M WAQAR..... "A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary.Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death." --Albert Einstein !!! NEWS,ARTICLES,EDITORIALS,MUSIC... Ze chi pe mayeen yum da agha pukhtunistan de.....(Liberal,Progressive,Secular World.)''Secularism is not against religion; it is the message of humanity.'' تل ده وی پثتونستآن
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
EDITORIAL - GOP blunders into foreign policy
A letter by 47 U.S. Republican senators to the government of Iran has backfired spectacularly. Ostensibly, the letter was intended to warn Tehran of opposition to the nuclear deal that is being negotiated with Washington and five other governments — Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia. It has instead exposed the Senate Republicans as irresponsible amateurs in the practice of foreign policy and introduced partisan politics into the discussion of the deal, fracturing the opposition that is needed if the skeptics’ view is to prevail.
The “P5+1″ negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program are heading toward a final conclusion. The talks now have a deadline for the end of this month, a date that is likely to stick having been twice moved back. The particulars of a deal remain unknown, but the final document will restrict Iranian capabilities without eliminating them completely. Iran’s ratification of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) permits the country to possess a peaceful nuclear program and Tehran has warned that it will maintain that right as an assertion of its sovereignty.
For some, that is impermissible, the terms of the NPT be damned. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees any nuclear capacity in Iran — no matter what the size or purpose — as unacceptable and he used his speech to a joint session of Congress two weeks ago to hammer home that point. While Netanyahu sees any Iranian nuclear capability as an existential threat to his country, he provided no alternative means to cap Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The GOP senators share Netanyahu’s fears, and yet have the same poverty of ideas when it comes to ways to otherwise deal with Tehran. Instead, they took the unprecedented step to publicly warn Tehran that any deal signed by President Barack Obama could be modified by Congress or reversed by a future U.S. president. In so doing, they have undermined their position on the deal and badly damaged their international status.
The conduct of foreign policy is the province of the U.S. president. Congress has a variety of roles to play in that process — ratifying treaties, providing advice and consent on the nomination of ambassadors, funding the foreign policy apparatus — but the day to day operations of diplomacy and international engagement, negotiations in particular, are the preserve of the executive branch. The interjection of GOP senators into ongoing negotiations in a way that is explicitly designed to undercut the official U.S. government position has been variously described as “a stunning breach of protocol,” “mutinous” and even “traitorous.” Without doubt, a similar foray by Democratic senators that undercut negotiations being conducted by a GOP president would provoke howling denunciations by these very signatories.
What should be more troubling to the signatories is the damage they have done to their cause. There is bipartisan opposition to the nuclear deal, but the way that the GOP rejectionists have chosen to act is designed to undermine Obama, and that rankles Democrats who might otherwise share Republican concerns about the deal. As a result, opposition to the negotiations looks partisan rather than an assessment of the merits of the negotiations — the outcome of which, after all, is not yet clear.
And since the negotiations are multilateral — not just between the U.S. and Iran — the GOP letter has undercut the party’s credibility with those other negotiating partners as well as “risks undermining the confidence that foreign governments in thousands of important agreements commit to,” explained Secretary of State John Kerry in testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week.
That credibility was also damaged by the fact that the Senate cannot modify an executive agreement signed by the president and his international counterpart. In other words, the GOP senators’ understanding of their own power is wrong.
Finally, there is widespread agreement that Iran is ready to make a deal because of the pain that has been imposed by international sanctions. The threat of continued or even heightened sanctions is the most powerful inducement to a successful outcome. But sanctions must be multilateral to succeed. If there is a suspicion that the U.S. is not negotiating in good faith — as the GOP position suggests — then the international unity that makes sanctions possible will erode and with it the best hope to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear capability.
In the face of a strong domestic and international backlash, GOP leaders have suggested that they may have acted hastily — some senators said they signed the letter in a rush to get out of town before a snowstorm — or, in more candid moments, conceded that the letter was a mistake. The bell cannot be unrung, however, and the U.S. must again struggle to heal a self-inflicted wound. This is no way to conduct foreign policy and it augurs poorly for a party that seeks to regain the White House in 2016.
