Hollande looks to far right as he forges runoff strategy

Socialist presidential candidate Francois Hollande

has turned heads in France by choosing to directly address the nearly 6 million voters who cast a ballot for the far right in the first round.In the wake of the first round of France’s presidential election, Socialist Party candidate Francois Hollande is on a mission to protect his momentum and ride it all the way to the Elysee Presidential Palace. The opposition challenger won the first round on April 22, but with a much slimmer margin than was first thought, and under the shadow of an unprecedented electoral surge for the far-right National Front.

After taking 28.63% of Sunday’s votes to incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy’s 27.18% tally, Hollande has not missed a campaign beat, plunging back into a full schedule of rallies and television appearances. And to some observers’ surprise, he has rushed to address people who cast ballots for the far right. National Front candidate Marine Le Pen gathered 17.9% of first round votes, a historic high for her anti-immigration party.Speaking after results confirmed his status as the election’s frontrunner, Hollande said the far right’s extraordinary score demanded attention and a deeper understanding of the “anger” expressed by many French. Instead of feeling proud, Hollande said the French under Sarkozy had often felt “lowered” and “belittled”. The Socialist hopeful delivered a much clearer appeal in a front page interview published Tuesday in the left-leaning Liberation daily. "There is a part of Le Pen electorate that comes from the left… who are against privilege, against globalisation, against a Europe that doesn’t work. It’s up to me to convince them that it is the left that will defend them,” Hollande said. While he reserved no compliments for Le Pen herself or her anti-immigration programme, Hollande’s interview drooled empathy for a “suffering electorate, made up of low-paid workers, manual staff and workers who feel like they’ve been abandoned,” and who turned toward the National Front. “He wants to be the president of all the French and is projecting himself in that possibility,” said Michel Wieviorka, a French sociologist, supporter of Hollande and author of the book For the Next Left (Pour la prochaine gauche, Robert Laffont), “He should easily win the runoff, but to do so needs to pick up a fraction of Marine Le Pen’s first round votes.” Hollande’s own camp has consistently bashed Nicolas Sarkozy for trying to appeal to the far right with the objective siphoning National Front votes. Marine Le Pen’s nearly 18% support may be irresistible fruit for Hollande, but the Socialist candidate could be playing with fire. Game of percentages According to Sylvain Crepon, a professor at Paris 10 University and an expert on the far right in France, Le Pen will likely tell her supporters to abstain in the second round, but it is uncertain if they will follow her instructions. “About half of Le Pen’s followers, consider themselves right-wingers above all and will tend to vote for Nicolas Sarkozy to prevent a Socialist presidency,” Crepon explained. “Marine Le Pen has an interest in seeing Nicolas Sarkozy defeated. Her goal is to see the right in France implode and recover some of its members around the FN,” he added.According to different opinion polls this week, 45% to 60% of people who voted for Le Pen will transfer their vote to Sarkozy in the runoff, while only 18% to 26% said they would throw their weight behind Hollande. Those forecasts seemed to give Hollande the numbers he needs to be crowned the winner on May 6, but Alexandre Dezé, a professor of Political Science at Montpellier University and author of the book National Front: The Conquest of Power? (FN : La conquête du pouvoir ?, Armand Colin editions) warned that opinion polls were untrustworthy and prone to change. For Dezé, Sarkozy was better prepared and more willing to charm National Front’s electorate. “Sarkozy will come out strong, we have already seen him employ elements of [former FN candidate] Jean-Marie Le Pen’s key campaign speech in 2002,” Dezé said. “He is appealing to the poor and disenfranchised, calling for a “real” May 1 Worker’s Day rally, showing hostility to the media. It is really a complete and worrying revival of the National Front’s rhetoric,” the Montpellier professor added. Disappointing the Left While some analysts calculated Hollande’s chances of picking up some of Marine Le Pen’s sympathisers for the May 6 presidential duel, others challenged the overall wisdom of such a strategy. And it seemed Hollande was well aware of the danger of pushing away his natural allies on the left by trying to appeal to the far right. “The mistake I will not make is, in reaching out to others, to forget our own,” Hollande told Liberation. “I am a socialist, I am the voice of the left, but I am addressing all the French because I want to be the president of unity.” According to Wieviorka, there is little chance Hollande will spoil support within his own ranks. “Hollande will tell FN voters that he understands their message, and will ask them to trust him to solve their problems. But he is not going to change his own message.” An April 22 survey by the French polling firm Ipsos revealed that while the demographics of the National Front’s electorate may be shifting slightly, the issues close to its heart remain unchanged. Sixty-one percent of people who voted for Marine Le Pen on Sunday told pollsters that immigration was their top concern, while 44% of them said crime was the country’s most pressing problem. The French sociologist also wondered how much Hollande or Sarkozy could really do in less than two weeks to win over voters. “Hollande has his votes on the left secured… I think people have already made their choice.”

Study finds early signs of malaria drug resistance in Africa

GEO NEWS

Africa’s deadliest malaria parasite has shown resistance in lab tests to one of the most powerful drugs on the market — a warning of possible resistance to follow in patients, scientists said Friday. Researchers in London found resistance to artemether in test tube analysis of blood from 11 of 28 patients who had fallen ill after travelling in countries mainly in sub-Saharan Africa — what they said was a “statistically significant” result. Artemether is one of the most effective drugs in the artemisinin group most commonly used in malaria cocktails known as ACTs. “Resistance in a test tube usually leads to resistance at some stage down the line in patients,” study leader Sanjeev Krishna told AFP of the findings published in BioMed Central publishers’ Malaria Journal. “The question is how far down the line.” The study did not look at the patients’ actual response to drugs, and “what that might mean in terms of treatment failure, we have yet to assess. We don’t know.” A statement said the resistance was caused by genetic mutations in a parasite transmitted by infected mosquitoes, and meant that “the best weapons against malaria could become obsolete.” The laboratory tests on the Plasmodium falciparum parasite, which causes the deadliest form of malaria and is responsible for 90 percent of deaths, showed artemether’s effectiveness reduced by about half in the infected samples. “This study confirms our fears of how the parasite is mutating to develop resistance,” said Krishna, adding the genetic changes “occurred relatively recently”. “Drug resistance could eventually become a devastating problem in Africa, and not just in east Asia where most of the world is watching for resistance.” Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 90 percent of people killed by malaria every year. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said Tuesday it was optimistic drug-resistant malaria that has emerged along Thailand’s borders with Cambodia and Myanmar could be contained within the region. While global campaigning and wide distributions of mosquito nets have helped curb malaria, it is still regarded as the worst parasitic disease in the world. The WHO says 655,000 people died of malaria in 2010, making it the world’s fifth biggest killer in low-income countries. “What we should be doing is to use the drugs we have as effectively as we can, to make sure they are working and to stop using combinations that are not working,” said Krishna. And the focus should be on monitoring and further research. “We must be very alert to the risk of there being increased treatment failures,” the scientist warned. “We need to know more, we need to know it fairly quickly.”

Pak, Afghan, US resume contact to facilitate endgame

Afghanistan, Pakistan and the US on Friday agreed to explore ways to arrange safe passage for Taliban militants wanting to join the Afghan reconciliation process as the three countries resumed contacts to facilitate the endgame in the war-torn nation. Senior officials of the three countries decided to form two new sub-groups to push the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. One sub-group, comprising officials from permanent missions at the United Nations, will coordinate activities at the world body while the second will examine the issue of safe passage for Afghan Taliban militants who give up violence. Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin, who led the Afghan team at the meeting of the "Core Group" of the three countries, said Kabul expected Islamabad to facilitate contacts with the Taliban. Safe passage for militants taking part in talks will have a cascading effect and encourage other rebels to join the peace process, he said. "We need to be able to find those who are willing to talk wherever they are... We need to provide safe passage and an environment where they feel safe and confident that they can engage in peace talks without any consequence," said Ludin. The American team at the talks was led by Special Representative Marc Grossman while Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jillani headed the Pakistani side. The Core Group of the three countries met in Islamabad for the first time since September last year as part of efforts to revive stalled talks with the Taliban and to resume cooperation for the endgame in Afghanistan. "We really welcome this initiative of the safe passage, which will mean our experts can meet and take this process further," Ludin said. Foreign Secretary Jillani said the formation of the sub-group to examine safe passage was an "important" development. Cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan stalled after the assassination last year of Afghan High Peace Council chief Burhanuddin Rabbani, which officials in Kabul had blamed on elements based on Pakistani soil. Relations between Islamabad and Washington hit a low after a cross-border NATO air strike killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November last year. The US has been keen to rope in Pakistan's support for the Afghan peace process ahead of the withdrawal of most foreign troops from Afghanistan by 2014. Pakistan wants a larger role in Afghanistan to reduce what it perceives as India's growing influence. During their interaction with the media, Grossman, Ludin and Jillani expressed the hope that the three countries would continue close cooperation in the Afghan peace process. They agreed to work collectively on the basis of mutual respect and interest. Jillani said Pakistan has reiterated its support for an "Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process." He said, "Peace and stability in Afghanistan is the core national objective of Pakistan." Grossman said the US will only open the doors of dialogue to those Taliban elements that have been cleared by the Afghan government. Ludin said Afghanistan wants to engage in direct talks with the Taliban and other groups to achieve the objective of reconciliation. The Core Group also discussed issues like improved border management and illicit drug trafficking. The three sides exchanged views on several bilateral and regional economic projects.

