Chatta elected chairman, Arbab president of PML-Likeminded

 

Humayun Akhtar Khan would be Secretary General of the party.

 

The meeting of general council of PML (Likeminded) was held under the chairmanship of Senator Salim Saifullah Khan to elect new leadership of the party for the tenure of next three years.

 

The meeting also elected Salim Saifullah for the slot of Chairman Steering Committee, whereas Kashmala Tariq was elected Information Secretary.

 

After elections, newly elected Chairman of Likeminded Hamid Nasir Chatta said while speaking to the general council that they have always promoted democracy within party. It is not the party of a particular family, but it is the party of the nation.

 

“We have rejected the ancestral politics. We chose our President from a smaller province, which reflects that the party is committed to give right to the entire province.”

 

He said that discussion on Baluchistan in the committee of US Congress is an unconstitutional act. It is in fact matter of embarrassment for the whole nation. He said that government took loans during four years which is more than the total debt the country had taken in sixty years.

 

Arbab Ghulam Rahim addressed the meeting through video link. He said that fair, free and impartial elections are not possible in presence of sitting rulers. He said that they will snatch the Sindh card from the PPP.

 

Humayun Akhtar Khan said that the 2012 is the general election year and the party would have to complete its preparedness for the polls within shortest span of time.

 

Earlier, besides election, general council discussed prevailing political situation of the country, conflict between national institutions, law and order situation, target killing in Baluchistan, threats to national integrity, corruption, dearness and drug scandal in Punjab in detail. –Online
 

Countrys survival in democracy: Ghulam Bilour

Parliament is the mother of all the institutions; no unconstitutional actions should be taken against this.

Addressing a public gathering pertaining to death anniversary of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan, Bilour said that both leaders did politics of non-violence, adding that the ANP leaders had not opposed creation of Pakistan.

“Our leadership adopted the stance that the Muslim of sub-continent should not be divided. The ANP leaders braved arrests for the cause of provincial autonomy but all the provinces benefitted out of it,” he said.

He said that he had offered miscreants dialogues provided they accept the writ of the government and the Constitution.

World leaders argue eurozone foot-dragging on debt crisis

World economic leaders turned their fire on the eurozone Saturday at a Davos forum increasingly frustrated by the single currency bloc s struggle to come to grips with its debt crisis.

At the forefront of concerns were write-down talks in Greece, which had dragged on into the weekend and now threaten to overshadow an EU summit on Monday designed to showcase the continent s plans to escape the debt trap.

But senior officials from outside the eurozone also argued that Europe has not got on top of more long-term problems undermining the single currency, and needs to move further and faster in integrating eurozone economies.

“The fact that we re still, at the start of 2012, talking about Greece again is a sign that this problem has not been dealt with,” British finance minister George Osborne told a public panel of senior finance officials.

“The danger here is that the tail wags the dog throughout this crisis, in other words the inability to deal with the specific problems in the periphery causes shockwaves across the whole European economy and the world economy.”

Canada s central bank chief Mark Carney, who chairs the international bank regulator the Financial Stability Board, said Europe s woes were holding back the recovery and had effectively cut global growth by one percent last year.

European and eurozone officials at the World Economic Forum, an annual get-together of the great and the good in global business and politics, have spent the week attempting to drum up optimism on the debt talks.

But as the talking shop drew to an end, Greek leaders were still in talks with private lenders over the details of a plan to wipe 100 billion euros from their sovereign debt — and thus avoid a messy default.

The private creditors said Saturday they were close to concluding an agreement next week.

“Further progress was made, building on the understandings reached yesterday (Friday) on the key legal and technical issues,” they said in a statement after a two-hour meeting.

Meanwhile, Athens was distracted by another dispute, when European officials leaked the claim that Berlin wants the European Commission to take full charge of the Greek budget and oversee its austerity strategy.

Greek officials reacted with fury at this attack on their sovereignty, and Brussels was forced to concede that, while it would reinforce its “monitoring capacity”, final fiscal responsibility would stay with Athens.

The drawn-out debt talks have undermined attempts to contain the crisis and shore up bigger eurozone economies, to the frustration of leaders from the emerging economies and the rest of the developed world.

“You need decisive action. You need overkill. Confidence must come from decisive actions from governments,” declared Donald Tsang, chief executive of Hong Kong s autonomous regional administration.