Putin derision reflects West’s rash policies
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Kyrgyz head of state Almazbek Atambayev on Monday, ending speculation about his non-appearance since March 5.
Putin is depicted as a dictator in Western rhetoric. His disappearance was headline news in the Western media and was made more suspicious as a meeting with the Kazak president was canceled. Numerous rumors such as ill-health, childbirth or even a palace coup were launched, just to demonize Putin.
Russia and the West have been in direct confrontation. Putin is a tough leader of Russia. He is bound to be the subject of Western speculation whenever there are signs the West deems as abnormal.
The West claims that everything could be attributed to Russia's "autocracy" and lack of freedom of speech.
In the world today, a leader of a country such as Russia which shares hostility with the US needs to put his personal reputation on the line. Since Mikhail Gorbachev, the Kremlin has had three leaders - Boris Yeltsin, Putin and Dmitry Medvedev. Gorbachev led to the fall of the Soviet Union and thus enjoys a favorable reputation in the West. Yeltsin tried to bring Russia closer to the West, although he failed, and the West seems tolerant of him.
Putin took over the reins of a country that was not accepted by the West but was irritated by NATO expansion. Is a tough Putin the reason why Russia has gradually shifted away from the West, or is a hard-line Putin the result of a suppressed Russia? This is an interesting question.
But the West has no interest in thinking about this. Western opinion would rather label Putin as a "devil," which is easy for the West to do. Many Westerners believe that if Russia changes its leadership, Russia will embark on a different path. Such views are perhaps too simplistic.
As the US aims to break down Russia's strategic deterrence against the US and make it its follower, it is the West that determines Russia's national disposition. Putin's character follows this pattern.
To a large extent, Russian foreign policy is the outcome of the West's Russia policy. Russia's vast territory and abundant resources give it the determination to confront Washington.
As a third party, China has seen the weakness of the West's Russia policy. The foreign policies of the US and some European powers are made rashly and stubbornly. In some cases, the policies don't reflect serious national interests. Dealing with the West is not always a rational game.
China may benefit from the confrontation between the West and Russia in promoting its diplomatic strategies. The West is incapable of making a major shift in its Russia policy as it is still stuck in the mentality and ideology of the Cold War.
Putin is depicted as a dictator in Western rhetoric. His disappearance was headline news in the Western media and was made more suspicious as a meeting with the Kazak president was canceled. Numerous rumors such as ill-health, childbirth or even a palace coup were launched, just to demonize Putin.
Russia and the West have been in direct confrontation. Putin is a tough leader of Russia. He is bound to be the subject of Western speculation whenever there are signs the West deems as abnormal.
The West claims that everything could be attributed to Russia's "autocracy" and lack of freedom of speech.
In the world today, a leader of a country such as Russia which shares hostility with the US needs to put his personal reputation on the line. Since Mikhail Gorbachev, the Kremlin has had three leaders - Boris Yeltsin, Putin and Dmitry Medvedev. Gorbachev led to the fall of the Soviet Union and thus enjoys a favorable reputation in the West. Yeltsin tried to bring Russia closer to the West, although he failed, and the West seems tolerant of him.
Putin took over the reins of a country that was not accepted by the West but was irritated by NATO expansion. Is a tough Putin the reason why Russia has gradually shifted away from the West, or is a hard-line Putin the result of a suppressed Russia? This is an interesting question.
But the West has no interest in thinking about this. Western opinion would rather label Putin as a "devil," which is easy for the West to do. Many Westerners believe that if Russia changes its leadership, Russia will embark on a different path. Such views are perhaps too simplistic.
As the US aims to break down Russia's strategic deterrence against the US and make it its follower, it is the West that determines Russia's national disposition. Putin's character follows this pattern.
To a large extent, Russian foreign policy is the outcome of the West's Russia policy. Russia's vast territory and abundant resources give it the determination to confront Washington.