Bahrainis march near capital to demand Khawaja's release

Bahraini protesters have held an anti-regime rally near the capital, Manama, to demand the release of prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja. Witnesses say hundreds of Bahrainis took part in the protest rally dubbed 'Friday of Khawaja's Victory' in Ma’ameer village. Some reports suggest that Saudi-backed regime forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters. The rally comes as mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Khawaja, who has been on hunger strike for nearly three months, and authorities refuse to allow his family to contact him. Khawaja's wife Khadija al-Mousawi says she was not allowed to see or phone her husband since Monday and that she has about his information on his health. "They say he is in good health, but if that's true, then why won't they let me speak to him, why won't they let me see him?" Mousawi told AFP on Thursday She added that she was also prevented from visiting her daughter, Zainab, who was arrested on Saturday night, one day before the F1 race, for holding a peaceful sit-in demanding the release of her father. Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who holds dual Danish and Bahraini citizenship, was given a life sentence in June 2011 over accusations of inciting protests against the Manama regime. He went on hunger strike early in February to protest against the life sentence he received. Amnesty International, however, considers Khawaja a “prisoner of conscience, detained solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression” and has called for his immediate release. Despite national and international calls for Khawaja's release, Manama has so far refused to drop charges against him. Bahrain’s Court of Cassation is due to rule on Khawaja's appeal against his conviction next week.

After the Arab spring, the sexual revolution?

Mona Eltahawy's 'Arab men hate women' article sparks demand for a sea change in engagement between the sexes

An explosive call for a sexual revolution across the Arab world in which the author argues that Arab men "hate" Arab women has provoked a fierce debate about the subjugation of women in countries such as Egypt, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. Women are deeply divided over the article entitled "Why do they hate us?" by prominent American-Egyptian journalist Mona Eltahawy, which fulminates against "the pulsating heart of misogyny in the Middle East" and builds to an early crescendo by stating: "We have no freedoms because they hate us … Yes: They hate us. It must be said." Eltahawy is not alone in stressing that a revolution has come and gone, but done little for Arab women. There are only eight women in Egypt's new 500-seat parliament – and not one female presidential candidate. Domestic violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation are still part of the status quo across a region covering more than 20 countries and 350 million people. "Even after these 'revolutions,' all is more or less considered well with the world as long as women are covered up, anchored to the home, denied the simple mobility of getting into their own cars, forced to get permission from men to travel, and unable to marry without a male guardian's blessing – or divorce either," Eltahawy argues in Foreign Policy. "An entire political and economic system -- one that treats half of humanity like animals -- must be destroyed along with the other more obvious tyrannies choking off the region from its future. Until the rage shifts from the oppressors in our presidential palaces to the oppressors on our streets and in our homes, our revolution has not even begun." Eltahawy draws on anecdotal and empirical evidence for her tirade: 90% of women who have ever been married in Egypt "have had their genitals cut in the name of modesty"; not one Arab country is in the top 100 nations as ranked by gender equality; Saudi women have been prosecuted for daring to drive a car. Eltahawy nails the paradox that it is women who must cover up – because of the sexual impulses of Arab men. But plenty of women across the Arab world have taken objection to Eltahawy's blanket condemnation of men. "I agree with most of what she said but I think that the one thing that she might be reluctant to admit is that it's not about men hating women, it's about monotheistic religions hating women," says Joumana Haddad, a Lebanese author and journalist. "They continually reinforce patriarchal standards and patterns that have existed long before. There is no harmony possible between monotheism and women's rights. The teachings deny women their dignity and rights." Dalia Abd El-Hameed, a researcher on health issues at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, added: "It is oversimplistic to say Arab men hate Arab women; it presents us as needing to be saved. I don't want to be saved because I am not a victim. We can't put all Egyptian women in one category, let alone Arab women. My problems are not the same as a rural woman from Upper Egypt." Sarah Naguib, a political activist in Egypt, said: "I honestly think it's almost offensive to be asked if Arab men hate Arab women. That's like saying all Muslims are terrorists and all Jews are evil and the American dream still lives on." Lina Ben Mhenni, a Tunisian lecturer nominated last year for the Nobel peace prize, said: "It seems to me that this article inaccurately lumps all men together; from a purely personal prespective, if today I'm seen as a blogger who defends the rights of women as well as of other groups, it's because I have a father who is more feminist than I am myself!" Mhenni notes that in Tunisia men and women are working together to defend freedoms and rights of women. "The examples cited by Mona are real enough, but to speak of hatred as the reason behind discrimination between men and women is exaggerated, uncalled-for even. You have to look at all the historical, social and political factors which are behind all this. Arab regimes have always limited our horizons, undermined our educational systems, and restricted access to culture. It has been a strategy to manipulate the crowd and send it in a certain direction." In Beirut, Haddad points out that just as not all men are culpable, some women are. "Many women support such negative notions of feminity: endorsing the alpha male, reinforcing the patriarchal system, obedience, submission, financial dependence. There are many women who do not believe in women playing a role in business or demanding their political rights. According to much of the religious teachings it's impossible." Although that may be true, there is no doubt that even Lebanese law militates against women in places. "There is no law that protects women from domestic violence," notes Lebanese MP Sethrida Geagea. "A husband can violate his wife and even rape her and there is nothing to protect her. Two months ago we passed a draft law that banned so-called honour killings. Before then, if a father or brother thought a woman from his family was seeing another man he could kill her and would spend no more than two months in jail. "That has now changed but real change in attitudes will take a lot longer." Others say that women are only one of many oppressed groups. In an article on Comment is Free this week, Nesrine Malik argued: "Yes, in Saudi Arabia women cannot drive, but men cannot elect their government; instead they are ruled over by a religiously opportunistic dynasty. In Egypt, it's true that women were subjected to virginity tests, but men were sodomised. In Sudan women are lashed for wearing trousers, but ethnic minorities are also marginalised and under assault. We must not belittle the issues women face, or relegate them to second place, but we must place them in a wider context where wholesale reform is needed. One cannot reduce a much more universal and complicated problem merely to gender." Laila Marrakchi, a Moroccan film-maker, takes issue with the word "hate", arguing that many Arab men are repressed too. "It's not hatred, it's fear of women – which in turn brings the hatred. There is so much frustration among men in the Arab world, it begins with sexual frustration, and the frustration of not being able to speak out, and not having political freedom." Tunisia may historically have enjoyed the most liberal attitudes towards women's rights, but some fear that may be changing, despite last year's revolution. Saloua Karoui Ounalli, a lecturer in American and English Literature at Tunis University, said: "Things have changed in just a few months. I can't wear miniskirts at work now, on the campus, for fear that someone will attack me. I only wear trousers now. This change in environment began a couple of years back, when the number of women wearing the veil started to increase." She says a sexual revolution is desperately needed. "But right now is not the best timing. First you need a cultural revolution to train people to think with a critical frame of mind, to take into account the plurality of cultures in the world. So that they can see Arab culture as just one among thousands of cultures; it isn't necessarily the best one and doesn't necessarily possess the truth. A sexual revolution would be a waste of time until you have first taught people to evaluate their own culture with some detachment from the sacred." Moroccan journalist Nadia Lamlili says the Arab world does not need a sexual revolution so much as a cultural revolution in the way people are brought up and the way the sexes are segregated. "It seems to me that the problems facing Arab women derive more from a lack of understanding between the sexes, which is above all due to the two sexes not being allowed to mix, and of the morbid desire on the part of the Arab regimes to keep society divided: men to one side, women to the other," she says. "By separating the sexes, the Arab regimes want to manage sexual temptation. But it doesn't take away the temptation. In fact it exasperates and amplifies the temptation, and ends up with violence in dealings between men and women. "The problem with our societies is that the women are in love with their sons instead of their husbands, and the men are in love with their mothers instead of with their wives," she adds. "Men and women don't understand one another due to the fact that their dealings are not at all clear, as they don't spend enough time together or don't engage with each other enough."

