Friday, February 25, 2011
Youth Will Bring Revolution in Pakistan: Chairman Imran Khan
Chairman addresses thousands of students in Karachi, gets massive support:
February 22nd, 2011
Taimur Shaique Hussain Reporting from Karachi.
Addresses Students of Institute of Business Management (IoBM) and Iqra University Karachi Amidst Resounds of "Pakistan Zindabad and Imran Khan Zindabad
In keeping with the PTI’s stated objective of striving to improve the lot of Pakistan’s youth, Chairman PTI, Mr. Imran Khan, spoke today at both the CBM and the Iqra University in Karachi. The Chairman’s decision to address these gatherings speak volumes for his political vision and dexterity, since about 70% of our population comprises people below the age of 25 years, and these youth are undeniably the torch bearers of Pakistan’s future. Vibrant, charged, and somewhat dejected with status quo politics in Pakistan, the gatherings at both universities seemed to have embraced Imran’s message, and these facts are likely to have long term bearings on the outcome of politics in our country.
While resting the future with the youth, Imran Khan drew parallels with the happenings in Egypt, Libya, and Bahrain, where passionate public outcry has, in certain cases, overthrown autocratic, dummy regimes which had reigned for over 30 years despite widespread public discontent. The turnout at Iqra & CBM was somewhat indicative of PTI’s growing street power, and Imran mentioned that, as in the Middle East these days, if the people begin to throng the streets, not even the USA, the self-proclaimed “policeman of the world”, has powers enough to save a toppling regime!
The Chairman related from his own practical experiences as a sports star, a philanthropist, and a politician the qualities required to bring out the “leader” hidden within every single one of the 180 million Pakistanis. He mentioned that each one of us is concerned for the betterment of our nation and hoping desperately for a grassroots as well as top-level change. Imran Khan counted three main attributes that could convert every single Pakistani into a leader in his or her own sphere, “We all require to move ahead selflessly; strive to control the natural human instinct of fear; and embody the principle of justice for all within our own body politic.”
The PTI is cognizant of the fact that the expatriate Pakistani vote is probably about 100% in our bag. Pakistanis are generally hardworking, industrious, and results oriented people, and wherever provided a fair system and a level playing field, tend to outclass all other nationalities. The Chairman quoted that annual GDP of the expatriate lot is no less than US$ 200 billion, and while he plans to Insha Allah target about US$ 30 billion as FDI for Pakistan every year, the Kerry Luger funding that the present regime flaunts no end, brings into Pakistan only about US$ 1.5 billion.
The electric atmosphere, complete lack of security cover, slogan chanting, and undeniably large turnout all bear witness to the revolution that is PTI, and how progressively it is gaining grounds among our poor, youth, women, and minorities.
We feel a touch of pride in stating that Imran Khan’s tour of Karachi has been nothing short of a success and hundreds of students from both the university joined ISF and proved that Imran Khan's popularity is not limited to any region.
KAL TAK By Javed Choudry Views on Raymond Davis A American Killer
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Raymond’s CIA link has no bearing on trial: Farhatullah Babar
Raymond’s CIA link has no bearing on trial: Farhatullah Babar
LAHORE/TOKYO: Pakistan insisted on Tuesday that the courts would decide the fate of an American detained on murder charges, even after it was revealed he was a CIA contractor whom Washington says enjoys diplomatic immunity.
The case of 36-year-old Raymond Davis, a former US special forces officer, has strained the already-uneasy alliance between the United States and Pakistan, who are supposed to be united in the face of militants waging a war in Afghanistan.
Davis’ killing of two Pakistani men in Lahore last month has inflamed anti-US sentiment in Pakistan. His trial for murder beings on Friday, February 25.
The United States, however, says Davis has diplomatic immunity and should be released immediately. Davis says he acted in self defence against what he said were armed robbers, and is currently being held in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail where, despite tight security, some US officials fear for his life.
“The President has already stated that the matter is in the court and we will wait for the court decision in this case,” Farhatullah Babar, a spokesman for President Asif Ali Zardari told Reuters during an official visit to Japan.
“Regardless of whether he now turns out to be a CIA employee, the matter will be decided by the court.”