“Two months ago in Greece you could make do with a 20 percent haircut, now even 50 percent is not easy. Maybe 70 percent is needed, so do it quickly. You need resolution and decisiveness.”

World Bank chief Robert Zoellick praised the European Central Bank for increasing liquidity for eurozone banks to enable them to buy more sovereign debt, but warned that this could only be a stop-gap measure.

“I m glad the ECB took action. But this buys time, you still have to act,” he said, as the world waits to see if Monday s summit will produce agreement on a new “fiscal compact” setting in stone the bloc s deficit-cutting strategy.

“No-one is immune in the current situation. It s not just a eurozone crisis it s a crisis that could have collateral, spillover effects in the rest of the world,” IMF director Christine Lagarde warned delegates.

“Now is the time. There has been a lot of pressure building in order to see a solution come about,” she said, urging International Monetary Fund members to give her the 500 billion dollars she needs to stock as a bailout fund.

“And it s for that reason that I m here, with my little bag, to collect a bit of money,” she said, to laughter and applause.

Osborne, a eurosceptic who is glad that Britain stayed out of the euro, nevertheless said he hoped that Europe would overcome its woes.

But in an implicit rebuke for a reluctant Germany, he said this would have to mean “permanent fiscal transfers” between stronger and weaker member states.

“That s what is required to make a single currency work,” he said, arguing that Europe will either have to make the ECB its lender of last resort, pool its debt through joint eurobonds or through direct budget transfers.

Demonstrators, including three topless Ukrainian feminists, made a feisty bid to get Davos  attention and demand more focus on the plight of the worst off, but deep snow and a tight security presence limited their numbers.

The Davos forum ends on Sunday, at which point the financial world s eyes will switch to Brussels and Monday s much anticipated EU summit.
 

New conspiracies hatched against us everyday: Zardari

 

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of ‘Waseela-e-Haq Sindh Programme’ in Karachi, Co-Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party and President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, said that everyday a new conspiracy is hatched against us but, by the grace of God, we defused every conspiracy.

 

PPP government is creating a new middle class in Sindh through this programme, Zardari said. He said that we want that new generation would not face hardships which we have faced.  He said that right from the first day of presidency, I talked about trade instead of aid. Zardari also suggested the beneficiaries of WHSP to establish dairy farms.

 

Politics is our worship, he said, adding that we are in politics for the service of the people. Our politics is not dependent on votes, he said.

 

While talking about BISP, he said that we strengthened the economy through Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
When we designed this programme, he said, people criticized and showed their concern but now this programme is running successfully.

 

The president also asked CM Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah to solve the problems of PPP workers and to provide them jobs.
 

PNG rebels seek pardon

 

A day after a retired colonel seized Papua New Guinea’s military headquarters in an attempt to force out the prime minister, the ex-soldier was holed up in a nearby barracks on Friday, demanding a pardon for himself and his supporters.

 

A small group of soldiers led by retired Col. Yuara Sasa put the military’s top commander under house arrest Thursday in a bloodless, pre-dawn takeover, but later that day Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said Brig. Gen. Francis Agwi had been released and remained in charge of most of the military. O’Neill said Sasa had been “dealt with,” but did not say how.

 

The mutiny was part of a power struggle in which O’Neill and former Prime Minister Michael Somare claim to be the rightful leader of the South Pacific island nation.

 

On Friday, police said Sasa was at Taurama Barracks in Port Moresby, near the military headquarters, with about 20 supporters. Police spokesman Dominic Kakas said Col. Sasa had asked for a pardon.

 

“That is correct, yes,” Kakas said. “They are trying to sort something out.”

 

On Thursday, Sasa had told reporters in Port Moresby he was giving O’Neill seven days to comply with a Supreme Court order reinstating Somare as prime minister. The government responded by calling on Sasa’s group to surrender and saying the mutiny had little support.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah told reporters Thursday that about 30 soldiers were involved in the mutiny and that 15 of them were arrested. Namah said Sasa could be charged with treason, which carries the death sentence.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard condemned the mutiny, saying in a written statement that the military has no place in Papua New Guinea’s politics. Australia is the main provider of foreign aid to its former colony.

 

“It is critical therefore that this situation be resolved peacefully as soon as possible, with the PNG Defense Force chain of command restored,” she added.

 

Somare was Papua New Guinea’s first prime minister when it became independent in 1975, and was knighted by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. Papua New Guinea’s Parliament replaced him with O’Neill in August, while Somare was getting medical treatment outside the country.