Bahrain Clashes Erupt After Funeral March

Protesters have hurled petrol bombs at a police station in Bahrain and riot police have responded with teargas and stun grenades. The violence flared after a funeral march for a man killed in clashes during the Gulf Arab state's Formula One race last week. Thousands of mourners visited the grave of Salah Abbas Habib, 36, who was found dead on Saturday after disappearing during fighting between protesters and police. Petrol bombs set the police station's wall alight in the Manama neighbourhood of al Bilad al Qadeem. The clashes then spilled onto a main road, holding up traffic for up to an hour. Bahrain has been in turmoil since a pro-democracy uprising erupted last year after successful revolts in Egypt and Tunisia.Mr Habib was buried by his family in Shakhura village on Monday. The main opposition party Wefaq says Mr Habib's body showed signs of torture, including multiple fractures and birdshot pellets apparently fired at close range. The interior ministry has said it will establish what happened to Mr Habib. Wefaq says his death takes to 81 the number of people killed since the protests began. That figure includes 35 who died during the initial uprising and more than two months of martial law, among them five security personnel. The government disputes the cause of death in many cases and says the protesters are hooligans who are trying to kill police. It says a homemade bomb wounded four policemen this week, and that seven policemen were wounded earlier this month. The protests escalated before last week's Grand Prix, drawing criticism of Bahrain from some governments, rights groups and media watchdogs

Nawaz Sharif asked to apologise for anti-judiciary attitude

Daily Times

Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Thursday asked Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif to apologise to the nation over his attitude towards courts during his tenure as prime minister. Talking to reporters at the opening ceremony of the Intellectual Property Day Celebrations, the minister said his party respected courts and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had proved it by appearing in the apex court. Malik said, “The nation knows what Nawaz Sharif did with Sajjad Ali Shah. I admire the prime minister who has faced the recent situation like a brave man and he will be remembered in history as a brave man.” The interior minister said he had issued clear directions to authorities concerned not to permit anyone to chant slogans at the Supreme Court premises, regardless of the decision, as the PPP believed in respect of judiciary. Malik said the prime minister had acted according to a legal interpretation that had been made by the government’s experts on the matter. The prime minister had the right to continue in his office because the option of an appeal against the verdict was still available, he added. app

Role of military in foreign policy receding, says Khar

Pakistan’s military has less sway over it’s foreign policy, and a new power equation is emerging, said the foreign minister. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said new dynamics were now taking hold in the country. “I want you to also understand that things have changed in Pakistan,” she told Reuters in an interview. “I think this overbearance of the role of the military in the foreign policy of Pakistan is something which will recede as time passes.” “I think all institutions in Pakistan are realising that there is a place and role for every institution,” said the foreign minister. “And it is best to serve Pakistan’s interests that each of the institutions remains within the boundaries of the roles which are constitutionally defined. It’s a new sort of equilibrium.” Khar, one of a number of rising women politicians in Pakistan, started her political career with a party affiliated with former military dictator General Pervez Musharraf, and eventually rose to junior finance minister. She later switched to the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). The foreign minister said the current government’s staying power in a country prone to coups had given it sway and room to manoeuvre, on issues ranging from ties with the United States to trade with India. “As far as the new equilibrium … you have consistent four years of democracy, it’s the longest term a democratic government has had in Pakistan,” said Khar, who is from a political family in southern Punjab. Khar pointed to the reaction to a Nato cross-border raid in November that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. A Pakistani parliamentary committee reviewed ties with Washington and demanded a halt to US drone aircraft strikes. “It is not the first time that foreign policy has been discussed in parliament,” said Khar, in her modest Islamabad office. “But is it not the first time that relations with the United States and other important countries were put on hold until the parliament gave a green signal?” Khar also said the government’s approach to India suggested Pakistan’s democracy was becoming more robust and the military’s grip on policy had loosened. In the face of some domestic opposition, the Islamabad government last November vowed to grant India most favoured nation status, which will end restrictions that require most products to move via a third country. The move was hailed by India and the two countries are now focused on resolving economic issues before moving on to more intractable problems such as the disputed Kashmir. “Don’t underestimate the importance of what this government did with trade with India. Since 1965 there was no political or military government that could open up trade with India. And it was considered a no-go area,” said Khar. “And that to me shows, one the maturity of democracy, the maturity of views, and the maturity of the decision-making exercise in Pakistan.”

Pakistan: A CONTROVERSIAL VERDICT

A Supreme Court Bench found the Prime Minister of Pakistan guilty for not writing a letter to the Swiss authorities requesting to reopen the cases against the President of Pakistan before a Swiss Magistrate. The Prime Minister claimed that the President of Pakistan is enjoying immunity against any legal proceedings not only in Pakistan but also the world over. The Supreme Court Bench did not agree with this contention and found the Prime Minister guilty of contempt of court. He was given the sentence till rising of the court. The first reaction came from the Attorney General of Pakistan who claimed that the conviction was illegal and unconstitutional and there is no law of contempt of court. There is a strong opinion among various sections of the society that the Supreme Court verdict had created a serious situation which may drift away from the normal course in destabilizing the country and its political and constitutional order. Ordinary people and mainly supporters of the PPP will consider it a serious move to dislodge the elected Government of PPP using the superior judiciary. Their contention is substantiated with the judicial activism for the past many years targeting the PPP and its Government sparing all others. The verdict among tens of millions of Pakistanis is unpopular and biased regardless of its legal and constitutional status. To them, it had brought the prestige of the Superior judiciary to the lowest level. In Balochistan, the belief is very strong that the superior courts and superior judiciary had always remained part and parcel of the Pakistani establishment serving the interests of the Establishment and not the people for the past many decades. The people of Balochistan had never enjoyed any relief from Government action and the superior judiciary remained unconcerned or endorsed the actions against the people. The fresh Supreme Court verdict is in line with the same old pro-establishment policies which is said to be an attempt to put more and more pressure on the PPP-led Coalition Government for political reasons. Relatives of missing persons in Balochistan had picked up more than 400 bullet riddled and mutilated bodies from the public places and the Supreme Court had not picked up a single case to protect life of Pakistani citizens from the hands of State functionaries, one of the relatives remarked. The prime constitutional right of any citizen of Pakistan is protection of his life from the hands of more powerful people or functionaries and the Supreme Court had failed to protect this prime right of hundreds of people in Balochistan. They argued that the Supreme Court had picked up PPP-specific cases for hearing for political reasons and using the forum to demolish the image of chosen representatives of the people not through the court verdict but as a result of remarks passed during the regular proceedings. The corporate media, another strong wing of the Establishment, had highlighted the court remarks against the Government off and on with a political motive, some observers reached by telephone said. In any case, the establishment had been disappointed as it failed to dislodge the representative democracy in the present political climate and surrounding security environment around Pakistan and the Prime Minister will retain power by filing an appeal against the Supreme Court verdict. It also failed to mobilized mass public opinion against the Government using its usual proxies in politics—the Tehrik-i-Insaf, the DCP and other religious and fascist outfits. Finally, the US presence in the region had brought a qualitative change in the security and political environment in the whole region. Earlier, leaders used to play a role in seeking concessions from the US and its controlled international donor and finance institutions. Now the US is itself present in the region and it will take decision on the spot making all political leaders irrelevant. It seems that the dispute with the United States can be settled only through give and take and not through unilateral generous military and economic aid. The Jihadi elements and their allies in the establishments are incapable to influence to secure US aid for Pakistan taking the country out of the present economic mess.

After conviction: Gilani challenges Sharif to bring no confidence motion

The Express Tribune

After members of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) walked out of the National Assembly session in protest, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani challenged Nawaz Sharif to bring a no confidence motion if “he thinks he can dissolve the government.” Speaking during the session held a day after the Supreme Court of Pakistan convicted him of contempt of court, Gilani said that he “does not have an ego problem” like members of PML-N. The prime minister said that the opposition and PML-N should “respect the mandate of the people if they believe in democracy.” Gilani also expressed disappointment over leader of the opposition, Chaudhry Nisar’s reaction. “Chaudhry Nisar spoke to me a day before the hearing of the verdict in the contempt case against me and wished me luck. Today, he says that he won’t let me enter the House. Am I not an elected prime minister of this country?” The prime minister said that no one has ever accommodated the opposition as much as his government did. “For the first time in Pakistan, the opposition received funds,” he said. “We are not talking about millions, we are talking in terms of billions of rupees.” He said that he did this only to strengthen democracy in the country and that he believed in working with all representatives of the Parliament. Speaking on the Supreme Court’s conviction, he said, “Ever since the case started, did anyone in this House disagree to presidential immunity? No one did. During 1956, 1962 and 1973, when the dictators can enjoyed immunity, why not the elected heads of the state?” He said that throughout the world, heads of the state including the president, the prime minister and the foreign minister enjoy immunity and questioned, “Have I made these laws?” Gilani said that he was convicted merely for protecting the Constitution of the country and that if that is his crime, then he is happy of doing so. “Many media reports said that I looked happy after the verdict was announced … Yes I was happy, because I protected the Constitution of this country.” The prime minister said that no one but the speaker of the House can “disqualify him and send him home.” Gilani said that he respected the supremacy of the Parliament and that the decision of disqualifying him was upon the custodian of the House – Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza. “If you disqualify me today, I will be honoured. It wouldn’t matter to me only because I was convicted to guard the Constitution.” Addressing the speaker, he said, “Today it’s me, tomorrow, there might be someone else. But I don’t want a situation where I am ousted and people wind up the whole system including this House. There shouldn’t be a situation where I am disqualified and then they say that they haven’t made the voters list and then a technocrat government comes in place. Such a step will not be accepted.” Gilani said that those who think that a reconciliation government is wrong then they can “continue doing so”. Contempt verdict sent to NA speaker, ECP Express News reported that the copy of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the contempt case against Gilani was sent to Dr Mirza and the Election Commission of Pakistan. On Thursday, a seven-member bench, headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk had found Gilani guilty of contempt for disobeying the court’s orders to write a letter to Swiss authorities in order to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. According to the law, the speaker has to take a decision within 30 days on if the prime minister is disqualified from being a member of the assembly in light of the sentence awarded to him. In case the speaker and chairman senate say that they will not take the decision in this regard, the case will be referred to the ECP.