US sources in Washington closely following the case said on Monday Davis was a “protective officer” employed as a CIA contractor.
Davis’ duties were essentially as a bodyguard, to provide physical security to US Embassy and consular officers and visiting American dignitaries, US officials who declined to be identified told Reuters.
Officials strongly denied news reports alleging Davis was part of a covert CIA-led team of operatives conducting surveillance on militant groups.
US officials have complained for days that security conditions under which Davis has been held have put his life in grave danger. Pakistan said on Monday it was taking steps to keep Davis safe.
Two US sources familiar with the matter confirmed to Reuters that Davis, worked previously on contract as a security officer for Xe Services, a controversial private contractor formerly known as Blackwater.
Asked during a conference call with reporters about a link between Davis and the CIA, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said: “We will not comment on his particular activity in Pakistan other than to say he is a member of the administrative and technical staff of the embassy and has diplomatic immunity.”
“From that point…he enjoyed privileges and immunities against local criminal law, including inviolability of person, inviolability from arrest and detention, and immunity from criminal jurisdiction,” another senior US official said.
The official said the United States was trying to work out a diplomatic solution to the disagreement but noted it could take the matter to the International Court of Justice.
Crowley said the United States was not considering curtailing economic or military assistance to Pakistan to show its displeasure over Davis’ treatment.
Concerns over security
While some Pakistani officials have signalled they would like to back Davis’s immunity, the government so far has said local courts must decide. Last week, the Lahore court delayed a hearing on whether Davis had immunity until March 14, prolonging the diplomatic standoff and stoking concerns for his safety.
Prison sources in Lahore said surveillance cameras were monitoring the area where Davis has been locked in a cell isolated from other prisoners.
Thirty-six unarmed guards, who Pakistani officials say have been specially screened, are standing watch in shifts of eight.
Outside the Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore, where protesters have demanded Davis be publicly hanged, some 75 police officers, a team of provincial rangers and vehicles packed with elite forces were deployed.
Abdul Samad, a deputy prosecutor-general in Lahore, told Reuters the first hearing in Davis’ murder trial would be held inside the jail for “security reasons”.
The United States holds Pakistan’s government fully responsible for Davis’ safety, spokesman Crowley said.
Shooting incident
A US source familiar with other official reporting from Pakistan said that according to Davis’ account of the shooting incident, two men on a motorbike cornered him and pulled a gun on him as he was driving on a street in Lahore.
The source said Davis, believing his life was in danger, drew his weapon and shot the men through the window of his car. At some point, the source said, Davis got out of his car and used his mobile phone to take pictures of the assailants.
He took the pictures to corroborate his story about what had happened, the source said.
US sources denied reports and rumours in Pakistan suggesting Davis’ assailants had some connection with Pakistan’s principal intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, also known as the ISI.
With cooperation from ISI elements, the US government, including the CIA, has for the past several years been attacking militants in Pakistani tribal areas using missiles fired from remotely piloted drone aircraft.
Relations between ISI and its US counterparts have deteriorated since an incident last year in which the name of the CIA’s undercover station chief in Pakistan was leaked to local media, resulting in the official having to make a hasty exit from the country.
Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Sath on Sheikh Rasheed - 24-2-2010 Part 01
Sunday, February 20, 2011
A Diplomatic Tangle
UNDER the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Immunity and Privileges (1961), diplomats and their family members can be charged with crimes but are immune from criminal prosecution and civil liability. In some cases, they can be expelled from the country where they are posted.
In January 2001, a Russian diplomat was accused of killing a woman in Ottawa, driving whilst drunk. The accident happened as Mr Andrei Knyazev, first secretary at the Russian embassy in Ottawa, was returning from an ice-fishing party. He lost control of his car and mounted the pavement, killing 50-year-old lawyer Catherine McLean, and severely injuring her friend, Catherine Dore.
The low-level diplomat Andrey Knyazev was charged with criminal negligence causing death, impaired driving, failing to provide a breath sample and criminal negligence causing bodily harm. However, Mr Knyazev immediately claimed diplomatic immunity and Russia denied Canada`s request to lift it asserting that the diplomat would be prosecuted in his own country. On return to Russia Mr Knyazev was jailed for four years.
