Pakistani Taliban confirm peace talks with Islamabad

PESHAWAR: The deputy commander of the Pakistan Taliban, who have been waging a four-year war against the government in Islamabad, confirmed the two sides were in peace talks.

“Our talks are going in the right direction,” Maulvi Faqir Mohammad, the commander of the Pakistani Taliban in the Bajaur tribal agency and the No. 2 commander overall, told Reuters.

“If negotiations succeed and we are able to sign a peace agreement in Bajaur, then the government and the Taliban of other areas such as Swat, Mohmand, Orakzai and South Waziristan tribal region will sign an agreement. Bajaur will be a role model for other areas.”

At the end of September, Pakistan’s government pledged to “give peace a chance” and talk with its homegrown militants.

There was no immediate comment from the administration on whether talks were actually taking place with the militants.

The United States is unlikely to look kindly on peace talks with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it has labelled a terrorist group.

Past peace pacts with the TTP have failed to bring stability, and merely gave the umbrella group time and space to consolidate, launch fresh attacks and impose their austere version of religion on segments of the population.

Mohammad said Pakistan had released 145 members of the group as a gesture of goodwill, and the militants had pledged a cease-fire.

He heads the TTP faction based in Bajaur, at the northeast end of the Pashtun belt along the border. He is known to be close to Al Qaeda.

Mohammad was believed to have been behind several attacks on Pakistani security forces. The army launched an offensive in Bajaur in August last year and largely cleared the region after months of at times heavy fighting.

Nawaz vows to unveil Benazir’s killers

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif addresses the public gathering at Airport Road in Larkana on Saturday. – Photo by APP

NAUDERO: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Saturday vowed to unveil those behind the murder of Benazir Bhutto, DawnNews reported.

Talking to media, after laying floral wreath and offering prayers at the grave of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bux, Nawaz said that he had finished ‘no-go-area’ of Larkana today and the next to end was in Karachi.

He said government had failed to unveil the culprits behind the murder and vowed to bring the murders of his ‘sister’ to justice once he was in power.

He said no political statements would be issued here, otherwise his opponents would blame him for making political mileage.

“I have not used Sindh card by holding gathering in Larkana as I have only one card that is Pakistani card,” he added.

The party chief also offered condolences with Ahmed Ali Mirani, elder brother of Major Mujahid Ali Mirani, who was killed during November 26 Nato strike in Mohmand agency.

Sharif frowned over Pakistan’s airbases being used to attack its own people in northern areas. He said that he did not trust government-constituted commissions as the commission constituted to probe PNS Mehran base attack had done nothing so far.

Nawaz Sharif further said his party firmly support army’s principled stance of declaring the Nato strike a deliberate act.

To a question whether President Zardari was suffering from political disease or real disease, he said ‘some disease’ and declined to offer more comments.

Earlier speaking at a public gathering in Larkana, the PML-N chief said “Sindh is changing, Pakistan is changing and Larkana is also changing.”

Nawaz also said those who ran away leaving behind the dead body of Benazir Bhutto had now become ministers.

He said he had promised Benazir to work with her for Pakistan’s prosperity but the current government did not implement the Charter of Democracy.

He further said the government had not been able to help the people affected by the floods. “If Sindh can not help the flood victims then Punjab will come to their aid,” he added.

The PML-N chief said his party did not know how to run away after fetching votes and would work for Pakistan’s prosperity.

He said if the PML-N would come into the power it would abolish ‘dakoo-raj’ and would provide employment to the people.

Gilani warns of ‘detrimental response’ to border attacks

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani talks to Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.—APP File photo

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday warned the US and its Nato allies that any future cross-border attack would meet with a “detrimental response.”

US-Pakistani relations plunged to a new low last month after a cross-border Nato air strike which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

Gilani made the comments while meeting army chief of staff General Ashfaq Kayani, the prime minister’s secretariat said in a statement.

“The democratic government would not allow similar attack on the country’s sovereignty and any attempt in future will definitely meet the detrimental response,” the statement quoted Gilani as saying.

Pakistani security officials earlier said they had upgraded the air defence system on the Afghan border to make it capable of shooting down aircraft.

Kayani informed the prime minister of the steps taken on the western boarders to revamp defence capabilities aimed at effectively countering any future incursion into Pakistani territory.

“The government and the people of Pakistan were ready to provide the armed forces all the necessary resources to bolster its defence and professional capabilities,” Gilani said.

Pakistan shut its border to Nato supply convoys on November 26, hours after the deadliest single cross-border attack of the 10-year war in Afghanistan.

