Wicket keeper batsman was reportedly missing on 8th of November and was not arrived with the team at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium for the deciding ODI against South Africa. After this these news were came in the media that Zulqarnain is immediately disappeared.

Zulqarnain landed in London late Monday night. He claimed that he had received death threats after scoring the winning runs in the last one-day international match he played he posted a message the on a social networking website “Facebook” saying that he was leaving Pakistan cricket because he had received a threat message from one man to lose the last game. He also phoned his brother and a media journalist, alleging he received a threat after close-fought match against the South African side.

After coming in London he talked to a private Pakistani electronic media channel and announced the decision of his retirement from international cricket. He said that

“I have decided it is best for me to retire from international cricket since my family and I are constantly getting threats, it is best for me to step down because I can’t play in these circumstances. But I would like to continue to play domestic cricket”.

An official of Pakistan Cricket Board told that Zulqarnain retrieved his passport from team management, saying he needed it to buy a mobile phone SIM card. The PCB announced an immediate inquiry and a fact finding committee to follow Zulqarnain’s case. The information shared with the PCB fact finding committee by the local authorities indicates that Zulqarnain has left the UAE for England, the PCB said in a statement. “The PCB continues to monitor all of this situation and is in contact with concerned authorities in this regard.”

Zulqarnain’s coming to London and leaving the team in such mysterious way was on the heels of September’s corruption scandal when three Pakistani players became embroiled in match-fixing allegations. Mohammed Asif, Mohammed Amir and the captain Sulman Butt are under suspension after being accused of accepting money via a middleman “Mazhar Majeed” to bowl no-balls at specific points and after specific known intervals in the fourth test match between Pakistan and England which was played in September.The wicketkeeper was questioned by officers of Scotland Yard and ICC Anti-Corruption unit in London.

On 4th of December former cricketer posted another message on Facebook that he would disclose all the secrets pertaining to spot-fixing within two days. In this message he again told about the threat calls and letters he and his family is receiving. But still nothing is disclosed by him. He has changed his lawyer and said that he did not want to talk about cricket matters until his Political Asylum application decision did not came.

WikiLeaks rival Openleaks "coming soon": website

LONDON: The former deputy to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is vowing to launch a rival site soon that he says will be more transparent than the original.

Dubbed “Openleaks” (www.openleaks.org) and run by Assange’s former number two at WikiLeaks Daniel Domscheit-Berg, the site has no content on it at the moment apart from a logo and the message “Coming soon!”

In an interview with the OWNI technology website, Domscheit-Berg declined to go into the details of his dispute with Wikileaks but suggested it had strayed from its mission.

“In these last months, the organization has not been open any more, it lost its open-source promise,” he said, adding that Openleaks plans to provide the means for leaked information to be published, without itself being a publisher.

U.S. and other authorities have cracked down on WikiLeaks and Assange.

Aim is to Keep Enemy Engaged in Arduous War: Mullah Omar

KABUL: Fugitive leader of Afghan Taliban Mullah Omar in a message to Taliban said that the US is facing defeat and siege in each part of Afghanistan, ‘in line with our aim to keep the enemy engaged in the arduous war.’

In a written message spreading on four pages, Mullah Omar said the increase in number of troops in Afghanistan has only resulted in more deaths of these soldiers. “The US is losing lives in Afghanistan every other day,” he added.

He said ground realities have forced the US to become to open to peace talks.

In the message, Mullah Omar has called himself ‘Khadim-e-Islam’ and ‘Amir-ul-Maomineen’. His full name appears in the message as Mullah Muhammad Umar Mujahid.

Strongly criticising the Karzai government, the one-eyed Taliban leader said in the present regime the condition of Afghan people has only gone from bad to worse and their difficulties have only risen.

Pakistani sues U.S. over drone aircraft strike

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani man whose brother and son were killed by what he said was a U.S. drone strike is on an ambitious courtroom quest to get $500 million in compensation and end attacks Washington launches against top militants.

Kareem Khan said a CIA-operated drone fired missiles at his house in Pakistan’s North Waziristan on the night of Dec 31 2009, killing his son Zaenullah, 18, and brother Asif Iqbal.

