Nationalists blame Pakistan for bombing in India

 NEW DELHI – Hindu nationalist leaders demanded Sunday that new peace talks with rival Pakistan be canceled after a bomb blast in a crowded bakery in western India killed nine people and wounded 57.
The explosion Saturday, caused by a bomb left in an unattended bag, was the first major terrorist attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai massacre.
It ripped open the German Bakery in the city of Pune, 125 miles (200 kilometers) southeast of Mumbai. Thick patches of blood and severed limbs littered the popular hangout, which is close to a meditation retreat and a Jewish center officials say were previously scouted by a terrorist suspect now detained in the U.S.
"I came running to the bakery after hearing the explosion. I found people lying all over the place," said Abba More, who lives nearby.
Security forces were put on high alert Sunday at airports, train stations and markets across the country.
Hindu nationalist leaders blamed the attack on Pakistan and demanded the government call off next week's peace talks, the first between the nuclear-armed neighbors since the Mumbai siege.
"India's initiative to hold peace talks with Pakistan is misconceived and adventurous," said Arun Jaitley, a top leader of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.
He said India shouldn't restart peace talks until Pakistan stops allowing terrorists to base themselves there and punishes those involved in the Mumbai attacks. "Terrorism and talks can't coexist," Jaitley said.
There was no immediate response from Pakistan's government to the claims.
Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said he would wait for the forensic experts' report before commenting on the opposition demand.
Meanwhile, the Indian army accused Pakistani soldiers of unprovoked firing at Indian positions along the cease-fire line dividing Kashmir, the Himalayan territory claimed by both countries.
Pakistani troops fired automatic guns and rockets for nearly two hours on Saturday night in the Punch sector, said Lt. Col. Biplab Nath, an Indian army spokesman. He said Indian troops returned fire.
"We will lodge a protest with the Pakistan army," he told The Associated Press.
There was no immediate comment from Pakistan's army. The two sides often exchange gunfire in breach of a 2003 cease-fire accord.
Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram visited the bakery and the wounded in hospitals on Sunday. He told reporters investigators were trying to determine what explosives were used and how the bomb was triggered.
One foreigner was among the dead, but his nationality was not immediately known, Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said, adding that the three victims identified so far were Indians.
Pillai also said four Iranians, two Sudanese, one Taiwanese, one German and two Nepalese were among the wounded.
The blast occurred at 7:30 p.m. Saturday after one or two people posing as customers left behind a backpack containing a bomb, officials said.
"It appears that an unattended package was noticed in the bakery by one of the waiters who apparently attempted to open the package when the blast took place," Pillai told reporters.
The bakery is about 200 yards (200 meters) from the Osho Ashram, a renowned meditation center that Pillai said had been surveyed by David Headley, who is facing charges in Chicago for allegedly scouting targets for the Mumbai attack.
Chidambaram said Headley had also observed the Chabad Jewish center near the bakery.
"This particular area has been on the radar (of terrorists) for quite some time," Chidambaram said. "Police were sensitized that Chabad House was a target, so was the Osho Ashram."
The bombing was the first major terrorist strike in India since 10 Pakistan-based gunmen rampaged through hotels and a train station in the financial hub of Mumbai for 60 hours in November 2008, killing 166 people.
Recently, ties between India and Pakistan appeared to be warming. Talks scheduled for Feb. 25 in New Delhi would be their first formal negotiations since the Mumbai attacks.

Media barred to cover Shazia case as accused appears in court

 LAHORE: The main accused in maidservant Shazia murder case Chaudhry Naeem advocate has been presented in the court amid tense environment created by lawyers that also threatened media.

The accused Chaudhry Naeem presented in Cantt court on Tuesday. The relatives of Shazia and large number of lawyers were presented at this occasion. The lawyers blamed media for creating hype about the case and tried to stop them to cover the event. On the other hand, the relatives of Shazia were expelled from the court.

Earlier, additional district and session judge Shafiqur Rehman has granted the interim bail to Chaudhry Naeem’s wife and sister-in-law till February 3 and directed the police authorities to submit record. Chaudhry Naeem’s son had already got the interim bail.