As a third party, China has seen the weakness of the West's Russia policy. The foreign policies of the US and some European powers are made rashly and stubbornly. In some cases, the policies don't reflect serious national interests. Dealing with the West is not always a rational game.
China may benefit from the confrontation between the West and Russia in promoting its diplomatic strategies. The West is incapable of making a major shift in its Russia policy as it is still stuck in the mentality and ideology of the Cold War.
Xi meets with Kissinger, calls for more trust between China, U.S.
Maduro Sends Letter to Putin: 'Venezuela is Your Home'
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed confidence that Caracas and Moscow can achieve more than they have over the past 61 years of diplomatic relations.
Caracas is ready to cooperate closely with Moscow within the framework of the UN Security Council, and hopes that the Russian head of state will pay Venezuela a visit, the country's President Nicolas Maduro said in a letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Venezuela became a new non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in October 2014 and will serve to the end of 2016.
"Again I confirm our willingness to work in close coordination with your Government within the framework of the Security Council and other UN organizations to contribute to international justice and world peace, while defending the dignity of our people," Maduro said.
The Venezuelan leader expressed confidence that Caracas and Moscow can achieve more than they have over the past 61 years of diplomatic relations.
"I hope we can meet here [in Caracas] soon. You should know that this is your home," Maduro wrote to Putin.
Venezuela has supported Russia's stance on many issues in international politics, including the crisis in Ukraine and in the Middle East.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/politics/20150317/1019610177.html#ixzz3UhEXGITU
Pakistan - Justice for APS: Shuhada Ghazi Forum gives 24-hour deadline to government
Three months after the tragic Army Public School massacre, relatives of students and staff killed, students and social activists still await answers about the brutal act. At a protest against the federal government and security forces on Monday, the protesters gave the government a 24-hour deadline to bring the perpetrators of the terrorist attack to justice.
The protest rally started at Peshawar Press Club, passed through Saddar Road and culminated at Stadium Chowk. The protesters were holding placards and banners carrying pictures of the slain schoolchildren and demanded Nishan-e-Haider awards for them.
Another protest call was made for outside the CM House on March 19.
Before the rally started, Shuhada Ghazi Forum General Secretary Ajun Khan said, “Three months have passed but we still don’t have any clue of the killers’ identities and their accomplices.” Khan said the Peshawar corps commander is responsible for the security lapse which led to the deaths of hundreds of students.
The forum members gave a 24-hour ultimatum to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to expose all “internal and external elements” involved in the heinous crime or the forum will protest outside the CM House and the Supreme Court in Islamabad.
“In our country, justice cannot be secured without protests,” said Khan, “We will contact the United Nations for justice if our own government cannot provide justice to the victims’ families even after protests.” The families of deceased children refused to accept the highest civilian award, the Tamgah-e-Shujaat, and demanded the highest military award, Nishan-e-Haider instead.
According to the families they would accept no other award and if the government needs to amend the Constitution to award the children and teachers Nishan-e-Haider, it should do so. On December 16, last year, armed militants laid siege to the army-run school for several hours and killed 151 people, most of them schoolchildren.
Gunmen kill two women polio workers, policeman in Pakistan
Gunmen on Tuesday killed two female polio workers and a police guard in northwest Pakistan, the latest in a spate of deadly attacks on the immunisation teams.
Police said two attackers fired at the workers as they gave polio drops to children in the mountainous Sheikhabad area, 60 kilometres (37 miles) northeast of the city of Mansehra.
"The two-member team was administering polio drops in an Afghan refugee camp and its surrounding areas when two gunmen opened fire on them, killing one lady worker and a policeman and wounding another lady worker and a passer-by," local police chief Muhammad Ejaz Khan told AFP.
He said the second woman polio worker later died of her wounds.
Another senior local police official, Akhtar Hayat, confirmed the incident and casualties.
Pakistan is one of only three countries where polio remains endemic. Attempts to eradicate it have been badly hit by militant attacks on immunisation teams that have claimed 77 lives since December 2012.
The militants claim the polio vaccination drive is a front for espionage or a conspiracy to sterilise Muslims.