At a news conference in Ottawa, soon after the incident, Russia`s ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, stated how “profoundly shocked and extremely upset” he was by the incident. However, he insisted that his country had every right to use diplomatic immunity and urged Canadians not to judge all Russians on the actions of one man.
The case of the Russian diplomat is not an isolated incident. Such incidents occur in every country and involve diplomats from around the world. Between 1999 and 2004, according to released British government records, 122 serious offences were allegedly committed by diplomatic staff.
These include allegations of murder by a Colombian diplomat, two counts of indecent assault from South Africa — including an incident of drunken groping — and Moroccan embassy officials accused of rape and child abuse. In May 2010, South Korea and Ukraine were involved in a diplomatic row over whether or not the Ukrainian ambassador to Seoul caused a serious traffic incident while under the influence of alcohol.
Every country, including the United States, has always chosen to abide by the Vienna Convention although every country states it wishes to maintain sovereignty and control within its territory. This is because the Vienna Convention is not a laundry list of items where we can pick and choose the rules and regulations we like. Rather the Vienna Convention on diplomatic immunity includes guidelines laid down for all countries to follow and abide by.
Only if we follow these guidelines and respect the diplomatic privileges and immunities of foreign diplomats will those of our own diplomats abroad be protected. The question of immunity rests between the foreign ministries of the two countries and does not involve courts of law. One country confers diplomatic immunity by sending someone abroad on a diplomatic passport and the other accepts it by granting a diplomat a visa.
In 1977, when a US diplomat killed an Australian government worker in a Canberra traffic accident the diplomat was sent home without trial. In 1997, a drunk Georgian diplomat killed a 16-year-old girl in New York with his reckless driving and the US requested a waiver from immunity for him. In this case the Georgian government withdrew his diplomatic immunity.
The diplomat was sentenced for seven to 21 years but was transferred back to Georgia after serving three years. In 1984, a British constable Yvonne Fletcher was apparently shot dead by Libyan embassy staff in London in 1984. Diplomatic immunity shielded the staff though it led to Britain breaking off diplomatic relations with Libya. Fifteen years later, as part of a package designed to restore normal relations, Libya accepted “general responsibility” and paid compensation.
As with many other countries, Pakistan has also used diplomatic immunity to protect its diplomats across the world. In 1975, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto withdrew an ambassador from a European country without allowing prosecution when heroin was discovered in his suitcase.
In January 2003, the State Department asked Pakistan to withdraw the diplomatic immunity of its permanent representative to the UN, Munir Akram, after New York City prosecutors sought to bring misdemeanour assault charges against him as a result of a quarrel with his girlfriend, Marjiana Mihic, who claimed that after an argument with Mr Akram, when she tried to leave, he assaulted and injured her.
The US State department demanded the withdrawal of immunity, the Pakistanis invoked it. The incident was resolved when the girlfriend withdrew her charges.
This leads us to the current case of American Raymond Davis who shot two people ostensibly trying to rob him. Without getting into whether or not Davis should have been carrying a gun and what the circumstances of the shooting were, if, as our interior minister has confirmed in the Senate on Feb 2, he holds a diplomatic passport this grants him immunity from prosecution for any civil or criminal offences.
If we adhere to international law not only should Pakistan release him but, as a diplomat, he should not have been arrested in the first place. National pride and cries of ghairat should not lead us to lose sight of the key point here, i.e. diplomatic immunity covers all aspects of civil and criminal conduct, including murder.
If this nation was a responsible member of the international community led by reasonable people, we would have protested the actions of Davis and demanded that the US take action against him. But being infused with a disproportionate amount of ghairat and only a limited quantum of reason we have chosen to create a diplomatic standoff with the United States which we will ultimately lose if it is found that international law stands against our stance. Rantings and ravings by our media ghairatwallahs will neither enhance our international standing nor change facts.
Probe finds connection between Davis, drone attacks
KARACHI: Investigation teams were astonished to learn about Raymond Davis’s alleged connections in North Waziristan, sources told DawnNews.