Only parliament can send me home: Gilani

The PM came down heavy on the opposition, daring it to bring no-trust against him. While addressing the National Assembly after his conviction he made it clear only the House could send him home. PM Gilani said that it was necessary for him to take vote of confidence after being found guilty of contempt of court. He said nobody can disqualify him except the Speaker of the National Assembly‚ through the prescribed procedure in the Constitution. Speaking in the National Assembly on Friday, he said if parliament declared him disqualified he would accept that decision. He said the parliament is supreme and all decisions will be taken in it, adding that all institutions derive strength from the parliament. Referring to the remarks of the leader of the opposition in National Assembly yesterday‚ the Prime Minister said no one can stop him to attend the session of the house. He said he cannot be removed through conspiracies. He said the victory of a PPP candidate in Multan yesterday clearly shows that public still supports them. Prime Minister Gilani said he was not sentenced by the Supreme Court on the charges of corruption or any crime. His crime is that he protected the Constitution of Pakistan. He said Pakistan People’s Party is the creator of the 1973 constitution. We restored it and we will protect it. We will never work against the constitution. Referring to the yesterday s judgment of the Supreme Court‚ Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani said Law Minister and his counsel have clarified all the questions regarding the judgment. He said we will file an appeal against judgment. He said all the Presidents enjoy immunity under the Vienna Convention. This is an international law which is applicable throughout the world.

France election: Hollande and Sarkozy questioned on TV

The two candidates in France's presidential run-off have appeared on television, 10 days before the vote. Incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist challenger Francois Hollande took turns answering reporters' questions, many of which focused on economic issues. Mr Hollande, who won most most votes in last Sunday's first round, polling more than 28%, said France needed "growth", not more austerity. Mr Sarkozy - who scored 27% - stressed the need to restore public finances. "You don't think growth is achieved by spending freely," Mr Sarkozy said.He promised to bring France's large budget deficit down of 3% of GDP by next year, and to eliminate it by 2016. Mr Hollande, for his part, said: "There can be no return to balance without growth." He also called for "Eurobonds" backed by all eurozone members to help indebted countries. About Germany's opposition to the idea he said: "(Chancellor Angela) Merkel will probably contest these demands - this will be a subject for negotiation. "It's not Germany that's going to decide for all of Europe." Mr Hollande and Mr Sarkozy answered questions on a range of issues, including education, housing, policing, and immigration. Unemployment woes The BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris says it has not been a particularly good day for Mr Sarkozy. New figures put unemployment at almost, 2.9m - the 11th consecutive monthly rise and the highest level since 1999. And in spite his overtures to voters supporters of far-right leader Marine le Pen - who came third with 18% of the vote in the first round - Mr Sarkozy remains eight to 10 points behind his challenger in opinion polls. The two are to face off each other in a direct televised debate next Wednesday. With Mr Hollande within touching distance of the presidency, a convincing performance will be crucial, our correspondent adds. Mr Sarkozy had accepted a proposal to hold three debate, but Mr Hollande refused to take part in more than one. Wages, pensions, taxation, and unemployment have been topping the list of voters' concerns. President Sarkozy has promised to tackle the budget deficit and tax people who leave the country for tax reasons. Mr Hollande has promised to raise taxes on big corporations and people earning more than 1m euros a year. He also wants to raise the minimum wage, hire 60,000 more teachers and lower the retirement age from 62 to 60 for some workers. If elected, Mr Hollande would be France's first left-wing president since Francois Mitterrand, who completed two seven-year terms between 1981 and 1995. If Mr Sarkozy loses he will become the first president not to win a second term since Valery Giscard d'Estaing in 1981.

Shabnam visits the city of lights

The Express Tribune

The star whose on-screen chemistry with Nadeem was probably the only thing to give youngsters their Mills & Boons fix back in the 60s, is back. Lollywood actor Shabnam, who is also referred to as the Queen of Lollywood, is visiting Pakistan with her music composer-husband Robin Ghosh. The way the media is chasing the duo is testimony enough to the fact that time has not been able to corrode their popularity in Pakistan. The couple shot to fame as they gave hit after hit back in the days when film and television were the prime source of entertainment. Shabnam’s trip, which has been sponsored by state-run television network PTV, came as a pleasant surprise to her fans who had lost all hope of her return to Pakistan. Nonetheless, she is here to attend an event being held in her honour by PTV in Lahore. On her way to Lahore the actor also planned a short trip to Karachi. During her brief two-day stay, the starlet made sure she paid a visit to the ailing comedian Lehri, visited the Governor House and met actor Garaj Babu. A friendly reunion Shabnam visited Lehri at his residence that is secretly tucked away in the residential area near National Institute of Public Administration (Nipa). The veteran claimed with a nostalgic tone, “This meeting is like a flashback for me. Lehri’s face reminds me of all the good times we spent together and I thank Allah for fulfilling my wish of meeting him.” The actor reminisced the good old days that marked the boom of Lollywood and shared how Lehri turned her shooting experiences into memories. “Lehri saab was a very serious person but he still used to crack jokes and bring comedic lightness on to the sets.” Shabnam consoled the frail-looking comedian, who complained about his depreciating health and about his unfavourable state of living and said she’d take his matter to the Governor’s house. “Lehri is a dear friend and I pray sincerely for his fast recuperation. He should not lose hope so easily.” The visit to The Governor House During her meeting with the Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad and while talking to the press within the premises of the Governor House she said, “I feel really happy after talking to the Governor. He expressed his desire to see collaborations between Pakistan and Bangladesh on the grounds of film-making.” While talking about political and social affiliations with Bangladesh, the Pakistani media quoted the irony that the Bangladesh Cricket Team has been stopped from coming to Pakistan but the duo was given a green signal. To which Ghosh replied, “We believe in the decision making capabilities of the court. The court’s decision must have been in the team’s best interest.” Pakistan then and now When asked if the couple felt secure in Pakistan Shabnam stated, “We came here and saw that things are very normal here. Everything is working in sync and I must say the media has grown tremendously since I last came to Pakistan 14 years ago.” Shabnam also added that she “can’t believe this is the same country. If truth be told, for a second I thought I was in some foreign country.” The actor said that it’s sad that Lollywood did not progress at the speed the rest of the Pakistan did. When asked if she’d ever consider coming back on the silver screen the star said, “I haven’t been offered yet but yes the revival of Lollywood should take place and I will try my best to contribute something to it.” Her husband Ghosh added, “I think other industries within Pakistan should come forward and help in the revival of Lollywood.” When asked if she is planning to meet Nadeem, the actor said that she in contact with her old friend and will meet him as soon as he gets time.