Last year the number of polio cases recorded in Pakistan soared to 306, the highest in 14 years.
Pakistan - #LahoreBlast - Tipping Point
The protests and riots that spread across the cities of northern Punjab were ostensibly sparked off by the twin church bombings in Lahore by the Taliban; they may be the immediate trigger, but the spontaneous – and uncharacteristic - outrage displayed by the Christian community betrays a deeper issue: the fact that the Christian minority in Pakistan has been increasingly alienated by successive governments.
The anger was not directed at the Taliban but towards a government that had failed to protect them. The protests represent decades’ worth of persecution that the minority has to face. The Christian community has invariably been bearing the brunt of the blasphemy law; mostly on trumped up charges. Horrific acts such as the lynching of a couple in Kot Radha Krishan and the razing of a hundred houses at the hands of a mob in Joseph Colony are a regular feature. Despite these incidents, only when the government’s apathy had reached breaking point did the community react. Almost inevitably, the investigations into such incidents are quietly forgotten and the police are let off with a slap on the wrist. When they try to raise a voice against such oppression, their champions are murdered and the state lets the killers walk free.
The mob that lynched a common glasscutter, thinking him a militant, and the subsequent one that rampaged through parts of several cities are in the wrong, surely. Their behaviour cannot be justified, but we have to realize that it is the government’s actions that lead the desperate and frustrated crowd to take up arms. This is a first; the way the minority community has taken to the streets, signalling greater danger of social collapse. Just like Sunni ISIS’ atrocities produced a mirror Shia militia, the government needs to address the concerns of the minority before they decide to take matters in their own hands.
The anger was not directed at the Taliban but towards a government that had failed to protect them. The protests represent decades’ worth of persecution that the minority has to face. The Christian community has invariably been bearing the brunt of the blasphemy law; mostly on trumped up charges. Horrific acts such as the lynching of a couple in Kot Radha Krishan and the razing of a hundred houses at the hands of a mob in Joseph Colony are a regular feature. Despite these incidents, only when the government’s apathy had reached breaking point did the community react. Almost inevitably, the investigations into such incidents are quietly forgotten and the police are let off with a slap on the wrist. When they try to raise a voice against such oppression, their champions are murdered and the state lets the killers walk free.
The mob that lynched a common glasscutter, thinking him a militant, and the subsequent one that rampaged through parts of several cities are in the wrong, surely. Their behaviour cannot be justified, but we have to realize that it is the government’s actions that lead the desperate and frustrated crowd to take up arms. This is a first; the way the minority community has taken to the streets, signalling greater danger of social collapse. Just like Sunni ISIS’ atrocities produced a mirror Shia militia, the government needs to address the concerns of the minority before they decide to take matters in their own hands.
Pakistan Church Attack - Cry, my country
The bombing of two churches on Ferozepur Road, Lahore on Sunday, March 16, in which 15 people died there and then and one injured died the next day in hospital, triggered riots in the area when the youth of the victimised Christian community came out in protest on the road, breaking the Metro bus fence and trashing the ticket office. They also halted all traffic, stoning and smashing any vehicle that tried to run the gauntlet. Given the anger of the protestors, the tragedy of two innocent passersby lynched and their bodies burnt has seared the conscience of all citizens. It was obvious on the first day, and most of the morning of the next day, when the protest refused to die down, that the Punjab government thought the best course was to let the anger spend itself, even if it meant the rioters destroyed private property and endangered citizens who happened to be caught up in the melee. Arguably, the police failed to rescue the two lynching victims and followed a strategy of masterly inactivity. On Monday, attempts by former Punjab law minister Sanaullah and Home Minister Khanzada to mollify the rage of the protestors failed. The failure extended to the Church authorities as well as Christian leaders. The protestors were in no mood to accept the usual homilies trotted out on such occasions. On Monday too, another tragedy was enacted when a woman driver, in a desperate attempt to escape the crowd, mowed down two youth and was herself subsequently injured by the rock-throwing crowd. Such was the blind rage of the protestors that their ‘unguided missiles’ did not even spare other residents of Youhanabad, the Christian colony where the two bombed churches were located. As a result, the Christian community (and other residents of the area) divided into two groups at daggers drawn with each other. It was only in the late afternoon of Monday that the Punjab authorities finally came to the conclusion that the protest was not about to go away of its own accord and decided to take action. First, police reinforcements were called up and tear gassing of the protestors began. When even this did not serve the purpose of dispersing the crowds, three companies of Rangers were also summoned. By late afternoon, early evening on Monday, the crowds thinned out and a modicum of calm was restored to what had taken on the appearance of a battlefield. At the time of writing these lines, it cannot be assumed with sanguinity that today will be entirely peaceful. We must wait and see.