Sources have revealed that a GPS chip recovered from Davis was being used in identifying targets for drone attacks in the tribal region.
It was also learnt during the probe that Davis made upto 12 visits to the tribal areas without informing Pakistani officials.
The 36- year-old US official was reluctant in giving out information about his visits to the tribal region, sources added.
The US Embassy officials were exerting pressure on the authorities, asking them not to expose the information received from Davis.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has shared the investigation and the possessions recovered from Davis with the federal government, said sources.
Davis spat: US makes moves to repair relations
ISLAMABAD: The United States has revived its high-level engagement with Pakistan after keeping it suspended for almost a fortnight because of the impasse over immunity for its jailed staffer Raymond Davis.
Observers interpreted the resumption of contacts as an attempt by the US to tone down the rhetoric so that prospects for a settlement through blood money or some other ‘out of the box solution’ got a boost.
Pressure from extremist and rightwing political groups on the bereaved families for spurning any compensation offer, however, remains the sticking point, even though both sides have largely agreed to work together towards ending the ominous stalemate, according to sources.
The resumption of contacts was marked by the visit of a ‘junior’ US Congressional delegation, led by Senator Robert Corker, a member of the Senate committee on foreign relations. Other legislators in his delegation included members of the committees on armed services and budget.
Marc Grossman, the newly-appointed US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, would also be visiting Pakistan in the first week of next month. But, more importantly, the Americans have reaffirmed their commitment to deliver on the pledges for economic and security assistance.
The reset in Pak-US ties, which many had believed to have reached their nadir during the diplomatic spat over immunity for Davis, followed a visit to Islamabad last week by John Kerry, the influential chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Mr Kerry’s trip was described by both sides as a “relationship saving” mission instead of what was widely tipped as an attempt to save Davis.
Both sides, a top diplomatic source revealed, had during Senator Kerry’s visit agreed on the need for sending out feel-good messages to ensure a solution. “Public messaging has changed for the better and would become even better in coming days,” a Pakistani diplomat told Dawn.
Things now appear to be moving according to the step-by-step approach agreed between the two sides during Mr Kerry’s visit.
The Americans realise that some ‘out of the box’ solution would have to be found for an issue that had taken to its peak an already high anti-Americanism in Pakistan, the source said. “The government’s request for more time from the Lahore High Court to testify on Davis’s status is meant to buy more space for the US to settle the issue with the heirs of the victims.”
Another source at the delegation’s meeting with Prime Minister Gilani disclosed that the tone of American functionaries had changed greatly.
Mr Gilani, during an interaction with the American legislators, welcomed “the positive messaging emanating from both sides and emphasised that these should continue and go beyond the Davis incident in order to build upon the strategic partnership as well as the trust and confidence between the two countries”.
The prime minister expressed the hope that the US would remain focussed on shared objectives of defeating terrorists and extremists, besides restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
While doing so, the premier stressed the US should not allow any irritant to distract them.
A common aspect of Congressmen’s meetings with both President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani was that they discussed a wide range of issues, instead of focusing just on Davis. Moreover, there was a renewed acknowledgement of Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on terror and the importance of cementing the strategic relationship – some of the components in relations that were lost in the vociferous debate over immunity for Davis.
THE SPOILERS: Although it looks very clear that after weeks of standoff, both countries are now seriously trying to defuse the situation, circles close to the government are wary of the posture taken by right wingers and militant groups.
Prime Minister Gilani, during Mr Kerry’s visit, had floated the idea of settling the dispute through blood money and efforts had been initiated in that direction. Right wing political groups and militant elements, sources say, are now creating hurdles by pressuring the bereaved families to insist on Davis’s trial and reject any compensation offer.
The Americans have also raised the matter at the highest level with the Pakistan government. The US embassy, in one of its latest communications, identified groups blocking the reparation effort and, according to one source, the Lashkar-i-Taiba is among them.