Rafiq Shinwari’s widow struggling to buy back her past

THE NEWS

The 75-year old widow of the known Pashto singer, musician and composer Rafiq Shinwari is living a miserable life in almost a century-old house in Peshawar. In an interview, this correspondent found that Ashoora Bibi, who is suffering from tuberculosis (TB), skin disease and high blood pressure, had no money to pay her medical bills. The septuagenarian said she had a happy family life when her husband Rafiq Shinwari was alive. She said her husband served the government and private television channels and radio stations for 50 years and entertained the public but her fate was sealed when he died on January 3, 1991. “I was living like a queen of the family when Rafiq Shinwari was alive,” Ashoora Bibi remarked, hastening to add that she is now struggling to make both ends meet. The house where she is living with her son-in-law is located a few feet from the Sattar Shah Bacha Colony graveyard in Dabgari Gardens. Bed-ridden and too weak to work, Ashoora Bibi said she did not like to leave the Dabgari Gardens as her husband and two sons were buried at the nearby Sattar Shah Bacha graveyard. She said her two sons, Shafiq Shinwari and Ghulam Ali Shinwari died at a young age. “My younger son Ghulam Ali died three months before his father’s death while Shafiq Shinwari was killed in a car accident a few months after the death of his father,” she added. Ashoora Bibi said she used to go to the graveyard and kiss graves of her sons and husband on a daily basis for her satisfaction, but now she has become too weak to do that. Ashoora Bibi broke into tears when she was asked who was supporting her. She said her daughter Husna Shinwari and her husband Niamat Gul Shinwari were taking care of her after the death of Rafiq Shinwari. “No government official visited me after my husband’s death. Only my son-in-law is supporting me,” she said. In a corner of the house several national awards including the presidential award that Rafiq Shinwari received on August 12, 1985 from Gen Ziaul Haq were kept but all were covered in dust. “What will I do with these medals, certificates and awards?” she asked, adding that the government failed to help her after her husband passed away. She criticised the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for making tall claims of helping the artistes and said she made several applications to the chief minister and governor but no action was taken to assist her. She said she was counting her days and wanted to return the awards to the government before her death. Recollecting the memories of her life, Ashoora Bibi said she was living a happy life in Alam Khani village of Landikotal subdivision, Khyber Agency, about 50 years ago. She said later they moved to Peshawar as her husband used to go to radio stations and other functions in the city. To a question, she said her husband Rafiq Shinwari was a humble man and a caring husband and father. “He never exchanged harsh words with us or anyone else,” she recalled. “I sold my gold ornaments and other valuables for my medical treatment but I have nothing more to sell to buy medicines,” Ashoora Bibi said. Her son-in-law Niamat Gul Shinwari said he also struggled to get some compensation for his mother-in-law but to no avail. He said he had a tea stall but could not continue the business as he had to look after his mother-in-law. Rafiq Shinwari’s daughter Husna Shinwari, who has graduated from the University of Peshawar, said her father was a legend. “He wasn’t merely an artiste of Pashto music but played the role of an institution for Pashto singers and composers. My father polished the skills of singers like Khayal Muhammad who is now famous all over the world,” she opined. Rafiq Shinwari sang the first national song of Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari, known as Hamza Baba, from Radio Pakistan Peshawar.During the 1965 war, Rafiq Shinwari sang patriotic songs. His efforts were appreciated by the authorities and he was awarded commendation certificates and prizes. Among others, he composed songs for the melody queen Noor Jehan, Shaukat Ali, Iqbal Bano and Nighat Seema.

No reason for PM to resign

The federal cabinet on Thursday decided to wait for the detailed verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) in Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani's contempt of court case. It was decided that the case was of political nature and there was no justification for PM Gilani to resign on moral grounds. The prime minister who was found guilty in a contempt of court case, chaired the emergency meeting of the federal cabinet to review implications of the court verdict. The bench found him guilty in the contempt of court case for failing to act on its directives to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. During the meeting, Gilani thanked members of the federal cabinet for their support and said that it would not have been possible for him to perform his duties without it. He said that the complete verdict had not been given yet, adding that further details would be provided by the law minister. “Politics has lots of ups and downs. It has a lot of problems. It is a long way and a hard way,” said Gilani. He likened politics to a “horror movie” that only adults could watch and not the weak. He said that if one opts for this role (politics), then struggle and problems become a part of the role. “Working with coal will make your hands black too” he said. Federal Law Minister Farooq Naek and Attorney General Irfan Qadir briefed the cabinet. The ministers welcomed the premier with desk thumping. PM Gilani told cabinet members that he has never insulted the courts. Except Punjab's Shahbaz Sharif all the chief ministers of Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, provincial governors and PM Azad Kashmir participated in the meeting. The cabinet reiterated solidarity with the prime minister. The prime minister said speaker National Assembly has the authority to decide about the fate of public representatives. Hailing the support of coalition partners, the PM said the allies have backed the government in trying times.

Pakistan PM convicted of contempt, receives no jail time

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday found Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani guilty of contempt of court for refusing to reopen corruption cases against the president, but gave him only a symbolic sentence of a few minutes' detention in the courtroom. It was unclear if the token sentence would defuse political uncertainty in Pakistan, where the president and prime minister have jousted with the military and judiciary. Despite the light sentence, Gilani could still come under pressure to quit. "For reasons to be recorded later, the prime minister is found guilty of contempt for willfully flouting the direction of the Supreme Court," said Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk. Gilani is the first serving prime minister in Pakistan's history to be convicted by a court, but his sentence - detention lasting just a few minutes until the session was adjourned - was symbolic. He could have faced up to six months in jail and the loss of office. "I think what they've done is taken it from the legal arena and chucked it into the political arena," said Cyril Almeida, a prominent columnist for the Dawn daily newspaper. He said opposition members of parliament now might move to expel Gilani from office. "There will be massive pressure from the opposition, the media, from civil society, saying 'He's been convicted for flouting the letter of the law and he should go home,'" Almeida said. "There will be a lot of pressure for him to resign." MONEY-LAUNDERING CASES A throng of supporters surrounded Gilani as he walked into the court in Islamabad, showering him with rose petals. Security was tight, with about 1,000 police officers standing by in riot gear and helicopters circling the Supreme Court building. Gilani's lawyers had said before the verdict that he would not automatically be disqualified from office if convicted, and at any rate he would be able to appeal against the verdict. The case stems from what many observers say is a political battle between the government and the military, which has held the whip hand in Pakistan's political arena for most of the country's 64 years of independence. Many say the army is using the court to keep the government on the back foot. Thousands of corruption cases were thrown out in 2007 by an amnesty law passed under former military president Pervez Musharraf, which paved the way for a return to civilian rule. Two years later, the Supreme Court ruled that agreement illegal and ordered cases involving Swiss banks against President Asif Ali Zardari re-opened. Gilani and his government have refused to obey the court's order to write to Swiss authorities asking them to re-open money laundering cases against Zardari. The government argues that Zardari has immunity as the head of state. "This is a historic day. The court has declared a lawmaker a lawbreaker. This is weakening democracy in Pakistan," said Firdous Ashiq Awan, former information minister.

Bannu jailbreak – part II: We had only five Kalashnikovs, say police

The Express Tribune

After a successful military operation in Swat in 2009, the public was willing to believe government claims that it had managed to successfully establish its writ in volatile Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). However, after a planned Taliban operation in Bannu jail led to hundreds of prisoners breaking out of prison, this claim has come into serious question. It also raises concerns over the jail’s current security set-up – a common sentiment is that if 150 militants can travel down the hills and take command of the jail, they could just as well take control of Bannu city. On paper, the security at the high-profile prison seemed full proof. Surrounded by open fields, the jail is located opposite the posh Bannu township, at a ten-minute drive from the Frontier Region (FR) Peng. It’s also within two kilometres of three police stations. The jail, which has three entry gates, is surrounded by huge cemented walls, the top of which are covered with barbed wire. Each gate is located further inside, so that one must pass through one gate to get to the other. The outermost gate is called the Phatak gate, and is situated on the main road. One person is deployed at each of the four search towers. At the Phatak Gate, two armed men are deployed. In addition, there are three other men at the gate – one with an AK-47, another with a register to enter names of visitors and a third assigned with the duty to frisk visitors. At the last gate to enter the jail, there is only one policeman, armed with just a baton. A total of 151 police personnel are supposed to keep the jail secure – but on the day the militants mounted the assault, only 119 policemen were present and only 21 were performing their duties. Sources told The Express Tribune that eight policemen had been lent to Dera Ismail Khan Jail and four to Karak Jail. In addition, ten others were on leave and six were found absent from their duties. A police official, who wished not to be named, told The Express Tribune that the first target of the Taliban was a search tower located just beside the Phatak gate which was blown up when a rocket was fired at it. Rockets were used to shatter the first and third gates, and hand grenades were used to smash the second. “What could we do, they were above a hundred in strength with the latest weapons and we only had five Kalashnikovs. Tell me honestly, could you face such a situation?” the police official said. The police official then called his brother and told him what was happening. “My brother told me that he has contacted high-ranking police officials. They were changing their uniform and would soon arrive. In all, it took around one hour to break the first and the second gate but we could not respond. We were empty-handed.” “I could clearly see my death. I thought my last moments had arrived and I was going to be slaughtered or shot to death,” he said, adding that two members of the jail police who were deployed at the death cell, climbed up a tree to save their lives. Two other policemen wore prisoners’ uniform as a cover and ran with the prisoners, unarmed and fearing for their lives. “I called them to inquire about them but I started laughing when I came to know they had also escaped with the prisoners,” the official said. He also said one man, who seemed to be leading the militants, was standing at the main gate, telling all those who were escaping: “Go, go, you are free now, just pray for us. Don’t forget to spare your life for Allah.” The official said those who returned to jail informed the authorities that the group , after entering the FR area, asked all the prisoners if they were willing to leave for Miramshah. Those who declined were dropped off in Peng. “Those who returned said suicide bombers and explosive-laden vehicles were also dispatched for the attack but returned as fresh as dispatched”, the official added. Officials have said that all those rearrested or who returned voluntarily, will not be awarded further punishment as they were forced to escape.