Christian 12-year-old girl raped and killed by animal wearing skin of human

Lahore: January 23, 2010. (Khalid Shahzad for PCP) Christian teenage Shazia daughter of Bashir Masih aged 12 years, resident of Islamia Park, Punch Road Aria Nagar, Samanabad, Lahore was found dead after rape by Muslim attorney Mohammad Naeem (more here)
The translation is awkward but I didn't correct it, as it is authentic.

Pakistan: 12 years old Christian maid girl raped and killed by Muslim Attorney

The Christian girl Shazia was working as a Domestic Worker in AA 444 Defense Lahore with Muhammad Naeem Lawyer of Lahore High Court Lahore. He never paid a single penny to Shazia from last 8 months. On 21st of January 2010. Shazia’s Mother received a dead body of her younger girl 13 year and was shocked then she called some people from her neighbor and then they called mid Khalid Shahzad G Secretary Forum of Minorities.

According to our investigation that Shazia has rapped and torture by the Muhammad Naeem Lawyer Lahore High Court Lahore. He tried to hide this case and also pressurize to her father and media that I am a lawyer and will see who will highlight this issue because the court and the lawyer community is with me. Yesterday night he came with his relative from Pak Army when they come to know that the deal will be not successful then the Brigadier of the Pak Army left away. According to this case we come to know that the elite class and the influence people don’t care about the law and order and they can use the law as they want. Shazia was only the source of income of her family because her two elder sisters has been married and she was only the hope of her young brother Sunny aged 8 years.

According to the mother of victim Shazia and father “Lawyer Mohammad Naeem offered them Rs. 20000 deal to keep this issue under ground if they shout no body will listen and they will never get any thing. The deface Police were also not interested to registered FIR Against Mohammad Naeem.

Meanwhile according to Geo TV, The police have registered a case against a lawyer, Naeem Advocate, his wife, son and sister-in-law for the alleged murder of a 12-year-old maid Shazia. The family of deceased Shazia has accused Advocate Nadeem of torturing and rapping her to death and also trying to bribe 15,000 rupees to the family members to keep their mouths shut. According to the parents, accused Naeem told them that their daughter was admitted to hospital and when they arrived, their daughter was found dead.

They brought the body to their residence, from where police shifted the body to dead house for postmortem.

Defence Police said Shazia was badly tortured and admitted to Jinnah Hospital 3 days ago.

Govt to act upon SC ruling as per law, constitution: PM

 ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) will be put into action in accordance with the Law and Constitution, Geo News reported Wednesday.

Talking to media on a surprise visit at Utility Stores, he said, “We respect the decisions of judiciary and believe in the supremacy of the law and sanctity of the Constitution.

He said the legal experts are taking stock of the detailed verdict of the apex court and their recommendations will be acted upon.

The verdict will be implemented upon after consultation with Attorney General and legal experts, he added.

The PM Gilani said the Law Minister asked for more time for clarification on some points mentioned in the ruling.

The nation will get stronger if democracy is strengthened, he said, adding that good governance cannot be achieved with one institution alone, all institutions will have to work concertedly.

“There is no threat of confrontation if every institution works within its parameter.”

Hakimullah Mehsud Killed in Drone Attack

It is reported in Pakistani and international media that Baithullah Mehsud successor Hakimullah Mehsud has been killed in a drone attack in North Waziristan. The importance of this attack can be judged from the fact that Hakimullah Mehsud claimed responsibility for the attack on CIA Camp in Afghanistan. CIA has vowed to avenge the death of their colleagues in Afghanistan. I wonder if CIA suddenly found Hakimullah Mehsud location and targeted him with a drone attack or they already knew about him but refrain to target him in the past? In any case, Pakistan has been rid of an evil and hence we are better off in any case.

Dawn News reported:

PESHAWAR: Leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Hakeemullah Mehsud, who had accepted responsibility for the deadly suicide attack on a CIA base camp in Afghanistan, appears to have been killed in a drone attack in South Waziristan, a senior security official said.

The attack has left at least ten people dead, amongst them are three militant commanders, the official said.

“It is immaterial to say how many have been killed in the attack. The important thing for us is whether Hakeemullah is amongst those killed”, the official said, requesting he not be named.

He said that the TTP chief was the target of the drone attack. “He has probably been killed.”

The Taliban have denied the TTP chief has been killed. TTP spokesman, Azam Tariq said that he and Hakeemullah both were alive and safe. “We were in Shaktoi but not at the compound which has been struck”, he told a reporter in the region in a satellite phone call.