Azizi Investigation Raymond Davis Case, Lahore Police, Alarming Situation, Special Interview
Azizi Investigation Raymond Davis Case, Lahore Police, Alarming Situation, Special Interview
Special For Dr.Afia Siddiqui ( JHELUM JAMIAT )
Special For Dr.Afia Siddiqui
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui with Raymond Davis - Voice of Pakistani Nation
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui a graduate of MIT allegedly fired at US marines in Afghanistan, trying to escape her captors after several years of rape and abuse. Her three children faced a similar fate in Baghram prison run by the Americans. During the trial the defense was not able to find any evidence of firing or bullets, and the frail and beaten up Aafia she supposedly overcame a strong US Marine. Ms. Siddiqui’s please of self defense, were not accepted, she was tried and convicted in a US court of law and the US has not extradited her back to Pakistan.
Raymond Davis a US citizen fired at innocent motorcycle riders in Lahore and is now in the custody facing trial in Lahore. Raymond Davis the American told a Pakistani court on Friday that he had acted in self-defence after fleeing what he said was a robbery attempt. Ignoring US pressure Mr. Davis he has been remanded in police custody for six days for questioning– in a province whose government is run by Mr. Nawaz Sharif, who is not considered very Pro-American. A third Pakistani bystander was brutally run over by a US Embassy car. The US has been rebuffed and Pakistan will try him in a court of law. Islamabad so far has not recognized Raymond Davis as a diplomat.
At least in public the PPPP government is putting forward a brave front saying that “American influence would not be allowed to affect the criminal proceedings”.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Davis not entitled to diplomatic immunity: Justice Wajihuddin
THE NEWS
Friday, February 18, 2011
KARACHI: Justice (retired) Wajihuddin Ahmed of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf categorically stated that Raymond Davis did not enjoy diplomatic immunity as he had not been issued a diplomatic card by the host country which was mandatory as per international law.
He said this while talking to the media at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Thursday.
He drew attention of the media to the controversy about the real name of the person being referred to as Raymond Davis and said that even President Obama had not named the double murder-accused. As such, he queried, how a person about whose very name and identity there were doubts, could claim diplomatic immunity.
He said that people must not have forgotten that the judiciary was also reinstated through a long march and people would come out from every corner as did the people of Tunisia and other Middle Eastern Countries took to the streets.
He said it was a serious issue and only head of the mission was granted diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961.
Replying to a question as to what the stance of the PTI would be in case the President or the Prime Minister, exercising their discretionary powers, ordered Davis’s release, he said that case should be examined under International Convention and circumstantial evidence be also examined. Furthermore he said that the court be given a fair opportunity and an open trial should be conducted which should be accessible to the International community as well.
To another question regarding the role of Foreign Office in this connection, he said that it was Raymond Davis’s tenth visit to the country and asked as to why the Foreign Office had declared just seven days before the incident that a controversial person like Davis had a diplomatic passport.
Long march: Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has warned of a long march in the country if high officials of the government ordered release of Raymond Davis allegedly involved in what they said was the cold-blooded murder of two Pakistanis last month.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has decided to stage a sit-in at Mozang Chowk, Lahore, on Friday in protest against the possible release of Raymond Davis by whose firing two people were killed in a broad daylight. The PTI also announced to continue this protest every Friday till the issue pending in the court was resolved under the law.
According to the law, Justice Wajihuddin said, that a person should only be tried in the courts of the country where he/she had committed offence. He also quoted the statement of US President Obama who himself refrained from naming Davis and referred to him as ‘this person’ and claimed that under the Vienna Convention, 1961, technical staff did not enjoy immunity. At this moment he also presented a chart of Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, and quoted Article 1(B) which has two categories head of the mission and members of the staff of the mission and he falls in the second category which does not enjoy immunity.
He said Davis was a former military man connected with a security network and never had any diplomatic assignment accorded to him and added that in such blatant cases application of international conventions could only be determined by a court sitting at the location.
Suppose, he said, Davis did enjoy immunity, still, under the Vienna Convention he would be entitled to immunity if the offence was committed within the premises of that consulate/diplomatic mission. No international law, he said, gave protection to the cold-blooded, daylight murder in a public place.
Justice, Humanity and Self Esteam
'A Muslim is a Muslim: the terms extremist and moderate apply only to a man's political views, not to his religious beliefs' -- Imran Khan