Cabinet to accompany Gilani in SC verdict

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The federal cabinet on Wednesday expressed solidarity with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and resolved that all ministers would accompany him to the courtroom on Thursday. This was stated by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira while briefing journalists on the cabinet meeting here at the Prime Minister's Secretariat. Flanked by Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khursheed Shah, Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs Chaudhry Muhammad Azam, Secretary Information Taimur Azmat Osman and others, Kaira said the Prime Minister informed the cabinet that he would not avail any privilege while appearing before the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the contempt of court case and would go to the court on foot. "The leaders and ministers of the coalition partners will also accompany the Prime Minister. We expect justice from the court and hope for justice," he said while responding to the questions raised by reporters. He said the president enjoyed immunity under the local and international laws and writing a letter to the Swiss authorities would tantamount to surrendering immunity. The minister said, "We as a nation say that a foreign country should hand over Dr. Afia Siddiqui to Pakistan and has no right to set head money for Hafiz Saeed. Likewise, we cannot surrender our President before a Swiss magistrate." Asked whether the government would implement the court verdict, the minister said that the government's legal and political teams would take a decision in line with the Constitution and law of land. He said that the Prime Minister also summoned a special federal cabinet meeting to discuss future strategy in the wake of court's order. The meeting to be held after the SC verdict, would be attended by chief ministers of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, and governors of the provinces, besides the Prime Minister and the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. "The Prime Minister has no ego problem and he is ready to appear before the court for a third time. He will appear before the court like an ordinary citizen," he added. He said President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani had set a new precedence by transferring their powers to the Parliament. He said the President surrendered his powers to the Parliament and the federation devolved its powers to empower the provinces, which were now getting Rs 400 billion additional amount as per new NFC Award. To a question she said that Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan belonged to his party and he was her continuation and there was no question of holding any investigations into appointments made by her.

Mehrangate: Nawaz too took Rs 50 million

AG presents interior ministry report which says Nawaz Sharif took Rs 50 million from Mehran bank. Three-member Supreme Court bench headed by the CJP Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry heard the Mehrangate scam case. AG Irfan Qadir informed the court that he had met the interior and law ministry officials but could not get hold of Mehran Bank Commission reports. Asghar Khan’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja said that one of the journalists told him he has got the reports. CJP wondered as to why the government hasn’t got the reports. The AGP presented the interior ministry report which said Yunis Habib misused the money and Nawaz Sharif also got Rs 50 million. The report recommended calling the then additional DG FIA Rehman Malik AG Qazi Jamil and registrar Supreme Court. The report also recommended to hand over ex DG ISI’s original statement to registrar Supreme Court as it also could go missing.

Egyptian protesters condemn Riyadh for activist’s arrest

Enraged demonstrators have staged a protest rally outside Saudi Arabia's Embassy in Cairo to condemn the recent arrest of a prominent Egyptian rights lawyer and activist. Rights activists, lawyers as well as students from the University of Cairo and families of imprisoned Egyptians in Saudi Arabia joined the rally outside the Saudi Embassy on Tuesday. The demonstrators chanted slogans against the Saudi king and called for the immediate release of Ahmed Mohammed al-Gizawi. Gizawi was arrested by Saudi security forces on April 17 upon arrival in the Saudi city of Jeddah. The lawyer's detention came without any prior notification and at a time he was in Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage. On Monday, Egypt's Arabic Network for Human Rights Information issued a statement, saying Gizawi's detention followed a sentence of one year in prison and 20 lashes delivered against him in absentia for criticism of the Saudi rulers. Gizawi is being targeted for his activism in favor of Egyptian detainees in Saudi prisons, the statement added. On Monday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry also criticized Saudi officials for the activist's arrest and asked Riyadh to explain the move. The protests come as Saudi Arabia has been faced with a continued wave of anti-regime protests at home, especially in its Eastern Province, with the protesters calling for political reform. Anti-government protests intensified last November, after security forces opened fire on protesters in the city of Qatif, killing five people and leaving many more injured.

Saudi Arabia jails Egyptian lawyer for defaming king

Egypt's foreign ministry is trying to secure the release of an Egyptian lawyer detained in Saudi Arabia on charges of defaming King Abdullah. Ahmed al-Gizawi was arrested last week as he arrived in Jeddah to undertake Umra, the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca. Unknown to Mr Gizawi, a Saudi court had earlier sentenced him in absentia to a year in prison and 20 lashes. He is due to receive the lashes on Friday. Mr Gizawi's case has aroused widespread anger in Egypt. Social media have been blazing with attacks on the Saudi authorities and several politicians have demanded action, with one MP describing his detention as kidnapping. The Saudi ambassador to Egypt has tried to calm the situation by phoning into an Egyptian TV station, saying that there would soon be good news on Mr Gizawi. BBC World Service Middle East analyst Sebastian Usher says many Egyptians work in Saudi Arabia and there have often been cases where they say they have been mistreated under Saudi law. Mr Gizawi's case is also reminiscent of that of a Lebanese TV fortune teller who was also arrested while on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. He was accused of blasphemy and sentenced to death - but an international outcry helped stop his execution. 'Criticism of Saudis' Mr Gizawi is reported to have filed several lawsuits against the authorities in Saudi Arabia on behalf of Egyptians detained there without trial, who claim to have been tortured or who believe they were unfairly convicted. An Egyptian human rights group, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), suggested that the judgement against him followed criticism of the Saudi government. "Gizawi criticised the Saudi repression of Egyptians living in Saudi territory and filed a case... calling for the Saudi authorities to be forced to hand over Egyptians detained in its custody, accusing the Saudi king himself," the group said on Saturday. Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr was "following the case closely" and trying to find out "the reasons for the arrest", his spokesman told the state news agency, Mena. Correspondents say part of the anger felt in Egypt comes from perceptions that the Saudi authorities are abusing their control of the Muslim holy places in Medina and Mecca. "Saudi Arabia should not use its control of the Kaaba in political issues" Emad Arab, an Islamist activist told Egypt's Ahram Online, referring to the ancient cube-shaped shrine in Mecca's Grand Mosque. The Umra is an extra, optional pilgrimage and does not count as the once-in-a-lifetime Hajj. Although it includes some of the rituals of the Hajj, they are shortened and there are fewer of them.

Bahrain Grand Prix exposes kingdom's deep divisions

The Bahrain Grand Prix was an opportunity for the kingdom to demonstrate all is well after last year's uprising, but the weekend race instead highlighted deep divisions between the ruling Sunni dynasty and the Shiite majority. The three-day sporting event that came to a close on Sunday was presented by the authorities as a sign that security and stability had returned to the kingdom after the Shiite-led uprising in February 2011 was brutally crushed, leaving 35 people dead, according to an independent probe. A statement by Bahrain's cabinet on Sunday said the Grand Prix "reflects the confidence the world has in Bahrain's ability to host such a global event." The king and crown prince both portrayed the race as an opportunity to demonstrate the country was on a path to reconciliation. But Bahrain's Shiite opposition, including the largest group Al-Wefaq and the more radical February 14 Youth Movement, used the renewed media attention on the kingdom to highlight their demands, with daily protests alleging abuses, marginalisation, and disenfranchisement by the regime. The weekend demonstrations often spiralled into violent clashes with security forces using tear gas and stun grenades against protesters who shot back with rocks and fire bombs. And as dawn broke on the morning before racing day, the opposition reported the death of a protester, allegedly at the hands of security forces, renewing calls among international rights groups to call off the race. The government quickly issued a statement condemning the violence, pledging to investigate and prosecute those responsible "whoever they may be," but stopping short of admitting any police involvement. The escalation was no accident. In a statement released in the days before race, Al-Wefaq announced a week of demonstrations, while the February 14 movement called for "three days of rage" to coincide with the event. The government meanwhile took preventive measures, making dozens of arrests and barring news reporters from several major news organisations, including AFP, from travelling to the kingdom ahead of the race. "The revolution never stopped... Only the international media coverage stopped," said one prominent Shiite activist, who gave his name as Ali, adding that the decision by the ruling Khalifa family to go ahead with the Grand Prix "was a gift to the revolution." The violence, clashes and slogans calling for the fall of the regime made world headlines far more than the race itself. The unrest even reached the isolated desert circuit, under a total security lockdown, on Sunday when at least three women were hauled off by police for holding up pictures of prominent Shiite activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja on hunger strike since February 8. Khawaja's deteriorating health has raised fears among rights groups that he may die in prison, potentially triggering yet another wave of mass protests in the kingdom. On Monday, Bahrain's highest appeals court postponed for a second time in a month a final verdict on Khawaja, who is sentenced to life in prison for plotting to overthrow the regime. On race day, King Hamad announced he would attend the event, hoping to reassure increasingly nervous participants that the event was safe. He said he remained committed to reconciliation. But what little faith the moderate members of the Shiite opposition had in the monarch has faded in recent months as reforms proved hollow, a national dialogue has failed to move forward and political prisoners remain jailed. On Sunday evening, as teams, sponsors and government officials sipped non-alcoholic champagne and celebrated with post-race festivities at the track, protesters burned tyres and garbage in the streets, chanting "No to the Formula of blood." Bahrain's Grand Prix was "supposed to be a sign of normalisation...what happened is the complete opposite," said Salman Shaikh, the director of Brookings Doha Centre. "The race ended up polarising people in Bahrain... We ended up with further divisions," he added.