The Christian community feels persecuted. Their people have been time and again burnt out of their homes, killed and lynched, usually under cover of a (false) blasphemy charge brought by (usually) vested interests of one sort or another. These were precisely the circumstances that persuaded the late governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer to take up the case of Aasia bibi, an effort that cost him his life at the hands of a fanatic. Federal Minister Shahbaz Bhatti became the next victim of these terrorist forces for opposing the controversial and much abused blasphemy law. After every incident of persecution and worse, the victims, whether Christian or others, receive from the authorities soothing noises about taking steps to prevent such incidents in future, monetary compensation to the families of the dead or injured, and that is the end of that as far as the authorities are concerned. How many such cases have been investigated subsequently to the stage of justice and closure? Neither such hollow assurances nor money can now assuage the anger of the victimised, nor can they any longer serve as balm on wounds; if anything, the track record of continuing persecution and hapless inaction of the authorities are seen as sprinkling salt on those wounds.
It may be of interest to point out that the Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA), a splinter group of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has claimed responsibility for the atrocity in Lahore. The JuA has recently rejoined the TTP, and ‘celebrated’ this decision by killing Christians at prayer. It may not be stretching the point to conjecture whether the TTP and its affiliates have now graduated to targeting prayer meetings. They were already targeting Friday prayers, particularly in Shia mosques. Now if they have included in their target list churches, we should tighten our belts for more Bloody Sundays and Fridays.
Pakistan - Living in a contradictory world
By MASOOD KHAN
For many Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) verdict on Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer’s murderer Mumtaz Qadri’s appeal against his conviction may not be very surprising. In fact many have already predicted what’s being cooked between the court and government counsels. Obviously IHC was not in a position to give a green-chit to a self-confessed murderer. But there was something in the air that a way forward would be found to save him from gallows. Though IHC has upheld Qadri’s conviction under penal code-302, it has removed the Anti-Terrorism Act (ACT) clauses, making the governor’s murder in broad daylight by his own guard not an act of terrorism, just a conflict between two feuding persons. This has now opened the doors for retrial, dragging the case for decades, pressurising the governor’s family to accept blood money, and finally for the murderer to walk free.
The court built the case to remove ATC clauses on prosecution’s evidence and investigation officer’s report which have failed to prove that the governor’s murder was an act of terrorism. Soon after the governor’ death, the then government had to struggle to even find an imam to lead the funeral prayer for martyred Salmaan Taseer and his party leadership couldn’t attend the funeral due to security concerns. Minorities’ Affairs Minister was murdered in Islamabad for voicing on blasphemy laws. Religious extremists threatened Sherry Rehman with dire consequences for calling reforms in blasphemy laws; she was forced by her own party to withdraw a bill in the Parliament on the said law reforms. The judge who convicted Qadri in 2011 was forced to leave Pakistan for safety of his family. Rashid Rehman, a human rights activist and lawyer, was shot dead for taking up the case of a professor accused of blasphemy. Several blasphemy-accused inmates were attacked and killed on the behest of Qadri who was staying in the same Adiyala jail. Civil society members, gathered in remembrance of Taseer, were attacked and thrashed by religious extremists. Worst of all, the present government had to struggle to find a lawyer to be present during Qadri’s appeal in IHC.