The official said that the missile struck the compound of Fazal Mehsud alias Uqabi in Shaktoi in the Sararogha sub-district of South Waziristan. The area borders North Waziristan.

The 28-year-old Hakeemullah had succeeded Baitullah Mehsud, who was killed a drone attack on the night of August 5 last.

The TTP had claimed responsibility for the deadly suicide attack on the CIA forwarding operating base Chapman in the southeastern province of Khost on December 30 last.

The claim was followed by a video of the suicide bomber, a Jordanian double-agent Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi. Sitting next to Balawi in the video was Hakeemullah Mehsud.

The United States had vowed to hunt down those responsible for the deadly attack on the CIA post and Pakistani intelligence officials say the Thursday’s attack to eliminate Hakeemullah appeared to be CIA’s revenge for the Khost bombing.

Picture Courtesy: Telegraph UK

ECC raises price of sugar by Rs7 per kg

The ECC, presided over by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, also approved re-lending of foreign loans to provinces on original terms, a mechanism for support and intervention prices of crops and allowed Passco to export rice. - File photo

ISLAMABAD: The government approved on Tuesday duty- and tax-free import of 1.25 million tons of refined sugar to overcome shortage, but increased its price for Utility Stores by 18.5 per cent, or Rs7 per kg.
The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet, presided over by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin.
The ECC also approved re-lending of foreign loans to the provinces on original terms, Rs10 billion bailout package for loss-making Pakistan Steel Mills, a mechanism for support and intervention prices for crops and a standardised security package for development of hydropower projects.
The meeting also allowed export of goods manufactured at the Risalpur export processing zone to Afghanistan through land route in order to revive the REPZ and fix a minimum export price for rice.
Mr Tarin told Dawn after the meeting that 500,000 tons of the 1.25 million tons of refined sugar would be imported by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan before April while the remaining 750,000 tons by the private sector before June.
The import, he added, would be exempted from sales tax and other duties to ensure that landing cost of imported sugar ranged between Rs50 and Rs51 per kg and retail price between Rs54 and Rs55. The finance minister said the ECC had increased the USC price of sugar to Rs45 per kg from the existing Rs38. It is being sold at Rs65 per kg in the open market.
He said about 1.2 million tons of sugar would be sold through the USC. The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association will supply 900,000 tons to the USC under a commitment it had made with the Supreme Court to provide at least 30 per cent of its produce at a price lower than the market.
Mr Tarin expressed the hope that sugar would be available to consumers at Rs54-55 per kg in the open market.
BAILOUT PACKAGE: The ECC approved a Rs10 billion bailout package for Pakistan Steel Mills to overcome its “acute financial crunch”. The package includes a term loan facility of Rs8 billion to be arranged by the National Bank for five years on sovereign guarantee of the federal government. Another running finance facility of Rs2 billion, renewable on a yearly basis, would also be provided by banks led by NBP on government guarantee.
LOAN RE-LENDING: The meeting approved revision of the re-lending policy for foreign loans. Under the policy the provinces will get foreign loans on same terms and conditions on which these were obtained by the federal government.
The provinces would be allowed to issue their own bonds to repay these loans to the centre. The federal government used to get foreign loans at two to five per cent interest rate, but re-lend the provinces at a mark-up rate as high as 18 per cent.
CROP POLICY: The ECC approved a strategy for food security under which timely announcement of support price for wheat and intervention or indicative price for other crops would be ensured. The strategy will also ensure timely availability of farm inputs at affordable prices with special emphasis on water conservation and its judicious use.
The policy will set area and production targets of major and minor crops in consultation with stakeholders and to enhance farmers’ access to modern crop varieties and new technologies.
Besides, the government will promote adoption of good agricultural practices to boost production, improve marketing systems and maintain buffer stocks for essential food commodities.
RICE EXPORT: The ECC allowed Passco to export, through qualified agents and brokers, its stock of super basmati to the Middle East, Iran, Europe or any other market on a government-to-government basis at a minimum base price of $900 per ton within five per cent limit of broken rice.
POWER PROJECTS: The meeting approved standardised security agreements for hydropower projects under the Policy for Power Generation 2002. The Private Power and Infrastructure Board has been authorised to approve any project-specific amendment to the agreements required during negotiations provided obligations or liabilities of the government are not increased.