 

Last month, the country’s Supreme Court and Governor-General Michael Ogio backed Somare, who the court ruled was illegally removed. But Ogio changed his mind days later, saying bad legal advice had led him to incorrectly reinstate Somare.

 

Sasa, who was Papua New Guinea’s defense attache to Indonesia before retiring from the military, has said Somare appointed him defense chief. Somare’s spokeswoman and daughter, Betha Somare, said that his ousted Cabinet had confirmed Sasa’s appointment several days ago. She did not respond to a request for comment on Friday’s developments.

Act responsibly, Pakistan tells Afghanistan

Pakistan is warning Afghanistan to behave responsibly in the wake of Kabul’s new strategic pact with India, Islamabad s archenemy.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tehmina Janjua said on Thursday that Pakistan expects Afghanistan to demonstrate maturity.

Janjua says Pakistan seeks friendly ties with Afghanistan, rooted in common history, culture and tradition. She says this is no time for “point-scoring, playing politics or grandstanding.”

Afghanistan and India signed the agreement on Tuesday, the first of its kind for Kabul with any country. It promptly sparked new concern in Pakistan over India s influence in Afghanistan.

Pakistan is sandwiched between the two countries, with Afghanistan to its west and India to its east.
She has further said Pakistan will only act regarding Rabbani’s murder when Afghanistan provides evidence. So far,

Pakistan has been given a confessional statement of some Hamidullah Akhundzada.

Kate Middleton enjoys her long salon days

TrendPK.com: Kate Middleton attended a friend’s wedding this weekend which meant she needed to hit the salon for the day in preparation.

Middleton reportedly spent about four hours at the salon in order to freshen up her look, states UsMagazine.com. She reportedly goes in for these long appointments about every eight weeks.

Since she has known the people at the salon for years, she reportedly doesn’t want to stop going in to catch up just because she is now the Duchess of Cambridge.

James Pryce with the salon actually did her hair for her big wedding day with Prince William.

India anti-graft activist to end fast after government agrees demands

NEW DELHI: A self-styled Gandhian activist whose campaign against corruption sparked some of India’s biggest anti government protests in decades will end a 13-day hunger strike on Sunday after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh caved in to his demands.

The 74-year-old Anna Hazare has tapped a groundswell of public anger against endemic corruption, uniting the country’s bulging middle-class against a hapless political class and underlining voter anger at Singh and the ruling Congress party.

India’s parliament on Saturday backed landmark anti-corruption legislation, meeting Hazare’s key demands. Tens of thousands of mostly urban and wired voters across India will claim victory in an unprecedented movement that may usher in a new force in Indian politics and hit the ruling Congress party hard in crucial state elections next year.

“I feel this is the country’s victory … Tomorrow at 10 am I want to publicly break my fast,” Hazare told over tens of thousands of cheering supporters on Saturday evening at a protest site in New Delhi that has become the epicentre of a nationwide crusade.

“Only half of the battle has been won, there is still some of it left,” a weak-looking Hazare told the crowd.

Hazare and his team of social activist aides led a rousing rendition of the Indian national anthem as supporters waved national flags and celebrated almost a fortnight of protest.

The veteran activist, whose health had seriously deteriorated as his weight fell, made the announcement after a specially-convened session of parliament ended with lawmakers backing a resolution by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to push for a law to create an independent ombudsman with wide-ranging power to investigate lawmakers, the judiciary and bureaucrats.

Undermined by graft scandals and seen as out-of-touch with voters battling high inflation, Congress’ failure to deal with Hazare’s campaign before it became a national issue spells danger for the ruling party in state polls next year ahead of the 2014 general election.

While protests in India are not uncommon, the sight of many well-off young professionals using Twitter and Facebook taking to the streets of Asia’ third-largest economy suggest an awakening of a previously politically-ambivalent middle class.

PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

Mukherjee on Saturday said parliament agreed to demands from Hazare to bring civil servants under the proposed agency’s authority alongside parliament and the judiciary, ensure similar agencies at a state level and create a citizen’s charter.

“We are at a crossroads, let us try to find a solution within the constitutional framework without violating the supremacy of Parliament,” Mukherjee told the lower house.

Support for Mukherjee’s resolution came after a grueling day of fractious debate in both chambers that highlighted just how much Hazare’s campaign and the public support for it had rocked India’s political establishment.