I wonder how come IHC has failed to find an act of terror in the killing of a governor of most powerful province of Pakistan at a public place in presence of dozens of guards. Didn’t Qadri’s act create any sense of fear and insecurity among the public (to be on par with literal definition of terrorism)? Even after the murder, Qadri didn’t feel any remorse and declared in the court — “I have taught a lesson to all the apostates as finally they have to meet the same fate”.
If Qadri is absolved of terrorism then we should question the ongoing operation against religious/secretion extremists. They are also doing the same what Qadri did — killing people because of different beliefs/faiths. We shall support the government to appeal against abolition of ATC clauses, and provide fool proof security to lawyers to take up the appeal in Supreme Court.
In my opinion blasphemy laws, enacted by a colonial power in British India, later drastically amended by a military dictator, Ziaul Haq should be debated with open mind to find what message these convictions are delivering. As Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is ‘Rahmat-al-Aalimeen’ — blessing and kindness for the whole universe, why are we killing people in his name? Are we not committing blasphemy by killing in the name of a prophet who was an example of whole-hearted kindness?
Pakistan - Punjab Govt responsible for loss of lives and property in Lahore
ppppunjab.wordpress.com
The law must take its own course indiscriminately against those who are responsible for loss of scores of precious lives and damaged the public property, said Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, President PPP Central Punjab is a statement issued from here today.
He called upon the government to ensure the safety and security of the Christian community and their places of worship which is its constitutional obligation. The government failed in this regard, he added.
He pointed out that loss of lives and property during the last two days in Lahore and elsewhere reflected poorly on the Punjab government adding it was totally clueless and looked devoid of the capability of taking timely decision to manage the volatile situation to the advantage of citizenry.
He recalled that the government used excessive force without provocation in the Model Town incident killing fourteen innocent people but during the last two days it behaved like a spectator rather than government whose basic responsibility was saving the life and property of the people. It miserably failed on both occasions to the dismay of the people, he added.
He said that the Christian community appreciated fully well that terrorists were not only their enemy but the enemy of all Pakistani regardless of their creed, faith and ethnicity because they had been killing them indiscriminately. They have killed more than forty thousands people of all ages, overwhelming majority of them are Muslims, he added. We as a nation have to defeat the menace, he added.
Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo said that the PPP wanted the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) in letter and spirit on pro-active basis as formulated by the entire political leadership of the country. The evil must be eliminated thoroughly by defeating it on its turf, he argued.
The law must take its own course indiscriminately against those who are responsible for loss of scores of precious lives and damaged the public property, said Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, President PPP Central Punjab is a statement issued from here today.
He called upon the government to ensure the safety and security of the Christian community and their places of worship which is its constitutional obligation. The government failed in this regard, he added.
He pointed out that loss of lives and property during the last two days in Lahore and elsewhere reflected poorly on the Punjab government adding it was totally clueless and looked devoid of the capability of taking timely decision to manage the volatile situation to the advantage of citizenry.
He recalled that the government used excessive force without provocation in the Model Town incident killing fourteen innocent people but during the last two days it behaved like a spectator rather than government whose basic responsibility was saving the life and property of the people. It miserably failed on both occasions to the dismay of the people, he added.
He said that the Christian community appreciated fully well that terrorists were not only their enemy but the enemy of all Pakistani regardless of their creed, faith and ethnicity because they had been killing them indiscriminately. They have killed more than forty thousands people of all ages, overwhelming majority of them are Muslims, he added. We as a nation have to defeat the menace, he added.
Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo said that the PPP wanted the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) in letter and spirit on pro-active basis as formulated by the entire political leadership of the country. The evil must be eliminated thoroughly by defeating it on its turf, he argued.
Lawyer for Pakistan doctor who helped CIA find bin Laden shot dead
BY JIBRAN AHMAD
A Pakistani lawyer under death threats for defending a doctor who helped CIA agents hunt al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was shot dead on Tuesday, police said, and two militant groups claimed responsibility.