Bahrain hardliners in driving seat after F1 fiasco

Hardliners in Bahrain's Saudi-backed Sunni Muslim ruling family may dig in their heels after a Formula One Grand Prix debacle that spotlighted a frustrated pro-democracy uprising instead of projecting an image of stability. Western leaders joined rights groups and media watchdogs in criticizing Bahrain before Sunday's race, which was cancelled last year due to the unrest. Officials hailed its reinstatement as proof of a return to calm, but billowing smoke from tires set alight by protesters on race day told a different story. "I suspect now that those in the ruling family who argued that this is more trouble than it's worth will be saying 'I told you so'," said Justin Gengler, a Qatar-based researcher on Bahrain, singling out the royal court and defense ministers. Those ministers, full brothers from a family branch often known as the Khawalids, are widely viewed as masterminds of last year's crackdown, which cut short a dialogue Crown Prince Salman had begun with the opposition on democratic reforms. Bahrainis took to the streets in February 2011, inspired by successful revolts in Egypt and Tunisia, but won no concessions. The government broke up the Pearl Roundabout protest camp a month later, imposed martial law and brought in Saudi troops. The Sunni Al Khalifa monarchy branded the protesters as Shi'ite subversives with Iranian backing and Bahrain slipped off the Saudi- and Qatari-dominated pan-Arab news agenda. Western allies such as Britain and the United States, whose Fifth Fleet is moored in Manama, muted criticism of Bahrain for fear of alienating a trusted friend - or its Saudi big brother. Yet turmoil still convulses the tiny Gulf island, where riot police clash daily with demonstrators, mostly from the Shi'ite majority, and opposition parties stage mass marches. Police deploy armored vehicles, teargas, sound bombs and birdshot to lock protesters down and prevent a critical mass from re-forming and winning world attention. As a result, activists say the death toll has risen to 80 from 35, including five security personnel, when martial law was lifted in June. SECTARIAN FEARS Bahrain's government says it remains open to limited reform, but unease at the prospect of any power shift from the Sunni royal family to the Shi'ite majority has stifled progress. The hardline royal court minister, Khaled bin Ahmed, initiated contacts with the leading Shi'ite party Wefaq in January, but pro-government Sunni radicals objected strongly and the chance of renewed dialogue appears to have evaporated. Nevertheless, King Hamad responded to the Grand Prix furore on Sunday by stating his "personal commitment to reform and reconciliation". Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, adviser to the Information Affairs Authority, said many Bahrainis wanted reforms but did not want them dictated by one party or sect. "All the political societies want to fight corruption, efficient government, an empowered parliament," he said. "As long as there are no preconditions, mutual respect and no raising the bar too high, then there is hope." Sheikh Abdulaziz declined to comment on any potential rifts within the government over the question of reform. Crown Prince Salman has long been seen as its keenest royal advocate. He brought Formula One to Manama in 2004 as part of what analysts say was a vision for political and economic change that would reduce reliance on receipts from an oilfield shared with Saudi Arabia - and the influence that the arrangement gives a powerful neighbor with no interest in a democratic Bahrain. The negative publicity the latest race attracted may help to undermine whatever remains of that reform drive. "If anything the race will probably encourage the hardliners in government to say 'we don't need this sort of thing, we don't make money from it and it brings troublesome Westerners'," said Jane Kinninmont, a Chatham House analyst based in London. Prince Salman's reforms had for years been seen as a challenge to the way Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman, prime minister since independence from Britain in 1971, handles the economy. Sheikh Khalifa has become a figurehead for Sunnis who fear Shi'ite empowerment in the event of democratic change. Changes of personnel and remit in key bodies since last year's crackdown suggest the concerns of the security apparatus now dominate. "It appears to be the case across the family and throughout the government that they think they are winning," said Toby Jones, Middle East historian at Rutgers University. "NO URGENCY" "There is no sense of urgency or commitment to creating the kind of space necessary to arrive at a rapprochement," Jones said. "If that's true, then it seems that all this talk of a split - and contradictory agendas - does not really matter." Bahrain, a banking and tourism hub, is a shadow of its former self. Economic growth slowed to 1.3 percent in the last three months of 2011 compared to 2.2 percent the year before and inflation hit a three-year high of 4.7 percent in March. This has increased reliance on Saudi Arabia which has promised, along with other Gulf oil and gas powers, to offer extra financial help, giving extra comfort to the ruling elite. Hotels and office space have low occupancy and fewer Saudi weekend visitors frequent its bars, restaurants and malls. Few foreign media have correspondents based in the country. Wefaq, the main Shi'ite party, says attempts to reach a deal with the authorities are at an impasse. "This government is not serious about having a real dialogue, to listen to the demands of the Bahraini people and implement those demands which cannot be ignored," Wefaq leader Sheikh Ali Salman told Reuters. "Who are you to have a monopoly in power? Who tasked you with the job of appointing the government, controlling all ministries, taking advantage of national wealth?" he asked. Demonized in pro-government media as the "Hezbollah of Bahrain" yet singled out by U.S. President Barack Obama as an interlocutor the government should engage, Wefaq says the country is hostage to discord within the ruling family. The party, whose more radical rivals favor ditching the monarchy altogether, expects the conflict to get more violent. "Petrol bombs only appeared after November and in recent months we have seen some bombings, though it's still not clear who carried them out," Salman said. "It's just logical that political deadlock will result in deeper instability."

Balochistan : ANTI-POLIO DRIVE KICKED OFF IN 27 DISTRICTS

The three-day

anti-polio drive in 27 districts of Balochistan was kicked off on Monday wherein over 1.5 million children below the age of five years would be administered polio vaccine. A control room has been set up at Provincial Secretariat to closely monitor the campaign situation in Quetta where two cases have so far been detected during the past four months. The provincial teams of EPI, WHO and UNICEF will also monitor the campaign. As many as 4, 549 mobile teams, 608 fixed site teams, 70 border teams and 227 Transit teams will take part in the campaign while an in-charge was appointed at each 448 Union councils and 920 areas. These teams are being assisted by area in-charges, Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and officials of Health Department. Balochistan was the worst affected province during the 2011 during which 73 out of 198 cases were reported. Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Umar babar said government in collaboration with other organizations making its utmost efforts to eradicate this virus. Considering the high cases in the province, the government has constituted committee in each district under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner to make the campaign more effective. The anti polio-drive will start in high risk areas that include Quetta, Qila Abdullah and Pishin by May 7, 2012. According to health officials, two cases were reported in Quetta in this year while total 15 children have contracted with polio virus throughout the country.