Hazare’s trademark white cap has been sported by thousands of protesters across the country, and the slogan “I am Anna” has become a rallying cry for a generation of young people disillusioned by their graft-stained politicians.

Hazare is not some out-of-the-blue phenomenon, however. Deep-seated change has been underway for years in India as its once-statist economy globalises, bolstered by a widely used freedom of information act, aggressive private media and the election of state politicians who have rejected traditional caste-support bases to win on governance issues.

After a botched arrest as part of a hardline approach to Hazare, a government U-turn saw ministers praise the activist, suggesting a leadership deficit in Congress without party head Sonia Gandhi, who is recovering after surgery for an undisclosed condition.

Congress pledged a slew of economic reforms after winning re-election in 2009 that would have made foreign investment easier and tax collection more effective. But graft and anger over inflation has stymied attempts to debate the legislation.

Transparency International rates India in 87th place on the most corrupt countries, according to a 2010 survey.

Several scandals linked to the government, including a bribery scam involving the granting of telecom licences that led to the arrest of a telecoms minister and may have cost the state up to $39 billion in lost revenues, led to Hazare’s latest protest.

Congress has staked a large amount of political capital on victory in next year’s state election in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, where a disappointing result would ring serious alarm bells for the federal ballot in 2014.

Hazare became the unlikely thorn in the side of the government when he went on hunger strike in April. He called off that fast after the government promised to introduce a bill creating an anti-corruption ombudsman.

The so-called Lokpal legislation was presented in early August, but activists slammed the draft version as toothless because the prime minister and judges were exempt from probes. AGENCIES

Politics of reconciliation is not weakness, says PM

RAHIM YAR KHAN: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said that the politics of reconciliation should not be thought as a weakness.

While his address in Rahim Yar Khan the PM said that Punjab Chief Minister has authority to summon rangers in the province.

He also said that Punjab CM should take steps to curb terrorism, extremism and the incidents of kidnapping for ransom in the province.

No country can move forward without maintain peace and law and order, he added. TrendPK

India’s Neo-colonialism in Africa

Neo-colonialism is the most dangerous form of colonialism, which is prevalent in the present world. In the past, the most developed countries had direct control on the less developed countries, but most of the colonies got independence after the World War 11. As regards neo-colonialism, in theory a less developed or developing country is free, but in practice, its government and economy are controlled by a developed country indirectly.

In these terms, by imitating the other western powers, India has been practising neo-colonialism in Africa.

Today, Africa is the hub of natural resources with leading world powers, having eye the continent. Only an average 3% of cultivatable land in Africa is being used now, which is not sufficient to feed the entire population of Africa.

The trade and investment in agriculture and agro-infrastructure are inter-linked and need foreign support. In this respect, India persuaded Africa to share Indian experience in this sector. Indian scientific and agricultural research institutions have assisted around 5,000 entrepreneurs for developing their business ideas in the African countries. Today, India’s foreign policy is being questioned as India is being accused of neo-imperialism in Africa, using its agriculture land to cater to the Indian population at home.

The academic circles in Africa worry about India’s role as a neo colonial power. Dean Nelson observed that Karuturi Global (KGL), an Indian company, one of the world’s largest producers of cut roses, has been accused of neo-colonialism in Ethiopia and Kenya.

It is observed that India focuses on bilateral, multilateral and regional economic cooperation acting as bridging power with all the major powers as a part of its foreign economic policy. But being seen as the bridging power, it misuses multinational corporations, using Africa for its self interests.

New Delhi knows that science and technology (S&T) can ensure a long term benefit that is adaptable for the local requirements—shows genuine concerns for local users and investors as through this way, India wants to strengthen its grip on the poor African countries. Indian experts are convincing the people of African countries that India’s transfer of knowledge and technology could help African people to deal with the problem of food crisis. For this purpose, Indian investors provide agricultural mechanisation such as seed-cum-fertilizer drills, and enhancement in cropping intensity and increase in gross income.

However, in this context, the focus of India’s neo-colonialism are Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana etc., but South Africa has become special target of Indian neo-colonialism. Nevertheless, these African countries account for around 69 % of India’s total bilateral trade. New Partnership for Africa’s Development shares the developmental approach with New Delhi and Indian institutional partners. India’s economic engagement in Africa is working as per their local needs. Different turnkey contracts have been undertaken in Tanzania, Uganda and other African countries. It enables imports of Indian equipment and technology on deferred credit terms extended through various banks. Indian companies are engaged in Africa through Line of Credit LOC. Besides, India adopted multiple approaches in Africa to promote infrastructure and agro industry.

