B4U India

Taliban to convert two girls schools into madarassas in Bajaur Agency

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:50:00 -0400

Extremists belonging to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have reportedly taken over two girls primary schools in the Bajaur Agency, and announced to convert them into madarassas.

The two schools - Government Girls Primary School Manugi and Government Girls Primary School Azghar Charmang - fall in Charmang area of Nawagai tehsil of the Agency, reported the Daily Times.

Separately, a bomb detonated in a residential area of the Bajaur Agency headquarters, partially damaging a house. There were no reports of any casualties.

Political agent Shafeerullah Khan said it was not a missile attack.

In a yet another incident, the TTP also returned 11 rifles and two vehicles to a jirga that they had snatched from Bajaur Scouts personnel two months ago in Salarzai. (ANI)

“Sikh tourism can help Pak earn 500 mln dlrs”

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:49:00 -0400

By promoting Sikh tourism and allowing Sikh tourists to land directly at the Lahore Airport, Pakistan can earn up to 500 million dollars per year, a visiting editor of a local paper in Amritsar, India, said in Lahore.

He said that around 20,000 Sikh pilgrims visited Pakistan each year to participate in four major religious events, but if Sikh tourism was promoted, the number could reach up to five lakh.

He said that if the Lahore Airport were opened for Sikhs, about half a million Sikhs would visit Pakistan every year. The Pakistan government was considering increasing the number of Sikh events in a year from four to nine, Brar said and added that the decision would enable thousands of Sikhs to visit Pakistan every month.

Baljit Singh Brar, the editor of daily ‘Aj Di Awaaz’ and monthly ‘Punjab Times’, is in Pakistan to visit Sikh religious sites, reported the Daily Times.

The Lahore Airport was better compared to the Amritsar Airport, Brar said and added that it would be beneficial to Sikh traders, who otherwise had to land at Delhi airport, which was quite a distance from Amritsar.

The Indo-Pak visa treaty, which restricts the issuance of tourist visas for travel between the countries, should be amended, he said an added that tourist visas should be given to applicants on a war footing basis in order to promote Sikh tourism in Pakistan. (ANI)

PPP leader Sherry Rehman on terrorists’ hit list

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:48:00 -0400

Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has advised PPP leader and federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Sherry Rehman to restrict her public movements as she was on terrorists’ hit list.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Interior, Rehman Malik had reportedly himself conveyed threat perceptions to Sherry to ensure her safety, saying that she was currently a prime target for terrorists.

He said that the federal interior ministry had advised her to restrict her public movements in light of the threat to her life.

She is on the hit list of a would-be suicide bomber, the Daily Time quoted official sources as saying.

Meanwhile, according to the paper, Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has placed all four provinces under a state of “high alert” following the Sunday’s suicide bombing in Islamabad and serial bomb blasts in Karachi on Monday. (ANI)

Pak intelligence report warns suicide bombers enter Islamabad, Lahore

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:47:00 -0400

Intelligence reports have suggested that at least three suicide bombers had entered into Islamabad with designs of carrying out attacks on important political and religious personalities.

Quoting such intelligence inputs, Pakistan TV channels reported that explosive-laden vehicles were present in the Punjab province, and that security has been beefed up there as a precautionary measure.

The Interior Ministry has banned the conduct of rallies and processions near sensitive places in Islamabad, reported the Daily Times.

According to the paper, the would-be suicide bombers have been identified as Alam Zeb, Sajid Moawia and Mujahid Hussain, and they belong to Lashkar-e-Abdullah of Parachinar in the Kurram Agency.

The report says that the local Taliban had formed suicide squads to be sent to Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, and law enforcement agencies had tightened security across the country, besides deploying additional forces to sensitive places. (ANI)

US Congress may not have time to pass Indo-US Nuke deal

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:46:00 -0400

Despite Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s daring effort of shunning his Left coalition partners and announcing going ahead with the Indo-US deal, it seems the US Congress may not be able to give its final approval, as it requires at least 30 days of continuous session to consider it which is not likely to happen in the days to come.

The US Congress’ stamp on the deal does not seem possible, since (because of the long August recess) less than 40 days are left before the US Congress session adjourns on Sept. 26, said a report in the Washington Post.

And, before that, India is to clear two more hurdles - completing an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); and securing approval from the 45 nations constituting the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) which governs trade in reactors and uranium.