In a legal notice to U.S. officials including Defense Secretary Robert Gates and CIA Director Leon Panetta, his lawyer is demanding $500 million in compensation.

“We say to them that these drone attacks you are carrying out are killing innocent people,” Khan told Reuters, describing the message he wanted to convey to the Americans.

A U.S. embassy spokesman said no communication had been received over the case.

Pakistan’s government

Junta silent as Myanmar awaits Suu Kyi release

YANGON: Detained Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was due to be freed from house arrest on Saturday, but there was still no sign Myanmar’s army rulers were ready to release her.

The charismatic leader of the Southeast Asian country’s fight against military dictatorship remained in her crumbling lakeside home, despite rumours paramount leader Senior General Than Shwe had approved an order to free his arch enemy from seven years of house arrest.

A crowd of about 300 people, among them many journalists, waited anxiously near her house, chatting in small groups or drinking in tea shops. Some wore T-shirts with the message: “We stand with Aung San Suu Kyi”. Suu Kyi received no visitors.

A government source told Reuters she would likely be released in the evening, but in one of the world’s most secretive countries, the comment could not be officially

Asma wins SCBA elections

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani lawyers have chosen Asma Jahangir as the first female president in the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections Wednesday.

According to unofficial results, Asma got majority of votes from different polling stations including Karachi, Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar.

Nine polling stations were set up in different cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, Multan, Bahawalpur, Abbotabad and Sukkur.

There are a total of 2,126 voters in the SCBA, including 1,018 from Punjab.

While talking to the media, Asma said that she pledged that she would fight for the freedom of media.

President Asif Ali Zardari in his message, congratulated Asma.

Official results will be announced on October 31. SAMAA

PPP, PML-Q leaders meet in Lahore, agree to confront PML-N

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) have agreed to confront PML-N together. Dr.Babar Awan would convey the message of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to the President, after which the fate of second round of discussions between the two parties would be decided. Important progress has been made in terms of cooperation between the two parties during the meeting between Babar Awan and Pervaiz Elahi. Leadership of PML-Q has assured PPP of its unconditional support for the government in case of any move against it. Cooperation between the two parties would also be witnessed in Punjab.
According to the sources, Babar Awan would convey the message of Pervaiz Elahi to the President and in the next round of discussions between the two parties, high-level leadership from both sides would participate, including Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. Sources have also revealed that PML-Q has given some positive indications for power sharing with PPP.
Opposition leader in the Punjab assembly, Chaudhry Zaheer-Ud-Din has said that PPP government should complete its five-year tenure and that PML-Q would not be a part of any move against PPP government. Senator of PML-Q Kamil Ali Agha has said that Mian Nawaz Sharif is following an illegal and unconstitutional path for the change of government. He also vowed to side PPP in case of any misadventure against the government.
Leaders of the ruling party PPP (Pakistan Peoples Party) and PML-Q have net in Lahore, Dunya News reported on Monday.
Dr. Babar Awan called on Pervaiz Elahi and discussed matters of mutual concern as well as the current situation of the country. They also discussed the possibilities of cooperation between the two parties. Speaking on the occasion Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that PML-Q would not be a part of any conspiracy against democracy.
Earlier Dr. Babar Awan was welcomed by Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at his residence in Lahore when he reached to meet him after a green signal from the President and after taking the prime minister into confidence. During the first round of meeting the two leaders met one on one but afterwards other leaders from both the parties joined them in the discussion. Babar Awan and Pervaiz Elahi agreed upon the fact that political leadership should exhibit nationalist thinking in the matters of national interest. They also laid emphasis on the existence of working relationship between all the political parties.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that he believed in politics of principles. National issues should be resolved by sitting together. Speaking on the occasion Babar Awan said that the prestige of parliament and democracy are the consequences of graet sacrifices rendered for these objectives and now it is an obligation upon all of us to defend and safeguard these achievements.

Malik hints at launching surgical operation in Karachi

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that Rangers would be given more powers and surgical operation would be done wherever and whenever needed, Dunya News reported on Thursday.
The federal minister called on the Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and conveyed to him the message of the President.
Earlier talking to the media personnel at the Karachi airport, Rehman Malik said that criminals would be taken to task without discrimination and the culprits would also be produced before the media. He appealed to all the political parties to part their ways from crimes and criminals.

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