Samiullah Afridi represented Dr Shakil Afridi, who was jailed in 2012 for 33 years for running a fake vaccination campaign believed to have helped the U.S. intelligence agency track down bin Laden. That sentence was overturned in 2013 and the doctor is now in jail awaiting a new trial.
Samiullah Afridi was shot dead on Tuesday as he was returning to his home in the northwestern city of Peshawar, police said. According to media, he had recently returned there from abroad after leaving Pakistan for his safety.
"He was returning home when armed men opened fire. He died on the spot," police official Jamal Hussain said. A hospital spokesman added that Samiullah Afridi was shot twice, in the abdomen and the neck.
Two Pakistan militant groups claimed responsibility for the laywer's death. Jundullah, a Taliban splinter group, said: "We killed him because he was defending Shakil, who is our enemy."
A Taliban faction, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaatul Ahrar (TTP-JA), later said it had shot him. "Dr Shakil Afridi had spied on our respected and supreme leader Sheikh Osama to the CIA," TTP-JA spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said.
"Samiullah Afridi had represented his case," Ehsan said, "that's why we decided to eliminate him when we can't approach Dr Shakil."
U.S. officials have hailed Shakil Afridi as a hero for helping pinpoint bin Laden's location before a 2011 raid by U.S. special forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan, that killed the al Qaeda leader after more than a decade of searching for him.
Samiullah Afridi stopped representing the doctor last year, saying he had become a target. "I have been receiving threats from various organizations, and because of those threats I even went to Dubai some time back," he told Reuters TV.
"Some organizations do not want us to continue defending this case ... Not only is my life in danger, my family is also in danger. I have therefore decided to quit this case."
Shakil Afridi's original sentence damaged ties between Pakistan and the United States that were already strained over the bin Laden raid. Angry U.S. senators withheld $33 million in aid from Pakistan in retaliation.
Pakistan hangs 12 convicts in jails across the country
Pakistan has hanged 12 convicts, the largest number of people executed on the same day since the country overturned a ban on executions.
The men were terrorists, murderers or guilty of "heinous crimes", an interior ministry spokesman said.
At least 27 convicts have been executed since the moratorium was lifted, most of them militants, Reuters reported.
It is estimated there are more than 8,000 Pakistanis on death row. Rights groups say many convictions are unsafe.
A moratorium on hangings was lifted for terror-related crimes after a Taliban attack in December killed more than 150 people, mostly children, at a school in Peshawar.
But last week it became clear that officials had widened the capital punishment policy to include all prisoners on death row whose appeals had been rejected.
The subsequent executions have taken place despite calls by the UN not to resume them.
Human rights groups say that prisoners often do not receive a fair trial within Pakistan's outdated criminal justice system and that poorly-trained police often use torture to force confessions.
Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported that the latest executions took place in Multan, Karachi, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Jhang.
It reported that the hanging of one man in Multan was delayed at the last minute following an agreement between the defendant and the family of the murder victim.
On Thursday, the government is due to execute Shafqat Hussain, a prisoner who lawyers say was aged only 14 when he was convicted 10 years ago of the kidnap and manslaughter of a child.
They say that his confession was extracted after nine days of torture.
Pakistan - Karak residents protest outside Imran Khan's Bani Gala house
The residents of Karak district on Tuesday have started a demonstration of protest outside Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s house.
The protesters said that the Karak residents do not get water, electricity or gas. The protesters have set up a stage on a mini-container and also danced on different songs as a reminiscer of the PTI’s sit-in at the D-Chowk.
Dunya News - Karak residents protest outside... by dunyanews According to the details, the Karak residents have started a demonstration of protest outside Imran Khan’s house in Bani Gala. They said that they would not return unless Khan ensures them provision of basic necessities. They have demanded construction of Khushal Khan Khattak University on rapid pace in the district.
According to the Khattak Union Ittehad, a demonstration of protest is ongoing in Karak for as many as 24 days due to lack of water, electricity and gas. Upon no response from the government, the protesters have shifted the protest to Bani Gala, outside PTI chairman’s residence.
They said that are not willing to return unless Khan ensures them provision of basic necessities.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)