ZARDARI ACCEPTS INVITATION BY SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL

Socialist International has invited President Asif Ali Zardari to deliver a keynote address at their Congress in September this year which the President accepted. The invitation was extended Monday during President’s meeting with Luis Ayala, Secretary General of Socialist International who called on him at Bilawal House. Briefing about the meeting Spokesperson to the President Senator Farhatullah Babar said that during meeting, the President called upon the Socialist International which has a large membership among the members of the European Parliament, to stress upon early operationalization of Pakistan-specific EU trade package, the Autonomous Trade Preference, announced by the European Union in response to the economic challenges faced by the country owing to the toll of war on terror and the destruction caused by the unprecedented floods of 2010. The President said that Pakistan greatly appreciates the European Union and its member states for their commitment to help the country reviving and stabilizing its economy through trade. He said that despite immense economic difficulties, we have opted for trade over aid to stabilize our economy from the shocks of ongoing war and that of the natural calamities. He said that economic stability was essential for strengthening of the democracy and the international community needs to assist the democratic dispensation in bringing about socio-economic development of the people of Pakistan. The President said that socio-economic development would help defeat militancy and also advance the goals of freedom, justice and peace. Discussing various steps taken by the present government, the President said that PPP’s Government in line with the vision of its founder Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and her great daughter Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has taken a number of steps for real empowerment of the downtrodden people of this country, especially the most vulnerable segments of the society. He said that in line with our manifesto, we have empowered our women not only politically but also economically so as to save them from all kinds of exploitation. He said that the flagship program of the present government, the BISP program, with all its components was serving the poor women of the country and enabling them to support themselves financially besides taking care of their health, work and education issues. He said that besides women, the Party have also focussed on the labour class by empowering them and making them a share holder in state-run enterprises. He said that reinstatement of the sacked workers, regularization of contract labor, giving 12 percent shares in state-run enterprises to the workers, giving state lands free of cost to poor women in the command areas of the new dams were some of the major achievements of the democratic government. The President said that the PPP which also a member of Socialist International is continuing its forward march on the path of empowering people and for their progress and development despite economic and other challenges. Discussing regional situation, the President reiterated Pakistan’s principled stance of support peace efforts in the neighbouring Afghanistan saying that we believe that peace on our side and in the region was invariably linked with the peace in Afghanistan. Therefore, we will continue to support every effort for peace, stability and development in Afghanistan, the President said. Luis Ayala, Secretary General of Socialist International, thanked the President and Co-Chairman PPP for meeting and appreciated the Party’s achievements in empowering the most vulnerable segments of the society. He also lauded Pakistan’s role in war against terror and its efforts to support peace activities in Afghanistan. Mr. Ayala assured the President of continued support of Socialist International in its quest for getting more trade in the European markets.

Allies with PPP on Saraiki province

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday claimed that all coalition partners craved for the formation of a new Saraiki province. Talking to a group of journalists from print media, the premier said he had talked to his coalition partners after President Asif Zardari’s announcement to carve out the Saraiki province in Punjab, adding that all of them assured him of support. He pointed out that Awami National Party (ANP) leader Asfandyar Wali Khan and Baloch leader Israrullah Zehri had backed it. He also said that lawmakers from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas had also assured the government of their support on the issue. The PM said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid had tried several times to introduce a resolution in the Punjab Assembly regarding the Saraiki province, but did not have the majority to do so. Gilani said that nothing was impossible in politics and the government would be able to create a consensus in parliament in this regard. He said that there was a consensus among the coalition partners to create the Saraiki province, but the government would like to take all political forces on board. To a question about the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) demand for early elections, the prime minister said that the government would first consult with the coalition partners, adding that if they were agreed then further discussion would be held with PML-N President Mian Nawaz Sharif. On Balochistan, Gilani said that law and order situation had been overshadowing all the efforts taken by the government through Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package to alleviate the grievances of the people of the deprived province. He said that the government would arrest former president Pervez Musharraf on his return for his involvement in the murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti. The PM defended the expansion of the cabinet, saying that a 60-member cabinet was in line with 11 percent of the total strength of parliament as recommended in the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which would be implemented from next general elections. He said that 60 members constituted 11 percent of 446-member parliament. Gilani said that the government was seriously considering for holding local bodies elections in the federal capital so that the city would be administered by a “mayor” as is being done in Bangladesh and other countries. “I have directed my colleagues to work on this and the president has already given his nod,” the PM said. Gilani said that the government wanted friendly relations with the US in line with the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security. The cabinet’s committee on defence would receive a presentation and subsequently a US team would be visiting Pakistan for holding discussions on terms of future engagement between the two war partners. He said that he had directed the economic team to prepare proposals to provide relief to the farmers and common people through programmes like the Benazir Income Support Programme.

Pakistan's top court to deliver verdict in PM case

Pakistan's Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict later this week in a contempt case against the prime minister that could see him losing his job, the premier's lawyer said Tuesday. A guilty verdict could also result in Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani

serving up to six months in prison for his refusal to reopen an old corruption case against the president, his political ally. That could stoke fresh political turmoil at a time when Pakistan is trying to patch up its relations with the United States and is grappling with a weak economy and a bloody Taliban insurgency. But even if Gilani is forced to step down — a process that could take months — the deeper political impact could be limited since the ruling coalition has the majority in parliament needed to elect a new prime minister. The court has summoned to Gilani to appear before it Thursday when it is expected to deliver its verdict, said his lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan. "I am hopeful that the prime minister will be acquitted," Ahsan told reporters outside the courthouse in Islamabad. The judges have repeatedly ordered the government to write a letter to Swiss authorities requesting they reopen a graft case against President Asif Ali Zardari that dates back to the late 1990s. Gilani has refused, saying the president enjoys immunity from criminal prosecution while in office. He and other members of the ruling Pakistan People's Party have argued that the Supreme Court has relentlessly pursued the case because of bad blood between Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudry and Zardari.

Dengue, PIC victims: red-tape delays compensation

Compensation for the families of 261 dengue fever victims, who had lost their lives during the worst-ever epidemic of the disease last year, has either been delayed or denied by the Punjab government. Hospital-based mortality review committees, the Dengue Experts Advisory Group (DEAG) and committees constituted at the DG Health and Health Department levels for the verification and confirmation of genuine cases for financial assistance have brought no relief to families of scores of diseased patients. The official figure provided to Dawn by Lahore (EDO) Dr Inamul Haq reveals that the number of deaths of dengue patients was almost double than the figure announced by health authorities shortly after the epidemic. “We have issued so far Rs500,000 cheque each to 255 patients who died of dengue virus”, Dr Inam said. He said the health department had received 311 more cases of those patients who died of dengue virus for financial assistance and of these 261 were still under the verification process. Similarly, families of patients who had died in the drugs reaction scam are also facing the same situation as out of Rs256 million total financial assistance released by the Punjab government, the authorities could dispense only Rs118 million to the families of victims. According to official figures, out of 908 affected patients 183 had died of the drugs reaction in the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) scam. Health department section officer Dr Nasir told Dawn that the department had released Rs236.3 million to the Lahore district coordination officer for disbursement to families of patients who died in the PIC drugs reaction. He said the financial assistance of Rs20 million was also released to the Punjab Health Director-General to distribute it among those families of PIC patients who died in other districts of the province. “The Health Department has forwarded a summary to the chief minister on April 10 wherein it has been mentioned that the DCO office has dispensed Rs109.8 million among families of PIC victims out of total Rs236.3 million released for the financial assistance while the DG Health has disbursed Rs9.5 million among the legal heirs of patients in connection with the same scam”, Dr Nasir said. As is evident from the official figures provided by the section officer, the legal heirs of scores of dengue virus and PIC scam victims are still struggling to get financial assistance since these two major tragedies had taken a heavy toll of patients, particularly in Lahore. Complicated procedural formalities and hectic schedule of officials concerned designated for the verification of cases have caused the delay in the disbursement of financial assistance to legal heirs. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had announced a financial assistance of Rs500,000 for each patient who either died of dengue fever or the drugs reaction. Families are lamenting over the delay of compensation owing to the apathy of government officials. Elderly woman Safia Bibi, who lost her only son in dengue epidemic, says: “It is too easy to die of a viral disease like dengue but too difficult to get compensation from the government which is responsible for the spread of the virus.” Her 27-year-old son, Muhammad Saad, had died of dengue virus in Wapda Hospital on Oct 10, 2011. Wapda Hospital MS Dr Akmal Faiz Bhatty had confirmed that Saad died of dengue fever and issued a letter on Feb 2012 the copy of which is available with Dawn. The name of Saad was also mentioned in the officially prepared list of dengue victims. Saad’s father Bashir Ahmad of Multan Road suffered leg fracture in September 2011 and remained hospitalized for four months. Since then Safia had been pursuing the case of financial assistance by visiting offices of the EDO, DG health, Civil Secretariat and other officials concerned, but to no avail. Similarly, a job-seeker youth who had lost his parents in the PIC drugs reaction has been visiting the offices of the Health Director-General for two months for financial assistance. His father Saleemullah of Hafizabad and mother Iffat Saleem were cardiac patients and had been taking medicines from the PIC. According to official documents, the PIC administration and hospitals’ concerned where deaths took place had verified their cases by issuing death certificates. The DG office has assured the youth of financial assistance in the case of his mother but it has rejected the case of his father despite the fact that official documents carrying registration (No 2010-070749) of the patient categorically mentioned the cause as ‘death due to medicine reaction’. Legal heirs like Safia Bibi could not meet Services Hospital principal Prof Dr Faisal Masood, who is heading DEAG, during her frequent visits there in pursuance of her case due to his (Dr Masood’s) hectic schedule. Most of them are those whose patients had either died at homes or private health facilities, but there is no transparent mechanism for the verification of their cases.