The government also ordered the United States to leave the Shamsi air base in the southwest, widely reported to be a hub in the covert CIA drone war against the Taliban and al Qaeda in Pakistan’s border area with Afghanistan.

According to sources the Shamsi base has been vacated completely by the US forces on Friday. UAE officials were expected to take charge of the base from Saturday.

The November 26 attack brought the fragile Pakistani-US alliance to a fresh low, already reeling from a covert American raid that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden near the Pakistani capital on May 2.

PIA loss exceeds to Rs 100 billion: NA body told

The NA’s standing committee of defence was also informed about induction of new aircraft into the airline fleet by March-April next year. – Fila Photo by AFP

ISLAMABAD: The accumulative loss of national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has exceeded to Rs 100 billion, it was informed at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence here in the Parliament House on Friday.

The meeting, chaired by MNA Nawab Abdul Ghani Talpur, was also told that new aircraft will be included in the PIA during March- April, 2012.

The committee was apprised on the overall working of PIA and Haj operation and was informed that pilgrims were treated as international passengers and the waiting time at airport for traveling to Saudi Arabia was reduced to six hours this year.

PIA also presented an appreciation certificate given to them by CAA of Saudi Arabia on their performance during Haj 2011.

It was admitted that there was lot of room for improvement yet all that was portrayed in media was not true.

The managing director of PIA apologised for his statement reported in the media that “Pilgrims should be thankful for traveling in aircraft rather on camels.”

The committee members stressed that negotiation with Saudi Arabia should be started now for making better arrangements for next Haj season.

PIA was also asked about the implementation status of previous recommendations of the committee.

The members stressed for results and it was decided that another meeting of the standing committee will be convened on December 23, in which the secretary of Defence and managing director of PIA will submit a performance report.

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‘Zardari says he’s fine, vows to return soon’

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari is “fine” and will return home soon, a news anchor quoted him as saying on Friday, nearly a week after his rush to a Dubai hospital led to speculation the unpopular leader might resign and even of a possible coup.

“I’m fine and will return soon,” Zardari reportedly told Hamid Mir, a popular news anchor, who repeated the comments on state television.

“I did not want to leave. My children and friends and the prime minister insisted that I go for a checkup,” President Zardari said.

The issue of the president’s health has gripped Islamabad, exacerbating a series of cascading crises.

News media, bloggers and analysts have openly speculated that Zardari would resign or that a coup was afoot.

Zardari seemed to acknowledge the speculation.

“Those that run from the country run with their kids,” Mir quoted the president as saying.

“My son is in Pakistan. I left him there.”

“My enemies will be disappointed.”

Zardari likely suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA), sources said on Friday, which can produce stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage to the brain.

According to the US National Institute of Health web site, a TIA occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain stops for a short period of time.

It can produce “stroke-like” symptoms for up to two hours.

“The MRI is clear, but we suspect it may have been that (a TIA)”, said one party official who requested anonymity.

TIAs can be precursors to actual strokes if not quickly treated, which usually include blood thinners to reduce clotting.

Zardari suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes and has been under heavy pressure in recent weeks following the resignation of the ambassador to Washington over an alleged memo to the Pentagon asking for help in forestalling a feared coup attempt in May.

That political saga immediately preceded a low-point in relations with the United States after a November 26 cross-border Nato air attack killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

The extent of Zardari’s possible involvement in the memo case is a burning question in Pakistan, where the military dominates, setting security and foreign policy.

Zardari had been due to address parliament this week after the Supreme Court admitted an opposition leader’s petition demanding a judicial inquiry into the memo issue, including any role played by Zardari.

That address has now been postponed.

The government ended up fuelling the rumour-mill by offering different explanations for Zardari’s trip to Dubai, initially saying it was previously scheduled routine medical tests.

Then the prime minister’s media office said he went to get treatment for a “pre-existing heart condition.”

TOP NEWS FROM PAKISTAN: Khar, Munter discuss Pak-US relations

TOP NEWS FROM PAKISTAN: Khar, Munter discuss Pak-US relations: ISLAMABAD: US ambassador Cameron Munter called on Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Friday and discussed current status of bilatera...

Khar, Munter discuss Pak-US relations

ISLAMABAD: US ambassador Cameron Munter called on Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Friday and discussed current status of bilateral relations between Pakistan and the United States.

The Foreign Minister said that relations between the two countries must be based on mutual respect. She added that the recent incidents had led to the re-evaluation of terms of engagement.

The US Ambassador assured the Foreign Minister of an early conclusion of the investigation into the tragic incident on November 26 and to work together with the Government of Pakistan to normalize the relationship at the earliest.