Vol. III Issue. 28
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Gen Kayani declines to meet Peter Lavoy
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Shahid Raheem
16 June 2012
Rawalpindi: Daily Jasarat, June 11, 2012. General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani declined to meet visiting US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter Lavoy following adverse comments made by US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta during his visit to India and Afghanistan. Panetta had warned that Washington is 'losing patience' over Pakistan's refusal to go after militant safe havens. Lavoy visited Islamabad to hold negotiations over the resumption of NATO supplies. Jasarat comments that the action of the Gen Kayani is an open declaration of the Pakistan Army that it will take an independent stand on bilateral issues. US Embassy spokesperson Robert Renner, however, claimed that Peter Lavoy was not scheduled to meet Kayani.
Hussain Haqqani a traitor: Memogate Commission
Islamabad: Daily Jasarat, June 13, 2012. The Memogate Commission submitted its report to the Supreme Court on June 13 after a five-month long investigation. The report concluded that Hussain Haqqani, the former ambassador to the United States, who submitted his resignation following the Memogate scandal, was the mastermind behind the memo. According to the Commission, Haqqani was planning to create a new security agency with US assistance to lead Pakistan's national policy. His goal was to bridge the gap between the two countries by increasing cooperation. He is believed to have told the US that the ISI was still continuing its support to the Taliban.
Haqqani, meanwhile, criticised the Commission and its report, saying that judges who had earlier justified military dictatorships are not qualified to judge his patriotism. He accused the Commission of being a partisan body.
Person seated in President House not a true patriot: Rana Sanaullah
Islamabad: Daily Ausaf, June 13, 2012. Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that the Memogate Commission report has proved that the person seated in Aiwan-e-Sadr (President House) is not a true patriot. Talking to the media at the Provincial Assembly, he said that it is now proven that the current government wants to compromise Pakistan's nuclear weapons to please the US
Balochistan case: Chief Justice says he can summon Army Chief
Islamabad: Daily Ausaf, June 11, 2012. Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, during a hearing, remarked that he can summon the army chief to appear before the court to explain the conduct of security forces in Balochistan. He said the recent press conference of IG Frontier Corps was an open contempt of court. Justice Jawwad S. Khwaja said law enforcement agencies are yet to arrest anyone in the 835 cases of disappearances. Only 23 misplaced people have so far been recovered. The Chief Justice said that security forces should arrest militants and put them on trial, but the practice of killing them is illegal and must be discontinued.
Chief Justice is the last hope to save the country: Shahbaz Sharif
Lahore: Daily Ausaf, June11, 2012. Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif accused the Pakistan People's Party of conspiring against judiciary and said that the Chief Justice is the last hope for democracy and the country. After inaugurating the Sarfaraz Niemee Research Institute, he told reporters that corruption has reached unprecedented levels in the country and should be curtailed. He also spoke in favour of Madrassa students being given laptop computers and the right to employment. He announced that the provincial Government has decided to reserve ten per cent jobs for meritorious students from poor background.
Bangladesh stops entry of Myanmar Muslim refugees
Rangoon: Daily Jasarat, June 13, 2012. Bangladesh border guards have stopped three boats carrying Rohingia Muslim refugees from Myanmar from entering Bangladesh's coastal region. These refugees, 81 women and 103 men, had sought shelter from religiously-motivated violence. According to official reports, Bangladesh border guards have so far stopped 11 boats carrying 400 people.
Seventeen people were killed in clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhna's capital Setwi. Emergency has been imposed in Myanmar, while Bangladesh has deployed forces along the 200-kilometer border to stop Rohingia Muslim refugees. According to the United Nations, Rohingia Muslims are persecuted in Myanmar because of their status as foreign infiltrators. They share an uneasy relation with the local communities who view them as illegal Bangladeshi refugees.
US to deploy Switchblade drones in Pak-Afghan regiong
Washington: Daily Jasarat, June 13, 2012. The US will soon deploy the smaller and more precise Switchblade Drones (SBD) in Pakistan. Media reports revealed that the new technology will minimise civilian casualties and save destruction of property. The Predator and Reaper drones deployed in these regions now carry the 100-pound laser-guided Hellfire missiles or 500-pounds GPS- guided smart bombs.
The new Switchblade Drone weigh less than six pounds and can hit target without destructing buildings. Its 24 inch flying blade is adjustable and can be reduced in size, according to the mission. The drones is man-portable and will display videos with other information in real-time. More than 50 Switchblade drones costing $10.1 million will be deployed in the region before the onset of winters. The introduction of the new drones is expected to increase strike accuracy and reduce civilian casualties.
(This is compiled and translated from Urdu by Shahid Raheem, Media Researcher, Observer Research Foundation)
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