Unlike the other African states, Indian practice of neo-colonialism in South Africa is of special consideration.

By adopting various tactics of neo-imperialism, New Delhi has been gradually increasing its influence in South Africa. The high profile of the Indians in the African National Congress (ANC) hierarchy was very beneficial. When Nelson Mandela became the President of South Africa, he included six Indians in his cabinet of sixteen members. The Indians, making up three percent of the population, were over-represented at executive level. They also had a proportionally larger number of members of Parliament. Many South Africans objected in relation to the over-representation of the Indians.

The ANC Government systematically began to abolish all previous discriminatory legislation. All the previously disadvantaged groups benefited. The Indians prospered the most because of the advantages of greater wealth and influence. In particular, the Indian business community prospered in the post-apartheid South Africa. They were now able to enter many sectors of commerce and industry that were previously not open to them. Especially, wealthy Indians could now move into residential areas that were previously restricted to Whites.

Since South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy, Nelson Mandela has endeavoured to make the country’s minority communities feel more secure. Despite government assurances, the Indian community pretended that they were being marginalised. Mandela was surprised at the level of insecurity, expressed by the Indian youth. As a matter of fact, India wanted to increase its hold on South Africa overtly or covertly.

A major dimension of the post-apartheid South Africa is that although Blacks are in majority and have their own government, yet Whites have dominant influence in the politics and economics of the country as they have hold on the resources—and are  wealthier than Blacks. Besides, they have still sympathies of the American and European people who support them through business transactions. As we can particularly note in case of the United States that the Jews are in minority, but have a greater influence in the politics of that country because they dominate the economics of the US. India and Israel fulfill their interests with the help of strong Hindu-Jewish lobbies, working in America. Same is true in case of South Africa. Apparently, Indians favour the Black, but covertly they support the White with whom they are doing business. Besides, Indian lobbies have been influencing the government in order to get more political and economic benefits. In this context, India is also availing the opportunity by manipulating the phenomenon of South Africa clandestinely as prejudice is still found between Blacks and Whites.

It is notable that the high rate of unemployment among Blacks and the low economic growth has contributed to the high crime rate prevailing in South Africa. This high crime rate has prevented many overseas companies from making meaningful investments in South Africa. This vacuum is being fulfilled by New Delhi. In this connection, India–South Africa business relations have witnessed tremendous growth since the resumption of trade and diplomatic ties between the two countries in 1993. The end of apartheid in South Africa and India’s growing integration with the world economy after it embraced globalisation have played a crucial rule in strengthening the economic relations between the two countries.

In recent years, several Indian companies have forayed into South Africa. The Tata Steel, Tata Motors and TCS have made considerable investments in the country. Similarly, Mahindra & Mahindra, Cipla, Ranbaxy, Ashok Leyland, Apollo Tyres are some of the other Indian business houses to have established a presence in South Africa. In addition, banks like the SBI and ICICI are busy in establishing their branches in the country, partly with a view to taping into the million-strong People of Indian Origin (PIOs) there. VSNL is in the process of investing US$ 200 million in the telecom sector in South Africa. In all, some 35 Indian corporations have established their presence in the country, and more are likely to join the race soon. Over the ongoing year, investment from India Inc. is expected to reach the US $ 500 millions in South African economy.

A number of bilateral agreements have been concluded between India and South Africa in diverse areas ranging from economic and commercial cooperation, defence, culture, heath, human settlements, public administration science and technology and education.

The real tragedy of the post-apartheid South Africa is that its people are not aware of Indian sinister designs against Blacks. In this context, India is not only playing double game with the South African people by exploiting their division, but is also trying to get grip on the resources of the country. Everyone knows that South Africa is replete with the precious minerals such as gold, diamond and uranium. Therefore, India is increasing its influence in South Africa with a view to making it target of Indian neo-imperialism.

Nonetheless, a major challenge, facing the African countries is the perceived disloyalty of New Delhi towards the African communities. On the economic front, many Indian businessmen are taking on Black partners to improve their image with Black consumers and the government but in fact, under this cover, India is practising neo-colonialism in Africa.

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