“At this point, both [the IAEA and NSG actions] have to take place in the next couple of weeks for the deal to be considered by the US Congress,” said Lynne Weil, the spokeswoman for the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

But, the IAEA Board of Governors is not expected to take up the matter until August, whereas the NSG may take several months to reach a consensus, added the paper.

Now, with the near impossibility of US Congressional passage by year-end, officials and experts have begun to focus on the possibility that other countries such as France and Russia would rush in to make nuclear sales to India while US companies still face legal restrictions, added the paper.

But, a US State Department official, on the condition of anonymity, said that the Bush administration might pressure the US Congress not to thwart potential business opportunities for American companies. “It is the hidden force of this agreement It is US business that sees an opportunity,” the paper quoted him as saying.

In the event of the deal not getting passed by the US Congress and the US Presidential elections approach, New Delhi will have to wait for the results with fingers crossed. While Republican candidate John McCain is a strong supporter of the agreement, his Democratic rival Barack Obama, is more skeptical about the deal, said the paper.

It added that during the Congressional debate on the Hyde Act, Obama inserted language in the bill limiting the amount of nuclear fuel supplied to India from the United States to deter nuclear testing. (ANI)

Pak politicians acting as bystanders as country sits on powder keg

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:46:00 -0400

Politicians in Pakistan seem to be oblivious of the explosive situation Pakistan was currently going through, and taking advantage of this behavior of the political leaders, extremists have dared to enter into the main cities like Peshawar, said a report on the creeping Talibanisation of the NWFP, published in online magazine Salon.

It said the three senior most leaders in the present political set up in the country – PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and President Pervez Musharraf seem to be more interested in settling their old scores, by watching their self-interests.

“As usual, Pakistan''s political leaders are standing next to this powder keg with a fuse in one hand and a fire extinguisher in the other,” the Daily Times quoted the online report as saying.

It said: “Political Islamabad did not give the impression that Pakistan was facing one of the deepest crises in its history. For a country under attack from the Taliban, it seems a dangerous lack of focus. The power vacuum has been an invitation to the fundamentalists, and they are responding by advancing ever further into the border regions. They have moved down from the mountains and towards Peshawar, bringing pious messages and undisguised threats.”

It’s ironic to find that Islam is being “reinvented” in Peshawar of all places, a city which 2000 years ago was the centre of the Buddhist civilisation of Gandhara.

It quoted a politician from the PPP as saying: “I’m afraid that when the time comes, the inhabitants will simply go out and welcome the Taliban.” (ANI)

Indo-US ties in good shape ever, says Manmohan Singh after meeting Bush

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:45:00 -0400

On the sidelines of the ongoing G-8 summit in Hokkaido in Japan, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today met US President George W Bush.

After the meeting that lasted around 45 minutes at Hotel Windsor Toya, Dr. Singh told reporters that India’s relationship with the US has never been as good as it was now.

"Our relationship with the United States has never been in such good shape as it is today. I am very pleased with the state of our relationship," he said.

The Prime Minister also said that India and the US ''must stand shoulder to shoulder'' on pressing issues.

Bush said that they talked about the nuclear deal and ''how important it is for our respective countries''.

Congratulating the Prime Minister for his leadership, Bush said, “The deal to sell India nuclear fuel and technology is good for both nations, even though it has drawn fire in both countries.”

Meanwhile, reacting on the Left’s decision to withdraw support to the UPA Government, Dr. Singh said it would not affect his government.

Claiming that the UPA Government had worked out a viable political alternative, without mentioning the name of the Samajwadi Party, the Prime Minister said: "It (Left withdrawal of support) will not affect the stability of my government."

Earlier, immediately after arriving in Japan on Monday, the Prime Minister had announced that his government would go to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) soon to discuss a safeguards agreement with regard to the Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation deal.

This announcement of the Prime Minister particularly drew the Left parties to withdraw their support. Today they are scheduled to meet the President to submit their letter of withdrawal of support. (ANI)

Two Bangladeshi miscreants killed in encounter with police in Tripura

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:44:00 -0400

Two Bangladeshi miscreants were killed in encounter with police when they were trying sneak back to Bangladesh after attacking the village defense party (VDP) members at Aguniamura village under Sidhai police station in West Tripura District.

Inspector Santi Bhuiya, Officer In-charge of Sidhai police station said, “Two Bangladeshi miscreants who with some more had entered into India with intention of dacoity were killed in encounter with police”.

Police said that based on prior information of entering of a group of 10 to 12 Bangladeshi miscreants, for committing dacoity in bordering village Aguniamura, they laid an ambush. At around 1.30 a.m. the group of miscreants had come face to face with VDP members and attacked them with sharp weapons to which the VDP’s started shouting.

On hearing the shouting of VDP members, police personnel who were in the nearby ambush point rushed there and chased the Bangladeshi miscreants with members of the VDP.

At that time Bangladeshi miscreants again attacked the party to which police personnel also fired back in self-defense in which one of the miscreants received bullet injuries and died at the spot.

Taking advantage of the darkness and thick vegetation, other members of the gang fled towards Khalitamura, where they were confronted with another ambush party of police an as a result of firing another miscreant died with bullet injuries.

The deceased miscreants have been identified as on Manna Miah (45) while another Jamal Mian (35). Both from Kalikapur village under Madhabpur police station in Hobiganj district of Bangladesh.

Both the deceased miscreants were wanted here as earlier in several occasions they had crossed over to India and commit dacoity and cattle lifting in that area.

Angry villagers of that area has complained of their life being made miserable due to the activities of Bangladeshi miscreants who often break enter in to their house and demand for cash and valuable and if refused attack with sharp weapons.

When asked that inspite of barbed wire fencing how Bangladeshi miscreants cross into Indian territory they alleged that a section of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) allow these miscreants to enter in exchange of money.

Ranu Debnath a villager in whose house there was dacoity a few months back said, “We are facing lots of problem due to Bangladesh dacoits. Every day for safety in the evening we move out of this area and return in the morning. Dacoits often forcibly enter into our houses and demand gold ornament, cash and valuable things and if one dares to refuse is attacked with weapons. They (Bangladesh dacoits) enter by giving bribes to the BSF”.

India and Bangladesh has a total of 1096 km border of which Tripura has a share of 856 km. Inspite of fencing along the border smuggling and trans-border crime is rampant at many places. (ANI)

Afghan Government says spy agency behind Indian embassy blast

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:43:00 -0400

A spokesman of the Government of Afghanistan today said that the bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul had the hallmarks of a particular intelligence agency.

"The sophistication of this attack and the kind of material that was used in it, the specific targeting, everything has the hallmarks of a particular intelligence agency that has conducted similar terrorist acts inside Afghanistan in the past. So we have sufficient evidence to say that," Presidential Palace spokesman Humayun Hamidzada told a news conference a day after an attack which killed 41 people.

A suicide car bomb killed two Indian diplomats and two Indian guards. Many of the victims were people queuing for visas and shoppers at a nearby market. It was the deadliest attack in Kabul since U.S.-led and Afghan forces overthrew the Taliban in 2001.

Pakistan has denied the Afghan accusations and strongly condemned Monday''s attack. (ANI)

Obama aide signals shift on Iraq troop withdrawal

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:43:00 -0400

Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama has said that he will continue to refine his views and policies on all issues, including the one on troop withdrawals from Iraq.

"When I go to Iraq and have a chance to talk to some of the commanders on the ground, I am sure I''ll have more information and will continue to refine my policies," The Washington Times quoted Obama, as saying.

The McCain camp immediately responded by saying that: "It''s clear Obama is rightly trying to reverse the central premise of his campaign: his pledge to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq."

Obama campaign spokesman Robert Gibbs dropped further hints of a more gradual withdrawal strategy Monday, telling CNN, "Obviously you have to give commanders on the ground flexibility. We''d be crazy not to."

Signals of a coming change on his Iraq policy, plus shifts on other positions he has staked out in the primaries, have infuriated many of his leading liberal supporters in the past week.

Obama, whose candidacy was fuelled by his anti-war position on Iraq, has since softened the way he describes his pullout plan, saying he would be "as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in."

He began his campaign by calling for a total pullout, then changed that to all U.S. combat troops, which would leave thousands of other special forces behind.

In a lengthy telephone call last month with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama appeared to send a signal that his plan was far less rigid than he earlier suggested.

Zebari said Obama "reassured" him that he would do nothing to jeopardize Iraq''s security gains.

This and other statements by Obama advisers have convinced several top Democratic Iraq analysts that the senator is softening his withdrawal posture but is not willing to flatly say that for fear of alienating his large anti-war base of support. (ANI)